Danmachi: The Venerated One Chapter 54: Alise's Question

"With joining your party, I trust you won't mind my presence."

Judas weighed his options carefully but saw no real downsides to accepting.

'I prefer going solo... but relying on others once in a while won't kill .'

And with the Freya Familia looming like a stormcloud, rejecting the Astraea Familia's support would be nothing short of reckless.

"Good. I'm glad I get the chance to fight alongside you again."

Alise extended her hand. Judas accepted without hesitation.

"I'm only here to kick the sorry asses of those Freya Familia bastards."

Kaguya said bluntly, shaking his hand as well.

"But I suppose there's a small part of that's looking forward to our cooperation."

She continued, her lips curved in a small smile.

"I have a feeling things are about to get a lot more interesting."

Lyra added with a sly smirk as she clasped his hand in turn.

Finally, Judas turned to Ryuu and raised his hand for a handshake.

Then, midway, he froze.

'Ah... I forgot since I got used to Mika and the others. Elves in this world don't like physical contact.'

He began to pull his arm back—

But to his surprise, Ryuu reached forward first, taking his hand without the slightest hesitation.

"Mr. Spade, I only hope I won't beco a burden to you."

Judas glanced down at their joined hands, the elf's grip steady and unflinching.

The eyes of Alise and the others widened slightly at the sight before them.

"Hoh..."

A grin tugged at Kaguya's lips.

"Lady Astraea has to hear about this."

Lyra added, smirking playfully.

"L-Lion... holding a man's hand..."

Alise was more shocked than anyone.

Ryuu turned, puzzled by their stares.

"What's with those looks?"

A mont later, realization struck.

Color rushed to her cheeks, and she yanked her hand back.

"T-this was just courtesy! You're reading too much into it!"

She stamred, quickly hiding behind her hood.

Kaguya and Lyra exchanged knowing chuckles, like children who'd discovered a new toy.

Ryuu only reddened further.

"I never thought I'd see a prim and proper elf like you take the initiative to hold a man's hand... and with such passion, no less."

Kaguya said, covering her mouth, though her eyes sparkled with amusent.

"Tsk, tsk... Lion, you lewd elf. Now that you've held his hand, you'll have to bear his child."

Lyra teased with a grin sharp enough to cut.

"You two are unbearable!"

Ryuu wailed, practically steaming.

'Ryuu... can actually make expressions like this?'

Judas thought, taken aback at how the stoic elf he rembered from the show was now a flustered ss.

"Alright, that's enough!"

Alise cut in, stepping between them.

"Keep it up and Lion might actually cry."

Kaguya and Lyra relented with smug smiles, while Ryuu slowly collected herself.

Yet Alise frowned, shifting her gaze between her companions.

A strange, bitter ache welled in her chest.

'Did it start when Lion touched Judas' hand?'

An unfamiliar emotion... one she didn't like.

'No... I'm imagining things. Yes... just imagining.'

She suppressed this unpleasant feeling and returned to her usual smiling self.

"I know we're all glad to have Lion with us again, even if only for a while. But let's not forget the mission, alright?"

Her gaze shifted to Judas.

"Before we head out, there's sothing I've always wanted to ask you."

Alise's tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of curiosity.

"Oh?"

Judas raised an eyebrow.

"What does justice an to you?"

At her words, Kaguya, Lyra, and even Ryuu turned toward him, curiosity shining in their eyes.

"Justice? You're asking that? Why?"

Judas blinked,

"It's nothing more than personal curiosity."

Alise admitted, leaning forward slightly.

"I want to hear your answer... your true answer. If you don't mind."

Judas shook his head lightly.

"No, I don't mind... but I am guessing you're not asking for a dictionary definition, are you? You want my personal view."

"Any answer is fine."

Alise said, her tone soft but earnest.

"Don't overthink it. Just speak with your heart. I really want to know."

Judas fell silent, hand resting on his chin as he considered his reply.

He closed his eyes, sinking into deep thought.

'What does justice an to ?'

At first glance, it seed like a simple question.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized just how difficult it truly was.

'If it were Alden... he'd probably say sothing like, "To do the right thing... do the best you can with the ti you have."... or sothing along those lines.'

'If it were Estelon... I can almost hear him say, "To be fair and righteous, to protect those around you, and to never lose your integrity." That's the kind of answer he'd give.'

But Judas Spade?

What did justice an to him?

Being just?

Embodying righteousness?

Upholding fairness?

They were all decent answers... yet none of them felt right.

None of them belonged to him.

The longer he searched for aning, the deeper his frown beca.

All he found was... nothing.

A blank.

An emptiness where conviction should have been.

"...I don't know."

The words slipped from his lips before he could stop them.

For the first ti, his eyes wavered... uncertain, clouded, like a man who had lost his way.

Alise and the others frowned at his answer.

"What do you an you don't know?"

Kaguya asked, one brow arched.

Judas said nothing.

He simply lowered his gaze in silence.

Even so, Alise smiled softly and clapped her hands together.

"It's fine if you don't know."

She said, reaching out to take Judas' hands in her own.

"If you don't have an answer yet... then we'll search for one together."

Her eyes t his with steady warmth, her voice carrying a quiet conviction.

Kaguya, Lyra, and Ryuu looked at each other and smiled.

"I've asked this question to many people."

Alise continued, her voice gentle.

"And I found that everyone has their own unique interpretation of justice."

She tightened her grip slightly around Judas' hands.

"So it doesn't matter if you can't answer right now. It just ans... you haven't discovered your own justice yet."

Her words lingered in the air as she leaned forward, closing the distance between them until her face hovered just milliters away.

Judas felt her breath brush against his skin, invading his personal space.

"You're getting a little too close, Miss Alise,"

He said, clearing his throat with a fake cough.

"Ah—!"

Realization struck her, and Alise instantly pulled back, cheeks heating up.

She darted a glance at Kaguya and Lyra, who both wore smug, teasing grins.

Even Ryuu looked away, her ears twitching in embarrassnt at the display.

"I-I... it must have made your heart race, being that close to a beautiful girl, r-right?"

Alise stamred, fumbling for words as the blush deepened across her face.

Her effort to mask her embarrassnt by teasing only backfired.

"Pfft..."

Judas chuckled softly at her flustered reaction.

That was all it took.

Like a dam breaking, Lyra and Kaguya burst into laughter, their voices echoing in the air.

"G-Guys..."

Alise's dignity as captain crumbled in an instant.

Mortified, she wished she could crawl into a hole and never co out.

----

15 chapters at patreon/drdedot