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.
47: New Beginnings
=Archian Manor=
A few days had passed since Fina had moved into the manor with her son and she honestly still couldn't believe that this was her life now. Here she was, putting clean clothes up for drying outside.
Her red eyes peeked inside the window of the manor and smiled. Elora had almost gleefully taken upon herself to take care of her son whenever she was doing her duties as the only maid in the massive home.
It was her choice after all and having someone else able to care for her son apart from herself, someone that she could clearly see loved it too, pushed a weight off her shoulders that she hadn't even known was there.
Her life so far consisted of being separated from her birth mother at such a young age that it was the first memory she had, living on the streets before getting taken into Maria's orphanage thanks to Syr.
Eventually, she met Bell who had only been in her life a short while but during that short time, she had seen him as a real big brother she never had… and then she had made the mistake of not believing in him… something she still regretted.
It hadn't been long after that she had met the sorry excuse of a man she called a husband once, Arthur.
The man at first had seemed really nice and even Maria at first warmed up to him. He had portrayed himself in a good light. The son of a merchant who had a pension of not looking down on others because of their status but instead helped where he could.
When they had started dating, it had started off really well. They had been going strong, she had gotten a job in one of the side businesses his father owned and her potential future had looked promising.
Then his father's entire merchant company had taken a large hit when a bandit group had ambushed her father on his way home from a business trip from Israfan in the west side of Kaios Desert.
The company had managed a while without him, but eventually it all fell apart as Arthur wasn't nearly as adept at handling a business as he liked to boast. In fact, he was quite horrible at it. She had even helped out where she could.
But alas, there wasn't much she could do, she wasn't fortunate at birth or educated enough and one thing led to another, leaving them penniless after a year of marriage and her just finding out about her pregnancy.
The moment she told Arthur, he had basically dumped and abandoned her and their unborn child, leaving Orario entirely for god knows where.
She had ended up alone, miserable and filthy with only her son as the sole light in her life left even if he somewhat resembled Arthur more than her already.
Slowly after that, she had slowly sunk deeper and deeper into poverty. Her shack starting off actually looking like somewhere somewhat hospitable had steadily become more and more barren and unforgiving as she was forced to sell the furniture she had until she was left with nothing but a dirty, sordid mattress probably covered in germs and diseases, a large, oval shaped metal container as a bath reserved for her son, a bucket in a corner for… lavatory purposes and one, mostly broken cupboard for clothing.
Food was scarce, so much so that most of what she got was either moldy or in the trash. There had been a few times that a stoic elf with greenish colored hair alongside a confusing cat girl from some popular pub had given her leftovers that she was going to throw away, saying that it was better that she got it than it being thrown away and rott.
Unfortunately these encounters were rare and far inbetween as they rarely threw out food, probably because it tasted beyond delicious.
She shook her head as she realized she was dozing off before turning back to her task and leaned forward, grabbing a black shirt and clasped it up on the string, holding it in place for the wind to dry.
"Fina! You got a minute?" The girl turned around, coming face to face with the person she owed practically everything to as he smiled at her lightly.
"Bell-san! Of course, what can I do for you?" She answered with enthusiasm and flashed a bright smile at him.
"Oh, I was just wondering if you were up for going grocery shopping. We're running out of boar meat, pepper and citrus to make ponzu sauce" He asked as she could see some signs of exertion from him.
"No problem. I'll just finish here… ehm, are you alright? You seem… drained?" She asked, saying the last part less as a statement and more as a question.
"Yeah, using Mystery all the time is quite taxing. It's not noticeable if you just make one item or so at a time, but making one after the other… phew!" He chuckled as she nodded in understanding.
"Alright, just… don't strain yourself, wouldn't want to find you unconscious somewhere" She told him in slight concern as he nodded.
"Will do… and thanks, you're a lifesaver"
"Wha- but you pa- and he left… Why does he do that all the time?" She complained before shaking her head with slight amusement before getting back to work, happily engaging in it as she silently thanked him and everyone for their compassion and generosity, even if their god could be weird. After all, he did make her buy what was practically an entire store worth of books for him…
She shuddered at the memory before getting back to her task.
After Bell had left Fina, he had headed straight back to his work area where Welf's old workshop used to be, now having been repaired. As Welf no longer lived in the mansion or used the workshop, having his own one with Hephaestus Familia, Bell had taken the liberty of personally using this one for the purpose of experimenting.
He had decided to resume his and Welf's contract which Welf had been more than happy about, almost salivating as he looked at his armor up and down.
With Welf having Blacksmithing, he could add special effects that help in combat such as better durability, sharpness and making everything lighter. This is quite often referred to as 'enhancements'. Mystery can somewhat simulate the same effects, but the strength and effectiveness is practically abysmal compared to Blacksmithing.
Mystery focuses more on creating miracles or in better terms, extremely complex effects which were better known as enchants.
Having Welf improve the 'enhancements' of his gear while he handles the 'enchants' would make sure it was the best he could have at the moment. Of course, he asked if he could do the same for his family, though with him paying full price for it instead of a reduced one as they were not only different familia's, but also weren't contracted with him.
To no one's surprise, Welf accepted with a grin, telling him that he'd be glad to help, whether it was still at a reduced price or full. Of course, Bell fully intended to pay for it fully for them as he had more valis than he knew what to do with.
Bell's hands lit up as he traced his fingers along the pouch's goliath-borne material, focusing on the miracle he was making.
His development ability was glowing brightly as he used it, determined to finish the last pouch.
'And… done' Bell thought with a sight, the glow disappearing as he sighed out, smiling as he opened the pouch and practically shoved his arm inside of it.
It had taken him a day to figure out the exact enchant to use. His pouch that he got from Takara Yume used one that minutarized anything that entered the pouch, and enlarged anything that exited it to normal size.
It also included another enchant that made the pouch lighter, the more additional objects were put into it.
Together, it all made the pouch seem light for the amount of stuff it carried yet extremely expansive. It's unfortunate it strains you so much only making one. Only reason he hadn't collapsed after finishing 4 of them back to back the first day before was because of his level.
That way, he had learnt that his limit for consecutive enchants was at around 12-15 enchants within a single day.
Now, 3 days had passed since he had started enchanting. His days had basically been split up between him training with Ais and Fiona, his family and enchanting. Now with him having finished that particular task, a spot in his days had been left open before the expedition in 2 days, and he had a good idea on what to do.
Namely say hello to a few more familiar faces. More accurately, the main two targets being two elves, Eina and Ryuu. He hadn't been able to speak to them at all since before his duel with Ais so he had no idea what to expect.
'Well… that's something for tonight. Might as well put these pouches on everyone's bed… but what to do with these two?' Bell eyed the two left over pouches. He had originally hoped to include Cassandra and Daphne in the expedition but they won't be able to come along.
They had been happy to see him, being friendly and welcome. Miach had been his usual self. Caring and concerned while Naaza tried her own usual teasing and sales pitch on him.
Being older and wiser (he hoped), he had seen through it with a smile. The reason Cassandra or Daphne couldn't come along was because they were basically the instructors of the entire familia.
Miach had managed to recruit more members when his debt to Dian Cecht had been settled and Daphne was training them in basic swordsmanship while Daphne helped with magic, even with her shy nature.
It's quite unfortunate, but at least they seemed to have two left over pouches. Maybe he'd just sell them to Loki familia? They would definitely be interested in something like this instead of carrying around giant pouches.
Bell mentally chuckled at the image of Finn's short stature dragging multiple thick backs with one arm while killing monsters with his spear in one hand.
That had probably happened at least once. It honestly made him question why Asfi didn't make these items and sell them. It was obvious why they were basically non-existent on the market with the strain to make them as well as the rarity of anyone with the Mystery development ability.
"Guess I'll visit Finn later and ask" Bell shrugged before loading the pouches into a box and carrying them into the mansion.
It didn't take long to put one one each of their beds before heading towards the library where Erebus seemed to have set up as his own personal home.
Once he entered, Bell only stared at the mountain of books behind Erebus as he turned towards Bell.
"Ah, Bell. Fancy seeing you here. Mind if I ask a question?" He asked as Bell tilted his head, eying the title of the book in his hands.
'Magic Stone Applications: The future of Technology' Bell read as he blinked. Where the hell did that book even come from… hold on, half the books in the pile weren't even in the library yesterday.
"Erebus… where did you get those books?" Bell asked as he knew for a fact that the god didn't leave the mansion except on rare occasions.
"Oh, these ones? Fina was courteous enough to go out on an errand last night. She brought back quite the interesting haul" Bell blinked as he could see that basically every book was pickout out at random, as if Fina had just bought out the entire bookstore.
"Eh… how many books did you have her buy?"
"Hmm… I think she bought everything apart from the children's section" Bell blinked before sighing in exasperation.
"Erebus… you do know she has no blessing, right?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"That many books would… Well, it weighs a lot. How the hell did she get them here?" He asked incredulously as Erebus simply shrugged.
"Beats me. Just glad she did"
"Right"
"Anyway, about that question, I was wondering about your thoughts on magic stone implementation into society. Has it done more good than bad?" He asked as Bell rolled his eyes.
'Here we go again'
"I'd say it's done more good than bad. After all, practically everything we use daily uses magic stones one way or another" Bell answered, hoping to all things holy that Erebus would leave it at that.
"That is indeed true, almost everything uses its magical power as a source of energy for a multitude of purposes. Elevators, lights, stoves, tools, toilets and many more. But that begs another question" Oh come on, Erebus, why can't you just take a hint?
"Doesn't that give the dungeon power over us?" The question actually managed to make Bell freeze for a second as his mind mulled over it. Give the dungeon power over us… by using its unique resource, the magic stone?
"How?" Bell asked as Erebus smirked.
"Oh, no, you tell me. I want to hear what you think" Bell rolled his eyes as he took a moment to think.
"Well… we have found out a lot about magic stones like the fact that the magic inside them isn't natural at all and almost divine in nature yet different. It gives power, but there is no indication of the source of the power itself…" Bell muttered the last part as his mind struggled to come to a concrete conclusion.
"Struggling to wrap your head around it are we? It's only natural since every question only gives birth to more and more questions. If the magic stones hold power. Where does it come from? If it comes from the dungeon, then why does the dungeon seem to have an unlimited supply of it? How does it produce so much of it etc. etc. and etc." Erebus smiled at Bell who frowned.
"Now, let me paint you a hypothetical scenario. What would happen if the dungeon decided to strip the power from every magic stone it's created?" Bell snorted at the absurd notion that came out of the gods mouth.
"That's ridiculous, the dungeon can't do that. It's never before and that seems like a huge trum card for the supposed malevolent entity"
"Oh, would you bet your life on that?" Erebus asked with a smirk as Bell fell into a bind. There was no guarantee that the dungeon couldn't do that… and if it could… that would be bad. Really, really bad.
"If, and that's a big if, the dungeon does that… then it would send us back nearly a thousand years in technological progress since it wasn't after the gods descended that we began using magic stones to achieve results in daily life appliances, tools and equipment" Bell tried to think up more consequences before Erebus hummed in agreement.
"You're completely right. It would do that and slow down our progress significantly. Smithing would take so much longer without magic stone's helping generate heat alongside inferno stones, slowing down repairs and thus also new crafts. It would make adventurers much less of a threat to the dungeon as well with their main source of monetary compensation removed" Bell could already see where Erebus was going with that. If they lost their source of Valis, then a lot of adventurers would lose their will to risk their lives. Sadly, that's one of the three major reasons people become adventurers. Power, Fame or Riches.
New adventurers wouldn't be able to survive with the decrease in available weapons and armor as well as basically nothing of value in the upper floors at all.
It completely neutralizes new adventurers from starting out and over time, that'd cause less and less and less adventurers active in total as more and more either retire or die.
"I see what you mean and it's incredibly interesting but… I actually came for a status update" Bell smiled at him as Erebus nodded, understanding immediately why he wanted it.
To see if the skill has gotten stronger or not
Erebus motioned to the side chair which Bell took and took a seat in front of the god, his back to him before pulling the shirt over his shoulder.
"Just tell me the update verbally. No need to waste paper" Bell said over his shoulder as Erebus bit his finger and began updating.
"Hm… well your stats have gone up… alongside your maxed ones but only barely" Erebus began before continuing to describe the update.
Name: Bell Cranel
Lv 7
Status:
{STR} S-913 - S-915
{VIT} S-955 - S-956
{DEX} S-944 - S-947
{AGI} S-999 - SS-1000
{MAG} A-878 - A-880
Magic:
Firebolt: Swift strike magic. Casts a bolt of fire and electricity on command that explodes on impact upon contacting any surface.
Legacy's Rebirth: Catalyst Magic. Generates a shroud of lightning around the user that interacts with the body, strengthening it and protecting from outside dangers. May also be used offensively as magic but takes a strong toll on the body if doing so.
Requires a Storm Crystal as a catalyst to activate.
Skills:
Liaris Freeze: Precocious Maturation. The effect is maintained so long as the user maintains their feelings, and the effect is heightened depending on how strong these feelings are (Current Bonus: 52%)
Argonaut: Heroic strike, the possibility of turning any situation around with an overwhelming amount of force. Able to be dual charged but drains massive amounts of mind power.
Scourge: Raises the power of the user exponentially depending on the amount of Malice the user lets out
Blade Master: When the user uses a bladed weapon, increases proficiency of the weapon and technique that is currently used
Dragon's Bane: Dramatically increases all basic abilities when fighting draconic type monsters. (+1000 to all stats)
Development Abilities:
Luck: A
Abnormal Resistance: B
Psych: C
Intuition: C
Strong Body: F
Mystery: H - G
"What about the skill?" Bell asked as Erebus's finger traced the location of the rare skill
"It's stronger alright, probably over twice as strong as before" Bell sighed out before groaning into his hands. Why was it getting stronger!
"Look, Bell, I said it last time and I'll say it again. You can't control your emotions, but what you can control are your actions. You may love another woman, but it's your actions in response that truly matter" Erebus tried to console him as Bell took the words to heart.
Bell sighed and nodded. As long as he didn't act on it… maybe that's fine. Honestly, he didn't know. It still felt wrong, but his skills are making it clear that his feelings don't give a damn about what he thinks so he might as well settle with not acting on it.
"Okay, I'll think about it" Bell nodded at his god before standing up and walking towards the door. Before exiting, he turned to the god with a slight smile.
"By the way… when are you going to leave this library? You've practically lived here since the duel and left only for food" Bell asked as Erebus shrugged.
"Doesn't really matter to me. Nothing of interest has happened since then and you've all kept me updated. Might do a bit more once you all go on your expedition, though Fina will be really helpful. At least I won't have to clean" Bell rolled his eyes, snorting at the same time.
"Great to know that you use my little sister as an excuse to escape such 'menial' tasks" Bell's words were laced with such sarcasm it was a wonder he didn't choke on it as he left, leaving Erebus to laugh at his mocking behavior.
Once Bell was gone, Erebus smiled as he pulled the parchments of the rest of his familia's status. They had really come a long way with both Elora on the cusp of leveling up and Bache nearing A rank in all stats. Jannor was basically ready to level up. His status was all S with his magic at the lowest of the group sitting at 932 and endurance, dexterity and agility completely maxed at 999. Aralaya was in the same boat apart from her dexterity and strength still in A rank with her being more in the backline. Her magic had already maxed before Jannor ever reached A in a single stat though. Lastly, Adrienne was all S apart from her magic.
Long story short, everyone is eligible for a level up and only needs a great feat, and with them planning on pushing themselves down there to their limit… Orario was definitely in for one big surprise if things went to plan.
Fina sat down on her bed after having finished her tasks for the day with a content sigh. Who knew that maid work was so taxing… though she was the only maid in a mansion after all.
She leaned back and spread her arms out, letting her body sink into the mattress of the bed fit for a queen that she had been provided. Every room had a bed like this, which had initially questioned how rich Bell was. One conversation with him about it had practically left her fainting if it weren't for him clarifying that it was all familia funds at this point with maybe a hundred million for personal use.
Don't get her wrong, one hundred million is an astronomical sum for a single person to have casually, but when you've seen the mansion and heard personally from Bell how much money they have, that sum doesn't really feel like that much.
Thinking of the man, she smiled as the question that had been plaguing for the past two days ever since Bell had asked her.
Flashback
"Woah, are you alright Fina?" Bell caught her as she practically collapsed forward in the hallway. Her head spun as she tried to formulate a response, only making the man more worried.
"I-I'm alright… just a little tired is all" She mumbled as Bell frowned.
"A little tired won't make you just fall over out of nowhere. What's going on?" Fina, not one to really stick to a lie when it had been seen through sighed.
"Just… Cleaning a mansion on my own is…" She stopped as she felt embarrassed. This was her job, and right now she was technically telling her boss that it was too intense.
"I see…" Bell said with understanding in his eyes "You know you don't have to do this, right? It was only a suggestion. We won't kick you out just because you don't want to" Bell's words made her chest tighten as she nodded.
"I know… but I want to help in any way I can… I can't just… leech off of you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself" She mumbled the last part as Bell's eyes softened.
"You know, there are other ways to pull your weight… hmm" Bell stopped as she saw the spark of an idea form in his head.
"Bell?" She asked as she got out of his hold and began leaning on the wall.
"You know, we could have you join the familia" Fina blinked as her heart clenched at the thought. The faces of Rye and Roux flashing through her eyes as she shivered. It was an idea that would be tempting for anyone but… for her, it only reminded her of their fates.
"I… I'm not sure…" She answered quietly as Bell seemed to catch on.
"Hey, don't worry. I meant as a non-combatant. Just because our familia is registered as exploration doesn't mean we can't have non-combatants either. In fact, there is no law that dictates that every member of an exploration type has to go into the dungeon, it's just rare that they don't" Bell explained to her as she nodded.
"I- I don't really know… just… let me think on it" Her responde made him smile at her as he began petting her head, ruffling her ears in that way that made her squirm back when she was still at the orphanage.
"There's no hurry. Take all the time you need"
Flashback End
She sighed as the memory faded, it had already been two days since then and she was not any closer to an answer. She had looked up what he had said during her freetime, as little as it was with the amount of work she had. In the end, Bell had been right, the guild only categorizes familia's based on their purpose and doesn't actually enforce any laws on it apart from the obvious ones as different taxes as well as requirements with Exploration familias needing to fulfill at least 3 expeditions a year once they reach D-rank or above while Agricultural familia's have to deliver on yearly quotient of crops depending on their rank and have different taxes.
Apart from that, there wasn't anything which made sense with the laws on no meddling in familia affairs which applied to the guild as well.
The issue for her was just the sheer fear of it all. Being tied down by a deity, which makes leaving the city beyond a chore. Regular citizens can leave the city as they please, but blessed people have to get express permission from the guild or Ouranos himself.
Blessed individuals were in a way, stuck within a cage that has taken the form of the largest and most buzzing city in the world.
"What to do…?" she mumbled. Thinking on the positives, it would make her stronger, faster and basically better in every way instantly upon getting a status since in technicality, it was like leveling up. With her now being level 0 and gaining a blessing automatically pushed her to level 1, layering her soul with the blessing.
It would make her work easier, and less straining as well as allow her more free time to spend with the others or her son. Thinking about it, she only had about 2-3 free hours to care for her son, Elora doing it the rest of the time.
'How am I going to manage when they go on their expedition?' She shook her head as she brought herself out of the thoughts. As Bell had told her, there was plenty of time to come to an answer and she wasn't getting anywhere now.
Getting up, she glanced outside where the sun was nearing the horizon and the sky having only a tint to hint at the incoming sunset.
Her eyes drifted down to the front of the building as she leaned forward. There she saw Bell heading out in casual clothing and seemingly unarmed. She sighed, wondering where he was going, before she walked to her door with full intent to take a bath before finally spending some time with her son.
=Orario, Western Main Street=
Bell walked through the familia street he always used when heading to the dungeon, ignoring the glances sent his way and a few whispers. He sometimes wondered if people had no clue of how status affects a mortal's natural senses.
Well, no reason to dwell on that. He had one goal in mind as the place he wanted to visit came into view through the crowds.
The Hostess of Fertility
He actually was going there for two different reasons. The first one, Ryuu. Nothing more really has to be said. Secondly? Mia. He had to ask her something with her being the ex-captain of the Freya familia, something he had found bizarre.
He dwelled on it for a second before taking a turn and walked into the bar. There was a reason he wasn't armed to the teeth, only having a single blade hidden under his sleeve with a strap, even though he could beat everyone in the pub with one arm tied behind his back… well, except maybe Mia. She was quite frightening, even for him.
As quietly as possible, he walked up to the bar and took a seat on the very same barstool he had sat in the first time he had been here. Glancing around, he couldn't help but mull over how little the place had changed. The tables were still in the same locations, adventurers eating, joking and laughing loudly with one another.
Of course, there were a few differencenses. For one, it was clear that they had expanded the place, making it larger. He reasoned that Mia had bought the land adjacent to the pub to expand its width.
"Oy! It's white hair!" He heard the tell tale voice of Anya whisper near the kitchen. Bell clanced up and smirked slightly at the sight of the cat girl trying and failing to whisper to Chloe.
"Ah, boyo! It's been quite a while" Mia had turned to him with that smile of her, seemingly undeterred by his presence.
"It really has Mia. Sorry for the deception, it was kind of… necessary" The words that came out of his mouth made her bellow out in laughter as she reached over and slapped his shoulder hard. He didn't really flinch as it felt more like someone grabbing him with some strength but nothing more.
"Right you are, and don't worry. You still ordered and paid in full, so no complaints from me, though I can't speak for them" She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder towards the kitchen.
Bell chuckled slightly in understanding before tilting his head as he saw Ryuu peek over from the doorway, eyes widening as her blue ones met him.
"Ryuu especially. She's been actin' strangely since your duel with the Kenki…" The giant dwarf paused as she turned to him before putting her arms on the counter and leaning closer.
"Just between the two of us, I don't blame you. Everyone does what they think is right as in this world, there is no right or wrong. As long as you survive, you're the victor" Bell smiled and nodded.
"Couldn't have said it better myself… Now, can I borrow Ryuu for a moment?" He asked as Mia's head leaned back slightly inspecting him before nodding.
"Eh, she's troublesome either way, go ahead. Just make it quick, you hear me?" Bell nodded as he stood up, snickering at her mentioning her being troublesome.
He walked over towards the kitchen as the girls seemed to grow more hostile as he got closer.
He put his hands up in surrender as he gave them a smile.
"Woah, I mean no harm… as long as you don't try to grab my ass" He gave Chloe a pointed look as she seemed to frown harder at that.
"Why would I… you're not cute anymore…" She responded as Anya seemed to inspect his every movement.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt anyone-" He stopped as he looked over to Ryuu "I was just wondering if I could borrow your resident elf for a moment? You can keep an eye on us if you want, don't worry"
Silence filled the group as the only sound coming from those that were drunk enough to not notice his presence in the pub, which was quite a few.
"Let's talk in the kitchen, Cranel-san" Ryuu nodded slightly as she seemed to look anywhere but at him. He nodded as he followed her, feeling the hard gazes on his back from the catgirls and Lunoire who walked past him with a tray in hand along with some food and drinks on it.
"Was there anything of importance, Cranel-san?" Bell shook his head as he stopped in front of her in the kitchen, May looking at the two in curiosity.
"Not really, I came here to apologize… and to clear the air. That goes for everyone, even the three cat people listening right now" He said in as soft of a tone as he could "So, if there is anything you want to ask, go ahead"
"Cranel-san… Quite frankly, I don't know what to think at the moment. Tell me honestly, did you take the life of 17 adventurers?" She asked as Bell sighed.
"Yes" The moment the words escaped his mouth, he practically felt the hostility skyrocket before he put his hand up in the air, pushing away his sudden urge to sarcastically comment on their pasts… which would have been wrong on so many levels.
"I killed them, yes. Murder? No. They kidnapped me and my goddess and were planning on killing us both but not before…" He stopped as his jaw clenched at the memory.
"Not before?" Ryuu asked, still remaining calm as she sent a warning glare to the two level 4 cat people glaring daggers at Bell.
"Not before they tried to violate her" At that, the tension let go as everyone listening in blinked.
"I just… I snapped, all I could see was red and before I knew it… I had killed 16 of them with the last one… Hazer… had Hestia by the throat with a knife" Ryuu's eyes widened as she remembered the light that shot into the sky that night which had flickered and cracked before disappearing.
"I couldn't' save her…" His jaw clenched as she forced the emotions down to continue the explanation "In the end… she died that night… and I was arrested and sentenced without even being given a fair trial" He finished as Ryuu sighed, glad that it wasn't cold-blooded… not like her.
"Ryuu… I wanted to clear the air with you because you're one of the few people in this city that I actually trust" His words made her blink again as she let that sink in.
"Trust? Why?"
"Is that really a question? You've saved me multiple times. From an adventurer attacking me, finding my knife, the 18th floor, the war game… Ryuu, you're practically the person in this city I trust the most out of anyone… well, apart from my family and Fina" He chuckled at the last part as Ryuu's eyes softened, the tension in her muscles she hadn't even realized was there letting go.
"I see… Cranel-san, even if things had been different. I don't have any right to judge you after what I did, and neither do they" She nodded towards the two cat people, excluding May who was the only one clean of blood in the bar.
"So… there is nothing to forgive" She smiled that rare one that really accentuates her beauty, making him return it to her.
"You know, I'd hug you if you weren't… you know, an elf" Bell told her as his smile rose with humor as Ryuu couldn't help but let out a mix between a scoff and a laugh.
"That's appreciated, though unnecessary" Bell frowned as he looked her in the eye, finding the words strange.
"Cranel-san?" She asked in confusion at his change in posture as Bell's frown deepened.
"Ryuu… what do you mean with 'unnecessary'? I'm married to an elf so I find that… bizarre" He told her as Ryuu blinked before remembering Apollyon's relationship with Elora.
"Oh… It's just that you're one of three people who have been able to touch me" Bell's frown deepened even more if it was possible as he tried to remember any point he had touched her… and then it clicked.
'The knife…' he remembered how he had reacted to her giving it back to him, how he had been so ecstatic that he hadn't even realized he had grabbed an elf's hand without permission.
"Right… sorry for that. Back then I was really… excitable and I was just so happy that you had found it. I mean, wouldn't want two hundred million to suddenly go down the drain?" He couldn't help but snicker as he saw Ryuu's jaw drop alongside Anya and Chloe's in his peripherals.
"Two hundre-" Ryuu got out as Bell nodded.
"It is a divine knife after all" Bell said as if it was an answer. Understanding, Ryuu nodded as she composed herself.
"Cranel-san, I'm glad that you haven't abandoned your righteousness. It's good to have you back" Ryuu's words came after a moment as Bell stared at her before softening his eyes and nodding.
"Thank you. Now, any more questions?" He asked as he peeked over at Anya and Chloe before glancing back to Ryuu.
"I'm unsure… Perhap-"
"Boyo! Stop hogging my girls! I need them!" Bell chuckled as he heard both Anya and Chloe let out a 'Nya' before disappearing into the bar.
"She hasn't changed at all" Bell smiled before looking at Ryuu.
"You should probably get back to work too. At this rate, she's going to charge me for every second I keep you" Bell chuckled alongside Ryuu at the notion before nodding.
"That's Mia. Oh and Cranel-san?" Bell tilted his head as she smiled at him "I can see it in your eyes. You don't see yourself as Righteous, but your actions say otherwise. Don't put yourself down because of it. As I've said before, it makes me mad" She told him sharply at the end as Bell nodded.
"Alright… I'll try" He smiled as she returned it before disappearing into the pub.
He shook his head before walking out as well, making a complete beeline towards Mia who turned and quirked her eyebrow at him.
"You here to eat, or take my staff?" She said in a joking manner as Bell chuckled and shook his head.
"Not really, but I can make due with your special for now. As long as I get to ask you a few things. I'll even pay extra" He smiled as she seemed to think about it.
"Hmm… alright, you got yourself a deal. One Mama Mia's special coming right up" She smirked before heading into the back as Bell took a seat at the bar.
As he waited, she listened in on the conversations of those around him, finding a plethora of different topics at hand. Though, not really a surprise that he was the top one.
"I just don't know what to make of the guy"
"Come on, he has a monster fetish, don't you remember?"
"Dude, I've said this before, just because he claimed one monster doesn't mean he has a fetish, no matter the situation" Bell smiled slightly that at least everyone doesn't actively think that of him, though it was hard to judge if he was alright in the man's book or not.
He was brought out of his thoughts as he saw Mia come around the corner with honestly the largest goddamn piece of turkey he had ever seen with multiple dishes on the side with rice and one beer. Thank god he ate a lot or he'd have puked by the end of it.
"Mia's special, coming up. Now, what was this about you wanting to ask something?" Mia asked as she crossed her arms.
"This might not be the best place… it has to do with Freya" Mia's eyes narrowed before sighing.
"Alright, follow me into the back. I'll bring your order" she told him as she picked up the food and put it back on the tray.
Bell did so as quietly as he could. He walked past the kitchen into a room where he saw a round table. Bell blinked as he had no idea this was here. Perhaps something new?
"Now, what was it you wanted to ask?" Bell sat down before looking at her.
"It's something that has been bugging me for a while. Where is Syr?" He asked as he looked her in the eyes as Mia sighed.
"She hasn't been around for a long time boyo. The girl disappeared on us after you left, came back once for a short while but then vanished again" She said.
"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me the whole story? To me, everything is too much of a coincidence. The first time I felt Freya's eyes on me was the moment before meeting Syr. How she gave me the grimoire that I've figured out came from Freya. How she gave me the necklace with a protective enchant on it and finally, how she just happened to vanish when I disappeared… Tell me I'm wrong, Mia. Tell me that Syr isn't who I think she is?" He looked deep into Mia's eyes as she scanned Bell's own.
"And why should I tell you?" She challenged as Bell's eyes turned to a glare.
"Because she's been meddling with my life ever since I started my adventurers career. She sent that Silverback at my goddess to force me to fight it. After all, no one apart from her knew who I was back then and Ishtar wouldn't have bothered charming a monster. Ottar trained the Minotaur that nearly killed me and Lili. Heck, she tried to charm me in front of my wife!" He shouted the last part as he stood up as Mia didn't flinch and stared into his eyes, a pitying look aimed at him.
"And now I have reason to believe that someone that I thought was a friend, was only using the identity as a disguise to get to me. I have every right to know" He glared as the dwarf sighed.
"Freya isn't what you think she is. Yes, she can be cruel and completely merciless when something has caught her eyes. She has her faults and I won't say otherwise, but you're focusing on the bad and ignoring the good. Put yourself in Freya's shoes for a moment, really think on how she perceives the world" Mia asked, completely calm despite the anger aimed at her from the level 7.
"Oh it sounds soooo tragic. Sitting on top of the world, having anything she wants at a moment's notice and the strongest familia in the world at her whim. Sounds like a real tragic story" He snarked sarcastically as Mia frowned.
"You're not putting yourself in her shoes. Imagine wherever you go, everyone fawns over you. Everyone fights for your attention no matter what and you never get any room to breathe. To her, she's in a cage no matter where she goes. Even her children have put her in their own cage, barely allowing her to leave the safety of Babel tower or Folksvangr in fear of her being hurt. She has no freedom to choose, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have the desire for it" Bell frowned as he listened and forced himself to calm down.
"What do you mean?"
"Boyo, she manifested that desire through Syr. It was her outlet, the one time she didn't have to worry about people fawning over her, though sadly she doesn't see it as real, even if it is" Bell's frown deepened.
"What I'm trying to say is that what you've seen is all the worst parts of her, when everything else is suppressed deeply inside her due to her circumstances" Mia finished as Bell sighed.
"So… you're saying that she became Syr to let out her desire to be free of her cage?" He asked as Mia hummed, somewhat unsure of how to answer.
"Yes and no. It didn't start like that. Horn was once Syr and due to her deal with Freya, became Horn instead with magic to turn to Syr or Freya while Freya could turn into Syr. It's a bit confusing but in the end, she did it as she found it amusing but over time, it became an escape, even if she didn't realize it" Bell nodded, seeming to get a good idea on what she meant.
"Then… Freya isn't really herself. She's acting this way because of… what? Her circumstances? Because she could never truly be herself?" Mia nodded.
"That's right. You're getting it. She has never been able to be friends with anyone with them only trying to please her. No one ever challenged her…" The dwarf trailed off as her eyes looked him over.
"Until I came along…" Bell mumbled as his eyes widened, Mia nodding at him.
It made so much sense now… her obsession with him isn't just due to his soul. It's because he is the one person she can't charm, providing an honest to god's challenge, something she had been lacking for eternity.
Something new and exciting
"You are an enigma to her. Something unique that has never happened before and at first, it started as an obsession, but watching you, talking with you through Syr… I got to see the goddess of Love, Fertility and War truly fall in love for the very first time" Bell looked down on the ground, suddenly feeling somewhat bad for his extremely hostile behavior towards her in the Arena. Sure, she caused the entire thing in a roundabout way… but to use the Spear of Orion that can extinguish even the lives of deities.
"Thank you Mia… I'll think about it all. I can at least understand her now" He smiled as she returned it as he sat back down before looking over all the food.
"Is it alright if I stay here to eat?" He asked as she nodded.
"Of course boyo, eat as much as you like. Just make sure to pay for it all" She bellowed as she walked out the door as Bell rolled his eyes before digging in. There was a lot of food, and what better way to mull over what he learnt than to eat at the same time?
What he did know without having to do this. His view on Freya would never be the same again.
=Einhente, Kita's home=
The voices were unbearable. She had come to the conclusion that they would intensify the closer the promised time approached. That didn't mean that it got any easier to handle it.
Kita completely despised this link she had with 'them'. They were always there, whispering in her ear whenever she sought peace of mind, pulling her towards the one thing she swore to never do again.
Flashes of bloodshot, destruction and screams filled her mind as she remembered the carnage she had wrought upon the continent before Albert Waldstein's party had managed to subdue her nature.
She owed the man a debt she could never repay, a man that surpassed the limits of mortals to the point of ludicrousy.
She sat up in her bed as she grabbed the side of her head in frustration as the voices grew louder.
'Why do you resist, my child? Why go against what you are… after all, this is what you want, what you were made for' The sickenly sweet voice told her as she practically growled as her hand gripped her nightstand, shattering the wood in her grip.
"Get out… Get out of my head!" Kita hissed as she pulled every trick in her book to suppress the connection as her heart thundered, magic stone resonating with 'her'.
"Fine, but like all, you have a breaking point. Sooner or later you will reach it, my dear child" She breathed a sigh of relief as the connection grew weaker and her mind and body began feeling better and not as if it was about to completely collapse in on itself.
This was the third time this week 'they' had reached out to her, and she was seriously hating every moment of it and cursing her status as one of the great beasts. She never liked that title anyway, it made her sound uncivilized and a slave to her nature, which she was not.
"I swear… You… all of you will perish in the battle to come… that is my vow…" she hissed as the last sliver of the connection disappeared.
"And will make sure of it, even if I have to do it myself… Mother"
That's chapter 47! Two more chapters until the Expedition Arc! These chapters after the duel have obviously acted as an interlude and worldbuilding, and slowly it's all coming together, though we aren't anywhere near done yet.
Anyway, I won't waste anymore time and get right into the reviews.
FreakShowMilotic:I'm not social. I don't know how to socialize. I hope you don't lose your muse. Please continue. Purple is nice because it is.
Author: That's alright, we aren't all socially adept. Just be you and that's all anyone can ask for. And I hate to admit it, but yes, Purple is nice. I also won't lose my quote on quote 'Muse'. I don't plan to and I will fight to keep it close :)
KneeOil:Since the expedition is fast approaching, hopefully this means we get to see more of the Xenos. They could use some more screen time and maybe even a spotlight later.
Author: Well, what's the dungeon without some Xenos? Don't worry, we haven't left them out. Especially not a certain someone *wink* *wink*
Zasun:Damn, killing off Roux and Rye is just brutal. And making Fina a homeless single mother? Jesus man(s) calm down! But at least it was short lived. I'm happy to see Haruhime v2 get introduced to the manor!
I also love the throwback to the Moss Huge that wasn't killed because Bell's expedition never happened. Totally makes sense that it would give some Loki members a run for their money if it was just able to snack on stones for all those years.
I still think out of all the good that happened in this chapter, my favorite part was the like.. four lines where the shopkeeper called Bell "little rookie" and he snapped at him. Hell yeah. Ain't NO ONE in Orario allowed to call him that.
Amazing chapter as always! I do have a quick question about the writing. Or rather how it's done. Is one of you a broad strokes person and the other comes and fills in more detail and then you both review? Or do you both just work together line by line? Anyway, keep up the great work!
Author: Yeah, it was brutal, but so is this story. Got to remind everyone that it's meant to be dark, and that the sunshines and daisies that have been going on for a while… Well, let's just say that they aren't here to stay.
Also, yes, no one is allowed to call Bell 'Little Rookie'. That's a time long past and Bell wants to keep it that way.
As for your question, It's kind of like the first one you mentioned. I (Eli) tend to write the entire chapter with Viceroy fixing mistakes, making changes that are needed. He also handles all the fine details such as descriptions. A few to mention are Elora's wedding dress, Bell's armor among many more.
He also is invaluable in planning the story. It's safe to say that the entire story has been us throwing ideas back and forth at each other before coming to the best possible outcome.
I'm confident in the fact that me and Viceroy have a banger of a story to tell as it continues with a bunch of hints and references to not only the main series, but also danmemo events such as Argonaut, Astraea Records and finally, my personal favorite, The Knights Of Fianna.
Mistalenny: I'm really glad you addressed the moss monster and made it actually feel like there were consequences for Bell not being around and killing the moss creature. The fact that it was able to take on multiple level 6s is terrifying. Also it's pretty crazy how strong Bell is now. Level 9 with basic abilities. Not even Ottar can bring him down (though if the two fought it would most likely be a hard fight and not a walk in the park). Can't wait for the next chapter!
Author: Yeah, there are consequences for the things that never happened and the Moss huge was one of them. A large portion of the Xenos including Lyd dying and a few more. Actions have consequences, no matter how small.
Also, yes, Bell is strong af. He's on par with Alfia and Zald in overall strength and speed when compared to their prime at this point. Ottar in theory could still defeat him because his outstanding skill and abilities allow him to surpass the limits of his current level. Bell just has an advantage with his basic abilities already surpassing Ottar's.
PINHEADLARRY112: This was a very depressing and bittersweet chapter but still amazing nonetheless. This easily became my favorite fanfic like 20 chapters back just kept forgetting to say. Thank you both for creating such an incredible story that at this point kinda feels like its own thing even though it's not with it being set in the danmachi universe and everything. Keep up the great work of the both of you and look forward to the many chapters to come.
P.S. I was reading your answers to the comment and y'all are such teases when it comes to spoilers. I love it and hate it at the same time.
Author; Oh, we love teasing. Teasing is the essence of entertainment and I thirst for it, muhahahaha.
Ladis11:Wait, the status has an effect on the lifespan ? I mean, it makes sense seeing as the higher the status, the closer to a god an adventurer becomes, but i guess it'd never tilt that it could prolong lifespan
Author: Yes, it does. Why do you think Finn looks so damn fine at the age of 42 in the Main Series? He looks like he's in his mid twenties, early thirties at the oldest. Me and Viceroy have a way to calculate the age of our character depending on their level. Bell currently is in his absolute prime, age 23 (Biologically) but 29 mentally.
AnAddictedReader: So... didn't you have Ryuu mention that Syr disappeared as well a few chapters ago? It's a bit odd to see her pop back up but then again, Adrienne could have a similar soul to Bell.
Author: Thank you for pointing it out. It was a typo where we actually meant Ryuu, but our minds went bzzzz on us. It's been fixed now.
Lyuwu:I saw a story update notification, fanfiction lieddd I got so happyyy noo! good job so far guys i love the feeling you've created with this story! keep up the good work, i'll be loyally here :
Author: Well, I have no idea why that happened… maybe the site mistook me fixing the mistake the person above mentioned triggered it? I'm sorry for that, but rest assured, this is an actual chapter :)
That's it for the reviews, and as always. I hope to see you all next time!