Hello everyone, it's been a really long time two or three months?
Really sorry for the long abscence and not saying anything. For those who still read the stories and enjoy them, then I appreciate it very much and am happy that you do enjoy them.
I've been away due to exams, school, games, sleep and food reasons. That and for a period of time I forgot about not having uploaded, then I came back but didn't really have any motivation or ideas to write so I know it would've been a real terrible chapter. But the new Danmachi season has been epic! I'll be picking up again starting this week but that doesn't mean next chapter is going to be soon.
I don't know when the next chapter is going to be but considering how far I am into each chapter of my stories, chance is that I'm going to finish the Dragonoid story new chapter first.
Either way I tried to advance Bell's and Alise's relationship a bit cause we all want the fluff. Anyways I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 3 – The Expedition
"Will you go on a date with me?!"
Everyone in the room had turned to Bell and Alise after she shouted her request and the pub had fallen silent. It was extremely funny to Mia and Kaguya to see the normally confident girl be all tense and shy. Kaguya also pat herself on the back for being a good sister and teaching Alise how to ask someone out. Though it was slightly awkward since Alise was far too nervous for her own good.
The various patrons, common people and adventurers alike were completely blown away, not expecting this kind of request. It also drew the envy of many men as despite the energetic and loud attitude, Alise had actually received many proposal which were known to have been turned down by her. The girl was a world class beauty and was popular across the entire city for her heroic actions and her Familia's reputation. So, it was very shocking to see the roles be reversed, and her be the one asking a man on a date.
At the same time many girls were filled with envy due to Bell having rapidly become a popular figure. Many of them had dreamt of dating the handsome renard and being able to cuddle with his fluffy soft tails. That included the renowned Sword Princess, Alicia as well as Lefiya and, much to her shame, Riveria, the high elf couldn't help but imagine pushing her face into the otherworldly softness.
"Eh?"
Bell on his side didn't know how to answer at the sudden request and his face flared in response. Alise seemed a very kind and cheery girl and was also part of the Astraea Familia, which meant she believed in justice. However, he had barely met her for more than an hour and his first impression wasn't great. On the other hand, due to Zeus' influence and his own gentle nature it was kind of hard for him to say no to a girl when she made such a genuine proposal.
"Umm. B-but we only met about an hour ago."
Alise didn't move from her bowed position and answered with an equally red face to Bell's.
"I know."
"And you still want to date me?"
"I do."
"And you want to have this date to know me better?"
"Yes."
"But you believe that what you feel is love?"
"Yes."
"Umm."
Everyone watched silently, looking at Bell then at Alise then back at Bell. The renard's ears twitched as his tails swished shyly and his hands fidgeted. Bell had never been asked out and by such a pretty girl at that. He looked at Mia who as usual shrugged while also noticing the hopeful look in Astraea's eyes.
"Umm, I guess, we could do that."
Alise's head shot up with a bright smile.
"Really?"
"Yes. I-I would like to t-try and go on a d-d-date with you as well A-Alise-san."
With a shy look Bell gave his final answer. As soon as he finished speaking, the Astraea Familia burst into cheers as their captain finally landed herself a man. Alise on her side was ecstatic and couldn't help but jump in joy and hug the renard. As everyone in the pub finished cheering and went back to their own business, Bell spoke again.
"But there is one problem."
Alise stopped immediately and turned to Bell with a worried look.
"What is it?"
"Since my Familia has been promoted to C rank recently, we need to go on an expedition. However, my Familia isn't ready for an expedition as such I will be going with the staff of the Hostess. This means that for the next week and a half I probably won't have time to go on a date with you."
Alise's initially scared and worried face dissolved into a relieved sigh.
"You had me worried there for a second Bell."
"Sorry about that."
However, as usual, her cheery and positive attitude immediately returned.
"Then I can help you as well."
"You don't have to."
"How could I not help the person I'm supposed to date. Besides, usually you're allowed to have help on the expedition."
"Really?"
"Yep. Usually the limitations are that the number of supporters shouldn't outnumber the number of people of the Familia to which the expedition belongs to. That means that since you're going on your own, you can have only one person aiding you. I suppose that the Hostess is coming with you secretly?"
The renard nodded.
"Yes. Mia said that if no one tells the Guild no one would know."
The red haired girl giggled.
"And she's right about that. Then you can count on me being the additional person you bring on the expedition."
The renard's eyes widen in surprise hearing that.
"Are you really sure?"
Alise decided to get a little daring hoping not to get slugged like before. And so, with a thundering heart, Alise moved her hands and grabbed Bell's own oddly smooth hand. The action brought a blush to both while from the table they were sat at, the members of the Astraea, Ganesha and Loki Familia all smiled widely to see the red haired captain acting all lovey dovey. Though none compared to the smirks on Kaguya's and Lyra's face.
"Of course."
Bell couldn't help but smile at the response. Some might find it strange to feel so familiar with a girl he had literally just met an hour ago. However, it had been easy for Bell to open up to Alise and was now sure that he wouldn't mind dating her. Perhaps they truly were fated to be together.
.
Alise had returned to her place by Astraea and Kaguya but couldn't help but keep staring at Bell throughout the entire time while he worked. Everyone in the Astraea Familia smiled happily seeing the smitten captain, all except Ryuu. She was by no means displeased or angry about it, though as an elf she found it a little inappropriate to date someone she had just met and she was simply bewildered that her captain had fallen for a man.
Personally she was glad that it was someone like Bell who seemed kind and caring and not some random ruffian. At the same time she couldn't help but worry about her beloved captain. Not because Bell might not be a good boyfriend, but rather because Alise might not be a great girlfriend. She just hoped that Bell was someone who could cope with someone as energetic and cheerful as Alise, which so far, it seemed to be going smoothly.
"My little captain is smitten! How adorable!"
Astraea kept teasing and poking at Alise, who pouted in response, though her eyes betrayed her as they would always be drawn back to the swishing tails and trail away until they eventually found his handsome face.
"Congratulations Alise. Really didn't expect that of ya lass."
"Today we celebrate not only for my level up but for your love as well."
The girl blushed and fidgeted with her hands as she was suddenly at the centre of attention.
"Thank you Gareth, Ardee."
