DANMACHI: The Silence's Heir (OC x Freya)

Chapter 24

GODDESS FREYA

"I am much grateful to you for coming here at my request," she whispered rather tiredly as her feet came to a halt, and never more she had cursed the human frailties of this body as she found herself tiring after but a few dances, with the person infront of her.

The boy in question though was not even winded as he gave her a small nod.

"I was going to come regardless," he replied somewhat callously, yet it did not bother her. Not at all. She was just elated to have him in her arms. Momentarily, it may be, but still looking into those eyes, into the heaviness that filled that gaze, it made her heart race.

And once more, she lamented the war game she had lost and all the years that she had lost.

"Come, we should rest," she saw him hesitate as he looked up. Immediately, her mood soured as she followed his gaze and saw him looking at Hestia. His patron Goddess stood there with Hermes.

"I insist," she said and saw him hesitate before he nodded. They walked to one of the tables and sat down, and she found herself mesmerized by that gaze.

"It has been years since I have asked this of you, but tell me, Inumaki-kun, why don't you join my familia?" she asked and saw him still at those words.

"You already know why," he answered after a moment of silence.

"Because of Hera, it has been years now. Have you not in your heart to forgive a poor soul like me," she asked tiredly, and his eyes narrowed.

"You were behind the attack that had her ascend," he replied heatedly, and it broke her heart seeing the animosity in those eyes, seeing the hate and rage in that gaze.

"I only ever desired you and the best for you. Hera was a shell of herself, exiled and out of Orario. She would only ever be shackles holding you back from reaching your true potential," she added sharply and saw his lips thin.

"And you can help me do that, reach my full potential," he challenged, and she nodded.

"I gave up a part of myself for you, Inumaki-kun," she teased and saw him still at those eyes softened.

"I would do anything for you, yet you still deny me this. Deny yourself this, all because of what? A grudge from so long ago," she asked. He could tell her lies from truth, it was a power of his, and she was telling the truth.

"I cannot, I just cannot," those words broke her heart as Freya's mind was made up. She knew what she must do, what she had to do.

"You have always thought me to be the person behind Hera's ascension," she began as she rose up from the chair.

"But have you ever asked me that? Is that really the truth?" she added and saw the gears in his mind turn.

"Ask me?" she said as she beckoned, Ottar to escort her away, and he had not yet spoken up and just as she turned away from him, she heard his voice.

"Were you behind Hera-sama's ascension?" she closed her eyes at that question, her heart screaming at her to tell him the whole truth, yet she knew how it would affect him. And yet she was tired of this loneliness, tired of seeing that hate-filled gaze.

"I wish," she answered and did not turn back as she let Ottar escort her away. The journey to the tower of Babel was quiet as Freya reached her home and began looking down at the city with sheer contempt and hate.

This city. This city was what had destroyed him. This was the burden that had taken him away from her, and in that moment, that hate overpowered her as she thought of Dinoysus's offer.

"Ottar," she called back and looked him in the eye.

"Yes,"

"Gather everyone tomorrow. I wish to speak with them," and with that, the city's fate was sealed.

"Leave me," and with that, she retired to the bed and lay there alone and wallowing in despair as she thought of that accursed night from seven years ago.

.

.

.

Seven years ago, in that very place, a distraught Freya found herself face-to-face with one of Orario's greatest traitors.

"You did what?" she raged, perplexed by the words of the infamous Alfia-the Silence.

"I said that Hera-same is going to ascend," and while the news was eating, it was still disturbing.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"You were right. I was not the right person to raise my child. I have committed the gravest sin a mother could commit and have burdened him with my own shoulders at a very young age," and with that, Alfia-the Silence looked into her eyes.

"We see it now, both me and Hera-sama. The mistakes that we have made, and it is upto us to salvage what we can," she said as she threw a piece of parchment towards him.

"He will learn of Hera-sama's ascension soon enough and my own part in it. In that moment, help him. Do better than myself and help him. I leave it upto you," and despite her own limitations, Freya knew it all to be a mistake.

"That boy. He has looked upto you all his life. This, it would break him," she said, and in that moment, Freya made the greatest sacrifice she could.

"He will not understand it all. Not yet," she added as she looked the blessed girl in the eye.

"Blame it all on me. Let me carry this burden...."

0000

INUMAKI-The Silent

Inumaki's mind raced as he walked back to the Astarea castle alongside Hestia-sama, for something about Freya's last question continued to mess with his head. And that was teh problem when it came to her, things were so complicated that he did not know what to make of it.

For the initial years of his life, she had been like a doting elder sister to him, often coming to keep him company as Alfia trained him and pushed him to keep up with her, and then with Hera and Zeus familia falling things would deteriorate rather rapidly.

The relationship between Freya and Hera-sama, which was always rather fragile, would break as Hera-sama would be exiled from Orario. He would have to travel for days just to get a status update, and it was during one of these days-long journeys that he would learn of the ascendance of Hera-sama. And just like that Alfia and Zald would remerge, coming back from the dead as part of the Evilus schemes to destroy the city.

