Bell sat on the edge of the upstairs bed watching the door to his room. There was no sound save for the light buzzing of the magic lamp above him. He resisted the urge to kick his legs back and forth, not wanting to make the bed creak. He wasn't sure what Simon and Lady Hestia were talking about downstairs, but he didn't want to disturb them by making any noise. If Lady Hestia needed to talk with Simon alone then it was likely important. And she'd tell him all about it later.

A part of him did feel some temptation. The want to crack the door open and sneak downstairs. Hear what was so important that he had to leave the room before they could talk about it. But that part was swiftly dashed by his complete trust of Lady Hestia. She was his Goddess and a great one at that. She was probably just explaining more about how Orario works to Simon.

Simon. The thought of him made Bell smile. Though he hadn't known the man for long, he did think he was a good person. He knew that sounded naive but it made sense to him. Simon had saved his life twice now, had accompanied him into the Dungeon without needing a formal contract, and kept letting him have all the money. Even if Bell felt bad about taking Simon's own share of the vals, he couldn't deny that it was helping his Familia. They were in a much better position than they used to be. Lady Hestia could even afford multiple potato snack dinners now! He had given them so much, yet he asked for nothing in return. Just like a Hero...

Smiling, Bell reached into his pocket and pulled out the drill that Simon had given him. He held it up to the light, the little bronze object dangling from a piece of string. Simon had done that for him when they left the Dungeon today. The string had come from his cape and he had placed it into Bell's hand. When Bell asked what it was, Simon had called it a "Core Drill". At the time it hadn't been much. Just a normal drill.

But now, as he stared at it, he swore he saw a the dimmest of green lights pulsing within its core. He turned the slightly warm object around in his fingers eyes transfixed by the light within. He was certain the thing was some kind of Magic Item. The type that the Heroes in stories get that always helps them win the day. Though he wasn't sure how this one worked, he had a theory over what it was supposed to do. And that came down to the color the Core Drill was giving off.

Because it was the same shade of green he had seen Simon use in the Dungeon.

Which meant that it was connected to...

"Spiral Power," Bell tested the words on his tongue. His eyes kept staring at the Core Drill as he thought on his theory. Simon had said that Spiral Power was "Fighting Spirit". Bell figured he meant "Willpower" or something close to it. If that was the case then...was Spiral Power the ability to manifest your Will into reality? Or make things happen through willing them to happen?

Because if so then...what could it not do?

Bell started to frown but then shook his head. He was probably overthinking things again. Spiral Power couldn't be that strong. If it was then everybody would be using it, wouldn't they? But this is the first time he's heard of it. Maybe it was something that the Heroes of Old used before Falna became a thing? He'd have to ask Simon about it later.

He lowered his head then put the Core Drill around his neck. The item fell to the middle of his chest still glowing with a faint green light. He sighed before falling back onto the bed as his mind once more drifted to the conversation happening downstairs. As they did he briefly wondered if Hestia would know anything about Spiral Power.

Hestia, the Goddess of Hearth and Home, was currently had her eyes closed as she massaged her temples. She leaned back against the living room sofa, taking a deep breath before sighing, "Oooookkkkk. Let me see if I've got this straight."

Simon sat across from her with his legs crossed. He didn't look perturbed by her mood in the slightest. If anything, his expression made Hestia more upset. And his tone didn't make it any better, "Sure. I'm all ears."

Hestia frowned but continued, "So, Spiral Power. It...it's a power source that just exists in the world."

"Yep. Well, it does for me."

"You can sense it?"

Simon shrugged, "Yeah. Passively, I can feel any Spiral Power in a radius around me. If I concentrate, I can sense it all across the planet."

"...You can...sense the presence of Spiral Power...across the entire planet if you try?"

"Uh huh! Pretty handy trick, huh?" Simon smiled and put his arms behind his head.

Hestia took a moment to breathe and calm herself down. Her ponytails were trembling as she tried to keep her emotions in check. After a few moments she continued, "OK. Lets put to the side for now. Spiral Power. It just plainly exists, and represents evolution. But less evolutions and more the concept of improving and overcoming all obstacles."

"That's one way to put it."

"And it's powered by someone's innate Willpower."

"Fighting Spirit."

"Same difference. Anyway, there's no limit to the amount of Spiral Power someone can have. Or what it can do. Someone with Spiral Power can go from digging holes in the ground one day, to defeating someone who is many years their senior in combat the next day. And it only gets crazier from there? Am I getting that right?"

