Chapter 53: Home Sweet Home

(A/N: Wasn't able to include all the things I promised in the last chapter. By the time I finished half of what I planned, my word counter was already at 13k. Hope you don't mind)

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"So you've been traveling around the continent on a journey of self-discovery? Then why couldn't my familia and I have joined you? One's companions make the journey after all"

"I went on a journey to discover myself, Aphrodite, it would be significantly harder to reflect on myself if I were surrounded by people"

Inside a resplendent home of marble and grandeur, Bell and Aphrodite engaged with one another in a long discussion.

Though it was more of an interrogation of the goddess for why Bell had run away from her so long ago.

As all gods and goddesses are able to detect falsehoods in a mortal, Bell employed his tried and true method of speaking half-truths in order to not have the truth of his travels exposed.

"Bell… I can tell that you're not being completely honest with me. You may have fooled most other gods, but I'm quite the expert at mortal relations"

"Is that so? Then I'll have to ask your forgiveness, Aphrodite. I cannot divulge the full truth of my travels, at least, not for now"

Having his true colors be exposed, Bell grew worried that he may have soured relations with the goddess of love in front of her.

Observing her acutely with both his enhanced senses and his silver eye, he could tell that she was growing impatient and agitated.

If he took all his previous world's knowledge into consideration, not giving what Aphrodite wants would usually end in quite an unfortunate outcome for the offending party.

'Will I have to prepare to escape?'

Bell began to consider what he will do should things turn violent. The location he was chatting with Aphrodite in was her familia's home.

It was a beautiful mansion of white marble, styled in Mediterranean architecture with many open-air rooms and intricate pillars, befitting an Olympian such as herself.

He currently sat with the goddess of beauty in the home's abundant garden, as her children could be seen moving about across the large mansion.

'I have a rough grasp of the mansion's layout. As long as I can avoid getting surrounded in close quarters by Aphrodite's level four adventurers…'

But as Bell continued to plan for his escape, his thoughts were halted by Aphoridite's voice. Ceasing his worries to rest as a look of sincerity began to show itself through her expression.

"Calm down, Bell. I won't try and kidnap you just because you ran away from me… I know my insistence was what probably made you escape when we first met…"

The goddess' shoulders slumped as her head hung low. Her soul held a mixture of shame, embarrassment, and regret, a combination of emotions not indicative of what Bell expected her behavior to be.

"I did a lot of studying when we were apart, and we aren't really friends in any acceptable sense…"

"I came onto you with ill intentions, and you probably chose to friend zone me to buy some time for your escape right? I was pretty dazed after being rejected for the first time in a while…"

Hearing her words, Bell couldn't deny any of it as all of it was the truth. He was simply playing along with Aphrodite's whims in order to avoid any annoying hassle. It was true now as it was then.

"I know what I did would make most people hate me… and I talked with my familia captain, Thalia, about it a lot, so I wanna do my best to set things straight!"

With a burst of invigoration, Aphrodite straightened her back and directed a clear gaze to a surprised Bell. A drastic shift from her behavior earlier.

"I'm quite the spoiled goddess. Most of my life I've only known intense relationships, and the few more-cooled relationships I've had were mostly with girls and fellow goddesses"

"So, Bell… that is to say… I don't really have… platonic guy friends…"

A meek voice came out from Aphrodite's reddened face as she admitted to a truth she was quite ashamed to have. She was always seen as an extroverted divinity, but faced with a realm of socializing she had never experienced before, she was as reserved as an introvert.

An awkward silence washed over the pair as a gentle wind brushed through the garden, unable to take the quiet anymore, Aphrodite began to double down on the path she had taken.

"That is not to say that what I did was inexcusable! I just really think you're really cool! Especially with your stories of traveling!"

"Also, the way you were able to escape my familia's trained scouts! You're also quite handsome- But I don't like you solely on your looks!-"

The goddess continued to stammer back and forth, giving points and backtracking, until she couldn't take it any longer.

With her face red as a tomato, and her eyes almost bursting into tears with how badly she was fumbling, Aphrodite arrived at the question she wanted to ask.

"I'm sorry about what I've done! Could we maybe start over… and can you be my first guy friend?"

"... pfft!- HAHAHAHAHAHA!-"

In an instant, Bell had burst into a fit of incessant laughter. His eyes teared up as her voice resounded with loud elation.

"..."

Seeing how he had reacted, Aphrodite thought her request was rejected and began to tear up in sadness. Her body shook as she felt a rejection that hurt more than all her failed romance attempts combined.

"???… ???… ???…"

"HAHAHA- Aphrodite! I didn't say no! It's just… that was way too adorable and funny pfft!- HAHAHA!"

Hearing what Bell had said, the outflow of tears upon Aphordite's face began to slow bit by bit, before being replaced by an intense heat birthed from immense embarrassment.

"I- Wh- You- S-Stop laughing so much, Bell!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA"

The two then began a back-and-forth of Aphrodite madly begging Bell to cease his laughter, only for the latter to continue laughing in abundance. But eventually, the sounds of elation began to soften as the hilariousness of the goddess' action ran its course.

"HAHAHA, sorry about that, Aphrodite"

"Hmph!"

"Hey, come on now, don't you think this is sufficient payback for sexually assaulting me in public in Preblica"

"Guh- Alright, does that mean, we're even?"

Looking into her eyes, Bell began to ponder everything he knew about Aphrodite and to say the least, he wasn't averse to her character in his past life.

'I really liked her character as she struggled to process Artemis' grief in Aedes Vesta and find the resolve to enjoy the mortal world in her place'

'In addition, she was quite a loyal, upright, and effective goddess when she helped the Hestia familia save Vesta, so on a personal and strategic level, there are no downsides to getting to know her better'

Finalizing his decision, Bell extended out his hand towards the goddess with a gentle smile on his face all the while.

With his sultry voice, Aphrodite heard words she wished to hear but didn't expect to receive after all her mistakes and fumbling.

"I'd like to start over, Aphrodite. I would be glad to be your friend"

"...!!!"

In an instant, Aphrodite neared Bell with great energy as her eyes began to shine as if they were sparkling. Her voice conveyed every bit of joy she was experiencing.

"Really? For real? There's no going back from this you know?"

"Yes, I know, I'm looking forward to our friendship"

"Mmm! I did it, Thalia! I made my first guy friend!"

Jumping in happiness like a child at Christmas, the goddess cried out for her familia's captain in order to share and revel in her latest accomplishment,

Heeding Aphrodite's call with a scary amount of punctuality and discipline, a tall black-haired elf popped out from the surrounding greenery in order to congratulate her.

"Congratulations, Lady Aphrodite. Your two years of friendship training have finally paid off"

"Huh?! Shh! Thalia! You're not supposed to mention that in front of Bell!"

"Oh, my apologies. No such training has occurred, but if it had, it would have surely paid off"

"Damn it, Thalia! I know you're doing this on purpose!"

"I have no idea what you might be alluding to, my lady. I am but a mere mortal in service of a goddess"

The goddess and her familia captain quickly went off into their own world, leaving Bell to simply enjoy the banter between the extremely close pair.

All around the garden, he began to sense a wave of relief and joy beginning to wash over all the coming and going children of the Aphrodite familia.

Using this observation, it was a reasonable assumption for Bell to make that the goddess was being supported by her children for this exact moment.

'I would have expected a familia of the goddess Aphrodite to be more like Apollo's situation, but it would seem it's more lighthearted. I suppose it was only natural given her depiction in Danmachi was rather airheaded'

Sipping his tea whilst the Aphrodite familia surrounded him with positive sentiment, Bell would take his time to further strengthen his relations with this newfound ally of his.

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"So what made you decide to stay in Orario, Aphrodite?"

