In the center of the world; there lies Orario. The city which is the home location for the Dungeon; a complex labyrinth that is located under the Babel Tower; the home of the monsters that just spawned out of the walls, ceilings, and just attack people that come within.
As the large number of adventures went straight for the Dungeon's entrance, we turn our attention to a small group of a Familia that are heading for the entrance way as well.
"let's go guys!" Bell Cranel; the Little Rookie or Rabbit Foot of the Hestia Familia is running ahead of his Familia members as he looks excited.
"wait for us, Bell-sama!" a pallum girl named Liliruca Arde hollered back as she is the Hestia Familia's knowledgeable supporter. "why do you have to be in such a hurry!?"
"you can't just go off while some of us are still preparing!" A red haired teen named Welf Crozzo; a Famous Magic Sword Blacksmith who was once a former Hephaestus Familia's member.
"we were still wearing out clothes too!" a black haired eastern kunoichi girl named Yamato Mikoto; another Hestia Familia member who is once the member of the Takemikazuchi Familia.
"please wait! Bell-sama!" a blonde renard girl wearing a red kimono cried out as she is Sanjouno Haruhime; the maid/supporter of the Hestia Familia.
"come on, guys!" Bell called out to his friends while having an excited smile. "I have a feeling that we might be lucky in getting lots of magic crystals!"
"wait up, will you?!" Welf exclaimed as the team hurried their pace in catching up with their Familia's captain.
This is Orario. The place where heroes rises and the place where monsters are born.
But this is a different story that revolves not of the present, but the past and possibly the future.
at a forest somewhere in the world. it is a peaceful area where nature is in perfect harmony with the wildlife that lives within it. birds that chirp, and nests upon tall green trees, butterflies, bees, and other variety of insects that are just roaming by beautiful flowers that grew everywhere. a complete oasis of peace and harmony.
In one part of the forest; there is a small lake and by the shore there is a silverish white grave marker with a small cross attached on the top. The item in attention is a bit old as there are overgrown roots, moss, and weeds growing in its surroundings and its entire frame.
Soon enough, Metallic footsteps are heard from a distance as a fully armored male individual whose entire appearance is a mix of black yet violet-ish armor with glowing blue outlines and far eastern garments, there is a feather like but actually furry black scarf of a muffler that is hanging on the back of his neck while a dark ragged yet torn long cape hangs below it. The armored man also has a weapon which is a long sheathed black yet violetish blue katana that has a nearly demonic but beautifully designed handle which is hanging on the right side of the waist. the armored individual wears a black helmet with a draconic design that has a few blue lines across its design up to the two protruding horns on top to give it a nearly living vibe. There is also a large scar like damage on the right side of the visor where there is a glowing blue eye coming from under the visor while the left side has a glowing red eye.
The armored figure came walking by and then stands near the grave marker. The mysterious man reaches down his right hand and started to tear away the roots, moss, and weeds that grew all over the Grave Marker that gets cleaned.
The armored man gently cleans the grave market's front side as words were revealed under all the moss and dirt. The words 'Meteria, Beloved Daughter, Sister, Wife, and Mother' were etched very perfectly upon the surface as this seems to be something made by a master craftsman.
Our mysterious man kneels before the grave marker as he reaches out a hand that holds a sparkling white rose that he placed on the ground in front of the item and just embeds it right into the dirt where more of its kin suddenly grew surrounding the area.
There is only silence from the armored man who did nothing but place his right hand upon the top of the grave marker where he caresses and stroke it a few times and then reaches to his back where he takes out a silver necklace that has a silver ring with a beautiful blue sapphire gem. The armored man looks at the item he holds in his grasp before he hanged it on the top of the Grave Marker's small cross.
'Please promise me….please promise me that you will do the right thing….promise me.'
A Woman's soft voice spoke as it sounded like it was talking within someone's mind and that is from the armored man's own mind.
The armored figure looks upon the grave marker before he reaches a hand to his back once again, but this time takes out a silver round locket with a design of a diamond crystal dove encrusted to it. The piece of jewellery also has a small button switch on top that was pressed to open the item's cover and reveal the photo of a beautiful woman with long wavy silverish white hair, lovely blue irises, and wears a white sun dress while carrying a white haired infant boy in her arms.
Flashback
The white haired woman is sitting on a bed with someone as she is tending to the baby boy in her arms. The child is cooing out to the woman who smiles before pecking his little forehead.
"promise me that you'll protect our child." the white haired woman spoke out in a soft voice as she turns to look up with a kind and loving smile to the person sitting beside her. "promise me that you will do the right thing and protect our son. Promise me… this one wish of mine."
flashback
the armored man gazes at the woman in the photo as he gently caressed her image with his thumb before he closed the locket's cover.
"I promise that I will keep him safe…" the armored man let out a deep, husky yet soft voice while standing up and putting away the locket to his back. "….Meteria."
He stood before the grave marker while a breeze comes and made his cape flutter forward.
