On a normal day upon Orario, things were going normally in the city of the Dungeon.
In one street area, Shakti and Ardee are walking around their rounds in patrolling the city as the sisters were chatting about Baku and Airmid's upcoming wedding.
"I think it'd be better if we wore some matching outfits, Onee-chan!" Ardee said with a smile while imagining herself and her sister wearing matching blue dresses. "I mean it'll match our hair color, right?"
"we're on patrol and call me Captain." Shakti scolded her little sister before sighing. "always getting side minded."
"come on, Oneechan~! Airmid's wedding is going to come in a month, and we still haven't decided on what we should be wearing for the special day!" Ardee pouted while puffing out her cheeks. "Alise and the others already decided on their dresses and we're the only ones who haven't decided! We're going to be left behind!"
"you mean you're going to be left behind, right?" Shakti replied before sighing as she pointed up a finger to a bubble cloud that appeared and showed an image of her and Hayate wearing a pair of matching black and white outfits with eastern patterns. "did you forget that Hayate and i will be wearing matching outfits that have already been prepared by Melinoe-san? I'm practically set for the wedding."
"eehhh!? I didn't hear that before!" Ardee exclaimed in shock before she started to go on a childish tantrum. "why didn't you tell me, Oneechan!? Here I am being worried for you for nothing at all! why didn't you told me that earlier on and why didn't you help me with this!?"
"I did, but you were too busy doing your own stuff." Shakti replied as she just closed her eyes and sighs. "I told you before that you should've prepared a month earlier, didn't I?"
"even still!" Ardee continues her tantrum a bit more.
As Ardee continues to complain to her sister, the two continued to go on their patrol on the road but stopped when someone came passing by them at a haste speed.
"was that?" Shakti blinks her eyes twice as she catches a patch of white hair running amongst the crowd.
"no need to run so fast~! you'll trip, you know!?" Ardee hollered out as she watches one person running amongst the crowd. "slow down, Bell~!"
"yes~!" a holler came back as a reply as Shakti and Ardee sees a hand waving back to them and it's Bell who is smiling while wearing adventurer's gears.
After the pre-wedding party, Bell joined a Familia and became an adventurer of Orario. the Familia he chose to join is the Hestia Familia which is a newly formed Familia, the young adventurer not getting any supports from the Kaiser Familia as intended by the decision of the Kaisers.
Even though he was given hardship by his own Family members, Bell hasn't stopped his dream of becoming an adventurer and growing into a hero. Currently, the young man now just finished a dive to the first floor of the Dungeon and is heading straight for the Guild.
"Eina-san~!" Bell hollered out as he is heading straight for the guild's main entrance where his Guild Advisor; Eina is coming by, the half elf is carrying a stack of papers and then turns to see the young man coming.
"ah, Bell-kun." Eina smiles as Bell came to her. "Already back from the Dungeon?"
"yes!" Bell nods before he takes out his Inventory Pouch. "I collected some magic crystals, and I finished collecting the herbs of the request too."
"I see, let's confirm the completion of the request at the counter." Eina said and Bell nodded before the two entered the guild.
Only a few days after joining his Familia, Bell is making good progress on his duties as an adventurer of Orario.
In the guild and by the counter, Eina is assessing Bell's request which was to collect some Dungeon grown herbs.
"6… 7..8… 9.." Eina is counting the herbs by the stack as she is counting it all and setting it to a tray. The half elf counted before she stops and smiles to Bell while nodding. "There are 15 Medicine Herbs collected. Therefore, you've completed your request as required, Bell-kun."
"Thank you very much!" Bell nodded with a smile.
"Here is your reward for completing the request." Eina said as she reaches under the table and then gives Bell a small coin pouch. "2000 valis as promised"
"Yes, thank you, Eina-san!" Bell takes the pouch and smiles.
"your welcome." Eina nodded before another guild staff with pink hair named Misha came to her side while carrying a tray that had another coin pouch. 'thank you, Misha.' She takes the pouch and presents it to Bell. "And here is the money exchanged from your collected magic crystals."
"1800 valis." Misha stated in as Bell nodded while taking the coin pouch which he combined and stored into his Inventory Pouch.
