I'm American, so when you see the word biscuit, it's the American one. Not naming any names, but someone got confused last time I used that word.
Bell and Regis walked home from the guild. Bell had registered himself as an adventurer and withdrawn a substantial amount of money from his aunt's vault.
A stupid grin was plastered on his face with the amount of money he had. He wasn't going to use it all on himself, of course. That was simply too much money for him alone.
Bell was already thinking of ideas on ways to spend it. All in ways to help those less fortunate. He already knew what he was going to do with the five million in the sack he was carrying.
He drew the looks of many passerby's with the huge sack he was carrying. But Regis, baring his fangs, dissuaded those from trying a harmful action.
After a few minutes, Bell and Regis arrived back at the Blue Pharmacy. Nazha had woken back up, and it seemed she and Miach were doing something.
They were oddly close to each other behind the counter. Miach, seeing Bell and Regis return, cleared his throat.
"Ah, Bell, Regis, good to see you two. What's in the sack?" He asked.
Bell, still with that goofy grin plastered on his face, placed the sack on top of the counter. Miach and Nazha quizzically looked at Bell.
"Miach, you might wanna hold Nazha up. I don't want her fainting again." Bell said.
Nazha clicked her tongue and looked away. "I didn't faint. I was merely overwhelmed by your family's resume."
"There's five million Valis in that bag." Bell deadpanned.
Nazha's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and Miach was quick to catch her. His skin was paler than before, and his eyes were wide with a cold sweat going down his back.
"F-f-five million. Bell, I wanted you to take care of yourself first. With that much money, you could get some good equipment."
Bell let out a giddy laugh. "That's the thing, Miach. This isn't even a drop in the bucket. Alfia left me four billion valis."
Miach's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Four billion! Gods Bell, you're one of if not the richest person in the city. I mean, most people don't even see that much money, gods included."
Bell quickly nodded. "I know that's why I want to invest it in your shop and pay off the debt. How much do you owe."
Miach blinked in shock as his mind ran a million miles per second. Nazha had woken back up at this point and slightly blushed in Miach's arms.
"Nazha, good news! Bell is paying off our debt, and I'm investing in the shop!" Miach excitedly said.
Nazha quickly broke away from Miach's grasp. She wrapped her arms around Bell and started doing little jumps in the air.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She cheered.
Bell was caught off guard, being so easily lifted by the woman. Regis started laughing at Bell while Miach looked on with a smile.
Once Nazha calmed down, she put Bell back on the ground. Then, she quickly hid back behind the counter and seemed to be a little embarrassed by her outburst.
Bell cleared his throat. "So, uh yeah, just set aside the amount needed to pay off the debt in full, and the rest can go into the shop."
Miach smiled warmly at Bell. "Thank you, Bell, really this helps out a lot."
Bell nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh well, I like helping people. Grandpa did inspire me to be a hero after all."
"He's not good with words, but your words are making him feel happy." Regis chimed in.
Bell blushed slightly and looked away. "Shut up, Regis."
"What, just giving them context. Only time you're good with words is when you're drunk."
Bell sighed in annoyance while Regis snickered. Miach and Nazha looked at the two before Miach clapped his hands together.
"Alright, time for dinner. I'll start cooking." Miach said, heading to the kitchen.
"Oh, let me help you," Nazha said, following.
Bell and Regis looked at each other and spoke through their mental link.
"You think they're fucking?" Regis asked.
Bell shrugged. "I don't know. He could just be a father figure to her."
Regis smirked. "Oh, he's a daddy to her, alright. Oh, Daddy Miach-
"Stop!"
Regis chuckled. "Eh, I'm just fucking with ya. We need to know them better for those types of jokes."
Bell rolled his eyes and walked into the back room where Miach and Nazha were preparing dinner.
It was just a simple beef stew since they had to manage their money well. Like paying expenses for the shop, paying off their debt, food and water, plus many more. The two were living on a tight budget.
But not anymore.
Bell was like a ray of shining light. He just appeared one day and made a huge majority of their problems instantly disappear.
The two would always be grateful to Bell and his four-legged companion.
Bell sat down at the table with Regis sitting at his legs. He stretched out and laid his head on the ground as Miach and Nazha cooked.
"So, Bell, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Miach asked.
"Head into the dungeon with Regis," Bell responded.
"Without armor? That's pretty dangerous." Nazha added.
