It was the morning of the fifth day after the events that shook Orario. The city had calmed down, all monsters and Evilus´ were eliminated, as for their leader Hades...the pillar of light when a god died in the city, was him. He wanted to take revenge on Loki and Freya for banning Zeus and Hera from Orario after they fought so hard against the three black beasts. He got the information that Zeus was killed outside of Orario, thats when he came up with his plan. Unfortunately for him, the control over the monsters wasn´t stable, so they had turned against him in the city and sent him back to heaven.
Maybe back in heaven he would get the right answers.
Freya had put on her veil and left the upper part of Babel, accompanied by Ottar, to visit the hospital at the bottom. It was forbidden, even for gods, for the first days to visit the heavily wounded adventurers. Amid didn´t allowed any disturbance in the critical threatment. She couldn´t heal anyone to the fullest since there were so many that needed help. The hospital used every single on of their emergency magic stone tools. Some gave of a soft light that helped the healing proccess or suppressed pain. In the room of Bell and Ryuu alone were seven of these tools. But that wasn´t the room Freya wanted to visit...at least not looking like that.
She wanted to visit her own children, she was not known for it to show great care, but she wanted to see them.
In front of the room that was her destination, a familiar young woman waited with a clipboard in her hands.
"Ah, Amid." Freya smiled softly under her veil.
She knew the woman well enough, when they went too far against each other again, her children often had to come here.
"L-Lady Freya, good morning..." Amid gulped lightly when she saw Ottar´s bulky figure.
"I came to see my children."
"I guessed so...but."
"Yes?" Freya´s smile was by no means intimidating...but she knew she would get what she wanted.
"You have to be very quiet or I have to ask you to leave, both are not awake...and she isn´t in a good condition right now."
"You dare to order lady Freya?" Ottar loomed over Amid.
"I-I will not tolerate disturbance for my patients!" It was her honor to say that she did not shrink from him.
"Now, now...it´s okay Ottar...I understand Amid, we will be very quiet."
"Good...now excuse me I have to look after the other patients."
"Allow me one last question."
"Yes?"
"The boy and that elf, who did "that"...how are they?"
"He hasn´t woken up yet, she was awake for a few moments in the night."
"Thank you."
Amid bowed her head and left.
Ottar watched over his shoulder after her.
"Impressive, she didn´t shrunk away from you." Freya chuckled.
"Mhm." Ottar was impressed, he didn´t meant to intimidate her, but he had this effect on others.
.
.
As quietly as possible, they entered the room and closed the door behind them.
Ahnya and Allen had to share a room due to the situation and the special treatment.
Each one had a hospital bed for themself, both surrounded by magic stone tools, which gave off a calm light or were humming softly.
Ahnya looked worse of both, Allen had taken more serious injuries and that was the reason for Ahnya´s situation. Amid had told Freya when she visited for the first time, that both were in a critical condition. Allen had lost much blood and would have died if Ahnya wasn´t there. She had demanded to take as much blood as they needed from her and life force to save her beloved brother. She was the only person they could take blood from, since she was a blood relativ.
Freya told Amid to use every tool they needed, money didn´t matter. So they had used tools to stabilize Allen, transfer blood and life force from Ahnya and tools that helped Ahnya. It had drained her, she had been close to death for a short time,
but she was adamant to save him.
Ottar waited near the door as Freya slowly walked into the room and took her veil off. She looked at Allen, he was sleeping and looked better already, a third of one of his ears was missing. It made him look like a street cat.
Freya only touched his hair lightly, he wasn´t the type that liked skinship.
"You did well, Allen."
Freya knew all along that Allen really cared for his little sister, that he just didn´t want to show it and now his ear would always be a reminder what he had done to save her.
When she turned to Ahnya, even Freya gulped lightly.
Ahnya looked pale...very pale. Her chest was slowly rising and falling, her eyes were sunken and she had dark circles under them. It was an extreme contrast to the cheeky, lively cat-girl she was.
"My poor little one..." Freya softly stroked Ahnya´s hair.
"She is a brave one, doing all that for him." It was rare for Ottar to say something like that.
"Mhm..she really did well...Ottar?"
"Yes, Mylady?"
"Would you turn around please?"
"Of course."
After he had turned around, Freya slowly pulled the covers away from Ahnya´s body. She only wore light hospital clothes like Ryuu did in the past. With extreme gentleness, Freya slowly moved Ahnya´s body, so that she was lying on her right side, revealing her back.
"That will help you, it had been too long."
Freya used a needle she had with her to poke her right index finger and let a drop of ichor falling on Ahnya´s back. Her Falna came into view and the runes started to move, it had been years since Freya had the chance to update Ahnya´s status.
All the deeds she had done weren´t in effect as long as her goddess didn´t do that and due to the problems in their relationship, Ahnya wouldn´t have come to her for a long time. She put a piece of special paper on Ahnya´s back and drew a circle with her finger.
The runes shone brighter and eventually sunk down into Ahnya´s back. Gentle, Freya moved Ahnya back to her sleeping position and pulled the blanket over her again.
"Mmmnn..." Ahnya moaned softly when her body reacted to the change.
Freya looked at the paper and couldn´t help but giggle. Right as she had expected.
.
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Ahnya Fromel
Belongs to: Freya Familia
Level: 5
Additional Abilities: Cheerful nature, ruffian far throw...
Cheerful nature: Grants immunity to Fear. Allies nearby are affected as well.
Ruffian far throw: Master at throwing ruffians really far.
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Her level-up to five was not surprising for Freya, after all it had been years since the last update and Ahnya was an upper level four adventurer since then. But the enhanced status, her now stronger body would be a big help in her recovery.
Her skincolor already looked better and her face healthier.
Freya laughed softly. "Heehee...it gets never boring with you."
"Mnnn..." Ahnya moved and her eyes opened lightly, blinking. "La...dy...Frey...nya...?"
"You did well my cute little kitten..." Freya leaned down and kissed Ahnya´s forehead. "You saved your brother...sleep now, Ahnya."
"´Kay...meow..." Her eyes closed again, she wasn´t really awake.
Later Ahnya wouldn´t remember meeting her goddess, it was like a dream to her.
After making sure the two recovered, Freya gave Ottar a signal and they left the room, Freya put on her veil again.
.
When they left the room, someone was waiting outside. A young handsome human man with a bouquet of flowers.
"O-Oh L-Lady F-Freya! I didn´t knew you were here." He bowed repeatedly.
"Can I help you, young man?"
"I-I wanted to visit Lady Ahnya...but they told me I couldn´t do that so..."
"As her goddess I will allow that you put the flowers in her room, but quietly."
"Y-Yes! Th-Thank you very much, Lady F-Freya!" He beamed all over his face.
"But I´m curious, what kind of relationship do you have with her?"
Since it made no sense trying to lie to a goddess, he was honest. "I love her! Very much! A-And we wanted to go on a d-date if everything is over!"
It was rare for Ottar to see his goddess so perplexed.
Ahnya...my cute, little Ahnya...has a BOYFRIEND?!
Freya´s expression remained calm. "Interesting, are you belonging to a Familia?"
"Y-Yes! The Ganesha Familia!"
Oooooh...that explains everything...
Ahnya wasn´t really what one would call charming...but the Ganesha Familia was full of...weirdos.
"And did you fight in the city?"
"No...I was forbidden to do that...I´m only level one, they said I would be a burden...I really wished I could have helped lady Ahnya..."
There was no lie in him.
Under her veil Freya smirked.
"Good, thank you for answering my quiestions, now go, but be very quiet."
"Yes! Thank you lady Freya!"
"Oh one last thing, would you tell me your name?"
"Valerian, Lady Freya."
.
And like that, Freya met the reason why she never had to help Ahnya with her "Heat" again and the father of her future son and her daughter, who she would name "Frey".
He would rise up to a level four adventurer, later retiring and become the first male full-time employee at the Hostess of Fertility. Also he would be the first and only person, who found Ahnya´s singing beautiful.
He would go so far as asking Freya and Mama Mia for the right to marry Ahnya.
In a few years when she would see Ahnya´s daughter as the first person, since she would be present at birth as Syr to give Ahnya company and hearing her name from the proud mother, Syr was very touched.
.
But the exact story of Ahnya and her future husband will be told another time.
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Badumm...
Mmmnhh...
Badumm...
I like this sound...
Badumm...
It´s so good to hear that...
Badumm...
Ryuu had woken up in the morning, but she kept her eyes closed, her ear on his chest and listened to Bell´s steady heartbeat.
Badumm...
He is alive...I´m so glad...
Loving, Ryuu carressed with her hand Bell´s chest, he didn´t wore a shirt because of the bandages, but it was warm inside here and Ryuu spent him her body warmth.
Small tears pooled in her eyes and she started to sob, Ryuu stopped her caressing, put her arm around his upper body and softly pulled them closer together.
Thank the gods...
She wasn´t ashamed of her tears, Ryuu´s body started to shake a bit as she cried in relieve.
.
Too late she remembered the danger she was in, keeping her head on Bell´s chest...
.
Whenever she did that and Bell was asleep...her ear was dangerously close to his mouth and when the tip touched his lips...
Nom!
"Hi!" Ryuu´s body jerked as Bell softly nibbled with his lips on the tip of her ear.
And Ryuu´s ears were sensitive...really sensitive...and ticklish.
That´s why no one was allowed to touch her ears, except Bell, but even he was only allowed to do that sometimes.
Chu.
"Mnh!" Her body jerked again, as a pleasant shiver ran down her spine. "Bell...not here..."
"Nyuu..." His fingers moved lightly against her hand.
Her ears twitched, he had mumbled her name.
Ryuu leaned up on her ellbow, pulling the light wet tip of her ear from Bell´s lips, looked at him and whispered. "Bell?"
"Mnh..."
She leaned closer. "Bell?"
"Mnnnhh.." His eyelid flattered.
"Bell?! Please wake up!" Ryuu´s voice rose a bit.
Slowly blinking, Bell opened his right eye, his gaze unfocussed.
"Bell? Can you hear me?" She lowered her voice to a whisper.
After blinking a few times, Bell´s eye wandered to Ryuu.
"Ry...uu...?"
"*Hic*" Pure happiness ran through her body. "Bell!"
Quickly, Ryuu wiped her tears away. "Bell, I´m so gl-mf!*meep*"
Ryuu squealed as Bell surprised her, at first slowly he put his free hand in her neck, then pulled her to his face and kissed her passionately.
"Mmmnnh." She sighed into the kiss, closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment.
New tears flowed down her cheeks and Bell cried too.
The need for air let them separate their lips.
"I thought *Hic* I would lose you." Bell wasn´t ashamed for his tears, his voice sounded terrible.
"And I you..."
Ryuu reached Bell a glas with water from a nearby roller table, slowly and carefully he drank the whole glas, after that Ryuu refilled it and drank herself.
"Bell..."
"Ryuu..."
They kissed again and cuddled softly, completely unaware of their surroundings.
.
.
After a while...
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"Ahem!" Someone coughed.
Finally, Bell and Ryuu managed to pull their faces from each other and noticed...a very red Amid standing in the room.
"O-Oh, M-Ms. Teasanare." Bell looked embarrassed.
"Good to see you two are finally awake..."
"Amid...H-How long are you here?"
"I´m trying to get your attention for five minutes now..."
Amid sighed.
"You two can continue when I´m done, but for now let me do my work to check your conditions. Lyon return to your bed for now. And don´t go any further while you´re here, this is a hospital, you can do that at home."
Despite her light embarassement, Amid sounded professionally.
"S-Sure.." Ryuu wasn´t embarassed by the fact that Amid saw her and Bell...but that she was so into the kiss that she didn´t noticed Amid was there.
Bell was too weak to be embarassed. "Thank you Ms. Teasanare, for saving us...again."
"That´s my job, but you two sure give me lot of work." A small smile on her lips took the sharpness from her words.
After putting on white gloves, Amid started her check-up with Ryuu, since she had the lighter wounds. She used a small knife to cut off the bandage around Ryuu´s foot, carefully moved it and looked at Ryuu´s reactions.
"Your foot should be healed in a few days and with two weeks rest you will be fit again. I was told what you did, I don´t have to tell you how dangerous that was, but I know you had no other choice."
Finishing her check-up, Amid carefully applied an ointment to Ryuu's foot and a new bandage.
"Training and fighting is forbidden for the next month. And be carefull when you work."
Ryuu nodded. "Okay."
"Your stomach and ribs are fine, only light bruises. Overall the biggest problem was your loss of life force, but that will heal on it´s own."
"I wanted to ask, what happened to my garment?"
"It was cleaned, we have ways here to make sure it is aseptic."
"A...septic?" It was the first time Ryuu heard that word.
"Simply put, it means clean, without remains of any liquids."
"Thank you."
Amid nodded, gently put Ryuu´s foot down on the pillow and turned around to Bell.
"Mr. Cranel, I can´t say enough how much luck you had to survive something like that. And that your wife went so far to save you, without her magic you would be dead by now."
Bell´s eye widened a bit and wandered to Ryuu, he got flustered when Amid pulled away his blanket and started to undress him, not that he had much clothes on his body.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"Check up your body as I said, there is no reason to be ashamed, this is just medical treatment. You have to tell me if it hurts when I touch something."
That was easier said than done for Bell, he was tired and weak, but he still felt ashamed when Amid took the last piece of cloth from him. Amid felt his body, starting at his neck, over his chest and downward all the way to his feet. Bell averted his eye to Ryuu in shame as she felt his private parts and Ryuu smiled to him lightly embarassed..
Despite his embarassement, Bell thanked all the gods that his body didn´t react to Amid´s touch.
"You had over thirty broken bones in your body, two of our healer got a mind-down and I was close to it when we treated you. Most of your bones are healed, but your leg and arm will need time to heal, this is the second time you nearly lost your left arm, be more careful with it."
"It wasn´t intentional..."
"Also you were really lucky, the stabbing wound on your hip just missed your reproductive organs, so you will still be able to have children, our healing knowledge isn´t advanced enough to heal everything and even magic has it´s limits."
"My repro-?" Bell looked confused.
"To say it simple, your penis and testicles should still work." Her facial expression was as neutral as it could be, as she pointed between his legs.
"Eh!" What could be seen of Bell´s face got red...as well as Ryuu´s.
Both were too pure and innocent than they would ever have spoken these words out loud.
"Meaning you can still get an erecti-"
"I-I understand!" Bell squeaked more than he spoke and covered his crotch with the blanket.
Amid sighed. "Haa...there is no reason to be ashamed."
After feeling up his body, Amid changed her gloves to another white pair.
.
She moved over to Bell´s left leg, using a special magic stone and wandered his leg up and down, watching the color of the stone changing.
"Your thigh is mostly healed, but your lower leg is still damaged. Tomorrow we will cut off the plaster around your thigh and knee...BUT!...be careful when you move it."
Next she checked his arm, the stone didn´t changed it´s color from red. "Hmm...we can´t take off the plaster here...we can´t risk you moving your arm now."
"Ahm...how shall I wash myself like this?" He raised his plastered arm and pointed to his leg.
Ryuu tapped his free hand. "I will help you with that."
Amid nodded. "Good one problem solved, onto the next, stay still now."
Slowly and very carefully Amid took off the bandage around Bell´s head, Ryuu´s eyes widened in wonder, it wasn´t a mistake. One half of Bell´s bangs were green colored, the rest of his hair white. And there was a scar where the snake had slashed him, because of that his left eye was still closed.
"Can you open your eye? Stop if it hurts."
Blinking lightly, Bell opened his left eye slowly, Ryuu looked at him perplexed. His right eye was still rubelite, but his left eye was speckled with blue...it looked beautiful.
Amid moved her finger in front of his left eye, watching the reaction. "Can you see clearly?"
"A little blurry ... but it gets better."
"Good...to be honest with you, there might be a chance you won´t get your full vision back but that is only a chance, for the scar we cannot remove it and we tried."
"Scar?"
Amid hold up a small mirror for Bell so he could see his face.
"Huh?!" His eyes widened. "What is with my left eye? A-And my hair?"
"Anima Nexum."
"What?"
"Those are aftereffects of Lyon´s magic to heal you, when she used her life force to keep healing you, there might be a chance that your souls connected. It is a theory we can´t prove, but that would explain the change in color, there were ancient records of something like that. If my theory is correct, the color will never change back, even if you cut your hair."
Amid smiled softly. "Take it as an eternal evidence of what Lyon had done for you as she risked her life to save yours."
Her eyes wandered to Ryuu. "The same goes for your hair."
"Huh?" Ryuu touched her hair.
"Look." Amid took the mirror from Bell and turned it to Ryuu.
One half of Ryuu´s bangs had turned white. "Th-This is.."
"The other evidence that your souls are connected...I have seen many things as a healer...but such obvious love between two souls is rare."
A slight shade of red came to Bell´s and Ryuu´s cheeks, not embarassement but happiness.
"I will send a nurse with washing utensils for you, but now if you are feeling well enough, there are two visitors for you."
They glanced at each other. ""Sure.""
Amid nodded. "I will come later to look after you again, if you want to use the crutches to stand up, be were careful. I know it is unpleasant to lay down such a long time and not good for your body."
When she opened the door, Amid stopped. "You can go inside, but please be quiet, we have other patients here in critical condition."
They couldn´t hear the answer.
.
And shortly after.
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"Beeeeeeeell!" Hestia came running in, crying.
"I said be quiet!" They heard Amid´s voice out of the corridor.
A bit slower...and with a very tired face...Syr came inside and walked towards Ryuu.
"Syr.."
"*Hic* Ryuu..*Hic*..I was *Hic*..so worried..." Crying from relieve, Syr hugged Ryuu´s head softly and pulled her face into her bosom.
"Shyr.." Her voice sounded muffled, but she returned the hug as she felt Syr tremble.
"Thank the gods..*Hic*...I´m so glad...*Hic*." Normally Syr would be happy and beaming all over her face that Ryuu was save...but this time she seemed to be really worried.
Tears came to Ryuu´s eyes as she imagined how it had to be for Syr. "I´m sorry..."
"Please Ryuu..*Hic*...never do that *Hic* to me again..."
Bell had to deal with the same problem.
"*Hic* *Hic* *Hic* Beeeeell...*Hic*" Hestia looked into his eyes light a sad mother. "I thought *Hic* I would lose you *Hic*."
"Goddess...*sniff*...I´m sorry..."
For the next minutes no words fell, they cried in relieve to be alive or have their loved ones back, in between Hestia and Syr switched to the other bed and hugged the other one.
Something in Bell´s heart changed...maybe it was due to the situation...or it was just time.
He looked at them both and then for the first time, he changed how he adressed them. "Hestia...Syr...how was the situation for you? Is everyone safe?"
The eyes of both women widened, ever since he met her, Bell had always called Hesita "goddess" and Syr "Ms. Syr.". But nearly dying...and becoming a young adult...changed a few things.
"B-B-B *Hic* Beeeell! I´m so happy!" Hestia hugged him again, smiling like a goddess."
"U-Using my first name like this...h-how embarassing..." Syr blushed and looked to the side, abashed.
"I-If you don´t like it, I-I can stop!" Now it was for Bell to look embarassed.
"N-No..." Syr showed him her very special sheepish smile that he knew for a few years now. "I-If Ryuu is okay with that..."
Ryuu smiled. "Of course...why wouldn´t I?"
"I´m happy." Syr beamed all over her face, then she became serious. "I was visiting my friend that works at Babel that day...when it all began the Freya Familia and the guild closed Babel and protected the area, we were forbidden from leaving the tower until it was over...not that we wanted to...it was really scary..."
Ryuu sighed. "I´m glad that you were save..."
"And I saw Mama Mia."
"At Babel?"
"Yes, she carried Ahnya, Mr. Allen and someone from the Loki Familia to the hospital."
"Ahnya?! Is she hurt?! Is she save?!"
"They told me she is exhausted and needs to rest, but she is fine, her brother protected her in the city." Syr had somewhat of a...proud?...smile by her last words.
"And the pub?"
"Everything is okay, Chloe and Runoa defended it together with the rest of the Hermes Familia."
"Rest?"
"Yes...I heard..."that thing"...got some of their Familia members..."
"And...Andromeda?"
"She is save...but sad...what I can understand."
Ryuu nodded, Syr squeezed her hand lightly and showed her a half sad, half happy smile.
Bell looked to Hestia. "And our home?"
"Everything okay, the only damage was done by you." She grinned and showed him a peace sign.
"Me?"
"Yes, before it started you broke down the door and the gate, so Welf told me."
"What?! S-Sorry..."
"Don´t sweat it." Hestia grinned for a moment, then it turned over to a motherly smile. "I´m just glad that you two are save."
"Oh lady Hestia." Syr turned to the small goddess. "I wanted to thank you, for saving Maria and the children."
"That goes without saying."
"I heard rumors in the city, that your Familia saved many people or gave them shelter."
"Well ehm...we do what we can."
When Hestia stood up from Bell´s bed, the blanket stuck lightly on her clohtes and...
"Eeek!" Bell shrieked as Hestia pulled away the blanket from him.
"Be-...!" Hestia couldn´t finish her sentence when she turned around.
"Huh? Oh my!" Syr covered her mouth with her hands as she saw Bell without the blanket.
Hastily Bell pulled the blanket back and covered himself.
"I can´t call you little Bell anymore." Hestia looked embarassed to the side.
"He..Goddess?!"
Syr´s eyes widened more, she gulped and unconsciously she put her right hand on her lower stomach and looked thoughtful, then she leaned to Ryuu and whispered into her ear.
"Ryuu...I don´t know if I should call you lucky...or brave."
"S-S-Syr!" Ryuu´s face got deeply red.
Syr got up, hugged Ryuu a last time and turned to the door. "I have to go to work and tell the others that you are okay...and look for Ahnya if they let me to her."
"S-Say hello to the others for me, yes?" Ryuu was still flustered.
She smiled. "Of course, bye bye."
.
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They continued to chat for a while and around the quarter of an hour after Syr had left, they heard a soft knock from the closed door.
"Yes come in." Ryuu wondered who would it be.
"Excuse me."
A woman with long chestnut colored hair and indigo colored eyes entered the room, clad in leathern travel clothes.
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"Lady...Astrea?!"
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"Ryuu!" Without caring for the sound she made, Astrea ran over to Ryuu´s bed and pulled the face of her daughter to her heart.
Perplexed for a moment Ryuu didn´t react. When she heart and felt the sobbing of her goddess, she put her arms around her and hugged her deeply.
"You´re alive.*Hic*..thank goodness you are alive!" The goddess cried as she hugged her child.
Eventually Astrea let go of Ryuu and wiped her eyes. "I beg you, please never make me worry like that again..."
"I´m sorry..." Ryuu´s ears dropped lightly. "B-But, not that I´m not happy, but what are you doing here?"
Bell and Hestia could only watch, surprised.
"I saw what happened...I wanted to check if everything is okay with you, when I saw it...after it was over I came to Orario as fast as I could."
"I thought...you didn´t want to visit Orario."
"I wanted to look after you, seeing that you and Mr. Bell are fine and.." Astrea smiled. "I´m not visiting...I´m moving back to Orario."
"!" Ryuu´s jaw dropped. "Wh-Wh-What?!"
Bell felt tired and weak...but the expression Ryuu made right now...was just precious for him. She really looked like a young girl that just got a big announcement from her mother.
.
"Astrea?" Hestia moved from Bell´s bed to the other goddess.
"Ah Hestia, I´m sorry for ignoring you just now." Astrea smiled and bowed her head first to Hestia, then to Bell. "And you too Mr. Bell."
The two goddesses stood in front of each other.
"Your room isn´t finished yet, I didn´t expect you to come this early."
"I'm sorry if I make trouble."
"No it´s okay, I can understand that you want to be with your child."
"Room? Lady As-...Mother...what room?" Ryuu´s gaze wandered back and forth between the two.
Astrea giggled. "Hestia and I wrote letters for a while now...and we had a talk via our mirrors...but please keep that a secret, this is not allowed. For a while now I was in thoughts about Orario...you...and all the other things. The villagers noticed that something was wrong with me and they told me I should do what my heart yearned for and go to my precious daughter, they just hope I will visit them sometimes."
Hestia took over. "We have many rooms that are not used and I offered her to move into the Mansion."
Bell looked as shocked as Ryuu.
"Th-That means..."
"Yes Ryuu." Astrea showed her most loving smile. "I will stay here and live here with you..." She looked bashful to the side. "If you are okay with that..."
Ryuu didn´t smiled, she beamed with joy...literally.
"Hestia excuse me." Astrea got up and went over to Bell, pulling his head softly into a hug. "Thank you...for protecting Ryuu...and I´m glad that you are alive."
"N-No problem..." It was hard to hear Bell out of Astrea´s bosom.
"Ooooookay thats enough! I understand that you are happy, but that place you are putting Bell is not okay!" Hestia pouted and tried to separate her child and the goddess of justice.
"Oh...is there a problem with me hugging my son-in-law?" Astrea tilted her head.
"Only if you hug him like thaaaat! There are enough women interested in my li-...my Bell, and he is nice to every single one of them!" She wasn´t really angry, it was always cute to see her like that.
"What? My daughter married a Gigolo?" Astrea looked over to Ryuu worried. "I never knew...my daughter really is into bad boys...what will Alise and the others say..."
"M-Mother, you´re wrong!"
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"Mother...will there be no problem with you moving back here?"
"There shouldn´t be...I hope so. Tomorrow there will be a Denatus."
"Just for your moving?"
"No...that will be a minor theme...the main theme are you two...especially Mr. Bell."
They looked confused.
"Because of...what I did?" Bell looked insecure.
"Partly..." Astrea looked over to Hestia. "You should tell him." She walked over and sat down on the edge of Ryuu´s bed, so that Ryuu could still see what happened next.
"Go-..Hestia?"
Hestia had mixed feelings on her face.
"Bell..." It was rare to see Hestia so serious.
"I´m happy that you are alive and healing...but you have to be aware what happened."
"You mean...the destruction?"
"You were a mon-...not yourself that time, in the fight you leveled a whole city block.."
"Oh.."
"But that won´t be the theme...you two beat the black snake together."
Ryuu dared to interrupt her. "That was mostly Bell, I did nearly nothing."
"But you destroyed the monster general...together with..." Astrea squeezed Ryuu´s hand, she had seen what happened.
"But a Denatus just for our victory? I understand it was a big fight...but so many fought in the city..."
"No one rescued as many people as Ryuu did."
"Huh?"
"You may not aware of it, but you saved more citizens than we can count...many putting down flowers in front of the hospital since they are not allowed to visit and thank you personally."
"M-Me?"
"Yes...they call you "Angel of Justice"..." Astrea´s smile widened as she saw Ryuu´s face.
Hestia squeezed Bell´s hand. "All of that was important...but..." She put her free hand into her pocket.
"When you were in a critical condition, they called me to update your status, so your body would be as strong as possible...I cried when I saw your body in that state."
"Oh..."
Hestia pulled out a sheet of her pocket. "The main reason...is this."
She gave Bell the sheet...and his face became blank.
"Bell?" Ryuu looked over from her bed.
When she got no answer, slowly and with help from Astrea she got up and walked, supported by her goddess, over to Bell. Her eyes fell on the sheet.
Bell´s stats were all maxed out...but that wasn´t what caught their attention...
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Bell Cranel
Belongs to: Hestia Familia
Level: 6-7
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"G-Goddess...H-Hestia...d-does that m-mean..."
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"Yes Bell...once you have chosen one out of three available developement abilities.."
She had a serious look on her face.
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"You will rise up to level seven..."
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Authors Note: Hey everyone, I´m suuuuper happy for all those reviews and follows/favos. I teased her a bit for one of the short stories with Ahnya later. Also some news. In the story about one-shots. Ais is the only one that will get no one-shot, but a whole story, not as long as this one here, but she will have the main part for herself.
Until the next chapter.