The armored man stayed standing in his place for a whole silent minute before he turned around and then started walking away. He takes long yet slow strides as he leaves the lake where the grave marker lies by the shores and surrounded by the sparkling white roses.
Walking in silence; the armored man didn't stop as he entered the forest and soon disappears into the shadows.
About a month later by Orario; there is the main gate to enter the city as it is guarded by the city's police familia; the Ganesha Familia. currently; there are two guards standing by the gates and just guarding it with spears.
Both guards stayed strictly on their guard duty as they watch any signs of people coming to the city.
"looks like there aren't that many coming for Orario today." One of the guards spoke as his companion nodded. "everything is nothing but peace and quiet."
"it's quite nice to have it once in a while." The other guard replied.
The two keeps on their duty but as they enjoyed the peace and quiet; one of the guards saw someone approaching from a distance.
"looks like we got someone coming." One of the guards spoke to his companion who nodded.
The two waited patiently as their unknown newcomer is coming towards them, but as they did; they felt terror and pressure seeping into their hearts as both guards felt an unbelievable level of power radiating from out of nowhere.
Metallic footsteps are heard from a distance as the two guards are frozen while shaking in fear while watching their unknown newcomer who is a woman who seems to be a half elf with long brown hair that reached her back, her attire is concealed underneath the nearly ragged grey cloak that she wears. The woman also wears a red blindfold that covers her eyes and a red mouth mask that covers her nose and mouth as well.
The two Ganesha Familia guards are level 2 adventurers, and they could feel how small they were compared to the half elven woman who is radiating an immense power that made them shake in their boots. Never have they ever felt such power from anyone within Orario.
"Move aside." The woman said with a soft yet threatening voice as she walks right pass the two frozen guards. "I don't need to pay any time to weak maggots alike with you two."
The half elf woman went straight into the gates and entered Orario while leaving the two guards standing in their place.
When she was sure to be gone, the two guards went and fell on their butts while taking deep breathes.
"w-who is she?" the first guard stuttered out while sweating. "she….she is strong!"
"that power….i-it was as if..she's like a level 6 or 7 like the King!" The second guard stated while shaking. "there's no way she's level 5, she's way stronger than any second rate adventurer!" he then looks at his comrade. "She's as strong as a first rate adventurer or more!"
"We need to tell, Ganesha-sama!" the first guard exclaimed while standing up, but his legs were shaking. "whoever she is….she might be a danger to Orario!"
The other guard nodded in reply before the two scurried off to find the God of Masses.
The nearly masked half elven woman walked amongst the citizens of Orario upon the street as she looks straight while ignoring stares from adventurers she passes by as they all had scared and shocked eyes towards her.
'All nothing but maggots, huh?' she thought while turning her head the side to see a group of adventurers standing nearby while having uneasy looks towards her. 'not one of them is worth my time.'
The half elven woman continues to walk before she stops while turning her head towards a direction of something that caught her attention.
"That place?" she mumbled as she looks to the side.
Located in the western area of Orario is a local pub called the Hostess of Fertility which is owned by a dwarf woman named Mia Grande. the pub is in the middle of opening as the waitresses are walking around while prepping the place.
"hurry it up!" Mia; the owner of the pub called out to the waitresses. "I want it all prepped in another 10 minutes!"
"there's no way we can finish this in 10 minutes, Mama Mia!" a cat girl waitress named Chloe cried out. "We still got to mop the floor-nya~!"
"And we still have to set up the tables too!" a human named Lunoire added in while carrying away a stack of plates to the kitchen.
"What is taking Ryuu and Syr so long with those groceries-nya~!?" another cat girl named Anya whined while wiping the windows. "We need their help-nya~!"
"No whining! Anyone who doesn't get things done, they won't get any lunch!" Mia exclaimed as the waitresses cried in despair.
Mia huffs a bit with a smile before she takes a bag of garbage and went out of her Pub to throw it out, but as she did; she came face to face with the masked half elven woman who stood a few feet away from the dwarven woman.
"y-you are…!" Mia spoke out with a slightly perplexed face while looking upon the Half Elven woman who looks back at the dwarf woman and then to the board title of the pub. "M-Makaria?"
"Hostess of Fertility… huh?" the half elf spoke out as she chuckles with a smirk formed upon her lips underneath the mask before turning to look back at Mia. "a nice place that you have gotten here, Mia."
"M-Makaria….how? when? Why?" Mia spoke as she looks completely bewildered. "it's been 15 years and…"
"I suppose I should say that it is good to see you well, Mia." Makaria replied while reaching out a bandaged covered gloved hand out of her cloak that is waved to the side. "and judging from hearing your questions, I would guess that all of Orario thought of me and my siblings to be dead, didn't they?"
Mia sweated a bit as even though she is a semi-retired adventurer with a certain level of prowess. comparing herself with the half elf woman before her? she felt like a complete child.
