Last Hero's Vow

by agopessimist

Born with a disease that tore his body apart, Bell struggled to survive the moment he was born. His life was filled with pain and loneliness, until she came. And one day, he swore a solemn vow to be the Last Hero she wanted to see appear in the world. Years later, Bell arrives to Orario prepared to fulfil his promise, no matter his illness. And not even Death itself will stop him.

2. Chapter 2

Hello, and thank you for your patience! I am so sorry this next chapter took so long to come out! Lot of personal stuff came up, and I also just started my Masters so I've been pretty busy these past couple of months. And also, I wanted to take some time off and wait until more info came out with the release of Volume 18 and Sword Oratoria 13 in Japan, since there might be some new story elements that might have been revealed.

And I'm not gonna lie, part of the reason it took me so long to get this chapter out was due to the backlash I've seen in the fandom since Volume 18 came out. I don't think I've ever seen such a mixed reaction to a volume, and it made me second-guess myself on whether I should try and have Bell join Freya Familia in this story if so many people hate Freya Familia. For me personally, even though I haven't read the entire novel and have only seen the spoilers, I'm still satisfied with what I've seen and I like the volume and the ending Freya/Syr has. My only regret with Volume 18 was that I do wish that Loki Familia participated.

But yeah, I got pretty worried that this story might get a lot of hate if I try to make Bell join Freya Familia in this story. A lot of people gave really good reasons for Bell to join other Familia, including Loki, Astraea, Artemis, and Hestia Familia, and I can definitely understand why. It's far easier for me to write about Bell being in any of those Familia since the members in each one are super friendly (eh, save for Bete) and have plenty of interactions with Bell in canon so writing interactions between them is pretty easy. Even I had to second-guess myself and question whether I should just change things around and have Bell join one of them.

Ultimately though, I chose Freya Familia for a variety of reasons. When I try to write fanfics, even though I may take inspiration from other works, I still try to give an original take and premise. And speaking truthfully, there are already so many incredible fanfics out there that have Bell join Loki or Astraea Familia while still having him be slightly aware of his heritage. I especially would like to give a shout-out to the story Jackalope Rising by user Letsil, whose story is fantastic and has Bell join Loki Familia at a young age. There are other stories just like that and a hundred times better than mine, and I don't like the idea of writing a fanfic that has already been written many times before. I don't see a lot of fanfics with Bell in Freya Familia, and while I know it'll be an incredible challenge to make this work, I still would like to give it a try.

And most of all, I want Bell to suffer and struggle during his time in Orario, and who better to help in that misery than Freya Familia? Don't worry, this won't be one of those super dark, edgy fanfics (you know exactly which ones I'm talking about lol). But I wanted to write a story where Bell will have to constantly be trying to overcome his own weaknesses and self-doubt while working towards a goal most would deem impossible. While Freya herself may have a soft spot for him, the rest of her Familia doesn't, something made abundantly clear in Volumes 16-18. Not only would Bell have to deal with his own sickness, he'll also have to deal with the hell that is Folkvangr as well as the jealousy and hatred of his own fellow Familia members. If I put Bell in Loki, Astraea, or Hestia Familia, then he'll be having a much easier time trying to reach his goal since he'll be surrounded by people who will be there to support him. Of course, this doesn't mean that Bell won't have ANY friends or allies in this story, but that he'll have to overcome a lot of cynicism and hatred aimed towards him at the beginning, and I want to emphasize that struggle.

That's pretty much my main rationale for having Bell join in Freya Familia, and of course there is the big reason that Freya Familia is more connected to Zeus and Hera Familia than arguably even Loki Familia, and it'll be a nice parallel having a certain Boar be the one to look after the last living member of a Familia who helped him rise to the top. And besides, Ottar is my favorite Freya Familia member, and the guy deserves more love in the fandom.

I truly appreciate everyone who favorited and followed this story, and for all the praise and reviews you guys gave for the first chapter! I never expected to get such an emotional response, and I hope to meet all your guys' expectations in the coming chapters! It'll be tough having to write a Bell and Freya Familia-centric story, but I'll do my best!

One last thing: I gave this a lot of time and thought, and I ultimately decided to change my mind and have Astraea Familia be alive and present in this story. I have a lot of really nice ideas on what to do with them in the story, and some good interactions with Bell and the not-so-serious-this-time Best Elf lol.

---

7 years later...

.

.

.

The sky was a murky gray, with droplets of rain falling down in droves. All to cover the tears that streamed down Bell's face as he stared at the grave of his grandfather.

No one knew how it happened, or where his body was. All he knew was that one of his neighbors came knocking on his door, saying that his grandfather was involved in an accident, and that he fell over the cliffside when he got ambushed by monsters. Despite his illness, Bell followed after him and spent the next many hours looking in vain for his grandfather's remains.

Nothing. He couldn't find a single bit of his grandfather anywhere. No clothes, no blood, absolutely nothing. For a short minute, he hoped that this meant he was alive, but the rest of villagers all shook their heads in dismay. His grandfather was accompanied by several other villagers who went to patrol the local fields for any signs of monsters. Their party got ambushed by a large group of goblins, and in a horrible twist of fate, his grandfather was caught unawares and slipped off of the cliffside to his death. The river down below would have washed away any trace of his body.

Bell didn't care. He prayed to the gods that his grandfather was still alive, and he ran across the countryside looking for clues. It wasn't until he started seizing up again and coughing up copious amounts of blood, were the villagers finally able to haul him away back to his house.

Just like that, another member of his family, gone. He lost his mom, he lost his Uncle Zald, and now he lost his beloved grandfather. A man who loved women with a passion like no other, but who loved him and heroes more than anything else in this world. A man who never once thought his fantasies and goals were futile.

He sank to his knees and grabbed the edges of the gravestone, no longer bothering to hide his moans of grief as he cried his eyes out to the Heavens above.

He was all alone now.

By the time his tears stopped, the rain had fully stopped, and the sky turned a dark purple as the clouds parted, revealing the night sky and the stars above. A lone shooting star sailed across the sky and beyond the mountains, but Bell paid no heed to it. Standing up, he wiped the tear stains from his face, and tried his best to wear a smile as he spoke to his grandfather for the last time.

"Grandpa. I want… no, I will become a Hero. Just like the ones you told me in your stories. And I'll be the Hero Mom and Uncle Zald wanted. I know I'm really sick, and I couldn't get much training done, but I still want to try. I won't give up, not until I make you three proud. And I promise that I won't take what you all gave me for granted." A violent cough tore through his throat, but he fought it down, and clenched his fist. "I won't let my sickness stop me. Never again."

Turning back towards his house, he gave one last glance towards the gravestone of his grandfather, flanked on each side by the gravestones for his mother and uncle, before steeling himself and marching towards his future.

---

"I never thought that I'd be going to Orario now, after all these years." Bell remarked as he began packing his things away. Ever since his grandfather encouraged him to follow his own path, he had spent the last 7 years trying to do anything to prepare himself for the trip. As much as he wanted to go to Orario right away, his grandfather rightly pointed out that in his current state he wouldn't get anywhere without potentially dying on the way to the city thanks to his sickness. A sickness that still refuses to fully heal even after spending his entire life in this Spirit-blessed village.

From the small bits of gossip he heard around the village as merchants came and went, Orario was a very dangerous place 7 years ago. A group of villains and dangerous people waged war against Orario from within, and as a result most of the world had cut itself off from the City completely, refusing to interact with it save for the much needed exports of Magic Stones. It was only in the last 5 years that things had begun to finally calm down, and Orario opened itself up to the world once again.

Bell thought that that was his chance to finally go to Orario when word came around 5 years ago that things were finally looking up for the City at the center of the world. But sadly, his sickness had only worsened over the past 7 years, and no matter how much he wanted to train himself his efforts were fruitless. No one in the village knew how to fight save for knowing how to stab a pitchfork into a goblin. His grandfather, while as strong as any able-bodied man, knew not how to properly fight with a sword, nor how to help train Bell to be a good fighter when he would suddenly seize up and start heavily coughing up blood. If he wants to get any formal training, he'll have to find it in Orario once he gets into a Familia.

He had been patient, hoping that maybe when he was a bit older his sickness would improve and he'd be strong enough to travel to Orario. But his sickness never improved, and out of respect for his grandfather's worry for him, he abstained from going to Orario until today.

His grandfather was no longer around to worry over him anymore. He'll never read stories to him again, and Bell will never be able to see his grandfather's smile, perverted or not, nor will he ever have to rescue his grandfather from an angry husband after flirting with the wives.

The thought brought a pain of remorse in his heart, but he shook his head and tried to smile. He thought of the good memories he had with him, all the times he brought a smile to his face whenever he read to him the tales of the heroes of old like Argonaut, Epimetheus, and Fianna. The hilarious tales of bravery he would tell him about his Uncle Zald and Mom (that he was sure were exaggerated. How could Uncle Zald have sliced a monster as big as a mountain in half with one attack after eating its flesh?), and the cackle in his voice after trying and failing to seduce a traveling merchant or elven bard.

His grandfather has lived his life to the fullest, and he left this world content. Bell should remember all the happy times with him, and his mother and uncle.

'Even though she had to depend on others to live, she never forgot the value of 'living'. She never lowered herself, never forgot to thank others, and never bowed in defeat, even in the face of hellish pain. She smiled and never lost the meaning of living life in the present.'

Remembering Alfia's words about his birth mother made Bell smile. Just as his mother kept on smiling and moving forward despite her pain, so too would he as he marched forward towards his goal.

He scanned the house one more time, checking if he'd forgotten to pack anything else. While he and his grandfather never lacked for anything, his village could hardly call itself well-off. Most of what they had came either from the very land itself or from trade with wandering merchants. All Bell had that belonged to him were his clothes and his grandfather's story books. He had no weapons, as Uncle Zald had taken them with him when he and his mom left all those years ago, and Bell doubted a shovel would stand a chance against a Monster from the Dungeon.

No, there was one more thing he needed to bring.

He went up to his room and found it: a small necklace with an emerald pendant. The last thing his mother gave him before she left forever. Holding back tears, Bell held it to his lips and placed a tender kiss on it, before wearing it across his neck. He would never part with it as long as he was alive.

