Disclaimer: I do not own anything
"Talking"
'Thinking'
*SPELL/ABILITY*
A/N: Here is a little glimpse of what their arrival in Orario would have been like. It got so long I broke it up into two parts, but I never finished the other chapter. It has been half written for like 2 years lol. I got really into Overlord then and stopped focusing on anything but that so it is why I never finished. I honestly never planned on posting any of my fanfics, just writing them to clear my head and focus on other things. While this isn't the entire first day, it does end at a good stopping point I think. I hope you guys enjoy it and as I said, after a while, I'm going to start writing the two most popular ones as an entire fanfic. So far, it looks like the Bell X Freya one might run away as the clear favorite, but it is still early. That fanfic has only been up for two days, and it already has more follows than any of the other ones. Thanks for reading everyone!
Next chapter time!
Bell wasn't surprised that he and his traveling companions were let into Orario so easily. The coin that Ouranos gave Zeus for entry was mighty handy. Even though they had two wagons full of people and cargo, the men at the front gate only peeked in the back and that was it.
Next thing Bell and Haruhime knew, they were inside the walls of Orario headed toward the old Zeus Familia Manor. Bell knew most powerful familia homes had a name like the Twilight Manor or Folkvangr, but Bell refused to call his new home what his grandfather did.
No way in hell would he call it, Beautiful Babes Resort!
He still wasn't quite sure what to name it, but he still had time for that. When they finally arrived, he shouldn't have been surprised at either the appearance of the home or its location.
It looked like a perfect replica of what his grandfather told him the temple atop Mt. Olympus looked like. The only difference being there were walls behind the pillars instead of it being open.
The location was also no surprise to Bell. It was in the southeastern part of Orario perfectly in between Babel and the Entertainment District. Bell had no doubt Zeus planned that from the beginning.
Zeus had told Bell all about the Ishtar Familia. He had no desire whatsoever to go to the Entertainment District for its services, but he knew Lady Ishtar hated Freya. It might be worth it to go see if they could potentially be allies.
Right now though, Bell needed to get everyone settled before he and Haruhime headed to Guild Headquarters. Bell didn't believe so many people wanted to come with them simply to be servants, but that is exactly what happened.
Bell doesn't think he'll ever forget walking out to start loading up and seeing twenty people loading up the wagons intent on coming with them. He still wrote that off as Haruhime's doing. He didn't think they ever met anyone who didn't love Haruhime.
Bell was glad to see that Ouranos had the place cleaned when he unlocked the door. He didn't want these people to have to go to work the moment they got here. This way they could get settled and learn the lay of the place today.
Once Bell and Haruhime showed everyone where they would be staying, they went to find their room. Bell's palms were starting to get sweaty and he started to lose the nerve to go into the room when they finally arrived before the door.
This is the room his parents used to occupy and now he would live in it with his wife. He couldn't even push the door open until Haruhime grabbed is hand, intertwined their fingers, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. That was all the courage he needed to push it open.
When he first stepped in, he noticed how enormous this room was. It was easily as big as their entire farmhouse. There was plenty of furniture in the room as he scanned it.
Bell saw a couch, a couple of chairs, two desks pushed together, a large canopy bed, and a nightstand on each side of the bed. Both nightstands held a lamp. The nightstand closest to Bell and Haruhime also had a picture frame but it was angled away from them. The other nightstand held a mirror on it.
Once he finally took that in, his eyes landed on the spot he wanted to look at first but wasn't sure he could contain himself. The moment he looked at the windowsill with the padded bench and pillows, he felt himself fighting not to cry.
That was the place his grandfather told him his mother and father used to sing to him and read stories, not only when his mother was pregnant with him, but right after he was born as well. He started walking toward it but had to look away before he broke down.
It didn't help.
He was finally at the point where he could see what the picture in the picture frame was, and he froze when he saw it. It was a picture of his mother sitting on that same windowsill, smiling, cradling her belly while his father had his lips pressed against her belly. A huge smile on his face as well.
Bell doubts there is a willpower, mortal or God, that could stop his tears from falling and his certainly wasn't up to the task. His vision went blurry with tears, but he felt Haruhime wrap her arms around his waist and bury her head in the crook of his neck.
"We can do this later Bell. You don't have to-"
"No..."
He barely spoke loud enough to interrupt Haruhime. Bell takes a deep breath in through his nose and out his mouth. He wipes away his tears before taking another deep breath in and out. He now looks completely composed.
"No, I'm the Captain of the Zeus Familia, and we have too much to do today for me to fall apart..."
"We can come back here when we finish then Bell. You don't have to do this right now."
Bell turned to his side so he was completely facing Haruhime and wrapped her up in his arms. The look of love and devotion he always gave her made her smile as it always did.
"I can do anything if I have you with me, Haruhime." Bell captured her lips for a moment. "No matter what I do in my life, good or bad, victory or failure. My greatest accomplishment will always be being loved by you, becoming your husband, and one day calling you the mother of my children."
Now it was Haruhime's turn to cry. There was never any doubt in her mind she was the luckiest woman to ever live. To think she would not only meet someone like Bell but be blessed enough to hold his true love and devotion was something she couldn't have dreamed up no matter how many stories she read.
She was only twenty years old, trained by the greatest Hero to ever exist, and she had been married to that man for two years now. Even fairytales didn't turn out this good.
"I am the lucky one, my love..."
Haruhime captured his lips once more. She would never get enough of that as long as she lived. It wasn't long before both were calm, relaxed, and ready to explore the rest of the room.
The only other things in the room, other than the furniture, were two doors on the left wall. Bell opened the first door and saw a very large and fancy bathroom. Haruhime, and even Bell, were both excited as it was done in the style of a bathhouse from the Far East with some custom touches his parents no doubt added.
After they explored that room for a moment, they went to the other door. When Bell opened it, it was immediately apparent it was a closet. Everything hanging on the left looked like it used to belong to his mother, and everything on the right looked like it used to belong to his father.
