~{Author's Pre-Notes}~
I'M BAAAAAAACK! I finally brought back the milk, I hope it's tasty for you all! A lot has happened since last time, and I'm honestly just gonna copy and paste the author notes from the most recent Mha x Danmachi fanfic chapter to explain it:
Holy shit this last year has been a doozy for me and I'm once again sorry for leaving to go get the milk for that long, but man, a lot has happened.
So first off, in case you haven't seen the latest notes on my Legend Of Zelda/Konosuba fanfic, I'VE OFFICIALLY GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, WOOOOO! Sociology degree with a Minor in Creative Writing baby, that's what it's about! Glad that's finally over! And yet... I didn't suddenly have so much free time to write more of all my fanfics like I thought I would...
Now that I've graduated, my dad has been practically military training me in teaching me how to become a bartender and work in catering since he'd said he'd take me under his wing when I finished school, and... holy SHIT he's been keeping me so fucking busy. Each day he's not working, he makes me either drive everywhere for him for errands to make me practice my driving or starts training me in everything he could in terms of bartending mannerisms and layouts. I'm talking about practicing how to pour the same bottle in the same glasses for hours a day with him watching me.
And the days he's out working and I'm home? I still have to STUDY! Cause bartending isn't all 'just know the drinks and pour everything together,' not only do I gotta memorize the drinks, but I gotta read a whole book that HE MADE with so much technical knowledge with backstories on different liqueurs and liquors. Even when I've finished college, I still gotta study!
I really think my dad expects the most from me out of my siblings cause while I finished school, my brother dropped out, and my sister did too while ending up as kind of a neet... (I swear, my parents spoiled her like a princess in that she didn't need to do anything around the house, and now she does nothing but play Minecraft all day with only a part-time job even though she stubbornly decided she won't do school again...) so yeah, pressure for me to better.
But enough of that! Enjoy this chapter!
Answered Comments (Oldest To Most Recent):
SkyChaser17: No no, ramble all you want! I love long comments like yours that give feedback, not to mention that it gives quite the larger impression on the fanfic since it shows people quite passionate about it. So leave all you want on each chapter, I love it! And yeah, I could've had Bell confront Bete at the hostess or something, but that'd mean running into the Loki Familia before doing his bullshit things yet, lol. And I enjoy giving him the run-around with them so far.
For'Sleep 3rd: Oh come on now, Bell sneaking into the Soma Familia to find evidence and gather evidence is FAR too tame of a solution for a solo leveling fanfic, lol. Not to mention, I'm not even sure if that would work since I'm pretty sure Orario's legal system is kinda bullshit due to concerns of power-balances and other Familias calling out tyranny, it sucks.
vtorx: To be fair, the concept of 'solo leveling' in the world of danmachi is also kinda an antithesis in itself because no one is leveling up alone in the dungeon, after all. Besides, the party system and shared experience IS in the official Solo Leveling manhwa, when Sung Jin Woo meets that demon girl in the S-rank demon king castle, he just chose not to use it with her since he needed to get super strong fast. Different people, different scenario, yada yada. But I don't think it'll even matter in the long run since while Bell isn't really a loner like Sung Jin Woo had been, it's also not like he's suddenly gonna have a party the whole time. He'll grow too fast even with the party system hypothetically helping with growth for others, it wouldn't give the same growth and potential to them as it does to Bell.
Sebas602: Nope, sorry, no job-changing quest or Igris yet.
EDG1999: Hey EDG, good to hear from you as always! Hope you enjoyed the mha x danmachi chapter that came out not too long ago either!
aibincthomas2008: In all honesty, rather than have an actual immediate idea for a harem, I actually have no idea who will be in it or how it'll happen. I've just been overall enjoying writing girl's interactions with Bell, lol.
Passerby Fan: Yup! You'd be correct. No debt for Hestia! If anything, if Hephaestus ever catches a whiff of any of the weapons Bell obtains, you'd bet your ass the dynamic will be the other way around, with Hephaestus asking Bell what he'd want for such weapons. Easily picturable.
DragonStallion55: I actually completely forgot that Sung Jinwoo's skills had also leveled up with enough time going by. I'll see about incorporating that in the fic, even if I end up just following when they leveled up in the OG solo level if I get lazy.
Daemon of Wrath: In all honesty? I genuinely have no clue as to how or even if I'm gonna incorporate the monarchs in this fic. I do have some rough ideas, but nothing concrete. However, I do have someone that I can bounce my ideas off of and maybe come up with a scenario if I want to. We'll see in time!
Bucio: Yeah, you're right; with the system, Bell absolutely doesn't need Lili or Welf, but that doesn't mean he won't interact with them at all or help them out. We already see Bell accepting Lili so that he saves some time with collecting drops (until the shadows come...) but, more importantly, it takes away any suspicions the guild may develop on Bell for randomly carrying so much value at once. As for Welf, we already see Bell becoming curious about the materials he collects from all the monsters the system makes. Yeah, they won't be 'important,' but they won't be non-existent or shoved to the side too much, either, if that makes sense.
Final Note:
Before we get started, I realized that in chapter 3, I mixed up the god's banquet with the term 'Denatus,' which is actually where they talk about leveled-up adventurers rather than parties. I quickly fixed that. Wanted to clarify because no, Hestia is not gonna suddenly ditch the Denatus going to give Bell an alias.
"Hestia, please! You've been clinging to me ever since I picked you up from your job!"
"Eheheh, c'mon, Bell, I had a loooooong day at work; just let me hold you~."
"I would if you didn't keep grabbing my abs!"
Walking through Orario's street under the night sky, Hestia practically glued herself to Bell's back with her arms wrapped around his waist. Her hands, in particular, dug under his shirt to grope his recently gained 'blessing,' giggling in bliss the entire time.
Bell struggled as he walked, desperately trying to ignore Hestia's own 'blessings' pressing against his back. To think, he had just been a scrawny kid last night, only to wake up looking so much cooler. And yet, things just seemed to be getting weirder for him.
Eina suddenly collapsing, girls actually looking at him, and Hestia becoming clingier than ever... It felt like it was only the beginning of more to come.
Speaking of Eina, despite initially passing in the middle of their conversation about the eighth floor, she had thankfully shot right back up to her feet a few seconds later. She even agreed with his request to let him go to the eighth floor if he passed its written test, which he did! She hadn't looked at him the entire time, though... She must've been angry that he was diving down floors too fast. But at the very least, she seemed calmer about it once he told her that he managed to get a supporter from the Soma Familia to help him out.
After leaving the guild, Bell had gone out and picked up Hestia from her job like they had talked about so the two could have dinner at the Hostess Of Fertility, just as he had promised Ryuu and Syr.
Leading to now...
"Hestia, please! This is embarrassing!" Bell begged his goddess as he awkwardly fumbled down West Main Street in her hold.
"Don't worry Bell, I'm not embarrassed~."
"That is not what I meant!"
This continued for several minutes, and at some point, Bell couldn't take it anymore.
"H-Hestia, that's enough!"
He reached down and grabbed his goddess, making her yelp as he yanked her off the ground. Holding her underneath her upper arms an arm's length away from him, Bell had his goddess before him at eye level, leaving her legs dangling in place. Both paused at their new positions, staring at each other in the middle of the road.
"Huh... She doesn't weigh a thing." He idly noted, curious if this was because of the falna or his new muscles.
On the other hand, Hestia started becoming self-conscious of being held up like a child, her cheeks pinkening the longer she was held up.
"B-Bell? Can you put me down, please?"
...
In a relatively rare scenario, her child didn't immediately listen. Instead, Bell considered her request, blinked in realization, and then innocently gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
He wordlessly started carrying her through the streets.
"Eh?"
It took a moment to realize what was happening, but Hestia soon started flailing around with her face growing red.
