So, no mass update unfortunately, as I did not pass my specialist exam. Just got to pick myself up and try again in a few months.
Honestly though, I have to make mention of Akira Toriyama's passing. Dragon Ball has shaped me as a person, and I will always appreciate it. I am sure many others have also been affected directly through Dragon Ball or through the other manga it has inspired. RIP Akira Toriyama.
Moving on to Danmachi though, we have Bell's first meeting with Freya in this chapter and an insight into the mind of Ais.
I've also decided to start writing for Danmachi again at least until my annual leave in a few months as I don't have time to sit down and smash through Naruto right now, so I'll be starting my writing of the equivalent of LN2 and probably posting free parts randomly on pat reon until I have enough to consolidate them into chapters. SO LN drags so slow though, LN4 and it is only up to their expedition to the 59th floor. I actually think the SO manga does a better job than the LN as we get more fleshed out scenes and the comedy hits a bit better.
Either way, enjoy this chapter for now.
SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan.
Previously:
Bell would prepare a nice dinner for Hestia, before the diminutive goddess would leave to attend the Banquet of Gods hosted by Ganesha, where she would run into Hephaestus, Freya, and Loki. Bell would spend the next day working at the Hostess of Fertility, leaving prior to lunch with Syr and Ryuu, to purchase some new weapons and armour. Being tricked into working the dinner rush, Bell would later learn that Syr had set things up to get him his own personal trainer, in the form of Ais Wallenstein.
Disclaimer – I don't own anything from the Danmachi light novel/anime/manga/games. All I own are my original characters and plot twists.
'Talking'
"Thinking"
*expression*
Flashback
Magic
Chapter 5 – Goals
Bell made his way out quietly, not wanting to wake his still sleeping Goddess. They had a small chat last night, but given the time, decided to have a bit more of a debrief after Bell had some training under his belt to see how it was going. Bell made his way to Hostess of Fertility and noticed the sun was only just starting to rise over the horizon. When Bell entered, he was surprised to see Ais Wallenstein already sitting at the bar.
'Uh, sorry for being late.' Fumbled Bell, unsure if they had actually scheduled a time, but felt that he should apologise.
'No need to apologise, I rise early.' Explained Ais with a nod.
'What would you like for breakfast?' Asked Bell, as he moved into the kitchen, coming to face Ais.
'Whatever you decide.' Said Ais simply.
Bell smiled and set about preparing Ais' breakfast. In no time at all, Bell had placed a plate on the counter with a glass of orange juice. Bell had prepared some French toast with a small serving of strawberries and blueberries on the side.
'What will you eat?' Asked Ais.
'Oh that's okay, I'll get something to eat later.' Said Bell, only for Ais to shake her head.
'You need energy to train, please bring me a plate.' Said Ais.
Bell obliged and placed a plate down next to Ais' meal. Ais then picked up a piece of the toast and some strawberries and placed them on the plate, which she pushed to the side, before patting the stool next to her. Bell smiled at the gesture. Before taking the offered seat, Bell went back into the kitchen and grabbed a glass to pour himself some juice as well, while bringing a few extra strawberries to replace the ones Ais had given him.
'Thank you.' Said Bell shyly, as he sat beside her.
'If we are going to train, you need to be strong enough to do so.' Explained Ais, before taking a bite of her toast.
Bell noted how cute her cheeks looked as she ate, noticing the little twitch of a smile on her face, showing she enjoyed the food, before turning back to his meal. The two ate their meal in a comfortable silence, before Bell picked up the dishes and washed them.
'Where is your equipment?' Asked Ais, once Bell returned, the young chef drying his hands on a washcloth.
'I didn't think to bring it, I thought we would train later in the day, I don't want to take up your time if you have things to do.' Admitted Bell.
'I see. From now on, bring your equipment in the morning. We will focus on physical conditioning today.' Instructed Ais, getting a nod from Bell.
