.
"Okay so let me get this straight..." Alise towered over Bell with her arms crossed.
Bell gulped as he sat in a seiza position, arms straightened as he looked down sheepishly while avoiding the redhead's piercing gaze. It may have just been his imagination, but he swore that there was an inferno brimming behind her.
His fellow familia members sat on the couches around him, enjoying the show.
"First, you saw an Ishtar familia member and decided to follow her."
He nodded.
"And during that time, you just happened to sneak into an underground slave market."
He nodded again.
"And while you were down there, you not only fought against the captain of the Ishtar familia and won, but also freed all of the slaves before completely decimating the complex." Alise finished.
He nodded a third time. "...Yes."
"-You also decided to pick up a girl from a dungeon." Kaguya added with a snort.
Bell choked on his words, raising a finger in defense. "That's-" He paused for a moment before balling his fist in defeat. "...Technically right, but saying it like that invites all sorts of misunderstandings so please don't!"
"Good job, Bell." Alise said as he looked up, surprised. "-Is what I would be saying, but that was really reckless. You didn't even have any weapons and you were going into unknown territory without any backup or prior information." She flicked his forehead as Bell made himself small.
"Why didn't you tell us first?" Ryuu asked.
Lyra sighed in disbelief. "Y'know, this was supposed to be a vacation, one where we're supposed to be relaxing and NOT working. But you had to run off and give us more work to do..." The pallum face-palmed, massaging her temple.
"I'm sorry..." He apologized, feeling a barrage of metaphorical arrows impale him from many different directions.
Alise sighed, "Well what's done is done, but I'll have you make it up to me for bailing on our date and making me spend a peeerfectly nice day looking for you mister, hmph." The red-haired captain flicked the albino's forehead again.
"Ara? Shooting for our captain? How bold." Kaguya giggled into her sleeve.
Lyra whistled. "Uwahh...you're into girls like Alise? I'm surprised, I was convinced you had a thing for Lion." She grinned.
The pallum's comment flew over the blonde elf's head. Her mind was more focused on trying to determine the truth behind Alise's words.
"D-d-date…" She stuttered. "What's the meaning of this Mr Cranel!? Explain to me! W-what did you and Alise do!?" Ryuu shot off of the couch, shaking Bell by the collar as if he were a rag doll.
"It looks like you've been reduced to a mister now, how sad for you." Kaguya snorted.
"You aren't helping so please stop talking for a moment Big sister!" His head bobbed back and forwards as if it was on the verge of falling off.
"Answer me this instant!"
"I didn't do anything, I swear! A-and we aren't even d-d-dating!" The rabbit cried as he turned to the Scarlet Harnel, who struggled to stifle a laugh. "Alise, please say something! Tell her that we aren't like that!" The rabbit cried.
Having enjoyed her fun watching the confused elf, she decided to clear the confusion before it de-evolved into further madness knowing how hysterical Ryuu could get at times. "Lion it's true, we aren't like that. I was just forcing Bell to accompany me for the day." Alise said before pulling the blonde off of the albino.
Lyra sighed, "Hah, Lady Astraea's missing out here..." mumbling to herself, disappointed at the wasted entertainment.
The black-haired woman pinched the bridge of her nose. "If you two are done bickering, our guest has woken up." She said, motioning towards the pair of fox ears peeking out of the door frame as the others followed her gaze.
.
"Mmh..." My ears twitched at a group of voices, waking me up.
...Where am I..?
The last thing I remembered before my consciousness faded was the white-haired man kneeling down and mouthing some soundless words.
I crawled out of the soft bed, taking in my surroundings. There was a glass of water on a drawer next to the bed, which I drank gladly, feeling my dehydration wash away.
Hearing the commotion outside of the room, I tread lightly towards the door, quietly pulling it open.
As I walked down the hallway, I peeked from behind a cabinet, seeing a group of colorful individuals and the white-haired man from earlier.
His collar was being held by a blonde-haired elf with ocean-blue eyes. She wore a white sleeveless turtleneck with brown designs going from the shoulders to the hem, brown shorts with beige borders, and brown ankle-high boots. Her tall gloves were the same color as her shorts.
Looking over the guy once again, he didn't look that much older as I initially thought, likely being in his late teenage years.
"It looks like you've been reduced to a mister now, how sad for you." A black-haired woman said.
She was wearing an elegant purple kimono and a plant-like hairpin that held her side pigtail up. She carried this elegant aura that reminded me much of the other nobles from the far-east.
