Same day...
After the group had gathered all their belongings, they sat down on the remaining three chairs in the empty room. Alex noticed how empty the room had become, but he understood that this marked the beginning of a new life. Once their new home was renovated, he could start recruiting new adventurers into their family. This house would become a lively place, filled with laughter and people with various goals and aspirations. Alex eagerly awaited the moment when new members would join their family, so he could train and guide them toward success.
"I think we've gathered everything," Alex said, scanning the room once more to ensure nothing was forgotten.
"Yes, I've packed everything into my bag," replied Hestia, showing her small purse. Lily looked at the purse enviously, which didn't escape Alex's notice.
"Lily, since you're our new family member, let me give you a gift," Alex said, pulling out a small brown backpack and handing it to Lily.
"Are you really giving me something so valuable?" Lily asked, holding the backpack cautiously, afraid to damage it.
"Valuable? I can create such things with a snap of my fingers, so you don't need to worry. And here, take this anti-pervert kit," Alex replied, handing Lily the same kit he had given to Hestia.
"If you want to know how to use it, it's better to ask Hestia. She successfully completed the anti-pervert course," Alex added, pointing to Hestia, who proudly puffed up her chest, pleased with her achievement.
"O-okay. Then, Hestia-sama, I'll be under your care," Lily said hesitantly, holding the kit Alex had given her.
"And don't forget, Lily, once we arrive at Hephaestus's place, your training will begin. You need to learn how to better control your body and fight," Alex said, thinking about how to train Lily.
"I already know how to fight monsters and have seen adventurers do it many times," Lily replied, sensing that the training would be challenging.
"That's not up for discussion. I'll teach you how to use one of my techniques," Alex said, deciding to make Lily into "One Strike Woman." He recalled reading a fanfic where they turned Asia Argento into "One Strike Woman" and couldn't wait to see Lily, with her small frame, sending men three times her size flying through the air.
"I don't like the way you're smiling," Lily said, seeing Alex's grin grow wider.
"This is all small stuff, Lily. Now, start getting ready. It's going to be an exciting training session," Alex said, changing the subject.
While our group was chatting cheerfully, the repair crew arrived. They had already set up their tools and were waiting outside for us to exit.
"Hey, anyone still inside?" shouted the foreman into the church.
"Yes, we're here. We've just finished packing up and were waiting for you," Alex said, coming out with his group from the church.
"I see you've packed up your things so we don't accidentally break anything. There was a case once where we were fixing a house and people hadn't cleared out their stuff. We accidentally broke a couple of things, of course, we compensated for the damage, but since then, we've been advising people to clear out their belongings during repairs," the foreman said, chatting with Alex.
"Yeah, I understand, these things happen. Now, this place is entirely at your disposal. You can work your magic," Alex said, giving way to the foreman.
"(laughter) You're a cheerful guy. Have you found a place to stay during the repairs?" asked the foreman, showing interest in the group's situation.
"We'll be staying with a friend of my goddess for the time being. How long do you think the repairs will take?" Alex asked, curious to know.
"Well, by my calculations, about a week," the foreman replied, checking against the plan.
"A week? That fast?" exclaimed Hestia, hardly believing her ears.
"Yes, Lady Hestia, if everything goes smoothly, the repairs will only take a week," the foreman answered her.
"It's so fast, I didn't expect everything to be done so quickly," Hestia said, thinking the repairs would take longer.
"You just want to freeload at Hephaestus's place, don't you?" Alex teased, squinting at Hestia, who looked away and avoided his gaze.
"Alright then, let's get going. We have somewhere else to stop by before we reach our temporary home," Alex said, extending his hand for a handshake with the foreman.
"Well, safe travels to you all, and see you soon," the foreman said, shaking hands with Alex.
