Familia Myth: Journey to Hero Chapter 6 (Patreon)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
Santa Kairomaru has brought a gift!
I hope you all enjoy it!

Hey friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Familia Myth: Journey to Hero! Hestia wants Eina to come over to the new home to chat about her feelings. How will that go? Perhaps the Goddess of the Hearth, Home, and Family sees a chance to make Bell happy and expand her family at the same time! We also see a certain someone make their appearance!

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 6 – Feelings, Shopping, and Supporter

“I’d normally say that two Status updates in the same day would be overkill,” Hestia remarked as Bell lay face down on their bed with his shirt off. “But after fighting that Silverback, I’m sure you’ve grown quite a bit.” She let a single drop of her blood fall onto his back. The Falna glowed with white-blue light and Hestia added the Excelia into it and watched as it grew stronger. She smiled happily as she finished the process and laid a blank paper onto Bell’s back. A gentle circle of her fingertip and the update transferred over to the paper.

“How is it, Hestia?” Bell questioned as he glanced at her over his shoulder.

“See for yourself, Bell.” Hestia grinned while moving off of him. Bell took the paper with his newly updated Status on it and looked it over.

-Status-

Bell Cranel

Level 1

Strength – F 380 > E 410

Defense – G 245 > G 280

Utility – F 393 > E 424

Agility – E 490 > D 509

Magic – I 0

Magic

-

Skills

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Dual Wield – Significantly increases Strength and Utility when wielding a weapon in each hand.

-Status-

“Plus 115 points just from the Silverback?” Bell blinked at the large jump in his Status. Sure the Silverback was from the Eleventh Floor, making it roughly twice as strong as he was, but still. A single powerful Monster had boosted his Basic Abilities this far in a single fight.

“You did amazing, Bell.” Hestia leaned against him with a smile. “It’s only natural that you’d grow from defeating a Monster that strong.”

“Thank you, Hestia.” Bell smiled as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

“Eina will be coming over soon, probably once the Guild settles down from today’s incident. So, make sure you get cleaned up, alright?” Hestia informed him as she enjoyed his embrace.

“Why is Eina coming over?” Bell tilted his head to look into her blue-eyes.

“For a chat and to see our new home,” Hestia smiled softly. “We might even talk about replacing the armor that was destroyed today.” Her fingers ghosted over his chest. His Guild-issued breastplate had protected Bell from the Silverback’s fist, but it had cracked almost in two from it. There was no repairing damage like that on armor. Bell would have no choice but to take tomorrow off and buy new armor for himself.

“Eina did tell me about the Hephaestus Shop on the eighth floor of Babel.” Bell nodded thoughtfully. “I’m sure she’d know where to get some good replacement armor too. The Silverback’s Magic Stone also got me 10,000 Valis when I exchanged it at the Guild after giving my report about the incident.” He certainly wasn’t lacking some extra funds to buy new armor at least.

The two would end up bathing together after a few more minutes of just holding each other. Hestia’s teasing had led to them christening the bathroom of their new home too. Bell wasn’t complaining about his Goddess’ awakened libido. He was a very happy young man as they dried off and put on comfortable clothing for the evening. The two settled onto one of the couches in front of the hearth and cuddled.

“Hey, Hestia?” Bell spoke up after a few moments.

“Hmm, what is it, Bell?” Hestia was happy and content right now.

“I noticed a certain name on the sheath of my new knife…” Bell trailed off leadingly.

“Yes, it’s a Hephaestus creation.” Hestia replied without looking at him.

“For it to have the Familia Name on it, means it was forged by a higher ranking member of the Familia. One that Hephaestus herself has approved to use her name.” Bell continued on and he felt Hestia tense up slightly. “How much did it cost?”

“Don’t worry about that, Bell,” Hestia shook her head with a smile. “It’s all taken care of.”

“But how?” Bell looked her in the eyes, his red meeting her blue. “Hephaestus Weapons are very expensive, where could you have gotten the money?”

“I just worked out a deal with Hephaestus, that’s all.” Hestia waved off his concerns.

“Wait…you worked out a deal with Hephaestus directly?” Bell felt like he was putting the pieces together now and he wasn’t sure he liked what the puzzle showed.

“Yes?” Hestia cocked her head at his change in tone.

“Did Lady Hephaestus make my knife herself?” Bell couldn’t help how the volume of his voice faded near the end.

“Yeah, but I told you, I worked it out.” Hestia tried to reassure him as she began to panic that Bell would find out how much debt she’d acquired to get him the Hestia Knife.

“Hestia,” Bell took her hands in his and looked her in the eye again. “How much did my knife cost?” The tone of his voice was almost desperate as he gently squeezed her hands.

“…I’ll pay it all myself, Bell.” Hestia mumbled out as she averted her eyes. “You don’t have to worry about it. It’s a private deal between Hephaestus and me.”

“Hestia, please?” Bell caught her eyes again and she couldn’t help but give in when she saw the concern for her in those ruby-red eyes.

“200,000,000 Valis…it was made by Hephaestus’ own hand from Mithril and then given my Blessing. It wouldn’t actually classify on the Weapon Grade Scale.” Hestia squeezed Bell’s hands in return. “It’s a Divine Weapon, Bell. That’s why it can grow along with you. It’s only defect is that it requires a person that has my Falna to use it.”

“D-Divine…Weapon…?” Bell felt like he was getting lightheaded from both the cost and the truth of his new knife.

Divine Weapons were created by the Gods themselves. They could have EVERY type of Enchantment in existence within them! But only a chosen wielder could use their power. Even Mythical Grade and Legendary Grade Weapons couldn’t measure up to the full power of a Divine Weapon! Only the Gods of Smithing were known to make these weapons. Gods like Hephaestus and Goibniu would be the only ones capable of making his knife in Orario.

“Bell, Bell!” Hestia shook him a bit to prevent him from passing out.

“What all can the Hestia Knife do?” Bell gently put his hands on Hestia’s shoulders. He needed to know the full capabilities of the knife to make sure he understood his weapon.

“It grows with you, it’s unbreakable, and it can channel Magic.” Hestia listed off the three powers of the Hestia Knife. “Hephaestus made it so that you would be able to grow instead of relying solely on the knife’s power.”

“Unbreakable? That’s a High Enchantment that only High Smiths can impart and it requires the Blacksmith Developmental Ability, high quality metal like Adamantite, and Runecraft.” Bell had learned as much as he could about the Weapon and Armor Grade System at Eina’s prompting. Magic channeling was also impressive since that ability was almost solely relegated to staves. For a knife to be capable of it was a show of skill. But a Goddess of the Forge like Hephaestus probably thought of it as a simple part of her Craft.

“Like I said, you don’t have to worry about it, Bell.” Hestia shook her head, making her jet-black hair sway from the motion. “I’ll take care of it myself.”

“It’s my knife though,” Bell pulled her into a hug. “At least let me help pay for it, please.”

“Bell, I made the deal knowing what I was getting myself into,” Hestia leaned her forehead against his. “You shouldn’t worry about it. Hephaestus will let me work in her shop to pay off the loan, so it’s no big deal. It’ll take me a while, but I’ll see it through.”

“I’m helping you, even if I have to deliver the Valis straight to Hephaestus myself.” Bell showed his stubborn side and Hestia collapsed into his arms with melodious laughter.

