Howdy y'all! Daddy's back with another chapter! So sorry that it took a while, been busy with some other stuff in my life, and dealing with a bit of writer's block as well as general lethargy of writing. So in order to make it up to you guys, I made this chapter a bit longer and fluffier than usual, this chapter is pure fluff and just focuses on the development of the relationship between Bell and Lefiya. This chapter is the end of the first arc and the following chapter will be the beginning of the Rakian Invasion Arc, which will contain quite a bit of action. I'll say it now, I might underdeliver in some aspects in the next arc whether it be the story or the fight scenes, because I've only planned out the general plot and idea of the Arc and have yet to hammer out the specifics, so it might take a bit of time... I won't give an approximation for when I'll release the next chapter, as I've still got to plan out a few more things, but it won't take very long, I hope. So before I send you guys off, I just want to reply to some new comments the story received:
Danmachi56464: I dunno, I haven't planned anything of the sort so I might just add that to my ideas and make a one-shot, if I were to write a story where Bell takes the polygamy route, it'll probably either be just a one-shot or a short story, but I might do just that in the future so stay tuned and thank you for the review!
The Quotable Patella: Heya buddy! Afaik Knossos is a separate structure from the dungeon itself, it only intersects with the dungeon at some points, a notable intersection is its entrance at the eighteenth floor, so the laws that govern the dungeon (probably) don't take effect within the superstructure. And to expound on your first question, the same way Hestia and Hermes were able to enter the dungeon in the first season, they can simply suppress their divine energy to conceal their true identity from the dungeon and make it unable to discern them from mortals, or so I think. As for your other question on how Ares is connected with Evilus, canonically he probably isn't but in this story he will because why not, figured it might give his character more significance than the fool they made him out to be in the canon story. As for your other questions that you haven't mentioned, I'll be happy to clarify if things don't immediately make sense. I appreciate the feedback and hope you enjoy the story so far!
KaddyD: Thanks for the vote of confidence buddy! I know about the criteria for Liaris Freese so I've already devised a workaround for that so yeah, don't worry about it. I hope you enjoy the story so far and continue to enjoy the story in the future, I'll try my best not to disappoint!
Anyway, with that out of the way, let's get on with the chapter!
I do not own Danmachi
Chapter XIII: A Fresh Beginning
3rd Person POV:
"I'm heading out Goddess!"
A certain Bell Cranel announced his imminent departure from the grounds of his familia's residence
"'Kaaaaay~, keep safe!"
The goddess of the Hearth lazily replied to his first child's announcement, unable to be bothered to see him off properly as she simply resigned to her laziness and remained curled up in a fetal position on the living room couch as she kept her eyes closed.
The only response she got back was the creaking of the door as it signaled that the boy had left the building
Outside, the boy breathed in a good amount of the fresh mid-morning air and released it back with a satisfied sigh
With a spring in his step, he walked toward the gate surrounding the premises, separating it from the city, and egressed as he made his way down the road and into the busy streets of Orario
It had been two days since the expedition force had come back from the depths of the dungeon, forced to prematurely halt the ongoing enterprise and postpone it for another time to be announced in the future as certain circumstances presented themselves and thus prevented the expedition from proceeding as planned.
To say that the entirety of Orario was surprised when the expedition force suddenly emerged from the mouth of the dungeon and spilled onto the vast grounds of Babel merely two days after they embarked on the journey would not be an exaggeration. News spreading like wildfire, only the district closest to Babel and the first to witness the less than gallant reemergence of the expedition force knew during the first hour, and then as soon as a few hours the very outskirts of the walled city.
They were swarmed with curious civilians, gods, and fellow adventurers alike, relentlessly inquiring about their much sooner-than-expected return. Satiating the ever-growing crowd's curiosity, Finn answered on behalf of them all, as the figurehead of the expedition force, stating that there had been an attack on the eighteenth floor yesterday, and the monster having slipped away. Weaving a somewhat solid and believable narrative with the truth littered with partial untruths here and there, he lied that the expedition had to be postponed for it would unnecessarily risk the lives of the lower-leveled members of the expedition force that were to be stationed in the safety point.
Most of the people present would have believed in the captain of one of Orario's top familias' words anyway. Even if his words seemed just partly cohesive, being the top dogs of Orario tends to make people readily take your word, not that Finn would cook up a half-hearted explanation for anything, that would do his intellect no justice.
However, just to remain on the safe side, he took the liberty and made Bors and the rest of the inhabitants of Rivira who were present, promise that they were to go along with the narrative he cooked up, and Bors... with a bit of monetary incentive, agree.
Returning to the present, Bell Cranel was walking by himself through the bustling streets of Orario, unaccompanied by none as the rest of his Familia members minus the patron Goddess all had matters they attended to. During such days, one would find the boy diving solo in the dungeon and earning bread for his Familia, but he had basically been banned from the dungeon for a little while when he had informed the rest of what had happened, not that he felt like going back down there for the time being.
