Chapter 55: Falna

"Sorry for having you carry all my stuff, my child. I wasn't sure how to travel when I planned to go to Melen, so I just stuffed as much of my belongings as possible in a bag…"

"It's alright, Lady Hestia, and feel free just to call me Bell. Referring to me as 'my child' all the time feels too stiff given we will soon be a familia"

"O-Oh, that's right! A-Alright then…T-Thank you, Bell…"

"I guess it'll take some time for you to get used to it huh? No worries, I'm sure we'll figure it out soon. That's what families are for, right?"

"Y-Yeah..."

Walking side-by-side through the ruins of Orario, Bell, and Hestia began to head towards the goddess' home in the lower world, but as of just a few moments ago, the official home of the Hestia familia.

The stars shimmered delicately in the night sky as a cool breeze swept through the city as it always does, but though Orario had gone cold in the embrace of the sunless expanse, Hestia's face was hot red with emotion.

'How did I successfully recruit a child into my familia?!'

The goddess of the hearth wasn't expecting her recruitment of Bell to be successful. After months of making no headway in establishing her familia in Orario, and freshly coming out of a week-long failed recruitment campaign in Melen, the goddess has become naturally accustomed to getting rejected

'Is he another mortal that wants to do pervy things with me? I met a lot of those people while trying to recruit… something about liking an 'oppai-loli'... Agh! Whatever! I gotta ensure his intentions first! Just like Hephi warned me!'

Though Hestia disliked being distrustful of people, the goddess had been drilled by her best friend Hephaestus to be wary of most people and their intentions in the lower world of mortals.

After nearly accepting a pervert as her first child some months ago, the practice of ensuring their intentions had become a must for Hestia… not that she had many opportunities to do so with all the people that rejected her first.

"Hey, Bell? Are you sure about joining my familia? I wasn't joking when I said you have talent that gods would desire, and I'm not exactly the most well-equipped to cultivate the growth of your status…"

Speaking out to the white-haired youth, Hestia's blue eyes began to shimmer slightly as she began to ascertain the intentions of Bell's soul through his words.

But as she did so, the goddess spoke words that weren't just for the purposes of questioning, she herself wanted to know why she was chosen as his goddess out of hundreds in Orario.

Great appearances even by the standards of the gods. A naturally capable physique that would dispose him to the most challenging manual labor.

A unique talent through the ability to jump extremely high for a person without falna, as a human as well. The white-haired youth in front of her was the complete package.

'Bell is like the most ideal child to have in a familia, surely I shouldn't be the only one who had approached him for recruitment… and I'm sure many other people have more resources than me…'

Seeing the genuine curiosity, wariness, and self-consciousness appear on Hestia's face, Bell snickered to himself silently as he realized just how bad the goddess in front of him truly was at keeping a poker face.

"It's simple really, Lady Hestia. I was looking for a god to serve who saw me not as a toy to play with, but as a genuine person who wanted to become a family with me… I didn't see that intention in their eyes, and I saw it instantly in yours, that's all"

"..."

Bright white. Such was the way Bell's soul glowed as he spoke his words. Bright White. A radiance that told a divinity that not a single ounce of falsehood was contained in his words. His words that resounded her own views and desires so heavily.

To establish a familia not for the sake of glory, monetary gain, or the accruement of influence and power, but for the sake of having a family. Such was the desire of the goddess of the hearth, the fire of the home.

The immortal gods of the heavens are simply birthed into existence as a consequence of the world's existence.

They neither had parents nor siblings and possessed no ability to birth children of their own making.

They were capable of making friends and connections with other fellow gods, but to Hestia, she yearned to become close with the beings who had cultivated the greatest understanding of bonds. Mortals.

She watched over the hearts of countless homes throughout the history of mortal-kind in the lower world.

From the most primitive campfire gatherings to the current fireplaces of well-constructed houses.

She was rarely worshipped by many and paid homage to even less so than that, but she didn't mind.

As long as she was allowed to observe the miracle of families, blood-related or found, the goddess was content.

So when she was allowed to finally descend and make a family of her own she was ecstatic. But her dreams were quickly crushed by the cruel reality of familias.

But despite it all, she continued looking… and looking… and looking… to the point where she even began doubting that anyone would ever share her views, and yet, here Bell was.

"Lady Hestia!"

"H-Huh?"

Breaking out of her daze by the sudden shouting of Bell, the goddess grew confused as to why the white-haired youth had grown immensely concerned for her all of a sudden. But soon, it became clear as to why.

"Wait just a moment, Lady Hestia. I have a handkerchief in my pocket to wipe your tears so just-"

"Tears?"

Touching her face gently, Hestia realized that she was crying immensely without her even realizing that she had become a sobbing mess.

Taking the sensation of her outpouring emotions in her fingers, the goddess decided to simply accept that she was still quite sensitive to emotions, even after she trained so hard to become the ideal stalwart and reliable goddess for her future children.

"???… S-Sorry about that, Bell… I… ???… I'm just happy… ???… I'm just really happy right now… ???… really… really happy… ???…"

"..."

Silently observing how Hestia wept in joy, Bell's hands tightened as he promised himself to dedicate all he had to this precious goddess of the hearth.

Taking her hand into his, he began to reassure Hestia of his presence amidst the flood of emotions rushing through her mind.

"I look forward to our life together, Lady Hestia"

"???… ???… I-I l-look f-forward… ???… to it too!"

Grinning widely in response to his words, Hestia smiled as best as she could as she continued to suffer the streaming tears which flowed down her face.

Something that amused Bell as they both walked hand-in-hand to their home, that gentle starry night becoming a treasured memory in both of their hearts for years to come.

…

..

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"?????… Thanks for carrying all my stuff along the way, Bell! But after all that walking… say hello to your home this day forward!"

Clicking what was this world's version of a light switch, the various magic-stone-powered lamps of the abandoned church lit up closely in unison.

The decrepit appearance of the building came into view and was laid fully bare for anyone to see. The years, clearly apparent to even a child.

"U-Uh, it might not be the best, but I can assure you that the accommodations are better than this! They're habitable at least!"

Realizing how worn and torn her house was, Hestia began to quickly salvage what little she could of her first child's expectations.

'Damn it! Damn it! How could you forget about this, Hesta?! I was saving all my money to rent an apartment so that I wouldn't scare my first child away!'