"I'm only going to the first couple of floors. Won't go past floor five. Should be fine with my stats."
"Yeah, and besides, I'll be there to watch his back. Can't have his dumbass die after just getting here. That would be bad manners." Regis triumphantly said.
Bell quirked an eyebrow. "Bad manners?"
"Just shut up and don't question it."
Miach laughed while Nazha smiled. Bell and Regis certainly knew how to make a place feel more lively.
"Alright, should be done," Miach said, picking up the stew pot.
He placed it in the middle of the table while Nazha set down the bowls and silverware. Once everything was set, the group ate.
"Oh, Bell, I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch. As it is right now, we don't have enough bedrooms." Micah said.
Bell looked over to the couch in the corner. It didn't look too uncomfortable.
"Yeah, that's fine, I've been sleeping on the cold, hard ground the past four days, so a couch will feel like heaven."
Miach smiled. "That's good, but don't worry. Tomorrow, I'll sort the money needed for the debt and then use the rest to invest. I'll first start with an expansion so you and other members that might join won't have to sleep on the couch."
Bell nodded. "Sounds good."
The rest of the night passed with finishing dinner and more small talk. Miach was listing off all the possibilities that had opened for the shop with Bell's investment. Bell just sat back and listened with a smile.
He made the right choice.
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Once the night fell, Bell laid on the couch with a blue pillow and purple blanket. Regis laid on the ground in front of the couch.
"Ready for tomorrow?" Regis asked.
"Yup, we'll need to grab some maps from the guild so I don't get lost."
"Well, I could share my memories of the dungeon with you so you know where to go."
"Will you?"
"Nope, like I said, I won't hold your hand. You can't grow that way. Unless you are about to die, I won't interfere in any battle. Only be around to provide hints and tips."
"Alright then, I'm buying maps tomorrow."
With no more to be said, Bell closed his eyes and soon fell asleep. Falling into a dream of a once distant and happy past.
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Bell laid his head on Alfia's lap as she stroked his hair. The fireplace was lit in front of them as winter had arrived. Fresh snow was falling outside, piling up for a nice snow day tomorrow.
Zeus was in the kitchen cooking dinner and glancing over at the two from time to time. Alfia had just told Bell about the Dark Age.
What she did and why she did it. Bell was still processing the information. He was only 12 years old, after all.
"So you did all of that. Just so I wouldn't have to fight?" Bell asked.
Alfia nodded. "Yes, I wanted to help raise Orario up in the aftermath of our defeat. I wanted to create a hero to defeat that dragon so you wouldn't have to fight."
"But that's not your decision to make whether I fight or not," Bell said.
Alfia kept stroking his hair. "I know that now. Had I stopped by to look at you just once. I know I wouldn't have been able to go through with it. You have the makings of a hero in you, Bell. The making's of a great."
Bell didn't respond and stared absentmindedly into the fire. Alfia kept stroking his hair and didn't resist anything she was doing. Nor did he speak.
"Do you hate me, Bell? For what I did?"
Bell was quiet for a minute before shaking his head. "No, I could never hate you. Just promise me you won't become a villain again. Just stay as someone who loves me."
Alfia rested her hand on Bell's head. His soft white hair in her fingers. "Ok, Bell, I promise I won't become a villain again. I'll spend my remaining days with you. Watching you grow up."
Zeus smiled and called out. "Dinner's ready."
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Bell woke up and saw the sunlight shining through the shop's windows. He sat up, yawning and stretching as he did so.
He shook his head, trying to get the rest of the sleep to leave his body. Once he did so, he noticed no one else was up.
"You alright, Bell?" Regis asked.
Except for Regis. He doesn't need any sleep.
"Yeah, why are you asking?" Bell responded.
"You're crying." Regis pointed out.
Bell reached up and felt his cheeks were wet. As well as his eyes. He was quick to wipe them on his sleeve.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Why, you can read my memories. You know what I dreamed." Bell sniffled.
"I know, that doesn't mean you still can't talk about it."
Bell sniffled once more. "I'm fine Regis. She had to go some time. We both know that."
"Doesn't mean you have to like it."
"Regis, I don't want to talk about it." Bell firmly stated.
"Alright, alright. But when you do, you know how to reach me."
Bell chuckled. "Course I do you're always by my side."
The room fell into silence as Bell looked down at Regis. He did this for a moment more before crossing his legs on the couch and closing his eyes.