"Thank you very much." Bell nodded before bowing. "I'll be going now. Thank you for today, Eina-san! Misha-san!"
"Be safe." Eina waves Bell goodbye as the young man leaves the guild in a hurry.
"That one sure is a unique one, huh?" Misha said while seeing Bell disappearing off into the distance. "Just two weeks after starting his Familia, he's actually progressing very well."
"He might be one of those rare prosperous adventurers." Eina nodded with a smile. "we haven't seen one like him for a very long time."
"this might be one of the reasons that people of the Kaisers would refer him that much, huh?" Misha nodded her head twice before she looks a bit teasingly at Eina. "so? is he a keeper, Eina?"
"a keeper?" Eina looks at her companion in confusion for a moment before her cheeks turns red. "h-hey, Misha! I'm his Guild Advisor and just that!"
"yes, but there are times when love can prosper, right?" Misha replied while smiling like a chesire cat. "so? what's your opinion? Is that boy a keeper or not?"
"I-I'm not having this conversation!" Eina said while going away. "I need to do some work that I've left behind!"
"eh~? Such a boring reaction." Misha said while booing a bit.
Bell is running on the street, the young man having an excited smile as he always had such excitement in his days of working as an adventurer of Orario.
Fulfilling request sent to the guild, diving into the Dungeon to collect magic crystals and Monster's drop Items, and fight monsters to raise his experience and level. These are his jobs for the past few days and he's doing a very good job of it.
Sometime later, Bell is found going straight into the Saint Sanctuary where he finds Baku passing by. The large man carrying large crates over his shoulders.
"oh, Bell! welcome!" Baku greeted his little cousin with a grin. "Came over for the usual?"
"Yes!" Bell nodded with a smile as he followed Baku to the counter. "Five Health Potions, Three Stamina Potions, and two Magic Recovery Potions, please."
"Five Health Potion…" Baku place his crates down and reaches under the counter then pulls out the requested items one by one. 'Three Stamina Potion… "he placed the last two items on the counter and smiled." and two magic recovery potions as ordered!' he presents them all to Bell. "that'll be in the usual price of 1000 Valis!"
"1000 Valis.." Bell reaches into his Inventory Pouch which he rummages around before he pulls out the money. "here!"
"There you go!" Baku said as he pushes the items to Bell before he reaches under the counter and pulls out another vial. "And here is a special Antidote Potion on the house!"
"eh? But…" Bell sees the Potion and was about to reject it, but Baku gave it to him.
"The Kaiser Familia can't support you financially, but we never said anything that we can't support you in other ways." Baku said before grinning. "think of this as my way of helping you."
"But what about Aunt— I mean Alfia-san?" Bell asks in a whisper as he heard from his mother that it was his Aunt who reinforced the idea that the Kaisers shouldn't help him. "she said that…"
"Aunt Alfia can say a lot of things, but she can't tell me that I shouldn't help my cousin." Baku said as he grins while rustling Bell's hair. "don't worry. if she comes all angry at you, just tell that it's all on me."
"but.." Bell muttered, feeling a bit troubled to be getting help from his cousin but seeing the grin and assuring face from Baku, he just smiled and nodded. "thank you, Baku."
"You're welcome!" Baku grins.
Afterwards, Baku waves Bell goodbye as the young man only had a quick errand to buy some necessities from the Saint Sanctuary.
"Come again if your stock runs out!" Baku said with a grin while waving a hand in goodbye to Bell who responded with his own.
"Always with the charity work." A voice spoke as Baku turns and sees Kamui coming to his side with Takeshi. The Mage Kaiser's son crossing his arms on his chest. "you do know that you'll be at the end of your life once Alfia-san knows about this, right?"
"I do." Baku replied before he crosses his arms and just grins. "and I am fine with it!"
"that's an obvious reply coming from you…" Takeshi said before sighing.
"What are you guys here for?" Baku asks the two.
"we were around the area when we saw Bell." Kamui replied while waving a hand to the side. He then looks at where had Bell gone to. "Thought we check up and see how he is doing after two weeks of being an adventurer."
