937Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Familia Myth: Journey to Hero! More changes as Bell recovers from the Minotaur incident. Some new things happen and things change in response to it! The Butterfly flaps its wings! How will Bell progress as he continues on his path to become a Hero?
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Chapter 2 – Growth and Progress
'Seriously…I could do without the laughter.' Bell sighed as he used the washing station at the entrance of the Dungeon. Ais Wallenstein had saved him from that Minotaur, but he'd been covered in blood in the process. He'd picked up the fist-sized Magic Stone that Ais had left behind and tried to return it to her. The golden-eyed young woman had simply shook her head and told him to keep it.
That was when the Werewolf -Bete Loga- had met up with them. Bell was also familiar with this Adventurer too, Vanargand was his title and he was currently Level 5, same as Ais. He was rather famous within Orario, so of course Bell knew of him. He didn't appreciate the laughter at his blood-soaked state and the nickname 'tomato boy' was annoying too. He shook his head as he left the wash station and noted what appeared to be the rest of the Loki Familia's expedition team meeting up with Ais and Bete at the entrance.
"So many famous, High Level Adventurers…" Bell barely stopped himself from gaping. Braver Finn Deimne, Nine Hell Riveria Ljos Alf, Elgarm Gareth Landrock, Jörmungandr Tione Hyrute, The Slasher Tiona Hyrute, they were all some of the most famous adventurers in Orario!
The Loki Familia walked past the wash station as a group and Bell went unnoticed. He did get an up close look at the Executives though. Miss Riveria was just as beautiful as everyone said; the High Elf having a beauty and grace about her that rivaled even Goddesses. Ais was beautiful, of course, he'd already seen and spoken with her and had managed to not completely embarrass himself. The Hyrute Sisters were lovely too. Bell felt his heart thump in his chest as he really took in their features.
Tiona Hyrute, like all Amazons, had a darker skin tone than most other Races. Short, black hair, with two long bangs framing her face. Each of the longer bangs was held together with simple, bronze hair ornaments near the ends. Around her neck were golden-colored neckbands, the largest of which sported three blue gems. Her chest was covered by a white breast wrap that left just enough to the imagination. She wasn't very busty, but it certainly didn't detract from her beauty at all. Her smooth and toned stomach was left fully on display and Bell felt his eyes linger for a second. She wore a golden armband on each forearm and had golden anklets similar to her neckbands adorning her ankles. The pareo around her waist was a dark-yellow color with a thick band of green along the hem. The garment partially covered her legs and the brown loincloth that hung down to her shins. A thick, brown and white belt with a golden buckle sat around her hips, over the tied-off pareo.
Tione Hyrute had long, black hair going down to just past her butt. Much like her sister, she had two long bangs that framed her face. Tione's were braided however, and held together with silver-colored hair ornaments near the ends. Her ears were pierced, each one sporting a round, blue gem. Silver-colored neckbands adorned her neck and a deep-red bikini top covered her, very large, breasts and wrapped around her back and was tied off behind her neck. A circular, silver ornament kept the top pulled tight to prevent any slipping. She also left her toned and smooth stomach fully displayed. She had a much shorter pareo tied around her waist, the color and design a match of her twin sisters. Red leggings attached to a garter belt around her waist drew his eyes. She also had silver-colored armbands and anklets to contrast her sisters' golden ones.
'They're both beautiful,' Bell felt some heat rise to his cheeks, much like when he'd met Ais just a bit ago. 'I think I might have even more appreciation for Amazons now.'
Shortly after the Loki Familia left the Dungeon Entrance; the rest of the Adventurers literally parting to let them pass unhindered, Bell made his way up the stairs as well. It would be better just to head home. He was tired from his near death experience. But he really should go exchange his Magic Stones first.
With a sigh, Bell trudged up the long, spiraling staircase and headed for the Guild.
"Bell? Are you alright?" Eina questioned him almost as soon as he entered the Guild building. The worry in her green-eyes was clear as she looked over him.
"I'm fine Miss Eina, just really worn out." Bell gave her a tired smile.
"What happened? You're usually not back for a few more hours." Eina guided him over to one of the meeting areas filled with couches and tables.
"Well…" Bell took a deep breath as he launched into the story of his half-day in the Dungeon. Eina's eyes got wider and wider as she listened and by the time it was over she was leaning forward in her seat.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Eina really started looking him over for any injuries. Bell let out a tired chuckle as she moved around him to check for any possible injury or damage. He was happy that she cared so much about his safety and well-being.
'That's another issue to figure out too.' Bell mused to himself as he gave Eina a smile. He'd grown to enjoy the time he spent with Eina at the Guild. Giving her daily updates and reports and going over extra information about the Dungeon had become time he looked forward to spending with her. He knew he had a crush on the lovely Half-Elf and it made him feel guilty since he loved Hestia so much.
To be fair, it wasn't as if Eina hadn't shown signs of interest. The Dungeon Advisor lit up when Bell was mentioned and looked forward to him coming in at the end of each day he went into the Dungeon. Teaching him things that were relevant to his success in the Dungeon was becoming one of Eina's favorite times at work. The Half-Elf woman was showing subtle hints of interest and even a young man like Bell was noticing. The fact that her hands lingered here and there as she looked him over for injuries wasn't lost on the white-haired young man. He was enjoying it, but he felt even guiltier about it.