His father's side had very little compared to his mother's. There were a lot of shirts, a few pairs of pants, a couple of pairs of shorts, and a few suits. Bell's mother's side, on the other hand, was almost overflowing.
Zeus told them both that his mother loved clothes, Bell had no idea it was this bad even if he was told it was. There were so many kimonos, dresses, shirts, shoes, skirts, and accessories, it was almost overwhelming to Bell's senses.
Haruhime's face lit up with a bright smile at seeing all of the clothing. She loved the clothes Bell gave her that used to belong to his mother. She imagined she'd love everything in here as well. She knew it was true when she started looking through them. She couldn't wait for a party so she could wear one of these dresses.
Bell was smiling as well, but his eyes focused on the far wall in the closet. There were two mannequins there that he knew what they were for. They were perfectly formed to hold both of their armors and their weapons.
Bell was tempted to take off his and put it on there to see what it looked like but he knew he didn't have time for that. He needed to get to the guild soon if this long first day was going to happen according to plan. He walked over to Haruhime and took her hand, knowing she'd be browsing all day if he didn't.
"I promise love. You can spend all day tomorrow looking through the clothes. First, though, we have things we need to do."
Haruhime definitely pouted, but she came along anyway. She knew he was right, but she couldn't help herself. It always amazed her how perfect his mother's fashion sense mirrored her own. She knew she could lose herself in the closet for weeks if Bell allowed it.
She was definitely excited to see the rest of Orario though. It didn't dampen her mood when they left the room behind them and headed toward the Guild. It wasn't too far from where their home was located so it didn't take long to get there.
Bell and Haruhime both looked around like a couple of tourists. It was one thing to hear about Orario, but it was a completely different thing to experience it first hand. There were so many different types of people, shops, merchandise, and food. It was a wonder they made it to the Guild instead of wandering off down any number of the streets.
When they finally did make it into the Guild, it wasn't too crowded. There weren't any open windows to see a receptionist at, but it wasn't packed by any means. That was a little surprising to Bell. He figured this early in the morning is when Adventurers would come to get advice before going in the dungeon.
He did grow up a farmer and normally rose before the sun so he could understand others not wanting to wake up so early. They only had to stand there for a couple of minutes before a window opened up.
Bell was glad they could move out of line. There were a lot of people staring at them while they waited, and he didn't like the looks some of them were giving Haruhime.
He supposed it could have been their armor. It was pretty eye-catching, but it still didn't ease him. He did not like it when men stared at his wife.
He wasn't an idiot, he knew she was incredibly beautiful. He had never met anyone who came close to her in looks alone. When you found out she was even more beautiful on the inside, it was impossible not to love her more. Doesn't mean he liked others looking at her though, even if he knew it was inevitable.
"Greetings and welcome to the guild. My name is Eina Tulle. How may I help you today?"
Now, it was Haruhime's turn to roll her eyes. The moment this elf looked at her husband, she blushed like a teenager in love. Haruhime had thought she'd grown used to this, but apparently, she hadn't. She immediately latched on to Bell's arm and she heard him chuckle at her possessive behavior before he said.
"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Eina. I'm Bell, Bell Cranel. This is my wife, San-"
Haruhime cuts him off and extends her hand. She knew how he was about to introduce her, and she wanted to smack him for not listening to her. Bell thinking his last name wasn't good enough for her because she used to be a Princess always irked her. His last name was her most prized possession, next to Bell himself.
"Haruhime Cranel. It is nice to meet you, Eina."
She knows she squeezed a little too tight, especially given she was level 5, but there was no helping it. If there was one thing in this world she would never give up, it was Bell. At one point, she was alright sharing him.
Living with Zeus would do that to a girl under almost any circumstances. However, when you got to know Bell. It was almost a natural reaction to want to share someone who loved so truly.
Now though, after having him all to herself for over five years, she wanted to be selfish. She knew there'd be more beautiful women in Orario than in the villages, but if this elf was anything to go by, there was going to be a lot more than she expected.
Eina shook her hand a bit when she pulled it back and flexed it a couple of times to make sure nothing was broken. That girl had a very strong grip.
Bell chuckled again and wrapped his arm around Haruhime. He thought she had finally known there was no other for him, but apparently not. Eina was cute don't get him wrong, but she wasn't Haruhime.
No one was.
"It is nice to meet you both. How may I be of service today?"
"I'm sorry it ended up being you who waited on us as I'm afraid you are about to be doing a lot of paperwork." Bell chuckled as he pulled out a stack of documents from his tunic. "I'm here to re-open my Familia's accounts, re-register my Familia, name myself Captain, and my wife Vice-Captain."
Eina Tulle was completely perplexed. She had never even heard of a Familia having to do all of that. There was a procedure for it, but it had never been done because normally, Familias who fell were banished or exiled and they couldn't return.
"May I ask, what familia you speak of?"
"The Zeus Familia."
Bell said that louder on purpose. He wanted more than just Eina to hear that the Zeus Familia was back. It would spread the word quicker and hopefully give them some new recruits to choose from.
Bell had no intention of it just being himself and Haruhime. He had gotten powerful, but they needed more people. Hopefully, their next stop would gain them the one person they hoped would join them.
"T-The Z-Zeus Familia?!"
Apparently, there was no need for him to say that louder. Eina had basically shouted it at the top of her lungs. She immediately looked apologetic, but he wanted to thank her, not be mad at her.
"Yes, the Zeus Familia. I know that will require approval you can't give yourself, but if you look at the first document. It is permission, that is signed and sealed by Lord Ouranos himself, giving you authority to fill in all the paperwork needed without having to seek approval from himself or your Guild Leader."
As Eina read the document, she turned paler by the second. This incredibly cute boy was not kidding. These were orders and instructions to re-register the Zeus Familia as an active Familia in Orario. Not only that but also giving Bell control of all of their former assets.
'I'm going to be signing my name and making history with it!'
