Alise beamed with her usual sunny smile and declared brightly, "Lyra and Kaguya are both praising you, you know? Your belief in justice is a true justice."
"It doesn't sound like that at all…" Ryuu grumbled under her breath, still pouting.
"Okay! Mood reset complete!" Alise clapped her hands and stood up. "Let's head back to the surface. We have a future to make as bright as possible."
"Understood." Akira and the girls responded in unison, their voices overlapping.
To save time and sneak in a little extra rest, they used the magical tools Akira had crafted. One after another, lights shimmered, and they disappeared from the crystal grove.
When they returned to the surface, it was already noon. The sky above Orario was veiled in heavy clouds, casting long shadows across the city.
Upon arriving at home, the group reported to Astraea in the hall. They detailed everything, from patrolling the city, to descending to the 18th floor and confronting Evilus, to rescuing and helping adventurers, and finally carrying the bodies of the fallen back to Rivira.
All of them were covered in dust, grime, and blood. The stench clung stubbornly to their clothes. Even Akira looked worse for wear.
The moment the report concluded, the girls rushed toward the bath to cleanse themselves.
As the world knows, boys bathe quickly. Akira was done in mere minutes.
But girls… girls had rituals.
By the time Akira emerged, clean and refreshed, he was already helping Astraea set the table for lunch.
"Ahh! There's nothing like a glass of milk after a bath." Alise exclaimed as she slammed her cup down with a loud bang, milk sloshing inside.
She raised her head, cheeks puffed with satisfaction. The way she grinned made her resemble a dwarf chugging down a whole barrel of ale.
Ryuu, ever the polite one, gently placed her glass down and scolded softly, "Alise, that's rude…"
The girls, fresh from the bath, were now dressed in casual wear: simple shirts and shorts. Their fair skin peeked from their sleeves and hems, turning the scene into a visual buffet for the eyes.
"W-Wait a minute! Kaguya! Why are you coming out with just that on again!?" Ryuu yelled, slamming the table in panic.
Kaguya stood there, unfazed, wearing only a white shirt and red panties.
Why was Ryuu so flustered?
Because through the thin shirt, the shape of what lay beneath was vaguely visible.
Also… Akira already knew her underwear set was red. Why?
Because on more than one occasion, he had entered her room only to be greeted by Kaguya in just her matching underwear.
"Ha! You really are a stiff-headed elf. We're at home. I can wear what I want. You don't need to concern yourself." Kaguya said coolly, brushing back her long dark hair.
This girl really would walk around in her underwear just because it was hot, even if there were guys around.
…Or so Ryuu once warned Akira.
He'd never confirmed it for himself.
Ryuu stammered, "B-But at least dress properly in front of Akira."
"Y-Yeah, that's true…" Celty added, her voice soft. "Kaguya's not shy at all, ahaha…"
Akira kept his head down, focused on his food. After swallowing a mouthful, he replied casually, "I didn't see anything."
Then, lifting his head, he looked at her directly.
"You're annoying." Kaguya muttered, clicking her tongue.
Then, without warning, she walked behind Akira, grabbed his head, and shoved it into her chest.
"If that's how you wanna play, let's see how long you last."
Alise, still mid-sip of milk, nearly spit it out.
She really did it!? In front of everyone!?
Ryuu was completely frozen, mouth agape, her trembling finger pointing at the two of them.
Meanwhile, Lyra smirked and leaned forward with an amused glint in her eyes. "So? Comfortable?"
People who had witnessed true calamities were built differently. They wouldn't blink at this kind of small-time chaos.
Akira didn't bother answering Lyra's teasing question. Instead, he just gave a lazy thumbs-up, his way of saying "Not bad."
"Kaguya." Astraea's gentle voice cut through the casual atmosphere.
Sitting at the head of the table, her hand resting on her cheek, she smiled mildly. "That's not how a lady should act. I don't recall ever teaching you that sort of behavior."
Hearing Astraea's voice, Kaguya stopped teasing the flustered elf and the boy pinned to her chest. She obediently let go of Akira, sauntered back to her seat, and flopped down with a lazy drawl.
"I understand."
"Alright, everyone." Astraea said softly, folding her hands with a warm smile. "Stop fooling around and eat. You all still need rest later."
And so, the midday meal continued in harmony.
After lunch.
The girls bid farewell to Astraea one by one, heading off to their rooms to catch some well-deserved rest.
As for Akira, after enjoying a few quiet moments of intimacy with Astraea, he also stood up, yawning slightly.
"Well then, Astraea, I'll head back and rest now."
"Mm. You've done well." Astraea replied gently, giving him a smile full of maternal affection. "Sleep soundly. If anything comes up, I'll let you know right away."
Akira gave a small bow and walked off.
As Astraea stood by the window, her eyes drifting toward the thick, cloud-laden sky outside, a subtle frown appeared on her face.
A storm was coming.
A brief peace had settled over the Astraea Familia but it wouldn't last long.
...
Bang... Bang... Bang...
A sharp knock on the door stirred Akira from his sleep.
Still half-asleep, he sat up groggily, just in time to see Alise swing the door open with her usual gusto.
"Akira! We've got trouble again."
Akira thought silently, 'Evilus is just endless.'
The dusk was like ink, thick and ominous. Darkness spread across the sky, painting Orario in murky gloom. But this tranquil veil was violently torn apart by disaster.
The Industrial Zone (Second District), home to most of the city's forging Familias, had come under attack. Normally, the ringing of hammers and the roar of flames would fill this area, crafting weapons that armed Orario's defenders.
But now?
The soundscape had turned into chaos, panicked screams, the clash of metal, and the thunder of rushing footsteps.
The blacksmiths who once fueled the strength of the city were now running for their lives. If they were wiped out, the supply chain for weapons and gear would collapse, and Orario's ability to defend itself would suffer a critical blow.
In response, many Familias mobilized immediately, racing to support the embattled zone.
The Astraea Familia was no exception. Armed and armored, the girls moved quickly through the streets, weapons glinting at their hips, ready for battle.
But where was Akira?
At that very moment, he was sprinting far from the city gates, his expression grim.
This time, the attack wasn't just within the city. It was outside, too.
And the target? Demeter's Familia.
A commercial Familia that specialized in agriculture and produce, Demeter's group oversaw vast, fertile farmland on the city outskirts, green belts that fed the whole of Orario. They were producers, not warriors. But their importance could not be overstated.
Though they are a production type Familia, the Guild has ranked them as C-rank, a testament to their vital role in the city's ecosystem.
Demeter herself was a rare deity permitted to leave Orario freely, one of the few with ties to the old era, once spoken of in the same breath as the Zeus and Hera Familias.
Without them, the city might not collapse instantly, but famine would come knocking soon enough. And now, their largest agricultural base was burning.
(End of Chapter)
Read 50 Chapters ahead on
patreon.com/astralicity