Bell and Welf were in the dungeon by themselves for today. Emma and Lili were helping Astraea in the garden while Karen was spending time with a new friend from the Loki familia.

Her name was Lefiya, and Karen said the two were going to hang out on the upper floors. Mostly to allow Karen to ease her way back into the dungeon and to have Lefiya practice her magic.

Bell and Welf didn't go too far, either. Only down to the 13th floor so Welf could test out his level up. All was going well, and Bell was more on guard to make sure they wouldn't be drenched in monster lures again.

Right now, Bell and Welf were taking a break, sitting on some rocks while Welf cleaned his blade. Bell, however, did have one question on his mind.

"So the ring, who's the not-so-lucky lady?" Bell asked.

Welf rolled his eyes as he continued to clean the blood off his blade. "It's not what you think, Bell."

"That's avoiding the question." Bell teased.

Welf sighed. "Really, it's not what you think. I got a new skill that allows me to create runes, and my goddess taught me how to create a locator rune and a self-destruct rune. Right now, the locator rune is on this ring."

The teasing smirk hadn't left Bell's lips. "So your goddess gifted you a ring? Which you then crafted a rune into so she could know where you are, and just so happened to make it a ring? Yeah, it sounds like you're engaged."

Welf grabbed a small rock and threw it at Bell. It hit him but bounced off his armor, causing the boy to laugh.

"It's not like that! Besides, she doesn't see me that way, and I'm not good enough for her. I haven't made anything that's worthy of her seal."

Bell rolled his eyes before smacking Welf on the back of the head. Welf lurched forward before swinging his head around.

"What was that for!" He yelled.

"For you being an idiot. That's not how love is supposed to work, Welf."

"Oh, and I bet you're so well-versed in love?" Welf sarcastically asked.

"Well, who has a girlfriend, and who doesn't?" Bell cheekily responded.

Welf clicked his tongue. "Fair point."

Bell chuckled. "Look, if you want to improve yourself for her, that's a good mindset to have. But don't beat yourself up like that. Besides, you still have your whole life ahead of you to make something truly magnificent."

Welf snorted. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks, Bell, this whole rune thing has kind of been messing with my mind. Especially since I'm the only one who can make them."

Bell patted Welf on the back. "Look at you raising in value. Lucky me for poaching you."

Welf playfully elbowed Bell in his chestplate. "Yeah, yeah. You just want the armor."

"Good, you know your use." Bell joked.

Welf laughed as he finished cleaning his weapon. "Alright, now tell me about how wonderful it is not being single."

"Well, let's see. Anya's very affectionate-

"Affectionate how?" Welf asked with a knowing grin.

Bell playfully pushed his head with his hand. "Not in that way. I just mean she likes to cuddle and kiss."

"Just cuddle and kiss?"

Bell rolled his eyes. "Yes, we haven't even gone that far yet. We've mostly just been spending time together."

"Doing what?"

Bell shrugged. "Anything really. It's not about what we do. It's that we're doing it together. You understand what I'm saying?"

Welf nodded. "Yeah, I do, you just enjoy spending time together."

"Exactly." Bell smiled. "And I like spending that time with her."

"Aw, look at you all sappy."

"Shut up!"

Welf laughed, but the fun then stopped. The wall in front of them cracked open, and a few Almirajs popped out.

Welf and Bell stood up, with Bell looking at Welf.

"Well, it looks like break time is over. You want to deal with them?" Bell asked.

"Sure, why not." Welf shrugged.

Welf lazily approached the rabbits, who seemed to be slightly disorganized and disoriented from coming out of the wall. Welf merely raised up his blade and swung down, slicing all of their heads off with a single swing.

Once the Almirajs collapsed to the ground dead, Welf turned his head back to Bell.

"You sure these aren't so far off cousins of yours?" Welf asked.

"You're not funny!" Bell playfully yelled back.

Welf chuckled as he began harvesting the monster stones from their corpses. Once harvested, the Almiraj's turned to ash, and Welf put the stones in his pouch.

"Hey, Welf, how come you don't wear armor? It'd be pretty useful for you to have." Bell asked.

Welf looked down at himself, noticing his lack of armor. "Well, I don't want to lose the speed I have."

"But you're not a speed-based fighter, and besides, all your vitals are open. I mean, if I stabbed you in the gut, I'm cutting into your intestines." Bell explained.

