Hephaestus Manor
While Alex was lost in his thoughts, the goddesses exchanged glances, particularly noting Hephaestus, who held Alex on her lap. Hestia looked the saddest in this situation since she was the only one who hadn't had the chance to carry Alex in her arms, even though she forgot that she slept with him every night. Freya continued sipping her tea, observing Alex deep in thought, knowing she would have a chance to ask him for a favor later. Loki, after glancing at Hephaestus, decided to have a drink, pulling out a bottle of alcohol from who knows where and opening it.
"What?" Loki asked when everyone started looking at her. "You're all silent, so I decided to relax," she added, pouring herself a drink.
"How can you drink in a situation like this?" Hestia asked, glaring at Loki.
"Alex asked me to bring someone who would listen; I'm just here for company as a goddess," Loki replied, shrugging. Finn, hearing her words, only shook his head, knowing that Loki had always been a carefree goddess. Hephaestus also shook her head, while Freya merely smiled.
"Why is everyone silent? We gathered here to discuss matters, the group of idiots, as Alex calls them," Loki said, taking a sip from her glass. Everyone turned their attention to Alex, who was deep in thought and not responding to their words. Hephaestus gently nudged him in the side to get his attention. Alex snapped out of his reverie and turned to Hephaestus, not understanding why she did that. Seeing that he was paying attention, Hephaestus gestured to the others who were watching him.
"What?" Alex asked, not understanding why everyone was looking at him. Finn smirked, realizing why Loki had become so close to Alex: they were similar. Finn didn't yet know how much. Alex knew how to restrain his nature, whereas Loki couldn't.
"You gathered us to discuss the alliance and the information you received," Freya said, looking at Alex with a puzzled expression.
"Oh, right. I got lost in thought," Alex replied. He wanted to wait for Allen, but Loki couldn't wait any longer.
"As for the information I have at the moment, it's just the name of a god who might be part of this group of idiots, and I've also figured out how they create or rather enhance monsters, making them several levels higher than their peers," Alex said, standing up from Hephaestus's lap, who was reluctant to let him go. Standing on the floor, Alex stepped back and started rummaging in his pocket.
"Hestia, where's my board?" Alex asked, searching his pockets.
"Here it is, I put it in my bag," Hestia said with a smile, pulling out a large board from a small bag. Seeing Hestia pull such a large board from her bag, everyone except Hephaestus widened their eyes, not understanding how it fit in there.
"Hey, can I have one of those?" Loki asked, drooling over the bag, imagining how she could hide all her alcohol in it from Riveria.
"Who? Do you need my board?" Alex asked, pretending not to understand what Loki wanted.
"I'm not talking about your board," Loki started to say, but was interrupted.
"Right, why would she need another board when she already carries one with her all the time," Hestia interrupted, laughing at Loki.
"What did you say, you busty midget?" Loki shouted, trying to attack Hestia.
While Hestia and Loki started fighting again, Freya looked at Hestia's purse and thought it was a very useful item for everyday tasks. She could carry her outfits and many different things in it. She wanted to get such a purse but didn't know how to ask without losing the favor Alex had promised. Hephaestus, seeing the two fighting again, sighed and decided to stop them once more.
Alex clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention. "Alright, that's enough, you two! And Loki, about the purse, I'll think about it," Alex said. Hestia and Loki exchanged glances, huffed, and turned away from each other. Seeing that they had calmed down, Alex decided to continue.
"Our first suspect is Thanatos and members of his familia," Alex said, sticking an image of Thanatos and the dead adventurer on the board. "Next is the monster that was enhanced using some method," he continued, attaching a photo of the altered Orc. "At the moment, this is all we have. I estimate their group might consist of five to ten gods," Alex concluded.
"Do you know which gods might be part of their group, or at least have any theories about who they might be?" Hephaestus asked, pondering the situation.
"This is just a theory for now, but after meeting with Freya, I think it could be gods who embody evil aspects," Alex said, thoughtfully stroking his chin.
"Which aspect does Thanatos belong to?" Alex asked, realizing he hadn't checked this earlier.
"Thanatos is one of the gods associated with death," Freya said, looking at the board.
"But death is a part of life, its opposite. It's literally part of balance. Death can't be either bad or good," Alex said, slapping his forehead. "Every second, something dies and is born. How can death be considered something bad?" Alex asked, not understanding why Thanatos considered himself evil.
"Alex, aren't you afraid of death?" Hestia asked, not understanding why Alex was upset. Everyone looked at Alex, not understanding what had caused such a reaction after learning what Thanatos was responsible for.
"Life and death are a natural cycle for everything. Even for the universe and gods. Nothing can live forever," Alex answered Hestia's question. "Alright, we got off-topic. We need to name potential gods with a negative aspect and look for clues linking them to this group," Alex continued, steering the conversation back on track.
"It could be Erebus, Nyx, and many other gods associated with negative aspects," Freya suggested after some thought.
"Alright, we'll start with Erebus and Nyx and look for others as we progress," Alex said, writing the two names on the board. "Also, let's not forget that Apollo didn't have a negative aspect but might have been connected to this group," Hephaestus added, recalling Apollo's behavior.
"Most likely, Apollo was their pawn and a fool who was easy to manipulate," Alex replied, dismissing the idea that Apollo was part of the group.
"Could Soma be part of this group?" Hestia asked, remembering how much Lily had suffered from Soma Familia members.
"No, Soma is definitely not part of this group. That idiot always stays in his room brewing wine. If he were involved, he would be showing up more often," Alex answered, shaking his head.
"What if he's brewing wine that makes his familia members dependent and causes chaos?" Loki asked, raising her hand.
"That's already understood, since the wine is brewed by a god and thus has such an effect. But he does it unintentionally," Alex replied, based on the information gathered about Soma Familia and Soma himself. He knew that Soma was just a recluse who didn't want to interfere and simply made wine, but that didn't excuse his inaction regarding his familia.
"Also, let's not forget that besides negative gods, other gods might be part of this group," Alex said. Hearing his words, the goddesses exchanged suspicious glances. Seeing this, Alex shook his head and tapped the board to draw their attention.
"No one in this room is part of this group," he said. The goddesses smiled sheepishly, realizing they had forgotten this. Alex could understand Loki and Hestia suspecting each other, but he hadn't expected Freya to start looking at the others with suspicion.
"Most likely, they will lie low for a while, so we will have time to look for those who might be part of this group," Alex said. Everyone exchanged glances, understanding that there was no other option.
"So what should we do in this situation?" Finn asked, realizing that chaos worse than what Evils did might break out in the future, and there might not be enough people to protect all of Orario.
"Getting stronger is the simplest option in this situation. Without strength, you're essentially cannon fodder," Alex said, spreading his arms. Finn pursed his lips, understanding this simple truth but hoping Alex would offer other options as well.
"For starters, we need to wait for the next gods' meeting, and we'll need Freya's ability to be a social butterfly," Alex said, and everyone turned their gaze to Freya, who was sipping tea. Freya noticed everyone looking at her and smiled.
"And what do you need my help with?" Freya asked, sitting in a more elegant pose.
"You interact with many gods, and through conversations, you'll look for flaws in their words and possible members of this group of idiots. That's if they show up at the meeting, of course," Alex said, looking at Freya.
"What will I get in return? After all, I'm not part of this group yet," Freya asked, smiling sweetly. Hestia was ready to explode at her words, but was stopped by Hephaestus.
"All the same conditions, but within reason and without your past requests. I'll say 'no' to those right away," Alex replied, not allowing Freya to say anything excessive. He didn't want Hestia to, in a fit of rage, shock Freya.
"Haha, then I'll think about it for now and put my requests on hold until I figure out what I want," Freya said, laughing elegantly. Hearing her words, Hestia realized that Freya had asked for something excessive and began to look at her even more suspiciously. Hestia decided she would protect Alex's innocence from this woman, so she wouldn't corrupt him.
"And what about what you said about getting stronger?" Finn asked, ignoring the goddesses who were eyeing each other suspiciously.
"Our house will be finished soon, and I'll set up a training room in the basement. You'll come there, and I'll... train you," Alex answered with a smile. Finn heard what Alex said and realized that the training would be akin to torture. Even if they did become stronger, it would be a very tough ordeal. Finn could already imagine the faces of the other participants and their tear-filled eyes.
While the team discussed their affairs and actions in case of an emergency, the group of villains gathered to discuss their plans.
"What should we do about Thanatos?" asked a female voice.
"Nothing for now. He hasn't been exposed yet," replied the leader, sitting at the table and staring at the empty seat where Thanatos should have been.
"What if he gets exposed? That idiot might drag us all down with him," said a male voice.
"If he tries to drag us down, we'll just shift all the blame onto him and say he forced us," said a third participant.
"I suggest we replace him or find someone else for our group. With more eyes and allies, it will be easier to act in the future. And if Thanatos decides to betray us, we'll have more votes to suppress him and divert suspicion," proposed the female voice after some thought.
"Replacing Thanatos isn't an option for now. If we drive him out, he'll definitely do something foolish. As for new members, who do you suggest?" asked the second participant.
"We should look for those with similar interests, who can support us or corrupt other gods," said the third, grinning.
"I'm not sure we can corrupt any gods. Apollo was an exception because he was lustful and arrogant. It was easy to pull him into darkness," said the female voice.
While the group argued, the leader sat and observed, frowning. He didn't want to repeat Evilus's mistakes, so he acted cautiously, leaving no traces. Even in Apollo's case, he hadn't intervened, only observing and giving orders. He pondered the possibility of recruiting new members, but that also carried the risk of being exposed prematurely. The leader considered which god might fit their organization without risking exposure.
"Erebus, what do you think about new recruits and replacing Thanatos?" asked the second participant.
"Let's postpone replacing Thanatos for now. If he gets discovered, we'll blame him. If this fool can cover his tracks, we'll keep him," replied Erebus after some thought.
"And new recruits?" asked the female voice.
"Let's also postpone that. But you can try to get close to those you want to invite. Remember, Orario has eyes and ears everywhere. Everyone is curious, and rumors spread quickly," warned Erebus, indicating that it was better to act cautiously and not attract unnecessary attention.
"From now on, we go underground and make no moves. The experiment with the monster succeeded, albeit with some flaws. This means we can try to enhance the Rex monster. But creating a crystal for such types of monsters will take time. For now, we gather our strength and search for potential recruits, avoiding contact with each other. We'll communicate using the old method," outlined Erebus. Hearing his words, everyone understood that it was best to keep a low profile and go about their business as usual.
"What about Thanatos?" asked the third participant.
"I'll send him a message myself, telling him to keep a low profile," said Erebus, rising from his chair. "This meeting is over. I hope to hear good news next time," he added as he left the room.
Seeing that Erebus had left, the others continued to debate who would be the best to invite. Unable to reach a definite decision, they each maintained their own opinions and dispersed, realizing that it was uncertain when they would meet again. Suspicion began to rise, and it was best to keep a low profile, as Erebus had advised.
Hephaestus's Mansion
While the group of villains was making their plans, Alex's team was discussing which gods might be part of the villainous group. After a lengthy discussion, the board was filled with names of gods—ranging from the so-called evil ones to the most ordinary. Alex looked at the filled board and realized that the goddesses had decided to name all the gods who might be in Orario or might descend in the future. Alex rubbed his face, understanding that it was better not to ask these goddesses for more, as you tell them one thing, and they do another. Freya, seeing Alex's puzzled expression, smiled and approached him.
"What's with your face? Why the frown?" Freya asked, standing next to Alex.
"What do you mean by frown? Did you seriously decide to name all the gods that are in Orario?" Alex shouted with a twitching eye.
"Well, you asked us to name the gods," Loki said, not understanding why he was angry.
"I asked you to name the gods who might be part of the group, in your opinion, not all the gods in Orario," Alex said, looking at the goddesses. Seeing his gaze, everyone turned away with awkward smiles.
"Fine, we need to wait for Allen, who should be arriving soon, and ask him what he has learned," Alex said with a sigh, looking at everyone in the room.
While Alex was contemplating whether to do everything himself or wait for a chance to participate in a group battle against the villains and defeat them with the power of friendship, he grimaced at the thought. The only anime where he liked the power of friendship was "Fairy Tail"; everything else he considered nonsense. Everyone watched Alex's frowning face, wondering if they had done something wrong. Hestia was the most concerned, feeling useless in this situation.