"Well, that's everything." Bell said, giving a somber glance around the now empty and quiet house for the final time. For the first time, he would be leaving the village and wintry fields that had been his entire life for the world beyond. Stepping outside, Bell plucked several different plants that grew around his front yard before carefully placing them in his rucksack that contained all his earthly possessions.

These plants were the sole reason why he was raised in this village since he was born. His grandfather once told him that these herbs were the product of ancient magic and the life force of many Great Spirits who once dwelled here and frolicked with no worry in the world. Even after the Spirits had all but vanished from these lands long ago, their life force and power remained in the earth, and as a result these miraculous plants continued to grow here. Even the very air and wind here were considered remnants of the power of a Great Spirit of the Wind, who supposedly fell in love with a renowned mercenary. Blessed by her and the power of her fellow Great Spirits, these herbs could be turned into a medicine that cured all but the most grievous illnesses, and though it could never truly cure him or his mother and uncle, they provided much needed relief.

Bell always had to drink the medicinal drought made from them a few times each day to reduce the severity of his sickness. He wasn't sure how, but he'd have to find a way to grow and cultivate them in Orario so that he'd have a ready supply of medicine for himself. Maybe he could find an apothecary or a Familia who specialized in medicines and potions and hire them to grow and turn them into medicine for him.

Of course, he'd need to have a steady income first, and until he finds a Familia who can train him and help him raise money, he'll have to be frugal and ration the limited stock of herbs he has.

With everything he'd need for the long trip to Orario ready, Bell gave one last glance toward the house that held his happiest memories, and marched forward into an uncertain future.

To his surprise, many of the villagers were waiting for him at the village entrance. Young and old, they all gave him looks of concern or pity as they saw him walk towards the entrance, rucksack on his shoulder.

The Village Elder, the same one who greeted Zald and Alfia for the first time to their village 7 years ago, was the first one to make his way towards him.

"Bell, you don't have to do this," he begged. "Being an adventurer is a dangerous life. You can still live a normal life here."

Bell only gave a smile in response. "I know it might be dangerous, but this is what I want to do. I made a promise to Mom that I'd be a hero, and I want to keep that promise."

The elder closed his eyes somberly. "I understand you're still hurting from the absence of your aunt and uncle, but please reconsider! Your grandfather just passed away, and now you want to throw away your life so soon? He died from monsters! I would never forgive myself if you would suffer the same fate."

Bell shook his head. "I'm not changing my mind. I made a promise to Mom a long time ago, and I now have the chance to fulfill it. You know I've wanted to go to Orario for years now. It was only because things seemed so dangerous over there and Grandpa's wish that I stayed. Now things have calmed down, and I want to give it a shot." Briefly raising his arm to his mouth to cover a bloody cough, Bell winced in pain before giving a resolute face. "I will become a hero."

Walking past the elder and the remaining villagers, Bell began his trek towards the nearest town where he could hire a merchant to take him to Orario.

As he departed, the rest of the villagers watched him vanish off the horizon. Some like the village elder who were quite fond of the sick boy looked on with remorse while many others, including several teenagers, scoffed at his foolishness.

"Damn kid is gonna end up just like the rest of his family." One villager spoke. "Wanna bet that he's not gonna last till the Winter Solstice?"

"How can you say that, after everything that's happened to him!?" Another voice cried out, this one belonging to an adult woman. "He's hurting, and he wants the chance to prove himself to his family! You shouldn't make bets like this behind his back!"

"Really, you actually sympathize with the kid? Weren't you the one who always was ready to give the Gramps a good slap every time he tried to flirt with you?"

"That was only for Old Man Cranell, and besides! I never wanted him to die! He may be an annoying flirt but he was the only family Bell had after Miss Alfia and Mister Zald left. And Bell is a sweetheart. Poor boy didn't choose to be born like he is."

"Regardless, the kid's in way over his head. He might be somewhat fine here around this area, but past the mountains and into the city? He's gonna be coughing up blood nonstop. Hell, he'll probably keel over and die on the way there."

As the village became divided over their feelings, the village elder could only sigh as he continued to watch the edge of the village despite Bell having long left the area.

In truth, he had his own misgivings about the boy's goal, and he worried that Bell might not survive what's in store for him. He briefly thought back to that fateful day 7 years ago, when those two mysterious strangers arrived on the eve of the Winter Solstice. While he never set foot in Orario, he had done his fair share of traveling in his youth, and he could tell that those two were strong. Absurdly strong. He could easily imagine them being around Level 5 or 6 in strength (if the young woman's demonic voice didn't clue him in already). What he could never expect was for the woman to immediately run off and hug the young Bell to her bosom as she quietly cried.

The memory of that event brought a smile to his face. Bell Cranell had been sick and lonely ever since he and his grandfather arrived at the village all those years ago. He sympathized with the poor lad, who grew up sickly pale, thin as a skeleton, and throwing up his life essence away at regular intervals. His condition made it extremely difficult for him to socialize or make any friends in his youth. Most adults only gave him looks of pity or took their frustrations with his flirtatious grandfather on him, and the other children mocked and bullied him. It frustrated him how his scolding did little to dissuade them, and how ambivalent most of the villagers were. There were a few who did their best to try and help, but Bell was at home for most of the day because of his sickness, and his grandfather spent the day either trying to get laid or working in the fields.

The arrival of his aunt and uncle breathed new life into him, and the transformation was dramatic. While his grandfather never starved him, Bell was so ill and frail that you could feel his very bones from lightly touching his arm, and he seldom left his house lest he start vomiting copious amounts of blood on the ground.

But the moment they came, it was as if that sickly child no longer existed. While still frail and ill, Bell looked more and more like a normal child and less like a skeleton. His uncle's cooking helped fill him out, and his aunt and grandfather's care made him truly smile for the first time in his life. His bullies were scared into submission, and no one dared to lay a finger on him with his monstrous aunt and uncle ever present.

It was such a shame that they chose to leave and never come back, and he wondered what Bell's life would have been like had they stayed. Would he have been content to spend the rest of his days here like he had? Would he have still aspired to be like the heroes in his stories?

He shook his head. No point in agonizing over 'what-ifs', especially at his age. He could only pray that Bell's journey would be fruitful, and without strife or pain.

"Godspeed, Bell Cranell." He quietly whispered, before returning silently to his home.

---

Alvis was seriously considering throwing his sole passenger out of his cart.

What started as a simple ride to Orario quickly spiraled into a headache and a journey of non-stop anxiety as he continued to hear the shallow breaths and bloody vomiting of his sole passenger in the back. He constantly began wondering if his passenger was going to keel over and die on their way to Orario, and sadly the damn kid was too stubborn to consider taking a break or to stop at a village or hospital.

"Dammit, kid! For 5 minutes! Could you please stop coughing your lungs out, FOR 5 MINUTES!" he roared at the back, as Bell bent over the side of the cart and started puking blood out.

"I-I'm sorry for the trouble!" Bell hastily apologized. He quickly took a small sip of medicine from his flask, which brought some small relief to his lungs. He had already used up a third of the herbs he brought with him on his route to Orario, and he needed to start rationing or else he'd be in serious trouble should he run out while trying to find a Familia.

"Seriously! It's one thing to be sick enroute to Orario. Hell, there are plenty of people who'd make the trip to get treated by Dea Saint, but you've refused to make me stop anywhere near a town or city to get that cough looked at. I swear, if I catch that weird sickness of yours by the time we get there, I'm gonna charge you triple the price for the trip!" Alvis yelled.

"It-cough-it's not contagious! I've had this since I was born."

Alvis sighed. "Well, I suppose that's as good a reason as any to brave the trip to the city, I guess. You trying to see Dea Saint too?"

"Dea Saint?"

"You haven't heard of her before? Her name's Airmid Teasanare, Captain of Dian Cecht Familia. Young lass is probably the greatest healer in the whole damn world. She's been active in Orario for the past 7-9 years, and there isn't a single sickness out there that she hasn't cured." Alvis scoffed. "Good luck trying to get her to see you, though. From what I've heard, she's willing to treat anyone, but her god's a pretty greedy scumbag. He'd make even a common cold cost you an arm and a leg, and he's pretty protective of her too. Hope ya saved enough money to pay for your treatment. Not to mention the return trip back."

Bell saved that piece of info for later. Maybe once he saved enough money he could visit this young woman and ask if she could take a look at his sickness, but he had doubts that she'd be able to heal him. If even the herbs grown from the power of Great Spirits couldn't fully heal him or his family, then there was little hope that this Dea Saint person could help him. "I'm not planning on returning, actually. I actually wanted to go to Orario to be an Adventurer."

Alvis was stunned into silence, before exploding in a cacophony of laughter. "HAHA! Good one there, lad! And here I thought I'd be hearing nothing but your annoying coughs this entire trip! At least ya got a good sense of humor!"

When Bell gave no reply back, he turned around to see a frown on Bell's face that quickly changed to a nonchalant smile. "No, it's true. I'm planning on-cough, cough-joining a Familia, and becoming a hero."

Alvis wasn't impressed. "Boy, I'm gonna be blunt. You're in way over your head. Just look at yourself! You're just a skinny country-bumpkin from bum-fuck nowhere, and ya look like you can barely even carry that rucksack of yours, let alone a weapon. Do ya even have a weapon on ya?" The lack of response made him sigh in disappointment. "Never thought I'd be ferrying a fool with a deathwish."

Bell gave a small, forced chuckle. "I've heard that a lot, but it isn't going to stop me. I always wanted to be a hero, and I made a promise that I intend to keep."

"Ya want my advice? Give up on that promise, go see Dea Saint for that cough of yours, and go home. Even if you get lucky and get that sickness of yours cured, you're gonna have shit luck when it comes to getting yourself a good Familia to join."

Bell's eyes lit up. "Do you know any good Familia in Orario? Like, the really strong ones, or ones that go to the Dungeon a lot?"

