Danmachi - Eldritch Apostle

A/N

Most people have encouraged me to keep Azathoth, so I've decided to stick with that. Thanks for following my fiction—I'm planning to continue writing it until I feel fully satisfied. Most likely, it's going to be a longer story that delves into other parts of the world, so keep those power stones ready!

- - -

Haruhime sat on the bed beside me, comfortably settled on the soft mattress, as she recounted her story. It was a tragic tale: her parents had thrown her out and later sold her into slavery.

Despite being born of noble blood and raised in a privileged household, her life took a drastic turn. Yet, she managed to adapt and survive in her new harsh reality—a feat worthy of admiration.

Her journey began to unravel when someone in her household framed her for stealing an offering. It was something trivial, yet it was enough to provoke her father's wrath and lead him to disown her.

A pallum guest offered to take her away, and she accepted, but their escape was short-lived. Along their journey, they were ambushed by monsters. True to the pallum's reputation, he fled, leaving Haruhime behind.

Remarkably, she survived the encounter, but her luck ran out when a group of bandits captured her. They eventually sold her to the Ishtar Familia, where she found herself trapped in the pleasure quarter.

Fortunately, those bandits hadn't done any of the horrible things they were known for; they simply sold her and took the money. The thing that stood out to me, however, was how calm she remained as she spoke about her past as if those events had never happened.

But I understood that being a slave and a false prostitute had scarred her far more deeply than anything her father or the bandits had done. Even though she had never actually lain with a man, she was convinced otherwise. She saw herself as filthy and unworthy of being saved.

That was why she didn't resist when her Familia plotted to kill her using the killing stone—her feelings of worthlessness convinced her that she was beyond saving. Only Aisha saw enough value in her to intervene, ultimately breaking the killing stone to save her life.

"You're a virgin, Haruhime, in case you didn't know that…"

She gasped at my sudden comment, her cheeks flushing bright red. Her tail wiggled anxiously from side to side, and she tried to hide her face behind her hands. Only a glimpse of her embarrassed expression peeked through as she struggled to contain her flustered reaction.

"I know because the Amazoness told me you always faint the moment you see a man's collarbone. No one ever tried anything with you after that. So, drop the self-pity act and think with your brain—do you want to let these bastards kill you?"

Haruhime's embarrassment shifted to confusion as she processed my words, the atmosphere in the room turning silent and tense. The walls around us offered warmth amid the cold outside, insulating us from the chill that seeped through the city.

The room grew so quiet that we could hear faint creaks from the bed and moans coming from another room nearby. But Haruhime was too deep in thought to even blush at those indecent sounds. Her tail, which had been wagging anxiously moments ago, now lay still, resting gracefully on the bed.

"I'm giving you an offer you can't refuse: come with me to safety, and let me get you out of this toxic life. Why would you willingly let these monsters kill you when you could live a peaceful life? At the very least, you deserve that much."

Haruhime's eyes welled up with tears as my words seemed to break through years of hopelessness and despair. Though tears began to stream down her cheeks, she remained silent, holding back any sobs. I was never one to provide emotional comfort, in this life or my past one, so all I could do was wait for her to let it all out. Her fluffy ears drooped as her tears dampened her dress. Eventually, she wiped her eyes and looked up at me, her gaze filled with a newfound hope.

"Thank you, kind sir, but please don't risk yourself for my sake… My Familia would pursue you, or worse. Maybe I'm not as filthy as I thought, but I am still property of the Ishtar Familia," she said softly, using her sleeve to wipe away her tears. She managed a small, grateful smile, but I could tell she wasn't yet convinced to run away with me.

I understood her hesitation—she was afraid of putting me in danger. The Ishtar Familia would undoubtedly stop at nothing to hunt us down if she escaped. But I was determined to put an end to their pursuit.

Standing up, I went to turn off the lights in the room. Haruhime looked confused, but I reassured her by gently holding her sleeve. The darkness enveloped us, leaving her temporarily blind until her eyes adjusted, yet she remained calm.

"I'm taking you with me," I said firmly. "I'm not going to play games here, so just stay quiet for both our sakes."

She started to protest, but I silenced her with a hand over her mouth. In the next instant, I lifted her into a bridal carry, causing her to yelp softly in surprise.

"I told you to stay quiet, clumsy fox. You're too fragile for me to knock out, so keep quiet. I'm doing this for your good."

Haruhime couldn't fully grasp what was happening in the dark. Still, she quickly covered her mouth with both hands and though she didn't say anything, her eyes spoke volumes. Perhaps, deep down, she had been hoping for someone to save her, even if she couldn't admit it to herself.

