Chapter 5:

Abandoned Church, Orario

Bells POV

Ban immediately jumped up enthusiastically and started getting ready to go out and so did everyone else. I guess they've all been really excited to go down to the dungeon. Merlin arrived shortly after Hestia left. When I told her that we are going to the dungeon today, she seemed just as excited as Ban, but she tried her best to hide it. I guess for someone like Merlin, exploring one of the greatest mystery's in the lower world is a chance that she could never miss. Whilst everyone got ready, I decided to make some breakfast for everyone. I recently discovered a new recipe and I wanted to see if the others would like it. When everyone had finished getting ready, I had also finished making breakfast.

''Mhhhhm, something smells really good!'' Diane said, whilst exiting the bathroom, and then sniffed the air one more time.

''Yep! I think this is my best creation yet.'' I take out the perfectly cooked apple pie from the old and rusted oven, which somehow is still working. I then cut it into slices and offer it to everyone. I make sure to tell everyone to take their time eating it. However, Ban looked at it with an annoyed expression and hastily walked up to it.

''Come on! Just stuff it in your mouths and let's go!'' Ban then swallows the slice of pie whole and turns around. He begins to walk to the exit but stops dead in his tracts. I tilt my head in confusion, then call out to Ban.

''Hey Ban, what did you think about my pie. I put extra effort into it today, I even added a special ingredient into it.'' Ban slowly turns around, his face looking a bit green.

''Wait! The captain made it!?'' King said in a surprised tone. Why does everyone look so surprised. I did say that I was the who made it already. Everyone then turns to Ban and then Diane spoke hesitantly.

''H-How is it, Ban.'' There was a moment of silence and then Ban puts his hand to his mouth. He then bends over and vomits all of it onto the floor, everyone stares at him in disbelief. He then wipes his mouth and looks up at us.

''It tastes like shit.''

Ban then spent a long time lecturing me on how to cook. He even asked me to recreate how I made the pie before and he said that I was doing it completely wrong. He even questioned my sanity just because I added anchovies to it. Adding fish to it seemed like a good idea, it's healthy for you and I thought that it would be a good way to start off the day. I guess Ban didn't agree with me. I do have to admit, Ban is a good cook but why does he have to be so harsh. I'm not that untalented at cooking. Ban had to stop his lecture because we ran out of ingredients, so no one ended up having breakfast since Ban threw my pie away. So, we headed out afterwards.

I told everyone to go and explore the city for a while, as I have some errands to run. I told them that I would meet them outside of the guild in an hour. Ban seemed a bit pissed off at me for stalling but he ended up agreeing to it, on the condition that I hurry up. I put Merlin in charge and trusted that she would be able to keep them under control and not let them cause a commotion. We part ways and then I begin to head over to the Hostess of Fertility with a bag full of coins. I arrive at the pub and stand outside the door. It's still a little early in the morning, so there's not many people on Main Street yet. I notice that the pub looks to be a little different. It seems like it turns into a café during the day and a pub at night.

I stand outside for a few minutes. I can't help but begin to recall the events of last night. The Loki famillia will probably be keeping a very close eye on us now, but I'm not worried. The most they can do is stir up a little bit of trouble but Ouranos will make sure that it is taken care of. I then recall that beautiful golden hair that swayed elegantly in the wind. I feel a strange palpitation in my chest, something that I've only recently started feeling. A feeling completely unknown to me. But I'm not scared. I feel a strange wave of joy pass through me. I fail to contain the smile that was tugging at my lips. I have to admit, that was probably the most fun I've had in years.

I open the door and enter the café. The waitresses are still preparing to open the hostess but they will probably open soon. The blonde haired elf notices me first, we make eye contact and stare at one another for a moment. She looks to be assessing me, based on how intense and critical her gaze is. But I stand tall and stare back at her and hold my ground. She then looks away and continues sweeping, but I can tell that she hasn't let down her guard. She's probably even more weary of me now but that doesn't bother me. She seems to be strong, maybe she used to be an adventurer. Syr then notices me from the other side of the room and gives me a bright smile, she then comes up to me and greets me. The other waitresses just continue with their chores and don't say anything to me.

''Good morning Bell! It's good to see you again.''

''Good morning Syr. I've come here to speak to Mama Mia.'' She continues to smile at me and points to behind the counter. Mia then exits the kitchen and leans on the counter and looks at me. She then smiles.

''Well if it isn't the lad from last night. Ya here to finally pay.'' I walk up to the counter and give a light bow and speak to her in a slightly apologetic tone.

''Good Morning. I am here to apologies for last night, my friends were very drunk and were not in their right state of mind. Please forgive them for their behavior.'' I look back up at her. She gives me a critical look but then smiles again.

''That's alright kid, we all make mistakes. Your friends are welcome here anytime, so make sure ya come back and spend a lot again.'' I lightly nod and place the coin purse on the counter.

''I believe this should cover bill.'' Her eyes slightly light up and then she gives me a satisfied nod. She then takes the coin purse and puts it under the counter. She then stares at me for a moment, this time with a serious expression.