While Alex was deciding what to do, Allen arrived with information.
"Lady Freya, I have arrived after completing your order," Allen said as he appeared in the room and removed his cloak.
"What did you find out about Thanatos?" Alex asked, looking at Allen, who had a smug expression on his face. Hearing Alex's words, Allen grimaced and ignored him, waiting for instructions from Freya.
"Allen, what did you find out? Can you tell us?" Freya asked with a motherly smile. Seeing her smile, Allen was encouraged, while Hestia and Loki grimaced.
"Thanatos is definitely part of this evil group. Some members of his family are aware of his plans," Allen said.
"Well, why are you silent? Or is that all you found out?" Alex asked with a twisted face. Allen decided to ignore his words and continued.
"Eros, who died in the dungeon, was his closest family member. Also, there is a girl named Savina and a couple of other people whose names he did not reveal," Allen continued.
Hearing this, Alex began to lose patience, as he could not stand people who went silent and stopped speaking. Seeing Alex reaching for his pocket, Freya asked Allen to continue.
"Thanatos decided to cover his tracks and will likely lay low, behaving like an ordinary god with a family. The girl named Savina went to recall other members to return," Allen said, expecting praise from Freya. Seeing his proud face, Alex began to get even angrier.
"You did so well, maybe I should scratch behind your ears for that?" Alex said with a sweet smile that sent shivers down everyone's spines. Allen looked at Alex, not understanding why he was saying that.
"You're an idiot. I gave you a cloak to hide, and instead of bringing any useful information, you only mentioned the name of the corpse and the girl who's supposedly under Tanatos's command. Did you not think to steal any documents or at least letters that might have the names of Tanatos's associates? Instead, you brought essentially useless information that could have been heard on the street. And what's with that proud face, as if you completed a top-secret mission?" Alex ranted, furious at the foolish cat. "Now I see where Anni's character comes from. You two are literally the same," he continued.
"Come on, Alex. He's not to blame. Maybe he didn't want to get caught and acted cautiously," Hestia tried to calm Alex.
"If you're so smart, you could have gone and done it yourself, instead of asking Lady Freya to do you a favor," Allen replied with a sarcastic tone.
"I'll hit you with this stick right now," Alex said, pulling out a stick from his pocket. Everyone who knew about the stick ran to stop him.
"Let me go, I'll hit him. All he found out was that Tanatos is part of the group and that he has close adventurers who carry out his orders," Alex said, struggling against those holding him back from beating up Allen. Freya didn't understand why they were holding Alex back until she saw the stick.
While Hestia was calming Alex, Freya decided to ask about the stick. Loki, hearing Freya's question, wasn't sure whether to answer. After some thought, Loki decided to explain what the stick was. Freya crookedly smiled, recalling a rumor she had recently heard.
"Alright, Hestia, that's enough. I'm not angry. Essentially, the information Allen brought may be half-useful, but only if we intercept Savina before she hides," Alex said, putting the stick back in his pocket and sighing heavily.
"So, what's the plan of action?" Finn asked, seeing that Alex had calmed down and sighed.
"First, we need to strengthen our forces in case these idiots start executing their plans earlier. Then we wait for the gods' meeting to find those who were or are currently close to Tanatos. And lastly, expect that things might hit the fan at any moment. For now, that's all we can do," Alex said. Everyone understood that they didn't have many options for action.
"By the way, where are those three misfortunes? I haven't seen them since yesterday evening," Alex asked, looking around.
"Lily, Cassandra, and Daphne left after they woke up. According to Daphne, since they did well in the raid, they can afford some rest and entertainment," Tsukaki said.
Just as Alex was about to ask more questions about the girls, they returned, but their appearance left much to be desired. They looked as if they had been in a bar fight.
"What happened to you? Why do you look like you got into a bar brawl?" Alex asked, looking at the girls who were covered in dust.
"We were accosted by members of the Soma family, and we got into a fight," Cassandra said. Alex looked at them, not understanding how they could end up in a fight with Cassandra, who was always the voice of reason. He decided to hear the whole story and asked Cassandra to explain everything from the beginning.
To be continued...