Given her long black hair, I wondered if she was also from the far-east like me.
"You aren't helping so please stop talking for a moment Big sister!"
...Big sister...but they don't look similar at all..?
The blonde elf shook him back and forth. "Answer me this instant!"
"I didn't do anything, I swear! A-and we aren't even d-d-dating!" He cried. "Alise please, say something! Tell her that we aren't like that!"
I followed his gaze as he turned to face a red-haired girl..
Her fiery-red hair cascaded down, held up in a high ponytail by a hair band resembling a delicate pink flower. Donning a white sleeveless shirt, she left the top two buttons undone, while her slightly rolled up black shorts featured stylish white lines encircling them. She also wore gray stockings that accentuated her outfit and brown ankle boots.
"Lion it's true, me and Bell aren't like that. I was just being selfish and forcing Bell to accompany me for the day."
...Bell...Is that his name..?
"Hah, Lady Astraea's missing out here..." A pink-haired pallum sighed with a disappointed look on her face.
She wore a loose black tank-top, black fingerless gloves, similarly colored shorts, and boots. The girl yawned, leaning back on the green couch and stretching her legs.
An odd chill ran down my spine as the black-haired woman turned to my direction, "If you two are done bickering, our guest has woken up." She said as the others followed in suit.
.
Bell walked over and knelt down in front of the girl. He smiled softly as he met her green eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"I-I'm feeling alright. Umm...who are you..?" She asked quietly.
"My name is Bell, Bell Cranel. Nice to meet you, miss..?"
"H-Haruhime..." She said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "-S-Sanjouno Haruhime."
"Sanjouno..." Kaguya held her chin in thought.
Lyra turned to the black-haired woman. "Somethin' wrong?" She asked as the black-haired woman began to explain.
"The Sanjouno house is one of the branch families from the far-east's shogunate, or what would be the equivalent to a king here. My family is also one of them, although less powerful politically." Kaguya explained. "If I recall correctly, the Sanjouno are a family solely consisting of Renards, and they hardly travel due to their duty to manage the great shrine."
Bell nodded in understanding. "Then why are you all the way here?"
"...I-I was...disowned by my family." Haruhime said after a momentary pause. Her ears hung low, and her tail drooped down in memory.
The words spoken by the renard sent a shockwave through the Astraea familia. They balled their fists in anger, their blood boiling as she continued to speak.
Haruhime began to recount the events that led to her current situation, explaining how she was framed for eating an offering that was meant for the goddess Amaterasu.
The far-east, much like the Kingdom of Rakia, was a nation ruled by a goddess named Amaterasu. It was an island nation, isolated from the rest of the world, and its people worshiped their deity with unwavering devotion.
When Haruhime's father found out about her misdeed, he disowned her, and she was taken by a pallum merchant who happened to be visiting at the time.
During their travels, they were ambushed by bandits, and Haruhime was eventually sold to a slave trader.
With a soft and sympathetic tone, Bell expressed his condolences to the young fox girl. "I'm sorry to hear that."
He wrapped his arms around her, making sure to be mindful of her demi-human characteristics, and avoided touching her ears, which were considered a private and intimate area.
Rubbing her head in a gentle and comforting manner, he conveyed his support without needing to say a word
"Mnn..." She whimpered, basking in the comfort offered from the albino as she returned his hug.
"How could a parent do this to their children? This is just cruel..." Ryuu grimaced.
"Can't be helped." Lyra crossed her arms, frowning. "This happens all the time, and they have a vastly different culture than us." She shrugged, leaning into the couch.
"Far-eastern noble families are exceptionally strict when it comes to respect and rules." Kaguya paused, "In all honesty, you got off relatively easily." She said, turning to the young renard.
"If you were anyone else, then it's likely that you, your family, and anyone associated with you would be executed." She stated monotonously, causing the renard to bury herself deeper into Bell's embrace.
"Kaguya!-" Ryuu strode to the black-haired woman with powerful steps, her fists balled.
She turned with her back facing Ryuu. "Don't get me wrong, you fool of an elf." The black-haired woman looked over her shoulder, "I'm merely saying that she got off lucky." Kaguya said behind her sleeve, as Ryuu was left in a sour mood.
"Well, what do you wanna do now?" Lyra asked, bringing up the elephant in the room and breaking the awkward silence created by the black-haired woman.
Haruhime turned to the pallum, who was not much taller than her. "I...don't know..." She looked down at the floor, her mind a vast array of emotions.