"B-Bell!? Put me down! Wait! Put me down!"
He just kept going, ignoring the weird looks he was getting from passersby. Some raised eyebrows, concerned about what was happening, until...
"S-Stop it! I'm sorry, alright!? I'll stop touching your abs for a little bit, okay!?"
Everyone sweatdropped and continued on their way like nothing was wrong.
"Bell!? BELL!? This is embarrassing!" Hestia begged and flailed.
"Oh, don't worry Hestia, I'm not embarrassed." He innocently responded.
"That is not what I-! Oh haha, you think you're real funny, don't you!?" Hestia pouted. "Since when did you get so cheeky!?"
Huh, now that she mentions it... He wouldn't normally-Oh, they're here.
"Hestia, we're here." Bell abruptly stopped in front of the large structure with lights peering out from the inside.
The Hostess Of Fertility.
Bell gently lowered his goddess to the ground. Thankfully, she didn't immediately latch onto him again. Instead, both stood side by side across the street from the pub, the deity skeptically glaring at the wooden building.
"This is suspicious... It looks too normal!" Hesitia immediately declared. "But what's even worse is that name! Who in Gekai names a pub after fertility of all things!?"
You know? Now that she pointed it out... wouldn't that usually give the wrong impression?
"Um, maybe it's just meant to be a metaphor?" Bell offered weakly.
"A metaphor for what!?"
"...I'll get back to you on that."
Hestia abruptly grabbed onto him again. But rather than feeling him up again, she just clutched him in concern.
"Bell, I don't like this! You shouldn't have promised to come eat here! What if it's a trap after all!?"
Bell couldn't exactly blame his goddess's paranoia, given what he's experienced from the waitresses so far, but he had already made a promise to them. And it wasn't like he hadn't checked on the credibility of the place, either.
"I asked Miss Eina about it before picking you up. Apparently, it's a popular place for adventurers to eat and hardly anything suspicious about it. Look, there's someone from the Ganesha Familia entering now," he said, motioning at someone wearing an elephant mask entering the pub. "That enough should tell us it's okay. Besides, if the waitresses here want to do anything, then they had the perfect chance yesterday..."
Bell frowned, remembering how powerless he felt in the presence of Ryuu.
"That elf waitress, Ryuu, she's strong... very strong; at least two levels higher than me, and that's just at minimum."
Hestia's eyes enlarged, and she hugged him tighter in fear.
"Really!? But why is someone like that working at a pub!?"
Bell could only shrug.
"Maybe she's a retired adventurer? It shouldn't matter, Hestia. She and Syr genuinely apologized to me, and they even held onto the Minotaur Skin that I dropped."
"Really!?" Hestia's eyes sparkled at the thought of regaining their lost money.
He nodded. "Yes, so please be polite when we show up. They wouldn't do anything to a goddess anyways."
Hestia considered his words more carefully, finally surrendering with a sigh.
"Fine..." The goddess grumbled. "But only if you let me hold your abs!"
"I refuse." Bell deadpanned.
"But why!?"
"Do I even need to explain!?"
It took a minute of fighting her off before Bell finally managed to get Hestia to settle for only holding his hand, a notion that probably would've had him red to his face before he had ever gone to the fifth floor. He then led her inside the well-lit pub.
Bell only took a step inside before freezing.
"They're all strong!?"
While he knew that Ryuu was strong already, he hadn't fully discerned the similar strength of the catgirls who had chased him the previous day. But now, standing in the vicinity of the feline women carrying trays, he could feel similar auras that instinctively put him on guard. However, what really made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up was the large, muscled, brown-haired woman wiping the counter.
She has the most intimidating aura he's ever felt, even more than the Viola's he encountered in the sewers.
And entirely out of place among these monsters, with no aura at all, was the bluish-grey-haired waitress who immediately noticed him enter.
"Bell! You made it-!"
She took one look and froze like he had a moment ago.
"A-Ara?"
The sound of her clattering tray drew everyone's attention.
Syr stood before him with wide eyes and pink cheeks, staring at the mature-looking young man she had just met yesterday. He had already looked adorable to her before, but this? This transformation was something she had not expected and, not to mention, she wasn't prepared for at all.
The other waitresses' reactions weren't that different. Anya's jaw dropped as did the mug of ale she was holding, spilling its contents to the ground; Chloe's tail shot up as she slammed her hands on the table she was wiping, her form trembling with a face of confusion; Lunor's eyebrows rose with a look of intrigue as she noted the handsome young man who had just entered; and Ryuu completely stilled by the entrance to the kitchen, mouth the slightest bit open but no less as dumbfounded as the rest of her coworkers that had actually seen Bell before.
"Oh for fucks sake..." Mia facepalmed at the spilled drink and the reactions of everyone. "OI! You better clean that up, NOW!"
Syr and Anya jumped as the former picked up her tray from the ground while the latter ran to get a mop.
"H-Hi Bell!" She finally said with a nervous laugh. "I'm glad you showed up! You look, um..."
The girl hesitantly gave him a once-over.
"...different today."
Hestia went from holding his hand to abruptly hugging him possessively with a pout.
"Yeah. It, um... It just sort of happened?" Bell offered, for he had no reasonable explanation for his change.
"Well..." Syr nervously shuffled in place. "You look g-good."
"I'll say~." a seated Amazon purred near them, sending a shiver down Bell's spine.
"Hiss!" Hestia clutched him tighter while baring her teeth, which only brought a chuckle from the scantily dressed woman.
He was regretting coming here already.
"Hey, you gonna stand there like some kind of art display or sit down and order something!?" Mama Mia bellowed from the counter.
Bell jumped while Hestia shrunk back.
"R-Right, sorry!"
"Just get over here." Mia pat the counter with a huff, then took a one-over of the room. "And the rest of you! You never seen a pretty boy before!? Get back to your drinks!"
That had everyone more-or-less return to what they were doing before, albeit with a lot more whispers, brief glances, and giggles, most notably from the women. Bell led Hestia to the counter, worriedly paying attention to the waitresses from the corners of his eyes. Both cat waitresses were staring at him, the brown-haired one repeatedly wiping her eyes like she was seeing things, while the black-haired one looked as if someone had shot a child in front of her.
They took their seats and looked up at the apparent head of the pub, the large woman giving Bell a flat stare.
"So you're the guy that's been causing my girls to give me gray hairs lately?"
Hestia nervously clutched Bell as the boy sputtered.
"B-But I didn't even do anything!"
"I know, that's the worst part," Mia deadpanned.
Both drew breaths of relief as the woman's attitude softened.
"Well, it's good to have you here. I'm Mia Grand, owner of this pub, but folks call me Mama Mia!" She introduced herself with a pointed thumb.
"I'm Bell Cranel, a rookie adventurer." Bell gave an unintentionally charming smile as he motioned a hand at the woman clinging to him. "And this is the goddess of my Familia, Hestia. It's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you..." Hestia repeated while warily eyeing the two cat waitresses giving Bell looks from across the room. They turned to each other with panicked looks and hand motions that spoke, 'What the fuck?'
Mia's fiery glare made them squeak and split off to their posts. She then apologetically looked down at Hestia.
"Look, I'm real sorry about my girls. It looks like they got so used to sending men running that they forgot how to even talk to them."
The waitresses all flinched. That wasn't a flattering description...
"Here, I'll make it up to you. Your first round here is on the house! As long as you promise to keep eating here in the future!" She finished with a grin, bringing sparkle to Hestia's eyes.
Bell was taken aback by the offer. "What? No, we can't possibly-!"
"I'll have the spaghetti, fried catfish, and the house special!"
"Hestia!?"
"What!? She offered!"
"Hah! A woman who knows what she wants!" Mia laughed.
