Bell sat in the corner of the hostess a book in his hands enjoying the mid day lull. It had been two years since Bell started working at the Hostess as a dishwasher. In the beginning it had been torture worked to the bone day and night. His dreams slipping away under dirty water. That is until Ryuu brought him back from his failed trip to the dungeon, then the staff had begun to take turns training with him in the courtyard. Well except for Syr he corrected himself.
The training was downright brutal at the beginning even only using wooden replica replica's every day felt like he went through a meat tenderizer. He had bruises in places he didn't know could bruise. But, he continued on every bruise a lesson learned. Looking back now it was clear they were trying to get him to give up on being an adventurer. Slowly thought things began to change one waitress at a time.
Ryuu was the first, her training sessions gradually becoming less of a beat down and more of actual training. Next, she would gradually start appearing on days when another of the girls were training him. She would watch silently until it was over then heal the welts and bruises. Lunor was next one day giving him an entire set of training armor, completely padded on the inside so they could begin using real weapons. She also began to take additional time in the evenings to teach him hand to hand combat. Anya despite never actually helping him train purchased him a replacement dagger after his broke from a particularly rough hit delivered by Mia.
Outside of training things went more smoothly. Syr always supportive pushing him to never give up. Ryuu gradually spent more time with him outside of training she even taught him to read elvish after Syr got him a book that was written in it. The others would do small things like help him do the dishes, or cook, but they always seemed to somewhat keep their distance.
The door to the hostess chimed snapping him out of his thoughts. An Amazon stood in the doorway her tan skin on full display except for her chest wrap and a pareo around her waist. A flat chested amazon, but you could bounce an apple off those abs is how he imagined his grandfather describing her. A faint jingle every time she moved as a pair of gold bands on her ankles hit against each other.
"Is that a copy of the Argo's Fall," she gasped pointing at the battered book in his hand. The book in question a recent gift from Syr.
"Yes?" he replied. A dazzling smile split the Amazons face as she pulled a chair up beside him.
"How did you get a copy? I have been looking for this one for years!" she replied. "What language is this!" she gestured pointing at the symbols on the page.
"Elvish" Bell replied. The amazon squinted pulling the book closer and closer until her nose almost touched the pages. Does she expect the book to change languages if she shoves her nose into it he thought.
"Can you read some of it to me!" she asked handing the book back to him. He stared at the Amazon her chair rocking beneath her a huge smile on her face.
"Of course!" he replied a huge grin on his face. He couldn't imagine denying someone a hero novel. It would be like not feeding the kids at Maria's orphanage.
Bell turned back to page one. He read about how the Argonaut fought off the Minotaur saving the princess before riding towards the hole in the world. Beside him the Amazon started acting out the scenes. He read for several hours not noticing the Inn gradually filling up with people all of them watching the impromptu play. The crowd bursting into laughter when the amazon hoisted Bell into a fireman carry reenacting the Argonaut carrying Fiana to safety from a monster party.
"Oi, Tiona where's our -" Tiona as she was now names spun towards the voice. From his awkward perch on her shoulder Bell saw Loki standing in the doorway. Her eyes seeming to bore into the women who's head he was wrapped around.
"Sorry, I forgot!" Tiona certainly didn't sound sorry Bell thought. She moved quickly to her goddess side, Bell still trapped on her shoulders. "Mia, can I get the Loki order?" she asked starring at the dwarf behind the bar.
"It's been ready for three hours," Mia replied placing several large sandwiches on the table. "Could you put my server down?"
"Sorry!" Tiona released her hold on Bell causing him to slip off her back. "If I come back tomorrow can we finish the story?" Tiona asked.
"Yeah of course!"
"It's a date!" Tiona exclaimed giving him a hug crushing his face into her chest. He stared at the retreating Amazon the whole bar hooting at the spectacle. They were so soft he thought his cheeks warming.
"Our little Bell growing up so fast," Ryuu spoke appearing on his right side.
"Ensnared by an Amazon, how could you Bell! I have been saving myself for you," Syr said appearing on his other side. He needed to escape from the waitress's each them had a positively predatory smile on their faces. Taking several steps back he bumped into the wall.
"You went on a date last week," Ryuu said staring at the silver haired waitress.
"Ryuu that was a secret!" Syr whined.
"Don't worry Bell it can't go worse than your date with that Plum." Ryuu said in a deadpan voice. He turned to stare at the elf in horror as Syr giggled in the background.
"I will make you eat Syr's cooking if you ever mention that again," he whispered to the elf her before turning to Syr "Does that mean our Casino date this weekend isn't happening?". Syr's face went white the last giggle cutting off into a chocking sound.