''I get that your new and all kid, but you should be more careful not to mess with the wrong people. The Loki famillia are good customers of mine and don't cause too much trouble, but they won't take kindly to you messing with them. And that goes for other famillias as well. So watch your back.'' She seems to be concerned about what happened last night, but there is no need to be. The Loki famillia wouldn't dare pick a fight with us publicly, they care too much about their reputation and public image. They also don't seem like the type to maliciously scheme from the shadows and even if they did, they wouldn't scheme against some newcomers like us. Whatever they may do, Ouranos can take care of it, so there is nothing to be concerned about. I lightly nod and bow once more. I then turn around and begin to leave and then Mia calls out to me again.

''Hey kid! The best are always the last ones left standing, ya hear? No matter what it takes, don't get yourself into too much trouble. So make sure ya come on back safe and sound and I'll fix ya up with a large ale!'' She smiles brightly at me. Why is she worrying so much about me? I look at her with a surprised expression on my face. She seems genuine, does she really care that much…. no, she probably just wants me to come back safe so that I can spend a lot of money. I shake those ridiculous thoughts out of my head. I nod and open the door and step outside. Syr follows me out, whilst carrying a small bento behind her back.

''Hey, Bell?'' She looks nervous and she begins to fidget.

''Yes, Syr.''

''It's very early, so you probably didn't have breakfast. So..here.'' She hands me the box and looks at me nervously and waits for my response. She's probably worried that I will say no. I wonder why she's so shy all of a sudden, she's normally very pushy. I then place my hand on my stomach. I am very hungry though.

''What about you? I can't accept it if you will go hungry.'' She looks up at me with a flustered look but then takes a deep breath in.

''Y-you don't have to worry about me. You're going to the dungeon right. This was baked this morning, so please take it.'' She looks very determined and desperate. I frown and give her a cold look.

''Why?'' She flinches and looks at me with a surprised expression. She stares at me blankly for a moment and looks down. Then she finally opened her mouth and spoke with a quiet voice.

''Would you believe me if I said I wanted to?''

''…..'' I stare at her for a moment longer, assessing her intentions. She's very persistent about it and I still don't know why. And it's hard to believe that she's doing this because of the goodness in her heart. But every time I look at her, she's always genuine and truthful... But why does she have such an interest in me. I continue to look at her skeptically, she doesn't seem to be plotting anything bad but….Fine, I'll play along. Until I find out who you really are. I smile and take the box. ''Alright, thank you for the food Syr. But please make sure you don't overwork yourself and don't skip lunch today either.'' She looks up at me with a surprised look. I smile at her and put the bento in my bag. She then turns red and musters out a small thank you. We then part ways and say our goodbyes.

I begin to walk down Main Street. I have already eaten the bento that Syr gave me, so I'm not hungry anymore. The others have probably also eaten something by now, so I don't have to worry about getting something for them. I examine all of the shops and stalls in the street. There are festival decorations up and the streets are now very busy. I wonder if the festival will start soon. I also spot some shops with high quality weapons in them but they were all too pricey and flashy, so I decided not to go buy them. I admire and browse the products on display but nothing really caught my eye. I was about to head to the guild to meet up with the others until a small white feather caught my eye. It hovered in front of me and then after a few moments, it began to float away. I noticed that the feather had a blue aura around it, indicating that it was being controlled by magic. My face hardened and I began to frown. I then decide to follow the feather into an alleyway. Waiting there were two figures. A man with a sly smile on his face and a hat with a feather on it. And a woman with blue hair and glasses. I walk up to them and stop a few steps away from them. The man then clapped his hands and smiled brightly at me.

''Well, well, well! If it isn't Mr. Bell Cranel, my loyal customer. It has been quite some time.'' I glare at him.

''What do you want Hermes. If you are contacting me so soon, then I assume you have come to deliver what I've asked for.'' His smile faltered a little. There was now a very tense atmosphere around us and Hermes visibly tensed at my cold words.

''Well, no. I have not found it yet but it will be delivered to you soon. I heard from a little bird that you were in town. So, I've just come here to say hello, we haven't seen each other in almost 3 months and you know how much I value my clients heal-.'' I grit my teeth and then in an instant I'm next to Hermes. I grab on to his neck and pin him against the wall. The captain of the Hermes famillia, Asfi, only stared at me with a surprised expression.

''Instead of checking in on me, you should be doing your job. I'm paying you good money for you to find what I need, so I suggest you hurry up.'' I tighten my grip on his neck and stare at him coldly and menacingly. Hermes begins to struggle under my grip and his face begins to turn red. Asfi, then steps in after finally processing the situation and grabs my arm.

''I apologies for Lord Hermes' behavior but please calm down! We are still trying to locate the item but we will find it soon! You are a very important client to us, so we are doing all that we can to find it. So, please be patient with us! '' I stare at Hermes for a moment longer and then speak in a low and chilling voice.

