Sometime later in Orario, Bell with Ardee had finished the tour in Hephaestus Familia's Home. the young man was offered a position in the Familia by being an adventurer who explores the Dungeon to procure magic stone or drop items that are used in making weapons and such.
Currently, he puts the offer on hold as he still wants to see what other Familias have to offer.
"be sure to give our Familia's offer some thoughts!" Tsubaki hollered out as she waves a hand in goodbye to Bell who leaves the Home's vicinity with Ardee accompanying him.
"I will!" Bell replied as he waves back.
Tsubaki sees the two off while Hephaestus is watching from an opened window in her office with Helios beside her, both seeing Bell walking away with Ardee as they head for the next Familia for the tour.
"as much as I wish to see that child always safe from harm. You two really need to put a limit to your actions." Hephaestus said as she glance at Helios who watches his nephew leave before to Zagreus who appears behind him. "I hate bloodshed of all things."
"we know, Hephie." Helios said as he looks at Bell with a smile before he turns and showed a very seriously stern expression to his goddess wife. "but we cannot be lenient if it's the maggots from that slut of a bitch."
Hephaestus raises an eyebrow and gives her husband a questioning look before she sees Zagreus holding up a black metal collar with magic rune carvings that was handed to her.
"this is…" Hephaestus checks and sees the runes inscription on the item while having a seriously worried yet stern face. "a Magic Slave Collar?"
"one that is very powerful and can cause submission to whoever wears it." Helios stated as he takes the item and pinched it hard to the point it cracks and shatters into pieces. "That bitch planned to ambush you all in your office and get away with Bell." he holds the shattered pieces of the collar and crunched it in his grasp till it becomes dust that blows out of the window. "she is incredibly interested in wanting Bell now that his existence is known to Orario."
"and it's not only to Freyja, but to other gods in Orario." Hephaestus spoke out while crossing her arms under her chest and having a hand to cup her chin, the goddess looking more worried than before. "there was at least 40-50 gods and goddesses present at the tryouts. All witnessing what Bell had as a very gifted and potential adventurer." She soon bits the tip of the glove of her right hand's thumb. "this is very problematic."
"his decision to keep on finding the perfect Familia for him is troubling our plan to keep him safe." Helios said as he sighs and looks out the window to see the small shrinking figures of Bell with Ardee. "we have to find him a trustworthy Familia that can help us keep an eye on him and away from trouble." He then looks at Zagreus who had moved away and is now sitting at a couch nearby. "you're not going after Bell?"
"The route that Ardee is taking him to the next Familia is very close to Thalia and Makaria's place." Zagreus said as he sat on the couch while leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "that slut won't dare make any moves if it's near two Kaisers' Home."
"that is true." Helios said as he cups his chin. "their places got a wide magic range that sniffs out that slut's maggots easily."
"but that won't stop Freyja from trying." Hephaestus said to Helios before turning towards Zagreus. "I've known Freyja ever since Heaven to our descension to the Lower World." She shakes her head. "She will try and be more persistent than before if it is to get what she wants."
"let her try as much as she wishes." Zagreus said as his eyes are glowing menacingly, the half elf's vision is to his son who is chatting with Ardee before both went to the Saint Kaiser's Home; the Saint Sanctuary. His eyes glows even more while the red left eye turned reptilian. "I'll ensure she fails miserably and pathetically like the maggot she is."
With Bell, he and Ardee enters the Saint Sanctuary; the Domain of the Saint Kaiser as it is a white marbled greek temple where dozens of people who are citizens or adventurers come in to buy potions and medicine.
Bell wows to see how vast and large the Saint Sanctuary is from up close as it is huge and humongous.
"it's more bigger up close…" Bell whispers as he looks around before accidently bumping into someone. "s-sorry!" The bumped man just waves his hand up and told the white haired boy to be careful before walking off. "I'm really sorry!"
"it's fine, Bell. he knows." Ardee said to Bell with a smile before guiding him to the inner parts of the Saint Sanctuary where there are shelves filled with vials of potions, elixirs, and other items. "here we are to the inner domains of the Saint Sanctuary."
