Random smut stories with plot

by Jokiba

Smut of all kinds with good plot too

64. A Waning Silence

A Waning Silence

JLDavenport

Summary:

She was meant to leave and to die causing destruction throughout Orario. But instead, Alfia, the Maiden of Silence, found herself captivated by the young child her sister had left behind in this world. And so, Bell grew up with one extra guardian, and the ripples from that small change will change his story a great deal. Bell/Harem.

Chapter 1: Is It Wrong To Abandon My Plan To Destroy Orario?

Notes:

Author's Note: Been a long while since I've put anything out, hasn't it? I've got a number of stories in some level of completeness now, so hopefully I can start changing that. This story's one that grew out of a conversation I had with a friend, we bounced ideas about it back and forth and I liked it so much I wanted to has out a quick sketch of what a story in this vein would look like… and instead it became this! Ohwell, hopefully you find it fun too!

Right off the bat I'll say that this story stars Alfia, and has mention of Meteria and Zald, Bell's Aunt, Mother and family friend, respectively. It's hard to say if those characters are spoilers, they are "canon" but they haven't shown up in any of the mainline books, or even Sword Oratoria, you have to dig into some real spinoff material to find them. They're all dead now, so they won't appear in mainline except in passing mentions, so I'd say they're probably not spoilers and this story won't have anything that's not part of mainline anyway, so you're probably safe. This does NOT follow the Danmachi IF route, if you're familiar with that.

If you don't know who Alfia is, then the long and the short of it is that she was a lv7 Adventurer in the Hera Familia. She's tall, lithe and beautiful with snowy white hair just like Bell. Unlike him however, she's got a cynical and bitter personality, because she was born with health and talent, while her twin sister Meteria, was born with nothing and illness, Alfia blames herself for this and sees herself as having stolen her sister's portion while they were in their mother's womb. She puts up a front of being composed and collected but she's secretly rather passionate and invective. She's harsh, cold and difficult, obsessed with silence and so vain about her appearance that she's terrified of being considered Bell's "Aunt" because it'll make her feel old. Oh, and in the canon she and Zald joined the Evils, to rain destruction and chaos on Orario in an attempt to force the remaining Familia in the city to develop Heroes powerful enough to stop them, to take up the mantle of defeating the One Eyed Black Dragon in their stead. And so now that I've made her sound just lovely, let's see her impact on the story!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Abandon My Plan To Destroy Orario?

--*--

The Maiden of Silence was embroiled in an absolutely unnecessary conversation. That wasn't surprising. No matter how she'd yearned for peace and quiet, people were always trying to impose themselves on her tranquillity, whether for requests, attention or any other tedious bother.

What was surprising was that she had initiated it. And she was the one carrying it on.

Far from the walled city Alfia had made her legend in, she was now far out in the countryside, in the middle of nowhere, a backwater town so small it'd never shown up on any map she'd ever seen. It was completely forgettable and entirely unremarkable. It was also where the God Zeus had fled and where he had sequestered away Bell Cranel, the infant son of Alfia's sister.

That tiny, whimpering child was why she was here. And he was also, frustratingly, why Alfia had prompted this entirely unnecessary conversation.

Zald stood across from her, his arms folded and his expression as grim as ever. As the last remaining member of the Zeus Familia, just as she was the last remnant of the Hera Familia, the destiny that lay before them was entwined. Or at least, it had been, it was meant to be.

Once again, he asked her about her intentions, what she meant to do next. And Alfia found once more that she still couldn't answer.

There shouldn't have even been a reason to ask! There shouldn't have even been a reason for her to have called out to him in the first place! They had already decided what needed to be done, they had talked about it at length -or as much as anyone dared discussed anything at length with her- and they'd each reached the same conclusion. It wasn't as if she felt particularly guilty about the thought of becoming Orario's enemy. The city had run out her Familia almost the moment they'd been shattered by the final Great Quest. The stress of their defeat and the flight had taken a toll on all of them, and enough to cause the early demise of her sister. Meteria had died before Alfia had even been able to reunite with her, just a few days after giving birth. Everything Alfia had cared about, or wished for had been destroyed. She would be very happy to don the mantle of villain and strike back against all that had wronged her.

And it wasn't as if she feared death. She would only be going to join her Goddess, her sister, and all the countless comrades that had gone ahead of her. From the moment of her birth her life had been a sin, if it needed to end to complete one final great deed, that was a worthy trade.

Nor did Alfia have any doubts about what needed to be done.

The world wanted a hero. The city was waiting for a hero.

And she had seen just how weak Orario was. She knew herself just how pathetic the remaining Familia were. There was no hero among them.

To forge a hero, Orario needed a villain. It needed someone who could break the system as it stood. A villain to force hardship on the people, to humble the Guild and spread chaos in the streets. It needed a villain who would become the challenge for the next generation to rise up and overcome. It needed a villain who would destroy the current order and in turn die to the new order raised up in its place.

She knew all of this. She had agreed to all of this. Her contacts with the Evilus were already prepared and her role in what was to come was already fully defined.

And yet, she couldn't voice it. Zald was waiting for her answer, for her to agree and to leave with him. But the Maiden of Silence was without words.

Frustratingly, it was his words that had stuck in her head and caused the change in her mindset.

No matter that he was no longer around, any thought of Meteria's husband was guaranteed to set the bile in Alfia's stomach rising, so she quickly clamped down on that thought, turning away simply finally giving voice to the doubts that had been poisoned within her.

"What if this plan is just hubris? Does Orario need this, or are we simply telling ourselves that to lick our wounds? So we can still feel like an important part of the city's history?"

Zald snorted, dismissing her question instantly, "Whether it's hubris, self-satisfaction, or even misguided intentions, it's the only path I see where Humanity lives."

The two Great Familia were broken. And worse, the two of them knew to their souls just how far even the Zeus and Hera Familia had been from the task the world needed of them. The two greatest Familia, the adventurers to descend further into the dungeon than anyone else had dared dream, the ones to destroy the Behemoth and Leviathan, there was none like them in the world, none that even came close to their strength… and they had been scattered effortlessly by the One Eyed Black Dragon.

They were too weak. And those that followed were weaker still.

"The Evils will pluck at the heart of Orario, while the remaining Familia will content themselves simply with stopping them, and with doing as they've always done. And then the Dragon will destroy them all," he was as blunt as ever, "The world needed a hero. One last time. The last hero. And we shall give it the despair needed to create one."

"Your God says he wants to make Bell into that hero. That he shall be the legacy of the Zeus Familia."

Zald snorted again, shaking his head dismissively.

"Zeus says a lot of things. Is he really committed to that? Will he see that through?" one of the reasons they'd always gotten on so well was because he didn't think any more highly of his patron God than Alfia did, "Shall we really entrust all of Orario, all of the world, to a child? His own father was nothing but a coward and a pervert."

That was another reason they got on so well, a shared distaste for that man. Alfia was hardly going to disagree. Her sister's child was certainly not the son of anyone of any renown, even her own relation to him meant little. She hadn't been powerful to achieve anything, that was yet another of her myriad regrets.

Really, coming here might have been her biggest regret of all. She'd known it was a mistake. She'd had all the reasons in the world not to. She had not ever wanted to be reminded that there was a child in the world that might one day call her aunt. It was much too far away from anything and anywhere. Zeus was here so it was, of course, full of noise. A young infant was here so, of course, the noise was only made even worse. When she'd gone to see him, he'd looked up at him with those disgusting red eyes he'd inherited from his equally disgusting father.

And then her heart had skipped a beat when he'd smiled at all. And then it'd skipped another when she'd stroked her fingers through his snowy white hair. Just like hers and just like Meteria's.

Asking to hold him was, Alfia was certain, the biggest mistake of her life. She could still remember Zeus's damnable laughter now. Bell had been asleep by then, thankfully, so he hadn't bothered her with any additional noise. But he'd still clung to her and he'd cooed softly, and he'd reminded her of her sister so much that if she was anyone else, she was sure she would have cried.

Alfia was not maternal, nor did she consider herself a particularly pleasant person. She hadn't held much love for anyone in this world, not even the Goddess Hera that'd given so much to her. But somehow, frustratingly, painfully, embarrassingly, annoyingly, noisily… she'd loved Bell from the moment she'd taken him into her arms.

"Zald. I'm staying here."

And now, without any reason at all to do so, she had rejected the plan she herself had made with the last great adventurer left in this world.

She didn't feel particularly wretched about doing so, although it surprised her to find that she did feel guilty. She understood well just how pointless this change of heart of hers was. There was absolutely no reason to believe that Bell could become the Last Hero, or anything notable at all. But she'd still decided entrust Orario's future to him anyway.

The conversation continued for only a few minutes after that.

Despite the many years they'd known each other, despite how often they'd fought alongside each other, and despite that she was sending him off alone to his death, there was little left to say. Or perhaps, it was because of how long they'd known each other that there was simply no reason to say anything more.

She didn't bother trying to change his mind, she had no reason to, not when she didn't think her own course was correct. Zald's resolve was clear. He would return to Orario as a villain and wreck terrible vengeance, he would destroy Orario as it was and force it to become a city that could create a Hero capable of saving the world. "I'll create a city that won't need Bell to even hold a weapon." He promised.

Her resolve was equally clear. She would stay here, despite that damnable Zeus and all the noise he made. She would protect her sister's legacy; she would raise Bell. No matter Zald's doubts and Zeus's lack of commitment, she would raise Bell to be the Last Hero. He was an innocent child, he hadn't inherited Meteria's weakness, nor Alfia's sins, and she would ensure he was nothing like that father of his, he would be the man Orario was waiting for. "I won't let any of it be in vain. Not our regrets, not our failure, or our fallen comrades." She promised.

"I'll be off then."

"Mmm."

Their goodbyes were as short as ever. Neither flinched from the fate that now separated then.

The last member of the Zeus Familia marched off into darkness. He would die as the villain needed to change and save Orario.

The last member of the Hera Familia walked towards the cradle by the fireside. She would throw away her role as villainess and live to raise a Hero who could save the World.

If she'd been a sentimental sort, or someone prone to self-reflection, Alfia might have thought it at least a little fitting that by his very presence Bell had already saved one woman. But she wasn't, so she simply forced Zeus away from the kitchen and took to preparing the infant's next meal herself.

--*--

Several years passed.

Alfia was always a stubborn one and raising Bell -as noisy as it was- had proven no exception. The years passed, he got taller, stronger, more handsome, far noisier, and she'd stayed with him all throughout. Annoyingly, her affection towards him had only grown in the years since, to the point she'd taken to not only allowing him to hug her in his various boyish bouts of excitement, but occasionally reaching out and taking him into her arms herself.

As far as she could judge it and with zero experience around children, she considered that the years had been productive, with Hera returned to Heaven she has no powers and she'd never been one for martial skill to begin with, but, while she made clear that she thought his talk of heroism was ridiculous, she'd still spent the intervening years training him as best she could. Instilling him knowledge and strategy, just as Zeus instilled with him heroism and wonder. In that alone she'd made no attempt to intervene with Zeus's pathetic attempt at child-rearing, such wonder and delight was fitting for the man who would be hero and it was not something she could so easily teach herself. Alfia had seen far too many dead comrades and unfulfilled dreams to talk with such romance about the dungeon and the adventures that awaited within.

But now all that was over.

Zald was long gone.

And now Zeus had left them.

As predicted, the God of Thunder had been unreliable to the last. He hadn't said a word to her, she didn't have an inkling as to his motives or his thoughts. Did he give up on this game of raising Bell? Had he never truly believed in the boy's potential? Did he have some scheme of his own? She had no way of knowing.

All she did know was that he was gone, and Bell was inconsolable.

And, for the first time in her life, Alfia made absolutely no attempt to silence the noise that was practically overwhelming her. Bell wailed and sobbed, clinging to her dress and bawling his eyes out like he'd never done before. Alfia said nothing, she simply wrapped her arms around him and hugged him closer, pulling him into her and letting him cry his grief out into her chest. The sound was unbearable, but in this case, it wasn't because her ears were left ringing but because his clear, unvarnished pain tore so miserably at her heart that she felt like she would do anything just to ease his pain.

She was absolutely furious, but not at the noise that beating down on her, every celch of her boiling rage was directed at the missing deity, at the God that had abandoned this boy that loved him.

…

Some time passed after that, another week drifted by as Bell slowly recovered from his pain and the first death he'd ever known. It was a painful lesson, one she would have delayed for much longer, but also a lesson that Alfia decided would mark the end of their tenure in this countryside village. It was time to return to Orario.

It was early, too early most likely. She'd intended to take some further years away to let Bell grow stronger still, she'd planned to introduce him to one of the Familia in place outside the Dungeon City, one of the ambitious few looking to move into the great city. They would have made for a suitable stepping stone if nothing else… but Zeus had set things in motion, the die was cast, and Alfia was never one to deny the pull of destiny.

Being set directly on the path of his dreams and the stories he'd idolised for so long would give Bell a chance to focus on something besides his loneliness. Playing along with that idea, Alfia made a show of opposing the idea, putting off their travel for a full week following Zeus's death before finally relenting.

It wasn't as if she had much other choice, the house had been halfway destroyed as it was. All their meagre belongings and current savings were all they had left.

Even with the advent of his adventure on the horizon, Bell's grief followed him like a cloud, his grandfather's loss was undoubtably a world-shattering event for the young man. Drawing him close to her, she held tight to his hand, making no attempt to shake him away as they made their journey slowly and silently towards the Walled City.

Too focussed on her own thoughts, her anger and her ambitions, Alfia's eyes were turned only towards the distance still ahead of them.

So, it was Bell alone that noticed the remarkable sight passing directly above their heads- a brilliant, shining star of the heavens streaking across the sky and falling all the way down to earth.

--*--

Much had changed in her absence, she was sure, but getting inside Orario was just as simple as she'd expected. The Dungeon City's place in the world was as pre-eminent as it ever was.

Some combination of the distance, the time and the sheer novelty of finally coming to the city he'd heard about so many times in tales and dreams had finally served to bolster Bell's mood and he was back to his usual self, practically bouncing on his feet with each step as they made their way through the procession into the city and as he eagerly gave his name and intentions to the guard (Ganesha familia, she noted idly). For her part, Alfia gave a fake name and stated her intentions only as the boy's guardian and provider, that at least was barely a lie at all.

Even if it was convenient for her to hide her identity, a part of her couldn't help but be galled that even in just the time she'd been away already she'd faded from memory enough that the gate guards didn't recognise her on sight. Even as much as it soothed her oft-wounded pride, the guards didn't even have the excuse of her looking any different- she may no longer have the Falna that had once been inscribed on her back, but her body had been changed tremendously by its power; she aged faster than she used to, but a score of years was little enough to have barely affected her appearance. If she'd been optimistic, she would have thought that perhaps Zald had been so successful in his mission that a level 7 adventurer was barely of note anymore in Orario, but Alfia was never one for faith or hope, so she simply insulted the guard's competence under her breath after they'd passed.

Truly, the city itself was just as impressive as it had ever been, Bell was predictably wide eyed and awestruck just walking through the main street… and then for several hours since until she finally managed to snap him back to reality after arranging lodgings for that night. The details had changed, but the larger city remained the same, just as she'd expected. It was as noisy as she'd expected too, but somehow the hum of Orario's city streets brought with it enough pleasant memories that she didn't mind the din.

From there, they set about their respective tasks.

Bell would busy himself with arranging a Familia for himself and beginning his journey into the dungeon.

While she would relax, or read, maybe eat something, whatever took her fancy.

--*--

The days passed, one by one, and soon enough Alfia was forced to come to a rather stark re-evaluation.

She had never told him such, of course, and never would say anything to him, but after so long raising him and watching him grow, the infant that'd instantly charmed her had become taller, stronger, more impressive and more handsome with each passing day. He was no longer just her sister's child, and no more a reminder of that man… he was nothing but her adorable and beloved Bell. He was a child she would rip up the world and sunder destiny for. And more than that, he was the boy who she knew for sure would become the man she could entrust Orario with.

Zeus had filled Bell with stories and legends, Alfia had added corrections, additions or -very occasionally- her own tales. She had never once told Bell of his ambition, or the mission. The dream to become a Hero had been from Bell's own pure desires, and with Zeus stoking the flames of ambition, Alfia had made herself the villain in the tale, tempering Zeus's reckless enticement with her warnings or worries. While the God had sat Bell on his lap and told him of heroes and great battles, Alfia had forced him to run around the village to be strong enough to even dream of such things.

Even now, she was sure that Bell thought she was doing nothing but going along with his dreams, that the support she'd offered him and the offer she'd made to see his hopes through had come either from obligation or from worry. She had become his goal, the woman he believed doubted him and an obstacle for him to overcome. She was a challenge for him to cast down and to prove himself to, the fire with which his mettle and his determination would be forged stronger.

That was fine. The mantle of villainess suited her better anyway, far more than that of the caring and loving supporter she had somehow (infuriatingly) become throughout the intervening years.

And now, when she looked at him these days, when she saw the determination and yearning hidden within the kind face of the boy she'd watched for so long, she couldn't even imagine the doubts she'd once held, the doubts she'd once voiced to Zald. It all seemed so ridiculous now. This was her adorable and beloved Bell! No-one could possibly doubt that he was the man who would turn the city on its head, the one who would become the last and greatest Hero and who would finally put a close to the story that had begun with the descent of the Gods!

…

Unfortunately… that was only what she saw.

After spending several days in the city now, she was painfully aware that what the rest of Orario saw was a weak and skinny runt, a young kid that would be absolutely no use to any Familia and would surely die within a few days if anyone was actually reckless enough to take him into the dungeon.

It was irritating. Almost enough to make her want to shed the cover of anonymity she'd cloaked herself in. After how long she'd spent in the great city and how much she'd achieved, she was sure her name must still have enough power to give her the leverage to convince one of the more upstanding Familia to take on Bell. At an absolute last resort, she could trade her own loyalty in bargain- there was surely no Familia in the world that would turn down the chance to recruit a level 7 Adventurer.

Yet even as the days passed, she held back, doing nothing at all to direct Bell's efforts or to bring about the solution by her own hand. This was the exact same spartan mentality she had always taken towards her students. All the care that she'd (frustratingly) accumulated towards Bell only drove this impulse on even stronger, coddling him would only stymie his growth. He needed to face desperate challenges and overcome them with his own strength; there was no hero who ever walked the path decided by others.

Despite that however, and despite her claims towards altruism in his approach, there was no denying the shock of relief she'd felt that first night they'd spent in the city when she was told that Bell had been turned away from the doors of the Loki and Freya Familia both. Apparently setting his eyes seemingly as high as the tower of Babel itself, he'd immediately applied at each of the most prestigious Familia in the city and barely been given a glance at either before being hurried back onto the streets.

Logically, Alfia knew that her feelings were misguided. If her purpose was solely to foster Bell's growth and help him realise his potential as Orario's final hero, then in the current circumstances there were no Familia better suited to that task than either of those two. With the most powerful comrades and the deepest dungeon experience, they could protect him, they could support him, and they could raise him up faster than anyone else.

Yet the very thought had her fists curled in at her side and her glare cold enough almost to chill the window pane at her side.

Alfia was not a perfect person. She was petty, she was spiteful, she was selfish, and more importantly, they killed her sister.

Not intentionally, and not directly of course. Under the eyes of the Guild, Adventurers very rarely died in the battles they fought in those chaotic Orario days, and a civilian like Meteria was beyond question. Loki and Freya's forces both fought against the Evils and had shed blood to stabilise the city throughout the turmoil that followed, neither would condone reckless slaughter like that.

But the result was the same. Their failure against the Dragon shattered the Hera and Zeus Familia, and with their blood in the water, their would-be rivals had wasted absolutely no time in rising up and taking their revenge, running them out of the city. The sins that made up Alfia's life had always taken their toll in Meteria, her sister had always been frail, and birthing a child had only made her even weaker still, being suddenly forced from her home, from the church she'd kept as sanctuary and from the quality of medical care she could find in Orario...

Calm façade crumbling entirely, Alfia's scowl deepened further as she lost herself in bitter memories. The thought that both those two Goddesses towered large over not just the dungeon City but the world as a whole was almost more than she could stand. Walking through the city and seeing the public adoration both seemed to bask in had almost been enough to wish to re-enact Zald's plan herself all these years later.

"Tch."

It was rare indeed that she would be the one to break a comfortable silence.

Soon enough, the moment passed and she collected herself once more. Bell would be back soon, and while she hoped for his success, judging from past results, she could only assume he would be reporting another day of failures to her.

There was no real harm in that, the shame and pain of his failures would only make his eventual success more powerful. And, while she'd made a great show of playing up the dire state of their remaining funds -lest he grow comfortable relying on her financial support- the truth was that she had easily enough valis left to last several months and even if that wasn't enough, there were numerous hidden caches the Hera familia had left throughout the city she could pull from. Still, even as adorable and beloved as he was, it wouldn't do for Bell to grow reliant on her any desperation he felt now would only forge him with eve stronger motivation. It was harsh, but her training always was.

'Ah!'

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of familiar leaden feet tromping dejectedly up the stairs to their inn-room. Moving over to the kitchenette, Alfia responded to Bell's exhausted greeting with a placid one of her own as the boy slumped across the room and splayed himself across the table and as she began to prepare their dinner.

As expected, it seemed like today had been similarly unsuccessful in his quest.

With a little prompting, she coaxed the details out of him, offering her usual silent, unspoken support as she took pulled out various ingredients and took a knife to them.

And so it was that the woman once known as the Incarnation of Talent found herself stuck in place a minute later, eyes wide in shocked disbelief as her numb hands went through the motion of cutting the air before her where a carrot had already been thoroughly diced.

'This… This boy…'

The boy lying miserably facedown on the table behind her behind her… The young, innocent child she'd helped raise… Her dear sister's son… The man who would become the Last Hero of Orario… Her adorable, beloved Bell… Speaking as if it was worth no more than any other tale of his failures within the city, chalking it up to no more than yet another rejection… had just regaled her with his story of spending several hours first tracking down and then applying to the Ishtar Familia.

The Ishtar Familia.

Even in broad daylight where the district would be little more than a bunch of closed shops and empty buildings, it was hard enough to imagine her Bell in the Red-Light district. And it was impossible to imagine him supplicating himself to that bronzed slut's joke of a familia! He didn't even seem to realise where he'd applied to, he'd been asking around after the strongest Familia in the city, and the people who'd directed him had obviously treated it like some big joke, sending a young child off to a brothel to ask for the Whore-Queen's patronage. No, more like sending a young rabbit into the Lion's den!

The urge to find each and every one of those men who'd pointed his way and have a very quiet, very direct and very painful word with them boiled and frothed inside her, but there was nothing to be done for it. As cathartic as it would be to envision such an encounter with only the vague descriptions Bell had given about the passer-by and adventurer's he'd asked, there was nothing for her to go on.

It didn't usually take a lot to set Alfia off, but right now she was absolutely infuriated. If there was any Familia she would object to Bell joining as strongly as either of the two currently reigning duo's, it was the Ishtar familia.

A man should have a respectable appetite, of course. She understood and accepted that, she wasn't raising him to be a celibate hero. But there was a far cry from appreciating women and having his journey to the top start in the dregs of a brothel, no doubt with Amazons and their hanger-on's draped all over him. He could take all the prostitutes he wanted, if he wanted, she couldn't care less. But the women at Bell's side should be one that would engender the respect and admiration of the townsfolk, not someone that any adventurer could buy for a few spare valis!

For the second time, despite waiting eagerly for Bell's success, Alfia found herself relieved for his failure. She certainly wouldn't thank Zeus for this (it wouldn't surprise her if this was at least partially his fault), so she whispered a silent prayer to Hera instead.

Perhaps, she thought, it was time to reconsider her original plan.

She wouldn't help Bell, not directly, of course. But she could at least point him in the right direction. And as far away from the Red-Light district as possible. He had a strong sense of justice, and that was a good trait in a hero, there was at least one Familia that immediately came to mind as a much more suitable option.

--*--

"Is something the matter?"

It was a soft, cold voice that jolted Bell from his reverie wandering up and down one of Orario's backstreets.

"Oh I, I was ac-"

Turning around with his encouraging smile plastered right on his face, Bell's world suddenly slammed to a halt.

An Elf!

A female Elf, an Elf maiden!

Just like in the stories! Just like he'd dreamed of!

His heart skipped a beat and a furious blush rose for a second on his face as he stumbled for his words. He wasn't prepared for this! He'd planned to ask for an Elf for his advisor when he got a chance to sign up at the Guild, but this was completely without warning! Standing dumbstruck in one of the dilapidated back streets that ran through the eastern edges of Orario, he was suddenly face to face with a beautiful elf woman and his brain locked into place as it suddenly found itself shifting gears.

This wasn't the first time he'd seen an Elf, of course, he'd gawked with all the wonder of a naïve countryside hick through almost his entire day throughout the city. Noble and graceful Elven women, roguish seeming Animal Women, tall proud Amazons, Goddesses so perfectly beautiful he lacked the words to describe them, even the human women looked nothing like the ones he'd grown up with, somehow standing even more glamourous than he'd imagined clad in the powerful armour of an adventurer… just like his Grandfather had promised, Orario was like a completely different world to the one he'd known.

But despite seeing them from a distance, in all the time he'd spent so far in the city and in all the rejections he'd gone through, he'd never once talked to an Elf before, he'd never even been this close to one before. Famously aloof and reserved, it had never seemed to be an Elf that had answered his application, nor one that led him to the door shortly after.

While his brain took a moment to restart, Bell took in the sight before him. An Elf woman, a real Elf maiden! Golden hair hued just barely forest green, piercing icy blue eyes, those legendary pointed ears, a beautifully slender and wonderfully lissom body with petite breasts just barely pushing out her apron and soft-looking perfectly pale skin, she was the very image of the Elves he'd read about, the women he'd dreamed about! Even the unexpected sight of an Elf wearing a green coloured maid's outfit, as modest as it was, only served to leave him utterly charmed.

"Is something wrong?"

She rephrased the question. Her voice was soft, very feminine and -despite the seeming kindness of the words- without a single trace of warmth. Shuddering in response, as if a cup of cold water had been thrown over him, Bell finally pulled himself upright to face her directly.

"I, ah, I was just…" he gestured around the dilapidated street and abandoned buildings, feeling both out of place and more than a little ridiculous, "Well, I was looking for the Astrea familia!"

That was the advice Alfia had given him, and this was the location he'd wound up in after what'd felt like an entire day of being given the run around by everyone he asked for directions. The Astrea familia, he'd been told, were a proud and respectable group, kind-hearted but stern, Alfia had explained them as something like the arbiters of justice in Orario. A dependable and reliable group that he'd certainly fit well in, Bell had been practically bursting with enthusiasm when he'd rushed out the door to go find them this morning!

And yet, from the second the words left his mouth, Bell felt a sudden chill blow through him. It was a bright sunny day in Orario, more than warm enough to walk around without a coat, but in this instant, it was as if all the heat had suddenly rushed out of his body! As if the very air around them had taken on a wintery bite.

The Elf didn't react to his words at all, she didn't narrow her eyes, her fingers didn't twitch or clench, not a single trace of emotion shifted across her face. Even, so, Bell found it suddenly both very hard to meet her gaze and painfully difficult to avoid it.

"Why would you be looking for that Familia?"

Not noticing the way she avoiding mentioning the Familia's name, Bell launched immediately and awkwardly into an explanation! Stumbling over his words and unintentionally pouring his heart out, he told her everything about why he was here. He told her he'd just come to the city, how he'd always dreamed of being an adventurer (he held back on mentioning his dream of being a Hero), he told her about the trouble he'd had finding a familia, how lost and overwhelmed he'd been so far in the city, and how his Guardian had suggested the apply to the Astrea familia- that the Goddess Astrea would surely be able to see the strength and justice within him.

Bell didn't really know what he was saying, or why he was saying so much to a stranger who'd just stopped him in the street but thankfully, the more he talked, the more the day seemed to warm back up. The Wintery chill faded from the air with each passing second and by the time he was explaining about his intentions to join the familia, and about his hope that Lady Astrea would see him directly the back-alley street was swollen with the same summer heat as it had always been.

When his rambling explanation finally petered out, she acknowledged it only with a soft sigh but even so, a certain degree of tension seemed to have drained out of her and her icy blue eyes seemed far warmer than before. Examining him, as if testing the weight of his words and finding them believable, her lips curled slowly into a wan smile, and Bell's heart was left pounding in his chest all over again.

"I see," she answered a moment later, her words as placid as ever but her tone somehow several notches warmer, even sympathetic, "In that case, your intentions are certainly laudable. However, it appears that your Guardian has been away from the city too long and the people you asked for directions have been having fun at your expense."

"H-Huh!?"

"That Familia is gone. They were destroyed five years ago."

For the second time in less than a score of minutes, Bell's world jammed to a halt. This time the shock was infinitely less pleasant.

"Wh-ah, I, uh, how?"

"Have you heard about the fighting with the Evils?" he shook his head numbly, "The details don't matter. But for years, ever since the Loki and Freya Familia took power, there was a war between the many Familia trying to restore order to Orario and those trying to take advantage of the chaos, the Evilus followers of the Evil Gods. The people you seek were caught up in that fighting and… that Familia no longer exists."

"Th… They're all dead?"

It was like a splash of cold water across his soul. He'd barely been able to sleep last night after Alfia had spoken to him. He'd never expected her to reach out unprompted, to help him in the dream he knew she disapproved of! For her to do so had meant the world to him and he'd treasured her advice dearly! All night he'd laid awake with images of the Astrea familia, he'd envisioned them as noble and kind warriors, people who valued strength and kindness and who wanted to make Orario better! His heart had been soaring like never since the day he'd first arrived in the city!

And now he was told that all those people he'd imagined, all the figured he'd invented and envisioned were all dead. That they'd been killed years ago by a group of Evil Gods. He'd never even known one of them, but still his heart ached at the thought.

"Then, Lady Astrea…"

The Elf's eyes shifted at that, and she turned away from him, her gaze held instead by one of the numerous abandoned buildings in the street. Desolate and clearly run-down, it was still the only one still standing whole and untouched.

"There… was no record of her returning to Heaven," she answered eventually, "A Goddess's return isn't something that could be missed… most likely she left the city."

"A-Ah!" Bell perked up, filled with sudden inspiration, "Then I cou-"

"Don't be ridiculous," his excitement was cut down the very same instant, "Were you going to say you'd find her? How? You don't have a clue where she went, or what she even looks like. If she was so easy to find then the Evils remnants would have tracked her down already. You only just arrived in Orario, are you so eager to leave?"

"I- I ah, th-…"

Bell's words trailed off. He could be impulsive sometimes, and he knew he'd inherited Alfia's sense of stubbornness too… but this wasn't determination or steadfastness, this was just being childish. After being so despondent and feeling so out of place, and so lonely, within the massive city he'd finally had his hopes bolstered once more, it was painful to feel them crashing down around him once again. And it was even more painful when it was a result of following Alfia's suggestion… He didn't know many details, but he knew Alfia used to live in Orario, she was familiar with the city and the Familia, the thought that even with her unexpected help, he still hadn't found a Familia that would so much as look at him was sobering…

"The Astrea Familia is gone," the Elf declared with finality, as if to kill off any lingering hopes he may have had, "and its name disgraced besides."

That strange comment brought him back from his thoughts, "Disgraced? What do you mean?"

"One member of the Familia escaped the Evil's ambush. Her comrades were all killed and she was left shamefully alone, the only survivor… And in response, she lost herself in vengeance, drowning in revenge. She abandoned her ideals, abandoned her Familia and hunted down the Evils, killing everyone she could find responsible for her companion's murder."

Bell perked up, unable to make sense of the disgust ringing clear in the noble Elf's voice, "Then, she avenged them? She brought them to justice?" that wasn't a particularly happy ending, but it certainly sounded like something out of the hero tales he'd loved.

"No," her voice was steel, cold and unbending, "It was nothing but violence. She used poison, bombs, even arson- and she killed indiscriminately, not just those that had been involved, but anyone connected to them, anyone that may have supplied them, anyone that she could pin the blame on. She forsook her Goddess's justice and became nothing but a killer; the guild branded her a criminal, and the citizens feared her name. Now still, her disgraceful story does nothing but haunt the streets she'd once fought to protect."

He swallowed heavily, cowed by the stern words. He didn't have a way of answering that, and again he was forced into an uncomfortable realisation about his naïveté. His only connection to fighting, justice and heroism was the stories he'd idolised, it was all very well for him to puff up about the Evil's getting destroyed in retribution- but he hadn't been there, and this Elf clearly must have lived through that time. Without any experience at all, he could only imagine how terrifying it must have been for a normal civilian to hear about a powerful adventurer going rogue and cutting down anyone she'd thought got in her way, to hear about bombs and poison taking out anyone even connected to her target.

"I-ah, I'm sorry."

"Ah," blinking languidly, as if suddenly seeing him again, the Elf suddenly snapped back in place. A faint tracing of red spread across the tips of her ears as she realised she'd been lecturing a child she'd just met, after imposing on him directly in the first place, "No, I've said too much. That was an unpleasant story, I'm sorry- I always take things too far."

Losing his train of thought momentarily in the wonder of seeing such unabashed emotions play out across her face before her expressions settled back to its usual placid demeanour, Bell couldn't offer anything much as a response. It seemed, he thought, he still had a good way to go to deal with Elves.

She spun on her heel, "Needless to say, you won't find what you're looking for here. All that's left are ashes, memories and ghosts." And then, a few steps after she'd begun striding away from him, she turned back, and the back-alley street got a few degrees warmer as Bell found himself basking in the twilight glow of an Elf's slight smile, "Even if you were misled here, your intentions were commendable. An Adventurer should pledge themselves to the God that suits them, so, I wish you luck in finding a Familia that will welcome you."

And with that she was gone.

"Heh, hehe."

The warmth of that smile, and the radiance of her elfin beauty stuck with Bell even in her absence as he traced his steps slowly back along the path he'd travelled to get here.

It stayed kindled inside him as he spent the next half-hour finding his way back from the fruitless adventure he'd been sent on.

Its embers comforted him as he walked through Orario's main throughfare once more, seeking out Gods and Goddesses, and knocking at the doors of any adventuring Familia he could find.

And slowly as the afternoon wore on and light began to wane, as Bell's more and more harsh rejections, soft refusals and polite dismissals piled up atop the boy's soul… the warmth that had been keeping him going slowly faded.

His steps grew slower and this energy ebbed to nothing.

After looking forward to it what felt like his entire life, he'd finally come to Orario. The tower of Babel loomed high above him and he knew the dungeon lurked only a few kilomeders away from where he stood now. Adventuring, heroism, encounters with women, it all seemed like it was so close… And yet, day after day, it felt like an impossible gulf was separating him from the dreams he'd yearned for.

He'd travelled all this way, and day after day he'd been forced to understand just how big the city truly was.

Maybe… nobody in Orario wanted him.

Maybe… nobody needed him.

Maybe… there really was no Familia to find, no place for him to belong?

"Ah…"

A strained sigh escaped his lips as Bell's head spun, dazed with the sense of the hopes he'd sheltered for so long finally dwindling to nothing. The pain and loneliness from losing his Grandpa still tore at him even all these weeks later, coming here, pushing himself to fulfil the dreams his Grandpa had entrusted with him was a way of dealing with that. Finding a place to belong, a new home, a place where he was wanted was a way of trying to warm up the part of his soul that'd been chilled by the loss ever since.

But maybe there really was nothing? Maybe he really was just a useless country hick with dreams far above reality?

Even Alfia's suggestion hadn't helped. The woman who'd always seemed like she knew everything hadn't known a Familia that would take him. The Elf had been kind to him, but her story had severed all the hopes he'd clung to since the previous night. And now, as her smile faded from his mind, Bell was left with nothing instead.

"…Ah…"

He didn't know where he was going. He didn't have any particular destination in mind. He was just trudging forwards, one-foot in front of the other, away from the main throughfare, away from the smiles and the laughter and the city filled with adventurers and families that all had a place to belong, filled with people who didn't need him and didn't want him. He walked on. Alone. Nobody paid any attention to him.

"Heeeey! You there! The back alleys are pretty dangerous, so I'd steer clear if I were you!"

Which is why, when someone called out to him, he didn't understand what was going on.

"Huh..?"

Turning around, his head full of bleak doubts and dark memories, Bell thought absolutely nothing of this encounter. And yet soon, later, long after and for the rest of his life he knew for certain, that he would never forget this moment.

"Th-Thanks but… um, who are you?" he blinked, surprised to see a young woman even shorter than he was looking at him with such naked concern, "All alone in a place like this… are you lost, by any chance?"

Cocking her hip, she raised an eyebrow, "Uh, I think you're the one who looks lost here."

Thoughts finally catching up to his senses, Bell finally caught on to just who he was addressing here. Even for someone as uncultured as him, it wasn't hard to identify a Goddess. The absolutely flawless beauty, the sense of perfection, timelessness and divinity stood out unmistakably despite their semi-mortal shells. In this case, the woman's small frame, strange looking dress and eye-catchingly massive breasts served to stand out more than clearly enough to ensure Bell understood he was talking to a deity.

He swallowed. First an Elf, now a Goddess.

The cold loneliness that had been gnawing at his soul began to thaw in her presence. Somehow just the care and concern in her gaze seemed enough to ebb away the darkness that had been clouding him.

"So, um… the thing is, I'm recruiting for my Familia. Just so happens that I'm looking for adventurers to join up, so, y'know, uh…"

She was blushing, hesitating and awkward without a clue what she should really be saying or what the proper procedure was.

But Bell didn't notice any of that.

All he saw was the hand reaching out towards him.

Her appearance. Her voice. The nervous shiver they each shared as their hands interlinked. The warmth tingle that went through him when he introduced himself and she voiced his name aloud.

The joy of that moment was enough to make him want to weep.

And standing there, hand in hand, smile meeting smile, with the young-looking Goddess of the Hearth, Bell knew for sure that he would remember every last detail of this moment for the rest of his life.

--*--

Bell, Alfia thought, was exactly the kind of man to bring a girl home to his mother.

Of course, he had neither of those things.

Instead, he brought a Goddess home to his Guardian.

It was difficult deciding just how she was meant to feel about this development. Initially the apparent Goddess Hestia made an absolutely horrible impression. For one, she was loud. Her greeting after Bell dragged her inside had been almost as loud as his, except Alfia didn't have more than a decade's worth of resistance built up towards the young Goddess's shouting. That alone would normally have been enough to have her slap flying to turf the divinity out into the streets… but, instead… for Bell's sake… she grit her teeth and held back.

Unfortunately, her impression wasn't improved at all by Hestia's weak and clearly ill-prepared plan to become an adventuring Familia. It was very quickly apparent that this so-called Goddess of the Hearth had no hearth to speak of, nor did she have any other followers, any equipment or any resources at all. In this entire city, a metropolis absolutely bursting at the seams with the Divine, this was who Bell found? A rookie in well over her head, who'd barely arrived to Earth a few months ago, whose Familia was entirely theoretical, who worked part time at a Jyaga Maru Kun stall and whose base of operations was an abandoned church she'd (in a somewhat shifty explanation) "been given as a farewell gift" from a friend.

Logically, it made absolutely no sense.

There was no mystery why Hestia hadn't managed to convince anyone to join her Familia in all the time she'd been in Orario so far, simply, she was the same as Bell. Instead of building up power, connections and resources outside the city, she'd jumped ahead right to the hotbed of Adventurers without a plan and just tried to make it work. Any adventurer worth their salt knew that it was difficult to make a living on expeditions into the dungeon without preparing at least some level of funding and personnel in advance. To head to the dungeon was to put your life on the line, it was only natural that anyone doing so would favour a familia that could actually supply them with a level of support or comfort.

Orario was full of useless, feckless Gods and Goddesses. And by all appearances this Hestia was just yet one more.

And yet, somehow Alfia couldn't dismiss her. Because, despite all those things, Bell was standing ahead of the small Goddess and defending her. And because Bell hadn't let go of her hand this entire time.

His argument was as simple as could be- that all God's Falna was exactly the same. That was, more or less, true.

And, that in this entire city, bursting with all those famed and beloved Divinities, Hestia was the only one who had reached out to him.

Alfia sighed.

Ultimately, in the face of all her logic, that was the more important consideration. The Goddess of the Hearth indeed, the Patron of the lost and weary children. She had been the one to see Bell's worth, to judge the colour of his soul and to offer him a place at her side. For all that the tiny Goddess lacked in power or influence, this was something that Bell had gained for himself, entirely through his own efforts, and Alfia was loath to throw it away.

'And...'

Secret to him, on a more cynical level, she couldn't help but wonder if what this idea lacked in pragmatism it made up for in romanticism.

A Familia built literally from nothing, created from the burned-out ashes of a desolate church. The union of an overlooked boy and an unwanted Goddess. Even Alfia could clearly see that was surely a fitting beginning for the Hero she believed that Bell would become. None would ever be able to say that he'd been lifted through his trials or victories by the assistance of strong Familia, he would pull himself up purely through his own efforts rather than being coddled through Loki or Ganesha's induction program, or whatever it was that Freya used to raise up her newbies.

It was a far more dangerous road of course. According to the conventional wisdom it was borderline suicidal. But then, so was going to the dungeon at all. Bell had accepted that danger, and Alfia had never been one to shy away from harsh lessons to her students.

In the end, she gave her ascent fairly quickly and both boy and Goddess were soon cheering to each other far, far too loudly and not anywhere near far enough away from her. The Goddess dragged Bell away with her, apparently taking him to what she'd dubbed "her favourite spot in the city" to engrave their union permanently and Alfia found herself smiling warmly as they left.

Hestia, for all her myriad of faults, gave a wonderful second impression.

When she'd pressed the small Goddess on her plans and ambitions for the Familia, while she'd received mostly dithering and vague assurances in the way of concrete details, what had been clear was her clear frustrations with and dislike of Loki! Hestia had crowed openly and angrily about the way she'd butted heads with the chaos deity, how displeased she was to run into her again down in Orario and of her dream to knock that "Itty-Bitty" down from the perch she was so vastly ill-suited for.

Alfia would have clapped if such a thing didn't go against her very principles. What a wonderful speech! What a wonderful ambition! Truly it just went to show that even someone as bedraggled as this could still have some real value to them.

It also helped that Hestia was clearly very taken with her young charge. In a city filled to the brim with blind fools who'd somehow overlooked Alfia's adorable and beloved Bell, it seemed the Goddess of the Hearth was the only one who'd been able to notice the diamond lying directly at her feet. The two of them, Alfia thought, were surely on a very similar wavelength. And that surely couldn't be a bad thing.

And so, despite herself, Alfia's life became even more noisy.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: And there we go! What a relief to finally get something out! It's long overdue, I've been writing all this time, but whether it's for a favour to a friend or getting distracted, I've kept getting pulled away into one project or another. I've got a number of stories at about 80-90% complete, so hopefully you'll see a number of updates from me soon.

Anyone who's read her story might notice that I've toned Alfia down a bit here. Hopefully that's not too drastic, she should still be recognisable as herself, my thoughts were that I didn't want her to be quite as aggressive or use slapstick comedy, and more importantly that I think her time with Bell would have mellowed her out a good deal. Especially now she's here with him in Orario. For those interested, her act of directing him towards the Astrea Familia was meant to be a bit of poetic irony, seeing as they were the ones to destroy her in the canon timeline.

Not a whole lot happened this chapter, but a lot's now setup so we can have some fun happenings next time!

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 2: Is It Wrong To Aim To Be A Hero?

Notes:

Author's Note: The second chapter, I wrote this at the same time as the previous one, so hopefully they'll flow into each other fairly well. They were originally one chapter, which came to about 23k words, so I thought that was probably too big and the point where Bell joined Hestia's Familia was a good splitting point, so here we are. This chapter will show more of Bell and display a bit more of what I'm intending with this story and what I'm positioning Alfia's role to be in Bell's journey.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Aim To Be A Hero?

--*--

Moving to the church basement was just as degrading as she'd imagined from Hestia's story. Cold, draughty, ugly and utterly dilapidated, it was a severe step down in living conditions in every respect and Alfia was sorely tempted to simply continue living in the inn until they could arrange something more suitable. Unfortunately, doing so would expose her lie about their lack of finances and that would reduce some of the desperation she wanted to keep Bell's motivation high, so she kept her silence instead.

As compensation, she claimed the solitary bed for herself, leaving Hestia to share the couch with Bell.

The boy blushed and spluttered, offering repeatedly to sleep on the floor rather than treat a Goddess so kindly. The Goddess, for her part, complained a lot less than she would have expected.

Soon, they were settled in, Bell was convinced that sleeping on the ground would only make him sick, Hestia happily promised that she wasn't so proud she couldn't share a couch with her newest and only child, and so their new daily routine began. Hestia worked. Bell headed off into the dungeon. And Alfia relaxed, or read, or maybe found something to eat, whatever took her fancy. She wasn't part of the Familia, after all.

Still, even the Lady of Silence wasn't quite so galling as to leave everything to her sister's son and his Goddess, so the task of arranging dinner each night when the other two came back from work became her sole duty.

The very following day after having his Status granted by Hestia, Bell headed to the Guild and then to the dungeon for the very first time…

…And then returned a short hour later than that, proudly telling the story of how he'd managed to defeat and overcome a Goblin! One single goblin. The very first and weakest enemy in the dungeon.

Alfia's scorning silence and Hestia's confused questioning quickly had the boy fleeing back the way he'd come. And from there, their routine began in earnest.

In spite of all the dismissals he'd received and his own gentle nature, Bell took to the dungeon like a fish to water. Even working as a solo adventurer, his progress was rapid, so much so that Alfia had no trouble believing the tales he sheepishly told about his advisor almost tearing her hair out dealing with him, it was enough even to make her want to pull him back somewhat. It was enough for her to seek out one of the Hera Familia's stashes of funds, to claim it as gambling winnings and declare that their money troubles were momentarily solved. There simply was no reasonable reason for a rookie adventurer to be pushing into the third and fourth floors within a few weeks, especially not when outfitted only with guild-issued equipment and a few healing phials Hestia had scrounged from the Miach Familia, and especially not when he was working alone. Alfia gave her students harsh lessons, but she never sent them to their deaths, even she wasn't that heartless. And even she wasn't detached enough to keep from (silently and secretly) fretting when her beloved and adorable Bell came back with yet another harrowing tale of pushing forwards far faster and far deeper into the dungeon than he had any right to!

The money left them eating better, but it seemed even removing what she'd assumed to be the primary source of Bell's desperation did little to stem the boy's recklessness. He was here to fulfil that bastard Zeus's dreams and to live up to the stories he'd always admired, and it seemed not even the ever-increasing danger, or the ever-lengthening lectures from his (apparently Elven) advisor could hold him back.

The days turned to weeks and the tension soon began to gnaw at Alfia, suffocating her with the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. The dungeon was not for the naïve or foolhardy and it was never to be underestimated. When even her own quiet words of warning did nothing but stoke the fires of the boy's ambition higher still -leaving her for the first time cursing her role as this story's villain- she knew for sure that he was in for a wake-up call. She only prayed (not to Hestia, of course) that he would come out unharmed.

In the end, she only found out that she had dropped one day a short time later when Bell waltzed down into the church basement beaming from ear to ear, practically bouncing with excitement and making even more noise than usual before the rest of the day unfolded in a series of updates that came as shocking surprise after bewildering revelation, until both Alfia and Hestia felt like they'd had a full decade shaved off their lifespans!

First, Bell told them about how he'd -once again- ignored his advisor's instruction and gone not just to the fourth floor, but the fifth! Hestia fretted; Alfia sighed.

Then he told them an almost unbelievable story about how he'd somehow run into a Minotaur, on the fifth floor! Hestia balked; Alfia gaped in disbelief.

Next he finished his story by telling them about his saviour, and the encounter he'd finally had in the dungeon, with one of the most beautiful and famous Adventurers in Orario no less! Hestia dithered, conflicted with jealousy and relief; Alfia just contented herself to relax.

After that came his status update, along with the equally unbelievable sight of his status skyrocketing, far beyond what should have been reasonable! Hestia's jaw dropped and there was no missing the way the Goddesses' inner conflict deepened; Alfia granted his growth a small hum of appreciation.

And finally, a few minutes later, after Bell had bounced happily out the door once again- off to fulfil the promise he'd apparently made with some grey-haired waitress who'd helped him this morning came the last, and most incredible revelation of the lot… A skill unlike any either woman had ever heard of before.

Hestia didn't say anything about it and she even did an admirable job of pretending nothing was amiss afterwards, but the look of shock on the Goddesses face as she parsed Bell's status update, the way she read and re-read the same set of runes over and over as if the content would somehow change wasn't something Alfia could possibly have missed. Given how intensely riled up the small Goddess was, to the point of flopping onto the couch and flailing her fists around the second Bell was out the door, it didn't take more than a few pointed questions to uncover the truth.

Liaris Freese.

An absolutely unbelievable skill. A ridiculous skill. A game-changing skill unlike any she'd heard of before.

And one unquestionably suited to a Hero. A skill that gave him no power, conveyed him no advantage, did nothing to save him beyond ensuring he could never be controlled- but rewarded him doubly for all his efforts instead. A skill that all but ensured Bell could -if he had the will for it- rise to the very top of Orario and engrave himself into the history of the very world forever.

A tremor ran down her spine just hearing about it from Hestia, and Alfia found herself flushing, her breath coming faster. If she had been anyone else, she was sure she would have laughed, or cheered, or all kinds of unsavoury, noisy, things. Instead, she simply titled her head back with a smile.

This was her sister's legacy. This was the child Zeus had given up on. This was the child she'd abandoned Zald to entrust the future to.

Oh, how wonderfully fitting this was. How perfect. She could just imagine how Lady Hera must be sneering at that damn Thunder God right now.

Needless to say, she agreed immediately with Hestia's explanation as to why she'd hidden the skill from Bell. It hardly needed to be explained at all. He didn't need to know about the skill to activate it or take advantage of it, the more he knew about it the more likely it was that he'd come to rely on it or to think too much on it. Bell was an honest boy and a poor liar, if this skill was as effective as she dared hope it might be, then soon enough many questions would be raised about his growth, it was best for everyone if he had no answer to them beyond his hard work.

The Gods were a selfish, capricious lot, and this was a skill worth fighting a War over. While the romantic idea of using the Hestia familia to rise from the very dregs of the earth to the highest pinnace of Orario was a wonderful one, the reality was that if someone like Ishtar or Apollo heard about a skill like that, they would bend a non-inconsiderable effort to making it theirs, and that was without even considering Goddesses like Loki or Freya, even someone like Hermes -who she'd considered a nominal ally, considering his ties to Zeus- could be a threat if he heard about this. The last thing they needed was to be facing down the threat of being provoked into a War Game by one of Orario's most powerful familia, nor the fear of having any of their few allies turn on them to try manipulate Bell into joining their familia with Hestia removed.

It wasn't as if Alfia had some moral objection to keeping things from Bell for his own sake. That was part of being his guardian. No, Hestia's prudence was clearly warranted here.

Unfortunately, it seemed the two of them didn't quite see eye to eye on the rest of the day's revelations. Because no sooner had Alfia processed the incredulity that was Bell's skill, than she was facing down the deeply pouting face of the Goddess of the Hearth, looking up at her from the couch.

"What was that!?" Hestia demanded, "You were delighted to hear about him and, and that Wallen-what's-it!"

"Wallenstein. And why wouldn't I be? She's one of the strongest and most famous adventurers in Orario, a fine candidate for Bell to set his sights on," and, more importantly, the Sword Princess was one of the few adventurers of modern day Orario worth being compared to the comrades Alfia had once shared the city with, "They say she's the record-holder for fastest level up, if he's inspired to make that kind of progress, that would be perfect."

"But, y-you! Gh! It's not about, about him-" Hestia flailed slightly, "It's not about him being inspired by her! It's, it's that Status! He's practically got his feelings for her engraved on his back! It's, it's like she's swooped in and stolen him away!"

Despite herself, Alfia let out a chuckle, finally understanding the problem. So, Hestia was jealous? Well, that wasn't her problem, "That's fine too. Once again, I find myself agreeing with that advisor of his; if Ais serves as his inspiration to grow strong enough to stand at her side, that would be ideal. And if he can take her as his own, that would be even better- I doubt there's many men in this city that wouldn't dream of making Ais Wallenstein their bride, that will serve as a wonderful ambition for him."

The Goddess deflated. Shrinking back, there was a flash of hurt in her eyes, mixed with no small amount of anger.

"I… I thought you…" Hestia's face glowed red, and her position as one of the Celestial Virgins betrayed her, as she struggled to speak openly about the kind of feelings she'd never held before in all her aeons, "It always seemed like you supported me?"

Ah. So, this was a betrayal then? Or at least that's how Hestia saw it. She hadn't considered that, but it wasn't an unfair conclusion, in all the time they'd been together so far, Alfia had gone well out of her way to always make both time and space for Hestia to be alone with Bell, even putting them together on more than one occasion. The smaller Goddesses ever-growing affections for the boy hadn't been hard to notice (at least, for anyone but the boy himself) and even if they'd never discussed it, she'd clearly given her own tacit approval to the relationship.

A small mote of compassion rose in her heart at that moment. The feeling of betrayal, Alfia could keenly understand. But understanding and a note of compassion still didn't lead to a softer touch; playing the villainess had always come easier to her than acting in kindness.

"I deeply appreciate what you've done for Bell, and how you've supported him," she couldn't think of many Goddesses willing to get a part-time job to support their Familia, "If Bell's heart were to turn towards you, then I would be overjoyed to have you standing at his side now and forevermore."

Alfia's words were as monotone and direct as ever, and she continued sharply just as she saw a spark of excitement rising in Hestia's eyes.

"But if you think I would support you to be the only woman at his side, you're being ridiculous. I will support any relationship he forms, be it with you or any other suitable woman. Bell is my sister's legacy, and I fully intend to see the face of Meteria's grandchildren."

Hestia fumed a good deal less at that than Alfia had expected.

That wasn't to say she didn't fume. Just that she seemed to be so shocked at the sheer audacity of what she'd just been told, and how casually she was being dismissed as a Goddess, that it sapped away some of her anger.

"What!? Th-That's, I'm ridiculous!? I-I know I'm only newly descended, but I know for sure that's not normal!"

Of course it wasn't. Gods were capricious and selfish, ever striving for entertainment and ever seeking attention, especially when it came to their children. They were not like to share.

"That may be so for most children. But Bell is not like most children. I've known this all his life, and I know you've seen that yourself, there's something in him you can see, something that sets him apart from anyone else. He intends to become greater, better than anyone else, he intends to bear the legend of Orario himself."

"I- I know he says things like that, that he wants to be a Hero…" Hestia winced, caught off-guard at the strange turn the conversation had taken. She'd never seen Alfia so openly praise the young adventurer like this, she was only ever icily accepting at best, so to see the sudden change in tone was hard to deal with.

"There is only room for one more Hero in Orario's story. And in that role, he shall need all kinds at his side and surrounding him- friends to guide him, companions to lift him up, rivals to challenge him… and of course, women and lovers to support him, to inspire him and give him a future to fight for. That dream of romance is one of the very things that drew him to this city, you've heard just as I have about that encounter in the dungeon he wanted to find."

"You're… you're taking this Hero stuff very seriously… I, I mean, I know he talks about all that, but it's, it's just… lots of people dream big before coming here! The dungeon is dangerous! He finally realised that today, he said himself that he was only thinking of getting stronger now! Bell doesn't need to be any of that, he's fine as he is, even if it's just the three of us from now on, that's fine! He doesn't need to fulfil some great destiny or prove himself or whatever, I'd be happy if he just returned home safely each day."

Despite herself, Alfia found herself smiling and not unkindly. She couldn't help it, not when she was listening to Hestia laying out her heart so openly and showing just how much she cared about Alfia's adorable and beloved Bell.

For all her talk of knocking Loki from her perch and of making the best Familia in the city herself, when faced with reality, Hestia was surprisingly un-ambitious. Or really, the Goddess of the Hearth, protector of lost children, was unable or unwilling to risk casting him into the fire, to see him forge himself greater. Just like Bell himself, she just wanted to keep her loved ones safe, she feared loss and pain.

But Alfia was different. She didn't fear the fire.

From the day she'd been born, her life had cursed her sister's existence. Her talent had reduced Meteria's to near nothing. Her strength left her sibling with nothing but weakness.

Alfia had already lost. She'd lost so much and so completely that even her black heart had been rent to pieces.

She'd lost over and over and over again in the dungeon. She'd seen uncountable comrades, allies and students that weren't good enough, or lucky enough to survive.

She'd lost over and again in the streets of Orario. Adventurers rarely killed one another, but the Evilus rarely hesitated when they had one at their mercy.

She'd lost her strength when fighting Leviathan. Every day her body strained with weakness and her true potential as a level seven would never return, even if she ever did take a Status.

She'd lost everything against the Black Dragon. The two strongest Familia in existence, the strongest Heroes in the world, the two mightiest Deities of the Walled City had all been effortlessly smashed to pieces.

And then she'd lost all that remained ever since. Hera, Zeus, Zald, and even Meteria.

By anyone's counting, Bell was all Alfia had left, the last embers of hopes and dreams she could barely even remember having. But she'd long since lost any fear of loss, or of pain.

Alfia had been planning to die for Orario.

She had decided to live for Bell.

She would see him achieve his ambitions; she would see him attain the greatness that his potential belied.

She couldn't put all that into words. And she had no desire to try. Instead, she simply spoke aloud the words they both knew were held in troth.

"The world wants a hero. The city is waiting for a hero."

Until the world's cry was answered.

Until whatever divine intention the Gods were surely hiding finally came to fruition.

Until the last corner of the dungeon was conquered.

The song of Elegia would ring out each year, and the prayers for this generation's Hero would continue.

A complex array of emotions flashed across Hestia's face at her words. The shock had surely kept the Goddess off balance, all the time they'd been together, she would have only ever seen Alfia the same way Bell did, as someone who was -at best- indulging in his dreams, even if she'd had any inkling of the maiden of silence's true intentions, she couldn't possibly have expected a woman of her ag-… a woman of such clear worldly experience, to speak so openly about Heroes.

"You're saying that? You… you want that?" it was impossible to lie to a Goddess, Hestia could see her true intentions worn plain now, "That's crazy! Reckless! Did you raise him for this!? All of Bell's talk of heroes and his dreams, it's just your ambitions!"

"No. I never raised him to be anything but my sister's son. If he had no wish for any of this, we would have never come to Orario."

Hestia's accusations stopped instantly. It was impossible to lie to a Goddess.

"Bell's ambitions came entirely from himself and his own desires. It was for that very reason I set myself against them, that I became an obstacle for him to overcome. Just like his mother, Bell has grown to be a kind and good-natured young man, one that always looks to please others; if his ambitions were just some vain reflections that'd been cast on them by someone else, then they would have shattered under that pressure. He would have abandoned them for my sake, or been too quiet to voice them when he knew I gave no approval. He thinks we're here at my indulgence, he seeks to win my approval, and in that fire, he shall be forged stronger."

She'd already spoken long enough; it was annoying to continue talking and this noise was starting to wear on her patience. Waving her hands, she cut the Goddess's reply short.

"You saw the skill on his back, you told me about it yourself. Surely that makes it as clear as anything. Bell cannot be charmed, he cannot be controlled. His destiny is his alone to choose. I certainly won't force the issue- if Bell falls for you and wants to marry you alone, I will accept it. However, just as I fully intend to support any romance he may find with you, I intend to encourage it just the same with any other suitable women -with or without you … And, Ais Wallenstein could hardly be any more suitable…"

Just the thought of her adorable and beloved Bell plucking away Loki's most prized and precious flower had Alfia almost wanting to laugh. She probably would have if the sound wasn't so obnoxious.

Instead, she contented herself with shooing Hestia away to go sulk.

--*--

Despite having headed out apparently only to go visit a bar for dinner, there was no sign at all of Bell for the rest of the evening, and none at all that night. Hestia fretted about some woman having dragged him off, Alfia worried slightly about him being caught up in some trouble, but there was nothing either of them could do except wait anxiously until the early hours of the morning, when both women were given one last shock for the day- the sight of the young white-haired man dragging his exhausted, bleeding body slowly through the entrance of the church, walking wearily back home.

For reasons they didn't get out of him, and which she doubted she'd really ever understand, he'd gone to the dungeon. In the middle of the night. Without any preparations or even his own armour. And just throw himself against anything and everything until he'd been on the brink of death.

Alfia could practically feel the previous relief she'd felt at him seemingly put his recklessness behind him evaporate.

And just the same, she also found herself wondering just how resolved she truly was about sending him into danger, given how much she worried just seeing him like this.

The next morning both women forcefully made him promise to never pull a stunt like that again.

Thankfully, things settled down somewhat after that, Bell returned the dungeon at normal adventuring hours (with his armour) and just as his incredible skill prophesised, his progress skyrocketed through each of the coming days. Every night after his return, it became normal for Hestia to read out his stats growing by leaps or bounds. There was no doubt the boy was working hard, especially when it was normal for solo adventurers to progress much slower and more carefully; ever since his encounter with Ais he'd thrown himself into the dungeon with renewed purpose and increased vigour, and his efforts were being paid back many times over.

However, with that growth came a newer -albeit lesser- worry.

Bell's equipment was still nothing more than the leather jacket he'd brought from their home, along with a guild issued armour set and knife. The most basic of basic sets used by beginner adventurers as the felt their way through the first levels of the dungeon. But he was progressing quickly beyond that, he was already progressing into the sixth level and, no matter what his advisor might say on the subject, would soon be looking even beyond that. A year's worth of progress for a novice adventuring group would take them to the tenth floor, and Bell was already closing in on that kind of growth within just a few weeks, it was absolutely prodigious.

And it was also dangerous. While Alfia couldn't bring herself to muster any fear of anything in the upper levels, she also had a lifetime of experience telling her to never treat the dungeon lightly. Most rookie adventurers would use the Guild issued weapons and armour far longer than Bell had, but most would also never take it below the third level, if it would even last them that far.

So, the simple answer was that Bell needed better equipment. However, because of his rapid growth, he also hadn't spent the weeks or months most rookie adventurers would spend working through the first few upper floors. Their income so far had been meagre indeed, nothing more than what a single rookie could bring back in his own backpack, barely more than enough to cover their food and his repairs, with only a little left for savings (a good amount of which had already been lost to the hair ties Bell had brought in an, admittedly very sweet, gift of appreciation towards his Goddess). What little they had stashed away wouldn't come close to even purchasing a reliable weapon, let alone a set of armour.

And now, they simply didn't have enough funds. And, while she wasn't part of the Familia, Alfia was his guardian, and was being supported by Bell's income just the same as Hestia.

But unlike Hestia, her only contribution was cooking their meals. For a while, her own funds had been spent bulking up their food purchases, pretending that Bell's earnings stretched further than they ever really could have, but even that was gone now.

Even she managed to feel a little guilty at her part in this conundrum. Enough so that Alfia considered getting a job just the same as Hestia… for about three seconds, then instead kicked in a fake brick two wrong turns and four corners down Daedalus street, to pull out a pouch of coins hidden in one of the Hera Familia's secret stashes.

It was a good time, Alfia had thought, to sort these details out, while Hestia was away with whatever the banquet of the Gods had kept her occupied the last few days. Some ridiculous spectacle called "Monsterphilia" was coming today, so perhaps she could find him something afterwards as some kind of gift to mark the occasion?

The question, of course, was what. Neither her nor Hestia had missed the sight of Bell dragging his nose across the windows of the Hephaestus showroom, but something like that was both out of budget and out of the question. The stash had given her enough vallis to consider a lower quality A-Rank weapon, or any kind of B-rank weapon she wished for… and as his guardian there was a natural impulse to provide him with the best quality she could get her hands on. But of course, giving him something too powerful would only stunt his growth. He'd get carried along by a weapon that was too good for him, which would work, right until it didn't.

Alfia spent the next few hours locked in internal debate, tossing thoughts and options across her head. There were the upper Babel stores, but a commission from a mid-quality Blacksmith wasn't out of the question either. Hestia was apparently friends with Hephaestus, so there was a possibility she could offer some leads into an appropriate smith that could get something done for Bell.

In the end, as she paced her way around the otherwise unoccupied church basement, Alfia finally decided that for someone still only challenging the Upper Layers, the best bet would be something sturdy and reliable, sharp but not powerful enough that Bell could afford to neglect his own focus or training in dispatching his foes. A simple C-rank weapon, she concluded, would be perfectly suited to their budding adventurer.

…

Which was why, just another few hours later, the maiden of silence was standing aghast in shock, fighting back the urge to outright throttle Hestia when she saw the absolutely, unthinkably, incredible, ludicrous, insane, ridiculous, Hephaestus weapon the Goddess of the Hearth had apparently bequeathed to Bell. A weapon he couldn't possibly even guess the value of, that had almost certainly locked their nascent Familia into a debt she didn't even want to try picture.

Only two things spared the small Goddess from Alfia's wrath.

Firstly, that she was currently asleep, having passed out after everything that had happened with the Monsterphilia and whatever Hestia had been doing the last three days finally caught up with her. Even Alfia wasn't cruel enough to wake someone just to slap them back to unconsciousness.

Secondly… that the weapon had unquestionably saved Bell's life. Somehow, as ridiculous a thing as it was, it suited in perfectly, it was the ideal companion for a boy looking to become a hero.

A Silverback. A monster from the 11th and 12th floors. Within just the short time they'd already been in Orario, Bell was already capable of killing a monster of this level, by himself. It was impressive, so much so that it was almost scary. Eyes would be turning to Bell soon, and with greater intensity with each passing week as his power grew by further leaps and greater bounds.

Alfia stood silently in the corner, her gaze slipping from Bell to Hestia and back again as her thoughts turned slowly around the day's events and everything that had transpired through the city while she'd been steadfastly ignored the ridiculous spectacle of Monster Taming.

Bell sat impatiently, anxiously at Hestia's side. The assurances of Ryu, Syr and Mia that his Goddess was perfectly fine and just worn out had done little to calm his fretting, so in the end, after receiving his bowed head and repeated thanks for their kindness, everyone had simply wished him well and left him be.

At great length, the hours passed by, the day cooled and began to draw into evening, and the sounds of the bar grew louder as each successive group of Adventurer and client poured in, good meals and strong ales quickly serving to turn the events of the day into just yet another story.

And finally, when Bell's heart felt like it was going to squeeze to bursting in his chest, Hestia began to stir.

Bell gushed and hugged her, sniffing and clinging to her with all the strength of a level 1 adventurer. Alfia simply caught the Goddess eye, acknowledging the part she'd played in keeping him safe with a small nod and an equally small smile.

And with that, she made her way outside. Quite firmly shutting the door behind her, before taking up a position outside it, steeling herself with a piercing gaze enough to keep anyone from disturbing the Goddess and Child in the room behind her.

The boy had slain a great foe, and the Goddess had given him the means to do so. It really was something right out of one of those hero-tales.

They had both done well, and in recognising that, Alfia would ensure they had time now to be alone together. Time enough for soft words, for tender explanations and gentle caresses, for him to tell her how he'd missed her, and for her to tell him how he'd stolen her heart.

Time enough for exactly the encounter Bell had come to Orario dreaming of and exactly the moments she'd told Hestia she would support.

…

Which was why, Alfia was left standing agape once more, just a little more than an hour later, when the door was pulled open and Bell strolled lightly out, almost running into where she was standing from behind.

He was fully dressed, with his clothes exactly as she'd left him and not a trace of a blush on his cheeks. And the same was true for the deity she could see once more splayed asleep out across the bed, Hestia's dress was just as it had been.

It wasn't often one of Alfia's plans came undone before her eyes. And seeing as it had happened twice in one day today, the maiden of silence found she could do nothing but stare in bewildered silence.

--*--

Not wanting to impose further on the Hostess of Fertility's hospitality, Alfia had Bell carry the still sleeping Goddess home. Hestia stirred a few times on the way, but quickly snuggled tighter into his chest and seemed perfectly content snoring in his arms all the way until being gently laid down atop the bed in the church basement.

Thankfully, it took absolutely no time at all to divest the details from Bell once she'd dragged him aside and finally away from his Goddess.

Unfortunately, that was because there appeared to be absolutely no details to divest.

Hestia had recovered and woken up, he'd been overjoyed and so focussed on that fact that he hadn't even noticed that Alfia had left them alone until some time after she'd left. He'd talked happily with the Goddess about all the time they'd spent apart and all the details he hadn't been able to hear from her during their date through the city, everything about the God's banquet and everything she'd been doing since, although she was surprisingly skittish when it came to the details about the Hestia Knife (as it seemed to have been dubbed)- all Bell had learned was that it was a true Hephaestus weapon, that Hestia herself had guaranteed it, that it would grow and change alongside him, and that he didn't need to worry about any details beyond that. In return, Bell had regaled her with stories about his time in the dungeon while she'd been away, and they'd both apologised to the other and talked about how scared they'd been for the other's sake through the Silverback encounter, promising never to be separated again. Then after talking at length, Hestia's fatigue had returned and she'd fallen asleep once again.

And that was it.

From the way Alfia understood what Bell had told her, she got a sneaking suspicion that the Goddess of the Hearth had taken his words of affection and appreciation as the love confession she'd been so yearning to hear, and had been more than satisfied with that alone. And Bell, seemingly oblivious to the effect he was having on her, hadn't noticed either way.

Hestia, for all her talk, appeared to have been too shy to actually outright confess her feelings for Bell.

Bell, likewise, seemed to hadn't made any actual romantic declarations to his Goddess.

They hadn't kissed.

They hadn't embraced.

And they certainly hadn't gone any further than that.

Bell regaled the story to her with eyes shining bright with charming innocence, and it was all Alfia could do not to sigh in disbelief.

What, she questioned him, had happened to all that talk he'd made about experiencing "An encounter in the dungeon"? What happened to the dreams he'd talked to haphazardly about and how "A harem is a man's romance!"?

Hearing his own words, the words he'd taken on from his Grandfather, repeated back to him, Bell at least had the decency to blush.

He wasn't sure about any of that anymore, he admitted. He'd had his encounter, in a way, and it hadn't been anything like he'd expected. All he knew was that he'd been treating the dungeon too lightly. The effect of having a certain death staring down just a few celch from him had certainly been ingrained deeply within him, but Bell didn't seem confident enough in his decisions to be forthcoming about anything else. He didn't know anything about love for feelings, not really, not in reality, he was just chasing after someone he admired.

It wasn't her business really. And it didn't overly concern her if anything did or didn't happen with him and Hestia. All she was concerned with was Bell's perspective, with just where his resolve laid. And so, she pushed him some more.

It was fine if he was chasing after the Sword Princess, she told him, but was that really all that was in his sight? Probably more than half the men in this city had exactly the same ambition, did he imagine that Ais would leap to his side, just because she'd happened to save him that day?

"No."

Finally, Bell's determination alighted and finally he spoke firmly, decisively. No, he repeated. He didn't think that at all. He knew better than that. He understood that Ais lived in a different world than him, that she was far away, so far away he could barely see her. But that was why he wanted to become stronger!

Alfia sighed again, but a smile crested her face once more. It was a strange feeling to see such firmness from her adorable and beloved Bell… he'd always been such a soft child, gentle and kind. She'd known the dungeon city would change him, that reality would mould him, but to see it happening right before her eyes, to be reminded that he was becoming a man, always left her feeling both proud and slightly unmoored.

That was good then, she answered, pleased that his gaze wasn't even seeking her approval. Or good enough for now, at least. But just as he'd said the Sword Princess was almost impossibly far away from him, and the journey to reach her was a long one, probably longer than he could even imagine. Even with his astounding rate of growth, it would surely be months before he even reached Level 2, and then after that it would be years at a time with each leap it would take until he was considered a second-class adventurer, let alone even dreaming about first-class. How much would Ais have grown in that time? He was fighting to shorten an ever-widening gap.

He gave no answer. There was no answer to give, the road to strength was the longest road of all but it was also the only route that lay open before him. He could do nothing but accept it and the fact that he did accept it was enough for her.

Really, that was all that needed to be said. She had no intention of becoming his advisor. She was meant to be set against him, an obstacle he had to overcome. And yet, without really knowing why, perhaps wanting to reward how much he'd grown already, Alfia found herself continuing regardless.

"When the path before you is long, it's more important than ever to pace yourself, to take a wider view and to know when to give yourself over to peace and relaxation," she began, explaining that was something that all rookie adventurers struggled with. Ever eager to charge ahead, to see their statuses grow, their view narrowed and their strength diminished, "This too is an adventurer's job. If you only ever look ahead, you'll lose your footing. The further you're travelling the more important it is to be more aware of yourself, and of everything around you every step of the way."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, or to argue, but backed down, accepting her words.

"You're the one saying you're going to be an adventurer, no?" she asked, arching her brow wryly, "Then it's doubly important for you to understand this. Adventurers live recklessly, and those aiming to be Heroes live the most recklessly of all. I've told you countless times you cannot take the dungeon lightly, and your grandfather told you just as many times that you cannot take women lightly- but you also must not take yourself lightly either.

"You saw a glimpse of the dungeon's true face when you ran into that Minotaur. The dungeon is not fair and it is not logical, to go into the dungeon is to always be one step away from death, for you and for everyone you travel with. That makes the time you spend on the outside even more important. When you have a chance to relax, relax. When you're free to sleep, sleep. When you're offered a meal, eat."

"Right," he nodded along, clearly taking this as just another lecture, "Yeah, to make sure my body recovers properly. I'll make sure-"

"And," she added pointedly, "When it's a meal offered by your Goddess herself, it deserves at least some proper consideration."

That brought him to a stop. He blinked in confusion, processing her words. Hestia hadn't made him any meals he could think of, the only thing that came close was the crêpe they'd shared on their tour of the city, and he had eaten that, albeit with some cajoling. Pure soul that he was, it took Bell another half minute to realise she wasn't talking about food at all. And when he did so, his face flushed red and his gaze slid to the side, completely unable to meet her eyes.

"Y-You're wrong! Goddess wasn't, it wasn't anything like that! And she's, I could never ju- was that a joke? That sounds more like something Grandfather would say!"

"Your Grandfather always put things too simply. He filled your head with dreams and nonsense, as if just wanting something was enough," Alfia snorted, waving Zeus's words away as casually as ever, "It's not enough to just want something, you have to make it a reality. That's strength, the strength to make your own decisions and to have people want to follow you."

"I don't understand, what are you even saying!?"

"I'm saying that a Hero is someone who is respected by men and loved by women. I'm saying you cannot neglect your life outside the dungeon. Your uncle Zald was strong, he had a number of lovers and I never heard a complaint from any of them. A great man is a great lover of women; it's appreciated and desired. That's strength."

Bell swallowed heavily, shuffling awkwardly on the spot, still too embarrassed to meet her gaze as his mind spun over what they were discussing.

For her part, in spite of her ever-composed mask of composure, Alfia was finding the tips of her ears turning just slightly red at the topic too. Having zero romantic experience herself, she was speaking only from what she'd heard from her sister, or from her own suppositions and preferences. Nevertheless, this was for Bell's sake, and she had far too much pride to admit her own inexperience, so she spoke with just as much conviction as ever. Anyway, it all seemed completely logical to her- if she ever did take a lover, she was certain she'd want him to have at least one other woman around that she could push him to whenever she wanted to be alone.

"Lady Hestia was with you all alone in her room, and you ignored her."

Bell spluttered and protested, waving his hands and shaking his head, assuring her it wasn't like that at all.

"If she'd wished not to be alone with you, she would have called out to me before I left. Or she would have asked I leave the door open," Alfia pointed out, talking firmly over his protestations, "And, she spends each night with you on that couch… do you truly believe she would do such a thing with just anyone?"

Bell's face flamed even hotter there. He tried to argue that he hadn't even intended to share the couch, that he'd suggested the two women share the bed, or that he'd sleep on the floor or any other arrangement. But his words ran into each other and stumbled over themselves, and even as disarrayed as he was, he knew that wasn't the point.

"I don't understand any of this!" he forced out, finally, "I don't, how, why are we even talking about this!? It's not like that with Goddess, she's… I mean, mortals and Gods can't, they, the Gods are eternal and…"

Once again, his words stumbled over each other into a mess. Alfia pursed her lips as she considered them. Unexpectedly, and quite differently from the majority of men who were blissfully happy drooling over the perfect and eternal bodies of the Goddesses, it seemed Bell had some hang-up in regards to seeing deities in a romantic light. It was honestly a little impressive, that even after living in Orario for as long as he had, he still raised them up in his thoughts that highly. Surely, he must have seen no end to all the troublesome, scoundrel Gods wandering the streets, wasting their Familia's money, or causing problems for no reason but their own entertainment? Perhaps it just went to show just how highly he truly valued Hestia and how much her acceptance and compassion had meant to him.

Still, that wasn't her business and it wasn't really her concern. If Hestia wanted to be with him, then she could work out whatever the issue was there on her own.

"I'm not saying you need to, or should do anything," she interrupted his ranting, her tone lowering enough that it could almost be considered soft akin to the gentle admonishment of an aun- of his mother's sister, "If all you ever want is to chase the Sword Princess's shadow, my opinion of you won't change. I only wanted you to be aware of what's around you. I'm simply asking you to keep your own desires in mind. That's what will heal you when you're not in the dungeon, and that's what will let you keep moving forwards. If you're truly deadset on becoming a Hero, then that's what it means. Your Grandfather told you the same. A Hero's power is the power to make one's dreams a reality.

"Lady Hestia prepared a full meal for you, only for you to ignore it entirely, I can't imagine that felt good for her as a woman," Bell winced painfully, ashamed and confused. This was all far too much for him to even process. He hadn't ever considered that his Goddess might have feelings towards him, much less that he might have offended her, or insulted her with how he'd acted, "Bell. If you're not hungry, then face her and say so directly, be confident in your path and that it won't change anything between you. But if you are, then eat. Eat without hesitation, as much as you want, as much as you care for. Relaxation is also an adventurer's job. Savour the time you spend outside the dungeon, and use that to push yourself even further within."

Finally, he looked at her, his mortifying blush cooling as his head spun with the conversation that'd taken him so far out of his depths he didn't think he could even see land anymore. His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. He had nothing to say, no idea what to say or what he should even be thinking.

That was good. That was enough for now.

Nodding almost kindly. Alfia spun on her heel without another word, slipping back down the stairs and into the church basement below.

Bell remained stuck in place, slumping down to the ground as he tossed her words through his mind over and over again.

The power of a Hero was the power to make one's dreams a reality. It was just as his Grandfather had said. He'd come to Orario just like that, dreaming of becoming a Hero. But his dreams and ambitions beyond that had always been hazy.

He'd wanted a family, a place he could belong to, that he could always return to, somewhere he wouldn't have to feel lost and lonely like he had after his Grandfather's death ever again. And, thanks to his Goddess, he had that now.

He wanted to be strong, he wanted to chase after Ais and stand at her side, to know what it was to wield the kind of confidence and power he'd seen from her. He wanted to know everything about the beautiful Sword Princess, that hadn't change.

But beyond that? More than that? Had his desire to chase after his idol replaced everything else? He'd never really stopped to think. It was just like Eina always scolded him, that he was sloppy with his planning, he always tried to charge ahead and just figure things out as they came.

The evening turned to night, and the night passed slowly. Bell remained where he was, lost in consideration that was probably well overdue.

--*--

Waking up to find he'd slept in place above the entrance to the church, Bell still didn't have an answer by the time he'd readied himself to leave for the dungeon.

However, his heart was bolstered by the sight of his Goddess bouncing around the room as chipper as he'd ever seen her. In direct contrast to the worries that Alfia had planted in his head, that he might have hurt her, or offended her, the small deity had a spring in her step and a smile on her face warm enough to banish any of his worries. She greeted him as excitedly as ever, and waved him off on his adventure with promises to see him again that night, and that he needed to be careful and to keep himself safe.

Bell was almost shocked at just what a relief it had been. The thought of having unthinkingly hurt her was almost as terrifying as the thought he might have lost her after his encounter with the Silverback and just the reassurance that she was fine, that nothing had changed and they were still a familia was more than enough to send his leaden feet gliding. He had never considered himself a particularly insightful person, or thought he was much good at reading people, and the deities were even more inscrutable than people. But Bell was certain that he knew his Goddess well enough to understand when she was upset with him!

Even so, he couldn't simply dismiss Alfia's words. Neither the warning she'd given him about his Goddess's feelings, nor the way she'd pressed him about his goals and his actions when he wasn't throwing himself into the dungeon. He knew she didn't think very much of his talk of Heroes, she dismissed it all as fairy tales and had told him many times he was too young and too naïve to survive in the dungeon city.

Bell was well aware that she'd come at least partially as a way of indulging him after seeing his grief after losing his Grandfather. That was a huge part of why he was so determined to do everything he could, to become a Hero and prove that she wasn't wrong to give him a chance, to make sure her time and effort wasn't wasted. For Alfia to pull him aside and talk to him specifically about heroes, and about the Goddess was no small thing, Bell knew he wasn't the smartest person around, but he knew better than to ignore that advice.

However, no matter how carelessly the rookie adventurer threw himself into danger in the dungeon, he would never treat the people he cared for so recklessly.

Even as he stepped out into the street, avoiding a confrontation he didn't know how to deal with, or if he should even have, Alfia's words remained clear in the back of his mind. She had told him to face his Goddess directly, to be clear and firm and answer her unwaveringly. But how could he do that when he was wavering? His knew his goal was as firm as ever, he wanted to catch up to his idol, he wanted to stand beside the Sword Princess, he wanted to be with her. But beyond that, his dreams and his ambitions remained as hazy as ever.

Did his Goddess really like him, like that? Was she actually disappointed when he hadn't done anything? He didn't know, and he didn't know how to find out without causing more pain and more trouble. A Goddess and a Mortal being together was, to his mind, out of the question. It would only end in unimaginable pain. But, with Alfia's words and his own questioning tumbling around the back of his mind, without even intending to, Bell had found himself far more aware both of the people around him and of the small respite that was so important in the lives of those that braved the dungeon.

Even just meeting with Syr in the morning threw his heart into disarray! After his fight with the Silverback, she'd told him she'd fallen for him and while he'd been flattered into a gooey puddle, he'd simply played her words off afterwards as just teasing him. Syr was always teasing him or poking at him, it seemed natural, he'd barely thought of her confession since…

…But had he only concluded that for his own conclusion? Because it was easier than facing the reality that she might have been serious? Was it possible that a beautiful woman like Syr really could have an interest in him? It felt like he was getting lost in his ego if he said yes, but if he said no, it felt like he was just beating himself up! After all, wasn't one of the reasons he'd wanted to become a Hero because of the stories his Grandfather had told him about women falling for strong, dependable men? Even if he wasn't there yet, he was trying his best every day to reach that!

Syr was kind, she was beautiful, she was fun, and she was a mortal just like him. What was he supposed to do? Was she hurt that he hadn't said anything about her confession? Was she waiting for him to approach her? What was he supposed to do?

"Arrrgh!"

Loosing his frustrations into the sky, Bell shook the thoughts from his head and marched off into the dungeon instead. He doubted he'd find his answers there, but he could at least stop thinking about it for a while.

…

Without finding an answer, Bell's life outside the dungeon remained incomplete. However, his progress within underground labyrinth remained as incredible as ever.

He let the matter rest, keeping Alfia's words in the back of his mind even as he fell into his usual rhythm and soon enough his days became as eventful as ever.

He went on something like a date with Eina, and discovered his Goddess working a second part-time job!

He gained a companion, an experienced and clever supporter named Lilli!

He got in another fight with Eina about his progress, finally having to show his Status to her to prove he wasn't lying!

He worked with Lilli and pushed even further into the dungeon, conquering the seventh floor!

He lost and then found the Hestia Knife! That one made for a terrifying afternoon…

Even while thanking her with almost overwhelming gratitude, Bell hadn't been able to miss the way Ryu's ever placid demeanour had broken into a furious blush when he'd clasped her hands in thanks. But that, at least, he knew better than to overthinking. He'd been so grateful that he'd momentarily forgotten everything he'd ever heard about how rude it was to touch an Elf without permission, no doubt he'd embarrassed her immensely, especially having done so in the middle of the street. When his relief had finally calmed down a few hours later, and the mortification set in, he dragged himself back to the Bar and apologised profusely. Ryu had said almost nothing, and quickly turned to go back to her work but in that, at least, he'd managed to face her confidently and say what he needed to.

In the end, the catalyst for Bell to finally face his Goddess came in and unexpected whirl that practically swept him off his feet.

His work with Lilli had meant he was clearing the Dungeon faster and further than ever, and with a supporter that could carry far more than he could possibly fit into his backpack meant that he was coming home with far more vallis than he'd ever been able to before. Finally, the money troubles that'd been plaguing him ever since leaving home appeared to be easing, he was starting to get ahead of the repair and potion costs.

And so, in the midst of nursing his Goddess through a seemingly nasty hangover, he'd invited her out for a meal, as much to celebrate how things seemed to be turning around as to show his appreciation for her and everything she'd done for him.

Except, Hestia had practically exploded to her feet at his words, radiating such excitement that she was fully recovered in an instant! And the meal offer had instead become a date! And before Bell had even been able to string a few words together, she was out the door, getting herself ready and leaving him with instructions to meet her at 6pm!

"Uh…"

Normally he would have simply laughed it off and gone along with her whims, after all, Bell was always excited to spend time with his Goddess. But with Alfia's words still bouncing around the back of his mind, he found it impossible to take things that simply.

Instead, as Bell went through the motions of figuring out just how he was going to make himself presentable for what had become a date with a Divinity, Bell found a gnawing sense of nervousness growing within him.

And… and not just that… Along with the doubts, the nervousness and self-recrimination he expected… there was also excitement, enough that he could see a tremor shaking through his hands at the thought.

He'd never been any good with women, never known how to talk to them and never known the right way to act. And now he was going on a date with one of the most beautiful women in Orario. She was a Goddess, his Goddess, and he was just a mortal but despite the gulf between them, Bell still found it impossible not to be affected by that thought.

…

The date was -perhaps predictably- an enormous disaster.

Everything had started so perfectly. He'd met up with his Goddess without any problems, and (after taking a moment to get over the sudden thundering of his heart at the change in her look), he'd even managed to greet her properly. And then, for reasons Bell couldn't even begin to fathom, they were descended on by a horde of Goddesses and all the plans he's put together throughout the day were immediately scuttled as the two of them were instead chased frantically all around Orario.

The Gods were capricious, excitable and -worst of all- often had absolutely nothing better to do. Which meant that the act of chasing the fleeing duo was almost as fun as catching them would have been.

Harried by such relentless pursuers and having to tug along his own Goddess, who wasn't anywhere near as light on her feet as the rookie adventurer, it was everything Bell could do just to stay a few steps ahead of them.

By the time they'd finally shaken free, and managed to escape, night had already fallen and they wound up standing high up on a raised walkway several districts away from the main restaurant district. In short, there was little to no chance of being able to find somewhere nice to eat, the meal he'd promised his Goddess would have to wait for another night.

Ever happy to voice her own frustrations, there was no mystery that Hestia was just as disappointed as he was at how events had unfolded.

And yet, as she took his hand and lead him to the railing, taking in the sight of the city laid out before them, his Goddesses smile was soon just as bright as ever. And in seeing it, Bell's own concerns were washed away all the same.

Just the same as him, the frustration at the night not going to plan was tempered by the simple enjoyment of being in each other's company. She was alone with him, and that was enough to make her smile. He was able to spend time just with the Goddess he cared so much for, and that was enough to set his heart alight.

Sighing happily, as the tension and adrenaline slowly ebbed out of him, Bell gave himself over to the moment, standing shoulder to shoulder with his Goddess and in the glittering lights of Orario and all the lives stretched out ahead.

Just as Alfia had told him, he made sure to savour the time spent not in the dungeon. It was moments like this, simple joys and comforting companionships that always gave him the strength to push forwards. This was his Familia, his place to belong, this was what he was fighting for.

"Goddess…"

And, that beautiful sight framed by the twinkling night sky, that finally gave Bell the courage to face his Goddess, like he'd been worrying about all this time. He bowed low just like he had with Ryu, and with a sudden rush of words, began to explain! He told her about how he didn't know anything about romance, or about women, and about how Alfia had scolded him. His words rushed out in a flood as his face burned crimson and his body shook, he told her that he didn't know if she did like him, or if Alfia was mistaken, but that he'd never meant to offend her, he hadn't meant to ignore her when he'd left the room at the Hostess of Fertility, and that he hated the thought that he'd hurt her!

"A-gha-Wh-Wh.. B-Bell!?"

And now, it was Hestia's turn to find her world spinning in abject confusion! As a divinity, she'd known that something was weighing on Bell's mind for a while now, but she'd thought it better to simply give him space rather than press him about it… and now his sudden confession and apology hit her like a tonne of bricks. Just what had Alfia told him!? She didn't know whether she should be happy, or angry, or mortified!

Her twintails flicked through the air and the hair-ties rang clear soft tones as she whipped her head back and forth, shaking her hands and stuttering madly. Hestia's face was burning as crimson as his and her heart was beating so loudly, she could barely hear her own stuttered replies!

She answered that she'd had no idea he was thinking about any of that, that she hadn't thought anything of him leaving and… And then she paused. And the virgin Goddess's voice dropped an octave, shaking unsteadily as she admitted that Alfia's words were true, that of course, she would never just share a couch with just anyone, that she'd never done anything like that with anyone else. For all her boldness and brashness, Hestia had no experience with relationships, she was just as terrified as Bell was at souring anything between them or at making a mistake and hurting him. Despite holding onto her feelings for as long as she had, she'd never been able to say anything to him directly, she'd wanted him to make the first move, to make himself clear to her, to make it easy for her. She'd wanted him to realise that she was the encounter he was looking for in Orario, or to believe that him accepting her Hestia Knife meant accepting and understanding her love.

But now, Bell's courage drew out Hestia's in reply.

And, with her hands shaking tremendously at her sides, she continued. Finally, Hestia lay her own heart bare before the man she'd fallen for. She told him about how he had captured her heart, how deeply she felt for him, how she'd never known love or romance before and how off-guard it'd taken her to find the feelings growing so strongly and so powerfully within her! And, just as Bell's emotions had poured out of him in a sudden rush, so did Hestia's in return. She told him she did like him, that she'd liked him almost since the first moment she'd met him, she told him about how she wanted to be with him, and wanted him to be hers! She kept going, and going…

…Until she saw that Bell was staring at her wide eyed and warily, and that with each word and each confession he stepped backwards, falling away from her step by step.

Hestia's words trailed to nothing.

"B-Bell..?"

Every celch of her body seemed to snap tight with tension. The moment seemed to draw out to infinity. Her breath paused in her throat and her heart squeezed so tight in her chest Hestia feared that anymore and she might just ascend back to heaven. She could picture exactly how this was going to play out. She could see it in his eyes, the excitement and joy she'd hoped to see reflected in him was missing, there was only shock and fear. She wanted to flee, she wanted to run away, and escape. But the courage that had given her the will to confess kept her rooted in place, and so Hestia could do nothing but reach out futily towards him, her hand grasping at air…He was going to mention that name… he was going to tell her that he only saw Wallenstein… and her dreams were going to come crashing down around her…

"Goddess… I, we, but, we can't!"

Hestia blinked, and the tension relieved, just slightly. She repeated his name, reaching for him once more, and this time he didn't retreat from her. Instead, finally, Bell began to explain once again.

It all made sense in his head. It was logical and clear. The Gods were to be respected, to be honoured and loved, of course, but a Goddess and a mortal couldn't be together! The gulf between them was impossible, it was unimaginable. One was just a fading life and the other was eternal. He couldn't possibly do that, he couldn't bear that thought. He'd felt the pain of loss more keenly than he'd ever imagined when he'd lost his Grandfather, he knew how terrible it was to be left behind, he couldn't possibly inflict that same pain on someone he loved! It was wrong, it was selfish, it would be inflicting a wound that would last forever! From friends to family, from family to lover, from lover to partner, the deeper the bond gets the more special it becomes and the deeper the scar that gets left behind! It all made sense in his head. It was logical and clear.

But somehow, when he tried to explain it, everything got mixed up. It didn't sound clear, and it didn't sound right. He tried again, and again, but soon his words were running together, his vision was blurred and he could barely talk from the way he kept sniffing. Without realising it, Bell was using everything he had just to hold himself together.

"Bell… come here…"

"Ah…"

His Goddess's hand gently took hold of his. It was just as warm, and just as comforting as it had been back when she'd first found him. And, just as she had then, she pulled him from the mire he was lost in.

Squeezing Bell's hand with her own, Hestia drew him down from the walkway, away from where people could see them, and away from where they had to worry about anyone else. Walking through Orario's side streets and to the quiet, half-abandoned district they were so familiar with, their steps soon followed a familiar path all the way back to the old bookstore she'd always been so fond of.

Being happy enough to indulge the whims of the small Goddess, the owner had long since given her permission to come and go as she pleased, so it took only a minute's work for Hestia to check for anyone watching before fishing the key from the inner rim of a flowerpot, unlock the door and pull Bell inside.

Walking slowly through dusty tomes and overstuffed bookshelves, a soft sense of peaceful nostalgia filled each of them. And Hestia led Bell up to the second floor and right to the large, reading room in the back. The large, plush couch and the soft carpet was intimately familiar with the Goddess, and a comforting memory for the Adventurer.

This was where Hestia had spent so much of her free time to escape the drudgery of her life in Orario before meeting Bell.

This was where Bell had received his Falna and been inducted into her Familia.

This was where their Familia Chronicle had begun. It was a special place for each of them.

Sitting Bell on the couch, Hestia squeezed herself in beside him, still holding tightly to his hand, she leant her shoulder against his own. For a moment, a minute and then several more, they simply sat like that, taking comfort in each other's presence and in the closeness they shared, that they would always share.

"Goddess…"

"Bell, listen to me…"

And then slowly, gently, she began to answer him.

She agreed, there was no denying that his life would expire and she could do nothing but watch it happen. The judgement of the dead was left to the Gods of the dead, she couldn't interfere with it, his soul would be purified to prepare for his rebirth. It was a sombre thought, a disquieting and miserable, a reality that neither of them could escape. A deity's love lasted just a moment in comparison to their existence. But that love was still theirs to give, it was still their honest affection. He could accept it, or deny it, but please, she begged him, don't be afraid of it, don't run away from a deity's love. The Gods had descended to this world to be with humans, to be a part of their world and to experience the joys and sorrows alongside them, that's what she wanted, she didn't want to be kept apart, or to be feared. That would be unbearable, the loneliest of all.

And then, she made him a promise.

"Bell, you know, I will always be by your side."

No matter how old he got, even if he became a bald, wrinkly old man, she would still be with him, she would never leave him.

And even when death separated them, she would still find him.

She squeezed his hand again, and offered her the same smile that'd saved him back when they'd first met.

"No matter how many hundreds, thousands, millions of years it takes. I will find you after your rebirth… Even after you're no longer you, I'll still be by your side."

He was captivated. His vision was too fogged with tears to see, but he couldn't look away.

"And when I find you, I'll say, "Would you join my Familia?""

The same words she'd spoken back then. He sniffled, desperately trying to hold back from breaking down.

"Heaven and Earth are just places, they don't mean anything. I will come find you again. And I'm not the only one, other Gods and Goddesses are the same, their bonds can last eternally too. After all, we are Gods. We live forever, you know?"

The dam broke, Bell's restraint collapsed and his head hung as the tears streamed down his face. Hestia pulled him close, holding him tight as he bawled into her chest, as he finally worked out the grief and pain leftover from the loss of his grandfather, and as he finally let go of the fears that'd been haunting him ever since.

Bell didn't know how much time passed like that, it could have been minutes or hours, he had no way of telling. All he knew was that as he slowly recovered, as he lifted his head from his Goddess's warm embrace, he'd finally found the answer he was looking for.

"Goddess."

There was a surety in his gaze now, unexpected for one that'd just minutes ago been crying openly into her arms, and it caught Hestia off guard. "A-Ah?" Unlike his usual skittish self, Bell was holding her gaze clearly now, and his hands turned around in hers, entwining his fingers with her own. Her guise as the gentle, guiding Goddess shattered and once more Hestia's face burned red and her eyes went wide.

"Alfia told me that the power of a Hero is the power to make one's dreams into reality," he couldn't imagine forever. He couldn't imagine eternity. But he understood enough to know not to run from her love. He understood enough to know he wanted to be with her forever, "I know what my dream is now, I know what I want."

His breath was tickling hot against her skin, and he was suddenly seeming a lot more manly than she'd ever seen him before, "B-B-Bell?" once again, Hestia could barely hear herself talk over the thundering in her heart.

"I want to get stronger, strong enough to be a Hero, strong enough to protect our Familia, strong enough stand beside Ais Wallenstein… And, and I want to be strong enough to make all the people I care about happy."

And then he kissed her.

And Hestia's world exploded into a dizzying bright light.

--*--

The world is transient.

Days pass, weeks pass, months pass, seasons pass, years pass, decades ages, epochs, aeons and millennia all pass.

The world changes.

The ocean changes. The great cities change. Empires change. The animals, birds, plants and insects all change, and the mortal children change most of all.

But the Gods don't change.

The Gods remain static, perfect, constant, eternal.

And yet…

In that quiet, unremarkable, everyday night in Orario, as the stars moved through the heavens and as Hestia's world shook, shivered and trembled.

…The three Celestial Virgins became instead, two.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: And there we are! So, you can see the goal here is for Alfia's presence to add a bit more spark under Bell's feet in terms of taking action, and to get involved herself. She'd probably get on well with Hermes wouldn't she? Ultimately, she wants Bell to be the ideal Hero, and if that means making sure he's got a suitable wife, or wives at his side to support him, then Aflia's going to see about sorting that out!

The next chapter, if/when I write it will be showing Bell and Hestia's time together as a nice smutty scene. I really should have written that for this chapter but I'd already spent so long on this and I didn't want to make it even longer, so it got pushed forwards. Two chapters without smut? You must think I'm losing my touch.

And after that, I suppose the next appropriate wife-to-be would be Lilli wouldn't it? Well, I'm open to suggestions or requests if you've got another idea. Although I do feel far too sympathetic to Lilli's situation to not have her saved, even if someone does somehow convince me of someone else that could take the supporter role instead.

As with my previous Danmachi story though, while I do love this idea, I don't know when I'll be able to write more, if I even am. So if you like it yourself and think you could do it justice, just drop me a line and/or credit and I'll be happy to have you take it over yourself I'm sure.

A really fun thought for me here though is just how Freya is going to react to this, Bell is a lot more aware of Syr's affection than in canon, so he might just surprise her. I don't think Freya will be particularly pleased that she didn't get Bell's first time, but so long as his soul remains pure (perhaps even shining brighter than ever?) I think she'll come around. Eina is probably a good way off, that'll require the Xenos situation. Ryu is similar. But I do envision a very amusing scene of Alfia approaching Ryu in the bar to address the way she's always referring to Bell as Syr's "spouse to be"- she would much rather have the powerful Elf at Bell's side than a civilian waitress, but perhaps a 2 for 1 special can be arranged?

Anyway, all fun ideas, if you've got your own thoughts or you want to write this yourself leave a comment. Elsewise hopefully I'll come back to this and we'll start getting into the meat of things!

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 3: Is It Wrong To Make Love To My Goddess?

Notes:

Author's Note: And we're back again! A little faster than expected, I wasn't intending to dive directly into this story as soon as I put the previous ones up (especially not with XBC3 on the horizon), but my creative juices were flowing and I had such a positive reception, I thought I could bang out another chapter and here we are.

NOTE: This chapter will be the first Lemon of the story, and likely all subsequent ones will be too. I've bumped the rating up to reflect that. If you're not cool with that, then I'm sorry. I originally wondered if I should just use a fade-to-black, but I thought there was enough character emotion and depth within their romance that I wanted to display it fully.

I did note that (sadly for me, who likes her!) there's a few people that commented about not liking Hestia. That's a shame! Or at least it is for me, who likes her, but given she'll be part of a harem here and not going to be overly jealous as a result, I hope you'll be okay with her regardless. Either way, there'll be two specific sex scenes with two different girls over the next two chapters, as well as some raunchy scenes with others, so even if you're not keen on Hestia, hopefully you'll still find something you do like. Unfortunately for her though, neither of those two girls are Lilli, at least, not just yet.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Make Love To My Goddess?

--*--

Through all the aeons Hestia had lived in Heaven, she'd forever led a secluded existence.

She had close friends, allies and companions. But while the other Gods paraded around on adventures, causing mishaps, disasters or busied themselves with feuds and strife, Hestia remained atop her sacred domain, tending to the hearth fire and protecting the mortals that lived out below. Her was the domain of the people and the families, and it was in looking after them that her life was given meaning. She gave radiant blessings to the cities that led their people to prosperity, she lent strength to the lost and wary, and the kept the wayward children warm, just a little longer. Hestia smile was ever for those in need and those that provided.

The lives of the Gods played out in the distance, often far away and rarely of any interest. The tricks and traps of the troublemakers frustrated her. The insults and jeers of the belligerent drew out her own childlike anger. The proposals from the men seeking to add her name to their lists of conquests were only ever used as kindling. She formed a friendship with Hephaestus, another outcast mocked relentlessly throughout the heavens for her disfigured appearance. She gained companionship with Athena and Artemis, two others who spurned the God's platitudes of love claimed and lust desired, turning their eyes only ever towards the world and children below. She screamed at Loki, who took great pleasure in trying to douse her sacred fire and barraged against the Evil Gods who destroyed the harmony of the cities Hestia favoured.

But largely, she simply kept to herself, happy with her own existence.

Love, for Hestia, was familial, maternal and tender. The love she cared for was the love she gifted towards her friends and the love she bestowed upon the mortals.

Hephaestus, when drunk, talked sometimes of her own desire to love and be loved. She talked about wanting to be understood, cherished and beloved. A love different from the way Hestia knew it, or the way she'd found within her forge, but in the way that Aphrodite lauded, that Ishtar flaunted, or that Freya cloaked herself in.

It made for a nice story, and she had always loved stories. But Gods were fickle and feckless, capricious and self-interested, excitement and novelty were ever the most common currencies throughout the infinite heavens. To Hestia, love among the Gods was the moment she found out that both Apollo and Poseidon's grandiose offers of marriage had been naught but a competition between them to see which would be the one to claim the, so called, shut-in Goddess's virginity. It was the moment when she stood there humiliated, surrounded only by the laughter and interest of the other Gods, seeing it as nothing but a hilarious scheme unveiled. Love was offering to take on Zeus's duties for a decade in return for the thunder and lightning he crashed down upon them in reply.

Mortal love was no different. It played out below her, it warmed her to see it, her blessings and gifts were ever bestowed upon lovers and family. But their love was distant, it was even further away than the Gods and played out like a story. She invested herself in it, she cared deeply for the actors, and when it was over, she let it pass by and moved on. Her name was cherished by her devout, her symbols were raised over the family hearths and offerings were made in her name- that was enough, she was content.

A God's love was shallow. A mortal's love was sincere but distant. Hestia desired neither, she yearned for neither.

Unlike the children below, deities were eternal, unchanging and static.

That was how she was. That was how she had always been. That was how she always would be.

…

And then, barely six months after arriving in the mortal world, Hestia's entire existence was flipped on its head!

In the Heavens, the Goddess of the Hearth had never known romantic love. Now, she felt like she could understand Aphrodite; anytime she looked back on her meeting with Bell she was sure she'd been smitten instantly, and she knew she'd only fallen deeper in love with him day by day since.

No man had ever laid hands upon the her. Now, she felt like she could sympathise with some of Ishtar's comments; Being kicked out of her own bed and relegated to the couch with Bell instead, her first night had been shy and awkward for both of them, each being careful to make space for the other, but with every passing evening they'd grown more comfortable and she'd quickly begun looking forward to sleeping wrapped up around him.

The only yearning she'd ever known was the hope and affection she felt towards those under her domain. Now, she couldn't deny a mote of kindship with Freya's search for her Odr; Bell dominated her thoughts as much as her dreams, She wanted him to be safe, wanted him to return to her, wanted him to find the success he sought, wanted him to be happy, wanted him to always be with her, the list never seemed to end, her heart seemed filled to the brim with him.

The purity of his soul and the kind sincerity that resonated through it had been what drew her to him, seeing him crouched lost and alone in an alleyway, she could never have not reached out to him. And now it felt like just a few weeks in the mortal realm had upended all the expectations and all the experience she'd ever held as a deity. Without any experience and without any comparisons, she was so far out of her depth she couldn't even see the shore anymore, but it no longer mattered to her, this simple life was the happiest and most fulfilled she'd felt since she could remember.

In all her countless millennia of existence, Hestia had never kissed anyone.

In the last hour she'd been kissed so deeply and so thoroughly, she felt like she was melting!

"Mm-hnmm! B-Bell!"

Hestia pulled back, gasping raggedly for breath. Her face was flushed bright red and her head was foggy with delight. It wasn't fair that he was so good at this! She was his Goddess, she should be taking the lead! But as the young white-haired boy's arms pulled tighter around her, and as his mouth came towards hers once more… there was nothing in the universe she wanted more than to simply lean in, to open her lips against his and fall into his embrace once again.

She hadn't intended for any of this!

She'd never thought Bell would be this manly!

After seeing his pain and fear, she'd simply wanted to take him away somewhere out of public, somewhere familiar he would feel safe in. She'd wanted to ease his doubts, to do what she could to heal the wounds she'd known he still carried from his grandfather's death. While she had finally screwed up the courage to confess her love for him, she hadn't expected him to accept it, the most she'd hoped for was that she could convince him not to run away from it!

But then he'd kissed her!

Then he'd slid his arms around her, and pulled her against him!

And then her world had exploded in delight!

Like everything between them, it had started so simply, no more than an almost chaste peck on the lips. But her hands had clung to his shirt, and she'd pulled him close and the kiss had been repeated. Again, and again, softly… slowly… passionately… faster… deeper… His arms slid hesitantly around her waist, and her grip on his shirt tightened. And as her lips opened against his own, and her soft moans began filling the empty bookstore each time they drew away for breath, the distance between them decreased and the emotions they shared burned hotter and heavier.

And so, before either of them had even known it, the last half-hour had passed them by in a love-drunk haze!

Without any experience, they were each acting entirely on instinct, finding their way around each other's bodies. They bumped teeth together, they positioned around one another awkwardly, and only hesitantly led their tongues into a dance together. But somehow, the clumsiness and the sincerity of it only made everything more intense, the act of learning together lit the fire between them even hotter.

For Bell, this was something he'd never even dared dream of. He'd never been able to ignore how beautiful his Goddess was, how massive her breasts were, the way her ass caught his eyes as she bounced around the room, or just how wonderful she felt when she was pressed against him, but he'd always tried to quash any sexual thoughts about her almost as soon as they'd arisen. Feeling her now pressed up against him, feeling the pillowy-soft pressure of her chest pushing into his own, feeling her lips went and hot against his and her breath tickling across his skin… his body pulsed hot with lust and desire beyond anything he'd ever felt, and it was all he could do simply to keep from drowning in it!

For Hestia this was the culmination of every dirty dream and lascivious fantasy she'd indulged in ever since she'd started living with him. She'd never expected this when she'd brought him here, she hadn't even been hoping for it, she'd only wanted to support Bell through his pain. But these days just the comfort of having his body pressed against hers was enough to drive her to excitement, and now, to feel the love she'd discovered returned was more than she could take! It was as if the sacred fire she'd tended for so long was now burning within her core!

"B-Bell! Bell! Bell!" and now, far from a smouldering fire, it was blazing hotter by the second, "M-More, I want… I want you to touch me more!"

It was everything she'd dreamed of, but soon even that wasn't enough. Her body was aching with a need she didn't even fully understand and she could do nothing but push herself even firmer against him and plead for more!

His hands moved from around her waist up along her back, over her sides, across her bare shoulders, his fingers traced carefully along her neck and caressed her face. With his every touch her body shivered, her breath racing faster as his fingertips brushed across her bare skin and her yearning growing hotter as his palms gently cupped her face. It was wonderful. It was incredible. Hestia broke their kiss with a trembling moan. It wasn't enough!

Despite how much he'd shocked her by with how manly he'd been tonight, despite how easily he'd made her melt into him as he'd pulled her into his embrace and despite how much he wanted to, Bell was still far too much of a gentleman to do any more than that. She understood, he cherished her too much, and respected her too deeply to do anything that might disgrace her.

So, Hestia did it for him.

Reaching up, she took hold of his hands and pulled them down, directly onto her breasts! "Hn- Ooh!" Her body shuddered instantly, and her vision flashed white!

"Goddess?"

She couldn't possibly speak right now. It felt like a jolt of thunder had just crashed through her, spreading from her core all the way to the tips of her fingers! Her breath caught in her throat and her body locked momentarily place as blissful tremors like nothing she'd ever experienced ran through her. What was that!? She didn't know. But she wanted more, she needed more! Hestia's long hair -untied and loose down her back- whipped back and forth as she tossed her head, trying to get some measure of control over herself. But the flame burning within her was sparking white-hot and her voice only rang out in a delighted moan as she slid herself forwards once again, pressing even firmer into where she was holding Bell's hands against her.

Gulping heavily, Bell took the hint. He'd already thrown both courage and caution to the wind, all that was left for him was to ease up his self-restraint just slightly. Gently, carefully he kneaded his hands across the massive mounds overflowing from each of his palms. His Goddess shivered and shuddered with his every movement, encouraging him further as he sunk his fingers deeper into the incredible, soft orbs. His lips met with hers once more as Hestia all but threw herself towards him and he opened his mouth automatically against hers, accepting the full weight of the Goddess's tiny, lithe body as his hands rolled atop her breasts- kneading them just a little harder, pushing his palms in just a little firmer, sinking his fingertips just a little deeper. His every action was answer with her moaning into their kiss, and as her body trembled over and over against his caresses, Bell slowly increased his tempo, until soon he was bouncing each of her massive breasts in his hands, marvelling at just how pillowy-soft and how easily they overflowed even his fully spread fingers, even as he caressed them ever more confidently and ever more intensely.

By now, there was no denying what Hestia wanted, not with the way her moans practically begged it of him or with the way she ground herself against him, pressing her hips against his own and her breasts into his hands.

This time, with only a moment's hesitation, it was Bell that took the lead once again. With the dress she'd brought for their date hanging loose over her shoulders, it was a matter of simple effort to carefully pull her arms to her sides and ease the fabric down further…

"O-Oh!"

…Hestia's eyes shot wide at the unexpected, but very welcome boldness from the one she loved. Even as flushed and heady as her expression already was, still her face burned a deeper red. She'd never once displayed herself before someone before. But, of course, she'd always wanted to show herself to Bell, and with the sacred flame still burning with need within her core, she wanted nothing else right now.

Shimmying slightly in place, to help the young adventurer as he carefully pulled the light fabric down, finally and fully unveiling her massive breasts, Hestia's face took on a shy smile. Even as worked up as she was, it was still embarrassing to be seen like this.

Heaving a breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding, Bell didn't even notice the dress falling down loose around her waist as he sat, captivated by the sight before him. Until now, naked women had only been a feature of his Grandfather's stories, and of his own fleeting dreams or fantasies. His Goddess's breasts were just as perfect as everything else about her, and before he'd even realised his body had moved, his hands were caressing them once more.

Hestia's voice cried out in blissful response, taking off-guard by the sudden feeling of Bell's bare fingers rolling over her bare skin, she fell into a haze of pleasure once more!

Somehow, that thin layer of cloth had made a difference neither of them could put into words. He'd already been able to feel her nipples pressing hard through the fabric before, but to see his Goddess's clear arousal now before his eyes, left Bell marvelling at her beauty once more. Dragging his hands back slowly across her soft skin, he pressed his fingertips gently into each of nipples, caressing them in place, tweaking them just a fraction, rolling them back and forth in place. His movements were unpractised and undoubtably clumsy, but they were utterly sincere. For a more experienced woman, they might have felt awkward… for Hestia, it was enough to drive her out of her mind!

Moaning and crying out in unashamed, wanton delight, her hands clung desperately to his wrists -as much to steady herself as to beg him not to let go, and she gave up even attempting to continue kissing him as her head tossed from side to side, before falling back entirely as she gasped out aloud, her vision flashing white once more and the jolts of blissful lightning sparking right through to the nipples being so indulgently toyed with by Bell's ministrations.

All of which served only to spur Bell on even further, acting on a sudden rush of inspiration -and his own desires now pulsing heavily through him- he leaned down, capturing her left nipple in his lips instead. His Goddess's voice rang out clear and sharp, shuddering heavily again in his arms, and so he grew bolder still, swapping over to her left nipple, kissing it as fervently as he'd been kissing her just moments earlier.

"!" "!!" "!!!"

Hestia's voice died in her throat as her head tipped back, crying out silently to the sudden rush of pleasure! It was far beyond anything she'd felt before, far more intense than she'd pictured in her daydreams, and intimate to the point she could feel her heart overflowing with love at feeling such direct adoration from her lover.

The heat within her blazed like an inferno, the tingling shocks of pleasure coursed relentlessly up her spine, and her vision flashed white! Again, and again, and again! Until her fingers fell away from Bell's wrists, and as her strength drained fully from her body, until she fell backwards onto the spacious couch, trembling, shivering and gasping as her head spun and heart pounded!

"Hha-hhaaa… B-Bell… Bell…"

And still. Still, she wanted more! Still, she could feel the desire burning within her, furiously hot and tempestuously needy! She'd loved Bell almost as soon as she'd met him, she yearned for him almost anytime they were apart… but she'd never wanted him, or anything, as much as she wanted this right now.

"Goddess…"

Bell's words came out in an awe-struck whisper as the Goddess of the Hearth's trembling fingers reached down along the side of her hips, sliding underneath the dress she'd brought for their date, and as her panties -plain white and slim, thin enough he could see clearly just how soaked the fabric had become- were pulled down her slender legs, tossed unwanted to the floor beside them.

The top of Hestia's dress was already pulled down to her waist, it took her only the barest wiggle to push the bottom up to join it. To leave herself finally, fully and completely unveiled before the man she loved. Again, she swallowed heavily, and again her face burned red with embarrassment at the act. But there wasn't even a moment's hesitation as she spread her legs apart, opening them wide so he could see everything. Her creamy white thighs, her bare untouched pussy, the thick flow of juices spread out and running almost down her legs.

She hadn't planned any of this. She'd never considered they'd go this far. But with the love she felt towards Bell returned, and with the aching need still throbbing hotter than ever through her, every last vestige of Hestia's millennias of restraint was burned to ash. There was no reason in this world or beyond, she could think of, to hold back any longer.

With hands shaking in anticipation, Bell followed her lead once again. His boots had already been left by the entrance, so a moment later found his jacket, shirt and pants all discarded on the floor beside her panties. And, just like her, Bell found his face burning red, fighting down his shyness as he showed himself off to a woman he loved, for the first time in his life.

A sharp intake of breath, and the sight of his Goddess's eyes going even wider was the response the young adventurer got, as Hestia's appreciative, hungry gaze ran down his body. She'd seen his back without his shirt several times now, and even chanced a few heady looks at his front before he got hit shirt back on a time or two, but this was the first time the virgin Goddess had seen any man bared naked before her…

"!"

…Then, as her eyes travelled slowly down below his waist, a second sharp intact of breath echoed the first! The Goddess of the Hearth propped herself up on the couch, her jaw falling wide open and face blazing a vibrant scarlet. For the second time this evening, she found herself stunned by just how manly her Bell could be!

As a heated shiver arched up her spine, and a dry gulp ran down her throat, Hestia drank in the sight before her. Even with the muscle he'd put on so far as an adventurer, Bell was still somewhat on the scrawny side, but there was nothing at all scrawny about the unmistakably rock-hard cock stretched out and pulsing heavily before her eyes. The first, only, cock she'd ever seen, Bell was much larger and a good deal thicker than she'd possibly imagined, and for a moment Hestia found herself wondering how something like that would even fit inside her? But even that worry was dismissed almost instantly as the burning desire she could feel down to her very soul, seared even hotter.

Bell's own sense of restraint was in no better shape! There was no denying how badly he wanted this, after spending all this time wrapped up against her, his whole body felt like it was throbbing with more lust than he'd ever felt before in his life! He'd already made up his mind, he loved his Goddess, he cherished her more than he could put into words, he'd put his fears behind him and finally been able to accept that he wanted to be with her forever, that he would become a Hero and make her happy… There was nothing left to worry about, only reason he had left to hold back, was for her sake.

Sliding forward along the couch, he laid his hands gently around her waist, caressing the sides of her body and drawing another appreciative shiver from her as he shuffled himself -only a little awkwardly- into position. Actually, lining his shaft up properly against the wet, heat of her pussy took a bit more work than he'd expected, but after a few aborted efforts Hestia reached down and guided him into position. And so, at long last, the head of Bell's cock was pressed directly against Hestia's entrance. His cockhead spread her lips out wide around it as he laid himself in place just barely pushing against her; the soft heat of her pussy tickled across the sensitive areas at the head of his shaft. The sensations were enough to leave both of them speechless for a long, lingering moment, before he finally broke the tension.

"Goddess, is it okay to keep going?"

He'd meant it as a question, but with the desire now roaring through him, the words left his mouth much more like a plea.

Of course, Hestia's own desire was just as hungry.

"Y-Yes, yes, please Bell! Nhgh, I'll, I'll go crazy if you stop now!"

Lacking any experience, Bell had no idea how to deflower a maiden, let alone a maiden Goddess. So, he did the only thing that made any sense to him. Forcefully restraining his own desires, holding as gently to her hips as he could, he focussed only on acting as slowly and tenderly as possible, rolling his hips forward a centimeder at a time and carefully easing her entrance open around him.

Hestia's hands reached for his and their finger's entwined, holding tight to one another.

And slowly, second by second, he spread the Goddess's walls open around him, stretching her entrance wide until it was wrapped tight around the head of his cock, as his length began to sink inside.

"Ngh!"

Jolting suddenly in place, Hestia let out a cry as Bell pushed forwards, breaking through her chastity. A quick lance of pain mixed with the pleasure she'd been feeling, tears swam in the Goddess's eyes and her face contorted in a momentary pain as a thin trail of blood trickled down from where they were joined, spreading across her thighs. But her hands gripped his even tighter, and before he could even think to stop, she yanked him down towards her, pulling him from where he'd been kneeling between her legs to lying right atop her.

Singing out his name as happily as ever, Hestia lifted her head from the couch and covered her lips with her own once again, smothering any chance he might have had for worries or hesitations.

And so, Bell pushed further forwards. The walls that had suddenly locked up vice-tight around his cockhead were slowly eased open once more. Holding tight to her hands, settling in as comfortably as he could atop her -and trying to keep his focus from the sensation of her massive breasts squished under his chest- he gave himself up to her embrace. His mouth opened against hers and he rolled his hips down, pushing his cock inside.

Centimeder after centimeder.

Until her lips fell away from his. Unable to keep their kiss any longer, any semblance of discomfort had long since faded from her expression as she tossed her head back and forth below him.

Until her warmth was wrapped around him. Her legs kicked up and locked around his waist and her hands clung almost desperately to his, but it was her pussy that squeezed him tightest of all.

Until the room was filled once more with her cries. Her blissful moans echoed out longer, harder and louder, rising in pitch as her inner walls were opened up and spread wide around him.

Until at last, with her moans delighting his ears and her whole self seeming to cling vice-tight around him, the full entirety of Bell's length was buried inside his Goddess's pussy.

Bell's first thought, the first thing he understood after his thoughts stopped floating through the sky, was just how heavenly it felt inside her. It was like nothing he'd ever felt, nothing he'd even been able to imagine. From the base of his shaft, to the very tip of his cock, his Goddesses was wrapped tight around him. And, her walls didn't only hold him tight, they squeezed and pulsed around him, they clenched and released in reaction to his movements and the way his body thrummed in response to her. Even her innermost walls had opened up easily and willingly around him, but every centimeder of her tunnel was now stretched wide around his cock and caressing it in a way that left the young man short of breath.

Hestia's own feelings were very similar. Her head was fogged with bliss, when she'd finally felt him hilted inside her, felt the full length of his cock pushing against her womb, her world had exploded in ecstasy and even now, stars were dancing before her eyes. The head of his cock was pressed up against the entrance to her womb, leaving even her sensitive innermost walls stretched wide around him. She felt full in a way that she'd never previously been able to imagine, feeling as if every movement and twitch of his shaft reverberated throughout her entire body. Even just held in place, sheathed inside her as he was, the sensation of Bell's full length reaching all the way to her core, and of her pussy being spread fully open around his thick shaft, was more than enough to leave her shivering in delight.

"Go-Goddess, it's incredible!"

"Y-Yeah!"

Neither felt fully able to speak just yet, but the warm smiles they shared was more than enough to convey the rampaging delight shared between each of them.

And so, Bell took the lead once again. Dragging his hips back, as carefully as he could manage, elicited a low whine from his Goddess, one which quickly turned into another heady moan of delight when he pushed his length back inside. Gaining a measure of confidence, he repeated the action, again, and then again- slowly drawing himself a little further back and pushing his shaft in with a little more strength each time.

Panting and gasping, Hestia's fingers clung tight to his and her legs locked even tighter around his waist. Each time his cock withdrew, her walls clung and throbbed almost hungrily around him, and each time he pushed back inside her vision would go hazy and yet another jolt of pleasure would surge from her core. The feeling of his cockhead dragging back a little further each time through the length of her tunnel set the fire of her lust blazing white-hot, and the feeling of his length driving back inside, of her innermost walls being spread open all over again, left her singing with delight.

As always, Bell learned fast and he gained confidence quickly. Spurred on by his Goddess's visible delight as much as by the way his body reacted each time she squeezed herself around him, he increased his tempo- as a minute passed between them, and then a score more, his thrusts became stronger, fuller, and his movements came with much more surety.

Soon, Hestia was holding tight to his hands as her body shook and trembled beneath him, her voice crying out again and again, higher and higher, as she reached peaks she'd never imagined and crashed over them with dizzying intensity!

And soon, Bell's breath was coming in racing, ragged pants, as he felt her pussy clenching tight around his cock each time he pulled it out, and then felt her body shudder under him each time he drove it back in!

The heavy, plush couch under them creaked and groaned as the two lovers found their rhythm together, and as the pace of their lovemaking intensified. Shaking her hips up against his thrusts as best she could manage, the small Goddess's body was being driven further and deeper into the cushions with each passing minute as Bell's cock pushed down into her.

Yet, even as he gasped and groaned at the raging lust now burning like a bonfire within him. Even as his thoughts swirled and faded, leaving him unable to and unwilling to think about anything but her. Still, Bell kept his focus entirely on treating his Goddess carefully. He didn't have the experience of knowledge to trust himself to his full strength, and right to the core of his soul, he could never bear to hurt her- so even as he gave himself entirely to his desires, and even as his tempo increased, even as he thrust his cock down through the full length of her eager pussy, still he kept himself in check. He wanted to make love to a woman he loved, that was his true desire as a hero-to-be.

Of course, as both a Goddess and a woman, Hestia could understand that without him needing to say anything. And with her mind already going blank each time she felt his cock pressing against his womb, this was more than enough for her as it was! The previously innocent Goddess was sure her pussy had already been moulded perfectly to Bell's shape with just this much!

"Go-Goddess! Goddess, hha!" his work as an adventurer had done a lot so far to improve Bell's mental fortitude, but even so, this was as pleasure unlike anything he'd felt before and far beyond anything he could have prepared for! His breath was racing like he'd just fought a legion of wall shadows and his heart racing like he'd scored a whole trove of magic stones! Her hips shaking up clumsily against his thrusts left him gasping aloud and her pussy pulsing around his length had his shaft throbbing with urgent desire! "Goddess, I'm, I- I can't!"

His words trailed off incoherently as his cock drove through her once again, as the Goddess of the Hearth was pushed another centimeder deeper into the cushions and as her walls squeezed hungrily over the full length of his shaft. The sight of her ecstasy, the feeling of her writhing blissfully under her, the sound of her moans and the sheer pleasure of being joined with her- Bell was savouring every second like never before, he wanted this to continue forever, but there was only so much the young man could take!

"It-It, It's fine!" Hestia gasped in reply, her voice hazy and wavering as her body clenched tight around him and she surged headlong through another peak, "It's fine, Bell! You don't have to hold back!"

Her eager words and the feeling of her hands squeezing encouragingly around his, finally set fire to the last of Bell's resistance. Moaning aloud, and now acting purely on instinct, he threw his head back as his entire body arched and as he thrust down into her- driving her down deep into the couch, and sheathing his entire shaft within her one final time! Buried inside her, pressed up against her womb, feeling the full length of her heavenly pussy pulsing around him- Bell's cock throbbed hungrily, swelling and stretching her walls even wider around him as his release finally thundered through him!

One final moment passed just like that, seemingly stretched out between them as they both hung together on the very edge of ecstasy.

And then, both their worlds exploded into white light!

His cock twitched and spasmed violently in place, scraping against all her most sensitive walls, as rope after rope of thick seed suddenly erupted out, crashing heavily directly into Hestia's virgin womb, and filling it immediately!

Her voice caught abruptly in her throat and her body jerked in place, wrapping vice-tight around him with every drop of her strength as she felt his release splashing into her, the sudden rush of heat and need seeming enough to flood through her entire body!

Her womb was dyed entirely in his essence, and Hestia knew unquestionably that by now he had firmly carved his name into her soul. His back glowed warm, and hotter still with each pulse and tremble of his cock, groaning and gasping as his cum cascaded through her entire pussy and out down her legs, Bell knew for sure he would remember this moment forever, no matter how many lives he lived.

"Ghn…haa…"

"Hnn...uh…hhh…"

With each of them now lost entirely in the foggy haze of desire, several long and very pleasant minutes passed just like that. Her pussy pulsed tight around him in slow throbs from the lingering aftershocks of her orgasms, and his cock twitched a few more times in response, unloading more jets of seed to fill her already overflowing pussy further. Neither had any sense of time, nor how long had passed just like that, right now, nothing existed except the two of them.

And slowly, eventually, some unknowable minutes later, the light of consciousness returned to each of them.

Hestia unlinked herself gingerly from around Bell as her strength faded, slumping weakly down to the couch with a dizzy laugh.

Bell's elbows slipped from where he'd been propping himself up and he allowed himself to fall entirely down atop her, burying his head in her shoulder with a heady sigh as his body relaxed comfortably into her embrace.

He made no effort to pull out, nor did she have any desire to feel him withdraw.

Breathing hard, shivering with the afterglow, slowly putting their thoughts back together and overflowing with both happiness and contentment, they stayed just like that, wrapped up in one another.

Once again, time slipped away without meaning.

…

Of course, Bell was still a young man. And this had been a night of explosively intense emotions.

"Uh, Goddess…"

"Mmm?"

"Can… Um… Is it, if you're not too tired, can we do that again?"

"Haha! I was just about to ask you that! You won't be getting any sleep tonight, Bell! I'm gonna wring you dry!"

…

As it turned out, Hestia came to regret that claim 4 rounds later when (from a mixture of exhaustion and Bell's fast learning) she came so hard she passed out.

But after that, they each slept happily and comfortably in the other's arms.

--*--

"Unh…ughh…?"

Moaning groggily, Hestia woke up slowly to the morning's light beaming directly on her face. The church basement was fairly well lit for their general purposes, and even managed to capture a respectable amount of midday light, it was still a basement. These days, Hestia had certainly become far more accustomed to the feeling of magic-stone light when indoors, rather than actual sunlight.

Which is to say, as her consciousness only slowly drifted in, she was immediately aware that something was different. Unfortunately, a heavy fatigue and the fact this felt even earlier than normal, meant those thoughts only came slowly, as if finding their way through a fog.

"Uh?"

The first thing she noted was that she was naked. That was more than enough to perk her up several notches. Hestia hadn't been one to sleep naked even before she'd begun sharing a room with two other people.

The next thing that she noted was that, despite that, she wasn't cold.

"!"

She wasn't cold, at all, because Bell was lying wrapped up tight around her! That in itself wasn't too unusual these days, but the fact that she was wrapped up just as tight around him, while naked, was def-

"!!!"

Hestia's world slammed to a halt. Bell was also naked. She swallowed heavily, a heady shiver running through her body as she drank in the sensation of his naked body pressed up so deliciously warm and comfortingly strong around her.

"O-O-Ohh! H-Heehe!"

Finally, memories from the previous night began clicking into place. And Hestia's face burned bright red as a dizzy smile stole across her face.

She'd finally confessed her love for him.

He'd finally admitted everything that was holding him back.

She'd done her best to help him, to act as the Goddess she wanted to be for him.

He'd finally been able to accept her love.

He'd kissed her.

He'd told her he wanted to be with her, forever.

She'd… She'd…

The thoughts raced through her in a rush, and Hestia squeezed herself even tighter around him in response. Giggling happily, she buried hers face in his chest, just simply savouring the sensation of being with him.

Now that the adrenaline and desires from the previous night had cooled somewhat, the surprise of everything that'd happened and just how fast it had happened settled in. Having been a virgin since the dawn of her existence, and given the unchanging nature of the Gods, she'd always simply presumed she would stay exactly like that.

Hestia had never expected that she, of all people, would wind up having sex on the first date.

Well, she mollified that, it wasn't really the first date, and she lived with Bell, she was his Goddess… and so long as she didn't explain the exact specifics, none of the other deities could make fun of her for that! She could just picture what Athena would say… let alone Artemis…

"Phah! Well, whatever! I'm not going to worry about anything else right now!"

As her body woke up fully, Hestia could feel just how strained and sore so many of her muscles were. Even just lying like this, she could feel the dull ache around her thighs, like she'd pulled muscles she didn't even realise she had! But even that discomfort was nothing compared to the sheer warmth she could feel thrumming from her womb and the way she could still feel the lingering sensation of his shaft spreading out all her inner walls.

A soft moan escaped the small Goddess's lips as those sensations washed over her, bringing with them a light afterglow from the bliss she'd spent so long wrapped up in. The sacred flame within her began smouldering once more, and she could feel a soft wet heat beginning to spread from her core.

But then, right as she was about to reach out and wake Bell, another -horribly delayed- realisation finally dawned on her.

She was naked.

He was naked.

They'd spent most of the night having sex.

In someone else's place!

"Gh-ACK!"

Instead of a soft purr to wake up her sleeping lover, Hestia jolted in place, with a strained cry, looking around the small bookstore in horror!

Her dress had been kicked all the way out to the hallway (when did she even take it off? The second time? The third?)

Bell's jacket was hanging across a pile of books (had she thrown it there after she'd been bent over the edge of the couch?)

Her bracelets were lying on either side of the room (had she really been that eager to get them off?)

Bell's shirt was what she'd been using as a pillow atop his arm (had he done that for her? How sweet of him to worry…)

And most terrifying of all… the entire room absolutely reeked of sex.

"B-B-B-BELL! Bell! Wa-Wake upppp!"

Thankfully, the young adventurer was a little quicker on the uptake than she had been and after just a few minutes of frenzied panic, the two of them were dressed, the room had been more or less put back together, the windows were opened wide and the couch was… thanked for its services as they each prayed silently there would be no lingering stains or smells from the night they'd spent atop it.

"O-Okay, okay… Bell, I-I think this'll be… Here, you head off home, I'll stay here and air the place out!"

Having absolutely no experience with this situation, neither of them had any clue how long it would take for the smell to dissipate, and obviously they couldn't just leave with the windows left wide open. In the end, Hestia concluded that Bell should go on with his day like usual, and she would stay behind, if the shop owner arrived, then she could simply say she'd come in early to get some reading done.

It wasn't a perfect plan. The fact that she herself reeked of sex just the same was definitely a problem. If she hadn't been so mortified by the whole situation, Hestia would have begged him to send Alfia to guard the place while she snuck away to take a bath. But in the end, they concluded this was the best they could do.

"A-Ah! Wait, wait just a sec, Bell…"

"Goddess?"

She stopped him right at the entrance, after he'd put his shoes on and was just opening the door to leave.

"Just, uh, just before you… Here!"

This time, Hestia made the first move. Grabbing gently to his collar, she pulled herself up, and pushed her lips to his- meeting him in a short, but loving kiss goodbye.

"G-Goddess!"

"Hehe, okay! Good luck today, Bell! I-I love you! Stay safe, okay?"

"I will! Uh-I, hhaa, I love you too, Goddess!"

They stared at one another like a pair of fools after that, blushing and smiling for several long seconds as he tugged at his jacket while she shifted in place, until he nodded his head respectfully, and she restrained the urge to kiss him again, and they finally went their separate ways.

…

Taking a trip to the public baths, Bell washed away the sweat and smells himself before heading home, arriving to an arched eyebrow from Alfia as he walked through the door. The former level seven adventurer, of course, hadn't failed to notice that neither he nor his Goddess had returned home the night before. However, unlike the time after his fight against the Silverback, at least she didn't press him for information. Instead, he was left to -only slightly awkwardly- go about his preparations for the dungeon and the day ahead.

Hestia meanwhile, sat alone and very awkwardly in the bookstore all by herself for more than an hour before she finally realised it was Sunday, and she didn't need to worry about the owner coming at all. After breathing out a sigh of relief, as well as a sigh of disappointment at having shooed Bell out so quickly, she realised she wasn't in any hurry to return home and face whatever questions Alfia might have about the previous night. And so, she pulled out a book from one of the piles she'd stored her favourites in, and took to simply enjoying the morning and the atmosphere of the room. Ever since being kicked out by Hephaestus, this place had always been her one sanctuary, it had always been special to her.

That feeling had intensified immensely when she'd inscribed Bell's here. This was where her Familia started and where her connection to the man she loved had begun.

And now it was even more special.

And so, she added yet another lofty goal to her many distant ambitions. After she was finally rich and famous, after she'd knocked Loki off that pedestal of hers and taken up a spot as one of Orario's leading Familia! Hestia would buy this place, or pay for its protection regardless. She would care for this store and this room as a sacred place for the Hestia Familia.

Well, it was a nice dream at least. For now, she was just relieved that the morning breeze was filling the place with a pleasant smell and carrying away the evidence of her night of passion.

--*--

Meanwhile, in the tower looking over the great city, far above and away from any of the Hestia Familia's concerns, while Bell was going through his routine preparing for his day, Orario's most famous and beloved silver-haired Goddess was twisting around lazily in her luxurious silken sheets, resisting the need to wake up for the day that awaited.

Freya usually woke up far earlier than this, and in truth she had been -mostly- awake for some hours now. She was already late as it was. But the morning was warm, her bed was comfortable, and the day was one that promised to be busy. So, like an impetuous cat that knew it would be forgiven no matter what, she had simply curled up and continued dozing, putting off her duties as she lounged around as long as she desired. Even Horn wouldn't dare intrude on her while the door was shut.

And, for now at least, there was nothing to worry about and nobody to bother her. She was naked, of course, the Goddess of indescribable Beauty had never seen the need or point to wearing any sort of clothes in the bedroom. But she was also -once again- lying spread out and completely alone within the enormous bed that made up the centre-point of the equally massive apartment bedroom. In itself, Freya spending her night alone wasn't anything unusual, few indeed were those that were granted the Great Goddess's time and attention. Yet that occasion had become an absolute certainty these past few weeks, ever since the day she'd been walking incognito through the city, ever since the moment she'd first seen him.

She loved all her children dearly, of course, that would never change. But it had become harder and harder for her to pay attention to any of the men, or any suitor at all, ever since. She'd lost any interest, any taste for companionship in the way she'd once enjoyed. It was simply impossible to care enough for it, not when that dazzling white light was always in her mind, not when her dreams of him were ever stealing her attention away.

Freya's love was like the wind. It ebbed and flowed, passing over many but only whipping itself around a few. It could appear in an instant and change someone's life and destiny forever, and then it might fade just as quickly, perhaps to return but perhaps not. That was how it had always been, that was how it was always supposed to have been. Yet, lately, these last few weeks, her love had become like a hurricane instead. A powerful, awesome tempest that circled entirely around one single soul while leaving the rest of the world outside to do naught but watch the whirling winds.

"Mmm…"

It was, at last, thoughts of that same white light that served to finally draw the indolent Goddess from her sheets and to her feet. Yawning somehow gracefully, she raised her hands up, stretching out her limbs in a way manner that had absolutely no sensuality intended at all, yet served to showcase her taut, flat stomach, display every bit of long, slender legs and leave her massive breasts bouncing softly in the air. It was a sight that would have left any number of bards singing, or poets crying were they ever to be lucky enough to catch witness.

She was late. There was work to be done and she was already behind. She should call Horn in to arrange her clothes, or her bath, and prepare for the day ahead.

None of those considerations even flitted through her mind as she stepped through the room, rolling her head across her shoulders and shaking her long silvery hair in a waterfall down her perfect, bare back.

She could happily have stayed warm under her covers for some longer time yet. She would have. Except, for him. She knew his schedule well now, she knew it perfectly. He would be just finishing his morning preparations, he would be shutting the door to the basement Church behind him, and within a moment he would be coming into view. His soul would be an unmissable sight, even from across the city, even from atop the impossible heights of Babel.

There was much she should be doing.

But Freya was an indulgent Goddess, so she indulged.

Humming softly, she wet her lips in anticipation. She didn't need any kind of alarm or reminder to know his schedule, her had internalised it down to her very soul. He should be just coming into sight n-

"!"

Jolting in place, the Goddess of Beauty's world spun to a halt all around her. Her jaw fell open and her eyes shot wide. There wasn't a trace of drowsiness or lethargy to be seen in her now.

"Wh-Wha…?"

Her feet stepped gingerly over the carpet, then faster, and faster still, until she was racing towards the full wall window at the far side of her room. Her divine sight meant the distance between them didn't matter at all, it didn't change an iota about how clearly she could see him. But the need to move closer to him, to be closer to him, even just one meder, even just one milimeder, filled her with an urgent intensity. And of course, Freya had never been one to resist when it came to him.

"Bell…" she whispered her name and then corrected herself, "Odr…"

It was wrong to say she scarcely recognised him. She could have picked him out of a crowd of trillions. She could have identified his soul in a countless multitude just from the sense of it alone.

But he looked nothing like she had expected! Nothing like she was prepared for! And the sight of it hit her with the full force of a charging minotaur!

"Ngh!"

The bright white light of his soul, the soft, pure, vision that she'd seen, that had been seared so completely into her soul… it was shining brighter than ever!

It wasn't any stronger than it had been before, no more refined or powerful. His vessel remained just as thin as it had ever been, he was still the same weak, wonderful, naïve, earnest level 1 adventurer she'd fallen so completely in love with.

And yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet! It was somehow blazing with a sense that she could only possibly interpret as conviction. The very core of his soul, the pure white essence that had stolen her heart, was more resolved and more determined than she'd have ever believed possible from a boy who'd only descended into the dungeon for the first time a few weeks earlier!

The sight of him was always enough to get her heart racing. But to see him like this, for this incredible change in him to be the first sight she saw at the dawn of her day? It was like a gift, a present that he himself had prepared to her, a wake-up offering delivered right to her bedroom!

Freya's hips swung hungrily forward, and it was only then that she realised she was already pressed up tight against the glass. Her body hadn't even once registered the chill of the window pane, not with how focussed she was on him, and not with the way her blood was racing hot through her veins in comparison. Eyes glued to the perfect white light before her, Freya's bare nipples pressed hard into the glass, sliding up and down as she ground her body achingly against the pane.

"My Odr…" she moaned, her words throaty and breathless, heavy with a desire she only ever felt for him these days, "What happened to you? Nggn… Who did this to you? Hhh-haa… was it… did those words I whispered to you affect you so?"

The Goddess of Beauty got no answer. But nor would she have accepted one. There was nothing and nobody that could possibly distract her from this sight and this moment right now.

Her hips slid back from the glass, just barely far enough that she could slide her hand down between her legs, and then Freya's moans sang out louder, and longer, filling the room and her soul with her desire.

He was crossing into Orario's main throughfare already. She couldn't possibly have mistaken what would come next, Bell… Odr… would stop off at the Hostess of Fertility to talk to Syr and get her to make his lunch for the day, then he would meet that Prum supporter of his and head into the dungeon. Despite how impulsive Freya was, she'd had plans, she'd had intentions… even if she'd only gotten out of bed in time to see him first thing in the morning, she'd wanted to go see him, to meet him and catch him on his way. She could still make it if she left now. If she threw on her clothes and called for Ottar, he could have her there in the blink of an eye.

Freya's voice echoed rapturously around the room as her left leg raised off the floor, pushing desperately, ravenously into the glass separating them.

It was impossible.

She couldn't leave. She couldn't even move. She couldn't bear to turn her eyes away for even a second.

He would pass from her sight all too soon, he would be in the dungeon for the rest of the day and she wouldn't see him again until the evening. She had to content herself before then! She had to burn this sight and this memory into her mind to keep her company until he returned!

…

In the end, despite everything she'd been supposed to do, Freya only finally stumbled out of her room a little after midday.

Red faced from exertion, slick with sweat and with her perfect silvery hair tousled horribly, she stepped through the apartment on shaking legs. Sinking somehow gracefully into her usual seat, she directed Ottar to get her some food, and Horn to run her a bath. And then she fell into an exhausted nap right then and there.

And she was already forgiven.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: And there we are! Three chapters in and Bell's already lost his virginity, and claimed the (not so) eternal chastity of one of the three Celestial Virgins, well, maybe that's not a surprise, how many times do the novels emphasise just how quickly he moves!?

I hope the sex scene read well, it's actually the first proper one I've written for a while and I think I got a bit carried away with and all the emotions tangled up therein. The next ones will certainly be a bit more reasonable, especially as more girls get involved and I want to put multiple girls into a chapter. For now, well, it's Bell's first step into a new world, so it felt fitting for it to be with his Goddess, and for it to be a fairly big deal.

And of course, Freya's going to have such a visceral reaction to anything that'll leave Bell's soul shining bright, won't she? Come on, we all know some of the best parts of the Danmachi anime are when Freya's set some new enemy on Bell and is all but pressing herself against the glass as she moans in delight, watching him reach ever greater heights. Or at least, that's something I enjoy a lot and wanted to include for sure. You can probably guess the trajectory of Freya's character arc from this scene, and we'll definitely be seeing more of her over the coming chapters, although she won't be directly taking him by hand for just a while longer.

As for her being so happy? Well, I can't possibly imagine that solidifying a lifelong love with a woman he cherishes as deeply as Hestia would ever do anything to lessen the "purity" of Bell's soul. And I'm sure we can all imagine making love with Ais, or any other woman he truly loves, would have an identical effect

I probably don't need to explain this directly, but I've seen some confusion about this in the past, so just for the sake of clarity. My reading, and the way I'll be writing this, is that Freya doesn't have omniscient vision of Bell. Her divine sight is enough that she can see him all the way above the city in her tower, that's the point of why she has an apartment in Babel, so she can look out over the whole city (which, unfortunately for Bell and Ais, includes the upper city walls where they train). However, she can't see through walls any more than any other deity, and she can't see him in the dungeon. For special circumstances, like with his original fight against the Minotaur, she's asked for permission from Ouranos to use her scrying mirror.

Anyway, that's enough for me. Once again, this was meant to be a longer chapter that I split up when I realised how big it was getting. Unfortunately, I haven't written much past this point, so it won't be published two at once like before, the next update won't be until I do actually finish the next section, maybe a bit, maybe be a while.

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 4: Is It Wrong To Have A Day Off?

Notes:

Author's Note: And we're back! This chapter was a little delayed both because I got really sick for a while and couldn't write as much as I wanted, but mainly because of formatting issues. This chapter and the next chapter were meant to be one, but it started getting a bit big, so I wound up splitting them like I did the first two. That meant I didn't have a sex scene ready for this one, since the next girl has hers later in the next chapter, so I had to write something new. It's something I wanted to do anyway, although maybe a bit later, but hopefully it's fun anyway.

I've avoided mentioning this so far since it hasn't been relevant, but since she's now showing up, I want to quickly mention Syr. Obviously there's a lot of ideas and theories shared about Syr and about Freya- is Syr connected to the Freya Familia, is she connected to Freya directly? Is it just a red-herring? Is she Freya's child somehow? And so on. Obviously, it's a topic that gets a lot of talk and when writing a story like this it's something that affects the plot directly. So, I'll say clearly that this story will use the theory I like most and the one that fits in closest with the mythology- that Syr is Freya. If you're not a fan of that, I'm sorry. It's also not super important right now, but just a heads up that Syr and Freya's scenes should be read with that in mind.

And while I'm being potentially controversial. I've made the possibly contentious decision to switch to using honourifics in this story. You can blame Lilli for this one. Previously I was just going along with the names as written in the LNs, but the thought of actually writing Lilli calling Bell "Mr Bell" (someone younger than her, that she loves desperately) sounded so stupid to my head that I couldn't bear it. I imagine you're all mostly used to hearing "Bell-sama!" and "Haruhime-dono!" and such from the anime regardless, hopefully, maybe.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Have A Day Off?

--*--

The Hestia Familia was currently in the midst of acting out a performance of normality, going through their everyday motions as if nothing at all had changed between them.

If it had just been Hestia and Bell, the Goddess would have happily latched herself onto him since the moment he got back from the Dungeon, but with his mother's sister staying with them, she'd been too self-conscious to do anything more than what she would any other day. It wasn't as if they were hiding their relationship, exactly, nor that either of them really had any expectations that Alfia hadn't realised something had happened between them, they knew she was no fool. The topic was just, a little too awkward and a little too embarrassing for either of the two so-recently-virgins to broach directly.

And so, nothing at all had been said about the fact that there'd been no sign at all of Bell and Hestia after the night they both left for their date.

Nor of the fact that they had each returned later the next morning, wearing the same clothes they'd left in the previous evening, except that the clothing in question was now notably rumpled, creased and seemingly splashed with some of the scented oils offered for free at the public baths.

Nor of the way both Goddess and Child were edging around each other, seemingly always just a step away from one another's orbit, far more conscious of each other than they'd ever been, reacting and jumping each time they brushed past or across one another.

Bell had returned first thing in the morning, gathered his equipment for the dungeon and headed off on his latest adventure.

Hestia had returned a few hours later, slouched onto the couch in a tired heap for a half-hour and then headed off to her part time job.

Alfia had worked her way through the latest novel she'd been reading, closed the book in her lap and spent the afternoon in quiet contemplation for what she'd read, how much she'd enjoyed it, and her appreciation for the author's skill. For a short, wonderful moment, she'd enjoyed a period of silence and contentment. And then the noise that made up her daily life these days had retuned. Somehow it bothered her less these days though, perhaps -she thought- it was just the relief at knowing her adorable and beloved Bell had come back safely.

Hestia was the first to arrive, slumping through the door and back onto the couch a little after evening turned to night.

And then, finally, Bell had arrived shortly after that. The energy in the Church basement picked up noticeably as he'd greeted each woman and been welcomed back in turn.

They'd taken some time to catch up as Alfia prepared dinner, a somewhat less meagre fare than before now that Bell's adventurers had taken him all the way to the eighth floor. And then, after the Goddess had done a weak job of pretending like she wasn't acting gingerly around Bell, or that her face didn't break out in a vibrant blush when he took his shirt off, Hestia had laid Bell down on the couch, straddled his back, and was in the process of updating his Status.

Alfia had found herself surprisingly fond of Hestia in the short time they'd already spent together. Their shared affection for Bell, being the only two women in this city that'd been able to understand his potential, was a major part of it. Their shared dislike for the Loki Familia was another part. And ultimately, the smaller Goddess's general earnestness was fairly endearing. Gods, as a whole, were a fickle and feckless bunch, and Hestia was far from clean of those accusations but she was also surprisingly sincere for a Goddess. She truly wanted the best for Bell. Her idiotic plan to get that ridiculous knife for him was almost unbelievable, and Alfia didn't even want to imagine what kind of promises the Goddess must have made to arrange its creation… but it had also saved her life. And, in a city of Gods famous for wasting their Familia's hard earned vallis on their own vices and whims, Hestia was working -as she'd learned from Bell's agonised guilt on the subject- not one but two part time jobs to put her own money into the Familia.

In short, there was a lot she'd come to like about the young-looking deity.

However, in this aspect especially, it was simply impossible not to compare Hestia to Hera and find the Goddess of the Hearth to come up lacking.

Alfia had gone through countless Status Updates. More than she could even put a number to.

They were a simple, straightforward procedure. After giving notice of her intentions, she would enter Hera's room and present her back, her Goddess would silently go about the process of applying her ichor, increasing her ability scores, and then transcribing the results to a piece of paper for Alfia to review. The only time any sort of discussion was needed was to confirm the development of any skills, or magic. Or a simple, professional, congratulations when a new level was achieved, along with whatever reward Alfia requested as celebration.

Meanwhile, sitting happily atop Bell's back, Hestia had been prattling away almost nonstop this entire time!

If the topic of discussion had been anything except her adorable and beloved Bell's continued rapid progression and staggering growth, Alfia would probably have thrown something at her by now. As it was, she was just forcefully maintaining her façade of serene disinterest while trying to avoid a headache.

And then, all of a sudden, the noise stopped. Sitting bold still in place atop the boy, with her fingers tracing down his back and eyes glued to the Falna below, Hestia's words trailed off to nothing.

That in itself was suspicious, "Goddess?" even Bell noticed immediately.

Hestia didn't respond. Instead, she simply traced her fingers again and again over the same spot on the Adventurer's back, leaving Bell to squirm awkwardly below. Her jaw dropped open, and her mouth moved, but not a sound came out. And slowly, moment by moment, her face burned redder and her expression got dizzier. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the blissful silence was abruptly destroyed.

"A-Ah! AH! AHH! Bell! Bell! A Skill! You got a skill! Your first skill!"

That was a surprisingly commendable lie for the typically earnest Goddess, enough so that Alfia temporarily forgave the noise, giving in her own interest in Meteria's son's growth. Rapid development or not, to unlock a skill within just a few weeks in the dungeon was beyond ridiculous. Bell's reaction was, as expected, even louder than his Goddess's and soon the two of them were sharing a pure cacophony of excitement together.

Hestia declined to explain the skill, her face simply breaking into an even more rapturous smile at Bell's prompting, and instead she simply handed over the paper she'd transcribed his status onto. And then, surprising both Bell, Alfia and -from the looks of it- even herself, the small Goddess sat right beside him, and hugged tight to Bell's arm as he read through the update.

"Eternal Pledge to the Goddess of the Hearth," Bell read out with a voice trembling in excitement, "Greatly improved fire resistance. Additionally, provides a temporary Status increase when defending loved ones. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings. Effects are reversed if the pledge is broken."

The celebration began immediately.

Bell's happy laughter rang out loud and filled the basement with his joy.

Hestia's delight was equally clear as she clung to him, squeezing tight to his arm and cheering him on.

He gave his thanks to her, having inspired a power that had formed within him.

She told him this was just the start, he was going to get even stronger now, stronger than anyone!

Alfia just looked on in disbelief.

The two lovebirds stared in shared wonder at paper he was holding up, a warm and loving feeling emanating from between them, "Tch. The worst situation possible! If only it hadn't been a forced development!" only to have that feeling dashed just a moment later by Alfia's cold words and scowling grimace.

Mood thoroughly broken, they gawked at her dumbfounded.

"Do you not get it!? That skill is dangerous!" if it had been developed during a Level Up then Hestia could have simply not unlocked it, but this was a skill that Bell's soul had brought to fruition, just as it had with Liaris Freese, there was no option to reject it, "The effects are reversed if the pledge is broken, so then Bell will become weaker when trying to defend someone? What if something happens to you? If you're sent back to Heaven, wouldn't that count as breaking the pledge? If that happened Bell would never be able to become a Hero, he would struggle to continue as an adventurer!"

She had no idea what specifically Bell had promised the smaller Goddess, but for something like this to happen, it must have been something truly monumental. Alfia's soul wrenched in impotent frustration. To generate not one but two unique skills this soon and this powerfully, it was the surest proof possible of his potential, but it was also a clear example of him not being careful with his words or intentions!

There was no way of knowing if Hestia being returned to Heaven would reverse the effect, there was no way of knowing what the boundaries even were, and there was no possibility to test them. Alfia had long since discarded the idea of using the Hestia Familia as a stepping stone for Bell's progress, she was very happy with the idea of Bell's rise to prominence coming through the Familia he built up from nothing… but to be tied to that dream! To have no way out! No alternative option if anything went wrong! It brought up too many bad memories and the echo of a dreadful roar that still shook her soul.

"Bell. Listen to me. You cannot tell anyone about this skill. Never, ever mention it. Not to your supporter, not to your advisor, not to anyone. Even if the Guild forms an investigation and demands to see your status, you will never show them that skill," he pulled back, trapped in place by the intensity of her gaze. But he didn't try to argue or to look away, at least he was taking this seriously, "This isn't only for your sake. If word got out, if your enemies found out about it, then Hestia-sama would be in danger."

Bell had no enemies yet but that was only because, to most of the city, he was irrelevant. That would change, and judging by how rapid his progress had been so far, it would change quickly. Of course, anytime Familia went to outright war the Gods were always a high value target, if you could destroy the God the Familia would crumble… however, even with that, there were still heavy considerations in targeting a Familia's God. While it would remove the Falna from the Familia's children, it would do nothing to reduce their status overall… recklessly assassinating an enemy God would very often mean that every one of their strongest fighters would immediately convert over to an allied Familia and do anything possible to destroy you.

If knowledge got out that removing Hestia would not only destroy the Familia, but also severely weaken Bell at the same time… the Goddess of the Hearth would become an almost irresistible target.

The city was different now. It was more peaceful and stable than she'd ever previously seen. Rare was anyone to challenge either the Loki or Freya Familia… it was a far cry from the days when the Hera Familia walked through the city with their heads high and weapons ready, crushing any that came at them. But that was the life Alfia knew. She had no faith that this peace was anything but a transition of power, not while the Great Quest still remained undone.

"Uwaaa…" tears welling in her eyes, Hestia's hands were clenched tight on her lap as she looked from the silver-haired maiden to the silver haired boy at her side. To say that Alfia's words had brought down the happy mood she'd been revelling in was an understatement, "B-Bell… I, I'm sorry, I never… I-"

"Goddess, it's fine."

Both women looked to him with surprise. Contrary to his usual soft, gentle nature, Bell's voice was surprisingly resolute right now. Looking up, he faced Alfia directly and his eyes were firmer than she'd ever seen from him, the determination to face the challenge she presented was clear without a word being spoken and she was the first to break the gaze. No matter how much the villainess role suited her, she still couldn't help but feel a little guilty at stomping over her adorable and beloved Bell's happiness like that. She looked down as he turned back to his Goddess.

"Rather, this is what I want. Even if you'd had the choice to unlock it, I would have asked you to. It's… maybe it's just a skill, but it feels like more than that… it's proof of my connection to you, proof that everything I said was real… And, and it's like our fates are entwined forever now."

"B…Bell… Hey! Um, look! No matter what happens to me, whether I'm lost, or, if I'm sent back, or anything- even if, even… even if you take another Goddess, my Blessing will always remain, I'll always be part of you, I'll always, always be your Goddess! So long as you remember me, it's not breaking your word or anything, okay? I declare that, now! That's my word as a Goddess, that's law! Underst-"

"Alfia, I'll listen to your warning," he interrupted, giving her a nod before turning back to Hestia and taking her hand in his, "But… I'm happy! I'm going to get stronger! I'll become worthy of this skill… Goddess, I'll never break my pledge!"

"Bell!"

And then he kissed her. Ring in front of the wide-eyed shock of his mother's sister. Taking his Goddess's hands in his own, Bell pulled her directly into his embrace, and made all his feelings abundantly clear in just a single moment. It was a simple kiss, far more chaste and innocent than the passion they'd shared the night before and only lasting a few moments besides, but it was still more than enough to set Alfia's face burning red and send her attention firmly back to the book she'd had laid out in her lap.

How shameless! She hadn't taught him to act like that! As always, this was Zeus's fault! And why was it so hot in here anyway?

--*--

"Uwaa… It's really not coming together!" Hestia whined, rubbing the tips of her fingers from where she was once more seated atop Bell's back, as the invisible threads of her divine essence snapped back in place and away from where she'd been trying to manipulate them, "I never expected it to be this difficult!"

Now that Bell had a skill of his own, and as consideration for how dangerous knowledge of that skill could be, Hestia had taken it upon herself to figure out how to "lock" his Status.

It was supposed to be a fairly simple thing and it was something that all the Gods knew was possible. But Gods being what they were, the knowledge was only rarely shared and came with a steep price attached. And why not? It was a significant advantage to those that had it, yet one more thing the powerful Familia could hold over those beneath them.

Lying patiently beneath her, Bell encouraged her on once again, and, with a small nod, she began winding the divine threads into place as much as she could make sense of, yet again.

They'd been at this for more than an hour now. The scant knowledge Alfia had on the subject had long since been imparted, she doubted that Miach would know any more than she did, and Hestia knew she could hardly go back to Hephaestus's door for yet another favour so soon. Which meant there was nothing left but to figure it out herself.

It was tedious. It was slow. And it was a little painful trying to tug the divine threads into position or to hold them in place when she thought she had.

Yet, somehow, despite her typical short-fuse, Hestia wasn't particularly frustrated, nor especially upset.

This was something she wanted to do, something she would do, for Bell as his Goddess. She never felt like she got to do enough to pay him back for everything he'd done for her, doing whatever she could as his Goddess was only natural, it's exactly what she wanted.

And more than that… Hestia thought, as he hands brushed lightly over his back, as she read his new skill for the thousandth time… more than anything, her heart was at peace right now.

It had been hard to restrain her jealousy when she'd seen the first skill he'd gotten, when she'd seen the effect another woman had on him carved not only into his soul but right into his Status, it had felt like the Sword Princess had just come and swiped Bell away from her. But now, after the feelings and the love they'd shared together, and after the proof she could see now engraved in his heart, it was as if all her worries, jealousies and feelings of inferiority had all evaporated.

Judging by the wording of Liaris Freese it seemed likely it would disappear when Bell finally did catch up to Wallenstein. But even if it did, Hestia imagined that another skill would rise in it's place instead, that was just how earnest Bell was.

A few days ago, that thought would have had her gnashing her teeth and kicking the pillows, but now it only served to leave her smiling at the man she'd fallen so deeply for. Rather than feeling like Ais had taken Bell away, Hestia felt as if they each had a place within his heart and she knew for sure that his feelings for her were equal to whatever he felt towards the Sword Princess.

He would chase Wallenstein, that was fine, she could accept that now. He'd said exactly that to her just last night.

'Such a greedy child, even though you've already got a Goddess right here…' she sighed, but there was no heat in the thought, 'But I suppose if it's just another one or two girls, I'll accept it. if that's your wish as a Hero, what can I do but indulge it?'

Gods loved Heroes. They couldn't help it. Even the Evil Gods whose schemes and plans were foiled by Heroes still loved them. Heroes made life interesting, heroes made mortals interesting. There hadn't been a Hero in a long time, to Hestia heroes were just stories from the fairy tales Bell liked to read. But, even so, she couldn't help but support her child wanting to become a Hero.

Just thinking like this was enough to leave Hestia smiling. A wicked temptation rose within her, to invite Bell out to take an evening walk with her… and to walk directly back to that bookstore she loved so much.

But she forced it down, she still had her duty as a Goddess to do!

It had turned out to be more complicated than she'd expected, but she was going to figure out how to properly lock his status!

In the end, two more hours passed before Hestia saw a glint of success.

While she didn't manage to lock his Status entirely, she did manage to at least bind his Skills shut from any prying eyes.

"I'll… I'll figure o-out… the rest soon… for sure!"

So saying, she slipped from Bell's back and fell, exhausted, onto the couch at his side.

--*--

The night had settled across Orario and was passing as silently as ever within the abandoned church.

Alfia was asleep, spread out as imperiously as ever within the covers of the solitary bed, while Bell and his Goddess were left bundled up together as usual on the couch, sharing a small blanket between them.

It had been a very strange sleeping arrangement initially, Hestia had been more than a little put off at being shunted out of her own bed and had a certain amount of trepidation about sleeping so close to a man for the first time, but she'd accepted it readily enough for the sake of preserving her new Familia's harmony; Bell, conversely, had been utterly mortified at the idea of treating his new Goddess like that and had been full of suggestions about how much sense it made for him to sleep on the floor, or for both women to share the bed if that wasn't feasible.

The first night they'd started sharing the couch, he'd barely slept at all. And in the nights that followed he'd spent his efforts forcing himself as far to the side of the couch as possible, giving his patron deity as much space as he could manage… and in the process forcing a worried Hestia to constantly keep pulling him back towards her, lest he fall off entirely in his sleep.

After that, he'd attempted to try "top and tail", with the same goal of preserving some manner of her holy dignity. That had been scuttled the third time his legs ended up in Hestia's face. Looking over their discussions the next morning, Alfia had not so helpfully added her opinion that any Goddess that worked part time in a Jyagu Maru stand, and who let customers pat her head, didn't have any holy dignity worth worrying about.

Following that, with a certain degree of coaxing and assurances from Hestia, the two had begun sleeping naturally, side by side. And then, as the days had turned into weeks and they'd grown ever more comfortable with each other, and as Hestia's love for him grown ever deeper, she'd drawn him closer and held him tighter each night.

Soon enough their routine had evolved into sleeping wrapped up around one another. The young adventurer who'd been almost too terrified to even share a "bed" with his Goddess, now passed his nights with the blissful warmth of her embrace surrounding him. It had become peaceful, almost serene in a way. And, despite meaning he'd had to work very, very hard many times to banish any lascivious thoughts of his Goddess whenever he'd been walking idly around the city, sleeping with her like this had been something he'd looked forward to. It was a form of home. He slept better like that than he ever had before, and Hestia had told him many times the same was true for her.

…

And now, he was far too aware of her to even begin to calm down, let alone trying to sleep! In the past he'd forcefully pushed any unbecoming thoughts of his Goddess from his mind, but how was he supposed to do that now? Now he knew she wasn't only fine with him thinking of her like that, but she wanted it! She was happy he desired her! She desired him in return!

Bell's body pulsed hot once again at that thought and he knew instantly it was a mistake.

Being reminded of Hestia's love for him filled his heart with joy and satisfaction… but it also made it absolutely impossible to ignore the way she was currently pressed up tight against him! The way her massive breasts were pushing into his chest! The way her delicate fingers were holding gently to his back! The way her soft breath was tickling warm across his skin!

How could he possibly sleep like this?! How had he ever slept like this!? Every reminder came with a thousand others!

The instant his thoughts strayed to the comfortable, pleasant feeling of her body against his… he was reminded immediately of the sight of her laid out beneath him! Of her beautiful face filled with love and desire as she moaned his name!

If his attention shifted to the soft, pillow sensation of her chest bouncing gently against his chest with her every breath… he was reminded immediately of those same huge breasts unveiled naked before him! Of the weight and softness they had to his touch! Of the way they'd shaken and bounced, visible even when he'd taken her from behind!

If his concentration moved to the fingers playing softly in his back and the comfort of her embrace… he was reminded immediately of those fingers clinging desperately tight to him as he drove into her! Of the way her legs had locked tight around him!

Even just thinking about the soothing feeling of her breath against him was dangerous! His mind turned instantly to memories of her breath racing hot with desire! Of her delighted moans and happy cries! Of the sheer passion he'd felt from her in each of their kisses!

This wasn't going to work.

The previous night had been a life-changing event for the young adventurer, one he would remember for the rest of his days, and for eternity beyond if he could help it. But it was also far too fresh and far too raw for him to be put out of his mind while also holding that same Goddess, a woman he loved, tight in his arms.

Luckily for Bell however, he was spared a restless night by the fact that those same memories were just as burning just as hot through Hestia's mind. The no-longer Virgin Goddess couldn't possibly hope to sleep peacefully right now, not when she was wrapped up this tight with the man she loved, and not when his every movement and action reminded her of all the ways he'd driven her out of her mind just a handful of hours earlier.

And especially not after she'd seen his very pledge to her formed as an Oath on his Status. Or when he kissed her, right in front of Alfia! How could she even begin to calm down after that?

Bell's fatigue from a day spent in the dungeon warred against the desires burning impulsively through his mind. But Hestia's fatigue from her two jobs, and struggles with his Status, gave way instead to a mischievous excitement.

"Hehe, can't sleep huh, Bell?"

"G-Go, Goddess?" he swallowed, forcing his voice down to a tiny whisper, "You're still awake? Sorry, I ju-"

Hestia rolled her hips forwards, pressing her waist in tight against Bell's instantly cutting off his words as he desperately cut off any sound.