"Well, you seem alright, but a Minotaur on the Fifth Floor is unheard of." Eina shook her head. She was sure the Loki Familia's report would help clear this irregularity up, but her heart was only just now calming down after checking over Bell.
"I told you, Miss Eina; I dodged and ran most of the time." Bell smiled slightly at her. "I only fought when I took a wrong turn and ended up cornered." His shoulders sagged at the memory of his 'fight', if it could even be called that. "My back-up knife shattered on one of the Minotaur's horns. The knife the Guild gave me couldn't even scratch the Minotaur's hide. So I just dodged for my life until Ais Wallenstein saved me."
"I trust that you thanked her for it?" Eina gave him a soft grin that made Bell's cheeks heat up a little.
"Yes, of course," Bell nodded rapidly. "She saved my life. I wasn't going to be rude!"
"That's fine then." Eina giggled behind her hand. "Aside from this incident, you've been doing incredibly well so far, Bell. I want to keep watching you progress."
"Thank you, Miss Eina." Bell gave her a bright smile despite his mental and physical exhaustion.
"Are you heading home after this?" Eina questioned as she moved her brown hair behind one of her long ears.
"After I cash in my Magic Stones, yeah." Bell nodded as they both stood up from the couches. "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Eina."
"See you tomorrow, Bell, have a good night." Eina waved him off with a warm smile. Bell really liked her smile.
"You'll need to use the drawer for that one." The man on the other side of the exchange counter pointed to the fist-sized Magic Stone that Ais had let Bell keep. The man pushed the drawer over to Bell's side and the tired, red-eyed teen placed the Magic Stone into it. The Guild worker went about his job quickly and efficiently. The Magic Stones were weighed, the numbers marked down, the ledger filled out and then the man rummaged around beneath the desk for a few moments. A plain beige sack -about the size of a volleyball- was placed into the larger drawer and pushed back over to Bell's side. "The total comes out to 32,300 Valis, nice work, kid."
"Th-Thirty-two…" Bell's eyes widened at how valuable Minotaur Magic Stones were! Were all Level Two Monsters' Magic Stones so valuable?! If so, then it was no wonder so many Adventurers stayed in the Middle Levels instead of delving ever-deeper into the Dungeon! It was ridiculously profitable! He quickly picked up the sack of money and stowed it into his backpack. The black leather bulged noticeably, but it was safer inside the pack than in his hands.
Bell's walk back to the abandoned district of Orario was made in silence. The shock of his sudden windfall, something he'd have to thank Ais for if he ever saw her again, was too much for his weary mind. He walked into the rundown church, moved over to the hidden door, descended the stairs and announced his presence.
"I'm home, Goddess." Bell called out as he removed the armor over his chest.
"Bell!" Hestia leapt towards him with a beaming smile that instantly alleviated some of his fatigue. "You're home early!" She declared while wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tight.
"Yeah, there was an incident in the Dungeon today." Bell returned her hug and kissed the top of her head softly.
"An incident?" Hestia let him go while looking for an explanation. "What happened, Bell?"
"I was chased by a Minotaur on the Fifth Floor for the better part of the morning." Bell summarized and Hestia almost panicked as she began looking him over. He just went along with it. He wanted to sit down, hold Hestia, and just relax.
"You're okay, right?" Hestia's blue-eyes were filled with worry and concern.
"I'm fine, I ran until I was cornered and then I just dodged for my life until I was saved." Bell assured her as he removed his jacket and hung it up. "I do have some good news though." He pulled the sack of Valis out of his backpack. "The Adventurer that saved me was Ais Wallenstein. She let me keep the Minotaur's Magic Stone." He handed the money over to his Goddess with a smile.
"B-Bell! How much is this?!" Hestia gaped at all of the golden Valis coins inside the beige sack.
"32,300 Valis, Goddess." Bell sank into the couch with a sigh. "We shouldn't have to worry about money for a bit."
"Let's put that aside for now." Hestia shook her head and placed the sack on the table. She moved over to the couch and sat next to him. With a smile she patted her thighs and Bell easily complied with her unspoken request. "I'm glad you're safe, Bell." She ran her fingers through his fluffy white hair softly.
"Love you, Hestia." Bell sighed as he relaxed and felt the tension start to leave his body. Hestia's lap pillow was just as divine as she was.
"Love you too, Bell." Hestia's smile truly was heavenly as Bell felt his whole body relax further when she graced him with it. In short order the young man was asleep as Hestia hummed quietly while running her fingers through his hair.
Later in the afternoon, after a long nap, Bell was back up and ready to talk about the Hestia Familia's sudden windfall. Hestia made lunch and they ate together as normal. With Bell's success in the Dungeon, they'd been able to eat pretty well. Meat was regularly on the table for one meal a day now. Fresh bread, fruit, and vegetables were staples as well as potatoes and some grains. It was far better than when they'd eaten almost nothing but potatoes and some bread. Even with Hestia's cooking, one could only eat potatoes for so long before they got tired of them.
"Well, at least part of this is going to be spent getting you more and better gear. I won't hear a word against it." Hestia stated firmly. Knowing Bell's kind nature he'd simply give her all of the money and tell her to spend it on whatever she thought they needed. "You need to be better equipped if you go much deeper into the Dungeon. A better weapon, a new back-up weapon since you said yours was destroyed. You should also look into getting some more armor. At least a pair of vambraces or something that better protects you." Her desire to protect him was clear in both her tone and her expression.
"Yes, Goddess, thank you." Bell smiled with a short bow of his head. "I'll ask Eina about any shops she recommends tomorrow."
"That's good, I'm sure your Advisor will be able to point you in the right direction." Hestia nodded with a soft smile. "The rest of the money will go towards our savings to fix up our home. I'm hoping that we can get the roof replaced soon. One section already fell through entirely, so it'll be the first thing to replace."
"I hope you'll at least spend some of the money on something for yourself, Hestia." Bell looked at her with his red-eyes full of warmth. "I know you like books. You should buy yourself a new one. We do have extra money right now."
"While I'm very happy that you're thinking about my hobbies, Bell," Hestia giggled behind her hand for a second. "Getting you the gear you need and fixing up our home comes first."
"Alright…" Bell sighed. He wanted to do nice things for Hestia. She'd taken him in when he'd been at his lowest point. She'd given him her Blessing. She gave him a Familia. She'd even given him her love. He wanted to give her everything he could in return.
"Now, now, no need to sigh," Hestia shook her head slowly. "Let's update your Status, Bell! I'm sure your experience today has given your Agility a boost at the very least!" She moved over to the bed and patted the mattress.
"Yes." Bell agreed as he stood up, removed his shirt, and then lay down on the bed face-down. He grinned when he felt Hestia straddle his hips and saw from his peripheral vision her gloves being dropped to his side. Feeling the singular drop of her blood hit his hieroglyph-covered back as always. He relaxed and let Hestia work.
"Hmm?" Hestia blinked as she looked through Bell's Excelia. What was this, a Skill? 'Liaris Freese…?' She blinked in surprise when she found out what it did. Looking deeper into his Excelia, she found the moment that changed him, the moment he'd earned this unknown Skill. 'He was thinking about me? About his promise? He was inspired by that Ais girl to get stronger so that he could keep it.' She felt a smile form on her lips even as happy tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. 'Oh Bell, you're so amazing! I love you so much!' She was so happy! She set about letting his Falna grow stronger from his Excelia as she thought over this Skill she'd never even heard of. As far as she was aware, no Skill like this had ever been recorded. If it was a Rare Skill…she'd have to keep it a secret. The other Gods would hound Bell day and night if they found out! Bell couldn't lie to save his life! If anyone suspected something, then they'd see through Bell like glass! 'Please forgive me, Bell. For now, we need to hide this from everyone. When you're stronger and our Familia is stronger too, then I'll tell you everything.' Hestia promised as she noted Bell's growth and placed the paper onto his back to record his updated Status.
"So, how's it looking?" Bell asked as Hestia slid off of him and looked over the paper. He sat up and she smiled while handing it over.
-Status-
Bell Cranel
Level 1
Strength – I 85 - I 92
Defense – I 38 - I 43
Dexterity – I 89 - I 97
Agility – H 109 - H 141
Magic – I 0
Magic
Skills
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
-Status-
"Huh, looks like my Strength and Dexterity are about to become H Rank." Bell noticed of his basic abilities. Defense had significantly lagged behind because he'd gotten better at avoiding damage. He still got scratches and bruises of course, but no severe injury that would see his Defense spike from the amount of damage. "Hey…what's this in the Skill section? It almost looks like something was erased."
"Sorry, Bell, my hand slipped a bit," Hestia apologized as she set her plan into motion. "It's still blank, I'm afraid."
"Of course it is…" Bell sighed after having gotten his hopes up a little bit.
"Don't be sad, Bell…" Hestia leaned against him. "How about we relax and get comfortable?" The half-lidded eyes and the way her hands began to roam made it blatantly obvious how 'comfortable' she wanted to get. Ever since having her first time, Hestia had finally understood the nature of her brothers and fellow Olympians. She still didn't approve of both Poseidon and Apollo trying to woo her or asking to marry her though!
"Goddess…" Bell chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and fell back onto the bed. Their lips met for a loving kiss as hands began to explore.
"Bell!" Hestia giggled when his hands pulled up her short dress to expose her panty-clad bottom. She cooed when he began to massage her cheeks.
"I need to honor my Goddess." Bell teased as he flipped them over and kissed Hestia's lips. He trailed down her body until he got to her exposed panties. With experience he'd gained from their previous times together, he deftly slid her panties off and tossed them aside.
"Bell~" Hestia moaned as Bell spread her thighs and kissed her sex. Her hands quickly found his hair as he began to lavish her folds with his lips and tongue. She'd have to make sure to repay him for this. She was getting rather skillful with her own oral technique if she said so herself!
-Morning-
"Mmm," Bell blinked awake at right about five in the morning. His years growing up in his rural farming village in the mountains had set a rather strong internal clock. Feeling Hestia's warm body pressed against his, he looked down to see her face peeking out of the blankets. She was so cute when she slept. Her head resting on his chest was adorable. He gently held her and ran his fingers through her hair. "I still have a while before we have to get up." He chuckled quietly as he cuddled his Goddess lover.
"Good morning, Bell…" Hestia woke up almost an hour later with a yawn. She slowly sat up and let the blankets cascade down her form. Her beautiful face, amazing breasts, trim stomach, wide flaring hips, thick thighs, and the amazing ass he felt against him, always left Bell slightly stunned. Hestia was gorgeous, both physically and on the inside.
"Good morning, Hestia." Bell returned the good morning with a soft grin. His red-eyes roamed over her naked body before meeting her blue-eyes again. She smiled at him checking her out before leaning down to kiss him.
Eventually the two separated and rolled out of bed. Yesterday had been quite the marathon for them. Starting in the early afternoon, they'd only taken short breaks for the remainder of the evening. Hestia had even cooked dinner in a naked apron last night! That was an image that Bell would have saved into his memory forever. Breakfast was a lovely meal, once again cooked by Hestia. The couple went over their plans for the day; work for Hestia at her part-time job and Bell was going to do some shopping before heading into the Dungeon for the day. With a long, slow kiss at the entrance to the rundown church, the two parted ways.
-Guild-
"Weapons and new armor?" Eina looked at Bell curiously.
"Yes, I made quite a bit of extra money yesterday since Miss Ais let me keep the Minotaur's Magic Stone." Bell explained his sudden financial windfall. "I was wondering if you had any shops you'd recommend, Miss Eina."
"I can think of one that's good for new Adventurers," Eina smiled as she gave him instructions to take the elevator up to the eighth floor of Babel Tower. There was a shop there that sold well-made gear at prices that even new Adventurers could afford. She didn't tell him it was a Hephaestus shop, but that was just a little prank for her amusement.
-Babel Tower ~ Eighth Floor-
"Hephaestus?!" Bell balked at the famous Familia's insignia all over the eighth floor. "I can't afford Hephaestus Familia items!" He worried a bit, but decided to go to the shop Eina had specified.
"Welcome!" The clerk behind the counter smiled as Bell entered. He was a teenaged Cat Person with semi-long, blonde hair and green-eyes. "Is there anything I can help you find today?"
"I was looking for a new knife and perhaps a set of vambraces?" Bell replied and the shopkeeper chuckled.
"First time here?" The Cat Man asked expectantly.
"Yes." Bell nodded with some embarrassment. He must've looked so out of place that it was easy to tell.
"Don't worry about it; everyone is a newbie in the beginning." The older teen laughed as he pointed out two sections of the shop. "On that wall are the knives and daggers. The shelves over there are where individual armor pieces are kept."
"Thank you, sir." Bell gave a short bow and headed over to look at the knives first. Seeing multiple different styles drew his eyes, but it was the price tags that gave him pause. 'Only 4,500 Valis for this knife? It looks great though, and it's made by a member of Hephaestus Familia!' The knife in question was similar to the knife the Guild had provided him, but the blade was a little thicker and the grip was molded to fit a person's hand. 'Goddess gave me 13,300 Valis to spend on this. If I buy this knife then I should still have enough left for a good pair of vambraces, if they're similarly priced.' He figured as he took the knife with him after sheathing it.
His next stop was the shelves that had been pointed out earlier. Seeing greaves, then pauldrons, he finally came to the vambraces. Looking from shelf to shelf, he noted the varying styles and shapes, as well as the prices. Seeing a few different pairs that looked good, he started comparing prices.
'This set looks the best, plus the pair is only 4,800 Valis! That'll leave me with 4,000 Valis to stock up on potions, maybe even get another back-up knife too.' Bell smiled at his find. He picked up the simple grey-steel vambraces and tried them on. They fit his forearms well and he nodded before taking them off again. Carrying his selections to the counter, the Cat Man nodded at his choices before ringing them up. Bell handed over the 9,300 Valis and headed out of the store with a smile on his face. Taking the elevator back down to the ground floor he quickly located Eina.
"That wasn't funny, Miss Eina!" Bell admonished his Dungeon Advisor with a grimace.
"Forgive me, Bell…I couldn't help myself." Eina giggled behind her hand for a moment before recomposing herself. "So, what did you choose?"
"This knife," Bell showed her the knife he'd picked out. "And this pair of vambraces." He set the armor onto the counter between them.
"Not bad choices, Bell. They were affordable too, right?" Eina raised one of her delicate eyebrows knowingly.
"Yes, I was surprised since it was Hephaestus Familia." Bell admitted curiously.
"Hephaestus Familia has even their low-leveled Smiths make as many pieces as possible to sell to stores. That way the younger Smiths gain a lot of experience and can even get their works and name out there. Adventurers will spot talented work, even if the Smith isn't well-known. So, it's a chance for a relatively unheard of Smith to gain clients and notoriety for their work." Eina explained how the Hephaestus Familia operated and why even a new Adventurer like Bell could afford gear made by the Familia.
"Oh…so that's how it works." Bell looked thoughtful at the practice. Hephaestus really knew how to run her Familia. Every one of her children got to produce items and try to make a name for themselves. No one was excluded and everyone's work was sold as long as it was acceptable. That sounded like a good system to Bell.
"Put on your new gear, Bell." Eina encouraged her Adventurer. "Let me see what you look like in it." Bell agreed with a shrug and strapped both vambraces on before attaching his new knife to his belt. "Now you're really starting to look like an Adventurer, Bell!" Eina clapped and gave him a beaming smile.
"Thank you, Miss Eina." Bell grinned back even though he knew he was blushing slightly. He enjoyed Eina's praise quite a lot, maybe more than he should. "I'm going to go stock up on Potions and maybe another back-up knife before heading into the Dungeon."
"Good idea, Bell," Eina agreed with him. "Make sure you come see me when you finish for the day."
"Yes ma'am." Bell grinned and Eina waved him away with a smile and a shake of her head.
Bell headed out of the Guild building and onto the streets. He would stop by the second-hand weapon shop first and see about getting another weapon. His new knife was of the Average Grade, as was the one given to him by the Guild, but a back-up would always be good to have, just in case. After that, a quick stop by the Blue Pharmacy to buy potions from the Miach Familia and he'd be good to go.
"Welcome," The old Gnome greeted as he heard the bell over his door ring. "Ah, it's you again, glad to see you back." He chuckled and Bell gave him a nod and smile. "Did the knife I sell you break?"
"Unfortunately, but I was chased by a Minotaur on the Fifth Floor, so I kinda had to sacrifice it." Bell rubbed the back of his head with a sigh.
"A Minotaur on the Fifth Floor? That's crazy talk!" The Gnome shopkeeper looked disbelievingly at his customer.
"It was some kind of incident on the lower levels with the Loki Familia, or something." Bell shrugged as that was the only public information about the Minotaurs on the Upper Levels so far.
"My word, well at least you made it out of their alive, lad." The nice old Gnome patted him on the shoulder. "Feel free to look at what I've got."
Bell was quick to gravitate over to the table filled with used knives. Ideally he'd like to purchase another one close to what he'd gotten the first time. After looking over the table entirely, the best knife he found was a bit shorter than his other two. It was still in decent shape though, not too worn or nicked along the edge. Picking it up, he brought it to the counter.
"That one is 1,700 Valis. You've got an eye for knives it seems." The Gnome shopkeeper chuckled as he took the money Bell offered him.
"Thank you, sir." Bell grinned as he stored the back-up knife inside his backpack.
"Come again." The old Gnome waved as Bell left and headed for the Miach Familia home.
"Oh, Bell, welcome back." Naaza smiled at the red-eyed Adventurer.
"Hello, Miss Naaza," Bell returned her smile as he looked at all of the various Potions on display. "Is the buy four potions and the fifth is free deal still going on?"
"Indeed, it is." Naaza nodded to him, her lips curving upwards. It looked like her Familia would be making some money today.
"I'll take five Potions then!" Bell pulled out the 2,000 Valis while Naaza collected the five potions. The exchange was made and Bell carefully stored his potions into his backpack in a special pocket for them.
"Thanks, Bell, I love you." Naaza grinned as she deposited the coins into the till.
"Miss Naaza!" Bell felt his cheeks flush at her teasing. Honestly, the Chienthrope woman was almost like an older sister.
"Have a good day, Bell." Naaza chuckled as she waved to him. He shook his head with a grin and left the shop. Next stop was the Dungeon!
As he was walking toward the Guild building, he noticed a shop along the way. Realizing that it sold food he felt his stomach rumble a little. Heading over, Bell was surprised at how many Adventurers were inside. They all seemed to be preparing for a day of Dungeon crawling, just like him. Looking at the menu, Bell noticed why.
-Adventurer Lunch Pack #1: 100 Valis-
-Adventurer Lunch Pack #2: 150 Valis-
-Adventurer Lunch Pack #3: 200 Valis-
Reading over what was in each of the meals, and seeing that they were a 'to go' type of thing, made it quite obvious why so many Adventurers were here. This place specialized in making food provisions for Adventurers that spent all day in the Dungeon. Having a nice lunch in a recently cleared out area would be a boon to any Adventurer that had spent hours slaying Monsters.
'I guess I'll get in line and try it out.' Bell decided as he got in line behind a taller man wearing a set of armor.
-Dungeon ~ First Floor-
"Let's take it easy today," Bell nodded to himself as he traversed the top floor of the Dungeon. He had a new knife to try out and the Hestia Familia wasn't hurting for money at the moment. He could afford to take an easy day right now.
Bell found his new knife to be a great addition to his kit. It fit his hand well, the blade was sturdy and sharp, and it dealt with the First Floor Monsters easily. Goblin, Kobold, Dungeon Lizard, it didn't matter in the face of the new blade. They were all cut down fairly easily. After a few hours of this and then eating his lunch from the shop which turned out to be pretty good, followed by a couple more hours of Monster hunting, Bell felt satisfied for the day. His desire to become stronger was still burning brightly in his chest, and he'd been practicing his various takedowns and tactics on the First Floor Monsters all day.
'Sure, this won't make my stats increase all that much, but skill is just as much a part of strength as raw power, right?' Bell pondered thoughtfully as he walked through the farther recesses of the First Floor. Not too many Adventurers went this far from the main path and the stairs. The Monsters on the First Floor simply weren't worth the trip normally. But for Bell who was taking it slow, he'd had a whole day to wander.
"Hmm, what's this?" Bell blinked on his return trip towards the stairs. Crouching down, he picked up the object that had caught his attention. A yellow-green feather, very similar to the ones he was familiar with from helping with the chickens back in his mountain village. "A chicken feather? Why is it a weird color?" He wondered aloud before he stood back up with the feather in hand. He walked to the next corner on his journey back to the exit. He stopped dead when he saw something move in the corridor ahead of him.
The creature looked nearly identical to a rooster, aside from being covered in yellow-green feathers that matched the one Bell had in his hand. The new Adventurer wracked his brain trying to remember if Eina had gone over anything about this particular Monster. After a bit of thought, the memory hit Bell and he recalled what this thing was. A Jack Bird, an insanely rare spawn that was found only on the First Floor. Adventurers could search the First Floor for months and never see one. It had a guaranteed Drop Item though, called a Jack Bird's Golden Egg. If Eina was correct, it would sell for a minimum of 1,000,000 Valis because of its rarity.
'But am I fast enough to catch it? The Jack Bird isn't supposed to be aggressive or capable of fighting, but it is supposed to be really fast and agile.' Bell thought as he watched the rare Monster walk around the corridor. Watching the yellow-green rooster strut around and scratch at the Dungeon floor was really bringing up memories of his old home. He'd had to chase after chickens before when they escaped. This couldn't be that much different, could it? 'Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?'
Bell sank into a more relaxed ready stance as he locked eyes on the unwitting Monster. He took a deep breath to steady himself and then he bolted forward as fast as he could go! The Jack Bird noticed him before he'd even taken his second step. The Monster squawked and bolted in the opposite direction. Bell was hot on its trail as he began chasing it through the corridors.
'It's a good thing I didn't try to throw my knife at it!' Bell realized as he tried to keep up with the quick-footed Monster as it darted around corners and bolted down corridors. With the wariness the Jack Bird had, it would've easily noticed the incoming blade and been long gone before it had a chance of being hit. Further and further, Bell chased the rare Monster through the First Floor. He didn't try and keep track of where he was headed, only on keeping the Jack Bird in sight. He did notice that the Monster acted very much like a rooster on the loose. The way it moved, the obvious way it never took a corner without being able to see around it first, Bell couldn't help but smile at the memories this brought up.
'NOW!' Bell lunged forward as a corner came up again. He'd been using the Jack Bird's aversion to corners to slowly close the distance over this marathon chase he was being led on. In this instant, the Jack Bird was making a wider turn around the corner and Bell lunged at an angle. He almost slammed his right shoulder into the rocky wall of the Dungeon, but his outstretched right hand snagged the Monster's foot.
"Bwak! Bwak! BAAWK!" The Jack Bird flapped, squawked and even tried to claw and peck at Bell. Bell's left hand came up and seized the rooster-like Monster's neck. With a familiar twisting motion he'd performed many times growing up, a quiet snap was heard and the Jack Bird went limp in his hands.
"Hoooo…" Bell heaved as he tried to catch his breath. The Jack Bird was way faster than any rooster or chicken he'd ever had to try an catch growing up! He couldn't tell how far they'd run, but he could see why the rare Monster was so hard to catch. Most Adventurers never even saw one. Those that did probably weren't ready when they stumbled across it and it bolted before they could give chase. Bell would just sit on the ground for a minute and catch his breath. His heart was hammering in his chest and his lungs were burning. Now he just needed to remember where the Jack Bird's Magic Stone was located.
A few minutes later and Bell was pulling a sliver of Magic Stone out of the Jack Bird with his knife. It wasn't very big at all. It might even be smaller than a Goblin's Magic Stone. Regardless he added it to his backpack and watched as the rooster-like Monster dissolved away into white ash and dust. In the center of the ash was a brilliant golden egg, it literally shone with a luster equal to polished gold! It was multiple times larger than a chicken egg and Bell was careful when he picked it up. Carefully placing the super-valuable Drop Item into his backpack, Bell made sure it was latched closed before putting it on his back again.
"Now…where the hell am I?" Bell wondered as he looked around. If he could find a familiar landmark -a few were known on the well-explored First Floor- then he could use his knowledge of the floor's layout to find his way back. "Let's try this way." He decided and started walking back the way he came. Several minutes later, and multiple turns and corridors between, Bell finally recognized the area. "The triple choice corridor!" Bell grinned at the landmark. It was a set of three identical corridors side by side. They were indistinguishable from each other at sight, but Bell knew the left corridor led to the second largest corridor in the First Floor. That path would take him back to the stairs leading up to the surface!
-Babel Tower ~ Basement-
"Finally back!" Bell smiled as he started walking up the long, spiraling staircase that led out of the Dungeon. A fair number of Adventurers and Parties were also calling it quits for the day and leaving the Dungeon at this time. Bell joined the crowd and made his way up to the Guild proper. He could barely keep the smile off his face at what he was bringing back with him. A million Valis would surely be enough to rebuild the church to Hestia's liking and then she could get things she wanted for herself! Bell couldn't be happier at the thought of finally being able to repay Hestia for what she'd done for him.
"Bell, welcome back." Eina smiled warmly at him and Bell returned it.
"Miss Eina, you'll never believe what I was able to get today!" Bell's excitement was palpable and the Half-Elf blinked at the young man.
"What did you get, Bell?" Eina questioned even as Bell carefully took off his backpack. She watched him gingerly remove something and her jaw went slack at what Bell showed her. "I-Is that…a…a Jack Bird…" Articulation left her as she stared at the Drop Item.
"A Jack Bird's Golden Egg, yes!" Bell was beaming as Eina collected herself and looked the egg over.
"We'll get to your report after you exchange this, if that's okay with you?" Eina offered and Bell agreed. Eina physically escorted him to an exchange window and informed the Guild worker on the other side of the situation.
"Just set the egg in the drawer gently, please." The young woman on the other side of the glass pushed the large drawer onto their side. Bell did as asked and placed all the small Magic Stones he'd collected into the regular tray.
Bell and Eina waited patiently as the Egg was examined by one of the Senior Appraisers and his Magic Stones were totaled up by the exchange clerk. The Magic Stones came out to 5,200 Valis by themselves. Bell smiled as he collected the coins. He'd made more than normal thanks to his new knife and the ease it gave him when dealing with the First Floor Monsters.
"It's genuine," The Senior Appraiser nodded to the exchange clerk. "I'll have the payment brought over momentarily."
Several minutes later the Jack Bird's Golden Egg was taken away by the older man and a large bag was brought over to Bell. It was heavy and Bell goggled at both the size and the weight. Looking inside he saw nothing but the largest value Valis coins filling the bag. Realizing he may need to get some help to get this home, Bell asked Eina to send a message for him. Orario wasn't all sunshine and friendliness, Bell had found that out after all his harsh rejections before Hestia took him in. Walking around with 1,000,000 Valis in a sack wasn't likely to work out well for him.
"Bell? What's going on?" Naaza questioned her friend almost half an hour later. She walked into the Guild building with her Adventurer's Gear on, her trusty bow in hand and a quiver full of arrows over her shoulder. "Your message said you needed an escort home?"
"Miss Naaza, thank you for coming!" Bell smiled at the woman that had practically become his surrogate older sister. "I kinda made way more in the Dungeon today than I ever thought possible…" He rubbed the back of his head as he explained the situation.
"You were wise to ask for assistance Bell," Naaza smiled and patted his shoulder with her left hand. "I'll guard you on your way back. I'm sure Hestia is going to be ecstatic when she sees this."
"Thank you, Miss Naaza." Bell grinned as he pulled out his money pouch and handed her 5,000 Valis. "Payment for your help."
"Bell…I wasn't going to charge you." Naaza stared at the stack of coins in her prosthetic, right hand.
"But I don't want you to do it for free." Bell shook his head at her. "I wouldn't feel right. You came all this way to help me out. I feel like you should get something for it."
"You're far too kind sometimes, Bell." Naaza graced him with a soft smile as she put the coins into her own money pouch.
The two left the Guild building and headed for the Abandoned District together. Bell was carrying the heavy bag with both hands while Naaza kept guard. The Chienthrope woman's sharp senses and keen instinct made it easy to keep track of everyone around them. The Level Two Adventurer deterred any would be thieves on sight. No unblessed person wanted to get on the bad side of an Adventurer after all.
"Bell, welcome home…" Hestia trailed off as she saw the large bag that Bell was carrying. Looking over to Naaza, fully decked out in her Adventurer Gear, the Goddess was left with nothing but questions. Naaza only chuckled before bidding both of them goodnight and heading back home.
"I'm back, Goddess…" Bell chuckled as he made his way down into the basement. After explaining his capture of the Jack Bird and turning in its Drop Item, Hestia had practically leapt on top of Bell and kissed him senseless.
"You're amazing, wonderful, and awesome, I love you, Bell!" Hestia squeezed him tightly. "I was the one blessed when I met you." She kissed him again.
"I'm glad, Hestia." Bell hugged her back and kissed her lips. "Do you think we can rebuild the church with this much?"
"Are you kidding?" Hestia giggled as she looked at the large bag of money in the far corner of the basement. "With that much, I can hire Goibniu Familia to do the work!"
"The God of Smithing and Architecture?!" Bell looked shocked that such a well-known Familia would be doing the rebuilding of their home.
"That's the one!" Hestia nodded as they held each other close. "I'll get in touch with him in the morning and we'll see how fast we can get it done."
"I'm sure it'll be amazing." Bell grinned at the thought of a new building to call their home. Hestia deserved a nice home; it was literally part of her Domain after all.
"You can be on top tonight~" Hestia whispered into his ear, sending a pleasant shiver throughout his body.
"Hestia…" Bell hugged her tighter as she giggled. "You're becoming insatiable."
"I'm an Olympian God, it comes with the territory." Hestia joked as she kissed his cheek and left his lap. "Let's have a nice dinner tonight, to celebrate our Familia's success!"
"Yes!" Bell stood up with a cheer.
After a nice, warm dinner together, the two showered in the small bathroom in the corner of the basement. It was the only other room they had, other than the dilapidated church hall upstairs. After they were both clean and in pajamas, Bell's being simple black cotton pants and a matching shirt, while Hestia was in a short white nightgown, the Goddess got Bell's attention.
"Let's update your Status, Bell!" Hestia patted the bed. Bell quickly removed his shirt and lay on the bed face-down. Hestia straddled him and poked herself with a needle. A single drop of her blood fell onto Bell's Falna and the lines began to glow.
'What the…? What is this growth?! He only fought weaker Monsters, but his stats have gone up way more than they should!' Hestia noticed the spike in Bell's growth. 'It must be because of that Skill.' She quickly deduced that this was the result of Liaris Freese. Bell desired to get stronger, his feelings burned to stand tall as the strongest Adventurer! His inspiration after seeing Ais Wallenstein save him, after seeing the powerful Adventurers of the Loki Familia, it was all fueling this Skill!
"Is something wrong, Goddess?" Bell asked as he tried to look over his shoulder to see her.
"No, no, I was just a little surprised for a second." Hestia shook her head. She let his Falna finish growing and placed a paper onto his back to copy over his newly updated Status.
-Status-
Bell Cranel
Level 1
Strength – I 92 - H 124
Defense – I 43 - I 55
Dexterity – I 97 - H 129
Agility – H 141 - G 204
Magic – I 0
Magic
Skills
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
-Status-
"Wait…what…how…when?" Bell babbled a bit as he looked over his new stats. "Was I doing something wrong these last two weeks?"
"Your growth was impressive this time Bell." Hestia gave him a warm smile.
"B-But…I only got hit a couple of times today, I don't even think they really bruised! How did my Defense jump twelve points from that?! My Agility went all the way up to G Rank too?!" Bell was completely baffled by his improvement.
"Let's not worry about good news, Bell~" Hestia knew how to get his mind off of his anomalous improvement. "I said you get to be on top tonight, remember?" She purred at him and Bell couldn't help but grin as he set the paper aside. Hestia stood up from the bed and let her short nightgown fall off her body to pool around her feet.
"Beautiful…" Bell breathed out before pulling her into bed.
It was a very pleasurable night for the both of them.
-The Next Day ~ Afternoon-
"Hestia, I can tell you just by looking that the roof is a lost cause and most of these walls aren't going to be salvageable." Goibniu himself stated to Hestia as he inspected the rundown church. The God appeared as an old man with long, straight white hair and a sliver beard. He was very short, but had a strong and healthy build. Since this was a direct request from another God, and one that he had no personal grievance against, he'd come out to do the initial inspection himself. It was good to get out of the forge, every once in a while.
"That's fine, I suspected as much myself." Hestia shrugged as she showed him to the basement while his Familia members were inspecting the outside.
"Well, if it's any consolation, the foundation appears to be in good shape, so that'll save you some time and money." Goibniu mentioned as he looked over the walls of the basement.
The duo of Gods emerged from the basement a short time later chatting about what exactly Hestia wanted built. The Goddess showed him a rough design that she'd drawn out. It wasn't anything close to professional blueprints, but Goibniu could fix that himself. He noted the hearth that Hestia wanted built in the new building with a raised eyebrow.
"This is an altar." Goibniu stated plainly.
"Yes," Hestia nodded and the Smithing God exhaled lightly. "I want to protect my Familia, just like any God."
"That's fine; you're not the only one to make use of your Divinity in relation to your Domain." Goibniu informed the Olympic Goddess.
"It's a shame we can't all do it as easily as Freya and Ishtar, huh?" Hestia grumbled slightly. There were two Goddesses she didn't get along with very well.
"True enough," Goibniu actually chuckled in response. "I'll make sure it's constructed to your specifications."
"Thank you, Goibniu," Hestia smiled at the Smithing God. "How long do you think it'll take?"
"Hmm, you're paying up front, so I can jump you to the front of the line." Goibniu ran his fingers through his beard. "If I put my best teams on it, I'd say a couple of days, maybe a week at most?"
"That's fine, I'm sure Bell and I can afford an Inn for that long without too much trouble." Hestia agreed and the two Gods shook hands to seal their deal. Goibniu still brought out the paperwork to make their agreement legally binding as well. He was a Craftsman and he knew the necessity of having contracts signed and deals bound under law.
A short time later and Goibniu was leaving the rundown church with his Familia members. The large bag of Valis was being carried in the center of their group. With the number of members that Goibniu had brought with him, it was very unlikely they'd be accosted by anyone.
Hestia looked around the rundown church once more. Knowing that it would be remade into something much better soon, brought a smile to her lips. She headed down into the basement to start packing up. She and Bell would need to find an Inn to stay at while the construction was being done. Maybe Hephaestus would be kind enough to loan her a space to store their bed and couches. Worn as the couches were, they were the only furniture she owned. Everything else was small enough to be packed up and taken with them.
"I can't wait until Bell gets back home from the Dungeon." Hestia grinned to herself as she started packing things away. It was all thanks to Bell that things were looking so well for their Familia after all.
-End Chapter-
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Do you hear that? That's the sound of Canon snapping like a twig!
Bell is proactive and damn it that means he thinks ahead!
Eina is showing interest! Bell feels guilty!
Hestia is quite happily experiencing her Olympian Heritage and desires!
While their home is being renovated, they'll have to stay elsewhere. A new route to the Dungeon might very well lead to new meetings! Just who could that be though?
Keep reading to find out!
Let me know what you thought!
Until next time, later!