"Why now? Why have you come back to Orario?" Mia asked with a firmed up voice. "for 15 years, the world thought you were dead and.."
"that is for me to know and…" Makaria spoke out as she went pass and stood near Mia from behind. She then turns her head towards the dwarf woman. "For you and your ugly bitch goddess to find out'. the half elf woman then chuckles. "I suggest that you be prepared for the coming day, Mia." She then turns to face the front. "you are as much as guilty for being in that Familia. it doesn't matter whether you left or not. You'll pay for your sins."
Makaria soon left and when she is gone and out of sight; Mia looks upon her hands as they were shaking while she was having cold sweat pouring down her face.
'their hate is still uncontrollable and continues to linger…' Mia thought as she gripped her shaking hands before she looks at the sky above. 'I knew that following her was never a good idea. Yet I let myself fall into a rabbit hole with no way out.'
Mia then looks down before she went and got into her pub with an uncertain yet firmed face.
Makaria made herself into Orario's inner area as she arrived straight to the guild where she finds many adventurers walking around with some giving her attention. The half elven woman looks at the ones eying her as a terrible killing intent was unleashed that made many instantly run away or faint.
'pathetic..' Makaria thought as she heads straight into the guild. 'nothing but a bunch of pathetic and worthless excuses of adventurers.' The masked half elf walked within the building and finds more adventurers in the room with her. 'purely bad excuses.'
"man, today was tough~!" a tired moan cried out as Makaria stops in her place and turns her head to the side to see the Hestia Familia members coming into the guild. "talk about a workout!"
"it may be tiring but we brought in a good haul! didn't we Bell-sama?" Lili said with a smile towards Bell who nodded back
"Yep. Maybe we can celebrate tonight," Bell said with a smile.
"let us celebrate in the new pub that is opened by Takemikazuchi-sama and the other's place" Mikoto said with a smile. "I and Haruhime-dono hear from Chigusa-dono that the dishes there are to die for!"
"and they serve it at a very low price too!" Haruhime added in while clapping her hands once and smiled.
"The place can do." Lili said before giving a look at Welf. "though I appreciate if Welf-sama won't order too big if the dishes are as delicious as Mikoto-sama had stated."
"How come you're going to blame me for something that I haven't even done?" Welf said in retort.
The group chatters together before they stopped when they are face to face with Makaria who stood in front of them.
"Bell Cranel?" Makaria said as Bell looks at the masked half elven woman before slowly nodding his head without knowing. The half elf woman looks at the young man as she smiles underneath her mask in seeing his appearance through her blindfold. 'just like his own father, huh?' she thought before she coughs and then looks at the Rabbit Foot with a firm pose. "Do you have time? I wish to talk to you."
"y-yes…..what is it?" Bell replied while looking very unnerved.
"Not here." Makaria said while shaking her head and then points to the side. "Somewhere a bit more private." She then turns towards Bell's comrades. "and only with the two of us."
Bell looks at Makaria for a moment before he looks at his comrades who are showing confused and unsure faces. Welf just shrugs his shoulders as he didn't know what to say, Mikoto looks confused and unsure, Lili shakes her head, and Haruhime just looks worried. Not getting a sure answer from his friends, the white haired teen looks back at the brown haired half elven woman standing in front of him.
"um….? The guild has private rooms that we can borrow? would that do?" Bell asked as Makaria looks at the young man for a moment before she nodded.
Bell nodded back before he turns and went near his teammates.
"so… I guess I'll see you guys later at the Home?" Bell said before he patted a pouch strapped to his waist. "I'll turn in the magic stones that we collected after I finish talking with….you know."
"do you know who she is, Bell-sama?" Haruhime asked with a slightly worried face.
"I don't really know." Bell replied while shaking his head.
"Whoever she is, she got business with you for some reason." Welf said. "you sure you don't know who she is?"
"I don't know." Bell said as he takes a glance at Makaria. "I never met her with or without that mask on. But I think she just wants to have a talk about something."
"About what, Bell-dono?" Mikoto asked as Bell just shrugs his shoulder and shakes his head because he doesn't know at all.
"Bell-sama, please be careful." Lili said in a whisper while having a rather scared face as she saw that Makaria is looking down upon her with a cold yet silent glare. "she's….she feels incredibly powerful."
"yeah… I know." Bell replied with a nod before taking a quick glanced at Makaria who can be seen folding her arms under her cloak. "The moment I saw her; I felt goosebumps all over my skin." The young man then gulped nervously. "she's way stronger than Aiz-san."
After a moment of considering and thinking, Welf and the others left the guild and Bell who turns to face Makaria.
"um….can you follow me to where the private room is?" Bell asked as Makaria just nods in response before motioning him to lead the way.
Bell gulped before he went and led Makaria straight to the private room as he asked Misha; a guild staff to reserve it momentarily which she permitted given to how much of am acquaintances that the two are with Eina; another guild staff and the young man's guild advisor who currently is a bit busy with some other work.
