Immediately following the exile of Zeus and Hera Familia.
In a farm town far from Orario.
"I refuse to leave my nephew in your care. YOU are likely to turn him into pervert." Alfia said as she scowled at the old god before her.
"Meteria left Bell in my care. You can rest assured that he will be taken care of. I know how to raise a boy properly." Zeus replied as he dismissively waved his hand at Alfia's comment.
"Properly is subjective their old man. Especially when it comes to you and women." Zald replied as sighed at his god.
"Now. Now. Zald. No woman I gave my affections to ever complained." Zeus responded smugly earning him a sigh from Zald.
"AHH. You see. You likely to fill his head with non-sense about picking up girls in a dungeon or some such thing." Alfia stated.
"OF COURSE. Being a hero is about getting a HAREM-" Zeus started but before he could finish.
Gospel
A single chant blasted Zeus through the closed door and into the house.
"Urck." Zeus groaned as he started to lift himself up.
From with a room in the back a child's cry could be heard.
"If you want to stay by his side, you're welcome to stay here and raise him. However, he is staying here under my protection until he is old enough to join a Familia. And not one of those wretches they currently have in Orario." He said as he they both quickly went inside to calm down Bell.
"Fine, but if I catch you trying to do anything perverted towards me, I won't hesitate to send you back to Heaven and take Bell with me back to Hera." Alfia warned, but only got a grunt in reply from the old god
"Guess I will be in charge of fixing the property damage." Zald said as he began to pick up the pieces of the broken door with a sigh.
The village (Bell Age 10. Seven years after their familias' defeat.)
In the years since Alfia and Zald had moved in Bell had continued to grow. The adults allowed Bell to grow as any children would. Zeus become grandpa. Zald became dad. And Alfia became mom…
As he got older, despite her explaining that she is his aunt, he still always called her "mom" or "mother," saying that he is the only one that he has known, and she will always be his mother. This left her with mixed emotions, due to the loss and the sadness that she felt when Bell called her mother instead of her late sister.
At the same time, this was something that she hadn't expected to hear, and the love she felt for the boy brought her great happiness. Bell shared the same insistence on calling Zald dad, much to the older man chagrin, until he finally gave in.
Zeus was always referred to as "grandpa," but he didn't mind. Instead, he did what a lot of grandfathers would do – at least what they would do in his mind – he read him tales from the book of heroes: Dungeon Oratoria at night before putting Bell down for bed. At night Zeus would teach Bell the basics, which included reading, writing, and speaking Koine.
Albert Waldstein, The Hero who drove back the Dread Apocalypse
Celdia, the Queen of the Elves,
Evelda, the Empress of the Amazonesses,
Finn, The Braver of the Prums,
Fianna, the Warrior Knight of the Pallum race,
Fullland of Water and Light,
Argonaut, The Hero of the Dawn and the Ship of Heroes from which all others sailed.
The fairy tales of these great heroes inspired Bell to dream beyond the small confines of the farms.
Since Alfia and Zald only had to deal with occasional goblin attacks, their conditions became more manageable. At times, villagers claimed to witness goblins soaring through the sky before bursting upon impact with the ground.
Consequently, Alfia's illness progressed more slowly, further helped by Zeus occasionally providing roots from a sacred tree. Though she seldom expressed gratitude, as it was often his way of making amends after being caught spying on her when she tried to bath or change.
Meanwhile, Hermes regularly supplied herbs from the Behemoth's grave site to ease Zald's symptoms. The reduced combat also contributed to slowing the advancement of his illness.
It was when Bell turned 10 that the adults decided to Bell a portion of the truth.
On the day of Bell's tenth birthday, they threw a party for Bell. They had invited the entire village. They wanted Bell to enjoy this afternoon as it might be the last one that he got to spend as a child. He didn't know it, but now that he was old enough to understand, they were going to tell them about. They would explain who Zeus really was and why they had to leave Orario.
That night, Bell sat quietly as he listened to the adults tell them the tale of the former two great houses of Orario. Though he listened quietly and didn't interrupt them, he had tears running down his face. Hearing how much the two Familias had accomplished, and what they lost after their defeat by the One-Eyed Black Dragon, as well as the stories about his parents and their deaths was a lot to take in.