That thought is what turned Eina white as a ghost. She was always meticulous with her paperwork, but she would need to go the extra ten miles here. People would be talking about this for years and she couldn't mess anything up on her end.
"I-I'll get r-right on it!"
Eina went to turn away and start, but Bell caught her attention before she could.
"Do you know how long it will be until everything is in order and you can give me the clearance of the bounty?"
"There are some papers you need to fill out yourselves, but that won't take very long. It should take me about twenty to thirty minutes to finish everything up with this document. It says here you are close to level and we won't be requiring you to fill in that part of your own documents until you level. When you do level, please come bring your filled out status records back and we will release it at that time."
"Thank you, Ms. Eina, and sorry again for putting you through all this paperwork."
Eina blushed again, she couldn't help it. She knew from experience that liking an adventurer was risky. Bell, however, was extremely handsome and gave off an aura of protection she had never felt before. It truly wasn't a bother either. She is about to be a part of history.
"It's my pleasure." She hands both of them a few documents. "Please, fill these out and explore the Guild Hall if you like. I'll call you both over when I'm finished with this paperwork."
Haruhime filled out the paperwork, but Bell could tell there was something else on her mind. She was writing like she was angry and kept glancing over at Eina. He had no idea what was causing her to act this way.
Haruhime, for her part, couldn't shake the feelings of jealousy and possessiveness she was feeling right now. Every girl they came across at all the villages fawned over Bell so she had gotten used to it, but none of those girls came close to how beautiful Eina was.
The few elves they encountered out in the world were all males, and Haruhime never cared much for them. She usually had a soft spot for everyone, but those elves thought they were better than everyone. She couldn't get passed their prejudice to like them at all.
The more she thought, the harder she gripped her pen. Just glancing around the Guild Hall she saw everyone woman in here was at least good looking, if not beautiful.
She was sure it was about to break when she felt Bell put a hand on top of hers. His touch calmed her immediately and she gazed up at him.
"What's wrong, my love?"
She knew then how stupid she was being. Even his voice was filled with love for her when he was concerned about her.
"It's nothing... I'm just being stupid."
"Hey..." Bell seemed to finally pick up on why she was acting this way and grabbed her chin to face him. "You are mine and I am yours, forever. There is no one here more beautiful than you, on the inside or the outside. If you're worried they don't know I'm yours..."
Bell leaned down and took her lips in a passionate kiss. Bell barely remembered he was inside the Guild Hall when his tongue slipped into her mouth. It was only after a few minutes he got his wits about him and broke away.
He knew there was no way people didn't witness that. They were making out like they were back in the forest with no one around. Haruhime was finally smiling that radiant one he loved to see on her face. He kissed the back of her hand for a little more assurance and went back to his paperwork.
Once they finished filling out what they needed to, they both strolled around the Guild Hall. Haruhime seemed to be back to her usual self and Bell was glad for that. He couldn't stand to see her doing anything but smiling.
Eina was true to her word and finished in only twenty minutes. They went over all the paperwork to make sure everything was correct. After a few minutes, the Zeus Familia was officially re-registered in Orario. Finally, Eina handed him two sealed scrolls.
"The first document is your registration and deed. We do have a copy, but please do not lose it. They are quite expensive to replace. The other scroll is the cleared bounty that was agreed upon. The funds have been taken out of your account already."
Bell and Haruhime thanked Eina one last time and headed out of the Guild Hall toward their next stop. They were greeted the moment they stepped out of the Guild Hall, and Bell wanted to roll his eyes. He never fully trusted this man.
"Hey Bell, Princess!"
"Lord Hermes. To what do I owe this visit?"
In truth, Lord Hermes had done a lot for the Zeus Familia, and his grandfather used his services quite often as well. However, there was always something about Lord Hermes that seemed off to Bell, and he couldn't bring himself to fully trust him.
"Come now Bell! You know you can simply call me Hermes!" Even Hermes caught Bell's eye roll he couldn't hide this time. "Anyway... I came to let you know everything is in place. Your three guests should be arriving not long after you do so you can have that chat you wished for. I must warn you though, they will not be alone."
"Thank you, Lord Hermes. My wife and I will make our way there now."
"As always, it is a pleasure to serve you, my Prince, my Princess."
"I'm not..."
Bell and Haruhime both started to object, but Hermes was already gone before they could finish. Haruhime might have been a Princess once, but Bell hated it when he called him Prince. It's true he married a Princess, but she didn't like being called one. Not anymore, and she only let Bell get away with it every once in awhile nowadays.
The walk for Bell and Haruhime to their next stop was not a very long one. The inn they are looking for was the place of employment their recruit worked in. Not that the woman knew she was a hopeful recruit for the Zeus Familia. She honestly had no idea they knew, not only who she was, but also that they had already talked to her Goddess and gotten her approval.
It only took about ten minutes for both of them to arrive at the Hostess of Fertility. While they had always planned on having this chat, they timed their arrival in Orario after Hermes had learned their other guests' schedules.
They also had no idea about Bell or that he would be there to have a little chat with them. He wanted to catch them completely by surprise to see how they would react. Despite Hermes warning, it didn't matter how many of their familia came with them. Bell could take out that entire familia if he so desired, he was that strong now.
Bell knew he couldn't, grandfather's orders, at least for now. Very few things enraged Bell that wasn't the One-Eyed Black Dragon, but a few Familias could also be on that list. When they finally entered the inn, they were greeted by a cute, silver-haired, silver-eyed waitress.
"Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility. My name is Syr. Will it just be the two of you today?"
Her greeting was friendly and professional, but neither Bell nor Haruhime missed how she only glanced at Haruhime while only really speaking to Bell. This time though, Haruhime didn't get possessive or jealous.
Haruhime knew Bell thought it was because of him, but that was never the issue. In truth, she got like that sometimes because she knew she wasn't good enough for Bell. At least, that is how she saw it.
Perhaps it was living with Zeus the last five years, but Haruhime absolutely believed Zeus when he said Bell could have a man's dream. She was sure he was the only person actually capable of truly loving more than one woman.
