Beta read by Shigiya
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-Kuoh-
Before the current wave of chaos decided to bulldoze its way through my life, I actually had a fairly steady stream of work. Azazel, for reasons that still escaped me, had enthusiastically taken it upon himself to act as a middleman, introducing me to one client after another. Looking back on it, I wouldn't claim I was some legendary problem solver whose name struck fear into the hearts of enemies or inspired songs in taverns. My standards for self-evaluation were considerably lower than that. Still, the results spoke for themselves. Most of those jobs ended successfully, and after enough victories piled up, even someone like me had to admit there was probably a small sense of accomplishment hidden somewhere in there.
Those missions came in every imaginable form. Some involved killing off several Strays who started devouring the locals and others were just being your typical bodyguard; but those were very rare. Between each assignment, I gradually became more familiar with my newly acquired Sacred Gear back then and the abilities that came with it. Trial and error turned into experience. Experience turned into confidence. Before I realized it, what had started as a recently acquired power had become something I could actually rely on.
Of course, all of that felt strangely distant now.
The current version of me wasn't really operating as Grigori's unofficial errand boy anymore. There was no constant queue of requests waiting on my desk. No Azazel appearing out of nowhere with another mission he claimed would be "simple" before revealing details that made the word completely meaningless.
That wasn't to say I had completely stopped getting involved in other people's problems.
Just recently, for example, I had ended up helping Sairaorg rescue Hephaestus from the remnants of the Old Satan faction. Even now, the entire situation sounded ridiculous when I thought about it for more than a few seconds.
An ancient Greek god had been kidnapped. Not some minor supernatural nobody. Not some random craftsman. But Hephaestus himself. The blacksmith of Olympus.
And the reasoning behind it wasn't exactly difficult to figure out. If someone managed to capture one of the greatest divine smiths in existence, they weren't doing it for fun — they wanted weapons. The kind capable of shifting the balance of entire conflicts. The Old Satan faction had many flaws, but a lack of ambition certainly wasn't one of them.
The strange part was how little attention I had given the matter afterward.
Once the rescue was finished and the immediate crisis had passed, I simply moved on to the next problem. As a result, Hephaestus had gradually drifted to the back of my mind.
Until now.
Now, standing here and waiting for a meeting with members of the Greek Pantheon, that forgotten memory suddenly returned with surprising clarity.
It wasn't just that I was about to meet a few gods. That alone would have been noteworthy enough for most people.
"Hah…" A quiet sigh escaped me as I leaned back against the wall, making sure I looked at least somewhat presentable. "Since when does Azazel even care about the kind of clothes I wore in front of others? This guy…"
Meeting gods wasn't new anymore. If anything, my life had become so bizarre that divine encounters were starting to feel disturbingly normal. The issue was that familiarity didn't automatically erase common sense. Anyone claiming they could casually walk into a room filled with major Greek deities without feeling even slightly uneasy was either lying or suffering from a dangerous lack of self-preservation.
Unfortunately, I possessed enough self-preservation to understand exactly how ridiculous my situation was.
"What do you think about the two gods?" Akeno asked, her voice pulling me from my thoughts just as a faint shimmering light filled the room as I teleported into Azazel's place. Last time I ended up being here involved a conversation about Gabriel.
It was quite late at night, and I was more than a bit annoyed that I didn't get to rest up and enjoy the rest of my evening. I turned my attention to the raven haired Fallen Angel Devil hybrid and groaned loudly. "Honestly, I don't have any opinions to say the least, given I've never actually met them in person. But," I said while stretching my arms a bit and walking out of the room with her following me with curiosity, "trusting gods in general is never a good idea."
"Well, that's a given. Though I'd say trusting anyone blindly or without reason is a bad idea.
"Greek gods especially are not to be trusted."
"Heh... are they that bad?" Akeno reacted with an understanding nod. "I heard plenty of bad stories when it comes to these gods from books Lady Venelana made me read before, but I never actually checked if or how much of that was the truth."
"Never asked Grayfia or Sirzechs? Those two definitely met them." To that, she shook her head.
"I just never was that curious about them back then."
Huh, fair enough.
"Even if it's less than what the myths say, you must not let your guard down around these people," I warned. "Even the myths shared amongst mortals, which were changed constantly from one time period to another or one storyteller to another, all of them always have a trace of truth and follow a pattern. So overall, even if they may seem quite nice and polite, they are scheming something. Basically."
"This feels like it applies to every other god and supernatural being overall," Akeno mused.