An idea popped into the albino's head, "Ms Haruhime, do you want to come with us?" he asked. "We're returning to Orario tomorrow in the afternoon."
Perhaps it was his time with Hestia that gave him a soft spot for children, but Bell found it hard to ignore someone without a home.
And this way, he was able to continue the legacy left behind by the goddess of the hearth and his old comrades by giving someone else a place to call home. It wasn't much, and it wasn't as if he solved homelessness, but Bell felt it was a step in the right direction.
Alise pinched her chin in thought, her left elbow resting on her right palm. "Hmmm...I don't see why not. What do you think, Haru?"
The renard was caught off-guard by the sudden nickname but quickly dismissed the thought as she shook her head. "Orario...as in the Labyrinth City: Orario?" The renard asked as the rabbit nodded in reply. "Then does that mean you are all adventurers?"
"Mhm. -Oh right, sorry, we haven't introduced ourselves yet." She cleared her throat, "I'm Alise Lovell, the pure and beautiful captain of the Astraea familia!" The redhead puffed her chest out as she introduced herself to the renard before motioning to the black-haired woman beside her. "-And this is Kaguya, our grumpy vice-captain. Don't worry though, she doesn't bite." She teased.
"Hey." The aforementioned shot a glare at the redhead.
"Nice to meet'cha, the name's Lyra." Lyra waved at the renard, feeling content that there was someone shorter than her. "The elf over there is Lion, everyone calls her Lion...well besides Lady Astraea and Bell, but feel free to call Lion, Lion." She hopped off of the couch before rustling up Renard's hair.
"Hey." The aforementioned shot a glare at the pallum.
Haruhime met eyes with Bell as he spoke. "Once again, my name is Bell Cranel. Nice to meet you, Ms Haruhime."
Straightening her hair out, "It's nice to meet you too Ms Alise, Ms Kaguya, Ms Lyra, Ms...Lion, and Mr Bell." she lowered her head in greeting. "Umm...are you guys really strong..?"
"Yes," Bell nodded. "Believe it or not, our familia is strong enough to go against the two top familia." Kaguya found herself snickering at his comment.
Haruhime said. "T-then if I may ask, what's the dungeon like?"
"Hoho? Are you interested in becoming an adventurer?" The redhead tilted her head.
"...I'm not too sure, but I've always wanted to go to Orario. There were many plays in the far-east set in Orario about brave adventurers crawling the dungeon for riches."
An excited glint appeared in Bell's eyes. "Do you mean like the 'Dungeon Oratoria'?"
Alise giggled into her palm, remembering her conversation with Bell on the same topic earlier in the day and the passion and love he carried with each word as he retold his favorite tales.
Haruhime answered with equal passion. "Yes! What about the story about knights from far lands traveling through the dungeon in search of the grail..."
"That's 'The Adventures of Garlad'! -He goes to search for the grail in order to save his queen from an incurable illness."
"You know about it! Then how about the wizard who saves the spirit sealed in the lamp?" Her tail waved lightly.
"'The Wizard Aladin'!" Bell said as Haruhime had a look of joy spread across her face. "Are you a fan of Heroic Tales too Ms Haruhime?"
"Yes, I love them!" She said, clapping her hands together.
The rabbit and fox had clearly hit it off, and soon they were deep in conversation. Their discussion was so engrossing that the other women found themselves struggling to keep up with the constant flow of words. Try as they may to follow along, the pair spoke quickly, their words tumbling out in a torrent that left the others struggling to keep pace.
"...Are...are any of you guys getting this..?" Lyra massaged her forehead, overloaded by the vast array of fictional terminology.
The poor pallum had been bombarded by a barrage of words and phrases ranging from ones she recognized like 'Excalibur' to whatever 'The Bone of my sword' was.
"Nope, but it's rare to see Bell this enthusiastic about anything so just let them be." The red-haired girl shrugged.
As the minutes passed, the conversation grew more complex, and Bell and Haruhime had drifted off into a world of their own, delving into subjects that were completely unfamiliar to the rest of the group. The others listened with fascination, but soon they found themselves completely lost, unable to follow the intricate twists and turns of the stories they told.
"Nnnngg... Gah! I've had enough!" Kaguya stormed over to the pair, sending a straight chop down to her little brother's head.
"Ow! Big sister, why did you hit me!?" He held the lump on the top of his head, caught off-guard by the black-haired woman's strike.
She glared. "We have more important things to discuss." Kaguya gushed, taking a deep breath to compose herself before turning to the renard. "So then, what do you think? About coming with us to Orario."
