Stunned, confused, and filled with the urge to run right out the door, Bell trembled in place as he gazed into Simon's eyes. His body shook with unbridled shame and anguish, as Bete's words struck a chord deep within his heart. His cheeks burned as hot tears streamed down his face. He wanted nothing more than to hang his head, leap from his seat, and get as far away from the Benevolent Mistress as he could.
The only thing stopping him was Simon's comforting hand and smile. And somehow, that was enough.
Without saying a word, Bell sniffled and turned away from Simon. He fell back into his seat, head down, as he tried to stop his tears. Syr placed her hands on Bell's shoulder and arm, doing her best to calm him down. Simon nodded and patted Bell's shoulder. He finished his drink and then stood from his seat. His voice was steady as he spoke up, "Hey, Mama Mia? Hope you don't mind, but I might be causing a bit of trouble here in a bit."
Mama glared at Simon out of the corner of her eye and warned, "If you start a fight in here, you're getting thrown out. No exceptions."
Despite her cutting glare, Simon gave her a thumbs up and said, "Got it." Don't start a fight in the establishment. Don't worry. This will be quick."
Simon stepped away from the bar and headed straight for the tables where Loki Familia was. He wasn't subtle about it, and a few of the remaining patrons watched him as he walked. The elf waitress passed in front of him, her piercing sky-blue eyes conveying a silent message. A clarification that if he caused any trouble, there would be consequences for him. He took a moment to look around and soon realized that all the waitresses had similar expressions in their eyes. Even as they continued to serve the remaining patrons, they made it clear that any disruptions wouldn't go unpunished.
Simon's response was to wave at all the waitresses and wink at the elf as he continued on his way. He soon approached Loki Familia's table. The animal person named Bete was still ranting. He was drunkenly attempting to persuade Ais to be with him. The girl was pointedly ignoring him, while everybody else was giving him nasty glares. Save for the redhead who had an easygoing smile on their face. The first ones to notice Simon's approach were the blonde-haired prum and Ais. The prum didn't react, nor did he say anything. He simply watched Simon with a neutral smile on his face.
Ais, meanwhile, actually reacted to his presence. She sat up in her seat, her eyes widening slightly. Though minuscule, the action caught the attention of the entire table. Everyone, except Bete who hadn't noticed, turned to look at Simon. Simon gave each of them a friendly wave, but his eyes remained fixed on Bete's back. In his drunken state, the wolfman hadn't noticed Simon standing behind him. Instead, he mistook Ais' reaction as her paying attention to him. He put a hand on his chest with a chuckle, "Finally lookin' at me, huh? Is that your way of sayin' I'm right? That I'm the one who-"
"Hey, buddy," Simon placed his left hand on Bete's shoulder. He squeezed down without a care in the world, "I think you've had enough. How about I get ya something that'll help you get sober?"
"Wh-" Before he could continue, Simon started to drag Bete by his shoulder. Despite being caught by surprise, the wolfman attempted to break free from Simon's grip...at least he made an effort to. But no matter how hard he twisted or dug his heels and feet into the floorboards, he couldn't stop Simon. He snarled and tried to use his claws to pry Simon's fingers off. Only to find that, even with his strength as a Level 5, he was unable to remove them. Trying to get the man's fingers off was somehow more difficult than slaying a Minotaur! As he dragged toward the entrance, he shouted at his Familia, "Don't just sit there! Help me beat this guy's ass! Riveria! Gareth! Raaghh!"
However, his Familia seemed keen to sit at their table and watch him get dragged off. With Riveria looking in another direction, the dwarf Gareth taking a long swig of his drink, the Amazon twins eying the man dragging Bete away, and most others simply watching what was happening with interest.
In contrast, the rest of the place was speechless. Especially the white-haired boy sitting at the bar. He and everyone else watched with their mouths agape as Simon effortlessly overpowered one of the strongest adventurers in Orario. An animal person who was mostly known for his martial prowess, immense strength, and high level...was being dragged along like a toddler throwing a tantrum. If it were anyone else, the Mistress would be filled with uproarious laughter at the turn of events. As it stood, most people were unsure whether they should be in awe of the stranger's strength, shocked at how he was treating a member of Loki Familia, or fearful of what would happen when he finally released the wolfman.
