Chapter 3: Loneliness

For Bell, things had been going pretty well lately. He had a familia, a bit peculiar indeed, but he could have had worse. His goddess was kind and considerate and did everything she could to help him. He had a kind and dedicated advisor who taught him a lot. And as a bonus he was even starting to make friends. He had become a regular customer of Miach and Naaza and by talking to them he had developed a real friendship with them. And even though he stayed away from most of the berberas, he had made a few friends within his own familia or the entertainment district. Lena came by from time to time to train him and the young amazoness' cheerfulness was pleasant.

But he had also made friends with a few courtesans and other brothel workers, whom he had met by chance during the day. And apart from their work, they were just ordinary people. With his bunny face and his kindness, he easily attracted sympathy. The people he talked to were either level 1s, with a falna, but not fighting, or people without a blessing, but under contract with the familia. Bell suspected nothing of the darker sides of the entertainment district, and there was some sort of unspoken agreement within the familia to spare him that.

In short, he was quite happy. As everything went well and he made progress, his wariness began to wane a little and he became a little too confident. He began to allow himself to go downstairs, while Eina urged him to be careful. As long as everything was fine, why worry?

That's how he found himself on the fifth floor, a rather imprudent thing for a person fighting alone. In fact, it wasn't so bad.

Except when fate decides to interfere.

Because it had to be precisely today that a certain familia came back from its expedition. A familia whose own power sometimes made them arrogant. And some of the idiots in that familia suddenly felt like killing time by indulging in animal abuse on a group of minotaurs who hadn't asked for anything, causing them to flee to the upper floors. Floors where they had nothing to do.

And so it was that these (not so) innocent bovines decided to take part in the great chain of bullying by beating up weaker ones than themselves. This put one of them in the path of an adorable rabbit who had not asked for anything either.

This is how Bell found himself running for his life, chased by about four hundred kilos of nervous beef.

As Lena had advised him, Bell had focused on his speed and agility, rather than his strength and endurance. But even so, it wasn't enough to outrun the monster, which he sent flying with the simple air pressure of a mace strike. Cornered against a wall, the boy began to fear that his adventure was already over.

Only to be saved by the flash of an expert blade and end up showered in the monster's blood.

Embarrassment, shame, fear, pain. Perhaps it was all of this that drove him to flee without asking for help, without the beautiful blonde swordswoman who had just saved him being able to make sure he was alright or even apologise for their mistake. Instead, she had to make do with the mockery of a loud-mouthed wolf.

Bell, on the other hand, didn't know how to handle his own feelings. He had fallen under Aiz Wallenstein's charm. Or at least in admiration of her strength. The advantage of spending his time in the company of a goddess of beauty, one of the most beautiful women there is, often half-naked and teasing to his heart's content, had given him a little resistance to female charms, but not yet enough either.

She combined strength and beauty, a combination that he admired. The Berberas were also beautiful and strong, but the few he spoke to did not make him feel comfortable, as if they were all holding back a brutality that was just waiting to be expressed.

As for Lena, for the moment he saw her as a friendly, noisy, wild older sister.

But he needed to satisfy his curiosity and that's why he hurried to the Guild, covered in blood from head to toe, almost giving poor Eina a heart attack.

The half elf did not hesitate to lecture him on his imprudence, before encouraging him in spite of everything.

In any case, this experience had changed him and Ishtar noticed this that day, when she came to see him after his return from the Dungeon. It didn't take her long to get him to spill the beans.

"Minotaurs on the fifth floor?" she asked in surprise. "And first, may I ask what you were doing on the fifth floor? Didn't you promise to be careful?" she said as she pinched Bell's cheeks.

"Yes Goddess. Sorry Goddess."

"I'd still look into that thing. As for you, you're very lucky that the Sword Princess saved your neck."

"Yes..." He replied softly.

"However, you could have thanked her instead of running away."

"Sorry, it's just..." He began with red cheeks, signs that Ishtar didn't miss.

"Did she have that much effect on you? For a bit, it almost seems like you succumbed to her charm."

At the goddess's words, Bell flushed much more intensely, which left her in no doubt.

"So, even the sword princess interests you for your harem? You're setting the bar high, though I agree that you have to be ambitious."

"Goddess!"

"However, this time it's not a choice I fully approve of."

His words surprised Bell, she who spent her time encouraging him in his grandfather's ravings.

"Why goddess?"

