Volume 1 Chapter 4: THAT'S WHY I WANT TO HELP

Time-marking clicks echoed throughout the room.

The clock on the wall showed five in the morning.

Hestia paced back and forth around the room under the old church, her home.

He's way too late...

She crossed her arms and scrunched up her eyebrows. Anxiety was pulsing through her veins.

She had lost her cool after seeing how much Bell's "crush" on Aiz had caused him to grow last night.

She couldn't even enjoy the drinking party with her coworkers. All that was there to greet her when she came back was silence. Bell wasn't home.

She had told him to eat alone, but his not being back in time to welcome her home just made her even angrier. She skipped taking a shower and jumped into bed with every intention of falling asleep. Ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock passed, and he still hadn't come back. That was when Hestia realized something was very wrong.

All her anger at Bell had kept her awake this long. Giving up on sleep entirely, she kicked off the bedcovers and left the room to look for him.

"Where did you go...?"

Her search bore no fruit.

There had been no sign of the boy's signature white hair anywhere. Hestia's last ray of hope was that Bell had returned while she was out. However, the room was still empty when she'd arrived.

All she'd gotten from her strenuous search was tired legs. Her nerves were starting to get to her as well. She was now officially a wreck.

Is it because of I said to him? But he's the kind of guy who puts other people first; he wouldn't make me worry just because he's upset... Usually he'd be here with his head down apologizing by now...

Bell's face had been like that of an abandoned baby bunny when she last saw him. She ran through their last conversation a few more times in her head.

The thought that it was her fault Bell was gone once again crept into her mind, but she shook it off.

She knew this wasn't the time to be buried in her own misgivings. Taking a deep breath, she mulled over the possible reasons for the boy's absence.

If I'm not the reason he hasn't come back, then that means...!

Something bad had happened to him. She was sure of it.

Her forced calm fell apart like a sand castle. She broke out in a cold sweat. She couldn't just stand here knowing that something had happened to him. She grabbed her cloak and headed to the door to go outside and look for him again.

"—Gyahhh!"

The moment she reached for the knob on the square door, it swung open.

And hit her smack in the face.

At the same moment, her personal pillows went squish as the door stopped on contact.

Hestia's faith shot up 100 points!

She let out a high-pitched squeal as she grabbed her face and crouched down.

"G-Goddess? I-I'm sorry..."

Suffering from the agony of an unforeseen attack, Hestia looked up between her fingers at the figure standing in the doorway.

Realizing it was the boy that she had been worried about all this time, she jumped up to greet him.

"Bell?!?"

It was him, just as she had expected.

Relief flowed through her. She was about ready to cry, but she was lost for words when the light hit him.

He was looking at her with big eyes, almost begging for forgiveness. But his face was covered in cuts, red with blood and brown from mud. He looked utterly exhausted.

His upper body was in rough shape. Hestia's eyes spun as she looked at the shreds of cloth draped over his shoulders. They had been a shirt when she left. The skin peeking out from under what was left of his clothes was crisscrossed with gashes and swollen.

His lower body was even worse. His pants were stained with who knew what and frayed all to hell. However, there were three gashes across his right knee that had to come from a very sharp knife. Black and still bleeding, they were the worst injuries on a body riddled with them.

Hestia went pale as she carefully approached him.

"What happened to you? What's with all these injuries? Were you mugged?!"

"No, it's not that..."

"Then what the hell happened?"

"I went into the Dungeon..."

As the words rolled off her tongue, she forgot her anger for a moment and just stood in awe.

"Are you crazy?! You went into the Dungeon like that? At night?!?!"

"... I'm sorry."

Bell did not have any armor whatsoever on his body. Going into the Dungeon like this was the same as going in naked.

One hit from a strong monster, and it would be over. Bell's condition was proof of that.

He may have had a knife for protection, but the lack of thought and consideration for his life shocked Hestia to no end. Going into the Dungeon like this was not fearless, it was foolish.

"... Why would you even try this? You're not some thrill seeker, so what was going through your head?"

"......"

The more Hestia looked at Bell, the less she wanted to scold him. He was not himself; he seemed darker, almost brooding. So she decided to change her tone to try to get a response out of him.

Bell showed no signs of opening his mouth. His hair covered his eyes. He was flat-out refusing to open up.

Hestia sighed, beside herself.

"Okay, okay. I won't ask you anything else. You're pretty stubborn, I can't win."

"I'm sorry..."

"I said it's okay, didn't I? For now, you need a shower. The bleeding has almost stopped, but your wounds are dirty. I'll treat them when you are done."

"... Thank you."

Bell showed her a small smile. Although she was still hurting inside, Hestia smiled, too.

She stepped away from the door to let Bell inside, but he staggered forward.

The injury on his right leg must have been serious.

Cursing her lack of height, Hestia offered her shoulder to the struggling boy. She had to stand on the balls of her feet to keep him upright.

"I-I'm sorry."

"All you do is apologize. If you really are sorry, think about what you did."

"A-aahh, sorry..."

"Again?"

Hesita half carried Bell toward the shower room. It was next to the bed behind an old, white wooden door. The door hung at a strange angle because one of the hinges was loose.

Hestia focused all of her strength to keep Bell upright as they made their way through the room. Just in front of the shower room, Hestia got an idea.

"Bell, sleep on the bed tonight, okay?"

"Are you sure...?"

"Of course! You're hurt, and I can't drag you all the way to the sofa, now can I?"

She knew that he needed sleep, first and foremost, to heal his injuries. It was the least she could do to give up her bed to help him rest.

As soon as she finished offering her bed, she got another idea. Why not tease him a bit?

"But I'll be sleeping in the same bed. I'm exhausted from going out and looking for you, you know? You wouldn't refuse, would you?"

"Yeah, sure. You must be tired, too. Let's get some sleep together."