"I..." Haruhime paused, words caught in her throat as she returned to her reality.
"We will gladly escort you there if that is what you wish, but the decision is yours." Ryuu stated, unintentionally adding pressure onto the young girl.
"That's enough for tonight." Alise clapped, drawing everyone's attention to herself. She crouched down in front of Haruhime, smiling softly. "How about you tell us tomorrow? That way you and Bell can continue your chat." The redhead suggested as Haruhime nodded lightly in response.
"Okay then! Kids need lots of sleep so how about you get to bed now? I'm sure you've had a long day, little Haru."
.
Bell chose to stay with Haruhime instead of joining the others for the night, providing her with some company and comfort. He sat by her bedside while she was tucked in with a warm blanket. Her ears perked up in anticipation as he retold heroic tales from memory to help her fall asleep.
She was rather surprised by how vast his knowledge and memory was. In his stories, there were also small scenes that she didn't know happened. Haruhime wondered if Bell had read older versions, but those thoughts would be pushed aside as she pondered his offer.
"Mr Bell..."
He paused, "And so, the Argonaut vowed to slay the evil minotaur who had claimed the life of his master-" His rubellite orbs meeting with her soft green pair. "Yes?"
"What should I do..?" Haruhime asked, seeking advice from the teenager. "I have some friends back home...in the far east, that I want to see one more time...do you think it would be possible to go to them?"
Bell considered how he should answer her innocent question. Although he had never been to the far-east, he was aware of how war-ridden the country was and how large the poverty gap between the high and low class was from what Kaguya shared.
"I...don't think it would be easy." Bell shook his head, unable to provide the renard an answer.
He knew how far the Far-east was, and it would take over 6 months at the very least, which was a number that didn't take into account accidents, potential attacks by bandits, weather, etcetera.
"But I think that you should do what you want, whether it be returning to your friends, or coming with us to Orario."
"Mh." She nodded.
They sat and laid respectively, in silence, listening to the song of the dancing waves and cool night breeze that filtered in through the square window.
"You're like a hero Mr Bell...like the ones from the heroic tales." Haruhime mumbled, hoping that he didn't hear what she said, crawling back into the warmth of the blanket.
To the renard's dismay, Bell's heightened senses caught her silent words.
He looked down, Sophia Flores' words ringing through his mind. "...I'm no hero, just a vengeful idiot who doesn't deserve what he has." Bell said in self-deprecation.
...You're pathetic, to think you would bring your topics to a child. Is that what a hero would do? His reflection asked.
In spite of his self-criticism, she remained firm in her beliefs. "I-I think you're a hero!" Haruhime exclaimed, her face red. "You saved me! A-and even if you don't consider yourself one, I do..!" Her sudden outburst had caught up to her, and she hid under the sheets abashed.
Bell's surprise was quickly replaced by a shake of his head, banishing the negative thoughts that had clouded his mind. "Thank you for that," he responded with a grateful smile, gently running his fingers through her hair as a gesture of gratitude.
.
The following morning, the group found themselves with some extra time before their departure from Melen. Without hesitation, they decided to take advantage of the opportunity and go for a leisurely stroll around the city.
A warm glow was cast over the buildings and streets since the sun was just beginning to rise. As they walked, Haruhime couldn't help but admire the city's unique architecture, which was vastly different from what she knew from the far-east.
The rest of the group chatted and joked, thoroughly enjoying each other's company before their return to the labyrinth city and their lives dedicated to upholding peace.
The hours slipped by like sand in an hourglass, and it had soon become noon.
"It's nearly lunchtime," Alise stretched her shoulders. "Are you feeling hungry yet, Haru?"
"*Growl*" A tint of pink graced her cheeks as her stomach growled. "Mn..." She nodded sheepishly, her cheeks still flushed red. Haruhime hid behind the albino, her tail coiled around his leg.
"I guess we got our answer." Lyra laughed. "Y'all got anywhere in mind?"
Through the corner of his eye, Bell saw a flash of purple. The woman bobbed her head to the left, making eye contact with him before vanishing into an alleyway. "Sorry guys, I'll join you later."
"You better not be getting into any more trouble now." Kaguya threatened, smiling as she made a throat-slitting motion with her right palm.
He laughed wryly, "Ahaha...I can't make any promises but I'll try my best," scratching the back of his head. "Well then, see you all later." Before he could follow the woman, he felt a tug at the hem of his jacket, finding the renard looking up at him with a small pout. "It's okay, I'll just be gone for a bit." He smiled gently. "Don't worry, Alise and the others will be with you."
