Been a while and I currently developed a deep hatred for thieves. Catalytic Converter, that explains it all. Anyways, onto our usual program.

Boyzilla: Oh please, in Type Moon, any protagonist despite their gender is an eroge protagonist. Hakuno is doomed to be a ladykiller even if she didn't act like one.

Shen: Yup, as Keanu Reeves would say, WOAH.

Xealchim: Don't remind me. I'm still trying to comprehend how I wrote it like that.

Dasgun: Still emote your reviews huh? That never changed even in Cypher Extra.

Nakamura Yui: I blame the time I wrote Neptune's Valentine and A Goddess as my Wife fics for the wholesome romantic fluff. I'm kinda embarrassed knowing I actually wrote something like that. But yeah, Hakuno would be teased of once again stealing the heart of another maiden just like that. As if her time in CCC with the other girls wasn't enough, she goes and steals the heart of other people in crossovers. Must be her Eroge Protagonist EX Skill she shares with Shirou Emiya.

When Hakuno woke up, she was in a sea of golden hair. Gilgamesh to her left, Nero to her right, and Ais in the middle of her. It was a blonde harem and she remembered how Gil had relentlessly teased her of having a blonde fetish.

She doesn't.

Blondes just happen to like her the most for some reason.

After Ais' confession and knighting, Hakuno had given her final two chocolates to Nero and Gilgamesh with Ais in tow as the two Servants knew what happened. Nero was happy with having another beautiful girl by their side, and Gilgamesh teasing her of shamelessly wooing any pretty girl faster than he can. But the King of Heroes wasn't done teasing her yet. Oh no, he had to use puns based on sweets when playfully flirting with her.

How he can say such things with his ego intact is beyond her. But what really embarrassed her were his lines when he wanted to be intimate with her and Nero preventing that from happening.

"You surely sweeten the excitement in my life. Come on and give me some sugar, sweetheart!"

"Nay! You shalt not defile my Praetor's innocence with your A+ Charisma, Gilgamesh!"

"She's already under my sway because baby…You're a river of chocolate and an ocean of cream. I'm gonna steal your heart on a daily basis."

Death.

Death to this Golden King.

Hakuno never felt her cheeks burn from utter embarrassment from how utterly cheesy those lines were. How the hell could he say such things with a straight face and make it work?! He enjoyed it, he enjoyed making her face red from such flirty words.

But no matter what he did, Gilgamesh never did attempt to take her chastity. He found her innocence endearing and fun to tease with since she had no experience. He was utterly thrilled to use any moment to tease her to no end in his nude escapades just to see her react.

King of Nudists.

Even Nero found his shamelessness too much and she's as prideful as the King of Heroes! Not to mention Nero admitted his golden armor was too tacky for her and she'd be embarrassed if she ever wore that. But that was something else all the matter.

They were in a penthouse of a hotel that Gilgamesh rented out. The Golden Rule never ceased to aid this Servant in attracting wealth faster than flies to dead flesh. One giant bed for the Golden King and he had no choice but to share it with guests since Hakuno was one of them. These blondes all snuggled to her, and she was trapped in a prison of golden hair. She wondered what Mother and the others were doing right now…

Hestia went through the list, checking it over with Lili as Bell made the purchase. Primo was observing other inventory the shop sold as the Blue Pharmacy had several people making pre-orders for special potions Hakuno made exclusively for the place. Naaza and her god Miach had already made a list of fifteen orders for Hakuno to make as business was starting to pick up for the familia.

"Well, that's all that for our healing items. Primo, Hakuno showed you where to find the herbs for her potions right?" Bell spoke up as the young elf nodded her head.

"Yes! Mother showed me just in case she can't go collect them herself for any reason. Did you want me to check and see if she needs to restock?" Primo asked.

"Please do." Bell answered as the elf child agreed and went on her way.

"I see your familia is doing well Hestia." Miach smiled.

"Well thanks to their hard work, we're doing just fine! Glad to see your business is improving." Hestia answered while Miach chuckled.

"It's thanks to both your child and Naaza working together. They've helped me realized that there are alternative methods in potion making and how to make even watered-down potions be as potent as high-class ones for a fair price." The god answered while several adventurers voiced their agreements.

"He's got that right!"

"Prices are just as good as their quality!"

"Cheaper than those other guys!"

Naaza seemed elated by the adventurer's preference to them than Dian Cecht Familia. A minor victory for sure, but a victory none the less. Now only if she could rub it in that smug bastard's face then it'd be a great victory.

"By the way…where is my student at?" Naaza asked while Hestia looked away with a sheepish smile.

"Yesterday was Valentine's Day remember?" she asked, her cheeks slightly flushed. Naaza's ears shot up as she looked more awake than usual.

"Oh…" she realized, picturing Hakuno and her 'lover' being intimate. The witch had the scent of a man on her that spoke of many things and never bothered to ask. "So, when are you all planning to go back in the Dungeon? I've heard it's been acting quite unusual these days." Naaza asked.

"We're taking some time to rest and recover. When Hakuno-sama says rest well and eat well is important before going on expeditions into the Dungeon. Which Lili agrees full-heartedly." Lili answered.

"Oh? In that case why don't you try that fake Dungeon Hermes made?" Miach asked, getting confusion from the Hestia Familia. "I've heard Hermes created a fake Dungeon for gods so they can experience the life of an adventurer since they can't go to the actual Dungeon themselves."

"Oh…It's those role-playing games he's invented, isn't it?" Hestia sighed when Miach nodded in confirmation.

"Hermes?" Bell asked in confusion.

"God of Messengers, travels, trickery and thieves. He's probably up to no good again. Listen Bell-kun, don't hang out with him alone. He's a bad influence on a good boy like you." Hestia explained with a warning to Bell as the rabbit slowly nodded his head in careful consideration.

*A Few Hours Later…*

Hestia cut down the 'monster' in front of her before taking a quick breather in her adventurer outfit. She couldn't believe this was what it felt like on an expedition of the Dungeon. Hestia had to admit it, Hermes did a good job with construction of this fake Dungeon for a game for the gods to play. Hermes didn't explain how he got these monsters that faded into cubic lights and fade away into this place and at a level she can fight them fairly.

Bell and Lili joined her as they became actors for this performance, and she had not seen them

"Who dares venture this deep in the Dungeon, against me, its Iudex Carnifex?" a haughty and arrogant tone that caused Hestia to inwardly groan. Why was the Deadwalker here? In Hermes' little game?

[And as Hestia draws closer to the next level, its guardian, the Crimson Bear stirs from his sleep, irritated by the impudence of another foolish hero daring to enter!]

Came the narrative from Hermes.

As Lucius stepped out of the dark, he adopted a cold expression before blinking twice and lowered his non-demonic sword (a prop so not to kill anyone), "Lady Vesta?" Lucius asked while Hestia planted her sword in the ground and rested her hands on the pommel.

"Brave Warrior dyed in red, I seek to end the terror the Dungeon has spawned from the endless horde of monsters. Will you aid me in my quest?" Hestia spoke in a serious expression as she looked Lucius right in the eyes.

Nero had given Hestia a tidbit of information on this 'Rome' she and Lucius hailed from. Her alter ego Vesta was heavily worshipped and had a sect that had influence in their empire since the founder of their empire was a child to one of her priestesses long ago. Hestia was indirectly one of the founders of the Roman Empire Nero had hailed from and even Lucius dares not cross her. She was the guardian of Rome's people and to attack her was to attack Rome itself. That was why Lucius could not strike her down when she rejected the request to remove Hakuno's Falna. He faced a crime that was considered the worst sacrilege to his people.

"If that is what Lady Vesta requests, then I will oblige." Lucius answered immediately.

[…Wasn't that a bit too easy?]

Asfi was the one to ask that from her location while she and her god were invisible and observing as narrators for their story.

[Well, there are times when old acquaintances meet up every now and then.] Hermes reasoned.

[Tadadeh! Lucius has joined the party!]

"If you're going to make an announcement like this that Narrator, then do so with enthusiasm." Lucius grumbled when he heard Asfi announce his alliance with Hestia.

"How'd you get roped into this?" Hestia asked. Lucius looked away, almost as if he doesn't want to talk about it. Then it clicked. "Hakuno's here isn't she?" she guessed. This guy is determined to be beside Hakuno no matter what, even if it meant this. The piece of Zephyrus inside the man was truly dedicated to his lady even if Hakuno wasn't Flora.

The area shook, and a monstrous giant appeared. Hestia felt tense at the sight of the creature as it just stood there, menacingly.

"A Nephilim huh? I heard these things are formidable foes in the SERAPH during the war. A pity I never got to see my dear Violet on the battlefield, it would be quite the sight of a flower on the battlefield." Lucius mused as despite it being a weakened version of the Enemy Program to be safe for ordinary people to 'fight', it was still a tough foe. Hestia was intimidated but took note of what the Roman said.

"So Hakuno knew this man from a war? Wait…my daughter was in a war!?" Hestia thought as she watched the Sword Emperor in action. He was a brute all the way in, fighting like some sort of demonic beast and that crazed smile as he cut and hacked at the Nephilim who fought back, even using magic. Yet Lucius laughed at the effort as he still destroyed the monster with brute strength.

If Hestia were to compare him to an animal, it would be that of a savage bear on a bloodthirsty rampage. He lived for the fight, and to conquer those beneath him.

"You know Hakuno in a war?" Hestia hesitantly asked the man as Lucius sheathed the sword and nodded his head.

"For a few encounters. Me and her were all participants in a war for a wish where only one survivor remains. I was merely an extension of my summoner at the time." Lucius answered. That caused Hestia to narrow her eyes, because she now understands that it was some sort of necromancy that brought this Deadwalker to the living once again on borrowed time…The same kind as Nero and Gilgamesh.

Oh, she was no fool, she knew these three are connected to whatever Hakuno was involved with in her past, but for such advanced necromancy of sorts to bring such souls back was baffling and would anger quite a few death gods with this apparent sacrilege to their line of work. "How did this war in the past turn out for you?" she had to ask.

"…I was definitely defeated, but to see Hakuno here meant she won the war and had survived. Truly, that Violet has the makings of a goddess." Lucius answered with a faint reverence to his voice as the duo explored the Dungeon more.

Hestia rolled her eyes. This man was what the gods called a 'simp' with how fascinated he was with Hakuno. But the girl clearly expressed her dislikes of being put on some sort of pedestal like that. Given of how enigmatic Hakuno's past was, she trusted her daughter more than anyone else. She is genuinely a kind girl at heart forced into conflict and it marked her in some way. It gave her two modes Hestia decided as Saint and Witch Modes. The Saint being Hakuno's natural kind and caring side to people around her, while her Witch Mode is when she's pushed into conflict and will brutally crush her opponents. The Witch Mode is the result of whatever war Hakuno was in and was the result of her wanting to live, for it was the most basic of human instincts to follow.

"Welcome strangers!" a familiar voice spoke up as Lili was dressed in a fancy suit and a stand of sorts filled with numerous items with various effects listed below them, and their price.

[Tadadeh! Hestia has found the Merchant!] came the voice of Asfi.

"Since this is your first visit and for clearing out a great deal of monsters and leveling up, I present you this game's in-game currency Iris!" Lili explained as she presented Hestia with a bag of crystals that shone with all the colors of the rainbow. "This currency Iris is obtainable in various ways, from leveling up, to defeating strong monsters, completing daily tasks if you're a frequent player and of course, exchanging actual money for Iris." Lili explained as Hestia crossed her arms and was thinking.

"What are the uses of this Iris besides making purchases?" Hestia asked. Hakuno had always been a cautious one when it came to something she didn't know when she came to Orario (so was Hestia) and always made sure to double check and make sure there was no stone left unturned when it came to any tidbit of information.

"Iris can be used to ask the Gamemaster for hints, as a 'retry' from a defeated section of the Dungeon, or the marvelous summoning tool Hermes-sama called the 'gacha'!" Lili listed off dutifully before making a polite bow. "So, tell me…What're ya buyin?" she asked with grin.

*Depths of the Fake Dungeon*

"Your Majesty, an interloper has arrived." The armored figure knelt before her lordship as the woman sat on her throne. Her platinum blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail with a black ribbon and her beautiful face hidden behind a black face veil.

"I see, so a new player has come to face the challenges?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle, yet held power within it. "Very well then, let them come. I've been rather bored with this game that immature god has set up. May they amuse me in this childish game." The Queen smiled, as the Fake Dungeon responded to her will.

The game's difficulty just went up.