"I'm going to cultivate my mana core," Bell said.
"Alright, I'll just be here. Doing nothing."
Bell felt himself relax as he took in the ambient mana that surrounded him. It was prevalent everywhere in the world. There were four types of magic that people with mana cores could use.
However, there are those known as deviants that use a variation of one of the four elements. Or none at all, but those are rare. Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind. These four made up the basis of magic as a whole.
But your magic was shaped by where you came from. With elves, since they were closer to nature, they had a higher affinity with Water and Wind. Know deviants for them are ice and tornados.
With Dwarves that used to live in mountains, they had a higher affinity with Fire and Earth. Know deviants of there were lightning and metal.
Then there are humans who have an affinity for none yet have the possibility to use any of the four elements. Or there is someone like Arthur Leywin who could use all four at once.
Bell could do that and many more. So many more.
Bell could feel the mana flowing into his core and making it stronger. There were two ways to go about it. Cultivating your mana core, but that takes a while. Or by lots and lots of combat. Bell did a combination of both and, thanks to his bloodline, was able to quickly grow as a mage.
Mana cores were also broken up into different colors based on their purity. Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Silver, and White. Within those colors were three subclasses known as stages. Dark, Mid, and Light core stages.
Bell was on the cusp of making it to dark silver core. He just needed something to push him over that wall. Or something to help out.
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Bell was broken out of his cultivation by Miach shaking him.
"Hey, we're about to have breakfast. Regis told us what you were doing and not to disturb you until it was ready."
Bell looked over to the table and saw Nazha sitting down with a cup of coffee in her hand. For breakfast, the group was having biscuits and bacon.
Bell uncrossed his legs and got up from the couch before sitting across from Nazha at the table. Miach took his seat next to her.
"Morning Bell," Nazha said.
"Morning," Bell responded.
Bell grabbed a few biscuits and some bacon, fixing himself a plate. He tossed a piece of bacon to Regis that he caught in his mouth.
"Does Regis want a plate?" Miach asked.
"Nah, I'm fine. I don't need to eat to survive. Bell just does that out of force of habit." Regis responded.
Miach looked to Bell, who nodded.
"Anytime I eat, I always throw him a piece unless it's like a stew or something akin to it. Been doing it since I was four."
Miach nodded and took a bite out of his biscuit. "I see, I see."
"So, how long do you think you'll be in the dungeon today, Bell?" Nazha asked.
Bell looked to the ceiling as he thought about it for a second. "A few hours, just heading down there to do a little exploring and get my bearings in the dungeon. Only half a day at most."
Nazha nodded as she took another sip of her coffee. "Lord Miach, did you set the money aside for the debt."
"Yes, Nazha, it's ready to be delivered," Miach answered.
"Oh, I can deliver it if you want." Bell offered.
"You sure you want to do that, Bell? Dian Chect is a very greedy and eccentric god." Miach responded.
"Miach, I was raised by a perverted god, a terrorist, and a talking dog. I can deal with eccentric."
Micah nodded. "Fair enough, just head on over to the Dian Chect clinic on your way to the dungeon."
"Alright, I'll stop by there after I stop by the guild. Need to pick up some maps of the upper floors."
"Can't Regis just show you the way?" Nazha asked.
"Nope, he's gonna have to learn himself. I won't hold his hand unless he's about to die." Regis responded.
"That's kind of spartan-like." Micah pointed out.
"Bell's used to rough training. The old man used to shoot dull arrows at him to train his reflexes."
Bell winced. "Uh, I can still feel some of those impacts. Not fun at first, but it soon turned into a little game between the two of us."
"So Zeus shot at you with arrows?" Miach asked.
Bell nodded. "Yup."
"As training?"
"Yup."
"That you turned into a game."
"Correct."
Miach just sighed. "Sounds like him."
Bell finished his breakfast and took his plate to the sink. He then walked back over to the couch where his poncho and weapons laid.
"Alright, well, I'm off. Should be back sometime after lunch. If not, then probably around dinner time."
"Alright, be safe, Bell," Miach said.
"Wait before you go, Bell," Nazha said, walking to the lab.
She came back a second later with a few pouches Bell could attach to his belt.
"I made some potions for you while you were cultivating your mana core. You should have three health ones and three stamina ones. I didn't make you any mana one since I know you Leywins have a near-endless mana supply."
Nazha handed Bell the pouches. He chuckled as he attached them to his belt.