"You really wanna be an Adventurer that badly, huh? Hmph. Well, I've been a merchant for the past 10 years, so I know all the major Familia. In terms of who's on top, that'd be Freya and Loki Familia, with Astraea Familia coming in at a close 3rd. But good luck getting into any of them. Loki Familia is pretty strict with who they let in. Most people who join are either upper-tier Adventurers from other Familias, or they're graduates from the Education District. And don't get me started on Freya Familia. You join only if the Goddess Freya wants you to join. As for Astraea Familia? They aren't as picky, but their Goddess will only take in women, from what I've heard.

Aside from those three, there's Ganesha Familia, but they mostly focus on security around Orario, and seldom dive into the Dungeon as much compared to the Big Three. There's also Ishtar Familia, but they'd probably fuck you to death if they didn't throw you to the curb." Ignoring Bell's flustered cough and blush, Alvis continued. "I guess there's also Hephaistos Familia, but they're a Smithing Familia. Stay the hell away from Apollo Familia, their god's got a screw loose in his brain. I heard Dionysus Familia's pretty decent, and I guess if you aren't picky about what you want to do, then Hermes Familia is also an option."

"Wow, they sound amazing! I can't wait to try and join them!"

"Boy, did you not listen to a thing I said? Give up. None of those Familia would ever give ya the time of day. They'd all just kick your ass to the curb and spit at your face. Even if you weren't as sick as a poisoned toad, nobody would want an untrained newbie like yourself. Those Familia want quality over quantity, and I hate to be blunt, but ya don't have any quality."

"Then I'll just find a smaller Familia! It doesn't matter to me which one I join, as long as they're willing to take me in!" Bell said with a smile and cheery voice. "Who knows, maybe I can fulfill my grandfather's greatest desire by joining a nice and pretty Goddess!"

"I think your grandfather's got his priorities in the wrong place." Alvis said, a drop of sweat rolling down his face. "What exactly did he want you to do in Orario again?"

"Haha… well, he said that I should, uhm, find a really pretty Goddess to take me in, h-have an encounter in the Dungeon, rescue a pretty girl, make her fall in love with me, and have a harem?"

Alvis stared at his passenger with a dumbstruck expression. "Kid, your grandfather's a pervert."

Bell gave a light-hearted laugh. "Yeah, he loved women like no other. I remember all the times he would try and flirt with the girls in my village, only to get chased by their husbands. But there was one thing he loved more than even women: Heroes. His stories always inspired me growing up, and I wanted to be just like the heroes in his stories. And I fully intend to be a Hero. No matter what it takes."

Alvis stared at him in silence, and continued to stay silent for the rest of their journey, not even commenting when Bell once again fell into a coughing fit and curled up in the fetal position.

Eventually, Bell woke up to the sight of the massive walls of Orario straight ahead. His pain and exhaustion forgotten, he quickly sat up and gazed at the massive city.

'This is it! This is Orario!' Bell thought excitedly. To say the city was massive was an understatement. Orario was truly a gigantic city, practically a country in all but name. As the center of the world and the location of the Dungeon entrance, it carried the world economy through its abundance of magic stones and it served as the beacon of hope for all of humanity. Nearly every great adventurer and hero since the start of the Age of the Gods came from Orario.

'And one day, I'll be one of those heroes too. Don't worry Mom! I will be a hero! Your hero!'

"Well, looks like this is where our ride ends." Alvis said, parking his cart at the end of the large line of people trying to enter the city. "Sucks that the line today is pretty long, but that's par for the course these days." As Bell paid the old man the trip fare, Alvis gave him a hard glare. "I still think you're over your head, but far be it for me to stop you since ya made it this far. If you ever need a ride back home, keep a lookout for me. And hell, if you do manage to get in a good Familia, I'll make all your trips free of charge. Well, best of luck to ya."

Bell nodded and made his way to the back of the line, watching as the cart disappeared over the horizon.

---

Several people turned their heads away or jumped out of the way as they heard the raspy and strained coughing coming from the young boy next to them.

Bell's lungs had filled up with blood once more, and he was forced to violently expel it all into his sleeve in an effort to lower the loud volume of his coughing for the sake of those around him.

Needless to say, it was a futile effort. Even if he managed to lower the amount of noise he was making (which he didn't), the amount of blood he was coughing up was enough to leave a noticeable puddle on the ground.

Men and women all around him quickly stepped out of the way to avoid the red spray, many of whom wore faces of disgust and worry as the puddle of blood only grew the longer he continued to cough.

"Holy shit! Someone get a doctor!"

"Did this guy get the plague or something?"

"Aw, gross! Dude, don't spray blood all over my merchandise! Do you know how much these items cost!? They came all the way from Altena!"

Several cries echoed around him, but thankfully his sorry state was enough for most of the people around him to push him towards the front of the line.

With his coughing fit calming down once more, Bell quickly took a quick draught from his flask and hastily wiped his mouth to remove any traces of blood. He couldn't remove the dark-red stain from the sleeve of his brown jacket, but he had to make himself look as presentable as possible lest the guards bar him entry to the city.

'I need to find an apothecary and a Familia as quickly as I can!' Bell anxiously thought. 'My sickness has only gotten worse since I left the village. If I run out of herbs before I accomplish either of those things, I'm a goner!'

Quickly straightening his brown leather coat, Bell wore a smile that sharply contrasted from his sickly episode earlier and made his way towards the front of the line.

One of the guards was the first to greet him, and Bell saw that the man was heavily built, wearing a large suit of armor with a massive axe holstered to his back. A noticeable scar was visible on his left eye, and Bell could immediately tell that this guard was a seasoned adventurer solely from the way he carried himself. The man walked with purpose and battle-readiness, and it painfully reminded him of Uncle Zald and how he always acted whenever he was on patrol.

No amount of smiling would fool this man, and Bell began to quake in his boots at the possibility that he might not be allowed entrance to Orario.

The Adventurer gave him a quick look before giving Bell a small smile, which greatly surprised him.

"What brings you to Orario, kid? Judging by how you look, I'm guessing it's not for something boring like work or education right? Let me guess, here to see Dea Saint? That was one really nasty cough back there."

Bell couldn't help but turn red in embarrassment. "You saw all of that?"

"Hard not to ignore all that, what with all the people jumping out of the way to avoid the spray. Luckily for you, they were kind enough to push you towards the front."

The adventurer laughed, and Bell felt his embarrassment and anxiety slip away as he smiled in return. Whoever this adventurer was, he could tell that he was a good person at heart.

"Name's Hashana. What's yours?"

"Bell. Bell Cranel!"

"Well then, Bell. What brings you to Orario? Let me guess, you're here for money, fame, or women?"

Bell turned red, remembering the embarrassing words of his grandfather. "I-I'm actually here to become a Hero!"

Hashana raised his eyebrows and smiled in response. "A hero, huh? It's been quite a while since I've had someone come to Orario with that same reason. Well, you've come to the right place! Orario has been through a lot these past 15 years, and we need all the heroes we can get. Although, I'd probably get that cough of yours looked at first before thinking of becoming an Adventurer. Sure you didn't contract anything nasty on the trip here?"

Bell shook his head. "Actually, cough, I've had this since I was born."

Hashana winced in sympathy. "Ah, that's a shame. Sorry to hear about that. Still, my advice still stands. A sickness like that could be life or death in the Dungeon. I'd have pointed you to Dian Cecht Familia but the fee would probably kill you anyway."

"H-how much would it cost for a treatment by Dea Saint?"

"10 million Valis at the cheapest."

"TEN MILLION VALIS!?" He could have bought his entire village with that kind of money!

"Yeah, though to be fair, it's not Dea Saint's fault. She's actually a pretty nice and kind-hearted woman, but her god, Dian Cecht, is a greedy little bastard. Sadly, the only people who get personal treatment by Airmid are either First Class Adventurers or those on Death's door. I don't know how serious your condition is, but I doubt it'll be enough to convince her god to let you see her. My apologies." Hashana finished somberly.

Looks like he won't be paying Airmid a visit anytime soon, Bell thought remorsefully. But he had already been mentally prepared for that possibility when Alvis mentioned her. "Then, do you know any other Familia who might be able to help?"

Hashana lightly scratched his chin in deep thought. "Hmm. I suppose there's always Miach Familia."

"Miach Familia?"

"Yep. They used to be just as popular as Dian Cecht's back in the day, and unlike their god, Miach would treat anyone, regardless of who you are or the cost. Sadly, that Familia fell on hard times a long while back, and Miach lives in an old shack with one Familia member left."

"What happened to them?"

"Hard to say, but from what I remember from the old rumors, Miach Familia ended up in a lot of debt to Dian Cecht, which made most of his members up and leave him. Sadly, that's the only major medical Familia around in Orario at this time. While they don't have someone like Dea Saint, they'd be more than happy to help you. Do you have anything that might help you out, like some medicinal herbs or something?

"Yeah, I do!" Bell pulled out his Spirit herbs from his sack in response, earning a nod from Hashana.

"Good. At least you can give some of those to Miach and he can cultivate them for you. But if you do decide to visit them, then I'd kindly ask you to help them out and chip in whenever you can. Miach, bless him, has a habit of helping people out regardless if he's paid or not, and as heart-warming as that is, it doesn't help put food on the table for him or for his Familia member."

"I understand. I'll try to get some money as soon as I can!"

"Well, best of luck to you kid." Hashana said, waving away the Guild staff who were about to make their way to him.

"You… aren't going to turn me away?"

"Why would I ever do that?"

"Well, because I'm… sick?"

"Kid, the world needs Heroes, and just because the Dark Days are over doesn't mean that all our troubles have disappeared overnight. We still need people to explore the Dungeon, kill monsters, and one day finish the Last Quest. I'd gladly take in anyone who's willing to brave the unknown and fight for mankind. And besides, you seem like a good kid. Even if you're pretty sick, I have a feeling that you'd make it far here."

Bell felt warmth blossom in his heart. Finally, someone who actually believed in him!

"Thank you so much, Mr. Hashana!" Bell bowed in gratitude.

"No need for that, we're all on the same side here." Hashana said, waving off his platitudes. "I've been an adventurer for quite a while, and I'm a Level 4, so if you want any advice then I'd be happy to lend some."

"Well then… what's the most important thing an adventurer should have?"