"... Eh?"

Bell completely missed her teasing tone and accepted the condition right away. Caught completely off guard by his words, Hestia felt as if she'd been hit with a right hook. She quickly collected her thoughts; her heart had to recover. What was she going to do now?

Was she taking advantage of him? He was completely spent. There was no way to tell if he even knew what he was saying.

Damn it, Bell! You're so close...!

Hestia's teeth clenched as she thought about what Bell had just said. Her face turned pink as her heart jumped.

We can snuggle! No, we will snuggle!

Visions of what was to come filled her mind as she made mental notes about the size and weight of the boy she was holding up.

She had his word. He couldn't get away now. Yay!

"Goddess..."

"...! Wh-what's wrong?"

Bell's voice woke her up from her daydreams. She rushed to respond.

Had he seen through her plan? Hestia was sweating bullets as she waited for Bell's next words.

"... I-I want to get strong."

"!"

She craned her neck to look up at his face.

He was looking straight forward, but not at anything in particular.

Hestia took a breath and looked back at the shower room door. She said, "Yes..." and accepted his words.

Bell Cranell

Level One

Strength: H-120 → G-221 Defense: I-42 → H-101

Utility: H-139 → G-232 Agility: G-225 → F-313 Magic: I-0

Magic

( )

Skills

Realis Phrase

Rapid Growth

Continued desire results in continued growth

Stronger desire results in stronger growth

"—!"

Hestia's hands stopped moving in an instant.

Her eyes were glued to the thin back of the boy beneath her. His status was laid out before her as if she had opened an ancient book of hieroglyphs.

The information expressed in the Falna she had given him sent shivers down her spine.

A day had passed since Bell's return.

He screamed when he'd realized he was sleeping next to the goddess. He spent a full day in that bed and awoke at his usual time the next morning to find himself in that predicament. It was still early, so they decided they might as well do a status update.

It was just how it always was: Bell facedown on the bed without a shirt, the goddess sitting on his rear end, pricking her finger and dripping blood on his back... The only thing out of the ordinary was the numbers floating to the surface, a completely unbelievable status.

He's growing too fast.

Bell was the first member of her Familia, and thus he was the first human to receive her Falna, her blessing. A few of her friends had told her some things about how blessed children grow, but she wasn't an expert.

She didn't know how to make them get experience quickly, how to unlock their skills, or how to release the magic within them.

She only knew that the status on his back was not normal, at all.

This wasn't growth. It was leaps and bounds.

There might not be another adventurer like him...

If everyone grew at Bell's pace, then most adventurers would be in Level Two, almost to Level Three.

Most adventurers had a difficult time reaching Level Two, so much so that most Level Twos were members of large Familias. More than half of adventurers never advanced beyond Level One.

Bell's status was currently the equivalent of two average, veteran adventurers' statuses combined.

The only time a blessed person's status points went up 10 points or more at once was during the early stages of his or her career. Then they usually hit a wall and came to their god to complain about it.

Very few of them made it past that first wall. The rest just went around in circles.

Why did he grow this much...? The only possible explanation is...!

There was something swelling within him.

Hestia, the only one to know about the skill Realis Phrase, bit her lip as her head spun.

The children had an emotion called "jealousy." This emotion was rocking Hestia to her very core.

"Goddess?"

"!"

Bell was looking over his shoulder, trying to figure out why Hestia had stopped.

"Aah! Sorry! Sorry!" she said, trying to reassure him and returning to work. At least she acted like she was getting back to work. She was almost finished anyway.

What should I do...? Just give the status to him as it is...?

Sudden confidence and strength led to arrogance.

Hestia knew that much. She knew that all the children, not just humans, had this weakness. Arrogance led to carelessness, and then to death.

Part of her wanted to believe that Bell wasn't the kind of person who would be arrogant. But the other part said, "What if?" and she couldn't ignore that feeling as his protector. What if she lost him?

Trust and worry fought for control of her decision. But no matter how many reasons she thought of to trust Bell, worry kept winning out.

But if I don't give him the real status, I'll be lying to him...

That would interfere with Bell's growth.

If he didn't know what he was capable of, he'd fight enemies he had no business crossing blades with every day. What would this do to his status if he survived? Excelia tended to accumulate faster when the person fought against an opponent stronger than themselves.

No matter how good it would make her feel, lying to Bell now would be no different that personally cutting a hole in his hopes and dreams with her own two hands.

For a brief moment, Hestia did not think. There was only silence within her heart.

In the end, she chose to trust him.

Fighting back the "what if" with self control, she forced the scale to tip.

He was doing something that the gods could not change. It was well within her power to give him a push in the form of his status. "I want to be strong." Even if his motivation came from feelings for another, he had made up his mind.

"Bell, is it okay if I just tell you your status today?"

"Um, sure. That's fine with me."

Bell looked up over his shoulder as she told him how many points he had grown.

But she left out the part about his skill, Realis Phrase.

It's a rare skill, for sure.

Most skills were fairly common and had similar effects among adventurers.

While it was not fully understood how skills were acquired, the skills that had been confirmed to exist had different names and effects. It was still fairly easy to find another adventurer with something similar.

Furthermore, members of specific races tended to have similar skill sets. Many elves had skills that increased magic; dwarves usually had skills that improved their physical strength.

There were many different types of skills with various outcomes for all types of races. However, when an extremely low number of adventurers possessed a certain skill, it was considered a "rare skill."

The gods referred to it as such.

If he knew, things would get ugly...

She wasn't keeping the information about his skill away from him out of spite.

Sure, her jealously of Wallensomething was 70 percent (maybe 90 percent) of her reasoning, but there were other circumstances that were keeping her lips sealed.

Gods and goddesses were here to have fun. When news of a "rare" or "original" skill reached their ears, they pursued it like kids in a candy store. Their sparkling eyes went wide open. A little bit of drool oozed out of their mouths.