"Given you're part devil, in a way your side is already used to dealing with people like this. It should be a walk in the park for you."
"Did you reach a similar conclusion with Odin?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Ugh," I groaned at the mention of the old geezer. The great and all-powerful God of the Aesir, the All-Father Odin, who was always depicted as a wise old man, had just turned out to be a giant pervert. But then again, a wise man could also be a pervert, so I didn't let that aspect fool me completely. For a fleeting moment, a thought crossed my mind; perhaps he was using the perverted image to have his enemies underestimate him? But as soon as the thought surfaced, I shook my head. "No, it's very unlikely," I muttered, "given what Rossweisse mentioned. That guy is truly a pervert, a genuine one." I sighed again for the nth time today. "Let's forget about this and get this matter done with. I'm tire and want to get some sleep."
"Eeeh, that's a bit boring, Hachi-kun~"
Before I could take another step, a pair of slender arms snaked around my torso from behind, pulling me back against a body that was all soft curves and undeniable heat. Akeno's lush breasts molded against my back, their weight and softness pressing into me with a possessiveness that stole the air from my lungs. Enough to even make me feel goosebumps! The thin fabric of her uniform did little to dull the sensation of her hard nipples digging into my shoulder blades.
Her delicate fingers intertwined, splaying across my stomach, while one hand began a slow, deliberate descent. It traced the line of my waistband before coming to rest with a gentle pressure right over my groin, the heat of her palm seeping through the fabric of my pants. A soft, intoxicatingly warm puff of air tickled the shell of my ear as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a husky whisper that vibrated right down my spine.
"I hoped that we would be having some alone time upon going back home, with just the two of us… or maybe with Rias joining in as well?" Her fingers gave a subtle, teasing squeeze, her implication crystal clear. "I've been thinking that it has been a while since it was just the two or three of us. Thinking about all the things we could do without any interruptions."
Holy shit, the out of nowhere attack was unfair!
I momentarily pictured what was going to happen with those two and shuddered. These two succubi would drain my life energy. But even as I thought that humorously, a part of me was genuinely contemplating it, even anticipating it. I sighed again. "Because of you, I might end up as an old pervert by the time I get old, like Odin."
Akeno shook her head, her silky hair brushing against my neck and sending a fresh shiver through me. "Such a thing won't happen," she whispered seductively, a promise that made my blood run hot. "Because I will be indulging all of your fetishes and lustful desires with my own body to the point that you will not even have the desire or the time to be perverted, nor the energy to be perverted."
Was she getting revenge? Did I make her angry lately? Doing so in Azazel's place with two gods soon arriving just begged for trouble.
"Heh," still, I had gotten more than used to her antics. "I'm looking forward to it," I said, my voice laced with a dry sincerity. After saying that, I disentangled myself from her embrace and walked towards the main living area, knocking on the door. A moment later, Azazel opened it. A giant grin was plastered on his face, but it looked a bit strained, as if he was trying to maintain a jovial attitude while being clearly stressed about something.
"Hachiman! Welcome!" he boomed, his voice a little too loud. He then noticed Akeno standing behind me. "And Akeno, good to see you too! Strange, I thought that redheaded brat would also be glued to your side… or even Gabriel."
"Will it be a problem? Also, stop lusting after Gabriel! She's your sister!"
"Hey! I'm not lusting, just showing admiration and jealousy! Also, no, no, that is not the case at all!" Azazel quickly assured her, waving his hands dismissively. "Please, come in, come in! You look exhausted, kid. Want something to drink?"
"I'm considering it," I admitted, rubbing my eyes. "But for now, I'll pass on that offer."
"Sorry about this," the Fallen Angel said, his smile faltering for a second. "This kind of happened out of nowhere and even I had barely any time to prepare. No one can expect for two gods to come, let alone having Aphrodite of all people visit me just to ask if they could meet you. I couldn't exactly ask them to leave and book an appointment with your secretary like everyone else."
Hearing the sincerity in his tone, it helped reduce the slight anger within me at the horrible timing. Understanding that those were not people he could just chase away, "Yeah, that's a good idea. We don't want to see me or Kalawarna getting struck by lightning if you were to earn their ire."
"Zeus doesn't have that kind of temperament, not anymore," Azazel corrected, leaning against the wall. "He used to, sure. Those were in his younger days, back during the Titanomachy age of their pantheon. These days, he's closer to Odin than anything else."
"This does not sound like good news," I stated, which made him chuckle.