"he's doing alright and I can assure you since he comes and buys goods at my place." Baku said as he uncrosses his arms and placed them on his waist. "I told you guys before, Bell will make a fine adventurer of Orario!"
"You say that even though you're indirectly helping him." Takeshi said while folding his arms behind his head. 'you should stop before my stepmom catches you in the act. She nearly wringed Kenji dry when teaching him to warn Bell to not come to the Pleasure District.' She lowers her arms and then raise them up while doing a shoulder shrug. "can't imagine what she will do to you if she finds out that you've been giving Bell free stuff."
"I'll just tell her that they were all hands off goods!" Baku said with a grin. "She can't get mad on that, can she?!"
"You think that will work on her?" Takeshi sweatdropped. 'This is my step-mother we're talking about, remember?' he unfolds his hands and waves one up. "She explicitly said that we shouldn't help Bell too much and doing this will just make her mad like a crazed up witch that's…."
"a crazed up witch that's what?" Alfia suddenly appeared behind Takeshi who squeaks in fear and quickly jumps away from her.
"Alfia-san!? since when were you!?" Kamui looks surprised at her sudden appearance.
"a while back." Alfia said as she gives a keen eyed glare at her stepson who looks a bit afraid while hiding behind Kamui who sweatdropped. 'I was coming to meet with Thalia about some recent matters when I saw Bell come and purchased some items from the counter.' She then focus her glare at Baku. "and i saw you give him an Antidote Potion for free. Care to explain, Baku?"
"I only got to say that the Antidote is coming out of my pockets and it's for Bell as a hands off item." Baku said while grinning. "just that!"
Alfia keens her eyes at Baku for a minute or two before she closed them and then turns away to sigh.
"just like Zald, you share more of his over-caring nature than his gluttony for food." Alfia said before she began walking into the Saint Sanctuary. "it'll be a headache to deal with you."
"I just think of this good nature of mine as something I'm proud to have from my dad!" Baku said while still grinning.
Alfia sighs as she enters the Saint Sanctuary and leaves the three be.
"You got some nerves of steel to just not be afraid of her." Takeshi said to Baku while going out of hiding behind Kamui. "even my old man can be scared of her from time to time."
"You got the worst of her wrath, right?" Kamui said. "like the time you called her old hag and stuff."
"Don't mention it!" Takeshi growled. "I still get nightmares because of that!"
"Anyway, let's just keep on focus with staying watch with Bell and helping him in whatever way we can." Baku said as he crosses his arms and grins at his two cousins. "I know that you two been helping him out secretly, right~?"
Takeshi and Kamui looks at Baku before they just shrug their shoulders while smiling a bit.
"We can't help him financially, but we can always help him in other ways." Kamui said.
"It goes against our parents' wishes and all, but Bell is family and Family always help each other no matter what." Takeshi added in. "even if I get scolded by my stepmom and all, I won't regret helping Bell at all."
"then you won't regret getting punished, would you?" Alfia spoke behind Takeshi who turns white before his ear gets grabbed and pulled. "wasn't that what you said, Takeshi?"
"owowowowowow! That hurts! Why are you back here again!?" Takeshi cried out as Alfia pulled his ear hard and strong. "OW~!"
"Thalia isn't present in the Saint Sanctuary and therefore I need to converse with Baku regarding the matter I have." Alfia said as she looked at Baku while still pulling down Takeshi's ear. "There's the need for your presence at the Underworld Castle as a substitute representative of Thalia. go and meet with Helios now."
"Got it." Baku nodded. "I'll get going there right away."
"Then I'll go and join him." Kamui said while following Baku. "My mother told me to come to the Underworld Castle after coming here."
"hey! Don't leave me here, you bastards!" Takeshi shouted as he is left with Alfia who is pulling on his ear even harder. "owowow! Hey! Help me!"
"now then, how shall I teach you to mind your manners and learn to listen to my commands, Takeshi?" Alfia said as her heterochrome eyes glows menacingly. "how shall I do it?"
"AAHHH!" Takeshi's scream of plea and pain cries out loudly as it echoes to the sky.
somewhere upon Orario at the main street area's downtown local area, Bell is found walking as he is heading to a desolate street where at the end leads to the abandoned church that his father once brought him to meet with Hestia before.