After the fanfare had calmed down from Aphrodite's successful attempt at befriending Bell, the two had once again engaged with one another in conversation, but this time there was less awkward tension between the two, allowing conversations to flow freely.

Thalia, the black-haired familia captain of Aphrodite, stood by the goddess' side serving the table with various sweets and tea in order to facilitate the continued conversation of Bell and Aphrodite.

In the eyes of the white-haired youth, the familia captain appeared like a doting parent who constantly kept checking up on their child's play dates. It was an adorable comparison that only served to elevate his descriptor of Aphrodite being an air-headed goddess.

"Hm? Oh, while it's true that my familia doesn't generally like to stick to one place all the time, preferring to travel the continent to search for more beautiful and talented children to recruit, there was a compelling reason for me to stay here!"

Spoken with excitement, Aphrodite began to explain why she had suddenly decided to settle down her familia in the dungeon city. Though for Bell, he had an inkling feeling as to what it might be.

"I had some important business to attend to here in Orario. A matter that would take quite a while to resolve properly!"

Bell had heard the goddess' words, but he automatically began to decipher the true meaning which she tried to hide under half-truths and mischaracterizations.

'Aphrodite heard that Artemis had decided to settle down in Orario, and couldn't resist the chance of being able to meet her again in the lower world'

Though their authorities often made the two clash with one another in the heavens, frequently getting into heated arguments, it was well known that the two goddesses thought highly of the other in secret.

Aphrodite would often make fun of Artemis' virginity as an indicator of her inability to socialize and value emotions, whilst Artemis treasured Aphrodite as one of the few divinities who had managed to maintain a connection with her despite her intimidating nature.

'I really enjoyed how Aphrodite interacted with Artemis in the side stories. I'll just continue this line of conversation and see how she tries her best to speak in half-truths'

Conversing more, Bell began to realize more and more why the goddess had such a loyal familia. Put it simply, she was extremely endearing and entertaining to watch.

As he continued to test Aphrodite's abilities to circumvent mentioning anything about Artemis, he noticed that Thalia and the other familia members smiled gently as they watched the goddess try her best to maintain her streak.

He and the Aphrodite familia continued to enjoy the show until the goddess mentioned something that nearly broke Bell's cool. Her suspicion that the solitary virgin goddess had somehow become infatuated romantically.

"Oh yeah, about that matter I was talking about, it somehow changed… like in a fundamental way… it seems to have recently attached itself to another issue, I can sense it!"

"..."

"Whatever it is, I have to find out all the details for myself! I've been trying to get over that matter for so long! The fact that I might be getting my first win over that matter is exhilarating! That is to not say that this matter is anything in particular…"

"... I see, well I hope you can resolve it soon, Aphrodite. Though I wanna chat, I have to get going soon. It's almost dinner time, and I need to meet with someone"

Sensing that staying any longer might put him in danger, Bell began to excuse himself from his conversation with Aphrodtie, something that was met with some confusion by the goddess, but something that she eventually chalked up to unfortunate timing.

"I see… I had a lot of fun today, Bell. If you like… could we maybe hang out more like this?"

Stopping his hasty exit, Bell faced the goddess one more time before giving his reply. A gentle smile on his face as he desperately tried to push down any suspicious indicators that he was the man who had bagged Artemis.

"Anytime, Aphrodite. If you want to contact me, just leave a letter for me at the guild, I usually go around there often"

"O-Ok! See you soon, Bell!"

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"What do you think about him, Thalia?"

"He certainly is hiding quite a lot, Lady Aphrodite"

"Hehe, I know right?"

As Bell exited the Aphrodite familia home, the goddess and familia captain discussed with one another about the youth that they had conversed with just recently. But though they already knew that he had many things to hide, their impression of the white-haired youth was nowhere near negative.

"Though he is hiding quite a lot, most people have things they would rather keep to themselves. He shows no ill will or hostility, so I won't intervene in your friendship with him, Lady Aphrodite"

"Wow, is that the renowned elvish wisdom that's so popular among the gods? How long did it take for you to cultivate such wisdom, my child?"

"I left my forest and learned of the outside world when you recruited me at sixteen. I am currently a hundred and six years old, so I suppose it is the wisdom of ninety years of experience, Lady Aphrodite"

"... tsk"

Faced with the straightforward answer of her familia captain, Aphrodite could do nothing but grow frustrated that her attempt of teasing as payback for her earlier humiliation resulted in failure. Something that only brought amusement to Thalia.

"You are far too early and inexperienced to think you can outwit me, Lady Aphrodite. Though it's quite sad to see. You're way more older than me and yet you're being played around by a mortal who can't even equate to a single percentile of your existence. It would seem age doesn't equate wisdom"

"Hey! I'm not a total airhead! Remind me again who taught all my children how to fight and act dignified!"

Aphrodite grew angry as she felt her child's comments were without proof. She had trained each and every child of hers to become a resplendent figure of beauty. Cultivating not only outward beauty but internal beauty as well.

Graceful, strong, and independent. Such were the values that Aphrodite looked for when recruiting new familia members under her banner, and possessors of all these attributes are the only ones the goddess would ever deem as beautiful.

"Yes, it is true that you're an excellent teacher in those fields, so allow me to rearticulate my words. You're not an airhead my lady, just a one-trick pony, or perhaps it would be better to say you're a two-trick pony?"

"Oi! Stop acting like I'm incompetent with everything outside of fighting and looking good! I'm not as bad as Hestia!"

The goddess and familia captain continued to argue more and more until Aphrodite had reached a boiling point, declaring something that she would later come to regret shouting in the open air. Something she was grateful Bell was not there to witness.

"Stop calling me a two-trick pony, Thalia! I'm also quite good at se-"

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"Meet up with Syr and the girls in the Hostess, check up on Haruhime in the redlight district, contact Hephaestus for my next project, check up on Lili and Welf, who else do I need to follow up on…"

Wandering the streets of Orario once more, Bell began to make a mental note of all the people he has yet to meet. There was still a long line of people he had to meet with, but it was something he had expected entirely.

'I've been putting off Orario for two years now, it's only natural I have a lot of things to catch up on…'

Sighing at how hectic the schedule of a reincarnator was, Bell had unconsciously wandered to one of the many destinations he had to head towards. A certain apothecary that he had frequented quite often during his time as the dungeon vigilante.

"The Miach familia, huh? I do need some potions in case I need to administer treatment for my patrol later tonight… I'll stock up on some health potions then"

Needing potions for his later activities, and wanting to see what has become of the soon-to-be-famous potion brewer, Naaza, Bell decided to head towards the quaint entrance of the Miach familia apothecary, a small bell jingling as he opened the door.

"Nothing has changed"

Smiling to himself, Bell noticed that not much had changed around the shop's design and interior, but on closer inspection, he could begin to see that a significant change had occurred within the shop's products.

A more diverse and vast assortment of potions presented themselves on various store shelves, alongside a menagerie of related products that he didn't remember being offered two years prior.

'It would seem that without the injury of their promising young talent, the Miach familia was able to avoid poverty and grow into a business that made Dian Cecht constantly wary of'

As his vision perused the selection of products, it eventually landed on the sole staffer of the shop with whom he was quite familiar.

With a head of neck-length brown hair, a pair of calm and calculating purple eyes, and ears and tails of the chienthrope race, Bell could recognize instantaneously that he was currently looking at Naaza Erisuis.

But the key feature Bell took notice of was her choice of apparel. She currently wore a white clinical uniform whose sleeves were cut off just below her shoulders. Both her arms were completely safe and sound.

'I was worried that fate would constantly bombard her with misfortune monster encounters until one of her arms gets lost, but it would seem that was nothing more than paranoia on my part'

With his mind relieved, Bell grew excited to learn how much the Miach familia had progressed without the impairment of their great talent and the loss of their resources and members.