"That's a slight misconception. While yes, my pool of mana is large, it's not near endless like the others. They were trained in mana circulation by the dragons to where they could supply their bodies with mana even as they fought. I've only learned half of that technique. So I can replenish mana really fast if I'm not in combat."
Nazha nodded. "I see, I'll make sure to make you some mana potions then. But I'd have to learn how to do that first since they're different from mind potions."
"You don't need to do that for me, Nazha. Just because I'm out of mana doesn't mean I'm out of options."
"What does that mean?" Nazha asked, confused.
"It means Bell will punch, bite, kick, and stab," Regis answered.
"Yeah, pretty much the bare bones of it," Bell added.
Miach approached Bell and handed him the payment for the debt. "Well, whatever you decide to do, make sure you come back alive. That's all that matters in the end."
Bell took the sack and smiled. "Kick some ass and come back alive. Got it."
Miach patted Bell on the shoulder before the boy smiled and left the shop. Regis and him were heading back to the guild to purchase some maps.
But as they were walking, Bell just started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Regis asked.
"I was just thinking, we're going to buy maps for the guild that Grandpa and his familia created. Thought just struck me as ironic."
"Yeah, it kind of is, I guess."
The tie continued their walk until arriving at the guild. Bell already knew who he wanted to speak to.
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Once Bell and Regis arrived at the guild, he immediately headed to the teller's desk. Since it was still early in the morning, not many people were around.
Bell went to Eina's desk, and the brunette half-elf looked at him. "Good morning, Bell how can I help you."
"Morning, Eina, I'm here to buy some maps for the upper floors of the dungeon."
Eina nodded. "I see, well the first couple of maps are free for rookie adventurers as well as lessons. Would you like to take those lessons on the floors? The first one is free."
Bell shook his head. "No thanks. I know all about the monsters and the dungeon's little tricks. Just need the maps to know where I'm going."
Eina's ears seemed to droop slightly at this. "Oh, alright, I'll go and get those maps for you."
Eina got up from her desk and walked to a back room in the guild. Bell and Regis waited at the desk with the bond, starting a conversation.
"She seemed sad at your rejection for her lesson," Regis said.
"Yeah, she did, but I don't really need them. Alfia told me all I need to know about the monsters all the way til floor 82. Not even the guild knows anything past floor 61."
"That's a fair point. Just don't tell her that, else she'll start to be more suspicious of you."
"I'm fully aware of that. Think she's reported me for opening you know who's vault."
"Nope, luckily for you, those vaults and their keys are protected under a clause of privacy. Only the owner's god has the paperwork."
"That seems like a terrible way to monitor these things."
"Hey, I said you were lucky. I never said it was smart. Clear difference."
Eina then came back. Five bundles of papers were in her hands. She handed them to Bell, and the boy tucked them under his arm.
"Thanks, Eina, and don't worry about me. My stats are high enough for the first five floors."
Before Eina could respond, Bell left the guild with Regis following close behind him. They still had one more stop to make before Bell headed into the dungeon.
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Bell and Regis arrived at the Dian Chect clinic, and Bell deadpanned at the building. It looked like any normal brick hospital with white paint except for the giant mortar and pestle on the roof with a statue of the old god standing in it with a smile.
"Vain much," Bell said.
"We have to pay this bastard off? I have half a mind to just burn that stupid ass pestle down."
"No, you do that, you might accidentally burn half the city down."
"We can pay off the damages."
"Not the lives."
"Fair."
The two walked up the stairs and entered the clinic. Bell had discarded the maps as he had taken a seat on a bench to study them. It didn't take long for him to memorize them, thanks to Alfia's training of his mind.
Once Bell stepped inside, he saw two grey sofas situated across from each other, pressing into the wall. A brown coffee table between them with books atop it.
Bell walked forward and up to the front desk. Sitting at the front desk was a woman with silver hair and purple eyes. She wore a white nurse's uniform with gold on her shoulders. She had a red tie and white cap atop her head.
To Bell, she looked like a pretty doll brought to life. The woman gave Bell a small smile. Making her beauty radiate even more.
"Ha, you're getting flustered." Regis joked.
"Am not."
"Hello, I'm Airmid. Is there anything I can do to help you?" She calmly asked.
Bell shook himself out of his momentary stupor. "Uh yeah, I'm here to pay off Miach's debt."
Bell held up the sack of Valis, and Airmid quirked an eyebrow. "Very well, follow me. Martha, take over the front desk for me."
Airmid stood up and walked around the front desk while a blonde-haired chienthrope took her place. Airmid gestured for Bell to follow her, and he did so.
"Don't stare at her ass," Regis told him.
"I won't."
"Good, because as a nurse, I'm pretty sure she has eyes in the back of her head."
"I wouldn't stare anyway."
"Good, but as your bond, I can stare, and boy, are you missing out."
"I hate you."
Airmid kept walking with the two following behind her. Once she reached the end of the hallway, she pointed to a door.
Dian Chect
Hospital director
Amazing healer
No handouts!
Bell just blinked in shock at the door. "This is the guy who owns the hospital?"
Airmid nodded.
"You poor thing." Bell sighed, shaking his head.
Airmid knocked on the door, and not even a second later, her god said to enter. Airmid opened the door, and Bell walked in.
Bell saw an old god with a white cloak and beard sitting at an ornate wooden desk. His seat was made from green snakeskin leather, which had golden embroidery's.
Expensive couches made from material Bell had never seen before littered the room with expensive paintings of half-naked women on his walls. All with a golden picture frame.
Bell felt disgust at the god for hanging them up so shamelessly in his place of work. At home was fine, but at your place of business. It just seemed very unprofessional to Bell.
The old god, who had multiple golden rings on his fingers, looked Bell up and down before shaking his head.
"Go away, boy, I don't do handouts." Dian Chect said, waving Bell off.
Bell scoffed and placed the sack of Valis he was carrying down on the table. The loud thud startling the old god. Bell placed his hands on the table and leaned forward.
"That's all the money needed to pay off Miach's debt. It's now null and void. Don't swing by his shop bugging him for the money."
He furrowed his brow at Bell before opening the sack. He did a quick scan of it before looking back to Bell.
"You're a 100k short," Dian said, a wicked smile on his face.
Bell stared at the god, an uninterested smile on his face. "You're a bad bullshitter. It's all there. Miach counted it. I counted it myself. Take the money and clear the debt."
Dian grabbed the sack and slid it off his desk. His fingers crisscrossed as he clasped his hands together.
"Well, you see here, boy. You forgot about interest, and as such, that means his debt went up by another 100k."
"I'm gonna kill him, Bell," Regis said.
"Regis, no, there's a peaceful way to handle this."
"Does it involve you burning one of these paintings? Hell, the one behind him looks like Airmid."
Bell took a quick glance at the painting, and it was indeed Airmid. She was posing in a red and white striped bikini with her arms placed behind her head.
Her face was flushed red in either embarrassment or shame. Bell felt himself grow even more disgusted.
"Well, you see that 100k sudden interest isn't written down in a contract with both your signature and Miach's. So Miach does not owe you an extra 100k, and his debt is now cleared."
Dian frowned as his fist tightened. "Damn it, why'd you have to be smart."
"Because I was raised right. Now that this is dealt with, I have things to do." Bell said, waving.
But as he was walking away, he activated Static Void. Static Void was the first phase of his Beast Will that allowed him to stop time momentarily.
Only for a few seconds, however. But a few seconds was all he needed. Using his fire magic, he quickly set a tiny ember on each corner of the paintings of half-naked women. Once that was done, he turned off Static Void and kept walking.
As Bell left the office, he gave Airmid a wink as Dian's panicked yell came from his office.
"MY PAINTING'S!!"
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Bell arrived at the dungeon a few minutes later. By this point, it was around 10:00 AM. As Bell approached the dungeon, he felt a sense of excitement and nervousness fill him.
"Oh, don't tell me you're getting scared now? After all that big talk you gave Nazha and Eina of, oh, you don't need to worry about me, fair maidens. I shall be able to take care of myself in the hollowing tomb that is the dungeon." Regis mocked.
Bell rolled his eyes. "I'm not getting scared. Just nervous."
Regis scoffed. "Please, these floors are nothing to you. I mean, shit Bell you could solo the 12th floor and be fine. Maybe the 13th since your stats are so high."
As Regis hyped him up, Bell felt himself begin to smile. "Yeah, you're right! I got this! I got this!"
"Attaboy!"
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"You do not got this," Regis said.
Bell dodged under the fist of a Minotaur before popping back up and firing two arrows into it. Both were made of pure mana, making their color white.
The arrows sunk into the Minotaur's flesh, burning deep inside it before fizzling out. The Minotaur roared in pain before swinging his fist at Bell once more.
Bell jumped backward, landing on his back and sliding. He loosed three more arrows into the Minotaur's chest, burning its insides.
Bell quickly got back up as the Minotaur got into a charging position. It ran forward at Bell, its horns aimed at his stomach.
Bell spun out of the way but didn't do it fast enough as the Minotaur's horn grazed him in the side. Bell yelled in pain, and he dropped his bow and fell down. His back propped against the wall.
The Minotaur looked at Bell's injured form and started walking over to him. Bell raised his hand and shot lightning from it.
His magic burned the flesh of the Minotaur, but it seemed to do little to slow it down. Bell aimed higher, hitting it in the eye, causing the Minotaur to rear its head back in pain.
Before any more could be done, Regis jumped on the back of its head and bit down his fangs, sinking into the Minotaur's throat.
Regis tasted the Minotaur's blood as the monster tried to buck him off. But Regis's jaws were stronger, and soon, the Minotaur dropped dead to the ground.
"Well, not too bad for your first Minotaur fight."
Bell winced in pain as he touched his bleeding side. "Whatever Alfia made this poncho from just saved my life. Not even a tear."
Regis trotted over to him and checked his wound. "Yeah, he got ya, only a minor gaze though. Tip for next time aim for its legs. Take its ability to walk away, and you're looking at an easier fight. Not a bad idea with the eyes, though."
Bell winced in pain as he pulled out a health potion. He drank it, feeling his wound close and the pain dull.
"I think the dungeon hates me. Irregular monsters on every floor we went to. In large groups as well. Now a Minotaur on floor five." Bell winced.
"Eh, you're alive. So it's not all bad."
Bell chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks for saving my life."
"What type of bond would I be if I didn't protect my dear Master."
"Oh, shut up."
The two heard footsteps, and Bell looked to his left. What filled his vision was a woman with bright red hair done up in a ponytail with light green eyes. She was beautiful in Bell's eyes. He noticed that trend a lot in Orario.
Regis was frozen in place as he recognized the woman in front of him. She had grown so much since he last saw her.
"Oh my gods, are you ok?!" She yelled, rushing to his side.
She quickly kneeled next to him and placed her hands all over his body, checking for wounds. Bell felt a little embarrassed.
"I-I'm fine. Just a little scrape." He said.
Alise pulled back and started at Bell. Her gaze then looked over at the dead Minotaur on the ground.
"Did you do that?" She asked.
Bell shook his head. "No, my bond did that. I think I only pissed it off."
Alise looked at Regis. A sense of familiarity washed over her mind. But no memory surfaced. Alise worriedly looked back to Bell. Her hand was on his shoulder.
"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked.
Bell smiled. "Peachy, like I said, just a scrape."
Alise looked into Bell's eyes. She felt like she had seen these same ruby-red eyes before. But that couldn't be possible. Alise knew Silver never married.
Right?
"You're a terrible flirt." Regis chimed in.
Bell rolled his eyes. "Shut up, dog, and yes, my dog did just talk before you ask."
Alise nodded her head. The trio then turned their attention to another set of footsteps drew their attention.
A long blonde-haired elf with a white t-shirt and green speedo approached. Her to her accessories were a green mast and a green cape. Her eyes were sky blue and looked like a shimmering ocean.
Bell could sense that her Mana Core was a mid-silver. But he could also sense one from Alise as well. Yet he could tell its strength. Meaning she was stronger than the elf and Bell.
"Alise, did you get it?" The elf asked.
"No, Ryu, this boy and his dog did. Hey, what's your name, by the way."
Bell laughed. "I'm Bell, just Bell."
"Yeah, and I'm not a dog I'm a wolf." Regis protested. He still couldn't believe how much Alise had grown.
"Ryu, heal him, he doesn't look too good," Alise ordered.
Bell held up his hand. "You don't need to do that. I already drank a potion earlier. Just taking a minute to catch my breath."
"Ryu, heal him," Alise ordered once more, ignoring Bell's protest.
Bell threw his hands up and rolled his eyes. The elf whom Bell now knew as Ryu crouched down next to him and held her hand up.
A green glow came from her hand, and Bell felt even more of the pain going away. He looked to Regis, who spoke to him through his mental link.
"She's oddly dressed for an elf," Bell said.
"Yeah, she is. You think she's a closet pervert?"
"Regis!"
"Hey, all I'm saying is every elf I've met is a closet pervert, and trust me, my friend, I've met a lot."
"Doesn't mean she's one."
"So the elf wearing the equivalent of panties in the dungeon with her thighs fully on display isn't a closet pervert. I mean, look at those things and tell me she isn't."
Despite Bell's best efforts, he felt his gaze linger on over to Ryu's thighs for only a second. He quickly looked away, however.
"See what I mean. Closet pervert."
"You're a bad influence on me."
"But you enjoyed the view, right? I mean, they are nice and-
"Shut up, Regis!"
Ryu took her hand away from Bell, and the boy felt a lot better. His body felt lighter, and he no longer felt any pain.
He pushed himself up to his feet and grabbed his bow. "Thanks for the help."
Alise gave Bell a triumphant smirk. "No problem, I, the great and lovely Alise Lovel, will always help those in need."
"But I was the one that healed him," Ryu said.
Alise ignored Ryu and had a triumphant smirk on her face. Bell looked at Alise and thought she had an eccentric personality.
"Uh, Regis, what do we do now?" Bell asked.
"We go home, dungeon obviously doesn't like to play nice with you. That means you need to get some armor and dress like a knight."
"Yes, it probably is a good idea for a rookie like you to get some armor. The dungeon can be dangerous, after all." Alise said. Her tone became serious despite her earlier demeanor.
"Well, I was just exploring the dungeon to get my bearings. Didn't expect a Minotaur to jump me."
"Well, you should always expect the unexpected in the dungeon," Alise added.
Bell nodded. "That's fair, thanks again for helping me. Even if the Minotaur was already dead."
"Help can be delivered in many different ways. It's how you go about it that matters."
"Well, thanks again. It's nice knowing that there's people who will help others. Even in the dungeon." Bell smiled.
"Alright, Prince Charming, stop flirting with the women, and let's go home," Regis said, walking away.
"But I wasn't flirting with them?" Bell responded, following him.
Bell and Regis left the two women and the Minotaur behind.
"Seems like an interesting kid," Alise said.
"He does, although his bond is strange," Ryu added.
Alise again felt a sense of familiarity when it came to Regis. But she couldn't remember why. However, her thoughts drifted to the Minotaur that laid dead on the ground.
"Oh crap, he didn't get his reward!"
.
.
.
.
Bell and Regis exited the dungeon sometime after 1:00 PM in the afternoon. Not much was said between the two as they walked home.
Bell was tired, and Regis decided to hold off on his teasing for the time being. Thoughts of seeing Alise again but her not recognizing him ran through his mind.
"Well, now it's confirmed. The old man definitely did something with everyone's memories. It seems everyone has forgotten about me." Regis said.
"Does that bother you?" Bell asked.
Regis was silent for a minute as they kept walking. "Nah, besides, it's better this way. It means people won't know who you truly are for a while. Besides, it also leaves me as a good ace up your sleeve since no one knows what I'm capable of."
"I guess that's true. But still, it must suck having everyone but me forget about you."
"Like I said, it's better this way. As long as you remember me, I'll be fine. Don't worry, my delicate little heart isn't broken over this." Regis teased.
Bell chuckled. "Alright, Regis, I'll take your word for it."
The two kept walking, and Regis decided to speak once more.
"So now that you've met Alise, what did you think of her."
"Eccentric but also kind. It's clear to me she has immense care for other people."
"Yeah, surprisingly, she hasn't changed a bit since I last saw her. I'm just surprised by how much she's grown. She's a young woman now."
"Wonder how the other two grew then. Maybe they're like Alise and stayed the same?"
"Maybe, but we're home, so let's not think about that right now."
Bell opened the door to the shop, causing the bell above the door to ring. However, no one was at the front desk, which Bell found odd.
He did, however, sense Miach and Nazha further inside the shop in the back room.
"Miach, Nazha. I'm home." Bell called out as he entered the room.
He froze in his tracks as he did so. Completely stunned by what he saw.
Nazha was standing on the tips of her toes. Locking her lips with Miach's.
"Called it," Regis said, walking in.
Well, gonna end this here. For those worried about me, I'm doing alright for now. Find an odd sense of comfort in writing this story.
Those who read the original know this chapter is mostly the same but vastly different, if that makes sense. I don't feel like going into all the differences, but those of you in the comments can.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I'll catch ya later.