It was a sunny day, just like this one, wasn't it?
Bell brought a hand to cover his eyes as he looked up into the sky. Overhead, there wasn't a single cloud in sight. No, they had all fallen to the ground below, making up the rows and rows of white stones that covered the grassy land just outside the main gates of the city.
When she gave me the life I have today.
He stood silently in front of the three headstones before him, a bouquet of flowers in hand.
Welf... Lilli...
The two sat in a row alone in an almost pitifully small section of the graveyard. Unlike the other larger Familias, his was the only one with three graves. The only plot of land that sat alone in some forgotten corner of the city. Raised up slightly behind the resting places of his friends was another grave. Unlike any other fallen deity's, She was given the same headstone just as every other adventurer's. Just looking at it filled him with anger - anger at his own inability to even afford a headstone worthy of her name. Anger at himself for his own uselessness, for his overwhelming weakness.
When you needed me... I couldn't..!
"Bell..?"
He turned to find several familiar figures approaching him.
"Lord Takemikazuchi...?"
The God smiled wearily as Bell bowed deeply.
"Hey, hey... it's okay, no need for any of that."
Bell straightened up, acknowledging the others behind the god.
"Chigusa... Ouka..."
They nodded their greetings wordlessly, only stepping forward to place a small bundle of flowers at each grave.
"Thank you..."
"We were here to see Mikoto and to pay our respects to Lady Hestia - and... I just want to thank you, once again, for letting us... ah..."
His voice died out and his sentence fell to a halt. Bell nodded. The god didn't need to force himself to finish his sentence; they both still remembered how he had previously approached Bell before the funeral, falling to his hands and knees as he begged for Mikoto's grave to be put in his Familia's section. A request which Bell didn't hesitate to fulfill. With a sad smile, Lord Takemikazuchi extended his hand to Bell.
"Thank you, Bell. Remember, you're always welcome at our Familia."
Bell offered a smile of his own as he accepted the hand shake.
"Thanks... and, uh... well, I actually joined Lady Loki's Familia."
"Is that so? Hah... well then, I wish you the best of luck. I've known Loki to be, ah, quite eccentric at times."
Bell laughed slightly, the polite smile on his face growing harder and harder to keep up.
"We'll let you be then, Bell. I'll see you around."
He raised a hand to rest gently on the boy's shoulder with one last soft smile, before turning to leave. Behind him, Chigusa bowed wordlessly and followed. Ouka nodded slowly, a steel expression on his face as always.
As soon as they left, Bell almost fell to the ground. His legs felt loose and weak, and his face felt frozen and stiff from holding that damned smile for so long. But now, as he shakily let out a long breath, he felt the corners of his mouth fall.
"Did you hear that, Kami-sama?"
His voice came out as barely a whisper.
"That's why I actually came here today. I, uh... hah, well I actually joined with the Loki Familia."
He laughed slightly as he imagined what her reaction would've been to that piece of news.
"I... I..."
His words stumbled out uncontrollably as his mind struggled to speak.
"I'm going to do it."
He balled his hands into shaking fists at his sides as his vision blurred.
"I'm going to get stronger, stronger than anyone, stronger than you ever could believe!"
He turned moved his eyes from headstone to headstone, tracing their names with his eyes, remembering their faces and their time spent together.
"So watch me! You guys... just wait..!"
I'll make her pay...!
"Eeeehhhhhh!?"
A piercing scream resonated through the building, shaking the entire Familia Hall.
"T-this is…"
Beneath her, Bell lay on the bed, wincing in pain as Loki kneeled on his lower back.
"I-is something wrong, Lady Loki?"
"Your old status sheet never said anything about this…."
"What is it?!"
Loki squinted at the newly printed paper in her hands, reading it over and over again. The newly printed Jester Insignia was emblazoned on the top, but at the bottom, a new line of text had presented itself.
Liaris… Freese…? What does this mean…? A rare skill?!
"Itʼs… nothing… I just misread something, sorry."
"Ah.. ok…"
I should talk with Riveria about this one…
Bell laid his head back down onto the pillow, and waited for his new Patron to finish her updates.