Haruhime pouted as she nodded sheepishly. Reluctantly, she released her grip on Bell's leg, her eyes following him longingly as he gradually disappeared into the bustling crowd.
"-How does ice cream sound?" Alise asked casually. A gleam appeared in the young renard's soft green eyes as she nodded frantically, her tail bobbing around similarly.
Lyra shrugged, "Sounds good." she readjusted her backpack before following behind the red-haired girl and fox.
...I thought we were getting lunch... Ryuu shook her head in disbelief.
Unbeknownst to them, a certain black-haired woman slipped away during the minor exchange, hot in pursuit of a ruby-eyed rabbit.
.
The friendly smile on his face was replaced with a grimace. Bell composed himself, following the woman into a dimly lit alleyway as the bustling noise of the city faded in the distance. He felt his stomach sink but steeled himself.
"Took you long enough." She said with her arms crossed, leaning on the wall and turning to the left, meeting eyes with Bell.
"I thought you didn't want to see me, Ms Fl- Ms Sophia..?" He stood around awkwardly, taking note of the surroundings. "So...was there something you wanted to say or…?"
Sophia shuffled uncomfortably, "I just...uhh…wanted to apologize." She said as Bell tilted his head in confusion. "Do I have to spell it out for you!? Argh. I'm sorry for judging you prematurely." Seeing the rabbit's growing confusion, Sophia continued. "-When we first met, I mean. I saw what you did last night, busting one of, if not the largest black market slave trade in the area."
"O-oh..." He winced, finding it hard to believe that he had done something significant. "Wait, how do you know about it?"
"Shut it. I'm the one speaking right now." She said commandingly. "Now, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, I talked to a few of the families you saved. They were saying that 'a white-haired kid' who called himself a 'passing by tourist' saved them." Sophia finished.
"Thank you..?" He tilted his head, unsure what to say.
"Don't misunderstand me, It's not like I'm saying that you did a good job or anything. I'm still mad that you let my sister die." Sophia glared, her purple eyes poking him full of holes as he shrunk a few sizes, avoiding her eyes in shame. "...But I don't feel like I can blame you anymore." She said, facing away from him.
Bell's eyes widened momentarily, surprised by her statement. Despite her words seemingly granting him forgiveness, the same couldn't be said for himself.
He could never forgive himself, he didn't want to.
"No...you're right, you have all the right to condemn me." He looked down as Sophia eyed him from the corner of her eyes. "If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I'm a failure who let your sister die." Bell bowed low, his eyes shut and his head down, facing the cobblestone ground. "I know that these words won't change anything, and that they won't bring her back, but I'm really sorry."
She watched him with suspicion, "...I see." Sophia said plainly, finding no deceit in his words. The purple-haired woman eyed his form for a handful of minutes, trying to get a read on the rabbit.
Confusing couldn't even begin to describe how Bell Cranel was to her. Prior to Melen, she had only known him from news that traveled around. Her initial perception of him was that he was a naïve young adventurer that destroyed what was commonly known about the Falna, a 'Hero' who fought against evil.
A Hero who became a murderer.
A person who had offered a home to her dearest sister and her friends when their previous god was sent back to Tenkai.
-And also the one who supposedly murdered them.
When she confronted him two days ago, Sophia was genuinely prepared to die. In the wider world, being level 2 was already a rarity. -But compared to a full-time adventurer who was three levels higher than herself, any 'experience' she had wouldn't be enough to bridge the gap. There were also rumors that Bell Cranel was able to fight above his given level, which added to the lack of reason behind her decision.
She swore that she could hear Emma's voice in her mind, berating her for acting before thinking as she always did back when they still lived in the village together.
"You can stop bowing, you know." She would never admit it, but the situation was kind of embarrassing for her. 'Only a little bit!' She repeated in her mind like a chant.
"R-right." Bell nodded sheepishly, "Umm..."
She huffed. "If you have something to say, just spit it out."
"It might not be much...but would you like me to pass on Ms Emma's belongings to you?" He offered.
"You... Are you trying to bribe me?" She narrowed her eyes as Bell struggled to stutter out a reply. "I'm just kidding. Though as much as I appreciate the offer, I travel a lot, so no." Sophia shook her head. "-And before you ask, I work as a mercenary."
Bell gulped, feeling uneasy as she seemingly read his mind. The albino found himself pondering whether or not he was really just that open a book to be read. "Are you on a job right now in Melen?".
