Wanted to get this one out so y'all can have it early!
[A Daring Proposition]
Licia Dore did not come to Orario to be an adventurer.
Before coming to the city, she had been a vagrant. At least, that’s what people called her as she wandered the wilderness amongst a small group of others, moving from city to city and never settling down in one place. It was the only life she’d known, having been born into it, but even at her young age, she had grown tired of the constant movement. Like everyone, she wanted a place to really belong, and knew she wouldn’t find it on the road.
So when she heard tales of Orario’s prosperity and the opportunities that awaited anyone willing to work hard, she made a choice.
She came to the city with nothing but the clothes on her back, a chipped dagger, and a pocket full of determination to live a full life. She spent the better part of a month asking around for employment, offering to scrub floors or haul produce for a fair wage, only to be turned away at nearly every turn.
She had been on the verge of giving up when Lord Apollo found her, staring wide-eyed at a basket of fresh fruit she used to enjoy on the road, with nothing but a couple hundred Valis to her name. He offered her a place in his familia, and in the process, what she had been wanting all along.
Licia joined the Apollo Familia with stars in her eyes and hope in her heart. Lord Apollo welcomed her with open arms, quite literally, sweeping her into an embrace that felt warm and genuine. He provided her with a room in the estate, proper meals, and even a small stipend to purchase equipment. For a girl who had spent her entire life scraping by, it felt like a dream.
She trained alongside her new Familia members, learning to wield a sword and dagger with proper form. Dorian took her under his wing almost immediately, his easy humor and patient instruction making the grueling process of conditioning and practice bearable. Cressida taught her the basics of potions and when it was proper to use them, and Marcus ensured she was always well-equipped for dungeon runs.
The Apollo Familia became her family, and for the first time in a long time, Licia felt like she belonged somewhere. They ate, trained, and celebrated together, all the while Lord Apollo presided over them with golden eyes that were always warm, his smile always welcoming. Licia admired him, looked up to him, and trusted him completely.
But that trust had begun to crack, and now... Licia wasn’t sure how to feel.
Apollo’s offer rang deafening in the silent banquet hall. Licia watched Tanya carefully, gauging her reaction despite already knowing exactly how the girl would feel about that proposal.
Licia had learned to read people during her time on the road, picking up on the small tells that betrayed what lay beneath the surface. A twitch of the eye, a clenching of the jaw, a shifting of weight from one foot to the other. Most people wore their emotions plainly, whether they realized it or not.
But Tanya, as usual, was different.
The girl’s careful expression cracked only minutely at the god’s ‘generous’ offer. Surprise appeared in the widening of her blue eyes and anger made itself known in the thinning of her lips. The reactions were there, plainly apparent for anyone who knew the girl from more than a passing glance, but they were gone in an instant, and what replaced them was far harder to read.
It was strange, Licia thought, that a girl so young could have such control over her emotions. Even on her best day, Licia would have a hard time keeping such a calm expression in the face of such adversity.
But Licia knew that Tanya wasn’t any normal girl. A single conversation had proven that much. The way she spoke, walked, and held herself belied an experience far beyond her years. Dorian had noticed it first, during their conversation in the Hostess, but even though she was far more concerned with making a good impression at the time, even Licia hadn’t missed it completely.
And she wasn’t missing it now.
The way Tanya stared at Apollo, her blue eyes cold and sharp, sent shivers up Licia’s freshly-leveled spine. There was hatred in that gaze, a burning animosity that seemed far too intense for a girl so young and full of life. It was the look of someone who had been wronged deeply, repeatedly, by forces beyond their control.
What happened in your past? Licia wondered. What did the gods do to you to make you capable of such hate?
She should be saying something. She was there in the Dungeon as well; she knew what really happened, the truth Asterin was stretching so wildly for the crowd’s eager ears. They were eating up the wrong story, and only Licia could set the record straight.
But fear held her tongue. Whispered words and steady hands closed her throat and strangled her voice, and she could only watch helplessly as Apollo, wielding that same caring expression that she used to adore, used his honeyed words to try and force a young girl into his fold.
Licia thought she could have been sick if she had eaten anything since yesterday.
The banquet hall held its breath.
Licia watched from her position beside the platform, her heart hammering against her ribs as Tanya stared up at the god who had orchestrated this entire farce, Licia’s god. Apollo’s smile remained fixed in place, benevolent and patient, as if he were simply waiting for a confused child to understand the generous offer being presented to her.
Tanya’s lips parted, and the hall seemed to lean forward collectively, every ear straining to catch her words. Even the gods and entertainment, used to such drama, seemed to hold their breath as if reaching out to catch the next moment with every single one of their senses.
Tanya stared into Apollo’s smiling eyes, her expression unreadable, her posture relaxed despite the tension radiating from every corner of the room. She opened her mouth, and spoke two words into deathly silence.
“I refuse.”
The words rang out like a plucked string from a finely-tuned harp. Licia’s own breath caught in her throat, her brows raising at the sheer gall on display. She expected denial, maybe even negotiation given Tanya’s pragmatic attitude, but never could she say she expected the girl to flat out refuse a god to his face!
There was a moment of stunned silence in which even Apollo seemed to stare at Tanya in shock. The god’s carefully crafted smile seemed to freeze on his face. The mask held firm, but Licia could see the muscles in his neck bunch with tension.
Then, a laugh rang out.
All eyes turned toward the source, finding Loki barely managing to contain her mirth. The red-haired goddess had one hand on her face, the small limb doing nothing to contain the gargantuan smile that had spread over her pale face. Her shoulders shook with restrained chuckles as she pointed at Apollo.
“She sure told you, huh? ’I refuse.’ Ha! How long has it been since you’ve been turned down like that, Apollo?”
Judging by the way the sun god’s smile strained, it had been a very long time indeed. A smattering of laughter rippled through the crowd, clearly from those wishing to curry favor with the amused goddess, but Apollo did not give any heed to Loki’s mirth, having eyes for only Tanya who continued to stare at him in defiance, blue eyes like tiny chips of ice.
“Miss Degurechaff,” Apollo said, his voice patient and coaxing, “I understand this may seem overwhelming. Perhaps you should take a moment to reconsider—”
“And perhaps you should call an end to this farce before you embarrass yourself in front of all these good people,” Tanya interrupted boldly, her voice projecting to the very corners of the banquet hall.
There was a moment of stunned silence in which even Apollo seemed to stare at Tanya in shock. The god’s smile seemed to freeze on his face, and Licia could see the muscles in his neck bunch with sudden tension.
Tanya’s expression had also morphed, a picture of pure disdain painting itself across her face as she stared at the god with blazing eyes. “I came here in good faith, with the exact sum you requested, only to find myself subject to this? I suppose I shouldn’t have expected better.”
Asterin stepped forward, his ever-present smile firmly in place. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to. I’ve been nothing but honest about what transpired in the Dungeon.”
Tanya’s lip curled. “You wouldn’t, would you? You two have put on quite a show, I’ll admit, but I have no interest in being part of it.”
Apollo’s coughed lightly, trying to keep up the facade of magnanimity, though it was clear that Tanya’s demeanor had shaken him. “My dear, I fear you’re taking this too lightly. The crime you’re accused of is serious.”
Tanya sniffed. “No doubt. But the veracity of the accuser leaves much to be desired, wouldn’t you agree?”
Before either man or god could respond, Tanya turned to face the crowd. Licia was struck by her confidence, the way she stood before gods and mortals alike without a shred of fear in her bearing. It was almost unnerving, the composure she displayed in the face of such overwhelming adversity.
“I’ve been told that the gods and goddesses who have so graciously deigned to live among us have the ability to sense lies,” Tanya began. “But I wonder, can the same be said for omissions and half-truths?”
She paused, as if to let her words sink in, then continued in a softer tone. “If I am right in my assumptions, then I ask those of you who are capable to hear the truth in my words. I was no more responsible for Dorian’s death than the man himself. He was a comrade and a tentative friend, though we may not have known each other very long. He gave his life so that Licia and I might live, and Asterin himself assisted in our escape, though he seems very intent to gloss over that fact now.”
Licia’s heart lifted even as murmurs rippled through the crowd. Tanya was swaying the spectacle in her favor, turning Apollo’s own theatrics against him. None of the present divinity could deny that Tanya spoke truth; they knew it as surely as she knew herself.
As did Apollo. The god’s face had turned sour, and even Asterin’s ever-present grin had diminished somewhat.
Tanya pressed her advantage. “Asterin claims I abandoned them, and yet he conveniently fails to mention that it was Dorian who ordered Licia and I to flee while he and Asterin held the line.”
She had them on the edge of their seats, hanging on her every word. And then, to Licia’s surprise, Tanya turned to her.
“Tell me, Licia, when we were nearly cornered by that Hard Armored, held dead to rights by a monster even most Level Two’s would have trouble with, did I abandon you?”
Licia swallowed as all eyes turned to her, including Apollo and Asterin. Her god’s face was passive, but his eyes were dark, golden pits that pushed her to silence. Licia’s hands shook, and she suddenly wished more than anything that she was somewhere else.
But Tanya’s face was open, imploring even. She needed Licia to speak, and Licia knew in that moment that if she consigned herself to silence, she may well be consigning the girl herself to a worse fate.
So, she spoke.
“You asked me to hold it off… and then you killed it before it could kill us.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, yet it reached every ear before her. Tanya’s eyes flashed with gratitude, while Apollo…
Well, Licia didn’t look at her god, but she knew that he was displeased with her words. She could feel it in her soul, a tingling akin to the blessing that had been reapplied to her just last night.
“And there you have it,” Tanya said, satisfaction painting her tone. “Tell me, Asterin. Did you truly go to such great lengths to cherry pick your account that you’d leave out such an important event? Or did you simply omit those details to craft a more convenient narrative?”
Licia watched as heads turned toward Asterin, their expressions shifting from judgment to suspicion. The man’s smile had grown brittle, his green eyes darting between Tanya and the crowd as he searched for a way to salvage his story.
“The Dungeon is a chaotic place,” Asterin said finally, his voice smooth but carrying an edge of defensiveness. “Memories often become clouded in the heat of battle. All I recall is seeing your back as you left Dorian and into our fates.”
“Hmm. Your recollection seems remarkably selective indeed,” Tanya said smugly.
Apollo’s expression darkened further, but the god was nothing if not a practiced actor. He raised a hand, silencing the murmurs that had begun to spread through the crowd like wildfire.
“Enough,” he said, his voice carrying an edge that hadn’t been present before. “This bickering serves no purpose. The fact remains that Dorian is dead and that regardless of the specific circumstances or any event that came after, you bear a certain responsibility.”
His golden eyes fixed on Tanya, and Licia saw a flash of the possessive hunger that had always made her feel both special and uncomfortable. “I am within my rights to demand restitution.”
“There’s that word again. Restitution,” Tanya repeated, the word dripping with scorn. “Don’t you believe you’ve already overplayed your hand?”
The crowd stirred at her audacity. Even Loki, who had been watching with unrestrained amusement, fell silent as Tanya stepped closer to the god, seeming as gigantic as any Minotaur.
Tanya stared up at the god, her blue eyes cold and calculating. “You speak of restitution, yet you have already received one hundred thousand Valis from my hand. That was the debt you imposed upon me, and I have paid it in full. Now you invent new obligations to suit your desires.”
“I invent nothing,” Apollo replied, his voice hardening. “A life was lost, and that loss must be compensated.”
“Then by that logic, should we not also examine Asterin’s role in this tragedy?” Tanya gestured toward the blonde man. “He fought alongside Dorian, survived while Dorian did not, yet he blames me instead of himself? Does his survival not demand scrutiny, or is it simply more convenient to place all blame upon the girl with no Familia to protect her?”
The crowd murmured in agreement, their earlier judgment giving way to thoughtful consideration. Asterin’s expression had grown tight, his pleasant mask beginning to show cracks.
“Asterin is a loyal member of my Familia,” Apollo said carefully. “He has served me faithfully for years.”
“And I am a stranger to you,” Tanya agreed. “Which makes me the easier target. No allies to speak of, no god to advocate for my defense. Simply a child who happened to survive when others did not.”
She’s in her element. Licia watched with amazement as Tanya dismantled Apollo’s argument. The girl was playing to the crowd now, appealing to their sense of fairness while expertly exposing the obvious manipulation at play. It was something that most would struggle to do—Licia certainly couldn’t manage it. Yet Tanya made it look effortless, as if she was reciting from a book.
“I have paid the debt that was asked of me,” Tanya continued, her voice rising slightly. Whether it was simple theatrics or genuine anger wasn’t possible to tell. “I faced weeks of grueling labor in the Dungeon, overcoming monsters and near-death experiences without the benefit of a Falna or party to support me. I fulfilled my obligation, and now you seek to shackle me with new ones because the outcome was not what you desired.”
Licia shifted her gaze and felt her heart drop. Apollo’s smile had vanished entirely.
“You overstep,” Apollo said quietly. “I have been patient with your impudence, but my patience has limits.”
Tanya did not flinch at the warning. Instead, she straightened her spine and met the god’s hardened gaze with one of her own.
“How generous of you to extend such patience to a girl you have never met, who owed you nothing until your followers happened across her broken body and rendered aid. How benevolent of you to administer potions she never requested and then demand payment far exceeding their actual cost.”
She tilted her head in mock thought. “I wonder, how many others have found themselves in similar circumstances? How many young adventurers have been swept into this Familia’s embrace because they saw no other option?”
The murmuring intensified, and Licia caught fragments of uneasy conversation. Apollo’s practices were rarely well hidden. But few other gods in Orario had the pull to actually call him out on it, and none had ever done so like this.
Apollo’s face darkened. “You tread dangerous ground, child.”
Even as he spoke, Licia caught the tremble in his tone. Most would mistake it for anger, but Licia saw her god’s unease as plain as day. This wasn’t going how he thought it would.
Then again, how could he have imagined that this young slip of a girl could ever verbally joust with him, in front of such a crowd, no less. The gods in attendance were on the edge of their proverbial seats. Clearly, this was much more entertainment than they had expected when they decided to join the party.
“I speak only the truth,” Tanya replied evenly. “A truth that your fellow divinities can verify with their own senses, if they care to examine my words.”
“I will not be lectured on morality by a child who abandoned her companions to die,” Apollo growled. “You speak of truth, yet you refuse to acknowledge your own failings. You fled and survived while better adventurers perished. That is the simple reality of what occurred.”
Tanya’s expression remained unchanged, but Licia caught the small flash of triumph on her face before it was hidden under that careful mask once more. “If that is the reality you wish to present, then let us settle this matter properly.”
Her words were met with confused muttering as she turned to face Apollo fully, her arms coming to rest behind her back as she stared up at the god. Her childish frame suddenly seemed anything but as she drew herself up with authority, suddenly commanding the attention of every soul in the room.
“Since you seem so intent on weaving your little dramas, I propose we settle this matter properly,” Tanya said. “You’re familiar with War Games, I assume?”
Licia felt her breath catch. A War Game? She wanted to fight against the entire familia all on her lonesome!?
“You’re not a member of a Familia,” Apollo pointed out, his eyes narrowing. “You have no standing to participate in a War Game.”
“You misunderstand. I’m not offering anything quite as involved, merely using it as a reference,” Tanya replied evenly. “What I propose is nothing but a simple duel. A one-on-one match to settle matters once and for all. If I win, you will consider all obligations between us fulfilled. The debt is paid, and I walk away free of any further entanglements with your Familia.”
Apollo studied her for a long moment, his golden eyes intent. “And if you lose?”
Tanya’s expression remained placid as she met his gaze. “Then you may do with me as you wish.”
Licia’s stomach twisted violently at the casual way Tanya offered herself up. She was under the impression that Tanya hated the gods, yet here she was practically serving herself on a silver platter to the god she had spent so much effort trying to escape. What could be the purpose of such a reckless move? Was she simply out of options?
No, Licia forced herself to calm down. There must be some other angle she’s playing.
Apollo’s smile returned, bright and edged with predatory intent. “An interesting offer indeed! And who, precisely, would you duel?”
“I’m not especially picky. You may choose,” Tanya replied, and there was a challenge in her voice that was impossible to ignore.
Licia instantly saw what she was doing. By giving Apollo the authority to choose her opponent instead of challenging one outright, she put the god’s reputation on the line. If he chose someone too powerful, like Hyakinthos or even Daphne, people would wonder if he saw Tanya as an undue threat or even tipped the scales in his favor. On the other hand, if he chose someone too weak, he risked losing the duel and rendering this whole endeavor useless.
Apollo seemed to realize this as well, as his smile dimmed and his expression turned surprisingly pensive. He stared at Tanya for a long moment and then slowly looked around, taking in the crowd awaiting his word.
“Asterin,” Apollo finally said, gesturing to the blonde man beside him. “He will be your opponent. As the accuser, it seems fitting that he should be the one to face you.”
Licia’s heart sank. Asterin was a Level Two and had been for over a year now. Tanya had acquitted herself well in the Dungeon, certainly, but she had no Falna, no blessing. Even that strange magic she used in the Dungeon wouldn’t help her against someone so powerful.
She needed to say something. This was wrong. Licia clenched her fists and summoned every ounce of courage available to her, preparing to speak out past the knot in her throat and above the pounding in her heart, when…
“Very well,” Tanya said, cutting through the rising murmurs of the crowd. “I accept.”
The crowd gave a collective gasp. Even Loki and the Pallum beside her, both of whom had been watching the proceedings with interest, seemed surprised by the girl’s words. Licia swallowed, the words dying in her throat as she stared at Tanya who maintained that almost infuriating composure in the face of what seemed like certain defeat.
“When will this duel occur?” Tanya asked, seemingly oblivious to the reaction her acceptance had invoked.
Apollo’s face screamed imminent victory. “Let us say tomorrow morning, at dawn? That will give us all time to recoup from the festivities, and let my dear guests spread the word of this little event. I’m sure all of Orario will appreciate the spectacle!”
Tanya simply nodded, and the god turned to address the crowd, spreading his arms wide. “It seems the entertainment isn’t over, my friends! Tomorrow, at first light, we shall witness justice served in the arena! I implore all of you to be there to witness it!”
Those gathered let out cheers. Here was a girl without a Falna, blatantly challenging one of the most prominent Familias in all of Orario. Many of the gods present would balk at the idea of earning the ire of the god standing before them, yet Tanya appeared to hold no such fear and in fact, seemed to openly invite Apollo’s disdain!
It was ludicrous, dangerous, downright insane. And to the immortal beings who had descended to the lower world out of sheer boredom, endlessly entertaining.
The noise in the banquet hall rose exponentially as the guests chattered amongst themselves. Licia caught fragments of conversation—wagers being discussed, predictions being made, the names of potential winners being bandied about.
They were treating this as sport, Licia realized with a sick feeling in her gut. A young girl’s freedom, reduced to entertainment for the masses.
She looked at Tanya, searching for some sign of fear or hesitation. But the girl simply stood there, watching Apollo with a small, satisfied smile on her face. It was the expression of someone who had just gotten exactly what they wanted.
Licia wondered if it would be the same had she known the truth.