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"Words" = Talking
'Words' = Thoughts/flashbacks
Words = signs/skills/stats/stores/others
*Words* = SFX
Hestia sighed tiredly as she opened the door and flopped, face first, onto the couch. Work today at the Jagamarukun stand she worked at, prior to even meeting Bell, was unusually busy today; leaving the poor Goddess physically and mentally drained. Rolling onto her back, the Goddess hoped Bell had a better day than she did. She couldn't wait to hear how his first day in the Dungeons went along with seeing his adorable, smiling face. Her attention was drawn to the sounds of the doors on the main floor of the church being open and shut along with the secret entrance being opened. She sat up as she heard the door being opened and smiled, already knowing who it was.
"Bell! Welcome Home!" Hestia warmly greeted. "How was-" her words froze as her only Familia member came into view.
Armor dented in several spots, clothes slightly torn in spots, visible bruises, only one knife in his holsters, and nursing an obviously injured right arm; Bell walked through the door trying his best to give his Goddess a reassuring smile.
"I'm back Goddess Hestia" Bell warmly greeted back, wincing slightly.
"Bell! What happened!?" Hestia was instantly on her feet and by her only child's side, her previous exhaustion completely forgotten.
Bell chuckled nervously and made his way to the couch and carefully sat down.
"I promise to explain the whole thing Goddess Hestia. But first, can you help me get my armor off?" Bell asked.
Hestia assisted the injured boy get his armor off as Bell explained the whole day to his Goddess; from the incident at the Guild, to the Minotaur on the third floor, to being saved by an Amazoness. Hestia could only shake her head in disbelief at her child's retelling of his series of unfortunate events.
"I can't tell if you're lucky, or unlucky Bell" Hestia semi-joked.
Bell could only lightly chuckle in agreement.
"So this Amazoness… was she cute?" Hestia suddenly asked.
Bell tilted his head, confused. "Uh… I guess?"
"You guess?" Hestia pressed with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention at that point. I kind of just wanted to get out of there before anything else happened" Bell clarified, still confused on the sudden topic.
"I see. And after she saved you, you didn't suddenly feel attracted to her or anything?" Hestia huffed, crossing her arms.
"What? That doesn't make-"
"ANSWER THE QUESTION BELL!" Hestia suddenly demanded with a cute pout, cutting off Bell and causing the white haired boy to jump slightly.
"Yes Ma'am!" Bell frantically saluted with his good arm "I thought the girl that saved me was kind of cute, but I feel nothing but gratitude toward her!"
Hestia continued to study Bell, looking for any deceit in his words. After a few second, she nodded in satisfaction and smiled.
"Good!" Hestia took a seat next to Bell.
Bell exhaled in relief. He didn't really understand why, out of his entire story, his Goddess chose to only focus on his thoughts of his savior. Bell shook his head lightly as his grandfather's words echoed in his mind:
'Women are mysterious beings my boy, and their emotions even more so. Trying to understand one or the other is near impossible, let alone both.'
Bell felt like he finally got a glimpse at what his Grandfather was trying to teach him that day. His reminiscing was cut short when he felt a pair of hands gently place themselves on his injured arm, as if examining it.
"I'm glad you were able to make it back Bell" Hestia confessed softly with a small smile and looked up at him.
Bell could only smile back to his Goddess. They stayed like that for a few moments, enjoying each other's company and the moment.
"Goddess Hestia?" Bell spoke lightly.
"Hmm?" Hestia hummed, eyes still locked on him.
"…you're hurting my arm now…" Bell revealed, wincing lightly.
Hestia blinked before his words finally registered.
"Ah! I'm sorry Bell!" Hestia moved away quickly. She was so lost in the moment that she didn't even realize she was starting to lean in on his injured arm.
"It's ok." Bell brushed it off with a reassuring smile, gently rubbing his arm to help relieve the slight pain.
An obvious question suddenly came to Hestia.
"Bell…why didn't you take a healing potion when you were in the Dungeon?"
...
Why didn't he take one?
... ...
"Oh! That's because I didn't buy…" Bell's voice trailed off as if something finally dawned to him.
... ... ...
"I NEVER BOUGHT HEALTH OR ENERGY POTIONS!" Bell shouted in horror, realizing the glaringly large rookie mistake he committed amongst his excitement.
Hestia face palmed and sighed at the boy's forgetfulness.
"Well that explains it" Hestia muttered to herself "OK Bell, we're visiting a friend of mine who can help us in this situation! Follow me!"
Bell tilted his head in confusion once again at his Goddess's sudden instructions, but he obediently followed none-the-less.
The sun was just beginning to set as the two finally arrived at their destination after a short walk through town. Bell now found himself standing in front of a worn down looking building with a sign that read Blue Pharmacy alongside his Goddess.
"Here we are Bell! Blue Pharmacy! It's run by my friend Miach and his Familia. They sell medicine and potions of all kinds as well as act as an infirmary of sorts. "Hestia explained; arms open as if displaying the shop to him.
