Chapter 1
The road to Orario was a well-worn one. Ruts had formed from decades of wagons rolling along its dirt paths, wildflowers flourished along the side, and it was such a busy road that it was known as the safest in the world. The day after an aspiring bard found his way inside the center of the world, two covered wagons were making their way home. At least, they were trying to.
"And here, Lily thought that Master Welf was skilled enough to fix a broken axle!"
The stern voice that said this belonged to a decidedly unintimidating prum. She had traded in her old ratty clothes a long time ago. Now, she wore form-fitting burgundy pants, a white blouse with the sleeves rolled up, and black suede boots. The only clothing she had kept from the previous year was her supporter gloves. Even her hood had been replaced with a much sturdier and weather-proof upgrade; for all that, Liliruca Arde still had puffy cheeks, unruly hair, and a mischievous face.
"You wanna come underneath and give a try then? If not, then stuff it Lil' Bit, or else I'll get you to Orario the hard way!"
The man that spoke shimmied out from underneath, and by the gods, what a man he was! The previous year had been good to Welf Crozzo. Long hours perfecting his craft had sculpted his body to resemble a marble statue. A black vest replaced his standard overshirt; this clothing highlighted his bulging biceps. However, the real difference was in his hair. Right now, it was tied up in a bun atop his head. If untied, his hair would fall to the small of his back. His face was also sporting a short beard and mustache combo. If a certain goddess of the forge were here, she would faint!
"Lady Lilly, Sir Welf! Please do not fight! We are so close to home!"
Mikoto was playing the peacemaker, of course. Her year away had changed her demeanour; though she was still rigid and formal, there was a shift in the way she held herself. Her whole body was poised, and she bore nervous energy. She was ready to fight. Her hair had grown, and in response, she had braided it down her back while still retaining her signature loops. She also sported a pair of pants now, but hers were obviously made with combat in mind, thick and reinforced. The more perceptive adventurer would notice the knives that hung next to her sword, as well as the light armour plating she wore across her chest.
As Mikoto tried to calm her companions down, one of her oldest and dearest friends came to her aid. She was dressed in the white robes of a priest, with her gorgeous blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Her movements were assured and confident, even if her tone didn't match.
"Please, there must be a better way to settle this surely! Do we really have to fight when we have almost finished our journey!"
Haruhime almost hit her familia with the staff she carried across her back. Her white ensemble was now collecting dust from the road.
"That's enough."
One statement from their vice-captain was all it took to stop this disgraceful performance. Ryuu Leon was undoubtedly a sight to be reckoned with. Her stern demeanour was enhanced by the elven robes and armour she wore, all tinted a familiar forest green. She wore a pair of gauntlets with embossed leaf designs. Her thigh-high boots remained, but they had been reinforced with boiled leather. She wore a white tunic with a deep green chest plate over the top. Her new wooden sword hung at her hip. To anyone who had known her only in passing, it would look like nothing had changed. However, those who knew her would notice that her shoulders were not as hackled, and though she tried hard to hide it, a small smile graced her features.
The others were quick to apologize. Welf returned to his job repairing the axle, while Ryuu and Mikoto decided to lift the cart to give him some more space. The broken axle was inconvenient for many reasons, but there was one opportunity it created. The delay gave the Goddess and Captain of the Familia time to brief their newest members.
"Hey, hey! Sorry to ask again, but who are our allies?"
Seated in the back of the second wagon were Bell Cranel, Goddess Hestia, two humans from the Far East, and a half-elf. It was the girl from the Far East who spoke. Her hair was as black as ink, her skin as pale as porcelain. However, the most beautiful thing about her was her eyes. They were a sharp gold colour that contrasted with the rest of her features. Indeed, she was a beauty to rival the sword princess. She wore a carefree smile, a white lily in her hair, and homespun purple clothes. Her armour had been packed away due to the heat.
"Milady, surely you have been paying attention?"
"Ha! That one paying attention? Fat chance!"
