The Fallen Argonaut
Rated; M (Blood/Gore)
Disclaimer; I do not own Danmachi or anything created by the author Fujino Ōmori, all rights go to him
Authors: Eli-er01 & ViceroyChalister
Summary: The will of a hero is strong, yet unwavering but all good things must come to an end, even at the cost of one's Heroic Will. Imprisoned and blamed for a crime he hadn't committed, Bell seeks a way out of his predicament so that he can live without fear of being hunted by the people he once looked up to.
46: A Hero's Compassion
=Orario=
Bell's eyes glanced over the battle from a small distance behind alongside Elora and Bache. His kids had decided to take part to add support to his old friends' party to gain Excelia both as a bonding experience but also because they were excited.
It was a place they had never seen before with monsters they had never encountered. They were vigilant, courtesy of it being drilled into them since they were of young age.
Bell was more concerned for his old friends since he had never seen them truly fight together since when he was still a part of their party. Their teamwork was seamless with Lili guiding them across the field with eyes that spoke of countless battle experiences over the years. She knew just how to respond to the situation at hand and who to utilize.
She had even incorporated his kids into the mix without any issue after getting a brief rundown on what they had to offer.
Bell's eyes trailed towards Welf who was using a magic sword which for some reason was not breaking. He had seen him use it a lot, to the point that it was impossible for it not to have broken… yet there it was, still functioning as if nothing was wrong.
It boggled his mind as he tried to wrap his head around it. Was it enhanced, allowing for more magic to be stored? Has Welf's abilities come that far?
Or was it something else…? He figured he had to ask to find out. Something else he noted was the faint glow of one slot on his falna. He guessed it was a skill but he had no idea what it does. His skill set was well developed for using large weapons, though Bell wasn't the most knowledgeable in that department.
He was proficient with heavy weapons but it wasn't his weapon of choice. His style revolves more around hit and run tactics, though he has learned multiple other fighting styles that range from the most defensive forms to the most offensive ones.
Even with that, Heavy weapons never suited him, but he at least learnt how to use one. Welf was definitely better at using it than him, but he still noticed a few flaws in his form that a more intelligent opponent would quickly utilize.
His eyes next traveled over towards Mikoto. She was the complete opposite of Welf, using her speed and dexterity in tandem with her carefully trained techniques to expertly carve her opponents up with… to be honest, scary efficiency. She seemed to also use her radar skill to constantly keep track of the monster's movement.
He watched just at that moment a harpy tried to use its claws on the samurai's back, but she vaulted while twisting, her feet hitting it on its chest, caving the entire area and shattering the magic stone inside before she continued on with the monsters she were fighting.
Bache whistled at that move as Bell and Elora turned to her.
"That was quite the move. She somersaulted backwards into a kick, using her momentum to further increase the power of her attack. It's impressive and not easy to pull off" Bell nodded as Elora hummed.
"You're right, it's a technique that takes real dedication to master. She seems to understand that her status is only part of the equation, her techniques and tactics matter too and make all the difference. Lili doesn't even seem to be commanding her unless someone needs support. It's safe to say that she is the most skilled and powerful member of their entire party" Both Bache and Bell nodded in agreement. Mikoto took her training incredibly seriously, to the point that she rivaled even himself at times. It's no wonder she had come so far.
"That fox isn't doing too bad either. Sure, she's a mage through and through but she's holding her own"
"You're right, Haruhime used to stumble over her own feet from just walking but I see no trace of it now" Bell smiled, heart warming at the sight of her maneuvering with her staff with an almost expert-like grace.
Bell frowned as he saw a monster sneak up on her, which Haruhime clearly didn't notice.
"Haruhime! Behind you!" Lili shouted as the fox shrieked and sloppily rolled away from an attack from the blue crab's attack. It put her right in front of another blue crab who was about to attack before it exploded into dust as the sharp end of Aralaya's staff pierced its magic stone.
"Are you okay?" The half-elf asked as she cleaved through a few more enemies. Haruhime nodded as the girl peeked back before getting on her feet.
"Haruhime! Begin your chant, it's time to end this!" Lili called out as the Renard nodded.
"That prum though… It's weird but she's almost like a second braver. Rapidly adapting to the situation accordingly in order to take the path towards victory that includes the least risk" Elora commented as Haruhime positioned herself in the back of their formation.
"Kokonoe-" Bell blinked at the unfamiliar spell… and the name to boot.
"That's new" Bell spoked as both women next to him looked at him.
"Beloved snow. Beloved crimson. Beloved white light" Her voice almost seemed to resonate across the entire room they were in as a beautiful display of sparkling yellow lights began to form around the renard.
"Please let me be beside you - this love I have found at the end of two thousand nights" One glowing golden foxtail after another formed behind her, swishing and turning with the sound of ringing bells sounded around her in rapid succession until a total of 8 were created.
The children, Bell, Elora and Bache stared in awe at her as if she was a deity showing their divine powers before them. It was a display that would catch the eye of anyone, as if the 9 tailed fox had truly come to life straight out of a fairytale-
"My name is Magic fox. Former destroyer. My name is Ancient song. Former Dreamer. For you who beat your wings like a bird, I shall allow the nine spirits to dwell in me" Bell snapped out of his daze as a soft smile spread across his face.
"Echo, song of hold, sacred poem of tamamo. White face, golden fur, king of nine tails. Oh, Tails of the auspicious beast, consume all, grant all wishes -" She stopped for a second as Bell wanted to see what this spell could do that would make her choose it instead of Level boosting.
"Grow" That one word set his mind on fire as he felt his face split in half from the grin. Was this what he thought it was… oh how he wished it was what he thought it was.
"Is that… Chant-connecting?" Elora muttered in disbelief as Bell nodded absentmindedly while Aralaya could only stare at the fox in surprise and awe.
"That power and that vessel. Breadth of the wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. Grow" Oh, Bell was sure of it now, this was 100% that. It'll be fun to see Elora and Bache's reaction. He had told them of the Level Boosting magic before, but they had been skeptical and didn't really take it seriously… Guess they will have to accept it very soon.
"Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you. Grow - Uchide No Kozuchi!" The magic that had been building up exploded as the remnants entered and filled the tails as their luminescent properties intensified, signaling the spell inside of it being ready.
"Dance!" The magic shot out of 6 of the 8 tails, before shooting down onto everyone active in the battle.
Welf, Mikoto and Lili instantly began making use of it while Jannor, Aralaya and Adrienne looked over themselves as they were reveling in the feeling of their new enhanced senses.
"This is awesome!" Jannor laughed before dashing forward, absolutely demolishing a group of blue crabs. Adrienne did the same, jumping head first into the fray with her shortsword, slashing, kicking and punching her way through it all.
"Elemental Spirits, I call upon you, lend me your power, and remove those before me Wind Strike!" The magic that came out was much stronger, obliterating the entirety of Adrienne's group as she turned to her sister and grinned.
"Nice!" She called out before continuing along on her path of destruction next to the rest of them. It took no time to finish the enemies before they calmed down.
"You weren't kidding…" Elora whispered as Bell nodded.
"Level boosting… unbelievable" Bache was also in disbelief at a magic that completely bent the rules they knew of the world.
"Shouldn't you be used to this? Didn't I already bend it before?" Bell asked as the two turned to him somewhat caught off guard at them having said that out loud..
"Yeah… it's just… it was easier to swallow as it was only you… but anyone can take advantage of this. How has she not become a target for larger familias yet?" Elora asked as Bell sighed.
"Simple… they don't know. This is a secret kept within their allied familias. Outside of it, only a few ex-members of Ishtar Familia know about it and they haven't talked in 15 years, so why would they now?"
"Oy, Bell! What do you think?" Welf called out as the albino turned in his direction.
"Well, it depends upon who we're talking about. If you mean in general, you all work like a well oiled wheel. You cover each other's backs well and leave little to no openings in your formation" They all grinned at him.