Some of the more foolish gods might even try to get the skill's possessor into his or her own Familia, ignoring the current blessing altogether.

Just playing a game.

Bell isn't good at lying. He'll tell anyone about his skill if they ask. Word will travel fast. So, just this one thing, I'll keep to myself.

The skill increased growth under certain conditions.

Realis Phrase was without a doubt an undocumented skill.

Hestia decided to protect Bell from the other gods by locking this secret deep within her mind.

Bell's jaw dropped as Hestia told him what was written on his back—other than his skill, of course. Hestia put the finishing touches on the hieroglyphs. It was the one thing she could do to help him.

"So, yeah. You grew quite a lot this time. Do you know why?"

"No... not really... Ah!"

"Yes?"

"Well... the other night I went down to the lower sixth floor..."

"Huh? W-what? Are you crazy?! What were you thinking? And with no armor?!?"

"I-I'm sorry!"

Hestia jumped to her feet and stood over him, glaring. She released a torrent of scolding and reprimands onto Bell, still shirtless on the bed.

"The point is, I don't know exactly why, but you are growing at an alarming rate. I don't know how long this will last or how high you'll go. Let's call it a growth spurt."

"U-understood!"

"... This is just my opinion, but I think you have great potential. You have talent and great instincts as an adventurer."

That skill couldn't be the only reason Bell had done this well so far.

It was only the spark that allowed him to grow so quickly.

There had been many indications of what he was really capable of doing.

A farm boy from the countryside with no teacher had survived near-death situations while prowling the Dungeon alone every day.

The skill Realis Phrase raised the basic status. It didn't teach how to attack, when to block or dodge. Only real experience in battle could do that. Even if he didn't have the skill, he was the only one who could make those decisions in combat. That was his true strength.

The fact that Bell had survived alone this long showed he had talent.

"... You will get stronger. And I want you to get even stronger than you are now."

"... Yes."

Bell sat up and looked into Hestia's eyes. She crossed her arms and looked back down at him.

She put all her heart into her next words.

"... I want you to promise me that you won't try to do too much. I want you to swear that you won't repeat the other night."

"I—"

"Your will to get stronger is amazing, and I respect you for it. I will encourage you, support you, help you in any way I can... So."

Her eyes glistened as tears started to flow. She pleaded with all of her being.

"... Please don't leave me alone."

Her pleas had an immediate effect.

Bell's shoulders sank as he looked upon her. His face was deep in thought, as though he was remembering another promise he had kept. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Stillness filled the air. For the two of them, it was a long silence.

"... I promise."

Bell raised his head.

His face looked pitiful, about to cry, but also happy and about to burst at the seams all at the same time.

There was not a hint of deceit in his smile. For Hestia, this face was far more trustworthy than any words.

Now, she was sure that this boy was worthy of her trust.

"I won't try too hard. I'll do my best to get stronger... But I will not leave you behind or make you worry. You will not be alone."

"I'm glad to hear that. I can relax now."

Fighting off the urge to jump into his arms, Hestia smiled at the boy.

She picked up his shirt from the floor and gave it to him. He said a quick "Thank you." She looked up at the ceiling as he changed.

... I'm so happy!

There was something she could do for him.

Her feet thumped on the warped flooring as she ran to a shelf in the kitchen. Most of the shelf was used for cookware, but she went to a box in the center and threw it open. Her hand flew around blindly as she fumbled for something hidden inside. Pulling the box down, she looked past the flyers and paperwork for her part-time job and found what she was looking for.

She grabbed an invitation entitled GANESHA'S CELEBRATION OF THE GODS.

Hephaistos will be there, right?

The face of the friend and goddess who found this room popped into Hestia's mind.

Getting in touch with Hephaistos was never easy because she was always working and traveling to many places around the city.

Hestia decided to use this party as an opportunity to see her friend in person.

The party started... tonight.

"Ah!" came out of her mouth as she quickly looked around. "Bell, I'm going to be out tonight. Maybe for a few days. That okay?"

"Eh? Ah, I understand. Something for work?"

"Nope. I wasn't really interested at first, but some of my closest friends are going to a party. I'm thinking I'll go and say hi. It's been too long since I have seen everyone."

"Then by all means, go!" Bell said with a smile. Friends were important. He had no reason to refuse.

Hestia felt bad for bringing this up out of the blue, but she smiled back and walked to the closet. None of her clothes were really appropriate for the event, but she grabbed the best dress she had and put it in her travel bag. A few more odds and ends and she was ready to go. All that was left was to request someone to cover her shift at work. She'd do that on the way.

She was almost out the door when she thought of one last thing.

"Bell, are you going to the Dungeon today?"

"I'm planning to, yes... Should I not?"

He had just made that promise. He timidly looked up at the goddess, expecting another lecture to hit him like a brick wall.

"No, it's okay, go ahead. But be extra careful, okay? You are still recovering, remember?"

"I will! Thank you!"

Bell looked so happy with dimples in his cheeks. He nodded to Hestia as she set out.

The sun's rays stretch across the sky.

It's late morning. Good time for a jog down Main Street. There are a lot of people out enjoying this nice weather.

I left the room not long after the goddess. Got my armor this time! On my way to the Dungeon now.

Yeah, the goddess was right. My knee is not happy. Whatever sixth-level monster got me had one hell of an arm. It'll take some time to get back to normal.

Just another reason not to push it. No adventures for me. If I screw up, I'm heading home ASAP. But I'll focus and do my best no matter what.

Ah, there it is. The Dungeon is still a bit far away, though. Up until a few days ago, I was impatient and would have run all the way there. But not now.

The goddess calmed me down quite a bit. My head is clear. All I need to do now is go forward as fast as I can.