"Hestia? Is that you?" A voice from behind the two called out. The duo turned to see a handsome, young looking man, with shoulder length blue hair dressed in blackish cloak and leather shoes, carrying a brown bag of groceries in one arm.
"Miach!" Hestia happily greeted. Miach approached the two and gave Hestia a small, one armed hug.
"It's good to see you Hestia! And who's this?" Miach smiled warmly, looking to Bell.
"Ah, my name is Bell Cranel! It's an honor to meet you Lord Miach." Bell introduced himself with a formal bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too Bell, but please don't bow to me. I'm not much for such strict formalities" Miach smiled at the boy.
"Bell here is my child in my Familia!" Hestia proclaimed proudly with hands on her hips.
Miach raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the revelation. "In name only I assume?"
Hestia smiled wider "Nope!"
"I see…" Miach muttered, interest piqued. "So what brings you here?"
"Bell hurt his arm while exploring the Dungeons" Hestia explained.
Miach raised his eyebrow again at the new information.
"You're an adventurer then?" Miach questioned Bell
"Yes sir" Bell replied, slightly unnerved by Miach's sudden and more serious tone.
"You don't say…" Miach muttered vaguely. "Well why don't we go inside and I have someone take a look at that arm. Meanwhile, you can explain everything to me, Hestia."
"Of course Miach!" Hestia agreed as the three went in.
As the three walked into the shop, Bell took the opportunity to look around the modest shop. Vials of various colors, shapes and sizes lined the limited shelves inside and two medical cots were near the back of the store. There was a curtain hung between the two cots for privacy if needed. There was also a wooden counter near the front of the store and behind it was a doorway leading to stairs.
"Welcome to the Blue Pharmacy Bell. We're not the most extravagant store in Orario, but we have almost everything you need when it comes to medicine and at reasonable prices." Miach self-advertised with a smile. "Take a seat on one of the medical cots in the back and I'll get Naaza to see you in a moment. Hestia, why don't we chat upstairs?"
"Sure thing. I'll see you in a bit Bell! Make sure you listen to the doctor!" Hestia ordered in a motherly tone.
"Yes ma'am!" Bell saluted, going along with his Goddess's antics.
Bell did as he was instructed and took a seat on one of the cots as the two Deities went upstairs. The cots were surprisingly comfortable as Bell took the chance to peruse the nearby potions. A few minutes of perusing passed when the sounds of someone coming down the stairs caught his attention. Turning toward them, he saw a girl with shoulder length light brown hair, purplish, sleepy looking eyes, wearing a long black skirt along with a light blue and yellow shirt, with the right arm's sleeve being longer. She also wore a glove on her right hand and a tan, scarf like clothing around her neck and shoulder. What stood out the most to Bell were her two, dog like ears and matching tail. She was a Chienthrope, if Bell remembered his Grandfather's lessons correctly.
"Hello there. I'm Naaza Erisuis." The girl softly greeted. "You must be Bell"
"That's me! My name is Bell Cranel. Nice to meet you, Naaza." Bell greeted back with a smile.
"Lord Miach asked me to take a look at your injury. Judging by the way your nursing your arm, it appears to be either a high arm injury or a shoulder injury" Naaza guessed, looking at Bell's right arm.
Bell chuckled nervously "Yeah, you could say I landed on it pretty hard"
"I see" Naaza said, nodding to herself "Do you mind if I take a closer look at it?"
"Sure thing" Bell smiled.
Naaza brought a stool with her and sat next to Bell. She gingerly took Bell's injured arm and began to feel for any signs of internal injuries. She lightly squeezed his arm in various places and gauged his reaction. When he didn't show any signs of discomfort, she then slowly moved the arm in various directions. Bell winced as small jolts of pains were felt in his shoulder.
"I see." Naaza said quietly to herself. "Well the good news is that your arm isn't broken. But it does look like you sprained your shoulder slightly." Naaza assessed.
Bell nodded, letting her know she understood. "How long will it take to heal?"
Naaza didn't reply. Instead, the Chienthrope went to a nearby cabinet and grabbed a small vial containing a blue liquid. She returned to her seat next to Bell, opening the vial, and handed it to her white haired patient.
"Drink this" Naaza ordered softly.
Bell took the vial and drank the liquid obediently. The effects were almost instantaneous as he felt a warm sensation wash over his entire being. He felt more refreshed and a lot less sore than he previously did.
"Well, how does your arm feel now?" Naaza questioned.
Bell moved his right arm tentatively and was surprised that it didn't hurt anymore when moving it. Just slightly sore, like he lifted something heavy for a long length of time.
"It basically feels like normal!" Bell expressed in awe and wonder. "What was that?"
His caretaker smiled slightly at this. "It was a health potion. Unlike the ones you'll find at the more generic or higher up shops that are synthetic and mass produced, we make our own health and energy potions from scratch, so we can guarantee their quality."
"That's amazing!" Bell exclaimed happily. "I feel like I could go right back to the dungeon now!"
Bell felt a hand placed firmly on his shoulder and looked to its owner.