"But…" The words made them falter as they waited for him to continue.
"I won't say that I'm an expert with large weapons, so I can't comment on your technique, so I'll instead mention the way you carry yourself as well as your stance. It was alright, but your legs are too far apart. It'd be easy for an opponent smarter than a monster to maneuver around you as it leaves little in the way of maneuverability" Bell advised as Welf grinned faltered though still remained, happy that he had done well and taking the advice to heart.
"Haruhime, you've definitely improved, so much so that I don't want the next part of what I'm about to say make you feel inadequate. You're capable and skilled but…" He sighed as the fox waited as a blush had colored her face.
"Your sense of your surroundings is honestly baffling. It's horrible to the point that a goblin would be able to sneak up to you"
"Gah-!" Haruhime's voice cracked at the blunt statement as her ears fell in shame.
"Your staff usage is definitely on an experterts level, I assume Mikoto and her familia helped you?" He asked as both in question nodded.
"I'm also guessing that your training consists of only one of you against her?" Another nod was given making Bell sigh and both Bache and Elora shook their heads.
"It's no wonder you're sloppy when it comes to the monsters around you. Since you're on the rearguard, you rarely have to fight more than one or two opponents. In this case, there were multiple ones at the same time and your inexperience in handling that kind of situation showed. What I recommend is for you to train only to improve your sense of your surroundings by having multiple opponents against her alone. After all, if you can't handle that… the dungeon will eventually swallow you up" He said the last part sadly as the entire group seemed to flinch at the statement.
"Now, Lili-" He turned to the prum who nodded with a 'yes' squeaking out of her "I gather you're the sort of commander of the party, keeping your eyes on the battlefield while assisting where needed?" He asked as Lili nodded.
"You're doing a fantastic job, so much so that all three of us couldn't help but see traces of the Braver in you" Lili's eyes sparkled at his words and became even brighter as the two nodded along with him.
"You also incorporate foreign additions to the party well, positioning them in the key locations that would suit them the most, showing your experience and flexibility depending on your situation. I can't really comment on your fighting style as it's one I have never used, not even once since it heavily relies on your magic and crossbow. Good thinking on that by the way, using a non-combat magic in a way to assist in a battle" The glint intensified even more as a grin had practically taken a permanent fixture on her face.
"In the end, there isn't much to say about you as everything you do is something I have barely delved into. Now, Mikoto" The samurai nodded as Bell turned to her, casually kicking a rock to the side, killing a monster heading towards them.
"I have to say that I am most impressed with you out of everyone here today" He smiled at her as the black haired easterner blushed and began mumbling about her not being worthy of it.
"Not only are your techniques incredibly refined, but you incorporate multitudes of different movesets into it, making it highly versatile, efficient and honestly, deadly to a scary degree. If I'm honest, I'd say that you'd make most level 6's worried about having to fight you simply because your skills makes you unpredictable as well as very swift in your movements"
"Now, if there is one thing I'd recommend, it'd be to maybe have a spare set of daggers in the case of you being disarmed or having to fight a large group of monsters at once in a tightly packed space. Your current weapon might be good at handling a small group, but when there are so many, you need to be able to hit multiple opponents at the same time, even if they are on two opposite sides of you. The katana is very hard pressed to do that and quite frankly, would be inadequate" Mikoto nodded.
"I do believe that was all I could note. Elora, Bache? You got anything to add?" He asked as they took a moment to ponder.
"Hmm… Mikoto could use her magic a bit more to cut off opponents and make them less packed" Elora suggested as the girl took it to heart.
"The smith and Renart would do some good learning hand to hand combat in case they get cornered" Bache also suggested as two mentioned adventurers nodded towards the amazon.
"Now… I think it's time to head up. Lili, have you gotten all the magic stones?" Bell asked as the girl nodded, picking up the last one.
"This is the last one!" She told him as Bell smiled at her.
"Good, then let's head back. We got quite the trek waiting for us"
=Babel Tower, Dungeon Entrance=
"Noooo, he didn't!?" Welf stared in disbelief at Elora who was laughing alongside everyone else as Bell groaned.
"Did you have to tell them that Elora?" He asked as the Elf just smirked at him with a 'You asked for it' look.
"Oh, would you prefer that time one of the men in Anfesera tricked you into coming with him to peek?" At that, Bell choked as his face went beet red.
"T-that was not my fault! I swear, that man is basically the mortal version of Hermes" He complained as everyone laughed at that accurate comment.
"After hearing all this stuff, I can definitely say that you, my friend, are cursed… or is it blessed?" Welf said before turning to the side with a thoughtful expression.
"I'm cursed! Cursed! I have a wife you know!" He complained back as Elora smiled at him adoringly.
"Huh, no ones around" They all turned to Mikoto who had noted the absence of any human presence in the plaza outside Bable.
"Makes sense, it's the middle of the summer so the sun is just setting now. The other adventurers are either staying in Rivira or have already exchanged their Valis" Bell commented as the samurai nodded.
"That's logical. The time should be around a little past 8 so the guild should still be open" She continued as everyone began heading towards the location. The guild closes normally around 9PM but it's rare for it not to stay open until 10 to 11 because of Eina working overtime. Everyone knew that either from experience or Bell having told them about it.
"By the way, Welf. What's the deal with the magic sword?" Bell asked out of the blue as everyone turned to him, before looking at the sword on Welf's back.
"Oh, this beauty? I was wondering if you noticed" The smith grinned as he pulled it out and held it out to Bell.
The rabbit's hand grasped the handle before inspecting it, looking it over. It somehow didn't feel like a normal magic sword. He had held those before and he could always feel the magic current flowing through the sword because of his senses. This felt like it was almost connected to him, as if it was waiting for something from him.
"This is…" Bell muttered as he continued to stare at it.
"Figured it out, eh? That's right! It's a magic sword that never breaks" At that, Elora and Bache both sputtered at the implication.
"Never breaks?!"
"Are you serious!?" Both exclaimed at the same time while the smith had a self-satisfied grin on his face.
"That's right. It's my fifth iteration. Hephaestus doesn't call it a magic sword, she calls it 'Welf's magic swords' instead because I'm the only one that has crafted them like this.
"But wait! How does that ever work!? Magic swords are made by infusing the material with the magic you want it to exert. The crozzo's magic swords are a lot stronger because of their spirit blood enhancing, simplifying and amplifying the entire process, so much so that even beginner crozzo smith's can make them. Though that's it! Nothing about them being unbreakable" Aralaya spewed off as if she couldn't stop her mouth.
"Woah there, sunshine! No need to say it all at once so please, breathe" Bell chuckled as the girl in question blinked at the use of his old nickname for her.
"Sunshine… you haven't called me that in years…" She muttered as Bell awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Well, I never rea-"
"It's because the circuit doesn't use the magic inside it" Welf answered, cutting Bell off as everyone stared at him while his party members smiled, already knowing how it worked.
"Magic swords have a core where the magic is stored and the circuit throughout the sword feeds off of that core. I just rearranged the circuit to instead feed off of the users mind instead to activate the magic in the core" Bell and his entire family just blinked.
"Ehm… Mom…. what does that mean?" Adrienne asked her mother as she just shrugged.
"Beats me, sounds like gibberish in all honesty. It's an unbreakable magic sword so who cares. That's all I need to know" The two seemed to come to an agreement while Bell smiled widely at Welf.
"That's awesome Welf! You said it was the fifth iteration? What improvements have you made?"
"Well, the first one did use a lot of mind power and I ran out quite fast. The first improvement was making the circuit less complicated by refining it in order to minimize mind usage because of inefficiency. Secondly, I managed to give it the property of slowly absorbing any magical power around it to charge itself, making it possible to store a few attacks at no cost. There are also a few more minor adjustments but those are the two big things… oh, you didn't really care that I was a crozzo… right?" Welf asked Elora as he was a little unsure, not really remembering if it had been answered in the past.
