Hound of Hearth

"Cú Chulainn, eh?" Okita nodded her head. "Bell, you manage to hit the jackpot."

"I have to disagree, Miss." The new Servant, Cú, stated as he lowered his hood and rubbed his head. "I am a Caster, not a Lancer."

"Ah, that's right!" Charlotte slammed her fist into her palm. "You're most famous weapon is your spear, Gáe Bulg!"

"Yep. Without it, I am not at my best." He sighed. "I also really like that spear."

"I am sorry!" Bell immediately bowed. "I-I-I don't mean t-to summon you as Caster! I-I am just looking forward to having another Servant and…!"

"Hey, hey, it's alright. Knock it off, Master." Cú laughed a bit. "On the other hand, it could be a challenge on its own. My physical parameter is weaker as Caster but I still possess all the techniques and skills that I have learned. Yeah, it could be interesting…"

As his grin started to turn maniacally, the two other Servants could only laugh awkwardly.

"That's definitely Cú Chulainn." The French commented. "A challenging fight is something that he loves."

"What's not to love?" Cú replied as he looked back at them. "Speaking of which, that woman over there is not a mortal, am I right?"

He said that while pointing at the Goddess herself. Hestia was a bit surprised at first but managed to remain calm. She cleared her throat before taking a step forward.

"Indeed, Cú Chulainn." She introduced herself with a smile. "My name is Hestia, the Goddess of this Familia."

"Oh, and for your information…" Okita barged in. "…she's a friend with Miach."

"Miach?" Caster's eyebrows rose a bit in surprise. "If…If he's here, then…"

Suddenly, the Child of Light trembled in fear – much to the surprise of the two other Servants – before approaching Hestia as silent and as fast as he could.

"Hey…" He whispered to her. "…is…is Mórrígan here?"

"Mórrígan?" Hestia put her hand on her chin. "Well, Miach once talked about her. As far as I know, she's nowhere near Orario. In fact, she might still be in Heaven. Or returning there. I am not sure about her status."

"Glad to hear that." Cú let out a sigh before smiling. "By the way, I noticed that there's something about those two ladies there. Like there's an addition in them."

As he said that, he pointed his thumb at his fellow Servants.

"That's because they're part of my Familia." The Goddess explained. "To have the full access of Orario, one has to join a Familia. It includes being able to go into the Dungeon and fight the monsters there."

"I see." He put his hand on his chin, sending a glance at Bell - who suddenly felt nervous - before nodding. "Well, the boy and I are already a Master and Servant. Being in the same Familia will simply tighten our bond."

"Great! Let us do it then, Cú!"

Cú Chulainn

Level 1

Strength: I0
Defense: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0

Magic:
Rune Magic: Quick cast spells through the use of runes carved onto a surface or drawn in the air.
Wicker Man: Summon a flame giant, seeking a sacrifice to make an offering to the gods.

My Magecraft is a Cage of Flames.
A flaming yet verdant giant.
Retribution.
A shrine that purifies the evil of human affairs.
The one who destroys…
Wicker Man!

Ochd Deug Odin: Great God Carved Seal: Activated by invoking all the 18 original runes together with the release of the True Name.

Skills:
Territory Creation: Creation of a Temple to draw in Magic Power is available.
Protection from Arrows: Avoid any long-range attack if a visual confirmation of one's opponent is attained, tracking down ranged weapons with eyes and defend against them.

"As expected of a spirit…" Lily commented as she and others read the paper of Cú's stats. "They're second only to gods."

Hestia raised an eyebrow upon noticing certain magic that Cú possessed. Looking at the newest Servant, she spoke, "Did you and Odin have a certain relationship when you're alive?"

"No. My teacher simply suggested that I learned Odin's runes." Caster replied coolly. "She said that I am more suited to that."

"Makes sense, his runes are indeed famous for that." The Goddess stated. "Though if I am not wrong, it could be used for other things."

"Um, Goddess?" Bell heard the conversation between them. "What are runes?"

"It's…" She was about to explain it when her head turned to Cú, who figured out the meaning of the gesture.

"First off, runes are letters used by the people from the north before the spread of Koine." He began his explanation. "If you're wondering, I am talking about the north where the winter is long, where it's cold even in summer, and the home of the Vikings."

"Oh, Vikings!" The boy remembered some of the stories that his grandfather told him.