It will take time, but this is the fastest way to catch up with Ms. Wallenstein. Keep going to the Dungeon, keep getting stronger. All efforts bear fruit eventually, right?

I can still hear the goddess saying, "Don't do too much." With the goddess's words in my head, my feet stop in front of "that" place.

Yeah, there is something I have to do before going to the Dungeon today.

"This might be a little rough..."

Closed, huh...

I scratch my head as I think this over.

Got to face the music sometime, might as well be now. Just need to get a foot in the door.

Ding-ding. A bell rings as I peek my head through the entrance of The Benevolent Mistress.

"I am awfully sorry, sir, but we are not open just yet. Can I ask you to return in a few hours?"

"Nyow, Mia's bar isn't open nyet!"

An elf and a cat person were busy setting up tablecloths. They still responded to me right away.

They're both very cute. Wearing the same uniform as Syr, there is no other way to describe them than simply pretty young ladies. I guess I have a thing for elves and their pointy ears because just hearing her voice has made me nervous.

"I'm sorry to intrude, but I'm not a customer. Is... um... Syr Flover here? And the owner, too."

"Kyaaaaa! The dine-and-dasher from before, nya! The one who came to give Syr an offering, nyand then abandoned her at the table, nya! That white-haired kid!! Nya nya!"

"You will be silent."

"Bnyya?"

"I apologize for my coworker. I will retrieve Syr and Mama Mia right away."

"Th-thanks..."

I didn't even see the elf move.

She just suddenly had the catgirl by the collar and dragged her away. Elegant, fast, refined... It's enough to make me sweat. There they go up the stairs. It's too quiet in here now.

I remember this place feeling like a bar. Now it looks and feels more like a café. Maybe they change the restaurant during the day? Adventurers are in the Dungeon, so they're trying to appeal to regular townsfolk?

Café... That's right. There's a terrace here, isn't there? They thought of everything.

"Bell?!"

Thump-thump-thump. Behind me, pattering feet. Ah, it's Syr, and she's running down the stairs?!

What would I give to just dig a hole and bury myself right here? Then I wouldn't have to face her. That's not going to happen. Man up, you can do this. You can start by walking up to meet her. That's it.

"I'm very sorry for what happened the other day. I didn't pay—"

"... No, no, it's okay now. I'm happy that you came back."

She's giggling? I should look up. I might be bowing a bit too low.

She's not even asking me why? Look at her, her arms open, a warm smile on her face. I could cry right here. No, tears, go back! Oh! I can act like some dirt or something got in them. Good cover! Okay, the money is in my backpack... There!

"Here, this should cover the food I ate. If that isn't enough, I can pay more..."

"I would never say it isn't enough! Your coming back is enough for me... And I'm sorry, too."

"You don't have to apologize..." Her words are too nice. All right, how about a handshake. Nice firm shake, ahhhh that might have been a bit too strong...

Yeah, she's rolling her shoulder... But she's laughing! Oh, what a relief!

She's smiling with her eyes! I'm so glad she's forgiven me! Hey, wait, where's she going? She looked like she remembered something important, and now she's disappeared into the back room...

There she is, and she's carrying a big basket.

"You are going to the Dungeon soon, aren't you? Please take this with you."

"Eh?"

"The chef baked our rations this morning, so they are very fresh. I did touch a few of them, though..."

"That's okay, but why?"

"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to?"

She tilts her head, has that same shy smile from before.

She looks so kind, gentle... I can't refuse that face.

Maybe she's rooting for me...? Cheering me on?

"... Thank you. I'll eat them before I go into the Dungeon today."

I'll take the basket, but I can't keep smiling with you. My cheeks hurt...

She's looking at me funny again. Her cheeks are going pink, too. I like her giggle, though.

"The boy's 'ere, eh?"

A voice from behind the bar, the door hinges are still creaking. Mama Mia...

Damn, she takes over a room! Gotta get out of here!!

No, I can't do that. Turn and face her.

Even for a dwarfess, she's pretty big. Her shoulders are double mine...

"Ah! I gotcha. Came back to pay the money, did ya? Ain't that nice o' you."

"You're... welcome."

"Syr, take a break, eh? You been in 'n' out all day."

"Yes, sure."

She makes a quiet bow. Mama Mia is coming this way! She's smiling, not a warm hearty smile, a bold smile. Uhff. That's her meaty hand square on my shoulder...

Now she's talking...

"If ya hadn' come back, we woulda released the hounds ta find ya!"

Gulp.

"If you'd been a day later, I'da enjoyed hearing me prey squeal again."

To think, I almost died twice in one night... She would have killed me...

Nice save, Bell! Nice save.

"Syr, that's your lunch he's carryin'. Ya okay with that?"

"Oh, yes. Missing lunch isn't that big of a deal."

"Why is okay to go hungry and give him nyour lunch, nya?"

"It just—"

"Oh-oh! Don't be rude nyow! You two are like that, nya? He's nyour—"

"Not that!"

I think Syr chased after the catgirl, but I couldn't watch them... There is someone a bit more important with her hand on my shoulder.

I will never do anything out of line in front of Mama Mia again, ever.

"Be sure 'n' say thanks ta Syr. Lot o' us here are not as forgivin' as she is. In fact, if she 'adn't said okay, you'd be swimming with fishes 'bout now."

"......"

She's serious...

"Syr chased after ya that night, but she couldn't find ya. Came back all depressed, mopin' around. That there elf, Lyu, grabbed a claymore from the back. Wasn' easy stoppin' 'er from huntin' ya down."

I may like elves, but I'm a long way from understanding them.

But... Syr chased after me... even when I was like that...

A new fire sparked to life in my chest. A good one this time.

I am really in Syr's debt. I have to figure out a way to repay her someday.

"... Oi, boy!"

"What is it?"

"Bein' an adventurer isn't for those who just look the part. Just fight to survive at first. Once ya build up a bit, the worst rarely happens."