It sounded a lot like the stories that his grandfather read to him at night as a child. The final topic was the exile order banishing Zeus and Hera familias. After which Bell showed anger at the treatment of what he now thought of as his familia. Zeus's weathered face darkened as he sipped from his mug.
"The defeat was bad enough," he said, his normally jovial voice now heavy with bitterness. "But what came after was the true betrayal."
Bell leaned forward, eyes wide with confusion. "What happened, Grandpa?"
"Politics, my boy. The most dangerous monster in Orario." Zeus set down his mug with a thud. "Loki and Freya—two goddesses who'd always been jealous of our power—seized their opportunity. They gathered the other gods and convinced them we were a liability. That our failure against the Dragon proved we'd grown weak and couldn't protect Orario anymore."
"Those vultures," Alfia hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "They waited until we were weakened, then swooped in to pick at our remains."
Zald crossed his arms, as he scowled, "Freya wanted our territory. Loki wanted our status. Between them, they had enough influence to make the Guild issue the exile order."
After that Bell's brow furrowed, his ruby eyes flickering between Zald and Alfia with sudden realization. "Wait... if both of you were so strong—why couldn't you have fought back against Loki and Freya?" He stood up abruptly, voice rising with indignation. "Grandfather always said you were the strongest adventurers in Orario! That no one could match you!"
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Zald and Alfia exchanged a meaningful glance, something unspoken passing between them.
Alfia's elegant fingers tightened around her cup. "It wasn't that simple, Bell."
"But it should have been!" Bell insisted, the childish innocence in his voice giving way to righteous anger. "You could have stopped them! You could have—"
"And start a war?" Zald's voice cut through Bell's protest . "A war between our Familias would have destroyed the city, Bell."
"It wasn't just about physical strength, my boy. The Twin Pillars of Orario had fallen, and in that moment of weakness, Loki and Freya didn't need to defeat us in combat." Zeus leaned forward as he spoke, his ancient eyes filled with a weariness Bell had never noticed before.
"They had the Guild, the other gods, even public opinion," Alfia added. "We could have fought—and yes, of course, Zald and I would have won—but at what cost? To defend a city that cast us aside first chance it got?"
"But they were wrong! They took everything from you!" Bell immediately stood as his voice began to climb higher.
"Sit down, Bell. There is also another part." Zeus sighed deeply, the lines on his face seeming to deepen.
Something in his grandfather's tone made Bell obey immediately.
"There's more to the story," Zeus continued. "Yes, Alfia and Zald were the strongest. But by then, they were also... compromised."
Alfia's jaw tightened. "What your grandfather is trying to say is that we were dying, Bell."
Bell's eyes widened. "What?"
"Both Alfia and I pushed our bodies beyond their limits too many times. After the battle with the Behemoth and Leviathan, we were shadows of our former selves. For me it was the consuming of Behemoth. It is slowly poisoning me from the inside." Zald explained, his voice matter-of-fact.
"For me it was the use of Genalous Anglous that worsened my disease." Alfia said
"The herbs and the branch from the Holy Tree that uncle Hermes always brings," Bell whispered, understanding dawning on his face. "That's why you need them. That's why Uncle Hermes always delivers them."
"Correct, Bell." Alfia said as she nodded.
"I still don't like it," he finally said, his young face set in determination. "It wasn't fair, what they did to you."
Zeus smiled sadly, ruffling Bell's white hair. "Life rarely is fair, my boy. Especially when gods are involved. Sometimes heroes fall, and sometimes those who should know better take advantage."
Zeus sighed deeply deeply before he continued "Within a week of the news of defeat getting out the Guild handed down their decree: all members of Zeus and Hera Familia were to either convert to new familia, leave Orario permanently, or face punishment."
"If you are exiled since how can I ever become an adventurer like in the stories? Since I am your grandson."Bell asked as he looked up at the three adults who had raised him, seeing them in a new light. Not just his family, but fallen heroes with a history far greater than he'd imagined.
Zeus chuckled, some of his usual spirit returning. "Ah, there's the question! You see, Bell, the exile only applies as long as your bear mine or Hera's Falna. You, my boy, were never officially part of either Familia. You're free to make your own path."