Entering the private room; Makaria stepped in first before followed by Bell who went and closed the door then faced the brown haired half elven woman who stands near the table which she placed down her right hand.
"um? Who are you?" Bell spoke out. "how do you know my name and what do you want to talk about?"
"Attentive and a bit paranoid, huh?" Makaria said in a small and soft whispering voice before she chuckled and smiles under her mask. "just like your own father." The Half Elven woman then turns to look at Bell. "for starters, let me introduce myself." She held out a hand and placed it to her chest. "my name is Makaria Kaiser. I'm your aunt who came to Orario to look after you."
"eh?" Bell spoke out before his eyes slowly widens in surprise. "m-my aunt?"
"that's right" Makaria stated as she went and took a seat before sitting down then motions for Bell to do the same to which he did while a bit shakingly after hearing what the masked woman had spoken before. "well, to be more precise I'm your second oldest aunt, you have about 5 aunts. I'm just one of them."
"I-I have other aunts?" Bell spoke out. "I n-never knew about that…"
"it's possible that you never knew because you were never told about it." Makaria said while crossing her legs underneath the table and folds her hands on the table. The Half Elven woman then chuckles. "But still, how is it possible that you are so believing to what I have to say?"
"Eh? What do you mean?" Bell asked with a confused face.
"I just told you that I am your aunt, right?" Makaria replied while waving a hand to the side. "And you believe me so easily? Things like this is what get most people into trouble, you know?"
"w-well… i…" Bell spoke out before he looks down embarrassed while scratching the back of his head. 'sorry… it's just that….i don't know how to say it..' the young man then looks back up and smiled sheepishly. "I know that talking to an unknown stranger is a weird and dangerous thing, but the moment I met you. For some reason; I felt nostalgic and safe like I know that you aren't a bad person… I just… felt like that.."
Makaria looks at Bell with a slightly surprised face before she looks down and sighs with a smile under her mask.
"like father like son, huh?" Makaria said while chuckling as she looks at Bell. "You really are my brother's son."
"um…..if you're my aunt… would that mean my father?" Bell said as Makaria nodded.
"he's coming here as we speak." Makaria stated. "along with your other aunts and uncles as well."
"I have uncles as well?" Bell asked as the Half Elven woman nodded in reply. The young man then looks down with a smile. "so that means….i'm not alone."
"You are never alone, Bell." Makaria said. "no one in this world is ever alone, especially you."
"I guess so…" Bell replied with a nod before he scratches the back of his head. "ever since grandpa passed away….i always thought I would always be alone but then…"
"oh, right. That old man you call grandpa isn't your real grandpa, Bell." Makaria stated in as Bell looks at the Half Elven woman with a confused and surprised face. "a foster grandparent he was, that old geezer isn't actually someone you are related with. He just took care of you when we couldn't."
"When you couldn't?" Bell spoke out. "Why?"
"let's just say.." Makaria stated. 'me, your father, and the rest of your aunts and uncles had a task at hand that is too dangerous for any of us to take the chance of endangering you if we took you with us.' The Half Elven woman then waves a hand to the side. "trust me, Bell. I, and my siblings; and foremost your own father wanted to take care of you on the day you were born. But because of what we had to do at the time; your mother decided to give you under that geezer's care."
"my… mother?" Bell spoke out as Makaria nodded before a hand reached into her cloak and then takes out the silver locket that has its button switch clicked open to show the young man the photo of his mother; Meteria and his infant self. "This is?"
"her name is Meteria." Makaria said while handing the locket to Bell to take. 'This locket was a gift that your father made for your mother during their first anniversary. It was her most cherished possession but after some time; she gave it to your father who then asked me to come back to Orario and pass it on to you.' She then smiled. "He wants you to have it. To remind you that your mother who may not had so much time to take care of you, had loved you with all her heart."
Bell holds the locket as he looks at the photo of his mother stored within it.
"my mother…." Bell muttered out as he looks back at Makaria. "Why did she give me away to grandpa to take care of me? Could it be that she….?"
Makaria looks at Bell for a moment before she let out a sigh and then nodded.
"Meteria had an incurable sickness that was killing her as time goes by." Makaria stated in a soft voice. 'from the first day I met her; she was born with a weak yet frail body that is as fragile as glass. Your father fell in love with her one day and had been trying his best to find a cure or a way to regress her disease. He never managed to find a way to do that.' The Half Elven woman then sighs. "on the day you were born 14 years ago, Meteria was nearly on death's entrance after giving birth to you, it had weakened her terribly. Your father, myself, and the others were there on that day. We did our best to save her life but after a few months; your mother passed away." She then looks at Bell. "That is how you came to be under that geezer's care, Bell."
"I-I see…." Bell said with a sad frown as he looks down at his lap. 'I never knew… my mother so much… yet….to know that….' Tears started to well up in the young man's eyes as knowing that his own mother had passed away and he never knew about it was emotionally hitting him hard. "I'm sorry… i."
"Crying for your mother is alright." Makaria said as she got off her seat and went to Bell who gets a comforting hand placed on his right shoulder. "a child can cry as much as he wants for the loss of their mother, that is something natural for anyone to do."
Bell nodded as he wiped away his tears before he looks at the locket in his grasp. the young man looks at the photo of his mother as he could see how happy she is holding the infant in her arms which he could tell is him.
"can you….tell me more about my mother?" Bell asked while looking up towards Makaria who nodded with a smile under her mask.
"You don't need to ask at all." Makaria said as she sat back down and started to tell Bell everything she knows of his mother from the point where the two first met with the child's father and to the day of her passing.
meanwhile in the Babel where at one floor there is Freyja sitting within a throne like room as she is holding a glass of high class wine in her right hand's glass. She sat in silence while having an unreadable expression as she looks down upon the city below her while Ottar came to her side and bowed.
"Freyja-sama." Ottar called out. "you've called for my assistance?"
"Ottar, I want you along with Allen and the others to prepare yourselves." Freyja spoke out as her eyes glows pink while her sight focused to where Bell is; but just as they focused to the young man, an unknown force went and broke her vision while leaving a furious aura of a wall that prevents her from looking upon him again. "we have an unwanted guest that had returned to Orario after 15 years…"
"What do you wish to be done, milady?" Ottar asked. "We, your servants will do our best to make your wish come true."
"I know you all will do your utmost best, Ottar." Freyja stated as her eyes hardens at the wall of furious aura, the goddess tried to see her beloved rabbit, but she was instantly repelled by something that forced a barrier to block her sight on Bell. The goddess of beauty soon looks displeased to the extreme. "But this unwanted guest is beyond your league."
After some time talking; Bell learned a lot about his mother; Meteria from Makaria who tells him about her being beautiful, pure, kind, loving, and for some reason; a glutton for food.
"I remember those times when she whined to your father to make those special sweets which he could only make since he is the only person to know the recipe." Makaria said with a chuckle. "for someone kind, and loving like Meteria. She was a whole different person when food is involved."
"i-I see…" Bell chuckles awkwardly before he sighs with a smile. "but for some reason. I guess I am like her in a way."
"You kinda do." Makaria replied with a nod. 'But on the day you were born, Meteria said that you are more like your father.' The Half Elven woman crosses her arms under her chest in her cloak. "Your kindness is alike with Meteria, but it is also alike with your father. But I guess she was right when she said that you look more like him than herself."
Bell smiles before he looks down while thinking a bit about something which made him glance back at Makaria.
"um… A-Aunt Makaria?" Bell said as the brown haired half elven woman smiles to hear her name as the young man's aunt.
"What is it?" Makaria replied.
"w-why do you wear….that?" Bell asked while pointing a finger at his face in prompting to Makaria's blindfold and mouth mask. He then started to frantically wave his hands around "i-I'm not trying to be rude or anything! I-It's just that you're covering your face so much that I just got c-curious!"
Makaria looks at Bell before she chuckles and then held a hand near her face.
"don't worry, I plan to show you my face sooner or later." Makaria replied as she pulls her blindfold up and mouth mask down to reveal a scar that runs across her onyx eyes and small cut mark like scars around her mouth and nose that made the young man gasp in surprise. "it's not something I want to show you but since you're asking, I don't think it'll hurt."
"i-I'm sorry… i-I didn't meant to…" Bell replied with a frown while looking down. "I'm sorry…"
"it's fine." Makaria replied as she covers herself again. "I got these scars from an old fight and I can still see very well. It's nothing to be sorry about."
Bell nodded before apologizing again and after that, there is a moment of silence as the two didn't speak a word for a few minutes.
"um….my father…." Bel spoke out in breaking the silence as he looks at his aunt. "What kind of person is he? is he an adventurer like me?"
"He is." Makaria nodded. 'His name is Zagreus Kaiser. He's a half elf like me but his hair is white like yours but black in a way, also he is kind like your mother and someone who loves flowers more than anything else.' The Half Elven woman then chuckles. "Me and the others always teased him for being a flower whisperer."
"Zagreus….Kaiser…." Bell muttered out as he looks down before he turns to look at his aunt. "When is he coming to Orario?"
"I don't really know." Makaria shakes her head. "He told me to head back to Orario along with the others. Can't actually tell when he will come since he's never the type to be fast on his feet."
"I see.." Bell said while nodding. "But he's still going to come, right?"
"he will." Makaria replied with a nod and a smile underneath her mask. "it'll take some time and patience, but he'll come. I promise."
Makaria then turns to look at the ceiling and saw that the sky was going to turned orange from the light coming from the top of the room.
"Looks like I have taken lots of your time, Bell." Makaria said as she turns towards Bell. "you should go back home for now."
"yes." Bell said while getting up. 'but what about you, Aunt Makaria? Do you have a place to stay?' he then smiles. "How about come to my Home? We have lots of rooms to spare."