“Bell, you’re too good for me.” Hestia beamed at him beautifully and Bell smiled back at her just as warmly. “We may be in the red, incredibly so, but since it’s a private debt, no one has to know about it. We’ll work hard and pay it off little by little.”

“Yes, Goddess!” Bell kissed her lips and Hestia leaned into him. The two fell back onto the couch as they continued to kiss. Before anything got too hot and heavy, there was a knock on the front door.

“Oh!” Hestia sat up with red cheeks. “That must be Eina.” She quickly made herself presentable as Bell straightened his own clothes while heading for the door.

“Good afternoon, Bell.” Eina greeted him as soon as he opened the door.

“Welcome to the Hestia Familia home, Eina.” Bell welcomed her in and the Half-Elf crossed the threshold with a smile. Bell closed the door behind her and noticed that she was still in her Guild uniform. She’d obviously come straight from her job to have this talk.

“It’s a lovely home.” Eina complimented with a wonderful smile that made Bell’s heart beat strongly in his chest.

“Thank you very much.” Hestia smiled at the bespectacled woman. “Take a seat; can I get you a drink?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine, Goddess Hestia.” Eina declined as she sat on the couch next to Hestia and Bell.

“Alright then, I think the first thing to do is obvious.” Hestia looked between Eina and Bell. “You two both need to be honest with each other.”

“Wh-What do you mean, Goddess?” Bell’s eyes widening and his stuttering instantly gave him away. Truly, the young man couldn’t lie to save his life.

“I…I…” Eina was blushing bashfully and not meeting anyone’s gaze.

“It’s fine,” Hestia assured both of them, her gentle smile doing wonders to ease the tension. “Just be honest with each other and say what you need to say.”

“Bell…” Eina tried to speak.

“Eina…” Bell started at the same time.

Both flushed an even darker red as they looked at each other. Hestia’s smile widened a bit more. These two were so cute! She’d do almost anything for Bell’s happiness. If he loved Eina, then the beautiful Half-Elf was welcomed to become part of their little family. If she happened to cuddle with Eina on occasion, or perhaps more, well that would just be wonderful. Hestia was still very much learning about all of the pleasures she’d denied herself for so long. This would be another step on her own journey of discovery, if Eina was willing, of course.

“Eina…” Bell spoke up first this time. “You’ve helped me so much ever since I came to Orario. You believed in me even when I was just starting to look for a Familia. That meant so much to me, I’m not sure if I could properly express it. All the time we’ve spent together as you taught me everything I needed to know, I’ve treasured every moment.”

“Bell,” Eina’s face was flushed, even her long, pointed ears.

“Along the way, even after meeting Hestia and falling in love with her, I still felt strongly for you too.” Bell admitted with his hands on his lap, fidgeting slightly. “I’ve developed feelings for you, Eina, the same as I feel for Hestia.”

“I…me too,” Eina admitted after a moment to collect herself. “Every day you come to the Guild, I look forward to it. You’re kind, you listen to me, and when we talk I always feel warm and happy. You’ve become my favorite Adventurer that I’ve ever advised so quickly that I didn’t know what to do with my feelings.” She graced him with a shy smile and Bell knew his face was just as red as hers was. “When you started a relationship with Lady Hestia, I decided not to interfere. I didn’t want to ruin your happiness. But I couldn’t stop myself from being close to you when I could. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

“Eina…would…would you like to go out sometime?” Bell asked after a moment to gather his courage. His red-eyes were bright and honest and Eina found herself smiling.

“I’d like that very much, Bell.” Eina agreed to go out with him easily. A miniature version of herself was jumping for joy in her mind that Bell had feelings for her.

Multi-person relationships weren’t uncommon in Orario. When almost three hundred Gods and Goddesses lived in one place you were practically guaranteed to see Harems or Polyamorous Relationships. Some were centered around a God or Goddess, others were between multiple Adventurers. In a city like Orario, where an Adventurer could literally die any time they went into the Dungeon, courtships took on all forms and speeds. That was even before considering all of the various cultures that mixed within the large city. Amazons had much different ideas about courtship than most. Dwarves had their own customs when it came to dating and marriage. Elves were very reserved and often had lengthier courtships between each other because of their long lives. Orario was called the ‘Center of the World’ both because of the Dungeon and because you could find traces of practically every Race and Culture in the world within the sprawling city.

“I have a suggestion for your first date, if you’d like.” Hestia offered and both Bell and Eina looked towards the Goddess. “Why don’t you have a shopping date tomorrow? Bell needs new armor since his old one broke. You could even make a day out of it and get lunch.”

“That doesn’t sound bad.” Eina smiled at Hestia brightly. “What do you think, Bell?”

“I’d love to spend the day walking around and shopping with you, Eina.” Bell returned her smile with one of his own.

“It’s a date.” Eina’s soft smile made Bell feel butterflies in his stomach. He gently took her hand in his and guided her onto the couch beside him.

“Thank you, Eina, I’ll do my best.” Bell promised as Eina leaned against him happily. Hestia was already snuggled into Bell’s other side and the trio just enjoyed their time together. The warmth of the hearth and the warmth of each other was almost relaxing enough to lull them all to sleep. Only their soft conversation as they got to know each other better kept them awake in the comfortable atmosphere.

-The Next Day ~ Noon-

“So, how do I look?” Eina asked with a blush as she met up with Bell for their date. She was wearing a white blouse with a slightly ruffled collar. The neckline dipped down to reveal just a bit of her cleavage and had a brown bow, just a bit darker than her hair, on the front. She wore a red skirt that stopped at mid-thigh and thigh high black stockings. On her feet were cute, but simple brown boots. It was the lack of glasses that caught Bell’s attention the most though. Her beautiful green-eyes had always been stunning to him, but seeing them like this was a first.

“Beautiful…” Bell breathed out and Eina flushed bright red. The smile on her face was absolutely radiant though.

“Thank you, Bell.” Eina smiled as she took his hand in hers.

“I kinda feel bad that I didn’t have anything better to wear.” Bell rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. He was wearing his brown jacket with the black patch on the right shoulder and a black button up shirt beneath. His pants were his normal everyday pants as were his boots.

“I think you look just fine.” Eina grinned as she squeezed his hand gently and giggled when he squeezed back.

After meeting up at Amour Square, Eina and Bell went to eat at a quiet restaurant for lunch. The couple chatted about themselves, told stories about their pasts, and enjoyed their food. Eina learned more about how Bell had grown up, living in the quiet farming village in the mountains. Bell heard about Eina’s time within Orario, her school days with her friend Misha, and how she’d come to work for the Guild. After they’d finished their food and paid, the couple left the restaurant hand in hand.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out with someone…shopping like this.” Eina grinned at Bell as they walked down the street together.

“Really?” Bell blinked in surprise. “I’m surprised that people can leave someone like you alone, Eina…especially the guys.”

“Oh, you’re good, Bell~” Eina giggled, looking over at him.

“But it’s true.” Bell ran his thumb gently across the back of her hand.

“I’ve been busy with work.” Eina admitted to being a bit of a workaholic as she looked up at the sky to judge the time.

“If we keep going this way, we’ll end up at Babel tower.” Bell noticed the direction they were walking. He was also studiously ignoring the looks from the jealous men they passed along the way. Eina was a very beautiful young woman, and her Elven Heritage promoted that even further. Any man would want to be with her.