"But I wouldn't be allowed to join your Familia?" Bell asked
"I'm afraid not, not while the exile stands," Zeus admitted. "But there are other worthy deities out there. Not all gods are like Loki and Freya."
"Which is why we've kept you hidden out here. Those who survived scattered across the land. Some found other Familias to join, others like your mother and father here—" he gestured to Alfia and Zald, "—chose to stay with their old, useless god."
"You're not useless, Grandpa," Bell protested immediately.
Alfia coughed lightly. "On that particular point, Bell, your assessment could use some refinement."
Despite the heaviness of the conversation, they all chuckled, the tension breaking momentarily.
"So now you understand why we live so far from Orario," Zald said, his voice growing serious again.
"Now the question is Bell what do you want to do?" Zeus asked as he looked at his grandson.
Bell stood up, his ruby eyes shining with newfound determination. "I want to be a hero," he declared, his voice stronger than it had ever been. "Not just any hero—I want to be like you were. And I'm going to find a cure for both of you."
Alfia's eyes widened slightly. "Bell—"
"No, please listen," Bell interrupted, clenching his fists at his sides. "All these years, you've been taking care of me, protecting me. Now it's my turn. The stories Grandpa told me—they weren't just stories to me. They were a promise of what I could become."
Zeus leaned back in his chair, an unreadable expression on his face.
"Train me," Bell said, looking directly at Zald and Alfia. "Teach me everything you know. Make me as strong as you were. I know I can't join your Familias, but I can carry on your legacy. I can become strong enough to find cures for both of you and maybe—maybe even strong enough to face that dragon someday."
Zald exchanged a glance with Alfia. "Boy, do you understand what you're asking? The training that made us what we were nearly killed us even before our conditions."
"I don't care," Bell replied firmly. "I'll endure whatever it takes."
Alfia sighed, but there was a hint of pride in her eyes. "Your mother had that same stubborn streak, you know."
"Is that a yes?" Bell asked hopefully.
"And what if there is no cure?" Alfia asked softly, her eyes studying him. "What if all this training, all this suffering, leads you nowhere?"
Bell didn't hesitate. "Then I'll become strong enough to make the ones who exiled you regret it. Strong enough to rebuild what they took from you. Strong enough that no one will ever look down on the legacy of Zeus and Hera Familias again."
A heavy silence fell over the Zeus began to laugh—not his usual lecherous chuckle, but a deep, genuine laugh that Bell hadn't heard in years.
"By the heavens," Zeus said, wiping a tear from his eye, "he has Meteria's spirit and your stubbornness, Alfia."
Zald crossed his arms, studying Bell with new eyes. "Training you properly would take years."
"I have time," Bell replied immediately. "And I won't give up."
"No," Zald agreed after a moment.
"I don't believe you would." He said as he looked at Alfia. "What do you think?"
Alfia sighed, but there was a softness in her eyes that belied her stern tone. "I think we've raised an idealistic, reckless boy who doesn't understand what he's asking for." She paused. "But perhaps that's exactly what a hero needs to be."
After Zeus brought his laughter under control "Well, I suppose we could start with the basics. The boy's already ten—I was training recruits about that age in the old days."
"This isn't one of your regular recruits, Zeus," Alfia said sharply. "This is my son."
"All the more reason to ensure he's properly prepared," Zald countered, studying Bell, "If he's determined to walk this path, better he does so with our guidance than stumbling blindly."
"Then it's settled," Zeus declared, clapping his hands together. "Starting tomorrow, young Bell begins his hero training!"
Bell's face lit up with excitement, but Alfia held up a hand.
"Not so fast. If we're doing this, we're doing it properly." She fixed Bell with a stern gaze. "This isn't a game, Bell. Real training means real pain, real discipline, and real sacrifice. Are you truly prepared for that?"
Without hesitation, Bell nodded, as he continued to look Alfia in the eye. "I am."
"Then we begin at dawn," Zald said, rising from his seat. "Get some sleep, boy. You'll need it."
As Bell lay in bed that night, too excited to sleep, he imagined himself standing tall like the heroes in his grandfather's stories—strong enough to protect those he loved, wise enough to find the cures his family needed, and brave enough to face whatever challenges came his way.