The goddess grew worried that her ideal first recruit into her familia would now try and get away from her, but contrary to her fears, Bell instead began to go further inside the church.

"B-Bell?"

Hestia grew confused as to what could have caught his attention to ignore how poor her living situation was, but she was thankful for whatever it was as it saved her dream from falling apart.

"..."

Outside of the goddess' panic attack, Bell silently indulged in observing the church as much as he could.

It was the location where his most beloved story took place in the first few beginning novels. For him to not only explore but live in the iconic abandoned church he came to love as a reader, it made his heart flutter as a Danmachi fan.

"It's beautiful…"

Tracing his fingers across the base of the large goddess statue at the center of the church, Bell unknowingly uttered his thoughts of praise and admiration without his knowing. Words that caught the recovering Hestia immensely off-guard.

"He thinks the statue is beautiful? hehe~"

The statue Bell had praised was in actuality an attempt of a mortal long ago to capture Hestia's likeness for worship. Though it wasn't quite accurate to her true appearance, she still considered it an extension of herself.

"E-Ehem! It's getting pretty late and I'm sure you're hungry right, Bell? Let's head downstairs, I'll show you around the place!"

Shifting his attention away from the statue, Hestia began to beckon the white-haired youth to follow her down to the basement of the church which she repurposed into her living quarters… and now, their living quarters.

"There's a kitchen to the right with some proper ventilation. Over to the left is the bathroom, I was able to somehow get the shower and toilet running properly. A bit to the side from there would be the closet, and here is our living room and bedroom!"

Twirling around as she finished off the relatively short tour, Hestia smiled anxiously as she examined Bell's expression, and to her confusion and relief, he didn't seem to have an adverse reaction to her living conditions.

"I see, so where will I be sleeping?"

"... eh?"

The goddess' mind short-circuited as she realized a fatal flaw in her home, the fact that there was only one bed. She had been rejected so many times that she had forgotten to prepare for her future child living with her, as such, she never bought another bed for guests.

"Would it be right to assume that you would be sleeping in the bed over there? I doubt a goddess such as yourself would be willing to sleep on the couch"

"Eh- Ah- I- You-"

Just as she struggled to find an answer to his previous question, Hestia struggled even more as she was faced with the scenario of sleeping with Bell for this night and the foreseeable future. Something that was highly thought-provoking for a virgin goddess such as her.

'W-Was my divine sense wrong?! Was Bell looking for this the entire time?! B-But those things… they should only be done by people who love each other! Sure I like the way he looks, and my heart beats loudly as he talks… he holds the same views as mine when it comes to family… and… and!-'

Slowly but surely, the goddess' head began to fume with her overthinking. After becoming amused by observing her for a couple of seconds, Bell decided to spare his goddess the torment he had knowingly placed upon her.

"Calm down, Lady Hestia. I was just joking. I'm fine with sleeping on the couch. Didn't expect you to think about it so deeply"

"... H-Huh?! Y-You shouldn't mess around with stuff like that, Bell! There are consequences to every action! And those consequences might affect people a lot! People like me!"

Hestia began to angrily scold Bell for playing with his goddess, but the white-haired youth simply laughed as the goddess continued to scold him through her immense embarrassment.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, Lady Hestia. But at least we feel more like a familia now, right? None of that awkward tension between us"

"Huh?"

Hearing his words, the goddess began to realize that her apprehension of Bell had truly disappeared.

She was so nervous about messing up and losing him that she appeared distant, something she had long been training not to do for her first family.

It was at that moment did Hestia realize how truly lucky she was to have found a person she could so clearly relate to on a fundamental level.

"Hestia. Just call me Hestia…"

Seeing how much the youth in front of her wanted to become a family, she decided to simply let go of all her worries and entrust her dream and heart into his hands.

"We'll be a family from now on, so drop the 'lady' and call me Hestia directly…"

She blushed lightly as she allowed her vulnerable heart into the hands of her very first child. It was scary, but at the same time, she felt that it was right.

".. .Alright, but I want to go one step beyond that. How about… Hesti? It's a cute nickname right?"

"H-Hesti?!"

Hearing how bluntly Bell had called her, the goddess' blush intensified greatly as her heart began to be overstimulated by his direct and forward approach.

"H-Hesti is a name only my best friend uses, so…"

"Am I not as valuable as your best friend? We're family, aren't we?"

"Yeah! Of course! But…"

"I just want to simply get as close as possible to the goddess I will be living with. Is that so wrong?"

"Um! No! But! But! You!-"

Bell began to step closer and closer to Hestia as he continued to pressure her with his words.

His tall and imposing figure naturally caused the goddess to begin stepping back to maintain their distance, but alas, the small size of the room eventually caused Hestia to run out of space to run away from her child.

Tumbling into her bed, the goddess' face grew completely red as Bell continued to chase after her with his composed faith and expression. His heterochromatic eyes stared down her own like a predator catching its prey.

'I was wrong! I was so wrong! Bell is not the kind child I thought he was! He's a wolf who wants to consume me whole!'

Leaning down on her as she could only helplessly sink further into the embrace of her worn mattress, Hestia braced herself for whatever awaited her in just a few moments. In her mind, she would soon come to know of the debauchery many gods participated in heaven.

'I'm sorry Artemis! Athena! I might not be eligible to be part of our group soon…'

…

..

.

"You really are fun to mess around with, Hestia"

…

..

.

"Eh?"

"Did you honestly expect me to suddenly assault you? You're a lot more gullible than I thought"

"THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR JOKES?!"

"It sure was HAHAHAHA!"

"GODS DAMN IT, BELL!"

With her redness switching from flusteredness to embarrassment once more, Hestia fumed as she realized the actual truth of the first child of her familia.

'I have taken in a wolf who toys with his prey! That laugh! That smug grin! It's like I'm raising that old man Zeus himself!'

While Hestia's heart began to brew an ever-growing sentiment of rage and fury against her child, in the mind of Bell he was joyous as he recovered a long-lost hobby of his.

'It's like I'm teasing Medea again in Colchis village during my childhood. Except, I know that Hestia doesn't have the wit to retaliate. This will be fun'

Alas, it is when one revels in their hubris that they are struck down by the fury of the divine. His senses were dulled by his perceived lack of threats from Hestia, Bell was quickly tossed into the bed alongside her after the goddess grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled with all her might.

"Huh?"