Bell sighed before taking a moment to consider his own order, a few meat-related dishes. After that, it didn't take long before the first parts of their meal arrived, their steaming aromas glistening appearances making them salivate before they started digging in.
"MMM~ Sho good!" Hestia moaned as she practically demolished the catfish.
Bell similarly enjoyed his own food, making a note to store meals from here to eat in the dungeon in the future. They maintained this jolly air as they dined, all of their previous worries about the pub slipping away.
"Now that you've settled down, humor me for a bit." Mama Mia leaned over the counter with a smirk. "I'm curious about my girls' reactions to you. Syr mentioned something about you looking 'different?' Heh, no doubt she would've mentioned if you were quite the looker with how much she talked about wanting to meet you again."
"Mama!" The mentioned waitress blushed as she showed up with drinks. Hestia narrowed her eyes in suspicion before grabbing one of the wooden mugs and downing it.
As for Bell, he sheepishly smiled as he came up with a response. "Well, when I met Ryuu and Syr yesterday, I was actually much more... scrawny? But when I woke up this morning, I was like this." He motioned at himself. "I think I finally hit my growth spurt."
"So you did!" Mia laughed, reaching over and ruffling Bell's hair. "But don't hold back now! You're still young, so eat as much as you can to keep it going!"
With that, Mia left the counter and into the kitchen, allowing Syr to step up beside them.
"I'm glad you came, Bell. You too, goddess Hestia," Syr addressed with a cheerful smile.
Hestia squinted her eyes at her. "You're lucky Bell is just too forgiving! If it was me and that had happened, I would've stayed as far away as possible!"
"Hestia, please be nice." Bell sighed. "Everything was just a misunderstanding, try not to hold it against them."
"Hmph!" She pouted before looking away and chugging down a mug of ale.
Syr didn't look too disappointed. If anything, she looked sympathetic.
"I understand if you're still worried for Bell. It just shows how much you care about him. He must be really special to you, right?"
Hestia looked up in surprise before a smug grin formed on her ale-smeared mouth.
"Bell is the most precious boy in Gekai, and I'm the luckiest goddess in the world to have him! Him growing abs only made him ten times better!"
"Can you not say something so embarrassing like that out loud!?" Bell cried out with a red face, making Syr giggle.
"Goddess Hestia."
The three turned their heads and saw Ryuu approach with a serious yet earnest gaze.
"My name is Ryuu Lion. I'm the one who had mistakenly intimidated Mister Cranel before."
Hestia stiffened at that, feeling an immediate dislike for the elf.
But then she politely bowed in a perfect ninety-degree angle.
"I apologize for my actions. Although it was a misunderstanding, that doesn't change the fact that I acted on impulse without fully analyzing the situation. It was shameful of me to do so and I can only beg for both yours and Mister Cranel's forgiveness."
The elf's formal and earnest apology caught Hestia flat, just as Bell had been the previous day. While a part of her wanted to stay mad at the elf, the decorous speech and ninety-degree bow she was giving in a public place felt too over the top not to feel embarrassed and guilty about.
"Eh!? Hey, s-stop that! I accept it, I accept it! I really do! Just don't bow down like that!" Hestia rapidly spoke in panic while Bell chuckled beside her.
"Thank you." Ryuu raised her head in evident relief. She then turned her attention to Bell, eyeing him up and down in curious wonder.
"Mister Cranel, you've changed since yesterday, incredibly so... It's quite sudden."
Bell nervously chuckled. "My growth spurt was bound to hit sooner or later, right?"
"It sure did wonders." Syr sighed dreamily, only to flicker to a cheerful smile as if nothing happened. "Are you two enjoying yourselves?"
Bell lit up. "I am! The atmosphere here is great, and the food is absolutely delicious!"
"Mmph... Ish' okay." Hestia begrudgingly admitted between bites of food before taking another mouthful of ale.
"I'm glad to hear it! So you'll come again in the future, right?" The waitress asked eagerly.
"Eh? Well..." Bell glanced at Hestia, who alternated between scarfing down food and chugging ale, then turned with a smile. "I guess so! The pub has a good atmosphere, and you all seem nice," he responded, only to halt. His brow slightly furrowed before he turned to the quiet elf.
"Ryuu... can I ask you something?"
She noted the sudden uncertainness in his gaze and nodded.
"Of course."
Bell took a moment to collect his words while Hestia chugged another mug. "Besides Syr, why did you and the others decide to work in this pub when you're so strong?"
Ryuu and Syr's eyes flickered in surprise.
"You're quite perceptive to realize that, Mister Cranel."
"Really? It just seemed kind of obvious to me." He couldn't simply admit it was thanks to a stat on his Falna that shouldn't exist. "I'm just wondering why you're not in the dungeon like other strong people would be."
"Bell! You should know better than to ask a lady's secrets!" Syr playfully chastised while wagging a finger before him.
"Eh!? Oh, I'm sorry!" He babbled quickly.
"It's fine, Mister Cranel. I can't blame your curiosity." Ryuu reassured. She looked down, and for a moment, Bell saw something solemn flash in her eyes. "...Unfortunately, I can't share the personal reasons of my coworkers, nor will I share my own."
"Ah, that's fine! I'm sorry for asking about something personal..." He was a little disappointed but wasn't surprised. He was, however, somewhat concerned by what he had seen in Ryuu's eyes.
"Hwah? Whacha' all talking abiut? Bell! Don't leave mr' out!" Hestia suddenly cut in with a slam of her empty mug... with three more empty mugs beside them. Her face was notably redder than before, and her eyes were glazy and unfocused.
Bell gaped at her.
"Hestia!? Are you drunk!?"
"Wah? Course nah!" She denied it, only to wobble forward and fall facefirst into Bell's chest, the boy catching her in panic.
"You are!" Bell exclaimed.
Hestia let her face stay in her child's armorless chest before taking a deep whiff of him. Her hands then dug underneath his shirt, earning a yelp in return as she roamed to his new abs. "Bweheheh~"
"H-H-Hestia!? Stop that!" Bell turned tomato red as he pried her hands off him.
"Nwoooooo! Jusha few shqueazes pwease!"
Syr intensely stared with envy while Ryuu turned away, cheeks turning similar shades of red.
Bell and his goddess spent more time than expected in the Hostess of Fertility, the busy night slowing down enough for two waitresses to meet in the back of the pub and speak. Or rather... one was speaking. The other was sulking against the wall with depression so obvious that you could practically see the dark clouds above her.
Anya peaked at Bell from the doorway before turning to her fellow catgirl on the right with bulging, astonished eyes.
"What happened to white-haired-kun!? He didn't look that... hot!?"
"Cute tushy-kun, how could you...?" Chloe bemoaned lifelessly. "You were supposed to be a super young and cute tushy-kun, but now you're a sexy, manly tushy-kun. Why?" She slammed a fist on the wall. "Dear gods, why!?"
As her fellow catgirl stared flatly at her, Chloe cried waterfalls of tears before shakily peaking out at the boy who lost the most appealing thing to her.
She then did a double take. Seated at the stool, Bell's pants tightly hugged his new build, emphasizing a particular part she was staring at.
"..."
Chloe slumped against the doorway, her tail swishing as she sighed, still sad but notably less disappointed than before.
"Well, I guess this is fine too..."
Anya facepalmed.
A second later, Lunoire approached them with a basin of dishes in her hands.
"You two never told me that the guy Ryuu chased off was quite the looker." She said, taking a glance at the attractive boy trying to pry his drunk goddess off of him.
"Nyhee didn't look like nyat before! It's like he transformed with magic!" Anya grabbed her hair with a look of utter bafflement.
The human raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Cute tushy-kun didn't look manly like that when we saw him... He was so perfect before, nya..." Chloe lamented.
Lunoire gave her a disturbed look. "If Chloe is that disappointed, then you're probably telling the truth... and for his safety, it's probably for the best that it happened."
