Review reply:-
RebornLikeablackPhoenix : This is not the rewritten form of alternate series but a time skip of Bell leaving Orario. This happens before the events of vol 16.
Noon12345: Thanks, it's just the start there is a bunch that I will be putting it on here.
OrionEdalosss: I decided to write summary-based story so that it would be easy to understand, and sure hold on to this story for what is gonna come up.
After the unexpected event, Bell finally sets his foot at the hearthstone manor. All the members finally gathered and welcomed their captain home, the prime members as well as the new members who joined the familia with Bell's recommendation.
It was time for celebration for his homecoming but right now it was not the time. Everyone gathered at the new captain's room where Bell rested himself, feeling a bit strange seeing his fellow members standing in front of him. Usually, there wasn't any room specified for him but as the familia grew a little bigger, Hestia decided to make a room for Bell where he could rest himself and do the works that captains do for the familia.
As much as Bell wanted to celebrate, he is the only person at the moment who know the seriousness of the situation. The unknown accessory might cause trouble for both people and Xenos and this matter cannot be taken that lightly.
Firstly Bell heard the story from the members about the current situation of Orario. From their story, turns out Evilus has been attacking Orario in recent weeks. Nobody knows what they were upto but the city made sure to suppress this so that there won't be any chaos.
The only familias that were allowed to look after them were Loki and Ganesha familia. Freya familia was sent outside Orario to eliminate the possible connection of evilus with the city. That now explains why Freya familia never showed up during the incident.
Bell can't allow this anymore; he was sure that there is a traitor somewhere in the city who has access to everything. Mostly his suspicion is on one place for the traitor to exist.
-"The guild?"
-"Yes, there is a possibility that there is a traitor inside the guild. And that too with a high authority. Talking about it did something happened at the guild?"
-"If I recall correctly, there was a new person who joined the guild."
-"Hm… who was it?"
-"The guild head's friend."
-"You really think Royman-sama's friend is the traitor."
Bell did not let out a single word but crossed his hands under his chin.
-"When did they join?"
-"A year ago… but doubting on guild head's friend is…"
-"At the moment, I have my suspicion on every single person at the guild."
-"Bell… I know your concern about the Xenos but… Hestia familia is not allowed to even talk about Evilus matter."
-"Oh but now we are."
-"Bell-sama, we will be going against the guild for that."
-"so… are you afraid to go against them?"
-"well…"
-"It's an order."
Bell strictly said as the prime members were caught off guard.
-"I am the captain of the familia. Things will go in the way I want. Is that clear?"
His tone was that of a commander, a true leader. The familia members nodded without questioning him.
-"Uh… Bell one question."
-"what is it Welf?"
Welf points at a certain hell hound which was just sitting idle looking at the members, "who…"
-"Oh this is Eric… Eric they are—"
-"Bell-sama no need to introduce, you talk about them all the time."
-"haha… saves me the trouble."
-"How in the world you brought a talking Hellhound inside Orario?"
-"Like this…"
The hound suddenly appeared in front of lily scaring her.
-"I have the ability to stay invisible for a while Lily-sama."
-"Wow… never seen a Xenos with that kind of ability."
Eric quickly warmed up with the members. Bell finally steps in and talks about the matter. He pulled out the damaged accessory from his pocket and hangs it in front of Lily.
-"I heard from kami-sama that you have gained a skill that allows you to crack anything you put your mind on."
-"Yes, I do have… Bell-sama what is that?"
-"Lets say, the reason of Asterius going rouge."
He handed it over to lily as the hobbit carefully examined the damaged accessory.
-"I want you to decode the encrypted part, Lilith and Shina will help you with that. Also… don't let anyone get their hands on this item."
-"Who would even notice that? Even we didn't notice the accessory till you pointed out."
A little hmm from Bell as he said, "Countdown from 3 you will get it."
The members were confused but Welf did as Bell said, as the number reached zero the bell rang alerting them of an unknown guest. Haruhime decides to take on the door and was a bit surprised to see Hermes and Asfi at their doorstep.
The two now made their way to the new captain's room where the god sat opposite to the captain's seat with desk separating them from close contact.
-"First off… welcome back Bell-kun."
-"…"
-"Not much of reaction I see… anyway, I was surprised to see you on the field."
-"Why is that so?"
-"Well, your timing was perfect. A monster running wild on the field. Adventurers fighting off the monster but not able to stand a chance against it. When hope almost dies you arrived at the tim. Battling the monster all by—"
-"Just cut the crap and get to the point."
Bell said harshly, even though he knew what this god is here for. Hermes let out an uncomfortable laugh.