"Yep. Back to runes, when people talk about them, they usually talk about the various magical effects that the letters could create when they're inscribed." The blue-haired man continued. "For example…"

Cú started to inscribe a rune on the church floor, one that looked like an "F" with its two horizontal lines bending downwards: ᚨ. Once it was done, fire emerged from the rune, shocking Bell and Lily, before disappearing.

"Awesome!" The Pallum exclaimed. "It's a literal chantless spell!"

"Well, not exactly. Rather than 'speaking' the spell, I am instead 'writing' the spell." Cú continued his explanation. "The one that I just use is called Ansuz and as you witnessed, it has a close relationship with fire. Each rune has its own power and combining them could create a more powerful spell."

"That sounds…too good to be true." She commented, causing the Servant to look at her. "Ah, sorry! It's just that, every power has its downside. Like how the more powerful spell is, the longer it takes to chant them!"

"You're not wrong." He nodded. "You must inscribe them correctly if you want them to work. You must also be careful when you combine runes. My teacher once told me how a student of her – before me – accidentally trap both of them with Ath nGabla."

"Ath nGabla?" Bell muttered the name.

"It's a curse that forces the caster and the target to fight to the death. I am sure I don't need to explain how she dispelled it."

The boy gulped, knowing what Cú meant.

"But worry not, Master." Caster declared. "I am one of the best when it comes to runes. Just tell me what to do and I will deliver."

"I see." He smiled in return. "Ah, by the way, no need to call me 'Master,' Cú. Just call me Bell."

"Well, with the introduction done…" Okita stated. "…I believe it's time to go to the Guild."

Eina couldn't help but rub her forehead. It was not that long when the Loki Familia accidentally caused a bunch of Minotaurs to went upward into the top floors where the majority of Level 1s were. Then, there was the news of yet another Minotaur entering those floors.

Unexpectedly, many adventurers demanded an explanation regarding the two incidents, especially those who were still Level 1. Even a group of them was no match for a Minotaur, so it made sense why they were so worried. If Minotaurs started to frequently roam on the top floors, then their livelihood would be in danger.

"Miss Eina!"

Upon hearing the arrival of the adventurer under her guide, Eina put on a smile on her face before looking at Bell, accompanied by his fellow Familia along with a blue-haired person carrying a staff. The boy walked to the counter with one of the biggest smiles that he ever made.

"Good morning, Bell!" The half-elf greeted him. "How can I help today?"

"W-Well, two things…" The white-haired adventurer sounded quite excited. "First, our Familia receives a new member."

"Yo, miss." The blue-haired man raised his hand. "Name's Cú Chulainn. Don't forget it, 'kay?"

"I see. That's good to hear." The advisor stated. "You know, your Familia might be one of the fastest-growing ones in the record with this kind of progress."

"Ahahaha…" He laughed with his hand scratching the back of his head. "Also, I am Level 2 now."

It took Eina her entire willpower to not scream out loud upon hearing it. Behind her, her coworker Misha suddenly dropped the papers that she had been carrying. Sighing, Okita walked towards the counter and slapped the back of Bell's head before talking to the half-elf.

"Perhaps we should discuss it further somewhere private." She said while Bell rubbed his head.

Once Eina regained her composure, she cleared her throat and led them to a private room. Misha, who heard the news, was about to follow but a glare from the Captain of the Familia caused her to walk away.

"Bell, tell me how you manage to Level Up!" The guild advisor sternly told him. "And don't you leave anything!"

"Um…"

Once he was done telling the story, Eina could felt her headache tripled and – after trying to hold it – gave up. She slumped on her chair and let out a long sigh.

"Is everything I said to you go into one ear and exited from another?"

"I am so sorry!"

"Still, to become Level 2 in just a month and a half…" The guild advisor fixed her posture.

"To be fair, what do you expect from someone crazy enough to fight a Minotaur, as Level 1, alone?" Okita stated as she sighed. "Miss Eina, I advise that you're prepared next time since this is likely going to be the norm."

"I can see that." Considering that Bell had also fought a Silverback on his own and a swarm of Orcs with only one person accompanying him, she agreed with the statement.

"It's hard to get famous if you're playing it safe," Cú commented. "And the kid wants to get famous as quickly as possible."

"Lily believes that Mister Cú is going to be a bad influence for Bell." The Pallum commented in return.

The Samurai was about to let out a sigh when she suddenly coughed. Preparing for the possibility, Eina put as much distance between them as possible while Lily took out a handkerchief. Okita raised her free hand as she lowered the hand that covered her mouth.

"It's fine," Okita stated as she inspected her hand, seeing no blood on it. "Just a normal cough."