"Hmph!"

Quickly following the unexpected takedown, a soft sensation began pressing down on his stomach as a shadow began to cover his eyes from the light of the basement. The goddess Hestia had performed a skillful mounting over him.

"We may be family, Bell! But family is built on a relationship of mutual respect! As such, I can't have you looking down on me right from the get-go! I plan on raising you to the best of my abilities, so if you can't respect my word, then I will just have to make sure you do!"

Hestia tried her best to recreate his imposing presence and aura, but she still appeared as the oppai-loli that captivated many of his previous life with her airheaded attitude and adorable frustration.

Deciding to simply play along with the flow of his goddess' actions in order to continue his streak of teasing, Bell sank himself further into the mattress as she began to express an alluring gaze and smile.

"Is that so? Then do it. Make me yours and I'll follow every wish you ask of me, my goddess~"

"W-Wha-"

Seeing his half-shut eyes that drew her in, and hearing his sultry voice which caressed her ears, Hestia's red face once more shifted into embarrassment as she realized what she had done. The virgin goddess of the Hearth had mounted a man and ordered him to follow her commands.

"W-Wait!- Bell! I didn't mean to act like that!- I'm not into S and M!-"

"Make me yours by giving me your falna of course. I'm not technically a part of your familia yet until I receive my status from your blessing"

"..."

"Oh my, did I hear that word correctly? Do you know something as kinky as S and M? Here I thought you were not the type to know such things~ I can't judge people by their covers after all~"

As Bell relished in the successful executions of one of the most ingenious teases he had performed in his entire second life, a wet droplet sensation began to course through his chest, quickly bringing him back to reality.

"???… ???…"

"!!!-"

With the rekindling of his passion to tease gullible girls, he was once more reminded of why exactly he had stopped doing it so often as a child. The reason being was that his teasing would often lead to the recipient crying tears of frustration.

Quickly getting up from the bed to comfort the goddess who had her heart overloaded with too many emotions all at once, Bell spent quite a while afterward apologizing and consoling the goddess back to normal.

After promising Hestia that he would keep his antics to a minimum and swearing that he did respect the goddess' word and concerns, the two were able to proceed with the blessing ceremony that would properly indoctrinate him into the Hestia familia.

…

..

.

'Woah…'

With Bell lying on his back on the mattress, and Hestia sitting atop him, the goddess sat in awe at the sheer visual feast her eyes were looking at then and there.

Though she was able to tell that Bell was quite muscular beneath his clothes, she didn't expect it to be at the level she was currently seeing.

Well-toned and developed muscles presented themselves all across his back. There was not a single area that hadn't been trained with discipline and properly utilized.

'Not even many gods have this level of definition… but most importantly, these scars…'

Hestia's fingers traced along one large scar across Bell's back that was quite apparent to see. Though the youth had long healed many of his injuries, there was still one that remained after all this time.

'What has Bell gone through to have such an immense injury? Was this the only one he received in his life?'

Seeing his body and recalling his attitude and demeanor, the goddess couldn't believe that a person who was injured to such a degree would have a kind and upbeat personality.

How many people would be able to do the same if they were placed in his shoes? Would she be able to do the same as a divine goddess who has lived millions of years?

'He will be my child. As such, I will take responsibility for him. As useless as I am… I'll do my best to be the best goddess for Bell!'

Resolving her heart, Hestia took out a needle from her bedside table and hovered it over her finger.

Her heart full of tension from being mere seconds away from blessing her first child, Hestia reconfirmed Bell's willingness to have her as his goddess.

"I know you told me many times, but just one last time, will you be alright being part of my familia? Even after seeing what little I can afford you?"

With a moment of silence, after she had spoken, Bell's voice replied in kind to her question with a gentle tone that warmed her nervous heart.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, my goddess"

Growing a smile that reached from one end of her face to another, and with her heart beating with joy and elation, Hestia shouted out the commencement of the blessing ceremony.

"... Alright!  Without further ado! Welcome to my familia, Bell!"

The goddess winced slightly as she pricked her finger, and carefully dropping a drop of her divine ichor, a gentle glow of white began to emanate from Bell's back.

Divine power began to seep into his body as the words and symbols of the gods began to be inscribed onto his body through his newly birthed status.

A depiction of a chalice that housed a divine flame began to be illustrated, marking the human youth to be under Hestia's rule and care.

But just as the goddess was at the peak of her happiness at finally recruiting her first child, the gentle glow of white that emanated through the room began to grow stronger and stronger.

"Huh? What's happening?"

Hestia struggled to keep her eyes open as the projection of Bell's status began to morph drastically, where once it was empty with the base stats the goddess expected of a rookie adventurer, it began to be filled with countless words and descriptions and widened her eyes with their contents.

"This… how is this possible?"

Bell simply waited for the blessing of falna to finish before he could explain himself to the goddess who grew more and more confused and shocked by what was happening.

'I expected this outcome. Though I was sure that I would be starting out as a level one at I-0, I was confident that my new status would be full of skill and magic'

All rookie adventurers would usually start off with a blank-slate status, but to a select talented few, their new status would be automatically filled with skills or magic.

Usually, this would be made possible through race-intrinsic abilities like the beastification ability of certain beast people races, but there was another method that was less common, bordering on impossible.

That would be, the person being blessed accrued so much high-quality excelia, that it remained in their bodies until they could be utilized through falna.

'I wonder what I'll get. Avalon is a part of my body, so would it be considered an intrinsic skill? Wait… what about the goddess' divine constructs?!'

Realizing he might need to immediately explain his circumstances to Hestia as soon as he could, Bell grew worried about what would come out of his status.

"... I-I'm done transcribing your status, Bell. Take a look…"

"... Thanks…"

Hestia hopped off Bell's back as he rolled over to see what status he had received. To his surprise, the goddess handed him two sheets of fully written paper. Something extremely out of the norm as every adventurer's status would usually only take one sheet of paper.

" I won't question it for now. Just look through it first before we talk…"

"Sure…"

Sensing the sense of apprehension and disbelief within Hestia, Bell began to throughout read his status with a sense of worry and curiosity.

…

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╔════▣◎▣════╗

Bell Cranel

Level-1

[????????]  I 0

[?????????]  I 0

[??????????]  I 0

[???????] I 0

[?????]I 0

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?????:

[??????????? ?? ??? ????-??????? ????]