"And what about Aphrodite?" I asked.
This immediately erased any laid-back and happy expression from Azazel's face. He turned around and looked at me with a stern expression. "Listen, kid, you need to keep this in mind, Aphrodite is not your average goddess."
Seeing him make such a face proved to be unnerving. Nonetheless, those words were not anything new or some mind blowing information. So, I huffed. "Of course I know that. You're behaving as if this was my first time meeting a goddess. Wait, hold on. Never mind. The other times I met a goddess, it didn't end well."
"I'm not joking here," Azazel insisted, his gaze unwavering. "That woman is not like the Goddess that personifies war you met before. Her danger doesn't come from direct confrontation but rather it comes from how she always manipulates others. She rarely, if ever, gets interested in anything, and when she does, it always ends badly for one side. And it's almost never her side. The fact that she came all the way to Japan just to meet you for saving a husband who she famously dislikes in many ways. From his appearance, considers him beneath her, and famously despised her marriage, turning instead to passionate affairs — most notably with Ares, the god of war — that should tell you something."
As he said that, I scratched the back of my head. "Old man, you're worrying about nothing. I won't fall for her tricks. So don't treat me like some greenhorn novice who's never dealt with a woman before. I'll know how to handle her and not fall for her traps."
"Who're you calling old? Geez, kids these days… no respect. That's exactly why I'm worried," Azazel countered, pointing a finger at me. "Because you will offer her a challenge. What bigger insult will there be to a goddess of love than a man who does not fall in love with her looks?"
"This is merely a small talk between two groups for saving one of their own," I said, trying to be reasonable. "It won't escalate that far since she did not come here to seduce me! Pretty sure she has bigger fishes to catch out there… like you!"
"Holy shit kid!" Azazel groaned, slapping his own face with his palm. "Why did you have to jinx it!?"
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After that little conversation, he led the way into the living room, and I followed with Akeno choosing to stay behind. Despite me beaconing her to join the conversation, she showed no interest aside from seeing Aphrodite's face. Her attention instead fully focused on several books Azazel owned left by her father. Some of which I noticed happened to have a few pictures of a much younger Akeno and Shuri within them.
The apartment was a rather luxurious one as usual, suiting Azazel's particular tastes. Paintings of all sorts adorned the walls, a collection he'd probably "acquired" over the centuries. Against one wall, a massive shelf was filled with dozens, if not hundreds, of vintage wine bottles, whiskey decanters, and other spirits, all of them looking super expensive and stuff. But that wasn't what attracted my attention, given I'd already seen it all before. My focus was on the two new guests.
"Sorry about the lateness! Hope my choice of wine managed to help you with the boredom."
In the middle of the room, on a plush sofa, two people sat there comfortably, listening to some classical music playing softly in the background, each holding a cup of wine. The first was a burly man with the physique of an Olympic weightlifter but the face of an elderly man. A thick white beard and mustache framed his clear blue eyes, and dressed in a black suit. Even with the white beard, one could tell that he didn't actually look that old; without it, he could probably pass for someone in his thirties.
But the main attraction was easily the woman next to him. She could be described as one of the most beautiful women I had seen in my life, and given that I hung out with Gabriel regularly, that was definitely an achievement. Locks of beige, almost blonde-colored hair curled around her face, cascading down her shoulders. Her eyes, the same clear blue as the man next to her, held a captivating light. Her body was sculpted with full, rounded hips that tapered to a narrow waist, and a bust that was generous yet perfectly proportioned. The white dress she wore was simple in design but clung to her curves like a second skin, the fabric dipping just enough at the neckline to hint that she wasn't wearing a bra.
She was, in a word, 'dangerous'.
The burly man, who I figured was Zeus, got up excitedly and walked towards me. "You must be Hikigaya Hachiman! I am very happy to finally meet you! I want to thank you for saving my son." His voice boomed like thunder… the irony of those words were not lost to me.
"It's no big deal. It was part of the job, as we discussed."
This made Zeus laugh, a deep, rumbling sound. "You are too humble! I was stunned when, upon asking Azazel for help, the rescue would happen so quickly! I was expecting to wait for days, even months, to see anything happen! Yet before I could even go to sleep, here comes Hephaestus already back in his workshop! Hahaha!"
While he was speaking, I found myself only half-listening to the actual words.
The other half of my brain was busy trying to figure out whether this was how gods normally talked or if Zeus was making a special effort for my benefit. Honestly, it felt less like a conversation and more like I was being courted by a politician five days before an election. The compliments kept coming. The praise, every sentence seemed carefully arranged to make me feel important.