"Mmm, no wonder you can't sleep," she whispered, playing up the words as sultrily as she could manage… while also giving thanks to the darkness that hid her blazing red blush at the same time, "Not when you're like this…"

The rock-hard erection that Bell had so carefully been keeping from pushing against her all night was now grinding directly into Hestia's waist. More specifically, Hestia was very intentionally pushing her hips into his, rolling herself slowly up and down the length she could feel so clearly straining against his pants.

Even with both of them still clothed, it was more than enough to leave them each sucking in a heavy breath.

The sensation of his thick, hard cock against her pussy was enough to send a yearning pulse through Hestia's core once again. It had only been a day since she'd felt herself spread wide around him, but she'd already missed it.

The feeling of her soft, eager body pushing into his cock was enough to send a heady shiver through Bell's spine. He'd spent every moment of his idle time trying not to reminisce on how it'd felt having her walls wrapped tight around him, but now that was impossible.

Pulling him towards her, Hestia pressed her lips against his, Bell's mouth opened readily against her own and they fell further into the lusty embrace Hestia continued the motions, rolling her waist against his in long, heady motions. Her juices were pooling wet inside her thin white panties, and his cock was straining hungrily against the fabric of his trousers. They broke away, panting for breath as silently as they could manage. The same sacred fire burning between her legs raged within him, and the same heated desire roared in each of their gaze.

"Hehe… Bell," Hestia's whisper was hoarse with anticipation now, "I've been excited since you kissed me!"

"A-Hh, Ah! Go-Goddess, wait, wait!" the urge to wrap his arms around her was tremendous, but Bell's resolve was stronger still, "I want it too… But, we can't. We'll wake Alfia."

Hestia stopped.

Unfortunately, the plain reality of his words cut right through the fantasy she'd been carefully nurturing- that it'd be fine if they just kept it quiet. As much as she wanted to deny it, she knew Bell was right. Even if she was already asleep, Alfia was only a few meders away, and (especially with the way her body was yearning for his) Hestia very much doubted she could keep her voice down if Bell showered her with anything like the pleasure, he'd given her their first night together. She simply didn't have enough practice for that, or enough resistance to him.

As disappointing as it was to admit it, she knew he was right. And so, Hestia swallowed a shaking breath and pulled herself back from him.

It should have been embarrassing. She'd been a virgin Goddess for years uncounting… and now, one night together and she'd already lost her reason enough that she needed to be restrained? That should have shamed her, but she was too horny to care all that much right now. When it came to Bell, loving him simply felt natural, and wanting to be loved by him had taken on that same sense.

"You're right… You're right, Bell. We'll do it tomorrow, okay? After work?" she promised unilaterally, heaving a sigh as she calmed down ever so slightly. She'd waited eons for him, she could wait another night to savour him once more, "Let's meet up and head back to that bookstore again."

"R-Right, okay. I'll look forward to that! Then, um, tonight, I guess…"

Bell attempted to roll away, to create some small space between them, both for the sake of him getting any sleep this night and for the sake of her (in this moment, somewhat questionable) holy dignity. However, he instead found Hestia's hands firmly taking hold of his shoulders and pushing him onto his back, lying flat onto the couch. And she immediately followed suit, the mischievous spark in her eyes burning brighter as she wriggled directly atop him, sliding between his legs and bracing her hands on his chest, staring down directly at him (and, incidentally, giving him a breathtaking view of her breathtakingly massive chest).

"Goddess?"

"Mhmm! You're right Bell, you're right, we've got to be careful, we can't go wild tonight. But! I'm still your Goddess, and I still have to reward you for doing so well lately! What kind of Goddess wouldn't congratulate their child when he gained a new skill?"

Especially not a skill like that. It was practically a marriage certificate! It was the proof of their bond through eternity.

Before Bell could think to respond, Hestia had already ducked her head under the thin blanket overtop them and was sliding down his body. The feeling of her pressed up against him, and the sensation of her huge breasts bouncing lightly down his body swiftly undid the small sense of calm he'd managed to gain and sent his lust burning hot again.

A fact that only multiplied when he felt her fingers pulling down across his stomach, over his waist, and right to the top of his trousers… fumbling, more than a little cutely, with his belt.

Whatever she was planning, it was definitely too dangerous! He should stop her! For his sake, and for the sake of her own dignity! "Ghh!" Her breasts were resting softly atop his legs, her breath was slipping under his shirt and she was holding in place right above his crotch, staring down at him and chewing on her lips with clear determination.

Staring down beneath the cover at the sight, Bell reached out to stop her…

But his hands instead laid only atop her shoulder, neither pushing her away nor pulling her back up, simply stroking softly across her deliciously soft skin.

…His will faltered under his desire and his love. He trusted his Goddess.

And in that moment of hesitation, Bell's belt came open, his pants were pulled down and his cock -after what felt like an entire night of painful restraint- finally burst free… springing out and slapping right into Hestia's surprised face! "A-Ah! Ohh, hehe…" The Goddess gave a small shriek of surprise, thankfully muffled at least partially by the blanket, as the thick shaft thudded heavily right into her, covering her open mouth and wide eyes, and stretching up across her entire vision. There was no force behind it, or at least not enough to hurt her, but the sheer sense of mass landing atop her left her body shuddering powerfully in a way that immediately brought her mind back to the previous night and just how thoroughly this cock had made wonderous ruin of her once-pure body.

Hestia liked to think of herself as a rather noble and dignified Goddess, even in the face of sometimes harsh reality, but the sensation of being slapped with Bell's cock, intentionally or not, made her knees weak and risked awakening something dangerous within her. It wasn't right for a mortal to so easily dominate a deity! She was glad that Bell had so completely allowed himself to become hers, because she was beginning to realise that the more time she spent like this, there was absolutely nothing she could do to prevent herself from becoming his.

Perhaps it was only natural, the Fates must have been intending this for such an innocent and gentle boy to have something like this.

"Geez, Bell…" she whispered, breaking out of her daze as she looked up past the shaft that dominated her view to the man staring in wonder down at her, it felt even bigger like this just a few milimeders from her face, "It still amazes me just how burly this thing is!"

Reaching out and taking it carefully in her hands, she couldn't help but marvel, not just at the length, but the thickness, the slight curve that she knew very well left it scraping along all her most sensitive spots and even the way it pulsed so greedily under her touch, making his own barely restrained desire unmistakably clear. In his words, his actions, the skill now writ across his back and now in the lust he bore for her, everything Bell did spoke of his love for her, how could that not fill her heart with joy?

Longer than both her hands wrapped around it, and thick enough that she couldn't quite enclose her fingers around it, the no-longer-innocent Goddess of the Hearth was drooling at just what this thing had done, what it would do to her poor little, eagerly horny pussy. But that was for tomorrow, for tonight she had other plans.

Pushing herself up all the way on her elbows, with a little more effort than she'd expected, Hestia raised herself all the way atop the crown of Bell's shaft… and then, after capturing his bewildered gaze with her delighted smile, she leant down, pressing her lips softly and gently into a loving kiss, right atop the head of his cock.

Bell's voice came out in a shaking, surprised whisper, one he only barley held back through grit teeth. The sight of his Goddess kissing the top of his cock was one that filled him with equal parts shock, disbelief, and an almost rampaging lust. Those soft and innocent lips opening gently against his shaft, pressing so lovingly into his cockhead… he shivered in surprise, his hips arching slightly off the couch and his breath catching in his throat!

"Just relax, Bell… I've read about this; I've heard guys love this! It should feel really good!"

And so, with no other explanation than that, she dipped her head down once again. This time the kiss atop his cockhead grew deeper, and Hestia grew bolder still, opening her mouth wide, as far as she could take it, and slowly slid her lips over his cockhead, drawing it in across her tongue.

"MhmMMPH!"

"G-hgh, G-Goddess!?"

It was a little harder than she'd expected, and especially so trying to keep her teeth from hitting him but with some effort, Hestia was able to take in the head of his cock and several more centimeders of his shaft. Even the most ribald of the stories she'd read hadn't been explicitly clear on what to do beyond this, so she made do by simply attempting to bob her head in place, and to run her tongue around the underside of his length as best she could manage.

Despite her clumsy ministrations, she quickly garnered a shaky moan from the young adventurer and she could feel his pleasure reverberating through him as his cock pulsed and twitched within her mouth. Encouraged by Bell's enjoyment, Hestia pushed herself a little harder, sliding her lips further down his shaft and swallowing more of his cock into her mouth, attempting carefully to draw it down into her throat!

"!"

It took quite some doing, but after a few minutes of practice and a few seconds pause to gasp for shaking breaths, Hestia was managing to, somewhat smoothly, swallow several more centimeders of Bell's cock, down to what she guessed was about a third of his total length. His desperately muffled gasps, along with the way his hands were squeezing her shoulders and his shaft was pulsing in her mouth made it clear he was thoroughly enjoying her service so far.

But it wasn't enough for her! Hestia was a devoted Goddess, and she wanted to live up to her role! She wanted to service him properly, to please him just as thoroughly as he'd done to her the previous night! She wanted not just to make him happy, but to get him off! She needed to do more, she wanted to do it harder, and do it better! But she wasn't skilled enough just yet, she needed more practice, even just trying to pump her hands up and down his shaft along with her mouth had been difficult- she'd needed to use them to steady herself atop him instead. All in all, it seemed like her mouth would give out before she truly pleased him.

Luckily, women like Hestia had a trump card for such situations!

Slipping her lips from his shaft with some small regret, Hestia shuffled in place along the couch, raising herself up over him once more, "Here you go Bell, I'm g-gonna try something new!" and with that said, she reached up, pulling apart the ribbon around her neck, loosening her top enough to slide it down, freeing her massive breasts before Bell's eyes once again.

His soft moan of disappointment at feeling her lips leave him became a stifled cry of surprise at seeing her divinely beautiful naked upper body once more. And then that cry quickly hitched in his throat as Hestia wasted no time in leaning down once again, pressing her chest out forwards and wrapping her mountainous, soft breasts directly around his shaft.

"Gh, hha! Goddess!"

"W-Whoah… Hehe, it feels really warm… Hn, I, I quite like feeling you against me like this though, Bell!"

Even fully engulfed within the Goddess of the Hearth's welcoming cleavage, the top of his shaft still reached through the top, so Hestia tilted her head down and gave the crown of his cock another loving kiss. This was yet another thing she'd read of, red faced but fully enticed, within the more ribald stories she'd perused through in her Divine Manor, it was something she'd heard that men enjoyed, and one she was quickly finding herself rather fond of as well. Feeling Bell's cock wrapped up tight between her breasts, she could feel every shiver and shake of him as he pulled against her, she could still taste him on her lips, and she got to look up and see his face clearly as he tried so desperately to keep from moaning aloud.

Giggling happily, she threw herself into motion. Using her arms to squeeze her breasts tight around his cock, she dragged herself up along his length, then back down to where she'd been, she wasted no time at all in bouncing herself up and down along his shaft, pushing herself into an energetic rhythm.

Once again, the young seeming Goddess had no idea exactly what she was meant to be doing. But once again, her sheer enthusiasm, and the divine softness of her bod more than made up for any lacking experience- especially for someone like Bell, who was just as inexperienced as her, and very quickly losing his mind to the sight unfolding before his eyes.

The woman he loved, the Goddess he respected so greatly, was using the breasts that had caught his eyes countless times, to squeeze and caress him, she was pumping herself tightly but softly up and down along his shaft. Her entire chest was bared naked before him, and it was all used to drive him to even greater pleasure. Just feeling her lips around him had already been enough to leave him feeling like he was floating through the heavens, now he could scarcely control himself!

His voice grew hoarse with trying to hold back his moans, and pulled back one of his hands from her shoulders, just to cover his mouth in response. It was good! It was too good!

And just when he thought he was getting a handle on it, Hestia caught his eye with another mischievously affectionate smirk, and dipped her head down once more. And once again, the head of Bell's cock was enveloped in the soft, warmth of her divine lips.

"GH-!"

Bell's second hand clasped desperately over his mouth and his whole body jolted in place as he furiously fought to keep from crying out aloud! Losing control entirely, with his hips shaking up against her ministrations and his cock twitching furiously from where it was held securely, warmly and wonderfully in place between Hestia's massive breasts, he could do nothing but watch the incredible spectacle!

Squeezing herself as tight around him as she could manage, Hestia's head was turned fully down towards his cock now, with her mouth open wide around it. Bouncing herself up and down along his shaft, her lips were suckling atop the tip of his cockhead each time she drew herself up, and sinking right down to swallow him deeper each time she pushed her breasts down. It was both an unbelievable sight and an incredible mix of sensations- leaving Bell caught both within the velvety softness of her generous mounds and the eager heat of her mouth, never mind the way she was trying so eagerly to tease and taste him with her tongue!

Her actions were a little awkward, her pace was arhythmic, and she had to pull up several times just to gasp for breath… but Bell didn't notice at all. She was learning fast, she was improving minute by minute, and he couldn't help but be swept up in her abundant love, the sheer affection and desire she had towards him!

Moaning, gasping and groaning as quietly as he could manage, Bell did everything possible to keep both his hands firmly in place atop his mouth. The urge to forget everything, to put the rest of the world aside and focus entirely on himself and his Goddess, as he had the previous night, was incredible- but his resolve was just barley strong enough to keep reminding himself that Alfia was asleep just a few meders away from him, and to keep himself as calm as he could possibly be in the face of his Goddess's eager service!

In the end, the mix of adrenaline, excitement and worry left him able to do nothing but try to keep silent and simply accept the pleasure that was washing through him!

Hestia's service gained confidence, and her breasts bounced around him faster, and harder than ever.

Within just a few more minutes, she could feel his cock swelling even thicker against her, and taste the sense of him spilling out onto her tongue. It wasn't like anything she'd ever tasted before, but the sense of it as Bell's taste speared through the Goddesses body. Even just a few drops of his essence sliding down her throat sparked Hestia with excitement and bliss, and spurred her on even faster, and more eagerly than ever! Any restraint she may have been holding back for Alfia's sake was entirely forgotten! The sacred fire he always ignited within her was once again raging hot within the Goddess's core!

And within just a few minutes more, Bell could feel the very edge of his restraint breaking!

Peeling his hands just barley away from his mouth, he desperately swallowed his moans, "G-Goddess, be, be careful! I can't hold back an-angh, any longer!"

"Haha! Go ahead and cum, Bell! I'll drink it all!" Hestia only just barely remembered to whisper that confident declaration.

And, predictably, his Goddess's command the feeling of her lips back in place suckling on his cockhead, was enough to finally push Bell right over his limits!

"!"

"!!"

Shoving his right hand into his mouth to keep from crying out, his hips bucked up off the couch, his cock spasmed wildly within her cleavage, and the release he'd been aching for all night finally thundered free!

Her vision flashed blissfully white, and her body quivered in delighted response, her senses suddenly flaring at the simple overwhelming sense of Bell, of being practically engulfed in his taste, his smell, his very being!

Jet after jet of thick, heavy seed burst out, flooding Hestia's mouth, filling her cheeks to bursting and ran hot and thick down her throat! Swallowing desperately, she did her best to take in everything, but the angle was working against her and with her inexperience, it quickly became apparent that her bold words couldn't match reality- his cockhead twitched between her lips again, and again, and full, potent ropes of seed erupted each time! She couldn't swallow fast enough, and her mouth was already completely flooded with his seed!

After a moment, and in spite of her hard-work, Hestia pulled backwards, pursing her lips tight to prevent even a drop of his cum from escaping her mouth- but leaving his shaft falling free from her lips, and shooting yet another load out, over and again, splattering warm, heavy and full right across the Goddess's pure looking face. Trying to swallow the viscous load that was filling her entire mouth, Hestia gave only a muffled response, but she made no attempt to pull away. Instead, she squeezed her breasts tight around him once more, holding his shaft steady and ensuring that she took every drop of him directly. Shuddering with the sensation, she found herself thrilling just at the feeling of his cum splashing onto her, of feeling his seed covering her face, of his release sealing her eyes closed and running down her cheeks, dripping from her chin to pool at her breasts below.

The next few minutes passed punctuated by each of their heavy breaths as they each slowly came back to reality and down from the highs they'd been swimming in.

Relaxing dizzily back into the couch, Bell's mind tumbled through a mix of emotions. His guilt at the sight before his eyes, at the very idea of the Goddess he respected so greatly disgraced under thick layers of his cum… and the incredible arousal and satisfaction that sight gave him, of seeing her practically marked as his. Coupled with the still lingering aftershocks of the powerful release he'd been aching for all evening, he really could do nothing but lie back and smile in gratitude towards the woman he loved.

"Goddess… Thank you, th-that… that was incredible."

Hestia's mind was filled with no similar ethical worries, but instead the slow burning amazement that just that act alone had sent her into her own bliss. Just servicing Bell had been enough to make her cum? And then again, she'd peaked at feeling him unload across her face? She really was far too sensitive to Bell, or perhaps this was just another sign of how deep her love for him was? She didn't know, but with the feeling of his cum still dripping hot and thick across her face, and still running heavily down her throat, it was truly hard to care about just now.

The stories she'd read had given mixed accounts on the taste of men's seed, but Hestia's own conclusion was remarkably simple. Its taste was purely him, she could sense every part of him and his soul within it right down to the small tang of her own essence mixed up as part of him. As a deity, how it felt on her tongue was far less important to her than the way it left her body humming in response, or the way it made her divine essence sing in satisfaction.

"Hehe… Bell, you taste as delicious as I thought!"

And so, for the next few minutes, the one-pure Goddess of the Hearth sat in place, cleaning herself up by running her hands over her face, scooping every last drop of his seed back into her mouth and licking her fingers clean.

Bell couldn't possibly have given a response to that, all he could do was watch with muted shock and intense appreciation, with his cock still held snugly in place between her breasts.

And, of course, such a display had a powerful effect on the young adventurer.

"O-O-Oh? You're that eager for more?" Hestia breathed out a sultry moan, turning her attention once more to the thick rod pulsing against her chest, "Haha, you're a lucky man, Bell! I'll take care of you properly!"

"Goddess, I a-h…" he swallowed, "If it's okay?"

He was never the kind to ever impose, especially not on her. If he was willing to request a second helping, then he must have really enjoyed it! And that thought left the Goddess's heart soaring, and her breasts bouncing even more enthusiastically over his cock!

The night continued once more like that, with the church basement again filled with the sounds of Hestia's lips around Bell's cock, of his length pulsing and throbbing between her mounds, and of their increasingly heavy breathing as their own peaks grew closer and more desperate.

…

'DO THEY REALLY THINK I CAN'T HEAR THEM!?'

Unfortunately, on the other side of the room, with a blazing red face that was very pointedly turned away from the nascent lovebirds, only that single thought was reverberating through Alfia's mind.

The Maiden of Silence had always been incredibly sensitive to sound, far more than a simple blanket could muffle from just a few meders away, especially as their excitement grew. She'd intended to scream at them, to put a stop to such things from the second she'd woken up… but somehow hearing her beloved and adorable Bell like that, the sound of him panting as gasping like a man, left her stuck in place, entirely unable to move.

--*--

The day was long since dawned but Bell, far out of the usual, was only slowly and lazily going through his morning routine. Even Hestia had already awoken and headed off to her part time job, having pulled the young adventurer into a goodbye kiss before skipping out the door.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with him, he simply didn't know what he should be doing right now. Lilli, his supporter, had asked for a day off from their adventures in the Dungeon to attend her Familia meeting and so, for about the first time since he'd arrived in Orario, Bell found himself with nothing to do. He could go into the dungeon himself, of course, but Eina had forced a promise out of him that he'd be more careful and he couldn't help but pay heed to Alfia's earlier words about rest being a vital part of an adventurer's routine.

In theory, that made sense. In practice, it left him unsure of what to even do with himself. He couldn't even ask Alfia for advice, since she'd seemed to be in a sour mood all morning and had been pointedly ignoring him since she woke up.

About the only thing he had in his schedule was to pass by the Hostess of Fertility. Syr hadn't been at work yesterday, but Ryu had been kind enough to make him lunch in her stead, so he had to return the lunchbox, but beyond that, he had no plans at all. Of course, as someone still new to the city, there wa-

Bell's thought process was abruptly interrupted by the sound of someone knocking, firmly and somewhat insistently on the door to the church basement.

It took him a moment to even process that fact in itself. Not only was the Hestia Familia complete unknowns within the city so far, but they were well away from any regular throughfare and within an abandoned church besides. They'd never had any visitors so far, there didn't seem to be any reason for there to be any visitors.

The knock came again, just as firm and just as insistent.

Jumping to his feet and quickly pulling open the door, Bell came face to face with the stern, dispassionate gaze of a beautiful Elf maiden about the same height as him. Unfortunately, anything beyond that was totally hidden within the thick brown cloak she'd wrapped her whole body in.

"I seek solitude."

He blinked.

"Uh… Well, umh, we're in the basement, sorry? But, uh, you can feel free to use the rest of the church as you please?"

Her eyes narrowed. And now there was a mote of anger in her voice as she repeated her words, as if this request chafed her to her core.

"I seek… solitude."

Bell didn't know enough about elves, and especially about cryptic requests in a church to have even the faintest clue how to deal with this. He'd plainly said something wrong, but he couldn't think what he was supposed to say in response. Dithering and fretting, he shifted on place, but no ideas or inspirations told him how he should handle this strange situation.

Without another word, the elf dismissed him from her attention, turning on the spot and making to leave.

"Wait," until a second, softer voice rang out from within the church. Until Alfia pulled Bell gentle aside and addressed the visitor herself, "If you're looking for solitude, I can offer you silence."

"Hmm."

The elf turned once again, this time something akin to respect showing from under the cape she was wearing as she addressed the former adventurer, and then, at Alfia's gesture she stepped inside.

"Don't worry about him. He's my sister's son, he's tied into this too," Alfia answered lightly, intercepting the question before it could be asked as both women stepped past the bewildered rookie adventurer and made their way to the Church basement, "I must say, I'm surprised to see you. I didn't realise word had gotten out I was back."

The elf hummed once again in simple response. Bell was halfway through considering that she didn't seem the kind of person to say a cliché like "Word travels fast" when it wasn't needed, even if it was so perfectly appropriate, he wouldn't have been able to help himself… but this thoughts were immediately shunted off track as she lowered her hood.

His initial impressions had been correct, but as was typical with elves, vastly understated. Standing only about the same height as him, the elf was stunningly gorgeous, almost enough to be on the level of the city's Goddess's or the Sword princess herself. Her gaze was as cool and steady as ever, bringing thoughts to mind of Ryu, but the dark black hair that fell in a coronet around her head and long down her back stood in stark contrast to the surprisingly kind-hearted waitress and her skin was flawlessly smooth, a pale white framed wonderfully by her deep red eyes. It was the first time he'd ever seen anyone besides himself that with irises like that and he couldn't help but be immediately charmed. Even with her hood pulled down, as was probably normal for an elf, the rest of her body was still entirely hidden. Long boots, black gloves and a high collar shielded everything below her neck from view, as if to keep every part of herself under-wraps from prying eyes.

"Alfia-sama, I have a message for you."

So saying, she handed over a small envelope sealed with a crest that Bell didn't recognise but which Alfia clearly did. And then, along with that, she added a long, slender branch, just barely off-green colour and somehow bursting with enough vibrancy to fill the room with the scent of the forest despite clearly having been long separated from any tree.

"A branch of a sacred tree… Your master is generous, isn't he?"

Alfia took the branch gladly but not without some degree of irony. In her past life, and in her previous plan to attack Orario, such a thing would have been invaluable. She'd gotten her hands on one before and found, just as she'd suspected, that the inherent magic properties had been miraculous in alleviating the effects of her illness, a gift like this would quite literally have let her live longer in her attempt to die…

…Or at least it would have when Alfia had still had her Status. The fates weren't without a sense of humour akin to the Gods themselves it seemed, the very day Hera had ascended back to heaven had been the day that the illness that'd plagued her entire life… the sin that she'd gained with her birth, by stealing Meteria's talent… had finally been soothed. It still wracked and coursed through her, of course, but it wracked and coursed through a vessel that had been expanded all the way up to level seven. Without her status, the amount of energy and awareness Alfia put into her daily life, the amount of effort the put into anything was absolutely miniscule in comparison, to compare a level seven to a civilian was akin to comparing a level seven to the One Eyed Black Dragon. Her vessel was tremendously weakened, but not enough to ever affect her life. All the years she'd passed with Bell, she'd barely been debilitated at all.

"We seek your assistance, as you offered it once before."

"The ones I offered it to are gone," Alfia cracked the missive, instantly recognising the wash of power that spread through the paper from the instant the seal was broken and read through the contents quickly as it began burning in her hands. Bell let out a squark of surprise, but she was well used to such techniques, they were a worthy tool for any worthy effort, "Enyo… I see…"

"Uh, Enyo?"

To say Bell was lost was an understatement. The Elf's glare was furious upon him, and even Alfia gaze became immediately focussed on him and just as stern.

"Bell. Don't repeat that name, not anywhere. He was… He was… a family friend of mine and of your uncle, when we were still living in this city. But, due to an unfortunate circumstance his name is now tarnished. Letting anyone know you've heard it will only bring trouble on yourself, and on him."

"Uh, umm.. er, okay?"

"So then, that would make you his daughter…?"

Now taking her turn caught under Alfia's gaze, the elf scowled and hesitated visibly. Whatever internal debate she was having however, in the end, she was here to gain Alfia's favour.

"Filvis," she answered finally, nodding her head, "Filvis Challia."

"Oh, I've heard of you," Alfia's smile twisted cruelly, "Filvis, the banshee."

Filvis winced as if struck, her beautiful face finally showing true emotion as it twisted into a pained grimace. No matter how confused and curious Bell might have been, any questions died on his lips when he saw that look on her face. It was the exact same wretched, wrenching loathing he'd seen on Ryu when she'd told him the history of the Astrea Familia and the Gale Wind. He didn't understand enough about Elves, but he knew for certain that whatever that title meant, it was one that cut deep to the pride elves held so tight to.

He wanted to say something, to interrupt. Filvis was a complete stranger, but she was also a guest and had come with a gift besides, this felt wrong! But this whole conversation was well over Bell's depth and before he could find the right words, he'd lost his chance.

"It is as you say." She nodded, bowing her head to the mocking title, wearing it as if in introduction.

Watching the beautiful elf debase herself so, lodged itself deeply in Bell's heart. His inaction instantly became something he regretted, something he would come to look back on and promise to do better.

"Very well," Alfia hummed, walking back to her own corner of the basement, sorting through her belongings and pulling out some paper and a strangely shaped pencil, "Alright then. Bell, be a gentleman and take Filvis-san here on a date."

Bell reeled back, thrown for a loop. And he wasn't the only one.

"A-Wh-ha, Huh!? Wh-Why would, why would I!?"

The calm elf's façade was long lost now. Staring in open mouthed disbelief, Filvis gave off an appearance somewhere between shocked and outright affronted.

Alfia's gaze turned back to the pair, the answer, because I just told you to, clear in her expression, but -unusual for her- she elaborated regardless, "It's going to take me some time to craft a reply to your father, and I hardly intend to do it with the two of you hanging over my shoulder. Bell's new to the city, and I presume you've been here for some time longer, you can show him around. Besides, where he's from there's only humans around, it would be good for him to get used to dealing with elves."

"Uh, wa-wait, wait, that's, you don't need to, Challia-san, if y-"

"P-Please…" Filvis winced horribly once again, reeling back from his words this time, "I don't want to hear a human use my tribe's name."

Her point proven immediately, Alfia smirked in amusement as Bell stammered an apology, bowing his head and making a show of how contrite he was towards how poorly they'd treated their guest since she'd arrived.

In the end, whether out of pity from the way he was so desperately trying to assuage her feelings, or simply due to her directive to gain the Maiden of Silence's co-operation, Filvis sighed deeply, dropped her cloak on the bed and agreed to accompany the young adventurer around the city. Following very awkwardly after her, Bell headed off into the morning and into his third date already since arriving in Orario. Somehow, he didn't have particularly high hopes that this one would be better than the others.

…

Watching the door click shut behind them, Alfia sank comfortably down onto the couch, if she'd been anyone else, she would have let out a rather self-satisfied laugh, but instead she simply enjoyed the onset of silence.

So, he was calling himself Enyo. She didn't know very much of the language of the Gods, but she knew enough to piece together something that obvious- The Destroyer of Cities. He really wasn't bothering with subtlety at all it seemed.

It was laughable really. Or it would have been if laughter wasn't such an obnoxious sound. She revelled in smug satisfaction instead.

It really went to show that despite how often the Evil Gods gave their tirades about the singlemindedness and rigidity of their Good brethren, they were the truly myopic ones. At least the Good Gods saw nuance in their judgement, this Enyo had really approached her all these years later expecting her to help him in bringing Orario to its knees.

Perhaps someone else would consider that a forgivable mistake, after all, she and Zald had only never told the Evilus of their true plan. They'd approached them with stories of their Familia's betrayal at the hands of the Loki and Freya Familia's and reached out claiming to an urgent hate, a desire for revenge against the city that betrayed them. It had been convenient at the time, and it seemed it would suit her purposes all these years later.

How ridiculous.

He must have had someone watching her all this time, likely one of the villages had reported back when she was on the move, that the Maiden of Silence was returning to Orario. And he thought that was for revenge? That she'd spent all these years away, biding her time and stewing in anger, that Bell was somehow her tool for that? Of course he'd think that, she scoffed, from what she knew of the Evilus from her time, that was surely how he'd lived however many tens or hundreds of years of his life until now.

The Evil Gods truly couldn't understand mortals, could they?

Alfia truly did burn for revenge. She truly would delight in bringing the city to its knees. She would thoroughly enjoy crushing Freya, Loki, and all the others that had betrayed her.

But just because she would happily crush Orario, didn't mean she didn't also want to save it.

She wasn't here to continue Zald's work. She was here to finish it.

She hadn't brought Bell with her to act in her stead. She had brought him here to become the Last Hero.

And of course, a hero had no need to consort with the Evilus.

That was unfortunate for Enyo, because despite seeking her out as an ally, he would serve her far better as a stepping stone in Bell's legend.

She would have to drag this out, she considered. No matter how fast he was growing, Bell was still only level 1, any plot to destroy Orario would surely involve player far beyond him in power. Even that Filvis girl, if the rumours she'd picked up on were correct, she should have been at least level four, unless she was hiding her level ups. This was certainly not something her beloved and adorable Bell would be ready for just yet.

If worst came to worse, she herself could take a part in it and actively slow proceedings. It wasn't as if she was unaccustomed to wearing the villain's mantle, and while she couldn't help but worry about how Bell would struggle with the act of killing her, if her death would cast him as the Hero he wished to be, then she would accept it gladly.

But those were considerations for later, for now, she would write back and give great thanks for the sacred branch. And she would request to know where he'd gained it, if she could lend his knowledge, hint at a desire to access his supply. Enyo had no need to know that such gifts were unnecessary for her as she was now. Let him think he had leverage over her, let him think he could control her and take her life in his hands.

She would only smile all the brighter when Bell destroyed him.

Oh, what a fitting chapter that would be for Bell's legend! How exciting this would be! She, could hardly wait!

"Ahhh Enyo, you don't need to worry," she whispered to herself, as she paced around the room, putting pieces of a plan slowly into place, "Bell is a man who wants to be a Hero. I know he'll save Filvis from you."

Really, it just went to show how disgusting the Evil Gods were, to their own children, no less. He'd involved an elf of all things in this ridiculous scheme of his? She couldn't even begin to imagine what leverage he must have over the poor girl, clearly her loyalty to him must be almost beyond words. Elven pride was not to be underestimated, it was their blessing as much as a constant curse, it was why parties trusted elves so implicitly, why the act of simply surviving after her friends died had led Filvis to be termed "The Banshee" and why every left in the city would scowl if they heard her name. To break an elf's pride this thoroughly, to drag her through the muck, into murder, terrorism and a mad plan to destroy a city… Alfia could only imagine the girl was suffocating with self-loathing every single day.

She wouldn't directly interfere; she wouldn't guide Bell's hand. His path needed to be his own. But if she let him build a connection with this poor elf, if she pushed them together in whatever small way she could- she was sure that Bell could change the girl's fate. After all, wasn't that the job of a Hero?

--*--

Bell had never been particularly popular with women before arriving in Orario. There hadn't been many in his tiny hometown to begin with, and those that were there tended to be scared of Alfia, which hadn't improved things.

Arriving in the dungeon city had been his big chance to start anew. He'd come with his head held high, pushing himself to try change his fortunes. Chief among his desires had been to prove himself to the woman who'd helped raise him, as well as his yearning for a family and a place to belong that the young adventurer never quite managed to find out how to put into words.

But beyond that, more tangible than any of that, he'd had a heart bursting with stories from his Grandfather and from his own dreams! Dreams of adventure and heroism, of love, encounters with beautiful women and of aiming for a harem, a "man's romance" as his Grandfather has explained it! His goals and his perspectives had shifted a little since then, but in those regards, Orario had certainly not disappointed.

By his rough counting, he'd been in the city for just over a month now, and in that time, he'd managed to win himself three dates with three different women, each of them stunning beauties in their own right, the kind of women any man would fall over themselves for a chance just to talk to!

If he'd heard that story before arriving, he could only imagine how his previous self's eyes would have lit up in wonder, and how his desire to journey to Orario would have blazed only hotter.

The problem however, Bell had learned in the time since, was the context of those dates.

His time with Eina had been pleasant, if platonic. While there'd been the horribly embarrassing experience of running into his Goddess and finding her secretly working a second part time job in one of Hephaestus's shops, that had been the only real hiccup. She'd taken him to an armoury he didn't even know existed, he'd brought a set of armour that felt perfect for him and she'd given him an armguard. It hadn't been the romantic date of his dreams, but it had been a warm and comfortable time with the advisor he cherished (if occasionally infuriated), and he thought they'd both had a good time.

His next date had been with Hestia, and it had been an absolute unmitigated disaster. He still had absolutely no clue what had set the horde of Goddesses after them, or why they'd so persistently chased the pair across half the city, but it'd absolutely ruined any of the plans he'd put together as well as his attempt to show his appreciation for his Goddess… of course… for being a disaster, Bell didn't have particularly sour feelings about the night. While the date had gone badly, and he'd lost control of his emotions to the point of outright weeping into his Goddess's chest, everything else that'd happened that night had been the greatest experience of his life- rivalled only by joining the Hestia Familia and meeting Ais Wallenstein in the dungeon.

And unfortunately, any hopes that Bell may have had towards this latest date he'd found himself abruptly thrust into with the elf that'd so suddenly shown up on his doorstep was quickly scuttled. In spite of his efforts, Bell had a very distinct impression that Filvis was not enjoying their date.

There was nothing unpleasant about Filvis's actions. But there was nothing particularly pleasant either. Walking at a steady pace, and a few very intentional strides ahead of him, through the city, she went through the motions with clinical, professional acumen. Whether taking pity on him, or to please Alfia or both, she had agreed to take him on a date, to show him around the city. And so, with all the pride of an Elf, despite her previous distaste at the idea of it, she did so dutifully and thoroughly, if not with any enthusiasm.

Over the next hour, Bell became intimately aware with every facet of Orario that a level 4 veteran Adventurer could possibly imagine would be relevant or useful to a young rookie. The only gap in her explanations or her diligence came when they arrived within sight of a quiet looking area in the south-eastern side of the city with lanterns hanging unlit from the windows and countless Amazons lounging lazily around- there Filvis's only instruction was that he must stay away, and any further attempts Bell made in questioning her were pointedly ignored.

The tour finally drew to a close as she walked him through the high market road that served as a hub for the clinics, stores and homes of the city's most famous and revered apothecaries or healers, most prominent of all being the brilliant white palatial estate of the Dian Cecht Familia, home of the Dea Saint, who Bell was informed could work healing magic almost to the level of being considered a miracle. Predictably, just like walking through the Hephaestus Familia's main shops, everything here was well beyond the price range Bell could afford to the point where he was left staring in wide-eyed disbelief at the rows of potions, each single one representing a week's worth of life-threatening work for him, meant to be consumed just as readily as any other dungeon tool. In short, he walked gingerly past them and made very careful not to either touch or get anywhere close to knocking over anything along that entire street.

And with that, Filvis finally drew to a stop ahead of him, for the first time unsure of herself and what to do next.

Turning towards him, she questioned just how long exactly a date was supposed to be. Reminding him, with just a slight edge in her voice, that this was her first ever date.

Bowing again, he apologised once more.

She dismissed it. Explaining with a sigh that he had nothing to apologise for, she had done as was requested and done so willingly.

He offered to buy her something to eat, or a coffee.

She rejected that. Apparently, she'd already eaten before she'd come, and had no desire for more yet.

Without any other ideas, he finally suggested that perhaps this was long enough? They'd seen the city and they were only waiting for Alfia to draft her reply anyway, surely she'd be done by now.

To that, Filvis nodded, and they made their way back towards the abandoned church.

It was then however, without the duty of guiding him to keep her occupied, that Bell's persistently earnest personality and gracious enthusiasm managed to at last draw her into a proper conversation. Without anything else to talk about, walking with slightly lighter hearts back towards their destination, he told her about his time so far as an adventurer and his time in the dungeon, and slowly, just a little, she shared him with a portion of her own in return- telling him stories of her exploits in the upper levels, and of the floors that still awaited him.

For all his flaws and naïveté, and despite the fact that he was associated with the Maiden of Silence herself, there was no mistaking Bell's kind-hearted soul, nor how eagerly he listened to every scrap of information she shared about her adventures. Filvis doubted she still had the heart of an Elf, but what still remained of her Elven nature, couldn't help but resonate with him just a fraction. Just enough to humour him for ten minutes until they returned to his home.

And, of course, when they arrived, she reminded him once more -making herself extremely clear- that despite what he may or may not understand, the situation around her, and around her father was serious and deeply personal. It was not his to share, and it would only cause problems for Alfia if he did so. He must make certain to never mention her presence at all.

--*--

"W-Woah… White-hair, he's really eating it-nya."

"I can't believe it…"

Ryu, realising she was apparently the only waitress actually doing any work this morning, arched an eyebrow at that comment. Crossing the inside of the kitchen over to where Anya, Chloe and Lunoire (three of the Hostess of Fertility's five main waitresses) were currently shirking their duties to peek into the main hall at where Syr (the other main waitress, also not working) was currently humming a happy tune, seated across from Bell Cranel, the rookie adventurer that Syr had recently fallen head over heels for.

Syr prepared lunch for Bell each morning before he left for the dungeon, and Bell had come to collect this day's lunch just as he normally did, albeit later than usual. As Ryu understood it, today was a day off for him, which was why Syr had instead prepared a breakfast for him and why he was currently eating it across from her right in the middle of the dining hall. Ryu was happy for them both, of course. She didn't know Bell particularly well but, from the short conversation they'd had outside the Astrea Familia home, he'd seemed well intentioned, and she'd only heard good things of him from Syr since.

Which left her confused as to why exactly all her colleagues had abandoned their duties to watch the two lovebirds, and why the two catgirl's tails were twitching so wildly in the air.

"She cooks for him every morning," She reminded them, "This is normal."

"Sure, but… I never thought he actually ate it!"

"Right! I thought he just tipped it out when he got to the dungeon-nya!"

"Yeah! Yeah! Or, or used it to fight the monsters-nya!"

Eyes wide with shock, Ryu jolted in place, insulted and offended, outraged at even hearing such slander against the food that Syr had worked so hard to prepare for the man she loved! Rising herself up to her full height, she stomped furiously towards the three gossiping busybodies, fully prepared to defend her friend's honour!

"!"

And then she stopped. Her mouth opened and closed but she couldn't find the words to argue. They weren't wrong, per se… Syr was kind, she was caring, she was beautiful, smart, playful and even a little scary when she wished to be, there were countless reasons Ryu could think of as to why Syr was the most popular waitress in their bar and a famous name throughout the city besides. But her cooking was not one of them.

To put it kindly, Syr's cooking was what might be generously termed an affront to life itself.

It was crunchy when it was meant to be smooth, squishy when it was meant to be hard, somehow both cooked and raw at the same time, and there was always that same lingering pungent aroma that left none in doubt that the silver haired girl had recently been at work in the kitchen once again. None of the other wait-staff ever touched the meals she made. Even Ryu, for all that she cherished Syr, had only done so once (and had subsequently been out of action for the rest of the day).

And yet, just a few meders away from them, in the middle of the dining hall, Bell Cranel was happily shovelling through a full plateful of what appeared to be gelatinous, purple goop. Rather than suffering through it, he seemed like he could barely get enough of it.

"Hmph." The elf smiled contentedly, grabbing hold of the catgirl's tails with one hand and Lunoire's ear with the other, dragging them away back to work, "That's the power of True Love, of course."

Ryu, as with most elves, was very much a romantic.

--*--

"I'm really sorry I didn't make lunch for you yesterday, Bell-san!" Syr repeated for the third time as the young adventurer finally polished off the massive-stacked breakfast she'd made him as way of apology, "I really wanted to, I just got caught up at home, there was something urgent I needed to take care of, I couldn't get away."

"It's fine, it's fine, really!" he assured her, again for the third time, "Ryu-san made lunch for me instead, and, and well, you guys really don't need to, I really appreciate how much you do for me as it is!"

"Hehe, well you just keep coming for dinner anytime you're celebrating something and we'll be even!"

That was definitely going to be hard on his pocketbook. But he could hardly say no after the way she'd just treated him to breakfast, so Bell simply nodded. Collecting his plate and pushing it aside, Syr rested her head on her hands, humming lightly for a moment as she gazed at him. She knew she'd be called back to work soon, she wasn't meant to be taking even this long, but she couldn't help it. She was determined to enjoy this for as long as it took Mama Mia to notice she was shirking.

"Mhmmm, so tell me, how'd you wind up in the Hestia Familia anyway? I'd never heard of them before you came along, did you know Hestia-sama before you came to Orario?"

"Oh no, hah, I was really lucky to meet her! I told you how I came here with my mother's-sister, right? Well, we were staying in a hotel originally, and I was looking for a Familia that would take me…" Bell paused a moment, blushing slightly and looking down as he pulled out the painful memory of his past. Normally this wasn't a topic he would have wanted to talk about. But Syr was always so kind to him, he couldn't help but want to be honest, "I, er, well, it didn't go very well. I spent a long time just… Well, I looked all over and nowhere I applied to seemed interested in taking me."

With some trepidation and embarrassment at opening up about his past failures, Bell slowly spent the next several minutes telling Syr all about his earliest struggles after arriving in Orario.

How he'd applied all over the city.

How he'd been shown the door time and again.

How he'd passed the days and nights facing his sense of inferiority, the sense of being unwanted by anyone in the entire city.

The chance encounter he'd had with Ryu.

And, how Hestia's kindness and warmth had saved him.

"Bell-san… I'm sorry, I never knew you'd had it so hard…" reaching out, she brushed his hand gently with her own, her face burning red for a moment at the contact before gathering her courage and grabbing his hand with her own, squeezing it gently as she spoke, "I thought all the dungeon seeking Familia were always hiring, the Loki or Ganesha Familia, why would they turn someone like you away?"

"I uh…" with his ears burning red from the way Syr was so gently holding his hands, compounded with the fact that her question was unintentionally asking him to explain his weakness, Bell struggled for a response, "I… guess, I just wasn't, er good enough?"

"What about the Freya Familia?" she asked in a gentle whisper, "Why did you not apply there? I've heard Freya-sama is always on the lookout for adventurers with such amazing potential like yours Bell-san!"

"H-Ha-Hha… Apparently not?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Her hand was squeezing his just a little tighter now, "Bell-san?"

"I-er, ahh, well, I did apply to the Freya Familia. I never even saw Freya-sama, they just scoffed and turned me away at the gate. I guess I jus-ah!"

Bell blinked. Syr was looking at him just as kindly and tenderly as ever. Her gaze was practically overflowing with compassion at hearing the struggles he'd had finding a Familia… But, just for a moment… just for an instant… he was almost sure he'd seen her eyes flash.

"They turned you away? Th-That's… that's horrible, that must have been a terrible experience… and that happened long before you even met Hestia-sama? Oh Bell-san, I can't even imagine… You don't happen to remember which of the guards you talked to, do you?"

"WH-ah!? Er, ah S-S-Syr-san! M-My hand! You're, you're squeezing rea-really hard!"

For some reason, as Ryu was dragging her back towards her duties, Anya Frommel suddenly had a strange sensation that her brother was in great danger.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: Ah don't worry, Freya loves her children too much to really do anything, Allen isn't in any real danger. He's might be facing some displeasure for the next little while though.

I understand it's a bit of a cliché in Danmachi stories for Bell to get a skill after sleeping with a girl, and obviously skills don't really get handed out all that easily… but still, it feels to me that making an eternal commitment to a Goddess and deflowering a Celestial Virgin would be more than cause enough to cause his soul to grow. My aim with this skill was something akin to the oaths in "The Faraway Paladin", essentially the greater the oath the stronger the power, but the more difficult the duty. So, this skill gives Bell the potential for great power, but it also comes with an important duty of protecting the words he swore to his Goddess.

I think for someone like Hestia, an oath of commitment and companionship matches her exactly, but that'd be different for different Goddesses. Artemis might want something similar to Hestia, while Welf may have to offer a something much more tangible to prove a similar devotion to Hephaestus and Astrea would likely care more for an oath of everlasting intentions. But I imagine Freya has no end of men willing (and truly meaning) to offer her an eternal oath, the kind of commitment that would form an everlasting bond with her would be quite different, I think. Either way what kind of Hero might have such pledges to multiple Goddesses? An interesting idea, I think.

Anyway, Filvis! And the potential for her fate to be changed! There'll certainly be more developments there.

One last thing: I think the biggest surprise I've had after writing this has been how much I've been spoiled on random stuff- especially considering I'm current with the English LN's for mainline and SO. I guess I should have understood that some of you read past that and dig into Japanese spoilers for leaks or unreleased volumes, or some storylines from DanMemo that haven't intersected with mainline yet. For that, I'll just ask that you please hold fire. If it's not in the English LN's or SO, then I probably don't know about it. I'm generally fine either way, I know most DanMemo stuff and I understand most are just super side stories or background stories, but still, just gimmie a little leeway, please.

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 5: Is It Wrong To Want To Learn Magic?

Notes:

Author's Note: I have a lot I want to say, but I'm leaving to go overseas on a work trip in literally about 10minutes, and I've been desperately working to get this uploaded before then. It's not edited or checked like the other chapters have been, but it's finished and I've just barely, barely gotten it out before I left, so here you go.

At least I can say that finally a girl besides Hestia gets a sex scene in this chapter, although not a hugely big one, hopefully you'll like it regardless.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Want To Learn Magic?

--*--

"I'm back!"

"Mmm?" knocked out of her comfortable silence at the greeting, Alfia raised an eyebrow towards where her sister's son was shutting the door behind him, "You're back early."

Bell had never really been the kind to just lounge around the house, so even without having any specific plans she'd expected him to find something to occupy his time, at least until Hestia returned home. Whatever he did end up doing today, she'd expected to find him eagerly awaiting his Goddess's return after their… after… after everything that'd happened last night, and- Alfia's face heated up and, for what felt like the hundredth time just so far today, she quickly shook that thought from her mind.

"Well, I didn't really have anything I needed to do. But Syr made breakfast for me when I went to return her lunchbox, and she leant me a book to read."

So saying, he shrugged off his cloak, dropped the small volume she hadn't noticed him carrying onto the couch and headed to the kitchen to make himself some tea. That, Alfia noticed, was one of the few habits of hers that Bell had actually picked up. He was far kinder than she'd ever bothered to be, he was warm-hearted right to the core of his being, he was stubborn in his own way and he made much more noise than there was ever cause to do so- but he almost always made himself tea the few times he did settle down with a book, so at least she could say she'd had some influence on his development.

That silly line of thought surprised her. It wasn't often Alfia bothered to joke with anyone, let alone herself. Realising that, she noticed that her mood had perked up considerably. Because her adorable and beloved Bell had arrived home? Or because he seemed to be in a much better mood than when he'd left? It was hardly a surprise that the date she'd sprung on him with that Evilus girl, Filvis, hadn't been much of a success. Alfia's plan there was looking to the future, and how she would encourage future interactions between the pair, she knew Babel wasn't built in a day, so no part of her had been shocked when Bell had returned with a difficult and conflicted look on his face. She was shocked now though that seeing him looking much more upbeat left her own heart suddenly so much warmer.

Heroes, she decided, were dangerous to women. Heroes-to-be included.

And at that, never being one to drag on a conversation beyond necessary, Alfia turned her attention back to her own book.

…

Or, at least she meant to.

But instead, a strange sight caught her out of the edge of her vision. Right as Bell was returning to the couch.

She leaned forward. Something was off. Something wasn't quite right. Something wa- Eyes shooting wide, Alfia almost choked in surprise! Jerking suddenly in place, she slipped forwards nearly enough to fall off her seat.

"B-hhwa… Bell! What are you… that, that's not a book!"

How did she only just notice!? Were her civilian senses really this dull!? The thing was as good as drowning the entire room in magic! The hairs on her arms were practically electrified, and she could taste the familiar tang of power coursing through the air! Latent magic was subtle, of course, but she had once been the most powerful sorceress in the world and just looking at it now she could see the quality of it was pristine, almost beyond measure, she should never have missed something like this, even without a Falna!

"Huh?"

Picking up the tome and turning it over in his hands, he turned blankly towards her, staring with all the wide eyed innocence of a child who'd come home with a legendary weapon and was using it to peel fruit.

"It's… not a book?"

Swallowing heavily, Alfia forcibly regained her composure, clamping down on the sudden rush of excitement spearing through her and sat back in her seat, adopting her usual imperious tone, "Bell. That, is a grimoire."

He blinked again, staring dumbly. He truly had no idea what it was? How had he… it didn't seem possible. Grimoire's weren't something you could ever just stumble onto!

"Wait, you've…" calling back to her earlier lessons, he turned again to the book held in his hands, his own eyes going wide as he re-examined it with newfound reverence, "Grimoire? This is a grimoire!?"

"Yes."

"This… this could… Magic!?"

"Exactly."

Magic belonged to the races blessed with magic. Few indeed were the humans who ever learned to weave spells. Many might dream of it, or yearn for it, she knew for a fact that Bell was among that number, but it was a matter of fate or providence alone. Humans could never learn the inherent racial magic of the other species; their only hope was that it might develop through a Falna and through the levelling up in the Dungeon. Grimoire's were the sole exception to that. A one-use item that would outright force the development of magic in a person, the value to an adventurer could not be overstated.

"But, but, you said grimoire's are, they're priceless!"

"Close to it."

He was staring at the book now, shocked and awed at just what he was holding and just what it represented. That book represented the fantasy of every nascent adventurer, the dream of harnessing the power of magic! Alfia had no clue how he could have possibly gotten his hands on something like this, not even the Hera Familia stashes had anything like that lying around, but it didn't matter! This was a turning point in Bell's entire career, this could completely redefine how he fought in the Dungeon, she could practically taste the potential!

"I- I have to return it!"

Once again, the Maiden of Silence almost fell off her seat, "…What?"

"It's, something like this… the owner must be worried sick! I'll go back a-"

"Bell! That's a grimoire! You, most adventurers never even see one in their entire lives! Read it!"

"Wh… But, but, I- you told me, I remember, grimoires are a single use tool… If I read this, it's gone forever!"

"It will give you magic!"

"I, I…" he hesitated, weighing the book heavily in his hands, the temptation was tremendous. And for the life of her, Alfia couldn't understand nor believe he even had a moment's pause, "I can't! It's… Syr said that someone left this behind in the bar last night, whoever left it behind must be absolutely distraught. I remember how scared I was when I thought I'd lost my knife."

She boggled, "Bell. There is no-one in this world who would lose a grimoire in a bar. Even if that was possible, their entire Familia would have been there by now turning the entire place upside down looking for it. Especially for a grimoire like that, I've never even seen one as powerful as what you're holding right now!"

He paused, stepping backwards from her words.

"Whatever that waitress of yours told you, it's not true. I have no idea how this Syr could have possibly gotten her hands on something so incredible, but however she's done it, she's called in a considerable favour on your behalf Bell."

"Wha… Syr? She…"

"Whatever she's done, and whoever she's done it with, she did it for you. She gave you that grimoire, that wasn't an accident."

Bell swallowed heavily, weighing her words once again. His belief in his friend wavered under the reality of her words, now that he knew exactly what he was holding, he realised just how ridiculous it was to believe someone might have left it there forgotten overnight.

"I… I can't, I'm sorry."

Even so, he still came to the same conclusion. Shaking his head slowly, he grabbed his coat and tucked the grimoire carefully under his arm, all but fleeing from her glare and back towards the door.

"If someone did misplace it, I can't just… I need to talk to Syr, to ask her!"

And with that, before she could even get another word in edgewise, he was out the door and racing headlong out of sight, moving with all the frantic speed of the harried rabbits he was so often compared to!

If Alfia had been anyone else, she would have screamed after him, or groaned at his ridiculous antics. Instead, she simply sank heavily back down in her seat, gritting her teeth in frustration and laying her head in her hands. What an absolute waste! What a ridiculous situation! To think Bell had the power of magic so close at hand, and he was squandering the opportunity given to him! About the only thing left to console her was the thought that, when confronted, this waitress friend of his would surely just tell him to use the damn thing already.

She didn't snort, but she wanted to.

A waitress that got her hands on a grimoire? That was almost as ridiculous as the story he'd been spun about it being left behind. Until now, Alfia had largely put that Syr out of her mind, she sounded like a nice enough girl, but hardly the kind of woman worthy of a second thought- she wouldn't begrudge Bell any affection towards her, but to her mind, a civilian waitress was hardly the ideal figure to stand beside the Last Hero.

Perhaps she was worth some consideration after all, Alfia could only imagine how desperately a young girl like her must have had to dirty herself to get hold of something like that… all for Bell's sake… well, that wasn't a horrible thought.

It was certainly a much more pleasant thought than the realisation she was very pointedly trying to ignore- that if she'd simply said nothing, Bell would have read the grimoire and this whole mess would have been avoided.

For the first time in her life, the Maiden of Silence was regretting not living up to her title.

--*--

"Is everything alright, Bell-san?" Syr asked gently, running a supportive hand along the young adventurer's shoulder, "You look out of sorts, are you okay?"

Having just arrived at the Hostess of Fertility a few minutes ago, Bell had all but crashed into the bar, panting desperately and wide eyed in panic, he'd pleaded a desperate need to speak privately to the grey-haired waitress. And so, followed by the curious looks and suggestive comments from the other waitresses, he'd been lead to a spare room upstairs in the back of the pub, the same room that Hestia had stayed in while recovering from the Silverback attack, as it turned out.

"It's not me who, Syr-san, I'm, what abou-" shaking his head, he forced himself to calm down. Sucking in a few steadying breaths, he fought down the embarrassment threatening to overturn him and faced the beautiful woman dead on, holding up the book she'd given him with an only slightly trembling hand, "Syr-san, do you… do you know what this is?"

Tilting her head in innocent puzzlement, she nodded slowly, "That's… the book I leant you just earlier? What's wrong Bell-san, did you not like it?"

He sighed. And his word settled back into place, the panic and worry seeping out of him as a wave of relief settled down upon his shoulders instead. It really had just been a misunderstanding.

"You should have this back, Syr-san, and you should be very careful with it until the owner returns."

There was a trace of disappointment, sure. To give up something like magic was no easy feat. But he passed the book over to her all the same. The knowledge that she was safe thoroughly outweighed any regrets or selfish hesitations he may have had. Syr was a kind, wonderful woman, she'd been there supporting him since the first moment they'd met. Despite the way her irreverent, cheeky nature always kept him on the back foot, she was a beautiful, warm-hearted girl who'd looked after him freely and who cooked for him day-after day.

She hadn't done anything foolish or painful for his sake. And she hadn't put herself in danger to give him something important that someone else would come looking for.

He smiled openly and honestly.

Bell had yearned for magic his whole life. Magic was the absolute power he'd heard of in all the heroes' stories he'd read with his grandfather, and it was the pinnacle and climax of all the few stories he'd head from Alfia. Magic was the potential to upend and reverse any situation, it was the hope to overcome any trial in the dungeon. Every time Hestia had updated his status, he'd prayed for some sign of magic development, and he'd been disappointed every time.

But if the price for magic was someone he cared about, someone who'd protected him being hurt, then Bell would be happy to never learn any his entire life.

She didn't take the book.

Backing up a step, she simply looked at him in confusion.

"Why? You're not interested in it anymore, Bell-san?" she asked, breaking out in a softly cheeky smile, "You know, I think some reading would do you good though!"

He suddenly realised he'd made a great fuss, but hadn't explained anything. No wonder she was starting to worry about him!

"Ah, no, er, Syr-san, you see… Uh, well, I can't just, this thing's really valuable you know? Whoever left it behind must be going out of their mind looking for it!"

"Oh, it's really that rare? Wow, ooh, maybe I should take it to that old bookstore and-"

"S-Syr-san!"

"Hehe, I'm just kidding! I wouldn't do that. But I don't see why you're so worried, Bell-san. You can just read it here if you're worried about damaging it."

"Ah, no, well look, this is a little complicated," he rubbed his chin, trying to put the words into order to explain this situation properly, "You see, this isn't actually a book at all, it's-"

"It's a grimoire."

"H-Huh!?"

"Bell-san! Really! Aren't you a rookie adventurer! How do you know something like that!?"

She was pouting at him. Bell's world was spinning on it's axis, but at least Syr's adorable pouting face was a comfort.

"Th-Th-Th-That! Syr-san! That should be my question!"

She laughed, light and clear, and skipped backwards away from him before spinning in a circle. The entire room seemed to glow and shimmer around her as she did so, as if the very elements themselves were enthralled in her beauty as she gave herself to a moment of lively joy. Calming down, and standing very clearly just outside his reach, she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hehe, sorry, sorry! I was just playing a prank on you- I was so excited to see your panicking face when you ran here after the grimoire was used up, I couldn't help myself!"

Bell heaved a heavy and very confused sigh. None of this was playing out how he'd expected, "That's mean, Syr-san…"

"You completely foiled my plan though! I had no idea it was something so valuable, and I definitely never thought you'd know about grimoire's, Bell-san, you're a real adventurer these days, aren't you?" it was difficult for him not to blush at her effusive praise, "I'm sorry for tricking you, will you forgive me?"

He sighed, again. Regardless of anything else, he knew he couldn't possibly stay mad at her, not after all she'd done for him. He nodded, "Of course."

Her smile lit up even brighter, as if the very core of her soul had been relieved of all worry and pain. And for a moment, Bell could only bask in the glow of her happiness. For being a waitress, she was a difficult girl to manage, she definitely had a way of keeping him off-balance.

"You should be more careful though, Syr-san. This thing is no joke, if the owner had come back and lea-"

She interrupted him with a shake of her head, "Ahh, you're horrible, Bell-san! After all this, you're still going to make me spell it out for you? Are you always this mean to girls!?"

He stalled in place, and once again his world spun on its axis. This time as he watched Syr shift back and forth in place before him, looking every bit a maiden biting back her frustration.

He'd done something wrong?

He'd upset her somehow?

This was all way too confusing. Once again, she'd left him completely off balance!

Now that he'd started his first ever romantic relationship, Bell had thought he might be a bit better with women, but this whole conversation had been throwing him for a loop. He wished Eina were here! Or Alfia! Or his Goddess! Or, just anyone who knew how to deal with women! Unfortunately, his Goddess would glare at him, Alfia would tell him to figure things out himself, Eina would scold him for not listening properly, and none of them were here to help anyway.

"Are…" At great length, with his heart pounding in his chest and with each passing moment feeling like Syr might just turn on her heels and stomp out the room, Bell finally risked a tentative guess, "Are you, maybe, the owner, Syr-san?"

"I get shy too, you know, Bell-san… I'm not brave like you."

Her voice was soft and quiet, twisting in place, her eyes didn't meet his, but the sight of her face burning red at his question left Bell's heart clenching tight in his chest. Cute! For a moment that single word was the only thing that resonated within the young adventurer's mind. Syr had always been so confident and so assertive when he was with her, this was a side of her that he'd never seen before, a side of her that he'd never even imagined!

Struck dead on by the sight of the grey-haired waitress's hidden bashful side, Bell didn't stand a chance, for the duration of that moment he was utterly charmed. Smiling dizzily in return, it took a full second before he could even start putting the pieces together.

Alfia had been correct, there truly hadn't been anyone foolish enough to leave a grimoire behind in a bar. It really was from Syr. She'd known what it was and pretended not to as a way of teasing him, and she'd pretended it was just something left behind because she'd been too shy to give it to him outright. Bell's heart skipped a beat at that thought, and then a second right after that. She'd gotten something this important for him, she'd wanted him to have it… hadn't she said before that she'd been charmed by him after his fight with the Silverback?

"Uhaha, ah, um, Syr-san, then…"

Face burning red, and unable to even look at her right now, Bell's gaze dropped to the Grimoire he was still holding outstretched in his arms.

"I never realised how expensive it was, but I knew it was something valuable for adventurers. It was for you, Bell-san… will you accept it? From me?"

Stuttering and stammering over his words, he couldn't answer her properly but he slowly pulled the book back, slowly cradled it to his chest. His world was spinning in place and he was trying to stay afloat. Something valuable for adventurers, was she just looking out for him? Or then, did she, was she actually… if she'd been too shy to give it to him directly, then wasn't that the same as if…

His thoughts spun in a circle. And then, all of a sudden, they snapped to a halt.

And all the relief, and all the warmth, all the soft feelings and giddy daydreams melted away. And in their place was a reminder of the same dread and worries that'd pressed at him just earlier swallowed him up once again. The smile faded from his face, and when he looked at her, it was with a heart pounding from anxiety and dread.

Syr, a waitress in a bar, had gotten him a Grimoire.

"Ah, but… Where would you have… something like this, how did you…?"

She danced away again, laughing lightly and poking her tongue out once more.

"Bell-san! You can't ask something like that! That's a lady's secret!"

This time, neither her smile nor her teasing did anything to lighten his heart. Alfia's warnings and his darker thoughts enveloped him. As she slipped away from him, he had to fight back the urge to chase after her. Syr didn't want him to know. Or perhaps, she simply didn't want him to worry about her.

"Then, Syr-san, just tell me you're okay…?"

"Huh, Bell-san…?"

"I know…" he winced, pained once more by his own weaknesses and his seemingly never-ending failures, "I know I must seem unreliable, like I don't know anything, and, and that I'm just messing everything up. But, something like this… you don't need to go this far for me. I hate the idea that you might have gotten in trouble, or done something painful for my sake!"

Syr stopped in place and the cheeky grin fell from her face as she finally looked at him and realised just how serious he was.

"Bell-san… you really can't help but worry, can you?" she whispered, shaking her head lightly as her expression turned soft and gentle once more, "I'm sorry, I should have known, you're really not the type to just accept kindness without worrying about someone, are you? I'm fine, Bell-san, I promise, I didn't have to do anything painful… Hmm… Well, I'm not supposed to say anything, but I know you'll just worry about me, so- if you promise not to say anything to anyone about this, I'll tell you!"

"I-I, of course! I promise, I won't!"

She laughed again, shrugging her shoulders as if slipping an imaginary weight from them, "Bell-san, you know this bar is pretty popular right? You've seen the Goddess Loki here, her Familia come here pretty often when they've had a big success in the dungeon."

He didn't even need to nod, there was no way he could ever forget that night and the humiliation he'd suffered that'd sent him racing back to the dungeon. The desperation he'd felt to throw away his easy-going mindset and to change himself, to become a man, was one he knew he would remember for the rest of his life. The way he'd been sitting there just casually dreaming of a great future he'd wanted, the laughter, the cruel words he'd deserved, her being there and hearing it all… He could feel the Falna on his back smouldering gently in response as each of the images rose in his head.

"Well, the Loki Familia is far from the only ones, Mama Mia's got a really amazing reputation now, lots of famous adventurers and Gods pass by these days. And one of those, is the Goddess Freya," Bell blinked, a little taken aback to be told that the bar he'd been spending so much time in recently was frequented by not just one but both of the pillars of Orario, "She really enjoys this place you know? She likes the staff, and she loves the food but… it's difficult for her, as a Goddess of Beauty. You must have heard some of the things people say about her- everywhere she goes, people can't help but pay attention to her, it causes her such a fuss she even travels around under a cloak when she's walking through the city. Every time she came around here, it would always just be a big mess, and Mama Mia got absolutely sick of it!"

Bell nodded dumbly. He'd heard a few tales about the Goddesses of Beauty, Ishtar and Freya both. It was hard to separate fact from fanciful tale when discussing the powers of the deities, so he'd never really given it much thought. He still couldn't really make sense of it, but he could imagine how worrying it must be when, apparently, she couldn't even walk through the city without causing problems.

"Mama Mia banned her from the store, but, well, you know her, she'd never really refuse someone who enjoys her cooking. So, she arranged for me to bring the food to her instead. Every now and then, Freya-sama will give us an order, and I'll take it over to her, and so we'd talk for a little while. You're not allowed to tell this to anyone, Bell-san! It'd cause a lot of trouble if any of this got out!"

"R-Right! I-I won't!" He couldn't imagine what kind of trouble it would cause, but Syr seemed very serious about it and the least he could do was prove himself worthy of her trust.

"Mmm, okay, I'm trusting you, alright? Don't even say anything to the other waitresses, it's just, well, it's just a lot easier to not say anything, okay?" he nodded again at her insistence, "Anyway, well, I guess eventually Freya-sama and I became friends. And lately I've been telling her all about you, about how kind you are and how much I worry when you go off into the dungeon all alone, and about how brave you are, and how strong you are too! I told her all about how you defeated that Silverback!"

Struck by her suddenly effusive praise as well as the knowledge that Syr had apparently been gushing about him to the woman who ran the most powerful Familia in Orario left Bell blushing tremendously. Dropping his gaze to the floor as his cheeks burned red-hot, he couldn't meet the excited look in the waitress's eyes as she told him all about how she'd been regaling his adventurers to the legendary Goddess. A tiny part of him wanted to protest her talking about him behind his back, but he couldn't even bring himself to truly care. From what she was saying, Syr's discussions were only that of a woman talking about a man she was attached too, and more than anything else, if he was aiming to be a Hero, he could hardly complain about someone telling his story to someone else- that was the dream of every hero.

"She probably thinks I'm very silly, worrying so much… but she always asks about you, and she's been so very happy hearing about your growth, and how well you've done so far. She could hardly believe you've already made it to the 8th floor all by yourself, most new adventuring parties would take months to get that far!" Bell's chest puffed out and he just barely held back from adding that he'd already conquered the 8th floor, "And so, um, well… last time I was talking to her, I told her about your fight with the Silverback… about how brave you were, and how strong you were, and about how scary it was, watching you fight like that, seeing how much danger you were in… I hehe, I probably talked way too much, I was really scared for you Bell-san! My heart wouldn't stop pounding for hours after that fight! I was thinking about you all night you know!"

She was teasing him, she was definitely, definitely, teasing him. But any chance Bell had to maintain his composure exploded after that last line.

Syr had told him before that he'd stolen his heart during that fight. And while he still wasn't quite sure how serious she'd been with that comment, he could understand how scary a fight like that must have been to a civilian. Life in the dungeon had been one of very quick adjustment for Bell, and he'd had to adapt fast to going from a life where he was always relatively safe to one where he was now always just a few meders from death. And even for him, a somewhat, slightly, kind'a, experienced adventurer, that had been the second-closest he'd ever been to death, he'd been terrified! He couldn't imagine how much more terrifying a monster like that must seem when you didn't even have a God's Falna as any hope of protection, especially when you were watching someone you knew get battered around the city.

He tried to process all of that, but mostly his head just spun in place from the sudden influx of information and his cheeks blazed red as he succumbed to the praise.

Reaching out, Syr finally took hold of the book he was still holding out, only to push it gently back towards him once more, "She understood how much I wanted to help you, how I wanted to see you safe, Bell-san. I think she took pity on me, or maybe she just wants to hear more about your adventures. But she gave that grimoire to me, she said it would protect you."

"It's a gift, from Freya-sama?"

"And from me," she nodded, removing her hands from the book and stepping away once again, "It's for you, Bell-san. I don't know anything about magic, but I'm sure it'll help you. Please, accept it."

He barely knew what to think. Hardly knew what to say. He'd barely been going to the dungeon for a few weeks now, he was still level 1, and still the most important Goddess of the city had given him something like this? Syr had done this much for him? Was this really okay? Was it really alright for him to have something this important?

His brain had already turned to mush, he couldn't even figure out how to respond. Blushing and stammering, Bell stumbled uselessly over his words. Choking out his thanks and his gratitude with just as much force as he tried to fervently apologise for causing her such a fuss and for the way she'd gone this far for him, he faltered just trying to express his disbelief at this all and promising once again that he'd never breathe a word of this to anyone!

Syr just smiled kindly as his words spiralled around the room and crashed together in a useless cacophony.

After a minute he finally gave up, and bowed deeply instead.

"Hehe, thank you. I'm glad if I can help you, even just a little."

Once again, Bell cursed his weakness. Just like with Filvis, he lacked the words and the confidence to say what needed to be said- to convince Syr of how truly he appreciated her, the way she'd looked after him and the kind encouragement she'd so freely offered.

In the end, he bowed again and offered what thanks he could manage while she enthusiastically assured him that nobody was going to be using this room for the rest of the afternoon, so he could just go ahead and get comfortable, and use the Grimoire right here. It seemed like a reasonable suggestion- apparently the Goddess Freya had given Syr instructions that he'd need to be careful to read the grimoire completely alone, lest anyone else get drawn into the magic.

After sighing to himself at the way she'd completely failed to relay those instructions with her earlier intention to prank him, he agreed to the idea.

Rationally, he could understand that it would probably be smarter to do something like this under Alfia's instruction.

But he figured after everything Syr had done for him, he wanted her to be the first one to see whatever he learned from this. And partly, after such an exhausting and confusing conversation, he was just feeling an anxious excitement. He could barely wait to get started.

"Okay, you just go get comfortable. I'll stand outside to make sure nobody else comes in."

"That's, you don't need to go that far surely! I'll ju-"

Stepping past him with a spring in her step, Syr suddenly pivoted on her heel, catching him entirely by surprise and completely off guard as she slid in right up against him, so close that his words instantly caught in his throat and the sweet scent of her filled his senses.

"Oh, and Bell-san…"

One hand laid on his chest and the other on his shoulders. Her words were a whisper carried in a gentle purr on the warm air suddenly tickling against his face, and as Syr spoke, her lips brushed just slightly against his ear.

"It's adorable that you were so worried for me, but there was never anything to fear…" Syr's hand on his chest slid slowly up, dragging her fingertips gently across his collar and over his neck, and she caressed his cheeks tenderly as she whispered her assurance, "...I've already decided to give my virginity to you. I'm just waiting for you to take it, whenever you're ready."

And in the next instant, as Bell's world crashed to a halt once again, she released him and stepped past him.

And with one final cheeky smile and one last delighted laugh, she was gone.

She was teasing him.

She was teasing him!

She was definitely, definitely, definitely, DEFINITELY teasing him!

But it was still several very long minutes before Bell could calm down enough to even begin to think of anything else.

--*--

Modern Magic That Even A Goblin Can Learn.

The title was certainly promising. Bell had never considered himself a particularly smart person, the thought of studying magic from a book had been, in itself, a fairly daunting prospect. But then, this wasn't just a book, it was a grimoire, a magic item. Really, he still couldn't believe this. He'd dreamed of magic his entire life, and now it was here, quite literally in his hands.

There was nothing else for it, taking a deep breath and uselessly trying to still the shivers of anticipation running through him, Bell opened the grimoire.

…

The words on the page swam before his eyes.

His world fogged and faded.

Everything seemed distant. Muted.

Slumping backwards onto the bed he'd been sitting on, Bell fell into a daze. His eyes shut, and his breathing slowed, and his mind was taken far away.

It was a dream. He was barely awake, barely conscious and barely thinking. His thoughts came to him in the form of questions…

From the grimoire?

From himself?

From his soul?

It didn't matter.

What was magic to him?

An incredible attack to slay monsters. A mysterious power used by heroes to come back from near death.

Strong, fierce, merciless, overwhelming.

It was what he'd always wanted to have, just once. What he'd been yearning for. A heroic power to clear away the obstacles in my path.

More than anything, more than a weapon or a shield, it was possibility. It was the impossible made real.

Magic was the power to overturn despair. To create hope. It was the power to defeat his inner-weakness, to change himself, to become a hero.

What did he seek from magic?

He wanted to be a hero. The kind of hero he'd read about as a child. The kind of hero he'd always looked up to. A hero who had a place in the world, who did great deeds and helped everyone he could, who was loved and who loved in turn.

No matter how pathetic a fantasy, how vain and indignant, how miserably unsuited he might be for it. He wanted to be the kind of hero who could chase after and reach a girl who was faster than anyone. The kind of hero who could protect a vow that would last through eternity. The kind of hero that would make the people he loved happy.

What form did magic take to him?

Here, Bell paused. His mind filled with images from his grandfather's stories, of incredible jolts of lightning streaking from a man's hand. And his soul filled with the idea of a flame strong enough to warm even the weak heart of a child trying to grow strong. But those thoughts were weak, indistinct. They swirled and passed and faded.

Magic.

When he thought of magic, he thought of the stories Alfia had told him. The only time she was ever truly animated in her recounting, more animated than even she'd probably ever realised. Her usual calmness and serenity dropped as her words filled with emotion and with yearning. More even than his grandfather or the stories, she was the one who had aligned the desire for magic within him. Magic was the power she'd told him of, the idea that was taken from her adventures and passed through the lessons she'd given him. Magic was the power she'd spoken of -never often, but always intensely- all throughout his life.

Magic was possibility. The possibility to be a hero. The possibility to protect what he loved.

Magic was the sound of victory.

--*--

Bell was enveloped in a feeling of safety and security as his dimmed consciousness slowly began to return.

Groaning softly, he came back to himself, as if waking from a great sleep. His eyes opened, but his vision and his thoughts were hazy and indistinct.

With his awareness only just starting to come back, he gave himself over entirely to the feelings surrounding him. He could feel his head elevated, and cradled warmly, gently in place. Soft and gentle hands were stroking tenderly through his hair. It was soothing. Comforting. The sense of loving companionship warmed him just like the night he'd spent with his Goddess… but the delicate touch, the soft caresses, reminded him of memories so distant he couldn't even bring them to mind, with nothing left but faint impressions left upon his soul.

Bell stirred slightly.

"A…Alfia?"

A soft giggle came as his reply.

"I can be like her, if you'd like."

That didn't sound right. Bell blinked again, and as his thoughts clicked slowly into place, his vision began to clear.

A beautiful face appeared before him. Soft silver eyes twinkled mischievously down at him, framed by a mop of silvery-grey hair hanging free as she bent over leaning towards him. He blinked again, drowning for a moment in the softness that surrounded him and the beauty that now framed his sight. The fingers stroking through his hair continued, and another soft thrum of warm contentment washed over him.

"…Am I dreaming?"

"No. But I'd always be happy to appear in your dreams, Bell-san."

"Uh…"

Finally, reality returned. And with it, came realisation.

Syr!? That was Syr!

He'd been… he'd been asleep, or… the grimoire! He'd been asleep, and…

He was on the bed? No? He was… he was lying on her lap!

He was lying on Syr's lap!

Syr was giving him a lap pillow, while brushing his hair and staring warmly down at him!

"UH-HWHA!?"

Crying out aloud, Bell shot up so fast, he keeled over entirely and slipped from the bed, falling right down to the floor with a strangled yell. Moaning in pain as he collected himself, to the ringing sound of Syr's gentle laughter, he slowly dragged himself back to his feet. His heart was racing, and again his face burning red at the waitress's actions. But he fought hard not to be defeated too easily, and fought even harder to keep her parting words from rising in his mind once more. He wasn't entirely successful, and his flush was as much shame as arousal, but he managed to keep some fragments of his composure by keeping his eyes away from the dangerously cute, older girl.

"You really do what you want, huh, Syr-san…"

"How mean, Bell-san! I was looking after you! You were out of it for so long, I was starting to get worried."

Any worries she may have had were undermined by the laugh in her voice and the way he could see her poking her tongue out at him from the corner of his eyes. But her words did bring him back enough to realise just how dim the light shining through the windows were now, "Huh… it's dark already?" this part of Orario was well lit by the street lamps spread throughout the city, but it was a shocking change from the bright midday sun that'd lit the room before he'd started reading the grimoire.

"Mhmm, you slept all afternoon. We're going to be starting the evening rush pretty soon, so I thought I'd better check on you," she explained, sliding closer to him as she did and sending Bell's heart jumping at the same time, "How'd it go? Did it work!?"

"I- Ah…"

Realisation clicked once more. Magic! Magic! In the sudden confusion and with how disoriented he'd been, he'd somehow forgotten. He couldn't remember much from after he'd opened the book, he'd read a few lines and then… everything past that was a hazy blur, he couldn't picture any of it… Staring around the room, he could see the grimoire lying open on the floor, the pages now completely blank. He knew only as much about them as he'd ever heard from Alfia's story, but it certainly gave the impression of a magic item that'd had its power entirely spent. Then… Then… Did it work!? Did he know magic now!? He couldn't tell! No spells or incantations came to mind! How was he supposed to find out!? Did he ju-

"Goddess!" he gasped suddenly, jolting in place at the most obvious realisation in the world, "Ah, I have to, I have to ask her! She'll, my Status, it'll be, I'll have to get her to read it!"

Syr blinked in response, barrelled over by his sudden rush of words. But with that sudden realisation, came a second.

"Ah… she won't be off work yet though…"

As Syr had said, it was evening now, just before the dinner rush. His Goddess wouldn't be finishing her part time job for some hours yet. And worse, this would be the busiest time of her night, even if he were so selfish as to turn up on her job site, he could hardly drag her away and get her to update his status.

It didn't make a difference. It wasn't as if there was any harm done in waiting a few hours. If he did know magic now, if the grimoire truly had worked, then that would be as true tonight as it was now. Nodding to himself, Bell sucked in a deep, calming breath. And then he shifted in place, and then his hands twitched impatiently at his side. Shaking his head, he drew in a second calming breath. And then a third.

Ahhh! He wanted to know! Magic! He felt like he'd waited his whole life for this moment! He'd asked about magic almost every single time his Goddess had updated his status! It was only a few more hours, it was childish to get so impatient! Ahh, if he did ask her, surely she could… it would only take just a few minutes, he could help her with her job afterwards! Ah! He couldn't do that to his Goddess! He already caused her so much trouble, he couldn't impose on her work! He could wait! He would wait! He would… he'd… there was no way he could read right now… maybe he'd go for a walk around the city or…

"Bell-san, you're so cute," once again, his rampant thoughts were brought back on track by her gentle interruption, "It looks like you're really impatient to find out, huh? Well, I might be able to help."

Again, his world spun to a halt. "You can… How?"

"Hehe, I told you, a lot of Gods come into the restaurant these days. I've talked to a lot of them, and made friends with some, and I've picked up a few things. The grimoire forces magic development, doesn't it? Do all you'd need to do is have the runes on your back read, I might be able to have a look for you."

"What? Really!?"

"I don't know it very well, but I can read just a little of the God's writing. Well, unless your Goddess locked your Status?"

"Oh, ah, no! No!" suddenly, with just a slight twinge of guilt, he felt himself thankful for all the trouble his Goddess had found trying to lock his Status, "She locked my Skills, but everything else, I uh, well, I think it should be fine!"

An adventurer's Status was private. You were absolutely not meant to show it to someone else, nor were you supposed to do something to pry into the details of someone's Status. Even Bell knew all that. But this was Syr! It was definitely okay for her! She was the one who'd gotten him the grimoire in the first place!

And so, with just a little awkwardness and embarrassment between them, Bell had shrugged off his shirt and was seated on the bed with the grey-haired waitress standing behind him.

"Ohh… Bell-san, you're a little more muscular than you look, aren't you?"

"H-H-Huh!? Uh, ahha, th-thanks?"

Tracing her fingers delightedly down the contours of the young man's back, Syr knew she was going far too far with this. She'd already well overstepped her planned boundaries when he'd pushed her for the details about the grimoire. She was normally much more careful about how she acted, even when it came to him. But he'd asked so sweetly, and she wanted to see him happy, it was so very hard to resist. She knew she shouldn't, she hadn't even planned to come and check on him like this, once again she was going far beyond the boundaries she'd originally set for herself.

But Syr was an indulgent woman, so she indulged.

Her mouth grew wet and her breath raced just a touch faster as she drew her fingertips across his skin. His status was unveiled ahead of her, but her eyes drank in the full scope of the sight before her eyes. She'd never seen Bell this closely, she might not get to see him like this again for some time, she wanted to take at least a second to savour the experience.

Just as she'd said, his experience in the dungeon was quickly showing off in his physique. He was still young and still fairly short, only a little taller than she, but he was a good deal less scrawny than she'd imagined. The proof of his hard work so far was clear, there was some real definition to his muscles, and his back was already much larger than she'd expected, it took her several full seconds to run her hands across his full expanse.

And that same surprise carried through to his Status itself. Just as he'd said, his skills section was locked from her gaze, but the rest of his Status was clearly revealed. Her eyes passed quickly over the symbol of the Sacred Flame emblazoned on his skin, paying it as little mind as she could manage, and instead she had to hold back a gasp of surprise as she read through the ability numbers representing his excelia.

He had worked hard indeed.

Had he really only been going to the dungeon for a few weeks? If the idea of Bell being able to lie to her hadn't been even less believable, she would have thought his whole story had been made up.

All his stats were almost S rank.

This was not the status of some rookie adventurer that was barely dipping his toes in the dungeon's depths. Most adventurers would barely get any stats to S rank before levelling up, if they did at all. To see a row of S's across his entire status left her simply staring in wonder and disbelief. It shouldn't have been possible, not as fast as he'd managed it and not on the floors he'd managed it on. As an ability got closer to the top, it was much harder to grow, even a single digit increase might take some incredible effort or days of work, hundreds of monsters might be slain without yielding even a single point of increase. And yet, here he was, sitting with almost all his abilities nearing the maximum. His Dexterity and Agility were the standouts, of course, each already well into the top of the A rank, she'd expected as much from seeing him fighting the Silverback. But even his strength and endurance were nothing to sneeze at.

If she'd seen such a record presented to her on paper, she would have thought it was a joke, if not belonging to some poor adventurer that'd sat for a decade at level 1 without managing a great enough feat to push him over to level 2. It was no wonder he was already diving into the 8th floor, even as a mostly solo adventurer. If anything, seeing this just made her excited to see how much further he could progress, how much deeper he could seek yet!

Sliding her hands across the numbers, as if to feel them against her skin, Syr's voice leaked out in a soft humm, an appreciation for his hard work and for the shocking growth that was well above anything even she had imagined. This was certa-

"Uh, is, is it alright? Can you read it?"

His words jolted her from her pleasant reverie and jerked her back down to earth. Her face flushed a little deeper red in response. Not from guilt, she couldn't possibly feel guilty for taking the time to admire him, but from the shame at having almost caused some trouble. His Skills -if he even had any yet- were locked, just as he'd told her, but his back now proudly displayed a new section, his Magic.

"Ah, sorry Bell-san, it was just taking me a moment, I think I've got it, okay!"

"!"

She could feel every muscle in his body tensing at her words, his very soul practically standing on edge with excitement. Really, it should be illegal to be this adorable. The effect he had on her was just ridiculous. Of course, if it had been illegal she would have forced the laws to be changed, because she loved every moment of it.

"Sagitta Sonus" she read, "Swift Strike Magic. Huh… That's all it says."

"It's really there!?"

"It is."

"I, then, I've become a magic user!?"

"You have."

Despite himself, Bell couldn't even begin to contain the scream of joy that burst from him! It might be childish, it might be ridiculous, but he couldn't help it, he didn't want to help it! Shamelessly, heedlessly, he jumped in place and then bounded around the room, clenching his hands and throwing them wide and laughing, free and clear and with a joy he couldn't dream of holding back.

And all the while Syr laughed just as happily with him and danced just as delightedly alongside his joy.

"I can't believe it! It's, Syr-san! Thank you! Thank you!"

The few minutes of hectic celebration became another few minutes of gushing thanks and praise. She waved off his gratitude, telling him that she was happy if he was safer now, and he thanked her again, more enthusiastically and more excitedly by the second.

It was only after several more minutes of celebration, gratitude and outburst joy, that a realisation suddenly popped into place for the young adventurer, "Then… how do I use it?" when he thought back to the magic that Alfia had told him about and the spells he'd heard about in his stories, the details were clear. There was an endless amount of nuance, technique and skill that went into the casting of the spells, particularly in combat, but the basics were as simple as could be- the user would perform a chant that would act as a trigger and the trigger would bring forth the magic within them. A spell with a long chant might be enough to devastate an entire floor of the dungeon, but equally it would be significantly harder to use. That was the payoff, power against utility.

But Syr hadn't mentioned any chant, or any trigger. Just the name of the spell.

"I was just thinking of that," she nodded, "But I didn't forget to read it out, that's all it says."

He tilted his head, chewing on his lip as he tried to make sense of that, "Swift Strike Magic", she had said, "Sagitta Son-Mmmph!?"

Right as he'd been trying to work this out, Syr suddenly leapt towards him and slapped both her hands over his mouth.

"B-Bell-san! Be careful!" he stared at her wide eyed, but she made no move to remove her hands, "I was just about to say, I think… I think maybe your magic doesn't have a chant."

"!"

"That makes sense, right? That's why it wouldn't have anything else written there. So, so it might go off the second you say it! So, be careful, okay?"

Realising that he'd almost paid back her hospitality, care and unfathomably generous gift by potentially blowing the room they were standing into smithereens (or at least, he liked to imagine his spell would be that powerful), Bell gulped heavily and nodded slowly. Checking with him again to make sure he understood, Syr carefully peeled her hands away.

"I think the best thing to do is just try it out in the dungeon tomorrow, see how it suits you. Oh! But, make sure you come back and tell me about it, okay!?"

"Tomorrow?" his heart clenched at the word. But he realised he could hardly argue against it. It was already evening; it was already dinner-time. His Goddess would be back in a few hours. It was definitely far too late to go galivanting around the dungeon. He didn't even have his armour, weapons or any potions, "Ah, yeah, right. Of course, Syr! I'll come back and tell you all about it!"

The sounds from the restaurant below them were already building to a fever pitch as the dinner rush began in earnest. The sounds of their excited celebration and all the time they'd spent here talking it through was already more than enough to attract the attention of the other waitresses, let alone Mama Mia.

As much as Bell might have wanted to stay and talk to Syr some more, she was well overdue going back to her job, and he had already impinged on them enough.

And so, with another quick goodbye and a brief squeeze of his hand for good luck, Syr ducked out the door and headed back to her work. Leaving Bell to take a minute to collect himself, his thoughts and his cloak, before heading off after him.

Greeting Ryu politely as he stepped into the main floor and forcefully ignoring the curious glances (and comments) from the two catgirl waitresses, he made his way out of the bar and waved goodbye.

And then he got guilted into coming directly back inside and paying for a meal in thanks for all the hospitality he'd received.

Thankfully, for the sake of his already pounding heart, Ryu was the one to serve him. The Elf was as kind and considerate as ever behind her usual veil of aloofness, he was seated by himself away from the bustle, his glass was refilled the second it dropped below a third, his plate was delivered warm and her care was felt despite her ever-stoic interactions and monotone words. Syr danced through the barroom, serving plates and ale just as freely and spiritedly as ever. The two catgirls alternated between efficient waitressing and causing problems, just like usual. And the blonde human bustled after them, fixing messes and clearing plates, just like usual.

Mama Mia's cooking was as outstanding as ever. Given he'd gone a full day without eating until now, it was welcome, in spite the way he'd been pressed into ordering.

Finally, now with a full stomach, Bell made his way out of the bar and waved goodbye.

And then, he stood outside the bar, on the side of the street. And as he did so, his hands twitched impatiently at his sides.

In his mind, he turned right and headed back home. Today had been a strange day, but it was almost over and tomorrow would be busy, an early night would do him well. Alfia would probably be wondering where he was And besides, he'd made something of a promise to his Goddess for tonight regardless…

But, in his heart, he turned left. Babel lay to his left and so did the dungeon. And, more than anything, so did his magic.

It really should have been a far more difficult decision than it was. He really should have felt more guilty than he did. He'd already acknowledged ever reason why he couldn't and shouldn't go to the dungeon this late.

But his heart had been pounding all through dinner! And the name of his spell had been bouncing around his head with enough force to drive him insane!

His feet stepped to the left. And then they moved faster. And faster. And soon Bell was sprinting, headlong, unarmed and unprepared into the dungeon! Following his heart, he sprinted through the gate, he dived down the stairs and he threw himself headlong into the abyss that awaited! For now it awaited not just his knives and his boots, but it awaited the magic that was emblazed in his Status!

--*--

"Sagitta Sonus!"

"Sagitta Sonus!"

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

Again and again, the air shimmered and compressed before his outstretched hand. And then a heartbeat later, it seemed to streak forth, rocketing out with a thunderous roar directly into the monster barring the young adventurer's way.

Goblin. Wall Shadow. Even Killer Ant. All were destroyed instantly, a compressed arrow of sound slicing through them, crushing their bodies and reducing them to nothing but dust in his wake.

A trail of small magic stones littered the path behind him, so overjoyed with the exhilaration of magic, he hadn't even thought to collect them. He wasn't paying any heed to where he was, or what lay ahead of him. His feet dashed automatically through the familiar caverns and crevasses of the dungeon, and the totality of his attention was given to the simple joy of discovery, and the delight of power. A blast of sound, a roar of destruction, an almost invisible arrow piercing his foes! It was like something out of a story! He simply needed to raise his hand and say the trigger, with only a moment's concertation the destruction was set forth!

"Sagitta Sonus!"

Heedlessly. Recklessly. Joyously. He ran through the dungeon. A burst of sound and a clap of thunder, and whatever stood before him was swept aside.

So caught up in this excitement, Bell didn't even realise he was already on the sixth floor, far deeper than he'd ever intended to go. The corridors were familiar, and the enemies were present, nothing else registered.

"Ah-h, ahuh?"

Until suddenly his foot skidded slightly and the edges of his vision fogged, a wave of haze flashing across his eyes for just a second and a twinge of pain shooting up his now overworked arm. It wasn't a big deal! He could still go on! He could still go deeper! There were still enemies to fight! There were still more spells to cast!

He stopped. Shaking his head and clearing his mind with a slow breath. His eagerness thrummed through him as powerfully as ever, but he remained in place, closing his eyes for just a moment and focussing in on himself, checking and re-checking his awareness. By the time he was done, the momentary weakness had long passed and his vision was as clear as ever.

'So,' he considered turning his gaze to the slight tremble running up his right hand, 'This is Mind Down?'

Or at least, the first stages of it. The first indication that his senses were waning and his mental reserves were dipping towards empty.

It was subtle. He'd almost missed it completely in his excitement, it was almost terrifying how easy it would have been to ignore. Finding yourself fatigued, or hurt, or flagging in combat was as natural as breathing for an adventurer, even someone as green as him had long since learned to push such concerns to the back of his mind, to be dealt with after the danger had passed. Mind Down worked against that very idea, just a few more minutes of lapsed attention and he may have found himself suddenly past the brink. Suddenly, all the stories he'd heard from Alfia about reckless mages over-expending their reserves without even realising it, of pitching uselessly into unconsciousness in the middle of a fight, stood out in stark relief.

Ultimately, it was thanks to those same warnings that Bell had recognised the signs, that he had been able to pull himself back even in the depths of his excitement.

Even if he wasn't aware of it, Bell Cranel had been raised by the most powerful sorceress to ever grace Orario. It seemed that at least a little of her had rubbed off on him after all.

"I can keep going…"

He didn't want to stop. Not just yet. It wasn't dangerous to continue, or at least, it wasn't much more dangerous than it already was just being here. He knew enough from Alfia's teachings to be able to ration his willpower at least a little, he'd been following the breathing and focus methods she'd talked about since the start. Even just this break had let him recover a good amount of his -albeit, rather small, level one- mental energy.

A burst of cracks surrounding him in all directions came as answer to his words.

All around him, all through the hallway, the dungeon was splitting open, and new monsters were clawing their way to the surface.

The dungeon had answered his recklessness. And it was declaring a challenge to him in return.

He should have been concerned. If he'd been deeper, maybe he would have been. But this only brought his mind back to that night he'd fled the bar and been surrounded by Wall Shadows. He'd grown far beyond the sixth floor now. Even without armour, his reflexes would protect him. Even without weapons, his magic would piece his foes. His heart raced, his blood ran red, and his focus grew sharp. He knew he was more than enough for this challenge!

"Sagitta Sonus!"

--*--

Not far away, two of Orario's most renowned adventurers were making their way to the surface.

"I'm still amazed. To think you'd beat a floor boss by yourself- everyone's going to be so excited when they hear about it."

Coming to the end of a three-day ascent, the presence of the upper floors had buoyed each of their spirits immensely. They were well past anything that could have possibly threatened them, the floor were smaller and generally better lit, they didn't have to watch out for traps, and most importantly of all, their comfortable beds and familiar accommodation were almost within reach.

Even the famously composed Riveria had become a little more talkative as a result, paying much less caution to their surroundings as nearby monsters fled from them and as they walked automatically through paths they'd treaded a thousand times before. Walking a few steps behind her, the Sword Princess's armour was heavily damaged, but she herself had no signs of any notable injuries. Ais didn't say anything in response, but Riveria hadn't expected otherwise. Having practically raised blonde swordswoman as a surrogate mother, she knew her more than well enough to notice the relieved tension in her too.

To the woman known as Nine Hell's however, just seeing that released tension in Ais, was a relief all in itself. Elves were naturally resistant to change, and tended to look at the world in much the same way, no matter how often they may be reminded it wasn't the case. Even after seeing how much Ais had grown in all her years with the Loki Familia, a part of her still always looked on her with the same worried expression she'd always had at seeing the tiny young girl throwing herself endlessly into the dungeon and with the same fear in her heart that the labyrinthine caverns were more Ais's home than the one they all tried so hard to welcome her into.

Ais was different now. Happier, freer, warmer. Riveria reminded herself of that again, for the thousandth time, as she tried once more, for the thousandth time, to forget how desperately and foolishly Ais had thrown herself at the Floor Boss, and why she'd so insisted on fighting it alone.

"Oh?"

"Ah!"

A crash of thunder and distant scream knocked both women out of their thoughts and back to the present. Turning towards the tunnel the sound had come from, the crashing thunder was repeated again, and again, echoing heavily through the walls along the sixth floor's main path. The same frenzied yell rang out along with it, again and again.

It seemed there was some desperate struggle playing out ahead. That was hardly a surprise in the dungeon, nor was it a reason for either of them to pay it much mind. It was always a little hard to tell the exact time when inside the dungeon, but by Riveria's reckoning it was quite a bit later than she would have expected many people to still be going, but then, there were always those few that didn't know their limits or when to stop. One of them was walking right behind her. There was always combat going on in the dungeon, and the upper floors were so much smaller than what lay below that it wasn't particularly rare to run across another adventurer or group working through some pack of mobs. Lending assistance was considered kind, but that kindness was always tempered by the rules against stealing another group's kills, if a situation was under control, then it would only be seen as rude to step in.

But… despite that… it was rare to hear such a frenzied struggle playing out in the upper floors. And to hear the distinctive cry and power of magic was rarer still!

Without a word, both their steps hastened and they moved quickly through the main path, towards the screams and the crackles playing out ahead.

"!"

Thankfully, by the time they arrived, it all seemed over. Rounding the corner just as one last burst of magic seared the air, Riveria found a young white-haired man standing alone in the middle of a small room. Clearly a novice adventurer, not one she believed she'd ever seen before, and certainly one that appeared to have just come out the other side of a rather difficult battle.

His jacket was torn in a few places and his chest was heaving with visible exhaustion as he stood uncertainly in place, his arm still outstretched from what must have been the finishing blow. Luckily, aside from some superficial damage to his clothing, the Elf maiden couldn't otherwise see anything wrong with him. His shoulders were shaking, likely from adrenaline and exhaustion both, and his expression was only just slowly cooling from the focus of battle; he was wobbling on his feet, clearly only just barley holding himself upright and more than a little woozy, but that seemed to be the extent of it. This young adventurer, whoever he was, had survived a difficult encounter largely unharmed.

At his feet were scattered more than a dozen mana crystals, telling the tale of an ambush that must have taken him off-guard. And to both Riveria's surprise and curiosity, all across the dungeon's walls were slowly healing scars and gorges where the rock had been rent apart.

She'd wondered if she'd misjudged what she'd heard earlier, that perhaps it was a skill or some tool that had been going off around the room, but there was no doubting it now. Magic. A level 1 human using magic. How very unusual. That certainly explained the distant look on his face, he must be right on the verge of a Mind Down… for a moment she wondered if she should offer him one of her mind potions, before deciding better of it. The ones she carried were expensive and powerful items, worthy of a level 6 adventurer, it might seem stingy to hoard them to herself, but as a Familia Executive, she couldn't rightfully just hand out something like that on a whim, not to a level 1 that was in no state of emergency.

And right then, just as the Elf had been about to dismiss her worries and move on, she was taken by surprise for the second time in the night.

"Ah!"

Riveria had stopped at the centre of the room, and the moment Ais stepped up to her side, she froze. And then, with movement befitting her title of a top adventurer, and long before Riveria could possibly have reacted, the Sword Princess flew into motion!

Leaping across the distance, turning gracefully through the air, she spun around in flight to land right before the boy, flying across the room and coming to a stop less than a meder away from him!

"A-Ah!?" his initial reaction, crying out in shock, was absolutely no surprise. Riveria had to hold back a sigh at Ais's impulsive actions. However, his next action, took even her off guard, "AHWHAAAA!?"

The cry of surprise turned into a pitched scream, and the young adventurer who'd gone from recovering from a difficult battle, to suddenly finding his vision filled entirely with the famous Sword Princess, squared with far more energy than he'd shown thus far.

And then he took off! Stumbling back away from Ais's suddenly outstretched hand, he pivoted on his heel, and bolted away! The way back to the surface was blocked, so he went deeper into the dungeon! Heedlessly, recklessly, shamelessly, acting entirely on instinct and over-fried reactions he ran; Screaming aloud, he instantly fell headlong into a sprint, he crossed the room in a second!

Without a thought in his mind, the young adventurer careened back, deeper into the dungeon-

"AHWHA-OOMMmmph!?"

-Right into where Riveria was standing.

"Ah."

She hadn't exactly intended to catch him. But she didn't get out of his way either. Which meant that the young, white-haired man ran directly into the most famous and powerful Sorceress currently active in Orario. And more specifically, he ran headlong into her chest. It served to stifle his scream, if nothing else.

Stifling the gasp she'd unintentionally let out, which was unusual enough for her, Riveria wrapped her arms around him, holding him in place. She wasn't trying to be particularly tender, but she wasn't an overly harsh person either, so he ended up being simply held securely, and surprisingly comfortably against the Elf maiden's chest.

"Calm down," she instructed with a gentle assurance, "There's nothing to worry about. We're not here to harm you."

A moment passed, he seemed to relax slightly. Another moment passed, he suddenly began panicking even worse.

It wasn't difficult to understand why. And it wasn't as if she was finding this any less embarrassing. But she'd already committed to this cause of action, so, despite the uneasy look she seemed to be receiving from Ais, Riveria persevered. Again, she offered her assurance that everything was fine and that he was in no danger.

And when he'd finally seemed to collect himself, she released him and stepped back. Her features were schooled as calm as ever. This was far from how the woman known as Nine Hells had imagined her trip to the surface would go, but she'd been through a lot in her time, not least of which being practically raising a very difficult young girl herself. She was used to rambunctious youths, something like this was easily handled. More importantly was sorting out whatever this ridiculous situation Ais had just set off. And possibly discovering just why Ais was continuing to shift awkwardly on the spot behind her, shooting Riveria uneasy looks all the while.

Unfortunately, the Elf's hopes for a calm and rational resolution to this abruptly ridiculous situation were immediately dashed. What followed was an almost exasperating farce.

Ais finally spoke up, interrupting the boy's shock and apologising to him.

The boy jumped in shock anew, and then apologised in return, louder and more enthusiastically.

She tried to wave off his apology and restate her own.

He bowed until he was bent over almost double. Riveria feared for a moment he was going to get down on his knees.

Ais offered a new apology, this time for scaring him.

He cringed so visibly that it seemed painful, then bowed down even further, apologising desperately for running away.

It was quite a performance. As ridiculous as it was pointless, and the fact that it was playing out in the dungeon of all places only added to the inanity. However, it was only an almost exasperating farce.

Because for Riveria, it was a chance to see Ais more animated than she'd seen her in days. The girl was practically smiling as she waved the boy's apologies off and offered her own. She'd been worried about the swordswoman's state of mind recently, and especially with how much she'd been fretting about the young boy she'd mentioned before, the one who she'd saved and who had apparently been terrified of her. Ais always struggled to deal with people, but almost as much as she was fighting for herself, she was fighting for the weak and the weary. Even if she'd been unable to truly voice it, Riveria had understood just how pained she'd been at the idea that her actions had put someone in near-mortal danger, and that saving him had only made him terrified of her. She wanted to protect people from monsters, as cold as she liked to believe herself to be, Riveria knew Ais could never stand to become a monster herself.

So, as something of a mother, she was greatly relieved to see that Ais had been given a chance to clear the air, and that it seemed the whole thing had just been some level of misunderstanding.

Of course, as a Loki Familia executive and a mage, she was also very interested in just what he was doing here, and the spells she'd heard from this apparently rookie adventurer.

The magic she'd heard and the gashes she could still see only just beginning to heal across the walls seemed somehow familiar, but not in a way she could readily place. And more interesting than that was the fact that he, a human, could cast magic at all. Or the fact that he was all the way here on the sixth floor.

'So, this is the boy Ais saved from those Minotaurs?' that thought brought with it another, and Riveria's elven pride flinched so painfully at it that her hands twitched slightly at her sides, '…And the boy my Familia mocked so callously the very next night.'

She hadn't laughed at him, she'd thought it disgraceful just to think of mocking someone who'd been justifiably terrified by an issue that they'd created. And she'd also had no idea that he'd been in the bar that night. But it was still her Familia, she was an executive and she hadn't done enough to stop the behaviour.

And now here he was, on the sixth floor. It was hardly a feat for someone like her, but for a rookie adventurer and someone who'd almost faced his demise on the 5th floor, it was very impressive. Adding another entire floor to his achievements was no small feat, particularly as a solo adventurer. Riveria had seen no end of young hopefuls pass through her door, but this was certainly enough to catch her attention.

'Well, well, well… what would you think of this, now Bete?'

Perhaps the werewolf's initial impressions had been not just unbearably rude, but outright incorrect.

And now, it seemed that the awkward series of apologies and explanations had at least given them a name to put to the face as well. The young adventurer had finally, and with no small deal of embarrassment, introduced himself properly.

Ais spoke the name aloud, rolling it around as if tasting it, "Bell… Bell Cranel..." Had she really not known his name until now? Or was she just reacting to him saying it to her directly? Whatever the case may be, she seemed to find it to her liking, since she then turned and favoured the white-haired boy with a smile that turned his legs to jelly. Riveria stifled a laugh. Ais was young, famous and unquestionably beautiful, the Elf had seen her have that same effect on people so many times she'd long since lost count. But somehow, it was rather endearing watching it play out as these two bumbled around one another.

Regardless, it gave her a moment to step forwards.

"Cranel-san, I shall add my own words to Ais's," she declared, "You have no need to apologise, the Minotaur's getting free in the first place was our fault, and it was far from anything you could have expected. That you would be on edge after encountering such a foe is completely understandable, there's no fault in you having ran away. So, I shall apologise along with Ais- it should never have happened, we were careless and you were put in danger as a result. On behalf of the Loki Familia, I'm sorry, and I'm relieved to see you remain unharmed."

For some reason, by the end of her apology Ais was giving her an uneasy look. She'd have to puzzle that out later.

Bell, meanwhile, had finally looked away from the Sword Princess enough to actually see just whose chest he'd spent several very memorable seconds being buried in.

"…R-R-Riveria, Nine Hells…"

"Er, yes?"

The boy immediately bowed down to his waist, and another round of apologies began.

This time, she found it truly exasperating. Honestly, she would have been much happier if they could just, please forget that whole thing. She could only hope that none of the city's Elves, or especially the Loki Familia elves ever caught wind of it, for the trouble it would cause.

After a few minutes of Bell's frantic apologies and Ais's confused fretting, Riveria finally calmed each of them down. It was long past time they were headed back to the surface, she especially was looking forward to sleeping in her own bed tonight, and they'd spent so long talking about all this that the walls around them were almost fully healed. There was little chance of any monsters attacking them like this, but there was also no reason to ever treat the dungeon with imprudence.

So saying, she suggested that unless Bell had some further mission he was after, that he accompany them both on their way back out. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't in much of a state to continue, so the offer of an escort alongside two of the most powerful women in Orario was welcomed.

It was also a little overwhelming, to the point where he was quickly effusive with thanks, and then almost as silent as Ais as they made their way back through the sixth floor.

--*--

As it turned out, Bell, once he grew a little more accustomed to their company, was a rather enjoyable companion.

Riveria didn't have much to add to the proceedings herself, but she was both surprised and happy to see how quickly and readily Ais reached out to the boy. By the time they'd reached the fourth floor she was talking freely with him, and by the time they'd entered the third he was talking just as freely back to her. As an Elf, she was fairly sensitive to the kinds of people that surrounded her, not anywhere close to the level a Goddess might have, but enough to recognise Bell's kind and gentle vibes. It seemed that some manner of that affected Ais too, since he certainly seemed to have a positive effect on her mood. The dark clouds that had haunted the girl in the deep floors seemed thoroughly washed blown away.

And so, Riveria walked silently ahead of them each, adding just a little of her own commentary whenever Ais's storytelling failed, and otherwise left the two to their own discussion.

He told them about his Familia- The Hestia Familia, apparently, she'd never even heard of it.

He talked about how he'd come to Orario- Just a few weeks ago it seemed, not a surprise given his lack of equipment but certainly a surprise given the floor they'd found him on.

He claimed to be a solo Adventurer anymore- Riveria smiled, and refrained from mentioning that supporters typically weren't counted in that consideration.

He regaled them with stories about how huge and different the city was- She almost smiled at that, her own memories were long in the distant past now, but she could still remember just how daunting and how strange Orario had seemed to her.

And then, as they neared the entrance to the second floor, the entire mood of the conversation changed. Riveria almost missed a step, and the dark clouds that had surrounded Ais flew back in an instant.

Because Bell had corrected her off-handed praise at his progress. He had explained that he wasn't on the sixth floor as part of his normal exploration he was just there tonight as practice for the spell he'd learned. No, Bell told them with a blissfully innocent smile, he'd been only up to the fifth floor when Ais had first saved him, but now he was starting on the ninth.

His explanation carried on, he pointed out that was why he had no weapons or armour on him right now. But neither woman heard him. In that moment they were each struck by nothing but their own disbelief.

A boy who had made it to the fifth floor in two weeks was notable, if not overly impressive, particularly when it sounded like he'd been exploring beyond his depths just to be there.

But a boy, a solo adventurer, who'd then made it to the ninth floor in two more weeks was practically unprecedented.

In the time since the Loki Familia had mocked him in the bar, he had almost conquered half the middle levels and somehow learned magic in the process. If he'd been in a powerful Familia, or if he'd been showered in gifts and weapons that might have been one thing, but outside of a few offhand complaints about the Goddess, neither of them had ever heard of the Hestia Familia! A beginner adventuring party might make it that far in half a year, and that would be impressive! He was claiming to have done that much in just a few weeks!?

It was unbelievable, but she couldn't detect even the trace of a lie in his words.

For Riveria it was an intense curiosity and possibly an unfortunate missed opportunity. This boy had potential indeed. What a shame it was that he'd already been taken by his Familia.

For Ais, it was worse. Much worse.

It was almost painful to watch, and it was undoubtably painful to understand. The change in the Sword Princess's demeanour would have been imperceptible to anyone else, Ais was as aloof and stoic (and airheaded, honestly) as anyone Riveria had ever known. But Riveria had known a good many Elves, and she'd known Ais for many years besides.

Even without sparing a single glance at the blonde woman's way, she could immediately sense the change in how she carried herself. In the sharp intake of her breath. In the way her footsteps became lighter, more evenly spaced, as if she was braced for a fight. Ais's interest in the boy had grown deeper, and far darker. The storm clouds that had so recently been haunting the girl Riveria cared so much for now practically enveloped her every word and every thought.

She wanted to know how he got so strong so fast.

She wanted to know so desperately her hands were clenched tight at her sides and her muscles were held tense.

She wanted to steal that knowledge for herself.

It wasn't a surprise really, anyone who'd heard about such rapid growth would be curious how it came about. It was hard to believe that someone as fresh and inexperienced as Bell would have some idea or technique that everyone else had somehow overlooked. But it was equally hard to believe that such an achievement was the product of hard work alone. Many, extremely talented, adventurers had thrown themselves into the dungeon with unimaginable hard work, Ais herself had practically defined her childhood with sword in hand, and none of them had grown this fast. How could this random, unassuming child from the country possibly outperform them all?

Ais was too kind and too gentle to ever say as much outright, or likely to ever do anything overt along those lines. But she could practically feel the girl's pained curiosity burning through her skin. The Sword Princess was lost, but hungry. She knew what she wanted, but she didn't know what to do.

Dropping her gaze, Riveria sighed and braced herself for a regret that may come to gnaw at her in days to come.

Bell was a skittish boy, painfully naïve and shockingly innocent. That he was unfamiliar with Orario and the world at large was practically writ across his forehead. He would be a target for anyone any everyone looking to take advantage of him, frankly she would have been surprised if someone hadn't already done so. But she didn't dislike any of that. Perhaps it was nothing but elven pride or perhaps just the way she'd seen Ais smiling earlier, but Riveria rather liked him. Even if it was naiveite, the energy and enthusiasm that radiated from him was clear to see, he was pure and he was earnest. Even if the darker thoughts surrounding Ais now worried her, Riveria had seen the girl's honest and open interest in him before that too.

And so, she decided to believe in that. And to believe in Ais, the girl she'd seen conquer the darkness within her heart once already.

"Cranel-san."

"Y-YES!?"

She shook her head. Even walking three meders ahead, she didn't have to be looking at him to picture just how he'd jumped just then. He really was cute.

"I've been thinking about it, and I have a proposal for you. We in the Loki Familia may do things haphazardly at times, but when we make mistakes, we try and make them right too. At least, that's my belief, and I know that Ais feels the same," that was, in the end, how she'd raised Ais. She wasn't from the forests and Riveria had already left them, but elves found it hard to be flexible, so an elven style education had been the only kind she'd been able to offer the young girl, "From what you've said, I understand you've been largely self trained so far. It's impressive you've gotten as far as you have, it's commendable, as a self-trained, solo-adventurer, you're certainly walking the most difficult path. But things will only get more challenging for you from here out- so, as payment for our mistakes, I would suggest that Ais give you some lessons."

"A-A-Ais!? Wh-ah, y-you-"

"Obviously it's unusual for an adventurer to train someone outside their Familia. So, if you're not comfortable with that, then we will accept it. But, I believe there's a lot you could learn from her."

"Yes," Ais jumped on it immediately, "I… I would like that. I will teach you."

"You, you- you'd really be okay with that?"

"I want to pay you back… and… you look like you want to become stronger, I think. I understand that feeling."

A small spike of guilt squeezed at Riveria's heart for her part in this. None of Ais's words were a lie. But they weren't the whole truth either.

Bell paused for several long seconds, processing the offer, but there was really only one response he could have possibly given. "I don't know what you could do with how I am now...but if you're going to offer... I will learn everything you are willing to teach!"

"Very well, I shall do my very best to help you."

Riveria was pleased to hear the sincerity in Ais's voice in answer. Whatever her motivations, it seemed her intentions were honest.

"Then perhaps I shall assist as well," she added. It would be worthwhile keeping an eye on this, and she had to admit a certain interest in the strangle familiar spellcraft she'd seen scored across the dungeon walls, "It would be best, I think, if we don't tell the other members of the Loki Familia about this, and it will be easier for Ais to get away if she's with me. You mentioned you've just learned magic, correct? I shall give some advice on that matter, where I'm able."

"I-I, th-then, then thank you! Wallenstein-san! Lj- er, Riveria-san!"

"Yes," Ais cheered, "We can start tomorrow, then. Until the next expedition!"

Once again, Riveria almost missed a step.

She'd intended maybe a handful of lessons, a day or two's worth of training sessions! While she didn't like to think too highly of herself, she was certain that a few days of personal training from the Sword Princess and Nine Hells would be more than enough payment for a great many things, and it was certainly at the extreme limit of what you could possibly expect in assistance from an outside Familia! But she'd raised Ais to be a sincere girl… and that girl had now just signed her up to train a previously unknown young boy, one they were entirely unaffiliated with, for what would probably be several weeks of lessons!

Riveria sighed.

She could hardly take it back now. She was the one who'd suggested this in the first place. She couldn't possibly attend every day until the next expedition, but she'd turn up where she could.

"Very well."

--*--

In spite of the late hour, the courtyard around Babel and the entrance to the Guild were both still humming with activity from the last few dregs of the adventuring parties, making their way out of the dungeon for the day.

A small trio of Soma Familia adventurers were arguing with a harried Guild employee as the increasingly frustrated girl tried very hard to shoo them away from her station to close it up for the night.

A smartly dressed red-haired girl was bickering with an equally smartly dressed blue-haired girl, as they chased after an adventuring party that had long since left both of them behind.

A rough looking dwarf with a pair of massive hammers slung over his back, was arguing with a handsome elven archer as they each attempted to elbow the other one out of the way, just at the very limits of a show of civility, as they each tried to simultaneously edge their way into the Guild and argue with the doorman who was telling them that the employee they were looking for had already headed home.

A small group of strangely dressed adventurers in lilac coloured far-eastern garb were making their way energetically back out from the cashier's and towards the main road home, seemingly having made great progress in the dungeon and bursting with excitement to show their success to their God.

All in all, Orario was still alive, and bustling with energy as Bell, Riveria and Ais stepped through Babel and made their way out into the dungeon city. Pausing in place the second they came aboveground, both Loki Familia women took a deep, heaving breath of the fresh air now finally surrounding them, and shared a quiet smile at the act. It left Bell feeling slightly out of place and a good deal awed, for now, he could only imagine what it must be like to head into expeditions so deep and so thorough that you wouldn't see the outside world for days or weeks at time.

From there however, their paths soon split.

And so, with plans put together in a few moments and then revised just as quickly by Riveria's far more schedule-focussed mind. The Elf informed them that, regardless of what Ais might have said earlier, training immediately following an extended trip into the dungeon was the absolute height of folly, and instead directed them to meet the day after tomorrow, atop the city's walls, first thing in the morning. Far from anyone's gaze and early enough to avoid attention, it was a fairly haphazard plan but it should be good enough for their needs.

And then, with a short, formal goodbye from the Elf, a nodded goodbye from the blonde, and a shy but gracious goodbye from Bell. They turned towards the Twilight Manor and he turned towards the abandoned church.

--*--

"There you are, Bell!"

His Goddess's enthusiastic greeting caught him from the moment he entered the church, well before he reached the basement floor.

"G-Goddess!"

Sitting in one of the half-destroyed pews, flicking through a book she seemed to only have a passing interest in, she'd been waiting for him.

And she had very specifically been waiting out here, rather than inside with Alfia.

Apparently having come back from work a while ago, she was already freshly bathed and showered. Her hair was once-more loose around her shoulders and she'd changed into another beautiful dress, that did very little to hide her generous curves and very much to leave Bell swallowing heavily in place. It wasn't as if he'd forgotten it, but somehow he hadn't expected she'd been quite this serious about the date they had planned for tonight.

Giggling happily she wrapped herself around his arm, pushing her huge breasts against him and staring up at him with a smile that left no doubt to her intentions.

"Let's go! Bell, I've been waiting for you, let's go… take a walk…"

"I ah, I just… um, I just got back, do you want me to take a shower first?"

"Mmm, it's fine. Hehe, I like your smell.

Hurrying to catch up as she began dragging him out through the church, Bell was thankful he had only been mentally drained from his time in the dungeon. He had a feeling he would be needing his physical reserves tonight.

--*--

Ais returned home, greeted the Familia members that were still awake and those that had been awaiting her, went through all the motions of unpacking her equipment, cleaning herself up and waving off the comments from Tione and Tiona before finally retreating to her room.

Once there, she shut the door, breathed out a heavy sigh she didn't even realise she'd been holding in and leaned back against it, slumping down slightly against the hard wood. Freed from the restraints of her armour and the oppressive nature of the dungeon, her thoughts flowed freely and her emotions whirled just as much.

She was… happy… she thought.

And relieved, more than anything.

She'd finally, finally managed to put the whole situation behind her. He hadn't run away. Well, he had run away, but that was only because she'd startled him. Riveria had stopped him and they'd finally been able to talk, she'd finally been able to apologise. It was strange just how much that whole situation had been bothering her, and how much of a weight it was off her mind to have finally cleared it.

By any logic he should have just been a random level one adventurer to her. Orario was full to bursting with them. But somehow the young rabbitlike adventurer had stood out among them. He wasn't notably strong, nor the most handsome, or the bravest. And yet, he irresistibly drew her eyes and drew her attention all the same.

He was a pure young man with an untainted spirit. Innocent, so very innocent.

And so completely different from her.

Perhaps that was all it was. Perhaps it was nothing but her own selfishness. The purity that emanated from his spirit calmed her own. The black flames that flickered at the bottom of her heart were doused by his presence, and the unbalanced state she'd been in ever since her encounter with that red-headed enemy felt somehow corrected.

And… she wanted to use him.

Her offer, her excitement, at training him was completely sincere, but it was also dishonest. No doubt Riveria knew that. She had been the one to suggest it. It was a surprisingly bold move by the elf woman, proving that even someone as straightforward as her could still be unpredictable at times. The fact that the training had been Riveria's idea eased Ais's heart a little, even as she understood that she had likely only done so for Ais's own sake.

Whatever guilt she may have however, her course was set. She would try discover just how he had grown so fast, and she would train him to the absolute utmost of her ability.

Even if she was taking advantage of him, even if she was preying on the purity and innocence that drew her to him, she would make it up to him!

…

"Something… is missing…"

She couldn't place it. Couldn't define exactly what it was. But something was out of place and that knowledge rested uneasily on the Sword Princess.

The dungeon trip had been a success by any measure. So had her attempts to apologise to Bell. And so had her fight against the Udaeus. Nothing seemed to be out of place, she hadn't forgotten anything. And yet, it felt as if she'd lost something important..

Ais wasn't a particularly philosophical girl. But tonight, leaning against the doorway to her room with a slightly unsatisfied impression crawling on her face, she had a strange sensation of having missed out on some ephemeral experience. It was a strange feeling, like nothing she'd ever felt before. If she was to put it in the flippant nature the Gods like Loki sometimes used, she would have said it was the feeling of walking all the way to a petting zoo, only to find it closed.

--*--

"What a troubling day, and with further troubles awaiting."

Sighing deeply to herself as she strode gracefully into her room, Riveria shook her head lightly at all the myriad worries that bore down ahead of her.

She shut the door behind her. Then she locked the door. Then, by simple nature of elven privacy and a veteran adventurer's caution, she expanded her senses and triple checked that the room was clear of any intruders, benign or otherwise. She was in no mood to deal with pranks or curiosity right now, and thankfully, she had been left in solitude.

Walking over to the desk laid at the far end of the room, she took the water pitcher that had been prepared for her in her absence, poured herself a glass of water which she drank with trembling hands, managed to force down half the glass before it became impossible, and just barely had time to place the glass carefully back on the table before her shaking legs gave out and she slid weakly down to the floor below!

Both hands clasped over her mouth managed to stifle the moan that slid out, unbidden, as Riveria's façade of cool collectedness crumbled entirely!

Heaving in trembling breaths, her entire body shook as a heady shiver ran right up her spine. Her face burned painfully red, hotter by the moment as the scene she'd been trying to ignore engraved itself unerringly into her mind until it was everything she could see and all she could focus on or think about! The very tips of her ears were burning red, twitching slightly in place.

Riveria Nine Hells, an executive of the Loki Familia and the most prestigious eleven adventurer in the city, shuddered with burning shame, shock and a million other emotions as her mind forcibly replayed every last second of the way she'd caught Bell Cranel, and how she'd grabbed hold of him, and pulled him directly into her chest!

She was used to rambunctious youths, she had assured herself at the time, while struggling desperately to maintain her calm. Something like this was easily handled, she had sworn while fighting with every last drop of a level six adventurer's resolve to keep her calm expression from cracking.

Elves didn't pay much heed to Gods as a rule. They preferred the heavenly deities from the myths to the reality of flippant, feckless Gods that inhabited the lower world these days. But right now, Riveria was thanking every one of the dieties on the short list of ones she respected that nobody else from the Loki Familia, and no other elf had seen that display!

How had it even happened!?

He was fast, certainly, but only in comparison to a level 1. His speed was absolutely nothing to her, he couldn't possibly have taken her by surprise. Nothing at all would have stopped her from simply stepping aside or grabbing his cloak to pull him to a stop as he'd passed by. Flinching away from such contact, refusing to be touched, or simply avoiding another's presence, especially those of a non-Elf, was outright normal for an Elf. It should have been completely normal for her.

And yet, instead she'd grabbed onto him!?

Even if she was a mage, her strength absolutely dwarfed his. Simply holding onto him would have been more than enough, she could have held him with one hand, with just two fingers. Catching his shoulders and holding him in place would have been scandalous enough as an elf, but she'd drawn him into her!? She'd held him against her!?

She hadn't been thinking, it had just been instinctive, it had been natural. He'd been like a terrified child, running wild, and some seemingly long-lost maternal instinct had awakened and left her drawing an unknown, human adventurer against her breast. Somehow, something about Bell Cranel, about his innocence of spirit, had overridden all her elven instincts and all her decades of carefully maintained propriety.

Another sharp gasp issued forth as she weakly pushed herself to her feet.

She could still remember the feeling of him against her. The sense of his body pressed into hers, the strength of his muscles under her hands. The scent of him filling her. The sensation of being wrapped up warm against someone.

Riveria swallowed heavily, feeling absolutely ridiculous as she recalibrated that last thought.

Not the sensation of being wrapped up warm around someone… the feeling of being wrapped up warm around a man.

Thankfully, her shame started to dissipate in the face of her self-loathing.

She was far, far too old to even be thinking of something like that. And even as an elf, she couldn't possibly classify such thoughts as anything but pathetic.

The last time she'd held someone had been back when Ais was a child.

She had never held a man before.

Elves, as a rule, never touched anyone but those they shared the closest bonds with. She'd heard countless tales of the orthodox elves from the deep forests that were so affected by the first time they touched a member of the opposite sex, or a different race, that it redefined the very course of their lives. To her mind, Riveria thought her race was often far too reserved and often far too romantic. She'd included herself in those terms, but never imagined she would possibly be affected the same!

She was far too old to be reacting like this. She was well past the age of romantic fancies, love, or anything else. She was well past even thinking in terms of men and women in the sense of anything except privacy and propriety.

Or at least, that was how it was supposed to be.

But instead, she was steadying herself against her desk as she tried so very hard to push the mortifying images from her mind. Instead, she was making a mental note to pull Ais aside and double check that the girl knew never to speak of that scene. And to find a way to threaten Bell with the same.

"H-How… how r-ridiculous. Further troubles… indeed…"

--*--

I can't take it! I'm going crazy!

The words came free in gasps, moans or as weak pants. Repeated again, and again, as her very sense of self was sundered by the waves of pleasure running through her!

Despite her words, her hips swung back hungrily against his, or at least as much as she could manage from where she was currently bent over her own bed, with his hands firm around her waist, and his cock driving roughly, powerfully, wonderfully through the furthest depths of her pussy! It was too good. She couldn't possibly hold back the happiness in her voice, or the delighted way her moans rang out around the room!

Holding herself up on trembling hands, her long hair hung down over her face, hiding her shameless expression. But there was absolutely nothing that could hide the way her pussy squeezed so greedily tight around his shaft each time he drove himself into her! Or the way her usually quiet voice cried out his name, screaming it again and again, like a prayer! Her sizeable breasts hung free in the air, shaking back and forth with each thrust. Her legs were spread wide, just barely managing to hold herself upright as she braced her knees against the mattress. And her entire body shuddered and jolted each time he thrust into her, each time her walls were stretched wide around him once more, each time she felt his cockhead pressing against her innermost walls!

Thoughts were barely possible, her mind was fogged with pleasure, her thought scattered and mind breaking each time she was sent crashing through yet another incredible climax!

She was lost entirely to wanton desire, and it was everything she'd hoped it would be! She was losing herself entirely in the sensations, she'd already given herself up entirely to him. It was scary and exciting, and it was even more wonderful than she'd dared hope!

"!"

And yet, somehow, in the depths of her lust-addled mind, a sudden realisation speared through her. Knowledge just as powerful as the electric sparks of bliss running constantly up her spine.

She could feel his cock swelling even thicker within her. She could feel her walls being stretched out even further. Could feel the way his thrusts came even faster, even harder, and the way his hands clung even more securely around her.

She'd felt this twice already tonight, but she was way too far gone now! She couldn't take this! It was already too good, it was more than she could stand, it was more than she could bear! She knew for certain, if he came inside her again, if he came inside her now, she would never be able to let go of this pleasure! She would lose her mind entirely and become his forever!

She had to stop him, for the sake of her sanity, for the sake of whatever scraps of her dignity still remained.

Instead, she begged him to cum inside her! Moaning his name aloud, clenching her fingers tight to the bedsheets and squeezing herself as tight around him as she could manage, she pleaded with him to let her feel it once again! Her shame was already abandoned, all that was left was her supplication!

Ah.

The bliss and the surrender overwhelmed her together at once. And she knew there was nothing but delight showing on her face as she raised her head up and cried out in pure joy.

His cock was twitching and spasming inside her, about to unload once more within her deepest depths, about to flood her womb with his seed and soak his essence through to her very soul.

Moaning, and panting and crying aloud, she could do nothing but beg for it. She wanted to do nothing but beg for it.

It was everything she wanted! It was all she wanted!

He was so much younger than her, but he'd still claimed her so confidently, so powerful. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about him all these months and finally, at long last, her dreams were about to come true! He was going to defeat her entirely, he would stain every inch of her body with his cum and she would become his.

This was her fate! It was exactly as she'd foreseen! The future she'd always known awaited her! It was just as she'd been so eagerly anticipating!

"BEL-NGhg-nah… Hu-… hwa… ahn!?"

Her voice rang out aloud, turning into a garbled shriek and confused moan as she suddenly jolted awake, slipped off her bed and fell into a heap on the floor.

"Ah… WH…?"

Shaking and shivering as the aftershocks of her orgasms rippled through her, she gasped for breath, blinking herself awkwardly back to reality… it was several very long and very bewildering minutes later before Cassandra finally managed to make sense of what had just happened.

"A… a dream?"

The blue-haired prophetess was soaked in sweat, her nipples were rock hard under her thin nightgown and her juices were slick all the way down her thighs. Even now, some minutes later, her body still felt inflamed with lust and desire, just the slightest touch from her fingertips left her gasping and moaning. And she could feel her core pulsing hungrily, yearning for the final sensation, the feeling she'd been denied at the last moment.

That was far from a dream. Far from anything she'd ever experienced before. Even if it hadn't been truly real, it had still been more than enough to leave the young adventurer clutching tight to the pillow she kept with her at night, shivering through the last aftershocks of sexual bliss. Without any real world experience to compare it to, the poor girl could only compare it to the few fantasies she'd indulged in through her quiet nights. And none of them had ever come close to this.

It wasn't just a dream. It was real.

Even if it hadn't actually happened. It was still unimaginably real.

Which left only one conclusion, an answer she breathlessly whispered aloud.

"A prophesy… th… that?"

The unfortunate Oracle was, of course, no stranger to prophetic dreams.

But they were symbolic! She struggled to interpret them, she often didn't know what they meant or how to explain them to anyone, and even when she thought she did, she often got the meaning entirely wrong. That was part of why nobody ever believed her! But there was nothing symbolic about that! How could… how could she possibly interpret the sight of herself… of herself… bent over a bed she didn't recognise, crying out a name she didn't know, being taken by a man she'd never met!?

There was no interpretation to make.

Except in just how much she had loved it. She could still feel that coursing through her. Still her body was crying out for the phantom sensations that had existed in her dream.

Cassandra was usually a very subdued person. She was nothing like Daphne, who was bright and strong. She was placid and passive, she carried weak emotions and tended to go through life with a mellow attitude and a sense of fatalism towards what was coming. She couldn't even recognise the self from that dream, she'd been crying out aloud, she'd been filled with delight unending, and burning with ecstacy like nothing the girl had ever felt before. And she'd came. Over and over, and over, until it had felt like her very mind would give out and surrender as truly as her body had. Until that had been exactly what she wanted.

"Wow…"

Calming down slightly, she crawled slowly back into bed, although she doubted she would sleep again for what remained of the night. She didn't know quite what to make of a prophesy like that. It was scary to think of her giving herself so utterly to a man she didn't even know.

But her future self had been so incredibly happy… as bewildering and overwhelming as the thought might be, she felt like she could only look forward to it.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: As I mentioned, I've got a lot I'd like to say and absolutely no time to say it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm sorry if there's some mistakes or errors I didn't catch. I'll fix them when I return. No new chapter for a bit after this since, obviously, I'll be overseas.

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 6: Is It Wrong To Train With Another Familia?

Notes:

Author's Note: Ahh, this has been a while hasn't it? I actually wrote a good deal of this while I was overseas, I figured when I got back it'd be just a few days or a week or so and I'd have this out, but then I got caught up with a private request that took an enormous amount of time and energy. But that's done now, and I've been able to get back into this and finish this chapter off, finally!

It's a long time coming, but maybe a bit too big. I've been really careful so far to try keep my chapters between about 10-15k words, this one's a bit longer than that. And I'm trying very hard for that not to be a precedent, hopefully the next one will be smaller. I actually didn't quite manage to push the plot forwards as far as I wanted and introduce the next girl, but I think the sex scene here is a bit fun and different and hopefully you'll enjoy it. Next time will be the next girl, guaranteed, for sure.

It should be quite an eventful chapter anyway, so I hope you enjoy it!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Train With Another Familia?

--*--

Filvis sighed, loudly.

"I don't understand what I'm expected to do. I have already shown you around the city."

She wasn't usually one to complain, especially not about something she'd agreed to herself. But this was a frustrating enough circumstance that she was making an exception.

Once again, she had been sent out to slip through Orario's shadows, to steal away to the Hestia Familia and pass another secret missive to the legendary Maiden of Silence, Alfia.

And then, once again, she'd been told to leave her cloak behind, walk boldly through the main throughfare and to take Bell Cranel on a date.

She'd thought it a cruel extension of the silver-haired woman's humour the first time it had happened, but she was beginning to get the impression that Alfia intended to make a habit of this. As if she truly had nothing more pressing or interesting to do with her time than to walk the boy around the city, or… or whatever it was she was supposed to do on a date. Of course, she'd agreed without hesitation, or reservation. She knew very well her God would have instructed the same. Humouring the Incarnation of Talent was a small price to pay to bring the level seven adventurer on her side.

Despite her gripes, and despite herself, she hadn't found her first "date" with Bell Cranel to be particularly troublesome. If anything, she'd found him to be a surprisingly kind and generous soul, and she'd found herself liking his company enough that she could have seen her old self taking something of a liking to him. She hadn't resented the time she'd spent with him. But equally, she'd had no wish to repeat it. Even aside from the strike at her dignity, being outright goaded into "dating" a human, she wasn't sure how to act, or what expectations were even being placed upon her.

In short, Filvis was annoyed. And she was dealing it by being prickly to the man currently walking at her side.

Bell Cranel, the young adventurer in question and the sole Hestia Familia member, laughed awkwardly at her complaint, scratching his head as he tried to sort out an appropriate response.

Having decided mentally to put his liaisons with Hestia -like the previous night where she'd led him back to the bookshop once again- into a category all to their own, this was Bell's fourth date since coming to Orario. If he was to be generous to himself, he could even add onto that, that it was his second date with the same girl. He was sure there was definitely something to be proud of about that, he was certainly well ahead of any expectations he'd had for his time in the city so far… but as with his previous reckoning, the context of the date was proving to be the sticking point. So far, Filvis was no more open with him than she had been last time, and if anything, she seemed even more standoffish.

Alfia had sent them out on their first date to have her show him around the city, something he'd greatly appreciated and ensured he remembered as much of as he could. But this morning they'd just been sent out and so far, they'd done little more than simply wander aimlessly.

Following his own desires, as well as his Guardian's advice, that he needed to understand more about Elves, he'd asked her as much as he thought he could about Elven culture or ways of life, and received answers somewhere between dismissive and brusque. It hadn't really been a date plan, or a suggestion, so he imagined she'd just thought he was being curious and hadn't bothered to humour him.

But then, she'd hardly been more receptive to the plans he'd managed to come up with.

She'd turned down his suggestion of getting breakfast at a café.

She'd expressed zero interest in watching the performers set up along the main street.

And she'd vehemently rejected the idea of getting breakfast at the Hostess of Fertility.

Which left them currently wandering, without goal or intention, along the Bridge of Heroes, as he tried his very best to think of either an engaging conversation topic, or a suitable plan.

Knowing that Filvis had been pushed into this date, while also knowing that her pride would be far too great to back down from it, Bell was doing his very best to try make it as enjoyable for her as possible. But, for all his earnestness and effort, he was hardly a wellspring of creative dating ideas and to have something like this sprung on him without any chance to seek out for advice had left him well and truly out of his depth.

After the way their first date ended, and with his mind so occupied with everything that'd happened since, it had just never occurred to him that he might wind up on a second date with Filvis, so he'd never given it any thought. Already he'd mentally made a note to improve on that in the future, it was definitely a good idea to have some plans in mind, or at least something he could fall back on at short notice. Perhaps this was something he could ask Eina for help with? She was meant to be his advisor after all, and as Alfia had explained, it was an Adventurer's job to rest properly when outside the dungeon… somehow, he doubted Eina would agree with that logic, but there weren't exactly a lot of other people he could ask for help.

"Uh, well…" he fumbled around, reaching for anything that might leap out to him, "You could teach me some Elvish?"

She stopped in place, turning to consider him. Her eyes narrowed, and once again, Bell was aware of just how little he knew about the forest dwellers outside the stories he'd heard or myths he'd read. Were they protective of their language? Was that a faux pas? He swallowed under her inspection.

"You wish to learn our language? Why?"

"I ah, well, er, it's just like Alfia said? I need to learn to get on with Elves and… and I thought it might help?"

Holding in place, she pierced him with her gaze for several long seconds, and then several more, before finally turning away and relenting. Heaving a slightly smaller sigh this time, Filvis gave the smallest of nods.

"Very well."

Ultimately. She had agreed to this and she didn't have any better ideas for how they were supposed to spend their time.

And so, the rookie country bumpkin adventurer, who barely knew Orario or the dungeon and knew even less about the world at large spent the next several hours of his morning walking through the city streets, walking in place beside the coldly beautiful elf maiden as she began to instruct him in the language of the trees.

As with everything she'd done with him so far, in spite of her cold disinterest, Filvis's dutiful nature shone through as true as ever. Her teaching was amateur, but it was presented with the pride and patience of the long-lived species. She taught him slowly, carefully, and she corrected him firmly but gently. Compared to Alfia's instructions it was less exacting, but also much less scary.

It was hardly how she had expected to spend her morning. And it was a long way from how she might have wanted to allocate her time.

But as with their last "date", walking through the quiet city morning alongside Bell Cranel, explaining the basic nuances of her people's language, correcting his horrendous pronunciation, and even just considering how she would go about teaching a language… was a lot less unpleasant than she'd expected… He made for a frustratingly earnest companion. Even if she was ignoring his efforts, she could hardly miss the way he was clearly trying to let her enjoy herself. He was considerate no matter how dismissive or prickly she acted towards him. And, a small part of her couldn't help but appreciate the idea of a human taking enough of an interest in her people to even want to learn their language.

There was no end to boorish outsiders who wanted to try touch the famously defensive forest dwellers. And just as many that lusted openly at the thought of an elven partner, at claiming such an ethereally young maiden as a wife, or just someone to bed for the night.

Filvis had certainly encountered her share of both. And equally, those that feigned some superficial interest in her people or culture as a way of achieving those disgraceful aims.

But she'd never had someone want to spend a morning just walking around the city, learning more about their ways. And she'd never once been asked to teach them the notoriously difficult way of speaking.

As a level one rookie, he was about as unreliable as it was possible to get. But he gave off a calming sense all the same. And, as they walked side by side, she thought her old self would have smiled, just a little.

--*--

"No. I keep telling you, you need to stress the second syllable. Otherwise, it'll sound like you're asking a que-"

"Hu-Oh!? Filvis-san, go-good morning!"

The raven-haired elf's lecture immediately died and she froze in place, jolting to a stop as all colour drained from her already pale face. Abandoning the lesson she'd been giving, she turned away from the boy at her side and -slowly, dreadfully- around to face the hesitant but hopeful voice that had called out to her. The same bright voice that had called out to her so many times already.

"L-Lefiya-san. Hello."

She had only met the Loki Familia elf very briefly when co-ordinating between their two Familia after their Gods met about their shared interests in the hidden problem plaguing Orario. She had only spent a very small amount of time with the blonde-elf, and that time had largely consisted of steadfastly ignoring the other girl's attempts to call out to her, or to talk to her. Unfortunately, for Filvis, ignoring her this time was not an option.

Lefiya, Filvis thought, was good-natured, cheerful, kind… and the absolute last person she wanted to see right now!

The Loki Familia elf laughed brightly, "I didn't expect to run into you this morning, I was ju- oh!" Finally noticing the white-haired man standing right beside her kin, Lefiya's words jumbled to a stop as she suddenly realised, she might be interrupting something.

To Bell, for his whole life, elves had always been an existence that lived only in the stories his grandfather had read to him and the tales he'd heard from Alfia. They had often been given a special reverence alongside deities, spirits and heroes, and of all the races that inhabited Orario, they were the ones that fascinated him the most, the one he'd been the most excited to meet. He'd even asked specifically for an elf advisor at the Guild.

And so, he did the most natural thing in the world.

[Hail, forest-sister!]

Smiling widely, and bowing respectfully, he greeted her… in Elvish.

Filvis winced so hard that the hands clenched at her sides twitched in place. But Lefiya's eyes shot wide in surprise.

What happened next was the most obvious thing in the world.

[Oh! You speak our language!? What a surprise!] she bowed in return, [It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Lefiya, of the Viridis tribe.]

Bell blanched, quailing instantly under the high-speed reply that sailed well over his head. He hadn't caught a word of that.

"That's… that's all he knows." Filvis added quietly in koine a painful moment later.

Blushing horribly, Bell scratched the back of his head as he sheepishly agreed with his companion's explanation, apologising as he went.

"I-Oh…" Lefiya had absolutely no idea what to make of any of this, "I see? Well, er, well then, I'm Lefiya Viridis. I've been, well, my Familia is working with Filvis-san's lately."

"Bell Cranel," he offered in return, "It's nice to meet you, Lefiya-san."

She blinked, and then smiled slightly as a mote of tension she hadn't even realised she'd been holding dissipated. It was a silly thing to get worked up about, she knew, but -despite how open her forest had been with travellers- Lefiya could never get used to the frustrating way so many humans seemed to want to address her by her tribe's name. As much as she tried to be above such worries, it just sounded wrong to hear it said from a non-Elf. At least this, Bell Cranel, appeared to have learned some manners.

"So, uh, so, Filvis-san is teaching you elvish? Are you in her Familia?"

Lefiya didn't know much about the Dionysus Familia, they were a dungeon Familia, but not one important enough that she'd come across them before. She wasn't privy to the information their two Gods had discussed, so all she'd heard from Loki was that they'd seemed to be struck by some sort of tragedy recently, and that they were helping them out in the investigation into the plant monsters that'd been appearing in Orario. Peering a little closer at the boy in front of her, Lefiya thought he looked much more like a skittish rabbit than an adventurer important enough to be directly instructed by Filvis, the Dionysus Captain, though. But then, his smile was warm and his gaze was kind, and there was something slightly charming about how awkward he acted, he certainly didn't seem to be particularly used to women, it was even a little cute. Perhaps that was why Filvis was here with him? She didn't recall seeing him at all around the Dionysus house, so rather than an adventurer, perhaps he was a supporter she'd befriended?

"Oh, ah, haha, no," once again, Bell gave an awkward laugh, but the tension was gone and he was talking freely now, "Actually, we're ju-"

"!"

This couldn't possibly be happening.

Staring in open mouthed dread as the conversation played out like a runaway carriage before her, Filvis's world ground to a halt. The absolute worst-case scenario was about to arrive. Filvis's high class adventurer instincts told her that. Everything she'd been told, everything she'd prepared, everything she was still yet to do, was about to come crashing down around her long pointed ears. Bell Cranel was about to explain himself. He was about to talk about how and why they knew each other. And he was going to do it to a person he assumed she trusted. And even worse than that, the person he was about to blab so carelessly to was a highly valued member of the Loki Familia.

It was every nightmare situation she'd envisioned all at once.

Bell Cranel couldn't lie. She was absolutely certain of that. All the dregs of Elven pride and shreds of Elven nature that still resided within her soul told her that. The light in his eyes was steadfast, honest and innocent, and the parts of her that were still Elven sung happily in response, even as the rest of her recoiled from his light.

And so, in that terrible moment of doubt and shame, as her mind raced and her world moved only in fractions of moments, Filvis gathered her courage, steeled her resolve, faced Lefiya directly and made her choice. She had already thrown away her pride and her shame. To do so again was hardly a choice at all!

"W-We are on a date!"

Bell baulked, his own explanation cut off as his eyes went wide and his jaw dropped.

But his reaction was practically composed compared to the Thousand Elf! Lefiya reeled backwards in pure surprise, the tips of her long, beautiful ears burning red as she turned her head from boy to elf, staring shocked at each of them in turn.

"A-A-A-A da-date!? With a human? I, uh, wow, F-Filvis-san, I never realised you, you were so open minded!" she stammered, not rejecting the relationship but very much taken aback by the idea of it, "Then, um, then that means, he…"

Lefiya couldn't finish her sentence. But by this point, Filvis was the very picture of elvish courage and resilience, nothing held her back anymore.

"That's right. He's my boyfriend."

The words were ashes in her mouth, and her heart clenched painfully, the image of her God flashed through her mind as she spoke them. But aside from the light dusting of crimson on the tips of her ears, and the shallowness of her breaths, nothing else betrayed Filvis's desperate claim.

Lefiya had barely met Filvis before this point, and the declaration that such an upright and proud forest-elf was walking through Orario on a date with her human boyfriend was more than enough to have sent the Loki Familia girl completely out of sorts. She had no chance of recognising how hard the kinswoman she'd been attempting to befriend was working.

But Bell noticed. He didn't know much, he didn't know anything about what was going on between her and Alfia, but he understood Filvis had her reasons for keeping their meetings a secret. And staring, wide eyed, at her after that declaration now, he could see just how much she was pushing himself. For Alfia's sake? For his sake? For her own? He didn't know. But he knew he was part of the reason she was going this far. And so, as true to his nature as ever, Bell Cranel wanted to help. In the only way he ever knew.

"Ah!?"

"Oh!?"

When you saw a girl struggling, wasn't it the most natural thing in the world to reach out to them?

Bearing a heart filled only with an earnest desire to help support Filvis, Bell took her hand in his own.

The raven-haired elf stiffened in shock, her breath catching in her throat and her surprise coming out as a small wheezing gasp. But, despite that, her body did nothing to reject him. His hand clasped securely around her own, and his fingers entwined tightly around hers.

Once again, Filvis's world crashed to a stop.

She couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't even breathe.

All she could focus on was the feeling of Bell's hand around hers. How frustratingly warm it was. How terribly gentle it was. And how horribly comforting it felt. Her body heated up from her core to the tips of her pointed ears, her heart thundered in her chest and her placid, pale face blazed with a furiously bright blush.

But Lefiya's reaction was even stronger.

"O-O-Oh! I, uh, F-Filvis-san!? You…"

Already horribly off balanced, she reeled back, covering her face with her hands as she peeked out, shocked and red faced, between her fingers at where the two of them were joined.

Elves were the most hopelessly romantic of all the races. An orthodox elf from the deep forests might pledge only to touch, or be touched by their one beloved their entire life. Being raised in a forest that was in frequent contact with travellers, and then having gone to school in the city, Lefiya was nowhere near that traditional or that reserved. She didn't have a particularly strong aversion to the other races, and she didn't even worry too much about the idea of someone touching her, beyond simple propriety and dignity. Even so, she was still an elf, and she was very aware that Filvis was very visibly from a far more conservative upbringing than her own.

From the moment she'd seen her, Lefiya had immediately wanted to connect to her kinswoman. The idea of working with and befriending another respectable, dignified elf- the head of a Familia and top-tier adventurer besides, had been exciting and instantly appealing. And now she was seeing Filvis like this! Watching the elf she'd respected engaging in such a shameless, lewd display right before her eyes, just a meder away from her was more than the poor Thousand Elf could take! Filvis was all but flaunting her relationship in front of her, showing off her cross-species love for all the world to see! They were practically all over each other, right there in the middle of the street!

Her eyes spun from between her fingers, and her face burned so hot she could almost feel steam coming out her ears!

How was she supposed to handle something like this? If she'd known either of them better, she might have had more to say, but Lefiya was practically a stranger to them both and well out of her depth. How would Ais or Riveria or any of the people she looked up to handle something indecent like this!? She didn't know! Thankfully, bringing up the two women she idolised in her panicking mind reminded her of what she was out here for in the first place and gave her the excuse she was looking for.

And so, after quickly squeaking out a harried explanation of how she needed to buy supplies for her Familia's celebration, the Thousand Elf bowed quickly, choked out a goodbye, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Bell released Filvis's hand.

The Maenad returned, furiously, to reality a few minutes later.

--*--

Filvis was pouting, red faced, with tears in the corner of her eyes. He would have found it adorable if he didn't feel so guilty.

Actually, no. Bell reflected on that. He still found it adorable regardless. Dropping his gaze, he apologised in his heart. It was by far the most animated he'd ever seen the painfully stoic elf, which only added to the effect. Having led him out of and away from the main throughfare, he'd wound up in a quiet back street where she was currently pacing around in circles ahead of him, alternating between attempting to scold him for his actions and trying to find the right words to tell him off properly.

Filvis, for her part, was struggling to understand how he'd even managed to touch her!

Even before she'd become what she was now, she was a top-tier, level four adventurer, she was praised for both speed and reflexes as well as a kinetic vision suitable for someone fighting in the flexible centre-role of a formation. She was a veteran magic-swordsman, who had explored deep into the dungeon and who had taken down countless powerful monsters. It was absolutely unthinkable, absolutely beyond belief that she could be taken off guard by an embarrassingly green, level one rookie! It should have been impossible for his hand to have even got anywhere near hers! Far stronger men than him had tried it, and she'd always avoided them without even a thought!

The fact that he had sowed a painful seed in her heart.

She knew that she couldn't bear to touch an Elf anymore- even the thought of dirtying one of her own kind repulsed her… so then… did her self-loathing now override her Elven pride? Was she so disgusted in herself that she no longer felt anything at being dirtied by a human, or other species hands? Filvis was hardly interested in trying it out, the thought of a stranger's touch still nauseated her, but the thought that her heart may no longer reject such an invasion was a horrible one. It threatened to crush the tiny bud of esteem that she'd still manage to nurture.

Somehow though, whether through pride, stubbornness or intuition- in spite of her cynical disposition, she believed that wasn't the case. He'd been able to touch her, not because of who she was, but because of who he was. The level one, painfully green rookie had been able to grab her hand, because he was Bell Cranel.

Bell Cranel was not a famous name; he wasn't someone anyone knew and he likely never would be. Compared to the record holder, Ais Wallenstein, or even just a talented newcomer like Lefiya, he was practically a joke, having neither pedigree nor inborn talent. The only important thing about him at all was that he was that the Maiden of Silence seemed to have some connection to him. But despite only knowing him for a few hours, like the naïve fool he was, he wore his heart so visibly on his sleeve that Filvis was sure she had already taken his measure.

He was too honest. Too kind-hearted. Too pure and too honourable. And, from the ridiculous stories he'd told her about his exploits in the dungeon already, he was also far too headstrong, too reckless and too hardworking all at once. It was the worst and most frustrating thing about him. The Dungeon City accepted anyone, there were few moral qualifications towards being an adventurer, many with a troubled past or crimes they couldn't escape from wound up in Orario sooner or later. And in this city full of opportunists, rogues and criminals, he was everything that made her elven nature sing. What dregs of Filvis's forest spirit that still remained delighted in being around him, and in basking in the untainted warmth of his soul. It was the same reason elves were always so very fond of children and he brought that out of her.

But it was also why she wanted so badly to push him away and never deal with him again. Because he didn't deserve to be wrapped up in what was to come. Because she had no way to save him from it. And because she was barely an elf anymore, because being reminded of that only brought more guilt and more pain.

Ultimately, on some level, Filvis understood. The reason he'd been able to touch her, the reason he'd been able to take her hand… was simply because her body felt no need to defend itself from Bell Cranel.

But that didn't mean she wanted to accept it!

Rather, she absolutely couldn't accept it!

Which was why she was currently (and to Bell's mind, very cutely) stomping her foot into the ground in frustration.

Elves were the most hopelessly romantic of all the races, and Filvis had been no exception. She used to dream that her first-time holding hands would be with her God Dionysus. She'd imagined showing him through her home forests, walking side by side under the moonlight as they exchanged quiet conversation, as she told him how much he meant to her and he whispered all the same assurances back to her. Filvis knew she wasn't worthy of such idealistic daydreams anymore, and was far too disgusted with herself to indulge in them. But the memories still remained, locked away deep inside her maiden's heart… and now this human had just trampled all over them!

Rather than the beautiful lush greenery of her home, she'd been standing on some dusty, grey city street! Rather than making sweet conversation, she'd been trying to lie to an overly-inquisitive elf! Rather than the cool and gentle moon looking down upon her, she'd been bathed only in the oppressive heat of the sun! And, worst of all, rather than her beloved Dionysus-sama… her first time had been stolen by an absolute nobody level one adventurer, only one level above a stranger!

And the most humiliating part of it all, was that she couldn't even blame him! She was the one who'd claimed he was his girlfriend; he was only going along with her lie! And his actions had successfully driven away Lefiya, keeping the Loki Familia elf from finding out something she shouldn't! In all respects, she'd lost the battle (a great many battles, an entire campaign!) but won the war. The most painful part of all was that she knew Dionysus-sama would be relieved.

Filvis wasn't acting anything like herself, or like a proud Familia Captain. But right now, the maiden's heart that she'd neglected for so long was crying in agony and she couldn't help it.

And so, she complained instead.

"This is the problem with you humans! All you other races!" she accused, turning to where Bell was obediently going along with her one-sided tirade, steadfastly ignoring his kindness and temperance and instead pointing a finger right before his face, "You, you're all so unbearably shameless! You'll touch anyone at all! You'll hold anyone's hand whenever you please, you don't even think anything of it, it doesn't mean anything at all to you!"

"Th-That's not true!"

She blinked, taken aback. Through all of her ranting, Bell hadn't spoken anything except apologies and remorse so far. She hadn't expected him to reply at all, let alone for him to respond so decisively. Facing her directly, the look in his eyes was surprisingly firm for being the weak and naïve boy he was, and Filvis found her words caught in her throat instead.

"I, well, maybe it is for some people. But at least, it's not true for me. There's no way I have the guts for that! I wanted to help you, because, because I do like you Filvis-san!"

If he saw a woman in trouble, he wanted to reach a hand out to her. It was the simplest thing in the world for him.

Filvis reeled back in disbelief, her eyes going wide and her ears dusting red once more. She wanted to reject his words, to scoff at them as just a convenient excuse or yet another example of human flippancy, but the serious look in his eyes wouldn't let her. Maybe he was naïve, and maybe he was foolish, but he was sincere. There was no doubt he meant was he was saying.

She boggled.

"What… what could you possibly like about me!?"

She hadn't treated him particularly well. She hadn't been very warm or welcoming to him. And she'd made no accommodations at all for all the efforts he'd been making to please her. She'd done as Alfia had asked, and no more. Everything she'd done had been for the sake of winning his guardian's favour, he hadn't been a consideration at all! As far as she could tell he should have been insulted!

But, this level one, embarrassingly green, rookie was utterly uncompromising. As Filvis boggled at his words, he faced her down, more steadfast and more determined than she would have ever imagined possible for the skittish young boy she'd thought she'd known.

He told her how beautiful she was, how he tried not to look at her too much because he'd get shy and lose his footing.

And how kind she'd been to him, how much he appreciated all the time she'd spent advising him and helping him.

How he understood she'd been put in an unfair situation by Alfia, but that he'd was inspired by how diligently and seriously she'd handled herself regardless.

He told her that he respected her pride and how she managed herself, that he wanted to be more like that himself, that he wanted to reliable in the same way she was.

The status on his back was burning hot, and Bell was certain his Goddess was giving him the courage to speak honestly, to bare himself just as he had with her.

His words were unskilled and un-thought out, he had none of the eloquence of a seasoned flatterer, or of a confident hero who easily spoke his mind, they were nothing but the stumbling, rambling, and genuine feelings of a young boy baring the heart he wore so openly on his sleeve. And with each of his words, and all his entangled, unsophisticated attempts at explanation, the crimson sheen on Filvis's ears grew deeper and brighter, and spread further down. Until soon enough, she was staring at him wide eyed, with her pale cheeks flaming red and her hands waving awkwardly in the air before him, trying to calm his tirade and give her a chance to catch her suddenly racing breath.

This whole day had been a shock, it wasn't fair, she wasn't used to any of this! And, as off balance as she was, she wound up getting defensive.

"Th-That's, that's just, because you don't know me! Y-You're being ridiculous, you just like anyone who's nice to you!"

Just arguing back about something like this made her feel even more ridiculous and left her cheeks blazing hotter. But she couldn't help it, she hadn't even been particularly nice to him.

"Maybe," surprisingly, he agreed with the words she hadn't even really meant, "You're probably right, I probably am being ridiculous, I don't know anything about love, or romance, or relationships- even with my Goddess, I'm still just trying to make sense of it."

But he was going to learn. He knew that, he'd promised himself that. His ideal as a hero stood before him. He was going to become a man who would make all the women he cared about happy. And right now, even if his reasons were superficial or laughable, there was a woman he cared about who everyone in the city knew was deeply unhappy.

"I don't know you that well yet, but I know what everyone says about you."

For a third time, Filvis's world slammed to a halt.

He'd asked around about her? Her heart darkened at that thought. Of course he had. Why wouldn't he? After Alfia had practically slapped her in the face with the title the whole city whispered behind her back, who wouldn't have been curious to hear about an elf cursed with an appellation like "The Banshee" and about a woman despised by every elf in Orario. She wondered if anyone had even bothered to tell him her real title, or if anyone even knew it anymore.

"Well, then you know it's better to stay away fr-"

"I don't know anything, I don't understand it at all! Everyone talked so badly of you, like you'd done something horrible…"

He didn't need to elaborate, it was no mystery what he would have been told. Any elf he asked would have scorned her name, if they didn't refuse to talk about her outright. And to any other adventurer she was something between a novelty and a warning, a target of mockery and derision, if not outright anger. She knew all those reactions very well.

"None of it makes any sense to me, nothing anything says is anything like the time I've spent with you," he continued, the force and fire coming back to his voice once more, "It just, it just made me aware of how much I still have to learn about elves, because I can't understand why they hate you so much! Alfia was right about me, I don't understand a thing, I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with elves! But, that's why I want to change, I came to Orario t change myself. I… I want to know, I want to understand, and to understand you."

"Ah."

She was suddenly aware of just why he'd been so insistently asking her about elvish culture and people's all morning. Why he'd wanted to learn the elvish language. She'd thought he was just being inquisitive, or at best, that he was just following his guardian's instructions. He'd been asking for her sake… so he could understand her. So, he could understand why every elf in the city hated her and why she hated herself. Her rejections died in her throat as the blush returned. He was so dangerously earnest, she couldn't help but be humbled.

"I don't know what it's like to lose your comrades," he continued, his voice dropping softer, "But I know what it's like to be left behind, when someone important to you died. It's not the same, I know that, I'm not trying to compare it… But, I know if I hadn't had Alfia, if I'd been completely alone, I don't think I'd have been able to stand it. So… So I hate hearing people talk badly about you, I hate hearing people say even your own Familia stay away from you, I hate the idea that you're alone. I, I know, I'm being ridiculous again, I can't imagine what it's like to lose all your comrades like that, I just… I don't understand why anyone would blame you, just for living? I'm… Filvis-san, I'm glad you're still alive."

Bell didn't know anything about death and loss in the dungeon. And he barely knew anything about elves. But he knew for sure, that if someone he cared about returned, he'd want to welcome them back with relief, not with scorn.

Surprising both of them, Filvis found herself giving a quiet laugh. Not sardonic, not mocking, just a quiet, gentle acknowledgement of what he'd said and the feelings he meant with them.

"A human couldn't understand."

She wasn't alone, she had Dionysus-sama. That was all she needed.

But she couldn't dismiss Bell's care or his words. It was the exact same unnecessary kindness that made the parts of her that were still elven sing in delight, and roil against her corrupted soul. A human couldn't understand, she knew that for sure. But the fact that a human wanted to understand, and that he wanted to reach out to her, even her dregs of Elven pride couldn't help but appreciate that.

Her laughter lasted only a few seconds, but she favoured him with a brief smile afterwards that didn't fade from her lips as she addressed him.

"I'll retract my words then, you aren't as thoughtless as I'd expected," she wasn't sure if she was teasing him or not, but the look on his face made her smile grow just a little warmer, "And, given the nature of the situation, and the fact that you were trying to help me- I'll forgive you for taking my first time. I won't make you take responsibility."

To watch Bell's utterly sincere expression break down entirely made for a very amusing sight. Filvis even found herself feeling a little bad as he reeled back at her choice of words. She was sure her old self would have been laughing outright.

As it was spun on her heel and walked away, further down the alley.

"I'll end our date here. For now, let's return to Alfia-sama."

The whimsical urge to take his hand again was immediately supressed, but she did offer him a few further lessons after he'd quickly scrambled back to her side.

--*--

"Cassandra…?"

"Cassandra."

"…Cassandra!"

"Ah-huh, Oh? Uh, Daphne?"

Looking up from where she'd been idly pushing her breakfast around her plate with a dazed smile, Cassandra squeaked quietly at the sight of her closest friend's scowling face filling up her vision.

"Alright, that's enough!"

Taking up her role as the Familia's co-ordinator, and more importantly, her duty as the Oracle's friend, Daphne stomped to her feet, grabbed Cassandra by the wrist and pulled her out of the dining hall and away back through the Apollo mansion. With nobody else being particularly close to either woman and with the entire Familia now thoroughly used to the (typically loud) antics between their skittish healer and forthright strategist, none of Apollo's other children so much as looked up from their own meals, let alone gave any thought to stopping them.

And so, in short order and in spite of her protests and wailing cry, Cassandra was hustled firmly (but not ungently) through the hallways and into a small, private, meeting room used to help prepare for their dungeon expeditions.

Clutching her hands around her waist as Daphne locked the door behind them, Cassandra squirmed awkwardly in place. The force of Daphne's stern glare bearing down on her a moment later did nothing to steady the teenager healer's nerves, and she was left staring uneasily at the floor between them instead.

Watching her friend acting even more tremulous than ever, the red-head could only heave a long-suffering sigh. But she was a determined woman, and more than anything else, she was Cassandra's closest ally. She was more than used to forcing through whatever reservations the timid bluenette held to try help her.

"Alright, out with it," she demanded, placing her hands on her hips, "You've been completely out of sorts all morning. Blushing, giggling, you barely even touched your breakfast. What's going on? What, are you sick? Or in love? Or just being stupid?"

Cassandra didn't respond, but the sight of her hands clinging tighter around her slim waist and the way her face burned redder and redder second by second as she dithered in place gave Daphne all the answer she needed. Her exasperating, hopeless companion had fallen for someone.

"Huh, really… who? Don't tell me it was one of the goons in our Familia?"

Daphne couldn't help but worry. Worrying about Cassandra was hardly a rare state for her to be in, but this time her worry was a little different. While she would never admit it, the fact that the two of them both despised the Familia they'd been forced into, the God who treated them like collection pieces and the "comrades" who held not an ounce of loyalty towards them had always been at the core of what bound both women together as friends. They were stuck here, and neither of them had the leverage or strength to leave, even if they did have somewhere to go- but at least they were stuck here together.

The Apollo Familia was large enough and powerful enough that they rarely needed to interact with other Familia, and Cassandra was hardly the most outgoing person, so it was hard to imagine her having met and fallen for someone in another faction without anyone else noticing. And their damnable God would never allow them to be with an outsider anyway. Which left the only possibility that she'd somehow wound up falling for one of their ever-unreliable companions.

A small ball of tension formed within the strategist as she awaited the Oracle's slowly forthcoming response.

Selfish as it might be, Daphne couldn't help but be a little scared that Cassandra might have gotten close to someone and softened her views towards their Familia. That the companion she always complained about might leave her alone.

"Um, ah…" After several very long moments of hesitation, the lovestruck bluenette slowly shook her head, "No, he's not one of us. Ah, not yet…"

"Huh? Not yet?"

"Ah, well, uh… I think he will be, in the future?"

Daphne sighed, preparing herself for something very stupid.

"In my dream, I recognised my room, so it had to be in here, and, a-and, I-ah, I saw my future…" shifting in place, Cassandra paused, not quite sure how to finish that sentence. The words Husband and Lover both floated through her mind, but she couldn't quite give voice to them. What was their relationship to be? Drawing on everything she'd felt and experienced from her future self, she believed down to her soul that she was his, but she couldn't say with the same certainty that he was hers, "My future… partner."

Daphne sighed again. Deeper, longer and with her usual exasperation. The tension that'd been building within her flowed out, and in its place was tedious frustration. It was, of course, exactly as stupid as she'd predicted.

"Another one of your dumb dreams?" she scoffed, "I should have known."

"D-Daphne! No, it's um, it was definitely, it wasn't anything like the others! H-He's definitely, it was real!"

Cassandra's eyes were wide and her hands balled into fists as she threw back Daphne's words. She was surprised herself at how forcefully she was rejecting her friend's dismissal. She was never like this, she was used to nobody believing her, she always just sighed and accepted it as she mourned her inability to ever convince anyone. This time should have been no different, but somehow, she couldn't bear to have this dream shrugged off just as carelessly as her other visions.

Was it because of how vivid it had been? How different it had been from her usual prophesies? Or… was it because, she herself wanted to believe it was true?

Cassandra knew better than anyone that her visions weren't absolute certainties. That was why she always took them so seriously instead of simply treating them as inevitabilities, that was why she always took a short rest before any expedition or anytime they prepared to explore deeper into the dungeon. Her prophetic dreams warned her of events to come, but if she acted swiftly and decisively, she was often able to avert the course of fate, or at least to soften it enough to keep things from getting too bad. That was, she was sure, one of the reasons why nobody ever believed her. But this time, she knew for sure, that she had absolutely no wish to change fate. This time and this time only, she wished instead that her dreams truly were of a destined outcome.

How could she not, when she'd seen, and felt, just how happy she'd been in that future.

"Please, believe me!"

But of course, her words were as useless as ever.

"Yeah, yeah, just like all the others," Daphne shrugged, playing along with in a whim of indulgence, "What was it this time? 'A white-rabbit cloaked in silence bounding towards the city as the world spins on its axis'? 'A rabbit leaping to the heavens, diving into the sacred flame and wearing it like a cloak'? Oh, or was it about 'The north wind blowing as a tempest while a rabbit sits atop a giant bull'?"

Cassandra had been dreaming about white rabbits a lot lately, and Daphne was sick of hearing about them.

This time however, in a rare show of defiance, the disregarded Oracle remained steadfast. She couldn't have this dream dismissed, not when it had been so vivid and so wonderful!

"I-If, if you want to know, then…"

…

Cassandra didn't so much finish her story, so much as her emotions finally caught up with her burst of confidence and she became unable to continue any longer. By this point, as she realised exactly what she was saying and the fact that she'd now explicitly detailed most of the fundamental features of her vision, her face was blazing bright red, her chest was heaving and her eyes were once more dropped to the floor, suddenly entirely unable to look at her friend.

