----- Leo POV -----
Watching the villagers gather what little things they had left, I couldn't stop my face from contorting into a frown.
I had been shielded from Mama Alise, so I hadn't seen any of the sights firsthand... but I could tell.
Forlorn faces... children turning their heads back and forth, disoriented on who to go to, who to trust... the way the villagers broke into whimpers out of nowhere... and the smell.
God, the smell.
Even though the bodies had been cleaned up and buried, it still permeated the air.
The smell of death was more foul and convoluted than the simple stench of blood.
There was the smell of feces and urine that released itself when one died, simply disgusting as one might expect.
But the smell of burned flesh... it was like no other.
Nauseating and sweet, putrid and steaky, it was something I hoped to have never smelt again.
But while I was disgusted and upset about the brutality, it was also nothing new to a man dedicated to war.
But my father... that's what I was worried about.
While a wonderful fighter, he was innocent.
Naive.
Well, not exactly.
He knew what needed to get done, and how to get it done.
He was strong like that.
And even though he saw the horrible sight firsthand, he didn't waver enough to be taken advantage of.
But now that the fighting was over and there was no one left to take revenge on... I was worried.
When one sees the worst in humanity like this, many go down two paths of extremism.
They start seeing the worst in humans, and can only think of the horror humans can bring when looking at people, becoming cynical, closed off, and hateful.
Or, they start appreciating the good in humans after seeing the bad.
Being grateful to those who hadn't fallen into depravity and fighting to keep it that way.
I was hopeful- no, I was confident my father was the latter.
But this transitional period would be difficult either way.
I was just glad my parents and the rest of the Familia were somewhat conscious of this, as my mothers had been sticking to my father like glue.
And tonight, they got a little too close for my liking, but I left them to their... activities.
And there was another who was taking this hard.
Lefiya, Iris, Ariel, Lili, and Haruhime were all similarly innocent, if not more so, than my father, but the older girls had watched over them strictly, so I wasn't too worried about that.
No... there was another.
Ais.
And I knew just what the problem was.
After all, many citizens of Dicathian had their world shaken similarly.
They had learned the unfortunate truth, that past their hate for the barbarianism of monsters and the destruction and sadness they brought... humans could be just as bad.
And Ais was distraught.
She looked absolutely lost, and even a bit guilty.
Didn't she fight in that big war in Orario?
Why was she so surprised?
Well, nobody knew the girl better than Papa, and as far as I knew, he was the only one who could get through to her, so Papa needed to get his shit together fast before anything happened to her.
----- Alise POV -----
I hated this.
This sadness and despair.
It was suffocating.
Even though a day had passed since the bandit attack, the mood was only getting worse as reality began to set in for these people.
We had already told them the plan to take them to Orario, get them a place, and help them rebuild, but all we were met with were despondent nods and listless agreements.
Not that I could blame them.
I had hoped that with Evilus vanquished, I wouldn't have to see such tragedy.
But that was wishful, childish thinking.
Deep down, I had already known that conflict and catastrophes would never cease, no matter how much effort I put into stopping it, just like Sirius said on the rooftop back then.
But I had hoped I could at least save those in front of me.
Haa... I wanna go home.
How cowardly of a thought, but it was the truth.
This place drenched in despair... I wanted to get away and back to the fun times in Orario.
Because even though we had gotten back from clearing out Dragon Valley, likely saving hundreds of thousands with our actions, the mood around the caravan was sombre.
"Fucking bastards." I hear Lyra say.
"What is it?" I ask.
Currently, we are searching the caravan of the attackers, clearing out the carriages for the refugees to ride in while looking for any valuables that either belonged to the villagers or could be sold off to give them some more spending money on their arrival to Orario.
"The guy Sirius killed, he wasn't lying." She said.
"The guys Sirius killed... that doesn't narrow it down much." Noin says from the side.
"About the Empire. But I guess that should be expected." Lyra says with a strained smile.
Right.
