Familia Myth: Journey to Hero Chapter 14 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Familia Myth: Journey to Hero! Time for a new experience for Bell and the Hestia Familia! Their first request/Quest! How interesting! Will Bell learn from this experience? What will be the results? Are things about to come to a head for Bell?

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 14 – Quest x Quest

The sound of workmen and construction filled the air around the Hestia Familia Home. Teams of Goibniu Familia members were working hard to deconstruct and dismantle every building on the lots that Hestia had purchased. The windfall that Lili had brought to the Hestia Familia would definitely be put to good use. Watching them work was Hestia, as the client, and Miach, at Hestia’s insistence.

“I can’t thank you enough, Hestia.” Miach smiled at his friend and fellow Deity. “I never imagined that you’d be so generous.”

“We’re friends, Miach, so I want to help you out.” Hestia returned his smile with one of her own. “Besides, it was Bell’s suggestion, so make sure to thank him too.”

“I’ll be sure to do just that.” Miach chuckled as he watched the first lot that had been cleared out transform before their eyes as the craftsmen and laborers worked.

This lot was the proposed garden lot that Bell had suggested. It would be used to grow vegetables and the like in a large garden. Once the harvest was ready, it would help lower the Hestia Familia’s grocery bill a decent amount. In one corner of the lot, there was a greenhouse being built to Miach’s specifications. The God of Healing was overjoyed to be able to start growing his Familia’s medicinal herbs and plants rather than having to buy them all. The ability to grow their own ingredients would drastically improve the debt-ridden Familia’s financial situation.

“Where’s the fill dirt for the garden?” A worker called out since the large garden had been outlined and dug into the ground.

“It’s coming!” Another worker, this one with a band around his arm denoting him as a Site Leader. “The Goddess wants to be able to harvest at least once this year. So, I sent Miller’s team to buy the good dirt, mulch, and compost fertilizer from the Demeter Familia. They’ll need the good stuff if they want to start growing right away.”

“Some of that dirt, mulch, and fertilizer is for you as well, Miach.” Hestia informed the blue-haired God. “It should help you start your greenhouse quickly I hope?”

“Very much so, Hestia.” Miach nodded in agreement. “I might have to spend a bit extra, but buying already grown plants and replanting them would be the fastest way to start saving money on ingredients.” He held his chin in thought for a moment. “We’ll also start some seeds for harder to grow plants while we’re at it. Naaza is quite the ingenious Potioneer, so I’m sure with better ingredients she’ll be able to make new and helpful Potions and Elixirs.”

“All at a slight discount for my Familia?” Hestia teased him with a giggle.

“Of course, of course.” Miach played along, a chuckle escaping the member of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

-Inside the Hestia Familia Home-

“I cannot thank you enough, Bell.” Naaza smiled warmly at the white-haired Adventurer. “This boon you’ve given to Lord Miach and myself will not be forgotten.”

“I’m just glad it helps.” Bell waved off the praise. “Barely making ends meet is something both our Familias know quite well.”

“True enough.” Naaza agreed before sipping tea from her cup. She, Lili, and Bell were sitting on the couches in the common area of the Hestia Familia home while their Deities oversaw the construction outside. “On that note…I wonder if you might be able to help me out with a quest?”

“A quest?” Lili narrowed her eyes in suspicion, a force of habit when hearing about things that didn’t go through proper channels first. It was to be expected after the life she’d lived within the Soma Familia.

“Yes…I need the items on this list.” Naaza pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and set it on the coffee table. “I’ll make sure that you’re rewarded, of course.” She gave a small smile to Bell. “It would be of great help to Lord Miach and myself…please.”

“I see…” Bell looked at the list of items along with Lili.

“There’s no time limit…but the sooner the better…if possible. Thank you.” Naaza bowed to Lili and Bell for considering her request.

“An Adventurer request is rare to ask of a Level 1 Adventurer.” Lili looked between the list and Naaza. “Even if our Familias get along, this is still not something that happens often.”

“Eh?” Bell looked at Lili and his girlfriend looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. “Is that true?”

“Yeah.” Lili nodded at the obvious lack of information that Bell had about Quests. “It’s not always the case, but usually Familia-issued requests go to higher-ranking Adventurers.” She picked up the list of items and pointed to one of them. “Gathering these Blue Papilo Wings is definitely a quest that a Level 1 Adventurer can handle, but we haven’t even been told what the reward is yet.”

“That’s true…I guess.” Bell looked toward Naaza, clearly wanting to know what the Chienthrope woman was offering as the reward.

“The reward is twenty-four Low Potions.” Naaza informed with a nod. “You shouldn’t have to worry about stocking up for a bit with that many, right?”

“Twenty-four Low Potions…at 500 Valis each…that’s 12,000 Valis just for gathering in the Upper Floors.” Bell quickly did the math and the value of a Low Potion for healing in the Dungeon was invaluable regardless.

“Material Gathering quests are the most common that the Guild puts out.” Lili nodded at the simple quest. “But why not just go through the Guild? They only post quests from trustworthy clients…are you not considered trustworthy, Miss Naaza?”

“Lili?!” Bell looked at the Prum with wide eyes.

“No,” Naaza spoke up to get Bell’s attention. “She has a point, Bell. Most quests that don’t go through the Guild are indeed shady.” The Chienthrope woman explained Lili’s suspicion. “My reason for coming directly to you is simply because we can’t afford to post an official Quest through the Guild. The reward I’m offering wouldn’t be considered worth it by most Level 2 Adventurers that often take on said quests.”

“Oh…I see.” Bell felt bad that Naaza didn’t have hope of getting her quest accepted by any Adventurers at the Guild.

“Hmm, the only issue I see with gathering Blue Papilio Wings is that the Blue Papilio is a rare Monster of the Upper Floors.” Lili mentioned as the rest of the items on the short list were more common things like the moss that grew in the Dungeon, and a Purple Moth Wing.

“Now that you mention it, I don’t recall ever seeing one.” Bell agreed after searching his memory for a moment.

“There are ways to find Rare Monsters, of course, but it would involve staking out the Pantry.” Lili hummed as she went over the length of time such a stakeout might take.

“Pantry?” Bell took a second to recall the term. Eina had explained it to him during his lessons. It was a place within the Dungeon where Monsters went to feed. “Where is the Upper Floor Pantry?”

“It’s on the southern side of Floor Seven, Master Bell.” Lili informed him. “We avoided that area when we were clearing the floor.”

“Floor Seven…that shouldn’t be too hard.” Bell considered his growth since he’d been on Floor Seven to clear it. He was stronger now, so it shouldn’t be as difficult.

“The Blue Papilio can’t fight either.” Naaza informed Bell with a small smile. “It has no way to attack others, but it can heal them.”

“It’s not a danger to Master Bell, of course.” Lili looked happy about that. “But hanging around the Pantry is still dangerous with the number of Monsters that come and go. We’d have to make preparations to hunt the Blue Papilio safely.”

