Is It Wrong To Skitter In A Dungeon? Chapter 40: After the Queen's Fall

Chapter 40: After the Queen’s Fall

Taylor floated while submerged within a pool of colors. They were bright and dazzling, forming fractal rainbows that burned before breaking apart into their constituent hues before reforming again, this time as a new kaleidoscope.

For a moment, Taylor wondered if this was perhaps Queen Administrator’s realm. But this didn’t resemble Shard-space the few times she’d seen it, so she quickly discarded the idea.

It was rare for her to not have a single insect of her swarm nearby, so the parahuman enjoyed the novelty of it for while she could. Even when she’d been in the sky above Orario there had been an awareness of where her swarm was, and how far her range extended, even if there wasn’t anything within it.

A pair of colorful blobs wobbled over towards her as she was relaxing. It was like they were trying to swim but didn’t know how. Taylor giggled as one of them did a little loop-de-loop and bumped into its companion.

Curious, she poked one of the blobs when it got closer, and it made a “Do-oi-oi-oing!” sound in response. The blob reacted, pulling back away in surprise for a moment before inching closer, as if examining her. It was joined by its partner, and looking at them side by side, it was obvious one was bigger than the other, with brighter colors. An older one, perhaps?

‘Are they alive?’ Taylor wondered. They didn’t register as such to her power, but she couldn’t control amoebas, bacteria, or slime molds. Just invertebrate animals.

‘Can I even use my power here? Wherever here is?’ Taylor wondered. She didn’t have an answer and just decided to drift along with the two blobs.

As she floated aimlessly, Taylor began to notice things about her two new ‘friends.’ The larger blob was curiously muted. It made no noise and its colors were dull. The second, smaller blob was more energetic and made a lot of sounds, like squeaking or bells chiming, and enjoyed bumping into her as well as the big one.

They were both sorta cute, and the smaller one liked it when Taylor poked it. The big orb was shyer and hovered protectively around her tinier companion and didn’t like it when the parahuman prodded them, but it couldn’t exactly do anything to her except bump back into her.

For a few minutes they played around with each other before Taylor found herself falling, the rainbow morass turning dark around her. Yet she felt no worry, and simply waved farewell to the blobs as she vanished from the strange realm.

Consciousness returned to her with a jolt. It was odd, going from alone with her thoughts to having every invertebrate around her under her control. Her mind expanded, and she found through her swarm that she was safely tucked into her own bed within the Hearth Manor wearing a nightgown with her fake arm detached and sitting on the nightstand beside her.

There was a young renard woman in the room as well, but since she seemed to be taking care of her, Taylor ignored the fox-tailed adventurer for the moment. Not everyone was here. Bell, Lili, Leo, Silva, and Emma were gone, and since their weapons and armor weren’t in their rooms, they were likely in the Dungeon. The rest of her Familia were doing things around the house. Ryuu was cleaning, Welf was forging, and Mikoto was gardening with Iris.

There were also some new people, as well as evidence that some previously unoccupied rooms were being lived in. But these newcomers weren’t hostile, and so Taylor moved on, eventually finding Hestia, who was trying to do paperwork in her office.

For some reason, both Aisha and Tammuz were inside the room with Hestia. Since it didn’t seem like the little goddess was in danger, Taylor moved on to check the rest of the manor. When she was satisfied with her examinations of the place the parahuman sat up in her bed.

“You’re awake!” a voice she didn’t recognize squeaked out upon noticing her movement. It’d come from the renard, and there was a tremor of relief in her words.

“Who… Haruhime?” Taylor guessed, voice scratchy, and the fox-girl nodded with a shy smile.

“I am, Hebert-sama,” she said, bowing.

The captain of the Hestia Familia blinked a bit, taken aback. As she tried to compose herself, Taylor took a moment to examine the young girl. The blonde renard was dressed up in a rather fetishistic French maid uniform, and was staring at Taylor with adoration and, dare she say it, reverence.

It unnerved her, and she quickly spoke up. “Can you tell Hestia I’m awake?” Taylor whispered, throat dry.

“Yes!” Haruhime nodded, and she ran out. A moment later, she came running back with Hestia and the two former members of Ishtar’s Familia following along.