"She is a rose with many thorns. Her beauty and her cold gaze do a poor job of masking that little spark of hatred that lives inside her. I've only seen her a few times, but I've always found there's something disturbing about her. Have you heard about the Great Feud? It was a few years ago."

"Very vaguely, it was something terrible I think."

"Even more so, the Evilus nearly destroyed Orario, many people and adventurers died, I lost many Berberas myself. A very short, but terribly deadly conflict. Aiz Wallenstein took part in it, she was not even ten years old. And this little girl was slashing fanatics with her sword without an ounce of feeling or hesitation."

Bell understood from these words that his goddess was not exaggerating to discourage him, she seemed genuinely concerned.

"And on a more practical note, Loki and I don't get along well, the sword princess has already fought a few times with Phryne, my captain. Not to mention that this girl doesn't seem to be interested in romance, from what I've heard, many have fallen for it."

The young man looked suddenly depressed, his first crush seemed someone complicated to deal with.

"But, the heart wants what it wants as they say. This kind of thing can't be controlled. I just want to spare you a painful disappointment, but it's up to you to manage your life Bell. On the other hand, if I distrust her on a human basis, as an adventurer, she can indeed be a good model for you and an excellent goal to keep you motivated and to surpass yourself. But don't let that excuse you from being more careful in the future." She did, placing a small flick on his forehead.

"I promise, Goddess."

"Liar," she replied, knowing he would be reckless in the future. "I can see you're still planning to do more."

"Sorry... but I want to get stronger. For my dream. Besides, as Eina told me, women like strong men to protect them."

His words made the goddess laugh, and she replied in an amused tone.

"I think Eina was just trying to cheer you up, but get that old sexist concept out of your head, women are very independent these days. Do you feel up to telling that to the Berberas?"

On second thought, no. From what little they knew of berberas, they didn't seem to need a man to come and save the day, quite the opposite. And he wasn't really sure that Aiz Wallenstein needed one either.

"But then, I suppose there are always a few romantics waiting for their handsome prince on his white horse. Anyway, wanting to get strong is a good thing, if you don't have the strength to stand up for what you believe in, you'll be nothing more than a smooth talker."

Bell listened to the words of his goddess, he didn't yet know how to interpret the feelings that Aiz had awakened in him. Was it really love at first sight? A simple crush? Or simple admiration for her strength? It would take him time to sort it out. In the meantime, as his goddess said, he had to become stronger first and it was this will that animated him above all.

"And while we're on the subject of strength, it's time you gave me a nice striptease so I can update your status."

"Do you really have to say it like that?" Bell asked, embarrassed, as he began to remove his clothes.

"Always." She replied to him in a teasing tone.

And while the goddess was attending to Bell at the Astral Mansion in Belit Babili, the berberas were preparing for the evening. Samira continued to rant while Lena tried to calm her down.

"Seriously, is she going to spend all night there? I hope she hasn't forgotten about tonight's client, he's a big fish."

"Don't worry, it's Lady Ishtar, she knows her job." Lena replied.

"Really? Because I'm starting to wonder. Why is she spending so much time with this kid?"

Lena was about to answer, but Samira cut her off.

"If you go on with that beast story, I swear I'll knock you out!"

"She's with him every day, she doesn't get tired of it and he's still sane, if that's not proof?"

"It will be the day he make a mess of me like the beast you think he is! And that's not about to be checked since she forbade us to touch him!"

"Haaaaaaaa! I see... you're actually jealous that she's keeping it to herself." Lena said to her with a mocking face.

"Leeeeeeeeeenaaaaaaaaaa!" Samira began with an angry face.

"You two, that's enough." Aisha, who had just interrupted them, attracted by their shouting, said. "Instead of arguing over nonsense, go and get to work instead."

Samira gritted her teeth, but said nothing and went on her way.

"And you, Lena, stop provoking her like that."

"'Yeah, yeah.'" She replied nonchalantly before striding away, humming.

Now alone, Aisha let out a long sigh. This kid was turning their familia upside down by his very presence. But the amazoness still couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

Speaking of the boy in question, he was currently in the hands of his goddess, who was updating his status. She could have made him simply sit on a stool, that would have been enough to access his back, but Ishtar being herself, she was forcing him to lie down on the bed to sit astride him in a deliberately provocative way.

Ishtar had decided that she would not charm Bell and that she would not take the lead. Instead, she would rather provoke and tease him, until he broke down on his own. With anyone else, she liked to assert her dominance, but with him, she liked him to resist and that only made the teasing more fun.

The goddess manipulated the glyphs of light, she converted the exelia, the fruit of her child's labour, into power, watching the way his soul influenced his development.

But there was something strange. Sure, the minotaur encounter must have been a milestone, but that didn't explain the sudden gain of several dozen stat points. And then, she saw below, Bell had obtained something and his reading worried her as much as it fascinated her.

Liaris Freese...

Because of the way she liked to tease him, Bell had learned to recognise the peculiar way Ishtar's hands normally moved. That's how he knew she was troubled.

"Is there a problem goddess?"

"Well, it's complicated in a way. Basically, you could say that I have one piece of good news, one piece of very good news, maybe two and one very, very, bad piece of news." She told him as she finished her update before copying his status and standing up. "For starters, the good news, you have a skill."

"A skill? That's great!" Bell told her, very excited by this news. Skills were part of the adventurer's toolkit, the abilities that set them apart from others and built their legends. The boy didn't expect to get one so quickly.

" Easy Bell, it's this very skill that's bothering me." She replied, flicking him on the forehead to calm him down.

"Why is that?"

"Look for yourself." She said, showing him the sheet with her updated status.

"Liaris Freese?"

"A growth skill that allows you to progress faster. Look at the evolution of your stats, it doesn't make sense."

"Wow! That many points at once?"

The power surge was such that even Bell could tell the difference from his usual gains.

"This thing makes you progress faster based on your will and desire to get stronger."

"That sounds... convenient."

"Technically it is, but it's also completely insane, from what I can see of your stats going up, you're going to progress really fast at that rate, it's practically cheating at that level."

"And that's a problem I suppose?"

"Absolutely. Bell, this thing will probably allow you to gain in a few weeks, or even months, what other adventurers take months or years to get. It's an unknown skill, very rare. And what is rare attracts envy and jealousy. Almost all adventurers would sell their parents to obtain such an ability. Some might even attack you out of resentment. And I'm not talking about the other gods. Remember one thing Bell, the gods are not good people, they are here to be entertained. And that skill makes you a potential distraction, many of them would try to approach you and be... very pushy."

Bell thought for a moment that she was exaggerating a bit, but seeing the worried look on her face, he knew that wasn't the case. He had been excited at the idea of having a skill, but Ishtar was also explaining the problems associated with. Even as a young and still naive boy, he already knew that some people could be envious and evil.

"I understand, but there is something I don't agree with. You, goddess, are a good person."

Strangely enough, Bell's words warmed her heart, more than she'd expected. And once again, she was unable to explain why.

"It's because you don't really know me Bell." She replied in a sad, bitter voice. "You only see one side of me, you don't know everything I've done."

"Perhaps, but you are the goddess who took me in, gave me a home and her blessing. You are the goddess who takes care of me... and teases me very often. But even that I have learned to love in a way."

"Bell..."

If he was trying to make her cry... he would soon succeed! But fortunately, the boy started the conversation again.

"Goddess, I understand that this skill is very good news and very bad news at the same time. But you said there were two very good news."

"Yes, this skill has another effect. It makes you completely immune to any form of charm or mind control in general, which helps to make it even more insane. And the reason I say it's good news is because this skill ensures that our relationship is real."

"What do you mean?"

"I am a goddess of beauty, you must have heard that I have the power to charm people. And that is part of my nature, not my arcanum, so it is an ability I have access to. If I want to, with a look and a touch, I can make just about anyone my slave."

"R-Really?"

"Yes Bell, you understand, I'm not as nice a goddess as you think. But I didn't charm you, you came into my familia of your own free will. And now, thanks to this skill, you are immune to this ability. That means that whatever you think of me, our relationship comes from your heart and your will, I have no influence on it."

"In that case, despite the risks, I'm glad I have this skill, I too want our relationship to be sincere goddess." he said as he took her hands and offered her a look full of tenderness.

How nice could this boy be? Ishtar was thinking more and more that she didn't deserve him. And a little voice inside her told her that she had to be worthy of the respect and affection he was offering her.

"You really are too pure for this city..."

The goddess's words pleased and embarrassed him a little. He didn't think he was such a good person.

"Well, back to business, we'll have to deal with this skill. Bell, I know you don't like to lie, but for once, we'll have to play it smart. First of all, always refuse to answer questions about your abilities, even if people insist. Always remember that an adventurer's status is only between two people: himself and the god who gave him his blessing, even the other members of the familia don't need to know."

