Paladin of Shadows Chapter 20 (Patreon)

I was honestly getting spoiled... Going from waking up in my old world with my dog snuggling up with me in my bed. To waking up in this world with Delta aggressively snuggling up with me and Zeta smothering me as she curled up around my head.

But after getting the lazy Zeta up off my face and taking a quick shower to wash off the slight sweaty feel that came with sleeping with two people... Without air conditioning! I got myself ready to go as I went straight to the office where Hestia and Freya had been busy doing their 'plotting'

And seeing the sleepy-eyed Hestia staring into a wall as though she was looking through it and Freya working at some paperwork with a lot more alertness, I spoke up with a wry smile. 

"So! I was thinking our options were Astraea and Ereshkigal? Any thoughts?" 

At my words Hestia's tired wave of welcome froze before she blinked and said. "Astraea? Yeah, she shouldn't be an issue in getting a blessing. So long as you do not harbor any evil in your heart"

A hum escaped Freya as she lounged back in her chair before she said honestly. "All of humanity holds a shard of evil within them. It just requires the right lever to make it move into the holders acceptable range if they even bother to hide their evil."

Freya's eyes snapped to mine before she said. "I would suggest Ereshkigal honestly, with Astraea I could see her giving you a skill based on increasing your growth after defeating a villain but that isn't needed with you already having a growth skill. Ereshkigal will likely give you a combat-based spell if anything on the other hand."

And that was the kicker, I wanted a way to enhance my method of killing monsters in total, which either required a particular blessing from a war god/goddess. Or a magic diety.

So, after a moment of thought, I shrugged and said. "Hmm... Perhaps Ereshkigal would be for the best then. Hestia we can try to speak with your friend Astraea on the way back as well. There is nothing saying I can't try to get more blessings." 

Both Freya and Hestia shared looks before nodding with Freya standing up from the desk elegantly before she spoke. "Good, then allow me to grab my cloak, Jake. You and I will go to Ereshkigal's funeral parlor to meet with the goddess. Then you can escort me home before you take Hestia to meet her own friend."

I raised an eyebrow as I wondered why Freya and Hestia didn't just go together to meet with Astraea... Before I remembered Freya's colored past and how Astraea and Freya likely didn't have any good history.

After a moment of thought Hestia nodded firmly as she said bluntly. "That would probably be for the best. Astraea won't believe for a second that you are trying to reform yourself Freya." 

And I got to see Freya's amused expression crack as her lips twitched before she sighed and said. "Well, that is to be expected... In either case, you have fun with the children Hestia, I will be busy with Jake." 

With that Freya elegantly took my arm in her own and I wordlessly led the goddess out of the office and towards her bedroom so she could put on her cloak quickly while I wondered how long Zeta and Delta were going to sleep in as I saw Gamma trip at seeing me in the hallway as she left her bedroom she was sharing with Epsilon.

"Ohhh, Jake hows you doing." She spoke all too damned casually with her voice being a bit slurred. As she was holding her bleeding nose from face planting into the hardwood floors.

I gently moved Gamma's hand away from her nose and with a quick chant of Freya's healing spell I got from her contract, I healed her bleeding nose before I said. "I am doing well Gamma, I am about to leave with Freya to go see the goddess Ereshkigal to see if I can get a blessing from her."

Gamma blinked at my words before she smiled and said. "I see, well I wish you the best of luck in that. Oh by the way, would it be possible for Alpha to follow you? She wishes to pick up some books for personal reading and teaching while she is out." 

I tilted my head to the side as I wondered. 'Teaching? What is Alpha going to be teaching? No, the real question is who she will be teaching?' Before I shrugged and said with a wry smile.

"I thought books were Beta's whole thing honestly. But sure, I don't mind."

Gamma nodded and I watched as she held the wall... For stability as she made her way quickly over to the room Alpha and Beta were sharing and entered without knocking presumably to tell Alpha to come with me?

And I was right as Alpha came out of the door but moments later, as Freya also came out of her bedroom in a thick black cloak that completely covered her form so her divine Charm didn't mentally ensnare people.

"I do hope I am not intruding if I come along. I have some things I need to pick up and I figured it could be fun if we went together." Alpha spoke and I noted how her slime suit was thicker than the last time I saw it which meant that Eta the mad genius had worked through the night again.

But Freya just smiled before enigmatically before throwing the hood of her robe over her head and said. "It's fine darling, now Jake. Let us be away. If we are lucky we will be able to catch Ereshkigal before she goes to bed as she sleeps through the peak hours of the day." 

I nodded in understanding and the three of us quickly making our way through the streets of Orario towards Ereshkigal's funeral parlor.