Chapter 51.5: Hearth Goddess’ Blessing on This Wonderful World

????… ????… ????...

The temple of the flame of heaven. The grand structure housed the heavenly flame, the origin of all fire in the upper and lower worlds. The sacred fire was a heavenly artifact essential to maintaining the world's order.

As the sounds of footsteps echoed through its storied halls, one would naturally assume that they came from one of the temple's many firekeepers.

Sacred goddesses have been assigned the task of caring for and upkeeping the heavenly flame and its abode, but such speculations couldn't be farther from the truth.

????… ????… ????…

Located at the center of the grand temple was the divine chalice through which the heavenly flame rested.

The sacred fire burned with a magnificence that would draw in any and all gazes that would meet its flickering blaze.

It was a place of worship, admiration, and of profound insight, but it had now become nothing more than a place where the flame's last fire keeper vented her anxiety with her endless brisk walking.

"Calm down, Hestia. Hephaestion should be coming to pick me up soon. In a few short moments, I will finally be able to descend and make my own family. The council of Olympus wouldn't suddenly say my travel pass is invalid at such a crucial time… right?"

Increasing her pace further, Hestia drowned herself in worry about all the possibilities that might block her from her long-awaited desire of descending.

Unfortunate miscommunication. Unforeseen accidents. Untimely mistakes. The goddess of the hearth had lost herself in overthinking.

"AAAAAAAA!!!- PLEASE COME HERE ALREADY HEPHAESTION! THE ANXIETY! THE TENSION! MY POOR HEART CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

Unable to bear the pressure any longer, Hestia called out to the smithing goddess' divine automaton to guide her to the descent platform of Tenkai.

"I'm just a hearth goddess that only knows how to keep a stupid fire from growing angry! I'm not built for this kind of emotional weight!"

"Wait… establishing a familia is a significant emotional responsibility… NEVER MIND THEN! I CAN TAKE IT! BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF IT GOES AWAY SOON!"

Her emotions went from one end to the other of the spectrum in a series of lapses, similar to the flickering of the heavenly flame that became an unwilling witness to it all.

Had a certain white-haired therapist would have seen her right then and there, he would have suspected the divine being of having some developmental issues.

But before the goddess self-imploded from her own emotions, the divine automaton Hephaestion had finally arrived at the entrance of the temple of the flame of heaven.

"Lady Hestia? I have come to pick you up-"

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG HEPHAESTION?! UWAAA!"

As the automaton began to make her presence known, Hestia had already begun sprinting toward her, subsequently tackling and hugging the automaton with immense force.

"DID THOSE BASTARDS IN THE COUNCIL DO ANYTHING?! I CAN STILL DESCEND RIGHT?!"

"... yes, Lady Hestia. Lady Hephaestus has prepared everything for your descent. Even if there was a problem to be encountered, I and my fellow automatons have already prepared for every contingency"

Looking at the automaton with eyes of reverence, despite being a figure of reverend herself, Hestia began to thank Hephaestus with all her heart for creating such capable maids millions of years ago.

"Then shall we start making our way to the descent platform, Lady Hestia? I'm sure you cannot wait any longer to find your own family in the lower world"

"Yes! I even prepared my best dress! I practiced how to exude an air of divinity! Studied the best conversation starters! I even read 'How to engage with mortals 101'!"

As Hestia began to list off all her preparations to Hephaestion, the automaton couldn't help but worry about the things she had studied about.

'Does Lady Hestia know anything about how to actually manage a familia?'

Hephaestion knew the importance of a familia head being able to connect and form a substantial relationship with their mortal children.

Emotional strength driven by bonds has consistently paved the way to the creation of great adventurers and familias, but though it was a major factor to consider, it wasn't the only one.

'Contract formulation. Supply accruement. Tax compensation. Division of wealth. Along with many more. Lady Hestia should be taught the basics of such things to not encounter any difficulties forming her familia…'

Though Hephaestion knew that a proper goddess like Hestia should learn about such subjects before descending, the automaton failed to simply imagine such a scenario being possible, even with her divine computational abilities.

'... I suppose I'll just leave it to Lady Hephaestus to properly educate Lady Hestia. Surely a goddess of her caliber could be capable of such a feat'

As excitement filled the goddess and doubt plagued the automaton, the pair began to make their way to the descent platform.

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..

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"♩♪ Binkusu no sake wo~ ♩♪ Todoke ni yuku yo~ ♩♪ Umikaze~ ♩♪ Kamikase~ ♩♪ Namimakase~ ♩♪"

"Hm? What is that song, Lady Hestia?"

"Some stretchy white-haired god passed by one day singing it. It was quite catchy, so I learned it myself!"

Hestia and Hephaestion cheerfully chatted with one another as they made their way through to the descent platform.

As they walked with one another, the pair began to turn heads from numerous passing gods and goddesses.

Hestia, as one of the three virgin goddesses of Olympus, held great renown and admiration in the heavens as a pure and kind beauty… with a substantial bosom that betrayed her innocent demeanor.

Meanwhile, Hephaestion, one of the many famed automaton maids of Hephaestus, was well-known for her near-divine beauty.

Often being sought after by more perverse divinities who admired her stone-cold stare of disgust at any divinity that wasn't her creator or her beloved friends.

But as the crowd grew dazed with the appearance of the two beauties, their rapture had been broken as shouts began to ring out through the structure that housed the descent platform.

"ON THE FLOOR, SCUM! YOU WILL BE MOVED TO THE DIVINE COURT FOR PUNISHMENT OF YOUR CRIMES AGAINST MORTAL-KIND AND SPIRITS!"

Immense rays of light began to burst out like spears of weaponized illumination, radiating divine fury with its manifestation. Seeing this, Hestia's curiosity began to grow more and more.

But before the goddess could make her way closer to the scene of the noise, Hephaestion had stopped her approach, holding the hearth goddess by the hand from approaching.

"Don't go any closer, Lady Hestia. This isn't something a goddess of your standing should see unfold"

Seeing the tense expression of disgust on the automaton's face, along with the heavy emotions that were conveyed through her voice, Hestia began to grow concerned at what was happening beyond the gathering crowd of gods and goddesses.

"Hephaestion, what's happening?"

"... an evil god has been returned to heaven"

Hearing those words, Hestia immediately felt a cold shiver go down her body. She was acutely aware of what evil gods were. Divinities that lost their rationality and fell prey to the dark pits their nature predisposed them to.

Such divinities were rampant across the heavens, but after the creation of the great gods that brought order to the various pantheons, their existence was reigned in tremendously.

But after the creation of the descent platform by an unknown god, which allowed divinities to travel the lower world instead of just observing it, the presence of evil gods resurged as the great gods' influence held no sway in a world where arcanum was sealed.

'That old man Zeus and his partner Hera should have descended a thousand years ago to deal with them'

'A whole lot of evil gods were returned in the last thousand years. I even remember a group of them were sent back en masse a couple of decades ago… but there are still more?'

Hestia didn't know what to think about it all. She was no stranger to conflict, but she personally made it a point to not seek after it. She disliked violence if it held no meaning or purpose.

'I'm not naive enough to not know the importance of violence when needed, but I can never accept when it's done for the sake of just inflicting violence… like how my old neighbor, that god of wine, enjoyed doing…'

As the goddess lost herself in thought and the automaton began to usher her away, the crowd in front of them both began to move like a splitting ocean, giving clear sight of the evil god to the pair.

"Yes. I know resistance is futile. You, gods of justice, don't have to be so strict about everything"

"Quiet, criminal scum! What you did to our beloved children… to those innocent mortals… be grateful you are even being given a fair trial!"

Chained by heavenly chains and shackles, and surrounded by countless shining divinities of upright order, the evil god wryly smiled as he bore with the pain of his arrest.

"That god… I always knew that creep would get in trouble one day. I mean just look at him! How can such a gloomy bastard be the same existence as the rest of us?"

"I know right? He just kept smiling and giggling to himself as he watched the lower world. Probably thought about how to torture them all"

"Unforgivable. May you suffer for your crimes, Angra Mainyu"

The crowds began to curse Angra Mainyu as he slowly began to be escorted away by his captors.

He received countless insults and hurtful words. Many cursed his very existence, and many more wished that he hadn't been created at all.

Yet, though he walked a path laden with thorns and would surely never see the brilliant heroic light he came to admire, he held a wide smile as countless tears of gratitude flowed down his beaten face.

"I hope I was able to make you stronger. I don't want to see my hero die so untimely yet again… thank you… thank you so much… for giving someone like me hope… Argonaut…"

Whispering beneath his breath under the thundering cries of disgust of the crowd, Angra Mainyu accepted whatever fate awaited him. He would live an eternal life of torment henceforth.

"I apologize you had to see such a sight, Lady Hestia"

"... it's alright, Hephaestion"

Continuing on their walk to the descent platform, Hestia and Hephaestion quickly lost sight of the evil god, but though all in attendance held nothing but contempt for Angra Mainyu in their hearts, the goddess of the hearth felt that something was amiss.

'He wasn't crying for himself, but for another…'

Hestia was quite sensitive and keen to the emotional states of others. She did not possess an unfounded intellect like Athena, uncanny instincts like Artemis, or the ability to perceive souls like Freya… she simply just knew… and she knew that the evil god was not like the many others she came to see being arrested in the heavens.