Another shrug, "Pretty much. Though it's not a free ride. Everyone can have Spiral Power, but you actually have to ACT in order to make use of it. If you're a passive person, then you're not gonna get very far. Think it like a drill. Every time it rotates, it gets further and further down the hole it's digging. Just like how someone becomes different from who they were before every moment they spend improving themselves. That's Spiral Power."

Hestia blinked.

Then she spoke in the flattest voice she could manage, "Simon, are you a God?"

For the first time since she had met him, Hestia saw Simon frown. His answer was short and decisive, "No."

"And you're not lying to-"

"Why would I ever lie to you, Hestia?"

Hestia was silent for a few moments. Normally, she wouldn't have asked if Simon was lying to her. After all, the Children can't lie to the Gods. It's just impossible.

But Simon basically told her that Spiral Power looks at things that are supposed to be "impossible" and says, "Fucking watch me do it anyway."

And it tends to work.

Meaning that, if he wanted to, he could lie to the Gods.

And, truth be told, a part of her wished that he was lying to her right now. Because that would be preferable to the truth of the matter.

Unfortunately, she knew he wasn't. Because Simon was similar to Bell in many ways. And one of those ways was that he was honest to a fault. He wouldn't lie to her, because the idea of lying to her for any reason at all would never even cross his mind.

Which meant that everything he told her was true.

...

"You doing okay there, Hestia?" Simon asked, tilting his head to the side.

Hestia was silent.

Then she slowly fell back into the sofa until it looked like her body was being eaten by the fabric. It was only when she was halfway into the sofa that she finally spoke, "Th...bull..."

"Hmm? You say something?"

"I said that's bullshit!" Hestia rocketed out of her seat. She shot to her feet, ponytails whipping up a storm while angry eyes fixated onto a stunned Simon. She continued to yell at the top of her lungs, uncaring of how loud she was being, "You can't just do whatever you want without limit! There's no way you can use Spiral Power whenever you want, however you want, and it's not gonna cost you anything?! The only way any of that would be possible if you were a God, but you're clearly not that. Because Spiral Power isn't Arcanum. Because it if was, then you wouldn't be here right now you'd be in Tenkai for breaking the rules! Which means that whatever you're doing, it's either something all mortals can use, the implications of which are terrifying, or you're somehow tricking the rules into thinking what you're doing isn't Arcanum. And considering what you've told me already, I'm willing to believe the latter!'

Hestia started to pant while she stared Simon dead in the eye. Her ponytails were still whipping around, the dust particles in the room lifting from the ground with each wave. Simon just stared at Hestia with wide eyes and an open mouth. Then he held up a finger, "Mind if I ask you something, Hestia?"

"What is it?"

"What day is it?"

"It's the second day of the week."

"Thought so," Simon started to chuckle, rocking back and forth in his seat as he did.

"What's so funny? This is serious."

"It's just...you remind me of one of my friends. This guy named Rossiu. Your rant sounded just like something he'd say. Course, then I'd do something to prove him wrong so," Simon shrugged, an easy going smile on his face.

Hestia blinked. Her cheeks got red with rage while her ponytails pointed at Simon. Anyone watching from the sidelines would think the Goddess was trying to smite him where he sat. Or at least try to inject some shame into the man with her gaze alone. But, regardless of how intense her stare was, Simon kept staring at her with a smile on his face. Eventually, Hestia gave up with a sigh. She fell back into her chair, ponytails going limp as she crashed into the sofa. She pinched the bridge of her nose. After a few moments she spoke, "Alright. Fine. This just means I need to give you a certain talking to in regards to how things work in Orario."

"Hmm, does it have anything to do with Bell and the other Gods?" Simon ventured.

Hestia nodded. She leaned forward with a serious expression on her face, "Put simply, Simon, the God's are like kids. They love to play with their toys and are constantly looking for new things to pique their interests. It's the reason they are so enamored with the Children of the lower world. They are all so fascinating in so many ways. But that also means that Children who stand out are in danger. Especially those without a Familia to protect them."

Simon frowned and crossed his arms, "Let me guess. If any of them find out what I can do, they're gonna try to force me into their Familias?"