"Grateful for the offer, Bell. But what kind of aunt would I be if I receive benefits from my own adorable nephew?" Makaria replied with a smile as she went and strokes her nephew's head a few times. 'I have a place to stay for now, but I would like to see how much of a Home that your Familia has.' The Half Elven woman then pats Bell's head once. "as your aunt, it's my job to see that you're living in a well and spacious house of a Home. Anything else won't do."
"the place is great, believe it!" Bell said with a smile before he went and held Makaria's right hand under her cloak. "Come on!"
Makaria smiles back as she lets Bell pull her out of the private room and straight to the exit of the guild where they went straight out of the building in an instant.
About an hour later, Bell and Makaria can be seen walking on the street as they are heading straight for the Hearth Manor.
"a War Game, huh?" Makaria said while looking at her nephew. "you won a War Game against the Apollo Familia? that's an interesting thing to know."
The two are talking as Makaria is learning from her nephew about the events that he has been going through in the past while they are heading for the Hestia Familia's Home.
"It was a bit tough to win it, but at the end; me and my friends pulled it through." Bell said with a smile. "We won because we had a great teamwork."
"I believe that you do." Makaria replied with a chuckle before she went and patted Bell's head a couple of times. "but please try your best to not get more bad attention, alright Bell? If Meteria was still here and hears that her own son is getting into too much trouble; I doubt that she'll be able to stay sane."
"y-yes…" Bell said while having an awkward yet embarrassed smile.
The two keeps on talking and learning about each other step by step, and in just about 5 minutes time; they arrived at the front gate of the Hearth Manor which Bell opened to let his aunt come in.
"seems to be redesigned on its architecture." Makaria said in checking the front yard. "works of the Gobiniu Familia, I assume?"
"How can you guess?" Bell asked.
"Gobiniu is the god of architecture and the fact that I know very well how the Apollo Familia's former Home once looked like." Makaria replied as both went straight for the front door where they stood by at. "I guess I forgot to tell you how much of a veteran I am, Bell."
"I guess so." Bell replied with a nod and a smile as he then opens the front door which he pushes open to let his aunt come in first in politeness and respect before he came in himself.
"seems that the interior is nicely established as well." Makaria chuckled before she looks at Bell. "I guess I don't need to worry about your living quarters, right Bell?"
"yeah." Bell replied with a nod before he looks forward into the hallway. "I'm back!" Bell called out and as he did; he hears someone coming from the side and without a surprise it is Hestia.
"Welcome back, Bell-kun!" Hestia cried out before she went and hugged. "Are you alright?! Are you hurt anywhere?!"
"I'm fine, my goddess." Bell replied as he pulled Hestia off him. "I'm not hurt at all from the dungeon diving."
"not that!" Hestia exclaimed. "Welf-kun and the others came back early without you, and they told me that you got abducted by some strange woman!"
"I didn't get abducted, my goddess." Bell replied. "Why do you think I was abducted? That strange woman is my aunt."
"Your aunt!?" Hestia exclaimed. "Since when did you have an aunt, Bell-kun?!"
"well…..i guess now?" Bell replied while scratching the back of his head with an awkward chuckle before motioning to Makaria who is standing beside him. "This is my Aunt Makaria."
"so you are the Goddess who took in my nephew as a member of your Familia, huh?" Makaria said as she looks at Hestia from top to bottom. "you must be one of the new descended goddesses, aren't you? Let me guess? A year ago or so?"
"eh? How could you tell?" Hestia replied with a surprised face.
"a veteran can tell many things." Makaria said while waving a hand to the side before she takes off her cloak to reveal her underneath attire which is a black leather jacket with red lines around the back and arms along with a red shirt underneath it, gray tight jeans, and red heels. She also wears several accessories that consists of several black and gold bracelets around both of her wrists, red and black fingerless gloves, a belt with a silver skeleton head buckle and a scarf wrapped sheathed sword that is strapped to the right side of her waist.
"now then," the Half Elven woman proceeds to throw the cloak on top of Hestia's head before walking straight into the Home. "I would like to see the rest of my nephew's Home to make sure that he is living very nicely"
"h-hey! What's this!?" Hestia exclaimed as she grabs the cloak and threw it off her head. "that's not how you treat a goddess!"
"c-calm down, my goddess. Aunt Makaria is just a bit strict, that's all." Bell stated while holding his hands towards Hestia. "She is just making sure that I am living well and nicely."
"and she does that by disrespecting a goddess who is the master of the Home?! That's not anyway to do it!" Hestia exclaimed before pointing at Makaria who went to a nearby doorway. "is that woman really your aunt, Bell-kun?! Or is she another woman you have seduced in bringing here?!"
"s-seduce-!? My goddess! She's my Aunt!" Bell cried out in retort. "she really is my aunt! I'm telling you!"
"hey, Bell. Is this where you store your food?" Makaria called out. "come here for a second, I want to make sure of some things in here, because this isn't the right way to store fruits."