Hashana raised his hand to his chin in deep thought. "Hmm. I guess you can say there's two things that come to mind. First one is, finding the right god."

"Finding the right god?"

"Yep. While it's great that you want to be an adventurer, finding the right god is just as important. Sadly, the Guild doesn't have the resources or staff to teach or train new adventurers how to fight. They can only give you the basics and assign you an Advisor who can teach you about the ins and outs of the Dungeon. But learning how to fight, how to manage your resources, how to work as a team with your fellow Familia and party members, and how to make connections with other Familia and the City? Only a respectable god can do that, and it's good to find a god who's willing to support your goals and can give you the training and experience you need to survive. Once you get a Falna you're stuck with that god for an entire year, unless they get sent back to Heaven. So it's important to choose wisely.

And secondly, and probably the most important thing an Adventurer should have, is luck."

"Luck?"

"The Guild and your Familia can only do so much to help you, and the Dungeon is unpredictable and prone to stabbing you in the back when you least expect it. Anything can go wrong in the Dungeon, and you might find yourself trapped in a corner with no way out. That's why it's always good to have some fortune on your side. And besides, a little luck can go a long way."

"Hashana, are you done serenading the kid yet? We still need to screen him." Someone, a Guild employee from the looks of it, interrupted their conversation. Hashana just waved him off once again.

"Oh, relax. Just look at him. Does he look like a spy or someone suspicious to you? Kid's pretty sick, too. I can tell he's a newbie."

"Sorry, but orders are orders. The last thing I want is for Royman to be breathing down my neck for missing someone. Monsterphilia is gonna be starting soon, and he's been pretty picky about security."

Hashana sighed. "Sorry, Bell, but don't worry. This shouldn't take long."

The Guild member marched up to Bell. "I would like you to raise your shirt up and turn around, please."

Bell raised his eyebrows. "Raise my shirt up?"

"It's to check if you have a Falna or not. Rather not have some spies from Rakia or Altena trying to breach the city walls. I have a Magic Item to check for any hidden Statuses as well. Don't worry, this should be pretty quick."

Bell turned around and raised the back of his shirt. The Guild employee winced in response.

"Damn, you're pretty much skin and bones dude! Have you been starving yourself or something?"

"I didn't starve! I've just been like this since I was born." Bell hated the notion that his grandfather starved him, a rumor that had circulated around the village for as long as he could remember.

"Well, whatever. Anyways, looks like Hashana was right. You're as clean as a whistle. Well, I would say that if you weren't covered in your own blood. Seriously, I hope you aren't bringing in any weird diseases into the City!

Anyways, if you want to become an Adventurer, registration occurs at the Guild, located at the center of Orario. Just remember that registration can only happen if you have a Falna and are accepted into a Familia. Sadly, we can't help you on that front. The Guild needs to be an impartial entity, so you're on your own." The Guild employee lowered Bell's shirt and gave him some official documents. "Other than that, welcome to Orario."

"Good luck out there, Bell Cranell." Hashana waved as Bell excitedly ran past the large gateway into the city. "Well, looks like my shift is over. Time to get going."

"You got somewhere to be?" The Guild employee from earlier asked.

"Yeah, got a bit of an oddball quest from Hermes Familia. I'm gonna be heading to the Deep Floors in a few days, and I need to stop by Tsubaki's for something. Here's hoping it isn't too much of a pain in the ass." He quickly strapped on the rest of his armor and made his way towards the entrance.

"You really think that kid has a chance? Poor sod looks like a breeze will kill him. Doubt any Familia would take him in unless they're really desperate."

Hashana only gave a small smile in response. "You never know with these little brats. And besides, I have a feeling in my gut that he's gonna be taking this city by storm."

---

Bell could feel his jaw loosely hanging from his head as he took in the sights around him.

Orario was like an entirely different world compared to the small village he hailed from. Buildings and shops surrounded him on all sides, and people of all ages and races walked and chatted on the sidelines. The scent of warm food and ale wafted through the air, and yet the air remained fairly clean and clear. And of course, what drew Bell's attention the moment he entered was the massive tower that dominated the city skyline.

Babel Tower. The seat of the Gods, the headquarters of the Guild, and the pin that sealed off the Dungeon from the outside world.

Bell couldn't help but shiver in excitement, his sickness momentarily forgotten. This was it! He was truly in Orario, the City of Heroes! If he wasn't feeling ill, he would have been jumping up and down in joy, even if it made him look like a weirdo to the people around him.

But he couldn't help it! He was here, actually here!

"Mom, Uncle, Grandpa! I'm here! I'm in Orario! I'm gonna be an Adventurer!"

A loud commotion grabbed his attention a couple blocks down, and he quickly made his way over. The entire street was surrounded by awestruck onlookers, and sadly he was unable to figure out just what was causing the immense fervor.

"Excuse me," Bell tapped on the shoulder of a man eagerly waving at the center of the street. "What's going on over there?"

"Haven't you heard!? Loki Familia just came back from an expedition!"

"Loki Familia?"

"Huh!? You've never heard of them before!? What backwater village did you pop out of? They're one of the top 2 Familia in all of Orario, and one of the strongest Familias in the entire world! They constantly dive into the Deep Floors, and they're so strong they've been nicknamed the Giant Slayers by the Gods!"

Bell glanced at the procession just making its way towards his direction, and he was awestruck by the sight before him.

A Pallum holding a golden spear. A Dwarf wielding a battle axe larger than his own body. And a High Elf radiating with poise and elegance. These three carried themselves with pride and boldly marched down the street with their heads high and a proud smile on their faces. They were the spitting image of the heroes Bell worshiped in his books back home, and he felt a spark of elation burst forth in his heart seeing these gallant heroes of the modern age making their presence known.

Bell couldn't help but find himself enraptured by the sight. These were the kind of heroes he wanted to become!

The Pallum in the front made it a habit to wave at everyone cheering for them, and not far behind the trio were several other figures, including a pair of Amazons, a Wolf-person, and an Elven girl eagerly following behind another feminine figure who tried to hide herself from the crowd of onlookers.

"Holy shit, it's the Sword Princess! Man, I'm so glad I was in the right place and the right time to see her come here!"

"The Sword Princess?"

"Seriously!? You don't even know who she is!? She's Aiz Wallenstein! Pretty much one of the most famous Adventurers in all the world, and probably the strongest gal in the entire world! She's also infamous for rejecting 1,000 suitors!" The man jumped up and down and waved in the air to try and get her attention.

"Aiz… Wallenstein?" For some reason, the name felt slightly foreign, yet also strangely familiar to him, as if the name was translated from a different language. Maybe he heard the name from a book somewhere?

But just as that train of thought entered his mind, a searing pain suddenly erupted within his body, and Bell quickly hunched forward in pain, collapsing onto the floor and clutching his heart.

As blood began to seep from his mouth, nose, and eyes, he hastily reached for the flask at his hip. Only for an unwitting onlooker to accidentally kick it further into the street in his excitement.

Panicking, Bell tried to stand up, but his sudden seizure made him fall flat onto the ground, and he was forced to slowly crawl on the ground towards his fallen flask, with the sheer number of people crowding the street making it difficult to navigate through. Blood continued to pool up in his mouth, and he ended up violently coughing it up all over the ground as he tried in vain to reach his medicine.

"No, I can't-cough, cough, let this end here!" Bell yelled as he poured whatever strength he had left in his arms and legs to crawl forward. Sadly, as the Sword Princess made her way closer towards them, the people surrounding him grew more excited and they all rushed forward to get a closer glimpse of her, unwittingly kicking and stepping on the downed boy below them. One kick landed on the back of his head, and any fight left in his body was quickly snuffed out.

"No way, the Sword Princess is coming here! She's heading towards us!"

"Aiz Wallenstein, please marry me!"

"I want to see her more up close!"

"Sword Princess, please look at me!"

The voices around Bell grew more muffled as he started to fall unconscious, the tremors in his body too strong for him to manually control his limbs anymore.

'Is this… the end for me?' Bell thought, blood freely dripping from his orifices. He couldn't even feel anything from his fingers anymore, and his vision began to dim. His legs stopped twitching and stood still, and he could feel his heartbeat begin to slow down.

'Is this where things end for me? Was my journey pointless?'

He could no longer hear the voices around him. All the sights around him turned black, with only a small, bright light present at the end of his vision.

'I guess they were right after all. I was just in way over my head. Heh, and to think it would all end the moment I finally came to Orario.'

He felt, rather than heard, the vibrations of someone heading in his direction.

'At least I finally made it to Orario, the City of Heroes. What better place to have it all end here?'

He might not have become a Hero, but at least he could die in the place where they all came from.

'Grandfather. Uncle Zald. Mom. I'm sorry.'

But just before he was lost into oblivion, a calm and gentle wind caressed his body. It felt soothingly nostalgic, and as it blanketed his body, it dove into his body and perforated his drowning lungs. Forcefully pushing the blood out of his lungs and throat, Bell violently coughed and hastily drew in the air around him.

"Uhm, are you okay?" A young, feminine voice echoed out from above him.

Bell felt something get pressed to his mouth, and he opened his lips as medicine poured down his throat. With each sip, the blackness surrounding his vision slowly ebbed away, and he could feel sensation in his limbs once again. He also noticed that the voices around him were unusually subdued from their previous frenzied state.

After several long draughts, Bell regained control of his body once more, and with a few blinks he regained most of his vision. And what graced his sight would forever be engraved into his memory.

A blonde girl with golden eyes and only a couple of years older than him was kneeling on the ground next to him, holding his discarded flask in her hand. The girl wore a steel armor plate that molded over her bosom, and underneath it was a white and blue shirt with an accompanying black skirt. A white scabbard was holstered to her side containing a blue-hilted rapier, and though her expression stayed mostly blank, her eyes were lidded in worry.

She was one of the most beautiful women Bell had ever seen in his life, and he could only stare at her in utter awe.

"Damn, that is one lucky kid, getting the Sword Princess to fawn over him."

"Idiot! Didn't you see the blood all over the floor? Poor sod would have bled to death if she didn't come."

Bled to death? Bell looked at the ground and his eyes shot wide open as he saw the massive pool of blood around him.