Before heading to Hephaestus's estate, the group went to the shopping street to buy a couple of sets of clothes for Lily so she wouldn't have to wear the same outfit every day. While Alex helped pick out clothes for Lily, Hestia also took the opportunity to choose a few outfits for herself, thinking that since she was there, why not treat herself. Alex, seeing Hestia darting around the store and picking out clothes, shook his head and decided not to pay attention to it.
Alex helped Lily pick out everyday clothes and workout attire. After selecting the clothes, he suggested they stop by a pastry shop to pick up something for Hephaestus, as it would be improper to visit someone's home empty-handed, especially if they were going to stay there for some time. Everyone agreed, and they headed to the pastry shop. After buying some sweets, the group headed straight to Hephaestus's estate.
Arriving at Hephaestus's home, Alex was surprised to see a traditional Japanese house. Taking note of its beauty, he decided to admire it for a while. At that moment, Hestia wasted no time and dashed inside the house, paying no mind to anything else.
The Hephaestus Family Estate
"Hephaestus, we've arrived!" Hestia shouted from the doorway as she entered the house together with Lily.
"Hestia, how many times have I told you not to shout!" Hephaestus's voice echoed from deep within the house. She emerged, noticing Lily standing next to Hestia. After a moment's thought, Hephaestus decided to inquire about it later, in private with her friend.
"Sorry, Hephaestus," Hestia said, lowering her head.
"Never mind. Where's Alex?" Hephaestus replied, immediately noticing his absence from the group.
"Alex decided to stay and inspect the house from outside," Hestia answered, gesturing back to where Alex stood on the street, admiring the view of the house.
"Well, don't just stand there in the doorway, come in. I've prepared rooms for you already. Hestia, we need to talk," Hephaestus said, indicating the way to the rooms before turning to Hestia.
"O-okay," Hestia replied, following Hephaestus into the room.
"Hestia, is there something you need to tell me? Isn't this child a member of the Soma family? Why is she with you? Aren't you afraid of starting another war?" Hephaestus began questioning, worried for her friend.
"Everything's fine, Hephaestus. Lily was never a member of the Soma family; she just lived there," Hestia began lying to her friend.
"Are you sure everything will be okay?" Hephaestus asked, not believing a word Hestia said. Hestia nodded vigorously like a scared chicken, afraid Hephaestus would continue asking questions.
"Alright, it's your family, and it's up to you how to handle it. But if anything happens, I'll be here to help," Hephaestus sighed, offering her support. Hearing her words, Hestia jumped up, hugged Hephaestus tightly, and thanked her for the help. Hephaestus simply shook her head in response.
Meanwhile, on the street...
"Who are you, and what brings you here?" a voice behind Alex asked.
"My name is Alexander Voldigoad. I'm here with my goddess because she's friends with Hephaestus. Hephaestus has allowed us to stay with her for a while while our home is undergoing repairs," Alex replied, turning to face the voice. He saw a girl standing there.
The girl had dusky skin, long black hair tied in a ponytail, and one red eye; the other was covered with a bandage similar to the one Hephaestus wore. She was dressed in red hakama and sandals, with ample bosom concealed beneath a sarashi.
"My name is Tsubaki Colbrande, but you can call me Tsubaki, since our goddesses are friends," she introduced herself. "You said your name is Voldigoad?"
"Yes, that's my name. Is something the matter?" Alex asked.
"So, you're the crazy new guy, right?"
"Sigh... Seems like it."
"Haha, nice to meet the new celebrity. And I heard from my goddess that you called my sword crap!"
"Shrugs. Can't help it, the sword really is crap."
"You're quite straightforward. I like you already. Alright, let's go inside. Enough standing around and admiring the facade," Tsubaki said, heading towards the house. Alex shook his head and followed her inside.
Inside the house...
Following Tsubaki inside, Alex looked around the house, impressed by its quality and style.
"Hephaestus-sama, I've done as you asked and brought another guest," Tsubaki said, dragging Alex into the common room.
"My apologies for intruding, Hephaestus," Alex said, approaching a place to sit.