Welf looked down at his unarmored body again before looking back to Bell. "So you're saying I should forgo the speed in return for strength and durability?"

Bell nodded. "Yup, I mean, you're a big guy. You also have a big sword, so it doesn't make sense for you to try and rely on speed."

"I see, alright, I'll make myself some armor then. What color should it be?"

"It should be red to signify your burning love for your goddess." Bell teased.

Welf picked up another rock and threw it at him. It bounced off Bell's armor again, but the boy was still laughing.

"Knock it off!" Welf yelled, his cheeks a slight red.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Now let's go get Karen and her friend."

"You mean the Thousand elf?" Welf asked.

"Yes, her, for some reason, I don't think she likes me," Bell answered.

"It's just your natural charm."

"Yet I have a girlfriend, and you don't."

"Touché."

.

.

.

.

Karen and Lefiya walked around on floor eight. Both could easily solo this floor if they wanted to, but they weren't here for that.

Originally, Karen was supposed to go down with Bell and Welf to floor 13. But by pure chance, they ran into Lefiya, who was heading into the dungeon by her lonesome to improve her magic.

She was supposed to head in with a friend from the Dionysus familia, but they had to cancel last minute for some familia business.

So, seeing as Karen was too nervous to go down to floor 13, she asked Bell if she could stay with Lefiya. Bell agreed, knowing the whole middle floors incident was very traumatic for Karen, and wanted to ease her back into the dungeon and not throw her in the deep end like normal.

"So, Miss Karen, what made you decide to stay with me instead of going with your party?" Lefiya asked.

Karen gulped but answered. "Please just call me Karen, and last time we went to the middle floors. It didn't go so well."

Lefiya turned to face Karen with a quirked eyebrow. "Didn't go so well? What exactly

happened?"

Karen gulped again as the memories came flooding back. The lures hitting her chest. The group falling down two floors. Welf getting punched by a Minotaur. Her being set upon by the Hellhounds and Lygerfang's. Her leg breaking under their jaw.

But then some good memories came. Bell saving her and carrying her to safety. Refusing to leave her or anyone behind. How he took care of her once they got to floor 18, and the strain he put his body through to keep everyone safe.

To her, Bell was a hero, and it wasn't just to her as well. All the members of Bell's party felt the same. But more so, for Lili and Karen since Bell made their safety his top priority.

"Someone hit us with monster lures, and then thousands of monsters chased us. Our only hope of survival was making it to floor 18."

"Oh my gods, that sounds horrible. Who would do something like that?" Lefiya asked.

Karen shuddered to think about it. "I'm not sure, but I do know if Bell wasn't with us, we all would be dead."

Lefiya was surprised. She didn't care much for Bell. Not at all, really. She saw him as a brash and cocky man who broke the record for the fastest level-up.

A man who cruised through life with a smile on his face. More brawn than brain.

Now, did this make Lefiya angry? No, as long as he committed no crimes and didn't cause her any headaches, she didn't care how he lived his life.

As long as he stayed away from Ais.

But now her opinion of him was starting to change slightly. Karen, of course, wouldn't tell her anymore about what happened.

But the tidbit she did share rang in Lefiya's mind.

"They'd be dead if it weren't for him." Lefiya thought. "Hmm, good to know."

Maybe he wasn't as bad as she initially thought. Karen seemed grateful to him.

Karen's attention then turned to a wall that was breaking in front of them.

"Lefiya, look, War Shadows," Karen called out.

Lefiya turned her attention to where Karen was pointing. A dozen War Shadows were floating in front of them, grouped up but momentarily disoriented.

She raised her wand as Karen moved in to protect her from any stray monsters. Lefiya began chanting as the War Shadows seemed to notice the two.

"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree."

The War Shadows charged as Lefiya chanted. Karen still stood ready to protect Lefiya if needed. Despite the fact that Lefiya was a level three on the upper floors.

"You are an expert of the bow. Shoot, sniper of the fairies. Penetrate, arrow of absolute accuracy. Arcs Ray!"

A yellow beam of light shot forth from her wand and started careening to a War Shadow. Arcs Ray was a single-shot spell that could track its enemies. One might think this would be the wrong spell to use against a group of War Shadows.

But they would be wrong.

As the beam of light hovered right in front of the War Shadows, Lefiya chanted once more.