"You know, speaking about reckless behavior," The half-elf advisor fixed her glasses as she glared at the pink-haired Far Easterner. "The same thing could be said to you, who goes into the Dungeon while being sick. At least Bell is healthy when he did all the crazy things that he did!"

"Nothing I can do about it." She replied. "Anyway, Bell, the list?"

"Ah, right." He took out a folded paper from his coat. "Here, Miss Eina."

Eina accepted the paper and unfolded it. On it, she saw three lines written.

Abnormal Resistance

Mage

Luck

"Ah, Development Skills." She stated. "Of course, as Level 2, these were bound to show up."

"Do you have any recommendation, Miss Eina?" Bell asked. "Lily suggests Abnormal Resistance since there are monsters that used poison on the lower floors. Okita believes I should choose Mage because I used a lot of magical energy. Goddess – on the other hand – insists that I pick up Luck."

"Well, the first two skills are something possessed by many adventurers. So, what they could do along with the limitation is well-known." The half-elf explained. "Luck, though…this is the first time I heard about it. You will basically walk into the unknown if you choose this."

"Lily thinks that choosing something like that is just too risky." The Pallum commented.

"Considering how straightforward the two skills," Cú joined in. "With your track record, having a dose of luck would be helpful. After all, we don't want to risk you encountering a dragon next time we go into the Dungeon, right?"

Bell wanted to protest that he was not that unlucky. But then, remembering the encounters that occurred to him after joining Hestia Familia, he had to admit that luck was not something that he had in abundance.

"If you ask for my suggestion," Eina spoke up. "I will suggest that you look up for the one that you need the most."

"What I need the most?" The white-haired boy repeated.

"Yes. If you need protection, then Abnormal Resistance is the one that you should choose. If you want to be able to dive deeper into the Dungeon easily, then it's Mage." She explained. "But, if you want to…attain something that's beyond your grasp, then you're going to need Luck. A lot of it. Many adventurers lost their life due to avoidable yet unpredictable death."

"I see… Thank you so much, Miss Eina!"

On the sideline, Lily looked at the blue-haired Servant, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"Just to note, Lily blames you if this goes awry." The Pallum stated.

"That's the thing about adventure, little girl." Cú grinned as he rubbed her head. "Things will always go wrong. More fun that way."

"Get your hand off me! And Lily is not a little girl!"

"Let's be honest, the moment Lady Hestia suggested that to him, it's obvious what he will choose." Charlotte joined in. "Miss Eina, I have read that dragons roam around the Dungeon. How dangerous they are?"

"Even more dangerous than Minotaurs despite their locations." The half-elf advisor answered. "However, they are also very rare."

"I see. That means with Luck, hopefully, Bell won't encounter a dragon alone."

"Come on, now! My luck is not that bad!" Bell exclaimed before noticing that no one was looking at him now. "Guys…?"

"Just as expected from a good child like you, Bell!" Hestia said as she updated his status. "There! Now you're officially a Level 2!"

"Thank you, Goddess," Bell said as he put on his shirt.

"Also, here!" She handed him a paper. "I plan to make it a surprise after the Meeting of the Gods, but I figured that you will just go back diving into the Dungeon before it's finished."

He took the sheet and immediately froze upon looking at it.

"Congratulations, Bell! You got an – uh…a skill!"

The last-second word switch didn't go unnoticed. Okita and Cú became curious, looking at each other to confirmed that they didn't mishear.

"Heroic Desire: Argonaut!" Bell happily read the name out loud. He then froze and turned around to look at the rest of his Familia, all smiling at him.

"Argonaut…" Charlotte put her hand on her chin as if trying to remember something. "That's the name of a hero, right?"

"He's known as a clown hero," Lily confirmed. "His story feels more like a comedy than an epic."

"Isn't it also written that rather than saving the princess, he's the one being saved instead?" Okita added. "That's a lot like a certain white-haired boy that I know."

"Sorry, Master," Cú sounded cheerful despite what he said. "But I have to agree that you're not exactly manly."

"Please, stop…" Bell cried out as he tried to hide under a pillow, digging himself deeper.

"Don't worry, Bell. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Hestia said as she patted his head…err, pillow. "Not everyone can stay as pure as you are."

"Huaaaaah…!"

"OK, OK, let's not go too far, shall we?" Okita stated. "So, what does your Skill do?"

"Um, it says," Bell emerged from his "hiding place." "charging up an active action…and that's it. What does that mean?"

"Hmm… It sounds like something that could power up your attacks." The Goddess stated. "Like, when you swing your knife, it will make you hit harder. Or when using Firebolt, you will shoot even bigger bolts."