The atmosphere inside the pub was back to being a happy and cheerful one. As for the Apollo and Soma members they were taken away. Ganesha had called over a few members of his Familia that had been patrolling the area, making them take away the adventurers that Bell had knocked out.
Mia in the meantime had given Bell a short break so that she could give him the letter by the Guild. Seeing that Bell wasn't working Alise waved at him to signal him to come over and join her. With a smile Bell approached the table and sat next to Alise, after Kaguya moved so that the two lovebirds could be together.
'Thank you Kaguya.'
Alise thanked Kaguya in her head, which she conveyed with a glance to the Far Eastern girl. Mikoto who had decided to stay was talking with Mia until she too was invited to sit at the table next to Bell. Together the two opened the letter and read the contents which shocked both members of the Takemikazuchi Familia.
"Umm, Finn-san?"
The pallum just chuckled at the formality.
"Just Finn Bell."
"Umm, Finn, I have a question for you. Actually I'd like to ask Alise and the captain of the Ganesha Familia as well."
The three captains all curiously eyed the renard as he kept reading the letter.
"When you first got promoted to D or C rank and the Guild requested an expedition, what were the requirements?"
The three captains were confused but quickly searched their memories.
"Well my Familia was given the task to go down to the twenty seventh floor and retrieve some drop items from that area."
"Same goes for ours."
Answered Shakti before Bell turned to Alise.
"It was pretty similar for us as well. The difference was that due to our lower numbers back then we only went as far as the twenty fifth floor."
Bell and Mikoto exchanged a glance before Bell returned his gaze to the letter.
"Is something worrying you Bell?"
Hearing the question posed to him by the blonde pallum, the renard's eyes turned to him.
"Well … it's just that hearing that, makes me doubt whether or not this expedition can be completed."
Bell trusted Alise and handed her the letter which the red hair quickly scanned before her eyes widened and her mouth was left hanging.
"What is this?!"
Finn couldn't stop his curiosity from getting the better of him and asked if he could see the letter to which Bell nodded. Finn's hands trembled and was close to ripping the paper in two.
"T-this is … bullshit!"
The sudden outburst surprised everyone around the table, even more so for the Loki Familia when he suddenly cursed which was completely unusual of him.
"Floor thirty seven?! Minimum requirement are twenty drops from the twenty seventh floor, ten from the thirtieth floor and above, thirty five drops from between the seventeenth and twenty fourth floor as well as at least five barbarian furs and five obsidian soldier's body stone?! Not only that but an Amphisbaena's liver if possible?! This is just ludicrous, how can the Guild demand this of a Familia that just got to C rank? Wait Bell, how many of your Familia will be accompanying you?"
"None. Half members are level two while the other half are level three. Still I do not believe they are ready to be brought so deep in the dungeon."
Everyone around the table stared at Bell as if he was crazy.
"Are you going by yourself?"
The renard looked right and left to see if anyone was listening in before closing the distance between him and Finn.
"No, Mia will secretly meet me in the dungeon."
The pallum nodded with a hand to his chin.
"That's good. This is just unbelievable."
Mikoto then interjected as she remembered what the Guild staff had told her when they delivered the letter.
"Actually, when I received the letter, I was told by the Guild staff that we could keep all of the drops and magic stones. They only need the twenty drops from the twenty seventh floor. The rest we just need to present then we can take them back with us."
"That's the least they should be taking. It would be daylight robbery otherwise! Honestly twenty drops from the twenty seventh floor with theoretically only one person is already excessive!"
The one shouting was Ardee, who was floored by the requirements demanded by the Guild.
"Alise also offered to be the person that officially accompanies me on the expedition."
At that, everyone turned to Alise who blushed slightly but nodded.
"I hope that won't be a problem Astraea-sama."
"No worries Alise. I'm sure the girls here will survive without you for a week."
As she turned all the girls of her Familia gave her a smile with a thumbs up. The rest of the night was then spent with light chatter and jokes and as the night passed, everyone retired for the night. Bell accompanied Mikoto to the Takemikazuchi Familia home before returning to the pub while the three big Familias all returned to their respective mansions.
.
Bell was up early in the morning as were Mia and the rest of the staff. The girls all wore their adventurer outfit along with their armour and weapons. Mia wanted to see how he'd fare against three level fours before having a sparring match with him. After that they'd see what he knew of the dungeon, but they would be surprised by both his skill and knowledge.
Astraea and her Familia had also decided to join in and see how he would hold up. Alise too wanted to have a sparring session with Bell to see how powerful he actually was. In the meantime Chloe, Lunoire and Anya were face to face with Bell while the rest all stood next to Mia who acted as a referee.
"Good, except for May and Syr who don't have a falna, my girls here are all level four. We'll see how you hold yourself up against three level fours."
"Get ready nya. We'll be pounding nyour cute little butt nya."
"Phrasing Chloe."
The brown haired girl rushed at Bell with her fists and swung them at the renard who easily dodged her. Chloe in the meantime had snuck behind Bell in an attempt to strike him from behind. It was to everyone's surprise when the arm with which she held her knife was grabbed by Bell's tail.
"Nya?"
"Surely you know my tail isn't simply for show Chloe."
The tail that had caught her wrist swung around sending Chloe flying away.
"Nyaaaa!"
Distracted by the flying cat girl, Lunoire received a kick to the stomach, also sending her flying away, which put a big distance between Bell and his opponents. That, however, wasn't an advantage when it came to Anya who wielded a golden spear. A weapon which obviously had much more range than a knife or a pair of fists.
Bell dodged the first few strikes before unsheathing the sword that Tsubaki gave him and deflecting an incoming strike. With fluent movement, the sword went from deflecting to resting right below Anya's chin, stopping her in her tracks.
"Nya? Nya, nya?"
The cat girl was not expecting the move and was left confused.
"Well, you're out Anya. That's why I keep telling you to fight seriously, you dumb cat!"
Her ears drooped down before Chloe and Lunoire took this chance to dash back into action. They dared not underestimate him after having witnessed his skill with the sword. With fists and knife the two worked together to fight against Bell. However no matter what they tried Bell had the advantage in skill and status. He was stronger, more resistant and faster than the two of them were.