"wow…." Bell looks amazed at the Home of the Saint Kaiser as it is a large pharmacy type of place that has a life size statue of the original Saint Kaiser standing in the very middle of the building. What amazes the young boy even more is the number of people just occupying the Saint Sanctuary. "there's a lot of people here."
"well it's the business hour." Said Airmid as she checks a large clock on a wall to check the time before she turns to Bell. "Come on, let me introduce you to your tour guide."
Ardee leads Bell through the large number of people passing around the place as she went straight to a counter where there is a long silver haired young woman with purple eyes and wears an outfit that fits her appearance as a healer or a doctor.
"welcome to the Saint Sanctuary." The silver haired woman greeted Ardee with a smile. "how can I help you today, Ardee-san?"
"hey there, Airmid." Ardee greeted the woman with a smile as her name is Airmid as she had mentioned. "I'm here to guide a rookie adventurer looking for a Familia." she then waves a hand to the side and towards Bell. "I'm sure you remember Bell Cranel from the Ganesha Familia's tryouts?"
"yes." Airmid nods as she did a quick head bow to Bell. "pleasure to meet you, Bell Cranel. I am Airmid Teasanare; the Dea Saint and I am the Captain of the Dian Cecht Familia which is a branch ally Familia of the Saint Kaiser Familia."
"pleased to meet you, Airmid-san." Bell said as he quickly bows his head in return. "I'm Bell Cranel, a rookie adventurer!"
"I'm sure you can understand why we're here for, right?" Ardee asked Airmid who nods and soon frowns.
"yes, but I'm afraid that I have some bad news." Airmid replied and made Ardee look confused.
"what's wrong?" Ardee asked.
"earlier, there's been some problems with some of the Saint Kaiser Familia's related Familias as we have trouble in the accounting of trade of goods that was planned to have been completed earlier in the day." Airmid spoke out as she explained about some connection trouble of Familias who are doing trades. "currently, we are swamped in trying to finish the problem and therefore I cannot guide Bell Cranel to the confines of our Home."
"I see…" Ardee said as she cups her chin. "just what started the little scuffle?"
"something about the missing numbers of high potions that were supposed to be sold away and transported to Athens." Airmid replied before she felt a big hand on top of her hat. "wha!?"
"that problem is all done, Airmid!" Baku said as he appears while carrying a big crate on his left shoulder.
"Baku!" Bell smiles to see his big cousin who grins back.
"yo, Bell!" Baku greets his little cousin before he turns towards Ardee. "Ardee too! Doing well today!?"
"very well." Ardee replied with a grin. "still looking big and muscular as always, Baku-san!"
"hahahaha! I guess so!" Baku laughs boisterously before he looks at Airmid whose hat he readjusts. "Airmid, go and give Bell here a tour of the place. I'll take over the counter." He placed down the crate that he was carrying to the floor and crosses his arms. "Also the problem of the potions transport had been finished an hour ago."
"eh? Really?" Airmid asked while looking surprised and confused. "I didn't know that."
"rather than not knowing, you were too busy doing the receptionist work." Baku said with a smile while gently flicking Airmid's nose. "I told you that I'll handle the stuff while you handle this, right? You really need to learn to take it easy."
"but.." Airmid wanted to retort but Baku gently pinches her nose and wiggles it.
"not buts!" Baku said with a grin before he stands up straight and huffs his chest out a bit. "using my name as the next heir of the Saint Kaiser, I order you to relax and guide our little friend here for his tour! That is all!"
Airmid wanted to still retort but she soon puffs her cheeks and pouts a bit cutely that made Baku laughs and grins before giving her a peck on the forehead.
While Baku was doing this little affectionate act to Airmid whose face is blushing with a smile. Bell looks at them a bit awkwardly.
"um….?" Bell calls out as Baku and Airmid turns to look at him. "what's the relationship between the two of you?"
"ah! this?" Baku replied as he soon scratches the back of his head while laughing with an embarrassed smile. "Airmid is my fiancé!"
"eh?" Bell blinks his eyes twice before thrice and then multiple times before he gawks. "EEEHHH!?"
"you didn't know?" Ardee asked Bell while pointing at Baku and Airmid, both wearing matching golden wedding rings on their left hand's ring finger. "they're going to get married in a month, you know?"