"I'm back!" Bell hollered out as he entered the church before someone came jumping to him. "wha!?"
"Welcome back, Bell-kun~!" Hestia appeared, the goddess went and hugs Bell in an instant. "welcome back! are you alright?! You didn't get hurt in the Dungeon, right!?"
"I'm alright, Hestia-sama." Bell said with a smile to Hestia who is checking on his body for any injuries. "I went into the Dungeon and fulfilled the request to gather herbs then went to the Saint Sanctuary to buy a restock of potions and just that."
"I see, but you're really alright, right?" Hestia continues to check on Bell. "it'll be a shock to me if you had gotten hurt in the Dungeon and I'd be lonely and possibly really sad too."
"Don't worry." Bell said with a smile. "I won't leave my goddess high and dry."
"oh? Thank you for saying that" Hestia smiles.
After the abrupt greeting, they entered the church which was still in the same state when Bell first visited but the photos of the Kaisers and anything that is of their possession was removed as the church was made into the Hestia Familia's Home.
The are many reasons for this, first is because of the Hestia Familia being a newly started F-Ranked Rookie Familia, second they do not and cannot have any financial support from the Kaiser Familia, and lastly is because of how Hestia isn't a rich goddess but one who is very poor and in debt.
"sorry for this, Bell-kun." Hestia said as she and Bell went to the back of the church and pushed a shelf to the side as it was standing in front of a hidden entrance to downstairs where the Hestia Familia's living quarter is found. "I didn't get enough money from my part time job and we only got Jagamarukun for lunch."
"it's fine, my goddess." Bell replied with a smile as he then reaches into his Inventory Pouch then takes out a paper bag filled with brown bread. "I went to the baker down the road, and he had some unwanted bread that he sold to me at half the price."
"ohh~! Bread!" Hestia drooled at the bag of bread. "so delicious looking~! That's my Bell-kun!"
Hestia who is in debt, has to work part time jobs in the human owned shops of Orario. she didn't get that much help when she first descended, and she had been freeloading at various god friend's places, but she would always get kicked out by the end of the month. The last place she freeloaded was at Hephaestus' Home and she had more debt with her than any other place. Right now, she is working hard to make money to sustain her Familia and pay back her debt as well.
"A ton of people walk around the city looking like mascots. They're cute and all, but I can never find one I'd want in my Familia." Hestia said as she and Bell were eating the Jagamarukun and the bread for lunch. "The good ones all go after the money! If only more people knew the name Hestia…"
"I'm not so sure. All the 'blessings' start out the same, no matter what god or goddess gave it…" Bell said as he sandwiches the Jagamarukun with two slices of bread before taking a bite of it.
"haaa….things would've been more easier if I can use my Arcanum.." Hestia sighs a bit while being a bit moody. 'but we gods decided to seal it away when we came down here to live with you all.' she sighs again. "I'm sorry for being such a useless goddess."
"just what are you saying, goddess?" Bell said as he faced her with a serious face. 'Our Familia just got started. Better yet, it's on the rise!' he raise a fist and gripped it hard. "Sure, it might be difficult now, but as soon as we get past this first part, we'll be sitting pretty!" he smiles with a very pumped up face. "Once we get some money saved up, people will be lining up to join us!
"Bell-kun… You are just so…!" Hestia looks touched as she is a bit teary eyed. She then wipes her tears away and then smiles while nodding. 'you're right! It's just the beginning! Our legend is just starting!' She gets off her seat and raise a fist into the air. "alright! I'm going to work extra hard on my job tomorrow!"
"That's the spirit, Hestia-sama!" Bell cheered with her.
"Now, for our future, let's update your status!" Hestia said while rolling her right arm around. "I'm sure with your great efforts in the Dungeon, you must've boosted your Status by 5 or 10!"
"You think so?" Bell asks, a bit excited.
"I know so!" Hestia replied with a few head nods.
A minute later, Bell takes off his top and then lies down on the couch before Hestia sits on his back while taking off one her sleeve gloves. She takes a needle and pricked one of her fingers to draw out blood which drips onto the young man's back which glows and numerous symbols appeared as this is the Status of an Adventurer which is obtained after receiving a blessing of a god.