Alas, having no other meaningful means to pass the time, he simply decided to go for a stroll around in hopes of preoccupying himself
"Isn't that Rabbit's Foot?"
His heightened sense of hearing picked up the murmurs of nearby civilians gossiping as they attempted to be discreet, unlike the boy who was able to disguise his reaction to his alias being called
Indeed, his alias had not changed ever since it was first bestowed upon him by the Gods during their Denatus at the time he reached level four, this was because the Gods were inconclusive about what new alias to give him this time, with Hestia vociferously shooting down any preposterous titles that were even dared suggested and the last Denatus having occurred just a little bit before he reached level six. (A.N.: and also for convenience since I'd rather not think of a new alias for him at the moment, I'll do it when there is more significance to do so...)
"You're right, I'm not quite convinced of Braver's explanation, one of my buddies in Rivira said that he'd slept like a baby then... you think we should ask him about it?"
Bell couldn't see them but he could feel them looking at him with an inquisitive look, so he imperceptibly hastened his footsteps
"Nah... you're probably just overthinking things"
His companion replied, the man didn't seem convinced but seemed to let it go for now
'Phew... telling them the truth probably might just make everyone panic'
Bell let out a lungful of air that he had unknowingly been holding in, relieved that the two decided not to pry into the matter, nor anybody else for he did not hear any more murmurs about their return
Trying not to worry too much about it, he continued to walk as he let his mind wander
'Hmm... perhaps I'll go look at that new hero book I saw earlier...'
Thinking to himself, a childish smile appeared on his face as he picked up the pace and headed toward the direction where he remembered the store that housed the new book containing a compilation of the many hero stories that he knew and loved being
"Hey, isn't that Argonaut-kun?"
A familiar upbeat voice of a woman was heard
Turning around, he saw the familiar faces of the Amazoness sisters as well as a surprised Lefiya
"Indeed, it looks like he noticed us"
Tione pointed out as she raised her hand in greeting
"Heyaaa Argonaut-kun~!"
She pretty much ran toward him, only stopping once she was right in front of him while her sister and a timid Lefiya followed at a slower pace
"Tiona-san... you're lively as always!"
Bell warmly greeted the animated Amazoness as he returned her smile and enthusiasm
"Tione-san too and Lefiya-san... it's nice to see you three!"
He turned to the two females who had just caught up
"Howdy-do Bell Cranel?"
Tione nodded with a smile
"G-Good morning, Be-Bell Cranel"
Lefiya meekly replied with a greeting of her own, which made Tione raise an eyebrow
"Were you going somewhere?"
Ignoring the elf's weird behavior, Tione made small talk with the boy
"Nothing much really, just walking around and trying to kill some time. You'd normally find me in the dungeon during these times but ever since we got back I kind of got a moratorium on that for now..."
Bell gave a generic response with a sheepish grin on his face
They were surprised but kept it to themselves as they simply nodded
"Oh, in that case... would you like to spend some of that free time with us?"
Tione offered, which made her sister light up like a Christmas tree, and Lefiya's eyes widen
"Yeah! Come spend some time with us Argonaut-kun~!"
Tiona eagerly affirmed
"Lefiya?"
Tione addressed the elf as they all turned to her for her own say in the matter
The elf in question looked terribly conflicted, grimacing a bit but then immediately catching herself in the act, forcing out some semblance of a smile
"S-Sure, i-it's no big de-deal..."
She stuttered as her face grew warm, avoiding the boy's gaze which confused him
'Is she... perhaps still angry about that...?'
"U-um, are you perhaps mad about me grabbing your hand Lefiya-san? I'm very sorry if that's what's bothering you"
The boy caught on to her weird behavior, she was constantly tripping over her own words and glancing at anywhere but him, and her face was red as if were angry
His observations led him to conclude that she still may have been indignant of him for being so presumptuous
"W-What? N-No! I to-told you that it's not a problem! D-Didn't I grab your hand when you considered withdrawing it when you realized I was an elf when we first met?"
She reminded him to drive her point home, which seemed to work but the boy didn't seem entirely convinced
"T-Then... why are you avoiding eye contact with me?"
He asked as Lefiya gulped and forced herself to look him in the eye just to prove him wrong, with her neck comically creaking and groaning while it turned as if it were rusted metal being bent.
"I-I'm not! I-I'm just naturally a very shy person!"
Lying through her teeth, she was becoming ever redder, whether it be from indignant at the boy's accusation or embarrassment, nobody knew
"Look, if it means that much to you, I forgive you, geez!"
The elven maiden replied with a sigh, hoping that this would reign in the boy's insistence, which fortunately did
"I promise not to do it again... huh?"
"?"
Lefiya was startled by the boy's confused interjection mid-sentence, so her head perked up and she looked towards the boy curiously, then she followed his gaze and also found that something was off... their two other companions were now nowhere to be found.
"W-Where are they?"
Lefiya rapidly scanned her surroundings for any signs of the twin sisters but was unlucky, the white-haired boy doing the same with similar results; or lack thereof.
"I don't see them..."
He stated the obvious, which made the elf's eyebrows furrow in frustration
'Where did they go?!'
.
"What's the big deal, Tione?!"
Tiona complained as her head was forcibly shoved lower by her sister, who tried shushing her with a gesture of her finger to her lips
They were some distance away from the duo frantically looking for them, hiding behind some craters in a nearby, dank, and slightly foul-smelling alleyway. It is not a place one would like to find oneself crouching around
Tione looked into the distance, observing the two for a moment, then turned to her sister, who still wore a displeased expression about her sister's sudden course of action
"Did you notice that Lefiya's been acting a little bit funny today?"
She finally responded as her sister's glare gave way to a confused expression
"What do you mean?"
She asked with an inquisitive eyebrow
Tione sighed as if she expected her sister to be this incognizant, expounded on her earlier question
"She's been stuttering a lot since we saw him earlier, avoiding eye contact while red from her face to the tips of her ears..."
She pointed out her observations on the peculiar behavior displayed by their elven comrade
Tiona's eyes lit up in realization
"What?! Really?! That's how you are when you're in front of the Capt-"
She didn't get to finish her outburst of a sentence as her sister decided that the top of her head should be acquainted with her fist
"Shut up! You're too loud! And am not!"
With a reprimand and a denial in a single sentence, she refuted and glared at her sister with a faint blush of her own as her sister whined in pain and nursed her aching head
"Owwiee... you didn't have to hit me you jerk!"
She glared back and pouted
"So... are you saying what I think you're saying?"
She asked her as Tione redirected her gaze back to the two, who were now on the move, turning their heads here and there, oscillating from one place to the next in quick succession as if they were bubbleheads, the Amazoness honestly found it a bit comical and stifled a small giggle
"Ehem, there's no solid proof, but I personally think that our dear little Lefiya has the hots for rabbit boy over there, even if she doesn't know it yet"
The Amazoness gave her opinion on the matter, which made her sister shoot up in surprise
"Woah! Really?"
Another smack to the head
"I said keep it down! Now come on, let's tail them and confirm for ourselves..."
She led the way out the alleyway followed closely by a once again whining Tiona as they surreptitiously tailed the two, utilizing their first-class adventurer abilities to remain covert to the two targets and to everybody else within the vicinity
.
"It seems we lost them, Lefiya-san..."
Bell hesitantly admitted as he sheepishly turned to look to the elf, who wore a distraught face at the thought, why she was so dramatic about this was lost to him
The two had been loitering about the vicinity for the past hour, even asking some people if they had seen the Amazoness twins, to which they replied in the negative. The twins had been able to avoid any type of detection thus far due to their extremely honed abilities as first-class adventurers and had decided to continue and observe the interaction between the two for as long as they could, for this was very entertaining to them.
Returning to the albino boy and the elf, they took a seat on one of the many benches scattered about the square, planning their next course of action.
"What should we do then, Lefiya-san?"
Bell went to look to the elf for her verdict
'T-Th-They left me alone with him... why did they leave me alone with him?!'
'I m-mean, I don't particularly dislike the thought of being around him... but still...'
'H-how do I act a-around him?'
'Should I keep it casual...?'
'Should I be a bit more assertive...?'
'Should I just act aloof...?'
'Uwaah...'
The elf was deep in thought and failed to register the boy's calling out to her
It wasn't until her visual senses registered that the boy's face was quickly approaching her personal space that it had decided to override her raging thoughts and snap her back to reality
"Eeeeep!"
Cutely shrieking out, she backed away a bit from him
"Ah, I'm sorry! I was just trying to get your attention as you seemed a bit... occupied"
The boy used his signature move, the forbidden technique of an immaculate 90-degree bow to adequately express his remorse and shame
"Ah... n-no, it's f-fine..."
The elf quickly reassured him
"A-Anyway... I think we sho-"
Then, a most horrible sound, originating from the depths below, was heard
Time seemed to stop for the elf as the sound akin to groaning metal under stress was heard...
Gruuuuuuumbleeee*
The elf turned bright red from embarrassment as her stomach audibly protested its lack of content, demanding sustenance.
"Mmm!"
She whimpered out from such a heightened sense of embarrassment that she wanted to curl up into a ball of shame and disappear
The boy simply cracked a sympathetic smile at her as he chuckled
"Well... I guess I'm not the only one here that's hungry..."
He admitted, which made the elf straighten up and look at him
"How about we go grab a bite to eat for now and resume looking for them afterward, what say you Lefiya-san?"
He suggested as she thought about it
She was very much hungry though she tried to deny it, this morning was just one of those times when she just did not feel like having breakfast.