For a god, he was laying it on surprisingly thick.
Either Greek deities naturally spoke in flowery speeches, or the old man was trying very hard to keep me in a good mood. Considering this was Zeus, I wasn't entirely convinced there wasn't an ulterior motive somewhere in there.
"You're quite remarkable. Your accomplishments have spread far and wide, young man!"
Right.
And next he'd probably tell me I was the most handsome person he'd met all week. The scary part was that he could probably say it with a straight face and I genuinely would start fearing that this man was interested in me. Deciding I had heard enough divine flattery for one afternoon, I steered the conversation somewhere else.
"How is Hephaestus doing?"
The question shifted the focus away from me immediately.
This time it was Aphrodite who answered. "My husband is doing well."
The goddess spoke softly, yet every word carried clearly across the room. There was something strange about her voice. It wasn't magical as far as I could tell, nor did it feel like some kind of supernatural charm. Yet it was easy to understand why entire myths had been written about her. Listening to her felt like listening to a favorite song.
A small smile appeared on her face. "He has been very grateful for your actions in saving him."
I nodded politely. Internally, however, a different thought immediately surfaced. If he was that grateful, then where exactly was he?
Maybe that was unfair.
The god had just escaped captivity not too long ago. There were probably dozens of legitimate reasons for his absence. Still, a small part of me couldn't help wondering. A grateful person usually thanked someone personally. At the very least, that was how normal people handled it. Then again, I was applying human logic to Greek gods.
That was probably my first mistake.
"I see."
The goddess continued studying me for a few moments. "I have heard many stories about the Black Dragon King."
There it was again.
"Compared to years past, the tales surrounding this particular Sacred Gear's host have become considerably larger in modern times."
"You're giving me far too much credit." A dismissive wave followed. "I'm not that impressive."
The response earned a look from both gods that clearly suggested they disagreed.
I ignored it.
"Most of the work was done by Sairaorg." That wasn't false modesty either. Anyone who had actually seen the man fight knew exactly how absurdly capable he was. The more interesting part wasn't correcting Aphrodite. It was seeing how they reacted when another name entered the conversation.
So I pushed the topic further.
"He's honestly incredible." Both deities remained silent, allowing me to continue. "I'm sure you are aware of the recent Rating Game tournament? He came dangerously close to winning the entire thing."
I leaned back slightly.
"Personally, I think he could have won." I then let the statement hang in the air for a moment before looking directly at the goddess. "Is there another reason entirely why you came here? I doubt you came all this way just to offer a simple thanks after so much time has passed. So it obviously isn't something related to Hephaestus."
This made them look at each other, a silent communication passing between them. Aphrodite finally nodded. "It actually has something we need to discuss," she admitted with a dry tone. "The message from earlier was just something my husband wanted me to send to you, but he was unable to do so himself because he is busy with some personal matters and I had to waste my time coming here to find a human."
I raised an eyebrow, not at the insult but how quickly she changed attitude without even trying to argue back. "So much for being all polite earlier. You dropped that act pretty fast."
"It never was an act," Aphrodite countered. "I was being polite and do actually appreciate everything you have done for them. But I am a bit angered because, at the end of the day, I am not a messenger, and my husband should have come himself to thank you. Am I wrong?"
"No, you're right, in a way," I conceded, trying to make sense of what was going on in Hephaestus' mind. "It doesn't matter for now. What's this matter you wanted to discuss with me in the first place?"
"Since you have helped us in retrieving one of our own, and from the clutches of the old Satan faction, you can be considered an ally," Aphrodite began, her tone shifting to something more formal. "Thus, it is my duty to tell you that they were approached by a certain member of the Khaos Brigade not that long ago."
This made both me and Azazel react in unison. "What?"
Not a name I hoped to hear from these two.
This time, Zeus was the one who spoke, his jovial demeanor gone. "Yes. A certain god from another pantheon arrived at their doorstep. He was making quite a few claims and running his mouth quite a bit, with several tantalizing offers in exchange for a few favors, so to say."
Azazel was the one who butted into the conversation this time. "The reason you are not mentioning this person's name is because…"
"It's because it would be a shame to give all of this information for free without us getting something in return."
Aphrodite's smile widened slightly. "Because it would be a shame to give all of that information away for free."
Oh, of course.
I was not even surprised.
For a moment, I had actually expected a straightforward answer. Looking back on it, that was probably my mistake. Information was valuable, and people rarely handed valuable things over without wanting something in return. Apparently, gods were no different.