"going around in the Dungeon's first floor only for the first two weeks of being an adventurer, you sure have gathered enough Excelia that boosted your Status quite much, Bell-kun." Hestia said as she is doing a reading of Bell's status which shows his stats like Stamina, Health, magic, and everything about his entire identity as an adventurer. "but remember to not overdo it, alright? Not only will you get scolded by the guild and your guild advisor, but you will get very much scolded by your mother, remember?"
"Yes, I remember." Bell nodded while having his eyes closed, the young man made a promise to not worry his mother too much as he knows that she would always worry for him no matter what. "I promised her that I wouldn't worry her and that's a promise I won't ever break."
"that's good to hear." Hestia nods with a smile while taking a piece of paper from the side. the goddess already knew that from meeting Meteria during the start of her Familia, she knows that the mother loves her son very much and vice versa. "let's go and make our Familia a great Familia that your mother will be proud of."
"yes." Bell said with a nod before he turns and sees Hestia getting off his back while holding the paper. "is it done?"
"yup, I've finished updating your status." Hestia said as she gives the paper to Bell who sits up and read the content of his Status. the blessings of the Status was written in Hieroglyphs which is the language of the gods but it's been written in the native language of the human realm to allow a better level of understanding. "seems that you've managed to boost your Agility like the day before. You might reach a speed that no other adventurer has."
Bell Cranel
Level 1
Strength: G150
Endurance: H100
Dexterity: H90
Agility: F220
Magic: G111
"I see.." Bell nods as he reads his status. 'looks like my magic capability also increased as well.' He looks down and sighs. "but my skills haven't appeared yet, huh?"
"Skills are hard to get just like with Magic." Hestia told Bell. "But I'm sure one day you will get one."
"I guess so." Bell nodded with a smile. "I got to work very hard!"
Afterwards, Bell and Hestia do whatever they have planned for the day. Either it would be to clean the church, go and do some part time work, or even go to another friend Familia to do whatever they need to do.
This is Bell's new life as an adventurer of Orario and the first member of the Hestia Familia.
Meanwhile at the Underworld Castle.
Helios sits within the Lounging Room of the castle as he is doing some paperwork that requires his attention and signing. The King of Orario leans against his back and sighs as he rubs his right eye with his right hand while his left hand holds a paper containing information regarding a Familia's work in the Dungeon exploration.
"I hate doing this type of work." Helios said before he yawns and then sets the paper on top of a stack. He went and takes another paper which he reads before taking a quill pen stored in an ink bottle then signs it. "so damn hate it."
Helios keeps doing his paperwork before he heard one of the doorways to the room opening as he glanced and sees Baku along with Kamui, Melinoe, and Ploutos coming straight for him.
"You look like hell doing this much paperwork." Ploutos said while having his hands pocketed into his pants. "another compiled report from the guild?"
"What do you think?" Helios said as he looks back to the papers he is tasked to review and sign. 'it's going to be another year soon and I have to evaluate and rank all the Familias in Orario before winter.' He sighs as he sets them aside and rubs the bridge of his nose. "I'm starting to think we allowed too many Familias to settle in Orario."
"You should've said that years back." Melinoe said while crossing her arms under her chest. "but that aside, any news on that Familias' exploration into the Dungeon?"
"they haven't come back and our informant hasn't had the time to send his report." Helios said as he sighs and then takes a paper from a nearby stack then proceeds to give it to Melinoe who takes it. "What we do know is that there's been some suspicious activities in the Dungeon that we really need to check afterwards."
"And that means some of us needs to go and check things out, huh?" Kamui said while cupping his chin and scratching it a few times. "but that's going to be a tough mission considering we got Athens meeting coming, right?"
"it's in another month and we can't forget about Baku's wedding, right?" Melinoe added in while waving the paper to the side and glancing at Baku.
"if this mission is important, I'm sure Airmid will understand if we push the wedding a few days back." Baku said while placing his arms on his waist. "Protecting Orario is just as important as protecting Airmid and everyone after all."