"Understood Goddess."

"If someone asks you questions, don't look away, look them in the eye and tell them that if they want to know something, they should come to me... if they dare. I have been accused of cheating in the past, and I managed to clear the suspicions, but not without forcing the Guild to pay me compensation, and many know that. If you threaten them with my name, many will no longer have the courage to be too curious."

Looking into his goddess' eyes, Bell understood the gravity of the situation and Ishtar's genuine concern. He trusted her and did not want to be a burden to her. So he promised himself that this time he would be careful... really careful.

"Yes goddess, I promise to be really careful with this."

"Thank you Bell."

In the distance, the last of the sun's rays could be seen beginning to disappear and the bustle of the pleasure district was getting louder.

"Well, I'll have to get going."

"Ho! Um..."

Bell obviously wanted to say something, but the words didn't seem to want to leave his throat.

"Something wrong, Bell?"

"You... leaving already?"

It was the first time he'd told her he regretted leaving. But from the look on his face, she knew it wasn't an innuendo calling for something more intimate.

"Is something wrong Bell?"

"Nothing, excuse me. It's completely silly..."

"Bell, none of your worries are silly to me, so tell me everything."

"It's nothing, it's just that the house is a bit... big... sometimes."

Ishtar quickly understood what Bell was trying to tell her. He was getting a little lonely at night. The Astral Mansion was a beautiful house, made to accommodate more people. For just one person, it must have been big and empty. Besides, Bell had had an emotional day and the minotaur episode must have been a bit scary.

"I see... Well, so be it! I've got work tonight, but I'll finish it early and come and spend the night! Would you like that?"

"Really?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Thank you goddess, you really are the best."

And when he smiled at her like that, she felt she could refuse him nothing. So Ishtar quickly left the place to go and do her work.

Did she have an important client this evening? No problem! He wanted the favours of the goddess of courtesans, he was going to get them and discover that no mortal could resist her know-how for more than a few moments if she really put her mind to it.

The man waiting for her tonight was nothing more than a rich merchant. An influential man with a lot of money. And even he had been slow to have an evening in the company of the goddess.

At present, he was in the salon where Ishtar was receiving her clients. While waiting for the goddess to arrive, two other courtesans, among the most beautiful of the familia, were keeping him company and serving him drinks, to help him get into condition.

Ishtar had taken the time to change her outfit, even if it was still in the same style, and had made herself more desirable than ever. When she entered the room, she imposed her imperious and desirable presence.

She was the embodiment of beauty and desire, so much so that her guest was left breathless. He had paid for a goddess? Then a goddess he would have. Even the other two courtesans felt as much crushed as admiring. This was an Ishtar like they had never seen. Powerful, desirable, imperious.

The goddess beckoned them out, the two women stood up, bowed to her and quickly left the room. The man nevertheless managed to regain enough composure to manage to jabber a few words.

"G-g-goddess Ishtar... It is an honour to... I... I have brought you some gifts." He pointed to a table where a few gifts were indeed to be found. Jewels, fine wines, precious fabrics, the basics when meeting such a goddess.

Ishtar went towards him and attacked directly in the heart of the subject by sitting on the lap of her guest.

"Shhhhh my friend." She said, putting a finger to her lips. "You didn't come here to talk tonight."

She whispered these words sensually in his ear and the man felt a powerful shiver run through his body. It was too late to run away, the goddess was unleashed and she would not have any mercy.

Ishtar left the room five minutes later, to the astonished looks of the Berberas in attendance. Behind the goddess, they could see the man in the room, slumped on the sumptuous sofa. Physically he was alive, but his spirit had already gone to a better place.

Two minutes and thirty-eight seconds.

That was how long he had lasted when Ishtar had gotten down to business. As if money didn't buy talent, let alone this kind of talent.

"Well, girls, you put him in one of our best rooms, treat him with all the respect due to distinguished guests and we'll see what state he wakes up in tomorrow morning."

"Er... very well, Lady Ishtar." Aisha only managed to say.

"If there is an emergency, I will be at the Astral Mansion tonight." She said without further ado before leaving to join Bell as she had promised.

Most of the girls present stood around for a while, unsure of how to react. Finally, it was Lena who spoke first.

"She'd rather spend the night with him than deal with a big client? I told you so! How much more proof do you need?"

And by dint of saying the same thing over and over, more and more girls believed her. Only Samira still rejected this theory, even Aisha had her doubts.