—
"Riveria, about that matter I asked you about earlier…."
Riveria nodded and stepped back into the office.
"This… this is surprising to say the least."
"It is indeed unprecedented, but it makes sense due to his sudden loss."
The acceleration of growth in correspondence to the strength of oneʼs feelings...
"…Fighting Revis mustʼve awakened this skill if it wasnʼt on the old parchment, so —"
"No, no…"
Loki held the two pieces of paper side by side, staring intently at the blurred lines at the bottom of the old status. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to lose herself deep in thought.
Then, an idea popped into her head. She swept everything off her desk in a dramatic fashion, much to Riveriaʼs surprise, and hopped onto the desk and laid on her back.
"What are you doing?"
"Watch this, Riveria. If Iʼm correct, then…."
Loki lined the two parchments up together, and held them up above her face, allowing light to shine through the paper.
"Ahah!"
Loki almost screamed in excitement.
"Looks like Itty-Bitty was smarter than she looked!"
She handed the papers to Riveria, who in turn held them up to the light as well.
"The blur… itʼs not just a mistake…?"
"Nope! In fact, it was quite deliberate, I'm guessing in order to hide Bellʼs rare skill when it first appeared."
Riveria blinked in silence.
"Do you know the exact day…?"
Loki sat up and propped one foot on the desk, while letting her other leg dangle freely.
"I believe… it was around the day you guys returned from - Oh! That was the day with the minotaur incident on floor 5."
Riveria let out a slight laugh, before completely breaking out into a giggling fit.
"W-what?!"
"Sorry, sorry, itʼs just funny how things turned out."
Waving a hand in front of her face, she dismissed Lokiʼs further questioning, and left the room - tears still hanging at the corner of her eyes.
Iʼve never seen her like that before…! What happened on that day!?
—
"Hereʼs to our newest addition, the Argonaut!"
Tionaʼs voice carried through the tavern as she raised her mug into the air. A chorus of voices cheered in unison, filling the Mistress of Abundance with the voices of dozens of Loki Familia members.
Bell remained seated at the table, a hesitant smile on his face as hands reached out, slapping his back and ruffling his hair. Behind him, Loki lounged on the barstool, waving an empty mug in the air for the umpteenth time.
"Syyyyrrr another round!"
"Coming right up!"
Next to him, Syr waved a hand at the drunk deity before leaving Bell with a parting word of congratulation. Ryuu passed behind him, tray-full of empty glasses and plates in hand, and nodded once to the white haired boy before moving on to serve the other guests.
Bell almost smiled at their recognition. The entire tavern was filled with noise and joy, people laughed and traded stories. They drank and ate, sharing a bond that could be considered sacred. Yet despite all the commotion and boisterous crowded tables, Bell had never felt so alone.
Around him, Loki Familia Executives laughed and partied. Tione and Tiona teased and poked fun at Beteʼs flushed face from one too many drinks. Gareth released thundering laughter that filled the room, much in contrast to the quite elf who quietly drank from her glass in a dignified manner. As time went on, Bell remained seated. His plate mostly untouched, his glass still full.
People moved around him, and soon, his presence seemed to vanish from the tavern. There were no more eyes on him, and he was then free to stand and slip through the crowd and out the door.
Moving quickly, Bell stepped out into the night, and without another look back, continued down the street.
—
The lights and sounds were far behind him as he sat alone in the church spire. Above him, the night sky sparkled with countless stars that shone upon the city. He could see the tavern from here. Guests still found themselves wandering into the bustling inn, and drunken customers occasionally stumbled out, staggering on their ways home.
Home…
His gaze lingered on the tavern for a moment before moving to the lit winding maze that was Daedalus street. He could see torches and lamps that mapped out the twists and turns of the streets and alleyways, but he passed over them without care.
Donʼt look… donʼt…
He couldnʼt stop himself his eyes traced the familiar streets and locked onto the dark silhouette of an abandoned church.
There… home…
The Hestia Familiaʼs hall lay dormant and silent amidst the sea of lights. Memories filled his mind, flowing from the very depth of his soul like living images of times past. Their smiles plagued his mind. His memories showed no mercy on his soul as the flashed by him, each one more painful than the last.
"So this was where you were going…."
Bell turned in surprise to see Ais step out of the stairwell behind him.
"A-Ais? What are you doing here?"
She moved to stand beside him, leaning against the railing.
"I saw you leave… and I was worried."
Bell smiled weakly, looking at the girl that stood before him.
"Oh… I appreciate the concern, but Iʼm fine, really…"
She tilted her head and stared at him with her unwavering golden eyes.
"…youʼre lying…"
He blinked in surprise.
"Your eyes. They donʼt match your words."
She didnʼt stop there.
"And your smile… is one filled with pain. No matter how you try and hide it, I know youʼre suffering…"
Bell turned to look out over the city again, hanging his head low.
"…was it really that easy to tell…?"
Two steady streams of tears traced his face, racing towards the ground silently.
"…yeah…" He moved a hand to cover he wept silently. Unsure of what to do next to the quietly mourning boy, Ais looked back into her past and found her answer in one of her most cherished memories. She remembered. The feeling of great sadness. The feeling of mourning, and grief. But she also remembered the light that had comforted her during those times. A woman stern as steel, strong and unyielding yet at the same time compassionate and warm. She remembered the feeling of being drawn into her arms, the warmth and sense of safety she had been given.
Thank you, Riveria.
She turned her body, and pulled Bell close to her. Wrapping her hands around him, pressing his head into her shoulder, she held him tight - much to Bellʼs surprise.
For a moment, he remained frozen, his eyes widened in shock, and his arms stuck at his sides. Then, slowly, Bell felt his hands begin to move. Up and around, he accepted her embrace, and wrapped his arms around her. Smiling over his back, Ais let her eyes fall shut as they remained motionless, high above the city.
It was weak, and embarrassing, but at that moment, all Bell could do was shake and let his emotions pour out of him. All he could manage to do was to mourn in silence, in the shelter of Aisʼ warm embrace.
Far below them, Tione smiled next to her sister.
"See? I told you theyʼd be fine."
"Yeah yeah, lets just head back before we miss Riveria untying Bete from the ceiling.
"What about me?"
They turned in surprise and found Bete alongside Lefiya walking behind them.
"Oh? You came as well, Bete?"
The werewolf turned his face and snorted.
"I just thought the punk might try something stupid like running into the dungeon just to wind up getting himself killed."
Tiona felt a smile creep onto her face. "
So you were worried about the lilʼ Argonaut too eehhhh?"
"Agh shut up you stupid Amazon, and stop blowing everything out of proportion. Weʼre going Lefiya, leave 'em alone."
"W-what?! But Miss Ais is still —"
"Yeah, theyʼll probably stay out here for a while so we might as well head back…"
Tiona placed her hands behind her head as she looked up at the unmoving figures atop the spire.
"B-but! What if they… uh…."
"They whaaat Lefiya? You worried he might steal Ais away from you?"
"No! I mean, I donʼt know!"
The twins laughed at their flustered companion, slapping her back as they pushed the distraught elf back to the Tavern.
"Well… it does look like he has a head start on you…"
"Y-you too Bete!?"
—
"Would you like to head back? Finn said he had an announcement to make yesterday, so it might be important…"
Ais sat next to him, her knees pulled up to her chest.
"Oh! Yeah, it wouldnʼt be a good idea for you to miss something like that anyways…"
Bell automatically offered out his hand to her, a movement which once registered sent a blush across his face. But Ais only politely smiled before grasping his hand in hers, pulling herself up. Upon stepping into the tavern, it was made clear that their presence was hardly missed. Bete was strung back up on the ceiling by Riveria, and Loki cheered and whooped madly as she swung yet another empty mug above her head.
"Ah, you guys are back!"
I guess they did notice…
Finn turned around to face them. Aside from Gareth and Riveria, he seemed like one of the rare few who wasnʼt drunk and partying.
"Ok… now letʼs get started, Riveria, if youʼd please calm them?"
Riveria nodded silently before raising her staff. A green magic circle appeared in front of her, and a green aura spread across the room. Silence soon followed as the rowdy adventurers turned to see the source of the magic. Even the ones who were passed out in the back were stirred by the influx of magical power, and they sat up to turn their attention to Riveria.
Just like that, she had calmed the entire tavern and brought their attention to Finn. All except Bete who still thrashed about on the ceiling, his complaints muffled by one of the binding cloths.
Riveria dropped the end of her staff against the ground, and the magic bindings unraveled, unceremoniously dumping Bete on the floor. His ungraceful landing brought a snicker from Tiona, who was promptly smacked on the head by her older sister.
"So… now that I have all your attention, I have an announcement Iʼd like to make. In just a few weeks, actually around a month, our Familia will be embarking on a joint expedition to the deep floor levels. We will be taking a crew of Hephaestus smiths with us, alongside an escort from the Ganesha Familia."
He turned his head from side to side, his eyes sweeping the room.
"Several other Familias are donating their time and resources to assist us, so youʼll see some familiar faces on our way down. The purpose of the expedition will be exploration of uncharted territory, and the plans for groupings are currently in progress. The night before the expedition sets off, Ganesha will be holding a party on his estate. Itʼs not mandatory to attend, buuut it is a nice way to show your support for our brave expedition team."
The Tavern customers raised their cups at that, letting out a loose cheer and some scattered applause.
"So, until then, train hard and show us your best shot! Weʼll be announcing the team compositions the night before, so everyone try your best!"
He raised his fist, and a resounding roar of the dozens of adventurers filled the air. Thundering applause and laughter resumed as all across the room, adventurers vowed to get selected.
"Psst… Bell…"
A light tap at his shoulder turned him around to find Syr smiling at him.
"This could be your first expedition, right?"
"Yeah..! Hopefully anyways, if I manage to get picked to go."
"I believe in Cranel-Sanʼs strength, Syr. During our morning training sessions, he displayed profound growth and skill.
Ryuu walked by, casually dropping a comment on his worries as she moved into the kitchen and unloaded a tray full of cups and dishes on an almost tearful Chloe.
"Remember Bell, train hard, and your effort will not betray you."
"Syyyrr! Get back here! The dishes are piling up faster than I can wash them!"
Chloe's distraught complaint drifted from the interior.
"Ah… thatʼs my cue to get back to work… but anyways…"
She leaned in close and whispered lightly into his ear.
"Bring me back something nice, okay?"
Bell flushed at her close proximity, and at a loss for words, only managed to stammer and nod as she winked at him before dancing back to work. Out of the corner of his eye, Bell saw Ais looking his way from across the room. Her blank golden stare observing his interaction with the cheerful waitress. Making eye contact with her, Bell bashfully waved with a light smile before watching her disappear back into a certain crowd of rowdy executives.
"If it isnʼt the Little Rookie!"
A arm draped itself across Bellʼs shoulders.
"Hermes!? Whatʼre you doing here so late?"
The God tipped his hat in a salute to Lady Loki, who had recognized his presence from her seat at the bar.
"Ahh… well, our very own Asfi al Andromeda is traveling along with the High Smiths to lend her skillset in item crafting. And I suppose it was a good opportunity to drop by and see how my favorite underdog was adjusting to life in a big Familia."
"Oh Iʼm surprised she offered to go down. I thought her ability was supposed to be kept secret?"
"Ahh, you got me there Bell, truth is, I begged her to join up in order to harvest a certain item in the deep floors for me. What that item is, Iʼll never tell!
Bell just laughed lightly.
"You certainly seem to always so many secret adventures, donʼt you?"
"Oh darn, you and your interrogation skills have forced me to reveal my hand! Yes, as you have figured, the item I am seeking out is none other than the fabled Light Lilly from the Dusk Planes on floor 49! Their value as a potion reagent is unmatched on the market, and their rarity and hard-to-get-ness levels are off the chart!"
"Oh donʼt give me that look Bell, us Gods have those primal urges just as any other mortal!"
He laughed loudly and slapped Bell on the back.
"W-What does that mean!?"