The two seated to either side of the exquisite beauty soon devolved into bickering. One was a boy from the Far East, Garbed in the clothing of a shinobi. His limbs were covered, but his hood was down, showing his shoulder-length black hair. His face screamed stern.
The other had the dull pointed ears of a half-elf poking out the sides of his snug hat, which hid his hair. His eyes were a piercing green, the colour of spring grass in growth. He wore glasses and robes indicative of a mage. The staff at his side complemented this. He was deceptively relaxed.
"Ura, Elwin! That's enough, you two! As your Goddess, I declare that there shall be no more bickering!" Declared the little Goddess Hestia.
Both Urashima Taro and Elwin Ruffrot rolled their eyes, but it was done with fondness. They had only been part of this Familia for half a year, but they had grown accustomed to the antics of their Goddess quick enough.
Said Goddess was wearing a simple white sundress with an aqua blue shawl. Her favourite ribbons that would never be replaced still kept her hair tied and the ribbon around her chest was still connected. She had lost her shoes at some point, but she didn't mind. It just meant that she could feel the ground better! Besides, all the walking she did caused calluses to form, matching the ones on her hands from her work. The pain had receded a long time ago. Yes, Hestia had well and truly come into her own as a Goddess. She was as bright and bubbly as ever, but she seemed more comfortable as well. Everything about her seemed to shine.
"Bell, you answer Otohime's question while I have a chat with these two!"
With that, Hestia dragged her quarrelling familia members outside. This left Otohime with the boy named Bell Cranel. He still had a boyish grin, an endearing face, and a head that begged to be patted, but his eyes held a deep betrayal. That said, he had grown in a year. His clothes, which were once rags, had been replaced with a tight, black, collared shirt, pants you could walk forever in, and brown boots to match the pants. The Hestia Knife, which would never be replaced, hung at his back, but that was the only weapon he carried.
He had rolled his sleeves up to help out, but he was now stuck explaining to Otohime how the relationships between Familias in Orario worked. She required repeat answers and long, simple explanations. Was this how he was with Eina? He would have to apologize. The thought made him smile; he had missed the advisor who had become like an older sister. He was stunned out of his reverie by a hand covering his.
"You are excited, yes?" asked Otohime, her expression gentle.
Bell nodded, "Excited, but also nervous. I can't even begin to guess how we'll be received. We've been gone so long."
Otohime drew her hand away, sitting back on her knees, "That is understandable. However, from the stories you all have told, I'm sure there will at least be some who will welcome you back."
Otohime blushed as she started playing with her hair, "If anything, I feel I as if I should be nervous."
Bell tilted his head, asking the silent question.
Otohime continued to play with her hair, tying small braids as she spoke, "Your friends are great heroes and adventurers, no? In response, what am I but a disgraced lady from a tyrannical empire?"
Over the last year, Bell felt as if he had grown as a captain. There was much he was prepared for, but how should he respond in the face of such a confession? He stammered out answers for a while before Otohime let out a laugh that was as rich as honey.
"I'm sorry! That is not a question that needs to be dealt with today. No need to fret over things out of my control, right? The die has been cast, and all that's left is to watch them fall and drink when we know the results!"
With a wink as dangerous as any monster, she hopped outside to stretch her limbs before turning back to Bell, "Besides, one must make hay while the sun still shines!" She left to watch Hestia scold Urashima and Elwin.
It was soon afterwards that Welf fixed the first wagon. He sat with Lily in the front, filling the air with the familiar sound of their bickering. Haruhime napped in the back, leaning her head on Mikoto's shoulder, while Mikoto stroked her hair absentmindedly. Urashima sat with Hestia at the front of the second wagon. Otohime kept popping her head out to interject into their conversation before returning to calm a panicked Elwin with Ryuu.
Bell sat at the back, dangling his legs. Apparently, it was a day for memories because the sky reminded him of the first day when he originally came to Orario. It was a pleasant ride until they reached the gates. The sudden stop jolted him from his memories and the cart. He fell face first and ate dirt. He might be a level five, but he was also still a clumsy teenage boy. As he picked himself out of the earth, he heard Lily arguing with the Ganesha guards at the gate.
