During dinner, Roland ate hurriedly under the teasing or "disappointed" gazes of the others. "Goddess, I'm heading to your room first. I need a status update," he said quickly before clearing his plate and making a swift exit.
He waited for about half an hour before Astraea finally opened the door.
"Sorry, I was chatting with everyone. Did I keep you waiting too long, Roland?" she asked, clasping her hands apologetically.
"I bet you were still talking about how I made a fool of myself earlier," Roland grumbled. "That's mean, Goddess."
He went through the usual ritual, taking off his shirt and turning his back to her.
The Goddess pressed down on Roland's shoulders, turning him around before taking a seat on her bed. She crossed her legs, revealing her dainty, pale feet. Pricking her finger, she allowed the divine blood to flow and began applying it to Roland's back.
RolandLevel 2
Strength: F312 → E421 Endurance: F305 → E425 Dexterity: F334 → D503 Agility: F324 → E489 Magic: D509 → B702
"Your growth is as rapid as ever. I suspect you'll be ready to level up again in just a few dozen days," Astraea's voice came from behind him, thick with pride—as if she were saying, My child is truly extraordinary.
Roland took the parchment, scanned it, and smirked. "Heh, fast leveling is my specialty, after all. If I ever slowed down, I'd probably feel out of sorts."
After the update, Roland didn't leave immediately. Instead, he lingered in the room, pulling a storybook from Astraea's bookshelf and chatting with the Goddess as he read.
When Roland finally stood up to leave, Astraea pulled him back. With a soft smile, she asked, "Would you stay and sleep here with me tonight? I'd like to share some... intimate thoughts with you."
Roland showed no hint of shyness. Instead, he turned around, flopped onto the bed, and patted the spot beside him, teasingly reversing their roles. "Then what are you waiting for, Lady Astraea? Get over here."
With a soft chuckle, Astraea lay down beside him. They gazed into each other's eyes, an ambiguous atmosphere rising between them. The Goddess's breathtaking beauty and her close proximity made Roland's blood run hot. This is way too much!
As if reading his desire, Astraea placed a finger on his lips and smiled. "Not yet, Roland. You can't do things like that yet... at least wait until you've truly grown up."
Roland caught her finger, shifted closer to her, and looked into her gentle face. "I understand, Lady Astraea. But... can I collect some 'interest' from my Goddess first?"
Astraea blinked, surprised by her child's boldness, but in this moment, she simply smiled. "Very well. What kind of interest do you intend to collect?"
Since the Goddess had agreed, Roland had no reason to back down. He released her finger, placed his hand behind the nape of her neck, and tilted his head upward. Feeling her lips, which were as red as rubies, he locked eyes with a slightly startled Astraea.
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Danmachi : Mage's Infinite Journey (168 Chapters – Ongoing)
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A moment later, they parted.
Roland licked his lips and said righteously, "Interest received!"
With that, Roland sat up, pulled the covers over both of them, looked at the Goddess, whispered "Goodnight," and closed his eyes, pretending to be dead to the world.
Astraea propped herself up on one arm, her starry eyes full of deep affection as she watched the "Son of Man" pretending to sleep beside her. She reached out to touch his face.
"Roland, could you come with me to the orphanage tomorrow? It's been a while since you've visited."
Roland stuck a hand out from under the covers, curling four fingers and giving a thumbs-up to signify his agreement.
Seeing him agree, Astraea looked at his closed eyes and youthful face, wondering to herself: Can a god and a human truly be in love?
After a moment of hesitation, her resolve hardened. Even if human life is fleeting and fragile, as long as we are together—as long as our love never fades—this divine heart shall beat for you.
Lost in thought, she leaned down for one final kiss. With her usual smile, she whispered, "Goodnight... my Justice."
She felt her hand quietly taken by his, their fingers interlocking. Her smile grew even brighter as the Goddess and Roland fell asleep in each other's arms.
"Wake up, my child. It's morning."
A finger pressed gently against Roland's cheek, accompanied by a soft voice that gradually pulled him from his dreams.
"Mmm... just five more minutes..." Roland mumbled, trying to drift back off, but the sensation on his face persisted.
He slowly opened his eyes, squinting to see Lady Astraea looking at him with doting eyes. He felt a soft warmth in his palm. Looking down, he saw their fingers were still interlocked. Ah, right... last night.
"Are you awake? If you keep holding my hand like that, everyone will find out about Roland's 'disrespect' toward his Goddess," Astraea teased, lifting their joined hands.
Roland burrowed into her embrace, nuzzling against her and breathing in her fragrance. "It's fine. Loving Lady Astraea isn't a sin; it's definitely not disrespect..."
"Stop acting like a baby and get up. You need to make breakfast. If we stay like this, the others will catch on. Are you okay with that?" Astraea said, smoothing his messy hair.
Releasing her, Roland joked, "Alright, I'm up, Mother Astraea."
He then added, "Even if they find out, I won't back down. Since I intend to make everyone happy, I'll put in the work."
"Heh, it seems Lyra was right. You really do plan on making everyone part of your harem," Astraea chuckled as she sat at her vanity to fix her hair. "Alright, let's go. If you're caught stealing everyone's hearts, it won't be an easy fix."
The Goddess opened the door and waved to Roland, who was still sitting on the sofa. As they stepped into the hallway, Murphy's Law struck: if something can go wrong, it will.
"Oh my... I didn't expect Roland to spend the night in Lady Astraea's room. Are you two that close already? I'm almost a little jealous," Maryu said, standing by her own open door and watching them with her usual smile.
Astraea covered her mouth and giggled, nudging Roland. "Hehe, looks like we've been caught. Why don't you go explain?"
Roland threw up his hands helplessly. "Why explain? Let's just be direct."
He walked up to Maryu and, under her surprised gaze, lunged forward to hug her, nuzzling her cheek. "Sister Maryu, can I sleep in your room tonight?"
Taking advantage of the Familia's indulgence... how despicable, Roland!
Astraea and Maryu were both stunned—one by the sheer audacity of the move, the other by pure joy.
"Of course! You're more than welcome in my room," Maryu said, instantly forgetting the situation. she spun Roland around excitedly. "You must come, or I'll be very angry!"
Roland gave Astraea a thumbs-up and a grin. For now, he had successfully diverted the attention.
After setting Roland down, Maryu hooked her arm through the Goddess's. "Lady Astraea, Roland, let's go wash up together!"
Maryu hummed a tune as she led them away. Despite her gentle appearance, Maryu was a girl of stark contrasts. If anyone in the Familia was ever hurt by an enemy, she harbored a fierce hatred and would seek to retaliate by inflicting pain personally.