"a-ah! Yes!" Bell replied as he went straight to the kitchen area before popping his head out to look at Hestia. "be right back, my goddess!"
"w-wait! Bell-kun!" Hestia exclaimed but Bell went straight into the kitchen and didn't reply which infuriates her. "h-hey!"
About an hour later on, Hestia can be found in the living room and sitting on the couch with a very annoyed face because Bell is being brought around by Makaria who is being a given a tour of the Home by her nephew.
"Hestia-sama? Has Bell-sama come home?" Lili voiced out as she with Welf, Mikoto, and Haruhime came into the living room from a different doorway. "Hestia-sama?"
"He came back." Hestia replied all poutingly. "but he came back with his aunt."
"Aunt? Bell has an aunt?" Welf stated with a confused face. "this is first time I hear that he has an aunt."
"I thought Bell-sama only had his late grandfather and no one else." Said Haruhime in a confused tone and tilting her head a bit to the side. "hearing that he has an aunt is a bit…"
"Confusing and surprising." Mikoto stated as she looks at Hestia. "so… where is Bell-dono and his 'aunt'?"
"Bell-kun is giving his aunt a tour of our Home." Hestia replied as she pointed a finger to the doorway nearby that leads to the hallway and the kitchen area. "right now, they're at the kitchen doing something."
"This is so good~!" Bell's voice rang out as everyone turned to the nearby doorway and sees their captain coming into the room while munching on a toast with Makaria following behind him. 'This is really good!' the young man turns to face his aunt. "did my mother really make this, aunt Makaria!?"
"you better believe it." Makaria replied. 'as much as your mother was a glutton in food, she was a prodigy with a knife in the kitchen. It took me about a year to learn her recipes.' The Half Elven woman then shakes her head while letting out an amused chuckle. "I tell you this, Bell. Your mother was always having new recipes cooked up in her head that I thought she would be better off as a chef than an adventurer. She could've made a fortune being a chef."
"I guess she could." Bell replied with a nod of agreement before he finished up his toast and gulped down. 'thanks for the food.' He then turns to his Familia. "oh, hey guys."
"h-hey… Bell.." Welf spoke out in reply while doing a small wave as he and the others look nervous but not Hestia. The Crozzo proceeds to point at Makaria "isn't she…?"
"ah! Right!" Bell stated before he coughs once and then motions a hand towards Makaria who looks at the group with a hard gaze. "let me introduce her to you guys. Her name is Makaria; she's my aunt!"
Makaria just did a nod in greeting as Welf and the others just look more nervous, confused, and bewildered.
"what's wrong with you guys?" Hestia asked while looking at them.
"H-Hestia-sama….i don't know if gods can't sense power or not but she…." Lili spoke out before gulping nervously. "she's strong… she's extremely strong."
"She could be just as strong as the King from the Freyja Familia or even more." Welf added in as hearing his and Lili's statement made Hestia look alarmed and shocked.
"knowing that I'm strong as the pathetic boar of that bitch's Familia got you all anxious, huh?" Makaria said while chuckling. "but I guess that is a normal reaction considering how you can sense my level of strength, huh?"
"just who are you?" Hestia said with a hardened gaze. "if Welf-kun and the others say that you're strong like Freyja's King….just who are you?"
"Like I said before" Makaria said while holding out a hand and placed it on her chest. 'I'm Bell's aunt, who has been sent here to take care and look after him by his father who is coming here along with the rest of my siblings.' She them tilts her head to the side. "but I believe that you all will have a little level of trust in believing me and won't try anything stupid if you learn my full name, right?"
"W-What is your full name?" Hestia asked, wanting to know who she is dealing with.
"Kaiser," Makaria stated as her eyes glows red behind her blindfold. 'my name is Makaria Kaiser, I'm the Mage Kaiser of the Kaiser Familia.' She then lifts her head with her chin raised. "Know that name?"
"K-Kaiser?!" Everyone but Bell and Hestia exclaimed or rather screamed in shock
"Kaiser? What's that?" Hestia asked in confusion
"H-H-Hestia-sama, s-she's the M-Mage Kaiser!" Lili exclaimed in shock. "Don't y-you realize what that name is!?"
"K-Kaiser…" Mikoto spoke out while shaking with a shocked and baffled face. "T-that name i-is an extremely l-legendary name along with the F-Familia itself.."
"The K-Kaiser Familia…" Welf said before he gulped nervously and then continued. "The one a-and only F-Familia in the world that is as legendary a-as the Zeus and H-Hera Familia."
"And the F-Familia that is just as strong as both Familia c-combined" Haruhime added in with a scared look.
"Guys? What's wrong?" Bell asked his comrades before he turns towards his aunt for answer. "Aunt Makaria… what is going on with Welf and the others? What is the Kaiser Familia?"
