Astraea familia home, the Stardust Garden. Astraea was just finishing getting herself cleaned up when the front door opened.
"Eh?" She let out a cute squeak, and then worry filled her seeing the state her children were in. "Alise dear, what happened?"
"Oh, uh… well, we managed to deliver the letter, but some things happened." Alise started answering with a smile.
"Hey, we can explain everything to her later. Right now, you're blocking the way inside, and I want to get cleaned up and eat something other than those tasteless bricks." Kaguya said, passing Alise by.
"Oh, right!"
"Wait, did the two darlings come with you?" Astraea asked, looking for the target of her letter. "I want to thank them properly."
Wanting to get out of here as soon as possible, the adventurer from Ganesha familia high tailed it out of there. "Call on me again next time, Lady Astraea. And since your familia has safely returned, I'll get out of your hair." She said as she did.
"Oh, yes, that's right… Thank you. And everyone, welcome home." Astraea said with a smile, still not seeing the two responsible for saving her children's lives.
"What do you think? She's been teased enough, right?" Neze asked, glancing at a pair still waiting by the gate.
"That's them?" Astraea asked, looking at the two…
"Yes, Lady Astraea, Prince Ceraunius, and Princess Gamelia." Neze answered.
"Come inside, we're going to have dinner. Won't you join us?" Lady Astraea invited, anticipating a hopeful answer.
"Sure, why not? As long as you let me help prepare the dinner." Ceraunius smirked.
"Of course. And Gamelia can enjoy the bath with the others until dinner is ready."
…
The kitchen, Lady Astraea, and Ceraunius were cooking…
"You really know your way around a kitchen." Astraea commented, as she watched Ceraunius go to work with the utmost speed, and perfection.
"Thank you, but I'm still a far cry from my mentor's abilities." Ceraunius smiled, a single tear welled up, but did not roll. "I've tried, but I can't recreate the dishes Zald made."
Astraea immediately felt the pain Ceraunius had weighing him down. She could see it, even so she had to ask… "I can see how you feel about all of it, and I wish I didn't have to ask, as I know it will hurt… But I must, child; what is justice?"
Ceraunius didn't even flinch at the question. He'd been preparing for it for a while yet. However, he didn't have a good answer for her. Instead all he could come up with was a question. "Lady Astraea, before I can give you my answer, I need to know, why did you kill Erebus?" He asked, finally pausing, turning the burner off. "What I mean is, why did you do it?"
"You know I knew of his plan?"
"I was in constant contact, and Hermes told me after I threatened to tell the goddesses where his secret hiding spot was in the bath house."
"Wait, he has one?"
"Nope, there isn't one, but it was enough to get him anxious enough to tell me everything. He's probably still searching for a good peeping spot as we speak." Ceraunius giggled. "The look on his face that day was hilarious."
"Pfft, you sent Hermes on a wild goose chase, that explains why he'd been rather active around that place for a while now. You're a little devious aren't you?"
"Just a little bit. I may be normal, and only have love for my wife, but I am still named after Zeus. I'm bound to have a few quirks here and there, right?" Ceraunius chuckled.
"I suppose so. Well, I'm the one who killed Erebus, because I am the goddess of Justice. It was meant to represent justice winning in the end."
Ceraunius mulled over Astraea's words and silence fell, until he let out a small sigh. "So, you wasted the best chance to create a true hero, for something so minor? Despite the knowledge of gods killing each other would just spark a battle of gods here in the lower world." He said, rubbing his chin. "I must say, Orario really screwed up here. Erebus handed the city a golden opportunity to grow, and the only ones who haven't truly wasted it are Alise and the others."
"What do you mean by that?" Astraea asked with a curiosity in her eyes.
"Well, let me ask you a question, are you ready for this?"
"Ask away…"
"What greater labor could there ever be, than freeing the world from the reign of terror at the hands of an evil god? What's more, being willing to risk bearing the weight of immortal sin, magnified by the praise and scorn of the masses? And all for the sake of a peaceful future?" He asked, pausing as Astraea seemed to short circuit at his words. "Zeus, Hera, Alfia, Zald, myself, and my wife have all agreed, there's little else that could be more worthy of being a hero." He paused again, as he pulled out the dishes from the oven, not using any protective gloves thanks to his high status. "Can you?"
"No… I can not. I never thought of it that way."
"I see… In that case Lady Astraea, Justice, Justice is what must be done to punish acts taken away from peace. It is both restraint, and violence. In short, it is a tool to maintain a world where people can smile, and live free of evil, and fear…"
Gamelia appeared by the door, drying and combing her hair. "It is also Love, love for other people, to know when to act, and when not to."
"I see, you have interesting views on Justice."
"It's also cute things like babies, right, Cera?"
"Cute things? I love cute things." Astraea smiled, her eyes reflecting like stars.
"We haven't been accepted yet, and even if we are. I do not want to know now. Not until after we can have those two join us. I'd feel wrong if we didn't." Ceraunius sighed, turning the appliances off, and started setting everything into serving bowls, and plates. "By the way, Lady Astraea, I'm sorry for earlier, after spending some time checking the people in the city, We've already determined there wasn't a single mortal capable of bearing that weight."
"There was one who might have been able to handle it, but I don't think it would have been good for her. After being banished from the city as a child, I don't want to force anyone to experience that kind of pain if I can avoid it. No child deserves…" Gamelia added, stopping once the whimpering started coming up.
"You've both grown, I can see it…"
"Well, let's get the table set. And eat up."