However, for some reason still elusive to her, he had chosen her and no one else. It was true she had gotten stronger, much stronger than she ever believed she could be, but she knew that was Bell's doing.
He could have had anyone with him the last five years and they would be as strong as her, maybe even stronger. She thought one day he might figure that out, especially when they arrived in Orario.
However, that didn't happen, quite the opposite. Bell, being his perfect self, showed her there was no one else and made sure as many people who could see it would, the moment he saw her doubt.
He was doing it right now. Clinging to her like she was the one who would leave at any moment. Even when he answers Syr's question, he was trying to put her at ease.
"Yes, just me and my wife."
The girl finally looked at her for more than a glance and smiled. If anyone understood staring at Bell, it was Haruhime. She'd never met a more handsome boy in her life when she first met him. Now, he was even better looking and filled out, unlike he was when they met.
"Please, follow me..."
"If it's possible, could you seat us in a section that Ryuu serves?" Syr turned around and gave Bell a confused expression. "If it's not possible, could you tell her we would like to speak with her when she gets a moment?"
"May I ask what business you have with Ryuu?"
"I'm sorry. It's personal. I don't mind if she allows you to listen to our conversation, but she is the one who must make that decision. I won't speak of it to you unless she allows it."
Syr nods her head at Bell and he can see some of the mistrust leave her eyes. She still didn't trust him but wasn't completely suspicious of him either. They are led to a table near the bar and kitchen, Syr set the menus down and tells them she'd be with them soon.
They looked over the menu and then took in the inn. It was only about half full, but they had expected that. The place had only been open for a couple of hours, but it would start to fill up soon. They only got to figure out their order and glance around before their server came.
She was a green-haired, blue-eyed elf, and they both had no doubt this was the woman they were looking for, Ryuu. Goddess Astraea had been very descriptive of her, and she fits that description perfectly. They both knew she normally had blonde hair, but if she liked it, she could keep it green they didn't care.
She was nothing but professional at first, taking their order and placing it with the kitchen. When she brought back their drinks, that is when she took a seat across from them and Syr joined her.
Neither Bell nor Haruhime knew the relationship these two shared, but Bell wasn't too keen on it, whatever it was. Knowing who really owned this place made him weary of just about all the employees.
"My friend, Syr, said you wished to speak with me regarding something personal?"
"We did. Perhaps somewhere more private might be fitting in case someone overhears our conversation? I'll let you be the one to decide that, Gale."
Bell said it loud enough so only Ryuu could hear it. Well, Haruhime could as well, she was a higher level than Ryuu and even closer than she was. Bell could tell Syr didn't hear him, but Ryuu's entire body tensed when he called her that name. He held his hands up to show he wasn't a threat.
"I'm not here to cause trouble. The opposite in fact, but if you can't take my word for it." Bell reaches in his tunic and pulls out a scroll. "This is a scroll from your Goddess. It's sealed so I have no idea what's in it, but she said you might want to read it before hearing what I have to say."
Ryuu reached for the scroll the moment she saw the seal. There was no mistaking it was her Goddess's seal. She hadn't seen it in years, but she would never forget it.
She didn't even move. She simply broke the seal and started reading the scroll. Bell and Haruhime just sat patiently holding hands, waiting for her to finish. It looked like Syr was reading along with Ryuu.
Bell wanted to say something since it looked like Ryuu hadn't noticed and never told her she could. Ryuu's expressions changed his mind. He had heard Ryuu was as stoic as they come, but she was tearing up worse by the second as she read that scroll.
By the time she finished it, she had shed a few tears. She rolled the scroll back up, put it in her apron, stood, and surprised everyone at the table by hugging Bell and Haruhime. They had both encountered elves before and knew they weren't very keen on letting others touch them.
They both awkwardly returned the hug before Ryuu stepped back, composed herself, and retook her seat. The look of shock on Syr's face would have made them both laugh if the air in the room was different at the moment.
"Thank you... thank you both. You have no idea how much what you did means."
"As we said, we're not sure what was in your letter so we don't know how much you know. I'm not really sure what order to do this in, but let's start with the happy news I suppose."
It was Haruhime this time that reached into her kimono and pulled out a sealed scroll. She handed it across the table for Ryuu to take before she explained what it was.
"That is the order from the guild, signed by the Guild Leader Royman Mardeel and Lord Ouranos, dismissing all charges against you and clearing your bounty from the Guild Ledgers."
Ryuu's mouth opened in shock before breaking the seal and reading it for herself. She was never one to cry, but tears were building again as she read it. Bell took the silence as his cue to add.
"It means you can return to the dungeon or join a familia, but much more importantly, you don't have to hide yourself anymore. No more looking over your shoulder anymore, Ryuu."
Bell started to get the idea of Ryuu and Syr's relationship when the silver-haired girl hugged Ryuu and started crying when she heard that. He still didn't like it, she no doubt worked in someway with Freya, but they could work around their friendship if it came to that.
"SYR! RYUU! STOP CHATTING UP THE CUSTOMERS WHILE THEIR FOOD IS GETTING COLD!"
Syr and Ryuu immediately were brought back to the moment by Mia's yelling. Bell couldn't hold his scowl at the interruption. Mia Grande, former captain of the Freya Familia, just thinking of her made his blood boil.
Bell couldn't lose it here or more importantly... yet. There were still guests he was waiting on so he schooled his features quickly. He couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. It was good those two snapped up to grab their food.
It gave Bell a moment to breathe and calm down. Haruhime had a lot to do with that. She could calm him down from anything. All it took was her dainty little hand to grab his and it washed over him like a wave. His wife was amazing.
Ryuu returned alone with their dishes and they did look delicious. It was a shame he never planned on stepping foot in here again after today unless he had to. Luckily, there were plenty of inns scattered across Orario.
"My Goddess said you were going to ask me something, and I should consider it. What were you going to ask?"
Bell was surprised she asked. He assumed she'd want to digest what she already heard before talking about it, but he was certainly pleased to get it out of the way now so she had more time to think about it.
"We did, but first we never did introduce ourselves. My name is Bell Cranel, and this is my wife, Haruhime Cranel."
Bell was going to continue but a look crossed Ryuu's face he was not expecting recognition. It was the last thing he expected to see on her face simply by introducing himself and Haruhime.
"When I was a little girl, I used to hear stories about a hero who wielded two weapons named Brandon Cranel. He fought alongside his wife, a powerful magic swordswoman herself named Ella Vaylia. Are... Are you?..."
Honestly, Bell didn't need to let her say that much when it dawned on him that Ryuu had heard of his parents. It simply never occurred to him other people would know about them even if Zeus told him they were exceptional adventurers.
"Yes, I am their son. I just returned to Orario today to re-register the Zeus Familia. Like my father, I am the Captain and my wife, Haruhime, is the Vice-Captain. We would both like it very much if you would consider joining the Zeus Familia."
Ryuu was opening and closing her mouth trying to say something but nothing came out. She was floored by their offer but wasn't sure what to say. Haruhime reached across the table and squeezed her hand for support. Surprisingly, Ryuu squeezed it back as a thank you before Haruhime said.
"We don't need an answer this minute. We just arrived and aren't going anywhere. It also comes with the stipulation that, if you do join, you can not discuss familia business with your friend Syr. We have no problem if you are friends with the girl, she seems nice. However, Freya owns this establishment and she is no friend of the Zeus Familia."
That is when Bell stepped in so Ryuu had time to think it over.
"We know this is a lot to drop on you at once. Take your time and think it over. As Haruhime said, we aren't going anywhere and the Zeus Familia Home isn't hard to find. Come on by whenever you want to talk about it."
Ryuu gave them a nod before walking off back to work. Bell could see her lost in thought and felt bad she would be distracted all day. Haruhime's musical giggle brought him back to the present.
"Still can't bring yourself to call it, Beautiful Babes Resort?"
Bell groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. He still couldn't believe that even if he knew the kind of man Zeus was.
"I'm never letting Grandfather name anything again and... I still have no idea what to name our new home..."
"You'll figure it out, you always do..."
Haruhime patted his hand, kissed his cheek, then dug into her food. She was rather hungry. They started well before the sun rose to get to Orario first thing in the morning. Bell did the same, and by the time they were done eating, their other guests had arrived.
This conversation was going to be much different though. The only thing that would be similar to their conversation with Ryuu would be that they didn't know it was going to happen.
Bell had the perfect idea of how to get their attention. He was hoping for a particular reaction from them, but he'd settle for just about anything.
"My love..." Haruhime looked at Bell and saw him standing with a huge smile on his face, his hand extended to her. "May I have this dance?..."
"But there's no..."
"Don't worry, I'll make some for us."
This made Haruhime grin even wider than Bell. Things like this are what she cherished the most. Even Heroes in stories didn't do things this romantic, but Bell did for her. She took his hand and he led her right into the middle of the room.
No one, in the almost full inn, was paying attention to them when they first got there. Bell took Haruhime in his arms and started to hum. He hummed until they got a good rhythm and then he opened his mouth.
Half the eyes in the room snapped to them immediately when Bell began to sing. Haruhime had taken to humming while Bell sang, and all eyes had turned to them less than a minute into their dance.
Bell was aware he was intentionally keeping his back to the Loki Familia members in the tavern so he could surprise them at the end. However, the only other thing he knew at that moment was Haruhime as they stared at each other.
This was both their favorite song, and from one of their favorite books. They both loved hero stories more than almost anything, but this one was special for both of them.
When they finally finished, and Bell got his kiss from the Princess. He looked directly at the Loki Familia table and saw the three he wanted to speak with pale immediately.
His grandfather had always said he sang like his father. He thought that might get a good reaction out of Gareth, Finn, and Riveria. He certainly wasn't disappointed. He was a little shocked at the applause and one of the Amazons from the Loki Familia jumping up and down screaming...
"THAT WAS THE SONG FROM ARGONAUT!"
This gave Bell the opening to approach their table, and he reveled in the three executives still being speechless. It looked as if more color had drained from their faces, in fact.
"I'm glad to hear someone knows their stories as well as my wife and I do."
While Bell held an unnatural, and almost detrimental, grudge against Finn, Gareth, Riveria, and Loki, none of these other members were there when everything went down with his parents. He didn't really have a problem with any of them.
"Of course! I love the Argonaut tale! It is my favorite one of them all! I'm..."
Tiona never got to finish as Bell pointed right at her and surprised everyone at the table as he pointed at each of them as he went.
"You're Tiona Hiryute, Tione Hiryute, Anakitty Autumn, Raul Nord, Lefiya Virdis, Bête Loga, and Ais Wallenstein. Highest ranking members of the Loki Familia. Well, except those three over there."
They all looked over at their executives for answers when Bell pointed at them, but now all they saw were their pale expressions. Finally, it was Finn who spoke. It was barely above a whisper and sounded almost scared.
"I-It can't b-be... y-you're d-dead..."
"Are you trying to figure out which one you feel more guilty about Braver? Is it my father's hair that turns you white as a ghost?" Bell turns toward the High Elf at the table. "Perhaps it is my mother's eyes that do it for you, Nine Hells?..."
At this point, all the other members of the Loki Familia are lost. However, Bête doesn't like the way this white-haired little punk is talking to his Captain. He stands up from his chair abruptly before angrily saying.
"Who the hell do you think you are you littl-"
Bête never got to finish. Everyone was so focused on Bell, they didn't see Haruhime move. She was the same level or higher as everyone here except the three executives, but they were all too focused on Bell to catch her anyway.
Only Bell saw her move, and he loved it when her protective side came out. Haruhime was the gentlest soul he had ever known, but when you threatened or disrespected her family, she showed what she was capable of.
She was no longer the loving embrace of mother nature, she was mother nature's wrath and fury. A relentless storm ready to uplift any tree or capsize any ship.
"THAT IS MY HUSBAND AND CAPTAIN! YOU WILL SHOW HIM THE RESPECT HE DESERVES, PUPPY DOG!"
The katana now resting across Bête's throat punctuated her message. Bête was about to open his mouth, but Finn pulled him down in his seat before he could. It was only then Haruhime returned to Bell's side.
"I thought you might have heard already, but in case you didn't, I wanted to come to introduce myself. My name is Bell Cranel, son of Brandon Cranel and Ella Vaylia, and this is my wife, Haruhime Cranel. I am the Captain of the newly re-registered Zeus Familia."
Bell nearly shouted that as he said it. He wanted to make sure as many people heard again, especially Mia. He wanted her to run back to Freya and tell her the Zeus Familia was back. He'd give her more to tell her before this was over though.
Nearly everyone at the table went pale when they heard that. Even if they weren't present, they all know of the downfall of the Zeus Familia. Only two people reacted differently.
Bête scoffed, not impressed by this new Captain. Ais Wallenstein's eyes widened to an almost comical level as she stared at Bell.
"I'm going to make this perfectly clear..." Bell makes sure they all hear him even though he is looking at Finn, Gareth, and Riveria. "My God has made a deal with Lord Ouranos that we are to keep the peace and make no moves against the Loki or Freya Familias. I will uphold that deal as my God wishes. However..."
The air grows heavier and anyone not level five feels a very real fear of death creep into their minds as the aura around Bell almost seemed to flicker from pure white to pitch black.
"If either of your Goddesses or any of your familia members make a move against my family. I will not hesitate to end your entire familia! I only came to this corrupt, backstabbing city to get strong enough to kill that piece of shit, One-Eyed, Black Dragon that took my parents from me. You three stood by and did nothing when your strength added to theirs would have ended that Dragon for good seventeen years ago!"
Bell was damn near losing it by now and only Haruhime's presence was keeping him from drawing his weapons in anger. When someone else finally spoke, it was Riveria, who had nearly composed herself.
"We failed them then, but we can help you now. We can make up fo-"
Riveria wasn't able to finish as a cruel laugh echoed through the inn. It was honestly terrifying in how devoid of emotion it was. It was unbelievable the same voice had just sung so beautifully only a few minutes ago.
"You think I could ever trust the LOKI FAMILIA?!" Bell takes a few deep breaths and glances around the table to look at every one. "I don't trust you three, and I never will. I have nothing against your other members. They were not present when you betrayed my parents, but they take their orders from you three."
Haruhime's calming presence has him back to his normal self, thankfully. He's not sure all the Gods and Goddess could help this world if she was ever taken from him. He would tear it asunder.
"I can't trust those taking orders from you so I'll decline your help. You want to help me? Stay out of my way, and leave my family alone." He looks at the bar, right at Mia. "Tell your master the same as well, Mia Grande. Freya and her dogs better stay out of my way."
Bell intertwines his fingers with Haruhime and leaves the bar in silence. It isn't until they step out the door that ninety-five percent of the occupants let out the breath they were holding. Bête recovered faster than most before standing again.
"Captain! How are you just going to let that punk talk to us like that! Why'd you stop me?!"
Finn has recovered enough from seeing a dead man walking to give Bête an incredulous stare. One giant negative to Bête Loga was his inability to gauge someone's fighting strength when he was angry.
"Of course you didn't feel it... You would have realized-"
"Realized what?!"
Bête was getting impatient and so was Finn.
"That he could have done it." Bête growled for him to get to the point. "He could have wiped us all out. He wasn't bluffing when he said he would end our entire familia..." Finn gulped, his thumb hadn't throbbed this bad ever. "I-I'm fairly certain that Bell Cranel is more powerful than The King."
Everyone's eyes widened when Finn said that and not just the Loki Familia. It was still silent other than Finn's voice so everyone in the inn heard that. Even Mia gulped before not hiding the fact she was going out the back door.
All around the inn people were now whispering to each other about what just happened. They all had different expressions ranging from terrified to awe. They were all so engrossed in their own thoughts and conversations that no one bothered to look at Ais.
The girl was pretty stoic and only really cared about one thing. She was never one to show any emotion, but right now if you looked into her eyes. You would see the gears spinning finally as they try to solve a problem that just sprung up and hindered her goals.
Bell and Haruhime had exited the Hostess of Fertility and headed to their next destination. This one was a hit or miss. The familia could be in the dungeon and they might have to come back, but then they could just visit one of the smith Familias to kill some time. There was still a lot to do.
They had to walk past Babel to get to Temporary Residence Townhouse. When Bell saw the name of the Familia's home. He realized why Zeus thought their home's name was suitable. Very few of these Gods and Goddesses had a very good naming sense.
He felt her staring at him again. He struggled not to give her the finger. He really shouldn't give away that he knows she is watching him. It would probably happen eventually, but best to put it off until he couldn't contain it anymore.
He was happy to see so many food stalls on the way. The downside to being level 8, he had to eat a lot of food. It wasn't too outrageous but he needed to eat constantly. They made it there quickly after a few snacks, and Bell started to get excited. He hoped they were in, it would be a good surprise to witness.
Haruhime stands off to the side while Bell walks up to the door. He knocks on it and waits. He doesn't have to wait for long.
A man with shoulder-length black hair with two purple ties holding it out of his face answers the door. He has on traditional Far East clothing, black eyes, and a kind look on his face. Bell is certain he knows who this is. Haruhime had described him many times. Bell bows before saying.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lord Takemikazuchi. My name is Bell Cranel. I was wondering if your familia members were in?"
"They are. May I ask what this is about?"
"I have a surprise for them. I was hoping they were all here for it."
"They are currently in the Dojo. Would you like to come in?"
"By any chance, could you bring them here?"
Lord Takemikazuchi gives him a strange look before bowing his head slightly and closing the door. It was only a couple of minutes later when the doors opened again. Bell saw five people in front of him now, one of them was Lord Takemikazuchi.
This was his first time laying eyes on them, but he felt like he knew them already. He could even pick them out from the descriptions Haruhime had given him over the years in her stories about them.
There was no doubt these four were Ouka, Chigusa, Asuka, and Haruhime's best friend, Mikoto. He wanted to hug them if he was being honest, but they already looked confused enough.
"Greetings, Takemikazuchi Familia. My name is Bell Cranel."
He makes sure to look at everyone one of them as he greets them. Even if they didn't know it, he'd protect them all as best he could for what they did for Haruhime. As if destiny had a hand in it, it was Mikoto who asked.
"Lord Take said you had a surprise for us?"
Bell noticed her hand naturally drift toward her katana. He liked her already. No one should ever feel one hundred percent safe in Orario, true allies were very hard to come by.
"I do..." Bell can't help the wide grin he now has. He honestly might look a little crazy. "I believe that all of you know my wife..."
Bell steps aside and motions to his right. The whole familia is confused by his words until the next person steps into the doorway. All their jaws drop, Lord Takemikazuchi included, when they see Haruhime, and it leaves them speechless.
All it takes is for Haruhime to open her arms and give them that smile Bell loves to see. Bell heard Mikoto whisper her name then rush into her arms. She was followed closely by the rest of her familia and even their God.
Bell had seen some terrible things and done some things he wasn't proud of doing. It made him desensitized to most things, but this. This kind of reunion wanted to bring tears to his eyes.
Bell wanted to laugh when they finally broke their embrace and they all truly looked at what Haruhime was wearing. She was actually dressed very similar to Mikoto, but her gear was obviously leagues better. The questions came fast and no one really finished one before another was asked.
"Haruhime, how did you?..."
"Where have you?..."
"When did you?..."
"What are you?..."
Finally, Lord Take stepped in to calm down his familia members. He was excited to see her again as well, but everyone needed to sit down and relax. A proper conversation was in order.
"Calm down... calm down." They always did listen. "Let's go inside and have a seat. Then, everyone can ask their questions of Haruhime in a calm manner so she may actually answer some of them."
The familia members faces burned in shame as Lord Take said that. The God, for his part, said it with a smile. Bell chuckled and Haruhime giggled, it reminded her when they were children.
Lord Take led them to the sitting room, Bell at his side. The rest of his familia members were clinging to Haruhime so he had to be host to Bell for now. Taking in his appearance, it wouldn't be hard to bring up a topic he might enjoy.
The young man obviously wielded a katana. Whether it was two or one was a spare, he had no idea, but that was the easy starting point. His armor looked somewhat modeled after samurai armor. It had other designs that looked custom but at first glance that is what it looked like.
Not to mention, it looked to be made of some black scale he had never seen any armor made from. He was dressed as the most fearsome Far Eastern Warrior Take had ever seen. However, he had white hair, red eyes, and pale skin... so he looked absolutely nothing like someone from the Far East.
"I like your katana, Bell. Do you enjoy the culture of the Far East?"
"I do, Lord Takemik-"
"Just call me Take, Bell. My whole name is a mouthful."
"As you wish, Lord Take. I do enjoy the culture there. Both of my parents enjoyed it, and it so happens I ended up marrying a Princess from there." Bell couldn't help but grin at Haruhime. "I'd say my interest in Far Eastern culture has paid off. And I want to thank you." He bows slightly while they walk. "These weapons belonged to my father. It means a great deal that someone such as yourself appreciates them, Lord Take."
The place wasn't very big and that was all the conversation they needed to have before arriving in the sitting room. They all sat down and waited for the tea to be served. Once they had that out of the way, they started their conversation in earnest.
They knew about Haruhime being given to those men but didn't find out about it until she had already been sent away. Haruhime teared up a bit realizing they were going to try and save her if they could.
Then she told them about Bell. How he saved her from those men. How he offered to give her a home. How he trained her. How they traveled the countryside defeating monsters for villages, and finally about their wedding two years ago.
Haruhime had read so many hero stories, she was very good at telling them. By the time she was done, everyone knew what hero story was now Haruhime's favorite, Bell's. They had all noticed he was very composed, but he turned red as a tomato when Haruhime gushed about him singing to her.
Bell was very grateful for Mikoto's last question. He needed to talk about the other reason they were here other than a reunion, and it was why Haruhime left some out of her original story. Plus, he needed to go back to his normal shade of white.
"Wait, if you killed monsters and trained. Are you already in a Familia?"
"We are. It is also part of the reason we came to see you today. We were hoping to form an alliance with your familia..." Bell stops them when most are about to agree immediately. "However, an alliance with us will more than likely bring you danger as well."
They all look at him puzzled, but it is Haruhime that speaks up next.
"Bell is the Captain, and I am the Vice-Captain... of the Zeus Familia..."
Bell sees them not able to reply and takes the opportunity to explain further.
"We would offer you all the protection that comes with an alliance of very close friends, but that will also mean gaining some enemies, namely Loki and Freya. While Freya is almost a certainty, Loki might wise up and leave us alone. Having those two Familias as possible enemies is something you really need to think about. You know where our home is now, stop by after you talk about it."
Bell and Haruhime stand to take their leave for the day. Takemikazuchi Familia does the same, but they are all a bit stunned. Bell figured he might as well get all the shocking developments out there so he doesn't kill them later. He slides two pieces of paper on the table.
"That first one is the donation Haruhime made in the name of the Takemikazuchi Familia to your shrine back home. That second paper is a list of tailors and seamstresses in the clothing district. We will be throwing a party in the not so far off future. Unlike most of the other Familias who are getting an invite for their God or Goddess plus one, we wanted to invite your entire familia. You can go to those shops for your outfits and we will take care of the cost."
"Thank you, Bell, Haruhime. We will be looking forward to your party."
All the rest were still stunned so it fell to their God to say their thanks. Bell was just glad they hadn't looked at the donation paper yet. He had a feeling they wouldn't be able to leave this place if they had.
With a quick bow and a promise to come to see them again soon, Bell and Haruhime made their way back onto the streets of Orario. They had been at the Takemikazuchi Familia home much longer than they planned on. There was no way Bell was going to cut their reunion short. Haruhime could have stayed until morning and he would have been fine with that.
"So beautiful, what do you want to do next? Hephaestus Familia, food, Goibniu Familia, Dian Cecht Familia, Blue Pharmacy, then home or are you hungry and want to get food and change our order from there?"
"I could eat, but I'm not starving. Perhaps we should head to some of the shops first to see if we can make a contract with some of them?"
"If that is the case, why don't we head to see Lady Hephaestus if she is in? We can just stop at some food stalls and snack. I can't have you fill up too much, I have plans for you tonight."
Haruhime couldn't help herself, that twinkle in his eye made her. She pressed herself right up against him and looked into those beautiful ruby eyes.
"Oh? Do you miss me that much, my love? Couldn't have me since we were traveling with so many people that you had to make a special night for us?"
"While that is true, it isn't what I meant." Bell chuckled at Haruhime's cute tilt of her head. "I saw you eyeing those dresses of my mother's so... I had one of the servants who came with us go make dinner reservations for us at that fancy restaurant grandfather told us about."
Haruhime didn't need to close any distance, she was right in Bell's face pressed up against him. She pressed her lips to his and got lost in those lips, as she always did when they kissed.
It wasn't until someone walking by said "Get a room!" that they finally broke apart. This was nothing new to them. They always seemed to forget where they were when they kissed.
It was just much different in Orario then the villages they were used to. In the villages, everyone was either used to it or there were so few people they rarely got seen.
"Now I'm tempted to put the rest of this off until tomorrow. I need to make sure I look beautiful enough for you to take me out tonight."
Bell laughed at her, he still didn't understand Haruhime sometimes. He tucked the hair that escaped behind her ear and stared into those beautiful emerald eyes.
"I'd say you could go in your pajamas and still be the most beautiful woman to ever exist. However, we both know I'd never let anyone else see you in your pajamas."
"You do enjoy my pajamas, don't you my love?"
"Mmm, there is very little in this world I enjoy more. I'm looking forward to seeing you in them tonight after all that traveling and missing out on them."
Bell was certainly not lying. While Haruhime was obviously from the Far East and her choices certainly reflected that, everything from her clothing to her weapons and armor were decidedly Far Eastern.
However, her choice of bedclothes was not at all inspired by the Far East. Not that Bell would know, but he assumed what she wore to bed was more along the lines of what those who worked in the Entertainment District wore.
Just thinking about seeing his beautiful wife climbing into their bed wearing those once more made him move to capture her lips once more. Before he could, he felt a finger pressed against his lips stopping him from proceeding. He did pout a little when he saw Haruhime stopping him, she giggled at that before saying.
"Patience, husband. You're not going to deny your wife a romantic night out on the town, are you?" Bell shook his head but the pout was still there. "Good, then stop distracting me so we can finish up and get ready for our date!"
Haruhime gives him a quick peck on the cheek, takes his hand, and starts walking toward their next stop. Bell wanted to pout some more, but the thought of Haruhime all dressed up to go out tonight had him following Haruhime without any protest.
They stopped at a few food stalls and tried some different things. They both enjoyed trying foods neither had ever heard of before. Haruhime knew she wouldn't get to cook much anymore, but she was determined to at least learn to make a few of these new dishes.
Haruhime had pictured being Bell's wife from almost the moment she had met him. She always assumed she would be like any of the other wives married to a man from a village, but that did not happen.
She would honestly be happy right now if she was nothing more than his supportive wife at home who cooked dinner, did the laundry, and helped him relax after a day in the dungeon. However, that would make her a serious liability in this city, if she was that weak.
Haruhime still got those normal moments with Bell though, even if she was more than his wife. Thinking about dinner tonight was one of those moments. They would be nothing more than a husband and wife enjoying a night out.
The thought brought a smile to her face as they rode the lift up to the floor Lady Hephaestus had her office on. Although, judging from the stares they started getting as they approached Babel, a lot of people already knew who they were.
That might make dinner a little less private, but didn't mean it wouldn't still be special. Haruhime gripped Bell's arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. Bell put his arm around her and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
Haruhime didn't know what would happen in Orario, but she knew she'd be happy as long as she had Bell.
So there it is... my 'two-shot' lol... Well, you know the deal now, just getting ideas out of my head... I wanted this one to be different than my others, and I wrote this a while ago without the knowledge of who Syr is, Bell's mom and dad, etc. Not only that, I wanted a different Bell because I love having him have different personalities. In this one, Bell is still a hero, but a different kind than we are used to. I have a great idea exactly how to explain it in very few words, but I'd have to write another two or three chapters before that moment would present itself. If you read this on AO3, you'll see the tag 'Bell has a dark side' You get a little glimpse of it here, but I'll explain how it came about soon enough if I continue this. I've decided that I'm going to keep writing the two that get the most favorites and follows after I finish Overlord. Don't get your hopes up too much though lol. I still have a very long time before that is over (About 6 months if I hustle lol). I think I'll be adding a second chapter to each as well to make it even. Can't have some with two chapters and some with one and let it be a fair decision on which story you'd rather see. So, Fav and Follow whichever 'two-shots' you enjoy, and I'll choose from those. I'll probably let it go for a few months, and then decide so I can start making an outline for a story, etc. One last thing to keep in mind, if the story is rated T, it WILL NOT have smut. The ones I posted that are rated M, WILL HAVE smut. Please don't choose a story like this one or The Return of the Monsters' Hero and ask repeatedly for smut lol, it won't happen in any story I rate T. Thanks everyone and I'm eager to see which of my DanMachi fanfic ideas you want to see continued!