'The lower world is truly a complicated place. I can only hope I can shelter my familia from a part of it…'

Resolving her heart, the goddess took a step onto the descent platform after confirming the details of her travel.

A large crowd immediately began to gawk their eyes at seeing the last of the virgin goddesses descending onto the lower world, but they did not matter in Hestia's mind.

"I'll be going now, Hephaestion"

Looking back at the divine automaton, Hestia couldn't help but worry that the maids of Hephaestus would no longer have anyone to talk to now that she and their creator had descended.

But contrary to her worries, Hephaestion was smiling widely, unlike her usual cold appearance. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she moved her mouth to bid the small but kind goddess farewell.

"Stay safe, Hestia. It has been my honor to have served you these last one thousand years"

"Hephaestion…"

Hestia began to feel some tears well up from the corner of her eyes, but she resisted the urge to simply express all the emotions forming in her heart. Instead, she activated the descent platform immediately, her body being covered in brilliant light.

"You won't have to miss me long! I'll raise a familia so strong, they will reach the heavens themselves!"

? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The goddess' arcanum had been sealed as her body began to travel to the lower world. Her form shot down through the heavens in a blazing trail of light, traversing across the sky with brilliance and haste.

To the mortals of the lower world, she appeared like a shooting star that dances through the night sky. Enticing the imaginations and spirits of children and dreamers across the continent.

"... a shooting star? So another god has descended"

Looking into the limitless star-studded expanse, Bell spoke to himself as he recognized the phenomenon in his view as a god's descent into the lower world.

But he quickly lost interest and moved on from it, as such a sight was common in his mind after witnessing it numerous times in this second life of his.

"Gotta get back to forging weapons for the alliance. The equipment for the troops is far from complete and the Black Barrel schematics are still not yet perfect as well… I really want to rest already… but it's best to just push through. One month down, three more to go"

He said as he continued hammering away at his anvil, preparing for the fight of mortals against giants, but he had unknowingly already formed a connection to the passing star.

Like the flickering of a flame and the tempering of a sword, their stories, their bonds, their connections, it all began to take definite form, slowly but surely.

…

..

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"WAKE UP, HESTIA!"

"GAH?!-"

Inside the mansion of the Hephaestus familia, and within the resplendent bedroom that the head goddess rarely used, a chaotic scene unfolded as the sun blared through the windows.

"Honestly, Hestia. It's already noon. You shouldn't still be sleeping at this time…"

"Hephiii~ Just one more hour~"

Reeling from the sudden burst of light that came into the room as Hephaestus tore open the curtains, Hestia complained with a groan as she tried her best to reenter the sweet embrace of sleep once more.

It had been nearly three months since she had descended into the lower world. Landing near Orario, the hearth goddess was quickly escorted by the adventurers of the Hephaestus familia who had awaited her arrival.

Hestia was quickly taken care of by Hephaestus. Being given the master bedroom of the familia's mansion, being taught the ropes of founding and managing a familia, and generally being afforded luxuries that most other starting gods would kill to have… but alas, it was all for naught.

"That's it… Hestia, You're a friend that I treasure dearly… BUT EVEN I HAVE MY LIMITS! GO AND FIND YOURSELF A CHILD TO CARE FOR AND START YOUR OWN FAMILIA ALREADY!"

Her patience reaching a boiling point, Hephaestus tore away the large blanket Hestia had been using to block out the light of the sun from reaching her eyes, leaving the poor sleeping goddess cold and disturbed.

"H-Hephi?!"

Not being given a chance to react to what was happening, the goddess of the forge quickly picked up Hestia and began to make her way through the mansion.

Various eyes laid upon the pair as it was quite the unusual sight in the familia's home. Their usually stoic goddess was now fuming as she carried another divine being.

?????… ????… ????...

A series of loud noises sounded through the mansion's entrance as Hestia was placed on the ground alongside a series of suitcases, greatly confusing her as to what was happening.

"W-What is happening, Hephi? What are you-"

"From now on, Hestia… YOU ARE HEREBY EVICTED FROM MY FAMILIA HOME"

"H-HUH?!"

Proceeding from the sudden announcement from Hephaestus was a detailed outline of all the things Hestia had accomplished during her three-month stay in her care… which didn't result in much.

"You were enthusiastic in the first month. Registering your identity in the guild with ease. Setting up recruitment ads all over populous sections of Orario. You even went out often to scout for potential members… but after being rejected ten times in a row you became a recluse"

"You suddenly stopped all progress in finding members for your familia and instead began to wallow in sadness in the bed…"

"You ate through tons of food and snacks to cope and began to spend tons of money on novels about finding family to pass the time…"

"YOU TORE THROUGH HALF A MILLION VALIS IN EXPENSES IN TWO MONTHS, HESTIA!"

Seeing the immense anger in her friend, Hestia was scared straight as she began to feel the weight of her guilt begin to press down on her.

Hephaestus continued to lambast the hearth goddess for half an hour. Hestia came out of the whole ordeal looking withered as she struggled to keep her tears from pouring out.

"???… ???… I-I'm sorry Hephi… ???… I really am sorry… ???…"

Seeing Hestia's current state, not even Hephaestus had it in her to continue scolding the hearth goddess. Though she was angry at Hestia's loss of motivation to find her own familia, it wasn't as if she was completely faultless.

'Hestia came down to Orario driven by her dreams of finding her own family…it must have hurt her a lot to find out that most familias are born out of benefits rather than bonds…'

The most famous familias are ones that are held together with a deep connection between the mortal children and their head god or goddess, but not every familia could afford such luxuries in a place like Orario.

Many familias struggle to even have a single level two adventurer in their ranks, as such, their funds were very limited and they couldn't afford to strengthen their own bonds.

The head gods and their respective adventurers need to be able to afford their daily expenses, so most familias are formed through the premise of mutual benefit.

Gods trade, exchange, and let go of their adventurers if it could boost their familia's income and profits.

Adventurers leave and search for familias that can provide better benefits for their enjoyment and growth.

Faced with such a landscape, Hestia's dreams of finding a loving family of her own were quickly shattered.

'Hestia was naturally rejected many times as a fledgling goddess with little to offer… she even got laughed away from a couple of level two adventurers'

Remembering the way her friend had looked distraught after coming home from that whole ordeal, Hephaestus naturally grew very angry at the people who would hurt her beloved friend

But she couldn't coddle Hestia forever. If her friend wished to succeed and fulfill her dreams in the lower world, she would simply just have to learn to overcome the struggles of the mortal realm.

"???… H-Hephi… ???… are you angry with me?"

"... ????… No, Hestia…I just want you to be better"

Her expression softened at the sad expression of the hearth goddess who feared she may have lost her friend, Hephaestus quickly informed Hestia of what would happen to her moving forward.

"I managed to find a place that you can stay in for now. It's an old church that was apparently dedicated to you during the early days of Orario. As such, it technically fell under your ownership once the original deed and ownership became lost to time"

"I also secured you some interviews for a couple of part-time jobs so that you can afford your living expenses. I won't hound you to repay your debts with my familia, and I'll give a stipend of ten thousand valis to keep you afloat while you look for work"

Seeing how considerate Hephaestus was even after how she leeched off her and her familia for so long, Hestia was filled with immense emotion and her tears finally let loose, streaming down her face immensely.

"UWAAAA!!! YOU'RE  SUCH A GOOD FRIEND, HEPHI!!! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!!"

(E/D: Everytime I hear Hephi I remember that time when my Grandpa(not related) took me to the morgue and showed me dead bodies and taught me how they died(Hepatitis included). I got so traumatized that my body started growing allergic to alcohol and cigarettes(haven't tried drugs). Best grandpa ever.)

The hearth goddess began to hug the smithing goddess with all her strength, which didn't really amount to much, but Hephaestus could feel the weight of Hestia's emotions being conveyed through her embrace… or perhaps she was feeling the weight of something else that was pressing down on her.

"I get it already, Hestia! Now get off of me and start finding the first child of your familia!"

"I will! But not until I fully convey how much I love my best friend!"

"I-Idiot! W-We're in public!"

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"You alright there, Lady Hephaestus? Are you sure about sending off that little goddess on her own? She doesn't really seem to be all that capable of making it by herself"

Inside the office of Hephaestus, Tsubaki talked to the worried smithing goddess who watched Hestia slowly make her way toward the guild, her eyes filled with worry and concern.

"Hestia doesn't really seem like it, but she can pull through when it matters most. She is an emotional mess and a klutz when it comes to most complicated things… but she has the heart to stick with something she believes in… like how she stuck with me in heaven"

Hephaestus smiled gently as she reminisced on her treasured memories. Her heart was filled with joy as her hand had unknowingly reached out to the hilt of the sword Gray Ghost had given her.

'Hestia… she really isn't up to date with all the happenings within Orario, much less the entire world, but I would like for her to meet him someday… my treasured friend… my treasured person'

Tsubaki smiled as she came to learn that her lonely goddess, who spent her time working rather than developing a social life, had a best friend she could call her own.

But as the atmosphere in the room began to grow lighter and lighter, it suddenly shifted as one of the executives of the familia came to the office to give a report.

"Reporting to Lady Hephaestus, all of our objectives have been met!"

Hearing this, the smithing goddess' eyes turned narrow as she quickly shifted into her demeanor for business.