"A-And, um, it… A-Anyway, that's what I saw…"

If she had been looking up however, she would have seen that Daphne -in spite of her usual fortitude- was in much the same condition. Blushing vibrantly, with her eyes aghast and body trembling in shock, the red-headed strategist was struggling to even believe what she'd heard, and more specifically that Cassandra of all people had told it to her!

"Wh-Wh-What the hell!? Are… are you trying to claim THAT is vision!? G-Get a hold of yourself, Cassandra!" Daphne was so flustered even her usual condemnation lacked its usual bite, not when her own eyes were wild at the lurid images her friend had so readily spun, "It was, it was bad enough before, but now your silly dreams have become perverted fantasies!?"

"Pe-Pervet-… D-Daphne!"

"You said you don't even know who the guy you're talking so excitedly about was! And yet, you, with him, all th-that stuff…" Daphne, just like Cassandra, had been stolen away and kept as a prized trophy of the Apollo Familia since a young age, neither of them had any chance to form any kind of romantic experiences. The red-headed strategist's knowledge of such subjects was severely limited, and the friend she'd always thought so gentle and innocent had just completely exceeded anything she could have possibly imagined. Just hearing about the salacious vision left Daphne almost as off balance as Cassandra had been, waking up to it, "Ahhh, that's enough, that's enough! I can't believe this! Don't mix up your wet dreams with reality!"

So saying, she stomped awkwardly out of the room.

Just as before, her scolding had lost almost all its usual bite.

Which was why, instead of collapsing to her knees like she usually did when Daphne rejected her visions, Cassandra stayed on her feet, dithering in place with a red face and a burning sense of shame. That hadn't been like her. She was never that impulsive or that headstrong, she'd never once imagined ever talking about such matters, let alone actively describing a sexual experience that she hadn't even happened yet.

Until now her prophesies had only been about despair, and worries. They'd been something she'd dreaded as much as she'd relied on. She'd never before felt this strange sense of hope in her chest, nor the soft heat the ebbed through her whenever she imagined the scene her future self had been in. Was that why she'd reacted so strongly?

She swallowed.

She didn't even know who the man of her dreams was yet, was she really looking forward to him that much?

She shook her head, dismissing the image that began building tantalisingly in her mind once more. Whatever the case may be, right now she needed to chase after her friend, before Daphne thought she really was lost in perverted fantasies!

"D-Daphne! Daphne! Wait, wait, for me!"

--*--

That evening, while the Loki Familia was hosting a lavish party to commemorate Ais's prodigious advancement to level six, a much smaller but no less heartfelt celebration was playing out among the two person Hestia Familia and Alfia to mark the occasion of Bell having achieved his long-held wish to learn magic.

Both Alfia and Hestia had some serious concerns about the nature of the Grimoire he'd found, and the especially with the way he'd since claimed to be unable to tell either of them anything about it, where it had come from, or anything at all that had happened since he'd left to return it to Syr. But, for now at least, those worries were put aside and the abandoned Church's underground basement was lit up in delight as they all raised a toast to his success instead.

Hestia had dressed up for the occasion. However, given their desperate lack of funds and thus a very limited wardrobe selection for the young-looking Goddess, that had simply meant putting on a pair of solid white thigh-high stockings as some form of formal dress. But she'd also brought with her a full plate of fried Jyagu Maru-Kun from her job, and a bottle of wine she'd managed to haggle a good price out of on the way home. Bell was dearer to Hestia than anyone in the world, and more full of surprises and revelations than she could have possibly imagined from all her time observing humans. When he'd surprised her with the news about having suddenly learned magic, and headed unarmoured into the dungeon besides, the previous evening as they'd made their way back from their date at the bookstore, she'd almost fallen over in the street in shock (the fact that her legs had already been shaking and she'd been leaning on him for support at the time may have also been a contributing factor). His growth was out of this world already, and he'd already grasped his hands on one of his dearest dreams -two if she included herself-, she was as eager as she was anxious to see just how far he would go.

Alfia hadn't made any such effort towards dressing up, but she'd spent some of the spare funds she'd liberated from the Hera Familia stocks to purchase some nicer ingredients and prepare a much nicer meal than their usual fare. And strangely, even as the wine was doled out the cheers and laughter followed, the Maiden of Silence found herself simply joining in with the occasion rather than scorning the noise and sequestering herself away as she normally did in such celebrations. Perhaps it was simply the fact that her adorable and beloved Bell was the one being celebrated, or perhaps it was the heated pride that had been bubbling through her ever since he'd described the nature of his magic -so very similar to her own- but she'd found herself in an unusual buoyant mood since the moment he'd walked back in through the door that evening.

Bell simply let himself enjoy the occasion, with only the mild regret that Lili had turned down the offer to join them and the small knot of guilt in his stomach that he'd promised Syr he wouldn't speak a word of the Grimoire being a gift from the Goddess Freya. He didn't truly know what to make of the idea that one of the most powerful and influential women in the world had tipped her hand towards him like that, and no matter how naïve he was, he knew for sure that this was exactly the kind of thing Alfia and Hestia would want to know all about. But… Syr was important to him, and she was trying to look out for him, he couldn't betray her confidence. There was no way he could possibly manage to lie to Alfia, and it was impossible to lie to a Goddess, so in the end he'd simply repeated that he couldn't say anything about it and prayed that the issue would pass by. Thankfully, neither woman seemed inclined to sour to occasion by pushing the issue.

And so, instead, they turned their attention to the wonderful meal Alfia had laid out. Made with meat of a rare quality, vegetables harvested by Demeter herself, and mixed with a powerful array of spices, it was an immediate reminder that no matter how calm and placid her personality, Alfia had an intense taste for food! Within minutes, all three of them were flushed red and breathing with heady breaths as they worked through the delightful but dangerous meal.

And they cooled their mouths with the wine Hestia had wrangled. It seemed the shop-keeper had been another one taken in by her young charms and surprisingly crafty negotiation skills, because it was a far better drop than the price suggested. Nowhere near on the level of Soma's legendary wines, or the kind that had graced the Banquet of the Gods she'd attended recently, but a good sight better than the stuff she usually subsisted on with the equally destitute God Miach. Bell wasn't much of a drinker, at least not yet, but as an adventurer he was already considered an adult, and he'd already become a man, so he worked his way through a glass himself while the two most prominent women in his life happily polished off the rest of the bottle together.

And then, while treating the oily Jyagu Maru Kun as some kind of strange dessert, Bell regaled them with the full story of his time in the dungeon, the scope and power of the magic as he'd found it so far, and his encounter with the Loki Familia.

Hestia was on the edge of her seat and free with both scoldings and complaints all the way through Bell's story of going into the dungeon on impulse lacking weapons, armour or a plan, but the story of his meeting with the two legendary female adventurers, and of their agreement to train him over the following days served to cool the no-longer-virgin Goddess's enthusiasm. Instead, she sat back with a slightly strained smile and simply told Bell that she was happy he'd finally managed to clear things up with the Sword Princess and agreed that it was certainly a fantastic opportunity for him, so long as he was careful around the two women.

It was to Hestia's credit that, despite a spike of jealousy and no small amount of worry at the thought of leaving Bell in the hands of the two famous adventurers, she supported his decision to accept the training all the same. She knew just how important Ais Wallenstein was to him, and she knew that the blonde was almost certainly responsible for the skill that graced Bell's back. No matter how much she told herself she'd accepted his feelings for the other woman, and the strange relationship she'd found herself in… she'd had him all to herself all this time, it was still a difficult thing to push those feelings down and accept it in reality, especially as his Goddess. But she did it all the same. Because it was her own skill that graced Bell's back, just as importantly as Ais's, and she knew that Bell loved her just as strongly as she loved him. She knew nothing would change, no matter who he spent time with, and she wanted to see him as happy as he'd made her.

"Just remember, if they invite you to their Familia, you say no, alright!?"

"O-Of course! You're my only Goddess!"

"Hmph, well, good enough. Alright, Bell, learn a lot from them, okay? I don't know much about Wallenstein-san, but I doubt someone like Nine Hells has any dubious intentions, still, take care of yourself all the same, okay?"

Alfia meanwhile took the news with absolute glee. While she still nursed her own bitter resentment towards the Loki Familia and she wanted as little to nothing to do with them as possible, the thought of Bell spending time with and training under two of Loki's most precious flowers was about the most delicious news she'd imagined. Bell's feelings for Ais had always been something she'd supported, but something she'd had to imagine would be some long-term ideal- there was simply no way she'd thought the boy would be anywhere near within distance of the Sword Princess's shadow for at least a decade, something like this was too perfect a chance not to take! And, well, he'd been learning about Elves from the Banshee woman lately, so if he happened to somehow catch Riveria's attention as well, then that was only the better. Either one would make for a fantastic wife for a Hero-to-be, and both of them together would be like something right out of one of Zeus's stories, and a wonderful way to tweak that obnoxious trickster's nose.

And, even more important than her own hopes and dreams for her adorable and beloved Bell's love life, was the possibility they represented in Bell's quest to become a Hero worthy of their attention. The value Ais brought towards Bell's martial aptitude went without saying, anything he could learn from the woman once scorned as the "War Princess" would be a priceless treasure, but to add Riveria's own personal tutoring to the mix was a very special offering indeed! Magic was rare and powerful, those who could teach it with any aptitude at all were few and far between. Alfia had imparted some minor knowledge about spell craft and about Mind regulation to Bell in offhand mentions and stories passed to him through growing up, but none of that would be anywhere near enough to prepare him to actually use his spells with their true effectiveness. Without any other ready answers at hand, the woman once dubbed the Maiden of Silence had been preparing to cast off a bit of her pretence of inability and take on his training herself. She'd always been very careful never to reveal too much about herself or her past to Bell, lest he get caught up in the machinations she'd once been a part of, or lose heart and turn to her power rather than relying on his own. Whatever the green-haired Elf's intentions may or may not be, Alfia was more than happy to rescind the position of magic-tutor to the famed Nine Hells.

"Make sure you listen to them seriously, and that you ask any questions you need. I don't care if you infuriate each of them by the end of it, this is an opportunity you're unlikely to have again. Make sure you squeeze every drop of information and experience from them you can."

"Right!"

"And… there's no reason it should come up, but if they ask about you, and if they ask about me… Use the name I gave the gate guard."

"Meteria? …My mother's name."

It shamed her slightly to wear it, and even more to have him address her with it like this. She wasn't taking her sister's place. But while the name "Alfia" likely still resonated in some corners of the city, there were few left who would remember a civilian member to their Familia, it was a suitable disguise, and more appropriate than trying to establish a fake name and train herself to respond naturally to it.

"Hmm. Actually, I take it back, whatever you do, make sure not to infuriate either of them. Your mission is to squeeze every drop of knowledge from the Sword Princess and Nine Hells, while making sure they both think highly of you by the end of it. Surely that's a more appropriate task for a hero?"

"I-I, I'll do my best!"

From there, the conversation turned to lighter matters. They talked of their past, their future, and how far they had yet to go. The food disappeared, the bottle ran dry, and as the evening twilight turned to night, the basement church was full of hope, cheer and excitement for what still lay ahead before them. All in all, a welcome and warm evening, and a suitable occasion to mark the first of the young adventurer's dreams coming true.

Finally growing tired of the noise, Alfia was the first to step away, reminding them that Bell had a very early start the next morning, and that Hestia had two shifts awaiting her. At the Maiden of Silence's words, the celebration drew to a close, they cleaned themselves up, turned off the magic stone light, and dropped into their respective beds.

At long last, peaceful serenity replaced the earlier clamour. No matter how welcome the celebration had been, or how tolerant she'd been of the racket that had filled her new home, the silver haired woman couldn't ever truly relax until blissful silence reigned instead. Bell's soft breathing and Hestia's small sighs, the knowledge that the people she cared about were here, and were safe, that was all she needed or wanted to hear.

Drawing the sheets up tight around her, Alfia turned to her side and embraced the night, falling slowly into the warm and gentle silence.

…

…

…

And then, she awoke an hour later, to the sound of heavy breathing, muted kisses and the soft creaking of the couch her sister's son was sharing with his Goddess.

It was enough to both immediately wake the Maiden of Silence up, and leave her face twisted up bright red. Thankfully, she was already facing away from them, the last thing she wanted to was to have woken up and seen… seen… whatever it was that was happening behind her.

The fact that -unlike the last time she'd heard the two of them like this- Alfia could very clearly hear the sound of their quietly passionate kisses mixed with the gentle slap of flesh on flesh, left very few possibilities for exactly what was taking place just a few meders behind her. But the sake of her own heart, she decided to believe that she wasn't lying awake, listening to the sound of her sister's son having sex.

"Nhgh, Bell! Bell!" Hestia's voice was a breathless whisper, but there was no missing the ecstasy in her tone, "Hha, I love it, every time! It's so huge… It feels incredible inside me!"

"Goddess! I, I love you too!" Bell's answer was just as sweet as ever, full of love despite the heady lust in his panting gasps, "You're so tight, a-nngh, and so warm around me!"

Alfia winced. Apparently, she was lying awake listening to the sound her sister's son having sex. It wasn't an enormous surprise, given the number of times they'd come home together late at night, or the previous time she'd woken up in the middle of the night hearing the apparent Goddess of Purity's lips sliding up and down Bell's shaft. Really, if anything, the biggest surprise was just how soon this had all happened.

Mortals had legends of Hestia's chastity, how Apollo and Poseidon had both pursued her, and both been turned down. Of course, if Alfia had anything to say about it, she'd agree that it was only natural that the deity would fall in love with her adorable and beloved Bell (who wouldn't?) but knowing that he'd conquered the unconquerable Goddess of the Hearth was still something that left her with no small amount of pride.

"Hha, Goddess! Goddess!"

"Hehe, yes! Bell, hha… it feels amazing!"

Unfortunately, right now along with that pride, it also left her with a withering sense of embarrassment that had Alfia's heart thundering in her chest, and flushed her body with an uncomfortably wet heat.

Clenching her pillow tight against her chest, and unconsciously squeezing her thighs together, the Maiden of Silence, decided she really was far too indulgent and far too easy-going with these two. Since when had she been this nice? She should make a scene right now! She should yell and scream and tell them to stop! She would surely have done that if anyone else had ever even considered encroaching upon her sleep with such noise! But somehow, just as she had the last time this had happened, she found herself stuck in place, unable to say anything and unwilling to interrupt Bell's love life.

Which meant Alfia was left with nothing but her thoughts and the throb of embarrassment pulsing through her body as the sound of soft, gentle lovemaking continued to fill the Church basement. Second after second, into minute after minute. The couch creaked and rocked, Hestia's voice lifted up in half-muffled moans and cries, (her adorable and beloved) Bell's voice answered hers with his own masculine gasps and pants, and the heady, wet, sound of two bodies coming together, seemed to fill every millimeder of the room.

"Nhhaa, Bell, hha… Look at y-you, trying s-so hard to hold back. Hhaa… It's fine, you know? I love it like this… but… I love it even more when you're rougher!"

"G-Goddess, I… I can't! I already, this is already… we're already making so much noise… We'll wake up Alfia!"

"Hehe, it's fine, it's fine, Bell! Mmm, I already told you, you saw her earlier, she drank almost that whole bottle herself, she's totally sloshed, she won't be waking up tonight…"

Red faced, mortified, and with her legs clenched tight together, Alfia jolted in place at that. She had drunk most of the bottle? She distinctly remembered a cheeky, laughably virginal Goddess of the Hearth downing just as many glasses as her! Was that lie how that damnable Goddess of his had tricked her Bell into doing something like this!?

She was really going to have to have words with that Goddess tomorrow morning.

"MNng, it's fine, Bell! Heh, I'll stay quiet, I promise, okay? So, c'mon… Nhha, yes, h-harder! Yes! Bell, mmmm! Make me yours! Nhhaa, Fuck me!"

Again, Alfia jolted in place, this time by the outlandishly lascivious words Hestia was breathing out, just barely quiet enough to still be called a whisper and by the sound of the couch creaking louder and louder with each punctuated word. The Maiden of Silence clenched her pillow harder, she really didn't want to imagine just what that lust-filled joke of a purity Goddess was doing with her hips as she seduced Alfia's sister's son!

"Goddess! Shh, hhaa, you've, you've got to keep it down!"

"Hh-AhhhMMmmmph!"

Thankfully, one of the lovemaking pair seemed to have covered the small divinity's mouth with their hands, because Hestia's increasingly vibrant cries were suddenly muffled.

Unfortunately, the muffled cries were still echoing loudly around the basement, and her words (and actions) appeared to have successfully spurred Bell on, because the sound of the couch creaking and groaning under their exertions grew louder and heavier. And, along with it, so too did the sound of Bell's body driving into his Goddesses… the sound of the cock that seemed to be driving Hestia wild spreading her walls wide and driving deep inside him… the sound of his weight pressing down on hers and his hips crashing down into hers… the sound of Hestia's clinging to his back, and of her legs kicking exuberantly into the air against his every thrust…

Chewing on her lip, Alfia swallowed heavily. Her eyes were shut tight and she very deliberately didn't turn around… but, with the room filled entirely with the heady sounds of dizzying lust, her imagination was more than enough to fill in the gaps. And the mortified embarrassment that was pulsing through her throbbed hotter and harder by the moment.

Second passed by agonising second. Minute passed by mortifying minute.

And all the while, Alfia was assaulted by the warmth desire and passion love overflowing through the basement. The acute danger sense and spatial awareness she'd honed against the deepest ever explored levels of the dungeon were both now working with hyperactive sensitivity, filling her mind an extremely clear mental image of exactly what (she imagined) was taking place behind her.

The fabric around Bell's knees strained as he pushed into the couch with greater force, driving his length into his Goddess harder, faster, with enough power that even both his hands over her mouth wasn't enough to fully muffle Hestia's resulting cries. But, the Maiden of Silence realised to her dismay, he too must have been caught up in his desires, because even as the smaller woman's voice pitched higher, his force didn't wane, and the creaking and groaning of the couch grew just as intensely vibrant as the (barely) stifled moaning and delighted gasping from the Maiden of the Hearth.

Alfia swallowed heavily as the noise wrapped around her and as the image in her mind formed with crystal clarity. No matter how much she might like to ignore it, the reality was that Bell was doing exactly as his Goddess had commanded- he was fucking her. He was fucking her senseless.

The wet, hot embarrassment searing through her left her sizable breasts tingling and her heart pounding in her chest. Her body was flushed with heat and the hands holding the pillow against her were clenched so tight they'd turned even whiter than her usually creamy pale skin.

There was no stopping it now.

Hestia's voice pitched higher still. Her earlier belief that Alfia somehow wouldn't wake up to this racket was being put past any sense of logic as the one pure Goddess's impure delight rang out for all to hear. Again and again, with each creak of the couch, each strain of the fabric, and each time Alfia imagined Bell's cock driving into the small deity, her voice pitched upwards. Listening to the deity clinging tight to the man she loved with both her arms and legs, Alfia was made fully aware of the sound of Hestia cumming so hard she lost her mind.

'Ah…'

And a moment later, she was made just as intensely aware of the sound of Bell's own matching delight. Lying, locked in place, just a few meders away, Alfia couldn't help but listen as the young adventurer she'd known since he was small enough to sit on her palm moaned and gasped with such potent masculinity that she didn't know if she'd even recognise the boy she'd always known if she did turn around right now. The sound of it filled her with strange feelings and her body strained in place.

"Go-Goddess!"

"Bell! Bell! Bell!"

"…Ng…"

The sound peaked and roared to a heady, dizzying crescendo, shaking out from the two lovebirds and echoing around the basement with such unbridled warmth and rampaging desire that it was impossible not to be affected by it.

Hestia's repeated cries of delight echoed vividly through Alfia's ears.

So too the sound of Bell releasing himself ecstatically within the Goddess.

And the Maiden of Silence found herself chewing silently on one of her fingers as her mind unwittingly formed a crystal-clear image of the Adventurer and Deity wrapped tight around one another. Her currently hypersensitive hearing easily painted a vivid painting showcasing each throb and shudder running through them as the couch creaked and groaned softly under the pressure- As Hestia caught her lips with his once more, vocalising her bliss directly into his mouth. And, as Bell unloaded rope after rope of his essence into the woman he loved, again and again, until Hestia was sure she must have been hearing things.

"…"

And finally, eventually, at long last, silence reigned once more.

The, now thoroughly shaken, Incarnation of Talent relaxed out from the ball she'd somehow wrapped herself into. Breathing out a trembling sigh as quietly as she could manage, she slid back into some measure of a feigned sleeping position. Flushed hot as she was, with her breath still racing and heart pounding, she was about as far from sleep as she could imagine, but at the very least, she could finally relax.

The sound of Bell and Hestia's quiet kisses and gentle murmuring filled the basement, but after the clamour she'd just been assaulted by, that was almost soothing.

Taking great pains to ensure she wasn't breathing too loudly, it took several very long minutes for Alfia to properly calm down, and even then, only her rigid force of will kept her thoughts from spinning out of control once more.

'What a disaster. What an embarrassment. I cannot believe I endured such a ridiculous farce,' she scolded herself, twisting around under the covers as the heat cooled from her cheeks, 'I can't believe I didn't bring a stop to it immediately. I should take them each to task right now.'

…

Unfortunately, even inside the security of her own mind, there was no heat to Alfia's words. As much as she may have ignored it, she knew very well why she hadn't stopped it last time, why she'd stayed silent now, and why she still wasn't going to say anything.

Because as thoroughly awkward and mortifying as it was to hear the explicit details of her sister's son's love live… hearing his clear happiness and contentment filled her with such joy she couldn't bring herself to even imagine interfering.

In spite of her cruel nature, in spite of her cold methods, in spite of the crimes she'd been prepared to commit against Orario, Alfia had done her very best to raise Meteria's son. She could never pay her sister back for the talent and strength she'd stolen in the womb, and she had no illusions or intentions of bringing Bell up as some form of penance. Instead, it had simply been pure love. He'd captured her heart the moment she'd been foolish enough to go see him all those years back, and she'd wanted to do her best for him ever since. For his sake, for Meteria and for herself.

Bell's dream was now her dream. So, she'd come to Orario, so she'd helped him become an adventurer, so she'd pushed him to towards Hestia.

She didn't truly know what Bell would say about her. He was too kind for his own good, really, (she had no idea where he'd gotten that from), but Alfia knew very well that she was far from the warm and gentle guardian he deserved, in her diminished capacity she hadn't made for much of a teacher and with her villainous nature she'd never given him any of the outward affection Zeus had done so easily.

But to know, for sure, that Bell had grown up and discovered love. A love that he felt so deeply it had been engraved on his very Soul, and a love that didn't contradict the feelings he still held towards the Sword Princess.

No matter her other failings and feigned aloofness, Alfia couldn't possibly feel anything but warmth at that knowledge. The Orario that she and Zald had aimed for wasn't here, the city's strongest Familia were almost offensively weak, and rather than living in peace, Meteria's son was holding a weapon in that same cause.

But he'd found his way to happiness all the same. And Alfia wanted to protect that. Even if it was embarrassing, or mortifying to the point her entire body was flushed red in a way she'd never felt before!

"Goddess…"

The boy's quiet words broke her from her musings and away from the small moment of self-reflection, her body perking and up and reacting to him just as it always did.

"Can we… can we do it again?"

"!"

Jolting in place, Alfia's answer came long before Hestia's could, 'What are you saying!?' she screamed mentally, 'Of course you can't! Weren't you the one saying you had to be careful not to wake me up just a half hour ago!? And what happened to your early morning tomorrow!? Bell! BELL! ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO MAKE ME LIE HERE AND LIST-'

"Of course, Bell! Let's keep going!"

Unfortunately for Alfia, the noise began in earnest once more, for several hours more.

--*--

Mixed up with a potent combination of nervousness and politeness, Bell arrived atop the city walls almost a full hour earlier than the scheduled time. With Alfia's instruction to wring every last drop of information he could from the Loki executives, and Hestia's much more gentle support pulsing through his mind, his nerves were more than a little frayed. Thankfully, his Goddess had enveloped him with her sweet and tender care last night, so he'd slept soundly all the same and was now bursting with energy from her love.

Following the High Elf's scheduled routine, Riveria and Ais arrived exactly on time. The elder adventurer had made a point of notifying her comrades about an appointment she and the blonde had early in the morning, and made a show of reminding Ais of the same as they'd made their way to the Hostess of Fertility the previous evening. And so, no-one in the Familia had thought either woman was acting particularly strange, nor was there anything notable about them departing first thing in the morning, they slipped through the city streets and arrived at the walls overlooking Orario without incident.

It was, Riveria thought, a rather inspired choice of location and a surprisingly insightful show of shrewdness from the usually painfully straightforward blonde. The city walls were both practically deserted and one of the highest general points of access in all of Orario, it would be exceedingly difficult for anybody to stumble upon them, or to spy on them. That wasn't to say they were doing anything wrong… but all the same, Riveria had very intentionally not mentioned exactly what her and Ais's appointment was. Undoubtably things would just proceed a lot smoother for everyone involved if these inter-Familia training sessions were kept under wraps.

A few moments of greetings and slightly stilted pleasantries followed. Riveria spoke calmly, Ais spoke softly (surprising her by even speaking at all) and Bell spoke in a nervous rush as his eyes practically bored a hole in the stone beneath him.

If Riveria had been just a few decades younger she might have allowed herself to think how incredibly cute the sight of him blushing and dithering before them was, his awkwardness standing in clear juxtaposition to the fact he'd clearly arrived well before them and that he was dressed up in his full adventuring kit this time. Instead, she simply turned her gaze slightly to the side and very specifically didn't think that. A small weight of embarrassment bubbled in her stomach as she thought back to her last encounter with this young human and the absolute failure of her usually-impeccable Elven reflexes in warding him away, but she was easily able to push it from her mind. He was an adventurer, just like they were, and she was an old woman besides; they were here for training, and she was here to support Ais's growth. No matter that she'd been dragged into this, she would see it through seriously.

"Um, ah, Wallenstein-san, th-then, that is…"

"…Ais."

"Huh?"

"Everyone calls me that… does that make you uncomfortable?"

"A-Ah! No, no! I, I ah, I'm fine with that, ah, Ais-san."

Cute. Riveria had to hold back a smile. As much as she'd worried about the girl lately, right now there was no sign of the Doll Princess she'd once known. She had long thought it was a testament to the Loki Familia's warmth and to Ais's own incredible willpower just how much far she'd come from the bedraggled, angry, disobedient girl that she'd once known. And somehow, this boy seemed to have a knack for dispelling even the darkness that'd begun gathering around her lately.

"So then, Ais-san… what should I do now?"

"That's… a good question…"

"Huh?"

"I've been thinking about it… since yesterday, but…"

As expected. Riveria sighed. Ais was hardly one to think ahead beyond her immediate goals, and it wasn't like she had any idea how to actually go about teaching someone anything. She'd been interested to see what kind of answer the sword-princess would come up with for this boy, but the completely empty "I don't know" answer filled with "I'll figure it out as I go along" was about as typical as anyone could have guessed.

Clapping her hands sharply, she knocked the dithering duo out from where they'd gotten lost in their own little world. As much as she was enjoying observing, she had come all the way out here this early in the morning, she intended to see this through properly and to a satisfying conclusion.

"In that case, I shall take the lead."

Turning around, Ais shot her a surprised and jealous look that left Riveria's heart screaming I'm not trying to steal his attention from you! I'm trying to help you! Which was immediately followed by And, didn't you just want to learn why he was getting stronger so fast, anyway!? But she pressed forwards regardless. Unlike those two, she actually had teaching experience. Far too much of it, she thought.

"Cranel-san. Since there are two of us, the most logical direction is that I shall guide your magic, while Ais trains your fighting."

"R-R-Right!" back straight, standing almost to attention, he almost yelled his response. Cute. "Thank you!"

"I will wear down your mind and then Ais shall wear down your body, and you shall become stronger with each. This way you'll also get used to fighting without your magic, rather than relying on it."

He nodded, so she directed him to take his stance. Ais walked over to the edge of the battlements, watching with both interest and impatience, and Bell spread his legs, raising his right hand up to the air between them.

"No, not like that," she corrected the expected mistake, "There's no value in practice that doesn't simulate the real thing, the point is to carve these lessons into your body and mind, so when you're in the dungeon you can act on them instinctively. You're clearly not a spellcaster, and you told us you've only just recently acquired your magic, so you must get used to using it as well as your usual weapons."

"I, right!"

It was obvious, but Bell realised he'd never even thought of it until this moment. When he'd ran off to test his new spell, he'd gone to the dungeon without even a weapon, until this moment he'd never actually fought with both his knife and spell together. It was such a simple thing but doubtless would form the core of his fighting style from now on, and she'd seen through it immediately. Swallowing as he quickly drew the Hestia Knife and took up his usual stance, Bell was reminded again of the gulf of experience that stood between him and the Loki Familia, between him and the woman he idolised.

"Good, that's…"

Right as she'd been about to dive into the lesson, Riveria paused. Even the strictly composed high-elf couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise as she realised just what she'd seen.

"That knife… can I see it?"

He didn't argue, so she stepped forward and carefully took the obsidian-black blade from his hands.

Hephaestus. It really was. She'd thought her eyes must have been playing tricks on her when he'd taken his stance and she'd seen the sheathe on his belt. It was lightweight, and even to her untrained eye crafted with a mastery that she couldn't even begin to describe, there was absolutely no doubting the quality of this weapon. She hadn't truly imagined it would have been an imitation, there were very few smiths brave enough to dare imitate a Hephaestus signature, and fewer still adventurers reckless enough to wear such a forgery openly, but that had been the only explanation she'd been able to imagine for why a novice like Bell Cranel would have something like this.

"Huh?" and just as Riveria had been about to pass it back, again she paused, "It's blunt?"

It was so unbelievable she hadn't even noticed it when she'd taken it into her hands, but looking at it now, and running her fingertip along the edge, the blade was completely dull. Something like this wouldn't cut butter, let alone a monster, unless the young adventurer was running around the dungeon bludgeoning his foes to death.

Again, the High Elf found her mind boggling with a seemingly illogical mystery and unknown variables. Why would a knife of such unmistakable quality be blunt? Why would an adventurer carry a dull knife? Was it a failed copy, some offcut from the forge? She'd never heard of anything like that being sold, but that might certainly explain why a novice might have it? But, how could she possibly believe that something like this was a mistake? And… why was she absolutely certain that just a moment ago it had seemed sharp enough to sever even the sunlight rays cresting the stone walls?

To this, at least, the answer was swiftly forthcoming.

"Ah, right, that's because-" reaching out, and -she noticed- taking great care not to touch either her fingers or hand, Bell carefully took the knife back from her, "That's because it's linked to my Falna. So, it only reacts to me."

Exactly as he said, in his hands and right before Riveria's stunned eyes, the mithril blade glowed softly with a white-blue light as the runes etched upon the surface lit up. An instant later the effect passed and the blade was looking just as imposingly sharp as she'd recalled.

She had her answer. But of course, an answer like that only raised a thousand more questions! It was all she could do to maintain hold of her composure and keep from interrogating him right then and there! Riveria was beyond words, and that knife was beyond description! Even Ais, whose interest in the whole conversation had been treating it like a curiosity was raising an eyebrow at the display.

It was ridiculous, it was insane, there was no words for just how unfitting something like this was in the hands of a newly minted adventurer! This knife was something a legendary hero or Familia captain might have! THEIR Familia captain didn't have anything like this! Ais didn't have anything like this! Why in the world would a level 1 adventurer have something like this!?

And not just that. Magic, a human who could cast spells. And his growth, enough that in a month he'd made as much progress alone as a beginning party might make in half a year, the unprecedented advancement that had taught Ais's attention and kept the Sword Princess waiting impatiently to learn the truth behind his strength even now.

Adventurers were a secretive lot, they were a weapon of power and influence for their God as much as anything else, and their information was guarded jealously, keeping all cards close to their chest. There was a reason that Statuses were typically locked and why inquiring as to someone's personal details was looked down upon. But even so, bogging from anomaly after anomaly, Riveria couldn't help but give voice to her confusion.

"Bell Cranel… just who are you?"

Unfortunately, his answer was just as unsatisfying as she might have expected. Squirming awkwardly under her gaze and inappropriate question, he repeated most of the details she'd learned from him already in the dungeon, how he'd come from the countryside in some no-name village she'd never heard of, how he had no formal training or schooling besides what he'd gained from his guardian, and that he'd come to Orario after his grandfather died for the sake of finding his place in the world. His incredible knife was a gift from his Goddess, and that was the extent of everything he knew about it, even his own questions about its origins had been unanswered by his Goddess, besides the knowledge that it had apparently been explicitly crafted for his sake, to give him the strength he needed.

Hearing about such pure sentiments left a spike of guilt within the Elf at pressing him as far as she had, she knew she was well out of line, but still nothing about his story added up. It was certainly true that a weaker or less famous Familia would have to work harder to entice adventurers to join or stay with them. But, while Riveria had never met Hestia, from the complaints she'd heard in passing from Loki she'd gathered the Goddess of Purity had only descended a few months ago! Rather than being weaker or less famous, Riveria had never even heard of the Hestia Familia, how had she possibly gathered the means to get her hands on a weapon like this?

Her inquiries about his magic bore even less fruit. At that, he simply scratched the back of his head, avoided her eyes and told her he wasn't able to say anything about that.

She could have pressed him.

Finn would have. She knew that.

He was hardly the combative sort, and he was clearly off balance from her questioning. It would be as simple as pushing the pressure onto him, telling him that she couldn't possibly train someone who wouldn't explain such details adding guilt that they'd come all this way here for him and he was holding things back. She very much doubted he would be bold enough to catch the hypocrisy of that statement, or point out that neither her nor Ais had shared any information at all about their own abilities or Status.

"I see. In that case, I apologise for the questions. Your Goddess certainly takes great care of you, doesn't she?"

She sighed.

Her Elven pride wouldn't possibly let her do something so disgraceful. Riveria knew she was already well out of line just going as far as she was. If it wasn't for the fact that she was about to offer him a personal training session, she would have seriously felt a need to make up for such unfair rudeness. This was meant to be a form of apology, after all. The guilty feelings bubbling within her certainly weren't helped by the wounded look she could see Ais shooting her from where she was leaning impatiently against the stone battlements. The Sword Princess didn't care about his magic or how he'd gotten it, she cared about making things right with Bell Cranel, and she cared about learning his strength, the fear that Riveria might drive him away was leaving the blonde on edge. Riveria had meant to use this as a chance for Ais to spend time with the young man, but instead she'd just taken over the proceedings herself.

It was time to fix that, at least.

"Okay, let's begin immediately. Alright, Cranel-san, please, go ahead and demonstrate your magic."

"Right!" clenching his knife with his right hand, this time he raised his left to the sky, pointing away it somewhere over the horizon, "Sagitta Sonus!"

The air rippled and shook, heading off into the distance and then dissipating into nothing. Lowering his hand slightly, Bell blushed as he took on an awkward impression. It hadn't occurred to him just how much less impressive his magic would look outside the dungeon.

It also hadn't occurred to him that both his current companions were at the absolute pinnacle of Orario's modern peak, neither had missed a moment of the effect that had just played out before them.

"Swift strike magic?" Once again, Riveria was taken by surprise, that was certainly unusual, but hardly unknown and, given the type of fighter she'd already pegged him as, certainly about as suitable as it got. The strength of a magical attack almost always depended on the length of the chant involved, something that traded off power for immense speed would be highly valued for an adventurer who was doing the same, "Well, that's definitely going to be useful for you."

"…Invisible?" Ais murmured, pushing off from where she'd been leaning against the wall as she pictured the effect in her mind, "Was that… wind?"

"Hmm, no…" Bending over and picking up a loose cobblestone that'd fallen from the walls, Riveria held it aloft to Bell, before hoisting it in the air, "Here, can you hit that?"

Jumping to attention, he followed her order immediately and once again his magic surged forwards, this time however, the effect was far more substantial! The ripple of air flew into the stone like an arrow shot from Bell's hand and impacted with a bracing roar, a sudden blast of noise filling the early morning and leaving nothing but dust falling to the ground around them.

"Sound…" Ais nodded, not exactly dispirited, but just a fraction less enthused than she'd been a moment ago.

Riveria hummed, just as she'd expected, and she found herself tapping her chin and she examined the remains of the cobblestone. Magic was one of an Adventurer's most closely guarded secrets, she could hardly say she knew the spells and incantations of more than a few dozen fighters outside her Familia, but she also couldn't think of any who attacked with the force of sound. It wasn't unknown, and magic was unusual by its very nature, but somehow the sight of this white-haired boy holding his hand aloft and loosing arrows of sound out to pierce his foes tugged at some dim memory somewhere in her ancient past. A few moments thought brought nothing to mind, and with the boy practically bouncing in place as he awaited her instruction, she wasn't given any chance to properly mull it over.

"Very well. In the future I'll help you get used to regulating your Mind and making it not quite so obvious when you're gathering magical power- but for now, the most important thing is your foundations. You have your weapons, you must make sure you can use them properly. To that end, today, we will test your limits," gesturing the blonde swordswoman forwards, she pointed towards her, "First off, try tag Ais with your spell."

Eyes wide, Bell turned towards his idol, "Um, ah, er… Uh, Riveria-san?" his hands wavered in the air, although he was facing towards her, his raised left palm never quite pointed directly at the Sword Princess.

Ais's expression was as neutral as ever, but Riveria gave a slight smile. That was the hesitation she'd expected, the same one she'd seen in every one of her students. And of course, after seeing his magic blowing through the stone she'd just tossed into the air, and ripping into the dungeon walls like it had before, she would have been taken aback if he'd directed himself at her without a worry. But, that didn't mean such concerns weren't terribly misguided, a very familiar lesson unfolded once again.

"Actually, before that, I need to make certain of your accuracy," she pointed her staff a little to the right of her, "Aim there, please."

With his tension visibly unwinding, Bell leapt to attention once more.

"Sagitta Sonus!"

"And here."

"Sagitta Sonus!"

"And now here."

"Sagitta Sonus! AH!?"

Right as the third shot rang out, Riveria sidestepped, blurring with the incredible speed of a level 6 adventurer as she stepped directly into the trajectory! The spell hit her dead on, lancing directly into her stomach and exploring with a roar of sound and a rush of destruction! …That didn't even so much as ruffle her clothes. The Loki executive was, of course, entirely unharmed. There was absolutely no way a level 1 adventurer's spell, let alone a no-chant spell, was going to do any kind of damage to her.

Making a show of brushing off her dress, she pinned the boy with a stern gaze, "It is to your credit that you worry about harming us. But please, do remember that unwarranted consideration is just foolishness."

"R-Right!"

"Now, try tag Ais with your spell."

With just another moment to steel his nerve, Bell pointed his hand directly at the woman he'd been working so desperately to catch up to and loosed another Sagitta Sonus. The effect was identical, the air rippled and shook as the arrow raced towards her, and then impacted directly onto the Sword Princess without even the smallest effect- he was barely able to blow her hair back a few centimeders. No matter how much Bell told himself he understood the impossible gulf that stood between them, he couldn't help but feel disheartened at the sight.

Riveria, however, was already moving onto her next lesson.

"Good. Now, Ais, move with about the speed of a level 2 adventurer. And Cranel-san, try hit her again."

Pulling herself to her feet, Ais gave a quiet nod, and Bell loosed another shot towards her. Predictably, this one missed entirely.

"Keep going."

Another shot, another miss.

"Again."

Still, her imitation level 2 speed was more than enough to slip right past the invisible arrow.

"Keep going."

Once again, he wasn't even close.

"Ais, don't dodge them specifically, just move normally, let your speed do the work. Cranel-san, keep going."

Riveria nodded, watching as the arrows of sound continued to impact all around Orario's highest walls. Ais wasn't particularly good at holding herself back, and an instruction to move at the speed of a level 2 was far too vague to work as any sort of guideline, but that was fine, that was exactly as Riveria had expected. The Sword Princess's extremely fortified reactions would never let the young rookie have a hope of landing a shot on her, but so long as she restricted herself to just moving normally, and so long as he fired as fast and desperately as he could, then it would make for excellent training.

A roar of sound and the dulled sound of magic impacting with stone rang out all across their section of the battlements over and again as the blonde swordswoman easily walked past where Bell's outstretched hand was pointing and smoothly slipped through the shimmering air that signified his magic arrows lancing towards their target.

Bell aimed, and fired, aimed and fired, aimed and fired. It was all too late. Too slow. Too delayed. He was already well past any thought of worrying about the fact that he was flinging magic at another Adventurer, right now, Ais's graceful and beautiful form was well out of reach.

Gritting his teeth, he tried again. And again. And again. This wasn't enough! He had to catch up to her! He had to work harder!

Faster! He needed to fire more, to trap her in place between movements!

Smarter! He needed to lead his shots, to predict where she was going and already be aiming towards it!

Better! He couldn't stop, he couldn't let up, every pause was another escape from her, his only chance was to catch her with a barrage!

Chasing so desperately after the idol dancing just a few meders away from him, Bell's Falna began smouldering softly in recognition of his efforts.

And slowly, painfully, with his will quickly becoming taxed as he pushed himself further and further… his shots got closer to the mark, and the Sword Princess had less and less room to dance between his arrows as they began moving towards her destination rather than chasing her steps.

"A-Ah! Hha-hhaaa! HA!"

"…Good work."

Ais's soft and stilted congratulations echoed out against the roar of Bell's arrow finally clipping the edge of her boot as she'd made to slip past him one final time. It had taken, in the end, an enormous amount of effort just to manage that much. Even with the top-tier adventurer regulating her speed down to roughly just a level above his own, she still had instincts sharper than he could have possibly imagined and enough battle-experience to make him shake, just chasing her steps had taken almost everything he'd had. And he'd only finally managed to catch up to her shadow by holding his breath, forcing his swirling consciousness steady and firing continuously the moment he'd spotted a chance.

By now, the sun had risen much higher in the sky, Bell's arm was shaking and his head was spinning as his Mind reserves dipped low.

But, Riveria noted with interest, not low enough that he'd scraped the bottom just yet. He was every bit the rookie he'd claimed to be, an absolute novice for sure. And yet, he'd clearly picked up some knowledge about magic somewhere along the way, because the entire time he'd been regulating his breathing and his concentration enough that even after that much he still wasn't at any risk of passing out.

"Good," she congratulated him smoothly, giving him just a moment to catch his breath, "That's one."

"Huh?"

The High Elf's smile was as gentle as ever, but a chill ran down Bell's back all the same.

"One point. Now, do it again. Each time you hit her, you'll get one point. And each time you take more than five seconds between spells, you'll lose a point. If you get to ten points, you win. If you reach zero points, or pass out, you lose. You won't always be in your best condition in the dungeon- things will often get worse right at the worst possible moment. So, from here on, you're going to get used to fighting when you're already at your limit, where you need to make use of every scrap of Mind you can gather up.

He boggled, staring at her with something between disbelief and shock. But the moment she started counting he flew immediately back into action, trying futily to tag the Sword Princess a second time as Ais resumed dancing around his spells once again.

"You'll never make it, standing stuck in place like that Cranel-san, you need to move too! Go, chase her!"

"Ah-hhaa! HA! Sagitta Sonus! Sagitta Sonus! Sagitta Sonus!"

That piece of advice served to tip the balance just slightly more in Bell's favour- the upper walls were narrow, without anywhere to hide or manoeuvre, even with Ais moving around the speed of a level 2, he should have a good chance to pin her down.

Of course, it also made the game significantly harder, as the test of his mental fortitude also became a test of his physical endurance.

And so, the white rabbit bounded around the top of the walls, chasing in vain after the golden wind. His arrows dogged her footsteps and shouts echoed her passing, but even in the narrow strip of stone afforded to her, the Sword Princess walked smoothly, beautifully, and lithely around him. Without dodging, without pausing, and without even the smallest sheen of sweat atop her brow, she slid easily between his very best efforts with naught but the same placid smile on her face.

…

"3, 2, 1… And that's zero. Well done Cranel-san, you didn't make it today, but for your first lesson, that was an admirable attempt."

He slumped to his knees, his knife clattering away and right hand falling to the stone beneath him, just barley managing to keep himself upright as his head spun and swam through a daze. His chest heaved as his breath came in ragged pants and his back burned red-hot with his Falna, but it all felt like it was far away, as if it was happening to someone else- his vision was foggy and his thoughts were indistinct… everything felt distant, and weak, and he felt as though he was only just narrowly holding to the edge of consciousness by his fingertips.

Having begun their chase with his mental reserves already significantly taxed, the effort of maintaining his concentration enough to fire another spell every 5 seconds had quickly become a tremendous effort. Adding that burden onto the need to keep his body moving, to keep chasing after the fleeing swordswoman as well as having to aim his shots, and to guess her direction enough to even have a prayer's chance at hitting her… Bell had been scraping right along the very edges of Mind Zero for several very long minutes before his score had finally trailed off to nothing.

In the end, he'd made it all the way to the lofty heights of two points before finally losing entirely.

"Th-Thaannk, youu."

He slurred, bowing his head both to the indistinct golden figure looking down at him, and the slightly less distinct green figure appraising his efforts.

"That will be enough for my lessons for today. I'll let you recover for a few minutes, and then Ais can take over. It may be difficult, but learning to fight while your mental energies are diminished will also be good practice for you. You shall find yourself in many such situations in the Dungeon, I'm sure."

That made sense, Bell thought. It was logical. Alfia had told him to make sure he learned everything he possibly could from the Loki Executives, and he was certain he was off to a good start. Riveria's calm and logical teachings, Ais's impeccable foresight and movement, and just the way his body was now fundamentally more used to using his magic in a combat situation. It was all incredibly useful. He was sure of that. And as soon as the world stopped shifting dizzily around him, and as soon as he remembered how to stand up… he would tell her so.

Distantly, as the world faded and reformed around him, Bell wondered if this was why the God Miach had always advised carrying a range of potions…

--*--

Ais Wallenstein, the beautiful and deadly Sword Princess, maiden of Loki Familia and star of Orario was facing down against a rookie, level one adventurer. Her gaze was set, her eyes hard and her battle stance readied.

Meanwhile, just a few meders away, Riveria's hands were clenched ever so slightly as she watched the pair with her arms folded and an act of feigned calmness.

It wasn't that she doubted Ais's to teach. There was no doubt the girl had an absolutely incredible amount of battle experience to impart and no lack of desire to do so… it was just that, the blonde also had a certain intensity about her that could sometimes cause problems. And those worries hadn't lessened any when, upon taking her turn, she'd declared that she couldn't teach him like Riveria or the others did for her, and would instead train him directly through combat. It wasn't exactly unheard of, Gareth had done fairly similar things for her… but from an Elf's perspective, it was a rather spartan form of training. Thankfully, while Ais's Desperate had been unsheathed, the sword itself was left resting against the walls while the wooden sheathe was instead pointed at the white-haired boy.

Not that the weapons they were holding made any difference to the pressure of the situation. Just facing off against the newly minted level 6 adventurer, she could see his stance slipping and his arm elbow floating upwards.

The Sword Princess stalked forwards. The rookie adventurer stepped backwards.

"…You're afraid."

"!?"

Ais's soft words broke the silence, but Bell was offered no relief from the pressure as she stepped towards him once more.

"I think it's important for a solo adventurer to be careful… but, there's something you're afraid of," her words weren't meant as an insult or a taunt, just a simple evaluation of the one she was facing against. More than anything, Riveria was pleased to see such serious insight from her, "I don't know what you're afraid of… but at this rate, when you face it, you'll only be able to run away."

Clearly there was some trauma haunting the boy. Some obstacle he had yet to overcome.

Ais's words were serious, and cold, but they were also important guidance. She clearly outlined exactly the future that he faced, and the challenge that yet awaited him.

They were, however, clearly also the last thing this young man wanted to hear. Just meeting him, it was impossible to miss how openly Bell wore his heart on his sleeve, and the moment she saw his expression break and the fear suddenly race across his face, Riveria could tell exactly what would happen next.

"YAAAA!"

He found his courage. He faced whatever terrifying image his memories had conjured before him. And he charged at his foe… without a plan, or strategy, just recklessly throwing himself forwards.

"That won't work."

Riveria winced as she watched Ais's sheath slam into Bell's ribs, and watched the level 1 crashing several meders away along the stone.

"You must never become reckless. That's something you should never do, especially in the dungeon."

There was some kind of delicious irony in the one who'd once been called the War Princess delivering a line like that. But the Elf who'd raised her decided to instead focus on the fact that Ais had grown enough to give such reasonable advice instead. Even if she had done so while delivering a blow far harder than strictly necessary.

Bell groaned in pain, and clenched his fists, barely even peeling himself from the floor. Despite the value of the Sword Princess's cold advice, Riveria doubted he would have even been able to hear it right now- with his Mind already thoroughly depleted and now his body rent across the ground, she doubted he'd be able to speak, much less answer her words. Riveria stepped over with a sigh, preparing to administer some healing magic.

"Can you stand?"

"Ais, give him a moment, I'll-"

"NghhH!"

Once again, the Elf known as Nine Hells found herself surprised by the absolutely nobody adventurer, Bell Cranel. Her feet stuck in place as the boy she'd thought completely unable to continue was suddenly resurrected by Ais's words, pulling himself to his feet and taking up his battle stance once more. He was visibly in serious pain, and obviously forcing himself- but from the way he was clenching down on his teeth and making an attempt of hardening his expression, it was clear he intended to push through it. It seemed he was just as serious about this training as Ais was.

"You aren't used to feeling pain. But you must not be afraid of it."

Once again, Ais's lesson was punctuated by the sound of her sheathe impacting the white-haired boy's body, and him then flying across the walls with a cry.

"Can you stand?"

Again, he dragged himself to his feet. And again, the lesson continued.

"Being alone in the dungeon means you can't leave any opening ever. Keep your eyes open and sharp."

"!"

"Better."

This time he managed to dodge her blow. Although it made no difference, since her swing switched course and instead swept his feet from under him. This time, at least, Bell Cranel was only sent toppling to the ground, rather than thrown back atop the walls.

"Can you stand?"

Of course, from the pained expression as he pulled himself to his feet, it still took a toll on him.

"Just try to follow my attacks for now. Learn to read your opponent."

"Tch!"

"Yes, like that."

"AH!"

He caught her sheath with his dagger that time, but he was a step behind in following it after that. And again, the white-haired adventurer was left crashing to the ground. Again, Ais asked if he could stand, and again he dragged himself into a battle stance at her words.

"…You're not good at blocking, are you?"

Ais's sheathe flashed and seven hits slammed into him this time. Although, Riveria assumed from his perspective it probably felt as if his whole body had been struck at once. Watching him drop to a knee, just barely able to keep himself from keeling over entirely, Riveria winced. This training was getting rough. Really, she thought, there was no need to be throwing him around with this much force, or attacking him with such ferocious speed.

If not for the ragged determination in his eyes each time he dredged himself to his feet, she would have already put a stop to this. For all that Ais was correct in that a trauma of fear haunted this young man, there was no doubting his resolve. But, of course, every top tier adventurer had ironclad resolve. Resolve wasn't enough of an explanation for how he'd managed to conquer nine floors already, and it wasn't enough to bridge even a fraction of the gap that lay between the two combatants right now.

"Too many adventurers just rely on their own status."

"Eh..?"

"They depend too much on their blessing. Ability and techniques are different things," standing over him, as Bell raggedly gasped for every breath he could manage, Ais's lecture continued, "Technique and strategy. You lack both. These things will stay with you, even if you lose your status… Such things… they're all I can teach you."

This was the most Riveria had heard the blonde speak to anyone in almost as long as she could remember. Clearly no small amount of her own heart was being shared in this exchange, and that was enough to keep the Elf from interfering even as she worried for Bell's health. Still, despite how cold Ais's words were, they were undoubtably correct. If there was anything that could overcome power it was technique. And if there was anything that could turn around any situation, it was strategy.

"You have difficulty defending, so we'll focus on that. The goal of this training is for you to read my attacks, and defend. This may be painful for you, but it will stay with you, I think. And I think… you will get closer to your goal."

Ais's eyes were shining with sincerity as she waited for Bell to re-gather herself. Whatever intentions she may have had about learning his secrets, her desire to help him and see him grow was pure.

"Can you still stand?"

"…Thank you!"

Bell pulled himself to his feet once more, and Ais stepped into place opposite him, prodding open his defences just in the way she walked towards him.

And as she watched, Riveria closed her eyes with a small nod. It appeared that she was the one in the wrong, she had underestimated both these youngsters.

Ais's method was rough, but regardless of how many times she'd dragged the blonde into her room and forced her to study, she'd never been one for books or theory. This kind of straightforward training was exactly the kind that she preferred and exactly what came natural to her.

And, despite the doubts she'd had about the young man, some of Ais's sincere efforts seemed to have resonated with him, because his determination was showing through clearly despite how forcefully the Sword Princess knocked him around. If he'd been asked, she was sure he would have requested a slightly gentler lesson, but he hadn't raised a single complaint about his treatment, and only seemed to be focussing on his own failures and mistakes anytime Ais's sheath impacted him- despite the fact that his opponent was a level six who was doing a horrible job of holding back her strength and speed.

Somehow, as messy and ridiculous as it was, it was exactly the situation Riveria had hoped for. His enthusiasm was reflected back on Ais, and the girl once known as the Doll Princess was -at least to the Elf's eyes- clearly enjoying herself.

"I'm impressed, Ais," she whispered proudly to herself, "You don't need to do it like I would, or like Finn would, you're doing just fine. I shouldn't have doubte-"

THCK!*

"Ghk!"

And right as the words left Riveria's mouth, Ais's sheath slammed into the side of Bell's head and the poor level 1 adventurer slammed facedown to the ground, instantly unconscious.

"…"

"…"

Ais looked a little guilty.

Riveria was aghast.

"WH-What was that!? Ais!"

"…He was meant to… dodge…"

"Th-That was, that was way too fast! How could he dodge that!? That would have taken out a level 3! He's only level 1!"

"He was… getting faster…"

Ignoring the girl's ridiculous words, Riveria flew to Bell's side, demonstrating a flawless example of concurrent casting as she ran, "Luna Aldis!" the forest-green glow of her second-tier healing magic enveloped him, and the cuts and bruises spread out across his skin slowly ebbed away, a moment later his wrenching breathing softened to normal, and his fingers twitched from where they were currently splayed out across the stone.

"Ah… huh..?"

"It's fine, Bell, take a moment to collect yourself."

Ignoring her words, the white-haired adventurer collected his knife and pulled himself groggily to his feet yet again. His legs were shaking unsteadily, but he was at least in a better condition than he'd been in a few minutes ago. Despite having been significantly bruised and having worn more than a few cuts across his skin, Ais's sword sheath wasn't spilling any serious amount of the boy's blood, which meant Riveria's magic could almost entirely restore his strength. Within a moment, the light of determination was shining dangerously bright in his eyes once again.

"S-Sorry, I- I missed that one! I'll do better!"

"It's fine, just… focus on defending for now…"

"Forget about that," the green-haired Elf interrupted, stepping between them before things got out of control again, "Bell, are you even okay to continue? How are you feeling?"

"I want to continue. I want to get stronger, I need to get a lot stronger!" Ais's eyes flashed at his declaration and the ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. Turning to face Riveria, Bell looked over his body, stretching out his muscles in soft amazement as he realised just how much of his pain had been soothed, "I'm okay, thank you, Riveria-san. I… so this is healing magic..? It feels much nicer than a potion, it's… it's like being wrapped up in a warm hug."

Riveria coughed.

He clearly hadn't meant anything by those words, and nothing except praise for her efforts and gratitude for her help.

But, as a woman, and especially as an Elf, she couldn't possibly think about anything except the last time they'd met. The last time when she truly had wrapped him up in a warm hug.

The tips of her ears burned red. But decades of careful composure and forceful self-control meant she was able to keep the rest of her face from blazing the same embarrassed crimson.

"Th-That's good. Just be careful not to push yourself too hard, okay?"

"Hmph."

It wasn't as if they were having a moment. But Ais interrupted them regardless, huffing loudly and brought Bell's attention back to herself…

…And then, stepping towards him, with her arms open wide, she wrapped herself around him, drawing the shocked white-haired Adventurer into her embrace.

"A-Ah, Ai-Ais-san!?"

"Ais!?"

"Hmmm…"

Her arms wrapped around his back, and she laid her head onto his shoulder, pulling him tight against her with a gentle hum. In truth, she wasn't quite sure exactly why she was hugging Bell, it had just felt like something had been missing between them, and she knew she'd wanted to touch him for some time now. The light inside him called to her… and it felt warm.

Bell's head spun in shocked disbelief. His idol, the woman who'd catalysed his desperate desire to grow stronger, the same woman who'd just seconds ago been thrashing him around atop Orario's Walls, was now wrapped tight around him. A part of him thought he was dreaming, another part of him thought something must have gone wrong with the world. Being thrown from one extreme situation to another in such a short space of time, all the minimal experience he'd gained at dealing with women thanks to his Goddess and Syr-san immediately left him and he was stuck in place- nowhere near brave enough to return her hug. But even so, no part of him pulled away from her. Her breastplate dug into his chest a little uncomfortably, but the feeling of her slender arms wrapped tight around him, of her hair tickling his neck and her breath teasing over his skin… it was more than enough to leave his body flushing hot and his breath racing ragged.

Riveria simply watched in mute, bewildered, shock.

After a minute, Ais released him, stepping away as if nothing was amiss and she hadn't just turned his world entirely upside down.

"Which… was better?"

"Ah, ah, hu…" Bell's world was spinning far too fast to make sense of that, "Huh?"

"Which hug… did you like more?"

Riveria's jaw was hanging wide now, all traces of Elven composure completely lost as she wrapped her head around the ridiculous display. She'd never known Ais to have much of a possessive nature, but she certainly had known the girl to have a strong competitive streak… and it seemed that her words had somehow set it off.

"Th-That is, um," Bell's face was blazing red now, enough that she could have sworn steam was coming out his ears. But, regardless of how off-balance the young-man may have been, he'd at least gained enough from his time with the various women through Orario to be able to give a proper answer, "I liked yours more?"

"Hmm!"

Nodding in reply, Ais turned to her with a victorious smirk and Riveria had to fight back the urge to scream that they weren't competing! as her heart echoed the complaint, 'This wasn't a competition! …And why are we comparing my magic against your embrace anyway!?'

But somehow, in defiance of both logic and the Elven propriety she'd tried to raise Ais with, it seemed that the precedent had now been set.

The training continued.

And thirty seconds later, when Ais's sheathe slammed down atop Bell's head, and as he slumped forward unconscious once again…

…The Sword Princess collected him into her arms, drawing him gently into another embrace, and holding him in place against her until his awareness returned.

"Hu-Huh!?"

"Feel better?"

Riveria could only sigh.

If she'd been aghast before, she was outright dismayed now. This was the most ridiculous training session she'd ever witnessed, and she was beyond words in every single capacity. She should immediately call a stop to it, both for the sake of Bell's health as for Ais's dignity… except… somehow, despite knocking the poor boy out, and despite the seriousness with which she was approaching this training, Ais gave off a sense that felt almost playful. And, despite being on the receiving end of what was just barley short of being called abuse, Bell hadn't breathed a word of complaint, his focus remained entirely on his own failings and his determination to gain whatever strength he could as fast as he could.

Another garbled scream rang out and Bell collapsed once again into Ais's surprising tender embrace.

She'd known the girl had trouble holding back, but she'd thought the blonde might have gone a little bit easier on a level 1. Especially when that level 1 was a boy that Ais had seemed fond of, one she was doing this training to apologise to.

Riveria heaved yet another sigh.

It certainly wasn't gentle, and it was far from the training she'd imagined when she'd prepared for this day, but it was true that Bell was also absorbing the knowledge she'd imparted quickly. And, she supposed that almost any man in Orario would be willing to trade places if it meant they could be where the young white-haired rookie was right now.

"I guess this isn't much worse than the way Finn and Gareth knocked her around when she was younger."

That was definitely not true. But Riveria decided to go along with it anyway.

--*--

And so, the training continued on, and Bell clawed for any scrap of strength he could get, anything that could possibly bring him just another step closer to the woman he idolised.

Throwing himself forwards, picking himself up, chasing in vain after her shadow, he unconsciously followed Mother Mia, Alfia and Hestia's advice as best he could, dragging himself forwards desperately, pathetically and relentlessly. There was nothing at all cool or impressive about the way he was thrown across the battlements, or how easily and repeatedly he was knocked out to find himself within Ais's soft embrace. But even as his body cried in protest, he picked himself up each time. And even as his heart begged him to stay in her arms, he pulled himself away over and again.

By the time the sun had risen to mid-morning and Riveria called a stop to the proceedings, Bell couldn't say for sure he'd made any progress. The impossible gulf between them seemed as far as ever. Not once had he caught her shadow, and the few times he'd caught her strike her sheathe would twist in the air and he would be cut down just as easily.

But the Falna on his back was smouldering hot, and his heart was unwavering. He knew for certain that this training had been valuable, the knowledge they'd given him and the strength he'd learned was exactly what he'd been yearning for!

Thanking them both profusely, and then bowing to Riveria specifically when she wrapped her up in her warm and gentle healing magic once again, Bell made his way down from the walls with his spirits soaring through the heavens.

There was an eager skip in his step when he gave his morning greetings to Syr.

His smile was shining bright when he arrived at Babel and called out to Lilli.

And his body was practically thrumming with anticipation as the two of them, Rookie Adventurer and his Loyal (hired) Supporter, made their way into the bowels of the Dungeon.

…

And then, a few hours later, with her fists clenched tight and her heart in turmoil, Lilli betrayed Bell on the 10th floor, stealing the Hestia Knife, and leaving him in her trap to die.

Notes:

A/N: And there we go! Like I said, while I didn't push the plot forward quite as much as I was planning to, it's still a pretty eventful chapter! A date with Filvis, meeting Lefiya, Cassandra being branded a pervert, Alfia having another difficult night, and finally the training with Ais and Riveria I hope everyone's been looking forward to (I was certainly looking forward to writing it). I felt really bad for having removed Ais's lap pillow from her in the last chapter, so I was looking forward to using this as a chance to even the scales with the Sword Princess just a little. Rather than giving Bell a lap pillow, she's going to hug him each time she knocks him unconscious.

Of course, it'd probably be nicer if she just didn't knock him unconscious, but it's still a good lesson. Probably.

And speaking of lessons, Bell's begun learning Elvish from Filvis and they've finally built something of a connection. And in the process he had quite a different first encounter with Lefiya. And, of course, just a little later on from that encounter Lefiya and Filvis had their own time in the dungeon, and from that point on, Filvis has known there's two people who've taken her hand, despite her reputation. Of course, an Elf doing so means much more to her, but…

Meanwhile, Cassandra's learned that maybe she needs to be a little careful sharing this kind of dream with Daphne. Or perhaps this'll become just another thing for Daphne to tolerate.

But for now, we can look forward to Lilli's betrayal and everything that comes from that.

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 7: It's Not Wrong To Save My Supporter!

Notes:

Author's Note: Funny story about this chapter- I was so excited to move the plot forward and to get all the way to and through the Minotaur arc, that I wound up just diving in and writing, and writing, and writing… and then only when it was almost fully complete did I realise that I'd written so much I was going to have to split it in half again.

So this chapter is actually a manageable size, and the next one is only a few scenes from being complete, so should be up very shortly too. So hopefully you'll enjoy this, and hopefully you'll also have another chapter to enjoy very soon.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It's Not Wrong To Save My Supporter!

--*--

"Hhck!"

Spitting out the blood that flooded her mouth, Lilli slumped uselessly to the ground. Her tiny body was battered to the point of being broken and her spirit was as tattered as her cloak. With her back to the wall and two dozen Killer Ants surrounding here, there was absolutely nothing she could do.

It was strange. Or maybe it was funny. Throughout all the hundreds of times she'd abandoned and stolen from adventurers, all the times she'd posed as a supporter, or a civilian, or a storekeep, she'd imagined this scene a thousand times, the moment all her crimes and all her betrayals would catch up to her. Yet, it wasn't anything like she'd imagined.

She'd imagined herself fighting furiously against her fate, baring her fangs and biting at those that scorned her in just the way she'd lived her entire life until now. She'd imagined being terrified, and furious. As she'd grown more and more experienced at theft and deception, and as she'd sunken deeper and deeper into bitterness, she'd stopped fearing her downfall and instead pictured it with strategies on how she could overcome it, backup stashes for any she had to reveal, emergency storages, deceits within deceits.

And instead, she was simply numb.

She'd taken Bell to the tenth floor, deeper than he'd even been, then while he'd been beguiled by the mists and the darkness, she'd thrown lures attracting monsters towards him. And then she'd stolen that prized Knife she'd had her eyes on for so long and left him to die. Perhaps he would live and perhaps it would be a lesson for him, not to be so foolishly trusting and not to wave around such a prized weapon… she'd whispered justifications like that as she'd tried her very best to assure herself that she was only betraying him before he betrayed her in turn, before he proved to be exactly the same as all the other adventurers who'd abused her all these years.

And then the betrayal had come instead from her own Familia. The ones laughably considered to be her allies. Having spotted them going into the dungeon, and predicted her plan to abandon Bell, she'd fallen directly into their trap. So, this was how her life ended. Broken, beaten, stripped of almost everything she was carrying and the key to her safe box, then tossed away as bait to the Killer Ants so they could escape.

Her very last act was going to be as a Supporter, being abused by the Adventurers she despised so very much. It was fitting. It was disgusting. But somehow, she didn't care. There was no fire inside her anymore, the raging embers that had burnished Lilli's spirit against the harsh world had been extinguished.

She didn't even mind that her betrayal had been met with a betrayal in kind. It didn't matter. It was all a waste. Her whole life had been a waste. Born to parents that hadn't cared about her. Trapped in a Familia that didn't acknowledge her. With a body too weak to succeed as an adventurer, her spirit had turned black and her world had become muted and grey.

Lacking the strength to do anything else, she leaned limply against the wall at her back, watching as the circle of Killer Ants around her drew closer.

'If this is some kind of punishment for everything up till now, it's far too cruel.'

Ah. She reconsidered that.

'If this is punishment for what Lilli did to Bell-sama, then… maybe it's okay.'

With her spirit burnt to ashes, and her body broken beyond hurting, Lilli no longer had the strength to keep her memories with Bell from rising to her mind. He'd learned about her magic, he must have learned the truth about her and her intentions, it had been too dangerous to stay with him, she'd simply acted before he'd had a chance to do anything to her! That's what she'd told herself at least. But he'd never hurt her. He'd never used her as a shield. He'd always wanted to share with her fairly. He'd always protected her.

Her vision fogged up, and an emotion finally broke through the numb wall around Lilli's soul.

What was the point of crying now? Who was she even crying for? Wasn't she prepared to go see the Gods and finally ask for a reset, to become a different Lilli?

The blood dripped off her chin, pooling around the floor. What was the point in regrets now? She couldn't beat one Killer Ant, let alone 20.

She'd never achieved anything. She'd never even managed to save up enough to leave the Familia she hated. All she'd ever done was lash out at the world that had hurt her.

And, at the one person who hadn't.

It was all just a waste.

Ahhh… Why was she crying now!? Who were these tears even for!?

--*--

"Goddess Hestia!"

Eina was on a rampage.

She was acting far out of her purview, far beyond the scope of her duties, but she'd accepted that. This wasn't part of her job, but it was part of her job. This was part of her personal declaration that she wouldn't act like her colleagues, that she wouldn't retreat away from forming bonds with Adventurers, that she wouldn't simply go through the motions. Eina had promised herself she would do everything she could to support them, to give them the information they needed and to make sure they came home alive. Even if she had to drag them into the consulting room and all but force them to study, even if she had to watch them falling asleep to her lectures, and even if she had to face down a Goddess directly.

She wasn't meant to meddle in Familia affairs. That was an ironclad rule of the guild, the guild was a neutral party. But she was already well past that. The previous evening, Eina had met with Loki and Riveria in the Trickster Goddess's Twilight Mansion and finally gained the answers she'd been seeking about the Soma Familia, and she hadn't been able to stop thinking about that ever since. Bell was her responsibility, he was her adventurer, if he was in trouble, she was going to meddle all she pleased!

That was why she'd panicked when seeing members of the Soma Familia acting strangely around the entrance of the Dungeon, and why her heart had beaten out of her chest when she'd noticed they were talking about Bell's supporter, the very woman she was so cautious of. That was why she'd begged the Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, of all people, to go and save him. And that was why she was here, acting under the pretence of inspecting one of Hephaestus's Branch Shops, explaining everything she'd learned to the Goddess Hestia.

She told Hestia everything she knew about the Soma Familia, and about Bell's supporter.

She told her about how the wine wasn't addictive, but was enthralling beyond reason, and how the entire Familia was held in its grip.

She told her about the member's desperation for money, about their inter-Familia betrayals and the lengths they went to for more Divine Wine.

She didn't have any hard evidence against the Supporter, she didn't have any direct implications, but Eina had a mountain of worries and an ocean of concerns. Whatever sympathy she might have towards the small Chienthrope and the other members of the Soma Familia were dwarfed entirely by the concerns she held for the Adventurer under her care.

And so, Eina meddled.

"Goddess Hestia, please, can I ask you to convince him to break it off with this supporter?"

At that, Hestia simply sighed, a wry smile on her lips.

"That's not possible."

"H-Huh? But, what do you mean?"

"It's not going to happen, Bell has already decided not to cut ties with that supporter."

Eina's rampage crashed to a halt.

This was far from the response she'd expected. From what Bell had told her, she'd imagined the Goddess Hestia was far more doting and a little more overbearing, she'd never expected the woman to simply wash her hands of an issue like this.

"To tell you the truth, we've suspected something similar for a while now. Bell's mother's sister had some knowled-"

"His… mother's sister? You mean his Aunt?"

Hestia rolled her eyes, agreeing with the incredibly strange phrase. A title born out of ridiculous vanity that even the Gods wouldn't understand.

"She's his Guardian, I suppose, the one who raised him. I don't really know the details myself, but she's had some knowledge of adventuring herself, and she noticed that the money Bell was bringing home didn't stack up to the stories he told us about his time in the dungeon, and about all the monsters he'd killed or drop items they'd found," the small Goddess sighed again, shaking her head in a long suffering way, "At first we assumed it was just him exaggerating, or maybe being too generous, or keeping some money in secret or something, but eventually it became too much for her to ignore and she was furious."

Placing her hands on her hips, Hestia gave something of an impression, "Why should I live in squalor while this brat steals from us!?"

"Ah!"

"I have to say, I thought the same," given that Hestia was working two jobs compared to Alfia's zero, the news that Bell was getting robbed had rattled the Goddess even more than the Guardian, "Bell's a kind soul, and maybe an easy one to take advantage of, there's a lot he doesn't know and he's quick to trust. I've never met this supporter, but just hearing about the situation it all seemed extremely shady, especially that business with the Hestia Knife going missing…"

"E-Exactly, then, then, Goddess, you must understand, we can't let this continue."

Hestia tilted her head with the same wry smile and a soft shrug. And suddenly, without realising it and despite standing more than a head taller than her, Eina felt as if she was the one looking up at the other woman. Rather than the, frankly, pathetic sight a deity reduced to working off her feet, part time, in an armour shop, a feeling of regal majesty surrounded the twin-tailed girl. The conversation had long since moved into Hestia's Domain, even if was crawling along the ground, barely scraping by day to day, she was the Goddess of the Hearth and guardian of the Sacred Flame.

"I told him exactly the same, and do you know what he said to me, and to his mother's sister?" Hestia's voice was some nebulous combination of exasperated and amused, "He said, 'Goddess, wasn't it you who helped me when I was lonely?'"

It wasn't that Bell didn't listen. He couldn't listen.

He saw too much of himself in Lilli. The usually passive, always appeasing boy had rejected both Hestia and Alfia's words, thrown them back and instead told them about what he'd seen. He'd told them about how lonely Lilli had seemed, how lost and numb she appeared anytime she thought nobody was looking, how she kept smiling a cold smile as if to ward people away and how she was always on guard as if expecting betrayal at every turn. He told them about all the times his supporter had saved his life, about the advice she'd given him… and about the way she'd looked at him when she was laughing, or exasperated with him, or when they were sharing one of Syr's meals (Lilli stopped immediately after trying the first one, for some reason), how there was always a distance in everything she did and how she acted, but that in those flashes and those moments, it felt like she was aching to reach out her hand, to open up to him. Those moments had passed almost before he'd noticed them, and long before he'd ever been able to act, her walls had come up and the distance only ever widened. She was too careful, too cold and too wary- as if she was always telling herself she was fine by herself, even as her heart ached for more.

Having never met the supporter, Hestia had listened.

Fitting many of those criteria herself, Alfia had only scowled.

Despite themselves, both women believed in Bell. Hestia had seen his soul and his love, and had been warmed by both each night. And Alfia would never forget just how easily and completely he'd changed her.

He might be wrong, he'd said. Maybe he was just being presumptive, or arrogant, or stupid. He knew the world wasn't so kind or gentle as to let everything work out. But he would accept it if that were the case, but this time, he wanted to follow his Goddess's lead, he wanted to be the one to reach out to a struggling, lost soul.

"Bell, he's the type who can pass on the kindness he receives to anyone. He recognises the pain he's felt in others… There's no stopping him now, he's really stubborn when he's made up his mind, you know?"

Eina struggled. Her lip quivered as she tried to put her thoughts into order. She felt like she'd been thrown for a loop, everything Hestia had said sounded exactly like what Bell would say, but none of it was what she'd expected.

"Not convinced?"

"No, I just… What's he basing this on? Isn't he just hoping for the best?"

The wry smile returned once more, and Eina couldn't understand it.

Hestia's domain was of the people and the family. But the warmth of the Sacred Flame was both for the home and for those without one, her protection was ever for the wayward children. She smiled both on those who were in need and those who provided.

She was the patron deity of cities and of order, she didn't abide thievery or criminals… and yet, there had never been a shortage of them nestled within her warmth. The strays, the runaways, the lost and confused without a home or a place to belong. Those that had made mistakes, or who had walked a forsaken path, as long as they held a good heart and a desire to change, as long as they sought penance and turned not from righteousness, she would welcome them at her hearth.

Since long before she lay broken and dying in the depths of the dungeon, Lilli had stepped foot well into Hestia's domain. No matter how desperately or bitterly she'd yearned for a reset, and no matter how deeply she'd hated herself and everyone around her, she'd never taken that final step. And even now, at the end of her life, still she wanted to live. Lilli's heart wanted to change. If she wanted the protection of the Sacred Flame, she had only to reach out for it, or for the one carrying Hestia's will.

"Bell has an extraordinary ability to read people," Hestia answered to Eina's final question, "But, I think, even more than that… maybe it's his naïveté, but, I think, if you've got a good heart, then it doesn't matter what kind of character you are, he makes you want to live up to how he sees you."

--*--

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Lilli's world exploded with sound and fury.

The monsters shrieked and howled, and were blown to bits by the sudden burst of explosions all around them.

Killer Ants, famously dubbed the "Rookie Killers", were near the top of the most dangerous enemies for level 1 adventurers, fighting in packs, with their wounded cries calling more and more to the scene, they had been responsible for the deaths of more budding adventurers than any other monster in the upper floors. With hard chitinous plates for armour and wickedly sharp mandibles to cleave through armour and bone together, they made for terrifying opponents. To fight one was a feat. To defeat a handful was to flirt with danger. And to face a horde was to court death itself.

Screaming at the top of his lungs and pumping his legs at top speed, with his clothes torn ragged and body slick with blood, Bell Cranel flew into the swam surrounding her with all the force of a hurricane!

His magic tipped the scales, overturning the despair, but it was his courage that brought him all the way to her side. The bodies surrounding her were wrenched away, and the jaws about to cleave her head were torn apart. Before she realised it, before she could even understand it, Lilli's world was once again filled with him, with the sight and warmth of the man she'd betrayed, the adventurer she'd left for dead.

"Lilli!"

"Bell-sama…?"

She was in his arms, trembling and shivering, barely even understanding what she was seeing or why he was looking at her like that. Those beautiful, rubellite eyes of his were shaking and his handsome face was marred with worry and fear. What was he so scared of? Why did he seem like he was on the verge of crying himself? Lilli had thought she was already numb to the pain wracking her body, but she felt Bell's hands around her shoulders and she felt how tightly his fingers dug into her as he held her.

Her blood, both from the beating she'd endured and from where the monsters had already torn through her flesh, flowed thick and red over him, covering his arms but leaving his face pale, ghostly white. But just as her vision swam, and just as Lilli wondered if this was a dream at the edge of reality, his fingers forced her mouth open and a weak blue liquid was forced down her throat.

"!?"

Coughing and gasping, her wounds closed, her strength returned, and all the pain and all the confusion that had been lost in her despair suddenly slammed back into her.

"B-Bell-sama!?"

He'd chased her down? But not for revenge, he'd come to save her? He'd wasted one of his few potions on her? And now he was here, standing before a whole swarm of monsters!? Had he come here just to die with her!? Killer Ants called for allies whenever they were weakened, the host that Lilli's Familia had summoned had grown to more than 30 by now, all the entrances were blocked, there was absolutely no escape. Bell was an adventurer with more potential than Lilli had ever known, but he was still just a level 1 rookie who'd barely been going to the dungeon for a month, this was beyond anything he could hope to achieve.

Her trembling hands reached up, without even thinking about what she was doing, and slid the Hestia Knife from where she'd hidden it under her clothes at her back. The only thing she'd managed to keep her tormenters from stealing. She handed it back without explanation or apology, just lying in his arms with feelings and fears far too volatile to even process.

And he took it with a smile, grinning from ear to ear, just as happily and just as kindly as ever. As if it was a gift. As if she was returning something she was looking after. As if she hadn't stolen his most precious item and left him to die.

His smile killed her, and it saved her.

Every last remaining ember of bitterness and hatred, and every last remaining shard of the Prum she had been was swept away by it.

And she was reborn. Following that smile, following his warmth, letting it fill her and guide her, Lilli was finally given the reset she'd wanted for so long.

"Lilli! We'll do it just like always!"

Just like always. He would take charge and protect her. He would dive into the monsters and she would offer some scant support before looting the corpses for him. Her crossbow was damaged, but not entirely broken and her arm raised almost automatically at his words, ready to offer what little aid she could manage.

The world around them was filled with enemies. There was no path forward and no longer a path out. The Killer Ants edged closer by the moment, stepping atop the bodies of their fallen kin, ready to charge any moment.

And yet, Bell wasn't afraid.

Just a few days ago, just earlier this week he would have faltered here, he was sure. Even now he knew he couldn't possibly defeat this many enemies at once. But now, he was following in Alfia's footsteps. Now he had magic. The ability to overturn defeat and create hope.

He'd already used a lot of his reserves defeating the Orcs on the 10th floor, forcing his way back to here on the 7th, and now fighting his way to Lilli. Just a day ago, he knew that would have been enough to send him to his knees, but now, his training with Riveria was already showing dividends, he'd been able to fight all the way here, to pull out from the depths of his Mind and to keep going, exactly as she'd instructed him. And now, he was prepared.

Flicking open the holster on his pouch, he pulled out a second vial, this one filled with a thin yellow liquid. A Magic Potion, medicine that restored the mind and recovered focus. Popping the cap off, he swallowed it in a single gulp.

He was an adventurer, he had to take every precaution possible, that was what Eina had told him again and again every time she dragged him into her consulting room. After being dragged right to the edge of Mind Zero twice now, Bell had been wary enough to spend almost 9,000 valis on this one-use trump card.

"Here I come!"

His magic ripped out again, signalling the start of the onslaught, and the monsters screeched in reply, charging towards the white-haired adventurer.

Lilli fired her crossbow as best she could, aiming at the onrush of Killer Ants, but with her equipment destroyed or stolen, she was soon left without bolts, clutching the badly damaged weapon in her hands and able to do nothing but watch as Bell flew across the battlefield before her eyes. His magic overturned the difference in numbers, keeping himself from getting surrounded and keeping his foes from being able to press against him, but it was his speed, his strength and his sheer recklessness that pushed the tide backwards.

Like a scream of thunder raging before her eyes, the thunderous explosions echoed out each time his spells tore the hordes asunder, and his Divine Knife bit into their armour and severed their heads anytime the ants moved close.

He moved so fast she could barely track his direction. And he flew directly into their masses with such heedless aggression she didn't even have time to scream. Every time he stopped to change direction, or any time she caught sight of him, it would be followed by the sight of at least one Killer Ant sliced apart with a surge of purple blood.

Within just a few minutes, the overwhelming tide of despair that had surrounded her was gone. The doom that had spelled her end had been swept away, and in its place was Bell Cranel. Standing alone, breathing hard, all that lay before them now were the destroyed and defeated monsters, the traitorous Prum, and the man who'd saved her regardless.

He returned his knives to their sheathes, and let the ebb of magic flow from within his grasp. His body sagging from the effort he'd expended just getting this far as he ran back over to her. And once more, her body was in his arms, and Lilli's heart was squeezed tight in her chest.

"How… how di-did you get here?"

"Ah, well… The Orcs were a surprise and the fog made it hard to see… but when I got used to it, it wasn't a big deal."

Her trap hadn't meant anything. The sudden lack of visibility and the sudden introduction of new and terrifyingly aggressive monsters on the 10th floor, the combination that had brought so many adventurers to their doom had been overcome without issue by the man she'd betrayed. Somehow, she wasn't even as surprised as she knew she should be. Even as just a duo, they'd made incredible progress through the dungeon in their time together, and they'd made their way to the 10th floor this morning in just a few hours, far faster than any of the full parties Lilli had joined in the past. The thought that, even bereft of his ally and his main weapon, this rookie adventurer had still overturned everything she'd set up against him was as ridiculous as it was unsurprising.

Bell smiled again as he offered his explanation, and as he did so, Lilli saw the countless jagged wounds layered across his skin, and the blood seeping slowly from him and through his clothes.

Even if he had succeeded, there was no way such a victory had come easily. His clothes had been ragged and his body had been worn even before he'd thrown himself at the Killer Ants. And every wound she could see, every drop of blood that poured from him, and every painful twitch of his muscles, that was all her fault.

Her heart broke and the resolve she'd been desperately keeping hold of began to unravel.

"W-Why? Why, Bell-sama?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you save Lilli? Why didn't you abandon her!?" her hands clung to his shirt, and she stared up at him with eyes that could see only him, "You can't possibly have thought it was a game, or that I took the knife just to surprise you! You can't be that oblivious! You know I betrayed you, don't you!? Why don't you hate her?! Why did you save Lilli!?"

"Lilli…"

Desperately clenching her fingers around his collar, halfway between attempting to shake him out of his obliviousness and clinging to him like a lifeline, the dam burst inside her and everything she'd been holding back suddenly rushed out. With her voice rising to a fever pitch and her body trembling in his arms, Lilli screamed aloud every crime she'd committed against him.

She told him about how when she went to exchange their Magic Crystals, she split them 60/40, or even 70/30.

How she'd pocketed drop items behind his back while he was too busy fighting.

And how she'd taken his money to buy items or potions, and charged him double, or even triple every time she'd done so.

She told him how he was the only adventurer to ever offer her a 50-50 split, to ever trust her with his back to that degree, and to ever have so much faith in her, and that she'd taken advantage of that every single time. That she'd laughed at his kindness and smiled at his naïveté each time he happily accepted the scams she pulled on him.

She poured everything out, all the guilt and all the crimes, all the ways she'd wronged and betrayed him. She couldn't have stopped even if she'd wanted to, all her confessions flowed free like the tears streaming down her face.

Scratching his head with an awkward smile, Bell just listened as she spoke, or screamed, as she shook him and pleaded with him to understand just how easily she'd deceived him and how happily she'd robbed him. In truth, he'd noticed almost none of it, and probably wouldn't have noticed anything at all, if not for Alfia and his Goddess confronting him about it earlier.

His lack of shock, and the comforting smile that never left his face only squeezed Lilli's heart tighter.

He should be yelling at her, screaming at her, hitting her. He should take his revenge on her. She'd always manged to fight back any guilt at her actions by reminding herself about how horrible adventurers were, and how she'd only acted before they took advantage of her, that her actions were simply biting back against those that hurt her. But now she was left with nothing, nothing except the reminder of everything she'd done to him. If it was like this, if he didn't do anything, then it felt like the guilt would crush her.

"Do you understand now, Bell-sama!? Lilli is not someone you can rely on! She's just a thief! A liar! A piece-of-shit Prum wh-who took advantage of you, over and over again! She's not someone you want as your supporter!"

He didn't answer. His smile faded and he just looked sad, as worried for her as he had been before. His hands remained around her back, as sure and as comforting as ever. And even despite her words, she couldn't bear to let go of his shirt.

"E-Even even so… Even despite all that… You still saved Lilli!?"

"O-Of course."

"WHY!?"

Lilli paused, gasping for breath as she stared up at him, wild eyed and half frantic. She didn't know what she was hoping to hear, she didn't even know what he could possibly say. Nothing about this day had played out as it should.

Bell just blinked, caught off guard by the question. It wasn't something he'd ever considered before. He'd never once stopped to think about needing a reason to save someone, he'd never even needed to think about wanting to save Lilli. If there was someone who needed help, he wanted to reach out to them, just like his Goddess had to him.

"Because you're important to me."

In the end, the answer was as simple as that. Bell didn't need a reason to help someone who was in trouble, but if there was a reason he'd been so desperate to help her, it was because of the feelings that had grown towards her.

Lilli's chestnut eyes went as wide as they can go. And for a moment, she stopped trembling in his arms, simply lying against him, absorbing his words, bewildered by just how easily he'd accepted her even after all she'd done.

"And, I… I want to be the kind of man who can make all the people I care about happy. Of course, that includes you, Lilli."

"Bell-sama!"

The last gaps of her resolve broke entirely and with it so did the last dregs of her resistance to the feelings that were overwhelming her. Loosing a wrenching sob, she finally gave in completely, crying openly, bawling honestly and without reservation before him. Coughing from the damage still pulsing through her body, and hiccupping as her emotions flowed freely, Lilli howled with all the regrets and all the guilt that had been held within her heart all this time.

"I-Ah, I'm not very smart, so you've gott'a talk to me if you're in trouble, I won't realise otherwise. But if you need me, you can count on me, I promise!"

"Be-Bell-sama!"

She dove into his chest, throwing herself against the thoroughly dented and torn metal of his breastplate. The metallic armour dug into her skin and poked at the wounds still wracked across her body, but she couldn't possibly have cared much less have felt it. Her small arms wrapped around him and she clung to him with all her might, pulling herself as tight and as warm around him as she could possibly manage.

Lilli couldn't possibly have missed the ragged state of his clothes, or the damage to his armour. There was no mistaking the blood running from his wounds and soaking their clothes. Nor could she turn away from the exhausted state of him, and the way he'd clearly been fighting for his life ever since she'd left him to die.

Her heart broke again with each painful reminder of just how much Bell had suffered and been hurt for her sake. And then again, as his embrace held her close and she understood just how easily he was able to forgive her even so.

"S-Sorry, Lilli, Lilli is so, so sorry…!"

Her words shook and trembled, as her body wrenched with sobs and her fingers clung tight around his back. But he simply cradled her in his arms and reassured her the same as he always had.

"It's okay."

Lilli's tears echoed far and wide, but the dungeon's terrible power was limited in these upper levels, and it had already spent its fury against them. No more monsters came to disturb their reunion, and no adventurers among these beginner floors had been willing to go anywhere near the flood of Killer Ants they'd seen heading towards this section of the labyrinth.

For a short while at least, they had a peaceful moment.

Slowly, as the seconds passed the hoard of magic stones, chipped and cracked by Bell's fury, broke apart entirely leaving the already sundered bodies of the monsters as nothing but piles of ash dancing through the air.

And so, without her even acknowledging or realising it, the small Prum who had been born amongst the ashes of Orario, found herself reborn under the ashes of the Dungeon.

And, with her secrets pouring out along with her tears, and with her heart aching with regret… cradled in the arms of the only person to ever reach out and protect her, Lilli's heart and their relationship was finally reset.

--*--

Meanwhile, on the 10th floor, Ais Wallenstein was looking around in confusion. She didn't have particularly good memories of this segment of the dungeon, and had never previously had any cause to linger here, but in spite of that, she'd been walking almost aimlessly for some minutes now.

"Bell… was definitely here…"

Even as a level 6, it had taken her some time to track that down, but finally she'd caught sight of the rabbit she'd been chasing. Or at least, some signs of his presence. It wasn't much, but Ais was a terrifyingly adept adventurer by now and even just from the small time they'd trained together so far, she could recognise the feeling of his magic soaked into this area of the dungeon and see the tell-tale signs of his Sagitta Sonus seared into the rocks and ground throughout the corner of the labyrinth she'd wandered into.

Aside from signs of a battle, nothing else seemed to remain, and try as she might, she couldn't spot even a whisker of the boy's distinctive white-hair.

"Hmm…"

It was a little depressing. Her heart had leapt out of her chest with concern when the Half-Elf Guild Employee had approached her and told her that she thought Bell was in some sort of danger. She'd raced through the dungeon at practically her top speed to come to his aid. And now there was no-

"Huh?"

She paused, holding that thought as a thoroughly battered, but very familiar green armguard came into sight, half buried within a clump of grass leading back to the entrance.

There was something after all. It seemed the fight, or the flight, that Bell had found himself in had carried him back to the higher floors and presumably towards safety.

"I'll… have to return this to him…"

Unfortunately, just as Ais was about to make her way back towards the upper floors and to start her search anew, a shimmer appeared in the shadows behind her and a new figure emerged from the darkness.

"Sword Princess."

Clad in shadow and midnight robes, Fels took full advantage of this rare opportunity to address the famed adventurer alone and directly. The events about to unfold on the 24th floor were deeply concerning and he was willing to move any pieces he could get his hands on. Her rabbit hunt would have to wait a little longer.

--*--

Given the scope of their injuries and their exhaustion, both physical and emotional, Bell and Lilli retreated back to the surface after that, saying a slightly subdued goodbye and making promises to meet again the next day.

The next morning, however, rather than their usual meeting spot, Lilli was waiting for Bell right outside the abandoned Church.

She'd gotten the address from him the previous day, before they'd gone their own separate ways. And while she hadn't worked up the courage to step inside and wait for him among the shattered pews or the decrepit altar, when he pushed open the bronze doors, she was there all the same. Just as she'd said she would be.

This was the start of Lilli's new path. She was here to meet his Goddess and his guardian to apologise for all the trouble she'd caused.

Even standing at Bell's side, the two women gave her exactly the kind of frosty reception she'd expected.

Alfia's scorn was immediate and unrelenting. She made it very clear how little she thought of this whole ordeal and about Bell's stubborn insistence to remain alongside Lilli, and she made it just as clear that if she heard about the Prum doing anything similar to him again, then Lilli would very quickly find herself as nothing more than a smear across the Dungeon's floor. Hestia added her own agreement to that claim, promising with all the weight of a Goddess's words that if Lilli ever put Bell in danger again, she would certainly make sure that the supporter paid dearly.

Beyond that warning however, Hestia's judgement was a good deal more reserved than Alfia. While Alfia rejected the partnership entirely before stalking back to the far corner of the room, Hestia simply folded her arms and listened to the explanations and the entreaty being offered to her. And then, after sending Bell away to make tea for the three of them, she made her own thoughts on the matter clear.

She didn't like Lilli, of course. Rather, she quite hated her. She wanted Lilli nowhere near Bell at all. How could she not? She'd thought Lilli was trouble since the first time she'd heard about her, she didn't know her and had no reason to think anything positive of her. And it was impossible for Lilli to make amends, the money and saving she'd worked so hard for and which she'd scammed Bell so cruelly for were already gone, stolen from her just as callously as she'd taken from others all this while.

But she understood that Bell saw something in her. Hestia understood that Bell wanted her at his side.

And when she pressed Lilli about her intentions, she accepted the Prum's words of remorse. There was no lying to a Goddess, Hestia's crystal blue eyes saw right to the brown-haired girl's heart and recognised the truth of her words and her truest desires.

Alfia scoffed, her own glare pinning the supporter in place from across the room even without any additional words of scorn from her side.

But it was the Goddess's piercing gaze that pulled apart the layers around Lilli's heart and laid it bare for all to see.

"What's with you? You've been making that downcast face ever since you walked in."

"Being saved by Bell made you turn over a new leaf, huh? Did you ever stop to think that you're just going to cause him more trouble because he's too kind for his own good?"

"He won't do anything to you for revenge, so you're feeling the crushing weight of guilt on your own shoulders, right? But no matter how I look at it, you're still taking advantage of him, acting downcast like that, like you've already paid your dues."

Hestia was remorseless. Again and again, she layered her pointed questions and accusations, adding another even as the Prum struggled to answer the previous.

Sweating and shaking under the woman's freezing glare, Lilli was reminded immediately of the advice commonly spread among townsfolk. That if you had something to hide, if you had something to keep secret, you should never talk to a God. Don't try talk around the topic, don't try redirect the conversation, just shut up and say nothing at all. It was easy to worry about the eyes that would see through any lies you told, but the true danger of dealing with a deity was their millions of years of experience and knowledge, and understanding was used to rip right through the supporter's defences and expose her innermost thoughts.

Finally, just when Lilli thought her heart couldn't take anymore, Hestia folded her arms, drew herself up with all the imperious nobility of the heavens she commanded, and proclaimed her own judgement in Bell's place. Since he wouldn't punish her, she would act instead.

"Look after him."

The Goddess of the Hearth's command was simple, but heartfelt.

As Lilli herself as proven, Bell was easily tricked and had no experience navigating the harsh realities of the world. If Lilli wanted to prove her sincerity and wanted to truly show she had changed, then she needed to stay at Bell's side and protect him as best she could. Until he was satisfied, and until Lilli's own heart had forgiven her. There was no obligation, no bindings and no compulsion, her judgement was not as a Divinity, but simply a Familia's Goddess.

Alfia had already suggested that the supporter be sent on her own way. And Hestia's personal feelings were similar.

But, despite everything, she allowed Lilli to remain Bell's supporter.

It was then that Lilli's eyes opened in surprise, and she understood the true nature of Bell's Goddess. As tiny as she was, as disgraceful as the rumours of her working part-time in a food-stall were… Hestia was generous and noble in equal measure. The Goddess of the Hearth had given her a second chance, just as Bell had himself.

As harsh as Hestia was being and as cold as her feelings towards the Prum clearly were, she was also merciful. She believed in change and in hope, and she would always offer a hand to the lost and the weary. She was a protector of those in need.

Flushed with the sudden warmth, Lilli bowed her head in reply, promising again and again that she would live up to her words.

…

And then Bell returned, and the sombre mood flooded back to normal.

And then somehow both women ended up bickering with each other. Each clinging to a side of him and glaring at the other as they claimed some kind of territory.

Bell was bewildered.

Alfia was amazed that the Goddess still managed to restrain herself from mentioning all the things she and Bell had already done.

Lilli and Hestia glared at each other earnestly, the chill and the warmth of earlier both forgotten as sparks flew between their eyes.

…

Eventually, the teacups were drained and the Adventurer and his Supporter stepped out into the sunlight, out to where they were to face the dungeon once more. A new day and a new start between them.

"Lilli, here…"

She blinked, looking in surprise at where Bell's hand was extended out towards her.

"You said earlier didn't you, "Lili and Bell-sama walk hand-in hand through the dungeon", hah, sorry, I never realised that was something you wanted."

Her face turned pink, realising just how bold her words had been, as well as the fact that he'd somehow taken them seriously. It seemed he was staying true to his earlier claim, that he wouldn't understand anything unless she told him.

"Well, I- er, I don't think it's very safe to hold hands in the dungeon, but until we get there…"

He was intending to walk through the streets with her. Hand-in-hand. All the way to the dungeon. Lilli's pink face burned scarlet red and she felt as if steam was going to come out her ears.

"H-Huh, Bell-sama! It's really so easy for you isn't it!? You'll just offer your hand to any woman, won't you!? You're shameless! Horrible! Pervert! Playboy! Enemy of women!"

"Hahah, well, let's go then!"

Despite the torrent of words spilling from her mouth, her hand had clung to his since the moment he'd extended it and her fingers were wrapped far too tight around his to even think of letting go.

And in contrast to the blazing red of her cheeks, Lilli's lips were pulled up into the dizziest, happiest smile the Prum had never imagined wearing.

--*--

Bell was falling. Sinking. Drowning.

He was drifting in an abyss.

Beyond sight. Beyond sound. Just floating and lingering. Lost, out of thought and out of mind.

…

It should have been terrifying. He should have felt alone and scared, confused and bewildered. But somehow, none of that registered. He felt like he'd been worried just a short time ago, but all of his concerns had been soothed away just a moment later.

"Mmm…hha…"

Wrapped up in the abyss, he was warm and held in a soft, tender contentment.

Ah.

Thoughts were slowly returning to him as his soul slowly drifted up to the surface once more.

He recognised this. This was the comfort of being wrapped up and enveloped in someone's affection, this was the warmth of a caring embrace. He knew this feeling and he knew this comfort. His distant memories recalled such sensations from a long, long time ago with Alfia. He could easily bring to mind thoughts of himself in his grandfather's lap just like this. And more than anything, this was the same feeling of his Goddess's love.

Nestled in her arms, asleep and out of mind, a smile rose on Bell's face all the same.

Of course he recognised this feeling, this was how he woke up every morning, wrapped up tight with his Goddess's thin arms around him and her boundless affection enveloping him. He'd been sleeping better recently and he'd been more refreshed than ever each time he woke up. He'd finally found a place to belong and a woman he belonged with.

"Mm, Goddess…"

"…No… I'm human…"

That was strange. Bell's thoughts were hazy and lost, but that didn't seem right. Was that how his Goddess answered him in the morning? He was sure she'd say something like "Good morning, Bell", or whisper "Hello to you too, my love."

The incongruity tugged at him and slowly his mind floated closer back to reality.

Why were his legs so heavy? Was he standing upright?

Since when had his Goddess's arms been so long?

Why could he hear the birdsong bright and clear?

Huh… was he wearing his armour?

The questions and the thoughts pulled him upwards, moment by moment, until "Ah-hah!?" finally, his consciousness broke through the surface once again, and reality returned.

He blinked, his thoughts and memories only very slowly returning as he found himself staring at navy-blue fabric, metallic silver armour and long blonde streaks of hair.

"It's fine…" a soft voice assured him, and a hand reached out to cradle the back of his head, easing it gently back into the warm embrace he'd halfway pulled away from, "…You can sleep longer."

His mind swirled once more, soothed and comforted. The softness of her voice tickled through his ear and the gentleness of her arms pulled him in closer. Even without fully coming back to reality, Bell's body sighed and his mind floated back to the edge of consciousness once again.

"It's not fine," a second, much sterner voice corrected, "Wake up, Cranel-san."

Ah?

Huh?

AH!?

"Ah-hhah!?" Finally ripped directly back to reality, Bell's consciousness slammed fully back to reality and he realised that Riveria had been the one to just address him. And that he was lying against Ais, held tight in her embrace just as he had so many times after she'd knocked him out. Except… Except this time, instead of being deadweight against her, his arms were wrapped around her back and he'd snuggled in against her shoulder, "Ah-a, Wha!?"

"…Hmm…"

Ais pouted but released him just the same as ever, and Bell stumbled back, blinking and shaking his head as his face burned red and his memories rose groggily from the depths of the abyss. It was early in the morning. He was training with Ais and Riveria once again. He had… ended up asleep on the Sword Princess's shoulder?!

"I… passed out?"

The blonde nodded, her look as placid as ever.

The elf frowned, looking sterner than usual.

"Mind Zero," Riveria explained, "You pushed yourself too far this time, Cranel-san. Instead of drawing out the edge of your limits, your succumbed to them. And this time, you've lost."

This time his cheeks were flaming red from shame, rather than confused embarrassment. His memories always got hazy as he pushed the limits of his consciousness against the absolute limit of his magic, but he could remember now, he'd been chasing after Ais, trying to tag her with his spell, just as normal in their training. He'd made it up to three points, but he'd lost a point due to being unable to draw forth anymore magic within 5 seconds, and he'd been so close to losing a second point, he'd been sure he finally had her in his sights, he'd grabbed at the very last dregs of his mental fortitude and forced himself…

…And he'd wound up completely unconscious.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear!"

"It's fine…" Ais answered without a worry, "This is training… that's normal…"

This time both Riveria and Bell blinked at the blonde's strange assurance. Regardless of the fact that it had somehow become normal through their training sessions, getting knocked senseless time after time was absolutely not meant to be a normal training strategy. Once again, the Sword Princess's spartan idea of training and slightly strange views on the world rose into view.

For now, Riveria decided it was best to probably ignore that.

"You were only out for ten minutes," she informed the white-haired adventurer, getting his attention once more, "Falling unconscious in a fight is hardly an admirable feat, if this was in the dungeon you would surely be dead. But, to come back within such a short time is admirable in its own right. So, while I won't praise your focus or your control, I will at least praise your willpower. To be able to force yourself back like that, I can believe you're taking this training seriously."

If anything, she thought, she was being overly reserved with her praise. To be able to recover from Mind Zero in just a few minutes was quite a feat indeed, when she'd watched the young adventurer collapse she'd assumed that would be the end of the training for the next hour. But Riveria judged that it was more important to be harsh about this, he needed to learn not to fall into such a situation in the first place. Recovering quickly from Mind Zero wasn't a particularly useful skill to have, it was far more important to ensure you never ended up like that to begin with.

"But that's the only thing I can praise you for. I'll let this be your warning. I'll overlook it this time, but if it happens again… next time you won't wake up in Ais's arms, but in mine," Riveria had intended to let that statement sink in for just a second, but as soon as she'd said it, memories of the first time she'd met this young boy threatened to rise within her mind and she very quickly continued, "Except, I'll be holding you by your ankles over the edge of the wall instead."

Bell blanched, and even Ais's ever placid expression took on a slightly concerned frown.

It wasn't difficult for either of them to imagine just how terrifying it would be to wake up and find yourself suspended over a void, tens of meders high in the air.

Of course, she would never actually do something like that. No matter how strictly she acted, Riveria wasn't the kind to put someone in her care into careless danger. Instead, she simply trusted in Bell's integrity that he truly was taking this training seriously and the threat would be enough to keep him from failing again. This was for his sake, while he'd never actually given the impression of purposefully letting himself get knocked out so he could wind up in Ais's arms, Riveria couldn't risk encouraging him to push himself into Mind Zero with the thought that he'd wind up with the Sword Princess hugging him.

That would destroy his development and… she didn't think it would be good for Ais to continue to be this forward with him anyway. Riveria would never claim to have taken the role of Ais's mother, but she'd certainly raised her in all the time she'd spent in Orario so far, she'd always thought Ais had taken on more Elf-like mannerisms than this!

… Or maybe that was Bell's fault. As much as Riveria tried her very best not to think about her first encounter with the boy, there was no denying that he had a certain manner about him that appealed to an Elf's sensibilities.

'What am I even thinking about!?'

Forcibly fighting down her own blush as she realised that, once again, her thoughts had uncharacteristically run away from her, Riveria turned back to the white-haired boy still waiting for her next command.

"It would be dangerous now to continue, with your Mind as low as-"

"Wait! Please!" he implored her, holding his hands up in reconciliation, "I can, I can keep going! I am taking this seriously, I swear!"

Riveria did her very best to hold back the smile that threatened to break out across her face. Bell Cranel, for whatever else he may be, was a remarkably likable young man.

"Very well… In that case, we'll restart with you at one point."

The training continued. And, at least under the Elf's guidance, Bell forcibly maintained his consciousness just as he'd promised.

Of course, his training with the Sword Princess saw him quickly and mercilessly sent straight back into her awaiting arms.

But he felt like he learned a lot anyway.

--*--

The days continued to pass by in just the same manner.

Soon enough the Loki Familia's next expedition was announced and the end of their agreement for Bell's training along with it. Ais took the knowledge as stoically as she did anything else, using the time as she could to try find out the secret behind the boy's rapid growth, and Riveria surprised herself by the slight twinge of melancholia she felt at the thought of parting ways with the youth.

By the standards of the Loki Familia, he was far from exceptional. She could throw a stone and hit 4 promising young hopefuls with greater abilities and greater achievements than Bell.

But she couldn't think of a single one that had improved in anywhere close to the same timeframe as her. Even Lefiya, her young protegee, hadn't shown such immediate promise and improvement.

And, while she never said so aloud, from the time she'd spent with the boy Riveria was starting to wonder if there perhaps was no secret at all behind his growth. Nothing except his reckless determination and ironclad resolve.

It didn't make sense, she knew that. Such determination and resolve was only natural among any proper candidate. She couldn't possibly imagine his will was any greater than Bete's, or Finn's, let alone Ais's when she was a youngster… but the fact that she was even comparing this level 1 nobody to the figures that stood atop the very pinnacle of Orario kept her wondering.

In any case, the agreement Ais had thoughtlessly thrust upon them was that they would train him until their expedition was up.

Bell was far too polite to ever even dream of asking for more than that, and far too shy to imagine that either woman would wish to continue beyond it.

Ais was much too awkward to ever request the same.

And Riveria… despite the small desire within her to continue observing this boy's growth… held back. He wasn't part of their Familia, it was both pointless and improper to get attached. The affect he'd had on Ais's spirit had buoyed her own spirit greatly, but that wasn't reason enough to risk appearing like they were infringing on the territory of another Goddess.

There was a reason that these training sessions were being kept secret after all.

And so, with the end in sight, all three of them threw themselves entirely into the last week of their training.

Each day Bell woke up at the break of dawn, made his way to the battlements and spent an hour or more learning spellcasting techniques or mind refinement tricks under Riveria's careful direction. And then he spent as long as he could manage, putting that knowledge directly into practice as his magic chased Ais around the top of the walls, just barely keeping himself out of Mind Zero.

After his mind had recovered at least enough to stagger to his feet, his combat abilities were put immediately to the test. Ais gave few instructions and little advice, everything he learned from her, he learned directly through their clashes. More often than not those clashes ended with him either sent sprawling back across the battlements, or knocked unconscious entirely and swept up into her embrace… but slowly, as the days passed and as his back burned hotter and hotter, Bell began to catch glimpses of Ais's movements and managed to counter, or dodge them with the very limits of his own speed and skill.

In both cases, it was his absolute defeat every single time.

He never managed to score more than 3 points with his magic. And he barely managed to defend himself long enough to even catch his breath before Ais's sheathe would slam into his body, legs, or knock his knife from his hands.

But he got up every single time. And he stepped forwards every single time. No matter how his mind spun, or how much his body wracked with pain, Bell threw himself into their lessons. And he grew, faster and faster, guided by their tutelage and experience, he grew faster than ever before.

From Lilli's perspective, Bell had shot up to the very heights of the level 1 adventurers in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

Every day, he would meet her outside the doors to the abandoned church.

If Riveria was there training with them, he would be fresh and ready to go.

If Riveria hadn't been able to make it, he would look as if he'd been thrashed to within an inch of his life.

And in either case, they would head to the Dungeon hand-in-hand, and from there she would bear witness to the leaps and bounds of Bell's improvement, day after day. When she'd first teamed up with him, it took them several hours to reach the 5th floor and working their way through the 8th and 9th was a grand achievement. But now, even the 10th floor that just days ago had been where she'd left him to die was conquered smoothly under his strength. The two of them made it down there in just a few hours, and while the 10th floor was a good deal larger than the rest of the floors they'd come to so far, she doubted it would be more than a few days before Bell was asking to push forward into the 11th.

Just compared to when she'd met him, even just compared to the previous day- he was sharper, faster, stronger. His magic rang out louder and more ferociously, until nothing in the upper levels seemed to stand up to it, and his twin knives sang through the air at speeds she couldn't even follow, carving a path through any monster that dared assail them.

By Lilli's rough estimation, she was starting to put him well above any of the beginner adventurers she'd encountered in the past. He wasn't the most powerful person she'd ever grouped with, but she guessed he must be easily among the most powerful of all the Level 1 adventurers, even his glaring lack of combat experience and martial knowledge appeared to be closing day by day. In all respects, Bell Cranel was looking far from the rookie she'd once taken him for, and even among the stronger level 2 or 3 adventurer's she'd briefly worked with, none of them had improved at a rate anything like what she'd seen from him.

To be reaching the end of the Upper Floors in just a few weeks wasn't just unusual, it was outright unheard of. If it had been anyone else, she would have simply assumed he was lying about how long he'd been an adventurer, or assumed he must have some previous experience outside Orario… but she couldn't believe that Bell would ever lie about something like that, and it was just as hard to believe that someone as innocent and unworldly as him had experience with overworld monster hunting.

In the end, Lilli simply worked as best she could to keep up with and continue supporting him. She didn't understand anything about Bell's determination or his rapid growth, but she didn't need to, just staying next to him was all she wanted for now. It made her feel useful being able to tell him about all the new floors they found themselves on and all the new enemies he set himself against… and their swift progress to the deeper floors, along with the innumerable foes they took down together day after day was doing a great deal of work to replenish Lilli's plundered savings.

Eina's opinion, however, was significantly less positive. Instead, the half-Elf felt like she was being stressed to her wits ends just to try restrain the young adventurer's seemingly boundless recklessness. She knew he had some basic knowledge of the Dungeon and the monsters from his Guardian, but he didn't know nearly as much as he should, and getting him to listen to her lessons was proving just as difficult now as it had when she'd first taken him under her wing. He was impatient and impulsive and, in the process of racing after his far-off goal, seemed to always be standing right on the cusp of disaster as he dove further and further into the dungeon day after day.

A part of her believed that she was at least partially to blame, having tried to cheer him up with her initial suggestion that he get strong for the sake of earning the right to stand next to the woman he idolised… and that worrying guilt only made Eina's already stiff resolve turn to steel as she fought back her stress day after day, all but bodily shoving Bell into his seat as she lectured him, and outright begging concessions of him for the sake of keeping him from pushing himself even further. Already, with just his very dubious Level 1 supporter, he was pushing past the 10th floor. Only two more floors separated him from the Middle Layers. Eina had coached many new adventurers through similar progress, but few of them had been solo and none of them would have even dreamed of making that kind of progress in just a few weeks! A skilled group may have spent half a year pushing to where Bell was fighting through now, it was reckless beyond recklessness, beyond words and beyond hope! In the end the tiny victory she'd won was a promise from him not to explore past the 11th floor for at least another week. That alone was ridiculous. A week of progress was absolutely nothing, most adventurers would spend months on the 11th floor! And yet, that was the small victory she'd gained against the boy's heedless explorations.

And worst of the worst, was that every time she'd tried to stand in his way, every time she'd told him that there was absolutely no chance his abilities were high enough to tackle the Floors ahead of her… he'd proven her wrong. An Adventurer's status was private and secret, even to his Guild advisor, she had been pushing well beyond the bounds of rudeness to press him so, but she'd stilled the complaints in her heart by saying it was for the best, that it was to keep him safe. And instead, each time she'd had to pick her jaw up from the floor as he'd displayed a ridiculous status that matched his equally ridiculous progress.

Bell Cranel was going to die in the dungeon. That was the opinion of every one of the guild receptionists, everyone except Eina. She was the only one who had bet on his survival. And Eina was fighting back a growing ulcer in her stomach every day just trying to find ways of keeping that prediction from coming true.

In the end, as way of apologising for her rudeness in asking about his Status and as yet another way of trying to keep him alive, the Half-Elf had ended up arranging for a second date with him. This time, instead of armour, she'd taken him through the apothecary and medical row, and filled his satchel with potions and similar medical items. And in doing so, she'd also extracted yet another promise from him that he would ensure he was always carrying such items- no matter their cost or inconvenience.

Adventurers must not go on an adventure. That was Eina's ironclad, oxymoronic rule. And by the end of their date, she was sure she'd repeated it so many times Bell would be hearing it in his sleep.

It wasn't a particularly romantic date, as an Elf (well half, but she cherished her Elven side) she didn't do anything lewd like hold his hand and she certainly didn't have any thoughts about kissing him. Eina was mature enough to understand that he was probably a little disappointed at that, even if his heart was set on Ais Wallenstein, he was still a boy… but she didn't feel even a trace of guilt at that, not when she was spending so much of her free time and her own money worrying about Bell Cranel! Him hearing her warning even in his dreams was fair payment for the nights she'd spent filling out her advisory notes with worries for the white-haired boy bouncing leaving her stomach clenched tight!

As fate would have it, Bell had another date just the very next day as well. Filvis arrived first thing in the morning, exactly as she always did, only to find that she'd already missed him leaving for his training. The Dionysus captain's momentary relief at being able to handle her delivery without concerns for the boy in question was momentary indeed- Alfia immediately dashed her hopes by closing the door in her face, instructing the girl to instead come back that evening when Bell had returned from the Dungeon.

Despite herself, Filvis had stared for some minutes in muted, disbelieving shock at the closed door and the idea of having to wait an entire day to come back and delivery a letter for the sake of then being sent out to kill time while a response was being penned. It made no sense, it was ridiculous and it was rude to the point of being offensive. But Filvis was dutiful, she was loyal, and she was obedient. While she hadn't yet steeled her heart enough to tell Lord Dionysus about her dates with another man (and to face her own fear of how simply she knew he would accept that news), she knew without a doubt that he wished for her to follow Alfia's whims.

And so, biting back her anger, the once-Elven woman endured the insult, letting it run off her back like all the rest. She left, she waited, she returned… and she had a surprisingly pleasant time, sitting in a dusky corner of the nearest park and instructing the young-adventurer on more of the Elven language.

His promise to Eina soon brought Bell back to the Miach Familia shop and soon enough with taking his first ever Quest… which almost immediately afterwards resulted in him getting scammed. Or more specifically, finding out that he'd been getting scammed for some time now. Lilli had kept her word to Hestia to protect Bell from anyone seeking to take advantage of him, and soon enough he was facing the incredibly awkward situation of having a Deity bow down in apology for his follower's actions. The embarrassing discussion and strained situation was interrupted by an abrupt introduction to the Dian Cecht Familia, or at least the God himself and the beautiful healer known as the Dea Saint, and soon enough Bell was off on his second ever Quest- protecting the Miach Familia and forging a true friendship with them in turn.

All in all, his days were busy, his training unrelenting and his adventures throughout the city as eventful as ever. He had a place to belong, he was surrounded by people he cherished, and he was making swift progress through the Dungeon… And yet… Despite all that, slowly but surely, Bell felt an ever-creeping unease, as if a wall was being raised up ahead of him. And day by day, his worries began to mount.

--*--

Meanwhile, in another time and another place.

The soft scent of argelica filled the air.

That was normal. Cassandra always kept the herb nearby to help ensure a sound sleep. In the dungeon she would bring some cloves to place near her pillow, but here in her room, there were a handful of carefully maintained plants growing in equally carefully selected pots that filled her quarters with the familiar, calming scent.

"Hnmm…"

The soft fragrance of the herbs was thoroughly overpowered by the heady smell of sex and of his musk.

"Mmm…"

That was also normal. By now, Cassandra was thoroughly used to waking up soaked in his scent after a night of dizzying ecstasy. They usually used his room when they were at home, but there was nothing unusual about having the calming aroma of her herbs mixed with the potent scent of sated lust being the first thing she was aware of as she stirred awake, "Hng… mhhaa…" Nor was it unusual for a rush of warmth and satisfaction to be the second thing she was aware of, as her body reacted to the passions that had overwhelmed her to completely last night.

The sight of his face turned towards her and smiling warmly when she finally opened her eyes was always welcome though.

"Bell-sama…"

"Good morning," he whispered in reply, leaning over as she brushed her long blue hair back over her ear, pressing his lips softly against her own. Another familiar burst of warmth rose within her, and she beamed happily in response, "It's still early, you can just go back to sleep if you want."

Snuggled in under the blankets and wrapped in next to him, with her body still thrumming happily from his ministrations the previous night and her heart full to overflowing with affection, it was a tempting offer. But she resisted, sliding closer and laying her head directly atop his shoulder instead.

Looking past him, as she blinked herself awake, Cassandra could see they were indeed in her room, she was lying in her own bed, at Bell's side. And across from him, pressed up against his other side, she could see the very familiar sight of the gentle, blonde renart, still asleep with her hand running lazily over his chest. Behind the fox-girl was a silver-haired woman, with an uncharacteristically serene look on her face as she dozed happily and -from her slowly clearing memories and from with warm arm she could feel around her waist- Cassandra knew that if she turned around, she'd find the blonde elf asleep at her back.

Bell was, of course, always welcome in her bed… but, it was a little cramped to have three other women in with him. Still, she couldn't bring herself to really care, these were all women that Cassandra considered her dearest companions, and it wasn't as if any of them had any real reservations about being pressed in tight around one another these days, given how often they'd found themselves wrapped up around him and any of his other lovers. Truly, Bell was just too popular for his own good.

Nor that she couldn't understand why, given how easily and how completely he'd ensnared both her heart and soul.

Her slowly clearing memories of the previous night turned hazy after some point, she remembered the over-eager fox-girl screaming out in delight one last time and passing out, and she remembered the stoic blonde elf losing her composure entirely as she was bathed in the moonlight and in his love, before slumping into the mattress insensate. Cassandra could remember her own delight and excitement as she'd been pushed down after that, the knowledge that her body was still reeling from everything he'd already done to her and the anticipation of the absolute defeat that awaited her. Everything past that was a dizzying fog of bliss.

Most likely she'd succumbed to him shortly after that. If anything, it was a surprise she'd even lasted that long. Despite being a fairly experienced adventurer, Cassandra always surrendered far too easily in bed. She couldn't help it, every part of herself had already submitted entirely to him, it was only natural.

"Mnn…" she hummed lazily, "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

Devouring four women in one night was hardly an uncommon feat for him these days, but she couldn't help but worry all the same. In the Dungeon and in his romantic endeavours, he was always the one working harder than anyone. He was a lot better now, but for a while after his time in the Deep Levels, he'd barely been able to sleep at all. Even these days, he was still a light sleeper, she'd probably woken him up the moment she'd stirred.

"Nah," he shrugged, as much as one could with his arm around four girls at least, "I've been up for a while now… I just… I like lying here like this, with all of you."

She breathed out a quiet laugh, what man wouldn't enjoy this? "I feel the same…" of course, she wasn't any different. The sense of closeness she felt these days was something she would have never been able to imagine beforehand.

"Hnn, I guess I shouldn't be surprised you're the first one up. You were much more energetic than usual last night," he grinned, teasing lightly, "Levelling up gave you a lot more energy, huh?"

"I-It's not like that!" she blushed, as his words brought back a lot more memories into the warm light of day. Memories of her legs wrapped tight around him and her arms clinging to his back. Of her head facedown between the renart's legs as he claimed her from behind. Of her holding the elf from behind, caressing and massaging her modest bust as the blonde rode atop him. Of her lying atop the silver-haired woman's, screaming aloud as they were taken in turn. None of those thoughts were unusual, but she could clearly remember the sheer enthusiasm she'd thrown herself into them with… He wasn't wrong, it had felt like her body had been filled with power, bursting with more energy than she was used to controlling, and that excess of stamina had all turned into wanton desire, "I was just really happy! Everything's finally alright a-again, and it's been so long since I last leve… since I… Um… Levelled…"

"Cassandra?"

She stopped, her mind churning as a swell of deja-vu swept over her, washing through the quickly heating mood.

"Um, I just…"

The outcome of their expedition had been announced along with the record of their personal achievements. That was why they were in her room right now. She'd been celebrating her advancement, they all had, they'd all been so happy for her, for finally… "Ah!" Shaking off the arm around her waist, Cassandra sat upright in the bed, her large breasts bouncing free into the chill of the morning air and a shiver of desire running down her spine as lost the heat from Bell's body.

He looked up at her with concern, but just as he was about to speak, she cut him off.

"Everything's okay," she answered, then laughed, "Ha… You were about to ask that, right? I remember… I… So, this is then…"

He blinked. And she realised she wasn't making much sense.

"Um, well, you know about my prophesies, the dreams I have? I've told you before but… they're sometimes a bit, a bit different when they're about you."

"Yeah… I remember you said that. You saw us together, right?"

"R-Right… Uh, normally, I just… when I sleep I just see a warning, or a message. It's cryptic and confusing, and, and I always end up worrying about it! But… But sometimes, back before we met… I used to have dreams of us together. Those would be really clear, I'd see everything, like I was living it. I didn't understand it at the time, I still don't… but it used to… it used to make me really happy."

"Cassandra…"

She decided not to tell him that most of the dreams she had of them together were of them having sex. Sometimes she seen them having dates, eating a meal together, or simply enjoying a moment in each other's company… but most of the time she'd been wrapped around him, moaning with delight and cumming until her brain melted. Was it simply due to the intensity of their passions? She didn't know. Cassandra had made the mistake of wondering about that with Daphne once and she didn't relish the idea of being called a "helpless pervert" a second time… even if it was true.

"This is… I saw this morning… I remember, I remember that conversation," she explained, "The morning after I levelled up…"

Her haphazard explanation didn't seem to have cleared things up with him, "So… uh… You saw all this? Then, you… saw all this, in the past?"

She nodded.

"So, your… your past self is watching this? Right now?"

"Uh, I'm… She, I guess, she's asleep? Um, I don't really… She'll see this as a dream? Or… I think?" Did her dreams work retroactively? Was this a closed circle? Or had the events already played out? She didn't have a clue, "I don't remember everything exactly… but I definitely… I remember this."

Bell's eyebrow raised, and another question burned forthright, "You said, before we got together? How… far back are we talking exactly?" his gaze travelled around the fact that they were in her room, they were both naked, and there were three other naked women in bed with her.

She couldn't help but laugh, "Sh-She'll definitely be surprised! I, I remember, I was, hehe, I was really shocked!" more than shocked, Cassandra could visibly remember how she didn't leave her room for the entire day after waking up.

It was almost strange imagining what her life had been like. Daphne had been the only person she'd really been close to, she'd been a sheltered, shy, virgin. Cassandra was still shy, and she was still awkward, she was probably even still fairly sheltered… but the things that were normal to her now, the number of people she cherished, and the fact she had a man she belonged with and to… it was all too much for her past self. She could vividly remember the way she'd buried her head under her pillow after waking up… and the way she'd also, guiltily, buried her fingers inside her as yet unclaimed pussy not long after.

"I remember, and… I also remember…" reaching over the still blissfully sleeping elf, she picked up the small calendar on the nightstand, pulling it towards her and flicking the pages back a few months, "Ah, I remember, this."

Following along, Bell could see she was pointing directly at a very specific date.

"Huh, wait, isn't that? That's the day we-"

"That's the day you made me yours."

A day she would always remember. And, for now, a message to her past self… a day to look forward to.

"Cassandra… you know I don't… I'm yours too."

"I know, Bell-sama…"

Bell had all kinds of relationships with all kinds of women. He loved them all equally and he did everything he could to make them happy, to protect them and cherish them. There wasn't a single one of them that ever doubted their place in his heart, or his love for them. He didn't hold himself above his women, or ever treat them as anything except his equals… but Cassandra was different to the others, she didn't just belong with him, she belonged to him. She knew she would be just as happy wearing a collar around her neck as a ring around her finger. That attitude was probably why she and the fox-girl maid got on so well.

Putting the calendar back on the nightstand, she flopped back down into the mattress, sliding back under the covers and laying comfortably atop him.

"I don't really get it… but your past self… is seeing all this?"

"I'm not sure… it's all already happened. Sorry, it's a little strange… isn't it?"

"Nah, I just…" coughing, he cleared his throat, and turned towards her, addressing her directly, "Um, h-hey, Cassandra-of-the-past? Um, I guess you might not know me just yet, so it's a little strange for me to say anything… but, ah, I'll always appreciate everything you've always done, er, you will do, for me? And, and I know things are a bit rough for you in th-Mmm!?"

Removing her lips from against his, Cassandra slid back down to his chest, "Maybe it's best not to say too much, Bell-sama."

"Ah, right… Then… Then, I'll just say- Cassandra, I love you."

"Hehe… I'm sure she knows that. She can feel that… nng… very clearly…"

Having adjusted her position slightly, she could feel the physical proof of Bell's love stretching up under the covers, rock hard and pulsing lightly against her thigh. And, despite how sated Cassandra still was from the night before, feeling his arousal never failed to ignite her own.

"Bell-sama…" she whispered, her voice turning sultry without her even intending it, "Aren't you tired? You worked so hard last night…"

"Waking up with you guys is always enough to refresh me," it didn't make sense, but she believed it, especially given how many times she'd seen that play out, even in the Dungeon, "And… how can I possibly relax when I've got you lying atop me like that?"

In contrast to her concerns about his exhaustion, Cassandra had been rocking back and forth in place atop him since she'd laid back down. Her legs were open atop his, sliding her increasingly wet pussy across his thighs, and her massive breasts were squishing into his chest, rolling back and forth a few centimeders each time she moved. She hadn't exactly been planning to do anything… it was only natural when she was lying against him like that… her body would heat up and her desire would spill out.

"Mng, then, is it okay if I… calm you down a little?"

"If you're not too tired yourself, then… I'll leave myself in your care, Cassandra."

Her heart lit up, and the heat between her legs pulsed hotter. Smiling giddily, Cassandra dropped her lips to his nape, and then began kissing slowly down his body as she slid herself lower and lower, dragging her breasts over his chest and then over his stomach as her lips left a soft trail of heated kisses running down his skin. With the light of dawn still only barely breaking through the windows and the other women still asleep against him, she couldn't risk going too far.

"I'll give my past self something to look forward to…"

Leaning back into the mattress, with three other girls pinning his arms in place, Bell simply heaved out a heated sigh as Cassandra flashed him one last smile, before dipping her head entirely under the covers.

Slunk entirely under the heat of the covers, the blue-haired healer wasted no time in heading towards her prize, she had no intentions of leaving Bell in suspense, after all. Her hands wrapped around his shaft, squeezing it gently and stroking it softly as her kisses continued over the lower bounds of his stomach, his waist, and finally working all the way to the base of the cock now pulsing hungrier than ever between her linked fingers.

For a moment she considered shifting upwards and wrapping his length up between her breasts, but she thought better of it. She always lost control of herself like that, she'd just end up waking everyone else.

Cassandra hummed as she opened her mouth against the underside of his length, dragging a hotter, deeper kiss around the base of his cock. Moving her hands instead to caress around his thighs, a new burst of heat spread from between her legs as Bell's length was left laying now directly atop her face. She loved this. She couldn't get enough of it. Being held tight in his arms, being pressed firmly down into the bed, being bent over whichever table, or counter he chose. Being picked up and taken against a wall. He'd never once voiced a complaint, but all her favourite positions and deepest desires always needed so much of the man who already gave so much to her- Looking after him like this, easing his desires… worshipping the cock that had filled her dreams long before she'd ever met him… this was how she repaid him, this was how she showed her own boundless affection in return.

"This must seem fearsome to you," she whispered to her past self, as she looked up eagerly towards the length that was now filling her entire vision. Even with as little light as there was underneath the blankets, with Bell's length laying directly atop her face, pulsing lightly atop her skin, there was no way the innocent, virgin Cassandra she'd once been could mistake just how massive this shaft was, "You've seen it yourself, I know you're very aware… this is the cock that conquered you. The one that the Goddesses whisper about…"

Lolling her tongue out, the taste of him filled her once more and a shiver of delight ran up her even as she lifted herself up off the mattress, licking slowly all the way up to the very tip of his length.

"I know I couldn't believe it when I saw the dream you're seeing now," she continued, as she returned once more to laying kisses around against the length in question, smiling happily as she felt Bell's pleasure building in concert, "I thought the vision must have distorted things, or it was just my imagination- it was a dream after all…"

Cassandra didn't actually know if there was any past-self of her to watch this, after all, those events had already happened. Most likely she was just narrating to herself alone. But she couldn't help herself, all the same.

"But it's real. And… no matter what you may think now, or what you'll think when you feel it for yourself, just remember…"

Holding tight to Bell's waist, the bluenette lifted herself right off the bed until she was able to press a kiss directly atop Bell's glans. Moaning in delight, and savouring the sensation of his cockhead throbbing and twitching against her pursed lips, Cassandra opened her mouth a little wider, and a little wider still, moment by moment, deepening the kiss- as she felt the man she loved trembling in anticipation, and she felt her own body almost aching with the need to taste him.

"One day, you'll be able to do…this!"

So saying, Cassandra opened her jaw as wide as she could manage, spreading her lips fully around his length and then, dropping down, she began swallowing his cock, in one single, smooth motion.

Bell's gasp of delight rang through her ears, even as it was muffled under the covers, and she could almost feel the way he was having to resist the urge to grab onto the back of her head.

'Nhg, I love it, I love it, I love it!'

Her own excitement pulsed hotter and hotter, but (this time) she forcefully maintained control.

Within a second, her mouth was filled with his length.

In another second it was pushing deeper still.

A few seconds later, her body was thrumming with delight as she felt almost half his length buried inside her, stretching her throat wide around his girth.

And finally, almost twenty seconds after she'd begun, with her blue hair falling like a halo all over Bell's waist, Cassandra's lips were pursed tight into a kiss around the very base of his shaft.

It had taken her a lot of time and a lot of effort to learn to do this, she'd lost track of how long she'd spent on her knees before finally being able to swallow Bell Cranel's entire length. And now, she held that achievement in her heart, like a badge of pride, cherishing it with just as much esteem as she did any of her abilities as an adventurer of healer.

There were probably all kinds of tips and advice she could have given her younger self about this… but she'd already long forgotten about any of that- her throat was filled entirely with his cock, and her mind was filled solely with him.

Instead, while very purposefully dragging her tongue out against the underside of his shaft, she slowly slid her lips back up along his length. With her mind already hazy with passion, her fingers clinging tight to his waist and the soft sounds of Bell's hitched breath resounding just at the edge of her hearing, it took almost all her willpower to keep from throwing herself at him with all her desire, 'It's… it's so good…' but she restrained herself. There would be time for that later, she would join him in the bath, or keep him company over breakfast, or any number of options.

For now, Cassandra slowly, carefully, and lovingly slid her mouth all the way up to the tip of his glans.

And then, with one more kiss pressed against his twitching cockhead, she hilted his length completely down her throat once more. And then again, and again, and again, she swallowed him fully, she traced her tongue around and under his cock, and she quietly hummed her satisfaction up and down his cock, all in a gentle, tender rhythm.

Of course, going as precisely as she was, making every effort not to wake anyone else up, meant she was wonderfully aware of every single tremor, shiver and pulse his cock made as it was sheathed tight within her throat, and as she felt her muscles being stretched out around him. Which meant, in just a few minutes, -as usual- Cassandra's vision was flashing white, her legs were jolting in place with each time she dropped her mouth down around his length, and small, heady moans were slipping out from between her pursed lips as she continued bobbing up and down along his shaft.

'Nhh, hhaa, I'm, aah, I'm already…!..!!!'

Squeezing her eyes shut, with her fingers clinging to his waist and her lips pressing another loving kiss into his waist, with her throat squeezing tight around his cock- without touching herself, or being touched by Bell, Cassandra crashed headlong through yet another orgasm.

And from there, the haze of pleasure descended upon the shy healer once more.

She couldn't stop, even as she soared through the heavenly bliss, she couldn't possibly relinquish the task she was set out to do. And so, with her body trembling in delight and her mouth wide around his girth, she continued working her way fully along his length, "Mmpnh!" She came again. And then again, a minute later. And after that.

Soon any thoughts or rationality was long lost as the bluenette succumbed to her sheer bliss. Being connected to the man she loved, feeling his pleasure, hearing his racing breath, experiencing every pulse and twitch his length made inside her! It was only through sheer weight of practice and some instinctive discipline still remaining that Cassandra kept from moaning aloud as she continued working his shaft, as she did her very best to make him feel the delight that he so easily sent her to.

Slow and gentle, tender and loving, even as her thoughts vanished in the fog of bliss, even as her concerns about her past self were forgotten and her world was encapsulated with just her and the man she loved. She slowly, gently, milked his cock with every bit of the skill and practice she'd gained ever since he'd made her his woman.

"C-Cassandra…"

Bell's voice rang out was a warning in a rough, heavy whisper.

Her heart soared at the acknowledgement of his own pleasure, but she had no need of it. She'd spent more than enough time on her knees to understand every tremor and shake of his shaft, she could feel just how close he was and just how steadily her tender ministrations were pushing him right to the edge.

'Ah!'

Another kiss was pressed against his waist, and another moan slipped between her lips as he shook in response.

'Cum! Bell-sama! Cum for me!'

Again, his length was sheathed inside her, and again she hummed her own delight into his cock as another dizzying orgasm surged through her.

'I want to! I-I want to taste it! Please!'

His cock throbbed and spasmed, violently, desperately, right on the very edge of his release! Just a little more! Raising herself all the way up, Cassandra placed one last loving kiss right on the top of his twitching cockhead- distantly regretting she couldn't see his face as she did so. And then she sank down, one final time!

'Bell-sama! Bell-sama! Be-'

-

"LL-SAMA!? NGha- ah, hu!? Wh..!?"

The explosion of bliss and cum never happened. The mouth-watering and throat filling flood of her beloved's seed was nowhere to be seen.

'???'

Her body was still shivering with delight, her pussy flooded with desire and her heart pounding with need.

And yet, as Cassandra's vision slowly cleared and as the haze of lust slowly dissipated, she realised that the man she loved was nowhere in sight.

Instead of throwing herself all the way down his length, she was currently face-down in her pillow… with her mouth open wide and a big puddle of drool spilling out onto her bed…

Slowly. Regretfully. Terribly… the dream faded away and reality returned.

And with it, came enough mortification and enough shock that it felt as if her searing-red face would light the pitch-black room by itself.

That was another vision of… of her future!? That was… her?

!

And… And all those other women, women Cassandra had never even met… and… the things her other self had remembered doing with them!?

!!

She'd had an orgy in this room!? And, she'd woken up with him!? And then everything after that! She'd wanted to show herself something like, like, like, like th-th-that!?

!!!

Thankfully, her head was still buried completely in her drool-soaked pillow, since it meant that none of the other Apollo Familia members were able to hear Cassandra's cry of confused embarrassment and bewildered shock.

After that proceeded several minutes of the poor bluenette rolling around on her bed, clutching her hands around herself and kicking her feet in the air as she fretted about ever coming across any of those other women in Orario! How would she face them knowing, after having, after! Another muffled scream echoed out loud through the Oracle's typically serene room. How was she possibly going to face Daphne in the morning? She couldn't possibly imagine sharing a dream like that with her friend, but she also couldn't imagine how she'd ever get through her day trying to just act normal!

Ah, why did things like this have to happen to her!?

It was terrible!

It was horrible!

It was… the best thing she'd ever witnessed.

It was a possibility that maybe one day she might be as truly happy as she'd seen from her future self… that the love and affection the older-Cassandra had been so comfortably surrounded with might be something she too could hope for…

And that traitorous thought led to one more.

"T-That date…"

It wasn't too far from now. Rather, it was a lot closer than she'd ever imagined. Her life was really going to change that much in just a few months!? She'd already decided this future was one she wanted to hope for, but this was much more intense than she'd ever imagined, and much faster than she thought she could ever be ready for.

These visions were nothing at all like her previous prophesies, were they even prophesies at all? Maybe this really was just some ridiculous dream of hers, or maybe it was some cruel trick being played on her… It was all so much, and the more she saw the harder it came to believe…

…But just as her pessimistic, cynical personality tried to deny it… his face rose in her mind.

He was younger than she'd expected. But he'd looked at her with such sincerity and such open earnestness that she could feel her heart being stolen just from the memory. She remembered his smile, she remembered how gently he'd kissed her, she remembered how his eyes had brightened from the moment he'd seen her wake up. Her presence had made his day better. She'd always thought being accepted was enough, or being appreciated might be nice. But the way he'd looked at her went so far beyond that, it made her doubts seem ridiculous… as if just voicing them would have him drawing her close and telling her she had nothing to worry about at all.

'I'll always appreciate everything you've always done, er, you will do, for me?'

'Then, I'll just say- Cassandra, I love you.'

"Bell…sama…"

Her face was still blazing red with shame, and her heart was still beating out of her chest with shock. There was still far too much she needed to process, or try make sense of. It was all far too much for her…

…But, as his words echoed around her heart, Cassandra slipped onto her back.

And, as her breath raced and the scent of argelica twinned with the aroma of feminine lust, her fingers slid between her legs.

"Bell-sama!"

And slowly, then quickly, then desperately- the prophesy/memory her future self had shared came true.

Notes:

A/N: And there we go, the first half of the chapter I got a little wild on. Isn't Cassandra so fun? And Ais finally got hugged back! And Eina got another date, and Filvis, well... she enjoyed herself anyway.

I know my original setup was to breeze through the plot in wide strokes, just showing what's changed, and get to the good stuff ASAP and I've kind'a gone away from that by zeroing in on some of the smaller stuff, but I do hope you can understand why and enjoy it all the same. My original intention wasn't to even show Bell saving Lilli, to just brush past it by saying it'd happened, it barely changes from canon after-all (except that Bell doesn't need Ais to save him, and she arrives too late anyway since they got to the lower floor faster). But I thought it'd seem a little harder to include Lilli in everything going forwards if I never actually showed any of her major scenes, this is the first time we've ever seen her and this is the scene that sets in motion her entire character change.

Anyway, tell me how you feel about that stuff, if you want me to speed it up some more or if you're happy with the pace. I know the harem isn't getting built as fast as I'd planned, but you can see the pieces being put down for a number of girls, so it's just a matter of executing on those ideas moving forwards. Hopefully.

Also, and much more importantly: I require feedback on how Lilli speaks! I was originally planning to ask for this before introducing her, but I completely forgot. Just to explain very briefly- in Japanese Lilli speaks in 3rd Person, "Lilli thinks Bell-sama should know how to do this", which isn't a particularly unusual trait, especially for a cutesy girl character. However, in English nobody speaks like that, so some Danmachi media has her speak 3rd Person while others change it to all being more natural like "I think Bell-sama should know how to do this".

In contrast to using honorifics (again, because of Lilli! She's causing me problems!) I went with normal 1st person here. But I want to know if that's how you prefer or imagine her speaking. I'll put a poll down and take feedback, and then I'll change it to whichever is the more popular option, and edit this chapter if the 3rd person one is more popular.

Link: https/poll.fm/11240446

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 8: Is It Wrong To Go On An Adventure?

Notes:

Author's Note: And we're back! This definitely took a bit longer than the two or three days I mentioned in the previous chapter, but then it's also got a lot more than I envisioned it having. And hopefully what it's got is all very fun. There's some new characters here, some escalations for some old characters, more Riveria, more Ais, and the chance for you to laugh at me when you think that I originally intended this and the previous chapter to all be one!

So hopefully you'll tell me it was all worthwhile when you've read it.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Go On An Adventure?

--*--

"Hey… um, Daphne..?"

"Yeah? You gonna tell me why you've been spacing out all morning again?"

Cassandra hadn't stepped out of her room at all the previous day. Any attempts to call out to her had been rebuffed as politely as ever, with nothing but an unsatisfying explanation that she simply couldn't leave. Daphne had spent half the day wondering if her friend was okay and contemplating breaking the door down to check on her, only to wake up this morning to see the bluenette healer sitting down at the breakfast tables same as ever… Except, once again, her friend had spent most of the morning a million miles away- barely engaging in conversation, hardly even listening, Cassandra had been sighing, blushing, giggling, squeezing her arms around herself and barely doing more than just pushing her food around her plate.

Right when Daphne had been about to drag her off somewhere private to give her an earful, Cassandra had suddenly caught her by surprise and asked to speak to her.

And so, with a worrying sense of deja-vu, the long-suffering Apollo tactician was once more secluded in a private room bracing herself for whatever bout of stupidity was about to spill from her dearest, ditsiest friend next.

"Ah, um, well… I just, well, you know… more of our Familia than I do…"

The Apollo Familia members were loyal to their orders, more or less, but they barely got with one another at the best of times. Some had been willing recruits, some had been less willing and some had been outright forced into the Familia just as Daphne and Cassandra had, as a result their comraderies was minimal and their petty rivalries plentiful. With her disdain for the situation worn plain on her sleeve, Daphne wasn't particularly well liked or popular among the group, and she'd done little to change that, reaching out to her fellows only as much as she was required. Even so, in her role as strategist, she was necessarily familiar with most of their members, or the ones that participated in dungeon expeditions at least.

Fleeing from the pointless conflicts and small jealousies, Cassandra largely kept to herself. She followed where Daphne directed, she healed everyone she could, as best she could manage, and she futily pleaded her case anytime one of her dreams gave her a warning about events yet to come. There was nobody to blame but herself, but the truth of the matter was that she barely knew more than a few dozen of the Apollo Familia's members. Which brought about this request.

"Do you… do you know if there's any Renarts in our Familia?"

Whatever Daphne had been expecting, a wild fox chase wasn't one of them.

"Renarts? No… I've never even seen one in Orario. You'd have to go the far east for that."

"Ri-Right… I thought so…" Cassandra turned away, apparently unwilling to meet her eyes, and Daphne couldn't help but notice her friend's face burning redder by the moment, "Um, I know, we've got some blonde elves in the Familia… is… is there any, any uh… sil-silver haired humans?"

"Silver hair? No… I don't think we've got anyone that old."

Cassandra's expression turned strained, but she just nodded. Daphne peered closer at her friend, simultaneously trying to puzzle out what was wrong with her as she braced herself for the inevitable stupidity.

"Why? Are you being hassled again? Why did you think they were in our Familia?"

"Ah, no, um…, no it's nothing like that."

"Then what is it like? Are you going to explain why you've been acting strange all day, or why you didn't come out of your room yesterday?"

"It's… it's hard to explain?"

Daphne pressed closer. A mix of frustration and worry pushing her onwards.

"Cassandra. You were like this before, and now you've been even more out of sorts, and I don't even know what you're trying to ask me about. Tell me, what's going on?"

"Umm…"

Cassandra had sworn to keep the details of her future vision to herself this time. Her heart still hadn't healed from being labelled a pervert by her only friend the last time she'd been in this situation. Her Visions were not just wet dreams, she was sure of that! Absolutely certain! But even through the whole day locked up in her room yesterday, between the whirlwind of lust and anxiety, she'd never come to a way to ever convince Daphne of that fact this time.

So instead, she'd decided to just take care of things herself, not to worry her friend and not to earn anymore unsavoury comments.

That had been the plan.

But unfortunately, she was a lot worse at gathering information than she'd anticipated.

"Cassandra..?"

And, unfortunately, she was even weaker to pressure than she'd anticipated.

"Um…"

She told her.

Shifting awkwardly in place, rushing in parts and pausing in others, with ragged breaths, heaving embarrassment, and with her explanation coming out in an undirected rambling jumble, Cassandra explained what she'd seen. Or most of it, at least. This time, she at least had the grace to cut the story off at the point her future self slid underneath the covers.

"Wh-W-Wh-What th-the hell!?"

And of course, Daphne recoiled with shock and disgust, her face burning red and hands flying up as she stumbled back. Exactly as expected. The red-head's scolding was immediate. Once again, Cassandra was told not to mix up her wet-dreams with reality, and once again she quailed in place as she was labelled a "hopeless pervert". Once again Daphne sighed at how much she was regretting asking, and even more, that she was regretting how much she'd worried for her friend when she'd been locked up in her room- only to find out now she'd just been rolling around in bed, lost in some illicit fantasy! Once again, Cassandra's attempts at explanation or mollification came only with weak, halting interruptions and excuses that died in her throat.

And finally, a few minutes later, when Daphne had finally cooled down from the shock of just what she'd been told as well as the shock of just how needless all her worries had been… she realised exactly why Cassandra had been asking her about those other women this morning.

"You know, that's weird even for you. Your dream guy is cheating on you, with three other women?"

"Ah, um, it's not… I don't think… It's not cheating…"

The red-head snorted, "Hmph, well whatever it is, it's absolutely ridiculous. I'm amazed even you took this seriously for even a minute, let alone that you actually looked into it."

"D-Daphne…"

"Think about it, Cassandra! You told me you picked up his name this time, what was it, Bell something, right? I've never heard of anyone like that, have you?" at her prompt, the bluenette could do nothing but limply shake her head, "So then, someone we've never heard of is going to not just join this Familia, but what, have some kind of ridiculous harem? He's going to make you, and all those other women, his… in just a few months? This is why I'm saying you've got to stop mixing up your silly dreams with reality! Even you wouldn't get involved with some shady guy like that! And It doesn't even make sense!"

Once again, Cassandra didn't have any answer to the red-head's accusations.

While it was hardly unknown for a powerful, influential or charismatic man to draw many women to themselves, those men were the absolute pinnacle of rarity among mankind. There was hardly a line of women looking to throw themselves at just another unknown adventurer.

Just as Daphne had pointed out, Cassandra had never heard of anyone called "Bell Cranel" and she didn't recognise him from what she'd seen of him in bed. The exact details of her vision had become a little hazier in the time since, and the feelings she'd received from her future self were hazier still. All she knew was what her other self had told her and a few vague impressions she'd managed to pick up. She had a strong feeling that Bell Cranel was an adventurer, but she couldn't pinpoint anything about him beyond that.

It wasn't as if just anyone could join the Apollo Familia either. No matter how dysfunctional they were, they were still one of the largest and most successful Familia in Orario, with successful expeditions reaching down to the Lower Levels. Only an exceptional adventurer, or someone who directly caught Lord Apollo's eye would get brought in- often forcefully, like she and Daphne had experienced. But there was no chance Lord Apollo would have let her go, and she couldn't imagine an outsider casually spending the night in the Familia house… so the only explanation was that Bell-sama had joined them at some point.

Which meant that a completely unknown adventurer, someone she didn't recognise by name or sight… had managed to join their Familia and earn enough esteem that… that everything Cassandra had seen had played out in her bedroom as if it was completely natural, all in just a few months. Even as certain as she was that her visions were real, she didn't have a good explanation as to how that was even possible.

"Maybe… maybe he's from outside Orario?"

She was just clutching at straws by now, Daphne gave a dismissive shrug, "What, somebody who hasn't even made a name for himself outside Orario, is going to become that much of a big-shot, here?" occasionally the Dungeon city got word of a rare individual achieving level 2 or 3 in the outside world. Such individuals were quickly sent out offers of recruitment, and offers for acceptance inside the city, but few of them ever amounted to much of anything inside.

Cassandra floundered, as much as she hated to admit it, nothing about the time-frame she'd received from her future self made any sense. It took years to amass strength and fame in Orario, the idea that the Bell-sama she'd seen herself adoring so wholeheartedly had caught Apollo's eye, seduced multiple women and also so fully captured Cassandra's heart in just a few months just didn't make sense.

For that to be real he would have to be the kind of man who would turn Orario on its head, someone beyond anything the city had ever seen.

"Um… I…" even as she drew upon all the love she'd felt for him in that vision, facing down Daphne's withering stare, Cassandra struggled to put a claim that bold into words, "M-Maybe he doesn't need to, to be really strong? Ju-Just… just a really nice guy?"

The red-head didn't even bother acknowledging that. Neither of them could even think of a single weakling "nice guy" that had a harem of women willing to share him. It was possible, in the same sense that it was possible the world-famous Sword Princess might fall in love with a rookie who'd only been in the Dungeon for a few weeks, or that it was possible Riveria Nine Hells might marry want to marry a non-Elf. It was possible that one of the celestial virgins might descend from the Heavens and offer her eternal chastity to a mortal. It was possible that the terrifying nightmare known as Gale Wind might be warm-hearted and sincere, or the Incarnation of Talent might strut around in a maid's outfit. Anything was possible. But nothing like that ever happened in reality.

"Look, even if I pretend this stupid dream of yours is real… isn't it more likely you're just being tricked?"

"Ah!?"

"It's not as if you're famous, but people do talk about the Apollo Familia girl who claims she can see the future in her dreams…"

Cassandra perked up in surprise, she had no idea about that, "Th-They do?" people had really heard of her?

"Yeah, they all just say you must be really desperate for attention."

"O-Oh…"

"So then- if this Bell guy really does exist, then maybe he's just taking advantage of you? Maybe there's some magic item that can mess with dreams, and he knows you'll believe any dumb thing he puts in your mind."

Cassandra jolted on the spot at her friend's words. Her mouth dropped open but no sound came out. She wrapped her hands around herself, dithering awkwardly on the spot.

There was nothing she could say to deny it. It was certainly plausible. And it would explain why these visions and only these visions had been so different to any of her previous prophesies.

…

But… even so… her heart didn't waver. Even as she quailed under Daphne's sound logic and even as she struggled to explain herself, Cassandra realised that no part of her was agreeing with her friend. She simply couldn't bring herself to believe it. Even if she was a fool, even if she really was just an idiot being manipulated, she couldn't doubt the future she'd seen.

It didn't make sense to try trick her specifically. She wasn't anyone influential or important, she didn't have any special sway in the Familia, and it wasn't as if Lord Apollo would listen to her if she asked anything of him. She wasn't a divine beauty like the Sword Princess or Silver Saint that every man wanted to be with, it would be strange to try take advantage of her specifically, and even stranger still by trying to convince her that she would share with other women instead of making her focus only on him. It was all too easy to blame anything strange or unknown on magic items. They were powerful and capable of all kinds of incredible effects, but they were also rare and expensive, and often with very limited uses. If someone really had a tool that could influence dreams, would they really waste it on someone like her?

Then, I'll just say- Cassandra, I love you.

A weak grin broke on her lips and she shook her head, rejecting Daphne's conclusion.

More than logic and more than reason, Cassandra believed in the smile she'd seen and the love he'd spoken to her.

"I… I believe in him."

Daphne heaved a sigh of disbelief, "This is stupid, I don't know why I even wasted my time, I keep telling you not to mix up your fantasies with reality and now I'm here arguing with you about them? Urgh… Look, Cassandra, here, at least- promise me this. If this Bell guy is real, if he actually does exist somewhere outside your messed up dreams, then promise me you'll judge him then. Not as the guy you're obsessing over before you've even met, but as the guy he actually is. If he's actually a good guy, judge him from that."

Balking at the now being labelled as having obsessed over a man she'd never met, Cassandra rose to argue back… only to realise that, on reflection, Daphne's words weren't wrong. She'd never actually considered how she would act when she finally did meet him… but she guessed that having a woman appear out of nowhere, calling him "Bell-sama" and holding the feelings towards him that she already did… might bit a little overbearing.

Maybe it really was best if she held herself back, just a little.

With an awkward acceptance, she agreed to those terms. When she did meet Bell, she would get to know him then.

"Hmph, well, that's better than nothing I guess… urgh… You've been so lost in these perverted fantasies of yours, I was worried you were gonna tell me how he already knows how you feel, or something!"

"Ah, no, um… Daphne, about, about, them being pe… perver-"

"…I know I'm going to regret this… But, look, if you have any more of these dreams, make sure you tell me about them, okay?"

That was such a surprise, Cassandra was brought up short, "Huh?" Till now, every dream and every vision she'd ever had, they'd all been rejected by her friend. Had she finally convinced her? Had she fi-

"Look at yourself! You were halfway ready to go start stalking some guy who probably doesn't even exist!" Daphne huffed, turning and making her way back to the corridor, "Tell me if this happens again, so I can stop you from doing anything stupid!"

"A-Ah, um, st-sta-stalking!? D-Daphne! Wait, wait!"

--*--

Leaving her friend behind as she closed the door to her own room behind her, Daphne heaved a long, beleaguered sigh.

And then a moment later, she sank to her knees, clutching her suddenly burning cheeks with her hands as all the feelings and thoughts she'd been holding back suddenly washed over her. Her body trembled lightly, and a guilty, dizzy smile grew on her face as her heart pounded in her chest.

"Ah…Hhaaa… I should apologise…"

Daphne wasn't stupid. When she'd seen how out of sorts Cassandra had been, the way she'd been blushing or giggling, or just staring away lost in thought, it hadn't taken much to guess what'd happened to her friend, especially considering the exact same thing had happened just a few days prior. The first time had been a shock, but now, the only shocking part was that the dream had apparently affected Cassandra so much she'd needed to spend a full day recovering afterwards- and she'd still been like this!

Despite herself, the red-head couldn't say she wasn't a little jealous. Her dreams were nothing like that, most of the time she could barely remember them and the few she did were just random scenes, events, or stories that played out in her mind… she'd never dreamed of anything anywhere nearly as vividly or intensely as the way Cassandra described her recent experiences. Of course, that didn't make it alright for the ditzy bluenette to actually get so caught up in her fantasies that she started treating them like they were more than reality, but still, Daphne could understand wanting to do so. If she'd had dreams that powerful or that wonderful, maybe she'd want to believe they were real too?

"Ahha…hhaa…"

There was definitely something to be said about the strange predilections her friend had revealed- she'd never imagined someone like Cassandra happily fantasising about something as wild and crazy as… as… as all that. She didn't even know how to picture or, or how to really even begin to imagine the kind of scenes the other girl had painted. Daphne was sure they weren't to her taste, she was shocked as anything that they were to Cassandra's… but they were certainly exciting.

That was the problem really.

Her desire to help had been completely earnest, and her advice had been completely honest. Most likely the entire thing had just been a silly fantasy, completely lost from reality… but if that Bell guy really was someone in Orario, if Cassandra had heard the name somewhere and it'd stuck into her subconscious or something, then the last thing anyone needed was to have that hopeless pervert running after him, trying to throw herself at him! There was no way that was going to end well! Daphne had meant everything she'd said and all the advice she'd given!

But… she'd known almost for sure what Cassandra's problem was going to be… and she'd known almost definitely what direction the discussion was going to take... And she'd still let her friend pull her away into a secluded room, she'd still made sure nobody would overhear them, and she'd still played dumb as to what was going on, even as her heart had been thundering in her chest and a wave of warm excitement had been swirling around her stomach.

Because, even if she thought it was stupid, she could understand wanting a dream like that to be real.

Just like Cassandra, she was a beautiful girl in her late teens.

And just like Cassandra, she'd been stolen away to the Apollo Familia at a young age. She'd been stifled away under a selfish God's arrogance, as just another piece in his collection. She'd been lorded over by an overbearing deity, with few meaningful connections to the city outside her Familia and absolutely no chance of finding love, companionship or romance. She certainly wasn't going to find any of that within their Familia, not with those that loved Apollo or with those that disdained their situation as much as Daphne did. In fact, she'd despaired at ever finding anything like that at all- her life as an adventurer was fulfilling, successful and satisfying, she'd risen smoothly through the ranks and was predicted to continue on that trajectory, but it had also become the only life she had.

Just like Cassandra, Daphne was still a teenage girl.

She'd savoured a few illicit daydreams herself over the years. She had a small pile of risqué books secreted in her room. And when she ever made time to go to the theatre or see performances, it was almost always to see romance and drama.

But none of her fantasies had ever been as explicit, as intense or as shockingly potent as the visions Cassandra had described. Her friend had absolutely no skill with words, but the emotions in her voice, the heat in her breath and the tremble of her body had filled in all the gaps in her storytelling… and despite herself, Daphne had found herself enthralled, utterly overwhelmed by the scene the blue-haired girl painted. Such open lust, such fervent passion and such fiery love… The words had stuck with her long after their first discussion had ended. And when Cassandra had pulled her away the this time, she'd been practically beside herself holding back from asking for details.

For all her complaints and admonishments, she'd wanted to hear more.

Just like Cassandra, just like any teenage girl, Daphne craved excitement. An excitement and a romance she'd never experienced, an illicit relationship with a man like none she'd known.

The handsome, strong, capable and considered hero from Cassandra's dream had struck a powerful chord within the poor red-head. As strong as she always acted and as capable as she was, Daphne was still lonely, and still yearning… a fantasy of some man able to sweep all those feelings away, to push her down and make her body sing like something out of one of her novels… a man who would drive her so mad with desire that she'd want all those things Cassandra had so willingly accepted in that dream.

"Geez… I really need to a-apologise…"

Daphne swallowed heavily as her face burned hotter and another warm, wet swell of heat swept through her.

Cassandra's fantasies were silly, and the fact the girl continued to mix them up with reality was even sillier.

But Daphne could certainly understand why she might so foolishly want them to be true.

--*--

Walking with languid, unhurried steps, Riveria made her way up the stairs to the top of Orario's outer walls.

She wasn't in any particular rush, she was already thoroughly late, or more specifically, she hadn't intended to come at all today. It had been yet another one of those days where her desk was piled high with duties and her role as an Executive of one of the city's most powerful factions was being pushed to the limit. Especially with all the work to be done for the Expedition that was upcoming by the end of the week, she had more than enough on her plate already without worrying about training a boy who wasn't even in her Familia. He was still being trained with Ais, and she'd made it clear she wouldn't be available each and every day, to have received this much personal coaching from her was already more than most members of her own Familia, if word got out about this then the Elves especially would be upset, she was sure.

And yet, even so, when a lull had appeared in her schedule and a few hours had opened up, she'd taken the time to walk outside, to bathe in the sunlight and the open air away from her desk… and before she'd realised it, her feet had already started walking towards the outer wall, all the same.

With the sun hanging high in the sky, just a few minutes off from noon, it would have normally been a wasted effort, their training sessions rarely lasted longer than early or mid-morning. However, Riveria remembered Cranel-san saying that he wouldn't be going to the dungeon today and Ais had replied with her own intentions to spend the day with him. So, given both of their personalities, she thought it was extremely likely they were still at it even now- the least she could do was bring them some lunch.

Which was why a sense of puzzlement grew within the High Elf as she made her way up the stone steps, and heard not a whisper of combat ringing out above her. No ringing clashes of steep, no ragged breaths or screams of pain, no sounds of boots thumping and chasing across the battlements… nothing at all.

'How strange… have they finished al- Ah?'

Reaching the top, instead of being greeted with the sight of the two adventurers locked in combat together, or the realisation that she'd missed them entirely, Riveria instead found herself faced with the curious sight of them each lying still, stretched out on their backs atop the stone battlements.

'Mind Zero? Or just, unconscious? But then… Ais?'

Seeing Bell unconscious was, to her guilt, not a particularly rare thing with how roughly Ais trained him. But seeing Ais lying on the ground right next to him made no sense at all. As spartan as the Sword Princess's training was, Riveria couldn't possibly have imagined she would have used her own magic against him, and even if she had, Ais would never have lost control enough to lose consciousness. But equally, no matter how Bell had improved, she couldn't possibly imagine him having landed a serious blow on the blonde, the idea that he'd knocked her out was beyond the scope of any reason.

And even if that were somehow possible, wouldn't they be lying facedown? And why would they be lying beside each other?

Rather than any signs of combat or injury, both adventurers were lying peacefully and calmly on their backs, barely more than a meder apart, as if they were just two carefree kids staring up at the sky and the clouds. In spite of herself, Riveria found a soft smile breaking out upon her face as she gazed over them.

'Perhaps that's it indeed…'

It was hard to imagine Ais suggesting something so frivolous, but looking at how they were lying beside each other and how calm each of their faces were, there was no other conclusion Riveria could draw than that they were just asleep. Perhaps they really were just two teens who'd been staring up at the sky and the clouds, and enjoying the warm summer days still draped over them.

An expedition was coming soon, almost everyone in their Familia was being worked to the bone to prepare for it, and Ais was here asleep… Yet, far from wanting to scold her, the embarrassingly maternal Elf found herself simply warmed at the sight. Ais's whole life since she'd known her had been nothing but battle, her childhood had been spent either in the dungeon or preparing to return to it, the Ais she'd raised has never been the kind to just lie around and enjoy the day. If that girl's troubled heart was now able to relax enough to simply savour a moment like this, whatever reason she may have, then Riveria was glad for it beyond words.

She would never be presumptuous enough to call herself Ais's mother, but she'd raised the girl as best she could since she'd known her and seeing her act a little more like the child she never gave herself the chance to be left the green-haired woman's own heart soaring happily just the same.

Perhaps it was worth the trip just for this.

A wan sigh escaped Riveria's lips as she made her way over to the pair. Elves were naturally drawn to children and the innocent, and even someone as restrained as her could feel her heart stir in response. It had been a long time since she'd seen Ais like this, even in the times in the Dungeon when circumstances had led to them sharing a tent, or just a spot in a Safe Room, there was no way the blonde would have ever been this relaxed and unguarded. There was always an edge to her, like a string pulled tight, just ready to be snapped and to jump into action… but not here, not right now, instead she was lying, stretched out on the stone battlements, just as innocent and childishly free as the boy lying next to her.

Riveria's hand reached out instinctively towards Ais, but she held herself back a moment later. No matter how unguarded the younger girl may seem, there was no chance she'd be able to actually touch her, the girl's defensive instincts were simply too sharp. The instant she made contact, the momentary peace would shatter. Riveria knew that very well from old experience.

Instead, as she settled down on her knees between them, she turned her gaze towards Bell instead. He certainly was quite a find in the Dungeon City. For a town occupied largely by rogues and opportunists, overseen by feckless Gods, there weren't many wide-eyed innocents that would hold onto their purity after being inundated with the city's culture. Someone would take advantage of them, the world would turn against them, or they would be killed in the dungeon. There were exceptions of course, more than a handful of which were members of her own Familia, but that was still the slightly jaded, cynical view of an older woman who'd spent a great many years in this city now. Even the Elves, the race most cautious against such ideals, found it hard to stick to their justice and innocence against the realities of the outer world.

Perhaps she was being too cold, the present day Orario was certainly a great deal more positive than it had been for many years prior. Or perhaps Bell simply hadn't spent enough time here to allow the grimy parts of the city to stick to him.

In any case, the longer she'd spent with the boy the more often she found her thoughts turning towards him. She was sure his charming innocence had been a good influence on Ais, and she'd even found herself enjoying his company just the same. In just the way a child's laugh might make an older woman smile, the warm light of his soul seemed to sooth her weary spirit. Often, Riveria found herself feeling several decades younger just spending tim-

'Ah!?'

Jolting in place, it was at that moment that Riveria realised that she'd slid herself along the battlements and right up to Bell's side.

And that she was looking down directly at him.

And… that her hand was currently resting atop his head, stroking through his soft, snowy-white hair!?

'A-A-Ah!?'

Jumping to her feet as she fled away from him, even Nine Hell's ever-careful self-control couldn't keep her cheeks from flaming red in that moment, 'Dangerous! Dangerous!' she hadn't even realised it, she'd just gotten completely swept up in the moment and been drawn right to him! Elves cherished the innocent and the sweet, and Bell was both of those in ways that did horrible things to Riveria's resistance!

The thought of touching a human should have been instinctively repulsive to an Elf, but this was the second time now she'd found herself freely in contact with the white-haired adventurer. And worse, she didn't have a single excuse for herself this time, she'd simply not even noticed what she was doing! But, didn't that make it worse!? Didn't that mean that, rather than instinctively flinching away from him, she was instinctively drawn to him!?

'D-Dangerous!'

She was sure every Elf in the city would be seeing blood if something like that was revealed.

Steadying her breathing, Riveria desperately fought back control over herself and pushed down the mortified blush threatening to creep over her entire face.

It was a momentary lapse, she decided, after getting swept up in the idyllic and peaceful scene and after seeing Ais, who she deeply cherished, in such an innocent and carefree state. She'd just gotten caught up in the moment. She hadn't been drawn to Bell directly, and this wasn't anything to do with Elven dignity.

She wasn't quite sure she believed any of that enough to say it aloud, but luckily there was nobody else around.

--*--

The Orario city wall was not only strong, it was massive, towering well above the buildings and bustle of the streets.

It surrounded the city like a ring, with an uneven stone path running through the middle, completely encircling the city. Citizens were forbidden to use it, so there was rarely anyone on the path. Orario's open secret was that the wall was not built to keep people out, but to keep adventurers in, to prevent the Dungeon City's greatest assets from leaving, so not only was the guard path almost never patrolled, but it was raised as high as had been feasible in ancient times, stretching out well above the tallest buildings. It went without saying that there was no chance anyone from the ground could see what played out atop the wall either.

There was no chance anyone could catch a glimpse of them, or spy on their training. Ais's choice of location had indeed been inspired, one of the few places in the city where even the most famous adventurers would be out of sight, even from their own Familia.

Unfortunately for Riveria, however, while that was all true for the general citizenry of the city and for the adventurers that populated Orario… there was still one location that rose up higher even than the walls itself. The Tower of Babel, built directly atop the dungeon stretched seemingly impossibly high into the sky, enough that it could be seen for kilomeders away. The abode of the deities looked down over even the mighty city battlements.

And right at the very top of that grand tower, a cold gaze was watching the display unfolding around the young Hestia Familia adventurer.

"Ottar."

"My Lady?"

"I believe I've endured this farce for quite long enough, do you not agree."

"Your patience has been impeccable, My Lady."

"Well then… before those two start getting too far ahead of themselves, I think it's about time I stepped in."