“Yes,” Eina smiled at him as they continued walking towards the massive tower. “We’ll be going to a different Hephaestus shop today. This one sells full sets of armor and slightly higher quality weapons for prices I’m sure you can still afford, Bell.”

Bell was bumped into slightly by the large backpack of a girl that was following behind three Adventurers. Bell tried to apologize for bumping into her, but the girl just kept walking without even a glance back. Bell noted how much she was carrying for being so short and quickly realized that she was a Supporter. He felt Eina gently pull on his hand and quickly turned to face her. He put the incident out of his mind when he saw Eina smile at him. The Half-Elf was practically sparkling with how happy she was.

-Babel Tower ~ Eighth Floor-

“I bet you feel like you aren’t able to afford above the Average Grade for weapons and armor yet, right Bell?” Eina smiled as she led him into a shop further down from the one she’d told him about before.

“Well yeah,” Bell looked at the walls covered in weapons and the stands of full armor sets on display. “Superior Grade equipment all has at least one Low Enchantment through Runecraft or from a Smith that’s just acquired the Blacksmith Developmental Ability.”

“That’s right,” Eina nodded at his summary before gesturing to the wall in front of them. “But, why don’t you take a look at these spears?” Bell walked closer to the wall where dozens of spears were hanging.

“Wait…12,000 Valis?” Bell blinked at the price on the tag. “I could buy it at that price.” He looked at a few more of the price tags. “14,000 Valis…15,000 Valis…13,900 Valis…. So many of them are within my price range!”

“Yep!” Eina smiled brightly at him. “The most important thing for the young Smiths trying to work their way up is to get their name out there. New Smiths and Adventurers can form relationships! If an Adventurer likes the armor and weapons a Smith produces, they’ll remember their name. Even if they don’t become friends…Adventurers with sharp eyes will spot talented Smiths hidden in the rough.”

“So that’s why it’s still cheap enough for me to afford this equipment.” Bell realized as he gazed over all the things in the shop. “The Smith’s that can make Superior Grade items are trying to get their name out there. Getting a good reputation going is more important to them than making a large profit off of each individual weapon or armor.” He got what Eina was trying to explain to him.

“How much money do you have with you today, Bell?” Eina questioned her date with a warm smile.

“Hmm, right about 25,000 Valis.” Bell noted of his current funds. It would’ve been about 15,000 if not for the 10,000 he’d made from the Silverback’s Magic Stone.

“That’s more than enough for a full set of armor!” Eina beamed and bounced on her heels a bit. She was practically glowing with happiness and Bell found himself smiling at how cute she was. “You might even find something really good for that much! Let’s split up and look around!”

The two headed to different ends of the shop to check out the selection of equipment available. Bell looked over various sets of armor on display. He noticed that several of them were well-made, and reading the price tags also informed the potential buyer of what Low Enchantment the piece had on it. He’d seen a few with Minor Durability Enchantments, one had a Low Agility Enchantment for upping the wearer’s speed, and one near the end had a Low Strength Enchantment to up the user’s Strength stat.

“It’s hard to believe these were made by low level Smiths, they all look so good.” Bell hummed to himself as he stood at the back of the rows of armor on display. “Huh?” He blinked as he noticed the crates set along the back wall of the shop. ‘Aren’t those sets of armor?’ He walked closer and confirmed that every crate had a set of armor in it. ‘It looks like they’re being treated like garbage though.’ Bell walked along the row of crates as his eyes glanced over the contents in each one. “They all have price tags, so that means they’re for sale, right?”

He stopped suddenly as a certain set caught his eye. It was mostly white, but each individual piece had a stylized, indented red line on it. Bell picked up the breastplate that was on top and held it in his hands. He noted the lightness of the metal and turned the piece over to see who had made it.

‘It doesn’t have the Hephaestus Familia Insignia, so it was made by a low level Smith.’ Bell noticed the lack of the insignia quickly before spotting the Smith’s name. ‘So, this was forged by Welf Crozzo. Pyonkichi Mk-II? Not much of a name…doesn’t that refer to rabbits?’ He blinked at the Smith’s naming sense. But Bell couldn’t deny that he liked the armor. The size was so close to perfect for him that it was almost scary.

“Bell, I found something really good!” Eina was all smiles as she walked over to him. “A vambrace with leather armor! It’s a bit expensive, but I…” She trailed off when she saw what Bell was holding. “Is that the one you want?” She put her hand to her chin and looked at the armor in the crate.

“Yes, I’ll take this one.” Bell smiled as he noticed that the price tag confirmed his choice to have a Minor Durability Enchantment.

“You like light armor, huh?” Eina put her hands on her shapely hips and gave a playful sigh. “And I spent all that time finding something for you too.” Her green eyes were alight with a teasing gleam.

“Sorry…” Bell grinned at the Half-Elf. He was starting to get better with her teasing.

“It’s okay; you’re the one using it. Go ahead and buy it.” Eina nodded at his choice. “If it’s the one you want, then I think that’s enough.” She looked at the price tag and saw the set in the crate cost 9,900 Valis. Some quick math in her head and a small smile formed on her face. “Bell, since you’ve got some money left, can I make a suggestion?”

“Sure, Eina, I’ll always listen to what you have to say.” Bell returned her smile. Eina felt her heart flutter at both his words and his smile. She adored that he took her thoughts and suggestions to heart so readily.

“Have you considered using a weapon larger than a knife before?” Eina asked him curiously. “I have no doubt that you’ll eventually make it down to the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Floors. But, down there is where the Large Category Monsters begin to spawn. A knife, unless it has an Attack Magic of some kind, isn’t going to be able to slay most of those Monsters.”

“I tried lifting a couple of Great Swords a few times, but they didn’t feel right in my hands.” Bell admitted sheepishly with pink cheeks. He couldn’t tell her that he’d picked them up because he thought they’d make him look more heroic. He didn’t want her to know that!

“What about a spear?” Eina suggested while motioning towards the wall that was lined with them. “They’re lighter and give you more reach.”

“I’ve never used a spear before...” Bell looked over at the wall. “I’d have to learn how over time.”

“I might be able to get an Adventurer to teach you the basics if I ask around a bit.” Eina smiled at him reassuringly. “I’ve been working at the Guild for a while now. I know all of the other Dungeon Advisors. I can at least ask if one of the Familia Advisors knows an Adventurer that would be willing to show you the basics of spearmanship.”

“That would make learning a lot easier.” Bell smiled brightly at her and gave her a gentle hug.

Eina returned the hug, sinking into his embrace happily and enjoying their closeness. All too soon, in her opinion, they separated and Bell picked up the crate with his chosen armor in it. He carried it with him over to the wall of spears before setting it down again. Together the two of them looked at all of the various lengths of spears, the wide variety of differently-shaped spearheads, and the various prices and Enchantments on them.

“Hmm,” Bell held a black spear in his hand. The white-haired Adventurer had looked at almost a dozen spears before this one, but something about this one drew his attention.

The spear stood at 195cm, exactly thirty centimeters taller than Bell’s height of 165cm. The dark-gray spearhead was similar in shape to a rapier, coming to a dangerous taper that could easily skewer a man or Monster. The sides of the blade were just as sharp as the tip, allowing its user to slash and cut their foes just as well as they could stab them. The spearhead's wings bloomed out and upwards like a flower, forming a shape reminiscent to that of a fleur-de-lis. Bell understood the purpose of the shape, it would allow the wielder to catch an enemy's weapon and wrench it from their grasp. At the other end of the black haft was a silver butt-spike, counterbalancing the spearhead and providing an additional means of attack.