Ais waited for Bell to put the towel back, before she stood and motioned for him to follow her, neither of them noticing the gaze that followed them as they left from above. The two made their way through the town, with Bell noting almost no one was around. Ais led Bell towards one of the great walls surrounding Orario. The current position of the sun and the large wall provided a nice, shaded area, while also bathing the surrounding area in an expanse of light.
Ais took her sword off her hip and placed it in a shaded area, before walking back.
'Attack me.' Instructed Ais.
Bell looked at Ais uneasily, before putting up a rudimentary guard as he approached her. Bell was in a very poor boxer's stance and wasn't quite sure what to do, before throwing out a straight right. Bell blinked and suddenly found himself on his back, having been heaved over Ais' shoulder and slammed into the ground.
'That wasn't serious.' Said Ais.
'Uh, I'm not much of a boxer.' Confessed Bell, looking off to the side.
'How do you normally fight?' Asked Ais.
'I use knives.' Said Bell, causing Ais to hum for a second.
Ais then walked off and seemed to search for something, before picking up a rock and then walking over to another area. Ais narrowed her eyes, before she then found a second rock she approved of and handed them to Bell.
'Pretend these are knives. Show me how you fight.' Ordered Ais.
Bell picked the rocks up and palmed them, feeling somewhat more comfortable at having a weapon. Having used rocks in the past, Bell was even more reassured, taking comfort in the familiar sensation. Bell dropped down into his usual stance, both hands in front of his chest, one in front of the other.
'Good. Attack me.' Instructed Ais again.
This time Bell rushed with a bit more speed, darting off to the side before leaping at Ais' side. Ais ducked the first swipe and stepped into Bell's guard, quickly landing an elbow to his gut, before hefting him over her shoulder and slamming him into the ground. Unfortunately, Ais performed this action with much more force than she did the first time. When Ais turned around, she noticed Bell was now unconscious.
"Oops." Thought Ais.
'Huh, what happened?' Mumbled Bell in confusion a few seconds later, clutching at his forehead.
'I'm sorry. I didn't hold back properly.' Apologised Ais.
'Oh, no, don't be sorry, I should have been more careful.' Said Bell, as he stood back up.
'You want to continue?' Asked Ais curiously.
'Yes please!' Said Bell eagerly.
'Why?' Asked Ais.
'I want to get stronger.' Answered Bell.
'Why?' Asked Ais again, tilting her head to the side cutely.
'I… I have a goal I want to reach.' Said Bell quietly, averting his gaze downwards with a small blush.
"A goal? I wonder what it is…" Thought Ais.
'Ready to continue now then?' Asked Ais.
'Yes!' Exclaimed Bell.
"I don't know what the goal is… but I want to help him reach it." Thought Ais, as she ducked a swing from Bell's rock weapon, before she slammed him into the ground again.
"Oops." Thought Ais, seeing the boy looked thoroughly knocked out this time.
-line break-
When Bell woke this time, he noticed the sun had moved quite a distance.
'Ah! What time is it?' Asked Bell, looking around frantically.
'It is an hour past lunchtime.' Said Ais from Bell's right, causing him to snap his gaze to her.
'Here.' Offered Ais, a potato snack held in her outstretched hand.
'Ah, I'm sorry. You agreed to help train me for my cooking and now I've missed lunch, I'm so sorry.' Apologised Bell, bowing his head.
'Can you tell me about your Goddess?' Requested Ais, causing Bell to look up in confusion.
'Huh? My Goddess? Why?' Asked Bell.
Ais put the potato snack closer to Bell, giving him an insistent look. Bell took the snack, only to see Ais then pull out one of her own from a brown paper bag.
'Why do you want to know about my Goddess?' Repeated Bell, as he took a bite from the potato snack, before realising he recognised the cooking style.
'Did you buy these from my Goddess?' Asked Bell, getting a nod from Ais.
'I met her for the first time yesterday. She is different from my Goddess. I want to know what she is like.' Explained Ais, taking a bite of her own snack.
'Well, I would say my Goddess is very kind.' Started Bell, a small smile on his face.
'Aren't most other Goddesses also kind?' Asked Ais, taking another bite.