Hestia nodded grimly, "It'll be worse if they discover you can share it with people. If Spiral Power really is as strong as you say it is, then every God in Orario will want to have you give to every member of their Familia. And some Gods in Orario are...not kind."

Hestia looked away from Simon, a shadow coming over her face. She placed both hands under her chin while her thoughts ran down her lists of Gods she knew would kill to have Simon in their clutches. Or at least chase after him an attempt to see the newest thing in Orario. Their never-ending search for entertainment would be hell for Simon to deal with.

But Simon didn't look worried. He simply nodded along with her words, "Yeah, thought as much. Guess choosing to not be vocal about it was a smart decision then. Wouldn't feel right just announcing what I can do to the whole city you know. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop using Spiral Power. Not the kind of guy to let something like scare me away from doing what I want."

Hestia sighed, "At least you understand not to go bragging about it. But then, what will you do if a God tries to force you into their Familia? Without a Familia to protect you, you'll be at their mercy. And the Guild could only do so much."

"Well, first I'd tell them. Firmly. If they kept trying, then I'd start," Simon punched his right fist into the palm of his left hand, "insisting".

Hestia stared in disbelief at the cocky smirk on Simon's face. She shook her head, "You...are you saying that you'd fight...an entire Familia? By yourself?"

"If I had to? Sure."

Hestia blinked twice. Then she ran a hand down her face, "I can't believe someone like you exists."

"I get that a lot," Simon replied with a smile, "Besides, I can't just give people Spiral Power. It's something you kind of have to have a knack for. It's in everyone, but mainly shows up in people who don't give up easy. People who want to change the world, or at least themselves, for the better."

Hestia sighed then shook her head before focusing her gaze onto Simon, "I still see you as a friend to my Familia, Simon. You've done too much for us for something like this to change that. But I need you to promise me that, whatever happens, you don't let this hurt my Bell. I don't want him picking up any bad habits from you, nor do I want the Spiral Power you gave him to make him needlessly reckless. And if something happens to him, I'll hold you personally responsible. I hope you understand."

Hestia's eyes flashed with barely hidden fury. Anyone else would understand the context behind those words. How a Goddess was essentially threatening them. How they were sitting before a being that stood above mere mortals. That regardless of her appearance, she was an existence that could easily make miracles happen if she weren't beholden to the rules all the Gods followed. They'd likely be scared, quaking in their boots as they became deathly aware of exactly where they were standing.

But Simon?

His response was to give Hestia a thumbs up, "OK. I promise."

"...Just like that?"

A shrug, "Yeah. Oh, but to be clear I'm promising to keep Bell safe. I understand that you're in love with him and want to make sure that nothing bad happens to him. So, I'm letting you know that I'll make sure nothing bad happens to him in the Dungeon, and that the other Gods won't hurt a hair on his head. But I can't really promise anything about Spiral Power. How that ends up is mainly down to Bell. His life is his own, after all. How he evolves will depend on him."

Simon cocked his head in the direction of the stairs. Hestia crossed her arms and nodded, "Good. I'm glad that-wait...what?! Did you say I was in love with Bell?!"

"Hmm? Yeah."

Hestia's face flushed a dark red. Her ponytails fluttered as she stood from her seat, "H-H-How could you tell?! Did you use Spiral Power to read my mind or something?"

Simon shook his head, "Nope. You're just really bad at hiding it."

The smile he gave her was the picture of innocence.

Hestia's cheeks puffed up as she pouted. Then she turned away from Simon with a huff, "Whatever! I need to go update Bell's status! You stay here and wait for him."

"Sure thing," Simon waved goodbye to Hestia as she headed upstairs. Once she was gone, he shook his head, "Man, Bell. Tough times are ahead for you. I'll do my best to make sure you're ready though. Though, I'm not exactly the best with women either, am I?"

He chuckled while leaning back into the sofa.

"And then she kicked me out of the room," Bell explained as he and Simon walked through the street traffic of Orario. The sun was sinking into the western sky, slowly being replaced by the bluish glow of the moon above. Adventurers and workers who had returned safe from their jobs filled the various bars that lined Main Street. Orange lights poured out of the doors alongside the happy and angry voices of the patrons.

Simon raised an eyebrow, "Really? All cause of how your Status looked?"

"I...don't know. I know she was mad about something. But I'm still not sure what it was," Bell admitted, looking at the ground in shame. He crossed his arms while closing his eyes in thought, "I'd figure she would be as surprised as I was at how much I grew. Improving by a total of 200 points in one day isn't exactly normal."

