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chapter 215 crisis at morning
After spending the night with Ishtar, Apollo walked back toward his own manor in an unhurried mood. The morning air was cool, his mind was clear, and the night had gone well. For a brief time, he felt everything was under his control.Then, just as he turned the final corner, he stopped.
His manor was surrounded — not by the Guild, but by familias who had no reason to be there. Freya stood at the front while her members secured the perimeter of his estate. To the right stood Hephaestus Familia, greater in number but lacking the same individual strength. And then there was Loki, leaning slightly to one side, clearly drunk, one arm thrown over a subordinate's shoulder.
"Oi!" she shouted toward the manor gates. "Apollo! Come out! Let's discuss your poor life decisions!" She paused, then raised her voice even louder. "Or we'll get inside and kick your balls!"
Several of her members tried not to laugh.
At her words, the color drained from Apollo's face. This was ridiculous. What were they doing here — Freya, Hephaestus, even Loki? Had they mistaken the address? Apollo frowned, irritation flickering beneath the surface. He had not provoked any of them, and Loki least of all had no business standing outside his gates.
His gaze swept the gathered figures again. Just yesterday, Ishtar had sent someone to kill Freya. The attempt had failed, but if this was about that, shouldn't they be going after her instead? Ishtar was his partner in crime, that much was true, but partnership did not mean martyrdom.
No one had noticed him yet. Almost unconsciously, he stepped backward — one step, then another, his pulse quickening — before turning and slipping away without another glance. Not a frantic sprint, just fast enough to disappear before anyone thought to look behind them. The retreat was undignified, but dignity was far easier to repair than his body.
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Inside the estate, Apollo Familia was far less composed. Several members stood near the courtyard entrance, voices raised in protest as unfamiliar figures moved through their halls.
"You have no right to be inside!" one of them shouted.
A member of Hephaestus Familia ignored him entirely, stepping past with measured calm while marking the next room to inspect. This was not a riot, it was a search — controlled and deliberate. Some of Apollo's sharper members had already slipped away through secondary exits, heading toward the Guild to file complaints and demand intervention.
At the center of the courtyard, tension gathered like a storm about to break. Then the doors opened.
Lily stepped out first, composed and steady, with Ottar behind her. He did not speak. He did not need to — his presence alone pressed against the air, and the courtyard quieted at once.
"Apollo is not here," Lily announced flatly.
Murmurs rippled through the surrounding members as her gaze swept across them without hesitation.
"Bring them inside and lock all the doors and windows," she added. "Then we blow up the building with them still in it. That should force Apollo to show himself."
Seeing Lily's frustrated expression, Freya stepped forward, her smile gentle, almost indulgent. "If you wish to release your frustration," she said smoothly, "I have a better suggestion."
Before Lily could respond, heavy boots struck stone at the far end of the street. A disciplined formation pushed through the outer ring of onlookers, and at its center walked Ganesha, expression stern, posture firm. He stopped a short distance from the gathered gods and took in the scene — Freya, Hephaestus, Loki — his brows lifting slightly.
"So," he said, his voice carrying across the courtyard, "would someone like to explain what you are doing at Apollo's manor at this hour?"
No one answered immediately. His gaze shifted from one goddess to the next.
"I trust there is a proper reason for this," he continued, his tone tightening slightly. "Because if anyone intends to start a conflict—"
He stopped. Freya met his eyes without blinking. Loki swayed slightly where she stood, smiling lazily. Hephaestus folded her arms.
Ganesha cleared his throat. "…I would strongly advise restraint," he finished instead, the authority in his voice remaining even as the harsher words he'd prepared quietly evaporated.
He had arrived after hearing that several familias were causing trouble, intending to restore order. But finding himself standing before three goddesses who did not look even slightly concerned, Ganesha quickly adjusted his approach.
Before the tension could rise again, Hephaestus stepped forward. She did not wish to embarrass him publicly.
"We are here because last night Apollo led a group that robbed one of our weapon shops," she said evenly. "We are just here to catch him."
Relief flickered across Ganesha's face, though he kept his posture firm. "So this is about robbery," he said. "That is… manageable." His gaze shifted briefly toward the manor gates, then back to Hephaestus. "But next time," he added carefully, "it would be preferable if you informed me before assembling half of your familia outside another god's residence."
There was no accusation in his tone, only strained diplomacy. He looked between them all. "I trust this matter will be handled without harm to unrelated people," he said, his tone hopeful.
On the surface, all three goddesses appeared agreeable. Freya inclined her head slightly. "Of course."
Hephaestus gave a short nod. "That was never our intention."
Loki raised a hand lazily. "Relax. Nobody is going to burn the place down." She paused, then added with a grin, "Unless there is a reward for that."
Ganesha chose to ignore Loki, since he could tell she was not serious.
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While the others outwardly agreed to Ganesha's request and the immediate threat of escalation eased, Apollo was already several streets away. The moment he judged the manor to be out of sight, he broke into a run, his sandals striking stone in uneven rhythm as he cut through side streets, avoiding main roads and familiar routes. His mind worked quickly now, no longer clouded by indulgence.
Freya. Hephaestus. Loki. They had surrounded his manor without hesitation, and that was not good news — he could not fight them.
He turned sharply into a narrow alley and nearly collided with a line of laundry strung between two buildings. Without slowing, he tore down a large cloth and wrapped it around his head and lower face, concealing his features. The fabric was coarse and smelled faintly of soap and sweat, but it would do. He adjusted it once, lowered his head, and changed direction again.
The streets grew louder as he approached the eastern district. Music drifted faintly through the air, along with laughter, perfume, and lanterns still dim in the morning light.
The Pleasure District.
Apollo slowed only when he reached its entrance, forcing his breathing to steady. His posture straightened slightly, but tension still lingered in his shoulders.
**Fixed Author's Note:**
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**Author's Note:**
Over the last two months, I've been uploading almost daily on to avoid burnout. Instead of focusing on just one story, I've been working on more original stories hoping to support myself financially, while continuing to write fanfiction purely for fun.
However, if this intense schedule doesn't lead to an increase in paid members, I won't be able to maintain this pace long-term. I seen this before with TPM — when the comments, reviews, and new subscribers dried up, it became much less rewarding to keep writing chapters.
I'm not talking about money here. What really keeps me motivated are the normal comments and feedback from readers. So if you're enjoying the story, feel free to join for free and share your thoughts or ideas! It genuinely helps speed up the process.
Thank you for your support — it means a lot!
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