“TAYLOR!” Hestia shouted as she barged into her captain’s room, and Taylor winced at the noise.

“Volume,” she mumbled. Hestia ignored her and glomped her, hugging tight as she could.

“I was so worried!” Hestia whispered, eyes wet, and Taylor awkwardly patted her back in an attempt to comfort her.

After Hestia got all of her pent up emotions out she pulled away and Taylor and pouted at her. “Don’t scare me like that!” she ordered.

“I’ll try,” Taylor replied.

That wasn’t what Hestia wanted to hear, so she punched the parahuman in the arm. It didn’t hurt at all, and Taylor just patted the tiny girl on her head.

“How long was I asleep?” Taylor wondered after Hestia swatted her hand away.

“A week,” Hestia revealed softly, and Taylor felt a pit open in her stomach.

“That long?” she exclaimed, before coughing from the dryness in her throat. Sensing this, Haruhime fetched her a cup of water, and Taylor gratefully took it.

“What happened after I passed out?” she asked when she finished her drink.

“The Guild went in to investigate,” Hestia said. “They did some interviews, gathered evidence, had the Ganesha Familia arrest a bunch of people when they found crimes connected to said evidence… it was a whole thing. Very messy.”

“Ah. I take it that I’m in trouble?” Taylor inquired.

“For attacking the Entertainment District? Yes, absolutely. But that’s it, thankfully. Freya took the blame for sending Ishtar back to Tenkai,” Hestia revealed.

“She did? Why?” Taylor demanded, immediately suspicious.

“I don’t know,” Hestia admitted with a shrug. “I only saw her once since then, and I didn’t get a straight answer out of her. She said she was ‘paying you back for taking care of the problem for her’ but I’m uncertain if that’s really the case.”

“I agree, it sounds like she’s going to be holding it over our heads. A debt, perhaps? Though I can’t imagine the lie fooled anyone,” Taylor said.

“Actually, it has,” Aisha spoke up. “Everyone knows Ishtar is gone, and that you were involved, but I don’t think anyone has a clear idea of what exactly went down the other night. Lotta rumors flying around.”

“The gods know,” Hestia said quietly. “We all heard Ishtar’s screams, and we also…” she trailed off, looking at Taylor oddly. “Anyways, the gods know, or at least suspect Freya lied. But they’re willing to accept it. For now.”

“Guild is also keeping quiet,” Aisha added.

“And they want to speak with me?” Taylor guessed.

“Yup,” the Amazon nodded.

“That can wait, though,” Hestia declared firmly. “You’ve just woken up! Now rest up! When you feel better we can worry about the boring stuff!”

“Okay, but I have to ask… what’s with you three?” Taylor asked, looking towards  Haruhime, Aisha and Tammuz.

“You’re looking at the newest members of the Hestia Familia!” the Amazon declared, flashing a thumbs up at her. Taylor immediately shot Hestia a deadpan look, and the goddess wilted under the stare.

“Haruhime and Aisha didn’t have anywhere to go! And you went through the whole trouble of rescuing them, plus they really wanted to repay you…!” Hestia babbled.

“For saving my life, for saving my very soul, I have pledged myself to your service, Hebert-sama,” Haruhime said, bowing her head towards the parahuman. “My family has long served the gods, and it would be my honor to do the same for you.”

Taylor grew a little more concerned about the mental state of the renard, but without any clear idea of what to do, decided to ignore it for now. The tactic had worked so far, after all.

“Alright, that explains them… why are you here, Tammuz?” Taylor asked the dark-skinned human who stood in the doorway.

“My lady, you truly showed me the truth,” Tammuz said reverently. “You were right. Ishtar was an unworthy mistress. The only one deserving of my service is someone who is both cruel but also capable of kindness.”

He gained a glint in his eyes that disturbed the parahuman. “Yes, it was after you put me in my place and showed that you were far more holy than even a goddess, that I knew I had to dedicate my life to you! Every inch of my body is henceforth dedicated to you! Use me as you like!!”

‘Oh, no,’ Taylor realized in dawning horror. ‘He’s a masochist!’