"Shall I send someone?"

Freya paused, tapping a finger against her chin as she considered. The Goddess of Valkyries was both impatient and impulsive, and the order to do so had almost immediately left her lips before her better wisdom pulled her back. Despite how much her duties bored her, and despite how little she cared for the tasks imposed on her by the Guild, she was the leader of Orario's greatest Faction, no matter how whimsically she treated her desires, she still cared deeply for her children.

If it had just been that Sword Princess she would have gone ahead without a worry. Some of her newer children could play with Bell for a while and the Bringar, or Dáinsleif would serve to bring the record holder to heel and deliver a warning to her not to meddle in Freya's affairs. The blonde girl's soul was shining almost blindingly golden these days… but she remained as true as ever to the title the Gods had bequeathed her- beautiful in her own way, but an existence created for and belonging only in battle, something without purpose the moment the fighting had stopped. Ais would accept an attack on herself without much consideration, she was challenged frequently enough that she wouldn't think anything of it, and almost certainly wouldn't even report it, no at risk of anyone else finding out what she was doing.

But Nine Hells was different. She was a proud and unbowed Elven Royal, and she would not possibly tolerate any such impropriety. And, to make an enemy of Ljos Alf was to make an enemy of every elf in the city. Of all Loki's children, Riveria was the one Freya would have loved to possess most.

A single skirmish wouldn't lead to open war, of course. Neither she nor Loki wanted that. But it would put Loki on guard and would leave the Braver devising some scheme or another to serve as revenge against her children. He, most of all, would not tolerate anything that undermined his Familia's authority within the city.

A beleaguered sigh echoed around the private room. Complications such as this were exactly why it was so tiresome playing the role of the greatest Goddess in Orario. But she played that role all the same, and for once Freya's impulsive nature was restrained. For the sake of her beloved Familia, the Dungeon City's imperious Empress stayed her hand.

Yet, even so, a cold smile rose upon her lips.

Staying her hand did not mean that she would overlook such an unwanted intrusion in her little game.

--*--

The following day found Riveria once again overseeing Bell and Ais's training.

And once again, it found the Elf's eyes narrowing as she observed just how far the boy had come in just a few days. From their first session together, she'd guessed him about near the upper middle of level 1 adventurers- a surprising amount of potential given how… weak… he looked, and a surprisingly ironclad determination considering the same. But he'd been like a rough-hewn stone, with what lessons his Guardian, Meteria, and a few weeks fighting on the upper floors being all the combat knowledge he'd had. Yet now, before her eyes, she could see those rough edges shaving off, moment by moment, day by day- faster than she would have ever expected, even from a human.

In her own training with him he'd managed to equal his best effort of 3 points once again, but even that belied just how far he'd come. Ais was an instinctive fighter and she did horrible guesswork at trying to hold back, anytime Bell caught her she sped up, faster and faster. Already she was attacking him at what Riveria was sure was almost at a speed that a level 2 would struggle to fend off, she was bordering on fighting as a level 3.

Her attacks slice through the air faster than Bell could follow, her remorseless pursuits tore his defences to shreds and her sheath thundered into his body again, and again. In all respects, in every respect, Bell was defeated.

Yet slowly, day by day, moment by moment, the margins were narrowing. His stance was stronger, his reactions were better, even if he couldn't see her attacks, he could make attempts at fending them off.

"Hn!"

With barely a flick of her wrist as warning, Ais struck, her weapon twisting low.

"There!"

Bell's body spun into motion, he saw it! Predicting the path of her attack, he slid his foot back, dropped his elbow and brought his own knife to intercept, cutting off the sheath's path just a moment before it slammed into his ribs. He'd seen her attack! He'd stopped it! Both Loki women's eyes went wide as they saw the momentary elation on his face, before his feet shifted forward to counterattack!

'Ah!'

Riveria saw it a moment before he did. The look on Ais's face had been a feint, and so too had the metal sheathe that had stopped shallow from his waist. Even as he blocked it, she was already flying into action, her waist twisting around and body pulled taut like a spring.

"GH-HHN!"

At the very moment of his counterattack, the Sword Princess's leg scythed through the air. Driven without a drop of malice, but with unrelenting force, it slammed into Bell's head like a thunderbolt, tearing through any hope of resistance with enough power to fell a level 3 adventurer. The young Hestia Familia rookie didn't have a chance.

Bell was, once again, out like a light.

'Ah!'

Again, Riveria noticed it just a moment before it happened. Bell was, undoubtably, unconscious. However, unlike all the other times Ais had mercilessly cut him down, instead of staggering over in place, Bell was being sent headlong across the battlements, flying several meders through the air… directly to where the green-haired Elf was keeping vigil.

Watching the young rookie being sent crashing atop the stone wall was hardly new, she'd long since lost track of how many times Ais's attacks had blown him away. But always he'd been conscious enough to at least land with some degree of control, or he'd been torn down on the spot and simply collapsed in place into Ais's arms- this time he was going to land heavily.

Her body moved before she had a chance to even think.

Stepping forward with all the speed of a level 6, Riveria closed the distance instantly. Spreading her arms wide, she caught him full on, long before he had a chance to hit the ground, collecting him into her embrace and cushioning the fall against her.

"Nn."

"…Oh…"

Once again, Bell Cranel was lying unconscious in the arms of a Loki Familia adventurer.

And once again, he was lying with his head buried in Riveria Ljos Alf's chest.

Sighing to herself as her mind caught up with the, once again, ridiculous actions her body had taken by itself, Riveria pushed her mortification and confusion away for the moment and simply wrapped her arms around him, cradling him gently in what she hoped was a somewhat comforting embrace. She was hardly happy about the fact that, yet again, her instincts towards this boy had acted in a way that was unsuitable in her capacity as an Elf, a Loki Executive, and as a woman… but for now, the adventurer she was meant to be training was unconscious, had been just moments away from a possible injury, and the only thing that made sense for her to focus on was on treating him.

She also very pointedly ignored the fact that Ais was now standing just a few meders away from her, with her own arms outstretched and a dissatisfied look on her face- as if she expected Riveria to simply hand the boy over as part of the world-shatteringly ridiculous routine she and Bell had somehow gotten into.

"Luna Aldis."

The green glow of her healing magic wrapped around the boy, and slowly he stirred back to life in her arms. The knives had had been held only loosely in his fingers were once again gripped with a formidable resolve.

"…Warm…"

She decided to ignore that.

Really, Riveria couldn't help but think, he truly was rather impressive. The fact that he'd even managed to partially see through Ais's attack, the fact that he'd accepted such spartan and rough training at all, and that he'd shown up each and every day without a word of complaint. The fact that he'd only ever focussed his dissatisfaction inwards, apologising for lacking ability whenever he was knocked down. And, the fact that even after being so brutally cut down, with just the barest ebb of her healing magic he was already desperately forcing himself back to consciousness, back to continue the fight… even though the only thing that awaited him was more pain and more defeats.

Resolve wasn't enough to become a high tier adventurer, every high tier adventurer she knew had an ironclad resolve desperate enough to overturn their past and their fate.

But by that same token, it could be said that it was only possible to become a high tier adventurer if you did have that kind of resolve.

And after spending so many days with Bell Cranel, level 1 greenhorn rookie or not, she had no doubt about the willpower he held. Whatever it was that drove him forward, he was chasing after it relentlessly.

Had he really only been doing this for a few weeks? It didn't seem possible.

A solo adventurer as reckless as this might very well go into the dungeon and die tomorrow…

But… a stray thought tickled across Riveria's mind… a curious wonder…

…If he didn't die, if he continued to turn the experience he'd gotten from them into his strength… where would he be when his first year of Adventuring was up? Would he be level 2? Would he have matched even Ais's level? If not, she couldn't imagine he would be very far off, surely all he'd need would be one solid push, a group of companions that could help him reach over the hurdle of Levelling Up…

Riveria looked down at the boy in her arms, lying against her breasts with the light of reason slowly dawning in his eyes.

What would Loki think about a boy like this? If he was still alive… a year from now… Perhaps it mig-

"Oh, now isn't this a strange sight?" a warm and cherry voice broke across the mighty walls, snapping both Loki women immediately from their thoughts, "A young man in Riveria Nine Hell's arms? Sorry, am I interrupting your secret rendezvous?"

Ais snapped to attention, taking a cautious guard stance, her sheathe pointing directly at the intruder like a sword. And, in her hands, was probably no less deadly.

Riveria jolted as if struck, releasing Bell and bolting backwards in a heartbeat. It was meaningless, the damage had already been done, and the burning red tips of her ears attested to that.

Bell stumbled in place from where he was suddenly left floundering. Blinking himself quickly back to reality, he pulled himself upright and took quick stock of their situation.

Thankfully, regardless of how embarrassing it might be, waking up to find himself in a woman's arms had become a strange second nature to him now. And so, no matter how abrupt this shift was, and regardless of his silent confusion that it had been the Elf cradling him, it took him only a moment to realise what had happened and exactly the state he'd just been seen in.

Shaking his head clear, Bell turned towards the voice and to where an unmistakably alluring, but unknown woman was making her way towards their group. With pale red-hair done up in two braids over her shoulders, and a white-outfit that resembled something between battle-gear and what a nurse might wear, her beautiful figure was immediately apparent. The tight cut clothing did a wonderful job of filling in all of Bell's youthful imagination, and showing off both the full curve of her ample bust and athletic firmness of her taut stomach. Being just a little shorter than him, she was clearly blessed with almost heavenly good looks- not quite as strikingly beautiful as Ais, and with not quite as large as chest as (Bell had discovered) Riveria (hid underneath her robes), she struck an enticing middle ground all on her own. The only thing distracting from her beauty being the dark shadows under her eyes speaking of far too much work and not enough rest.

In spite of an appearance that should have made her famous around the city, easily on par with the Guild Ladies, or the women working alongside Syr in the Hostess, Bell didn't recognise her at all.

And yet, even as new to Orario as he was, there was no missing the symbol embroidered with loving care on the shoulder of her outfit, a Valkyrie emblem. Freya Familia.

He swallowed. Freya Familia was not at war with Loki Familia, nor was there any outward animosity between the two groups, as far as the public story went, they were both Orario's most important factions, working together and separately to conquer the dungeon… but everyone knew Goddesses were not that open-hearted, there was no doubt about the rivalry simmering between the two factions. And here he was, seemingly about to be caught in it.

Yet, with her hands open and unclasped at her side, the pale red-headed woman wasn't holding any weapons, nor was she reacting at all to Ais's obvious show of hostility. Instead, her steps were languid and carefree, as if this whole scene was nothing but an amusement she'd come across purely by chance. It was only the smirk on her face that ruined that façade, the delighted smile on her face that told them they were all playing in the palm of her hand.

"Heith Velvet."

While Ais and Bell were both floundering in trying to place the stranger, Riveria recognised her instantly. She wasn't a particularly high level and she had no notable feats in the Dungeon, but neither of those mattered in the face of her abilities- Freya had always been unmistakably gifted in recruiting healers, more than almost any other Familia on Orario, and of those Heith stood right at the very top. Nicknamed the "Golden Witch" in contrast to Amid's "Silver Saint", Heith was rumoured to be able to save someone from right up to three steps before death, her skills were just one level below the Dea Saint's and well beyond anyone in the Loki Familia. In this alone, it was a point of clear superiority they had no choice but to concede.

"Heeey! Good morning to you, Nine Hells, and you too, Sword Princess… Uh, I don't know this loverboy of yours, ooh, he's pretty cute though!"

Shrugging pleasantly, and smiling openly, she spoke her mind freely and without any hesitation. The carefree tone only put the Loki Familia girls even more on edge.

"What do you want?"

"Huh, me? I was just taking a walk! I come here occasionally to look over the city… but, hey, isn't the more interesting question what you were doing? Hmmm, and who is this anyway? Another recruit to your Familia?"

"I have no reason to answer that."

The Elf's response was ignored as Heith bent over in place, humming aloud as she looked him up and down. Riveria kept her expression forcefully neutral in response, but Ais's usual placid look dissolved into a frown and a bead of sweat trickled down Bell's neck as he found himself under the easy-going girl's show of examination.

He said nothing. Bell was often called naïve, and he knew very well that he was painfully unworldly. But he wasn't stupid. Getting involved in anything between these two factions was dangerous, it was best to simply play mute here.

Unfortunately, he was playing with a stacked deck.

"Oh wait, I know you! That white hair! You're that new rookie, Bell Cranel, aren't you? Hah, you've made quite a name for yourself already!"

Blushing, he slipped back a step, immediately caught off guard at the idea of being recognised and being showered with praise from a total stranger. A stranger from a world-famous Familia.

"Oh, huh, but… weren't you with that little Goddess who was always trying so hard to find an adventurer of her own? Lady Hestia, right? Anytime I pass by that stall she works at, she's always gushing about you! Huh… but now you're all the way up here, with these two ladies from the Loki Familia? How strange…"

Nothing was outright said, but the implication hung bright in the air.

In spite of his better nature, Bell couldn't possibly ignore that, "N-No! No it's, it's nothing like, uh, like anything! I'm just- er, they're just." His words floundered immediately as he tripped over himself. Bell Cranel was a terribly liar and he was terrible at trying to talk around a sensitive subject, not knowing how much he should or could say.

Of course, the Loki Familia weren't interested in someone like him! That was obvious! But how was he supposed to expla-

"This is… just training."

Ais's clumsy way of speaking cut right through his worries, casually revealing the truth without even worrying about the fact it was meant to be a secret.

"It's an apology," Riveria corrected quickly, "He was caught up in that recent Minotaur incident, and we offered him training as way of compensation. It was our mistake, and we wanted to make it right."

"Oh wow, that's really generous! Training with Nine Hells and the Sword Princess together, that's definitely worth a lot… Huh, but, there were lots of people caught up in that Minotaur incident weren't there? Are you offering private training with them all?"

Ais's gaze shifted towards the ground.

It was a true test of Riveria's composure to keep her expression completely neutral.

An Elf's pride and guilt warred against her discipline and role as a Familia Executive. The incident had been entirely their fault, there was no denying that, and while most had just gotten on with their lives, it was something she considered a black mark against them to this day. That was large part of why she found Bete's mocking of the boy so incredibly distasteful. Even if Ais had thoughtlessly volunteered her for far more than she'd intended, setting things right with Bell had been a significant relief to her.

The Minotaur had fled from them, and they'd been largely cut down in their panic. Riveria had looked into it afterwards, multiple times, there was no evidence of anyone else being caught up in or hurt in the rampage. By all accounts, Bell was the only victim of their mistake. But there was no proof of that. It was the easiest thing in the world to say that more people had been hurt, or killed, and there was no way to know. That was everyday life in the dungeon, nobody was carefully cataloguing such things.

It set her teeth on edge, but she couldn't deny it.

And, because she couldn't deny it, she also couldn't deny that the Bell Cranel was being given special treatment.

"This is all sounding pretty suspicious," Heith hummed, "Bell-san, you know these two belong to that Trickster Goddess, are you sure they're not deceiving you?"

Bell immediately bristled. He'd spent several days now receiving numerous hours of hands-on lessons from both women, they'd taught him an immense amount and given him a huge amount of their time. Even aside from how deeply he idolised Ais, the thought that two of the top adventurers in the Loki Familia had been so kind and so generous to him was something he still didn't know how to properly process.

To have a total stranger come in and start talking like she knew better, and to imply that the woman he respected the most was doing something underhanded, was enough to set the kind boy's blood alight.

"This is… just training." Ais answered swiftly, her own anger having risen in turn as her sheathe was pointed directly at the intruder.

"Well, of course, there's no doubt about that, I can see how beat up he is even from here. You sure don't take it easy on him, do you?" Completely ignoring the ire directed towards her, Heith just continued on with her same casual conversation. She was so brazenly straightforward it was difficult to deal with, "Just training… for now, anyway… And later, just checking in every now and then, catching up, staying in touch, and then when it's time to convert…"

"…Convert?"

"C'mon, Bell-san… Do you really think two of Loki's most important adventurers would spend so much time with someone they didn't think would make a good addition to their Familia?"

!

Despite his frustration, Bell's world spun on a dime. All the doubts and worries he'd had over the training rose up once again at Heith's pointed question, but then, "No, I-, that's not right, the Loki Familia already rejected me anyway!"

"I never thought that… He's fine in the Hestia Familia," Ais confirmed, but then, with her usual nature, she considered it, "But… it might be nice…"

!!

Heith ignored them both, smiling as warmly as ever, her gaze was directed entirely at the green-haired Elf.

Once again, to her frustration, Riveria couldn't deny the healer's words.

"I would not be doing my job if I did not consider potential recruits."

!!!

"See, Bell-san! You've got to be careful with that Trickster Goddess."

"Alright. I've put up with this long eno-"

Strangely, in spite of the way his world had been spinning, Bell's thoughts came with immediate clarity and his world pulled to a halt.

"It doesn't matter," he answered. There was no seed of doubt within him. Whatever this girl might have been insinuating or implying, all he cared about was the truth he knew for sure, "Riveria-san and Ais-san have both done a lot for me, more than I can thank them for. Ais-san saved my life, I- I respect her more than anyone! And, and, Riveria-san has always been really patient and kind, the way she talks about magic makes it easy for even me to understand it! …Even though they're both so busy, even though they're in a different Familia, even though I'm just a rookie, I… That's all I care about. I owe them a lot, so, please don't cause trouble for either of them!"

His speech was as unrefined as ever, but his heartfelt emotions were clear and the way he switched from a determined declaration to bowing his head in an earnest plea was enough to sweep the bubbling ire away in a moment.

"Well, there you have it." Riveria nodded, "Now, enough of this. What do you want?"

"Haa," it was incredibly rare for the High Elf, Ljos Alf, to ever be ignored. But as Heith breathed a dramatic sigh, this turned out to be one of those times, "Well, it certainly was a shock to find you cuddled up against Nine Hells like that, but if you say so, Bell-san, I'll keep my mouth shut. Still, you know, that friend of yours asked me to keep an eye on you if I ever met you, so I think I'll stick around anyway. Just to make sure you're alright."

'Ah.' she didn't name who the friend was, but given the emblem embossed on her clothing, it wasn't particularly hard to guess who it was, or what had actually brought Heith here. It felt as if everything suddenly made a lot more sense. Bell only knew one person with a connection to the Freya Familia after all, 'Syr was meddling again…'

His mind was suddenly brought back to all those times he'd gone to meet Syr before heading to the Dungeon… all the days when Riveria hadn't been available for their training and he'd turned up to the Hostess with his body bruised, a black eye, cuts or scrapes across his skin… It really wasn't a surprise that the waitress would start to worry about why he was getting so injured before he'd even started his day, Lilli had voiced similar concerns multiple times.

"… Don't get in our way."

"H-Hey, that cold look is scary, Sword Princess! It's fine, it's fine, you guys go ahead, I'll just be standing over here, alright?"

…

With the animosity put behind them, and with Heith having received Bell's tacit approval to stay, the two combatants took up their positions opposite one another once more.

Ever a woman of few words, Ais offered no more than a small grunt by way of warning, before rolling her wrists and sending her sheath flashing towards Bell once again. And with that, the training was re-joined in a rush- or at least it was for the young, white-haired man, who was doing everything he could just to keep up with the Sword Princess's remorseless assault.

In the rush of combat, everything else and all other considerations faded away. For now, all that existed was the two of them, here and now.

Again and again, Ais demonstrated her signature technique of deflecting the opponent's blade by striking it at an angle, over and over, Bell's attempts to defend himself or counterattack were ripped apart, his guard was torn open and the steel sheath thundered into his body.

Time after time, her footwork slipped past his movements, and her feints dazzled his expectations, her long, beautiful legs arced through the air with terrifying force and swept his legs from under him, kicked him across the stone battlements, or sent him skidding over the ground.

Each time he sped up, her speed increased in turn. Each time he moved to trap her, she was already three steps ahead. Each time he followed her technique, the true depth of her style was unveiled.

And, within just a few minutes, her assault completely overwhelmed him, and he was struck down once again.

"Ah!"

Stopping her attack, Ais spread her arms wide, stepping forward to catch him.

Bell crumpled in place, the light in his eyes fading as his legs gave out under him, his knees buckled, leaving him collapsing on the spot…

…And then, he staggered forward, and pulling himself upright and back to a fighting stance.

"…Huh?"

"Huh?"

Both the white rabbit and the blonde swordswoman stood stuck still in place, with Bell bewildered but still standing instinctively in his fighting stance and Ais just a half meder away from him, with her arms spread wide and the same dumbfounded expression shining on her ever-stoic face. It was only a moment later that they each noticed the golden glow enveloping the Hestia Familia adventurer, and that he realised all his aches and pains had been soothed away by a comforting warmth.

"Hehe, there you go, Bell-san!" Heith added happily, shooting an eager grin towards the young man, "Keep going, just like that!"

"You… ah, you healed me?"

"Of course, I said I was gonna look out for you, didn't I? Oh hey, Sword Princess, there's no need to use that sheath, you know? It'll be better training for him if he gets used to fighting armed enemies- just make sure you don't kill him outright, okay?"

Ais was knocked out of her bewilderment at that suggestion, and even Riveria couldn't keep the shock from her face.

"That would be… too much."

"I agree. There's absolutely no need to go that far, this is just supposed to be training!"

"Well, it's not like I enjoy seeing someone get hurt… but the monsters in the Dungeon won't hold back," Heith answered with a shrug, "Bell-san, this is how all the Einherjar train, if you can handle this, you can get stronger than anybody!"

He swallowed heavily. Fighting Ais was terrifying, even just her sheath battered and broke him enough to bring tears to his eyes and leave him crying out in pain. The thought of the Sword Princess facing him down with bared steel was enough to leave his knees shaking just at the thought. He instinctively wanted to run away from the suggestion, to agree with the Loki Familia girls and call it crazy. The idea of getting cut up as part of training was just absolute madness, and even if she was a healer, there were surely limits to how much she could heal!?

But…

Even as he opened his mouth, the words didn't come out.

Heith had been sent by Syr. He trusted Syr, and Syr must have trusted her. At the very least, with how Riveria had recognised her and how quickly all his wounds till now had been healed, he thought he could put some faith in her.

When they'd begun training, Ais had called him a coward, and he knew she was right. No matter how recklessly he threw himself into the dungeon, he knew his first instinct had always been to run away from attacks. He could still feel a trauma somewhere deep inside him, a fear he didn't know and couldn't recognise.

He wanted to be a hero. He wanted to be strong. He wanted to be someone who could protect the people he cared for and make them happy. Wasn't that why he'd tried so desperately to throw away his old self after that time in the bar? Wasn't that the meaning of his promise with his Goddess, engraved on his back? He'd never been cut with a sword before. But Ais's training had thoroughly knocked all kinds of other aches and pains into his body by now, and even his speed wasn't enough to completely keep him safe from monster attacks- Bell had felt his flesh torn and ripped off him many times now. He wasn't confident enough to say he was tough now, or that he could handle pain… but he was at least strong enough to meet Ais's gaze and give his answer.

"I-I, I can handle it!"

His voice shook, but his resolve didn't.

Heith laughed, "You really do have determination, don't you? Well, don't worry, you're safe in my hands! Just remember, Sword Princess, I can heal anything up to three steps before death- anything closer than that and you'll need the Dea Saint." This time, as well as her usual warm expression, there was a look of clear compassion sent his way, encouraging him silently as he prepared to step forwards into the terror she'd created.

Ais scowled but said nothing, and soon Bell found himself facing the mind-numbing pressure of having the blade Desperate pointed directly at him.

His legs shook and his breath raced. This time, the blonde swordswoman made no move, having enough kindness to at least let him come to her when he was ready instead.

"A-AHHAA!"

A roar he hadn't even intended rang from his throat, and with that Bell threw himself forwards, clinging to his resolve and his determination as he cast away his fear once more.

--*--

"…"

Riveria could scarcely stand to look at the display that was taking place before her, nor at the rivers of blood now soaking wet across the dusty stonework.

Her fingers clung tight around her arms, folded beneath her generous bust, and her lips drew into a tight frown. As an Elf, as a woman and as an Adventurer, it was taking almost everything she had not to simply scream aloud and call this ridiculous display off.

This was not what Ais needed, nor what the girl wanted. Training or not, Bell wasn't anywhere near good enough to wield naked steel against Ais's blade, and there was nothing at all that would be learned with her holding herself back to the point of only playing defensive or giving half strokes. So, the girl once dubbed the War Princess chilled her heart and sent her blade flying with almost the same ferocity as she'd done with her sheath. And each time she did so, the white-haired adventurer's screams would echo aloud, and his blood would be sent splashed across the ground.

Pierced through, or slashed open, he would gasp in shock, moan in pain, and buckle with defeat…

…Only to have his wounds immediately closed, his body healed and his strength returned.

Without pause, hesitation or mercy, each time Bell was struck down the Golden Witch's magic would have him back up and ready to continue. He never fell, he never collapsed and so the fight never stopped. The training session turned into a never-ending duel. The only thing Heith's magic couldn't restore was his lost blood, sooner or later he would simply be unable to continue. So that alone was left as the stopping point that awaited them, a question of if Bell's spirit would give out first or his body.

The red-haired woman's affable, easygoing personality made for a stark contrast against the sheer brutality of her training method. Riveria had already been worried about Ais's own harsh treatment, but this was just ridiculous and an unworthy use of such magic besides. Rather than a way to train a young hopeful, it felt more like a way to break someone's spirit. If this truly was how Freya's followers forged their strength, then it certainly was a testament to their resolve, but it was even more proof of their love-drunk madness.

Riveria wanted to call a stop to it on sheer principle alone.

But she didn't. For the exact same reason why Ais continued swinging her sword, even as the blade was soaked through with Bell's blood. And for the same reason she hadn't stopped Ais originally even though the girl's training had continuously left him unconscious.

Because each time Bell was struck down, each time they watched the light fade from his eyes and his consciousness dim, the golden glow of Heith's magic would wrap around him, and even as his body was being knit back together, even before his strength had returned, his eyes would be blazing hot with determination. He wanted to get stronger. He'd said so multiple times already in the days they'd been training together, and he'd proven that beyond question.

Each time Bell fell, Ais never pressed the attack, she never made a move as he recovered, always she waited for him. And each time, he threw himself at her.

His blood would fly, his scream would resound, her magic would cover him, and he would grit his teeth and charge directly at the Level 6 adventurer standing before him.

Heith was standing just a few paces away, her carefree demeanour having given way to the now extremely focussed look on her face as she took in every moment of the display unfolding before her, and as she nearly constantly wove her magic around Bell, propping him up and supporting him as he dove headlong into the fray.

The healer's fists would clench tight each time Ais's sword bit into Bell's flesh, and her posture would jolt each time he managed to fend off one of her assaults. From the way she was chewing on her lip, and the way her face had gone paler by the moment, it was clear she took no joy in the boy's pain, but even beyond simply doing her job, she was visibly pulled into the scene, captivated by the young man's display of courage and determination.

And, no matter her own objections… Riveria couldn't help but feel her own heart reacting just the same.

As a member of the strongest Familia in Orario, and as a careful and responsible leader, she rarely encouraged or allowed displays of reckless bravery. As an executive, that simply wasn't part of her life anymore. But the sight of it called to her just the same, fighting valiantly against impossible odds was the very soul of an adventure.

--*--

"Hey, Bell-san? How're you feeling?"

"Ah, oh, Velvet-san… I'm, I'm okay, just a little woozy…"

The white-haired adventurer shook his head dizzily from where he was sitting, propped up against the battlements. Inevitably, the blood loss had caught up with him, and the training exercise had been called to a stop.

"Sorry, I can't do anything about the light-headedness. You're not in any pain though, are you?"

He shook his head.

It was a strange thought, one he was only just processing. Aside from the few times Riveria's warm magic had embraced him, he'd never had any experience dealing with healers, and nothing at all like what he'd experienced today. Being struck down by Ais had been terrifying and incredibly painful, as expected, easily on par with the worst injuries he'd sustained in the Dungeon… but the pain had been almost momentary. Heith's magic had healed him almost as soon as he'd been cut and all that had been left was the phantom sensation of the pain he should have been feeling, something immediately forgotten in the adrenaline of battle.

Logically, it was the same as downing a healing potion, but the kind of healing potions he'd used were never anything close to the kind of instant relief and reconstruction the Golden Witch offered. Her healing was so powerful and so complete it made the pain feel like a lie, as if he'd only imagined it.

And yet, the feeling of being cut down remained, and the terror of being struck through persisted. Being picked up and thrown instantly back into a never-ending battle was bone-chilling in a way he'd never before experienced. Sitting down now, he could see tremors running through his hands, and he couldn't say how much of that was just from blood loss.

"I'm sorry," the red-head apologised again, recognising the very familiar mental battle Bell was going through, "I was the one who suggested it, you must think I'm cruel for having said so… I actually hate seeing people getting hurt, really. My life would be a lot easier if all those guys would just stop it, and if that Dwarf Woman would come take over the cooking again! Haaa…"

She breathed out a heavily beleaguered sigh, and Bell noticed that the shadows under her eyes were significantly deeper than they had been when she'd first arrived atop the wall. He'd worked hard, he was certain of that, he'd thrown everything he'd had at Ais just as he always did, even as the terror of her bared steel pulsed through him. But constantly weaving spells to bring him back, set him on his feet and pull him back to consciousness must have been just as taxing, Heith likely had worked just as fervently as he had, just to support his training.

"I wish it'd all just stop. All the blood and the fighting, it's all so exhausting," she continued, "But, well… you understand yourself, don't you?"

"Yeah."

His head was still foggy, he couldn't give a better answer than that. But he did understand. He could feel it down to his soul, he would get stronger like this. It was a certainty. Even as his Goddess and Alfia both supported him and told him he was doing fine, the barrier that Bell could feel looming around him was growing increasingly oppressive, day by day. Ais was so far ahead of him, and his goal lay even further beyond that, he was far too weak for anything he wanted right now. To catch up, he would take any path he could.

"I can handle it."

She laughed, and her smile turned warm again.

"I'm sure you can, you really are an impressive guy, Bell-san. Most first timers roll over and play dead long before they're completely out of action, and none of our guys have to fight any of the Familia's elite like that. Going up against the Sword Princess over and over again like that really takes guts! Honestly, I think she was right about you- if you can stay alive, you really might be someone to keep an eye on."

He didn't have the confidence to do much more than just blush under her praise, so Bell instead just thanked her for her help and the way she'd expended so much of her own mental energy keeping him up.

Meanwhile, a few meders away, Riveria was looking on with a concerned expression and Ais's expressionless face was noticeably downcast. If you'd spent as long around her as the Elf had, you would be able to notice that while watching Bell talking brightly to the Healer who'd suddenly intruded on their training sessions, Orario's Sword Princess was currently pouting. At least as much as she was able to.

Which is why she was taken offguard when the red-head's voice suddenly turned towards her.

"Y'know, you're a lot gentler than I'd expected, Sword Princess."

Ais blinked in reply. Her face was as stoic as ever, but a dark cloud of dissatisfaction had built up behind her gaze.

She didn't know why, or exactly how, but she'd long since felt a great sense of calm when she was around Bell. Without the words to explain it properly, she'd simply put it down to the bright, white purity of his soul which stood in such stark contrast to the bleakness of her own. It wasn't something she'd ever expected to see, and it reminded her of her childhood in ways that should be unpleasant… but instead, simply soothed her, reminded her of the heroic ideals and childish aspirations she'd long since cast aside. She'd never said as such aloud, not even to Riveria, since she had no way to make it sound sensible, but being close to Bell these past days had been a surprising comfort to her. And she'd found herself very accustomed to the feeling of him being wrapped up in her arms throughout their training.

And now, not only had she been denied that sense of closeness ever since this healer had arrived, but she'd spent the rest of their training session slashing and stabbing Bell with her blade instead.

"…Gentle?"

Ais wasn't so kind as to be particularly squeamish about hurting the young adventurer. She didn't have a drop of malic or hostility in her actions, but rough, spartan training was the only way that had made any sense for her to teach him at all. She wasn't creative or smart like Riveria, she was someone who'd learned hands-on and someone who could only think to teach hands-on.

Her training had been harsh, but earnest. She'd long since moved past the knot of guilt that had laid within her at having agreed to teach him for the purpose of stealing the secret to his rapid growth… Instead, her previous ulterior motive had been almost entirely forgotten under the pure honesty of their lessons. She'd asked him a few times, learned nothing from his answers and left it behind ever since. His tenacity and resolve through the training had resonated with her, and she'd put aside any other considerations- Ais was not waking up and heading to Orario's walls first thing every morning for the sake of learning Bell's technique, she was here only out of her desire to see him, to make up for almost getting him killed, and to help him grow stronger- to see him capture the potential that was shining brighter and brighter within him each day.

And so, she felt no guilt at all about knocking him insensate, or battering him across the ground. It was harsh, but it was all she knew, and she'd seen his rapid response and quickened growth first hand ever since the lessons had begun.

But she didn't want to cut him.

Bell was a nice boy, he was pure and untainted in a way most residents of the Dungeon City weren't, he reminded her of the silly Heroic aspirations she'd held as a child. Ais liked him and she liked being around him. He was kind, and headstrong, and fierce with determination in the way an Adventurer should be… but he was far too weak to fight with naked steel. He was still only level 1, he had only just arrived in Orario, his guard was still full of holes and his reflexes were still far too slow. She didn't want to point her sword at Bell Cranel, she didn't want to feel his flesh giving way to her steel, and she certainly didn't want to see Desperate coated in his blood.

Right now, even with the boy fully healed and not even bearing a single scar from her actions, Ais couldn't see herself as gentle at all.

"Yeah! You were doing your best the whole time not to hurt him too much, right? You even made sure not to hit anything vital. Hah, the guys in my Familia would never do anything like that, none of them would hesitate to go for a killing blow!"

Did the Freya Familia truly train like that? Could they really slice, maim and kill their comrades so easily, just because they knew the healers would likely be able to save them? Was that the true strength of the Einherjar? To constantly be pulled back from death's door and thrown back into endless battle? Her younger self would have relished the idea, she was sure, but now Ais couldn't even picture it.

"I know it's all for the sake of getting stronger," Heith continued, giving a beleaguered shrug with her hands folded behind her head as she strolled over towards the two Loki Familia members, "But I definitely wish more of those guys were like you instead, it'd make everything a lot better. Geez, I really expected you to be a lot more merciless, but, you were working harder to make things easier for him- hah, the Sword Princess is actually pretty sweet, huh?"

"Ah..?"

Ais blinked, again. She was no stranger to compliments, but she was thrown for a loop all the same. In all the time she'd been in Orario, she'd heard countless comments about her appearance, her strength, her level or anything else… she didn't think she could recall a single person ever praising her personality before. Gentle. Sweet. It felt almost alien, and more than a little unfitting… but the cloud of dissatisfaction that had been building within her dissipated just slightly all the same.

Heith laughed breezily at her weak reply. Freya had sent here entirely just to get in the way, but even so, offering praise and compliments even to rival Familia she was supposed to be stymieing was just part of her nature.

"Alright, that's enough for now," Riveria cut in, watching carefully as Bell pulled himself dizzily upright, "Cranel-san is back on his feet, so we'll stop here. Ais, he needs to recover from that blood loss, so take him and go buy him something to eat."

"Right."

"Wh-Ah, there's no need to go that far, I can pay by myself! Huh, Ais-san?"

The young adventurer's concerns were soon echoing away down the grand walls as the Sword Princess lead him on, and after his feet slowly chased after his idol once more. Ais didn't give him an answer directly, but her steps were light as she made her way down the stairs and when she took his hand to help him after his legs began to shake, a small smile dawned upon her face.

Breakfast to recover from the newly intensified regime, and for the two of them to spend a moment together, became the new endpoint to their training regime.

Bell's soul was shining more brilliantly than ever.

Bright enough to chase away the dark clouds surrounding the blonde's expression.

And so beautifully pure that even Freya's watchful gaze couldn't find a word of complaint.

--*--

Chloe Rollo's life plan was not working out as she'd hoped.

Despite her slightly dark nature, she wasn't really the kind of person to dwell on things, so she rarely dwelled on this. But every now and then, very occasionally, especially when doing tedious jobs like how she was currently lugging four huge bags of potatoes all the way from the Demeter Familia's house back to the Hostess of Fertility, she would sigh, and shake her head, and complain to herself.

Because, Chloe Rollo's life plan was not working out as she'd hoped.

It wasn't that she was unhappy, really. Actually, the last few years staying with and working for Mama Mia had been some of the happiest years of her life. She liked her co-workers, she didn't mind the work, the food was great, and she got both a steady income and a stable place to spend each night. In pretty much all respects, it was a fairly significant step up from how her life had been before.

She'd never imagined herself working as a waitress, but then, it wasn't as if she liked working as an assassin either, she'd left behind her old Familia and that old lifestyle for a reason. She'd attempted to continue working as an assassin in Orario largely because she hadn't known anything else she could do, and now she was working as a waitress mostly because she didn't know what else she wanted to do. Chloe wasn't the kind of person who thought about the future or made solid plans to get where she wanted to be… things just happened, and she was strong enough to make sure they worked out. Mostly.

Of course, strength was the big problem and her biggest wake-up-call since arriving all those years ago. Outside Orario she'd been an absolute elite, close to the very top of her game… but inside Orario… she'd been dealt a very swift and powerful reminder of just why no other nation could contend with the Dungeon City for power. She was a small fish in a huge pond, and the lords of that pond were absolute monsters who gave her nightmares just thinking about. Adventurers in Orario were more powerful than any other city, they were better geared than in any other city, and they were more accustomed to life and death combat than in any other city. Her pride had been in shambles almost from the day she'd walked through the gates! And then, after a few failed attempts, a few hair-raising escapes, and one final disaster, she'd first sworn off going after high-level adventurers, and then sworn off assassinations entirely.

And so here she was, now, lugging potatoes from one side of the city to the other. It wasn't unpleasant, really. And it was probably better than dealing with the dinner rush like everyone else was… but it wasn't the glamorous lifestyle she'd envisioned.

Chloe had come to Orario as a young teen, and now she was a young woman. And all that had changed was that she was a little stronger, and a little world-wearier. She hadn't made a single step towards her actual goal! She hadn't come anywhere closer to the dream she'd carried within her heart all these years!

Specifically: She wasn't living in luxury, surrounded on all sides by a harem of young boys doting on her, pleasing her and pampering her!

More specifically: she wasn't surrounded by young boys, at all! Not even a single young boy! The years had passed and Chloe was still a poor, lonely maiden going to her room alone each night without a single young butt to keep her company!

It was unfair! It was miserable! Nothing had worked out at all! It was as if the fates were conspiring against her!

Was it wrong to pick up boys in the dungeon city!?

It had all seemed so easy, so simple from the outside, before she'd truly understood how terrifying Orario was and how difficult it was to make a name for yourself in the city. Her dreams of being a famous name, whispered the world over were long forgotten, and she had absolutely no desire to go chase gold and glory in the dungeon, she was probably never going to be famous. She could accept that. But surely, she didn't have to also accept giving up on her harem of young boys! On the cute butts! On the blushing faces! On her maiden's dream!

Unfortunately, whatever pure and earnest desires lay within the former-assassin's heart, reality was not so kind.

Orario was famous beyond famous, the city the world revolved around, there was no lack for men at all, nor was there any scarcity of them at her job… unfortunately, because both the city and the Hostess were appealing primarily towards adventurers, there were few at all that caught her eye. There were plenty of big, rough men, plenty of arrogant loudmouths, plenty of boring waifs or lacklustre nobodies… but the kind of guy who set Chloe's heart aflutter and her tail twitching were few and far between! And her chance of speaking to them, or spending any time with them at all was rarer still!

Tonight was just one of those nights. She wasn't in a particularly bad mood, and she wasn't particularly unhappy with her current lifestyle. But as the potatoes bounced and rolled against her delicate cat-ears, and as the hubbub of the night passed by around her, she couldn't help but dwell.

It was a sad thing. Chloe Rollo's life plan was not working out as she'd hoped.

"Ahh, this isn't right! It's not fair at all nyaahhh?"

Mewling her frustrations quietly into the twilight, the black cat suddenly caught herself up short, her eyes narrowing and her tail jolting stiff.

"That's White-Hair nya?"

There was one exception to the lack of young male attention in her life. Bell Cranel, the young man who'd so recently started coming to the bar. Cute, kind, cute, sweet-smelling, cute, cheerful, cute, innocent, cute and with that perfectly light toned musculature she loved, Bell ticked every single one of Chloe's boxes along with several more she didn't even realise she had! It helped that he was cute too!

Syr seemed to be quite taken with him, which was probably why Ryu had become rather protective of him (in her own way), and Anya seemed to get on with him well enough (in her own way), but Chloe was sure that even if none of that were true, he would have still caught her attention just as thoroughly.

She hadn't really had a chance to spend any time with him yet, or at least not any time alone with him. Part of that was due to Ryu so forcefully keeping her away from the boy, and the other part was due to Chloe's own clumsy way of interacting with him… for all her harem dreams, she didn't actually know how to go about seducing the boys she'd imagined surrounding her. In her fantasies, they'd always just come to her. So, when Bell had kept focussing on Syr (who made his lunch), or Ryu (who gave him advice), Chloe was left high and dry, just looking on from the kitchen.

Bell Cranel was almost perfect to her tastes, she thought. But if he had one flaw, it would be that he didn't seem to have an all-encompassing fetish for black cats. Her life would be a lot easier if she'd needed to do nothing but swish her tail and twitch her ears to have him chasing after her.

Still, maybe it was for the best. Syr was obviously very interested in the boy, and Chloe liked Syr, so she'd generously decided to let her have him… of course, that didn't mean she wasn't intending to have a taste herself! Chloe wasn't going to steal Bell away and put him in her harem, she'd just planned to try a little sample!

Which was why Chloe was so suddenly caught in place when she spotted the young man.

More specifically, when she spotted him walking just ahead of her… hand in hand with another woman.

"Nya… Syr's out of luck, huh?"

It didn't take more than a few moments to pin the girl as a Goddess. Despite her small stature, her tiny body boasted a massive set of breasts, well-shaped curves and an eye catchingly tight butt. The deity's black twintails fluttered in the air behind her as she bounced along in step with the white-haired adventurer, but it was the bell-shaped hair ties atop her head that caught the former-assassin's gaze.

That must be the Goddess Hestia then, Bell's Goddess. Chloe had heard the name banded around a few times in his conversations, but she'd never given the deity a lot of thought before. And now, it seemed that Goddess had sunk her teeth right into the prize the poor, innocent, black-haired catgirl had been savouring!

Of all the ways to rub in her lonely situation! She was out here, lugging around potatoes, and then most likely would spend the rest of the night wiping down tables, washing dishes, and dodging any drunken hands attempting to grab her ass or pull her tail… And meanwhile, the young boy she'd had her eye on was out here, holding hands and flaunting his cute butt through the city on some date!

Her hackles went up just thinking about it!

Well… she didn't know it was a date. Goddesses were often very close to their followers, and Bell was that kind'a innocent child.

"I'd better follow them, nya!"

The potatoes were put down around the back of a quiet corner and then immediately forgotten as Chloe blended into the shadows, and began tailing after the oblivious duo.

Following the tell-tale shock of white hair around town, especially from behind, was a far more interesting way to spend her evening. And, for the sake of her maidenly heart, she needed to know what he was up to! And at the very least, she probably owed it to Syr to tell her if he really was taken.

--*--

Between her level 4 skills and lifetime of experience, following after a level 1 rookie and his Goddess was child's play for the Black Cat. Bell actually surprised her with how sharp his senses were, feeling her eyes on him, but even so, that was only compared to a normal civilian or other low-level adventurer. If Chloe Rollo didn't want to be seen, he had absolutely no chance of even realising she was around.

And so, with the two lovebirds walking obliviously hand in hand through the street, and the AWOL waitress silently seething behind them, the date continued.

Even hanging back as far away from them as she was, her level 4 cat-person hearing could easily pick up their conversation. And, while Chloe was hardly an expert on romance, just listening to the way they interacted, the light teasing or flirting, was enough to strike the fire of jealousy within her, and to extinguish any hopes she had about this just being an affectionate Goddess doting on a favourite child.

Having more or less gotten her answer, and given the fact that she was intruding on the privacy of someone that was somewhere close to being a friend, or a friend of a friend at least, as well as his status a potential recruit for her harem-to-be, that should have been enough for her. It would be rude to go any further than this.

Still… she hadn't outright confirmed anything, and by now the catgirl's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. Or, at the very least, watching the white-haired adventurer on a date was far more interesting than watching her tail around a bunch of drunken boors.

"If I'm going to be reporting to Syr, I'd best to thorough-nya."

And so, flitting from shadow to shadow, she followed along as the oblivious couple made their way through the streets of Orario. She'd only been a few streets away from the Hostess of Fertility, along the main throughfare, when she'd caught sight of them originally, and they were moving further and further away from her original destination by the second. Passing by the parks, the libraries, and several cafes that she'd imagined would have all made for idyllic date spots, they moved out of the nicer areas of the Dungeon City and further away into the backstreets towards the much poorer side of the Western section.

Between the dilapidated buildings, run down storehouses and cheap hotels, Chloe couldn't imagine any romantic attractions in this direction. It seemed, rather than heading to a date-spot, they were wending their way home.

That wasn't a huge surprise, given the way Bell dressed and the fact she'd never heard of the so-called "Hestia Familia" until he'd started coming around, she hadn't expected him to be staying anywhere particularly fancy.

What was a surprise though, was that rather than heading into any of the inns, hotels, or apartments around them, the pair stopped in place before a small two-story bookstore. It was exactly the kind of place Chloe had passed a million times but never even paid a single glance towards, but sure enough, after a few moments spent looking around (futily) to ensure nobody was watching them, and another few moments of Bell positioning himself as if to hide the Goddess's actions from any prying eyes, the small deity fished a key from the inner-rim of a flowerpot sitting outside the store. And then, with every movement followed by Chloe's watchful gaze, they each ducked inside.

"A bookstore-nya? At this time of night?"

She couldn't say it wasn't a romantic destination. But she also couldn't say it was anything she'd expected. Certainly, none of her many daydreams, fantasies, or night-time indulgences with the white-haired adventurer of her imagination had involved visiting a bookstore.

She didn't even realise Bell was much of a reader.

Once again, Chloe was left considering her next steps.

Going back to the Hostess was immediately discarded, so she didn't bother with that. Instead, she slunk silently towards the building. If this was a mission, she would have simply followed the two of them inside, a level 4 assassin would have no problems at all staying unseen even in such a closed space… but she wasn't here to take anyone out, she was just… well she wasn't sure exactly what she was doing, but it was probably something akin to surveillance, or spying, or maybe stalking.

So instead, she made her way around to the back of the bookstore, slipping into the small alleyway behind it and climbed up the wall towards the window she could see looking out from the second story. Her waitressing-outfit wasn't particularly conducive to the task, but even without any of her usual tools, scaling the wall of an old-brickwork building like this was absolutely child's play. It was actually exactly the kind of play she had done as a child. Between her skills and her experience, it was no more than a few minutes after Bell and Hestia made their way inside, that found Chloe shimmying up to the upstairs window, fishing a convenient mirror out from the pocket she'd sown inside her dress, and using the reflection to peer carefully inside.

"N-Nya!"

She'd intended just to see if the two lovers were on the second floor, or if the way was safe for her to slip in. Instead, she saw a lot more than that. A whole lot more than that.

"Nyaaaaaaaaa!"

Reflected clear in the twilight shining onto the mirror, was the sight of the white-haired boy and his Goddess clinging to one another in the middle of the room. The sight of their arms wrapped around one another, their heated kisses and the moans she could hear now echoing softly through the windowpane was more than enough to answer any of Chloe's still lingering questions and the report she was intending to make to Syr… but all of that was entirely forgotten to the Black Cat under the far more important sight, of Bell's entire back exposed directly to her, with Hestia having already removed the young man's coat and shirt.

Creamy white skin, with just a few nicks and scars to tell of his time in the Dungeon, and with exactly the kind of flexible, toned musculature she'd dreamed of… Chloe's head was spinning and her cheeks heating up bright red at the sight!

This was it! At long last! Exactly the sight she'd always dreamed of was playing out before her eyes!

Sure, in her dreams it had been her stripping the young boy's clothes off and running her hands all along that deliciously supple flesh… but for now, at least, she was captivated enough to leave that job to Hestia and simply enjoy the show. That's not to say she wasn't jealous though; Chloe would have given an awful lot to be where the deity was right now! Watching the way Hestia's hands running hungrily over the boy's body, or the way Bell was clinging to her, pulling the Goddess so firmly into his embrace and kissing her so greedily- it was like something directly out of Chloe's dreams. She'd imagined herself in that exact situation, with him or an assortment of other boys, more times than she could count!

But she'd never seen anything like this in reality, it was her fantasies come to life. The swirling envy mixed with an intense wave of lust, and it left the Black Cat simply clinging spider-like to the wall, staring fixatedly into the mirror, mewling softly and panting dizzily as the scene inside heated up moment by moment!

The question of just how far this was going to go floated to her mind… and was then answered just a second later as Bell's well practiced fingers pulled Hestia's dress up over her head and then -without breaking his embrace around her- placed it respectfully over the edge of the sofa. And then, just as Chloe was taking a moment to recover from a shock of feminine-jealousy as the small deity's massive breasts bounced free and naked into the air, her world was again sent crashing to a halt as the Goddess of the Hearth's equally well practiced fingers tugged open Bell's belt and pushed his trousers down to the floor beneath them.

!

Chloe's awareness shuddered and shook. Her body jolted to a stop and her breath caught in her throat. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was sure she could hear a choir of angel's singing, and if someone was to ask her, she would tell them she would swear on her heart that Aphrodite herself had wrapped the catgirl up in a blissful fog of warmth. In that moment, the Black Cat's darkened soul was cleansed, and her spirit sung.

She was in love.

Despite the surge of emotions racing though her, her hands never wavered and her eyes were as clear as ever, with all the strength of a level 4 adventurer as she stared enraptured at the reflection… as she stared at the creamy white thighs, the lightly toned musculature, the perk and heft and shape… The young man's butt she'd dreamed of idly was unveiled before her, as if carved directly from her wildest fantasies and presented before her eyes.

Her heart was overflowing with pure, radiant joy… and her pussy was overflowing with heady, wanton desire.

"Nyaaa~"

The windowpane did little to muffle Hestia's laughter or her moan as Bell pushed her gently towards the couch, and the reflection caught every moment of the Goddess's legs being hoisted up and spread apart, and every last instant of the white-haired young man placing himself between her thighs, caressing her cheeks, and whispering his adoration before slowly, eagerly, pushing himself inside her.

If she'd been thinking rationally, Chloe would have been shocked at the idea that the innocent young man she'd known was so comfortably and habitually burying his length inside the deity. From the scream of delight echoing through the glass, to the way Hestia's legs were already locking tight around his waist, it seemed that even that minimal foreplay had been more than enough for the Goddess. And from the way he was so smoothly alternating between holding her waist to caressing her thighs, to simply leaning back and dragging himself against the roof of her pussy in ways that left the Goddess mewling with a pleasure the Black Cat could hardly imagine… it was clear that there was far more to Bell than she'd ever expected. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

If she'd been thinking a little more clearly than that, she might even have remembered that Hestia was supposed to be one of the Celestial Virgins… and here she was, in a completely unremarkable bookstore in the middle of Orario, being defiled so completely the windowpane was already shaking gently against the cries of her delight.

But Chloe wasn't thinking of anything right now. Her mind was entirely, irresistibly, on the incredible scene playing out before her eyes. The way they were positioned, the vision of Bell's body and butt, the way his muscles tensed and contracted, the sight of him so tenderly doting on the target of his affection… From the way he was acting, right to the position they were using, it was all perfect beyond her belief, it was as if they were putting on a show just for her!

Mewling softly, and breathing faster by the moment, her own need caught up with her immediately.

Braced against the wall as she was, Chloe had very little leeway to move. Even so, she was more than skilled enough to compensate for that, and even without a single scrap of attention paid to anything but the scene reflected before her eyes, her elite training showed itself once more as she remained perfectly still in place- even as her right hand released from the brickwork and instead reached down her legs, tugging at the hem of her long dress until it was hitched up and over her waist.

Her body shuddered a little at feeling the night air flush against her lower half, but no more than silent gasp fell from her pursed lips as her dextrous fingers continued their work.

A moment later, the tie was undone and the Black Cat's equally black panties were flitting through the air, falling undone and unwanted down to the pavement below.

"N-N-Nyaahhhaaaaa…"

And a moment after that, two of Chloe's skilled fingers were buried to the hilt inside her now thoroughly soaked, painfully virgin pussy. It was a poor facsimile of the pleasure she could see writ clear on Hestia's face each time the Goddess's body bucked up off the couch, but the flood of relief and desire that shook through the catgirl from the moment she pushed her walls apart, to the moment her fingertips were pressing against her most favourite, sensitive spot as far inside as she could reach, was more than enough to leave the assassin moaning out uncharacteristically loud.

Dizzying sparks of delight flashed up her spine, searing through her body until she could feel her nipples digging hard into her bra and her walls squeezing hot around her digits. She'd never heated up this fast before, even as an assassin she'd never considered doing anything like this in public before! But she was well past any rationality, all that existed right now was the young man thrusting so powerfully and so wonderfully into the woman he loved, and the pleasure that sight sent through the Black Cat as her body shuddered.

Without even meaning to, she matched her hand's movements to Bell's, and without even noticing it, her quiet mewling rang out exactly in synch with Hestia's ecstasy.

The show continued, and with it, so too did Chloe's eager ministrations.

--*--

Meanwhile, a few blocks away in the basement of the abandoned Church, Alfia rolled listlessly atop the sole bed, from her side over to her back.

She was alone. Surrounded in darkness, wrapped up warm in her blankets and comforted by silence. In all respects, she should have been happy, this was practically her ideal. But unfortunately, these days her ideal included knowing where her (adorable and beloved) Bell was, and right now he was nowhere in sight.

It wasn't as if she was overly concerned. And she wasn't particularly worried.

His Goddess was with him, they'd gone out together and hadn't come back yet… given the events she'd been forcibly made aware of on the couch just a meder away from her, it wasn't particularly difficult to guess what they were up to. And if anything, she supported that, she was the one who'd pushed them together and who'd encouraged Bell to chase after that harem dream Zeus had given him. She'd brought Bell to Orario for him to become both a man, and a hero. She was well prepared for all of this, and it was certainly a lot nicer to be safe from the noise he and Hestia made even when they were just sleeping together.

Even so.

Alfia tossed back over to her side, and pulled the blankets closer.

She wasn't lonely. And it wasn't as if she couldn't sleep.

It was… it was just hard to relax, knowing that when he finally did come back home, she'd no doubt he awakened by the noise he and that Goddess made, thudding through the door.

--*--

At the same time, in a large mansion, in the nice area of the western district.

"Haaaaaa…."

Another deep sigh echoed rang out around the room.

The soft scent of argelica filled the air.

The curtains were pulled shut tight.

The hallway and nearby rooms were all largely quiet and peaceful.

And yet, even so… Cassandra had tossed around in bed so many times now that her long blue hair had become a tangled mess all around her head.

She'd never had trouble sleeping before, it was one of the few benefits she ever got from her role as an Oracle. Even in the depths of the dungeon, when the opportunities to rest were few and the sleep ever fitful, for the sake of her prophesies and her attempts to try keep her companions from the danger they never believed her about, she'd always been able to slip into slumber without much trouble. Even when she was scared, or stressed, or through all lonely nights she'd spent until now, it had never been a problem.

The issue, she thought, was that she was too hot tonight.

The room itself wasn't any hotter than usual, the Apollo Familia's room were all kept at comfortable temperatures thanks to the ingenious use of magic crystal technology… but for some reason, she was much hotter than usual. She didn't think she had a fever, and there wasn't anything she could identify as wrong with her, but trying to sleep tonight had been so uncomfortable she'd already walked over to double check her door was locked tight, then slipped out of her clothes altogether.

Her blankets were tossed to the side, leaving her tossing around naked in just a thin sheet.

And still sleep eluded her. Her body was overheated, and her heart was racing, leaving her unable to calm down.

It was frustrating! She'd been looking forward to this all evening! She hadn't seen any more dreams about… about her future… in the last few days, she was sure she was due for one soon, hopefully tonight! She'd been downright hopeful about the chances all afternoon, she'd even turned in earlier than usual with a skip in her step and a song in her heart. It was important she kept seeing these visions, they were her key to understanding the future, and understanding everything she needed to know! She was dutifully doing her job! This was likely something that would impact all of the Apollo Familia, so it was an important job to do!

But instead, for some reason, she was left just tossing restlessly back and forth atop her mattress.

"Haaaaaa…."

--*--

Meanwhile, in the far north of the city, Riveria Ljos Alf heaved a long suffering, beleaguered sigh as she stepped from her private en suite, back into the bedroom.

With her body washed, teeth brushed, skincare finished and with the bathroom still steaming lightly behind her, the elf was now thoroughly cleaned, dried and ready for bed. Her clothes from the day were already folded neatly away in the laundry basket for tomorrow, however, where normally by now Riveria would have changed into a nightgown to sleep in, she was instead still draped only in the -now slightly damp- towel wrapped around her body.

As with almost everything else in her life, there was a reason for that.

However, pushing such thoughts aside, she instead busied herself with peering cautiously around the room, checking and then re-checking that the door was sealed tight and locked, the windows were shut and the drapes sealed, and that there was no other hidden egress or opening that might have escaped her sight. Taking such caution towards her privacy was simply part of the High Elf's fastidiousness, nothing more than routine. For Riveria, her dignity was the dignity of all Elves, and while she did not wish for that burden, she did not treat it lightly. Tonight though, she made such checks in triplicate, holding the thick jade-coloured towel close to her body as she walked sedately around the room, ensuring with all the skill of an elite adventurer that there was no possibility she was to be overseen or overheard.

Once again, there was, of course, a reason for such prudence.

Because, despite the fact that all the endless tasks for the upcoming expedition had finally been completed, and that she'd managed all their stocks and inventory, and that she'd finished assigning both the formations and the exploratory groups, and that in spite of all that she'd still managed to find time this morning to help train the young white-haired Adventurer who wasn't even part of their Familia… As much as she would like to simply slip under the covers and go to sleep, Riveria had one final task to take care of before she could turn in.

Shaking her head, the Elf heaved one more beleaguered sigh, before reaching over and killing the magic-stone lamps.

Shut and sealed tight, with all windows pulled closed and not even the barest light from the moon shining in, the room was immediately plunged into pitch black darkness. And now, in the safety of the shadows, Riveria finally undid the large, fluffy towel from around her body and hung it up to dry on the cloak hook near her door.

Even her level 6 adventurer's eyes couldn't pierce this blackness, there was nobody at all that could possibly see the naked form that was unveiled within the Twilight Mansion. But if there had been, the sight they would have been lucky enough to behold was truly beautiful. Even in her usual modest clothing, the High Elf's regal beauty and picturesque femininity was whispered far and wide through the world, but the sight of her right now, one none had ever seen, would not lose out even against the perfection of the Gods.

Her skin was creamy white, unblemished despite her profession, supple and soft despite all the years she'd spent in the Dungeon City, and without even a trace of fat or looseness despite all the riches of the Loki Familia. Her legs were long and slender, displayed perfectly and wonderfully for absolutely nobody to see as she strode on practiced steps back across the room. Her stomach was taut and flat, taunting the gaze lower still towards where her waist turned into a heady hourglass, far wider and far more alluring than her thick robes ever hinted at, and the tight, full roundness of her ass a secret any Elf in the world would have killed to beheld.

As her sole uncharacteristically Elf-like feature however, Riveria's large breasts bounced softly, enticingly, in the darkness with each step. Full, round and heavy, with all the supple softness of eternal youth and topped with innocent, rosy-pink nipples, this was yet another secret usually kept well hidden under her thick clothing, only revealed now in the pitch-back darkness. The High Elf's chest may not have matched up to some of the city Goddess's unbelievable proportions, but her bust was certainly far larger than any of the Elves she knew and even bigger than most Half-Elves.

As she reached her bed and slipped under the covers however, it was the pristine, virgin pussy that told of Nine Hell's intentions tonight.

Even though there was not even the faintest trace of redness on her cheeks, or excitement in her expression… if someone had been there to witness it, and they'd had the light to see it… they couldn't possibly have missed the slightly shimmering sheen of arousal spread out across her entrance.

"Disgraceful…"

Lying flat on her back, with the covers pulled right up to her neck, once again shielding her bare body from sight, Riveria heaved one last beleaguered sigh, full of all manner of complaints about herself.

No matter how misgivings, even aside from being an Elf, even aside from being a High Elf, and even aside from having acted, as best she could, as Ais's mother… Riveria was still a woman. Despite all the time that'd passed and all the decades she'd weathered, no matter how much she acted like an old lady, as part of her pure Elven blood and her high level, her body was still in its absolute physical prime.

She was mortal. She still got hungry, and she still got thirsty. Just as she'd never taken a lover, or held any romantic intentions towards anyone, over time, slowly, her sexual desire built up just the same.

Normally she could put off such worries for a year or more, before finding them too much of a distraction to go without sating. But strangely, despite having only just dealt with her needs a little over eight months ago, she'd begun to feel them encroaching on her more and more recently, building up with a slow ratcheting of tension that she would be foolish to ignore. As inconvenient, and embarrassing as it was to find herself beholden to such desires again so soon, a small part of her at least acknowledged that dealing with this before they went on their next expedition would at least be convenient enough to ensure she was in the best possible condition during their descent into the Deep Levels.

As shameful as it was for her as Elven Royalty, to concede to dealing with such base urges directly, instead of being mature enough to simply put them aside, she was forced to admit it was better than having them gnawing on the back of her mind.

"Perhaps, I'm still immature…" she whispered aloud, with one final sigh as she cleared her mind.

Her heart wasn't beating particularly fast, nor was her body feeling particularly hot. She was warm, she was comfortable and she was in a space of ensured privacy, that was enough. As with everything else, Riveria had grown accustomed to taking care of her sexual needs calmly, quietly and with as much dignity as she could manage, without causing any problems for anyone else.

She wasn't in any particular hurry, but neither was she savouring the sensations or the moment.

Slowly, she spread her legs, and slower still, she slid her fingers down over her thighs and towards the small, yearning heat that smouldered within her.

"Ng…"

A small shiver ran up her body as her fingertip brushed carefully atop the wet heat of her labia, and again as the digit ran gently overtop the small, sensitive nub above her entrance. It felt good.

Pausing for a second to gather herself, Riveria cast her mind back to old memories of her home forest, to the verdant glades, the shimmering light shining through the leaves, the sound of wildlife and nature all around her, and to the majesty of the Great Tree. It wasn't that she found such images stimulating, rather the exact opposite, they were calming and reflecting, they allowed her retain full control of herself even now.

Ultimately, through some combination of her pride as an Elf, and her own secret bashfulness, Riveria couldn't bear the idea of using someone else's image as a tool for her own sexual satisfaction. Such an idea seemed truly in appropriate. So, her thoughts remained focussed entirely on the peaceful, soothing scenery of the Sea of Trees.

Of course, it would have been much easier if she had just been married, or taken a lover. But because of her lineage and position, as well as her inner yearning for freedom, that path was full of thorns, and ultimately, she hadn't yet met a man who interested her in such a way that she wished to walk it.

And so, left to handle the build-up of desire herself, she treated it as a purely mechanical affair. She would sate her body's desires without sullying her mind with such concerns.

With her mind now floating through visions of days long past, Riveria's left pointer-finger began slowly rolling back and forth atop her clit once again. And, as a heated breath escaped from between her pursed lips, her right hand moved to her sizable chest, cupping her left breast and gently kneading it against her palm.

Her body shivered once more, her hips twitching gently in place and her cheeks glowing slightly red, but she paid it no mind. Instead, she took her rosy-pink nipple between her thumb and forefinger, tweaking and squeezing it gently as the small sparks of pleasure spread up her spine and as hardened against her touch. And, at the same time, her left hand slid carefully in place, dragging her fingertip softly atop the soft, sensitive nub of pleasure above her entrance, with just a little more force and a little more immediacy at each passing moment.

"Nh-Hha… Hhaa…"

There was no great force or desperation in her movements, the heat and lust within her was just a light yearning, a gentle ache and need that she was soothing before it became a problem. Slowly, gently, tenderly, she stoked the pleasure inside her, maintaining a careful control over herself even as the wet heat grew, as her large breasts began to heave with her shuddering breaths, and as the desire thrumming from her womb spread slowly throughout her entire body.

Just like always, Riveria maintained the same easy rhythm and methodical caresses, slowly heating herself up, and slowly drawing out the release she sought. Seconds passed into minutes, and minutes passed in a handful, and gently, smoothly, the High Elf's body was flushed with gentle desire and a haze of light bliss.

Not enough to lose herself. Never so much that her control slipped.

Her face burned red as her breaths came faster. Her ears wiggled and twitched lightly, as her legs jolted and her hips bucked just slightly against her touch. And her toes curled as her nipples turned hard. Her pussy was soaked through with juices now, enough that she could feel the wet heat spreading a few centimeders down her thighs. But all the while, Riveria's mind soared through the trees and the greenery of her homeland, her thoughts were of the warmth of the sunlight through the forest's boughs and the softness of the grass under her feet as she ran through the glades.

It was a strange contradiction, but it was one she was well used to these days.

"Nha… Hmmm…"

Her voice moaned out softly, filling the quiet night air with delicate pants. Her right hand alternated from caressing one breast to the other, kneading the sizable, pillowy-soft mounds with just a little more force, as she began rolling two fingers of her left hand gently atop her clit. The release and the satiating satisfaction she was after was close at hand now. Her body was burning softly with need and her heart was beginning to race just a little faster in her chest.

It felt good. Despite all her misgivings, it felt good. The peak she was chasing, the satisfaction she sought, was not far off now.

"Mm…hha…"

And yet. Something was missing.

She paused, mentally adjusting, even as she kept her mind and focus far away in the Elven forests. What was wrong? Was her condition not right? Had she forgotten something? Was there something different about tonight, or about her?

Ah.

A moment later, as she trembled lightly with gentle strokes of pleasure, as her face flushed warm, her breathing grew faster, her large breasts shook against her touch and as her legs stretched out fully underneath the covers… Riveria finally realised the most obvious thing in the world.

She wanted to be held.

Lying amidst the haze of sexual delight, it was obvious, her body was yearning to feel a man against it.

How silly. If she'd been thinking rationally, or if she'd been thinking at all, she would have denied it. But Riveria's thoughts were far away and focussed in the past, and the fact that she was like this at all was proof enough that even someone like her was not immune to her desires. As soon as she realised it, the yearning grew stronger, and her breathing grew faster still.

She wanted to be held. And she wanted to hold herself around a man in return.

"Nh-hHaa! Hha, HHA!"

She wanted to feel strong arms around her. She wanted to feel a solid chest pressed up against her own. She wanted to feel heated breaths on her skin, and to feel firm strength under her touch.

She'd felt it twice now, and she remembered how powerfully her body had reacted each time.

"!"

All of a sudden, the scene playing out in Riveria's mind's eye shifted to a far more recent vision. Instead of the cooling glades of the Elven forests, she saw herself within the oppressive walls of the Dungeon. And instead of innocent memories of time spent in the idyllic woods, she remembered the sensation that had sent her trembling to the floor the moment she'd relaxed her control. She remembered the sensation of feeling him pressed up against her.

"A-Ah! Hah!?"

Her rationality returned in an instant! Abruptly realising that, so close to the high she'd been chasing, her control had momentarily slipped, Riveria's eyes shot open with a strangled gasp, and her legs jolted stuck in place!

"!!!"

It was far too late.

Her mind was full of him all the same. His soft white hair. His radiant smile. His dazzling purity. The way he'd listened so politely to her teachings. The look of sheer determination in his eyes as he'd pulled himself up from the floor, even as he was battered or beaten, time after time.

The way he'd felt against her. The feeling of his weight against her. The feeling of her arms around him. The hidden yearning she'd felt to feel his arms wrapped around her in reply.

Shocked at her thoughts and her racing impropriety, Riveria forcefully brought herself to a stop. Desperately, vainly, she tried to bring her suddenly rampant desire back under control.

It was far too late.

Her right hand was already pressed into her left breast, kneading the large, soft flesh and teasing the rock-hard nipple. And her left hand was draped lightly atop her clit, with the edge of her fingertip pressing with just a little force right atop the now hyper-sensitive nub. Even as she tried to stop her movements, her body still shuddered with delight, her legs shook… and the moment his face flashed through her mind, her hips were already bucking off the bed, fully into the air!

"GH-HHA! HH- NNHhAAAA!"

In all her years and all the times she'd quietly and sedately handled her desires, Riveria had never once felt anything like this! It was if a flood of heat was flooding from her womb, as if a thunderbolt was racing up her spine, as if her entire world was concentrated to just one point! It felt good, despite all her attempts to get herself under control, it felt too good to resist!

For just the briefest of moments, the High Elf, Riveria Ljos Alf, Nine Hells, saw her vision flash white and her thoughts utterly scattered.

It passed immediately- but in that moment, she came harder than she had ever cum in her life.

And then she slumped bonelessly back into the mattress, with her eyes glassy and breath coming in heaving pants as her mouth hung wide open and body shivered in the afterglow. In this moment, Riveria was far from the picture of Elven dignity she usually maintained.

"Wha… hu-… Huh?"

--*--

"Nyaaaaaa!"

Scratching her boots deeper into the wall, pumping her fingers deeper into her pussy, mewling out her wild delight and shaking with undisguised excitement, Chloe was having the time of her life!

Reflected in the mirror she was holding up towards the window, the upper story lounge of a sedate, quiet looking bookstore she'd never even noticed until now was being used as a love nest for the Goddess of the Hearth and her only adventurer. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before! It was like everything she'd dreamed of in all the years she'd stayed in this city! This was the proof she'd almost started to give up on- that love did exist, that young men like Bell truly were just out there waiting for her, and that there was still hope for her fantasies yet!

And even if none of that was true, it was still an incredible show she didn't want to miss a single second of! Chloe had never been much of a reader, but if this was the kind of event she could come to expect at this bookstore, then she had a feeling she would be dropping by often!

Her earlier justification to follow Bell for Syr's sake had already been thrown by the wayside. If Ryu or Lunoire learned she was peeping like this, she'd never hear the end of it, if Mama Mia heard she'd skived off work for it she'd probably be stuck scrubbing floors for a week, and Syr… well, she doubted Syr would approve either, and she could be kind'a scary herself! Plus, if word got back to Bell, then there was no way he'd come here again, and she might never get to see anything like this ever again! All in all, Chloe had more than enough reasons to keep quiet.

"Nyahaa!" for now though, she was focussed only on the sight laid out before her eyes, and on keeping her balance, even as her body shuddered in delight and her pussy spasmed greedily around the two-fingers Chloe was driving so roughly between her legs, "I ne-never expected you to be so wild, White-Hair!"

The kind, gentle, and soft-hearted young Adventurer that had so captured her imagination at the Hostess of Fertility had now taken complete control of his Goddess. Hestia's legs had been hoisted up around his shoulders and his hands were tight around her waist, holding her firmly in place and driving her ferociously into the couch. The meekness and childish innocence that she'd come to associate with him was nowhere to be seen, and in their place was a man driving his woman to the absolute heights of pleasure!

Rather than the naïve and childish adventurer, he seemed powerful, commanding and confident. For someone who's fantasies had always imagined herself being doted on Chloe was shocked at just how powerfully that aroused her, but the sight of the divine being's complete submission, of her toes curling and legs kicking uselessly into the air as she came endlessly around his cock, was more than enough to set the Black Cat's desires aflame. Twisting happily and shamelessly through her lust and jealousy, she couldn't even begin to imagine how good that felt, but from the sound of Hestia's joyous cries echoing through the window and into the otherwise quiet night, she knew she wanted to taste it!

She'd always imagined herself lording over a harem of lovers… but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to give herself up to someone who could make her feel as good as the Goddess sounded?

Chloe had always been easily enticed into taking the lazy way out, that was part of why she was here instead of working. So then, maybe if she just… not necessarily submitted, but just left everything to Bell? He seemed so sure of himself right now, and despite only being level 1, he appeared more powerful than she'd ever imagined from the young man. Surely, she could easily overpower him with just a whim, that was logic, that was undeniable… but somehow… from the way her womb pulsed happily in response, she felt like if she was wrapped around his cock like that, then she'd be defeated just as thoroughly as his Goddess was. And if it felt anywhere near as good as it looked, she thought she'd be just as happy as Hestia obviously was.

It wasn't as if she had any experience or any idea what to actually do in the bedroom (or bookstore, as it turned out). Instead of doing all the work herself, a harem of boys who doted on her… a young man who took control of her… having her body teased and toyed with, held and taken and claimed entirely at his whims…

"Nya, nya, cumming! Cumming! Nya, White-Hair!"

Chloe's fingers made for a poor simulacrum of the deep pussy massage the once-Virgin Goddess was receiving, but the sight of Bell's naked body and visible exertion, as well as the fierce pace she was maintaining matching her thrusts against his own was more than enough to send the enraptured former-Assassin mewling through her own peak, again and again.

When she got herself off, she'd usually be sated after just once, but right now, with her dress hiked up around her waist, her panties discarded and the cool night air swirling across the pulsing heat of her exposed thighs, Chloe had long since lost track of how many times she'd cum. It didn't matter, she sheer exhilaration drove her on and her level 4 status easily gave her the stamina to keep going. With the sight of Bell's naked body and the sound of Hestia's joyous screams filling her world, she couldn't possibly have stopped even if she had wanted to! Not yet, not before the show ended!

Leaning over to drive Hestia even deeper into the couch, Bell's pace rose even higher. Shivering in place, with her hips bucking up greedily against her fingers, Chloe automatically moved to match him.

Leaning her head back into the stone wall, her vision flashed white as her hand pumped ever more desperately between her legs, but her eyes never left the mirror still held securely in her left hand, even as the rest of her body trembled and shook. Her fingertips pressed in against the inner-roof of her pussy, dragging out as she pulled her hand back, and then seeking out the same spot as she plunged them back more just a moment later.

Lazily betraying all her lifelong assassin training, her voice was singing out softly into the air, moaning and mewling as the pleasure swept through her and as she soared through yet another radiant high. Being exposed like this was unsettling, but this back alley was well hidden from sight and even in the highs of pleasure her skills were more than enough to keep her hidden, even those worries couldn't stop the rush of delight that was sweeping the once-feared Black Cat out of her mind. This was so much better than any of the times she'd spent with herself alone, much better than the fantasies she'd cherished in her imagination all these years- if Chloe wasn't careful, she knew she could get addicted to this feeling!

"Nyaa- White-Hair, I'm, I'm going cra-crazy, nyaaa…" she moaned, breathing out a nonsensical narration to herself between ragged pants, "Yo-You're go-gonna cum soon, right? Nng, sto-stop holding back nya!"

As if her words could have possibly had any effect on the two people completely oblivious to her voyeurism.

And yet… Bell's thrusts grew ever more desperate, and Chloe's heightened eyesight couldn't possibly have missed the way his back-muscles were tightening, or the sight of him tossing his head back as he gasped his own moans to his Goddess.

The young Adventurer was drowning in bliss, and fulfilling himself entirely within the woman he loved.

Hestia's arms clenched tight around his wrists, and her toes curled through yet another wild orgasm.

Chloe's tongue lolled out from her mouth, and her hips bucked up greedily from against the wall.

Both women knew for sure he was holding right on the cusp of his own peak! And both their worlds narrowed simultaneously to that point, to the explosion of release they awaited!

"!"

The sound of another woman's name being cried out, loud enough that Chloe could hear it even through the windowpane, did nothing at all to dampen her spirits as she watched Bell throw himself forwards one final time, holding onto Hestia's hips with all his might and burying himself furiously inside her. Utterly enraptured, her eyes were locked on ever twitch and spasm of his back and his body as the young adventurer suddenly unloaded into the Goddess!

"NyAAAA!"

Mouth open wide in a lewd cry of her own, with her tongue lolled out and chest heaving with delight, Chloe stared as hard as she could, burning every milimeder of the scene into her soul as her own pleasure cascaded incredibly around her! Bent over forwards, fully off the wall as her fingers mimicked the Adventurer's movements, plunging as far into her pussy as she could go, she yowled in frantic bliss as her walls spasmed tight around the digits and as the avalanche of orgasm's she'd already savoured finally caught up with her!

She came. Again, and then again, and again! Until her body was trembling with violent shudders, until her thighs were soaked thick with her juices, and until her eyes were so glazed over in bliss that all that existed of the scene of the young man's release was what she'd captured within her heart!

"Hha, White-Hair!" moaning and gasping, shaking and shivering, Chloe peaked higher than she'd ever reached in all her lonely, nights, "NYAA-"

!

And then she suddenly became aware that, with her entire body bent over, almost in half, both her hands off the wall and her legs trembling with delight, all her strength was flooding out of her… and even she couldn't possibly maintain her balance.

"Nya-YAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Yowling in a terrified mix of pleasure, shock and despair, the once famous Black Cat crashed to an untidy heap onto the cobblestones below. With a heavy thud, she smacked into the pavement, and landed splayed out, one hand in a death-grip around a mirror and the other still buried headily between her legs.

"Ny…ya…"

She wasn't seriously hurt, of course. A fall like that was absolutely nothing to a level 4 assassin.

But even Chloe had some shame, and finding herself bared naked to the world on the cold stone pavement, having smashed into the ground after cumming so hard she lost her balance… there was no way she couldn't find herself burning up with embarrassment. Regathering her strength, she tugged her clothing awkwardly back into place, shuffled her skirt back down over her waist and pushed herself slowly back up to her feet.

A sound of rapturous delight rang out a distance above her head. Telling her that Bell and Hestia hadn't finished yet.

But, as Chloe made to follow the siren's song, her legs immediately gave out under her, and she sagged on her own weight, catching herself against the wall just to keep from sliding back to the ground, "Huh?" calming down enough to at least examine herself, with a professional's eye, she finally realised the state she was in.

Namely, she'd worked herself into such a frenzy that she was out of breath. And her body was still so sensitive, and so overstimulated, that she was left almost without any of her strength at all. Her legs were shaking, her breath was heaving, and her bare pussy was thrumming with delight. Watching Bell's performance, finally seeing a young boy like in her fantasy, had affected her so intensely, she'd wound up being overcome without even participating!

As much as she hated to admit it, there was absolutely no way she could climb back up there now. And, as much as she wanted to witness the act that was continuing, her body was so fully satisfied with what she'd gotten, that she didn't know if she could even take much more.

And so, stumbling awkwardly out the alleyway, walking on shaking steps, with her panties left behind somewhere in the alleyway, her face flushed bright red and tail swishing giddily back and forth behind her, the Black Cat staggered back in the direction of where she was meant to be doing her job.

She was pretty sure she could remember where she'd left the potatoes.

She didn't have a clue how she was going to explain the fact that her waitress uniform was dirty, soaked in sweat and stained in her juices…

But right now, she couldn't possibly do anything but smile.

The black-haired catgirl walked through Orario with a carefree, dizzily happy smile on her face. One thoroughly unbefitting for an assassin, and far warmer than any she could even remember wearing before.

Because, for a change, Chloe Rollo's life plan was working out how she'd hoped.

--*--

Heaving another dispirited sigh, Alfia rolled over once again, throwing her head against the pillow as her mind wandered fruitlessly.

The noise of the city was far away, in this desolate area of Orario, the basement of the abandoned church was blanketed comfortably in silence.

And yet, the tranquillity was less comforting than she was used to.

Somehow, the silence was incomplete.

It wasn't as if she wanted the noise of their everyday lives, or that she savoured the din the boy and his Goddess so recklessly caused.

But the subtle, soft silence that contained all three of them was far more comforting than the lonely silence that was left by their absence.

Another sigh broke out through the still night.

Somehow it seemed she'd even gotten attached to that ridiculous nobody Goddess of his. She'd certainly never felt anything but frustration or disgust towards Zeus in all the years she'd spent with him. And with Hera it had simply been…

Disregarding that thought, Alfia tossed herself around once more, landing on her back, staring sleeplessly up at her ceiling.

She wasn't a fool she knew what the problem was.

It wasn't some excess of worry, she didn't baby her adorable and beloved Bell so much that she'd lay awake anytime he was out of her sight. If that were the case, she couldn't possibly handle something as reckless as sending him alone into the dungeon, or even trusting him to that infuriating supporter he'd grown so attached to.

And it wasn't loneliness either, Alfia was the kind of selfish, capricious person to quite happily push anyone away as far and as often as she liked, only to seek them out at her own convenience. She was very comfortable in her own thoughts.

It was simply the absolutely pointless, whimsical melancholy of being slowly left behind.

She wasn't his mother, of course. But she had raised him all the same. He'd spent almost every day of his life until this point at her side, clutching at her dress, or never far from her sight. She'd brought him to Orario to make him both a hero and a man. He'd achieved one and was on his way towards the other.

It was exactly what she'd wanted. Exactly what she'd set out to do.

But she hadn't thought it would happen just quite this quickly.

And so once again, Bell was out there spending his nights as a hero should, savouring his time outside the dungeon and taking care of the woman he'd chosen. And soon there would be more women, and more nights like this. She was happy, of course. And proud, even more so.

But she still knew she'd sleep just a little better when those two oblivious lovebirds finally stumbled back in.

--*--

'Mooou…"

Another hour had passed and still, Cassandra couldn't sleep.

The room smelled sweet with the comforting scent of argelica. The curtains were shut tight, coating the entire room in inky darkness. The magic crystal was keeping everything at a comfortably cool temperate.

And still she was left flopping uselessly around, stretching her naked body out under the thin sheet, sighing at the restlessness filled her and the heat that was keeping her awake. She was never one to suffer from any kind of insomnia, but tonight she was just completely unable to calm down, and entirely unable to get any sleep.

It was as frustrating as it was depressing.

She'd been sleeping so well lately, and she'd been looking forward to her nights more than ever, with each passing day even more hopeful she would see another vision of the future that awaited her. It was important, she'd reminded herself day after day. She'd never had prophetic dreams like this, it wasn't something that would happen without a reason, and given the context of what she'd seen it wasn't something she could possibly underestimate. Clearly, huge changes were afoot for her and the Apollo Familia, if not Orario itself.

And more importantly than that, she needed to understand more of what was going on and just what these visions were. She'd promised Daphne she'd report any further developments, and that she wouldn't go getting herself mixed up in it, forgetting what was real and what was just a dream (of what would surely, hopefully become real). The latest dream had been far clearer than before, full of far more details and even more powerful emotions, if that held true moving forwards then she could surely unravel this entire mystery if she could only see more.

Yes.

By any logic and any stretch of explanation, Cassandra had many valid and important reasons for wanting so badly to see another vision of her future.

…

But, unfortunately, after two hours of fruitlessly tossing and turning in bed, she was forced to admit that regardless of whatever justifications she might have used, those reasons truly all came back to the yearning, wet heat smouldering between her legs. That warmth washed through her each time she recalled the dreams she'd had, and each time she chewed on her lip or squeezed her thighs together as she anticipated experiencing more.

In the end, Cassandra was a lonely teenage girl, it was no surprise at all that she wanted so badly to see the face of the man who'd told her he loved her, and the most obvious thing in the world that she wanted to feel his arms around her again. Of course, it was those same desires and the hope for more that left her so excited, even as the hours dragged on.

Ultimately, the forlorn Oracle was simply too horny to sleep.

"…Daphne really was right about me…"

--*--

Lying on her side, with her face buried in her hands and her knees pulled up to her stomach, Riveria was mortified to a degree she hadn't felt in decades.

It was an absolutely unconscionable slip up.

What happened to her maturity? What happened to her control?

The restrained, disciplined High Elf who had always been so careful to maintain faultless control of herself and to never use anyone else's image for the purpose of her own sexual needs had not just gotten off to memories of her time with a man, but to memories of a human. A human embarrassingly younger than her. The very same human that the girl she'd raised practically as a daughter had taken such a keen interest in.

And she'd cum harder than she'd ever came before.

The shame multiplied as her self condemnation grew, "Ahhh…" she couldn't help but moan aloud.

The worst of it, the absolute most shameful part of all, was the unshakable memory of just how good it had felt. Her hips had outright jolted into the air, her breath had caught in her throat, and her vision had flashed white before her eyes. It felt like another world from the soft, weak orgasm's she'd satiated herself with in the past- even now, even as Riveria was wracked with shame to the point she was left moaning in embarrassment like a silly teenager, she could still feel every last centimeder of herself flushed warm with satisfaction.

Rather than slipping out from the covers and dressing herself appropriately for bed, she felt like just moving around would be impossible right now, her entire body was awash with light aftershocks and pleasant tremors.

Riveria was a smart woman, a veteran Adventurer, a competent leader, and even an experienced mother. But right now, for the first time in longer than she could recall, she was left utterly bewildered.

It wasn't as if she was interested in Bell Cranel, she was sure. He was simply the only man she'd spent this much time with recently and… the only man who'd ever touched her... Was it really such a surprise he'd capture so much of her attention like this? With how stressed she'd been and how much she'd had to take care of, perhaps it was only natural her control might slip and her mind might end up turning to something shocking, like the feeling of his body against hers, especially when she was in such a heightened state.

Unfortunately, her rational explanation was severely undercut by the sensation of her body humming with such sweet satisfaction.

"…How can I possibly face him tomorrow?"

--*--

And so, the night passed by. Slowly for some and swiftly for others.

And, whether it was by the direct manipulation by the Norns, the Fates or simply some manner of cosmic co-incidence, five of the women in such close orbit around the young, white-haired adventurer all passed the night in just the same manner- engrossed in their thoughts of him with their own separate feelings burning in their chest.

--*--

Slowly, surely and inevitably, the days slipped by.

The days were busy, scary, exhausting and difficult but all too soon and far before he was ready for it, the final day before the Loki Familia's next expedition arrived, and with it, the end of Bell's secret training.

Even in their final session together, Bell never managed to score more than 4 points on Ais under Riveria's regime, nor last more than a few hours in battle with her before staggering to the ground under Heith's endless ministrations, but the distance he'd come, the knowledge he'd gained and the growth he'd shown in their time together was clear even to his eyes. He couldn't possibly emulate Ais's fighting style to the extent that she wielded it, nor could he control his magic with such precision as Riveria requested, but the understanding he'd gained from each of them had polished his rudimentary skillset to far beyond what he'd previously been capable of.

Their time together had been short, about ten days all told, but he was sure he'd learned more in that time than in all the weeks he'd spent in Orario until now.

Three of the most famous adventurers, from the most famous factions in Orario, had all come day after day only for the sake of giving him private training. No matter how much of a naïve, country bumpkin Bell might consider himself to be, even he couldn't have possibly thought that was anything close to normal.

Lacking any kind of eloquence, but doing his best to explain just how grateful he was for their time, effort and generosity, Bell wound up bowing do many times that his blood loss caught up with him and he was sent careening down to the ground once again.

After that, Riveria headed back to the Twilight Manor. Offering a quiet and reserved goodbye, she didn't quite meet his eyes the entire time.

Heith returned to Folkvangr. Waving a cheerful farewell, she somehow looked a good deal less exhausted now than she had when she'd first arrived.

And Ais led Bell off to have breakfast together, one last time.

He still didn't manage to let her pay. And, feeling far too deeply in her debt to possibly utter the words… in the end, he didn't have the courage to ask to see her again. Not when he was still too weak and unreliable to stand at her side.

And with that, without any great commotion, Bell's life returned to normal.

It didn't hit him all at once, rather, he was so full of gratitude and so overwhelmed with just how unbelievable the few days had been, that he his spirit was almost soaring. He visited Syr at work to pick up his lunch, returned home to walk with Lilli to the dungeon, and then spent the rest of the day throwing himself at the labyrinth's monsters, testing for himself the full fruit of his progress through the harsh training. They progressed quicker than ever down to the 11th floor, and then spent the rest of their time prowling around until they were tired, low on resources, and with satchels full up with magic stones.

All in all, it had been a very successful day, Lilli had been overjoyed with how much money they'd made and Bell had been satisfied with his progress. By the time he'd parted from his Prum supporter, Bell had been more than satisfied with how things had gone.

And then, after wishing Eina goodnight, as he was passing through the Guild's lobby, he caught sight of an announcement hanging prominently in the middle of the adventurer's noticeboard.

His heart sank immediately to the floor.

A feeling like the difference between Heaven and Earth welled up within him, and his world turned grey. Head spinning, he slumped dazedly out into the streets, walking without direction his feet took him aimlessly through the city but his thoughts were on the other side of the world. He didn't want to go home, not just yet, that was the only thing that made sense. He didn't know what kind of face he was making right now, nor what kind of expression he could possibly make to his Goddess and Alfia.

Sighs slipped from his mouth in a soft chorus with every step, one after another. Doubling back through Central Park took him past Babel, and past the waves of adventurers pouring out of the dungeon and into the night. The city grew louder, livelier and more boisterous, and Bell just felt more lost and more alone in response. He didn't feel part of it, the noise of the town had nothing to do with him at all.

Eventually he wound up simply following the crowd, getting lost in the surge and the flow. The night sky felt grey, the people all around him felt far in the distance. Rather than the brave and strong adventurer he was meant to be, he felt like a child simply trying to act grown up, trying to fit in with everyone else. He'd done so much, he'd pushed himself as furiously as he could, he'd so desperately wanted to believe -like believing in a fairy tale- that just working hard would be enough. And maybe in the end, that fairy tale was just that, and the dull obviousness of reality was all that was left.

He knew he was overreacting, he knew his melancholy wasn't reasonable, but he couldn't fight against the crushing weight in his chest.

All around him the mighty walls of Orario rose high up into the sky. But within his heart, it felt like the walls surrounding him rose even higher still.

"- Bell!"

It was right then that Syr ambushed him.

--*--

"Thanks for agreeing to help me with this Bell! To think you'd volunteer to help me at work!"

"I didn't volunteer to do anything! You practically forced me!"

He yelled back, loud enough for the words to ring out even above the bustling hubbub of the Hostess of Fertility's common room. The silver-haired con-woman paused from where she'd been dancing back towards the commotion just long enough to offer him a cheeky grin and an insincere bow by way of apology.

Walking along the streets with his head in a daze, he'd been completely thrown off-guard when the beautiful waitress had appeared before him and begged her to come with her. No sooner had he nodded an agreement than Bell had found her hand in a tight grip around his wrist as she dragged him into the pub and all the way through towards the kitchen, where he'd been unceremoniously shunted towards a giant pile of dirty dishes practically overflowing the sink from all directions. Bell had agreed to come with her, he'd intended to help her if she needed something, but washing dishes wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind!

"I ignored all my chores and went out this morning, so Mama Mia got really mad at me! And now I've got even more to take care of than ever!"

Wait.

"That's completely your own fault!"

Any sympathy Bell might have had dried up completely at the girl's explanation, but his words rang out uselessly towards her back as she turned and hurried back into the main room. Realising just how thoroughly he'd been tricked and how cunningly she'd offloaded her extra work onto him, Bell could only sigh. But then again, the pub was bustling with customers and there was no indication that Syr was shirking her job at the moment. She really did have a lot to do, and she probably really could use a hand. Another long-suffering sigh slipped out, but he turned obediently back towards the massive stack of dishes, and began the Sisyphean task.

Of course, the other waitresses found the boy's plight tremendously amusing.

"Enslaved by Syr, nya," Anya laughed as she perilously added another handful of dirty plates to the already teetering pile, "Only fair, this is his duty now, nya!"

"Nya, White-Hair!" For some reason, Chloe was shooting him a thumbs up and a dazzling smile, "Thanks for the meal, the other day-nya!"

Huh? Meal? He didn't have a clue what she was talking about, but he doubted he wanted to know. Doing his best to take their teasing in stride, he put both cat-girls out of his mind and instead continued to attack the mountain of plates still jumbled up next to the sink.

"Urgh."

He wasn't particularly happy about being dragged in like this and having his night decided for him so abruptly, especially when he'd had an exhausting morning and a full day in the dungeon already. But then, the waitresses in the Hostess had all done a lot for him, he did like them all, and he owed a great deal to Syr most of all. Between the grimoire she'd given him, and the lunches she'd continued to make for him day after day… there was a reason he'd gone along with her selfishness, even as he'd been pushed into the kitchen. It was hard to say he didn't owe her a pile of favours as big as the one before him.

But why did it have to be washing dishes!?

Of all the boring, monotonous, dirty, wet, chores he could have done for her!

Another sigh slipped out, as another handful of plates, cups and cutlery were all washed clean moments before being replaced with yet another table-full freshly delivered.

Maybe it was for the best. A mindless, repetitive task might be what he needed to clear his mind right now. It was certainly better than walking around Orario in a daze, barely even conscious of where he was going or what was around him.

"Level six…"

Hanging in the middle of the Guild's noticeboard had been the decorated announcement of the Sword Princess's advancement.

The notice seemed to have been there for a few days by now, but he'd simply never noticed it, he'd had so much on his mind and so much to take care of that it had never occurred to him to check out the noticeboard, even tonight he'd only seen it by pure chance. Ais hadn't said anything either, of course not, she barely knew him, talking about her own success would have simply sounded like bragging.

But now his training was over and his time with her was over. And that fact was drilled into him even stronger than ever. He had no chance to talk to her, no chance to congratulate her, or anything else.

Ais was gone from his world, and instead his normal life would resume. She would dive to the deepest depths of the dungeon and he would crawl along the upper levels.

Despite his best efforts to focus on his task and to lose himself in the repetitive cleaning, the same dark thoughts that had left him slumping through the streets returned, encroaching on his heart and leaving him feeling just as pathetic as before.

Ais had already been atop the very pinnacle of Orario's adventurers, and now she had risen even higher, far into the sky, reaching to the distant heavens, a strength he couldn't even imagine. He was happy for her, he truly was, but it was hard to deal with. The gulf between them was wider than ever, and his efforts to try catch up with her seemed more ridiculous than ever.

He understood now, in a way that he had never before coming to Orario, that very few adventurers actually made it to level two, and fewer still made it past that. The more he'd learned, the more aware he'd become of just how exceptional Ais truly was, a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the city could reach the heights Bell had so desperately thrown himself to. And now she was even further above. And he was still exactly where he'd begun. Most of Orario's adventurers were only level 1, most of them never made it any higher than that no matter how many years they spent in the dungeon… was that also to be his fate?

A cold chill pressed on his heart and the walls that loomed around him pressed closer still.

He knew he was being impatient, he understood that. Both his Goddess and Alfia had said the same thing.

They'd told him he was growing at an impressive rate, that he should be proud of his growth, and that it was far too soon for him to worry about anything more, far too soon to think about going beyond that.

He understood their words, and he knew they were surely correct. But Bell was a new adventurer, and he was alone in his Familia, he had no-one to compare himself against except his past self… and he could see, day by day, that his efforts were bearing less and less fruit, no matter how desperately he dove through the dungeon or how furiously he worked himself to improve. Where previously, his stats had jumped up multiples of ten or even hundreds at a time, now he was lucky to see them even improving by ten or twenty in any given day.

Alfia told him again and again that such a pace was still incredible, and his Goddess assured him that all adventurer's faced slower gains as their abilities rose higher.

But their words fell on deaf ears as he saw his previously rapid accomplishments dropping off, and as he began to fear that the only reason he was seeing the growth he was, was due to the harsh training he'd been doing with three of Orario's famed adventurers.

That training was over now, and he was back where he was, back to facing the fear he'd held of seeing even more minimal improvements with each passing day. And back to the fear of Ais leaving him entirely in the dirt as she flew ever higher and ever out of reach. He'd heard rumours recently that she'd defeated a Floor Boss by herself, a Monster Rex, the kind of terrifying foe that normally required whole teams or multiple parties of adventurers to overcome, she'd cut down singlehandedly. He didn't know if that was true, but it stood again as just another sobering reminder of just how utterly distant she was with him, and just how miserable the fear of his slowing progress was in the face of such a gulf.

Bell kept his mouth closed, pursing his lips tight as the frustration and anxiety built between his shoulders. He pushed the dark thoughts aside and forced himself to think only about the mountain of dishes still looming ominously above him. Whipping his hands faster and faster through the water, the monotonous task gave only a few moments of reprieve before his thoughts turned inwards once more.

"Are you okay, Cranel-san?"

"Huh?"

"She left you far too many. I shall assist you."

A soft voice finally broke through his melancholy, pulling him abruptly back to reality. Cold as the northern winds and serious without even a hint of levity, the Elfin voice was still somehow gentle in a way that left the darkness around him suddenly banished. It reminded him of Alfia, he thought. Words that felt soft and tender, even thought there was neither softness nor tenderness to be seen.

"Ryu-san?"

Before he'd even realised it, the blonde-elf had already joined Bell at the sink. Turning slightly at the sound of her voice, her long slender ears flashed through his vision, and her light blue eyes, as deep as the sky itself seemed to be looking right through him. Even without a word more spoken, she had already flown into action, moving with practiced motions, her thin arms blurred through the water at a speed well above what he'd been managing himself.

The sounds of the full bar echoed through to the kitchen. There was no doubt that, just like Syr, Ryu must have a mountain of tasks she was supposed to be taking care of with this many customers, but still she'd come here and simply thrown herself into the tedious task without even a single word of complaint.

"S-Sorry," Bell offered a half bow, speeding up in an ultimately futile attempt to match her furious pace, "I know you're busy too."

"No. This situation is Syr's fault. Therefore, the blame lies with us, the employees who couldn't cover for her. We're the ones who have left you dragged in, to make up for our shortcomings. We owe you our thanks- and, on behalf of all of us, allow me to convey our apology."

"R-Ryu-san! Th-That's, hey, you don't need to go that far!"

His hands paused, covered in the dirty dishwater, as he restrained from holding them up towards her.

Syr had completely tricked him, and then scampered off without a word of remorse, and here Ryu was, working beside him and apologising in her stead. It was too much! He wasn't even (very) upset, he'd already accepted this was just a measure of payment for everything the waitresses had always done for him.

As always, he was dazzled by her. Both by Ryu's elfin beauty, and her proud integrity. He'd known her for a few weeks now, of all the waitresses she'd been the first he'd ever met, the one who'd helped him when he'd been looking for the Astrea Familia, and she'd always been serious, and always incredibly conscious of her manners and protocol. But to pile even more work on herself, when the bar was surely bursting at the seams, and to do so naturally without prompting and with only her own guilt driving her, Bell was sure that Ryu must be a perfect example of Elven integrity.

Even though Ryu was just a waitress, he was absolutely convinced that she held all the pride and nobility that her race was so renowned for, to his mind she could easily stand up beside Riveria, who had given up ten days of her life simply to make up for a minor blemish to her Familia's reputation. And, just like the green haired Elf, no matter how cold or stoic Ryu's personality seemed, that familiar, silent softness in her voice, and the consideration in her actions countered any of the complaints he'd heard whispered of her race's aloofness. Truly, he thought his first encounter with Ryu, and the kindness she'd shown him then as a total stranger, was why he'd been able to build the confidence to spend time with Eina, Filvis, and Riveria as he had.

In short, her radiant good looks made him nervous just standing next to her, and her unpromoted kindness left him speechless.

Bell didn't particularly want to wash dishes, but he certainly didn't want to inconvenience the blonde elf.

Lacking the words to answer her graciousness, he simply threw himself once more against the pile of dishes, dunking an entire stack of cups into the soapy water in one single motion.

…

"Cranel-san… has something happened?"

He blinked, caught off guard once again.

"I don't mean to be forward, but you appear to be depressed. You've looked out of sorts all evening… I'm sure Syr is worried too."

Once again, her kind consideration left him short of words and short of breath. Had it really been so obvious something was wrong with him? Bell knew he wasn't much of an actor, but he hadn't thought he wore his heart so openly on his sleeve… perhaps Ryu was just that perceptive?

"If you consider me worthy, I'll listen."

It was something he hadn't even considered. He had been burying his feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness deep inside for weeks now, unable to reveal them even to Alfia, his Goddess or to Eina. He already knew their answers, he already knew that they would tell him to be patient, that he was doing fine, that his growth was impressive, even as he fell further and further behind the woman he was chasing. Tonight had finally been the catalyst that had pushed his emotions to the point they'd spilled over, the point where he couldn't deny how pathetic he was feeling.

"I owe you for your assistance tonight. If you have no reservations, please, allow me to help."

"…"

Standing there, admiring her beauty and being swept away by her kindness, a large part of him was ready to just tell her about everything, to explain all his fears and doubts and about the walls he could feel looming ahead of his progress.

Yet, somehow, he couldn't. Maybe it was pride, or maybe it was the childish fear that speaking them aloud, of getting her confirmation, would make them real. He couldn't bring himself to explain the feelings gnawing at his chest, how the woman he'd idolised had left him in the dust and how he'd finally been forced to face -yet again- just how weak and pathetic he was in comparison.

Despite himself, there was some small part of him, some smouldering ember lit in this same bar, that still believed he could still catch up. That if he kept trying harder, if he pushed himself even further then maybe it wasn't yet impossible. Even if it was almost unimaginable, and even if it was ridiculously greedy to chase another woman despite being so happy with his Goddess, he still couldn't bear to give up. Not yet. Not until he'd done everything he could.

Bell knew it was cowardly to be too afraid to even seek advice for fear of hearing a confirmation he didn't want… but right now, he didn't think he could take it. His heart was already wrenched in his chest. Instead, he asked her about something else.

After hearing about Ais's latest level up, there was something more he needed to know. Information Alfia wouldn't tell him and his Goddess avoided talking about.

"Um… Ryu-san… in the past, were you also, an adventurer?"

A slight chill ran down his spine and the temperature of the kitchen seemed to have dropped a degree. Looking across at her, Bell could see the elf's sky-blue eyes peering directly at him, her gaze narrowed as if to peel back his intentions.

"…Yes," she admitted after a moment, revealing a facet of her past she hid very close to her (modest, but no less beautiful) chest, "I was, at one time. Why? What are you getting at?"

Jolted in place, Bell frantically shook his head, assuring her that he wasn't trying to pry into her past. Even someone as new to the Dungeon City as him understood adventurers were often those looking to leave their past behind. Instead, he asked the question that had been burning through his mind the last week.

"I want to know about getting stronger… I know we got to the dungeon to gain excelia, but how does an adventurer level up?"

Excelia was what improved an adventurer's Status, it was natural to assume that simply gathering enough of it was the answer to levelling up. But he'd done that for weeks now, and every time he'd seen his status increase, he'd thought he must have been getting closer, that his level up must be around the corner, from seeing his stats at B, to A, to S, every time he'd told himself he must be right there, and his Goddess had assured him he was reaching the top of his ability, and yet it never happened. The days passed, his Status grew slower and slower, and nothing about him changed.

Alfia had told him it was simply too soon to worry about such things, and Eina had said much the same. But the more he worried and the more he racked his brains about it, the more convinced Bell was that there must be something he was missing. He knew the Gods talked about level ups as the adventurer's "Vessel becoming larger", and while he didn't really understand what that meant, he could reason that it was related to a Level 2 being far stronger than a Level 1, their status or their excelia must be higher, or more powerful in some manner.

But how did he achieve that? How did he expand his vessel? As he threw himself into the dungeon day after day, it felt like the wall between him and Level 2 was rising higher and higher, and he knew if he couldn't surmount it, he would be stuck where he was forever.

Ryu nodded at his question, examining him for a moment as she considered her words. Then finally, she answered.

"You must achieve a great feat."

"Huh?" he blinked, of all the answers he'd considered, that was well outside expectations, "A Great feat? What do you mean?"

"You must complete a great task, something that even the Gods can't ignore," she answered, as seriously as ever, "Defeat an enemy much more powerful than yourself, gain an incredible amount of excelia all at once. That's the only way to strengthen your soul."

So then, the answer to expanding his vessel was to… fill it to overflowing? It was so simple to say, but the practice sounded daunting beyond measure. If that truly was the requirement, then it didn't matter how many times he dove into the dungeon, or how many hundreds of lower-level monsters he slew in the upper floors, he would never rank up.

Bell swallowed, realising the implication immediately. The only way to reach the next level was to take down something truly powerful.

The only way he would ever catch up to Ais was to achieve something like one of the heroes of legend.

If he couldn't do that, if he couldn't become the hero he had promised to be, then he would never be anything more than what he was right now.

A cold shudder ran down his back. It was almost perfect, almost ideal, and yet absolutely terrifying. To level up would require him to truly show that he was capable of the feats he'd talked about so easily. He could immediately understand why Alfia had said nothing, and why his Goddess had told him simply to wait and polish his skills.

But, impatient or not, Bell knew he couldn't afford to wait. Not while Ais was sprinting ever further ahead, not while she was diving deeper into the dungeon than he could even imagine.

"An adventurer's level is the strength of their soul- a "container" within them. The Falna allows your soul to grow, but only to those who can prove themselves deserving."

"Then… what about my abilities? The basic stats?"

"In short, they are to prepare you to achieve something great. Nothing more."

Then, the abilities he'd gained so far, everything he'd done until this point, that was only to ready himself for what came next, the task of taking down something much more powerful than him and carving his name with a heroic feat. An adventurer only raised his abilities in preparation to overcoming something great. It was all so simple, but far deeper than he'd ever considered. Taking in his bewildered expression, Ryu then explained that the stats also served as qualifications for achieving a great feat- an adventurer could only level up once all their base stats were above D.

"Then, but…" awkwardly putting his conclusions to words, Bell tried to make sense of the task that lay before him, "Fighting a monster that's much more powerful than you… doesn't that mean you'd lose?"

He was starting to understand why the vast majority of Orario's adventurers were still only level 1. And maybe why so many were reported back lost each day in the dungeon.

"Overcoming that disadvantage is part technique and part strategy. You must be able to achieve such a thing despite the disadvantage, that's what it means to do something great… I shall tell you the most common way to do so: Form a battle party."

Ah. Of course.

"Using a group's combined strength and strategy to slay a beat far stronger than any of the party members… Adventurer's repeat that over and again to get stronger.

It was much safer to venture into the dungeon with comrades, he'd thought that alone was the reason there were so few solo adventurers. But it seemed the reason went deeper than that, it seemed there was a limit to just how far you could achieve anything by yourself. The battle excelia would be split between all the party members, but it would still be a fool proof method to level up- with multiple people all overcoming each other's weaknesses, it would definitely be possible to take down an otherwise overwhelming foe.

It wasn't as if Bell didn't want to form a party, rather that had always been his ideal, the dream he'd had about diving into the dungeon with a group of (if he was honest, female) adventurers at his side. Protecting them and being protected in turn, becoming closer than friends and forming a bond that only existed among comrades. He'd wanted that so badly he'd laid awake dreaming about it back in his childhood! But without any achievements to his name, and without a Familia of any note, finding reliable allies simply hadn't happened. He'd been lucky enough just to gather one with Lilli.

"Cranel-san. The task of levelling up is daunting, the Gods always chide hasty children that to seek only power and only to level up is to risk misfortune. Power is worthless if you cannot also survive. So, if you wish to become stronger, a battle party is required- please keep that in mind."

He nodded.

Just like Alfia, Eina and his Goddess had all said, and just like Mama Mia had warned him, more important than anything was coming out alive. Ryu wasn't telling him not to go to the dungeon, and she wasn't telling him not to try level up, or that it was too soon to try do so. She was telling him that the task should be approached rationally, and that there was a tried, tested path to doing so.

He thanked her once again.

And then, another chill of realisation ran down his spine. Adventurers levelled up through battle parties, they used their comrades, tactics and skills to take down powerful monsters…

…Then, that means that Ais, who had taken down a Floor Boss all by herself…

Once again, Bell was reminded of just how far away the Sword Princess was. The days he'd spent spending so much of each morning collapsed in her arms, of chasing her round the battlements, or even of eating breakfast with her and trying his best to make conversation, it all felt like an impossible dream, a silly fantasy his naïve mind must have invented. She was soaring so far into the sky, and he was trapped on the ground, only just realising now the true height of his goal.

"…I have advice to offer you. If you will hear it?"

"Ah, yes, of course."

Ryu once again brought him back before he could get lost in bitter thoughts once again.

"Cranel-san. Please understand that every adventurer has meaning. No one knows what awaits them on their adventurer, what they will encounter, or what lays before them- the dungeon and human fate are both imperceptible. However, do not lose sight of the meaning to why you are setting out, your purpose."

Pausing for a moment, she let the words sink in, reminding him of the simplest truth of all.

"Cranel-san, you are an adventurer."

As always. Ryu's warm, gentle words that lacked both gentleness and warmth, plunged right to the depths of his soul. And as they echoed through him, the world around him suddenly felt a little less grey, as if the darkness that had enveloped his eyes had eased away.

"What you seek, surely, cannot be obtained without venturing forwards."

Stuck in place, staring at her, no words of reply came to him. Without even intending to, and without any knowledge of it, she'd reminded of him of the same vow he'd made that night after fleeing this very bar, when he'd thrown himself unarmoured into the dungeon in a desperation to change himself and throw away his naïve self.

It didn't matter how high the goal he sought was. It didn't matter how distant the gulf between them was. It didn't matter how terrifying the foes he needed to overcome to tread Ais's path were.

Nothing had changed, not since that day and maybe not since the day he'd first handed his application form to Eina.

He was an adventurer. He could only achieve anything by going on an adventure.

"Ah, no. Please, don't worry about it. My intuition is often wrong."

"Ah!"

For a moment, for just a second, he was sure she'd smiled at him! The ever-serious Ryu, the aloof but considerate Elf that was so concerned with propriety and integrity had surely smiled at him! A ray of warmth and sunlight burst from his chest, dispelling all the darkness surrounding him, and leaving him dazzled by her once again!

It was gone by the time she blinked. Disappearing as soon as he'd realised it. Looking at her now, her usually cold expression was back in place. But Bell was sure of what he'd seen. Even if it was just a dream or a fantasy of his naïve mind. He engraved that memory in his heart, alongside his memories of the mornings spent atop Orario's walls.

Tilting her head at the flash of emotions rushing over his face, she asked if he was alright, but he waved it off and said it was nothing.

Turning their attention back to the past, working together, side by side, the two of them successfully overcame the otherwise overwhelming beast that had been the mountain of dirty dishes.

The bar was still alive with voices, shouts, and cheers. As much as he'd enjoyed his time with the beautiful Elf, and as silently grateful as he was for the warmth in his chest that had replaced the crushing chill, the reason he'd been dragged into the Hostess was gone, and he was well overdue to head home before Alfia or his Goddess began to worry.

As conscientious as ever, Ryu took the time to walk him to the door of the kitchen rather than turning back to the rest of the work that awaited her.

"Cranel-san… I am pleased to see you looking a little better. Please visit us again when you have an opportunity."

"Sure, I'll drop by again soon."

And then, just as she began to turn away, Bell gathered his courage and continued.

"Ryu-san, I- I feel a lot better after talking to you, I know what I was missing now. Um, [thank you, for everything!]"

The sudden words of Elvish caught the blonde waitress entirely off guard, and just for a second, the always stoic Elf's expression broke in surprise.

Laughing happily to himself, and engraving another memory into his heart, Bell walked back out through the bar.

--*--

Leaving Ryu behind, Bell wended his way through the crowds, past the drunken, cheering and carousing adventurers and onto the terrace of the bar. The happy voices of the city folk roared around him, but this time the loneliness that those sounds had caused him had passed and the chill in his heart had thawed. The night was dragging on, it was well past time he went home.

"Ah, Bell-san!"

"Huh? Oh, Syr-san."

Turning around, he saw Syr busting out the door after him. Her soft cheeks were dyed pink and her eyes looked surprisingly hesitant as she followed him out into the dying twilight. Was that just the exertion of her job, and the pressure she'd put on him? Strangely, her usual cheeky nature was nowhere to be seen, instead, she seemed uncharacteristically sincere. And unfortunately, that sight too, left Bell off guard.

It seemed it would need a bit longer before he could come to grips with this waitress.

"I'm really sorry about today…" she opened, bowing her head just slightly, "Thank you so much for your help."

She'd finally apologised.

"Ah, ha, well, um, I know I complained but… you've helped me out so many times too, so…"

Looking at the confidant, spritely older girl lowering her head towards him, and being knocked off balance by her sincerity, Bell couldn't bring himself to say anything more than that. Perhaps that was just like her, even when she apologised, she was so forthright it wasn't possible to tell her off, much less stay mad at her.

"So, you don't need to apologise."

Raising her head, she slunk another step closer. He braced herself for her inevitable teasing, or playful response…

…Yet, it never came. She just looked at him, her lips opening and closing, struggling with her words and what she needed to say. But somehow, it was more than just being tongue tied, if he had to describe it, Bell would have said she looked as if she was standing on the edge of a precipice, unsure how to proceed.

"Hey… Bell-san…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm… I'm not an adventurer, so I don't know how to put this… But…" her gaze shifted from his, and a wan smile lifted slowly in place as if in imitation of the bright grin that always greeted Bell's mornings, "But, you don't have to go on adventures, right?"

His eyes went wide in surprise. Had she heard his conversation with Ryu? Was that why she was suddenly so worried?

"Isn't it fine to just go through the dungeon at your own pace, and get stronger like that? You can find strong allies, and overcome challenges together? Ah… Bell-san… Just, please, don't do anything reckless, that's all I'm trying to say."

Stuck with surprise, he didn't know how to answer her.

But thankfully, it seemed just saying that much had lifted a weight from her shoulders, "…To think I'd lose my nerve, now, of all times…" she whispered something he didn't understand, and with that, her smile slowly returned to normal, and the bright light in her eyes shone once again.

"Sorry, that probably sounded strange…"

"Ah, no, no… Really, my advisor says the same thing!" waving his hands, he wound up rambling again, "Adventurers must not go on an adventure! She's told me that so many times I've heard it in my sleep!"

She laughed with the same cheerful energy as always, buoyed by his awkward attempt to reassure her as she slipped away and back towards her job, "I'll always prepare lunch for you, so please, keep coming!" and with that, and one last beautiful smile, she was gone.

Bell nodded, understanding the implicit (and, characteristically insistent) promise. Keep coming back to her. It was the same promise he'd made his Goddess. Except, of course, he'd actually said that to his Goddess, rather than just having the words one-sidedly thrust upon him. Syr had left before he'd even had a chance to respond!

Breathing out something between a sigh and a laugh, he stepped onto the street and onto his way home.

And as he did so, with the words, warnings and advice all swirling around inside him, Bell felt like he could finally see the path before him.

There was a fork in the road, two ways he could travel.

On one side was the path Ryu set before him.

On the other was the one that Syr and Eina were urging him on.

This was why his Goddess and Alfia hadn't told him anything, why they'd said it was too early for him and why they'd told him to just continue as he was. Because he needed to make this choice himself. It would lose all meaning if it wasn't his choice.

He looked up at the night sky, weighing the options and the true understanding he now had of his possibilities.

You are an adventurer.

Adventurers must not go on adventures.

"Huh…"

It was an important choice, one of the most important choices he'd ever made.

And yet, strangely, his heart didn't waver at all.

It should have been a difficult choice. And Bell was usually the kind of person that hated to displease someone, or ignore their advice that it should have been difficult to make up his mind.

"Maybe I really am a fool?"

While there were certainly two paths, Ais only laid at the end of one of them. And with her, so too did his promise to his Goddess.

He's said he would become a man (a hero) who could make the women he loved happy, a man worthy of such a wonderful Goddess's boundless affection and who could stand next to even the Sword Princess. The safer path was surely a wiser choice, but it was also the choice of "maybes", while he was being careful and trying to grow stronger bit by bit, Ais would be leaping ahead bound by bound, far above his reach. He was neither arrogant, nor naïve enough to possibly think he could catch up to her by simply hoping for the best.

Even if it seemed impossible, his time on the battlements had not been an illusion. After facing down even the naked blade of the Sword Princess, after feeling her blade plunged through his chest and then being brought back immediately to his feet, Bell's determination had grown just a little stronger. The skills Ais had carved into his technique, the discipline Riveria had forged into his magic, and the courage Heith had given his resolve all served to shave off just a little of Bell's weakness.

Folding his hands behind his head, Bell laughed.

What a fool he was. A reckless, irresponsible, incorrigible fool.

He was sure Syr and Eina would never forgive him if they could hear his thoughts right now. But he'd promised his Goddess he would come back all the same, and in his heart he made the same promise to each of them by way of apology.

--*--

It was night-time in the dungeon, and Kanu was -once again- living the high life. Or at least as much of a high life as was possible for the bottom feeders of the Soma Familia, desperately betraying and backstabbing each other for whatever small gains they'd been able to make.

Usually, it was a pretty miserable existence. Even for someone like him, someone (in his estimations) far smarter, far stronger, and far more cunning than the average adventurer.

But lately, everything seemed to be going his way! Lately, finally, things were going right!

The first of these pillars of good fortune were when he'd decided to get rid of that Liliruka Arde. The prum brat wasn't really much of an annoyance, but she'd been scrambling around underfoot for years, and anyone with a mind as sharp as Kanu's could see she'd been squirrelling away valis through any number of her schemes and ploys. Even when he, or other members of the Soma Familia, shook her down, he'd been absolutely sure she'd always managed to hold out on them, always been thinking herself one step ahead, one move faster. And so, he'd let her think that, he'd said nothing to her or anyone else, he'd let that pig get nice and fat, and then he'd taken it out to slaughter.

And what a pig it had been!

Lilli's haul had easily beaten out even his most greedy expectations!

She'd fallen perfectly into his trap. He'd had some nice fun knocking her around, and when they'd stripped off that thick cloak of hers, not only had she given up the key to her stash, but they'd found a Magic Sword! Tens of thousands of valis just sitting around on the hip of a worthless Level 1 supporter! It was like a joke! Kanu couldn't possibly have imagined who she'd managed to filch that from, but the valuable blade was now resting safe and snug on his own waist. It never paid to be too careful in this business, something Liliruka should have learned, and that sword would turn the tables if someone tried anything sneaky on him.

She'd even had the good courtesy to act as bait for their safe escape, and to obediently die afterwards. Not that he'd really had much worry about a scummy, unarmed supporter being able to survive a horde of Killer Ants, but it was nice to know he didn't have to worry about anything being traced back to him and his colleagues.

Truly, he would tip his hat to Liliruka if he met her in the next life.

And in her generosity, that misbegotten prum also been the cause of his second pillar of good fortune. Not content with simply handing over an incredibly valuable magical sword and staying behind to ensure he escaped safely, the key Lilli had given him had uncovered a truly impressive horde of gems stored with a gnomish storage unit. Really, Kanu thought with great amusement, you could see it as Liliruka's last will and testament, in her final moments she'd entrusted him with her legacy, all her years of effort, schemes, betrayals and scams.

It was unprecedented that anyone in the Soma Familia would manage to save up that much money, without putting it to far better use instead. So, Kanu and his buddies had been making much better use of it the last two weeks.

And now, just when he thought his fates couldn't get any better, the third pillar of good fortune had shone down upon him just minutes ago.

He and his allies had just robbed Ottar. The Warlord. The most powerful and renowned adventurer in Orario had just been completely filched, right from under his nose!

By pure chance, exploring the Dungeon in the dark recesses of the night, Kanu's battle party had chanced upon the sight of Ottar fighting a whole host of Amazons.

For level 1 nobodies like them, the fight was mind-boggling just to watch, far out of his league and well beyond anything he could hope to imagine. And he couldn't even begin to guess as to why a gang of Amazons were ambushing the strongest member of the strongest Familia. But Kanu didn't bother getting stuck on things like that, what he instead focussed his mind on was opportunity.

Behind the massive boar-person was two huge cargo boxes. And, despite how many foes were throwing themselves at him, it was clear that Ottar's main priority was protecting the two crates.

It went without saying that something so highly prized by the Freya Familia was certain to be of unprecedented value. And it also went without saying that, while the Amazons couldn't hope to defeat the Warlord, they could keep him at least buy enough for Kanu and his buddies to steal the crates, run away, and lose any hope of pursuit in the twisting turns of the Labyrinth.

Most adventurers would never be audacious enough to even think up such a plan, let alone to actually attempt it. But such raw cunning and courage were why Kanu considered himself so much smarter than most adventurers.

Lilliruka's magic sword and chest of gems had been quite a haul indeed. But some hard-won gains from the lowest levels, something so deeply important to a top-tier adventurer would surely put even that to shame!

Kanu had bet everything on his good fortune, and once again, the fates had favoured him!

Circling behind the battle, he'd waited for the moment the Amazons pressed their desperate attack and he'd struck! And now, secluded away, another floor higher and several twisting turns off the main path, he and his allies were currently in the process of opening the crates and finding out just what kind of prize they'd earned themselves!

The cargo boxes had certainly been heavy enough, far more than he'd expected, enough that even with their Falna they'd still needed two men each to carry them. His back still ached even now as he pried the top off.

But that only made the victory all the sweeter, that only ma-

"!"

The top came off, and Kanu suddenly saw just what had been stored inside that crate.

And from the sudden silence and the chilling, terrifying shudder running down his spine, he knew without looking that his friend was finding the exact same thing inside the second crate being opened just a meder away.

It didn't make sense. It was insane. It was illogical. It was unfair. It was ridiculous.

It was a Minotaur.

Awakened into a furious, monstrous rage, the thick chains binding it inside the crate were torn apart just as easily as Kanu and his comrades.

A terrifying howl echoed through the upper floors, and it was matched immediately by a second howl just a moment later.

The first Minotaur held a massive, brutal cleaver in its hands as it ripped through bone and armour like paper, the second simply smashed the adventurers apart with its bare fists.

Death had come. And it came as two.

--*--

"Ottar, you beast! Two minotaur!? You've gone much too far!"

Several hours later, with dawn breaking over the city, high above the world in her penthouse suite, Orario's silver haired empress was making the exact same discovery as the unfortunate white-haired boy. Lying atop what were very likely the most luxuriously silken sheets in the entire world, with her face heady and red, and her massive chest heaving through shuddering breaths, Freya's eyes were fixed tight upon the scrying portal cast mid-air above her bed.

The Divine Mirror, the only measure of a God's arcanum allowed in the lower world. The deities were here, playing this game, for the sake of entertainment, and since the prohibition on their power had been raised only and solely for the sake of creating a Divine Mirror for personal entertainment, to follow the actions of their own children. It couldn't be used to spy, or to scheme, since any nearby God could recognise it's activation, and any misuse of it was strictly enforced, with the user sent immediately back to the heavens. And of course, it was never used to peer into the dungeon none of the Gods were fool enough to risk upsetting or destabilising the labyrinth that lay beneath the city.

Once again, Freya had made herself an exception. With her beauty she'd begged for an allowance to be made, enough that none would look in on what she was doing, just one room, just in the upper floors, only for a short time. And because she was Freya, her will had been granted.

This was her scheme. This was her plan. This was the moment she had been awaiting ever since she'd judged the boy ready to finally cast off the trauma that had enveloped his resplendent soul ever since that horrible day.

And yet, her words were sincere.

Even though this was what she wanted, Freya's heart was practically beating out of her chest with fear, goosebumps were running all down her arms, and her body was shivering in palpable terror that she may truly have pushed this too far. This was far more dangerous than sending that Silverback after his Goddess, and far more cruel than sending Heith to give him an Einherjar's training in the mornings, rather than refining his strength this may very likely shatter him altogether.

This might be the moment where the unique, incredibly light of his soul disappeared from the world.

It was so very easy to tell herself flippant things like 'If he is truly my Odr, then he shall overcome something like this', but watching as the poor boy she loved more than anyone and anything quailed before the two bovine monstrosities, Freya's very soul shivered with the chill of the abyss.

She had already justified it to herself, claiming that if he did fall here then she would leave behind the mortal world with him and follow him to the Heavens. She still held true to that, she was prepared to cast aside all she had and all she'd built.

But now that the die was cast, she knew for sure that she didn't want that. She wanted him here, with her, within reach not just of Syr but of Freya.

Her words the previous night had been just as sincere.

But they were the words of Syr, a waitress working in the dungeon city, a young girl terrified of the danger she knew awaited the boy she loved. Syr wanted to keep Bell safe, keep him from harm and couldn't stand the idea of so recklessly endangering him… but that was just a role she played. Syr was just a girl who worked in a bar, Freya was far greater and far more terrible.

And, even as Freya's body locked with fear, and even as her soul trembled with worry, her breath still raced with excitement and her heart was pounding with anticipation. Terror and exhilaration coalesced withing the hedonistic deity, transforming into an intoxicating ecstasy.

Shivering and moaning.

Panting and gasping.

Scolding her absent retainer's cruelty and praising his ingenuity.

Orario's imperious empress twisted and squirmed atop her bed, with her legs splayed out wide, her hips already jolting with desire, and with two fingers already buried deep within her sopping wet pussy.

And all the while, her eyes never once left the mirror that hung in the air above her, or the dazzling light that had so utterly captivated her.

Notes:

A/N: Oof, that really got away from me a bit, didn't it? When I started on this chapter (after it was split from the previous one) it was only about 6k words, so I expected I could get the rest of it in and finish at about 15-18kish. It just seemed like well, if we're going to watch one girl have her night spent in heady thoughts of our white-haired adventurer, then why don't we also look at a few more at the same time! Riveria and Chloe's spicy thoughts, Hestia enjoying her love life, Chloe's suffering and Alfia's hidden kindness, it all seemed like good fun to me.

Introducing Heith this early also shakes things up a bit, it means Bell has a far harder time and that Ais (unfortunately) no longer gets her hugs, but it also means that he's going to have the kind of intense training regime that the Einherjar face each morning. It's not quite as intense as what the Freya Familia go through, since obviously Ais would never willingly go as far as to just strike Bell with mortal wounds, but it's more than enough to harden his determination just a bit further, and to raise his stats just a bit higher.

Which is also why I thought I needed to make that change at the end. If you're worried, like Freya, that I've gone too far with that- I'll clarify what'll be more obvious in the next chapter, that the Minotaur aren't of equal strength, there aren't two Asterios. Asterios was trained with the sword, the second got simpler lessons and is closer to a normal Minotaur. Still more than a match for your standard lv1 Adventurer, and still a terrifying threat just by itself.

Anyway, that's enough out of me, this chapter was much longer than I wanted it to be and took much longer than I wanted to take, but hopefully you'll head to the comments and tell me it was worthwhile. Don't worry, this will not be standard size, the next chapters will be back to usual length.

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 9: It's Not Wrong To Go On An Adventure!

Notes:

Author's Note: Goddamn, it's been a while, hasn't it? Damn. All my plans to get a bunch of writing done over Christmas and NY were completely scuttled by, well, Christmas and NY. Then I got busy, and got sick, and got a different story out, and in the meantime this chapter got way bigger than I expected. If you're wondering what was with the delay, yeah, this is about 2.5 chapters, so there's a good amount to dig into. I was tempted to see about splitting it in half, but I thought it's beyond time I finished this arc, like I always said I would! And here we go!

One last quick point though: STOP SENDING ME SPOILERS. I can never tell if this is someone just trolling me, or if some people really just don't think, but I've had some "reviews" that are literally nothing but spoilers for the upcoming books. To make it clear, I'm current with the LN's but I don't read leaks- if you've read LN leaks from the JP versions, then you know more than me. Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know. I'll read it myself when the new volume comes out, I'm looking forward to it, please stop spoiling me.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It's Not Wrong To Go On An Adventure!

--*--

"Hey, Alfia…"

Looking up from her latest book to where the young-seeming Goddess was sitting cross-legged across from her on their old beat-up couch, the Maiden of Silence didn't bother vocalising a reply.

"You used to be an adventurer, right?"

Sighing, she turned back to the novel.

"I'm not joining your Familia, Hestia."

"Wh-Hey! I, I'm perfectly happy with just Bell! I don't need anyone but him!"

"That's no good, you'll never match Loki like that. And you won't be able to support Bell properly either. Maybe I'll start encouraging him to consider other options…"

"Hah!? He wouldn't listen even if yo-Gh," with practically herculean effort, Hestia managed to swallow her reply before the discussion got even more off track, "Hmph. I wasn't asking about anything like that, I was asking about Bell. I mean, you've seen his Status lately, right?"

So saying, the Goddess waved the small piece of paper she was holding in her hand, the proof of his latest level up before he'd dashed out the door this morning. Alfia hadn't seen this one, but she could more or less guess the content, given the way he'd been progressing recently, especially since taking up training with those two Loki Familia girls.

"From everything I'd heard, Adventurer's statuses go from I, to S. I thought Bell's status would just… well, I know the growth gets slower at the top of the level, but I thought it would have trailed off. Instead, they've just… kept going… I've never even heard of an SS status before; I didn't think that was possible."

What Hestia had believed was common knowledge, it was exactly how she understood things were supposed to work. And it was something that Bell had completely eclipsed.

An SS rank status, and abilities that kept increasing even beyond that… Was that something unique Bell had achieved? Or was it yet another secret hidden close to the chest of the ruling Familia? Hestia had no way of knowing. The knowledge as she'd understood it was the knowledge of the masses, and just as with everything else in the game the Gods played, information was power, it was rarely something given freely. She couldn't possibly believe that such a status was common, but she couldn't predict anything beyond that, if there were other children who had broken past S rank, then their Gods were keeping such things to themselves.

And, even as Hestia looked imploringly towards the other woman, Alfia remained just as silent on the topic.

"Agility, Endurance, even his Magic, it's all SS rank… and everything else is S rank…"

"It must be because of that strange skill of his."

"That's not fair! It's because of his hard work! been giving it everything he's got- you know when he told me about how he's been fighting that Wallenstein girl with her real sword I almost fainted!"

A troubled smile appeared unbidden on the silver-haired woman's face at that. She'd certainly been shocked to hear about the training too, that was even more brutal than anything she'd given to anyone aiming to learn from her in the past. Given his physique and personality, Bell was usually the kind to run around and avoid hits, dodging rather than absorbing… but hearing that her beloved and adorable Bell had instead spent his mornings being slashed to pieces by one of Loki's most talented swordswomen, and then thrown back into the fight instantly by Freya's most famous healer… it was no surprise the boy had risen his Endurance to such ridiculous heights.

Actually, she was only processing that thought calmly now because the training was over. When she'd first heard about it, she'd been filled with an absolute boiling rage with more than half a mind to march into either Goddess's compound and start meting out some payment of her own.

But she'd restrained herself, day after day, for Bell's sake as much as her own. She would see each of those imperious Goddesses punished soon enough, for now, anything that would help his growth, she had to accept. And so, Alfia's façade as being a calm and serene woman had persisted a little longer.

"Um, hey… Did he, were his parents particularly famous? They were from Orario too, weren't they?"

Prodding carefully, Hestia edged gently around the topics she knew Alfia wouldn't entertain.

"No, he's not from any kind of famous bloodline. His father was a supporter, and my sister was a civilian- neither of them could fight to save their lives."

"I see, hmm!" nodding, Hestia breathed out something between a laugh and a satisfied snort, "Well, that's good! It's better that way anyway! That way nobody can say it's not all his own doing! At first he seemed like a timid kid, but now, it really feels like he's got enough determination to do anything."

"It's still too early for him."

The air deflated from the Goddess at that line. The topic they'd discussed at length many times now, and the same conclusion they'd both reached. Bell's status was, at this point, borderline unbelievable. He was well above the average level 1, and probably more than a match for many lower ranked level 2 adventurers. By any accounts, he was well past the point where he should be looking to level up.

But that was only his Status. His knowledge of the dungeon was all second hand from Alfia's stories, or the lectures he'd half-listened to from Eina, his actual combat skills were only just now improving thanks to his lessons with the Sword Princess and, most importantly of all, his maturity was still not there. His dedication and hard work was to be praised, but the way he recklessly threw himself into the dungeon, and the way he was so thoughtlessly willing to risk his life left the women who loved him absolutely numb with terror at the thought of him diving yet deeper into the cruel labyrinth. While Bell had complained bitterly about Eina forcing a promise out of him not to go explore beyond the 11th floor, both Alfia and Hestia had breathed sighs of relief.

Bell undoubtably had the requirements to level up. But he didn't have the temperament, not yet.

Not when the final hurdle he had to face was to overcome a foe far more powerful than him, to lay low a monster that would give him enough Excellia to force his vessel to grow. The boy was already so reckless and so dedicated, if he knew what was required… there was no telling what foolish thing he may attempt. Considering the two, TWO, times he'd wound up in the dungeon on a pure impulse without even his armour, telling him he needed to hunt down some truly monstrous foe felt like telling a lamb to go jump into the lion's den.

It was painful to hold him back, it wrenched at Hestia's heart not to give him the information he wanted just as it pressed at Alfia's convictions to delay his path towards becoming the Hero the world called for. They could each see the frustration in his eyes each time he saw his status had risen so far but his level was unchanged.

But it was still early, still far too early. He'd only been in Orario for a few months! What kind of adventurer even thought about levelling up within a year in the dungeon anyway!? He was already speeding well past his peers and defying all logic, he didn't need to even think about levelling up just yet!

"Yeah," Hestia sighed, nodding her agreement one more time, "For now, for now, he just needs to focus on staying alive."

--*--

"!"

Bell jolted in place, his eyes going wide as he felt a sudden heat on the back of his neck.

"Bell-sama?"

Surprised by his reaction, Lilli scanned the area alongside him. Nothing appeared to be amiss. They'd arrived on the ninth floor without incident, faster than ever, and already with a worthy haul of magic stones to take back, by her reckoning it had been a great start to what promised to be a profitable day ahead.

"Is something wrong?"

He frowned. Unable to put it into words, or at least able to explain it in a way that made sense. His senses were on edge, and his response was heightened. He'd felt this before, again and again, since shortly after coming to Orario and he'd gotten increasingly attuned to the feeling. It felt like something was watching him. Something was evaluating his every movement. And not just casually or in passing… he was being pinned underneath the heat of their gaze, evaluated and exposed, as if his every breath and every twitch was being catalogued.

Giving his supporter a non-committal shrug, he played it off, "It's probably nothing…" it didn't feel dangerous or malicious, he didn't have an impression as if there was someone trying to hurt him.

It was just a strange, heavy weight on his shoulders.

It was still bright an early in the morning, having decided to prowl the tenth floor today, they'd arrived far before the usual throughfare of adventurers and already made rapid progress to the ninth floor. They'd passed by a few people on their way down, but by and large, the dungeon was almost entirely empty right now, without humans around to thin the numbers, the twisting labyrinthine hallways belonged only to the monsters right now.

There was only one person they'd even seen on the ninth floor, a massive boaz a few rooms back. He'd barely paid them any attention as they'd passed by, but Lilli had steered clear of the man with a wide berth and the enormity of his presence had surely stuck in Bell's mind.

He would have had no reason to follow them, if anything he'd been travelling in the other direction back towards the surface. But he was the only one around? Was this gaze his?

The feeling was boring into Bell with such intensity now he couldn't possibly ignore it, shifting in place he scanned the room again and again, twisting around as if to throw off the gaze on his shoulder, or as if to spot a sign of the massive animal-person.

Something was happening. Something was amiss.

There was a reason for this gaze, a reason for his nerves to be so suddenly frayed like this.

With his heart pounding in his head, Bell swallowed a calming breath. He couldn't ignore it; he couldn't deny it. He knew exactly when the last time he'd felt this was. He'd felt a gaze like this many times, more than he could count. It'd almost driven him out of his mind the day after he'd first solidified his relationship with his Goddess, so hot was the feeling of the eyes crawling over his skin. But this was different. This intensity, this anticipation. He'd felt this only once before- at the Monsterphilia. When his Goddess had been attacked by that Silverback.

"Let me… let me check my equipment."

"Ah, right?"

Lilli was clearly left flustered by his own nervousness, and Bell hoped that redoing his armour, affirming that everything was in place, that it was tied and secured properly, would be enough to settle him down. Instead, the familiar metal offered only meagre comfort, the weight on his neck was becoming hotter by the second, enough that his heart was clenched tight and his senses were screaming.

"Isn't this… Lilli, it's strange, right?"

"Huh? What is?"

"It's so early, we're the only ones around… but there's not very many monsters..?"

The ninth floor was far more dangerous than the ones above it. And yet, the sixth floor had been more populated than this. The seventh and eighth had given them enough fights to fill a third of Lilli's oversized backpack. And yet, they'd hardly been bothered at all since descending into this floor. The stairway down to the tenth floor was only a few rooms away and they'd barely encountered any notable resistance. Had that Boaz cleared out the whole floor? Was that possible?

Wait.

Bell reconsidered again. There were some goblins earlier, just a few minutes ago… but they hadn't attacked, they'd just fled deeper into the distance. At the time he hadn't given it much consideration, but now that he thought about it, wasn't it like they'd been running away from something?"

His stomach twisted in a knot. A shiver ran up his spine. His breath grew fast and his vision faded around the edges.

An unpleasant memory returned. A buried memory. A nightmare he'd pushed down with all his might. A day he'd only ever recalled for the sake of her presence.

The comfort of his knife in his hands did nothing to stop the blade from shaking in the air.

He couldn't stop it. He couldn't help but recall it. He knew it, he knew it down to his soul.

It was just like that day. It was just like when he'd first met her. It was just like when he'd first learned what fear truly was. The Dungeon had been quiet like this too.

"B-Bell-sama?"

Let's go back. Let's go home. Something's wrong. Let's not risk it. Let's get out of here. Lilli, we need to run.

Violently, forcefully, desperately, pathetically… Bell forced down all the words he wanted to say, all the fears and terrors that rose up within him. Holding his hand over his mouth to steel himself, he stepped forwards, one step then another. His spirt forcing him onwards, his resolve pushing him onwards even as his body trembled.

"Let's go. We're heading to the tenth floor, right?"

He even managed to keep his voice from trembling.

Only two rooms left. The tenth floor was just ahead. He could already picture the stairwell.

-Now then, show me-

"Ah!?"

A voice rang out. In his head? No… it was as if it'd spoken directly through to his soul. Silky smooth, silvery, and lusty and unmistakably feminine, a flush of sudden heat rushed through Bell's body.

And then.

"MRROOOOOOOOOO!"

The dungeon's peace shattered! An ear splitting, terrifying roar shook through the empty halls! The walls trembled, the floors quaked, and a moment later the roar echoed out a second time. Louder, even more furious. Mad with bloodlust, riven with fury.

"A-A-Ah!"

Bell's legs froze. Lilli was trying to say something, but it didn't get through to him. His ears were completely preoccupied with that sound, that roar. Nothing else processed. The terror rose in his body and his nerves were on fire as the bellow replayed, again echoing through his mind.

His breath came in quick shallow pants, he was hyperventilating, his vision shifting and his hands trembling. Lilli passed through his gaze as Bell turned around, slowly, as if bidden onwards… the exit… the way home… the room they'd just passed through… there was something coming through the entranceway.

It couldn't be true. It couldn't possibly happen. Not again. It was a freak accident the first time, a ridiculous encounter. He understood it. There was simply no way.

Squeaking and shaking, Lilli stumbled back towards him, the soft impact of her backpack enough to jolt Bell's thoughts back to the cruel reality.

He was right.

Just as he'd thought. Just as he'd feared.

There was no way he could have forgotten that sound. No way he could have ever mistaken that roar.

Bell didn't know how many times he'd heard it during his nightmares, he couldn't even guess at how many thousands of times he'd heard similar cries from monsters and had his mind flashing horribly back to that day. It was why he couldn't deny it or even say anything when Ais had called him a coward. He couldn't even begin to imagine how many times he'd been scared of this roar.

"Wh-aha… B-Bell-sa-sama… Bel-Bell-sama!? Th-That's… uha…"

"A Minotaur."

Another roar echoed out and the shadow looming in the entranceway was joined by a twin. Somehow, he was too numb with shock and terror to even register it. The horror had already eclipsed what he could possibly have readied himself for.

"Th-There's, th-th-there's t-two… Minotaur! Wh-Why, are they on the ninth floor!?"

He would have liked to ask the exact same question. But whatever the reason, it didn't matter. It didn't change anything. It was the same shock, the same horror and the same despair he'd never been able to put into words, the same terror he'd felt that he'd been too cowardly to even admit to Alfia.

It was all the same. Exactly the same as that day.

Spreading its arms, looming high through the doorway, the mad bull roared again.

The overwhelming power and force washed over the two level 1 adventurers. They couldn't possibly have resisted it. It was the Minotaur's bloodlust, it's furious fighting spirit, a sound powerful enough to shatter the wills of anything it came across. Lilli and Bell were absolutely no exception. The torrent of fear hit them full force, and with each step it took towards them, each meder it crossed the room the sight of it became clearer and clearer.

One was holding aloft a weapon, a thick, brutal and ugly cleaver stained red with fresh blood. The other was unarmed, stooping low and cruel, with blood instead stained thick across its enormous hands and spread over the thick fur of its chest.

"L-Let's get out of here, Bell-sama! We don't stand a chance! Quickly! B-Bell-sama?"

His eyes wouldn't leave the encroaching bulls. His legs were stuck fast in place. Shock, fear and terror had left him numb, as stiff as a statue and with boots filled with lead.

"Bell-sama! Bell-sama! BELL-SAMA!"

It was scary. Terrifying. Horrifying.

Beyond explanation. Beyond words. Beyond anything.

It was all his trauma and all his nightmares at once, trapping him in this room. It was the Fates laughing at his previous miraculous escape, the universe itself whispering to him that the Sword Princess was not here to save him this time. The disaster he'd thought he'd escaped revisited.

There was no way out. There was no hope. There was no future.

The two Minotaur's aura got heaver by the moment, with each crushing step they took before him! Fear itself had materialised before Bell. With their murderous bloodlust ahead of him and the heated gaze at his back, he couldn't move! His body felt like it was about to explode!

"MROOOOOOOO!"

The unarmed Minotaur launched itself forwards like a cannonball, rocketing towards him, it split the distance between them at a breath-taking speed, faster than he could possibly escape.

(Not as fast as Ais. Not so fast you can't react. Not so fast you can't avoid it)

His thoughts rejected his body's despair, but he couldn't draw his weapon. Even as his thoughts roiled his arms wouldn't move. He couldn't do anything. The Minotaur was upon him in a second, its fists raised high, ready to smash him into a pulpy mess.

"-Ah!?"

Bell's body was flung through the air and his mind was jolted, finally, freely, into action. A brief moment of bewilderment was all the time he had to be surprised at still being alive before he recognised the warm feeling of Lilli's soft body lying atop him.

"A-AH!"

Looking down at the small Prum laying over him, Bell's sight was filled with red. Her tiny body was splayed out atop his, her breath was hitching in shallow pants… and her blood was spilling freely down over him, dripping across his armour, soaking through his clothes.

Lilli's blood.

He'd been saved. Once again. He'd been spared his fate from the Minotaur. While he'd been trapped in a trance of fear and dismay, Lilli had tackled him from the side, throwing herself into the solid plates of his armour, she'd pushed him out of the way of the Minotaur's brutal attack... and in return she'd been hurt. The first hadn't hit her, she wouldn't be alive if that were the case. But between his armour and the rocks thrown up from the bull's thunderous impact, his Supporter was in bad shape.

Holding tight to the Prum that had once betrayed him, and that had now saved him. Bell's body slid painfully across the ground, careening a full meder. But it was the chestnut-haired girl's soft moan that truly speared through him, that was more painful than anything.

"Lilli!"

Warmth flooded through Bell again. But it was a different heat this time, not an intensely gaze, but the same tender affection he always felt when he was with his Goddess.

A cleansing fire, a sacred flame. Gentle, but powerful, the blaze his Goddess had lit within him ignited from Bell's soul once more.

What was he doing? Hadn't he made a promise to her, and to himself? Wasn't he going to become the kind of Hero who could make all the women he loved happy? How could he possibly have time to sit here and quail in terror?

His back burned hot as his Hestia's flame roared across his Status.

And finally. Pathetically. Hopelessly. At last… energy flooded into his cowardly muscles and Bell pulled himself to his feet.

He was scared. Of course he was. The death he'd so narrowly escaped had returned as a pair. He was terrified beyond what he could possibly put into words. Seeing the Minotaur again now was a reminder of the true depths of despair that the dungeon housed and the trauma that he'd never been able to forget. He couldn't control that, he couldn't ignore it or pretend that wasn't true.

But the thought of Lilli dying was far more terrifying!

For the first time since he'd felt the gaze upon his back, Bell's daggers were clenched tight in his hands and he screamed back, answering the Minotaur's roars with a cry of his own, bellowing his own defiance back!

--*--

Lefiya was excited.

She was nervous too, of course. Once again, the Loki Familia was off in an expedition, heading to the deepest recesses of the Dungeon further than anyone in the city had dreamed of, into the territory only previously seen by the Zeus and Hera Familia before them. It was a daunting, terrifying, exhilarating thought, but that was all still ahead of her, there would be several days travelling before they reached any unexplored territory.

And in the meantime, all the way there, she would be walking step in step with the woman she idolised!

Breathing out a happy sigh, as she looked upon the Sword Princess's gallant figure striding ahead of the Loki Familia's first group, how could Lefiya not be excited?

A large expedition as theirs travelling through the dungeon caused all kinds of congestion and problems through the (comparatively smaller) upper floors, so they split into two groups to prevent problems- the supporters and mid-ranked adventurers would clear the way ahead and get whatever excellia they could, the Elite Adventurers stood in the wings mostly just killing time meanwhile the second group would move along with the rest of the convoy, guarding the rear as their supporters brought along provisions, boxes of cargo, supplies and any other equipment needed for their descent.

Originally Lefiya had been assigned to the second group, led by Gareth, and had been tasked with guarding their rear through to the two team's rendezvous on the 18th floor.

However, by some quirk of luck, fate or an intervention by a kind Goddess, Riveria had intervened just the day before and personally moved Lefiya's assignment into the first team!

For some reason the elder Elf had been taking Ais out with her on some private appointment every single morning since the end of their previous expedition. Despite her absolute boiling curiosity, Lefiya hadn't dared follow them to investigate, but the effect on her morale had clearly been noticed, compounded with her own training, she'd hardly been able to spend time with her idol at all. Riveria, it seemed, had taken pity on her dispirited kinsman's plight and arranged this instead.

And so, for their entire trip to the 18th floor, and then throughout their descent beyond, Lefiya would be walking lock-step with the woman she idolised, able to watch her from the closest distance.

And, given that the Finn's strategy for these expeditions was to make sure the lower-ranked members got as much of a chance to earn Excellia as they could, as they went through the middle and lower floors, Lefiya would surely get a chance to show off the fruits of all the hard training she'd been doing with Filvis ever since their last expedition!

She would see Ais's beauty, strength, and growth first hand. And she would get to show Ais just how far she'd come in return.

Even as they marched into danger, she couldn't possibly not be excited!

The march continued steadily, passing almost halfway through the upper levels without so much as an incident. With so much power concentrated in one place, few monsters would dare even come close, let alone attack them. And with nothing better to do, the city's most famous Familia fell quickly into their usual routine.

Ais walked silently ahead, her thoughts a million miles away in some location Lefiya couldn't even guess at.

Bete bickered with Tione and then, as expected, Tiona with all three soon snarling at each other just barely short of trading blows. As usual.

Somehow, Riveria had even been drawn into the argument this time. The High Elf usually had little patience for their quarrels, but it seemed Bete had dragged her in with some pointed comments about Elves. Lefiya had been in far too good a mood to have paid any attention to the Werewolf's typical complaints, but the sound of her Master's soft rising irritation served to bring her back from her daydreams and ready to jump into the conversation to her kinswoman's defence.

And then, suddenly, the mood between them suddenly shifted. First with Ais, then the rest of the Loki's elite vanguard all snapped to attention, jumping to response as they recognised the sound of multiple adventurers heading their way at top speed.

"…Four?"

"What's that… those rumoured something or others?"

Lefiya's shoulders jerked at Tiona's offhand comment, four? Did she mean the Bringar!? Her body snapped taught with shock, she knew that relations with the Freya Familia were fraught at times, and of course she'd heard of Familia ambushing each other in the Dungeon, it was the most obvious way to take care of things outside the Guild's sight. But even so, she hadn't expected to simply be ambushed as soon as they'd started their expedition! And with all the Loki Familia's strongest fighters beside her!? It was almost out of the question! It was-

"Ah…"

Of course, it wasn't the Bringar. A moment later, a group of shoddy looking, unremarkable level 1 adventurers flew into sight. The young Elf heaved a sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging with released tension. Or at least until she saw the clear written panic on their faces, and the sheer terror in their steps.

Following her leader's good example, Tione shrugged and moved on with the expedition. The rules in the dungeon were clear, adventurers shouldn't interfere with each other's parties.

Lefiya bit her tongue. Something was clearly wrong, it was harsh to just act like they'd seen nothing, but it was also undoubtably the correct choice. She could see the approval in Finn's eyes as he led them onwards. Adventurers took care of their own problems in the Dungeon, if someone appealed to or approached the Loki Familia they would get involved, but otherwise they would maintain a spotless reputation, never getting involved in anything that could have people badmouth them.

And of course (to Lefiya's secret relief), that same example and strict conduct was immediately ignored by the younger Amazon sister. Completely disregarding her sister's angry cry, Tiona bounced away from the group, following her heart instead of their commands and called out to the fleeing adventurers.

Bete's cruel insults followed moments later. And after that came Finn far more useful questioning, with them already dragged into it, he pierced to the heart of the matter instantly. And what they learned was a shock.

Two Minotaur.

Rather than being set upon by a horde of Killer Ants, or some pass-parade, the men had been fleeing for their lives from the unmistakable sight of two of the monstrous bovines that lived with such infamy among the upper levels. Every adventurer in the city knew them by reputation, even if most level 1's never ventured deep enough to even encounter one. Minotaur were in all respects the monster that most defined the Middle Levels.

And it was absolutely unbelievable that they were this far up. You wouldn't even expect to encounter one until were at least on the 15th floor, and even then, they were a rare sight until you ventured even further down. Monsters did occasionally travel between floors, but never to this extent. It should have been impossible.

It was more than enough to send ripples through the Loki Familia. The Dungeon behaving strangely on the outset of their expedition was worrying enough but this felt like too much to be a co-incidence.

Was it one of the ones that got away from them, Tiona fretted guiltily, a straggler they'd missed.

That definitely wasn't possible, Bete barked back, claiming they eliminated every one of them.

Surely, even if they had overlooked one, they would have heard about it from now, Riveria added with no small amount of concern in her voice, a loose Minotaur would have painted the upper floors with blood, it had been a month since that time, and no news of absurd casualties among the upper floor adventurers had appeared.

Only Lefiya noticed the way Ais's hand was trembling.

Finn pressed for more details, wringing the full story out of the cowering men. They were on their way through the usual route when they'd spotted three figures at the end of a long hallway- a young white-haired boy, and two enormous Minotaur. The boy's screams and the Minotaur's bloodthirsty howls had echoed furiously through the stone labyrinth, more than enough to scare them half to death and they'd fled at top speed ever since.

And, strangest of all, their Leader added after a moment's thought. One of the Minotaur had been holding a giant, wicked looking cleaver. Not some natural weapon, or dungeon drop, a massive double handed sword, one seeming sharp enough to easily cleave a man in two.

Finn, Riveria and Tiona all pressed him on that point, expression confusion and disbelief, wringing more details out of him, puzzling over just how strange this already unusual situation truly was. These adventurers had never heard of a Minotaur in the upper levels, there was no stories of one prowling around before now, and none of them had any idea where that weapon had come from, or why a Minotaur would even be using one.

"Where did you see this?"

Speaking for the first time, and stepping forward with a firm presence she almost never showed, Ais's question cut through the rest, pinning the adventurers directly in place.

It seemed they'd been fighting on the ninth floor. Two floors deeper than they were currently on. At least, the man added, unless the two Minotaur had already killed that white-haired boy and moved on.

And finally, Lefiya's mind caught up to what had been bothering her all this time, 'Wait, white-haired boy? Isn't that, just like Filvis's boyfr-'

"H-Hey! Ais!?"

"AIS!"

Flashing forward like a bolt of lightning, the Sword Princess flew the moment she heard the number.

Left in her wake, it was all the other Loki elite could do just to give chase!

--*--

"Sagitta Sonus!"

"Sagitta Sonus!"

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

Furious flashes of sound exploded throughout the massive room at the end of the 9th floor. The blasts were answered by thundering, monstrous cries and… just for a moment, Bell's heart caught in his chest. For the barest second, he felt himself hoping he'd done it, that his magic had seen him through to victory!

A moment later, the sound of wind being torn apart had him dropping to his knees and ducking with all the desperation running through him. Shivering in shock, he could feel the very edge of that brutal cleaver slicing just milimeders past his head. The blade passed so close by him he felt as if his very shadow had been sliced apart, and a moment later only an equally desperate attempt to fling himself backwards managed to save him from the enormous fist slamming into the ground where he'd just been cowering.

Speed without power. His magic hadn't been enough.

Desperately throwing himself to the side, and then backwards again, ducking and dodging, and running with all he had as the two Minotaur continued to hunt him throughout the room, Bell could barely see anything more than superficial injuries on either of the beasts. It reminded him of the time when Riveria had so firmly put him in his place by showing his magic couldn't affect her. The difference in power felt just the same as back then, and the sheer hopelessness that surrounded him felt no different than all the times he'd so futily tried to pin Ais down across the battlements.

'Ah… I can't do anything…'

It wasn't like him to despair like this, but right now it was using up all the resolve he had just to keep fighting them, just to keep dancing away from their attacks as best he could and to slash them with his knives for as little damage as he'd managed to accumulate.

Standing up and bringing himself to fight them, throwing himself towards the torrent of blows that would have torn him to pieces had drained almost all of Bell's courage.

At first, he hadn't managed anything more than that, just keeping himself alive, keeping himself moving as best he could as he'd tried to lead them towards the centre of the room and away from Lilli had been all he'd managed. Anytime he'd tried to move forwards, anytime he'd tried to attack or counterattack, his heart had squeezed tight with terror and the momentary hesitation had almost gotten him killed.

But then, as he'd steadied his feet, and as the seconds had turned into minutes… slowly he'd become aware of the warm flame flooding through his limbs. Slowly he'd recognised the gentle, supporting warmth of his Goddess surrounding him, bolstering him, encouraging him.

The skill engraved on his back, the promise he'd made to Hestia from his very soul. As Bell pushed himself forward into the frenzy for Lilli's sake, as he kept himself fighting to keep them away from his beloved supporter, his Goddess's power pushed him onwards.

And soon enough he'd been able to fight back. Soon enough his nerves had settled enough to realise his agility far outpaced either Minotaur.

The armed one was clearly the superior specimen. He had absolutely no idea why that was, or what had caused such an extreme difference between them, but it was faster, stronger, and far more cunning in all the ways it hunted Bell down. If the unarmed one was its equal then the white-haired adventurer was sure he would have been smeared across the walls by now, but the differences in their strength, and their lack of co-ordination was clearly on display and that gave him more than enough openings to slip through, time after time. The brutal cleaver couldn't come after him when its path was blocked by the furious charge of the second Minotaur. And even the terrifying speed of the unarmed Minotaur hurtling towards him like a cannonball was muted when he could use the armed one's movements to cut through its path.

If it was one-on-one, he could consistently slip past them.

He could see their movements now. And his knives could score their skin again and again as he passed by. His stamina wouldn't let up before his willpower would, he could drain their strength bit by bit, just like that.

"H-Ha…Haaa…"

Unfortunately, it wasn't one-on-one. And even without perfect co-ordination, or team-work, he was still caught between two overpowering opponents and still stretched to his limits just to keep ahead of each of them time after time.

Which was why Bell's armour was in pieces, having been utterly destroyed sparing him from being splattered against the wall when the unarmed minotaur's fist had caught his midsection.

And which was why his breathing was ragged, his arms were trembling with exhaustion, and his eyes were growing wild with desperation.

His Goddess's power was pushing Bell's strength to new heights. Far beyond the time he'd fought those Killer Ants, far beyond anything he'd felt on the walls. He could feel it himself, he'd never been as strong, as fast, or as sturdy as he was right now.

But it wasn't enough to save him.

He'd fought long enough and desperately enough to give Lilli time to recover and to stagger to her feet. He'd screamed at her to run, pleaded with her to leave him and escape. And now she was gone. And now he was alone. That had been almost ten minutes ago but the power he'd gained for the sake of protecting her still burned on within him. So long as he was fighting to prevent the two Minotaur from leaving and from chasing after he, he was sure that strength would stay with him.

But then what?

He couldn't escape. Even if he could get away, what would then stop the mad cows from hunting down Lilli?

"…DAMN IT!"

Sheathing his second knife, Bell drew his hand back to his protector and pulled out his baselard. It wasn't something as useful as a magic sword, and he wasn't as used to fighting with it as he was with his knives, but at least it had a little more reach and a little more power than the guild-issued knife he'd been using in his left hand.

If he couldn't get away, then all there was to do was fight! All he could do was charge onwards! All he could do was take them down!

Bell's mind was going full speed, his reactions blazing hotter than ever. But his instincts still told him that the end was near. He spun and twisted past the attacks that whizzed close enough that he could feel the air pressure thrown against him, he sliced and stabbed and thrust his weapons out with everything he had, just as he'd been taught. He dodged and rolled, and jumped, and dived, and he cast his hands up to fire his magic at them!

Again! And again! And again, and again, and again, and again! Breath catching in his throat as his chest heaved and his world shimmered, Riveria's strict teachings and scraps of lessons he'd half remembered from Alfia were the only things keeping him going as he forced his magic out over and over, building and releasing it faster than he'd ever managed before, shifting his aim from one to the other towards their eyes and joints just as he'd been taught, moving and casting, creating space even as his lungs burned with fire and his thoughts became twisted.

"Ah…"

It was useless. The thick fur easily absorbed the shots, barley more than a handful of scorch marks were added to the dozens of small cuts littering their flesh as the two Minotaur charged straight through his attacks. Such superficial wounds were all he'd managed, all he'd achieved despite losing his armour, despite his body being beaten bloody and bruised, and despite both his mind and stamina ebbing towards pure desperation. After barely a second's respite, Bell's frantic artillery was cut off as he threw himself to the side, once more just barely avoiding being bisected by the blood-stained cleaver.

Alfia…

As his mind swam, and as his breath ran ragged, he saw the face of his mother's sister.

He didn't want to see her. Not now. Not when he was like this.

With his parents dead, she was the one who'd raised him, the one who'd always looked after him, the one whose bed he'd crawled into when he got scared at night, or who held his hand when he was sick. She always scorned the tales Gramps told about heroes and the way he idolised them, but, when she'd needed to, she'd been just as Heroic as the figures in those stories.

When Bell was a kid, he'd been cornered by a group of surface goblins. Runty, pale-green, the product of monsters who'd escaped to the surface and multiplied in the wilderness for generations, they were far weaker than the ones in the Dungeon. But still a threat for any normal human, and more than a match for a single terrified kid who'd just been trying to collect eggs.

And just as the leader had been bearing down on him, Alfia had charged at it like a spear of light and smashed it to bits with nothing but a garden hoe.

Despite her light clothing, her thin arms and the same soft body she then scooped him up and held him with. Despite how many times she'd made clear she'd been abandoned by Orario, lost her Falna and that she was nothing but a normal woman. Despite the illness he knew she suffered from when she went alone to her room some nights.

She'd crushed all her foes in a second. And he'd never felt as safe as when she'd shielded him.

Gramps had been there too, he remembered, holding his own "weapon" and daring any of the remaining goblins to dare take a step forwards. That was the first time he'd noticed just how powerful the man's muscles were under the loose clothing he'd worn, and the first time he'd recognised just how protected he felt when the man's heavy hand stroked the top of his head.

That was the first time Bell had truly understood what a Hero was. And what it meant to be protected by one.

That was when he'd understood the impact a Hero could have on those around him.

He'd never told her, since he knew she'd laugh, but Alfia was the first Hero he'd ever idolised and the one he'd wanted to emulate.

He'd told Gramps, but he'd just laughed and said he was aiming far too low just trying to be the same as "some vain old witch like that".

And after they'd both finished cowering in fear that she might have heard them, Bell had promised to become someone even greater, someone stronger, a Hero who would be known all around the world.

That was the first step, the step that had led him all the way to Orario, and to where he was now.

Ah… This wasn't right… He didn't want to see her right now, not when he was just barely clinging to life like he was, not when all he was doing was just pathetically running around and trying to survive!

He wanted to be more! He wanted to do more! He wanted to make her proud! He'd wanted to show her that Heroes weren't just something from a fairy tale, that he could make her feel as safe as she'd done for him!

"MROOOO!"

A furious bellow echoed through the caverns and ripped Bell from his thoughts.

Once again, his agility and quick movements had led the first Minotaur into the path of the second, unarmed one from being able to charge him, and slowing down the armed one that the cleaver once more sliced through the air several centimeders short of where he was standing. They were getting annoyed now, he realised, frustrated with their lack of progress and the time they were spending chasing him down. Rearing back as they stepped apart, the armed one snorted in fury, and the unarmed one beat its chest with a guttural roar.

The small cuts he'd left bleeding across their skin, the energy he'd exhausted from them with their missed swings, and the way he'd always been able to accelerate just a little bit faster than them... it hadn't been for nothing! It was all adding up! He was still far from the kind of expert fighter Ais was, but even he knew enough about fighting to know that making your opponent mad was a way to make them sloppy! It made them more dangerous too, but it wasn't as if they would have ever let him live or let him go beforehand, there was nothing at all for him to lose by stoking his foe's fury!

He couldn't beat them like this, but he could wear them down, he could create an opening… And… And then he'd figure out the rest afterwards! With trembling fingers, and breath coming in ragged pants, Bell faced down the bone-chilling wrath directed at him and tightened his grip on his knives.

More!

The armed one charged towards him, thundering hooves slamming into the rock as it covered the distance in a heartbeat, hurtling towards him like a cannonball!

"Haaaaa!"

Again, it was too slow! Even as his vision swam from fear and exertion, Bell could trace the path of its sword and he could swing his body fast enough into the gap to move through it! Again, his knives struck out and two more red-bleeding scars were etched upon the Bull's hide.

More!

The unarmed beast filled his vision an instant later, driving its enormous fist towards the young white-haired adventurer with more than enough force to splatter his body into nothing but red mist!

"HHAAAAAA!"

Diving to his knees with just the barest margin, Bell pitched himself forwards, rolling under the fist and coming up to his feet quick enough to lance another passing blow onto the second Minotaur's flesh before it could turn around to give chase.

MORE!

The attacks came at him like a maelstrom, crashing through the distance towards him, cutting the air apart with each swing and smashing the stone around them with each miss. But, true to the rabbits he resembled, Bell dashed desperately always just barely out of the way, evading and enraging his foes moment by moment. He wasn't good enough to come out unscathed, he took kicks to his side and back as he rolled past them, and he took glancing blows more than once, it was enough to leave the scraps of his armour falling to the ground and leave his body black, bruised and bleeding… but he never took a serious blow, twisting and turning himself around, he always just barely managed to avoid being caught with anything that would stop his steps. He had no room for consideration, no space to breath and no margin of error, hesitation meant death and letting his feet pause for an instant would mean the same.

It wasn't cool, it wasn't impressive and it certainly wasn't heroic. It was nothing more than a man desperately dragging himself through the mud, clawing at the ground to avoid being swept away. But it was enough to keep him alive! That was enough for now, if he just kept moving and kept dodging, he could figure out the rest as he went! After he was sure Lilli must be safe, after he'd found a way to slow them down…

Loosing another close ranged blast of Sagitta Sonus was enough to slow the cleaver-swinging Minotaur enough that he could slip past its side, dragging his daggers along the beast's flank as he went. The unarmed Minotaur was charging at him once again, but he could already see its movements, he could already see where it was going to swing! Twisting his body on the spot, Bell just barely managed to slip far enough to the side to leave the massive fist meeting nothing but air once more.

It was a harrowing experience, a storm of close blows and murderous intent. Already he could sense the cleaver heading his way once more, there wasn't even a moment's pause to breathe. But he could see a hole in the two Minotaur's attack, with the unarmed beast bent over forwards after missing him, there was a safe spot! It couldn't attack to its side without him seeing it coming, and the armed one couldn't attack without the other one getting in the way! It was a tiny gap, one that forced him to dash right up to the terrifying monsters as he stepped past it, but then he cou-

!

Just as Bell jumped into the gap, he saw the unarmed Minotaur's eyes narrow, and something like a vicious smirk rose on its mouth.

Moving beyond his predictions, and faster than he could react, the beast whipped its head around. And suddenly, he realised the monster had one more attack he hadn't considered! The thick, curved horn atop its head was now pointed directly at him, ready to skewer him on the spot!

"HHAA-YCK!"

Bell was caught completely flat-footed. He didn't have time to respond, and with the other one still coming at him, he had no space to even try move away or avoid it. Eyes wide in shock, tracing every milimeder of the horn's tip slicing through the air towards him, he desperately braced the forearm protector he'd been gifted from Eina over his chest.