"Nya?" Chloe glanced back at her with a question mark popping above her head. "What do you mean?"
A dry look stared back at her. "Gee, I wonder."
It's no secret to the pub waitresses what Chloe's... preferences are. It might've been a blessing for the boy to suddenly grow up. Although, they had no idea just how it had happened.
Speaking of preferences, Lunoire took another glance at Bell, who was gently hugging his now passed-out goddess against his chest, caressing her hair while apologizing to a laughing Mama Mia for her sloven state.
"Handsome and maternal..."
She sighed, remembering a time when she had considered looking for a husband who'd let her laze around and take care of her.
"But most men in this city are either arrogant drunks or complete idiots!"
Eye twitching, Lunoire fumed and stomped away, leaving a melancholy Chloe and a blank-faced Anya, the latter alternating from looking at Bell to her fellow cat or where Lunoire had left.
"...Is no one gonna question why white-haired-kun suddenly looks hot!?"
Bell wasn't ignorant of the stares he was getting, especially the varying levels of disbelief from the waitresses who had seen him before. The system had caused a sudden change too noticeable for anyone to ignore, and he was just hoping that the staff hiding by the doorway wouldn't come asking questions.
"Um, it's probably time for us to go."
He's already spent quite some time here at the pub. Not to mention, he actually has an excuse to leave in the form of his goddess passed-out drunk in his arms.
"Sure does look like it." Mama Mia chuckled as she wiped down a jug. "Your goddess sure let her hair down despite her initial doubts about us."
"Please don't hold it against her. She just really worries about me." Bell insisted.
"I won't kid. Besides, Syr did sort of put a hit on you in the first place." Mia playfully mentioned.
"Mama!" Syr indignantly exclaimed, showing up with her arms holding something wrapped in a towel. "Don't say it like that!"
"What was it you said? If any of you find and bring him here, you'd take their bathroom-cleaning duties for a week?" Mia grinned.
"...Wow, so I'm only worth a week of bathroom duties?" Bell giggled.
"Geez! Don't make fun of me! You don't know how bad customers can leave the bathrooms!" Syr pouted, and Bell internally cooed at the sight. "And here I thought you wanted your missing monster drop back."
Bell gasped, immediately realizing what was in her arms.
"The Minotaur Skin!?"
Syr smiled and nodded, extending the cloth to him.
"Yup! I kept it nice and safe for you."
Bell accepted the leathery slab into his arms with a big smile.
"Thank you for holding on to it! My goddess and I don't have much money right now, so this will help a lot." He rolled the leather as tight as possible and shoved it in his small backpack. It didn't entirely fit, but he could just put it in his inventory after leaving the pub.
Catching sight of Ryuu in his peripheral vision, Bell turned to her as she approached them.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes, I have to bring my goddess to bed. She'll definitely be feeling those drinks in the morning."
She nodded in understanding before... looking down at his hand? Wait, why does she suddenly look so focused on it!?
"Mister Cranel."
He stiffened, breaking into a cold sweat.
"Y-Yes!?"
She returned to his eyes, expression losing intensity for its usual neutrality.
"You're a rather new adventurer, correct?"
That... hadn't been what he was expecting.
"Well, I've been one for about..." He counted with his fingers. "Four weeks, I think? I'm only on the seventh floor right now, but I'll be heading to the eighth tomorrow."
Ryuu's eyes widened, and so did Syr's, who quietly stood beside them.
"Floor seven in four weeks? That's already quite impressive in itself, but you're already considering moving to the eighth? Are you sure you should be rushing like that?"
Bell's eyes hardened.
"Completely sure. I've learned to judge my abilities and where I should be."
Ryuu was curious about his answer. He didn't seem to state this out of the arrogance an everyday adventurer would show, but rather as if it's been shown to his face.
"I see... Mister Cranel, as you may have guessed, I was previously an adventurer before I chose to-" She hesitated. "Retire..."
Bell sensed a complicated story there but stayed quiet. Hestia groaned, and a sleepy hand fumbled for his chest before he wordlessly slapped it away.
"In the mornings, I tend to train in the pub's inner garden to make sure I don't get rusty. So, to apologize for my initial actions against you, I'd be willing to train with you should you wish for help."
Bell's eyes widened at the offer while Syr's lit up in mirth.
"I-I wouldn't want to inconvenience you by getting in the way of your personal training!" His concern for others had him say.
"It won't be an issue. I wouldn't have made the offer otherwise." Her answer cut off any more of a rebuke from him.
Bell thought about it. Training with a veteran adventurer far stronger than him? It would be a valuable experience, and if he wouldn't be causing trouble for her, then... he really didn't have a reason to say no.
"Yes, I would be honored to join you!" He beamed, practically lighting up the room with his smile.
The smallest of smiles formed on the elf. The boy in front of her genuinely was a bright soul.
"That's great! So we'll be seeing you more often!" Syr clapped her hands together. "Make sure to come by when you can!"
"I will. Thank you for the food."
Bell then looked down at his sleeping goddess and crouched, pulling her into a bridal carry easily. Syr gleamed at the sight while Ryuu lightly blushed at what she considered intimate.
"Mmn... Bwehll..." Hestia snored and leaned her head on his chest with a dopey smile.
"Yes, yes, Hestia. We're going home." He chuckled before giving one last goodbye and jogging out of the pub.
After Bell and Syr left the hostess, Ryuu saw a few of the seated Amazon women actually get up and go to follow him, no doubt wishing to see where he lived. Ryuu frowned, but didn't intervene since she saw Bell rush away relatively quick out of sight. She hoped they wouldn't catch any sign of him. The last thing he needed was for his innocence to be tainted by those impure, ravenous women.
"Ryuu, Ryuu!" She was pulled from her thoughts by Syr's sparkling eyes. "Didn't Bell look so handsome!? I didn't expect to see him like that after yesterday! What do you think happened!?
Ryuu's eyes furrowed. "He certainly didn't look as he does now. As for what could've caused such a change..."
It either must've already been happening when they had found him or started happening at some point afterward. And considering that he looked how he had been previously when they had encountered him in the alleyway, she was betting more on the latter. But what could've sparked the change then?
Ryuu thought deeply into it, the only thing worth noting about their encounter was...
The image of their joint hands flashed by.
She stared at her palm like it held the secrets to the dungeon.
"Ryuu? Ryuu?" Syr noticed her friend seemed to freeze and waved her hand before her, growing worried when she didn't react. "Ryuu!?"
While the elf had an existential crisis on the powers of hand-holding, Lunoire mopped around the now-emptying pub while humming a tune. She went around tables while putting the chairs on top of them, only to pause after pulling out one particular seat.
"Hm?"
She reached down and picked up a thick, rectangular object.
"A book?"
~{Next Day-Morning}~
"Ooouuuuuuch..."
Hestia's head throbbed as she moaned in agony, her eyes clamped shut and twitching on the bed. As you'd expect from a night of irresponsible drinking, the following hangover hit hard for the small woman, leaving her a groaning mess.
Standing beside the bed with a cup of water and a bowl of porridge, Bell gave his goddess a sympathetic look.
"You really shouldn't have drunk that much last night, Hestia."
"Aaoooooooooh... Beeeeeeeeeell..." Hestia weakly cracked an eye at her child. "Shouldn't you be completing your daily quest?"
He shrugged. "I'll do it later. I don't plan on heading to the dungeon today anyway. I already told my new supporter that I'm taking the day off. I can't just leave you like this."
"Uwaaaaaah, such a good boy... Wait a minute."
"You have a supporter now?" Hestia blinked.
Bell nodded happily. "Yes! I was able to make at least twenty thousand valis yesterday because of them! I'll be able to buy us more food from now on."
"R-Really!? Wow, things are really starting to look up for us!" Hestia smiled in relief.
Bell passed her a cup of water she gratefully downed before he sat beside her on the bed, gently caressing her head with a soft, caring smile.
"UWAAAAAAAAAH!" Hestia went from groggy to rigid and beet-red, for Bell's new looks only added even more to the danger he had on her.
"Th-Thank you Bell. For doing so much for me..." She stuttered with a fast-beating heart.
"You know I'd do anything for you, Hestia." He declared, his new huskier tone adding to the statement; a delightful shiver went down her spine. He then offered the porridge in his hand. "Can you eat?"
Oh? OOO! CHANCE!
"It might be hard for me right now... Can you feed me?" She asked with doe eyes.
"Of course." Bell didn't even hesitate, bringing the spoon up to her mouth.
What followed was Hestia practically living in heaven again as she lay against her Bell while delightfully clamping down spoonfuls of food. She practically healed herself of her hangover through the purifying experience alone. Maybe another time, she could have him feed her a jagamarukun from her job?
...
"M-My job! I'll miss my shift!" Hestia sat up in panic.
Bell immediately put a calming hand on her head and gently pat her.
"Don't worry, I thought this would happen, so while I was out I also let your boss know you wouldn't make it. I told her that you collapsed from stress and that you needed rest." He replied with a smile.
Hestia blinked at him.
"Wait, you guilt-tripped her into giving me time off!?"
Bell's expression turned genuinely puzzled.
"Is that what I did?"
Okay then. A little concerning, but she doubts Bell did that on purpose.
Wait, she has the day off? Wasn't that a chance for something? She swears it's something important...
...
"OUR DATE!"
Hestia abruptly shot up to her feet and looked down at Bell with glimmering eyes.
"We can go on that date now! The one you promised to make up for missing the Monster Feria!"
Bell was stumped by her sudden energy.
"Eh? Today? B-But shouldn't you be resting!?"
"I'm all better!"
And she sure damn was. While Bell's gentle treatment had quickly quelled her throbbing headaches, just thinking about going on a date with him filled her with vitality unlike any other.
She joyfully jumped off the bed and turned to the stunned boy.
"I'll just get ready and we can leave-!"
She suddenly paused, turning around so her back was to Bell before sniffing at the shoulder of her dress.
Alcohol. The sloppy scent of a drunk. That wasn't appropriate for a date!
"..." She sharply turned back. " Bell, six O'clock!"
He blinked out of his stupor.
"Pardon?"
She dramatically pointed an outstretched finger at him.
"We'll meet at the Amor Plaza on Southwest Mainstreet!"
Without elaborating further, she snatched a small bag from the couch and dashed out of the room, leaving a confused Bell staring at where she went.
"...What just happened?"
~{Amor Plaza-Evening}~
Bell nervously stood in the Amor Plaza about a block from Southwest Main Street. It was a beautiful area made out of paved stones of alternating colors and surrounded by a border of various types of beautiful plants or flowers. In addition, there were statues of women dressed like nuns decorating the area... which he made sure to stand several feet away from.
The last time he was near statues, he had almost died.
He nervously fiddled with his hands as he noticed many couples strolling through the area, shrinking in on himself in a vain attempt to make himself invisible as many of the passing women would suddenly stare and blush... which in turn would have their male companions give him the stink-eye and practically drag their lovers away.
He isn't doing it on purpose, he swears! He's not trying to steal them or something!
Bell sighed. He was just lucky that none of the women had actually approached him. He didn't know what he'd do if he got caught between such a girl and her infuriated lover.
Trying not to think about it, Bell looked down at his outfit.
"I hope this is okay..."
He wore his usual long-sleeve black shirt and pants, but instead of the brown coat that usually accompanied him when not in the dungeon, now he sported a buttoned-up, snazzy black jacket, one he had obtained not too long ago.
[Formal Black Jacket]
Item Class: F
Type: Clothing
A plain but silky black jacket part of a standard formal set.
It was from one of the earlier random item boxes from the daily quest. It fit snuggly on his body and felt extremely comfortable, not to mention looked far better than his usual coat. He hoped it made him look more... fitting for going out? He wasn't entirely sure, but wearing it right now just felt right.
"Bell!"
Hearing his goddess's voice, the boy let out a breath of relief and turned to the direction of her voice.
"Hesti-ah!?" Only to do a double-take at what he saw.
His goddess had changed her hairstyle, going from her iconic twin tails to letting her glossy black hair flow down. In addition, she had also put on her best outfit, a single-piece blue and white dress with ribbons tied around her wrists.
It was like Miss Eina all over again, witnessing a whole new look to a woman he knew well. His skin reddened and his breath was stolen, actually speechless for a moment as his precious goddess stopped and looked up at him with pink cheeks.
"Did I keep you waiting?"
"N-No! I just got here a minute ago!"
"Really?" Hestia nervously tugged a strand of hair behind her ear with an adorably bashful smile. "Um, I tried out a new look... what do you think?"
Bell gulped down saliva.
"Y-You look amazing! More than amazing! L-Like you look more refined than usual but still just as beautiful!" He quickly spoke.
Hestia internally squealed at his praise and felt her heart threaten to burst from happiness. Having her now manly Bell praise her while still somehow looking as cute as before was doing things to her.
"R-Really? Well... I-I look forward to you escorting me tonight!" Hestia smiled brilliantly, holding out a hand to him.
Despite being stunned at her appearance, Bell quickly calmed down and softly smiled back.
"Leave it to me, Hestia."
He reached forward to accept her hand-
"Look, there's Hestia!"
-before the wolves suddenly ambushed them.
Bell and Hestia turned their heads to find several beautiful goddesses peaking at them from behind the nearest statue.
"So that means the guy next to her is-!"
Every single goddess looked at him, only to freeze.
All was silent, but then...
"SQUEAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Every magic lamp in the area abruptly shattered by the combined squeals of the goddesses. Bell and Hestia flinched and covered their ears by the sudden attack, only for Hestia to suddenly get knocked aside while Bell got swarmed by frankly stunning women.
"Oh my lords, he's SO HANDSOME!"
"H-His abs are glorious! Feel them!"
"Kya! How can he look so hot yet so cute!?"
"Hestia, how did you catch yourself such a man!? He's perfect!"
Bell was pulled in all directions, his face hugged into several different pairs of breasts and arms slipping under his shirt to feel his muscled frame. The poor boy's eyes were swirling, and he barely had any chance to breathe from being passed from one bountiful paradise to another.
"Wh-wh-wh-wha-!?" Hestia was near-catatonic from the ground, staring at the sight in pure horror.
Another pair of hands grabbed Bell and hugged his head into the largest chest among the goddesses, belonging to a tall, maturely beautiful orange-haired woman wearing a pink dress.
"D-Demeter!?" Hestia squawked.
"Sorry, Hestia. But we were just too curious and just had to follow along!" The woman cooed as she tightly held Bell and caressed his hair. "And I can't believe you held out on us! You didn't say that he was so handsome or so rigid! Can you lend him to me~?"
"HELL NO, YOU COW!"
By now, Bell's life was flashing right before his eyes. He had absolutely no idea what was going on but couldn't stop himself from enjoying the womanly scents or soft skin pressing against him. He was gonna die, and it would be a hell of a way to go out.
But then a hand squeezed too low and completely snapped him out of his daze, self-preservation flaring to life.
Bell ducked down from their hands and curled into a ball against the ground before rolling forward.
Demeter's eyes widened as the boy slipped right underneath her legs and through her dress, escaping from the circle of beautiful death.
In impressive mobility, Bell pressed his hands on the ground as he rolled and pushed hard, launching himself airborne in an impressive flip before twirling mid-air and landing beside his goddess in a dramatic crouch.
It was an impressive display that made the goddesses pause for a second. But the finishing image was ruined by the evident shaking from the boy as his tomato-red face stared at Demeter with a gawking mouth.
"Y-Y-You're n-not w-wearing-?"
"Ara?" Demeter gave a puzzled blink before her eyes widened in realization. Her expression then shifted into a seductive smile as she put her hands on her pinkened cheeks. "Ara ara~ You naughty boy~"
Veins popped out on Hestia's head as she shot up to her feet in outrage.
"BELL!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear!" He cried.
Bell's adorable shame ignited the goddesses' want, and they all squealed once more before rushing for him again.
"Ah, Hestia!" Without hesitation, he turned and swept his goddess right off her feet, earning a yelp as he caught her in his arms in a bridal carry. "Let's go!"
"A-Again!?" Hestia gasped in illuminating joy from being in Bell's arms once more. She immediately hugged him close with her face in his chest. "You're forgiven, Bell!"
He took off at full speed through the city, leaving all the shouting goddesses in the dust.
Thankfully, it didn't take too long for Bell to lose the group of goddesses (thanks to his absolutely amazing Sprint skill), and soon, he and his goddess were dining at a notably lovely restaurant, with Hestia shining the entire time like she was experiencing a dream come true.
"Mmm! This is delicious!" She squealed as they ate their dessert, rich white slices of cake, seated in a vibrant red-colored restaurant filled with many couples eating together.
"It is." Bell happily agreed, enjoying his own cake while internally cooing at his goddess's child-like enthusiasm. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Hestia."
"And I'm glad you have that Sprint ability of yours, Bell. It would've been so hard to outrun those vultures when they're that desperate for entertainment..." Hestia sighed. While she didn't like Bell's 'system' on principle for taking her falna from him, she hated to agree that it gave him so many useful things.
"Yeah, haha..." Bell sheepishly sweatdropped as he remembered being shoved into canyons of bliss. "They were quite... touchy."
"Hmph!" Hestia puffed her cheeks and turned her head away as she was reminded of that moment. "That must've been sooo great for you, right? It's practically the harem you came to Orario for!" She shoved another forkful of cake into her mouth.
Bell wilted at his goddess's displeasure, only to relax and smile at her.
"Well, I can't say that I didn't enjoy the attention."
"Grrrrrrr..." Hestia pressed her teeth together on the fork in her mouth.
"But between them and you, you know that I'll always choose you, right?"
Hestia swerved her head back to Bell with glistening eyes.
"B-Bell-!"
That's cheating! You can't just say that with such a super cute and sexy face, it'll be impossible to stay mad at you!
"Look, here they are!"
Wait, wait?
The two turned their heads to find a few of the goddesses from earlier pointing right at them from the restaurant's doors.
"Seriously!? They managed to find us!?" Hestia shot up from her seat with bulging eyes. "And they ruined our moment, too!"
Bell acted quickly, dropping a bag of valis onto the table from nowhere before scooping Hestia into his arms and looking down at her with a smile.
"Allow me to escort you out of here, my goddess."
Cupid's arrow struck a bullseye on Hestia's heart, her eyes matching the image.
"Oh, OH! When did Bell get so suave!?"
Bell then activated Sprint and dashed to an opposite exit, the yells of the goddesses following behind.
They thought it would end there and aimed to head for other places to enjoy themselves, but... they underestimated the persistent whims of entertainment the goddesses so desperately desired.
The duo had gone to a clothing store next to add more outfits to their non-existent wardrobe but had been interrupted once more by hopeless goddesses trying to swarm them. This happened yet again when Bell and Hestia went through a street market and one final time when strolling through a beautiful lake park. With all the interruptions, Bell worried about his goddess ending up in a foul mood because of it...
"Hah! So long, suckas!"
But on the contrary, Hestia absolutely reveled in the time they spent in each location, and getting whisked away by Bell each time made her feel like a princess escaping from the castle guards. She laughed away as Bell carried her through the streets, the young man also grinning in mirth as he ran up a cobblestone slope before leaping to a rooftop. They briefly passed the shining full moon above them before he followed the rooftops to an old bell tower, where he skidded to a stop.
"They shouldn't follow us here." Bell breathed out, gently placing his goddess on her feet.
"Man, the gods really have no self-control, don't they?" Hestia giggled, cheerfully skipping forward before turning to Bell with hands on her large hips and an equally large grin. "But we sure showed them! They probably have their dresses stuck to their skin in sweat right now!"
Bell looked relieved yet curious.
"You're not mad that they kept interrupting us?"
"I mean, it was a little annoying, and I'd probably be angry if all we did was run from them, but we didn't! We ate at a fancy restaurant, shopped at a cool market, and saw that beautiful park! Not to mention..." Hestia shivered in delight as she recalled the feeling of her body against Bell's firm muscles whenever he had carried her around. "Eheheh~"
Bell opened his mouth to ask what else, only to gasp at something behind her.
"Hestia, look!"
"Hm?" She turned around and saw a fantastic view of Orario lit by countless magic stone lamps like stars lighting up a midnight sky.
"Whoa..." Hestia stared in awe as Bell stepped beside her, equally immersed in the view.
"It's a wonderful note to end the day on, isn't it?"
Hestia's breath hitched as she felt a masculine hand hold hers. She slowly looked down and witnessed Bell's fingers curling around her own, entwining them in what she could only call a loving embrace.
"W-WE'RE HOLDING HAAAAANDS!"
"Let's... do this again sometime, but without anyone following us. And then?" Bell gave her a smile brighter and even more beautiful than the lamps before them. "We'll come back and watch this beautiful sight once more."
Hestia felt the butterflies in her stomach roar within, excitedly giggling as she leaned against Bell with a goofy smile.
"I'll hold you to it, Bell!" She managed to say, practically melting against him.
Bell felt no-less glad for his goddess's happiness and turned back to the view of Orario, contently enjoying the scene with her in a following silence.
He needed this. They needed this. With all the stress accumulated from everything happening to them, the day had been a much-deserved break for both mortal and goddess.
He could only hope they'd be able to have more days like this in the future.
~{Days Later-Evening}
Another day, another successful dungeon dive. No, it was even more than successful, and it was all thanks to Lili.
"Thank you for your hard work!" Bell cheered as he and Lili left the guild into the dark shade of the night sky. He held two bags of valis in his hands and didn't hesitate to extend one to Lili.
"Here you go, an even split again!"
Lili stopped walking and stared at the bag like a foreign creature. The day had been just as gracious to them as previous ones, full of monster stones and so many monster drops from the eighth floor that her bag had been shaking with loot when leaving the dungeon, granting them another heavy haul of valis.
And once again, Bell evenly split the loot without even a second thought.
"Bell-sama... Lili shouldn't say this when she's graciously accepting, but you're either too kind or need to learn the value of money and common sense better," She sighed, even as she accepted the bag in her small hands.
"I'm just giving you what you deserve, Lili. It's not my fault other adventurers you've worked for in the past had been unfair to you." Bell innocently smiled. "I'm just treating you right."
Treating her right... did he think he was a knight in shining armor or something? Did he think he was better than all those other adventurers!? Sooner or later, they all show their true colors!
...
They always do...
And yet, the pallum in disguise couldn't find many flaws working with Bell. He was nice and dumbfoundedly proficient in the dungeon, and he even fed her with warm meals he somehow kept fresh and hidden on him (no, seriously, how does he do it!?). He was weird, annoyingly naive, and confused the absolute hell out of her, especially when she still couldn't figure out where he kept storing that fucking dagger of his!
Honestly, his naivety annoyed her even more than being unable to snag that dagger to the point where she even had to lecture the dumb adventurer about things he should already know about money or Orario.
Like seriously, he didn't know the second floor of Babel had a cafeteria!?
