"I can't believe we made that much...And these items. How is it-"
"Mister Welf, I think we forgot to mention the motto of our motley crew when you first joined. Apologies, but I advise you take this into consideration from now on." Welf blinked a few times as he felt Lili patting his stomach as he looked down.
With his hands full of his portion of earnings they made today in the dungeon. As well as the rare materials he wanted in the eleventh and twelfth floor in the past. Plus a little extra they got from traveling to the thirteenth floor. He wondered what he had gotten himself into when he joined as he looked at the tiny girl.
"W-What's this groups motto."
"First, it's not a group. Or a party. It's a crew, and don't ask about it. It will make sense for you later down the line."
"O-Okay?"
"As for our motto, well there isn't an exact one per say. But it follows something like this: Welcome to the crew, leave your sanity where you left off and prepare for adventures and romance!" Lili said with a chipper cheer as she pumped her fist in the air. Making Bell stop his talking with Filvis as she and her turned around and did the same. Though with Filvis she was a bit embarrassed about it.
"Leave my sanity!? How long has it been since you joined?!"
"Give or take maybe two weeks. Though one of them was meant to be a temporary thing while I was still a Supporter for another familia. But that's the advice I've been given by Master Bell, his father, his uncle, Helun and Heith when I first joined and meet them." Lili said with a shrug as Welf's eyes widened as they continued to walk down the streets of Orario as the sun was setting.
His gaze turned to Filvis as she was startled at how fast his gazed moved towards her. Watching as he nearly dropped his materials before putting them away in his pockets and bag he had to buy from the merchant Paulie's shop.
"A-And how long have you been in this...crew, Fil?" Welf asked as Filvis pouted and Lili looked at Welf with a dull look and shook her head. All while Bell had to hide his snickering from the pouting elf who then had a embarrassed and bashful look on her face.
"W-Well...Just today actually. Mr. Bell actually had wanted me to join him in a few dives in the past. But we were mixed up with different schedules until we finally had the time. Though, I wouldn't mind joining his crew. It felt...nice and fun today."
"Bah! Come on Filvis, you're already part of the crew. No need to think like that. Besides, Orna's part of my crew too! So who says you can't?" Bell said as he laughed, and waved off Filvis's doubt as she smiled. Making Welf pale and now treading his feet against the road.
"Did I sign over my soul to the devil?"
"Pft! No! You signed your heart and soul over to Phae when you joined! Like I wanna take away her eye cather." Bell said nonchalantly as Welf nearly tripped over himself and became embarrassed by his words.
"L-Lady Hephaestus has her eye on me?"
"Duh! I told you she keeps talking about you whenever I visit or she comes over to my Familia's manor for some tea time with other goddesses she invites. Plus, if she offered me to have you, I'd reject it."
"Wait, what!? Why!?"
"Mr. Welf. Please lower yourself before you cause a scene. And try not to sound too heartbroken and desperate. Though...I had no idea you had eyes for Master Bell." Lili shivered as she said that. Moving closer to Bell at his side and holding onto the end of his sleeve just in case as Filvis blushed and looked beween Bell and Welf before looking away and whistling.
"I-It's not like that!" Welf whispered quietly as both girls let out a sigh in relief.
"Good to know the feelings mutual. You might be a bit...interesting. But sadly, you're not my type." Bell admitted with a straight face as Lili chocked on her own laugher and Filvis looked at Welf as though trying to console him.
"Why do I have the feeling I've been rejected?"
"Don't worry about it. Right now, worry about what to stuff your face with once we order! MAMA! Gimme a large table for four!" Bell said as he turned to the right and kicked the door open. Yelling out his demand as the four of them entered inside the Hostess of Fertility and walked around until Ryu came up to them.
"Sir Bell. Happy to see you and your party have returned safe and sound. New members perhaps?" Ryu said with a bow as Welf and Filvis returned the gesture. Bell then made a move with his hand. Open palmed as he aimed it as though pointing at Ryu with his fingers facing her before flicking his wrist as though backhanding the air at her.