"Thoughtful, but that's not something we should do." Ploutos said as he sighs and crosses his arms. 'Doing this could lead to some trouble for the Saint Kaiser Familia and your allied Familias in the future.' He looks at Melinoe while reaching out a hand to receive the paper from her. he checks and reads the content for a moment before he looks at Helios. "so? what should we do with this?"
"The answer for it is the reason I got you guys to come here in the first place." Helios said as he leans back against his seat. "I wanted everyone's opinion, but we're stretched thin at the moment."
"Aunt Alfia didn't look busy at the moment though?" Kamui asks while raising an eyebrow.
"Did you forget that she plans to leave Orario and check on Meteria?" Melinoe said while waving a hand to the side. "even with Yuki and Yukina temporarily accompanying her, Alfia worries for her sister when Zagreus isn't around right now."
"Speaking of Zagreus, where is he right now?" Ploutos said while looking at Helios. "he could've just helped you with this, right?"
"He's off the city with Hades-san, they're our temporary representative for the upcoming peace meeting." Helios replied before he sighs. "although I only asked him and not Hades-san."
"Then I guess we really are stretched thin." Melinoe sighs while shaking her head and then crossing her arms on her chest. "so? any suggestions?"
"Should we just wait for our informant to come?" Baku suggested. "better to be patient for the results."
"Sometimes that's the answer and sometimes it isn't." Kamui stated. "we have been getting strange readings from the Dungeon and we need to get answers before it is too late."
"think we should dive into the Dungeon and get the info from our informant directly?" Ploutos said while pointing a finger up and then pointing it at Melinoe. "you could go and get back in 10 minutes or so."
"8 at the top." Melinoe stated before she looks at Helios. "you're in on the idea?"
"I'm in with all the ideas after so much stress with these papers." Helios said while waving a hand to the papers before him. "if you can't do it, get Hayate and the others to help you."
"if you say so." Melinoe said while shrugging her shoulders.
The group was about to leave Helios to do his work, but Ploutos stops midway and turns to look back at the King.
"By the way, this is from Hephaestus-san." Ploutos said as he held up a brown paper letter that he threw to Helios who catches it with no effort. "it's about the goddess who made a Familia with Bell. That Hestia named Goddess one."
"is that so?" Helios said and Ploutos shrugs his shoulders before he walked off to follow the others. the King watches them leave before he starts to open the letter. 'just what is this all about?' he reads the content as his eyes scanned the letters written before he groans while facepalming. "oh, she is going to get it when she comes home. I'll pound her till she can't get back up." He gets up while throwing the letter to the side. "Can't deal with this after reading that shit."
Helios groans as he stretches his arms up and then his back which pops a few times. the King leaving his work at the table as he is vented on doing something else besides his kingly duties.
"oh, I'm going to make her cry to the heavens for this." Helios said while rolling his arms around. The letter he threw floats in the air before it fall on the table and revealed its content which is about a debt of ten billion valis owed to Hephaestus by Hestia. "she thinks she can regard such a goddess who has this type of debt to Bell? Oh, she thought wrong."
On the next day of Orario, morning came as the sun rises off the horizon.
At the old church, Bell came out of the front door as he was prepped up and ready for another day of being an adventurer in Orario.
"I'll be going now, Hestia-sama." Bell said to his goddess who came and sees him off.
"Do your best in the Dungeon, Bell-kun." Hestia said with a nod and a smile. "and remember to be careful, okay?"
"yes!" Bell nodded before he went off. "I'll be going now!"
"Come back safely!" Hestia hollered as she smiles while watching Bell leave the area. The goddess watches her one Familia member leave before she nodded and looks pumped. "I'm going to work just as hard!"
At the main street area, Bell is walking on the road that leads straight for the Guild. The young man mentally preparing himself for a busy day of going into the Dungeon and fighting off monsters.
"I wonder if I'm ready to go to the floor below the first now?" Bell asks himself before looking at the sky. "I've been doing my best for the first two weeks..i wonder if I am ready."
As Bell was thinking about his exploration into the Dungeon, someone came up from behind him.