『All that the Iron Wrought Hero has accumulated in all possibilities of his existence have been passed on to the user of this magic, but proper training is still required to access all of its capabilities. Defining it as magic goes against the principles and rules of its origins, but has adapted to fit the definitions of this current reality』

『The foreign nature of the skill has brought forth the integration of similar skills due to its intrinsic nature. [??????????? ?? ??? ????] and [??????????? ?? ??? ??????] have been subsumed』

『Magic's description has been greatly shortened for the sake of brevity due to an overabundance of information』

.

[????? ?? ???????]

『Currently dormant within the user's soul. Will reveal itself when the time it is needed has arrived』

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??????:

[??????]

『As the body is a blade, so too is it a scabbard. Through the manifestations of countless improbable miracles and wills, this skill has been formed. Grants the user access to the development abilities [??????-???????], [??????? ?????], [???????? ??????????], [????? ??????????], [????? ??????????], and [???????? ??????????]』

『Development-type skill. Further progressions of the user's status will allow the further growth of this skill, merging all current and future development abilities accessed into a congregate development ability』

『The foreign nature of the skill has brought forth the manifestation of a lesser skill due to its intrinsic nature. [????? ?? ??? ???]』

(E/D: Morgan time.)

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『S̴̡̯̝̄͠ͅK̸̢̥̺̽̅̀̓͜͝Ì̴̧̹͔͎͚̖̺̰̱̋̇̅̊̎́̈́̈́͘̕Ḻ̷̳̮̩̰͎̰̥̉̉̈͜L̴̗̪͚͍̩̪͖̹͓̏̂̆̈́ ̴̧̙͇̩̝̯͖͉̐͂̊͋̊̓̓̿̋̈́I̴̭͙̙̻̳̼̬̐͆̈́̐͒̓̒̕̕͠S̷̨̗̪͔̥̟̹͕͎͖͍͉̾̑̓ ̶̖̻̠̦̩͉͖͈̖̈́͜S̶̨̨̢̘̭͖̰͍͈̼̱̟͊͛͘̚È̶̡̼̬̦̠͖̖͎͈̱͎̩̀̏͘Ṋ̵͉͎̭̥̥͔͙̔́͗͐̃̃͘͝͠T̷̨̢̖̩̱̤̞͔̻̦̀̓̀̍̀̅̽͊͜͜Ĩ̵̛̖͙̭̙̰͉̖͕̺̟̬̤́̿̍̕͠Ė̸̛̲͖̀͗̔͋̈́̾͒͝N̵̛̲̤̔̐͊͌̀̿͑͒̇̾͛͊T̷͙͍̫̙̫̭͇̭̖̂̈́̽̓̓͘ ̸̩̌̓͂̌̀́̚͝:̵̹̹͍͈̲̠̱̗̰̤͓̾̅)̸̡̨̳̦̙̱̩̞̰̝̠̔̐̊̍̈̍͜͜』

…

..

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[????? ?????]

『Birthed from a tested dedication born at daybreak upon the wicked scorpion's slaying. Enhances the effects of [??????] and grants the user access to the development ability [??????????]』

『The foreign nature of other skills has brought forth the reconstitution of the skill's effects. Development ability [??????] has been made accessible alongside [??????????] 』

『The skill patiently awaits for the day that the user might one day call upon its true strength once more, just as he did years ago. A worthy hunter requires a reliable arrow』

.

[??????? ???????]

『Birthed from an affirmation of companionship beneath the gray clouds of a storm, facing the wrathful serpent. Enhances the effects of [??????] and grants the user access to the development ability [????].』

『The foreign nature of other skills has brought forth the mutation of the skill's effects. Development ability [????] has morphed into [?????]』

『The skill silently awaits the next calling of the user, valiantly wishing to protect them from all harm. Only a blinded fool goes into battle without a shield』

.

[??????? ??????]

『Birthed from the establishment of eternal loyalty and gratitude amidst flowers and the setting sun, relishing the peace birthed from the slaying of the black giants. Enhances the effects of [??????] and grants the user access to the development ability [?????].』

『The foreign nature of other skills has brought forth the evolutionof the skill's effects. Development ability [?????] has evolved into [????????]』

『The skill eagerly awaits the next time the user is connected with another, perversely relishing their continued conquest. All great figures draw the allure of worthy partners.』

.

[??????????]

『The user's abundant experience of downing foes greater than himself has resulted in this skill's manifestation』

『When faced with an enemy exceeding a certain abundance of mind in their magic stones, such monster rexes, the user's status parameters will be enhanced by 1.5』

(E/D: Senji bois. Now it's time to cut Karma and Fate.)

.

[????-????]

『The user's abundant experience of subduing forces much outnumber him significantly has resulted in this skill's manifestation』

『When faced with an enemy  force exceeding a certain quantity within the user's range, the user's status parameters will be enhanced by 1.25』

.

[?????: ??????? ?? ??? ?????]

『Currently dormant within the user's soul. Will reveal itself when the time it is needed has arrived』

『Seven crowns against seven crowns. Seven hopes against seven ends. Seven heroes against Seven Beasts. Such has it been then, such will it be forevermore』

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[??????? ??????]

『One's memories and connections are what empower man to move forward despite adversity. So long as the user remains aware of their memories and connection all parameters of growth are hastened』

.

[????????]

『Wherever the user goes, fortune smiles upon their path. The user's abundant experience of nurturing, raising, and protecting various prominent figures has resulted in this skill's manifestation』

『To whoever the user treasures, who also equally treasure them, the user may grant them access to a single lesser version of their skills or magic.』

╚════▣◎▣════╝

…

..

.

After re-reading both pages of his status, Bell finally concluded his reading. For a brief summation of his current thoughts, it would most aptly be described as complete and utter disbelief.

'Why the fuck is it so loaded?!'

Bell had expected his status to be quite impressive for a level-one adventurer, but what he read was simply too far gone from his expectation.

'I predicted that the divine constructs might be skills that would show up, but their descriptions have vastly changed from how Artemis, Athena, and Freya explained them to me'

He knew that the blessing of the gods had the capability to further improve one's latent abilities.

A race's intrinsic skill might be morphed drastically from its original form, such as Ottar's beastification as a Boaz beast man turning into the skill 『Vana Arganture.』, but what Bell currently experienced was far beyond Ottar's situation.

