Store in Danmachi- Side Story: 13

Title: Ever The Businessman

Today is an auspicious day, or so Maria hopes. She wakes up early, finding Hermes and Takemikazuchi sharing a pot of coffee as she gasps, “You should have woken me up. I don’t mind cooking for your familia.”

Hermes, ever the Handsome bastard, smiles breezily, “Of course, I intended to~! But Takemikazuchi stopped and reminded me that we can make coffee ourselves.”

Takemikazuchi greets with a smile, “Good morning. And it’s fine. You shouldn’t feel obligated to help us.”

Maria mutters as she takes a seat, “Brewing coffee is the least I can do to make your Familia stay here, Takemikazuchi.”

The rookie Familia stayed in the orphanage, bedding the floors since Calypso Familia unsuccessfully ambushed them in the Dungeon.

“We should be the one thanking you,” Take chuckles. “Orario isn’t easy on our wallets when it comes to properties and rents. Coffee?” He offers while filling an empty cup. Maria accepts the coffee as Hermes hums with a smirk. “Maria~!” The God trills, getting back to his antics without a bespectacled Perseus keeping him in check. “Us staying here is fine and dandy. But I can’t help wondering if Jackal feels the least bit fearful leaving such a beautiful woman with two Gods.”

Maria blanks out as Takemikazuchi rolls his eyes.

Blushing slightly, not expecting such a question as early before the break of dawn, she looks away. “Why would he fear anything? Nothing is going on between us! I mean Jackal and I!”

Hermes’ smirk broadens. He sinks his teeth into the prey that nature presented to him—as they say, the early bird gets the worm. “Is that so? Didn’t he ask you out? But you haven’t answered him yet. It makes a man wonder if the lady’s affections lie elsewhere!” Hermes leans forward, smiling as charming as the freshest prince in existence. “For instance, a breathtaking God.”

Maria blinks before sighing in relief. “Oh, I see. Then I’m glad I’m housing none.” Her words freeze Hermes’s smile as he puffs his cheek akin to a wronged child before sitting back. “That’s rude! Under this roof, I thought you were kinder compared to the rest!”

Takemikazuchi and Maria glance at each other. The two sit on the same side of the table while Hermes has his back to the joint living room used by Take’s Familia to sleep during the night. So, the God of Messenger fails to bear witness to the arrival of his fall.

“Compared to whom?” questions a quiet voice as Hermes replies without registering the beginning of his demise. “Who else? Ah! My bones ache with how much Asfi beats me when I try peeking at Mikoto and the rest~! And she… has the same voice as you, kind stranger.” Sweat trickles down Hermes’ temples as he licks his drying lips. His amber pupils stare at the duo with a silent question—Is she who I think she is?

And their silent stares reply calmly without a hint of pity.

She is.

“Is that so? My voice is similar to someone you know. Please look back. Maybe my face is similar to that person you speak of.”

“I did nothing wrong, Asfi!” Hermes thins his lips, rousing his Divine courage. “We were just chatting.”

*Thunk*

Asfi sets a three-segmented purple helmet on the table, stating, “I don’t care about what you were discussing, Hermes. I just want to know who replaced the real Hades Helmet with this fake?”

Hermes’ gaze swims between the helmet and his Familia’s captain. Sighing in defeat, he smiles at Takemikazuchi and Maria.

“It was nice knowing you two. And remember, Divine Goddess Bath doesn’t check for invisible men and women, so use that to your advantage.”

He slowly stands up and follows Asfi back to carry out his sentence of beating and then administration of potions that don’t brand Asfi as a Divine Abuser.

“So,” Takemikazuchi ignores the exaggerated cries that shock his Familia awake. “Are you nervous?”

Maria nods, sipping coffee. “I couldn’t sleep easily. My children usually do such things after they move out. But Rye is young.”

“He won’t be alone,” Take smiles. “Jackal did everything he could before arranging this opportunity. And if Rye succeeds, he will get to follow his dreams before needing to leave his home. He is a fortunate child.”

Maria nods.

---

“Did you check everything in your Frollet?”

“Yes!”

“Your hair feels out of place. Wait, let me comb it—”

“Mama!” Rye blushes and snaps with mild embarrassment and anger, “I got everything! I promise!”

He glances at Jackal and his friend, a blue-haired woman from the Ganesha Familia. “Can you say something?”

“And make Maria angry at me? Boy, have you lost your mind before seeing your first Goblin?” Jackal snorts a chuckle before looking at Shakti. “And don’t take him to the cavern with Silent Goblins.”

“Don’t push it,” Shakti scoffs. “It’s the first time I have to take others for their initiation because of you. I expect to cash this favor sooner than later.”

“Wait! You’ve never done this before?!” Maria looks at Shakti in shock, almost making every other adventurer present laugh when she questions. “Are you sure you are suited for this job?”

Shakti thins her lips as Asfi calmly pats Maria’s shoulder. “She is the most suited for this job. Shakti doesn’t have any rumors around her that follow her like other eccentric adventurers of her level.”