“Kokutoge?” Bell blinked at the odd name. He wasn’t incredibly familiar with the Far East languages, but he thought it meant ‘black thorn’. With a sudden suspicion, Bell looked down at the Smith’s signature. ‘Yep…Welf Crozzo, again. I can’t say much for his naming sense, but this feels like a good spear.’

“Do you like that one, Bell?” Eina noticed the look in her date’s eyes. He was seriously considering the black spear he was holding.

“Yeah, it’s simple and I think that’ll make it easier for me to learn.” Bell replied as he pointed out the simple shape of the blade. Some of the other spears he’d held had spearheads with more elaborate shapes and edges. But Bell was a complete beginner with a spear. Trying to use something that was designed with an experienced spearman in mind probably wouldn’t go well for him.

“How much is that one?” Eina questioned curiously, leaning forward a bit to try and see the price tag.

“12,600 Valis, it’s actually made by the same Smith that made the armor I picked out.” Bell tapped the crate on the floor with his foot.

“Huh, that’s an amusing coincidence.” Eina giggled slightly as Bell handed her the spear to hold while he picked up the crate of armor.

The purchase was made easily and Bell was given a free duffle bag to carry his armor in since he spent so much. As Bell was transferring his new armor over to the duffle bag, he didn’t notice Eina making a purchase of her own. Once everything was moved over and the spearhead wrapped in cloth to prevent any accidents with the sharp blade, Bell headed out of the shop along with Eina. The two took the elevator back down to the ground floor of Babel tower and then walked back onto the streets.

“Whew…22,000 Valis, today got expensive.” Bell patted the duffle bag containing his new armor. Eina was smiling happily as they walked through the streets, their hands entwining again. Bell’s new spear was held in his free hand, resting against his shoulder.

“There’s one more thing, Bell.” Eina smiled as they stopped at a crossroads. She reached into her bag and pulled out a wrapped bundle. Once she’d removed the cloth, a green vambrace was revealed. Bell noticed the shade of green matched Eina’s eyes and that brought a small smile to his lips.

“A vambrace…is this the one you were talking about in the shop?” Bell looked at the Half-Elf curiously.

“It’s a gift from me to you.” Eina’s warm look made Bell’s chest swell with joy. “I want you to have it. Not for me, but for yourself. Adventurers can pass away any day they delve into the Dungeon. No matter how strong someone is, they can still die. But I don’t want you to disappear, Bell.” Her green eyes were shining with affection for him. “I guess it really is for me, huh?” She giggled slightly. “But that’s not the only reason I’m giving you this. I want to support you and give you strength too.”

“Thank you very much, Eina.” Bell accepted the green vambrace with a dusting of red on his cheeks. Eina looked beautiful in the slowly setting sun. Her heartfelt words moved Bell deeply and after he placed the vambrace into the duffle bag, he leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek.

“Bell~” Eina’s smile could’ve outshone the sun as she held her blushing cheek that he’d just kissed. “You’re welcome.” She took his hand back in hers and they walked down the left street. In a few more minutes the two stopped at a nice apartment complex. Eina lived here since it was a nice part of the city and an easy walk to the Guild on her workdays.

“I had a lot of fun today, Eina.” Bell smiled warmly at her.

“Me too, Bell.” Eina returned his smile with her own bright grin.

Without thought, the two both leaned closer to each other. Bell’s free hand came up to gently rest on Eina’s cheek. The Half-Elf leaned into his touch as her eyes closed and in the next moment their lips met for the first time. Eina pressed her lips softly against Bell’s, letting him gently lead her in the kiss. Bell kept the kiss gentle and filled it with all of the affection and care he had for Eina. When they pulled back, both were flushed but smiling warmly at each other.

“Have a good night, Bell.” Eina hugged him with her arms over his shoulders.

“Have a good night, Eina.” Bell responded as he wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her close. He noticed how she pressed herself against him, allowing him to feel her large breasts against his chest. The two separated a moment later and Eina practically skipped into the apartment building. ‘I’m glad she’s so happy.’ Bell smiled to himself as he started heading home.

Bell noticed the setting sun and decided to take some backstreets he had become familiar with over time. If he could avoid the congested areas on the way back, then he should get home before dark. He was making good time and was looking forward to getting home and telling Hestia about his successful date with Eina. As he neared a corner he thought he heard the sound of feet on the paved street. He stopped just as he crossed the corner but a short person glanced off of him and hit the ground with a grunt.

“I’m so sorry,” Bell apologized as the person pushed themselves up and into a sitting position on the ground. ‘A Prum…’ Bell noticed that it wasn’t a short Human, but a Prum Girl that he’d inadvertently knocked down. She had chestnut-colored brunette hair and matching brown eyes. She was quite cute in Bell’s opinion. “Are you okay?” He held his hand out to help her up. The whole time the girl simply stared at him warily.

“Found ya, bitch!” A rough male voice barked out and Bell saw the girl stiffen in fear. “Piece of shit Prum…” The man panted out, clearly having been chasing the girl for a while. “You’re not getting away!” His glare was locked onto the girl as he took a step forward. “Don’t even twitch!”

Bell noticed the fear in the girl’s eyes as the man moved towards her. He didn’t think about what he was doing, he just did it. He stepped in front of the girl with his arms spread to cover her and block the angry man’s approach. With his back to her, he didn’t see her eyes widen at the gesture.

“What the hell are you doing?” The Adventurer growled at Bell. “Beat it kid, yer in my way.”

“Look, I don’t know what happened, but why don’t we calm down?” Bell suggested, not moving from his spot between the man and the girl.

“Shut it!” The man spat angrily. “Who the hell are ya? One of the runt’s friends?”

“We just ran into each other.” Bell stated plainly, it was the entire interaction he’d had with the Prum so far.

“Then why protect her?!” The older man demanded.

“Because she’s a girl,” Bell replied instantly, not seeing the Prum’s cheeks flush pink. “You’re a grown man chasing her through the backstreets with the clear intent to hurt her.”

“The hell are you sayin’?” The Adventurer reached for the sword hanging over his shoulder. “You don’t know anything, but if you want…I’ll just kill ya first!” He started drawing the blade.

Bell didn’t hesitate, he let the duffle bag slide down his arm to the ground and his new spear was laid on the ground too. He drew the Hestia Knife and held it in a standard grip as he faced down the older man. He was a man protecting a girl. This was the right thing to do. It would be his first time fighting another Adventurer and he forced himself to not shake. This guy was clearly more experienced, but Bell didn’t get the feeling he was Level 2. His clothing and armor were a bit too plain for a Level 2 Adventurer.

“You wanna die, huh?” The man demanded as he drew his sword fully.

Bell adjusted his stance, bringing the Hestia Knife up slightly. He didn’t noticed how the Prum girl’s eyes locked onto the black knife. Her gaze was intent as she practically saw a faint aura around the weapon. The man placed both hands on his sword’s handle and prepared to swing it down on Bell.

“Freeze.” A familiar female voice demanded and both Bell and the man stopped in their tracks.

“Another one?” The man growled out. “Who the hell are you?!” He demanded of the woman approaching from a side alley.

“The one you are trying to harm…” Ryu spoke as she stepped into the fading light in the backstreet. She was wearing her waitress uniform and holding a bag of groceries. “…Is destined to become my coworker’s companion. I will not allow any harm to come to him.”