"You must let your injury heal properly Bell" Naaza chided softly. "Health potions can heal the majority of most injuries, but you must not rely on them too heavily or your body becomes more used to them and the effects diminish. Therefore, you must rest properly for your injury to heal properly."
Bell lightly blushed in embarrassment and rubbed the back of his head "Of course. How long do you recommend?"
"Hmmm…" Naaza brought her hand to her chin in thought "I'd say give it a day, and then see how you feel the next day."
Bell nodded and then smiled at the girl "Thank you Naaza. How much do I owe you?"
Surprisingly, the Chienthrope shook her head "No need this time. Consider it a first time customer special."
Bell opened his mouth to argue, but Naaza held a hand up, silencing him. "And if you promise to come here when you need any potions"
"I can do that." Bell agreed. "In fact, while I'm here, do you mind if I buy some small health and energy potions?"
As soon as Bell said that, he noticed a strange glint appear in Naaza's eyes that made him feel like he walked himself right into a trap.
"That'll be no problem Bell! We actually have a potion that acts as a health AND an energy potion. It's like buying two for one!" Naaza advertised pulling a vial containing green liquid out of nowhere, her tail wagging a bit.
"I see. How much?" Bell asked, interest piqued.
"The small ones are only 800 valis each. But, if you buy three its only 2100 valis!" Naaza informed with a small smile.
Bell's eyes widened at the prices. '800 valis for one and 2100 valis for three? That sounds pretty expensive' Bell brought his hand to his chin in thought. He looked up though and saw the almost pleading look from the girl with drooping ears and tail to match. Bell felt his resolve vanish almost instantly and sighed.
"…I'll take three" Bell relented.
Naaza instantly perked up and smiled "Coming right up!"
As the young Chienthrope and white haired adventurer concluded their transaction at the register, the two deities walked down the stairs. When Hestia saw Bell no longer nursing his arm, she beamed and went right over to him.
"You look like you're doing much better Bell!" Hestia exclaimed happily, examining his arm.
"Yup! It's all thanks to Naaza!" Bell smiled toward the girl handing a small bag to Bell.
"Thank you Naaza for taking such great care of him" Hestia thanked sincerely to the young brunette.
"It was my pleasure Goddess Hestia" Naaza smiled at the praise.
"How much do we owe you?" Hestia asked. Before Miach could respond, Naaza rose a hand up and shook her head.
"This time is free. Consider it a first time customer special" Naaza explained smiling. Hestia was shocked and even Miach raised an eyebrow.
"But I promised to come here whenever I need potions of any kind. I already bought three" Bell added, informing the Deities of the agreement already made. That caused Miach to look at his child with a knowing look; which Naaza proceeded to look back at him with faux innocence.
"Well that sounds reasonable" Hestia stated, the two not noticing the silent exchange happening before them. "Well Miach, Naaza, it was nice seeing you two again! And thanks for healing up Bell"
"It was no problem Hestia. Please feel free to stop by anytime. You too Bell" Miach replied with a warm smile.
"I will. Thank you Lord Miach!" Bell smiled at the God and then turned back to Naaza "And thanks again Naaza for everything. I'll probably be back soon" He joked.
Naaza gave a small mischievous smile "I'll hold you to it"
Hestia and Bell gave a final wave before exiting the store, leaving the two Miach Familia members alone.
"So that's the only male adventurer huh?" Naaza said aloud now that the two were alone.
Miach looked to his child with a raised eyebrow "You knew?"
Naaza nodded and produced a Guild newsletter and handed it to her God. "I think all of Orario knows now"
Miach examined the sheet of paper before sighing lightly. "Looks like things are about to be more lively around here"
Naaza nodded in agreement. "He seems nice though" she voiced.
Miach nodded "That he does. Keep an eye on him for me and Hestia ok?"
Naaza nodded obediently.
The God of Medicine then threw the brunette a knowing look once again "And go easy on him too, Naaza"
Naaza returned the God's look with a small, impish smirk; her tail wagging slowly "What ever could you mean Lord Miach?"
:The next day:
*Insert unintelligible, high-pitched noises of astonishment here*
Those various, almost non-human like noises were coming from none other than Bell as he sat there in shock from looking at his just updated stats. When Bell and Hestia returned home the previous night, the two called it a night and went to sleep with Hestia promising to update Bell's stats in the morning. When morning came and Bell's stats were updated, the results sent the white haired adventure into pure and utter shock. Hestia herself was even surprised at what she saw:
Bell Cranel
Lvl 1
STR: 110 H 125 H
END: 97 I 117 H
DEX: 100 H 118 H
AGI: 201 G 225 G
MAG: 0 0
"H-h-how is this possible!?" Bell finally spoke real words; looking at his Goddess and then back to the paper. "I only got hit once by the Minotaur and my endurance stat jumped 20 points! The same for the rest of them Goddess Hestia!"
"You must be working really hard Bell" Hestia responded smiling softly at Bell's excitement. Technically she wasn't wrong. Bell was working hard at achieving his dream, but this sudden and rapid growth was the result of his skill that was unknown to him. Hestia knew that Liaris Freese would accelerate his stat growth, but she never imagined by how much. She remembered that children in her friend's Familias only grew a few points after a full day in the dungeon. But Bell's stats jumped nearly 20 points in almost all his stats except for agility, where he grew over 20 points!
"If this continues, I'll reach my dream in no time!" Bell exclaimed excitedly; almost jumping up and down from where he sat on the couch. "I can't wait to get back to the Dungeons!"
"Now Bell, remember what you told me Naaza ordered you to do today?" Hestia chastised lightly like a mother would a child.
Bell's excitement simmered down instantly as he scratched his cheek "To take today off and see how my arm feels tomorrow…"
"Exactly! No going to the Dungeon today. Do you understand me mister?" Hestia playfully wagged a finger in his face.
"Yes Goddess Hestia" Bell agreed slightly disappointed.
"Good! Now if you excuse me, I got to go open the stand today! I'll see you tonight!" Hestia yelled behind her as she quickly grabbed her coat and ran out the door. Bell wished his Goddess luck and waved.
Bell sat on the couch for a few moments and pondered what he should do on his semi-forced, day off.
'Guess I'll go see Eina today and turn in my dropped items' Bell decided. Eating a quick breakfast, Bell grabbed his bag of dropped items, and headed toward the Guild.
:Streets of Orario:
Bell once again found himself walking through the streets of the busy city; enjoying the various sights, sounds and smells of early morning Orario. Stands of different kinds, mainly food, were just opening up and beginning to sell their wares; filling the air with various delicious smells. The streets were filled with various adventurers, Familias, and civilians alike as they headed either to work, the guild, or the Dungeons.
Bell abruptly stopped his observing as he felt a familiar chill run up his spine. It was the same feeling he felt when he first came to Orario; the feeling of being watched very carefully, and almost longingly by someone unseen. Bell looked around to see if he could pinpoint where it was coming from. Other than a few people giving him passing glances, Bell couldn't see anyone only focused on, or staring at him anywhere nearby. It almost felt like it was coming from the Tower of Babel…
But before Bell could trace where the stare was coming from, it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Weird…" Bell muttered to himself quietly. He took one last look around before shrugging and continuing his walk to the Guild.
As Bell neared the street the Guild was on, he suddenly found himself almost being run over by a figure in a black cloak that covered their body and wearing a visor that covered their eyes.
"Watch it" The voice, definitely belonging to a woman's, roughly yelled out as she passed, barely dodging him.
Bell continued to stare at the now retreating figure, taking note of a small bag in their hands, until another voice caught his attention.
"HELP! STOP HER! SHE STOLE MY MONEY!" the voice belonged to a bluish- gray hair girl dressed in a green outfit with a white apron over top. She wore her hair in a small ponytail and had black stockings and light brown boots.
She was running toward him and pointing to the mysterious person that just passed him. Without giving another thought, Bell turned and immediately gave chase to the now identified thief. He chased after her for a few blocks, barely keeping up with her, until he saw her turn into an alleyway. When Bell rounded the corner, he stopped. The alley way was a dead end and the height of the walls of the nearby buildings made it nearly impossible for someone to climb. So then, where was the thief? Bell noticed the bag the thief had at the end of the alley way sitting on the ground. He cautiously approached the bag, preparing for a possible ambush by the thief. When he picked up the bag, nothing happened, much to Bell's relief but growing suspicion.
"What is going on here?" Bell muttered to himself, trying to make sense of things as he looked at the surrounding walls of the dead end.
The only male adventurer froze when he suddenly felt a blade of a knife pressed on the back of his neck.
"Drop the bag, thief." The female voice coldly demanded. Bell noticed it didn't sound like it belonged to the thief, nor to the victim, so who was it? An accomplice maybe? He dropped the bag and slowly put his hands up.
"Turn around. Slowly." The voice once again ordered. Bell did as he was demanded and came face to face with a blonde haired Elf with blue eyes, which were glaring at him with suspicion. He noticed that she was wearing the same outfit as the girl who had her money stolen. The Elf had thankfully moved the knife from his neck but was still pointing it toward him threateningly.
"There's a misunderstanding here" Bell tried to explain to who he assumed to be the victim's friend or co-worker.
"Oh really? So you're telling me that you DIDN'T just steal money from my co-worker back there?" The elf asked, voice filled with accusation.
"That's exactly what I'm saying!" Bell yelled!
"A likely story. Unfortunately for you, the evidence seems to be against you. You chose the wrong person to mess with today thie-"
"Ryuu wait!" A familiar voice cried out. Bell and the blonde elf, now identified as Ryuu, looked toward the alleyway entrance to see the bluish-gray haired girl from earlier.
"Syr? Stay back, he could still be dangerous!" Ryuu told the now identified Syr.
"But Ryuu he's not the thief!" Syr protested, approaching the two.
"How can you be sure?" Ryuu asked, sending another accusatory look toward Bell.
