Chapter 132: The Hirasawa Family!

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The next day at noon, after a good lunch and some rest, the group arrived in Yui Hirasawa's world.

"Ah, the smell of spring."

As they walked down the street, a gentle spring breeze brushed past them. August came from a future timeline, so the seasons here felt out of sync with what he was used to.

Right now, Yui and Ui were still at school. Only Mrs. Hirasawa was home.

"Lady Hestia."

"Mr. August."

"Miss Arde."

Mrs. Hirasawa was busy with chores, but she quickly came over to greet them as soon as Hestia showed up. With her daughters at school, she was the only one home.

When she saw a Goddess arrive, she greeted them with a warm smile. Since both her daughters were in the Hestia Familia, she felt deep respect.

"Yahho!" Hestia waved.

"Lady Hestia, what brings you here?" Mrs. Hirasawa knew the Goddess usually wouldn't drop by during school hours.

"Well, we ran into a little situation back home," Hestia sighed heavily.

"Oh?" Mrs. Hirasawa sensed trouble.

"Give me just a second." She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. The line picked up almost immediately. It was Yui's father.

"Go ahead."

Since it involved the family, both parents needed to hear it.

"It's about Apollo," Hestia began.

She explained that Apollo noticed Yui and Ui during their visit to Orario. The local stories about Apollo made his reputation clear. According to Hestia, once he wanted something, he would do whatever it took to get it.

Because of that, he challenged them in front of the other Gods—a War Game. The prize was the girls themselves.

Mr. and Mrs. Hirasawa had no idea their daughters would attract so much attention. Just one sightseeing trip, and they were already in trouble.

But when they heard Apollo was involved, their hearts sank. He was the famous Sun God, and they never thought they'd have to face a real myth.

"So, what is the plan?" Mrs. Hirasawa asked carefully.

"Don't sweat it."

"If it comes to fighting Apollo, our Familia will crush them." Hestia waved her hand curtly. She didn't seem worried. Even if Apollo's side had a Level 3 Adventurer, there was no need to panic.

"But we need both of them there this time."

"We ran the numbers. If everything goes smoothly, the Denatus happens tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow falls on a Sunday in your world. Perfect timing."

"We need them to show up as representatives."

Because their futures were at stake, they needed to be there.

"I understand."

When they learned their daughters would just be acting as representatives, basically as mascots and the wager, the parents agreed to set it up. Hestia's confidence helped them relax.

"Mr. August, please do your best," Mrs. Hirasawa said, bowing deeply.

She hoped August would defeat the Apollo Familia. The thought of her daughters being forced to join them was frightening. Apollo was known for chasing after both men and women, which was a scary idea for any modern mother.

"I've got it handled." August nodded.

It was obvious the parents knew exactly who the real muscle of the group was.

"Thank you so much." The Hirasawas expressed their gratitude.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

Meanwhile, at Sakuragaoka High School.

"Yui, this is a rare sight. Studying hard..." Nodoka Manabe, Yui's childhood friend, noticed that Yui was acting a little different today.

"I don't know. I guess... it just feels easier today."

Yui put her pen down and tilted her head. In the past few days, she felt like her mind was a bit sharper. Not by much, but things seemed to make sense faster when she studied.

"You usually only crack a book at the very last second. Starting this early is a miracle."

Nodoka thought Yui had grown up a little since junior high. She was maturing, and Nodoka almost felt like a proud mom as she watched her friend finally take things seriously.

"It's probably because of the contract," Yui mused.

She didn't think it was maturity at all. She slumped forward, resting her face on the desk and returning to her usual lazy self.

"Contract?" Nodoka blinked. That was a new word.

"Yeah. Because of it, learning feels a lot easier."

Yui felt like she had gotten some kind of boost. There weren't any flashy lights or status screens, but she could tell the benefits were real. Her usually single-minded focus seemed to have widened.

Yui was about to say more when a sudden jolt, like static electricity, ran through her.

"Lady Hestia is here."

In Orario, divine power was sealed, but here, Hestia's aura was free. Because of their contract, Yui could sense her Patron Goddess right away. Hestia was here.

Yui shot up, practically thrilled. She didn't expect her Goddess to drop by the house today.

"Lady Hestia?"

This was the first time Nodoka had heard about any Olympian Gods.

"Yui, who is that?" She was curious.

"My Goddess. The Goddess of the Hearth from Greek mythology."

"I'll introduce you to her. You'll see." Yui figured it was easier to just show her best friend. Seeing is believing.

"Is that so?"

Nodoka was honestly worried that Yui had joined a cult. But when she looked closer, Yui was still her usual self. She didn't act like someone brainwashed—she was just as lazy and easygoing as ever.

Nodoka decided she wanted to see this supposed Goddess for herself.

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The school bell finally rang. Nodoka found herself dragged by the hand toward Yui's house.

"Wait, Yui, slow down! There's no need to run."

"Don't you live right around the corner?"

"Why are we sprinting?"

Nodoka realized they were just heading to the Hirasawa residence. That was a relief. At least it wasn't some shady compound.