Outwardly, however, I didn't let any of those thoughts show on my face.Instead, I shifted my attention toward Zeus. "Then just lay it all on the table. Tell me directly."
Zeus crossed his arms over his chest, the fabric of his suit straining slightly. "The Greek Pantheon has no plans or desire to get involved with the matters of the Khaos Brigade and its war against the Biblical Faction, let's keep that clear. We don't want any group in the biblical faction to meddle with our personal affairs nor do we want any prying eyes infiltrating places they shouldn't."
The gaze he shot at Azazel made me feel there was some history there. Especially when the Governor General coughed awkwardly and cleared his throat. "Rest assured, we will stay out of your way. I'll make sure to pass on the message to Sirzechs and Michael."
This made me scratch my chin. I hummed, basically figuring out what was going on, and said out loud, "So what you're saying is that perhaps a few other gods and Aphrodite here, do not want to be involved. But this does not extend to every other member, now does it?"
Azazel nodded, understanding my line of thought. "Yes," Zeus confirmed. "Several gods were attracted by the offer and have shown signs of being interested."
"You're the big boss," I couldn't help but mention this point out loud. "Why can't you just shut them up or enforce your rules?"
This made Zeus cough awkwardly. "It's a bit more complicated than that."
Aphrodite wasted no time to intervene before he could elaborate. "It's Hera," she said, her voice flat. "She's showing signs of being interested. She's resisting Zeus's orders and defying them even more often than not lately."
"Hera?"
This confused me. Hera of all people, siding with the Khaos Brigade? It didn't make sense, but I listened nonetheless.
"It's not that she's interested in the Khaos Brigade," Aphrodite clarified. "It's mostly because she's doing it to stand opposite of Zeus and use this opportunity to enact a form of revenge."
"So it's a couple's quarrel, basically?" I said.
Aphrodite chuckled. "Pretty much."
"Then I'm not a couples counselor," I said, my frustration mounting. I wasted my already precious time for this? Sure I tried to help other students at school with such things given the nature of the Request Club, but these were gods and I did not want to get involved… especially when it came to these two! "What can I even do?"
"Hera is not a bullheaded goddess who does everything out of pettiness, despite what some legends and myths from the human world might suggest," Aphrodite explained. "You just need to... convince her that getting involved with the Khaos Brigade is not a good idea, nor would it mean she's siding with the winning team."
This made me even more confused, there was some information missing here. "Again, why ask me this? Why give such a strange request? None of this makes sense. If you wanted someone to showcase that siding with the Khaos Brigade is not a good idea, then why don't you just go to Sirzechs? Or even Sairaorg?"
I narrowed my eyes, my gaze shifting from the goddess to the god and back again. "What's really going on here?"
Aphrodite smirked ever so slightly. "Technically, it's your fault that Hera lost confidence in this side."
This stunned me. "What?"
She elaborated. "In actuality, Hera was actually somewhat of a fan of the Black Dragon King. Ever since your activities started several years ago, she kept somewhat of an eye on you. She has been observing you, especially when you had that little confrontation with Nemain."
Never thought I'd hear that name again so soon. That goddess had become my bad luck charm at this point. "Does Hera have some bad history with her?"
"Correct. Those two had once had a disagreement, so to say, and several centuries later, some resentment remains and bad blood between them. Hera was extremely happy upon hearing the news of your second confrontation with that woman along with the outcome. And though she did not celebrate, her mood had clearly improved."
This information made me roll my eyes. "Great. I'm just basically a tool used in a several-centuries-long disagreement between two goddesses. So let me guess, she started bragging about me to the other gods, saying that I was quite capable or something?"
"That. And also because your mother asked her to look after her son."
"..."
What the…
The sound of my palm slapping my forehead spread inside the room. "What the hell does my mother have to do with this matter now!? How would Hera even be in contact with my mother in the first place!?" While Zeus was preparing his answer, my own thoughts were already racing ahead.
There was absolutely no way this was going where I thought it was going.
I knew my parents and they were normal.
Completely, painfully normal.
There wasn't some hidden family secret waiting to be revealed. My father wasn't a disguised god. My mother wasn't some ancient supernatural being who had abandoned her divine throne to live among mortals. There wasn't a sacred bloodline, a forgotten prophecy, or some legendary ancestor lurking in the family tree waiting to suddenly become relevant.
My family was about as ordinary as a family could get.