"really!?" Bell gawks at Ardee before he turns to look at Baku who seems happy and embarrassed with Airmid who is just blushing. "really!? You two are going to get married soon!?"
"yeah!" Baku scratches his cheeks while still grinning. "I had proposed to her about a month back and…" he soon laughs all boisterously. "well! I'm just happy that I'm going to start my own Family!"
"just how did you two? You know?" Bell asked as he seems a bit curious as to how the two got engaged in the first place.
"w-well…I knew Airmid when her Familia joined my Mom's faction in the Saint Kaiser's correlations years back…" Baku replied while chuckling. "before I knew it we were working together daily. Stuffs happened and before I knew it, we got engaged!"
"you should hear this story that is unlike any other, Bell." Ardee said with a smile. "it was Airmid who asked him out!" she then grins a bit to Baku. "while Baku here was flustered for an entire week after Airmid confessed her feelings to him!"
"hey, Ardee-san!" Airmid cried out with an embarrassed face. "don't tell him that!"
"why? I mean, you were like stiff as a stone when you were going on your first date with Baku, right!?" Ardee said with a teasing smile. "you keep muttering to yourself to be calm and stuff, right?"
"ARDEE-SAN!" Airmid cried out while Baku laughs with a big grin.
Bell sees their interaction and couldn't help but smile at how lively it is.
'first is Hayate-niisan, Kenji, and now Baku, huh?' Bell thought with a happy face as three of his cousins are engaged with their fiancé. He then looks a bit awkward. 'although it was more of a shock to know that Kenji has Tsubaki-san as his fiancé.' The boy thought back to the Vice Captain of the Hephaestus Familia who is revealed to be Kenji's fiancé when he had come to the Hephaestus Familia's Home. 'that was the surprise of the day.'
Afterwards, Baku stays at the counter while Airmid is giving Bell and Ardee the tour of the Saint Sanctuary's interior.
"your Familia had a correlation with Aunt Thalia's faction by contract that is going to be signed permanently after your wedding?" Bell asked Airmid who had just explained how her Familia and Baku's Familia got in contact with each other. "so it's like how the noble system is used in the city?"
"indeed." Airmid nods before smiling a bit. "we were first strangers at first, but over the years of cooperation…."
"getting all happy and lovey dovey again, Airmid~?" Ardee spoke out in a teasing voice at Airmid who turns red and glares at the Vyasa who snickers and leans close to Bell. "listen to this, Bell. I have a little secret about Airmid here you might want to hear~!"
"don't you dare, Ardee-san!" Airmid cried out.
"Airmid used to be very silent and all moody like she had no emotions, people thought that she was a doll" Ardee said as she told a story of the past where she points to an imagination bubble of a younger Airmid who looks like a lifeless doll. "she used to think that she has no times for relationship and stuff, but when she met Baku-san, she changed her opinion." The imagination bubble soon shows Airmid blushing and looking nervous to Baku who is just laughing and smiling to people he had helped. "you can't believe how hard she was having in confessing her feelings to him! me and Alise had to help her for three nights straight to get her have the courage to confess!"
"Ardee-san!" Airmid cried out as she went and clamps the Vyasa's mouth shut with both of her hands. "no more!"
Ardee and Airmid had their little fun together while Bell looks with an awkward smile.
A minute later, the tour continues as Airmid who is now calmed brought Bell and Ardee to a room that is filled with large and tall shelves filled with Monster's Drop Items and pots of herbs and plants.
"this is our Repository Room." Airmid explained as she guided Bell and Ardee inside. "here is where we store all of our needed ingredients to make potions, elixirs, and antidotes."
"how do you get all of this?" Bell asked as he checks a large horn like item stored in a shelf before he turns and soon screams when a person of the Dian Cecht Familia passes by while pushing a trolley that has a glass cage filled with greenish blue caterpillar like creatures that are spewing out purple liquid against the walls. "w-what the heck!?"
"ah, that's some lively Poison Vermis…" Ardee said while seeing the Dian Cecht Familia member pushes the trolley and brings away the glass caged caterpillars. The Vyasa then turns to the Dea Saint. "were you guys running out of Antidotes?"