"No worries, I allowed you both to stay here," Hephaestus replied kindly. Tsubaki, clearly not understanding why Hephaestus was so calm talking to Alex, looked at her in surprise.
"Why do you wear an eye patch even at home?" Alex asked, noticing the patch.
"It's habit. Is this better?" Hephaestus replied, removing the patch, which shocked Tsubaki.
"WHAT? HOW? WHY?" Tsubaki exclaimed, asking questions and clearly not believing her eyes. Hephaestus simply gestured towards Alex, indicating he should answer.
"How did you do this? How did you heal my goddess? Quickly answer!" Tsubaki rushed towards Alex and started shaking him.
"Well, a little of this, a little of that, and then—boom, magic," Alex replied, used to this kind of shaking.
"What do you mean 'a little of this and that' and what 'boom, magic'? Can you explain properly?" Tsubaki shook Alex even harder.
"Well, you know, MAAAGIC," Alex replied, gesturing with hands that seemed to radiate rainbows.
"Can't you be more serious?" Tsubaki asked, stopping shaking Alex. Alex just shook his head and touched Tsubaki's forehead with two fingers, healing all her old wounds.
"What did you do?" Tsubaki asked, not understanding what happened but feeling better.
"I healed all your old wounds. You know, magic and all that," Alex said, gesturing with his hands. Tsubaki's mouth hung open so wide a bird could fly in.
"Alright, I still need to unpack. Can someone show me where my room is?" Alex asked. Hephaestus stood up and offered to lead him.
"Thank you, Hephaestus. You can always count on you," Alex said, following her, leaving Tsubaki with her mouth wide open, not understanding what had happened.
"Don't mention it. This is your room, make yourself at home. If you need anything, just come and ask," Hephaestus said, pointing to the room. Alex nodded, indicating he understood. Seeing his nod, Hephaestus bid farewell and went about her business, as she was a busy goddess unlike a lazy Goddess who spends all her time at home and snacks.
A little later...
After unpacking everything, Alex double-checked to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything and, satisfied that everything was in place, headed to the main hall. Upon entering, he noticed that everyone had already gathered. Alex asked Hephaestus if there was a place here where he could train Lily. Hephaestus thought for a moment and mentioned that there was a suitable place in the backyard, where Tsubaki sometimes tested the weapons she created. Hephaestus suggested they follow her.
Arriving in the backyard, Alex noticed a bunch of wooden dummies and posts for testing sword sharpness. He asked if they could clear away unnecessary things to make space for training. Hephaestus nodded and said it was fine for him to move things around. Alex thanked her and used magic to clear the unnecessary items to the edge of the yard so they wouldn't get in the way.
Alex called Lily over and told her that training would begin now, to which Lily sighed, realizing she wouldn't be able to rest a little longer. Hephaestus, Hestia, and Tsubaki decided to stay and watch the training; they were curious to see how Alex planned to make Lily stronger.
"Lily, I'm going to start training you now to become stronger. First, you'll need to put these on," Alex said, handing her body weights.
"What is this? Ugh, why is it so heavy?" Lily asked, struggling with the weights as she held them.
"These are body weights; they'll help strengthen your body," Alex replied, ignoring Lily's discomfort. Seeing no other choice, Lily resigned herself and put on the weights, feeling her body become heavier.
"What's this thing?" Tsubaki interjected, noticing Lily struggling to stand after putting on the strange gear.
"These are body weights designed to enhance strength. They adapt to the user and become as heavy as the user can handle. Here, try one," Alex replied, handing one to Tsubaki. When she took it in her hands, she almost dropped it due to its weight, realizing how heavy it was.
"Are you saying this little thing adapts to the user's strength? Where did you even get such magical equipment?" Tsubaki began asking questions, examining the invention.
"Not where, I didn't get it; I created it myself," Alex replied, shrugging.
"But how?" Tsubaki asked.
"Heh, magic," Alex answered, causing Tsubaki to grind her teeth in frustration.
