Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 330- Killing Time

Room of Prayer.

Cirrus reaches the end and opens it to find Ouranos and Fels discussing something.

"Hey-o! Am I interrupting something?" Cirrus looks at them both.

"Yes, but it can wait for today," Ouranos said.

"Are you sure, Lord Ouranos? It is—"

"It's fine for today, but tomorrow will be a whole new story," Ouranos said, cutting Fels off.

"…Very well." Fels nods their head.

Today was not the day. For just a bit longer, they wish to give him one more day before he must return to work.

"Um… Okay? Well, I’m here just to talk with you two since it’s my—"

"Birthday! Oh, how could I forget?" said Fels, coming up to them.

Fels came over to hug Cirrus.

"You are 35 now, Cirrus; time truly has passed by."

"Yeah, it feels weird. I’m this old, you know?"

"We wouldn’t know," Fels said, looking at Alise. "May I hold her? It has been ages since I met with her." They tapped their magic tool, and they gained their flesh back.

Fels slowly picks Alise up and holds her in their arms.

"Oh, Circe said she’s working on making a better version of that magic tool, Fels."

"Is she? That’s wonderful. Maybe with that, I can actually produce warmth." She parts her hair and then hands her back to Cirrus.

"Are you sure you don’t want to hold her for longer?"

"No, she will wake if suddenly there is no warmth next to her or a heartbeat."

"Well… How about you, Ouranos?"

"I hope you realized I have never held another being in time immemorial."

"Really? Are you sure? You didn’t have one you loved in heaven?"

‘It's fucking Gaia, come on!’

"…" Ouranos closes his eyes and thinks before opening them again. "Ah, there was one. Those memories seem so far away now... I’m sure right now she is helping heaven manage the influx of souls."

"Hm, I see," he said, walking up to the throne and placing her on his lap. "Don’t drop her."

"…" He looks down at Alise.

"Mmm… Hm?" She opens her eyes to meet his azure-blue eyes. She turns to see her father and Fels. "Who are you? And why do you have pretty eyes like my mom?"

"My name is Ouranos. I am the god that watches over the world."

Her eyes light up.

"R-really! A-and who is that?" she points towards Fels.

"That is your grandpa/ma Fels. They work for Ouranos, so everything goes well," said Cirrus.

"Wow!" She slowly gets off Ouranos’s lap, and he helps her get down and slowly walks down to Fels. "My name is Alise! My mom named me after her best friend!"

Fels knelt down to meet her.

"That is wonderful, but we have already met. When you were born, I was there as well."

"But you never come around?"

"I am very busy with work; my apologies."

"Hm! Can I get a hug?"

"I-well um… At the moment, I have some dirty clothes and hands."

Alise looks at Fels, her eyes darting around them. They could feel her sharp gaze on them.

"…Okay!" A beaming smile shone through her, believing Fels' excuse.

After some more talking, Cirrus picks her up, and they leave through the secret passage heading to Eupheme’s workshop.

"Remember to keep this meeting between us okay."

"Got it! It’s a secret we share!"

"Exactly."

"But... can I get a cloak like what Grandpa/ma Fels has?"

"Oh, a bribe, huh?" He could see a smirk similar to Lyra’s. "Well, here you go." He reached into his coat and pulled out a black scarf. He wrapped around her, and she smiled brightly. "Now the deal is sealed. A person is only as good as their word. Got it, Alise?"

"Hm! I won’t say anything!"

"Especially since not even Calli or Auby know, so this is even more special."

"!!" Her eyes glittered like a sea of stars. "Hm! Hm!" She would not leak this information to her older siblings. Seeing this as a bond shared between her and her father.

Arriving at Eupheme’s workshop, he finds her reading some books.

"Yo! How’s it going, Euphe?"

"Oh, Cirrus!" She turns to see him. "What luck you didn’t catch me working!" She got up and walked to him. "And I didn’t forget it was your birthday!" She then hugs him, and he returns the hug. "And I didn’t forget you, little Alise." She pinches her cheeks.

"Hehe!" Alise giggles. "Your hands aren’t dirty, right?"

"Uhh…" Eupheme looks at her hands and makes an expression.

"Again!" Alise shouted, rubbing her cheeks.

"I’m joking!" She lightly grins. "It’s always nice to see you make sour expressions."

"Hmm!!" Alise will remember this, along with all the other times.

"So are you just here for my hug?" Eupheme looked at Cirrus.

"No, I came by to see how you were doing."

"I’m doing fine since being able to be Lady Hephaestus’s co-captain business has been stable, albeit many are still trying to reach your feats."

"And how many are close?"

"Hmm... with me and Tsubaki, there are about 5? Welf is almost there."

"That’s good."

"Say, when is your oldest son coming back?"

"When he was 12, from what Ai had said, he made some friends who wished to come along."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Um, Dad, what is he like?" Alise said.

Haku hadn’t had the time to go and see Alise. The only time they met was when Alise was born. Every other time, the schedules and times never aligned.

"Well, he’s a bit like me and his mom."

"So smart and a bit aggressive?" said Eupheme, smirking.

"…That seems about right."

"Um, what time is it, Dad?" Alise asked, looking around.

"It is—" He looks at the clock in her workshop. "About 3:21, why?"

"No reason!"

"It’s the part, isn’t it?"

"No!"

"Yeah, it’s the party," Eupheme said.

"Nuh-uh!"

Alise was resolute in the charade.

"Hmm… Say, do wanna play with Gersemi?"

Her mood changed, and she smiled like her father.

"Hm! I do!"

Sometime later, they arrive at the Hestia Familia home.

"This place is really big," Alise said, looking around. "Do you think Gersemi is in?"

"Probably."

They go up and knock on the door, and after a few minutes, a familiar face was seen.

"Oh, Cirrus!" said Bell, now at age 26. "What brings you here?" His appearance is more manly in that he has long lost some of his boyish charms, but some remain.

"Oh, Alise wanted to play with—" Cirrus looks down at Bell’s leg. "Gersemi."

By Bell’s legs was a white-haired girl around Alise’s age with violet eyes.

"Oh, really!"

"Yeah, we just popped by to kill some time. Hey Alise, would you like to play around with your friend?"

Alise walked up to Gersemi, and Gersemi did the same.

"Do you wanna play tag again?" Gersemi said, smiling.

She had her father’s smile but her mother’s confidence. This terrified Cirrus with such a lethal combination.

"Hm! One, two, three, not it!" Alise said, running off inside.

"Not fair!!" Gersemi runs off, chasing after Alise.

"…Hey, Bell, you don’t mind if I crash here for a bit of a nap?"

"Oh sure! Your family is planning another birthday party, aren’t they?"

"They sure are!"

Bell let Cirrus into his home, much like every other time his birthday came along.