" How long are you going to stay there like that? " The goddess of the forge asked(in a tone of slight annoyance) towards Hestia...who is currently prostrating herself, her head touching the smooth stone floors of Hephaestus' office.

" Watching you curl up like a bug over there is annoying. I won't be able to work like this. " Hephaestus urged the other goddess to leave her office, yet Hestia remained stock-still.

" * Sigh *...Look, Hestia. Like I keep telling you, weapons and armor made by high-level blacksmiths from the Hephaestus Familia are top-quality products. Their performance and prices are first class. " Hephaestus' emphasis on price made Hestia flinch a little.

" These weapons are forged with the blood and sweat of my children...and you're asking me to sell them to you for cheap just because we're friends? How can you expect me to do that? "

" ... "

Hestia remained as unmoving as a statue, earning a sigh from Hephaestus.

' It's already been two days since Ganesha's banquet. She's been like this the whole time...What could be motivating you to do this. ' wondered the smith goddess.

" ...By the way, what kind of pose is that? " She asked towards Hestia, puzzled by the position she had taken for the past few days.

" Dogeza. " Hestia said curtly.

" Dogeza? " Hephaestus parroted.

" It's an ultimate special move that grants forgiveness for any act and acceptance of any request...said Take. " She was of course referring to their mutual friend Takemikazuchi, the god of war.

' That jerk...he taught her something useless...! ' Hephaestus can feel a vein bulging on her forehead.

Taking a deep breath, she let out a sigh to calm herself down.

" * sigh *...Hestia, please tell me why you're going this far- "

" I want to grant power to that child! " The intensity of Hestia's reply caught her off guard.

" I've been nothing but dead weight to that child! I've never been able to do anything worthy as his goddess! " She held back crystal tears as she spoke those words aloud.

" I've never been able to welcome that child home to a warm meal! I've never been able to heal him when he's all beaten up! "

" ... " The goddess of the forge remained silent.

" Even after being a laughingstock to his fellow adventurers! Even when he told me not to worry! Even when it's all my fault...! "

" ... "

" He...He still comforted me...Even when he's the one hurting inside, he still tried to make me feel better! Even when he had all but given up on his dreams...he never gave up on me! "

" ... "

" Hephaestus, please tell me... "

Hestia raised her head off of the cold stone floor.

Tears streamed from her eyes, tracing a path down her cheeks.

" ...What kind of goddess would I even be if I can't return his dreams to him? "

Silence lingered between them for but a mere moment, yet every second seemed to stretch endlessly into a deafening eternity.

" ...* Phew *... "

The silence was broken by Hephaestus, who let out a breath of satisfaction...as well as a hint of admiration towards her fellow goddess.

' Humans in the lower world are ever-changing, while we gods are the opposite;We remain eternally unchanging. That was just how it was for us, and how it always should've been... ' Hephaestus thought to herself.

She then looked towards Hestia.

' Yet...you seemed to have changed because of that child. '

She recalled the Hestia that she knew back in heaven...and overlapped them to the one prostrating herself in front of her right now.

...She is satisfied. Hephaestus is content with the resolve Hestia had shown her...and so, she sought to agree.

" ...Alright, I'll make a weapon for that ch- "

* Clack *

* Creak... *

She was abruptly interrupted by the sound of her office door turning.

Hephaestus immediately put a stop to what she was saying, instead turning her attention to the newcomer.

She does not recognize who it was that had entered her office, and she knew for sure that it was none of her children...

After all, the pale hair and crimson eyes would be hard to miss.

The one who is most surprised by the newcomer's appearance however...is Hestia.

" Ah. "

Turning her head around, Hestia saw who it was that had opened the door.

" Bell...kun... "

The one standing there near the doorway was none other than her dependant.

Hestia felt herself froze in place, as if ice-cold water had suddenly been poured all over her.

" ... "

The white haired boy casted a gaze towards his goddess...who is currently kneeling on the ground.

" ... "

" Bell...kun...? What...What are you doing here...? You...You shouldn't be here... " Hestia confessed, confusion and more importantly, shame apparent in her face.

Bell however, remained silent as he inched closer towards his goddess.

" Bell-kun...? What are you...? " Hestia can feel cold sweat running down her back as her child slowly approached her.

" ...Please, forgive me for this, my lady. " Bell abruptly said to hestia, before-

" Wha...-Kyaa! "

-gently taking her off the floor...and into his arms.

" W-W-Wha...! Bell-kun! W-What are you doing suddenly...! I mean, I'm happy and all that you're willing to do this for me, but isn't it too soon?! I mean, at the very least let's wait until-! " Hestia in a state of total panic at her child suddenly princess carrying her in his arms turned red.

" Kami-sama. " Bell called out to Hestia, immediately silencing her.

" ... "

" Let's go home. " He said to the goddess in his arms.

" ...Yes. " Was all that she could answer in a daze.

" Thank you, goddess Hephaestus, for taking care of my lady. "

" ...Don't worry about it. " Replied the red-haired goddess.

Bell then bowed towards the goddess of the forge before bidding her his farewell.

Author notes : We're doing Hestia's pov first in this chapter. The next one we'll return to Bell's pov and hopefully it'll clear some of the confusion.