"we needed to restock after some Familias brought a hefty amount for an expedition to the Dungeon." Airmid replied before looking at Bell who is seemingly in shock from seeing another Dian Cecht Familia member pushing a trolley with a crate that is filled with red pulsing eggs. "what is the matter?"
"u-um…what are you doing with all of these eggs and the caterpillars?" Bell asked as he seems bewildered to see some people just walking around, taking harvested leaves, herbs, berries, and monsters. "what you use them for?"
"we use them for a variety of uses." Airmid replied while waving a hand to the shelves filled with the objects of interests. "it has been in the ways of the Saint Kaiser Familia for generations as the first and original Saint Kaiser had created hundreds of potions, antidotes, elixirs, and etc, by using a variety of ingredients that may come from plants or monsters." she then points at a passing by Familia member who is carrying a small glass cage that has a Sea urchin looking monster. "just like that Pin Urchin which is very poisonous, it is researched that its poison when synthesized with a variety of herbs could create a mid grade medicine for fevers and cold." She soon waves a hand to the side. "the Familias harvests anything that is used to make medicine and etc as this has been the way for years."
"to think that some potions, antidotes, and medicine were made from monsters.." Bell spoke out as he looks a bit shocked.
Airmid continues the tour as she brought Bell and Ardee to another larger room that is filled with people going around carrying items like flashlights, scrolls, attires, and many other that relates to the use of an adventurer's need.
"next we have is the Item Craft shop." Said Airmid as Bell wows to see people making many magic items. "while the Repository Room is where we keep ingredients and create medicine, potions, antidotes. here we have elite magic craftsman who work on making magic items that are needed to dwell deeper into the Dungeon."
"all of these are Magic Items?" Bell asked as he sees a large shelf that has an abundance of red cloaks hanged and have magic rune writings that are sewed upon it. "even these cloaks?"
"every last one." Airmid explained while nodding as she waves a hand around. "the Saint Kaiser Familia that is affiliated with the Dian Cecht Familia and a few other medicinal Familias, is also affiliated with the Mage Kaiser Familia that dwells in magic and craftsmanship." She went near Bell and picks up one of the red cloaks that she hands over to the young man. "we have business as both trade goods in order to make business of potions and magic item making." She waves a hand to the cloak that the young man holds and shows the embroidery writings just glowing yellowish red. "Like this Salamander Wool that protects the wearer from fire-based attack. It was made with the assistance of a magic craftsman from the Mage Kaiser Familia and an item specialist from the Saint Kaiser Familia."
"wow…such a magic item could even exist?" Bell said as he checks and tries wearing the cloak that feels warm to the touch. "it's warm."
"wanna test its capabilities?" Ardee asked as Bell turns and gawks to see the Vyasa holding up a cannon like magic item that has a trigger she pulled, and its barrel unleashed a fireball.
"wawawawawaaaahhh~!" Bell screams while Airmid had moved away. The young man gets consumed in the fireball that gets dissipated by the cloak.
"works like a charm as always, Airmid." Ardee said with a smile while letting a random person take away the cannon magic item from her.
"that was dangerous, Ardee-san!" Bell screams as he thought that he was going to get burned into a crisp.
"Ardee-san, that was indeed dangerous." Airmid stated after sighing a bit tiredly. "the Salamander Wool that Bell Cranel was wearing, is still in its development phase. If its magic protection hadn't activated, he would've been a cooked man."
"eh? Really?" Ardee asked before laughing all awkwardly.
The tour continues as Bell experienced in seeing what the Saint Kaiser Familia do for a living while also meeting some Familias that are its allies.
Airmid brought Bell and Ardee to meet a god of an ally Familia who goes by the name of Miach and he is a god who has long dark blue hair, dark blue eyes, wears a black robe, a tan brown stole that reaches to his shoulders, and brown shoes.
"here is the God Miach of the Miach Familia." Airmid introduces the god to Bell as both greeted one another with head bows and handshakes. "although his Familia have begun to gone poor, they have produced a good amount of potions and creates new recipes that earn them their cooperation and agreement with the Saint Kaiser Familia and be their allies."
"pleased to meet you, Bell Cranel." Miach greeted the young man with a nice smile. "I'm sorry that I am the only one who can greet you. My only Familia member and Captain is currently on an errand."
"yes, it's fine." Bell replied with a smile. "I'm just a rookie and I don't need too much formality in stuff."
"if you say that, how about joining Miach-sama's Familia then?" Ardee spoke out while waving a hand to the side. "Miach-sama's Familia is still basically a rookie rank in Orario and it's a good Familia that earns good profit by making Potions, exploring Dungeons, and also harvesting ingredients requested by the Saint Kaiser Familia."
"um…." Bell mumbled out before he hears loud laughing from nearby.
The group turns and Miach soon looks displeased after sighing tiredly because an old man with gray hair and wears similar outfit to the blue haired god but his are all white and have gold trimmings, came appearing out of nowhere.
"Dian Cecht-sama, please do not boast of our Familia's reputation just to invite a rookie…" Airmid spoke out while having a disappointed face towards the old man who is the god of the Dian Cecht Familia named Dian Cecht himself.
"what are you saying?! if there is a potential rookie that wishes to join a Familia under the Saint Kaiser's protection then it should be mine!" the old man laughs out as he slides in and boasted about himself. "I am the God Dian Cecht of the Dian Cecht Familia! my Familia makes potions way better than this Miach's Familia! we make lots of money every day! And we're going to be close related to the Saint Kaiser Familia when our Airmid gets married with Baku Saint Kaiser! If there is any Familia to join, it is mine!"
"you do know that it is not forbidden by the rules to do such a thing like boasting against another Familia, right?" Miach stated with a stern look at Dian Cecht. "you have been warned nearly 10 times by the Saint Kaiser herself, remember?"
"hahahaha! That rule no longer matters for when our two representatives get married!" Dian Cecht laughs out. "it is the time! The time when the Dian Cecht Familia proves that it is a Familia of greatness! It is time to show how I am the superior god than.."
"shut up." Thalia appears out of nowhere as she stands behind Dian Cecht whose back of the head gets grabbed by the Saint Kaiser herself. "you're so noisy in my Home."
"Aunt Thalia!?" Bell spoke out in surprise to see one of his aunts.
"how many times do I have to teach you to be civilized, Dian Cecht?" Miach asked while glaring at the god in her grasp. "How many times?"
"u-um…i…I was just…" Dian Cecht soon turns pale after getting grabbed on the back of the head by the Kaiser who is glaring at him. "I was…I'm sorry!"
"do this again while in my presence, you can kiss your ass goodbye after I report it to Brother Helios." Thalia said as she lets go of Dian Cecht who soon flees. She soon sighs tiredly. "good grief…"
"forgive my god, Thalia-sama." Airmid bows to Thalia. "I tried to warn him, but.."
"it's fine, Airmid." Thalia replied while waving a hand to the side. She soon sighs again and places a hand to his waist. "you did your job to remind him as the Captain of your Familia and it was in my job to keep him and the other gods under my house in line. You got nothing to be sorry about."
Airmid nods with another bow before Thalia turns with a smile to Bell.
"sorry about him, Bell. that Dian Cecht can get a bit overcarried with his way as the god of his own Familia." Thalia said while waving a hand up and shakes it side to side. "for your own sake, I advise you to not join under him. there're already enough members for his Familia."
"i-I see…" Bell replied awkwardly before he realizes that his aunt is wielding a long silver staff that has a cross shaped tip which has bladed edges and rings that shakes when it moves. "um? That is?"
"ah? this?" Thalia looks at the staff she wields as she raise and shakes its rings that jingles once. "this is Saint Cross, one of the 8 weapons of the Kaiser Familia that is once wielded by the Original Saint Kaiser."
"you mean it's like the Devil's Bane at the Kaiser Garden?" Bell said to Thalia who nods.
"a bit similar in a way but a bit different in another way." Thalia replied while tapping the bottom of the Saint Cross to the floor. "well, they are like siblings considering that they were made by the same craftsman." She then crosses her arms while hugging the staff to her chest. "well, let's put the matter aside. How is the tour of the place?"
"ah, it's great." Bell said with a smile before he chuckles awkwardly. "although after meeting with Dian Cecht-sama, it's not that great?"
"I know how you feel." Thalia chuckles while nodding before she turns towards Airmid. "well, I need to go and deal with some paperwork at my office. Airmid, I trust that you can continue the tour?"
"yes." Airmid nods with a bow. "I won't disappoint you in this task, Thalia-sama."
"no need to be so formal with me, Airmid." Thalia said with a smile. "in a month, you're going to be my daughter in law, remember?"
"i-I'll try…" Airmid blushes in reply as Thalia laughs a bit before patting and stroking the Dea Saint's head.
"see you later, Bell." Thalia said in bidding her goodbyes to Bell before she looks and smiles to Ardee and Miach who just nods in return.
"see you later, Aunt Thalia!" Bell waves goodbye to Thalia who waves back before walking off.
"for me to actually meet the Bell Cranel that Thalia once talked about in the past…" Miach spoke out with a smile to Bell. "what a surprise."
"please keep it a secret, Miach-sama." Ardee said with a finger to her lips, telling him to keep hush.
After some passing time of Bell getting the tour of the Saint Kaiser's Saint Sanctuary, the young man leaves with Ardee after meeting with all the Familias allies with Thalia's Home.
Currently, Bell and Ardee stands by the front entrance and are sent off by Baku and Airmid.
"if you ever want to join the club or just buy medicine and stuff, just come here and you'll get it, Bell!" Baku said with a big grin to his little cousin. "and if you ever need help, you can come here as well!"
"yes!" Bell replied with a smile. "also, congrats on getting married to Airmid-san, Baku!"
"thanks!" Baku grins while rubbing a finger under his nose. "remember to come on the scheduled day, okay? Wouldn't be a family wedding if you weren't with us!"
"yes!" Bell nods before he smiles to Airmid. "please take care of Baku, Airmid-san!"
"I will!" Airmid replied while waving a hand to Bell and having a smile.
After the Saint Sanctuary, Bell and Ardee heads off somewhere while the day had gone and is slowly becoming night.
"I guess we should continue the tour tomorrow, Bell." Ardee said in seeing the sun setting off the horizon. The young woman looking at the white haired teen. "unless you already have a preferred Familia to join?"
"sorry, not yet." Bell replied while shaking his head. "I mean, there are some that seems promising, but I want to check on all just to make sure that I won't have second thoughts."
"I see." Ardee said with an understanding smile and a nod. She then claps her hands once. "well then! since we finished the first part of your tour of the Familias in Orario, I guess we should dine somewhere for dinner!" she then grins while pointing a finger up. "and I know the perfect place for the occasion!"
"where?" Bell asked before Ardee grabs his hand and started to pull him away off a direction. "w-w-w-what!? Ardee-san!?"
"let's go~!" Ardee runs off as she drags Bell with her.
A few minutes later, Bell is now sitting at a table by a café with Ardee and Shakti who was already there when they arrived.
"sorry about my little sister, Bell." Shakti said with a small smile to the young man. "she can be a bit too energetic sometimes."
"n-no…It's fine…" Bell replied while shaking his head before he looks around. "by the way, this place is?"
"this place is the best café in the whole of Orario!" Ardee cheered with a big smile. "any kind of dish you are craving, you can order and have it!" she soon drools a bit while imagining a whole roasted chicken that appears in her imagination bubble. "but the most delicious is the Gravied Chicken~!"
"Ardee, you're drooling." Shakti told her little sister after sighing before she looks and nods to Bell. "but she's right, this is the best café in all of Orario."
"really? How?" Bell asked.
"you should learn about that after having a taste of the food made here, Bell." a voice spoke from out of nowhere as Bell looks like he is familiar with the voice and could tell that it was coming from behind.
Bell turns and looks in surprise for a moment before he smiles when he sees a young man who seems to be in his 20s or so but he wears a black and gray metal jagged domino mask, he has silverish short yet slightly spiky silver white hair with crimson red eyes, he wears a grayish yet black robe and tight jeans along with metal platted boots, he dons reddish black jagged armor pieces on his right shoulder down to his right hand and silverish white armor pieces on his left side.
"Hayate-niisan!" Bell cried out all happily as the man behind him is another one of his cousins who is Hayate Blade Kaiser, the second son of Melinoe Kaiser and Shakti Varma's Fiancé. "long time no see!"
"it has." Hayate replied with a smile as he ruffles Bell's hair. "I see that you're doing very well." He then went and sat on a chair beside Shakti who was given a kiss on the lips by the domino masked man. He turns and chuckles a bit. "I've also heard that you passed your Adventurer's test the other day."
"yes!" Bell replied smiling before he begins to retell of how he pass his test in the first place.
It took about 5 minutes for Bell to finish as Hayate listens to him all interestedly while a waiter had placed four cups to each occupant and filled them with tea from a carried teapot.
"and the probation from the Kaiser Familia was enacted by Hades-sama, huh?" Hayate said who takes hold of his cup of tea and takes a sip of it. "well, that's an obvious considering how that Goddess Freyja tried to use her Charm and everything."
"yes." Bell nods. "my guild advisor, Eina-san told me that the use of such thing is prohibited in the law." He then scratches the back of his head. "to be honest, I feel troubled that there could be a goddess who wants me that badly."
"you'd be surprised by how many gods who just wants strong adventurers in order to gain fame and fortune to be used for their entertainment, Bell." Hayate said as he placed his cup down and leans against his seat while intertwining his fingers together on his lap. "gods can come in two varieties, one who is good natured and the other is evil natured. But there is a new variety and that is the antagonistic type which is what the goddess Freyja is."
"antagonistic type?" Bell asked all confused.
"it means that the god is good natured yet would do actions that are considered evil." Shakti said in explanation while imagining the goddess of beauty whose eyes glows pink in the back of her mind. "for example, the goddess Freyja who tried to use her Charm on you."
"she would collect many talented adventurers who she treats like trophies and she still do so because of her endless gluttony." Hayate said as he had a rather displeased tone. "not only that, her worshippers would do whatever to please her too."
"Hayate-niisan?" Bell blinks his eyes and sees how his cousin's expression is going sour even though he is wearing a domino mask.
Hayate notices Bell's reaction as he just smiles to his cousin.
"How about we have a little celebration for your little success to be a good adventurer in the future?" Hayate said before he starts calling the waiter to order.
Bell looks at his cousin for a moment as he was sure that there was something going on.
'I wonder what is wrong?' Bell thought before his attention gets taken when he hears his name being called from the side, he turns and soon smiles while waving a hand up because Kenji along with Takeshi and Makaria appears as the three joins the group.
Afterwards, Bell returned to the Underworld Castle with the help of Kenji. The young boy is now just wandering and looking around the interior of the Home.
"there're a lot of photos…" Bell said as he looks at one large and wide photo that has all the Kaiser Familia members along with their kids together. "ah, that's mom, dad, and me." he smiles when he sees that there is his parents who are holding his infant past self together. "I wonder when this was taken?"
As Bell continues his sightseeing in the Underworld Castle, he finds an opened glass window door that has its curtain just flailing around and the sound of a harp being played.
"that sound.." Bell muttered out as he went near the opened door and checks that it leads to an open garden balcony where there are flowers and trees everywhere with the accompany of small insects. "a garden?"
Bell enters the balcony garden and follows the harp's noise as he finds a large golden harp with intricate designs of angels around its frame. He sees that the instrument is playing by itself and is accompanied by a person who just sat by the nearby railings and watches the moon in the night sky.
"Dad?" Bell called out as it was Zagreus who just sat by the rails all silently before he turns and looks at his son. The half elf wearing a black sweater, black jeans, black boots, and wears a white overcoat with a scarf wrapped around his neck. "what are you doing here?"
"I should be the one to ask you that question." Zagreus replied to his son as he turns a bit to face him. "at this hour, you should be asleep."
"w-well..i wasn't feeling too tired and I just wanted to see what else that the Underworld Castle has, so…" Bell replied a bit awkwardly as Zagreus looks at his son before to the moon.
"sit down." Zagreus said as Bell looks at his father for a moment and nodded before going to a nearby stone bench and sat down. Afterwards, the half elf asked. "how is life in Orario to you now?"
