Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka Gaiden – Sword Oratoria - Volume 6 - Chapter Ep

EPILOGUE DISTURBING ELEMENTS 

All in all, the “Meren incident” was just about cleaned up that night. 
The Guild decided to blame Kali Familia for Loki Familia’s fight in the middle of the wharf. “An unfortunate accident brought about by savage Amazons from a remote land,” was how they described it. As for the violas, well, those were just monsters who happened upon land at a most inopportune time. 
The Guild’s top brass didn’t have much choice on the matter given how Loki had dragged them into the investigation. From the violas’ release into the sea, to the involvement of wonder boy Njör?r, of all people, to the conspiracy of the Murdock estate, and perhaps most egregious of all—that a high-ranking Guild member would be involved in embezzlement—they knew that going public with everything would shake Meren to its very roots. The Guild, being the Guild, could already picture the kinds of criticism they’d receive (and the many ways other familias would be able to take advantage of them and invite them to ruin). 
If details of this incident got out, plots to reveal their weaknesses would come out of the woodwork. It was almost as if they’d received a warning already, from the “thread” connecting the separate points of the scandal: “If I’m going down, you’re going down with me.” 
Truthfully, the Guild had long been getting information from Loki Familia on the secret maneuvers of Orario’s organizations, but they’d never acted upon any of the tips, perhaps already afraid of the retaliation (and mutual destruction) it would bring. 
“See, the reason they released the violas then…and also the reason why they only had ’em do so much damage…was to make it seem like they were never even there.” 
“I see. It was more than a diversion…It was insurance.” 
—was the explanation Loki and Riveria came up with. 
Then that “thread,” that queen of beauty, could make her way back to Orario, smiling as though none the wiser. 
While nothing would happen to Njör?r or Borg, what with the strong influence they had on Meren’s administration, there was no question as to the deal that was made behind the scenes promising their allegiance to the Guild. 
Thus, it came to pass that Guild Branch Chief Rubart would be the only one taking the fall. 
“The hell. So that guy Rubart was the only one to go down, huh? He really drew the short straw on this one.” 
It was the day after everyone had returned to the port city proper, making it the second day after the events had transpired at Meren’s wharf. After dealing with the constant belligerence that was the Guild, Loki had made her way quickly—escaping, perhaps—to Njör?r and company to wrest out the full details of the proceedings. 
“It would seem so. Quite awful, what happened to him. Losing his job and everything.” 
“Well, isn’t that just a cryin’ shame. Imagine, one of yer own kids gettin’ caught up in my all-powerful plan and endin’ up on unemployment the rest of their life.” 
“I know. Which is exactly why I forcibly carved my blessing in his back and welcomed him into my ranks of fishermen.” 
“Yer really the devil himself.” 
The two joked back and forth, faces deadpan. They were in Njör?r’s chambers in Nóatún, Njör?r Familia’s home. 
“Like throwin’ a farmer onto a battlefield, you are.” 
“Still…it’s about the only thing I can do to atone for what I’ve done…” 
It seemed Rubart hadn’t taken too well to the change, already resentful enough over what had happened and now surrounded on all sides by slightly too affectionate fishermen. “Don’t worry! We’ll take good care of ya!” The entire thing had gotten a bit out of hand, no doubt making the gesture of goodwill feel more and more like punishment… 
“And what about you, huh? Fixed things up between you and your kid?” 
“You mean Rod?…I’m not sure things will ever be the same between us…” he answered somewhat vaguely, with a weak smile that contained dozens of emotions. “What was it he told me? Ah, yes…‘we’ll keep doing our best so long as you try not to get involved in anything else strange.’” 
“…You really do have some good kids.” 
“Indeed.” Njör?r smiled at Loki’s sincere reply. “Though I still haven’t solved the whole monsters-in-the-sea issue, I’ll try to think of a way to do so without the violas going forward. To do so would, no doubt, put me back in your sights and in line for another scolding, as well.” 
“That it would.” 
“We’ll keep on slogging away here…Rod, Borg, and everyone else.” 
With their plans for the future laid out, both of them turned around to face the same direction, where a certain young goddess currently sat tied up on a chair. 