"Wha-what happened?" Bell asked.

"I heard you coughing really badly over there, and then you fell on the ground and started twitching. You were reaching out to your flask, so I grabbed it and made you drink it." The girl answered. "Are you able to walk? I should probably take you to Riveria or Airmid. You… lost a lot of blood."

The girl stood up and offered her hand to him, and Bell weakly grabbed it. Using her surprising strength, the girl easily pulled him up and half-carried him towards the rest of her Familia who stopped walking further ahead and looked back after noticing the commotion behind them.

"Miss Aiz? Why are you carrying that human on your shoulder?" A young elven girl asked, looking at the two of them in worry.

"He's very ill. Can you bring Riveria over here?"

"Y-yes, of course!" The elven girl nodded her head quickly and rushed to the front of the crowd.

Giving one last bloody cough, Bell cleared his throat and turned to his savior. "Uhm, thank you for saving me, Miss?"

"Aiz. Aiz Wallenstein." Aiz answered.

Bell instantly froze in place, finally realizing that the person who saved his life was the Sword Princess herself!

To his immense embarrassment, more and more of her Familia members began to surround him, and the murmurs within the crowd around him only grew louder.

"Aizu! What's happening?" A cheery and flat-chested Amazon skipped towards them and immediately zoned in on him. "Who's this person? And uhm, you're dripping blood from your mouth there."

Bell quickly wiped away the red streak from the side of his mouth just as another Amazon with a much larger chest also made her way to them, followed by a male Wolf-person with a blue tattoo on the left side of his face.

"Aiz, Riveria's on her way here. Is everything okay?" The bustier Amazon spoke up.

"Ah, quit it. It's just another one of those weak runts tryin' to get a handful of Aiz here. Just drop him, Aiz. Dumb kid looks like he's gonna keel over anyways."

"Bete, how can you be so cruel?! Just look at him!" The smaller Amazon girl shouted back. Before the two could argue any further, the High Elf from earlier made her way towards them with staff in hand.

"Aiz, Lefiya said that you needed me for something? Who is this person?" Riveria said, looking at Bell who blushed and turned his gaze away. This was the first time he had seen an Elf, and not just any elf, but a High Elf! And one who was incredibly beautiful too!

For the first time in his life, he finally started to understand why his Grandfather was so obsessed with women.

"Riveria. This boy was coughing up a lot of blood. He seems to be really sick. Can you try and heal him?"

Riveria took one look at Bell's pale and sunken face, and narrowed her eyes. "Let's move away from this crowd first. Finn and the others will be heading back to Twilight Manor."

Nodding, the High Elf and Sword Princess then moved Bell away from the crowd and into an empty street with no onlookers.

"Hold on for a moment, I'll try and cast my magic." Riveria said, before raising her staff and uttering a chant.

Bell watched in wonder as a large Magic Ring formed under Riveria's feet as she began casting her magic. Her entire body began to glow green in color, and her hair flew up as more magic gathered around her. It was an awe-inspiring sight, and he couldn't help but feel giddy on the inside as he was about to see a new form of Magic besides Alfia's.

Yet, why did his body begin to shudder as the magic grew more and more stronger?

"Van Alheim!"

Riveria finished her chant and pointed her staff towards Bell, and a massive ring of green light formed underneath Bell's feet.

Aiz felt the healing power of Riveria's magic almost immediately, and even the exhaustion she felt from finally finishing the expedition ebb away. Riveria seldom used this magic unless in dire situations that required immediate healing, as she normally used her Veil Breath magic to boost the party's defenses and slightly heal them. So it was quite the sight to see her use this magic for the first time in a long while.

But her slight happiness quickly morphed into horror as Bell let out an anguished cry and collapsed onto the ground, blood oozing out of his orifices once again.

"PLEASE! PLEASE, STOP IT!" Bell cried out to the heavens, as he curled up on the floor while his entire body shook in agony. He felt as if a thousand different needles pierced his skin at the same time, and liquid fire was boiling in his veins. He had never experienced such horrible pain before, and it all started the moment Riveria's magic took effect.

"What!?" Riveria's eyes widened as she quickly dispelled her magic. "That's never happened before! No one has ever reacted this badly to my healing magic! Aiz, let's take him to Airmid!"

Aiz nodded and quickly scooped up Bell, carrying him on her back as she as Riveria made their way to Dian Cecht Familia's home.

---

Airmid Teasanare was busy organizing the various potions on the bookshelf when she suddenly heard the door burst open. Recognizing the urgency if someone was willing to bust down the Dian Cecht Familia door, she quickly hurried towards the entrance. To her shock, she saw none other than Aiz Wallenstein and Riveria Ljos Alf rushing towards her, with Aiz carrying a twitching and pale young man on her back.

"Come with me. We'll move him to an isolated bed." Airmid answered, her medical training kicking in on instinct. Aiz nodded and followed her. Further inside, the Dian Cecht Familia home expanded into a massive hospital, with beds and various nurses and healers scurrying about. Thankfully, most of the beds were unoccupied so Airmid directed Aiz to drop off the young man onto the bed furthest away from everyone else.

As Aiz placed the young man on the bed, Airmid immediately put on sterile gloves and made a preliminary physical exam. The young man, only a few years younger than herself, was unusually pale in appearance, and had sunken cheeks as well as thin arms and fingers. Blood was slowly dribbling down his bottom lip, and his entire body gave off slight twitches. His eyes were wrinkled in pain, and more than once he attempted to curl up in a fetal position.

Airmid frowned at his weak appearance. "What happened to him?" she asked as she removed her patient's brown coat and black shirt.

"I found him by the streets earlier when we were coming back from the Dungeon." Aiz replied. "He collapsed on the ground and started bleeding a lot. I gave him his flask and he started feeling a bit better. I then asked Riveria to heal him and then…." Aiz turned to the High Elf in question.

"I decided to use my healing magic on him, and to my surprise, he became even worse. I've never had this happen before." Riveria muttered, still looking at the boy.

When Airmid removed Bell's shirt, all three women winced at the sight beneath them. Bell's chest was skeletally thin, with all 12 pairs of ribs easily visible from his pale skin. His stomach was sunken in, and most disturbing of all were the splotches of dark purple all over his abdomen as well as a massive web of murky red lines branching out from the center of his chest and expanding outward. Airmid nearly recoiled at the sight, and briefly wondered whether he was poisoned by some unknown substance. Were they his veins, or was this some kind of infection he was having?

Wasting no time, she quickly signaled one of the nurses to bring her their best potions while she continued her diagnosis. Grabbing his hand, she checked his pulse, noting the slow and sluggish rhythm. She noted the dilated blue veins underneath his eyes and his bloodshot sclera, and when she opened his mouth she saw small pools of blood underneath his tongue and in the back of his throat.

Grabbing a piece of gauze, she quickly wiped away the remnants of blood in his mouth just as the nurse returned with a potion in hand. Aiz and Riveria recognized the potion by sight. It was Dian Cecht Familia's most prized healing potion, created by Airmid herself. It had incredible healing properties, and was well worth its insane price tag. Airmid would often reward Loki Familia with several of these life-saving potions as quest rewards after their expeditions concluded.

"Given that your magic only seemed to worsen his condition, it's best that I refrain from using mine until I understand what is happening to his body. Do you know if he was poisoned or cursed?" Airmid answered.

When both Adventurers shook their heads, she raised Bell's head, and after uncorking the potion, slowly poured the contents into his mouth.

The reaction was immediate. Bell's eyes shot wide open and he immediately began seizing up. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he quickly spat out the potion, followed by a larger spray of blood from his mouth and nostrils. All three women flinched back, none more so than Airmid.

"What!? His body is rejecting the magic potion? That doesn't make any sense!"

Bell curled up on the bed once again, clutching his stomach in pain. Aiz and Riveria stayed dumbstruck by what they were seeing. Airmid's potion, which could heal someone on the brink of death, failed?

"I'm going to use the full force of my magic. If this should fail too…." Airmid shook her head. She had to try. Grabbing her staff, she raised it up and closed her eyes, letting the chant pass from her lips. Everyone from across the room turned their heads towards her as she began her chant.

"Healing droplets, tears of light, eternal sanctuary.

Compose a medicinal hymn-three hundred, sixty, and five.

The melody of the healer's almanac saves all things.

Come, destruction of evil. The burial of wounds. Internment of disease.

Curses be gone in the light of vitality.

In the name of all that is holy - I heal you.

Dia Fratel!"

A brilliant white glow permeated the entire building, and all around patients and wounded adventurers had their ailments healed almost instantly. Wounds stitched together, blood stopped seeping from open holes in their bodies, poison was nullified, and an errant curse was cured. Everyone stared at the ephemeral halo that encompassed the young healer, and all their pain became mere afterthoughts. Airmid Teasanare only ever used this magic in the most dire of situations, and the sheer holy aura she emanated with her magic only cemented just how she earned her Title. She was a true Saint, one who cured all who stood in her path.

All except one.

Bell let out a horrid scream that made even Aiz recoil in shock and fear, and he started twitching violently in response. Blood once again poured out from every orifice, and his violent shaking even made him fall off of his bed.

"!?"

Airmid immediately stopped her magic and quickly made her way to Bell, beckoning other nurses to help.

"Did I just see right?"

"You all saw that, right?"

"Her magic…."

""Her magic didn't work!?""

Aiz and Riveria stood still as the weight of this fell on their shoulders, and none felt this more than Airmid herself, who could only gape in disbelief as she and the other nurses worked to stop his bleeding.

'I can't believe it. My magic… it didn't do anything for him!'

Though she was never overly prideful of her abilities, she took comfort in the power of her ultimate healing magic. It single-handedly saved the lives of hundreds of people, even all the way back during the Dark Days. There was no poison or curse in the world that could survive her magic, and she felt proud that she could do something that would protect the people of Orario. No matter the injury, no matter the poison or curse, as long as their heart kept beating and they still cling to life, her magic would always heal them. It was the very reason she was named Dea Saint by the gods.

And yet, for the first time since she got her magic, she had failed to cure someone. Her ultimate magic, something that any Familia would spill an entire sea's worth of blood for, did absolutely nothing. No, not nothing. It actually made his condition worse.

