Just like that, many of the top members of the Freya Familia left. It was fast, simple, and almost unsettling with how quick it was.
They left the room after getting their crest removed from their falna, then Freya turned to me.
"Do you think this means the end of my familia?"
"For the most part yea,"
"But, I'm sure you know what this means now right?"
She said as she sat facing me on my lap.
"You're all mine, you can't leave anymore,"
She was right, and I was ready to accept that. She still had some other people that hadn't decided to leave that could easily beat me in a fight but the main reason was my identity. If she were to reveal I was alive then everything would disappear.
"I know, so in that case, I hope to be able to cooperate for now," I said
"Ok, but admit you lost first, then you have my support,"
"...Lost what? I haven't lost anything,"
"Our battle, you ended up coming under my wing, so then it's your loss,"
"That was only if I joined your familia, so I'll say it was a draw,"
"That won't do, say you lost then you have my support, I made my stance clear,"
"And I want you to understand something as well. I am choosing to work with you since it makes things go by easier. I don't need to,"
"If that were the case though you would have just done it alone. That's the kinda person you are,"
"...I'll replay the audio recorder I've been keeping then to the rest of the familia and show them how you are really. The higher-ups will still stay since they know about you but the bottom feeders will want out, and then word will spread out of your familia,"
"So? In the end, I'll still have you,"
"...Sigh well, Are you going to help me defeat Hermes or not?"
"I'll help. After all, it doesn't seem like I'll get the answer I want with him in the way,"
She was a little too obsessed with the "Game" We had, but that was irrelevant for right now. What I did know was that I had to set an elaborate trap using Freya's influence and money.
(Lily's POV)
"What?" It was morning as I stared in confusion at the newspaper, lots of the higher-ups at Freya Familia are now free. They left last night apparently.
'Why on earth would she let them go?'
She had to have known that without those people on her side that Loki would take over, but somehow a war still hasn't started yet. I know I would've charged in as soon as I heard the info to get a headstart, so why haven't they yet?
Then Hestia came beside me and took a look at the newspaper.
"...Well, knowing Freya and Loki some unknown power or person is on Freya's side keeping Loki at bay,"
Throughout the whole night last night we as a whole familia have been searching for Bell but to no luck. We came back this morning to find the newspaper against our door.
Now that I thought about it thought it was kinda weird. I don't think we signed up for the paper.
"...Maybe that's where Bell is?"
It was almost too convenient to think possible, but what other lead was there to take? And if that's the case, then Bell likely left this here to let us all know that he's ok.
A small smile came to my face but my eyes portrayed a different emotion.
"What's wrong Lily?" Mikoto asked as she walked into the room
"...This is because we couldn't be useful enough to him in time, so...He likely won't be coming back,"
This made Hestia's and Mikoto's eyes fly open.
"But..."
"Isn't there still a small chance?"
"Nope," I shot both of their accusations down "Maybe after everything is settled, but I have a feeling that when everything is settled it'll already be too late,"
I then decided to head out to get a drink after hearing that. I know it was still early morning but I needed one right now.
(Ais POV)
The news hit me like a ton of bricks. I had gotten the information last night about Ottar and some of the others leaving, but what I found out when I looked into that left me shocked.
"She has Bell,"
I said it to my other familia members who were in front of me this morning. We planned to meet up to discuss going to war today, but when I said this I didn't get the response I was expecting.
"So? All we gotta do is get ridda that kid too," Bete said
"I agree," Riveria chimed in.
"And Ais," Loki said firmly "Don't you dare betray us again. I let you off the hook last time but you won't be getting away with just a slap on the wrist this time. Understand?"
"...Yes,"
"By the way...Has anyone seen Finn?" Tione asked
"Now that you say it..." Loki said as she looked around
(Finn POV)
I was walking down the street, to a bar open only to prums.
It was still early morning and I had a meeting I was supposed to go to but with Ottar out of the mix I shouldn't have any difficulty dismantling the Freya Familia, so I pressed the other issue on hand which was the letter I got.
I sat in my seat and waited for around 30 minutes, right when I was about to give up, She walked through the door. Lily.
