Chương 99: Hestia's Interrogation

"Surprised?" Aisha laughed at Cael's ridiculous reaction.

"It is the truth. What, do you want to be the one to take Haruhime's first time?"

"Hey, hey. Why say that out of nowhere? That is awkward." Cael felt his face heat. Did she not feel embarrassed discussing this so openly? No, she was an Amazoness and a courtesan warrior. Of course she would not avoid this topic.

"You are so pure it is cute. So strong and still so pure. It really makes me want to make you mine for a night." Aisha licked her lips, then stood as if nothing had happened and waved a hand while preparing to leave.

"If you want her, hurry. Someone she does not know might take her someday." Inwardly, she thought that this was all she could do. Haruhime, let us see whether this boy can take you from Ishtar Familia. No matter what, betting on him was better than doing nothing. If the gamble paid off, all the better.

"Heh." Cael watched Aisha's back as she left, his gaze sharpening. That was not even a hint. It was practically a direct signal. She wanted him to form a bond with Haruhime and save her. Perhaps in all of Ishtar Familia, Aisha was the only one who did not want Haruhime to die and truly wished to save her. Do not worry. I will save her properly. The plan was already written in his mind. Cael came back to himself and looked at the damaged street and the holes in the nearby wall.

Then angry shouts sounded in the distance.

"Uh. Run! If I get caught, the fine will be huge." His expression changed, and he immediately fled. The Guild imposed heavy fines for fighting and damaging buildings inside Orario. Those fines were punishment, but they also paid for repairs. Hestia Familia was flat broke. They had no money for fines. Ishtar Familia was rich, so the Guild could go to them. After all, Cael had not caused most of the damage. The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Later, on the ruined road near the southeastern outskirts, the closer Cael got to the Familia's old church, the more uneasy he became. Guilty? In his mind, he imagined Hestia angry, Hestia expressionless, Hestia terrifyingly calm, and every other possibility.

"What am I afraid of? I did not actually do anything. She will know I am not lying." Cael swallowed and forced himself to walk forward. In the small basement, which could only comfortably hold four or five people, Cael sat upright on the sofa. In front of him stood his goddess, Hestia, hands on her hips and a strange aura around her as she stared at him without expression.

"You went to the Pleasure Quarter and did not come back until morning." Her questioning voice held no emotion. Cael glanced toward Lili behind Hestia.

"Lili is standing with Lady Hestia this time," Lili said, looking away.

"I was not exactly hoping you would plead for me..." Cael's mouth twitched. Even if Lili had not told on him, Hestia would have asked her. He had been gone all night.

"From that reaction, Cael must have done that kind of thing," Hestia said, eyes fixed on him.

"No. Absolutely not. I swear on my honor that I did not do that kind of thing. Even if I did, I would never do it with a woman I did not know." Cael raised three fingers with a serious face. Hearing that, Lili glanced at him, cheeks faintly red, then turned her head away. Stupid Lord Cael.

"Then what did you do all night? Do not tell me you only talked about stories."

"How did you know? I really did talk with Haruhime about stories all night. I did not do anything else. I did not even touch a strand of her hair." Cael broke into a sweat. She had guessed too accurately. Goddesses really were frighteningly sharp. Hestia stared at Cael for a long time, then let out a breath.

"Cael is not lying."

"Of course I would not lie in front of my goddess," Cael said. Lying to a god was pointless. The lie would be exposed before it was even finished.

"Even if you did not lie, going to the Pleasure Quarter is unforgivable. And the most unforgivable part is that you were interested in it." Hestia's anger rose again, mixed with worry. If Cael got involved with a place like the Pleasure Quarter, he might become attached to it. He was at an age where boys thought about girls.

"There was a reason."

"Oh? A reason? Lili already told me. You felt sympathy for a beautiful courtesan and stayed with her overnight, right, Cael?" Hestia's voice turned playful and dangerous, and she pronounced his name one syllable at a time.

"It is not wrong to feel sympathy, but Cael cannot let sympathy carry him so far that he ends up hurting himself."

"I know." Cael sighed. So she was still worried about him. He admitted his mistake, though he would probably still do it again.

"Also, I heard what happened last night," Hestia said, changing the subject with a sigh and pressing a hand to her forehead.

"You clashed with Apollo Familia."

"I really did not expect Apollo to be the first one to pick a fight."

"Is there a problem, Lady Goddess? Apollo Familia has only one Lv. 3 adventurer, a few Lv. 2s, and the rest are Lv. 1. Their assets are considerable too."

"Next, they will definitely keep provoking us. They may even fabricate a story about us seriously injuring their members to force you into accepting a War Game. After all, they have already tested us." Since Hestia had taken the initiative to move the topic away, Cael relaxed and became serious.

"It is not surprising that Apollo would directly propose a War Game," Hestia said, her expression turning grave. She suddenly carried herself like the head of a Familia.

"The problem is what happens after the War Game."

"A War Game will be held under the eyes of the gods. Everyone's excellence cannot be hidden. Once the gods see it, there will be many who start making plans."