She was from the Empire originally.
But...
"What do you mean by 'expected'?" I ask.
"How to explain... it's a common tactic, I guess." Lyra says.
Raising her hands above her head, she stretches her back before continuing.
"You see, with an empire that big, they have a lot of nobles and vassals that sometimes get out of line. So the Emperor, or, you know, his advisor, hires a bunch of thugs and bandit groups to harass and punish the bad apples. Not only do the nobles get back in line with the harassment, but they also have to swear allegiance again or do what the Emperor wants in return for routing the miscreants. Kind of genius, actually." She says with a huff.
...Alright, never let Lyra control a country, got it.
"Hey, don't look at me like that! Just because I recognize the genius of it, doesn't mean I approve! Hell, the corrupt and backhanded shit like that is the reason I escaped to Orario in the first place!"
Well, maybe she wasn't too bad.
But still...
"Miss?"
I turn my head toward the voice.
"Can I... ask you for something?"
It was a girl.
A young girl, looking to be in her teens with large brown eyes and shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair.
A real beauty, if it wasn't for the sullen look on her face.
The look of someone who's lost someone...
"What's up? Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask, my voice light and cheery.
Although it was meant to lighten the mood, many people in their position would find it annoying.
But that was fine too.
A distraction from their pain, if I could just do that... it was enough.
She then lowered her head, and I could see her knuckles whitening from her clenched fists.
Taking a shaky breath, she then looks up to stare me in the eyes, her pupils that were previously shaking now firm and resolute.
"I want to join you." She says.
...What?
"Hah? Ugh, Alise, you deal with this shit. I'm gonna get the rest to start packing." Lyra says before jumping down to the ground.
Now alone with the girl, I bring my hand to my face, pinching my brow in thought.
I had expected this, at least somewhat.
I mean, these people had their entire lives flipped upside down, of course, they would want some sort of stability.
But that desperate search for assurance would stop once they recovered and found themselves in Orario, a city filled with opportunity, and we had already said this to a few other villagers.
But this girl... I knew she wouldn't go down that easy.
"Alright... why? You know what we do, right?" I say calmly.
"I've heard. You fight monsters and explore the dungeon. You're adventurers, and strong ones too." She says.
"Yeah. It's a tough and dangerous job. Why would you want to join that world? When we get to Orario, you'll be able to find any job you want. You could be a baker, or a tailor, or... anything really." I say.
"I don't want that." She says.
Her eyes dart down to her fist which was still clenched.
"...Yesterday, I lost everything. My home, my mother, my father... I'm sad, but I'm also angry. I'm angry that something so unfair happened to me." She says calmly.
Oh boy.
I could understand completely.
After all, I had felt these same emotions.
She was lost, looking desperately for a way to vent these frustrations.
But that won't do in such a dangerous profession.
She needed time and love to heal.
But maybe in a couple of years-
"But more than that, I'm angry that this will happen again. Not to me, but to others. I... want to stop such unfairness from happening, and bring some justice to the world, no matter how small."
She then stares back at me, her eyes narrowed in resolve.
...Fuuuuuuuck, she said the thing.
Haa... and looking at her, I didn't need Mother to know she wasn't lying.
Such an earnest pledge to maintain justice... and after suffering from such pain...
I couldn't exactly refuse such a request.
Besides, we need more people for the next generation of the Astraea Familia.
"What's your name?" I ask after some internal deliberation.
"Sophie. Sophie Halle." She- no, Sophie responds.
"Your age?" I ask next.
"15 years old." Sophie answers.
Dammit, I was really doing this, wasn't I?
"Do you have any combat experience?"
"I went on hunts with my father, so I know how to use a sword somewhat."
Huh?
"You... hunt with a sword?" I ask.
"...I'm really bad with a bow, okay?" She says before averting her eyes, her cheeks gaining a small flush.
Well, ignoring that... oddity, it was good that she was showing some emotion.
She wasn't broken by her experience, but rather using it to push onwards.
She was a strong girl.
...I did say I wanted a disciple, didn't I?
I guess I found one sooner than I thought.
"Haa... it'll be tough, you know? The weakest one in our Familia is already a level 2, nearing level 3. You'll have to catch up." I say sternly.
"What about those four kids?" She says.
So cheeky...
"They're kids, you brat. And they're mine too, so don't go making trouble with my little angels." I say with a smirk.
I watch as her eyes dart to my stomach, and then over to Sirius who was helping some villagers pack, and then back to me before widening in realization.
"Oh..."
She was blushing again.
"Umm, congrats? But... how old are you?" She finally says.
"Is that a question you should ask a lady?" I tease.
"Well, you look so young, but you already have toddlers, so..."
Ah right, their growth rate.
Must be confusing to those who don't know, huh?
"I'm 22, but thanks for the compliment. Anyway, let's go meet Mother, the Goddess of this Familia. You'll have to convince her like you did with me." I say with a smirk.
As I leap down onto the ground and begin to walk away, I'm interrupted by Sophie.
"Okay... wait, who are you then?" She says.
Turning my head back, I give her my signature smile while pointing my thumb at myself.
"I'm Alise Lovell, the level 6 captain of the Astraea Familia. And starting when we get back, your new teacher."
----- Sirius POV -----
"So this is the newest member?" Ryuu says from my side.
"Yep! You two, meet my new student, Sophie Halle! Sophie, meet Sirius Lovion and Ryuu Lion, my husband and wife!" Alise says.
"Hah!? T-Three? Umm, nice to meet you." Sophie then bows her head.
I remember her from yesterday, as she needed healing from a stab wound to her stomach.
Compared to yesterday with her eyes drenched in snot and tears... she seemed to have recovered well.
Almost a little too well...
It was odd for her to be so composed, no matter how strong her strength of will was, she had just lost her home and a lot of people.
I guess I'll have to talk to her later...
"And I am the Goddess of Justice, Astraea. It is a shame to meet in such unfortunate circumstances, but I more than welcome you into the Familia."
We had already had a small Familia meeting, and while no one denied Sophie's acceptance into the Familia, we were all slightly worried about how fast this was going.
But I guess I'll keep my trust in Alise and Mother Astraea.
Nearly everyone here had gone through a similar tragedy to the girl, so it wasn't like she was alone.
"No need to wait any longer. If you would like to receive your falna, please lift the back of your shirt." Mother Astraea says.
I was expecting some reluctance due to my presence, but Sophie just grabbed the back of her shirt with no questions asked.
Well, I was a gentleman, so I made sure to turn my body in the opposite direction.
And if my own morals weren't enough to keep me from peeking, Ryuu's icy stare certainly did the trick.
"And done! My my, you have quite the talent."
Mother Astraea then places the status sheet on the table, giving us all a view of the frankly insane status.
-======================================================-
Name: Sophie Halle
Level: 1
Strength: I0
Endurance: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0
Skills:
Judgement - Increases stats when in combat against those who have killed innocents, the number of innocents killed increases the effect.
Magic:
Eden - Can summon vines that grow from the surrounding ground that the user can control.
-======================================================-
"Plant magic... Isn't that only meant for Elves?" Lyra says in shock.
"And only those of the sacred tree guardian families..." Ryuu says, similarly in awe.
"My mother said her father was a Half-Elf, but I never met him." Sophie explains.
But that didn't really make sense, since race traits didn't depend on the percentage of blood.
You were either a Human, an Elf, or a Half-Elf.
No quarter species or anything in between.
But I guess that perception wasn't entirely accurate.
"Ha... Hahaha! Yes! As expected of my disciple!" Alise says with a confident laugh.
But I could tell she was a little worried.
I mean, I would be too, I had no idea how the hell plant magic worked.
And so, with the sun setting on another day and the villagers all packed and ready to leave tomorrow, the Astraea Familia gained their 17th member.
----- Leo POV -----
Watching the villagers gather what little things they had left, I couldn't stop my face from contorting into a frown.
I had been shielded from Mama Alise, so I hadn't seen any of the sights firsthand... but I could tell.
Forlorn faces... children turning their heads back and forth, disoriented on who to go to, who to trust... the way the villagers broke into whimpers out of nowhere... and the smell.
God, the smell.
Even though the bodies had been cleaned up and buried, it still permeated the air.
The smell of death was more foul and convoluted than the simple stench of blood.
There was the smell of feces and urine that released itself when one died, simply disgusting as one might expect.
But the smell of burned flesh... it was like no other.
Nauseating and sweet, putrid and steaky, it was something I hoped to have never smelt again.
But while I was disgusted and upset about the brutality, it was also nothing new to a man dedicated to war.
But my father... that's what I was worried about.
While a wonderful fighter, he was innocent.
Naive.
Well, not exactly.
He knew what needed to get done, and how to get it done.
He was strong like that.
And even though he saw the horrible sight firsthand, he didn't waver enough to be taken advantage of.
But now that the fighting was over and there was no one left to take revenge on... I was worried.
When one sees the worst in humanity like this, many go down two paths of extremism.
They start seeing the worst in humans, and can only think of the horror humans can bring when looking at people, becoming cynical, closed off, and hateful.
Or, they start appreciating the good in humans after seeing the bad.
Being grateful to those who hadn't fallen into depravity and fighting to keep it that way.
I was hopeful- no, I was confident my father was the latter.
But this transitional period would be difficult either way.
I was just glad my parents and the rest of the Familia were somewhat conscious of this, as my mothers had been sticking to my father like glue.
And tonight, they got a little too close for my liking, but I left them to their... activities.
And there was another who was taking this hard.
Lefiya, Iris, Ariel, Lili, and Haruhime were all similarly innocent, if not more so, than my father, but the older girls had watched over them strictly, so I wasn't too worried about that.
No... there was another.
Ais.
And I knew just what the problem was.
After all, many citizens of Dicathian had their world shaken similarly.
They had learned the unfortunate truth, that past their hate for the barbarianism of monsters and the destruction and sadness they brought... humans could be just as bad.
And Ais was distraught.
She looked absolutely lost, and even a bit guilty.
Didn't she fight in that big war in Orario?
Why was she so surprised?
Well, nobody knew the girl better than Papa, and as far as I knew, he was the only one who could get through to her, so Papa needed to get his shit together fast before anything happened to her.
----- Alise POV -----
I hated this.
This sadness and despair.
It was suffocating.
Even though a day had passed since the bandit attack, the mood was only getting worse as reality began to set in for these people.
We had already told them the plan to take them to Orario, get them a place, and help them rebuild, but all we were met with were despondent nods and listless agreements.
Not that I could blame them.
I had hoped that with Evilus vanquished, I wouldn't have to see such tragedy.
But that was wishful, childish thinking.
Deep down, I had already known that conflict and catastrophes would never cease, no matter how much effort I put into stopping it, just like Sirius said on the rooftop back then.
But I had hoped I could at least save those in front of me.
Haa... I wanna go home.
How cowardly of a thought, but it was the truth.
This place drenched in despair... I wanted to get away and back to the fun times in Orario.
Because even though we had gotten back from clearing out Dragon Valley, likely saving hundreds of thousands with our actions, the mood around the caravan was sombre.
"Fucking bastards." I hear Lyra say.
"What is it?" I ask.
Currently, we are searching the caravan of the attackers, clearing out the carriages for the refugees to ride in while looking for any valuables that either belonged to the villagers or could be sold off to give them some more spending money on their arrival to Orario.
"The guy Sirius killed, he wasn't lying." She said.
"The guys Sirius killed... that doesn't narrow it down much." Noin says from the side.
"About the Empire. But I guess that should be expected." Lyra says with a strained smile.
Right.