Chloe and Lunoire were without a doubt skilled fighters and would normally prove to be tough opponents. But Bell wasn't only skilled, he also had the advantage in falna over them. Despite their team work, the two only managed to resist a couple more minutes before they were both kicked back to the ground. With a sword pointed at the two of them, the match was then deemed concluded.
"I nyan't believe it."
"I didn't think you were that strong Bell."
"Sorry about that. Are you two okay?"
The girls nodded as they grabbed onto Bell, who extended his hands to help them up.
"We'll be fine Bell. But don't go hitting on a lady that hard or a certain red head might get jealous."
Lunoire spoke with a mischievous smile.
"R-right."
Bell turned around to see Mama Mia wearing a smirk. One which worried him greatly.
"Good, now you're fighting me."
"Oh great."
The renard's tail slumped down causing everyone to giggle. His eyes scanned Mia but found no opening as she got ready. She wasn't a level six and the former captain of the Freya Familia for nothing. That being said, even if he couldn't defeat her, he wouldn't go down without a fight.
"Alright Mia, be ready to be surprised."
"Oh I'm ready."
It was still rather early in the morning so looking up, Bell spotted the moon. It was nowhere near its usual splendour since it was day and not night, but his skill should work, nonetheless. Closing his eyes, Bell summoned his skills to work.
Everyone watched with impossibly wide eyes as spherical shapes appeared behind Bell. The eight spheres were white and blue, some more white than others, with one being completely white while one was completely blue. As they appeared a white aura had engulfed the boy. Although not night, since the moon was very close to being a full moon, his falna was still significantly boosted.
"What is going on with your boyfriend, Alise?"
"I don't know Astraea-sama."
Bell turned his gaze to Mia with a smile and charged at her. It was shocking to all how fast he was. Mia too was startled by it as his speed neared a starting level six and soon discovered that the increase in his strength didn't pale in comparison to that of his speed. He was still weaker than Mia, but a lot of it could be made up by Bell's skill with the blade.
Blocking slash by slash, Mia couldn't believe the resilience of the renard as he had become strong enough to give her a little trouble. There was no doubt that if he levelled up to five, he'd become a formidable opponent and only the top adventurers of Orario would be able to fight him. However, Mia began to doubt that even Ottar could defeat him if the moon was out as it seemed to greatly empower him.
Deciding that she had seen enough she blocked the next attack before grabbing his wrist and head butting the renard. The white haired boy stumbled back to attack again before Mia raised her hand to stop the match.
"A'ight I've seen that you are more than capable to defend yourself."
"My turn!"
Alise waved her hand excitedly which brought a smile to Bell's face.
"Alright, you two can have your match now."
Alise quickly raced to centre of the field and stood face to face with the renard.
"Ready? Go!"
Mia acted as referee for the match and as soon as she gave the go, the two charged at each other with their swords in hand. Both raised their swords and swung down, locking themselves into place. The impact sent shockwaves all over the place. From the side lines the girls were watching excitedly while other more playful ones were making bets on how long he'd last.
Seeing as Bell was using one of his skills, Alise decided she wouldn't hold back either and activated her magic spell. Activating Agaris Alvesynth combined with her skill Lubrude Bequia, which had allowed her to match a first class adventurer back when she was a level four, would now nearly put her on par with Ottar, making her stronger than any other adventurer, even Finn and Allen. Alise had always levelled up with S in all of her stats. After she learnt that all members of the Zeus and Hera Familia did that, she believed that only by being like them, could she become stronger than the legendary adventurers.
Her continuous hard work demonstrated to have benefitted her as she had the clear upper hand in the match. Though she still found herself in a pinch when faced with Bell's superior skill with the sword. Even so, the battle only went on for a few more minutes before Alise got a daring idea on how to swiftly defeat Bell.
Bell swung his blade vertically down which Alise parried before grabbing his wrist. What happened next, was the one thing that Bell was not expecting at all as Alise pulled him towards her. Everyone watched with yet again wide eyes as Alise pushed her lips against Bell's undefended cheek. Bell tensed up as a result, his ears and tail stiffening showing how surprised he was.
"Kyun!"
The red haired girl had a bright blush but a beautiful smile as she was beyond happy with the outcome as she released him a moment later. The girl whispered a quiet sorry before she took advantage of the surprise and mercilessly hit Bell with a kick to the head which knocked him out.
"Alise?!"
The blonde elf of the Astraea Familia was shocked by her actions.
"Not only you kissed him but you used that as an excuse to beat him?"
"W-well, I needed to win … but t-the k-kiss was very n-nice. Besides it was only on his cheek."
Everyone was laughing loudly with Astraea maintaining her elegance as she only giggled and Ryuu being the only one who was too shocked to laugh. Alise then looked down at Bell and sat down as she remembered a lesson that she had learnt from a book Kaguya had lent to her. The girl used her hands to grab the head of the renard before placing it on her thighs. She began ruffling the divinely soft hair but avoided the ears not wanting to offend Bell.
"Alright let's leave the lovebirds alone. Tell us when he gets up."
Kaguya led the others back into the pub where Mia served them all breakfast. It took a few minutes before Bell groaned as he began waking up.
"Ugh. I hate you Alise."
"Hehe, sorry about that."
"Next time I'll have you be the one knocked out on my lap."
"I'm looking forward to that."
Bell's pair of rubellite eyes met the green one of Alise, who smiled lovingly.
"There is no need to avoid my ears."
"But I thought beast people didn't like it."
The renard though shook his head.
"I only allow people I'm close to, to touch my ears and tails because it's an intimate gesture. Which is why I don't mind if it's you."
Alise looked at his ears but hesitated before a tail wrapped around her wrist and hand, while his own palm went up to her face and caressed her cheek. Bell got up from her laps and shocked Alise as he leaned forwards, leaving only a hair's breadth. His lips hovered over hers and Alise's face heated up with anticipation.
'Is this the finally long awaited moment?!'
The red haired girl closed her eyes and prepared herself as Bell seemed to make his move. Then his breath left her and felt Bell's soft lips pressing on her forehead. It was a bold and embarrassing move for Bell, too bold for his pure little soul but he had to get her back for what she did before. As innocent as he was, he hated losing. The renard pulled back and saw that Alise looked at him with wide shocked eyes before a cute pout formed on her face as she stared at Bell annoyed at his action.