'If this is some kind of curse or poison, it seems to be unaffected by any kind of healing remedy. Potions, magic, none of it works! This is far worse than anything I've ever seen before!' Airmid thought as she set up an IV to try and replenish his low blood reserves. 'But if neither potion nor magic can help him, what can? Can he even BE cured!?'

Aiz looked on in worry while Riveria rushed over to try and assist. This was the first time she had ever seen something survive Airmid's magic, and a chill went down her spine as she imagined if something like this affected her friends and allies. The thought of Finn, Gareth, Riveria, Tiona, or Lefiya getting sick from something like this turned her blood solid, and she could only look on as the staff tried and failed to stabilize him. Was there really nothing they could do?

A faint movement caught her eye, and she saw Bell use his free hand to gesture to her hand. Confused, she looked down and saw that she still was holding onto his flask from earlier. And then she suddenly remembered what happened!

Back when he collapsed, she had him drink from his flask, and his condition improved! Could that be the key?

She ventured forward, pushing some of the nurses out of the way. Ignoring the looks of surprise on Riveria and Airmid's faces, she raised the flask to Bell's lips once more, letting him drink from the liquid inside.

Almost immediately, his symptoms started to improve. More color returned to his skin, the bleeding from his orifices stopped, and his breathing grew more steady the longer he drank. When the last of the liquid inside was emptied, Bell slowly opened his eyes, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Cough. Thank you for helping me out, Miss Wallenstein." Bell said, slowly pulling himself up in a sitting position. Aiz looked on in relief while the rest of the people around him wore looks of disbelief. All their potions, all their magic, even Dea Saint's strongest spell, did nothing yet this mysterious drink somehow managed to treat him in such little time?

"It was nothing…. I just remembered that you felt better last time when I helped you drink from your flask. Are you feeling better?" Aiz asked.

"Y-yeah. I should be fine now. But let's not try to cast any healing magic on me again! I don't think my body would take it." Bell laughed hoarsely. Aiz tried to respond, but Riveria interjected.

"My apologies, young man. It was my fault that you suffered so much. Aiz had only brought you to me to try and heal you, and I never would have imagined that my magic would have such an adverse effect." Riveria bowed low in remorse, which made Bell even more flustered.

"No, no! You did nothing wrong! Even I didn't think that healing magic would affect me that way. This is the first time someone tried to heal me using magic, so I wouldn't have known that it would have made things worse. So please, lift up your head Miss?"

"Ah, I forgot to introduce ourselves. My name is Riveria Ljos Alf, and this is Aiz Wallenstein." Riveria gestured to herself and Aiz respectively.

"Ah, yes! I'm Bell. Bell Cranell! Wait, did you say you were Miss Riveria and Miss Aiz? Are you by chance, from Loki Familia?"

"You haven't heard of us before? Is this your first time in Orario?" Riveria asked. Aiz watched with surprise as Bell's face rapidly grew more pale by the second.

"I-I, I'm so sorry!" Bell immediately threw himself to the floor in a posture Aiz distantly recalled as being a dogeza, a gesture from the Far East. "I didn't mean to trouble members of Loki Familia, especially after you guys just returned from an expedition!"

Riveria made to interject, but a slew of furious nurses and Airmid swooped in and pulled Bell onto the bed.

"Mister Cranell! Please refrain from excess movements! Need I remind you that you lost a lot of blood just now! Stay still while I give you another transfusion." Airmid answered sharply. "If you are feeling better, I would like to ask you how you ended up so sick. Was this from some unknown disease like the Black Plague? Or did you by chance get poisoned by a monster on the way to Orario?"

"Uhm, neither actually. I've been like this since I was born. Don't worry, though! It's not contagious!" Bell's answer drew sharp gazes from all three women.

"You mean this is a congenital condition!? Then how were you able to handle it for this long? And why come to Orario in the first place? Was it to see me?"

"Uhm, I live in a village in the far north, and there I-cough, cough, have these special herbs and plants that I make medicine with. It helps treat my condition, and it's what Miss Aiz fed me twice now. As for why I came… uhm, who are you exactly?"

"My name is Airmid Teasanare, also known as Dea Saint by the gods. Are you not aware of where you are at the moment?"

Wait, Airmid Teasanare? Dea Saint? As in, the city's best healer?

'How much would treatment from Dea Saint cost?'

'10 million Valis at the cheapest.'

Oh no. He just got treated by Dea Saint. Does that mean?

"D-do I have to pay for this visit? I don't have a lot of money on me right now…."

"Not to worry," Riveria answered. "It was our fault that your condition worsened so much. Loki Familia will foot the bill this time. But I must ask, if you weren't here to see Airmid, then why come to Orario? I don't think it was wise for you to travel so far with so little medicine in your condition."

Bell turned slightly red. "Uhm, I actually came to Orario because I wanted to be an Adventurer?"

""Huh?""

As the three gave him confused looks, Bell suddenly remembered that he was talking to Loki Familia executives. Could this be his chance?

"U-uhm, thank you for saving me again! I-if it isn't too much of a bother, w-would you consider letting me join your Familia? I promise to work hard and not be a burden!"

Aiz's eyes shot open and Riveria's eyes narrowed. The High Elf seemed displeased by his suggestion, but before she could comment, another voice rebuked him.

"Absolutely not."

Bell turned his head to Airmid who wore a look of consternation on her face. "I'm sorry, but I cannot condone your choice. Your body is in poor condition, and poorly suited for an Adventurer's lifestyle. Not to mention the adverse effects healing magic and potions have on you. It's incredibly dangerous to try and fight monsters in the Dungeon as you are now, and especially given your disease."

"But!"

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Airmid." Riveria answered, making Bell's heart plummet to his stomach. "I'm sorry, but I cannot in good conscience allow you into our Familia. Loki Familia is a Dungeon-exploring Familia first and foremost, and we constantly strive to delve deeper into the Dungeon. The monsters we face are strong, and incredibly dangerous. Because we often dive into the Dungeon, we don't have enough time to train a new Adventurer from scratch. It would take years for us to make you Level 2, and even then the lowest Level Adventurers in our Familia are all Level 3. Bringing in Level 1's would only hamper our progress, and divert much needed time for training.

Not to mention that in your condition, combat would be ill-advised. I don't like to discriminate because of your sickness, but the nature of it is incredibly worrying. It would be one thing if it was easily treatable, but your body seems to worsen from treatment with magic or potions. What would happen if you find yourself in trouble or wounded while in the Dungeon? If our magic and items won't be able to help, then it would be a death sentence for you."

"B-but! I promise to work hard and not hold anyone back! Maybe I can talk to your Captain?"

"While Finn is our Familia Captain, I am the Vice-Captain of Loki Familia as well, and I can guarantee that Finn would agree with my decision. I'm sorry, but my decision is final. It would be too cruel to have you follow this bloody path while you are already so sick."

He turned to Aiz, who looked down in regret. "I'm sorry. But, I think Riveria's right. You… don't look well at all, and you probably don't know how to fight."

Bell felt his heart and stomach shrivel up in shame and bitterness. He knew it was a longshot for him even if he wasn't sick. After all, why would Loki Familia, one of the two top Familia in Orario, ever want to take in a sick little scrub like him?

"I see. Thank you anyway for bringing me here…."

"It's probably for the best. You should prioritize trying to improve your condition. You have the rest of your life to look forward to. Don't throw it away trying to be a Hero." Riveria turned to the exit. "I'll leave our Familia's seal with Airmid as payment. I'll have Raul send the money in later. Let's head back, Aiz. Everyone will be worried."

Aiz gave him a sorrowful look, before uttering another apology and following behind Riveria.

Bell could only sigh and fall back onto his bed. As much as he would like to wallow in shame from his swift rejection, there was still a silver lining to this situation. He knew deep inside that getting accepted into Loki Familia would be a shot in the dark, but in the end it was just one Familia out of hundreds in Orario. Surely another Familia out there would be more tolerating?

For now, he would just have to keep trying again after he got discharged from Airmid's care. Speaking of….

"Uhm, Miss Airmid? I was wondering if I could ask a favor from you?"

"What is it you need?"

"I was wondering if you would be willing to grow and cultivate some plants for me? They're needed for the medicine I take."

The girl fell silent as she finished placing an IV into Bell's arm. "I apologize, but Dian Cecht Familia doesn't offer those services. We focus mainly on supplying medicines and offering emergency treatment, as well as providing prosthetics. Sadly, we rely on other Familia to supply us with the necessary items to make potions and such. I'm afraid I have no clue how to grow and nurture plants." Bell frowned at the news. "But I could offer a suggestion."

"A suggestion?"

"There is another Familia that offers similar healing services, and is more adept at growing and nurturing medicinal herbs. Have you heard of Miach Familia?"

"Only a little bit."

"They've fallen on hard times, and they only have one Familia member present, but they can help you with your request. But please, don't tell anyone else from Dian Cecht Familia that I gave you that suggestion."

"? Why's that?"

Airmid shuddered. "Let's just say that our Familias don't get along that well. I have nothing but immense respect for Lord Miach, but even I find it hard to deal with Naaza at times."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing. Now please, just lie down and take it easy."

---

Bell was later released from Dian Cecht's hospital after Airmid performed an extensive check-up on him (and ending in an embarrassing full-body examination that made him red all the way to his toes). Despite his condition remaining steadily improving thanks to his medicine, Airmid was unusually insistent on him staying for longer until she could find a potential cure for his condition, citing her "pride as a doctor". It certainly didn't help that everyone in the hospital either saw how Airmid's magic failed to treat him at all, or spread the story around the home and outside. Bell recalled overhearing a heated conversation between Airmid and her god Dian Cecht when that rumor reached his ears. He could only wince in sympathy for the young healer after the long tirade she endured from her panicked god.