Which was precisely why I refused to believe this was about to turn into one of those ridiculous stories where the protagonist discovers his entire life was a lie.
No. Absolutely not.
I wasn't falling for such a stereotypical anime plot. This was reality.
Well, relatively speaking… but still! As much reality as could exist in a world filled with devils, angels, dragons, and gods.
Finally, Zeus spoke. "From what I understand, during one of your parents' honeymoon trips, they visited Samos. During their travels, your mother happened to pass by the ruins of one of Hera's old temples. One of the guides explained who Hera was, what domains she governed, and what she represented."
The king of the gods stroked his beard before continuing. "After hearing that, your mother offered a prayer. She prayed that Hera would watch over her son. Furthermore, she asked that Hera bless her son's future relationship. That he and his girlfriend would enjoy a happy marriage and be blessed with several children."
Silence.
For several seconds, I simply stared at him. Out of everything I had expected to hear today, that was nowhere near the top of the list. Actually, it wasn't on the list at all.
My mother had apparently gone on vacation, visited some ancient ruins, listened to a tour guide, and then casually submitted a divine request regarding my future romantic life.
Somehow, against all logic, that sounded exactly like something she would do. Which was arguably more realistic than any revelation involving secret gods or supernatural bloodlines.
This left me staring at them in complete disbelief.
Seriously?
At this point, I was beginning to suspect the universe had developed a personal grudge against me. Normal people worried about exams, relationships, or future careers. Somehow, I had managed to end up in a situation where the Queen of the Greek Gods was apparently dissatisfied with my public performance record.
How was that even a thing? My mouth opened and closed several times before I finally found the words. "Hold on. Wait a second." I raised a hand, trying to stop the incoming headache before it got any worse.
"Wouldn't Hera just ignore those prayers in the first place? I mean, we're talking about a goddess here. There should be thousands, maybe millions of people making requests every year. Even if worship isn't as common nowadays, there are still plenty of believers around the world."
The more I thought about it, the less sense it made.
"So why exactly would she focus on someone who isn't even Greek? And on top of that, it wasn't even some lifelong act of devotion. My mother basically made a spur-of-the-moment prayer and somehow that snowballed into... whatever this is."
Across from me, Zeus let out a sigh, having no answer himself.
"You are still ignorant," the beautiful goddess declared, rolling her eyes immediately. "There are many things you do not understand about your own wife. Sometimes I truly do pity her."
The King of Olympus looked offended. The Goddess of Love ignored him completely.
"Both of them are hopelessly clueless sometimes. Especially Zeus."
"I am sitting right here."
"And yet my point remains unchanged."
For a brief moment, the two gods exchanged looks. One seemed annoyed. The other seemed completely unconcerned. Then Aphrodite turned her attention back toward me. "Normally, yes, Hera ignores most of those kinds of prayers. Tourists, casual worshippers, people making wishes during vacations. There are simply too many of them who don't even believe in her existence and just say it for the experience."
That at least sounded reasonable. Then came the part where everything immediately stopped being reasonable.
"But your mother was different."
Of course she was. Nothing in my life was ever allowed to be simple. The beautiful goddess crossed one leg over the other and continued. "At the time, she was already quite the fan of you and knew your identity along with your family's. Hera viewed you favorably due to the reasons mentioned earlier. In her eyes, he had done someone she cared about a significant favor. When your mother prayed, Hera saw it as an opportunity to repay that debt in her own way."
I felt my eyelid twitch.
A favor…
"So she decided to look after me?" I asked.
"Essentially."
"And seeing me beaten for some reason made things worse and this somehow escalated into an international diplomatic incident involving multiple pantheons?"
"More or less."
Fantastic.
Aphrodite continued before I could complain further. "The problem began after your Rating Game. Hera had developed a certain image of you. A rather favorable one. She spoke highly of you during discussions with other gods, spirits, and nymphs. She considered you someone with significant potential. Then you lost. And not only did you lose, you lost publicly. In front of a considerable audience."
Every sentence somehow made things worse.
"To Hera, the outcome made no sense. The image she had built around you shattered almost immediately."
"Wonderful."
"She then started looking for explanations. When gods cannot understand something, they tend to create theories. The current theory is that the Biblical Faction interfered."
I slowly lowered my hands.
"...What?"
Aphrodite nodded.
"Hera believes they may have intentionally hindered you. Or staged circumstances that led to your defeat. Or manipulated events to make younger Devils appear more impressive."
I stared and the goddess stared back. Zeus looked like he had already accepted that this conversation was beyond saving.