"I'd rather she'd let him go a bit." Said Phryne, who had just arrived.

"I totally agree with you." Samira replied. "He's making her softer and softer and it has to stop."

"Huh? I don't care if she gets soft. I'm just waiting for her to finally get tired of her rabbit. When she does, we can finally have some fun with him. And I intend to take my time." She concluded her words with a sadistic and evil laugh, which only drew scornful looks from her.

Phryne Jamil was universally hated within her familia. Even those who had been kind enough not to judge her on her looks at first had quickly changed their minds. She was as horrible both inside and outside. The only respect she had was due to her strength.

Bell was quite surprised to see Ishtar come back so quickly, he had barely had time to cook and clean up. Another disadvantage of living alone was that he had to do all the chores.

"Goddess? Are you here yet?"

"Yes, I was able to... quickly finish what I had to do."

Bell couldn't deny that deep down he was glad she was here. He felt a little guilty for monopolizing her like this when given the size of the familia, she must have had a lot of work to do, but just for one night, it wasn't so bad for once. At least, that was what he was trying to convince himself.

Ishtar then leaned towards him, the sudden closeness making him blush as usual as the goddess seemed to sniff at him slightly.

"Did you wash up today Bell?"

"Yes, I took a shower at the Guild, I was covered in minotaur blood after all."

"It obviously wasn't enough, the smell of monster blood can be quite persistent."

The young man lifted his arms to sniff himself in turn and found that there were indeed some smells of old beef attached to his skin.

"It's a good thing in that case that I had the scented soap put in the Astral Mansion's bathroom. I think a good bath will do you good tonight."

"I think so." Bell replied, equally amused and embarrassed. And he didn't hesitate to go.

The bathroom at the Astral Mansion was quite luxurious, showers and a large bath, enough for several people to use at the same time. This allowed him to see every time how fascinating the technology born around the magic stones was. Thanks to it, the comfort of life had increased significantly. It made it possible to light and heat without fire, which improved safety, and to have hot running water. In his small village, this technology was not very present, because it was still expensive. Since his childhood, he had got into the habit of heating, lighting and cooking with fire, which meant having to fetch wood. And when he wanted to wash, it was with a tub of water, or at the nearest stream when the weather was good. Otherwise, you had to bother with heating the water manually.

So this large bathroom was an extraordinary luxury that he enjoyed to the full. Bell hummed softly, not realising the trap he had just fallen into. At least until he heard the door. And when he turned around, he leapt to the ceiling.

"Goddess! What the hell are you doing here?"

"What question? I've come to wash myself of course." She answered him as if everything was normal.

And of course, she was naked, or almost. She had made the effort to tie a towel around her hips. A very short towel that really only hid the essentials. And needless to say, there was nothing to hide the top.

"That way, I'll take the opportunity to wash your back." She said with a mischievous air.

"That's nice, but you don't have to." He answered her with big hand gestures.

"Your goddess' order."

"You're cheating!" Bell told her with all his indignation.

"I know~~~" she made in a singsong, amused voice.

Even though Bell had not yet given in to the temptation of her body, she sometimes suspected that she did not leave so indifferent. And no matter how much the boy played the offended, his body betrayed him in spite of himself. Ishtar's gaze drifted a little lower and the boy had tried to hide with his towel, but she had had the opportunity to see everything. This gave her a smug face as she decided to tease him a little.

"Hoooooooo? I see you're hiding your cards well Mr. Cranel. You wouldn't suspect that with such a lovely face."

Bell could only blush from head to toe, turn around, crouch and pout.

And he could not escape his goddess who was right behind him, rubbing his back in the shower. Ishtar's gestures were both gentle and sensual. She noticed that Bell's skin was soft, it was not the back of a warrior, not yet at least. But he was young and would grow up and put on muscle. She was sure that once he was in his twenties he would become absolutely handsome, enough to rival some of the gods.

"Are you okay Bell?" she asked in an amused voice. But the boy refused to answer her, deciding to sulk some more. Even though deep down he appreciated her presence. Ishtar was breaking the loneliness he had felt since his grandfather's death. Sure, she did it in her own way, but he never felt any malice.

"G-Goddess?" he asked, surprised to feel her hands in his hair.

"Shhh... Let me."

Ishtar had taken soap and was now cleaning his hair. The gestures were tender, expert, the way she was massaging his head was pleasant. So pleasant that Bell relaxed, so much so that he felt like he was turning into a marshmallow. All right, he was willing to forgive her the latest teasing.

Once she was done, she turned around and untangled her hair to present her back to Bell.

"Will you rub my back in turn?"

Bell was about to answer, but stopped himself and let out a long sigh, he already knew she wouldn't let go. A little embarrassed, he put his hands on her skin and got to work. Gently, delicately. Bell hadn't really touched any women in his life, so he couldn't say whether a goddess's skin was special, but Ishtar's was soft and pleasant to the touch. As for the goddess, she let out a small chuckle of satisfaction.

"Your hands are soft Bell."

"Uh... Thanks."

"These are the hands of a lover... it's very nice."

"Goddess, please..."

"I'm serious Bell, you're really good. You're sweet, tender, those are appreciable qualities. Take it from an expert, I guarantee you have more than enough potential to make any woman very happy."

"You exaggerate goddess."

"On this subject, never."

Embarrassed, Bell didn't know what to say, and they remained in silence as the young man's hands continued their work on the goddess' back.

Of course, when he was finally able to relax in the big bathtub, he knew that she would not leave him alone. But he had not imagined that she would get behind him. Sitting between the legs of his goddess, his back against her chest, he felt himself blushing again and he knew it wasn't from the heat of the bath.

"G-Goddess... do you really have to... stick me so much?"

Was it all gods who acted like this, or just her? He really had the feeling that she was having fun turning his mind all upside down. But since it pleased her, he didn't dare to upset her.

"Think of it as training for your future harem."

"But I have no intention of building a harem!"

"Really? I thought it was 'the man's ultimate romance'?"

"That was grandpa's delusion!"

"Really? You're trying to make me believe that it doesn't appeal you? Even a little bit?" she whispered softly in his ear, making him shudder.

"Okay, it's a little tempting... But no! A harem is no good. It would be disrespectful to the women in it."

"I see what you mean, but maybe you're missing the big picture. To put it simply, I think there are two types of harem, the good one and the bad one."

"What do you mean?"

"The bad harem is one in which a person has gathered partners who please him, without regard for others, relying solely on his selfish desires."

"I agree. In that case, what can the good harem be?"

"The one that is born only out of love for the person who brings it together. For a person who is able to love all his partners, to want their happiness and who does everything to ensure that there is good harmony and love between everyone."

"Is it really possible to do that?"

"It's a difficult path, many people are inclined to keep the people they love for themself, but knowing how to overcome this urge is also a test on the way to happiness."

"It sounds too good to be true..."

"Maybe it is. But ask yourself one thing, why would your grandfather tell you something like that? Would he have been the kind of man who would have urged you to be selfish at the cost of others' happiness?"

"No, I don't think so. But considering how much nonsense he talked when it came to women, I'm not sure about him."

"Maybe it was his way of encouraging you to find your happiness."

"Maybe..."

"Do you miss him?"

"Every day."

Yes, he missed his grandfather, his death too sudden, too unexpected, forcing Bell to grow up all at once and have to fend for himself. He was doing his best, but a part of him had not yet finished mourning. Ishtar felt his pain and hugged him by the shoulders. A gesture that surprised her, she was not the type to show this kind of empathy usually. As usual, Bell continued to awaken feelings in her that she didn't know she was capable of feeling.

"Goddess. Just to be sure, this whole conversation isn't just an excuse to justify taking a bath with me?"

To which the goddess only replied with a mysterious and amused little laugh...

After his grandfather's death, he had found his old house very empty and it was not pleasant. After arriving in the city, he hadn't had time to worry about that at first, too busy finding a familia before ending up on the streets. After joining Ishtar's familia, the excitement and his new life had helped him to forget, but once the routine had set in, he felt lonely again. Despite the teasing, he was glad she was spending the night in the house with him. Just having a presence made him feel better. However, there were now three questions that nagged at him.

Firstly, why was she sleeping in the same room as him?

Secondly, why was she sleeping in the same bed as him?

Thirdly, why was she sleeping naked?

The third was the easiest to answer. Ishtar slept naked all the time. And even the rest of the time, she could be considered half-naked, given the VERY skimpy outfits that made up the majority of her wardrobe.

On the other hand, nothing had forced her to sleep directly with him. At least the bed was big enough for two. Like all those in the Astral Mansion. After all, Ishtar being her usual self, she would never put a single bed in a room.

Bell slept on his side, with his back to his goddess. He knew that if he turned around, seeing her so close would keep him awake. His ability to resist her always impressed Ishtar, especially at an age when his hormones must be boiling. The goddess, for her part, did not hesitate to stick to him, hugging him like he was some sort of human body pillow.

But she didn't try anything more. Bell's presence was enough for her. In the silence of the night, the goddess let her thoughts wander. Slowly she began to understand why Bell's presence was good for her.

The young man was not only awakening things in her, he was silencing others. Ishtar had always had an uneasy feeling in her heart, something that bothered her, but which she did not understand. This feeling had always frustrated her horribly, so she had tried to silence it. Whether it was by indulging in more and more pleasure, by subduing the most resistant, or by engaging in an eternal war against Freya.

But thanks to Bell, for the first time, she finally understood that she was the sensation that had haunted her since the dawn of time. It was something very simple.

Loneliness.

As a goddess of beauty, Ishtar charmed all those around her. She was a goddess of beauty, of love, of pleasure. No one ever came to her innocently. There was always that little uneasiness deep inside her, the one that made her wonder how much her charm influenced the behaviour of others towards her.

Who was really interested in Ishtar? The person herself. Who was really interested in her dreams, her doubts, her needs? Unless it was simply a way of gaining her favour.

On second thought, no one... And Bell had appeared in her life. The innocence incarnate, the purest of souls, the one over whom her charm had no influence, the only one who was true to her. He respected her status as a goddess, but as he would any other deity.

Bell was breaking her loneliness, and little by little he was gaining a place in the goddess' heart.

That is why she slept against him with more pleasure than she had expected. That night Ishtar fell asleep easily and slept peacefully for the first time in ages. And for the first time in weeks, the dreams left her alone.

As for Bell, he didn't sleep very well. The presence of his goddess, glued to him, naked, did not help him to remain calm. It was a hard night... in many ways.

When morning finally came, he had slept very little and his goddess was still clinging to him. Not knowing what to do and not daring to move, he decided to pretend to sleep until Ishtar got up and left the bed.

But the goddess was already awake and was waiting to see how he would react. And unfortunately for him, she knew how to recognize this kind of act, she knew very well that he was not sleeping anymore.

So she decided to tease him a little. Gently, she brought her face close to his head before nibbling delicately on his earlobe.

Obviously, the effect was immediate, Bell let out a loud cry of surprise before taking a huge leap and wallowing down the bed in an unglamorous position.

"GODDESS!" he snapped with all his indignation, as the main person concerned looked at him, head resting on her hand, with a mutinous little look on her face.

"I'll make no apology." She said, sticking her tongue out at him teasingly.

Despite his protests, he didn't really hate Ishtar's teasing. To Bell, they were like tokens of affection, a proof that she was interested in him. Without them realising it, they were breaking each other's loneliness.

But after that strange night, it was time to get back to business. Ishtar had a lot of work to do and a whole district to manage. As for Bell, it was time for him to return to the Dungeon, with the new objective of becoming ever stronger. Enough to stand by this beautiful warrior who fascinated him.

However, on the way to Babel, his eyes were drawn to some objects in a shop window. He looked at it for a long time, then went on his way with a determined step. Today, in addition to improving himself, he would take the opportunity to earn a little more money.

And the reason for this sudden desire to improve his finances, Ishtar discovered it that evening, when she came to visit him for the day's report and update his status. But first, she confirmed her suspicions when she saw the sharp rise in her little rabbit's status. Her interpretation of Bell's skill was correct and it fascinated her as much as it worried her. She would have to think of a plan to cover this before it became a problem.

When she showed Bell her status sheet, he came to the same conclusion.

"As you told me..."

"Yes, and that's why we'll have to be very careful."

Bell nodded before hurrying to burn the sheet. While Ishtar pondered, Bell took the opportunity to walk up to her, hiding something behind her back.

"Goddess."

"Yes Bell?"

"I wanted... well... I have something for you... to thank you for taking care of me."

At these words, he pulled a box from behind his back and handed it to her, looking very embarrassed.

"For me? You didn't have to Bell."

But her smile said that she was delighted that he had made this gesture towards her. The goddess took the box and opened it. Inside was a beautiful hairpin. It was made of lacquered wood, beautifully decorated with simple but elegant designs.

Ishtar had received tons of jewellery in her life, gold, silver, decorated with precious stones. Compared to this, Bell's gift was a pale shadow. Yet to her, this hairpin seemed to be more valuable than anything else she had ever received.

All the gifts she had received in her life were only there to curry favour. But this one from Bell, she knew, was given out of pure kindness, simply to please and thank her.

She had told him to keep his money for himself, to relax. And he had chosen to use it to give her a present. Was he trying to make her cry? Because it was only a matter of time!

This was perhaps the first time Ishtar had received a real present.

"Do you like it?" he asked a little embarrassed.

"It's perfect Bell. Will you put it on me?"

"Of course."

With delicate gestures, Bell took the object and placed it in the beautiful hair of his goddess. Without a word, the latter placed one hand on the young human's cheek and placed a kiss on the other. And of course, this made him blush again. But the embarrassment was still overridden by the joy he felt at the idea that she liked his gift.

"Bell, would you like to spend some time with me tomorrow? Unless you absolutely insist on going to the Dungeon."

"No, I don't have a problem with that."

He wanted to progress, to get stronger. But he also liked spending time with her. And as she had told him, it was important that he take days off.

This day of rest therefore involved accompanying Ishtar as she toured the various brothels in the district. She could be satisfied with receiving the activity reports directly at home, but she liked to go out into the field from time to time, to see for herself and hear directly from their mouths what the managers of each establishment had to say.

This would also give her the opportunity to introduce Bell more formally to several establishments and their staff. Even if the Delebat's activities were separate from the rest of the familia, it was still a branch of the Ishtar familia and therefore should not be too isolated from the rest of the district either.

The berberas were perhaps Ishtar's most visible courtesans, but they were far from the only ones. She had a lot of people working for her, and most of them were curious to discover this mysterious boy for whom she had been doing so much for some time. It was unanimously agreed that everyone loved Bell. It had to be said that the boy did nothing to make people hate him.

But Ishtar also had another idea in mind, that of doing a fun little experiment. Even if she didn't charm Bell directly, she kept teasing him to test his resistance and see when he would crack. For the moment, he was resisting admirably. She knew she was having an effect on him, but he was not giving in.

So the goddess naturally asked herself the question. What if the young man was repressing some preferences deep inside him? The next establishment would give her the answer.

When Bell saw the name of the establishment, he felt in his heart that there was something strange.

The Pillar Men.

Inside, only tall, muscular, oiled men in loincloths. Bell immediately blushed, as a muscular tenant of the place walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hi, boy. How would you like to come for a ride in the wonderful world of manhood between men?"

"No! No thanks! I'm fine!"

And like a terrified chick hiding in his mother's feathers, he went to press himself against Ishtar, as if she were becoming his only lifeline in this place.

Well, at least the boy wasn't a closeted gay. Ishtar had her answer. As soon as they exited the establishment, Bell was quick to make his displeasure known.

"'Promise me you won't take me here again!"

"I promise."

And from the look of his sad face, she promised herself she wouldn't play any more jokes on him like that.

"What was that place?"

"To put it simply, let's say there's something for everyone."

But Bell decided he didn't want to continue this conversation, he felt he didn't need all the details of how the entertainment district worked. The day came to an end and as the place began to come alive for the night, Bell returned to the Astral Mansion to prepare for the next day.

And so it went on, this sweet little life between the goddess and the boy.

But fate had no intention of leaving them alone.

The next morning, after having equipped himself, Bell left the Astral Abode early, determined to spend another productive day in the Keep. However, his route took him down some small streets. And as he walked quietly, a soft voice was heard behind him.

"Excuse me, you dropped this."

The person who had spoken to him was a beautiful young woman, with pretty light grey hair and eyes. She was wearing a green waitress uniform and had a magic stone in her hand.

And so Bell had just drawn the attention of another beauty goddess to himself.

Soon he would be caught up in the turmoil between them.

One would be a goddess who found benevolence in herself, though she believed to be selfish.

The other would use a false benevolence to justify her own selfish desires.

And from the purity of the young man would come the redemption of them both...

Author's notes :

And here's another chapter.

As you have seen, I have chosen a different path for the Liaris Freese. As I reread the novel, I became more and more convinced that Hestia's reasons for hiding it from Bell were purely selfish and reflected her own lack of trust and possessiveness. I was actually disappointed that the rest of the familia agreed when she explained it to them.

Sure, Bell is young, a bit naive, but he's not a complete moron either, I think he's quite capable of understanding the risks if someone explains it to him. And I hope that the day he learns about it in the novel, Omori won't pass it off as a too nice and forgiving Bell.

And otherwise, remember that in life, there are only two things: what is a Jojo reference and what is not.