"This is payback for before."
The renard then got up and lightly and sensually touched her face with his tail before walking towards the inside of the pub. Alise was forced to watch as his tails seductively moved around causing her to gulp and curse at Bell for being such a tease.
Unseen to her Bell's face was bright red as he was filled with embarrassment and shame. His hands and tails moved to cover his face as he walked into the building. It was unbearable but he couldn't stop the smile that was growing on his face.
.
Alise entered the pub to see that everyone was already sat and eating at a single large round table. Sitting on each side of Bell were Ryuu and Astraea causing Alise to pout and decided that she'd make her own place.
"There you are Alise."
The girl nodded before landing with her butt on Bell's lap, much to the surprise of everyone including Bell.
"Alise?"
"There was no place."
The girls all giggled as Bell didn't protest instead wrapping his tail around her waist. The red haired girl leaned back against Bell, letting her head rest against Bell's. It was still all new and foreign to both Bell and Alise but they liked it very much. To feel the warmth of the person you love and have their arms, and tail for Alise, embrace you. They discovered something that they would never be willing to give up.
"Alright you two. Keep it together, you can get as cuddly as you want, just don't go making red haired renards here. You can do that later. The name of my pub isn't meant to be taken literally."
The two blushed fiercely at Mia's words and simply nodded while the rest of the people began stifling their giggles. The two straightened out immediately, but Bell's tail didn't leave Alise's hips nor did her hands let go of Bell's. Thing which was very much noted and enjoyed by everyone in the pub.
"Returning to a serious topic. Bell, how much do you know about the dungeon?"
"I studied the dungeon a lot before coming to Orario, so I'm confident that I know the dungeon's layout and ecosystem very well."
Mia's brow scrunched up. She knew that he wasn't someone who would lie, not that he could even if he tried, but it sounded pretty far-fetched.
"Then tell me about the monster rexes."
And this is where Bell would make a mistake which would inadvertently reveal more about Bell than he had intended to let people on. Bell being raised by Zeus had no idea what the normal standards were nor did he fully understand what others would say is common sense, particularly when it was about the dungeon.
"Well on the seventeenth floor you'll find the Goliath, the Amphisbaena on the twenty seventh, Udaeus on floor thirty seven, Balor on the forty ninth, Hydrax on the sixtieth and Valefor on the seventieth. Beyond that I don't know."
"…what?"
Astraea was the first to speak as she looked at Bell bewildered because she didn't detect any lie. That meant that he was telling the truth about knowing of two floor bosses that no one knew the existence of.
"Astraea? Is it true?"
It took a moment but the Goddess of justice eventually answered.
"Yes. He's not lying."
"What's the matter?"
The renard asked confused as to what was wrong with the information he had provided.
"Bell no one has been beyond floor fifty eight. Well not officially, but even the strongest Familias like Loki and Freya only ventured to floor fifty eight and no further. So how do you know about it?"
The tails and ears stiffened and straightened out as he realised his blunder before looking away.
"That's … I'm sorry I can't tell you that."
"We'll nyeep it a secret nya. We promise nya."
The renard however shook his head. It's not like he didn't trust them, as a matter of fact he did. Thing which was risky and reckless if he had asked Zeus. But Bell didn't want there to be too many secrets amongst people he considered his friends and family. And both his Familia Astraea's as well as the Hostess were all part of his family.
However, his origin and connection to Zeus went beyond about being only about him. His mission to restore the honour of the Zeus Familia didn't only affect him, but many others. And he wasn't ready to share that, he knew that Astraea was an ally of Zeus since he had told him, but he wasn't ready.
"No. This is something that I have to keep secret. I'm sorry."
He directed the apology particularly to Alise as she looked ready to burst due her curiosity. The red haired girl deflated upon being rejected but it soon turned to a gentle smile as she used her free hand to caress Bell's cheek.
"It's okay. It is your secret and it is up to you whether or not you want to share it. But I'll be here for you whenever you need."
All the girls around the table looked with completely shocked and terrified looks at Alise.
"What?"
The girl had noticed their looks and how they were directed to her.
"My dear Alise is being so sweet and kind. I never thought I'd see you be so endearing … so … so thoughtful, understanding and … mature."
Kaguya had tears in her eyes as she spoke, full of pride as her captain finally acted her age.
"Hey! How rude."
Her attention, however, was immediately stolen by Bell who placed a long kiss on her cheek which made her freeze before wrapping his tail around her and affectionately stroking her hand with his thumb. The bright smile that the girl got when she turned was enough to turn her into a blushing mess.
"Thank you Alise. For always supporting me and being there for me. I have never been as happy as I am now. Though I can't say yet whether or not your presence is having a good or bad impact."
The girl's brows scrunched up in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"I feel like I've become more … how to say … daring?"
As the last word left his lips the renard flashed her a somewhat mischievous smile which sent a jolt down not only her back but also affecting the other girls sat around the table, to the exception of Mia of course. Astraea, Kaguya and Ryuu in particular felt it thoroughly and believed that it was inappropriate to feel like this due to the nature of his relationship with Alise. But was it wrong when Bell looked so … alluring and sexy?
The question swam in their heads but the mischievous look on Bell's cute face with his renard ears twitching was definitely too much to handle for Anya and Chloe who fainted with blood dripping down their nose. And as soon as they did, the moment was broken and Bell's face quickly turned to one of confusion.
"Huh? What happened to them?"
Mia, who was the only one unaffected sighed with a shake of her head.
"Don't sweat it kid. It's just those dumb cats being themselves."
"Okay?"
Alise in the meantime was looking at Astraea, Kaguya and Ryuu, taking in every detail of their reactions towards Bell.
'Hmm.'
An idea began forming in her head as did a smirk, one which would bring a lot of changes. One that would be beyond all comprehension of the Goddess, the Far Eastern girl or the elf and would yet again shake the foundations of Orario.
.
