Sword Astraea

Level two

Bell and Lili walked down Main Street on their way to the guild. It was the day after the Soma familia all turned themselves in, and the news broke like wildfire.

Their captain was dead, and all of their members were in jail awaiting trial for their hand in the multitude of crimes their familia performed.

Soma himself was also being tried as well.

But the big news was that it was all a level one from the Astraea familia that brought them down. Bell was being hounded in the very street he walked down right now.

"Hey, kid, did you really take down the Soma familia?"

"Is it true the captain killed himself?"

"Are you the new captain of the Astraea familia?"

"What are your opinions of the Gale Wind? She was an ex-Astraea familia member?"

Bell sighed as more and more questions were thrown at him. He and Lili had to stop walking so Bell could answer.

"Alright, first question. Yes, I did take down the Soma familia. They harmed my goddess and kidnapped my friend."

Bell turned to the second reporter. "Yes, the captain killed himself. He had a cursed weapon that, with a chant, could spring vines from the handle. Now these vines work like creep vines, but instead of sucking the water out of trees, it drained him of his blood."

"But his body is missing an arm."

"Well, I cut it off, which sped his suicide up by a few minutes."

Bell turned his attention to the one question he didn't really know the answer to.

"I wouldn't say I'm the new Astraea familia captain. I'm just another member, if Astraea were to offer me the position, I would gladly take it, but at this time, that spot remains vacant." 

Finally, Bell turned his attention to the last reporter. He already had an answer, and he didn't care how they spun it.

"My opinion on the Gale Wind is that this city should be thanking her rather than trying to prosecute her. It was thanks to her this city was brought out of the Dark Age. While I may not have been in the city at the time, I've heard how bad that time was. So when someone ends it, the city of Orario decides to persecute its savior? Pretty dumb if you ask me."

"So you're in support of the Gale Wind's actions?"

Bell nodded. "I am, if her actions ended a troubling time in this city's history, I'm behind her all the way."

"Even if some of the people she killed were innocent business owners who sold them equipment?"

Bell didn't miss a beat. "It is the business owner's job to find out what type of deals they are making and with whom they are making them. Taking out known dealers to Evilus limits the damage they can do with said supplies."

More and more questions came, and Bell tried his best to answer them. But eventually, he grew annoyed, so he grabbed Lili and, with his level-two abilities, jumped away.

Once he was in the clear, he set Lili down, and the prum looked up at him.

"Probably not smart for your reputation defending her like that."

Bell scoffed. "I don't care for my reputation. It's just something held up by people I don't know nor care about."

"Alright, but you might have some hecklers." Lili shrugged.

"And I can deal with a few words, Lili. Now let's go get you reregistered, and I'll report my level up. After that, I'm buying you some gear."

Lili held up her hands. "Oh, you don't need to Master Bell. Lili is fine with her wrist crossbow."