"That so?" Simon smiled at Bell. He reached over and pulled the young man into a one arm hug. Then he started to rub the younger boy's head with his other hand, "Maybe all that time you spend in the Dungeon is starting to pay off, huh?"

Bell couldn't help but chuckle as he playfully struggled to get out of Simon's grasp. He bet the two looked like brothers to anyone who was watching them. And, truth be told, he didn't hate that idea. He'd never had a brother before. Much less an older one. So, experiencing something like this was...nice.

But his smile soon faded when his mind went back to Lady Hestia's reaction to his Status Update, "But that still doesn't explain why the Goddess was so upset with me. Maybe she's mad I left so early this morning?"

Simon let Bell go and waved his hand dismissively, "Don't let it get to you, Bell. You trust her, don't you?"

"Of course. She's my Goddess."

"Then trust that she'll tell you later. When she thinks you're ready," Simon smiled down at Bell. The younger man nodded, his mood improving a little bit. All around them Main Street's nightlife continued on. All around them Demi-humans draw people off the street to lure them into their respective establishments. A circle of prums and gnomes sing to their hearts' content, with a dwarf joining them shortly after. The bars are regular hubs of activity, with one having female animal people in "playful" clothing trying to entice customers. But they're soon put to shame by a passing parade of Amazons wearing little save loincloths.

Bell blushes as he averts his eyes, but sees that Simon doesn't even look their way. In fact, regardless of the things happening around them, he never seems to get distracted. His eyes are always focused forward toward their next destination. Bell is transfixed by his confident gaze to the point where he hardly notices when Simon stops walking. Simon looks up, "Think this is the place."

"Huh?" Bell blinks before turning to see a familiar terrace. The same one where he and Simon had met Syr earlier that day. Looking up saw the bar's name; The Benevolent Mistress.

Bell nodded, "Yeah. I recognize it."

"Cool. Mind leading the way in?"

"Uh, sure. Lets see what the inside's like," Bell walked through the open doors with Simon following close behind. The inside of the bar was as lively as the others, but there was a certain class to the atmosphere. The servers were all female, with the majority being catgirls of various types. A single elegant elf server gracefully glided amongst them, no making a single mistake as she served the crowd. Behind a counter stood a stout dwarfess, who Simon could tell was the owner of the establishment by the way she carried herself. And the way her eyes immediately took notice of them the moment they walked inside.

Most of the occupants were men. Adventurers if their rough looks and armor was anything to go by. And though the place looked pretty contemporary, it still held a cheerful atmosphere. Simon whistled while his eyes roamed the place, "Pretty nice place. Syr must've hit the jackpot getting a job here."

"Y-Yeah. But-I feel like it's a bit out of my league..."

Simon placed a finger under Bell's chin and lifted it up, "Chin up, Bell! When a man enters a new place, he needs to be confident. Walk with your head held high and back straight, ready to take on whatever comes your way. Got it?"

"Ri-Right!" Bell immediately stood to attention, placing both his feet together while turning his body ramrod straight. He was only able to stand like that for a few moments before his body relaxed. Embarrassed, he looked at Simon, "I...don't have to stand like that all the time, do I?"

Simon laughed and patted the boy's head, "Course not! You can relax. Just be yourself. Be confident. Be brave. Can you do that?"

"Sure. I can...I can do that."

"Good. Now, Syr's here, so how about we get seated and I tell you that story I was talking about?"

"Really?!" Bell seemed more excited at the prospect of a story than the fact that Syr somehow snuck up on him. The girl in question was wearing the same dress from when they first met her. She smiled before getting the two's attention and leading them into the bar.

Bell blinked at Simon, his barely touched pasta sitting in front of him, "So...Gunmen are golems?"

"What's a golem?" Simon said through bites of a an entire chicken.

No, not a chicken leg or breast.

And entire roast chicken.

When Syr had sat him and Bell at a quiet L-shaped corner counter where no one would bother them, the two had reacted completely differently from each other. Bell told Simon that he had about six thousand Vals on him, and thanks to the ten thousand he got from the Minotaur, they could afford to splurge just a bit. So, when the Mistress asked what they wanted, Simon ordered a meat platter while Bell got the pasta.

