Chapter 410: Chapter 424-425: Adopt?

To no one’s surprise, Haruhime left Susanoo Familia and entered Astraea Familia. Susanoo acknowledged Haruhime’s wishes and terminated the contract without any hesitation. It had been a while since someone joined Astraea Familia. So, everyone was excited, enough to throw a small feast in the Familia courtyard.

The aroma of the sizzling barbeque filled the entire yard.

Haruhime was thrilled to see such a warm welcome. She ran around the yard in a loose red kimono, conversing with her new companions with an innocent smile. It was mostly Kaguya bringing out stories of the Far East from Haruhime’s mouth.

“This kiddo.” Kaguya chuckled, glancing at Haruhime. “She reminds me of Ryuu.”

Ryuu froze with a skewer in her hand before she knitted her brow. “How am I similar to Haruhime?”

She couldn’t draw a comparison between herself and the young and pure renard girl.

“That girl has more to her than meets the eye.” Shaking her head, Kaguya folded the sleeves of her black kimono and tied back her hair in a loose ponytail. “Goddess, let me do this. Cooking is an essential skill for a housewife.”

“Grilling is not cooking,” Ryuu retorted.

Astraea, who was sunbathing in a thin white swimsuit, took off her sunglasses. “Let’s not argue over trivial matters. Today is for us to celebrate!”

“What is the point if he isn’t gonna join us?” grumbled the redhead adventurer Alise. Her sulky expression was quite opposite to her familiar bright self. “I don’t get all the political aspects of his work...”

Astraea patted Alise’s back. “You must understand his position. He isn’t an adventurer anymore. He has a realm to govern.”

Alise pouted her cheeks. “I know that… this isn’t as fun without him…” Alise muttered, shaking her head. “I’m being obnoxious, aren’t I?”

Asahi had already told her about his plan of spending the entire next month inside the dungeon. Though others were unaware of this.

“Alise is always obnoxious.” The cheeky voice caused Alise to turn.

A smirking Asahi took out his phone and captured Alise’s shocked, gaping face. “My new wallpaper.”

A great boon after listening to his new devil subordinates talk for nearly three hours. Even if he had taken the Underworld by force, he wasn’t going to slack off on his duties.

Alise reached out to grab the phone but Asahi raised it high, far out of Alise’s reach. “O-Oi, delete that! Delete it right now!”

“Not happening.”

Kaguya joined in on bullying Alise. The charade continued until Astraea intervened and pulled Asahi aside and fed him.

“We’ll be spending this month in the dungeon,” Asahi announced. “Aimi’s gonna whip you all more than you can ever imagine.”

The adventurers shivered in their boots. All but Alise and Haruhime. The redhead had nerves of steel while Haruhime was utterly confused about the mention of Aimi.

Asahi expected such a response. Although he wasn’t one to force others, this training was mandatory for the future. As things stood, most of the Astraea Familia was too weak to handle the threats near the 50th-floor mark, much less the unknown floors below hundred. If they wanted to help him—which most of them wanted—they had to step out of their comfort zone. He could arm them to teeth with EX-ranked items, but it would only harm their potential in the future.

“Backing out is still an option,” Asahi said. “Nobody said—”

“Asahi-kun,” Kaguya interrupted him with a serious face. “I am a woman of honor and valor. Stop questioning my willpower!”

“What she said.” Ryuu came out with the same criticism. “Even death cannot stop me from reaching the heights I want!”

The elf looked like she had vengeance against everyone who stopped her in her growth. She had already leaped past Level 4, joining Ais in the ranks of Level 5; the training with Aimi playing a big role in her growth.

Yet Ryuu wasn’t satisfied.

How could she be when her rivals were far and away from her?

Asahi nodded to her enthusiasm. “Death won’t stop you cause I’ll be there to resurrect you.”

“So reliable,” Alise muttered.

The redhead’s trust in Asahi was immaculate. That trust evaporated as soon as she got teased again.

“They seem to hold you in very high regards,” Ddraig said. “Almost like it’s… a cult for some god.”

‘Shush.’

“I’m not a kid. Don’t TREAT me like a kid!”

(Yes, you are! You are so naive that calling you a kid is very generous.)

“Klyscha… don’t provoke me!”

(What did you say?)

“Nothing… Klyscha-sama.”

Ddraig was obedient to Klyscha, far too obedient than Asahi expected. The goddess had tamed the dragon. Asahi shook his head in disappointment. He expected more resilience from the Heavenly Dragon.

“I’m not weak! Klyscha-sama is too powerful. I will lay low and bite my anger until I’m stronger. That day I will defeat her and make me call Ddraig-sama. Yes, that will be my revenge.”

‘Kinda pathetic way of revenge.’

“I mean… I don’t completely despise her. She cares a lot about you, who is my dear friend.”