“Miss Ryu…” Bell blinked at the unexpected appearance of his acquaintance. ‘Wait…what did she mean by companion?’

“Nobody is making any fuckin’ sense today!” The Adventurer snarled at Ryu and the whole situation. “More shit in my way! Do you want me to slice you too?!” He demanded, pointing his sword in Ryu’s direction.

“Silence.” Ryu demanded in a cold tone that sent shivers through the other three in the backstreet. The Elf woman seemed to exude a palpable feeling of dread as she stared down the Adventurer. “I don’t want to use force. I always go too far, you see?” Everyone blinked as they realized the waitress suddenly had a short blade in her right hand, pointing at the man.

‘A stiletto? When did she…?’ Bell hadn’t even seen her draw it!

“D-Damn it…shit!” The older Adventurer ran off, back the way he’d come.

“Are you hurt?” Ryu questioned Bell, taking a few steps towards him. He briefly noticed that the stiletto had disappeared again.

“I’m fine…thank you for your help, Miss Ryu.” Bell gave her a short bow.

“I’m sure you could’ve dealt with him if I hadn’t stepped in.” Ryu gave him that tiny smile again and Bell felt slightly proud that she not only smiled at him, but she even praised his skill.

“Oh, thank you…” Bell accepted the compliment, but he wasn’t sure how well that fight would’ve actually gone. “What brings you out here, Miss Ryu?” He asked as he sheathed the Hestia Knife.

“An errand.” Ryu raised the bag of groceries slightly. “I noticed the commotion and stepped in. What led you to your altercation?”

“Oh, this girl here…” Bell trailed off as he noticed the Prum girl had vanished.

“Was someone there?” Ryu questioned him.

“There was…” Bell blinked at the empty backstreet.

“I’ll be on my way, Mr. Cranel.” Ryu gave him a short bow, careful not to spill her groceries.

“Thank you again for your help,” Bell smiled at the Elf. “I’ll come by for a meal again soon.” Ryu nodded, the tiny smile on her lips again, before heading back towards the Hostess of Fertility. Bell picked up his duffle bag of armor and his new spear before heading for home. He would be lucky if there was any light left by the time he got there.

-Hestia Familia Home-

“I see your date was successful.” Hestia smiled at Bell when she noticed the duffle bag and the spear.

“Yes, Eina and I had a good day together.” Bell smiled warmly at his Goddess.

“Tell me all about it over dinner.” Hestia was eager to hear about the date as Bell put his purchases on the couch.

“It smells great.” Bell complimented of the scent in the air. He’d need to wash up quickly so they could eat.

The rest of the evening was spent with Bell telling Hestia about his date with Eina. He mentioned that she was planning to find him a more experienced Adventurer to teach him the basics of the spear. Hestia thought that was a good idea instead of trying to figure it out in the Dungeon where his life could be in danger. After bathing, the two headed for bed together and slept snuggled up in each other’s arms.

-Next Morning-

“That goes here,” Bell attached his left pauldron onto his armor. “This goes here…” He attached the right hip protector to his waist. “And this straps on like so.” He tightened his new greaves onto his shins along with the armored kneepads to protect the joint. With his new armor on, he looked at himself in the full length mirror they had in the Master Bedroom. ‘I finally look like an Adventurer!’ He nodded to his reflection, his right hand patting the green vambrace that was over his white one. It was thicker and would act in place of a shield so he could keep both hands on a weapon. ‘Thank you, Eina.’ He smiled at the piece of armor.

“Mmm…go get ‘em…Bell~” Hestia mumbled in her sleep. This was her first day off since she’d taken up her second part-time job at one of Hephaestus’ shops. Bell was happy to let her sleep in.

Hephaestus had been kind enough to allow Hestia to work as a shop hand in one of her shops that catered exclusively to Second and First Class Adventurers. All of the equipment there was top quality and had prices to match. The good part was that the pay for working in such a shop was very good too. Hestia would make almost as much as an average Adventurer per week working part-time for her niece. The majority of that money would go straight into the debt for the Hestia Knife though.

‘It would still take Hestia over one-hundred-fifty years to pay that debt off by herself though.’ Bell wasn’t bad at Math, and he shook his head at the thought of letting Hestia shoulder that debt alone. “Maybe if I got lucky enough I could find another two hundred Jack Birds?” He chuckled to himself at the sheer absurdity as he left their home and made his way towards the Guild. While he walked he pondered on what he could do to increase the amount of Valis for the Familia. He didn’t want to have this debt over their heads forever. That would certainly make recruiting new members almost impossible.

As Bell approached Babel tower he eyed the line into the food shop. It wasn’t too bad this early, so he should probably get in line now. He didn’t want to keep taking Miss Syr’s lunch from her after all. It was very kind of her to offer, but he just felt bad about doing it every day. So he’d decided that he’d accept only on days he took the path past the Hostess of Fertility. Just as Bell was about to head for the food shop, someone called out to him.

“Mister! Mister! With the white hair!” A female voice called and Bell knew they were talking to him. He turned to face the speaker and noticed it was the girl from the evening before. She had a beige cloak on today and a massive backpack on her back. But the face and the eyes were the same from last night. “Nice to meet you, Mister!” She smiled cutely at him.

“Meet me?” Bell blinked in confusion. “Didn’t I see you yesterday?”

“Sorry to bother you, but are you looking for a Supporter?” The girl asked while completely ignoring Bell’s question.

“Supporter?” Bell blinked at her. He figured that she was one with the large backpack, but he was still trying to confirm if she was the girl from last night.

“Yes!” The girl’s smile brightened.

“Well…” Bell trailed off at the cute smile. ‘I have been considering a Supporter for a while. Having one would be nice, especially since they make Dungeon Crawling more efficient.’ He mused as he thought of how much more he stood to make each day with a Supporter. He did want to start bringing in more money for the Familia.

“Are you confused?” The Supporter tilted her head slightly. “It’s a pretty simple question, you know.” She put a smile worthy of a salesman on her face. “A poor Supporter has come to you, an Adventurer, looking to sell her services in the Dungeon.”

“It’s not that I’m confused, but…” Bell shook his head slightly. “Aren’t you the girl from yesterday?”

“Yesterday?” The Supporter held her chin with her right index finger and thumb. Bell now noticed the brown Supporter gloves she was wearing. “Have we met before, Mister? Lili doesn’t remember seeing you.” She tilted her head a little and Bell couldn’t help but find her cute. He also learned her name was Lili, apparently.

“Hmm…” Bell mulled over her seeming lack of memory of last night.

“So, how about a Supporter?” Lili asked again.

“I do want one…” Bell admitted after a moment.

“REALLY?!” Lili beamed at him and for a second Bell would’ve sworn he saw stars around Lili’s form. “Then please take Lili with you into the Dungeon, Mister!” She clasped her hands together in a classic begging pose.

“Um, alright then, let’s go sit down and talk it out.” Bell agreed with the cute girl. They both walked off to an empty stone bench and sat down to have their discussion.

“Lili’s full name is Liliruca Arde. Lili belongs to Soma Familia. They’re pretty well-known.” Lili informed Bell of her Familia as was necessary when forming an inter-Familia Party.

“Then why come to me?” Bell looked confused. “Wouldn’t it be easier to go into the Dungeon with a Party from your own Familia?”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible…” Lili shook her head with a sigh. “Lili is considered the runt of the Familia, so no one will take her with them.”

Bell’s heart went out to her for being left out by her own Familia. It reminded him of all the time he spent getting rejected all over Orario before meeting Hestia. No one should be left out by their own Familia. Wasn’t the whole point of a Familia to be a family and support the same Deity?

“It’s gotten so bad lately that Lili has to sleep at cheap motels.” Lili crossed her arms with a dejected sigh. “I’m almost out of money and can’t take much more.” She turned to face Bell and leaned closer. “So, please, please, please! Take Lili into the Dungeon with you, Mister!”

“I understand your situation, Miss Liliruca.” Bell calmed the girl down. “Can I ask you something first?”

“Yes, what is it?” Lili sat back in her original spot on the bench.

“Have we really never met before?” Bell asked her straight out. He wouldn’t forget a face so soon and he was certain that Lili was the Prum girl from last night.

“Lili thinks this is the first time…are you confusing her with someone else?” Lili looked at him closely.

“If it’s okay…could you take off your hood?” Bell requested, knowing that if he saw her completely, then he’d know for sure.

“Oh…um, okay.” Lili seemed hesitant, but she slowly moved her hands up to her hood. When the cloth was pulled back and fell down to Lili’s back, a pair of fluffy dog ears were revealed.

“Eh?” Bell blinked in shock. They looked very similar to Naaza’s ears! “You’re a Chienthrope?”

“Yes,” Lili nodded slightly as she lifted her beige cloak out of the way and an equally fluffy brown tail was revealed. It also gave Bell a view of her legs and thighs. Lili wore thigh high black stockings that were a bit torn near the top. She also had a red skirt on with a brown belt. The belt was left unbuckled and the skirt was left unzipped in the front. If the wagging of Lili’s tail hadn’t distracted him, Bell might have guessed that the skirt was actually too small for Lili.

‘Not a Prum, but a Chienthrope? No way…’ Bell couldn’t believe it. Unbidden his hands moved forward. Lili blinked at him before his hands gently grasped her ears and began to play with them. ‘They’re real!’ He exclaimed internally as he continued to play with the fluffy ears. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear Lili gasping and mewling at having her ears played with. ‘I’m sure of it. Real ears. She isn’t that Prum girl. They look almost identical, but Lili is a different Race altogether!’

“U-Um…Mister…” Lili’s face was bright red as Bell continued to play with her ears. “Lili doesn’t offer those kinds of services…”

“S-sorry!” Bell let go of her ears and drew back as if smacked.

“To think that Lili’s precious ears would be felt up like that…” Lili covered her ears and pouted at Bell. “You’re going to take responsibility for this.”

“I’m really sorry.” Bell gave her a short bow as he apologized. “Um…why are you hiding what you are?”

“Lili’s fur is dirty and matted. I don’t want people to see it like that.” Lili pulled her hood back up to hide her ears. “Well, what do you say, Mister? Will you hire Lili?”

“Do I need to pay anything in advance?” Bell asked the Supporter how she operated.

“Today is a trial run, so you can just split the Dungeon loot.” Lili smiled and clapped her hands together. “Thirty percent would make Lili jump for joy!”

“Alright then,” Bell smiled back at the happy girl. “I’m a little late, but my name is Bell Cranel. Miss Liliruca, please help me in the Dungeon today.”

“Thank you so much!” Lili cheered and Bell couldn’t help but smile more.

Bell led the way to the food shop first. After waiting in the short line he ordered two meals and after paying for them handed both to Lili. When she blinked at him in confusion he smiled at her.

“Can you hold onto our lunches today, Lili?” Bell requested of the Supporter.

“You bought one for me too?” Lili stared at him as if she’d never seen a person like him before.

“Well yeah, you’re helping me out in the Dungeon today, the least I can do is feed you.” Bell explained to the girl kindly.

“Oh, thank you.” Lili set her backpack down and opened it up. She secured the two sealed lunches into an interior pocket before closing the top and putting the straps back on her shoulders. The two headed for the Guild Building next.

“Why’re we stopping in the lobby?” Lili questioned as they walked through the doors. She kept her head down a little just in case she was recognized.

“I need to check in with my Dungeon Advisor about something.” Bell explained before spotting Eina. A warm smile formed on his face as he walked over to her. “Good morning, Eina.”

“Bell!” Eina lit up and her beautiful smile was shown to him again. “Good morning, who is this?” She grinned at the Supporter.

“This is Miss Liliruca, she’s my Supporter today.” Bell introduced Lili to her.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Liliruca, my name is Eina Tulle, I’m Bell’s Dungeon Advisor.” Eina introduced herself politely.

“Liliruca Arde, nice to meet you.” Lili gave the Half-Elf a smile.

“A female Supporter, why am I not surprised?” Eina tilted her head with a playful grin.

“Eina, you know it’s not like that!” Bell waved his hands in front of him.

“I’m just teasing you, Bell.” Eina giggled behind her hand. “You want to know if I’ve been able to find you an instructor.”

“Yes, please.” Bell sighed and hoped Lili didn’t think anything weird about him.

“I’ve done some asking, but most of the other Dungeon Advisors agree that any Adventurer that would be willing to teach you the basics would want payment up front.” Eina shrugged at the rather expected responses. “I’ll ask a few others today, but you’ll most likely have to offer payment.”

“That’s fine, as long as it isn’t too expensive.” Bell agreed with her. He didn’t expect to be taught for free, but he could only afford so much.

The two bid each other a good day, both wishing they weren’t in the middle of the Guild Building so they could share a kiss, before they parted ways. Bell and Lili headed down into the basement of Babel. As they walked down the long spiraling staircase that dropped multiple stories below ground, Bell checked over his armor and knives one last time. Nodding to himself that he was ready, Bell and Lili entered the Dungeon along with dozens and dozens of other Adventurers and Parties.

-Dungeon ~ Floor Six-

“Hmm, it’s my first time on this floor.” Bell mentioned as he looked at the layout of the area. It seemed to be a mix of the tunnels of the first five floors and the more open caverns of the floors seven through twelve. ‘I’m ready; I’ve got new armor and even a Supporter now. Bring it on!’ He drew his knives when he heard the telltale sounds of approaching Monsters.

“Master Bell!” Lili called out as group of Killer Ants appeared from the darkness of one of the tunnels. “Right off the bat!”

Killer Ants were giant ant Monsters that had been dubbed the ‘Newbie Killer’. They would call for help with their distress pheromones if they received any injury that didn’t kill them. The swarms they could form by doing this had led to many Adventurers’ deaths. Common rule of thumb was to slay all Killer Ants first before dealing with any other Monsters. They spawned less frequently on the Sixth Floor and became a more common threat on the Seventh Floor.

“Not a problem,” Bell stepped forward to face the ants. “If it’s just these guys, we’ll be fine!” Lili stared at the black knife in his hands before he rushed forward.

The first Killer Ant lost its head as Bell severed the weaker connective tissue between the body segments. He lunged forward and stabbed straight through the exoskeleton of the next ant with the Hestia Knife. The exoskeleton cracked under the force but the knife got lodged into the dead ant. Bell grimaced as an ant took a swipe at him from the side. He raised his left arm and blocked the three claws of the Killer Ant with the green vambrace Eina had gotten him yesterday. He felt the strike, but he didn’t receive much of any damage. He dropped his Hephaestus Knife into his right hand and decapitated the Killer Ant in a blur of the blade. Yanking the Hestia Knife out of the previous Killer Ant corpse, he leapt at the rest of them.