"I suppose I can overlook this single date, but our date will be a three way with Ryuu to make up for this!" Syr empathized the word single. Bell's face going even redder next to him Ryuu 's mouth moving in a silent gasping motion ,like fish out of water, before retreaing from the conversation her own cheeks a brilliant shade of red. "After all tomorrow is dungeon day so it's not like you will be here for the Amazon anyway!"
Shit how am I going to explain that to Tiona.
The next morning's training came quickly. Bell ducked under the wooden sword it swooshing past where his head had been. Moving forward, he threw his right hand out in a jab while kicking out with his left leg intend on hitting his partners leg and forcing her back. Ryuu leaped over him landing without even disturbing the dirt behind him. Spinning to face her he narrowly avoided her jab, but couldn't dodge her right leg. It smashed into his right hand, knocking his dagger free. Wincing, he moved back, his right arm cradled to his chest.
"Should we stop? You don't want to overexert yourself before we go to the dungeon," the elf asked him.
"Yes, thank you for training today," he said bobbing his head. "Could you?" he pointed at his right arm which was turning an ugly blue color.
Bell's face warmed when he felt her bare hands on his injured arm. Her skin soft and cool against his own heated sweaty skin. The cooling sensation extending from her hands up and down his arm reducing the pain until it was no more.
It had been two years since he had started at the Hostess or more accurately, when she had brought him back to the Hostess, and he was the still only boy Ryuu would touch.
"Thank you," his face heated when his voice cracked midway through. Walking into the kitchen, he saw Chloe and Syr huddled on the far side of the kitchen, giggling.
Syr spun around as the door closed behind him. "Oh, Bell, that Amazon is back. She is waiting out front," she said while tossing him the sandwich he had made earlier in the day. It was to be peace offering for not being able to finish the story today. He just hoped she liked food as much as other Amazons seems to like food.
Walking out of the kitchen, he could see Tiona leaning against the bar. Making his way over to her, he gave a slight bow before handing her the Tiona special, as he had named the sandwich this morning. Loaded with meats and cheese, it weighed close to two pounds. Next to her sat another amazon with similar looks except in the chest area where she was much more well endowed, a half-eaten sandwich in her hand. They had to be sisters the resemblance was too much to be anything else.
Sisters bell! Living the dream! he could hear grandpa saying tears of joy leaking from his eyes.
"Wow look at the size of that sandwich! – hey, is that a training sword? I didn't know you were training to be an adventurer!" Tiona snatched the short wooden sword out of his belt. "Not a lot of reach on this. What familia are you planning on applying to? " she asked handing the sword back to him.
"I made this for you," he said handing her the sandwich. "I am already actually part of the Hestia family," her eyes widened at the mention of his familia. It was well known how much his former familia and her familia hated each other. He remembered last year, one of Hestia's children had led a pass party that almost got several low levels in Loki's familia killed. "But Mia purchased out my Falna two years ago."
"I remember you! Loki spent three days celebrating after that happened! She hates her! Did you actually go into the dungeon at night on your first day?" Tiona asked.
"Yeah, Hestia drank a lot and we didn't have enough money, so I went into the dungeon to try and get more. But I ended up being carried out. I did manage to help save another Amazon though!" Two set of eyes widened at the amazon portion
"Two years ago? You don't happen to remember what the Amazon looked like, do you?" the other amazon asked, staring at him as she took a bite of her sandwich. Next to her, Tiona's jaw almost popped out of place as she jammed half the Tiona special in her mouth
"Kinda, she was in terrible shape, but she was tall and had black hair. Thankfully a high level came by and healed her before she died. Why was she your friend?" He replied staring at Tiona as finished the entire sandwich in two bites
"He was there, Tione!" Tiona yelled, rubbing her hands together. "I forgot we had to take out the Goliath today, but when we get back can we finish the Argo's Fall?" He nodded his head his shoulders relaxing from not having to cancel the date.
It's not a real date he reminded himself.
"I have a better Idea we can bring the whole familia tonight and you can tell us a real story, The one how you helped save that Amazon," Tione said grabbing Tiona by the arm and dragging her from the Inn.
Well at least tonight will be entertaining he thought as he made his way to the attic. Discarding his training clothes and wooden dagger he grabbed his real gear out of the chest Syr had given him. Pulling on the armor he double checked all the straps then made his way down the stairs. In the center of the Inn Mia stood talking to Ryuu.
"Rabbit, I need Ryuu today. Will you be okay in the dungeon by yourself?" Mia asked.
"Yes, Mama Mia," he replied. The day could hardly get any better. Not that he didn't enjoy spending time with Ryuu, but when she was there the danger was fake. She could cut down any monster from the entrance to the eighteenth floor, excluding the floor boss, by herself.
