The original three-person trip to find a new home for the Familia had turned into a four-person journey. For Hestia, this was an even more exciting development. However, her intuition told her something felt off, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Everything seemed perfect.
She was happily being carried by Altair, the person she adored, although his left hand would occasionally playfully act up. Sakeo was quietly following beside them. Through the short time Hestia had gotten to know her, she understood that Sakeo wasn't the type to talk much and always followed Altair's lead.
Then there was her friend Hephaestus. It was rare for her to leave her shop and come down to hang out, and she also seemed to be in high spirits.
But why did Hestia's divine intuition tell her something was amiss? She just couldn't figure it out. Everything seemed fine.
Hestia wasn't one to dwell on things. After a brief moment of confusion, she decided to stop thinking about it.
Along the way, Hephaestus walked on Altair's left side, constantly chatting with Hestia, keeping her head turned towards Altair's left shoulder. This meant she couldn't see Sakeo, who was being held by Altair's right hand, which was precisely part of Hephaestus' plan. She had decided to help Altair keep the secret and prevent Hestia from noticing his right hand holding Sakeo's.
The reason Hestia felt something off was because Hephaestus, who usually wasn't a big talker, suddenly had so much to say today. It gave Hestia a strange feeling. Normally, she was the one who talked the most, but she hadn't realized this odd shift.
While the two gods and the two companions engaged in friendly conversation, the group of four made their way to the northern district, where they found the fried potato shop where Hestia had once worked.
"Ah, Take-chan!" Hestia called out.
Inside the shop, Hestia's friend, Takemikazuchi, was still working. When he heard someone calling him, he immediately looked up.
"Oh, it's Hestia! What brings you here today?"
Takemikazuchi, a God of War from Shinto mythology, was currently working in the shop, looking entirely like an ordinary person, except for the traditional Japanese topknots on either side of his head, which gave away his origin from the Far East.
"We're moving."
Hestia finally slid off Altair's back, and under Hephaestus' watchful gaze, she didn't notice Altair's right hand, which quickly let go of Sakeo's. Hephaestus let out a sigh of relief.
"Our base caught fire last night. The church was destroyed, so we're planning to move somewhere near you and Miach-chan. That way, we can visit each other more often when we're free."
"Oh, that sounds great! I often get bored when I have free time at the Familia."
"Exactly! Going to visit the others can be such a hassle. Take Hephaestus, for example. She's always holed up in her shop, and every time we have to go up her tower, it takes forever!"
"Sorry for keeping you waiting."
Hephaestus responded, giving Hestia a side-eye. After all, she had been helping cover for Hestia, only to be teased in return.
"Hey, Take-chan, do you know of any good places nearby that could serve as our new base?"
Since Takemikazuchi worked at the shop, he would be familiar with the area, so it made sense to ask him.
"A good place for a base? There's a spot that just went up for sale recently."
"Oh? Tell me where! No, better yet, Take-chan, just take us there to see it."
"Hestia, hold on a moment. Let me tell the others."
Takemikazuchi quickly informed the other shop staff to keep an eye on things before stepping outside.
"Alright, follow me. I'll show you the place."
The group of four turned into five, and they left the shop together. Soon, they arrived at the entrance of a single-standing building with a yard.
"This is it. It used to be an inn, but the owner was killed, and no one inherited it, so it's been sitting empty ever since. Right now, it's under Ganesha Familia's jurisdiction. If you want to buy it, you can talk to them directly. Since Ganesha took over, the price should be reasonable."
"That's amazing!"
"If you want to be sure, we can go inside and take a look. Ganesha's children come by to inspect it from time to time, so if no one's living there now, it's probably still available for sale."
"Let's check it out."
Altair pushed open the unlocked gate and led the way into the yard.
The yard wasn't big, but it was about 200 square meters, and in the center stood a small detached villa. There was also a backyard, taking up about a third of the total space. Altair liked the idea; it would be great for setting up celebrations for the Familia, without always having to go to the Hostess of Fertility.
While adventurers loved the lively atmosphere of restaurants, Altair wasn't particularly fond of the Hostess of Fertility. He had been there several times, but Syr had never shown any interest in him.
Was it his looks? His charm? Why didn't this goddess disguise, known as Syr, find him appealing?
Little did Altair know, to Freya, disguised as Syr, that his soul was not only dull but somewhat dark!
This guy doesn't look like a good person!
But enough about Syr. After exploring the yard, both Altair and Hestia were very satisfied. The three-story villa with a backyard was perfect for their Familia's new base!
"Great! This is it!"
As the Captain of the Familia, Altair made the final decision with a wave of his hand.
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