Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 264- Favor

The day after Filvis chose the path she wanted, and the terms were going to be upheld, Dionysus told them what he knew about the Spirits and the Knossos. Fortunately, it was better than what they had expected, with their base being at least below the 80th floor and Filvis knows how to traverse those parts of the dungeon.

Ganesha and Shakti got nothing they didn’t already know, but they had a more peaceful air to them like a weight has been lifted.

Cirrus has also got to work on helping Filvis as per Dionysus’s condition.

Top of Babel, Freya’s room.

“So… you wish for my help?” Freya said, looking at Cirrus with keen eyes.

Freya sat in her chair with her legs crossed.

“Yes, to properly explain it, I would need to show you, and this is a very… um, shall we say, a heretical project I’m working on.”

“Oh? can I get a sample to get my intrigue?” Freya switched legs.

“… Hey Ottar, you can keep a secret, right?” Cirrus glanced to the side to see Ottar.

“Hm.” Ottar nods his head.

“Well… the project involves Dionysus’s captain.”

“Maenads?” Freya said with an eyebrow raised. “That tainted child? Her soul is hardly worth my attention.”

“Well, what if to say it’s tainted by a foreign power that came from… the Dungeon.”

“…”

The room went dead silent. Freya’s eyes widen and a feeling of ferocious curiosity landed on Cirrus.

“Oh? Did something taint that child? Was it within her power to stop it?”

“It happened to her during the 27th-floor Nightmare.”

“I see. Well...” a grin appeared on her face. “Now I’m really intrigued. What will you need my help for, exactly?”

“I think it would be easier when you’re at the place. If you wish to go right now, I can tell you where to meet?”

“Very well, but before that, can I ask you a little request?”

“…Sure.”

“Can you help me ask my Odr for a date for the Goddess Festival?”

“… I assume this is to solidify our deal?”

She simply grinned.

“I know you are the goddess of gold, so don’t show me that devilish merchant smile.”

“Fufu, fine, you little stick in the mud. I will agree to help with my name and word.”

“Thank you.” Cirrus bows his head. “So I never asked you, but… who is the one you deemed worthy enough to be called your Odr?”

“It’s the one you trained, the White Rabbit.”

“!!” Cirrus's eyes widen. “Well… hmm.”

‘What the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!! Do people with rare skills have their souls like beacons!!! And Bell already has what? Hestia, Ais, Syr, and now Freya!! God damn, is this going to be a real clusterfuck.’

“You seem a bit taken by this? Did it surprise you?” Freya smiles a bit more. “Jealous? I took a liking to another?”

“No, but… I mean, Bell does already have a few girls pining for him, so to think one such as you is also in that race. well… I’m feeling bad for him to juggle this around, you know?”

“Yes… tell me what are your thoughts on Hestia and that Waitress? Which one has the better chance?”

“Hestia… well, I guess for her it’s like a first love, but she is kind. Syr is… a bit hard to read, but she does like Bell very much, but there is an air of… mystery around her.”

“And between the two, who has the better chance?”

“I would say… hmm, it’s hard to really say? Bell treats them about equally, but I would say Ais has a better chance if she can somehow get out of her deep emotional rut.”

“The Sword Princess…” Cirrus could feel some negative emotions come and go from Freya. “And how is she?” said Freya with a slightly forced smile.

“Slow. Unless Bell somehow saves her, I doubt her buried feelings will surface for now. They are good friends, and that’s all.”

“Thank you for your words. After the Goddess Festival is over, I will help.”

“Hm.” he nods his head. “Oh, before I leave, I hope you don’t try something aggressive.”

“Not at all. If I were to use my influence, then it would cheapen my love. But you still haven’t answered my question. Hestia or Syr?” Her eyes sharpened a bit.

“Syr. She is the only one I have my bets on.”

“Fufu… Interesting.” She turned her gaze from him. “Thank you for the answer.”

“So uh… how do you want me to set you up with—”

“Do not worry about that, Cirrus. Ask no further. I will help you.”

“Hmm… Fine. I won’t keep asking. But if you need my help, then I am sure Allen could find me easily.”

Cirrus turns and leaves.

“… Ottar gets Horn and instructs her on the plan again. She has been showing signs of a rebellious nature.”

“As you will.”

Ottar soon leaves the room as well.

“Now…” she stands up and walks to the window. “I need to go for the kill faster than I had expected but… Not too much if my little Bell is treating me with the same affection as Hestia. Snap!” she snaps her fingers and like a flicker of static on a TV, Syr stood. “Hm! hm! it will be fun! Cirrus, thank you for the confirmation!”

7 days before the start of the Goddess Festival and 4 days before the Elegia.

Back at Mia’s pub.

“S-Syr um w-would you go with me to the Goddess Festival!” Bell said nervously.

“… Of course!!” Freya disguised as Syr said happily. “But I thought you had eyes on different girls?” she said impishly.

“U-um well… I figured I pay you back for all those lunches you made me! So I figured I treat you to a date.”

“So it’s just to pay me back hmmm??” she said with a smirk.

“I-it’s not like that! I’m sorry!!” he said, bowing his head in earnest.

“Fufu!! It’s fine!” she raises his head. “So long as you look at only me for the date alright!” she gave him a warm smile and his face turned red.

“Y-Yes!!” he shouted.

“Now excuse me, but I have to get to work! We can meet up at the start of it alright!”

“R-right!”

Walking back, Ryuu was listening in.

“Thank you for asking him!”

“Not at all,” Ryuu said, shaking her head. “I hope things go well and they return your feelings.”

“And if they’re not?”

“… I will feel saddened.”

Syr grabs her hand.

“Thank you for being a good friend!”

“N-not at all!”

The two share a moment before—

“Alright, you two get to work!!!” shouted Mia.

Back in the present, down in the prison cells of the Artemis Familia. Nox whistles a tune.

“Shut up already!!! I heard that damn tune for so damn long it’s in my head non-stop!!” shouted Thetis, locked in a cell.

“But then, how would I annoy you?”

“Grrr!!!! I should have just ripped my magic stone out!”

“Hahaha!! Too fucking bad! You are effectively a normal girl! Hahahaha!!!! Damn! And you were even fucking caught too!! What sort of water spirit gets caught? Hahaha!!!”

“Shut up!! I’ve been here for god knows how long! There is no natural light! When are they gonna just crush my core and get it over with!!”

“In time, he wants you to stew in your thoughts while Circe pokes and prods you. Given that you were the one to suggest pillaging his Familia sister's graves, your lucky Cirrus didn’t give you the bug treatment.”

“B-bug treatment?” Thetis said, a bit scared.

“Oh yeah. He would slip a special magic tool between the disks of your spin and he would just have you dangling with a toe in a hole of cockroaches. They would eventually begin to crawl and eat away at your body. Real gross and brutal stuff. Never had spies after one example.”

“… Can I at least get a pillow?”

“Fuck you, no.”

“Tch!”

Cirrus got to work on the laboratory getting Dionysus to help in its construction and Miach in the DNA and blood analysis using the medical devices Cirrus made when he was in Yamato.

“All of this is…” Dionysus looked in awe at what Cirrus had made.

“Yeah… It’s all still in development.”

“I am disappointed, Cirrus.” Said Miach. “I thought said you weren’t working on cloning?”

“I wasn’t. Some very close and well-paid people are. You also don’t have to worry about them. They know what happens if they cross me.”

“Which is?” Dionysus said.

“Well… You don’t need to know all my business!”

Acquiring blood from Filvis' parents was a hard thing to do as her home forest was a bit away from Orario, so she and Lefiya went together to get it with some special blood vials to keep the blood cool.

“We will be back as soon as we can,” Filvis said with Cirrus’s magic tools to keep her appearance normal.

“Hm! We will see you all soon!” Lefiya said.

The two elves quickly left.

“… Say, Dionysus, Miach, is it me, or do they have some real lily vibes going on a bit?” Cirrus said.

“We can see that.” They both said.

Loki wasn’t too fond of letting Lefiya go out with Filvis who has the power of a level 7 go around but Cirrus assured their Familia that nothing will happen as he fit her with the same thing for Thetis, a lie of course to get them off their backs.

“So how far are we from Melaschallia?” Lefiya asked as they both are in a carriage.

“About 1 or 2 weeks, depending on the pace we go.”

“T-then we will miss the Goddess Festival!”

“… Oh we will? Maybe we should have left a week earlier then.”

They left on the 29th of October.