My eyes shoot wide open.

Does she know? She was at the bar then, so maybe she overheard everything?

Wait, she's smiling at me?

"The best is always the last one standing, ya hear? No matter what it takes. Come on back an' I'll fix ya up with a large ale! Hey, ya won, didn't ya?"

Mama... Mia...!

"Don' be givin' me that weird face! Now head out, will ya? Yer in the way!"

Suddenly, a massive force spins me around and guides me out the door.

I may be out of breath, but coming back here was the best decision I've made in days!

I feel like the last of the shadows from the other night are finally gone. Loki Familia's animal guy, I haven't forgotten what he said. But now it doesn't make me angry. It's fuel for my journey.

Do what you can now, as fast as you can, without doing too much. Just focus on surviving.

Sounds like the perfect plan to me.

"Oi, boy! I've said this much already, don' ya go dyin' on me now, ya clear?"

"I won't! Thank you again!"

I feel so alive!

"I'm heading out!" I yell back into the bar before heading into the crowded street.

Night.

A bright moon floats above the curtain of darkness that has fallen over the land. The moonlit forest is alive with the sounds of owls and rustling leaves.

These sounds ride the breeze and spread out over a vast plain to merge with chirping birds and swishing grasses. They flow together in a chorus of nature until the sounds hit one sudden change in the landscape.

A very big wall.

Big, thick, and sturdy, the edge of the city may as well be a castle wall.

The protective wall is constructed completely out of stone. The curtain of night is pushed aside as light spreads throughout the city. The voices of nature outside the wall are drowned out by the din of the city's nightlife.

The Labyrinth City, Orario.

Orario is one of the few cities that have existed since ancient times, even before the arrival of the gods. However, it is the only "labyrinth" city.

The wall forms a perfect circle, encasing the metropolis in stone. Relatively tall towers and buildings stick up just inside the edges of the wall. Shorter buildings are toward the center. This stone behemoth is lit by hundreds of magic stone lamps. It's as if a sea of stars came down from the sky to live in a stone castle.

One tower in the very center of Orario looks tall enough to pierce the clouds.

The tallest tower in the city, its imposing shadow strikes awe into the citizenry. Visitors come from far and wide to see the tower and bask in its glory.

The tower is directly over the entrance to the Dungeon below. Known as "Babel," its main purpose is to be a "lid." With Babel at its core, the image of Orario has spread far and wide around the world.

More adventurers call Orario home than any other city or country. The Dungeon is where all of the ancestors of monsters scattered around the world were born. Many people refer to the Dungeon as one of the world's three great mysteries. A colossal "unknown" sleeps within the deepest part of the Dungeon. This "unknown" draws many fearless adventurers into its depths.

Of course, most of these adventurers are motivated by greed. A place that spawns infinite monsters and drop items provides an infinite source of wealth. For those adventurers on a quest for glory, slaying particularly violent and dangerous beasts is the fastest way to become immortalized as a hero in tales of adventure. Orario was given the name "Labyrinth City" on a whim by the gods who lived there. They thought it made the city sound more interesting. Soon, Orario became known far and wide. Adventurers had nothing to do with it.

The excitement of the "unknown," the lure of wealth, a chance to attain glory and above all notoriety, draws in more and more people every year.

Among the newcomers, there may even be a few who come here merely for fun and a fated meeting.

"The most passionate city in the world."

That is what it's called.

"Ah! Look over there! It's the head of the dirt-poor Familia, Takemikazuchi! Oii! Hey, ooii!!—heh-heh."

"Ah! Isn't that the guy who has so little money every year his face is caving in, Takemikazuchi? Oii! Hey, ooii!!—hee-hee-hee."

"Quiet, you worthless deities!"

This was inevitable.

These were the gods and goddesses who came to Gekai looking for entertainment. They came to the passionate city Orario seeking the "unknown" even more than the adventurers. That was them to a T.

They were gathering in a specific part of the city.

Gods didn't normally get together in such high numbers.

"Yo!"

"Eeeeh! Long time! How long has it been?"

"'Bout four hundred years, I reckon."

"Ohoh! That long? You've changed quiet a lot since then!"

"Sorry to change the subject on you, but is the Celebration really here?"

One overly extravagant building stood over the group of overly extravagant gods assembling in the street.

Standing among the lights of Orario, this thing was just plain weird. It was so out of place, it was almost mysterious.

The building was a massive, thirty-meter, human-shaped statue with an elephant's head sitting cross-legged in the middle of the city block. The base of the building was surrounded by a stone wall.

The statue sat proudly, puffing out its chest. It was famous for inspiring a sense of wonder and uneasiness within anyone who saw it. Magic stone lamps lit up the statue from many angles. The elephant stood out against the black night sky.

It might have come as no surprise, but this building had a history.

It was built by the handsome, dark-skinned god Ganesha. Who knew what he was thinking when he burned through his Familia's savings to build this monstrosity.

This statue, Aiam Ganesha, was the home base of Ganesha Familia.

Even the members of his Familia didn't like it. Most of them teared up a bit as they went in and out, thinking how their hard work had gone into paying for this thing. The icing on the cake? The entrance to the building was in the crotch of the statue.

"What's Ganesha doing?"

"Ganesha really goes all out!"

The group of extraordinarily lavish people filed into the building through the crotch, laughing all the way.

Every one of these "people" was a god or goddess.

They had come for Ganesha's "Celebration of the Gods."

A Celebration of the Gods was basically a large party put on by a god for other gods living on Gekai. There were no rules about who hosted and who attended. The Celebration was hosted by a god who wanted to throw a party and was attended by gods who wanted to come. It was all done on a whim.

"Everyone! Thank you for coming today! I am Ganesha! I am overjoyed at the attendance of this Celebration! I love you all! I do have one small announcement to make: The yearly festival put on by my Familia is only three days away! Please encourage your Familias to attend!"