Simon reached the front of the room, gave a wink to the scowling Mama Mia, and pulled Bete all the way to the entrance of the establishment. He made sure that both he and Bete were outside the establishment, on the terrace leading in. Once there, he tossed Bete forward, allowing the wolfman to get his feet under him. Bete spun around on one foot as soon as he regained his balance, aiming a kick directly at the left side of Simon's head. His face was flushed with both intoxication and rage. A growl escaped his mouth as his leg blurred towards Simon's head. None of the Low-Level Adventurers in the bar could even see Bete's leg; it was moving so fast. Bete's foot was an inch away from Simon's face when Simon grabbed it with his left hand.
Simon's glowing green fist was already in motion when Bete realized what had happened. He only had a split second to realize that the fiery emerald punch was hurtling towards his face. The next thing he felt was a blow strong enough to break one of his teeth.
"THIS-OUTGHTA-SOBER-YOU-UP-PUUUUUNNNCCCCHHHH!"
Simon's scream echoed down Main Street, causing everyone who was still outside to pause in shock. His punch reverberated across Bete's face, causing the wolfman's eyes to roll upwards. His body went limp as Simon released his leg, the force of his punch causing the animal person to somersault. He flipped in mid-air three times before coming to a gradual stop. Oriented upside-down, he could hardly process what had just happened.
And then he received a powerful, glowing green kick to the stomach.
Simon's leg burned with Spiral Power as it collided with Bete's torso. As the air left the wolfman's lungs, Simon shouted once more, "DON'T-YOU-EVER-INSULT-ONE-OF-MY-FRIENDS-KKKKIIIICCCCCKKKKK!"
The force of Simon's kick sent Bete flying down Main Street. He hit the cobblestones multiple times, his head, feet, and body kicking up dust as he went. Like a stone skipping across a river, he bounded down the street at least ten times. What stopped him was his back skidding across the ground until he finally came to a halt in front of the Amazons that Simon and Bell had seen earlier. His eyes were swirling and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth.
Simon sighed as his expression shifted from anger to calm. Without uttering a single word, he turned around and walked back into the Mistress. In front of the astonished customers, the shocked employees, and a displeased Mama Mia, Simon smiled nonchalantly. He turned toward Mama Mia and gave her a thumbs up, "See? Didn't start a fight in here, now did I?"
A stifled snort came from one of the catgirl waitresses. She soon regretted it as Mama Mia's withering glare fell upon her. The girl pretended to get back to work, which seemed to be the signal for the rest of the patrons to do the same. The Mistress was soon back into the swing of things, while five members of the Loki Familia stood up to check on the unconscious Bete. They made a point to pass by Simon without saying anything, glancing at him but nodding with understanding. Mia rolled her eyes, "Sure, smart ass. Next time you try that, you're getting thrown out with them. Got it?"
"Loud and clear," Simon nodded, before turning to where Bell was sitting.
Keyword "was".
His seat was vacant, and his pasta sat there untouched. Syr was picking up their plates while forcing a smile. Noticing Simon watching her, she subtly tilted her head towards the back of the room. Then, she held up her right hand to reveal a bag of Vals. Simon nodded in understanding and turned to leave the establishment. But he stopped when he spotted a familiar head of golden hair approaching him. Putting on his best smile, he turned to meet Ais Wallenstein with a wave, "Hey there! Sorry about that. I just couldn't help but notice that he was bothering everyone. So, I figured I'd help him sober up. He should be fine, though."
Ais didn't react to Simon's words. She stared straight into his eyes, placed her hands in front of her, and then bowed her head. Her voice was monotone and her expression remained unchanged as she spoke, "I apologize for what happened in the Dungeon. I mistakenly allowed that Minotaur to escape, which resulted in you and that boy being in danger. Please accept my apology."