"So nosy..." came her swift reply, a hint of annoyance lacing her words. The purple-haired woman regarded the rabbit with a cool and detached expression. Her cold and uninterested gaze meeting his own. "I'm just waiting until I receive another request," she added plainly.
Bell nodded in understanding. He realized he may have intruded on her private affairs. "I'm sorry for prying too much, I'll get out of your sight now." he said, not wanting to anger her more.
Sophia waved him away dismissively, her hand motioning for him to leave. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, studying him intently as if searching for something hidden beneath his exterior. She recognized the determination in his eyes, the unwavering resolve that mirrored her own.
He bowed low once again, a gesture of courtesy and gratitude, before turning on his heels and beginning his departure. As he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that their paths would cross again. It was an odd feeling but not unwelcome.
Coming out of the cold and damp alleyway into the street, his eyes adjusted to the blaring brightness of the sun. As his eyes readjusted, Bell found Kaguya leaning on a wall to the right of him, "Big sister..." Bell met her violet eyes with a look of surprise. "What are you doing here?" He asked, forcing a small smile as he tilted his head.
"A part of me believed you would somehow manage to get into another mess so I came along to keep an eye on you." She replied, fanning her face with a foldable fan. She turned to look down the alleyway. The purple-haired woman Bell was talking with was nowhere to be seen. "Is she a friend?" Kaguya faced back to Bell.
"She is a relative...of someone from my old familia." Bell said, after a momentary silence.
"...I see." was all she could say in response.
She knew how sensitive a topic the Hestia Familia was for Bell. Whenever they were brought up, his breathing would quicken, and his eyes would unfocus, darting around the room in discomfort. In response, he would often try to avoid the subject altogether, causing the others to choose not to mention it as well.
For all they knew, his old familia had been massacred in an accident on the lower floors. But perhaps there is more than meets the eye.
"Do you want to talk about it..?" Kaguya offered kindly, putting her hand on his shoulder.
He eyed her hand for a few seconds, before shaking his head. "It's nothing. Come on, we should get going." Bell brushed her hand away as he continued down the stone pavement.
...Is that why he looked so sad the day before yesterday..? Kaguya wondered.
.
The ride back to Orario was lively, a stark contrast to their journey to the Port City. Haruhime excitedly asked the five veteran adventurers what it was like in the dungeon and living in the Labyrinth City as a whole. They shared some of their adventures, trials, and tribulations with the young renard, who listened intently.
"We should be arriving soon!" The coachman gave a shout from the front.
Haruhime stuck her head out the side of the carriage, looking around the grassy plains. Her eyes were caught by a gilded tower in the distance, its top unseeable and piercing through the clouds. "That white tower...is it Babel?"
"Yep, tall isn't it?" Alise gushed.
Ryuu smiled in memory. When she first arrived in Orario, she was quite taken aback by the sheer size and scale of the tower. The Holy Tree in her home forest of Ryumilua was colossal, but Babel was far, far taller.
"Are we going to see Babel first?" Haruhime asked excitedly, tilting her head as her tail waved in the wind, eyes shining with childish innocence.
They clutched their hearts in unison, unable to cope with the bundle of cuteness that was Haruhime. The girls fired glances at Alise, none wanting to be the one who would kill the renard's anticipation. Meanwhile, Bell chuckled softly, amused by their playful reactions.
...Darn you guys..! The redhead sulked.
"A-ah! Umm... Yeah sure! Why don't we do that later? We have to return home and tell Lady Astraea first." Alise said, as the renard pouted adorably in disappointment.
"Alise..." Ryuu looked at her friend in disappointment.
"That was cruel, even for my standards." Kaguya said behind her sleeve, sarcasm dripping from her words.
"How could you? Look, you made her sad." Lyra said sarcastically.
"Hey this is unfair! Why am I getting flamed for this!?" Alise pouted, "You guys are being mean." She slung her arm around the albino's shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. "At least Bell will take my side on this, hmph."
"Hm? Oh, yeah." He faced away from the grasslands that had been reflected in his eyes for the majority of the ride.
"I get the feeling you weren't listening..." The pallum sighed, as Bell chuckled dryly in response.
They arrived at the familiar stone walls a few minutes later. The group thanked the coachman before joining the long line of aspiring individuals looking to seek fame in the city housing the only dungeon in the entire world.
Haruhime looked on in awe. People of all races were in line, from sturdy dwarves to thin and regal elves. She felt out of place, being the only child among many teenagers and adults in sight. "Everyone looks so strong..." She muttered quietly to herself.