The younger man didn't eat much for two reasons. The first was because he wanted to hear Simon telling his story.

The second was because he was at awe of how much Simon could eat. The meat platter had come with an roasted chicken, a well done steak, and chopped up fish. Along with that was a tankard of ale that Simon hadn't touched. He and Bell asked for water, which the Mistress gave them a few seconds after giving them their orders.

Simon's order was already almost gone.

He had eaten the steak first. Literally shoving the entire thing in his mouth, then pulling out the bones. Then he got to the fish, which he at similarly.

The only reason the chicken wasn't gone yet, was because his first bite had taken a third of the meat off it. He just spat out the bones before washing it all down with water. The spectacle had actually made a few of the patrons stop what they were doing to watch him eat. Even Syr sat down to Bell's right to see it in action, while the Mistress just laughed as she worked. The dwarfess mentioned something about how "They've got a big eater on their hands" before walking away.

And somehow, between all of that, he managed to tell Bell bits and pieces of a what a Gunmen was.

Bell sat up straighter as he spoke, "They're constructs given life through magic. Most need to be controlled by one who made them to work, meaning they have to be nearby or on top of the golem to keep it running. Gunmen sound like that."

"Hmm. Well, kind of. But Gunmen can be made by hand out of metal. I could probably make one if I had the right materials," he said through bites of his chicken...which was now just bone. He put the last of it on his plate then leaned back and sighed, "Ooooh, man that was good! My compliments to the chef, Mistress!"

"I'll be sure to tell them! And if you ever want more, she'll be happy to make it for you!"

"You're awesome!" Simon chuckled before turning back to Bell. He placed both his arms on the counter, "But yeah, we used those thing in my world for all sorts of things. Building homes, traveling, anything we couldn't do on our own really."

Bell's eyes shined, "And everyone could pilot them?"

"If they learned and the skills for it, sure."

"Wow. Do you think I could visit your home one day, Simon?" Bell couldn't hide his excitement. An entire people who could making flying golems with their hands? That sounded like something right out of the Dungeon Oratoria!

Before Simon could answer, a giggle drew the men's attention to Syr. The girl was smiling as she watched Bell and Simon, "Well I'm glad you're both enjoying yourselves."

"Yeah. This is place is pretty cool," Simon crossed his arms and nodded, "Thanks for inviting us, Syr."

"And thanks you for the food today," Bell said with a bow his head.

Syr waved them off, "Don't worry about it. Seeing the two of you here tonight makes my empty stomach worth it."

"Don't you mean worth it to get us to spend a lot on dinner?" Bell said with an accusatory glance.

Syr laughs with a smile and bows her head, "Sorry, Bell. You too, Simon."

Simon raised a hand, "Don't need to apologize to me. Bell's the one spending all the money. By the way, thanks Bell."

"Anytime Simon," Bell assured the blue haired man. Then a thought came to him and he turned back to Syr, "Um, shouldn't you be at work right now?"

"The kitchen is a little busy, but everyone has everything else covered. Things are slowing down a bit too," she looks towards the owner with a pleading stare.

The dwarfess gives a her a jerking nod of confirmation.

"OK. Then what can you tell me about this place?" Bell asked, leaning in to listen to the girl. While he did that Simon turned to look out at the bar. He watched as people started to file out of the bar, leaving only a few patrons. Though that number was still high. Quite a few of the tables were full of people having a good time. He just watched them, smiling as he saw them all enjoying life. It was good to see that, even here, people managed to find joy in the world.

He did catch Syr's explanation of what the place was though. The dwarfess was an ex-adventurer named Mia, though most of the employees called her "Mama" or "Mama Mia". She got permission from her God to retire from dungeon crawling and make this place. She only hires women, but doesn't care about their backgrounds or their reasons for being here. Which made Simon respect her quite a bit more. Idly, he caught Mama's eye as Syr was explaining why she was here. The dwarfess was cleaning a tankard but her keen right eye met his own. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up. She scoffed but smiled back at him. He went back to looking at the bar...but his instincts kicked in.

Simon turned his head toward the doors just as they flew open. Ten people, adventurers by the look of it, walk into the bar like they own the place. They seemed to have made reservation because they're instantly led toward an empty table opposite the main floor. Even from where he was sitting Simon could tell they weren't normal adventurers. While their stances and gaits were casual, they were all ready to strike at a moment's notice. Something most would probably not notice until it was too late.

While there were ten members, only a few stood out to him.

One was a small boy, possibly one of those prums that Bell mentioned, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was smiling but Simon caught how his eyes quickly scanned the entire bar in a second. A full perimeter scan to watch for any possible threats. Their tactician, maybe?

Another was an elf with long jade colored hair and eyes. She moved with the grace that Simon had seen most elves move with, but hers didn't have the same feeling to it. The others felt like they constantly held an air of superiority about them. She felt more...natural. High strung, but seeing everyone else as equals.

Two of them were nearly identical. Same wheat colored skin, same dark green eyes, they even wore similar loincloths. Though there were differences between the two. One wore a red bra that barely covered her breasts, while the other had a flat white strap across her chest. The former's hair was long and tied into two short pony tails at the front. The latter's was cut short and gave her a tomboyish look. The two seemed to be in high spirits, constantly speaking with each other regardless of where they were. Twins, maybe?

One was an animal person with grey hair, dog ears, and orange eyes. And the second Simon saw him, he was immediately reminded of Viral. The rough outlook, the claws ready to strike, the boisterous look on his face, the way he carried himself. All of it made him the perfect picture of a really cocky guy who thinks he's the best damn fighter in the room. And, unfortunately, if Simon's gut feeling was anything to go by, he was probably right. At least, he would be if Simon wasn't in the room. Though he could say that about most of the people who just walked in. But this one...this one felt like he might be trouble.

Then there were two others that seemed to be the focal points of the group. A small, red haired...woman? He was pretty sure it was a girl. It was hard to tell from where he was sitting. The way they moved their hips gave him the impression, but that was about it. Their blue shirt, black stockings, and black shorts could be worn by anybody. Not to mention their chest as flat as a board.

...Huh. He think he saw them wince for some reason.

And the one next to them was a golden-blonde haired girl in a white dress with blue leggings. While everyone else looked excited to be their, she looked like she wanted to be somewhere else. There was no emotion whatsoever on her face. And while her golden eyes had light in them, he could tell her mind was elsewhere. Thinking about something besides all of this.

Simon caught some whispers in the crowd talking about the newcomers. Apparently, they were members of the "Loki Familia". He noticed that Bell and Syr had stopped talking, so he turned to see what they were doing. He saw them gawking at the newcomers, Bell more so than Syr. His mouth was hanging open as he watched the party sit down and start ordering. Simon elbowed Bell and leaned over, "So, those guys are called Loki Familia. That ring any bells, Bell?"

Bell's eyes widened in shock, "L-L-Loki Familia!? That's the number one Familia in Orario. They have the highest number of High Level Adventurers in the whole city! No one can match them when it comes to Dungeon delving. They've gone farther into the Dungeon than anyone else!"

"Ah. So they're all really strong then?"

Bell nodded enthusiastically. Then he turned his eyes back to the Familia in question, "But, without a doubt, the strongest of their number is Ais Wallenstein. The Kenki. The Sword Princess. Rumor has it that she's killed a horde of Level Five Monsters all by herself."

Simon hummed and nodded, "Sounds impressive. What do you think of her?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, it sounds like you're a bit smitten."

Bell's cheeks flushed and he furiously shook his head, "N-N-No! Nothing like that! I mean...I admire her for her strength. She is a High Level Adventurer. And I'd like to be on that level one day. And she's certainly pretty. But I don't see her that way."

Simon chuckled and patted Bell's head, "Probably for the best. You're gonna have enough girl problems in the future. Shouldn't complicate it any more."

"Yeah...wait, what?" Bell tilted his head in confusion.

Simon didn't say anything. He just glanced at Syr and winked. Syr kept smiling like she didn't notice a thing. She does mention that the members of Loki Familia are regulars here. Their Goddess, Loki, seems to like the place for whatever reason. Bell and Simon nod, then go back to their respective meals. Loki Familia continues to toast and enjoy themselves. Things go on as normal.

Then that gray animal person shouted loud enough for the entire bar to hear, "Yeah, Ais! Tell us that one story!"

"That one story...?" Bell tensed up at the words, but Simon just kept drinking his water.

"You know the one! About those Minotaurs that go away! And how someone stole your kill! The Tomato Boy!"

Bell felt lightning shook through is back. He stiffened in his seat but Simon just kept drinking his water. The animal person keeps going, eventually getting the entire table talking. Which leads to Bell and Simon putting together the puzzle pieces. Essentially, Loki Familia was in the Dungeon fighting Minotaurs. One of them gets away. That one eventually runs to the floor that Bell is on and attacks him. He gets cornered and then Simon saves him.

Which meant that Ais was somewhere nearby and saw what happened. Then she told her Familia about it.

"So, a kid got himself cornered by the Minotaur like a li'l bunny! Shaking like one, too! Poor thing was about to explode!"

"Oh? What happened to the boy? Was he okay?"

"See, here's the funny part. Just as Ais here gets ready to save the kid, some dude jumps ten feet off a cliff and dives right at the Minotaur! Kicks it hard enough in the face to shatter one of its horns!"

"Wow! Must've been a High Level Adventurer who happened to be passing by. That kid got lucky!"

"Oh wait, it gets better! So, Ais moves in to see what's going on. And what does she see? The guy running up the Minotaur's arm, kicking it in the chin, then slamming his fists onto its head! Telling ya, I wish I could've seen that! Guy was just beating on the Minotaur. Then, he yells out the name of his Skill or something and just blows its head off in one attack! How'd you say it went Ais?"

The animal person put one foot on the table, making the silverware clatter as he tried to repeat Simon's words, "Drrrillll Immmppaaaccttt! PFFFTTTT ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

He suddenly fell back into his seat with one hand on his stomach, "Oh god, it makes my stomach hurt every time! Who the hell does that?!"

"It...certainly sounds...interesting."

"And the best part? The best part? The kid? He doesn't run! He just sits there and watches. Which means that when the Minotaur dies, both of them get covered in its stinky cow blood! They get turned red instantly. Thus Tomato Boy!"

The animal person's laughs even harder. Bell is trying hard not to shake in his seat while Simon continues to drink his water. While some of the guy's Familia were also chuckling, most were remaining quiet and glaring at him. Ais didn't react at all.

"Never thought I'd see someone manage to steal a kill from Aizee! But while that guy was cool, that kid was just pathetic! So disgusting I could cry!"

"...Hmm."

"What the hell was he doing? If you're gonna cry like a bitch, you shouldn't be down there in the first place! Right, Ais?"

"..."

"It's weak adventurers like him that give the rest of us a bad name! Especially when they have to be rescued. Make those of us with power look like babysitters. That guy should've left that kid! Maybe then he'd give it up already!"

"Shut your mouth already, Bete! It was our mistake that let the Minotaurs escape! That boy had nothing to do with it! And stop drinking! Learn some respect!"

"Oh-oh! You elves and your pride! But yeah, what's in it for you to protect that piece of shit? Saying it's our fault, you're lying to yourself! Just to keep your pride! Trash is trash! What's wrong with calling it what it is?"

"Hey, hey! That's enough! Bete, Riveria, relax! You're killing the mood!"

"Eh, Ais! What did you think about him, the pathetic piece of shit who was shaking in front of you? Do you think he deserves to stand at our level, as adventurers?"

"…I don't blame him for acting the way he did under those circumstances."

"Why you acting all Goody Two-shoes? Okay then, I'm changin' the question. Him or me—who's got it going on?"

"…Bete, are you drunk?"

"Shut it! Now, Ais! Choose! As a female, which male wags your tail? Which male makes you hot?"

"…I have no reason to answer that question, especially to you, Bete."

"You're absurd…"

"Quiet, hag!…Well then, what if that piece of trash came up to you, said he liked you, would you take him?"

"…Hm."

"Of course you wouldn't! Why would a tiny kid who's so weak, feeble, and all-around nauseating have the right to even stand next to you? There's no way he'd measure up!"

"Don't run, Bell."

Bell hardly even heard the words. His legs were already moving to push himself out of his seat.

But a firm, steady, comforting hand stopped him from moving. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move from his seat. He turned to the owner of the hand, eyes wet with tears while his mouth and eyes quivered.

And the moment he met those swirling green eyes, all the pain he was feeling was washed away.

All because of those kind, confident eyes.

And that confident smile.

"Don't worry about a thing. You stay right there. I'll go take care of this."

What? Did you think Simon was just gonna ignore Bete's taunting?

This ain't like other Danmachi Crossovers.

If a character has reason to fuck with Canon, they will fuck with Canon.