Simon waved a hand dismissively and said, "Don't sweat it. Everyone's alright, anyway. And it let me meet a good friend of mine. So, if anything, I should be thanking you for the help."
"I see," Ais straightened up, her arms moving to her sides. Her head slowly swiveled left and right as her eyes searched the room, "There was a boy here. The one who almost died."
"Hmm? Oh, you mean Bell? You looking for him, too?"
Ais nodded, "I need to apologize to him as well. He ran away before I could."
Simon shrugged, "Probably had somewhere to be. Though, if you really want to apologize to him, I can see about making sure it happens. I do owe the guy quite a bit."
"That would be-"
"Oi-oi, Aizuuu, what'cha doin'?"
Before they could continue their conversation, the red-haired person from before suddenly appeared behind Ais. She wrapped her arms around the blonde girl's body. She shamelessly pressed her hips against Ais' backside and squeezed the girl's body and breasts. As Ais lost her breath for a moment, Simon stepped forward with the intent to help. However, Ais quickly elbowed the groper in the stomach, causing them to step back. With the space she gained, she spun around and slapped the assailant across their cheek.
The groper looked shaken as they spoke, "Chee, ya're feisty! Ya don' look it at all, Aizuu!"
Ais didn't raise her voice, "Hands to yourself."
Simon started to crack his knuckles, "What she said. Mind if I get a lick in, Ais?"
Ais shook her head, "No. Please, don't."
"Why not? I hate creeps like this as much as the next guy. And it doesn't look like they learned their lesson just yet," Simon said, taking a step toward the stranger.
Said stranger looked at Simon with fear in their eyes before suddenly smiling and shouting to the sky, "Ah, this is great! Ya' must be new 'round here. If ya' willin' to threaten little 'ol me."
Simon tilted his head and asked, "Should I know who you are?"
"Damn straight! Everyone in Orario knows who Loki is!"
Simon did a double take at the revelation. He looked over at Ais, who refused to look him or her Goddess in the eye. Then, he looked over at the table where all those strong Adventurers were sitting. Before letting his eyes fall back onto the petite Goddess standing before him. He let his guard down, one hand going to his chin as he examined Loki. Said Goddess' smile grew wider. She seemed to pose before Simon, with a playful smile on her face, "Like what ya' see?"
Simon shook his head but didn't elaborate. In his mind, he compared Loki's appearance to Hestia's. It was then that he realized he shouldn't use Hestia as the standard for the appearance of Goddesses. He straightened up, then shrugged, "Alright. Name's Simon. That bragging jerk I knocked out wouldn't happen to be part of your group too, would he?"
"Yea' he is. Bit rowdy, but guy's a good fighta'," she said, putting her hands behind her head with a jovial smile, despite the red handprint on her face, "And while seein' him get decked like tha' was pretty funny...aye hope ya aren't expectin' to get away with that?"
Despite the friendly smile on Loki's face, Simon could sense the underlying meaning behind her words. He took a moment to look around at the rest of the Mistress. Most of the patrons were either keeping their heads down or avoiding eye contact with him. The staff were doing the same, although he could tell that the elf waitress was keeping an eye on the two of them. Ais had returned to her neutral demeanor and had not said a word. The rest of Loki Familia was acting nonchalant, but he could feel the intense attention they had focused on him.
Simon crossed his arms and made it clear he wasn't intimidated, "I mean, he was being a jerk to one of your own. Don't suppose you could chalk this up to me giving him his just desserts?"
Loki shrugged, "Could. But tha' would make me look kinda bad. Lettin' a stranger just up an' clock my Familia right out. Reputation and all tha' stuff."
Simon rolled his eyes, "Right. So, what are you going to do to protect your reputation?"
Loki pretended to look hurt, "So serious. Ya could at least say you'll make it up to little 'ol me. Like, say, by joining my-"
"Not gonna happen," some of the patrons spat out their drinks at Simon's words. Ais' eyes widened in genuine shock at how quickly he rejected her Goddess. Simon shrugged, "I don't really need a Familia. I'm good on my own."