"This is taking forever. Why don't we just skip the line?" Kaguya said, her unrest growing more with every second standing around.
"You know we can't do that." Ryuu replied plainly.
The black-haired woman grumbled. "I swear, these lines are the bane of my existence..."
"Well, we probably won't have to wait long." Lyra said.
About ten-or-so minutes later, their turn came. An odd silence hung over the group when they passed by the guard and entered the city, much to Haruhime's confusion. She reached for the albino's hand, taking it with her own and feeling his larger hand flinch slightly at the touch.
Bell looked down to his left. His rubellite eyes met her green, finding Haruhime's small delicate palm in his own as she tilted her head in concern. Realizing her sentiment, a soft smile displaced his dejection.
"Thanks for that." He said, giving her hand a small squeeze.
.
It was a peaceful day for Astraea. She tended to the garden, saw her children off as they went out for another day in the dungeon, and enjoyed a cup of tea while reading as she waited for the senior members of her familia to arrive home.
What she didn't expect was to find a young girl -a renard to be exact- clinging to the leg of her familia's newest member.
"Welcome home everyone, how was Melen?" For now, she would greet her children.
"It's good to be back, and it was amazing!" Alise beamed, "The fish was delicious, and the locals were very nice." She said excitedly. "The boats were so massive!" The motions she made with her arms would unfortunately not do justice to the marvels of engineering known as Sailboats. "You really should've come with us, Lady Astraea."
"Maybe next time." Astraea giggled. "Why don't we talk about it over lunch? You can also introduce me to our guest." She smiled at the renard with a motherly warmth.
As they ate, the renard introduced herself as Haruhime while she explained her situation to the goddess and how she ended up coming with them to Orario.
She listened with intent, taking note of her rather unique circumstances. Astraea frowned at her story, pitying the young girl and angered her parents. As Haruhime's words unfolded, Astraea's heart swelled with indignation, her sense of justice unable to look away from the renard.
"I understand." Astraea said resolutely, turning to Haruhime. "If you would like, you can stay with us unless you decide to find someone to formally adopt you."
Haruhime nodded, "Mh." Staring at the cup of tea in front of her, she felt her stomach sink.
Noticing this, Bell looked at her with concern. "Is something wrong, Ms Haruhime?"
Haruhime slowly turned to him, "Can I…can I not stay with Mr Bell..?" She asked innocently.
The goddess of justice smiled. "Of course you can. I'm sorry if you misunderstood, I was just saying that you have the choice." Astraea giggled into her palm, feeling her heart melt as the renard turned to Bell, her eyes lit up.
He looked between the others. Lyra was whistling a random tune, Ryuu sipping her tea, and Alise gave him an approving thumbs-up. The rabbit sought aid in his adoptive big-sister, who merely smirked at his dismay.
"You saved her, so you need to take responsibility for your actions." Kaguya said simply, trying to withhold a smirk from breaking out on her face.
Bell faced back to the blonde fox-girl, looking into her green eyes. He gulped, "Well…" before patting her head gently. "If you're fine with me, then of course."
"Yay!" Haruhime jumped at him in a hug, her voice full of joy. She separated from him a few moments later, twiddling her thumbs as she looked up at him sheepishly with a tint of pink gracing her small features. "C-can I…call you dad?"
He was surprised by her question but found himself nodding wryly. "…O-okay."
"Good for you, right Haru?" Alise gave a toothy grin to the renard, who nodded timidly in response.
"Haruhime, would you like to join my familia?" Astraea asked as the renard nodded happily. The goddess giggled lightly, "Very well then." She turned to Lyra. "Would you go fetch me a piece of paper?"
"I've got your paper and needle here already." Lyra sighed to herself. "I just hope this won't become a habit everytime we get a new member." She said, passing it over to her goddess.
"Ehe, I'll try my best not to." Astraea said.
Although the other members weren't home at the time, Haruhime insisted on getting the goddess of justice's blessing as soon as she could…and Astraea found it hard to deny her pouting face.
Since he was a guy, Bell excused himself from the room while the ritual was done behind the doors. He slid down the wall, sitting with his legs outstretched, left to his thoughts.
…Am I really qualified to be a father..? After what happened to them?
He didn't want to feel that pain again, he didn't want to lose anyone again. Their faces, bodies, and voices, distorted beyond his imagination, haunted the depths of his mind as he slept.
He didn't want her to become one of them.
"Worried?" Bell looked up from his contemplation, rubies meeting jade as he looked at his captain, who closed the door behind her.