The week quickly passed by, with hour after hour being spent on training. Bell had shown limitless talent as he quickly learnt everything Takemikazuchi had showed him. The God was beyond impressed with his achievements and though she was proud, Mikoto had to admit she was a little jealous. Some of the techniques were rated as extremely hard and only she had managed to learn them after years of practice where the rest of her Familia had failed. And Bell. Bell had rapidly learnt all of them in one go and more.
It was understandable to everyone why she would be a little jealous, though it was minimal compared to the amazement and admiration she felt for the renard. This also meant that the already skilled Bell was adding more and more styles and techniques to his already vast arsenal, making him all the more powerful.
Which showed as he sparred with the Astraea Familia. He wasn't able to fulfil his promise to have Alise sprawled on his lap, but he still made remarkable progress. Though each sparring session with Alise ended up with him passed out on her lap as she tenderly and lovingly stroked hair, ears and tail.
Kaguya, Ryuu and Astraea had to watch with envy as she had the privilege of having a renard all to herself. What they didn't know, was that this was all part of Alise's plan. She made sure to show off and let the three watch as she greatly enjoyed Bell's softness.
"Is it just me or is Alise doing that on purpose?"
"Yes I was thinking the same thing. Alise is getting too full of herself. What do you think Astraea-sama? Kami-sama?"
The blonde elf turned to the indigo eyed Goddess, who was pouting at the scene.
"This is so unfair. I'm going to have to exercise my right as a Goddess."
"Excuse me? Your what now, Astraea-sama?"
The black haired swordsman looked incredulous at the divine being who proceeded to make her way to Alise. The red haired girl looked up from the sleeping figure on her laps to see a less than happy Goddess staring down at her.
"How may I help you Astraea?"
"Mumumumu, you're so doing this on purpose aren't you?"
"Whatever might you mean?"
The girl answered back with a bright smile of her own.
"Just come out straight with it. What are you trying to do?"
"I really have no idea what you might be talking about. Is it about how adorable Bell is? How soft his tail is or how cute his ears are when they twitch? Maybe the warmth of his breath and his skin? Or could you be referring to the way he makes you melt with his smile and a simple kiss on the cheek?"
The Goddess pouted.
"Mou, Alise, you naughty girl. What are you trying to do?"
"Nothing, just telling you the wonders of being in love with an adorably soft and fluffy renard like Bell."
Astraea was about to speak again when Bell stirred.
"Would you look at that, it seems like I will have to get going Astraea-sama. After all, Bell needs all the training he can get in order to prepare for the expedition."
The Goddess was left standing there as Alise and Bell got back to sparring.
"That cheeky little captain."
Speaking from next to her was Kaguya, who had heard the whole conversation.
"She's just rubbing it in our faces."
"She does look happy though."
"Either way she is ticking me off. What about you Astraea-sama?"
"Mou. This is so unfair."
"Ahem. Somehow I think there is more to her actions."
Ryuu spoke while her eyes kept staring at the training forms of Bell and Alise with a suspicious look.
.
Bell stood in front of the dungeon's entrance. He wore his usual black clothes, the silver armour given to him by Tsubaki and the sword strapped to the side of his waist. Mia and the staff of the Hostess of Fertility had geared up and headed in ahead of him, while he waited for Alise to arrive.
It was finally time for the expedition to take place. Looking to his right were the members of the Takemikazuchi Familia as well as the God himself. They had accompanied him to Babel and were going to see him off.
"Good luck Bell. And do be careful down there."
"I know. You don't have to worry. Mia, Alise, Chole, Anya and Lunoire are all going to be there helping me. The only thing that you have to worry about, is whether or not I'll manage to level up."
"Hahaha, alright. Then I'll be waiting for the good news Bell."
"Of course Take."
The rest of the members all came up to wish him good luck on the expedition.
"Good luck and be sure prioritize your safety Bell-dono."
"Thank you Mikoto."
"Bell!"
The renard turned around with a smile as he recognized the voice. Running towards him was Alise, she had a bright smile and was waving at him as she came closer. Bell noticed a little too late that the girl wasn't slowing down and she covered the last meder of distance with a jump.
"Wah Alise?!"
The girl wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, straddling him with her body as she snuggled her face in between his neck and shoulder. Bell couldn't help but blush at the sudden show of affection, particularly the feeling of her soft body pressed up against him. Unfortunately he couldn't feel her chest due to the armour, but he would do with without that for now.
"Ehehehe. You smell so good Bell."
"Mou, Alise. I already told you not to do that when we are in public. It's so embarrassing."
Looking around the red haired girl could see that everyone was staring, even the Takemikazuchi Familia, most of who weren't aware of their relationship. Takemikazuchi was the only one to know since Mikoto had spoken to him before she went to sleep immediately after arriving at the Familia home, but the topic was never brought up thus the leaving the other members out of the know.
"Ah, Alise it's good to see you. I hope you take good care of Bell."
"Haha, don't worry Takemikazuchi-sama, I'll stick real close to him. I won't allow anything or anyone to harm him."
"What?!"
Particularly shocked about this relationship seemed to be Ouka.
"What the heck Bell? You arrive in the city for a week and you already manage to get yourself one of the most powerful, popular and beautiful women in the city to be completely head over heels for you?!"
Bell could only give him an awkward smile. When he put it like that, it certainly was a crazy outcome.
"Well, it just kind of happened, you know?"
"No I don't know Bell! I'm so jealous!"
"Ahaha, ahem. Anyways, are you ready Alise?"
"Yup. But wait just a minute, Astraea-sama has also come to see us off."
The girl pointed to the Goddess of Justice who strolled up them with Kaguya, Lyra and Ryuu by her side.
"Astraea-sama, it is a pleasure to see you again."
The Goddess giggled lightly to herself as Bell gave her a little bow.
"Thank you Bell. You have no idea how happy I am to see Alise as she is now. I didn't expect her to find herself a boyfriend for another decade or so. I'm glad that is someone who values justice like you."
Bell scratched the back of his head, feeling a little embarrassed by the Goddess' praise.
"You had to see her. We were all walking together but she was so excited to see you again she just ran off on her own. She just couldn't contain herself anymore."
The renard glanced at Alise, who was looking away with a bright blush on her face, though her grip on his hand never faltered. The Goddess from her side smiled widely as she was truly glad to be able to see her beloved Alise be so in love with a man.