Against the force of the Minotaur's spear like horn, it was practically tissue paper in comparison. But it granted Bell one single heartbeat more of life. Just barely enough time to twist his body away from the attack, just barely enough time for all the Agility he'd built up through his harsh training with Ais to skirt him a fraction away from a killing blow once again. The Horntip missed his chest, and didn't even manage to pierce through his arm, instead leaving just a bloody gash along his forearm as it smashed through the protector.

Except.

"AH-HHAAAA!?"

And that was where Bell's luck ran out. The armguard that Eina had gifted him was no cheap protection, it was a hand-picked present from someone who'd seen far too many aspiring adventurers walk through the Guild's entrance, and watched far too few of them return from the Dungeon. Despite not being designed to protect against a lengthwise attack, and despite the sheer brutal behind the Minotaur's horn- the metal bucked and hewed, but it didn't shatter entirely. The thick, rugged straps kept it wrapped around his arm, and the solid plating showed its quality when the last few centimeders of it finally held fast against the monster's onslaught.

Which, unfortunately, left the young white-haired adventurer snagged onto the tip of the Minotaur's horn.

And a terrifying heartbeat later, left him unceremoniously yanked into the air as the beast's force easily ripped him from his feet. Screaming and panicking, held aloft by his wrist, Bell flailed uselessly in the air, caught like a fish on the hook as the Minotaur whipped its head back and forth, sending Bell's body flying this way and that. His terrified cries died in his throat as the sudden movements knocked the wind from his stomach, and his body screamed in agony as his shoulder join popped taking both his full weight and the pain of the abrupt movements.

To the young adventurer, it felt like a horrifying, helpless eternity, but in truth it only lasted a few more seconds before the bull reared back with one last tremendous heave and the protector finally snapped entirely.

And with that, Bell was sent flying limply through the air.

His breath recovered just barely enough to scream in garbled shock as he watched the ground fall away far into the distance and his wracked body come within a finger's length of the Dungeon's cavernous ceiling, ten meders from the ground. Tracing an arc like a mountain and flying with tremendous force, Bell's light body flew almost all the way back to the entrance of the room.

There was no chance of bracing for impact, it was all he could do even to grit his teeth.

"GhHHAAAAAAA!"

An almost delirious cry of pain echoed through the empty caverns, louder than anything before. Landing flat on his back, the full impact of the crash reverberated through him. Blood sprayed out of his mouth along with the frenzied scream, and a wave of fire engulfed his body, as if every single nerve was crying out in pain at once.

His vision was filled with stars and flashes of light.

His legs and arms convulsed and trembled, completely out of his control.

His breathing was raw, and he couldn't keep his eyes from blinking.

He was alive, he realised. Just barely, drowning in pain and in a body that no-longer seemed able to listen to him, he was still somehow clinging onto the edges of both life and consciousness.

If not for his Defense, he knew for certain he would have been killed just now. It was the proof of how hard he'd worked, all those days and nights in the dungeon, the brutal training he'd done with Ais and Heith, the desperate fight to rescue Lilli. Those experiences had become the Excellia that had kept him alive.

"Ghha…Hha…Hhaaaa…."

But now there was nothing he could do. He couldn't move, his body wouldn't listen to him, he couldn't even keep the strange, weak sounds from falling from his mouth. He could only watch in blood-curdling horror as the two Minotaur turned towards him once more, as the victorious snarls rose on their faces and they stepped -meder by meder- across the room towards where Bell lay helpless.

!

The terror washed over him once more. And this time there was nothing Bell could do to distract from the hopeless futility of the situation. He was plastered along the ground like a bloody stain, barely able to move, just moments away from death. The dread was overwhelming, so much so that even the agony wracking his body was numbed, instead everything faded to a slow, grey desperation.

In the end, he couldn't do anything. It was pathetic.

The thundering footsteps drew closer, meder by meder. And every last shred of faint hope he'd held onto was squeezed out of him, step by step.

Unable to watch, Bell squeezed his eyes shut.

"…"

All of a sudden, the terrifying footfalls stopped.

Instead, the cavern had become eerily quiet.

A sudden fresh breeze was blowing through the dungeon, storming past Bell and leaving the air vibrating with such strength that even the thick malice filling the room had been dissipated.

"Ah- wha?"

Caught between fear and curiosity, bewildered at the strange stay of his execution, Bell opened his eyes once more. His body was still shaking, barely even responding to him, but he managed to slowly raise his head off the ground.

"Ah!"

The moment he saw her, the last embers of his Goddess's Flame of Protection guttered out.

Long flowing blonde hair, blue armour, a thin silver sabre and a presence as if nothing could possibly stand against her in this world. Just like she had all those days ago, once again, Orario's most famous and beloved female knight was standing with her back to him.

His stilled heart caught in his chest and time seemed to stop still as he stared at her, in shock, in surprise and bewilderment. Trying to make sense of the fact that she was here, that she had arrived in time to save him once again, trying to understand how any of this could have happened as well as trying to process the fact that he hadn't died. That he might yet live.

The Minotaur's roared in unison, but their defiance and strength paled now and their steps retreated away from Bell rather than towards him. No longer were they the looming, impossible threat that spelled his death.

They were afraid.

The wind whipping through the dungeon would allow no compromise and no mercy. Ais Wallenstein's aura was a thousand times more imposing than they could have ever hoped to be.

"Here she is! Ais!"

"Hah, you ran all the way here for somethin' this boring? Pathetic!"

"It really was you, Cranel-san… This is reckless, even for you. I'm glad we got here in time…"

"Huh, Cranel? AH! It's you, Bell Cranel! A-Are you okay? What're you even doing here?!"

A chorus of voices followed after Ais's arrival. A calm, stern voice of a leader, energetic cries of fighters and disinterested scorn, it all blended together. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he recognised Riveria's gentle worrying, and Lefiya's much more aggressive compassion, but he couldn't pay attention even to the ones he did recognise. He couldn't take his eyes away from Ais, and the sight of her standing before him, shielding her from the two Minotaur, facing them down in silent fury.

He couldn't understand any of this, it didn't make any sense, he couldn't figure it out. As if pulled upwards on invisible ropes, Bell forced his chest from where it'd been embedded in the rock, and forced himself upright enough to at least face forwards.

"…Are you okay?"

Ais's words were as soft as ever, quiet and sincere, they slid directly through Bell's heart.

Was he okay?

Just like the first time, he was here, splayed out uselessly on the ground, watching in shock as she protected him. The scene was exactly the same. They played out in his mind as if overlapping, the sight of Ais standing in-front of him, looking back over her shoulder towards him and asking him that question.

The memory left his heart pounding, and his entire body shuddered once more, this time not from pain or from terror, but from a feeling welling up inside him that he couldn't understand.

"…You did well."

She hadn't said that last time.

Words of sympathy and encouragement.

He'd faced off against foes that he couldn't have hoped to beat. He'd protected Lilli, and he'd fought as best he could to keep himself alive. He'd done everything he could. Perhaps this was fate rewarding his courage, his persistence?

"I'll save you now."

That was how it went, wasn't it? In the stories he'd read, the hero would arrive onto the scene, swinging their sword and protecting the poor victim.

His back was cold, the fire he'd received from his Goddess was gone. There was no need to protect anyone anymore. Lilli was safe, Ais and the rest of the Loki Familia were here, everything would be alright now. He'd done everything he could. He was just a novice, just a level 1, he couldn't possibly have beaten a Minotaur by himself, let alone two. He'd done enough, he'd fought to the end, he could just lie down and sleep now.

…

Huh.

That voice was familiar, wasn't it? When had he heard it before?

Oh right.

"I can't possibly beat her, she's Ais Wallenstein!", "I'm just a novice, I'm just starting out, I'm only level 1!", "I did everything I could, I'm exhausted!", "It hurts! If I get up, I'm just going to get stabbed again!", "They're not expecting you to win, it's alright that you just tried your best."

It was his voice. It was the voice that'd played out in his head over and over again when he'd been training atop the walls. The voice he'd heard each time Ais's kicks has slammed into his head, when her sheathe had sent him flying through the sky, or when her blade had pierced through him.

Huh.

He hadn't listened to it all those times, had he? He really was a fool. It was all so obvious, as obvious as this, but he'd just stubbornly charged ahead over and over, hadn't he? He'd always known he couldn't have beaten Ais, or even fought properly against her… so… why had he been so foolish? Why had he kept pushing himself all those times, even though he'd known it would only bring him pain?

He'd had a reason… hadn't he?

…

!

!!

!!!

"I want to be a hero!"

Did he say the words aloud or in his head? He didn't know. He couldn't know.

But all of a sudden, the world snapped right back into focus, all of a sudden the grey that had taken over his vision was washed out, and all of a sudden Bell's heart was thrashing in his chest.

Had he really done everything he could? Or had he been fighting the whole time just terrified of being hit? Had he fought to the end? Why couldn't he keep going!? His body hurt, but did it hurt anymore than the times when he'd been impaled by Ais's sword? No!

Finally, the fear and trauma that Bell had been facing ever since seeing the two Minotaur was burned away by a feeling far more intense.

He didn't want to be saved.

Not by her.

Not again.

He couldn't be saved by Ais Wallenstein again! He couldn't just keep cowering in her shadow like this! She was his idol, a woman he loved, how could he possibly let her see him like this again!?

Roaring aloud, Bell raised himself up, centimeder by centimeder, forcing his body from the ground, forcing himself to his knees, forcing himself to his feet.

If he couldn't impress her now, when would he?

If he couldn't stand up now, when would he?

If he couldn't follow the Heroes he'd wanted to show Alfia, when would he?

If he couldn't reach the new heights Ryu had told him about, when would he?

The fire of protection from his Goddess's skill had died, but in its place the flame of Bell's own ambition roared to life. His back glowed hot, blazing like an inferno, burning away any doubts, searing away any second guesses, filling him with the strength to finally force himself to his feet.

The fire was lit now, and he swore to himself, he would never let it fade again.

"!?"

Ais looked at him in surprise, her un-expressive face showing naked shock as his hands took hold of her wrist.

Gently, he pulled her around behind him.

Firmly, he took his first steps forward.

It was shameless that he'd even been this hesitant. He'd already made up his mind. He'd already resolved to follow Ryu's words. He'd already apologised in his mind to Syr and to Eina.

His promise to his Goddess, his proof to Alfia, and his love for Ais all stood behind the wall that had loomed over his progress.

"I can't be saved by Ais Wallensten, again!"

The Minotaur's each stared in shock at his declaration, yelled with the first true conviction he'd felt since stepping into this room. Their eyes popped open in surprise, and they greeted him with malicious laughter as he stepped forwards.

Bell raised the Goddess knife, pointing it towards them.

"I challenge you!"

Sprinting forwards, Bell Cranel set off on his adventure.

--*--

Bell charged.

And Ais watched stunned, as the young boy raced off headlong towards the monstrous bulls.

She was not a hero. And the dungeon was not a forgiving place.

Countless times, Ais had been too slow, or too unaware to save someone in need, her steps coming too late, or her realisation coming only at the sound of their demise. Even so, countless times more, she had been faster, sharper, and if not heroic then at least capable. Whether they had called her the Doll Princess in amusement, the War Princess in fear, or the Sword Princess in awe, their cries had reached her and her hand had reached them. More times than she even knew, she had snatched a rookie from their fate, keeping them from death for just a little longer.

Even if it had been her fault in the first place, she'd done exactly that for this very young man. And she'd grown very attached of him in the time since.

Never once had her help been rejected. Never once had a fledgling adventurer ran past her and directly back to the danger she'd come to protect them from.

Her lips pulled into a tight, confused line, and her eyes locked onto the sight of his back. It was as small as ever, as unreliable as ever, as young as ever. Nothing had changed. And yet, in the dungeon's cavernous gloom, it seemed stronger than ever.

"Well, it's going against the rules to steal someone else's kill, looks like ya got rejected Ais!" Bete laughed savagely, turning the whole thing into another of his cruel jokes. Watching in amusement as the white-haired boy charged headlong towards the two beasts, before whistling in surprise when Bell unexpectedly dodged right past the Minotaur's opening strike, before immediately slipping to the ground and ducking right after its companion's follow-up blow, "Hey, white-head there… isn't that the Tomato Kid? Keh! Hahaha, poor kid, looks like those Minotaur really have a thing for him!"

"Huh? You mean the one Ais saved at the last minute?"

"That's the one! Can't you see the hearts in those 'Taur's eyes? It's love for the kid that made them both run all the way up here!"

"Stop messing around, Bete!"

Tione's words were sharp, and Tiona at her side was chewing uneasily on her lip, shifting her weight anxiously from side to side. Neither Amazon was happy about this, just standing around and watching a rookie throwing themselves to their death. But as headstrong as they both were, they also knew that the Loki Familia had strict restrictions about throwing themselves into other group's business. As much as they were each eager to bounce in and help the rookie, neither was quite sure enough of the situation to jump in and assist someone who'd already rejected Ais Wallenstein's aid.

As usual, the Werewolf shrugged off the criticism, giving himself over to the same insults and mockery he always fell back to.

"Fine, fine. But I ain't gonna go rescue the kid. Tomato boy got his ass saved just like this not too long ago, and he ran off like the weakling he is afterwards, too."

"You sure about this? There's two Minotaur there, they'll gut him for sure!"

"The kid made his choice, it's not our place. Isn't that right, Tione?"

"Nn, would you leave me out of it!?"

Tione clenched her teeth and turned away, Bete folded his arms with a cruel smile, enjoying the spectacle. Tiona squirmed uncomfortably, unable to accept the situation playing out before her, "Either way we can't ignore those monsters! We'll be cleaning them up anyway, right? There's no point waiting till after he dies, agh, that's it! I'm going!"

"Leave 'im! The kid's trying to be a man! Any idea how painful it would be to get saved after bein' humiliated before? If it were me, death would be better than goin' through that again!"

"I don't care about your aesthetics, Bete!"

The three bickered and snarled at one another. But none of them made a move towards the boy, or the Minotaur.

Standing at the back of the group, Finn hummed, tapping his spear against the ground.

Gareth frowned, his axe hanging loose in one hand.

Riveria tensed, uncharacteristic hesitation marring the beautiful Elf's stoic features.

And Lefiya gaped in shock.

"Wh-What are you guys doing!?" she screamed, turning from the usual problem trio, to the woman she idolised, to the leaders she respected more than anyone, her own master included, "We can't leave him! He's just a supporter! He can't handle two Minotaur!"

The city-Elf knew as well as anyone the strict code of conduct the Loki Familia operated by, but she also knew that the adventurers she looked up to weren't in the habit of letting a young rookie perish before their eyes, no matter how headstrong he may be. And more importantly, she knew that Bell Cranel was Filvis's boyfriend! He might be an utterly shameless rogue who was much too comfortable making lewd displays with her friend in public… but he was still the man that Filvis loved! Her friend had been rather evasive and very scant with the details anytime Lefiya had tried to ask about their relationship, or how she'd fallen in love with a human, but at the same time she'd clearly seen how awkward and shy Filvis had gotten just thinking about Bell. However he'd done it, he was certainly a man who'd been able to bring out dear emotions within her the usually-stoic Elf.

Lefiya had been amazed to find him here of all places, and she couldn't possibly let him disappear before her eyes!

"We're working with the Dionysus Familia, aren't we!? We can't let one of their team die!"

Even Finn couldn't possibly deny that logic!

Strangely though, the objection came from a strange place, from the delirious Prum lying weakly within Lefiya's own hands.

"No… Bell-sama… Bell-sama is an adventurer of the Hestia Familia…"

Lefiya blinked. Hestia Familia? She'd never heard of them. The Prum stirred, shaking her head and realising she'd distracted with something pointless, she tried again.

"Please, please… brave adventurers… Bell-sama, please save Bell-sama..." turning in Lefiya's arms, Lilli clung to the girl's clothing, staring up at her with eyes full of desperation, "Lilli will repay you, Lilli will do absolutely anything, just please, save Bell-sama… please!"

"O-Of, of co-course we will!" the pink-Elf answered immediately, swelling up just a little at the show of respect, "Don't worry, an-and, and take it easy. Riveria-sama's magic healed your wounds, but you've still lost a lot of blood. Just leave it to me, okay?"

Having been the one tasked with carrying the small, half-conscious girl that'd so desperately directed them back here was the only reason Lefiya hadn't already interfered. She didn't exactly like the idea of fighting two Minotaur, but as a level 3, she was more than capable of blowing them both away, especially if they were currently occupied with fighting someone else at the time.

"Please… please save…"

The girl was passing in and out of consciousness, but her pleas were just as desperate as when she'd ran into them just a few minutes earlier. Nodding with determination, the Thousand Elf settled the Prum on the ground and stepped forwards.

"Lefiya…" surprisingly, it was right then that Riveria spoke at last, having given no answer to her student's earlier entreaties, "Wait, just a moment."

Riveria's eyes had scarcely left the young man ever since stepping into the room, and her fingers were clenched tight enough around her staff that her knuckles had turned white. But she'd made no movement to help him, nor to encourage the rowdier members of her Familia to do the same. And now, Lefiya's word was suddenly spun to a halt as the woman she'd always respected so greatly called her back from acting herself.

It was absolutely uncharacteristic! Riveria was a committed, serious and responsible woman, an Executive of the Loki Familia and practically the Lodestone of all Elves throughout the world. She kept her allies alive, kept as many people as possible safe in the horrors of the dungeon, and quickly shut down any attempts of heroic stupidity. From the whisperings Lefiya had heard, she was a woman who'd dedicated the better part of the last 9 years practically yanking Ais back by the collar before she threw herself into danger. She was never a woman to condone a risky, reckless or pointless fight.

It didn't make any sense!

"Look carefully."

"Huh? What do… do you…"

Finally, actually turning to the scene playing out before her, Lefiya's words slowly died in her throat. And just as Ais's usually inexpressive face was currently the picture of shocked surprise, so too did Lefiya's usually over-expressive face become the exact same mirror of shocked disbelief.

Bell Cranel had been practically splattered across the floor when they'd found him, the very picture of a pitiful defeat. He was a rookie, an absolute greenhorn, and -as she'd only just learned- the "Tomato boy" that they'd had so much fun laughing at from Bete's story. He was years away from being able to fight a single Minotaur, let alone two. Without having paid any attention to the fight, too desperate to find someone to save the foolish rabbit, she'd just naturally expected that same scenario would be playing out right now- that Bell would be fighting a useless, hopeless battle, having his flesh carved open and desperately diving around just to stay a single step away from the Minotaur's savage attacks. Lefiya had all but assumed he was charging to his death.

Instead, she saw a boy facing off against two Minotaur, a knife held firmly in his grip, and a determination she could practically envision burning on his back! Rather than fleeing or crumbling, he wasn't giving up even a single step!

The silver streak of the bull's cleaver was met with the violet flash of the boy's knife. The rampaging might of the second monster's fist was met with nothing but air as his feet slipped and danced across the cavernous ground. Just when it looked like either was about to make impact, the impossibly sharp knife turned the attack aside, twisting around for a second attack at the same time, then a third, and a fourth.

The room was filled with layer upon layer of heavy metallic echoes. The cleaver sang with a force like it would pulverise anything in its path, the fists sliced the air with such violence that they would lay waste to anything, and they were met with the sharp, ringing vibrations of a knife that felt like it could slice through any material.

The psychotic melody spread through the dungeon, and the battle unfolded without delay, without mercy and without hesitation.

Lefiya couldn't believe it. It didn't make any sense. It was impossible.

The boy she'd practically dismissed was matching the two Minotaur.

No… that wasn't right…

He was surpassing them! With each clash the great beast was the one giving ground, sent stumbling back with its flesh gouged off by the vorpal rabbit's biting blades. Each time the cleaver was deflected the armed Minotaur earned a new bleeding mark scored along its body, and each time the fist hit air, the unarmed Minotaur gained another scar! The only thing saving either of the monstrous bulls from being overtaken entirely was the presence of their companion!

With two attacks to watch out for, and two giant beasts trying vainly to hem him in, Bell had such limited space to move and only the barest instants to counterattack, never quite enough to land a telling blow… but more than enough to always leave his foes pushed back away from him, howling futily in pain and rage!

Lefiya world shook. She could kill two Minotaur, of course. But could she have done it at level 1? Alone? Wasn't he supposed to be a rookie!?

This was a battle to the death, two bulls against a single rabbit. And while the bulls could most assuredly end the fight with one single blow, watching the rabbit match them blow for blow, push them back, and roar his defiance right to their faces… it felt as if they were just a single step from disaster.

It wasn't a particularly elegant fight, and it certainly wasn't the kind of immaculate swordsmanship she'd seen from fighters like Ais. Bell's fighting was rough, clumsy and chaotic. But just watching you could practically feel his soul burning with each attack, looking at the wounds covering his body, the shattered state of his armour, and the crimson blood flowing freely down his back, there was no doubt he was betting his life and everything he had on this fight.

This was an adventure. The kind none of the Loki Familia had seen in years. It wasn't something they could possibly interrupt or turn away from.

"Wh… What level… What level is he?"

Finally, a trace of soft-humour slipped into the Elder Elf's words, "Exactly as he appears. Bell Cranel is most assuredly a level 1 adventurer."

"Interesting, how do you know so much about him, Riveria?"

"You've guessed already, haven't you Finn? I happened to run into him with Ais, a few weeks ago and we apologised for Bete's deplorable behaviour… He was on the sixth floor at the time."

"Huh, the 5th floor a month ago, the 6th floor two weeks ago, and now on the 9th floor… Wasn't this the boy you told us was the 'Newest of the newbies' Bete?"

The Werewolf grimaced, but had no response, not anymore. There was nothing to say.

There had been no doubt the boy was new, there had been no doubt he was just another pathetic bottom-feeder scraping along the top of the upper floors. And now here he was. Just one month was all it had taken? It made no sense. Even adventurers who started off with talent and skill couldn't possibly improve this much in such a short amount of time, it simply defied reality.

There was no explanation. And yet what was playing out before their eyes couldn't be denied. For each member of the Loki Familia, that knowledge and this sight before them sent a shiver down their spine.

"Argonaught…" Tiona whispered, chewing on her lip as she silently egged the boy on, "I've always… liked that story…"

--*--

Ducking, diving, dodging, sliding, advancing, attacking, attacking, attacking, attacking!

Bell roared aloud, his fury matching the Minotaur's as his Hestia Knife and Baselard bit through the monster's flesh time and again.

The white-haired rookie wasn't any stronger. Unlike the stories he loved, there had been no wellspring of power unlocked within him on the brink of death.

What he'd found instead was courage and determination. The resolve to step forwards.

The fear that had consumed him was gone. And freed of his hesitation, his true speed was unlocked.

He engaged the twin Minotaur without hesitation, his speed and reflexes more than enough to guide him past each blow. Where before his trauma had left his movements dulled and left him second-guessing his every action, now his mind was in complete control and both his eyes and body acted exactly as they were told.

The enormous cleaver rent the air. The fists pummelled the ground. Rocks flew, thunderous booms rang out. And the rabbit's blades drank once more in return.

Minotaur possessed incredible strength. The blood soaked on the blade and the fists spoke true of those stories, and with the slim protections of his armour completely lost, if Bell were to take a direct shot, he knew for sure his bones would shatter instantly under the force of impact. That's what they were known for, being so strong they could crush an adventurer with a single hit.

But that was all.

No matter how strong the attack, it meant nothing if it couldn't hit its target. The cleaver he'd been so scared of was nothing but a slab of metal if it couldn't connect, the fists he'd flinched away from meant nothing if they couldn't reach him.

And now, with his focus restored, Bell could see things more clearly than ever more. His sharp ruby-red eyes were able to take in everything from the Minotaur's expression to their movements of their muscles. They didn't have anywhere near the kind of subtlety or refinement that he'd seen from Ais, as long as he stayed calm, he could see everything- The beasts' strength was terrifying indeed, but it was a strength that came from putting all their power into each attack, and just from watching the way their weight shifted, where they planted their feet, and the way the muscles bulged menacingly under their skin, Bell knew not only the timing of each attack but their direction as well.

If all you ever did was try to slice right through him, or punch a hole in his body… even someone like Bell could catch on soon enough. The Minotaur's movements were straightforward, uncomplicated, and he could predict them easily.

'I found an opponent hundreds of times faster than either of these things!'

He almost felt ashamed at how long he'd spent too caught up in his fear and past trauma to understand such a simple thing. From the pieces he'd gleaned from Alfia as a child, to the experiences he'd gained hands-on in the dungeon, to the training he'd had atop the city walls, Bell's fighting style had always revolved around being fast enough not to get hit. The determination to step directly into the path of his opponents' blows was new, but that was all that had changed.

Compared to the woman who'd trained him, these two Minotaur might as well have been just a tree in the wind. Even the fact that one was wielding an adventurer's weapon just meant it'd learned how to use a sword, nothing more than that.

Bell's back blazed with intensity and he was as certain as he'd ever been in his life, if he couldn't handle something like this, he'd never manage to catch up to her.

And so, neither Minotaur's attack would connect. Not ever. He wouldn't let them.

Each slice of the massive sword met nothing but empty air. Bell used his jet-black knife to guide the strike past him and into the ground.

Each swing of those crushing fists fell short of his body. Bell twisted outside their grasp, or around to their elbow, using his Goddess's gift to slice them open as he did so.

Speed had always been Bell's forte, and he used every bit of it to dodge, evade, and to attack! To dash into their range, to slice them open, and to push both bloodthirsty bulls onto the backfoot against his aggression!

His wish to be a Hero was blazing hot.

His determination to surpass his weakness was pushing him beyond pain and fatigue.

His pure-white soul was shining brighter, stronger, clearer by each passing moment.

And somewhere far away in the distance, a certain Goddess's cries of ecstasy rang out in delirious joy. Her massive breasts heaving and bouncing, her mouth agape to the point of drooling, her fingers, thighs and pussy all soaked wet, and her eyes ravenously locked onto the boy's adventure.

The Loki Familia, similarly, couldn't possibly turn their eyes away from the frenzied exchange playing out before them.

"What the hell's up with that knife? Blocking something that big with nothing but a toothpick?"

"No, that's something more than just a knife…"

"Impressive, so he can do that now…"

No matter how impressive the Hestia Knife may be, the difference in strength between Bell and either Minotaur was like heaven and earth, there was absolutely no way he could simply block any of those attacks straight on. But, the difference in his speed wasn't enough that he could rely on simply slipping past it, or ducking under it either. No matter what his movements would slow and he'd get pinned down in return.

Therefore, Bell aimed for the side of the blade.

The impact of Bell's knife deflected the sword just enough to let his smaller body slide by. It was a keen strategy, but one without any margin of error, a second too early or too late would leave him as nothing but bloody paste on the floor. It was the difference of milimeders and left the young-rookie dancing perilously on the edge of life and death.

"Wh-Wha… Isn't that, that's Ais-san's technique!?" Lefiya gaped, Finn and Riveria's words washing over her as the world around her spun even more recklessly. None of this made any sense, not only was this Level 1 Rookie somehow standing up against, and pushing back, two Minotaur, but he was doing so with the exact same technique as her idol! Of course, Bell's knifeplay wasn't anywhere near as sharp or elegant as the Sword Princess's movements, but all the same, in each of his attacks and each of his desperate deflections, she could see the shadow of the woman she'd been watching all this time, "Where did he learn something like that!?"

Riveria remained quiet, and Ais was never one to speak up, so no answer was forthcoming towards the pink Elf as she looked on in bewildered shock.

"He really is good at dodging, and he's certainly making them work for it…"

"But he can't finish them off…"

Completely unconcerned about how or where he learned to fight like this, the Amazon sisters instead finished their own thoughts on how things were playing out. Tione looked troubled with a frustrated sigh, and Tiona was chewing her lip with anxious unease, shifting her weight as she watched Bell furiously throw himself into the counterattack once more.

Simply put, no matter his determination, or his blazing will, the boy didn't have a weapon that could win this fight. His baselard had managed to cut the Minotaur a dozen times each, and the Hestia Knife had left wounds scored all along the two monster's flesh, but Minotaur were tougher than that, all he'd achieved so far was nothing but surface damage. His speed and the ferocity of his attacks was certainly pushing them back, keeping them off balance, and he was laying attack after attack into them… but he couldn't do more than that.

The bulging muscles all over the beast's body were not just for show. They served as the core of the bull's enormous power, but also as the bulwark of its monstrous defence, giving them a density akin to cutting through rubber. And in addition to that, Minotaur skin was a valuable drop item that smiths could use to craft armour with very high defence. Even if an attack was strong enough to pierce the skin, there was a very real chance that the blade would only get stuck in the muscles. Only a very strong direct attack had any chance of slaying a Minotaur.

The Hestia Knife was sharp enough to slice through even those tough defences, but it wasn't long enough to reach the Magic Stone within the beast's chest, Bell couldn't hope for a one-shot-kill like that. And Bell wasn't fast enough, or skilled enough to take them down in a more conventional way instead.

Minotaur were classified as a Level Two monster, being at Level One, that was a hole that should have been near impossible for Bell to climb out of. That was the wall of despair facing him, the sheer power and ability to crush any techniques or strategies he had through the simple difference in their Status.

Roaring aloud, Bell loosed his magic once again, dazzling the Loki Familia onlookers with the sight of an instant cast spell, and one being cast by a Level One nobody at that… But the situation didn't change at all. The unarmed Minotaur took the brunt of the blasts, and the armed one charged past it, closing the distance in less than a heartbeat.

No matter how well he was doing, time wasn't on the young adventurer's side. A single mistake could spell his doom, and no matter how much he'd steeled his resolve, his body was covered head to toe in blood and bruises, his stamina would run out well before either of the beasts even began to slow down. There was no way he could continue the frenzied pace of this clash. But without a decisive way to pin one of the Minotaur down, or a way to smash through their defences he had no path to victory.

"Tch," Tiona kicked the dirt, "If it was just one of them, he could do it! He's doing so well!"

Once again, her instincts and judgements were warring in an uncharacteristic hesitation. Her desire to jump in and kill one of the Minotaur, to level the playing field, was warring ferociously against her wish to see this fight play out, and to see the young boy overcome such cruel odds. The world was waiting for a Hero, and Tiona yearned for stories like that as much as anyone.

Ais spoke, finally, not turning away from the fight, "Bell… hasn't given up yet."

"That's right," Riveria nodded, although anyone who cared to look could see her the clear worry writ across her face, "So long as he's still fighting, let's see what he can do."

"Hmph, this runt?" Bete scowled, "It doesn't matter how fast he can run around if that's all he can d-"

A ferocious, murderous howl cut off the Werewolf. And once again, the onlookers found themselves taken aback by the white-haired boy.

Having led the armed Minotaur around to where it was standing in the way of the unarmed one, Bell had leapt high into the air, throwing out more of his instant-strike spells while making a clear show of bringing his jet-black knife towards the Bull's head.

Monsters or not, the Minotaur possessed a cruel, animalistic cunning, they had each long since figured out that the Hestia Knife was the true threat they faced in the boy's hands and made sure to always keep themselves from being exposed too much to its sharp fangs. A few slashes from the weak Baselard were nothing compared to the way the knife easily pieced through their flesh. And so, taking the bait, the Minotaur had struck out directly to where Bell was flying, keeping it's guard up from where it saw the blade in his right hand.

"UWHOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Attempting to swat the boy to the ground the Minotaur's sword blitzed towards the nimble adventurer with tremendous speed, more than enough to shake the very air around it. Without the ground to pivot on, there should be no way at all for Bell to deflect the blade as he had until now.

And yet, when the Minotaur pulled it's arm back, it withdrew nothing but a bloody stump!

In a show of speed fast enough to surprise even the top-tier adventurers looking on, Bell had used the moment the Minotaur was blinded by his magic to swap the hands he'd been holding his blades in. His baselard was crushed completely by the cleaver, shattering on impact, but the Minotaur had been caught completely off-guard by the sight of the jet-black knife streaking towards it from Bell's left hand.

No way to escape, no way to defend. The knife ripped through flesh, bone and tendons alike as the bull monster's right hand was severed at the wrist!

Bellowing out in rage and pain, the Minotaur grabbed onto its injured wrist, staggering in shock. Which left the massive cleaver clattering to the ground beneath it.

Bell didn't waste a second, dropping instantly to the floor, he snatched the blade up, heaving it with all his might before dashing away, out of range of the now-disarmed Minotaur's furious stomping, or the unarmed Minotaur's answering charge.

"Oooooh! Now he's got a weapon!" Tiona whooped. Ais gave a slight nod, and a trace of tension disappeared from Riveria's face. Even Bete couldn't help but feel some small mote of astonishment at the boy's ingenuity.

Fighting back the pain in its arm, the Minotaur turned to refocus on Bell and immediately charged forwards once again, thrusting its left arm out as if to say "Give that back!" Facing down the rampaging beast, this time, Bell raised his own right arm in response,

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

A series of explosion resounded.

And both Minotaur's were stopped in their place, their bestial charge staggering to a halt as Bell's magic pushed them back. Hit from this close distance, they could do nothing but absorb the full force of Bell's magic, the sudden eruption of sound ensnared both bulls and sent a thick cloud of smoke rising through the air as flesh and singed fur fell to the floor.

But, before anyone could blink, from the second the Minotaur's attack was broken- "HYAAAAAAA!" Bell charged through the smoke, carrying the cleaver aloft in both his hands, hoisting it above his head, and slamming it down with all his might!

A thick red line appeared on the dis-armed Minotaur's chest, cutting through flesh that was as thick as armour. And an instant later, the young adventurer's spinning feet sent a second slash towards the beast's companion standing at its side, leaving a deep crimson slash running diagonally down from its shoulder. The singed grass splattered red with a flood of foul blood, and the Minotaur's each staggered back once again.

Long past any sense of hesitation or doubt, Bell didn't waste a moment in letting that chance get away! Pursuing his shocked prey, he unleashed all the power and all the strength of his status as he drove the two-meder long blade furiously through the air!

His next strike missed. As did the one after that. But the Minotaur's had no time to rest and Bell wasn't stopping for even so much as a breath, his feet threw him forward and his next attack followed after each of his colossal targets.

"Heh, the kid sucks…"

"But he's pushing them back!"

"He really might do it after all…"

"Wha… Tha… Ah…?"

It was safe to say that large blades were not Bell's strong suit.

The sword was bigger than him, and almost as heavy again. Rather than any kind of proper strikes, it looked more like the blade was swinging him around. In any other setting it would have been comical, but once again his sheer determination was making up for where his abilities lacked. Even if he couldn't maintain any kind of control over the sword, he could lift it, he could swing it, and he had the courage to keep running forward, to keep pursuing a foe that had stalked in his nightmares until this moment.

He became a bladed tornado. Flashes of brilliant silver surrounded him as his constant screams echoed around the room. And the Minotaur were left with no option but to retreat, to try dodge the attacks and to somehow weather the boy's assault!

The sword whirled, the Minotaur howled, and the fight raged on, minute after blood-soaked minute.

By anyone's reckoning the monstrous bulls still had the advantage, there was absolutely no way the young adventurer could maintain this pace, all they had to do was survive and the boy's fire would burn out. And indeed, each passing second weighed terribly on Bell's already thoroughly depleted stamina. His entire body ached and throbbed, his bones creaked as if they would snap or be ripped from their sockets and his breathing had become ragged to the point of raspy. And yet, the look in his eyes was as wild as ever, his feet carried him as forcefully towards his foes as before, and his hands clung tight to the hilt of the sword as all his strength rent it towards his foes! No matter his injuries, no matter his exhaustion, Bell's determination was iron-forged, and his Status was blazing hot. He wouldn't stop! He couldn't stop! Not until the end!

Instead, it was the twin Minotaur that were driven to a corner. Even if all they had to do was outlast one boy's stamina, with each passing minute another heavy wound was carved into their flesh, and their blood was sent splattering across the floor yet again. His movements were simple, and predictable beyond compare, unable to control the two-meder cleaver, he was practically just throwing himself at them, but the speed and sheer ferocity of the attacks left the Minotaur able to do nothing but retreat and dodge, unable to stop or even to deflect the spinning blade. By now, each of the bulls was scored deep with thick cuts, and gaping slashes, their own perseverance was quickly reaching its limits, without a way to turn the tables, they would be fully overthrown!

"UROOOOOO!"

One more furious bellow shook the air, this one at last acting as the signal for the final act of this battle! And with that, the unarmed Minotaur leapt, but this time, it did so not away from the frenzied-rabbit, but directly towards him, directly into the path of the blade!

THNK*!

Metal met flesh, cleaved muscle and carved bone. And the Minotaur's roar resounded again, pained, shocked, agonised as the massive sword was buried deep into its side, cutting through the Minotaur's tough skin and thick rubbery-hard muscles enough to drive almost the entire width of the blade into the monster!

But there, at long last, the blade was stopped. The boy's rampage had come to an end.

"Ah!?"

Bell's eyes shot wide with shock, looking bewildered at where his sword was now stuck tight within the massive, monstrous body. The monster had just charged headlong into his attack, sacrificing itself for the sake of its companion!? He couldn't believe it! It seemed impossible! And the timing had been almost perfect too, the Minotaur had jumped directly into the path of the sword, right as he'd been pivoting around, and right when his momentum was at its weakest. His full force probably wouldn't have been enough to cut all the way through the beast, but it would surely have been enough to at least deal a mortal wound… instead the Minotaur was staggered, stunned, deeply hurt… but those murderously red eyes were still glaring just as furiously at him as a moment ago! It wasn't dead yet, it would recover, and it would crush Bell just as relentless as before!

His moment of hesitation was all it took, the dis-armed Minotaur was upon him, swinging down its monstrous fist, before Bell's mind had even finished registering his shock!

Drawing on every drop of his incredible agility, Bell just barely managed to escape, the massive knuckles grazing against his chest as he half fell, half leapt backwards!

But the cleaver was not so lucky. Swinging right through where the boy had been standing, the handle and hilt of the blade was utterly smashed by the Bull's monstrous power, and with a sickening crunch, a spiderweb of cracks ran up the length of the metal before finally crumbling away to nothing.

The two-meder sword was gone. The deft attack that had given the boy a desperate chance for victory was rendered moot.

Stomping past its staggered comrade, the bull's eyes locked on with the white rabbit's. And for just a moment, Bell saw the Minotaur's maw twist upwards into a smirk.

It wasn't the mocking smile of a sore winner, but the confidant grin of someone desperate for victory. The Minotaur could see it's chance at triumph had finally come, now that its opponent had lost his momentum, his stamina, and his final trump card.

And at that sight, the world seemed to slow down around Bell. And an icy hot rage spread from his back as his mind blazed with indignation.

'You think that's my Trump Card?' his thoughts screamed, as his body automatically pulled the Hestia Knife from the sheathe, 'My Trump Card isn't anything as simple as that!'

It was the incredible weapon, and the freely-given support he'd gotten from his Goddess.

It was the knowledge he'd gained from Alfia, Eina, and Lilli.

It was the courage he'd gotten from Ryu, Riveria and Heith.

It was the magic he'd gotten from Syr.

And it was the techniques he'd gotten from Ais.

It was everything he'd gained from all the people he cared about and all the people who'd made time for someone like him.

'That's just some hunk of metal I snatched from the ground!'

Far from having lost his trump card, Bell could see victory!

Snarling as it braced itself on its remaining hand, the bull crouched down, preparing the famously devastating charge Minotaur were so dreaded for.

But Bell moved first!

Before it had even dropped into place, before it had even realised what was happening, the greenhorn rookie was flying across the room! Pumping his arms, pushing his legs until his bones creaked, pulling on every digit of Agility in his Status, he shot across the room like an arrow, blazing with speed that was well beyond the limits for a level 1 Adventurer! He was a bolt of white-lightning, faster than he'd ever moved before in his life, and faster than the beast could possibly have responded to!

"HYAAAAAAAAA!"

Screaming his lungs out with a mad frenzy, the timid-seeming white-haired youth threw himself directly at his opponent, blasting from the rocky floor to leap directly into the one armed Minotaur's chest!

And then, right as it was rearing up at him bringing its remaining arm up to defend itself, he flipped over mid-air, pulled himself into a ball, and used that momentum to bounce off the shocked monster and pass it by, using it as a springboard to land direct on top of the still kneeling, staggered Minotaur behind it!

The heavily wounded monster had barely an instant to flinch, but not even a moment to react as Bell landed directly onto its head, and buried the Hestia Knife straight into its eye in the same motion!

Its arms jolted, its legs crumpled and its enormous body trembled, a final devastating quiver running up the entire length of the mountainous mass of muscle and flesh. But it was killed in that same moment, the tides turned in a single instant, without hesitation or fear!

"URYOOOO!"

The other Minotaur reacted almost as quickly, bellowing in mad fury as it blitzed towards him, crossing the distance faster like a cannonball, tipping its head down and aiming its razor sharp horns directly at where the boy was still clinging to its companion's corpse.

It was too fast, Bell didn't have time to move or to dodge, with the way he was clinging to the other Minotaur he had no leverage to try leap backwards.

And since he hadn't killed it by its Magic Crystal, the corpse wasn't about to disappear, the Hestia Knife was still lodged deep within the bull's skull, with absolutely no time to pull it free.

Meeting the mad-bull's rampaging glare with his own, Bell stuck out his right hand, releasing it hopelessly from his weapon, as if to ward it off… practically a twig trying to stop an oxen.

"!?"

And then, with a sudden jerk and a yell, he slammed his outstretched hand directly into the Minotaur's mouth, shoving his fist all the way down it's throat!

"Wh-What in the world!?"

"Eh?"

"Ah… Huh…"

"Bell-sama…"

The onlookers were stunned to bewilderment, and even the monstrous bull was stunned out of its rampage for just a single moment, the sudden intrusion rammed forcefully into its gullet more than enough to falter even a monster's frenzied rage.

But only for an instant. Whether the prey he'd been chasing all this time had been aiming for something else and had missed, or whether he'd simply been trying to desperately fend him away, this fight was over. A Minotaur might fight with its fist and horns, but it was still a tremendous Level Two monster, its jaw was easily capable of tearing apart an Adventurer, armour and all! It only had to bite down to end this fight!

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

It never got the chance!

An explosion roared out, ripping through the insides of the mad bull as the boy's magic was shot directly down its throat! Letting go of his knife entirely, with his face contorting in pain and his eyes wild with determination, Bell's flung himself over, grabbing hold of the still-living Minotaur with his left hand, clinging to it with all his might as it roared and thrashed, and as his magic exploded again!

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

The Minotaur thrashed and screamed, roaring a muffled cry of shock and agony. But that same reaction kept Bell alive, like that, it couldn't bite down, and neither would he let it withdraw!

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

The boy's assault continued, unrelenting!

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

There was no coming back from this, he had bet everything on this moment, his victory, his future as an adventurer, even his very life! If he stopped, or if his magic gave out, if he paused for even a second then the Minotaur would rip him free and tear him apart! If gave it even a single second to do so, if he faltered for even a second, he would instantly lose his arm and then his life!

He was betting everything on his determination against the higher Minotaur's toughness!

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

Again, and again, the boy's magic exploded out. Dull and muffled as it resounded within the giant bull's pulsating body, but the power was unmistakable all the same. The onlookers held their breath, shocked in disbelief at the rough, reckless, and almost ridiculous battle shown before them. A young man fighting with every scrap of everything he had against two foes that should have been able to overwhelm him individually, and at the end of it, the climax of an adventure! Victory or defeat paid out entirely by whoever's body gave in first!

"SAGITTA SONUS!" First came a rush of noise. "SAGITTA SONUS!" Next a howling wind. "SAGITTA SONUS!" Then a peal of thunder.

And finally,

"SAGITTA SONUS!"

A hurricane of sound, unbidden by nothing, muffled by nothing, held back by nothing, and loud enough to shake the very air in the dungeon's cavern.

"!"

An explosion of gore and viscera resounded after that, the terrifying, overwhelming figure of a Minotaur reduced to nothing but two thick stumps of legs and chunks of flesh sent flying.

A flood of blood followed.

And at the centre of it all was a boy, swaying unsteadily on his feet, with his body covered in wounds, armour in pieces and his hands still held out in mimicry of the attack.

Once again, from the tip of his boots to the top of his once snowy-white hair, Bell Cranel was dyed head to toe in thick, pungent Minotaur blood.

But this time there wasn't a single soul to laugh at him.

--*--

"He… he killed them both…?" Bete whispered, in a state of shock. For all his cruel words, he'd been ready to jump in before the weakling truly bit it… but now he was left staring in disbelief at the back swaying weakly before him, his question was aimed only at himself. And as he spoke it, he found himself wondering when he'd become strong enough to take on two Minotaur… and… how long it had taken before he'd been able to take on two by himself… His face burned red and a mixture of embarrassment, anger and irritation lit up like a fire within him.

The Amazon sisters, similarly, were staring in open mouthed shock. For all that she'd been unable to interrupt the fight, Tiona had still been halfway across the room when she'd seen Bell's arm lodged down the Minotaur's throat. And now she was left looking on in awe at the boy far weaker than her, who'd shown her a sight she could scarcely have imagined. To Tione it was the kind of reckless ferocity that marked a true adventure, but to Tiona it was as if one of the heroes from her stories had leapt from the pages, playing out his tale victory right before her eyes.

"He's standing there like that… out cold…"

"Mind Down…"

"No," Riveria's voice was soft, but firm all the same and her knuckles were still clenched white around her staff, "Look closer, he's still conscious."

"Ah!?"

Exactly as the Elder Elf had said, Bell was right on the very last dregs of his consciousness, long past sense or sight, long past thought, speech or meaning. His magic was utterly spent, he couldn't possibly draw out a single spark of power, and his body was wrecked beyond use, it was doubtful he could walk even a single step further. The difference was beyond academic, his body and mind were both entirely exhausted… and yet, he was still clinging, right to the very edge of consciousness. As if stubbornly listening to her lessons, following her instructions right to the last of his ability, even as he drove himself beyond any possible limits of a Level 1 adventurer, Bell Cranel had not gone into Mind Down.

Riveria gulped and found her cheeks heating up slightly at the almost pointlessly stubborn display. If nothing else it seemed she wouldn't need to worry about hanging him off the Orario city walls anytime soon.

Even without any context, Lefiya found herself silenced just the same. Elven culture was strict and rigid, honour, integrity and pride were a part of life, they were the core of nobility. Those attributes were often pointless, frequently inconvenient, and sometimes misunderstood. To an Elf, watching someone cling so desperately to their principles, even when it was pointless, was intensely beautiful.

"Oi! You! Prum! Tell me, just who the hell is that kid!?"

"B-Bell-sama! Bell sama! … Bell-sama!"

Absolutely heedless of Bete's snarling, Lilli was already rushing past the Loki Familia, stumbling and limping, unsteady on her feet she ran heedlessly towards the man idolised. The werewolf watched her go, gnashing his teeth as he grappled with feelings he couldn't understand. Then, looking again at the boy that seemed like an anomaly, he noticed the state of Bell's back- with his armour smashed to pieces, his black inner shirt had been torn to shreds, leaving his back almost entirely exposed. And, just like the rookie from the nobody Familia he was, almost his full Status was unveiled right there for anyone to see! It hadn't even been locked!

"Hey! Riveria! Tell me that kid's Status- Now!"

"…Are you seriously telling me to steal personal information?"

Only Bell's upper back was visible, Hestia had managed to lock his Skills and his Magic, but the Goddess's hieroglyphics were clear to see.

"It's not stealing when it's wide open! Haa, fine, if you ain't gonna look then I'll ask Ais! I know I'm not the only one who wants answers!"

She should have refused. Especially for a kid who she'd grown so very fond of. Especially for a man who had snuck into her thoughts at ni… Shaking her head, Riveria quickly dismissed that train of thought before it could get any further. She knew she shouldn't peek at Bell's private Status, but Bete was correct that it was just wide open for anyone to see, and after seeing a display like that, she had no doubts Ais was just as desperate as the Werewolf to understand what was going on with this boy. But that was all just sophistry and self-rationalisation, Riveria couldn't help her own curiosity… she wanted to see.

Stepping past where Lefiya as currently glaring daggers at the wolfman, she breathed out a sigh and peered closer.

"Damnit! What's takin' ya so long!?"

"Be patient, I've almost…"

Walking several steps closer towards the young man, Riveria's words trailed off. Bete fumed loudly, as Tiona and the others drifted closer towards the elf, drawn in by her curiosity. And then, a moment later, Riveria's stoic face broke open with an uncharacteristically wan smile, and she found herself breathing out an uneven laugh, "Heh… hahahah, hahaha…"

"R-Riveria-sama!?"

"The hell's wrong with ya!? Urgh, Yo! Ais! You can read this too right!? What's it say!?"

The Werewolf stomped past the Emerald haired elf, having neither the interest or patience to try understand what had left the reserved Elf shaking with peals of laughter like this. So instead, he directed his question a few meders ahead where Ais was standing still, her gaze having never left the young boy. Giving a quick nod, she gave her own answer.

"Ais. Don't say anything," Riveria spoke first, "That's his private information, it's not ours to share."

"…Right."

"What the hells!? You old crone! What's wrong with you!? It's not private, it's right there for anyone to see! You were just looking at it!"

"Even if I can read it, that doesn't make it alright for me to share. All you need to know, Bete, is that… this boy is going to level up very soon," a small, warm smile graced the beautiful elf's lips as she thought that statement over, appraising the boy she'd given a week's worth of instruction to one last time. And a small hush spread over the Loki Familia as they digested that. It was obvious, of course- anyone who could achieve a feat like they'd just seen surely wasn't going to stay at Level 1. But even so, this boy was the one declared the "newest of newbies", the thought of just how fast he'd raced to this point hung heavily across them all, "…Actually, you don't even need to know that. For now, let's get this boy back to the surface. Finn, I insist we postpone our descent to evacuate him, he needs proper healing, desperately."

"Of course, of course, we can't possibly abandon him in this state, can we?" the famous prum tapped his staff on the ground as he spoke, weighing his thoughts, "Bell Cranel, you said his name was?"

"You know him?"

"No, I've never even heard of him before. Which makes him even more interesting."

The conversation shifted topic and Riveria gave a small sigh, exchanging an equally small glance with Ais as she did so. Really, hiding a level 1 rookie's Status was more a matter of principle than anything else, there wasn't much to see on a beginner adventurer's Status and, just like Bell, most of their Gods had neither the concerns nor the knowledge of how to even lock their Status.

Except… the reason for their glance, the reason Riveria had broken out in laughter and the reason Ais's hands were clenched so tight around her sword handle, was what they'd each seen on Bell's status. An absolutely unbelievable reading that neither of them could deny. SS, the absolute rookie they'd trained atop the rooftops, who knew a little about magic and only a little more about fighting, had somehow broken through the normal limits. And even more than that, he'd done it three times… Agility, Endurance and Magic, were all SS, and his other stats were S. Even Ais never had a Status as strong as that, it was beyond belief, and there was no telling what his Status would look like when it was updated now, following that violent battle… it was enough to make a jaded Elf laugh and enough to leave the Sword Princess's soul flaring.

At that moment however, right as the Loki Familia were walking towards him, the dregs of strength that had been holding Bell upright finally collapsed and his legs gave out under him, leaving him toppling to the ground.

"!"

But Ais was faster.

One Elf shrieked in shock. Another sighed with no small degree of warmth.

Both were ignored as the Sword Princess acted with well-practiced motions, as if she'd done this a thousand times before, and gently collected the young adventurer into her arms.

Perhaps, somehow, on the edge of his consciousness, Bell had been waiting for exactly that moment.

After all, just like how he'd been trained never to go into Mind Down, hadn't he also been trained for this? If he was going to pass out, wasn't it only natural that he do so in Ais's soft embrace?

"Ahhh! Ais-san! You can't! Th-That, that, that perverted rabbit is married!"

"What!? That punk kid is married?"

"Uh, well, um maybe not married… but he and Filvis! They were… Ah! Where anyone could see them! Right in the middle of the street!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

The noise in the background faded away to the distance as Ais's arms wrapped around the young adventurer and his weight collapsed onto her.

"Bell… Good work…"

--*--

Indistinct dreams and hazy memories swam and swirled, and evaporated away into nothing. Time stretched out as minutes passed into hours and then into days.

And slowly, finally, dim half-completed thoughts at the edge of Bell's consciousness began to return.

His body instinctively sought out his Goddess's warmth, after so long spending each night and morning wrapped up in her arms, he'd become accustomed to it.

Instead, an empty feeling resounded. He wasn't cold, nor was he uncomfortable, but a small tinge of loneliness pulsed through the haze surrounding him.

'Ah..?'

And that, at last, was enough to rouse Bell back to the waking world.

'Huh… Ah?'

His thoughts slowly rose, his body shifted in place, and his eyes finally opened. With the light of reality only just slowly returning to him, it took the young adventurer some moments to gather his bearings.

The room felt vaguely familiar. He was lying in a bed that was definitely not familiar, both far more comfortable and far softer than the one he'd had at his house, and the couch he usually slept on. The lights were dim and the evening glow of the magic-lamps set across the streets told him it was night-time. And, a half meder away, sitting primly on a chair beside his bedside, a beautiful grey-haired girl was focussing with powerful intensity on the apple she held in her hand, as she cut it into pieces.

…

Actually, as his vision cleared a bit more and his thoughts pushed through the haze a little stronger, he re-evaluated that thought. Rather than 'cutting it into pieces', she was more mutilating it into chunks. And judging by the similarly chunked apple remains on the dish next to his bedside, a good few fruit had already met that same inelegant fate.

He couldn't help but smile.

Even with his thoughts and memories only still just vaguely returning, and the entire world still swimming around him in a daze… somehow, Bell knew there was only one woman in the world that could possibly be such a poor cook as to be unable to even slice an apple.

"…Syr-san…"

"!"

The girl jumped in her seat, and the apple, knife and plate all clattered to the ground as she jolted.

"B-Bell-kun!? Bell-kun! Ahhh! Bell-kun! You're awake!" Launching herself onto the bed, Syr threw herself around him, her words coming out in choked gasps as she buried her head in his shoulder, shaking lightly as she sobbed against him, "You're okay… you're okay… Hhaa, B-Bell-kun, I was so worried… Do you know how scared I was, seeing you like that!?"

"Ah, Syr-san…" heart clenching with guilt, he wrapped his arms around her back, cradling her small body gently against him as she trembled, "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't just me," she sniffed, "That Goddess of yours was bawling non-stop, and Meteria-san was the same."

Despite himself, he blinked at that, "She was? I… I can't imagine that…"

"Of course, she was! She was miserable! Clinging to your hand, and crying to herself, she was inconsolable… Bell-kun, y-you, you make sure to apologise to both of them! And your supporter too."

"R-Right, yes, of course."

It was a strange thought, a very difficult one to process just seconds after he'd woken up. He felt terrible about worrying his Goddess, Syr and Lilli, of course, but it had never once occurred to him that Alfia might cry over him like that. It really shouldn't have been a surprise, he realised, it wasn't as if he thought she was heartless or uncaring… but she'd always been so calm, and so collected, he had a far easier time imagining her scolding his unconscious self than sobbing over it.

Unbeknown to him however, Syr's feelings on that matter were exactly the same.

He'd mentioned his guardian's real name once to her before, when he'd woken up in a daze after having read the Grimoire, but she'd been far too excited to have focussed on anything but him at the time.

Alfia was a half-forgotten legend from a distant past and a different Orario, and certainly not someone that Syr had ever imagined she might run into at Bell's bedside. She had no idea why the woman once known as the Incarnation of Talent had returned, or why she was hiding herself in the shadows, never-mind how that haughty, arrogant witch was connected to the sweet, innocent and gentle Bell that she loved. Seeing the ice-cold woman crying at the sight of the boy's battered body had been as shocking as seeing her at all, and that alone had been more than enough to still any questions she may have had.

Ultimately, while the mysteries surrounding Alfia were interesting to consider, they were ones to consider later. Neither herself as Syr or as Freya could possibly care about anything like that until she'd known for sure that Bell was alright.

"Ah!" suddenly realising how tight she'd been squeezing him, Syr gave a small yelp as she shifted back, gingerly releasing him, "Sorry, Bell-kun, I wasn't thinking… did I hurt you?"

"Oh, no… Not at all, I-" pausing for a moment in consideration, Bell tensed his muscles and flexed his limbs. Bracing himself for the protests and lingering pains from his battered body, his eyes went wide when he realised there was none, his body moved exactly as he wished it without any resistance or strain, "No… I feel fine, actually. I think? Feels like I've completely recovered."

Syr sighed in relief, sinking against him once more, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head against his shoulder. The grey-haired waitress had always been one of the cheekiest, boldest and hardest to handle women Bell had ever met, she was always running rings around him and leaving him confused… so seeing such open and heartfelt worry, as well as a level of closeness that was unusual even for her should have left Bell's mind running in circles once again. The feeling of her slim body, easily held within his arms, and her soft curves and even softer breasts pressing up gently against him should have made it even more impossible for the young man to get a handle on it.

Yet instead, ever since he'd woken up, and perhaps for the first time since he'd met her, Bell's mind was clear in exactly the same way it had been the night he'd washed dishes with Ryu. There was nothing to worry about, or fret over, he didn't blush or stammer or pull away. Somehow in the Dungeon and in his life-or-death struggles, he'd gained a certainty that stuck with him even now. And so, he simply linked his arms around her waist, and held her against him in a soft hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay… I'll really have to thank Heith, again."

"Heith?"

She gave a gentle laugh, the soft warmth of her breath tickling against his nape as she turned her head on his shoulder, "Yeah… Luckily, she was visiting the Guild when the Loki Familia brought you to the surface. She carried you to the infirmary and took over your healing."

"Ah."

He'd have to thank her himself then. It'd been amazing to have Heith looking after his training atop the city walls, with her in the super elite Freya Familia, he hadn't expected he'd ever get the chance to meet her again, or that she'd wind up looking after him again.

You were exhausted, and you lost a lot of blood… Healing can't do anything for that, so the Guild Healers wanted your supporter and Lady Hestia bring you back home to rest, and Heith knew I'd be beside myself with worry when I heard that'd happened to you, so she came and told me you were alright. So, I went and begged her to get them to bring you here instead… I know it's not as familiar to you, but I thought it'd be a bit more comfortable and quieter, so you could rest easily. I hope you don't mind… it's all I could do you for you, Bell-kun…"

Again, Bell was reminded of just how feminine and slight Syr was, feeling her trembling lightly against him as her fingers clung around his shirt. All he could do was tighten his grip around her, holding her close, offering his presence as way of assurance.

Her explanation finally cleared the remaining clouds around his thoughts though- so he was in the Hostess of Fertility. The same room his Goddess had stayed in when she'd passed out, and the same room he'd used when he'd read the Grimoire. No wonder it'd seemed so familiar. Now that he realised that, all the familiar quirks and sights of the bar stood out to him, and if he concentrated, he could clearly make out the sounds of hustle and bustle down beneath them. It was a warm and comfortable place, somewhere safe among friends, a mote of tension unwound slowly within him and he relaxed, a soft smile breaking out across his face as he did so.

So he'd imposed on Mia Grand the ladies of the Hostess once again… and, from the slowly dimming evening lights, it appeared he'd done so for most of the day.

"It's already night, huh?"

Syr laughed at that, her hands clinging just a little tighter and her large, soft breasts pulsing against him just a little firmer as her body shook, "Bell-kun! Hehe… Have you really not noticed? You adventurers truly are amazing… You've been asleep for two days!"

"Ah, wh-Huh!?"

Two days!? That… He couldn't say it was a shock, he knew as well as anyone just how desperately he'd pushed himself to beat those two Minotaur, and what a ragged state his body was in. He knew healing magic couldn't restore blood, stamina or mind, and he'd surely used up most of his supplies of all three… even so, it was hard to imagine he'd been practically dead to the world all that time! Focussing a little more on himself, he didn't even seem to be particularly hungry. Either the healers had some way of giving him nutrients, or the breakfast he'd taken before heading to the dungeon really had been filling enough to keep him going, he had no way of knowing.

Two days. He'd spent two whole days recovering from that…

He paused and his mind slowly processed what'd happened and what he'd been through.

…From that victory.

There was no other way to phrase it really. It'd been a harder fight than anything in his life, more reckless and foolish than anything he'd ever imagined. Even just thinking of the way he'd pulled Ais back around him made his face want to burn with shame… but he didn't regret it. He'd challenged two foes he'd never imagined being able to fight, he'd stood up and walked the path he'd resolved himself to follow… and in the back of his mind, in the places where the thoughts and fears he tried not to acknowledge dwelled, the bestial howling that had once resounded was now silent. There were no more bulls stomping through the darkest corners of his psyche.

It would take a lot longer to truly process it, and to wrap his head around everything he'd done, but for now th-

"Ah-hey, wait! Huh!? If it's been two days, Lilli, Goddess!? Al- er, Meteria?"

Again, Syr laughed, her voice slowly losing its fear and worry and regaining the same sing-song cheekiness he'd grown to love.

"They're all fine, of course, Bell-kun. From the way your Supporter told it, you really rescued her! Of course… she also said you threw yourself into a ridiculous fight as well, she's got quite some words for you I think… and don't think for a second I was very happy about hearing you doing something like that either! Didn't I tell you, there's no need to take such risks!? So long as you come back alive, that's all I want, Bell-kun."

His natural instinct towards appeasement rose up, hearing her completely reasonable arguments made him want to lower his head and apologise. But this time he suppressed it, just as he knew he would have to for the others later, "I'll come back, Syr-san, I won't leave you alone," he offered her the exact same promise he'd given his Goddess, "But, I can't avoid going on an Adventure. If I don't, I won't be able to do anything."

She huffed, then sighed, "Is that just how it is for Adventurers? I can't understand it… Just, just make sure you do take care of yourself, Bell-kun. I don't care what it takes, just, so long as you come back, alright?"

He nodded.

It was exactly the sentiment as the words Mama Mia had said to him. Don't worry about looking cool, don't worry about being the best, crawl through the mud if you needed to, cry and beg and run if it was necessary, so long as you came back, so long as you were still alive, you could keep going.

"Sorry… I shouldn't have said anything, you're worried about the others, right? Well, Meteria-san left earlier today, and you just missed your Goddess and supporter… They were keeping such a devoted vigil on you, it was moving to watch. But it's the Saturday night rush tonight, so Mama Mia sent them home to go sleep. They were both completely exhausted and there was nowhere else we could put them- we're far too busy to have them wandering around like zombies up here. Ah, they'll be back first thing tomorrow morning, I'm sure!"

That made sense.

It was a little sad not to see his Goddess, to be able to report his return to Alfia or to confirm that Lilli was alright, but knowing that they were all safe was enough for him. And he could hardly fault Mia's logic, this may be a spare room, but it was a spare room atop a busy bar- they had sundries stored in every closet and stacked up high in the attic. He could easily remember the time when Hestia had been passed out asleep in this very same room, it'd only been for a short while but he'd felt like he'd gotten completely underfoot the whole time.

"Ah, wait… What about you then?"

"Bell-kun! I couldn't leave you here all alone, could I? I took the night off, of course!"

Even on their busiest night, with all the rest of the staff working their tails off… it was so very Syr-like, Bell had to laugh.

Crisp, clear and free, without any lingering pain and without the trauma he'd been carrying in the back of his mind since that fateful day, his laughter was a true recognition that it was over. He'd bet his life and gone on an adventure, and now the wall that had loomed so dauntingly overhead was behind him. It felt like a first step, a monumental opening chapter to the path that was now laid out before him.

What Bell couldn't have known was that the very same feeling of relieved tension was flooding through the girl held tight in his arms.

It was such strange luck that in all of Orario, and all of the world, it had been Hestia -the Goddess she needed to avoid at all costs- had been the one to form a covenant with Bell. With the Goddess of the Hearth keeping such a loving vigil at her child's side, this had been the first time Syr had even managed to get within a few meders of the boy she adored. The first time she'd finally had him at arm's length, able to reach out and touch him, feel the heat of his skin and assure herself that he was alive, that he was still with her.

As Freya, even as her body had shook with the terror of losing him, the sight of Bell's desperate battle, his clash of wills, his resolve to throw off the Sword Princess's help and his final, impossible, triumph had brought her to such unbelievable throws of ecstasy that her screams had rung out loud throughout her apartment and she'd passed out in a daze right when he had.

But now, playing the role of Syr once again, such thoughts and feelings felt far away. His pure, beautiful, silvery-white soul was something she cherished beyond all measure, looking at him now she could clearly see it bursting at the seams of the vessel, practically spilling over and preparing for his whole self to grow larger, more powerful, more complete and one step closer to the divinities. The fact that he had done all this, had grown this much, in just a month was almost beyond word or reason, and it left her marvelling at how he could possibly grow from now on. It was so enrapturing it left her breath short, her heart pounding and her body heated. She loved his soul. But his soul wasn't why she loved Bell, either as Syr or as Freya.

She loved his fragility and weakness, how easily he cried and despaired. She loved his strength and resolve, how desperately he struggled to tread the path laid out before him. She loved his kindness and caring spirit, how even as he raced ahead, he always looked behind to those that followed him. She loved his purity and innocence, how sweet and idealistic he remained even in such a corrupt city. She loved that he had lost so terribly as to carve the trauma of defeat into his very soul, and she loved that he had won so tremendously that the trauma had vanished completely. She loved that he always ate her lunch, even when nobody else would. She loved that he was kind to Ryu in a world that hadn't been. She loved that Anya thought he smelled good, that Chloe always greeted him warmly, that Lunoire never complained about him and that Mia looked out for him. She loved his beautiful snow-white hair, she loved his sharp rubellite eyes, she loved his warm embrace, and his tender support… and on and on her list went.

She loved Bell Cranel. Whether she was Freya, the imperious and magnificent Empress of Orario, or as Syr, the simple and neighbourly waitress that remained true. She loved Bell Cranel.

She wouldn't act on it, not just yet. As impulsive and impetuous as she knew she could be, she enjoyed just being like this with him. And somehow, despite everything that Freya was, when she was playing the role of Syr, it was unbelievably hard to be truly honest with the boy. She'd screwed up her resolve to confess to him, and even to offer herself to him, but only in the same cheeky way she always fell back on, only in such a way that she knew would bewilder and mislead him. She enjoyed seeing him blush and get flustered, she loved seeing him squeak and panic and try figure out just how serious she was, or how to respond.

Freya could make any kind of cruel, or imposing moves, there were any countless ways she could claim this boy for herself. But somehow, she didn't wish to do any of them. She wanted him to love her freely and honestly, as a Goddess… and perhaps also… as a young bar waitress.

That was why she'd never approached him in her true form, or made any appeals to him at all. Somehow, it was more fun, and more enjoyable to be the Syr he knew than the Freya he'd heard of.

Of course, she still wanted desperately to tell him she loved him, and to have him say the same in return. But Syr knew it was too early for him, Bell was a shy, innocent boy, and anytime she thought she should just honestly and openly take the lead with him, her emotions got in the way and she got too nervous to go through with it.

Syr sighed, laying her head on his shoulder and squeezing herself gently around him, making sure her breasts were pushing against in in such a way as to leave him with something pleasant to remember tonight. Bell was alive, he was healthy, and he was still with her. That was enough for now, that was all she needed.

Unfortunately, while Syr's expression was growing softer with contentment, Bell's was growing harder with resolution. Once again, their hearts weren't aligned.

While she was happy simply enjoying the slow, safe path, he couldn't do that, he needed to go on an adventure!

"Syr-san, I need to thank you."

"Oh?"

"The Grimoire you gave me, I wouldn't have been able to win without it… you saved my life."

"Hehe… it's a little funny when you say it so seriously. When I heard about your fight, I'd thought maybe I'd been able to help you a little, I was really happy about that."

"It helped me a lot," he answered with all the sincerity he'd always felt, "I can't even say how much. You asked Lady Freya for help, for my sake and you gave me something as valuable as that… you've always looked out for me, always supported me, made lunches for me, you sent Velvet-san to look out for me, and even now you let me stay here while I was recovering. I don't know how I could have ever deserved anything like this, and I don't know if I can ever repay it."

"Stupid. You don't need to repay anything," her arms squeezed tighter around him as scolded him lightly, "You just need to stay alive. Stay alive and keep being the same Bell-kun I care so much for."

"Haaa…"

Bell sucked up his courage.

Once again, he stood at the precipice, on the edge of taking a terrifying step forward. His heart squeezed tight in his chest, and his breathing stopped with a sharp intake. It would be so easy to back down, to just run away like he had so many times in the past. What if he was wrong about everything? What if he was about to ruin everything between them? What if he was just a dumb kid who'd gotten far too full of himself after a few nice words?

The wall of doubt that loomed over him was just as large as the one that had stood in his way when he'd feared the limits of his growth. Yet, even as his doubts and fears bubbled up within them, his resolve stood strong and his heart was unwavering. The courage he'd found in facing down those Minotaur gave him the strength to leap into the unknown once more, to chase after the future he knew for certain that he wanted.

"I'm sorry… I can't do this like I imagined it, the timing is all wrong, and it's not special or memorable at all… but I, I need to do this properly."

"Bell-kun?"

"Syr-san, I'm sorry. You've always done so much for me, and you've always been there for me, and it feels like I've just been taking that for granted, that you'd always be looking out for me, I never truly faced you. You were… You were always so beautiful, and so confident, and so kind, I just got shy, I never knew how to react. But I know now, everything's suddenly become clear to me-

"I want to be with you. I knew that from the second I woke up, I felt it as soon as I saw you! I saw you at my side, and I knew that I wanted you to be there for the rest of my life, I want to be with Syr forever."

Once again, the slender grey-haired waitress jolted in shock. This time she jumped in place, lifting her head up and staring at him directly, her hands braced on his shoulders and her face just centimeders from his own.

Her mouth was hanging wide in shock, and her eyes were brimming with sudden tears.

Ah. What a sight. Bell's world filled with wonder and delight for just a moment, basking in the wonder of her, and without even realising he was doing so, he raised his right hand from around her waist and cupped his fingers gently around her cheek. She was just a waitress, a normal girl who wasn't even an adventurer, and yet, he was certain she could stand equal to any Goddess in her beauty. Well, he was probably biased, given how he'd finally realised he was in love with her.

Her soft creamy-white skin was flushed pink, and her cherry-red lips were hanging wide open in shock. There wasn't a trace of her usual cheeky nature of sly personality, somehow, for the first time ever, it appeared he'd taken her completely off guard.

"It took me far too long to figure out it, but I know it now, I know without a doubt. I love you, Syr."

"Ah… Ahha..ahaa… Haha…. Wuha…. Um, haaahhh…"

Her face burned deeper red by the second, and her body trembled lightly atop him. But she made no effort to pull away, her face nuzzled instinctively against his finger's caresses, and her own fingers were clinging tight to his shoulders holding onto them with all she had.

For all that Freya may be, Syr was still an innocent young maiden. She was beautiful, personable and popular, countless men had joked around with her, hit on her, tried to harass her, or tried to ask her out- but nobody had ever co clearly and earnestly expressed a purehearted love for her like this. She wasn't ready! It was so far ahead and away from her expectations she was completely unprepared! And especially when the one doing it was the same man she loved!

"This, this isn't fair Bell-kun! No! This doesn't make any sense! There's no way Bell-kun, the meekest rabbit-boy ever could possibly have the courage to say something so wonderful and bold! The innocent Bell-kun who only ever has dungeons, dungeons, dungeons on his mind, and doesn't understand a maiden's heart! How can he possibly be this confident!?"

"Er… Are you upset?"

"No! No! I'm happy! I've never been so happy! I just, it's just, it's not fair!" shaking her head, and struggling to meet his gaze as much as she was struggling to look away from it, Syr vented wildly, seemingly unable to keep her cheeks from glowing red as her eyes shook wildly, "This isn't how it was supposed to go, I was, I was going to reach out to you, and tease you and watch you blush and I was going to have to be the one to be honest first, as soon as I got the courage… Ahhh! You're not fair at all! How can you go first!? Bell-kun's meant to be too shy and sweet, and far too bashful ever say something so brave! If the timid Bell-kun says something like that, then how do I stop my soul from bursting with joy!? If the ultra-polite Bell-kun is going to address me so familiarly, how do I stop my heart from melting!?"

Syr's ranting finally trailed off, and her expression turned into one of giddy, confused, delight.

"Ahhh, Bell-kun! I love you too, I love you more than anything! I really meant it, all those times I teased you, you know? Ahah, I-I think I'm going to cry, ahha… Saying we should, should be together forever, I want that too, I want that too, Bell-kun!"

It was a beautiful moment. A perfect instant. Like the climax of one of his stories, the moment of truth and love between the Hero and the Heroine, where after a long and painful trial everything would finally be set right. His heart hammered in his chest and his soul sang with just the same joy as Syr had described. Feeling her wrapped up around him, holding her in his arms, seeing her face contort between confusion, disbelief and open, unabashed affection, it was an indescribable scene.

And he was going to spoil it.

He felt guilty, but he didn't let that stop him. His resolve pushed him forwards, he needed to do this properly, he needed to face her honestly.

"I've idolised Ais Wallenstein ever since she saved my life, I've been so desperately trying to catch up to her, so I can stand at her side. I love my Goddess too, I've promised to always be with her, to stay with her and to be a man worthy of her love. And, I love you Syr, I want to spent my life with you too."

"Ha, hha… Bell-kun, when you say… those other women, you…?"

"I love them."

Once again, Syr's world was sent spinning. Sure she'd picked up that he had very strong feelings for the Sword Princess, but she'd never have thought that he would have been bold enough to actually holding romantic aspirations towards her! And Hestia!? The second in command of the Anti-Sex club!? That shy, antisocial girl who'd never so much as dated another God had actually started a relationship with a mortal!? Of all the deities in Orario, she'd thought that being in Hestia's Familia would have ensured nothing would happen to him! That Hestia had plucked up the courage to made a move, before her!?

Wait…

That meant that not only had he ensnared the heart of an imperious, flighty and capricious Goddess of Beauty, but he'd also captured the love of a Celestial Virgin too!?

A woman well experienced with men, who knew far better than to be toyed with by any of them, and a woman too reserved and pure to even accept immodest advances from a man… this young boy had both of them so utterly enamoured with them.

'Ahh…' a voice deep in her soul sighed, 'He truly is my Odr.'

Despite the smaller Goddess's open hostility towards her, Freya was very fond of Hestia. The idea that the Goddess of the Hearth had tasted him first wracked her soul with jealousy, but she couldn't help feeling a small, warm admiration towards the woman all the same. She could hardly fault her for falling in love with this man, after all. Not that it would stop her from stealing him away all the same.

It was a crazy admission, really.

The man she loved, the Odr she'd chased after, the kind and gentle Bell-kun she adored was an adventurer with incredible potential, a quiet and shy boy who was constantly pushing against his limits, and the first man in all of existence to convince a Celestial Virgin to share.

And of course, he had captured the heart of the sweet, cheeky, neighbourly waitress that was so very fond of him too, just as powerfully.

"Ahhh! Bell-kun! You're horrible! How can you say something like that, and so boldly!? What happened to the shy Bell-kun I adore!? Geez, how am I even meant to respond to that! The Sword Princess, your Goddess, and now me? Are you building a harem!? Just how many women are you expecting to love!?"

He laughed, smiling warmly in the face of her complaints, doing nothing to change his mind about any of them. Maybe it was because -in spite of herself- there was only surprise and confusion on Syr's face, rather than the disgust or anger he'd dreaded, but somehow Bell felt completely unrestrained right now, like his usual doubts or worries had all just melted away. He wasn't second guessing himself or backing down, he could talk completely freely to her without hesitation. Syr always comforted him and she always looked after him.

"I originally came to Orario to live "a man's romance" and try have a harem, but that was just following my Grandpa's dream, because I missed him, and because I didn't know what I wanted. But I know now, I want to become strong enough to make my dreams into reality- I want to be strong enough to be with the women I love, and to make them happy. And I know, more than anything, that I want you to be one of them. I knew that for sure from the moment I woke up- I wanted to be with Syr for the rest of my life."

"Ahh… seriously, when did you learn to be so smooth!?"

Her face glowed red once again, and she tried to hide her brilliant smile behind a pout.

If she was Freya right now, she didn't know how she would have reacted. But she wasn't. Even if Syr didn't truly exist, she was still playing the role fully, for now she was Syr. And Syr was less possessive than Freya, less tempestuous, less spiteful… and just as desperately, foolishly, truly in love with Bell Cranel. She understood now, why his soul had suddenly began shining so brilliantly just a short time ago, and while usually she would have cursed Hestia in a spike of jealousy, right now she was far too enthralled by Bell's presence and his warmth to think of anything except him. It was always like that with him, it was like everything else just faded away and didn't truly matter- so long as she was with him, so long as they were together, that was all she wanted and needed. Syr wanted to be with him, no matter what form it took.

Her heart couldn't possibly be tainted by anger, or spite, or jealously right now- it was too filled solely, entirely, and completely with love. With her love for him.

Leaning forwards, Syr finally took the initiative back, tipping her head towards the man she loved pressing her lips against his in a soft, adoring kiss.

'Ah.'

Her world melted and her body shivered. Her first kiss. Her first kiss with Bell-kun. She'd dreamed of this so many nights. Her arms slunk from his shoulder to back around his neck as she leaned forwards, falling back into his embrace once again, and Bell's arms linked around her back as he cradled her against him, meeting her lips with his own and matching her affection with an adoration that was no lesser.

"Ahh… Bell-kun… I don't, I don't even know what to say… You… You better make sure I'm always a priority, okay? You can't give more attention to your Goddess, or the Sword Princess, or anyone else! Okay?"

"Of course."

He pulled her towards him this time, and she let out a soft gasp as the momentum was stolen from her once more, and her lips claimed by his yet again. She didn't know where or when he'd learned any of this, when he'd gotten so confident, or where he'd learned to kiss like this… but as Syr snuggled into his embrace, and as she thrilled at the sensation of his arms wrapped securely around her waist, she couldn't possibly care.

It wasn't at all what she'd expected, but it was exactly what she'd wanted all the same.

"Mhhnn, Bell-kun…"

"Mmnn… Syr…"

Time stretched out between them and the warm evening passed slowly into a passionate night as their bodies came together, as their lips parted and tongues began dancing together, tentatively at first, then faster, more greedily, falling into a deeper, warmer embrace.

Seconds turned into minutes, which passed by the dozen, and the room slowly grew hotter and hotter, more comfortable and more appealing by the second as the two lover's bodies pressed closer and closer together. The distant sound of the bar bustling below them was drowned out by the soft sound of their kisses, the heated moans falling from Syr's lips and the sounds of flesh and clothing grinding gently against one another.

The blankets around Bell's waist were pulled back, exposing the spare clothes he'd been fitted into at the Guild's Hospital and letting her straddle him directly, only a thin material of his underwear and the modesty of her waitress uniform keeping them apart.

Her apron was pulled undone and tossed aside, leaving only the same modesty of her work-dress and the thin fabric of her bra from letting the full softness of her large, round breasts press completely against his chest.

His hands slid slowly up and down her back, caressing and teasing atop her uniform, holding tight around her waist to pull her against him when their kisses deepened or tracing his fingers over the small of her back when she gasped for breath.

Her body ground and bounced softly atop him, her hips rocking back and forth as her body heated up, and her chest rubbing against her own as he won moan after moan from her lips.

And then, right as Syr was lost entirely in the haze of delight, Bell once again seized the momentum and took her completely by surprise- this time by taking a firm hold of her waist and turning her completely around, pulling her down onto the bed beneath him!

"Ah!" she gasped in aloud once more, her eyes shooting wide as her head fell onto the pillow, "O-Oh… Bell-kun?"

Despite the surprise, she made no effort at all to pull away or to pull back. Rather, her hands linked tight around his neck, and her legs spread out wide around him, shifting from straddling his waist, to opening herself up around him. And, as the surprise melted, and Syr's face blazed red at his intentions, she chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes shining bright with anticipation.

"To think Bell-kun would even push me down… You've really become manly, haven't you?"

"Hah… Syr, I… I know I'm acting impulsively; I'll stop if you want. I just wanted to tell you everything, tell you how I feel and how I wanted to be with you… But now it's like, I feel like I can't hold back around you at all anymore, like everything I feel just pours out of me."

Her smile widened and her cheeky nature reappeared, "So you're saying you can't pretend you don't want me?"

"Yeah," he laughed, just a little sardonically, there was absolutely no hiding the way he was currently pressing up against her, especially not in the flimsy material they'd dressed him in, "I'm new to all this, so I don't really know how it's meant to go… If you're not ready, or if you don't like it, I'll stop…"

"Bell-kun…" she purred softly, her voice just a little above a whisper, "I never expected this, but… I wouldn't have come into a man's room alone, and I wouldn't have locked the door, if wasn't okay with it…"

No matter how resolved he was, or how much clarity his recent victory had given him, there was no way Bell could have stopped himself from blushing like a maniac at that line. And he knew if he even tried to speak, he'd end up just spluttering like a fool. Instead, he simply did his best to position himself atop her, bracing himself on the bed above her, cupping her face with his hands and shifting himself between her legs as her waitress-uniform hiked up to her knees.

"I've always wanted this, I've been waiting for you, I…" and just as suddenly as it reappeared, Syr's confident demeanour vanished once again, and she squirmed beneath him in an absolute adorable show of embarrassment, "I um, er, hehe, I'm not really sure how to phrase it… Um I've never done this before, so…"

Ah. She was so cute. She was beyond cute. He couldn't stand it. He couldn't possibly hold back. For all that she loved to take control and lead him around by the nose, watching the always-cheeky Syr acting demurely was so enthralling it left Bell's heart pounding.

"Syr," he interrupted, "You told me before, that your virginity was mine to take, whenever I was ready. Did you mean that?"

"G-Geez, Bell-kun… I already told you… I really did mean everything I said…"

He swallowed a terrified, wonderful, anxious, heavy, lump in his throat. How had he ever been lucky enough to wind up in this situation? How could he possibly be worthy of both Syr and his Goddess's love? He didn't know. But he knew he was happier than he could put into words, and that he would do everything he could to make her just as happy.

"Then, I'll claim it."

"Yeah, let's become one…"

Even if she'd wanted to hold back, even if there'd been a single reason for her to have done so, the sight of his soul shining so purely and so wonderfully made it simply impossible. From this close she couldn't help but be dazzled by his brilliance, and she couldn't have possibly missed how much brighter and purer his soul had become from the moment she'd returned his words of love back to him.

Bell leaned down, capturing Syr's lips with his own once again.

Syr's hands slid under his shirt, pulling it up over his shoulders and away to the floor.

His hand reached down, carefully but awkwardly to the ties around her uniform, taking several moments of bumbling and just a little guidance from her to loosen the ties and slide it over her head.

Her legs, now free from the restraints of her dress, wrapped lovingly around his waist.

And with that, the two of them fell completely into each other, and slowly but surely, all the boundaries between them melted away. Tracing each other's lips, their scents mingled, their souls joined and, hidden away atop that bed, they etched their love into one another.

Beneath them, the hardworking waitresses bustled with activity, racing around pouring drinks and presenting meals for the evening's crowd of adventurers.

In the basement of the abandoned Church, Alfia paged silently through a book, barely even reading the words as her mind buzzed with concerns she had no way of dealing with just yet.

Across from her, on the couch that typically served as Bell's bed, Lilli was sprawled out beside the Goddess she usually considered a rival, having not even had enough energy to make it back home.

Curled up beside the Prum supporter, Hestia was snoring just as deeply, all but dead to the world with exhaustion having long since caught up with each of them.

Deep in the bowels of the dungeon, Ais walked in step with the rest of the Loki Familia, pushing further and deeper than any living adventurers yet dared.

And in the guest room, the in back of the Hostess of Fertility, Bell and Syr's passion resounded, and the overflowing affection filled the night with heat and bliss.

Words of affection were whispered, cries of delight echoed aloud, the bed creaked, flesh met with flesh, softly, teasingly and gently, then firmly, then in a frenzy. Moans, gasps and screams all resounded… And over and over again, long into the night and far into the morning, the wonderful sound of young love rang out.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: So… Remember when I said "Next chapters will be back to the usual length", funny story hey? And there wasn't even any sex in this chapter! I know, utterly ridiculous! But hopefully you can understand that putting a full sex scene in would have made it even bigger, so I've done similar to what I did with Hestia's first sex scene and moved it to next time, where Syr's get a proper starring role in this lemon.

I hope it was a fun read regardless, a lot of the Minotaur stuff is very similar to the LN so my original intention was to blaze through it really quickly, but as I was writing it I started getting worried that I'd skimmed over so many of Bell's "cool moments" and that -this being one of the biggest ones- it would be a disservice to do that again, especially when it was against Two Minotaur and fighting under a very different scenario. So I wound up writing the whole thing out, which ended up being as massive an endeavour as you can see here. Hopefully it made for a fun read, there's a few big differences I made but most of them are mental- Bell is able to fight back and press forwards at the start before being saved by Ais, since he's stronger mentally, but he's truly only able to overcome the trauma when he's faced with the shock of being left completely behind by the woman he idolises. Similarly, when he's overcome his trauma in the original he's fighting evenly against one Minotaur, here he's strong enough that he would have been able to overpower one, he's only unable to finish and press the fight because there's two, which leads to this conclusion. And he didn't even pass out, thanks Riveria for your teachings!

Oh, and Lefiya was there this time, to make up for her not getting to train with Ais. Although she might now have made things more complicated...

I went back and forth a lot on the Syr stuff, because I wanted to capture a lot of the idea of her identity as Syr separate to her identity as Freya. They're not some split identity or anything, and Freya likes to think of Syr as just a fun game- but that's clearly not true, she truly loves being Syr and being around Bell as her. In my interpretation here- Freya fully puts herself into the Syr role, and so we've got thoughts and feelings completely distinct to how Freya might act. (I had some people ask in Ch5 about Syr referring to herself as a virgin… Obviously Freya isn't, but Syr is, and so that's true to her in that identity).

And that's also why it was fun when her whole teasing, confident demeanour gets completely broken down. Firstly, by Bell acting far more maturely and boldly than she'd ever anticipated (he's not as useless with women as she thought, she can thank Hestia and Alfia for that) and secondly by her own simple, loving nature- she can tease just fine, but when it becomes real she loses her footing. The same in regards to his soul, his beautiful soul is a part of what she loves about him, it's not why she loves him.

Anyway, more importantly: Wtf!? Freya knows about Alfia now! What a twist! Who saw that coming? Of course if Bell gets brought back to the Hostess then Alfia's going to get discovered immediately (by Syr and Mia), but of course, it also means that Syr has to spend the whole time dodging Hestia. How very fun, how will that work out?

Next chapter will (hopefully) be back to the usual length! And (hopefully) be out a lot sooner! Sorry again about now lemon, I hope you're not too upset.

But now is the time to announce: I will now be taking suggestions for Bell's new title! Should he be Little Rookie, just the same? Will Freya push through Vanadis Odr? Is it time for Fallen Seraph of Black Flame, Dark Angel to take the stage? Or should it be something else entirely? I've got my own plans, but I'm definitely open to having my mind changed, or getting input, if you've got an idea, throw it down!

As always, more information about my story statuses as well as a weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 10: Is It Wrong To Love Another Woman?

Notes:

Author's Note: A chapter that's not overdue! It's not late! It's roughly, more or less on time!

Once again, my "I'll keep each chapter to 10k words so I can get them out quickly" plan continues to crumble, but I'm actually pretty happy to have this chapter out in such good time, even if I did blow beyond my word count expectations. In the end, I added a bit more than Bell and Syr having sex, so there's a bit of an exploration there, and a lot of exploration for Syr's character too. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.

A few quick notes:

1. I've had a few people ask about the term "Meders" and corrected me to "Meters". I appreciate you looking out for me, but that's actually a quirk of the setting, Danmachi uses "Meders" instead. I know, it sounds weird, but that's how it is. It's clearer in the LN's but the anime and Gatcha both mention it in passing too.

2. I've used the name Hörn instead of Helun, as you may know her, for Freya's attendant. I tossed up on this because to English speakers "Horn" is a bit funny, but the name suits properly from a mythological perspective, Hörn was one of the names Freya used to disguise herself with when she went out searching for her Odr. Hopefully using the Umlauts makes it a little less silly looking.

3. I'm still taking suggestions for Bell's new title, but I've had so many good ones I've completely thrown away my original idea and I now know what I think I'll go with. Feel free to suggest something though.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Love Another Woman?

--*--

Author's Note: A chapter that's not overdue! It's not late! It's roughly, more or less on time!

Once again, my "I'll keep each chapter to 10k words so I can get them out quickly" plan continues to crumble, but I'm actually pretty happy to have this chapter out in such good time, even if I did blow beyond my word count expectations. In the end, I added a bit more than Bell and Syr having sex, so there's a bit of an exploration there, and a lot of exploration for Syr's character too. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.

A few quick notes:

I've had a few people ask about the term "Meders" and corrected me to "Meters". I appreciate you looking out for me, but that's actually a quirk of the setting, Danmachi uses "Meders" instead. I know, it sounds weird, but that's how it is. It's clearer in the LN's but the anime and Gatcha both mention it in passing too.

I've used the name Hörn instead of Helun, as you may know her, for Freya's attendant. I tossed up on this because to English speakers "Horn" is a bit funny, but the name suits properly from a mythological perspective, Hörn was one of the names Freya used to disguise herself with when she went out searching for her Odr. Hopefully using the Umlauts makes it a little less silly looking.

I'm still taking suggestions for Bell's new title, but I've had so many good ones I've completely thrown away my original idea and I now know what I think I'll go with. Feel free to suggest something though.

And, as always, remember that FFN automatically opts everyone out of email notifications every few months, so make sure you reset that periodically if you don't want to miss updates.

--*--

"Bell Cranel…" the God of Wine drew the name out, tasting it, rolling it across his tongue, before shaking his head, finding it not to his liking, "What's your opinion of him?"

"Irrelevant, utterly irrelevant," Filvis answered calmly, "Weak, hopelessly so, and without knowledge or talent, nothing but a childish ambition- he's practically everything Lady Alfia isn't. Naïve, foolish, far too trusting, and innocent beyond reason- no doubt it's only due to her presence that he hasn't already been scammed out of everything he owns. In the old Orario, he would have been mugged for that fancy knife of his and left for dead."

"Well, you can thank Gale Wind for that," Dionysus snorted, raising his glass in a mocking toast towards the corrupted warrior of justice, "Then what is his role in this? Does she actually love him? Or is he some tool of hers?"

It was difficult to imagine a level 1 adventurer playing any significant part in the events that were yet to unfold, but with dark and forbidden rituals there were many things that a willing or unwitting body could be used for. A living bomb, a walking spell-trigger, or perhaps he was just a simple patsy Alfia intended to set in the right place at the right time, for whatever purposes she sought.

Filvis shook her head, "It's impossible that he's a part of anything. He's far too earnest, and much too honest for anything like that, he can hardly even lie to save his life. He truly believes that he came to his city to become an adventurer, he's chasing after that ambition with everything he has. Whatever she's planning, he isn't aware of it… but, if she truly did care for him, then why would she have brought him with her? Someone like him will only get killed in the chaos."

Taking a long draw from the chalice, he nodded slowly. Filvis's words were only a supposition, but they were a logical one that was hard to deny. After many long years, The Maiden of Silence had returned to Orario to wreak her revenge, and if she truly cared for her nephew, it was hard to imagine why she would have placed him directly in the crossfire, "That's true. That woman's magic is truly terrifying… anyone who remembers those days knows it well. It's said that if she were to draw on her full power, she could destroy an entire level of the Dungeon."

Magic strong enough to make Nine Hells kneel, and power unstoppable enough to bring Ottar to low, Filvis shuddered trying to imagine it. For all that she was currently a solitary figure bundled up quietly and unassumingly in some forgotten underground church, and for all that her interactions with the woman had been more infuriating and demeaning than anything else, it couldn't be forgotten that Alfia was truly a terrifying woman. In many ways she made all their plans completely obsolete… after all, what use were schemes and plots when this one woman could level the entire city single handed? It was ridiculous.

But, of course, nothing was ever that simple. Alfia had her own plans in the dungeon City and whatever they were she had shared little to nothing with her allies so far.

"Then it's unlikely she cares about the boy enough that taking him hostage could be used to control her," Dionysus swirled his words carefully as he rotated his glass idly under his chin, "But it's equally unlikely that he has no value to her, and to what she intends, if she brought him all this way."

A stalemate then. Bell Cranel was too important to ignore, but not important enough that they could make use of him. Still, that was fine. Alfia was an ally of convenience; they'd had their own plans long before she'd arrived in the city and nothing about her arrival had changed that scenario.

"For now, best to simply let things lie and to keep drawing her into our fold, bit by bit… Hmm, and I think-" reaching into his pocket, the God of Wine pulled out a small willowy looking stick. As soon as he drew it out into the air something akin to a fresh breeze washed over the room, and -for just a moment- a sense of peaceful ease brushed against the edges of Filvis's ruined soul. She couldn't help but purse her lips slightly as she took it from him, goosebumps spreading across her arms and a wellspring of regretful self-loathing churning within her breast, "It's about time we gave yet another little sign of our sincerity. She must be just starting to crave another one of these branches by now."

Branches from the Sacred Tree, the one true leverage they did have over the Incarnation of Talent. It was hardly a cure, but -for a time at least- they could offer her relief from the disease that wracked her body and which restrained the limits of her power.

It was a tenuous leverage at best, Alfia had demonstrated an ability to survive all this long while without any such gift, but it was a surety all the same. Living in Orario, surrounded by the great and powerful, was a far cry from living in some far corner of the world surrounded by mud and dirt. Even if she hadn't consumed the first branch, she would eventually, and after that would come another, and another… but always offered at their mercy and their discretion.

"I've heard news that the Guild dismissed her nephew from their care yesterday, it seems he's well on the way to recovery from that harrowing ordeal of his. Why don't you go see her and offer her our best wishes?"

Nodding her ascent, Filvis turned and made her way out the room, closing the door behind her and leaving her God to his plotting and to all the work yet to be done.

Walking through the hallways and out into Orario's evening chill, Filvis let her plans for the night unfold in her mind. Dealing with Alfia was always a tricky proposition and without knowing just how much she did or didn't value Bell, Dionysus had certainly put her in a difficult spot with regards to what she was even to say. Overt sympathy might be laughed off, while lacking concern may easily engender offense. This was hardly a job to be relished, but it was a job she'd received from her beloved Dionysus-sama, so she relished his trust instead.

At least, she comforted herself, with the white-haired boy still recuperating, she was at least going to be spared the indignity of going out on another date with him. That was a small mercy at least. Of course, knowing the frustrating Maiden of Silence as she had recently, it was just as likely that she would be told to return only upon Bell's recovery, specifically for that reason.

Filvis sighed.

Yet, surprisingly, she found that thought agitated her a lot less than she'd expected. Instead, when she pictured the young man and imagined the state he must be in right now, she found her heart squeezing just slightly. He was always so bright and so warm, brimming with joy and boundless energy, even knowing such a thing was always expected for any adventurer, it was difficult to imagine him laid up injured in some hospital bed.

Bell Cranel was an innocent soul. Even as far as she'd fallen, the dregs of the Elf that remained within her was still troubled to imagine him wounded, or in pain. Even if she'd found it humiliating to be forced out on dates with a human boy, like she had, no small part of Filvis would much rather endure that than see him lying up in that underground basement, covered in bandages or blood.

It wasn't… she found herself conceding as her thoughts twisted… it wasn't as if she'd had a bad time walking around Orario with him. He'd always tried to look after her, in that naïve, foolish way of his, and as lonesome as her life was these days, the way he'd so happily imposed his company on her was very similar to Lefiya, and not altogether unwelcome. They'd each tried to learn about the title she'd been scorned with, just for the sake of understanding her, and they'd each reached out to her regardless.

At that thought, and the memory that there were now two people in the entire world that had held Filvis's hand, and that only one of them was an Elf, a small trace of heat burned across her cheeks. And, for just a single second, Filvis found herself hoping that by the time she arrived at the underground basement, Bell Cranel would have recovered and been back on his feet, that she could verify his wellbeing.

It would almost certainly mean getting sent out on yet another farce of a date… but… if she didn't see him, then he'd start falling behind on his Elven language lessons. The heat on her cheeks cooled and her heart settled on that explanation. Filvis, of course, hated wasting her time. It would be pointless to have taught him anything if he went and forgot it all between their lessons.

Uncharacteristically, Filvis still hadn't said anything to Dionysus about her dates, and especially not about the fact that Bell Cranel was now apparently her boyfriend. She'd begged Lefiya for secrecy on that topic the next time she'd seen her, but given how excitable the pink Elf could be, she had a sneaking suspicion that she'd let it slip sooner or later. She could only hope that the news stayed within the Loki Familia.

Dionysus-sama was all she had left in this world and all he was everything she'd pledged herself to while she yet remained.

She hadn't yet emotionally prepared herself to tell the God she adored that she'd been spending her time dating another man.

And more importantly, she hadn't steeled herself nearly enough for the way she knew he would simply accept it with a smile, or the way he would calmly encourage her to continue going along with Alfia's whims.

The first man to touch Filvis, the first one to hold her hand and walk with her, had not been the man she loved. And she was the only one who cared about that.

So, for now at least, as long as it remained nothing but one of Alfia's whims, she would say nothing. The time she spent with Bell Cranel wasn't important enough to taste Dionysus-sama's time with, and she was far too mortified herself to bring it up without any cause.

She sighed, yet again.

Somehow, despite all the planning, all the secrecy, and all the things they had yet to do, Bell Cranel ran through her mind far more than made any sense. Her thoughts should be occupied entirely with the terror and power of the highest-level adventurers in Orario they had to manipulate, had to mislead, and had to overcome. But instead, an unranked, untitled white-rabbit bounded though her thoughts instead.

Really, now that she was walking through the crisp streets, and lost entirely in her thoughts, she realised she was surprised at just how relieved she was to know the young adventurer was recovering, and at just how quickly her steps were taking her towards the cities western quarter. Obviously, it was convenient for their plans, if anything serious had happened to him, it would have made Alfia unpredictable.

But more than that… she was just glad. Despite herself, and despite what she'd become, she was just honestly relieved.

It was stupid and it was beyond pointless, but she'd come to rather like Bell Cranel.

Of course, just like how she'd come to find a kinship with Lefiya, that connection left her concerned.

He'd always talked so passionately about becoming a real adventurer and getting stronger, it was something he obviously cared a great deal about, but she'd never truly given it all that much thought or taken it particularly seriously, not beyond giving him some advice or offhanded comments in passing. Orario was full to bursting with brash and unworldly travellers, all freshly arrived and ready to throw themselves into the legendary dungeons for fame and fortune… and often just as ready to quit within a few weeks after they truly realised just how real the risks were, just how difficult it was to get stronger, and just how few vallis they were gambling their lives for in the upper levels.

But now the rumours were saying that Bell had been the one to solve the Minotaur incident. Somehow, impossibly, the news was circulating Orario that the weak and hopeless young man she'd shown around had killed not just one, but two Minotaur. It was absolutely ridiculous, and the fact that Loki Familia had been present only made that clear. She knew for sure that Lefiya would certainly not hesitate to save an adventurer in need, and reports had said that they'd been seen carrying the battered and wounded Cranel out from the upper-levels. By any logic, he had done an incredible job just surviving against foes like that, the idea that he'd actually been responsible for killing them was beyond unreasonable. And yet the rumours persisted. And while the Loki Familia was away on their expedition, it seemed there was no-one to clear them up.

Which left her concerned. Because if they were true, if they had even a spark of truth… then she would have to acknowledge that she'd misjudged him, that Bell Cranel was a true adventurer.

Filvis truly shouldn't care. He was one boy in a city of countless. By far the least of her worries.

But all the same, she couldn't help but hope that wasn't the case. That he'd just been caught up in some incident much larger than him and survived through luck, or a miracle. She hoped that all the determination he'd shown her when talking about being an adventurer was all show, and the reckless tales he'd recounted to her of his time in the dungeon were just exaggerated stories. Filvis truly wished that Bell Cranel was exactly as he appeared to be, just another hopeless fool with a head full of dreams and a harsh reality yet awaiting.

Because… if that were the case, if he was just a young boy in over his head, then this scare might be enough to put him off. And then, she would be able to convince him to leave the city before everything was set into motion.

It wasn't much, less than nothing in the grand scheme of what was to come. But even if Filvis could no longer hear such voices, she was sure that the Elf she'd once been was begging her to at least save that one boy.

--*--

Far away and high above Dionysus's scheming, in the penthouse suite atop Babel Tower overlooking the entire city, thoughts of Bell Cranel were dancing through another woman with just as much concern and as much confusion.

"She's staying at his side tonight then."

It was Hörn that whispered the words aloud, but it was not Hörn that said them.

In fact, the sullen, severe looking attendant that followed Freya around was nowhere to be seen. The grey-haired girl, with one slate-black eye staring dully out and the other hidden beneath her long bangs, the girl with barely any fighting ability, little skills at anything else and who had nothing worth praising besides a slim waist and oversized chest hadn't been spotted all afternoon. And it was doubtful anyone at all had missed her.

Instead, while the words that were whispered were from Hörn, the one who spoke them was unmistakably, Orario's Empress. If anyone were to be granted the privilege of witnessing her right now, they would swear that truth to their dying day. There was no-one in this world that could possibly mistake the worthless, forgettable, pithy mortal woman who existed only at Freya's grace from the vision of perfection currently lounging naked atop the bed's enormous, decadent bed.

Her presence was unimaginable, she was tall, confident and vibrant in ways that simply defied words.

Legs long and slender enough that that their beauty couldn't be captured in a thousand sonnets.

Large, full and perfectly round breasts, soft enough to sink in and more than bountiful enough to drive any man to temptation.

Unblemished creamy-white skin, shining fresh from an hour of pampering in the bath and so smooth that it felt as if any clothing would simply fall off.

Dazzling silver-white hair, hanging all the way down to her (equally dazzling) butt, yet without a single split, tangle or fray.

In all respects, in all manners, in all possible descriptions, this woman was perfection.

And for the moment, for just this little moment, Hörn was her. And for all that she remained unsure about this Bell Cranel, and for all that she worried about Freya's strange game playing as a mere girl, she couldn't help but feel a little warmth towards him just for allowing her to spend more time like this, because, just like all moments spent in this guise, Hörn was happy.

Hörn was Freya's double. Her shadow. The wan and weak reflection that might shine in any mirror Freya deigned to walk past. If you were to shave off a fraction, of a fraction, of a fraction, of a fraction, of a fraction, of a fraction of Freya's essence, you would get Hörn.

Or, at least, that's what she liked to believe.

The reality was a little more complicated.

Once, some years ago, Hörn had just been another miserable orphan girl, a directionless, purposeless soul dying alone in the snow. And then, right at the end of everything, as the cold and despair wrapped around her entirely and she prepared to close her eyes for the final time… A being more beautiful, more fulfilled, more blessed and more warm than Hörn had ever imagined possible had appeared before her. Orario's greatest Goddess had stretched out a hand towards her, offered to help her, asked what it was she desired.

And somewhere in that delirium of shock and loneliness, Hörn's true feelings had spilled out.

I want to become you.

A wish more ravenous and more audacious than anything anyone had uttered to a Goddess before. A part of her was embarrassed thinking back on it, having uttered something so selfish and so ridiculous to someone like the Goddess Freya, but the rest of her held those words warmly in her chest, because they had given Hörn's life meaning.

Laughing in surprise, and smiling at the unceasing novelty of mortals, Freya had indulged her. A single drop of the Goddess's divinity had forged a connection between them.

Freya took up the name Hörn had once had, and Hörn received a better name.

Freya took up the body Hörn had once had, and Hörn received a better one.

Freya was still Freya, of course. But Hörn was no longer the girl she had once been, and that was more than enough. And when Freya went out into the town as Syr, then Hörn was there, to revel in the magic that joined them together and take the appearance of the Goddess she admired.

Walking around as Syr had started as nothing more than a way for her Goddess to gain a small taste of freedom. As a Goddess of Beauty, and as an incarnation of perfection itself, Freya couldn't so much as walk through the streets without causing a scene, and ever were her Familia on guard for someone trying something foolish towards her. Casting aside the thick cloak she usually draped herself in, and walking along the main streets rather than the back alleys she was normally forced to skulk through, when Freya became Syr she was able to walk through Orario with an ease she hadn't known in decades, and Hörn's heart had leapt with the knowledge that she had a played a part in bringing the woman such joy.

But soon enough, those walks and those adventures had grown to more, rather than simply taking on the appearance of some ordinary girl, Freya had embraced the idea entirely. And from there, her role-playing had begun. Like an actress slipping into a role along with the costume, Freya took on the role of Syr along with the appearance, and the ordinary girl took on a life of her own through the Goddess, speaking, acting, laughing, and thinking in ways all of her own.

By the time it had become a habit, Hörn had long since memorised everything there was to know about Freya and her duties, and so, as often as her whims grabbed her or as often as she could get away with it, the Goddess of Beauty would shrug off her true form, and leave everything behind for Hörn to manage while she ran around helping at an orphanage, pretending to be a waitress, or whatever other fancy took her interest. Whenever her Goddess was away, Hörn managed all the affairs of the Familia, from the schedules of the Einherjar, to dealing with the guild, to making public appearances, to approving quests or signing paperwork.

All the myriad tasks, big and small, that came with ruling over Orario's grandest faction were left to Freya's handmaiden. In all respects, the Familia that Freya had built up from nothing ever since she'd first descended into this world was entrusted entirely into her care. And so Hörn threw herself devotedly into the world, as much out of joy at taking on her Goddess's role as in diligence to be worthy of such indulgent trust.

In time it had become normal, Syr had taken up a role in Mia's Café, and soon Freya was at the Hostess of Fertility as often as she was in her own Penthouse.

That was how it had been, that was the routine they had followed for years, and they had all been happy.

And then Lady Freya had met him. That white haired boy with the pure-white soul. The boy that made gave Freya more warmth and excitement than Hörn had ever seen from her before.

And while the routine hadn't changed much, somehow, the meaning of it had. Somehow, her Goddess, her perfect, unchanging, ideal, Goddess had changed.

None of the rest of the Familia understood this, or understood just what it meant. It had only been a month after all, and it wasn't unusual for Freya's whims to leave her dissatisfied or bored with everything around her. If her bed had remained unoccupied for longer than usual, with neither man nor woman called in to bask in the Goddess's passions, then that was fine with them. If anything, most of the Familia shared the same opinion as Hörn, that there was no mortal or deity worthy of their Goddess, and to not have one pawing ungraciously at her was welcome. Particularly for Hörn was always fully aware of the moments of passion and delight Freya indulged in.

But she understood it. Rather than going out to play at being Syr, now Freya went out to go out and play at being Syr… and to meet Bell Cranel. And as small a difference as that addition was, Hörn could feel just how warm, how happy, and how fulfilled it made her. It made her want to thank the heavens that Bell Cranel had been born, and it made her want to curse him for tempting their Goddess away from her role and her safety.

For the moment, caught between those competing desires, Hörn had simply added his name as a write-in candidate for the current "Please call me Onee-chan!" poll, and left it at that.

And for tonight, with the rest of her duties complete for the day, and with the warm feelings flowing through her soul telling her there would be no sign of Freya this evening, Hörn prepared to turn in for the night, to best prepare for the busy day set out tomorrow.

Syr was far from unguarded and only a true fool would start trouble in Mia Grand's bar to begin with. But all the same, -as much as she enjoyed the time she spent as Freya's double- Hörn was alike with the rest of her Familia in that she would much rather it was Freya here in this bed, safe and comfortable, where her every need could be tended to.

However, unlike the rest of the Familia, the connection that Hörn had with her Goddess wasn't just the bonds that tied them or the status on her back. Even when they were apart, even when she was out and about as Syr, Freya was always connected to Hörn through the magic they shared.

Hörn and Freya were linked. Hörn could feel some of what Freya felt, she could experience some of what Freya experienced, and she could hear some of the thoughts Freya had that she revealed to nobody else.

It was that connection that made the rest of the Familia more jealous of her than anyone else, and it was that connection that Hörn treasured more than anything else. Because through it, she could understand Freya in a way none of her other followers could even dream of.

And right now, no matter how much she might miss her Goddess or mourn her absence… Hörn's senses were practically flooded with the sheer warmth and delight that was flowing through the bond. She didn't know exactly where Freya was, or what she was doing. But she knew for certain that she was with Bell Cranel, and she was happier than Hörn had ever felt before, happier than she'd ever been able to make her Goddess, happier than she'd ever imagined possible.

Freya had been delighted all evening, and judging from the tsunami of relief that had washed through her just a short while ago, Hörn could only imagine that the boy had finally recovered from his trial.

And from there, ever since, and to this moment, the sheer joy that Hörn was left feeling through Freya was beyond words. So much so that small visions of him, and of the room he was staying in flashed sporadically through her mind

The happiness, the relief, the pride, and the all-consuming love that Freya felt towards Bell Cranel surged through their connection in an endless wave, wrapping around the sullen attendant like a cloak and holding her tight, until Hörn was left smiling and sighing with that same shared sensation of warm loving affection.

"Hhaa… Lady Freya…"

She missed her Goddess, she wanted to see her Goddess.

"…Bell Cranel…"

But if that rookie adventurer was going to make Freya this happy… then Hörn thought she could at least tolerate his presence. Given the flashes of visions she was already having about him, she thought it likely he'd show up in her dreams tonight. She would tolerate that too.

And so, with her mind set, and her heart fluttering in her chest at the second-hand love towards the young white-haired man, Horn turned over to her side, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

--*--

Dionysus passed his time with wine and schemes.

Hörn stretched out languidly atop Freya's bed. Wrapping the silken blankets tight around herself and whispering prayers to her Goddess, sleep came to her with warm dreams of a boy whose smile was lodged tight in her mind.

Filvis navigated her way carefully through the backstreets and deserted alleys. Keeping her steps light and hood low, she double and triple checked to make sure nobody was watching her on the way to the basement church.

Hestia and Lilli, snored loudly together on the couch the Goddess usually shared with Bell. Alike in their worry, alike in their exhaustion and alike in having been forced out of the bar together, they were both dead asleep.

Alfia flicked listlessly through the book she was trying to read. Her mind was twisting through a myriad of new concerns that had arisen from this situation, but until her adorable and beloved Bell was back, nothing else mattered.

Cassandra lay flat on her back, trying very hard not to hope for another prophetic dream. Daphne buried her face in her pillow, trying very hard not to wonder if her friend might have another story to annoy her with.

The Loki Familia drove fervently toward the utmost depths of the Dungeon. With their executives blazing with passion and excitement from the Adventure they'd witnessed, and thoughts of that same boy running through their heads, nothing could stand in their way.

The sun set, the moon rose, the stars quietly began to light up the night sky, and just as it ever had, the world slowly turned.

And yet… in this moment, for two people, it may as well have not.

In a private room, atop a popular bar, in a busy central street of Orario, with the distant shouts and cries of patrons echoing below and the sound of hardworking staff ringing out in reply, for a young adventurer and a truant waitress, nothing existed but each other.

"Ahnnn… Bell-kun…" Syr moaned, gasping the name in a heady pant as she marvelled at the way her body thrilled and jolted at his every touch, how her heart raced at his every caress.

"Syr…" He answered, breathing her name into the heated air between them as his lips broke away from hers only just barely long enough for them each to gasp for air.

His arms were cradling her on the bed. Hers were around his neck. His legs were pushing hers apart. Hers were lifted up around his waist. Their mouths each sought out the other, as their tongues moved gently together in a slowly deepening dance. There was no rush and no need to hurry between them, only the slow and careful exploration of their desires, and each other's bodies. They had all night, and they had the rest of their lives, this was what each of them wanted, this was the affection they wished to hold onto as tightly as they could for as long as they lived.

The time passed only slowly, and as it did, any lingering sense of distance, hesitations or resistances softly melted away. Soon enough, their clothes remained the final, thin, barrier between them.

Ah, sweet bliss. She could barely believe it.

Syr's world was spinning dizzily with delight, as her hands clung tighter around him as her embrace grew more passionate by each passing second. This was what she'd dreamed of all this time, this was the moment she would have sold the world for. And it was far better than even she had ever imagined. So often, since she'd met Bell, had she imagined the moment when she would finally capture the skittish white-rabbit that had stolen her heart- she had wondered how pure his soul would be at that time, how dazzling and radiant, would she just be overcome by it? And indeed, it was everything she might have hoped for. His soul was truly beautiful, pure-white, and perfect beyond words. Since his fight with the Minotaur, she could see how it strained and pulsed against the limits of his container, how ready his entire vessel was to grow and expand to even greater heights. And, since the moment she'd accepted his love, it had been even more incandescent than ever, so brilliant she was sure it would illuminate all the Heaven's themselves.

His soul was like an unbelievably, impossibly pure gemstone, perfectly cut and presented, and so utterly unique she had never seen the like before and may never see such ever again.

And yet, Syr had barely even looked at it.

Instead, her eyes only saw his smile.

Whenever their kisses broke apart, whenever her head fell back down into his arms, whenever she gasped for breath or just from the sensations rippling through her body, it was Bell's smile and the warm, pure love in his gaze that stole all her attention. Truly, there would be time for marvelling at gemstones later. For now, while he was smiling at her, while he was holding her, while he was caressing her and whispering her name, and tracing his fingers along her cheeks, and… while she was with him… All she wanted to see was him, 'Ah… so this is what it means to be truly in love…' it was an incredible feeling, exactly like what she'd expected but thousands of times better than she'd dreamed, almost enough to make her re-evaluate her thoughts on Aphrodite.

Just lying in his arms was making her heart beat out of her chest. Feeling his lips against hers, his arms around her and his fingers touching her made her core pulse with heat and her cheeks flush with excitement. But seeing the unrestrained, earnest adoration in his eyes, and seeing the way he smiled at her was enough to make her melt entirely.

If anything, it was hard to believe this was even reality, this hadn't happened anything like Syr had ever imagined! The Bell that'd stolen her heart was timid, shy, kind and overly polite, he blushed and stammered when she teased him and he had no idea how to talk to or treat women. She'd thought it would take months for him to truly look her way, or to find the confidence to start pushing back when she teased him. She'd expected that she would have to take the lead every step of the way, she'd been quite looking forward to it! Syr had enjoyed countless fantasies about how she could play with him, or help him, or support him, and then, when the time was right and when she'd worked up the courage, she would confess her feelings, openly and plainly, to him and watch his face as he tried to respond.

The Bell-kun that blushed cutely and averted his eyes when she teased him was adorable… but the Bell-kun that faced her directly and earnestly confessed his love for her, the Bell-kun that pushed her down to the bed and told her that he was going to take the virginity she'd offered him, the Bell-kun that kissed her so deeply and so tenderly... was something else entirely! He'd taken her completely off-guard and off-balance in the most wonderful way possible, and instead Syr was the one blushing and stammering, trying to keep steady as he left her swooning, and as his every touch sent a hot, wet, need throbbing through her core.

Where had this come from? Was this the answer he found in the dungeon, or a confidence he felt with her alone? She didn't know, but it excited every one of Syr's feminine instincts, and left her utterly unable to hold herself back. Even when he made the most audacious request from her, even when he told her he was with another woman, instead of feeling jealous or angry, it'd only made her want to take hold of him, it'd only inflamed her need for him even hotter! And her words had been no lie, she knew that now as much as she'd known it then, Syr truly could accept it. So long as Bell continued to give her attention like this, so long as he smiled at her, and touched her, and held her… Her heart raced in her chest, her body sang with delight, and her world was filled entirely with him and him alone.

Syr was so happy she could just melt.

"Mmm, Bell-kun… I love you!"

Syr was in his arms, lying beneath him, calling his name and urging him onward. He could hardly believe it.

Bell's world felt like it was pulsing around him with bright white joy, it was like a warm and gentle fire that lit up his very soul, hotter and brighter with each time her arms squeezed tight around him, each time he felt her body tremble or shiver against him, and with each time he heard a small gasp slip unbidden from between her lips.

Ultimately, Bell had to admit, his grandfather had been right. The Dungeon and the Dungeon City weren't anything like he may have imagined them, but Orario was truly home to the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on and it was surely here, where adventure and affection were so entwined, that the soul of a "Man's Romance" surely resided.

Even so, it wasn't his grandfather's dream that Bell was chasing anymore. He'd inherited the man's feelings, and he carried them with him, but the dream that Bell sought ahead of him was the one that Alfia had pushed him towards, the one he'd found with his Goddess.

He loved Syr.

It'd taken him far too long to realise that, or maybe just to allow himself to do so.

But no matter what, he understood now, just how much he'd relied on her and just how much he cherished her.

Even without Alfia reminding him of how impossible it was for a regular person to achieve anything great in the Dungeon city, and how unrealistic his ambitions had been, Bell had always been aware of just how insignificant he must seem to the rest of the world. And if there had been any lingering hopes there, the depression and desperation of his time searching for a Familia had made that unmistakably clear. He was just a Level 1 nobody in a massive city, yet another hopeful come to the big city without a clue, dreaming of throwing himself into the Dungeon in the hopes for fame, power, or (in his case) simply somewhere to belong and someone to belong with.

And yet, no matter how insignificant and how foolish he must have seemed, from the very first day he'd met her, from their very first interaction, Syr had been looking out for him. He'd always helped him, she'd always supported him, and she'd gotten so worried about him that she'd called in favours from one of the most powerful Familia in Orario, far above her station as a simple waitress, just to try and protect him.

He'd received an embarrassing amount of help just to make it as far as he had. And, just like with his Goddess, Ais, Riveria, Eina, Ryu and Lilli, it was safe to say that without Syr, Bell would have been much worse off, most likely he wouldn't have survived even this long. However, unlike any of them, he'd never understood anything about why Syr had always done so much for him, or how he could possibly be worth the care she always so gently offered him.

After finding out about the Grimoire it'd finally become completely impossible to just tell himself it was nothing but simple human kindness, and yet, even though he'd understood that, he'd still been too timid and too cowardly to face her feelings, not when he'd been certain that a gentle rejection was all that awaited him (she couldn't possibly have been serious!) and not when he'd been so lost about his own feelings (even with his Goddess's help, he was still only slowly learning what it meant to love). All this time, he'd dithered, and vacillated, and run away… And yet, when he'd finally managed to understand himself, and finally gathered up the courage to face her, she'd accepted him all the same. Happily, completely, adoringly, as if he was everything she'd been waiting for, she'd returned her love just as eagerly as he'd offered his.

He couldn't possibly imagine what he must seem in Syr's eyes to be worthy of her affection, but he would never doubt the sincerity of her feelings. She'd entrusted her heart, and her body to him, and he cherished both without reservation. All that remained was to earn them, to become the man that was worthy of standing next to Syr, of loving her.

The love beating in his chest for the cheeky, silver-haired waitress was no less than the love he felt towards his Goddess, or towards Ais. And the happiness he felt having Syr in his arms right now was just as radiant, and just as pure as what he'd felt taking Hestia into his embrace, or all the time he'd woken up with Ais wrapped gently around him.

He understood that it was egotism beyond belief for someone as insignificant as him to even dream of holding such affection towards any of those women, let alone all three of them at once. Defiling a Celestial Virgin, and yet still chasing after the Sword Princess, and even then, embracing the waitress who'd always supported him so kindly… it was greed beyond words, and probably beyond anyone's measure, a desire reckless enough he was sure even the Gods would be ashamed. And yet, he couldn't hold himself back, not anymore.

It was his Goddess's acceptance that had let him face his own heart, and it was the adventure he'd found in the Dungeon that had given him the courage to keep moving forwards- no matter how shameless, egocentric or greedy it may be.

And Syr had accepted him.

She was older than him, she was more worldly and more mature than him, she was breathtakingly beautiful and endlessly confident. He was sure that a woman like her could have any man she wanted, and she could certainly have any man all to herself. But she'd chosen him all the same.

It really was almost unbelievable.

Looking down at her beneath him, at her beautiful face flushed red and her eyes shining with nervous excitement was enough almost to squeeze Bell's heart to a stop. This was something he'd barely even let himself daydream about, having always scolded himself that it was rude to even think of her so lewdly, or that he was getting full of himself just imagining that her teasing might be serious.

But there was no doubt about it now. He could feel just how warm and how small she felt in his arms, a reminder of the incredible femininity that Syr possessed, powerful to instantly stoke a desire to protect her, as well as ignite seemingly every other desire he'd ever felt towards the waitress all at once. The feeling of her creamy-white, perfectly soft skin against his fingers. The caress of her silken, silvery hair running smoothly over his arms. The wonderful squish of her chest against his own. The alluring sight of her modest uniform hiked up around her waist. The excitement of feeling her long, bare legs spread out around him and linking tentatively around his waist. The sensation of having her every shiver, tremble, sigh and moan reverberating through him. It was all wrapping around Bell in a wonderful, irresistible tide, igniting every one of his instincts and stoking his body hot with desire.

It was all proof that she was here. She was with him. She wanted him just as he wanted her. She loved him just as he loved her.

Bell was so happy he felt like he could burst.

"Syr… I love you, too. I think I always have."

Unconcerned with the passing of time, the city night echoing around them, or of any other worries, their lips and their bodies came together over and again, hungrily seeking each other, and greedily falling into slowly growing desire. And with each passing minute, the Hostess of Fertility's modest, respectable, spare room grew hotter and hotter, filled with the heady warmth of young passion and the sounds of a long-love finally fulfilled.

The eager, urging moans, echoing out between their kisses, bouncing from the walls and electrifying the air.

The sound of their embrace growing hotter, and deeper with each passing moment, their bodies clinging tighter and tighter together.

The gentle creak of bedsprings as they rocked in place, her hips grinding against his, and his chest pushing down onto hers.

Releasing her head into the mattress, Bell's fingers teased through the silken strands of her silvery hair, and then across her cheeks, and down the side of her neck, stroking and caressing her, marvelling at her flushed skin and radiant smile every time she pulled away to gasp for breath, or to shiver in reaction. Her fingers slid along his neck, over his shoulders, and through his hair, and she moaned and trembled happily with each passing discovery as his tongue danced with hers and as her hands explored his body, but all the while, Syr's hands remained tight around him, as if fearing to let him go, or simply too desperate to hold him close.

There was no signal or sign between them. But he was long past second guessing himself. He could feel her desires urging him on, and he could feel his own, smouldering hot with need.

Breaking their kiss, Bell pulled back for a moment, bracing himself atop her. And as he did so, he couldn't help but take a second to marvel once more at the sight of Syr below him. Even fully clothed, even in the stodgy waitress uniform she wore, the vision of the woman he loved spread out beneath him was more than enough to bring the young adventurer's world to a shuddering halt. Her flawless white skin was flushed red with excitement, her grey irises were smoky with yearning need, and her ruby-red lips were parted, hanging open as she panted lightly, the heat of her breath fogging just slightly in the night air. And all the while her hands were firm around his shoulders, her fingers urging him back down towards her, and her hips twisting and squirming against his own as her legs tightened around his waist.

It was a truly incredible sight, and it was a sight that belonged to him alone. No other man had ever seen this side of Syr. Once again, Bell was sure he couldn't possibly be worthy of this honour, but once again, he was filled with determination to live up to it.

Even dazzled by the sight, he kept control of himself. His fingers slid down to the apron strings around her neck.

"I'm taking this off now."

Syr's eyes went wide, and once again she found an electrifying delight jolting through her.

It wasn't a question. As gentle as he was, he was speaking to give her room to object or stop if she'd changed her mind, but that was all. Her gentle, timid and shy Bell-kun wasn't asking her permission, and he wasn't ashamed of his intentions. He was being perfectly clear what he wanted.

A shiver ran through her as that thought seared through Syr's mind with all the heat and all the excitement she'd ever dreamed it would.

Bell was making it perfectly clear that he wanted her. There was no mistaking it, no shame in his words or his actions. He wanted to hold her, he wanted to kiss her, he wanted to strip off her clothes, he wanted to take her virginity, he wanted to make her his woman. The Bell she'd yearned for so desperately for so long wanted her just as badly.

"Ah, I, uuh...hha…"

And Syr found she couldn't speak, she could barely even look at him, he was far too dazzling! Her cheeks were flaming red and her body was pulsing hot with months-worth of pent-up desire! She'd never expected him to act like this, she'd never once imagined he would take the lead like this, it was far too confident and far too incredible!

She was completely captivated, she was the one left stammering and blushing, able to do little more than just nod her assent and tug on his clothes to tell him she wanted the same.

Being the polite girl she was, her shoes had already been left by the door when she came in.

The apron only protected Syr's modesty for a moment longer under Bell's attention, quickly finding itself undone and folded (as carefully as he could manage with one hand) at the side of the bed.

Her dress only lasted slightly longer, with him having to take a few seconds to find and to fumble with the buttons before taking careful hold of the hem and shimmying it up and over her head.

By now, Syr's own desires were raging hot and she had absolutely no patience to wait for that. Assisting him in pulling off her work-clothes, she tugged them out of his hands and discarded them carelessly over her shoulder.

Similarly, having finally -regretfully- released her arms from around his neck, Syr's hands wasted not even a second in pulling at the thin hospital shirt Bell had been dressed in, and it was quickly rendered the same fate as her dress, falling to a pile on the floor somewhere to the side of the room.

Which now left him shirtless, and her finally, fully unveiled before him.

Having only, mostly, seen Bell's back before when reading his Magic, the sight of him now made for quite a sight for Syr's eyes. He was still just as slender as she'd remembered, bordering on scrawny, and yet all the same, she could see the traces of musculature starting to shine through from his everyday efforts. With her heart pounding, and thighs quickly thrumming with sticky, wet heat, she couldn't help but trace her fingers over his chest, playing her fingertips across his abdomen, and feeling the strength still building within his body for herself.

It was only when her eyes finally returned to his face a moment later, to that same beautiful smile that'd ensnared her soul, that she noticed the way he was staring at her, and the fact that he hadn't moved yet.

"Ah…"

That same timid, awkward, shy Bell-kun who would never do anything more than sneak the occasional glance at her breasts or ass was practically drinking in the sight of her. Braced atop her, as she lay spread out on the mattress, stripped just to her bra and panties, his eyes were travelling shamelessly up every millimeder of her skin, as if engraving the sight into his soul. In short, Bell was finally learning just how much work that thick, stodgy uniform did in blunting Syr's incredible curves. Her heavy, round chest shaking lightly with her every intake of breath. Her creamy-white skin, soft and perfectly smooth, all the way from her slender shoulders, to her taut flat stomach, to the devious curves of her hips. Even just the way her hair was fanned out now beneath her, framing her face as she smirked eagerly up at him. She was beautiful in a way that competed even the perfection of the Goddesses. It was all an absolute feast for Bell's eyes, and now that he wasn't holding anything back, it was a meal he happily indulged in.

"Do you like it, Bell-kun?" she purred, dropping her hands back above her head and thrusting her chest a little off the bed as she shifted her hips under his waist and presented herself to him, "Is it everything you hoped for?"

He gulped, swallowing heavily as he took a moment to process her words. But right as she thought she'd stunned him to silence, or that he was about to stammer something, burn bright red and turn away… His hands ran gently across her shoulders, and his fingertipped traced their way boldly down her body, leaving her shivering and gasping lightly in response as they trailed across her nape, down across the heft and softness of her breasts, and along the slender sides of her waist.

"Of course it is," he answered finally, his eyes shining with the exact same absolute sincerity as always, "To the point it feels dangerous. I, um, I've always thought that you were incredibly cute, and that I couldn't understand why someone like you would spend so much time with me. But now… Uh, I mean, ever since I've realised how much I love you, ever since I woke up… It's even more so… If that makes sense? When I look at you, I keep thinking you're even more beautiful than ever. It's like my heart's squeezing tight in my chest, I can barely stand it, like I can't hold myself back at all!"

"!"

And once again, Syr's attempt to take control, to lead him on with a purr and a wink, collapsed spectacularly.

Once again, she was the one left blushing and simpering. And the hands that had been attempting to frame him before her eyes were now covering her face as she found herself flushed so hot, and with her body pulsing with such incredible delight that she couldn't even bear to look at him. Even with just the featherlight touches of his fingertips across her, she felt like her entire body was burning up, and even just the sensation of him staring down at her, and having him talk about her like that, she could feel electrifying bolts of pleasure surging up her spine. Her head was filled with white fog, her heart was pounding in her (substantial) chest, and her breath was fogging the air between them as yet another moan slipped between her pursed, red lips.

Ahhh! It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair at all! When did he learn that kind of confidence? Was it even confidence at all, wasn't it more like just reckless honesty!? Like, rather than building up his courage to face her, he was just so purely, innocently, open with her, as if he trusted her so deeply and so intently, he didn't need to hide anything from her anymore.

Was this how powerful Bell's love was!? Was this what true love with her Odr was!?

It wasn't fair at all!

He was meant to a pure, naïve, sheepish young man, and instead he was leading her on by the nose and making her entire body and soul practically beg for him!

It was right then that Syr finally accepted that any hope of her retaining even some semblance of control, or of pulling off her usual affectionate teasing was just impossible. His ridiculous, open earnestness and the sheer purity of his intentions had completely defeated her. It was just too much, she was blushing too hard, her heart was yearning for him much too powerfully, her core was throbbing hot with such hot, wet, need she could barely even think straight anymore.

She couldn't even answer him, because she was sure if she even tried to talk right now, with her body openly trembling in delight, she would only be able to moan.

"Ah, sorry…" misreading her reaction, Bell awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. And her body practically arced off the bed towards him in response to losing his touch, "I'm not very good with words, that probably sounded… Um, well hopefully you…"

"N-No, B-Bell-kun," forcing her words as steady as she could make them, Syr suddenly realised her eyes were wet, swimming with unshed tears, "No… It's not, it's jus-just… it's just, it's not… It's not fair if Bell-kun is going to say things like that. I already love you too much… If you're going to be that serious, if you're going to make me that happy, th-then, then I won't be able to do anything at all."

He smiled, his face flooding with relief. And her heart skipped two beats.

"Then you don't need to do anything. I'll take the lead, okay?"

Ahhhh.

Once again, her body was flushed with such joy and such desire she couldn't dare try respond. Looking at him through the spread fingers still covering her face, she simply nodded.

With his declaration set, Bell released her once again for just long enough to gather up the blankets that'd been thrown back around his waist and pull them up, wrapping around them both as he settled back atop her once more. Now finding herself huddled within the man she loved, wrapped up tight within the covers with him, his body pressing gently down on hers, and her own locking instinctively around his, Syr could only smile. Even like this, even after saying all that, when his mind must surely be full of all kinds of things and he should have been going mad with desire… Bell was still trying to take such gentle care of her, he was still worrying about her. As if she could even possibly feel the night's chill with the way his every touch was leaving her blood racing.

But of course, the shared heat now passing between and the small sense of exclusion -as if all that existed was the two of them, hidden beneath the bed's covers- was far from unwelcome.

And so, with her lips seeking out his once again, and with her body singing in delight as she was pulled into his arms, Syr surrendered herself eagerly to his lead.

--*--

"Hmmmm…" Daphne sighed, stretched out atop a mildly comfortable pile of cushions in the middle of her friend's room, "It's gotten late…"

It was about time she left.

"Yeah… But at least we don't have much to do tomorrow."

In contrast to the red-head's uncharacteristically relaxed appearance, Cassandra was sitting completely upright, perched atop her bed and hugging her pillow against her (substantial) chest.

"You mean, you don't have much to do tomorrow. I have all the organisation and formation details to take care of, and I've got to deal with the other team leaders after breakfast."

"Ah, um, r-right…"

And yet, despite her words, the Apollo Tactician made no move to actually leave. Ultimately, regardless of her occasionally harsh words, Cassandra was the only friend she had in the Familia and the time they spent together was something of a shared refuge from the rest of the life they dealt with in their gilded bird-cage, neither was ever quick to leave the other's company.

The Apollo Familia had only recently returned from a relatively successful expedition to the lower levels, so regardless of the red-head's complaints, her obligations hadn't truly returned in earnest just yet…

…Which was probably why, rather than heading back to her room, Daphne pulled herself upright in the stack of cushions and gave into a small impulse that had been tugging at her imagination or a while now.

"Hey, Cassandra?"

"Yes?"

"I've just been thinking, about those dreams of yours…"

"O-Oh?"

Never too often, yet not infrequently enough to become rare, the two girls' topic of conversation would wind up shifting back to the dreams Cassandra had been having recently, and all the vivid, lurid, things she'd seen in them.

Daphne knew better than to indulge in any of this, she knew she shouldn't be encouraging her friend's fantasies. It was already worrying enough that the self-proclaimed prophetess believed her normal dreams were some kind of warning they should be paying attention to, giving any credence at all to the idea that these ridiculous wet-dreams might be some kind of vision of the future was beyond even ridiculous, it was outright lunacy. Daphne absolutely, certainly, completely, unquestionably, definitely, knew better than to indulge in any of this.

…

And yet, Daphne just the same as Cassandra, was still just a lonesome teenager. She was still a curious girl, kept resentfully like a God's prized possession as part of his collection, and kept without hope of any romance, love, or anything like the images Cassandra wove in her remarkably vivid descriptions. More than probably anyone in the world, Daphne could understand why Cassandra wanted to escape into the world of dreams and pretend they were real. And just as much as that, Daphne could understand why those same dreams had eventually taken on a far more sexual bent.

"Yeah… I, hah, I was just wondering…" even if they were just dreams, and even if it was just two girls sharing a silly fantasy, Daphne couldn't keep her cheeks from flaming red as she imagined it, "About that guy you're always talking about, the man of your dreams."

As expected, Cassandra's reaction was just the same as ever. Sitting a little straighter, bursting with a sudden rush of heated ardour, with her face flushing lightly but her eyes dancing with excitement, there was absolutely no doubt that the Bluenette was in her element. Even if Daphne couldn't possibly believe these were visions or foretelling's or anything of the sort- the way Cassandra described them, the things she described, were so vivid, so descriptive, and so full of emotions she'd never before seen from her friend. Even Daphne couldn't help but get caught up in the fantasy, just a little.

"That, Bell of yours, just how big is he, anyway?"

"Um… Well, I guess, Bell-sama isn't too tall, he's just a bit shorter th-"

Daphne coughed.

"N-No… I mean, uh, how big is he?"

Cassandra squeaked, but Daphne threw up her hand to forestall her friend's response.

"H-Hey! Don't say that's private, this… it's not like he actually exists or anything, and I'm just curious. You talk about him like he's some big deal, so, I was just… Anyway, tell me!"

Several long seconds passed. Red faced and stiff, the bluenette Mirabilis stared mutely at the floor between them. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

Then slowly, with visible hesitation and with her eyes still visibly turned aside, Cassandra raised her hands up turning her palms inwards and spreading them apart… spreading them well apart.

Daphne balked.

"Wh-What, a-huh, you've got to be kidding me! Are you serious!? That's just stupid!"

"D-Daphne!" Cassandra huffed, pouting and teary eyed as she quickly dropped her hands to her lap, "Yo-You're the one who asked!"

Whatever Daphne may have expected, and whatever she may have imagined herself (just slightly, just for a moment, just as an idle fantasy when she'd been unable to sleep), was several notches smaller than what Cassandra was now implying.

"Th-That, but, I mean, come on! I know this is just your fantasies, or whatever," as with the type of eager submission her friend so happily described, she once again had the impression she was unearthing all the other girl's hidden kinks, "But you're being ridiculous! You must get that, right!? If you spend all your time dreaming about guys like that, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment! What're you going to do when you actually meet a guy you like, a real guy, there's no way he'll be able to measure up to that!"

Daphne shook her head. Once again, her friend's dumb fantasies had been exposed as exactly that. It just wasn't possible, or even if it was possible, it was just… just… something like that? Really!? And Cassandra really imagined herself having swallowed all of… it was just…

Once again, the usually composed red-head's thoughts swirled and de-railed, and once again she found her cheeks flushing red and her imagining going into dangerous places as some of the previous images her friend's words had conjured up were edited with this new information.

But where Cassandra would normally wilt and falter under Daphne's blunt dismissal, instead she shook her head. Even if her warnings and visions were ignored and even if nobody ever believed her, she believed in Bell-sama. In this alone, she had the strength to stand strong, or at least to argue back.

"Ah, no… It's not… I never hha… I never imagined anything like that before this, I… Daphne, you don't know just how scary it is like that…"

"Huh?"

Cheeks flushed, eyes shining and massive chest bouncing hypnotically with every panting breath she took, Cassandra steeled her will. Once again, the timid, awkward, and introverted girl that Daphne had always protected treated her to another absolutely uncharacteristically lurid description of the future she'd witness and the events she'd experienced.

"It's not just about the size, it's… he's so good with it, and it stretches you out like… it's as if your entire body is filled up with him, and you can't possibly even think of anything else! And he always, he knows exactly how much you can take, s-so, he's always so careful, just holding you right at your limit as you lose your mind! It's so big, it's like it's like you're spread open an-and, and wrapped around him, and it's as if you've got no control over yourself at all! When you're… when it's all the way inside, it's as if it's pushing against all the most sensitive spots inside you, pla-places you di-didn't even know existed… and he knows exactly how to move so… so it's as if he's scraping over them all at once! Don't you think it's scary, thi-thinking there's no way you can possibly fight back? Even if you enjoy surrendering, every single time? Even when you think you want to pay him back, for everything he's done, or when you know he's exhausted and want to try look after him… y-you just end up wrapped around him, screaming and moaning and going crazy until you pass out!"

"I-I… I see…"

Cassandra didn't talk much or often. And when she did, she only truly ever talked to Daphne. Even in the private time they shared together, even during girl's-talk on nights like this, it was almost always Daphne doing most of the talking. Cassandra was happy to smile, and laugh, and to prompt her friend's stories or complaints without needing to add much from herself.

It was only like this, only ever when the conversation turned around to her fantasies, the visions she'd seen or her Bell-sama that Cassandra ever took control of the conversation. And it was only ever times like this when she got into a roll, and started spilling all the feelings she'd held inside, that she couldn't stop.

She talked about how incredible it was when he cradled her in his arms and treated her gently, filling her completely. And about how intense it was when he began using his power, overwhelming her until she was just left cumming and crying out, until her mind was seared white and she was left lying unconscious beneath him. She talked about being on her hands and knees, feeling her innermost walls wrapped tight around him deeper and thicker than she'd ever imagined possible, till even her womb was pushed back inside her. She talked about being on her back, gripping the sheets or his shoulders, writhing and panting, and being driven to maddening ecstasy one step at a time.

Some of the stories were new, some of them were ones Daphne had heard before, but Cassandra was thoroughly in her element now and the bluenette's storytelling continued into the night.

The scent of argelica herb filled the air, and the prophetess's usually quiet, gloomy room was filled warm with the sound of two lonely teenage girls sharing a fantasy together.

And, despite herself, despite all her misgivings, and the fact that she knew better than all this…

…Daphne found herself chewing on her bottom lip and twisting slightly in place atop her seat as the stories continued. As the details and descriptions of Cassandra's recounting filled her imagination, as the stories and details of Bell-sama filled the night's air, Daphne's cheeks flushed as red as her hair, her breath came just a little faster, and a dizzying, sticky wet heat began to pulse from between her legs.

It was just a fantasy.

And it wasn't even the kind of fantasy she preferred, she didn't think she felt anything like the same desire to be dominated and overwhelmed her friend obviously did.

But, it was quite a fantasy.

--*--

"Ah, Bell-kun! Nh… Bell-kun! NGhhh, B-Belll-kun!"

Syr's voice melted and shook, trembling through the air as her head tossed from side to side and as her body jolted and shivered, arching off the bed and clinging desperately to him beneath the covers.

Being a bright and fashionable young woman, Syr had spent several hours walking through Orario's shopping district before purchasing the underwear she'd chosen for today. Having spotted it through the window as she'd been passing by, the waitress had been utterly charmed by how the silver-grey bra and panties set had so perfectly matched her hair colour, and then she'd been delighted to find that the large cups both propped up and supported her chest, making her already-sizable bust seem even more impressive. Twisting around in-front of the mirror to marvel at the way her already tight, round ass was framed so pertly only made the decision easier, but what truly sealed the deal was the wonderfully cute patterns sewn along the edges as an outline. She hadn't expected to get anywhere near this far, so she certainly hadn't chosen them today with the thought that he would see them just yet, but she was very happy that he had.

And Bell, as a young man who was yet to learn to fully savour a woman, had been so focussed on her the whole time that he hadn't noticed any of that.

Without any experience from Hestia to help him, her bra had caused a good deal of confused fumbling on his part before he'd finally managed to undo and remove the clasps. Similarly, while he'd become slightly adept at removing (or more often than not, leaving) thigh-highs, the sheer black stockings that she wore along with her uniform had earned a few moments of concern before he'd carefully taken them into hand along with her panties, and rolled them down her legs together.

Syr, for her part, had been absolutely no help at all in this endeavour. For all her teasing and all the previous comments that had made up so much of their relationship to this point, the feeling of Bell's hands around her as he carefully undid her bra, the sensations of his fingers sliding across her waist as he slid her stockings over her hips, the thrill of having him so gently pulling her thoroughly soaked panties from her skin and all the way down her legs… Each and every one of those had left such wonderful, electrifying bolts of excitement surging through the young maiden that even if she had wished to help him, her body simply hadn't listened. Instead, she'd clenched her legs together uselessly, twisting her thighs in place, and panted his name between shocked gasps.

It didn't make sense, for all that she'd spent all those months and all those nights dreaming of this moment, but somehow just the sensation of her Odr, of Bell, stripping her, caressing her, drinking in the sight of her… It was enough to drive her to the brinks of dizzying pleasure. She was meant to be far more composed than any of this, but Syr knew for sure that this instant had been engraved in her heart, that she would remember the sight of his smile and the warmth of his touch as he slid her panties down her legs, for all eternity.

Syr wasn't a cynical woman, but Freya was a fatalistic Goddess, and so somewhere in the back of her mind, she'd wondered if her luck would simply run out. Everything about this night had been going better than she'd ever imagined, better than she'd ever dreamed, so at every moment she'd wondered if the next would be the ridiculous circumstance that would get in her way- that the locked door would burst open with an interruption, some sudden cry from outside would demand their attention, or perhaps that Bell would simply lose his nerve. It wasn't until this moment, until her hands were holding (and discarding) the thin underwear he'd been issued from the Hospital, and her arms were wrapped around her without an instant of hesitation or doubt in his mind, that she truly, completely understood. There was no-one else around, there was nothing to interrupt them, and no reason to stop.

At long last, after all her waiting, all her yearning, and all her dreaming, the two of them were tangled up together without a single thing between them.

And it was driving her crazy in the most incredible way possible!

His every touch was inflaming her body beyond reason. His kisses were soft and gentle, and his caresses just as tender. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Syr was aware that Bell was clearly no expert, the slight clumsiness and undirected nature of his ministrations, the way he slid his fingertips over her thighs, or curled them around the edges of her breasts, the way his palms kneaded across her rock-hard nipples without quite dragging over them, it all spoke to his lack of experience.

And yet, it felt better than anything she'd ever experienced in her life!

His fingertips traced a path along the side of her waist, and her voice rang out in joy!

His kisses broke away from her mouth, moving down her neck, nuzzling into her nape, and she clung to him as her body jolted in response!

His hands filled themselves with her breasts, squeezing, stroking, kneading her chest to a gentle rhythm, and her vision flashed with white as her world spun!

His caresses ran up along the bare skin of her inner thigh, and her eyes squeezed shut involuntarily as her voice rang out with delight!

It was all too good, much better than she'd ever anticipated, much better than she could possibly have prepared herself for! She couldn't bear it at all, just feeling him atop her like this, just feeling his bare skin running over hers was enough to scatter her thoughts and leave her panting raggedly, with naught but a dizzy smile on her lips.

'Ah…I see…' pushing through the fog of love-drunk bliss that was clouding her mind, a small drop of reason finally took form, 'It's because I'm new to this too…'

No matter how much experience Freya might have, Syr was a maiden. Because she got her fill of any affection she wished as Freya, until she'd met Bell, she'd never once sought out anything romantic or sexual as Syr at all. Rather than just being a neighbourly girl, Syr was now realising she'd lived all this time practically like an Elf… This wasn't just the first time she'd been in bed with a man, this was the first time she'd done anything erotic of any sort! She'd never even touched herself, much less been caressed by a man! Whatever pleasures Freya may have known, echoed through Syr with an incredible intensity, filling her with sensations the waitress had never once encountered, and the fact that it was her beloved Bell-kun, made her body react a thousand times more powerfully!

This wasn't some mere act, Syr truly was giving her first time to the man she loved. And that realisation left her even more hopelessly lost in the fog of pleasure than she'd already been.

His fingers dragged over her nipples once again, and Syr's moan rang out even louder than ever! He pressed against them just a little more firmly, rolling them between his thumb and forefinger, and her entire body flushed warm with delight!

"Bell-kun, hhaa… Bell-kun!"

She couldn't help but call out to him. She couldn't possibly resist him. Even just this much, even just the feeling of his warm, bare skin against hers was driving her mad! His every touch sent her core aching to feel him. She could feel how desperately wet her pussy was without even looking. Her nipples throbbed with electrifying sparks of pleasure just at feeling his barest touch against them.

Even just the feeling of his presence atop her left her feeling ready to melt entirely into him. A level 1 adventurer's strength still absolutely eclipsed her own, and no matter how timid, small, and insecure Bell had always seen… right now, with his body atop hers, with his arms cradling her so securely and with her very soul trembling joyously at the feeling of being possessed by him… he felt like more of a man than she'd ever imagined. It was almost scary how easily and how completely he completely destroyed all her sense of control, just how quickly she was turning to putty in his hands. But how could she not love this? How could she not drown entirely in this moment? She'd already surrendered any hope of taking the lead, and she was getting what she'd always wanted, in the most incredible way possible, all that remained was to give herself up entirely to him.

"Nha… B-Bell-kun!"

His hands released her breasts, and her body ached with a sudden disappointment. Her massive chest bounced and shook beneath the covers as her breath heaved in a sudden gasp.

His fingertips trailed down her stomach, tracing a pattern directly atop her skin. The breath stilled in her throat, falling into yet another needy moan, her head tipping backwards into the pillow once more.

His touch spread out, with his right hand coming to rest atop her hips, holding onto her firmly and leaving his thumb to trace along the bone of her inner-thigh. She chewed her lip, writhing and panting, her heart racing and blood rushing at as his fingers wrapped around her and as he took hold of her so firmly, so possessively.

His left hand slid further down, gliding across the contours of her thigh, brushing back and forth gently towards the heat between her legs. Her eyes squeezed shut, panting and gasping, her thoughts were completely lost once more in a haze of pleasure.

And then, right when Syr's world felt about ready to explode, Bell's fingers caressed softly overtop her clitoral hood, and he dragged his fingertips directly over her entrance.

"!"

For just a brief moment, for one spectacular instance, a flash of brilliant, pure white erupted from behind her eyes, and her entire body seemed to sing with delight.

"Gha…Hahha…?"

Slumping back down onto the bed, her chest heaving and panting, and with sparks of bliss still jolting through her, it was another second before Syr blinked herself dizzily back to reality.

'I just came? From just that?'

That was bad. If she was truly this sensitive, then she wouldn't be able to stand it at all! She truly was too obsessed with him, she loved him too much! Her heart was already completely enraptured by him, and now her body was aching to be possessed by him. If it went any further than this, if all the boundaries between them melted away, she would lose her mind entirely, 'Ah… But I want that… Don't I?' it was a pointless question, her legs were still spread wide around him, and her pussy was practically begging for him. More than any sense of pride, or any worries she could possibly hold, with every passing second her need for him was blazing more desperately and more shamelessly, hotter than she could possibly stand.

"B-Bell-kun, I'm sorry, it's, it's too much…" she pleaded, "I can't bear it anymore, please… um… h-hold me tight, okay?"

Even after all this, even after all her dreams and all her desires, still just entreating him like that was enough to leave her cheeks burning red with embarrassment as much as desire.

But this time, at least, he understood her perfectly.

Her legs locked around his waist as he shuffled himself into place, taking her right hand in his and wrapping his other arm around her. Easing himself completely atop her, Bell pressed her down fully into the mattress and -at long last- pushed the full weight of his cock against the hot, wet, need of her entrance.

Syr's eyes shot wide, and her jaw fell open.

Firstly, from the pleasure, the sensation of feeling her pussy lips spread open around his cockhead, and feeling the heavy pressure of his length against her.

But secondly, from the surprise. At just how much of a heavy length was being pushed against her.

Being the whimsical woman she was, Syr had indulged herself in many varied fantasies about the night she would finally spend with Bell, and more than a few times, those same fantasies had twisted around to wondering just what kind of weapon her wonderful hero wielded between his legs. In the time since she'd fallen in love with him, she'd filled her imagination with all kinds of lewd guesses, hopes and even wishes. It wasn't something that truly mattered to her- ultimately Bell-kun was Bell-kun regardless of anything else, and that was all that mattered, but it certainly made for an interesting thought to fill a mischievous waitress's mind during the quiet hours.

Given their positions so far, and the blankets that were still wrapped tight overtop them, she hadn't yet gotten a chance to see his length, only to feel it indirectly within his pants or when their bodies ground together.

Until right now.

Until she was feeling it now pushing in against her pussy lips, and she could feel just how wide her entrance was being spread around him.

Until this very moment, where Syr was suddenly and immediately aware that Bell had absolutely surpassed even her most optimistic dreams! Clenching tight to the hand she was holding, her voice caught in her throat as she felt the thick pillar of cockmeat pressing almost imposingly against her, opening her entrance up against his cockhead- far harder, far thicker, and far more formidable than she would have ever imagined from the gentle, sweet boy who'd captured her heart!

"Are you ready?"

Ahhh, trying desperately to get her unravelling mind back under some semblance of control, Bell's words left her heart jumping and her body thrilling once again. Once more, the cute and adorable Bell-kun showed just how deeply she'd underestimated him! She'd expected him to ask her if she was sure, or to worry she might have changed her mind, but instead, he was simply going at her pace and giving her a chance to object if she had. Not only was he taking the lead, but he was doing so while fully understanding, fully accepting, that she wanted this as badly as he did.

So, this was what it felt like when the Bell-kun she loved so much didn't shy away from her feelings? So, this is what it felt like, being wrapped up in his arms, feeling the force and power of his cock against her, and seeing the warmth and surety in his smile.

Her heart soared, but she somehow forced her giddy thoughts straight enough to reply.

"P-Please… I'm re-ready. Bell-kun… Bell-kun, please, make me a woman. Make me your woman."

He kissed her, holding her tight against him, just as she'd requested. And just a moment after their lips met and their tongues entwined, his hips rolled forwards.

"!"

Her vision flashed pure white, and her head rolled backwards, breaking their kiss as her body jolted and a guttural moan ripped from her throat! His hands held tight to hers, and her fingers clenched around him, and clung desperately to his shoulder, as millimeder after millimeder Bell's thick, hard, cock pushed inside her, and moment by moment, her untouched, inner walls were spread open and stretched out wide around his cockhead.

"!!"

He didn't slow down, and he didn't stop. Holding her tight against him, squeezing her hand and kissing her nape, he pushed himself further, deeper inside her- without hesitation, slowly and gently, as tenderly as he could manage, Bell pushed through the final barrier of Syr's resistance, taking her virginity.

"!!!"

Her moan cut off suddenly, catching in her throat as a sudden spike of pain speared through her and a small trickle of maiden-blood ran out and down her legs, pooling with the other juices spread across her thighs. But even Syr's shocked gasp quickly devolved into yet another moan, as Bell's length sank even deeper inside her, and even more of Syr's innermost walls were stretched out wide around his thick girth.

Bell's moans rang out with hers, filling the room with his own delight. Despite having only sheathed barley more than the head of his cock inside her, and despite how desperately he was maintaining his focus right now -keeping his pace gentle, and using as little force as possible- he couldn't possibly ignore just how amazing it felt having her pussy wrapped around him like this!

"S-S-Syr," he panted her name, moaning it like a prayer into the nape of her neck as he gasped to steady his own breath, "It fe-feels, you feel, incredible!"

This was only the second time in his life he'd ever felt this. It was an amazing feeling, the moment where he and Syr were connected, where he was embracing the woman he loved, delighting both in her body and her affection. Bell was sure this moment, and this night would be engraved in his heart until his dying day.

Being inside Syr was so very similar to his Goddess, but completely different at the same time. Her pussy was just as hot, just as wet, and her walls coiled around him with just the same greedy tightness, while still opening up before him with the same eager pliability. And yet, the way her she pulsed around him, the way she squeezed him, and the way her hips trembled beneath him as he slowly slid deeper within her was so utterly unique, and so absolutely captivating that he knew these feelings could only possibly belong to his beloved grey-haired waitress. Even if someone were to cover his eyes, he believed for sure, that he would still recognise this sensation as Syr.

Already, his blood and pleasure were each running hot, and his heart was pounding like he was fighting for his life. This exhilaration, this feeling of love and satisfaction… this was the dream he was chasing, and sharing it with her why he was chasing it.

Once again, Bell wished he was more charming or better with words, that he knew what to say to express those feelings to her. But instead, squeezing her hand tight and easing himself still further inside her, he simply kept all his focus on being worth her love, of trying to make sure that she felt as happy as she made him.

Syr, meanwhile, was clinging desperately to Bell's hand, to his shoulder, and to whatever still remaining dregs of reason she had left! Her breathing had already turned ragged, and her head was tossing from side to side as her entire body seemed to spark with the bliss flooding from her core! Her thoughts were being seared with pure white light and her body was trembling as the ecstasy surged through her like a wave, hotter and more intense with each passing and second and with passing millimeder of her pussy that was opened up and moulded permanently to Bell's shape. The pain she would feel only once in her lifetime had already faded, and in its place, she was left with nothing but the sensation of being stretched open, and stuffed full with Bell, as if her entire body was being wrapped around him!

Within seconds, her mind was already to collapse.

"Ah, n-no, no, wa-wait, ah, Bell-kun! Nghh, I, nggh… N-No, I'm! Already… I'm cumming! I'm cumming!"

Crashing headlong through a wild peak, Syr's eyes shot wide, and her body locked up around him once again, her pussy throbbing and pulsing around his shaft as her moans reached a fever pitch! A heavy shiver ran up her spine, and then a second an instant later, every part of her was thrumming with electrifying pleasure as her sensitivity momentarily skyrocketed. From the soft mountains of her large breasts -squishing against his chest and rocking in time with his movements-, to the tips of her toes -locked desperately around his waist-, to the very points of her ears -flushed red with exhilaration and delight-, every bit of Syr was flooded with the sense of him.

Screaming aloud, she gasped and moaned, and came so hard that her vision flashed white and lights seemed to dance before her eyes!

"Hha…Huha…Nghh…"

Once again, she only returned -dazedly- to reality a moment later. Letting her head tip over to the side as her body jolted up, clinging even tighter around him, Syr's mouth fell open to a lot, heady moan as her world slowly stopped spinning and her thoughts began clicking gently back into place.

She'd cum already!? Just from that? He'd barely finished deflowering her, he hadn't even put his entire cock inside and just this much was already driving her out of her mind? Another dizzy, eager, moan slipped through her lips at that thought. Exactly as she'd expected, this was dangerous! And just like she'd predicted, it wasn't even his size that was truly dangerous, no matter how good it felt feeling her walls spread to wonderfully wide around his ridiculously thick shaft… what was driving her out of her mind was the way he was holding her, the way he was kissing her, the way he was moving so carefully inside her. She was utterly overwhelmed with Bell's affection, both physical and emotional, and it was heightening everything he was doing to her beyond any reason!

Ah, she was too in love with Bell-kun, and he felt far too good! She could already feel her mind melting, if this kept up then she wou-

"!?"

It was right then, when her thoughts were slowly returning, that Syr realised that Bell hadn't stopped.

"Syr, I love you."

Holding tight to her hand, and to her shoulder, whispering his words of adoration as she trembled and shivered, and came, Bell maintained his same gentle, tender pace. Even as she moaned and cried out, and even as her pussy squeezed around him so tight it felt as if she was trying to milk his very soul from his body, he still pushed himself further inside her. And still her inner walls spread open just as invitingly, and coiled around him just as wonderfully.

"AghH!?"

Having forcefully maintained such a soft, slow tempo, barely more than a third of his cock had been eased inside Syr's hot, wet, tight, and suddenly oversensitive pussy. And Bell neither stopped, nor slowed down.

Which meant that Syr was swiftly thrown headlong through a second peak, before she'd even recovered from her first. And then, just as her body was jolting still and her mouth was hanging wide in a wild cry, she was sent crashing through yet another after that. And then another, again and again- with each further push of Bell's hips, and with each further depths of her innermost walls he stretched out around his thick, heavy girth!

A small, and very loud, eternity passed just like that. And by the time the young adventurer was fully sheathed inside her, the cheeky, confident waitress had been reduced to a red-faced, panting mess. Her eyes were glazed over and mouth hanging open as her body shivered within his arms, and a trail of drool ran down her chin.

And with that -with his cock stretching out every last bit of her pussy, wrapping her most sensitive innermost walls tight around him and pushing even her womb back inside her- Bell stopped.

Releasing her hand, he slid his left hand around her back, using both arms to embrace her tightly just as she'd asked, and waited as Syr gasped for breath, panted raggedly with bliss, and slowly, dizzily, blinked back to reality. It took another small eternity, and no small amount of continuous aftershocks running through her insides as her body accustomed to having his entire length sheathed inside her, but eventually, the glazed look on the waitress's eyes faded away and slipped out of her orgasmic high.

"Bell… kun… love you…"

"Does it feel okay, Syr? It doesn't hurt?"

"No…" her voice grew stronger for a moment, but then hitched again once more as he began rocking his hips gently inside her, just pressing his length back and forth a few millimeders, grinding against the deepest, most sensitive parts of her previously-untouched pussy, "Nh… it feels amazing, you're holding me so tight, a-a-and, it feels like you're filling every bit of me… you feel better than I even dreamed."

Beaming happily, with her answer lighting up his heart, Bell met her lips with his own once more. She could barely hold their kiss for more than a few seconds with how desperately she was gasping for breath, but she kissed him back just as eagerly, linking both arms around his neck, squeezing him back with all her the strength she could muster.

He rocked his hips back and forth a little farther, and then a little farther again, drawing upon all the experience he'd gained in Orario so far to slowly, carefully ease Syr into another gentle tempo. Syr's voice lit out in a soft whine as his length withdrew, then cried out louder as it pushed back through her, and with each passing second, he withdrew further, and pushed in deeper… slowly, carefully, softly… for several long, wonderful, vice-tight minutes, until finally his cockhead was dragging out almost the full length of her tunnel, and then sinking all the way inside, all the way back to its new home against her womb.

She felt incredible. His entire shaft was wrapped up tight in the wet, coiling heat of her pussy, and her soft, feminine body was clinging around him just as snugly. It was as if his entire self was wrapped up with Syr, with the woman he loved. It was making his head spin, and it was making his world throb with pleasure. Even just being inside her like this, feeling the way she squeezed herself around him, hearing her moaning and panting voice, seeing the way her face had collapsed in bliss… seeing the sheer pleasure that he was giving to her… it was enough to drive Bell crazy. But the way she visibly and so completely lost herself in the delight, the way he could feel every one of her orgasms pulsing tight around him, feeling every part of her body -from the walls coiled around his shaft, to the fingers locked around his neck, to the tongue dancing so hungrily with his own- was trying to milk every last drop from him!

His masculine instincts, and every one of his hedonistic desires were practically screaming for him to lose himself in this pleasure, to fall entirely into the same wanton passion she was engulfed in and indulge himself in her body until he couldn't possibly stop!

But, for now, Bell resisted.

Syr was just an ordinary girl, she wasn't an adventurer or a deity or anything else. He'd promised to make her happy, he'd promised to be worthy of her love, and that resolve was more than enough to cool his desires and keep Bell's hips rolling softly and slowly. He couldn't go as hard, or fast as his Goddess so often begged for, not yet.

And so, he passed the minutes just like that, savouring the sensation of her walls clinging tight around every millimeder of his shaft as he dragged it back through her pussy, and marvelling at the way she screamed, shuddered, and came when he buried his length back inside her. He drank in the sight of the always confident and mature Syr writhing in ecstatic bliss, with her eyes glassy and mouth hanging open wide. And he steadied his own breathing as best he could, as her entire body throbbed and squeezed around him, and as his own building release thundered harder, and hotter within him.

And Syr, all the while, clung to him with everything she had, with both her legs and arms locked tight around him and her lips seeking his as much as she could stand it, as she hurtled from climax to climax, and as her thoughts were seared clear with pure-white delight over and over.

"B-B-Bell-kun! Thi-This isn't fair! How, how are you so good at this!? You're, nhh… You're being so gentle, an-and it's still, too good! Bell-kun! I'm going crazy! I-It's like you're fucking my brains out!"

"No, that comes later."

He answered her lightly, punctuating his words with the feeling of his cock pressing up gently against her womb once more, her innermost walls stretched wide around him once again, and Syr's own complaints turning into yet another orgasmic scream

"For now, I'm just savouring every second with you!"

"Aah-Ahh, B-Bell-kun! You're so mean! If, if you say things like th-that, I'll, ghhaa, Ah! Ah! I'm cumming! Bell-kun! I'm cumming, again!"

Fortunately for Syr, even as she drowned completely in bliss, she couldn't help but drive Bell to his own incredible highs of pleasure. In every part of her and everything she was or did, from the instinctive ministrations of her untrained pussy, to the way her body was wrapped so greedily tight around him, to the way her very soul was seeking him out, she was left frantically milking him, as if hungrily seeking to draw out every single drop of seed awaiting her.

Unfortunately for Syr, his time spent between the legs of the petite Goddess of the Hearth had given Bell a significant resistance to the feeling of a virgin-tight pussy squeezing the very life out of him. And while Freya's skills in the bedroom may have been the stuff of legend, the silver-haired waitress didn't have any of that technique, her hips shook only clumsily and sporadically against him as her body writhed and shivered beneath him.

And so, the night continued to pass by, as Bell continued his careful pace, and as they each savoured every sensation of the other.

The private back-room was filled with the warmth and sounds of their passion.

The walls echoed loud with Syr's wildly screamed delight, and growing with each passing minute, the sound of Bell's own groans and pants entwining with hers.

The air grew hot and heady, filling with the warmth of their lust and the heat they were sharing between them.

And over and over again, the world that existed only between the two of them was filled with every sensation of two bodies coming together. The wet, hot slapping of flesh upon flesh, the cries and gasps of shared delight, and the dizzying heat of fast rising tension.

Minutes passed by, uncounted and unacknowledged. And as they did, the pleasure within Bell swirled and surged. Before too long, even his desire to indulge in her had been totally eclipsed by the urgent, rampaging need for release!

The warmth and wetness of her pussy. The sight of the woman he loved writhing in unbridled delight beneath him. The sensation of her arms and legs locked so desperately tight around him. The way her tongue danced so joyfully against his and how her lips sought him out even as they each gasped for breath. The sound of her wails, and cries, and screams and the way she simply called out to him filling the air with her love over and over and over. The feeling of her hips pushing up against his, even as they so often collapsed in ecstasy just a moment later.

In everything that she was and everything that she did, Syr was dragging him perilously close to the edge of what he could possibly resist.

Breathing in ragged pants, with his heart racing and arms squeezing tighter than ever around her, Bell's the pleasure and the pressure surged through him faster than he'd anticipated and so deliriously intense he could do nothing but sink into the bliss.

Just like everything else this evening, this was a familiar sensation and the first time he'd ever felt anything like this. It was exactly the same as the embraces he'd shared with his Goddess, but completely different at the same time. The fog of delight that was currently dragging Bell to heaven belong to Syr and to her alone.

And it felt so good, he couldn't help but gasp aloud, barely able to even force his voice steady.

"S-Syr, I'm, I can't hold back!"

"I-Inside!"

Just for an instant, his mind jolted. Was that okay? Somehow, he'd come this far and never once considered that, he was so used to not having to think about that! But Syr wasn't a Goddess, she was just a normal girl, if he-

"Bell-kun! Inside, please!"

She cried out again, begging, pleading, even as her voice shook and as her body trembled. And somehow, suddenly, her entire body seemed to lock around him with a burst of newfound strength, a second wind brought out of sheer hungry desperation! Her arms, legs, and pussy all clenched tight around him with such force and such desire that Bell's own mind was momentarily seared white.

"Gh!"

It was more than enough to stoke every one of his masculine instincts, all the desires buried deep within him, and to send Bell hurtling far beyond his limits! Even if he could pull away from the ferocious hold her legs had around his waist, in that second, he didn't have a single desire to do so! Instead, all his desires, every part of him called out and acted as one!