Yes, the adoring look he was giving her when he spoke about the beating he’d received at her hands was exactly that. He’d done as she’s suggested, and found a new ‘mistress.’

For some reason Taylor could hear Lisa laughing her ass off.

“I think that’s enough bothering the captain for now!” Hestia said, her cheeks red as she also finally understood Tammuz’ reasoning. Aisha laughed uproariously while Haruhime blushed as well.

She ushered the three new members of the Familia out of Taylor’s room, and after a moment Taylor lay back down. She didn’t feel tired, but she didn’t want to make Hestia upset at her so soon.

For a while, Taylor simply lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling as her swarm lazily circled her head. She tried to think back on the weird colored realm, but found her memories of it hazy and hard to focus on. Yet what she could remember brought her a sense of peace.

When Bell and the others returned, a tiny smile came onto her face, and she decided to sit up. It was the right decision, as a certain white-haired adventurer came barreling up to her room the moment he heard from Hestia that she was awake.

“Taylor!” Bell exclaimed, rushing into her room.

“Remember to knock next time,” Taylor scolded him, and he flinched, shuffling his feet awkwardly. “What if I’d been changing?”

“Um, oh, uh,” he stammered, not having thought of that.

After a bit Taylor decided to have mercy on him, and she opened her arms. “Come here, Bell.”

He looked up in surprise, saw the invitation, and took it with a tearful smile.

“I have a sister!” he whispered as he hugged her. “I have a family!”

“I’m sorry that I ran away,” Taylor whispered back to him. “If I could undo it…”

“It was a shock,” Bell said, trying to excuse her, but she shook her head.

“I still hurt you,” Taylor told him. “I-I’ve never had a sibling before. I once had someone who was my sister in all but blood… and finding out my father had survived Scion’s rampage… it hurt. I felt betrayed all over again. I shouldn’t have felt that way. And I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

“I never had a sibling, either,” Bell murmured. “There weren’t a lot of kids in my village. They were all way older than me, or way younger.”

He then gave her a determined look. “But I’m willing to learn how to be a good little brother!”

“So am I,” Taylor promised him. “I’ll be the best older sister you could want.”

She then gained a smirk. “And that means I have to do a background check on every girl you bring home.”

“Taylor!” Bell whined, face red.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice there were some new faces around here, Bell,” Taylor pointed out.

He’d come home with two new women she hadn’t recognized, and along with the presence of a couple other people in the manor she’d noticed when scanning it for threats Taylor knew that their little Familia had grown.

‘Though calling two of the newcomers ‘women’ may be a bit of a stretch,’ she thought to herself. One had been a young Amazon girl, the other a young elf girl. They, along with two humans and a Chienthrope, were the newest additions to the Hearth Manor and Familia.

“Alright, Vice-Captain, tell me about them,” she requested. “Start with the Level 2.”

“Yes!” Bell said, snapping to attention. “Um, the Level 2 is Oriana Drake! She’s a knight from the distant land of Albion! She’s a tank. Very strong, with heavy armor. She has a Skill that lets her raise her Endurance based on the number of people she is trying to protect! Fights with a spear and shield!”

“Interesting,” Taylor hummed. “A spear is an interesting choice, but a good one for the confines of the Dungeon. What was her former Familia?”

“She was from the Lugh Familia, but came to Orario to get stronger,” Bell informed his captain.

“Alright. The Amazon, next. Is she from the Ishtar Familia?”

“No, Gina Gwen was actually from the Hermes Familia,” Bell replied. “She’s very nice, good at housework and helps keep the place clean. Not much of a fighter but she’s still young. Gina makes for a good Supporter and is learning the ropes of that role from Lili. She joined because she really admires strong women, and, well, you, especially.”

“Why me?” Taylor asked.

“What do you… Taylor… sis… you took down two Familias, one of them entirely on your own, against overwhelming odds and far outmatched,” Bell said, sounding a little exasperated. “Why would she not admire you?”

“Ah. Right,” Taylor mumbled, scratching the back of her head. “Let’s move on. The elf?”