She was from the Empire originally.
But...
"What do you mean by 'expected'?" I ask.
"How to explain... it's a common tactic, I guess." Lyra says.
Raising her hands above her head, she stretches her back before continuing.
"You see, with an empire that big, they have a lot of nobles and vassals that sometimes get out of line. So the Emperor, or, you know, his advisor, hires a bunch of thugs and bandit groups to harass and punish the bad apples. Not only do the nobles get back in line with the harassment, but they also have to swear allegiance again or do what the Emperor wants in return for routing the miscreants. Kind of genius, actually." She says with a huff.
...Alright, never let Lyra control a country, got it.
"Hey, don't look at me like that! Just because I recognize the genius of it, doesn't mean I approve! Hell, the corrupt and backhanded shit like that is the reason I escaped to Orario in the first place!"
Well, maybe she wasn't too bad.
But still...
"Miss?"
I turn my head toward the voice.
"Can I... ask you for something?"
It was a girl.
A young girl, looking to be in her teens with large brown eyes and shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair.
A real beauty, if it wasn't for the sullen look on her face.
The look of someone who's lost someone...
"What's up? Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask, my voice light and cheery.
Although it was meant to lighten the mood, many people in their position would find it annoying.
But that was fine too.
A distraction from their pain, if I could just do that... it was enough.
She then lowered her head, and I could see her knuckles whitening from her clenched fists.
Taking a shaky breath, she then looks up to stare me in the eyes, her pupils that were previously shaking now firm and resolute.
"I want to join you." She says.
...What?
"Hah? Ugh, Alise, you deal with this shit. I'm gonna get the rest to start packing." Lyra says before jumping down to the ground.
Now alone with the girl, I bring my hand to my face, pinching my brow in thought.
I had expected this, at least somewhat.
I mean, these people had their entire lives flipped upside down, of course, they would want some sort of stability.
But that desperate search for assurance would stop once they recovered and found themselves in Orario, a city filled with opportunity, and we had already said this to a few other villagers.
But this girl... I knew she wouldn't go down that easy.
"Alright... why? You know what we do, right?" I say calmly.
"I've heard. You fight monsters and explore the dungeon. You're adventurers, and strong ones too." She says.
"Yeah. It's a tough and dangerous job. Why would you want to join that world? When we get to Orario, you'll be able to find any job you want. You could be a baker, or a tailor, or... anything really." I say.
"I don't want that." She says.
Her eyes dart down to her fist which was still clenched.
"...Yesterday, I lost everything. My home, my mother, my father... I'm sad, but I'm also angry. I'm angry that something so unfair happened to me." She says calmly.
Oh boy.
I could understand completely.
After all, I had felt these same emotions.
She was lost, looking desperately for a way to vent these frustrations.
But that won't do in such a dangerous profession.
She needed time and love to heal.
But maybe in a couple of years-
"But more than that, I'm angry that this will happen again. Not to me, but to others. I... want to stop such unfairness from happening, and bring some justice to the world, no matter how small."
She then stares back at me, her eyes narrowed in resolve.
...Fuuuuuuuck, she said the thing.
Haa... and looking at her, I didn't need Mother to know she wasn't lying.
Such an earnest pledge to maintain justice... and after suffering from such pain...
I couldn't exactly refuse such a request.
Besides, we need more people for the next generation of the Astraea Familia.
"What's your name?" I ask after some internal deliberation.
"Sophie. Sophie Halle." She- no, Sophie responds.
"Your age?" I ask next.
"15 years old." Sophie answers.
Dammit, I was really doing this, wasn't I?
"Do you have any combat experience?"
"I went on hunts with my father, so I know how to use a sword somewhat."
Huh?
"You... hunt with a sword?" I ask.
"...I'm really bad with a bow, okay?" She says before averting her eyes, her cheeks gaining a small flush.
Well, ignoring that... oddity, it was good that she was showing some emotion.
She wasn't broken by her experience, but rather using it to push onwards.
She was a strong girl.
...I did say I wanted a disciple, didn't I?
I guess I found one sooner than I thought.
"Haa... it'll be tough, you know? The weakest one in our Familia is already a level 2, nearing level 3. You'll have to catch up." I say sternly.
"What about those four kids?" She says.
So cheeky...
"They're kids, you brat. And they're mine too, so don't go making trouble with my little angels." I say with a smirk.
I watch as her eyes dart to my stomach, and then over to Sirius who was helping some villagers pack, and then back to me before widening in realization.
"Oh..."
She was blushing again.
"Umm, congrats? But... how old are you?" She finally says.
"Is that a question you should ask a lady?" I tease.
"Well, you look so young, but you already have toddlers, so..."
Ah right, their growth rate.
Must be confusing to those who don't know, huh?
"I'm 22, but thanks for the compliment. Anyway, let's go meet Mother, the Goddess of this Familia. You'll have to convince her like you did with me." I say with a smirk.
As I leap down onto the ground and begin to walk away, I'm interrupted by Sophie.
"Okay... wait, who are you then?" She says.
Turning my head back, I give her my signature smile while pointing my thumb at myself.
"I'm Alise Lovell, the level 6 captain of the Astraea Familia. And starting when we get back, your new teacher."
----- Sirius POV -----
"So this is the newest member?" Ryuu says from my side.
"Yep! You two, meet my new student, Sophie Halle! Sophie, meet Sirius Lovion and Ryuu Lion, my husband and wife!" Alise says.
"Hah!? T-Three? Umm, nice to meet you." Sophie then bows her head.
I remember her from yesterday, as she needed healing from a stab wound to her stomach.
Compared to yesterday with her eyes drenched in snot and tears... she seemed to have recovered well.
Almost a little too well...
It was odd for her to be so composed, no matter how strong her strength of will was, she had just lost her home and a lot of people.
I guess I'll have to talk to her later...
"And I am the Goddess of Justice, Astraea. It is a shame to meet in such unfortunate circumstances, but I more than welcome you into the Familia."
We had already had a small Familia meeting, and while no one denied Sophie's acceptance into the Familia, we were all slightly worried about how fast this was going.
But I guess I'll keep my trust in Alise and Mother Astraea.
Nearly everyone here had gone through a similar tragedy to the girl, so it wasn't like she was alone.
"No need to wait any longer. If you would like to receive your falna, please lift the back of your shirt." Mother Astraea says.
I was expecting some reluctance due to my presence, but Sophie just grabbed the back of her shirt with no questions asked.
Well, I was a gentleman, so I made sure to turn my body in the opposite direction.
And if my own morals weren't enough to keep me from peeking, Ryuu's icy stare certainly did the trick.
"And done! My my, you have quite the talent."
Mother Astraea then places the status sheet on the table, giving us all a view of the frankly insane status.
-======================================================-
Name: Sophie Halle
Level: 1
Strength: I0
Endurance: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0
Skills:
Judgement - Increases stats when in combat against those who have killed innocents, the number of innocents killed increases the effect.
Magic:
Eden - Can summon vines that grow from the surrounding ground that the user can control.
-======================================================-
"Plant magic... Isn't that only meant for Elves?" Lyra says in shock.
"And only those of the sacred tree guardian families..." Ryuu says, similarly in awe.
"My mother said her father was a Half-Elf, but I never met him." Sophie explains.
But that didn't really make sense, since race traits didn't depend on the percentage of blood.
You were either a Human, an Elf, or a Half-Elf.
No quarter species or anything in between.
But I guess that perception wasn't entirely accurate.
"Ha... Hahaha! Yes! As expected of my disciple!" Alise says with a confident laugh.
But I could tell she was a little worried.
I mean, I would be too, I had no idea how the hell plant magic worked.
And so, with the sun setting on another day and the villagers all packed and ready to leave tomorrow, the Astraea Familia gained their 17th member.