"um, excuse me…" a voice is heard from behind Bell who tensed up and quickly turned to meet with a human girl who wears a white blouse with a light green knee-length skirt along with a salon apron on top, her hair is blueish gray and is tied into a tight bun on the back of her head where the pony tail sticks out from the center. Her eyes are the same color as her hair, and her expression looks rather innocent and scared. "u-um…"
"uh… who are you?" Bell asks, the young man looking very tense to the stranger's close encounter with him.
"I-I'm sorry, but I don't think I can answer with your fist near my jaw…" the girl replied as Bell made a confused noise before he realizes that his right fist is just inches from making contact with her.
"S-sorry! I was just a little surprised and!" Bell quickly apologizes while pulling back his fist.
"No! no! I'm sorry for startling you…" the girl said as she assures Bell that he didn't do anything wrong.
After some apologizing between the two, Bell had a conversation with the stranger girl.
"s-so… who are you?" Bell asks.
"My name is Syr Flover." The girl introduced herself while holding a hand to her chest and then waving it to the side. "you are?"
"I'm Bell, Bell Cranel." Bell replied with a nod before he scratched the back of his head. "so, Syr-san. can I help you with something?"
"ah, yes." Syr said with a nod. "I was wondering if you would like to come to the Hostess of Fertility."
"Hostess… of Fertility?" Bell spoke in confusion. "where is that?"
"it's a pub that is getting prepared to open soon." Syr replied while motioning a hand to a pun nearby. "we're still making prep for opening during the night, but I can assure you that our food is to die for."
"I see.." Bell nods before he looks confused. "but why are you asking me to come here?"
"oh, that's because you look like someone new to Orario." Syr replied with a smile.
"Eh? I do?" Bell asks confused.
"Yes." Syr nodded. 'I've seen many people in Orario and remember some faces, but I have never seen you so I thought that you must be someone who just came to the city.' she smiles even more. "because of that, I thought I might come up to you and try to invite you to come to the pub at night."
"oh..i see.." Bell nods in understanding, the young man believing that the waitress is just trying to attract customers. He then scratches his chin with a smile. "well, I haven't been to all the pubs and bars in Orario and if you say that the place has great food. I think I can stop by after I finish Dungeon exploring."
"Great! please come during dinner time!" Syr said with a smile while clapping her hands once. "I'll have many great food waiting for you!"
"Yes." Bell nods before he turns to the side. "well, I better get going now. It was nice meeting you, Syr-san."
"Be safe on your trip into the Dungeon!" Syr hollered as Bell leaves the area.
Syr watches Bell leave before she slowly smiles a bit darkly when she turns to the side.
Some time later, at the Dungeon's 3rd floor.
A brown quadrupedal lizard monster named the Dungeon Lizard was hanging on the walls before it came screeching down and then getting killed by a knife piercing through its head. The knife was held by Bell who is currently in the Dungeon for an exploration.
"So, this is the 3rd floor, huh?" Bell said as he picks up the Dungeon Lizard's magic crystal drop that he store into a pouch separate from his Inventory Pouch. He looks around the area he was in as the young man had just been given permission to enter the 3rd floor by Eina as he is now familiarizing himself with the new floor level. "it's not that different with the 1st and the 2nd floors at all."
Bell explored the Dungeon carefully as he keeps a look out for any monsters that are lurking around the area. He checks and sees the rocky walls and ceilings as he was making a mental note of everything.
"I still can't get over the fact that monsters can come out of the walls, floor, and ceilings." Bell said as he placed a hand on a wall and tapped it a few times. "I wonder how the Dungeon could do such a thing?"
As Bell was still checking out the Dungeon, he came by the stairway to the fourth floor where a Teleria Statue is positioned by.
"The entrance to the fourth floor." Bell said as he looks at the stairway entrance before he goes and stands near the Teleria Statue. 'I'm guessing I won't be able to go there until I am allowed, right?' he smiles and sighs. "but I think that's a good thing considering that I'm still a rookie and all." he then did a prayer and a head bow to the statue. "thank you for always saving the adventurer of Orario, and thank you for always keeping them safe from harm. Thank you so much for your hard work."
'you're welcome.' A voice replied to Bell who made a surprised and confused noise while looking around.