And yet... she didn't hate it.
And the thought scared her.
"Lili?"
The girl blinked out of her stupor and saw Bell staring concerningly at her.
"Are you alright?"
How shameful of her to actually consider him a friend, especially with what she's been planning the entire time.
"Lili is fine, Bell-sama. She's... just thinking about a meeting she'll have to attend for her Familia."
Bell frowned at her words, remembering the not-so-kind description she had given him about them and her god before.
"Will you be okay?" He asked hesitantly.
"You don't need to concern yourself with Lili. However, I must shamefully ask Bell-sama for tomorrow off to attend the meeting." Lili bowed with her hands on her backpack straps. "I know this violates our contract, and I will accept any penalty."
...
"You don't need to worry about that, Lili," Bell responded in a soft, reassuring voice. "If you ever need a day off, no... if you ever need anything, just tell me, and I'll help the best I can."
Lili bit her lip.
"...Thank you, Bell-sama."
With that, she turned and left.
As Lili walked away, Bell couldn't help but solemnly stare at her back, her small frame holding that large backpack.
He was honestly worried about the girl. From what she said about her Familia, she didn't have many people to count on.
He's still not sure what she wants from him-
He ignored the repeated glances at his dagger whenever they were in the dungeon.
-but he wants to help her...
But how can he help her if she doesn't trust him?
"Oh, that's cool."
"..." Seated on the couch of their room, Bell waited for the rest of his goddess's reaction to his words. That patience soon turned to bewilderment once he realized that nothing would follow. "Wait, that's it?"
Laying on her side on the bed, Hestia gave Bell an unimpressed look, her arm arched and her head in her palm.
"What? Did you think I'd freak out now that you have a party system that can increase the growth of other people in it? After creating dungeons with its own monsters and completely violating everything the falna stands for, this is kinda tame. Besides, it was already increasing your own growth, so why wouldn't it work for others too?" She rolled her eyes.
When she put it like that, he could understand her reaction...
"Um, well... I-I also have another dungeon key?" He admitted next.
This time, Hestia groaned and pressed her face into her hands, balling up on the bed. "Already?"
"Yeah... I actually got it the day we went out to eat at the Hostess Of Fertility, the same day I learned about the party system since Lili joined me. I wanted to bring it up sooner, but I didn't really know when... I also got another quest for it."
Hestia abruptly sat up, a serious look of concern on her face.
"What kind!?"
He couldn't blame her for reacting to that part. After the Daily Quest consequences and his first dungeon quest, they knew just what kind of hazardous scenarios the system could throw him in.
"A 'normal' quest, apparently." Bell sighed, scratching his head. "I just have to complete the dungeon like I did with the other one. But this time, it'll be a D-rank dungeon rather than E-rank..."
"Is that bad?" Hestia asked nervously.
He shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I have to use the key on the fifth floor of the dungeon, but I don't know what that'll mean for the instant dungeon that gets created. I just know it has to be harder than the first one."
"Wait, it's in Orario's dungeon this time?" Hestia interrupted in surprise.
Bell took a moment to check the key's description before nodding.
"It is, and I'm actually glad about it. I won't have to sneak around to get there. And since the quest doesn't have a time limit, I can finish it anytime. Although..." He rubbed his chin in thought. "Since the system gave it to me this soon, theoretically I should be able to handle it, right?"
Hestia raised an eyebrow.
"Are you really trusting the system to be that straightforward?"
"..."
Bell slumped over with a dejected sigh.
"Yeah, you're right... Maybe that's why I haven't even thought about doing it yet. I've just been trying to increase my stats for the last few days. I do really wanna unlock the shop, though..."
"The shop?"
Bell lit up, and he jumped to his feet.
"Yeah! I forgot to tell you, but the system has its own shop and currency! Right now I've only been able to sell things in my inventory for gold coins in the system, but if I complete this next dungeon, then I'll unlock the buying portion of it!"
He didn't expect Hestia to groan once more.
"Of course your system has its own shop! One that'll probably have items no one in Orario has ever seen before, why wouldn't it!?"
She dragged a hand down her face before tiredly staring at him.
"Okay, okay..." She closed her eyes and straightened out, taking a deep breath and returning to a composed state. "Bell, I'm just going to trust that you know what you're doing instead of freaking out again, but it feels like you've been forgetting to tell me a lot of things lately. Is there anything else you want to add?"
Ah, he supposed that he's been slipping to tell Hestia a few things...
"Um..." Bell wracked his brain for anything else important he might've forgotten to mention. He's already planning to talk to her about Lili, the items he got from the random boxes of the daily quest aren't worth noting, those weird feelings he gets on the walls...
"Oh!" He gasped in realization. "Right! Hestia, don't panic-"
"Bell, saying that is already not doing me any favors!" Hestia cut in, frantic dread in her voice.
"Well, um, lately, someone has been... watching me?"
"WHAT!?" His goddess leaped off the bed and right at him, grabbing him by his shirt and yanking him down to eye level. "Who!?"
"I-I don't know!" Bell stammered, cheeks turning red from her face inches from his. "It started off as a weird feeling, but it keeps coming back! A-And the system told me that someone was trying to 'peer into my being' or something like that!"
"And you didn't tell me!? Someone could be looming to snatch you up, Bell! Or maybe they already know something about you and the system! When did this start!?" She demanded, shaking him back and forth.
"A-About two weeks ago! B-But I think it might just be the system owner!" Bell stammered.
Hestia stopped, a questioning look on her face.
"You mean that Kandy guy?"
"Kandiaru."
"Whatever!" She exclaimed, letting go of his shirt to raise exasperated hands. "Why do you think it's them?"
"I mean, it just makes the most sense to me?" Bell rubbed his collar. "It started after I got the system, and they only really watch for a bit before leaving me alone. I think it might be Kandiaru just checking on my progress or something, seeing as the system is basically his falna, right? If it was anyone else, I think I would've at least been approached or seen signs of them by now with my Sense stat... unless their abilities are that greater than mine."
"Don't say scary stuff like that, Bell." Hestia sighed. "I don't know what's worse, being wrong and having someone in Orario noticing what you're doing, or being right and having that deity watching you! We still know absolutely nothing about this guy! What he wants, why he made the system, or what he plans to do with you! All we know is that he's a jerk that's been putting you in horrible situations!" She ranted angrily.
Bell gave her a sad look of understanding. Even with the power he's been gaining thanks to the system, he's still under its control. Whether it was acting as a separate entity or directly linked to Kandiaru was the next question...
"Don't worry, Hestia! No matter what happens, I won't let them take me from you."
"Damn straight! Or I'll beat them up myself!" Hestia declared, punching the air in front of her. "Especially Loki! If there's anyone in Orario I wouldn't want you with, it'd be that washboard!"
"Please don't insult other deities behind their back..." Bell sweatdropped.
"Eh, it's Loki, so it's fine!"
~{Blue Pharmacy-Morning}~
With Lili needing to take the day off for her Familia meeting, Bell similarly decided to hold off on diving into the dungeon, opting to use the day to relax and maybe see some shops.
This line of thought made him remember that he had forgotten to visit Miach's shop in the last few days like he had initially planned to, much to his shame. But hey, at least he remembered, right?
He took a few back alleys until arriving at a small, old building with wooden double doors and the emblem of a healthy body representing the Miach Familia on top. He entered the run-down house run by Miach and his only member, finding said member at the counter past rows of barren shelves.
"Good morning, Naaza! Excuse me for coming in early." He greeted, getting the attention of the brown-haired, dog-eared chienthrope with bags under her tired eyes.
They immediately shot wide open past full-awake scales.
"B-Bell!? Is that you!?"
He paused, finding the girl's reaction odd.
"Yes?"
Naaza dropped a cup and muddle she had been holding, staring at him like he had just grown two heads.