'W-well, I don't know about that, but it isn't just that she is kind, it is like we are almost family.' Said Bell.
'Isn't your Goddess the Goddess of Hearth, Home, and Family?' Asked Ais.
'I, uh, I don't know actually. Sounds like you know more about her than I do.' Commented Bell, looking sorrowful at that.
'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad.' Apologised Ais, only for Bell to smile.
'No, that's okay. Even if I don't know everything about her, I know the things I need to know.' Said Bell.
'What?' Asked Ais.
'That she cares for me. I know that no matter what happens, she will be there for me… when I first came to Orario, I went to every Familia around and they all rejected me… but Goddess accepted me.' Admitted Bell, causing Ais to recall her first meeting with the Goddess.
-line break-
Flashback
-line break-
'I'm sorry, can you please give this to the worker at the Jagamarukun stand?' Requested a girl with light grey hair, handing Ais an envelope.
Ais recognised her as one of the workers at the Hostess of Fertility.
'If it's not too much trouble, could you also buy four potato snacks and bring them back here. I can offer you a free lunch if you help.' Requested the girl, handing Ais some valis.
Ais simply nodded and carried out the request. The Loki Familia had a good relationship with the Hostess of Fertility, so it wouldn't do to ignore a simple request, especially after the mess Bete had made a few nights ago. Ais quickly made her way to the stand and saw a cute girl standing behind the wooden construct.
'It's you!' Exclaimed the girl, upon spotting Ais.
'Me?' Said Ais questioningly, pointing a finger at her face.
'You're the one trying to take my Bell away from me.' Said the girl with narrowed eyes.
'Bells? The bells on your hair ties?' Asked Ais questioningly.
'W-what, not bells, Bell… do you not know who Bell is?' Asked the girl, now seeming confused.
'Hestia, are you disturbing a customer?' Asked the stand owner.
'N-no, of course not! How can I help you?' Asked Hestia, turning to Ais.
'Can I please have four potato snacks?' Asked Ais.
Hestia nodded and professionally filled the order before bagging them up and placing them on the counter.
'That will be one hundred and sixty valis.' Said Hestia.
'Thank you. I was also told to give you this by someone.' Said Ais, as she placed the money and envelope down, while taking the bag.
'Wait, what is this?' Asked Hestia, only to see the blonde swordswoman already waking away.
Ais found the silver haired girl who had her run the errand rather quickly and handed the bag to her. The girl then removed one of the potato snacks and handed it to Ais.
'Thank you very much. I know this is a simple reward, but I also have a letter for you, please consider it another token of my thanks.' Said the girl, passing her an envelope as well, before running off.
-line break-
End Flashback
-line break-
'Is she worried about losing you?' Asked Ais, throwing Bell for a loop.
'Uh, I hope not. I know she worries about me, but I make sure to tell her that I will be back… I guess even with that though, she does still worry.' Confessed Bell, looking down at his potato popper.
'Are there people after you?' Asked Ais.
'No, nothing like that, I think. Our Familia… it is just the two of us. If something happens to either of us, I'm not sure the other one would be able to take it.' Said Bell, carefully.
'So you feel alone, but not when you are together?' Asked Ais, wanting to understand Bell's thinking.
'Well, sort of. I mean, I know Goddess has her own friends too… I, don't really, but everyone at the Hostess of Fertility is very nice to me… maybe they consider me friends now too. At least I think Syr does…' Said Bell, scratching the side of his cheek.
'Is that the girl with grey hair?' Asked Ais.
'Yes. Syr… I can tell she is looking out for me, but she also has a funny sense of humour sometimes.' Said Bell.
'Do you like people to be direct with you?' Asked Ais.
'Uh, yes. I think I make a lot of mistakes if people don't tell me what to do, but that's okay, because I will keep learning no matter how many mistakes I make.' Said Bell.
'Let us continue training then.' Said Ais.
-line break-
Freya sat in her chair, smiling serenely. The beautiful Goddess stood up and made her way to a large bookshelf and seemed to be searching for something in particular. Freya picked a book out of the shelf and smiled slightly wider.
'Ottar.' Called Freya, as a large hulking Boaz entered the room.
'I would like you to… actually, no. Ottar, I would like you to watch over me, I wish to go for a walk.' Requested Freya.
'As you wish, my lady.' Said Ottar, as he watched his Goddess put on a robe.
-line break-
Bell and Ais had trained up until dinner time, with the sun now bathing the area a deep orange. Ais felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as someone neared the pair. Ais ducked Bell's slash and held a hand up to him, causing him to come to a stop.
'What is it?' Asked Bell.
'We have company.' Said Ais.
Ottar was instantly recognisable to Ais, his reputation exceeding even her own, but the person beside him, Ais was unable to recognise easily, as they were almost completely covered up. Bell didn't recognise either of the two, but noticed Ais seemed to be on guard, her posture shifting slightly so that she could move in front of him at a moment's notice.
'Bell Cranel, my Goddess would like to speak with you.' Said Ottar, causing Ais' eyes to widen.
"Ottar's Goddess is Freya, the Goddess of Beauty. Has she come for Bell?" Thought Ais in confusion.
'There is nothing to fear, Sword Princess, my Goddess only has noble intentions in mind.' Said Ottar, seeing through Ais instantly.
Ais eased up slightly, knowing that even though Ottar could overpower her if needed, there was no need for him to lie to her.
'Miss Ais?' Inquired Bell questioningly.
Ais simply nodded and indicated for Bell that it was safe. Bell placed his rocks on the ground and dusted his hands off, before walking over to the pair. Freya smiled and walked off to the side, indicating for Bell to follow. As Bell walked past the large Boaz, he felt almost nothing from the man. It was as though he didn't even see Bell and continued to stare at Ais. Bell noticed that as he walked past the hulking figure, Ais also continued to stare him down, making Bell wonder who exactly this person was, that he could unnerve even the famed Sword Princess. Bell made his way towards the cloaked woman and found that she was smiling at him.
'Hello Bell, I have heard good things about you.' Said Freya.
'M-me, really?' Stammered Bell, only for the Goddess to laugh.
'You sound surprised.' Commented Freya, as she removed her hood, allowing Bell a better look at her beautiful face, causing him to blush.
'Well, I haven't really done anything yet.' Said Bell bashfully.
'Oh? As I understand it, you cleaned out a portion of the Dungeon so thoroughly that it was without monsters for a period of time.' Said Freya in amusement.
'That was because I let my emotions get the better of me.' Admitted Bell in an embarrassed whisper.
'I think that is adorable, but getting back on track, that is not what I was referring to.' Said Freya, surprising Bell.
'W-what, it's not?' Asked Bell in surprise.
'No. You see, I have some friends at a certain restaurant that have told me you have quite the culinary gift. I have come to see if I could experience it for myself. Not without compensation of course though.' Said Freya, opening her robe slightly, as she withdrew a book from within.
Bell's eyes widened and he quickly averted his gaze downwards at the sight of the Goddess, who in the process of opening her robe, showed Bell far more skin than he was expecting to see. Bell looked up again when a book was placed under his nose.
'I understand you are wanting to become stronger. What I have here is a grimoire which will allow you to learn a single type of magic which your heart desires. Such a rare object is worth an almost immeasurable amount of valis. I would like to give it to you in exchange for a meal personally cooked by you.' Said Freya.
'Uh, I don't think my cooking is worth so much, I'm sure I can make you something at a reasonable price.' Said Bell nervously.
'I'm sure you could, but alas, my beauty is not without its drawbacks, it is hard for me to be out in public.' Sighed Freya.
'Why though?' Asked Bell curiously.
'Many can't help but lose control of themselves around me. I keep to myself so as to not cause them accidental harm.' Explained Freya.
'I'm really sorry to hear that.' Said Bell genuinely, causing the Goddess to raise a brow.
'Why do you say that?' Asked Freya.
'Because that means you have to be alone… being alone… is lonely.' Finished Bell lamely.
Freya's eyes widened, before she raised her finger to her lip and giggled.