“Master Bell, above you!” Lili alerted him and Bell saw a large moth with purple wings flying overhead.

“Got it!” Bell tossed the Hephaestus knife at the moth Monster. The blade struck true and buried itself into the center of the moth. It fell out of the air and crashed into the ground. Bell sliced off another Ants’ arm and then its head before rushing to retrieve the thrown knife. He didn’t pay much attention to the purple dust all over the place from the moth. He charged back into the fray to finish off the Killer Ants before they closed in.

“So strong!” Lili complimented his strength as he fought and killed one ant after another.

‘This is so much easier!’ Bell noticed as he continued to fight. ‘Miss Liliruca is moving all of the Monster bodies out of the way. I can focus solely on combat!’

Bell noticed something new approaching among the Killer Ants. They were white rabbits with a single horn emerging from their heads like a Unicorn. He remembered learning about these from Eina. Needle Rabbits, fast and with a lethal stab, they launched themselves at their targets to impale them. They were known to be opportunistic in picking their targets.

“Not happening!” Bell decapitated the last ant and pivoted on his heel to bisect the first Needle Rabbit that launched itself at him. The Hestia Knife cleaved through the rabbit Monster with little resistance. Both halves of the rabbit hit the stone floor behind Bell as he blocked a second with his vambrace and stabbed a third.

“Master Bell, one is about to be born!” Lili warned as one of the walls near her began to crack. The claws of a Killer Ant broke through the stone as it began to emerge.

“Got it!” Bell punted the last Needle Rabbit into the rock wall with all his strength. The small Monster stood little chance against his strength or the impact with the stone. Needle Rabbits were all offense and no defense. They honestly weren’t much more durable than a regular rabbit. “One…” Bell blitzed towards the emerging Monster and then jumped up to meet it. “And two!” He slashed down with the Hestia Knife and split the new Killer Ant’s head in two. The Monster was left half stuck in the wall with its limbs hanging down.

“Master Bell is really, really strong!” Lili praised before looking up at the stuck Monster corpse. “But…what do we do about that?” She reached up and could barely get her hands around one of the dangling legs.

“One second,” Bell smiled as he sheathed both his knives after cleaning them off. He grabbed a dangling leg in each hand and with a heave dragged the dead ant out of the wall. He let it hit the ground before smiling at Lili. “That should make it easier for you, Miss Liliruca.”

“Thank you,” Lili pulled out her own knife and rolled over the first Killer Ant corpse in the pile she’d made. Bell watched on at the speed, ease, and efficiency that Lili extracted the Magic Stone from the dead Monster. As it was crumbling away into the familiar white-gray dust, Lili had already moved on to the next ant in the pile.

“You’re very good at extracting Magic Stones, Miss Liliruca.” Bell praised her while watching her work. He was also keeping his eyes and ears alert for the sounds of approaching Monsters.

“Not really, Master Bell, this is just the only way to be useful.” Lili disagreed as she collected another Magic Stone and moved on to the next Monster in the pile.

“Um, Miss Liliruca, could you stop calling me ‘Master’?” Bell requested with slightly red cheeks.

“Master Bell,” Lili sighed and looked at the stone floor. “Please call Lili ‘Lili’, never add ‘Miss’ to her name.”

“B-But why?” Bell blinked at the change in her tone. She sounded so…resigned.

“Listen carefully, Master Bell.” Lili set her knife aside as she looked up at Bell. “Supporter might sound important, but the vast majority of us just carry the bags. When brave Adventurers that risk their lives fighting Monsters look at us, all they see are weak leeches living off their hard-earned money.” She gave him a lopsided smile before continuing. “It would be arrogant for Supporters to think we are equal to Adventurers. If we did that, Adventurers wouldn’t give us any of the loot.”

“Is that true?” Bell couldn’t understand why. Lili had made this last fight so much easier with her support.

“Lili knows that you’re nice. Unfortunately the world is not.” Lili shook her head slowly. “If other Adventurers heard that Lili was getting full of herself and demanding equal respect…they’d never be willing to work with her.” Bell looked saddened by the treatment Lili had obviously gone through in her time as a Supporter. “I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, Master Bell, but think of it as helping Lili, please?”

“Okay…Lili…” Bell agreed with a sad sigh.

“Thank you very much.” Lili gave him a small smile with her eyes closed. When she opened them again she decided to move the conversation along. “On a different note, are you really a newbie Adventurer? You slayed all of these Monsters by yourself…”

“I might have won, but they almost had me a few times…” Bell admitted with a shake of his head. “Every time I go to a new Floor and encounter new Monsters, I stumble and flail until I get a read on them. I’m still inexperienced, so I can’t identify and react like a better Adventurer would.”

“That’s only because you fight alone.” Lili replied to his self-evaluation. “Most Adventurers travel in Parties of between three and five. No one wants to fight solo.”

“But that’s not to say they can’t.” Bell shrugged, knowing very well that there were plenty of Adventurers that could fight solo. “I’m only Level 1. There’s a lot of Adventurers that’re stronger than me.”

“Yes…that’s true.” Lili admitted, hiding her confusion at Bell’s humbleness.

“I’ve still got a long way to go.” Bell smiled at her with a chuckle.

“Well, Master Bell’s strength is more than just his Status.” Lili eyed the Hestia Knife for a moment. “That knife seems to be very powerful too.”

“That’s true,” Bell rubbed the back of his head. “I’m worried I might start relying on it too much.”

“No, no, wielding a powerful weapon like that is proof of your true strength.” Lili disagreed with a smile. “Even so, how in the world did you get a knife that powerful?” She questioned as she continued to extract Magic Stones. “Lili doesn’t mean to be rude, but Master Bell is still a newbie, so you wouldn’t be rich.”

“My Goddess, the head of my Familia gave it to me.” Bell answered with a fond smile on his face. “She went through a lot of trouble to get one of her friends to make it.”

“What a nice Goddess you have.” Lili kept her head down as she replied. The pain in her voice she could hide, but only the blind would miss the pain in her eyes. “Huh?” She broke from her melancholy as a Drop Item was left behind from the Needle Rabbit she’d just finished harvesting. The horn of the Needle Rabbit was its Drop Item, known as a Needle Rabbit’s Tusk. They were worth a bit at the Guild Exchange.

“A Drop Item? Nice.” Bell smiled as he saw the horn left behind.

“Yes, the Needle’s Rabbit’s Tusk sells for a decent amount of Valis at the Exchange.” Lili gave Bell a smile as she continued her work. By the time she was done, she was nearly gaping at what she was seeing.

“Something wrong, Lili?” Bell questioned, noticing that she’d gone still after the last Monster, the Purple Moth, had crumbled away into the white-gray dust.

“This is crazy…” Lili looked beside her and then back in front of her. “Drop Items don’t occur this often, not even on the double digit floors.” She showed Bell the three Needle Rabbit’s Tusks she’d already collected and the Purple Moth Wing that had been left behind after the Purple Moth’s body had turned into the ash-like dust. “We’ve only been in the Dungeon for a short time and we’ve already collected four Drop Items!”

“That’s good though, right?” Bell blinked at her shocked expression. Wasn’t getting Drop Items always a good thing?