''My patience is wearing thin, Hermes. I don't care what methods you have to use or who you have to kill, just find it.'' I then let go of him. He drops to the floor and begins to cough and gasp for air. However, he still has that same irritating smile plastered on his face. I click my tongue and then turn around and exit the alleyway. I then hear from behind me, Asfi scolding Hermes.

''Are you crazy! What the hell is wrong with you!'' The last thing I heard was Hermes laughing hysterically. His laughter began echoing in the alleyway, piercing my ears. How irritating.

I arrive outside of the guild. It had already been an hour since we split up, so everyone was already there waiting for me. There were many adventurers coming in and out of the guild. They all glanced at the others who were waiting for me suspiciously but they didn't say anything. It is understandable, we are an eye catching group. I then walk up to them and say hello.

''Hello everyone, I just had to visit the hostess. I paid the bill from last night and thankfully Mama Mia said that you all are still welcome there.''

''Really, she wasn't mad?'' King asked, surprised by how smooth it had went.

''Yep! So we can still go back and enjoy their food. Anyway, let's get going.'' I start walking towards the guild. I then see Ban looking at the guild then at the tower and then at me.

''Hey! Didn't you say we were going to the dungeon!'' Ban looked furious and his patience seemed to be wearing thin.

''Don't worry Ban, we're still going to the dungeon. We're just going to register to the guild since we're here and then we'll be straight off.''

''And how long is that going to take!''

''Not long.'' I then spot a few wagons with cages on top of it. The cages were covered with a white cloth but the wind slightly lifted the cloth up, allowing me to peek inside of it. In it, I saw a few monsters locked up in the cage. I wonder why they are bringing monsters out of the dungeon. I then hear Ban mumbling some curses under his breath. Well, since I'm here I should ask Eina. We then walk to the entrance of the guild and enter. I spot Eina immediately at the counter and walk towards her.

''Hello, Miss Eina. It's good to see you again.'' Eina looked up from her book. Once she saw me, she smiled brightly and greeted me.

''Oh, Bell, it's good to see you too. Are you here to ask more questions.'' I shake my head

''No. I've come here to register my famillia and its members.'' She looked behind me and looked at everyone. Ban wasn't in the greatest of moods, so he gave her a cold look. She flinched and then looked at me again.

''W-well, I'm glad you found a famillia. I'll go get the paperwork, please head into that room over there and make yourselves comfortable.'' She pointed to a room and we began making our way there. We entered the spacious room with a table in the center and sat down. Diane then spoke in an irritated voice.

''Why did you have to be so rude to her Ban. She was just being nice.''

''Do you think I care! I could be in the dungeon right now killing some monsters but instead I'm stuck filling out some paperwork!''

''The captain said that it would not take too long, so please don't be so upset Ban.'' Gowther said.

''I'm not upset! I'm perfectly calm!''

''Then why are you so red? Generally, people turn red because they are angry, flustered or on the verge of tears.''

''Shut up Gowther! I'm not angry or flustered, so stay out of it!'' Gowther then tilts his head and stares at him blankly for a moment. Then speaks.

''Then you must be on the verge of tears.''

''I'M NOT GONNA CRY!'' Ban said, turning even more red, until he was a dark shade of crimson. It seems that his pent up anger and frustration has caused him to almost explode. Diane and King began to snicker in the corner and Ban looked to be on the verge of having a meltdown.

''P-please s-s-stop, a-all of y-you.'' Escanor said in a quiet and pleading voice. I let out a deep sigh. They're such a headache. Eina then walks in with a stack of papers in hand and puts it on the table. I then cleared my throat, signaling to everyone to shut up and listen. All eyes were on Eina now.

''Here's all the paper work for you to fill out. It's more than what I usually give because you're also registering your famillia. But it should only take around 15 to 20 minutes. I'll come back in 20 minutes to take the paper work. Oh and one more thing. Just out of curiosity, are you all level one.''

''Yes, we're all new adventurers.'' Eina looks at me skeptically but doesn't say anything.

''Alright then, I will be outside if you have any questions.'' Eina was about to turn around and leave until I called out to her.

''Miss Eina.'' She turns to me and smiles.

''Yes, Bell.''

''You mentioned before that new adventurers can get an advisor, right?'' She nods.

''Yes they can. Usually advisors are given to adventurers from small or new famillias because they don't have enough experienced adventurers of their own to teach their beginners about the dungeon. Advisors are there to educate adventurers about the dungeon and other important topics. If you would like an advisor, I can assign one to you as soon as possible.''

''Is it alright if I have you as my advisor.'' Eina looked a bit taken aback by my words and stared at me blankly. ''I already know and trust you, so I know that I will learn a lot if I am under your care.'' Eina stared at me for a moment longer, contemplating about what to do. She then snapped out of her thoughts and answered me.

''Of course but I'm warning you, I am a strict advisor and I expect you to listen and heed my advice.'' I nod in satisfaction and smile at her. Eina also asked if the others wanted to have one as well but they all refused. Eina then left the room and we began completing the forms that Eina gave us. About 20 minutes later, we had all completed the forms.

I guess I'm officially an adventurer now.