"A-Alright fine! S-since you told me that you're already hungry..."
She huffed as she overtook him and started walking down the street, following by her memory the direction that led to a nearby luncheonette that they used to eat in every once in a while.
Bell raised an eyebrow and simply followed the embarrassed elf, who was oddly determined not to admit that she was hungry even though the earlier growl of her stomach told him otherwise
'What is up with her...?'
Shrugging it off as a girl-thing, he sped up a bit and caught up toward her as a taciturn and hungry Lefiya led the way
.
"They're on the move!"
Tiona less-than-gently tugged at her sister, urging the Amazoness to follow her now oddly animated twin
"You're getting a bit too into it now, eh?"
She teased as they followed the pair in a clandestine yet casual way so as to not seem suspicious, well... if you'd call hiding behind crates, walls, and other various objects casual
"Eh, what can I say? I've never seen Lefiya like this, especially because of Argonaut-kun!"
Tiona replied in an animated manner as she moved from cover to cover as her sister less than enthusiastically followed
"You know, we don't really need to sneak around at the moment, they've given up looking for us for the time being so we can just keep our distance"
Tione told her as she simply shrugged in response
"I guess you're right..."
She trailed off but she suddenly had an idea
"Why don't we also go and grab some grub where they're going so we can listen in on their conversation?"
The cheery Amazoness suggested as she patted her belly, indicating that she could really go for a bite after all their stalking around
Tiona raised an eyebrow at her suggestion before finally relenting
"Alright, let's follow them"
.
"H-here we are!"
Lefiya exclaimed as she and the white-haired boy arrived at their destination
It was a quaint little bistro on the outskirts of Orario. Dubbed "Chef's Kiss", it is a popular location to dine and is frequented by many, from humans to Demi-humans, ordinary civilians to adventurers from different Familias. It attributes its far-stretching popularity to the myriad of items available on its menu catering to vast and differing preferences, from Elvish cuisine to Chienthrope appetizers, or Human hors d'oeuvres and everything in between, an endless array of options for the adventurous tongue seeking new and unfamiliar flavors they may come to like.
"Woah, I've never seen this place before!"
Bell exclaimed in surprise as he took note of the new location, there was still much of Orario that he had not yet explored since he first arrived and settled in the city
"This is where we come to eat every now and then when we have a little bit of valis to spare..."
Lefiya and the others visit this place every now and then, but have since begun to prefer the Hostess of Fertility for their cheaper menu, as this bistro was a little bit more on the pricier side but still within reasonable range.
"I see... I hope my wallet doesn't take too much damage, haha"
The boy nervously laughed as he scratched the back of his head as the elf raised an eyebrow at him
"It's not that expensive, and it's only for today anyway..."
Wanting to sit down and order something already, she told him
"W-well come on, don't just stand there, le-let's go"
Turning her face forward to hide her blush from the boy, she took a step forward as she beckoned for him to follow her inside the cafe
Entering the cafe, Lefiya couldn't help but smile contently at the comfortable and familiar atmosphere the place had, as Bell was simply looking around the place as he took it in
The interior was elegantly furnished yet not too much to give it a formal setting, it was less than a restaurant but a step up from a pub, a relaxing atmosphere where one can enjoy their meal in peace.
People were mindful of the volume of their voices and spoke in low volume, so there was also very little sound disturbance
He would definitely have to come back here some other time
For now, he turned his attention back to the elf that he presently accompanied, who was intent on situating herself down on a small table near the corner of a wall close to a window
Being the gentleman he is, before she could grab a hold of the chair in front of her, he did it for her and made room for her to sit
"T-Thank you..."
She felt a bit warm in the face at the boy's chivalrous act, accepting his gesture as she stood in place while the boy pushed the chair forward into a comfortable distance after which she sat down
Sitting down on his own chair, he was face to face with the elf who had trouble meeting him in the eye as her eyes suddenly darted toward the two copies of the menu on their table, grabbed it, and proceeded to scan through its contents for anything that she'd like
The boy was confused by her behavior, she would previously stare him down as if he were simply an annoyance which changed recently to actually seeing eye to eye with her, but this sudden flip of her attitude from irritable to shy really threw him off and dare even say unnerved him a bit, but he decided not to ask about it for now and simply bring it up if it becomes relevant
Sighing to himself, he also grabbed the menu and went through it, looking for something that he hadn't tried before, wanting to mix things up a bit today
"Good day! Are you two lovebirds ready to order?"
A female, fair-looking chienthrope waitress appeared by their tables and inquired
"W-Wh-What?! N-No! We a-aren't like that!"
Lefiya burst out in embarrassment, fiercely denying the woman's statement and even almost indignant at the assumption as her counterpart simply waved his hands in denial, eyes wide and an unhealthy blush spread across his cheeks
"Oh, my apologies... you two just looked so cute together that I assumed"
She admitted apologetically, which did not help both of their fierce blushes
Both having calmed down after a while, they gave an order to the waitress, who simply winked at them and told them that she'd be back shortly with their orders and told them to sit tight
An awkward silence now befell the two as the waitress' words lingered in their mind
"W-well, the people here seem nice..."
He awkwardly tried to start a conversation with her
"I g-guess so..."
She replied, fidgeting in her seat
Wanting to not look very nervous himself, he had a look around the place, observing the place and its accommodating atmosphere
"I definitely have to come back here with my Familia next time, the place is actually a really nice place to grab a bite to eat... but not before saving up quite a bit..."
He had a funny look on his face, he still couldn't believe that a single dish here cost him just short of three thousand valis, good thing Lefiya declined his offer to pay for both of their meals; but not before a bit of going back and forth, though it didn't sit right with his chivalrous personality, he was relieved that she preferred to split the bill
"Indeed, the price may be a bit up there, but the food is to die for I tell you!"
She seemed a bit more animated now that her mind was off the misunderstanding earlier
He smiled congenially as he furthered the conversation
"How did you know about this place? It seems to be in a rather secluded place and especially far from the Twilight Manor..."
He inquired as she recollected before answering him
"Oh, that takes me back! It was actually Riveria-san who first took me to this place, she insisted we celebrate after I leveled up to level three a year after joining Loki Familia, then we've been coming back here every now and then ever since!"
Whether she knew it or not, the words simply flowed from her mouth as naturally as water would follow downstream. She no longer felt tense even in the slightest, whether it was the boy's innocuous and reassuring presence, the joy of having recalled memories that evoked nostalgia and happiness, or her newfound respect for him, she did not know, but she instinctively felt as if she could trust and confide in him
"Heh, I see, but that makes me curious... what was your life like prior to joining the Loki Familia, Lefiya-san?"
He asked away as the elf regained a bit of heat in her face at having been asked such a personal question
But there was no harm in telling him of her past, so she did
"Eh, well... there's not much to say really... I was born in the Wishe Forest and have stayed there for most of my childhood, then I decided to leave the forest and join the School District after hearing about it from a friend, with a little bit of persuasion, I got my parents to allow me to go and enroll. I studied really hard and learned as much as I could during my time there until I joined the Loki Familia when Finn-san, Gareth-san, Riveria-san, and Goddess Loki boarded the ship and told them that they were looking for someone with potential to join their ranks, who would've guessed it would be me? And the rest is history"
She chuckled to herself as she recalled such nostalgic memories
"Mhm, how was your time there? I've heard of the School District but only so much..."
He inquired further, to which her smile brightened even more
"Oh! I had some of the best memories during my time there! Students and teachers alike were all very welcoming with me though I pretty much came from nowhere and had nobody else to rely on but myself. I made a lot of friends there, with whom I shared fond moments, my time there is irreplaceable to me. But of course, I also feel the same way with my Familia right now, they've been very welcoming and supportive of me and I also hold them in a special place in my heart"
She closed her eyes and held both her hands up to her chest, clutching them together
"I see, it must be nice to have such a big Familia right?"
He asked, but his eyes widened a bit as his brain caught up with his words, which might have been misconstrued
"I-I mean, not that I don't like my small and cozy Familia, but I wonder if it's any different from a Familia with as many members as yours is..."
He corrected himself, as the elf simply raised a delicate eyebrow
"Well... all I've got as an idea is my small and tight-knit family back home, it was only me and my parents but though we were small, we held a lot of love for one another. Ever since I left the forest for the outside world I've been with lots of people and though there's a sense of camaraderie and belonging in a large group, it doesn't quite compare to the feeling of being whole and loved when it's just you and a few others..."
She replied, the boy had been taken aback by the unexpectedly profound answer she provided but nodded in agreement
"Well, I'll take it from you..."
He smiled at her as she smiled back and unconsciously fiddled with a strand of her hair
"Thank you for waiting! Here are your orders!"
The waitress from earlier interjected, vivacity present in her entire being
She carried with her a single large tray consisting of both their orders, though wasn't very heavy it looked comical that such a petite woman was carrying it with only one hand without any trouble at all
Placing their orders down on the table, she nodded cordially and went away to serve other customers with a hum
The pleasant and alluring aroma of the food inundated their olfactory sense as its delectable contents beckoned them to dig in
They could be forgiven for drooling from the combined effect of their hunger and the irresistible allure of the food. For Lefiya, all she got was the Elven special which consisted of mostly vegetables but with a bit of meat and fish to go with it, overall it was a balanced meal. Bell opted to try something he had never tried before and then remembered a certain kind of food from the Far East that Mikoto wanted him and the others to try called sushi, it was presented in an array of different kinds from sashimi to temaki as it was called.
Both no longer able to keep their hunger at bay, they began eating
"Well, since I told you about my past... it would only be fair that you tell me about yours..."
She meekly asked of the boy as she scooped up a spoonful of her dish's contents and fed herself
The boy's eyes widened a bit in surprise, blinking rapidly a few times before swallowing his first bite of the foreign delicacy
"U-Uhhh, but there's not really much to know about me..."
He apologetically smiled at her, but the elf's resolve was firm
"Nope! You're not wiggling your way out of this one, mister!"
She was adamant about it, so he acquiesced with a defeated sigh
"Well... I come from a small village in the mountain ranges far south of Orario, I never knew my parents as they died when I was very young so it was just me and my Grandpa..."
He revealed his past to her, it was only fair after she obliged him
Lefiya just stayed silent, chewing her food slowly as she listened intently to the boy
"For most of my life, I lived a farmer's life, it was hard work every day but it was a fulfilling existence. It was a small village and also quite far from other forms of civilization and settlements so it was a must for us to be self-sufficient and sustaining. We had each other's backs during thick and thin, whether it be tough climate or monster attacks, we worked as one team to persevere"
She nodded, assuring him that she was still listening, it was not that foreign to her as though the Wishe Forest may be vast, there were small communities of subgroups consisting of a few families present which were often more loyal to their group and distrusting even of other elves from different communities
"And you? How was your life up until the moment you left for Orario?"
She engaged in the conversation so as to not make it seem one-sided
The boy's expression fell, though he tried to hide it, something which did not go unnoticed by the elf
"O-Oh... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked..."
She started but was interrupted by the boy
"No no, it's okay... I've already accepted it"
With a bit of a strained; yet sufficient enough to be reassuring, smile, he insisted that it wasn't a problem
Yet the elf didn't look any bit calmed by his assurance, she still felt that she had touched on something she shouldn't have
Nevertheless, the boy continued his tale
"Throughout my life, I've been raised by my grandfather. It was just him and me living together in a small cabin situated a little further from the other houses. We have been living a peaceful and uneventful life until about ten months ago..."
Now the elf's eyebrows furrowed, she had an idea where this was going...
"One day, my grandpa had been asked to join the other men in fending off a monster horde. I initially wanted to come with him but he firmly demanded I stay in the house as it would be dangerous, so I had no choice but to do as he said. Then night came and he had still not come back, I was starting to get worried when I heard a knock on the door, I was prepared to jump on him and give him a crushing hug for worrying me but to my surprise, it wasn't my grandpa but the other men... who survived."
Lefiya couldn't help but slightly gasp at the boy's misfortune, she couldn't even fathom the crushing feeling of losing a loved one, especially when he had no one else
She refrained from asking any questions or commenting and simply let the boy continue
"They came back with wounds of varying severity and downcast expressions, they solemnly informed me that my Grandpa had been fending off a group of monsters that had ambushed the group which had him and a few others cornered by the cliffside and, well, I think you get the idea..."
His expression fell as he recalled the painful memory, he had long paused his eating to tell her his story, but now he felt like he no longer had any more room for his food and his mood fell
Seeing this, Lefiya felt like it was her responsibility to lift the boy's spirits up so she acted without thinking...
Promptly placing her hand on top of his own, she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb, soothing him
Either she did that unknowingly or she didn't care, she locked gazes with him, her own filled with sympathy
"I'm so sorry for your loss, I can't even begin to imagine losing a loved one..."
She began but the boy simply sighed as he smiled, then placed his other hand on top of hers
"It's okay, even though I'd give anything to bring him back, but if it wasn't for that... I would've never had any real incentive to come to Orario and live out my dream, I'd probably still be a rural boy tending to the harvest and will continue to do so for the rest of my life"
He gave her a nice smile
"In a way, I'm kind of glad I had a chance to come here... otherwise I would've never met such amazing people, I would have never crossed paths with my Familia, with Ais-san, and the others, and especially with you Lefiya-san!"
He smiled at her as her blush once more returned with a vengeance, her thoughts were racing a million miles a second
'W-Wh-What is this idiot saying?! Does he really mean it...?'
'C-Calm down Lefiya... you're probably reading too much into his words, he's probably just being friendly!'
'Goodness... he should really stop phrasing his words like that, it could really lead to misunderstandings...'
"We-Well, I guess when you put it that way... I'm also thankful to have met you..."
It was odd, it was like she no longer had any remaining distrust or animosity toward the boy. In fact, she wouldn't mind if they had more moments like this. It was as if a switch had been flipped inside of her, she no longer viewed the boy as wanting to snatch her dear Ais-san's love away from her, but actually as a living human being with his own hopes, dreams, griefs, struggles, and insecurities, she was now better able to empathize with him.
He smiled at her and caressed her hand on top of his own with his other hand on top of her own, happy to simply get along with her like this.
.
"Woah! Is that really Lefiya?!"
Tiona couldn't believe her eyes, she would more readily believe that somebody had kidnapped the real Lefiya and hidden her somewhere while a doppelganger currently was posing as her than that this was the real Lefiya they had come to know over the years, slowly changing in front of their eyes like a butterfly undergoing metamorphosis. The analogy is brilliant as she observed her to be even prettier and more attractive when she behaved in such a shy, and timid manner than when she was constantly doting around Ais like some sort of weird far-away admirer.
"Tell me about it, Bell-san really brings out this side of her, I didn't know she could be this cute around a guy."
Her sister replied as she took a bite out of her food
Before entering the bistro, they quickly entered a nearby clothing store and bought a few more articles of clothing, which worked to disguise the two
Both were clad in trench coats of dark blue for Tiona and light creme for Tione, both donning a fedora along with shades to complete the look. Fortunately, they didn't have to spend a fortune on the clothing as there was an ongoing sale
They were situated at quite literally the opposite end of the bistro, definitely far enough not to get accidentally noticed, that was if they kept quiet and stayed a low profile
"I feel bad for Argonaut-kun... having lost his grandpa..."
Tiona said with a sympathetic look on her face as Tione nodded in agreement
"Indeed, but I guess it's a good thing that it made him come here to Orario..."
She replied as a bit of silence came over them
"Hmy, du yu sink dat Afghomht-km 's mls-"
Tione kicked her under the table
"Don't talk when your mouth is full, you idiot!"
She scolded with a glare as her sister pouted and chewed her food and swallowed it faster than one could say "I Love Emilia"
"Ehem, I was asking you if you think that Argonaut-kun's also in love with Lefiya?"
Her sister tried asking again, this time without any food in her mouth
"Hmm... good question, I don't know if he's just being nice or if he actually has feelings for her, it's hard to tell. But what I can say for certain is that Lefiya's no longer hostile to him and actually seems to enjoy his company now"
She nodded to herself with a smile, she was proud of their dear friend, like a mother was proud of her children's achievements
"Cool! She seems to be much more relaxed now than she was earlier"
She told her observations to her sister, as she nodded
"Yeah, let's continue listening..."
And thus, they both continued their reconnaissance
.
And thus the seconds turned into minutes, and the minutes hours as the pair got to know one another better, learning each other's fears, hopes, dreams, and insecurities, little by little seeing themselves in each other and finding out that they're not so different after all.
As they sat together exchanging words, stories, testimonies, and laughter, their conversation just seemed to flow naturally from one topic to the next with such seamlessness, that they consequently lost themselves in their own heated discourse as they lost track of the time, by the time they had snapped back to reality and took note of the time, it was already late afternoon. They had apparently and unknowingly stayed and talked for a full five hours without even so much as a break in between, just one continuous flow of dialogue.
"Oh, would you look at the time! We've been here for around five hours!"
Bell exclaimed as he took note of the time on the wristwatch he had on, it was now around a quarter to five in the afternoon
"What?! Really?!"
Lefiya perked up, she couldn't believe that they had talked for that long
"I-I think we should get going, I still need to find Tione-san and the others and..."
She suggested, but the boy interjected
"Oh, I just remembered something!"
He chirped, but before the elf could inquire he elaborated
"I was going to ask you guys where you were going... but then Tione-san and Tiona-san disappeared"
He admitted, curious as to what they were initially doing about in the city, not that they weren't allowed to do so but still he was curious
"A-Ah I see, we were supposed to go to the Dian Cecht Familia's pharmacy and pick up a few more things, as we still have some who are recovering from the monster attack down on the eighteenth floor"
She explained as he nodded in acknowledgment
"O-Oh, in that case... I feel like Tiona-san and Tione-san might have handled that by now, they probably didn't spend all day looking for us and just simply went ahead and did so already"
He gave his thoughts on the matter, to which the elf thought it over
"Hmm, perhaps... but I'll still drop by at the pharmacy just to make sure"
She told him, signaling that it was about time they left the place
"I'll come with you"
He offered to which she nodded, as there wasn't really any reason for her to decline his offer, she might as well remain in his company
"Alright, let's go"
Having paid earlier during their orders, they left the establishment without any issues as the waitress from earlier bid them goodbye and winked at them for some reason, they disregarded it and nodded back at her as they passed by and exited
"Ahhhh~ We still have a bit of time before the pharmacy closes"
Stretching her arms, she felt some satisfying clicks and sighed happily after being seated for so long, as the boy did the same
During their journey toward the pharmacy; which wasn't far from their location, a comfortable silence spanned between the two, simply smiling as they walked together, for they had pretty much exhausted their topics for a conversation, and their daily quota having been filled, they simply resorted to just enjoying each other's presence
By the time they had reached the pharmacy, it was a bit past four. There was some time left before the store closed so they fortunately won't have to be told to come back the following day.
Entering the meticulously well-kept establishment, they came face to face with the Dea Saint herself, expressionlessness gracing her otherwise beautiful features, she stood behind the counter motionless as if she were a robot awaiting commands, as she usually did.
"Good afternoon, how may I help you?"
She politely received the two as Bell and Lefiya returned the greeting
Lefiya asked her if she still had such and such, which caused her usually expressionless face to gain a hint of surprise and confusion
"Miss Tione already came here earlier and already bought the items you're asking if that's of any relevance..."
She revealed, which caused Lefiya to sigh in relief
'Thank goodness they already took care of it and didn't just spend the entire afternoon looking for them...'
"I see, thank you Miss Airmid!"
She thanked her as she bid farewell while Bell; who was simply standing by the corner and looking at the items the pharmacy sold, did the same as they left the pharmacy
By this time, the sun had now begun to set, painting the sky with a streak of a hue of orange and red with a tint of yellow as the source of life and light gradually dipped below the horizon, producing a picturesque background
"In the end, we got lost in our conversation as time passed by, and thus we weren't able to find the two..."
Lefiya started as Bell felt uneasy, he believed that she was disappointed or maybe even angry with him for having wasted her time
"U-Uh... I'm so sorry that I was-"
His words were silenced by a raised hand, signaling him to stop
"No, Bell... I would never consider that time wasted. During our conversation, it felt... normal, like it came as naturally as breathing... besides, I got to know you a little better this time, so don't you dare say it was a waste of time"
Relieved that she wasn't angrily berating him, a smile formed on his lips as he nodded
"I see, I feel the same way Lefiya-san..."
"Lefiya"
Her sudden interjection confused him, fortunately, she expounded
"I think we're already way past the formalities by this point"
She said as she held out her hand
"So how about we start over after getting off on the wrong foot in the beginning... this time as friends"
Bell was surprised by her words as he looked at her outstretched hand, then smiled congenially as he took it with his own and shook it, turning to a new chapter in their relationship
"Yeah!"
And then after, she bid him goodbye as he did the same as they parted ways. The day began with them simply holding mutual respect for one another and ended with a friendship blossoming into life between the two
.
Sometime later when Lefiya got back to the Twilight Manor, she went around looking for the Amazoness twins, finding them in a hallway after coming out of Finn's office
Walking over, she confronted the two about their whereabouts earlier
"There you two are! Where did you two go earlier? You guys just disappeared without a trace"
She wasn't angry at all, but Tiona and Tione assumed such and were quick to apologize
"We're so sorry Lefiya! Tiona here suddenly dragged me away to a nearby store that sold that crappy hero book that she liked and then before we knew it, you two were gone so we searched all around for you... perhaps we went in different directions?"
She surprisingly didn't flinch when an annoyed Tiona elbowed her on the ribs to which she simply smiled threateningly, asking that she play along
"Y-Yeah... that's definitely what happened!"
She was a terrible liar, but luckily for them, Lefiya couldn't even be bothered to get mad, as there was actually something good that came out of this, a silver lining if you will.
"A-Anyway, what happened on yours and Bell-san's part?"
Tione quickly interjected and changed the topic
To their surprise, or maybe not, a pleasant smile appeared on the elf's face
"Nope, not telling~"
She teased as she turned around to hide the shade of pink adorning her face
"Oh come on..."
They played along, even though they already knew what happened
"Ehem"
There wasn't another sound that would strike fear in their hearts other than the clearing of the through by a certain high elf
Sweating bullets, all three timidly turned their heads toward the direction of the sound and came face to face with some would argue, the devil herself
Tiona tried testing her luck
"Heeeeeeeeyy Riveria... did you get a haircut? I love what you did with your hair!"
She, in fact, did not get a haircut or have anything done with her hair
"Would any of you care to explain why you three came back this late?"
Her voice was laced with venom, one wrong word might incur the wrath of the renowned Nine Hells
"Weeeeell... funny story actually..."
Tione tried to explain but was curtly cut off by Riveria
"You know what, I don't want to hear it. It seems you three need to be disciplined to better follow orders in a timely manner next time"
And with that, she took a step forward as the amazoness twins made a run for it, and Lefiya simply accepted her punishment with dignity lest the severity increased. The amazoness twins engaged the wrathful elf in a game of hide and seek which lasted for much of the evening until they were found and promptly dealt with, which resulted in some swollen lumps on each twin's head and a mountain of books to read that were to be finished by the end of the week.
Wooh! It's always a workout writing such lengthy chapters, but hopefully this is enough to compensate for the rather long wait for the chapter. I'll say once more that I don't know when I'll be posting the next chapter, it could be a week from now, two weeks from now, three, a month from now, idk. All I know is I have to iron out a few more details first before commencing the new Arc so stay tuned folks! Anyway, I'll keep it short so please leave your feedback and thoughts down below, it helps me develop as a writer allowing me to provide better content of higher quality to you dear readers! I appreciate you all and stay safe!
See ya when I see ya!