"H-How!? What happened to you!? You changed!"
Wait... Right! She hasn't seen him since before his transformation.
"O-Oh! You mean my new looks?" He awkwardly smiled while pointing at himself. "Erm, I hit my growth spurt after exercising!"
Naaza's unblinking eyes stared dumbfounded at him.
"You can change that much by exercising?" She whispered, completely in disbelief.
"Maybe it's just me?" He offered like he didn't know it was just him. "A-Anyway! I only have a healing potion left, so I wanted to get more."
The promise of business snapped Naaza from her shock, her eyes returning their tired expression, albeit much more awake after that sudden discovery.
"I see... You look good. In fact, you look very handsome." She smiled.
"E-Eh?" Bell lightly blushed at the praise. "Ahaha, thank you... um, is Miach-sama around?"
"He's out on a personal errand today, so it's just me." She answered before reaching under the counter and pulling out an orange potion. "Bell, have you considered that maybe it's about time you buy a high potion?" She asked casually.
"Hnrk!" Bell almost flinched at the suggestion. High potions usually went for tens of thousands of valis, and Naaza usually tried convincing him to buy one or other expensive items, seeing as she's from a poor Familia like him.
"I-It might be a little too soon for that?" He said, backing up from the potion nervously. "I-I'll just take three low-grade healing potions, please."
"But Bell, it's been a while since your last visit. Miach has been lonely and hungry, you know? Me too..." Naaza looked away in hurt.
Bell tensed. It's not like he doesn't understand their situation, but... he's poor, too, you know!? Then again, it wasn't as bad now with how much he's making daily in addition to selling the Minotaur Skin he got back... so it's not like buying something pricey will absolutely crash their finances.
"...How much?"
"Sixty thousand!" Naaza chirped.
Bell actually did flinch this time. That was more than what he and Lili earned together in one day!
But with everything that's been happening lately, thanks to the system and that D-rank dungeon he'll have to go to... isn't it worth it? So far, the system has been absolutely merciless in throwing him into dangerous scenarios with high chances of dying, so having a high potion on him would be a saving grace...
"If you buy the high potion, I'll give you four low-grade potions for free, how about it?" Naaza sweetened the deal.
...
Making the absolutely most painful decision of his life, Bell slumped in defeat.
"I'll take it..."
If it was to help him return to Hestia, it wasn't a loss, no matter how much it felt like it.
"Thank you Bell, I love you." Naaza winked at the boy, earning another blush from him.
He knows she only flirts with him so that he buys more, but it's still a cute girl he personally knows winking at him! And maybe it was nice seeing her tail wag from happiness...
Ugh, he's so weak to girls.
He placed a bag of valis on the counter before taking the high potion from her hands.
[Item: High Potion]
Item Class: B
Type: Potion
A potion that greatly restores a portion of the consumer's health.
"Seriously? A potion that expensive and it's only B-rank? What would an A-rank potion cost, then?"
Bell shuddered at the thought, slipping the potion into his inventory while making it look like he put it on his person. Naaza cheerfully reached under the counter and pulled out a vial stand holding four red potions.
"Here are your low-grade potions. Pleasure doing business with you."
He sighed and reached for them.
[Item: Diluted Low Grade Potion]
Item Class: F
Type: Potion
A potion that poorly restores a sliver of the consumer's health.
His hand stopped.
"Diluted?" He whispered.
Bell blinked several times, the message not changing no matter how many times he did. Confusion filled him as he slowly looked into the eyes of the woman he considered a close friend, but where he expected, no, hoped to see similar confusion or shock, he saw the clear horror in Naaza's eyes, not from learning that her potions were tampered with, but from getting caught.
"Naaza...?" He whispered hesitantly.
The blood had utterly drained from the woman's face, her tail was bending in a tense state, and a cold sweat was already breaking on her.
She did it. She diluted the potions she was selling to him. She knows how important even the most basic potions are for adventurers in the dungeon; they can make a difference in life-or-death situations! Any yet... she still did it anyway.
"Why...?" Bell whispered in utter betrayal.
"I-I-!" Naaza was clearly stressed, the most emotional he's ever seen her. "I had to, Bell! Our Familia's bank account is on the brink of collapsing, we need the money! L-Lord Miach doesn't think about it to the point where he even gives you potions for free, Bell! Remember!? I-I couldn't just do nothing! I'm sorry, but you were the only one I could save extra income from! The easiest to fool!"
Bell didn't know what to feel. Angry? Distraught? A chaotic swirl of emotions engulfed him, and he could only look back down with a blank face as he tried to make sense of being crossed by a friend. He knows how poor Naaza and Miach are, even worse than himself because at least he could make money in the dungeon. Naaza didn't have that privilege due to a past trauma. He was also aware of just how far Miach's kindness extended, remembering the man gifting him potions a few times before...
But did that really excuse Naaza for scamming him like this? With potions that could literally make the difference between life and death?
He knows she isn't a bad person; there's no way she could be with Miach as her diety! And yet...
"You're a good person, Naaza..." Bell whispered, his head down in thought. "And yet, you're doing something bad... but it's for the sake of surviving?"
Confused and conflicted, he turned and left without another word, leaving the diluted potions behind.
He didn't even hear Naaza call out to him. Instead, his thoughts were scrambling as images of a small girl kept popping up.
Lili.
Thoughts he had been ignoring resurfaced into an unavoidable picture.
He remembered when she had first approached him, her appearance strikingly similar to that small pallum girl he had saved, a girl he knew had seen Rasaka's Fang. Then, the system notified him that he had added a pallum girl to his party.
He recalled how the girl would look at his weapon nearly every time they were in the dungeon together, at times even looking frustrated, how she would occasionally ask about where he kept putting it while taking it out so efficiently.
He knows what she wants; he's known the entire time but ignored it. And even when he accepts it now...
'Lili is part of the Soma Familia... And you don't have to worry, they and God Soma don't really care for her much. They see her as small and weak, a burden. Even if Lili asks them to form a party, they wouldn't say yes.'
He remembered the pallum's tattered clothes in their first meeting.
'In the eyes of adventurers, we supporters are nothing but parasites, so it would be arrogant for Lili and other supporters to ask to be addressed in equal recognition as adventurers.'
He remembered that sad look in her eyes when she explained the status of supporters like herself.
'Bell-sama? Why are we splitting it evenly? Aren't you gonna try and take it all for yourself?'
He remembered how many times she'd been confused by basic acts of kindness from him...
Bell took a deep breath as he marched down the main street.
"A good person, forced to do bad things... Not because they enjoy it, but because to them, there's no other way..."
Naaza diluted his potions even when it could risk the worse for him, yet she did so to help support herself and Miach. Would Lili do something similar out of desperation?
Bell raised his head, revealing a determined glare.
Even with the possibility now apparent, he didn't feel his thoughts towards the girl changed. Ultimately, Lili was still his precious supporter, one experiencing her own troubles without anyone to rely on. He wants to trust her, he wants to help her, and he'll wait for as long as it takes for her to finally open up.
And if she does do something that puts him in danger? Well...
Red eyes briefly flashed purple.
He'll show her why it's pointless to even try.
~{Author's Post-Notes}~
HALT! Do you know how fast you were scrolling there, traveler?
Why, you've shown up far too quickly than what was expected. I hope you were able to relish the chapter in its entirety. Here, take a seat by the fire and enjoy some stew.
As you must've read, that was more of an interluding or preparatory chapter for what's to follow, as next, not only should Bell be obtaining his magic, but shall also attempt to trek through that D-rank dungeon he's required to conquer, let us hope he won't bite more than he can chew, hoho! We can only wait in anticipation for the moment.
Now relax yourself, traveler, and hold your patience, for in time, we shall see this young man's story further unfold.