The great hall was only lightly decorated, completely different from the lavish exterior of the building.

Ganesha, wearing an elephant mask and dressed to match his statue, greeted his guests in a booming voice from the top of a stage in the middle of the hall. The gods in attendance by and large ignored his greeting and continued talking among themselves.

The party was set up to be a standing buffet. Tables with white tablecloths lined the great hall. An array of fresh food filled the hall with a variety of mouthwatering smells. Soft echoes from the shoes of both the attendees and the staff thumped from all directions. A band sat behind the stage, waiting for the signal to play dance music.

Almost all of the deities in Orario were in attendance tonight.

Invitations to the Celebration had been disturbed by the host's Familia. The number of guests was determined by their resources.

Ganesha Familia was very prominent in Orario, so he was able to send an invitation to every single god and goddess within the city wall.

Hestia included.

"Hey! Mr. Waiter! Bring me a stool! Quickly!

"Y-yes!"

Hestia was busy raiding the food tables under the din of conversing gods when she summoned a member of Ganesha Familia.

She was not tall enough to reach a particularly delicious-looking dish in the middle of a table.

Mine! Mine! Mine!

"......"

Her arms flew around from dish to dish as she gathered as much food as she could onto her plate.

Unable to say anything, the waiter just watched her in action.

Hestia had no plans of slowing down—it was a buffet, and she was going to take full advantage of it. Hestia Familia was among the poorest of the poor Familias. She was most likely the bottom of the barrel of all the gods in attendance. But Hestia didn't mind. She had no problem working so that Bell had enough energy to work in the Dungeon. Working in shops and doing odd jobs was just part of her life now.

However, she was the only deity there not wearing extravagant clothing. She was wearing her usual garb but had tried her best to make her clothes look more formal. It didn't fool anyone.

"Hey, isn't that Loli Big Boobs?"

"Wow, she's still alive?"

"I've seen her. She's working part-time in the northern south block. The children were patting her head."

"That's our Loli Lady!"

Of course, Hestia stuck out like a sore thumb. Shoveling food into her mouth and wearing ordinary clothes, she attracted a lot of attention.

Hestia knew they were making fun of her, but she decided to ignore everything and keep her mouth shut. At least until she found more good food.

"Just what do you think you're doing...?"

"... mmhnngg... mm!"

A very tired voice hit her from the side.

Spinning around with a mouthful of pastries, Hestia saw a goddess with flaming red hair and wearing a dark crimson dress standing next to her.

Her face was thin with a sharp chin, showing her strong will. In fact, even the golden earrings she was wearing could not compete with her sheer beauty.

However, Hestia couldn't help but notice black skin covering half of the goddess's face over her right eye.

A bandage covered most of it. She stared down at Hestia with her left eye. It was wide and looked shocked.

Hestia gulped down the last of the food in her mouth.

"Hephaistos!"

"I'm happy to see you, too, Hestia. I'm glad you are well... I'd be happier if you wore something a little more appropriate."

Hephaistos shook her head and rolled her eye. The magic stone lamps on the ceiling shone down upon the one-eyed goddess. Her waist-length hair sparkled as if it were woven with sugar.

Hestia took a moment to admire Hephaistos's beautiful red hair before going up to her with a big smile on her face.

"I'm glad I came! I was right to come."

"What? I'm only going to say this once: I'm not lending you one val."

"How rude!"

Hephaistos glared at her "friend" as she snapped a warning.

She was the goddess who had looked after Hestia before she met Bell, the one who had kicked Hestia out of her Familia's base. Their relationship was still a little tense.

While they had been friends for a long time, Hephaistos had lost her patience with Hestia because she hadn't formed her own Familia, hadn't worked, and had become a burden.

However, even after evicting her, the needy goddess would always come back asking for money. Whether it was "I can't find a job" or "I can't find a room that keeps the rain out," Hestia always had a sad story to tell before asking for help. She'd pushed Hephaistos as far as she could.

Hephaistos had a serious problem on her hands. She couldn't leave her friend out on the streets with no money, but she also couldn't keep helping her with every little thing.

In the end, she gave Hestia the room under the church and found her a part-time job. The only thing Hestia did by herself was induct Bell into her Familia.

She acted mature and independent when she was around Bell. But on her own, she was a lazy goddess who couldn't get anything done on her own.

"Do I look like a goddess who would do that?!? Sure, I needed your help in the past, but thanks to you, I'm doing fine on my own! I don't need to eat from anyone else's plate anymore!"

"Weren't you doing that just a second ago?"

"T-this food will just be left over... If it's just going to be thrown away, I should at least put it to good use, yes?"

"Ho-ho! That's a great way to put it. I'm so happy you've changed, my tears of happiness just won't stop."

"Gyuuuu..."

Hephaistos scoffed through her nose at Hestia's pained face.

Click-click, click-click. High-heeled shoes echoed as another goddess approached them.

"Hee-hee... Still the best of friends, I see."

"Eh... F-Freya?"

Hestia turned around to see emerge from another group of deities a goddess so beautiful that she made the others look normal by comparison. The floor was her runway. Everyone else was there to admire her.

Her skin was the color of fresh fallen snow and just as smooth. Freya's arms and legs glided through the air as if she were swimming, her perfume getting the attention of other gods as she drifted past. Their eyes fell on her luscious derriere, the cloth holding it in place stretched way too thin. Her gold-trimmed, full-length gown was open in the front. With only one layer of fabric over each breast, she proudly showed off her full shape. Her cleavage was bright pink, like she was too warm.

She had the perfect body; better proportions did not exist.

Long eyelashes surrounded calm eyes that radiated confidence.

Her beauty transcended beauty, to the point that no one else even came close.

The Goddess of Beauty gently swished her silver hair as she glided up to the other two goddesses.

"Why are you here...?"

"Saw you standing here. Thought I'd say something like 'It's been ages' and invite you to walk around the great hall. Something like that."

"D-don't say it like that, Hephaistos..."

"Am I disturbing you, Hestia?" a smiling Freya asked the shorter goddess as she stepped into their conversation.

"It's not that..." Hestia fought back an irritated twitch in her lips. "I just don't like you very much."

"Hee-hee-hee. That's what I like about you."

Oh please. Hestia crossed her arms and looked away.

Being the Goddess of Beauty, Freya was a lady among women and always carried herself as such. She was always a head above the rest.

Freya had the ability to make others stop and wonder at her charm and grace. Even whimsical gods fell under her spell. The children on Gekai became enslaved by her smile alone.

However, Hestia couldn't stand Freya's personality, or other gods like her.

She did her best to avoid them.

"Hey! Fei-Fei! Freya—! Itty Bitty!

"Then again, you're not so bad compared to a few others I know..."

"My, my, aren't you tense."

Freya's smile widened as she turned to face the newcomer, who was flailing her arms and half jogging up to the group.

She had vermillion-red eyes and hair. She'd changed her hairstyle from a simple short ponytail to a stylish inward spiral just for the Celebration. She was sporting a sleek black dress.

She might not have looked like much standing next to Freya, but her face was on par with Hestia and Hephaistos in terms of charm.

"Yo! Loki."

"Why the hell are you here...?!"

"Wassamatta? Am I not allowed to greet ya without a reason? It's a Celebration, no? It'd be rude not to say hi. Get with the program, Itty Bitty."

"......!......!"

"That's quite the scary face, Hestia."

Loki was two heads taller than she; all Hestia could do was turn a cold shoulder.

She had nothing to say to Loki.

Loki was the enemy.

"It really has been a long time, Loki. Didn't think I'd see Freya or Hestia today, either. The Celebration has been full of surprises."

"Yeah, it's been forever... Been forever for most everyone here tonight, though."

Loki's eyes were so long and thin that they usually looked like lines in the middle of her face. But she smiled as she opened them just enough to get a good look at Freya.

One of Ganesha Familia's waiters arrived with drinks. He froze on the spot when Freya turned to take a glass. Smiling at the dumbstruck man, she took a long sip.

"Have you really not met up anywhere?"

"We did see each other the other day. Wasn't much of a chat, though."

"You're one to talk. I made myself open to conversation, not my fault."

"Hmm. Oh, Loki, I hear about your Familia all the time. Things must be going well?"

"Waaa! To hear someone with a Familia as good as yours say that... I must be moving up in the world... But yeah, my children are my pride 'n' joy. Mind if I brag?"

A tinge of pink covered Loki's face as she shyly scratched her head. Loki hid her feelings from the members of her Familia, but that was more difficult here.

Hestia had been listening to the conversation and thought this would be the perfect time to gather some information.

"Hey, Loki. I have a question for you about someone in your Familia, Wallensomething or other."

"Oh! The kenki! I would like to listen in, if you don't mind."

"What's this? Itty Bitty has a question for me? Someone look to the sky! Is it Armageddon? Ragnarok? Did Hell just freeze over?"

Hestia clenched her teeth. I'm gonna tear this bitch in half!

"... Here it is. Does the kenki have a boyfriend or some kind of special companion?"

"Moron, she's my favorite. I ain't giving her to anyone, ya hear? If anyone else tries to put a hand on her, I'll mount their head on my bedroom wall."

"Tsk."

"Strange time for ya to tsk at me."

Hestia got the information she was after. Aiz Wallenstein was being fiercely guarded by Loki.

She felt the same way about Bell. If only Aiz had someone special she wanted to protect... An evil smirk popped up on her lips.

Hephaistos stood by, watching the conversation unfold. Sensing the tension rising, she jumped in to change the subject.

"I know this is a little late, but it feels strange to see you in a dress, Loki. Don't you usually wear men's clothes?"

"Hee-hee, about that. A little bird told me a certain Itty Bitty was gettin' ready to go to a party..."

Hestia glared at her. Loki didn't seem to care. She bent over so she could talk directly into Hestia's face.

"Heard she was too poor to wear a dress, thought I'd laugh at her."

You bbbbbiiiitttttttcccccchhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hestia locked eyes with Loki, her face getting redder and redder. She might explode at any moment.

It was always like this. They hadn't known each other very long, maybe a hundred years. However, whenever Loki saw Hestia, she had an undeniable urge to tease her... She would do anything she could to make a joke at Hestia's expense and would go out of her way to do so.

The reason was quite simple: Hestia had what she didn't.

It was all because of the two lumps on Hestia's chest.

"Ha-ha!! Nice one! To make me laugh by making fun of your complex in front of everyone! Loki, you're a comedic genius!"

"Wha'd ya mean?"

"Oh, sorry. Not comedic, you're a genius at digging holes. Like the grave you are standing in!"

Now it was Loki's turn to flame up. The goddesses scowled at each other, their faces getting redder with each breath.

Loki's black dress was very low cut with no shoulders. It was almost sad how little shape she had, other than her quivering rib cage.

"So it begins...," muttered a cross-armed Hephaistos as her eye went from one goddess to the other.

Freya held her glass of fruit wine as she looked on with a smile. The fireworks were about to start.

The two goddesses stood with their well-above-average busts bulging from their elegant dresses on the sidelines.

"How many men have fallen off the cliff of despair that is your flat chest? Ha-ha! See what I did there?"

"Not funny at all, you hagggggg!!!!!!!"

"Kiyaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!"

Loki lunged at Hestia, her eyes leaking tears.

Getting a good grip on Hestia's cheeks, Loki pulled as hard as she could.

Her face expanded out like taffy, soft and squishy.

Hestia tried to fight back, but her short arms couldn't even come close to grabbing Loki. She futilely swatted the air, her cheeks shiny with tears.

"Oh, what have we here?"

"Looks like Loli Big Tits against Loki No Bits...!"

"Ten elixirs say that Loki walks away frustrated!"

"All of my star chips say that I'll be the one to comfort her!"

"Make a real bet, moron!"

More and more gods came to watch the catfight unfolding in the great hall.

Hephaistos's head drooped past her shoulders. She was already fed up with Hestia and Loki, now there was an audience to this brawl.

Loki was shaking Hestia's entire body with her death grip on the smaller goddess's fluffy cheeks. Left, right, up, down, she shook Hestia in all directions.

Shaking, shaking, and more shaking.

"... hee... hee... I'm thinkin' ya've had enough for today..."

She's twitching all over!!!

Sad that she couldn't finish the job, Loki dropped Hestia to the floor and turned her back.

Loki didn't even glance at the girl as she collapsed to the floor, just walked away. Loki's body twitched as she started to make her way across the room.

It was not a victory lap.

"Hmph... Don't be looking so pathetic next time, loser. Tuck your tail and run!"

"I'll do ya in next time, ya hear me? Next time!!!!!!"

Loki bolted for the door, leaving a trail of tears in her wake.

"Just as I thought..." A murmur spread through the crowd of gods who had come to witness the fight. With the show over, they went back to their own conversations and drifted elsewhere.

"Loki's really rounded out..."

"Rounded out?? She still looks like a little kid..."

Hephaistos could only raise an eyebrow at Freya's comment.

Freya perked up the tips of her mouth as she ran her fingers through her silver hair.

"Before coming here, gods used to fight one another to the death for fun. This is a lot cuter. Not even dangerous."

"Well, yes. That's true. You've known Loki for a long time, right?"

"Very much so, about as long as the two of you."

Hephaistos helped a wobbly Hestia to her feet.

"We're not as close as we once were," said Hephaistos with a weak smile.

"Looks like Loki's taken a liking to the children. Maybe that's why she's changed."

"I hate to say it, but she has that in common with me."

"Ohh? Didn't you say 'I don't look at the children like that' not too long ago? Did that new boy, Bell, change that?"

"Hee-hee, maybe so. He's a really good boy. He's wasted on me."

"If I remember right, he's a white-haired, red-eyed human boy, yes? You came and told me right after you started your Familia. I was shocked, really."

Freya's ears twitched as she heard the news.

She set her empty glass on the table and swished her hair.

"I bid you Farewell."

"What, already? Do you have somewhere to be, Freya?"

"I got the information I came here for, so there's no point in staying."

"... You didn't ask anyone anything today?"

Freya and Hephaistos had been together since the start of the Celebration. Hephaistos was confused about her friend's sudden departure and tilted her head.

Freya ignored her and instead cast her eyes on Hestia. Her smile was still there but was now somewhat different from before.

Hestia blinked a few times as Freya's aura changed.

"... And I've gotten bored of all the men here."

Don't you dare!!!!

"......"

"......"

She gave a nod as a simple good-bye and disappeared into the crowd.

The remaining goddesses watched her leave before looking at one another. They exchanged an awkward laugh and a shrug.

"Freya really is the Goddess of Beauty... no respect."

"She's in control of love and desire. Someone's bound to want her help..."

"She has a Familia. She just doesn't see what is right under her nose. To think she might become a rival... makes me appreciate the children that much more!"

"She could recruit new members just by smiling..."

Hephaistos let out a deep breath and scratched the bandage covering her right eye.

It was a habit she'd picked up. Whenever she wasn't satisfied or couldn't accept something, her hand just went there on its own.

Hestia let out a small "hmm" through her nose, watching Hephaistos closely.

"Anyway, what are you going to do now? I'm going to walk around, talk to a few more people. Are you going home?"

A light snapped on in Hestia's brain. Her shoulders jumped when she realized she had almost forgotten something very important.

"You could stick around for a while? Have a drink or two?"

"Um... yeah... well..."

Hephaistos's expression changed when she saw Hestia start fidgeting. She'd seen that many times before.

Ignoring the blast of suspicion bursting out from under Hephaistos's flaming red hair, Hestia made up her mind. She cleared her throat.

"I... um, have a favor to ask you."

"......"

Hephaistos's left eye narrowed, sharp as a dagger.

The carefree Hephaistos was gone in an instant. She was engulfed in a much more serious aura.

It was the same one she'd had when flat-out stating that she wouldn't be lending any money.

"You ask now, after what you said earlier? Think back—what did you say?"

"Umm... What was it again?"

" 'I don't need to eat from anyone else's plate' ring a bell?"

Hestia smiled and nodded, not arguing the point. She had said that, after all.

Hephaistos looked at her as though she had just climbed out of a toilet. While Hestia wanted to take back her earlier statement, she clenched her jaw and waited out the awkward silence.

This was the reason Hestia had come to the Celebration in the first place. She might lose a friend for it, but she had to try.

"... Okay, I'll play your game. What. Is. Your. Request?"

Hephaistos stared down at the short goddess, her red hair and eye on the verge of bursting into flames.

Hephaistos was known as the Goddess of the Forge when she resided in Tenkai, the upper world. The Familia she created on Gekai didn't rely on the income of adventurers in Orario to survive.

Even still, there was not a single adventurer in Orario who didn't know the name Hephaistos.

She had created a brand.

Her Familia was home to many specialists capable of creating weapons so strong that even a hundred others wouldn't measure up. These smiths forged high-quality weapons known around the world.

Hestia had come here today to directly ask the president of Hephaistos Familia for a favor. She took a deep breath and said in the strongest voice she could muster:

"I would like you to make a weapon for Bell... a member of my Familia."