“Primo Libera is an elf from the same forest as Lady Riveria,” Bell told her. “She’s a mage. She already has a spell despite being only ten years old! It’s called Lumine Pleiades, and it summons beams of light that rain down upon her target!”

“Another rear-line fighter,” Taylor said with a pleased nod. “I’ll have to see what she can do myself. Now, what’s the deal with the other human?”

“Karen Morris is a noblewoman from the Empire who came to Orario to get stronger, just like Oriana,” Bell said. “She fights with a rapier and has two Skills, both of which boost her status whenever fighting an opponent. Never Retreat goes into effect when she fights one on one, and Noblesse Oblige activates when she fights directly. So, no sneak attacks or ranged strikes.”

“I’ll have to get Welf to make her a better weapon,” Taylor mused. “And though that combination of Skills will make her a true monster when it comes to duels, she’ll be weaker when trying to fight as a team. I’ll have to give her remedial lessons in teamwork.”

“Um, the last person to join us is Gita Meyers,” Bell said as he shivered in fear at the thought of another one of his sister’s training sessions. “She’s friends with Silva, and that’s why she joined. To keep an eye on her. Gita claims to be an information dealer and knows a lot about the seedier side of Orario.”

“Hmm. I’ll have to keep an eye on her,” Taylor muttered. Hopefully it was just her paranoia, but an information broker living with her who had unknown loyalties felt dangerous.

She then looked at Bell. “What’s young impression of them? Will they fit in with the rest of the Familia?”

“Karen seems to have a bit of a rivalry going with Emma, Primo is an elf and thus rather averse to being touched by others, and Gita is extremely fond of Silva, but other than that, they seem to be meshing well,” Bell said after a moment. “Like I said before, Gina has the makings of a good Supporter and Lili has taken her under her wing. Oriana and Mikoto get along nicely, their sense of honor as knight and samurai playing off each other in a good way. And Ryuu is taking care of Primo and helping her overcome the whole… elf thing.”

“You mean the undeserved sense of arrogance they have?” Taylor asked with a drawl.

Aside from Ryuu, Riveria, and Leyfia, most of the full-blooded elves the parahuman had met so far were rather full of themselves. They were rude customers, but they really liked her spider silk and paid well, so she put up with them. Of course, she had Lucia raise the prices on the clothes every time an elf was rude, so it balanced out.

“Yes, that,” Bell said awkwardly, scratching his cheek. “Um… oh! Iris and Leo don’t seem to mind and get along with the others.”

“And what about the other three?” Taylor inquired.

“Haruhime is very dedicated to you,” Bell informed her. “She took care of you the whole time you were unconscious. She’s also very kind! And Mikoto is happier with her around as well. Though I think Aisha and Mikoto have sort of rivalry going on for the title of ‘Haruhime’s Best Friend,’ or something.”

“And Tammuz?”

“I don’t like him,” Bell said flatly. “And not just because of the way he looks at you or talks about you. Haruhime does the same thing, after all.”

“What do you not like about him?” Taylor asked. “Because if he makes you uncomfortable, I don’t mind having him leave the Familia.”

“No, you don’t have to do that!” Bell denied. “I just… Tammuz doesn’t want to think for himself. He’s content being a side character instead of his own person. He’s not an adventurer for fame, money, power, or any noble ideals, he’s just doing it because it is something to do.”

“You dislike Tammuz because he doesn’t want to be a hero?” Taylor asked, squinting at her brother.

“I… huh, I guess that is it,” Bell muttered, blinking in self-realization. “Yeah… I think so.”

“Can you work together with him?” she inquired, and Bell nodded slowly.

“I won’t like it, but I can,” he confirmed.

“Alright, if you’re sure,” Taylor replied, accepting his answer. “Now, I think it’s time for me to meet these people myself. Can you tell them I want to have a Familia gathering?”

Bell nodded and left to fetch everyone, leaving Taylor alone so she could get dressed. Haruhime came inside to help her, and though Taylor was loathe to admit it, she was still a bit wobbly and so had to rely on a helping shoulder.

“Thank you, Haruhime,” Taylor said as she leaned on the renard as the two walked through the halls.

“Of course, Hebert-sama.”