"Oi, c'mon Ryu~ We talked about this. None of this "Sir" nonsense. And yeah, they're part of my crew since today!" Bell said with a grin, but frowned when he saw Ryu shaking her head at him as to disapprove his request.
"I'm sorry Sir Bell. But you know the reason why I cannot do that. Even if you keep insisting or order me to do so, I will call you with such respect you've earned and gained. Besides, Syr doesn't particularly mind it. Rather she enjoys it, she hopes one day that I may call her "Madam"." Ryu said as her eyes shifted to another part of the Hostess, ensuring Bell followed her gaze as she saw Syr serving other customers their ale as she noticed them and waved.
"Syr's future fantasies aside, one of these days I will get you to stop. Still, there any room for us? We've got some eating and a sit down with each other we gotta do." Bell said as he pointed behind him with his thumb as he saw Lili waving at her and Filvis and Welf nodding their heads.
"We do have a booth available, if you would follow me. Though I must advise it doesn't give you a good view of the kitchen window. It is close to it, but sadly you won't be seeing your food cooking."
"Damn it! Ah well, I'll take what I can get us. You girls are busy today."
"Your help with our new menu items is the reason why. May seemed to have taken your advice and inspiration from the meal you made. Mama was very happy to see the results of your cooking now giving her profits."
"Curses! If I had known it would've costed me a place at the bar or get a bad seat I would've said it tasted terrible!"
"But would you have said that?"
"Hell no! You girl's cooking is amazing!"
"Is this normal for him to be obsessive about food?" Welf asked as they were brought to the booth and took their seats. Lili next to Bell as Welf was next to Filvis who sat at the end of the seat to where Lili and Welf first entered. Making Bell sit next to Lili and across from Filvis.
"You should see how he eats. If you thought the snacks I've been giving to Master Bell and the rest of us were just to satisfy him until we ate lunch. Then you haven't seen how much he can put away." Lili said as Welf's jaw dropped before he rubbed his forehead with his hand.
"I almost forgot how quickly he ate that large lunch you pulled out of your bag..."
"MAMA! Give me half of the usual and whatever my crew is ordering! And one of my meals better be the food I showed you how to cook! Make it up to me for not having a good view of your kitchen!" Bell said as he stood up from his place at the booth and pointed at Mia. Who tossed him a large bottle of beer and a plate with plastic wrap tied to it.
Placing them down at the table and giving the plate to Lili as he never took his eyes off the dwarf woman who smirked at him. As Lili opened up the wrapping to see it was an appetizer plate of fries, carrots, celery and cheese sticks and garlic bread.
"Just sit your royal ass down and enjoy some appetizers and beer while I get the girls back to hell and prep your meals. Ryu! Don't just stand around, get their orders and get your clumsy ass in here and help in hell! And I don't wanna see their drinks empty ether! Syr! Don't you dare sneak off to your man to offer service, wait those tables damnit!"
"We're gonna need more beer here Mia! One's not enough!" Bell yelled back as he sat down and soon his table was given glasses as Lili started to pour each of them a drink as Ryu handed them menus and brought our a pen and pad.
"I'm surprised he can talk back to the owner. Word around has it you mess with her or her staff in this place you'll wish you met death instead." Welf said with a shiver and baffled at how the two interacted. Filvis even agreeing with him as she nodded as well while Lili pointed to the menu and began to order her food.
"This is rather common. Since Sir Bell's arrival to our pub he's become Mama Mia's favorite regular. As well as ours. He offers plenty of Valis and generous tips for us and advice on our meals to improve them. Speaking of, might I ask for your orders?" Ryu said as she moved over to their side of the booth as they scrambled at their menus and placed their order.
Welf was a simple man, ordering a medium-rare steak with sides of fish skewers and an extra bottle of beer for the table. While Filvis was interested in the new items placed on the menu and ordered the Cheese Croquet bowl and a small side of Ceasar Salad. Reading it on the menu as it was said to be a delight for elves.
"So, Bell? Do you always eat alot?" Welf asked, trying to break the ice as Bell had some garlic bread in his mouth. Watching him swallow it whole and taking a drink from his glass as he then looked back at him with a puzzled look.
"Also should you be really drinking? You're still a kid aren't you?"
"I'm fifteen! And of course I eat a lot. I'm a growing guy! Plus in my travels, I had to eat what I can find at a moment's notice. I've had to go through days, sometimes weeks without eating before I was able to find something or a town when I was lucky." Bell said as he reeled back and relaxed in his seat. Surprising the others to hear he's traveled before coming to Orario.
"Mr. Bell? You've traveled before coming to Orario? Forgive me if I say this but isn't that a foolish and reckless idea. Without a blessing or large party there are still strong monsters that spawn out in the areas and even dungeons." Filvis asked as Bell waved his hand off and smirked.
"Nah. It wasn't too bad. I had training before I had to leave home and explore the world before coming to this place. The worst I've been in was around the time I was in this country in Asia called China. I had gotten lost and wandered around the whole place sight-seeing, until I realized I entered the Emperor of China's Palace and stumbled to where he kept his courtesans."
"A-A palace!? An Emperor's palace and of all the places to get lost you entered what is essentially a Pleasure District?" Welf and Lili asked, bewildered at how he got in and what on earth were the guards doing to allow him to somehow sneak inside.
"Were you in any danger when you were caught? How long did they realize you weren't meant to be there?" Filvis asked, eyes trembling and now looking worried as Bell laughed and pointed at her before pointing it upward.
"Heheh! See, they didn't realize it till after three days. I had gotten lost and meet with one of the Emeperor's Courtesans. Being one Lady Gyokuyou, the Crimson Empress, had meet me while I was in the gardens. She guided me into her palace and there I was entertaining her somewhat with my stories and tales of other places I've been in."
"Y-You entertained a courtesan? And The Chrismon Empress no less? H-How long-"
"Oi! Welf I heard you were a shut in, but keep your head out of your soot covered anvil! It was just stories and tales and a few entertaining things like song and dance. She has a kid, in no way would I do something like that to a taken woman." Bell said with a dull look at him, as Lili and Filvis sighed in relief.
"I see, but Master Bell, what happened with you when they did catch you? Did you have to work off in labor in exchange for your life? Or did this Emperor have you preform tasks in exchange?"
"Ah, well after about the third day staying with Lady Gyokuyou and her Ladies in Waiting. Along with making friends with her Special Lady in Waiting Maomao, she was visited by this guy who I guess was the head of the Courtesan Palace. He was pretty annoying to be honest."
"I'll bet he was. To see that his men were slacking in allowing you to slip by their defenses and have stayed with the Crimson Empress for three whole days. He must have been furious to learn there was an intruder in the palace and no one had noticed until he saw you." Filvis reasoned as Lili and Welf agreed with her, until they saw Bell shook his head.
"Nah, he was annoying the fact that me and Maomao were getting close. From what she tells me he's like a creepy, pretty boy leech that always puts her to some dumb work he's supposed to do himself. When he had me brought to the emperor in chains and ropes, he was very happy about it and I think he expected me to get the death sentence."
"Well, since your here with us, I can only imagine how frustrated he must have felt." Welf said, smirking as he sipped his beer as Bell laughed and smacked the table.
"Like you wouldn't believe! Turns out, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, apparently knew of me already! By that point I guess word of my travels and reputation spreaded to him and Lady Gyokuyou told him of how I was quite the entertainer. Next thing that annoying leech saw, was me and Huang were demanding a feast and drinking while inviting the other courtesans to party!"
"Lili is curious. What on earth did you do in your travels that made you known all the way to China. And most likely other parts or areas you may have traveled before?" Lili said with a quirked eyebrow raised as Filvis and Welf were now wondering the same.
"Heh, nope! Not telling yet!"
"Why not!" The three of them cried as Bell then pointed at Welf and Filvis and smiled.
"Because this is meant to get to know the two of you better! It's no fun if I'm taking away the excitement of this little dinner party by talking about myself." Bell said as he drummed the table and bounced up and down in his seat. Looking at them with glee in his eyes as Lili pouted at being left out in hearing more about Bell.
"Come on~ Start talking a bit about of yourselves!" Bell said as Welf and Filvis looked at each other. Embarrassed as they didn't know who to start this off. Welf extended his hand towards her, taking it as to allow her to start first. Nodding her head at Welf, she cleared her throat and looked at them all.
"My name is Filvis Challia. And, I am this part-crew's Magical Swordswoman. I'm nineteen years old and cherish my friend Lefiya. And, apologies if I avoid you sometimes. It's not because I'm an elf, but rather...I am cursed. I don't really have much control of it, but it causes bad luck to happen to me and I rather not get others involved."
"Nope! I refuse that. You're part of our crew Filvis. You're involved with us till the end. Besides, don't you remember I made with my ex-mom? I tested it out and everything, you're not cursed Filvis. Heh, youre a good person, no way would you be cursed." Bell said as Lili nodded as Welf looked puzzled by her.
"Agreed. If Master Bell says you're with us, then that's that. If he can take in Lili then he can take you in the crew just as easily!"
"I mean, I get being cursed and feeling odd about it. I hate my bloodline too and avoid making those weapons. But that doesn't mean it defines you to seek others out."
"Oh look who's talking Otaku Smith! One way or the other I'll knock out the stupid out of that head of yours and you'll be surprised to see yourself making such awesome stuff!"
"O-Otaku!? What is that? And hey! I'm not anti-social. I can get along with people fine and at least make an attempt!"
"Bleh! Not what I hear from Tsubaki and Paulie before! Now shush! Let Filvis finish. Anything else you wanna say Filvis? Hobbies? Dreams?" Bell said as he looked back to her, as inside, she felt her heart beat. Smiling as she remembered when he was the first person she touched. Even if by force, she remembered that warm feeling in her hands as she tightened her fingers around the glass cup a little.
"A-alright. As for hobbies...Well I find myself often window shopping for swords. M-Maybe trying out outfits is a hobby? Lefiya got me to be open and try new dresses every now and then. A-As for a dream, well, call it silly but I hope to maybe grow as a person and be the most skilled magical swordswoman possible."
"Oh~! What do you wanna do when that happens? Or what do you think you'll do when you reach that level of skill you want to achieve?" Bell said as Filvis's ears were red as she looked around.
"M-Maybe to cut a mountain? No, forget that! It sounds so childish-"
"A mountain! Hah! Filvis, if you're part of my crew then I'll see it you carve a mountain! No, make it three mountains at once!"
"M-Mr. Bell please! It's embarrassing!"
"No such thing exist with my crew! We've all got dreams that sound childish!"
"Yup! My dream is to someday find treasures and become a successful merchant or barterer! Selling all the treasures I can find to make some Valis and lead an exciting life!" Lili said, earning Filvis's surprise and feeling glad about her dreams. And awed at how ambitious Lili's dream was.
"See! We've got ambitious and childish dreams! Your turn Welf! Come on now, before the food gets here!" Bell said, as all the attention was on him as he blushed and looked away. Grumbling until he downed the last of the table's bottle of beer and smacked himself a bit before turning to them.
"Well, I'm Welf Crozzo. I'm seventeen and lived in Raika until I left that place with the help of another goddess that wanted to leave. I left because I wanted nothing to do with my crap old man's demands to make a magic sword for the king and god there. My hobbies are smithing and sometimes wood carving."
"First thing we gotta do, find you a new hobby. Smithing is your job! You can't stack them twice, no wonder Tsubaki says you're a shut in. Though, wood carving is kinda interesting..." Bell said as Welf clenched his teeth and growled.
"I'm also good at working on fabrics, okay? It's something my grandma taught me before her time. God rest her soul."
"Here. Here!" Bell, Lili and Filivs said as they slammed the bottom of their cups on the table before raising them and taking a drink.
"Well, as for a dream I have. I want to be able to surpass my skills as a smith. Using my own two hands instead of my skill to create those cursed swords, to creat something even better than them. Something that will put those magic swords to shame and my family pissed off the fact that it was my own hands instead of my ability that created a better item than our ancestors." Welf said as he chenched his hand tight into a fist, unknowingly smiling as was Bell.
"So we've got a treasure hunter, a master magic swordswoman and a renowned smith as dreamers in our crew! Hehehe, we sure are a lively one aren't we?" Bell said as the others smiled as they looked at one another. Unable but to agree that they are an odd motley crew.
"Wait, what about your dream Master Bell? And what are Helun's and Heith's dreams?"
"Hmm...Well I don't know Helun's dream. Frankly because I haven't asked her. Heith's I think it was something to do with surpassing medicine, and making sure someone she calls "Shitty Saint" doesn't get ahead of her." Bell said as he looked up trying to remember if he did ask Helun's dream or if she mentioned something.
"Mr. Bell? While I know that you desire to have plenty of adventures with us and others in the dungeon. Along with Miss Tiona from what she tells about you, do you have a specific dream in mind you wish to come true?" Filvis asked as Bell blinked. Smiling wide as he leaned back at the booth.
"Nah! I'm too selfish to have one single dream. I have plenty of dreams and things I want to do someday. Though, there's my first dream I've had since I was a kid. One that I'm still hpoing for and looking to happen someday." Bell said wistfully as he leaned on the table and looked up. Hands resting his chin as he smiled.
"Mind if you say what your first dream is?"
"It's kinda simple. But something I wanted since it happened. I wanna meet my first friend again someday. Back home he was the first friend I ever made, even if he was stubborn about it and often kicked my butt. Yet, we were always training and fighting to get stronger and go out into the world."
"Seems like he was more of a brother figure." Welf said as Bell shook his head.
"Nah! We we're friends, until circumstances had him to move away from the village. Honestly I tried to fight him and told him if I won he had to stay. But, I got my ass handed to me badly. At first I was crying and begging him to stay. Until we settled on a promise to get stronger and meet again someday and fight."
"So...you plan to fight your friend the next time you see him someday? That's a bit odd? Even if you wanted to, what then? Will you have him join you if you win?" Filvis asked as she raised her glass to take a sip of her beer.
"Nope! I'm not gonna make him join my crew."
PPPPFFFFTTTTT!*
Lili and FIlvis spat out their drinks all over Welf and Bell. Coughing and hacking as Welf complained and looked for some napkins to wipe off the spit and drool on him. As Bell ducked away and wiped off the beer with a napkin before sitting back in the booth as Ryu and Syr were coming over with their orders of food.
"Hey! Come on why did you do that!?"
"What happened? Was the beverage not to your liking?" Ryu asked as Filvis and Lili turned to them and gripped onto Bell's shoulders and pushed him forward to the two waitresses.
"Miss Syr! Call a doctor immediately! Something is wrong with Mr. Bell!"
"Elf Waitress! Do you have an ice pack!? Or something to check for any temperatures or to identify any illness on you? Master Bell has gone mad!"
"Hey! Why are you accusing me if I did something wrong or there's something wrong with me?"
"Yeah! What's wrong with my Bell. He may be a bit selfish and act like a fool but he's perfectly fine and with my cooking, he should be healthy as a-"
"HE JUST SAID HE WASN'T GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE INTO HIS CREW! HE'S NOT FINE! HE'S BEING CONSIDERATE!" Lili and Filvis said, making Bell irritated as a vein formed on his forehead.
"I can be considerate! And what's wrong with not forcing him to joi-AHHH! The food!" Bell yelled out as he dove onto the floor. Catching the fallen treys and plates of food with his hands. Balancing one he caught with his head and one trey with several dishes with his teeth. Syr had her hands covering her mouth and Ryu now limp and nearly fainted if it wasn't for Mia and Lunoire coming over to see what went wrong.
"B-B-Bell isn't being selfish this time?!" Bell! Is there something wrong? Tell me please if you feel anything?" Syr said as she shook him by the shoulders as he was now struggling to keep his balance.
"Ryu! What happened!?"
"L-L-Lunoire...wake me from this accursed nightmare... S-Sir Bell...refuses...geh!"
"Will you moron's knock off this drama!? This is a pub! Not a theater!" Mia yelled as she smacked Syr and Ryu in the head. Unfortunately knocking out the elf as she laid limply in Lunoire's arms and Syr now on the floor twitching and getting up with a large steaming bump on her head.
She moved her over and helped Bell with grabbing some of the trays and plates and settling them down on their booth and helping Bell up. Dusting him off and ruffling his hair before she placed him back into his seat. And now leering down at Lili and Filvis, who shrank in their seats and clingged onto whatever they could grab.
For Lili, she clinged to Bell's arm, preventing him to get more food and instead had to use one hand to get a plate of his meal and start to eat it slowly. Filvis was practically tearing off Welf's black kimono away from him at how hard she was gripping it.
"Mind explaining why your idiot friends panicked and caused my girls to act like said idiots? And what's this about you refusing something?" Mia asked looking over at Bell who had a face full of pasta before slurping it and swallowing it down.
"I was trying to explain a dream of mine I have to hope come true someday. Meeting an old friend again and fighting. They asked if I was gonna make him join my crew. And I said no."
"Odd of you to not want your friend to join you isn't it? Figured you'd be happy to have him join your adventures."
"Yeah, it'd be nice. But that would stop him having his own adventures. He left to search and travel the world with another friend of ours. They have something to look for and find. So who am I to get in the way of their adventures? If they need help and we're on the same adventure together, then I'll help him. Aside from that, it'd be fun to meet them again and we each tell our own tales to each other. "
"Ohhh~ So that's why you didn't want to make him join you if you ever meet again. Now why couldn't the two of you let him explain himself first?" Welf said as he finished wiping off the beer and spit on his face and clothes and grabbed his food. Lili and Filvis scowled and leered at Welf as they got their own food as Mia shook her head and sighed.
"You better tip well then for nearly having my plates broken and food waisted."
"Hey that was Syr and Ryu's fault! And I had to save our plates and food. I'll tip, but throw in two extra meals for free."
"One meal and another bottle for the table."
"One meal and dessert! Blueberry pie!"
"Deal then kid! Hestia! Tend to the kid's table for the rest of their stay while I scold this worried idiot girlfriend of his and this useless elf! Lunoire, put Ryu in one of the rooms for now and help Anya with tending tables." Mia said as Lunoire nodded as she went upstairs to the staff's rooms to set Ryu in a bed as Syr whined and tried to reach out to Bell.
"Mama please show mercy!"
"Hell no! I get worrying 'bout your boyfriend but you're on the clock!"
Welf, Lili and Filvis watched and prayed for Syr's luck as the dwarf woman dragged her to the back rooms. Much to her please and begging of mercy, they went silent to people's ears as some watched the impending doom that may be brought upon her. Hoping it would be swift and quick.
"Wait...she's your girlfriend Be-HOLY CRAP! How did you finish that many plates of food!?" Welf screamed as he saw Bell now onto cleaning up another plate. With a stack of five next to him as he looked at him while still chewing on his food.
"What? I'm a growing guy. I can burn through this stuff in a few hours and work it off with some training and dungeon diving. Plus-*GULP* you should take my advice on eating while you can. You're older than me but how is it I have more meat on my bones compared to your chicken arms?"
"Hey! They're all muscle. Besides I'm only what, two years older than you and maybe Lil Lili? I could probably beat you in arm wrestling."
"Age has nothing to do with muscle strength. If I can kick Allen's ass and take a beating and survive then odds are I can accidentally break your arm if we arm wrestled." Bell said, taking a bite out of his steak as Filvis giggles as Lili sticks her tongue at Welf, who paled and brought his arm back from pointing at Bell.
"This is rather an amusing night. If we did this on occasion after each dive, I feel as though things will be quite lively around us." Filvis said, mewing at her first bite of her order and crossed her legs. Finding the taste to be excuisite and now began to wolf it down. Making Lili and Bell laugh as Lili took her time and enjoyed her meal as Bell raised his glass. To blink as he felt his shoulder tapped on and saw Hestia holding another bottle and poured his glass till it was filled again.
"Hehe! How's it hanging Hestia? Doing some good work to pay off your debt?"
"I'm doing fine Bell. And I'm surprised how much I'm earning plenty thanks to tips and Mia's warnings to idiots trying to flirt and looking at me weirdly. I even made a decent dent into my debt I owe to Hephaestus." The goddess said as Bell smiled and claked his glass against the bottle she held.
"Well that's pretty good! Pretty soon after a few visits from us you'll be debt free. Maybe faster if Welf here can sway Phae off her feet and have her forget your debt. Welf! Seduce your goddess asap!"
"*COUGH COUGH* W-W-W-What!? What the hell do you take me for!? I can't seduce my goddess!"
"Sure you can! Make her a weapon that strikes at her heart strings and show up to her bare chested and sweaty! Make a ring for her or something and be a romantic about it! She's got her eyes on you like I said!
"But she's a goddess!"
"And she's a woman!" Bell and Hestia said together. As Hestia agreed that her friend was a woman and has heard her love for this Welf child of hers. And she'd be happy to see her friend give romance a chance again after her little experiences with another goddess once upon a time.
"Perhaps...Mister Welf is rather...inexperienced with the ideas of romance after being cooped up in his smith?" Lili teased as Welf's head looked like a cherry tomato and growled at Lili as Filvis and Bell laughed.
"P-P-Perhaps Mr. Welf is shy with woman. T-Though from what I hear...dedicated smiths have an odd reaction with women! L-L-Lefiya mentioned another one that's overdramatic when he sees Miss Aiz. H-He practically screams up into the heavens when she visits him to request weapons."
"HAHAHA! Smiths are idiots with romance?! T-Then I guess Welf is a cherry boy then!"
"I am not! I've been in the Pleasure Districts before and experienced some things there and spent a night!"
"I dunno~ You seem to get flustered with Phae~ Plus you look like a tomato right now. Even a cherry!" Hestia chimed in as Lili and Filvis kept snickering and laughing.
"Cherry Boy Welf. Hehehe! I think that has a nice ring to it."
"Indeed Miss Challia! All in favor of that being Mister Welf's nickname?"
"Now wait a minute! I never agreed to-"
"As captain of this crew I agree! Cherry Boy will be one of Welf's nicknames until he's flirted or get Phae's attention! Sound like a reasonable term to set right Hestia?"
"I agree! And word of advice from a friend of hers Mr. Blacksmith, you better pour your heart into whatever you make her~ Oh! And she also has a thing for muscles and hard working men. So do your best!" Hesita said as she gave Welf two thumbs up as she ignored the fact the young man was slumping down in his seat covering his reddened face.
"See even Hestia is helping you out! Be a man! Know what, lets make this a party now! MIA! GET ME SOME MORE BOTTLES AND I'LL PAY FOR HESTIA'S FOOD! WE'RE CELEBRATING!"
"I'll want that money now if you're taking one of my staff to join you for food!"
"I've got 4 million Valis from my share of the dungeon today! I'll give you half of it for our food and drinks, her tips and for Hestia's and Syr's time!"
"Only Hestia! I'm having your girlfriend under wraps for nearly loosing me money!"
"I'll raise it to 2.5 million if you at least let me take her out on a date later in the week!"
"Fine! You better eat your fill and Hestia! I better see them all lively!" Mia said as some of the people of the pub were awestruck at Bell somehow bartering with Mia and she complying. Even utterings of "Lucky Rabbit" at how he was dating one of them and getting "Loli Big Boobed Goddess" to dine with them.
"Master Bell you should honestly learn to save money. Sure, this is a nice evening for us but-"
"Heheh! Come on Lili, you've seen my money and treasures back home. Plus, there's some of the other treasures and money I've gotten saved during my travels that finally transferred over to here in Orario's Guild Storage. I'm wise enough to know to save for emergencies, and Pops helps me out with managing it." Bell said as he poured her cup and then onto Filvis's and Welf's.
Turning his head to now seeing Hestia pulling up a chair and now dining with the group. Placing down another large bottle for the table and a few extra plates she sent over to Hestia to deliver. And lastly, placing down the blueberry pie for them all as it was still steaming and fill their nostrils with the sweet and oddly sour scent of baked berries.
"Now...lets party to our newest crew members and for Phae's love life to come from Cherry Boy!"
"Don't call me that!"
"Then flirt with her and I'll stop calling you that name! But you'll be screwed if one day that becomes your Adventuer Nickname given by the gods!"