'Foreign nature of the skill? Mutation? Reconstitution? It's as if I have the Great Sage of Rimuru optimizing my status…'

'And why are there some parts of my Avalon skill that aren't translated? Do I have an untranslatable skill like Finn's prediction and Cassandra's prophecies?'

So many questions and yet so few answers, even with his previous life's knowledge as a reader of Danmachi. But though Bell wanted to figure out the truth as soon as possible, he had to first deal with the growing curiosity of one other person in the room.

"... Who are you, Bell?"

Inferring that he was finished reading from his behavior, the heart goddess began to speak out the burning question she had in her mind after seeing what kind of status her first child had received.

"Falna is a blessing of the gods that expedites a mortal's development through the accumulation of their experiences in life, their accumulation of excelia which stimulates the growth of their status"

"I am aware that excelia is capable of being retained in the body after being accrued, but for a mortal who has not yet received a falna previously to have such… powerful skills birthed from insane amounts of high-quality excelia… there is no way you are just a simple talented human"

"I understand that some people keep secrets they cannot even tell to their closest family and friends… but if you're alright with it… can you please tell me who you are?"

Flashing a gentle gaze of sincerity to her familia's first child, Hestia breathed with bated breath as she awaited Bell's response to her question/

The white-haired youth spent a few moments of silence deliberating some things in his head. With each passing second, the goddess began to worry if she had overstepped her boundaries.

Just when she was about to retract her question. Bell finally found the resolve to settle on a reply. He would tell his goddess who exactly he was, but not without a few warnings.

"Hestia, can you promise that no matter what… no matter who I reveal myself to be, you will still accept me as your familia?"

Hearing his questions, Hestia quickly got up and neared Bell before speaking her reply, wanting to establish her true feelings beyond just mere words.

"Of course! No matter who you turn out to be, I will still be your family! I know how heavy the responsibility was when I decided to raise you as my own! I accepted you, so I will take responsibility for you!"

Hestia took Bell's hand into her own. Too many times did she witness families being torn apart by the lack of responsibility on the part of a few, and sometimes on the part of many family members.

When the goddess swore to make a family of her own, she did so with the knowledge of what it could possibly entail.

Even if the world were to go against her child, the goddess of the heart that tied households for centuries would never go against her principles.

"... Thanks, though I suppose I should have expected it that you aren't the type to run away from responsibility"

Feeling grateful that his goddess was so dutiful, even though they had just met earlier in the night, Bell decided to unmask himself to yet another person in Orario.

"I am the Gray Ghost"

"... eh?"

Hearing his words clearly, Hestia began to doubt if she had properly heard them. Rechecking again and again, and confirming the veracity of his words with her godly ability, the questions which confused her brain all began to seem crystal clear with just a few words.

"You're the Gray Ghost? As in the dungeon vigilante? The hero of Altena? The guardian of Sorshana? The founder of the Gigantomachy alliance? THAT GRAY GHOST?!"

"Y-Yes… didn't know you were a fan of my work, Hestia"

Beyond Bell's knowing, Hestia had been subjected to a thorough crash course on the vigilante's history by her friend Hephaestus after she had casually mentioned wanting to learn about the famous figure.

From his humble and elusive beginnings, all the way to his most recent accomplishments, the goddess of the forge has instilled every bit of trivia and knowledge about the Gray Ghost into her poor and aching mind.

?????

Crashing her back into the mattress both she and Bell currently rested on, Hestia began to feel as if she were living in a novel. A poor goddess like herself somehow secured the attention and loyalty of one of the strongest modern heroes in her familia. Most people would be calling her a liar even if she told people outright that she recruited the Gray Ghost into her familia.

"Bell? Do you really not want to go to another familia? I said that I would do my best to raise you, but I don't know how to even begin raising a person like yourself…"

Hestia grew worried that her incompetency might stunt the growth of a talent that shocked the entire world. She wasn't sure she was up to the task of being the goddess for such an incredible child.

Sensing her lack of confidence, Bell rested right beside her on the mattress as he took her hands into his own.

Shifting his head to meet eye-to-eye with the worried goddess, he softly spoke words that would clear away all doubts.

"I wouldn't choose any other god or goddess to be a familia with, I always wanted to be your family, Hestia"

"..."

Bright White. Absolute truth shone into the goddess' eyes as she verified the contents of the words he spoke softly into her ears.

Blood red. Searing heat poured into her face as her chest pounded with the beating of her flustered heart.

Hestia was thrown into countless loops by the human child in front of her, even though they hadn't even known each other for a day.

So many experiences, so many ups and downs, so many discoveries. All made possible through a chance encounter in the night.

She was greatly scared of what might come if she were to have him by his side. What kind of hurdles will the world give their family if he chooses to stay under her roof? She couldn't even begin to imagine it.

Most people would have chosen to let go of such a risky child in their familia. Not all people were capable of taking on such difficulties, especially a sheltered goddess like herself who only knew how to clean the temple of the divine flame… and yet she didn't.

????

She tightened the grip of Bell's hands that were atop her palm. She was scared of what waited for her in her future with Bell, but she was much more afraid of regretting not choosing to experience life by his side.

In all her time in the lower world, how many people resonated with her beliefs of a familia being a family? In all her time in the lower world, how many people didn't treat her dreams with apathy or mocking disbelief?

Only Bell saw her dream as something beyond the ramblings of a naive girl who only wished to see the good in the world.

She would most definitely trudge through the countless pits of darkness in mortal life by Bell's side… but if it meant she could prove her dream's existence in a cruel world like their own, she would accept it gladly.

"I may not be the best for complicated stuff… but my friends in heaven said I was good for emotional support! So I'll emotionally support you with all I have, Bell!"

"... Pfft- Haha!- I see… I look forward to your support then, my dear goddess"

Entangling their fingers with one another, Hestia had just then finally realized she was intimately holding hands with a man. Something she never experienced previously as a chaste goddess of virginity.

She then began to recall the flirtatious undertones in Bell's words and actions throughout the night, and recognizing that they were both in a bed in a room far from the hearing of any people… and Hestia began to panic once more.

The goddess' panic however began to be offset by the sincere and emotional moments she shared with Bell. His past, his dedication, his morals, and his values. The clashing of these two extremes began to tighten the goddess' heart extremely.

Her chest began to feel constricted. Her words became stuck in her throat. Her stomach felt weird and bubbly. Her mind became numb from the various emotions coursing through her consciousness.