“Does that mean you’ll accept my request?” Naaza had a hopeful look on her face.

“We’ll take care of it, Miss Naaza.” Bell confirmed with a nod after sharing a look with Lili.

“Thank you very much.” Naaza gave them a short bow from her seat on the couch. “I’ll go and get the reward ready for you. Please, bring the items on the list over to the Blue Pharmacy when you acquire them.”

“Of course, Miss Naaza.” Bell agreed and the three finished their tea together before going their separate ways to prepare.

-Dungeon-

“Hey Lili, have you seen a Blue Papilio before?” Bell questioned as the two made their way towards the Seventh Floor Pantry.

“Only a few times. But it’s one of the easier-to-find Rare Monsters, I believe.” Lili confirmed as they walked down the corridor.

“Still…that means it might take us a while.” Bell knew how absurdly lucky he’d been to encounter the Jack Bird on the First Floor. Even if the Blue Papilio was less rare, it might be hard to find them.

“It might be a bit of trouble, but don’t worry, just leave everything to Lili.” Lili smiled at him. “If we stakeout the Pantry, a couple of them will show up eventually to eat, I guarantee it!”

Several minutes of walking later and the two encountered a Monster. The large Purple Moth flew quietly through the air in the direction of the Pantry. It hadn’t seemed to notice them yet though. Lili put her arm in front of Bell to get his attention and then held up her right arm, showing him her bowgun. Bell nodded, quickly understanding that Lili wanted to take out the poison-spreading Monster herself with a quiet shot.

“Geeekh!” The Purple Moth let out a quick noise as the bolt from Lili’s bowgun struck it. It fluttered wildly for a second, its wings releasing toxic powder, before it fell to the floor. A second bolt directly to the head killed the insect monster instantly.

“Great job, Lili.” Bell praised and Lili blushed cutely.

“It was nothing, Master Bell.” Lili still happily moved forward, once the toxic cloud had faded, and opened up the Purple Moth. She retrieved the Magic Stone to add to her large backpack with ease. When the Purple Moth disintegrated into the white ash-dust, one of its wings was left behind. “Your luck strikes again, Master Bell.” Lili giggled, showing him the Drop Item, which was also on the list of items that Naaza had given them.

“Am I really that lucky?” Bell rubbed the back of his head.

“Yes.” Lili stated simply as she stashed the Purple Moth Wing into her pack and then hefted it back onto her shoulders. She’d even been able to collect her two bolts again, so that meant she didn’t have to replace them.

“We rarely leave the more normal routes through the Dungeon Floors, so this is the first time we’ve really been this far off the path since we formed our party.” Bell mentioned as they continued on their trek towards the Pantry.

“We’re almost there, Master Bell, we should make sure to keep our voices low to avoid detection.” Lili advised as they turned a corridor after checking that the coast was clear.

“Right.” Bell whispered back as a faint light shown at the end of the corridor they’d just entered.

“That’s the entrance.” Lili informed, pointing towards the light.

“Whoa…” Bell couldn’t help but gape at the massive spire of green quartz in the center of the huge cavern. The quartz was letting off the light they’d seen from the corridor, and around the towering crystal many Monsters were gathered.

“Master Bell, please lower your voice.” Lili shushed him quietly. They didn’t need the Monsters noticing them right now.

“Right…sorry.” Bell apologized in a whisper.

“That giant quartz is the Pantry itself.” Lili informed as they carefully and quietly made their way along the wall of the huge chamber. “You see that liquid coming from the quartz like a spring?” She pointed at what the Monsters were eating at the base of the crystal spire.

“That’s what the Monsters eat normally?” Bell looked shocked that the ferocious Monsters of the Dungeon sustained themselves on such a diet.

“Surprised?” Lili let out a quiet giggle. “Most Adventurers are more familiar with Monsters trying to kill and eat them, rather than this sight.”

“It’s oddly…pretty.” Bell mentioned of the light.

“Yes, the soft light from the quartz, the sound of the spring…if not for the Monsters, you’d hardly believe that you were in the Dungeon.” Lili agreed with him. “We should hide and wait for the Blue Papilio to show up.”

“Right.” Bell nodded and Lili instructed him to climb up to a small outcropping of the rock that made up the walls. Once the two were sitting on the mostly flat spot, Lili pulled out a large green cloth, very close in color to the soft light of the quartz. “Oh, so this is why you bought the cloth.”

“Mhmm, it’s camouflage.” Lili smiled as she covered them with the large cloth, making sure to cover her large backpack as well. “None of the Monsters on the Seventh Floor have very good noses, so as long as we’re quiet, they shouldn’t notice us up here.” She leaned into Bell’s side with a grin. “We just have to be close together to make sure we stay hidden.”

“Right…” Bell looked into her chestnut brown eyes with an amused grin. He leaned down to kiss her lips softly and Lili eagerly returned it. “I’m sure that’s the whole reason.” He wrapped his arm around her waist snugly and rested his head atop hers.

“Heh…” Lili snuggled closer, both of them looking out from the cloth towards the quartz, just waiting for their target to show up.

“What’s the Blue Papilio look like anyway?” Bell questioned after a minute or two of comfortable silence.

“You’ll know it when you see it, Master Bell, trust me.” Lili assured him, looking out at the gathered Monsters to make sure none of them had spotted the hiding pair of Adventurers.

“I wonder…why does the Monster Lure item, the one that’s made of meat, blood, and fat, work on the Monsters if they normally eat from this spring?” Bell looked at the Monsters eating, some leaving after getting their fill, while others showed up to eat randomly.

“Don’t you get tired of eating the same thing over and over again?” Lili replied with a rhetorical question of her own.

“Ah…” Bell understood.

“Even Monsters want variety, I guess.” Lili shrugged, watching the gathering of Monsters eat.

“This seems like it would be a good place to hunt, given that so many Monsters come here.” Bell mentioned, seeing the coming and going of the various Monsters.

“The Pantries are usually far out of the way, like this one.” Lili shook her head. “If you can make it here, it’s easier just to go down to the next Floor since the spawn rate increases the further down you go.”

“Oh, yeah, that would make sense.” Bell nodded after a second to think it over. Why waste time trekking to the Pantry when you could simply take the stairs down a Floor or two and have plenty of Monsters to hunt without going off the regular routes.

“If you’re not careful around here, there’s a serious risk of being swarmed by masses of Monsters.” Lili spoke softly, having heard stories of Adventurer Parties getting swarmed before. “That’s why the Pantries are never chosen as battlefields. It would be too easy to end up with more Monsters than you can handle.”

“That makes sense.” Bell noted the number of Monsters in the Pantry seemed to lower and increase randomly. It would only take a group of Monsters showing up at the wrong time to make hunting here into a death trap.

“Oh! Master Bell!” Lili kept her voice down, but her excitement was clear as she pointed to a newly arrived Monster.