'You are a special boy, Bell. It is not often I ask for a favour, but please give me the pleasure of your time and cooking.' Requested Freya.
'Of course… I'm just not sure it is worth so much.' Replied Bell.
'Value is determined by the buyer, and I believe this is an equal exchange. If you require more from me for your time, please say so.' Said Freya.
'N-No, this is plenty, thank you… wait, but you said you had friends… do you mean everyone at the Hostess of Fertility?' Asked Bell, as he accepted the grimoire.
'I did. That being said, I have so few men that can talk to me as you are right now. As I say, beauty can be a gift, but also a curse at times.' Admitted Freya.
'Even if you are beautiful though, it isn't right for people to leave you alone because of that.' Said Bell, causing the Goddess to giggle again.
'Oh, I believe you have misunderstood. People don't avoid me for my beauty, they fall head over heels madly in love with me. I've never had a man speak to me for this long without falling in love with me.' Teased Freya.
'But you are a Goddess…' Responded Bell in confusion.
'A Goddess is not some unattainable feat; you will find some of us are quite affectionate with not only our own children, but in fact, all children. Even relationships are acceptable.' Said Freya, causing Bell's eyes to widen.
'Oh, do you have your eyes set on a Goddess as well?' Teased Freya.
'Not exactly… but I do respect the Gods and Goddesses, I can't possibly measure up to something like that.' Said Bell, causing the Goddess of Beauty to laugh.
'As I said, Bell, there have not been many who have spoken to me as you have. You are worth more than you realise, and I wish to help you with that.' Said Freya tenderly.
'Thank you… I would love to cook something for you.' Said Bell, causing Freya to smile.
'Wonderful, I will come by tomorrow for dinner, please let Hestia know, otherwise my appearance will likely be quite shocking to her. I will let my friends know about your absence tomorrow. Please be sure to read the grimoire tonight, I would love to see what magic you gain.' Requested Freya, as she put her hood back on.
As if that was a signal, Ottar approached Freya and Bell. Bell immediately stepped back and Ais approached him.
'Oh, and we will be sure to keep this quiet, after all, it is uncommon for multiple different Familia to come together like this.' Said Freya over her shoulder, getting a small nod from Ais.
Freya smiled and left with Ottar, leaving Bell and Ais alone.
'Bell, am I correct in assuming you will not be able to train with me tomorrow?' Asked Ais.
'No, I can, we will just have to finish earlier than today. Ah, but I at least owe you dinner, especially since you got us lunch. Let's go to the Hostess of Fertility so you can eat before it gets too crowded.' Suggested Bell.
As the two walked the somewhat crowded streets, taking care to avoid the gazes of others, Ais found her curiosity had reached its peak.
'Bell, is your goal your Goddess, or all Goddesses?' Asked Ais.
'W-what are you saying? I'm not going after the Goddesses!' Stammered Bell.
'I thought you were, my mistake. I was just hoping to understand your goal better to help you reach it.' Admitted Ais.
Bell looked embarrassed and couldn't meet Ais' gaze.
'If you don't want to tell me that is also fine.' Said Ais, causing Bell's shoulders to sag in relief.
'Thanks. It isn't that I don't want to tell you, but it is kind of embarrassing.' Admitted Bell.
'And it isn't the Goddesses?' Reiterated Ais.
'N-No, I want my Goddess to be proud of me, but that isn't all of it… it's… complicated.' Said Bell.
'I understand, but if your goal is for your Goddess to be proud of you, you have already reached it.' Said Ais, causing Bell to perk up and look at her.
'What makes you say that?' Asked Bell, causing Ais to recall the other interaction she had with a Goddess today.
-line break-
Flashback
-line break-
'You're back again?' Asked Hestia, as Ais arrived at the Jagamarukun stand.
'I liked them.' Said Ais simply.
Hestia didn't really have a response for that and returned to her usual salesperson demeanour.
'How can I help you today?' Asked Hestia.
'I would like two potato snacks and to ask you a few questions.' Said Ais.
Hestia blinked in confusion at the second part, but started to prepare the potato snacks nonetheless.
'I won't tell you the secrets to Bell's heart.' Said Hestia, as she prepared the snacks.
'Do you know them?' Asked Ais curiously, causing Hestia to stiffen.
'I am his Goddess.' Said Hestia proudly, before sagging slightly.
'But no, I don't actually. I wish I knew so I could help him.' Admitted Hestia.
'I think you may have the secret to his heart, but I am not sure how.' Said Ais, causing the Goddess to perk up.
'Eh? Has Bell been talking about me?' Asked Hestia, her eyes sparkling slightly.
'No.' Said Ais bluntly, causing the Goddess to hang her head.
'He is trying very hard though. I think it is for your sake.' Continued Ais.
'Eh? Me? W-what makes you say that?' Asked Hestia bashfully, slowly lifting her head.
'I knocked him out and he got right back up. Someone getting stronger for their self alone wouldn't do that.' Said Ais.
'What do you mean you knocked him out?' Asked Hestia.
'I… forgot to hold back.' Admitted Ais with a small blush.
'Ah! Did you kill my precious Bell?' Asked Hestia fearfully, raising her hands to her mouth.
'No, but I accidentally knocked him out again, so I came to get lunch for us.' Said Ais.
'W-what, you knocked him out more than once? What kind of training are you doing?' Asked Hestia, before noticing the potato snacks were ready and took them off the heat.
'He said he has a goal. I will help him achieve it, even if I don't know what it is.' Said Ais.
"You can't be serious." Thought Hestia in disbelief, as she packed up the potato snacks.
'What do you think his goal is?' Asked Hestia.
'Wouldn't you know better than I?' Countered Ais.
'I asked you first!' Pouted Hestia.
'I think he wants to get stronger for you, or maybe the waitress, or both of you.' Said Ais, causing Hestia to blink in shock.
'What makes you say that?' Asked Hestia.
'If someone weak wants to get stronger, it is either for personal pride, or to help other people who are weak. Bell doesn't seem to have any pride.' Said Ais.
'Did you ever think that maybe he is trying to reach someone strong instead? To stand at their level?' Asked Hestia.
Now it was Ais turn to blink in shock.
"Is Bell trying to reach… Bete?" Thought Ais, before shaking her head.
'No. He said he would be the one doing the protecting next time. I believe he wants to protect others. I should go back now. Thank you for the food.' Said Ais, placing eighty valis down as she walked away, leaving a stunned Goddess behind.
-line break-
End Flashback
-line break-
'The way your Goddess speaks about you… she cares for you, like you said, but she seems to… be very interested in helping you as well. I can't say the same for others.' Said Ais.
'It is like I said, we only have each other really. That's why, even though she is a Goddess, she works at a store to make money for both of us, so we can put food on the table. That's also why I can't let her down either. If she is trying her best, then I have to do my best at a minimum as well!' Said Bell passionately.
'…food?' Uttered Ais questioningly.
'Does she work in the Jagamarukun stand in order to bring food back for you?' Asked Ais, causing Bell to blush.
'S-sorry, can we talk about something else?' Asked Bell.
"I see… they truly are alone, but both are doing their best." Thought Ais sadly, her heart clenching slightly.
'How did you decide what to make me for breakfast today?' Asked Ais.
'Oh that, I always try to make what I think a person will like best.' Said Bell with a smile, grateful for the change in topic.
'How do you work that out?' Asked Ais.
'Uh, I'm not sure really, I just try to put together what I know about someone and try to work out what they like.' Explained Bell.
'What do you know about me that helped you decide?' Asked Ais curiously.
'Uh, not very much. I know you are very strong, and I can tell you are kind too… but also, you are quiet and don't cause trouble. You are peaceful, but there are also some things that you enjoy even if they might not suit someone as strong as you.' Said Bell.
'I can't say I agree with all of that.' Said Ais, causing Bell to look away.
'I don't think I am a kind person.' Continued Ais, causing Bell to look back at her.