'Wait, Aphrodite once talked to me about this… am I in love?!'

Hestia could hardly believe it. She was supposed to be a virgin goddess of Olympus. Renowned for retaining her purity and chastity from the hands of countless admirers… and yet here she was, falling in love with a mortal.

'No! No! I can't! I can't!'

Hestia began to fiercely deny the growing sensation in her heart as best as she could. She could never allow herself to fall in love with Bell.

For her position as a virgin goddess? No, she could care less about her position in the heavens right now.

Because she learned that the Gray Ghost was married to two women in her lessons? No, Hestia's ability to recall her studies under pressure was abysmal.

So what could it be? What reason did the goddess of the Hearth formulate to forbid herself from being attracted to Bell?

'I can't fall in love with Bell… because Hephi told me that she's in love with the Gray Ghost!'

Two friends liking the same person… a tale as old as time…

…

..

.

"Uuu… I'm sorry for making you go out shopping this late for dinner, Bell…"

"It's alright, Hestia. In fact, I should be impressed you were able to subsist off of jagamarukuns for so long…"

Walking into the night market of Orario, Bell, and Hestia performed their first outing as a familia in order to secure their dinner for the night.

After the goddess suggested eating cold and stale potatoes for dinner, Bell quickly denied her  suggestion and took it upon himself to treat her with proper food.

Hestia, upon learning that her child was a proficient cook, had her stomach growl fiercely for something that wasn't a potato, leading to her shame and embarrassment for relying on her mortal child for basic necessities.

"Hmm, how about some pasta for tonight, Hestia? Carbonara or Pesto?"

"Pesto! I really like Pesto!"

With confirmation from his goddess on what he should cook, Bell began scouring through the dungeon city's night market for ingredients to make a quick and easy batch of Pesto pasta.

'I should also grab some garlic to make a side of mashed potatoes… and for breakfast, I'll get some bones from the butcher to make bone broth? The local butcher on this street should be trying to clear his stock of beef bones by this time…'

Utilizing the inheritance of the iron-wrought hero, Bell's mind began to flood with countless ideas for meals. The complete recipes for various dishes appeared instantly in his head as if he was a mobile recipe book.

"That will be fifteen thousand valis, sir!"

Being asked for payment from a vendor for a batch of his ingredients, Hestia's face soured as she realized how expensive the ingredients her child had picked were.

She was so lost in her fantasies of eating good food for once that she forgot why exactly she was eating potatoes for sustenance for so long. Hestia was flat broke.

"B-Bell… I don't really have money-"

"Here you go"

"HUH?!"

Seeing Bell so casually hand out fifteen thousand valis for not even a quarter of the ingredients he needed, Hestia grew worried about his spending habits.

"F-Fifteen thousand valis for just a few basil leaves and herbs?! You could get a couple of months' worth of jagamarukuns with that money, Bell!"

Hestia's conservative mindset with finances had brought to Bell's attention just how poor her living conditions were.

Patting her on the head with his free hand as he carried a bag with his other, Bell reassured the goddess that she needn't worry about living in squalor any longer.

"I have quite the amount of money saved up through my work, Hestia. And since we're a familia now, my money would naturally go to ensuring you have a good life"

With her face growing heated from her child's kind gesture, Hestia continued to refuse the opulent lifestyle her child was leading… despite it not being that opulent in the scale of the world.

"S-Still! I can live off of potatoes just fine, Bell!"

"No goddess of mine will have to suffer boiled potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. By the time you've eaten my food, you will never be able to go back to your old ways"

"Impossible! I have mastered the ways of baseline sustenance and living!"

"Heh, we'll see…"

As the two continued to shop through the night market, much to Hestia's horror as she watched Bell continue to spend considerable amounts of money for quality ingredients that his chef soul could accept, the white-haired youth began to feel a gaze upon his back. Multiple gazes in fact.

'Oh no…'

Reinforcing his senses, Bell could point out four observing gazes watching his every move in the night market.

Amidst the crowds, Lili watched him and Hestia with blank eyes. Around the corner, Aphrodite appeared to be in a middle state between shock and curiosity. At the entrance way to a local shop, Syr smiled his way with a menacing aura. And lastly, on the rooftops, Artemis stared him down as she patrolled Orario with her huntresses.

'Shit…'

『An astute observation, Orion』

『Truly, a word befitting your horrible luck when it comes to women, Odr』

As Bell cursed his luck as a protagonist, two distinct voices filled his head, the voices of the goddesses he had formed a link with through their divine construct which he had inherited.

『What fortunate timing for us to meet one another! It is so nice to finally be able to meet you, Artemis. I'm Freya, a fellow lover of Bell. I look forward to a healthy sisterhood sharing the same man~』

『...』

Without missing a single beat, Freya began to introduce herself to Artemis through their shared connection with Bell, turning the white-haired youth's mind into a meeting place for his divine lovers.

『Oh my, how quiet. But I was of the belief that you allowed Bell to pursue multiple partners. Are you thinking of retracting that decision? Because I won't take kindly to it, you know?』

All of a sudden, Sessrumnir began to emanate a silver glow, and the Orion arrow in turn began radiating a bluish hue in response to Freya's provocation.

Feeling the storm beginning to form within his reality marble, Bell tried to diffuse the tension between the two, but the two goddesses sensed his intent and quickly silenced him.

『This is between women, Odr』

『Just stay quiet for now, Orion』

'O-Ok…'

Backing off from his two women, the goddesses began to engage in a divine showdown as Bell sweated bullets while continuing to shop with Hestia.

But just as the white-hared youth feared for the worst to come, the total collapse of his harem, hope arrived and released him of his worries.

『I want to say thank you for being with Bell, Freya. I'm sure it wasn't an easy time for him in the Kaios』

All the tension had been broken as the moon goddess thanked Freya for sticking by Bell's side during the wars of the desert.

『Don't think anything of it, Artemis. I also wanted to thank you for protecting Bell in whatever you did together in the Elsos ruins』

As if they hadn't nearly been at odds with each other earlier, the two goddesses began to converse with one another quite amicably.

They shared their interests and happenings like any other normal conversation between women… except they were both in love with the same man... and they were currently talking through his mind.

『I must say, I quite enjoy chatting with you. A shame we couldn't have gotten along this well back in heaven』

『Hehe, this is mostly due to Bell changing both of us. I'm sure we would've been in each other's throats in the past』

『Verily, but let us save our chats for later and focus back on our particularly promiscuous shared partner… I should've realized it after you picked up Artemis and Athena. You planning on completing the set of virgin goddesses, Odr?』

'ACK-'

Bell's heart stung deeply as Freya exposed his plan to establish connections with all three famed virgin goddesses of Olympus, something that was both correct and false in his mind.

'I didn't plan to seduce you all! Things just turned out like this…'

『Orion, I would have more successfully trained a bear to shoot you across the ocean, than for you to somehow successfully seduce all three virgin goddesses at the same time…』

『Don't even try to deny it, Odr. Hestia is quite clearly attached to you. It's not even been a few days since you've been back… we have raised quite the gigolo, Artemis』

『I don't know if I helped… I only had his first kiss… but I won't deny that Orion has become an unquestioning gigolo』

'I AM NOT A GIGOLO!'

『????… if only Athena were here. Then we could all just counsel Bell into accepting his fate as a goddess seducing gigolo…』

『Um, speaking of Athena, would you mind mediating for us, Freya? She and I aren't exactly on the best of terms… and I don't want our bad blood to ruin our thing…』

『Of course! We're practically sisters, Artemis. You can just rely on me for anything~ I heard that your huntresses were in need of bows?』

『Ah, yes! I commissioned Hephaestus to make some for us. But do you have some spares lying around? I took in a couple of trainees recently and-』

'STOP USING MY MIND AS A COMMUNICATION DEVICE!'

Unable to take the talking of Artemis and Freya in his head any longer, Bell ordered them both to clear his mind so he could think.

『Oh my, so stressed… you need another quickie, Bell?』

『Quickie? Oh, that's a term for sex, right? I actually have some questions about that, Freya-』

'Why is this harem of mine both a blessing and a curse?...'

After a few more minutes of suffering, Bell finally formulated a plan to defuse the remaining tension of himself being caught with Hestia.

'Artemis, can you handle Aphrodite? And Freya, can you handle Lili?'

『Oh? So we're now in charge of cleaning up after your mess of a love life, Odr? Anything for you my dear~』

『Hm? Bell is interested in Aphrodite? She can be a bit rude and airheaded, but I still consider her a friend. I give you the green light, Bell. So long as you both actually love each other.』

'I- You- We- No- AGH! Please just handle them for me… I'll explain myself soon to you two…'

『Bell is just so adorable to toy with, isn't he, Artemis?』

『I quite enjoy this… it's like messing around with my prey in a hunt…』

Taking one last shot at Bell, the two goddesses then acquiesced to his requests as they began to resolve the misunderstandings.

"Hey, Aphrodite!"

"H–Huh? Artemis?!"

Descending from the rooftops to meet a curious Aphrodite who was observing Bell and Hestia from a street corner, Artemis began to chat with the love goddess in order to resolve her questions.

"What were you doing down there? A few people reported to my huntresses of a stalker in the night market…"

"S-Stalker?! No! I was just observing a friend! Two friends actually… Did you know, there's a man currently with Hest-"

"Actually, it's good timing right now, Aphrodite… Do you mind if you can teach me about love? I had someone in my eye recently…"

"... EH?! REALLY?! FOR REAL?!

"It's embarrassing… yes, I am in love"

Discerning Artemis' expression as a true maiden in love, Aphrodite could hardly believe it. For millions of years, she had tried and failed to get the virgin goddess of the moon and hunt to experience love and romance… and now here she was, blushing profusely at the thought of someone she loves romantically.

In an instant, Aphrodite had forgotten that she saw her friend, Bell, roaming around with another famous virgin goddess, Hestia.

"Of course! Anything you need, I'll answer it! Who is he?! How did you two meet?!"

Aphrodite began to hound Artemis for questions, to which the moon goddess only answered in vague replies as she began to silently move them both away from the night market.

"There are too many people here, Aphrodite. Let's head to your familia home to talk about it…"

"Of course! Let's go!"

…

..

.

"Lord Bell?"

Lili muttered under her breath the name of her hero as she watched him frolic around with a short big-breasted girl in the night market.

She had excitedly been heading back to her home in order to appreciate a comfortable home life with Bell once again, and yet, he caught him doing things with another woman.

'Calm down, Lili. Lord Bell, is not yours. Control the fire… control the emotions… don't let it grow out of control…'

Lili began trying her best to suppress the crimson glow of her eyes. Whenever it involved Bell, the pallum would find it much more difficult to keep her magic in check..

But just as she was about to begin manifesting the fire embedded deep within her soul, she was taken away from the burning sensation in her chest by the sudden arrival of a familiar voice.

"Hm? Lili! It's so good to see you here!"

"S-Syr?"

As a frequent patron of the Hostess after being recommended to it by Bell years prior, Lili became quite close with the waitresses of the pub. One of them being Syr Flova.

'Syr seems a lot more upbeat than I remember her being… it's like she somehow changed personalities…'

"What a coincidence to run into you here! How have you been? Another day working in the dungeon?"

"Ah yeah… same old same old…"

While Syr tried her best to start a conversation with Lili, the pallum did her best to answer the bare minimum whilst maintaining her sight of Bell and the girl she didn't know of.

Noticing this behavior, Syr decided that her usual method wouldn't work on someone as dedicated to Bell as Lili. So she instead chose a more direct approach.

"What are you staring at? Oh, it's Bell and his goddess!"

"His goddess?"

In an instant, Lili's attention was fully diverted to Syr. Something the gray-haired waitress knew would happen.

"Yeah, he talked to me earlier about finding a familia after having no falna for so long. That shorty must be the goddess he was looking for. See how she emanates a faint divine aura?"

"O-Oh… yeah…"

With her desires and emotions enhanced by her magic, Lili was embarrassed as she was unable to feel the divine aura emanating from Hestia. She had tunnel-visioned too far on Bell alone to have noticed.

"We should be leaving them alone. After all, the first day a god and child spend together is crucial for the formation of a good familia!"

"Huh, I never heard of that before?"

"Hm? But doesn't everyone know that? It's quite common knowledge in Orario and other places in the world. It's actually in the guidelines of the guild for familia cultivation"

"I-Is that so?"

No, Syr was simply gaslighting the poor pallum into believing knowledge that would most effectively allow her to accomplish her goal.

But who was Lili to question such things? Given her less-than-normal beginning in the Soma familia, she was not the best at knowing how a normal familia operated.

"That being the case, let's leave them both to it! Actually, can I ask you to carry some of my bags for me? I'll give you a discount on the Hostess… and by discount, I mean I'll pay for your food, hehe~"

"Huh? W-Wai-"

"You will? Thank you so much, Lili! I knew I could count on the famous『IgKnight』of the Soma familia!"

"Syr!-"

Like a rock being whisked away by the tides of the shoreline and entering the embrace of the deep blue abyss, so too did Lili get swept away by the extroverted finesse of Syr Flova.

『Mission accomplished, Odr~』

『All clear, Orion』

'Thank you so much, girls…'

Hearing that the two goddesses were successful at averting imminent disaster from occurring, Bell thanked them both in his mind, but Freya was quick to begin capitalizing on his gratitude.

『Anything for you, Odr… although… if you do want to repay my generous act, you can always sneak up to Folkvangr~』

'I'll consider it, Freya'

Though Freya tried to disturb Bell's mood with a sudden flirtatious offer, the white-haired youth had become resistant to her antics, much to the disappointment of the goddess in question.

But what Bell did not get used to was a sudden attack from Artemis of all people. The moon goddess whispered her desires in an alluring tone.

『Y-You could also come to me, Orion…』

"? ? ? ? ?"

"B-Bell?! What's wrong?!"

"N-Nothing Hesita… just a regular cough from not swallowing my saliva correctly… haha-"

Recovering from coughing from the sudden eroticism from Artemis, Freya grew ecstatic as she heard the infamous stalwart virgin goddess invite a man over for some nightly love-making.

『Artemis, do you mind if I watch?』

『W-Watch?! Isn't that-』

『A threesome perhaps?』

『I think that's too advanced for someone like me!-』

『We're both sisters to the same pole, there shouldn't be any apprehension for stuff like this~』

Suffering from his mind becoming his wives' chatroom, Bell quietly shopped through the night market with a concerned Hestia by his side. Wishing silently for the day that he could just rest and not worry about anything anymore.

…

..

.

"Phew, you're so good at cooking, Bell! I still feel satisfied after so long!"

"I'm happy you enjoyed the food, Hestia"

An hour after both Bell and Hestia ate a dinner of pesto pasta, they both performed their nightly routines for preparing to go to bed.

The goddess snuggled up to her pillows and mattress, while Bell made himself comfortable on the sofa he would be using as his bed.

"... You know, you can just sleep here with me, Bell. You're a bit too tall for the sofa…"

Observing her child with a hint of guilt in her eyes, Hestia suggested that he sleep beside her in the bed which was much more spacious.

Compared to the original Bell, the current Bell was quite a bit taller due to the presence of Avalon which morphed his body into an ideal state of physicality.

Hearing the goddess' suggestion, Bell pondered on it for a bit. He was fine with it, but after hearing the words of Artemis and Freya, he just wanted to make sure of one thing.

"Are you sure? You seemed quite uncomfortable whenever I got too close to you before. I don't want to force you into doing anything you don't want"

Bell wanted to ascertain the goddess' true emotions. He knew she would grow attached to him as her first child, but it was only just the first day of them meeting and bonding.

Though he had teased her quite a bit, he realized he had gone too far on multiple occasions, and wanted to be more careful with the hearth goddess' fragile heart.

'I would accept if Hestia did indeed want me romantically, but I shouldn't just assume it for every woman I meet… and I can't use Sessrumnir for now, lest I want to constantly leak Freya's charm for the next few weeks…'

Confirming the motives for his current actions, Bell waited patiently as Hestia deliberated on what to do. But after a few seconds of deliberation, the goddess replied to him with her answer.

"I'm sure! Sleep is important for mortals, especially humans like you. With your vigilante work, it's best for your mind to be well-rested. I won't let my child face all those dangers with a tired mind!"

Hearing her answer, Bell laughed to himself internally at how concerned she was despite seeing his insane status as a level one.

But not expressing his elation, Bell neared Hestia with a serious demeanor before posing another question to her.

His imposing body reflected the scant traces of moonlight that peered through the basement's window as he spoke his last concern.

"Are you sure? As far as I am concerned, I am a man with immense capabilities… and you're a woman inviting me into her bed… beneath a church with no person to help in miles. Do you really want to have me sleep beside you? I could do whatever I wanted with you and you wouldn't be able to refuse it, Hesita"

Hearing Bell's voice giving off a slightly threatening aura, Hestia trembled slightly as she realized the truth of his words.

Bell was a hero capable of moving nations to his will, and she was just a poor goddess who could barely afford anything and ate only potatoes prior to his arrival.

Gulping down the accumulated worries from his words, the goddess struggled to meet her child's eyes with as much confidence as she could muster.

"Y-You're my family now… I-I trust you…"

It was a reasoning that was easy to tear apart if he wanted to. Bell could betray the trust of the goddess and indulge in his animalistic desires.

Hestia had quite the desirable body, especially given his experience with Athena, Freya, and Arry, he was sure that he would enjoy her…

… Fortunately for Hestia however, the protagonist of this novel isn't some weirdo who likes to rape people just because he could.

"Works for me"

Accepting his goddess' words without even a single question, Bell made himself comfortable in the bed. Tucking his body into the sheet whilst his back rested on Hestia's.

'His back is so wide…'

Hestia's thoughts ran wild as she felt the sensation of her child's rugged backside on her own. One that was developed through countless years of training and dedication.

'We still have so much we haven't talked about… but let's take it one at a time. There's no need to rush into becoming a family…'

The goddess began to grow drowsy as she felt reassured by her child's presence. She didn't have to worry about an intruder or burglar that would come… because Bell was now with her.

"Goodnight, Hesti"

"????… goodnight, Bell"

…

..

.

Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter!

Wake-up shenanigans are to come in the next chapter. Definitely a meeting with Haruhime as well. Don't know about Hephaestus.

Also, the first battle scene in a while as Bell dives into the dungeon not as a vigilante, but now as an adventurer!

On non-story-related things, I got a silver wolf! Hope you all were lucky with your rolls to get the Bronie gamer girl!

Anyways, that will be all from me for now.

Hope you look forward to the next chapter, and as always, may you all have a nice day!