“Now it’s your turn, you demonic urchin. Ready to spit it all out?” 
“…Hmph,” she replied with a jerk of her head. Loki just cackled evilly from her spot a short distance away. 
Once the fight in the sea cavern had come to an end, she and her followers had taken pity on Bache and the other injured Amazons, healing their wounds and sending them back on their ship to Telskyura. Not so their patron deity, however, who’d been forcibly brought back with them. Seeing the tiny brat hopping mad at her current arrangements only made Loki all the more gratified. 
“First off, ya better goddamn well promise not to lay a finger on my Tione and Tiona, ya hear? And make sure those battle junkies of yours know it, too…” 
“…If you’re talking about Argana, she’s no use to me now anyway.” 
“Huh?” Loki asked dubiously. 
“And not just Argana, either…but all of them. Everyone except Bache has done the dishonor of losing to a man…” Kali continued, with a deep frown. Her eyes turned dark and glassy as she mumbled invectives: “If only they could have been Amazons,” “And don’t even get me started on Tione,” “Damn girl. Fall in love, will she?” “With Argana down for the count, Bache doesn’t even have a reason to fight anymore…” “The future is dark indeed…” 
“This may very well be the end for Telskyura…” she finally said out loud. “My poor beloved kingdom…” 
“I have no idea what you were just mumblin’ up a storm about…but let me get one thing straight. And this is for the sake of my cute little Tiona and Tione,” Loki started. “You’re gonna put an end to all this killin’, you hear? Or at the very least, release those who don’t like these ‘rites’ of yours.” 
“Oh, right, because if I say, ‘If you don’t wanna die, just say so, and you can leave,’ everyone won’t raise their hands. What are you, an imbecile?!” 
“You wanna die, you asinine punk?!” 
“All right, all right. I got it, I got it! Love will save the world and all that. Love and peace, love and peace. All hail Lady Aphrodite.” 
“You little shit—” 
“This approach seems to be getting us nowhere. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind lowering your fist, Loki?” 
Loki’s clenched fist was trembling at the masked goddess’s infuriating expression and cheeky comments, but when Njör?r interrupted with a well-placed jab of his elbow, she somehow released the breath she’d been holding. 
“…Fine. First off, why did you all come to Meren?” 
“Not sayin’.” 
“I thought I just asked if you wanted to die, punk!” 

“And that alone is what I can’t tell you. Not after coming this far.” 
Kali harrumphed, once again turning her head to the side as big blue veins rose atop Loki’s forehead. 
“Come on now, you two…” Njör?r attempted to mediate for Loki—a skill he’d developed far too well thanks to the long friendship they shared from back in the upper world. 
“If anyone, Ishtar certainly seems to have done a lot for him and his familia. You don’t suppose she has something to do with it?” 
“All right, out with it, midget!” 
“—?” 
Kali responded with a brash whistle. 
Though she examined things from underneath her half-lidded eyes, Loki had somehow narrowed down the candidates in her mind after hearing about Ishtar’s involvement. The first face that popped into her head belonged to the abominable goddess of beauty she couldn’t seem to get rid of…But considering she had no duty to warn Kali of the kinds of trouble she could get her into, Loki chose to keep her mouth shut. 
“…Next. What do you know about those man-eating viola flowers?” 
“Nothing, actually. I’m being honest.” 
Loki stared down at Kali but spotted no sign of dishonesty in her crimson eyes. 
“Though come to think of it, Ishtar certainly seemed to know a great deal about those flowers, no?” Kali mused. 
“Not Ishtar again!…Njör?r, you said yourself Ishtar and her gang were the ones who supplied your violas, right?” 
“That’s true. However, they were simply a trading partner…introduced to me as the perfect entity to help in transporting the violas to Meren.” 
Once the deal had been struck, they’d both used the sea cave near Meren to their own advantage. In exchange for their delivering the violas, Njör?r had agreed to finance their activities in the city. It had never been anything more than that, and certainly there was no sort of trusting relationship between the two. 
“She really chewed you up and spit you out, you know that, right?” Loki commented, holding nothing back. 
“Tell me something I don’t know…” Njör?r replied with a sigh. 