"Well, we should get going. We don't want to keep Mia waiting too long or she will give us the lecture of our life."
That successfully drew everyone's attention away from Alise as well as making the group laugh.
"That's true. You better get going then. Good luck you two and be safe down there."
"Please look after our captain. She is very reckless."
"Hehe, be careful she might get a little frisky."
"But rely on her, unlike this useless elf she can be counted on."
"Hey, Kaguya! How rude of you!"
The renard chuckled before nodding and thanking all of the members present. He then grabbed Alise's hand before leading her down the dungeon where they linked up with the Hostess' staff down on the seventh floor. The expedition officially began.
.
"About time you showed up."
"Sorry about that Mia."
Mia showed up wearing her adventuring outfit as did the other girls. It was quite the change for Bell as he had never seen them in anything but their Hostess uniform. Even when having their sparring sessions for the past week the girls had always worn their work uniform.
Lunoire wore brown shorts, long brown boots that covered up to the knee and a simple white sleeveless top, which left her stomach area bare. She then had a red scarf around her neck, bandages wrapped around her wrists and her favoured weapons, gloves with a metal plate on the top side to block blades.
Chloe wore a similar outfit white shorts, a short sleeved blue top that left her belly exposed. She then wore long black socks that went up to her knees and sturdy white and brown boots. As the assassin she used to be, she still wore her blue cloak, her purple curved knife and the pouches on each side to carry her potions and magic items.
Mia looked just like what he expected from the Freya Familia, or at least what he had heard from Zeus. She wore black clothes from head to toe, her armour was a chest piece, and pieces that covered her shoulders, arms, hands and grieves that went from feet to knees. Unexpectedly, she wore a thick and sturdy helmet, which really made her look imposing. What stood out the most of her outfit was her enormous Warhammer.
However, the person who caught the most attention in Bell's eyes was Anya. She looked completely different. She wore a white jacket that ended in a red skirt with a brown belt and a brown strap going over her right shoulder and below her left one. Below it she wore black leggings that covered down to her knees. She then wore brown and beige boots and had golden poleyns strapped around her knees. She wore a pair of gloves that matched her boots as well as a red scarf. She also wore armoured pads to protect her elbows. And of course, one couldn't forget the golden spear that had the same colour as her eyes.
Anya, who was sat on a rock, had a serious look in her eyes that was completely unusual for the usual airheaded cat girl. Though the silly smile returned as soon as her eyes landed on him and Alise. With a wave the girl jumped to her feet and approached Bell.
"Finally here nya!"
"Ehehe, we get to go onya an expedition with nyour cute little butt nya."
"Careful Chloe, Alise might skin you if you try to get too handsy."
The black haired cat girl glanced at Alise who had a bright smile but eyes that promised pain if she were to grab his butt.
"Enough chit chat. What are your plans boy?"
"Eh? You asking me?"
"Of course I am. It's your expedition. We follow your lead."
The renard took a moment to observe all the members before turning his attention to the stairs that lead to the next floor.
"Alright. We'll push all the way down to the twenty fourth floor before setting camp and proceeding to collect the Guild's requested amount of drops. From the base we set up on the twenty fourth floor we can either go down or up, depending on whether or not we will have the requested drops. When we are done collecting all the drops we will move lower to the thirty sixth floor. There we will set base again used it to move around and gather the drops around that area."
Mia grinned and nodded.
"Good. Then let's move. We've wasted enough time."
""Roger!""
.
The trip was expectedly uneventful until the seventeenth floor. The Wall of Sorrow cracked and shattered as the monster rex was unleashed to its doom. Its blood red eyes locked onto a group of six that had just entered the floor.
"Get rea-"
"Please leave this to me."
Mia looked at Bell confused.
"If you want to level up there are other monster rexes further below."
The renard nodded but made no argument, instead chanting a spell.
"Bloom forth sakura of the East. Let thee be free and released. Reito Furawakeji."
An azure magic circle appeared under Bell's feet as his mage developmental ability empowered his magic. Bell raised his open hand and pointed at the monster rex. Tendrils of ice shot up and wrapped around the limbs and body of the Goliath as it spawned. The monster flailed around as it tried to tear them away without success.
"Toketsu."
With one word, the tendrils vanished and the area before covered by the tendril was frozen solid. The entire Goliath was encased in ice and as Bell closed his hand into a fist and the ice shattered just like the Wall of Sorrow. The Goliath crumbled as the ice sculpture was broken, leaving a group of five shocked people and a happy renard.
"Nyat was that?"
"Boy, was that the same spell you used on the amazon the first time?"
The renard turned around and nodded. That of course astonished the staff of the Hostess as the power displayed was on a completely different scale than last time.
"What should we do with the magic stone and the tooth?"
At that Alise's eye shone as she got her first chance to be useful to Bell and the expedition.
"Hehehe, leave that to your splendid girlfriend. I present to you this dimensional bag. Courtesy of Asfi."
Everyone looked at Alise as she held a plain looking pouch, but as she walked to the magic stone of the Goliath, the girl sucked it along the tooth into the bag. It was a ground-breaking item that Asfi had made and there were only two of them as of right now. One was owned by Alise and the other by the captain of the Hermes Familia herself.
"Thanks to this little baby we can carry much more than we could with just the bags that Mia, Lunoire and Anya brought down."
The group then proceeded further down, encountering a slight detour on the twentieth floor. The renard's keen ears immediately picked up the calls of distress from a nearby group of adventurers. The ever heroic Bell didn't hesitate to follow the calls. Alise obviously supported the idea while Mia and the others made no comment. The owner of the Hostess understood the feelings of Bell and admired his valiant behaviour thus making no protest towards the idea of helping someone else.
As they arrived at the room from which the sounds originated, Bell found the adventurers being attacked by two firebirds. The two beasts never approached the group of adventurers, instead they flew in circles whilst continuously launching fireballs. What was troubling was that the group's long range members, along some of the vanguard, were out of commission.
The archer was unconscious and the two mages were badly injured, with one of them having lost their arm. Two members wielding shields were down along a swordsman. The only remaining members were the two humans, one wielding knives and another using a spear, and a supporter.
With his level four status and his race's enhanced physical capability, Bell jumped up. Upon arriving at the firebirds' height, he slashed the two monsters out of existence before gracefully landing in front of the amazed adventurers.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-yes, thank you. My name is Oriana Drake, level two of the Alpheus Familia. Thank you for your help."
"No problem Oriana. Oh and I'm Bell Katuski, level four."
The knight looking girl was surprised at the revelation of his level that she forgot the fact that he did not mention his Familia.
"Level four?!"
"Is it that surprising?"
"Ah no it's just that you look really young."
The renard cutely tilted his head as he thought, one which made the knight coo a little, particularly when she noticed his renard ears twitching. It was adorable and the young lancer was weak against cute things.
"Well, I am fourteen."
"…"
Hearing his age caused the girl to feel miserable, she was seventeen but was only at the peak of level two while the fourteen year old renard in front of her was already level four.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, but I have to go. I'm on an expedition after all."
"Ah r-right. Thank you for your help."
The girl bowed again and as she got up the renard was gone. The girl hoped to meet the renard again in the future, but for now she busied herself to help her friends and party members. From the distance Bell and his group watched as Oriana gathered her friends and healed them to a degree where they could make their way back to Rivira.
"Boy are you going to save everyone who needs saving?"
The renard turned to her with a pout.
"Of course Mia. How could you not help them. It is a hero's duty to aid those who ask for help."
The dwarf sighed but gave a smile.
"Alright, wouldn't be you otherwise. Let's go we're behind schedule. We should already be on the twenty seventh floor by now, but we haven't even reached floor twenty four nor have we set camp."
.
The rest of the trip went without hitches, on their way down, the group managed to obtain much of the needed drop items and finally made their way down to the twenty fourth floor. After finding a decently isolated and safe area, they set up camp, damaging the walls around in order to prevent the dungeon from spawning monsters in the surrounding area.
After the camp was set up, the group left Chloe behind to guard whilst the others proceeded further down the dungeon. Their first goal was to hunt down the Amphisbaena before farming the monsters to get the required amount of drop items. On their way down, the group had already managed to get fifty percent of the drop items that they required from the seventeenth to the twenty fourth floor. Goes without saying that Alise and the others were shocked by the number of drop items they got in one go and could only attribute it to Bell's doing, though he never expanded on it.
The group met several monsters on their way to the Amphisbaena, ranging from mermaids, iguazus, carbuncles, harpies and more. They were lucky enough to get several drop items from the monsters they slayed. The monster rex was known to be able to move between the twenty seventh and the twenty fifth floor. But considering that the boss should have respawned yesterday, the group supposed no adventurer had passed and awakened the beast yet.
"Here we are."
Alise was leading the group as they arrived at the bast of the Great Falls. The massive water falls travelled through entire floors and despite it being in the dungeon, the scene was spectacular.
"Please leave the monster rex to me."
"What?! Bell that monster is level five and classed as six by the Guild when in a water based environment!"
The renard however nodded.
"I am well aware of that."
"Boy are you going to fight even Udaeus alone?"
Bell chuckled as the owner of the Hostess looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"No, just until the Amphisbaena."
The staff of the Hostess looked at him for a while before conceding and agreeing to allow him. But convincing Alise was another story. It took a good ten minutes for Bell to convince the red haired captain to let him do this.
"Besides, you'll be here ready to intervene if anything goes wrong, no? I trust that you will be there to help me when needed."
The girl looked unconvinced but begrudgingly nodded with a pout.
"Fine, but you owe me a lot of cuddling later."
The renard blushed but nodded.
"O-okay."
Alise immediately brightened up and put on a smile as she looked at Bell. She leaned in and gave his cheek a peck, causing the innocent boy to squeal.
"Hehe, a present from me."
Alise hugged Bell, placing her head on his, dangerously close to his ears, and whispered, making sure to blow on the tip of his renard ear.
"It you win then there is a reward waiting, far better than that kiss."
The renard went red but before they could keep going Mia shouted at them to get a move on ruining the moment. Honestly, the dungeon wasn't a great place to be acting all lovey dovey. Besides, it seemed like Bell had the chance to do that later when they got back to camp.
While the party stood at the edge of the floor, Bell proceeded further towards the base of the waterfall. His enhanced senses soon began picking up the rumbling and shaking of the floor. Soon, the waterfall lake in front of him exploded as a massive body burst out of the water. Over twenty meders high and several orcs wide, was a white twin headed dragon.
It glared at the renard with its pair of red and blue eyes before delivering an ear shattering roar. Bell analysed the monster and recalled the details he had learnt about the monster. He knew that this monster rex wouldn't succumb to the spell he used on the Goliath. The difference between level four and five was massive, moreover, the Amphisbaena was strength and endurance oriented.
The battle began as the head with red eyes released a mist that surrounded the entire field around them. If Bell were to take out the left head, he would likely be able to finish off the monster rex with one hit if he were to use his strongest spell. However, it was extremely consuming even for him whose mind was trained and had much more capacity. Moreover, he was looking to level up through a real challenge and he intended to finish the monster rex without making major use of his innately powerful magic.
The Amphisbaena spun around and lashed its tail out at Bell. The renard jumped up to avoid the tail but was surprised by the head that smacked him away. It had long tails and just as long necks that it could swing around and use as weapons.
Skidding to a stop, Bell braced for impact as the other head shot towards him. With his level five strength he gripped the monster rex's teeth as he tried to stop the massive floor boss' attack. The ground beneath him gave in, causing the renard to be pushed back a good distance before Bell managed to completely stop the dragon.
With a punch to its face, the monster recoiled back, giving time to Bell to dash in and slash at the monster, delivering a cut that sliced from shoulder to shoulder. The injury, however, wasn't deep enough to cause a lot of damage. For minutes upon minutes, the two combatants exchanged hits, with Bell gaining the advantage as he was dealing more damage than he was receiving.
However, at this rate it would take forever, so it was time to change tactic. Though he wasn't going to use his most powerful spell, that didn't mean that he wouldn't use magic at all. So he got ready to chant. Pushing back the floor boss, he backed up to get the maximum distance possible.