"Oh?" Loki said, putting her hands on her hips and leaning forward,"What? Do ya' think ya're too good fer a Familia?"
"Nah. Just don't want one."
"Aye, see. Then I guess, the only oth'er option is to teach ya a lesson the 'ol fashioned way."
Simon didn't need to be told what the Goddess meant by that. He could hear it in the way she spoke. The thinly veiled threat of confrontation with her Familia. Ais stepped forward to say something, but Simon interrupted her by pounding his right fist into his left palm. He cracked his knuckles and matched Loki's smile with his own, "Bring it. I'll take on anyone you send at me. Even if it's all at once."
Now, everyone in the bar was watching the two of them. Multiple patrons' jaws were agape at Simon's declaration. Loki Familia was in a similar state. Gareth was frowning and shaking his head, annoyed by Simon's apparent overconfidence. Tione was smiling, her eyes locked onto the confident Simon, while Tiona glanced over at Finn. Riveria had a hand on her temple as a sigh escaped her throat. She mumbled something about "being as bad as Bete" in reference to Simon. Finn, though, his expression was one of quiet contemplation. Neither his stance nor his expression shifted as he watched the standoff between Simon and Loki. But his mind was already formulating a potential strategy.
The tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife.
And it all broke when a loud THUD echoed through the room. Everyone turned toward the bar, where Mama Mia was slamming a large tankard onto the counter. She glared death at both Simon and Loki, "We've had enough of this for one night! If either of you starts something, you're both getting thrown out! Goddess or not! And the rest of you! Back to work!"
Like that, the spell that had been cast upon the Mistress broke. Patrons went back to enjoying their food and drink, the waitresses resumed their work, and Loki Familia calmed down. Loki and Simon exchanged one final glance before the Goddess stood up straight. She turned her back on Simon as she spoke, "Ah, forget it. Rep ain't worth making Mama mad. Ya're off the hook for now, kid. Come on, Aizee. Let's get back to the others."
Ais didn't respond. She walked after her Goddess while waving goodbye to Simon. Simon called back, "See ya, Ais! If ya ever want to talk, just come find me!"
He waved goodbye to the kenki as he walked back to his original seat. Syr had finished gathering their plates and moved to meet Simon halfway. As they passed each other, she whispered, "Bell left out the back. No one saw him."
"Thanks, Syr. Didn't need him getting blamed by association. I'll go find him and make sure he's alright."
"Please try not to get him into any trouble, Simon."
"Can't promise anything, but I'll try," Simon said before turning and heading towards the main entrance of the Benevolent Mistress. He bid farewell to Mama Mia and the rest of the staff as he walked out the door.
Once he was gone, Loki sat back down in her seat. She scooted over to where Finn was sitting and leaned back in her chair, balancing it on two legs. She yawned as she turned her attention to the prum, "So, Finn...think ya' could take 'em?"
Finn took a sip of his drink and remained silent for a few moments. His eyes furrowed as he contemplated the words of his Goddess. After a minute of silence, he turned to Loki and said three words, "I don't know."
"Bell!" Simon called out into the night. Main Street had grown dark, with only a few people remaining outside now. He walked alone through the nearly empty streets, searching for his friend. He called again, "Bell! Where ya at?! It's Simon! If ya can hear me, give me a sign!"
He continued walking down the streets, his eyes searching for any hint of the boy he had been with. After searching for about two minutes, he finally caught sight of a familiar head of white hair. Smiling, he started walking toward Bell and waved his arm in the air, "There you are, Bell! Whatcha' doin' over there?"
Bell stiffened at the sound of Simon's voice. He quickly wiped away his tears before turning to the man approaching him, "Si-Simon!" Are you okay?!"
Simon shrugged as he came to a stop next to Bell, " 'Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
"B-Bec-Because you attacked a member of another Familia! Loki Familia! That's not something you can just do!" Bell shouted, apprehension clear on his face.
Simon just smiled, "Yeah? Well, I did it. And I'm just fine. See?"
He held out both of his arms to emphasize. But Bell didn't seem convinced. He shook his head and sighed, "No, it's not that. They won't just take this lying down. They'll come after you. Do something to do. And... and it's all because... because of me."
Bell's mood suddenly took a nosedive. His shoulders slumped, and he turned away from Simon. He bit his lip as he spoke, "It's because... because Bete was right. I am weak. I'm a weakling who doesn't deserve to be an Adventurer. If I were stronger, I could have easily defeated that Minotaur. I wouldn't have been chased into a corner, I wouldn't have looked so foolish, and you wouldn't have had to save me. Then Bete wouldn't have made fun of me, and you wouldn't have attacked him. It's... It's all my fault. It's all because I'm so weak!"
He turned to face directly ahead of him, in the same direction he was looking when Simon discovered him. Simon followed his gaze and saw a familiar place.
Babel Tower.
And sitting in front of them was the Guild, still open this late at night.
"I was a fool," Bell's hands clenched into fists as fresh tears appeared in his eyes. He wiped them away with his sleeves before speaking again, "I thought I could ease into adventuring. Not overtax myself. But if I don't change things, then I'll remain weak forever. I'll never become strong enough to defeat a Minotaur. I'll always... always..."
His fists clenched tighter as frustration and shame waged war within his chest. The boy's red eyes seemed to radiate with a newfound determination. He took a breath and then stepped toward the Guild, only for Simon get in his way.
"Simon?" Bell's eyes widened with surprise. Especially when he saw the frown on Simon's face. He stared, confused, at his friend and asked, "What...what are you doing?"
Simon raised a finger, "First, Bell, I do understand where you're coming from. But I want to say this: Don't let what that asshole said get to you. People like him? They're always gonna be around. Guys who insult others for being 'weak' because of their own personal issues. Letting their words get to you isn't going to help you at all. It's just gonna make them feel good because they managed to get under your skin."
"Bu-Bu-he-"
"Second," Simon interrupted, his glasses catching the moonlight as he continued, "while it is admirable to want to get stronger, you shouldn't be doing it solely to prove something to a guy who doesn't even know your name. If you're gonna get stronger, you should do it because you want to. Because something inside your heart burns so brightly that you can't help it. Because you feel like you need to become stronger for something important to you. To reach a goal that ignites your soul."
An errant breeze caused Simon's cape to billow behind him. His crossed arms made him appear as a obstacle, blocking Bell from moving forward. He held his head high and said aloud, "So, Bell Cranel, tell me. What do you want?"
"Huh?" Bell took a step back, sweat dripping down his brow, as a sudden pressure fell upon him.
"What do you want? What is your goal? Your dream? Where do you want to be when you get stronger? What image in your mind sets your soul aflame, and motivates you to become strong? What drives you to become a better person than you were the day before?"
"I-I-I don't know."
"Sure you do. Just remember why you came to Orario in the first place. Why you joined Hestia's Familia. Why you go into the Dungeon every day. Remember what gets you out of bed every single time the sun rises."
"I-I-I-"
"Bell! What do you want to achieve in life? What is your dream?!"
Bell's head shot up, and he roared, "I want to be a hero!"
Simon didn't respond. He simply stood there, his cape billowing, as he stared down at Bell. Bell started panting as his eyes bore into Simon's. He raised both his fists and continued, "I want to be a hero! I want to be strong! I want to challenge powerful monsters and defeat them! I want to rescue beautiful women from monsters and start relationships with them! I want to make my Goddess proud to have me in her Familia! I want our Familia to grow and get more people to join us! I want...I want...I want to be just like the heroes in the stories from my childhood!"