"Because I saw him go after the thief myself! When the thief took my bag, they were wearing a black cloak and mask and I witnessed this boy go after the thief when I yelled for help!" Syr explained to the elf. "Plus, the thief was a girl and taller"
Ryuu blinked as she processed the information her friend had revealed before blushing slightly at her actions. She quickly stowed her knife away…somewhere… and bowed to the white haired boy.
"I'm so sorry for jumping to conclusions without properly letting you explain. I tend to take things too far."
Bell sighed with relief before smiling "It's ok. I'm just glad the misunderstanding was cleared and you get your money back" Bell picked the bag off the ground and handed it to its owner.
"Thank you very much for getting it back for me and thank you for forgiving my friend here" Syr said, giving Bell a sweet smile. "My name is Syr Flova and she's Ryuu Lion. We're waitresses at a tavern called The Hostess of Fertility."
"Nice to meet you! My name is Bell Cranel!" Bell greeted the two back happily.
"Mister Cranel"
Bell raised a brow at the elf's choice of addressing him
"Did you happen to see who the thief was or where they went?" Ryuu asked, looking around to see if she could possibly see any hints.
"No I didn't. By the time I rounded the corner, the thief was gone and the bag was just sitting there." Bell informed, pointing to where the bag was.
"I see" Ryuu muttered just audibly.
"Well it doesn't matter as long as everything turned out alright" Syr voiced optimistically.
"Syr, I wish you would take this a little more seriously." Ryuu voiced her concern with a sigh.
"I am Ryuu! I'll be more careful next time! I promise" Syr gave Ryuu a sweet smile and a wink.
Ryuu shook her head, unfazed by her friend's carefree demeanor. "Is there anything we can do to repay you for your help Mister Cranel?" Ryuu asked turning her attention back to the white haired boy.
"Uhm…maybe call me Bell instead of Mister Cranel?" Bell responded, somewhat jokingly. When all he got was a deadpan stare from the elf, Bell coughed awkwardly "Err, never mind… that was a joke…"
"Oh I know!" Syr interjected, coming to the poor boy's rescue. "Why not come by to the tavern tonight for some food?"
"Ah sure! I can do that!" Bell quickly agreed, smiling thankfully to Syr who winked at him.
"Great! We'll see you tonight!" Syr happily expressed "C'mon Ryuu. We need to get back before Mama Mia gets mad"
The two waitresses said their goodbyes and Bell waved at their retreating forms. Bell gave on last look over his shoulder to the alleyway; something about the whole situation still not sitting right with him.
'Well, no use losing sleep over it I guess. All's well that ends well' Bell concluded to himself.
:Tower of Babel:
Unbeknownst to the rest of the city, Freya stood in her usual room, observing the town of Orario below; or more specifically, observing a certain white haired adventurer as he went through his day. A knock at the door caught her attention.
"You may enter" She elegantly called out. She turned to see a figure wearing a black cloak and visor enter the room.
"It is done my lady" The figure reported, taking off the visor and taking a knee in front of the Goddess.
"Well done Olivia" Freya smiled hearing the success.
"You honor me with your praise my lady" Olivia monotonously said.
"Tell me something Olivia, were you able to gauge him at all from all of that?" Freya asked curiously.
"Nothing about him particularly stands out as obvious as to why he was able to become the only male adventurer" Olivia recalled. "But he was faster than I initially anticipated and was able to relatively keep up with me. I had to actually try a little more than I had initially planned"
Freya nodded, pleased with the assessment "Thank you Olivia. You may rest now"
"Yes my lady" Olivia stood and exited the room, leaving the Goddess to herself.
"My, my, Bell… you always make things more interesting" Freya said, watching the white haired boy down below longingly.
"I was right to keep watch over you" She smiled to herself. Her smile fell however when she saw him enter the Guild at the same time as a certain red head she knew enter right behind him.
"Very right indeed…" Freya muttered, displeased; twirling her hair at what she was beginning to witness.
:Guild Main Lobby:
Bell finally arrived at the Guild after everything that happened to him. As soon as he opened the doors however, something became painfully obvious to Bell. Everyone in the Guild, adventurers and staff alike, went relatively silent and stared in his general direction. Bell felt anxious by the sudden and unexplained attention he was receiving as he quickly made his way toward the desk he saw Eina working at.
"Is that him?"
"It is!"
"But why him?"
"Do you think he's faking?"
"Did he really go to the Dungeons?"
"Is he really a guy with a name like Bell?"
Bell could hear the various hushed whispers of the adventurers in the Guild. Finally reaching Eina's desk, the half elf looked up from her paperwork and gave Bell a warm smile.
"Bell! I'm so glad to see you're ok after your first day!" Eina conveyed warmly.
"Thanks Eina" Bell returned her smile before leaning in and whispering just loud enough that she could hear. "Uhm…Eina… why is everyone staring at me?"
Eina took a second to look around the Guild lobby before sighing "Well… about that… after you left yesterday, we were ordered to put these on the Guild's news boards around the city." She pulled a newsletter from under the desk and handed it to Bell.
Bells took it and examined the contents of the sheet, eyes widening as he looked over the piece of paper with his picture on it:
Orario's 1st Male Adventurer: Bell Cranel
Adventurer Lvl. 1
Hestia Familia
Bell continued to stare at the piece of paper in disbelief, mouth agape, until someone came up to the desk and shut his mouth with a click. Looking up from the paper, Bell saw Rose now standing next to Eina with her hands on her hip.
"Well well, you didn't die kid. Call me impressed" Rose said in a tone of half surprise and half sarcasm. "Every second you're alive is now a new record regarding men and dungeons"
"Rose!" Eina chided her coworker.
"What? It's true" Rose responded, shrugging.
"Well at least I know why people were glancing at me on the way here… and staring at me now… all that's missing on this paper is a bounty…" Bell nervously chuckled, looking around the lobby.
"That can be arranged" Rose commented, earning an elbow to the ribs, courtesy of her coworker. "But all jokes aside kid, looks like you're famous now. Or infamous depending on perspective"
Eina rolled her eyes at her coworker's antagonistic behavior before turning back to Bell "So what brings you here Bell? You're not in armor so I'm guessing you're not heading back to the Dungeons today…"
"Correct. I'm taking the day off and was here to trade in my drop items and see you" Bell explained, smiling to his advisor.
"Well that was thoughtful of you Bell. I'm glad to see you're safe. Here, I'll come with you to exchange your drop items." Eina offered stepping from behind the counter. "Rose, cover for me"
The red headed Guild employee just rolled her eyes, but nodded. The two headed over to the exchange counters and took Bell to the window where a girl with short pink hair and pink eyes in a Guild uniform stood.
"Morning Misha! This is Bell!" Eina introduced "He's a new adventurer and would like to trade his drop items"
Misha smiled at the two "So you're the male adventurer everyone, especially Eina, is talking about?"
Eina shot the pinkette a small glare.
"I guess so" Bell nervously scratched his cheek at the recognition, oblivious to the pink haired Guild worker's comment at the expense of the half elf. The counter in front of him suddenly slid open to reveal a tray.
"Just put the items in the tray and I'll begin to calculate you're reward" Misha instructed with a smile. Bell did as he was told and dumped his bag of dropped loot into the tray.
"Not bad Bell for your first time in the Dungeon" Eina encouragingly said, looking at the items in the tray over his shoulder. Misha nodded in agreement.
"Thanks" Bell blushed lightly in embarrassment. Did he ever mention he was really glad Misha and Eina were so nice and helpful?
After a few minutes of waiting and calculating (which Eina eventually had to help Misha calculate), Misha pushed the tray back open to Bell.
"Ok then Bell, you had 4 Kobold claws, each worth 750 Valis, 10 small magic stones, each worth 200 Valis and 2 medium magic stones, each worth 500 each." Misha explained. "Your total is 6000 Valis!"
Bell couldn't help but smile as he took the Valis from the tray.
"Not bad Bell. A single level one adventurer can usually make between 4500 Valis on a bad day, to 7000 Valis on a good day." Eina explained approvingly.
"Nice! I'd say my first day was a rousing success then!" Bell concluded with a larger smile. "Thank you Misha"
"My pleasure Bell! It was nice to finally meet you" Misha gave Bell a friendly smile and wave.
Eina and Bell made their way back to the registration desk. The lobby thankfully returned to relative normal, but Bell could still feel the stares and hear the whispers here and there. Rose looked up from her book she was reading to see the two approaching.
"Welcome back you two. About time" Rose commented dryly. Eina just rolled her eyes and took her place behind the desk.
"Is there anything else you needed Bell?" Eina asked, smiling.
Bell thought for a moment before remembering something. "Actually, you might be able to help me with something!"
Eina tilter her head questioningly before Bell continued.
"Well you see, I kind of was involved in a Minotaur incident on the upper floors and was saved by an Amazoness…"
"Wait, YOU were the adventurer in the reports from last night?" Eina interjected "Members of the Loki Familia reported that a Minotaur accidently made its way to the upper floor and attacked an adventurer. They didn't say who the adventurer was or anything because they said the rescued adventurer ran off"
Bell rubbed the back of his head timidly, "Yeah… that was me"
Eina sighed, putting a hand to her head and shaking her head in disbelief.
"Well kid, I can't tell if you're lucky for surviving that, or unlucky for that to even happen to you" Rose spoke up slightly amused at his expense.
"Yeah, I got that same reaction before…" Bell chuckled lightly, "Anyway, I was wondering if you could help me find the adventurer who saved me. I feel bad for running off on her after she saved me"
"Wow such a hero and a gentleman" Rose criticized, rolling her eyes.
Eina, ignoring her coworker, took a moment to think "Well… the only Amazonesses I know from the Loki Familia are the Hiryute sisters, Tione and Tiona."
"But their Familia is very strict when it comes to visitation." Rose added "Good luck in trying to get close enough to even see them"
Bell knew Rose had a valid point. The Loki Familia was well known, even outside of the city, as one the strongest Adventuring Familias in all of Orario.
"Well… I can try…" Bell said optimistically, shurgging.
Rose rolled her eyes at his optimism "Sure you can. Whatever you say kid"
"Do you need directions Bell?" Eina offered
Before Bell could accept, he felt someone tap his shoulder from behind. Turning around, he was greeted to the sight of a slightly shorter and slim woman with red hair up in a ponytail. She wore black short-shorts that Bell noticed accentuated her waist perfectly along with a blue and black shirt that exposed her toned stomach. She was smiling brightly at him with eyes that looked like they were closed.
"Hello there! I happened to be passing by and overheard you were looking for an Amazoness from the Loki Familia." The red head greeted happily.
Bell was kind of stunned by her sudden appearance, but recovered quickly and gave her his best smile in return. "Yeah I am. You wouldn't happen to be from the Loki Familia, are you?"
"Uhm… Bell… That's actually-"
"Yes I am" The red head chimed in happily, cutting off whatever Eina was going to say. The woman sent Eina a look Bell couldn't read before turning back to him with her gigawatt smile. "I can take you there myself if you want"
"Really? That'd be great!" Bell happily exclaimed, taking the woman's hands in his "Thank You!"
"I-i-it's no problem" The red haired woman responded, blushing lightly at the boy's sincerity and sudden contact, but then smiled once again. "Let get going!"
Bell nodded and followed behind his unexpected helper.
"I'll see you later Eina, Rose!" Bell called out behind him with a wave, not bothering to look back.
If he did, he would've seen the gob smacked and utter disbelieving looks of not only Eina and Rose, but the majority of the Guild's occupants as well.
"So you're the guy everyone is talking about?" Bell's guide struck up a conversation "How's that feel?"
Bell chuckled lightly "It's definitely interesting if not unexpected. I wasn't really expecting the Guild to publish it like they did either or the reactions of everyone around the city…"
"Really? You're the only male that was able to somehow receive a blessing and become an adventurer since the Gods and Goddesses came down to Orario. What else did you expect?" The red head asked in an amused tone.
"Well when you say it like that…" Bell scratched his cheek and chuckled lightly at the deadpanned expression he was receiving from his guide.
"So tell me something Bell, why exactly are you looking for this Amazoness?" The red head changed topics, tilting her head toward him.
"Ah, she saved me when I was in the Dungeons from a freak Minotaur encounter on the 3rd floor. I kind of was injured and didn't stick around long enough to properly thank her afterwards and I felt bad." Bell explained, lightly embarrassed.
"I see, I see" His guide hummed in amusement. "Did she have big boobs or small ones?"
The sudden, forward question caught Bell off guard and almost caused the boy to trip over his own legs "W-w-what?"
The red head smiled mischievously back at him "I asked if the Amazoness that saved you had a big or flat chest"
"I…uh…well…uhm…"
The red head smiled even wider as she watched the poor boy fumble for words.
"…she was on the flatter side" Bell finally answered, meekly and face entirely red.
"I see, you must've been-"
"Not that being flat is a bad thing!" Bell quickly followed up without thinking, cutting off the red head. "I mean chest size really doesn't matter to me when it comes to women and I only really care about their personality and uhm…uhm…"
"Easy there" The red head cut in quickly, patting the white haired boy's shoulder supportively and smiled at him lightheartedly. "I was just teasing"
Bell sighed in embarrassment and let his shoulder slump, grateful to his guide for stopping him before he rambled on too much.
The woman guiding him walked a little faster so she was now ahead of the sulking and embarrassed boy. Unseen to him was her now slightly pink cheeks and amused smile.
'Well isn't he an interesting one' the woman mused, a spring in her step as the two continued toward the Loki Familia's Manor.
After getting Bell to get over his self-induced embarrassment, the two resumed their small talk about various topics. Bell found himself enjoying the presence of his mysterious guide. She was bubbly, and carefree but also versed in a variety of topics and quick witted. Bell stopped walking as a sudden realization dawned on him.
'I NEVER ASKED WHAT HER NAME IS!'
Bell face palmed at his obvious oversight.
The red head, hearing the smack coming from behind her, stopped and turned around "Is everything ok?"
"Y-yeah." Bell sighed, and tried to smile reassuringly "I just realized I never asked what your name was…"
"I was wondering when, and if you were going to ask for my name!" The girl pouted playfully, mocking hurt. She smiled a second after "My name is-"
"Loki?"
The two turned to the source to see a taller woman, with long emerald green hair tied in a tail with matching green eyes approach them. Her pointed ears told Bell that she was an elf; one that held herself in a dignified manner. She wore a green outfit with yellow borders and a white cloak over it. She had a black belt, a yellow sash, black leggings, and long brown boots to complete her look.
"There you are Loki. I was going to go look for you because you weren't at the Family meeting that YOU scheduled after breakfast." The elf scolded with a sigh.
Bell slowly turned to look at his guide, shock slowly forming on his face.
"You're Loki? As in the Goddess Loki? The one in charge of one the most powerful Familias in Orario?" Bell questioned, pointing a finger toward the red head.
"Yup!" Loki responded simply with her signature smile.
"…of course you are." Bell proceeded to face palm again and mutter something about his luck and something about an old man laughing at him right now.
"I'm sorry Riveria" apologized not so sincerely to the green haired elf, ignoring Bell's grumblings. "But I had to go into town for something and I ran into Bell here!"
Riveria looked past her Goddess to the boy still muttering and cursing to himself and sent her Goddess a questioning look.
"The only male adventurer in Orario" Loki added still smiling.
Riveria eyes widened and lit in recognition and looked back to the boy, who was at this point done muttering spitefully, and trying his best to smile naturally.
"I see. And you brought him to the Twilight Manor?" Riveria tried to put the pieces together at what her Goddess was probably planning.
"Yup!" Loki nodded enthusiastically "He wanted to come thank Tiona for saving him in the Dungeon yesterday and I happened to be in the right place and time to graciously offer my assistance"
Riveria shot her Goddess an unamused stare before sighing. "I see, what strange coincidences"
"Right?" Loki smiled wider seeing Riveria getting the hint "So Bell, why don't we head inside and I can introduce you to some of the Familia, including your savior!"
Bell, trying his best not to let his twitching eye stand out, nodded "I'd appreciate it Goddess Loki"
"Muh! No Goddess title! It's all stuffy and boring! Just Loki ok?!" The trickster Goddess pouted cutely to Bell.
"But you're a Goddess and I can't just call you Loki… it would be disrespectful…" Bell tried to reason.
"But it'll be more disrespectful to me if you don't listen to my request!" Loki countered, still pouting "Unless you don't like me or something…"
Bell stared at Loki as she did her best "kicked puppy" expression she could and sighed. "Fine. I'll try and call you Loki…"
"Great! Come on Bell! You'll love the place!" Loki cheered and grabbed Bell's hand; dragging the poor boy through the Familia's Main Gate entrance "Welcome to our home Bell! The Twilight Manor!"
Rivera could only stand there at the gate and watch as her Goddess pulled the only male adventurer in Orario toward their home. As she observed her Goddess, her suspicions grew with each passing minute. When the expedition came back yesterday, and everyone eventually made their way back to the Twilight Manor, Loki had called her three top executives in to an impromptu meeting after dinner and a much needed shower. Upon entering the room, Loki was sitting at her desk with a single piece of paper on the desk. She asked the three to take a closer look at it and they saw it was a Guild newsletter with a picture of a white haired boy, the same one being dragged by the trickster Goddess now. What caught the three's attention however were the big bold words as the title: Orario's 1st Male Adventurer: Bell Cranel.
Loki had expressed her interest in finding more about the supposed male adventurer to the three, but Riveria didn't think she'd go out, hunt the boy down, and bring him here. Riveria sighed once again and rubbed her temples in a futile effort to stop a headache from arising at her Goddess's actions.
"Everything ok Riveria?" A voice came from beside her. She turned her head to see a shorter, girl looking at her questioningly. The girl had long blonde hair, tied into a ponytail, and blue eyes. Her body was small due to the fact she was a Pallum, but was athletically built and slim with a bust slightly bigger than Loki's and Tiona's. She wore a long yellow vest over a purple-long sleeved blouse and form fitting pants.
"I hope so Fianna" The emerald elf sighed to the captain of the Loki Familia.
"Who is that that Loki is dragging to the Manor?" The Pallum asked, watching their Goddess drag some white haired boy in by the hand.
"That would be Bell Cranel, the only male adventurer in Orario" Riveria responded, beginning to walk toward the Manor herself.
"I… see" Fianna slowly said, following the Elf. "Guess I should go gather the rest"
"I'll do it. Just grab Gerra and we'll meet in the meeting room once Loki is done showing the place off" Riveria offered, the tone of her voice tired already.
The blonde Pallum nodded and the two continued their way toward the Manor silently. One thought however now on both of their minds:
'What is Loki up to?'
Hey Guys! Asian Here!
"Kept you waiting huh?"
Sorry bout the long wait guys. Took a while to revise and edit this chapter. (I deleted whole portions of it and rewrote them until i was satisfied haha)
About the story/questions I was asked:
- Unless I post something, assume that the story lives. I'm not the most consistent publisher, but I'm trying. That's why I don't have a schedule like some other authors do cause I don't like promising stuff I can't keep.
- The Harem, lol I know not to focus on it. I just wanted to know what some of y'alls opinions were is all.
- This chapter is some more world building I guess you can call it... Not a lot of action... sorry...More deviation from Cannon but at the same time setting up for some cannon stuff... like the Hostess of Fertility and the party the Gods and Goddesses went to.
-Rose is not an OC. If you go back and type Rose Fannett and Danmachi, you'll find her Danmachi wiki!
-I'll say it once and I'll say it again, don't judge my naming of the genderbent characters lol.
Anyway, That's it from me! I hope you guys enjoyed and thank you for checking the story out! Leave a review or message me with anything you liked, disliked, or things to improve.
Stay safe everyone!
-Asian