"We have successfully lobbied a contingent of the Ganesha familia guard to extend their patrols near the ruins district, close to the church you specified"

"Our adventurers have also compiled a list of the many gods who attempted to make a move on Lady Hestia in the last three months. We were able to pressure most of them into backing off, and are threatening the larger ones with a complete ban from all of our familia-associated smithies"

Hephaestus nodded her head in approval as she went through the documents in silence. But Tsubaki could only wryly smile as she witnessed firsthand how obsessive her goddess truly was.

'I suppose it's only natural that Lady Hephaestus treasure her best friend more than most other people… it's only natural after seeing how in love she is with that vigilante'

Though Hephaestus urged Hestia to develop on her own and face the harshness of the world by herself, the smithing goddess was still not going to set her off without an absolute safety net.

She would struggle, yes. But no severe harm of malintent will ever be successful at even touching a single strand of her hair.

"Good. Continue making sure that no scum dares to sully Hestia, especially Apollo, keep that pervert from learning of her descent… and if any dare to challenge us… make them intimately aware of why they should fear a familia who dedicate themselves to the burning fire and steadfast forge"

The executive quickly accepted his goddess' orders, but just as he was about to leave, he remembered something that Hephaestus would most probably concern herself greatly about.

"One last thing, Lady Hephaestus. The newspaper just arrived a while ago and I believe you might want to read it"

"Hm? Has something happened?"

"Yes… it's about the Gray Ghost"

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"Thanks for the carriage ride!"

"Anytime, little goddess!"

"Hey! I'm not little!"

"Whatever you say, little goddess! Bwahaha!"

Hopping off a carriage that was headed for the guild, Hestia shouted with annoyance as the old coachman commented on her height whilst laughing away into the distance, something the hearth goddess had quite the complex about.

"What a rude guy… but a proper goddess musn't be so petty as to hold grudges among mortals…moving on from him, the first thing Hephi told me to do was register the church as my abode for… uh… Tax reductions and legal protections? I don't really get this stuff…"

Feeling ashamed at her inability to process such matters in her head, Hestia made her way to the entrance of the guild.

The building was filled to the brim with passing adventurers as per usual, but almost immediately, Hestia could feel that there was a tension in the air that captured the entire crowd.

"What's happening?"

Turning all around herself, she noticed that many people were busy reading a pamphlet she soon recognized as the Orario Chronicler, the dungeon city's premiere newspaper.

Soon, she would learn what had happened as she picked up a newspaper that was left unattended at a nearby table. It was a breaking news special.

『Gray Ghost and the Gigantomachy Alliance have prevailed over the Behemoth threat! The new hero of the age announces himself on the world stage!』

『Mortal Queen of Shalzard was coronated with the support of the elusive vigilante, the Hermes familia, and the dominant Freya familia! 』

『Altena has announced their support of the recovering desert nation Shalzard claiming 'Any ally of the Gray Ghost is an ally of us' 』

『Suspicions of snafu between the vigilante, the goddess Athena, the Queen of Shalzard, and the goddess Freya have been reported! 』

『Famous political commentator makes scathing criticism of the Gray Ghost 'How many hot and powerful women will that bastard seduce until he's satisfied? Onore Gray Ghost!'』

『New level eight adventurer! Ottar Valfreyja! In an interview, he accidentally calls the Gray Ghost 'father'! What does this mean? What does he know? Is Gray Ghost x Freya endgame? 』

The countless news stories that are all worthy of being a front-page headline had captured the crowd's interest.

Beyond the premises of the guild building, all over Orario, discussions erupted about what had just happened beyond the walls of the dungeon city.

"Start investing in Shalzard! The support of the Gray Ghost? The backing of the Freya familia? The price of real estate there will go to the moon! The moon I tell you!"

"Tell our shipwrights to begin plotting a course between Melen and the new Shalzard canal! I gotta buy that Gray Ghost a drink one day because his absurd strength just brought us immense savings through the new route he made for our trade ships!"

"Huh?! You rejected an order from the Hermes familia for Adamantium a few months ago?! You're fired! You just cost us a connection with the famed Gigantomachy alliance! You fool! You moron! You absolute buffoon!"

"Ottar has reached level eight… is a new golden age of adventures upon us? Uh, hey. Why are you crying tears of blood?-"

"Onore Gray Ghost! I want a hot sugar mommy goddess to pamper and spoil me as well! UWOOOOOO!!!-"

Crowds of people held numerous thoughts and opinions regarding the recent events. But in the sea of heated talks and exchanging of opinions… Hestia didn't know what to make of it at all.

"Who's the Gray Ghost?"

The goddess wasn't well-informed about most things that didn't revolve around her goal of finding a familia in recent months, so just as quickly as she grew interested in the strange occurrence, she just as quickly moved on from it.

'Focus, Hestia! You have to dedicate everything to becoming independent, self-sufficient, and capable of attracting adventurers to your familia!'

Ignoring the murmurs of the crowd, Hestia immediately began to line up for a reception desk of the guild that could handle her problem.

She quickly reached the front of the line as most of the people were busying themselves with the news.

Going through the procedures and following the instructions of the guild staff that had been assigned to her case, Hestia began to notice that the guild workers were wrapped up in their own discussions separate from everyone else's.

"Thank the gods that Bell Cranel sent another letter"

"Miss Eina can only be motivated to work once she gets a letter from him… and with the recent news from Sorshana, there was no way we would've survived all the work coming for us soon…"

"Misha is currently sleeping in the breakroom after desperately trying to console Eina until his letter arrived earlier this morning… poor girl"

Seeing this, Hestia grew even more confused as another name was being passed around by countless people. Bell Cranel. Between him and the Gray Ghost, the goddess began to feel her ignorance of the world around her more and more.

"I should start reading the newspaper to be kept up to date…"

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The ruins of Orario, a section of the dungeon city that, as the name implied, fell into ruin over the course of the settlement's history.

From being destroyed during the tumultuous formation of the city, to the disputes between the Zeus and Hera familia and their competitors, to the recent attack by Evilus, the ruins district contained within its borders the remnants of numerous conflicts.

Destroyed buildings ranged from mere decades to numerous hundreds of years in age. Each one contained a story that had long been forgotten to time immemorial.

But though it was a district of ruin and destruction, life still prospered within it. Mostly people of lower incomes, unable to afford housing in the more populated districts of Orario.

Walking through this district was the hearth goddess herself, appearing haggard and tired as she struggled to carry her suitcase of what little belonging she had.

"Haa… haa… haa… why must there be no carriages willing to travel through the ruined district?... haa… haa… and why is the only church that worshipped me located in such a secluded region?!"

Hestia complained incessantly as she labored away to reach her new home. She rarely trained her body to perform physical tasks as she would usually just lounge around in the temple of the heavenly flame.

"It's not my fault the heavenly flame naturally purifies the temple! Stupid flame! You shouldn't have made me such a slob!... Though, I suppose that is partially my fault as well…"

As she continued to make her way to the abandoned church, the hearth goddess soon felt an approaching presence begin to grow closer to her location.

She naturally grew cautious as the ruins district wasn't famed for their outstanding inhabitants, but her worries eased as what awaited her wasn't a large thug but a pallum adventurer.

"A pallum? Based on the armor she has on, she's probably an adventurer… Hey! Pallum! Can you help this goddess with carrying this suitcase? I can pay you some valis-"

"Lord Ghost… Lord Ghost… Lord Ghost…"

But as Hestia tried calling out to her, the pallum ignored her calls completely, appearing detached from the world entirely.

For a brief second, the goddess tried to call out to her once more, but she promptly stopped after sensing something within her soul.

"A flame? And a special one at that…"

As a goddess tied to the heavenly flame, Hestia had a natural affinity toward all flames in existence, regardless of what form they manifested themselves in.

So as the goddess' eyes laid on the pallum, she immediately noticed the pure red flame that burned within her soul.

A flame that consumed other flames with the veracity of an untamed beast. Its fiery fangs pierced down on all that it preyed upon like the edge of a refined spear.

"... Loneliness. Separation anxiety. Questioning of self-worth"

As the pallum walked away, Hestia immediately began to note down all the emotional issues she could infer from the brief interaction she had with the troubled mortal.

Though the hearth goddess was incompetent in most things, when it came to the matter of the heart, she was second to none in the heavens.

"That girl should be in a familia, otherwise there's no way she could've trained that flame so far… if only I could help her…"

Seeing firsthand the worries that plagued the souls of mortals, Hestia resolved herself even further to continue looking for children to take into her care.

She grew ashamed of the loss of her motivation for simply being rejected a couple of times.

Being laughed at wasn't new to her at all. So why should she care what others think about her? If someone called out to her for help. If someone screamed out for someone to return their call. She would do her best to reach out as best as she could.

"Family is the backbone of every upright person. Not a family of blood or relation, but of bonds and sentiment"

"I am Hesita, the goddess of the hearth! The flame of the home ties the family together. The fire that warms the home and the soul! I may be rarely worshipped in recent times… and my significance in a home may have waned… but my desire to keep families happy is still as strong as ever!"

Shouting out to the sky, Hestia grew more determined to find a family of her own. To experience the bonds that connected people through time and distance. To cultivate a hearth flame of her own.

But as the seconds passed from her declaration, the goddess soon became flushed as she realized how embarrassing it was to declare her intent so openly.

"Moving forward, let's work in silence rather than shouting all the time… yes, that would be a good step for my self-improvement journey"

Managing to stay optimistic, the hearth goddess hummed to herself as she continued to make her way to the abandoned church that would soon become her home.