"Horribly." He chuckled. "I'm just worried…that she might die if we let her go into the dungeon. -And that it would be my fault…" Bell mumbled the last bit quietly to himself.
"That goes without saying." Alise said while taking a seat next to him. "All of us explore the dungeon knowing that we could die at any moment."
"But she's just 10 years old, isn't this too early?"
Alise bobbed her head left and right. "I can see your point, and as the captain of this familia I can't say that I agree with it." She said before giggling to herself in memory. "Though I guess when Lion joined, she was 11 years old."
"Wasn't Ryuu trained though?" He turned to the redhead. Bell recalled that the blonde elf mentioned being trained in elven combat at a young age as she was brought up to defend the sacred tree of her forest.
"Well…" She paused, unable to deny his logic, "Yeah that's true." Alise looked up in thought. "Let's put it this way, if we took Lion from when she joined, what would be the difference between her and Haru?"
The albino crossed his arms, looking up at the ceiling before answering. "Training?" His eyes widened, getting an idea of what she was trying to suggest.
"Exactly." Alise nodded, "We can always train her so that she won't die so easily."
"But still…" He frowned.
"Mouh, you already sound like a dad." The redhead teased, jumping to her feet as she rolled her shoulders. "Don't worry, the others and I don't intend to let our new little sister be done in by a few monsters." Alise said, extending her hand to Bell.
He chuckled, "I can't fight against you, Alise." Taking her hand, he got to his feet.
Alise nodded proudly, puffing her chest out. "Huhuhu! I see that you've been left speechless by my determination. As expected of me!"
They re-entered the room after Alise checked it was okay. The redhead and albino found the others in varying reactions of shock, looking as if their souls were on the verge of leaving their bodies.
"What's wrong?" Alise asked.
Like a certain blue-haired captain who was constantly sleep deprived from a messenger god's whims, Lyra wordlessly handed Haruhime's status sheet to the captain who held it in between her and Bell so that they could both see.
.
Name : Sanjouno Haruhime
Familia : Astraea
Alias : N/A
Level : 1
Str : I 0
End : I 0
Dex : I 0
Agi : I 0
Mag : I 0
Magic :
Uchide No Kozuchi : Level-Boosting magic, increases the level of a single individual by one. Cannot be used on the user. Excelia is halved as a result of using this magic.
[Current limit: 15 minutes.]
[Cooldown: 10 minutes.]
Skills :
Developmental Abilities :
.
"I know that renard's were known to have special magic…" Alise winced.
"-But this is a little…" Bell continued.
"Overpowered?" Kaguya said, as the albino and redhead nodded wryly in reply.
Lyra sighed. She was by no means mad, no. The pallum was just speechless from how lucky they, as a familia had been to be able to get members with such absurd skills. In the word of the gods, both Bell and Haruhime could be described as being 'SSR', whatever that was supposed to mean.
Haruhime looked at the floor sheepishly, her ears and head hung low. "Did I do something wrong…?"
"Of course not." The albino shook his head. "We're just really impressed." He said, patting the renard's head as she smiled sillily.
.
Bell would soon begin teaching Haruhime about the dungeon, using the books he inherited from his stepmother. He had only given her the first of several books about the dungeon to study and insisted that he wouldn't allow her to begin exploring the dungeon until she could perfectly recall information on the monsters from floors 1 to 5, including the geography.
"There's so much…" Haruhime sighed in exhaustion, having been defeated by a test on the first floor that Bell gave her.
The albino was determined to arm her with whatever knowledge he could to insure that her chances of survival would increase, if even by just a small percentage.
"You did a very good job." He smiled proudly, looking over her answers. Although she couldn't answer all the questions she was given, Haruhime had gotten 70% of the questions she answered correctly. "Alright, that's enough for today. How about you go get your favorite Heroic tale?"
Her seemingly lost energy returned with vigor as she nodded excitedly. "Can we read 'Epimetheus'?" Bell smiled simply and nodded in response as she hopped off of the wooden chair, strolling away to get her book.
Alise, Kaguya and Ryuu peeked through the doorway, their smiles widening at the heartwarming sight of the newly formed bond between father and daughter.
.
.
Author's Notes:
I hate the fact that videos of Orario Rhapsodia are negligible on youtube, so all I can work off of is a single image from the Danmachi Wiki when writing Sophia... On a side note, I plan to rewrite chapters 1-4 again since they're each messes of their own. Nothing in the story changes, just some flow and grammar fixes.
Anyways, thanks for reading.