"Over here!" I said while waving my hand.
She sent me a quizzical look but nonetheless came by me.
"Oh, Hey Finn. What're you doing here?"
Just like that, my guard was back up. I don't think this was some sort of prank, but maybe something deeper was happening.
"I got a letter from you saying we should meet up, to discuss the marriage proposal," I said in a serious voice.
Her eyes widened but her eyes then narrowed like she had given up. "...Sorry, but I did not write that,"
"So someone else did just to mess with me? Wow, what an asshole,"
"..." Lily didn't respond, only continued to look down.
"...Ah, you seem different from before. Just drop the marriage proposal, it's clear you don't want to anyway,"
Just like that, I left the tavern. I headed back to the Loki familia in an angry fast walk. I was taking a shortcut so there weren't many people around. Then I heard a scream down an alleyway.
I was way too far ahead for it to be Lily using her magic so it was a real person in trouble.
I ran into the alley and then turned the corner, only to see a horrific sight. There were 4 Prum girls getting assaulted, the attacker seemed to be a normal human. Some of the Prum's clothes were already ripped but luckily it didn't seem like anything had elevated to the next level.
"You have some balls doing this where I live," I said as I effortlessly threw them to the ground, then put my knee on their chest as I put the spear against their neck.
However, then something unexpected happened.
'It's squishy?'
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The attacker then let out a blood-curdling scream even louder than the prums.
It then hit me that the Prum's screams were only loud to me since I was at such a high level.
only a few people came into the Alley to see what that was about as I quickly got off the attacker, and backed off with my hands in the air.
The people there were guards that worked for the guild, among them was a half-Elf.
"FREEZE!" The girl yelled through a megaphone, which in turn only brought more people into the alley, non-guild members this time too.
'Fuck, I've been had,'
What was even worse was the fact that the girl didn't even notice she was being manipulated. I'm not sure how, but somehow the real person behind this got the support of the guild.
"Hold, on though. The Prums here can testify that the person here is the attacker,"
The Elf inspected the attacker, then the Prum girls who were still shaking and crying.
"...Can you please confirm?" The elf asked kindly to the shaking Prum girls.
"A...Ah..." They were shaken to their core, it was rare even in these instances for all four to be too horrified to even speak.
The attacker who had been silent until now had then taken off her hood.
"Golden Flower?!" A guild member yelled
From the looks of it, this was likely an up-and-coming adventurer, but unless I made a move now I would be trapped.
"Could you please explain to us why you were attacking my people?"
"Me? I heard your whole conversation and can call it complete bullshit! Finn was attacking the girls first!"
"Huh?" I said in a loud voice "I would never do such an outrageous thing. Don't you know that I want to bring prums to salvation? I would never do this,"
"But you did! I don't know what your reason is but I know so! I heard the screams and came running down here! Plus why would I sexually assault the girls in the first place? I have a boyfriend!"
I then turned to the guild "I think that we should wait until the girls calm down so they can tell us the truth,"
"I agree, and we will take your position into account but for right now you have to come with us. We will only keep you in guild quarters while we investigate," the elf said calmly
'...Fuck,'
I don't know who set this trap up for sure, but it was someone from the Freya familia. They knew about the future war coming up so they decided to take me out of the picture.
"Fine, I will go. I hope this misunderstanding can be cleared up. Naturally, I expect Golden Flower to be coming with us as well,"
"Yes," The elf said "You don't mind right?"
"Nope. Fine by me," the girl responded
The guild then took us all away and as we were walking to the guild in babel tower, I looked up to the top floor, where I could have sworn I felt like someone was looking down on me.
(Bell POV)
One down.
"Nicely done Bell," Freya said from beside me "When they investigate they'll find out that Lily tried to agree but he rejected her, making the idea of him assaulting the girls more likely,"
"Naturally. He won't be out of the count just yet but he'll be in suspension for a while,"
The Prum girls were prums we found on the street and we paid a hefty amount for them to do this. What they didn't know though was that I was going to use Freya to seduce them into submission. All it takes is one look and they fall head over heels.
Next up on the list is...Tione and Tiona.
Let's continue the hunt.