Bell started to pant, his arms falling to his sides. He felt as if all the strength and frustration within him had been unleashed in one massive burst. Like he aired all the emotions that had built up since he heard Bete in the Benevolent Mistress. But even so, he still managed to speak, "And if... if I'm gonna do that....I need to get serious about adventuring. I can't...I can't continue as I have been. Or I'll never get anywhere. So...so-"
Bell shut his eyes tightly as he awaited Simon's response. He hoped, beyond hope, that he would listen to him. He didn't know why he felt the need to let everything out like that. To explain his purpose for being in Orario to someone he had only known for a day at most. He didn't really know much about Simon, the two hadn't spent much time together, and he had given him far too much information. It was completely illogical to think that telling Simon this would lead to anything good. Yet, whenever he thought that, he remembered what Simon had told him in the Dungeon.
"Believe in me. Believe in the me, who believes in you."
He didn't know why, but whenever he thought of those words, he felt like everything would work out.
After a few moments that felt like hours, Bell heard footsteps moving to the side. He opened his eyes and felt happiness filling his heart. Before him, Simon had his back to Bell, while the path to the Guild was open. Simon looked over his shoulder at Bell with a wide smile on his face, "That's what I wanted to hear! Alright, then let's go!"
"Let's? You-You mean-"
Simon laughed, "You didn't seriously think I was gonna let you do this alone? We're a team, Bell. And now that I know what my leader wants, it's my responsibility to make sure it happens. So, how about the two of us head down into that Dungeon and get started on making you a hero?"
Bell was utterly astonished. He could hardly believe what he was seeing and hearing. Simon believed in him? He wanted to help him achieve his dream? He wasn't just going to tell him was stupid? He-He-
Bell's lips curved into a broad, joyful smile. He pumped his fist in the air and shouted, "Yeah! Let's get going!"
With that, the two boys ran towards the Guild, both intending to enter the Dungeon.
Unbeknownst to Bell, the Core Drill around his neck pulsed with a green light.
Morning, the next day...
"He got a bit tuckered out by our adventure. Make sure he gets plenty of rest today, Hestia," Simon said as he walked out the door of Hestia Familia's home.
The Goddess Hestia looked out the door and frowned at Simon, "Don't worry about my Bell. You should just stay out of trouble! You got lucky with Loki Familia last night, but who knows about next time? It wouldn't be hard for them to connect you back to us."
"Don't worry. I'll make sure that doesn't happen. And if it does, I promise I'll take care of it. See ya," Simon waved goodbye to Hestia as he walked up the stairs. He heard the door shut behind him and entered the rundown church. He stretched his arms towards the ceiling and yawned as he walked out of the church's entrance.
He and Bell had spent the entire night in the Dungeon. They didn't really have a specific goal or floor in mind. They just ran in and beat down any monsters they encountered. At first, it was just the kobolds from last time. Then they killed some strange-looking giant ants. And some other things that he couldn't remember the names of. He did remember when he and Bell saw monsters being "birthed" right in front of them. A couple of humanoid shadow monsters just burst out from the walls. No fanfare, no warning. They just appeared out of nowhere. They were certainly tougher than the fodder creatures they fought before. But neither could really hold a candle to him or Bell. Especially after he took one out with a Drill Impact. The other one couldn't handle a two-on-one fight.
They kept going until Bell eventually ran out of energy. His eyes closed as he started to fall, but Simon caught him before he hit the ground. Then, he carried the kid back to the surface and all the way to Hestia Familia. Man, did she give him an earful when he brought Bell back. Especially when he told her about what happened at the Benevolent Mistress. Though she seemed more interested in the fact that Simon left Bell with Syr, rather than the fact that he almost started a fight with Loki Familia. The relief she felt when he told her that Mama Mia had prevented things from escalating.
He smiled with pride. That kid was improving day by day. It wouldn't be long before they managed to help him reach his goal. He chuckled as he walked through the awakening Orario. People of all shapes and sizes were slowly making their way to work. Humans or animal people changing their stall signs from "closed" to "open". A few criers starting to get people's attention. A party of adventurers entering a shop along their path. Yes, even in the early mornings, the people of the Labyrinth City were quick to get to work.
Simon watched everything with a smile on his face. He didn't really have a specific objective. He was simply walking and enjoying the day. He stopped every now and then to wave hello to random people on the street. He helped an elderly woman who had tripped to get back on her feet. He even played ball with some children who were passing by. All in all, he was having a peaceful day.