"With you, not really. I can be a little biased but I don't let it control me. Just don't let Rakia get their hands on that, god knows what they do with it. Maybe actually burn down the Royal Alf Forest, not that it would be the worst thing but still…" She smiled slightly at Welf who nodded, thankful for the acceptance and understanding her point.
"Don't plan on it, that and Bell here would stop it before it even began, knowing him" Everyone agreed at that.
=Archian Manor=
When they had exchanged the valis they earned, the children and his old friends split the profits with each other as Bell, Elora and Bache hadn't really done much, being more of a watchful eye.
Right now, Bell and Elora laid in their bed, her head resting comfortably on his chest as their legs intertwined like a web as the two simply breathed out in contentment.
"Elora" The elf hummed in response, not really wanting to move from where she was at the moment.
"Our expedition is in one week, and I was honestly wondering what we should do in the meantime. The errands should be finished three days from now if I can get started on putting the enchant on the pouches tomorrow" At that, she moved, putting her arm under her head as she stared at him before he turned to her.
"Well, I don't really know. Do you have anything in mind?" She asked as Bell shook his head.
"Not really, I was hoping that you'd want to do something" The elf's heart melted at the care reflected in his eyes before giving it a thought.
"Hmm… I don't know…" She mumbled as Bell gasped slightly.
"Oh god, I forgot!" He complained much to her confusion as she looked at him.
"What? Was it something important?" She asked as he sighed before nodding.
"Yeah, I forgot to meet up with Fiona and Ais for training today!" At that, Elora huffed with a pout. Of course his thoughts drifted to that damn princess! Wasn't this about them!?
"Eh? Elora, is something wrong" He asked as she stared at him as if he was completely stupid.
"Why did you start thinking of the sword princess…" She mumbled as he seemed to catch on.
"Oh, no that's not it. We had an agreement and I was trying to think of things I already had planned and it kind of just came up in my mind" He tried to explain with a sheepish look.
"Mouu… alright, but don't let her squeeze her way into your heart again… I still don't like her" Bell nodded at that, understanding where she came from. Even if she hadn't outright rejected seeing him, she had still not given him any chance to explain the situation and knocked him out without a second thought.
He may have forgiven them for the action, but as he had learnt with Bache, there is a difference between forgiving and forgetting.
Even to this day, he remembers what Bache had done, but he had gotten over the pain a long time ago and now she was an irreplaceable part of his family.
Ais on the other hand, was still fresh on his mind. He had only recently begun to forgive but forgetting about the hurt will take a lot longer… likely years.
It was honestly a wonder that the skill is even active at the moment. Ais hadn't even crossed his thoughts for the entire day, cementing the fact that it wasn't a crush or love. Simply affection one would feel towards a friend, which set his mind at peace.
"I get that" He said before pulling Elora closer, kissing her temple as she hummed, fulfilled with the action as a smile graced her lips.
"Hey, can I ask you a question, Elora?" Bell asked after a second as the elf nodded, smiling at him.
"It's actually something I've been wondering about for a long time but… aren't you scared for what will happen whenever you outlive me?" The question came out of nowhere as she recoiled from the thought of it.
"Bell… I-" She stopped as her voice caught on itself before taking a deep breath. It was something that had crossed her thoughts before but she had made peace with it before he had even asked her to marry him.
"Bell, I've made peace with that fact a long time ago. We elves rarely truly love as it's something we consider a once in a lifetime event. We're naturally selective like that. It's partly what causes us to lash out whenever we are touched though some are able to overcome that" She began her answer as Bell listened intently
"But as love isn't something we can control or choose who it is for, we can't really decide if they will be an elf or not. It's a part of being an elf having to bear the fact that your partner may live a much shorter life than you. I've come to terms with that, and when you eventually pass on to Tenkai-" She stopped as she felt her heart clench at the thought.
"God, that's not easy to say… anyway, whenever that happens, I am happy to live out the rest of my life, caring for our children and maybe even their children. After all, I don't think I'll ever be able to love anyone but you" Her smile brightened as the soft look in Bell's eyes.
"You're perfect, you know that?" He told her as he reached up and swiped his eyes that were wettening.
"You've told me on occasion… Still don't believe you though"
"Well I'll keep saying it until you do, and even after that" His arms wrapped around her completely and pulled her into a hug as hers wrapped around his chest.
"I'm curious where the question came from all of a sudden?" She asked as Bell leaned back to look at her.
"Well I can't really tell you. It just popped up in my head as I looked at you"
"Oh, you and that mysterious mind of yours" She teased before leaning further into him "We also don't have to worry about your lifespan for a long time. You're a level 7 and most likely will reach higher. Even now you'll probably live to be 200 years old, probably even longer. If you level up again, probably add another 100 years or more because of the exponential rise of the effects the falna gives" She told him as he nodded.
"True, there is no real indication for my lifespan with the Falna. Anyone who has reached my level has either died in the dungeon or by other unnatural means than age" He said thoughtfully.
"Damn dragon!" She muttered as Bell chuckled at her.
"Damn it indeed" They fell silent as they finally closed their eyes, basking in each other's warmth before slowly drifting into the abyss of their dreams.
=Twilight Manor=
"So, any word from Cranel-san?" Finn asked Raul who had entered his office before heading to sleep. Finn was finishing up all of his remaining duties for the day before finally heading towards some well deserved rest.
"No, he hasn't come by for assistance into the dungeon for his mission" Finn hummed at the response from the High Novice before smiling at him.
"Thank you Raul. Good night"
"Good night Captain" he left the room as Finn sighed. He had mentally lost track of the amount of favors he now owed Bell Cranel. His exploits outside of Orario had inadvertently lightened the load on practically every adventurer in Orario as well as the guild. Most of the less paying requests all but disappeared from the guild due to them not needing assistance with such trivial manners anymore.
Other requests that were usually taken by level 3's in his familia outside Orario also were strangely absent during that time. It was almost as if the world was more peaceful than it had ever been, even more than before Zeus and Hera had been annihilated.
Then he had saved Orario, pacified Rakia in a way as they hadn't really made any moves since he had helped them, sticking to themselves. He couldn't believe at first why Ares had taken a more peaceful route to his actions but all roads led towards Bell Cranel.
He had stabilized the Far East who were now in a steady trade relationship with Orario, providing them with many high quality blades, equipment as well as bountiful amounts of food that exceeded their needed capacity.
He had assisted in clearing a mine blockage in Zolingham that had actually affected Loki Familia themselves as they had ordered equipment that was stalled because of the mine's resources not arriving on time.
In a roundabout way, he had helped them out there.
Telskyura had been more secluded, probably due to their loss of one of their powerhouses, Bache.
At this point, Finn honestly felt like if Bell asked for the world, Finn would have to give in. In fact, he owed him for ripping that letter in the first place which had ended up being for nothing after the expedition had been canceled and he owed another one for placating Ais and actually getting her to at least begin to forgive them for it.
'Is this all an artificial hero can do? As far as one can reach? I wonder how the predecessor to my title would think of me' He thought as he finished the last document for the day and put it to the side, leaning back in thought.
'What would you think of me, second commander of the Knights of Fianna whom I borrowed the name of?' Finn sighed after a few seconds, shaking his head. There was no point in idle thoughts on the matter.
"What's got ya in a jiffy?" Finn looked up, blinking at Loki who had walked into his office.
"Loki… nothing much. Just a little tired" He tried to play it off as the goddess blocked his path.
"My, My. Ya must really be distracted to think you can lie to a god" Finn sighed at her before relenting. There was no harm in telling her, Loki knew of his goals and no one else was listening if his senses were to be trusted.
"Just thinking of Bell Cranel. At this point we owe him more than I believe we can provide" He told her honestly as Loki hummed.
