Danmachi SI-The Silence's Heir

Part 3

Chapter 3

LADY ASTRAEA

It had been nearly ten hours since she had sent that kid after her familia members. From the intel the guild had provided, she knew that her children had gone to the 30th floor to deal with Rudra's familia.

In normal circumstances, sending only one adventurer as backup into such a deep floor was simply suicide. And yet he was not a regular adventurer, and as she stood outside the dungeon she prayed in her heart for the safety of her children—all her children.

She had called in a favor and managed to obtain the services of Riveria, who had arrived an hour ago and was amongst the best healers in all of Orario.

"If they are deep in the 30th floor, it would take even a team of Level 4s more than twelve hours to reach that level," the High-elf added and she bit her lip, knowing her assessment to be true.

"I know, but he will make it," she said, choosing to believe in her newest child.

The High-elf looked towards her and frowned.

"Just who did you send as their reinforcement? The only person who could make it to the 30th floor in such a short time would be either Warlord Ottar or Vana Freya Allen Fomel," Riveria added as her gaze glinted.

"But both of them are away from Orario on a quest for the guild," and that was a shame, yet she could not reveal her secret yet. Not yet, she would face all the consequences of her action later, but right now, she needed to protect her children.

And then she felt it. As her heart lept up, she looked up and saw it first—a small group rushing out of the dungeon.

As she caught a glimpse of those red hairs, her heart eased, as she could easily recognise them even from afar.

"Alise," she gasped out as she saw her children running out of the dungeon, and yet they were only half.

Of the nine that had left, only four emerged from the dungeon, and all of them looked haggard and tired. And she buried the pain, as the implication dawned on her as she rushed towards them.

"Alise," she said as Riveria joined them and began to heal them. She saw Kaguya huffing, clutching her shoulder, missing an arm. While Lyra plopped to the ground, her whole face caked in blood, her eyes gone.

And then there was Leon, she simply stood there dazed and pale, unmoving.

"What happened?" she asked Alise and the captain of her familia looked to be on the verge of passing out. Her radiant red eyes had become hollow and had dark circles around them as she looked her in the eye.

"It was a trap," and that was all she needed to hear. Her intuition had been right.

"We had them encircled on the 30th floor, but then they summoned it," Alise continued as she looked down at her hands.

"A monster unlike anything I have ever seen," Alise continued as Riveria healed the rest of the group, and both Kaguya and Lyra seemed to have passed out from exhaustion.

"AN irregular," and that explained much more. Most monsters had specific levels at which they appeared, and yet irregulars broke these rules. Monster of variable patterns spawning at any place and laying havoc.

"It killed everyone. Everyone," Alise gasped, and Astraea closed her eyes as she prayed for the departed souls of her children.

"All because I was not strong enough..." Alise continued, her voice shaky as she looked to the ground.