"Can you use normal words to explain and answer instead of your nonsense?" Tsubaki said through clenched teeth.
"Okay, okay, don't get mad. I used runes — a combination of gravity runes, adaptation, and a few other minor runes that allow the user not to be crushed under their own weight," Alex explained, giving an example.
"But how did you manage to combine all of that?" Tsubaki asked, very intrigued. Before Alex could give his answer, an unexpected guest appeared, or rather another troublesome goddess who could cause chaos at any moment — Loki.
"Hey, Alex, I brought my kids for training," Loki shouted, rushing into the backyard.
"Loki, why do you and Hestia always barge into my territory without asking?" Hephaestus asked, wondering what was wrong with these goddesses.
"I knocked on the door, and no one answered. I got tired of waiting, so I invited myself in," Loki replied with a smirk.
"(Sigh) Why are my friends like this?" Hephaestus sighed to herself. Hestia and Loki could only smile wryly.
"Fine, I see you brought those who wanted to come. I'm just starting anyway. Let them take seats next to Lily, and Loki, don't interfere," Alex said, hearing his words. Loki pouted and stomped over to the other goddesses who were sitting and eager to watch the training.
After everyone dispersed, Alex decided to begin his explanation of the training process. He pulled out a special board, which made Hestia flinch — she remembered how Alex used this board to explain plans so she wouldn't embarrass herself at meetings. Pushing aside her thoughts, Hestia was glad it wasn't her standing in front of that board now, knowing Alex was a strict teacher.
"Let's start with the basics of mana usage, specifically how to circulate mana throughout the body to strengthen it," Alex began, but he was interrupted.
"Teacher, but we already know how to do that," Tiona interjected, raising her hand.
"Tiona, could you come here for a moment?" Alex said, waving for Tiona to approach. Seeing Alex call her, she came with a smile.
"Oh, what for?" Tiona said, receiving a light slap.
"It's so you don't interrupt. I'm explaining this to Lily, but some of you could use a refresher," Alex said, looking at the annoyed Tiona.
"After Lily learns to strengthen her body with mana, the next step is to direct mana to specific parts of the body, like the arm. Watch," Alex said, approaching a training dummy and delivering a light strike that demolished the upper part of the dummy.
"If you can control this strike well, you can achieve this effect," Alex continued, moving to another dummy and lightly striking its chest with the back of his fist, leaving a fist-sized hole.
"I have a question. Can this technique be used with weapons?" Tione, the elder sister of Tiona, asked.
"Of course, it can, but the effect will be different. Let me show you. Can someone lend me a regular knife?" Alex asked, after which Tione handed one of the knives in their arsenal.
"Thank you. Now watch what effect it will have," Alex said, approaching another dummy and lightly running the knife across it. After making the strike, the dummy was cut like butter.
"Now you see what effect it will have," Alex asked, to which all nodded.
"Any more questions before we start?" Alex asked, scanning his new students.
"I have a question. Do we need to do this too? Or will you teach us some magical tricks?" Riveria asked, pointing to herself and the elf Lefiya.
Lefiya was an elf with light orange hair and blue eyes. She wore a pink cloak over a white shirt and a pink corset dress. There was a purple bow on her collar. She had golden, white, and turquoise staffs called "Tear of the Forest."
"Yes, you too will need to train physically. And before you ask, enemies won't wait for you to finish casting a spell. There may always be a situation where no one can protect you. That's why I'll teach you to run and use spells simultaneously," Alex answered, not allowing Riveria to ask another question.
"Now, put these on and let's go for a few laps to get used to the weight," Alex said, handing out body weights to the group, including Loki. Seeing them strain under the weight, Alex noticed Aiz, whose face always remained stoic. He noticed she only tensed slightly, then relaxed. Shaking his head, Alex decided to start the training.
To be continued...
(I decided to finish this chapter for now because my brain hasn't fully woken up yet. In the next chapter, I'll spend some time on Lily's training and the others, then move on to the battle against Apollo's family.)