"Syr!"

Driving himself forwards with a rough scream, breaking his gentle tempo for the first time that night, Bell slammed the full length of his cock right to the furthest depths of her greedy, throbbing pussy! Holding tight to her, as her walls clung even tighter to him, his rough, thick cock speared forcefully through the waitresses' innermost depths, stretching out and overwhelming all the most sensitive points inside her tunnel, and spread her deepest parts wide and tight around his girth.

Until he was sheathed fully inside her, until his cockhead was pushing up against her womb, and until both their bodies were singing in harmony and their vision was exploding with white light.

"!?"

"!!!!!"

Scraping and spasming inside her, dragging out against her innermost pussy in ways that melted Syr's mind and left Bell's own seared white, his cock throbbed and pulsed, and erupted!

Thick heavy jets of full, viscous seed crashed out, splashing violently inside the silver-haired girl's virgin womb, filling it in just a second, and flooding it only a second later! Bell's cock continued to pulse, and his balls clenched tight, unloading more and more streams of cum! In one moment her womb was stuffed full, in another her pussy was completely overwhelmed, and with one more his release splashed out between her legs, spilling in heady waves down her thighs and out into the sheets below.

"S-So much!"

"So good!"

To Syr, it felt as if Bell had filled every millimeder of her, as if her entire body was being dyed in his essence!

To Bell, it felt as if Syr was trying to squeeze out every drop he had in him, as well as his very soul!

The world, the night and even the bed they were huddled atop had long since faded from existence for these two. Right now, there was nothing between them, no boundaries, and no hesitations. With their souls joined together and bodies melted into one another, with their love etched as deeply as powerfully into one another as they could imagine, they flew together through the heights of ecstasy.

Surrounded by a pure, true love like she had never known, Syr's soul was filled with a contentment that defied words, a completeness of body, mind, and spirit.

Wrapped up tight in her unrestrained, unflinching affection, Bell's world was filled with a happiness and warmth that was no less than the Hearthfires of Heaven, his ambition and his dream came together as one and his world was filled with joy.

Locked together like that, with his cock buried to the hilt within her pussy, and her walls pulsing weakly around him in a continuous aftershock, it was quite some time before either of them moved once more. And it was several long moments after that before they each slowly blinked back to reality. Without words, or thoughts, their lips came together again, softly and lightly, without the heat or hunger that'd pressed against them earlier, just simply savouring this moment and each other's bodies.

The last few ropes of his release were squeezed out, leaving Bell panting lightly. But still his length remained rock hard, and imposingly thick within her.

The sensation of being filled up entirely with him, of feeling his seed filling her womb and flooding out from her pussy was more than enough to leave Syr lightheaded. But still, she remained locked just as tight around him.

"I'm so glad it was with you, Bell-kun…"

"Syr… I'm really glad I'm with you."

She'd said once before that Bell cried much too easily. It felt like another lifetime ago now, but it seemed that no matter how manly he'd become, that was still true.

But then, her own eyes were wet with happy tears too, so maybe she was just as bad?

Some unknowable time passed just like that.

But soon enough, reality encroached on them once more.

"Syr… I, ah… Is it alright if, we, I know it's your first time, so if you'r-"

"It's fine, Bell-kun. Please, I want it too… As much as you can, as much as either of us can stand, please… I'm yours, forever."

And just as quickly, reality was banished under their aching desire.

And so, the sound, heat and frenzy of young love resounded long into the night!

--*--

"Hgg… Bell-kun… I'm sorry…"

Looking down at the man she adored, from where she was currently seated directly atop him, Syr's face screwed up with concentration as she weakly braced herself atop his chest.

With her ponytail now undone, her silver-grey hair was falling free over her shoulders, framing her face in exactly the way she'd imagined it would. Her large breasts were hanging free in the air, bouncing before his eyes with just as much enticement as she'd fantasised about. And she was atop him, with her hands held over his chest, and his wonderfully thick cock entirely under her control, buried right to the depths of her pussy inside her.

This was exactly the way Syr had envisioned their night together! She would ease him down into the bed, she would take control, and then with her body capturing his gaze, her hands teasing his skin, and her tunnel squeezing tight around his length, she would guide him firmly but calmly through to heights he'd never imagined! He would writhe and pant under her, his face would flush and he would cry her name and…

…And unfortunately, it wasn't going anything like she'd imagined.

Once again, she had discovered that she simply adored him too much. Her body couldn't resist him in the least. And especially after how many times she'd already cum in his embrace, it was as if she'd already surrendered to him, even as she rode atop him!

He simply felt too good! Far too good! She couldn't stand it! He was so big and thick inside her, as if his cock was a perfect fit for her pussy, stretching her entire tunnel out and moulding it to his shape! It wasn't fair, but by now it also wasn't a surprise, just having him sheathed inside her felt as if he was pressing against, caressing, and overloading every single one of her most sensitive innermost spots! And worse than that, looking down at him and seeing how kindly and happily he was smiling at her, seeing his joy and delight, feeling his fingers brushing over her skin or his hands holding so possessively around her waist… it was more than enough to drive her to pure madness!

She'd used up every bit of her strength and willpower just pulling herself down the full length of his shaft, she'd already peaked so many times just getting to where she was, her body had already given in to him and she hadn't even started.

No, more like, she couldn't. Every time she tried to move, ever time she tried to raise her hips up, her body would cry out in delight and all strength would leave her.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, "It's ju-just, my hips ha-have given out… I can't move…"

She would have felt embarrassed if she wasn't currently trembling with pure ecstasy.

And, perhaps, if she hadn't been able to predict exactly what was to come next.

"Ahh-hhhaaa!"

Her voice rang out as his hands clenched tight around her hips.

And then louder again as he slowly eased her up his length.

And then all thoughts or concerns were lost entirely as she cried out in pure, wanton delight over and over again, as Bell showed off the power of an Adventurer with a Status, easily bouncing the older girl atop him.

--*--

"Bell-kun! Bell-kun! Bell-kun! Wa-wait, it's, this isn't, thi-this isn't fair! It's not fair, it fe-feels comp-completely different like this! It's too good!"

Facedown on the mattress, with her hands having long since given out under her and her hips held aloft only by his strength Syr's body was rocked in place, stronger, faster, harder than anything he'd done to this point!

Night had long since passed to early morning, and in that time, Syr had thought that a small part of her had finally managed to adjust to the sensation of his shaft inside her, of feeling her pussy wrapped up and stretched around his ridiculous, incredible, length! And now, with Bell's hands around her hips, and his cock driving into her from behind, she was realising just how mistaken she'd been! She was well aware that Bell was still holding back, that he still wasn't using his full might against her, but even just like this- feeling his length from a completely different angle, feeling the curve and bend of his cock scraping out and reshaping her pussy around him from an entirely new angle, it was more than she could possibly take.

Once again, both body and mind collapsed into ecstatic delight, and she could do nothing but cry out to him as her world flashed with white light.

--*--

"Mnmmngh, mmm, mmmhhghhh!"

"Th-that's… That feels good…"

The gloom of night had faded, and the first light of dawn would surely be breaking in just a few hours, but Syr neither knew nor cared anything about what time it was, nor for how long they'd been at this.

She was exhausted, she understood that. Her body was aching in ways that felt too delightful to name and more wonderful than she'd even imagined. Muscles she'd never used before were crying out in fatigue, and it was clear she had no strength left in her, not even the energy to wrap herself around Bell when he pushed her down into the mattress. Her pussy was filled with his seed, her womb stuffed full with it to the point his released was still dripping down her legs. The entire night had passed in a haze of pleasure and she'd long since lost track of how many loads he'd shot inside her, if she truly was a normal girl, she would be pregnant for sure.

And yet, even though the highs of bliss had left her passed out in Bell's arms multiple times, her body was buzzing far too happily for her to stay asleep. And even though she didn't have a drop of strength, resolve or willpower left within her, still her very soul was yearning for him.

Syr had wanted this ever since she'd first met him. And Freya had wanted this since the dawn of her existence. There would be other nights and all the time in the world to spend with him, she understood that, but still she ached with simple need for him. She was too love-drunk, too giddily happy, and ultimately, too obsessed with him to stop just yet.

And so, for the first time since he'd kissed her, Syr had slipped from the bed to where she was currently kneeling on the hard wooden floors. She'd pulled Bell upright, urging him to sit on the edge of the mattress, and now she was right where she'd dreamed of being so many times- seated in place, between his legs, with her lips wrapped around his cock, and his thick length throbbing hot against her tongue. Her adoring ministrations had already licked his shaft completely clean, and -spurred on by his gasps and groans- she'd wasted absolutely no time in planting a kiss atop his cockhead, in wrapping her lips around him, and in slowly easing him right down into her throat.

'It's… so good…'

In her imagination this had seemed much simpler. She'd pictured herself easily bobbing herself up and down the full length of Bell's shaft, she'd imagined how he would writhe and moan and gasp as she held him right on the brink of release, she'd pictured what he would look like when she turned her gaze up towards him, as he begged her to stop teasing him, pleading for release.

In her dreams she'd been Freya.

But Syr was Syr. And Syr had never even seen a cock before, let alone felt one down her throat, or experienced the heady, raw feeling of his length pulsing so thick and hot over her tongue… and Bell's was quite a cock indeed. Every twitch and shudder of his shaft reverberated through her in a way that left her body shivering and her thighs pressed together, shifting and squirming on the spot as yet another electrifying shudder ran down her spine.

By the time she'd worked her lips past his cockhead, the only thing that'd kept Syr's hands out from between her legs was the fact that her fingers were already entwined so tight around his own! And even without touching herself, by the time her lips were bobbing up and down half his shaft, her body was already flying headlong through yet another heady peak!

It was too good. She loved him too much. She was already hopelessly addicted to this.

Unlike her dreams, in reality, Syr didn't think she'd be able to take his full shaft just yet.

Nor did she think she would be able to swallow his entire load when she finally did milk it from him.

But her determination was no lesser for the sake of it. She would learn both those things- and for now, she would get him off, if she had to stay here just like this, savouring and delighting in his length, all the way till morning! And even if she couldn't drink his entire release, she wouldn't let a single drop of it be wasted, she would take it on her face instead!

No matter how eagerly or how repeatedly Syr surrendered herself to him, her overwhelming affection didn't change. It just took a slightly different form.

--*--

Meanwhile, far away and far above Orario, in a private penthouse suite at the very top of Babel tower, a deliriously wanton and thoroughly overwhelmed voice was ringing out yet again.

"HHNN! Noooo! Nooo! Nhghgh! Nhh! I'm cumming! I'm cumming! Lady Freya! Lady Freya! … BELL-KUN!"

Stripped completely naked, writhing and panting, moaning, and screaming and cumming over and over, Hörn was experiencing a night far beyond anything she'd imagined!

Hörn had thought herself thoroughly used to the feeling and sensations she would receive when Freya was having sex. It was hardly something she savoured (the idea of someone pawing at her perfect Goddess was an unhappy one), but it was something she was familiar with, and the very rare times that Freya had invited her into her bed with Vana Seith active -with them both taking on the visage of the ideal deity Hörn worshipped- the feeling of Freya's warmth and affection flowing back and forth through their bond had been memorable indeed.

But that was all it had ever been. She would experience a dull sensation of contentment, a small rush a joy, and maybe an ebb of warmth if Lady Freya was delighting herself in some way. Their bond wasn't so complete that she could feel everything Freya felt, nor was that something she wished to.

Or at least, that was how it had always been.

Because, until tonight, Freya had never had sex as Syr.

And Freya had never had sex with Bell Cranel.

And both those things acting together were working to send Hörn to heights of madness, envy, and lust that she'd never even dreamed of! Her skin was flushed red, her chest was heaving and panting, her body was soaked with sweat, and her hands were clenched tight around the soaked sheets. And her entire being, from her body, to her mind, to her very soul was sang in perfect harmony as the feelings Freya was drowning in wrapped around Hörn and sent her crashing headlong through climaxes more powerful than anything she'd ever experienced!

She'd already long since undone the spell, even as much as she loved being in Freya's form, this was more than she could possibly take.

And it changed nothing.

As if that horrible, wonderful, terrible, magnificent Bell Cranel was destroying the very sense of reason around her, the bond that had only ever existed when she was using her Seidr continued regardless! And worse, now she was in her own form. It was Hörn truly who was feeling every bit of his love and affection, it was Hörn that was drowning in his warmth and his gentle care.

She'd occasionally experienced brief flashes of visions, seeing what Freya saw during particularly intense moments, she'd seen a few simple sights of Bell Cranel just like that before she'd turned in for the night, and she'd thought nothing of it.

But now that was all she saw! She could see exactly what Freya saw; it was all she could see! Her mind and her world was filled entirely with him! His arms were cradled around the woman he called Syr, but Hörn could see his gentle smile, she could see his tender love, and she could feel just the same protection of his embrace

Hörn's body, soul, and everything that she was belonged only and ever to Lady Freya. She had enjoyed the honour of being invited into her Goddess's bed a handful of times when she'd pleased her in some manner, that was the extent of sex for her, that was all she'd ever known and all she'd ever wished to know.

She had never once seen a man's penis.

But now she was sure that she knew every single millimeder of Bell's cock. And now she knew exactly what it was like to feel it throbbing in her hand, feel it pulsing against her, feel its warmth… and feel what it was to be stretched open around it. Now she knew exactly the same mind-melting ecstasy Freya was drowning in, feeling second-hand what it felt like to have her innermost walls wrapped tight around her length and her thought scattered completely in a heady bliss.

And worse. It was better than she'd ever felt.

In the days to come, she would forcibly assure herself that was entirely due to Freya's feelings. Freya preferred having sex with Bell Cranel to Hörn or anyone else, so it was only natural for her to feel that way.

But in this moment, and in the depths of her heart, an uneasy truth was evident. Right now, she was tossing and turning, kicking, and screaming, panting, and moaning and cumming as Bell Cranel brought her to heights of ecstasy she'd never previously imagined!

"I'm cumming! I'm cumming! I'm g-going crazy! NNh, I love you! I love you! Goddess! Lady Freya! I love you! Bell-kun!"

--*--

Notes:

A/N: I tried a new editing/spellcheck system this time, but I ran out of time to use it fully because I wound up pretty much desperately working nonstop on this story over my entire weekend and I'm now uploading it right before I head off to work. I really wanted to make sure I got it done, so I can play the XBC3 DLC. So, I apologise now if I have missed some errors, I'll go over and do a second pass when I've got a chance, but if you highlight anything I'll fix it. I have gone through and done a few sweeps, so hopefully there's nothing too bad.

Anyway, more importantly, damn, 20k words when I was aiming for 10k! I said I wasn't going to give every girl that joined in the kind of overindulgent treatment I gave Hestia, since she was Bell's first. But when I started diving into Syr's character and the monologues, and I realised just how soft and slow the sex was going to be, instead of the usual wild raunch, it just wound up that way, I couldn't stop. Ahh, I like Syr, I like Freya more but I like Syr a lot too.

She's a funny one to write too and very hard to balance the dual mindset between Freya and Syr, as you can see, I've tried my best here to establish that Syr is (while still being Freya) her own person, Freya is playing that role so completely that Syr has essentially truly come to life.

And that's meant in this case, that when it comes to sleeping with Bell, it ends up like this!

Syr has all of Freya's (Bell-related) weaknesses, but without a body that's used to having sex, and is used to indulging in pleasure, he winds up being super effective against her! Essentially, it's inspired by pictures of her like this: https/i./ng60w2S.jpg (NSFW, obviously).

And, don't you just love Hörn? Isn't she such a cutie? She's so cold and harsh, but slightly soft too, and so utterly overwhelmed with Freya's feelings for Bell she can't help but love him too. She's only had a small role in the LN's so far, but that role has generally been great fun. And of course now, her role will be quite different, since Freya won't be so desperate, and since she's experiencing a much stronger rush of emotions than even in canon.

And lastly, the ever-present reminder, please: I'm current with the LN's but I don't read leaks- if you've read LN leaks from the JP versions, then you know more than me. Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know. I'll read it myself when the new volume comes out, I'm looking forward to it, please don't comment or review with stuff from that.

Anyway, I seem to be back in a more steady rhythm for stories now, so I'll be making early releases available after this one. If you liked this and wanna support me or help get these chapters out faster, or if you want more information about my story statuses as well as weekly updates and any other details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 11: Is It Wrong To Kiss In Public?

Notes:

Author's Note: Phew. This was meant to be out about a fortnight ago! I was originally intending to finish off a FE Robin/Cordelia/Severa story I've had about 80% done for ages, but when I finished the previous chapter I was so inspired to do more Danmachi that I couldn't help but write this! I actually blasted through most of it in just a few days, and I was pretty happy with both how it was going, and how it was reading.

And then Zelda came and absolutely kicked my plans into the garbage. I kept writing, of course, but it was certainly a hell of a distraction, slowing me down drastically, and I still haven't beaten it. Still, I'm almost done with it, and I've got this done now, and I think it's a pretty fun chapter so hopefully you'll enjoy it too.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Kiss In Public?

--*--

"What a terrifying man."

Freya breathed the words into the morning air, barely more than a whisper beneath her breath. And yet, her voice shook just as her body trembled even as she spoke.

Even now, more than an hour since Bell Cranel had last flooded Syr's -previously virgin- womb full with his seed. Since he had unloaded one final time down the delighted waitress's throat and across her face. Since they had collapsed into the mattress, exhausted and wrapped up tight around one another… still her body shivered as sparks of delight flashed through her.

Even with her Seidr now undone. Even with her true form regained. Even as she sat beside him as Orario's beloved Empress, rather than some humble waitress, still her face was flushed warm, still her breath came in pants, and still she knew not even a drop of strength was left to her. Syr had been completely defeated in bed, sex with Bell had overwhelmed her far past any need to surrender, and the love that had been shared between them had devastated any resistance she may have had. Syr had lost so completely that even Freya was left marvelling at the staggering defeat.

With her thoughts coming only sluggishly through the haze of delight that still surrounded her, Freya's instinct was to stride around the room, to regain her composure and at least some degree of sanity. Neither Syr's underwear, nor her clothes would fit well around Freya's notably larger chest or wider hips, but she was hardly unaccustomed to gathering her thoughts naked, and there wasn't a soul in all the world that would possibly complain.

And yet, her instincts failed her and she remained exactly where she was, sitting upright on the mattress, stroking her hands softly through the young adventurer's soft snowy-white hair.

Even if her legs could have supported her right now, she couldn't bear to leave him. It had been hard enough simply to detach herself from him, Syr's body and soul had both ached with terrible disappointment as she'd slipped carefully from the warmth of Bell's loving embrace. But thought had been impossible with his arms cradling her so gently, and she'd feared that the change in her body's shape would wake him besides.

So here she remained.

The minutes slipped by in an unhurried, languid fashion just like that.

The cold and imperious, vain and arrogant, cruel and selfish, Goddess of Beauty passed the moments staring tenderly down at the man she loved. Face flushed warm, breath coming in light pants, with her body trembling and eyes warm with love, Freya's expression was softer and gentler than had ever been seen in all her endless millennia of existence.

Soft silken silver hair.

Mountainously large, soft breasts heaving and bouncing with each trembling breath.

An impossibly tight and toned stomach, completely smooth yet rounding into hips wider and fuller than most dresses could even accommodate.

Freya's naked body was beautiful beyond measure, and yet, none of her commanding presence, none of her endless charisma or unstoppable confidence shone from her. The room, and her gaze was filled only with the soft and warm love radiating through her body and soul, a sensation beyond anything she'd felt in all her long life, and an expression that nobody had ever seen from her before in history.

"Ah…" she breathed again, the words hitching as she shifted atop the sheets, another spark of delight and a small aftershock of pleasure rippling through her, "Such a terrifying man."

As long as there had been a Freya there had been the hunt for her Odr. It was an endless task, it was the very fulfilment of her being. The last time she'd thought she'd found someone who might be the one she was looking for was some time ago now, when she'd chanced across a beautiful woman in a dusty desert city. The girl had been impressive, dazzling even… but she'd scarcely held Freya's attention longer than anyone else had. The passion she'd felt had faded before the morning light had even risen, and she'd rarely thought of her since.

Yet right now, the only thing that was just barely keeping her from shaking him awake, the only reason she wasn't willing to even beg him for another round, was the knowledge that her body didn't even have the strength to receive him just yet.

Her heart and soul were filled entirely with Bell Cranel. And no matter just how thoroughly and wonderfully her pussy and womb had been claimed by him, both yet ached to feel him once again. In everything he did, and everything he was, from the way he looked at her, to the way he held her, to the conviction in his eyes when he'd confessed his love for her… not a single part of her doubted he was her Odr anymore.

And instead, she was left with regret that she had put him in danger, that she had once been so flippant as to simply imagine she would follow him up to heaven and collect his soul as her own.

Such thoughts were impossible now. She couldn't bear it.

His soul was dazzling, it was pure and beautiful beyond words or compare. Just looking at it, at how it was straining against the limits of his vessel; or how intensely it was shining now, blazing with new radiance ever since he'd received her love, it was enthralling enough to stop her heart and leave her throat dry.

But it was only a part of him. It was only a piece of the man she loved. Bell Cranel, her Odr, she'd finally found her fated husband after so long… she couldn't possibly have him leave his world, not for a long time.

"Ooh, Hestia… Where on earth did you find this child? Mmm… and why didn't I find him first?"

It wasn't fair. It was like some kind of farce.

In all the world, in all the city, how did he possibly end up with a destitute Goddess like Hestia, before her!?

Of all the women, and all the goddesses in Orario, how did he possibly end up in a relationship with an anti-sex club member like Hestia, before her!?

How far had they even gone? Had he really stuffed that massive cock of his inside Hestia's tiny body? That would certainly have been a sight to see; despite herself, Freya couldn't help but wonder just what kind of face the Goddess of the Hearth would make, getting wrapped around the same shaft that had so thoroughly laid claim to Syr's pussy. Bell had said they were together, and that he loved her, but he'd only been in her Familia for a short time. After all these millions of years, had the famously aloof, virgin Goddess really spread her legs in just a few weeks? She couldn't believe that. His actions and ministrations had undoubtedly held a shockingly wonderful amount of confidence and surety in them, but there was still no missing how amateurish they had been at the same time.

By any account, it was just as likely that this had been his first time.

…

And yet, as her fingers brushed softly through his hair once more, and as her heart skipped a beat watching his peaceful expression, she realised she didn't care. She had no interest in pressing or prying. It simply didn't matter.

It was a strange realisation.

Just a day earlier, she was sure such news would have brought her into a whirlwind of fury. She had only accepted Bell in Hestia's Familia because she'd been certain the virgin Goddess would never actually try anything with him. The idea that anyone had so much as laid a finger on her man would have brought her into a whirlwind of rage. No matter how much she may have liked Hestia, she wouldn't have hesitated to have torn the presumptuous Goddess from her home and sent her back to Heaven, regardless of what price she may have paid.

And now the thought barely even flickered enough passion within her to move her thoughts, let alone her heart.

It was as if all the jealousy had simply been fucked out of her. Indeed, it was hard to even imagine being angry about anything right now, not when her world was filled up with Bell, her heart was overflowing with his love, and her body and soul were singing in such vibrant harmony.

Ah, "Terrifying." She repeated, unable to keep the smile from her lips.

What an incredible feeling it was. Her pride was in tatters, but she'd never been so happy. So, this was why they said love was the ruin of women.

She breathed out another trembling breath as yet another shiver ran up her spine. Her rosy-pink nipples sparked with pleasure and her massive breasts bounced softly through the air as her chest heaved. No matter how sated she was, no matter how satisfied he had left her, just thinking of him like this, just being with him like this left Freya's pussy throbbing, hot with lust and desire.

Her existence as a Goddess was working against her.

As Syr, she had been able to lose herself in the role-play and pretend that such delights were normal, that this was simply the domain of two lovers in each other's arms.

But she hadn't been able to resist undoing the Seidr, she hadn't been able to resist giving up the game she was playing, she hadn't been able to resist looking at him as Freya.

And as Freya, she knew that throughout all the heavens, throughout all world, and throughout all of time, never had she once felt as pleasured, as complete, or as loved as she did with Bell's clumsy, sincere and utterly earnest lovemaking. She knew for a fact that she had taken many lovers far more skilled and far more practised than he, but in this moment, she couldn't name a single one of them. His affection and his warmth had driven them all from her mind, as if filling her entirely with himself.

And that knowledge was like a collar wrapping gently but assuredly around her neck. Her love was meant to be the wind blowing across the world, brushing over all but never staying for too long in any one place. And this man, this young, ridiculous, selfish, wonderful, Odr had taken that wind, wrapped it up in his embrace and now wore it like a cloak wrapped all around him and him alone.

It was terrifying, but that only enflamed her desires even more! She hadn't even thought it possible, but she was even more in love with him now than before!

It wasn't enough just to see him as Freya, nor just to stroke him so carefully and so gently like this, she wanted to feel him! She wanted to wrap herself around him and to have him wrap himself around her! She wanted him to push her down and try claim her like he had his virgin Goddess and innocent waitress! She wanted to turn the tables on him and make him understand the true heights of a man's pleasure! She wanted to feel him plunged fully inside her, to squeeze every milimeder of his thick cock and hear every one of his whimpers and moans!

"Ngh!"

Her hand stopped, and she pulled back, just barely restraining herself from the cusp of madness.

It would be so easy, so very, very easy to simply shake him awake. To reveal herself to him as Freya and confess everything all at once. And even if her body couldn't handle that just yet, then it would be just as easy to invite him to see her tomorrow in her penthouse suite, to throw him down onto the bed and ravish him with everything she had! There was nothing at all that could possibly stop her from taking what she wanted, there was no force in this world that would interfere with her indulging herself with her Odr for as long and as desperately as she wanted!

But she resisted.

Because, she understood now that even if she desired that, even if she yearned for it enough to leave her body shivering with lust… she didn't want it.

Because her wonderful, delightful, beautiful, adorable Bell... Her strong, heroic, brave and foolish Odr... Didn't love Freya, he didn't even know her, he had yet to even meet her.

He wouldn't deny her, of course. Her natural charm would ensure that. But he would only love her in exactly the same manner that her children did, or that her previous lovers had. He would just love her in the same devoted and deferential way a man loves a Goddess.

But Freya was much too greedy for that. Now that she'd tasted the true face of Bell's love, she couldn't possibly accept anything less.

She wanted Bell to love her true self, to love the Goddess of Beauty, Freya.

But she wanted him to love her in exactly the same way he loved the waitress, Syr.

She wanted him to love her sweetly, innocently and wholeheartedly. She wanted to love her with the same love that was shared only between mortals, a love that Freya had never before understood.

Ah, it was so painful to hold back, so terrible to wait. It must surely be a farce writ all across the Heavens that Syr had taken a lover while it was Freya that would be denied.

But that was just how deeply and how terribly she loved this man.

"Odr… my Odr…" her hand returned gently, carefully to his face, stroking his cheek lightly and tenderly, taking every effort to ensure he didn't wake, "I understand now."

For Freya's entire existence, she'd had every man or woman she wished for wrapped around her finger, it had simply been natural, as obvious as the moon and the stars. She'd always sought her Odr, but rarely given much thought to anything beyond that to her life with him. Somewhere along the line, the role that had formed in her mind had been akin to her senior-attendant, her right hand, a position similar to but ahead of so many other men who had come before.

She had toyed at times, with idle fancies, that perhaps she would let him adorn her with his ring, or some other such trinket that he might show off to any that looked that she was his. She understood such a fascination, she had an enormous desire to see her Falna engraved upon his back and his soul, that he might bear her name forevermore.

She had forgotten. Or perhaps she'd never understood.

Odr was not like any other man. He was her husband, her equal.

That was why she'd lost interest in other men and women, why her bed had been so empty ever since she'd laid eyes upon him, and why neither of those facts had left her lonely at all. That was only natural. Why should she have any interest in anyone else when he was here? Obviously, a wife should show fealty towards her husband.

The same had yet to be true for him, of course. But that was only fair, he had yet to meet her, yet to even lay eyes on her.

So, for now, if he wished to have these little indiscretions, a few small indulgences with other women before their wedding… Freya would accept it. She was hardly a blushing virgin herself, and none could possibly say that the Empress of Orario was not a magnanimous woman! She would not burn down the Hestia Familia, nor would she chase away any of the other women surrounding him. And more importantly, playing along like this would make it much easier to win his heart as Freya, without having his feelings for Syr complicate matters.

Until they met properly, until his heart was hers in the same way that hers was his, and until their union was completed. She would turn a blind eye.

For now.

Of course, she would only overlook such acts for as long as it took for her true self to capture his heart. She was his wife, after all.

As Syr, she had accepted that harem wish of his. But, as Freya, she would not.

Syr would play along just as befitted her role, helping and supporting him, and indulging herself in all the love and desire that mortals dwelt in.

Freya would wait. And she would be patient. And when he was finally hers, he would be hers alone.

Her resolve was set, yet a soft sigh loosed from her lips all the same.

Oh, how mundane it would be now, to be Freya, when it was Syr that Bell loved.

But she had waited millions of years for this, surely it was nothing to wait just a little longer.

And yet, as if in spite of her resolve, no sooner had her conclusion been reached than the whisper of her Seidr rose once more from her lips. And where Freya had been, Syr was once more.

And soon, less than a moment later, -fast asleep- Bell's lips curled into a warm smile as his arms were filled once more with the warmth and presence of the woman he loved.

And Syr's trembling sigh shook happily into the air as she returned to his embrace, and her world filled dizzyingly full with him once again.

And far across Orario, Hörn jolted wide awake once more, unable to stop from crying out with laughter and joy so bright her eyes welled with tears.

--*--

With his recovery complete, Bell had thrown himself back into his training once again. Unfortunately, this time it wasn't going very well.

"Please focus, Cranel-san. This is an important part of your lessons, you need to be able to master this."

Bell spluttered and stammered in response, his face flaming red and a thousandfold objections raising and dying on his lips. Yet, even so, and even despite his best efforts, there was absolutely no way he could follow her instructions.

There were two reasons for this.

One, because even as she gave him his directions in the same calm voice as ever, Riveria Ljos Alf was standing completely naked before him.

Secondly, because even though her face remained as placid and sincere as ever, the woman known as Nine Hells was currently stroking her hand gently up and down the length of his cock.

"Good grief, it truly is ridiculous," for just a moment, her voice sounded completely different, "I can't even wrap my fingers all the way around it."

Once again, Bell's mind whirled, unable to comprehend how he should possibly respond to this situation!

Riveria was pressed up against him, with her body warm and soft against his own, and her fingers were squeezing with just a little tension around his shaft, teasing it as much as pleasuring it. Rolling his head back, Bell's voice rang out in a heady gasp, but no other words could possibly form.

She was Elven Royalty, the most famous elf in the world, he would be flayed alive if any other elf learned that he'd seen her like this, he knew that, but there was nothing he could do! His entire vision was filled with the sight that no human man was ever supposed to see! He could have shut his eyes, but he wasn't quite naïve enough to underestimate her that badly, he understood how far Riveria must be pushing herself to present her naked body to him like this, it would have been unspeakably rude to close to his eyes. And, even beyond that, as a man, he couldn't help but engrave this sight into his soul.

Riveria's chest was far larger than most of the other Elves, and Bell swallowed heavily as he watched every tremble and shake of her generous bust pressing against him as she rocked her body in place, grinding just slightly, back and forth against him. Beneath her robes, her skin was a pale creamy white, several shades lighter than his Goddess or Syr, and it made the rosy-pink hue of her nipples stand out even more vibrantly, which left that exact image burned into his brain as they dragged gently overtop his bare chest.

Despite her notable bust, Riveria's body was just as lissom and slender as Elves were famous for, it made him impossibly aware that even Nine Hells was still a woman when he could feel just how light and soft she felt against him, and when he could look down and see her smiling, just slightly up at him from where her head was currently leaning on his chest. Her emerald-green hair was tossed back over her shoulders, and her expression was as calm and measured as ever… but he'd spent enough time with her now, he'd gotten used to her enough that Bell still caught just the hint of redness in her cheeks, and the slight softness in her eyes when she gazed up at him- the exact same look she'd worn when he'd woken up in her arms after Ais had sent him flying.

And, of course, any comments or questions he may have had about any of this were halted entirely by the feeling of her fingers encircling his cock, and the sensation of her palm running or rolling carefully over the underside of his shaft. Working away at him without any hurry or any impatience, Riveria's left hand squeezed his length with just a little tension, pumping leisurely but wonderfully, up and down his length. It was enough to leave Bell's breath racing, and his legs shaking.

"You must strengthen your resolve, Cranel-san," as if paying no mind to either her current state of undress, or their current position, Riveria repeated the exact same lesson she'd imparted to him when teaching about Mind Zero, "Mental fortitude is just as important as physical ability- if your mind gives out, then it matters not how much stamina your body may have."

"This is normal, Bell-san! Training like this is your reward for getting such a great title, 'Burning Fighting Fighter'!" as usual, Heith was supporting his training in her own way. But, as usual, her own way was causing things to become exceedingly more difficult for him, given that she was currently pressed up against his back, holding him firmly in place as her words tickled against his ears, "There's nothing to worry about, no matter how many times you shoot it out, I'll keep perking you right back up!"

Bell had never imagined doing something like this in public, and he'd often tried very hard not to imagine doing something like this with any of these women he respected so greatly. And yet, despite that, his cock was already fully hard in Riveria's hand, pulsing and twitching with each of her tenderly insistent ministrations. The sensation of her fingers wrapping so securely around his length, of her palm rolling over the underside of his shaft, was enough to leave his blood racing and his breath catching in his throat. Just looking at her was dangerous! The sight of the, ever serious, Riveria looking up at him with an unmistakable gentleness, of the slight flush in her cheeks and the same small smile he'd seen that day- looking at the Elven Royal curled up against him, laid across his shoulder, looking up at him, was enough to leave Bell's cock pulsing with hunger and his body heating up even more!

There was absolutely no way he could maintain the kind of focus she was asking of him when she was looking at him like that! Not when she was stroking him like this!

But no matter how dangerous it was for him to be looking at Riveria like this, it was far more dangerous for him to look away.

Because, if he looked away, then he would see Ais.

He would see the Sword Princess kneeling, naked, on the ground before him. And he would have no way at all of ignoring the sensation of her heated breath running tantalisingly over his cock.

If he looked down for even a moment, if he let his eyes stray for a moment, then there was no doubt in his mind that he would become absolutely enthralled with the sight of his shaft pulsing and rocking in the air, jerked slightly from Riveria's strokes, just a short distance from his idol's face. He wouldn't be able to help himself from drinking in the sight of her bare, lightly-bronzed skin revealed before him, of her impressive but not overly-large breasts bouncing lightly as she shifted in place, of the incredible, ridiculous sight of the most famous adventurer in the world kneeling at his feet atop the stone battlements.

And if he checked, "Ah…" he knew it. Ais would be wearing not the same placid and stoic expression that had once earned her the title "War Princess", but the just slightly soft, and just slightly warm, expression that she'd shown him whenever he'd woken up in her arms, or whenever she'd held him against her.

Having already lost most of his focus, Bell only belatedly realised that he'd already turned his gaze away from where Riveria was curled up against his shoulder, stroking his cock, to where Ais was sitting before him, staring patiently at his shaft.

However, before he got a chance to even register that fact, three things happened all at once.

Riveria's hand stroked calmly, gently, wonderfully right down to the very base of his shaft.

Ais, with her eyes turned up towards him, pressed her lips into a gentle kiss right against the head of his cock.

And, with his mind reeling and her face flushing just slightly red, she called out to him.

"Itadakimasu!"

Strangely, the way she said that distinctly reminded Bell of another woman, but he had no chance to even register that before the Sword Princess's mouth opened wide around his shaft, and he was immediately, entirely, wonderfully, engulfed in her warmth.

Groaning aloud, his hips bucked up into the air.

It was only at this moment that Bell realised his left arm had been wrapped tight around Riveria's waist all this time, because he instinctively pulled her even tighter around him, wringing out a surprisingly delighted squeak from the Elf, as his right hand instantly flew to Ais's head, taking gentle hold of her beautiful blonde tresses as her lips bobbed methodically up and ever deeper down his length!

His world swam, and his body shuddered in response.

His hand was holding atop Ais's head, stroking her hair as the Sword Princess he loved and idolised was kneeling before him. She was looking up warmly towards him as her lips wrapped and coiled around his length, as her tongue teased and turned along the undercarriage of his shaft, she filled her mouth with him and slid him deeper still, taking his cock into his throat. And all the while, the Golden Witch of the Freya Familia held him securely, and nakedly, from behind, and Riveria Nine Hell's curled up against his shoulder and wrapped her fingers around him.

The two mentors he respected so deeply, and the woman who'd stolen his heart, were all pressed up against him, all buck naked, and all working to bring him to the absolute heights of pleasure! It was like something from the dreams he'd never let himself have!

Either taking no notice of how desperately Bell was struggling to retain any semblance of focus, or perhaps simply striking forward in her own spartan way, Ais began experimenting with twisting her head back and forth, rotating her mouth from side to side, even as she swallowed more and more of his cock, and even as he was left gasping and panting, and even as his length began twitching frantically down the blonde's throat!

In just the span of a few minutes work, Ais had swallowed a little over half his length entirely, seemingly as much as she could take for now. Riveria's stroking matched with Ais immediately, the elegant High Elf's tender caresses easily enough to pleasure the remainder of Bell's shaft.

Without so much as a word, or a glance passing between them, the mother-daughter pair instantly flew into action and into perfect synch, showcasing a very different side of the teamwork the Loki Familia was so famous for.

When Ais dragged her tongue back up the underside of Bell's shaft, Riveria's fingers followed, curling tight around his cock as if to make up for the missing pressure. As the Sword Princess's lips bobbed back down along his length, and as his cock was left once more buried within her throat, Nine Hell's hand pumped back down right to the base of his cock!

It was more than enough to send Bell reeling.

Watching the woman he loved on her knees, smiling up at him around his length, and feeling his shaft wrapped up tight in her throat as she eagerly sucked him off was more than enough to leave him short of breath. And the sensation of his cock being squeezed tight by Ais's throat, caressed so wonderfully by Riveria's fingers, and teased mercilessly by Ais's tongue quickly left him racing far beyond his limits. And when Ais's right hand moved up to gently massage his balls at the same time, Bell's mind soared through the heavens.

He'd been careful until this point, not wishing to do anything he shouldn't while these women were taking such incredible care of him, but with the blonde swordswoman's mouth sucking down his shaft, and the emerald-haired Elf's fingers stroking him so very gently, Bell's resolve was fraying moment by moment. And, before he'd even realised he was doing it, his arm around Riveria's waist was pulling her tighter against him, and his hand on the back of Ais's head was holding her much more firmly.

Bell had only been in Orario a month, and he'd only been in a relationship for even less than that, he still had a lot to learn.

But he did know that when his Goddess was pleasuring him like this, she always loved it when took back a little control, and when he pushed down on her head with just a touch of force.

"Nhhgnnnnnn!"

And judging from the shuddering moan that Ais let out, the first he'd ever heard from her, and one that reverberated directly into his shaft, she was exactly the same.

Holding the two flowers of the Loki Familia, one in each hand, Bell finally took his own action this training session.

Holding firmly to the blonde swordswoman idolised around the world, Bell pushed the unstoppable, invincible, Sword Princess down his cock!

Pulling Riveria's incredible, regal, body tight against him, as she continued to jerk him off, Bell buried his cock down the throat of the woman she'd raised like a daughter!

Both women let out moans of delight. And somewhere in the distance, he was sure he could hear an unmistakably familiar giggle.

But, of course, virgins or not, these women were among the strongest Adventurers in Orario, and they were not beaten so easily. Rather, in wringing out cries of joy from each stoic woman, he only spurred them on faster and harder.

Moaning happily each time he pushed her down his cock, twirling her tongue around each time she pulled her way back up, Ais's head bobbed up and down his length with terrifying force.

Leaning up against him and pressing her lips against his neck, Riveria's heated breath tickled over his skin as her hands matched still in perfect synch with her daughter's.

For his efforts, Bell had done nothing but destroy any chance he had of maintaining his composure!

"Ais is working hard for you, Cranel-san. Do not shame her by holding back. It's fine to cum, just make sure you don't lose yourself."

That was impossible! There was just no way, it was even more impossible than keeping himself from going Mind Zero while chasing her around the battlements! His breathing was coming in ragged pants, his voice was ringing out unbidden, and his vision was swimming, flashing with white light! He couldn't possibly keep control of himself, not with the way his body was shaking and not with the intensity of the release he could feel building within him!

Holding back, trying to keep his composure by simply outlasting it was all he could do… but of course, that was even more impossible! Regardless of Riveria's direction, as his body instinctively, greedily, shoved Ais's back down his length once again, Bell knew he was well past any restraint!

It was too late, he was going to cum!

"Ghhah-HHAAA!?"

Jolting upright with a strangled cry, Bell's eyes flew open and the dream shattered instantly.

!?

Mind spinning, and body thrumming, with his cock encased in deliciously tight warm, wet heat, Bell looked down between his legs to see that his left hand was currently holding firmly to the back of Syr's head- that he was pushing his beloved silver-haired waitress down his cock!

The incredible vision he'd been wrapped up in gave way to a reality that was no less intense, and he had just enough time to drink in the sight of Syr's eyes upturned towards him, the bright red flush on her cheeks and the clear delight in her expression she was giving despite having her lips around his shaft. He took in the sight of her, bare naked, with their blankets tossed back over her shoulders, her mouth halfway down his length, her left-hand pumping eagerly along his shaft and her right curled carefully around his balls, cupping and squeezing them as she worked thoroughly to drive him crazy!

For just one single second, he marvelled at this sight. The dream had already faded and now his world was filled only with Syr!

Instinctively grabbing hold of her with both hands, forcefully keeping her in place and holding himself back from pushing deeper, Bell's body shook, his cock twitched and spasmed inside her throat… And then everything exploded!

Syr's moan of delight turned into a gurgled mess of satisfaction as Bell's morning cry roared around the room, and as rope after rope of hot, heavy seed was blasted directly into her mouth and down her throat. The waitress worked furiously to swallow as best she could, drawing on all the experience she'd gained in their previous night together… but her body was already surging through yet another orgasm courtesy of Bell's rough treatment, and the hours of rest had been enough to refill the young adventurer's depleted stamina. His release was just as powerful, and just as full as the very first load he'd unleashed into her previously-virgin womb!

Her eyes flashed dizzyingly white, her throat was filled utterly with him, and once again, Syr was left with the potent sensation of feeling as if her entire body was dyed thick with Bell's seed. The first few blasts were more than enough to flood her stomach and fill her throat, after that, her cheeks were bursting, and soon enough -despite her very best effort- the waitress was forced to pull away, yanking her head backwards out of Bell's grip, gasping and spluttering as his load sloshed out from her mouth, splashing down over her chin and running down over her neck to pool around her breasts and the bedsheets below.

And of course, with Bell's cock now bouncing free and unleashed in the air, hanging just a few centimeders from her face- the remainder of his essence, what felt like every drop yet to be wrung from the man, splattered warm, thick and heavy across her face! Rope after wonderful rope, jet after glorious jet… in just a few moments Syr's throat was stuffed full with the taste of him, and her face was painted heavily with the proof of his satisfaction, with the evidence of the joy she had brought the man she loved.

"Nhh-huhaa-hhaaahhuhhnnn…"

With every part of her that wasn't currently occupied eagerly drinking down his load, and with savouring the sheer vibrancy of its taste, Syr's body was shaking and moaning, gurgling in her ecstasy.

The moment passed in a single drawn-out eternity, a small and fragile world that existed for a short time just between them. And then, eventually, the sensations ebbed slowly away and reality began to return.

"Hahhhhaa….Hhaa…"

"Guuu…ngh… Mmmm… Bell-kun, hhh, it tastes so good!"

Slowly putting the pieces back together and making sense of just what had happened, Bell leaned back heavily into the pillow propped up beneath him, his world was spinning gently around him, and his balls were tingling lightly with the sheer intensity of his release. And, as he did so, he was treated to an equally incredible sight to what he'd seen in his dream-

With absolutely no desire to pull away from him, or feel him anywhere but as close to her as possible, Syr lying between his legs with Bell's cock, still hard and now resting hard atop her face. The innocent, but cheeky and domineering waitress he'd fallen in love with was making an incredible show of just how shameless she'd become, looking up at him in delightful submission, draping his cock directly over her face, tilting her lips up periodically to kiss it, in loving devotion. Being the gentle soul he was, Bell couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at the way his cockhead was dragging back and forth atop her forehead, smearing her beautiful face with the seed still dripping out, but it was clear from the excitement she was beaming back at him, that this was exactly what she wanted.

And indeed, barely a second after she'd finished gasping for breath, Syr's hands unlinked from around Bell's shaft, and he was then treated to an even more shameless show- the once-innocent waitress happily scooping his release from her face and slurping it down. His offer to find her a towel, or his shirt instead was immediately rebuffed without even the need for words, when she simply tilted her head up and pressed another loving kiss directly into his cockhead, moaning softly as she continued licking her fingers clean.

…

"Ahh… Good morning, Bell-kun!"

"G-G-Good, good morning Syr!" He gasped back, amazed that she could still smile up at him just as brightly and just as innocently, even while speaking her usual greeting around his cock, "Th-That, that was qu-quite a way to wake up!"

The dream had already faded against the morning light, and Bell could only now remember small bits and pieces of it. But, from what he did recall, he silently offered Ais, Riveria and Heith all a thousand mental apologies. Somehow a normal dream of training and friendship had turned into something very different when Syr's lips had been wrapped around his length!

"Hehe, I wasn't sure I could do it right… I only did it a few times last night, but, I'm really glad you liked it, Bell-kun."

"It was… that was a big surprise…" he sighed with a smile, wrapping his arms back around her as best he could from this position, "I never imagined you were such a lewd woman, Syr."

"Bell-kun! That's a horrible thing to say! I only wanted to make you happy!"

He laughed. If it had been anyone else, he was sure he would have been spluttering and apologising, but somehow, with Syr, her act of being affronted was just as refreshing as the feeling of waking up next to her. He'd never been able to experience Syr's personality, or her teasing him like this, first thing in the morning before and it just made him smile, it made his heart throb with love. Clearly feeling just the same, and seeing him not rising to her bait, Syr's pretend pout quickly faded back into an easy smile and she poked her tongue out at him for just a second before placing another conciliary kiss into his shaft.

"I'm only like this with you, you know, Bell-kun. You're the only one that gets to see this."

He didn't have words to respond to that, or to respond to the small patch of red he could see staining the bedsheets. For all his heroic ambitions, Bell still barely knew how to talk to women and could never find the way to get his feelings across properly. Instead, he simply wrapped his arms around her neck, squeezing her gently and hoping his meaning would come across all the same.

"I love you, Syr… I-I, I'm r-really, I'm really glad you're wi-"

"Ahh, Bell-kun! If you get started like that, I won't be able to hold back again! Nnn… I woke you up so early for a reason, you know?"

"Uh…?"

"Bell-kun! Think about poor Hestia!" that was a very strange thing for him to hear, with his cock currently twitching lightly against Syr's face, "You need to make it home before she wakes up."

"Ah!"

"You know how much she's worried about you, don't you? And Meteria-san too! Don't you think it'd be rude to make her come all the way here?"

"Y-You're right!" Bell blanched horribly at that statement, suddenly realising how thoughtless he'd been and jolting back upright in bed, "I'm sorry, Syr, I wasn't even thinking!"

In truth, despite how much she would have loved to simply roll around in bed with Bell all day, or as long as she could get away with at least, Syr had her own very important reasons for making sure that the Goddess of the Hearth didn't find the two of them in bed together. It was a horrible shame to leave before she absolutely had to, but she had to avoid Hestia at all costs.

…

But then again, Bell's cock was so wonderfully hard against her face. Was it really right to send him home like this? Syr chewed on her lip as her mouth grew wetter and her pussy grew hotter. Could she really say he'd recovered completely, when she could feel just how thick and heavy his shaft was pressed against her like this?

"Um… Well… then again, it is still very early, Bell-kun… it's only a little after dawn… um, hehe, I got a little impatient I guess…" Just like the silver-haired Goddess, Syr was impulsive, "If we don't take too long, I'm sure we've got time for one more round before you leave…"

Bell swallowed heavily, his sense of responsibility weighing terribly against the sight of Syr drawing herself back up his body, wrapping her arms back in place around his neck. A quick glance out the window told him that Syr's words had been true, it was only a little past dawn. He'd never known Hestia to get up anywhere close to this early, no matter how poorly she'd slept.

"Ah, well… We'll be quick, alright?"

Syr laughed, and then shuddered, and then moaned.

Bell gasped, and then embraced her, and pushed her down into the mattress once more.

And, Hörn, who'd just found herself awoken out of a fitful night's sleep with a confusing rush of heady bliss, suddenly found herself screaming aloud once more. Rolling around in priceless and thoroughly soaked silken sheets, Freya's handmaiden cried prayers of fealty to her Goddess, and screamed aloud the name of a boy she'd never met as visions of him filled her mind and her world descended into pleasure yet again.

--*--

Three rounds later, Bell and Syr stumbled awkwardly out the room and down to the main foyer of the Hostess of Fertility.

Rather than his usual enthusiasm which would have seen him bounding down the stairs and bursting with energy after a night (and morning) like he'd had, the young white-haired adventurer walked with a calm, sedate seriousness. Partially because he was a little light on his feet, seeing as this was the first time he'd been standing upright since he'd collapsed into Ais's arms… but mostly because Syr was leaning heavily onto him, pushing her small frame against his and clinging to him as if her quivering legs would give out from under her if he wasn't there to prop her up. The effect the time they'd spent together had had on the beautiful waitress was clear, and whatever difficulty he may have had, halfway carrying her like this, was more than compensated by the way his ego swelled in response.

Just like that, holding tight to one another, basking in the delight of the love they'd confirmed between them and relishing these last few moments together, Bell and Syr made their way downstairs and out into the bar's main room…

…And walked directly into the middle of an argument.

"I will not have you speak of Syr in such a manner!" Ryu's cold voice was immediately clear, as was the sight of the slender Elf standing to her full height, with both fists slammed down on the table and the entire weight of her authority bearing down on the other three waitresses, "I don't care what you think you heard, you will not spread such rumours, or slander about her!"

"Well… we know she didn't go home last night, she was with White-Hair all night, nyaa."

"That's right, nya! And those two were going crazy all night! From the way Syr was screaming and moaning, White-Hair must have been like an animal!"

"Ryu… My room's at the end of the hallway, and I could hear them all night. You're closer than me, you can't possibly pretend you didn't hear anything."

The Elf visibly flinched, her back straightening and hands jolting. Even standing at the entrance to the bar, only seeing her from behind, Bell could clearly see her long, pointed ears turning bright red.

"And this morning, nya! They were going at it again when I got out of the shower! That White-Hair's got a man's appetite!"

"Syr really was… She sounded like she was having a lot of fun at least? Nyaa…"

"Th-That, loo... That doesn't mean anything!" Ryu faltered, but still refused to give ground, "Even i-if she was in his room all night, we don't know what she was doing. He's only just recovered, and she was looking after him, th-"

"She was looking after him a bit too diligently for my liking," Lunoire interrupted, with a yawn, "I barely got any damn sleep, with the way those two were carrying on."

"Enough! I will not have you continue to insinuate against her like this! Syr is our friend, and she is a noble, honourable, woman. She would never do anything like that, not before marriage, or at least not before pledging her love beneath the moon. And Bell Cranel is a kind, gentle boy, the way you're talking about him is disgraceful! He would never… Him being so… I cannot possibly imagine him li-like… um…"

"That's just how you Elves think, nya!" Chloe bit back, a challenging smile spread wide across her face as she met the Elf's glare, "My room's right next door, so even if you want to pretend you couldn't hear her screaming her head off, I know that Syr was getting exactly what she wanted, all night long, nya! Haha, with the way they were going at it, I bet she can't even walk straight this morning!"

"Oh, no need to worry. I can walk just fine."

"Ah!?"

"Syr!"

"Ohhh!"

"S-Syr…"

If Bell had still been in any kind of state of mind, he would have thought how strange Syr's statement was, given that she was still clinging tight against him, leaning her weight on him to keep herself upright. But instead, white-faced and lost for breath, let alone thought, it all just washed over him. Whatever he'd been expecting from this morning, whatever he'd imagined on his way, escorting his lover downstairs to part ways and head back home… walking in to hear that apparently every other waitress in the building had been kept awake listening to him having sex, was not on the list.

His cheeks were cold, and white with sheer mortification as the understanding of that fact truly weighed on him. The fun and sweet catgirl Anya. The spritely, irreverent black-cat, Chloe. The calm and direct Lunoire… and worst of all, the coldly kind, serious and reserved elf, Ryu.

He'd known for a fact that their rooms were all on the same hallway, that Chloe's was right next door to the guest room and Ryu's was only one door over that. He'd known for a fact that they all had to pass the guest room to get to their own rooms when their shift ended. He'd known for a fact that all of them were surprisingly, scarily strong women with amazing instincts and senses…. And yet, somehow, it had never once occurred to him that something like this might have happened.

Even when he'd been delighting in making Syr moan as loud as he could.

Even when he'd been marvelling at the way her cries and her body grinding against his filled the room with the sound of their love.

Even when he'd been eager to push her down and make her cry out first thing in the morning.

He had never once thought about the world beyond the room they'd been secluded in. He'd never once thought that trying his best to make Syr happy might inconvenience someone else. He'd never once thought that someone else may end up privy to such intimate details, or that anyone might discuss his sexual prowess so candidly.

Even Alfia wasn't aware that he'd been sleeping with his Goddess, but now every one of these waitresses was aware he'd had sex with Syr!? And they were aware of every last intimate detail of just how they'd done it, and how many times they'd done it!?

His mouth opened and closed silently. His vision fogged with a dull, quiet panic. And his body ignited, ice-cold with a mortifying shame like nothing he'd ever imagined. It was as embarrassing as hearing the Loki Familia mocking him in this same bar, but in a completely different way. And just like then, it was his own fault, his own thoughtlessness that dug at him.

Unable to move, much less respond, he wound up being dragged forwards, step by step, as Syr pulled him from the entrance, over to the table the other waitresses were seated around.

Letting go of Bell just long enough to bow her head, the silver-haired waitress gave a light bow, holding one hand up by way of apology.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I was just so excited and Bell was so manly, I just couldn't stand it! I didn't realise how much noise we were making at all, forgive me?" the same mortification that was weighing on Bell seemed to slide smoothly from Syr's shoulders. She was clearly quite abashed, laughing and twisting in place, with her cheeks inflamed rosy red, but she also seemed perfectly able to simply play this off as an unfortunate mishap, "Muuu… This isn't how I wanted to tell you guys, but, um, yes, Bell-kun is now my boyfriend! So, forgive him too, okay?"

Her cheeky smile was in place again as she wrapped herself once more around Bell's arm, and it seemed there was nothing at all that would darken her day compared to the happiness she'd now found. As always, there was nothing else for it, you couldn't help but forgive her.

"Aha, ah, congratulations, Syr!" Anya seemed to consider it a happy ending at least, clapping and smiling brightly at the announcement.

Lunoire leaned back in her seat with a sigh, "You're lucky we only even heard anything when we came up to the second floor. If Mama Mia had heard any of that, she would have kicked the door off its hinges and thrown you both out in the street."

That reminder was enough to finally drain the colour from Syr's cheeks, as well as a tentative glance over her shoulder to make sure the bar owner hadn't come in during this conversation. Thankfully, while the picture the human waitress painted was enough to leave Bell quaking in his boots, it also gave him a slight relief… In his paralysing embarrassment, he'd imagined all kinds of horrible, worst-case scenarios. Finding out that Mama Mia slept separately, and that the noise of their lovemaking at least hadn't carried out down to the bar proper at least removed some of the nightmare scenarios that had been burning through his mind.

"No need to apologise, nya! It didn't bother me at all," Chloe wasn't quite bold enough to admit that she'd spent the night quite happily lying in her bed, with her legs spread and her fingers stuffed inside her pussy, listening to the bed creak and groan as Syr's cries echoed through the wall, "Hehe, I never expected Syr would be such a lewd girl though, I'm jealous of you getting all the attention…"

The assassin's excited gaze swung from Syr over to Bell, who was still slowly processing his existential crisis. So, the silver-haired waitress instead turned to her closest companion, the elf whose friendship she treasured above all else, and who had just now been defending her honour so tenaciously.

"Ryu…"

The blonde's stoic, calm demeanour had thoroughly chipped away now, there was no missing the vibrant blush spread across the elf's cheeks, nor the way her head was very pointedly turned away from the two lovers. Finally releasing her hold on Bell, Syr walked over to where the bewildered waitress was standing, reaching out to clasp the hands that had fallen listlessly at her side.

"Syr, ah, I'm… I said too much, I'm sorry. I always take things too far."

"No, not at all, Ryu. I'm honoured you'd defend me like that… I'm sorry, if I disapp-"

"No, no, you, it's not, not at all. I'm just, it's an elf's way of doing things, I, you don't need to, I just never thought you wou-, I mean, I'm aware he's the man you love… I just… Please, don't think I'm against it!"

The sight of the proud, noble Elf flustered, red-faced, stammering and squirming on the spot, completely unable to explain herself, let alone express her feelings was more than enough to break the tension in the air. As far as Bell had ever seen, Ryu was a woman of few words, anytime she spoke it was always carefully, with consideration and respect. To have her now, rambling and stumbling over her words, brought him back out of his head, and it brought a bright, beautiful laugh from Syr!

"Oh, Ryu!"

"Ah!"

Suddenly throwing herself at the other woman, Syr's arms wrapped tight around her, and the blushing elf found herself pulled into a tight, loving embrace. Somehow, despite being the one completely at fault for all of this, the spirited sound of Syr's delight served to blow away any remaining tension in the room, and the normal good-humoured atmosphere shared between the waitresses settled in place once more.

"In that case, let me just apologise for you having to listen to all that, okay? I really didn't mean it, I always forget how sharp your hearing is!"

"Oh, er, well…"

"I'll be careful next time. Or maybe we'll go somewhere else, instead!"

"N-Next time? Ha, o-of course."

"If you ever want to listen in, that's fine though, you know?"

"Syr!"

"Haha, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forgive me, okay, Ryu?"

Blushing, stammering, completely lost and utterly overwhelmed, the stoic, cold-seeming elf that Bell was so familiar with was nowhere to be seen, it seemed that Syr was just as good at leading her friends by the nose as she was with him. He'd definitely fallen for a dangerous woman indeed.

But after a moment, Ryu nodded seriously, and as she did so, neither Bell nor Syr missed the small, honest smile lighting up her face as the two women made up.

'Ah…'

It was beautiful, he found himself thinking, and he was reminded suddenly of the last encounter he'd had with the blonde waitress, where they'd washed dishes together and she'd told him about the path his adventure needed to take. And with that reminder, and this new sight of her, Bell's mind's eye was filled instantly with the memory of the way she'd looked in that moment, the way her face had lit up and her eyes had shone with surprise when he'd thanked her in elvish.

Bell knew he still wasn't much good with women, he didn't know much and he learned things far too slowly. He had a long way to know. But in this moment, he understood for sure- that Ryu was not the cold and serious woman she pretended to be. The blonde Elf was unmistakably beautiful, easily a match for Syr herself in popularity among the bar's patrons, but her true beauty showed when her guard was down and the warmth she hid inside broke through.

'Eh!? Ah!'

Suddenly realising the way he was thinking about another woman, with his girlfriend currently taking the lead over this entire mess, Bell immediately banished any such thoughts as his body burned hot with renewed shame.

"I, I a-am," throat dry and with his heart squeezing tight in his chest, Bell's voice creaked and cracked. He bowed down as low as possible, just barely keeping himself from dropping to his knees as his body trembled and his head came within a half meder of the floor, "I am, so, so, sorry!"

He wanted to say more, he wanted to explain, or to make it sound better, or to give a more meaningful apology. But, once again, his words failed him and his mind went blank. He didn't have the eloquence or the charm to try talk his way through a conversation like this, nor did he have the kind of natural confidence Syr had that let her handle even such a mortifying situation. All he could do was try brute force through, to put out everything he was feeling, as bluntly as possible, just the same as he always did.

"I am really, really, really, sorry! You've, you've all, always been so kind to me, you let me stay here to recover- I'm very thankful, I never meant to cause you any trouble! Thank you! I'm sorry!"

"Ah, forget it. I know how insistent Syr gets, I won't blame you."

"Heh, White-hair, it's fine, it's fine, nothing to worry about, nyaa."

Lunoire and Anya answered in unison, turning away from the display. As shocking as the previous night had been, it was hard to raise any more complaints against the sight of the young man trembling before them with such obvious remorse. After having accepted Syr's almost flippant apology, Bell's full-force sincerity left them each sympathising with his situation instead.

This was the Bell Cranel that they'd gotten used to. Kind, gentle, hopelessly naïve and charmingly innocent, someone who lowered his head and apologised desperately anytime he thought he'd wronged anyone, as if always terrified of losing the friendships he so clearly cherished so greatly. This was the Bell Cranel that had been hanging around the bar, and around Syr the last few weeks, the young man whose displays of courage and bravery had stolen their friend's heart. For the first time since the morning had begun, both the ex-Bounty Hunter and the ex-Adventurer looked at him just the same as they always had.

And, as they did so, they were then forced to reconcile this Bell Cranel, with the desperate, wild, and hopelessly lewd cries they'd heard coming from Syr long through the night and early this same morning.

As much as they each complained about lack of sleep, none of the waitresses had been courageous enough to interrupt Syr in the state of such unmistakable delight. And, as much as they'd tossed and turned under their sheets, and buried their heads beneath their pillows, both Anya and Lunoire had spent the night red-faced, with a heady, wet, heat throbbing between their legs, and no small amount of curiosity burning within their hearts.

This was the same, gentle Bell Cranel they'd always known. And he'd made their friend into a woman. And he'd made her scream in bliss all night long.

Anya's brown tail twitched, and Lunoire's finger drummed on the table. Each offering their words of forgiveness, both the catgirl and the human turned away from the young man with a warm flush spreading across their cheeks.

"Cranel-san… Let us… Please, raise your head. I wish to put this behind us."

Unlinking from Syr's embrace, Ryu's answer was as quiet and as short as ever. She didn't know what to say, or how she was possibly supposed to react to a situation like this. But, she'd held a great affection towards this young adventurer, ever since she'd first met him outside the Astrea Familia house, and she'd always supported him with Syr. So long as she considered this just a natural consequence of that, and so long as it wasn't repeated… Ryu was certain she could forget about this.

What she couldn't forget so easily, however, was the vigorous proof of Bell's masculinity, as well as the knowledge of just how far he and Syr had gone in their relationship already. Ryu had always viewed him somewhere like a good-natured kid, and a well-intentioned young boy… she was still processing the difference, but even were she to get past this, she couldn't possibly view him as anything but a man anymore. It was a strange situation that left the blonde Elf dithering and conflicted.

Chloe, however, wasn't conflicted about her feelings in the least!

"Nyahaha, you really worked hard last night White-Hair! If you want to apologise, you should come to my room tonight instead!"

"Chloe!"

"You mangy cat!"

"…Deplorable."

"I can't believe in nya, I've had my eyes on him since the start, but Syr gets that butt all to… herself… I… AH! AHHH! WAIT, NYAAA!"

Suddenly jerking bolt upright, the Black Cat leapt to her feet, her eyes going wide and her tail jolting ramrod straight! Kicking her seat away, she pointed one finger directly at Bell's chest, and as she did so, every bit of her playful tone evaporated, replaced instead with a chilling glare more than enough to leave the young man frozen in place, with his face matching his hair once again.

"Uh?"

"AHH! I completely forgot! I was so caught up, I forgot about it, nya! I saw him, just the other day, he was walking around town, holding hands with that Goddess of his! They were talking, and being all sweet, and even kissing!" Bell's face was the very picture of surprise, for the life of him, he couldn't imagine a time when he had Hestia had done anything like that in public. However, he didn't have even a second to try make sense of that accusation, as the waitress's finger wavered in the air, and her voice grew to a fever pitch, "Syr! Watch out! He's two-timing you!"

Innocent as he was, trapped under the suddenly furious gaze of a woman he'd always been friendly with, Bell's words dried in his throat and he simply gaped.

He turned to Syr for help… and instead found his lover with her face buried in her hands, quivering like a leaf.

"B-Bell-kun… no, is that really true?"

And at that, as if an artic breeze had blown through the dining room, the atmosphere of the Hostess of Fertility dropped to below freezing. Sputtering in place, Bell watched as the expressions of each of the other Waitresses took on exactly the same chilling, terrifying expression as Chloe's furious glare, and as they each shifted from where they had been sitting to surround him. For whatever else they may have thought about Chloe, they knew she loved Syr just like they did, and they knew she wouldn't joke about something like this.

"Ah, um, wa-wait, that's, you… hey!"

The other waitresses closed in.

"To sully a maiden's love so callously… I am deeply, deeply, disappointed in you, Cranel-san."

"White-hair… I'm really mad, nya!"

"Hmm, you know, I've just remembered a great recipe for rabbit stew, I read the other day."

"I don't like big chunks of meat, nya… It's gotta be chopped into tiny little pieces."

Ryu was standing directly in front of him, her hands twitching to where (luckily) a weapon wasn't tied at her waist.

Chloe had somehow gotten all the way behind him before he'd even noticed, her threats tickled across his skin in a way that left his blood running cold.

Lunoire was standing to his left, grinding her fist into her palm and making it very clear that she thought rabbit meat needed to be thoroughly tenderised.

Anya had taken his right, crossing her arms she was looking down at him with a glare of absolutely heartbroken disappointment.

Everywhere he looked, he was surrounded, and despite being just waitresses, he was very familiar with how scary these women were! Throwing his hands up, with his life beginning to flash before his eyes, Bell descended quickly into panic!

"S-S-Syr! Syr! Syr, I, don't you remember!? Syr! I told you!"

And right then, just as Ryu's fingers were reaching out to grab Bell's collar… the silver-haired waitress suddenly straightened in place, looking up from her hands without a single teardrop or quivering lip in sight!

"Oh, that's right! You did!"

Jumping back towards him, and latching hold of Bell's arm once more, Syr's expression was practically glowing with mischievous delight as she stuck her tongue out towards him.

"Huh?"

"Ah?"

"What?"

"Syr..?"

The rabbit hunt was stopped abruptly in place. Bell's entire body sagged with relief, disbelief and exasperation.

He was glad he loved her as much as he did, because if he didn't, then -looking at the delight in her eyes at having led him by the nose once more- he was sure he would have wanted to throttle her. Somehow it was fitting though, after all they'd done together, and after the way they'd bared themselves to one another, the cheeky waitress who'd stolen his heart had gotten one over him once again. He probably deserved this, Bell reasoned, given how selfish his dream was, he deserved at least this much in return. He was sure he would agree with that thought as soon as his heart stopped racing from pure terror.

Thankfully, while Bell was slowly recovering from his near-death experience, Syr took to the floor once more, making a show of clinging to his arm and pressing herself up against him as she explained the unusual nature of their relationship to her, now thoroughly bewildered, colleagues. The other girls were predictably dubious of the arrangement, but with the way the silver-haired girl was smiling so broadly, and with her repeated insistence that she was the one who wanted this, the usual easy-going mood around the bar slowly returned, and the warmth Bell had always been favoured with by the other waitresses came along with it.

More than anything, for the other four girls, this had been practically a rollercoaster of emotions- feeling like they'd been swung this way and that with each new revelation about their friend's relationship. In the end, feeling thoroughly spun around by it, they could do little but nod and accept Syr's assurances.

And, as he watched his lover so easily take control of such a strange conversation, Bell realised that maybe this was why she'd made such an act of throwing him under the bus just moments ago. He didn't think he was anywhere near smart enough with people to guess at Syr's motivations so easily, but looking at the way she'd snapped the tension in the room, swinging it dramatically from anger to confusion, and then taken all the focus herself… he had a strange feeling that she was protecting him.

She was taking on all the attention about the strange nature of their relationship herself. And indeed, the way she answered their questions, the way she explained what had happened… Bell realised that Syr was giving off a very strong impression that she was the one who had asked for this, that this was all a result of her impulsiveness. She never quite said as much, but he realised she was leaving the implication clear- that she had learned he was in a relationship, and begged that he include her too.

"Ah!"

It wasn't right, he shouldn't let that go, it was wrong to act like this whole mess was the result of her, rather than him being greedy and indecisive!

"!?"

But the second he tried to speak up, he felt Syr's hand squeezing tight around his. And she flashed him a smile that lasted just an instant, telling him everything.

'Syr…'

She was doing this on purpose, of course. Just like how she'd purposefully played him for a fool just a moment ago, and how she'd kept him wrapped around her finger since the moment they'd met. Just as she'd done when she'd gone and begged Freya for that Gimroire, and just as she'd done when she'd sent Heith to look after him, Syr was meddling and going out of her way to protect him. This was her way of protecting the relationship he had with the other waitresses, to ensure that nothing changed between them or that they didn't start thinking differently about him.

The woman he loved, loved him too. He knew that of course, but it was still humbling to be on the receiving end of someone else's protection. His heart throbbed with enough affection to drown out the guilt, and he remained silent, letting her have her way, he would pay her back for this properly as soon as he got the chance.

"Hehe, Bell-kun was such a gentleman though! He wouldn't even kiss me, until he knew I was okay with sharing like this!"

"And… you truly are, okay with something like that? I… It's only…"

"I am, truly. I love Bell-kun, and I know how much he cherishes his Goddess, I'd never want to get in the way of that. It's really, um, it's really quite exciting thinking about it actually… So, I don't mind if he's got another woman, or other women, so long as he loves me, too. I'm really happy, Ryu. Please, be happy for me too, okay?"

"O-Of, of course, Syr."

"Haaa… This girl is hopeless… I'm kind'a jealous, nya…"

"As expected from Syr, nya."

"His Goddess, isn't that Lady Hestia? Isn't she a Virgin Goddess though? I doubt someone like that is willing to do anything physical with a mortal… Are you sure he's not just pent up?"

"After hearing them go at it last night, I doubt he's pent up at all, nya!"

At that, Bell finally found his voice, "H-Hey, ah, um, Lunoire-san, you can say whatever you like about me, that's fine, I can understand it. But please, don't talk about my Goddess like that… I don't want to talk about her behind her back, or about our relationship, or… it's not a secret or anything, but, it's private. And, she said she was alright with this too, she gave me her approval- I would never have done anything otherwise."

He didn't know if he would have even been able to be with Hestia if she hadn't. Her love for him had been so welcoming and so encompassing, that she'd been able to soothe his trauma and accept him despite his fears and doubts. She'd accepted that he loved her, and that he loved Ais, and she'd helped him move beyond being scared of hurting her, to instead becoming a man who could make her happy. That resolve had kept him moving forward, and without it, he very likely would have died in the Dungeon already.

His cheeks were blushing and he was twitching away from every inquisitive gaze, but there was no doubting the sincerity in his voice or the resolve in his words.

And more than anything else, the waitresses had all spent more than enough time with him by now to understand that Bell Cranel was by no means capable of lying about something like this- he simply didn't have the skill for it. As shocking and as unexpected as this development was, they all understood this was the same Bell they'd known all this while. He was naïve, he was sweet, he was innocent- he was the kind of boy who ran back the next day shaking in fear as he repaid the bill he'd accidentally run out on, and the kind of boy would even return a Grimoire rather than taking it for himself! It was impossible to imagine that Bell Cranel could possibly have lied about this. And it was equally impossible that someone as uncommonly good at reading people as Syr could be convinced at all, if it wasn't what she also wanted.

It was quite the thing for all of them to wrap their heads around, but with Syr so eagerly clinging to Bell, and with the girl's clear acceptance of him taking another lover, or more beyond that, they could do nothing but accept it.

Orario, of course, played host to Goddesses like Freya and Ishtar who never wanted for male attention, but for mortals it was a different story, while harems weren't completely unknown, they were certainly unusual. Even Chloe hadn't managed to make even the first step towards her own harem. When imagining the kind of man who revelled in the affections of multiple women, two images were conjured in the mind.

The first was that of a famous, powerful and all-conquering adventurer- the kind of man famous throughout the city, who bent the world around him and grabbed any woman he pleased, propping up his ego with their attention.

And the second was a rich, hedonistic Lord. A merchant, a baron, a criminal, or anyone else with far too much wealth and an appetite to match, the kind of person who drew in anyone that could be charmed with money, and offered them the kind of lifestyle he could indulge them in.

The ladies of the pub were very familiar with people aspiring towards either of those archetypes, and just as familiar with tossing them out by their ear the moment they got too bold.

But Bell wasn't charismatic, or particularly confidant, it wasn't possible to imagine him as a smooth playboy, if anything he could barely talk to women without turning into a stuttering mess at all. One look at the state and style of his clothes served as a stark reminder of just how poverty-stricken he was (as if they hadn't noticed him always ordering from the cheapest sections of the menu), and as a completely unknown, level 1 adventurer, he was hardly the kind of man who bent the world to his shape.

Instead, the Hostesses of Fertility, were forced to accept a third kind of man with a harem. A man who wasn't surrounded by women for his fame, or for his wealth, but instead purely for the warmth of his heart, and the gentleness of his soul.

Anya accepted things easily enough. There were all kinds of wonders in this world, and she hardly considered herself an expert on how things should be.

Chloe shrugged it off similarly, as an assassin she was naturally flexible, and as someone who'd come to Orario to form her own harem, she could only see Bell as a kindred spirit… and as someone who was still on the market…

Lunoire frowned, then sighed, and nodded. She'd always been awkward with men, and as stiff as she was, she didn't know much about relationships or love. She'd always thought very kindly of Bell and she knew he made Syr happy, that was enough for her.

In the end, it was only Ryu left shifting uncomfortably on the spot. Having retreated several steps away from where she'd previously been about to grab Bell's collar, now she wasn't quite sure how to look at him. The shock she'd felt towards learning about him and Syr had been replaced by anger, and now she was left with nothing but unease. She couldn't possibly see him just as a young boy anymore. She had to evaluate him as a man. And, as it turned out, Bell Cranel was a very different kind of man than what she'd expected.

"I… I am not sure what to say to you, Cranel-san."

The look in the overly-serious Elf's eyes was more than enough to squeeze Bell's heart. A part of him had always expected something like this, regardless of how his wistfully his Grandfather had talked about "a man's romance", and regardless of the fact that his aim was quite different to that, he'd grown up enough to understand that his intentions and his goal would seem far too greedy and self-interested to anyone looking on. To hold a Goddess in one hand and still chase after the Sword Princess, and then to even still beg for someone as wonderful as Syr to be with him… he knew very well how anyone hearing that would scorn him, he was sure he would scorn such a man himself.

But he cherished Ryu, and he deeply valued his friendship with her, the look of unease on her face was painful. And in the end, all he could think of was the words of another overly-serious, similarly grim Elf.

"Ryu-san, please… Don't think any differently of me. I love Syr. And… I want, um, [just as the frost thaws and the forest grows, let us be, as we always have.]"

Syr raised an eyebrow, and the other waitresses looked on in confusion, but Ryu reeled backwards, eyes wide and cheeks flushing red. She couldn't possibly guess how, or why, a human boy knew such a thing, but Bell Cranel had just recited a very ancient and very meaningful Elvish saying.

The language was simple, but the phrase dated back centuries, all the way to the gathering of the Tribes and the 4th United Council. It was an emphatic saying, but practically dramatic in usage and almost never said, simply because of the weight it held, in these modern times it was a saying that existed in plays and stories. Throughout all her life in the forest, no one had ever said those words to Ryu before. To ask that they be like the forest after the frost was the equivalent of pressing your head to the ground before a dear friend, acknowledging all that you had done wrong and asking to be forgiven, that the friendship be renewed, just like the new growth after winter.

"Ah-ha…"

There was a symbolic reply, but Ryu couldn't possibly give it. It would be like acting out a scene from a play.

It was extremely unlikely that Bell understood any of this, or had even the faintest clue about the true depth of what he'd just said. Most likely, whoever had taught him that had done so as a joke. But even so, it was a saying that every single Elf knew, and as an Elf, she couldn't possibly help but respond. Red-faced, she turned away, taking a sudden intense interest in the air several meders from his head.

[It's not fair… when you ask me like that…]

"Haha, sorry, I couldn't understand that, but I'm glad to see you smiling again, Ryu-san!"

With that, it was settled. There was nothing for her to do but accept this strange situation, and accept that he was still somehow the same Bell Cranel she'd come to cherish, despite that. When Ryu had first met him, he'd seemed like such a straightforward child, but he'd turned out to be a surprisingly difficult man to get a handle on.

"Mou… Bell-kun! You've been staring at Ryu for a while now… And now you're flirting with her in front of me?"

"Ah! Syr!"

The mood was broken and, somehow, everything quickly settled back to normal.

--*--

Having slept so poorly, and thus been up so early, the waitresses still had a good few hours free before they needed to start preparing for breakfast, and even before Ryu would take up her daily training in the backyard. Bell, on the other hand, was still on the same time limit as before, and now he was even further delayed.

As soon as he could politely manage to do so, the white-haired adventurer extricated himself from the girls' prying questions, and let Syr lead him once more towards the entrance.

"Ahh…"

It was a simple thing, but after being cooped up in bed and inside since the end of his fight, the feeling of the morning's sunlight hitting his skin, and the wind's soft chill brushing over him was enough to leave Bell sighing aloud, and to leave his body thrumming once more with renewed life. He was back. He had won. He had recovered. This was the moment, at long last, when he finally felt like he'd returned from his adventure.

At that moment, with one step already out the door, he paused.

"Ah!"

Bell didn't rate himself particularly good at reading people, he didn't know much about women, and he'd never considered himself all that smart. But he paid attention, as best he could, to the people he loved. And he clearly remembered Syr making him promise he would always consider her a priority, telling him to make sure he never gave his Goddess, Ais or anyone else more attention than her.

And so, with his heart hammering in his chest, and his face blazing red, he spun around on the spot and strode back over to where the silver-haired waitress was standing in the doorway, her arm still raised in a farewell.

"Huh? Bell-ku!? Mmmphh!?"

His hands took hold of her waist, his strength pulled her into him, and his lips met with hers. The other waitresses all squawked in surprise, but, for the first time since coming downstairs, Bell didn't pay them the slightest attention. Closing his eyes, with he savoured her embrace, the feeling of her against him and the feeling of her in his arms, drawing her in for one last short, soft, loving kiss before they parted ways.

And then, with the exact same smile and the exact same line he said to his Goddess each morning, he left properly!

"Syr, I'm off."

"B-B-B-Bell-kun!?" blushing deep crimson, panting for breath, and once again, caught mercilessly off-guard by the shy adventurer's sudden boldness, Syr stomped her feet and pouted, "R-Right in front of everyone!?"

He kissed his Goddess goodbye each morning. It had become their habit, whether Alfia was awake or still asleep. Somehow, in this at least, he'd managed to gain a certain level of confidence. At least enough for his voice not to shake at all as he turned around and strode away.

"It doesn't worry me, they know how I feel about you."

"Bell-kun! Nnngh, Bell-kun! When did you start acting so cool!? This isn't fair! You're lucky I love you!"

If Bell had actually been as confident as he was trying to act, he was sure he would have had a worthy reply to that, but his mind was practically seared blank from the stares he could feel from all the other waitresses, and with his heart hammering nervously in his chest, it was all he could do just to keep walking steadily, let alone try to think of a reply.

And so, finally making his way out into Orario's morning, the young adventurer set off home from his adventure.

"Oi, White Hair! Hey! You forgot something, nya!"

…

Or he would have, if not for the sound of Chloe calling out after him, as she bounded down the steps and out in chase.

'?'

With his mind already thoroughly drained by the morning's activities, he drew an immediately blank. He'd forgotten something? His weapons, his wallet and what remained of his armour had been nowhere in sight when he'd woken up, but Syr had explained that his Goddess had taken all that home with her while they'd been getting dressed. What else did he even have?

Scratching his head, Bell looked back…

"Huh? What did I- AH!?"

…And he was immediately shocked out of his thoughts when he found the aforementioned Black Cat suddenly wrapped up tight around him!

Having crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and then thrown herself at him the second he'd turned towards her, Chloe had pounced upon his opening with razor-sharp instincts! Wearing just the thin shirt, shorts and sandals he'd been given from the Guild's medical ward, Bell was immediately struck with the full sense of the cat-girl waitress's body as she slunk around him, wrapping a leg and both arms around him with both shocking dexterity and incredible boldness.

"Ah, hah-uh, ah!?"

Caught entirely flatfooted, with his head still trying to catch up, Bell could only gape as Chloe's slender, lithe body was pressed up around him and the former assassin's sensual motions left him feeling every twist and contour of her modest frame as she slithered tight around him.

Her arms were wrapped around his neck, every bit of her small breasts were being pushed up through her thick uniform and around him, and her left leg was sliding teasingly up along his. The Black Cat's body wasn't as voluptuous as Syr or Hestia's, but her flexibility and sheer knowledge of human anatomy meant it did powerful work on the young man's psyche, easily enough to leave Bell's throat dry, his chest pounding, and his cock stretching up to full mast against where she was grinding her hips.

"O-Oo-oohhh…"

From the way her eyes shot wide, and the way she bit down on her lower lip, it seemed Chloe had noticed.

And yet… despite the abruptness of the attack, and despite just how scary he knew these waitresses to be… Bell couldn't feel any force at all in her arms, or in her hug. She'd thrown herself at him, but she was giving him space to break away if he wished to, if he pulled back he could easily step out of her embrace and away from her sudden affection.

In another world, Bell would have done exactly that. But right now, with the time he'd spent with his Goddess and Syr, Bell wasn't quite as shy around women, or quite so skittish. And that difference left the former assassin all the space she needed for her mission.

"Wh-White hair! I had, I had to, ahehe, nyaa, I had to listen to you two all night, an-and now yo-you're flirting right in front of us th-this morning too!? That's not fair, nya! G-Give me some attention too, nya!"

In her head, and in her heart, that had probably been a confidant and seductive speech.

But no matter how bold her sudden assault was. Chloe was still a useless, forlorn maiden who had never dared to even take the first step towards her harem goal before. She'd never even touched a man like this before, being so suddenly wrapped around him, feeling herself pressed up against him, seeing the shock on his face, seeing his face so close… feeling his cock between her legs like this… it was more than enough to leave the Catgirl assassin's entire body flaming beet red, and her words coming only in a clipped, panting, rush.

Most likely Bell hadn't even understood half of what she'd just said.

"Ah, ha-, um, Chloe-san, I-"

"Nyaaa!"

Reaching forward, she did the only thing she could possibly think of. She loosened her hands from around his neck and reached down, grabbing two massive fistfuls of Bell's ass.

"AH!?"

"Nyaaaaaaaaaa~"

And with that, her soul was healed. A soft, heady moan flew from between her lips and nirvana descended upon the once-famous Black Cat. For a brief moment, all was right in the world, and she had all the courage she needed to do what she wanted.

"It's not fair, White-Hair, I want a taste too, nya!"

"Chl-Mmmph!?"

Her arms locked around his neck once more and her lips crashed headlong into his.

It was clumsy, it was awkward, she had absolutely no idea what she was doing, and it was all entirely one-way, with Bell far too stunned to possibly react. By any account, she was practically just mashing her mouth against his. It wasn't anywhere near as soft, sweet or heartfelt as the goodbye kiss he'd just shared with Syr…

…And yet, it left Chloe's soul soaring through the heavens all the same.

Being an assassin meant being a coward by nature, an assassin was someone who did everything carefully and deliberately. A successful job was one launched entirely from the shadows, striking with an overwhelming advantage before the target even knew they were being targeted. From birth until now she'd been trained to second guess, to watch, to calculate, to temper her impulses and wait for the perfect moment. That cowardly nature was why she'd never once done anything towards her harem plan, it was why despite Bell coming to her bar so often, she'd always been too shy to truly target him.

And it was why, after a night spent dizzy with orgasmic highs, after having her mind spin listening to how Syr was willing to share, and after watching the young man of her dreams in the arms of another, taking one single step forward had meant attacking with everything she had!

The feeling of his body's heat against hers, of his bare skin against her own, of his surprisingly sturdy frame against her soft curves, and… the sensation of his shaft jolting stiff and pulsing up against her waist, strong enough that she could feel it even through the thick fabric of her waitress uniform. It was everything she'd hoped for and more than she'd dreamed of.

Pulling away and gasping just a little awkwardly for breath, Chloe slunk backwards, adopting a seductive pose once again and gave what would have been an enticing and alluring wink, if not for the way her body was shaking and her cheeks were flaming red.

"Th-T-That, wa-was, my first kiss, nya. Hehe, y-you better treasure it, ok-NYAAAA!?"

Predictably, the farce ended as quickly as it began.

And, just as predictably, it ended with Lunoire crossing the distance between them and throwing Chloe off Bell with a violent jerk!

"You damned skank!"

Standing over where the black-haired waitress landed, Ryu's glare was below freezing, "Absolutely deplorable."

Anya sighed, "That was shocking, nya…"

And, Syr had the final word, "Chloe… I'm upset."

"Ahehe... nya?"

"Why don't we talk more, inside."

Watching the Black Cat get dragged back into the building, Bell sagged in place, his mind finally catching up to his body, and his presence of mind just barely keeping him from touching a finger against his lips, where Chloe had kissed him… at least not until Syr had waved to him one last time and ducked back inside.

"Haa…"

He was sure his Grandfather would be proud. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. For now, it was probably best to just put it out of his mind.

--*--

Notes:

A/N: And there you go! The plot didn't move forward quite as much this time as we're probably used to, I actually intended to carry this on to Bell's reunion at the Church, celebration for him levelling up and a second sex-scene, but I saw how big it'd already gotten so I thought it was best to cut it off here.

I'll just say now since I'm sure I'll get some comments about it: Uncharacteristically for me, I actually did spoil myself on some of the major details about the upcoming Ryu novel. Mostly because I was surprised to see such negative sentiments floating around. And, well, leaks are just leaks, but I can't say I don't share a good deal of the negative sentiments after reading what people have said. Ryu is an absolute favourite of mine, and I'd love to believe there's more waiting for her in Danmachi than a painful rejection- the fear that there might not be was a part of why I wrote this, so at least I could have my own headcanon.

Anyway, some insight into Freya and Syr's mindset, the harem is now public discourse, and the scene I know a lot of people were waiting for- Bell coming downstairs and realising that every one of those waitresses heard him railing Syr senseless all night long.

In canon, Ryu didn't think anything of Bell seeing her naked the first time, and thought a LOT of it the second time. Now that she's very painfully aware of him as a man, I think even that first time will be a very different situation for canon, haha.

And hey, how many of you had "Riveria giving Bell a handjob, while Ais sucks him off" as your predictions for the chapter? I bet not many of you!

Anyway, this chapter was made available as an early release a week ago, and future chapters will be following the same schedule. So if you want to help support me, want more information about my story statuses, or just want to read them before anyone else, the details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 12: Is It Wrong To Have Sex At Home?

Notes:

Author's Note: Ahh, this chapter was a nightmare to finish. In my mind it was a very simple, largely mechanical chapter that just needed to show his reunion with Alfia and Hestia, go over some details about Skills and Development abilities, and settle some remaining plot threads- I thought I'd struggle to get it to even reach 15k words, and I'd be able to have it out shortly after the Early Access period for my previous chapter ended. Instead, it's ended up at 24k words and took me weeks… Ah well, I think what's here is good, I'm pretty happy with it and hopefully you'll like it a lot too.

Just to briefly answer a question I've had a few times: Bell doesn't get a skill from confessing/sleeping with Syr, just like he won't with other mortal women he's with. Ultimately while there's no difference in how much he loves them, he's not scared to fall in love with a mortal woman, since that's an equal relationship. Even with Hestia helping him past his fears and his doubts, he still views an "Eternal Promise" to a Goddess as a far more terrible thing, a promise that his love will hurt them terribly when he dies. It means a huge amount for him to be willing to do that, and thus his soul resonates. So he could get a skill from Freya, but only if she's able to be honest with him.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Is It Wrong To Have Sex At Home?

--*--

The sun hung low but bright in the sky, already warming the crisp morning air, as yet another beautiful summer's day slowly dawned across Orario. And under that promising heat, three patently absurd scenes played out in exact unison.

Folkvangr – Large Private Room

"Oh, ah!? Huh?"

Heith woke up with a start, which quickly became a giggle and then turned into a carefree laugh. Her pale-red hair pooled freely across her bare shoulders as she shook off her blankets and stretched out naked. Her ample breasts bounced lightly as she twisted around and her perfectly toned ass made for an equally wonderful sight when she bent over towards her waist- but the spark of humour in her eyes and the easygoing smile that settled so naturally on her lips were where the Golden Witch's true beauty lay.

"Just a dream, huh? Wow, that was some dream!" So saying, she flopped back onto her pillow. She had her duties around the mansion to attend to soon, there was food to be prepared and the blood-soaked battle between the Einherjar to supervise. But just for a moment, she indulged herself in the slowly fleeting memories of a strange fantasy, "Hehe, I quite enjoyed training with that Bell Cranel, but I can't say I ever imagined training quite like that. And especially not with Nine Hells and that Sword Princess in tow!"

More laughter followed as Heith recalled the almost ridiculous scenario that'd played out in her dreams, "Pretty unusual that I wouldn't dream about Lady Freya though… Wonder what brought all that on? Have I been thinking about Bell Cranel that much?" or maybe she was just lonely? With as busy as she was, Heith so rarely got any of her Goddess's attention, much less her gentle touch. And, being so devoted to the Goddess as she was, it wasn't like any other man or woman could have taken her interest.

As weird as the mission had been, she'd quite enjoyed her time with Bell Cranel. He'd shown a lot more grit than any other rookie Einherjar she'd ever seen, and he hadn't resented her for suddenly throwing him into such horribly cruel training. All she'd known about him was that he was a boy who'd somehow caught Lady Freya's interest, but after meeting him Heith thought she could understand how he'd wound up getting trained by two Loki executives- he was just a remarkably likeable kinda guy!

But then, Heith liked plenty of people. The only person she truly cared for was her Goddess. And in the time training him and since, she'd never once imagined doing anything like that to Bell Cranel… even if he did get a title as awesome as 'Burning Fighting Fighter.'

"Ah… Probably best not to say anything to Lady Freya though…"

…

"Huh, I wonder if he's that big in real life? Nah."

The Dungeon – 39th Floor Safety Zone: Azure Blue Tent

"Ah…"

Blinking herself awake, Ais slowly pushed herself up. Tilting her head from side to side as she gathered her thoughts, her usual stoic expression folded into an uncharacteristically confused expression.

"A dream… about Bell?"

That was unusual, but not unwelcome. Ais liked Bell. She didn't really know much about him, and she'd had some guilt about her ulterior motives in having spent the time they did atop the battlements together… but that guilt had passed as the training had continued, and -although she'd never said as much to him- Ais liked to consider herself something akin to Bell's "Master." She'd taught him to fight after all.

She hadn't liked it when that Freya healer had arrived. But she couldn't bring herself to resent Heith, not when she'd been helping Bell get stronger too. Ais wasn't one to begrudge harsh or even cruel training… and while the blackness in her soul had grown deeper each time she'd seen Desperate stained with his blood… the time they'd spent together afterwards when Riveria sent her out to buy him breakfast, had left her brighter than ever.

Bell was a white light that existed even in the darkness of the Dungeon. An impossibility that shouldn't exist but one that Ais wanted to protect.

"I like Bell."

She hadn't seen Bell since that terrifying, inspiring, incredible fight he'd shown them against those two Minotaur. And Ais's thoughts had drifted to him often since. She didn't know if she missed him, but she wanted to see him again when their expedition was over. Seeing him now in her dreams made her happy.

…

She wasn't quite sure what to make of that dream though. She'd never considered love, romance or anything else with Bell. Her life was in the Dungeon and with the unyielding hate that still burned in the depths of her heart, anything beyond and past that was something she was still getting used to.

"Would he… like it if I did that?"

Ais didn't know anything about that kind of stuff. She didn't know how to do it, or even if she could. It was a surprisingly, uncharacteristically daunting thought. As daunting as the sight she remembered from her dream, sitting on her knees with Bell towering over her.

"Maybe… I could ask… Riveria?"

Riveria had been in the dream too! That had been a great comfort, Riveria knew about these kinds of things, she was always the one Ais could turn to when she didn't know how she was meant to act, all she'd have to do wa-

"Hm."

A quick shake of her head dismissed that idea, and a second one dismissed the dream entirely, consigning it to memory and putting it immediately behind her. Such idle thoughts didn't suit her. And they especially didn't suit the Dungeon. They had a mission to complete, they had an endless array of foes ahead of them, the truth behind those plants and that red-headed woman still lurked in the darkness, all of it out of reach, and all of it taunting Ais's bitterest memories. Even if she was no longer what Tsubaki had called an "unsheathed blade", she still wasn't so lax she could sit around and waste time with foolish daydreams.

Seeing Bell in her dreams had filled her with warmth at seeing him again, and at being with him so closely. A flush of energy spread through her, and Ais knew she would be in top form for the Dungeon today.

But for now, until their expedition was ready to break camp for the day, she would train.

The Dungeon – 39th Floor Safety Zone: Emerald Green Tent

"Um, ah, Riveria-sama? Is everything all right?"

"Of course, Lefiya. Please, excuse me just a while, I'm busy taking care of some last-minute preparations."

"Ah, right! Of course!"

The blonde elf dashed off, and Riveria sagged slightly as she allowed herself a small sigh of relief. In truth, even with her upbringing and decades of practice, she was surprised she'd managed to keep her voice level.

Rather than last-minute preparations, the elven royal had yet to even drag herself from her bedroll.

And rather than her usual calm, respectable state… the famous Ljos Alf was (at least in comparison to usual) utterly dishevelled.

Her hair was slightly messy, her nightclothes were a good deal more wrinkled than usual, and her tranquil, collected focus was in complete disarray!

Of course, none of that was why the woman known as Nine Hells was still rolling around her bedroll rather than getting up to prepare for the day that remained ahead, rather that was a symptom of the issue she was facing.

And the issue being that, somehow, yet again, Bell Cranel had invaded her dreams!

And somehow, yet again, the ridiculous, ancient, Elf that she was had wound up caught up in yet another fantasy of this young man!

It was mortifying! It was ridiculous! It was nonsensical!

She'd gone all these long years and all those decades without worrying about romance, love or… or… any of that, and now it was as if she could barely control herself! She'd never even intended to have any kind of relationship with Bell Cranel, she'd wanted to push him towards Ais since he'd seemed like a good influence on her.

And now, in the depths of the Dungeon, at a time when she should be on high alert for danger and with no thoughts for anything else! At a time when her past indiscretion with thoughts of him should have left her sexually satisfied for at least another year or so! Yet again! Somehow! Bell Cranel had wound up in her dreams! And it had been a dream like nothing she'd ever imagined, like nothing she'd ever thought herself capable of imagining, so insane and so disrespectful to everyone involved she couldn't even bear thinking about it!

"Ahhh…" Riveria permitted herself a soft, mournful moan, directly into her pillow, "What's wrong with me?"

That was a rhetorical question. She knew exactly what was wrong with her, but the fact that she didn't want to face it was why she was still tossing and turning in her bedroll. Unfortunately for the regal elf, what was wrong with her could be summarised very simply.

Her thoughts were full of that young, white-haired human.

Her long, pointed ears were burning a scarlet red.

Her heart was pounding.

Her breasts were tingling with excitement.

And… her panties were utterly soaked through.

"Ahhh…"

Another mournful moan slipped out, and this time the pillow went right over her head. How was she ever going to lead the expedition today?

She couldn't even try calm herself by thinking of the Great Tree, lest her thoughts slip away to another sturdy, Great-

"Ahhh!"

--*--

"Good morning, Hörn. Did you have a nice night?"

Shrugging her cloak to the floor, Freya strode through the penthouse as if she'd never left. And with every step she took, from the very moment she crossed the threshold, it seemed as if the air itself sparked with a life and vibrancy that had been missing since she'd left. As if not just her attendant, but the very world itself had missed her presence.

"I-"

And yet, for the first time in all her years of service, Hörn's immediate reply came with a moment of hesitation. Bowing low, the sullen-looking attendant warred once more with the conflicted feelings within her heart. She didn't know how to answer, or what Freya would see if she tried to. It was impossible to deceive the eyes of a Goddess, and she herself couldn't tell if any response she gave was a lie or truth.

"It was an honour to wear your mantle, as always, Lady Freya, and I'm overjoyed you've returned," she said instead, talking around the greeting rather than risk addressing it directly, "I took care of all the appointments you had left, and everything else is just as you left it."

The fact that she'd had even that single moment of hesitation in answering her most beloved, illustrious, Goddess, and the fact that she was in this situation at all was yet another thing to curse than damned (adorable), dastardly (sweet) Bell Cranel with.

Ever since she'd been cursed (blessed) with his existence, it was as if everything about her life -which had once been so simple- was now far more complicated. Now she was forced to worry about her Goddess's attachment to her play as a mere girl, and now she was forced to fight with, and worry about (incredible) feelings she'd never felt before!

While her Goddess had been in Bell Cranel's arms… whether due to the sheer strength of Freya's feelings towards him, or the fact that Freya had been using Hörn's guise to do so… Hörn had felt every last bit of it.

All Freya's joys, all her delights, all her maddening ecstasy. Hörn's body had trembled and shook just as Freya's had, her lips had parted for wanton moans, greedy pants, and lascivious cries exactly as Freya's had. She'd gasped, she'd writhed, and she'd flown through heavenly pleasure like nothing she'd previously imagined.

On any other day, in any other way, Hörn would have been delighted beyond words to have shared something so deep and so intimate with her Goddess. But in this day, and in this way, those feelings were tainted by the knowledge that what they'd shared had been Bell Cranel.

Rather than just feeling a light wash of heat and excitement through their bond, Hörn had seen exactly what her Goddess had seen. And she had felt exactly what her Goddess had felt.

Which meant that, Hörn had now learned what it was like to have a man as gentle, as kind and as affectionate as Bell Cranel staring so tenderly down at you. She knew what it felt like, with her arms around his and his stroking gently across her body, calming the almost terrifying heat that was pounding from her heart, even as he ignited the need from within her womb. She understood the sense of safety felt from being held tight in his arms. And she understood every bit, every gasp, every moan and every single trembling, mind-numbing sensation of what it was to be wrapped around that ridiculous, unsuitable, barbaric, incredible weapon between his legs.

"!"

Hörn's face was typically wrapped up in a scowl. But right now, with her head lowered towards the carpet, her glare was almost enough to burn a hole in the floor and she was biting down on her lip almost hard enough to draw blood.

Hörn's body was typically flushed, excited and warm whenever she was favoured with Freya's attention. But right now, with memories of that man running through her mind, the wet, sticky heat once again pulsing between her legs was infuriating.

For the first time in her life, Hörn had learned what it was to feel the touch of a man. To feel the touch of someone besides her Goddess.

It made her want to sing. And it made her want to throw up.

And what absolutely hadn't helped matters, was the fact that the very first thing she'd woken up to this morning was the sudden taste of Bell Cranel filling her mouth! The sensation of that flood of warm, sticky essence had engulfed her senses to the point that the disgusting (wonderful, delightful, incredible, thick, potent, addicting…) taste of him was still lingering on her tongue even now! And that was without going into the unwanted (comforting) lingering sense of his kindness and his love that still surrounded her, both inside and out!

It was too bewildering to deal with, and it wasn't fair!

For the very first time in all her years of service, Hörn was conflicted about a night spent acting as Freya. Thankfully, at least, there was no reason her Goddess would know about any of this, or about the sheer intensity of the feelings that had flowed through their connection. So, the silver-haired attendant was able to keep at least some scraps of her dignity.

If Freya noticed the war being waged within her follower's mind, or if she even noticed the single moment of hesitation that was so agonising the girl, she said nothing.

Instead, she simply tugged at the fastenings of her dress, pulling them loose.

"Is the bath prepared?"

"O-Of course, Lady Freya. It should be at the perfect temperature for you, right now."

"Perfect."

The fastenings fell loose, the dress fell away, and with it, Freya's huge, soft, and perfectly round breasts bounced free into the air.

Then, with just a single, incredible, turn of her equally perfectly proportioned waist, the gossamer fabric slipped down her long, slender, creamy-soft legs and fell unbidden from the floor.

With neither a glance nor a pause, the Goddess of Beauty dropped her clothes to the floor and stepped out, baring herself naked for anyone to see.

And at that, Hörn's confusion finally melted away. Lost for breath, red-faced and with her heart suddenly leaping in her chest, all that existed was -once again- the perfect existence before her. She'd seen Freya naked countless times before, she saw this same sight almost every morning as well as the rare few nights when Freya invited her to warm her bed, but she had never and knew she would never tire of it, the effect was just as powerful as the first time. Even though she herself had worn this exact same appearance, it simply wasn't the same. This was the true Freya, and the sheer substance between them was like heaven and earth.

Freya passed by and into the bathroom without so much as a backwards look, and it took Hörn another few seconds to even gather herself enough to collect the Goddess's discarded clothing, and then another second longer to collect her bearings enough to follow the woman into the bathroom.

"No."

The Goddess's voice was simple, and soft, without a trace of rebuke, but it left the attendant frozen in place all the same, her foot hovering in the air just a single step outside the tiles to the bathroom and where Freya was currently gathering up her favourite oils, perfumes and soaps. Hörn's confusion peaked. She was gathering them herself? Then did she inten-

"I shall wash myself today."

"I? Ah, b-uh.. ah, Lady Freya?"

"Mm-ng… You were right, the water is perfect, well done, Hörn," life and light flowed back into the attendant's veins, and she remembered to breathe once more, "I'm sure you were able to guess, but I spent the last night wrapped up in my Odr's arms. It was… an unforgettable experience… A night worth waiting these lonely millennia for. And I would not so soon have another touch upon me. Right now… I simply wish to savour the sensations he's left on me."

"O-O-Of, of course, Lady Freya," Hörn, more than any other soul in the entire world, could understand that. As much as she hated it, she could truly and perfectly understand exactly those feelings, those sensations, and the incomparable delight that Freya was awash in. She had felt those exact same feelings herself. Her body still remembered his gentle caresses, her mouth still remembered his heated kisses, and her heart still remembered the love he'd filled it with, "I-I, ah… I am, I am happy you had such a delightful night, then."

"Thank you, Hörn," Freya sighed, sinking into the steaming water with a soft moan, "It was indeed…a truly wonderful night and an incredible morning. Far better than I'd expected, much more than I'd dreamed… and yet… there was one flaw, one thing that bothers me even at the end of such delight."

"Lady Freya?"

"Last night, I fully indulged myself in his love, I surrounded myself with him and allowed him to do the same with me, our bodies came together, and all boundaries between us melted away- there was nothing at all but me and my Odr. Yet, this morning, the pleasure and the love were there, but the indulgence was not. His body yearned for me, and mine yearned for his… And yet, we cut ourselves short."

Having been on the receiving end of feeling Freya and Bell delighting in three very thorough rounds of lovemaking, and more dizzying, world-shattering orgasms than she could possibly count, Hörn wasn't able to give a meaningful reply to that. Freya's monologue continued while the attendant squirmed in the doorway, trying very hard to push such memories and the still-lingering warmth from her mind.

"I wanted to embrace him fully, with no other thoughts on my mind, and to feel the same from him. I want to still be with him even now. The bar has yet to open, there's still a good few hours before breakfast, and yet, here we are on completely different ends of the city. All because of that Goddess, Hestia. All because she of all the Goddesses in Orario was the one he joined. All because I can't risk being seen by her."

Freya snorted, leaning her head back on the rim of the tub, a layer of steel underpinning her soft voice.

"I can forgive it this time. And it was simple enough to encourage Bell to go dashing off to see her, lest she find us in bed together… But even that thought rankles me terribly, enough almost, to sour this wonderful mood."

Her Odr running off to go see another woman, first thing in the morning? No, that wasn't right at all.

"Everything has moved much faster than I expected, I never imagined he would be able to accept my love so soon. But that boldness has left me unprepared… And, this current situation is absolutely untenable. Hestia, of course, will become curious the moment Bell tells her about Syr, and it will be exceedingly strange if I am to keep avoiding her after that. Mmm, and more importantly than that, I simply will not accept my pleasure being cut off for the sake of another woman. I feel like I've tiptoed around Hestia, and her feelings long enough, don't you think?"

"You have been incredibly patient with her, Lady Freya," Hörn nodded, instantly, "Far more than any other woman would in your position. It's not right at all, you having to wait and watch from the shadows, while she walks around with him, as if everything is fine!"

No matter whether Hörn hated Bell Cranel, or loved him, the fact that he belonged to her Goddess was unmistakably clear to her all the same. He was Freya's to do with, to toy with, and to look after. The fact that Hestia was the one who'd laid claim to him seemed practically akin to theft to the young attendant.

Beyond that though, the sullen girl kept the rest of her feelings to herself. Not because she wished to hide them, but simply because Freya was already fully aware of them, and voicing them would only waste her Goddess's time. Hörn was a straightforward girl, to her the answer to such a problem was as simple as possible- if Hestia was acting above her station, if she had dared even get in the way of Lady Freya… then, many in the Familia would be more than capable of secretly taking the Goddess of Hearth far away from Orario and returning her to the heavens. Even if someone could possibly link the act back to them, it was hard to imagine there would be any kind of political fallout at all for the sake of a practically unknown Goddess like Hestia.

But Freya was a gentle Goddess. And she saw farther than Hörn could. And… she'd always seemed to have a small fondness for the Goddess of the Hearth.

And so, Hörn said nothing as Freya made her own mind up.

"Very well. It's distasteful, but there's little else for it. Go and contact that man, tell him I've decided to make use of his services."

--*--

"Awwwwwaaaaaaaa, Bell! Bell! Bell! Bell!"

"Uwaaaaaaaaa! Bell-sama! Bell-sama! Bell-sama!"

Between a fever pitch of crying, welcoming, sniffing, more crying, praising his hard work, and clinging as tight around him as either girl could imagine, on the far end of Orario, a far more chaotic reunion was playing out.

With no further misadventures waylaying him on the way back from the bar, Bell had done his best to enter the church basement as quietly as possible, to keep from waking up the people he knew he'd already inconvenienced so much during his convalescence. Unfortunately, his attempts at stealth were no match for Alfia's highly sharpened, elite Adventurer, senses and the Maiden of Silence had practically leapt from her bed the moment he'd closed the door behind him. Her greeting had consisted of nothing but a soft smile and a few gentle words… but that had been more than enough to awaken the Goddess and Supporter, lying tangled up atop the couch a few meders away, and a few moments later the waterworks had begun.

"Goddess, Lilli… I'm home."

Wrapping his arms around both of them, returning their words as best he could, Bell couldn't keep the smile from his face, no matter how much trouble he knew he'd caused them all.

It was an utterly overwhelming greeting, far more than he'd ever experienced before, but it was a warmer reception than he'd ever felt in his life. It was a reminder that he'd been missed and that he was loved.

Standing away in the corner, and as far from Hestia and Lilli's hollering as was physically possible, Alfia made for a stark contrast to the two smaller women. She'd favoured him with a familiarly warm smile and welcomed him back home, but that was all. Her expression was just as placid as ever, and there didn't seem to be a single thing dishevelled or out of place with her at all. He hadn't expected, or wanted, there to be, of course, but it made him wonder if Syr was just teasing him about her crying.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Alfia."

And now she did surprise him. He'd expected her to scold him, to point out how his ridiculous dream of heroics had almost cost him his life, or to berate him yet again for how recklessly he was racing through the dungeons. But instead, she simply shook her head, a small and gentle smile once more breaking through her face. All that would surely come later. But, apparently, even Alfia didn't have the heart to condemn him right now.

"You've really grown up, Bell…"

Once again, his heart was touched. The simple words and sincerity flowed into him just as powerfully as his Goddess's, just as intensely as Lilli's.

"I, ah… I'm sorry for worrying you too, Filvis-san."

"Eh, ah?"

Standing with her arms crossed in the opposite corner as Alfia, as far away from the proceedings as possible, the Elf flinched at being so suddenly brought into the conversation. Chewing on her lip, and shooting a sidelong glance to where Bell was almost sure he'd seen a superior look flashing across Alfia's face, she muttered her own praise.

"That is, ah… That's good. You've certainly done well to survive."

Filvis's presence in the Church had been the second biggest surprise since leaving the bar. But considering that his time in the bar this morning had been full of shock, horror and guilty-thoughts he was sure would eat at him for a long time, that wasn't saying a lot. According to what he'd gleaned from Alfia when she'd welcomed him back, it seemed Filvis had visited just the night prior, and when she'd heard about his condition, she'd wound up being so worried about him that she'd stayed overnight- intending to visit him with the others first thing in the morning.

Once again, Bell couldn't help but smile.

It wasn't as if he hadn't been favoured with the raven-haired Elf's subtle kindness before, and it wasn't as if he didn't understand the gentleness that hid beneath her rigid exterior. But she certainly wasn't someone he'd expected to have been visiting him at his bedside, worrying about him while he was recovering. He didn't doubt that some amount of this was due to Alfia's usual unexplained prodding, but he was touched all the same.

Without anything more to be added from Filvis, Bell's attention was drawn once again to the two women currently bawling into, and clinging against his now thoroughly soaked shirt, wrapping his arms around each of them and holding them tight until they could form coherent sentences again.

From there the reunion continued in much the same vein for the rest of the morning, with Bell recounting his experiences, looking over the mangled scraps of his armour that had been brought up with him, and assuring everyone repeatedly that he was hale and hearty once again. Hestia outright forbade any ideas of heading into the dungeon today, and even if she hadn't, he wasn't reckless enough to head into the Dungeon with the current state of his equipment, so all thoughts of future exploration were put off and recovery was set as the immediate focus, both for himself and Lilli. Even Filvis spoke up in agreement with that plan, adding her approval to Alfia's insistence that an adventurer's job also involved resting properly.

The time passed warmly and pleasantly…

…And then, much too soon for her liking, Alfia was bustling Hestia out the door and towards her part-time job.

With Bell having returned home, and with nothing immediate than needed doing, the Goddess of the Hearth had no excuse to keep her from the Jyagu Maru Stand, or especially from the second job she was doing to repay Hephaestus.

The Maiden of Silence was at least kind enough to call Lilli away for a minute, giving Bell a chance to walk his Goddess to the church's entrance, and giving Hestia a moment to steal a goodbye kiss away from the Prum or Elf's eyes.

"Ahhhh! Bell… this isn't faaaair! I wanted to spend the day with you!"

But of course, after having worried so desperately about him all this time, that wasn't nearly enough for the twin-tailed beauty. Instead, stepping out of her sole-follower's brief embrace, pouting and fuming at being denied time with the man she loved, Hestia stomped her feet, placed her hand on his chest and swore a "Goddess's Promise!" that she would make up for this tonight, that she would run back home as soon as she could and they would have a proper celebration for his return and recovery!

"I'll look forward to that, Goddess!"

So, with one last forlorn look, and then a second, and then another few seconds of sighing, and then one more quickly stolen kiss, Hestia ran off towards the work she was already late for.

…

And, not long after Hestia's departure, Bell was making his way out to Orario as well, walking hand-in-hand with Lilli as he escorted her back to her house.

"Bell-sama… Bell-sama… Lilli is, Lilli is so happy you're all right. Please, never scare Lilli like that again!"

"Well, ah, I guess, I thought… I thought I had to do it, to keep you safe. And then, after that… I had to do it, for myself… to prove that I could get stronger…"

"Ahh, that's too reckless! Why does Bell-sama need to do something like that!? It doesn't make sense! Adventurers are all stupid! Bell-sama doesn't need to be stupid like them, you don't have to prove anything to anyone!"

"I'm sorry Lilli, but I don't regret it."

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

Her eyes welled with tears and her hand clenched vice-tight around his, and when they finally arrived at the inn where she was staying, she clung to him suddenly in an equally desperate hug. Her thin arms clung to him with all her tiny strength, and her light body pressed as firmly against his as she could manage.

The meaning, the fear, the frustration and the relief his supporter felt were very clearly conveyed to Bell, and even without regrets his heart was filled with guilt at having worried her so deeply… and also filled with just as much guilt that, as sexually awakened as he was now, having Lilli pressed up tight against him like this, he couldn't possibly avoid being made painfully aware of her soft breasts squishing forcefully against him, or her supple body wrapping around him.

Even being fully aware of how inappropriate it was, Bell was also made fully aware of how womanly his supporter was underneath her long coat. Blushing as much from the thoughts he tried to avoid as from his guilt at feeling any of this, he simply wrapped his arms around her and let her vent until she was done.

…

Returning back to the Church, Bell had barely set foot inside the house before he found himself sent out yet again.

To his surprise, it seemed Filvis had stuck around while he'd been taking Lilli home, and so Alfia immediately tasked him with escorting the elf on another date.

The Dionysus Captain went through her usual routine of huffing, and puffing, and making her distaste for the idea clear… but despite the sour look on her face, she soon warmed up (almost to the point of being congenial) as they made their way slowly back and forth around the city, falling into their familiar habits, walking side by side, and making easy conversation. As always, she turned down his invitations to take her somewhere to eat, but she was happy to substitute that time by offering more lessons on Elvish.

Suddenly reminded of the success he'd had with the language so far, Bell recounted his most recent encounter.

And Filvis was suddenly very, very surprised, and then very, very worried when he happily explained how he'd obliviously rattled off the phrase she'd told him.

[Just as the frost thaws and the forest grows, let us be, as we always have.]

A request and a statement that dated back to one of the most romanticised periods of Elven history. A saying that was deeply meaningful to her, not something she'd ever taught him but simply part of her explanation of Elvish history, and something she had specifically told him never to use. A saying that had become so legendary and so dramatic that it existed practically only in stories, plays and (secretly) within the hearts of innocent young Elf maidens… And it had been spouted almost casually by a human…

Despite herself, Filvis couldn't keep her long, pointed ears from burning red with shame at hearing Bell's story, and at knowing her part in it. And, she couldn't help but whisper a silent apology to the poor waitress that'd had to endure such a thing.

It took the Maenad several minutes to calm down after that, but when she did her lessons returned with far greater force, and far stricter emphasis that he pay much less attention to the stories she told him, and far more attention to the grammatical structures he kept getting wrong!

As always, the date wasn't particularly romantic. They didn't hold hands, they didn't hug, and they certainly didn't kiss. But when they parted, they were each smiling.

And, as she walked back towards her own Familia home, she lingered just for a moment, turning back over her shoulder to him as she flipped her hood up over her head-

"I don't know what happened to you on the ninth floor, but I do know that to survive it as you have, is truly remarkable. I underestimated you greatly, Bell Cranel. You truly are an adventurer… And, you're someone I'll be keeping an eye on."

Bell's face blazed red, completely unprepared for such naked praise, and she was long gone before he could possibly stammer out a reply.

And yet, when the embarrassment faded, it was the strangely sombre look in her amber eyes that lingered within him.

She was happy he'd survived, but somehow, she'd seemed saddened by his success? He couldn't wrap his head around it. Even with all the time they'd spent together, and all the dates he'd taken her on, he understood less about Filvis than he did about Eina or Ryu combined.

--*--

When Hestia finally returned that night, she came directly from the main public bathhouse, with her skin still smooth, supple and glistening softly with all the most extravagant oils and lotions she could get at the lowest possible prices. Her hair was hanging loose down her shoulders, and she was wearing the same dress she'd worn on her first date with Bell, as well as the white thigh-highs she'd purchased for the evening they'd celebrated him learning magic.

Alfia was similarly beautified, although in her case, she was wearing her usual outfit and had instead simply spent the entire afternoon luxuriating through the bathhouse's more expensive facilities- putting the stash of Hera Familia funds to good use.

Between the bottles of wine Alfia had picked out, and the bundles of food Hestia haggled desperately for at the market, the usually poverty-stricken Familia was fully prepared to make an occasion of this evening!

It was a far cry from the kind of celebrations seen at the larger Familia, but it was also a far cry from the nights where their meals had been nothing but Jyagu Maru-kun. Even if it meant cutting into the small pile of savings that Hestia's work and Bell's adventuring had garnered, this was an important moment and both women were determined to celebrate it properly!

The tone was bright, the congratulations vibrant and the happy atmosphere resounded loud throughout the Church basement.

…

And then, almost as soon as they'd begun, Bell completely destroyed the mood.

Finally being alone with his Goddess and Alfia once more, and without any other distractions or interruptions, he opened his heart to them, explaining everything that had happened the night before- the love he'd discovered towards Syr, and that they were now in a relationship.

Although, as honest as Bell was, he at least had the decency to leave out the exact details about just how far they'd gone. While he wasn't ashamed of what they'd done, he'd decided that anything private was just between the two of them, and perhaps with Hestia when he was next alone with her. Alfia, he thought, had no reason to think his relationship with his Goddess had become sexual, so telling her he'd slept with Syr would only confuse matters.

Needless to say, the extremely unexpected news sent both women into a tailspin. They both knew that Bell was fond of the bar, and of that waitress, but neither of them could have possibly guessed that his feelings ran that deep, or that he would be bold, impulsive or reckless enough to act on them so soon!

It took Hestia a good minute to realise she hadn't misheard him, hadn't misunderstood him, and that he was completely serious about everything he was saying. And then, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, the Goddess of the Hearth froze up for several more minutes. Ultimately, it was one thing to go along with his talk of becoming a man who could make all the women he loved happy, and it was quite another to find out that the only man she'd ever loved had gone and begun a relationship with a woman she had never even met!

But, to her credit, she didn't cry, or pout, and she didn't reprimand him or try take back her words.

Trembling in place, trying to sort through a myriad of conflicting emotions wrenching through her, Hestia simply poured and downed a large glass of wine. And then she squished herself even closer to Bell, wrapping herself tight around his arm, and declaring that he'd better not forget that she was his Goddess and that he wasn't allowed to give anyone more love than her!

Wrapping her up in his embrace, Bell could only accept her words happily. At the heart of it, what she'd said was exactly the same as Syr, the exact same worry and the exact same acceptance.

Once again, he couldn't help but be amazed that such incredible women had fallen in love with him. He still couldn't possibly feel worthy of it. But his determination to become a man who could cherish them properly, only burned brighter.

Turning away from the slightly embarrassing display before her, as well as the sight of an ostensibly "virgin" Goddess pawing so needily at the boy she'd raised, the Maiden of Silence had her own objections.

She praised him for facing his feelings and being as forthright as he so obviously had- enough that Syr hadn't been able to help but return his love, despite the strange arrangement. That was, Alfia declared, exactly how a hero should act. The kind of resolve and sincerity that bent the world around him and drew people to him.

And then, in equal measure, she scolded him for doing so without any consultation towards herself, or his Goddess, or any thought at all as to who exactly this Syr was.

Unlike Hestia, Alfia had met Syr and talked to her briefly when the waitress had been begging her and Lilli to take Bell to recover at the Hostess of Fertility, instead of leaving him in the dingy church basement. She'd seemed like a kind, simple girl, and also a plainly normal one, your everyday neighbourhood girl. There was not even a spec of danger or strength emanating from her, rather she seemed to be the only one of the bar's waitresses that didn't carry herself like a fighter. If anything, besides being beautiful, Syr was by far the least interesting person in the bar to Alfia's eyes. If she'd had her say, she would have much rather seen Bell gravitate towards the sharp-eyed Elf instead.

Still, there was no denying that the silver-haired waitress had helped Bell a good deal. A great deal, even, when you considered the Grimoire. From what she'd heard from him and the suggestions she'd picked up, it seemed as if Syr had been looking out for him practically since their first encounter, and she'd certainly been one of the very few supportive figures he'd found in Orario so far.

When he'd been mocked by the Loki Familia, when it must have felt as if all of Orario was laughing at him, Syr and the waitresses at the Hostess were the only ones outside this Church that'd believed in him. She'd made him lunch every day, she'd begged him to be safe, she'd cheered him on and given him a refuge when his Goddess had passed out, and she'd given him a weapon almost as impressive as the Hestia Knife. When she considered Bell's point of view, how lost and overwhelmed he must have been in the big city, having such a beautiful, kind and sisterly older-woman being so generous and so affectionate towards him- it was really no surprise at all that the young adventurer would start developing feelings towards her.

It wasn't hard at all for Alfia to believe that those feelings were truly genuine. He truly did love Syr, just as he loved Hestia and just as he'd been enthralled by Ais.

If anything, it was proof that he was listening to her when she'd said the proof of a Hero was to make your dreams a reality. He wasn't holding himself back or closing off his heart anymore.

She'd told him that he didn't need to change his outlook, that it was perfectly fine for him to just love the Sword Princess and to chase after her. All she'd asked of him was to understand and accept what was around him, to acknowledge it instead of running away from it. And in response, Bell had faced Hestia's love, and he'd opened his heart to her all the same. He'd sworn to make her happy, to make all the women he loved happy.

And, her adorable and beloved Bell had grown up, right before her eyes. No longer the boy she'd raised, he was now a man, starting to make the world bend around him.

He'd faced and accepted Syr's love, and his own feelings, just the same. Even though he was still just a rookie adventurer, and even though he was already in a relationship with his Goddess, he hadn't run from what he'd felt.

And now, she was sure, he had grown even more. A little more sure of himself, a little more determined, a little more manly. Whether he'd found that confidence in the dungeon, or in Syr's arms, she didn't know. But she could only appreciate it, and she was sure Hestia felt the same.

All that was enough to leave Alfia's heart glowing with pride and admiration. Enough to leave her face beaming with a slight, almost perceptible, smile, and enough to leave her filled with warmth as she considered him fully.

…

But it was everything else that made her want to slap him silly and wonder just what he was even thinking! In every single other way she considered this Syr, this bar she was working in and especially the people she was connected to, she practically radiated concern! That was why Alfia was on her feet, bearing down over where the boy and Goddess had been clinging together on the couch, throwing away her calm façade and demanding answers!

Why did you never tell me that the bar was connected to the Freya Familia!? A blank look was returned.

That spear stashed behind the bannister upstairs, did you never notice the Valkyrie Emblem emblazoned on the hilt!? Bell blinked dumbly.

Why didn't you ever mention it was run by Mia Grand!? No response.

…Do you not even know who Mia Grand is? Both Goddess and child stared back at her with bashful, but confused smiles.

Heaving a beleaguered sigh, Alfia slowly explained that the woman who'd always had such a terrifying presence behind the bar was the former captain of the Freya Familia. And, given that the dwarf woman had never been known to use a spear, at least one of the staff and likely the entire bar was connected to Freya in some way.

Bell's eyes were pure dumbfounded surprise.

Hestia nodded along, her own surprise and worry quickly evident. The mystery of how a woman like Syr had possibly managed to get her hands on a Grimoire was solved, but the nature of her connection to Freya remained, and at that, Bell shut up entirely. With some prodding and poking, the Goddess and the Incarnation of Talent worked out that the waitress had sworn him to silence in some manner -which made things even more suspicious-, and all Bell would say was his repeated insistence that she'd done it to help him.

The worries were laid out, the concerns were aired and understood… but not addressed. Regardless of what connection she may have to Freya, or the fact that the Hostess of Fertility clearly had the Goddess of Beauty's fingers all over it, Bell wouldn't hear a word against the waitress. Ultimately, he loved her, and neither of them had any actual suspicions of her.

It was undoubtedly clear that Freya was aware of him, and that they must all watch their footsteps from now on. He could agree to that, and he could even accept that with both Alfia and Hestia pleading him to take great caution with the Valkyrie Goddess, she was certainly not someone to be trifled with. But beyond that, his resolution was inviolate.

And soon enough, Hestia called an end to it.

Invoking her authority as a Goddess, she halted both Alfia's concerns and Bell's defences.

Despite her own undercurrent of jealousy, she'd accepted Bell's feelings, and her divine eyes laid clear the truth of his heart. She promised she would judge Syr for herself when she met her, and in the meantime, it was enough that this was a woman Bell loved. His affection was sincere, and so Hestia promised to treasure it, just as he treasured her feelings.

And then, pouring herself yet another glass, with hands that were only slightly shaking and while still wrapped as tight around the young adventurer as possible… she reminded them all that this was meant to be a celebration! Any other such concerns could surely wait for another time!

Whether it was because of Hestia's divine gravitas, or -more likely- simply from the sense of family the three had found amongst themselves, the serious atmosphere dissipated instantly, as if it had never existed.

Wine flowed freely.

Food was prepared.

Bell regaled them with his adventures, both mundane and heroic.

Hestia showered him with praise, teasing, and simple affection.

And even Alfia fell contentedly into the atmosphere, enjoying yet another simple celebration in a way she'd never once done through all the Hera Familia's lavish parties.

The noise was loud enough almost to be deafening, especially when Bell's peals of laughter were bouncing off the walls, or when Hestia was standing to her full (tiny) height and making some announcement, declaration, or other such proclamation. But somehow, it was comforting all the same. Somehow, the silence she yearned for so frequently wasn't quite so important, at least for now, just for a little while.

The night continued on, comfortably, warmly and boisterously.

And soon enough, Bell's shirt was off, and he was lying down on the couch, with Hestia straddled atop him.

"Bell! Bell! Bell!"

"Goddess!"

"Here it is, look! This is it- your final Status Update!"

"A-Ah!"

After an experience like the one he'd had, after defeating two minotaur at level 1, it was the most obvious thing in the world. And yet, even Alfia was barely able to feign her usual disinterest, sitting restlessly on the edge of the bed. Bell had been practically holding tight to the couch to keep from shaking with excitement as his Goddess had run her hands over his back, updating his Falna as she had so many times before. Hestia, of course, had been in about the same state, babbling this way and that about anything that came to mind as she'd tried to keep her trembling hands as steady as possible. It was the first time for both of them, and the first time Alfia had ever cared so deeply, about someone else's Level Up.

"I… I did it…"

"As expected. Well done."

"Congratulations Bell… You're ready to Level Up."

So saying, Hestia passed him a sheet of paper, where she'd already recorded his status, the final tally of abilities he'd gained as a rookie adventurer. The numbers had always meant so much to them, he'd poured over them and obsessed about them with each previous update… but this time, he hardly even looked at them, rather, he could hardly even bring himself to focus on the writing at all.

Strength: SS

Endurance: SSS

Dexterity: SS

Agility: SSS

Magic: SSS

He saw the letters and even comprehended most of them, but somehow the numbers his Goddess had so carefully written beside each one simply wouldn't stay lodged in his brain. As childish, impatient, and immature as it was, Bell Cranel simply couldn't think about anything else right now, his past Status simply didn't matter compared to the excitement of Levelling Up.

Hestia, of course, saw right through this, and even Alfia found herself indulging him with a wry smile as Bell tried his very best to pretend to be reading the sheet of paper held in his hands. The Incarnation of Talent poured herself another glass of wine, while the Goddess straddling Bell's back placed a calming hand atop his shoulder.

"All right, all right… Then, without any further adooo… Oh?"

"Oh?"

"Oh?"

Hestia hummed. And a painful moment of wondering turned into an agonising eternity before she finally spoke again.'

"Huh, that's strange… Uh, okay… Um, Bell, congratulations! It looks like you've earned a Development Ability with your Level Up! Er... That's normal, I think, but ah, I wasn't expecting this… It looks like you've earned four Development Abilities!"

"I-I g-get four skills!?"

Alfia almost smirked. If it had been anyone but her adorable and beloved Bell, she absolutely would have, "You have to choose one of them."

"Oh, oh… right."

Development Abilities would appear on a level up depending on the kind of excelia the adventurer had earned until that point, getting one or two was common, three was rare, and more than that was practically unheard of. For Bell to have such a comparatively wide array of choices spoke clearly about both the incredible effort and the insane risks he'd taken to reach this point. This was a permanent choice, a decision he couldn't take back and a pivotal moment in his growth as an adventurer.

And of course, that all left the young man thoroughly overwhelmed and paralysed by indecision, squirming on the spot as Hestia read out his options, and as he tried to make sense of what he should do.

"Ummm…. Well, I know, uh from Alfia and Eina, Resistance is important, right? You need that to get to the deeper levels… But it's meant to be common, so I can just take it again when I level up next time? Hunter seems cooler, and more useful…" He dithered, speaking his thoughts aloud as he went through them, "And, and uh, Spirit Healing? That'll be really useful for using magic, right? That fourth one though, I don't know…"

"Bell! You can't ignore it!" Hestia responded instantly, puffing herself up as she raised her fist in something like a victory pose, "That's a rare skill! I've never heard of it before!"

"O-Oh, ri-right… But, um… What does it even mean? The name's a little…"

Although they were learned in a similar manner, Development Abilities were very different to skills. They didn't have a description or trigger attached to them, they simply were grouped in with his Basic Abilities and would be levelled up just like them from now on. Which meant, for any skill that wasn't immediately obvious, or well-known, it was difficult to judge its value.

"Hmm, well…" still sitting atop Bell's back, the Goddess closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the feeling she got from the skill, "It's, it feels kinda like, a Divine Protection! For anyone close to you, trust me, this is a Goddess's Insight!"

Bell hummed. He wasn't convinced. Hestia's words weren't particularly insightful and it was hard to even understand what that skill meant. He knew that Hunter was a very popular skill amongst adventurers, it was the kind of thing that helped earn you money, and keep you safe. Similarly, Resistance was of unquestionable importance through the deeper levels, and Spirit Healing was a vital skill for anyone that used magic. Compared to such obvious and tangible benefits, something that just "felt like a kind of divine protection" came up notably short.

But by the same token, he couldn't just dismiss his Goddess's words.

Sinking against the cushions, his mind spun and his words drooled out uselessly. This was a difficult decision. And it was one worth careful consideration, it was not a choice made easily, and certainly not with two glasses of wine already warming his stomach. He wasn't drunk, if anything the excitement and his nervousness had thoroughly sobered him up, but everything about this celebration and the light-hearted nature of their cheers seemed at odds with weighing up a choice that would define his very future!

"I… ah…" Bell's impatience warred with his sense of caution, "I think… I think I'd better ask Eina-san tomorrow."

It was simply too big a decision to be made on the spot, not without weighing up the choices properly.

Hestia sagged in place, "Yeah, that's a good idea, Bell." As anti-climatic as it was to postpone his Level Up, thinking it over carefully was the prudent choice.

And then, right as the excitement from the moment was fading away into the night-time air, Alfia leant forwards with a soft hum.

"Well… if you'd like, I could advise you instead."

"Ah!"

"Yrk!?"

Bell jolted up so suddenly that Hestia was almost thrown from his back! Looking over, he could see his mother's sister seated now on the edge of the bed, one leg crossed atop the other and an imperious, indulgent smile bearing down upon him.

Ever since they'd arrived in Orario, Alfia had seldom involved herself in his (in her words, foolish) attempts to become a Hero. She'd given him a few scant pieces of advice and nudged him in the right direction a handful of times, but beyond that, he'd only rarely sought out her guidance directly. He couldn't. He knew better than anyone that she'd only returned to the Dungeon City for his sake, because of how lost he'd been after his Grandfather's death, and that she was simply going along with his dream.

He couldn't ask for more than that, and he'd never dared pry into her past. But he knew she was from Orario, and he knew she'd been an Adventurer of some calibre previously.

"You've levelled up, Alfia?"

"I know a little about Development Abilities," she answered instead, "If you'd prefer to ask your advisor, that's fine. But I can give you my thoughts right now, if you'd like."

"P-Please!"

The indulgent smile on her face flashed slightly and for just a second, Alfia looked far less imperious… instead, just for a moment, she looked simply warm, loving and affectionate. It was an old expression, a familiar one, one he remembered seeing on her only occasionally as a child, and less so the more he grew and the stricter she became.

The moment passed so quickly Bell couldn't tell if he'd simply imagined it, or if he'd only seen what he'd always wanted to see… but a second later, his gaze was caught firmly within her piercing stare, and her lecture began.

"Let's go through them all in order then," she began, "Firstly, we can immediately dismiss Resistance. You're correct that it's a vital skill, it gives you a crucial resistance to the status effects and debilitations from the monsters you encounter, there's no question at all that you absolutely will need it as you descend further into the dungeon. But that's later, and it's a common skill with a known method for being obtained. The reason it appeared is because you were exposed to a Purple Moth's poison. Others will work as well, but that's enough. You'll encounter more of them long before you level up, so it will appear again next time, there's no reason to take it just yet."

It was a casual dismissal of a skill that he'd heard even mentioned in almost reverent terms by high-level adventurers, and by his Advisor. But he couldn't find any fault in her logic.

"R-Right."

"Next is Hunter," Bell perked up instantly, his own bias clearly shown, "You're correct that it's a popular skill, it's always been very highly regarded among Adventurers."

"Yeah!"

There was no doubting the power or value of Hunter. It improved the Adventurer's abilities against monsters he'd fought against previously, making it a valuable Anti-Monster skill. On top of that, it required killing an enormous amount of monsters to appear, and would only appear at level 2, meaning it was a fairly uncommon skill and there was no other chance he'd ever get to take it… And it sounded cool! Of course, a Status was a secret, so there was absolutely no meaning in having a cool ability… but, as a man, Bell couldn't help but think his Falna would read better with something like "Hunter" emblazoned on it.

"But you're forgetting the reality of the situation. Most Adventurers don't have particularly lofty goals, they just roam the upper levels, staying only along the main path, and killing monsters for Magic Stones. Very few even make it to level 2, and fewer still beyond that. If all you want to do is live safely in the upper levels, killing monsters you've already killed and trying to make a living like that, then Hunter is an ideal skill…"

Bell's breath caught in his throat, and he immediately understood what she was saying. A vision of a golden-haired knight flashed through his mind.

"…But if your goal is something beyond that, if you want to do more than just trawl around like all the other trash and nobodies, then you'll need weapons to help you fight monsters you've never encountered before, and Hunter is useless for that."

The cool skill was dismissed just as simply. And once again, Bell found it difficult to argue.

"Then, Spirit Healing?"

It didn't sound anywhere near as cool, and it wasn't a skill he'd ever heard of, but Hestia had been familiar with it, and she'd explained it to him. Apparently, it would work to replenish his Mind anytime he cast a spell.

"That's exactly the kind of skill you should be thinking about. I can only imagine it was Nine Hell's training that's caused something like that to appear… there's a stronger version, but in itself, it's a skill that any Mage or any Magic Swordsman would want. After your fight with those Minotaur, I'm sure you can understand now what it's like to be pushed to the very limits of desperation? Spirit Healing is a skill that'll let you take just one more step further. And that can make an enormous difference."

He could only nod at that. Between the training he'd done with Riveria and the recklessness of his fight with the Minotaur, Bell had become painfully accustomed to the feeling of dancing right at the very edges of his limits, desperately trying to draw out whatever he could to keep casting Magic without losing himself to Mind Zero. If he hadn't been able to cast that last Sagitta Sonus, he would have lost his arm, and then he would have died. Bell had craved magic all his life, and now that he'd gotten it, he understood clearer than ever just what a game-changer it was, a tool that could overturn fate and disaster… there was no discounting a skill that would let him squeeze out even just a little more power like that.

"But you're not a Mage, and you're not a Magic Swordsman. You don't have a versatile array of spells, and you're not likely to get any more than the one you've got. You won't go wrong with Spirit Healing, it's not a wrong choice, and it will help you overcome the challenges ahead… but for you, magic is a tool that compliments your abilities, it's not a core of your fighting style."

Bell blinked. After all that, she seemed to be telling him it wasn't suitable for him? At least not completely?

Then, that just left the last skill.

Rabbit's Foot.

"I've never heard of this one, and I doubt your advisor has either. Most likely it's a very rare ability, possibly it's one that's never been seen before," Bell's eyes went wide, and Hestia struck a pose of clear agreement, but Alfia immediately poured water over that mood, "But to be frank, I don't like it. I wouldn't take it- it won't give you power, and it won't keep you alive."

The small Goddess's objection to that statement was ignored completely.

"You know what it does?"

She shrugged, "I can only guess, but judging from the game, I would say it's something like a lucky charm."

Bell screwed up his face in contemplation. A lucky charm… compared to clear power and strength the other abilities, something as intangible as a lucky charm was a little hard to put any faith in.

"Of course, that's also why it's interesting, and why it may be the most valuable of all," surprisingly, despite her rejection of the ability, Alfia continued, "I've told you before, I must have told you a thousand times, you can't underestimate the Dungeon. Being complacent, letting yourself think that you can handle it safely, thinking of it as just a place with monsters in it… that kind of hubris is only setting yourself up for disaster. Even the most powerful Familia in Orario's history had to give it everything they had, every scrap of their ability, desperation and even their lives, to explore the furthest reaches. The Dungeon is alive, it's living, it's thinking, and it's malevolent- always looking for a way to sweep you off your feet, to make a bad situation worse, and destroy you. In a place like that, you can't put faith in something like luck, you can only trust in your own efforts, in the strength you've gained, the knowledge you've learned, and the training you've endured."

He nodded, that was exactly the same conclusion he'd come to, exactly the same thing she'd told him all those times before they came to Orario, and the same mindset Eina tried to drill into him whenever he saw her for advice.

Bell wasn't a particularly experienced adventurer yet, but even he knew the truth of her words about the Dungeon's malevolence, the feeling like being within an enemy's stronghold, feeling its eyes upon you and its power bent towards your destruction. He could well remember the walls opening up and cracking with monsters when he'd fled from the bar, without armour or items, and found himself far deeper than he'd ever expected. And he'd seen the bodies of adventurers just like him hauled back up, day after day, when passing parties had discovered corpses before the monsters had devoured them completely.

"And yet…" Alfia's voice became softer and her gaze became distant, "Sooner or later, every adventurer experiences it for themselves- the sudden feeling as if the ground's given way beneath your feet, and where all your skills, all your knowledge and all your training just aren't enough. Every adventurer will come face to face with times where the power they're so proud of simply doesn't match up… And when that happens, whether it's a chance encounter, meeting the right person at the right time, or choosing blindly between two paths, sometimes, luck is the only thing that keeps you alive."

You couldn't trust it. You couldn't rely on it. But sometimes, it was all you had.

Bell swallowed, awed by the unmistakable words of a veteran, and for a guilty moment, he found himself wondering once again at just how deep Alfia's experience in the Dungeon had run.

"Exactly! Exactly!" Hestia chirped happily, "Like I said, it's definitely, something like a divine protection, it's definitely something that'll be there when nothing else is!"

And finally, the Incarnation of Talent addressed the Goddess directly, "But it won't protect him, will it?"

"Huh?"

"You said yourself, Hestia-sama, it's a divine protection, for those close to him, not for him. That's why I wouldn't take it. Bell, I don't think this ability will help you at all."

The Goddess paused, re-considering the silver-haired woman's words, and re-examining the feeling she could feel from the skill emanating unchosen on Bell's back. After a moment, she bit her lip, nodding.

"She… might be right, Bell. This ability certainly confers protection to those around you, but… I… It might not offer you any protection at all."

An ability like a lucky charm. He could hardly imagine it. Compared to his basic abilities, and even compared to abilities like Hunter or Resistance, it felt like it existed in a completely different dimension.

"Exactly. And while it's true that he'll need a party to explore deeper in the Dungeon, for now, he hasn't yet even reached the 12th floor, let alone the middle levels. His only party member is that thieving Supporter. No matter how rare an ability is, it doesn't make sense to choose one that's of no benefit to you. Even when he has a party, he has to ensure his own survival, or it's all pointless."

"That's… that might be true… Um, well, then maybe Spirit Healing would be better for you then, Bell? Does tha-"

"No."

Such a strange, and strangely unique skill. He had absolutely no proof and no way of verifying it… but Bell was certain he could pinpoint the exact moment when that Ability had manifested within his soul. Surely the embers had been kindled when he'd made his promise with his Goddess when he'd sworn to become the kind of man that would make the women he loved happy, and surely the flame had been lit when he'd left her behind to face the Silverback without a single hope of winning… but he was sure that it had been his emotions facing down those two Minotaur that had changed him. When he'd locked his Goddess behind that iron gate and turned to face the Silverback, he'd done so fully accepting his death. He had no way to win and no hope, he had been only fighting to give her time to escape. But when he'd sent Lilli away, even though he'd been marching towards almost certain death, he'd done so while wanting to win! Despite facing down two enemies that had terrified him to his core, and despite not believing in his victory at all, he'd crawled along the ground and scraped in the dirt, not just to buy time, but to find a way to escape himself. He'd been searching for a miracle.

As it turns out, he'd found a miracle that wouldn't protect him at all.

"That's fine, isn't it?" Bell spoke up clearly, "I can't rely on Luck, I understand that. But, if it can keep the people close to me, the people I care about, safe- then that's what I want."

His words were sombre, and he was trying to keep himself serious, but his face was beaming and it felt as if his body was swelling with warmth. A cool-sounding ability? Who could possibly care about that? Rabbit's Foot was something that would help him become a hero.

Alfia sighed. Hestia laughed. And after a few minutes, Bell's final Status Update as a Level 1 adventurer was complete.

"There we go! At long last, you're level Two, Bell… is what I'd normally be saying, but in your case it happened so fast, I didn't have time to even feel nostalgic."

So saying, she finally slipped off his back and took up her spot on the couch beside him as Bell pushed himself up and to his feet. Closing his eyes, he clenched his fists, sucking in a breath as he felt the energy now rippling through his body!

…

"… I don't feel any different."

If the sound of laughter wasn't so obnoxious, Alfia would have burst out laughing at the look on his face.

"What were you expecting? The sudden urge to yell 'My power is roaring!' up at the sky?" Hestia teased, doing a frustratingly good impression of the vision that had danced within Bell's mind, pretending to shake with newfound energy as she acted out the scene before him.

Holding back his true feelings, Bell just nodded.

He'd levelled up, but he felt exactly the same. He'd thought his body would feel lighter, or that the world around him would seem different. Or something like that, some kind of notable change. Instead, he felt no different to how he had just a few minutes ago. It was as if all the anticipation and excitement had petered out into nothing! Where was the rush of strength and the flush of power!? Where was the feeling of accomplishment that came from levelling up to Level Two!?

Despite the auspicious occasion, Bell's shoulders sagged. It was really disappointing, like all the wind in his sails had just disappeared.

"It's not like the structure of your body changes, you know? Sorry if I made you think there'd be some kind of dramatic transformation."

"Ah, no… it's not that…"

"Hey, your Status improvement is the real deal though! The container, your spirit, has gotten much bigger! It's very obvious to me, and the other Gods will be able to see as well. You feel the same now, but the next time you're in battle it'll feel like you've flipped a switch. You'll pull off attacks you never knew you could."

"Mhmm. It'll take some time to adjust, but when your body gets used to it, you'll understand- your potential is far greater than before. You'll especially see the effect of your hidden parameters"

The words of his Goddess and Guardian served to buoy Bell's spirits, and so he just nodded.

"Well, here's some good news to cheer you up, Bell!" Hestia declared brightly, holding out a piece of paper, "That's your Status at Level Two."

"Huh?"

He blinked. Was there even a point in doing that? When an adventurer levelled up, their previous Basic Abilities would become "hidden parameters" serving as extra points in his Status, and all his Basic Abilities would be reset to zero. So, there was nothing for him to look at, just a slightly depressing row of zeroes… was she trying to mark the occasion or something?

Putting his shirt back on, Bell reached out to take the update.

"Ahh, it was going to be a surprise," Hestia was beaming with happiness as she passed the paper over, "But actually, I think I'll tell you first! Good news, Bell! You got a Skill!"

"A-Ah, huh!?"

"It's your thi-, second Skill! The first one you've developed in the Dungeon, it's what you've been waiting for all this time isn't it? Your very own Skill!"

A full second passed in silence as Bell stared at his Goddess in shock his hands trembling and eyes going bloodshot as her words slowly fell into place in his mind. His heart raced, his breath caught in his throat, and slowly, his eyes flicked down the page held out before him:

His name.

His abilities, all reset to zero.

His magic.

His Eternal Pledge to the Goddess of the Hearth.

And finally, directly below that…

"Heroic Desire, Argonaut," he read aloud, "Executes automatically with an active action."

His eyes shot wide, and his world thrummed with vibrant joy! This was something real, this was something tangible! After the anticlimax of his Level Up, this was something he could cry out with joy about! A skill! His second ever! He was, of course, incredibly pleased with the Skill he'd unlocked with his Goddess, and he cherished it above anything… but somehow, unlocking a skill in the bedroom, and in his Goddess's arms, didn't feel quite as adventurous as unlocking one in the Dungeon… This was it though, the real proof of his effort!

Happiness flushed through him, even Bell could tell his eyes were shining, and he couldn't possibly have kept his face from beaming. This was the absolute highlight of his da-

He paused. His mind finally catching up with him as a terrible realisation dawned.

"… Heroic Desire."?

All the joy in his body suddenly evaporated and his eyes stuck on the spot, reading the words over and over as all the blood drained from his face. His lips went numb, and his smile faded.

Bell knew, as well as anyone, Skills and Magic on an Adventurer's Status were not only affected by the excelia they'd gained but were driven primarily by their hopes, their aspirations and the very determinants of their soul. Even the name of a skill that appeared was very much a reflection of their heart, it was the kind of insight into their being that was usually only afforded to the Gods and Goddesses themselves.

And now the words "Heroic Desire" were literally carved into his back.

The proof, for anyone that looked, that -even at his age- he wanted to be a hero.

Alfia already knew, of course. She'd known him all his life, and scoffed at his haughty ambitions for as long as he'd been old enough to have them, even if she didn't know his true dream was to prove her wrong and give her something to believe in.

And he'd technically already admitted it to his Goddess. He'd told her he wanted the power of a Hero to make those he cared about happy, to be worthy of a Goddess's love and to be able to stand with Ais Wallenstein.

But when Alfia talked about heroes and his dreams, she did so with even more cynicism than anything else.

And when he'd confessed to his Goddess, he'd mentioned heroes as an aspiration for the kind of man that could make his dream come true.

That was nothing like this. Now it was written clearly, undoubtedly, unmissably, unmistakably… his true aim, the dream that Alfia had laughed at till he'd stopped mentioning it. The truth he'd hidden from his Goddess, because he'd wanted to try seem at least a little cool to the woman he loved.

Bell wanted to be a Hero. Not for just for power, and not just to prove anything. He purely and earnestly wanted to be a Hero, just like the ones in the picture books.

It was the most childish, naïve, immature wish imaginable, and it had come straight from his heart.

Slowly, agonisingly slowly, he lifted his gaze from the sheet of paper… and standing right in front of him was his Goddess, smiling beautifully at him with a warm and gentle smile,

"-Guh, DHAAAAAAA!?"

She looked like she could burst out laughing at any moment! He couldn't even bear to look at Alfia's face, if this had caused her icy cold expression to melt, he might break down completely!

Throwing the paper in the air, Bell collapsed down to the couch, sinking low until his head was resting atop his knees.

No. No. No. She knew! His Goddess knew, he wanted to become a hero like the kind children idolise! Even at his age! Even when he tried to act maturely, and tried to be a reliable man for her, the woman he loved knew that he wanted to be a storybook hero!

His body trembled with embarrassment, this was even worse than the time he'd fled from Ais, or the time he'd careened straight into Riveria's chest! This was worse than the time he'd come back from the Dungeon after killing a single goblin! This was agony!

"Bell…"

Hestia's voice shot through him like a firecracker, leaving his nerves jangled and his body trembling. Her voice was indulgent and gentle, and he could feel her fingers warm and tender over his shoulders. Wrapping herself gently around him, he couldn't ignore her like this… trepidatiously looking up, he turned to face her, fearing the worst.

She was wearing a bright and loving smile, the same warm and welcoming expression that'd captivated his heart so many times.

"That's so cute!"

He screamed again. And his head fell back between his knees once again. Softly, horribly, he was sure he could practically hear Alfia's smug expression as this all played out.

Falling from the heavenly bliss to the horrors of hell left a deep wound on the young adventurer. It was some time before Bell was able to compose himself once again.

…

"Oh, come on Bell, cheer up already. It's not like it's a big surprise to me that you still idolise heroes anyway, you're always talking big about things like that one way or another… Ahh, you know I'll never forget those words you said to me that day, you know? I still think of them all the time!"

She remembered. She clearly remembered exactly what he'd said. Even in the depths of his despair, he couldn't find any part of himself regretting his choice of words. Nor the fact that his Goddess would hold them so close to her heart, to remember them even after everything that'd come after… she didn't even repeat them now, they were words for her and her alone. Bell's soul was healed, just a touch.

"And hey, do you know how many children can stay so pure in this day and age?"

The damage returned!

"I can see you trying not to laugh, Goddess!"

The way she said children… Of course, he knew that was the term they used, he'd never resented it before, but right now it felt so very patronising. He couldn't stand it! This was the woman he adored! He needed to at least be a little cool!

"H-H-Hey, th-this, this child is the m-man, who's in love with you, you know!?"

That had sounded a lot better in his head. As it turned out, trying to make a confident declaration like that was tough when his mind was so scattered, his ears were burning with shame, and his Mother's Sister was looking over at him.

"Awwww, I love you too, Bell!"

Completely unmoved by his failed attempt at manliness, Hestia simply latched on tight around him, squashing her prodigious bust against his side and clinging around him in the same way a woman might squeeze something cherished and cute.

Heaving a sigh, he gave up. She wouldn't understand, and it was only making him look even more pathetic to mope about this embarrassment, so he forced himself to push past it… if nothing else, at least being wrapped up tight by his Goddess gave him something more pleasant to think about.

Picking up the paper he'd dropped on the floor, Bell read through the Skill description again. Unfortunately, just like with his new Development Ability, all he could really make sense of was the name, Argonaut. There was barely any other information, not about what it did, how to use it, or even what it was. His Magic had been just as vague, if not for his lessons with Alfia he would have probably had no idea what to do with it. Was he just unlucky in this regard, or were all skills destined to be this badly explained?

"Goddess, do you know what this Skill's effect is?"

"Hmm, this one's a bit hard to explain… It's not one that's constantly turned on, it's more like an active action. So basically, when you choose to make a move, it'll have some kind of effect."

He blinked. He couldn't blame her, she could only understand Skills from the impression they gave her from his Status, but that explanation was almost as vague and just as perplexing.

"Choose to make a move?"

"Uh, well, you know, like attacking or defending yourself? But I don't think it'll do anything for counterattacking."

"Well then," Having thoroughly enjoyed this spectacle, Alfia had finally composed herself enough to rejoin the conversation, "Why don't you try it out for yourself? Get a feel for it."

"Oh, right, um…" he concentrated for a second, thinking of the name, the skill, the description, trying to will himself into understanding. After a moment he flung his hand forwards, "Argonaut!"

…

Nothing happened.

"Hey, Bell…" he didn't like the way his Goddess was looking at him. He didn't like the way her eyes were twinkling. He didn't like the way her voice was almost singing, "Don't focus on the skill, or its name or anything, it's not magic… Why don't you focus on what you want?"

"What I want?"

"That's right," Alfia added, and no matter how placid and calm her expression was, Bell was sure he could practically feel her smirk, "Your Heroic Desire."

!?

It took every drop of maturity, kindness and forgiveness that existed within Bell Cranel not to sulk.

Instead, after only a few seconds of feeling sorry for himself, he did as was suggested, closing his eyes and letting the two teasing women fade out from around him. He didn't think about Argonaut, he wasn't worth thinking about, instead, he filled his thoughts with memories of other legends, other Heroes. When you were thinking of Heroes, when you thought about Heroism, one name came to mind before any others- the Mercenary King, Albert Waldstein. Bell was never one for concentration, study, or mediation, but in topics of Heroic Tales alone, he could talk near endlessly, and he could easily bring to mind countless stories of the original Hero's incredible deeds.

Ting… Ting…

As he did so, a soft chime began to fill the room. And pure white beads of light began to form around Bell's fist.

"Ah! Hhaa! B-Bell…" Hestia's voice finally broke him from his conversation and he looked up to see his Goddess's mouth open in surprise. Her face was flushed red and her body was shivering lightly, "Th-That feels so nice… It's like it's reverberating right to my soul, it's so warm…"

"Hmph?" Alfia's expression hadn't changed in the least, if anything her eyes were narrowed, "It's nothing but more noise. Stop it before I get mad."

The light and the sound slowly faded away as his concentration waned.

"What was that?"

He hadn't felt any different, but somehow, he'd been filled with a sense of optimism and adventure? It was hard to pin down, but the sensation of power flowing into him and of the light coalescing around his fist was hard to forget.

"It's definitely something powerful!"

"And definitely too dangerous to play around with here. Test it out tomorrow when you're in the Dungeon tomorrow."

"R-Right."

Argonaut.

Honestly, the name chafed at him a little. If there was any Hero whose name he wouldn't want inscribed on his back it would be Argonaut. He was probably the least cool and least impressive Hero that Bell could imagine.

The legend of Argonaut was about a hapless young man who ventured out to rescue a beautiful queen from a ferocious bull monster. The titular character gets fooled by so many people over and over again, and he doesn't have a clue. He just ventures forward like an idiot, trying his best and hoping it'll work out, and by some miracle, he finally arrives at the feet of the monster he was seeking. But, of course, even then the queen he was trying to save was the one who had to rescue him from the monster in the end.

Out of all the stories Bell had read, Argonaut stood out as the least heroic. If anything, the hero simply reminded Bell of himself, a hopeless young man scrambling by and dreaming about being a Hero.

He'd always thought the story was ridiculous. And Alfia had agreed, she'd had absolutely no time for a bumbling hero who couldn't do anything but keep trying his best.

…

'But Gramps loved that story…' Bell remembered, thinking back to the man's laughs and praise. Argonaut was the story his Gramps wanted to read to him over and over again, "He'd always say things like 'This guy's best days are ahead of 'him!'"

Even now, Bell couldn't make sense of that. The story was over, that was all there was to tell.

Well, at least his story was still ahead of him. And so, regardless of how embarrassing the Skill's name might be, he decided he was glad to have it.

And with that, and with Bell's promise to figure out this Argonaut tomorrow in the Dungeon, the Status Update was finally over, and he was finally Level Two.

And, just as Hestia raised her glass to propose a toast… Alfia interrupted.

"With that finished, there is… one final order of business."

"Oh?"

"Huh?"

"Hestia-sama, as I understand it, the Denatus is tomorrow."

!

Immediately, Bell's interest was piqued. He didn't know much about the business of Gods, but he knew about the Denatus, and he knew there was only one reason Alfia could possibly have for bringing it up.

"That's right," Hestia nodded brightly, "And since Bell levelled up, I'm eligible to attend! Heh, I know what you're about to ask, Yes! The timing is perfect, more than likely we'll decide on Bell's second name."

The young adventurer almost jumped out of his seat, he did sit bolt upright.

Denatus happened only once every three months, it was a solemn and serious meeting of the Gods where they evaluated the mortals of Orario and bestowed them with titles suitable for their performance and advancement in the Dungeon. It was highly respected among all adventurers, more than anything, it was a showing of just how refined and impressive the Gods were, to grant such deeply meaningful titles to their beloved children.

"Th-Really? I'm going to, I'll receive a name, like Ais!?"

"Hehe, enthusiastic, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am!"

A title was like an adventurer's banner! Only adventurers who levelled up got one, it was proof that the gods had recognised their ability! For him to get one so soon… even as exciting as this day had already been, this news was just taking the cake! Bell doubted he'd be able to sleep tonight, it was an unimaginable honour!

"Indeed, as he should be," Alfia interrupted the discussion, stepping towards Goddess and follower, clasping in her hands a notebook that she'd pulled out from the nightstand, "And with how rapid Bell's growth has been, I have been preparing for this for some time now. I have given it a great deal of thought. This is very important- Bell may receive multiple titles over your time as an adventurer, but his first title will be how everyone learns about you. It shall come to characterise how he's received within the city."

Hestia's excited gaze turned slightly awkward at the sheer sincerity of Alfia's words.

"And so, I have some suggestions. Bell, feel free to add your own thoughts, but I think any of these shall be sufficient."

"Ah, I, well, I don't really think it's a matter of making suggestions…"

Bell couldn't speak. Of course, he had all kinds of suggestions himself, "Burning Fighting Fighter", "Blazing Rage of the Heavens", "Fallen Seraph of the Dark Angel", all kinds of incredible names, titles that were so awe-inspiring they even sounded strong. But it was too exciting to say anything, too difficult to choose even one. His mind was paralysed.

And Alfia barrelled on regardless. Neither mortal paid even a moment's heed to Hestia's hesitant response, as the young rookie gaped in awe, and the Incarnation of Talent began lecturing a Goddess.

"As I mentioned, I have a number of ideas. But in the interests of keeping this discussion focussed, I shall give you only the superior choice."

"…Right…"

"The important thing about an Adventurer's Title is to advertise their strengths, to clearly proclaim what's unique about him and showcase it for anyone to hear. In Bell's case, this is his swift-cast magic, and his speed, both of which stand well above comparison with his peers."

Hestia nodded. Alfia's logic did make sense, she didn't have much of an idea how the Denatus would go herself, but if nothing else that was a reasonable argument she could make for the other Gods.

"And thus, his title should be: Ultra Sonic Blitzfang!"

Alfia proudly puffed up her (substantial) chest with that declaration.

Bell's eyes went as wide as saucers, his mouth dropping open with awe at the very idea of being bequeathed such an awesome name.

…

Hestia's gaze became distant, and a weak grin appeared on her lips. It was a small smile, sad and distant, like she was watching them from somewhere far away.

Bell blinked, what happened to the warm gaze she'd had just a moment ago?

At seeing the Goddess's response, Alfia immediately went back on her previous words, "If not that, then surely, he must be: The Dark Edge of Fate Resonance Cascade!"

Once again, the Maiden of Silence was practically glowing with pride.

And once again, Bell was staring at his mother's sister in amazement.

And once again, Hestia's expression was soft, and sombre, as if she was looking at something they couldn't see.

"That's right… it's still too early for the children here…"

"Hestia-sama? What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, no," she shook her head and offered another weak smile, the expression of a parent indulging in a child's mischief, "It's nothing. I'm sure the day will come when you'll all understand."

Alfia took that explanation poorly, and the next half hour was spent with more suggestions and more demands for the boy's title, each more outrageous than the last. In the end, as much to get back to the celebration as to stop the insistent barrage, Hestia raised her fist and swore to each of them that she would do her utmost to make sure Bell was given a name he could be proud of.

"I don't care what I have to do; I swear I will win an acceptable title for you, Bell…!"

--*--

A beautiful, melodic laugh bounced lightly around the basement of the abandoned Church.

"Ahehe, Bell! That's terrible, you need to be more careful!"

"Go-Goddess! Shh, shhh! You'll wake her up."

…

…

…

"Hehe, see? It's fine, it's fine, she's fast asleep."

A sigh resounded, "We should probably do the same. We've been talking for a while now, it's gotten late."

"Nn… That's true… If you're tired, you can go to sleep, Bell. I don't think I could, even if I tried right now."

"Huh, Goddess? Is something wrong?"

Another soft, chiming laugh echoed gently through the night, "Hehe, no, not at all. It's just the opposite… I tried not to make too big a deal of it, because I didn't want you to get too far ahead of yourself… but, after everything that happened- you Levelled Up already, you got a rare Development Ability, and you learned a new Skill! It's just incredible, it's like all your hard work's paid off all at once! Having you back home again, knowing you're all right, and then all of this… I'm just so relieved, and so excited, there's no way I can sleep right now."

"G-Goddess, ha… th-that's, um, well…"

"Mmm, I'm concerned, very concerned, about just how reckless you are… But I've said enough about that already. You've done in weeks, what would take a normal adventurer years, Bell, your talent is unmistakable, and all of Orario is going to understand that very soon. I always think about how lucky I was to meet you, you're exactly the kind of child any God would love to get their hands on."

"W-Well, you know I'm, er, I'm always glad to have your hands on me, Goddess!"

"Hehe… Geez! Even your cool lines are getting better too, you know? You toy with me so easily these days, it's like you're growing up right before my eyes."

…

Noise.

Once again, she became aware of the noise surrounding her.

And once again, Alfia found herself dragged from her sleep by the sound of honeyed voices and gentle whispers pulling at the edges of her consciousness.

The desire to ignore it rose within her, the urge to simply cocoon herself in her blankets and drift off once again… but, the Maiden of Silence was ever sensitive to noise, and especially so when she'd been so happily enjoying what should have been peaceful tranquillity. Like it or not, her awareness returned almost instantly, and her irritation along with it. For some reason, the two people she shared a "house" with, were still chattering away in the dead of the night.

Blearily blinking herself awake, her face twisted into a chilling scowl and she immediately moved to set this right- to tell both (her beloved and adorable, but occasionally frustrating) Bell and that Goddess of his to shut up and go to bed!

!?

Yet, right as she opened her mouth to speak, the words died in her throat.

At that moment, her vision had cleared. And, unlike the previous time those two had so rudely awakened her, this time she was lying on her side, directly facing them.

With the magic-lamps extinguished, only scant moonlight reached the Church's basement, even as a former ultra-elite adventurer, Alfia could see barely more than shapes and shadows spread out before her. And yet, among those shapes and those shadows, she could clearly see the unmistakable sight of the pure, holy and supposedly virginal Goddess of the Hearth, perched directly atop Bell's lap, her hands linked loosely around his neck and her head laid comfortably on his shoulder.

Abruptly and unwelcomely finding herself awakened in the middle of the night, even as abrasive as she was, the actually virginal Alfia wasn't even close to being mentally prepared to bear witness to such an intimate scene.

Even in the gloom of the night, in the dimly lit basement, she could clearly see her sister's son enjoying a deeply personal moment with his lover, just a few meders away from her. And moment by moment, as her vision adjusted to the darkness, the details were laid out even sharper- she could see the way Hestia rocked so gently and contentedly in place against him, she could see the sight of his hands wrapped around the small Goddess's waist, she could see the way Hestia's lips pressed softly against his neck with each lull in the conversation… and, most notably, most uncomfortably, most mortifyingly of all… Alfia could very clearly see the way Bell's lover was being raised up from where she was sitting, her ass pushed visibly aloft by a ferocious bulge straining at the very limits of his trousers.

!?

Her mind was spinning. Her mind was spinning. She'd been happily asleep a moment ago, and now even her anger faltered as she was left feeling like she was intruding on something private! She was in absolutely no state to process any of this… much less, that!

"Hey, Bell…"

Unfortunately, before Alfia had a chance to recover her voice, much less her composure… the conversation she was unwittingly bearing witness to turned intensely, and uninterruptedly, private.

"I hope you have fun, being with me."

"Huh? Goddess? What's brought this on, I mean- of course, it's always fun being with you!"

"I just… well… if there's ever something you want me to do for you, or that you'd like me to learn, you just need to tell me, you know? I want to make you happy too, just like you're always doing for me."

Bell made to respond, but Hestia quickly cut him off.

"I know, you'll say that I make you happy- you're always too kind to me, Bell, more supportive than I've ever deserved. I'm not teasing you when I talk about how lucky I am to have met you! But… But I'm always thinking I don't do enough for you in return. That Knife, and our Skill are all I can do for you in the Dungeon, but… outside it, I want to cherish you too, I want to wash away all your fatigue… I always think, I want to be the kind of woman that Bell can happily come home to, so he'll feel refreshed for the next day!

"G-Go-Goddess, th-that's… C'mon, did you drink too much? You know I've always, I'm always happy to see you!"

"I don't have a nice Familia house to offer you. And I don't have strong weapons, or items, or even any comrades I can offer to keep you safe. I don't even have much money to buy you nice meals. You're working so hard day after day, and you come back to this drafty basement, and sleep on this worn-out couch… I wish I could do more for you, Bell, I truly do, a-and, and, I wish I could be the kind of Goddess you deserve. But, all I can offer you is my love."

Hestia's voice was trembling slightly as she poured out her feelings and her insecurities, and as she clung ever tighter to the boy she adored. Alfia couldn't possibly interrupt. It was embarrassing enough just bearing witness to this.

"That's more than enough. Your love is worth everything to me."

"But even there… I feel like, I'm a failure as your Goddess, Bell… I don't really know anything about love, I've only read about it in stories or watched it from a distance, I've never felt like this for anyone else before, and, and, I don't have any experience at all. I'm meant to be a Goddess, I should be taking the lead, but even when we make love, I always end up just clinging to you, and making you do all the work. It just always feels too good, and I lose my mind, and before I know it, my mind's gone completely blank! Th-That's why, that's why I'm saying I'll do my best for you, th-that I'll learn to do whatever makes you happy- I was a virgin before I met you, so I know I don't have any skills so far… That Syr probably had all kinds of amazing techniques, s-so I probably seem plain in comparison, b-but, but I'll learn, you just need to tell me what to do, you can train me to be your ideal lover!"