"That's insane."
"It is."
"None of that happened."
"Doesn't matter, that's what Hera believes."
"Then why would she think that?"
Aphrodite spread her hands. "Because the alternative is accepting that her judgment was wrong."
I groaned and leaned back in my chair. "Everything about this is ridiculous."
The ceiling suddenly looked very interesting.
"Do gods seriously have this much free time?"
The only response I received was a beautiful smile from Aphrodite.
Which, annoyingly enough, answered the question. Apparently they did. After spending several moments trying to process the absolute nonsense I had just been told, I finally managed to reach a conclusion. Or at least the closest thing to a conclusion possible when dealing with divine logic. "So basically… what I need to do is make her look good in front of the people who think she lied or she misjudged?"
She immediately nodded. "That's essentially it. You need to demonstrate that you're capable. Show that your abilities remain your own regardless of your association with the devils or the Biblical Faction. You need to prove that they were not responsible for your loss. That there was no conspiracy, no manipulation, and no staged outcome."
I stared at Aphrodite for a few seconds, trying to process everything she had just dumped on me. The amount of information I was missing could probably fill an entire textbook, and somehow I was still expected to make a decision based on it. That sounded suspiciously similar to being asked to solve a math problem while only being given half the equation.
"Do I need to give an answer now?" I asked, rubbing my temple. "Because I honestly have no idea how I'm supposed to change her mind. There are too many things I don't know. I don't even know where I'd start planning something like this. And if even half of the myths about Hera are true, I'd have a better chance of making Azazel less of a horn dog."
"Oi!"
I calmly ignored the man's indigent look.
The goddess laughed softly, as though my concern was completely normal. Which, to be fair, it probably was. The problem was that I was dealing with gods, and normal standards rarely applied to them.
"You worry too much," she said. "Leave that part to me. I only need your approval. Once she gets that, she'll handle the rest herself."
That answer somehow made me feel both relieved and concerned at the same time. On one hand, I wouldn't have to immediately solve a diplomatic crisis involving an ancient goddess.
On the other hand, the words "she will handle it herself" did not exactly inspire confidence. That woman in question had apparently spent enough time thinking about my Rating Game loss to develop conspiracy theories involving the entire Biblical Faction. At that point, I wasn't sure whether I should feel honored or frightened of the method this goddess would come up with.
"Fine," I finally said with a sigh. "As long as it prevents the Greek faction from joining the Khaos Brigade, then I can live with it. I'd rather have them stay neutral and uninvolved than become another headache for everyone."
The reaction was immediate. Both deities looked noticeably happier, as though some major obstacle had just been removed from their path. "Excellent!" Zeus declared, sounding genuinely pleased. "We're happy to hear that answer."
Aphrodite nodded in agreement. "A wise choice." Somewhere beside me, Azazel took another drink from his glass before speaking up for the first time in several minutes.
"Since that's settled, perhaps we should call it a night," the Governor-General said. "It's getting late."
For possibly the first time that entire evening, I completely agreed with him.
The meeting had started with one problem and somehow evolved into a discussion about divine politics, wounded pride, marriage goddesses, and the possibility of an entire pantheon becoming involved in a terrorist organization. My brain was tired.
{Break}
The two Olympians exchanged a few final words with Azazel before making their way toward the exit. I remained where I was, watching them leave while stretching my shoulders. Once they were out of immediate earshot, I glanced toward the fallen angel.
"You've been unusually quiet," I noted.
The older man swirled the whiskey in his glass before taking a small sip.
"Because this sounds more like a personal issue than a political one. That doesn't mean it isn't important. Having the Greeks become involved would complicate things considerably. But at the end of the day, this is your decision. I'm not interested in forcing one on you."
That was surprisingly reasonable. Coming from Azazel, that almost felt suspicious.
"I guess that's fair."
"It usually is."
The conversation ended there. After another moment, I headed outside. The late night air was noticeably cooler than the stuffy atmosphere inside. A few lights illuminated the courtyard, casting long shadows across the stone paths. Not far away, Zeus and Aphrodite appeared to be discussing something quietly among themselves.
"Ah, Hachi-kun, you're don—oh my." Before I could think much of it, another figure approached from the opposite direction. She asked while approaching. Then her eyes landed on the two gods. "Ah, my apologies. I wasn't aware our guests were still here."
The shrine maiden offered a polite bow. The king of the Greek gods suddenly widened his eyes as though he had just discovered something fascinating.