He was torn between trying to find out the truth behind Hera-sama's ascension and rushing back to the city, and had no other choice but to do the latter and yet he would be too late. Alfia and Zald would be killed, and his name would be tarnished, and the only clue he would ever learn about Hera-sama's ascension was that it was carried out by someone who bore her a great grudge.

And the only person that came to his mind after that description was Freya, and that was the truth he had believed to this day. She had never done anything to dispel this belief as he languished in the city trying to carry on the will of his mother, trying to get stronger, and yet no familia would accept him for one reason or another, until Astarea-sama would, and even that at a great cost.

But today he was shook. Over the years, the grudge he had born Freya had lessened, as he had come to see her action against Hera-sama as an expression of her jealousy and grudge, but yet after tonight he did not know just how much of it was true.

He did not even know what was the truth anymore.

"Inumaki-kun," and he was so lost in thought that he missed his name being called repeatedly as they reached the abandoned castle.

And only looked to the side as Hestia-sama pinched his arm.

"Ouch," he grunted in pain as he turned his head to the side to look at his patron Goddess. Hestia, the Goddess of the Heareth, was not the perfect choice for a diety, but in the grand city, she was the only one he could trust at the moment. And it also allowed him to be closer to Bell, and so it was a rather suitable choice in his own opinion.

"You have been rather gloomy ever since we returned from the gala," she questioned slowly, concern lacing her tone.

"I have a lot on my mind," he told her the truth and saw her eyes narrow as he did not elaborate any further.

"Is this about Freya?" she asked, and he was surprised by her astuteness, but she was one of the few gods and goddesses immune to her charm. So, it was reasonable enough that she had caught on to this.

"Yes," he chose not to lie, yet she did not seem bothered by it.

"I would ask you to be cautious of her, but you know that better than anyone else," she said before suddenly jumping infront of him.

"Plus, know that I will always have your back, no matter what. And that you are free to choose your own way of life," and with that, she jumped forward.

"Now let us go and see how Bell-kun is prepared for the match tomorrow," and indeed. The war game was very near and it was time for him to check on Bell's progress himself.

And as he entered the abandoned castle, he was greeted by a very familiar face.

"Inumaki-sama," Kaguya Gojouno stood there waiting for him and greeted him with reverence, the source of which he did not know to this day.

"It is good to see you again, Kaguya," he said, and she smiled bashfully and saw her look at him up and down.

"Thank you, Inumaki-sama. You are coming back from the gala," she asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I just wanted to give Bell a final challenge before the war game," and with that, he walked into the training yard and saw Bell facing off against Alise rather well.

"Well then, it's time to see his progress for myself...."

0000

In the city's underbelly, a worried Filvis watched her God, her savior, and salvation, laugh as he stared at the cornerstone of her grand plan to destroy Orario and change the city once and for all.

"Is it right to trust her, the Goddess of beauty, like that?" she asked, perplexed that the God had just let go of all of their plans, leaving it all in the hands of another person.

"Ohh, you have no idea, Filvis," he said as he looked at her.

"She will do just fine. Plus, it is not like we had a choice, though. It was either this or something else, but of all the Gods, she is the only one truly capable of doing this," and he laughed harder as he looked at the massive mural painted infront of him.

A mural of the instrument of Orario's destruction.

A mural of Nidhog, the primordial dragon of destruction.

0000

Days before the proposed wargame between the Hestia and Soma, Inumaki found himself traversing through the smithery floor of the Babel tower while being led around by an Hestia familia's manager, Eina-san.

"Are you sure about this, Inumaki-san? With the budget that you have, you could commission someone far more skilled and experienced?" she asked again as she turned towards the taller adventurer, who nodded.

"I am. I already have a personal smith for myself, and I believe that it would help Bell have one for himself, and this was his choice," and the elf seemed bummed out by it.

All the smiths eye the two of them with hungry eyes because all of them could only ever dream of being the exclusive smiths of an adventurer like The Silent, yet to this day, none knew of the identity of his personal smith who had never taken credit for the masterpieces used by him.

And as they walked, the manager elf's eyes landed on a red-haired human waiting on one of the benches, with a grim expression on his face.

"It's him," she said, as she pointed towards the human in question, who finally turned towards them as they stood infront of him.

She saw his eyes widen as he looked at Inumaki-kun.

"You...." he gasped, making Eina frown.

"You are Welf Crozzo," Inumaki-kun greeted the young red-haired boy, who nodded, his eyes still stuck on him.

"I am," he agreed, and then Inumaki-kun smiled.

"I have come here on behalf of my fellow familia member, Bell Cranel, who wishes to have a suit of armor commissioned from you," she saw the red-haired boy still at those words.

"Name your price?" he asked, making Eina sigh. She expected the smith to mouth an unreasonable amount but was surprised when that did not happen.

"I don't need money. No, I will do it for free if you just answer one of my questions?" he said, turning towards Inumaki-kun. She was surprised, though Inumaki-kun was not who simply raised a brow, prompting the boy to ask away.

"Your spear and armor," he whispered so none could hear them.

"Tell me, who was the smith? The one who made your armor?" and her eyes widened at the question as the red-haired boy looked Inuamki-kun in the eye, who was quiet for a few seconds before he finally opened his mouth.

"It was her....."

00000

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