"Ya got a point. Has the kid asked for help for his expedition?" Finn shook his head at the question alongside a light smile.
"No, he hasn't. I can understand him though, If I was in his position, I wouldn't trust us either" Admitting that wasn't the best feeling the prum had, but it was the truth. He'd go to any length to revitalize his race, but that didn't stop him from having a heart.
"As much as I want to deny that… you're right Finn. We did the kid dirty, and we have yet to pay the full price for it. I'm just grateful he calmed Ais-pu down. I wouldn't be able to stand losing her" Loki huffed the last part as Finn chuckled.
"Yes, we all owe him a thank you for that. I just hope that he doesn't break off the alliance. I'd rather be on his side than against it, that and Ais would probably be sad again" Loki grumbled at that as the two left the office, heading towards their own respective rooms for the night, unknowing of the sad mood of a certain princess due to a certain someone not showing for training.
=Orario's Eastern Wall, 7AM=
Bell sat on the wall, the sun shining above the Horizon as he waited, fiddling with the spear of Orion as he let his finger drag along the runes on its shaft.
It was kind of Ironic that they all called it the spear of Orion when in reality, it was actually an arrow. A very oversized one at that to the point that no ones at fault for thinking otherwise.
Though it does live up to being an 'Arrow' with how destructive it can be when thrown. With it's apparent ability to lessen the impact depending on Bell's intent, it was actually a lot more versatile than he had originally thought.
That didn't stop him from being wary of truly using it as he knew from experience that just throwing it without any skill boosts could blow apart an entire hill like nothing without losing momentum, he was almost scared to know what would happen with a 7 minute charge Argonaut alongside scourge at full blast before throwing. It would probably level a mountain if he was honest.
Bell blinked as his mind latched onto an idea that he had for a long time, smiling lightly before he heard footsteps.
"Do you think he's here today, Auntie Ais?" Fiona's voice entered his ears. He guessed they were walking towards the steps down between the houses. His level 7 senses did enhance his hearing quite drastically. He could hear the individual movements of insects from at least 15 meters away. Hearing something as loud as footsteps was no issue at all.
"I don't know… I hope so" Ais responded, feeling kind of sad. Bell couldn't help but feel bad about that as it was technically his fault.
"I'm here" He said quietly when he knew he was within her earshot and he could practically feel her feet stop.
"Auntie Ais?"
"He's here… he just told me" The footsteps continued and quicker than before. It didn't take long for the two to poke their heads around the corner where the stairs led.
"Bell?" Ais questioned as said man gave her a look.
"Yes Ais?" He said in a teasing manner while Fiona looked between the two.
"Oh… I'm glad you're here" She smiled at him as Bell ignored the flutter of his heart.
"Well, I got a little busy yesterday catching up with old friends and going to the dungeon with them" He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as the two nodded, understanding his reasoning.
"Ehm… " His eyes turned towards the youngest of the pair, chuckling at her as he shook his head and hand in the air.
"Come on Fiona. Just because the mask is off doesn't mean I want you to start the formalities" The girl nodded much to Bell's relief.
"Well… I was wondering what we were doing today" She asked as he smiled in return, putting his weapons down.
"Well, we aren't done with your foundation. Even if you surprised me during our duel Ais and your movements were clearly improved, you still need to train it. So more hand to hand" Ais practically went blue in the face as she knew what was in store for them while Fiona was ready to pass out.
"Now, we won't be doing what we usually do. Your body's reaction to attacks and stimulation has already caught up. What we will be doing is actual hand to hand combat. As in I'll teach you the basics of fighting without a weapon" That seemed to calm the two of them as they went and put their weapons down.
"Alright, firstly, get into a stance that feels comfortable" The listened instantly and put their arms up and squared their legs.
"Hmmm" Bell hummed as his eyes drifted over their stance as Ais' face heated.
'Fiona's got the right idea… probably because Tiona and Tione trained her to fight without weapons while Ais always has her rapier' Bell analyzed while Ais couldn't help her embarrassment from shooting up as she felt his eyes drifting between hers and Fiona's stance.
"Alright, Fiona, you've got the right idea. Just make sure to widen your hips a bit more as a single tap right… here" He hit her lightly on the side of her leg, causing it to lose balance as she stumbled to the side "Will collapse your stance. Widening it just a bit more will make it more stable" Next he walked right behind Ais and put his hands on her shoulders before forcing her legs further apart and forcing them to bend slightly.
"That's much better, though put your hands further apart. You're blocking your own view" She listened as he nodded.
"Good. You've both got a good stance. Now…" He took his place in front of them and gave them both a good view of the palm of his hand.
"Hit my hand with a single punch" Both didn't hesitate and threw a punch, Fiona's flying forward and back fluidly while Ais' was a bit more sloppy, though nothing to scoff at.
"Good, Fiona, you move pretty well but you need to stop twisting your hip backwards. An opponent will spot that and know your intent. Ais, don't pull your arm back, that's like putting a sign on your head saying 'I'm going to punch you'" He told her as she nodded softly, taking the advice to heart.
"Now, again" The two threw another punch, Ais' being much quicker and harder to adapt to than before, making Bell's hand move back a single millimeter.
"Better. Fiona, you were less noticeable with how you were punching, making it harder for opponents to predict your actions. Ais, you were more fluid and quicker without losing any power. You still need to watch that slightly drift back with your arm and twisting of your hips backwards, but otherwise, it was a major improvement" The two seemed happy with his praise before he took a step back.
"Now. Attack me with everything you have" That made them both almost cower in fear at what they knew to come as they looked at each other.
Ais was interrupted by a fist flying straight towards her face, grazing her cheek as she narrowly dodged it with a slight 'Eep' being let out of her mouth.
"What are you waiting for? Your opponent won't give you the luxury of thought" and thus the two 'students' were filled with a world of pain and suffering for the rest of the morning.
=Afternoon, 1PM=
After finishing up with Ais and Fiona, Bell had headed out towards the marketplace where most of the luxury goods were at. He wanted good pouches made of durable material for the expedition. It would be a waste to put an extended storage enchant on an item only for it to break from a monster.
Of course, he would put a durability enhancement on it but that was exponential depending on the quality of the material.
He walked up to one of the stores he remembered back when he was in Orario that he had passed and inspected the items, only to gawk at the prices at something as simple as a pouch.
"Good afternoon, welcome to my store dear… customer" The shopkeeper trailed off as his eyes landed on Bell's features, recognizing him as fear filled his eyes. Bell looked at him with a quirked eyebrow before sighing.
"You don't have to be scared. I'm only here to ask if you still have pouches made from strong monster material?" The question snapped the man out of his daze before putting on a smile.
"Yes, is there anything specific you desire for the pouches?" He asked as Bell hummed.
"Hmm… the most durable ones I suppose. Twelve of them" The shopkeeper almost gawked before grinning.
"I'll be right back" He smiled before heading into the back. As he waited, Bell looked around the store. There wasn't really much of interest as the things they needed either Bache or Elora were buying today as well.
"Here we go" The shopkeeper put a small box down on the counter before opening it and handing one of the pouches inside.
Bell inspected it, noticing quickly the material it was made from.
"Goliath hard skin? Why would you make pouches out of that?" Bell asked with a smile as he chuckled. The shopkeeper chuckled along as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm not really that good at making clothing, but I know how to make pouches. They should do you well and it'll be nice to finally sell them" Bell nodded before looking into the box, seeing a total of twelve.
"How much?"
"Twenty five million" Bell nodded, noticing the decrease in market value, most likely because nobody really needed a pouch instead of a backpack made of such expensive material.
"Alright, one moment" Bell could practically feel the confused look as well as exasperated tone to his sigh when he took out his pouch.
"Are you sure that small pouch can hold that much, Little Rookie?" Bell froze for a second, giving him a glare.
"Don't call me that. Everyone in Orario lost the right to use that Alias the moment I was exiled without so much as a fair trial" The man instantly shut up before Bell turned the pouch upside down.
'And here comes to money' Bell thought with a smirk as he saw the gobsmacked look upon the shopkeeper when valis after valis after valis just poured out of the pouch.
Mentally, Bell was counting every valis coming out of the pouch thanks to his enhanced senses and reaction speed. It was basically flowing down at a standstill for him.
The moment he was close enough to twenty five million, which was when the counter was beyond overflowing with the shopkeeper's feet halfway buried in valis, he turned it rightside up and pulled out the few thousand left.
"There, I counted it all, that should be twenty five million valis on the mark" Bell gave the man the fakest smile he could muster.
"Ehm… thank you for your patronage…" was all that was said as Bell took the small box with the pouches with him outside without saying another word.
He wasn't really surprised when he saw that people outside the store had stopped to see what was happening inside. They were staring at him gobsmacked.
"What are you all looking at?" He asked as they all instantly got on with their business.
'I really have to talk with Eina or Ganesha to set up a public show of sorts to clear my name…' He thought silently and without realizing, bumping into someone holding a small child.
"Ugh-! I'm so sorry sir. I didn't mean to bump into you" Bell turned to her, about to glare but froze in his tracks as his red eyes locked into familiar bright red ones and cream colored hair and dirty animal ears. Her eyes widened too as the baby in her arms began wailing.
"F-fina?" His voice cracked as the girl gasped and straightened her back.
"Bell!?" She exclaimed, a wide smile spreading upon her lips as she moved as if to hug him before stopping, looking down at the baby that was hugging her tightly, still wailing into her chest.
"Wow… what a coincidence. It's been 15 years now, hasn't it… last time we met was…" He trailed off as his expression fell from the bad memories that resurfaced.
'You're nothing to us!' Fina's voice echoed in his mind as the memory played as if it only happened a few minutes ago.
The pubescent girl from the orphanage that he guessed would grow up beautiful was standing in front of him, drop dead gorgeous and looking so much like her mother, only younger.
"I-I'm sorry…" Her words entered his ears as he looked at her, seeing the conflicted look in her eyes.
"I have thought over how we treated you and… you didn't deserve that… you only did what you thought was right and… we had no right to judge" She said, seemingly sad and trying to cheer herself up by lightly playing with the child in her arms.
"Fina… It's alright, I understand. You were only kids back then and, well, kids do tend to say things they later regret. Let's leave it at that" The words instantly sent her ears into the air in surprise as her eyes widened.
"You… you're not mad?" She asked as if it was a completely foreign thought, something that had never entered her mind.
"No, Fina. I'm not, in fact, I'm happy to see you" He smiled as he ruffled her hair lightly, making her squirm at the sensation.
"Now, who's this little guy?" He asked as he leaned forward lightly and poked the child's nose, making him laugh.
"Oh, you find that funny, don't you?" Bell grinned, quite enjoying handling a toddler again. Fina smiled warmly at the interaction as Bell lightly played with her baby.
"His name is Marx… He's only six months old" Bell looked at her lightly before nodding.
"Well, congratulations. He's adorable, reminds me of my kids" At that, Fina turned to him curiously, her smile widening.
"Is that so? Must be quite the woman"
"That she is, though… Do you know where everyone else ended up? I'd like to see how they're doing" His grin fell when he saw her ears flop and eyes going downcast.
"Ehm… they… they all became adventurers 10 years ago… Rye and Roux entered the same familia" Bell instantly got a bad feeling.
"What familia?"
"Sett Familia" Bell remembered that name, wasn't that the one where an adventurer got the name he had fantasized? Burning Fighting Fighter? Level 2 at the time? If it was 5 years after then the highest level could be level 3? Maybe 4?
"Oh, that's good. Do you know where they reside?" The question seemed innocent, but what he was really asking was 'Do they have a residence or are they not around anymore?'.
"No… there was…an incident in the dungeon… I got the details thanks to a nice half elf at the guild…" Ah, Eina, of course. She was always soft hearted like that and she knew about the kids beforehand.
"What happened?" He asked as she seemed to contemplate what to say.
"There was an irregular… The half-elf called it a Moss man? Is that right?"
"Moss huge?"
"That's right… it… killed them… every single one of them…" Bell closed his eyes, sighing as his heart fell for the poor kids. They couldn't have been older than 14 or 15 at the time… damn.
"I'm… I'm sorry…" It was all he could say as he saw the tears building in Fina's eyes.
"Hey, look at me" She listened and forced herself to look him in the eyes as he smiled.
"They died doing what they loved, if there is one thing I know, it's that there are definitely worse ways to go. Is the moss huge at least handled?" He asked, the answer obvious to him but wanting it confirmed. The guild wouldn't leave a monster capable of wiping out what was essentially an entire familia on its own.
"Yes… Loki familia handled it shortly after… though it injured Amazon, Jormungand and Vanargand before being defeated. Miss half-elf told me it could outpace multiple level 6's" At that, Bell sighed. If a moss huge which was normally a level 2-3 monster could outpace a level 6, then it had been left alone for too long. That was the equivalent of eating magic stones for years on those floors due to the exponential growth of the Falna that magic stones do not follow.
"That's concerning, but it's at least handled" He mumbled as he looked behind him towards the tower that reached the sky.
"Fina, are you heading home by any chance?" The chienthrope nodded as her tail wagged slightly while her son happily cuddled into her chest.
"Mind if I walk you there? Catch up on the way? Haven't really got anything better to do" Bell noticed how her heart sped up slightly and her tail stopped moving.
'Doesn't she want to catch up?' He wondered before she nodded again.
"Okay… Follow me" The two began moving down the street and ignoring some of the stares they were getting.
"Isn't that…?"
"Tsk… god damn rabbit playing around, knew he was trouble"
"Why couldn't he have just stayed in that damn prison…" Bell noticed how uncomfortable Fina had become and sent glares at those who commented on her choice of company.
They instantly backed off, shutting their mouths before he leaned in slightly and whispered into her ear.
"Ignore them, they have no right to judge if we talk or not" She nodded slightly, forcing a smile at him before taking a turn into the thick of the buildings.
"Well, at least there aren't as many stares here. Fina, I wanted to ask how the years have been… well, apart from Rye and Roux" He asked as she turned to him.
"It's been alright… I have had some tough spots where things have been very hard but I always manage… I have to" Bell only frowned at her response, wondering why she was being so vague.
He took a moment to inspect her from head to toe, and took note of some oddities. The child was clean and looked healthy but if he inspected Fina, he could see hints of bags under the eyes which he hadn't really thought of before, Elora had them too during the first year after the twins were born.
The real oddities were that her fur was almost… unkempt, which was odd for a Chienthrope who liked to groom and clean it regularly. She also seemed skinny, though it was hard to tell since he had only known her when she still had baby fat, but if her mother is anything to go by, then she is definitely underweight.
"Fina… are you alright?" The question made the girl meep as she turned to him. It was honestly a comical sound coming from a 25 year old woman.
"I-I'm fine Bell-san"
'Now she starts with the formal talk… something is definitely wrong' he thought but let it slide for now, waiting to arrive where she lived.
The odd feeling only got worse as every turn led to less populated areas and turned more into a suburb until finally, she stopped.
The two were standing outside what Bell could only call a shack… a literal shack in the middle of a small abandoned part of the city right on the outskirts of Daedalus street.
"Fina…" He mumbled as he felt the girl's shame radiate off of her from here "Do you live here?" He asked, only receiving a shameful humm and a nodd.
Before he could say anything else, she walked up to what was supposed to be the door but was really just a plank blocking the open entrance and moved it to the side.
He followed her inside and looked around and frowned even harder. A single mattress on the floor that was clearly a throwaway, dirty and used with a half broken cupboard, a bucket in the corner alongside a big metal container filled with water, clearly having been used as a bath for her child.
'This is… not even me and Hestia in the beginning had it this bad. It's just unacceptable' He thought with anger before turning to her.
"Fina… where is your husband?" She flinched, head still downcast and not wanting to meet his eyes. She mumbled something as Bell just smiled at her.
"Care to repeat that?" He asked.
"He left me…"
…
Complete silence, the entire area could be mistaken for a wasteland with the only sound being that of the wind blowing in from the entryway.
"Why…" He mumbled as she shrugged, careful not to wake the baby in her arms.
"Wasn't good enough… Said I only wasted his time and that… he didn't have money or patience to raise a child…"
*Crack*
The sides of the box Bell was still holding caved in as his grip hardened, his teeth pressing hard against each other as they made rattling sound from the force.
"Son of a… Fina, pack your things" The girl blinked at him as he looked her right in the eyes. He took a deep breath and smiled at her with all the warmth he could muster.
"You don't deserve to live here. I want you to pack your things and come with me to my home. We got more than enough space for you" The girl's eyes widened in absolute shock, staring at him in disbelief.
"W-what? No! I can't intrude in your home! It isn't right!" She tried to push back but Bell was having none of it. He put the box down before opening the half broken cupboard, only finding a few garments inside. It was literally the only storage she had.
'There isn't even any food' He thought bitterly before opening the small box and forcing the clothes inside the box with the pouches before closing it again.
"Fina, I can't in good conscience let you live like this" He motioned around the room "Your mother would never forgive me if I did" That sent an instant chill through the Chienthrope's spine as she looked at him in shock and disbelief.
"My… mother?" She asked as Bell realized what he said, before nodding at her.
"Yes, your mother. She lives out in a village near the forest of the damned. She had thought you were dead for a long time until I described you for her" Fina blinked before looking down with a sad look.
"And she still didn't visit…" She mumbled as Bell quickly moved to correct her.
"Wha- no, no no! Not at all! She is actually the village chief and… well, she kind of doesn't see herself as worthy to see you. She feels as if she abandoned you and lost all rights to be there for you, even if it's dumb"
"She… doesn't hate me?" Fina asked as Bell shook his head.
"No, in fact, she loves you. Tell you what, next time I visit there, I'll take you with me and you can meet her. Does that sound good?" He asked as the girl nodded again before being distracted from mumbling from her son who was clawing at her.
"Now… Come on, follow me. Were heading to the Archian Manor" He told her as she tried to deny him again, only for him to glare at her with no real malice behind it. She shut up after that, following him as they headed off.
=Archian Manor=
Fina gaped as Bell opened the gates to his home, staring in complete awe at the manor in front of her. She had walked past luxurious buildings before, looking at them while daydreaming of one day living in one, though knowing it was only a pipe dream.
Well… can't say it's a pipe dream anymore when she looked at the welcoming smile on Bell's face.
"Come on, Elora and Bache should still be out and the kids in the dungeon. The only one home should be my god though I'll warn you, he's… quite the character" Fina understood, having integrated with deities before and seeing how they behaved as if nothing really mattered and their actions held no consequences.
As they moved down the path towards the entrance to his home, Fina looked around at the expansive garden that Bell had maintained alongside some crops to the side courtesy of his early farming life as well as assistance with the farmers of Anfesera.
She felt a sense of inadequacy as she walked up the steps to the large double door, almost feeling intimidated by the thought of how expensive this entire home was.
When Bell opened the doors and they walked in, Fina looked around, jaws dropping at the sheer size of the entryway. It was ridiculous to her as it was easily ten times larger than her entire home for the past year, hell probably her entire life.
And she's going to be living here!?
"You think this is much? Let me show you to the baths" Her eyes widened at the idea of actually cleaning herself properly before looking down at her son.
"Don't worry, you can clean him in there too, there is more than enough room. That and we have a crib too. Don't ask why we have one here, we just do" Fina was simply speechless, unable to even respond as her legs followed Bell on their own without her input.
It didn't take long for him to walk into a doorway covered with a curtain, the sign clearly showing that it was for women.
When entering, she gasped at the enormous sauna that was spread across her with multiple showers in the back and what was an entire wall filled with different scented soap, towels underneath them in a line.
"The soap and towels by the wall here, in the back are the showers and if you want to relax, you can enter the sauna. The parts closest to us are baby safe with small seats for adults to sit… Fina? Are you alright?" He got worried as he noticed the tears in her eyes as she began sobbing.
"Fina! What's wrong?" His worry only increased as her sobs got worse, her legs collapsing as she fell down to the floor, the baby seemingly confused, yet somehow not scared.
"I- I don't deserve this! We said so many mean things to you! We hurt you and cursed you and still you do this for me! Why!? Why Bell-san!?" She asked, tears streaming down her face as he got down to her level and smiled at her, a sense of deja vu coming to him as he prepared the words.
"Because you're Fina. The cute little girl that was the closest I have ever had to a little sister. I don't need a reason to help you, I just want to" The dam broke as her head leaned forward into his chest, her tears staining his shirt before he wrapped one arm around her in a comforting manner while trying not to squish the baby.
"There, it's okay. I'm here now Fina and you can always ask me for help. I won't abandon you" It took a moment, but eventually her sobs ceased. A moment later she leaned back, wiping her face from any tears she could before smiling at him.
"Thank you… Bell, really… Thank you. I don't know how else to voice how I feel…"
"You don't have to. Now, I'll go and prepare one of our… well, many spare rooms for you" The moment he left, Fina looked around the room before swiping away some more tears that leaked and got back up.
She positioned her son further up her shoulder as she took light whiffs of the soaps as she moved along.
'There are so many smells… maybe…' She stopped in front of a red colored one before grabbing it. It smelled like fresh roses which she absolutely adored. As for her son, she just took one smelling like vanilla and grabbed a towel.
Looking around, she quickly took off her clothes and folded them, putting them in one of the lockers obviously there for that exact purpose.
She put her son down on a stool she moved under one of the showers and turned it on, she almost recoiled from the feeling of pleasantly warm water flowing into her hair.
It didn't take long for her to purr pleasantly as she moved the soap over her body and through her hair and fur. The feeling of the grime coming out and flowing down and away into the sewers was pure bliss.
For what could have been an entire hour, she enjoyed the feeling as her son seemed to play with his own thumb before she finally decided that her son should also get properly cleaned.
It didn't take long for the two to be done before she grabbed the towel and began drying herself off.
As she did so, she stopped and stared at the inviting scenery of the sauna. A few seconds later, she flung the towel back to the bench and grabbed her son and took one step into it, the warmth seeping into her very boned as she went deeper before she sat down, her son to her side where the water wasn't deep enough to have any chance of drowning him.
"Oh…" Fina hummed as she leaned back, taking one look at her son who was playing in the very shallow water before closing her eyes.
Time passed with her occasionally making sure her son hadn't done something dangerous and she honestly thought she was in Tenkai.
"Eh?" Fina blinked at the unfamiliar voice and turned around, seeing an elven woman with beautiful creamlike skin, amber eyes and what was practically a figure of perfection.
"Oh… hello there" Elora mumbled out as she gave a light wave "Who might you be?" She asked though her eyes were clearly inspecting her face as if she recognized her.
"I'm sorry for intruding. Bell-san brought me here…" She told her lightly with a smile as she heard a light sigh.
"Give me a moment…" The elf turned around, practically stomping out the bath before-
"BELLLLLLLLLLLL!" Fina flinched at the shrill noise.
"What!? Elora! Is something wrong!?"
"WHY DID YOU BRING ANOTHER WOMAN INTO OUR HOUSE!?" Fina felt bad as now it seemed as if her presence had spelled him trouble.
"What!? Another wom- wait, you mean Fina!? Nonononono! It's not like that! She's like a sister to me and she was kind of homeless and I couldn't stand seeing her like that so I kinda…." His voice got lower and lower before the chienthrope couldn't hear him anymore even with her enhanced hearing due to her race.
"Fine… but why did you bring her here? Couldn't I have just given her some money? God knows we already have too much"
"Yes but that would feel half-hearted… I wouldn't really know if things got better or not. Also, I am kind of making good on my promise to Saena" Fina tried to listen more closely at the mention of a name she didn't recognize.
"Wait… she's the chief's daughter?" The surprise in Elora's voice was clear.
"Yes, and I couldn't leave her like that. She was living in a shack with no food or furniture for crying out loud! It was no place for anyone to live, let alone the mother of a child!" Fina could make out a feminine sigh.
"Okay, but what is she going to do? Live here the rest of her life?" The question made Fina's spine tingle as she wondered what Bell would answer.
"If she wants to, she can stay however long she wants. We have way more room than we know what to do with and if she really wants to do something, she can act like a maid and get paid for it as well. We kind of need one for the expedition, don't we? Ere- Themis can't be trusted to do those chores, can he?"
"No… no he cannot… alright, I'll go in and get to know her. Make sure she's got a room ready with the crib"
"Honey, what do you think I was doing before you shook the house with my name?" A snort was heart before the drapes over the doorway moved and the elf walked back in.
"Sorry about that. He just hadn't told me we had a long term guest" Fina nodded, her hand absentmindedly rubbing her son's ear as she gave the elf a smile
"It's alright. I'm Fina, and this is my son, Marx" Elora got down to her knees and reached out to the small infant boy who was looking at her curiously.
"Hello there little guy. It's nice to meet you. I'm Elora, a friend of your mother" Fina blinked at Elora's mention of her being a friend. Marx giggled as her nimble fingers began ruffling his hair lightly before pinching the baby fat on his cheeks.
"So, Fina… I've heard a bit about you from my moron of a husband. Care to fill in some of the gaps?" She asked as Fina nodded. Elora got up and walked over to the lockers and began to get undressed before absentmindedly grabbing a green colored soap and entering the sauna and taking a seat next to Fina.
"So, Bell told me you're from an orphanage? Do you know how you ended up there?" Elora asked as Fina shook her head.
"Not really, my earliest memory is of monsters attacking before being taken to Orario. I was on the streets for a while, trying my best to survive but… it didn't take long until I was starving in an alleyway by Daedalus street" Fina saw the soft look on Elora's eyes that were clearly not out of pity but from concern which was good, she didn't really want anyone pity.
"I'm glad to see you survived, I'm guessing someone from the orphanage found you?" Fina shook her head before smiling softly.
"No… it was Syr-san that found me and took me there, though I haven't seen her in a long time… she disappeared not shortly after Bell-san was-" She stopped as a guilty look overcame her eyes.
"Is everything alright?" Elora asked as Fina shook her head.
"No, I don't know why Bell-san helped me… We said such horrible things to him, we hurt him so badly and… god… I regretted it the moment I said it… when he ran… when I saw the tears in his eyes I just knew that I made a mistake… then he was gone… I… I thought I would never be able to apologize. I mean, who tells the person who is like a big brother to you that they mean nothing to them?" Her animal ears hugged her head and she leaned back, arms over her eyes.
"I won't say that it was nice or justified, but you were what, nine, ten years old? Kids that young tend to say things they don't mean and regret later. The fact that you did proves that fact, and you've clearly been carrying that guilt for a lot longer than anyone else having regretted it right after you said it" Elora smiled at her as Fina listened.
"Still don't feel like I deserve all this…"
"Well, isn't that for Bell to decide? You may think you don't deserve it, but he clearly does. Even after fifteen long years where a lot of bad things happened, he still cares for you because… that's just who he is. He will do anything for anyone he considers part of his family, and Saena, your mother, is a part of it too now, which extends to you as well. If you're in danger, if you need help, Bell will fight tooth and nail to provide it" Fina felt like tears were about to fall again but forced them back.
"I… He's really the best guy out there… isn't he?" She mumbled out the question as Elora chuckled.
"I can attest to that. There hasn't been a single moment in my life I have regretted marrying him, even when he sometimes drives me mad" Fina laughed at that.
Bell, who had finished preparing the room, smiled as he leaned up to the wall outside the bath, listening in as the two women connected.
"What's all the commotion?" Bell looked up at Erebus who waved slightly at him with a small smile.
"You know Serena's daughter?" He asked as the god nodded.
"Well, I kind of ran into her. She's in the bath right now with Elora. Turns out she was homeless and was sleeping living in a rundown shack on the outskirts of Daedalus street. I couldn't leave her like that, so I brought her here" Erebus listened before humming along.
"Alright then, though how did training go this morning?" He asked as Bell glared at the god.
"Oh shut it" Erebus just laughed before Bell heard the telltale sound of two people getting out of the water.
A minute or so later Elora walked out as she smiled at Bell.
"I'll get her some of my clothes, he's kind of dirty" Both Bell and Erebus nodded in understanding as Elora walked into hers and Bell's room down the hall before coming back.
Eventually, both her and Fina came back out, Marx having to wear his old clothes since they didn't have any clothes for toddlers.
"Come on, let me show you to your room" Fina nodded as she followed along, Erebus and Elora walking behind her and lightly talking to each other.
"This room here is Bache's. She's an amazon and kind of like mine and Elora's sister as well as the mother of one of my children" Fina didn't seem to judge or question it as they moved along.
"These three rooms are in order of Adrienne, Aralaya and Jannor's, my kids. Adrienne is Bache's daughter and Aralaya and Jannor are mine and Elora's children, twins at that though different genders. Lastly, the one right next to yours is mine and Elora's. Don't worry, It's soundproof" Erebus snorted as Elora gave him the stink eye. Fina just chuckled at him, definitely seeing the change in his humor of the years.
As they entered, Fina took a look around. The room had a few drawers with a closet to the right wall, the bed up to the window with the crib to the left of it. There was a mirror next to the door with a table that had some baby supplies on it.
"Do you have baby supplies on demand?" Fina asked in confusion as Bell snorted.
"No, I don't. I ran to the market and bought some while you were in the baths" That only seemed to confuse the girl even more.
"How did you manage that? The market is on the far eastern side of Orario, it's nearly 5km between here and 15km from here to there" Bell tilted his head before looking at Elora who shrugged.
"Fina… you do know what level I am right?" He asked as she shook her head.
"Am I supposed to know? I'm not really in the loop of the news because of… well…" Bell understood before nodding at her.
"Okay, have you heard of Apollyon?" She nodded at that as he smiled.
"Well, that's me" She blinked once as Bell just smiled. She blinked twice before-
"EHHHHH!?" She shrieked as Marx began struggling in her grasp, making her quickly apologize to him as Bell and Elora couldn't help but snicker at the scene.
"But… I still don't know your level…" She mumbled after a moment as Bell sighed.
"I'm level 7 Fina, I could run around the outskirts of Orario's wall in 5 minutes or so" Fina gasped slightly before shaking her head.
"That's… not normal so I'll ignore that" Was all she said as she headed to the crib and carefully put Marx inside of it.
"Fair enough. Anyway, here" Fina caught a small pouch before looking at him in confusion.
"When you can, go buy yourself some clothes you like. That should cover the costs" The chienthrope instantly looked inside the pouch and nearly fainted.
"Bell, how much did you hand her?" Elora asked curiously as he shrugged.
"Eh, just some pocket change. Around 50 000 valis" Elora deadpanned at him as he just looked at her innocently.
"Only you, Bell, would think that's pocket change. I don't even think the guild think's that's pocket change…"
"What can I say, I'm filthy rich" That earned him a hard hit on his unguarded shoulder as he laughed lightly at Elora.
"Anyway, Fina. Like I said, you can stay however long you like and if you need anything, just ask. Also, as Elora mentioned before, if you really want to do something, then you could work here as a maid. We kind of need one to care for the mansion when we go on our expedition" Fina instantly shot forward as she took his hand before nodding rapidly.
"Yes please! God! I've been looking for a job for… ever! I'd be happy to work as a maid" Bell was slightly taken aback by the enthusiasm but could understand it somewhat. He remembered what it felt like to be rejected by every familia in Orario before Hestia found him. He hadn't even asked questions and instantly agreed to join her at the offer.
"Alright then, guess that's settled. I'm going to go down and start making dinner since it's about to hit 5PM. Sadly, a status doesn't make food cook faster" He joked before leaving as Elora hummed in agreement.
"Fina" The girl turned towards Elora who gave her a sly grin "Look forward to dinner, Bell makes some mean food that everyone loves" Just thinking about actually eating a home cooked meal made Fina's stomach growl before she nodded. Elora left shortly after with Erebus in tow, leaving the girl alone to truly mull over the rapid change in her predicament.
A few hours ago, she was walking down the street, ready to beg anyone for even a loaf of moldy bread and now… she was in a mansion, with her own room, food being cooked, a bath alongside people who seemed to genuinely care.
It all happened so fast that she had no time to adjust so she took the moment to sit down and just let it all sink in.
One thing was for sure though. Never, and she meant never again would she doubt Bell. He was the only one that extended a helping hand in a city filled to the brim with people who saw her state every day.
'He's better than all of them' was her thought as she fell back on the soft bed, closing her eyes and just enjoying the sensation of it all.
It didn't take long for her mind to go blank and her breathing to even out as sleep took her away.
=2 hours later=
A knock on the door woke her up as she shot up in her bed and rapidly took in her surroundings before quickly remembering what had occurred.
'Did I fall asleep?' She asked herself before getting up and opening the door. A half elf girl no older than 12 looked up at her with a smile.
"Hey, I'm not disturbing you, am I?" The girl asked as Fina blinked before shaking her head.
"No… Not really. I'm Fina by the way. Sorry for intruding in your home" She greeted the girl who just shook her head with a smile.
"Don't worry about it. Dad explained everything to us. I just came to tell you the food's ready. He also said that he prepared baby food for… Marx was it?" She asked as Fina nodded.
"One moment, let me grab him" She walked up to the crib and reached down, lightly waking her son up. Once she was sure he was ready, she picked him up and walked back up to the half-elf girl who smiled at her.
"Come on, they are all waiting for us" She said before leading Fina through the hallway.
"I'm Aralaya by the way, Aralaya Cranel. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance"
"Oh, feelings are mutual Aralaya… you're Elora's daughter, right?" Aralaya nodded at the question with a smile.
"Yes, and the other half-elf in the dining room is my twin brother, Jannor. Don't mind him, he can be a bit of a dunce" She joked as Fina couldn't help but let out a snicker at the clear sibling love showcase.
After a minute, they entered the dining room where everyone was waiting. Fina's eyes locked onto an amazon woman who smiled at her with a small wave before she saw the two other kids, the boy clearly being Jannor and the girl being Adrienne that Bell mentioned.
She waved slightly before freezing as she laid eyes on the table that was practically packed to the brim as if it was a feast. The amount of food and the heavenly smell basically made her drool in anticipation.
She snapped out of it from the giggles and snickers around the room.
"No need to just stare at the food, come on, there is a chair between Elora and Bache where you can take a seat" Fina listened to his words and sat down between the amazon which she mentally noted was Bache and Elora.
"Now that everyone is here, let's dig in!"
"Finally!"
"Hey! I wanted that piece of the steak!"
"Then be faster!"
"Adrienne, Jannor. There is no need to fight" Elora chuckled as the two grumbled at each other.
Fina looked between everyone as they seemed to talk and laugh happily with each other. It didn't take long for her to be dragged along with it, as questions were thrown her way.
For the first time in a very long while, she actually felt like she had a home.
'I don't deserve it… but… how can I say no when they all are so welcoming…' she thought before shaking her head and finally caving as she fed her son a piece of the baby food Bell handed her..
'Oh, who am I kidding… I could really get used to this'
Holy, I did not expect chapter 46 to become a 13k monster! Guess I got a little carried away, making this the longest chapter I've ever release xD. Anyway, slow sailing right now towards the Expedition arc with Bell finally fulfilling his promise to Saena.
As of right now, the planning for the expedition Arc is 100% finished and we have even begun to plan out the entire next arc as well which I won't reveal the name of just yet since it'd be very… spoilerish hehe.
Otherwise, there isn't really anything else to say so I'll get right into the reviews.
FreakShowMilotic: Very nice. Please continue. Purple is nice.
Author: Thank you, and sure… purple is nice but… why? Lol
HenHen360:Please update Heroic Will. I really enjoy it and would like to see the end of the fanfiction.
Author: As I've said, I'm not really good with managing two large scale fanfiction's at once. I learned that the hard way, so I decided to focus all my efforts on TFA first. After TFA is finished, I'll finish Heroic will before starting on a brand new story. I'm sorry if that's disappointing and it's 100% my fault for taking on more than I can chew but it won't happen again after both stories are finished.
Meliodas4699:Bell and Aiz are gonna get in a romantic relationship?
Author: Well, I can't really answer that as no matter the answer, it'd still be a spoiler. If I said no, then it'd be a spoiler of the heartbreak. If I said yes, it's be a spoiler too. It's basically a question I am unable to answer sadly enough.
XxExtremeSamX: Power levels are indeed bullshit.
Author: yep, they are bullshit, and to give some context, Bell's current power is around level 9 in basic abilities and if he went all out with everything he had, it'd be closer to level 10. After all, he gains around 1 extra level every 4 levels and as he's at the peak of level 7, he's practically a level 9.
In other words, at the moment, Bell is around the same strength as Alfia and Zard if they weren't affected by a disease at the time of Astraea Records, making him an absolute monster, only ranking behind Albert Waldstein in overall power and even with the two legendary adventurers of Zeus and Hera.
Lordfinn:Elora was surprisingly calm to know another woman has such a deep impact on her husband and basically holds a piece of his heart without even trying. But if she can tolerate Bache then I can see her and Ais come to an understanding and try to share Bell.
But oh boy Ais that Elora needs to deal with it since she doesn't know about the other important elven woman in her husband's life. Ryuu, Eina and Elora meeting soon?
Author: Poor Poor Ryuu. She lost not only Bell when he was banished, but also Syr. Will she ever have a break I wonder… If only someone would wash away all that pain in her heart…
Havok416:I firebombed through this whole thing in a single day. I've gotta say, I am in love with this story! I love Bell's whole family dynamic, even if it can get a little weird to an outsider's eye. I also love Elora and her whole character! She's so calm, mature, a bit of tease at times, and I love the family's pokes and jabs at each other. It feels so homey! I really hope more comes out, and I'm really hoping we get to see more of the old crew mixing with the new blood, especially in and out of the dungeon, like in the mansion when all three parents are out for one reason or another and the old Familia is babysitting. Doesn't that sound like a recipe for disaster(ously comedic antics)? :P Anyways, keep up the good work and I hope to see more!
Author: Man, this brought a tear to my eye. Me and Viceroy have really tried hard to give just the vibe of the family you're describing. It's really nice to see it pay off.
I'll also have to agree on Elora, she's probably my absolute favorite OC in this story. Kind of funny how it all started with me and Viceroy trying to imagine a warrior elven woman in the village and it ended up developing into Elora.
Also, yeah, his old familia 'babysitting' his kids would be a disaster. Adrienne would wreak havoc with her joking and energetic nature, Jannor being confused and Aralaya just exasperated. Though we have someone else to keep everyone company now… though sadly, this story doesn't have its light without its dark. Poor Rye and Roux, killed by the same irregular Moss huge that Bell would have killed if he hadn't been banished :(
Anyway, that's all for the reviews and I hope to see you all next time!