As they stepped into the entryway, Nodoka noticed three unfamiliar pairs of shoes sitting by the door.

"Lady Hestia!"

Yui dropped her bag and scrambled up the stairs to the second-floor living room.

She burst through the door and saw Hestia, with her twin tails, chatting with her mother. Her younger sister, Ui, was already there. Ui had sensed something and rushed home early.

Yui ran over and threw herself into Hestia's arms. She looked just like a child reuniting with her mother after a long time apart.

Nodoka came in after her. She saw that Yui's mom and sister were both safe.

But as soon as Nodoka saw Hestia, her mind went blank. She could feel it right away. The small girl with twin tails sitting in the living room was a Goddess.

She didn't know how she knew, but her instincts told her the truth. Her mind recognized the girl as a real goddess.

Yui acted like a little kid, holding onto Hestia the same way she would with her own mom.

"Nodoka, welcome." Mrs. Hirasawa smiled, noticing the guest.

"And they are...?" Nodoka stared at the strange group.

There was a goddess with twin tails, a small girl in light gear who looked sharp and efficient, and a calm man who seemed very dependable.

"Oh, you must be Yui's best friend."

"How nice."

"You seem like a good kid."

Hestia noticed Nodoka and, after a quick glance, seemed to approve of her. Nodoka gave off an air of competence and responsibility.

"I'm Hestia," she introduced herself with a bright smile.

"Um..." Nodoka remembered Yui talking about the Greek Goddess of the Hearth. She never imagined she would meet her in person. Even more surprising, she could feel the girl's divine presence.

"Nodoka, this is Lady Hestia's Familia!" Yui cheered. "This is our Captain: August."

Yui was excited to finally introduce her new friends.

"And this is Liliruca Arde!"

"She's our tactician and logistics officer."

Yui looked Lili over from every angle, then introduced her with pride.

"I see."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Nodoka Manabe." Nodoka gave a polite bow.

Nodoka could tell these people were nothing like regular civilians. What set them apart? August was calm, but there was a sharpness to him, like a drawn sword. Liliruca Arde reminded Nodoka of herself—very organized—but she seemed much tougher.

"Hello."

August looked at Nodoka, who was known for being responsible. She was the classic 'mom friend.' With his senses, August could tell she was a lot like Lili—a natural leader and planner.

Nodoka looked back at August. He didn't seem strange or threatening at all. Instead, he nodded at her in a calm, almost fatherly way. She couldn't explain it, but he felt very trustworthy.

The biggest sign was that Yui ran straight over to him without hesitation.

"Captain, what brings you to our house today?" Yui walked over and hugged August's arm, acting like a loving daughter trying to win over her dad.

Nodoka watched them. Yui always seemed to know who was trustworthy. If she trusted August this much, he had to be a good person.

"We're here because of you two." August reached out and patted Yui's head, towering over her.

"Because of us?" Yui looked puzzled. What had she done?

"When we were in Orario, you didn't just catch the attention of the local assassins."

"It turns out, God Apollo took a liking to you." August held her shoulder, making sure she was listening.

"Ah. Apollo." Yui stared blankly. The famous Sun God?

"Wait, YOU MEAN THAT APOLLO?" Nodoka was stunned.

"He issued a challenge to Hestia," August explained with a dry smile. "If his Familia wins the War Game, both of you will be forced to join his ranks."

Yui frowned. She was a bit flattered that a god liked her—just normal teenage pride. But the idea of being a prize in a forced fight, or being made to join someone else's group, was awful.

She hated that idea.

"Hmph. There's no way they can win," Yui said, crossing her arms. To her, August was unbeatable. Apollo's group seemed like no threat.

"Well said! That's my girl!"

"That's the kind of confidence I like." Hestia smiled brightly, happy to see Yui so sure they would win. That was all she needed to hear.

"Of course! Our Captain is the strongest. Who cares about some random scrubs?"

"Anyone who picks a fight with him is going down."

When Hestia praised her, Yui pumped her fists and started shadow-boxing, pretending to take down the Apollo Familia herself.

"..."

Nodoka watched her friend. It was unusual to see Yui so excited. As she thought about everything, she realized these three were not from this world.

Orario. What was that place? Yui had talked about it before, but now Nodoka understood it wasn't just a city in another country. It was a different world. Suddenly, everything Yui had said made sense.

Nodoka found a seat. She was still worried.

"Yui, how exactly did Apollo spot you?"

"Do you remember doing anything?"

"If we're dealing with an enemy, we need to understand their motives."

Nodoka decided she needed to question Yui carefully. How had Yui made enemies without even knowing?

"Hmm. Apollo." Yui tapped her chin and looked over at Ui, who was pouring tea.

Catching her sister's eye, Ui quickly shook her head. She had no clue either.

"We were just sightseeing around Babel."

"After we finished shopping, Lili led us out, and then those assassins jumped us."

"But we never saw anyone looking like Apollo."

Yui searched her memory, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember seeing a god anywhere. She had no idea how any of it had happened. The whole incident was a blur.

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