"That was?" Bell looks very confused as he wondered who was the one who spoke to him. 'who was that?' he looks back at the statue and thought about something for a moment. "was it?" he looks at Teleria for a moment before he shakes his head with a smile. "not likely." He then turns and focuses back on his exploration on the 3rd floor. "Better start focusing back on exploring this floor."
As Bell leaves, he didn't notice that the Teleria statue had a smile on her lips before it disappears the next second.
The time goes on as Bell keeps on exploring the Dungeon's 3rd floor where he fought the spawned monsters and collect the magic crystals or the drop items from the monsters he defeated.
A kobold monster screams before it falls and turns into black ashes when it dies. The defeated creature left a small magic crystal shard and a nail.
"I think that's going to be enough for today." Bell said as he picks up the magic crystal and the nail. 'I've ventured enough and collected a lot of magic crystals and drop items too.' He stashed the items into his pouch for safe keeping before he looks around. "and I think that the Dungeon won't spawn out any monsters soon enough."
Thinking that he did enough Dungeon exploring, Bell begins to head back up as he went straight for the path leading to the stairway to the 2nd floor.
Bell was walking before he stops when he felt the ground just thumping hard.
"This is?" Bell looks confused as he felt the thumping from the ground really hard from his feet. "a tremor?"
As Bell was trying to figure out what was going on, he felt the tremor going stronger and harder by the passing second, before long an echo of a roar is heard from a distant.
"a monster?" Bell turns to the sound of the noise as he hears it and couldn't tell what monster is making it. 'a Kobold? No, this sounds like something bigger than a Kobold.' He focuses on his hearing as it sounded like something big and coming his way. "What kind of monster is this?"
Bell keeps on focusing his attention to where the sound is coming from, the young adventurer taking hold of his weapons and getting ready to attack whatever was coming.
"just what is…" Bell muttered out before he made a surprised gasp when the wall of rocks nearby got destroyed and the shadow of a monster appears in the smoking dust. 'what the!?' he quickly turns and sees the dust settling and revealing a two legged red monster that is humanoid looking but its head is that of a bull. "a bull headed monster? a minotaur!?"
The minotaur growls before it looks at Bell and roars in raging anger at him.
"Why is a monster from 15th and deeper floor here?!" Bell exclaimed while drawing out his weapons and face the bull headed creature that came charging at him.
The Minotaur roars as it pulls back its right fist and then swung it down on Bell who jumped to the side to dodge it. the attack caused the ground to crack and blow out dust which surprises the young adventurer.
"what power…" Bell spoke in seeing the cracked ground, he then looks and faces the Minotaur very seriously. 'but compared to Baku's power when we were training.' He tensed up his legs and then dashes straight for the creature. "you're not that powerful!"
The Minotaur roars as it swung its fists down at Bell who slides on the ground to dodge while swinging his knives that slices the monster's legs and made it buckle down to one knee. Roaring in pain, the monster continues to try and kill the young adventurer who quickly dodges its attempt by rolling and then springing up to slice its eyes with his weapons.
"and then!" Bell got down and then stabs his Sunset Edge to the Minotaur's stomach and then drags it up. The action causing blood to spray out and the monster roaring in pain. 'along with!' he proceeds to punch a fist into the opened wound and then locks it in place. "Firebolt!" he let out a command of his spell and in an instant, the inside of the monster bursts into flames. "raaaaah!"
The Minotaur roars in pain as it let out a death cry before it bursts into black smoke and left a hand size chunk of a magic crystal drop.
Bell huffs his breathing a bit before he proceeds to wipe off the blood on his hands that stayed stained his hands, gloves, and his knives.
"to think I could win against a monster from the lower floors…" Bell said as he was glad that he managed to survive against such a monster he shouldn't have encountered. "That was such a shock of an experience."
As Bell continues to clean himself of the blood, a few footsteps were heard as this caused the young man to quickly ready himself for another possible encounter with a monster that was going to attack him, but the moment he turned around, he met with a blonde girl wearing adventurer gear and wields a sword.
"you…" Bell spoke as he is face to face with the girl who is staring back at him with a surprised look in her eyes. "you are?"
The two then stood in silence as they just stared at one another. Both not knowing that their encounter would be changing their entire lives in the future.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye