CHAD HESTIA (DanMachi - Hestia SI Chapter 6)

3 Months Later

Bell gasped in surprise and joy. He could finally see the walls of Orario.

Orario. The Labyrinth City. The City of Adventurers.

It's been three grueling months of traveling while training.

Hestia would have them carry a giant bag with all their stuff, while she rode on top of Ruhig. Then when Ruhig would grow tired, Bell would have to carry him, along with Hestia, till he got tried. Not to mention everything else she had them do. While traveling they were training, while stopping they were training, even just eating and resting was made into mental training via meditation.

Hestia would make them a meal that she learned to incorporate Healing Potions into. Something about her Domain of Home and Hearth meant she could do that.

Or as she described it, no matter how Bell wished she didn't say it like that 'Divine Skill Bullshit'.

That food would heal them up as they slept, making them ready for the next day.

The group ended up meeting caravans heading to different towns along their way, and Bell and Ruhig would travel with them to offer protection, and to talk with other people.

Hestia smiled and talked to the people we met on our travels. She was personable and freely gave advice to people who needed.

Yet, for some reason, Bell couldn't help but feel that his goddess was upset somehow. She would frown while looking to the horizon, then see him or Ruhig talking to people, sigh and smile at the situation.

It didn't seem like something too deeply upsetting to her, and when Bell asked if anything was wrong, Hestia said:

"Orario is annoyingly further away than a thought."

Bell thought that response was cute.

Heh, it suppose Lady Hestia wanted to get started on our Dungeon adventure already.

Of course, he didn't dare say that to the goddess's face.

I'm disappointed.

I thought we'd get to Orario in one month to quickly start conquering the Dungeon and Leveling Up as a fast as possible.

Sure we met some monsters on the way, or people needing help, or caravans to travel with. Wouldn't want my kids to suffer isolation from not interacting with other people.

I tried to get them to do as much cardio and strength training as possible. Having Bell and Ruhig carry our supplies as they sprint, that covered agility and endurance. Have them literally punching rocks or boulders with their bare hands, or do the Netero training unarmed and with weapons. That covered strength and dexterity.

For magic I had them either use it against enemies, or nearly run out of Mind when we rested for the day (after scouting and making sure there are no monsters around), and then use Health and Ether Potion integrated into the food, so they would have a healing sleep.

It didn't bother me that we used up our supplies within two months, and had to be stuck with traveling caravans. What annoyed me is that, I was sure if you had strictly focused on heading to Orario from start to finish, I'm 100% sure the supplies were more than enough. Stopping to travel with caravans along the way, or sharing our food with those who needed it, all that lead to use slowing down, and for our supplies to dwindle.

Honestly, why was Orario so damn far away from Bell's village?!

Oh well, lesson learned. In that we should have had more supplies. I'm pretty sure there's no way I could have convinces Bell and Ruhig not to stop and help people, or travel with them.

No. I probably could, but I'd feel shitty from it, and guilty for abandoning people, even if they would have likely been fine later on. Maybe.

I mentally sighed at all of that. I guess the journey is more important than the destination.

But I feel when the destination is a giant fuck off dragon, then I should be allowed to care more on how the journey goes, rather than just letting it be.

Meh. Regardless, we were here in Orario now, and that's all the matter. I'm sure I'm here earlier than canon started, so my familia should be able maximize our gains a lot more.

"Name?" Asked the guard from the Ganesha Familia. He had the elephant mask and all.

"Hestia Familia!" Bell said enthusiastically. "I'm Bell Cranel, Familia Captain. This is Ruhig Heldenhaft and this is our Lady Goddess, Hestia."

"Good morning," Ruhig gave a polite nod.

I nodded as well, keeping an ear to the conversation while looking at the walls and wondering if I can have Bell and Ruhig do the Garp ship punching, well wall punching in this case on them. Also I wonder how much money would we have to pay in repairs and if it would be worth the effort.

"And what are you Levels? These would be recorded and sent to the guild." The Ganesha guard said.

My eyes snapped to him. He didn't look like he was being sly or anything of the sort. Just causally asking in a 'this is a standard thing'. He knows I could just ask him if that's normal and if he lies I would know, so likely it is a standard question.

"We are—" Bell began, that trusting little rabbit of mine.

However I interjected all the same.

"Excuse me, Ganesha boy," I cut off my child, getting the attention on me. "When is the Denatus? Is it soon or did it pass?"

Bell looked confused but thankfully didn't say anything, and let me take over the conversation.

"Ah, I'm afraid you just missed it, Lady Goddess. Literally by two days." The Ganesha guard answered good-naturedly.

Hmm, in that case it's better to hide what Level my kids are at. Sure, Ganesha might be as neutral and law abiding as they come, but any information his kids collect at the gate, while it would definitely be given to the guild as their duty. They might just as well let something slip to another god, or even sell information in those who pay for it, or it might even get stolen.

If the Denatus was close by in the immediate future then I would have let the guard record it, since it wouldn't matter to keep it a secret for long. However since we have three month till the next Denatus, that means if I managed to only let the guild keep our records. Then if we manage one Level each month, and the next Denatus rolls around, we can just say the kids were always Level 4, and on the occasion of this Denatus, they became Level 5.

"How long do we have to give the guild our details, Levels and the like, if we don't give it to you?" I asked.

"One day from your arrival, Lady Goddess. I will have the time and date of your arrival in my report, handed over to the guild at the end of my shift." Ganesha's kid replied with a nod.

"In that case, we'll do so when we go to register along with everything else. Thanks for the help." I said with a smile.

"Haha! Very well! As my lord would say 'I AM GANESHA!'." The Ganesha kid said, before addressing Bell and Ruhig warmly. "My name is Hashana Dorlia of the Ganesha Familia, I hope you two prosper and grow in your time as Adventurers."

"Thank you, Mr. Hashana, I hope so as well. My goddess has me training very hard for this." Bell said cheerfully. Oi! You make me sound like a slave driver.

"May fortune smile upon you as well, Mr. Dorlia." Ruhig smiled and gave a nod.

Hashana laughed at Bell's and Ruhig's positive attitudes.

"I'll say it again, welcome to Orario." Hashana boasted.

After getting directions to Hephaestus' headquarters and home, the Valka's Crimson Chamber, and saying good bye to the Ganesha kid, we were on our way.

"Hestia, why didn't you want us to say our Level to Mr. Dorlia?" Ruhig asked.

"Ah, now that I think about it, is there a reason for that, Hestia?" Bell asked.

"I'll tell you once we have some place private, but call it a hunch for now. It's not like your levels won't be known to the guild and the other gods by the next Denatus." I told them. "For now though, till the next Denatus, three months from now, try not to say your Level, whatever it becomes. It would be annoying to deal with before we're strong enough to not need to be bothered about it."

Bell and Ruhig looked at each other in confusion, not sure what I meant, before ultimate turning to me and agreeing, trusting my judgement.

"Okay, well do as you say, Hestia!" Bell smiled brightly.

"You can count on us, Hestia." Ruhig said with a calm smile.

"Ruhig, Bell doesn't have a poker face to save his life. Make sure to cover up for him, when he fails to lie, or just plainly not answer the question."

"Of course!" Ruhig nodded with his lips twitching.

"Gah! Hestia, Ruhig, why? I'm not that bad." Bell cried out and pouted.

Ruhig looked away. I gave Bell a smile of a parent that doesn't want to tell their kid a mean truth.

"There, there, Bell-kun, you have many other good qualities." My kind words struck him like a vicious arrow.

Hephaestus expected today to be the same as any other. Deal with her kids, deal with commissions, deal with other gods.

It should have been a completely normal day in Orario.

"Um, Lady Hephaestus?" Wido, the hume bunny receptionist boy, peeked into her office. "There's a goddess here insisting to see you." He said.

"If she doesn't have an appointment, then she makes one and come back later like any other." Hephaestus said with casual ease. There's always someone trying to cut the line, or get favors.

"Kid. I specifically told you to tell her that I'm not here for a commission, and that I'm an old friend as well as my name." A very familiar voice interrupted.

"W-Wait, when did you get up here, Lady Goddess?" Wido blinked as he looked behind. Before the hume bunny could react, the door was pushed aside as Hephaestus' old friend entered the room.

It started as a good day, Hestia arrived and the day flipped on its head.

"HEPHY!"

"OOF!"

Hephaestus fell along with her chair as Hestia tackle hugged her. Literally running across the office and dive jumping over the desk arms spread into a hug.

"H-Hestia!?" Hephaestus said, with a slow growing smile at the pleasant surprise. "You descended?"

"Yep! About four months ago! These are my cute kids, Bell and Ruhig." Hestia gestured with her arm behind her.

Hephaestus sat up to see two people, one a human and one elf... no, a half-elf. The human reminded her of an almiraj, while the half-elf boy reminded her of Undines with his beautiful blue hair.

"Sorry about our goddess." The half-elf bowed, exasperated but calm.

"A-Ah! Lady Hestia! You shouldn't tackle other goddess's like that!" The human boy seemed to panic.

"It's fine. Hephy and I go way back. We're best friends." Hestia waved her child off.

Now that Hephaestus can think and notice it, Hestia position, sitting on her lap, was um, bold. Hephaestus began to feel her cheeks warm up from the closeness.

For the Smith Goddess, Hestia was always a treasured friend. Someone that wasn't put off, disgusted or scared by her ugly "deformation". Her imperfection. One could even say a seed of a crush laid in the Hephaestus' heart.

That seed was annoyingly stirring right now from the proximity of Hestia's body and her position on top of Hephaestus' own.

"Ah, Hestia, could you move—"

"Hephy!"

"Ah!" Once more Hestia was in her face, a wide happy smile on her face, as her eyes glowed behind her sunglasses.

Hestia raised the shades to her forehead and Hephaestus wondered why did her friend change her eyes to such... intense color. Was Hestia okay? Did descending to the Lower World destabilize one of her Domains somehow? Was this... really Hestia—

"Hephy, I wanna look at you with both eyes while I say this." Hestia declared.

"WHAT!?" Hephaestus cried out.

Hestia reached for Hephaestus' eyepatch. Yet she did so slowly, given the Smith Goddess ever opportunity to stop her. Yet Hephaestus was too stunned between shock, dread and hope as Hestia gently took the eye patch off.

Hestia had seen her deformity before. It was a normal glimpse. It's not like she didn't use her godly power while in Tenkai to see "what imperfection fuss was about". Yet she saw Hephaestus' eye directly and openly.

And as Hephaestus opened her right eye, she saw...

Hestia just smiled. The fires of her eyes waned.

Fire. That was it. Hestia's Domain of the Hearth seemed to overflow within the goddess even as her powers were sealed.

Right now...

"Beautiful. Just like I thought."

Hestia and Hephaestus in divinity were as close as they could be, than they usually would have—

What did she just say!?

"E-EH!?" Hephaestus cried out. Her face was blazing red as her hair.

"Hey, is our goddess flirting or complimenting?" Ruhig casually asked.

"I... I have no idea." A blushing Bell said.

"Yep! I just wanted to tell you that, in case no one told you while you're here in Gekai, or if your kids forgot to tell you. You're beautiful, you're sexy." Hestia nodded to herself.

"Hestia, what are you saying!?" Hephaestus asked in panic and confusion, while feeling her whole face heat up. Yep, that seed had definitely started blooming now.

"Goddess, I thought it was impolite or 'creepy' to tell a woman that directly." Bell asked.

Hephaestus covered her face with her hands.

"Only if she's a stranger, and there's no positive connection already in place. Hephy is my old friend and she deserves to be reminded that she's beautiful. In fact, Bell, Ruhig, tell Hephy that she's beautiful."

"You're beautiful, Goddess Hephaestus." Ruhig naturally said.

Hephaestus' looked up, one hand covered her ugly intense red-colored eye.