‘How cute.’

Amidst his pleasant conversation with Ddraig, he was approached by Haruhime. The fox girl swayed, her hands behind her back. She touched her cheeks with a hand that was still covered in the long red sleeve of her kimono.

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“Thank you for inviting me here… I feel safe here with them,” Haruhime finished with a shy smile.

A pure smile that Asahi found very endearing. It was all but a reminder of Haruhime’s actual age. So easy to forget that the fox girl before him was even younger than Maya. Unlike Maya, the natural prodigy, Haruhime was forced to toughen her up just to survive. Now, she had found a place she could truly let loose. Astraea’s healthy reputation in Orario had a big part in bringing Haruhime that sense of safety.

Haruhime’s perky ears twitched nervously when Asahi didn’t respond. Asahi smiled and softly caressed her head, paying extra attention to the frolicking fluffy fox ears. He pulled back his hand before another addict like Gabriel was born.

“Haruhime, wanna be my daughter?” Asahi calmly posed a curious question.

His curiosity sent the yard into an abrupt silence. The girls lost their calm in front of his rather unexpected offer of adopting Haruhime. The girl in question stared at Asahi in a stupor.

“Why…? Why do you want to—adopt me?” Haruhime asked, her guard rising against Asahi.

All of Asahi’s kind efforts suddenly turned ulterior motives in her eyes. She had been hurt once. She won’t make the same mistake twice.

“Eh, I just want to, you know, have a cute daughter like you,” Asahi answered as a matter-of-the-fact. “Is it a crime to adopt kids?”

Asahi crushed Haruhime’s suspicions with a reasonable question.

“It’s a good initiative to help,” Astraea said and gave Asahi a long glance. “Can I be the mother?”

The goddess was relatively frank about her desires. She wanted to be a mother if Haruhime was adopted. Being a goddess, she was convinced that she won’t be pregnant anytime soon. Having Haruhime would give her experience.

“Goddess, not fair!” Kaguya protested against Astraea’s decision. “I also want to mother a child if Dear is the father.”

“I also want it if Kaguya wants it!” Alise also joined the fight.

Haruhime silently watched the women fighting to be her mother while the man who wanted to be her father dissuaded the sparks. Her blood family had abandoned her like a disposable. Yet here people were fighting to adopt her, calling her adorable and whatnots. She could hardly believe her eyes.

‘It’s impossible… They must be messing with me.’

Her mind closed off reality in that instant. She wanted to escape this mess.

Asahi noticed Haruhime’s reaction. As he stepped forward to clarify his intentions, a voice interrupted him.

“Yo, what’s this ruckus?” An uninvited goddess barged into the yard, holding wine and two goblets in her hand. “Asahi, how dare ya party without me?!”

“Loki.” Asahi turned to the goddess and sighed. “What’s up? Here to drink with me?”

“Never too early to pop open one of these.” Loki grinned ear to ear as she raised the bottle. She glanced at Haruhime. “Why is this girl standin’ all defensive?”

The blonde fox girl’s uncomfortable stance reminded Loki of Ais in her early days. Ais acted more or less similarly when Loki first met her. The same type of anxiety was apparent in Haruhime's eyes.

Loki ruffled Haruhime’s hair. “Kiddo, what’s on your mind?”

Haruhime looked at Loki before turning toward Asahi. All the questions she had remained stuck in her throat, choking her with uncertainty.

Asahi gave a soft smile and patted her cheeks. “Sorry for putting you on the spot.”

Haruhime was stunned. She barely tore her eyes from his smile. He had suppressed his charm to stop random girls from falling for him. The suppression was less prominent from up close, leading to a weird reaction from Haruhime.

Astraea approached Haruhime and squeezed her petite body. “I will treat you like my daughter regardless of your decision.”

Haruhime was overwhelmed, unable to resist Astraea. The goddess nearly suffocated Haruhime with her serene affection.

Asahi smiled at the scene. ‘I should have gone slower… She is so cute.’

(My daughter will be cuter.)

‘Cutest in the world. What about you Ddraig?’

“Very hard to imagine myself laying an egg.”

‘I’ll help you.’

“I give you credit for that smooth response, but I have to apologize… laying eggs will slow down my conquest to the top.”

‘Ddraig, how naive can you be? Just aiming for the top won’t cut it. You need better, more solid motivation.’

“Like… family?” Ddraig comprehended his words after a brief pause. “Your reason does make sense… Why do I feel something off here?”

Asahi couldn’t help but laugh at her dumbfounded question, catching the attention of the goddesses and adventurers. He had a similar talk with Ddraig before, yet she hadn’t learned a thing out of that conversation.

“My lovely ladies, I have something else to do, so later.”

“Bye…” Haruhime timidly waved her hand.

Loki sighed. “Come to me later.”

“Will do.”

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