“You can just call me ‘Taylor,’” the parahuman assured her, and the renand nodded.

“Understood, Taylor-dono.”

“That’s not what I… ugh, fine,” Taylor sighed.

She then straightened up and stepped away from Haruhime before heading into one of the manor’s dining rooms, which was one of the few rooms with enough space and chairs for the whole Familia to fit inside.

Everyone stood up straighter as well when they saw her, and relieved smiles flashed across the older members’ faces.

“Miss Taylor!” Lili breathed out.

“Knew you’d be fine!” Welf declared with a wide grin.

“Oh, really? Then who was spending time in the forge all day, fretting?” Silva teased, and the Blacksmith flushed.

“Well, I mean…” he stammered, trailing off.

“It is good to see you’re back on your feet,” Ryuu said with a faint smile sent her way.

“It’s good to see all of you as well,” Taylor said with a smile of her own as she looked over her Familia. There were new faces, but they were just as pleased to see her.

“Hello, everyone,” Taylor said politely. “I apologize that this is the first time we’re meeting, but I hope we can all get along.”

“Now, I know you all joined while I was… indisposed,” she continued. “But I trust Bell and Hestia. Despite what it may seem like, they’re good judges of character.”

Taylor smirked a little at the indignant squawk from the goddess, and kept her eyes on everyone else, taking note of the way they relaxed when it became clear she wasn’t going to kick any of them out. Aside from the god the Familia was formed around, the captain had the final say in who joined.

“In a little bit, I will be conducting personal assessments of everyone’s combat capabilities,” Taylor informed the Familia. “Once I have a better grasp of what you can do, we shall begin team training sessions and schedule some Dungeon expeditions.”

She then looked around. “If any of you have questions, or even ideas for other activities the Familia can do, either as a business or simply to relax and bond together, feel free to approach me, Bell, or Hestia with them.”

She then clapped her hands. “It’s getting a bit late, though. So how about we get to know each other better with a nice meal?”

“I love that idea!” Hestia said happily. “Come on, let’s get cooking!”

She dragged Mikoto, Emma, Ryuu, and Gina off into the kitchen with her, while the rest of the Familia set the table. It was done quickly with everyone working together.

The dinner was a simple meal of soup, bread, meat, and cheese. Everyone could make sandwiches for themselves while enjoying a tasty vegetable stew.

“I understand you’re from the Solar Empire, Karen?” Taylor said, taking the chance to talk to and get to know the new members.

“Yes, that’s correct, Lady Hebert,” Karen said politely.

“Please, just call me Taylor,” she requested. “What is it like, there?”

“The Empire is a meritocracy. Anyone can become a noble through impressive deeds, though the most common way to be elevated is through military service,” Karen explained. “You are automatically granted the rank of Count if somebody is able to become Level 2.”

“What about people who already are nobles? Are there any expectations for them?” Taylor wondered.

“Oh, absolutely! If a noble fails in their duties, which include governing and protecting their territories, then they might be stripped of their title,” Karen said. “Recently, the Tetrarchy have been cracking down on corruption amongst the empire, and many nobles who managed to hide their actions till now have fallen from grace.”

“The Tetrarchy?” Bell asked.

“The Empire is ruled by a committee of four gods,” Karen revealed. “Sol Invictus who leads the military, Hades who guides the economics and infrastructure, Hecate who oversees magical innovations and the education of the populace, and Astraea who ensures justice is properly enforced through the land.”

“Astraea?” Ryuu spoke up, surprised.

“Yes, Lady Astraea came to the Empire a few years ago, and the then Triumvirate welcomed her as one of them. It was quite a surprise when that happened, honestly. There have been a few minor subordinate gods who live in the Empire, some of whom were from the kingdoms the Empire conquered, but they have never been given such status or authority. She’s been the driving force behind the legal reformations,” Karen told her.

“I see. That’s good to hear,” Ryuu said softly, looking down with a relieved expression.

“Having gods rule a nation sounds quite different to how things work in Albion,” Oriana commented. “Seeing gods in charge of places like the Empire, Rakia or Altena is odd to me.”

“How are they done where you’re from?” Lili inquired.

“The gods of Albion run their Familias like they do here in Orario, honestly,” Oriana claimed. “Within the kingdom, they are the leaders of various knightly orders. My former Familia was the Knightly Order of Lugh, for instance. These knights protect the people and answer to the royal throne, and the gods stay out of politics.”

“Huh. That’s pretty different, alright,” Welf hummed. “Wish that’d been the case for my old home.”

“I understand it’s quite hard for a person to Level Up outside of Orario,” Taylor commented to Oriana. “Aside from a few exceptional cases, it’s very rare. And considering you’re only 17, you must have quite a bit of skill to make it to Level 2.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” the blonde knight said with a blush. “My home is constantly plagued by goblins, and Albion is also quite close to the Dragon Valley, so I have some experience with fighting monsters.”

“That’s good,” Taylor praised. “I look forward to seeing how well you can fight in the Dungeon.”

She then looked at the other newbies. “In fact, I think we should plan a large-scale expedition into the Dungeon for the whole Familia. Get to know each other better through the crucible of battle.”

“The oldest form of making friends!” Oriana said, pumped up. “Through shared adversity!”

Taylor nodded, and everyone got excited. The Dungeon! Time to show the city what the Hestia Familia was capable of!

But first, dinner! The food was getting cold and nobody wanted to waste the efforts of Hestia and the other cooks!

111 &&& 111

Stat Sheets for the newest members of the Hestia Familia!

Tammuz Belili “Dumuzid”

Level 4

POWER – E 424

ENDURANCE – E 488

DEXTERITY – F 308

AGILITY – F 322

MAGIC – H 134

Skill –

Artel Assist: Compensates for the user’s ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.

Spell –

Allalu’s Wing: Unleash razor-sharp blades of wind.

Chant: Soar, Unbroken Wing!

Development Ability –

Hunter H

Abnormal Resistance H

Crush I

Aisha Belka “Antianeira”

Level 3

POWER – B 777

ENDURANCE – B 710

DEXTERITY – E 459

AGILITY – D 531

MAGIC – H 101

Spell –

Hell Kaios: Unleash a shockwave of blood-red magic.

Chant: Seek and Destroy! Hell Kaios!

Development Ability –

Hunter H

Abnormal Resistance G

Oriana Drake “Purekiki”

Level 2

POWER – F 321

ENDURANCE – E 466

DEXTERITY – H 110

AGILITY – H 104

MAGIC – I 0

Skill –

Knight Wall: Boost Endurance based on the number of people the user is trying to protect.

Development Ability –

Spearman H

Gina Gwen

Level 1

POWER – H 190

ENDURANCE – H 169

DEXTERITY – I 88

AGILITY – H 123

MAGIC – I 0

Skill –

Artel Assist: Compensates for the user’s ability to carry and wear a certain amount of weight.

Primo Libera

Level 1

POWER – I 33

ENDURANCE – I 20

DEXTERITY – I 50

AGILITY – I 50

MAGIC – H 155

Spell –

Lumine Pleiades: Create beams of light that rain down upon the target.

Chant: Oh seven maiden stars, rain devastation upon mine foes! Lumine Pleiades!

Karen Morris

Level 1

POWER – H 111

ENDURANCE – I 90

DEXTERITY – G 280

AGILITY – H 111

MAGIC – I 0

Skill –

Never Retreat: Boost stats while fighting one-on-one.

Noblesse Oblige: Boost Power and Agility when attacking an opponent head on.

Gita Meyers

Level 1

POWER – F 345

ENDURANCE – F 317

DEXTERITY – G 205

AGILITY – G 221

MAGIC – I 0

Sanjouno Haruhime

Level 1

POWER – I 13

ENDURANCE – I 15

DEXTERITY – I 29

AGILITY – H 111

MAGIC – E 436

Skill –

Renard Reborn: Bestowed onto one who has returned from a fate worse than death. Duration of all Buffs doubled. Grants immunity to Curses. Spirits adore you.

Spell –

Uchide no Kozuchi: Bless a target with immense power equal to a Level Up. Target gains halved Excelia while under the effects of the spell.