"Sounds quite straightforward." The Captain commented. "Which fits the theme of Skills, as far as we know."

"By the way, Okita, what's the status of our finance?"

"Eh? Well, it's quite good. We have somewhere around half a million valis."

"EEEEEEHH?!" Bell shouted. "We have that much?!"

"Compared to bigger Familia, this number is basically pocket change," Lily told him. "Still, to be able to obtain that much despite our number…"

"Where do you think Okita and I go to when we partnered with each other?" Charlotte stated. "You don't think we stick to the upper floors, don't you?"

"Ah, that's right."

"So, about this Dungeon," Cú asked. "When could we go there?"

"Soon." The Samurai replied. "So, why do you ask about it, Lady Hestia?"

"Well, since Bell has become Level 2 and is about to receive a title, I think we should throw a celebration party."

"That's not a bad idea. It is something worthy to be celebrated." She put her hand on her chin. "Should I ask for a reservation at Hostess of Fertility?"

"Of course."

"Man, it's a shame I was not summoned to witness your deed, Bell." Caster stated. "But if they say it's something worthy of a toast, then toasting for it we shall!"

The person of interest, meanwhile, didn't say anything at all. He was too busy feeling touched by the care that his Familia showed to him.

The Orc roared before it charged towards the party of adventurers. However, it was cut short when a fire suddenly emerged from the ground, engulfing it. The monster squealed in pain before the fire disappeared and its body turned to ash, leaving only the magic stone behind.

"Well, that should be all," Cú stated as he spun his staff. "I must say, I can see why many find them challenging but not so much for me."

"The lower we go, the stronger the monsters that we will face," Charlotte told him. "I have heard that there's a dragon below that can breathe fire strong enough to penetrate a floor or two."

Caster whistled before saying, "As expected of a dragon."

"Unfortunately, I don't think it's safe to go there considering who's with us." Assassin stated as they looked at a certain supporter who was busy collecting the stones and drop items.

"Agree. As much as I enjoy a challenge, it doesn't feel right bringing someone that can't handle it." He sighed. "In any case, it's a shame that Bell couldn't be with us."

"It couldn't be helped." Okita joined the conversation. "He still has to rest due to his fight with the Minotaur. Furthermore, he must find a replacement for his armor."

"Speaking about his armor, do you – Ah!" Seeing a monster emerging, Charlotte had her familiar shoot it with a light beam, which disintegrated it. "Well, I don't think its stone survived. Anyway, do you think we could buy him a better armor?"

"Perhaps." Saber stated. "But the choice is up to him."

"Captain," Lily shouted, attracting the attention of the Servants. "Lily's bag is almost full."

"I see. Well then, let us go back to the surface." She declared.

With that, the four of them began their journey back to the top. Along the way, they encountered other adventurer parties and monsters.

"You know, I am not saying that killing monsters is not exciting," Cú said as he fired a fireball at a Killer Ant. "But if you ask me, what we're doing is more like hunting – not that it could be an epic tale – but you get what I am saying. In fact, it's even closer to mining."

"Actually, 'over-glorified miner' just so happen to be a common insult for the adventurer," Lily stated. "However, there are instances where adventurers are not that different from heroes from the tale. Like those who were involved in the Three Great Quests."

"Man, what a shame." He sighed. "Not that I am complaining that I am summoned at this period, but still…"

"You know, only two of them are fulfilled." Okita suddenly spoke up. "The final beast, the One-Eyed Black Dragon, is still alive."

"I see…"

The party stopped due to their path being obstructed by a small horde of Goblins and Kobolds. Okita gave a sign to the other Servants to stand down as she walked forward.

"Lily." She called her.

"Does Lily have to?" The Pallum complained, receiving only a glare. "Fine."

Sighing, she gave her bag to Charlotte before drawing out her short sword. Then, with Saber watching her back, she charged towards the monsters.

Two Goblins separated from the group and charged alone. Lily shot one of them with her wrist crossbow. As it fell and distracted the other one, she slashed the second Goblin from head to chest.

More and more monsters approached her. The Pallum shot several of them before they were too close, which was when she switched to her sword. Every time the monsters attacked, not even once she tried to block them; she always dodged their attacks before giving out her own.

"You're a Pallum, known to be a weak race even compared to humans." She remembered what Okita told her. "Strength will not be your forte, so think of other methods."

Lily decided to use Finn Deimne, the Captain of Loki Familia and celebrity among the Pallums, as an example. While he was physically strong, it was likely due to his high Level and not even his main focus. He was known more for his speed, agility, and flexibility.

Shoot. Slash. Move. Her tactic could be condensed into these three words; shoot the monsters with her crossbow. Slash those who managed to get close. Move away to create distance. Slowly but steadily, the numbers of monsters dwindled.

When she stopped moving, taking a rest as she tried to control her breath, the remaining monsters thought that this was their only chance and thus decided to take it. However, all that happened was for Okita to step forward and put an end to their lives.

"Well done." The Samurai stated as she sheathed her katana. "Let's go."

The party continued their walk, now with the Assassin-class Servant acting as a supporter to give Lily a rest.

"You know, Lily can't help but wonder," She suddenly spoke up. "What kind of title that Bell would receive?"

"Little Rookie…"

Bell dejectedly followed his Familia as they walked towards the Hostess of Fertility. When Hestia returned from the Denatus, she happily told the boy that she managed to get him a "normal" name, which was the reason for his current mood.

"Come on, Bell! Cheer up!" The Goddess tried to raise his mood. "You could have something worse, like Fire Inferno Flame or Hard Fist Fighter."

"But those names are cool!" He exclaimed before getting back to being depressed.

Okita and Charlotte, upon hearing it, raised an eyebrow at Bell's "questionable" sense in naming before looking at Cú, who was the son of Celtic god Lugh. He simply mouthed, "He's lucky" and they figured out the rest.

When the Hestia Familia entered the pub, they were soon greeted by the grey-haired waitress.

"Welcome, Hestia Familia!" Syr greeted them. "Your reservation, I take it?"

"Of course," Okita replied. "Lead the way, Syr."

"Follow me."

The waitress showed them the table that was big enough for six of them. There was something else on the table, though; a bottle of sake and six ceramic cups. Upon seeing them, the Far Easterner captain looked shocked.

"One of the girls managed to find it when shopping for ingredients." Mama Mia answered the question before it was asked. "It's quite pricey, so make sure that you spend a lot of money here, OK?"

"C-Certainly!" Saber replied.

They took their seat and started to give out their order.

"I'll take seafood fried rice," Okita said.

"It's a bouillabaisse for me," Charlotte stated.

"Oh? You have roasted boar? Then one for me, young miss." Cú said after reading the menu.

"I am not too hungry; I'll have your brick toast with vanilla ice cream," Hestia said.

"Lily wants the tuna fish sandwich." The Pallum spoke.

"Um, I'll just have my usual pasta." Bell hesitantly said. "But I would like extra meat if that's not too much."

"Of course not, Bell," Syr replied. "As for the drink…?"

"Four beer and two juices." The Captain stated.

"Alright. If you want something else, don't hesitate to order it."

With the waitress heading towards the kitchen, Okita grabbed the sake bottle and gave the sign for others to take a cup. She then – one by one – filled the cup, with Bell being the first one, who also looked worried.

"Is…is it alright for me to drink?" He nervously asked.

"Isn't it obvious, Bell?" Cú replied. "You're old enough to kill. That means you're old enough to drink."

"While I won't put it as…blunt as Cú," Charlotte added. "That's generally how it being looked upon."

"W-Well, then…" The boy raised his cup. "Cheers."

"Cheers."

The Familia performed a toast. The boy put the cup to his mouth and slowly drink the sake. His face changed, not expecting how strong the alcohol was, and tried his best not to puke it up. Once he drank all of it, he put the cup down before coughing loudly.

"It's very strong…" Lily commented after drinking the sake as well.

"That's right. I forgot that sake is accompanied by yawaragi-mizu; water to clear the throat." Saber stated. "Should have ordered – ah, waitress!"

When the glass of water finally arrived, Bell wasted no time and immediately drank all of it until not even a drop was left. He slammed the glass into the table, breathing heavily.

"How…how do people drink this?" The boy wondered. "It's so…"

"Don't worry," Cú told him. "It's just the first-time experience. You'll get used to it."

Not long after that, the food and drink started to arrive, carried by Syr and Ryuu. When his order was being put in front of him, Bell noticed that there was also a plate of cake accompanying it.

"Um, Syr," He said. "I didn't order this."

"It's in the house. Well, on me, to be exact." The waitress explained with a smile. "Just consider it a little gift for Leveling Up."

"I see. Thank you then, Syr."

The Celtic Servant, who was observing their conversation, noticed the subtle hints that the girl gave to the boy and chuckled.

"If that's the little gift, may I suggest the main one?" He spoke, attracting both of them. "It's very easy; just go find a room where you two can have privacy and…"

Caster was unable to finish his sentence due to Hestia suddenly spouting out the beer that she was drinking. It took a while for Bell and Syr to understand what he was trying to say, but when they did, their faces turned as red as a tomato, with the waitress using the serving tray to hide her face.

"Cú, what the hell?!" Hestia exclaimed. "Bell's too young for that!"

"Really?" He said as he wiped out the liquid on his face. "I am pretty sure I am somewhere at his age when I started my adventure. I am even younger when I took arms for the first time."

"Ah, yes. You're 17 when you defended Ulster from invasion, right?" Charlotte said as she put down her spoon.

"Maybe. I am not exactly sure how old I am back then." Caster replied. "We have a different way to count dates."

"And before that invasion, the Ulstermen were worried that you would steal their wives and ruined their daughters."

"Exact – grk!"

Without any warning, Hestia's twin tails became alive and wrapped themselves around the Celtic hero's neck. Said Goddess was also glaring hard at him.

"Cú, listen carefully." She stated with a voice promising pain. "If you teach Bell anything inappropriate, you will find yourself being kicked upward to Tenkai. Am I understood?"

"C-C-Crystal…" After saying that, she let him go. "Jeez, as if I don't have my hands full with Mórrígan…"

The teased boy and girl simply watched before looking at each other, faces still red.

"Um…" Syr tried to say something. "I…should go. I am…still at work…"

"Y-Yeah…" Bell awkwardly replied. "Sure…"

The waitress walked as fast as she could to the kitchen. The adventurer went back to his food, silently eating it.

As time passed, more food and drink were ordered from the table. Sharing the food with fellow Familia members. Still hungry and deciding to have a taste of another dish. Drink ran out and ordering a refill. Water to wash down the alcohol. All in all, they were enjoying their time.

"Um, Lady Hestia," Charlotte was worried about how much she drank. "Shouldn't you like, I don't know, drink in moderation?"

"I *hic* am~" The Goddess replied, face becoming red due to all the alcohol. "Chome onn, Char… No neeeed *hic* to…"

Assassin sighed, already knowing the headache that both of them would face.

On his side, Bell was eating a sausage when one of the waitresses approached him.

"Bell."

"Hmm?" He turned his head to looked at her before recognizing the waitress. "Oh, Ryuu!"

"If you don't mind, can I ask some questions?" Upon receiving a nod, she continued. "You're the first Level 2 of your Familia, correct?"

"Y-Yeah." The boy swallowed the food in his mouth. "Okita is only Level 1, but she's still the captain since I don't know how to do the administrative stuff."

"I see." The elf nodded. "In that case, may I offer some suggestions?"

"Eh?"

"We should listen to her, Bell," Cú told him while grinning. "An advice from veteran warrior is not something to just be discarded."

"And what makes you said that?" She squinted her eyes.

Without warning, he threw something, which was caught by Ryuu. From the texture alone, she knew that it was bread; nothing dangerous.

"See?" Caster stated. "Besides, I noticed how…'aware' the waitresses of this pub are. There are things that retired warriors just can't stop doing."

"That's right. Many of the girls here are former adventurers." Mama Mia suddenly appeared as she put down a dish on the table. "So, don't provoke them needlessly."

That was not a request.

"Sure," Cú replied before looking at the elf. "Sorry about that. Just wanting to show undeniable proof."

"Fine." The waitress turned her attention back to the boy. "So, Bell?"

"Ah, sure." He replied.

"Alright. As Level 2, you will likely go to the middle floors. Thus, you have to…"

When the celebration was done, the Hestia Familia returned to their home with not just a full stomach but gaining crucial information as well.

"An exclusivity contract with a blacksmith?"

"That's right."

Currently, Bell was talking to Okita who – before the meeting – was busy handling the paperwork. Seeing a chance to take a small break, she decided to let him talk now rather than later.

"When I bought my replacement armor, I managed to meet with the creator of my previous one." He explained. "He asked me to make a contract with him."

"Well, I see no problem with it." The Captain replied. "The contract is only binding between individuals. So, whatever you do with the request won't affect the Familia at large. If you like his works, then just accept it."

"It's not just that. He wants to join our party as well when we go into the Dungeon as part of the contract."

That caused her to raise an eyebrow. Usually, that kind of contract simply demanded the adventurers to bring their drop items to the blacksmiths.

"Do you know the name of this blacksmith?" Saber asked.

"Y-Yes. His name is Welf Crozzo." The boy answered. "Of the Hephaistos Familia."

"Well, that means at least he's trustworthy. I'll ask Lady Hestia to ask the Goddess of Forge about him." Okita stated. "As for the man himself, tell him that he could join us. Consider it…a test of a sort."

"Of course." Bell bowed to her. "Thank you, Okita."

He wasted no time telling his new friend.

"Renovation?" Lily said.

"Yep. When Lady Hestia visited Lady Hephaistos, she also asked if we could renovate the church." Okita explained. "Right now, she's visiting the Goibniu Familia with Charlotte."

"So that's why she's not with us." The Pallum nodded.

The party soon reached the Babel Tower. Once there, Bell started to look around before finally seeing him.

"There he is!" He said as he pointed at the man sitting on a fountain.

He was a red-haired young man wearing a black robe over a dark blue tunic and white trousers, tied around the waist by a simple brown belt. Upon noticing Bell and the rest of his party approaching him, he jumped from his seat and picked up a large black great sword resting beside him.

"Yo, Bell! You're here!" The man, Welf, greeted him. "Ah, that's right."

He turned towards the Far Easterner Servant and bowed.

"Thank you for accepting me." He told her. "I promise that I won't get in the way."

"It is fine," Okita replied. "So, you are Welf Crozzo?"

"Y-Yeah." The man suddenly became uncomfortable. "I suppose you would already know."

"Your goddess and ours are close friends." She stated. "Worry not, if you don't want to create the Magic Sword, then we won't ask. Personal pride is something that I can understand."

"I see. You have my gratitude then." He then remembered something. "Ah, right. I didn't catch your name."

"It's Okita Souji. Captain of the First – I mean, Hestia Familia." She gestured to the other members. "This is Liliruca Arde," "Hello, Mr. Welf." "and Cú Chulainn." "Yo!"

"Nice to meet all of you. As you know, I am Welf Crozzo, a blacksmith of Hephaistos Familia."

"Well, shall we dive into the Dungeon then?" Bell asked.

"Yep. Let's go and attain great…"

COUGH COUGH

The moment she coughed, everyone jumped back and kept their distance. Welf, surprised by it, looked at Bell, who could only awkwardly laugh.

"Finally, I'm on the 11th floor!" The blacksmith exclaimed as he raised both of his hands.

"So, this is your first time as well?" Bell asked as he walked towards him.

"Yeah. I always want to visit this floor, but…"

Crack

Both of them went silent upon hearing the ground tearing apart, indicating the births of monsters. As they rose from the ground, the party regroup and prepare for a fight. Cú, noticing an Imp being born right in front of him, crushed it under his foot.

"Orcs coming from the front and rear!" Lily stated. "The Imps are from every direction!"

"Alright then." Okita started to give out the orders. "Bell, Welf, you take care of the front. I'll take care of our rear. Cú, stay with Lily and provide support fire."

""Affirmative!""

When Bell and Welf dashed towards their opponents, the former noticed that something was different. The monsters' movement was slower, their skins were weaker; in general, they were not as dangerous as before.

"No, it's not that." He thought. "I simply become stronger."

He wondered how different it would be when he became Level 2 since he didn't feel any power-up. While the changes were not as dramatic as he thought, he could see them with his own eyes now that they were – nonetheless – very noticeable.

With just a swing of his weapon, he could take out two or three Imps at the same time. The Orcs, despite being stronger, was still no match for him. He could easily reach their vitals – chest and neck – without getting hit. His Firebolt was not only stronger but also less burdening to use.

"Yo, Bell!" Welf called him as he cut an Orc into two. "Having fun being a Level 2?"

"Y-Yeah, I…" He was about to say something when he noticed them. "Welf, look out!"

The warning was too little too late. In a matter of seconds, the young blacksmith was surrounded by a trio of Silverbacks. He tightened the grab on his greatsword, frantically trying to find a path to escape. The white-haired boy was about to help when he realized that two Hard Armored were coming to his direction.

It was either helping Welf or stopping the incoming monsters. If he chose the former, the armadillo-like monsters might attack his vulnerable back. If he chose the latter, then Welf might not be able to survive until he could give a hand.

Fortunately, before he could make a choice, the red-haired man was no longer in danger.

Right when one of the Silverbacks was about to move, it was kicked in the face by Cú. His kick was so strong that it shattered its skull. The blue-haired man then created a rune and pointed his staff at another monster.

"Ansuz!"

A firebolt flew towards it, hitting the Silverback directly on the face. With two of them down, the blacksmith could focus on the last of them. When it came to him, he dodged the attack before slashing it with his sword.

"Thanks for the help," Welf said as he wiped the sweat on his forehead. "I thought I am toast."

"Meh, it's nothing. Don't think hard about it." Cú replied easily. "Still, there's nothing more exhilarating than that feeling of being on the verge of death yet alive in the end, don't you agree?"

"Y-Yeah, I suppose…" He awkwardly answered back.

"Cú! Thank gods you're…" Bell, who had taken care of the monsters, approached them. "Wait, what about Lily?"

"Don't worry. Miss Samurai is with her now." Caster said. "Anyway, let's take their stones and regroup."

"Y-Yes." "Sounds good to me."

After they did so, the three of them walked to where Okita and Lily were, the latter busy extracting the stones out of the monsters' corpses. Now feeling safe, the red-haired man decided to take a seat on the nearby stone.

"Man, it feels so good to be with a party." He stated. "There's more room to breathe."

"Indeed," Okita said. "In a group, the members could watch each other's back, thereby lessening each other burden, allowing them more opportunity to relax."

"Yep." Cú joined in. "While I don't have a problem with being alone, I will not say no to an offer fighting together."

As they talked with each other, Bell remained silent, deciding to observe his most recent Servant. While he didn't watch much due to being busy with the Hard Armored, he caught enough glimpse to see how Cú rescued his new friend from the Silverbacks.

He had to admit, from the three Servants that he had summoned, Cú resonated with him the best. His easygoing and carefree way of talking, skills in combat, love for drinking and partying, they reminded him of the stories that his grandfather told him. While he admitted that it was quite a surprise at how easy Caster suggested him to do…that with Syr, he remembered that many heroes in the stories have many girlfriends.

Actually, thinking back about it, it was likely that his grandfather simply watered-down the stories.

Anyway, he wondered if he could one day be like him. Someone who could face death itself and simply shrugged it off. He knew how easy it was for him to panic when facing danger. He could think clearly, he could put on a calm face, but simply facing it while laughing, being confident that your skill would help you see the next day?

That would not be an easy thing to do.

"Huh?" Welf turned his head towards Bell and saw something. "Oi, Bell. What's wrong with your hand?"

"Eh?" He raised his hand to see what he meant. It appeared to be…sparkling, for the lack of better word. He could also hear the sound of a small chime. "This is…"

"Could that be your Skill, Argonaut?" Lily stated.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a loud roar echoed through the room. The attention of everyone in the party went towards finding the source of the voice. They soon found it upon hearing the screams of other adventurers.

"I-Infant Dragon?!"

"Run! Run for your life!"

They could see the monster – the Infant Dragon – chasing another party of adventurers. Without wasting any time, Bell ran forward to get closer before raising his hand to use Firebolt.

The same hand that was sparkling earlier.

"Firebolt!"

It was stronger than usual. In fact, it was strong enough to push Bell into the ground. Nevertheless, he managed to fire it and hit the monster. It penetrated the body from one side and coming out from another. Because the Infant Dragon turned into ashes, it was clear that Bell managed to hit its magical stone.

The white-haired boy could only stare in shock at the destructive power that his Firebolt had just unleashed. Hearing someone coming from behind, he turned his head and saw Cú approaching him, offering him a hand once he was close enough.

"Well, would you look at that?" He commented as he helped his Master stood up. "You just one shot a dragon."

Bell looked back to his hand, remembering the power that he felt upon firing the powered-up Firebolt. He couldn't help but feel awed at the new power that he managed to acquire.

Argonaut.

Answers to some reviews:

Zaralann: It's an important event in Bell's growth, so it has to happen.

Starlight's Poet: Maybe.

kratos1991: Well, he's not bad as a Lancer. But when it comes to portrayal, he's most successful as a Caster.

Nobody: Isn't it obvious 😉

Knight8: I am still thinking about that.

As for Bell's Skill, his rapid growth alone already indeed makes people interested. But it's better not to inflame that interest by having his Skill revealed.

Chaldea: Shock, of course. Though it would only happen if Cú or another Servant reveals it. So far, they have no reason to.

Rider126: Katana, eh? Interesting idea…

ClassicRider065: Hmm, Arash. I'll consider it.

Xxrainmxx: I am still thinking about it.

KAKYOINOVERHEAVEN: Nope. Berserker won't be Hijikata. As much as he interests me, Bell will not survive having a Servant like him 😊

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

Review, please!