“Hmm…Then our two leads are Ishtar and that mysterious human skulking about in the sewers…” Loki mused as the two finally turned toward the table where Ishtar Familia’s emblem—one of the insignias on the Guild’s official list—had been placed alongside a refined portrait of the mysterious figure Njör?r had drawn up. The illustration depicted an unhealthy-looking person with bags under their eyes, or, at least, under the one eye not hidden by a set of long bangs. 
A shadier-lookin’ guy than Soma even…Loki couldn’t help but think as she eyed it. 
“…Come to think, what kinda stuff did this fella want you to smuggle anyway?” 
“I’m afraid I never looked inside the boxes themselves, but likely valuable goods, occasionally alcohol…One time there was even a box that made a horrible ruckus. Something alive, no doubt. According to that human, he desperately needed money.” 
“Money, huh…?” 
Certainly, if the remnants of the Evils and those creatures had any hopes of fulfilling their dreams of destroying Orario, they’d need sufficient capital to support their activities. Then had everything been a wasted effort? At any rate, she’d at least gotten her hands on another clue, which was enough for the time being. 
“Yo, short stuff. Ishtar mention anything else? Doesn’t even have to be anything important.” 
“Hmmm…I’m afraid we didn’t talk long. Both of us had things to do, you see…So I can’t remember much else,” Kali began, her expression somewhat pensive beneath the gazes of the other two gods. “But…” she added. “What I can say is…that woman is terrifying.” 
“…? What’s that supposed to mean? Your familia is kirlos ahead of hers when it comes to sheer power…” Loki said, confused. 
“I mean she’s as crafty as they come. And she has an ace up her sleeve to boot. Surely you’ve heard something from your children concerning this matter, hmm?” 
And certainly, Loki had. 
Thinking back now, Loki remembered Aiz and Bete telling her that Ishtar’s Level-5 captain, Phryne Jamil, had been wielding the combat power of a Level 6. And what’s more, according to Bete, she’d had some kind of magic user in her arsenal, too…If that goddess really had gotten ahold of some kind of magic or curse that effectively leveled up her followers, she’d be a force to be reckoned with. For instance, if those same effects had been used on either Argana or Bache, the situation they’d just dealt with would likely have gone much differently. Sure, she’d been able to play it cool knowing she had reinforcements in the form of Finn and the rest of the men, but had her calculations been incorrect, she’d have been in for a world of hurt. The mere thought of it was enough to send a drop of cold sweat down her temple. 
At the same time, though, another thought crossed her mind. 
This was exactly what the lower world was about—the most thrilling board game, brimming with possibilities even she and her other gods couldn’t predict. 
And it was for this reason that she couldn’t get enough of it—a thought that had her indiscreetly licking her chops. 
“And one more thing…” Kali spoke up again. “This is just a hunch, but…the reason she didn’t bat an eye at leaving my girls and me out to dry even after going all the way to invite us here? She’s got something else. Another one of her hidden aces.” 
“Another ace in the hole…” Loki ruminated on the words as Njör?r threw a gaze in her direction. 
Outside, night had already blanketed the building in shadow. Inside, Loki heard the sound of two unexpected divine wills interlocking. 
 
“That incompetent fool…falling to Loki Familia. It’s just as I predicted…” 
A bewitching figure made its way along the stone passage. 
Woven hair swaying with each step, Ishtar cursed the tiny goddess under her breath. Her human manservant remained silent alongside her. 
But her grumblings were not to last long, and her frown turned into a smile as she let out a puff of noxious purple air from her kiseru pipe. She’d reached the end of the dimly lit passage. 
“If I can’t rely on them, I’ll have to rely on myself…even if it means using it.” 
The room in front of her opened up. 
In a grand hall of stone, robed figures were walking to and fro across its floor. She looked down at them from atop the balcony-like plateau jutting out into the room, and to that which was tied up at the room’s center. 
It was a monster, a giant beast bound by countless chains. 
“The Bull of Heaven…milady?” the young human behind her murmured, his voice low as his body gave a shudder. The goddess of beauty simply narrowed her amethyst eyes. 
Two colossal horns protruded from its head, warped and twisted in gallant depravity. 
And from its forehead, a female figure, feasting itself on magic stones, rolled its hideous eyes upward.