-"Ah… well not in a mood to talk with a friend are we, well then I will just get to the point."
He takes off his hat and continued with a serious tone.
-"Well then, I think you know what I am here to talk about. That minotaur, I didn't expect it to be a type to kill anyone."
-"So what about it?"
-"I say it might be because of someone ordering it to… you know kill people."
-"…"
Circling around the topic, Hermes ultimately came to the point. Just as Bell expected he was here to take the device that was worn by that minotaur. Bell was nothing like he was back then, usually he would just believe on those who seemed trust worthy but now, he is not a kind of man who would easily believe on any outsider.
When it came to reply for handing over the item, Bell just gave a hump and carried on.
-"So… you are saying you are willing to lend a hand on examining the deviece."
-"Yes… after all Asfi here knows the stuff on magic items."
-"Oh well, I am fine with it."
This took the members off guard, he himself said he doesn't want to rely on anyone so why?
Their question was answered as soon as Bell launched his next statement.
-"But… it's a trade offer now."
-"What do you mean?"
-"Let me tell you, I really don't care if you give me the details about the item. I want something else you know."
-"Oh… so what is it you want?"
-"well… I only want two things from you and your familia."
Crossing his arms upfront he started with an intimidating tone.
-"First… your familia must take responsibilities for the action taken by ours. In simpler words I want you to fix the mess if we screw up. Secondly… I want you to notify me about the movements of Loki and Freya familia, every hour… every minute… every second. Whatever they do I want trusting details."
At first Hermes thought it was a joke but when Bell said he was serious about this Hermes almost lost his cool.
-"B-Bell-kun… why do you even want that? I mean… what would you even do with the information about Loki and Freya familia."
-"huh why you ask? I want to crush them."
-"… Good joke Bell-kun but—"
-"I am not joking… I am dead serious."
His eyes told the god everything, even Hestia. She knew Bell was serious about crushing the two great familias.
Hermes lost his cool and slammed his palm at the desk.
-"Bell-kun… your request is next to impossible."
Bell laughed with his mouth close as Hermes found himself confused.
-"You answered your own question."
-"Excuse me?"
-"your request… is next to impossible."
-"!?"
-"Now… if you would get out from here, we got some business to do."
-"Bell-kun I—"
-"I don't need you… also you better poke your nose after evilus and give me some intel… if you really want to help me out. After all, he did send you a message to help me out in any way possible… didn't he."
Hearing this Hermes's eyes widen.
-"Bell-kun… so… you met him right?"
The albino just nodded to which the traveler god chuckled. He agreed on his condition and left the thought of getting the item and moved onto digging information on the evilus. Leaving the thought about crushing the great familias Bell quickly assigned his members to a specific task.
Lily, Lilith and Shina were tasked to decode the encryption on the item, Rock and Luke were tasked to stake out nearby the guild. Bell, Welf and Ren were tasked to go meet the Xenos and hear out their story. Eric was sent to head outside Orario and gather his fellow Xenos friends as they might be needed in future.
Dungeon Xenos Hidden Village
The trio made it to the Xenos village quickly and had a great time with them. After sometime they heard out the story about Asterius going rouge, but hearing them there was no clear conclusion. Even Asterius himself had no idea, he just said while he was training, he suddenly got knocked out and later on he woke up when Fels healed him.
Bell was sure that dungeon is not the safe place for them anymore so he decided to seal the Xenos village with most of the Xenos, not only on the middle floors but he made sure to seal those who are past middle one's.
Welf was confused and tried to comprehend what Bell was up to but the captain decided to keep his mum and tell him to follow his lead.
Guild
Outside the guild, the two adventurers who were staking out the guild members were actively doing well. At one point they did see someone shady passing through the silent alley way. As suspicion raises, they finally decided to tell Bell what happened.
Hearthstone Manor
With Shina's strong sight, she was able to retrieve the encrypted text from the burned item, it might not be that accurate but it would be doable. Lily strained her brain and finally drew out the decoded format, Lilith rearranged the scrambled text and finally came up with a sequence.
The process went for 2 whole weeks and finally everyone returned to the captain's room to let him know what they find out.
-"So… everyone is here, Let's start out with the item then."
-"We did decode the encrypted form but…"
-"Let's just say it's a doable to understand…"
-"So what was the encryption?"
The hobbit handed the sheet to Bell, he scanned as he read out the decoded text.
-"Start, rush, kill, berserk, return, eliminate, roar…" Bell.
-"If we were to make a senseful story then it goes like this. First start rush outside the dungeon kill people go berserk then eliminate then roar." Shina.