'What do you mean? You saved my life! Even now, you are helping me when you are so far above me… there isn't anyone else who would give me the time of day if they were as strong as you.' Protested Bell, stopping in place as he turned to face the Sword Princess.
'Did you ever think that maybe he is trying to reach someone strong instead? To stand at their level?'
Ais recalled Hestia's words to her, and her thoughts shifted.
"It's not Bete… is it me?" Thought Ais in surprise.
'Please don't think badly of yourself, even if it is you, I won't let you say bad things about a hero.' Finished Bell.
Bell was stunned when Ais gave him a small smile.
'I see. Thank you. I will not think of myself as an unkind person then. If someone who is kind believes I am also kind, I will accept that.' Said Ais, causing Bell to smile in turn.
'Good. We really need to get going though, I can tell the dinner rush will be coming soon.' Said Bell, before he started walking again at a faster pace, with Ais following beside him.
Ais placed her hand on her chest for a moment, before lowering it.
"It feels warm, like a white flame." Thought Ais, as her eyes tracked Bell's back.
As the pair entered the Hostess of Fertility, Syr quickly walked over to the pair.
'Bell, you never came back for lunch, are you okay?' Asked Syr.
'I-I'm fine, really, I should go make Miss Ais' dinner before things get busy.' Said Bell, before running off.
'I'm sorry, Bell did not return for lunch as I had knocked him out.' Said Ais, giving Syr a small bow.
'Were you trying to hurt him, or help him?' Asked Syr, narrowing her eyes slightly.
'I was trying to help. I just lost control.' Admitted Ais.
'That's okay then, if it was an accident, I can understand that.' Said Syr with a smile.
'I would like to make up for it though. Would it be okay for Bell to take the food he would have prepared for my lunch home with him today?' Asked Ais.
'I guess so. Why though?' Asked Syr curiously.
'I don't feel that I have helped him as much as he has helped me today.' Said Ais, causing Syr to smile softly.
'It really does feel like that sometimes, doesn't it? Okay then, it'll be our little secret.' Said Syr with a wink, getting a small nod from Ais.
'Syr, have you had anything to eat yet?' Asked Bell from the kitchen.
'No, I was waiting for you all day, I haven't had anything to eat.' Whined Syr dramatically, giving a small giggle at the end.
'Then I better make you something too then.' Said Bell, causing Syr to smile.
'You see? Bell always helps others more than he needs to, but that is why people want to help him too. You understand that as well now, don't you?' Whispered Syr.
Ais nodded, causing the waitress to beam as she walked off to get the tables ready. Half an hour later, Bell came and placed two bowls on the counter. The bowls were filled with a meat and vegetable stew. Bell went back into the kitchen and returned with two slices of buttered toast that he had cut into long strips for dipping into the soup.
'I'll have desert out shortly.' Said Bell, before disappearing again.
Ais and Syr sat down and started to eat, both of them enjoying the meal greatly. The broth had a heavy richness to it which contrasted with the light sweetness of the vegetables. The toast was also perfectly toasted with an even sheen of butter on it. A few minutes later, Bell returned and placed a slice of vanilla cheesecake with fresh blueberries next to Ais, and a strawberry tart next to Syr.
'Sorry to leave you with the dishes, but I did promise Goddess that I would be home early so we could have a nice dinner together and so I can update her on everything.' Said Bell, taking off his apron.
'Oh, just give me a second then.' Said Syr, leaving her meal aside as she went to the pantry.
Syr returned a few minutes later with a bag filled with food.
'Please take this with you, it is a present.' Said Syr, holding the bag out to Bell.
'I can't accept this, I didn't help at the pub today.' Said Bell.
'It was from a grateful customer, refusing it would be rude.' Pressed Syr, causing Bell to concede.
'Okay then, this will be very helpful. Please thank them for me.' Said Bell, before he left.
'Oh Ais, Bell says thanks.' Said Syr, as she sat herself down beside the swordswoman.
"Even if Bell is trying to catch up to someone strong… I don't think I am wrong that he also wants to protect those weaker than him." Thought Ais, even as Syr smiled beside her.