I opened the window, letting a gust of cold air rush in. Haruhime clutched her red kimono tighter as the icy wind touched her soft skin. But just as I was about to leap from the window, the entire room suddenly shifted into something otherworldly.

Dark green spores began to spread across the walls, consuming the wooden panels as if devouring them. Abnormal spikes sprouted like a virus infecting a body, rapidly transforming the room into a grotesque, living nightmare.

The escape had just gotten a lot more complicated.

A black, mud-like portal suddenly appeared in the middle of the room, causing Haruhime to tremble in fear. I quickly set her down on the ground and gently patted her head to calm her; her hair was softer than anything I had ever touched.

From within the portal, a figure emerged with ethereal grace. It was none other than Her Excellency Azathoth, arriving in the world of Orario. The window, which once overlooked the city streets, now displayed a vast expanse of galaxies beyond it.

Haruhime was so entranced by the cosmic view outside that she didn't even notice Azathoth's presence—at least not until Azathoth chose to break the silence, revealing her familiar, teasing demeanor.

"Well, well, my dear," she began, her voice dripping with amusement, "I see you're busy chasing after girls instead of fulfilling the missions I assigned you. What a troublesome husband I've got."

She smirked, her majestic face framed by her usual gothic attire. Haruhime finally noticed her and turned around, her face a mask of confusion. But before she could react, she suddenly collapsed to the floor.

"What did you do, you insufferable goddess?" I rushed to Haruhime's side, only to find her body frozen in place, devoid of any life or emotion. She lay there like a doll, eyes wide open yet empty, as if her soul had been stolen away.

"She's dead—quick and clean," Azathoth said with a casual shrug. "Died just from seeing my beloved in person."

Her words were a harsh reminder of the immense power she wielded, a force so incomprehensible to mortals that it could overwhelm them instantly. Seeing the girl I had tried so hard to save die sure wasted my time.

"Revive her this instant, or I'll ignore you for the rest of my existence," I spoke. "Don't tell me you're just a jealous bitch of a goddess. I thought you were better than Ishtar or Freya, but it seems you're no different."

The playful smirk on Azathoth's face vanished, replaced by a neutral expression. In that moment, the world around me began to shift until I found myself standing inside a grand cathedral.

The cathedral seemed familiar, with its soaring ceilings and stained glass, and then it hit me: this was the cathedral from Mondstadt in Genshin Impact.

"Hmph."

I heard her voice behind me, and as I turned, Azathoth grabbed my collar and pulled me close. Her eyes were cold and distant.

"You've said things like that before," she hissed. "Haruhime will be revived once you return, but your sharp tongue hurts more than any weapon."

"Ironic, isn't it, that you can feel emotional pain?" I retorted.

Azathoth's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, it looked like she was about to slap me. But she stopped herself, letting go of my collar and crossing her arms with an annoyed expression.

"I intended to take on another form, to care for Haruhime and explore how Orario has developed in my absence," she said, her voice as cold as ice. "But it seems you're determined to handle everything on your own. Very well, face Phryne alone if that's what you wish."

Her words were harsher than usual, and I realized my insults had cut deeper than I had intended. Damn my tongue, I thought.

"Listen…" I started, hesitating. Apologizing to her was harder than I expected, especially after all the things I had said.

"I'm… I'm sorry for the insults. Can you forgive me?"

Her icy demeanor softened just slightly, her cold gaze warming ever so faintly. A small, almost reluctant smile tugged at her lips.

"I might forgive you," she said slowly, "but only if you fulfill your end of our bargain. Remember when I influenced that merchant to acquire the mask for you? You promised you'd do anything I asked in return. Have you forgotten?"

Of course, I remembered my promise. I just hadn't expected to have to repay it so soon, especially considering it had only been hours since the deal was struck.

Azathoth stepped closer, her smile widening like that of a predator that had cornered its prey. She lifted my chin with a single finger, her eyes gleaming with delight.

"Oh, don't worry, my dear Niall," she purred. "I'm going to take on the form of a renard and act as your wife for a while… and you're going to be perfectly fine with that, aren't you?"

She let out a laugh that echoed through the cathedral-like that of a villainess reveling in her ultimate triumph. Then, her form began to dissolve, flesh melting away like liquid as she transformed. The swirling energy grew brighter until it exploded in a burst of light.

When the light faded, she stood before me, now in the form of a renard with fox-like features. She twirled, showing off her new form with a playful grin.

"Well? What do you think of this form?" she teased, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Go on, praise every inch of my beauty, my beloved!"