"Eh?" Hephaestus asked in shock. That... didn't sound like a lie?

"You're beautiful, Goddess Hephaestus." Ruhig shrugged and repeated himself. It wasn't a lie!?

"See? Bell?" Hestia said to her other child.

"I, I can't say something so forward, Lady Hestia. It would sound wei—" The human boy obviously didn't want to say such an obvious lie. That's normal she understood that.

"Bell!" Hestia cried out. Then like a little gremlin, she somehow slithered around Hephaestus to grab her arms away from her face. In her panic Hephaestus took a moment too late to feel her friends breasts against the back of her head and neck, and stilled.

Her heart was beating so loudly from this situation. It must be the fear. She's clearly being traumatized from this scary situation. How could Hestia do this to her?

Wow, her boobs really are that soft? Hephaestus couldn't help but think.

"When a lady needs you to complement her and you don't, not only are you insulting her. You're hurting her confidence even way worse by saying nothing. Are you trying to hurt my friend?" Hestia said sternly.

"Of course not!" The boy, Bell, looked horrified by what he did unknowingly. Also, no Hestia! I don't know what you're talking about. And I'm not that fragile! "Lady Hephaestus is beautiful."

Again! Not a lie!?

That... that was really nice. Hestia should finally stop, as her heart can't take anymore.

"Not good enough. Now tell her she's sexy."

""Eh!?"" Bell cried out red faced, while Hephaestus cried out in shock as she turned to look at her friend. Hestia had a wide, mad, amused grin on her face, that reminded Hephaestus of Loki. Did that trickster do something to her friend, or leave behind something in Tenkai that caused her to change like this?!

"Bell! Are you going to hurt a lady's feelings again?" Hestia cried out.

"L-Lady Hephaestus is sexy!" Bell cried out. His protest seemed to have been due to how embarrassing the situation was, than due to fearing lying to a goddess's face.

Wait. That was also not a lie!

"Not good enough! Say it again louder, and Ruhig, join in. Hume Bunny boy, aren't you gonna say anything?" Hestia said.

Hephaestus snapped her neck to look forward. She completely forgot about her own child there.

Ruhig shrugged while Bell, red face, prepared himself to shout a declaration.

"Lady Hephaestus is sexy." Ruhig casually said, looking amused by the whole thing. Not a lie.

"Lady Hephaestus is sexy!" Bell shouted. Not a lie!

"L-Lady Hephaestus is sexy." Wido would obviously be—Not a lie!?

What the hell is going on!? This can't get any worse!

Yet all the compliments didn't just make her face heat up. All the heat in her chest spread to the rest of her body. It felt like all the compliments turned to hitting her with a wave, a high of happiness. Hephaestus didn't know how to handle this!

"What's all this commotion about?" Hephaestus' Captain, the half-dwarf Tsubaki Collbrande entered the room.

"T-Tsubaki, help!" Hephaestus pitifully cried out, even if she wasn't trying to break out of Hestia's soft, warm embrace. Something which Tsubaki can clearly see.

"Tsubaki! You've known Hephaestus for long, right?" Hestia asked out loud.

"Of course! I'm Tsubaki Collbrande, the Hephaestus Familia Captain." Tsubaki declared with pride, as she moved to separate the goddesses, and de-escalate this situation.

"Then do you think Hephaestus is sexy?"

At that Tsubaki stopped.

Oh no. Hephaestus dreaded and anticipated the response.

"Of course! Lady Hephaestus is totally sexy!" Tsubaki declared confidently. Without an ounce of hesitation. Not a lie. "Have you seen that tight stomach? Those back muscles while she's working the forge? Those curve—"

"OKAY! I GET IT! I'M SEXY! HESTIA, PLEASE STOP!" Hephaestus burst out and shouted to the sky. Her face completely scarlet.

"And don't you forget it!" Hestia said, with that wide grin Hephaestus could physically feel, and kissed her cheek.

Hephaestus swooned and felt like she might faint.

Her best friend had been replaced by a Love Goddess—No. By Loki and Freya combined! This can't get any better worse!