"Alio."

Her spell exploded in the faces of the War Shadows, causing them to go flying back as they died due to their low magic resistance.

Multiple monster stones clattered onto the ground. Lefiya let out a breath as Karen stared at her wide-eyed and in shock.

"Hmm, the yield still feels the same. Looks like I haven't really improved at all." Lefiya dejectedly thought.

"That was amazing, Lefiya!" Karen shouted, startling the elf.

Lefiya jumped at the noise, to which Karen apologized for.

"R-really? I don't feel like it's that good." Lefiya muttered.

"Are you kidding! That magic was some of the best I have ever seen! I mean the way you seamlessly controlled it and then made it explode! I've never seen anything like it!"

Lefiya blushed in embarrassment and scratched her cheek. "Oh, um, well, thank you."

Lefiya didn't know what else to say. The only person who really praised her like that was Filvis. Everyone else's praise felt either hollow or something they did in the moment.

Not to mention, Bete always put her down. Calling her a weakling and a coward. He did so every chance he got.

"Do you have any other magics? If so, I'd like to see them?" Karen asked.

Lefiya nervously chuckled again. "Maybe another time. I think those are your friends up ahead."

Karen turned and faced the direction Lefiya was pointing. Bell and Welf were approaching them, with Bell giving them a small wave.

"We're back." He said in a song-like voice.

Lefiya rolled her eyes at the tone while Karen waved back. Once Bell and Welf reached the two, Bell spoke.

"You doing alright, Karen? Anything bad happen?" Bell asked.

Karen shook her head. "No, Lefiya was just practicing her magic. It was really cool to see. Even cooler than yours."

Bell placed a hand on his chest in mock hurt. "Oh, you wound me, Karen."

Lefiya looked uninterested by Bell's presence but kept her mouth shut. Bell and Karen were friends, and it didn't serve any purpose being mean to him.

Not for the moment, at least.

"So why are you guys back so soon? I expected you to be down for another couple of hours." Karen asked.

"Oh, we were only testing Welf's level up. He tested it and has gotten used to his strength, so we decided to head back up. Besides, he probably misses his finance."

Welf promptly smacked him in the back of the head while Karen seemingly teleported next to him.

"You have a finance?! How come you didn't tell us?!" Karen asked.

Welf sighed in annoyance as Bell snickered off to his left.

"I don't have a finance. Bell is just misunderstanding the situation." Welf explained.

Karen pouted toward the snickering Bell. "You got me all excited for nothing."

"I'm sorry, Karen. But it is such an easy target to tease Welf about."

"Still, I was excited for a wedding."

Welf didn't miss this opportunity. "Maybe you can be a bridesmaid at Bell's."

Bell slowly cocked his head as he glared at Bell while Karen's eyes widened. Bell quickly stuck up his finger, silencing her before she spoke.

"Anya and I have been dating for a week and a half. Little early to think of that."

"Yet you've gone on like five dates in that time." Welf deadpanned.

Bell shrugged. "What can I say? I'm an attentive boyfriend."

Lefiya watched the warm atmosphere between the two. It made sense since they were party members. But they had also gone through a harrowing experience together, and those were known to bring even the unlikeliest of personalities together.

Lefiya didn't really have something like that. Sure, she had friends in the Loki familia. But she wasn't friends like Karen was with Bell and Welf. She wouldn't say they were like a family. But they were close to one.

She wondered what that was like.

"Well, Welf and I are heading back. You're welcome to remain here if you want and see the magic." Bell said.

Lefiya looked over to Karen, expecting her to leave. Her friends were, so she didn't have a reason to remain in the dungeon.

"I'll stay, I like seeing Lefiya's magic. It's pretty." Karen answered.

Lefiya blushed slightly at the words. Filvis was the only one who said her magic was pretty before.

"Alright, just make sure you're back for dinner. Astraea has someone she wants to introduce to us."

"Who?"

Bell shrugged his shoulders. "I am not sure, but apparently an old friend."

Karen nodded. "Alright, I'll be back in time for dinner. The question is, will you?"

Bell chuckled. "I'm not stuck in the dungeon this time."

"Yeah, you're stuck in your girlfriend's loving embrace." Welf teased.

Bell rolled his eyes and began to walk away. "I'll see you back at home. Make sure you don't get too distracted by the pretty magic."