The place was decrepit and filthy. It had hardly been used as a place of worship for hundreds of years… but it was enough for Hestia.

It may not be as resplendent as the home of her beloved friend, but it was hers, and she would make sure it would become a worthy home for her future children.

…

..

.

"Huh?"

In the basement of the abandoned church, a scant few rays of sunshine peered through the small opening of the room that became the hearth goddess' quaint living quarters.

The air was cold and quiet, signs that yet another peaceful morning had come to the dungeon city of Orario.

Families would slowly rouse from their slumber as they prepare to start their days. The vending stalls and various brick-and-mortar stores would begin preparations to welcome business. The adventurers of various familias would prepare to delve into the dungeon's depths. It was a slow and serene time… but not one that Hestia could afford to enjoy.

"AGH! I'M GONNA BE LATE FOR WORK!"

Quickly recognizing the time from a weathered grandfather clock in her room, Hestia got up from her bed immediately, racing through her morning routine as best as she could.

"Damn it! The manager said that today would be busy! I can't afford to miss out on the bonus pay for this month!"

Stripping off her clothes onto the floor, the hearth goddess quickly prepared a bath for herself.

She didn't have the time to heat the water, so she simply bore with the uncomfortable waking sensation of an icy bath in the morning.

"GHH- BEAR WITH IT! BEAR WITH IT!"

Droplets of the bathwater traced through her curvaceous figure and abundant bosom and bottom, but they were quickly splattered away as Hestia began to scrub herself intensely with her body wash and shampoo.

"?????… that should be good!"

After checking that she had cleaned and scented all parts of her body, she quickly rinsed herself before wrapping a towel around her body. Exiting the bathroom whilst still wet as she did the rest of her routine.

"Breakfast… the leftover jagamarukun from last night should work… ready the toothpaste… and my work uniform…"

The hearth goddess hopped around the church basement while doing numerous tasks at once. It was a chaotic routine, but in spite of it all, she managed to look presentable after a few minutes of crazed preparation.

"Grooming, check. Clothes, check. Stomach… bearable… alright! Let's start the day!"

Enthusiastically making her way through the stairs of the basement, the hearth goddess reached the ground floor of the abandoned church. Locking the door to her room with a barely serviceable lock, Hestia immediately began sprinting out of the church to head to her work.

"There should be thirty minutes until my shift… ENOUGH TIME!"

Smiling to herself widely as she made her way through the rocky roads of the ruins district, Hestia kept herself optimistic in spite of the rather less-than-ideal circumstances she was facing. But such happenings had quickly become the norm for the cheerful goddess.

'After all, it would reflect badly on me if I didn't manage to learn anything in these past two months!'

Two months had passed since Hestia had been banished from freeloading under Hephaestus' care, and began to learn to be self-sufficient and independent.

It had been a hard few two months for the Hearth goddess. Though she was helped immensely by her friend Hephaestus, she still had learning curves that she had to get used to.

Managing funds. Paying of Bills. Procuring daily necessities. It was an immense learning experience for the goddess who once only knew how to lounge in the temple she cared for… but she had now bloomed into a somewhat capable goddess.

"Hestia! Reporting for duty, manager!"

Arriving at the jagamarukun stall that Hephaestus had recommended her to for work, Hestia quickly prepared herself for the work day ahead.

Psyching herself up and fixing her appearance one last time, the goddess quickly took charge of the register of the stall. Greeting and handling customers with a bright smile.

"Welcome to Potato Corner! How may I help you today!"

Hestia moved with grace and efficiency as she tore through the waves of customers that came to the stall.

Fried potatoes were being handed out in droves as orders began to be arranged and notified to the cooking staff in an orderly sequence.

The hearth goddess knew that only through enticing benefits could she possibly even consider recruiting a great child to be the first of her familia, so she dedicated herself immensely to earning money.

Refining her skills at her job as she continued to save up wealth in her bank account. Moving up the corporate ladder of the jagamarukun stall until she had achieved the highest salary besides the manager.

The day began to wane until it was a few hours until sunset. The business at the stall began to slow down as people began to head towards diners or their homes in preparation for dinner.

But even though it was near the end of the day, Hestia continued to give it her all at her job, much to the amazement of her co-workers who only saw their current work as a part-time endeavor.

"I wonder how Lady Hestia is able to keep working so fervently? Are gods simply that dedicated?"

"I'm not really sure. I've seen a couple of bum gods around Orario. I guess Lady Hestia is really determined to earn some money"

The workers of the stall weren't the only ones to take notice of Hestia. All around the district where the stall was located, talk of the adorable goddess who worked the jagamarukun stall register quickly made the rounds.

Hestia had garnered herself a crowd of various people who were interested to see what she would do, dubbing her 'the potato goddess, but in the said goddess' mind, she barely paid any attention to the small fame she had gained.

Instead, she only daydreamed about the potential family life that awaited her at the end of all her hard work. Immersing herself in her fantasies if she didn't have any tasks to do.

But just as Hestia was about to lose herself in another round of daydreaming, a new customer had arrived at the stall.

"Excuse me? One cream-filled jagamarukun"

"Hm? Oh! Certainly! One cream-filled jagamarukun would be around…"

The hearth goddess quickly began to handle the new customer, but as she was processing the customer's order, the customer's eyes noticed a certain flyer that was hanging on the walls of the stall. A familia recruitment notice.

The customer was a rather tall blonde male elf who was a recently released veteran level one adventurer.

Being in need of a new familia, the elf inquired about the details of the recruitment notice for a familia that was somehow able to put their flyers in such a popular stall.

"Excuse me, do you have any details about that familia recruitment notice?"

"Familia recruitment notice? Ah! Are you interested in joining my familia?!"

Hearing about a potential chance at finding her first child, Hestia's already high enthusiasm reached an all-time high as she began to draw in the interested adventurer.

"That ad is for my familia! I was able to convince the manager of the stall to hang one of my flyers in exchange for some overtime pay, hehe~"

Hestia immediately began to tell numerous stories about the struggles she had to hang that one flyer for her familia recruitment, but her energetic talk was suddenly interrupted by the elf who was growing a bit impatient.

"Can you please move on to the benefits and recruitment incentives?"

"O-Oh… s-sure! Sorry for boring you with all that talk! Here is what I can offer…"

The hearth goddess immediately began to detail the incentives she could offer, but as she listed down the amount of valis she had saved with all her work, her heart began to sink as she felt a look of disappointment radiates through the elf's eyes.

"I-I know that I'm just a fledgling goddess with little to offer… b-but I can increase the offer if you give me some time! We could also strengthen our bonds as a family-"

"I've already heard enough. I'm not interested. Just give me my jagamarukun"

"... A-Alright. Thanks for hearing me out! Your order will be ready in a bit"

An awkward silence immediately fell in the surroundings as Hestia began to package the elf's order in a small paper cover.

As she handed out the order, the elf turned around quickly before leaving the goddess with a few parting words.

"Goddess, I suggest you take down that recruitment notice. No adventurer worth their salt is gonna accept such a small recruitment incentive and stop with the talk of bonds, no one is interested in stuff like that"

"... T-Thanks for the advice… have a nice day…"

Hestia could only hang her head slightly as she watched the elf walk away without a care about the effects his words had on her.

Tightening her hands tightly around the apron of her work uniform, the heart goddess slightly bit down on her lip in frustration at yet another failed recruitment.

'This makes the forty-ninth failed recruitment… small incentive? Useless talk about family? Of course, I know that it's pointless'

Hestia knew very well that her dreams of finding a family in Orario were naive and childlike. Familias are a business before a family. A business proposition between mortals and the divine in order to secure benefits for their own sake.

'Falna can grant a mortal a status that would allow them to accrue experience and excel in whatever path they dedicate themselves to. Most of the time, they choose a path that would gain them profits such as adventuring or mercenary work'

The Hearth goddess began to recount her accrued knowledge about the running and management of a familia, something she had desperately learned as she believed it would allow her to become better at recruiting… but alas, it wasn't fruitful at all.

"..."

Quietly standing still, the goddess' co-workers and managers began to grow worried that this had been the breaking point for her sensitive heart… but their fears were dissuaded as a loud clap rang out.

"Alright! Forty-nine wasn't meant to be, but I'm sure it will be better next time! Fifty is quite a nice number, so it should be lucky!"

Hestia quickly rebounded with a burst of optimism that she would surely meet the child she was destined to meet. Seeing the inspiring display the goddess put forth, her manager and coworkers were overcome with emotion as they began to help her out.

"Little Hestia, you can have the day off today and tomorrow. Don't worry about the bonus. I'll give you plenty of additional pay"

"Lady Hestia, I'll talk about your recruitment notice to all the people I know. Don't give up!"

Seeing their passionate gazes, Hestia grew greatly confused but accepted their kind sentiments nonetheless. She could sense that they had no ill intent for her, so she happily accepted their words of encouragement.

"Em...thanks, guys! I really appreciate it!"

…

..

.

"????… I have the day off tomorrow. What should I do?"

Walking down the streets of Orario as the setting sun painted the sky a brilliant orange, Hestia murmured to herself about what she should do for her sudden break from work.

"I don't really have a lot of hobbies. Even if I did, I have to save my money for recruitment incentives… the manager gave me some upfront bonus pay to use on myself… maybe I should just put it in the bank?"

Holding the sizable pouch of valis in her hands, the Heart goddess wondered whether she should give up her own luxuries once more… but as she recalled the stoic but smug look the elf had given her earlier, Hestia couldn't help but grow angry.

"AAAAAA!!! YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT MOST ADVENTURERS WANT IN A RECRUITMENT?!"

"ACTING ALL SMUG JUST BECAUSE YOU LIVE LONGER?! NEWS FLASH BUDDY! I HAVE LIVED LONGER THAN YOUR ENTIRE BLOODLINE EVER PROBABLY DID!"

Shocking the nearby crowd with her shouting and stomping, Hestia began to vent her frustration in any way she could, but alas, stomping and shouting did little to dissuade the discontent growing in her heart.

"Haa… haa… haa… I'm hungry…"

Feeling her stomach grumble in response to her excessive movements, Hestia was cruelly reminded of her horrifying diet which consisted of jagamarukuns for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"... maybe I should just splurge a bit for myself?"

Hestia said to herself as she began to eye the pouch in her hand as the smell of food began to waft through the air.

Numerous restaurants were slowly being filled with hungry customers as the prime time for dinner rolled in.

For a moment she felt her will begin to deteriorate, but she quickly removed such thoughts from her head as she began to hastily walk back to her home.

'Get a grip! Raising a familia requires a strong will that won't falter! If I have a moment of weakness for something like this now, how can I ever properly raise my future children!'

It pained Hestia's heart as she moved past the numerous delicious meals that tempted her senses, but she was able to pull through in the end.

'I supposedly ate perfect fruits in the heavens, but why are the foods of the lower world so much more delectable?!'

The hearth goddess thought to herself as she passed through a certain pub with a delicious meal that appealed to her tastes.

'The Hostess of Fertility?... I'll keep it in mind for the future… but I don't think now is the best time to enter that pub anyways. Sounds like there's a fight going on…'

Making her observations, she quickly moved on from the peculiar noises coming from the pub.

'Must be some adventurers getting drunk. Hopefully, they don't damage the pub too much'

…

..

.

"WHY IS THE GRAY GHOST GETTING MARRIED?! UWAAAAAA!!!-"

As Hestia passed by the entrance of the Hostess, inside the pub was a chaotic storm of emotion that left even the level four waitresses unable to do anything, as they had little in the way of calming the raging amazoness who drowned her sorrow in the strongest alcohol they could offer.

"Lord Ghost… they say he taught the Queen of Shalzard swordsmanship personally… I've been replaced-"

"???… ???… I didn't even manage to get screen time with him… ???… ???… and he's already married?!"

On the side of the raging amazoness was an unlikely pair of a pallum and a chienthrope who would usually be at each other's throat, but now they simply sat with one another as they wallowed in their misery.

"T-Tiona, why don't you lay off the alcohol for a bit? It's cutting into our funds with how much dwarven fire whiskey you keep ordering every night-"

"Shut up, Lefiya! Imagine if Ais was taken by some random adventurer who caught her interest, whom you never heard of! Would you be fine with that?!"

"Gh-"

Attempting, failing, and experiencing backlash from her attempts to placate her rowdy fellow familia member, Lefiya sat back down on her seat meekly as she processed the embarrassment of her attempt and the psychological damage of imagining Ais falling in love with some schmuck that came out of nowhere.

"HAHAHAHA. Let the lass process her first heartbreak! It builds character!"

"I would normally support such a decision, Gareth. But unfortunately for us, Mama Mia is giving us the stink eye and urging us to resolve her behavior… you handle her, Finn"

"Why exactly must it be my responsibility, Riveria? I am but a humble pallum who knows not of the affairs of the fairer sex. Must it not be a fellow maiden who heals the woes of another maiden?"

"Don't act coy with me, Finn. You're the captain of our familia. Wasn't it you who said he would take responsibility for raising adventurers who would go down in history as one of the greatest?"

"HAH! She got you there Finn! HAHAHAHA-"

"????…"

Chatting amongst themselves as the chaos ensues all around them, the three founding members of the Loki familia idly pushed the responsibility of reigning in their youthful recruits between themselves.

They would normally be composed, but they had been swamped with work in recent times due to the news that came from the Kaios. Specifically in regards to the change in behavior of their greatest rival, the Freya familia.

Whilst formulating a plan to pacify the sorrow-ridden Tiona, Finn thought to himself about the recent events that have left Orario abuzz for the last few months.

'The Gigantomachy alliance… not only has it produced a new dominant force in the Kaios that could placate the region's constant fighting and put pressure on the Eastern powers, but it had also brought immense boons to two familias in Orario'

The first was the Hermes familia. Though their forces were hardly anything to write home about, all their adventurers had experienced a series of level-ups, firmly planting their group as a high-mid class familia in ranking.

But the most prominent boon that came to them was through their famed captain, the item maker Perseus. She had been announced to have leveled up to level five, gaining an added increase to her repertoire of abilities that improved the quality of her magic items immensely.

Because of this, she had been declared to be the greatest holder of the mystery development ability in the entirety of Orario. Even beating out the likes of the renowned Healer Saint, Airmid Teasanare.

'But such changes don't really affect our standing… it's what happened to the sleeping giants of the Freya familia which brought us more trouble. Especially their captain, Ottar'

Ottar's advancement to level eight was an unprecedented event that Finn never considered to be possible.

The familia captain was already capable of fighting above his weight class, leaving every other adventurer below him in the dust, but his recent level-up has simply cemented his place as the undisputed strongest.

'When fighting against monsters, a level two monster would require a single level two adventurer or a group of level ones. This trend follows for every level proceeding from that'

'Though it would be quite susceptible to even think that Gareth, Riveria, and I would be able to subdue a level seven Ottar, this recent change has simply shifted the balance of power too drastically'

Finn's eyes narrowed as he knew what such a thing could mean. The Loki and Freya familia have always competed with one another for the title of strongest. Oftentimes clashing with each other in great battles for simply encountering one another.

But each dispute had always been left in a draw. Loki had a higher number of strong adventurers, while Freya had a concentrated group of elites. The argument of quantity versus quality had been found to be non-conclusive due to their spats… but now Freya's familia had an overwhelming advantage over Loki's… meaning they could off their familia whenever they wanted.

'We anticipated the arrival of a challenge to a wargame. The guild was busy trying to find ways to avoid conflict, but it was simply too much to expect that Freya wouldn't capitalize on the chance to get rid of her greatest competition… and yet… no challenge arrived at our door'

The Freya familia returned to Orario and simply went back to their home. Never once making their way to the Loki familia's Twilight Manor.

Seeing Ottar leading the familia to Folkvangr without sparing a glance towards them greatly confused Finn.

Instead of cementing their place as the strongest, the Freya familia instead did another unprecedented thing. They announced to the public their first major dungeon expedition in years.

'The Freya familia rarely organized group expeditions ever since the end of Orario's dark age. Their adventurers simply dive into the dungeon by themselves or in smaller groups, never the entire familia'

It was a display of arrogance that none could fault, for they simply had the means to back up their claims.

Money poured into their coffers without much trouble. Talent gathered among their ranks without needing to ask. The best equipment and items were procured with little inconvenience. The Freya familia was simply that good.

'They were often called the sleeping giants due to their inactivity in recent years… and now something has awoken them… something has urged them to believe that their current strength is no longer sufficient… something that has pushed them to start pursuing strength again… or rather… someone'

The eye of the storm that washed over the world. The crux that lay at the center of all the changes that came through the major powers of the lower world. The Gray Ghost.

'Our familia is backed into a corner and is being preserved as our greatest enemy is preoccupied with the Gray Ghost'

'The Gray Ghost is the catalyst for all the sudden change… and he is our best bet at escaping the rut we now find ourselves in'

'Gaining a connection with him could allow our familia to be given an opportunity to grow rapidly like Freya's… but it would also mean gaining their attention'

'It's a double-edged sword that could spell either the end or glory of our legacy… things are getting interesting!'

Gareth and Riveria were quiet as they saw Finn begin to smile with determination. They knew that the pallum was one to always choose the safe strategy for assured growth… but whenever he did pick to gamble, it was always a proposition worth gambling on.

"Looks like we'll be busy for the foreseeable future, Riviera. But I suppose things have been a bit too peaceful around here… 'bout time a fire was lit under our asses! HAHAHAHA!"

"I suppose so… but before you get lost in your planning, Finn. Please reign in Tiona. Tione just tried right now to placate her sister, and now they're about to begin wrestling on the countertop…"

As the adventurers of Loki both caused and tried to tame the mess they had made, the goddess in question had been long detached from the situation.

"Pwah! Nothing beats some good soma to unwind from all the stress!"

Rather than her usual pathetic alcoholic self, the trickster goddess seemed more composed than usual, something that the usually absent-minded Ais picked up on.

"Hm? Lady Loki? You're not an alcoholic waste of space tonight? Times are really changing"

"GAH! My precious Ais has stabbed my heart with words that can make me cough up blood… but that's just another part of your charms… thank you so much for the abuse!"

Loki comedically fell over her seat as if to convey the loss of strength after enduring the sword princess' words.

Seeing her god being her usual comedic self, Ais simply focused back on enjoying the jagamarukun she had been eating for a while.

But beyond Ais' knowing, her goddess was the keenest she had ever been in a long time. She knew perfectly the precarious situation her familia, Orario, and the world is currently in.

Though Finn held the unnatural ability to detect whenever things went wrong through the aching of his thumb, the cunningness Loki had developed over her long life perceived the situation more clearly than even him.

The events that surrounded the Gray Ghost in recent times were no mere coincidence. She could feel that the elusive vigilante was operating under a goal that not even her fellow gods could perceive.

'Unearthing various criminal networks and smoking guns within the slums of Orario, saving a backwater kingdom in peril whose Queen held immense strength and potential, ridding the remnant Behemoths from the time of Zeus and Hera… the Gray Ghost is operating with knowledge beyond our knowing… as if he were perceiving the future'

Loki failed to formulate any connecting piece that would unravel the mystery behind the vigilante. She knew that Freya and Hermes were in the know with the Gray Ghost, but she couldn't imagine herself being able to force the two to fess up what they knew about him.

But with what she did know, she could begin listing off unlikely answers, hopefully leaving her with a small pool of possibilities she could use to plan for the future that the Gray Ghost is a well-trained individual.

His actions are ones that require immense finesse in various disciplines to accomplish. Combat. Weapon-making. Magic knowledge. All requiring countless years to master.

'It would be best to assume that he has been raised for this purpose since he was a child. There is no way such a highly skilled individual could be developed in the later years of his life'

But how could such a talent be cultivated in secret for so long? The Gray Ghost couldn't have been backed by a nation or a large familia as his operations have stirred up trouble in various nations across the continent in recent months as if he were going on an idyllic cross-country vacation. He was simply too risky of an asset to hold for a large organization.

'It couldn't be a hidden malicious power either like Evilus or the Sekhment familia. His modus operandi of heroism and conscious actions don't fit with either of them… so it's a great power capable of scouting and producing a multi-talented fighter with great knowledge of the world… and I can only think of two people that could fit all those criteria'

The two great gods who held dominance over the dungeon for nearly a thousand years since the first descents. Capable of scouting world-class talent, and knowledgeable enough to teach various practical skills.

'I don't see that obsessive freak Hera doing such a thing after the fall of her familia… so it's that lightning pervert. He always had a thing for heroes. The Gray Ghost has his name written all over it'

But with her new deduction of the Gray Ghost having been raised by Zeus, a paradox came into the formula that Loki was trying to develop to explain all the changes that were happening.

'How could Zeus raise another powerhouse of a child in the time between the fall of his familia and now? He would only have had around fourteen years to have raised the Gray Ghost before he appeared in Orario'

It was simply unheard of to cultivate such a talent in fourteen years. The Gray Ghost is capable of conjuring weapons from thin air. Mass-producing high-level equipment for an entire army. Manifesting giant swords down from the sky. Among a menagerie of other impressive feats.

'Is it simply his experience as the head of one of the greatest familias? No, if it was, he could have averted the demise of his children against the Black Dragon. Arcanum? No, even if he is chummy with Ouranos, the old fart won't bend the knee when it comes to his agreement with the dungeon… So what is it? How could such a monstrous mortal be raised in such a short time?'

There was no way that Zeus could cultivate a mortal with a status that could allow such insane feats. Was it just luck? Was the Gray Ghost blessed by fate? Or perhaps… Loki was looking at this all wrong…

'Why am I assuming that the Gray Ghost is utilizing falna?'

Falna and status, they were the backbone of the movement that allowed mortals to push back the monsters to the dungeon and reclaim their dominance over the world.

Such was the way powerful mortals were produced for nearly a thousand years, but the blessing of the gods wasn't the only way that one could cultivate strength.

'There are other means of cultivating strength. The Queen of Shalzard was reported to have a contract with a spirit… no, spirit contracts give their contractors abilities in line with the arcanum of their patron god'

'Manifesting swords, heightened physical ability, and even invisibility? There is no god with such diverse authorities, much less a spirit capable of granting such strength. They would have to be a great spirit at minimum… but all the great spirits disappeared around our descents a thousand years ago…'

Loki began to pivot towards another possible explanation. She had traveled far and wide with her familia as they first started out, as such, she became privy to another source of strength. Elven magic.

'Elven magic… unfeasible… from the little that Riveria has told me of it, Elven magic requires decades of training and rituals to even be capable of producing a respectable amount of strength. It doesn't fit with the potency and time frame of Gray Ghost's actions… and I could hardly see the stubborn Royal Alv forest giving a single fuck about what happens beyond their borders'

…

..

.

'What if I work under the premise that the Gray Ghost's powers are unknown… even to gods… a new source of power never seen before in this world'

Finding the key that managed to connect her disconnected deductions, Loki immediately stood up from the pub's floor as her mind began to quickly connect everything she had inferred from what she knew.

'It's crazy. Almost insane to even consider this as the key to this mystery, but that vigilante bastard hardly falls in line with common sense, so it's only right that an absurd premise like this is the thing that can reveal his identity!'

'The Gray Ghost encounters Zeus sixteen years ago from today and is subsequently raised in secret by the great god in hiding'

'Being trained in various fields and being supplemented with the knowledge he had accrued over his one-thousand-year dominance in the lower world and a level of insight that borders of future sight'

'Zeus discovers that the Gray Ghost holds a source of power beyond falna and other contemporary means and allows the vigilante in training to grow absurdly strong'

'Fourteen years later he arrives in Orario as an unsuspecting person before unveiling his vigilante persona of the Gray Ghost… how would such a person feign being detected? Even if the whole world is looking for him, what kind of identity is he hiding behind to escape detection for so long?'

Loki doubted that the Gray Ghost was able to illegally enter and inhabit Orario without being caught. Though they had a mishap of intruders going through the sewer lines, an illegal extended stay wouldn't go unnoticed by the guild who are extremely sensitive to such matters.

'He can't have registered as a citizen, the process would be far too long… the easiest way to get a valid I.D. would be through the guild by applying as an adventurer… but adventurers need falna-'

As the trickster goddess was about to dismiss the possibility of the Gray Ghost being an adventurer, she had remembered a tidbit of information during the earlier days of the guild.

Even before the gods descended, the profession of adventuring was established in the lower world. As the guild of Ouranos began to integrate itself into the world of adventurers, it had to implement a system to accept mortals who hadn't yet received falna… the class-II adventurers… the falnaless explorers of the dungeon.

"Heh… Hah… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Loki began to laugh tremendously as she finally cracked the veil of mystery the Gray Ghost had been using to hide from all the eyes that laid upon him.

"Though I curse you non-stop, I have to admit, you're one cunning bastard of a mortal… pack your things guys! We're heading back to the Twilight Manor!"

Hearing their goddess' commands, the Loki familia all found themselves surprised that she had not lost herself in the alcohol and cursed the Gray Ghost for the umpteenth time.

But though the younger members were quite shocked to see this change in their goddess… Finn, Riviera, and Gareth all recognized the look she showed to them all.

It was the look of a trickster who could hardly wait to play with the stage she had been given with.

"All right, Loki. But do you mind helping me out with Tiona? I'm barely pacifying Tione from wrecking the Hostess"

Finn wryly asked as he was currently being embraced by his amazoness admirer. Sacrificing his body for the safety of the Hostess' other guests.

"Hm? Easy"

Faced with the task of placating an amazoness lost in her emotions. Loki could only smile confidently as she instantly found the method through which she could fulfill the task, sitting on a bar seat beside the heartbroken amazoness.

"Yo! Tiona! A sad thing to hear about the Gray Ghost… the news of his love life must've shattered your fragile heart…especially since you've done so much for his reputation as the president of his fan club"

Loki began to peer her way through the heart of Tiona as if it were a puzzle she had already solved, her eyes emanating the radiance of a divine trickster.

"But as fans, you know that you've dedicated yourselves to the happiness of the idol you cherish, right? Rather than being hung up on this recent news of marriage…be happy for Gray Ghost. The lone wolf who refused to open up to anybody finally found solace where he could rest his weary heart… shouldn't you be overjoyed as his supporter?"

The goddess' eyes grew gentle as she began to guide Tiona to look on the brighter side of things. Her words and atmosphere had soothed ever so slightly the amazoness' aching heart.

"Gray Ghost… Happy? I-I suppose I should be happy for him as a fan…"

"Right? His happiness is your happiness. All true idol fans dedicate themselves to their bias not so they can monopolize their hearts, but to share in the joy of seeing them smile from the bottom of their hearts!"

Loki began to rally Tiona's spirit ablaze as she began to indoctrinate her child into the cult of idol worship, something the goddess was intimately aware of as she herself led a fan club of her own… the church of Ais Wallenstein.

"Our idol's happiness is our happiness! Repeat that Tiona!"

"M-My idol's happiness is my happiness!"

"Louder! More sincere! As if to pierce the heavens themselves!"

"MY IDOL'S HAPPINESS IS MY HAPPINESS!"

The goddess and amazoness began to chant loudly the mantra of all idol fans. Devout supporters who prioritize the happiness of their idol above even their own needs.

The sight of the pair began to sober up the other depressed Gray Ghost fan club members who accompanied their president to the Hostess.

From common rank-and-file supporters to high-order executives like a certain pallum and chienthrope adventurers, they all began to resonate with Loki's philosophy.

"Lord Gray Ghost didn't save me because he expected something in return… so I shouldn't support him with such a mindset… I support Lord Gray Ghost because I want to see him happy!"

"It pains me that I couldn't be the one to break his cold hard shell of angst and self-sacrifice, but I can take solace in the fact that he is happy somewhere in the world!"

"But it still hurts to imagine him doing it with another woman… a hero queen of the desert and a goddess of beauty… I never had a chance"

The Hostess of Fertility began to be caught in an air of activity that far surpassed the already rambunctious mood of the drunk adventurers, and as the center of all this newly descended storm, Loki began to direct it towards where she wanted it to go.

"My fellow comrades in arms! Let us not waste any more seconds in the hands of the devils in a bottle! Go forth! Walk onto the streets and preach the name of your idol! Go! Go! Go!... Specifically  towards the Twilight Manor for you Tiona!"

Loki's words began a mass exodus of sobered Gray Ghost supporters away from the various tables and chairs of the Hostess, instantly clearing up the pub in a significant way.

Seeing the fruits of her labor, the trickster goddess smiles in satisfaction at the brilliance of her manipulation, but her boost in ego was only met with looks of pity and words of condolences from the waitresses of the Hostess.

"Poor Loki, she'll soon be gone from this world"

"Lunoire, it isn't polite to tell a dead woman that she's dying nya"

"Nya, you're no better yourself Anya"

"Stop the gossip and let's move out before it begins. We need to check up on Syr, she has been red in the face in recent times… even collapsing onto the floor with a heavy breath out of nowhere…"

"Nya… I suppose you're right, Ryu… I'll pick up that porridge that May-nya cooked up!"

As the waitresses excused themselves from the scene, Loki continued to act high and mighty, not knowing of the colossus's shadow that loomed over her in that instant.

"Alright! Let's go, guys! Carry the drunk Tiona and the blacked-out Bete sleeping at the entrance of the bathroom! Mission accom- GUH?!-"

? ? ? ?

Just as she reveled in the brilliance of her intellect, like Icarus flying too close to the sun, Loki was promptly brought back down to Earth with the cruel sensation of a giant fist against her back. Knocking her through the doors of the Hostess and onto the streets of the dungeon city.

"You… you… YOU DAMNED GODDESS! I ONLY WANTED YOU TO PACIFY YOUR ROWDY CHILD! NOT DRIVE AWAY A QUARTER OF MY PAYING PATRONS!"

Mia shouted vehemently as she drew herself closer to the scared Loki, the goddess being reacquainted with the face of the level six adventurer that gave nightmares to even the most hardened of Evilus adventurers during Orario's dark age.

"M-Mia, let's settle this civilly~"

"... alright, you want civil? I'll give you a word of advice, to prepare you…"

"... p-prepare me for what?"

"Does it matter? Grit your teeth"

"MY CHILDREN! SAVE YOUR GODDESS! AAAA-"

? ? ? ?… ? ? ? ?… ? ? ? ?…

As the towering dwarf began to instill the fear of god… in a god… the children of the Loki familia couldn't do anything else but watch in pity as their goddess suffered the wrathful disciplining of Mia.

The familia began to organize themselves for their inevitable return home after the Hostess' proprietress finished her private lecture with their goddess, and as they did so, just outside of the entrance of the pub, two adventurers watched in horror at what unfolded before their eyes.

"Yo… you here to pick up Scaith, Cu?"

"Yep… you here to pick up Lili, Welf?"

"... Yeah…"

The red and blue-haired adventurers chatted with one another as they silently tried their best to ignore the horror-filled screams of the goddess.

The two had grown significantly closer in recent times as they frequently met one another as they picked up their companions who frequently drowned their miseries away in alcohol.

"It seems like the Gray Ghost fanclub exited the bar recently, Welf"

"Astute observation, Cu"

"You think Scaith and Lili were a part of the crowd"

"It wouldn't be a stretch to assume so"

"... It would be alright if we didn't pick them up this one time right?"

"... It should be fine. I mean, who would even have the balls to try anything against those two level-three adventurers?"

…

..

.

"Ow… does Mia have no respect for gods anymore?"

"She does, Loki, just none for you"

"Ack! Why must you beat me when I'm down Finn?"

"Because we're family"

Walking silently back to their home, the Twilight Manor, the Loki familia crossed through the streets of Orario all together.

Tione could be seen supporting her slightly drunken sister Tiona after being requested to by Finn, and Bete could be spotted being hung over Gareth's shoulder like a very repressed Tsundere washcloth.

"Yeesh, my butt still hurts from all the spanking Mia did to me. Just how did that dwarf get so used to doing that?"

Loki said as she winced in pain after gently touching her sore behind. The result of all the fury the dwarven owner of the Hostess of Fertility had unleashed upon her.

"You should be thankful Mama Mia only left us off with giving an extra tip on our bill. Had it been any other pub, we would've been long since banned"

Riviera commented to Loki as she observed Ais and her disciple Lefiya chatting with one another to the side, her face expressing a gentle smile at the sight of the two.

"I suppose so… but though it may have been a punishment, I think I may have gotten a kink for spanking Riveria-"

"Loki. Please just shut up"

The high elf immediately shot down her goddess' attempt at humor as it ruined the innocent atmosphere of the two young women she had been observing as a guardian.

Bickering and laughter erupted amongst the group as they neared ever closer to the gates of their familia home.

They quickly disbanded after entering the halls of the familia mansion in order to deal with their personal business before slumber, but as the familia prepared themselves for the final hours of the night, Loki gathered her high executives into her room to brief them about her discovery.

"The Gray Ghost is a falnaless adventurer? Are you still drunk, Loki?"

"I am perfectly sober, Gareth! You just simply lack the insight to marvel at my brilliant deduction!"

"Still, as absurd as it may be, Loki is not one to joke around with deductions as significant as this… though I don't like relying on my heritage, I'll try and see if I can leverage my position with Royman to access the guild's records on falnaless adventurers…"

The goddess and the high executives began to discuss with one another on the operation to unravel the identity of the elusive Gray Ghost.

Though it may be underhanded, it is only through establishing a connection with the elusive vigilante could their familia even begin to compete with the unnatural rate of progression of their rivals.

"Riveria will handle Royman, Gareth will try and coerce some of his drinking buddies with the guild to slip, and I will figure out what I can from outside sources… this will consume quite a bit of our familia's resources, Loki. We would be essentially dedicating a part of our forces to investigating this hunch of yours"

Looking into the goddess' eyes with a serious glare, Finn struck his goddess with the fatal flaw of this plan. This was essentially a gamble.

"The Freya familia is rumored to be conducting their first Familia-wide dungeon dive in years, and we would be spending that time looking into some background characters in the hopes we might encounter the Gray Ghost… we are risking the livelihoods of all our adventurers and sponsors on some bet"

The pallum's voice carried the weight of a leader who fabricated the vision of an ideal hero through meticulous planning and strategy. A man burdened and obsessed with the desire to become the hero of his race. To become a figure that even triumphed the deified hero of their species, Fianna.

"Loki, you know how much mine and everyone else's dreams weigh, and how linked they are to the prosperity of this familia. Are you willing to bet all of that on this hunch of yours?"

Responsibility.

Though Loki was a playful and joking goddess, she was well aware of the responsibility that was placed on her shoulders once she established her familia.

She knew plenty well of the responsibility she held as a head goddess, and it was this conscious knowing of her role that led to her children becoming one of the greatest forces in Orario.

In her hands were the livelihoods, fates, and respect of countless children she came to care for. Those who continued to fight for her flag in the depths of the dungeon. Those who retired to a quiet life after serving her for so long. Those who now rested in peace in the afterlife.

Such is the burden of the goddess of a familia. Such is the burden of the head of a family.

"..."

Loki closed her eyes solemnly as she thought through it one more time.

Freya and her children were now widening the gap farther than ever after encountering the Gray Ghost in the war against the Behemoths.

The enigmatic Hermes familia's disguise was slowly wearing off as their contributions to the vigilante's exploits were spread across the world. Especially with the accolades their familia captain had been producing in recent times.

A new world power was slowly developing in the southern dunes of the desert as a power struggle erupts in the east within the empire and the eastern nations.

The conquest of Rakia further encroaches upon the Alv mountains, threatening to shatter the peace held among all elves.

And most important of all…

'Orario is knee-deep in crisis. Not many have noticed, but all the actions of the Gray Ghost have silently unearthed major issues that would have detrimental to the city in the future… that bastard really must have future sight'

Loki saw the Gray Ghost neither as an enemy nor a hero, but as a herald. A messenger of the turbulent times to come.

'What did Zeus call it? The last prophesied hero? Doesn't matter, all that matters is that the Gray Ghost is the ticket to my children's continued survival in this world. Even if I have to kiss his ass and degrade my dignity as a god… I will ensure my family survives'

Loki's eyes glowed with a divine green aura as she returned Finn's glare. In his eyes, the goddess saw all the decades they had spent together.

From picking him up as a dreaming boy in a small pallum village, to attesting their innocence in the royal Alv forest, to surviving their monstrous encounters in the dwarven high mountains, to traversing across the entire continent to recruit more companions ho would follow under their banner.

A few decades. Mere seconds in the life of an immortal goddess such as herself. But infinitely more treasured in her mind than the last millions of her existence.

"You have a lot of balls to confront a goddess so blatantly, Finn… gamble this… bet that… Did you forget, Finn? You made the biggest irresponsible gamble of your life when you chose to accept my falna. So we ride or die together, braver"

Loki neared Finn's face with a crazed expression that oozed with cocky arrogance and confidence. The trickster goddess stood up to the famed mortal mind of the greatest strategist of Orario.

The air in the room was tense. It appeared as if the entire familia would fall apart in just mere moments, but it quickly became apparent that things were anything but that.

"... pfft- Your breath stinks, Loki"

"Hey! That's not something you say to a lady!"

"Ha! Lady? You? I've seen Pallum women with more assets than your iron board, Loki"

"You ungrateful child of mine!"

Laughter and smiles burst forth from Loki, Finn, Riviera, and Gareth. Their cold stares and heavy voices just seconds prior were nowhere to be found now.

The Loki familia was far from perfect. They constantly butted heads with one another, and they constantly bickered and argued from the smallest to the largest issues.

Their public image was nothing more than the product of smoke and mirrors, but what was true was their dedication to one another.

"So the plan for the potential survival of our familia is to try and swindle documents from the guild in order to try and get a piece of this miracle-making pie of the Gray Ghost? Not the most absurd thing we have done, HAHAHAHA!"

Gareth said with a hearty laugh.

"Sometimes the stuff you guys do makes me wonder if my father is right about the outside world… but then again, it's much more interesting than looking at trees for another hundred years"

Riveria stated with a light chuckle.

"I always knew the path to my dream wouldn't be easy, but I never seem to get a moment of peace with all of you guys"

Finn stated with a tired sigh but a wide smile.

Not a single soul in the room would simply choose to take the safe option when faced with the decaying end of their dreams, for they all fought under the goddess of trickery's banner for an adventure of a lifetime.

"To fiery battles"

Gareth declared as he excitedly grasped the hilt of his axe.

"To lands unknown"

Riveria declared with her calloused hands holding her arcane staff.

"To endless glory"

Finn declared as he set his sights on his famed spear which held the Loki familia's flag with pride.

"And to booze and cute girls!"

Loki finished off the chant with her own hedonistic desires as she popped open a bottle of soma wine.

Their familia won't silently go into the night. Just as they swore their shared oath under twilight so many years ago, so too did they swear on their continued existence as a top familia of Orario under its veil.

The executives continued to plan with one another on how to investigate using Loki's hunch as a basis, but as they did so, their goddess peered out into the night sky in thought.

'I do consider myself a genius when it comes to deduction and manipulation, but I am not the only god with enough sense to use their brain…

'Freya probably figured out Gray Ghost's identity first after she locked him in as her Odr…'

'Hermes probably wouldn't care so long as nothing deviated too far from his obsession with making heroes…'

'And I could have cared less about the guy until my familia's position was threatened…'

'So the question is, has anyone else figured out the key to unraveling the Gray Ghost's identity?'

Loki could feel that she couldn't have the only divine being with an interest in unraveling the elusive vigilante for their own purposes.

'Ishtar? No, she's only obsessed with dethroning Freya for her ego. She probably only began investigating recently like myself…'

'Ouranos? Probably, who knows what that old bastard is thinking about? He's the second one to descend from the heavens after all…'

'Smart, cunning, and with a vendetta or obsession with the Gray Ghost… who could possibly fit those criteria?'

…

..

.

Deep beneath an unassuming house, a robust wine cellar was constructed deep within the ground of the dungeon city. A wine cellar that held a vast collection of precious spirits of a certain variety.

????… ????… ????…

"Lord Dionysus, do you require some water to alleviate your pain?"

A hooded figure spoke to a disheveled god who currently rested atop a bed of countless empty wine bottles.

The floor around the divine being was covered in precious wine, and the surrounding furniture was torn to shreds as if he had been possessed by an unbounded manic desire.

He appeared to have drowned himself in the numbing embrace of alcohol, but the truth of the matter couldn't have been farther from such a conclusion.

The god's mind was clearer than it had ever been. He had awoken from a frenzy of drinking, but he was the most sober he had ever been… to many in Orario he was perceived to be a gentle and honest god. Head of a humble familia of merchants and winemakers.

But it was naught but a facade of his own creation. A mask of his concoction that not only fooled most of Orario but even himself.

"Mmm… I'm fine, my child, I have already gotten used to this charade. Intoxicating myself into believing I am an innocent bystander god, thereby perfectly hiding my identity and true intent… I figured it was the best disguise possible, but it would seem I have been bested by a simple mortal"

Dionysus' face was plastered with a sinister grin as he finally found the path to plucking away the thorn that had been aching his side for so long.

"I must thank the Gray Ghost. To hide the true answer in a maze of absurd circumstances that makes any sane individual doubt if it's the real answer. Had he not messed with my plans, I would've loved to have taken in such a chaotic variable into my care~"

Dionysus said as he elegantly clothed himself before walking through the halls of his wine cellar with his sole familia member by his side.

"My dear Filvis, how long do you think it would take for you to infiltrate the repository of documents in the guild?"

Hearing the god's question, the hooded child revealed her true face. A luscious head of silky black hair, pale white skin, and a pair of pointed ears began to reflect the dim lights of the wine cellar.

Features of the sole child of Dionysus, t̴̡̥̭̯̺͉͚̓͛̓̍̂h̵͈̬̘̻̞̫̜̝͓̜̹͒͊̋̅̂̓̈́͌͌̈́̍̀͜͠ͅe̴̢̛̙̣̱̱̣͛̈́̇̾̎̕͘̕͠ ̵̱͔͔̻͙͍̤̈́̈́̔̍̓͒͌̏͘c̶̢̣̖̙̻̥̘͓͓̦͖͋r̷͎̓̿͋̉́͑͌̊̚ę̸̛̺̲̘̝̙̳͖̖͚̥̙͚͕̺̾̓̾͂à̶͖̼̬͖͘ţ̵̥̻̫̬͓͕̩͎͇̇̍̔̏̃̾̎̀̓͘͠͝u̴̧̫̼̺̥͖̣̦͉͌̄̏͒̈́̃r̸̡̦͎͈̤̽̈́͒̂̈́͌͋ë̸̡̡̘̬͓̖̳̱̼͇̝̪͓̫̆̀̓͊̉͠ͅ the elf, Filvis Challia.

"We have not conducted much planning regarding the guild's headquarters, so taking into consideration our available forces I would estimate… a few months for general access documents, and a year for more protected documents"

"Hmm… I suppose we are fortunate and unfortunate to have our target be listed in a forgettable document… dedicate our resources into infiltrating the guild for the list of falnaless adventurers, it is imperative to the success of our operations Filvis"

"Yes, Lord Dionysus"

The elf promptly complied with her god's commands, but just as she was about to leave his side begging to carry out his wishes, she was promptly stopped with a severe strike to her head.

? ? ? ? ?

The sound of shattered glass echoed through the halls of the cellar as Filvis winced slightly in pain from the sudden attack.

????… ????… ????...

The sound of wine hitting the stone-cold floor filled the elf's ears as Dionysus neared her with an ominous air around him, a shattered wine bottle in his hands.

"Hmm… no blood… I suppose it's only natural since you're level four…. how boring"

"F-Forgive me, Lord Dionysus"

Sensing her god's displeasure at her lack of suffering, Filvis quickly apologized for inconveniencing her god and savior. Something which was met with amusement by Dionysus.

"It's alright Filvis. I just wanted to play a bit with you, but I know you're quite busy for my sake… so let's just let bygones be bygones… we both had our rights and wrongs, what matters is that we continue to stick with each other…"

The pair spoke to one another with tones that hinted at emotions that came from their hearts, but in truth, it was nothing more than a series of convenient lies.

The god felt no concern for his child, and the child similarly felt nothing for the god. They were simply stuck together through circumstance.

A child who had lost everything and had no place to call home, and a god who had picked her up out of curiosity and had long since gotten bored of her.

Destructive and painful it was… but a family they were… the Dionysus familia.

"After all, that's what family is for right? My dear, Filvis"

"... Yes, Lord Dionysus…"

…

..

.

Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter.

… I've come back with the milk, sons. HAHAHAHA.

Sorry for going bravo six, I was very tired from finally getting done with my exams and graduation requirement.

I had turned a 74 in General Chemistry 2 into a 91 on top of maintaining all my other grades for my other subjects, so please don't hold it against me too much.

I also got deathly addicted to Honkai Star Rail. Saved up to guaranteed for SilverWolf, and if anyone wants to use my level 60 support Yanqing…802170301

Onto talking about the story, the next chapter is the long-awaited return of Bell to Orario. I hope you guys are excited about it. Im currently debating whether to have an Artemis R18 chapter immediately after his return, cause it hasn't been too long since the last R18 chapter, and I don't want you guys to think this story will become a sex-crazed fanfic.

As for other stuff I want to do for this story, I've been considering touching up the first ten chapters of this story. Not rly changing the contents too drastically, but bringing them up to par with the quality of writing I have rn.

With an editor and being much more used to writing, I think I can alleviate some of the issues I have constantly been getting comments about HAHAHA. Tho idk when I'll do this.

Thank you again for reading this chapter, hope you look forward to the next one, and may you have a nice day!

(E/D: Hello there my dear idiots. I am here to tell you: Argana is canon Amazon, the Eastern Warlord is Nobunaga, Amaterasu is Tamamo no Mae, Rose is Nero, so yeah all future potential Waifu have been uncovered along with another list of possible Waifus that I will leave for you to solve and sharpen your mind with.)