Blade of Cinder

Bell had to admit that the journey didn't turn out as he expected it to be. At least it didn't turn into a bad situation. Still, it was quite depressing that someone that had just received a falna yesterday could defeat monsters that he was still struggling with.

"It's done, Bell."

"A-Ah, right."

During the whole fight, Bell did nothing but simply wait behind Cinder. It was a suggestion given by the knight herself; she would give a try in fighting the monsters and if she had a problem, the boy could easily help her. Turned out, it wasn't necessary as she easily defeated them. All that they need to do now was to collect the magic stones.

He couldn't help but wince every time she extracted stone from a corpse. While Bell himself could be quite messy in extracting the stones, Cinder simply ripped apart the corpses' chests to do it. It was not only the stones; goblin fangs and kobold nails, she simply ripped them away from the main bodies.

Perhaps he should have told her that it was better to take the stone first so that she could simply pick up the drop item. Considering that she didn't figure it out herself, however, indicated that she likely didn't care about that.

"Shall we continue now?" Cinder asked as both of them stood up, having finished extracting valuable items.

"Of course." Bell nodded his head. "Want to try to go to the lower floor?"

"Lead the way."

The two adventurers walked away from the scene of carnage, intending of going to the lower level. On their way, they encountered several goblins and kobolds. All of them were slain, their stones and body parts extracted, and the remains were left alone. This encounter happened at least three times.

"Huh, I know we spend quite a time on the first floor but to gain this much…" Bell commented as he checked one of his pouches.

"What about it?" Cinder asked curiously.

"Usually by this point, I would start to feel tired. I would get several more stones and items before returning to the Guild and have them exchanged for money." The white-haired boy explained. "But as of now, I still feel fresh. I believe we can earn more than what I usually earned. I am sure Goddess will be happy!"

"Just returning safely will be enough for her."

When they reached the second floor, the pair only managed to take several steps before a group of monsters approached them. Not only kobolds and goblins, but there were also several lizards among them. Bell drew out his knife with Cinder was about to do the same with her sword when she noticed something.

"Behind!" She stated as she drew out her weapon and turned her back towards the group.

The boy turned her head, making sure to not let the monsters in front of him completely out of his sight. Just as she stated, several goblins and kobolds were descending the staircases that they had just used earlier.

"Can you take care of them yourself?" Cinder asked as she prepared for a battle.

"Y-Yes. There's not many of them." Bell nodded his head. "I can."

Without anymore word, both adventurers dashed towards their respective opponents.

Despite how dangerous the situation was, Bell couldn't help but feel happy. He could feel that his body has been used with his own movements. Dodged an attack, swing the knife to counterattack, dodge another one, wait for an opening, and many more. He could also predict their attacks, which was really helpful considering his fighting style.

While the Bell slowly but steadily kill the monsters on his side, Cinder acted more like a battering ram. Any monster in her way stood no chance at all against the charred knight. They either died on spot or was sent flying towards the walls of the Dungeon. Their attacks were less than useless thanks to her armor.

It didn't take long until all monster was annihilated.

In her post, Eina was busy filling several papers when she heard footsteps. Judging how the sound was getting louder and louder, that person was walking towards her. She raised her head, looking away from the papers, and found herself seeing the newest member of Hestia Familia.

"Oh, Cinder. It's good to see you." Eina greeted her as the elf put down her quill. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"There is one." The girl replied, voice as soft as ever. "How does one make money from monster drop item?"

"Hmm, I am going to need you to clarify it."

"Bell is currently exchanging the magic stones and some items that we gathered for valis. During our journey back, I have heard several adventurers planning to sell an item that they acquired to Dian Cecht Familia." Cinder explained. "So, how does it work?"

"Alright, this is going to be quite long." She fixed her glasses. "The Guild is usually the party that most adventurers approached to sell their drop items. The items will be sold either in normal transaction or auction, depending on the rarity and value of the item in question. For every profit gained from selling them, the Guild will take a commission."

"Another way is a transaction between one Familia and another."

"Correct. While the Guild has a good reputation when it comes to making sure that an item is sold, we only use the lowest monetary value for both safety and reliability. To gain profit bigger than what the Guild can offer, Familias exchange drop item with each other. It can be many things; money, valuable item like elixir, or perhaps even a favor or two."

"So, you approach the Guild if you want to make sure you get a profit albeit minimum and another Familia if you're looking for a bigger profit through chances."

Eina nodded her head. Many adventurers tend to learn a lesson through trial and error. Thus, it was quite refreshing to see one learning without suffering unnecessary consequence. Said adventurer was currently putting her hand on her chin with her eyes closed.

"How does one conduct inter-Familia exchange?" Cinder asked as she opened her eyes.

"Through quest. See that board over there?" The half-elf gestured at said board, attached to a wall several feet away from them. "When a Familia wants something that they don't want to acquire themselves, they will post a quest that another Familia will take in exchange for the reward listed in the quest. Speaking of which, quest is not limited to just acquiring item."

The knight turned her attention towards the board. She walked towards it with Eina keeping her eyes on her. It only took her a minute before she grabbed a paper and walked back towards her advisor. Silently, Cinder gave the half-elf the paper that she took, which was accepted.

"Hephaistos Familia, huh? You're lucky, your Familia has a close relationship with her." Eina stated before her eyes became wide. "Oh my, 500 goblin fangs and kobold nails each? It's easy but will take a lot of time."

"I'll still take it. Must start from an easy one first." Cinder stated.

"That's right. Just like I said, despite the contradiction, adventurers must not go on an adventure." The staff said in a lecturing tone. "Anyway, I am going to write you as the taker so that other adventurers couldn't steal your quest. You're sure about your choice?"

She nodded her head. She waited in front of Eina as the latter filled the necessary paperwork. The half-elf then offered Cinder a paper and a quill.

"Sign up here!" The advisor stated as she pointed at the part of the paper.

With her signature on the paper, Cinder had officially taken her first quest.

After exchanging the magic stones and some of the drop items and also cleaning themselves, Bell and Cinder went to get some food before returning to the church. As such, he decided to bring his new "sister" to a place that had become a favorite of his.

"Hostess of Fertility?" Cinder, in her casual outfit, muttered the name of the place.

"Yeah, the price is rather expensive but the quality is worth it," Bell explained as he scratched his head. "We make more than I usually did and since this is your first day in the Dungeon, I guess there would be no problem spending a bit for celebration."

"Shouldn't we invite Lady Hestia as well?" She asked as both of them walked inside.

"She's busy working at the moment. In fact, it's her idea to celebrate it."

Inside, the two adventurers saw that the pub was halfway full. They were approached by one of the maids that worked in Hostess of Fertility; one that the white-haired boy had become an acquittance of.

"Ah, Bell! You're here!" Syr Flover greeted him before focusing her eyes on the white-haired girl beside him. "Oh, sorry. I don't see you there. Welcome to Hostess of Fertility!"

"It's alright." Cinder replied. "Speaking of which, the name's Cinder. I am a new member of Hestia Familia."

Syr nodded her head while looking closer at her. She then turned her eyes towards Bell, then towards Cinder. She did these three times before putting her hand on her chin.

"You look a lot like Bell." The maid stated. "Is she your sister by any chance?"

"T-That's right." The boy replied, stuttering.

"Strange. You never mention her all this time."

"She's sharp," Was the thought that came to both "siblings."

"Well, you see…" Bell scratched his head. "I and her…well…"

"Oh." It seemed that Syr had come to her own conclusion. "No, no. No need to tell me. You're not the only one."

"Huh?" The boy tilted his head.

"One of the maids that work here – not going to tell her name – has a…" She made a gesture as if she was pulling a rope until it snapped into two. "Get it?"

Bell simply nodded his head. It still felt uncomfortable with making people reaching the wrong conclusion regarding the relationship between him and Cinder. On the other hand, it was a lot more difficult to explain her origin; someone that he found wounded in the Dungeon despite not having a falna at the time.

Man, he really wished that there was a way to deal with this.

"In any case, I am glad to see that both of you are trying," Syr said suddenly. "So, table for two?"

"Yes, please." Cinder was the one who spoke.

The maid escorted the pair towards an empty table. After taking the order, she went back to the kitchen, leaving the adventurers of Hestia Familia alone.

"So, what do we do after this?" The "sister" asked.

"I feel a bit tired. So, I plan to go back to the church." The "brother" replied. "What about you?"

"I am…still curious about the city. Might take a stroll or two."

"Alright. Just make sure to come back when it's dark."

"You know, you take your role as a brother really well."

He couldn't help but laugh in embarrassment.

Their order finally arrived, being delivered to them by Syr. Bell ordered a plate of carbonara pasta while Cinder was ordering a mapo tofu. He couldn't help but squint due to the steam and how red the tofu was. When he heard someone speaking in a low voice, he looked at the source and saw Syr and another maid, Ryuu Lion, was preparing a glass full of milk. A really big glass full of milk.

Bell remembered that his grandfather told him that if you eat something too spicy for you to handle, you should drink a glass of milk. Just how spicy was the mapo tofu?

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that…" Bell stopped his thought, fork just millimeters away from his mouth when he saw her face.

Cinder was sweating as she continuously put a spoonful of tofu into her mouth. It was clear that she could feel the heat and spiciness of the food yet it did not stop her. In fact, it seemed to be encouraging her even more. She was devouring it as quickly as she could. When she was almost done, she stopped eating and coughed a little. On cue, Syr went to the table and gave her the glass of milk.

"Thank you." The knight said as she drank the milk.

"I must say, that was amusing to watch." The three of them turned their heads towards the speaker, the owner of the pub, Mama Mia. "Everyone before you, even adventurers, could only eat a spoon or two before begging for milk."

"It is spicy. But…" Cinder looked at the mapo tofu as she took a spoonful of it. "This food…it gives a sensation on my tongue. It's…different."

"So, you can taste spicy food?" Bell asked rather excitedly. "That means there's food that you can enjoy!"

"Technically, spiciness is not a taste." Mama Mia explained. "It's basically a sensation. That's why if you're having a cold, you can still 'taste' spiciness without problem compared to other tastes."

"I see." The knight stated as she finished the food.

"Still, it's no less impressive even if it's because you have tongue problem. In fact, it shouldn't even help you at all since spiciness has no relation with taste buds."

She merely nodded her head in return. Mama Mia patted her on the shoulder as she and Syr returned to the kitchen, leaving the two of them alone.

After the meal, Bell and Cinder went to their separate way as planned earlier. The latter immediately put on her armor and went towards the Dungeon. She felt quite refreshed and could do another run. She also felt that the monsters that she killed were too easy.

Thus, she decided to step up the game by descending into the lower floors.

The monsters there were more challenging. Not only the goblins and kobolds were more powerful, but there were also frog shooters that used their tongues, purple moths that spread poison, needle rabbits with their pack-based attacks, war shadows with their three sharp-as-knife claws, and killer ants that would call their companions if left alone too long.

When a war shadow tried to slice her, she rolled under its arm and stabbed it in the back. It then fell into the ground and turned into ashes, indicating that she had destroyed its magic stone. Not caring about it in the slightest, the knight went towards a killer ant and sliced it into two.

Before she could finish it, several purple moths flew towards her. Forced to move away, she quickly dispatched the moths before the still-alive ant could call for more help. She managed to kill it but only after it had called more. Half a dozen ants were now on their way to her location.

Waves upon waves of monster descent into her. Yet not even for a second she faltered. Sweats started to form on her forehead but not even a bit she felt tired. Around her, corpses of monsters scattered. Few had become dust because their magic stones were destroyed while most remained intact.

She could do this all day.

It was almost dark when Hestia and Bell were preparing for dinner. They were interrupted when they heard the door of their room being opened. When they looked at it, they saw Cinder walking in while shouldering a big bag.

"Cinder, you're back!" Hestia said as she approached her "child." "By the way, what is it that you're carrying?"

She didn't say anything in return. The knight merely dropped the bag and showed her fellow Familia the content. The two of them looked inside and were shocked by what they saw; inside the bag was none other than valis. A lot of valis.

"H-H-How do you get all of this?!" The Goddess couldn't help but shriek.

"With hard work." She answered simply.

"Wait, Cinder…" Bell seemed to figure it out. "Did you spend the whole time in the Dungeon?"

"There was nothing really interesting when I took a walk. So, I got bored."

"C-Considering how much money in this bag…" Hestia stared at Cinder hard. "You went beyond the fourth floor, aren't you?"

She received a nod as a reply.

"What…the…hell are you thinking?!" She exclaimed so loud that Bell jumped back in surprise. "Yes, it's not unusual for adventurers at your level to harvest stones and items in those floors but they are experienced; something that you are not!"

"I came out fine." That was the only thing that Cinder said in her defense.

"Well, yeah, but still…" Hestia facepalmed and let out a sigh of frustration. "Look, Cinder, you know what, I'll let this one slide. Next time, however, don't just go down to the lower floors without informing us. Got it?"

"Affirmative."

The Goddess turned her attention back to the bag of valis. After muttering several words under her breath, she tied it up and put the bag inside the dresser. She then went towards the bed with a pin on her hand.

"Come here, Cinder," Hestia said as she patted the bed. "Let's update your status."

"Oh, well, then I…"

"No need to, Bell. Just turn around and don't peek."

"A-Alright." The boy complied as his cheeks reddened.

Cinder did as ask and lied on the bed after taking off her dress, leaving her back bare to the world. The Goddess pricked her index finger and let a drop of blood landed on the back of the knight. This time, nothing else happened.

After Hestia was done with the updating and Cinder putting her dress back, the former looked at the paper in her hand that contained the status of the latter. Her two children went closer to her so that they could see the stats as well.

Cinder

Level 1

Strength: I0 - I2
Defense: I0 - I4
Dexterity: I0 - I1
Agility: I0 - I2
Magic: I0 - I1

"That's really low…" Bell commented softly. "If I am not wrong, my first update was higher than this, right?"

"You're right. By going to the floors lower than the fourth, she should have gained a lot more point than these." Hestia said as she put her hand on her chin. "Cinder, how much difficulty you faced when you were at the Dungeon?"

"Not much. The monsters were dangerous if they attacked me in a group but by all, not exactly a threat." The girl shrugged as she shook her head.

"That explains it." The Goddess stated. "The amount of points that you get depends on the amount of struggle that you faced. It is why the higher your level is, the harder it is for you to improve; the once-challenging enemy is no longer one, meaning that you get less point than previously."

"So, because Cinder easily killed the monsters, she only got this much despite facing a lot of them?" Bell asked.

He received a nod in return. With her hand on her chin, Hestia was trying to figure out the reason for the unnatural strength and ability of her newest child. While it was not strange for someone without falna to be able to defeat a monster, the fact that she was able to do it without much effort to the point of little struggle raised some serious flags. While she was already suspicious in the first place, the Goddess now believed that Cinder was not a human. At the very least in the traditional sense of the word.

A spirit perhaps? She shook her head. A lot of things related to the knight indicated that – as far as she could tell - she was not one.

Maybe she should leave this for a later time. It was already dark and she didn't have enough information to make a conclusion.

"Umm, Goddess, I don't mean to interrupt but…" Bell's sentence was finished by the sound of his stomach.

"Ah, right! Come on then, let's eat our dinner." Hestia said as she stood up. "By the way, Cinder, we bought some chili powder earlier for you."

"I see." For once, the tone of her voice was higher.

Answers to some reviews:

Havel the Hebel: Not really. She's Level 1 because Cinder has only received her falna recently.

For example, a knight and a farmer, despite having a difference in strength and skill, will both being Level 1 and have same stats as well during the moment they received their falna for the first time.

Walrus999: 1) To be honest, I remember having a reason for it. Though it's been quite a time and as of now, I…actually forgot why.

2) It has something to do with Cinder's nature and her true identity. If you haven't figured it out, then sorry, it's a spoiler.

3) She's Level 1 because she only recently received her falna. You can be the strongest person in the world and will still be Level 1 when you received your falna for the first time.

If you have a question or suggestion, feel free to tell me.

Review, please!