"I'm not surprised that you don't know, Bell." Makaria stated while turning towards her nephew. 'but I guess I should tell you now than later.' The half elf looks forward and waves a hand up as a crystal mirror appears floating upon her grasp that surprised everyone in the room. "let me tell you about the Kaiser Familia, Bell. The Familia that is formed by your father along with me and the others. The Familia that has been protecting Orario for over 7-8 decades."
The crystal mirror glows as it reveals the image of 8 armored individuals who are standing around together in a circle while facing away from one another.
"The Kaiser Familia only consists of 8 people." Makaria stated. '4 men and 4 women, each one from a different Familia but two aren't from two different Familias.' The image in the crystal mirror started to enlarge as it zooms in on the appearance of the 8 armored individuals, but it stopped on two particular people who has nearly identical yet different armor design. The image soon focuses on one of them. "who you see here is the leader of the Kaiser Familia." The half elf woman then turns to look at Bell while grasping her right hand and the crystal mirror disappears in a second. "his name is Zagreus Kaiser and he is your father; Bell."
"m-my father…?" Bell muttered out while Welf and the others looked in shock.
"B-Bell-sama… is the son of a Kaiser!?" Lili stated in shock. "and not only any Kaiser! but that Legendary Zagreus Kaiser!? That legendary Bloody Kaiser?!"
"Bloody….Kaiser?" Bell asked in confusion.
"B-Bell… y-you don't know that you're the son of that…" Welf spoke out before he gulped nervously. "you don't know that you're Z-Zagreus Kaiser's son? T-that name….is a name to be feared of for anyone's entire life!"
"what do you mean?" Bell replied as he just looks more confused.
"B-Bell-sama… the Kaiser Familia..and the name of Z-Zagreus Kaiser… i-it's legendary." Haruhime spoke out a bit nervously. "those names have spread to the entire world and not one person doesn't recognize that name."
"the Kaiser Familia along with the Bloody Kaiser… those two names are something that no person should ever take light of." Mikoto added in while sweating a bit. 'many stories were written about the name of the Kaisers.' She then glanced at Makaria with a very pale-ish and nervous face. "even the Mage Kaiser…..that name is just as legendary as the Bloody Kaiser…"
"w-what?" Bell said with confusion as he looks at Makaria who went and tapped a finger onto his forehead. "eh?"
"let me help you understand, Bell." Makaria said as her finger glows white and unleashed a magic pulse straight into Bell's mind. "just relax and it'll be all over in a second."
Bell's eyes soon widen as he sees flashbacking images of many sceneries from Orario, the Dungeon, and the outside world before he saw images of several people appearing in his mind as Makaria was shown in one of them. The young man keeps on seeing images before one image showed his mother carrying him when he was a baby in a cabin of a house while in the arms of a whiteish black haired half elf whose face is shadowed.
"Bell-kun!" Hestia's screaming voice was heard as Bell snapped his head straight at his goddess who is looking worried at him with Welf and the others.
"y-yes? What is wrong, my goddess?" Bell asked in confusion.
"hey, you were just somewhere else when we tried calling you three times!" Welf said. "you ok in there?"
"i…" Bell spoke out before he looks at Makaria who is looking back at him. "A-Aunt Makaria… w-what was that? I saw.."
"They were my Memories." Makaria stated as she pointed a finger at the side of her head. 'it's called Mind Link. A special magic that I created 69 years ago that allows one to link their memories and transfer them to another' She then lowers her hand before patting her nephew's head. "your father told me to share my memories to you in order to ensure that you trust me."
"i-I saw… my mother….with me as a baby and…" Bell said as he looks down and then holds up the locket of his mother in his hands. He stares at the small item before he turns towards Makaria "and we were with someone….was he…?"
"that's right" Makaria replied with a nod. "that man you saw in your mind. That's Zagreus; your father."
Bell looks baffled and amazed at the same time as he now knows that he has a father, uncles, aunts, and a family that he never knew were such famous peoples.
"I've given you memories that I have of your Family, Bell." Makaria said as she placed her left hand on Bell's head before placing two fingers directly to his forehead. "now let me share you the memories of your mother and father during their time together."
Makaria's eyes soon glows red underneath her blindfold as Bell's ruby eyes started to glow in correspondence. Everyone else stayed quiet as Makaria and Bell's eyes glows red and soon enough the young man started to see countless flashbacks of his mother with his father together.
Meanwhile, a few miles far from Orario; a dark yet large thunderstorm was present at a large forest.
The trees shakes and dances, the harsh wind blows nearly everything into the air, and heavy roars of thunder rang out in scaring any small animals to hide in their burrows or nests.
Above in the storm; lightning bolts flashes around followed with roars of thunders as the storm is no ordinary storm at all.
At one point; a powerfully bright lightning bolt flashes in the sky and struck down the land below in illuminating a figure who stood by a cliff.
The mysterious figure looks at the storm above before he/she went and just bolted down at high speed and became nothing but a crimson red blur that zooms through the forest and heads straight for the direction of where Orario is.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye