Silence had overtaken the pub once more. Everyone was in disbelief, even Bete looked shocked. Bell was dead?

Hestia: What do you mean Bell's dead?!

Albert: Just what is sounds like.

Miach: But if it's a curse, can't Airmid treat it?

Albert: Maybe, if it wasn't the Black Dragon that gave it to him.

The pub went silent. Everyone who heard of the monster felt the hopelessness settle in. Here was another victim of the monster. Humanity finally won peace, but with a price they felt was too heavy to pay. Aiz felt the weight of it more than anyone. They turned to the girl when they felt the anger emanating from her.

Aiz: (Why?! Why Bell? How much more is it going to take from me?!)

Ariel felt this and held her mother's hand.

Haruhime: Please! Tell us how to stop this!

Eina: Yes! We finally got this far, I can't go on knowing Bell will leave me!

Albert: Hold on. I said Bell died from the curse, not the dragon.

Take: Wait, does that mean?

Albert: Yes, our father successfully slayed the Black Dragon and survived. He rescued the wind spirit Aria and came back alive.

Everyone was happy to hear this. Bell was glad to hear he was able to live up to his dream of becoming a hero. Tiona was amazed too. It was like she was reading one of her hero stories. Aiz was tearing up at the news of her mother's rescue. Hestia was brimming with pride at her first child's success. Although one question was unanswered.

Bete: If the dragon's dead and the rabbit's cursed, how long's he got?

Albert: Father would fight for 13 years before finally falling to it.

Welf: (Bell...)

Mikoto: (Sir Bell...)

Haruhime could only cry silently at this. Hestia was sobbing at how much her child suffered. The Loki Familia was sad as well. They all liked the boy and yet they couldn't help but admire his fighting spirit. Fighting the dragon's curse for over a decade. Once again, he completely dashed their expectations of him.

Finn: Well we know now what killed him. How do we stop it?

Albert: That's something we all can help with, but most of it will be up to Bell.

Bell: What do you mean?

Albert turned to Hestia to unveil even more shocking new to everyone minus her familia.

Albert: The skill Bell got... his first one.

Bell: Argonaut? How is that going to help?

Hestia started sweating. Lili looked at the ground. Mikoto and Haruhime looked sheepish while Welf started whistling.

Albert: No, the one before that. The one you got at level 1.

The pub exploded with questions at that.

Bete: That can't be right! You don't get skills at level one!

Albert: Under normal circumstances no, but Dad's a special case. Might as well tell him goddess.

Bell: Goddess? What does he mean by that? What skill did I get at level 1?

Hestia hesitated before deciding that there were bigger things at stake.

Hestia: Liaris Freese.

Bell: That's...

Hestia: Your first skill. The one you got after she saved you.

She pointed to Aiz as the girl looked at Bell in disbelief. Albert spoke again and explained what this meant.

Albert: We had concluded in the future that Dad's desire to catch up to Mom and to be with her was so pure and strong that he forced a skill to appear.

Many were shocked at this. Bell was embarrassed that his old goal was revealed to everyone. Aiz, on the other hand, was blushing slightly with a bright smile on her face.

Aiz: You were working that hard for me?

Bell: Yeah. It's embarrassing to admit, but I've been trying to get stronger so that I could stand by your side.

Aiz ran to Belk to hug him. She was happy her hero had been here all this time

Loki: You've really been holding out on us all this time shrimp?

Hestia: Bell was my only familia member! Beside all the gods trying to get him, that skill would turn Orario on its head.

Hephaestus: What does this skill do that would make you assume that?

Hestia: It makes his grow faster according to his feelings and it gets stronger along with them. This is what probably let's him break the S-rank barrier.

Finn: If that's the case then it's no wonder that he was able to beat that minotaur as a level 1.

Albert: That's not all, since his abilities are always SS or SSS, he can take on enemies much stronger than him. This means he can take on people a whole level higher than him.

Everyone's jaws dropped at this.

Mama Mia: That's gotta the most broken skill I've ever heard of.

Ryuu: He's really had this since level 1?

Albert: That's right. So with that in mind, we can use that idea to force Dad to manifest a skill that can either cure the curse or prevent it from being afflicted on him.

Alise: We also plan to help make him stronger.

Loki: That explains why you're here, but then why would those girls join me? I ain't complaining but wouldn't it make more sense to join Itty Bitty's familia?

Karmi: We just want to live with our parents.

Celdia: That's right, we joined you so we could spend time with our past mothers.

Hestia: So then who's going where?

Albert: Me, Haruka, Eileen and Alise and her siblings will live with your familia.

Ariel: Me, Cel and Karmi will live with Loki.

Eileen: I'm joining as an adventurer part time. I'm mostly going to be working in the guild with mom.

Eina smiled at her daughter know she would at least be safe with her.

Gareth: Good to hear that all decided. Now here's something we all want to know, you three girls completely trounced us. Just what are your levels?

Albert: Right... we never said that.

Eileen: Might as well start at the bottom. The twins Lucy and Darion are level 5. I'm level 9.

Haruka: I'm level 10.

Karmi: Me, Cel and Ariel ar level 16.

Ardi: I'm level 17.

Alise: I am level 25.

Albert: And I'm level 26. Everyone: WHAAAAAT!!??

Hestia and Loki: I HIT THE JACKPOT!!!

Bell: Wow, you're all amazing.

The siblings smiled at their father's praise.

Albert: Well, now that we've explained everything why don't we all get to know each other.

Alise: Great idea.

With that, ghey enjoyed the rest of the night with the mothers getting to know their kids.

Haruka: Well, I'm Haruka mom.

Haruhime: That's a beautiful name sweetie. You're so strong yet so young at the same time.

Haruka: Hehe.

Haruka grinned at her mom while sitting on her lap. That was always her seat back when she was smaller. Next was Eina and her daughter.

Eina: So when you said that you got you skills from your mother...

Eileen: I learned from the best.

They smiled at each other as Eina asked about her daughter's childhood. It was nice to know her mother and Riveria pitched in to help raise Eileen.

With Tiona and Lefiya...

Tiona: So, what're your names?

Karmi: My name's Karmi and she's Celdia.

Lefiya and Riveria's eyes bulge at the name of the half elf.

Lefiya: How did I get away with naming you after her?

Celdia: Well, you and Dad asked Granny Riveria for permission and she said yes.

Riveria: Granny?

Celdia: You helped raise us as our grandmother and you were like a mother to our parents so that's how we've been calling you.

Karmi: Although, you could be Mama Riveria if you just gave in to Dad's rabbit charm like Uncle Bete says.

She said this with a smile but Riveria's face reddened a little from the shame of the thought.

Riveria: (That dog's dead.)

Riveria: Anything else I should know?

Karmi: Oh yeah, you helped train us in magic!

Riveria: You can use magic as well?

Karmi: Sure can!

She held up her hand as showed it to everyone as she set it ablaze.

Finn saw this and was amazed at the child's skill. Gareth laughed as usual and Riveria was amazed at the girl's control.

Riveria: (She didn't even need to chant.)

With Ryuu...

Ryuu: I still can't believe I have this many children with Bell.

Ryuu's face was still red but a smile never left. Mama Mia and the other girls were happy to see their friend like this.

Anya: Nya, that's a lot for an elf.

Lunoire: She's right, you're putting Amazon's to shame right now.

She gave Ryuu a mocking smile as steam began to rise from the elf's head and she covered her face.

Syr: So what are your names girls?

The twins were excited as always and jumped at the question.

Riis: I'm Riis!

Syrene: And I'm Syrene!

Syr: Aww, you named one of your kids after me?

She gave Ryuu a hug while Ryuu returned it with a smile.

The younger twins went next.

Lucy: My name's Lucy.

Darion: I'm Darion, nice to meet you auntie Syr.

Syr had nearly choked the two from a hug at how adorable the two were. Chloe would have jumped in to join had it not been for Mama Mia and Ryuu stopping her.

Ryuu: Not in your life!

Chop*

She knocked Chloe out and Mama Mia left her in the kitchen, tied up of course.

Ardi: Guess I'm next, my name's Ardi.

Ryuu stared at the girl before tears filled her eyes.

Ryuu: You're...

Ardi: Auntie Shakti still thinks I'm her sister in the next life with my looks and personality. I just enjoy helping others with a smile.

She gave Ryuu and bright smile while her mother cried in the girl's arms. Ryuu would be able to compose herself, but it would be pointless as her last daughter came in.

Alise: I really don't want you to keep crying but there's really no stopping you here.

Ryuu: What do you- no... no you can't be.

Alise: I am. Alise Cranel, at your service mother.

She gave her mother a curtsey before she was tackled to the ground. Here was Ryuu now, lover of her hero and with her daughters with two named after her dear friends.

Ryuu: (I've never felt happier in my life. I wish Lady Astrea were here to see this. But more importantly, Bell helped me so now it's my turn.)

Her eyes filled with determination she and her girls planned on how to save their rabbit.

On Aiz's side...

Aiz: You said Bell saved my mother right? So is she living with us now?

Ariel: She sure is, she even read stories to us when we were little just like you.

Albert: That's right. Spending time with her and grandfather were the best.

Aiz froze. Grandfather, like her father?

Aiz: What do you mean.

Albert: I mean with grandpa Albert.

Aiz cried tears of relief. Her father was alive, but how?

Aiz: How? The dragon killed him.

Albert: Well before Dad went to fight, he met a another god along the way. The King of the underworld, Hades. He wished Bell luck and promised a great prize should he succeed.

Ariel: I loved this story. What Dad did was surprising.

Aiz: What did Bell do?

Albert: When he returned for his prize with grandma, Hades offered him the chance to ascend to godhood.

Aiz was stunned. Bell could become a god?

Ariel: He was flattered, but turned it down. He said that he wouldn't gain much for accepting that.

AN: Bell decided that if he and Artemis would reunite, it would be when both are reincarnated.

Albert: Instead, he asked if he could bring someone back to life. As the god of the underworld, that would be within his power to do so.

Aiz: So he...

Ariel: He brought your dad back to life Mom.

Aiz cried again. Never in her wildest dreams did she believe that she could live with her father again. But here was Bell making the impossible possible once more.

Albert: When asked about this, Hades said it was possible to resurrect him. He asked Dad why he would bother with him instead of his whole family. Dad asked if Hades would be able to bring back more than one person but he said that would disturb the balance of the world more that it already would have. Dad said that that was why he asked for Albert. He said that he lived without his family his while life. He said that there would be no point of he couldn't bring them all back. He was okay with them gone, it hurt but he was fine with it.

Ariel: He said that he already has a family back in Orario and that you already lived with yours Mom. That's why he said that bringing grandpa back was right because that way your family would be complete.

Aiz's heart beat faster at the news. After hearing about what Bell did for her, she began to feel what she would later understand as love. She didn't know what it meant at first, but she liked it and she intended to repay his love with her own.

The night was nearly done, with their questions answered, everyone left with their respective child. They said their goodbyes and left for their homes as the day came to a close.

AN: And that ends the first arc of this story. I'm gonna be real, Ididn't think I would be able to write it like this. I would sit down and write these chapters in one session which is why some things get awkward in terms of the flow. These usually take between 2 and 4 hours at a time but man does it fly by. This has been a blast so far and I'm glad to see in the comments that people enjoy my story. I'll be working on two others along with this but I will prioritize this for the most part until it's finished. With that, the next arc which will be the training arc will begin.

Anyways, feel free to comment your thoughts and I'll see you in the next chapter.