"w-well…it's a bit bumpy in a way.." Bell replied as he remembers on how he passes his adventurer's license test but have a bit of a problem with finding a Familia. "and a bit fun?"
"I see…" Zagreus replied as he gazes as the moon before he turns and looks at his son while waving a hand to make the harp stop playing. "have you already made your decision of which Familia you wish to join after Ardee Varma gave you the tour?"
"ah…that…" Bell spoke out before pausing as he scratches the back of his head while having an unsure expression on his face. "the thing is…ummm…"
Zagreus looks at his son as his eyes glows momentarily before dimming while he closes his eyes.
"you wish to start your own Familia?" Zagreus spoke out as Bell made a noise and looks at his father who slowly opens his eyes. "you wish to start your own Familia and start your journey from zero?"
Bell looks a bit surprised at his father for a moment before he looks down and slowly nods.
"i-I just felt….that I should begin somewhere instead of going strong." Bell replied. "it didn't seem fair that I would just start things off strong and become more than that…"
"is that to have a sense of accomplishment?" Zagreus asked as Bell thought about it before nodding. "I see…" he turns and looks at the moon while sighing. "I guess you will take the same path as I did."
"eh?" Bell made a confused noise.
"The Goddess Hades." Zagreus spoke out as he glances back at Bell. "or should I say your grandmother Hades. She is the goddess who starts the Hades Familia that I along with Helios belong." He turns around and crosses his arms on his chest. "Both of us started as adventurers with her, and with her help we became the Kaisers of Orario alongside your aunts and uncles." He soon closes his eyes. "Your decision of an action is the same as what we had done those many years ago."
Bell looks at his father for a moment before he looks down and started to have a curious expression.
"dad, can I ask you something?" Bell asked Zagreus who turns and opens his eyes to look at his son.
"What is it?" Zagreus asked.
"Why is the goddess Freyja so hated?" Bell asked as Zagreus hardens his gaze a bit.
"What makes you say that?" Zagreus said while uncrossing his arms and fully turning around to face his son.
"it's just that…I had dinner with Hayate-niisan who had a very…hateful face when he mentioned what the goddess Freyja like to do and.." Bell spoke out while scratching his cheek and looks down before he looks at his father. "is she really that bad?"
Zagreus looks at his son in silence as his red left eye slowly glows and sees his son covered in a whiteish transparent aura that has some pink aura around his chest area.
"I see." Zagreus whispers. "she could not erase it all, huh?"
"eh?" Bell looks confused at his father who stands up straight and went to him. "dad?"
"This will be over quickly." Zagreus said who suddenly lungs his right hand and pierced it right through his son's chest and straight out to his back. "go to sleep for now, Bell."
Bell just looks wide eyes at his father as he coughs out blood before his whole world slowly turns dark, yet he still sees Zagreus pulling out his hand that is covered in blood and is holding a sparkling pink glowing sphere that he grasped and crushed into pieces that turn into dust.
Soon the world turned dark for Bell who fell into a deep slumber.
Zagreus holds his son's unconscious body as the wound he afflicted on him is gone and only left blood covering his clothes and skin.
"You are as innocent and naïve as your own mother." Zagreus whispers as he waves a hand over his son's back and the blood and the hole on his clothes disappear into sparkles. The half elf looks at Bell with his red left eye glowing red and so did his shaded blue right eye that is brighter. "if you wish to stay on the path to becoming a hero….then so be it."
The half elf caress and stroke his son's head before he holds up his right hand which has golden sparkles gathering upon his palm and forms a shining and sparkling golden sphere that flash and then takes the form of a rotating 3D golden yet transparent octahedron.
Zagreus's lips slowly parts open as he begins to whisper an incomprehensible magic chant that couldn't be heard and as he chanted, the object in his grasp began to glow a golden light that shines like a star in the night sky.
"be the hero that you wish to become, Bell." Zagreus said as he lowers his hand and held the golden shining star upon his son's back and let it floats right into his body. "be the hero that will defy the gods."
Afterwards, Bell's body glows a golden aura as Zagreus caresses his son's back before he slowly picks him up into his arms.
Zagreus then walks away as he exited the garden and entered the Underworld Castle. The half elf leaving to take his son to his temporary bedroom.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye