AxolotlWriter: XP

Moon Rabbit: Bell is kawai no matter what, but yes I agree everyone wants to see Bell crossdress, especially girls XD Poor Bell though XP

"... What's going on?" Lulune asked the pouting Lefiya in confusion as townsfolk started either laughing or snickering whistle the god of travel wailed and pleaded for the fuming Loki, Hestia and Asfi to stop.

Currently, he was being hung upside down outside the guild gates in broad daylight, tied up by ropes, and getting a beating from the two goddesses and the captain of his familia.

"Lord Hermes happened! Honestly, he could have chosen another prank!" Lefiya grumbled. Lulune blinked. What had her god done this time?

"Agreed!" Lili pouted beside her, whistle Welf gave them a look.

"Umm… i don't think that's what we should be worrying about now…" Finn sweat-dropped, looking on as the god continued to get bantered.

A day back...

"I have to!" Welf decided, still stuck on his decision while Lili's eye twitched in annoyance. Bell sweat-dropped at the tension between them, as they were just returning from the dungeon.

"You have to, Bell-sama doesn't! Don't put him in danger!"

"Lili, come on!" Bell tried to separate them up, like all the other times. Not that it worked. "I agreed to it. Plus, wouldn't you also want to help Welf?"

"No!"

"That hurts!"

"Good!"

Thing is, a recently new discovered monster was causing quite a bit of a ruckus around Orario, as resources from the 1-level adventurers said they had some rather valuable materials- perfect for crafting weapons. Of course, that had to be any blacksmiths dream to try such a thing out, including Welf's. Hephaestus, his goddess, had already agreed to let any of her children try and get the materials, meaning he was free to go as well. Like hell was he losing this chance.

"And think of it this way Lil'e- I'm gonna be crafting Bell a new weapon!"

"Really?!"

"Master Bell!"

"Sorry…"

All three stopped in the middle of the street, both the young men looking at Lili with sparkling eyes. Lili gave them looks, and sighed. Like kids, i swear! "Fine… let's go to the guild and ask for the location."

"Hai!"

…..

"The new monster?" Eina raised a questioning eyebrow, wondering what this was all about.

"Yes, we'd like to go after it. Do you know where we can find it, Eina-san?" Bell asked eagerly, leaning over the desk. Eina gave him a long stare, before giving a sigh and fixing up her glasses.

"You're not going."

"Eeeh?!"

"Umm… pretty sure i heard the monster is durable for 2-level adventurers." Welf pointed out scratching his head.

"Yes, but there is also an irregular. And judging by Bell's LUCK-" She knew well enough how much 'protection' it gave him. "-It's possible you'll run into it."

That ability is supposed to help me. Bell sweat-dropped.

"But since it's an irregular, it's also bound to have some intelligence. A mere level 2 just won't be able to handle it."

"... Are they stronger than minotaurs?"

"Umm… well, no but-"

"Great! Let's get going Bell!" Welf grinned from ear to ear, grabbing the startled Bell and walking out. Lili's eye twitched while Eina sighed.

"Honestly, men."

"Goddess Hestia has to know of this."

As Lili ran after them as well, the man standing by the gates looked up, tipping his hat back with a smirk across his lips. "Ohoho, so Bell is going after the rare monster?"

"Lord Hermes, please." Asfi, beside him, looked down with everything. Hermes chuckled innocently, patting her head as stars sparkled around him.

"Hehe, just focus on protecting me Asfi."

"Our familia will go broke if we get caught in the dungeon again!"

"Which is why we'll use that mask we have!"

"... I hate you."

"Love you too Asfi, love you too."

"So, are you all ready?" Lili asked, turning around to the other two who looked rather excited.

"Hell yeah!"

"Yes!"

"Why are you so happy about it…" She sweat-dropped, wishing someone would knock some sense into them. Truly, they were acting like kids on cocaine right now.

As they walked through the floor 15 where the monster was said to be located, Bell couldn't help but feel someone spying or perhaps stalking them. He started to sweat. Don't tell me it's king Ottar again. Then he shook his head, pouting to himself. Couldn't be! Especially after ms. Eina scolded him like that! Snap out of it Bell, focus!

He rushed ahead not minding it that much, whistle Hermes smirked taking the Hades mask off. "... Asfi, is the paralyzing smoke ready?"

"Yes lord Hermes…" Asfi sighed defeated. Hermes chuckled evilly.

"Then let's head to where the Loki familia should be passing. Bell has to be there too."

"This god has no life." The perseus muttered to herself flatly, as the god put on the mask again and disappeared.

…..

"Hey Finn, can't we rest here?"

"We're in the middle of floor 15 Tiona, this is no safe zone." Finn sighed, as the amazon continued whining about her feet starting to hurt. "Okay then, Bete can carry you."

"The hell are you pushing it off on me?!" The werewolf immediately jolted. "Oe you annoying amazon, walk yourself!"

"Carry me pleeaassseeee my feet are killing meeeeee!"

"Hell nah!"

"Hey, don't start again you two!" Tione shrieked in return, but they mostly ignored her.

Ais tilted her head, watching them fight as Lefiya tried to catch her attention but was taken away with talking to Riveria. Her eyes, however, caught something PECULIAR and plain WEIRD to have in a dungeon, yet still it caught her attention enough to drift away from the party and to that direction.

The rest didn't notice a thing.

"... Jagamarukun?" She asked turned around the corner, immediately being surrounded by weird smoke in the process. She immediately jumped back, coughing and looking distraught. "... Huh? Jagamarukun… doll attacked?"

Just how air-headed is Ais Wallenstein. Asfi sweat-dropped, continuing to watch as Hermes floated the Jagamarukun doll in the air in front of her, making her believe it was indeed attacking her. I swear, i'm giving him a lesson of his life for messing with the kenki.

Suddenly her body fell, and Hermes took that chance to walk up to her, pick her her with slinging her arms around him, and leading her away.

"... Jagamarukun is… carrying me?"

"... Yes. Yes i am."

"... Jagamarukun talked."

Just wait you old geezer, I'm giving your grandson a run for his money! Hermes decided with a 'hehe', whistle Asfi sighed for the umpteenth time. This was getting nowhere.

…..

"... Should i mention, these monsters are… extraordinary!"

"Master Bell, just plainly say they're downright ugly."

"Lil'e, all monsters on these floors are ugly."

"Can't argue on that too."

"I kinda like the dragons, they're cool."

The party had been on that floor and with Bell's luck by their side, they found the rare monsters rather easily and got every single item out of them, even double of triple the items. Having people with the luck ability with you could really become a blessing sometimes.

"I love you Bell."

"Hey, i want to say that too!" Lili burst out flushing, and both men gave her confused looks. "N-nevermind, we should continue on!"

"Huh? Oh hey, we forgot that one piece!" Bell spotted an item lying near another dungeon entrance, and rushed over before Lili could stop him. Before he knew it, the crackling sound started.

He paled and his head snapped up, barely spotting the dropping rocks. He rolled out the way just in time, being able to hear Welf's and Lili's voices from the other side.

Before he could react again, another shout was heard. "Catch!" And… someone fell from above, right in his arms. He blinked, completely baffled as Ais tilted her head at him.

"... Bell. Hello."

"... Eh?"

"Asfi, now!" Hermes whisper-shouted to the flying Asfi whose eye twitched in annoyance yet she still threw the bomb on the ground beside the oblivious boy.

Again, he had no time to react, hearing a roar behind him. Definitely a minotaur.

"Oh. A party of minotaurs." Ais blinked, glancing over his shoulder.

"... Ais-san-" No time to panic, he could squeal and jump all he wanted after this was over. "-Why are you here?"

"My familia was returning from an expedition but i… i trailed off behind a talking, attacking and carrying Jagamarukun doll."

Ais-san, this is no time to be an airhead. He sweat-dropped. "R-right. Well, we should take care of these minotaurs…" For the first time he noticed she hadn't attempted to move from his arms. Not that he didn't feel happy, but…

"... I'm sorry. The Jagamarukun paralyzed me. I can't move my body." Her eyes apologetic, she looked over his shoulder again. "They're getting close."

If she couldn't move, she couldn't fight. If she couldn't fight, she couldn't defend herself. If she couldn't defend herself, then it was up to him to defeat them, but he couldn't just leave her in the corner as well since this WAS a dungeon, but he couldn't fight with her in arms and this WAS a pack of minotaurs-

"... Okay then." He sighed, seeing no other way. "Ais-san?"

"Yes?"

"... GOMENASAAAAAAIII!" He dashed on his feet, holding her close while glancing behind him. The minotaurs started to give chase too, and he mentally cursed himself.

Why am i always chased by minotaurs?! He turned a sharp corner, knowing a bit of the dungeon floor thanks to Eina's intense lessons. He'll have to thank her personally when he got out.

He jumped, leapt over rocks, turned corner after corner and root and root, but the minotaurs stayed on his tail. Right now he probably looked like a panicked, wild fleeing rabbit trying to run the fastest he can, but he could care less.

"... Bell, my familia." Ais suddenly spoke up, snapping him out of his trace. He had ran around so many times he'd lost site of where he was headed, hence he ended up on the general way of the dungeon.

Currently the Loki familia had stopped there, looking around and calling the sword princess's name. He gulped. If they say her in his arms, he was good as dead-

"ROOOAARR!"

-Nevermind the ones behind him were the ones he should worry about now. He didn't spot Lili and Welf amongst them, telling the captain of the Loki familia about what had happened with their own party.

The roar caught their attention, as Bell yelped when one of the charged at him, barely missing him. He stumbled up to the surprised and baffled Riveria, and handed her the still-paralyzed Ais.

"I'll… take care… of these troublemakers…" He panted, and pulled out his knife, turning on his feet and dashing for the pack.

"ROOAAAAR!"

Soon the ferocious roars turned into wails of fear.

"FIREBOLT!"

The rest just watched in bafflement, mostly still confused to why the little rookie had been running with KENKI in arms just moments ago.

Bell breathed a sigh of relief as the last of the minotaurs disappeared, his body slumming.

"... The… WHAT WERE YOU DOING HUMAN?!"

he squeaked at the elf's scream, paling as he turned to them all.

"... Master Bell…" The dark aura around Lili was quite noticeable. Very, VERY noticeable. "... Why did you have the sword princess in your arms?"

"... She was paralyzed by a talking, attacking and carrying jagamarukun doll?" He offered sheepishly.

"... BELL-SAMA NO BAKAAAAAAAAA!"

"AAAAAHHH FORGIVE ME!"

"OE Lili!"

"Yes! It worked Asfi, this was a success!" Hermes burst out from around the corner, throwing his arms out and also ultimately blowing his cover, as the mask slipped and fell on the ground, leaving him in full view.

All turned to him, blankly staring. He started to sweat with a nervous and shaky smiled, and offered a wave. Asfi descended on the ground also taking her mask off, and bowed to them deeply.

"... Please forgive my lowlife of a god."

"H-hey!"

"... Nani?"

Present…

"And then argonaut-kun found out it was lord Hermes's doing, and ran off screaming. I haven't seen him since." Tiona shrugged, looking around to possibly spot the boy.

"Oh, he's home whimpering to himself about how stupid lord Hermes is." Welf rolled his eyes.

"And Ais is searching for a talking, attacking and carrying Jagamarukun doll." Finn sweat-dropped further. "Honestly, i don't even understand what's going on…"

"PleaSE FORgivE MEEEEEEeeEE!" Hermes's wails echoed around the place.

I just love Hermes XP