Paladin of Shadows Chapter 18

After getting cleaned up from my jaunt through the dungeon I went back downstairs and as I went into the goddesses 'office' or more like hang out spot. I saw my two goddesses sitting upon their couches both silently reading their own books at their leisure.

Hestia was wearing her typical white dress that clung to her frame very well and Freya on the other hand due to probably feeling bored and ready to nap at her leisure was wearing a thin sleeping gown... Or maybe just a particularly lewd dress, I couldn't be sure with Freya honestly.

But seeing me come in Hestia smiled and waved happily as she said. "Heya Jake! How did it go in the dungeon with Delta and Epsilon?" 

I chuckled and said with a bit of a wry smile. "As per usual Epsilon is a delight to work with... Delta just had a bit too much energy though, but she was a good girl when we pointed at we needed to be dealt with." 

To which Freya nodded and said gently. "Delta is a loyal war hound. And she needs time to do her instincts will, lest she be at battle with her own self. Now let us get your Falna updated Jake."

With Freya's words I slipped off my shirt and walked over and then took a seat on a small padded stool that I put in front of where Freya sat up on her couch so she could update my Falna.

Hestia obviously curious about what had happened came over and I felt her smaller smooth hand gently touch the corner of my Falna and touch upon my soul as Freya's own divine power went to work converting my lesser Excellia into stat points to fill my Falna. "Hmm, getting a Jake Bird egg will give the Familia some good liquid funds for Gamma and Eta to work their magic. Good work on that Jake." Freya whispered into my ear.

Then I felt Freya's power close my Falna as she hummed with thought and said with some introspection. "Now Jake, Hestia and I have been discussing any other divines we could introduce you two in order to hopefully gain you access to a skill or spell that will directly help you in combat."

I nodded in understanding as Freya's spell, although fucking amazing for healing in a group as it healed and recovered, injuries, stamina, and even other people's mana. Hestia's blessing was a growth-based skill that although powerful didn't help me personally.

At this point, I needed a spell or skill that would increase my offensive means so that I could grow faster via actually being able to slaughter monsters more efficiently besides my own melee skills.

I carefully spun around so I could meet Hestia and Freya's eyes and I asked the obvious question. "So who would I make a contract with then? Do you have any suggestions?"

Both Hestia and Freya shared a look before Hestia coughed and spoke up. "Well Jake, I have a couple friends I can try to have you make a contract with... Well they are both virgin goddesses who I was close to back in Tenkai." Hestia spoke making me raise an eyebrow before she shook her head with her twin tails flapping about making Freya give her a glare as she dodged one of the flailing ropes of hair.

But Hestia blind to Freya's moment of irritation continued to speak as she maintained eye contact. "So although Artemis who is a goddess of the hunt can probably sign a contract with you, you would need to be a hunter of some sort... Uhm but the other one is almost a slam dunk I am sure!" Hestia said excitedly as though to assure me otherwise at seeing me frown at the thought of trying to make a contract with Artemis.

She then spoke happily. "My other friend is Astrea and she is here in Orario with a decently strong Familia. And so long as you swear to be a good person and to hunt down evil she will assuredly give you her blessing!"

I chewed on my thoughts before slowly nodding in agreement as I said with a small smile. "Well, that shouldn't be hard... If I saw someone throwing a box of puppies into a lake I would save the puppies and beat the person half to death." 

To which Freya patted my knee and said kindly. "Good, she is a goddess of Justice and has a dim view of cruelty and evil. But beyond those two I did have a couple... Other options that were possible on my own side of contacts." 

She shifted and I saw a flash of something in her eyes before she listed off calmly. "I know of three goddesses I would trust with your secret of forming these contracts along with a single god whose desire for knowledge would make him keep mum besides merely his honor." 

I raised a hand and I couldn't help but ask out of some curiosity. "What about Ganesha? He is the god of the people wouldn't he be a good god to make a contract with?" 

Sure Ganesha was a bit annoying with his whole. "I AM GANESHA!" Bit but he was legitimately a good god who was powerful and wanted to protect and serve the people of Orario.

But it was Hestia who responded with her face curdling like she tasted bad milk as she said flatly. "He would agree without a second thought once you promised you wouldn't do evil with his blessing... The issue is that the moment you do anything of note he would get upon the literal rooftops to scream his joy that a champion bearing his divine power did said challenge with his blessing." 

Freya added on with an amused smile. "Although the Inari and Amaterasu familia's are very insular and don't interact with other Familia's besides getting only weapons from the smithing Familia's. Your ability to make a contract with the goddesses could make them desire you in a way we do not want... In either case allow me to list the four options I do have access to."

The beautiful silver-haired goddess then held out a hand and listed off. "Now first off is an old friend of mine from a different Pantheon. Isis, she is a mother goddess of many domains but particularly of magic and being the mother of heroes and warriors. Next is the goddess Ereshkigal, we bounded over our care of the souls coming into our domain and she although having a lesser domain over magic she does have one and some other possibly interesting domains."

Taking a breath Freya then continued on. "The next I am... Unsure of your actual safety in contracting as the Morrigan is a goddess of infamously mercurial temper. But with her domains, she would assuredly give you a blessing of a warrior... Or a spell to do with curses."

Even Hestia gave Freya a dim look at how troublesome Morrigan seemed but in the end Freya shrugged and said. "Next is Inanna, a sweetheart of a war goddess. But due to Ishtar's influence in the city she has been relegated to simply owning an arms and armor store rather than having a true Familia.'

Then while Freya took a drink Hestia took over and explained the last one. "Uhm the last one is the magic god Thoth who is known for being obsessive over his research and hating social situations so it's unlikely he would tell anyone... He would likely just want to see how you use his blessing and push you to try different things with the blessing you get from him."

So that was a good number of options to push towards making a contract with. Morrigan, Inanna, Ereshkigal, Astrea, Artemis, and Thoth.

But as though in thought Freya spoke out with a hint of amusement. "Hmm maybe if Jake has a silver tongue, he could probably also make a contract with Demeter without too many issues." 

Then a knock rang out from the door with Beta's voice coming through the cracked open door. "Dinner is ready and on the table. Please come join us Jake, and you two." 

I nodded and said kindly. "Thank you for telling us Beta, we are on our way."