Welf followed him as Karen waved goodbye. Once the two men were out of sight, Karen turned back to Lefiya.

"I'm ready to see more of your magic now."

.

.

.

.

Bell and Welf exited the dungeon to the midday sun shining down on them. It took a second for their eyes to adjust, but once they did, they were ready to part ways.

"You know Karen has seemed a lot more cheerful lately," Bell said.

"Might be Emma rubbing off on her. Those two girls always seem to be together whenever they get the chance." Welf added.

"You could very well be right. So, we're planning on heading down as a group sometime next week. I'll let you know when I have further details."

"Great, that'll give me some time to make some armor."

"Yeah, I don't need you getting gutted in the dungeon. That would be bad."

The two then fist bumped and hid each other goodbye as Bell walked to the Hostess and Welf walked to his goddess's private forge.

Bell made it to the Hostess within a few minutes. The lunch rush was already over, and there were only a few patrons milling about.

Once Anya saw Bell enter, she quickly rushed over to him and gave him a quick peck.

"You're back early, nya." She said. Her tail wagging.

"Wasn't planning on staying long. Just wanted Welf to test his level up and ease Karen back into the dungeon." Bell explained.

Anya looked around. "Where is she then, nya?"

"With a friend from the Loki familia. I think her name is Thousand Elf."

"Oh, her nya. She's a regular, along with her goddess. From what I've heard of her, Karen seems to be in good hands, nya."

"Well, that's good to know. But they're only staying on the upper floors. Plus, I don't think the elf likes me so much."

"Oh well, that's too bad, nya."

Syr then approached the two of them dressed in a white sundress and a big straw hat. She was carrying two bags, which seemed to be some homemade fun.

"Oh, Bell, be a dear and help me carry these heavy bags." Syr pleaded, giving him puppy eyes.

"But they don't look heavy at all," Bell responded.

Anya elbowed him in the gut. "Help her, nya. Besides, she wants you to meet someone."

"Oh well, should've just said that," Bell responded, taking the bags.

"So you'll help some stranger rather than little ol me?" Syr pouted.

"Syr, the bags don't even weigh two pounds."

"Hmmph."

Bell rolled his eyes as Anya grabbed his jaw and kissed him once more. Bell kissed her back, and Anya pulled back.

"I'll see you later, nya?"

"Always," Bell answered.

Anya smiled and went back to work while Bell followed Syr out of the building. Syr seemed to skip along the sidewalk with her hands behind her back. Bell followed her like the loyal pack mule he was forced to be.

"So where are we going?" Bell asked.

"Somewhere dangerous where I'll need a chivalrous protector," Syr responded.

Bell rolled his eyes as that didn't really answer his question. But nevertheless, he followed Syr. They took the twists and turns of Orario's streets until ending up in an alleyway leading to Daedalus Street.

Syr then stopped and turned on her heel to face Bell. She jabbed her index finger into Bell's chestplate. Bell just furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Now, Bell, you know Anya is a dear friend of mine, right?" She asked in a sweet voice.

But Bell knew it was anything but sweet. It didn't really scare him, though. Not after the stuff he had been through since coming to this city. But he would amuse Syr nonetheless.

"Yes, I'm aware," Bell answered.

"Good, so if you do anything, and I mean anything to hurt her." Syr looked down at his crotch before looking him in the eyes again.

"Well, I know you're smart enough to catch my meaning." She finished.

Bell tilted his head as he looked down at Syr. She was shorter than him, standing at about 5'4 while he stood at 5'8. So the sight was kind of interesting to see.

"I promise I won't hurt her. Now, can we get going? I don't know how long this will take, and I need to make sure you get out of here safely and that I'm back in time for dinner." Bell said.

Syr's smile curled upward more before she removed her finger from Bell.

"Very well, just remember what I said, Bell."

Bell agreed and began to follow Syr again. They took more twists and turns, with men and women alike hungrily eying up Syr.

But one simple glare from Bell made them sink back. Even with the two bags in his hands, he could still kill these people if needed.

"Kill them? Why was that my first thought?" Bell wondered.

Shouldn't it be to arrest them instead of kill them? It was odd how that was his first thought, and slightly worrying. But one look at Syr washed those thoughts away. He needed to keep her safe.

He would keep her safe. Or else Anya would never forgive him if something happened to her.

Eventually, the two arrived at some rundown church somewhere on Daedalus Street. It seemed abandoned, and the place looked like it would fall down under a harsh gust of wind.

Bell looked at Syr confusedly, but the girl laid him no mind. She skipped forward to the door with Bell following close behind her.

Syr playfully knocked on the door and waited with Bell. A few seconds later, a woman with black hair opened the door.

She wore a gray dress and a pink sweater wrapped around her shoulders. She looked to be in her 40s, but her eyes brightened all the same once she saw Syr.

"Ah, Syr, it's good to see you again. Oh, and who is this?" The woman asked.

Syr smiled and gestured to Bell. "Maria, this is Bell. He's here in place of Anya today, and he escorted me here like a knight in shining armor."

"Pleasure to meet you, Bell. Why don't you two come in." Maria said.

She stepped back and let Bell and Syr in. The two entered the run-down church, and it looked like any other church.

Pews and an altar with rooms branching off into the back. However, everything was in such a state of disrepair that it pained Bell to see it.

He also still wondered what this place was. Bell quickly got his answer, however, when three kids came running out of one of the rooms.

"Big sis Syr!" They yelled.

Syr knelt down and wrapped the children in her arms. She gave them a big and warm hug, which the children reciprocated.

After a minute, the three kids pulled back, as well as Syr. One was a chienthrope. The second one was an elf, and the third was a human.

The children turned their attention to Bell with the chientirhope asking Syr a fated question.

"Is this your boyfriend?" She asked.

Syr shook her head. "No, this is just a friend. But he is Anya's boyfriend."

The kids digested that information quickly, but Maria calmed them down before they could explode.

"Where is big sis Anya?" The human asked.

"Oh, she couldn't take off work today. So she sent Bell here instead." Syr responded.

"Yes, she forced me to go with Syr. Now, Syr, what am I doing with these bags?" Bell asked.

"Oh, give them to Maria. Now, kids, have you been behaving?" Syr asked.

The three kids nodded as Bell handed the bags to Maria. The bags were filled with food that Mia herself had made for the kids.

Bell didn't know this, of course, and was just an unwilling delivery boy for one of Syr's whims. But he assumed she wanted him to meet the children.

Why, he didn't know. But Bell did feel bad for them for having to grow up in such a place. No one should even live in a place like this.

Little did he know he'd soon change their lives for the better. All it would take was a war.

.

.

.

.

A few hours passed by with Bell playing with the kids from the orphanage. Syr watched from the sidelines. She had this weird smile on her face that Bell couldn't quite place what it was.

He paid it no mind, however, as he continued to entertain the kids. But he had to leave eventually, so after walking Syr back to the Hostess, he gave Anya another kiss before heading back home.

As Bell was heading home, however, he ran into Karen, and the two of them walked side by side all the way back to the Stardust Garden.

"So, who do you think Lady Astraea is introducing us to?" Karen asked.

Bell shrugged. "I'm not sure. She did say it was an old friend though so many another god."

Karen and Bell walked up the stairs and entered through the front door. The smell of dinner invaded their nostrils as they took their shoes off.

The two also noticed two pairs of shoes they hadn't seen before. Meaning their guests had already arrived.

"Looks like there's two of them." Bell mused.

"Well, let's not be rude," Karen added.

The two walked to the living room, where Astraea was gathered with Emma and Lili. Which made Bell confused about why he and Karen could smell dinner being made.

Astraea's eyes brightened when she saw Karen and Bell enter the living room. She stood up and rushed over to them, wrapping one arm around each of them and pulling them into a hug.

The two patted her on the back, but Bell noticed a blue-haired goddess giving him a dirty look. He paid her no mind as his attention went back to Astraea.

"How was your trip to the dungeon?" Astraea asked as she pulled back.

"It was alright. We just went down to test Welf's level-up. Karen here decided to stay with her friend on the eighth floor, however." Bell explained.

"And did you enjoy your time with your friend?" Astraea asked.

Karen nodded. "I did, Lady Astraea. I got to see lots of cool and pretty magic."

"And I made fun of Welf for having a ring," Bell added.

"Why does Welf have a ring?" Astraea asked.

Bell shrugged. "Something involving a new skill of his."

Astraea felt as if there was more, but Bell didn't say anything else. Most likely because of Artemis and her captain sitting not five feet from them.

"Well, since you two are back, allow me to introduce you to my friend Artemis and her captain Rethusa." Astraea gestured.

Rethusa had reddish-brown hair and eyes of a similar color. She wore a green and white sleeveless shirt and brown pants with a brown belt attached. She also had a pair of gloves on her hands that reached up to her arms.

Bell could tell by her attire that she was an archer, and judging by her belt, she used an axe as well. Rethusa gave him a friendly wave, which he and Karen returned.

Artemis, on the other hand, had blue hair and green eyes. She wore a white and light purple dress with gloves and rings covering her arms. Unlike Rethusa's gaze, Artemis's was hard and not kind.

Something that everyone picked up on. It's not like she was trying to hide it. Bell again didn't care. He knew there were people in life that wouldn't like him.

Artemis just seemed to be one of them.

"I wasn't aware you had a man in your familia Astraea. I thought you were still girls only?" Artemis asked.

"Times change Artemis. Besides, I wouldn't be back in this city if it weren't for Bell." Astraea smiled.

Though Bell could feel the protectiveness radiating from it. Karen looked between the two before speaking to Bell.

"What's going on?" Karen whispered.

"Astraea entered mama bear mode," Bell responded.

Karen nodded and stood back as Artemis turned her attention to Bell. She eyed him for a second, taking in his appearance and noting the scar on his face.

She couldn't see the one on his arm as his gauntlet was covering it.

To Artemis, Bell looked like a normal manly brute. His face was ruggedly handsome, with a scar going down his face half an inch from his left eye.

He also had small amounts of stubble lightly showing on his face. It wasn't noticeable unless someone was examining him like Artemis was. Add that to the fact his hair was long. Not long like a woman's, but the locks went past his ears.

Artemis rolled her eyes. Bell looked like a typical cocky pretty boy that played fast and loose with life. The type that liked the adrenaline rush. The thrill of adventure.

How wrong she was.

"So what's for dinner?" Bell asked.

"Some food We picked up from the Hostess," Emma said.

Bell smiled, and his eyes brightened. Astraea chuckled and spoke before Bell could.

"Yes, we got your usual. Now you and Karen go and wash up." Astraea said.

Bell and Karen exited the living room to remove their armor and weapons and get washed up for dinner. Meanwhile, Emma and Lili just looked at each other.

"I can see dinner being hectic," Lili said.

"Agreed," Emma responded.

.

.

.

.

Twenty minutes later, everyone was seated at the dinner table, with Astraea sitting at the head. Artemis was on her left, and Bell was on Astraea's right.

The Astraea familia sat on Bell's side while Rethusa sat next to Artemis.

"So, Bell, I hear you broke the record for the fastest level-up in history. What's it like being the record holder?" Rethusa asked.

Bell finished chewing his spaghetti and swallowed before speaking.

"Well, it's a good conversation starter, but I don't really care for it. I mean, I leveled up quickly. What's the big deal." Bell shrugged.

"Hmm, not vain. That's a good trait to have." Rethusa added.

"So Rethusa, how was traveling the world? Did you see any interesting?" Astraea asked.

"I've seen a lot of things, Lady Astraea. Most good, some not. Although I think Altens takes the cake. A city comprised of magic and mages. It was amazing."

"Oh, that sounds so cool!" Emma and Karen said at the same time.

Bell and Lili looked at them in shock.

"It's amazing and scary how you two became so alike in a matter of weeks." Lili deadpanned.

"Hopefully, this means your cohesion will be better," Bell joked. He took a sip of his water before going back to eating.

Emma and Karen blushed slightly in embarrassment as they went back to eating. Astraea looked on fondly as some of their behavior reminded Astraea about her old familia.

But those thoughts were pushed aside when Artemis spoke.

"Bell, tell me. As a man, do you enjoy being in a familia of all women?" Artemis asked.

Bell had his mouth open as he was about to eat but placed his fork down.

"I mean, in all honesty, I really don't care that my familia is all women. It just means the people fighting alongside me aren't the same as me." Bell answered.

He knew what this goddess was trying to infer, and he didn't like it. Not one bit.

Artemis then turned her attention to the girls next to him as Rethusa shot him an apologetic glance.

"And you three. Do you feel safe having Bell in the same familia as you? Living together in the same building?" Artemis asked.

Bell clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes while Lili spoke up.

"We do, and I, for one, don't like how you're assuming the worst of Master Bell. If it weren't for him, all of us would be dead." Lili firmly stated.

"Yeah, Bell saved our lives with no thought of his own!" Emma added.

"Bell could've easily left me behind when the monsters broke my leg in the dungeon. But he turned back and got them off me before throwing me over his back and carrying me to safety." Karen firmly added.

"But he's a man! How can you be sure he doesn't want something in return for all these good deeds?" Artemis asked.

"Because I have a girlfriend, and it isn't any of them," Bell answered.

He wasn't the least bit bothered by her sexism. In fact he felt more sorry for her than anything. Living in a mentality like that, all men were bad. He hoped she'd lose her ignorance soon.

Artemis, on the other hand, didn't seem to know what to say anymore. Astraea took this opportunity to face Artemis and softly speak.

"See Artemis, not every man is a brute or cocky pretty boy. Now apologize to Bell."

Artemis looked at Bell before sighing. "I apologize for my behavior. But don't think this means I won't have my eye on you. Once you slip up, I'll be there to catch you."

Bell rolled his eyes. "Sounds stalkerish but ok. Now, can we go back to eating, please?"

Rethusa giggled while Artemis silently ate. The sun began setting as dinner went on without any more problems.

Bell and Rethusa talked some more, and she also gave him tips on how to better lead a familia. Bell listened to her and soaked up the knowledge she was giving.

She had been doing this for much longer than he had, and while his familia plus Welf says he does a good job, Bell knows he can always be better.

But one piece of advice Rethuda gave him stuck with him. She told him that while it was good to equip his familia, he should let them do that on their own next time to give them some independence.

Bell agreed with her on that front and had already planned for something like that. But kept his mouth shut as Rethusa gave him another piece of advice that stuck with him.

"And remember this. No matter what, your familia is your family. Not some pawns used at your whims to achieve victory. But your family, sure, you can still use them to achieve victory, but only because you know they can do it. They're people, not pawns. Understand?"

Bell nodded, digesting her words. "I do, I wouldn't have stayed up for 32 hours to keep them safe if I didn't."

Rethusa chuckled. "32 hours? What made you do something like that?"

Bell stood up and grabbed his dishes. "I'll tell you another time. It looks like your goddess is ready to leave."

Rethusa looked over to her goddess standing by the door with Astraea. "Well, I guess so, lucky for you were staying in the city for a while."

"Good, maybe we'll see each other heading into the dungeon, and you can meet Welf."

"You mean the one who's engaged?" Rethusa joked.

Bell laughed. "Oh, I can see a long-lasting friendship between the two of us."

Bell walked Rethusa to the door, where Astraea hugged Artemis before pulling back.

"It was good to see you again, old friend," Astraea said.

"Yes, it was, although I do wonder where your old child is?" Artemis replied.

"She's around. Bell and I are working on removing her bounty."

Artemis glanced at Bell before back at Astraea. "Then I wish your endeavor well. But we must take our leave. Come along, Rethusa."

"Bye, everyone, it was nice meeting you." Rethusa waved.

Artemis and Rethsua left the Stardust Garden with Astraea waving goodbye. Once the two were out of sight, Astraea handed Bell a letter.

"This came for you earlier today, and I'm sorry for how Artemis treated you." She said.

Bell shrugged and opened the letter. "It's fine, a part of me feels sorry for her."

Once the letter was opened, a golden poker chip dropped out, which Bell caught before it hit the ground. He read the letter and chuckled.

Mr Cranel

You have been invited to our casino as a guest of honor for attaining the fastest level-up in history. Attached to the letter is a golden poker chip that will allow you inside you.

Please dress nicely and bring a plus one if you want.

The Grand Casino El Dorado Resort.

"Well, that name's a mouthful." Bell thought, handing the letter to Astraea.

She read it and looked back at Bell. "So, are you going to go?"

Bell looked at the golden poker chip and shrugged. "I'm not sure. It could be a nice place to take Anya, though."

"Well, whatever you do, just make sure not to cause any trouble."

"I'll try my best."

Well, another chapter comes and goes. This time, focusing more on the day-to-day than anything else.

Anyway, the reason this took so long was because I had an angiogram, and I wanted to focus on my other stories.

So I hope you enjoyed and I'll catch you later.