"Stay above the thirteenth floor and be back by sundown," Ryuu's voice was firm and her eyes held a promise. A promise that if he went below thirteen or was not back by sundown, there would be consequences. While Mia may run the Inn, everyone knew it was Ryuu who decided what Bell could do in the dungeon. Well, until he complained to Syr, he thought.
Nodding his head, he sprinted out the door dodging the early morning traffic to make it to the dungeon before all the adventurers began stealing his kills.
The thirteenth floor was his favorite. The hounds and rabbits were a challenge in large groups, and other adventurers were rarely down this far. Taking out a group of monsters, he slipped their shards into his pouch. He didn't need the money anymore, having paid off Mia last year. But Syr's birthday was coming up, and he wanted to get her something special.
His stomach announced lunch time with a particularly loud gurgle. Pulling out his lunch he relaxed against the cool rocks. Counting the shards in his bag he slowly munched on the cold spread Mia had prepared. Faint shouting reached his ears. Leaving his lunch he moved in the direction of the noise the tunnel getting narrower as he progressed. Ahead, the sounds of pounding feet and jiggling metal were moving closer. Then, hardly five feet in front of him a group of adventures barreled around a corner. With no time to move, he was knocked over by the stampede. Stumbling back to his feet, he pulled out his daggers, preparing for whatever was behind them. A pass party would be a great chance to get a ton of crystals!
"Run!" he heard the retreating adventurous yell, their voices echoing off the rocks. The clang of steel hitting steel came down the hallway they had run out of. They ran the monsters straight into another party! He poured on the speed, sprinting towards the battle. Ahead he could see the end of the floor, an open area that ended in a maw of darkness, the stairs hidden by a small lip in the dirt. In front of where he knew the stairs to be two adventurers and a Minotaur faced each other.
The Minotaur was massive it had to be three times as tall as he was. Its shoulders so broad it wouldn't fit through a doorway. A blood red hide marked it as an abnormal. In its hands it wielded a sword as tall as Bell. The sword's hilt ended in a massive ruby engraved with the symbol of a chalice. That sword once belonged to a member of the Hestia Familia!
Across the the Minotaur stood an elf. Her golden hair swept back in ponytail exposing her pointed ears. A slender build mostly hidden by a pink dress that ended mid thigh. Black tights connected the dress to brown knee high boots. A long slender sword held in one hand, a bow and arrow strung across her back. A single dented vambrace covering her sword arm. The other vambrace lying on the ground between her and the Minotaur.
The second adventurer was crawling across the ground a trail of blood behind him. Green hair ran down to his middle back. His right arm was chopped off inches above where his elbow would be. A belt wrapped around his bicep, a makeshift tourniquet. His robes now stained brown and red but clearly of an expensive make. His left ankle and foot were a mangled mess the ankle bone was pushed through his skin, and his foot was spun around facing the direction.
A shearing noise snapped his gaze hack to the fight. The female elf was starring at her sword its former beauty shattered, metal shaped like broken teeth starting inches above the blade guard. The Minotaur continued its attack its fist connected with her stomach with a meaty smack. The force sending her flying into the rocks.
Bell charged at the beast. Slipping underneath its first swing, he thrust up with his daggers aiming for its chiseled stomach. The daggers bounced off its hide the impact jarring his wrist's. Bell's heart jerked in his chest. The beast let out a howl of challenge, spittle spraying Bell's face from its shout.
Locks of white hair fell to the dungeon as he dodged another of the minotaurs swing. Stumbling, he felt his feet hit the injured male elf. I need to move the fight away from him. Bell surged forward, throwing his entire weight behind a thrust of his dagger. This time a long shallow cut opened on the beast's belly. The minotaur swung its sword again, but he was far too close for such a long weapon. It cut harmlessly through where Bell had been as he kept moving forward slipping under the Minotaurs legs. It spun away from the elf it and Bell were face to muzzle again. Bell continued backing up, his body contorting as he slipped around each of the beasts swings. Finally, as he felt his back run up against the wall he saw the female elf run over to her companion, dragging him away from the fight.
He rushed towards knife range he had to stay inside the Minotaur's swords reach. He leaped as the beast swung at his legs, launching himself over the blade; he kicked off the beast's arm aiming for its face. He thrust forward embedding one of his daggers into the Minotaur's eye. He had gotten far too close warm air hit his face as the Minotaur exhaled. Seconds later its horns smashed into his chest plate, slamming the air out of his lungs.
His back plate screeched as he tumbled onto the hard ground. Looking up he could see the Minotaur descending toward him its weapon aimed at his heart.