Chapter 4

It was once again a busy day for the guild.

Multiple adventurers of different levels came in and out of the guild as always. Some looking for quests posted at the bulletin boards properly scattered throughout the interior of the guild for an additional source of valis. Most though intend to go down the dungeon in hope of pushing through their growth as adventurers and make a name for themselves.

The stronger the adventurer, the more paths and opportunities open up for them.

While this was completely fine and a logical effect of the cause, some adventurers develop an ego as they go up in their ranks. This in turn turns into a problem as most level one adventurers, especially beginners, tend to get bullied by adventurers in higher level than them. And if these level one adventurers do not follow or bend, their lives mostly turn into hell.

An example of survival of the fittest.

An understandable part of nature.

But even so, that doesn't necessarily mean that Eina Tulle should like it!

After her breakfast with Belle, she went straight to the guild for her shift while Belle decided to walk around town some more before deciding whether she would go down the dungeon or not.

This made the half-elf worry for the girl due to her being a real eye-catcher despite not being conscious of it. In the past, as soon as it was known in Orario that the girl that Eina Tulle picked up was an aspiring adventurer not belonging in any familia, a lot has tried to get their hands on the girl. The most memorable ones used underhanded manners or tricks to get the girl. After numerous times of this happening, the girl had developed a distrust for adventurers belonging in big familias. Though this doesn't mean that Belle hated every adventurers without question, this does made her not to actively seek out familias.

Eina hoped that this would change given time, as there are good and decent adventurers out there just as many as the bad ones. That Belle would find other adventurers that she would develop a bond with and party up down in the dungeon. This would be the safest path for the girl.

But due to something irritable unfolding just a while back, this hope of hers had to be flushed down once again.

And it involved the Loki Familia out of all things!

While Eina respected the majority of the higher ups in the Loki Familia, especially Riveria Ljos Alf, she does find some of them quite rude and annoying. Though as a staff of the Guild, she couldn't voice this opinion out. But sometimes it just kept getting harder to kept things well hidden.

Especially involving their level 5 adventurer, the one called Vanargand, Bete Loga.

The same male adventurer whom was walking beside Misha Flott.

'Wait.'

'What?'

Eina had to rub her eyes and close them multiple times just to make sure she seeing things correctly. Despite her best efforts to make it certain she saw just seeing things due to stress, it turned out futile as she was indeed seeing perfectly fine.

From her place behind the desk, Eina could see the distinct pink hair of her friend, Misha Flott, a feet away beside the gray hair of Bete Loga. Though wishing the matter between Misha and Bete would not involve her, she could see that the both of them were slowly walking over to her direction. Eina could tell that Misha had a very anxious and uneasy expression on her face while Bete had a complicated one on his face.

Breathing in and out multiple times, Eina pressed her hands to her chest to calm herself down. It would not do well if she was to lose her composure while at work.

"Eina." Misha called out in a slightly worried tone.

Eina looked at her and noticed the troubled expression on her face as she gestured towards Bete Loga.

"Yes?" Eina wore her perfect professional receptionist smile. "Is there something I could help you with?"

"Bete-san is um.." Misha appeared to be thinking of the right word to say. "..he is looking for Belle-chan."

Hearing this, Eina could feel her heart halt for a second as she flinched visibly. Her smile became slightly strained as she desperately tried to keep her smile on and stay calm.

"Since it is known that you're responsible for Belle-chan." Misha continued with her still worried tone. "He asked if he could talk to you."

"IS there something you need from Belle?" Eina asked trying to hide her anxious tone.

"There is no need for you to know." Bete replied. "Just tell me where she is."

Eina could feel a vein pop in her head hearing the reply from the werewolf.

"You!" She called out as she saw a person pass by in front of her stall.

Hestia is a goddess.

Despite descending down from heavens a while back, she has failed to start her own familia. This was not due to the lack of effort from her part though, she just hasn't had any luck in recruiting her first familia member due to the fact the she is a new goddess in Orario and doesn't have an attractive facility to attract aspiring adventurers to join her familia. Her main base of operation or her home is an abandoned church which of course would be an unattractive base for upcoming adventurers.

Currently, she works at a stall to cover her personal expenses as her friend, Hephaestus had enough of her free-loading and has decided to kick Hestia out her Familia manor to the abandoned church where should learn how to take care of herself properly.

Though some might take the sight of a goddess working on a small stall on the street to be slightly pitiful, Hestia actually doesn't mind it and was in fact slightly enjoying her work. Though if she were to choose, she would defintely pick being a goddess of a successful familia.

The person called out be her stopped in her tracks and turned towards Hestia which in turn had the goddess' heart skip a beat.

Because the person in question was a young girl whom was certainly the most adorable being Hestia had ever seen.

She couldn't be more older than the age of 15. She had a very long and wild snow-white hair paired beautifully with her wine-red colored eyes. Despite the girl's body being hidden from view as it was covered by a dark gray cloak, it was clear to Hestia that the girl was a lot stronger than her image would suggest.

Her train of thought had to be cut short as she now noticed that the white-girl was now standing in front of her stall and due to the close distance she could now see the girl's features more clearly.

'She's cute indeed!'

"Do you mean me, Onee-san?" The white haired girl asked with a tilt of her head.

'Is this girl trying to kill me with her cuteness or something!?'

Hestia shook her head hard to rid herself of her conflicting thoughts. As she had performed countless times, Hestia revealed her professional smile.

"Would you like to buy some jagamarukuns?" She asked with her practiced smile.

"Jagamarukuns?" The girl repeated as she blinked her eyes several times. "Alright." She ended with a wide smile.

'Guh!'

Though the girl only paid enough for a single jagamarukun, Hestia couldn't help but give the girl an additional free one which made the girl say thanks with such a sweet smile.

Hestia felt that if she were to go back to Tenkai right now, she wouldn't mind it all that much if her last memory of Orario was of this girl and her sweet smile.

Watching the girl bite into the snack with a pleasant expression on her face made Hestia's heart sunk a bit. Not that she disliked the girl or anything, far from it in fact. She just imagined what it would be like to finally start her own familia and to have such an adorable girl as a member of her familia.

Without think much, Hestia asked before she could stop herself.

"Are you in a familia?"

Hestia's eyes widened a bit as she realised what she just asked and saw the expression of slight shock on the girl's face.

"D-do you have a familia, onee-san?" The girl asked with worry evident in her tone.

Seeing such an uneasy expression on the adorable girl's face made Hestia mentally kick herself.

"N-no. No one wants to join my familia." It hurt Hestia just admitting that fact. "So I really don't have one yet."

"Eh?" The girl looked at Hestia as if she was seeing the goddess grow another head. "Kami-sama without a familia?"

'So she could tell that I'm a goddess.' Hestia wasn't sure before as the girl didn't really gave any indication that she noticed Hestia's aura.

"Not all gods has their familia, you know?" Hestia explained with a sad smile. "While sure most of us do want to establish one, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have someone join them when they're starting from scratch."

"Why do the gods want to have one?" The girl asked severely curious to the answer.

"Hmmm.." Hestia cupped her chin with her left hand as she fell into deep thought. After a few seconds of pure silence from her, she finally answered. "While I can't really speak for the others, most just want to establish themselves here and make a name for themselves. It could be through a wide variety of means, but most do have the same goal in mind." Hestia explained. "For me, while I do also want to be known and become a successful goddess, I really just do want to create a bond close to a family down here." Hestia finished with a smile.

While cheesy sounding, it was, in fact, the truth. Hestia did long for such a bond. To have children she could call her own and guide them to grow into excellent individuals.

After saying her good bye with the goddess Hestia along with a promise to return to the stall and become a regular customer, Belle walked in complete silence towards the guild.

Hearing such a pure and pleasant idea, from a goddess no less, made the girl contemplate about a few things.

First was such a goddess truly residing in Orario? Was she just spouting lies in order to lure new adventurers into joining her familia?

Despite Belle wanting to believa that more than anything, the sincere expression of the goddess from earlier paired with her genuine tone of longing made Belle start to question her skepticism regarding gods and their familias.

Or at the most, that goddess and her concept of familia.

Second in the mind of Belle was the question: are there even adventurers who would join a familia for such an aim? Would they even be content just by that aim alone?

To have a family.

Belle's chest ache as she thought about the concept of family. Where would she be if they were still with her? What kind of girl would she be if they were still around? Would she still be the same? Or would she be a different girl?

As she tried to dig deep into her mind for any memory involving her family, Belle felt a sharp pain course through her head. She winced as she grasped her head with both her hands.

Memories.

Why does it hurt?

She can't see.

She can't see anything.

It hurts.

Belle suffered in silence and didn't even realized that she was still walking non-stop until a familiar voice called out to her which made her stop in her tracks.

"Belle?"

Belle released her hand from her hands and looked up and saw Eina staring at her with a really worried expression. Turning around she had just now realized that she had already reached the interior of the guild?

"Belle?" Eina called out again as she approached the girl and gently grasped her shoulder which in turn made the girl flinch. Sensing this, Eina gently cupped Belle's cheek with her free hand and directed her eyesight towards her. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"Eina-nee?" Belle called out in a tone so soft in could be considered a whisper.

"Yes?" Eina replied with her still worried tone.

"Eina-nee?" Belle repeated as she clutched Eina's sleeves and pressed her own body onto the half-elf. "Eina-nee."

Though caught unaware, Eina's arms enveloped Belle in a secure but warm embrace. Reaching up to the girl's head, Eina gently patted her head. Seeing the girl like this made her glad that she lead Bete Loga off before Belle could arrive.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Eina asked worriedly. "I could ask for some time off so I can look after you."

Hearing her offer, Belle couldn't help but smile a bit. She was troubled, but just feeling the amount of genuine care the half-elf had for her had her feeling warm and safe. It was as if she was being pulled out from a bottomless lake she was slowly sinking in.

She was troubled, but she really couldn't bother Eina with such a thing. She didn't even know exactly why she was troubled. How can she ask for help when she can't even tell exactly why she was hurting.

"Alright." Eina said. "I'm asking for a time off and I'll take you back home and let you rest, ok?"

Belle looked and smiled before shaking her head.

"There's no need Eina-nee." Bell replied. "I was just... thinking about some stuff."

"Are you sure?" Eina asked as she used her thumbs to softly massage Belle's forehead. "I'm worried you might be sick."

"It's okay now, Eina-nee." Belle said before nuzzling her head in Eina's neck. "You made me feel all better!" She completed with a wide smile.

Seeing such a smile on the girl's face made the half-elf smile in relief. Though still worried, she decided to trust Belle for now as forcing her to speak whatever's on her mind would probably cause the girl more stress. In time, she would get the girl to tell her her worries.

"So what are you doing her?" Eina asked now in a bit of a better mood. "Heading down the dungeon?"

"Yes." Belle nodded.

"Okay." Eina nodded before raising her index finger and poking the tip of Belle's nose with her fingertip. "But should you feel unwell or anything wrong, you get right back up here! No buts at all!"

Belle looked at Eina's fingertip making her crosseyed before nodding. "Yes, Eina-nee."

"If I ever find out that you felt unwell but still remained down the dungeon, and I will know, I will have you grounded for an entire week!"

Belle gasped in utter horror at the mere idea of her being unable to leave and walk around in the city.

It's a nightmare!

"Do you understand?" Eina asked in a serious tone.

"Yes, Eina-nee!" Belle nodded vigorously. "I understand completely!"

"Good! Now come." Eina continued as she grasped Belle's hand gently. "I'll walk you to the dungeon's entrance before I return to work."

Belle smiled as she felt the warmth from Eina's hand slowly covering her entire being.

In truth, she knew that it was probably best for her to just remain at home or at the very least just walk around the city instead of heading down the dungeon.

However, deep inside her, she just couldn't help but feel there was something in the dungeon that was calling for her.

To be Continued.

Afterword

First of all, I apologize. I don't really have any excuse why I'm so late.

Life just sucks hard.

Seeing such support for the story even after such a long time made me feel happy and it help quite a bit in making feel better.

Thanks so much.

Thanks for all the support.

Let me know what you think of the story in a review. If you have any tips or recommendation please feel free to tell me all about them in a review. If you spot any mistakes regarding spelling, grammar, and/or continuity, please tell me about them and I'll try to fix them as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading.

See ya in the next chapter.

Laters~