Bellʼs eyes widened in surprise at the Messenger Godʼs words, and he looked up at Hermes with the innocent expression comparable to a White Rabbit. Upon seeing Bellʼs confusion and surprise, Hermes covered his mouth with a gloved hand.
"Oh dear, that much I wasnʼt actually supposed to let slip…"
A slightly embarrassed expression crossed his face, before vanishing in a split second with a roar of laughter.
"Well Bell, itʼs been fun catching up, and by catching up I mean me spilling the beans all the time, but hey life is too short to dwell on mistakes, well for you mortals anyways. Since Iʼm gonna be here anyways, I might as well be there for the long haul - eh? Get it? Ha…"
A signature grin spread from ear to ear as Hermes beamed down at the young adventurer.
"Donʼt be gross Lord Hermes…"
With that, Hermes spun around after patting Bell on the head one last time, ruffling his hair, and walked towards the door. But he turned back after taking a single step.
"By the way, I… never offered my condolences to you after what happened."
He turned halfway around to look at Bell. His smile was gone.
"I truly am sorry for your loss…. Hestia was like a sister to me…. and I hope to god they get whatʼs coming to them."
Looking around the room for one last time, he tipped his hat to Bell respectfully.
"Seeing the crowd thatʼs gathered here tonight, I think they just might."
What did he just say?
Bell waved hesitantly, still processing the words left to him. The mention of Hestiaʼs name sent shivers down his spine, prodding at the dagger still lodged in his heart. Unconsciously, he grasped his arm, feeling scars from where it had been broken.
"…heʼs a tricky bastard… even I have to acknowledge that…"
"Lady Loki?"
His Goddess stepped up next to him, slightly off balance with yet another mug in hand.
"You shouldnʼt be walking around like this, you could get hurt!"
"Pfft Bell, I migh be drunk, but that donʼt mean I donʼt see danger person when I hear. You see what mean I mean?"
"Uh… yeah… yeah I hear you."
Was that even a sentence? How drunk can someone possibly even get!
His question was answered as across the room, Tiona cheered as Bete was strung up to the ceiling yet again by magical bindings.
"Anyways, imma go die in the alleyway, aight?"
He held her shoulder to stop her from walking out the door and spun her to face the direction of a certain green haired elf.
"Lady Loki, I donʼt really thinking going out in your condition is a good idea, so why donʼt I just bring you to Riveria instead? Sheʼs watching all the other, uh, incapacitated adventurers right now."
Loki leaned away from him, squinting her eyes as if trying to get a better look at him, before pushing her hand through his hair.
"You… youʼre a good rabbit arenʼt you…"
"Yes, whatever you say…"
Bell flinched at her touch, and fumbled nervously trying to repel her attack to no avail. Helping Loki over to Riveria, Bell managed to catch a flash of gold exiting the tavern before dumping the deity into the hands of her executive. As soon as she left his arms, Riveria smoothly passed Loki to the floor without a second look.
"I swear, every time she challenges Gareth to a drinking contest she ends up like this… when will she learn?"
She sighed apprehensively and adjusted her glasses.
"Thanks for bring her here, Iʼd much rather being able to take care of her rather than find her passed out in the alley all the time…"
Gareth chuckled at that beside her.
"You shouldnʼt laugh, Gareth. Youʼre no help at all! Iʼm always the one who ends up dragging her all the way back home!"
"Thatʼs because Iʼm too busy drinking our arrogant younglings under the table. Without me, whoʼd be around to teach 'em respect?"
He gestured to the table of lower ranked members behind him, who were all slumped over themselves after losing to the laughing dwarf.
"Thatʼs great… just great… more people for me to take care of…"
Bell bowed and excused himself, leaving behind his leaders before hurriedly running to the door. As he exited, he could hear the screaming of his new Goddess as she woke from her brief rest.
"Itʼs on Gareth! Time for round two!"
As he stepped out into the night, he swore he could hear Riveriaʼs sighs piercing through the laughter and cheers of the crowd. But his eyes were elsewhere. They were searching up and down the street, before focusing on the golden figure in the distance.