"You must be the Priestess of Thunder and Lightning from the Gremory peerage!"
"Eh?"
The comment clearly caught her off guard. A moment later, however, the familiar professional smile appeared on her face.
"Yes," she answered. "That would be me. It's an honor to meet you, Zeus-sama."
Before I could even begin wondering where this was going, the old god stepped forward, gently took her hand, and pressed a kiss against the back of it.
'This guy…' I stared with a dry gaze. Aphrodite stared, Azazel stared and even Akeno looked mildly surprised.
"I watched your performance during the Rating Game against the young Phenex scion. You left quite an impression. I'm also familiar with your father, Barakiel, though our interactions were limited to a few conversations over the years."
Akeno maintained her smile, though it looked a little stiffer now. "I see. My father tends to stay quite busy."
Several feet away, I simply observed the exchange. At first, I wasn't entirely sure what felt strange about it. Then I focused on the old god's expression. More specifically, his eyes.
And suddenly everything made sense.
I resisted the urge to bury my face in my hands.
Of course.
Of course that part of the myths was true. The man wasn't even trying to be subtle. Meanwhile, the conversation continued.
"I am still relatively new to Kuoh," Zeus said, still holding onto her hand longer than necessary. "I've been meaning to explore the town and see what it has to offer. Perhaps you would care to accompany me? We could share a drink together."
"I'm busy."
The answer came instantly, with no hesitation whatsoever.
Just a polite refusal.
Unfortunately, the king of the gods apparently interpreted rejection as the opening move in negotiations. "Surely one evening could—"
Alright, seeing clearly where this was going to end up, best to step in now. I feared my own anger would start taking over my logical side if I were to continue seeing this. Thus, I stepped forward before the sentence could finish. "Perhaps the rest of the world doesn't know," I said, positioning myself between them, "but Akeno is actually my girlfriend."
The old god blinked.
"My lover," I added for extra emphasis. If he did not know then I genuinely would forgive him. For the first time all evening, silence appeared.
The smile remained on Zeus's face, though it seemed slightly less confident than before. "I see."
Several seconds passed.
"I had heard rumors regarding that matter," he admitted. "Though I never confirmed them."
"Well, now you have."
Akeno quietly moved closer to my side.The message wasn't exactly subtle. Another brief silence followed before the king finally nodded.
"Understood." The older man turned and began walking away before suddenly stopping. Looking back over his shoulder, he smiled. "I'll be staying in town for some time. I would like the opportunity to get to know both of you better. Consider this an invitation. Drinks, dinner, entertainment. Everything will be covered by me."
Crackle!
Then a bolt of lightning descended from the sky.
Boom!
The flash illuminated the courtyard for a brief instant before the figure vanished completely, leaving only faint sparks dancing through the air.
Several seconds passed.
Then I pointed toward the spot where he had disappeared.
"Please don't tell me that guy will disguise himself as myself and try to get in bed with Akeno. Because if that's the case, then with my following actions we'll end up with him being the first one to join the Khaos Brigade before Hera."
Azazel's shoulders sagged, "This seems problematic."
"Ah, you think so?" The sarcasm in my tone just couldn't be any more thicker. The shrine maiden released a long sigh as well.
"It certainly has the potential to become troublesome. Do you think Rias might get in trouble if I strike him down with lightning?"
My attention shifted toward Aphrodite.
"Should we be worried about this?" The goddess looked entirely unconcerned.
"Oh my, I did not know he would behave like that… ah, Don't mind me. There's nothing to worry about~!."
That answer should have reassured me. Instead, it somehow achieved the opposite effect. Maybe it was because every divine being I'd met so far had a completely different definition of the phrase 'nothing to worry about.'
Before she could leave, I called out to her.
"Wait."
The blonde goddess paused and glanced back.
"There was something else." I folded my arms. "Earlier, you mentioned the person who approached the Greeks about joining the Khaos Brigade. You said you'd tell me who it was."
For a moment, amusement appeared on her face.
Then she answered without hesitation.
"It's Odin's brat."
I frowned, that did not help much… then the goddess smiled, finally elaborating further by uttering a single name.
"Loki."
The God of Trickery. Of course. Why not. But aside from this new revelation and my now additional task of looking out for Zeus who might target Akeno further or the other girls — I still had to figure out what was Aphrodite's true goal.
For I knew full well this entire reasoning about Hera was nothing more than just a convenient lie she used to involve me. That goddess was aiming for something else.
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Taimanin with 3, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.