“I mean…it’s great, of course, but still…” Lili looked between the four Drop Items and Bell. “Are you some kind of lucky charm, Master Bell?”

“Lucky charm?” Bell had never been called that before and wasn’t sure how to take it.

“Perhaps we should call it a day, even though it’s early?” Lili suggested as she placed the Drop Items into her large backpack.

“Already? But I can keep going easily.” Bell cocked his head to the side.

“No, no, that’s being overconfident.” Lili shook her head. “The dust that the Purple Moth Monster spreads is poisonous. The effects aren’t immediate, but breathing in too much will poison the body.”

“Right,” Bell pounded his right fist into his left palm. “I remember now, Eina taught me about them.”

“Lili isn’t sure she actually has an Antidote on her, she was careless.” Lili apologized with a short bow. “I can check, but if there’s not one in my pack, then we’ll have to return to Babel for treatment.”

“It’s fine, Lili, I’ve got an Antidote.” Bell pulled out a vial of a transparent green liquid from his own backpack. “Eina told me I should keep one at all times once I went past the Fifth Floor.” He uncorked the vial and downed the Antidote in one go. “Egh…Miss Naaza was right, that’s not like a Potion.” He scrunched up his face at the taste.

“Oh, Master Bell is well prepared, that’s a relief.” Lili smiled at him. “Then we can continue if you’d like, Master Bell.”

“Let’s head deeper into the Sixth Floor today, Lili.” Bell grinned as the duo walked onwards. “I’d like to make as much money as possible for my Familia.”

“Yes, Master Bell!” Lili followed along. He wanted to gain money for his Familia, while she wanted to get enough money to leave hers. The world was truly an unfair place.

-Late Afternoon ~ Guild Exchange-

“You’ve got to be blessed with the best kind of luck, Master Bell…” Lili shook her head slowly. Fourteen…fourteen Drop Items in a single day! She couldn’t believe it! This had never happened in all the years she’d been a Supporter.

“We did well today, Lili, that’s all.” Bell was all smiles as they placed their collection of Drop Items and Magic Stones into the tray and drawer at the Exchange window. They had six Needle Rabbit’s Tusks, three Purple Moth Wings, four Kobold Nails, and one Wall Shadow’s Finger Blade.

The Guild worker behind the Exchange window went about her work quickly and efficiently. After shaking her head at the ludicrous amount of Drop Items that a two person team had managed to acquire in a single day. Magic Stones were weighed, the Drop Items were inspected and graded for quality, and calculations were made. “The Drop Items were worth 27,150 Valis, the Magic Stones come out to 37,500 Valis, so your total is 64,650 Valis.” A fairly large sack was placed in the large drawer and pushed over to their side.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Bell picked up the sack filled with the gold coins and grinned happily. He and Lili went over to one of the sitting areas so that Bell could give Eina his report.

“Master Bell, about today’s loot…” Lili eyed the large bag of Valis.

“You were a great help today, Lili.” Bell thanked her with a bright smile. “Let’s just split it fifty-fifty.” Lili had to stop herself from choking on her breath.

“A-Are you sure, Master Bell?” Lili looked into his red-eyes and saw only honesty in them.

“Of course, Lili, you helped me slay more Monsters today than I’ve ever been able to do on my own.” Bell was already opening the bag and pulling out Valis coins. “I’d like it if we could go into the Dungeon again tomorrow too.”

“Lili would like that, Master Bell.” Lili agreed as she watched him count out her share. Her brown eyes glanced at the black knife on his waist again. She’d bide her time for now. If Bell continued being so lucrative, she’d hold off on taking it until she needed to. A knife of that quality and power would surely sell for enough to finally let her buy her way out of Soma Familia.

“There you go, Lili, 32,325 Valis for your share.” Bell handed her the bag while adding his own half into his leather backpack.

“Thank you very much, Master Bell.” Lili grinned as she stowed the bag into her large backpack. “I’ll meet you by the big fountain in front of Babel tomorrow morning at the same time, if that’s alright?”

“That sounds great, Lili, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Bell waved as Lili headed out of the Guild Building and Eina approached him for his report.

“I see you did well with your new Supporter, Bell.” Eina smiled warmly at him.

“She really knew what she was doing. I made a lot today thanks to her.” Bell smiled back as Eina laid out a blank report form and got her pen ready.

“That’s good, I’m sure Hestia will be thrilled.” Eina giggled as she began to write down Bell’s day in the Dungeon with Lili.

-Hestia Familia Home-

Hestia was indeed thrilled when she found out how much Bell had made that day. She’d kissed him senseless before they’d sat down for dinner. After eating and enjoying a relaxing soak in the bath together, Hestia had suggested a Status Update to see if having a Supporter had also been helpful with his growth.

“Hmm, that’s not a Silverback boost, but it’s a bit more than normal for you, Bell.” Hestia mentioned as she pulled the paper off his back. Once Bell had sat back up, she handed his updated Status to him.

-Status-

Bell Cranel

Level 1

Strength – E 410 > E 428

Defense – G 280 > G 294

Utility – E 424 > E 449

Agility – D 509 > D 536

Magic – I 0

Magic

-

Skills

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Dual Wield – Significantly increases Strength and Utility when wielding a weapon in each hand.

-Status-

“Still, 84 points in one day is crazy.” Bell mumbled as he looked at his growth. “I didn’t even stay in the Dungeon late. Lili just made it easier to focus on slaying the Monsters. She took care of all of the bodies and harvesting the Magic Stones. I never realized how much having a Supporter could help.”

“You’ve done amazing, Bell.” Hestia leaned against him with a soft smile. “If I didn’t have to get up for work tomorrow, then I’d give you a very thorough reward.” She sighed at the missed opportunity.

“Can I try something, Goddess?” Bell asked and Hestia leaned back to look him in the eye. “You just have to sit with your back facing me.”

“What’re you up to, Bell?” Hestia did as he requested and let out a gentle coo when she felt his hands on her shoulders.

“Grandpa showed me how to do this growing up.” Bell began to massage her shoulders. “He always said it helped after a day in the fields, and I think I got pretty good at it over the years.”

“Mmm, I’d say so…” Hestia was already feeling her muscles unwinding. Her Bell just continued to surprise her. “Just don’t beat on me like I’ve heard about some massages.”

“Grandpa didn’t mind, but he wasn’t as soft as you are, Hestia.” Bell teased as he continued to massage and moved his hands a little closer to her neck.

“I love you, Bell~” Hestia smiled as she relaxed back into his hands.

“Love you too, Hestia.” Bell kept up the massage, even moving down Hestia’s back, until she was asleep. With a smile that he’d made her relax and sleep easier, he gently wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled the blankets over them. He kissed the top of her head softly and quickly dozed off himself.

-End Chapter-

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Feelings discussed and a date! Bell and Eina are just adorable together, aren’t they?

Bell now has his first set of Pyonkichi Armor made by Welf! He also got a new weapon, a spear for Bell! That’s different! Turns out it was also made by Welf! Bell just has an eye for Welf’s creations, doesn’t he?

Now the real question is can Eina find him another Adventurer to teach him the basics of Spearmanship?

Lili is here! But she’s still the sad, lonely, thief Lili right now.

Bell will fix it! How? Well…you’ll see in the future!

What’s next for the rabbit-like Adventurer that wants to be a Hero?

Keep reading to find out!

Let me know what you think with a review!

Until next time, later!