'The potion brewing industry was in a stranglehold by Dian Cecht for a long time due to lacking any proper competition. Though the god was willing to lend aid when needed, he always needed a promise of recompensation before he acted'

'Though the quality of their products didn't turn into shit like what happens with most monopolies, mostly in part due to Airmid's convictions as a healer overpowering Dian Cecht's greed, there was still immense potential to be found in the study of potion brewing'

'Case in point, the dual potion that Naaza develops not only with a lack of resources but a lack of power and opportunities to enhance her abilities'

The dual potion, a concoction that recovers both mind and health in one drink. By itself it may only appear as a convenience that saves a few seconds of drinking and a few slots of inventory space, but given the fact that consuming too many potions would results in potion-poisoning, being able to recover mind and health at the cost of one potion was a literal godsend for adventurers.

'Not even Airmid was able to conceive of such a potion with all her resources and drive. Orario needs to grow rapidly in order to effectively deal with the threats that loom over the horizon, and competition is the only way I can make such growth manifest'

He had already begun to see the effects of his actions with the Freya familia starting train once more after he had romanced their goddess, with the Loki familia as they amped up their efforts even more in response to the Freya familia, and a smorgasbord of other chain reactions that only benefitted Orario in the long and short term.

Bell smiled in satisfaction at seeing the fruits of his labor bear more and more fruit, but before he got lost in it, he regained himself and approached the counter of the shop after grabbing a few intermediate health potions.

"I would like to buy these please"

"Hm? Oh, sure. Just give me a sec"

Handing the potions over to Naaza, Bell began to observe if she too might have forgotten him, and by the general relaxed manner of her movements, it would seem that she too had forgotten who he was.

'... This is more expected of a response than with Misha. I was just a regular customer who disappeared two years ago. It's like expecting a barista you only meet for your daily morning coffee to remember you after a long time'

Knowing this, he simply accepted that his disguise as a regular civilian was simply too good at hiding his identity.

After a while, Naaza tallied up the bill, and Bell naturally gave her the number of Valis to pay for his potions. But just as he was about to leave, the chienthrope girl's senses began to pick up on something, a scent she both recognized and didn't recognize.

"Um, excuse me, sir? Have we met before?"

Hearing her voice, Bell turned his head to meet hers, and in an instant, a flood of memories began to pour through Naaza's mind.

It was a series of mundane days that would have normally been lost to time, but for some reason, they still remained.

A time when she had just come out of the most terrifying event of her life, being assigned to be the cashier by her god in order to attain the normalcy she once had by interacting with customers.

Naaza had never been the outgoing social type. With no urgent need to push herself to develop such a skill, she mostly kept to herself. Preferring to be a recluse as she researched and mastered her craft of potion brewing.

Standing at the register, a combination of social anxiety and remnant fear from her near encounter with death, she didn't know how she would ever survive the assignment her god had given her, but there was one customer that frequently came by that allowed her to recover in peace.

She didn't know why, but that certain customer was someone she naturally got along with as if she instinctively knew that the person was someone to be trusted.

He would order the same amount of potions every day, with a rare day or two in the month when he would request something specific.

It was a comfortable routine… until he one day stopped appearing. But she had little time to notice it. By the time he had left, her familia's apothecary began to see massive growth in daily customers.

They all clamored to their shop for undisclosed reasons, but they all appeared to act as if they had been personally saved by the potions she and her familia members had brewed.

That was the day that Naaza came to find out that the Gray Ghost was a customer of their apothecary, with countless people attesting that they found their familia's logo in the flasks the vigilante would use to administer first-aid.

『Even after he saved me… he still looked after me?』

A rush of warmth and security filled Naaza's body as she discovered her hero had been watching over her in secret. Something she constantly bragged about to her peers in the Gray Ghost fan club.

The feelings she felt for that one random customer were the same as she felt for the Gray Ghost. But the chienthrope had not connected the two events, she simply instinctually remembered the feeling in her chest when she recalled them both separately… and just now, she had felt a tinge of that emotion when she picked up on the aroma of her latest customer.

"I'm sorry if this might seem strange, but I sort of have this feeling… it may be just some baseless hunch, but I think we have met before…"

Naaza's voice was gentle and concise. Never slipped up, and kept a consistent tempo, similar to how she brewed potions for her customers.

Her purple eyes began to shine with curiosity as the orange light of the approaching sunset began to bathe the interior of the potion shop.

She was a woman of subtle science and exact art, she was usually not one to trust solely on her instincts, but she felt that she would regret it dearly if she didn't trust on it right then and there.

"..."

Bell was quiet for a moment as he marveled at the instincts Naaza possessed. Something that would make her a fierce archer, potion brewer, and saleswoman that cemented her place in Orario despite being given every disadvantage imaginable.

But after a few seconds of silence, he knew that gawking at her would eventually turn everything awkward, so he decided to simply play along with her hunch.

"Yes, we have met before, Miss Naaza. Though I suppose you must be having trouble remembering my name, right?"

Hearing his words, Naaza's cheeks became a bit red as she became embarrassed. It was natural they had met before.

Bell's actions in the store indicated that it wasn't his first time in their establishment, and even if she did think his scent was familiar, it would all be for naught if she couldn't pin it to a person she remembered.

"I-I'm sorry about that, sir. I just had this gut feeling and acted on it. I'm usually not like this… perhaps I've been a bit under the weather in recent times…"

Naaza's ears began to droop as she realized she had committed her first blunder in all her time manning the register. Though it wasn't a major mishap, it still stained her clean track record.

"Haha, nothing to worry about, Miss Naaza. You must deal with countless customers and patients on a daily basis. No one would hold it against you for not remembering everyone"

"I suppose so… I apologize for holding you back, sir. I hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience…"

"No one would consider you an inconvenience, Miss Naaza. I and many others have been helped greatly by your potions. You're a hero to many"

"Now you're just exaggerating sir, I'm just a simple potion brewer"

"I don't personally see it that way"

Becoming engrossed in conversation, Bell wanted to see where his talk with Naaza would go. Now that he's staying in Orario for a long while, he decided to focus on the connections had left hanging when he began his travels.

Loose ends he never properly cared for. Bonds he hoped to reforge into a stronger connection. One that wouldn't wither away into obscurity in just two years.

Though he was praised as a hero for saving many lives, in Bell's mind, he shared a large portion of his efforts with Naaza. He may know how to fight to prevent tragedies from occurring, but he possessed no ability to mend injuries that have already been inflicted

Naaza's high-quality and quickly produced potions were what saved a lot of the people he had encountered as a vigilante. His choice to save Naaza from her fate had already paid him back in immense dividends.

'I keep getting called a hero by countless people, but I think this may be the first time I say this myself to another person…'

Taking off his mask to show his sincerity to the dedicated healer of the Miach familia, Bell spoke with his heart as he said-

"You're a hero that I greatly admire, Miss Naaza"

"..."

Silence.

With just a few words, Naaza's mind felt like it had been emptied, with only the words she had just heard echoing through the halls of her memories.

『You're my hero, Gray Ghost!』

Memories of how she extolled the Gray Ghost appeared in her mind. In those moments, every praise she uttered came from the heart. Fueled with the gratitude and respect that came from his acts that saved her.

『Thank you for saving my son, Miss Naaza!』

In the same manner as how she praised her hero, she began to remember the countless people that spoke to her in the same way. Thanking her for the acts she had done which saved them.

The countless patients she treated with her potions. The countless adventurers who lived to see another day after using her products.

The smiles on their faces, the laughter of their voices, it was upon experiencing all of that did she begin to understand the hero she felt was so far away.

What drove him to the lengths he put himself to save countless people he barely even knew? It was a feeling of elation and happiness that drove her to improve her craft immensely.

She had once been motivated to raise the Miach familia so high that it would wipe Dian Cecht's smug grin right off.

She had once been motivated to dethrone the famous saintly healer, Airmid. Striving to become a better potion maker than her, even with her lack of the 『Mystery』development ability.

(E/D: *background music*)

But now, she strove to become better to see more smiles. To see the fruits of her labor take shape in the world around her.

She studied endlessly. Practiced without rest. Dived into the dungeon to gather better ingredients. Trained to become stronger and more reliable in a fight. All to become better.

She appreciated each and every message of thanks and gratitude she received, but… for some reason… the praise she had gotten from the white-haired man in front of her was different.

『What quality potions, Miss Naaza! This apothecary really is the best!』

『Quit with your ass-kissing. I am far from a potion brewed by Airmid…』

『Well, I still find value in them, Miss Naaza.』

『You only like them because they're cheap and you can buy them in bulk』

『... I won't lie that those are very attractive features of your products which appeal to me』

『I knew it!』

Hazy memories began to replay in her mind. It held no significance, and yet it remained. It was like the weird sense of deja vu she would randomly get in mundane moments. An anomalous figment of her past that survived decay and remained firm in her sea of consciousness.

The scenario was uncannily similar to her present situation. She stood behind the register she was familiar with, the image of her intermediate health potions was within her view, and at the center of it all was a single man.

His face was obscured, and no identifying detail remained in her memory, but what remained was the emotion behind it all.

『Cheap or not, I still like these potions. I admire them』

『...Thanks B̸͖͎̙̅͗͐́͑̀̆́e̵͓̪̖̭̖̲͈͒̇͂̈́̅l̵͓͂́̍l̸̡̛̛̺̳̩̳̋͒̈́͑̏̚』

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"Bell?"

Her voice broke through the serene silence that rested upon the store. The sun shined against Bell's back as a small smile began to appear on his face.

An electrifying current ran through Naaza's body. She felt she had become elucidated when she remembered the name of the person in front of her… and yet… with a single, she felt just as lost as before.

As if she was missing something important. As if what she was looking for all this time was staring back at her in the face.

"It's been a while since we last met, so how about we start again from the top? I'm Bell Cranel, it's nice to meet you again, Miss Naaza"

…

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"Bell…"

Resting her head on the countertop, Naaza muttered the name of an acquaintance she hadn't seen in so long. Bell Cranel, a customer that had frequently bought from her familia's shop a few years ago. Someone she had forgotten until just then.

"Why is my head in such a mess?"

Naaza didn't know what to think about meeting Bell again. It was as if the mere sight of him was a puzzling endeavor that stressed out her brain beyond her knowing.

She didn't know what to think, but she did know what she felt. Relief. As if the mere connection she had with that one person was enough to ease her heart.

"Haa… he said that we could meet up if I wanted to talk to him about some stuff like we used to do two years ago. I just need a letter addressed to him at the guild…"

After muttering what Bell had told her earlier, as if it was lightning, Naaza misconstrued his intentions greatly.

"Wait, was Bell hitting on me?"

Naaza was no stranger to getting confessions of love from many admirers. Her charming appearance and her silent and smart demeanor were a dangerous combo for many people in Orario.

But due to her dedication to work, she had struck down each and every confession she had received. For how she coldly denied anyone the chance at abstaining her heart, she had been dubbed informally as 『The Solitary Sniper』

As with any other confession, Naaza would usually be averse to what she perceived to be Bell hitting on her, but upon remembering the feeling she had when he was near her, she hesitated to deny him completely.

"Maybe I should give him a shot? Lord Miach has been telling me to experience my youth… and after hearing Gray Ghost's marriage, I've felt lost on what to do about love…"

Looking at the gray medallion that hung around her neck beneath her work uniform, she remembered the day she first felt heartbreak. The day that the Gray Ghost's marriage was reported in the newspapers.

Many fans of the vigilante were heartbroken that he was no longer single, and Naaza was no different. Secluding herself in her laboratory as she buried herself in books to forget about it, only to just end up staining her textbooks with her tears.

The depression she felt from that announcement continued to affect her to this day and was the cause of why her head was not in the right place. She was still busy trying to process her first love ending.

"... ????… I should just do what President Tiona said, I should just be happy that he's happy… he watched over me even months after he first saved me from the minotaurs and Goliath, it's simply too selfish to wish that he would continue to do that…"

Clutching the gray medallion through her clothes, Naaza felt her head become clearer than before as she began to accept moving on from her infatuation with the vigilante. It was far from over, but she felt it was a step in the right direction.

"... I should write a letter soon"

…

..

.

"One companion down, a couple more left to go"

Satisfied at fixing a lost connection, Bell was now preparing himself for one of his most anticipated destinations in Orario.

The sun began to set over the horizon as various streetlights began to illuminate the streets of the ever-busy city.

Adventurers were now returning after a long day of dungeon diving. Collar workers began to clock off their shifts as they trudge through another day of labor.

Chefs and common house cooks began to set alight their stoves as various foods began to be finessed into existence. Various aromas and scents filled the air and enticed stomachs.

It was now time for Orario's dinner rush. A jolly occasion for many where they stuff themselves full. Indulging in the release of alcohol and relishing the company of good friends and family.

Every person had their favorite dish or their favorite establishment to fully enjoy this time of the day, and for Bell and many others, there was one establishment in particular that they couldn't get enough of.

"I'm back, Hostess of Fertility"

Bell breathed in the familiar air of the pub with glee as he took his first step inside… and immediately moved his body to dodge the chaotic mess that was unfolding inside.

? ? ? ? ?

'Ahh, the usual heated bar fight'

? ? ? ? ?

'The familiar sound of a patron dropping their glass'

? ? ? ?

'The routine drunk guy falling to the ground. It's been too long'

Bell masterfully maneuvered his way through the sea of chaos within the Hostess. It was an expected sight for regulars to see a rowdy mess during the start of the dinner rush, but though they had grown used to the sight it was still evident that they didn't enjoy the mess.

They were not part of a certain fairy-tail guild, so they wouldn't accept such madness to be enjoyable, they all simply knew that it would be eventually solved.

"Oi! Get those idiots in line and ban them from entering another month! This time, get that through their thick skulls! Adventurer or not, they're nothing but customers in this pub!"

"Understood, Mama Mia!"

With the commanding and booming orders of the tall dwarven proprietress of the Hostess, a team of beautiful waitresses was dispatched to the chaos in order to quell it completely.

"One! Two!"

Flickering between two fighting adventurers in an instant, and employing two lightning-quick jabs to incapacitate them both, Lunoire quickly grabbed both unconscious men by their collars as she began to throw them onto the street with little difficulty.

"Nya! Honestly, why do we still keep some of these glass mugs? Don't we usually use wooden ones after they break all the time?"

"Just deal with it, Anya. May-nya said that wooden mugs would ruin the taste of some of the high-end alcohol we serve"

Deftly catching falling glass mugs, cleaning the broken shards, and giving a scolding to the absent-minded patrons, Chloe and Anya both paired up as they made quick work of their assigned task.

"Dear patron, may I ask that you lay off the alcohol a bit and drink this water? Mama Mia might ban you for a month if you keep this behavior up"

And lastly, looking at the drunken patron with kind eyes and a gentle smile, Syr calmly attempted to persuade the drunkard from committing any more mistakes.

But, as expected of a drunk person, his mind was not in the correct space. Growing a perverted smile as his hands began to twitch with desire.

"Syr…"

Seeing the intentions of the drunkard clear as day, Syr's cool gray eyes had slightly begun to shift into a clear silver hue, but before the poor man was subjected to a fate worse than death he was quickly sobered up as another waitress began to walk behind Syr.

"..."

Behind Syr, Ryuu began to stare down the drunkard with a look of violence and disdain. Her blue eyes were as cold as ice as she mouthed out a threat that would have scared even the gods.

"S-Sorry for being a nuisance! Allow me to leave after paying the bill with an extra tip!"

Upon witnessing the change in behavior, the silver light in Syr's dissipated as she returned back to her usual upbeat and gentle demeanor. Something that relieved the watching Mia who didn't want some poor sod to incur the wrath of her former goddess.

"Thank you for your patronship! Ryu, would you mind escorting this guest?"

"No problem, Syr"

With the waitresses resolving all the problems with ease and efficiency, a chorus of claps began to be resounded in thanks for their excellent service. Something the waitresses received with charming smiles.

"Nothing much has changed here either…"

Sitting at his usual spot, Bell began to read the day's menu from the top of the bar. As he read through the various options, a looming shadow came over to him, one that he was deathly afraid of for various reasons.

"This is your first time here? Not-suspicious patron with a hood and mask?"

Mia Grande, former captain of the Freya familia, former teacher and caretaker of the famous Ottar, and powerful level six adventurer.

That was the person who owned and managed the Hostess with an iron fist, the manager of the powerful level four waitresses, and the person Bell had incurred the suspicion of currently.

"... I thought this establishment was known for serving all guests as long as they followed proper decency and paid on time?"

"Yeah, that's true. I don't really care what you've done before you came here. You're all just guests to be served food and reaped Valis from… but there's one thing I can't tolerate in this 'ere pub of mine"

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The tall dwarf began to exert some pressure down on Bell and the message he received was clear. She wanted to know who was behind the mask.

'I suppose she has a natural instinct for uncovering trouble. Being the familia captain that not only dealt with Freya's antics but Ottar's as well must have steeled her sixth sense'

Uncovering his mask, Bell faced Mia with a wry smile. He had expected that he would have been forgotten yet again, but to his surprise, the dwarven giant had recalled him very quickly.

"Huh? Hey! If it isn't you, white-haired brat!"

Mia grew a wide grin as she recognized a patron's face she hadn't seen in a long time. Quickly greeting him with a powerful head rub that was more akin to a noogie with her size and strength.

"I-It's good to be back, Mama Mia…"

"Why all the mysterious stuff? It's not good manners to eat food with a mask and hood on. Especially my food"

"W-Well, my appearance caused some trouble earlier this day. I simply didn't want to create another flash mob…"

"Flash mob? For your mug? Bah, if you're going to lie then make it believable at least. You still just look like a naive brat to me. Nothing special to see"

Seeing that Mia was not changing how she treated him after all these years, Bell was relieved that he was able to still have this comfortable dynamic with the pub proprietress.

"Oi! Syr! Get over here and take his order! Bell is back!"

Moving on from the short talk she had with Bell, Mia began to call over Syr to handle Bell's orders as she returned to her duty of managing the pub's operations.

But with the loudness of her voice, all the waitresses aside from Syr had heard what she had said, and to say the least, they were left shocked that their long-gone friend had returned after he left so abruptly two years ago.

"Bell? Bell Cranel? He's back?"

Lunoire said with shock and confusion as she just came back from throwing out the two fighting adventurers she had just dealt with earlier.

"Huh?! Bell-nya?! Where is he?!"

"Where?! I need to refill my dose of teenage boy beauty- I mean… meet an old friend…"

Anya and Chloe began to utilize their cat-people appendages to the best of their abilities, but they were unable to track where Bell was.

But as the three waitresses busied themselves finding him like trying to solve a 'Where's Waldo' puzzle, two waitresses had found him quickly.

Ryu, who had seen who Mia was talking to and realized that the man was Bell, and Syr, who had a mischievous grin as she walked gracefully to his side.

"Hey, Bell. It's been a while"

"... I suppose it has been, Syr"

Bell was awkward as he responded to Syr in their conversation. The gray-haired girl would talk with ease, while he would struggle to act natural in every reply he gave her. Why? The reason was simple. It was because he knew who she truly was.

『I've been waiting for you so patiently, my Odr. Don't you feel bad for keeping me waiting? Especially since you've been canoodling with so many women in just one day~』

Beyond their conversation through voice, Bell and Syr were conducting another conversation that not just anyone could hear.

It was a conversation that made Bell struggle to reply in real life as he processed the constant barrage of teasing Syr sent him through their shared mental link.

A mental link forged through the connection of the maiden's divine construct and his reality marble.

『I was given permission from you that I was able to pursue other women, right Freya? Also, I'm not some horndog that goes around seducing anyone with two Y-chromosomes』

Speaking through his mental link, Bell referred to the Gray-haired girl not by her alias of Syr, but by her real name as the goddess of beauty. Freya.

『It was just some fun teasing, my dear. No need to take it personally… and as for the other statement I made, I am of the belief that you do go around seducing every girl you meet. It's just a matter of who you decide to want to add to your harem~』

Bell flinched at the brutal description his wife had given his character. It hurt him to know that it was the truth.

Just as constantly as time moves forwards, so does his potential list of love interests. Something that he was sure would give him headaches in the near future.

『That elf advisor you have was quite cute, and her petite pink-haired friend was also quite the treat. They would play well together with you』

『Aphrodite is someone I'm vaguely familiar with, but I don't think she's too bad. She raises her children well so she would be a good addition to our family』

『Lastly that brunette Chinethrope feels like a massive pervert beneath her intelligent facade, something I can definitely look forward to watching being unraveled by you, similar to Arry』

『I do look forward to when they'll all become my sisters, dear』

Taking in all the words Freya had given him mentally, Bell had almost coughed severely with how blunt she had been.

『Freya… do you get off to seeing me being with more women?』

『Greatly, Odr. So do your best to keep me happy, it's a husband's duty to keep his wife satisfied after all. And I'm sure you wouldn't mind it greatly, right?』

『... ????』

『I love you too, dear. By the way, the reason you've been attracting so much attention is that your Sessrumnir still has some remnants of my charm. If you stop powering the divine construct at full power and allow it to dissipate for a while, the issue should solve itself soon』

Hearing this, Bell began to notice that he had been constantly using Sessrumnir without rest. Constantly observing souls for his research, as well as for general use cases for his travels.

『Freya… couldn't you have told me about this when you first gave me Sessrumnir?

『Forgive me for not taking into consideration the possibility that my future partner may have the ability to somehow integrate divine constructs seamlessly into his mortal shell. I should have planned more thoroughly, Bell』

『I swear, when we have a moment alone together…』

『Oh? What will happen to me then, Bell?~』

As Bell and Freya finished up their conversation in their mental link, they similarly finished up their conversation through their physical voices, Bell having ordered a bunch of food in order to relish the tastes of the Hostess that he had missed dearly.

…

..

.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

'... they're just staring at me'

As Bell ate his food, he could begin to sense that the other waitresses of the Hostess were giving him side-long glances every so often.

He could tell that they were driven mostly by curiosity, but it still made him uncomfortable that four level four adventurers were just breathing down his neck.

Picking up on Bell's state, Syr decided to help him out by handling each of the waitresses' duties, giving them some much-needed free time to vent out their questions for Bell.

As expected, the moment Syr filled in for them, each of the waitresses quickly bolted toward Bell and began to ask him countless questions.

.

"Bell-nya! How have you been? What did you do? How did your face change so much?!"

Anya was ecstatic that she was able to reconnect with a person she was close to. In Bell's mind, he guessed it may have stemmed from her issues with her brother Allen.

'I should discipline him to stop acting so cold with his sister. Unintentional or not, his choices have severely scarred Anya greatly. How should I best go about this with him…'

As Bell planned for what to do about the tsundere vice-captain of the Freya familia, he happily chatted with the exuberant Anya. Sharing many laughs with the young cat person who simply wanted to stay close to the people she cherished.

But as the two chatted, Syr could be seen with a wide grin on her face as she heard her beloved's inner thoughts. Though he was averse to the idea at first, it would seem that Bell had been unconsciously developing to be a worthy stepfather for her children.

.

"Altena? That's really far away. How much did the trip cost you?"

"It was quite expensive, but it was made with safety nets in mind. I'm not the type to just risk everything without a backup plan… at least for financials…"

"Is that so?"

Lunoire and Bell discussed more about the logistics and planning that were involved in the long trip. She herself was quite the avid traveler for her previous occupation and was quite interested in the topic even after she was employed at the Hostess.

But beyond Bell's knowledge, Lunoire had a different purpose for talking about it. She was evaluating the white-haired youth on her suitability to be her ideal partner. That being, a man who can ensure financial stability that would allow her to laze around.

She didn't have a specific type or conditions that she wanted for her future partner, she simply valued one's ability to give her a peaceful life above all else. And for Bell, he was checking all of her checkmarks.

'????… it's a shame that Syr likes him so much. If she didn't, I would have already proposed to him'

Lunoire thought so as she felt the gaze of Syr piercing through her back. She may have desired Bell for herself, but the former hitman knew better than to betray her friend… and get on the bad side of the ever-mischievous Syr Flova.

.

"Why?! Why?! Why did you have to grow up, Bell-nya?! UWAAAA!!!-"

"C-Chloe calm down-"

"Nya?! Calm down?! You lost your precious innocent child-like charm! How can I possibly calm down!"

Contrary to the previous interactions, Chloe's talk with Bell was mostly filled with distraught and sadness as she grieved for the loss of the innocent boy-like face of Bell.

During her past tenure as an assassin, Chloe fell into the habit of appearing like a chivalrous thief for young children in the alleys of various cities.

Seeing their warm smiles and innocent demeanors awoke something within the cat person and afflicted her with a natural attraction towards innocent younger-looking guys as desirable.

As such, she naturally fell in love with Bell's fourteen-year-old appearance. Exotic white hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a natural feminine charm wrapped on top of his youthful complexion. He was the jackpot of Chloe's taste.

But after two years of traveling, his complexion had matured, throwing away a large chunk of his past charm. Though his change was well-received by many, to Chloe, it was an absolute travesty.

"Please! Stay as you are right now! Any more growth and you'll have lost all your non-mature qualities! UWAAAA!!!-"

Faced with the sobbing waitress, Bell could do nothing but smile wryly and hope that she would eventually release all her sadness, staining her uniform with the tears of grief.

『I do have to agree with Chloe here, Bell. Your younger self had its own charm… and its own allure-』

『Please shut up, Freya』

『Ehe~』

.

The last to speak with Bell was with Ryuu, and as he expected, the conversation was mostly filled with silence. Only occasionally broken with an odd question or short story.

But though it would be classified as awkward for most people viewing it on the two, for Bell it was nothing of the sort. The same would be true for any person who knew Ryuu well.

The elf was a person of few words, and even though silence was all that remained between them both, her genuine concern could be felt even without a spoken voice.

"I'm sorry Mister Cranel. I'm usually not the type to initiate conversations like this"

"Don't worry about it, Ryuu. Your company is already enough for me"

Hearing Bell's words, the elf was relieved that her nature didn't ruin the good moment that was being cultivated by her friends.

But just as they were about to continue enjoying each other's company in silence, Mia exited the kitchen appearing annoyed out of her mind.

The tall dwarven lady marched on over to where he was sitting with Ryuu. He thought she may have been angry with her waitresses slacking off to talk with him, but he remembered Syr saying she had obtained permission from Mia on the basis of it being a special reunion.

'Did Syr lie?'

『I didn't lie, Odr! I am hurt you think your wife would do that to you-』

'So it wasn't Syr, so there's only one other person that could make Mia this angry…'

『... You're not even going to spare a thought for your hurting lover?-』

'Loki!-'

As Bell deduced the cause of Mia's anger, and ignored Freya as payback for all her teasing, he was able to properly foretell the request he was about to receive.

"Need me to help in the kitchen, Mia?"

"... heh, it's times like these that I like your perception, brat. Get inside. I'll give you your usual rate with more on top. A lot of Loki's kids are coming here to celebrate their coming expedition, so we're gonna be working overtime if their past behavior is indicative of anything…"

While Mia vented out her annoyance with the trickster goddess' last-minute reservation, Bell happily got up from his table as he began to warm up his inherited talent in cooking.

"Ryu, can you please pack up my remaining food to go? I'll be taking it home with me after this"

"No problem. Good luck, Mister Cranel"

"Bell-nya, and May-nya are teaming up again? We're gonna be getting a ton of tips tonight!~"

"Quiet down Anya, if we let our greed show through our haul will be reduced. I get dibs on milking Loki for all she's worth"

"Nya?! No fair! Loki would give her life savings for just a simple wink! You finessed her last week! It's my turn!"

"Oh my, they're all fighting over Loki, but I don't know if she would be happy to know why…"

As the waitresses of the Hostess began to find a second wind when faced with the daunting mission of catering to the Loki familia, Bell wrapped an apron around himself as he faced towards the kitchen, but before he did so Mia left him with a word of warning.

"One thing, kid. May is… quite heated right now because of this mess. Add on top of that her previous annoyance at not being able to greet you like the others… I'm sure you can get the picture"

Seeing that Mia was genuinely concerned for his well-being only scared Bell more about what awaited him beyond the doors of the kitchen.

Upon entering, he was immediately bombarded by May with a series of instructions and prep work to be done. Speaking eloquently as she worked the stove with countless pans and pots being cooked to perfection.

After speaking what was the equivalent of pi in cooking terms, May turned around for her eyes to meet Bell. Her pupils radiated the hostile gaze of a professional in their element rather than a friend.

"Why so quiet? The Bell I knew could handle this easily, or has all the traveling rotted your brain that you can't even comprehend sentences anymore? Want me to dumb it down for you?"

With a confident grin on his face and one last tightening of his apron, Bell rose up to the challenge the cat-eared iron chef presented him.

"No, chef!"

"Good! Then get to work! Take responsibility for becoming a sous-chef I couldn't forget working with!"

"Yes, chef!"

Rather than a conversation through voice, Bell and May communicated with each other through the chopping of their knives, the boiling of their pots, the sizzling of their pans, and the blasting of their stoves and ovens.

'The bonds, the connections, this familiarity… there really is no place like home!'

…

..

.

"To my wonderful and best children for their expedition starting in a week! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The clanking of beer mugs echoed throughout the Hostess as laughter and excitement filled the air. The atmosphere was electric and for a good reason.

All around, sitting in various chairs around the pub were the elite members of the Loki familia. All have distinguished statuses that would guarantee them a great position in most familias around the world.

But right now, they were nothing more than the support team for their familia's expedition. Why would they accept to be second-rate when they could be treated like royalty anywhere else? The reason was simple. Because nobody else could trailblaze the way the top members of the Loki familia could.

Finn Deimne, Riveria Ljos Alf, Gareth Landrock, Ais Wallenstein, Tione and Tiona Hiryute, Bete Loga, Lefiya Viridis. Concentrated at the helm of the Loki familia was a group of one in a thousand talents.

A single one of these people could easily match ten of any of them. Outside of the Freya familia, the Loki familia was the only place where people could experience the cutting edge of what Orario can offer.

They were not looking for wealth or an empty title, they wanted to experience an adventure. Feel the blood boiling beneath their skin as they traverse lands that only a select few could ever claim to have witnessed throughout history.

『To endless glory. To heated battles. To lands unknown』

(E/D: To boobs, may they be big and plenty, small and pulm, medium made for premium.)

Such were the words that became their creed. Under the banner of the trickster goddess, there were no half-hearted fighters, or questioning warriors, only the purest of adventurers were in their midst, and it was that exact environment and motivation which led so many talented people to their cause.

?? ??????? ? ????-????? ???? ???? ??? ???????

Under pressure caused by the movements of the Freya familia in recent times, the arms race in Orario for who could reach the lowest floor had begun to be set alight once more.

Competition is the catalyst for progress, and the Loki familia was proving that saying true. In order to raise funds for a record-breaking dive, and to train their personnel in handling the dangers of the deep floors, the Loki familia have planned a series of deep dives into the dungeon.

Their goal for the upcoming dive would be the securing of high-value deep-floor materials, and the training of newer personnel in the chaotic and hectic nature of deep-floor monster mobs.

It was terrifying to many. They would be training in order to tread upon unknown territory. Delving into the embrace of a region that hadn't been visited by mortals since the fall of Zeus and Hera.

It was truly dangerous in every aspect, but such was what they were looking for when they decided to become an adventurer. The adventure of a lifetime waited for them in just a mere seven days, and they would celebrate the occasion with all they had tonight.

No matter what may come, be it glory or tragedy, this moment in the Hostess would mark their proof of existence upon the world. Proof that they truly lived…

"What the fuck?! Why is this food so good?!"

… but such sentiments were quickly forgotten as the Loki familia's adventurers got lost in stuffing their faces with the food they currently ate.

Many of the familia's members turned into absolute gluttons as they stuffed their faces with as much food as possible. Wanting to experience the rush of flavors as much as they could.

Some even cried as they ate, mumbling how they wouldn't mind if this single moment of time was the last happy memory of their existence.

"Pwah! Damn! Finn, are you tasting this? Did someone cast magic on our food? This is too good!"

Gareth excitedly asked his long time friend as he chowed down on a perfectly cooked steak whilst taking down shots of dwarven fire whiskey. It was a deadly combo that brought back the fiery youth of the steadfast tanker of the Loki familia.

"I concur, I can just feel my body feel lighter with all the flavors coursing through my mouth"

Finn echoed his friend's thoughts as he carefully appreciated the pasta that he was eating with refined technique.

"I have to agree wholeheartedly. This cuisine could even match the work of the royal forest's chefs"

Riveria exclaimed in her praise for the food. Along with the three high executives of the familia, another interesting sight unfolded at the table of the main expedition force.

Loki could be seen busily devouring a baked fish with a side of lemons whilst sipping on a bottle of Soma wine.

Lefiya's expression glowed as she savored an artistic dish of fruits and vegetables that reminded her of the forest itself.

Tione and Tiona appeared territorial and hostile to any people that even took a single glance at the grilled porkchop they chose to consume.

Bete appeared as if he had regressed into a beast as he swallowed up anything he could get his hands on. He no longer cared about maintaining his appearance.

Even the stoic Ais had a burst of emotion on her face as she cutely nibbled on a flavored baked potato as if it was the greatest invention since Jagamarukuns

They all focused solely on enjoying the food. After Loki had eaten through her entire dish, the goddess got up and shouted at the grinning Mia about a burning question she had.

"Yo! Mama Mia! How is the food so good?! I know that May is a good chef, but she usually doesn't produce stuff like this! Did you hire someone new?!"

At the echoing of Loki's questions, various members of the familia focused their attention on the reply the proprietress would give.

What they ate was a series of culinary masterpieces that would make even royalty bow down in praise. They just simply had to know what caused such a boost in the quality of the Hostess' food.

"... Hah? Why the hell should I tell you?"

Crushing the curiosities of the goddess and her top-tier familia with no hesitation, Mia began to buck back at the barrage of questions that flooded about her establishment.

"I have no obligation to answer, and you should have no reason to ask. Just pay and enjoy the food, no need for anything else. Got it?"

Hearing the words of Mia, the Loki familia could do nothing but just accept them and move their attention back to the food.

Though the curiosity of who the chef was continued to linger in some people of the familia, especially since the countless high-quality dishes continued to pour out from the kitchen doors with high frequency and good consistency.

…

..

.

"Hhhaa… Hhhaa… Hhhaa…"

Slumping against the backdoor of the Hostess of Fertility, Bell struggled to catch his breath as he held in his hands the very messy apron he had used to help May through the Loki familia's insatiable appetite.

"Who knew May would improve so much in cooking? I even learned a few things myself in the chaotic midst of everything…"

Bell smiled and laughed as he felt the adrenaline slowly begin to wear off. His hot breath turned into mist as the cold air of the night began to sweep through his body.

From his position, he could clearly see the night sky in all its splendor. Though the Hostess' building was located in a very crowded urban district of Orario, it had an inner garden attached to it due to a bit of luck on Mia's part when she first acquired the building for herself.

It was a rather barebones garden with little decoration. Each member of the Hostess was too busy to focus on upkeep, so it would simply be a detriment to have an intricately designed garden.

But it was an appealing sight to Bell. The garden's simplistic nature reminded him of the  peaceful nature of his home village, which greatly enhanced his ability to recuperate.

'It shouldn't take long for me to get back up on my feet with Avalon… but I want to relish this feeling for as long as I can…'

He was tired and sore all over his body… but the sensations he felt were proof that he was living, and as if responding to his desires, his natural healing had been reduced greatly.

'So it's only now that my regeneration decides to listen to me… I'm beginning to suspect it more and more…'

Alas, before he could cross-examine the Avalon scabbard inside his reality marble, a knock resounded through the door he currently rested on.

Moving himself to the side, the door opened to reveal a concerned Syr who wanted to check up on him,

"Hey, Freya…"

"Shh! You shouldn't call me that so openly here, Bell! We have two cat-people and one elf here. They're bound to hear quite a lot!"

"Oh, yeah… sorry…"

Syr's agitation had been raised by Bell's mindless ramblings, but it quickly diminished as she saw how tired her Odr was, painting a gentle smile across her face as she sat beside him to join in watching the night sky in silence.

『So, how does it feel to be back in Orario after so long, Bell?』

『... the best…』

Speaking to one another through their mental link, Syr and Bell made casual idle chatter as they enjoyed one another's company.

The wind in their hair, the stars in their eyes, their hands in the other's hold. As they lost themselves to the atmosphere… that was until Syr… no, until Freya suggested something.

『Hey, how about I do something to help you relax even more?』

Noticing the weird way the goddess phrased her words, Bell's mind began to go away from his mindless drifting and back into reality, but before he could say anything in reply, Freya began to make her moves.

『As I said before, the waitresses are quite keen with their senses. In particular their hearing and smell… do your best to keep quiet… as for the smell, I suppose there is only one thing that is rather pungent so let's use this to contain its strong odor~』

Syr took out a suspiciously shaped wrapper from her pocket before placing it in front of her lips, as she did so, Bell trembled at the perversion of the goddess in front of her. Eliciting a mischievous smile to form on the face of the gray-haired waitress.

『Let me show it to you, my dear…』

She stared into Bell's eyes as she made herself comfortable on his lap. Her supple skin pressed against his thighs through the cloth of their clothes. The weight of her curves permeated through his senses.

"... Why falling in love with a goddess of beauty is the highest blessing and the most painful curse"

…

..

.

"Tired… so damn tired…"

Drained of his energy and feeling an aching dull pain in his hips, Bell did his best to make his way to where he would be sleeping tonight.

He considered going back to the inn he regularly stayed at before but taking into consideration his future plans, he decided it was no longer necessary.

"So there's only one place I can go to…"

Traversing through the empty ruins of Orario, he made his way down a street he was quite familiar with. Walking in silence until a certain dilapidated building came into sight.

It was a structure that blended into its surroundings well, but that was nothing more than the handiwork of his own hands.

Beneath the facade of a deteriorated building was a completely furnished and functioning home, equipped with the necessities he needed to act as a vigilante.

But in recent times, it had become the home of another person instead, the burgeoning rookie adventurer and his first disciple, Liliruca Arde.

"I wonder how I should enter the place… I can't think of anything right now, I need somewhere to calm my head for a bit…"

Unable to formulate how he should reunite with Lili, Bell decided to go through the back of his hidden base to someplace special.

Maneuvering through the rough terrain and beyond the backyard of his hidden base, he came across a clearing of flowers.

It was an arrangement of flowers and greenery in a wild chaotic blend of colors and nature, but it was designed with this intention in mind. To the tastes of the person, this place was made in honor of.

"Hey, Mom"

Meteria, member of the fallen Hera familia, sister to the famed and feared Alfia, beloved of many, and mother of Bell Cranel.

During his years as a child in Colchis village, Zeus told Bell of the grave dedicated to her mother. Constantly being reminded by the god to visit it as frequently as he could while he was in Orario.

Though Zeus knew plenty well of the fate of the dead after their passing, he wanted to unite the mother and child in whatever way he could. He simply couldn't stand idle and accept the tragic fate that befell the family.

Perhaps it was his regrets of failing the children of his familia, perhaps it was driven out of his unending love for his grandson, whatever it was, Zeus had instilled within Bell to visit his late mother as much as he could.

"Phew… been a busy day for me, Mom. I don't know how to feel about visiting you after  doing… some things… but I feel like you're not the type of person to mind stuff like that"

Taking a seat in the grass, Bell began to talk to the grave of his mother about everything that had transpired in his life.

When he first started talking to his mother's grave, Bell felt a resurgence of his old worries from when he first reincarnated. Questions of if he truly was Bell Cranel, or if he was just someone who replaced the original.

It made his heart heavy when he imagined the person he was speaking to wasn't truly his mother, but as he talked he could feel a sense of ease wash through his heart. As if someone were reassuring him that he was where he belonged.

After that, he quickly took to frequently reporting to his mother about everything that happened in his life.

The winds hushed and the sound of the city grew quiet as he spoke at length of his long journey. He spoke of the mountains of the north, the seas of the east, and the sand dunes of the south.

The terrifying scorpion, the relentless demi-spirits, the wrathful leviathan, and the earth-shaking Behemoths.

The companions he made along the way. The connections he would come to treasure. The moments he would never forget.

'It's strange, I'm by myself right now, but it feels like someone is listening to my ramblings…'

…

..

.

『Hehe, what an adventure you've had, Bell』

…

..

.

"Who was…"

? ? ? ? ?

Before he could question the sound he had just heard, Bell's body rocked forward as a sudden force pressed on him from behind.

His urgency was raised high almost instantly, but before he acted upon his instincts he was able to recognize who had just crashed into him.

"???… ???… ???…"

A soft voice cried into the night as her tears stained the back of the person she kept chasing after. Even after years had passed, she had never once lost sight of who she wanted to reach.

"???… Lord Ghost… ???…"

"Lili…"

Bell couldn't see her from his back, but he could recognize the shaking voice that called out his name.

Despite the difficulties Lili experienced trying to speak with her overflowing emotions and tears made, her voice still resounded clearly.

"Lili has grown strong, Lord Ghost. Practicing just like you said I should. Learning to control my abilities. Appreciating everything you have given me…"

"I've sharpened my mind, honed my body, and tempered my conviction… all to become your spear, as I promised you all those years ago"

"Whatever you choose to do, I will respect it with all my being… so please forgive me this one time as I let my selfishness win over my loyalty… I've grown strong and I promise I won't be a burden to you… so please… ???… please… ???…"

Her emotions came to a pitch and completely broke free. Resounding in the dead-silent night, Lili made her desire known with a reverberating shout.

…

..

.

"Please don't leave me alone again!"

…

..

.

Her body trembled, but her hands tightly held onto the seams of his clothes. The breaking of her tears onto the ground was picked up through his reinforced senses. The burning of the flame in her soul engulfed the vision of his silver eye.

'Damn it'

Seeing the mess he had made Lili become, Bell grew angry at himself. He could make as many excuses as he wants, but the fact of the matter is that he made a treasured person of his cry.

Taking the hand of Lili into his own, Bell turned around to face the sobbing pallum with his own eyes.

"Hey, Lili"

Kneeling down to better communicate with her, Bell began to talk to her through her emotions. To process them completely before making amends for his actions.

"I'm not going anywhere without you anymore. I never once thought of leaving you behind"

"Just like you want to protect me, I want to do my best to protect you. I want to do my best to protect a lot of people"

"But I tend to just follow what I want without ever really thinking about it much… and because of that, I've ended up hurting people I care about. People like you, Lili"

Gently brushing off her tears with his fingers, he continued to speak to calm down the still-trembling Lili.

"For playing with your heart like I could do whatever I want with it, I could only ask that you forgive me. For failing you, Lili"

But at the moment he uttered those words, Lili's body was filled with energy as she immediately began to deny what he said.

"You didn't fail me, Lord Ghost! Lili- Lili was just too weak- I can't do anything without you…so I-"

However, similarly to how Lili had cut off Bell, Bell cut off Lili from finishing what she was about to say. Not allowing the pallum to degrade herself anymore.

Hearing a character he loved for so long, and a person he treasured so dearly, try to diminish her value for his sake. The Bell of his past life and the Bell of his current life couldn't stand for it.

"You're amazing, Lili! Far more than you can imagine!"

"The way you kept holding on to your life despite all the bad things that have happened to you! The way you kept holding firm to your hopes and dream! They have inspired me far too many times to count!"

"How you manage to find your place in life with the little you started with. How you honed the quality of the few boons you were given. They have motivated me in various dark points in my life!"

"Your frustration when you can't get things right. Your starry-eyed look as you realize a possible solution to your problem. Your laughter as you take life in stride. Your smile as you see what you've accomplished…"

"They have saved me in more ways than you can imagine, Liliruca Arde! You're one of my heroes! I may not be able to explain it…and I don't know if you'll ever understand…but you have saved me far too many times to count!"

…

..

.

"I love this world. I love it far too much to be considered normal or healthy…but it was all that I had…and it was all that stood by my side…I loved it in life and I will love it even to death. The places, the scenery, the culture, the history, the story…the people…you. I love you to pieces"

In the midst of his speaking, Bell too had begun to cry, causing Lili's eyes to widen in shock. She didn't know what to say, or how to react, but more tears simply began to fall amidst her confusion.

The two continued to speak their heart out without caring for consistency of thought or speech. They simply let bare all the emotions they had kept in their heart for so long.

It was a mess of emotions. There was no careful choreography like in a drama, or a pre-planned script like a story, it was simply the outpouring of emotions between two people who cared deeply for one another.

Under the veil of twilight, with the blessing of the moon, and in the embrace of a beloved companion, Bell tossed aside all the other plans he had made.

There was no point to try and calculate his movements and actions as he had done before. He had just returned home and he wanted to cherish the very reasons he worked himself to the bone.

Bell had now truly come home.

…

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.

Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter!

Hopefully, I can wrap this up by the next chapter…I should probably lessen my description of each scenario…sorry about that.

Gonna go to submit my college enrollment requirement, Might post the next chapter on Wednesday due to some personal stuff I have to attend to.

Hope all the people rolling for Silver Wolf in Star Rail get her!

And as always, may you all have a nice day!