-"Hmm… accurately it seems like he was ordered to do that more like… manipulated."
-"Manipulated?" Welf.
Bell then explained them about the working of the device, mostly the properties that he had concluded as he had already faced some foes who were controlled by this device.
For simplicity, he calls it a mind controller, the full ability of this thing is yet to be known but it was cleared that it is assigned the instructed to the victims to forcefully obey it. It is not completely true. The control mostly depends on the consciousness of the victim.
If victim had a weak will they would be easy target to control, but if they had a strong will or desire of something, they are strong enough to abide the command given to them.
Similar case can be said for Asteruis, when the monster saw adventurers striking him, he averted from harming innocent people and attacked them back, especially he completely focused on Bell when arrived on the field.
The device sure is a problem but they need an Evilus to make them learn about the true potential of the device.
After decode part came the stakeout, Luke and Rock told him that as suspected, there was a shady person who was in contact with some unknown hooded guy. They can confirm that the first figure was of the Guild head's friend. Learning this Bell has fixed his sights on Royman and his friend.
Bell also told his fare share of story and told them he sealed the village for the good for Xenos, also borrowing some of Fels oculus for interior communication between members and the Xenos.
With that the first step has been successfully achieved.
Few weeks have been passed by but there was no sign of evilus attack, the Loki familia even though their captain was injured and not well to conduct any operation left it on younger members of the familia to dig up information on them. At times Asfi delivers the information about Evilus to Bell directly even if it was a little piece of puzzle.
It was a certain day when Bell was breezing through some documents, he got from the members on movement of Evilus. Haruhime entered the room with a glass of water for him.
-"Bell-sama… I think you should rest for some time, you have been working nonstop."
-"No worries, I am alright. Did they get anything on Evilus?"
-"Not yet though."
Bell stared at Haruhime which made her nervous.
-"B-Bell-sama is there something on my face."
-"No… its just… I have been thinking about you."
-"W-Wha—"
-"I think it would be a little bit better if you learned self-defense.. hm hm."
-"Oh… so that's what it is."
The Renard sighed losing her imaginative hope, the rabbit just gave a sweat drop feeling as if he accidently made her feel a little bit roughed up about self-defense.
In a nearby building in front of the hearthstone manor, a hooded figure aimed an arrow with a paper tied on its shaft. The figure aimed at the captain's desk, It released the arrow and it perfectly broke through the mirror and was about to hit the desk.
Haruhime was about to take back the glass, Bell sense something coming towards her.
-"Get down!"
He warned as he jumped at Haruhime slamming her on the floor with him over her, he craned his neck to look the arrow with a paper. By this time the members also barged into the room hearing the sound.
-"W-What happened?" Ren
-"Bell-kun and haah?!" Hestia
Hestia stopped seeing him over Haruhime, ignoring that Bell quickly got up to check the paper also ignoring the fact that Haruhime was burning red.
He opened and read through it and then burned it to crisp.
-"B-Bell-sama… what is that?" Lily.
-"An Enemy attack?" Ren.
-"Don't worry… nobody got hurt." Bell.
-"what was in that paper that you just burned," Hestia.
-"Nothing important, someone was just pulling a prank." Bell.
-"Prank… this kind of prank is no joke." Luke.
He might've convinced his fellow members but Hestia knew he was lying, but seeing him she would rather let him tell her later on.
-"I just remembered I have to do something, I will be back soon." Bell.
-"Sure… be careful kay?" Hestia.
Bell nodded and left the manor. The familia members returned to do their work.
In a shady alleyway Bell relaxed himself leaning his back on the wall till he was interrupted by a hooded figure.
-"So… what is your decision?"
He asked the hooded figure which just undone its hood revealing a long blue hair matching with the color of the person's eyes, 'she' showed herself.
-"I think you probably know it by now. I showed my face to you after all."
Bell just gave a small smile as he closed his eyes.
-"Fine then, so… let's hear out but I think it would be better if you just discard that hood of yours."
-"I can't… I have a mark around my shoulder, if anyone saw it then they will come after—"
Bell just took the hood off and saw the mark of evil drawn on her left shoulder, he then took off his coat and covered her with it.
-"It's just a matter of few blocks, now if we hurry people won't notice."
The girl sure was surprised but this was not the time to stand still, the two quickly made it back to the hearthstone manor.
Getting summon from their captain and seeing a new girl with his coat caused some stirring question about her, later on when she revealed herself to be Evilus, the familia members were taking their guard. Bell made them rest easy and explain her situation.
The girl Sumire told her story to the members. She was just a normal girl who was living her live with her parents, one day some dark figures just attacked her village. People like her had potential to be adventurers. Just like her, there were many others who were forced to dirty their hands.
She was happy to find Bell as he was the only person who seemed to understand, other than getting the title as 'Evilus Hunter' he did listen to those who wanted to free themselves from the hands of these people.
Ren assured that she was the person who had helped them before in a particular quest so he trusts her. The familia members didn't question, if Bell trusts her, so do they.
-"So… lets get to the main part. Who is helping them from the guild." Bell
-"Yes… the person in Eugler Kroff, the vice guild head." Sumire
-"Royman-sama's friend," Lily
-"So our suspicion was right, but now we have to get a way to get him red handed," Welf.
-"There is a way," Sumire spoke out taking their attention, "a person named Gray meets him every weekend, and I am sure he will show up again."
-"Any idea about why he is coming?" Lilith.
-"Probably… he wants to eliminate Bell," Sumire said with hesitation.
Bell just laughed it out.
-"Eliminate me eh… Interesting." Bell.
-"Judging by that menacing expression, you seem to have a plan," Ren.
-"Well I sure do have… time to set up a trap to catch the mouse." Bell.
-"So… what are we doing Bell-dono?" Mikoto.
The sun sets as the familia members dispersed and went back to their room; Sumire was given a room for herself. Thanks to Bell she was able to easily warm up with the member and she finally became a Hestia Familia member.
The night went on with the rest time while Bell and Hestia were awake. When Sumire was getting her Falna, Hestia discovered that the blessings the girl had was made by some human using the god's blood, almost like an artificial or say a fake falna.
Probably this was to make them believe that they really are Evilus.
According to Bell, these so-called villains call themselves Evilus just because of the fame they have. Does not matter whoever it is he decided to put a stop to them.
Forgetting about that for a moment Bell just examined the documents while Hestia just smiled at him.
-"Are you not sleepy?"
-"Oh… well you are still awake, how can I sleep when you are working hard."
-"…"
An awkward silence took place between them until Bell broke it.
-"Can I ask you something?"
-"What is it Bell-kun?"
He looks at her in the eye.
-"you… Like me don't you."
Completely getting Hestia off guard for mere seconds, she composed back to her usual self and carried on.
-"Y-Yeah… I.. I do, not only you but everyone in my familia."
-"I didn't mean it that way/"
-"Huh?"
Bell this time stands up and closes in near his goddess's face making her flustered.
-"You like me as a guy don't you?"
-"Ah… w-well."
He sighed and sat back on his seat.
-"I know… not only you but the girls with whom I am around with."
-"…"
-"I realized that well."
-"ah… ahahaha… well what about it, why are you bringing that up right now?"
-"Just to let you know… I can't see us like the way you want me to see us."
-"…"
-"Buut… I can at least… try to return to your feelings the way you want me to."
-"huh? W-What are you s-saying all of a sudden?"
-"Let's just say… I just want to cherish the people I have around me, even if means to show my love for them but not in an intimidating way. Honestly… I gave up on having feelings for Ais."
-"W-When and why?"
-"haha… lets just say, someone made me realized that I have to keep those people happy who care for my wellbeing."
-"…"
-"You set up a rule that the familia should not hold any relationship or close contact, but I think it was because of me right. You seem jealous whenever you see me around with some other girl."
Hestia now got embarrassed but its difficult to say that she is shy or embarrassed. He just held on to her hands.
-"Well… I have decided to leave it on time to see who I end up with, but for now I want to keep those around me happy. Well it would seem like a playboy thing but I genuinely want to keep the person happy in any way possible."
Hestia loved to hear that as well as she could try to take it that something might've happened in one of his adventures. She just closed her eyes and whispered.
-"Hestia…"
-"Huuh…"
-"You want to return my feelings even if you don't see me the way I see you. I just want you to call me Hestia like you call others."
Bell smiled at her.
-"Sure… Hestia."
The little girl couldn't express how happy she was to hear him refer her by her own name instead of kami-sama. Though she had already accepted to support Bell in his life along with the life partner, whoever he ends up with.
The goddess and her child had their own moment as Hestia asked Bell about his adventures since past 3 years.
The new day arrives with elimination of old rules and creation of a single new rule.
Hestia familia members should Follow their captain's lead. Though the dropping of old rule did catch prime members off guard but now they can see Hestia is not being that clingy to Bell. Now it seemed like she is acting like a proper goddess.
-"All right… time to set up the trap."
-"Yes Sir!"
End
Mind Controller