Paladin of Shadows Chapter 23

"Well, let's get you home, Freya. Alpha, didn't you say you needed to hit some book stores or something?" I asked curiously, as the plan was to escort Freya home and take Hestia with me to meet with Astraea.

Alpha, hearing my question, smiled a little and replied easily: "Oh! Yes, I haven't seen any particular book stores on the way. So I guess I will just need to follow you and Hestia to go meet Lady Astraea."

I blinked as we headed a good way across the city of Orario on foot. We had certainly passed by a couple of bookshops I very clearly saw on the roads we were walking on.

Even Freya hummed and said with an odd tone. "The fact that you aren't lying and truly didn't notice the four bookstores we passed by is a bit odd. But oh well, it's understandable you were simply deeply in thought Alpha." 

And Alpha's facial expression hardened slightly with her adorable elf ears twitching at the knowing tone in Freya's words but I cut off any sniping between the two women as I said.

"It's alright, either way. Alpha do you have any plans for two days from now? I would like to have a trip into the dungeon with you and I promised to take Beta to the dungeon for today after my blessings." 

Alpha's expressive blue eyes lit up a bit and she smiled before she nodded slowly and said. "I would like that Jake."

But before she could continue Freya spoke up with some amusement. "So Jake, do you have any plans to go into the dungeon yourself? To truly push yourself?" 

I gave Freya a look before I spoke with a knowing smile. "Oh sure I will face challenges for my growth on my own as its not like Alpha and the others are baby sitting me. But there is a major difference between fighting a challenge worthy of a level up alone, and just farming dungeon monsters to fill our tight purses."

And then I cut off anything Freya could say as I firmly wrapped an arm around her cloak-covered waist and I pulled her along with Alpha following behind. 

'Even though I don't know Alpha, nearly as well as I know Delta and Epsilon. I can all but feel her amusement at how I got the last word.' I mused with some humor at the situation.

What does one do with the thirsty yandere? Put hands on said thirsty yandere and keep her ass moving so she couldn't thirst. It was a simple reality that thirsty yanderes could only plot their weird shit when they weren't being kept busy.

We kept moving across Orario without any issue thanks to Freya wearing her thick cloak that covered up her passive Charm and soon enough we were at our house where Freya threw me a wink as she dropped her thick cloak atop a coat hanger near the door. 

"Don't get in too much trouble with Astraea, Jake... She may by all metrics, be a goddess of good. But she is one of the more ruthless goddesses due to her nature as the goddess of Justice." Freya warned me.

I smiled wryly and said. "I am not a criminal, so I should be fine. I don't aspire to do terrible things." 

Freya sighed and with a knowing look she said calmly. "Yes, I do doubt you would be the type to do terrible things to the helpless. But Astraea is far more stringent, but go ahead and find little Hestia. I am going to go take a nice relaxing bath after that long walk." 

With that Freya turned around and left the common room with her hips swaying with the motions. 

And once the sight was gone I brushed a hand across my face and muttered. "She may be right. But she is still far more trouble than Astraea." 

I looked over at Alpha and said more firmly. "So, were you just following us to make sure we were safe or something?" 

Alpha's eyebrow raised before she nodded and said calmly. "Partly. I was a bit worried about you entering a possibly hostile familia's home. But also I wanted to know the layout of Ereshkigal's familia home should she become hostile in the future." 

I nodded in understanding despite being a bit weirded out about Alpha wanting to get ready to purge the Ereshkigal familia if it became needed. But hey that was the price to having Shadow Garden on my side.

"Alright... I wonder where the rest are? Anyway Hestia is probably in her room now." I said as I headed out of the common room and headed towards the bedrooms where Hestia likely was.

I knocked on Hestia's door... And after a moment of no answer, I cracked the door open only for my lips to twitch as I heard a soft snore ring out.

Pushing open the door I sighed with a wry smile as I saw Hestia was laying on the edge of the cheaper couch in the room and just snoring away as she held onto... A book on finances?

'She wants to help the Familia pay it's dues and other stuff and she got bored to tears... That's adorable.' I thought with a smile as I came over and gently moved the book out of her grasp and leaned down towards Hestia and held her shoulder.

"Hestia... Bestia, come on its time to wake up." I whispered gently and Hestia's deep blue eyes lazily opened with her dull sleep filled eyes barely registering my existence as her lips made smacking noises.

"Huh, is it lunch time yet?" She asked lazily and I couldn't help a chuckle at her question.

So I decided to play a bit of a prank on her, so I put a bit of worry and force in my tone as I said. "Come on Hestia! You slept in and we can't meet Astraea right now like this!"

And I didn't lie, as I made it sound somewhat like the goddess Astraea was currently here, and Hestia shook her head with her adorable twin tails swinging out as she also began clapping her cheeks.

"Waahh!? Astraea is here now!? Oh no! I made her wait for me!" Hestia shouted making me chuckle at her now frantic energy.