A SHORT-LIVED GLOOM
“I see…So that’s what happened.”
Hestia looked down at her feet and sighed. She, Lilly, and Welf were in a room of the mansion, the day after Bell returned from carrying out his mission for the Guild. The goddess had summoned them—the smartest and most levelheaded members of her familia—to ask about the Xenos and their secret village.
Hestia also told them everything that had happened on her end, including her conversation with Ouranos. She was troubled by the weighty, oppressive air she felt around each of the members of her familia, especially Bell, but pressed on with her questions nonetheless.
“What did you two think of the Xenos?” she asked.
“As strange as it is to say, I found them to be a kind, openhearted bunch,” said Lilly.
“Yeah, they seemed friendly enough. They kept asking to shake Bell’s hand.”
“Sh-shake his hand?”
Upon hearing Welf’s description, as well as an account of their touchy-feely nature, Hestia’s gloom transformed into a look of concern.
“Y-yeah,” said Welf. “And…the women and girls, they’re…well, you know…like Wiene, really…cute…or pretty even…”
“That siren lady…Ms. Rei, she’s as pretty as an elf as far as I can tell…”
“And if we’re talking about pretty Xenos, then those lamia and harpy girls aren’t half bad…Oh, I guess there was an al-miraj, too.”
“A-al-miraj?! The rabbit monster?!”
Hestia nearly jumped out of her skin at this startling news.
“T-tell me more! Are they like hume bunnies? You know, with the long ears and the soft bits and everything?!”
“Soft? I suppose so,” said Lilly. “She was covered in fur after all.”
“She seemed awfully interested in our Bell. Kept hugging and licking him all over. Guess she recognizes her own kind, eh?”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!”
As her imagination ran wild, Hestia unleashed an almighty shriek.
“Why is there always some temptress trying to steal away my Bell?! And even worse, it’s a monster this time! You think I’m going to stand by and let some two-bit floozy lure my Bell away from his own species?!”
Lilly started to say, “Isn’t that what you’re trying to do?” But Welf sagely stopped her from making things any worse.
“How come the serious mood never lasts long when Lady Hestia is around?” she asked instead.
“Maybe she’s trying to cheer us up?” suggested Welf.
“Somehow, I doubt it…”
Lilly cast an unimpressed look back at Hestia, whose ranting and screaming didn’t seem like it would subside any time soon.
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