"Goddess! That's ridiculous!" It seemed Bell's shock was enough to make him forget the situation he was in, because his instantaneous rejection of her fears bounced loudly around the suddenly silent Church basement, "You've got nothing to worry about at all! I, I um, I know I'm no good with words, so I probably haven't said it properly, but, but you know I always love being with you, it makes me feel incredible too! And, and… ah, I was really proud, being your first, I was honoured. And, you know it was the same for me? I'm new to all this too, you were my first just the same, and, and I know I'm always clumsy, and not romantic at all, and- and I'm not a very reliable man, yet… But, Goddess… I do look forward to seeing you each night, and, I always feel fully charged when I leave in the morning. I'm happy when I'm with you, I've always cherished the time we've spent together, a-and, I really like learning love with you."

"Bell…"

One of the great and terrible things about a romance with a deity was that they could see honesty or deceit unveiled clearly behind any words spoken. It was impossible to lie to a God, they could tell for sure when their lover was speaking the absolute truth from their heart… That had been one of the critical weaknesses that had made the young adventurer so terribly devastating against Freya, and it also meant that, unfortunately for poor Hestia, each one of Bell's passionate affirmations of his love was multiple times more effective on her than it would have been for any other woman! Even in the pitch black night, Alfia could make out the small Goddess clearer than ever right now, as if she was practically glowing red with love.

"A-And, and, um, and, Syr w-was a virgin too, s-so, so it's not like there was any um, amazing techniques, or anything you need to worry about."

!!

!!

"So, you did sleep with her!"

'He had sex with that waitress, already!?'

Both women jolted with surprise at that revelation, Hestia verbalising her shock, while Alfia maintained her characteristic silence.

"Ahahe… heh…"

"Bell… I am amazed…"

Alfia could only echo Hestia's words in her mind. It was shocking. She'd always believed that eventually all of Orario would come to see her adorable and beloved Bell just as she did, but this was far sooner than she could have ever imagined! A Goddess, and an older waitress in just a few weeks!? If he'd fallen for some slut like Freya, or Ishtar, that would be one thing, but this was something else entirely. Was Bell actually a natural lady-killer? It seemed impossible, just like with his Level Up, his speed defied belief. Alfia could only wonder how many other women there were across the city, already looking in his direction.

"It wasn't something I planned or anything… It was, it's just like I told you… when I woke up, I realised what I felt, my feelings for her, and I told her, and… and we spent the night together, and then this morning, before I rushed back to see you."

"And… How was it?"

Despite having agreed to this harem, and despite having played along with it so far, Hestia's insecurity was worn clear on her sleeve. Even in the darkness, Alfia could practically hear the pout in her voice, and there was no missing the way the Goddess's silhouette clung tighter around Bell's.

"Incredible."

"B…Better than me?"

"No," Bell's reply came instantly, which immediately relaxed Hestia's posture… and surprisingly, Alfia's too, "It was… I'm not sure if I can describe, um… It was just the same as when I'm with you, but it felt completely different at the same time? It was… it was kinda like eating a different flavour of the best food I've ever tasted? Ah, this is, I'm not much good at explaining this kind of, ah! S-Sorry, yo-you wouldn't want to hear any of this, do you, Goddess? Sorry, I didn't mean to go on about it, I'm ju-"

"No," somehow, the insecurity and jealousy seemed to have vanished from Hestia's tone, and instead the Goddess simply cut him off with a soft whisper as she laid her head back down on his shoulder, "No, it's fine, I don't mind hearing about it. I… I always thought it would feel worse actually, if you ever actually did find another woman… I never imagined it would be this soon, and despite everything I said, I always wondered if I'd really be able to handle it, or accept it."

"Goddess…"

"But, I'm fine. Actually… it's silly, but I kinda feel a little proud… Like it makes me happy to know there's someone else that sees how amazing you are, hehe! That's strange, isn't it? But it's like, I can't help but want to cheer you on, Bell! Ahhh, you've really got me wrapped around your little finger…"

Breathing out a silent sigh, Alfia -once again- felt like she could perfectly understand the young-looking Goddess's words. She'd felt that same pride flushing through her when Bell had finally found a Goddess in the city to accept him, and again when that Goddess had fallen for him so hard she'd given up her legendary purity to become his lover. Seeing that he'd gotten Level Two so quickly, that his name was known both among the Loki and Freya Familia, that he'd been trained personally by Nine Hells, Sword Princess and the Golden Witch, and that he'd achieved an unthinkable record-breaking Level Up had left her heart pounding with delight. He'd come to this city and been scorned, forgotten and cast aside by all and sundry, and yet, within just this short time he was already becoming someone that everyone would be paying attention to, soon enough, he would be someone that nobody in the city could look away from!

In her heart, Alfia had always dreamed of the day Bell would have the kind of prestige to stand equal to her own. It was still a long, distant way off, but now, she dared even imagine that he might eclipse her previous standing and her past renown. Her, large, soft, chest swelled mightily just imagining it.

The silver-haired maiden's head had been spinning with these revelations, and the fact that she was bearing unwitting witness to such a private, intimate conversation, but on that point at least, her feelings were clear. There had been no end of ambitious suitors she'd spurned when the Hera Familia had reigned over Orario, but Bell was far from ruling over the city, he was yet to even be given a title- to imagine that he'd already taken a second lover, it left her small shiver running down her spine!

Alfia's gaze flicked across once more to the silhouette of her sister's son and, as her eyes took in the way Hestia's waist was still being pushed aloft into the air, her mind cast back to the cries and moans she'd heard from those two the last time this had happened. Already, in just the short time they'd been in the Dungeon City, the gentle, innocent and sweet young man Alfia had always been watching had taken a second woman into his arms. He'd pinned her down as her legs wrapped around him, made her cry out just like his Goddess, and made her his woman, despite already being in a relationship.

Her body flushed warm with the thought. Her heart beat faster, with exactly the same pride and excitement that Hestia talked about. As strange as it was, Alfia -more than anyone else- could fully understand the smaller woman's words about being proud to watch him being recognised as the existence she'd always seen him as. And so too, could she understand the Goddess's words about feeling like he was growing up right before her eyes.

It felt like he was becoming more and more manly, day by day. Like his back was getting bigger, and his words more reliable.

And just like Hestia had said, Alfia's worries had subsided, less than she'd expected they would be. With how naïve and innocent Bell could be, she'd worried that as his name spread unscrupulous types would start trying to take advantage of him, that Supporter had been an early indication of that fear. But, while she didn't know much about this Syr, she did know that the waitress had done a lot for him, and that was enough for now. So long as Bell fell in love with good women, Alfia would always support his aspirations.

"Hey, Bell…"

"Yeah?"

"I am still a bit jealous… and it still is a shock…" Rising from where she'd been laying against him, Hestia shifted in place until she was facing him directly, "So, hold me tight, okay?"

"Goddess…"

His arms wrapped securely around her waist.

Her lips met softly with his own.

His force pushed up into her even more firmly.

Her hips began rolling, back and forth as her ass slid atop him.

And Alfia was left watching with a slow-rising sense of dread as the adoring embrace between the young lovers escalated hotter and hotter, further and deeper.

Within a few minutes, what had begun as a soft kiss had turned into a deep embrace. Soon the sound of Hestia's quiet moans, of Bell's heady breathing, and of two bodies pressing close against one another, was bouncing heavily around the walls of the Church basement… and soon, the very atmosphere, and the warm summer night, seemed charged with the quickly burning passion enflamed hotter and hotter.

"Mmm… Bell…" Breaking their kiss only long enough to pant his name, Hestia's voice was laden with the exact same desire that had haunted Alfia's dreams since the last time she'd borne unwilling witness to their rendezvous.

"Go-Goddess…" Her sister's son answered back with exactly the same tone, and with another echo that had lived on in the Maiden of Silence's dreams ever since.

'They can't… Not while I'm right here… Surely not again!?'

Breaking Bell's embrace around her, Hestia tugged at his chest, and a soft *thwp* that seemed very much like the sound of his shirt hitting the floor bounced around the room.

And when his hands returned to around her, he moved them lower this time, taking a firm, full grasp of the Goddess's shapely, round ass.

Hestia gasped and shivered, and Bell let out a soft moan of his own as she squirmed atop him, and as his fingers dug into the divinely soft, pliable flesh.

Stuck in place, forced to watch the display, witnessing all the shadows and the silhouettes of the two lovers grinding closer together, as the sound of their deepening embrace rang out all around them, Alfia's heart pounded and the world that had been spinning around her slammed to a halt.

She wanted desperately to call a stop to this- but she was long past being able to do that. The exact same horrible resolution that had filled her the last time this happened kept her silent once more.

She wanted desperately to roll away- but she couldn't even do that. Bell had become a very sharp adventurer, even if he was focused on his Goddess, there was no way he would miss such a sudden movement from such a short distance.

There was nothing the silver-haired maiden could do but watch- as the two lovers pressed closer and closer together, and as the sound of their desire reverberated heavily down her spine.

'There's, there's no way! Bell! Didn't you just say you'd had sex with that Syr woman this morning, are you really so eager to go already!?'

Hestia's tongue danced against his, and her moans filled his mouth, and a few moments later her hands were running down his chest… stroking his pecs, tracing her fingertips over his abdomen, sliding lower still…

"Ngh… Bell… HHha, I missed you… I missed this! It feels so good, already… Can you feel how fast my heart is racing? Nnn, let me see how much you've changed, I wa-want to feel your Level Up, directly!"

'Just how shameless is this Virgin Goddess!?'

"G-Goddess, no, hha… I want that too, a-and, and I've missed you too, hh- But we can't! We'll wake Alfia!"

'Ah! At least he has some sense in him,' feeling her body practically sagging in place, it took everything Alfia had to keep her sigh of relief from echoing beyond her bed-covers, 'Honestly. Even going this far is more than shameful enough, but how could either of you even think of doing something like this when I'm right here!?

"Hehe, Bell, what're you saying when you're like this?" Hestia's voice was full of indulgent desire, and each of her words were punctuated by her rolling her hips in place, rocking back and forth atop the bulge that was pressing so very greedily up at her, "Your body is being honest~"

"Nhh, Goddess! That's not fair! How can I not react when you're sitting on me like this!?"

"Ahehe, I'm flattered! But then, if it's all my fault… I'd better take care of it for you then. It's fine, it's fine, there's nothing to worry about, we'll be quiet, okay? Alfia won't wake up anytime soon, you saw how much she had to drink earlier."

'What!? You drank more than me!'

"Ah… We shouldn't…"

"Nnn, Belllll… It's fine, I won't do anything if you really don't want to… We can stop here if you want…"

The young adventurer's resolve warred ferociously against the sensation of Hestia's waist rolling gently back and forth over him, directly atop where his cock was straining, rock-hard, against his pants. It was a valiant fight, a brave and heroic defence fought to the very last drop of resolution…

…And it lasted all of five seconds.

"Just… just once should be all right…"

!?

Bell's quiet, shameless words sent Alfia's world snapping into place. Her eyeshot wide and her body jolted in place beneath the sheets she was cocooned in. With his surrender, the full reality of just what was happening washed over her. And with that realisation came the feeling that every bit of dignity and pride that had kept her silent until this point had been a mistake… And yet, even now, lying just a few meders away from them, watching…

As the two lover's lips met in a heated kiss once more.

As Bell showed some very well-practised motions, smoothly sliding Hestia's dress over her shoulders and releasing her massive breasts out directly into his hands.

As the Goddess showed of her own exceptionally deft motions, squirming happily atop the adventurer even as her fingers flicked open his belt, and his pants in a single motion.

…Still remained stuck in place, able to do nothing but watch. Even having previously been forced to listen to their lovemaking offered her no inoculation. Witnessing such a sight, seeing her sister's son unmistakably as a man, the Maiden of Silence was shocked absolutely mute.

The sound of Bell's trousers being kicked off was immediately followed by the sound of Hestia's panties joining them.

'Ah!?'

In the gloom of night, with only a few scant moonbeams scattering through their underground home, she could see barely more than shadows and silhouettes.

And yet, watching as the Goddess's dress was hiked up over her waist, as she braced her hands on his shoulders, and as her ass rose up, and up, and up, and up into the air… Alfia's eyes couldn't possibly miss the shape, size, nor sheer masculinity of the thick, hard pillar of cock being revealed from behind Hestia's small body, and stretching up hungrily into the air.

She couldn't see any details, no contours or specifics… and somehow in the back of her mind, that served as something of an exoneration- she couldn't see it properly, this didn't count, the very first cock she'd ever witnessed wasn't the massive rod she could see now between Bell's legs. Unfortunately, that self-styled exoneration did nothing to quell the flush of heat that washed through her at the sight. A shiver ran down her spine, and she swallowed instinctively, as long-dismissed feminine instincts reacted immediately to the sight before her now, a reminder yet again that the boy she'd known was now a man.

In contrast, Hestia looked smaller than ever. Steadying herself in place, finally settled atop Bell's length- despite standing at almost the same height as him, despite her divinely round ass and despite her massive chest, in this moment the young-seeming Goddess seemed practically dwarfed by her lover.

'Such a thing…' her mind filled with both wonder and with images, 'Can that really… fit?'

And then, just as Alfia's mind was telling her it was impossible, that her eyes must be playing tricks on her, that no woman could possibly take something so formidable, much less such a small Goddess…

!?

…Hestia rolled her hips down, without even a second of hesitation, and without even a drop of fear as her voice immediately echoed out around the underground basement.

"Ahhhnnnnn~"

"G-Godde-Goddess! Shh!"

Clamping a hand over her mouth to heed Bell's warning, the deity's hips slid down, and down, and down along his shaft, and before Alfia's stunned eyes, the massive shadow that had so easily dominated her vision disappeared once more; this time not in front of, but within the once-virgin Goddess of the Hearth.

Even through the gloom and the scant moonlight, Alfia could see unmistakably just how wide the smaller woman was being stretched open, and she could see just as clearly just how much Hestia's tight, round ass shook and trembled, how heady shivers were running up her spine, and how her head pitched backwards, then sagged forwards, leaving her staring down at where they were joined, as her hips descended further and further.

'Th-That's…'

It was the lewdest, most ridiculous and most unbelievable thing she'd ever seen. Just looking at their mismatched proportions it seemed like it should hurt, but already the room was filling with the sound of Hestia's -only just barely muffled- delight bouncing off the walls.

It was unmistakable, just how much the Goddess was savouring every moment of this, and just what an incredible effect taking so much of Bell's shaft inside her all at once was having on the woman. Her body trembled and shook, her free hand scrambled desperately on Bell's shoulders, even just from her silhouette, Alfia could clearly see her toes curling in delight… and, by the time Hestia dropped herself fully down his length, at the moment when the full magnitude of his cock was sheathed inside her, she cried out a scream do feminine and so unmistakably blissful, that it left a similar shudder running down the Maiden of Silence's spine!

"Gh, mghh! B-Bell! Bell! Bell!"

Alfia had no way of knowing that, after being apart these last few days, feeling Bell's cock hilted completely inside her once again and left Hestia cumming so violently that she'd almost passed out on the spot! She had no way of knowing that for several small eternities, the divine wisdom of the Goddess of the Hearth had been reduced to nothing but a horny, desperate mush! But even without any true sexual knowledge of her own, Alfia could clearly see the way Hestia had so frantically clenched both hands over her mouth just to keep from screaming aloud. And even without understanding just how easily and how thoroughly Bell's shaft had scattered the Goddess's thoughts, the barely-muffled ecstasy that rung out around the room had reverberated through the silver-haired woman so intensely she could do nothing but swallow, and watch in wonder as Hestia trembled, shook, and panted in obvious, vibrant, delight.

'Do-Does… does it really feel so good? Having something… s-so… so big inside you?' She wondered. She'd heard the other woman's moans before, but seeing her reactions, seeing the effect Bell had on her was affecting Alfia tremendously, 'Or… is it just because, it's his?'

In a testament to just how horny she'd become, or to how accustomed she'd gotten to such bliss, Hestia took only a few minutes to recover.

"Hnnn, i-it's so good… S-So, so this is your Level Two? It…hha, it feels even harder than usual…" The deity gasped, shivers of bliss visibly running through her moment by moment as her hips rolled lightly back and forward in place atop her lover, "H-How is it, Bell? This divine pussy that you broke in, th-that, that belongs to you alone? Did you miss it?"

"Of course I did, Goddess! It feels incredible!"

"Good, good! Th-Then, then, I'll take the lead this time… Nh, as a reward for all your hard work, allow me to show you heaven!"

And with that, Hestia swung directly into action!

Steadying her hands atop Bell's shoulders once more, the lewd divinity raised herself up on her knees. Her spine jolted, feeling his shaft dragging out through the length of her pussy, but a moment later she rolled her hips back down his length once more. Again. And then again after that.

Hestia's confidence showed just how accustomed she was to being coiled around Bell's cock like this, from the way she swung her hips back and forth as she ground herself up, to the way she drove herself down with all the force she could muster, it was clear these were not the movements of a rank amateur… And yet, the electrifying sparks of pleasure that set her body trembling, and the way her panting voice rang out, heady with lust and delight, made it clear that -experienced or not- she was still drowning in pleasure just as completely as the first time.

"Goddess…"

Bell's own voice, and his own lust, rang out in response, but he remained in place, letting his Goddess take the lead as she began bouncing atop him faster, harder, more hungrily and more desperately with each passing second.

Instead, he returned his focus to the massive, soft breasts still held securely in his hands, burying his fingers into the pillowy mounds and squeezing them gently in time with Hestia's motions. His fingers rolled back and forth in place, his thumb flicked across her thoroughly engorged nipples, and… right when his Goddess's hips pumped down against his once more.

"Ah!"

Bell suddenly leaned forward, taking her nipple directly into his mouth! Hestia's body jerked abruptly in place, her head throwing back and yet another trembling cry echoing out from her hips as the shock of pleasure completely ruined her rhythm!

"B-B-Bell! Th-that's, nha, that's not f-fair, you're, you're the one who said I have to be quiet!" she whined, her ass sliding around atop him, rolling his shaft in place against the deepest, most sensitive parts of her pussy, as she desperately fought for a scrap of control, "I'll, I'll go crazy if you, nhh, hooow are you so good at this!?"

The young adventurer didn't answer, and instead, the Goddess was left simply writhing in place atop him, moaning, squirming and cumming as his hands greedily caressed her huge breasts, as his tongue flicked across the increasingly-sensitive nub of her nipple, and as the huge mass of cock stretching her deepest walls wide continue to pulse and twitch hungrily within her!

A momentary respite, just long enough for him to turn his affection to her other nipple instead, was all she was offered.

And so, Hestia's hips swung weakly, heavily, and awkwardly into motion finally another few minutes later.

Any chance the Goddess had of "taking the lead" seemed far gone now, with the way her body was trembling and her hands shaking even just pushing herself up his length, Hestia seemed at every moment to simply collapse into a blissful delirium.

Alfia stared in wonder as Bell suckled on his Goddess's breasts, swapping between them only as often as Hestia managed to gather her wits, and with his hands still squeezing, caressing and teasing her all the while. Tossing her head from side to side, panting wildly and shivering with delight, the Goddess's once sure motions became halting and jerky. And yet, her hips ground their way up his shaft just as hungrily as before, and when she rolled her waist down the intensity was even stronger!

Watching the Goddess slam herself all the way down Bell's cock, seeing her writhe and gasp, as her entire body seemed to throb with a kind of desperate lust Alfia couldn't even begin to understand… it was as if she was watching a woman bringing on her own destruction, too addicted and too lost in the pleasure to possibly stop, even as she drove herself further and further beyond what she could possibly take!

!

!!

!!!

And of course, at the end of that path lay only surrender.

"Bell! Q-Qu-Quick, nhh, I can't, can't hold, I can't hold back! Kiss me! Hhh, be-before, before I scream!"

Alfia's sister's son had always been reverent towards the Gods, and he was not one to deny his Goddess now.

But even with his lips covering hers, with Hestia's arms linked tight around his neck, and his holding firmly to her waist- from the moment the small deity slammed her hips down, one final time, there was absolutely no muffling the scream that resounded! Even muffled by their kiss, even with Hestia doing her very best to hold back, she cried out so wantonly, so lewdly and so desperately into Bell's kiss that the scream practically rent the air, bouncing off the walls and reverberating all the way down Alfia's spine and to her core!

!

And with that, Hestia immediately sagged forwards, collapsing limply into Bell's chest, as if all her strength had drained out of her at once.

'O-Oh?'

In all the time she'd known the young Goddess, Alfia had seen always seen her bursting with energy and enthusiasm, save for those few moments when they were reminded that this young-looking girl housed the wisdom and maturity of the Gods, she was almost as annoying excitable as Bell. Seeing her like this was something the silver-haired woman had never imagined… Hestia was overwhelmed, utterly spent and yet, undeniably delighted all the same. Even as her massive chest heaved for breath, and her arms slipped from around Bell's neck, there was no missing the exhilaration practically radiating from her every pant and gasp.

"Haahh… Th-That, that was incredible… I passed out for a moment there…"

"Heh, I'm glad if you're feeling good."

"Nnn… Th-This, this isn't fair, Bell! I'm meant, nhha… I'm meant to be the one showing you heaven, this is, this is your reward for everything you've done…" Hestia's words cut off as she gasped for breath, and then with great effort, she forced herself to sit up straight once more, facing her lover directly, "But, but, we haven't had sex since before you even got injured, and… and I missed you so much, and I was worrying about you all this time, and I'm just so happy seeing you again, and being with you again… It feels so good, I can't take it at all! It's like I can hardly even think straight…"

"Goddess… You're, geez, that's… It feels incredible for me too, I'm always happy to be with you."

"Hh, but… But, I can't…" As if to prove her point, the Goddess of the Hearth squirmed slightly in place, rocking back and forth, shifting his cock around the deepest recesses of her pussy… and immediately fell back forwards, gasping and panting in giddy desperation once more, "I'm sorry, Bell, it just felt too good, it's like, my body won't listen to me anymore- I don't have any strength left… Nhh… Just moving, just feeling you, it's too much! Ha, I'm too sensitive right now, If I move at all, I'm gonna lose my mind… I'm way too wound up."

"Ah…" he paused, a long and meaningful hesitation as his desires warred with his kind nature, "That's fine then, why don't we stop here?"

"Huh? Bell, that's impossible, we can't just stop like this!"

"But, um, didn't you… you're already satisfied aren't you, Goddess? And I felt really good too, it's fine to-hhah!?"

Hestia's hips rocking forcefully back and forth in place atop him quickly served to silence the young adventurer's mollification.

"Nope! Nope! No way! Bell, I'm your Goddess, I'm here to look after you, there's absolutely no way I can just leave you when you're this hard… And you can't possibly explore the Dungeon like this."

"Goddess…"

"Mmm, then, do it for my sake, Bell? After how much I missed you… there's no way I'll be able to sleep properly tonight unless you make sure to _ _ _ _ _ _"

The Goddess dipped her head towards her adventurer and whispered the last part of that sentence directly into his ear. For the first time since she'd woken up, Alfia was finally spared the exact details of just what lurid thoughts were running through the supposedly-chaste deity's mind… but, from the way Bell stiffened in response, and the way his hands clasped instinctively around Hestia's ass, it wasn't hard to imagine just what the smaller woman had requested.

Hestia moaned delightedly in response, clearly able to feel the full weight of his reaction pulsing deep inside her, in a way Alfia couldn't even imagine. There was no doubt that her temptation had pushed all sorts of buttons… and that those buttons had left him pushing firmly against the deepest recesses of her most sensitive inner-walls.

"I… I'll be fine, by tomorrow, and… we've already… Um…"

"Ahnn, hehe, you s-say that, but your body is honest… Mmm, Bell, it's not like I dislike losing my mind, you know? I really love it when you take hold of me… I can already feel how much more powerful you are now, but I want you to engrave it into my body directly, as much as you want…"

The implication was beyond obvious, so much so that even after all she'd already been witness to, Alfia was left staggered. Hestia's strength had already given out, she could barely do more than squirm, writhe and cum atop him. So now, with her attempt to take the lead having failed, she was practically begging him to take the reins, to do whatever he wished with her sacred body- to bounce her in his lap, to flip her over and take her from behind, or to pin her down and fuck her directly into the couch. Normally, witnessing such a request would have earned nothing but derision and scorn from the Incarnation of Talent, but right now, with the room smoky with passion and steaming with lust, the Goddess's words carried an intensity that sparked right through her forlorn feminine instincts- despite herself, and despite her awkward, mortifying, humiliating position of being forced to stay silent and bear witness to her sister's son in such a state… Alfia's face was flushed bright scarlet and she realised she'd begun chewing her lip.

And, of course, the effect on Bell was several times more powerful.

Even in the shadows of the night, and as little more than a silhouette, Alfia could easily see his posture changing, and could easily envision how his expression was twisting up with temptation and desire.

Just as clear as Hestia's brazen invitation was the knowledge that there was absolutely no way the Goddess would be able to keep her promise to stay quiet. She'd already lost her control with just as much as they'd already done, if she were to give herself up entirely to him, then she would do so while practically screaming like a banshee all night long. In short, while he dearly loved both women, his desire for Hestia was currently warring with his devotion to Alfia. And, given that Bell's cock was currently sheathed within the divine warmth of his Goddess's virgin-tight pussy, it was a far more difficult decision than it would have otherwise been.

Even someone as dutiful as Bell was still a man. And even with all the sex he'd had with Syr last night and this morning, the last ten minutes had been more than enough to leave his soul blazing hot with aching desire once more.

"Alfia… did say… 'When you're offered a meal, eat.'"

'I never said to devour it right in front of me!'

"Exactly, it's not good to hold back, you know?"

'You could certainly do to hold back more, you shameless excuse for a Celestial Virgin!'

…

After a momentary eternity, Bell's posture finally settled. And with one swift motion, he suddenly reached down and hoisted the horny, tiny Goddess directly off his cock, holding her aloft with one arm, and -with a rather more awkward motion- leapt directly to his feet, pulling his pants back up and restraining his ferocious erection beneath the limits of the fabric once more.

Hestia gasped in surprise, then moaned in disappointment, but she settled against him without complaint, linking her arms around his neck to keep steady while until he could cradle her properly with both arms. Sagging from a similar release of tension, Alfia breathed out a silent sigh somewhere close to relief. It seemed that even divine temptation hadn't managed to completely win over her sister's son's rationality. And now, at long last the three of them could finally put this all behind them, and get some sleep.

"Ohh!?"

And then, right when it seemed this night's events were finally drawing to a close, Alfia watched as Bell held Hestia close to his chest, and then began carrying her with him… all the way across the room… right to the entrance of the Church's basement.

'What? Huh, he can't… he's not possibly!?'

The lustful Goddess of the Hearth's excited giggles followed his footsteps, and almost before Alfia knew it, Bell had left her behind, closing the door behind them as he bore his Goddess up the steps and away.

'That's… WHAT!? They can't be serious!?' Her mind reeled, 'They're going out to Orario, like that!?'

From what she'd unwillingly gleaned about Bell and Hestia's little dates, she knew that the two of them had some little love nest somewhere in the city. She knew absolutely nothing about it and wanted to keep it that way. So long as they kept their sexual proclivities away from her, she was more than happy. But no matter where it was, even if it was in the slums like this Church, they couldn't possibly head out into the city dressed as they were!

Hestia's dress was hiked up over her waist, and those massive breasts of hers were flopping out (round and full and) where anyone could see them! And Bell hadn't even put a shirt on, much less his shoes, and, and his… dignity… was only just barely being held back by his trousers! Whether it was a combination of the late-night, being love-drunk, or simply too horny to think, the two of them were about to cause an absolutely unrecoverable shame to the Hestia Familia and, more importantly, to Bell's legacy as a Hero!

Embarrassment or not! Pride or not! She couldn't possibly let them go through with this!

Decades-old reflexes and combat adrenaline surged through her in a heady rush, and with a speed that wouldn't have disgraced even a mid-level adventurer, Alfia leapt to her feet, nightgown flapping around her thighs as she dashed across the room and pulled the door open before her! A lifetime of adventuring kept her bare footfalls completely silent as she shot up the stairs like an arrow, taking the steps two at a time, out into the entrance to the building proper, and…

"Ahhhnnnn~"

…And looked out just in time to see Hestia, on her feet, bent over and braced against the dilapidated altar at the front of the church, moaning now in absolutely unrestrained delight as Bell -with his hands firmly around her hips- sheathed himself fully inside her once again.

Ah. A misunderstanding. She hadn't even considered this possibility. The doors out to the city were still sealed tight, and while the half-crumbled side wall and the ruined ceiling were hardly the picture of privacy, this section of Orario was practically abandoned and it was the dead of the night, it was certainly a lot better than them walking so flagrantly through the streets. And much better again than doing something like this right in front of her!

Alfia stepped back to leave.

!?

And right as she did so, a heavy wet slap of flesh upon flesh rang out through the momentary silence. And with that one single thrust, came a voice of such passion from the Goddess that it reverberated down Alfia's body so intensely, that it took her legs out from under her! She collapsed on the spot, falling to the ground at the top of the stairwell, caught in place and watching in shocked disbelief as Bell drove himself into his Goddess!

Once again, the Maiden of Silence had found herself suddenly overawed, and this time by the sound of Hestia's true, unabashed and unrestrained cries of joy! Without being held back by shame, or worry, and without being muffled by her hands, or Bell's mouth, the Goddess's voice rang out like a song of bliss and worship, punctuating each and every moment that followed the heavy, thick sound of Bell's hips meeting her own! Higher by the second, more intense, more ecstatic, and more unhinged as her hands scrambled at the altar, and as her hips swung greedily back to meet his thrusts!

The once-virgin Goddess's song of sexual ecstasy had sent the Maiden of Silence to the floor.

But what kept her stuck in place, slumped to the ground and unable to turn away, was the sight laid out before her.

No longer hidden by shadows and silhouettes, the night's gloom was pierced by the shimmering moonbeams passing between the clouds and through the broken ceiling. The silver-haired woman had no more self-exonerations, she could see everything now.

Hestia was lit up fully in the moonlight, Alfia could see the Goddess's flushed face, her overflowing affection and unshackled ecstasy. She could see the way Hestia's massive breasts bounced and swung with each of Bell's thrusts, how her mouth dropped wide and eyes rolled back as she soared through a haze of bliss, and could see how her legs shook and trembled, held up more by his strength than her will. She could see the way the Goddess writhed and moaned, how she tossed her head back and forth, and how she panted so wantonly and so openly, having nothing at all to hide and no shame to bear from her lover.

But her eyes quickly passed over the deity and drank in the sight of the young adventurer. On Bell's face she could see a kind of love, and desire she'd never before seen from the man; on his expression was firm determination, and in his hands was an unwavering strength as he held his woman in place. The adoration and affection he held for Hestia was absolutely unmistakable… but so was the fierce intensity in his gaze, the kind of resolve that she'd had only seen before from her comrades in the Dungeon. Whether it was from all the time she'd spent with him, or simply a measure of feminine instincts, as a shiver ran up her spine, Alfia knew she immediately understood his resolve- this was the determination of a man who would do his all to make his woman drown entirely in ecstasy.

It was somewhere between duty, love, desire, and loyalty. And it was filled with such passion, she almost couldn't believe this was the same timid young man she'd always known.

She swallowed a dry throat.

'S-So… so this is how he looks… when he's in the dungeon?'

This was the face of Bell as a man.

Another thick, heavy slap of flesh upon flesh rang out, echoed with another unhinged melody of divine joy.

And, with such noise reverberating through her, all further thoughts were lost.

She could see Bell clearly now.

She saw the way his determination mixed with his desire, and his own rising pleasure.

She saw the way his muscles strained and stretched in the open air, both his legs and his arms doing almost all the work as Hestia collapsed pathetically against the altar she was being fucked into.

She saw the way he stretched the tiny Goddess wide around his cock, and could only imagine just how forcefully he must be wrapping her innermost walls around his length.

She saw the way he drove himself faster, harder, without mercy or hesitation, even as Hestia cried out through mind-shattering orgasms one after another.

She saw the way he slammed himself so powerfully and so roughly into the woman he loved.

She saw the way he held her so gently, and gazed at her so tenderly.

And, with her body flushed and her cheeks inflamed with shame, Alfia saw his face contorting as he gasped and moaned with his own pleasure. The noise of Bell's masculine delight filled her ears and her soul as she watched how he held himself back to the very limits he was able… and how, despite that, that lusty, lewd, lascivious Goddess of the Hearth dragged him, centimeder by centimeder, towards the same Heavens she was soaring so giddily through.

Bell panted out a warning.

Hestia sang out a command.

And Alfia watched, unblinking, as everything coalesced to one final moment and one final thrust.

Holding so tight to her waist, his fingers were leaving red marks on her skin, Bell's cock was driven to the hilt inside his lover.

Hestia had long since collapsed against the altar, jolting in response, her body reacted just the same, pushing back into him with every drop of divine will still within her, meeting his thrust with her own, and covering every last milimeder of his length with her pussy.

'A-Ah!'

For just a moment, for just a few moments, for just a half minute, for just a minute… Alfia watched as Bell's body pulsed and throbbed, as his head tipped back with a sigh, and his muscles flexed- as he unloaded everything he had within the Goddess he adored.

The thick, viscous seed flooding Hestia's womb and overflowing her pussy, pooled along the Goddesses thighs, streaming and flowing and…

Splsh*

…The silence was suddenly broken, as the first droplet of Bell's essence splashed on the stone below.

It was the tiniest sound imaginable, after the cacophony of noise that had filled the church until now.

But with that, the spell over Alfia was finally broken.

Her mind and her thoughts returned, her shame and shock flooded through her once again. And, with trembling legs, a head spinning with unwanted memories, and a very, very battered sense of pride… the Incarnation of Talent, slipped unnoticed back down the stairs and retreated back into her bed; diving under the covers, she threw them over her head, as if trying to use them as some kind of shield.

…

Sleep did not return to her. Not with the way her heart was racing and her head was full of clouds.

Neither too, did Bell or Hestia return. Alfia had expected to hear her sister's son and his Goddess making their way noisily down the stairs just a few minutes after her, hopefully having cleaned themselves up first. But… the minutes passed, and the door remained closed.

"-Nhh! B-Bell!"

A distant, muffled moan served to answer that mystery. As Alfia's heart dropped to her stomach, she realised that once was far from enough when these two lovebirds thought they had some sense of privacy. And so too did she realise that the wooden door and the distance between them was not quite enough to completely silence Hestia's song of delight when someone with senses as sharp as Alfia was awake and knew exactly what to listen for.

'It sounds like it's coming from a different direction… he's got her against the wall thi-'

That thought was immediately banished.

So too was anything else relating to the noises echoing distantly, softly, and gently through the room around her.

Tossing and turning, and throwing a pillow futily over her head, Alfia prepared herself for a very difficult night ahead.

And as she did so, she became frustratingly aware of just how hot the room had become. Even though it was the dead of night, Orario's summer heat was being felt clearly now as the Maiden of Silence squirmed beneath the covers.

…

It was only several hours later when she finally saw Bell carrying Hestia back inside -now utterly dishevelled, looking even more a disgrace of a Goddess than usual- with them each absolutely stinking of sex and sweat… Alfia was finally able to relax enough to fall asleep.

'I'll get you for this Hestia, I will see you punished…' Finally losing focus and sinking into dreams, her drifting thoughts made sure to curse the Goddess that had caused this mess, but as always Alfia's concerns always returned to Bell, 'He looks… really happy…'

…

'…I'm glad…'

--*--

Notes:

A/N: So… Bell really didn't learn his lesson from the previous chapter at all, did he? First, he keeps the waitresses up all night, and then he does the same to Alfia? Just how quiet does he think he's being!?

I suppose Alfia deserves a fair amount of the blame too, given that she set the precedent. Because of her being too proud to interrupt them or to admit what had happened, he thought she'd slept through it last time, and well… Here we go again. I feel sorry for Alfia, but given that she could simply have swallowed her dignity and interrupted at any point- I don't feel that sorry for her.

Funny scene at the start with Heith, Ais and Riveria having shared the exact same dream as Bell from the previous chapter. Don't worry too much about the exact logic behind that happening, it's just something I thought would be funny- if you need a reason, maybe we can blame the God of sleep/dreams playing a prank on them all. Or maybe it was the Norns pulling some strings with portents of the future? We shall see!

I enjoyed writing that small scene with Filvis, feels like it's been a while since I've been able to have her come along and do something, so that was nice. And Argonaut… I won't say anything about that yet, but you can probably see where I'm going with it from that little scene.

Anyway, very indulgent scene with the sex in this chapter being entirely from Alfia's point of view, mostly because I thought that'd be fun and offer a very different perspective to the last time we had Chloe (eagerly) watching Bell and Hestia going at it. I'd very much welcome feedback around that, how you liked it, thoughts or feelings on it or anything along those lines.

Otherwise I think the big thing I wanted to call out was that I've changed Luck to Rabbit's Foot here. Not a drastic change, but something that was suggested to me on Questionable Questing that I thought was a remarkably fun idea. So Bell doesn't get Luck like in canon, but he instead gives Luck to those around him, those he cares for. Is that better or worse? Well, Alfia wouldn't take it, but Hestia certainly would.

Anyway, this chapter was made available as an Early Release a week ago, and future chapters will be following the same schedule. So if you want to help support me, want more information about my story statuses, or just want to read them before anyone else, the details can be found at:

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 13: Is It Wrong To Celebrate My Title?

Notes:

Author's Note: Hooooly shit this one got away from me! Remember when I said I was aiming for 12-15k words or so as a good length? Well, this one just kept going. So, here's what's essentially 2.5 chapters all in one, it should be a good amount to read at least!

I think I just had too much fun with a lot of the scenes, and then when I realised it was getting too big, I didn't have a good stopping point, so it just kept going till the end. Probably everything's a little longer than it needed to be, but hopefully, there's some really good stuff to enjoy too, I tried some new stuff with the raunch especially!

This is the chapter where we finally see the Denatus and Bell's new title. And I want to say thanks again for all the suggestions I got! I immediately realised they were way better than what I was thinking of, and I ended up going with a reader suggestion than my original plan. As thanks for that, I tried to mention or make use of all the ones I could through this chapter, so hopefully if you made a suggestion you'll see it here!

Before we begin, I want to mention a funny meme image I made in relation to the previous chapter. It amused me, and hopefully now it will amuse you: https/files.catbox.moe/qeh03p.png

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Banner

--*--

Denatus. The grand and glorious meeting of the Gods had come again. The august deities that governed Orario, and who ran the greatest Familia in the world would be convening once again, and through their divine wisdom, the mortal adventurers would be granted new titles to cherish.

The summer sun hung low in the sky, yet the entire city was already abuzz with the news.

Excitement hung in the air.

Speculation tinted every conversation.

Wonder rang from every breath.

Almost as one, it seemed that all of Orario's citizens were waiting with rapt anticipation for what this day would bring!

…

All except one miserable-looking Half-Elf girl whose head was hanging low, dizzy, and bewildered in one of the Guild's private rooms.

Eina's day had barely begun, and already it had just been one thing after another.

First, Bell Cranel had come to see her and report his progress. She'd been delighted to see him, perhaps a little too visibly so, given Misha's teasing, but with all the stories going on about irregular monsters in the Dungeon, and hearing about him specifically being injured, seeing him hale and hearty had been a great relief.

But next, had come the news that he'd, somehow, unbelievably, ridiculously, against all logic, achieved Level Two, already! That had been such a shock that she'd screamed it aloud.

"You made Level Two in six weeks!?"

Even now, secluded away in one of the Guild's soundproofed private rooms, she could still hear her shocked words echoing shamefully around her head. She'd realised her mistake immediately and practically seized up on the spot before apologising with all her heart, but even now she couldn't keep the very tips of her long, Elfin ears from burning red with shame.

Eina had always tried to be a model of professionalism and protection in her role as advisor, even when the other advisors kept their adventurers at arm's length to spare themselves the pain of loss when the inevitable happened, Eina had always forced herself to be different, swallow her tears and do her very utmost to look after her charges, to strictly give them the information they needed and to keep them alive.

And now, her most wilful case had left her so deeply shocked that she'd accidentally blurted out his personal information right in the lobby of the Guild building! It was absolutely mortifying, humiliating, embarrassing! She was so ashamed she'd practically dragged Bell away to this soundproofed room, just to apologise to him as sincerely as she could!

He'd forgive her immediately, being far more concerned with savouring his success than worrying about her failure, he paid it no more mind than the time it took him to shrug her apologise off his shoulders.

She'd done a lot to keep him alive, he told her with an easy smile, he couldn't possibly worry about something like this in return. And, he'd added, adventurer's Level Ups all got announced sooner or later anyway, and with the Denatus scheduled for this very afternoon, it wasn't even possible his could have remained a secret.

He was right, of course, but that was cold comfort for the woman who was supposed to be looking out for him. Achieving Level Two this fast wasn't just "record-breaking" it was ludicrous, so ridiculous it was difficult to even put into words how insane it was- Now that her heart was settled enough to even understand that he'd somehow done it, Eina knew without a doubt that if she'd had her way, she would have delayed the announcement for a good long time, and perhaps even released it in time with some festival or another… An unbelievably fast, record-shattering Level Up from a completely unknown rookie adventurer was exactly the kind of novelty that would draw the attention of every one of the feckless, entertainment-seeking Gods that populated Orario to swarm all around the poor boy.

"I think for the Ninth Floor, we mostly just went through groups of Wall Shadows and some Kobolds, uh, maybe five or six groups of about seven each."

But worrying about Bell's fate and the notoriety he was soon to have was a concern for another time.

For now, she was slowly charting her way through yet another unbelievable realisation, as well as a slowly smouldering anger.

"Oh, and then, when we made it to the Tenth Floor there was a bunch of Orcs and Imps… Um… I think, er… About 10 Orcs and 15 Imps?"

Numbly, Eina's hands moved across the parchment, adding this tally to the list that had already taken up several pages of her notebook.

Compounding the dizzying upheavals the morning had already held for the poor Half-Elf, when she'd finally calmed down enough to stop apologising for leaking his information, she had regathered herself as a professional, reliable member of the Guild and done the most obvious thing.

She'd asked Bell Cranel, just how exactly he'd managed to make Level Two so quickly. And she'd committed herself to making a record, as detailed as they could manage, of his adventures thus far.

It had seemed so simple, so logical for Eina, nothing more than her standard practice of going above and beyond for the adventurers she looked after. Regardless of the sheer insanity of his feat, Bell Cranel had somehow managed to achieve a Level Up faster than anyone in the world had previously thought possible, although her mind wrenched at the idea, she accepted it, there was no denying that fact.

The Guild collected and announced information about all adventurers that levelled up, never anything that would give out private details but enough that it would help with the collection of Magic Stones for the others- pooling knowledge was the most basic of common sense. And so, Eina had wanted to focus entirely on how Bell had collected his Excellia. An adventurer who'd achieved Level Two in six weeks would be known throughout Orario and beyond very soon, there's no way anyone would overlook a record of his exploits, so if she could turn it into something like a guidebook "This is how Bell did it, follow this and you'll get stronger" then she could help all adventurers across the city! A guide like that could be something that would significantly decrease casualty rates, it could change the very face of adventuring in Orario if everyone could just follow the path that Bell had laid out!

Or at least… that's what she'd thought.

Instead, she was left with her hand trembling lightly as it scribbled across the page, and her head turning around on itself in increasing dizziness, as she listened to the adventurer, who'd become something like a younger brother to her, detailing the full, ridiculous, scope of his absurdly unhinged, reckless, insane, irresponsible, thoughtless, selfish, impulsive progress through the Dungeon!

Scores of Killer Ants.

An army of Wall Shadows.

Kobolds left, right and centre.

Orcs by the dozen, and Imps to follow.

If she didn't know better, she would have thought he was lying for the sake of trying to sound more impressive. But Eina had met many adventurers who'd done that in the past, usually in some misguided attempt to win her affection… but Bell Cranel wasn't a liar, and he wasn't a braggart, and the way he was just listing off his encounters, matter-of-fact, as soon as he remembered them, left her with no choice but to believe that he was at least telling the truth as far as he knew it.

And, judging from what she'd written down so far, that truth seemed to be that there was no force of enemies too dangerous for Bell Cranel to throw himself at, no matter how inexperienced, underequipped and ill-prepared he may be!

Holding up her hand, she stopped him, right as he got to the point of his latest adventure, when he'd gotten mixed up in this Minotaur situation.

"Okay, okay, that's enough Bell-kun, I think I've got a pretty good idea now... a pretty good idea of how little you actually listen to anything I say!"

"H-ah!? Eh? Ei-Eina!? I-I'm sorry!"

Anger was radiating off the half-elf in such vibrant waves that the, now level 2, Adventurer began shrinking back in his seat, waving his hands and trying to explain himself. But even that faltered, and instead, he simply hung his head with an apology, unintentionally acting as a perfect mirror for how she'd been when they'd first entered this room.

That sight, and thought, was at least enough to cool Eina's rampage.

She sighed.

"Bell-kun! I keep telling you, I keep saying it over and over… I know, I'm not there. So, I can't say for sure what the answer is. It's very possible that you made the right choice, that you needed to fight like you did. But please, I need you to remember- everything is meaningless once you're dead."

I'm begging you, her eyes seemed to say, as their gaze met, behind everything Eina did was the same conviction, the resolution she had to keep her Adventurers alive. It didn't matter if he had to run away, if he had to crawl in the mud, or had to give up his pride- if he came back home, that was all that mattered.

Bell could only nod. He knew his Goddess and Syr would both say the same, it was the same lesson Mama Mia had imparted to him, and even similar to something Alfia had said in passing. He had people he loved, people he cherished and people he'd made commitments to- he couldn't so recklessly throw his life away, and he shouldn't risk it thoughtlessly either… He was sorry for worrying Eina, and for going against her lessons. But, he couldn't bring himself to truly apologise beyond that, because he knew he didn't regret his choices- diving into danger to save Lilli, or to fight those two Minotaur, his life had danced on the very edge of a knife the entire time, but he would make the same decision each and every time. That was the path Ryu had shown him, that was the road Ais followed, and that was the path he'd resolved himself to walk down.

Which wasn't to say he couldn't have made much better choices leading to those moments, or that he couldn't have kept himself a lot safer if he was stronger, or smarter… That reminder also served to leave the boy's head hanging in shame. Ryu, he was sure, would say the same. It was pointless to hold tight to your convictions if you didn't also have the strength to make them into reality.

Bell hadn't moved at all from where he'd retreated into his chair, but slowly, he raised his head towards Eina's gaze and nodded.

Their eyes locked for a long moment before Eina's lips turned into a sly smile. In an attempt to clear away the slightly gloomy atmosphere that now filled the room, she leaned right over the table, towards the young boy and held her finger right up between his eyes.

"In any case- just don't be reckless, okay?"

"Right!"

At his word, she bopped her finger against the top of Bell's nose, treating him to some gentle teasing and a warm expression before returning back to her seat.

'That's enough scolding for one day,' she decided, 'For now, I'm just glad he's still with me.'

"Alright. So long as you do understand. You got lucky this time, but you can't rely on that-" she reminded him, pressing the issue just a little longer, "I can't believe you let yourself get wrapped up in that Minotaur situation at all. Thank the Gods the Loki Familia was there… Make sure you thank Wallenstein-san properly when they're back from their expedition, I'm gonna be upset if I hear you've run away from her again!"

Bell blinked.

'Ah.'

Until this moment, he'd never given any thought to how the Minotaur situation had been reported. But, smiling wanly at Eina's light-hearted testing, he understood. Just hearing about it, there was only one conclusion anyone would draw, wasn't there?

'She thinks the Loki Familia took care of them.'

Why wouldn't she? All the Guild cared about was that the rampaging bulls had been killed and that the Upper Floors were (comparatively) safe once again.

The Loki Familia had been passing through, they'd been the ones on the scene and the ones to deliver him to the surface. He would have looked like nothing more than a useless, rookie adventurer covered in blood, wounds, and shattered armour- who would have possibly thought he was anything but another victim of the two Minotaur?

'Eina thinks Ais and her Familia killed those Minotaur.'

He should have been relieved.

'She thinks Ais saved me, again.'

Bell could envision the scene that awaited him playing out in his mind.

He saw himself sighing with relief, scratching his head with a slight bow, and agreeing it was an amazing stroke of luck that the Loki Familia had happened to be passing by. He would say as little as possible, doing his best to escape from letting out any incriminating details, and at the end when Eina left to go back to her desk, he would sigh with relief, smiling to himself that he'd somehow managed to avoid yet another scolding from his advisor.

It wasn't a particularly gratifying scenario, but it was far more appealing than anything else. Bell hated to lie, even by omission, but even he understood that sometimes a white-lie was necessary to keep the peace.

If he told her the truth, all he would do is upset her, yet again. After everything she'd told him, after all her lessons, all her warnings and all the time she'd spent trying to help him succeed as an adventurer, telling her that he'd gone off and fought two Minotaur all by himself… Eina would be absolutely furious!

A small shiver ran down his spine as he imagined trying to explain that he'd done that even after Ais had arrived to rescue him, that he'd thrown himself at two Minotaur simply for the sake of overcoming his own weakness. She would be angry beyond words!

He was very aware that was exactly the kind of recklessness she'd just finished telling him off for.

He liked Eina. She was smart, she was kind, gentle and patient, and more than anything else, she was someone who'd always done her very best for his sake. Bell cherished that greatly- even if he didn't listen to her as much as he knew he should, and even if he got bored out of his mind when she set him reading books or maps, he still respected her advice tremendously.

Even he could tell how lucky he was to have her as his advisor. There was absolutely nothing to be gained from upsetting her, rather, he wanted to make her happy! He wanted to make her proud of him!

"…"

And yet…

…And yet, as her words washed over him, Bell found his hands curling into a fist and found an uncomfortable sensation running down his spine.

Eina's entire body was full of relief and tenderness, there was nothing but goodwill in her expression. And yet somehow, the way she was looking at him… like a woman talking to a beloved, but foolish younger brother… set Bell's heart racing and lit a spark of frustration in his soul.

His old self would have simply swallowed that feeling and simply considered himself lucky to get away without another lecture. But now, he was different. The confidence he'd felt in his Goddess's arms, in Syr's embrace, and in facing down his trauma resonated through him, and he could practically feel his grandfather's gaze on his shoulders. He'd come to Orario to become a man.

Eina was a beautiful elf, an incredible woman, one of the few people who'd made time for an unknown adventurer like him, and someone he was truly grateful for. She was like an older sister to him- but he did not want to be seen as her younger brother.

Ah, he was still immature. He was still foolish. Nothing but silly pride.

But he was a man, and it was a man's pride.

"No."

"A-huh?"

"You've got it wrong. It wasn't the Loki Familia that defeated those Minotaur, it was me."

Once again, Eina found her body jolting to a halt as her own thoughts resounded clear and loud through her mind. Bell Cranel was not a liar, she had determined just a few moments ago, and nor was he a braggart that would make up something ridiculous in a foolish attempt to win her favour.

"Ah, wh-ha, who? Wha? Minotaur?"

"Me. I killed them both.

And so, staggered in confused disbelief, Eina's brain spun in circles and her morning continued to spiral completely out of control, once again.

--*--

Completely oblivious to the existential crisis currently dawning on a bewildered Half-Elf inside the Guild's private room, the beautiful maidens of the Hostess of Fertility were busy sweeping, cleaning and preparing the pub for what would undoubtedly be a busy day ahead, and Syr was helping too- no less beautiful, but decidedly less maidenly.

With the excitement and anticipation of the Denatus electrifying the air, there was little doubt that the day and night would see the Hostess filled to bursting with Adventurers throwing back drink and trading gossip, thoughts or stories about the new titles and announcements to be bequeathed from the Gods. It wouldn't be quite as intense as one of Orario's great festivals, but it was certainly all hands on deck… although, as was usual in such cases, their minds and their mouths were on another task entirely.

"I can't believe White Hair really made Level Two-nya. That cute butt of his is looking better and better by the day!"

"It truly is impressive. Cranel-san has proven himself a remarkable adventurer already… as expected for Syr's beloved."

"In just a few months too… Gotta say, he didn't look like much when he first came in, but…"

"It's not just impressive-nya, it's incredible! Adventurer's level a lot faster than anyone outside Orario, but nobody levels up this fast-nya!"

"Ahaha, I'm so happy for him! Bell-kun! Hehe!"

Bell Cranel hadn't stayed long, barely long enough to kiss Syr good morning and to carefully avoid Chloe's own advances, but in his short stint through the Hostess he'd stunned the waitresses with the announcement of his advancement to Level Two, and made arrangements with Mama Mia for a celebration party with his supporter, for this same very night. Whether having some small soft spot for the boy herself, or simply taking the chance to push him for a more elaborate celebration, Mia had even generously allowed Syr and Ryu -his lover, and the waitress who'd helped guide him the most- to join him at the table. The hulking half-dwarf had immediately shut down Chloe's attempt to invite herself, and any chance for Lunoire or Anya to get out of their own duties for the night was just as summarily squashed.

And with that organised, taking no longer than a quick goodbye kiss to the silver-haired waitress, and a turn away from the Black Cat's imploring looks, the young not-quite-so-rookie Adventurer had disappeared into the great City once more. With his armour still in bits, and his equipment still to be refreshed, he couldn't yet head back into the Dungeon, but it seemed there were still a good many things to keep the young boy occupied.

His white hair was lost in the crowd and his presence faded into the distance, but in his wake, he left shock and excited conversation. If Alfia had been present, she would have surely considered that alone a good mark for his ascent to becoming a Hero.

"Hey, the Denatus is today-nya, do you think he'll get a title? He will, right?"

"Cranel-san appeared to be coming from the North, it is reasonable to assume that he was attending to the Guild before arriving here. Most likely he announced his advancement to his advisor- there should be no reason he couldn't be included in the Denatus."

"Hmm. They won't have any information on him, though. Even for the Gods, there's not much to work with… I wonder what they'll call him?"

…

"Young Boy Blissful! Nya!"

"Silver Blitz Blazing Flash!"

"White Haired Rookie! Nya!"

"…I'm sure the Gods will think of something fitting."

"Ahhh, I just hope it's something cute!" Holding her hands against her cheeks, Syr's face burned red for a moment as she considered that, "Although, maybe not… Lately, I've been thinking… Bell's actually a lot more manly than he first appears…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Thinking of the soft, sweet and skittish Bell Cranel as manly immediately conjured up memories of a recent sleepless night among the other waitresses, and their faces blazed painfully crimson in response, all suddenly finding themselves far more interested in their actual duties than addressing any part of Syr's little monologue.

Instead, with thoughts of the young white-haired adventurer standing powerfully within each of their minds, Anya abruptly gave voice to an idea that'd been coiling across her thoughts since the previous night.

"Hey, Syr intends to support White Hair with that harem of his, nya?" She probed, leaning against her broom as her eyes passed over the other waitresses around her, "Well, then… Nya… Wouldn't it be nice if we all married him alongside her, nya? That way we could all stay together!"

Ryu baulked so hard her broom slipped from her hands, clattering to the floor as the red-faced Elf jolted stiff in place. Lunoire heaved a beleaguered sigh, Chloe echoed out a bemused laugh. But, true to her earlier words, Syr's face lit up in delight at the suggestion.

"Oh, Anya! That's a lovely dream, isn't it? I've thought the same thing myself. One day, when you all feel the same as me, I would dearly love to walk down the aisle alongside you four girls… it would be like a dream to me."

"S-S-Syr, th-that's, w-with Cranel-san… I really…"

While Ryu struggled to gather her words, Lunoire dismissed the idea with a shrug of her shoulders, "You two can leave me out of these dreams of yours. Hha… I can understand, Syr's just looking out for her man, I don't get it, but I can understand it. But I can't even take a suggestion like that seriously from you, Anya- since when were you that attached to Bell Cranel? You're just a lonely cat, scared of being left behind."

"!"

Reeling backwards from the blonde's words, Anya's ears drooped down, and her tail sank to the ground. Lunoire was a gentle and caring woman who looked out for those close to her, but she was also a former bounty hunter who'd lived every day with her life on the line; she knew how to punch directly to the point and how to understand the motive behind someone's words.

She knew Anya well and she cherished her just as dearly as any of the others in their little misfit group. There was absolutely no doubt her words were true.

And yet.

"So what, nyaaaa?" Despite that, Anya barrelled on ahead regardless, "Weren't you saying your dream was to marry a guy who'll look after you, so you can be a housewife and just laze around from then on!? You're always saying 'I'm sick of all this cleaning, and cooking and mopping, nya!' and, 'Ahh, another year passes, I wanna hurry up and find a guy to pamper me, nyaa!'"

Hearing her own words raised against her was enough to stop Lunoire in place, "I-I… I don't say nya!" she protested weakly, suddenly flustered.

"But isn't that selfish of you, nya? You just wanna sit around and have someone else do everything for you, that's definitely selfish! So then, White Hair would be a great fit! Since he's really selfish too, taking on multiple wives for himself, nya! A guy like that can't complain about you being selfish, and you'd have the rest of us around to help look after the house too- that's gotta be easier than cleaning this place, nya!"

Running completely over Lunoire's objection, and offering an insane kind of logic in reply, Anya took on a victorious expression as she puffed out her chest with pride.

"You can't seriously- that's! Ah… Hmm…" The woman once known as the Black Fist found herself stumped, the feline adventurer once known as Vana Alfi was usually full of nonsense and ridiculously un-earned pride… but every now and then, her particular nonsense struck a chord that was difficult to deny, "Hmph, what house? Since when did Bell Cranel own anything more than the clothes on his back? He's just another raggedy adventurer, he can barely look after Syr, let alone anyone else just yet."

No matter her past, Lunoire was still a beautiful, (mostly) young woman, countless patrons had approached her over the years. If she'd just wanted to get married to any old guy, then it was probably, surely just a matter of her making an effort. And for all her words, the years passed and she did nothing.

She did want to get married, and she did want to enjoy an easy life, lazing around… but she was also enjoying her current situation at the bar and the reckless companionship she'd found with the strangely likeminded waitresses here. For someone who'd been as isolated as her, through all the Familia she'd been through, finding the kind of knuckleheads she could fight with and argue with, as equals was something she didn't give away easily.

"But then… he has grown up quick, hasn't he? MMmm, but then, he's a bit young…" In the end, Lunoire just heaved another sigh and shrugged, "Eh, maybe I'll keep an eye on him. If he keeps getting stronger like he has, if he can keep up with me, a husband like that might be fun! Hah, sorry Syr, I know you're just teasing, but I can't agree to anything like that, just yet."

"Nyaha, well, unfortunately for White Hair, this beautiful feline has plans of her own! Sorry, Anya- I can't join his harem, because, he's going to be joining mine!"

Throwing her (flat) chest out with that declaration, Chloe was immediately lost in her own world of lusty daydreams, a wonderous paradise where she was surrounded on all sides by a quartet of adorable young men. Although, if the Black Cat's mind's eye had been focussed on anything thing except their cute butts all within her reach… she would have noticed that each of the boys in her imagination looked just like Bell…

It was a testament to just how pathetic the former assassin's love life had become, and just how poorly her harem ambitions were going. She had such little contact with the kinds of boys she dreamed about, that the only one to fill her fantasies these days was the only one she knew at all. In fact, the one and only romantic success the maladjusted feline had to keep her warm at night was that she'd finally experienced her first kiss… at 21 years old… via force…

Unfortunately, right as her fantasy was switching over to a re-enactment (and embellishment) of that wonderful moment, Lunoire snapped her right back to reality!

"You mangy cat!"

"Eh!?"

"Cranel-san is already with Syr! What, are you planning on stealing him away from her?"

"Eh? Ah… Huh!?"

Chloe spluttered to a stop, jolting in place as she recoiled from the surprise at those words.

Of course, she had absolutely no plans to betray Syr! She adored Syr, that silly silver-haired, lovelorn girl was one of Chloe's only and most cherished friends! But equally, while she absolutely, positively, (and repeatedly) delighted at the idea of getting her hands on Bell Cranel, Chloe had never considered joining in that harem of his that Syr had seemed to be championing. She'd always been intending to start a harem of her own, how could she join someone else's!?

"Have you seriously never thought about this!? And I thought Anya was the idiot here!"

"Hey! Don't lump me in with her, nya!"

"J-Just who are you calling an idiot, nya!?"

Ultimately, for all her daydreaming and her fantasies, Chloe's harem ambition had never been anything more than that. In all the years she'd been in Orario, in all the years since she'd hung up her old life, she'd never made a single step towards it. It had always just been a comforting idea for some time in the future, a pleasant dream to lose herself in… Even after gathering up the courage to approach Bell, and after kissing him, she'd still never thought beyond that, until this very moment, she'd never once given any thought to the logistics of her dream.

"Emmmmm!? Hmmm! Okay, I take it back, nyaaaa! Syr, I can share White Hair with you, nya!"

"Of all the arrogant…"

"This girl is hopeless, nya."

"I dunno about marrying him or anything, nya, I'll leave that all to you! But, we've gotta agree to put him in shorts, okay? You agree, right, nyaa!? That little butt of his, those lightly toned legs, it'll all… Ehh? What's wrong, nya?"

"Chloe…"

Rather than the excited expression she'd worn earlier, Syr's face had dropped throughout the course of this conversation, and by the time of Chloe's "concession", she was looking outright dissatisfied. The silver-haired girl's hands were around her broom, but it was making nothing but dispirited sweeps across the floor, and her eyes were radiating a kind of disappointment that the kindhearted waitress rarely let show.

"Nyaaa? Syr! Why're you upset? Were you not serious about sharing him!? Then why did you agree to all that, nyaa!?" Chloe was somewhere between frantic, concerned and confused, "Is that why you were so cold to me yesterday after I kissed him? Nya, that's strange! You're the one who was talking about sha-"

"..."

No words were said. But a heaving sigh from the Elf standing at the edge of the group immediately interrupted the catgirl's ranting and brought silence to the proceedings.

That Ryu was unhappy about this went unsaid. She was perfectly willing and more than happy to support Bell with Syr, but the sudden escalation of their relationship and the strange nature it seemed to have taken on had deeply affected the poor girl. She was a woman who'd tried to be flexible and who had failed, who had come to Orario to change herself and only managed to meet the world halfway. No matter how much it frustrated her, Ryu could only look at the world as an Elf, she could only handle things as an Elf, and a relationship like this was well beyond what any Elf would imagine.

And yet, despite her misgivings, despite her thoughts, worries, concerns and cares, Ryu still supported Syr. She supported her unwaveringly and without reservation.

Which was why the blonde's beautiful blue eyes were frozen cold, and why her beautiful, feylike face was twisted up in irritation.

"None of you guys get it. You don't understand at all."

Her sharp eyes matched an equally sharp judgement. Even if she didn't know anything about love or romance, she knew about Syr, she was sure about that.

"She's upset because you're just spouting on about yourselves. Syr loves Cranel-san. And, she wants you to love him too- but instead, you're all just speaking selfishly. It doesn't matter to her if he's being selfish, or th-that he's taking other wi-wives, she's accepted that already, and she wants to support him in it, not to make compromises because of it. Anya, you're just thinking about how you don't want to be left alone. Lunoire, you're just thinking about what you can get out of it. And Chloe, you're… absolutely shameless."

The girls each twitched in place as the Elf's words passed over them, unable to deny her words, Ryu's assessment continued.

"None of you are thinking about Cranel-san, or about Syr. I don't… it doesn't make sense to me, but… But she wants this. Syr doesn't want to walk down the aisle with fou- er, with three other women who could get some benefit from marrying Cranel-san. She loves him, and she wants to share that love with you… and none of you appreciate it."

"Ah, nyaa… that's…"

"Ah… C'mon, Syr, it's just, it's a lot for us, you know?"

"Nya, I wasn't really…"

"Ryu!"

The waitress's abashment was interrupted by the sound of Syr's voice immediately returning to its previous vibrancy. Face practically radiant with joy, the silver-haired girl launched herself at the Elf, wrapping the shocked blonde up in a menacingly affectionate embrace!

"Ahh! Ryu! I knew you would understand! Oooh, Ryu, please, won't you become Bell-kun's wife with me?"

The severe girl's severe expression had melted immediately and in its place was a furious blush as she squirmed in Syr's arms, and tried very pointedly not to let images of Bell Cranel run rampant across her mind.

"S-S-Syr… T-That's… Even as a joke, th-that's…"

Th-CRASH*

An enormous dull sound of a fist slamming heavily onto the doorframe signalled Mama Mia having come downstairs to inspect their progress. And with that, the conversation was immediately, furiously, ended!

"!"

"HEY! I'm not paying you to stand around, GET BACK TO WORK!"

--*--

"Ah-Ow!"

The witch's fingers slammed into the boy's side, digging in directly underneath his ribs. His voice cried out in pain and the magic encircling his fist dissipated to nothing, as it died, so too did the warm sound of bells that had filled the church basement.

Bell grimaced in pain, and Alfia clicked her tongue, "I can't tell what's more annoying- you crying out like that, or that pointless racket your skill makes."

Trust you to develop a skill that makes so much noise, she had told him earlier, making it clear that -quite aside from Hestia's enjoyment at listening to Bell's Argonaut- the woman once known as the Maiden of Silence found it infuriating. And of course, the sound only got louder and more irritating the longer Bell held the charge.

Readying himself once more, Bell held back his words. This session was far from what he'd imagined, but he was in no position to debate her methods.

Why exactly had he been in such a rush after leaving Eina this morning? Why had he spent only a brief moment with his lover, Syr, instead of sharing his excitement about the upcoming Denatus and the war his Goddess had promised to fight on his behalf, winning him an "Acceptable Title"? His armour was smashed to bits and his equipment still hadn't been replenished, until he had solved both those issues he couldn't go into the Dungeon- by all accounts Bell's day should have been nothing but free time.

But Alfia had given him a strict order this morning. When he'd reported to the Guild, and when he'd done whatever else it was what he needed to do, until the time for his celebratory party, she would train him in the use of his newest skill.

How could he have possibly held back after hearing that!?

After the trouble he'd gotten himself into when he'd learned Magic and recklessly ran off to test it, Bell had managed to (just barely) hold himself back from heading into the Dungeon with just his coat for protection, for the sake of trying his skill out. Even if the name "Heroic Desire" was absolutely mortifying, it was still the first skill he'd developed by himself! He'd been practically bursting at the seams to figure out just what it was supposed to be!

His mother's sister offering to train him directly was rare enough, but training him specifically in his new skill? It'd been enough to set Bell's heart racing and blood pumping!

He'd cleared things up with Eina. He'd arranged things with the bar. And then he'd headed straight back home to train!

…

And instead, he'd spent the last few hours, standing in place directly in front of where Alfia was sitting on her bed, having her fingers jabbing and poking painfully into him!

He still didn't know anything about his Skill, how it worked or even what it did! All he knew was that it caused white light and a sense of power to flow into his hand, that it got louder and more powerful the longer he charged it for, up to about three minutes worth… and that if his concentration was interrupted, so too was the charge! That last one had been the primary focus of their lessons, something that Alfia had apparently decided the previous night when she'd seen him test it out, and noticed the power growing the longer he held onto it.

Rather than practicing building up a big attack, or finding out just what would happen if he used his magic with Argonaut at a full charge (apparently that was "far too dangerous" to use inside their home), Alfia had put him directly through what she'd informed him was exactly the kind of training a novice mage would learn for Concurrent Casting.

In short: Whatever it was his Skill did, if it needed to be charged, then it was worthless if he couldn't hold onto that charge while he was in combat. He was a frontline fighter, he couldn't possibly expect to just hang back and be given time to charge up an attack, he needed to be able to charge it while attacking, and -even more importantly- while defending.

Which was why he was currently standing firmly in place, shirtless, charging up his skill over and over again while doing his very best to avoid Alfia's fingers stabbing into his body. He'd been told he wasn't allowed to move his feet, but he could dodge and twist himself as much as he wanted, and beyond that, he had to just bear with the pain and keep his focus even while taking damage.

It was good training in theory. It all made sense when she'd laid it out.

But in practice, it was surprisingly painful and incredibly dull. For a boy who was yearning with all his heart to unleash his Skill with full force, simply trying to charge it as long as he could, over and over again, was about as unsatisfying as could be imagined!

"Hha…"

Closing his eyes for a second, the young adventurer once again brought to mind the heroic stories he'd read on his Grandfather's lap. Small motes of white light began appearing around his right hand, and the soft, warm peal of bells began to toll around the room.

"Hmph!"

And, as if the noise was her signal to attack, Alfia's onslaught began instantly.

With Bell's now Level 2 defence, his durability should have been far too great to take any kind of injury against a civilian's bare fingers. And with ranked up speed, trained with the Sword Princess herself, he would have thought he was far more than fast enough to dodge the attacks of a woman who didn't even have a Falna.

In practice neither of those things were true.

Even though she was orders of magnitude slower than him, and even if she was far less powerful than the Minotaur he'd already killed, Alfia's battle instincts were sharpened to a degree that he couldn't even imagine. Her hands flashed out and easily penned him in, predicting the way he would twist and sway his body, leading his movements on and-

"GH-Hhhh!"

-Striking at his most vulnerable, vital spots, over and over again. Directly into the centre of his abdomen, right under his ribs, between his ribcage over his heart, directly over his liver, Alfia's fingers were merciless and far more than enough to crush the defences of even an advanced adventurer. In just the few hours they'd been at this, Bell's body was already covered black and blue with bruises, and far more often than he managed to bring his Argonaut to full charge, he found himself crying out and his Skill being utterly shattered.

The sound of bells dissipated, and the white light disappeared.

This time he'd barely even lasted a minute. He was getting slower, and as his injuries mounted, it was getting harder to move like he wanted. Of course, Alfia didn't see any of those as reasons to even consider taking a break, much less stopping. As she'd already informed him, he could hardly expect to be uninjured when he was fighting in the Dungeon, the entire point of this training was to get his body used to pushing through desperate situations. If he couldn't dodge her attacks, then he needed to get accustomed to continuing his charge, even when getting hit.

It wasn't quite as spartan as the kind of ruthless training he'd done under Heith's direction, but it wasn't far off it.

He could deal with the pain. He was used to that kind of rough training. It was the dissatisfaction that hurt the most! It was like being trapped in one of Eina's lectures, he knew what he was learning was important, but he still wanted to do something more interesting!

For her part, Alfia was enjoying the lessons just a little more than he was.

The noise was irritating, whether it was from his cries of pain, or the chiming bells echoing around the basement walls.

But far more irritating even than that, were the thoughts and memories that had been running through her head all morning!

After everything that'd happened last night… from the sounds that'd woken her up, to the shadowy silhouettes she'd seen on the couch before her, to the sight she'd witnessed bathed in the moonlight after following Bell and Hestia to the upper part of the Church… Alfia had been dealing with some very troubling visions, the like of which she'd never faced before- and as a consequence, she'd barely managed to sleep at all!

Thankfully, Hestia had left first thing in the morning, so she'd avoided having to deal with the Goddess seeing right through anything she might have said, but trying to act normally around her sister's son, trying to push those same thoughts and those same memories from her mind while he chattered away as obliviously as ever, had tested the very limits of Alfia's icy façade.

The fact that this training had him standing shirtless, just a few meders away from her, made things almost impossibly difficult for her. It was necessary for his lesson, of course, her attacks would hurt much more on his bare skin, and would make it much more difficult for him to concentrate… but it also made it almost painfully difficult for her to keep her cheeks from turning red, and to keep the visions of him last night from pounding through her head.

In short, Alfia's very practiced and very forcefully controlled act of composure was slipping, and her true, passionate, personality was slipping through.

And so, teaching Bell to concurrent cast even through pain had turned out to be an amazing stress relief for her!

It was still training, of course. And he needed to learn this, of course.

But anytime her mind wandered away to the last time she'd seen him shirtless, to the sight of him unveiled fully before her in the pale moonlight, to the scene she'd seen with him and Hestia and how that little Goddess had moaned and screamed with a delight Alfia tried not to imagine…

"Hmph!"

"AHK-HHA!?"

…Her hands would slash through the air just that much quicker! And her fingers would slam into him with enough force to leave even this Level Two adventurer crying out in shock!

--*--

Meanwhile, in the upper district of Orario's west side, a certain blonde-haired God was preparing himself for the upcoming Denatus as well.

While his Familia hadn't made any remarkable achievements in the last few months, and the reports he'd heard from their expeditions to the Middle Floors had been mired in petty grievances and dysfunction, the fact remained that his children had been going on expeditions, and they had been working hard. Which was why he was doing a last-minute update for the Status of any of his favourites, seeing if any of them had pushed through to the next barrier, that he might have something to boast about himself among the other Gods.

Unfortunately, no such easy miracles came with Falna. None of the Statuses had changed markedly since he last saw them, and he would have no new reports to make this afternoon- rather, no specific need to even attend the gathering.

Even so, Apollo wasn't discouraged. He'd been on the lower realm for some years now, he was a hardened veteran among the Familia Gods, someone who'd worked hard and clawed himself up to his position among the upper echelons of Orario's power structure. He was well aware that Levelling Up was a process of years, and that there was no point at all in presiding over a Familia without patience and a long view. And so, any disappointment he may have held was well overshadowed by the simple pleasure of seeing his follower's growth and development, that his name would shine ever more brightly for the achievements that awaited them.

"Not bad at all, Cassandra. For all your moping, the results of your last expedition are really starting to show."

The sullen blue-haired girl in question simply nodded, saying nothing as her God's fingers danced across her Falna.

Stripped bare to the waist and feeling just as vulnerable and just as powerless as she always did during her Status updates, Cassandra had developed a technique of hunching over as much as possible without slowing the process down. Huddling into herself, with her arms wrapped tight around her massive breasts and her back kept as straight as possible even as she bent to her knees, she was doing her very best to present as little of her body as possible to the deity.

When he had forced them into his Familia, Apollo had made a seemingly sincere promise, both to her and Daphne, that he wouldn't lay a hand on them until their 20th birthdays. After that, if neither of them had found a man of their own that met his approval, he would take them as either his brides or consorts.

Whether he'd given his word out of some consideration for them, or simply out of a kind of divine amusement, neither of them could possibly know. The agreement was a farce, of course, they were all aware that there was no man he would give his approval to. Yet, all the same, the Sun God had stuck true to his word, and even as the two women had blossomed into such notable beauties within "The Penetrator's" Familia, they had each remained as chaste as ever.

But of course, promise or not, accidents still happened, and it was hardly uncommon for Apollo's fingers to slip during an update.

And so, Cassandra went through the process as mechanically as possible- saying nothing, keeping her body absolutely still, maintaining an absolutely rigid posture, presenting as little skin as she could get away with, and enduring the sensation of his unwanted hands upon her as best she could.

Thankfully, her God was being good today, humming happily to himself as he made commentary and as his hands danced across her back, touching her only a little more than was necessary to raise her basic abilities.

"You've done well recently, you and Daphne both. You haven't grown quite as much as her, but this is a very commendable performance- you're well into the middle of Level Two now; if you keep this up, it really won't be much longer bef-!?"

Apollo's words suddenly cut off, and she could practically feel him jerking to the spot as his hands paused in place, drifting down from her shoulder blades right to the small of her back.

"Well now! Well now, indeed! Just as I praise your growth- congratulations, Cassandra, you've earned a new skill!"

"Ah!?"

That unexpected revelation finally brought the first words from the bluenette's mouth as she squeaked in surprise. She hadn't expected anything like that. She'd done her best, despite the haphazard nature of the Apollo Familia expeditions, and she'd always tried to share her visions with her comrades when she could… she couldn't think of anything special she'd done since her last update. All she'd ever done was follow behind Daphne and go along with her instructions. A new skill!? It was a burst of unexpected good news that broke through the prophetess's melancholy.

"Hmmm… It feels warm, warm and protective…. But, loud? How unexpected for you, this Skill feels like it's practically calling out to the world and all around it," Apollo's fingers slid across her back, tracing over the point where the words were now surely engraved upon her Falna, "But, beyond that… I'm not sure what to make of it."

It was a skill that'd developed from her own progress and experiences, born from her soul, so it was developed automatically, but beyond his divine intuition, the Sun God struggled to understand either how such a thing had been developed, or what it meant. It certainly didn't seem to have any kind of connection to the child before him that he could make sense of.

"Resonating Desire," he read aloud, "With the bell's chime, your potential awakens."

"The… bell's chime? My potential?"

Status update complete, Apollo spent a moment locking the girl's status before releasing her once more, raising his arms with a shrug.

"I suppose it's just something you'll have to discover for yourself. Hmph, if nothing else, isn't it suitable for an Oracle to have a skill that speaks in riddles?"

He laughed at his own joke, but Cassandra didn't respond.

And surprisingly, nor did she do anything at all.

Usually, she would have hurried to re-dress herself the moment her Status Update was complete. But this time, she remained in place, stuck bent over to her knees, with her breasts squished forcefully beneath her folded arms, her breath caught tight in her throat, and her heart hammering in her chest.

'The bell's chime…'

It didn't make any sense to her, nor did it mean anything at all.

But there was only one Bell in her life that she could think of. And his presence was the only thing in her life that had truly changed since the last time her Status had been updated.

Cassandra had no idea at all what this strange skill meant, or how it was used.

But she was certain, as sure she'd ever been of anything.

This skill was connected to the dreams she'd seen, the future she awaited.

"Bell-sama…'

This wasn't fair! He was doing everything out of order! She hadn't even met him yet, and he already dominated her thoughts each night! And now he'd gone so far as to engrave his mark into her soul!? He was practically declaring to the whole world that she was his! How was she possibly supposed to deal with this!?

Once more, the blue-haired Oracle's face was blazing red.

--*--

The Denatus was originally a meeting of retired Gods and Goddess, that was held out of pure boredom, a gathering of earth-bound divinities that had too much free time. With their Familia having already built up a certain level of power of influence, these deities wanted to forget about the stresses that came with their position and leave it all behind them, enjoying full-time relaxation. And since these Gods had nothing better to do, they thought it would be fun to simply gather other similarly retired Gods and kill time by talking about trivial matters.

While it had begun as nothing but a small, informal party, the important thing had been that these extravagant deities needed somewhere suitable to meet- and, in the tower of Babel itself, one was soon established on the thirtieth floor.

As the years passed and the number of participants grew, the purpose of the meetings slowly began to change. The pointless conversations gave way to serious discussions of Orario's affairs, and when the Guild became powerful enough to establish itself even within heavenly affairs, the Denatus became a meeting that had far-reaching effects across the Dungeon City and beyond.

As the name, Denatus, took on more prestige and more importance, so too did the voices and decisions of the deities that attended. The people of the city looked to the meeting of the Gods as a revered and hallowed gathering, one of utmost solemnity where the city's most respected patrons clashed wills and ideologies, driving the very fate of Orario and the entire world.

In all the decades and centuries that had passed, a meeting that had once been no more than the idle whims of capricious Gods… remained exactly the same. The divinities were, of course, unchanging. It was the mortals, the Guild and the world that had changed, the Gods, as always, simply followed along for the sake of their amusement.

And of course, the most prime amusement of all was the naming ceremony.

It was directly into that lion's den that Hestia walked, a bead of sweat forming between her shoulder blades and her heart clenching tight in her chest.

Like many such fearsome places, the meeting place was staggeringly beautiful. The entire space within the 30th floor had been completely remodelled, with only the massive pillars supporting the lofty ceiling remaining from the original design. A magnificent round table sat in the centre of the room, surrounded by a ring of chairs and the rest of the floor was pristine white marble. The outer walls had been replaced with glass, encasing their meeting within the clouds above the city- and coupled with the extremely high ceiling, the design gave the impression that the Gods were meeting in a temple floating upon the sky.

Taking in the humbling atmosphere, Hestia was immediately reminded of her own temple and of similar sighs across Olympus. Even without asking, she could easily guess at which Gods had overseen the original construction.

"You seem surprisingly calm."

"I've got nothing to be nervous about, do I?" The Goddess of the Hearth answered with a snap as the crimson-haired, crimson-eyed Goddess walked in step next to her.

Hephaestus, the refined leader of one of Orario's most prestigious Familia, was a veteran of these meetings, and one of the few nominal allies that Hestia could call on. Wearing a thin black blouse, her sparkling red hair flowed free down her back, and while her clothes were typically more fitting on a man, the forge-Goddess's generous curves filled them out so enticingly that she drew in the gaze of male and female deities alike.

Brushing a hand past the patch covering her right eye, Hephaestus shrugged, "I thought you'd be a little more anxious. You know, scrunching up your face, like you always do."

"If something's going to go wrong, I'll make plenty of noise… But all that does is provide entertainment for everyone else, right?"

Even as a first-time attendee, the apparently Virgin Goddess knew already the real nature of the Denatus, and the result of the Gods' endless hunger for amusement.

But despite her assurances, Hephaestus could still feel Hestia holding back a pained grimace as deity after deity came up to her to squeeze or pinch her puffy cheeks. She was a brand-new face in their often-stale attendances, and many of the other Gods and Goddesses were drawn to her like moths to a flame. They didn't even bother to hide their teasing intentions- it wasn't about who she was, this was a baptism, and they would have done the same even if it wasn't Hestia.

They were congratulating her, in their own way, at least. It was a miracle that her extremely small Familia's status had gone up. And the Gods, even more than humans, loved miracles. To the unchanging deusdea surprises and novelty were prized almost above anything else, and anything so unexpected, so novel that it could only be called a miracle was the absolute height of excitement! This was the pinnacle of the entertainment they hungered for, the very representation of the endless change and possibility that made the mortal realm so beloved.

"I'll say this now: Don't expect any help from me. Whatever my status, my voice is just one among many here."

"Yes, I understand." Hestia fidgeted in her seat, fighting back an oppressively rising nervousness moment by moment as the other deities slowly started taking their chairs around the table.

"Let's get the ball rollin!"

A wild, raucous cry brought all remaining conversations to a sudden halt, as the owner of the voice rose to her feet, her vermilion-coloured hair swishing around as she spoke.

"'Bout time we started up this one-thousandth Denatus! Today's hostess is none other than yours truly, Loki! Nice ta see ya!"

Hestia was none too pleased to find that her most frustrating rival was the one leading the event, but it seemed that with the Trickster's entire Familia away on an expedition, the redhead had nothing better to do so she'd volunteered. Unfortunately for Hestia, being the newest face on the block, glaring across the table at one of Orario's most powerful factions, she couldn't possibly object.

Luckily for the young-looking Goddess, her rival didn't take the chance to provoke her in response. Instead of charging across the table towards her, like Hestia would have expected, Loki completely ignored her. Instead, she simply directed everyone to their seats, banged her hand on the table to indicate the meeting had begun, and called for anyone with information to hurry up and share it.

And with that, the proceedings, proceeded.

Following their own traditions, the assembled Gods spoke in turn, sharing news, gossip, stories, rumours and unjustified speculation.

It seemed that Soma had gotten a warning from the Guild, likely young Eina's doing. The sullen God was now holed up in his room, even more of a shut-in than ever.

Ares, that meathead from Rakia, was apparently making plans and moves to invade Orario again. Loki made a note to inform the Guild, but nobody took it particularly seriously.

There was still no news about Artemis, who had taken her entire Familia off on some hunt at the far edge of the continent. Hestia's face turned downcast at hearing that, but it seemed such hunts were normal for her friend.

Freya and Ishtar traded barbs about their presence at this meeting, and about a clash their children had recently had. Each seemed to have some connection to the recent Minotaur incident, but there was no evidence to leverage an accusation.

Each piece of news was treated with serious replies, laughter, insults, jibes and everything in between, and each of the Gods weighed in with their own opinion anytime they wished. The atmosphere was unhurried and relaxed, with each piece of conversation flowing freely and shifting from pointless joking to absolute sincerity and back, two or three times apiece. It was enough to leave Hestia's head spinning and to remind her that- Goddess or not- she'd been something of a shut-in among the Heavens, this kind of chaotic, random discussion was completely out of her element, and well beyond anything she could hope to take control of.

Realising that was the moment that Hestia began to understand the true terror of the Denatus.

She'd come this far without any meaningful allies, and without any real plan, trusting entirely to the idea that the sincere and earnest love she felt for Bell would see her through to winning him an acceptable title. She wasn't naïve enough to have ever thought it would be easy or simple, she knew as well as anyone just how capricious or cruel her fellow deities could be… but, it was only now, as she was swallowed up by the tide of voices, and the chaotic cries bouncing all around the room, that she began to realise just how over her head she truly was.

But of course, the horror was only beginning.

"All right, then. Here's what we got. Need ta keep our eyes on Rakia, and inform the Guild- although knowing old man Ouranos, he'll figure it out himself anyway. For now, just give your Familia a heads up, that clear to everybody?"

"Understood!"

Loki went around the table, asking for any other news or information that needed to be shared. And, as soon as her question fell on deaf ears… she clapped loudly, her face twisting into a catlike grin!

"Then, let's get to the Naming Ceremony!"

The previously light-hearted room was immediately tense.

The moment that Loki uttered those words, many of the Gods who had been actively vocal in the discussion froze, their faces turning one shade paler. Looking around the suddenly silent room, Hestia could see the exact same nervously pained expression writ on all their faces, and her own soon grew to match it.

As for the others, like predators sizing up a meal, they drooled in anticipation.

These Gods were used to how the Denatus was run, and their absolute favourite part was coming up. Several of the previously jovial faces were now broken into ugly smiles and twisted, eager grins. For the Gods inhabiting the lower world, this was among the greatest of the amusements on offer to them.

The party, and the tragedy, was about to begin!

'Everybody's got the handouts, yeah? Then let's raise the curtain! Today's first up is… Set's boy, an adventurer named Seti!"

"P-Please, please go easy on him…!?"

"""""""""""Denied!"""""""""

"Noooooooooooooo!"

The Lower World was a very different place to the Heavens, and the Gods that inhabited it -without their divine power, or their duties- were often very different to the ones that still resided in the world beyond. Even though the deities were unchanging, they were still affected by the mortals that surrounded them and the lifestyles they lived. Many Gods who had once been cruel had become gentle through the love of their Familia, and many Gods who had once been noble became corrupted and vain through the power struggles within Orario. The children of the Lower World often grew similar in outlook to their deities, and in turn, the Gods' sensibilities became similar to that of the mortals.

However, there was one, overriding and unimpeachable exception to that- Titles.

Gods and Mortals had a vastly different sense of what made for a good name, a difference as great as Heaven and Earth itself. Were the Gods strange, or were the children foolish? Were the Gods too radical, and the children too old-fashioned? There was no objective measure. But what was known, without a shadow of a doubt, was that many names that made a mortal Adventurer's eyes light up with pride, made their God's head droop in shame!

"-That's final, then! The adventure, Seti shall be known as a dragon knight of the dawn: 'Burning Fighting Fighter'!"

"WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?"

A cry of despair echoed around the hallowed halls, followed immediately by howls of mocking laughter. Another proud child and brave adventurer had been branded with another "regrettable name."

The deities with less than pleasant demeanours loved to watch as others were left squirming, faces twisting up in agony as their beloved and cherished children were, one by one, given these mortifying titles.

What only made it even worse, and even more delicious, however, was that the children who received them would -of course- be in awe of the kind of images these nicknames produced. The amusement-seeking Gods would then be treated to a wonderful second course- watching with glee as these adventurers would then wear such uncouth names proudly, bearing them as badges of honour… even as their own God or Goddess would roll around the floor, going mad with embarrassment.

The best part of all was that these were the names that would live on forever in the children's legends.

"This… this is too cruel…"

"I understand all too well."

Hestia's scared voice came out as a timid squeak, out of place for the brash young-looking deity as she recoiled back in her seat. Hephaestus nodded slowly, her single crimson eye looking far off into the distance as she answered.

"I was the same at first."

Deities attending Denatus for the first time, especially the Naming Ceremony, were treated with the utmost cruelty.

Even if the meeting had begun as a way to share useful information, and even if it was ostensibly meant to be a purposeful and productive meeting… this was the real entertainment, and this was what kept these Gods coming back time after time. The hazing of the newcomers had begun, and Hestia could only look on in horror as she watched her fellow Gods scream out in despair, while others laughed at their pain, clutching at their ribs as they suggested more and more outlandish, ridiculous titles.

The disparity between the two groups was sickening. And her own small attempts at trying to offer acceptable names was like trying to push a boulder endlessly uphill. Even Hephaestus's kind suggestions were summarily ignored.

Goodwill was not the order of the day here, and all the Goddess of the Hearth's attempts at appeasement amounted to nothing. Even when Takemikazuchi, one of her few divine friends, had his beloved child subjected to the Gods' whims, she could do nothing. And, when the girl was summarily branded with a title so embarrassing it made Hestia's teeth crawl, she finally understood just how powerless she was.

A quick glance over at where the handsome, black-haired God was currently face-down on the table, moaning in fury and crying tears of blood, told her clearly just how harsh this battlefield was. Her hands were trembling and her heart was squeezing so tight she felt it would burst. She was sure she loved Bell even more than Take loved his Mikoto, but love was only fuel for the slaughter right now.

"I-I'll… I'll have to take Take out for a drink tonight…"

"You should just focus on yourself for now."

"R-Right…"

The pandemonium continued, time after time, with pained cries and raucous laughter filling the halls over and over, until finally all the adventurers from the lower and middle-ranking Familia had been granted appropriate titles. Following that, the more powerful Ishtar, Ganesha, Hephaestus and Loki Familia had their names given, and while a few of them were unable to fend off the odd embarrassing suggestion, the balance of power was made painfully clear.

Nobody would dare incur Ishtar's wrath in trying to suggest something ridiculous for her children, and Loki wasted not even a second in silencing the Gods foolish enough to try give a new title to her beloved Sword Princess.

As with everything in this Lower World, the only way to truly stave off the Gods' attention was through power, money or influence, and the high-ranking Familia lacked for none of them.

The high-ranking Familia's children were dealt with quickly and easily, with the divine amusement stifled by equally powerful divine threats, and in less than half the time it'd taken to work through the lower-ranking adventurer's names, the pile of papers stacked before each of the participants had been reduced to just one single page. The last child, a no-name adventurer from a no-name Familia that had levelled up right before the Denatus, and whose profile had been squeezed into the agenda at the last minute.

"Ah-"

Looking at Bell's name, and the sketch of his face taken from around the time he registered as an adventurer… normally Hestia's heart would have fluttered with joy, but right now all she could feel was an insurmountable dread.

"So, that child really did become Level Two…"

Her friend's words barely made it to her ears as Hestia looked around the table. She was surrounded on all sides by wide and open smiles…

…unfortunately, they were the dirty, drooling smiles of people who had just eaten a full-course meal and were about to savour a delicious dessert.

Her moment of truth had arrived. Her hands trembled and her body shivered, with incredible effort, she raised her voice to speak-

"B-Bell, is, he-"

"Oi!" Loki was on her feet, and just her single word was enough to silence Hestia's unprepared, tremulous address, "Before we get to naming, there's something I'd like ya know, Shorty!"

The usually squinting redhead had her eyes opened wide and the Goddess of the Hearth pinned beneath a furious glare.

"Your kid did this much in a month and a half… you expectin' me ta believe that!?"

WHAM!

Loki slammed the palm of her hand onto the paper before her, proclaiming Bell's level up, certified by the Guild itself.

"It took my Ais a year to level up for the first time- a whole year! And this boy does it in a month an' a half!? What're you trying to pull!?"

Eight years ago, a small and clueless child had shocked the world by smashing the previous record, becoming the fastest adventurer in history to reach Level 2. Not only that, but she was human, a race that was considered physically and mentally weaker than many of its counterparts. The story of a young girl overturning all of history in just a single year had spread throughout Orario and the world like wildfire.

And now, Bell, a small and clueless human boy, had smashed that record so thoroughly it seemed like a joke.

"Your Falna isn't any different than mine, no different ta anyone else's! It doesn't matter which God a child dedicates themselves to, it's all the same!"

"B-Bell, he, he worked rea-"

"And don't say he worked hard!" Loki's fist slamming into the table cut that off immediately, "All these kids work hard! Are you saying your child worked harder than mine!? That he worked harder than anyone, ever!? There ain't no shortcut, and they're all doing their best in the Dungeon- a child that levels up so fast, ain't natural!"

Trickster or not, there wasn't a deity in the room that could deny her words. They all knew how it worked. The Falna was the blessing of the Gods, but it wasn't instant, it didn't grant power- it simply stimulated their own growth. Every part of their development was unique, and it was all driven by their own desires, wishes, experiences and dreams- that was what made it so fascinating to the unchanging deities! A God's blessing was completely unaffected by outside forces, it was nothing but someone's inner potential being unlocked.

There was absolutely no reason to believe that Hestia's blessing would be any different. Which meant, the only thing that could possibly explain Bell's staggering rate of growth, was something else entirely.

"So, spill it, Shorty."

"…"

Stuck frozen in place, Hestia could have sworn Loki was breathing fire; she was drenched in sweat just facing down her rival's burning glare, let alone the varied and sharp gazes spread out across the room.

This was bad, this was very, very bad.

She had no excuses, no explanations and no way out.

There was absolutely no way she could tell them about Bell's skill. She hadn't even told him, for that very reason, and even Alfia had agreed with her assessment there, they both knew exactly how the other assorted Gods and Goddesses would react. Especially now that Bell had achieved an unprecedented, record-breaking Level Up, this place would turn into an absolute zoo, and then every single God in this room would swarm him, followed by every God in the city right after that.

She had to fulfil her duty to protect him, the mortal child she adored and the man she loved. However, in order to do that she would have to somehow explain that Bell was somehow more special, more talented, than anyone else… without also turning the entire room against him. She needed to find some kind of believable explanation to give Loki, but there was nothing at all she could think of. Stuck on the spot, she knew any feeble excuses would be cut down just as easily as her prior attempt.

"So, ya can't say? Ya wouldn't be happening to use your Divine Power now, would ya? Just a little, just a bit to nudge him on his feet, hmm?"

Loki's words were light, but her tone dripped with poisonous venom. Every God understood this. Even the vilest of the Evils and the most vain of the Beauties still played by the same rules. They were all in this Lower World for the sake of playing the same game; any of them could use their Divine Power at any time and instantly have the most powerful, unbeatable Familia in the world… but then the game would lose all meaning, it would be boring. You could do anything in Heaven, already. If you were going to cheat, then what was the point of even coming down?

O-Of course, I'm not!" Hestia threw her hands up in desperation, waving them frantically as if to ward off the suspicion, "I would, I would never!"

"Well then, out with it. If your conscience is clean, this should be easy as pie for ya."

"Ah…"

Every set of eyes around the table was boring into the once-virgin Goddess. Even the few that had heretofore held no interest in this new record-holder, were extremely interested in this turn of events, every one of them was leaning in closer, ready to pick at every one of her words. Even Hephaestus and Take couldn't meet her gaze, sitting back in their own seats with troubled looks on their faces and nothing they could think to say to possibly help their friend.

Swallowing heavily, as the panic reached a crescendo, Hestia felt like the entire room was closing in on her. She was finished. She couldn't possibly find a way out.

"My, my… I think I may know a little something about this."

A beautiful soprano voice echoed around the room, and an equally beautiful silver-haired Goddess gently took complete control of the proceedings.

"Freya!? Huh, what've you got ta do with any of this!?"

"Oh, nothing at all. But I do have to wonder, are you not a little too involved in this yourself, Loki? Unless there's some evidence that Hestia had broken one of our laws, then there's no need for her to explain herself at all. After all, it's our rule never to reveal the inner workings of our Familia, that includes any Statuses and Abilities of our children…"

Leaning back in her seat, Freya twirled a lock of silver hair around her finger, speaking in a light, disinterested tone as if she was explaining the absolute simplest common sense.

"-Hah!?" And yet, the Valkyrie Goddess's soft words stopped Loki completely in her tracks, "But, in one month!? It's ridiculous! Can't you wrap your mind around that, you damn airheaded bimbo!?"

The insults and anger met nothing but soft, melodic laughter, "Hehe, and why does it bother you so much? It's your attitude that seems strange to me… oh, is this jealousy, perhaps? Are you upset that Hestia's child broke your favourite little girl's record?"

"Like I care!"

"I wonder."

Loki's sneer was greeted with the same ever-present smile. The trickster's face contorted in violent rage as she opened her mouth to speak… but finally, nothing came out. Just as Loki had done to Hestia moments earlier, Freya had twisted her words into a corner from which she couldn't escape. And of course, the look on Loki's face as she seethed silently in her seat made it all the more worthwhile for Freya as she looked on with a smug expression.

"Of course, I do agree that his speed was a surprise! I never expected that anyone could rank up in such a brief time… but, looking at this picture now…" Freya's face turned sad, troubled, as if she was overcome by a great wrong that she had failed to prevent, "I was suddenly reminded of something one of my children told me- I believe they had a run-in with this very child, and they were almost in tears to me, telling me how worried they were that such a poor young man might be mistreated within his Familia."

It was a lie, of course. There wasn't a single soul around this table that believed that for a second. Why would Freya possibly care about the fate of some unknown child in some unknown Familia? But, even though it was so blatantly a lie, it sounded like an amusing one, so the other Gods went along with it.

All except for Hestia, who having been jolted from panic, to shock, to relief, and now to fury, finally found her words.

"Wh-Whhuh, WHAT!? Mistreated!?"

"This was the child from that unfortunate Minotaur incident, wasn't he? The one your children caused, Loki?" Freya didn't wait for an answer, "An experience such as that… being hunted down, cornered and brought to the brink of death by such a terrifying monster… that would surely have an incredible effect on such a young child, powerful enough to traumatise him, or even to warp his growth perhaps. But then, on the other side of that coin… could you not also say, that for such a child, defeating a Minotaur, overcoming such trauma, would have special meaning?"

The room went silent. Every one of the Gods was forced to weigh that thought. Nobody knew the exact details of the incident Freya was describing, but the rumours that went around the city had talked about a young boy chased and harried by a Minotaur, saved only at the last second by the Loki Familia, who had since made a fool of himself dripping blood all over the marketplace.

"Hmm, and of course… As his patron Goddess, you knew that as well, didn't you Hestia?"

"Ah-huh, wh?"

"Ahh, it's an all-too-common story in our beautiful city… Orario has its harsh side, doesn't it Hestia? I can understand, you must have found yourself overwhelmed- reduced to working part-time at a food stand, acting as a mascot, letting customers pat your head…" Now it was Hestia's turn to find herself choking on her rage in the face of Freya's soft words. Nothing she'd said was false, which made it all the more offensive, "And then your one and only child, the sole member of your Familia, had such a harrowing experience… why it must have made you wonder what lay ahead of you at all… If only he could get a little more powerful, if only your child could earn a bit more money, if only you could attract a few more followers…"

Freya leaned forward, putting her chin on her hands as she held Hestia in place with a terrifyingly amused smile.

"Oh, actually… Come to think of it… Didn't I see you desperately begging Hephaestus for something at the last Banquet? A weapon, perhaps? A prize for a beloved child? Or maybe… a tool worthy enough to slay a Minotaur?"

"A-Ah!?"

"And, it seemed this Level Up came directly after he fought, not one but two Minotaur. What a staggering feat! Absolutely unbelievable!" Freya gushed, "But a strange one, too… don't you think, Hestia? The Guild's report says that the Loki Familia was right there on the scene, and yet your child still fought two Minotaur, rather than leave it to them? I just have to wonder… why would a young, rookie adventurer so desperately push himself into such a dangerous fight… if not at the behest of his beloved Goddess?"

"!"

The words rippled around the room like a shockwave, and every one of the Gods was now staring jaws open at the stunned face of the small, twin-tailed Goddess.

"Oh, now that you mention it, she was clinging to Hephaestus that whole party wasn't she? And she chased after her even after she left!"

"Actually, I remember my children saying something similar! They mentioned a young beginner adventurer who had somehow made it all the way down to the Tenth Floor within just a few weeks!"

"What? That fast? Normally an organised party would take months to each that deep, that's practically… Well, that's almost suicide, isn't it?"

"Oh my, Hestia! I always thought she was such a kind Goddess… So, she had such a harsh side to her too?"

"Ah, I forget how desperate beginner Gods can be sometimes. She has to understand how fragile these children can be."

"So she was pushing that child to fight his way down to the Middle Levels, thinking he'd be able to fight a Minotaur and Level Up? I can't believe it!"

"Wow, she always seemed so nice… Maybe it was lucky they found some Minotaur on the Upper Levels, after all then?"

"I don't know if the people that died would consider that lucky!"

The Gods' feigned shock and delighted amusement swirled heatedly around the room. Whether they believed the story or not didn't matter, Freya's implication was as clear as could be, and it had turned out to be just as juicy, just as amusing as promised.

"Ah-hwa, hhaa… whaaa!?"

Hestia staggered, realisation slowly dawning on her as she looked at the twinkling amusement shining bright across Freya's face.

"I didn't, I never! SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" Finally, she snapped, "No way! No way! NO WAY! I never, ever, told him anything like that! I never wanted Bell to fight a Minotaur this soon!"

"Oh my!" Freya feigned shock the best of them all, placing a hand on her cheek and reeling backwards, "So, you don't deny that you did want him to fight a Minotaur then?"

"Ah! She practically admitted it, didn't she?"

"I never thought the Goddess of the Hearth would be so cold."

"Sending such a cute young child to go hunt a Minotaur… It's just wrong!"

"Even for a poverty-stricken Familia, you can't be that desperate to advance! You've got to take it slow, you can't use your children so roughly!"

Hestia raged, screamed, shouted and cried to absolutely no avail. The accusations and the rumourmongering were half the fun, and the other half was seeing the way the young-seeming Goddess squirmed and seethed in the face of them. Hephaestus offered her a soft, encouraging smile, but otherwise said nothing and that was all the support she was given.

Surprisingly, aside from the few nominal allies on Hestia's side, the only deity that didn't join in was Loki. Still fuming about having her line of inquiry shut down by Freya's storytelling, her eyes remained fixed on the silver-haired Goddess and her anger burned as hot as her hair.

That, at least, was a minor relief. Even if it meant she was enduring an absolute slandering of her name, her morality and the way she treated her Familia, and even if she knew the streets would soon run hot with rumours about her as an abusive, uncaring Goddess, she'd managed to protect Bell's privacy and managed to keep secret the truth about his growth. She had no idea why Freya had done what she had, but even if it did paint Hestia as a horrible villain, the Valkyrie Goddess's explanation for Bell's advancement made sense, and it was quickly accepted as either true or close enough to true, by all the assembled Gods. Even Loki was forced to go along with it.

The hazing continued for some time before the meeting would be finally brought back under some semblance of control.

--*--

"Fine, fine, fine! Enough of this!" Loki snorted, and definitely, absolutely, didn't pout, "Whatever, well we're down ta our last name anyway. So, what should we call Loli Big Tit's child, then? Any takers?"

"This human… It's a little hard to suggest anything, I haven't heard anything about him at all."

"Well, it's always the ones you overlook who surprise you."

"Ahhh, but there's no rumours about him at all."

All donning faces of pretend seriousness, the Gods immediately began discussing the boy. Hestia writhed in her seat, clenching her hands tight as her chest thumped and the conversation swirled around her.

"There's just not enough information here. Nothing to go on at all. Your lovely little Eina-chan was really lazy with this one."

"Don't blame Eina-chan! He levelled up just right before the Denatus, they had to squeeze him in at the last minute, it can't be helped."

"Let's see… White hair with red eyes… Kind'a like a rabbit? What about 'The Good Rabbit, Pyonkichi.'"

Hestia's stomach turned.

"Nah, that name's already been used. A smith named, uh, Wel-something, was using it as his armour's model."

"Stealing the name before us!?"

"What about you, Ganesha, Anything come to mind?"

"… I am, Ganesha!"

"Haaaaaaaa… Yes, yes, Ganesha, Ganesha…"

The discussion continued, with the male Gods largely taking centre stage in a completely unproductive conversation. Hestia's offer, that since nobody knew anything about him but her, she could decide the name, was immediately rejected, and Hephaestus's good-natured suggestions were ignored just the same. Loki frowned but said nothing, content to simply watch the display unfold without comment, and Freya lounged back in her seat, putting up a show of complete disinterest.

And so, without anyone to centre or focus the discussions, the suggestions got more and more out of control. And Hestia's blood pressure rose, second by second.

"Ravenous Rabbit!"

"Oooh, what about 'Vorpal Rabbit!'"

"Wasn't he the one splashing monster gore through the marketplace? It's fate! His name shall be- 'Bloody Bunny!'"

"No, no, look at him! He's a cutie, so I suggest 'Breeding Bunny'!"

"A rabbit-like adventurer, hunting in the dungeon? Then surely he must be 'The Hunting Rabbit: Alpha Leporis!'"

"He was caught up in that Minotaur incident, wasn't he? How about 'Minotan – The Ox Slayer!'"

"Wasn't there that Hero, who was always getting tangled up with Minotaurs? Odysseus?"

"Ooh, Argonaut too!"

"Surely, it's too soon to name him after a Hero, he needs a much better name than that! He looks quick and feisty… My friends, grant me the honour of shaping this child's destiny- as he strides forth to great deeds, his new title shall be- 'Ultra Sonic Blitzfang'"

""""""HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!""""""

With each new idea, and each offered "suggestion", Hestia's blood pressure ticked upwards and her anger rose, until an aura of red-hot rage was surrounding the Goddess of the Hearth, hot enough that even the forge Goddess sitting beside her began sidling away. It was safe to say that the Gods' provocations were landing perfectly. Her confidence had been blown away, her self-assurance was in tatters, and her restraint was coming apart at the seams. She was caught up entirely within the cruel baptism all new attendees faced, and all that remained now was for her to provide a spectacle for them before having her child branded with a mocking nickname.

"!"

But then… right as Hestia was seeing red, and right as she was about to explode… A certain handsome blond God caught her eye and offered her a reassuring wink.

"Ah!?"

Hestia's voice broke the chaos, and all in attendance leaned forward, preparing themselves for the delicious course of her impotent fury.

"You know…"

Instead, they were taken off guard as Hermes pushed back his chair and let his words fill the silence. Lounging backwards in his seat, he tipped his cap up, dragging the words out as he spun the entire room around on his finger.

"I thought it was really curious. The report here says he uses Sound Magic."

"Sonic Boom!"

"Rabbit sound wave!"

"No, no, 'Tune in, it's Rabbit FM!"

"What're you getting at Hermes?"

"Nothing in particular, it just stood out to me. It's strange, don't you think? I mean, it's strange enough to hear about a rookie human who can use magic at all. But… Sound Magic, of all things… Rare thing that. Hmm, in fact, I can only think of one other Adventurer who used anything similar."

An array of reactions passed around the room at that. Some faces darkened, pulling up a long distant memory. Others twisted into an excited grin, considering the new possibilities. And newer deities, like Hestia, simply looked on in confusion- with no-one at all stepping forward to explain a thing to them. Such was the nature of the Gods.

"Wait, wait… you don't think he's related to her, do you?"

"Wow… 'The Incarnation of Talent'? Oh! Oh! He does have that famous white hair!"

"Hey, well, who's to know, surely?" Hermes waved his hand with a languid shrug and his normal easy-going smile, "I can't say I've ever heard the name 'Cranel' before, and I think if he was related to her in some way… Well, no offence Hestia, but I don't think he'd have been left in your Familia."

He spoke lightly, teasing her as if this was just a friendly joke, but Hestia was left fuming yet again as the entire room exploded in laughter at her expense. For those who knew Alfia, it was just as Hermes had said. It was impossible to imagine the feared and furious Maiden of Silence would leave someone related to her languishing in some joke of a solo-Familia run out of Orario's slum district. She was far too proud for that and far too selfish to accept anything less than the best.

Hestia, of course, didn't get the joke, but she did get ready to throw something at Hermes.

"So, it's just a coincidence?"

"Hmm… Didn't she die back then, during the Dark Age, anyway?"

"Still… white hair, sound magic… How about Talent Potential!"

"Ooh, Awaiting Talent!"

Again, the random, thoughtless suggestions were ignored as Hermes swept his hands around and easily drew the attention back to himself, "Well, whether there's some connection, or this is just a coincidence doesn't really matter. It seems to me that, more important than anything like this, this is an omen. Orario waits for a hero, and here comes a boy whose very presence brings to mind a fallen hero of the past, who are we Gods if not observers of such fated occasions!? I believe we cannot possibly ignore such an occasion, rather we must meet it with the only possible answer left to us… And so…"

Ever the showman, he dragged his suggestion right to the hilt, drawing the audience forward, hanging on his every word.

"Let it be known that Bell Cranel's title, shall be Heracles."

!

Hermes raised his hands, as if having just finished conducting an orchestra and the Gods in attendance responded in kind, gasps of "Oooh" and "Ahh!" filled the auspicious hall as they considered the idea. Even Hestia found herself stopped in place. Heracles, Glory of Hera. She didn't understand the meaning of it, and she hardly liked the idea of having another Goddess's name used for her child, but it was clearly the kind of portentous name Gods were fond of. It wasn't the kind of flashy title she knew Bell wanted or the kind of simple one she wanted, and it seemed perhaps a little too big for him, but it was better than anything else she'd heard so far, and…

"Rejected."

Clicking her tongue, Freya waved her hand one single time and ended the discussion instantly.

She didn't, of course, actually have any kind of veto power… but then, nobody was brave enough to press that case.

"Really, Hermes? Bringing up Hera, now? What an absolutely tasteless suggestion. I expected better from you. No, no, not at all. This boy needs something cute, hmm, cute, but just slightly manly."

"A-Ah… Freya…"

With the curtain abruptly fallen on his show, Hermes could do nothing but offer Hestia an apologetic shrug as he sunk back into his seat. He'd tried at least. No matter what he owed Zeus, he wasn't crazy enough to butt heads with Freya about something like this.

Putting her hand to her cheek as she held up the paper, the Valkyrie Goddess heaved a heated sigh, "We can't possibly give him such an ugly title. Look at this child, he's utterly adorable, even in this sketch he looks like he'll burst into tears at any moment… And now we find out that not only is he somehow strong enough to take down two Minotaur at level 1, but he's absolutely demolished a record we all thought was unbreakable. My, my, you ladies understand, don't you?"

And with that, it was the Goddess's turn to chip in and send Hestia's blood burning once again.

"Oooh, he really is! And he did all that because Hestia was pushing him so desperately? Ahh, it just makes you want to save him, doesn't it!"

"Mmm, he's sooo cute, but… but also there's a feeling that you'd feel really safe in his arms?"

"Oh, I know just what you mean! He's one of those guys who's always soft and kind- but when the moment arrives, he's stronger than anyone!"

"And then he stands in front of you, saying something like "I won't let you touch her!" Ahh!"

"Y'know, isn't it such a waste for him to be with Hestia?"

"Oooh, Hestia, let me borrow him for a night, okay?"

"Yeah, if you're not gonna try him out, then why don't you let me take him for a spin? I'll teach him all kinds of things, you'll be glad when he's back!"

This time, they at least weren't making fun of Bell. But somehow, such lascivious jokes only made it even worse, and Hestia finally had taken more than she could bear.

"You understand, don't you, Hestia dear? You've found such a wonderful child. It's only natural we want to tweak your nose a little."

Freya's words were gentle, but her explanation was more than enough to finally snap the last restraints holding back the smaller Goddess's fragmented composure.

"Okay! Okay! I get it, I get it!" Screaming aloud and jumping to her feet, she finally drowned out the swirling mess of chaotic suggestions, "I get it, I'm sorry! I understand, this is about putting me in my place, right!? I know I'm just a new face here, but please, my child has been brave and strong, and he's done so much for me! Bell doesn't deserve to be burdened with some ridiculous title, please, just leave him out of this."

Hestia's pleas were heartfelt, but they fell on deaf ears. The smiles around the table only grew wider as her desperation grew. The table was laid, and the feast was begun.

"I-I, I, ah, I'll come sweep the street in front of your Familia Houses! I don't even have a house of my own, but I'll come out in the morning and clean the walkway to yours, for everyone here, you can all laugh at me as much as you want! Haha, that's funny, right? I'll bow, and smile, and I'll clean your walkways till they shine!"

The idea of the Goddess of the Hearth out there cleaning the steps to their homes, before scurrying off to her part-time job at a food stall was certainly an amusing one for the Gods. But unfortunately, the spectacle of her fighting such a futile battle so desperately was even more amusing. Hestia cast her gaze around the table, looking for whatever allies she could find. Hermes avoided her gaze, and Take and Hephaestus both looked away. She'd been warned already, that she didn't have enough power or influence to change anything, and there was nobody on her side with enough power to fight this battle on her behalf.

Her heart pounded and her desperation mounted.

"Ah um, aah, Apollo!"

"Hmm?"

Focussing suddenly on the orange-haired God, Hestia desperately squished bitter memories of the painful humiliation she'd suffered at his hands before, "You, er, you said, you er… You said you liked me back in Heaven. S-S-So, so if you help my child, I'll go on a date with you!"

Her face was blazing red at that point, and she made a silent promise to herself that she'd bring Bell along as a chaperone to this 'date' so he could be assured that nothing would happen. But she did her best to appeal to the man all the same. It was a weak and mortifying offer, but it was the only thing she could think of.

The audience exploded into titters and laughter at that, turning as one towards the man and his awaited reply. In turn, the Sun God leaned forward, bearing down on her with a haughty smirk as he folded his hands beneath his chin.

"Will you put out?"

"Ah-Wha!?"

Laughter enveloped the room once more, loud, cruel and mocking. And once more Hestia was left as an embarrassing spectacle, just as she had been all those hundreds of years earlier in Heaven.

Apollo shrugged, "Come now, Hestia. We barely even talked in those days, you just kept to yourself, you and that "Anti-Sex Club" of yours. It wasn't like I was particularly attached to you- I just simply thought I'd try my hand at completing Zeus's challenge. Well sure, I can appreciate how hard you've worked to come here, so I don't mind expending some graciousness towards you once again- I'll give that child of yours a nice, heroic name… in exchange for that virginity you've been keeping safe for me, alright?"

Hestia turned crimson with shame, her body welling up with embarrassment and tears swelling in her eyes. She'd known it was a mistake to try to appeal to Apollo. She'd known she couldn't possibly make a worthwhile agreement. He knew she wouldn't accept, that she would never have even if she could have, he was just trying to humiliate her, to remind her of just how far beneath him her Familia was. And once again, just like all those hundreds of years earlier, Hestia was a laughing stock at his hands, the victim of a cruel game after her naïveté had outweighed her better sense.

Her mouth hung open, but she couldn't form the words to reply. Not that one was needed from the way Apollo was swanning around before the crowd, soaking up the attention and the commentary like adulations.

"That's more than enough," thankfully, she was spared further humiliation as Hephaestus's voice silenced the room. She didn't have enough influence to save Bell from the Gods' intentions, but she had power enough to shut down a vulgar joke at her friend's expense, particularly one that left many of the other Goddesses scowling, "I will let that pass once. The next person to make a joke like that will have their Familia banned from my shops."

"I quite agree. What a disgusting display, Apollo."

Ignoring just how unfitting a statement that was from her, before things could get any further out of hand, Freya took the reigns of the meeting once more. And in doing so, she sealed the small Goddess's face entirely.

"And unfortunately, dear Hestia, while I certainly wouldn't turn down a date with you- the walkway before my Familia house is utterly spotless already. Franky, I resent any implication that it could be anything but- and I'm sure everyone else here is of like mind."

"Freya…"

"What was it Loki called that child of hers earlier, our 'Hometown Hero'? She certainly is, Ais Wallenstein is a beloved and respected figure all across Orario, someone all of us Gods cherish… And yet, that child of yours smashed her record in a way that's almost embarrassing, as if to make it seem foolish to have ever been proud of such a feat in the first place," the sound of the Trickster Goddess's teeth-grinding together served as backdrop noise to Freya's monologue, "And now, we're hearing that he's responsible for solving that unbelievable Minotaur incident, all by himself? All to live up to your expectations of him? Ah, he's such a very, very cute child… Why, I believe when the time comes, I may have to offer him a spot in my Familia!"

"As if!"

Now the sound of Loki's teeth grinding was joined by the sound of Hestia's furious denial.

Orario's self-styled Empress ignored both.

"But in the meantime- he needs a title that suits him. Something strong, but cute… Oh! I have just the thing!"

And with that, Bell's sentence was handed down.

Hestia screamed, shouted, pleaded and raged. She jumped to her feet, she slammed her hands on the table, she swore bloody fury.

But unfortunately, her dismay only served as delicious entertainment for the audience surrounding her.

The feast had been wonderful today, indeed.

--*--

Sitting ramrod straight in her chair, an uncomfortable bead of sweat was slowly working its way down Eina's shoulder blades.

The guild receptionists and advisors were in their afternoon meeting and an air of tension had descended upon the large office room on the second floor of the Guild's headquarters. Eina's co-workers were seated around a large round table, and -as the final order of business- before each of them was a preliminary draft of a report she'd prepared earlier. Specifically:

"How to Level Up, quickly." Guideline by Bell Cranel. As advised by Eina Tulle.

She'd had a rough idea of what the reception was going to be when she'd presented the report, as his advisor she'd had a lot to say about the way Bell had been conducting himself in the dungeon until now. But with each page turned and each line read out, or discussed among them, a greater and greater sense of stiffness took hold of the half-elf.

"Slayed 15 Kobolds, 12 Goblins and (Estimated) 30 Wall Shadows… While unarmoured? Really? Aside from being ridiculous, are we to believe that makes a difference?"

"Killed (Estimated) 7 Orcs, several 'Misc Enemies', and (Estimated) 20 Killer Ants…"

"Is there a reason so many of these are estimates?"

"Well, I guess he wouldn't have had a reason to count his kills."

"While working solo- killed another, I'm not going to list all these, but it ends with another dozen Killer Ants and then… Two Minotaur."

"Huh, so that's all you need to do. 'Just go kill a dozen Killer Ants, and then kill a Minotaur or two on your way back,' it's amazing nobody figured this out before Eina's little brother."

"Little brother..?"

The air of disdainful sarcasm was so thick, Eina couldn't manage to respond to anything except that.

Sitting at the head of the table was her boss, a large male animal-person and the head of the Guild's venerable receptionists. Closing the report and pushing it away from himself, he narrowed his eyes in discontent.

"Are these numbers accurate, Tulle?"

"Ah, w-well, they're as accurate as I believe is possible," she dithered slightly, she had no way of verifying any of it, "I don't believe that Bell-kun is a liar, and it matches up to the reports we've got on the Killer Ant and the Minotaur Incidents."

"You know how it is with Adventurers, sir," to Eina's left, the Guild's pureblood elven receptionist Sophie added her thoughts, tossing her aquamarine hair behind her ear as she shrugged, "They're like salesman, take 30% off any number they give you and you're closer to the truth."

Eina bristled, but her boss's disdain didn't change.

"Even if we reduced these numbers by 50%... Eina, this report is hereby sealed, you are not to release it, or even so much as mention it outside this room."

"S-Sir!"

"To put it simply- publishing a report like this would be the same as telling all Level One Adventurers to go die. I realise you put forth your own effort and initiative to collect this information, and that is appreciated, but the Guild cannot under any circumstances allow this to become public. As of right now, the plan to use Bell Cranel as a model for adventurer development is shelved, indefinitely," he sighed, "We'll need to sweep this under the rug. I'll go take care of the higher-ups myself."

"I'm very sorry, sir."

Eina bowed her head, watching with quiet remorse as the reports she'd prepared were gathered up and sealed within a briefcase at his side, most likely never to see the light of day ever again.

It was disheartening seeing her efforts go to waste, and to see her excitement about learning the steps to Bell's quick Level Up turn into nothing, but it wasn't as if Eina couldn't understand his reasoning. If anything, it was the same conclusion she'd come to herself. If low-level or beginner adventurers tried to follow the steps outlined in this "guide" the number of casualties would be astronomical. Most likely low-level adventurers would feel like the Guild was making a cruel joke at their expense, in the worst case they may revolt or quit entirely.

The man took a moment to clear his throat, "Next, Frot," he added, looking towards the pink-haired human girl at Eina's side.

"Y-Yes?"

"…The quality of paperwork submitted to the Denatus was extremely poor. Especially for the last one, this Bell Cranel."

"B-But, sir! He levelled up right before the meeting, we only got his report today! I did the best I could with my back against the wall! Please don't question the effort that went into making it!"

"I understand what you're saying… but I'm talking about the whole project. Should we receive any complaints from the Gods, it will be your job to talk to them alone, Frot. I can't help you if it comes to that."

"Waaaaaaa- Eina! You'll help me, won't you?" Misha sobbed, breaking any sense of decorum as she slumped from her seat and wrapped herself around the beleaguered elf.

Eina sighed, and her supervisor followed suit. And with that, the meeting was adjourned, leaving them all to shuffle back to their desk.

Misha's poor mood followed her out of the office as she slumped alongside Eina back down towards their stations, "Urgh… Tell your little brother I said 'Thanks a lot'…"

"Little brother..?" Eina repeated the title others seemed to be happily foisting on Bell for the second time today, finding it somehow less fitting than ever before shaking her head, "Misha, you know he's not the reason for what happened today."

"Not listening! I didn't hear a word you said!"

Again, Eina was left sighing, looking in astonishment as her human friend spun around on a dime and stepped lightly ahead of her, putting off the future troubles for the future.

"Oooh, more importantly, it's about that time, isn't it?" Making their way through the second floor of the Guild's headquarters, they could each see that all the staff seemed to be practically on the edge of their seat, not wasting time exactly, but also not involving themselves in any tasks that they couldn't leave at a moment's notice. The office that was usually filled with the sound of pens racing across parchment was instead filled with the sound of anxious conversations and light conversation.

Seeing even their superiors acting so laconically was no surprise to either of the girls, this was the usual scene of the Guild's second floor following a Denatus, and no doubt the exact same tension and anticipation would be repeated down in the lobby among the Adventurers shortly after. Just like anyone else in Orario, just like anyone else in the Lower World, the Guild employees were very interested to hear about what titles would be assigned to each of the adventures, whose second name would stay the same, whose would change, and what up-and-comers would be recognised with another inspired name. The humans of the lower world all looked in awe at the names the Gods granted their fellows, and nobody could wait to see what the deities would think of next!

"Are you excited, too, Eina? I wonder what kind of names we'll see come up this time!"

"I, ah… Well, I'm a little interested this time, I suppose."

"Oh! How rare for you to admit that! Haha, actually one of my Adventurers levelled up too, so I've been waiting for this all day!"

The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a tremendous crash! An office door had been flung open, slamming heedlessly into the wall behind it, and at once, all eyes and all attention turned to the doorway- a man stood in the frame, trying weakly to catch his breath, hefting a stack of paperwork in his arms.

"It's here- the Denatus results are here!"

"Finally!"

"Hey, open it up, already!"

The employees dropped everything and rushed toward the door. The man was immediately encircled, as he began passing out sheet after sheet of the documents containing the second names granted to the candidates.

Almost immediately, voices of praise and amazement started to fill the previously tense office.

"Ho! Take a look at this one, what a nickname!"

"Woah! Awesome…"

"They never disappoint."

"Ahh… We'll never measure up, will we?"

"The Gods really are different from us. 'The Hand of Strength and Grace, Biolante'! Oooh… I get goosebumps just reading it!"

"What a name! Anyone would be proud to wear that around town, for sure!"

"The Gods just come up with this stuff off the top of their heads. It's a reminder of just how impressive they really are, isn't it?"

The Guild office was alive with excitement, especially among the male employees and anyone who'd ever harboured dreams for themselves in the life of an Adventurer before taking the safer path towards deskwork instead. Eina and Misha's supervisors all seemed to be in agreement, standing and talking in a circle as though they were of one mind.

Misha stood just outside the mob, watching the exhilaration spread- a sudden shiver ran down her spine, leaving her shoulders twitching!

"They're starting without us! C'mon, Eina, let's go!"

"R-Right!'

Eina followed her into the fray, making sure not to lose sight of Misha's fluffy, pink hair as the human girl fought her way to get a copy of the list. And, as Eina slipped carefully between her colleagues, a certain face of a certain white-haired rookie adventurer rose forefront in her mind.

'Bell-kun…'

What kind of title would he get?

'A softer name might be better for him…' It wasn't that Bell was un-manly, she corrected internally. She'd come face to face with that reality this morning when he'd almost left her faint from his story about charging recklessly, stupidly, moronically, heedlessly, into fighting two Minotaur, 'But, still…'

What if the Gods had named him something like "The Crimson Adventurer, Bloody Guy." Eina could just see herself telling him that news, with Bell puffing out his chest in pride and her sweating awkwardly as she chose her words carefully. No matter how gallant and impressive a name like that might be, somehow, it didn't fit his image.

'Bell needs something a bit more… a bit more…' she wasn't quite sure how to finish that sentence. Gentle? Soft? Kind? Innocent? He was all those things, but… instead, despite herself, her heart added the conclusion, 'Reassuring.'

"Eina! Eina! I got it! C'mere, take a look!"

Misha snapped her from her thoughts, a big smile on her face and the list in hand.

There were several documents detailing the titles selected for the adventurers, and so the two of them went through the pages, starting at the top sheet and slowly going through down the second and third pages… past where the pink-haired receptionist crowed happily for her own Adventurer, seeing he'd won a very cool title indeed, and right to the very bottom of the final page.

"Ah…"

"Oh!"

--*--

"Cheers!"

"""Cheers!"""

The sound of four glasses clinking together rang out, and with it came the sound of four voices laughing happily in unison. And with that, Bell and Lilli's celebration of their success in the Dungeon began!

Mama Mia's bar was packed as full as ever, bursting with life and laughter and filled up with as many adventurers, drunkards and gossips as could be squeezed through the door. Tonight, however, instead of his usual seat tucked away at the corner of the bar-counter, the young white-haired adventurer had reserved a proper table for himself and his companions. Setup against the east wall, they were far enough away from the main thoroughfare of the hall that they could talk without being impeded, but no matter how much Bell might have wanted to put his head down, or cover himself with a hood, there was no changing the amount of attention their group had garnered, nor the number of eyes that swivelled over to them, time and again.

Bell's newfound fame was one reason for that, but the other -perhaps bigger- reason, was that instead of being served by the waitresses of the bar like usual, this time the young man was seated right alongside two of them!

The charming, silver-haired beauty, Syr, was seated right beside him, pushing her chair in even closer towards his and leaning just slightly against him as she reached over to top up his glass.

And seated directly across from her, was the cold and daunting blonde elf, Ryu. As quiet as ever, but with what could almost be mistaken for a soft smile on her lips, she offered her sincere congratulations for his success once again.

Seeing as he was dating Syr and had formed -what he liked to think of- a good friendship with Ryu, Bell had invited them both. This development wasn't sitting quite as happily with his supporter however, who had not only found out that two other women were joining in what she'd thought would be her private celebration with Bell, but that she didn't even have a chance to sit beside him! Syr had already been seated when they'd arrived and had wasted not even a second in calling Bell over and into place beside her. He, of course, hadn't thought about it at all, and so Lilli had quietly fumed to herself and slumped to the seat opposite him instead.

"Lilli wonders if it's really okay for you two to spend this time with us, the bar looks exceptionally busy tonight."

"It is busy… But Bell-kun asked Mama Mia so boldly that we could be allowed to join him! We couldn't possibly let his courage go to waste!" Syr answered with a delighted smile.

"'I'll lend 'im the two of ya. Make sure he's well fed' was Mama Mia's instruction. That and 'spend yer cash.'"

Hearing the collected and graceful Elf imitate the bar owner's words, accent and all, in her calm voice was enough to leave Bell laughing and even Lilli couldn't help but relax. Looking back to where Mia was standing behind the bar, waving her hand and giving them a hearty smile made the proprietress's goals obvious. She wanted them to celebrate their success, to enjoy themselves and to live it up… but, more importantly, she wanted them to spend a lot of money doing so.

"Now, Bell-kun! Drink lots and lots, okay? You're the star of the show tonight. Or maybe, would you like something to eat?"

Despite currently being derelict in her duties, and despite how busy they were, Syr was as merciless as ever. She wasted no time at all in flagging down Lunoire and then Chloe in quick succession, giving each of them separate orders and instructions for more than enough food to leave the table piled high. Anya, it seemed, was trusted only with the task of refilling their drinks… which she still managed to get wrong three times.

Even so, and no matter how many orders were piled up in the kitchen, all the waitresses took turns lingering by the table, exchanging friendly banter with Syr and Ryu, and offering their own congratulations to Bell and Lilli, and -in both Anya and Chloe's case- snagging a few pieces of food for themselves. Once again, Bell found himself reconsidering Syr's actions… rather than simply mercilessly loading her comrades up with work she'd been given an excuse to miss out on, he wondered if she was also giving them a small break in an overloaded night. A few minutes to talk and laugh, and share comradery… At least, until Mama Mia took notice and sent them scurrying back to their duties.

Whether it was selfishness, whimsy or benevolence, he couldn't tell, but in short order the mood around the table was jovial and everyone was laughing happily together, having a great time. He'd been worried about the previous bad blood between Ryu and Lilli, given the incident when she'd stolen his knife, but it seemed that even that had been forgotten now as the Prum was smiling ear to ear and while the Elf was responding to questions as seriously as ever, she was still looking happier than he'd seen from her since their time in the kitchen together.

Or maybe it was just the alcohol speaking. While Alfia had set him drinking wine a few times before now, this was Bell's first time drinking ale. Another suggestion from Mama Mia, she'd personally come over and slammed a tankard (not free) down on the table right after he'd gotten seated, a celebration or a special occasion, she'd explained. Syr was nursing some kind of citrusy cocktail, Lilli was sick of ale so she was drinking fruit juice, and Ryu refused to drink anything but water… so in the end, it felt a little like only he and Syr were the ones celebrating, but he thought it was best not to think about that.

Filvis had turned his invitation down, he didn't know how to get in touch with Heith, and Riveria and Ais were on their expedition (although, Bell doubted he would have had the courage to invite them anyway), but even like this, the young rookie was still surrounded on all sides by the bar's most famous beauties, and was being visibly doted on by the remaining waitresses each time they passed by the table. With all that, and with Orario thoroughly buzzing from this afternoon's news, Bell was more conspicuous than ever right now. And, the more he stood out, the more rumours swirled…

"That's him, ain't it? White-haired, human, he's got a knife-strapped to his belt there."

"Yeah? That punk-ass kid? He's the one they're talking about?"

"Hestia Familia? You ever heard of them?"

"Huh, wait, Hestia? Isn't that the small Goddess from over on Market Street? The one that lets you pat her head if you buy one of those potato-things."

"Heh… That right? They should'a called him the Jyagu Maru kid!"

Bell's cheeks grew hot as the laughter resounded, but it wasn't just any one table or group making comments, rather it felt like the whole bar had their eyes on him.

"You heard? That brat over there's the record holder now."

"It doesn't make sense. I'll bet he's not even new, I bet he did some monster-hunting on the surface, and he's come here now trying to pretend he's some rookie."

"But, the Guild checks for that when you register, don't they?"

"Phaa… Well, whatever. Record or now, who says he's gonna keep it? The Gods're just awestruck, nothin' more. One month is nothin'!"

"Ya got tha' right!"

"Y'know, those at the Guild were saying he really did slay one of those Minotaur that got loose. You know, the one they said was all the way up at lower ninth."

"So he took out one Minotaur, big deal!"

"…Could you take out a Mino at Level One? On your own?"

"I wouldn't be dumb enough to try!"

"Ha! Yeah, you'd have to be an idiot!"

Going from a complete country bumpkin, to an absolutely unknown nobody adventurer, and now finding himself suddenly thrust into the limelight, Bell was completely overwhelmed. He couldn't help but look around the bar, trying to see the people whose voices he could hear talking about him, but anytime his eyes met those of another adventurer they would stop talking, and he'd be suddenly awash with self-consciousness and would drop his gaze. With the feeling of ice running through his veins, Bell finally slunk down in his seat, making himself just a little less visible.

"You've really become the talk of the town, Bell-sama!"

"R-Really? It's a bit scary… Even on my way here, I was chased around the city by a group of Gods…"

"That is the fate of all adventurers who become known," Ryu answered calmly, "You're not being singled out, Cranel-san. It will pass, soon enough. Please, just put up with it for the time being."

"R-Right."

His face was dropping, and he could see Lilli and Syr each trying their best not to laugh at him, at least not too obviously, but the veteran Elf's words were a comfort as always. Right now, he assured himself, he was just a novelty, a funny quirk who'd come out of nowhere and snatched a record, everyone would stop caring about him soon enough.

It would have been nice if Ais was here while everyone seemed to be paying attention to him…

"Anyway, don't worry about any of that right now, Bell-kun," raising her glass high, Syr brought her jovial mood to bear once again, "For now, let's celebrate your new title! Cheers!"

""Cheers!""

"Aheh… Ah, t-thanks…"

Lilli and Ryu both raised their glasses along with the toast, but even as she did so, his supporter's grin was turned up into yet another teasing smirk.

"Lilli is proud of Bell-sama, of course. But, a title like that… Lilli isn't sure what to say…"

Ryu vacillated, neither agreeing nor denying as she simply took a long pull from her own glass. Bell scratched the back of his head with a slightly awkward agreement acknowledgement.

"Yeah… I wasn't sure what to make of it either. I guess it sounds a little cool? But, I don't really know what it means… And, my Goddess was really upset about it- she was clinging to me all afternoon, crying and saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Bell!' over and over."

Seeing how badly Hestia had taken his new title, he'd wondered if he should have cancelled this party, but in the end, she'd practically pushed him out the door to go have fun, rather than dragging him down with her moping. Bell didn't really understand it, or why she was so aggrieved, but he knew that Gods understood titles in a way mortals couldn't hope to reach, so he simply accepted it as best he could.

"Well, I think it's a great title!" Syr answered, cutting off his worries, "I'm sure Hestia-sama will understand soon, it really suits you Bell-kun! I was really happy to hear you got such a wonderful second-name!"

"O-Oh?"

"Mhmm! It's a wonderful title, you should be proud of it. It's powerful without being showy. Strong, without being intimidating… it's comforting, but it leaves a sense of reliability, just like you!" Syr beamed at him, gushing happily with such effusive details that Bell felt like he couldn't possibly complain about anything, "And, you know… The Gods sometimes recycle the titles they give adventurers, when they think an old one suits a new adventurer. But, not this one. No man has ever borne that title before, Bell-kun! I think that's a sign, the Gods must have noticed how hard you've been working, and they're clearly expecting great things of you!"

"I-Is that so?"

As if for the thousandth time, Syr's words left Bell blushing and stammering in place. Even after all they'd done, his girlfriend still wrapped him so easily around her fingers, and she still so delightfully soothed his worries as if they never needed to exist. For the first time since he'd learned the outcome of the Denatus, Bell felt like he could walk through the city with his head held high.

Ryu shook her head slightly, her words as level as ever, "It's unwise to try to make sense of the Gods' thoughts. We can only guess what they intend, or what they mean. For now, simply accept your title, and bear it with pride. And, in saying that, allow me to offer my own congratulations once again, Cranel-san."

"Y-Yeah!" Lilli joined in, "It doesn't matter what it means, all that matters is that you've been acknowledged!"

Flushing under their praise, Bell dropped his head once again, finding himself unable to withstand Lilli's earnest words, or even Ryu's composed and collected congratulations. One thing he'd learned very quickly these last few days was that he wasn't very good at taking compliments. But, even with his cheeks aflame and his gaze focussed on the table, he couldn't possibly have missed the way Syr was leaning so close up against him as she hummed happily for himself and piled his plate high with even more food.

No matter how much he'd struggled to believe that someone like Syr really did want to be with someone like him, even Bell couldn't have failed to notice just how happy she'd been ever since the night they'd spent together. And today she seemed to be even happier than ever, her obvious cheer had infected the entire group before they'd even realised it.

"I'm glad to see you in such a good mood today, Syr."

"Hehe, of course!" She giggled in response, hiding her cheek with her hand and laughing from behind her shoulder, looking as if she was being tickled, "I said it a bit before, but it's just… hearing everyone praising you like this, seeing your name being talked about like that, it makes me really happy. And, I feel like I helped you, just a little, when I gave you that book."

Her gaze was warm and gentle, enough that he could feel her affection wrapping around him even just out of the corner of his eye. It took a good deal of his courage, but she was his girlfriend, so Bell forced himself to face her properly… even if he was beaming like an idiot while doing so.

"I- I told you already, Syr, you've helped me a lot! Far more than just that book, it's- I never would have made it this far without you."

"Without Lilli either!" The small Prum interjected, with a dissatisfied look, "Bell-sama would have already gotten lost or caught up with some scam if it wasn't for Lilli!"

"O-Of course, the same to you, Lilli! And, and to you as well, Ryu-san, your advice really set me on the right direction."

The Elf accepted his gratitude calmly, but her glacier-blue eyes narrowed as she considered her words.

"There is no need for modesty. Of all the level-two categorised monsters, defeating a Minotaur is worthy of great praise, Cranel-san. You should be proud of such accomplishments. However, at the same time- learning of just how incautious you were makes me wary of giving you such advice in the future."

"Ah-"

"I do not mean to make light of your efforts or to sour your accomplishments. But to hear that you took on two Minotaur, at level 1, after what I told you... I am not sure which I underestimated more- your strength, or your recklessness," the Elf's careful, deliberate chastisement cut right through him, reminding him -yet again- of just how rash his antics must seem to anyone else, "Adventurers must go on an adventure, but there is a line between bravery and foolishness- you must also be certain to return from your adventure. Please remember that there are those who care deeply for you, Cranel san. Syr in particular."

"Lilli agrees! It was terrible, she was worried sick about you! Her heart was breaking over and over…"

"I-I'm sorry…"

"Ah… But you looked really cool, Bell-sama…"

"Even so, you won. And your victory must be commended above anything else."

"Ah!"

He couldn't take much more of this! His face was still burning red and his throat was tight just trying to get the word "Thanks" out, over, and again, each time they teased him or praised him. Lilli beaming over at him with her head in her hands, and a huge smile felt like the finishing blow. Her cheeks were rose pink, and those large, chestnut-coloured eyes seemed so close that he could almost see himself reflected in them.

"If I may ask," Ryu's calm voice jolted him from his daydreaming, "What do you intend to do next?"

"Huh?"

"I'm curious about what the two of you are planning."

Bell blinked, but Syr immediately linked her arm around his and jumped in to answer for him, "Now? Well, of course, we'll finish this celebration. But after this, Bell-kun and I wi-" Lilli's switch to sudden displeasure was almost palpable, but it was Ryu who raised her hand, immediately forestalling anything more along that train of thought.

"A-Allow me to be a little more direct. Cranel-san, Arde-san, do you intend to head towards the middle levels when you return to the Dungeon?"

The flush on the Elf's cheeks made it clear that she hadn't intended to ask that question so bluntly, especially not after just mentioning being wary of giving him any more advice. But it seemed her fear of hearing exactly what Syr might have planned for tonight was enough to bring Ryu right to the point.

Bell and Lilli exchanged a look- they were in the same party after all, but their plan was relatively simple.

"Well- before anything else, I want to test my abilities in the upper levels and get used to how my body moves now. Before, my advisor made me promise not to go beyond the 11th floor, but now that I've levelled up, even she's given her permission- so if everything goes well, then yes, we'd like to go onto the twelfth and below."

Lilli gave her agreement to Bell's plan, and Ryu nodded at their words. But, even as she accepted them, a worried expression began to mar the elf's beautiful features.

"Your analysis is prudent, and I do not fault it. However, although this may not be my place to say… I believe you should not proceed to the middle levels at this time."

"In other words, Ryu-san, you're saying Bell-sama and Lilli aren't good enough to make it in the middle levels?"

"No, it was not my intention to insinuate that you are weak. That being said, the upper levels and middle levels are very different," Ryu's words were as deliberate as ever, but an edge of caution and sincerity forced Bell to treat them even more seriously than usual, "It's not a problem of individual strength, nor ability- the floors are far vaster, the monsters far more deadly, and the enemies far more numerous. It simply becomes impossible for a solo-adventurer to dispose of every threat. While I'm unfamiliar with the level of support that Arde-san can provide, I fear that Cranel-san will be unable to deal with the monsters and the dungeon by himself."

"Ah… Then…"

"Yes. You should add additional members to your battle party. I believe you will soon reach the limit of your capability as a two-man group, or at least, that you will face vastly disproportionate challenges."

The two adventurers fell silent.

As always, Ryu's words were hard to disagree with, rather they formed the very foundation of Adventuring knowledge. A three-man cell was considered the most basic party formation for dungeon crawling; a vanguard to handle the frontline, a flexible member in the middle to protect them from counterattacks, and another member at long range to support with spells, ranged weapons or healing items. The same held true if they were attacked from behind- so long as the person in the supporting role could handle their own against monsters, it was possible to withstand wave after wave of attacks, until the tables could be turned in their favour. The Guild's information had been clear on all these points, he'd seen the posters advising such in the lobby, and he'd read that same information countless times through Eina's introductory lectures- in fact, several times now, his advisor had very pointedly suggested that it was high time Bell made some friends he could take to the dungeon with him.

At first, he'd simply been too embarrassed about his own rookie status to approach anyone, and recently they'd been making such quick progress that he'd allowed himself to simply be comfortable just adventuring with Lilli. The blonde's words were like a splash of cold water- telling him something he already knew. He'd experienced very well just how easy it was to be surrounded when in a two-man cell, let alone working solo. The deeper they went, the more true that would become and the more risk they would be in. Even if he could handle it, could he protect Lilli and himself at the same time?

"Wait a second, Ryu. Wouldn't it be easier for them to run away if it's just the two of them? The more people there are, the more likely it is that someone will get left behind, right?"

"Your reasoning isn't wrong, Syr. However, the only time adventurers consider retreat is after being cornered. It's far more practical to take measures to avoid being caught in perilous situations to begin with."

An awestruck sound came from Bell's mouth at the immediate reply, he couldn't help it. Since she'd once been an adventurer herself, Ryu's calculated words carried a lot of weight. And her conclusion was unmistakable.

"You must prepare for everything, to progress deeper into the dungeon and to keep yourself safe. Find someone worthy of your trust, and add them to your battle party."

He couldn't help but agree, even across the table he could see Lilli nodding her agreement, her brows furrowed in thought. But… it was easier said than done. Bell could feel his habitual shyness and introversion coming back to bite him now- in all the time he'd spent in Orario, in all the time it'd taken him to reach Level Two, he didn't have a single person he could think of to invite to his party.

Ryu surely had her own circumstances, or she wouldn't be working in a bar now, he wasn't tactless enough to broach that subject with her. And everyone else he knew was either a retired adventurer like Nazhaa, or someone with their own Familia and party, like Filvis or Ais. He couldn't deny the elf's words, nor her advice- so what should he do?

If there was nobody to ask, then should he ask if he could join their battle party? Ais was almost certainly out of the question, but he didn't know much about the Dionysus Familia, perhaps he and Lilli could join with Filvis?

But then, if he was going to try arrange something with another Familia, he should clear it with his Goddess first, shouldn't he? Or maybe his Goddess had connections herself, some kind of divine allies, they could join with?

Or was that all far too messy? Maybe he should simply be scouting out someone to join his Familia, that was the only way they would grow stronger, wasn't it?

"Ha-ha! Having some party troubles eh, kiddo!?"

"Wha?"

Shocked out of his thoughts by a booming voice, Bell jolted in confusion. Turning around in surprise, saw another one of the bar's customers -a male adventurer, followed by his two friends- strutting directly up to his table, stopping directly across from him, behind where Ryu was seated.

None of them were adventurers Bell recognised, either by name or reputation, at best he thought that the leader had been one of the guys talking about him through the bar earlier in the night- but all of them immediately commanded the young adventurer's attention. All three of them were huge, boasting massive frames, with square faces covered thick with scars. They were the very picture of what someone might imagine a bandit, or rough-hewn adventurer.

"We heard your troubles! You need allies, yeah? Then why don't you join our group, ya little bastard?"

"Eh!?"

Whatever he might have expected from this scene, an invitation to join their party was not one of them. After already being jostled around by a group of Gods hoping to recruit him, and now thrown completely off guard, Bell wasn't mentally prepared for any of this.

"I, er… Ah, I don't…"

"Ah, c'mon! No need to overthink it! This ain't that hard, it's quite easy, actually. One of my fellow adventurers has a problem, and so out of the kindness of our hearts, I'm gonna help you out. We, adventurers, gotta look out for one another, y'know?"

"Well… That's true…"

"Exactly! It's called havin' your back, having your back! And considering you're the new hotshot rookie, the talk of the town, we don't mind at all if you join us, yeah!"

"Ughh..!?"

Any possible response Bell may have wanted to make to this sudden invitation was drowned out by a thick alcoholic stench that assaulted him like running into a wall. How much had these guys had to drink? It was enough to leave him reeling back in his seat, practically gasping for fresh air. At his side, Syr was grimacing terribly, without any trace of her usual sunny disposition, and Lilli had an even worse look on her face, an expression of absolute loathing. It seemed that the supporter's revulsion towards adventurers hadn't changed at all, or at least, not towards these kinds of adventurers.

Strangely, despite being the one closest to them, with the hulking man in the lead practically bearing down over her, Ryu hadn't reacted at all. She should have been the hardest hit by the smell, but she was just sitting as calmly as ever in her seat, her stoic face hadn't changed a bit.

"So, here's the deal! We'll help you out, we'll teach you the ropes and show you the middle levels. And in exchange…"

'Huh? In exchange?'

The man's tone had never been quite as gregarious as his words, but now his voice was practically dripping with contempt. Bell could feel the very hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"You let us have some fun with these ladies for a while, okay? Ha- I'm taking the cute little fairy of an elf for myself!"

'Woah! Woah!'

For a second time in as many minutes, Bell was jolted in shock. His eyes shot wide and his body tensed. He'd never been in a situation like this before, it was like something out of his grandfather's stories. His mind spun and his hand reached instinctively to where his knife would have been.

"I've always wanted to have an elf fill my jug, if you get my drift!" the man's laughter was as raucous as it was obnoxious, more than enough to set Bell's heart aflame with disgust, "A kid like you's got guts celebrating so big like this! Must have cost you near everything you had to pay for these three- but that's the deal! We'll help you out- but first, you gotta give us something to make it worth our while! A small price to join an experienced party! That's just the basics, don't you think?"

The leader of the group was looking down directly at Ryu's back, while his buddies were eying Syr and Lilli with similarly lecherous looks.

Time seemed to slow down around Bell, and his world narrowed to just this single confrontation. 'Must have cost you near everything you had to pay for these three.' The words repeated over and over in his mind, rebounding back and forth from one side of his brain to the other, until it felt like his entire body was trembling with something twisted up between anger and disbelief.

Syr was his girlfriend, a woman he loved. Lilli was his trusted and cherished supporter. Ryu was the kind and strict elf who'd always set him on the right path.

If someone wanted to make fun of him, that was fine. But these women all deserved far better than to be looked at with such perverted eyes, or to have anyone think of them like that! He couldn't stand it, he couldn't accept it! No matter if he needed new companions to head deeper into the dungeon or not, he could never stand to shake hands with someone like these men! Already, just sitting here enduring this, he could feel his Falna start to smoulder.

'I have to say something!' Bell wasn't good at confrontations, he wasn't good at fighting people or upsetting them, it wasn't in his nature. But even he couldn't back down here, 'I have to be the "man" here, I can't let them talk like that!'

However-

"That will not be necessary. He does not need you."

- right as he prepared himself to say something, Ryu took the initiative for him, speaking up as unwaveringly as ever, without so much as looking over her shoulder.

"Huh!? What was that, little fairy? Are you sayin' we can't protect this kid?"

"Precisely. Now leave."

"Oi, you guys hear this!? She's saying it'd be us holding this greenhorn back, not the other way around, ha ha!"

All three of the men bellowed with laughter… and Bell was left stuck awkwardly in place, halfway out of his chair and unsure whether he should stand all the way up or sit quietly back down. Having lost his chance to intervene, he was now lost for words just the same.

"Listen, girly! Us three have been in and out of the middle levels for years now! The stuff you were saying was too much for this kid is our bread and butter!"

"Is that so?"

"That's right, Level Two, the lot of us, yeah!"

If he'd expected that explanation to garner any kind of recognition or respect from the elf, they were immediately disappointed.

"Is that everything you came here to say? Then leave. The likes of you are not worthy of him."

Silence reigned. The previously raucous bar was all locked onto this spectacle and the men who had been laughing until now went quiet, their faces contorting in anger. Gone was the faux-geniality of their smiles, now their grins were outright filled with hostility. Even, without any experience in these kinds of situations, Bell could feel the tension around the table had shot up to a perilous new level.

"Hey, what're you trying to say, Girly!? We're veteran adventurers! You're saying we're trash, lower than some punk-ass kid!?"

The leader took a step forward, reaching out to put a hand on Ryu's shoulder.

'Ah!'

Bell's mind whirred, faster than he'd ever thought before, blazing with the adrenaline of a Level Two adventurer. And all his thoughts were filled with the knowledge he'd been taught just recently- Elves do not allow someone they don't trust to touch their skin.

"Hands off! …Ah?"

Ryu moved so fast her movements were little more than a blur. Reaching out with lightning speed, she grabbed Bell's half-full ale jug and slammed it back, to where the offending hand would have reached for her shoulder.

Except. The hand had already been stopped.

Ale sloshed onto the floor, and the girl's eyes went wide, looking across the table at where the white-haired adventurer was reaching right overtop her. This time it was Bell who had taken the initiative.

Ryu was many times faster than him, fast enough that Bell could barely even follow her actions, but Bell had been the one looking at the approaching men, and it had been Bell that had reacted first. That fraction of a second headstart, as well as the protective skill from his Goddess burning hot across his back, had been enough to catch the encroaching hand before it could possibly have reached the elf's bare skin.

"…"

Looking up awkwardly at the man towering above him, now glowering in absolutely unconcealed fury, Bell's expression turned awkward. Unfortunately, with that taking up all his attention, the white-haired adventurer didn't notice that Ryu's stoic expression had finally broken. The Elf's eyes were staring wide at him, her lips were pursed open in a small gasp of surprise, and the slightest, faintest hint of red was now dusting the tips of her long, pointed ears.

The first man Ryu had ever touched had just prevented another man from touching her. She could have protected herself, of course, she was thoroughly used to throwing overly-familiar patrons around the bar by now. But for the first time in a long, long, time, someone had reached out to Ryu with everything they had and had saved her.

It was a strange feeling, a difficult one, but thankfully it passed in a moment and she returned to the task at hand. Of course, if Ryu's attention hadn't been entirely on Bell, she would have seen the twinkle of delight in Syr's eye as she took in the scene before her.

Snarling in fury, the man shook his hand out of Bell's grasp and reared it back, ready to send this upstart rookie across the room!

"!"

"!?"

"!!!"

From there, a small moment of chaos unfolded as the bar's waitresses quickly reminded all attending patrons that the Hostess of Fertility's staff were not to be messed with. And, when Ryu, Chloe and Anya had finished tossing the belligerent adventurers to the floor, Mama Mia's fury served as more than enough to put the fear of the Gods in them. In barely more than a few moments, the lead adventurer was sent packing from the premises, leaving his wallet behind as payment and dragging his unconscious friends behind him. And, yet again, all attending had it carved into their soul that the Hostess of Fertility's staff were not to be messed with.

Bell swallowed, his eyes wide and body stuck solid with shock.

These men had all been level 2, and yet they'd been thrown out as nothing more than trash. And they'd been sent scampering like rats from Mama Mia's wrath. Not a single person had stood up to help either the adventurers or the staff, not a single person had dared join in their ruckus, and now everyone had simply gone back to their meal without a thought.

Just who were these waitresses?

"I apologise, Cranel-san," Ryu answered simply, taking her seat as if nothing had happened., "My reasoning was more selfish than I thought. Regardless of their qualifications, I did not wish for you to join that battle party, and I do not like it when you're looked down on. I consider you a good friend."

"O-Oh, th-" Despite himself, Bell dropped awkwardly back down to his chair, flushing yet again. His body had filled with warmth just at hearing the diligent Elf considered them friends, he really was no good at taking compliments, "Th-Thank you. I consider you a friend too, Ryu-san."

Lilli sighed, "Heh, Ryu-san truly is strong, isn't she? Watching that… Lilli's lower back is still tingling."

Bell could only look on in disbelief. Here he was still trying to get over his shock, and Lilli was just teasing Ryu about the commotion, 'Am I the only one who's not used to this kind of thing?'

It was Syr who finally broke Bell's tension, sitting up straight and clapping her hands together, "Well, now that's over with. Let's try this again from the start, okay?"

Syr was pretty strong too, he decided. Without waiting a beat, she ordered another round of drinks, and before he knew it, they were clinking their glasses together once more. Bell couldn't help but smile as he watched her expertly returning the jovial mood… He'd already known it, but he was still impressed being reminded again just how capable the staff of this bar were.

"Haa," Lilli sighed, swirling her new glass with a relaxed smile, "Lilli is just relieved that Bell-sama won't be grouping with men like that… Really, Lilli would be happy just adventuring with her and Bell-sama…"

Ryu frowned but said nothing. She wasn't one to press a point it seemed.

"Well, before we can even worry about any of that, we have to replenish our equipment first," Bell added, "My old armour was completely destroyed and our items were lost. Lilli and I are going to take care of that tomorrow."

The Prum was suddenly downcast. Bell flinched, wondering what he'd done wrong, "…About that, Bell-sama…"

"Y-Yes?"

"There's a lot of things that need to be done at the shop where Lilli is staying… It doesn't look like she will be able to join you tomorrow…"

Shrinking back into her chair, Lilli looked almost despondent. But after everything the shop had done for her, he could understand why she wasn't able to turn down their request for help. Quickly shaking his head, Bell offered his assurances that it was fine- he was more than capable of buying his own equipment after all.

And if he wasn't as good at judging quality as her, he figured it'd be a worthwhile learning experience.

"Oh, are you going shopping alone tomorrow then, Bell-kun?"

"It looks that way."

"Then, would it be alright if I came with you?"

"O-Oh?"

Syr's offer immediately caught him off guard, he could only choke out a surprised response. But the second he thought about it, his body washed with relief. Syr was sharp, far sharper than he was, even if she wasn't an adventurer, Bell was sure she would be well suited to picking out quality equipment… but more than that, it was a chance to spend some more time with his girlfriend.

Lilli's reaction was just as shocked but far less happy! Leaping to her feet, she crossed both her arms and lowered one shoulder towards the grey-haired girl, like a boxer preparing for a fight.

"Is that okay?"

"Of course! I need to buy some things myself soon anyway… I might get in the way, but if it's okay with you, Bell-kun, I want to go shopping with you."

"No! Bell-sama! Syr-san only wants you there to carry her bags! That's right, Lilli can see through her hidden agenda! Bell-sama, she's planning to make you carry so much that your bones will crack! Turn her down!"

A bead of sweat rolled down his face at Lilli's outburst, she was leaning her entire body across the table, with both hands planted directly on it as she glared right across in Syr's direction. But the waitress at Bell's side was entirely unphased, "Why would I do something like that?" she answered simply, her light grey eyes focussed only on Bell.

Ah.

His voice caught in his throat. He wanted to stand up for Syr, but he didn't even know why Lilli was upset, and he didn't want to make her angry. He would feel terrible refusing her invitation, but a small voice in the back of his head reminded him that things tended to happen when he just went along with Syr's suggestions. The first night he'd even come here had been a trap from Syr, and then the time she'd called out to him on the road, he'd wound up in the kitchen washing dishes.

Now that he thought about it, with that track record, he truly couldn't say that Lilli's worries were unjustified.

Bell dithered, trapped between his supporter's protection and his girlfriend's warm smile. But then, just as he was about to crumble under the pressure- the bar's floorboards creaked and a large shadow towered over Syr!

"Don't push yer luck!"

"Uhaa!?"

Thck!*

A heavy-looking wooden tray sliced through the air and slammed down onto the back of Syr's head! Mama Mia had appeared as if from thin air, having moved so fast or so silently that Bell hadn't even seen her approach! But now she was towering over the table, glaring down at the grey-haired waitress. And, given how Syr was bent over, holding her head with tears bubbling in the corners of her eyes, Bell could only wince at how hard she must have hit her.

Again, he was left gaping in open-mouthed shock, and again the completely placid reaction from Ryu -who did nothing more than sigh- only made him feel even more out of place.

"Don't be thinkin' you can take time off that easily, ya little brat! Getting' full of yourself, eh? What's the big idea, just playin' hooky whenever ya feel like it!?"

Mia's growls continued under her breath, as Syr supported her shaking body by putting her elbows on the table. Twisting around over her shoulder, Syr's eyes flashed cold and the grey-haired waitress met Mia's burning death stare with an equally terrifying glare of her own, matching the proprietress beat for beat.

This was, Bell realised quietly as a bead of sweat trailed down the back of his neck, yet another side of Syr he'd never seen before. After having only seen variations of his girlfriend's happy, worried, cheeky… or enraptured… expressions, seeing the bright and warm woman he loved burning with such cold fury was more than enough to leave him stuck in place. Once again, Ryu gave no reaction at all. Nor did any of the other waitresses still scattered around the bar stop for even a moment.

"Frown all ya like, those eyes'll getcha nowhere! Here, I'm the law, got that? Ryu, keep an eye on her tomorrow. If she just sneaks off, I'll make that your problem!"

Mia's nostrils flared in anger, she didn't even bother waiting for the Elf to give an answer before turning on her heel and making her way back towards the bar counter.

Once again, the table became a silent island in the middle of a sea of happy voices.

"Bell-kun… I've become damaged goods. Would you please pat my head and cheer me up?"

"So! Bell-sama!" Lilli was quick to interrupt that request, "Enjoy your shopping trip tomorrow, and find some good stuff, alone. Lilli can't wait to see what you buy!"

"…"

Bell's world slowed to a crawl. Just as he'd been faced with before, he was non-confrontational by nature, he was an appeaser. And -even with his Goddess, his Girlfriend and Alfia's help- he was still bad at dealing with women. The desire to simply sink down in his seat, to play this all off as a joke and to continue the night as normal was powerful.

'I need to be a man.'

But the promise he'd made was stronger still, and his back burned hot, pushing him onwards.

"A-Ahhn?"

"Oh!?"

Syr let out a soft, surprised moan when Bell's hand landed atop her head. She probably hadn't expected him to actually do anything, she was just teasing him like normal.

But, even Lilli's cry of shock didn't stop him. Syr was his girlfriend, and even if she'd just been making fun of him, and even if he was going to be walking headfirst into another one of her traps, he'd promised to make her happy. He'd sworn he would be a man who could properly cherish all the women he loved.

And so, the young Level Two adventurer pushed himself unsteadily to his feet and walked on trembling legs across the bar and towards where the Dwarven proprietress was looming terrifyingly overhead.

"A-Ahem, er, M-Mama Mia?"

"Hmm?"

"W-Well, um, th-that, is… Um, you see… I j-just, I just…" he took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as best he could. He could feel his whole table, and all the other waitresses' eyes on him, "I just levelled up, you see. So, I'm celebrating."

She already knew that, of course. He'd reported exactly that when he'd asked to hold his celebration party here. So, instead of waiting for a response, Bell reached down with nervous fingers and brought the full weight of his wallet onto the bar counter. He was still far from rich, but he was frugal, and his success in the dungeon had built up enough of a hoard that the pouch left a full, soft *thunk* as it landed atop the wooden bench.

Standing as straight as he could, he raised his voice.

"S-So, so… to mark the occasion- I wanted to buy the entire bar a round of drinks!?"

That didn't come out quite as confidently, or as smoothly as he'd hoped. But it had the desired effect all the same. Mama Mia stopped in place from where she'd been polishing a glass, and a ripple of surprised silence washed across the bar, as everyone craned around in their seat, trying to make sure they'd heard right.

There was definitely a smarter, better, cooler way to handle this. As always, Bell was sure he was doing everything wrong, charging in from the front without any thought. But he wasn't smart enough, or persuasive enough to think of anything else. This was all he had. His wallet was going to kill him. Lilli was going to kill him. Alfia was going to kill him. His Goddess was going to sigh and shake her head. But he was a man, right? He had to do it.

"That's a bad joke if yer kidding."

"I'm serious."

A roar of approval, praise, cheers, and raised tankards followed after, and Bell did his very best to stand stoically in place and watch as more than half of his wallet was upended into the dwarf's hands. He also did his very best not to notice Lilli's shriek at the wasted money. But soon enough the bar was filled with shouts for orders, and a wave of approval towards the new Level Two adventurer filled the premises top to bottom- enough even to drown out the little Prum's anger.

Mama Mia sighed, "I told ya to celebrate, eat and drink yer full, but somethin' like this is just showin' off."

"I'm not showing off," he answered, as firmly as he dared towards the terrifying woman, "The food was incredible, and the drink was too… A-And, and, so- I'm happy to spend my money here."

"Ha- Syr's right about you. You do have a way with words, don't ya?"

"A-And, and, and so… And, so, *ahem, And so… Because you've been so good to me, I wa-wanted to ask a favour- I wanted to ask if it was okay if Syr was allowed time off to go out with me, tomorrow?"

"A-Ah! Bell-kun!"

"Bell-sama!?"

"Ah. Cranel-san…"

Once again, Mama Mia was stopped in place, and this time it was Bell who was pinned beneath her terrifying glare. If not for the fact that her hands were currently full with the valis he had fought with his life on the line to earn, he was sure he would have withered on the spot.

"You can't buy time with my waitresses."

"!"

"Mama Mia!" A sudden comforting warmth washed over him, dispelling the owner's terror; it was only a heartbeat later that Bell realised Syr had wrapped herself around him. Her soft breasts squished wonderfully around his back, her thin arms linked tight around his chest, and for a moment, Bell's entire world was swallowed up with Syr. When he blinked himself back to reality, he understood the woman he loved was looking out for him yet again, "You know he didn't mean it like that, don't pick on Bell-kun!"

And this time, the indomitable dwarf was the one to give ground.

"Haaaa… Fine. Fine. But only during the day, ya hear? If yer not back for the dinner rush, I'll come find ya myself!"

Bell just nodded mutely as Syr led him back towards his seat. The whole way back she was clinging tight around his arm, and glowing with such radiant delight that it was almost dazzling.

"Mhmm hehe, Bell-kun. Bell-kun. Bell-kun… You never cease to surprise me, you know, you're just amazing. Aha, it's just like I said, that Title suits you perfectly. Strong without being intimidating, you're really reliable… Ah, this is why I love you so much, you know?"

Ryu's stoic façade had cracked enough that a small smile was showing through, displaying her approval for his actions. And Syr's gushing praise, and clear gratitude was just barely enough to overcome the withering looks that Lilli was sending across the table or the sounds of her clear dissatisfaction being muttered under her breath.

"I thought Hestia-sama was the only one I needed to watch out for… Clinging to him like that… Urgh, geez, Bell-sama! There's a limit to how oblivious you can be with women…"

Oblivious? He wasn't quite sure what that meant, but it seemed much safer not to ask.

--*--

One of the downsides, Bell had discovered, with his plan to allow Syr to go out with him, was that after buying the entire bar a round of drinks, he'd become the centrepiece attraction- at least for this little moment.

Which, in this case, meant table after table of loud, boisterous and drunk adventurers calling him over, celebrating his new title, wishing him well in the Dungeon, and raising a toast to his Level Up.

At first, he'd simply tried to put his head down and ignore it, just as he had the initial burst of fame that had followed him into the bar. But now he was more than just a novelty, now he had both their attention and a small amount of gratitude- and if nothing else, the sight of the famous Record Holding Rookie wilting awkwardly under their cries had been entertainment just in itself.

Adventurers, by nature, tended to be a forthright group, and so ignoring them only made their cries louder, and before too long Bell had been forced to give in. And, from there, he'd found himself called over from table to table, practically doing a full circuit of the bar, clinking his (now empty) mug against theirs and making an exaggerated show of accepting the toast raised in his name.

Pulled this way and that, soon enough, he'd lost sight of his own table.

And… it was right then, that he found himself cornered by the once famous and feared Black Cat.

"White Hair, can we talk for a moment? In private, nya."

Chloe, it seemed, was just going on her break. And, it seemed, she had something she needed to tell him.

Bell swallowed nervously, but regardless of the misgivings he had from how she'd jumped him the morning after his night with Syr… she was offering a momentary escape from being the bar's central attraction. And so, he followed awkwardly behind as the sleek catgirl's wide, swaying hips and adorable swishing tail, led him through the kitchen and up the staircase to the landing above.

"Nya…" turning towards him, Chloe sank to a hip as she awkwardly scratched her cheek, "I wanted to apologise, for last time. I'm sorry, nya."

Taken off guard yet again, Bell blinked in surprise, "You are?" He only registered how rude his reply must have seemed a moment later, but Chloe absolutely hadn't seemed the type to feel sorry for much of anything. And given that she'd been grabbing after him this very morning, he could only imagine she'd had a change of heart very recently.

"Nyahah, I know, I came on too strong, I shouldn't have done that. Syr told me off too, nya…I feel bad, forcing it like that… I'm normally meant to be the one that protects the young boys!"

Chloe's past had been dark, twisted and ugly, without love or family, an existence that simply followed the precepts of a criminal Familia led by the dictates of a heartless deity. Born into shadows, taught nothing but crime, Chloe had sown nothing but blood and death. The jobs didn't bother her, the people who hired her and the people she killed were almost universally scum, but even so, there was no fulfilment or reason to be found; she had been underworld trash, killing underworld trash, only to watch it be replaced with more underworld trash. It was nothing but life dyed red and black, and without a single meaning.

In those days, throughout her youth and adolescence, the only bright spots that had existed were those very few moments when she would discover her targets were the worst scum of all. Then, instead of the Black Cat assassin, Chloe would take on a persona like a "Chivalrous Thief", as she would punish the villain and free orphans from their chains. Acting like a hero for them to admire was nice, and being hugged by the young boys was even nicer… it was in those moments, during those formative years, that those brief moments of happiness had begun to warp Chloe's desires…

Bell, of course, knew absolutely none of this and had no idea what she meant. Nor was he particularly sure about being called a "young boy," But from the look on her face, he could tell it was important to her, so he said nothing.

"I was serious about what I said though, nya. I really like you, White Hair! You're exactly my type, nya!"

Punctuating her words by throwing her fists down at her side, Chloe's tail stood straight up as she made her declaration, and even her feline ears stood stiff atop her head as she faced him down. Her cheeks were flushed an innocent red, but she didn't relent, and the force of her assurance left Bell's embarrassment matching her own. Even with two lovers, he still wasn't good at taking compliments, or at being praised by women. Blushing and stammering, he could say nothing as Chloe's uncharacteristically honest assault continued.

"And- and I was serious when I said you're the only one I've ever done that with, nya! You must be proud, right, White Hair? Collecting the first kiss of a beautiful maiden like me? Nyaaa… That's… That's when I knew for sure, that you were what I was looking for!" As an assassin, and as a woman gifted with a sleek and dangerously alluring beauty, Chloe had made use of her feminine wiles to get to her targets countless times. But, because of her superlative skills, she'd never needed to actually commit to anything, all except one time… "There was, a long time ago, there was a guy I thought I was going to have to do it with- but when the time came, my body acted on its own, and I slashed his face instead, nya! H-Haha, I've, I've never talked about this before, so don't say anything, okay? Nya… It's just… I thought… When it was you, I didn't even think about it, and my body just wanted to wrap itself around you…"

Bell swallowed.

"Ah, Chloe-san…"

This was too much to process all at once. He'd only drunk a little, but his head felt like it was spinning out of control. Just a few minutes ago he'd been at a party celebrating his level up. Then he'd been dragged around the bar, giving toast after toast. Then he'd been pulled away from all that by a woman he was more than a little unsure about. And now was praising him, teasing him, bearing her heart towards him and hitting on him all at once!

This was far too much for a country bumkin like him! He wasn't anywhere near skilled enough with women to know how he should possibly react! Chloe was beautiful, a little dangerous-seeming, but beautiful nonetheless; she was mature, funny, alluring and popular. He was sure she could have any man she wanted, why in the world was she interested in him!?

'Ah. It's the same, isn't it?'

And finally, the instant that question crossed his mind, his worries cleared. Because instead his thoughts were filled with the image of his silver-haired lover smiling indulgently at him.

He'd never understood why Syr had fallen for him. But that didn't matter. He'd gained the courage to face her properly, he accepted that she had, and he'd strived to be worthy of it. Doubting himself only disrespected her. It was just the same, he didn't know what Chloe saw in him, but when she was facing him so seriously, he could only accept her words.

Steeling himself, he returned her gaze, with as much sincerity as he could muster.

"Chloe-san… I'm sorry."

"Ah!?"

You're beautiful, and charming, a-and, and I'm really flattered, but, I'm not in love with you. I'm sorry!"

Ah.

It hurt.

His toes curled in his shoes, and his hands clenched at his side. So, this is what it felt like to let someone down. So, this is what it felt like to break someone's heart. Lances of guilt speared through him, and his throat constr-

"Huh!?"

Bell blinked. Looking up, he saw that Chloe was not looking at him with a broken heart, but with abject confusion.

"Love? Who said anything about love, nya?"

"Huh?"

Love was a strange and alien thought to the young, former-assassin. She was sure she felt something like that for Mama Mia and the other girls at the bar, but those were feelings she never touched or dwelled on, the only experience Chloe had ever had with familial love left a scar on her heart that would never heal. Romantic love was an even more uncomfortable thought. That was something for the young boys she saved who looked up to her, it wasn't something she tried to take for herself. Love was something from the stories she'd heard, or the plays she'd seen, it was something beautiful, pure and innocent, but Chloe had never been innocent. Trying to hold onto something like love with bloodstained hands… she was sure she would only ruin it.

"I don't know anything about love, nya! I just really like you! I just want you to be mine, nya!"

"B-B-B-But..!?" Bell's mind was short-circuiting. Part of him was melting down in shame at the arrogance of assuming she was in love with him, and the rest of him was overloaded trying to understand what the difference between her really liking him was! "B-But, but you should only do things like that with someone you love?"

"But I want to, nya!"

"Th-Then, um, but, I only want to do it with someone I love?"

"That's fine, nya! Just fall in love with me! Rather than worrying about all this stuff, you should be thanking your lucky stars, White Hair! You've already got that Goddess of yours, and Syr, and now you've got the Hostess of Fertility's star attraction and most popular waitress giving you a chance too! So, fall for me like you did for Syr!"

"Ummm…" Bell stumbled back a step, losing faith in his arguments as he got swept up in her pace. Chloe pursued instantly, "B-But, but you're Syr's precious colleague?"

"She's fine with it, nya. She even said she wanted to, that 'it would be a dream come true to walk down the aisle with us four.'"

"A-Wh-Eehh!? Sy-Syr said that!?"

It was terrifyingly easy to believe. As much as he'd pushed this whole harem situation on Syr, and as unfair as he knew he was being to her… she had taken to the idea far more readily than Bell had ever imagined. Did she really want him to marry all her other colleagues!? Anya? Lunoire? Chloe? … even Ryu? Surely, she was just teasing!? But then, it was hard to tell with Syr. His girlfriend was a mercurial one.

Bell swallowed. He could have sworn Chloe was purring by now. Her eyes were flashing with a glint of excitement, giving off the impression of a huntress in sight of her prey- and yet despite that, she was clearly restraining herself, at least compared to last time. She remained just a step away from him, she didn't reach out for him, nor try and grab him.

If he wanted to leave, if he wanted to reject her affection, he could. But, was that what he wanted?

"Nyaaa… It's fine, isn't it, White Hair? I'm new to all this too, so I don't mind if we take it slow. Give me some time too, let me have some attention, nyaa… We don't need to go further than you're okay with, not until you've fallen hopelessly in love with me… I just want a taste, nyaa…"

Her expression was alluring, enough to leave Bell's face red and heart racing. Even without touching him, she was leaning over towards him, her lips pursed and eyes soft, and her tail was swishing hypnotically back and forth behind her back. Bell couldn't help but drink in the sight of her, of Chloe's deliciously slender figure, of her smoothly round hips hidden beneath the modest waitress dress, of that sleek black hair, those wonderfully soft looking cat's ears, and the cheeky sway of her glossily brushed tail.

His resolve had him questioning.

He'd said, "You should only do things like this with someone you love", but where had he gotten that from? One of his stories? His Grandfather had never told him anything like that, and honestly, now that Bell thought about it frankly, his advice seemed to be championing the exact opposite. Bell wasn't following his Grandfather's dreams anymore, he was following his own path… but Alfia was the one who had helped guide him on this path, and she hadn't said anything like that either.

'When you're hungry, eat.' His guardian's words resonated through him, 'Eat without hesitation, as much as you care for.'

He didn't know what was right, he'd have to talk about this with his Goddess later, but he knew -despite how he might have acted- what he wanted.

"Okay. Just a taste."

"Nyaaaa!"

Chloe's eyes shot wide, as if she'd never actually believed he would agree. And this time it was Bell's arms that linked around her waist, and his arms that pulled her towards him.

"Wh-White Hair…"

She felt small in his arms, soft and slight… and no matter how terrifying she might have seemed facing down those adventurers before, the Black Cat melted against him just the same as Syr, or Hestia did, and it felt just as wonderful feeling her slender body slinking around him as it had when she'd thrown herself on him. He could feel a light shiver running down her body, reminding him once again how she'd said she'd never done anything like this before. She'd pushed herself into action last time, but now they were taking it slow, and he could see and feel every little tremor spreading through her, and see the red flush washing across her cheeks.

Ah, his mind shook. She really was captivating. Dangerously so. She had a sharp and aggressive beauty, very different to his Goddess or his girlfriend, sharper even than Ais, but no less alluring.

Her arms linked around his neck, with just a trace of nervousness and no lack of desire.

Purring softly, Chloe closed her eyes.

And Bell took the lead, bringing his right arm up from her waist to the back of her head instead. And with that, he guided her lips towards his own.

"Nn…"

"Ah…"

The first kiss was brief, barely more than a moment, their lips touched and she jolted in his arms.

"Nh-hmmm…

"Nyaaaaa…"

But the second came only an instant after that, and this time Chloe relaxed against him, letting down her guard completely, enough that the former-assassin fell completely into the young rookie adventurer's embrace.

His hands held her head and her back, steadying her in place, and hers clung each around the back of his neck, holding tight against him as if to keep herself steady, or to keep him from running away. His lips eased hers open, she breathed out a shuddering moan and purred softly with delight. And then she met his tongue with her own, letting him guide their dance as she simply allowed herself to be drawn into his rhythm.

It was nothing at all like their first kiss, where she'd practically just mashed her mouth against his. Now, Bell thought he could feel the true sensation of Chloe's affection, and he could feel in his arms the way the Black Cat shivered and shook as their embrace deepened, and she breathed out gentle, heady moans.

It was also nothing at all like kissing Syr or Hestia.

Most notably, it was missing the soft, bouncy sensation he usually felt from having their abundant chests pressed up against him. Chloe wasn't lacking in feminine charm, or in dangerously appealing curves of her own; with his left hand running slowly over her side and across her hips, Bell was becoming very aware of just how delightful the catgirl's body truly was, and just how much work the thick waitress uniform was doing at hiding it, but even so, it was a very different sensation from the way Syr and Hestia's chests so easily strained out the very limits of their clothes. Her tongue also felt notably different, slightly rougher, it captivated his senses, and she trilled happily against him as he examined every bit of it.

But most contrasting at all, holding her against him like this, Bell couldn't possibly miss just how impossibly strong Chloe felt. Her body was just as wonderfully soft as Syr's, and she fell into his embrace just as completely as Hestia… and yet, the feeling of her arms around his neck, was like they couldn't be pried off with a crowbar! And when he pushed up against her, it was like trying to budge a mountain!

'So, this is what it's like, being with an Adventurer?'

Syr was a normal girl, and Hestia's mortal self was no different, he was far more powerful than either of them. Lately, he'd been worried about having to regulate his strength when he was with them… with Choe right now, it felt like the exact opposite. Even without knowing anything about her past, Bell was sure she must have been a powerful adventurer. Was this what it would be like, being with Ais? It was a new experience… but not unwelcome at all.

'Ah, I like it.'

Chloe, on the other hand, wasn't thinking about anything so detailed. Rather, she wasn't thinking about anything at all!

Just like the first time she'd had Bell in her arms, her senses were almost overwhelmed with exhilaration! Both at grasping onto a piece of her long-awaited dream and at the simple sensation of having Bell pressed up against her. The feeling of his body's heat against hers, the way she could hear his heart racing, the surprising sturdiness she'd experienced previously from his toned body- now matched with the comforting security she felt in having his hand cradling her head. It was enough to leave her world spinning and leave her almost mewling in joy…

…What did leave her mewling in joy was the feeling of his thick, heavy shaft pushing up against her waist. It was just the same as what she'd felt the first time she'd grabbed hold of him- huge and weighty, powerful enough that she could feel it easily even through his pants and the thick fabric of her waitress uniform. Everything she'd hoped for and dreamed of, undoubtedly the thing that had left Syr cumming her brains out.

And this time, rather than the brief and quick kiss she'd stolen, their embrace was lingering, it was heated and it was passionate… Which meant Chloe could feel the manliness that Syr had been bragging about pulsing greedily against her with every turn and twist of her hips. It was enough to leave the Black Cat slithering and twisting around him, and more than enough for her to fill the hallway with the sound of her pants. Hotter, headier and hungrier by the second.

"Nyaaaa…."

Ah. This was Bliss. She finally had a young boy in her arms, his affection radiating through her, and… and it wasn't just any young boy… it was Bell Cranel…

'I really like him, don't I? White Hair… Nya…'

She'd promised just a taste, but she knew she wasn't possibly going to stop with just this! Just feeling him like this had left her heart pounding and her pussy soaking wet! It was a hundred times better than watching him fuck his Goddess's brains out, and a thousand times better than listening to him railing Syr all night long! She could feel her tail about ready to twist itself in knots with how desperately it was swishing from side to side, and she could feel her womb practically throbbing with need!

As nervous and cowardly as she was, Chloe didn't know if she could possibly go all the way this soon- her offer to take things slow had been as much for herself as him… But with her entire body quickly being inflamed with a lust stronger than she'd ever felt before… she was certainly interested to see just how far things wou-

"Oh! Here you are, Bell-kun!"

"!"

"!!??"

"S-Syr?"

"A-Ahaha, aahh, hhhaaa… Syr? Wh-What're you doing here, nyaaa?"

--*--

"Honestly, Bell-kun, you were gone so long, we all thought you might have drunk too much. Geez… we were worried you might be throwing up, or that somebody had run off with you. I never expected that someone to be Chloe."

"Ah, Syr…"

"Nya…"

Bell and Chloe both followed awkwardly behind the silver-haired waitress as she took hold of their wrists and led them from the upstairs landing through to the spare bedroom. The same one Hestia had once stayed in, and that Syr and Bell had so recently made all their own their own. The door was shut, and locked, behind them, and with that, and without waiting for either of them to force out a single word of explanation, Syr took immediate command of the room.

"Kneel."

"N-Nyaa…"

Expecting to be scolded once again, more than a little fearful of her friend's tempestuous nature, Chloe fell obediently to her knees. Her fists balled at her sides, and her eyes drooped to the floor. Still, the Black Cat's heart was pounding in her chest, and still she could feel the heady rush of want pounding from between her legs… but Chloe knew well enough just how scary Syr could be when she got mad, and after being scolded for kissing Syr's boyfriend just the previous day, even the former-assassin knew she was treading on thin ice.

Bell, with much the same thoughts, did likewise. Except-

"Oh! Not you, Bell-kun. Ah, you sit here, please."

"Ah, um… Okay?'

-Except, Syr's hands wrapped around him right as he bent his knees, and the young adventurer found himself instead guided to take a seat atop the edge of the bed that he and her had so recently occupied.

"Good."

Syr beamed. And Bell found himself blinking in surprise… rather than the dissatisfied or strained smile he'd expected… she was looking up at him with just the same warmth and affection he was used to.

"Then, I shall…"

"!"

"!?"

Instead of Bell kneeling beside Chloe, to be scolded in unison with him… the silver-haired girl dropped to her knees, right beside the catgirl, and in fact, she squished herself up directly flush against where the former assassin had been squirming uneasily on the floor.

Rather than Bell and Chloe being scolded together… Bell was seated on the bed, before and above them… and Syr and Chloe were kneeling side by side, right between his legs…

"Eh?"

"Nya?"

Syr's smile turned utterly radiant. And her eyes danced with exactly the kind of mischievous, excitement that Bell had learned to be wary of… and to savour.

"Chloe, you and I have been friends for a long time- so, I'm gonna help you out, okay? Now, it looks like you two have already made up," and made out, "But, Bell-kun, I know that Chloe wants to apologise properly, and as your girlfriend, I want you to give her a chance to do so."

"Er…" Bell scratched his cheek. He thought Chloe had already apologised enough, but then, it was probably better to go along with Syr's whims than against them, "Sure?"

"Nnn! Bell-kun! Be serious, you're the problem here, you know! You're too easygoing, you just accept everything and excuse everyone! How can someone apologise sincerely, when you've already forgiven them?"

"Ah… um… sorry?"

"Just keep it in mind, okay? When it comes to someone like Chloe, and especially myself, it's fine for you to be hard you know?"

Especially after everything he'd just been doing, having Syr talking in such a suggestive way, while seated before him and looking up at him with such visible excitement in her eyes left Bell swallowing heavily, and left a powerful reaction rippling through him. But there was no time to compose himself, because her attention had already turned towards her colleague.

"You do want to apologise, right?"

Apparently, just as confused about all this as Bell was, the catgirl jolted in place, and just like Bell, she came to the same conclusion to just go along with Syr's wishes. "O-Of course, nya. As I said before, White Hair, I am ve-"

"Chloe! Come on, you know better than that. You can't just apologise and then throw yourself at him, just the same as you were doing before!" The catgirl's tail twitched, just how long had Syr been watching? "If you're going to sincerely apologise, you have to make it up to him. You have to make him feel better…"

And with those words, and before either of them could have reacted, Syr's hands reached out towards where Bell was sitting. And then, in a single heartbeat, with a deftness that defied her status as an ordinary girl, her fingers flicked the adventurer's belt open, and yanked both his underwear to the floor!

"!"

"!?"

Chloe's yowl caught in her throat, and Bell's hands flew to his crotch. It was completely in vain, there was absolutely no way he could have hidden this- no longer restrained by his belt or his pants, the thick weapon between the young adventurer's legs rose high above the two girls.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm." Syr hummed lovingly, tracing a fingertip along its length as she slid back to her knees, "As magnificent as ever, Bell-kun… It's still a shock to see, even now…"

"S-Syr!?"

"Ny-Nya…Nya…Nyaaaaaaa!?"

Having been unmistakably caught in the act, flooded with anxiousness about Syr's reaction, and expecting to be scolded if not outright dumped, Bell had been holding back all this while. Even with two girls kneeling below him, and even with Syr looking up with such longing excitement, he'd forced down his body's reactions as best he could. There was no possible holding back now.

Underneath Syr's adoring gaze, and before Chloe's awestruck eyes, Bell's cock continued to grow, expand, and stiffen. Just at half-mast, it had towered almost dizzying above the former-assassin, but with each passing second she watched it grow longer, thicker, and harder… Previously her mind had defined it as a 'weapon', but… looking up with her mouth hanging open, her nipples rock hard, and her pussy throbbing hot… it looked much more like an indomitable pillar of meat.

She couldn't possibly react. It had been one thing to catch fleeting glimpses of it before, and another thing to watch him with that Goddess of his, but seeing it now, without any time to prepare herself… the sight of it, the size of it, the smell that filled her senses and the heat she could feel almost tingling across her skin. She understood, down to her very soul, that this was what had made that tiny Goddess thrash about like she'd seen, this was what had made Syr scream out like she'd heard. This was the cock that had made both an unflappable waitress and a virgin Goddess into women.

This was everything Chloe had never known she'd wanted.

"N-Nya…"

"We can stop here if you're unsure, Bell-kun," Syr continued, stopping for just a second to lean up and plant a soft, adoring kiss directly atop the crown of his cock, and to leave it twitching furiously before the catgirl's starstruck eyes, "This is just to make it up between you two, so we won't go any further if you don't want this. It's just, my colleagues are very important to me, Bell-kun, I really want you to get along with them… I'll explain all this to Lady Hestia the next time I see her."

'Are they really going to? …Both of them!? That's…Huh!?'

Panting aloud, with his head spinning from the sensation of Syr's lips and still trying to wrap his mind around what exactly was happening, Bell couldn't put a response into words. But he made no effort to pull away, and, with Syr's gentle prompting, he took his hands away from where they were still futilely trying to hide the shaft pulsing out above the two women.

Syr's right hand traced gently, teasingly, up and down Bell's cock.

And her left-hand slunk around behind her friend- slowly urging her forwards, towards it.

"The same for you, Chloe, I hope I'm not going too far..?"

"No… I, I want this, nya…"

No hesitation.

Her face was flushed a deep red now, and her body was squirming in place on the floor, trembles running down her spine and shivers through her hands. When she was wrapped around Bell before, Chloe had been more aroused than she'd ever felt in her entire life… but even this paled against the reality washing over her right now. Kneeling on the ground, she could feel her juices flooding her panties and spreading down her thighs, pooling on her dress beneath her. Her tail was flicking back and forth like a metronome, her entire body was throbbing with desire, and not even once since kneeling down had she even thought of getting up. Despite how skittish she was, she didn't want to get away. Despite how domineering she liked to be, she didn't want to try take control. She wanted to be here, on her knees, with this monstrous cock right before her eyes…

"But, how can I? It's so… there's so much…"

Syr gave a gentle laugh.

"It's fine, it's just like you said before, 'There's no need to overthink it', here, I'll show you-"

And with that, and before either of them could have reacted, the silver-haired waitress leaned forward once more.

"A-Ah!"

Bell's gasp filled the air as Syr's lips pushed against the head of his cock once again- but this time she didn't content herself with just a single kiss, this time she spread them wide and quickly engulfed his entire glans within her mouth.

Shluuup!*

"G-GH-HH!"

Syr dipped her head down, and in one single motion, more than half of Bell's cock had suddenly disappeared between her lips!

Chloe's jaw dropped open, her emotions bouncing between amazement, shock and no small amount of jealousy.

Bell's shuddering gasp echoed loud around the room, and neither woman could have possibly missed the way his body shivered and his shaft shook with visible delight.

Syr's right hand wrapped around the base of his shaft- making a show of displaying just how monstrous it truly was, so thick she couldn't close her fingers completely around it.

With her eyes still turned upwards towards her lover, and with her expression shining with such delight he could swear she was smiling even with her mouth so fully occupied, the silver-haired waitress slid her lips slowly back up along the length of his cock. Her soft hand pumped gently in place as she did so, rocking back and forth just a few centimeders at a time, and all the while her tongue dragged forcefully, adoringly, wonderfully along the underside of his shaft.

"Hh-ahha! S-Syr, th-that's good!"

Even with just this much, she was able to leave Bell twitching for more, or maybe that was just due to how aroused he was from the audacity of this very situation. For someone who'd been a country bumpkin just a month ago, and an unnamed adventurer a few days ago, being with two women like this was almost surreal! The thought of it was almost half as intense as the suction of his girlfriend's mouth wrapped like a vacuum-seal around his cock!

It had taken Syr only a heartbeat to swallow that much of Bell's shaft, but she savoured every moment of the time it took for her to withdraw- giving Chloe a prolonged demonstration, and giving Bell enough pleasure to leave his toes curling.

But eventually, with a dissatisfied sigh falling simultaneously from both their lips and with a visible *pop* filling the air, Bell's cock was released from the tight, warm, confines of Syr's mouth, and she settled back onto her knees, turning towards Chloe with the exact same encouraging smile she'd had before, as if this was nothing strange at all!

With her hand still wrapped gently around the base of his shaft, she pointed it around towards the quivering catgirl.

"See? Just like that! Well, I couldn't go nearly that deep at first- but it's fine if you can't, just fill your mouth for now, and use your hands for help, I'll take care of the rest!"

"A-Ah, aummm…"

Chloe swallowed. Her entire body trembled.

Her womb pulsed with desire. Her pussy ached with hunger. Her rock-hard nipples pulsed with small sparks of pleasure, as if she'd already become far too sensitive.

And slowly, tentatively, she reached out and wrapped her fingers, then both her hands, around it.

"N-Nyaaaaaaaa," she mewled without even intending to, her breath coming in a gasp and her eyes filled entirely with the massive shaft towering over her, "It's… it's so hard, nyaa…"

It was like an iron bar. Except, it pulsed and throbbed with heat and desire beneath her hands. It was almost impossible to imagine that Syr had taken something like this inside her! Let alone that tiny Goddess of his!

But somehow, as soon as she'd touched it, rather than being daunted by the size, Chloe simply felt comforted instead. Despite everything, despite her nervousness and despite her inexperience- this was White Hair's cock. As soon as her fingers slid in place around the shaft, her body and soul both understood- nothing had changed, even when she finally got her hands on him, he was still the same kind and gentle, soft and generous young man she'd been so enamoured with. There was never anything to worry about with him. All that awaited her was pleasure… which meant, for now, all she wanted to focus on was trying to pleasure him.

She was usually a selfish girl, but she'd been told to make it up to him. And, even a former assassin had to have some pride.

"A-Ah! Chloe!"

Following Syr's lead, the Black Cat leant up and placed her lips in a soft, adoring kiss directly atop the head of his cock.

"N-Nyaaaaaa…" She'd wanted to say something enticing, but her entire body shivered with delight the moment she tasted him, and it took several seconds for her to calm down enough to even think, let alone build up some fake confidence, "Y-You ju-just sit there and enjoy this, White Hair! This is the beautiful and alluring waitress Chloe's first-ever blowjob! F-F-Feel proud of th-that for the rest of your life! And then, lose your mind entirely as I take you to heaven, nya!"

"I'll help too! I've always wanted to try this with another girl!"

"A-Ahh! HO-OOH!?"

Chloe's lips pressed against his cockhead once more, and as they did, Syr's planted a passionate kiss along the side of his shaft.

The sight of both girls kissing his cock. The sensation of the twin pairs of lips pressed so lovingly against him. The feeling of Chloe's hands wrapping around the top of his length and Syr's linking around the base. The knowledge that he'd somehow wound up with these two incredible, beautiful, older women eager to service him. It was enough to make Bell's mind whirl, and his voice cry out in with wanton delight.

"Hehe, he really likes it! Let's keep going, Chloe!"

"A-Ah, r-right, nya! J-Ju-Just follow my lead, Syr!"

Chloe's lips parted around him and Bell's cockhead was drawn tentatively into the warmth and the wet confines of the catgirl's mouth, a soft mewling filled the air as the former assassin's cheeks bulged wide to accommodate his size. And, acting perfectly in synch, Syr's kiss deepened against his shaft, her lips spreading open against his girth and her fingertips teasing along the other side as she moaned happily into him.

"Y-You don't need to push yourself," Bell gasped, warning Chloe as her mouth filled entirely with his cock, and as he felt his length pushing against the even tighter walls of her throat, "Ju-just take it easy."

"Mmmphhnnyaaa!"

Anything she'd intended as a reply was easily muffled by the shaft currently stretching her jaw out to its very limits, but -looking up at him, from where between his legs- the determination in her eyes made her answer clear regardless. Syr's earlier demonstration had lit an unquenchable fire within her colleague!

"!"

"!!"

"!!!"

Gasping, twitching and panting from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed, Bell's voice echoed out around the room, louder by the moment and more wanton by the second. Chloe, of course, couldn't take as much of his length as the silver-haired seductress had, no matter her determination, not yet at least.

But, a lifetime's training as an assassin, a past full of pain, and the experience of more life and death battles than she could even count had more than prepared the catgirl to overcome the discomfort at having even such an outrageous shaft filling her throat!

Her gag reflex had been easily suppressed, she had no issues holding her breath for multiple minutes at a time, and…

…And the sensation of Bell's cock inside her. The experience of him seemingly filling every one of her senses. The feeling of her throat being pushed out, stretched wide and moulded to fit him…

It was leaving her head spinning, giddy with a rush of excited delight, far more intense than anything she'd ever felt before!

Even watching him railing his Goddess. Even listening to him pounding Syr. Even all her fantasies and all her dreams about all the things she'd wanted to do with him- all the times she'd buried her fingers into her pussy, and felt her body throb and writhe and cum, while filled with thoughts of him. None of them matched this! Her heart was slamming against her chest, her modest breasts were tingling in delight, and her tail was swishing furiously back and forth across the ground, as the trickle of juices spreading over her thighs became a flood.

'N-Nyaa… O-Oh, I really love this! White Hair, he feels great like this!'

By the time Chloe had reached her limits, more than a full third of the young adventurer's oversized cock had disappeared into the wonderfully warm confines of the catgirl's mouth! And with that, and a small puff of pride breathed out directly into his shaft, she began sliding her lips back up along his length, building herself into a slow and clumsy, but intensely passionate rhythm!

Syr, of course, had been no less busy. Smiling with satisfaction as she watched Chloe doing her best to match her earlier demonstration, and with her mouth still laying a wet, open-mouthed kiss against his shaft, the human girl began also dragging her lips, tongue, and fingers all the way down, along his cock. Her mouth laid warm against the side of his length, her fingers traced and teased a pattern following down the other side, and all the while her tongue rolled lovingly along the undercarriage of his cock, centimeder after centimeder, following Chloe's speed almost exactly… And, by the time the Black Cat had swallowed as much as she could manage, Syr's lips were kissing lovingly against the base of his cock, and her fingers were instead wrapping around him, taking as firm a hold as she could manage.

"!?"

Then, at the very same instant that Chloe began her ascent back up Bell's length, just as the catgirl was easing her mouth into a slow rhythm around him, Syr dipped lower still!

"Ah-HHAA!?"

Chloe's lips diligently engulfed the head of his cock, and with her clumsy, novice technique, she began to bob up and down his length.

Syr's loving kiss pressed gently against his balls, and with a tender, careful technique, she began to roll both her tongue and mouth fully over his most sensitive parts.

Bell's jaw hung open, a spark lance of pleasure searing through him enough to leave his eyes dazed for a moment, and his entire body trembling with a shiver that was easily felt by both girls!

This was hardly the first time Syr's lips and mouth had found their way to his balls, and even his Goddess had experimented with gently suckling on them as she ran her hand up his shaft… But feeling it now, with another girl's lips bobbing so devotedly up and down the head of his cock… It was like the difference between heaven and earth! His body throbbed, his shaft twitched, and no small amount of pre-cum was splattered into the Black Cat's warm mouth, earning another heady moan from her.

"W-Wow…."

They'd only just begun and he was already feeling it this much?

It was crazy. Just the sight of it was enough to leave him trembling, looking down and seeing two beautiful women looking so excitedly back up at him- seeing the way Syr was so happily worshipping his balls, and how Chloe's expression practically radiated her desire as she worked her way down his length, again, and then yet again. Syr's technique was as breath-taking as ever, her tongue dragged from ball to ball, and she slid beneath him without even a drop of shame, passing her mouth around and over them each in turn. But Chloe was proving to be just as quick a learner as her colleague had been, with each time her lips descended, she seemed to become just a bit surer; her suction became just a bit stronger, her tongue slithered underneath his shaft just a bit more confidently, and her teeth bumped against him just a little less often.

Bell had always loved and appreciated each of the times his Goddess or Syr had serviced him… but sitting like this, feeling himself wrapped up around the affection of two women… it was a decadence like nothing he'd felt before, and it felt like a whole new world of pleasure was being opened up to him.

Was this what it meant to be loved by multiple girls? It was incredible! And it left his back smouldering softly as he redoubled his promise to prove worthy of it.

The gentle wet heat of Syr's mouth engulfed his balls, exactly in time with the warm, tight confines of Chloe's throat being stretched open around his cock. Syr's fingers pumped with a slow rhythm along the base of his shaft, matching herself exactly to the timing of Chloe's hands, caressing the middle of his length, beneath the point she could swallow. Syr's tongue slithered gently from ball to ball, wrapping around them juggling and caressing them, and somehow, impossibly, pressing them with just a touch of pleasure at exactly the same time as when Chloe's tongue would slide awkwardly but earnestly along the most sensitive parts beneath his cock.

It was like he was being wrapped up in pleasure, being serviced by them from head to toe. Bell's world spun, his body throbbed once more, and without having even intended to, he reached out to take hold of each of their heads.

"Nnnn!" Syr trilled just as happily as ever as his hand landed possessively atop her, her joy being sung directly into him when he couldn't help but hold her tight.

"NnMMPH!?" Chloe jolted in shock, first as his hand took hold of her head -a gesture nobody had ever before dared-, and then as Bell did exactly what he'd wanted to do for a long time… took the velvety folds of her cat-ears between his fingers and began to stroke them.

The catgirl's ears were just as soft as they'd looked, and they twitched wonderfully within his fingers. He'd taken hold of them purely by instinct, but it gave an incredible sense of having sated his curiosity all the while… And it left the Black Cats squirming and shivering beneath him, moaning and mewling sloppily into his shaft, even as her throat walls squeezed so incredibly around him!

Ah... Bliss on top of his bliss… Now if he could just touch an Elf's ears, he was sure he could face his Grandfather with pride…

Again, Chloe's throat squeezed around his length. Again, Syr's mouth suckled against his ball. Again, their hands slid in unison over his shaft. And again, Bell's cock throbbed, spasmed and shot another heady splash of pre-cum directly onto the catgirl's delighted tongue- a taste of what was to come.

Just like he'd discovered when kissing her, Chloe's blowjob was unmistakably different from anything he'd felt before. Her mouth was a little hotter and her tongue was a lot rougher, with a completely different texture; anytime she successfully copied Syr's earlier movements and slithered it across the underside of his shaft, Bell was reminded intensely of that fact as the pleasure rippled through his entire body! It wasn't better or worse, it was just different, and that difference lodged firmly within him, leaving him even more sensitive than usual to every single one of her ministrations.

Unfortunately, the other side of that was that her teeth were a lot sharper than either Hestia or Syr's, and Chloe's inexperience meant that right as Bell's pleasure was peaking, each time his length shivered or twitched, her long, pointed canines would dig directly into him, and the bliss would be dampened.

That was, Bell thought, sitting in place with his hands stroking through each of their hair and his breath coming in panted gasps, the only reason he hadn't entirely lost control so far.

He'd already been wound up, not having had sex for an entire day, and with everything about his new Title swirling through him, then being cornered by Chloe and coming to an agreement with her, being now utterly engulfed in such adoring pleasure by two older, beautiful women, looking down and seeing the way they were each so dutifully, excitedly servicing his cock, it was too much! Being wrapped up between two girls really was like a dream come true!

The moments passed into minutes- his girlfriend beneath him, looking up with a dizzy smile as her tongue and mouth ran intoxicating patterns across his balls, and her colleague before him, pumping her hands tight along his shaft as she bobbed her lips down his length, faster, stronger, more confidently…

"Hhaa… I-It's too good…"

He didn't know how much longer he would last.

Despite Chloe's slight clumsiness, there was a wonderful charm to her actions- both in knowing that this was the first time she'd ever done anything like this and in simply feeling her awkward, hesitant, but utterly earnest ministrations. Even when her teeth bumped into him, or she lost her pace, each time her jade-coloured eyes turned up towards him, a flush of wanton desire surged through his entire body, and he could feel himself getting dragged back into the heights of pleasure, bit by wonderful bit!

And yet, at the edge of his consciousness, far away from thought, Bell couldn't help but worry… Syr had been just as nervous and inexperienced just a few days ago, and yet now she was practically masterful with how thoroughly she drew out his pleasure! He had absolutely no doubt, that if Chloe was just a little more skilled, the two waitresses would have already wrung out everything he had!

'Ahnn! You're, haa, you're so unfair Bell-kun! It already feels too good!' Syr, as always, was hypersensitive beyond any kind of logic to caresses. Just engulfing him in his scent, his taste and his presence had been enough to leave her squirming delightedly on the floor; as soon as he'd begun stroking her head, her body had quivered with delight, and she'd cum lightly multiple times since. She'd specifically picked out a set of alluring black lace panties just for tonight, but from the way she could feel her juices streaming down her thighs, it was like she was wearing nothing at all, 'I'm meant to be making you feel good… B-But, it feels like I'm the one that's gonna go crazy!'

'Aggghh! You're so unfair, you stupid rabbit! H-Hhnn, why does it feel so good!?' Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, in a penthouse suite far across the city and far above Orario, Freya's attendant, Hörn mirrored the waitress's thoughts almost exactly, albeit in a very different tone, as the similarly beautiful silver-haired maiden writhed in pleasure, naked atop Freya's bed. Given that she'd known very well just how excited her Goddess was about the young rookie's Level Up, and his new title, Hörn had dreaded something like this… but no amount of mental fortitude could have prepared the poor woman for having her mind filled, yet again, with thoughts, feelings, and the very sensations of her Goddess's tryst with Bell Cranel, 'Gh! H-H-How rid-riduculous, that she would share you with another woman! Do you not understand how selfish you are!? You're barely even touching her, wh-why does it f-feel so good!? You arrogant, wretched lit-, n-no, nooo, noo… Lady Freya! I'm, I'm gnnn, I'm gonna cum!'

'Nyaaaaa, White Hair…' Chloe, meanwhile, was barely thinking at all. Or, more precisely, her thoughts had been scattered thoroughly the sensations currently overwhelming her senses. Nobody in all her life had ever dared stroke her ears like Bell was currently doing, that alone was enough to leave her tail twitching. And never in all her fantasies had she imagined just how incredible it would feel, sitting beneath and submissive to one of her younger lovers! She'd always imagined herself in control, always imagined them doting on her… But now she was on her knees, looking up and seeing every bit of his passionate bliss each time her lips wrapped around his cock, and she could feel her throat stretched to its limits around his cock each time she dipped her head down! His cock felt so thick, so hard and so domineering in her hands, and each time she felt it pushing inside her, each time she felt her inner muscles yielding to his size and his hardness, she could feel her body thrum with a kind of addictive, submissive pleasure she'd never have dreamed existed. Mewling and panting into his shaft, Chloe swallowed him as deep as she could manage, and she came. And then she took him as deep as she could bear once again, and she came yet again. And she slithered her tongue underneath his shaft, flicked it against him and traced it around him, and she came. Soft, small, yearning orgasms rippled through her one after another- never enough to slam into her like the time she'd watched him with his Goddess, but enough to sear her mind blank, and enough to leave her entire body aching for more! 'Nh, White Hair! White Hair! Touch me more, nyaaa!'

Moments turned into minutes, and soon enough, Bell's tension was reaching the very limits of his resistance! Even if he'd wanted to hold back, even if he'd wanted to restrain himself, it would have been impossible! But of course, right now, there was only one thing in the world he could possibly want!

His balls pulsed between the tender caresses of Syr's mouth!

His cock spasmed from within the wonderfully tight confines of Chloe's throat!

And both women could easily feel the sheer weight of need throbbing from the thick shaft held in their hands!

"!"

"A-Ahn! Bell-kun!" Syr's voice came out in a dizzy moan, her expression nothing but wanton delight, and her eyes bright with anticipation, "You're getting close, aren't you? Don't hold back, my love! Nnn, m-make sure you show her everything you've got, all over her, okay?"

Even through the haze of pleasure, Bell's mind spun, "Huh?" Did she truly mean..?

"Bell-kun!" his girlfriend's reprimand was soft, and the way she punctuated it by running her fingers so delightfully down his shaft only made it feel even softer, "How can you conquer her heart, if you won't cum on her face?"

He blinked.

Despite how incredibly things had been going for him recently, Bell still knew he was woefully ignorant in what made women happy, he knew he had a lifetime of things to learn. Was this one of them? Was that how it worked? He had no idea. It was hard to even think right now. But, as his mind whirled in response to Syr's words, he was reminded of all the previous times she'd spent with her mouth around his cock, or the times his Goddess had tended to him. Each of those sessions had been wonderful beyond words, and they'd all ended in the same way- he would fill their mouths, and then unload everything he had over them! He'd always assumed that was just a mistake, an error on his or their parts, but it was intentional? It was what they'd wanted?

The answer was simple, his mind immediately conjured up the images he'd seen… of his Goddess beaming up at him while drenched in his cum. Of Syr's radiant smile while coated thick in his essence.

"!!!"

"A-Ah!

"N-Nya?!"

It was too late for second-guessing!

His body pulsed and throbbed one last time, and his vision flashed white! His breath caught in his throat, and the bliss surging within him finally overwhelmed every one of his senses!

"Th-Then! In that case-!"

Roaring aloud, Bell suddenly pulled himself back from where he was sitting!

Chloe gave a start as his cock slid back from where it had been sheathed deep within her throat. Sliding back centimeder after centimeder, twitching and spasming against her inner walls all the way out, the catgirl's body was left trembling just as much as his shaft, even as it slipped from her tightly pursed lips with a sudden pop!

Syr moaned aloud as Bell's balls were pulled away from the warm confines of her mouth and the tender caresses of her tongue. For just one brief, dizzying, moment, the full length of Bell's cock was dragged across her face, and her body remembered every instant of it!

Hörn moaned just as loud, and even more wantonly. Gasping and panting as her bare waist arched into the sky, above the sweat-stained mattress, echoing violently around the room in what she would later assure herself was anger and disgust, her body throbbed hot with unwanted delight!

And with that, Bell's cock was towering, huge and thick, above the two women once more. Held in his own hands, aloft in the air, throbbing and twitching, and pointed directly at them!

"Mmm!" Syr understood his intentions instantly. Squeezing herself up against Chloe's side, the silver-haired waitress closed her eyes, stuck out her tongue, and cupped her hands eagerly beneath her chin!

"Nya!?" Chloe blinked in shock, her body tensed and wild with confusion, with both her tail and ears standing rigid in place. With her thoughts still well and truly lost, her well-honed instincts instead squeezed her eyes shut, and tilted her head back as her mouth hung wide!

"Gh-HHAAA!"

And finally, as if in climax to everything this night had been, and his success in earning his first Title, Bell's words devolved into nothing but a guttural cry of pleasure! His vision lanced white, as everything building within him finally surged out, and his cock -twitching and spasming directly before the two waitresses- suddenly, finally, erupted!

A huge, viscous rope of cum splattered across Chloe's face, coating her from her forehead to her chin,

A thick, wet blast of seed landed onto Syr's expression, instantly sealing her eye shut.

Another streak of his release crashed across the Black Cat's nose, dying each of her flushed cheeks in his colour.

Another jet of his essence splashed directly onto the human girl's waiting tongue, filling her mouth instantly.

Over Chloe's bangs. Across Syr's cheeks. Into Chloe's mouth. Onto Syr's forehead…

Again and again, Bell's balls clenched, his cock twitched, and another heady, thick, stream of his seed drenched across each of the girl's faces! Fulfilling his girlfriend's instruction, and a desire the former-assassin didn't even know she had, Bell came with everything he had, letting out every last drop of his release- until the two waitresses, silver and black, were each dyed completely white, and their beautiful faces were almost entirely lost beneath the thick coating of his release!

"N-N-N-NyyyaaaaAAAAAA!" Chloe came from the moment the felt the warmth, heat and potency of his cum splashing across her skin, then again as the next blast splattered across her, then again, and again, as all her senses and her very world seemed to be filled with him! Yowling and gasping, her body jerked and pulsed, and her pussy throbbed with delight and with a need more powerful than any of the times she'd touched herself! Drowning in the sensation of him, Chloe came so hard her mind went blank! "Nyh-hhA hhaaaaa, nyaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Ahhhh!" No matter how many times Syr had her face painted with Bell's cum, it never failed to leave her mind spinning, and leave her body practically dazzling with bliss! She had nothing to worry about, concern herself with, or even think about, but this moment and this feeling- and so, she surrendered all thought, and drowned ecstatically in the sensation! Moaning aloud, and practically singing with delight, her voice cried out in melodic tunes as she came, again, and again, and again, with each time she felt Bell's seed warm and welcome across her skin! "Bell-kun! I love you!"

"GnnnnGHHHHHH! L-L-Lady Freya!" No matter how desperately she moaned her liege's name… when Hörn's body throbbed with irresistible bliss, it was visions of Bell that filled her mind, the taste of his cock and cum that filled her senses, and the feeling of his seed across her that left her womb practically crying out in joy! "Cumming! Cumming! NGhh, no, no! Lady F-Freya! I love you! I love you! Bell-kun!"

Drowning happily in the sensations flooding their senses, all three women came together, and all three panted with wanton delight as they basked in the sensation of being so thoroughly coated in Bell Cranel's essence.

…

Several minutes passed just like that, with the two girls kneeling in place, pressed up side by side against one another and Bell half sitting, half standing off the bed, his cock still held in his hand and small aftershocks of pleasure still rippling through him as his breath slowly steadied.

And then, as the high of ecstasy slowly faded away, but before their thoughts fully returned, the young rookie adventurer was treated to yet another unbelievable sight, almost as breathtaking as the last- the image of Syr Flover and Chloe Rollo licking, cleaning and drinking his cum from across their faces. Anything he'd unloaded into either of their mouths had already been long since swallowed, all that remained was everything else- Syr brought her cupped hands to her mouth, slurping his seed as if from a drinking bowl. Chloe scooped up the seed that had been splashed across her nose and slurped it greedily from her fingers. The human girl's fingers daintily cleaned up the release that had sealed her eyes shut, drinking it up as her glazed expression shone back up towards him. The former assassin did the same, without even a trace of grace, her catlike tongue flicking out and gulping down every drop she was able to gather up.

And, after that, after they'd cleaned themselves as best they could, came nothing but wanton greed…

"Chloe… Nnn, it's no good being selfish. You'll share with me, right?"

"Ah!? S-Syr!? Nyaaa!?"

Syr gave absolutely no warning before turning and latching onto her colleague, and before the Black Cat even had a chance to defend herself, Syr's tongue was dragging across her cheek, along her neckline, everywhere that a drop of Bell's seed yet remained, it was mercilessly hunted down and greedily slurped up.

"Th-Then you need to share too, nya!"

Of course, when it came to wanton greed, Chloe was no better, and so she quickly turned the attack back on the silver-haired woman! Grabbing onto Syr just as tightly as her friend was clinging to her, Chloe's catlike tongue drank hungrily at the few remaining dollops cum still dripping from her colleague's face.

"!"

And so, a truly outrageous spectacle unfolded before Bell's awestruck eyes, as the two proud and pure waitresses he held in such esteem clung so lewdly together, and desperately slurped up every last trace of his release from each other's faces.

Rationality finally returned a few minutes later, but by then, both women had been thoroughly cleaned up, and each was looking practically radiant with delight.

"H-How was that? He truly is wonderful, is he not?" Syr, somehow managed to sound almost as composed as ever, even given the state she was in right now.

"It was… amazing nyaa…" Chloe panted breathlessly, a mewling purr slipping from her mouth and no trace of composure anywhere to be seen.

"Delicious too, right? Mmm, it's warm, right to my soul… Nectar fit for a Goddess."

"It's too good, just smelling it makes me feel hot, nyaa… I'm gonna get addicted."

…

As if called on by some siren song, both girls' focus turned slowly from one another and directly back over to where Bell was sitting. Back to where his cock was once again towering above them.

Of course, after witnessing something like that, he couldn't possibly have relaxed!

…

"Nya… I can't believe it…" Chloe swallowed heavily, a visible shiver running through her, "He's still so hard…"

"Well, you heard us the other night," Syr's composure broke as a dizzy look spread across her face, "Bell-kun is very thorough…"

"Nyaa…."

"Hh-haaa…."

"Well… If you play nice, I suppose, I don't mind sharing with you again…"

"A-Ah! Th-That's… H-Haha, w-well, if you can't handle him all by yourself, th-then I might be able to help out…"

After another moment of silent panting, Syr took a deep breath and then pushed herself unsteadily back to her feet. So doing, she regathered as much of her usually impressive presence as was possible in her current state, and addressed her lover directly.

"S-So, so there you go, Bell-kun. I don't mind if you and Chloe have some fun, an-and I don't mind joining you either. But! But you've got to remember! I'm your girlfriend first… And, also, Chloe is my colleague, and my precious friend, so you've got to cherish her too, alright? You can play with her, but- until you've made her fall in love with you, and until you love her too, you're absolutely not allowed to take her virginity. That's off-limits! And that's the same for any of the other waitresses here."

Bell blinked. As always, it seemed that Syr had been thinking far ahead of him, and far beyond what he'd possibly imagined.

But one look at Chloe, and the acceptance on her face, told him that -once again- she probably knew best for this kind of thing. Keeping a strict limit in place would prevent anything from getting out of hand in the heat of the moment.

"Right."

"Good."

"Eh? Don't I get a say in this, nya!?"

"Hmm? Should I say he can't do anything at all, until you two are in love?"

"It doesn't matter what you say, he won't be able to resist me at all, nya! I'll make su-"

"Thank you both," Bell interrupted, before Chloe's pride got the better of her once again, "That felt… that was… You were both incredible."

His face blazed red just trying to speak, he could barely finish the sentence. As much as he'd meant the words, he wasn't anywhere near confident enough to talk so sincerely with his cock still hanging, hard, eager and ready in the air, and especially not when addressing two women still visibly dishevelled from servicing him in an unbelievable double blowjob.

"Er… I, th-that…"

They each beamed warmly back at him, which only made the rest of his words die in his throat.

"!"

As always, Bell didn't have the eloquence, or the self-assurance to get across what he truly wanted to say. But, thankfully, his time with Syr and with his Goddess had taught him at least how to show his sincerity with his actions. Leaping to his feet, he scooped the Black Cat up into his arms, and hoisted her aloft in an abrupt princess carry!

"Nya!?"

"B-Bell-kun!?"

Despite being so strong he'd been unable to so much as budge her before, Chloe felt so light as to be practically weightless. She squirmed in surprise and mewled in confusion, but she did nothing to fight his hold, rather her body slunk easily into his arms- letting Bell feel once again just how small, soft and wonderfully feminine the catgirl waitress was… for one full second before he turned and tossed her onto the bed!

Another second was spent admiring the curve of her wide, round hips as he hiked her dress up over her waist.

And then another marvelling at the sensation of her smooth, bare thighs under his touch, as he rolled both her -lightly stained- leggings and -heavily stained- panties down her legs.

And with that, Chloe's bare, soaked, virgin pussy was unveiled completely before his eyes. Beautifully pink, glistening, smooth and practically pulsing with desire, Bell could feel the soft heat radiating from her core, just watching as she shivered beneath his gaze.

"Nya… White Hair… I-If, i-if you want it th-that badly… I don't mind, nya…"

"Ah, I see…" Syr sighed, and even without looking, he could all but see her tossing her head to the side, "Bell-kun, you truly are insatiable, aren't you? It's fine, go ahead. Chloe… ah, try not to go too crazy?"

"Eh? What're you two talking abnnyYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?"

Of course, Bell hadn't intended to have sex with Chloe, he'd already agreed with Syr's demands. What he'd been unable to explain was his own desire to repay the pleasure they'd given him. Thankfully, his Goddess had taught him exactly what he needed to know for this kind of situation!

And so, the white-haired adventurer buried his head between her legs, and suddenly the room was filled immediately with the sound of the once-feared assassin screaming herself hoarse, as her slutty, needy, and yet somehow pristine pussy was touched by someone other than her, for the very first time in her life! No matter how little experience he had with women, or with sex, Bell had still enjoyed plenty of time with his head between his Goddess's thighs- after the pleasure they'd given him before, he was absolutely determined to show off the fruits of that training!

"Mha- Ah, Syr! Here, you too!"

"Eh? B-Bell-kun!?"

Syr was never one to deny the man she loved or to deny herself pleasure. So, without any resistance, she was swiftly guided over to the bed and laid out directly atop her colleague, with the two waitresses immediately wrapping around one another and with Bell removing the silver-haired woman's soaked leggings and panties just as swiftly!

"A-AHnnnnNNN, B-Bell-kun! Y-Yes! Yes, ri-right there! HHHA! I love it!"

"Nyaa, b-back to me! Back to mmeeEEEEEEEEEEENYAAA!"

Syr was just as alluring as ever. There was something sensual and almost whimsical to the juices that gushed from her pussy, as if he could taste just a hint of her teasing, cheeky nature.

Chloe was just a little bit sweeter. Her legs bucked and kicked each time his tongue dragged along her folds, and her hips bucked recklessly from inexperience each time she came, but the warm, soft and gentle taste that Bell drank from her pussy made his heart sing all the same.

The human and the catgirl clung desperately tight to one another, their slender bodies grinding wantonly together as their bodies rocked and trembled in place. As Bell alternated between them, and as his fingers and tongue showed off all his training so far- they screamed, moaned, shivered, panted, and came! Furiously, desperately, greedily, without control or any hope of resistance! Over and over, and over, and over again!

Until the boy was satisfied he'd paid back the pleasure he'd felt. Until the night was filled with the sounds of their bliss. Until Hörn thought she was going crazy.

And until both waitresses were left slumped in a heap on the mattress- dizzy, dazed and thoroughly satisfied.

--*--

"Ah, Cranel-san, welcome back," Ryu sighed in relief, then offered him a smile as Bell slowly wended his way back over towards their table, "I was worried you may have gotten lost, or that somebody was causing problems for you again. But, where is Syr? Did she not find you?"

"Oh," Bell scratched the back of his head, "She did find me, she's just with Chloe. She'll probably be back in a bit."

Ryu nodded, but let out a beleaguered sigh this time, "I hope Chloe didn't do anything too foolish, in that case."

"Er, ah, no, nothing like that…"

"Welcome back, Bell-sama! Lilli was getting really worried about you!"

Turning from the elf, Bell noticed that in Syr's absence Lilli had taken up residence in the seat at his side, the small prum was looking up at him with something between relief and frustration. Thankfully, the frustration seemed to ebb away as soon as he sat down beside her and her usual smile took up residence instead.

"Sorry, Lilli. I didn't mean to stay that long…"

"Mou… Lilli wanted to be the one to come find you. But Syr-san told us to just stay here- she said you'd probably had too much to drink, and she could take you to the staff bathroom…"

"The staff bathroom? N-No, it wasn't, it wasn't anything like that."

"Hmmm…" Lilli frowned, pinning him with an accusing gaze, "But you were away with Syr-san for this long then? You know, Lilli's been thinking this all evening, but isn't Syr-san overly close with Bell-sama!?"

"Ah- er, I mean…" With his head still halfway in the clouds, and his body still thrumming hot from the taste of the two women he'd left behind, Bell was absolutely not in the correct mindset to try to answer any questions like this, "That is to say…"

"That's only natural," Ryu supplied for him, voice as calm as if she was discussing the most obvious fact in the world, "Syr-san is Cranel-san's betrothed."

"Wh-W-WHA!? R-Ryu-san! Hahah! Sorry, but Lilli doesn't understand such silly jokes!"

"There's no joke. Whatever your feelings, please accept this, for Cranel-san's sake."

Bell laughed awkwardly, his mind slowly coming down from his threesome daze and grounding itself in the terribly awkward reality surrounding him. He had the utmost respect and admiration for Ryu, but her upright personality was definitely not doing him any favours in this moment.

"B-B-Bell-sama! Pl-Please explain to Ryu-san, she's mista… Bell-sama!?"

She saw the look on his face.

"Th-That Syr-san!? Not Hestia-sama? (…Not Lilli?) But, that Syr-san!?"

He shook his head, scolding himself momentarily for his previous thoughts. No, it wasn't right to blame Ryu for this. Nothing she'd said was wrong, nor was it even out of line, especially as one of Syr's closest friends. This was all his fault, he was the one who'd been too awkward about his romantic situation to say anything, even to his own supporter. Of course, the truth was going to come out sooner or later, what had he expected? His Goddess had told him the exact same thing when he'd asked if she'd wanted to keep their romance a secret.

"Actually… It's a little more complicated than that, and probably a bit worse."

"Huh… Lilli doesn't understand?"

"Here," pushing himself back to his feet, he extended his hand out to her, "It's getting late anyway, and I've already cleared things up with Syr. Why don't we head out now, I'll explain on the way home?"

For the first time since they'd reunited, Lilli hesitated to take his hand.

The look in her eyes told the story- it wasn't because she didn't want to, it was because she was scared of what he was about to tell her.

Bell offered her the most encouraging smile he could, as if he could will her to believe that- no matter what he said, or what she might think of him after this, she would always have a place in his heart.

He was completely unaware of it, but unfortunately for Lilli, that same earnest smile was the exact same one that had lived in her heart, her dreams and memories ever since the day he'd saved her.

She couldn't possibly resist it.

Her hand clasped with his, they took a moment to bid goodnight to Ryu, and then wince in unison as he settled the tab (and watched as the majority of what remained in his wallet was emptied into Mama Mia's hands) and then they made their way, hand in hand, out into the night and towards Lilli's home.

Lilli's hand was as warm as ever, she clung to him as tightly as ever, and they made their way through the city, step in step, just the same as they always did.

And slowly, awkwardly, he began to explain… what had happened with him and Ais, his relationship with Hestia, the agreement he'd had with Syr and everything else that had happened throughout his time in the Dungeon City.

Their usual jovial mood was missing. Lilli's sing-song voice or gentle scolding was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, their trip was punctuated entirely with her shock, disappointment, confusion, and sheer bewilderment.

Finally, when his story was done, her conclusion came loud, clear, and with a puff of anger that seemed to radiate through the Prum's entire, tiny body.

"Unbelievable! Lilli can't believe you convinced anyone else to go along with that! Bell-sama! Lilli was right about you all along! Enemy of women! Pervert! You, you, you playboy!"

And yet, not once did she let go of his hand.

Even when her face turned down and her eyes glistened with tears that refused to fall. Still, she clung to him, and still, she walked in step with him.

Even when they reached her house, still she stood with him, minute after minute, long into the night, not saying a word, not pushing him away or pulling him close- simply holding onto his hand, as tight as she could manage.

"Bell-sama… Lilli… Lilli is sorry about what she said, before."

"Ah, don't be. It's true, I know. I deserve it…"

"No… No, it's not true, even if Lilli wanted it to be true. Lilli ca-can understand why Lady Hestia and Syr… It's not impossible to… Haaa, Lilli thinks that Bell-sama is determined, like nobody she's ever seen, more reliable and stronger, even when he's weak. Lilli thinks… i-if, Bell-sama truly is that determined, th-then, maybe he truly can be a man who can make women happy."

"Ah, ha… Th-thank you… I really hope that's the case…"

"Lilli had… Lilli had all kinds of things she wanted to say tonight, or things she wanted to do with Bell-sama, but now, it's like Lilli's head is a mess."

"I'm sorry."

"Really! The most amazing thing is that Bell-sama is still the same! Why is he so indecisive!? If he'd just said… You'd think a man like him would… With Lilli, anytime, all he needed to do, even now… Nnnnnnnnggg!"

"Uh… I'm sorry?"

This time she squeezed his hand so tight it hurt, even through his new Level Up!

"Bell-sama…?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you still take Lilli's hand? Even though you've got Lady Hestia and Syr-san?"

"Of course."

"…Th-Thank you."

Lilli still had a lot to think about, far more than one night's worth.

So, for now, she simply clung to Bell's hand, and she simply contented herself in this moment she had with him alone.

--*--

"Arrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuhhhh…"

A truly pitiful moan rang out through into the still night.

Daphne Lauros was having trouble sleeping.

And unfortunately, it wasn't for any of the usual reasons she may have experienced in the past. Instead, it was late at night, her face was flushed hot, and her room was filled heavily with echoing moans, groans and screams…

…As she writhed around on top of her bed, with her pillow clutched over her head, crying out in sheer mortified embarrassment while her mind played back the previous few week's events!

"Ahhhuuuuuaaaaaaaahhhh!"

The simplest, and worst truth had been revealed to Daphne just a few hours earlier. Somehow, against all reason, against all common sense, against all logic… Bell Cranel was real.

For all this time, from the first time she'd heard his name, she'd always assumed that this "Bell-sama" was just another silly fantasy of Cassandra's, Gods only knew she'd had enough of those already. The bluenette was a lonely girl, so she'd invented some handsome, confidant young man who was in love with her, to fill her dreams.

It was a little pathetic, but Daphne couldn't hold it against her. Her friend had always had difficulty distinguishing reality from dreams, she actually thought her dreams were some kind of fortune-telling! It was hardly surprising that a yearning for romance and affection would get tangled up in that.

…

Of course, if it had been only a yearning for romance and affection, then Daphne wouldn't currently be kicking her feet into her mattress and trying her best to drown out thoughts of any recent memories.

Unfortunately for Daphne, Cassandra's stories of her dreams with Bell Cranel had been more than just romantic, and more than simply affectionate, they'd been outright lurid! Sensual, sexual, kinky, romantic, rough, soft and everything in between- the self-proclaimed prophetess's stories had been filled to bursting with an almost dizzying kind of raunch and eroticism!

Daphne, as usual, had made a great show of pointing out how ridiculous her friend was being, and how silly it was to pretend these dreams had any basis in reality… and then, she'd asked to hear the exact details. And then she'd asked to hear more stories. And then she'd asked to hear more adventures.

At the end of the day, no matter how stern and stoic her role in the Apollo Familia forced her to be, Daphne was just a lonely teenage girl too.

Cassandra had told her about meeting Bell in the hallways through the house, how he'd suddenly just grabbed her, pinned her against the wall and filled the walkway with her cries.

And that night, Daphne had laid awake imagining herself in that same position, held aloft against the walls, with her legs around her lover and her moans echoing without care for anyone to hear.

Cassandra had recounted a tale of herself and a golden-haired Renart standing in the kitchen, offering Bell whatever meal he desired, while wearing nothing but aprons and alluring smiles.

And that night, Daphne had tossed and turned under her bedsheets, picturing herself in that scene and what it would be like to dress up so lewdly for the man you loved.

Cassandra had spun a story about a quiet and calm date through the city, the places they'd been the food they'd eaten, and how in a secluded area within the public library, she'd slipped under the table and crawled over to him.

And that night, Daphne's moans had echoed out quietly as her fingers slipped between her legs and her mind filled with images of herself on her knees, hidden beneath a table, swallowing just as greedily and desperately as her friend had described.

Cassandra had flushed right to her toes, before finally -quietly- painting a scene of some celebration being held, a party, where the climax saw the would-be-prophetess, naked and bent over the edge of Bell's bed, lined up alongside five other women, moaning, panting, and shaking her ass without reserve as she shamelessly awaited her turn.

And that night, Daphne's body had been wracked with orgasm after orgasm, as her fingers slammed between her legs and her mind filled with visions of herself in a scenario she could never possibly imagine actually entertaining!

It was all just fantasies! Just harmless dreams and silly stories! Most of them weren't even the kind of romance Daphne had any interest in!

She had always been a dominant woman, and always imagined herself meeting her partner on an equal level. She couldn't possibly imagine actually entertaining involving other women, crawling under desks in public where she could get caught, dressing up in silly costumes, or any of the other things Cassandra seemed to come up with! But the pictures her friend had painted, the sheer vibrancy of her erotic tales had filled Daphne's imagination so thoroughly, she hadn't been able to resist entertaining them!

After all, her life in this Familia left her no hope for romance or any kind of sexual thrill. It shouldn't be shocking at all, that she was so susceptible to Cassandra's lurid tales, no more shocking than the fact that the bluenette's stories had so recently become so raunchy.

Bell Cranel wasn't real, he was just some figment of Cassandra's overactive imagination. A handsome, kind and strong hero seemingly from straight out of a storybook, come to sweep a lonely girl off her feet. And, being in just the same situation as Cassandra, he'd appealed to Daphne's desires almost as strongly.

Of course, Daphne wasn't anywhere near as hopeless as her friend, she at least knew it was all just a dumb fantasy, she knew it wasn't real, she knew it was all make-believe.

…

Except, sitting on Daphne's bedside table was a list of newly Levelled Up adventurers and their corresponding titles. She hadn't paid it any mind at first, no one in her Familia, or anyone she cared about had been part of this Denatus. It wasn't until dinnertime that rumours of a new record-holder began to reach her.

And it wasn't until after dinner that she'd heard his name- Bell Cranel.

The man who'd taken up such powerful residence within Daphne's imagination, who'd given her countless lurid fantasies and sent her through more orgasms than she could count, was no mere dream!

He existed!

It was unfair! She'd never meant for this! She'd never wanted this!

But, somehow, Cassandra's fairytale man existed. And Daphne had invented ridiculous stories involving him and had been using an actual, real, living person for sexual relief!

"Arrrrrrrgggghhhhh!?!?"

The pillow muffled another cry.

She'd been too mortified even to try to wrench an explanation from Cassandra.

Daphne wouldn't get much sleep this night.

Cassandra didn't either… but the moans echoing around her room were much happier.

--*--

Meanwhile, far to the south of Orario, in a small, private park, just a short walk from the famous Folkvangr mansion, a beautiful woman with long, silvery-white hair was sitting on a bench, languidly reading through a book resting in her lap.

A simple brown travelling cloak was wrapped around her shoulders, hiding all but brief glimpses of what appeared to be an absolutely stunning body from view. The hood that had kept her appearance all through the city had been thrown off the second she'd arrived here… the second she'd arrived within sight of the Freya Familia mansion.

This was no mere mistake or coincidence. She had been here all evening, even as the sun's rays had disappeared and the magic stone lamp's light had filled the night's sky instead, sitting in place, reading her book, where anyone could see her.

It was unmistakably a challenge.

Most of the city had forgotten her. Few were those who still whispered her name, and fewer still were those who still lived that remembered her appearance.

But this Familia, most of all, knew well that they had reason to remember this woman, and this name. Word had spread since the second she'd arrived, since the moment she'd thrown her hood back and those heterochromatic eyes had shone so terrifyingly towards the mansion.

The Maiden of Silence had returned to Orario.

The Incarnation of Talent was here for the Freya Familia.

Alfia awaited.

One by one, the most powerful, legendary adventurers among the most powerful, legendary Familia spread out across the buildings and surrounding area. Her every move was watched, her every breath studied. But not a single one dared make a move without approval. A single wrong step here could lead to calamity beyond reckoning.

Evening passed into night. Tension rose to a fever peak. Rumours, whispers and orders passed silently through the lower Familia members.

Alfia flicked through her book as idly as ever.

It wasn't until another, unimaginably beautiful, silver-haired woman stepped her way into the park that time seemed to flow again. And it wasn't until this woman lowered her own hood that the Maiden of Silence looked up from her novel.

"Freya."

"It really is you, I'm amazed," the Valkyrie Goddess's voice came out almost breathlessly, half in wonder half in amusement, "I'd heard you'd returned, and now I've heard you're waiting outside my own house. I am sorry, it took me so long to arrive… it's been a busy night."

Alfia scoffed, "What, busy slutting around with another one of your boy-toys?"

"Hehe, something like that," Freya spread her hands in a small shrug, "Did you come here to ask for an introduction?"

Freya's purple irises were calm, appeasing and appraising.

"Tch."

Alfia's green and silver eyes were blazing red hot with rage.

"I came here to ask why you saw fit to give Bell Cranel the title, Vanadis Odr!"

--*--

Bell Cranel - Level 2

[Rabbit's Foot]

[Liaris Freese] Rapid growth. Continued desire results in continued growth. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings.

[Eternal Pledge to the Goddess of the Hearth] Greatly improved fire resistance. Additionally, provides a temporary Status increase when defending loved ones. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings. Effects are reversed if the pledge is broken.

[Argonaut] Executes automatically with an active action.

[Sagitta Sonus] Swift Strike Magic

--*--

Notes:

A/N: Phew, as you can see, a big chapter, but I didn't wanna do just the Denatus, I've been worried that the chapters haven't been covering enough ground and the story's moving too slow, so I wanted to at least get the celebration dinner done too. Denatus maybe could have been smaller, but it ended up having a lot of character scenes for Hestia and Freya, so… ahh, it was just a lott'a fun to write too.

So was Chloe's blowjob, and the first threesome of the story! Hopefully you enjoyed that, and hopefully we'll see more of that to come!

I went through a lot of thoughts and took a bunch of suggestions for Cassandra's new skill name, probably my favourite of them was "Tintinnabulum", which is absurdly fitting, but not quite romantic enough, so I wound up going with "Resonating Desire" instead. As you've probably been able to guess, this is going to be a common skill seen on all the major love interests, and with that you can likely guess what I'm planning on doing with Argonaut, and why Hestia enjoyed the sound of it so much.

As for Bell's title! We finally see it! Were you surprised? Alfia certainly seemed to have been! If you're wondering, I settled on Vanadis Odr for a few reasons

1. I thought it would be funny just imagining Hestia's reactions

2. Freya's sleeping with Bell (via Syr) so she's even more attached and wants to mark her territory

3. It won't be his last title, and it's the only time he'll ever get this one. I can't very-well have him get it as his lv4 title can I?

4. And most importantly- Nobody ever uses that title! Poor Freya, I thought at least I can have her enjoying seeing Bell strutting around as her Odr, at least for a while until Hestia gets that changed!

I had someone comment that it was hard to read this story and remember all the skills and changes I made to Bell's abilities in canon, and I thought that was a completely reasonable complaint, so I figured I'd tack that onto the end of the chapter like shown. There's nothing special about me having done so this time, I'm intending to do that for now on, just to make it easier to remember what he's got and what's different.

Anyway, this chapter was made available as an Early Release a week ago, and future chapters will be following the same schedule. So, if you want to help support me, want more information about my story statuses, or just want to read them before anyone else, the details can be found /davenport_jl

http/jlcdavenport.

Chapter 14: Is It Wrong To Finally Meet?

Notes:

Author's Note: And here we are! I promised myself that this one wasn't gonna get away from me and become another crazy 40k Monstrosity, and while it took longer than I wanted (mostly due to me starting another story first before pivoting to this to get it done) I've managed to keep it from getting too out of control, I think this is about the right chapter length, I'm pretty happy with it, and I hope you'll enjoy it too!

So here we are, the long-awaited Freya v Alfia confrontation, and some more besides…

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Banner

--*--

A ravenous terror awaited at the doorstep of the Freya Familia.

A beast long presumed dead. A witch from an era already long passed. A nightmare from a memory forcefully buried.

Hair like polished silver.

A dress like blackest midnight.

And an aura of malevolence that seemed to carry out into the air beyond.

All who remembered her knew fear. All who had felt her cruelty knew dread. And all who looked upon her did so with wary hearts.

Even as she sat, with her hood thrown back and presence exposed, just a few meders away from the home base of the proudest, strongest Familia in the Dungeon City, not a single member dared flare killing intent towards her. To do so was to risk inciting her wrath, and to incite her wrath was to invite destruction.

Even among those who had never seen this woman, and those who had never even heard her name (for only rarely was any other woman's name uttered within Freya's halls) could understand, just from the way their executives reacted, that a great and ruinous power sat now before them.

Words, titles and legends were whispered among the lower-ranking members.

The Maiden of Silence.

The Incarnation of Talent.

The Silver-Haired Sorceress of Orario's Dark Age.

A woman of terrifying might and dreadful magic, an adventurer so skilled she was said to have even surpassed the strength of Hera's Level 9 Captain.

Yet, even as their hearts hammered and skin grew clammy with sweat, not one of them quailed or shirked their role, and neither too did any of them lose their mind with some reckless bravado. Even without comradery, and even without standard discipline, they maintained absolute composure. They were the immortal Einherjar, those who would gladly die for the sake of the Goddess they adored and those who would then rise again to protect her still. All the same, there was no stopping the unease that spread among their ranks.

While only few knew the details, everyone knew that the Freya and Loki Familia were responsible for the destruction of Zeus and Hera.

By their Goddess's hand, Alfia had been cast low.

And now, like a spectre from Orario's violent past, here she sat before them.

It was hard to imagine this would end in anything but bloodshed.

The lower ranks spread around the neighbourhood, passing out cursed wands and status-down items.

The spellcasters sang quietly, weaving songs to bolster and empower, boosting every one of their members to the limits of their ability.

The healers prepared themselves with grim determination, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Despite being a Familia that detested working together, their co-ordination was no less than perfect, preparing themselves with no effort spared, as if readying to face a Dungeon Boss.

The reason for that, and for the strict discipline being followed by the usually unruly Familia was, surprisingly, because of the same strict discipline being followed by the even more unruly executives. Every one of them was perched atop a building, overlooking the park below, each of them was balanced right on the knife's edge of tension, and not a single one of them had yet made a move.

"If she takes even a single step forward, I'm going," Allen declared, his hands clenched tight around the spear he held pointed directly at Alfia's heart, his personal magic spell already twisting in place around him, "I'll skewer her before she can do anything!"

"You stupid mangy cat!"

"Have you forgotten who that is!?"

"That's the Silence. You won't be skewering her, you'll just get blasted to bits!"

"And while we would enjoy that, the rest of us would also get dragged into your stupidity!"

As always, the four Prum that made up the Bringar spoke in unison. While no less ready to jump into the fray than Allen, they at least held enough restraint to understand that acting recklessly would be even worse than not acting at all. Heith's legendary healer corps, the Andhrímnir, could bring someone back from the brink of death, but only from the brink of death. There would be no second chances in this, and if any one of them acted, then the entire Familia would act as one, there would be no possible do-over. The entire Freya Familia might end in an instant, and they did not bear that weight easily.

"I fear not death, and I fear not your death especially," Hogni's voice held none of his usual cowardice, with the Dark Elf having already taken up the mantle of Dáinsleif, "If our lives are what it takes to stop her- then the better to act now, before she has a chance to do anything."

His logic was sound. If even Allen couldn't hope to reach Alfia before she could kill him, then what hope did any of them have to keep her from harming their Goddess? Harming a divinity was one of the world's greatest taboos, but none of Freya's followers would be willing to gamble their beloved Goddess's life on something like that.

"Our Goddess said to stand down, so we stand down," however, Ottar's logic was even more sound, "She said she has no wish to risk war with this woman."

All evening, they had been here, surrounding this woman, preparing themselves while awaiting their Goddess's presence, unwilling to act without her approval.

And now, having arrived a few hours past dusk, Freya had bid them all hold position, desiring -against fervent objection- to speak to Alfia alone.

"None of you idiots are going, and neither is anybody else," Hedin clicked his tongue while groaning out an exasperated sigh, "Do none of your eyes work or is it your brains that's the problem? Clearly, she's here to talk, otherwise, why would she make such a great show bringing a book instead of a weapon, and why would she be sitting outside our headquarters instead of assaulting us without warning? Do you think the Maiden of Silence is so nice that she would give her enemies time to prepare, do you think at all? So, instead of annoying me with this insipid chatter, just shut up and focus on Freya-sama. We await her signal."

As usual, the White Elf had the most rational view of the situation, but while the man known as Hildsleif could say such things with full confidence… he was also the one who had directed the entire Familia to their positions encircling the park where Alfia was sitting, his rhomphaia was still unsheathed, and hundreds of bolts of lightning hung ominously, ready to be unleashed at the slightest moment.

The entire Familia was on edge, and every one of them was watching with bated breath as the most beautiful Goddess in the world stepped lightly towards the most terrifying woman in the world.

--*--

It was Alfia's rage that had brought her here.

No matter how calmly she'd been reading her book, or how carefully she'd masked her expression, even though she didn't let even a single spark of killing intent flare towards the Freya Familia, that anger roiled and seethed within her. It was a fury she hadn't felt in years, worse than the disgust she'd felt towards Zeus's affronts or his abandonment, and worse than the indignation she'd felt towards Hera's attitude or her commands. It was the same kind of outrage she'd felt when her Familia had been destroyed, and when her sister had died, a boiling cauldron of wrath full enough that it felt like she could just burn the entire world down!

Mostly it was directed at Freya, but also her condemnation landed upon herself.

Despite her pride and vanity, Alfia didn't hold herself to perfection, she hadn't expected her disguise in Orario to last forever. But she'd thought she could stay out of sight a lot longer than she had, and never once had she even thought to investigate the bar that Bell was spending so much time in. She'd never had a reason to, nor any cause to give the place more than a cursory thought. He'd claimed the food was good and the waitresses kind, she'd hardly cared about anything more than that.

And then she'd walked through those doors and come face to face with Mia Grand.

It was like a bad joke. It was like the Fates were mocking her directly.

Of all the bars in Orario, of all the places her (adorable and beloved) Bell could have eaten, he'd wound up in the one run by the ex-Freya Familia Captain, Demi Ymir!? And what was a former Captain even doing running a bar!? At least Alfia had an excuse for her less-than-auspicious circumstances!

Even at the time, seeing the immediate recognition on Mia's face, seeing the curious looks from all the other staff -probably all Freya members- Alfia's stomach had churned horribly. She had pushed it all away at the time, not even a word had passed between them as she'd followed Syr back to where Bell had been laid up, all Alfia could have possibly focussed on during those days was her sister's son, anything else was irrelevant. But ever since Bell had gotten back on his feet, she'd been unable to stop thinking about it.

No doubt Mia had immediately reported her presence to Freya, and so that infuriating slut-Goddess, one of the very targets of Alfia's revenge, had known she was back in the city.

And now… and now… and now…

After all his desperate hard work, all the crimson blood she'd seen dripping down his body and all the tears he'd hidden away from her!

After terrifying her with just how recklessly he'd risked his life!

After Levelling Up and becoming an astonishing record holder, reaching Level Two faster than anyone in history!

After his first step toward overturning her objections and becoming a Hero had been etched into Oraro's annals!

…

After everything Bell had done and all he'd worked for, Freya gave him that title. That ridiculous, disgusting, humiliating title!

That was the cruel whims of a Goddess of Beauty encapsulated. Ignoring everything about him, a Goddess who didn't even know who he was, who had never even met him, had given him a second name he would carry forever simply as a way of calling out Alfia, as a way of taunting her and drawing her out!

Even just thinking about it had Alfia clenching her jaw so tight the bones creaked. Even just picturing how happy Bell had smiled when he'd been given that poisonous name made her vision soak red. It was almost enough to make her beg for Hestia's blessing and burn down Folkvangr once and for all!

She had just barely restrained herself. For Bell's sake, and for the sake of a revenge that would make Meteria smile, rather than sigh.

And so, here she was.

She had accepted the Goddess's taunt. She had come out, bold and unadorned, right to the very doorstep of Freya's headquarters.

This was a foolish risk, she knew that, she could feel that down to her bones. Alfia was not a gambling woman, the Dungeon had taught her very well not to take pointless chances, she much preferred to amass an unstoppable power and then destroy any that dared oppose her.

But right now, she was bluffing. Surrounded on all sides by Freya's children, feeling the pinpricks of their gazes all across her body, feeling their anxiety, their doubt, and their anger. Without a Falna, Alfia was truly nothing but a paper tiger, if any of them did snap and attack her, there was nothing at all she could possibly do to defend herself. Freya's Einherjar had no way of knowing her Falna was gone, that she was nothing but an (exceptionally beautiful, yet) ordinary civilian, but even so, Alfia detested that she could do nothing but rely on her old reputation and previous legacy to keep them at bay.

It was just another thing to be angry about.

Even if she wasn't going to burn down Folkvangr just yet, the prudent thing would still have been to ask for Hestia's blessing, at least then she would be facing them from a position of strength. When she'd considered it, she'd been surprised to find herself less repulsed at that idea than she'd expected… it seemed she'd grown fond of that foolish little Goddess, because her mind hadn't lurched at the thought of submitting herself to Hestia's will. But, in the end, it had been thoughts of Bell that had held her back.

With a Falna, it would be harder, probably impossible, for her to justify not involving herself in his adventures. The danger around Bell would only grow, and the threats he was to face would only become deeper and deeper. If she had the strength to save him, to support him, to keep him safe… She knew she wouldn't be able to resist. After all, hadn't it been the love she'd felt for him that had stopped her from dying alongside Zald? She couldn't resist Bell, the love she felt for him was no less than what she'd felt for Meteria, the only other person Alfia had ever truly, deeply cared for.

Sooner or later, she would wind up drawn into his adventure. And in trying to keep him safe, she would destroy his legacy, overshadowing and tainting his story before it could even begin.

Rather than a man who rose himself from nothing, he would simply be seen as the Maiden of Silence's coddled student.

Even beyond that, Alfia was fully aware that the moment she took on a Goddess's blessing then her "vessel" would expand and the sickness that still lay dormant within her would wrack her body once again. Her lifespan would immediately be cut to shreds. She could accept that, of course, so long as she lived long enough to see Bell overturn her mockery and become the Hero she'd always denied. But who knew how many years it would take him to amass that kind of strength, and who knew how long she could even last in that state. After seeing the way Zeus's disappearance had shattered him, Alfia had absolutely no desire to force Bell to watch her die slowly from disease. The moment she took on a Falna, she would truly become dependent on the Evils' gifts, and she would then be dancing properly on the palm of Thanatos's hand.

No, the only future that made sense was for her to choke down this humiliation, to wait, and only take up power when Bell was strong enough to oppose her. For now, she could still use the Evils and manipulate them for her purposes. Only then would she join Thanatos's mad crusade, playing the part of a revenge-obsessed fool, she would become an unyielding and overbearing obstacle for Bell to defeat. And finally, when he had hardened his heart and cast her down, her destruction would grant him the pedigree to truly become the Last Hero. She would embrace her death gladly.

If, to make that happen, she had to face off against the anger and fear of the assembled Freya Familia, with nothing but her past deeds and seething fury to keep her strong, then that was a small price to pay.

Actually, if anything, the thought of those proud and pathetic executives cowering away from a woman who didn't even have the strength to oppose the least among them, brought out a sadistic joy within her.

Not quite enough to quell her fury, but enough to at least pass the time.

"!"

And then, at last, wrapped up in a long shawl that covered all but a few strands of silvery grey hair slipping from the cowl, the Goddess of Beauty finally arrived.

--*--

"Freya."

"It really is you, I'm amazed," the Valkyrie Goddess's voice came out breathlessly, half in wonder, half in amusement, "I'd heard you'd returned, and now I've heard you were waiting outside my own house. I am sorry it took me so long to arrive… it's been a busy night."

Alfia scoffed, "What, busy slutting around with one of your boy-toys?"

"Hehe, something like that," Freya spread her hands in a small shrug, "Did you come here to ask for an introduction?"

Freya's purple irises were calm, appeasing and appraising.

"Tch."

Alfia's green and silver eyes were blazing red hot with rage.

"I came here to ask why you saw fit to give Bell Cranel the title, Vanadis Odr!"

"Oh my! Do you not like it? I thought it was a perfect title for him. The other Goddesses were all so concerned with giving him something cute, but I knew there had to be more than that after all, he's not just cute, is he? There's a hidden manly side to that child. He needed a title just like that, something sweet, but reliable and strong. And you know, no man in history has ever been adorned with the title Vanadis Odr before, ahh, it's truly something he can wear with pride."

By the time Freya finished her little speech she was smiling giddily, with her hand pressed against her cheek and a flush on her face. Alfia, however, was glaring back with her fists clenched tight at her sides and a suicidal impulse to sock this arrogant Goddess worming its way through her heart.

Normally, Alfia would have been more than happy to spend the evening talking about (her adorable and beloved) Bell, debating his strongest features, that slowly blossoming side of manliness she'd seen from him, and all the little things that made you love him. She'd spent more than a few happy afternoons with Hestia doing exactly that.

But hearing this woman talking about him. A woman who didn't even know him. A woman who'd never even spoken to him. A woman who'd never even seen him… A woman who was responsible for his mother's death… Hearing Freya talk about Bell as if she knew even the first thing about him…

It was like she was being lectured about a topic she was an expert in, by someone who'd found it as a curiosity.

It was like being slapped in the face.

At length, Alfia forced herself calm. She knew this game. Whimsical, fickle and impulsive. This was just how Goddesses were, and Goddesses of Beauty more than any other. It was probably because she'd been spending so much time with Hestia lately that she'd forgotten just how infuriating so many of the other deities were.

"What do you want, Freya? What are you after?"

Blinking out of her little monologue, the Valkyrie Goddess spread her arms wide, beaming a disarming smile.

"Do you really have to ask, is it not obvious? I want you."

Of course.

She'd predicted that. Even outside of her personal vanity, it was the most obvious answer. Whether the title was meant as a threat, a provocation or an offer, it was directed at her, a woman who could easily shake Orario's current balance of power. Even so, Alfia knew Freya better than to assume her desires were that simple, nor that she would voice her intentions so easily.

"You've changed so much since I last saw you… I could scarcely believe my eyes when I beheld you before me once again. Oh, don't glare at me so- you're still just as captivating as I remembered, Alfia. I've always admired that pride of yours, your noble bearing, your ferocious malice, and -of course- the Maiden of Silence's legendary, dark beauty, that used to be carried in whispers all across this fair city… it's as if you've scarcely aged a day."

Licking her lips, the Goddess of Beauty's gaze ran hungrily over the other woman- up her lusciously long legs, around the wide turn of her waist and the contrasting slenderness of her trim waist, along her trim, toned stomach and over the huge swell of Alfia's chest, a mountainous bust that stood equal even to Freya herself. Even without a bra shown beneath the thin black dress, the Maiden of Silence's chest stretched the fabric out just as surely as it had in Freya's memories, and beneath the folds and straps of that dress, the woman's creamy-white skin had all the same softness and suppleness she remembered. Exactly as she'd said, it was as if not even a single day had passed for the mortal woman, through all the years she'd been away.

Freya had become a collector and she knew better than anyone just what a rare and wonderous beauty Alfia was. The fact that her incredible streak of Level Ups had preserved her so perfectly even after all this time was exactly the kind of small and special miracle she loved the Lower World for.

If her Odr hadn't so completely and utterly dominated Freya's affections, the Goddess's thighs would have surely been hot with wet lust right now.

"You would be welcome in my bed anytime you should wish."

That was a lie, of course. Freya's bed belonged to Odr alone, now. She'd even had his name embroidered onto the covers.

But the offer came as a habit, and it was worth seeing the other woman's reaction all the same.

Despite herself and despite her fury, Alfia couldn't help but squirm away from the Goddess's nakedly appraising gaze. She was used to getting such looks from men like Bell's (worthless and pathetic) father, or Zeus, but swift and unrelenting violence had always been a suitable answer to that, she had no such answer right now.

"But what's changed isn't your body, but your Soul." Freya continued, stepping forward as Alfia faltered, "It used to shine so purely and dazzlingly black. Not a murky, sickly-looking bleakness like those fools that follow the Evil Gods, but a proud, pure and self-satisfied black, like polished obsidian. It charmed me, even during those days… But now… Now your Soul shimmers like a river of silver. It flashes dark one moment, and shines bright the next, holding both shades within it but neither mixing them, nor keeping them in opposition. It's truly captivating. Are you still the same woman I once knew? Was it that boy who changed you? Or is it simply time?"

Alfia gave no answer.

She'd always known that being with Bell had changed her life… but hearing that he had changed the very nature of her Soul, that the boy she so loved had affected her so deeply… Despite herself, despite everything, she couldn't help but feel a small mote of begrudging gratitude towards the Goddess.

"You know, I used to wonder if it was you that would become my Odr… But instead, it was the boy you've raised instead," Freya's laugh was like clear, soft and beautiful music and it flared the anger in Alfia's soul once more, "The Fates truly are strange at times, aren't they?"

"He's not your anything!"

"But he could be. And you should be too. Honestly, I could scarcely believe it when I was told you were back in our fine city once more… I hadn't heard any such thing from any of the other established Familia, not a whisper of your arrival from Loki, Ganesha, Apollo, or anyone else. I was almost shocked speechless when I discovered you were working with Hestia. I am dearly fond of our adorable little Virgin Goddess, I've certainly given some thought to completing those old Quests Zeus issued myself… but, a Goddess without any followers, one who works part-time in a food-stall, and who operates from the basement of a ruined church?

"That's hardly the kind of accommodation befitting one of Orario's most legendary adventurers. Become mine, Alfia. I'll provide you the kind of comfort and luxury you used to enjoy. You'll have the freedom to act as you like, my children will provide you with whatever food and drink you desire, and I'll arrange for housing suitable for a woman of your status…" Freya's inviting grin turned slightly playful as a tiny spark of an understanding between women played out, "Something with a proper, private bathroom."

Alfia's heart clenched.

The squalid bathroom of the church's basement was barely any better than the one she'd put up with all those years in their small countryside house, the public baths had become a barely suitable alternative. For a woman as vain as her, that offer caught her right between the eyes.

"I'll take young Bell in as well, of course. He truly is an adorable child, isn't he?"

Despite herself, and despite all her subdued anger, Alfia still had to restrain herself from crying "I know, right!?" in response. Even if Freya had never met him, she had surely seen his image and details during the Denatus, and despite the Goddess of Beauty's depravity, Alfia knew she would never have given a title like that to a man who didn't capture her attention. Even if the other woman knew nothing at all about him, Alfia could at least agree with her on that alone. Bell was adorable.

In another life, perhaps these two women might have reconciled their differences by gushing over his baby photos and stories of his childhood exploits.

"Is he yours?"

"No," the soft warmth that had been momentarily kindled within the Maiden of Silence was snuffed out immediately, "He's my sister's. I raised him after her death."

Her heart slammed in her chest, and her hands curled tight at her side, but Alfia held back from adding "Because of your actions." Even if it had been discovered that she was back in Orario, it was still far too early for her to be making any direct moves against Freya, or to risk giving the Slut-Goddess reason to take action in return. Either way, given Freya's conniving nature, she doubted she'd spread word of her arrival. For now, it was better for each of them to keep their cards close to their substantial chests. And so, Alfia bit her tongue and swallowed her words.

Oblivious to the other woman's inner turmoil, Freya continued.

"All the more reason you should take my offer. You, of all people, know just how merciless the Dungeon is. There's no end to the amount of underprepared young adventurers we lose every day; it's no place for a young man with little proven battle experience, and absolutely no place for someone without any allies or comrades of their own. From what Syr's told me, until just recently he's been going into the Dungeon, all alone, with barely more than scraps of armour and the cheapest potions he can find! That's just pure recklessness!

"He has certainly made incredible progress; a whole team would be proud to have made it half as far as he has in twice the time, but the deeper he goes, the worse it will get. The monsters will come in greater quantities, the floors will turn into labyrinths, the traps will become insidious... No comrades, few items, and beginner-grade equipment… if anything goes wrong, if he ever makes a mistake, he won't come back. And, from the sounds of these recent Minotaur Incidents, he's already encountered some great peril, he was extremely lucky even to escape with his life. You know very well that such encounters will happen again."

Even while facing the woman who raised him, the woman whose love and adoration she had seen for herself for him, Freya guiltlessly recounted the event that she herself had caused.

The Empress of Orario was supreme, even in shamelessness.

"Your sister's child, the boy entrusted to you, Alfia, he should have a Familia worthy of such trust."

"His Familia is the one he chose, the Goddess that he found and the one who saw value in him. This is his adventure, and I have not come here to try command him like some puppet on a string."

At that, the smile on Freya's lips changed just slightly, and a feeling passed between the two women that -at least in this- they were alike. Alfia had no desire to manufacture his rise to heroism, and Freya had no interest in manufactured heroes.

"But you did come. You could very well have simply stayed behind and left him to his own devices- you're here in Orario to advise and support him. And this is the time you can offer such guidance. The Familia he chose was when he had no other options, now he does. You know better than anyone the dangers I'm talking about, and you know very well just how staggering the death toll for underprepared rookies is in the Dungeon. If you want to keep him safe, then he needs support equal to his efforts- a Goddess who can protect him, reliable allies, dependable equipment, and items that will save him from disaster.

"Don't get me wrong, Alfia, my interest is for you, but that doesn't mean I am not impressed by his achievements; to steal the Sword Princess's title is no small feat. And so, I recognise Bell Cranel and I will see to it that he doesn't become just another lost youngster, one more casualty added to the tally. This isn't me interfering with his story, nor would this be you holding his hand, this is nothing but the natural result of his success. After all, is this not the starting point that all Adventurers aim for?"

Alfia scowled.

Unfortunately, frustratingly, Freya was completely correct. There was a reason so few Gods successfully started their Familia in Orario, while the blessing each God offered was the same, the support they could provide was far from it. If an Adventurer was going to risk their life and limb in the Dungeon, then it only made sense for them to do that for a God that could provide them with tools, equipment and a comfortable lifestyle. Only the most foolish or desperate would sign up with a Familia like Hestia's.

Her mind had been changed when she'd first met the small Goddess, and she'd allowed Bell's recruitment. More than anything, she'd appreciated that, of all the people in this great city, Hestia was the only one who had seen Bell's worth.

But how much was that appreciation worth?

In the short time Bell had been active as an Adventurer, she'd already lost count of how many sleepless nights she'd had, seeing the injuries he brought home from his recklessness.

Alfia doubted she would ever forget the horror of seeing his body after that fight against two Minotaur.

The healers had already finished by the time she'd been let in, but the blood-soaked shreds of his armour and clothing were still visible from where they'd been discarded in the corner of the room, and Bell… Her adorable and beloved Bell had been lying motionless on the bed, his cheeks pale and his skin sallow, as if he was just one step away from death. Any trace of Alfia's composure had shattered instantly at the sight of him. She could still vividly remember the hot tears that had streaked down her face, the way her legs had given out from under her, and how she'd wailed, bawling her eyes out as just pathetically as Hestia, without a shred of dignity or restraint.

Alfia was used to losing people. She had lost every single comrade she'd once had. Just the same as an experienced Guild Advisor, a veteran Adventurer had to build up a certain resistance and callousness to the death that followed so close behind them.

But, just as he had ever since the moment she'd first laid eyes on him, Bell had ripped down all her defences and all her resilience against such loss.

She couldn't possibly bear to lose him.

She couldn't refute Freya's words.

But, that didn't mean she was fool enough to imagine the hand held out to her was free of deceit.

"You say you're interested in me, but once again we're talking about him," she answered instead, "First that Grimoire, then you force that ridiculous title on him, and now this apparent offer. You've got an undue interest in that boy. What do you want with Bell, exactly?"

And again, to Alfia's questions, Freya simply shrugged, adopting an air of indifference.

"Oh? Want? Why nothing at all. That Gimoire was just something lying around in my collection… Syr came to me, telling me stories about this young man she knew, and how worried she was watching him going off to the Dungeon each day with barely more than the clothes on his back to keep him safe. She begged me for some tool, or trick I could grant him that would protect him. I had never even heard of this Bell Cranel before then, but he obviously meant a great deal to Syr and I suppose I've always had a soft spot for hardworking children. I gave it to her as a favour, a whim, nothing more than that.

"As for the title… Well…" At that, Freya spread her hands wide with a soft, beautiful laugh, as if the whole thing was nothing more than a joke between Gods, "Would you like me to change it?"

!

Alfia's world slammed to a halt.

Of all the possibilities, of all the ideas and all the courses she'd imagined this conversation going, that hadn't once occurred to her! Titles were sacred and reverent acknowledgements, bestowed directly via the Divine Will of the Gods themselves. When one grew even greater, they may be gifted a new title instead, but no matter what, no matter who, even during the heydays of Zeus and Hera, she had never heard of a title being changed!

It was unthinkable. It was unimaginable. There had never been a reason for it to be done. Could it even be do-

"I can arrange it." Freya assured her, correctly guessing her thoughts.

She probably could, at that, Alfia considered.

…

…

…

Her fists clenched at her side, so tight her knuckles went white and her face twisted up into an evil scowl. But, even as her mouth opened and closed, even as she straightened her back to speak, she couldn't force the words out. Eventually, Alfia heaved an agonised sigh.

"No. Leave it be. As much as I dislike it, as ill-suited as it is for him… changing his Title would leave the entire city talking about him," it would be an even bigger scandal than letting the other Gods find out about that quick-growth Skill of his. Bell's story would become a gimmick, an oddity of Divine Privilege, and all his actual accomplishments -like becoming the Record Holder- would be overshadowed with slander and speculation. And that was without even guessing how the members of Freya's Familia would react to their Goddess's favour being taken away, "He doesn't need anything like that right now."

It was a bitter draught to swallow. It made her hate the Valkyrie Goddess even more for having put her in this position.

Now she too was responsible for him bearing the title Vanadis Odr.

The sourness on Alfia's face was unmistakable, but Freya's laughter rang out just as beautifully and just as lightly as ever.

"Good! I'm glad to hear that, because I'm very fond of that title myself, I believe he truly embodies it, in every possible fashion," Alfia's murderous glare was ignored, "Perhaps a part of it may have been me playing a bit of a joke at Hestia's expense, but it was more than that too, it was… A small gift, I would say. A simple offering from me to you. I knew you were back in the city at that point, and I knew that Bell was connected to you, although, nobody else seemed to know that… So, without addressing you directly, I thought a title like that… Not only does it suit him perfectly, but… Well, it's practically declaring my interest in him to the world, isn't it? He's going to have a lot of attention from now on, but a title like that will certainly make people think twice before they mess with him, won't it?"

!

Again, Alfia's world slammed to a halt.

Again, the Goddess's machinations were well beyond her expectations.

It was sickeningly self-conceited, but following that twisted logic, Freya was certainly correct.

Bell's kind nature was part of his charm, but even so, he was far too innocent and much too trusting for his own good, and even if this wasn't the Orario that Alfia had once known, it was still a city with plenty of dark sides and one with no shortage of people willing to take advantage of someone's better nature. Lilli had demonstrated that perfectly, if even a single thing had played out differently with that Prum, Bell may have lost the Hestia Knife or even his own life. Would Lilli have dared mess with an Adventurer who was known to have Freya's interest? She doubted it.

As much as she hated to admit it, having Bell branded as Vanadis Odr might very well make him too dangerous to risk targeting. That was something she hadn't considered and something a more suitable title (like, say, "Ultra Sonic Blitzfang") couldn't provide.

"Is that your way of looking out for him? How disgusting."

"Your boy received a truly wonderful title, I got to tweak Hestia's nose a little, and you've come to join my Familia. I'd say it's worked out magnificently in all respects."

Alfia scoffed, "Then what about that healer of yours, the one you sent to assist his training? Is that another one of your little gifts? Or are you going to claim she's got nothing to do with this either?"

Freya tilted her head, looking for all the world like she had absolutely no idea what she was even being accused of.

"Healer of mine? One of my children helped with his training?"

Alfia just glared, silent in response.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're… Oh… Oh perhaps, it must have been Heith? I did wonder where she was going off to all those mornings… Hehe, well, given how frequently that child visits Mia's bar, I can only imagine you'd need to ask Syr about that arrangement. I'm afraid I don't keep my children on quite so short a leash."

Despite herself, the Maiden of Silence's icy glare began to defrost.

It was only natural to doubt Freya's words. While a mortal couldn't possibly lie to a Goddess, a Goddess would have an endless amount of fun teasing mortals with lies, half-truths, and all manner of deception. But, every accusation she'd levelled against the silver-haired slut had been deflected or blunted, and all the Valkyrie Goddess's answers had made a frustrating amount of sense.

Alfia adored Bell. She was very aware of this. She was painfully aware of just how deeply her love for him had changed her and altered her very destiny. He wasn't just the only reason she was still alive, he was very much her reason for living.

Which meant it was very possible she had an enormous blind spot in her thinking when it came to him.

Given how obsessed she was with him, and how quickly the (once) Virgin Goddess Hestia had become with him, it had seemed outright reasonable to assume that Freya must have (somehow) become just as taken with him.

She saw how wonderful he was, day after day, and this whole time in Orario she'd simply been waiting for the rest of the city to see the same thing.

Instead, Alfia was now facing the more troubling possibility that she'd read the room wrong. Perhaps Freya's interest in him was just a passing fancy. Perhaps the Maiden of Silence's legend still eclipsed his.

"Odr is a lovely young man, and I am eager to watch his growth, to see just what kind of man he shall become. I'm excited to see his dreams, and to taste his desires," As if reading the very thoughts from Alfia's expression, Freya continued, her gentle words serving both to soothe and to infuriate, "But, he is still just a young man. He has much to learn, and far to go. He's not yet someone who can command a Goddess's attention so devotedly as to garner this much consideration-

"My interest is in you, Alfia," Freya repeated, lying with all her heart and with a welcoming smile on her face, "I truly had no way of knowing you were even in the city when I gave him that Grimoire and the title was just a small banner of protection offered to someone I believed was important to you- I thought you would be able to understand that. That was my way of extending my hand to you, and now… I offer you again- Alfia, Incarnation of Talent, Maiden of Silence, join my Familia. I will keep Bell safe, I shall make you happy, and I'll give you both all the comfort and accommodations you deserve."

Alfia grit her teeth. Her hands clenched at her sides.

Tempting.

Tempting.

Tempting.

She hated Freya, but she'd hardly been kind to Hera either, she of all people could understand getting along with a powerful Goddess. She didn't have any interest in actually joining Freya's Familia, or in taking an active role in Orario anymore, but it was unduly enticing just play along, to see just how far she could take advantage of the Goddess's hospitality without actually committing to anything. She was already using the Evils for the sake of Bell's story, why not take advantage of the strongest Familia in Orario at the same time?

The biggest issue, as well as their biggest secret, was that damned Skill, the pledge Bell had made to Hestia. Unfortunately, the child Alfia had raised seemed to have gained a stubbornness enough to match her own. It was simply impossible to take any action that he would see as having betrayed the small Goddess.

But, even so, she could work around that. Bell had only been Hestia's child for a short time and by convention at least a year had to pass before a child could convert, which would give them plenty of leeway in regards to taking everything they could get from the larger Familia, without actually receiving her blessing… and perhaps she could even convince Freya to take Hestia on as a Vassal Goddess, which would mean he wouldn't have to convert at all.

Options spread out before her, some heartless, some callous, some cruel, and some downright pragmatic.

'We could certainly ma-' An image of Bell bowing down to Freya rose in her mind, '…If, if I was to make sure, then the equipment we could take from them wou-' Her mind's eye filled with the sight of the silver-haired Goddess drawing Bell towards her, wrapping herself around him as her lips whispered gently to his ears, 'T-Th-Then, then, I could, we could, um, it would mea-' Moans, gasps and cries of delight bounced around her head, sounds that had become mortifyingly familiar to her in recent days, except this time the voice of them wasn't the (no longer) Virgin Goddess of the Hearth, but the Whore Goddess of Beauty 'I… um… er… that is… I could… We could…' She could see his back, and all across it, she could see the sight of Freya's symbol.

"Ah!" wrenched from her thoughts, Alfia gasped aloud, her façade of composure snapping entirely as she stumbled back a step, a furious glare returning to her face as her hands rose as if to ward off the other woman, "No! No way! No way, that's impossible!"

"Oh? Do you truly have such ill will towards me? I don't recall you loving your last Goddess so desperately."

"He's still too young! He's not ready! Someone, someone like you! You'd devour him whole!"

The second Alfia spoke those words, she regretted them. She knew better than to speak recklessly to a Goddess, or to reveal anything from her heart. Of course, Freya could see instantly that her words were absolute truth.

Raising a hand to her mouth in a soft chuckle, the Goddess fitted her with a pointed look, "If that is truly your concern, then… aren't you the one appointed as his guardian? If that's his weakness, then is that not your fault? Should you not be the one to see to his training?"

If this was any other time, Alfia would have been able to answer back with conviction, "T-T-Train him?" But, unfortunately, after having careened off on a tangent, her mind was filled with memories of her unwitting witness to Bell's nights with Hestia.

The sounds she'd heard the smaller Goddess making, the delight and ecstasy she'd howled into the night.

The scent of his musk and her delight, the smell of their love and lust, powerful enough to fill the room even till the next morning.

The sights she'd seen of Bell, the child who'd become a man, strong and proud and more than capable of making his woman cry his name.

"Why not? You're not some innocent flower or naïve child, Alfia. You're strong, proud and beautiful, and, despite all the years that have passed, you remain the same young woman who once held all of Oario within her palm. In all your time lording over this city, you must have gained plenty of experience in handling men… If there's something you believe he's lacking, some terrible vulnerability that makes you recoil from me so, then, is it not your job to teach him?"

"That's ridiculous!" Alfia spat back, doing her very best to fight down the blush rising forcibly up her cheeks, "He's my sister's child!"

"But he's not your child," Freya shrugged, "Although, perhaps my advice would be the same even if he were."

Gods had no understanding of family in the same way mortals did. They didn't have brothers or sisters, fathers or mothers. It was a sense of morality and perspective that was completely misaligned with the thinking of the lower world, and one that clashed directly between the two women.

"He's young, he's strong, and he's both cute and handsome. After his performance during that Monsterphilia, the rumours of him being wrapped up in this Minotaur Incident, and now his astonishingly fast Level Up, Bell Cranel is very much the talk of the city right now. He's come very far in a very short time, you must be very proud of him… and you must be able to understand that he's no longer the boy who used to chase after you. He's a man now, with all that entails. Have you truly never looked at him like that? Have your thoughts truly never drifted his way? Hehe… or, is the reason you're so worried about me taking him into my arms because you'd rather wrap him up in your own?"

"You're every bit the wanton slut I remember, Freya."

Her disdain and her furious glare were met only with the Valkyrie's chiming laughter, "You didn't answer my question though… Is that because you didn't want me to see the true answer? Or, because you didn't want to see it for yourself?"

"You've got your answer already. I refuse to hand Bell over to you, nor will I leave his side."

Freya sighed, "A pity. Well, when you change your mind, I shall inform my children to accept you anytime." And with just a small bow of her head, she reached back to doff her cloak once more.

"Wait."

As always, Goddesses of Beauty were a damn pain.

Alfia had lost control of much of this conversation. Some of it had gone exactly as she'd envisioned, but far more of it had spiralled out far beyond her expectations. But she was still a legendary adventurer, and she was still a woman who had come to Orario with one very specific goal. She had her own intentions for this face-off, and for that, one final act yet remained.

"You've been kind enough to give me your wisdom, so allow me to offer you some in return," by now, there wasn't a drop of warmth in her words, nothing but a freezing warning, dripping with cold pangs of revenge, "I know you Gods think of your lives in this world as something akin to a game. So, in that sense, you should consider me as a piece that's off the board.

"If I wanted to be part of a powerful Familia, I could have come to you, or to Loki, or anyone else, as soon as I'd arrived, or I could have found someone before I'd even stepped within sight of this city. Don't pretend I needed this invitation from you, if I had any interest in you, I would have come to you anytime I wished, and none of you would have turned me down. I didn't return for my sake; I came here only for Bell. And in all of Orario, Hestia is the only one who saw value in that boy. That's why he's with her and that's why I'm at her side. As a piece no longer part of the game, I'll return to play only one time- when he's ready, I shall emerge as an obstacle for him to overcome."

She hadn't wanted to reveal any of this. She hadn't even told Hestia this. But Freya already knew too much, and if she needed to lay down some of her cards to keep that witch from acting out of turn, then so be it. Like this, the Goddess would know exactly what Alfia intended, if not the manner of it, and would know she was no threat to her own plans or her own Familia.

Freya blinked, and chewed on her finger, her mind spinning at the unexpected revelation.

But the self-titled Empress of Orario was no fool, in just a moment, her eyes shot wide and her jaw fell open as she realised exactly what Alfia was intending to do.

"O-Oh! Oh my! An obstacle for him to defeat," she laughed, her gaze practically sparkling with unbridled interest as she appraised the mortal woman all over again, "Then, does he not even know who you are? Incarnation of Talent? Haha, what a wonderful, unexpected idea! So, are you now simply playing the role of stern, disbelieving mother?"

"His mother was my sister. I'm his guardian- a woman who doesn't believe in adventurers, in heroes, or in Bell. I'm someone he will prove wrong, the final hurdle for him to overcome."

At that, Alfia's thoughts flashed to the poor Elf that had been visiting them recently, the pure-hearted and foolish girl mired in darkness deep enough to stifle even her elven pride. While she didn't care much at all for the Evil's schemes, the idea of Freya's children keeping watch over the abandoned church was intolerable- there would be no chance at all for Bell to save Filvis if Freya's goons caught wind of her and hauled her away to some inquisition.

"Bell is a young, rookie adventurer, and I'm a piece that's off the board. So, neither of us are worth paying any attention to, nor worth mentioning to anyone else."

"I see."

"I hope you do," Alfia answered, raising her hands with a shrug and a sigh, a farce of acceptance that contained not even a drop of kindness, nor a moment of relaxation, "Of course, it's a precarious position I'm in. I'm simply here to support Bell's growth, I have no plans to interfere or intervene with him, or Orario or anything else, but if something were to happen to him, or if someone were to mess with him, if he was put in danger… obviously, I would have to intervene. I could easily be dragged back into play early…"

She let that comment hang in the air, as if it was nothing but idle speculation, simply musing on the idea that imperilling or impeding this young rookie would bring the wrath of a Level 7 adventurer down upon you, as if that was nothing but a matter of course.

"I heard your Ottar managed to make Level 7, The Warlord they call him now, the pinnacle of Orario. And the rest of your children have grown too, Freya, you must be very proud…"

Alfia's warm words and bright smile contained neither brightness nor warmth, and, standing just a few meders from her, the Valkyrie Goddess suddenly felt as if a terrible weight was pressing down upon her.

"But, were anything to happen to Bell… Please, don't let that pride fool you into imagining that they could keep me from you."

"A-Ah!"

This time it was Freya's composure that gave out. Stumbling back a step as a terrifying chill ran down her spine, her voice cried out before she'd even realised it.

And, perfectly in time with their Goddess, the same freezing dread speared through each of the Freya Familia members surrounding the park. The lower members stumbled back in shock, their voices freezing in their throats, and even the executives found themselves pinned in place, their hands clammy around their weapons and their hearts jolting in their chests. Even Ottar found his lips pulled back in a grimace, an unease he'd almost forgotten washing over him along with ancient memories of painful defeats.

Every one of them, from the Goddess to her children, shared the exact same sensation, a knowledge that was carved into their soul, 'If you get in our way. I will kill you.' It wasn't a threat, nor was it a promise, it was a simple statement of fact.

"I see. Then, I thank you for your advice," to her credit, Freya required only a few moments to recover, pulling herself to her full height, she threw her hood back over her head, "However, you're wrong about one thing, Alfia."

In all of Orario, Hestia was not the only Goddess who saw value in Bell Cranel. She was simply the first, and only by pure providence.

"And so, allow me to offer a small token of my goodwill."

So saying, and without explaining a thing, Freya turned on the spot and swept away, her luscious hips swaying with an enthralling rhythm even as she slunk back out into the darkness.

"Hmm."

Frowning once more, Alfia was left with nothing to do but ponder her meaning as she followed the Goddess's example, throwing her cloak back over her head and turning for home.

As always, Goddesses of Beauty were a damn pain.

--*--

"Ha-Hhhaaaaaa… Haaa.. Hhaaa! Hhhaaa…!"

"W-Well, th-that, that went better than expected! Ouranos-sama will be pleased!"

"Hermes-sama!" slipping out from invisibility, as the Hades Head fell limply to her hands, Asfi slumped to the ground, her entire body was trembling and her legs couldn't keep her standing another moment, "Th-That w-was… She was staring right at us when she said that! She definitely knew we were there!"

"Ahaha, w-well, you can't go underestimating the instincts of a first-tier Adventurer!"

Asfi couldn't respond to that, all she could do was ball her hands in a fist and look up in terrified fury towards the God that had once again carelessly thrust her into danger.

Alfia. The Incarnation of Talent. She was supposed to be dead, or gone! What was she even doing back in the city!? Apparently, she was looking after some young boy, that's what she'd told Freya at least, but as far as solving the mystery, Asfi couldn't believe that was the only reason. Not when she'd given that whole spiel about becoming some obstacle for that boy to overcome. It seemed to have meant something to the Goddess, and to her God too, but Asfi couldn't hope to even begin to make sense of it… at least not when it felt like her heart had almost stopped in her chest.

She would have sworn on her life that Alfia had been looking directly at her when she'd given her final piece of advice. The full weight of those words, the sensation of 'If you get in our way, I will kill you.' Had bored directly into her. And Asfi, unfortunately, was burdened with a God who did nothing but interfere in people's business.

"Th-This is too dangerous, Hermes-sama… L-Let's stay away from them. That, Bell Cranel… he's only just hit Level Two, h-he won't cause any problems."

"Ahah, my dear Asfi, don't fret so much, it's fine, it's all fine. The worst case was averted, after all!" the worst case, in this instance would have involved Orario's most powerful Familia having its Goddess sent back to Heaven. And most likely, half the city would have been destroyed in the process, "We're observers after all, so, we shall simply… see how these events unfold!"

She wanted to reply. She wanted to complain. She wanted to scream at her selfish God and ask what his sudden interest in this Bell Cranel even was.

But right now, slumped to the cold cobblestones of an Orario alleyway, it was all Asfi could do just to remember how to breathe.

--*--

Tossing and turning beneath her sheets, Ryu's sleep was eluded and her solitude was haunted once more by voices she couldn't mistake and by screams she could never forget.

That wasn't unusual for her, she was used to nights like this. She'd barely slept properly for years after her Familia had been killed, and even to this day she occasionally still woke up in a cold sweat, with the sound of their pain and terror echoing through her mind. Even now, the Elf waitress could vividly remember every one of the Astrea Familia's voices.

What was unusual for her, however, was that the voice currently echoing through Ryu's memories didn't belong to any one of them.

Unfortunately, the scream haunting her now was something completely different! Something the poor, bewildered Elf maiden had absolutely no clue how to handle!

Ryu was extremely close to, and protective of, Syr. Syr had been the light of kindness that had protected her when the entire world had been a dark grey and nothing but despair had surrounded her. Even ahead of her friends in the Astrea Familia, the grey-haired human waitress was only the second non-Elf whose touch Ryu had been able to bear. Syr was an upright, sweet and innocent girl, a gentle and caring soul, and a maiden in love the Elf had sworn to support as best she was able.

…

And, with Ryu's sensitive Elf ears, combined with her highly tuned Level 4 Adventurer status… she'd heard every last second of Syr's voice crying out in heavenly delight!

A scream of unbridled joy. A moan of wanton bliss. Pants and gasps of unrestrained, shameless excitement. A moment of pain immediately forgotten beneath a torrent of delight. The sound of someone who had found exactly what it was they had always been looking for. And the unrelenting, overpowering, assaulting, sound of two bodies coming together, again and again, as the bedframe creaked and rocked beneath their motions.

She'd tried to explain it away, tried to deny it, tried to assure herself that she was mistaken and that her unfounded assumptions were nothing but an insult to the woman she knew. Ryu wasn't stupid, she knew very well that a human's sensibilities weren't the same as an Elf's, but for Syr's sake, she had done everything possible to assure herself and convince the other waitresses that what they'd heard had been nothing but a misunderstanding.

Until, of course, Syr destroyed that illusion in nothing but a streak of whimsical mischief.

The confirmation hadn't been needed, Ryu had always known, just as she knew now, exactly what it was she'd heard-

The sound that had resonated so powerfully through her that night…

The cry that haunted her memories even now as she tried to bury herself within her sheets…

The excitement she'd heard, the joy, the ecstasy, the heat and warmth, the affection and desire…

Was the sound of Syr being deflowered.

There hadn't been a moonlit confession in a solitary forest glad, silent to all but the sound of two lovers whispered words.

Nor had there been a respectful 5-year courtship, or even the kind of magnificent and honourable wedding ceremony that Syr deserved.

They hadn't sojourned to their own house, or private sanctum where all that existed for a time was the two of them, and the light of the moon bearing their promise to one another.

There had been nothing but a man and woman who loved each other, and the love they'd shared between themselves, all night long.

To a forest Elf's sense of morality, it was unthinkable, it was shameless to the point of being almost unimaginable, she wouldn't have thought even Amazons would act so quickly and so unrestrained, and if she'd had even a single inkling that it wasn't exactly what Syr wanted, then no force in the world would have stayed her wrath from Bell Cranel.

But Elves were romantics, and even as Ryu's cheeks burned crimson at the shameful memory she'd unwittingly been forced to bear, she couldn't possibly deny the sheer romantic nature of two lovers who cared only for one another, to the point that nothing else at all mattered- not propriety, not circumstance, not location, and not even the threat of someone else listening in. It was so flagrantly shameless that it seemed to gain a kind of pure earnestness all to its own, one the Elf could only accept.

Of course, that didn't make her any happier about having been forced to listen in!

She'd gone through her entire life to that point without having ever once borne any kind of witness to either the sound or sight of a man and woman making love, and she would have been very happy to have gone the rest of her life like that too!

…

And yet, even so, in the quiet of this night. With the bar closed, silence surrounding her, and memories of the party they'd hosted in Bell Cranel's honour… memories that included him specifically acting to protect her honour… Ryu was left without sleep, and with a head filled with echoes of the sounds that still haunted her thoughts.

Dressed lightly in her bedclothes, holding the thin sheets tight against her, Ryu twisted around in place. Every time she tried to still her thoughts they always drifted back to him, to her, and to all the sounds she'd heard. Her breath came with the same languid pace as ever, but her heart quickened -just slightly- within her modest breast, and slowly, gently… a warm, yearning heat began to spread out and up the length of her body.

"Hha…"

A shiver ran up her spine, and instinctively she squeezed her thighs together, as treacherous thoughts of Bell Cranel crept through her mind's eye. The sight of him smiling so brightly at her when he'd thanked her in Elvish... The determined look in his eyes when he'd thought to protect her from being touched… The warmth she'd seen in him after having accepted Syr's love…

A hundred different sights mixed with the echoing sounds that still resonated through her entire body. And, for just a second, for just one single moment… the Level 4 maiden Gale Wind opened her pursed lips and exhaled a shuddering breath, hot with just a tiny instant's lack of control.

"Syr… I thought it was meant to hurt the first time… does… nnn… does it really feel that good?"

…

The moment passed and control was regained.

"Ahhhhh!? What am I even thinking!?"

Slamming her pillow forcefully overtop her head, Ryu furiously buried her face into the mattress and cleared her mind with all the force she could muster.

--*--

"Ahnnn! Nnn! Hha, Yes! Yes!"

Slumped gracelessly down atop her lover's bed, Cassandra's breath came only in halting, ragged pants. Lying spread out, completely naked, her massive breasts heaved with every gasp and moan that fell from her mouth.

The shy, bluenette seer once of the Apollo Familia, was exhausted, utterly satiated and entirely spent.

Her stamina was long since depleted, and her Mind was hovering just barely past the point of passing out, her body ached pleasantly in a hundred different places and the shivers of delight that still rippled through her left her thoughts cloudy with bliss. Cassandra's beautiful aquamarine eyes were glassy with lingering pleasure, her long legs were trembling weakly as echoes of those mind-numbing sensations continued to wash through her, and her usually shy smile was replaced by a look of pure, giddy joy.

All across her flawless, creamy-white skin, from her quivering pussy, to her well-rounded ass, her huge breasts and even across the blush of her face, Cassandra was covered thick in a fresh, warm and very welcome coating of Bell Cranel's cum.

In short, once again, the shy prophetess had come to her lover's room, been pushed down onto his bed, and then passed an unknowable amount of hours being fucked utterly insensate as she screamed her head off in mindless bliss.

Or, to put it another way, it was Tuesday.

With her vision slowly clearing as some semblance of thought began to return, her head listed to the side.

"Nhnn! HHAAA! Y-Yes! B-Bell! Bell! Bell!"

Gathering what remained of her strength enough to raise her head, Cassandra looked past where Bell was sitting to her right, to where the equally overwhelmed form of Airmid Teasanare was splayed out on his opposite side. The two healer's gazes met and a warm smile was shared between them as they realised they were each in exactly the same state- panting with exertion, trembling with bliss, and only just slowly blinking themselves back to reality.

The beautiful, doll-like Silver Saint's typically flawless expression was just as flushed, just as giddy, and just as exhausted as the Mirabilis. Her perfectly maintained silver hair was splayed out wildly across her shoulders, her face was slick with sweat and slathered with cum, her porcelain-white skin was flushed red, and instead of the restrained, emotionless look usually found in Airmid's deep, purple eyes, both her gaze and her expression were shining bright with radiant joy and unhesitating love. It was something Cassandra only ever saw from the other healer when they were together with Bell, something Airmid showed only to him, a secret unashamed happiness that was known only by the man she loved and the women he cherished.

And, just like the Prophetess, it seemed that simply rolling her head to the side to regard her companion was taking almost the totality of the Dea Saint's remaining strength. She had cum just as hard, just as often and just as wantonly as the bluenette, her womb had been stuffed full with just as much of their lover's seed, and her body still trembled now with just the same lingering bliss.

Due to her time in the Dungeon fighting at his side, Cassandra had a good amount more strength and stamina than Airmid, as well as more experience being wrapped around that unrelenting, irresistible, unfairly thick cock that had made each of them into women… but, in the face of Bell's wonderful, enrapturing, overwhelming love, their surrenders had practically been in synch.

"Cu-Cum-Cumming! Bell! I'm cumming! GNhh! HhHHAAAA! NHA! NHAA! FREYA-SAMA!"

Sharing the same smile, their eyes both turned towards the ongoing screams together. Of course, the third member of their trio, clinging desperately tight to the man she loved even as she cried out desperately for her Goddess's protection, was Heith Velvet. Currently seated directly atop Bell's lap, with her arms linked tight around his shoulders, her long lightly-red hair undone and loose in the air, and her impressively large bust bouncing and squishing against his chest, the beautiful Golden Witch of the Freya Familia threw her head backwards, shouting to the heavens with wanton delight.

It was a familiar sight, one Cassandra had seen, and been part of, countless times.

And yet, strangely, as she watched Heith collapse down onto Bell's shoulder, and as she licked her lips at the sight of Bell's cum flooding down from her companion's well-stuffed pussy, an unusual sense of otherness filled the Prophetess. As if, just for a moment, she was watching the scene from someone else's eyes, and as if she was somehow witnessing something incredible… something beyond belief that both amazed and delighted her. It was as if a distant echo of Cassandra's past was looking to this moment and was shocked to find herself in bed with both the Silver Saint and Golden Witch, and that all three of them were bathed heavily in Bell's seed.

…

The unusual sensation lasted only a moment, and Cassandra gave it no consideration beyond that. With her head still fogged with lust, and her thoughts only coming through a haze of desire, the bluenette Mirabilis was well past caring enough to give any kind of attention to such stray thoughts. She couldn't remember if this moment was something she'd witnessed in a dream, but it would hardly be unusual if it were. After all, there was nothing strange about any of this.

The three of them were the Bell-sama's private Andhrímnir, his beloved attendants whose healing spells serviced him both in battle and the bedroom. This was far from the wildest combination of women Cassandra had shared her master's bed with!

"I… Hhaa… I can… I can keep going!" Heith panted desperately, she was slumped entirely down onto Bell now, leaning the full weight of her lithe figure and massive chest fully into him. Her words came out only in weak pants, and the sheen of sweat coating the healer's body made it clear that even the Elite Adventurer was running into her limits, "I'm not… I'm not gonna stop!"

Shocks and shivers ran through the beautiful healer, her arms trembled and her legs could barely keep her upright atop him, and yet, even so, the redhead refused to surrender. Even as every movement she made left new quivers running up her spine, and fresh moans slipping from her mouth, Heith continued to slide her hips forcefully up and down his length, grinding herself along the full shape of his cock with all that she had!

"Heith…" stroking a hand gently through her thoroughly tousled hair, Bell tilted her head up towards him enough to place a soft kiss on her lips, "There's no need to push yourself."

"Hha! I'm, I'm not pushing myself! Th-This is, hha… I'll show you… This is nothing, compared to her."

If Cassandra had a little more strength, she would have let out a laugh. As it was, she simply settled with sharing an indulgent smile with Airmid as their friend made her declaration.

The pride of an elite Adventurer in a first-tier Familia wasn't to be underestimated, but the women with the Goddess of Beauty's blessing were especially troublesome. Of course, none of them would act so wilfully when Bell was depressed, injured or otherwise troubled, but even so, Cassandra had heard such declarations countless times, from Heith, from Hörn, or from any of his other women in the Freya Familia.

A rejection of what their own bodies and souls were telling them, a challenge to the man they loved… a desperate attempt to try at least convince themselves that they didn't prefer Bell's embrace to their Goddess's.

Of the trio, Cassandra and Airmid's desires were wonderfully simple, they simply, truly and completely loved being with Bell. They loved his soft embraces and gentle touches, they loved his rough caresses and rough domination, they loved when he let them pleasure him and they loved when he dominated them in return. Whether they were joining him in the baths, and helping soothe his relaxation, or being dragged away to some secluded corner, just barely out of sight, they thrilled with just the same delighted excitement.

Some of Cassandra's happiest memories, and most powerful orgasms, had been felt twinned up in this very bed, wrapped around his length, with her body aglow from the gentle support of her healer companions. And many of her others had been found within the Dungeon itself, with her hands clamped desperately over her mouth, Bell's cock slamming into her pussy and the rest of their party no more than a few meders away. And, given the way Airmid seemed to disappear with him, anytime Bell visited the Dian Celch pharmacy, Cassandra knew her companion felt exactly the same.

It was more complicated for Heith. The relationship she shared with her Goddess was a tricky one. The entire foundation of the Freya Familia was built upon the obsessive love those members shared for their Goddess. Until Bell had come into their lives, it would have been unthinkable for any one of them to have sex with anyone else, let alone fall in love with them. It didn't matter that their Goddess had approved of it, it went against everything they believed in, it was practically a betrayal of their own hearts and their own souls.

It was impossible that the feelings Heith had for Bell would surpass the adoration she held towards her Goddess. Utterly, truly, completely, absolutely, impossible.

But, of course, Bell Cranel always happened to break right through all such barriers and all kinds of impossibilities.

When Bell was in danger, she ran to him. When he was troubled, she soothed him. When he held her in his arms, she smiled and moaned with just the same joyful delight as any of his other lovers. It was clear Heith savoured his tender embraces, his rough handling, his secret kisses, and every moment of his attention just as much as they did, but… she couldn't accept it as easily as they did, not while being burdened with a kind of desperate pride neither of the other healers could understand. Unlike Cassandra or Airmid, Heith couldn't simply revel in the joy of giving herself unto the man she loved, of surrendering to his whims and losing herself in his desires. At least, not without trying to fight back first.

"Y-You, nhh-hHAA! You think, j-just, because I love you, th-that I belong to you! Nng… B-But, but, I've only given m-myself to you, with her permission! I-hha, n-no matter how many times I cum! I'm still! I'm still! Freya-sama's devoted!"

"Heith…"

It was a wonderful statement. Bold and forthright, as befitting someone of her status. Words strong enough to reject reality, even as her body visibly trembled with heady bliss.

And it was all for nought.

Unfortunately, despite the redhead's courageous defiance, the result was a foregone conclusion. Even as an elite adventurer, Heith's body had already been strained to its absolute limits against the wonder of Bell's kisses, his caresses, his technique, and the sheer unassailable might of his cock. And while Bell Cranel's three personal Andhrímnir usually faced him as one, Cassandra and Airmid were already completely defeated, with no support left to offer their companion. Between the healing magic they'd already cast, and the seemingly endless climaxes they'd enjoyed, their Mind and Stamina both were just barely enough to have roused them back to consciousness. All three of their bodies were stained thick with his seed, but no matter how much they'd already wrung from him, he wouldn't stop, not until he'd driven all three of them to the throes of ecstasy

Heith was fighting all alone. The Golden Witch was facing off against the full might and majesty of Bell's passionate affection all by herself.

All that awaited her was a blissful and happy surrender.

No matter how defiantly she invoked her loyalty to her Goddess, soon enough, the only name passing the healer's lips would be his.

…

Or, at least, that's how it should have been. That was how Cassandra had seen this play out countless times in the past. That was how the Prophetess had expected things to go.

But, right before her eyes, three things happened all at once.

Heith's waist slid back all the way to the base of Bell's cock once more, sheathing his entire length inside her with a look of unmistakable delight.

Her body raised up, pushing back up off where it had been laying atop him, straining herself through both effort and orgasms as she re-gained her bearing once more.

And… With her mouth hanging wide, somewhere between a prayer and an exaltation… Heith drew in a deep breath…

And she began to sing.

!?

Cassandra's eyes went as wide as dinner plates, Airmid's flushed cheeks turned completely pale, and even Bell's jaw fell open with shock.

But Heith didn't stop, nor did she slow down. Raising her hips back up along his length, she didn't pause her ministrations for a moment. Even as her body trembled, even as her voice shook, even as her pussy clenched and pulsed and thrilled around him… Even as irresistible the waves of delight washed through her very core, down to the depths of her soul, still the red-headed healer drank deep from the depths of her willpower and forced herself to keep moving, to keep bouncing atop him… to drown him with the very same pleasure he so regularly filled her with.

Even as her body was wracked with delight enough to sear her mind white, her song continued.

And with it, the still remaining drops of power spread thinly within her began to wash over the entire room. A magic circle spread out from beneath her, stretching out until it was covering the entire bedroom. And with each note of Heith's sweet voice, small motes of golden light began to permeate through the air.

Bouncing atop him, squeezing herself around him, grinding down his length, gasping, moaning, panting, cumming, still she sang! Still, she wove her spell!

Cassandra couldn't believe what she was seeing, but there was absolutely no denying it.

'Concurrent Sexual Casting!'

An absolutely unthinkable idea! The kind of thing nobody in their right mind would ever even consider! This was exactly the kind of impossibility only first-tier Adventurers would even dream of! And that was the kind of reckless pride it took to even attempt such a feat! If nobody was going to support Heith, then she would support herself!

Casting Healing Magic during sex had become a routine part of Cassandra's life these days, her role supporting Bell was just as true in the bedroom as on the battlefield. And, while she'd initially been extremely shy about joining his other lovers in bed with him, the effect her spells had on helping his women keep up with him was something not even she could deny. With her magic, even someone like Lilli could keep clinging to him time after time… and of course, the same was true for her, when she had a Level Boost, even Cassandra could ride him almost as forcefully as his Amazons! She had supported, and been supported by, all kinds of different women that surrounded Bell, and her Stamina, Dexterity and Magic stats had all grown prodigiously from the effort.

But this was something else entirely! This was an entirely new world!

When Cassandra sang her healing spells, it was always while another woman was wrapped around him! That was the core of their Andhrímnir, the ability for all three of them to trade off positions and roles as the other two kept the stamina-restoring magic active!

Instead, Heith sang on, all by herself, clinging to him just a gasped breath from disaster! Fucking desperately just a single thrust away from failure!

A single lapse in concentration and Ingus Faltus was certain to follow, but the Golden Witch pushed herself on, and Bell made no move to stop her. Accepting her challenge, as well as her love, his hands took hold of her waist, guiding and steadying her as she drove herself atop him! Her body slammed into his, again and again, over and over, as her back arched, as her legs shook, as her hands clawed for purchase around his shoulders, with every drop of strength still remaining in her, Heith rode up and down the full length of his cock!

She couldn't possibly resist the pleasure that slammed into her, so she didn't even try. Instead, she kept her magic steady and her voice strong, even as orgasm after orgasm, climax after dizzying climax blew through her!

"Ah!"

"Heith-san…"

The motes of light were enveloping them now, wrapping them in a warm golden glow, as Heith's song grew to a fever pitch! As the magic spread through the room rose to a peak!

And then, a heartbeat later, as the Golden Witch's hips descended one last time, the song completed!

"Ahha-hhhhhaaaaa!"

"Nhhhaaahhhha!"

"MhhhhhhHAAAAA!"

The golden glow flashed into a white light and the three healers each heaved the same shuddering sigh. The pleasant ache in their bodies disappeared, the dizzy haze over their thoughts vanished and, slowly, the strength began to flow back into their muscles. Their Mind wouldn't return, but even at her very limits Heith's Zeo Gullveig was more than enough to completely restore their stamina! They had no spells to cast, but they could move, they could fight!

!

No more than an instant after the magic burst around them, all three healers moved in unison!

Heith drove herself powerfully back up along Bell's cock! Holding onto his shoulders now, with all the confidence and all the strength of an elite member of Freya's Familia, her previously desperate ministrations roared into an incredible crescendo! The second she reached the peak of his length, she drove herself down, slamming the full might of his shaft against all her most sensitive walls, driving herself to madness even as she sped him to his own pleasure! "Hh-hhHAAAAA!" Again! And again! Faster! Harder! All the strength she'd regained was immediately poured out into him, throwing her slender body recklessly down his cock with all the recklessness of an Amazon!

And this time, Cassandra and Airmid were there to support her attack!

The Prophetess and the Dea Saint's movements were a perfect mirror of one another, neither wasted a second on thought or hesitation, the moment they could move, they dove between Bell's legs!

Enveloping Bell's most sensitive parts within the warm, wet confines of their mouths, the two healers shared his sack equally between them, covering it so completely that their lips were pressed together in an absolutely wanton kiss as they squirmed and slithered into position, twisting and turning their heads and twirling their tongues, all the better to caress the balls being teased so lovingly by both the once-so-innocent women, "Mm-mhammm!", "Mhhahnnn!" Cassandra's arms wrapped around Airmid's neck, and Airmid's fingers teased through Cassandra's hair as the two women pulled each other closer, falling deeper in the lewd embrace, seeking ever greater pleasure for the man they adored, until their tongues were sliding freely into the other's mouths, dancing around one another as they each caressed both of his balls at the same time, the entire load shared between each healer.

"Ah-GhhAA!"

With Heith offering her all to his shaft, and with Cassandra and Airmid worshipping his balls with loving devotion, Bell was immediately assaulted with an absolutely overwhelming surge of pleasure! His three personal Andhrímnir worked in perfect harmony, matching their motions perfectly with one another, and with each shake and each shudder that ran through him!

It was more than even he could resist!

His balls clenched tight within the Prophetess and Silver Saint's mouths, throbbing with aching need around their delighted, dancing tongues!

His shaft throbbed and shook from deep within the Golden Witch's pussy, pulsing out even thicker and wrapping her innermost walls even tighter around him!

Bell's hands locked tight around Heith's waist, his fingers digging forcefully into her soft skin.

He threw his head back, loosing a guttural cry.

And, all at once, Cassandra's world was flooded in white.

!

Rope after rope, stream after stream, of hot, heavy and dizzying potent seed splashed out from Heith's overstuffed pussy, drenching all across the bluenette's face. His release splattered wet and warm over her eyes, it ran down her cheeks, and streamed down to where her lips were still locked in place, still suckling lovingly around his balls.

'Ngh!'

To say she loved it was to put it too simply. To say she savoured every drop of her master's release coating her was to undersell it. To say that Cassandra's body shook, trembled and came just from the sensation of his bliss that she could feel thrumming from his sack was to downplay just how happy she was in this moment. With her arms still wrapped securely around Airmid's shoulders, and her holding against the Dea Saint's in a now cum-soaked kiss, Cassandra savoured every last moment of her master's release. She sensed it surge up into Heith, she felt it splash down atop her, and then slowly, soothingly, she fe-

!?

'Wha-!?'

…And… and she didn't feel it subside.

It was only in that moment that she realised something was amiss. The echoing sound of Heith's gasp, and the shiver she could feel trembling through Airmid's equally post-orgasmic body told her they had realised the same thing. There was an uncanny strength pulsing through Bell Cranel right now… a rush of power that wasn't just the sensation of a powerful orgasm.

'Oh… Of course…'

Understanding came a moment later. And, despite the way their faces were currently splattered thick with his seed, and their lips were pressed warm against one another around his balls, Cassandra found herself and Airmid sharing another indulgent smile.

No matter what she said, or how defiant she acted, Heith truly, deeply loved Bell, just the same as they did.

And despite her confidence, the Concurrent Sexual Casting had truly taken every bit of her skill and every drop of her concentration.

She'd been casting, and fucking, along a knife's edge, the fact that she'd managed it was an impossibility born of both incredible effort and deep desperation.

And, of course, when Heith was spreading out the bounds of her healing magic, while running on pure concentration, without a thought to spare for any excess details… It was only natural she would extend that same golden light around the man she loved.

Healers dedicated every part of their body and soul to keeping the people they cared for safe. Could any healer selectively exclude their own lover from their magic under such circumstances, when their mind was frayed almost to breaking and the chant was running on pure instinct? Cassandra knew she would never be able to do that, and… despite everything, she felt herself filled with a warm and tender feeling towards Heith, even as the three of them felt an incoming dread towards what had now awaited.

Bell Cranel had been completely restored.

…

"A-Ah! B-Bell-sama!"

"Bell-sama!"

"Ngh-hha! Bell-sama!"

Their three surrenders came practically in unison, and their moans, gasps, cries and screams of delight filled the air once more moments later… And all three of them called out only his name.

And from there, Cassandra's night faded into pure white bliss.

--*--

"Hmm… mmm…"

Some unknowable time later saw Cassandra laid out, humming lightly atop Bell's chest.

Heith was curled up to his right, and Airmid was snuggled up to his left. His arms were around each of them, and presently, his fingers were threading lightly through Cassandra's soft, blue hair as they made gentle conversation.

The other two healers were still asleep, Cassandra had only woken a few minutes ago. Most likely she'd been the first to collapse, although her memories of exactly what had transpired were hazy at best, and her body was still trembling lightly and flushed hot with pleasure… From the satisfied ache in her muscles and the heavy sense of fullness within her womb, she guessed she would be out of action for a good deal of the following day… or at least until one of them recovered enough Mind to get them all back on their feet at least enough to function.

But that was a concern for another time. She would fall asleep again soon, but for now, she was savouring a soft moment alone with the man she loved.

"Hey, um… Bell-sama…?"

"Mmm?"

"What was that you were whispering about before? Mmm, before… before we fell asleep…"

She could only remember bits and pieces of the night that had passed, positions and caresses, and gasps and sensations powerful enough to still thrum through her… but that was one thing that she did recall, a single solid memory that'd remained even as her mind had swirled in the heady clouds of pleasure.

When they were all finally finished, when everything had been wrung out, and they were each satiated to the very limits of what they could endure, the girls had each clung to Bell, and he had wrapped them up in his arms and pulled them to the mattress with him, wrapping the covers around them with a sense of finality to close out the night. And as they'd drifted off, as Cassandra's consciousness had finally slid away entirely, she'd heard him whispering to them, heard him speaking in a slow, melodic rhyme as he'd held them close and bid them all goodnight. It was strange enough that, even with her exhaustion, and the daze of pleasure still spread over her, she remembered it even now.

"O-Oh, you heard that?" surprisingly, he flushed at her question, and if his hands weren't currently occupied, she was sure he would have been scratching the back of his head, just like he used to do so often. The sight of it could only make her smile, "It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing… not something I've thought about in years… But, aha, just, well, when I was looking at you three, and thinking about how happy I've been lately, and how grateful I am, about everything… I was thinking how much I love you, all of you. And I remembered that song, it was an old lullaby, from my childhood."

She blinked, "Alfia used to sing that for you?" Of course, the woman had raised him, but even so, it was hard to imagine. Especially given how much she claimed to hate unnecessary noise.

"Hmm, not really sing… Just, she would speak it, softly…"

She nodded, "I see."

And then, wriggling atop him slightly -in a way that left her huge breasts squishing wonderfully against his chest- Cassandra's face twisted into a complicated expression. Chewing on her lip slightly, her mouth opened and closed, but she said nothing.

He laughed, "Would you like to learn it?"

"Ah!" She brightened instantly, "Is that, is that okay?"

"It's nothing especially private, it's just an old song…"

And so, keeping his voice low and soft, so as not to wake the other two, he traced his fingertips across her cheeks and repeated the words once again.

Imprinting the words firmly into her memory, Cassandra nodded, sucked in a small breath, and…

--*--

…She began to sing. Softly, slowly, sweetly, her small voice echoed warmly all around.

"A-Ah! Wh… Wha!?"

Almost blown over by what he was hearing, Bell gaped in dumbfounded shock!

He wasn't prepared for any of this, it was still early morning, and his day -it seemed- was already off to a very strange start. He'd been minding his own business, making his way to where he was meant to be meeting Syr for their date a little later on, when a beautiful, nervous-looking blue-haired girl had called out to him and begged for a moment of his time.

He'd followed along, asking how he could help, and instead been taken to a quiet little alcove just a few steps from the main thoroughfare, where the unfamiliar girl had gone bright red in the face, taken several deep breaths, visibly fought down the urge to flee, and then… began reciting an old lullaby he'd almost completely forgotten, one he hadn't heard for years, not since he was a child.

Even now, as her strange, gentle song came to an end, this strange girl still looked almost ready to wilt entirely under his gaze. She was smiling shyly, but her cheeks were flushed so brightly crimson they might as well have been glowing, and throughout her entire performance she'd been staring directly at the ground at his feet, seemingly entirely unable to meet his eyes.

Watching as she shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, he noticed that her outfit seemed also to match her nervous demeanour, only now that he was standing just a half meder away from her did he notice the clearly-sizable chest being flattened against the long, thick robe that covered her from neck to toe. And that, aside from the pale white skin of her hands and the look on her face, was about all he could make out at all, the solid fabric hid her curves and almost everything else about her. It was a beautiful design, proudly bearing the insignia of a Familia he couldn't quite remember but he was sure he'd seen around, and the materials were clearly high quality… but the whole thing seemed as if made from some forlorn desire to stay out of sight and out of mind.

And yet… this girl, who still couldn't lift her gaze from his feet… had called out to him, pulled him away to a quiet nook… and… sung him a lullaby he hadn't heard in almost a decade.

Bell's mind was swirling. None of this made any sense. Finally, he broke the strained silence.

"That song… that was…"

"Y-Y-Yes, th-that's, um, th-that's the song that your… um, you, you know it right?" her voice was so quiet now, and with the way she was tripping over her own words, he could hardly make out what she was saying. But, at long last, and with a great deal of hesitation, she finally raised her gaze to meet his, "U-Umma, aahh, y-you, you do remember it, don't you?"

"Yeah," Bell nodded, and he couldn't help but smile at the visible wave of relief that washed over the strange songstress. For however reticent she may be, she certainly seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve, he liked people like that, "But, how do you know it? Or, ah… Why did you sing it for me?"

At that, she gave a sudden start and bowed low, all the way down to her waist.

And when she rose once more, clasping her hands to her breast, she -again, very visibly- did her very best to look him right in the eyes.

!

She was still flushed a deep crimson, and her body seemed to have begun outright trembling, but her face's expression was broken out with a smile so wide, so earnest, and so beautiful that his breath stopped for a moment.

"Bell-sam- *ahem, um, Cranel-san… My name is Cassandra Ilion, from the Apollo Familia. Ah, um, I, I wanted to meet you, b-because, because… Because I am, er, I will be, your friend!"

It seemed his strange morning was about to get stranger still.

Following her, extremely strange, declaration, the woman apparently known as Cassandra launched into an awkward, halting, but undeniably impassioned explanation. She introduced herself as one of the main healers in the Apollo Familia, told him about how she'd been in the Dungeon City for several years now, how their expeditions had made it down to the Middle Levels and then, with her face blazing a vibrant crimson and her smile wavering terribly… she told him about her dreams.

According to herself, Cassandra was a Prophetess, cursed with cryptic visions of an unknown future. When she slept she would often see scraps of knowledge, and hear whispers and clues, bits and pieces of information that when put together would foretell danger or disaster.

That was incredulous enough. But then she told him that recently her prophesies had changed; instead of seeing small glimpses of events to come along with words she struggled to make sense of, she would clearly see entire scenes from her future playing out as if she was living them. And that every one of those visions had revolved around him.

Bell was young, and he was undoubtedly still a bit naïve. He had come all the way to Orario with a head full of dreams and a heart full of heroic aspirations, and even to this day, that hadn't changed much. But he wasn't stupid.

Fairy tales were full of prophecies, of cryptic visions and chosen messengers of the Gods… but in reality, they were the domain of scammers and con men. He'd never seen this girl before in his life, nor had he ever heard anything about a Prophet living in Orario. Surely someone who could see the future and warn her Familia about danger would be as famous as Nine Hells, Anusha or the Dea Saint, and yet he'd never so much as heard the name Mirabilis before she mentioned her title to him. He knew, with an absolute certainty, that if Lilli were here, she wouldn't have even given this girl the time of day.

…

And yet, as Cassandra's strange tale continued and as he wracked his brains, Bell still couldn't figure out what the possible scam would even be.

Her dress was clearly of a high quality, and the emblem definitely matched what he remembered the Apollo Emblem to be. Very few people would risk walking openly displaying the emblem of a Familia they weren't part of, most likely she truly was from the Apollo Familia. But… The Apollo Familia was one of the most respected in Orario, it was renowned in wealth and influence and was ranked just a few places below the Ganesha and Hermes Familia.

What did someone from the Apollo Familia possibly gain by tricking him? And why would a Familia with such resources choose such an openly suspicious method? And how did she know that lullaby? How did she know that he knew it? He couldn't make any sense of it. Of course, that didn't mean he could trust her, he could practically hear his supporter's voice telling him that just because he couldn't understand someone's motivation didn't mean they didn't have one. She'd said exactly that when he'd expressed his disbelief that Nazaa had been scamming him.

But,

'Her eyes…'

When he looked at Cassandra, when he saw the way she was looking at him, behind her nervousness, behind her awkwardness, behind her shyness… he saw the same hopeless expression he'd once seen on Lilli. The look of someone who so desperately wanted to reach out, but who had absolutely no expectation of being helped.

…

Cassandra's story finally spluttered to a halt. Gasping lightly for breath, and suddenly realising she didn't have anything more to say (at least, not without broaching the content of her dreams, something she had very forcefully avoided) she staggered for a moment before pulling herself upright, standing to attention with all the grace and decorum of a decorated member of the Apollo Familia. Breaking that decorum however, she kept both her hands clenched tight over her breast, holding her arms together and against herself with all her strength, it was the only way she could keep them from trembling.

It was as if she was presenting herself for inspection. But unlike any appraisals she had endured with her God's wandering eye, watching as Bell's gaze ran across her, left her heart pounding frantically in her substantial chest.

A part of her was excited, but more than anything, right now, she was terrified.

Of all the times Cassandra had tried to explain herself, of all the times she'd ever tried to make herself believed, this was the furthest she'd gone ever gone since the time she'd first met Daphne. She'd told him everything, she'd been as honest as possible, and she'd even offered proof -the song she could have only possibly learned from her visions-. More than anyone ever before, she so desperately wanted him to believe her.

And yet, she knew he wouldn't.

Even Daphne never had. Even with all the times her prophesies had played out, even with all the times she'd begged Daphne to believe her, and even with all the years they'd spent together, her only friend and treasured companion still thought she was delusional.

Cassandra knew exactly how this would go. She could practically see the cogs turning over in his mind. He was trying to make sense of what she'd told him, in just a moment he would reassure himself that things like prophetic dreams weren't real, then he would smile and laugh it all off as a joke, or perhaps as the ravings of a lunatic. And then he would ask her how she knew that lullaby anyway, did she know his guardian? Had she visited his village in the past?

She'd been through all of this before, she'd seen that exact outcome play out time and again. No matter her entreaties, no matter how much she begged, or cried, or tried to reason, the result was always the same.

That's why it had taken her so long to look for him. It had taken everything she'd had to arrive at this moment, to bring herself to the point where the man she loved would break her heart.

…

Staring desperately at Bell, holding her body furiously tense and holding out against an impossible hope with all her heart, Cassandra's entire being was focused on this boy and this moment.

So much so that she didn't notice a small sensation of warmth spreading out and wrapping around her like a cloak.

Bell was optimistic, he was trusting, he was earnest, and he was almost dangerously open-hearted. He was someone who knew the depths of loneliness and had come to Orario as much for acceptance as anything else. From her gentle demeanour, to the lullaby she'd sung, to the look of solemn desperation in her eyes, Cassandra had become someone he wanted to protect, and… from the instant she'd so earnestly declared her intention to be his friend… She'd become someone he cared for. Bell didn't have many friends yet, but those he did, he cherished greatly. And, while he wasn't foolish enough to trust her completely, he was enough of a fool to trust her a little.

That drop of care and that mote of trust was enough that a tiny fire ignited on his back and the barest whispers of his skill began to shield her.

Rabbit's Foot.

Hestia had called it something akin to a divine protection, something that would be there for you when nothing else was. It was by no means reliable, nor was it accommodating… but the power of luck was the power of fate itself. As such, it was able to nudge destiny, just a little. Just enough to give a chance to words that were fated to be disbelieved.

Wrapped up in the thinnest, most fragile divine shield, for the first time in her life Cassandra was allowed to be believed. Not by everyone, and not wholeheartedly. Instead, it meant the direct effect of her own efforts could finally be conveyed to the person she most desperately wanted to hear them. If Cassandra had simply begged for him to believe her, if she had simply bemoaned her fate, or simply offered up stories of her prophecies while simply hoping to be trusted, then nothing would have changed. But the self she'd seen in those future visions believed utterly in Bell Cranel, and that belief gave Cassandra the courage to change. That belief was why she was here now, and why her heart was hammering in her chest.

Bell sighed.

Try as he might, he couldn't make sense of what he'd been told, or how she could have possibly known a lullaby from his childhood. Her story seemed unbelievable, and everything about her was the very epitome of suspicious, there was absolutely nothing at all about Cassandra that was convincing, and her awkward attempt at an explanation had hardly made a compelling case for herself.

But he couldn't deny the earnestness in her words when she'd said she would be his friend. And he couldn't deny the look in her eyes of someone desperate for help they didn't think would ever come.

He'd had no reason to believe in Lilli after she'd betrayed him, but he hadn't been wrong to do so.

And so, he decided to believe in Cassandra too.

"Aha…" scratching the back of his head, Bell gave an awkward laugh, "So… So, you've been seeing a bunch of prophesies with me in them? Is there… um, is something big going to happen then? You're here to warn me, right?"

Cassandra blanched.

"You… You… believe me?"

"Ah, well, um, I wouldn't say, I mea-…"

Bell stopped and his words died in his throat. Watching as she processed what he'd told her, as the weight of his belief washed through her, the bluenette's gloomy-looking face broke out into a smile of such beautiful, unrestrained joy that he could do nothing but be swept up in her sudden rush of happiness. Cassandra was already gorgeous, in her own reticent and shy manner, but being so completely caught in the radiance of her smile, Bell's heart skipped a beat and, for a moment, the world around him faded to nothing but white light.

'He believes me!'

And she, of course, was no different.

'He believes me!'

If not for the visions she'd seen of her future happiness, of the life she would one day live with this man that she loved, the woman titled Mirabilis may well have fainted on the spot. As it was, she thumbed away the tears that welled in her eyes, and did her very best to steady herself with gasping breaths, holding on to every scrap of composure her time in the Apollo Familia's expedition party had afforded her. Pulling herself to her full height, she forcefully kept her mind from spinning out of control and focussed it entirely on his words.

'He believes me!'

"Um… warn you? Oh, no, nothing like that. I didn't… I didn't see anything bad. When I see you, I just see… the two of us… together… Um, w-w-we're, we're… c-close friends?"

"O-Oh? Just… Ah, just that? No… No mission? Or danger? Or…?"

She shook her head, "Normally when I dream about the future… it's always something terrible. A disaster, or danger, it's always whenever something awful is going to happen. But… But lately, it's just been… um… w-well, it's just been the two of us spending time together… T-T-T-Th-Th-That's how I knew yo-you would be someone important to me!" Once again, Cassandra's face was blazing crimson and her breath was coming in ragged pants as she desperately talked around the point.

"Just… the two of us? We're not, in the Dungeon, or, on a Quest, or…?"

Again, she shook her head, but this time there was some hesitance. She had definitely had several visions of them together in the Dungeon, but, she knew that wasn't quite what he'd meant.

"That's how I knew the lullaby, an-and, and how I knew you knew it. You taught it to me."

Now that got his attention.

So far, Bell hadn't been quite sure what to make of Cassandra's strange prophesies. Her talk of calamities, great danger and cryptic warnings had all sounded like exactly the kind of prophetic visions he'd read about in fairy tales… but as soon as she'd started speaking about him, it sounded utterly mundane. She just saw the two of them together? What was he even supposed to make of that? It wasn't like any prophesy he'd ever heard of. It was a very similar feeling to when he'd recently levelled up- after spending so long envisioning reaching a new level with all these dreams of feeling an incredible surge of new power, the actual mundanity of the process had been disappointingly anticlimactic, no matter how overjoyed he was to have levelled up. Here was a woman saying she could see the future, and that she'd seen his future, and all she was talking about was being friends with him? It was a welcome and wonderful thought, but it was also about the furthest thing he'd ever imagined for any prophecy. Who'd ever heard of an oracle who foresaw everyday events?

But this, at least, was enough to capture his interest!

The song that had served as an introduction between them was a message passed from his future self to her. That was certainly something that set his imagination on fire!

"Then, what was my future self like? What kinda person am I in the future?"

"Ahhh…"

Holding a hand against her cheek, Cassandra finally broke off eye contact with him, closing her eyes as she breathed out a heady sigh. Tossing her head and her long blue hair softly from side to side as she immersed herself in thoughts and memories. For a moment, he thought that was the only reply he was going to get.

"You are… a great man," she whispered, a short while later, her words soft and quiet, but with an ironclad surety to them just as intense as her original talk of future dreams, "Kind and very gentle. Your strength makes people feel safe… but your warmth makes them feel welcome… You… More than anything, you are deeply, and dearly loved."

It took all of Cassandra's quickly waning confidence even just to force out that barely adequate explanation to the man in question. Something as simple as that wasn't anywhere close to enough to explain the Bell-sama that she had seen, and that she would come to love, but it was all she could possibly manage in this moment. Unlike the times she'd described him to Daphne, right now, she couldn't possibly afford to give the kind of earnest description her heart was truly yearning for- it had taken practically the full remainder of her restraint just to keep from mentioning her own adoration for him!

'He believes me!'

Now Bell was the one left flushed red and unsure what to say.

He'd expected something a little more specific, information about his Level, or how far he'd managed in the Dungeon, maybe if he'd grown a little taller or gotten a few cool scars… and instead, he'd gotten what felt like an entirely unearned, undeserved, heartfelt expression of praise. He'd only just met this girl, he hadn't yet done a single thing to be worthy of the softness and care to which Cassandra described him… it was embarrassing just hearing about it, like he was reaching for accolades he hadn't won.

His naturally depreciating nature made him want to flinch away from it, to put such ideas away as a long-distant future.

But instead, he was reminded of the promise he'd made to himself, for Hestia, for Ais and for Syr, that he would become worthy of the love they offered him.

And, his thoughts echoed too, his long-past resolve for Alfia, that he would become a man and a Hero great enough for her to believe in.

He couldn't possibly face the warmth in Cassandra's words, but he could accept them, and he could add them to the resolve pushing him down the path he'd chosen. If she truly could see the future, then he wanted to believe that he could become the kind of man she would describe with such profound fondness.

"Al-Also, uh… I, s-sorry, I should have said this earlier… But I wanted to congratulate you, o-on your Level Up."

He blinked, "Oh?"

She dithered, swaying slightly in place as the look on her face returned back to a nervous shyness and she began wringing her hands around one another, "Y-Yes? Um, th-that was actually… That was actually what made me f-finally come find you. I, I know how hard you always work and how you're always pushing yourself… Congratulations."

'He believes me!'

Smiling under the praise, he laughed awkwardly and thanked her weakly, reminded once again that he still wasn't good at accepting compliments. However, her words did serve to drag him away from his thoughts of prophecy and the future and back to the stark reality he had been currently facing, back to the question that had been on his mind since talking to Ryu the previous night.

"A-Actually, Cassandra-san! If, haha, w-well, I mean… Since you said, we're going to be friends… Ah, well, right now my party is just myself and my supporter, and we've made it down to the end of the 10th floor. We want to go further, and I'm sure we can- but, I was told that I need to add another member before we start going into the Middle Floors..."

!?

!!

Cassandra's world spun to a halt and her heart leapt in her chest. She hadn't had any specific plans in seeking out Bell today, this meeting had already gone better than she could have ever dreamed possible. And right now, it was as if the very axis of her destiny was being shifted!

A wave of warmth flushed through her body, a shiver of excitement ran down her spine, and a wide smile broke out across her face.

"So, would you be interested in joining my battle party?"

'He believes me!'

"I wou-"

"Unfortunately," a stern voice cut through the moment like a steel bar, "That would be impossible."

Bell spun around, Cassandra jolted in place, and both were broken out of their minor reverie as they turned to see a handsome red-haired woman striding over towards them.

Her physique was just as slender as the bluenette's, and they stood at about the same height. And yet, while Cassandra's reticent nature made her feel far smaller, this new woman's strong, commanding presence made Bell feel almost as if he was looking upward at her, even though she stood no taller than him. Wearing a striking white outfit as a contrast to Cassandra's black, her clothing was just as impressively crafted, but did far less to hide her features, leaving Bell no doubt both about the generous curves of her hips and the modest shape of her bust.

And, of course, her shoulder was emblazoned with the exact same emblem as Cassandra's. The Apollo Familia.

"D-Daphne-chan!"

"Cassandra is a member of the Apollo Familia's expedition team. Our God isn't about to let her just join another Familia's party."

She explained it simply with a shrug as if to say it was just an unfortunate reality, but Bell could only lower his gaze as his cheeks flushed red. Of course. Of course, someone in a high-ranking Familia like that would already have a team they were part of. Cassandra had even told him she was part of their main group, and that she'd made it to the Colossal Tree Labyrinth, a place he couldn't even imagine. She was level 2 already, she must have been exploring the Dungeon for far longer than him.

He'd gotten so caught up in the moment, he'd entirely stopped thinking.

Somehow, after all her talk of prophecy, it had felt like destiny.

"A-Ah, r-right."

Daphne sighed, and then she offered him a conciliary smile.

"Look, don't worry about Cassandra, okay? I'll apologise on her behalf if she's said something weird to you."

"Huh?"

"D-Daphne-chan…"

She's harmless, really. All that stuff she talks about, she doesn't mean anything by it. I… I'm not exactly sure where she got so much information about you, but I assure you, she doesn't have any ill will. She just… She just mixes up dreams and reality sometimes. It's no-"

"Daphne-chan!"

A desperate, frustrated shout finally cut off the red-head's words and Cassandra had crossed the distance in a moment, frantically pushing her friend away from Bell Cranel and away from saying anything more than she already had. Taking back the initiative as she was shunted away from the white-haired young man, Daphne pulled her friend's hands off her and instead began leading Cassandra away with her, back towards the Apollo Mansion.

"We'd better be going," turning over her shoulder as she went, she offered a small nod back towards the bewildered young man, "Oh, and congratulations on your Level Up."

"G-Goodbye, Cranel-san…" For a moment, Cassandra hesitated, but then a tug on her wrist saw her walking away, following with slightly sullen steps, "I'll see you again, soon?"

He barely even had time to raise his hand in farewell before the two girls stepped back into the main thoroughfare of Orario, and disappeared into the throngs of people surrounding them.

Once again, Bell felt slightly deflated, like a balloon that had been puffed up with wonder and expectation and then had all the air let out of it at once.

He'd met a strange girl who claimed to have prophetic visions of the future, who bore a message from his future self.

But the events she foresaw were just daily living.

He'd met a fellow Adventurer, an experienced veteran of the Dungeon who claimed she wanted to be his friend.

But she was already committed to another battle party.

Scratching the back of his head, he wasn't quite sure what to make of this encounter.

"Well, she seemed nice?"

--*--

"So, that was Bell Cranel, huh? After the way you described him, I thought he'd be taller."

Daphne's words were as firm as ever, but internally, she was currently doing everything possible to keep herself under control.

'AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!'

Her jaw clenched as a silent scream ripped frantically around her psyche.

'THAT WAS HIM! That really was him! Nononononoooo! He really does exist! Ahh! This is the worst! The worst! The worst! Ahahhhh, how did this happen!? Ahhh! I didn't even need to ask who he was! I recognised him instantly! He looks exactly like she told me! Just like I imagined! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!'

Daphne's legs wobbled almost imperceptibly as she maintained the same brisk pace just a step ahead of her friend.

'All those nights! All those times I was rolling around on my bed! I was imagining that face! All those times I-! And when I-! And I moaned his-! And I dreamed about his hands wrapped around-! Cassandra was just making up all those stories about him! I thought he was just some make-believe guy she'd invented! Annnddddd I imagined myself with him, in those same storrrrriiiieesssss! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!'

"Um… Daphne-chan… You look upset? Are you angry?"

"Not at all. Let's just go home."

While Daphne was using up every last drop of her willpower to keep from having a breakdown in the middle of the street, Cassandra's thoughts were a lot simpler.

'He believed me!'

Holding a hand to her flushed cheeks, with her legs wobbling for a very different reason, the bluenette's face was the very picture of contentment as she was led back to the Apollo Mansion. She didn't know when she would be able to see him again, nor what she would say to him when the time inevitably came for Apollo to take him into their Familia… but, she had made it clear that she was his friend. And he had believed her. Cassandra was sure, her lonely fate had already changed.

And so, the two girls made their way silently back to their home.

One was filled with delight, the other with despair, and both with their thoughts utterly dominated by the same man, the memories they had of him… and of the dreams in which they'd seen him.

Feeling more content than she'd ever imagined, Cassandra savoured thoughts of the man she'd just met, and the man she knew he would become, the time they'd spent together and the times she knew awaited her.

Feeling more mortified than she'd ever known, Daphne was completely unable to forget the fantasies of the man in her dreams, the way she'd clung to him, the scenarios they'd shared and the sensation of his passion meeting hers.

The two girls, so close they may as well have been sisters, were different in almost every way.

And yet, despite their very different viewpoints on this moment and those dreams… the hot, wet lust that pooled across their thighs, and dripped slick down their legs, was completely identical.

'Mmmm… Bell-sama… I'll see you again soon.'

'Ghaaa… Bell Cranel… I'll apologise next time.'

--*--

After leaving behind Cassandra, Daphne and the strange meeting that had started his day, Bell had made his way over to the central plaza where he was meant to be meeting Syr for their date. Despite having negotiated it on the spur of the moment with Mama Mia, and despite the impetus for it being Syr's offer to come along and help him replenish his items to return to the Dungeon… the time he'd then spent waiting for her, and the time he'd therefore spent watching all the other couples gathering together before heading off to the city, had made him increasingly self-aware that this probably wasn't a very romantic idea for a date.

His first date with Eina had been as simple as window shopping and her taking him to purchase equipment… but Syr was his girlfriend, was it really okay for him to have absolutely no plan in mind other than buying some armour and potions?

It was a sobering thought, another reminder of just how far he needed to go to understand women.

And unfortunately, it was right as he was reaching that conclusion that he ran out of time!

"Bell-kun! Oh, you're already here? I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"

"Syr!"

Snapped from his worries by the melodic sound of his girlfriend's voice, his heart leapt immediately at the sound of her and his mind whirred with the strict reminder Alfia had given him to always compliment a girl's appearance when she arrived for a date. Snapping into action, he spun around to face her, his day immediately brightening and his smile beaming wide!

"No, I just got he-…ah?"

Only for both to immediately fade as he found himself face to face with an absolutely withering expression, cold enough to freeze his bones and harsh enough to leave his throat dry.

Standing before him was a slender, graceful-looking young woman with long silver-grey hair that fell all the way to her waist. Similar to Cassandra, she was covered head to toe in a trim, sleek looking battle dress of unquestionably high quality, but unlike the Prophetess, this outfit gave absolutely no impression she was hiding from other's sight, rather there was a distinct feeling that she wouldn't bear others to look upon her. Despite this, the dress was still cut in an alluring, enchanting fashion, hugging tightly to her notably large bust and showcasing the full turn of her deliciously curved hips.

One of her eyes was hidden behind her silver-grey hair, with her long bangs hanging fully over half her face and thrown back over her shoulder. But the other looked at him with an expression of pure disdain.

Bell swallowed heavily.

She was beautiful, without question. But with her lips pursed into a tight frown and with her single eye flashing furiously at him, it was the exact same beauty as held by naked steel.

So taken aback by this sudden show of unabashed hostility, it took him a full moment to notice Syr walking up, right alongside this woman, the same cheeky expression he'd come to love, hate and fear plastered wonderfully atop her face.

"…Syr?"

"Hehe! Bell-kun! Here, let me introduce you!" she declared, stepping a half step before the other woman, before pulling her right towards him, "Hörn, I've already told you all about Bell-kun. So, here, Bell-kun, this is Hörn. My sister."

!?

Her sister?

Well… even if their expressions and mannerisms were completely in opposition to one another, they certainly looked alike… The same soft roundness of the face, the same slender build, the same generous bust, the same delightfully soft hips and tantalisingly flat stomach… But… Syr had never told him she had a sister! And, she'd brought her now, to their date!? And… why was she so mad at him!? Had he done something wrong!?

"Horn? Uh, well," he bowed his head politely, before stretching out his hand in greeting, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Your sister has been taking great care of me."

She didn't take his hand.

More specifically she looked at his outstretched arm as if he was holding out a dead rodent for her to take.

"Hörn." She corrected, instead.

"Hörn!" Syr pouted, "Be nice! If you're mean to Bell-kun, I'm going to be mad at you!"

The woman's glacial expression didn't change, and she didn't take his hand… Instead, she slowly drew herself up, sucking in her breath and clenching her fists with all the poise and gravitas of someone preparing themselves for a truly terrible fate. Jaw set and teeth clenched, she had every look of a woman marching towards the headsman's axe, and when she finally spoke, although there wasn't a trace of doubt or hesitation in her words, Bell could have sworn they were each covered in ice sharp enough to pierce through him.

"Bell Cranel… By command of Lady Freya, I have been sent to join your battle party."

"Eh!?"

"Ahehe, isn't this great, Bell-kun? You've got your third member!"