But it would have been better if he didn't have two people following him.
He noticed them as he turned a corner into the western part of the city. They had come out of one of the cafes that was open around this time. Their steps quickly matched his own, moving at the same pace as he was. They didn't bother hiding either. Even when he nonchalantly glanced back to observe them, they didn't try to hide at all. Which gave him the opportunity to get a good look at them. One was a giant of a man, with twin boar ears standing out atop his head. He was so broad and bulky that Simon immediately compared him to Lordgenome. In fact, many aspects of the man reminded him of the old Spiral King. Even his neutral expression.
The other person was much smaller than the first and was wearing a black cloak that covered their entire body. Despite that, Simon noticed that anyone who passed by would stop to stare at the figure. Some people were so captivated by them that they stopped moving altogether just to gaze at them. Men, women, children, human, animal person, prum, dwarf. All races and age groups appeared to be utterly captivated by the figure.
And Simon...didn't understand why.
He couldn't see anything particularly special about them. They were wearing a full-body cloak, after all. What could be capturing everyone's attention if they were unable to see anything?
He shrugged and continued walking. He didn't know who they were or what they wanted, but he didn't want to cause a scene out in the open like this. Especially this early in the morning. While there were only a few people out, there were still enough for them to be in danger if a fight broke out. So, he continued walking until he found a secluded alleyway between two buildings. He entered the alley and walked towards the middle. Once there, he turned around and waited for his two pursuers.
They soon turned the corner and entered the alleyway with him. Simon smiled and asked, "So, is there any reason you guys are following me? I was kind of going for a walk and I don't really want any stalkers."
As expected, neither of the figures answered him. The shorter person stepped forward as they grabbed their hood. She pushed it back to reveal her face to Simon. Simon recognized the woman's eyes the moment their gazes met. Instantly, he knew he had seen this woman before. Back on West Main Street, on the second floor of a cafe, watching him and Bell from afar.
This silver haired woman, with a matching pair of eyes.
She was the one who looked at him with such malice.
He was immediately on guard, though he didn't let it show. He kept one hand clenched into a fist behind his back while waiting for the woman to approach him. She got so close that Simon could smell her floral perfume. He remained stock-still while waiting to see what she would do. She simply watched him, her lips curled into a thin smile. Then, she delicately lifted one of her hands and gently rubbed the back of it against Simon's cheek.
She spoke three little words to him, "Join my Familia."
Ottar knew that it was over for the man.
For Freya, the Goddess of Beauty, had delievered her death blow.
Her charm was so irresistible that no one could deny her. Even though most of her body was hidden from sight, people couldn't help but find her irresistible. Everything about her drew the eye and charmed those around her, compelling them to serve her. Those were the types of people who made up her Familia after all. Extraordinary people, one and all, were brought low by the mere idea of having the Goddess' attention on them, even for a moment.
And he was certain that this man was no different. Even though his soul was peculiar and resilient, Ottar had no doubts that he would also succumb to Freya's charm. Once he had, his Goddess could go ahead with her plans for the boy she fancied. And this strange man would help her. Even if she would eventually grow bored of him, as she had with many others.
For she was the Goddess of Beauty. She went from place to place, finding a person who piqued her interests. She caresses them, extols them, and encourages them to continue growing strong. Once her interest was satisfied, she would then leave them.
She was like the wind.
And no one refused the wind.
...At least. That's what Ottar believed.
Until this man, this single, solitary man, reached up to touch his Goddess' wrist...and then pushed it away.
That alone would have been enough to shock not just Ottar, but anyone in Orario. But it was the man's next words that nearly sent the boarman into a frenzy.
"No thanks. I'm good."
Finished the Gurren Lagann Manga recently. It was awesome, especially with stuff like Tengen Toppa King Kittan in it. But I do wish they had kept the ending where Simon fist fought the Anti-Spiral. Instead of him using Lagann for it.
