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"I'm sorry, could you please repeat that?"
Finn Deimne was seated in Wishe Café. It was not the first time he had been here- a few months ago, he had proposed marriage to Liliruca Arde here. The café was a rapidly popularizing spot in the city of Orario for two reasons- the first, that it was seen as a romantic spot for lovers (the reason Finn had chosen it for a meeting with Lili), and the second, that it was owned and run by elves and therefore catered to that race's sensibilities.
Finn was not here for romantic reasons today, and he was definitely not an elf, but he was meeting one.
Even if said elf was someone most elves preferred to pretend wasn't one of them. I'm beginning to see why. I never held a particularly high opinion of him, but this is beyond anything that I ever…
"I said, Loki Familia is not to participate in the War Game against Freya Familia, as you know full well. That is the whole reason you asked to meet with me, Braver, and my answer will not change."
Royman Mardeel leaned back in his seat, which protested noisily at the action. Small wonder- the man weighed almost twenty stone. Rolls of fat hung over his waist and threatened to burst the buttons of his finely tailored waistcoast; beads of sweat rolled down his chins as his heavy breathing echoed throughout the café, earning looks from other patrons that ranged from disapproving to revolted. The only physical tells that the man was an elf were his pointed ears—he bore none of the traditional beauty or grace of his race.
The debauchery of one too fond of the benefits of personal power. No, I've never liked him, but that very love of his position ought to be more than enough to ensure that he would never do something like this. How can he possibly be so blind?
"It was a rhetorical question. I would like to hear the reasoning behind the decision, please." As Mardeel leaned back, Finn leaned forward over the table. He kept his face fixed in a polite but enigmatic smile, even as his eyes bored into the elf's—he'd dealt with the "Guild Pig" many times before.
"I should think the reasoning is quite obvious." This too was within norms, so far—normally Mardeel would bluster and talk tough, but in the end, the day-to-day administrator of the city would give Finn the important points of what Finn wanted. Based on the current issue at stake, Finn had no reason to believe that would change.
"Nevertheless, I would like you to enlighten me. So that I can hear it in your own words, if nothing else."
Royman Mardeel made some sort of incomprehensible grunting/harrumphing noise. "Very well. Your Familia and Freya's familia are the two strongest in this city by far. Since the total destruction of the Zeus and Hera Familias fifteen years ago, you are the only ones capable of reaching the sort of strength necessary to fight the One Eyed Black Dragon, complete the Three Great Quests, clear the Dungeon, and in general save the world in the foreseeable future. Given the fact that those two Familias were even stronger than either yours or Freya's, and yet were completely wiped out by the Dragon, there is no possible way either of your Familias would be able to accomplish any of these things alone or at less than full strength. Therefore, it is quite out of the question to allow your Familias to meet each other on the battlefield with live weapons. Utterly impossible. The possibility, no, the likelihood… no, the certainty that some of your strongest members and/or some of theirs would be injured or killed is absolutely unacceptable."
"I see." Finn let those two words hang in the air for a moment. So he's opening with this argument. Though his expression did not change, he let some of his inner thoughts slip through for the first time. "Even if those statements of yours were true, which they are not-,"
"They are completely true, Braver!"
"- and even if they logically led to that conclusion, which they do not, is it not the case that War Games are meant to be nonlethal? Are there not teams of medics on standby? Is Ganesha Familia, by all accounts the largest and third most powerful Familia in the city, not going to be stationed around the field as referees?"
"None of those things have meaning when first-tier adventurers come at each other with full force, Braver, as you know full well! War Games can and have resulted in injuries and deaths before! Many times, throughout this city's history! As adventurers grow in level, their strength grows exponentially, and the power that Loki and Freya Familia's elites can bring to bear is nothing short of cataclysmic! The chances of accidents or even intentional killings or maimings are far too high!"
Neither Finn nor Royman Mardeel had spoken a lie. There were, in fact, rules that applied to all War Games that were meant to keep permanent injuries at a bare minimum and fatalities in a state of nonexistence. There were, in fact, already scheduled to be teams of medics on standby, including the entirety of Dian Cecht Familia. And Ganesha Familia were indeed going to be stationed around the perimeter of the battlefield watching the proceedings like hawks.
It was also true that there was little of that that mattered in the face of the power that Level 6 and 7 adventurers could fling around, that accidents happened, and that the bad blood present made it highly likely that there wouldn't be mere "accidents".
Yes, all of that was true. And though Finn had more faith in the durability of his executives than Mardeel seemed to, he could acknowledge that it was his weakest argument.