Maria slowly nods before bowing, “Please take good care of Rye!”

“Yes!” The rows of children bow behind Maria, chorusing, “Yes! Please take good care of Bro Rye!”

Shakti stares at them before smiling and nodding gently.

“Guys!” Rye squirms with red cheeks before huffing and grinning. “I’ll be back in no time! Next time you see me, I’ll be the vanquisher of Goblins and a partial member of the Ganesha Familia!”

“Just don’t limit your ambitions to Goblins alone,” Syr smiles as she, too, visited after hearing the news from Maria.

Shakti leaves with Rye as others start getting back to their routine. Hermes disappears like usual after informing Jackal their sales for the Golden Freya Destroyer are doing great, and Jackal nears Maria, grinning, “He’ll be fine. But if you’re so worried, you can always take on Falna and prowl the Dungeon with him. You two will make a fine mother-son pair.”

She scoffs, “Maybe I will!”

“Oh,” Jackal’s gaze gleams as he aims for the sinker after the bait Maria so readily bit. “How about completing the team with a Dad? Mia already accepts my role as the Pub’s Daddy~!”

Maria stares at Jackal for a good while before silently turning on her heels and retreating into her kitchen, the tips of her ears heating red as she finds herself incapable of facing Jackal’s honest advances despite her body’s willingness!

“Hehe~ You really don’t quit, Daddy,” Syr smiles as she finds Jackal staring at her with a distant look.

“Hmph, whatever.”

He starts walking towards his shop as Syr follows. “Are you still angry about that?”

“Nope.”

“Then look at me.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“I know what will make you forgive me,” Syr blinks as Jackal looks back at her, already aware of her go-to methods.

“I ain’t washing your dishes after your pissy act!”

Syr’s smile stiffens as she thins her lips.

‘She’ did act rudely back then, a price ‘she’ is paying for as we speak! But Syr shouldn’t be punished for ‘her’ stupidity!

“Forgive me,” Syr tiptoes around Jackal with a bell-like giggle, cutting his path and leaning forward with her hands behind her back. Her upturned gaze regards Jackal charmingly. “I won’t ever pull that stunt when you enter the pub again! So, will you consider forgiving me?”

Jackal crosses his arms and narrows his eyes.

“You know, before Big Mama took me in,” Syr smirks. “‘Big’ Mama Maria cared for me. That’s why I help her out every weekend despite your new guest! If you forgive me, I can speak you up with both my Mama, Daddy~!”

Jackal flinches, positively enthralled by the idea. He isn’t ashamed to imagine both of Syr’s caretakers at once!

But he is a man of commitment and focus! He won’t sell short!

“Add Ryuu to the list, and you have yourself a deal!” His stubborn and committed mind fails at the recollection of the silent and perpetually glaring Ryuu, who sides with her older friend than the newer one—him!

“Deal!” Syr grins, shaking Jackal’s hand.

“So? Can you come to wash the dishes now?” Syr giggles as Jackal contemplates calmly.

“You know what? Why not?” He opens his store’s door, claiming, “I’m off to Mia’s place for an hour. I’ll be back in a jiffy!”

“Meaa~!” Anya trots into his embrace as Lili looks from the counter, “Hmm, okay, Jackal-sama!”

“It’s amazing how you found these limited-issue magazines so easily, boss!” Misha gasps as Eina, Rose, and the Pinketted read through old adventurers’ tales until Jackal adds. “Oh, and say hi to Syr.”

The four of them jerk as they slowly meet the gaze of a smiling Syr before shrinking into themselves.

“What’s she doing here for?” Misha gulps.

“T-That’s right!” Lili regains her Oshiri-chan courage. “I won’t let you lace Jackal-sama’s cooking!”

Syr strains a smile, ‘’Her’ punishment isn’t near enough for almost jeopardizing everything!’

***

Alternate Title: Hermes Baiting People Left And Right; A Snarky Maria is The Waifu Material; Hot And Speechless; Hermes Accepts His Fate; Rye’s First Step; Jackal Has An ‘In’ With All Transactions; Jackal, The Real Life Market Manipulator; Shakti Used For Jackal!; Maria Questions Shakti’s Integrity; Shakti Recalling Happy Memories Seeing The Kids; The Ganesha’s Familia Goblin Vanquisher; Syr’s Post ‘Bleed’ Syndrome; Who is Her?; The Real Reason Hermes Escaped: Syr; Jackal Making Syr (Freya) Apologize While Promoting The Golden Sleeve; Syr’s Lasting Trauma on The Girls; The Fate of Mama’s Daddy!; Ryuu: I’m Not An Object For Your Deal! *Syr and Jackal: Deal*

***

A/N: I planned to add another Freya ‘self’ scene where there will be some punishment smut for the other one, but I felt I have written similar scenes for Freya already, and I didn’t want to tie her down to her usual yandere/smut trope where she is constantly thirsting for Mc. Scenes like Freya (Syr) trying to make things right in her own matter felt interesting, so I wrote them. This also marks the sudden collection of side chapters since I feel most of the cast got a pretty good screen time.