Danmachi: The Multiverse Portal

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After turning into the third alley, August noticed the street suddenly seemed duller.

A few striking figures appeared along the narrow road, making the rest of the surroundings look plain by comparison.

"So this is August~"

August stopped. He was the only mortal around, and two or three goddesses blocked every exit. Their eyes shone with interest, envy, and barely hidden hunger.

"Am I being ambushed?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the goddesses moved in and formed a tight circle around him.

"Wow, he's got some muscles. No wonder he looks so fit."

"And he's got a nice face, too. Hestia must be feeding him well."

"He even gives off a warm vibe..."

Soft hands started moving over his body without any hesitation, checking his arms, shoulders, chest, and waist. Anyone who thought goddesses were always modest would have changed their mind right then.

August barely had a chance to think about resisting before the inspection turned into outright groping.

"How did you even track me?" August asked. He hadn't noticed anyone following him.

"From the recruitment gathering," one goddess answered without shame.

Some of them led successful Familias, while others were still struggling to attract their first few members.

Demeter stepped out from a side street with a pleased smile.

"Even the larger Familias send people to those gatherings," she explained. "If they notice a child with potential, they make an offer immediately. Did you really think only small gods sit around waiting for recruits? The major Familias pick up one or two promising faces whenever the opportunity appears."

August understood. He had been marked the moment he entered the plaza.

"We finally caught you alone and away from Hestia!!" said a goddess wearing a light top and a flowing dancer's skirt. Her fingers continued exploring him as she spoke. "It would be a waste of all that waiting if we didn't inspect you properly."

"Exactly. Hestia guards you like you're some kind of treasure. We never get a chance to come close."

"Now that we've finally cornered you, we need to see what this child from another world is really made of."

The goddesses looked like they might eat him alive.

August breathed in the mingled scent of divine skin and expensive perfume, then let out a tired sigh.

"Do you really have to do this?"

"Of course," one goddess said, her eyes narrowing. "Do you know how much Hestia brags about you? Or how jealous we got when we heard you punched Ishtar? And then you took Hestia's hand after the War Game, like some hero in a story."

She clenched her fists.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW JEALOUS WE ALL ARE."

Nothing hurt more than watching another goddess get the heroic romance they wished for. August kept giving Hestia moments straight out of a legend, while the others could only watch from the sidelines.

Another goddess pressed both hands against her flushed cheeks.

"And last night, when you rejected that little Pallum under the fireworks... You looked so handsome. I want to confess to you and be rejected like that too. It was romantic and tragic at the same time~"

"..." August stared at her.

Jealous goddesses were one thing. Now it seemed there were masochists in the mix too.

Demeter saw his blank look and quietly laughed. "Last night's recording spread faster than any of us expected. Hestia's little drama became excellent entertainment. They don't just enjoy watching a good story. They want the chance to star in one."

August finally understood. The goddesses didn't really enjoy being rejected. They just wanted their own memorable stories, the kind people could record, replay, and share around Orario.

"Well... I wouldn't mind playing the heroine for a change," Demeter admitted.

She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger and looked unusually shy as she pictured her own tragic romance.

August gave up trying to understand their logic.

"Forget it. I'm tired..." He pulled himself free from the hands still wandering over his body.

"WAIT! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

One of the goddesses switched roles instantly. Her sly smile disappeared, replaced by the sad look of someone being left by a lover. She reached out, as if desperate to stop him from leaving.

Even Demeter and the others stared at her.

Where had that line come from?

Then they saw the recording stone glowing in her hand.

August saw it as well. These goddesses clearly had no intention of letting him leave without giving them a scene, so he decided to indulge one of them and use the opportunity to escape.

He turned back, lowered his eyes, and started a sad piece of background music.

"Goddess... take care of yourself."

Knowing exactly where the recording was aimed, August turned on his heel and walked away. His slow steps, sad expression—and the music drifting through the alley made the silly situation feel like a farewell between two lovers who would never meet again.

"..." The goddess froze. She hadn't expected him to answer in character. By the time she recovered, August was already disappearing around the corner.

"Damn it! I forgot my next line!"

She grabbed the recording stone and replayed the clip. August's calm delivery and the sad music made the farewell feel real. Sadly, her own shocked silence had ruined the ending.

"August, wait! Come back!"

She ran after him with the stone in hand, determined to record the scene again.

Demeter remained rooted to the spot.

"He actually played along..."

"If I'd known he was this cooperative, I would've prepared my own script!" another goddess wailed.

She hiked up her skirt and sprinted after him.

The others quickly reached the same conclusion. Even if they couldn't be the real heroine, they could still act out their own dramatic scene like the one with Liliruca.

The entire group poured out of the alley, only to find the street empty.

August was already gone.

A few quick jumps took him through the nearby streets, putting several blocks between him and the goddesses chasing after him.

"Goddesses are all out of their minds," he muttered.

Luckily, the new base was nearby. By the time he reached the Southwest District, the former Apollo Familia mansion had already turned into the Hestia Familia's home. The Goddess of the Hearth's emblem now hung proudly over the front gate.

"LORD AUGUST!"

Veyra and Fear flew over from the mansion to open the gate for him.

(Note: Veyra is the Siren August saved in Knossos. I usually refer to her simply as "the Siren," but now that Ray is involved, that could get confusing.)

"Thanks for watching the place."

"It's the least we could do!" Fear answered with a bright smile.

As August walked between them, both Xenos noticed the mix of perfume scents on his clothes.

"Lord August... are you sure everything is all right?" Fear pointed toward him.

"Oh, that." August looked down at his clothes. "A group of goddesses ambushed me on the way back. Last night's recording must have set them off. They finally caught me alone and decided to inspect me thoroughly."

Veyra and Fear exchanged glances, trying not to laugh. For a second, they had thought August was looking for a different kind of trouble.

But instead, trouble had found him.

August gestured for them to lead the way inside.

The mansion had been completely remodeled. Its finer features remained, but Apollo's gaudy taste was gone, replaced by furnishings better suited to the Familia's needs.

"Captain!"

Yui Hirasawa ran over as soon as she heard him come in. Today was the official inspection and move-in day, and the three girls August had brought were already helping Hestia organize the mansion.

Yui slowed down before reaching him, her nose twitching.

"Captain, why do you smell like so much perfume...?"

All the girls working in the nearby rooms immediately poked their heads into the hallway.

"Perfume? What perfume?" Hestia bristled.

Had August already gone out and found another woman?

August walked over and lightly flicked her forehead.

"Blame yourself. You spread that recording from last night, and I got surrounded by a pack of curious goddesses on the way home."

"Ehehe..."

Hestia quickly put on an innocent smile. Her jealousy disappeared as soon as she realized the ambush was her own doing.

Yui, Ui, and Nodoka had already watched Ray's recording from the night before. The fireworks, Lili's confession, August's rejection, and the perfectly timed music made them feel like they had just finished watching an idol drama.

They still felt a bit sorry for Lili.

Hestia, on the other hand, looked very pleased. Her child was now impressive enough to make the other goddesses jealous—which was exactly what she wanted!

August shook his head.

"I have to say, those goddesses are a pack of hyenas. They have no sense of personal boundaries. If I'd stayed another minute, they probably would've started stripping me in the alley."

"That's just how they are," Hestia agreed.

Compared to the other goddesses, Hestia considered herself a model of decency. She would never let anyone touch her without permission, god or otherwise. Of course, knowing exactly how jealous the others became whenever she showed off August only made her enjoy it more.

She clapped her hands and raised her voice. "Anyway, our new Familia home is officially open. That means it's time for a housewarming party!"

"YEAH! PARTY!" Yui cheered.

She was already back to her usual job as the Familia's one-person mood maker.

August looked around the mansion. Nearly everyone was there.

He turned toward Ray—

"What about the others?"

"Lyd and Gros just got back," Ray said, sounding tired. "They're going through the information they found."

Their expedition into the deeper floors had not been easy.

Fear nodded. "They also ran into the same strange monsters Miss Liliruca mentioned. They need to sort out their notes before they can give us a full report."

"Tell them I said thanks. They've been working hard."

August knew the Xenos had been training while looking for more of their kind in the Dungeon. After the Familia moved into the mansion, the old church was left behind as a secret refuge for them.

"We'll hold the party outside," Hestia decided. "Some of the larger Xenos won't fit comfortably inside the mansion, and I want everyone included."

She looked toward Ray.

"They're part of this Familia too."

Ray bowed her head in quiet thanks. Being treated as a real partner instead of a burden meant more to her than she could say.

Hestia glanced at the remaining daylight.

"Yui, take August around and show him the mansion. The rest of us still have plenty of organizing to finish."

"Leave it to me!" Yui beamed.

"Captain, this way!"

August followed her. He had signed off on the renovations, but the mansion had changed so much that he needed to learn its layout all over again, especially the bedrooms and living spaces.

"You're reliable as always, Yui." He gave her a thumbs-up.

"Really?" Yui's face lit up with joy.

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