However…
"Our strength, and the fact that we are the only family that can match Freya strength for strength, is what makes us necessary. If we do not participate, Hestia Familia and those that do take the field with them are guaranteed to lose."
It was far from his only argument.
"So what?" The administrative head of the Guild waved his hand dismissively. "All that that will mean is that Bell Cranel is transferred formally from Hestia Familia to Freya Familia. One might even call that a blessing in disguise for Orario- having one or more first-class adventurers inherently brings responsibilities with it, responsibilities that I'm not convinced that Hestia is in any way ready for. Best to have the city's newest top-tier adventurer shepherded by those qualified to do so."
There were so many things wrong with this statement, morally and practically, that Finn for a moment had trouble even thinking of where to begin.
"I notice you don't dispute my statement. Without Loki Familia's presence on the field, Freya Familia is certain to win."
"Of course. Without Loki Familia or Ganesha Familia, the group opposing Freya will have no one higher than Level 5 among them, and only two of those. Ottar alone could win this battle, let alone the entirety of his Familia. It's irrelevant and does not change the greater picture."
"Doesn't it?" Finn's eyes bored into those of the Guild Pig, who began to sweat even more. "I think it does, Royman. And beyond that, I think the greater picture has never been what you claimed. Allow me to enlighten you."
"Now, wait just a minute, Braver-,"
"No."
With that single word, Finn released part of the pressure of his presence—the sheer power that radiated from a top-class adventurer, someone whose soul had been so engorged by years upon years of battles won and foes defeated that it impressed itself on all those near it. Usually, Finn, like his fellow Loki Familia elites, kept it suppressed, for obvious reasons. Now, he made it plain to all those in the vicinity just how serious he was.
Two nearby waitresses fainted, gasps rose from nearby tables, and the blood drained from Royman Mardeel's face.
"First. You, and all mortal employees of the Guild down to the youngest receptionist fresh from the Education District, are the government of this city. It has been this way for centuries. All the dozens upon dozens of gods and goddesses that inhabit this city, along with all their Familias, the weakest member of the weakest of which is clearly superior in prowess to the strongest individual not belonging to one, all of them agree to respect your authority and follow your laws. In return, the Guild has conceded two things." Finn held up two fingers, though still not removing his eyes from Mardeel's. "Ouranos will not grant any Guild employee Falna. Ouranos Familia ended when the Guild was born." He lowered one finger. "The Guild will take no part and hold no bias in the affairs of the deities of the city, but enforce its laws equally and fairly."
It should have been blindingly obvious what the point of him bringing this up was, but since Royman Mardeel seemed to be missing out on the blindingly obvious things lately, he continued.
"By your own admission, you see no way for Hestia Familia and its allies to triumph in a head-on collision against Freya Familia without my Familia's participation. I agree. The power differential is so great that no amount of clever tactics can make it up. Knowing this, you have elected to forbid me and my Familia from taking part. You are knowingly, and willingly, critically weakening one side in a contest between two Familias—that is, you are rigging the match. You are taking part in the affairs of the deities of the city, with a clear bias towards one side. You are violating your own neutrality and that of the city's government. This is clear cause for your removal from your post."
At this, the Guild Pig opened his mouth in outrage and began to stand from his chair, accompanied by much jiggling, but Finn simply released more of his presence and the morbidly obese elf sat back down hard.
"This, in itself, is quite bad enough. It would be, again, cause for your dismissal even if you were only intervening in a dispute between two gods over who should pay for their overdue bar tab. But you are not. Kindly allow me to recapitulate why this War Game is occurring." Finn once again raised his hand, all five fingers extended this time. "The goddess Freya had a raging lust for the boy Bell Cranel, which in itself is not so unusual. What is/was unusual is that Bell Cranel rejected her advances. Unable to do what every adult ought to be capable of and take 'no' for an answer, she then proceeded to launch an armed attack against the rest of the boy's Familia in broad daylight in the city streets, severely injure them, and hold them hostage with swords at their throat to force their goddess to comply with her desires. She then proceeded to forcibly mind-control the entirety of this city, you and me included, for a period of several weeks, while simultaneously altering our memories. This brainwashing was never voluntarily removed, but only broken by an external miracle; that is, Freya fully intended to manipulate the collective minds of the city's inhabitants indefinitely. A few people managed to evade the effects of the spell initially, or began to resist it. The ones that began to break free on their own had the brainwashing reapplied to them, with potentially harmful side effects to their own mental capacity. Those who escaped the effects altogether were hunted through the city streets like rabid dogs; at least one of them, Ms. Ryu Lyon, was captured and imprisoned in Folkvangr's basement. When she escaped, Freya Familia members came at her with full intent to murder her. Bell Cranel himself was subjected to weeks of what can only be described as mental and physical torture in an attempt to break him and turn him into a sex slave of Freya, since he would not go to her bed willingly."
As he listed the crimes of Freya and her Familia, Finn lowered the fingers of his hand one by one. When he ran out of fingers, he placed the hand on the table's surface and began tapping it. Not once through all this did he break eye contact—his continuous stare was now unnerving not only Mardeel, but every onlooker.
"This is a list of deeds not equaled in this city since the days of Evilus."
"Preposterous!" exploded Mardeel, finding his voice at last. He is really showing an impressive amount of spine today. If only he could direct that in the proper direction. "You dare make that comparison, Braver? Evilus were terrorists, murderers, followers of evil gods that sought to plunge the world into chaos for their sick amusement. You know that! You were one of the key leaders in the fight against them! Not a single person was killed in this incident, not one! There is absolutely no basis for this!"
"Oh? Do tell me, then, Royman, what am I to call the attacks on Hestia Familia and Ryu Lyon, if not attempted murder? What am I to call the forcible enslavement of the entire city, for the purposes of forcing the Guild and the world to comply with Freya's personal whims and wills, if not terrorism? Indeed, is that not the very definition of terrorism? What am I to call the turning of my Familia into puppets, incapable of properly directing our expeditions into the Dungeon, if not imperiling our efforts to subjugate the Pit of Monsters, and thereby pushing the world to the brink of chaos?"
"Preposterous," said Mardeel again. He seems to be overly fond of that word. "You are twisting the events of what happened. All of this is a squabble over a single boy. One boy. What could this boy possibly mean to you now that you are so determined to intervene on his side?"
"I am stating the verifiable, objective facts, with nothing added or removed. As for Bell Cranel… he is nothing to me, in terms of decision making."
Bell Cranel. Finn Deimne had first laid eyes on the boy when he fought a Minotaur at Level One, and prevailed (though he was almost completely certain that Ais had had significant contact with him before that). The boy's victory in that fight had put him over the hurdle to level up for the first time a mere month and a half after becoming an adventurer. Since then, Finn had had quite a few encounters with the boy in one shape or another, as an enemy during the incident on Daedalus Street with the Xenos, but much more often as an ally or colleague. Bell's courage in facing the black Minotaur Xenos in the aftermath of the aforementioned Daedalus Street incident had even personally inspired Finn. All in all, Finn considered Bell one of the brightest young stars of Orario, someone to be respected and treated warmly in most circumstances, and he knew that the rest of the elites of Loki Familia felt the same or even more strongly. He'd have had to have been blind not to see Ais's rapidly growing romantic feelings towards the White Rabbit.
Yet none of that made Bell, or Hestia Familia, a vassal or ally of Loki Familia. Finn had thirty-plus years of practice in shoving personal feelings aside when it came to administering the large organization he'd been entrusted with. Had this situation been the same as a few months ago, when it had been Apollo challenging Hestia to a War Game, he'd have done exactly what he did then: ignore Tiona's protests about "Argonaut-kun", ignore Bete's curses, and ignore Ais's pouts and puppy-dog eyes. He would've barred the gates of Twilight Manor, issued a curfew, and sat firmly on the sidelines.
That's what he would've done, if the situation had been the same now as it was then.
"But what he represents is everything."
But as he'd just spent quite a while explaining to this obstinate bureaucrat, the situation now was nothing like it was then.
"The side of that boy and his Familia is the side of those who were wronged by Freya in this incident. That includes my Familia. It also includes the entirety of the city and the Guild itself. But merely on right of self-defense, we are an aggrieved party here, and we have every reason and right to take part in this War Game."
Mardeel visibly collected himself. "That's all very interesting, Braver. And if there was a different Familia involved, I would not stop you. But none of what you've said changes my fundamental, original point. The risk of casualties that imperil our ability to slay the Black Dragon is too high. I refuse to compromise the safety of the world for the sake of a petty squabble here in Orario."
"I disagree." Finn still had not removed his eyes from Mardeel's. "I repeat my demand for my Familia to be allowed to take part in this War Game."
Mardeel made a disgusted noise. "I'd hoped it wouldn't have to come to this, but very well." He reached into a satchel at his waist, and withdrew…
A sword.
A shortsword, covered in ice—ice that somehow had not melted despite its proximity to Mardeel's body heat and the warm interior of the café.
Mardeel placed the weapon on the table, and for the first time, Finn broke eye contact.
"This is-,"
"A relic of the past," Mardeel said shortly. "Found between the 60th and 61st floors of the Dungeon. I will not say any more for now. However, in return for your solemn vow to not take part in the War Game, or interfere in any way, I will give you all information that the Guild possesses on the entirety of the Glacier Territory. I had planned to wait until you were stronger, like the Zeus and Hera Familias had been, but I am perfectly willing to turn it over early."
Finn stared at the frozen sword. Then he looked at Mardeel. Then back at the sword. Then back at Mardeel. The he opened his mouth…
And started laughing. A small chuckle at first, then rapidly intensifying, until his shoulders were shaking and he was pinching the bridge of his nose as tears ran from his eyes.
The Guild Pig stared at him with his jaw on his wobbly chest—that DEFINITELY was not a reaction that Mardeel had anticipated.
Finn's laughter continued for a couple minutes until he got control over himself. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard. The captaincy of Loki Familia was a stressful job, after all, particularly over the last eight months or so.
"Let me get this straight," Finn said, finally turning back to look Mardeel in the eye again. "You want my sworn, solemn vow to keep myself and my Familia out of this War Game, and to that end you are willing to bribe me… with something that you are obligated to give me anyways?! Something that, by your own admission, my Familia is not strong enough to make use of at present time, so we would therefore have no use for it? Something that no other Familia save Freya's, which does not attempt to explore the far depths, could grow strong enough to make use of for decades to come? Is not your whole rationale for keeping us out that our two Familias are the strongest with no others coming close—that is to say, there is absolutely no one else I need fear you turning around and offering this to? This, this is your trump card, Royman?"
Royman Mardeel sat there as Finn spoke, his face steadily reddening. When Finn finished, the administrative head of the Guild sat for a moment longer, then stood. "Fine. Fine, Braver. If you do not wish the information, then I shall not give it. Either way, I do not see any purpose in continuing this conversation. Keep your Familia out of-,"
"Wrong," Finn said. Then he released the entirety of his presence. All of it, at once. Finn had recently leveled up to Level 7, though it had not been publicly announced—now the towering presence of one of the mightiest warriors of the entire world filled the room.
You've shown your trump card, Royman.
Mardeel sat back down hard for the second time; this time, though, the chair couldn't take it and splintered beneath the impact of his bulk, leaving the obese elf sprawled on his rear in a pile of splinters, staring back up at the prum.
Now take a look at mine. I assure you, it's much more impressive.
"We aren't quite done yet, Royman," Finn said, a placid mask back on his face in complete contrast with the aura of incredible strength radiating from him. "Before either of us go anywhere, I want to ask you a simple question: what if I don't?"
Mardeel, his bravado entirely gone and his face white as a sheet, opened and closed his mouth silently.
"Ah, pardon me, the question was too vague. Allow me to clarify. What if I don't keep my Familia out of the War Game? What will the Guild do?"
Finn did not allow Mardeel the opportunity to answer. The time for discussion was now over; now was the time to make clear who actually ruled Orario, as a natural consequence of Mardeel's own decision.
"Nothing. That is what you will do. Or, at least, nothing of any consequence. Perhaps you will fine us? We will refuse to pay, and you have no force that can compel us to do anything—unless of course you send Freya Familia against us in open warfare, but that is the very thing you wish to avoid above all else, is it not? Will you declare our potential victory in the War Game invalid? Again, how could you enforce a punishment?
I have said it again and again, and now I will say it as clearly as I possibly can: the authority of the Guild in this city rests solely on the willingness of the various Familias here to obey. It has no monopoly on force- it has no force of its own at all. It rules solely through trust. Trust that it will be even-handed and impartial. Trust that it now stands on the verge of breaking."
For the first time, Finn rose from his chair, and walked around the table to stand over Royman Mardeel, still on his ass in the splinters of his seat. As a prum, he naturally stood no taller than a human child of perhaps ten, with a build to match. He had not brought his mighty spear with him into the restaurant, yet even so, he seemingly towered over the fat elf, exuding an aura of power and menace.
"If the Guild cannot be trusted, then there is no reason whatsoever for any single Familia in the city to obey its laws. Not mine. Not Hestia's. Not Hephaestus'. Certainly not Freya's, which has already shown itself to not care about the Guild, and which as matters now stand is about to be rewarded by the Guild for defying it.
