Danmachi: Strongest Familia

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"There's an old saying in the lower realms: admitting defeat halfway..." 

"Fine. But are you sure you want to admit halfway?" Sol interrupted Astraea with a sly smile, agreeing far more readily than she had anticipated. 

It made her suspicious. Could he have ulterior motives? 

"And if I lose halfway, what's the punishment?" Astraea asked, her instincts immediately on high alert. 

"Then you'll wear half of your dress~" Sol declared with exaggerated flair. "Of course, I can be merciful and let you choose—top half or bottom half." 

"Great mercy, indeed..." 

Astraea clenched her fists, fighting the urge to throw her high heel at Sol's smug, laughing face. 

"Who even splits things this way?!" she muttered to herself. "Admitting defeat halfway doesn't mean this ridiculous half-dress nonsense!" 

She was grateful she had asked for clarification. Otherwise, she might have unknowingly agreed and ended up in a humiliating situation. 

"Well? Do you still want to admit defeat halfway?" Sol teased, clearly enjoying her frustration. 

"No, thank you. I, Astraea, can afford to lose with dignity!" she snapped, firmly rejecting Sol's absurd suggestion. 

Compared to wearing a half-dress, accepting her loss gracefully in a full dress felt like a blessing. 

Still, losing the bet soured her mood. She decided to ignore Sol for the rest of the evening, focusing instead on mingling with other godly acquaintances. 

Watching her walk away, Sol smirked triumphantly. He raised his glass and took a sip of wine, hiding the mischievous grin that tugged at his lips. 

It was the smile of someone who had executed a plan flawlessly. 

What plan? Well, Astraea had been lingering at the banquet all evening, clearly intending to go home with him later. 

But Sol, ever the strategist, had made plans with Demeter that evening. If Astraea stayed too long, it might have derailed his appointment. 

He, Aurelion Sol, prided himself on being a dragon god who keeps his promises. 

Still, it was better to leave before anyone else noticed him. After all, the last thing he wanted was to get caught by someone irritating. 

"Yo, Sol! Long time no see." 

Just as Sol was about to slip out unnoticed, a familiar voice called out from behind him at the banquet's entrance. 

He sighed inwardly, pretending not to hear, and quickened his pace. But before he could escape, a leather-gloved hand clamped down firmly on his shoulder. 

"Tsk. I swear, it's like I can't avoid trouble." Sol turned around, his face twisted in annoyance. 

The voice belonged to a man. Sol rarely had anything worth discussing with the male gods, who were often dull and idle. 

"Hermes? When did you get back?" Sol asked, raising an eyebrow at the disheveled, carefree face in front of him. 

Their relationship was far from close, but Hermes was at least more tolerable than some others. 

Still, Sol couldn't help but wonder what this visit was about. Hermes usually didn't seek him out unless there was something important. 

"Oi, oi, that's hurtful! I've been here from the very beginning you know. Don't you even notice me?" 

"Why should I pay attention to a man? Have you completely lost your mind?" Sol replied mercilessly, clearly unbothered by Hermes' exaggerated complaint. 

He had far more important matters to deal with and zero patience for Hermes' antics. If the chatter continued, Sol wouldn't hesitate to toss the guy out. 

It was truly bad luck that his precious time was being delayed by another man. 

"I actually have something I need to discuss with you," Hermes began. 

"You? Unless it's Asfie looking to switch sides, I'm not interested," Sol shot back sarcastically. 

"What?! You're targeting Asfie? As expected, her charm is absolutely irresistible!" 

"Tone it down with the theatrics. You're overselling it, and frankly, it's not even convincing." Sol dismissed Hermes with a wave of his hand. 

Hermes casually placed a hand on Sol's shoulder, his usual sly grin on his face. "Busy looking for Demeter, are we?" he teased. 

This was Hermes, after all—sharp-eyed and quick-witted. He must have noticed Demeter chatting with Sol earlier in the evening and drawn his own conclusions. 

Before Sol could respond, Hermes leaned in conspiratorially. "I've got some advanced products here," he said, producing a small bottle of red liquid from his coat. "If you're willing to listen to me, I can let you have this." 

Sol glanced at the bottle and instantly knew what it was. He'd seen similar items in the lower realm, especially at the more questionable establishments. The color might differ, but the nature of the item was unmistakable. 

Sol's expression soured. 'Seriously? Do I look like someone who needs this kind of auxiliary item?' 

"I don't need it," Sol replied flatly, his tone edged with disdain. 'What a joke. If I accepted that in public, I'd be ridiculed for eternity. It would ruin my reputation—especially with the goddesses.' 

"Hey, haven't you just gone out with Freya? You're telling me you could go again?" Hermes exclaimed, his eyes widening in mock horror, though jealousy was clear in his voice. "We're all gods here—how is your stamina so unfairly good?" 

Sol ignored the jab and shot Hermes a sharp glare. "What exactly do you want? If you're just here to waste my time, I'll leave. I have better things to do." 

Hermes chuckled, unbothered by Sol's irritation. "I heard your familia has a ready-made magic guide book. How about giving me one?" 

Sol's eyes narrowed, his expression a mix of disbelief and contempt. "Are you serious? Do you even know the value of a magic guide book? You've got some nerve." 

Hermes raised a hand, attempting to pacify him. "Relax, I'm not asking for myself." 

The explanation did little to soften Sol's attitude. He crossed his arms, clearly uninterested in entertaining the idea. 

Hermes, undeterred, switched tactics. "While traveling outside Orario, I ran into someone interesting," he began, his tone shifting to one of reflection. "I met Zeus." 

The mention of Zeus caught Sol's attention, though he masked his curiosity with a blank stare. 

"And?" 

Hermes leaned in, lowering his voice. "He told me a few intriguing things. Like about the newcomer in Hestia's familia." 

For a moment, Hermes' usual playfulness vanished, replaced by a serious expression. Sol, however, struggled to suppress a laugh. 

'So dramatic,' he thought. Whatever hidden information Hermes might be hinting at, Sol found it hard to care. 'If this is supposed to impress me, you've lost your touch.'