Paladin of Shadows Chapter 11 (Patreon)

Walking into the small house that the Freya Familia had rented for the next couple weeks I blinked and went still as I saw my goddess was sitting beside someone I truly never ever expected to see her with.

"Freya, me and Epsilon are back. And I see you have brought a guest, is this goddess a friend?" I spoke in greetings with the beautiful silvery purple haired goddess chuckling as she looked between Hestia and myself.

"Oh, Hestia and I here go way back in Tenkai. But as for a friendship..." She drew off and Hestia gave the goddess of beauty a face as with her stating flatly.

"Yeahhhh nope! We weren't friends in Tenkai that I am willing to try to see the good in you here in Genkai Freya." Hestia said painfully frankly with Freya actually hissing at the cutting honesty in Hestia's voice.

I coughed and then said. "Well has anyone else returned Freya?" I asked wondering if Eta or Gamma had gotten tired/bored of the dungeon and had returned home yet and at hearing my question Freya nodded with an odd smile crossing her face.

Still wearing the odd smile, Freya explained that Gamma and Eta had indeed returned with Gamma helping Eta working on some slime samples and doing something odd to them. 'What are they doing with the slime? Are they trying to feed the slime monster stones or something?' I thought with my lips twitching as I knew Eta was a fucking mad scientist.

But either way, I looked at Hestia who slightly squirmed under my gaze so I put on a more natural smile and asked. "Hello Lady Hestia, we just moved in here so things are a bit hectic what with our Familia just forming yesterday... Anyway, would you like me to get you a new drink or something?"

Then of all things, a pout crossed her face as she threw Freya a look before she looked to me as Epsilon passed by me and whispered. 'Going to get changed, be back in a couple minutes.'

My nod to Epsilon was cut off as Hestia spoke in a rush. "Freya is putting you up for adoption to me!"

The room went silent with Epsilon almost tripping like Gamma would normally as everyone looked at Hestia in surprise whose face went stiff as she realized she fucked up what she meant to say. A vein popped up on Freya's head that legitimately worried me with how much she clearly looked like she was 'this' close to wanting to strangle the Hearth goddess.

Freya with... Far more patience than I could ever imagine coming from her, as she gritted her teeth and said with false calmness. "No, I am not throwing you to Hestia Jake... It is more like mortal co-parenting."

As Freya spoke she visibly relaxed and wore her normal sultry smile as she looked between Hestia and myself as she spoke. "I am well aware that I am a capricious goddess whose attentions are as steadfast as the wind, but I am hoping that Hestia can help me guide this Familia in a way that keeps family values and keeps the members of the Familia altogether."

My lips twitched as I looked between Hestia and Freya with Hestia looking at me with a weak smile and I nodded before I retorted flatly. "Freya, my darling goddess... That lie is so fake that butter can't even melt in your mouth."

Freya's face twitched with Hestia actually laughing loudly. "Hahaha! Even your first child and captain is calling you out Freya!" Even with mirth still in her voice Hestia looked back to me and said more seriously. "But she isn't entirely lying Jake Bariss. She somehow managed to convince me to offer you a deal, in return for my divine favor of course."

I stiffened as I didn't expect Freya to snag Hestia of all people... As Hestia wasn't a goddess of war, adventure, magic, or anything else. She was a goddess of the Hearth, Architecture, Family and some other minor things. Not something that would help me in the dungeon though.

As though understanding my confusion Freya chuckled and spoke. "Jake my dear, although the blessing you have gotten from me is non-combative in nature it is still extremely strong as it can help yourself and your allies... And Hestia here." Freya hesitated slightly as Hestia gave her a long look before visibly shrugging as she continued.

"My domains of the family will almost certainly be what you snag onto Jake. Which means that you will likely gain another Familia boosting skill but I doubt you will gain a spell like you got from Freya."

I slowly nodded in understanding as I looked to Freya and asked her. "Are you ok with this Freya?" I asked with honest confusion.

I fucking knew Freya was a literal yandere. Her opening her arms and allowing Hestia to do anything with my Falna other than just making a deal to give myself more power was... Weird and not at all in line with her normal style.

But seeing how we weren't coming to blows Epsilon finally went upstairs to the girl's rooms leaving Hestia, Freya and I alone to hash things out.

There was a bit of silence before I took a breath and shrugged my shoulders as I decided to go for broke. "Ok. So Hestia did you and Freya already outline a deal or is this between me and you?"

Hestia looked at me firmly as she said. "Yes, this is between you and myself. We know that technically any god can interact with a Falna even if they cannot steal a child unless the child has had the Falna for more than a year. But I can still update it and everything... But yes I will also help her update your falna along with the other girls Falna should me and you make a deal for my divine favor."

I walked closer to the Hestia and I met her blue eyes as I took dragged a seat closer to her and once I was seated I said. "Alright Hestia. What do you want for your divine favor to start off with?" I asked frankly.

Dodging around the fact that her divine favor was obviously valuable wasn't going to get anyway so it was best to just it out of the way. As Freya's deal was probably going to be an outlier... She gave me herself in order to have me and the others in her Familia, I doubted Hestia although desperate for a Familia would throw herself at me.