While he would have certainly preferred to stay at Dian Cecht's hospital (especially since Loki Familia was footing the bill for his expenses) for a lot longer, he knew that he couldn't stay there forever. Bell was greatly indebted to Loki Familia for agreeing to pay for his medical expenses, especially since Airmid was personally overseeing his treatment. He apologized to her for having her take up so much of her time, but she waved his apology off as well as his troubles concerning money. Hashana's words rang true when Airmid confessed that she cared little for financial compensation, but her god relied on a steady income to pay for their supplies and ingredients. Although she wanted him to stay for longer, she couldn't refuse his request to leave, and instead told him where to find Miach Familia's home.

Sadly, yesterday's seizure had drained him of most of his medicine, and he'd have to make a new batch by scratch. He only had a handful of herbs left, and if he didn't find a way to grow more soon then it was highly likely that he could die should he suffer from another "episode". The revelation that healing magic and potions only made his condition worse set off alarm bells in his mind, and he prioritized getting a steady supply of herbs immediately. First, he'd have to find Lord Miach and pray that he'd be willing to grow these plants for him. He only had a spare amount of cash he and his grandfather saved over the past 7 years, and Orario was becoming far more expensive than he previously thought. Rooms at an inn were 800 Valis a night compared to the 200-300 in rural villages, and the prices for meals were way more expensive than he thought.

Once he got Miach to grow these plants for him, he'd then have to find a Familia, train enough so that he can make money in the Dungeon, and then maybe hire a supplier to deliver more herbs from his village. It would help him get a surplus supply in case of emergencies, and it could help raise money for his village. From there, he'd have to find a way to get stronger bit by bit until he could finally be the hero his mom wanted to see.

Following the long, winding streets he made a left turn and found himself in a much poorer region of the city. The buildings were aged and starting to have bits of mold growing on the sides, and the ground was unpaved or in disrepair. Compared to the bustling streets, he could barely find any signs of life here, and he privately wondered what could have happened to make such a well-respected God fall on hard times.

Going further in, Bell found himself in an isolated block. Large, decaying buildings surrounded him, and nestled in the shadows was a small wooden shack, the only signs of life being the small stream of smoke coming from the chimneys.

"Looks like this is Lord Miach's place." Bell thought, and he gave a sharp rap on the front door.

A few moments followed before the door opened, and a tall Chienthrope woman with brown hair greeted him with a sleepy expression.

"Hm? We actually have a customer?" she asked in a monotone voice.

"Ah, yes! Is this by chance Miach Familia's home? I was wondering if I could ask him for something?"

"Do you have money?" The Chienthrope interrupted, giving him a hard glare that made him recoil in fear.

"Y-yes!"

"Well, you don't seem like the type to try and scam Lord Miach." In an instant, her heated glare was gone, and she gestured to the inside of the house. "Lord Miach is out at the moment, so might as well wait inside for him. Don't try to do anything funny, okay?"

"Yes, absolutely!" Bell quickly made a 90 degree angle bow, which made the woman raise her eyebrows, but she shrugged and went inside.

The inside of the house was rather small, with only a couple of spare rooms, a washroom, and a reception area containing a small inventory of potions. The Chienthrope gestured to a chair nearby for him to sit at, while she went to the back of the counter.

"So, you're here to see Lord Miach for something?" A frown appeared on her face. "Don't tell me you're here to file a complaint because he was flirting with another woman again."

"N-no, that's not it at all, Miss…?"

"Naaza. Naaza Erisuis."

"Yes. I was actually wondering if Lord Miach could cultivate some herbs for me? I was told by Miss Airmid that you both were able to grow and cultivate medicinal plants?"

Naaza's expression turned thunderous at the mention of Airmid's name, but before she could retort the front door opened and Lord Miach walked in.

Despite this being their first meeting, Bell could immediately tell that Miach was a kind and gentle god. Miach wore a serene expression on his face that settled his mind and took away some of his anxiety. He felt much more relaxed, and part of him wondered whether Naaza was actually telling him the truth about Miach's flirtations.

"Hm? Ah, is this your first time here? It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Lord Miach, and this is my follower Naaza." Miach smiled, though a frown quickly replaced it as he examined Bell. "You seem pretty ill, good sir. Is there something you need from us? Though we aren't exactly well-off, I promise to do whatever I can to help."

"Ah, thank you Lord Miach!" Bell said, giving a thankful bow. "I'm Bell. Bell Cranell. I heard that you and your Familia were good at growing and cultivating medicinal plants?"

"Yes, we are capable of doing that. Do you have a particular plant in mind?"

Bell reached into his rucksack and pulled out a handful of his herbs, and almost immediately Miach's eyes opened wide.

"This is… may I take a closer look?" With Bell's nod, Miach grabbed a handful and started carefully inspecting each part of the plant, including the leaves, roots, and stems. "I've never seen a plant like this before, but I recognize the power within it. This plant was grown with the power of a Great Spirit, was it not?"

"That's right. I'm from a village where they say several Great Spirits once lived long ago. The folks back home said that these plants were born from the power of a Great Spirit of the Wind. To be honest, I was born with a disease that made life difficult for me, and these herbs are the only thing that can treat it. I was wondering if I could have you raise and grow more of these for me?"

For some reason, Miach flinched when he mentioned his disease, but that frown quickly vanished. He gave the herbs to Naaza and smiled at Bell. "Of course we'd be willing to help. I can also have Naaza make potions from these Spirit Flowers for you as well."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Bell bowed in gratitude. Finally, things are starting to look up for him! "Actually, there is one more thing I would like to ask, if I may? I was wondering if you would be willing to let me join your Familia? I want to be an Adventurer, and I promise to help if you'd be willing to train me?"

He crossed his fingers, hoping that he could get lucky, but a small frown from Miach and Naaza quickly said otherwise.

"I'm very sorry, Bell Cranell. While in any other circumstance I would have been more than happy to accept you, I'm afraid that my Familia might not be the best choice. I'm assuming you wish to go to the Dungeon to get stronger?"

"Yes."

Miach wore a remorseful expression. "Then I'm afraid I won't be of much help. My Familia is mostly centered on healing and medicine, and I have no experience on how to fight. I only have one Familia member in Naaza, and though she's Level 2 she had a traumatic encounter in the Dungeon."

Bell turned around and saw Naaza clenching her right arm, which was completely covered by her sleeve.

He felt himself deflate. "I understand. Thank you anyways for agreeing to grow these for me." He paid Miach 2000 Valis for the cultivation and left the building.

Miach looked towards the door with a complicated expression on his face, which Naaza picked up on.

"Is something wrong, Lord Miach?"

"I'm afraid I've seen his sickness before long ago. And if he is related to her, then I fear that he will have a hard life moving forward."

---

3 days later...

.

.

.

Bell was starting to feel his panic reach a boiling point.

For 3 days he had been traveling across Orario to find a Familia willing to take him in. For 3 days, he had been constantly rejected and kicked out the door. No one was willing to take him in, for who would want to take in someone who accidentally puked blood all over their doorstep?

Bell wished he could give himself a good kick to the rear for that blunder, but his seizure had come up at the worst possible time.

Even if he wasn't vomiting or coughing up blood, the fact that he was incredibly thin and untrained didn't help him much either. Sadly, he wasn't a pretty lady, an Elf, or a Dwarf, and no one wanted a complete rookie into their Familia. Not even the relatively small Familia were willing to take him in, and they almost all told him the same thing.

"Come back in a few years."

"Get some proper training first."

"We don't want a skinny-ass Human who can barely even lift a hammer."

Well, how was he supposed to get training if no one was willing to give it!?

The Guild didn't help much either. As a neutral and political organization, no one in the Guild was given a Falna, and none of the staff were combat trained. They could only point him in the direction of a certain Familia and wish him luck. And sadly, he wasn't blessed with a lucky Rabbit's Foot.

Bell learned his lesson from his rejection by Loki Familia. He also wanted to try with Freya Familia, but if Loki Familia was quick to reject him then he doubted Freya's would give him the time of day.

But time was rapidly running out for him. He was running out of money, and his supply of medicine was in the red. It would take time for Lord Miach to grow more, and if he had another really bad seizure like last time, then there's a good chance he might not survive.

He tried to be optimistic like how his birth mother used to be, but the weight of his rejections was starting to take its toll. Bell was forced to leave his inn after the innkeeper kicked him for "health reasons", and he spent nearly all day wandering around Orario looking for a Familia. He only slept for a couple of hours at most, and he stopped eating entirely to save money.

"Come on, just a little bit longer! There has to be someone out there!"

He had to keep looking! Orario was a massive city! Surely there had to be someone willing to take him in!

---

2 days later...

.

.

.

Bell had lost almost all of his hope.

2 more days of non-stop rejections. Even the non-Dungeon exploring Familias refused to take him in. He was now left with only a couple sips of his flask left and one Spirit Flower in his rucksack. If he ran out now, he'd be a goner.

He was all out of money now. Even his strict rationing failed to last, and he hadn't eaten anything in the past 2 days.

He was starving, dehydrated, and wracked with pain all across his body. He had 4 major seizures this week alone, and he found it difficult to even walk upright. It took all his strength to hobble forward, and even then he could feel his legs starting to shake uncontrollably.

The sky overhead turned a dull gray, and rain began to fall over the city. Bell was too weak to even make an effort to try and find shelter, and in no time at all his legs finally gave out on him, and he collapsed in the middle of an abandoned street.

He could feel the cold seep into him, and he couldn't even move his arms or legs anymore. And once again, a familiar wave of darkness took hold, bringing him to the world of the unconscious as he closed his eyes.

.

.

.

A warm ray of sunlight shone through the window and onto his face. Raising his hand to cover the sunlight, Bell slowly woke up, and to his immense surprise, he didn't wake up in a seizure episode. In fact, he didn't feel anything bad at all!

Eyes shot wide open, he looked around and saw that he was in his bedroom back at home! He quickly got out of bed and got dressed, and went to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, Bell saw that he barely looked sick at all. His cheeks weren't sunken in, but full and no longer pale in color. There wasn't any blood coming from his mouth, and he barely felt weak at all!

Was he finally cured!? Wait, why was he home at all? Didn't he make the trip to Orario?

As he stepped out of the bathroom, a mouthwatering odor came wafting up from the kitchen downstairs, and he immediately froze in his tracks.

This incredibly delicious smell! There was only one person in this entire world who could cook something that smelled that amazing, and that was-! Bell quickly raced down the stairs and ran straight towards the kitchen. And when he finally made it, his entire world froze.

A young woman in a black-and-white dress with her silver hair braided on one side was placing a cake on the kitchen table while a larger, bulkier man with dull-red hair was busy cooking a large pot of stew. Both turned towards the commotion at the entrance and gave a slight smile aimed towards him.

"Ah, you finally woke up Bell? You slept like a baby last night. Come on, I just finished making lunch. Luckily for you, it's your favorite!" Zald said with a smile.

"Hmm, what's with that weird expression on your face? Don't tell me that old geezer was teaching you something weird again?" Alfia said, without any of her anger present.

Bell could hardly believe his eyes. Zald's eyes were no longer covered in those dark scars, and the skin underneath his shirt was clean with none of the black discoloration that marred his flesh before. In fact, he looked like he was full of life and vigor, and he never even winced with any movements or when he taste-tested the stew. And Alfia was freely smiling! Something he had only ever seen her do once when he gave her his Vow. She barely even made a frown when talking about his grandfather, and her eyes were fully open and shining with joy.

They looked like they were at the peak of health, and most importantly, they were HERE, at home.

Before his mind could even comprehend what was happening, Bell found himself running straight towards Alfia, embracing her in the tightest hug he could give and quickly weeping onto her chest.

"You've always been a bit of a crybaby, Bell." Alfia said with none of her usual snark or bite. She simply embraced him gently while also lightly stroking his hair. Bell just continued to hold her, sobs wracking his entire body as he refused to let go of her.

Her voice, her warmth, her smell, her gentle embrace. All of it was truly hers. Alfia was here, and so was his Uncle Zald. They all came back, and they were all cured!

"I missed you so much, Mom." Bell cried, hugging Alfia even tighter as if she would vanish the moment he let go. Alfia only closed her eyes and placed a kiss on the top of his head.

Zald let out a small chuckle. "What, am I minced meat over here? I know you love your mom a lot, kid, but don't forget about me!"

Right as he finished saying that, Bell immediately pounced on him too, and he was overjoyed when he no longer noticed the smell of rotten flesh underneath his clothes!

"I can't believe it, you both are okay!" Bell wiped the tears from his eyes. "You both came back! A-and I'm feeling better, too!" He then noticed someone missing from their household so far. "Where's Grandpa?"

Alfia let out an exasperated sigh. "That old Gramps is still outside. He'll be coming here sooner or later. But before that, there's someone who wants to see you."

"Huh, someone wants to see me?"

Alfia nodded with a smile. "Yeah. She's been wanting to meet you for the longest time now, and now she finally got the chance. She's upstairs in the guest bedroom. Try not to keep her waiting."

Did he know of anyone else coming today? Maybe that's why Grandpa went outside? Bell nodded and made his way to the guest bedroom.

It was strange, though. No one had ever used it, since Grandpa had his own room, Zald slept on the couch, and he and Alfia shared his room. Who was using it now? He opened the door and stepped inside.

The moment he saw the figure sitting on the bed, all the air left his body. A young woman, around the same age as Alfia, turned her head towards him and gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen on a person, with tears running freely down her face. She wore a white shirt with a red-colored skirt, and had waist-length hair that was white as pure snow, with plump cheeks and a small button nose. Her eyes were as blue as the sky, and as deep as the depths of the oceans. Features that, save for her eyes, all matched his perfectly.

She was so mind-numbingly pure and beautiful that it even made Bell unconsciously shed tears of his own.

But more than that, the moment he saw her he felt an immense sense of loss well up in his heart. He never met this woman before, yet he couldn't help but feel intimately connected with her somehow.

Every step he made towards her made his heart throb painfully. More tears continued to fall from his face the closer he moved to her.

At last, when he finally stood right next to her, he collapsed onto his knees and hesitantly reached his hand out to her. With hands as soft as snow, she held his outstretched hand in her own and brought it to her face, allowing him to cradle her ethereal face in his palm.

"Bell," she said, in a voice that would have made the very Heavens sway. "I've always wanted to see you. For the longest time." She rubbed his hand across her face, placing a kiss on the palm of his hand. "I'm so sorry it took me so long. But I'm happy to finally see you. You've grown up so much."

Bell couldn't answer. His tongue refused to move, as his body yearned to hear her voice even more. His body and soul begged for him to feel her touch once more, and he obliged. He leaned forward and wrapped his other arm around her waist, tightly pulling himself towards her.

The moment his head fell onto her chest and he could hear her heartbeat, the floodgates burst open, and he wept harder than he had ever done since the day Alfia and Zald left. He hugged her tighter than ever, and the young woman lightly stroked his hair and pressed her lips to his head.

He didn't understand. He never met this woman in his life. And yet, he never felt more pain and grief than at that very moment. Whoever this person was, she was more connected with him than he had ever thought possible. He wanted nothing more than to have her be by his side for the rest of his life. To have her watch as his life continued on, to be there for him when tough times arise, and to share in the memories of their past.

It was as if there had been a missing puzzle piece that finally made him whole when they finally met each other. He had to know who this person was, and why they never met sooner. He refused to have her leave him like Uncle Zald, Alfia, and Grandpa.

"Who… who are you?" Bell asked, pulling his head back to see her.

The young woman gave a tearful smile and brought her hand up to his face, lightly brushing away the tears from his eyes.

"I'm your-"

---

"Mom?"

"Uhm, I'm sorry, but I'm not your mother." An unknown voice spoke out, and he felt a tissue on his face wiping away the dried tear stains.

The unfamiliar voice brought him out of the world of dreams, and he slowly opened his eyes. Hovering above his face was a young girl only a few years older than him, with silver-gray eyes and matching hair who held a wet tissue in her hands. She wore a green uniform with a white apron, and she looked at him with worry.

Bell pulled himself up, but a sudden seizure took hold of him, and he doubled over in pain as he held his hand to his mouth, blocking the spray of blood from landing on the poor girl.

"Ah, please be careful! Here, let me help!" She brought his flask to his mouth, and he drank all of the liquid inside. The seizure lessened, and his breathing returned to normal. The girl gave him a worried glance, and used her tissue to wipe the blood from his hand.

Looking around, Bell saw that he was in what appeared to be a modest hotel room, with a spare bed, desk, and magic-stone lamp. His rucksack was left on the chair, and his jacket, shirt, and pants were drying on the desk.

He was too exhausted, however, to feel embarrassed about how he was only in his boxers while a pretty girl was cleaning him up.

"Where, cough, cough, am I?" Bell asked her.

"You're the Benevolent Mistress. It's a tavern that acts as a café, and has spare rooms for the rest of the staff."

"H-how did I get here?"

"I… saw you passed out on the street. You were twitching and coughing up a lot of blood, and I couldn't just leave you out in the rain like that, so I brought you here." The girl gave him a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you're feeling a little bit better though! I was worried that you wouldn't make it. Although, I think I might have interrupted a nice dream you were having."

"Huh? A nice dream?"

"You had this smile on your face the entire time you were unconscious, and you were crying a lot. Was it a happy dream?"

He thought back to the mysterious woman in his dreams, someone he never saw before or recognized, and he let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I suppose it was. Uhm, thank you for helping me back there." He gave a short bow. "I'm afraid I don't have anything to repay you with. I'm all out of money."

She gave a smile in return and shook her head. "Oh, you don't need to worry about that! The proprietor here always helps out those in need, and though she can be a bit scary at times, she has a heart of gold! I'm sure she'll let it slide."

"Still, I promise to try and repay her for letting me stay here. Thank you again for everything you've done. I'm Bell. Bell Cranell, miss?"

"Syr," she answered. "Syr Flover."

---

And that's a wrap! Once again, I want to apologize to everyone for the massive wait! My Masters program is pretty much Year 1 of medical school, and on top of that I also work part-time in graveyard shifts, so not only have I been mentally and physically exhausted, but I've also been sleep-deprived too lol. Jokes aside, I'll try my best to not have such huge delays between chapters again. It might take me some time to release new chapters but I hope to avoid making you guys wait forever again.

This chapter was especially difficult for me to write. I was genuinely shocked by just how much you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Over 200 Favorites and 300 Follows from one chapter alone? That's insane! I'm so thankful to everyone who gave their thoughts on the first chapter, and I hope to keep you guys just as happy and entertained with the rest of the story. I really want to make sure this doesn't become a scenario of me catching lightning in a bottle only once, so please feel free to leave any thoughts or critiques you have in the reviews or in PMs. I'm still a complete amateur when it comes to writing, so I don't expect my work to be perfect, or even decent by any means. But I would appreciate any feedback you guys give.

I've got to say, as Danmachi fans we have been absolutely spoiled this year. We got LN releases of Astraea Record, Volume 18, and Sword Oratoria volumes 13 and 14. Not to mention the 6th anniversary story coming out in Danmemo this year, and of course the absolute banger that was Season 4 Part 2. The last few episodes are some of the best Danmachi content I have ever seen, and it just boggles my mind how JC Staff could turn Danmachi into a work of art if they had the motivation and time to do so. Could you imagine how much people would have loved the series if the rest of the other Seasons and Sword Oratoria were treated the way Season 4 was? I really hope that Season 4 does so well that JC Staff would be motivated to do the same for other Danmachi stories. Can you imagine an Argonaut or Astraea Record anime with the same care and attention as Season 4? Or a reboot/Season 2 of Sword Oratoria?

Anyways, as a Danmachi fan, I am loving all the stuff we've been getting so far. I know that the fandom seems pretty divided at the moment, what with the spoilers from Volume 18 and the weird war going on with BellxAiz fans vs BellxRyu fans, but I've personally enjoyed everything we've gotten so far, and I have only a few minor complaints. And besides, in regards to this story, why fight over one Best Girl when you can have both?

I probably won't be able to make super long chapters like I did with the previous one and this one. Trying to write 10-20k word chapters takes a really long time, especially with my busy schedule, so it's likely that the rest of the chapters will be around 8-10k words long, just to avoid the long wait times. I do hope you guys will be okay with that.

Again, thank you for all the love and support you've given for my first ever Danmachi story!