You claim to be prioritizing the destruction of the One-Eyed Black Dragon above all else, and thus the safety of the world. That dragon has done absolutely no harm to the world for the last thousand years. The only time it has done any harm to anyone was when the Zeus and Hera Familias deliberately sought it out. That could, of course, change tomorrow. Or it could change next year. Or twenty years from now, when there might well be more Familias that have risen to the status of Loki's and Freya's. It might never voluntarily stir from its nest until the end of time. It's impossible to say for certain.
What IS certain, as certain as the sun rising tomorrow, is the total collapse of law and order in this city should the Guild maintain its stance in this matter. It might not happen overnight. But why should the strong obey an entity that has clearly stated that it will allow the strong to get away with anything rather than risk them getting hurt? Why should the weak obey an entity that will not protect them? The government will have no authority, and Orario will descend into anarchy. A war of all against all, where every adventurer prioritizes only his own safety and that of his Familia, and the exploration and suppression of the Dungeon is completely forgotten. What consequences for the world might that have, I wonder?"
Finn narrowed his eyes at the trembling, quivering Guildmaster beneath him.
"I refuse to choose between evil and oblivion, Royman."
Once, just a few scant months ago, he absolutely could have and would have made that choice. Gone along with the demands of the Guild, allowed the travesty of justice and the Right to take place in front of him, for the sake of the convenience of Loki Familia's interests.
It had been Bell Cranel that had changed that.
No, Finn did not consider him a dear friend like Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya did. He certainly did not love the boy as Ais did. He would not even go so far to say that he admired Cranel, at least not in most cases.
But nevertheless, the incident on Daedalus Street had forced Finn to reexamine himself. He had seen Bell Cranel toss aside self-interest in all forms to fight for what he believed in, while he himself, Finn Deimne, the Braver, had allowed his own actions to be dictated by the whims and approval of others. He had reexamined himself, and he had not liked what he found.
And so, in the aftermath of those clashes, he had come to a new resolution, a new determination on just what kind of light and hope he was holding up for the prums of the world.
"I refuse to choose between evil and oblivion."
Even if not one of the arguments he had advanced previously had been true; even if it really had been a choice between evil and oblivion and not a choice between a possible weakening of the subjugation force sent against the Dragon and the certain collapse of the lid on the Dungeon; even if Royman's most dire predictions were guaranteed to come true and the War Game could only end in mutual slaughter…
He'd still bring Loki Familia into it anyway.
I refuse to choose between evil and oblivion. Because that is something that I, as Braver, cannot do.
"My Familia will take part in this War Game, Royman. I've been asking for permission this whole time, but understand that that was never for our sake. It was for yours. The only thing that you have to decide is whether the Guild will save face and make it look like we needed your permission, thereby maintaining the public image that it needs, or if you will expose your toothlessness and doom yourselves to irrelevancy. I am giving you an ultimatum, just as you tried to give me one, but understand that in doing so I am saving you from yourself. Choose wisely."
With that, Finn turned, and made his way towards the door, his aura vanishing as if it had never been. He paused in the doorway, and glanced back over his shoulder at the rest of the café's stunned patrons, a winning grin (his usual "heroic public persona") fixed on his face.
"Sorry about the fuss, everyone."
AN: Loki Familia staying out of the War Game is the worst of the many sins committed in Danmachi Volume 18; bad enough that I felt compelled to write this scene of what should have happened. This is only a one shot as it stands, but I leave open the possibility of expanding to cover what the War Game would look like as a result if enough people read this, review this, and say they want it.
On a similar note, I've also recently read through Suahtloh's Archive of Danmachi stories. While that author him/herself quit writing (a significant loss), that does mean that their stories are up for grabs, and there's several concepts in there that I find very interesting and would be interested in continuing (again if there's demand). To that end, I'd be interested in hearing votes on which you guys would like the most:
Ais and Bell go back in time after the events of SO12 to the moment when they first meet
or
Ais reappears in the present day two years later and nearby Bell and Zeus's rural cottage; this leads to the two of them growing up together and heading off to Orario together to be adventurers
Finally, a note for those who've read my other stories: I've been tempted to pick up Turtles on occasion over the last two years, but the problem is that would require me to again immerse myself in Girls und Panzer. I like the story itself, but GuP is so cringe that I'm embarrassed to admit I ever got into it, and so I can't foresee ever writing for it again. NWTLTG is something that I haven't touched in even longer, but I have heard rumors of Mass Effect 4 eventually being released, and when that happens I may pick that up again.