“Is that…the Blue Papilio?” Bell gaped at the pretty Monster. It was a large butterfly monster that had four blue, see through wings. It was much less threatening looking than any Monster that Bell had seen before.

“Yes, it is.” Lili confirmed as she watched the Monster flutter in the air. “Our trip here paid off.”

“The Blue Papilio’s Drop Item is used to make medicine and the like. Is the powder that falls off its wings what enables it to heal others?” Bell wondered aloud, seeing the blue powder glistening from every flap of the insect monster’s wings.

“We can’t start a fight here.” Lili muttered, her eyes never leaving their target. “Let’s wait for it to leave the Pantry and follow it.” Rare Monsters were almost guaranteed to leave a Drop Item behind, so this should work out perfectly for them.

“Got it.” Bell confirmed with a nod as they both got ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

Once the Blue Papilio had gotten its fill from the spring, it fluttered off and out of the pantry. Bell and Lili quietly moved to follow the Monster, making sure to not attract attention from the eating Monsters. As they exited the pantry and entered the corridor, they saw the large blue butterfly Monster flitting away. The duo quickly went after it and Lili raised her bowgun to shoot it down. The bolt struck true, downing the Monster, and Lili took out her knife to finish it off.

“Lili…look!” Bell pointed further down the corridor.

“Huh?” Lili followed Bell’s pointing to see another Blue Papilio flying down the corridor towards them and the Pantry that lay behind them. “No way…”

“I’ve got it.” Bell pulled his Hephaestus Familia knife and waited for the Rare Monster to get closer. Once he was certain that he’d hit it, Bell tossed the knife forward. The blade sank deep into the butterfly Monster’s body, sending it dropping from the air and to the stone floor with a quiet thud.

“Two in one trip, that’s incredibly lucky.” Lili beamed as she quickly set to work. She removed the Magic Stone of the Blue Papilio that she’d killed and watched it turn to ash-dust. All four of the Papilio’s see through wings remained behind, much to her delight.

“Here, Lili.” Bell had retrieved his knife and the one that he’d killed.

“Thank you, Master Bell.” Lili smiled as she carefully extracted its Magic Stone and nearly cheered when another full set of four wings were left behind. Bell’s weird luck couldn’t be more helpful! Lili gently packed up the eight blue wings, making sure not to damage them or rub off the blue powder they were covered in. “This should be more than enough, Master Bell.”

“Alright, let’s head back to the surface after we gather enough of the Dungeon moss.” Bell smiled at finishing the most difficult part of their request. Collecting the moss should only take a few minutes at most.

-Surface-

“I’m glad that worked out so well.” Bell smiled as they stepped into the sunlight.

“Yep, we even got multiples of the Drop Item that we needed.” Lili grinned as they walked towards the Blue Pharmacy together. “The Guild would probably pay us around 14,000 Valis for these, but since they’re for the request we can’t turn them in.”

“I get what Naaza was saying about her reward not being enough for most Adventurers now.” Bell sighed, knowing that most other Adventurers would prefer to turn in the Blue Papilio Wings for the higher payout, rather than Naaza’s reward.

“Yeah, I guess I can see why she didn’t put in an official Quest through the Guild.” Lili knew that before meeting Bell, that she’d definitely have chosen the Valis of the Guild Exchange over the two-dozen Low Potions.

Once they had arrived at the Blue Pharmacy, Bell opened the door for Lili. After his girlfriend had entered the shop, Bell followed after her. Not seeing anyone at the counter, which was a little odd, Bell decided to call out for whoever must be manning the store right now.

“Hello? Lord Miach? Miss Naaza?” Bell raised his voice a bit to be heard in the back.

“Bell?” Naaza emerged from the back with a curious expression. “Did you already complete the request?” The Chienthrope woman seemed stunned that the two had already returned after only being gone for a couple of hours.

“Yes, we just finished a little bit ago.” Bell smiled as Lili set down her large pack and opened it to retrieve the requested items. “We have eight Blue Papilio Wings, one Purple Moth Wing, and the amount of Dungeon moss that you specified.” He spoke as Lili placed the items on the counter.

“Thank you, Bell…great job. I’m very impressed.” Naaza looked over the excess of items that she’d requested in surprise. “You too, Lili.” She smiled at the Prum girl. “I knew I could count on you both.”

“Ehehehe.” Lili grinned before looking at Naaza. “Is the reward ready?”

“Ah, yes, one moment.” Naaza nodded before heading into the back again.

“Remember, Master Bell, a Quest isn’t over until you have the FULL reward.” Lili cautioned her boyfriend, knowing that he had a weak spot for girls that needed help.

“I’m back.” Naaza moved the curtain to the back aside with a box in her hands. “Two-dozen Low Potions, as promised.” She set the box on the counter next to the items that she’d asked the two Adventurers to retrieve.

“Thank you very much, Miss Naaza.” Bell smiled at the Chienthrope that was practically his surrogate older sister.

“One moment, Master Bell.” Lili held out her arm to stop him from finalizing the deal. “Pardon me for my rudeness, and I’ll replace the potion if necessary.” She took one of the Low Potions randomly, popped off the cork and drank some, holding it in her mouth to taste it for a moment.

“L-Lili?” Bell nearly gaped at her brazen display of distrust.

“Hmm…” Lili hummed with her eyes closed as she focused on the taste of the potion. She swallowed before opening her eyes and looking at Naaza. “Please forgive me, Miss Naaza.”

“It’s fine.” Naaza reached out and patted Lili’s head gently with her left hand. “You’re not wrong to be cautious, Lili.”

“Eh?” Bell looked between the two women. “What?”

“I was checking to see if the potions had been tampered with or watered down, Master Bell.” Lili informed him of the purpose of her actions.

“It’s a common trick among the unscrupulous Potion Shops around Orario.” Naaza nodded to Bell. “Make a Low Potion, pour half into a second vial, add water with a certain blend of herbs to mimic the taste to replace the missing halves, then sell both for full price.”

“Oh…I never knew.” Bell was suddenly very glad that he’d always come to the Blue Pharmacy to get his potions.

“Fwahahahaha! Excuse me!” A booming voice declared, right before the front door burst open and almost hit the wall it was attached to from swinging so wide.

“Huh?!” Bell nearly took a step back from the boisterous entrance.

“I’m here to collect the money you owe me, Miiiiaaaach!” The God that had just burst into the shop exclaimed loudly. He was an older-looking man, with silver-gray hair and a full beard. He wore an immaculate white robe with golden designs on the hems, cuffs, and collar, along with a white stole over it with similar golden lining and designs. On his feet were pristine brown leather boots that looked expensive even to Bell’s untrained eyes.

“Hah…” The woman that followed behind the God sighed at his behavior. She was a beauty, with long silvery hair and deep purple eyes. Her outfit was a mix of white and blue, with yellow accents. She wore a white cloth hat on her head with a yellow line horizontally across it. Her dress was blue on the sides with a large vertical white stripe going from collar to hem. Over that she wore a white shirt that had light-blue vertical lines on it. Her long gloves seamlessly flowed into her clothes, leaving not a trace of her clear soft skin exposed. Under the collar of her dress was a short red tie with a yellow line near the end to complete her outfit.

“Dian Cecht…” Naaza eyed the God with distaste. Her eyes drifted over to the other woman but lost none of their sharpness. “…Airmid.”

“Dian.” Miach came out from the back of the shop with a resigned expression on his face.

“You never showed up to pay, so I came to get the money myself.” Dian Cecht explained with a wide smirk. “You should be grateful, you poor peasants! Fwahahahaha!”

‘It’s not hard to tell what this God’s personality is like…’ Bell thought to himself as he watched Dian Cecht continue his tirade.

“This place is always so dusty! If I stay here too long, I’m gonna get sick!” Dian Cecht complained about the state of the Blue Pharmacy. “Let’s get this over with. Besides, it looks like there’s even more poor people here than usual!”

“That’s Lord Dian Cecht.” Lili whispered to Bell.

“Who?” Bell whispered his question back. He wasn’t familiar with all of the Deities within Orario. There being around three-hundred of them made that almost impossible.

“His Familia is famous among Adventurers for its healing and potion-making.” Lili informed Bell without drawing attention to either of them. “Since the Miach Familia does the same, I suppose that makes them rivals.”

“So, do you have this month’s payment ready, Miach?” Dian Cecht questioned with a hard look.

“I…” Miach began, only to be cut off by Dian Cecht.

“Heh, you don’t, do you? You don’t, do you? Gwahahaha! You never pay your bills!” Dian Cecht mocked the other God.

“Tch…” Naaza barely restrained herself from speaking.

“I’m a compassionate guy, so I’ve turned a blind eye so far, but your carelessness with money is getting out of hand.” Dian Cecht talked as if he was magnanimous and caring. “If you can’t make this month’s payment by tomorrow, then I’m kicking you out and selling this crummy old shop!” He threatened while raising his voice. “You’d better have the money ready! Fwahahaha! Let’s go, Airmid!”

“Yes, Lord Dian Cecht…” Airmid gave them all an apologetic look before following after her God as he left the shop in the same boisterous way he’d entered.

“I’m sorry that you had to see that.” Miach spoke softly to Bell and Lili. “Dian Cecht and I haven’t gotten along in a very long time, even when we were both still back in Tenkai.” He sighed at the ongoing feud. “Even after coming to Gekai and starting Familias, we haven’t made peace with one another.” He shook his head at the stubbornness of Dian Cecht. “We’re both in the same business, and we are more or less equals, but…”

“I ruined that.” Naaza spoke up miserably.

“Huh?” Bell was confused by her words. Naaza was the Captain of the Miach Familia, the only one that had stayed behind after the Familia had acquired an incredible amount of debt at that. How could she have ruined anything?

“I used to be an Adventurer, as you know.” Naaza sighed, her left hand going to grip her right arm. “I went into the Dungeon to make a living just like you do. But one day, I made a mistake.” Her eyes seemed to be looking at something far away from the here and now. “A Monster overcame me and devoured my right arm.” She pulled up the long sleeve to show them her prosthetic arm.

“A silver arm?!” Lili gaped at the prosthetic limb. It had to have cost a fortune on top of a fortune.

“Lord Miach got this for me, after begging the Dian Cecht Familia over and over again.” Naaza looked at the silver arm that had caused the near total collapse of the Miach Familia.

“Your right arm was devoured…?” Bell’s red eyes were focused on the silver arm, not able to comprehend how much agony Naaza must’ve suffered through from such an experience.

“Monsters will eat anything, Master Bell. Not just the food from the Pantry. They’ll even eat each other sometimes.” Lili stated with grimace on her face.

“The Dian Cecht Familia’s business is in healing and potion-making. But they also offer more specialized services that Adventurers might need. Like this silver arm.” Naaza spoke quietly, her fingers running over the metal.

“But they’re as expensive as the finest quality weapons from what I hear.” Lili recalled from her years as a Supporter.

“Yes…” Naaza’s eyes were dull as she spoke. “Lord Miach went into great debt to acquire this arm for me. At the time, we were a medium-sized Familia. But none of the others could stomach the debt. They got tired of Lord Miach and left the Familia. Every single one of them…”

“That’s terrible…” Bell couldn’t imagine just abandoning his Familia because of debt.

“I can’t fight Monsters anymore.” Naaza’s entire body shook in a deep-seated fear. “I learned from the older members how to make potions and became a pharmacist, but…I can’t make enough money to pay back the debt. I feel so useless…”

“Naaza…” Miach called out to his last Familia member.

“That’s why we’re in debt to them. It’s all my fault.” Naaza blamed herself.

“Naaza, enough. Stop it.” Miach shook his head, his blue eyes holding nothing but care and concern for her.

“But what are you going to do now?” Bell questioned the pair. “Dian Cecht said that he’d sell this place if you can’t pay by tomorrow.”

“Do you have some way of getting the money?” Lili asked, worried that the two would end up with nowhere to go. She’d been through that before herself.

“…I do, but…I can’t do it alone. Not even with Lord Miach’s help.” Naaza sighed heavily.

“Then don’t do it alone.” Bell smiled at Naaza. “Lili and I are willing to take another request, right Lili?” He looked at Lili with a knowing grin. “I was told recently that I should learn from every adventure. That they all have meaning and each new experience would help me get closer to my goals. So, what else do you need, Naaza?”

“Master Bell…” Lili smiled at him, loving his kindness and thoughtful personality. “I agree! We’re both ready to go, we just need someone to give us a request.” She looked at Naaza expectantly.

“You two…” Miach couldn’t help but smile at the two. They weren’t even part of his Familia, yet they wanted to help. “I’ll owe you both for this.”

“Bell, are you sure about this? I…” Naaza wanted to accept their help, but the Hestia Familia was already doing so much for them.

“Miss Naaza, you’ve sold me potions that have saved my life. You’ve shared your experience as an Adventurer with me freely. Helping you is the least I can do to repay some of that.” Bell’s red eyes were firm with resolve. He wouldn’t back down from this.

“Bell, thank you…” Naaza graced him with a warm and heartfelt smile that made Bell smile back instinctively.

“So, what’re you doing that’ll let you make the money in time?” Lili asked, wanting to know how they were going to get the payment made.

“These items that I requested you to collect.” Naaza motioned to the Blue Papilio Wings, the Purple Moth Wing, and the Dungeon moss. “Are ingredients for a new potion that I’ve come up with, along with Lord Miach’s help.”

“It was almost all you, Naaza.” Miach shook his head. “I’ve only run some tests with you to try and puzzle out the right mixtures necessary to finish it.”

“A new potion?” Bell looked over the three items they’d brought back.

“Yes, something never seen before.” Naaza nodded, hopeful that with its completion the Miach Familia could wipe out most, if not all of their debt. “But we’re still missing the final ingredient that it needs to be stable and able to be stored long enough to be useful.”

“What ingredient is that?” Lili tilted her head. She was wondering if they’d need to go deeper into the Dungeon to acquire this ingredient too.

“Bloodsaurus Eggs.” Naaza answered with an uneasy smile. “Outside of Orario, a few hours by carriage, is the Seolo Forest. Monsters that are the descendants of ones that escaped the Dungeon before Orario was built roam there. That includes Surface Versions of Bloodsaurus.”

“B-Bloodsaurus?!” Bell only knew about them thanks to Eina’s in-depth lessons. “Aren’t they usually found around the Thirtieth Floor?!”

“You don’t have to worry, Bell.” Naaza assured him softly. “Surface Monsters are much weaker than the ones from the Dungeon. Every time a Monster on the surface reproduces, it shaves off a small piece of its own Magic Stone and puts it into an egg. That egg then develops into a Baby Monster and over time grows into its full form. This constant splitting of the Magic Stone means that most Monsters on the surface are only about one-third as strong as their equivalent in the Dungeon.” The Level 2 former Adventurer explained to ease Bell’s worries.

“One-Third?” Bell looked at Naaza for a long moment. “If the Dungeon Bloodsaurus is around a Thirtieth Floor Monster, then a Surface Bloodsaurus would be close to a Tenth Floor Monster.”

“You hunt in the Tenth Floor nowadays, Master Bell, you should be fine.” Lili thought over the difference in strength and how strong Bell was currently.

“We’ll have to let Hestia know, of course.” Bell nodded with a smile. “But I’m sure she’ll be all for it.”

“If we leave first thing in the morning, then we should be able to get back before Dian Cecht returns for the money in the late afternoon.” Naaza nodded to Bell and Lili with a determined look on her features.

“Quest received. Client, Miach Familia. Reward, a newly-completed potion. Description, recover Monster Eggs.” Bell spoke with a grin. “Let’s do our best!”

-Hestia Familia Home-

“Outside of Orario?” Hestia looked at Bell and Lili with a sigh. “I can’t say ‘no’ to helping Miach, but that does still worry me.”

“Leaving Orario isn’t difficult, but the line to get back in might slow you down.” Eina warned Lili and Bell as the four of them sat around the table for dinner. “The guards are trained to be thorough in their inspections. And the Ganesha Familia helps them out daily.”

“So, we need to leave early and make sure to finish collecting the eggs as quickly as possible.” Lili nodded as she thought over the time it would take to travel to and from the Seolo Forest. “We can’t really change the travel time, so we can only increase our own speed.”

“I’ll go with you two.” Hestia decided with a nod. “I’d just be worried about you until you came home if I didn’t.”

“Is that allowed?” Bell looked between Eina and Hestia.

“Yes, though only because Hestia has a Familia within Orario.” Eina explained with her ‘teacher mode’ clearly taking over. “If Hestia didn’t have a Familia in Orario, then she could leave, but getting back in would be very difficult. Many Deities would like to keep out certain others and that causes no end of hassle when a new Deity wants to move into Orario.”

“I can imagine.” Hestia gently put her hand on Eina’s with a gentle smile.

“However, the fact that she’s taking members of her Familia with her outside the walls should keep the exiting process simple.” Eina smiled at the three of them. “If she had attempted to leave by herself and not taken anyone, then Ganesha Familia would’ve been instructed to ask her to turn back until she had someone from her Familia with her.”

“Is it because the wilderness between the settlements is dangerous?” Bell guessed the most likely scenario.

“Exactly, Bell.” Eina graced him with her beautiful smile. “Monsters don’t respond to a Deity’s Divinity like we Mortals do. So, a God or Goddess confronted by a Monster is little different from an ordinary person. That would make them easy prey for most Monsters.”

“Luckily I have my two strong Adventurers to keep me safe.” Hestia giggled, making Lili and Bell blush slightly at the praise and believe that Hestia had in them.

“We’ll have to get up early then, so we should probably head to bed soon.” Lili spoke to the other three. “After a nice bath, of course.”

“Agreed.” Hestia turned to smile brightly at Eina. “You’re staying the night, right, Eina?”

“Yes, if you don’t mind.” Eina had pink cheeks as she caught Bell’s eyes.

“Of course not, you’re family, Eina.” Hestia hugged the Half-Elf warmly. Eina returned the hug with a happy grin and the three girls stood up from the table to head for the large bath. “Bell, can you take care of the dishes, please?”

“Sure,” Bell laughed as he started collecting the used dishware. “Enjoy your bath girls.” He’d take his once he was done washing the dishes.

-Bedroom-

“Oh…” Bell had just come from his bath and had changed into his pajama pants before leaving the bathroom. Opening the door to the Master Bedroom revealed Hestia, Lili, and Eina all on the bed in their own pajamas. Hestia in her normal white nighty that only went down to mid-thigh. Lili wore a loose t-shirt and cotton short shorts. Eina had brought her own pajamas, a nightgown similar to Hestia’s, but covering a bit more of her thighs.

“Come to bed, Bell~” Hestia made a beckoning motion to her lover.

“We saved the middle spot for you, Master Bell.” Lili grinned at him.

“It’s been a while since we last slept beside each other, Bell.” Eina was faintly red, but clearly eager to cuddle up to him for the night.

“How did I get this lucky?” Bell mumbled to himself as he moved over to the bed and climbed in.

“Because you’re you, Bell.” Hestia looked into his eyes lovingly before capturing his lips in a soft kiss.

The kissing continued as Eina took his lips next, the Half-Elf gentle as always, pouring her love and affection for Bell into their kiss. She hummed in joy when she felt Bell’s own love for her through their lip lock. Lili’s kiss started out soft and gentle, the Prum always happy to receive affection from her boyfriend. When she pressed forward, opening her mouth to deepen their kiss, she moaned lowly as Bell’s more experienced tongue began to play with her own.

“Master Bell…” Lili cooed as she fell into his chest with a smile. Bell leaned back and landed on the mattress with Lili in his arms.

“Goodnight, Eina.” Hestia leaned over Bell and pecked Eina’s lips.

“H-Hestia?!” Eina blushed adorably at the little kiss before burying her face into Bell’s neck and snuggling close to hide.

“Goodnight, Lili.” Hestia found the brunette’s lips and Lili blinked at Hestia after the soft peck she’d received. The rapid darkening of Lili’s cheeks made Hestia giggle.

“Goodnight, Bell.” Hestia’s kiss with Bell was much deeper, their tongues meeting for a short time before they separated with smiles.

“Goodnight, Hestia.” Bell smiled as his Goddess snuggled into his left side with a content grin on her lips. “Goodnight, Eina.” He kissed the top of Eina’s head and heard a muffled ‘goodnight’ in return from the shy Half-Elf. “Goodnight, Lili.” Bell kissed Lili’s forehead and she quickly snuggled into his chest with a happy smile on her lips.

All four slept wonderfully that night, enjoying the warmth and closeness of their loved ones.

-Carriage to Seolo Forest-

“That’s a nice outfit, Hestia.” Miach complimented as the group rode in the carriage together.

Hestia was wearing white pants, a frilly white button-up shirt with a light-purple jacket, both of which left her cleavage visible. Hestia liked to let her girls ‘breathe’ when able. The curse of a large bust was how uncomfortable and restricting some clothes could be. Goddesses didn’t have back pain like Mortal women could have from being so physically blessed. Atop the Goddess’s head was a matching light-purple flat hat. Her hair was stilled styled into its normal twin-tails with the little bell ties that Bell had bought for her.

“Thank you,” Hestia smiled at the compliment. “I figured something a little more covering would be appropriate since we’re going into the wilderness.”

“That’s why Lili wore her normal Adventuring clothes.” Lili mentioned while sitting on Bell’s opposite side from Hestia. “If we have to fight Monsters, then Lili wants to be prepared.”

“It’ll be a few hours until we get to the forest.” Naaza covered a yawn from the early hour. “We could relax and catch up on sleep for a bit.”

“That might be for the best.” Miach nodded to the group. “Being well-rested can only increase our likelihood of success.”

“I could nap.” Bell still missed the warmth and softness he’d been surrounded by last night. “I slept well, but we did have to get up really early.” His comment made both Lili and Hestia giggle softly as they leaned into his sides and rested their heads against him. In only a few minutes the three had nodded off together.

“Naaza?” Miach blinked and looked at Naaza as she leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Shh…just…let me have this.” Naaza requested of her God. Her eyes closed as she relaxed against him.

“Alright then…” Miach couldn’t say ‘no’ to that. He smiled softly at Naaza while her breathing evened out and she fell asleep against him.

-Seolo Forest-

The sounds of birds passed through the air like a gentle breeze. The forest was before the group of five, two Deities and three Adventurers. The carriage was five-hundred meters away with the coachmen armed with a repeating crossbow to take out any small Monsters that might show up. The man refused to get any closer to the forest itself for fear of his safety and the safety of his horses.

“So…how do we go about finding these Monster Eggs?” Bell looked at the vast forest, wondering how they’d search it.

“That shouldn’t be too hard.” Naaza looked at Bell. “The Bloodsaurus is five meters tall and weighs quite a bit. We’ll be able to hear it coming once it’s close enough. We can also find its tracks in the soft dirt of the forest.” The Chienthrope woman’s dog ears twitched and she inhaled deeply to take in the scents around her. “In fact…I smell a strong reptilian scent already.”

“You do?” Bell looked around warily, his spear at the ready.

“Lili, can I ask you to protect Lord Miach and Lady Hestia until I return?” Naaza requested of the Prum girl.

“Leave it to Lili!” Lili nodded, pulling up her sleeve and readying her bowgun.

“Follow me, Bell.” Naaza motioned to the white-haired teen and the two set off into the forest.

“Be careful you two!” Miach and Hestia called out in unison.

-Deeper in the Forest-

“Here’s one.” Naaza pointed out a partial footprint in the grassy soil. It was a large footprint, bigger than any Bell had ever seen before.

“I get the feeling that five meter tall is still going to be bigger than I am imagining.” Bell took a fortifying breath as Naaza listened to their surroundings.

“Bloodsaurus aren’t known to form large packs or anything, they would compete with each other for food.” Naaza explained what she knew of the Monsters. “However, they can nest somewhat close together, so we should make sure that we only draw the attention of a single one.”

“Right…” Bell nodded and then became concerned when he saw Naaza freeze up and start to tremble. “Miss Naaza?”

“Th-There…” Naaza pointed a trembling finger towards a large, red-scaled beast standing on two legs with much smaller arms near the front. It had a long mostly straight tail and walked with its spine parallel to the ground. Its large head faced forward along with two bright yellow eyes that stared at Naaza and Bell. The reptilian Monster’s nostrils flared as it caught their scents.

“Yeah…I was right…five meters is taller than I imagine.” Bell stared at the large dinosaurian Monster for a long moment before it roared and started charging towards them.

“Sorry, Bell, I need you to distract it!” Naaza exclaimed as she bolted away into the trees. Bell briefly realized that he’d never seen Naaza so loud and animated before.

“RAAARRRRGGGWWWRRR!!!” The Bloodsaurus’s roar was nearly deafening and Bell bolted to the side while raising his left hand.

“Firebolt!” Bell cast and the flames leapt from his hand to slam into the Monster’s face.

“Raaagghh!” The Bloodsaurus stomped around in aggravation more than pain.

“Is its hide magic resistant or something?” Bell questioned himself as he put his Agility to good use and led the Bloodsaurus far from the nest he could barely make out through the trees.

-Edge of the Forest-

“Hah, hah, hah…we need to take…the chance that Bell…is giving us to collect the eggs.” Naaza was breathing heavily from her sprint back towards Lili, Hestia, and Miach. She was also doing her absolute best to stop herself from locking up in terror from her past trauma.

“Please, lead the way, Naaza.” Miach took her hand in his and gave her a warm and caring smile.

“Yes, Lord Miach.” Naaza felt her tremors subside a bit and quickly led the three back towards the nest.

“RAAAAWWRRRGGHH!!!” The group could hear the Bloodsaurus’s loud roar further into the forest.

“Is Bell going to be okay?” Hestia demanded with worry practically pouring off of her.

“As long as he keeps his distance, the Bloodsaurus has no way of harming him.” Naaza assured the Goddess as the group came upon the unguarded nest.

“Let’s grab them all quickly!” Lili wanted to be done as soon as possible so that Bell could return to them and they could leave the forest, and the Bloodsaurus, behind. She threw open her large backpack and Miach quickly put the first two Monster Eggs inside. He was followed by Naaza and Hestia both gently placing two more eggs inside of the large pack each.

-With Bell-

“Firebolt!” Bell cast straight at the open jaws of the Bloodsaurus. The Monster snapped its jaws shut just before the spell hit it, letting its hide take the shot. “Damn, it’s not stupid.” Bell grimaced as he ducked around a large tree to get out of the Monster’s line of sight.

“Large Monsters can be a pain, but as long as they’re not armored you can usually cripple their legs by attacking their ankles.” Tione’s voice flitted through his mind as he recalled something she’d said while they were taking a break once.

“Right…it’s bipedal, so it can’t run or walk with only one leg!” Bell realized the Bloodsaurus’s anatomical weakness. He moved around the large tree, hearing the Bloodsaurus’s heavy footfalls as it stalked after him, trying to catch sight of its intended prey again. “There.” Bell whispered quietly as he saw the Bloodsaurus’s tail. With a deep breath Bell rushed forward and readied his spear. The huge Monster took another step forward, clearly still looking for Bell around the large tree. “Yah!” Bell swung his black spear with all of his strength against the back of the Bloodsaurus’s right ankle.

“RAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!” The Bloodsaurus’s roar shook the air as blood flew from the injury.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Bell cursed repeatedly as he bolted from beneath the beast as its right leg gave out and it toppled to the ground.

“Raaargggh!” The Bloodsaurus tried to right itself, flailing as it couldn’t put any weight on its right leg.

“Firebolt!” Bell cast and the flames rocketed into the Bloodsaurus’s head, right into its large eye. The reptilian Monster bellowed out a pained cry as it lost its eye to the flames. “Nnnnrrrgghh!” Bell sprinted at his top speed, poised his spear to strike at the injured Monster, and with skill born form training and experience, slashed the Bloodsaurus’s exposed neck wide open.

“Nkhkhkhkh…” The Bloodsaurus let out a gurgled clicking sound as its lifeblood left it in liters from the gaping wound. Bell breathed deeply to get his breath, but also to try and steady his heart rate. That was the largest Monster he’d ever defeated, so far. He needed a moment to calm down and process.

“I wonder…if we can get Drop Items from Surface Monsters?” Bell pondered as he caught his breath. If they really were so much weaker than the Monsters in the Dungeon, would they even be strong enough to produce Drop Items?

-Lili, Naaza, Miach, and Hestia-

“Did you hear that?” Lili questioned of the loud crash they’d heard a few moments ago.

“Do you think Bell is okay?!” Hestia was clearly about to bolt in Bell’s direction regardless of the potential danger.

“Naaza, guide us, please!” Miach wanted to check on Bell as well. The boy was doing so much for his Familia, the least they could do was try and help him.

“Yes, Lord Miach.” Naaza forced herself to stop shaking as best as she could. ‘Maybe the crash was Bell defeating the Bloodsaurus? If it’s dead then I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I’m going to be fine.’ She kept repeating the words in her head as her acute sense of smell followed the scent of the Bloodsaurus. Naaza nearly staggered to a stop as the overwhelming stench of blood hit her nose. There had to be tons of it for the smell to be this strong!

“Master Bell!” Lili cried out in supreme relief at seeing Bell standing, seemingly uninjured, while the Bloodsaurus lay dead before him.

“Oh, hey…” Bell was cut off as he had to catch the flying form of Hestia as she launched herself at him and nearly smothered him in a hug.

“Oh Bell! I was so worried!” Hestia laid kisses all over his face and cheeks before being pulled away by Lili.

“Master Bell!” Only for Lili to then throw herself into his arms and nearly hug the life out of him. The Prum could be deceptively strong when she wanted to be, apparently!

“Bell…” Naaza let out a breath she didn’t know that she was holding.

“Lili!” Hestia pouted at Lili hugging Bell alone. “Let me hug him too!” She pressed herself into Bell’s back, and Bell blushed a little since Miach and Naaza were watching this.

“Ah, I’m glad that you’re alright, Bell.” Miach smiled at the teen. “Hestia, I know that you’re happy, but we should probably leave soon.”

“I was a little worried there for a bit.” Bell admitted as he hugged Lili back. “But I knew Naaza would lead you guys to me if I didn’t find you first.”

“…Bell.” Naaza was touched that he’d place so much faith in her. Faith that she couldn’t seem to place in herself anymore. ‘He trusts me that much? But all I’ve done is sell him potions. I even got him to accept this request for such a small reward, just to help my Familia with our problems.’ She didn’t even realize that she’d stopped her shaking entirely as she hardened her resolve. ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to repay you for this, Bell. If you ever need my help, I’ll do everything I can to assist you!’

“Monsters on the surface barely have Magic Stones to speak of normally.” Lili looked to Naaza for confirmation. The Chienthrope nodded to confirm the statement and looked over the dead Bloodsaurus. “But what about a big Monster like this?”

“Perhaps one around the size of an Orc’s…maybe?” Naaza suggested and pointed to the center of the dead Monster’s torso. “It would be around there, if it had one that was worthwhile.”

“Master Bell, can you open up the Bloodsaurus with your spear?” Lili requested with a smile, though there was a notable hint of urgency in her tone. The smell of all this blood would undoubtedly attract other Monsters if they didn’t hurry.

“Sure thing.” Bell walked over to the dead Monster and stabbed into with his spear. Drawing the long rapier-like blade down the chest cavity and torso saw the Bloodsaurus’s guts fall out from the sheer weight. “Oh...” Bel coughed as the smell hit him. “That’s unpleasant!”

“Hmm.” Naaza had her hand over her nose and small tears at the corners of her eyes.

“There!” Lili spotted the Magic Stone amidst the gore and took out her knife to cut it free. The Bloodsaurus slowly lost its red color as its body began to turn into the ash-dust. Lili backed away as a thick cloud of the white-gray dust was formed as the body collapsed into a pile of the stuff. The Prum was quick to toss the Magic Stone (roughly the size of an Orc’s, maybe a little bigger) into her pack. “Hmm?” Her sharp eyes noticed a shape in the settling dust and she took a few steps to grab the object and pull it out. “What’s this?”

“Bloodsaurus Hide.” Naaza informed Lili after a second to see it. “One of the Drop Items of a Bloodsaurus.”

“Let’s roll it up and take it with us, quick!” Bell grinned but motioned for a speed up of the process. The scrap of hide from such a large Monster was still as tall as Hestia and almost as wide as the Goddess could spread her arms. It should fetch a decent price at the Exchange later.

“Done!” Lili had quickly rolled up the hide and stuffed it into her large backpack before closing it. She put her arms through the straps and hefted the pack up quickly. “Let’s go!” All five of them quickly rushed as fast as they could, considering Lili’s burden, towards the edge of the forest.

-Carriage-

“Well…that was more excitement than I was expecting.” Hestia admitted as the carriage rattled its way back towards Orario.

“But we got what we needed.” Lili grinned at completing the first part of the request.

“Thank you very much.” Naaza and Miach both bowed to the Hestia Familia. “With this, we can finish the new potion in time.”

“Glad we could help.” Bell grinned as he lay back against the seat more and relaxed with Hestia and Lili at his sides.

-Orario ~ Blue Pharmacy-

Naaza and Miach had nearly locked themselves in the back of the shop to make their new potion as soon as they stepped through the door. Bell, Hestia, and Lili simply sat down and waited while the pharmacist and God worked together to make something never seen before. It was a couple of hours later when Miach and Naaza emerged from the back, both clearly showing some mental exhaustion, but with proud smiles on their faces. Miach had a box in his hands, inside were twenty potions that Bell had never seen before. The color wasn’t the same as the normal blue of a healing potion…but it wasn’t the orange color of a mind restoring potion either. It was almost a jade color, sitting firmly in the green spectrum.

“Thank you all once again.” Miach smiled to the Hestia Familia. “I’ll be on my way to Dian Cecht’s place to pay up on our debt. Naaza has your reward for accepting our request.” With that, the blue-haired Deity was out the door and could be heard calling for a taxi a moment later.

“Here, Bell.” Naaza handed him a vial with the same jade green potion inside. “This is our newest creation, the Dual Potion.” She smiled proudly as Bell accepted the vial from her. “It can heal your injuries and restore Mind at the same time.”

“Really?” Bell looked at the brand new potion in shock. It really was something that no one had ever seen before!

“Yes,” Naaza smiled softly, finally starting to relax now that the work was done. “The healing effect is close to a Mid Potion, while the Mind restoring effect is about fifty percent better than a base Mind Potion.” She explained the new potion’s capabilities with some pride. “I hope it serves you well, Bell.”

“I know it will, Miss Naaza.” Bell smiled brightly at the pharmacist as he carefully placed the Dual Potion into his black leather backpack for safe keeping.

-Dian Cecht Familia Home-

“Grrrr…” Dian Cecht stared at the jade green potion in his hand. There was no way this was what he thought it was, what Miach claimed it was.

“This is my Familia’s newest potion. I guarantee that it works.” Miach smiled at Dian Cecht.

“Grr…” Dian Cecht grimaced before handing the potion to Airmid who took it carefully. “Airmid?” He looked at her to confirm Miach’s words since the older God refused to himself.

Airmid uncorked the potion, sniffed it to try and get a read on its contents, and then took just the smallest sip of it. A moment later and her purple eyes noticeably widened. “Yes, I’m sure of it.” Airmid looked at Dian Cecht plainly. “It does exactly what Lord Miach says it does.”

“A dual attribute potion that restores both Mind and health.” Miach restated of the Dual Potion now that Airmid had also confirmed the veracity of his claim. “It has never been done before.” He looked into Dian Cecht’s eyes unwaveringly. “If your Familia started selling them, I imagine it would earn you a lot of money and help you meet the needs of Adventurers’ in Orario.”

“Grr…” Dian Cecht was nearly grinding his teeth now.

“Here are twenty to get you started, but I may be willing to sell you the recipe…for the right price, of course.” Miach’s smile was every bit the friendly one he always wore. But Dian Cecht knew for a fact that he wasn’t getting that recipe for anything less than the cancellation of Miach Familia’s debt.

“Curse you…” Dian Cecht felt the envious rage within him. Miach once more proving he was a better healer. “I refuse to accept it…I absolutely REFUSE to accept it!” The older God was clenching his fists so tightly he was about to tear into his own palms.

“But it truly is a potion that’s never been seen before.” Airmid reminded her God with a quirked eyebrow.

“Grrr…I’m so mad…” Dian Cecht took ten steps and collapsed into the cushy, almost throne-like, chair he kept in this meeting room. The anger on his face disappeared slowly as he mulled over this new development. “Airmid, take the twenty potions for now while we discuss business.” He requested of his Familia’s Captain.

“Yes, Lord Dian.” Airmid gave a short bow and took the box of Dual Potions in both hands before excusing herself from the room.

“Damn it…it’s Nuada all over again.” Dian Cecht felt his anger and envy boiling within. “Why? How are you better again?” He mumbled to himself.

“I am your son, father.” Miach spoke and Dian Cecht scoffed at his son’s words.

“I’m aware, brat.” Dian Cecht simmered in his rage and envy. “Haaaah…damn it.” He ran a hand through his silver-white hair with a heavy sigh. “You want your debt canceled for the recipe, don’t you?”

“I feel that’s an adequate price, do you not agree?” Miach felt that he was being perfectly reasonable. Each Dual Potion could easily be sold for 50,000 Valis or so at a fair price. Dian Cecht had the biggest Potion Shop in Orario and would probably make back the equivalent of Miach’s debt within a year or two by selling them. “You’ll make your money back far faster than the monthly installments my Familia was making. I don’t see what reason you’d have to refuse.”

“Hmmm…” Dian Cecht closed his eyes and mulled over his son’s offer. He wasn’t wrong about the speed at which he’d earn back his money. But the thought of his son outdoing him again still made him angry. “Ogma will probably give me shit if you start selling this exclusively…” He muttered and Miach suppressed a smile. Ogma was another of the Tuatha Dé Danann that had a Familia within Orario. It was a mid-sized Familia, made mostly of Dungeon exploration teams.

“Uncle does enjoy giving you grief, occasionally.” Miach smiled and Dian Cecht only sighed while briefly rolling his eyes. Technically Ogma was Dian’s Uncle and Miach’s Great-Uncle, but the older God didn’t care for the distinction much and told all of Dian’s kids to just call him ‘Uncle’ eons ago.

“Occasionally my ass.” Dian Cecht scoffed at what Ogma would say to him if he didn’t take the deal that Miach was offering. “Fine. Consider your debt to me repaid, you brat.”

“Thank you, father.” Miach smiled as he reached into his robe and pulled out a folded paper. “Here is the recipe for the Dual Potion.” He walked just close enough to hand his father the paper before taking a few steps back. He still very much remembered what his father had done to him in a fit of envious rage before. “Have a good evening, father.” He walked out of the room and only paused at the door when he heard the muttered words of his father.

“Take care of yourself, brat.” Dian Cecht’s words were low, nearly said under his breath, but they still reached his son. Miach closed the door behind him and hailed a different taxi to take him back to the Blue Pharmacy.

‘It does feel good to finally have the weight of that debt off our shoulders. Maybe now Naaza will finally forgive herself.’ No matter how often Miach assured her that he didn’t blame her for anything, Naaza had taken the blame upon herself for the fall of their Familia. ‘Now we can rebuild, together. We’ll get back to the comfortable days we used to enjoy in due time.’ Miach smiled softly as he stared up at the stars with his blue eyes, looking forward to the future.

-Dungeon-

“You’re changing…good.” Ottar spoke to the Minotaur as it huffed and growled after slaughtering another of its kind. The Minotaur ripped out the Magic Stone of the fallen Minotaur and chomped down on it. Feeling the brief rush of power, it once again rushed Ottar, only to be punched so hard its cloven hooves left the ground and it crashed into a wall. “You can still get stronger.”

“MROOOOARR!!!” The Minotaur roared and charged at Ottar again.

‘Soon enough, you’ll be ready.’ Ottar stopped the Minotaur’s charge easily. “Survive this challenge, Bell Cranel. If you are truly worthy of Lady Freya’s love.” He tossed the Minotaur halfway down the corridor and stalked after it.

-End Chapter-

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Bell and Lili went outside of Orario for a request! That definitely counts as a new experience for our up-and-coming Hero!

Every new experience is a lesson!

With the completion of the Dual Potion, the Miach Familia is now debt-free! Woohoo! Now they can focus on repairing their home and potentially attracting new members! Plus, they got their new greenhouse at the Hestia Familia garden! Profits at the Blue Pharmacy are going to shoot up soon!

We get a quick peek at what Ottar and the Minotaur he’s training are up to as well. The beast is growing stronger and stronger! Does Bell even stand a chance against the Monster that Ottar is making?

Keep reading to find out!

Let me know what you think with a review!

Until next time, later!