"Lily is telling you! We are the Hestia Familia returning from our excused trip! What more proof do you want! Would you like Lily to strip down and show her falna!" Lily was definitely worked up now.
"Ha! I'd have to pay you first, wouldn't I?" replied the guard.
Lily was quickly restrained before she could jump at him.
"Hey there, little Miss Supporter, leave it to the Goddess, why don't ya?" said Hestia, strolling on up to the gate. She placed her feet shoulder-width apart, cocked her hands to her hips and said, "I am the Goddess Hestia, and I command that you open this gate, for we have returned home!"
There was a silence of three beats before the guards broke down laughing. One paused to point his finger at the goddess, "What kind of shrimp would be the goddess of any Familia?"
Now Ryuu stepped forward, "Let us in, or we break in."
She brandished her new wooden sword while Urashima and Mikoto took up positions to either side of her.
That got the guard's attention as the violent aura of these three rolled off in waves. They did, in fact, just insult their Goddess, Hestia. That being said, there was one member whose wrath was even more incredible.
"What did you say about my Goddess?" asked Bell.
Bell was not easily angered, but insulting his Familia, especially the Goddess that took him in, was a quick way to do it. Knife in hand, the guards, nearly tripped over themselves, backing away. Then one of them pointed at Bell's hair, his jaw-dropping.
"White hair and rubellite eyes! He's the Rabbit Foot!" stammered out the guard. He then swung his gaze to the rest of the party, "Which means that they're really Hestia Familia!"
It took ten seconds for the gates to open and for wagons to be waved through. They weren't even inspected as an apology. As they trundled down one of the main boulevards of Orario, the whispers started to pick up.
People began to notice the wagons, and then they saw the people driving them. People remembered the itty-bitty goddess with the massive chest, and they remembered that a prum girl and a Crozzo were among her followers. Then they saw the back of the carriage, and shit got crazy.
"It's Rabbit Foot!"
The people of Orario flocked to their one-time hero. Bell was ducking his head at the attention, shuffling back to hide in the wagon. Eventually, they turned down enough streets to find a mansion in sight. The Hearthfire Manor stood where they had left it, beckoning them home. Haruhime and Mikoto scrambled to the front of the wagon, their hearts keening at the sight of their home after a long year away. They came to the gates, parked their wagons, and unloaded their luggage to the front lawn. They had gathered quite the crowd around them, but they ignored that. All of them, except their new mage, who spent a lot of time looking over his shoulder, searched the crowd.
"That's enough, you lot. Get moving, hup hup, let's go!"
The Little Goddess wasn't much good for lifting heavy boxes, so instead, she worked on crowd control. Eventually, people began leaving, the threat of the Goddess's wrath enough to move them. It helped that she had the proper demeanour of a Goddess now, and that one look was all it took to make the people move. After finally parking the wagons on the grass and stacking the boxes outside, the returning heroes took a second to sit on the grass. They only had a second, though, then their smith was tackled.
"Welfy, you little shit! How's my beloved junior doing! Did you finally, get a bit better?"
Tsubaki had trapped Welf in a headlock and was giving his head a hard ruffle. While she was pestering him with questions, she waved to the rest of the familia.
"Oi, let go, you damned cyclops!"
"What's this! Look at how long your hair is! And you grew a beard and muscles! Oh, what a manly little boy, you must think you are! Just wait till the Goddess gets a look at you!"
Tsubaki pointed at the gate, and Hephaistos was strolling up the path. Hestia had popped to her feet to attack her best friend with a hug. Three sets of tears ran down both Goddesses' faces at their reunion. Although a year was but a moment for the Goddesses, it is still challenging to spend without your closest friend. Eventually, they broke apart, and Hephaistos went to greet the rest of the Familia. Then she froze at the sight of her favourite smith. Welf devolved into a stammering mess, and Tsubaki was left hooting and hollering, rolling on the grass.
"Well, I see the rumours are true," spoke the calm voice of Miach. In all the confusion, his Familia and Takemikazuchi's had snuck up on them. Mikoto and Haruhime were on their feet in an instant, tackling Chigusa and the rest. No time to focus there, though, because soon enough, Ryuu was running in the opposite direction, pursued by a couple of stupid cats and a slightly less foolish human.
"Come here, nyan! Hug us, you damned prude elf!"
The Hostess of Fertility's waitresses had left work early and were now sprinting around the yard trying to catch their sister in a hug.
"Get away from me!"
Said sister was not having it, though. Eventually, the waitresses were able to split up and use numbers to their advantage. They cornered the elf and dogpiled on her, wrapping her in a tight hug. They were all laughing and crying, even the elf. It almost helped them forget that one was missing. Back with the slightly more ordinary people, a daughter was reuniting with her father, who refused to let her go.
"Lord Takemikazuchi, please!" Mikoto was a red mess as she tried to escape the grip of her former God. The struggle was that she could not hurt him either. The rest of the gathered Familias laughed at the sight while they greeted each other. Nahza patted Bell's head, commenting on his growth, Daphne and Lily were chatting and trading jabs with Cassandra hovering nearby. Ouka and Welf were engaged in manly conversation, and Haruhime was practically dancing with Chigusa. The Gods and Goddesses stood a little bit apart, catching up. Then the amazon made her usual loud appearance.
"Bell Cranel!"
Aisha Belka sauntered her way onto the grass, grabbed Bell, and pulled him into her chest.
"You've grown little rabbit! Look at you all big and strong; I could just eat you up."
Aisha made eye contact, and Bell felt a shiver down his spine as she licked her lips. Before this moment could get any lewder, a voice squeaked out.
"Miss Aisha!"
Aisha dropped Bell and whirled to find her little sister blushing and trembling. Her grin changed from predatory to affectionate as she walked up to the renard girl and touched foreheads with her.
"Ah, you've grown to you dumb little fox."
The moment was too much for the sensitive Haruhime, who broke down, bawling her eyes out.
Suffice to say, everyone cried at some point or another, even if Welf and Ouka would deny it. Eventually, the party was moved inside, and the other Familias helped move the Hestia Familia's boxes inside. Then Mikoto, Chigusa, and Haruhime turned to the kitchens to prepare dinner. The tables were set, alcohol was poured, and merriment was had.
"Huh? Mr. Dixen's in the city?" said Lily.
Nahza had been in the middle of recounting the events of last night. Lily facepalmed when she heard that the dumb performer was staying in the city. That meant he had kept his promise and that they owed the same commitment to him. Damn it all to the Goddess.
"So, what kind of adventures did you all get up to, nyan?" asked Chloe.
"And who are these kittens?" asked Anya.
Elwin, Urashima, and Otohime had mostly stuck to themselves and the rest of their Familia. Now that they were suddenly put on the spot, they didn't know what to say. Or Elwin and Urashima didn't know what to say…
"Hello, my name is Otohime Nakamura; it's a pleasure to meet you!"
Otohime's smile was almost too bright. It was easy to see how nervous she was, but everyone smiled in response. Then, Take's mouth opened, his head tilted, and his eyes bugged out.
"Nakamura? As in, the Nakamura Imperial Family of the east? The familia of Lady Amaterasu? That Nakamura?" he asked in astonishment.
Otohime's smiled faltered for a second, then resumed in a more brittle form. Then she said, "Yes, that Nakamura. I am the former 3rd Princess of Nakamura, but not to worry! I am now just an adventurer looking to live an adventurer's life! Please give me a chance!" Otohime bowed to the gathered familia members.
"Oh, she is just too adorable," said Daphne in response. The others gave similar answers, welcoming the eastern princess. Otohime was overjoyed to see the reactions from the friends of her Familia.
Urashima stepped up next. He said, "My name is Urashima Taro; it is an honour to meet you all. I served as Lady Otohime's bodyguard since she was a child, and I will continue to do so." Then he looked to Hestia and Bell, "that being said, I hope to become valuable to my new companions." Urashima bowed to the others.
Nahza hummed. From what she had seen that evening, she understood what was going on, but that wasn't her business. The more socially inclined had noticed something as well, while others, namely Miach and Takemikizuchi, were as clueless as ever…typical men.
Finally, Elwin stepped up. He had relaxed throughout the party and was now ready to start meeting people…as long they weren't her.
"My name is Elwin Ruffrot; obviously, I'm a half-elf and a mage. Um, it's a pleasure to meet you all. Thanks for giving me a chance, and I hope to work with you all soon," he said, nodding his head deferentially.
The rest snorted at his introduction; oh yes, he was quite the mage. He already had the attitude of an adventurer, that's for sure.
"What's your magic?" asked Cassandra.
Elwin shook his head, "Sorry, but that's private. I will say that it's versatile, and with it, I'll do everything I can to help out!"
Hestia nodded before adding, "I know his magic, and let me tell you; it's crazy cool!"
"Sir Elwin will most definitely be useful!" Mikoto added.
The rest of the Hestia Familia gave sounds of affirmation.
"Ok, so the new members are cool, but what about your stories?" asked Lunoire.
Hestia sighed, "I don't even know where to begin. Though I can say that we found Astrea, and Ryuu was able to officially join the Familia!"
There were several whoops from everyone, and Ryuu started to blush.
"Which also means that we have two level fives in our Familia!"
An even larger number of whoops rang out in celebration. Aisha turned to the rest of the familia, including the new members.
"What about you lot? Level ups, for any of you? Were any of you newbies members of another familia before?"
Elwin nodded, "I was a member of Hecate Familia. Lady Hecate let me join Hestia…for reasons. I'm a level three."
"As am I. As a member of the household that guarded the Nakamura's, I was a direct member of Lady Amaterasu's Familia before I left," Added Urashima.
"It goes without saying, but I was also a member of Lady Amaterasu's Familia, then I abdicated the throne to prevent civil war and joined Hestia Familia with Urashima. I am a level four," finished Otohime.
"I think we're gonna have to put aside the fact that you…abdicated the throne…and prevented a civil war; I think you gathered some strong members, boy. The real question is, did any of you level up?" Aisha repeated her question.
Almost all of Hestia Familia shook their heads in the negative. The only one who didn't was Haruhime, who blushed at the attention. She was quick to explain, "I gained my level up before we left. It was only during the year that we finally decided to grant it to me."
Aisha shook her head in disappointment, "Honestly, you lot need to get it together. Wasn't the whole idea of this trip of yours to get stronger? What are you going to do about that witch?"
"Hey! You try and gain falna out there! Monsters aren't worth shit!" exclaimed Welf, "Besides, we got stronger in other ways!"
Aisha tsked at the smith before replying, "What about fighting other people? Weren't there other adventurers out there? That's how those amazon twins got so strong."
"We are not killers."
Mikoto's words were final.
Lily spoke next, "Besides, Lily thought of a plan to keep Freya off our backs. For now, we will be relying on Goddess Hestia's relationship with Goddess Hephaistos and the fact that the Guild will be watching her to buy us some time, but Lily has a plan that she has spent the past year on!"
Bell stood before Aisha could continue arguing, "I trust Lily. We will do everything we can to protect this familia, and we will not run away again. I give my word."
Hestia giggled, "Look at you, acting all serious and official, Bell. I believe in my familia Miss Aisha. You know why? Because my familia is filled with heroes."
Standing together, the rest of the room was reminded that their friends were not the same people running scared from a year ago. No one was hesitant. Their convictions were firm; even the newest members stood together, ready for a fight they didn't ask for.
Take nodded and said, "I'm happy that you're all so ready. That said, there are opportunities for growth. Last year, right after you left, Ouranos and the Guild began a yearly tournament for adventurers. The prize for first place is an orb that provides a guaranteed level up. It's scheduled for the end of the year."
"HUHHH!?"
You leave for one year, and things go crazy.
Takemikazuchi nodded before continuing, "There's tournaments for adventurers from levels two to four. They have a doubles and a singles section. Each familia gets to send one member to each tournament. Rumour is that Fels makes the orbs with monster stones gathered by the Xenos."
"Why would the Xenos help us?" asked Welf, "Last I checked, adventurers still wanted them all dead. Especially after what Freya did to them…"
"Those creatures understand; they have to keep working. They have to be the bigger man, so to speak," replied Aisha, "I've been in contact with them as part of Hermes Familia. They say they need to get stronger and find a way to help you lot."
Bell stood in awe of his friends stuck below the earth. Even when Bell and his familia had caused them so much pain. Even when adventurers came and slaughtered them, they still wanted to come up top. They still wanted to be their friends.
Regarding the tournament, though, there were excited whispers from Hestia Familia. Theoretically, they could secure six orbs. Unfortunately, those dreams were quickly dashed by Hestia.
"Elwin, Otohime, I don't want you two competing. I don't want to reveal you two just yet. Same goes for you, Haruhime," she said, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
Haruhime dipped her head, "One as weak as I could not win anyway, Lady Hestia."
Lily pulled on Haruhime's tail, "Oi! No more talk like that! A tournament is just the wrong venue for your abilities!" Lily began pacing the room, whispering under her breath. She lost contact with the rest of the room.
"I think that means that the party's over. It's time for us to let them sleep," said Miach.
Everyone bid their goodbyes, the last to leave being Hephaistos.
"Just to let you know, everything you left behind is still here. We made sure to keep the place guarded while you were gone. Also, Hestia-"
"I'll be at work tomorrow! Bright and early!" said the beaming Hestia.
Hephaistos looked surprised for a second but then smiled at her friend. She turned to Welf, the heat rising in her cheeks, "Visit me soon, I want to hear about everything…" she said before scurrying outside.
Hestia Familia let out a collective sigh. They weren't used to all that commotion and people after travelling alone for so long. Haruhime busied herself cleaning up the kitchen, Welf went to check the forge, and Mikoto showed the new members where they could put their stuff. Lily was sitting while she muttered now. Hestia took one look at her, sighed, and started to check the house to see if their belongings really were just where they left them. Bell, finding he had nothing to do, began to bring boxes inside. Ryuu joined him. He was lost in his thoughts, bringing boxes into the foyer of the manor. The elf and the human worked in silence for a couple of minutes before Ryuu figured out what she wanted to say.
"You need to relax, Bell," said Ryuu, "You are the leader of this Familia. These are turbulent times, and the others look to you for their strength."
Bell flinched and then said, "I'm trying; it's just that there's just so much to worry about. There's Freya, and now this tournament. Me and you can't even participate, and what happens to the others? How do we help them?"
Ryuu shrugged before responding, "We train them, help them prepare, and when the tournament starts, we support them."
Bell sighed, "Sometimes I really think you should be leading this Familia."
Ryuu's response was immediate, "There is no one better for this Familia. Despite what happened, you are still kind. You still see the best in others. That's what we need right now."
She placed her hand on his chest, over his heart, and held there a moment. The two of them were bathed in the moonlight, finding comfort as they looked into each other's eyes. They started to smile, then noticed that they had been staring at each other for quite some time. They both turned a shade of crimson and broke eye contact. Ryuu brought her hand down and started bringing in the last of the boxes. Bell was alone for a moment. The quiet was broken when a familiar voice called out from the front gate.
"Bell!"
Bell turned to find Hermes grinning, with Asfi by his side pinching her nose. Bell frowned at the God, turned around, and walked back inside. He didn't see the God still smiling as he pulled down his hat.
"Ahhh, so you really have grown, my dear Bell…"
Hermes walked back into Orario, Asfi following behind him.
Bell went back inside and found the familia sitting around the table. Bell sat next to Mikoto, who handed him a cup of tea. He smiled and nodded his thanks before turning to Lily.
"So, Commander, anything you want to say?" asked Welf now that everyone was here.
"Lily has decided on what to do for the tournaments. Lily and Welf will take part in the doubles. We will mostly be relying on Welf's magic swords to take the win. We will start training tomorrow after making a report to the Guild. For the singles level two tournament, we are leaving it to you, Miss Mikoto. Your training this past year leaves you the most suited for the task. For the level three tournament, Lily must agree with Goddess Hestia; Elwin must sit out the tournament. Mister Urashima, you will enter the singles tournament for the level threes. I suggest you train with Master Bell. As for Lady Otohime, you must also sit out the tournament. We cannot risk you going wild for all the city to see."
After Lily's long speech, the rest of the familia gave various signs of acceptance. Otohime blushed as she nodded. Welf was rubbing his chin as he thought of how many magic swords he would have to craft. Urashima grunted and said nothing else, fully accepting his role. The only one that looked really nervous was the honourable samurai from the Far East.
"Lady Lily…though I am honoured by your faith in me, I do not know if I can do it…" said Mikoto, playing with her nails.
"You can, Mikoto. I shall help with your training, and so will Lunoire, Anya and Chloe. You will emerge victorious from this tournament a conquering level three," said Ryuu. Her eyes brooked no argument.
Haruhime nodded vigorously, "And I'm sure I can ask Miss Aisha to help you train as well."
Mikoto was shocked to hear her Familia's support and the faith they put in her. She bowed her head in gratitude. The rest of the familia voiced their encouragement before Bell turned to Hestia.
He said, "Hestia, we have a month and a half before this tournament. I want to spend the coming weeks training, but I also want to return to the Dungeon. Also, tomorrow we need to register Elwin, Urashima, and Otohime with the Guild," Bell smiled before continuing, "I should also say hi to Miss Eina. She'd probably be very cross with me if I didn't report in as soon as possible."
Hestia nodded and smiled, "I think that's the right thing to do, Bell. Also, ask that advisor lady of yours about this tournament. My intuition's telling me that there's more than meets the eye. I also think we need to find Dixen. We made him a promise, and we need to keep it."
Lily groaned but nodded anyway, "Understood. One last thing, we cannot spend all of our time training. We must continue to make regular trips to the Dungeon. We have some money from our travels, but that will only last us so long. Lily would also like to go into town soon to try and sell some of the items we acquired."
Hestia nodded and clapped her hands before the meeting could continue, "That's enough for now, my children. I believe it's time for bed. Whatever else arises can be dealt with tomorrow. Now, off to bed with all of you!"
Hestia ushered off her children to bed, except Bell, who was still sitting on the couch. Hestia sighed but walked to the fireplace instead. At some point, she had started a fire and had worked to keep it burning throughout the evening. Now she squatted down to add more logs and spoke.
"You know, Bell. I'm sure news of our return has spread throughout the town. People are going to be looking for us. If you were to disappear early tomorrow morning and find some peace and quiet…"
Bell did not look like he wanted to go find peace and quiet.
Hestia trailed off as she went to hug her most beloved first child. She wrapped her shawl around his shoulders, "You have to let go, Bell, and as much as it pains me to say it, you have to speak to Wallenwhatisit."
Bell leaned into his Goddess's touch, "I'm afraid, Goddess. I'm afraid that she'll turn away from me again. What happens if we fail? What happens if Freya wins? What happens to you?"
Bell broke down then, sobbing in the arms of the person who he held closest to his heart. Hestia flopped over onto the other side of the couch and cradled Bell closer, "Don't ever not do something because you're afraid for me. I will be very cross with you if you do! Also, don't you dare underestimate this Familia. We all care so deeply for you, and we will fight to our final breaths to keep you safe. Which brings me to my final point," Hestia took a moment to bring Bell's head up to her own. She cupped his cheeks and said, "You are never, ever alone," Hestia kissed his forehead, "Now go to bed, and go talk to Wallenwhatisit tomorrow morning."
With that, the last of Hestia Familia left for their rooms.
Welp, here's the first real chapter. For a bit of an explanation, I've been writing and posting this story on Archive for a while now. Figured I could use FF to clean up the grammar a bit when I have time. To those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed, thank you! I don't know how great I'll be at answering reviews, but for ones with questions (that aren't spoilers) I'll try to answer them as best I can. Thanks again for reading! See you next time...whenever!