Bell chanted and cast the ice tendrils, but aimed for its legs and the pool, plunging them in the water. As the freezing effect took place, the boss' feet were froze and a thick layer of ice covered the surface of the water, preventing it to use its environmental advantage. The monster rex roared angrily and broke its feet free of the ice, but without being able to dent the ice covering the surface of the water before using its flame breath attack against Bell.
The renard ran around the Amphisbaena dodging the flame that tried to burn him to a crisp. And that was his first target, the head that could use the fire breath attack. It was the biggest threat so far and it was the first target that had to be dealt with.
As the attack came at an end, the white haired renard charged at the monster with his sword at the ready. He side stepped to the right as the dragon's claw came down in an attempt to stomp him. Using the legs as a ledge, he shot up towards the neck of the dragon that was preparing another breath attack. Bell, having knowledge that no one other than the Zeus Familia had, aimed for a key organ. The organ that produced the blue flames. With a single strong thrust of his sword, the renard pierced the skin and stabbed the organ causing to explode as it was charging up.
The neck was severed by the explosion causing the head to fall to the ground, crushing the stone floor with its massive weight. The other head reared back and screeched in pain as it stumbled back while Bell used the distraction to his advantage. He rushed under the monster and cut the tendons of the monster's legs.
The sudden injury caused the floor boss to collapse to the ground. Bell was about to cut off the remaining head but as it opened its eyes, the monster reacted immediately snapping at the renard with its razor sharp teeth and its long neck. Surprised by the sudden reaction and its long range, Bell jumped back only to spot too late the tail coming his way.
The tail speared Bell just as he raised his arms, who due to the armour and the high level body, only got knocked back from the strength of the hit, the impact however, hurt more than taking the hit. The renard landed into a large boulder, completely crushing it.
'Ouch, that hurt.'
Hearing a shout, Bell looked at Alise who had a worried look and a hand ready on the hilt of her sword. She quickly calmed down as Bell smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up. That being said, he'd like to avoid being hit again.
He then noticed the Amphisbaena raising its tail again and as it came down, Bell turned around and swatted it away with his own tail. If he had turned to look at Mia and the other girls he would've been able to see their shocked faces.
Bell however, wasted no time and launched himself forwards. Jumping up to dodge the head of the Amphisbaena, he brought his sword down and impaled it into the head of the monster, killing the monster rex. In the end it was much easier than Bell had initially thought.
.
The girls watched as Bell turned around just as the tail of the monster rex was about to come. The scene sent panic through the group but were shocked as the scaly white tail clashed against a fluffy white tail and was parried away from Bell. Mia's confusion and the girl's panic turned into bewildered confusion.
"Did he just stop the Amphisbaena with his tail?"
"He did."
The rest was silence until Bell finished off the monster and returned to the group with the magic stone and luckily for them, the liver of the dragon. As a drop item, there was a low chance for it to appear. Bell however showed his usual smile as he approached them like nothing of particular happened.
"How about we head back for today?"
The group nodded but made no further comment, instead wordlessly following the renard back to camp. In one day, they had come to realize how unusual Bell was. A level four that was definitely not inferior in any way to a level five with powerful magic that had not been seen before. An ancient magical race that was rarely seen, with fluffy ears and tails, white hair and red eyes. Bell Yamato Katsuki was truly a unique and mysterious being.
.
The group returned to the camp that Chloe had been guarding. It had been quite exhausting for the party as their path had been blocked by several monsters. It was unusual but the area they passed by seemed to be very active with monsters, but thanks to that the group had already managed to gather half of the entire expedition's drop item goal.
With that in mind, the party intended to spend two more days to gather the remaining items before heading down to the thirty seventh floor. Though there was no need, Mia decided to face Udaeus. When asked why, she said that she missed a little action and since they were here why not go for it. The team had two level six and four level fours, a party capable to defeat the monster rex, pointed out Alise.
So the decision was made, besides, Bell wondered if the Amphisbaena was enough for him to level up. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't on the same difficulty as all the adversities he had to face before in order to level up before today. All those times he had always come close to defeat, unlike this time. So it was better not to risk the chance to level up, it'd be very disappointing.
.
It was now night, though in the dungeon it always looked the same twenty four seven, to the exception of the safety zones. The camp was being guarded by Alise and Bell as the rest of the party slept. A little campfire had been put up in the centre, surrounded by the tents of the group. Around the camp fire, the two lovers sat holding hands.
"You did great Bell."
The red haired girl leaned against the fluffy renard, his tail wrapping around her. She nuzzled her face into his neck getting a chuckle from Bell who cuddled against Alise. Bell then leaned back and turned his face so he could look at Alise, her face slightly lit up by the campfire. All around the place was silent and the little light from the dungeon set for a pretty romantic mood.
"Say Alise, didn't you say you had something better than the kiss you gave me before, if I defeated the Amphisbaena?"
The slight grin on Bell's face as he hovered over face cause the girl to blush brightly. Her hand however, kept hold of his own as she steeled herself.
"Fufufu, I was just joking Alise. Yo-"
Unbeknownst to the renard who closed his eyes as he chuckled, Alise's other hand gently cupped his cheek. The red haired girl then leaned forwards up to Bell. Just as he opened his eyes at the feeling of Alise's soft hand, their faces closed in and their lips met each other.
The renard's ears and tail tensed for a moment before slowly relaxing. Alise was a little anxious not knowing if Bell would be against such a sudden action but was completely engulfed with joy as Bell deepened the kiss. The tail wrapped around them and his hands tightened their grip around her waist. The only sound as the two experienced such bliss was the crackling sound of the fire camp. Their kiss was simple and innocent but full of love and passion for one another.
"Mmmh~"
Alise moaned into the kiss as she felt what love felt like for the first time. Her hands slowly made their way around his neck, pushing him more against her. For an endless eternity, a couple of minutes in real life, the two poured out their heart and love to one another before separating, wishing they could stay like that forever.
"I love you Bell."
A bright smile formed on Alise and Bell couldn't help but return it and gift her a giddy chuckle before following it with the magic words that Alise was waiting to hear, the five words that would truly capture her heart and mind.
"Ehehe, I love you too Alise."
~To Be Continued
I hope you enjoyed and we finally get Bell's and Alise's relationship truly started!
As usual leave comments or DM(PM) if you wish to know something.
