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A Waning Silence	By : JLDavenport Category: -Misc Anime > General Views: 4362 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own any elements of Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darō ka or it's characters. I make no money from this.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Is It Wrong To Aim To Be A Hero?
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Author’s Note: The second chapter, I wrote this at the same time as the previous one, so hopefully they’ll flow into each other fairly well. They were originally one chapter, which came to about 23k words, so I thought that was probably too big and the point where Bell joined Hestia’s Familia was a good splitting point, so here we are. This chapter will show more of Bell and display a bit more of what I’m intending with this story and what I’m positioning Alfia’s role to be in Bell’s journey.
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Moving to the church basement was just as degrading as she’d imagined from Hestia’s story. Cold, draughty, ugly and utterly dilapidated, it was a severe step down in living conditions in every respect and Alfia was sorely tempted to simply continue living in the inn until they could arrange something more suitable. Unfortunately, doing so would expose her lie about their lack of finances and that would reduce some of the desperation she wanted to keep Bell’s motivation high, so she kept her silence instead.
As compensation, she claimed the solitary bed for herself, leaving Hestia to share the couch with Bell.
The boy blushed and spluttered, offering repeatedly to sleep on the floor rather than treat a Goddess so kindly. The Goddess, for her part, complained a lot less than she would have expected.
Soon, they were settled in, Bell was convinced that sleeping on the ground would only make him sick, Hestia happily promised that she wasn’t so proud she couldn’t share a couch with her newest and only child, and so their new daily routine began. Hestia worked. Bell headed off into the dungeon. And Alfia relaxed, or read, or maybe found something to eat, whatever took her fancy. She wasn’t part of the Familia, after all.
Still, even the Lady of Silence wasn’t quite so galling as to leave everything to her sister’s son and his Goddess, so the task of arranging dinner each night when the other two came back from work became her sole duty.
The very following day after having his Status granted by Hestia, Bell headed to the Guild and then to the dungeon for the very first time…
…And then returned a short hour later than that, proudly telling the story of how he’d managed to defeat and overcome a Goblin! One single goblin. The very first and weakest enemy in the dungeon.
Alfia’s scorning silence and Hestia’s confused questioning quickly had the boy fleeing back the way he’d come. And from there, their routine began in earnest.
In spite of all the dismissals he’d received and his own gentle nature, Bell took to the dungeon like a fish to water. Even working as a solo adventurer, his progress was rapid, so much so that Alfia had no trouble believing the tales he sheepishly told about his advisor almost tearing her hair out dealing with him, it was enough even to make her want to pull him back somewhat. It was enough for her to seek out one of the Hera Familia’s stashes of funds, to claim it as gambling winnings and declare that their money troubles were momentarily solved. There simply was no reasonable reason for a rookie adventurer to be pushing into the third and fourth floors within a few weeks, especially not when outfitted only with guild-issued equipment and a few healing phials Hestia had scrounged from the Miach Familia, and especially not when he was working alone. Alfia gave her students harsh lessons, but she never sent them to their deaths, even she wasn’t that heartless. And even she wasn’t detached enough to keep from (silently and secretly) fretting when her beloved and adorable Bell came back with yet another harrowing tale of pushing forwards far faster and far deeper into the dungeon than he had any right to!
The money left them eating better, but it seemed even removing what she’d assumed to be the primary source of Bell’s desperation did little to stem the boy’s recklessness. He was here to fulfil that bastard Zeus’s dreams and to live up to the stories he’d always admired, and it seemed not even the ever-increasing danger, or the ever-lengthening lectures from his (apparently Elven) advisor could hold him back.
The days turned to weeks and the tension soon began to gnaw at Alfia, suffocating her with the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. The dungeon was not for the naïve or foolhardy and it was never to be underestimated. When even her own quiet words of warning did nothing but stoke the fires of the boy’s ambition higher still -leaving her for the first time cursing her role as this story’s villain- she knew for sure that he was in for a wake-up call. She only prayed (not to Hestia, of course) that he would come out unharmed.
In the end, she only found out that she had dropped one day a short time later when Bell waltzed down into the church basement beaming from ear to ear, practically bouncing with excitement and making even more noise than usual before the rest of the day unfolded in a series of updates that came as shocking surprise after bewildering revelation, until both Alfia and Hestia felt like they’d had a full decade shaved off their lifespans!
First, Bell told them about how he’d -once again- ignored his advisor’s instruction and gone not just to the fourth floor, but the fifth! Hestia fretted; Alfia sighed.
Then he told them an almost unbelievable story about how he’d somehow run into a Minotaur, on the fifth floor! Hestia balked; Alfia gaped in disbelief.
Next he finished his story by telling them about his saviour, and the encounter he’d finally had in the dungeon, with one of the most beautiful and famous Adventurers in Orario no less! Hestia dithered, conflicted with jealousy and relief; Alfia just contented herself to relax.
After that came his status update, along with the equally unbelievable sight of his status skyrocketing, far beyond what should have been reasonable! Hestia’s jaw dropped and there was no missing the way the Goddesses’ inner conflict deepened; Alfia granted his growth a small hum of appreciation.
And finally, a few minutes later, after Bell had bounced happily out the door once again- off to fulfil the promise he’d apparently made with some grey-haired waitress who’d helped him this morning came the last, and most incredible revelation of the lot… A skill unlike any either woman had ever heard of before.
Hestia didn’t say anything about it and she even did an admirable job of pretending nothing was amiss afterwards, but the look of shock on the Goddesses face as she parsed Bell’s status update, the way she read and re-read the same set of runes over and over as if the content would somehow change wasn’t something Alfia could possibly have missed. Given how intensely riled up the small Goddess was, to the point of flopping onto the couch and flailing her fists around the second Bell was out the door, it didn’t take more than a few pointed questions to uncover the truth.
Liaris Freese.
An absolutely unbelievable skill. A ridiculous skill. A game-changing skill unlike any she’d heard of before.
And one unquestionably suited to a Hero. A skill that gave him no power, conveyed him no advantage, did nothing to save him beyond ensuring he could never be controlled- but rewarded him doubly for all his efforts instead. A skill that all but ensured Bell could -if he had the will for it- rise to the very top of Orario and engrave himself into the history of the very world forever.
A tremor ran down her spine just hearing about it from Hestia, and Alfia found herself flushing, her breath coming faster. If she had been anyone else, she was sure she would have laughed, or cheered, or all kinds of unsavoury, noisy, things. Instead, she simply titled her head back with a smile.
This was her sister’s legacy. This was the child Zeus had given up on. This was the child she’d abandoned Zald to entrust the future to.
Oh, how wonderfully fitting this was. How perfect. She could just imagine how Lady Hera must be sneering at that damn Thunder God right now.
Needless to say, she agreed immediately with Hestia’s explanation as to why she’d hidden the skill from Bell. It hardly needed to be explained at all. He didn’t need to know about the skill to activate it or take advantage of it, the more he knew about it the more likely it was that he’d come to rely on it or to think too much on it. Bell was an honest boy and a poor liar, if this skill was as effective as she dared hope it might be, then soon enough many questions would be raised about his growth, it was best for everyone if he had no answer to them beyond his hard work.
The Gods were a selfish, capricious lot, and this was a skill worth fighting a War over. While the romantic idea of using the Hestia familia to rise from the very dregs of the earth to the highest pinnace of Orario was a wonderful one, the reality was that if someone like Ishtar or Apollo heard about a skill like that, they would bend a non-inconsiderable effort to making it theirs, and that was without even considering Goddesses like Loki or Freya, even someone like Hermes -who she’d considered a nominal ally, considering his ties to Zeus- could be a threat if he heard about this. The last thing they needed was to be facing down the threat of being provoked into a War Game by one of Orario’s most powerful familia, nor the fear of having any of their few allies turn on them to try manipulate Bell into joining their familia with Hestia removed.
It wasn’t as if Alfia had some moral objection to keeping things from Bell for his own sake. That was part of being his guardian. No, Hestia’s prudence was clearly warranted here.
Unfortunately, it seemed the two of them didn’t quite see eye to eye on the rest of the day’s revelations. Because no sooner had Alfia processed the incredulity that was Bell’s skill, than she was facing down the deeply pouting face of the Goddess of the Hearth, looking up at her from the couch.
“What was that!?” Hestia demanded, “You were delighted to hear about him and, and that Wallen-what’s-it!”
“Wallenstein. And why wouldn’t I be? She’s one of the strongest and most famous adventurers in Orario, a fine candidate for Bell to set his sights on,” and, more importantly, the Sword Princess was one of the few adventurers of modern day Orario worth being compared to the comrades Alfia had once shared the city with, “They say she’s the record-holder for fastest level up, if he’s inspired to make that kind of progress, that would be perfect.”
“But, y-you! Gh! It’s not about, about him-” Hestia flailed slightly, “It’s not about him being inspired by her! It’s, it’s that Status! He’s practically got his feelings for her engraved on his back! It’s, it’s like she’s swooped in and stolen him away!”
Despite herself, Alfia let out a chuckle, finally understanding the problem. So, Hestia was jealous? Well, that wasn’t her problem, “That’s fine too. Once again, I find myself agreeing with that advisor of his; if Ais serves as his inspiration to grow strong enough to stand at her side, that would be ideal. And if he can take her as his own, that would be even better- I doubt there’s many men in this city that wouldn’t dream of making Ais Wallenstein their bride, that will serve as a wonderful ambition for him.”
The Goddess deflated. Shrinking back, there was a flash of hurt in her eyes, mixed with no small amount of anger.
“I… I thought you…” Hestia’s face glowed red, and her position as one of the Celestial Virgins betrayed her, as she struggled to speak openly about the kind of feelings she’d never held before in all her aeons, “It always seemed like you supported me?”
Ah. So, this was a betrayal then? Or at least that’s how Hestia saw it. She hadn’t considered that, but it wasn’t an unfair conclusion, in all the time they’d been together so far, Alfia had gone well out of her way to always make both time and space for Hestia to be alone with Bell, even putting them together on more than one occasion. The smaller Goddesses ever-growing affections for the boy hadn’t been hard to notice (at least, for anyone but the boy himself) and even if they’d never discussed it, she’d clearly given her own tacit approval to the relationship.
A small mote of compassion rose in her heart at that moment. The feeling of betrayal, Alfia could keenly understand. But understanding and a note of compassion still didn’t lead to a softer touch; playing the villainess had always come easier to her than acting in kindness.
“I deeply appreciate what you’ve done for Bell, and how you’ve supported him,” she couldn’t think of many Goddesses willing to get a part-time job to support their Familia, “If Bell’s heart were to turn towards you, then I would be overjoyed to have you standing at his side now and forevermore.”
Alfia’s words were as monotone and direct as ever, and she continued sharply just as she saw a spark of excitement rising in Hestia’s eyes.
“But if you think I would support you to be the only woman at his side, you’re being ridiculous. I will support any relationship he forms, be it with you or any other suitable woman. Bell is my sister’s legacy, and I fully intend to see the face of Meteria’s grandchildren.”
Hestia fumed a good deal less at that than Alfia had expected.
That wasn’t to say she didn’t fume. Just that she seemed to be so shocked at the sheer audacity of what she’d just been told, and how casually she was being dismissed as a Goddess, that it sapped away some of her anger.
“What!? Th-That’s, I’m ridiculous!? I-I know I’m only newly descended, but I know for sure that’s not normal!”
Of course it wasn’t. Gods were capricious and selfish, ever striving for entertainment and ever seeking attention, especially when it came to their children. They were not like to share.
“That may be so for most children. But Bell is not like most children. I’ve known this all his life, and I know you’ve seen that yourself, there’s something in him you can see, something that sets him apart from anyone else. He intends to become greater, better than anyone else, he intends to bear the legend of Orario himself.”
“I- I know he says things like that, that he wants to be a Hero…” Hestia winced, caught off-guard at the strange turn the conversation had taken. She’d never seen Alfia so openly praise the young adventurer like this, she was only ever icily accepting at best, so to see the sudden change in tone was hard to deal with.
“There is only room for one more Hero in Orario’s story. And in that role, he shall need all kinds at his side and surrounding him- friends to guide him, companions to lift him up, rivals to challenge him… and of course, women and lovers to support him, to inspire him and give him a future to fight for. That dream of romance is one of the very things that drew him to this city, you’ve heard just as I have about that encounter in the dungeon he wanted to find.”
“You’re… you’re taking this Hero stuff very seriously… I, I mean, I know he talks about all that, but it’s, it’s just… lots of people dream big before coming here! The dungeon is dangerous! He finally realised that today, he said himself that he was only thinking of getting stronger now! Bell doesn’t need to be any of that, he’s fine as he is, even if it’s just the three of us from now on, that’s fine! He doesn’t need to fulfil some great destiny or prove himself or whatever, I’d be happy if he just returned home safely each day.”
Despite herself, Alfia found herself smiling and not unkindly. She couldn’t help it, not when she was listening to Hestia laying out her heart so openly and showing just how much she cared about Alfia’s adorable and beloved Bell.
For all her talk of knocking Loki from her perch and of making the best Familia in the city herself, when faced with reality, Hestia was surprisingly un-ambitious. Or really, the Goddess of the Hearth, protector of lost children, was unable or unwilling to risk casting him into the fire, to see him forge himself greater. Just like Bell himself, she just wanted to keep her loved ones safe, she feared loss and pain.
But Alfia was different. She didn’t fear the fire.
From the day she’d been born, her life had cursed her sister’s existence. Her talent had reduced Meteria’s to near nothing. Her strength left her sibling with nothing but weakness.
Alfia had already lost. She’d lost so much and so completely that even her black heart had been rent to pieces.
She’d lost over and over and over again in the dungeon. She’d seen uncountable comrades, allies and students that weren’t good enough, or lucky enough to survive.
She’d lost over and again in the streets of Orario. Adventurers rarely killed one another, but the Evilus rarely hesitated when they had one at their mercy.
She’d lost her strength when fighting Leviathan. Every day her body strained with weakness and her true potential as a level seven would never return, even if she ever did take a Status.
She’d lost everything against the Black Dragon. The two strongest Familia in existence, the strongest Heroes in the world, the two mightiest Deities of the Walled City had all been effortlessly smashed to pieces.
And then she’d lost all that remained ever since. Hera, Zeus, Zald, and even Meteria.
By anyone’s counting, Bell was all Alfia had left, the last embers of hopes and dreams she could barely even remember having. But she’d long since lost any fear of loss, or of pain.
Alfia had been planning to die for Orario.
She had decided to live for Bell.
She would see him achieve his ambitions; she would see him attain the greatness that his potential belied.
She couldn’t put all that into words. And she had no desire to try. Instead, she simply spoke aloud the words they both knew were held in troth.
“The world wants a hero. The city is waiting for a hero.”
Until the world’s cry was answered.
Until whatever divine intention the Gods were surely hiding finally came to fruition.
Until the last corner of the dungeon was conquered.
The song of Elegia would ring out each year, and the prayers for this generation’s Hero would continue.
A complex array of emotions flashed across Hestia’s face at her words. The shock had surely kept the Goddess off balance, all the time they’d been together, she would have only ever seen Alfia the same way Bell did, as someone who was -at best- indulging in his dreams, even if she’d had any inkling of the maiden of silence’s true intentions, she couldn’t possibly have expected a woman of her ag-… a woman of such clear worldly experience, to speak so openly about Heroes.
“You’re saying that? You… you want that?” it was impossible to lie to a Goddess, Hestia could see her true intentions worn plain now, “That’s crazy! Reckless! Did you raise him for this!? All of Bell’s talk of heroes and his dreams, it’s just your ambitions!”
“No. I never raised him to be anything but my sister’s son. If he had no wish for any of this, we would have never come to Orario.”
Hestia’s accusations stopped instantly. It was impossible to lie to a Goddess.
“Bell’s ambitions came entirely from himself and his own desires. It was for that very reason I set myself against them, that I became an obstacle for him to overcome. Just like his mother, Bell has grown to be a kind and good-natured young man, one that always looks to please others; if his ambitions were just some vain reflections that’d been cast on them by someone else, then they would have shattered under that pressure. He would have abandoned them for my sake, or been too quiet to voice them when he knew I gave no approval. He thinks we’re here at my indulgence, he seeks to win my approval, and in that fire, he shall be forged stronger.”
She’d already spoken long enough; it was annoying to continue talking and this noise was starting to wear on her patience. Waving her hands, she cut the Goddess’s reply short.
“You saw the skill on his back, you told me about it yourself. Surely that makes it as clear as anything. Bell cannot be charmed, he cannot be controlled. His destiny is his alone to choose. I certainly won’t force the issue- if Bell falls for you and wants to marry you alone, I will accept it. However, just as I fully intend to support any romance he may find with you, I intend to encourage it just the same with any other suitable women -with or without you … And, Ais Wallenstein could hardly be any more suitable…”
Just the thought of her adorable and beloved Bell plucking away Loki’s most prized and precious flower had Alfia almost wanting to laugh. She probably would have if the sound wasn’t so obnoxious.
Instead, she contented herself with shooing Hestia away to go sulk.
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Despite having headed out apparently only to go visit a bar for dinner, there was no sign at all of Bell for the rest of the evening, and none at all that night. Hestia fretted about some woman having dragged him off, Alfia worried slightly about him being caught up in some trouble, but there was nothing either of them could do except wait anxiously until the early hours of the morning, when both women were given one last shock for the day- the sight of the young white-haired man dragging his exhausted, bleeding body slowly through the entrance of the church, walking wearily back home.
For reasons they didn’t get out of him, and which she doubted she’d really ever understand, he’d gone to the dungeon. In the middle of the night. Without any preparations or even his own armour. And just throw himself against anything and everything until he’d been on the brink of death.
Alfia could practically feel the previous relief she’d felt at him seemingly put his recklessness behind him evaporate.
And just the same, she also found herself wondering just how resolved she truly was about sending him into danger, given how much she worried just seeing him like this.
The next morning both women forcefully made him promise to never pull a stunt like that again.
Thankfully, things settled down somewhat after that, Bell returned the dungeon at normal adventuring hours (with his armour) and just as his incredible skill prophesised, his progress skyrocketed through each of the coming days. Every night after his return, it became normal for Hestia to read out his stats growing by leaps or bounds. There was no doubt the boy was working hard, especially when it was normal for solo adventurers to progress much slower and more carefully; ever since his encounter with Ais he’d thrown himself into the dungeon with renewed purpose and increased vigour, and his efforts were being paid back many times over.
However, with that growth came a newer -albeit lesser- worry.
Bell’s equipment was still nothing more than the leather jacket he’d brought from their home, along with a guild issued armour set and knife. The most basic of basic sets used by beginner adventurers as the felt their way through the first levels of the dungeon. But he was progressing quickly beyond that, he was already progressing into the sixth level and, no matter what his advisor might say on the subject, would soon be looking even beyond that. A year’s worth of progress for a novice adventuring group would take them to the tenth floor, and Bell was already closing in on that kind of growth within just a few weeks, it was absolutely prodigious.
And it was also dangerous. While Alfia couldn’t bring herself to muster any fear of anything in the upper levels, she also had a lifetime of experience telling her to never treat the dungeon lightly. Most rookie adventurers would use the Guild issued weapons and armour far longer than Bell had, but most would also never take it below the third level, if it would even last them that far.
So, the simple answer was that Bell needed better equipment. However, because of his rapid growth, he also hadn’t spent the weeks or months most rookie adventurers would spend working through the first few upper floors. Their income so far had been meagre indeed, nothing more than what a single rookie could bring back in his own backpack, barely more than enough to cover their food and his repairs, with only a little left for savings (a good amount of which had already been lost to the hair ties Bell had brought in an, admittedly very sweet, gift of appreciation towards his Goddess). What little they had stashed away wouldn’t come close to even purchasing a reliable weapon, let alone a set of armour.
And now, they simply didn’t have enough funds. And, while she wasn’t part of the Familia, Alfia was his guardian, and was being supported by Bell’s income just the same as Hestia.
But unlike Hestia, her only contribution was cooking their meals. For a while, her own funds had been spent bulking up their food purchases, pretending that Bell’s earnings stretched further than they ever really could have, but even that was gone now.
Even she managed to feel a little guilty at her part in this conundrum. Enough so that Alfia considered getting a job just the same as Hestia… for about three seconds, then instead kicked in a fake brick two wrong turns and four corners down Daedalus street, to pull out a pouch of coins hidden in one of the Hera Familia’s secret stashes.
It was a good time, Alfia had thought, to sort these details out, while Hestia was away with whatever the banquet of the Gods had kept her occupied the last few days. Some ridiculous spectacle called “Monsterphilia” was coming today, so perhaps she could find him something afterwards as some kind of gift to mark the occasion?
The question, of course, was what. Neither her nor Hestia had missed the sight of Bell dragging his nose across the windows of the Hephaestus showroom, but something like that was both out of budget and out of the question. The stash had given her enough vallis to consider a lower quality A-Rank weapon, or any kind of B-rank weapon she wished for… and as his guardian there was a natural impulse to provide him with the best quality she could get her hands on. But of course, giving him something too powerful would only stunt his growth. He’d get carried along by a weapon that was too good for him, which would work, right until it didn’t.
Alfia spent the next few hours locked in internal debate, tossing thoughts and options across her head. There were the upper Babel stores, but a commission from a mid-quality Blacksmith wasn’t out of the question either. Hestia was apparently friends with Hephaestus, so there was a possibility she could offer some leads into an appropriate smith that could get something done for Bell.
In the end, as she paced her way around the otherwise unoccupied church basement, Alfia finally decided that for someone still only challenging the Upper Layers, the best bet would be something sturdy and reliable, sharp but not powerful enough that Bell could afford to neglect his own focus or training in dispatching his foes. A simple C-rank weapon, she concluded, would be perfectly suited to their budding adventurer.
…
Which was why, just another few hours later, the maiden of silence was standing aghast in shock, fighting back the urge to outright throttle Hestia when she saw the absolutely, unthinkably, incredible, ludicrous, insane, ridiculous, Hephaestus weapon the Goddess of the Hearth had apparently bequeathed to Bell. A weapon he couldn’t possibly even guess the value of, that had almost certainly locked their nascent Familia into a debt she didn’t even want to try picture.
Only two things spared the small Goddess from Alfia’s wrath.
Firstly, that she was currently asleep, having passed out after everything that had happened with the Monsterphilia and whatever Hestia had been doing the last three days finally caught up with her. Even Alfia wasn’t cruel enough to wake someone just to slap them back to unconsciousness.
Secondly… that the weapon had unquestionably saved Bell’s life. Somehow, as ridiculous a thing as it was, it suited in perfectly, it was the ideal companion for a boy looking to become a hero.
A Silverback. A monster from the 11th and 12^th floors. Within just the short time they’d already been in Orario, Bell was already capable of killing a monster of this level, by himself. It was impressive, so much so that it was almost scary. Eyes would be turning to Bell soon, and with greater intensity with each passing week as his power grew by further leaps and greater bounds.
Alfia stood silently in the corner, her gaze slipping from Bell to Hestia and back again as her thoughts turned slowly around the day’s events and everything that had transpired through the city while she’d been steadfastly ignored the ridiculous spectacle of Monster Taming.
Bell sat impatiently, anxiously at Hestia’s side. The assurances of Ryu, Syr and Mia that his Goddess was perfectly fine and just worn out had done little to calm his fretting, so in the end, after receiving his bowed head and repeated thanks for their kindness, everyone had simply wished him well and left him be.
At great length, the hours passed by, the day cooled and began to draw into evening, and the sounds of the bar grew louder as each successive group of Adventurer and client poured in, good meals and strong ales quickly serving to turn the events of the day into just yet another story.
And finally, when Bell’s heart felt like it was going to squeeze to bursting in his chest, Hestia began to stir.
Bell gushed and hugged her, sniffing and clinging to her with all the strength of a level 1 adventurer. Alfia simply caught the Goddess eye, acknowledging the part she’d played in keeping him safe with a small nod and an equally small smile.
And with that, she made her way outside. Quite firmly shutting the door behind her, before taking up a position outside it, steeling herself with a piercing gaze enough to keep anyone from disturbing the Goddess and Child in the room behind her.
The boy had slain a great foe, and the Goddess had given him the means to do so. It really was something right out of one of those hero-tales.
They had both done well, and in recognising that, Alfia would ensure they had time now to be alone together. Time enough for soft words, for tender explanations and gentle caresses, for him to tell her how he’d missed her, and for her to tell him how he’d stolen her heart.
Time enough for exactly the encounter Bell had come to Orario dreaming of and exactly the moments she’d told Hestia she would support.
…
Which was why, Alfia was left standing agape once more, just a little more than an hour later, when the door was pulled open and Bell strolled lightly out, almost running into where she was standing from behind.
He was fully dressed, with his clothes exactly as she’d left him and not a trace of a blush on his cheeks. And the same was true for the deity she could see once more splayed asleep out across the bed, Hestia’s dress was just as it had been.
It wasn’t often one of Alfia’s plans came undone before her eyes. And seeing as it had happened twice in one day today, the maiden of silence found she could do nothing but stare in bewildered silence.
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Not wanting to impose further on the Hostess of Fertility’s hospitality, Alfia had Bell carry the still sleeping Goddess home. Hestia stirred a few times on the way, but quickly snuggled tighter into his chest and seemed perfectly content snoring in his arms all the way until being gently laid down atop the bed in the church basement.
Thankfully, it took absolutely no time at all to divest the details from Bell once she’d dragged him aside and finally away from his Goddess.
Unfortunately, that was because there appeared to be absolutely no details to divest.
Hestia had recovered and woken up, he’d been overjoyed and so focussed on that fact that he hadn’t even noticed that Alfia had left them alone until some time after she’d left. He’d talked happily with the Goddess about all the time they’d spent apart and all the details he hadn’t been able to hear from her during their date through the city, everything about the God’s banquet and everything she’d been doing since, although she was surprisingly skittish when it came to the details about the Hestia Knife (as it seemed to have been dubbed)- all Bell had learned was that it was a true Hephaestus weapon, that Hestia herself had guaranteed it, that it would grow and change alongside him, and that he didn’t need to worry about any details beyond that. In return, Bell had regaled her with stories about his time in the dungeon while she’d been away, and they’d both apologised to the other and talked about how scared they’d been for the other’s sake through the Silverback encounter, promising never to be separated again. Then after talking at length, Hestia’s fatigue had returned and she’d fallen asleep once again.
And that was it.
From the way Alfia understood what Bell had told her, she got a sneaking suspicion that the Goddess of the Hearth had taken his words of affection and appreciation as the love confession she’d been so yearning to hear, and had been more than satisfied with that alone. And Bell, seemingly oblivious to the effect he was having on her, hadn’t noticed either way.
Hestia, for all her talk, appeared to have been too shy to actually outright confess her feelings for Bell.
Bell, likewise, seemed to hadn’t made any actual romantic declarations to his Goddess.
They hadn’t kissed.
They hadn’t embraced.
And they certainly hadn’t gone any further than that.
Bell regaled the story to her with eyes shining bright with charming innocence, and it was all Alfia could do not to sigh in disbelief.
What, she questioned him, had happened to all that talk he’d made about experiencing “An encounter in the dungeon”? What happened to the dreams he’d talked to haphazardly about and how “A harem is a man’s romance!”?
Hearing his own words, the words he’d taken on from his Grandfather, repeated back to him, Bell at least had the decency to blush.
He wasn’t sure about any of that anymore, he admitted. He’d had his encounter, in a way, and it hadn’t been anything like he’d expected. All he knew was that he’d been treating the dungeon too lightly. The effect of having a certain death staring down just a few celch from him had certainly been ingrained deeply within him, but Bell didn’t seem confident enough in his decisions to be forthcoming about anything else. He didn’t know anything about love for feelings, not really, not in reality, he was just chasing after someone he admired.
It wasn’t her business really. And it didn’t overly concern her if anything did or didn’t happen with him and Hestia. All she was concerned with was Bell’s perspective, with just where his resolve laid. And so, she pushed him some more.
It was fine if he was chasing after the Sword Princess, she told him, but was that really all that was in his sight? Probably more than half the men in this city had exactly the same ambition, did he imagine that Ais would leap to his side, just because she’d happened to save him that day?
“No.”
Finally, Bell’s determination alighted and finally he spoke firmly, decisively. No, he repeated. He didn’t think that at all. He knew better than that. He understood that Ais lived in a different world than him, that she was far away, so far away he could barely see her. But that was why he wanted to become stronger!
Alfia sighed again, but a smile crested her face once more. It was a strange feeling to see such firmness from her adorable and beloved Bell… he’d always been such a soft child, gentle and kind. She’d known the dungeon city would change him, that reality would mould him, but to see it happening right before her eyes, to be reminded that he was becoming a man, always left her feeling both proud and slightly unmoored.
That was good then, she answered, pleased that his gaze wasn’t even seeking her approval. Or good enough for now, at least. But just as he’d said the Sword Princess was almost impossibly far away from him, and the journey to reach her was a long one, probably longer than he could even imagine. Even with his astounding rate of growth, it would surely be months before he even reached Level 2, and then after that it would be years at a time with each leap it would take until he was considered a second-class adventurer, let alone even dreaming about first-class. How much would Ais have grown in that time? He was fighting to shorten an ever-widening gap.
He gave no answer. There was no answer to give, the road to strength was the longest road of all but it was also the only route that lay open before him. He could do nothing but accept it and the fact that he did accept it was enough for her.
Really, that was all that needed to be said. She had no intention of becoming his advisor. She was meant to be set against him, an obstacle he had to overcome. And yet, without really knowing why, perhaps wanting to reward how much he’d grown already, Alfia found herself continuing regardless.
“When the path before you is long, it’s more important than ever to pace yourself, to take a wider view and to know when to give yourself over to peace and relaxation,” she began, explaining that was something that all rookie adventurers struggled with. Ever eager to charge ahead, to see their statuses grow, their view narrowed and their strength diminished, “This too is an adventurer’s job. If you only ever look ahead, you’ll lose your footing. The further you’re travelling the more important it is to be more aware of yourself, and of everything around you every step of the way.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something, or to argue, but backed down, accepting her words.
“You’re the one saying you’re going to be an adventurer, no?” she asked, arching her brow wryly, “Then it’s doubly important for you to understand this. Adventurers live recklessly, and those aiming to be Heroes live the most recklessly of all. I’ve told you countless times you cannot take the dungeon lightly, and your grandfather told you just as many times that you cannot take women lightly- but you also must not take yourself lightly either.
“You saw a glimpse of the dungeon’s true face when you ran into that Minotaur. The dungeon is not fair and it is not logical, to go into the dungeon is to always be one step away from death, for you and for everyone you travel with. That makes the time you spend on the outside even more important. When you have a chance to relax, relax. When you’re free to sleep, sleep. When you’re offered a meal, eat.”
“Right,” he nodded along, clearly taking this as just another lecture, “Yeah, to make sure my body recovers properly. I’ll make sure-”
“And,” she added pointedly, “When it’s a meal offered by your Goddess herself, it deserves at least some proper consideration.”
That brought him to a stop. He blinked in confusion, processing her words. Hestia hadn’t made him any meals he could think of, the only thing that came close was the crêpe they’d shared on their tour of the city, and he had eaten that, albeit with some cajoling. Pure soul that he was, it took Bell another half minute to realise she wasn’t talking about food at all. And when he did so, his face flushed red and his gaze slid to the side, completely unable to meet her eyes.
“Y-You’re wrong! Goddess wasn’t, it wasn’t anything like that! And she’s, I could never ju- was that a joke? That sounds more like something Grandfather would say!”
“Your Grandfather always put things too simply. He filled your head with dreams and nonsense, as if just wanting something was enough,” Alfia snorted, waving Zeus’s words away as casually as ever, “It’s not enough to just want something, you have to make it a reality. That’s strength, the strength to make your own decisions and to have people want to follow you.”
“I don’t understand, what are you even saying!?”
“I’m saying that a Hero is someone who is respected by men and loved by women. I’m saying you cannot neglect your life outside the dungeon. Your uncle Zald was strong, he had a number of lovers and I never heard a complaint from any of them. A great man is a great lover of women; it’s appreciated and desired. That’s strength.”
Bell swallowed heavily, shuffling awkwardly on the spot, still too embarrassed to meet her gaze as his mind spun over what they were discussing.
For her part, in spite of her ever-composed mask of composure, Alfia was finding the tips of her ears turning just slightly red at the topic too. Having zero romantic experience herself, she was speaking only from what she’d heard from her sister, or from her own suppositions and preferences. Nevertheless, this was for Bell’s sake, and she had far too much pride to admit her own inexperience, so she spoke with just as much conviction as ever. Anyway, it all seemed completely logical to her- if she ever did take a lover, she was certain she’d want him to have at least one other woman around that she could push him to whenever she wanted to be alone.
“Lady Hestia was with you all alone in her room, and you ignored her.”
Bell spluttered and protested, waving his hands and shaking his head, assuring her it wasn’t like that at all.
“If she’d wished not to be alone with you, she would have called out to me before I left. Or she would have asked I leave the door open,” Alfia pointed out, talking firmly over his protestations, “And, she spends each night with you on that couch… do you truly believe she would do such a thing with just anyone?”
Bell’s face flamed even hotter there. He tried to argue that he hadn’t even intended to share the couch, that he’d suggested the two women share the bed, or that he’d sleep on the floor or any other arrangement. But his words ran into each other and stumbled over themselves, and even as disarrayed as he was, he knew that wasn’t the point.
“I don’t understand any of this!” he forced out, finally, “I don’t, how, why are we even talking about this!? It’s not like that with Goddess, she’s… I mean, mortals and Gods can’t, they, the Gods are eternal and…”
Once again, his words stumbled over each other into a mess. Alfia pursed her lips as she considered them. Unexpectedly, and quite differently from the majority of men who were blissfully happy drooling over the perfect and eternal bodies of the Goddesses, it seemed Bell had some hang-up in regards to seeing deities in a romantic light. It was honestly a little impressive, that even after living in Orario for as long as he had, he still raised them up in his thoughts that highly. Surely, he must have seen no end to all the troublesome, scoundrel Gods wandering the streets, wasting their Familia’s money, or causing problems for no reason but their own entertainment? Perhaps it just went to show just how highly he truly valued Hestia and how much her acceptance and compassion had meant to him.
Still, that wasn’t her business and it wasn’t really her concern. If Hestia wanted to be with him, then she could work out whatever the issue was there on her own.
“I’m not saying you need to, or should do anything,” she interrupted his ranting, her tone lowering enough that it could almost be considered soft akin to the gentle admonishment of an aun- of his mother’s sister, “If all you ever want is to chase the Sword Princess’s shadow, my opinion of you won’t change. I only wanted you to be aware of what’s around you. I’m simply asking you to keep your own desires in mind. That’s what will heal you when you’re no in the dungeon, and that’s what will let you keep moving forwards. If you’re truly deadset on becoming a Hero, then that’s what it means. Your Grandfather told you the same. A Hero’s power is the power to make one’s dreams a reality.
“Lady Hestia prepared a full meal for you, only for you to ignore it entirely, I can’t imagine that felt good for her as a woman,” Bell winced painfully, ashamed and confused. This was all far too much for him to even process. He hadn’t ever considered that his Goddess might have feelings towards him, much less that he might have offended her, or insulted her with how he’d acted, “Bell. If you’re not hungry, then face her and say so directly, be confident in your path and that it won’t change anything between you. But if you are, then eat. Eat without hesitation, as much as you want, as much as you care for. Relaxation is also an adventurer’s job. Savour the time you spend outside the dungeon, and use that to push yourself even further within.”
Finally, he looked at her, his mortifying blush cooling as his head spun with the conversation that’d taken him so far out of his depths he didn’t think he could even see land anymore. His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. He had nothing to say, no idea what to say or what he should even be thinking.
That was good. That was enough for now.
Nodding almost kindly. Alfia spun on her heel without another word, slipping back down the stairs and into the church basement below.
Bell remained stuck in place, slumping down to the ground as he tossed her words through his mind over and over again.
The power of a Hero was the power to make one’s dreams a reality. It was just as his Grandfather had said. He’d come to Orario just like that, dreaming of becoming a Hero. But his dreams and ambitions beyond that had always been hazy.
He’d wanted a family, a place he could belong to, that he could always return to, somewhere he wouldn’t have to feel lost and lonely like he had after his Grandfather’s death ever again. And, thanks to his Goddess, he had that now.
He wanted to be strong, he wanted to chase after Ais and stand at her side, to know what it was to wield the kind of confidence and power he’d seen from her. He wanted to know everything about the beautiful Sword Princess, that hadn’t change.
But beyond that? More than that? Had his desire to chase after his idol replaced everything else? He’d never really stopped to think. It was just like Eina always scolded him, that he was sloppy with his planning, he always tried to charge ahead and just figure things out as they came.
The evening turned to night, and the night passed slowly. Bell remained where he was, lost in consideration that was probably well overdue.
---------------------------------***********************---------------------------------
Waking up to find he’d slept in place above the entrance to the church, Bell still didn’t have an answer by the time he’d readied himself to leave for the dungeon.
However, his heart was bolstered by the sight of his Goddess bouncing around the room as chipper as he’d ever seen her. In direct contrast to the worries that Alfia had planted in his head, that he might have hurt her, or offended her, the small deity had a spring in her step and a smile on her face warm enough to banish any of his worries. She greeted him as excitedly as ever, and waved him off on his adventure with promises to see him again that night, and that he needed to be careful and to keep himself safe.
Bell was almost shocked at just what a relief it had been. The thought of having unthinkingly hurt her was almost as terrifying as the thought he might have lost her after his encounter with the Silverback and just the reassurance that she was fine, that nothing had changed and they were still a familia was more than enough to send his leaden feet gliding. He had never considered himself a particularly insightful person, or thought he was much good at reading people, and the deities were even more inscrutable than people. But Bell was certain that he knew his Goddess well enough to understand when she was upset with him!
Even so, he couldn’t simply dismiss Alfia’s words. Neither the warning she’d given him about his Goddess’s feelings, nor the way she’d pressed him about his goals and his actions when he wasn’t throwing himself into the dungeon. He knew she didn’t think very much of his talk of Heroes, she dismissed it all as fairy tales and had told him many times he was too young and too naïve to survive in the dungeon city.
Bell was well aware that she’d come at least partially as a way of indulging him after seeing his grief after losing his Grandfather. That was a huge part of why he was so determined to do everything he could, to become a Hero and prove that she wasn’t wrong to give him a chance, to make sure her time and effort wasn’t wasted. For Alfia to pull him aside and talk to him specifically about heroes, and about the Goddess was no small thing, Bell knew he wasn’t the smartest person around, but he knew better than to ignore that advice.
However, no matter how carelessly the rookie adventurer threw himself into danger in the dungeon, he would never treat the people he cared for so recklessly.
Even as he stepped out into the street, avoiding a confrontation he didn’t know how to deal with, or if he should even have, Alfia’s words remained clear in the back of his mind. She had told him to face his Goddess directly, to be clear and firm and answer her unwaveringly. But how could he do that when he was wavering? His knew his goal was as firm as ever, he wanted to catch up to his idol, he wanted to stand beside the Sword Princess, he wanted to be with her. But beyond that, his dreams and his ambitions remained as hazy as ever.
Did his Goddess really like him, like that? Was she actually disappointed when he hadn’t done anything? He didn’t know, and he didn’t know how to find out without causing more pain and more trouble. A Goddess and a Mortal being together was, to his mind, out of the question. It would only end in unimaginable pain. But, with Alfia’s words and his own questioning tumbling around the back of his mind, without even intending to, Bell had found himself far more aware both of the people around him and of the small respite that was so important in the lives of those that braved the dungeon.
Even just meeting with Syr in the morning threw his heart into disarray! After his fight with the Silverback, she’d told him she’d fallen for him and while he’d been flattered into a gooey puddle, he’d simply played her words off afterwards as just teasing him. Syr was always teasing him or poking at him, it seemed natural, he’d barely thought of her confession since…
…But had he only concluded that for his own conclusion? Because it was easier than facing the reality that she might have been serious? Was it possible that a beautiful woman like Syr really could have an interest in him? It felt like he was getting lost in his ego if he said yes, but if he said no, it felt like he was just beating himself up! After all, wasn’t one of the reasons he’d wanted to become a Hero because of the stories his Grandfather had told him about women falling for strong, dependable men? Even if he wasn’t there yet, he was trying his best every day to reach that!
Syr was kind, she was beautiful, she was fun, and she was a mortal just like him. What was he supposed to do? Was she hurt that he hadn’t said anything about her confession? Was she waiting for him to approach her? What was he supposed to do?
“Arrrgh!”
Loosing his frustrations into the sky, Bell shook the thoughts from his head and marched off into the dungeon instead. He doubted he’d find his answers there, but he could at least stop thinking about it for a while.
…
Without finding an answer, Bell’s life outside the dungeon remained incomplete. However, his progress within underground labyrinth remained as incredible as ever.
He let the matter rest, keeping Alfia’s words in the back of his mind even as he fell into his usual rhythm and soon enough his days became as eventful as ever.
He went on something like a date with Eina, and discovered his Goddess working a second part-time job!
He gained a companion, an experienced and clever supporter named Lilli!
He got in another fight with Eina about his progress, finally having to show his Status to her to prove he wasn’t lying!
He worked with Lilli and pushed even further into the dungeon, conquering the seventh floor!
He lost and then found the Hestia Knife! That one made for a terrifying afternoon…
Even while thanking her with almost overwhelming gratitude, Bell hadn’t been able to miss the way Ryu’s ever placid demeanour had broken into a furious blush when he’d clasped her hands in thanks. But that, at least, he knew better than to overthinking. He’d been so grateful that he’d momentarily forgotten everything he’d ever heard about how rude it was to touch an Elf without permission, no doubt he’d embarrassed her immensely, especially having done so in the middle of the street. When his relief had finally calmed down a few hours later, and the mortification set in, he dragged himself back to the Bar and apologised profusely. Ryu had said almost nothing, and quickly turned to go back to her work but in that, at least, he’d managed to face her confidently and say what he needed to.
In the end, the catalyst for Bell to finally face his Goddess came in and unexpected whirl that practically swept him off his feet.
His work with Lilli had meant he was clearing the Dungeon faster and further than ever, and with a supporter that could carry far more than he could possibly fit into his backpack meant that he was coming home with far more vallis than he’d ever been able to before. Finally, the money troubles that’d been plaguing him ever since leaving home appeared to be easing, he was starting to get ahead of the repair and potion costs.
And so, in the midst of nursing his Goddess through a seemingly nasty hangover, he’d invited her out for a meal, as much to celebrate how things seemed to be turning around as to show his appreciation for her and everything she’d done for him.
Except, Hestia had practically exploded to her feet at his words, radiating such excitement that she was fully recovered in an instant! And the meal offer had instead become a date! And before Bell had even been able to string a few words together, she was out the door, getting herself ready and leaving him with instructions to meet her at 6pm!
“Uh…”
Normally he would have simply laughed it off and gone along with her whims, after all, Bell was always excited to spend time with his Goddess. But with Alfia’s words still bouncing around the back of his mind, he found it impossible to take things that simply.
Instead, as Bell went through the motions of figuring out just how he was going to make himself presentable for what had become a date with a Divinity, Bell found a gnawing sense of nervousness growing within him.
And… and not just that… Along with the doubts, the nervousness and self-recrimination he expected… there was also excitement, enough that he could see a tremor shaking through his hands at the thought.
He’d never been any good with women, never known how to talk to them and never known the right way to act. And now he was going on a date with one of the most beautiful women in Orario. She was a Goddess, his Goddess, and he was just a mortal but despite the gulf between them, Bell still found it impossible not to be affected by that thought.
…
The date was -perhaps predictably- an enormous disaster.
Everything had started so perfectly. He’d met up with his Goddess without any problems, and (after taking a moment to get over the sudden thundering of his heart at the change in her look), he’d even managed to greet her properly. And then, for reasons Bell couldn’t even begin to fathom, they were descended on by a horde of Goddesses and all the plans he’s put together throughout the day were immediately scuttled as the two of them were instead chased frantically all around Orario.
The Gods were capricious, excitable and -worst of all- often had absolutely nothing better to do. Which meant that the act of chasing the fleeing duo was almost as fun as catching them would have been.
Harried by such relentless pursuers and having to tug along his own Goddess, who wasn’t anywhere near as light on her feet as the rookie adventurer, it was everything Bell could do just to stay a few steps ahead of them.
By the time they’d finally shaken free, and managed to escape, night had already fallen and they wound up standing high up on a raised walkway several districts away from the main restaurant district. In short, there was little to no chance of being able to find somewhere nice to eat, the meal he’d promised his Goddess would have to wait for another night.
Ever happy to voice her own frustrations, there was no mystery that Hestia was just as disappointed as he was at how events had unfolded.
And yet, as she took his hand and lead him to the railing, taking in the sight of the city laid out before them, his Goddesses smile was soon just as bright as ever. And in seeing it, Bell’s own concerns were washed away all the same.
Just the same as him, the frustration at the night not going to plan was tempered by the simple enjoyment of being in each other’s company. She was alone with him, and that was enough to make her smile. He was able to spend time just with the Goddess he cared so much for, and that was enough to set his heart alight.
Sighing happily, as the tension and adrenaline slowly ebbed out of him, Bell gave himself over to the moment, standing shoulder to shoulder with his Goddess and in the glittering lights of Orario and all the lives stretched out ahead.
Just as Alfia had told him, he made sure to savour the time spent not in the dungeon. It was moments like this, simple joys and comforting companionships that always gave him the strength to push forwards. This was his Familia, his place to belong, this was what he was fighting for.
“Goddess…”
And, that beautiful sight framed by the twinkling night sky, that finally gave Bell the courage to face his Goddess, like he’d been worrying about all this time. He bowed low just like he had with Ryu, and with a sudden rush of words, began to explain! He told her about how he didn’t know anything about romance, or about women, and about how Alfia had scolded him. His words rushed out in a flood as his face burned crimson and his body shook, he told her that he didn’t know if she did like him, or if Alfia was mistaken, but that he’d never meant to offend her, he hadn’t meant to ignore her when he’d left the room at the Hostess of Fertility, and that he hated the thought that he’d hurt her!
“A-gha-Wh-Wh.. B-Bell!?”
And now, it was Hestia’s turn to find her world spinning in abject confusion! As a divinity, she’d known that something was weighing on Bell’s mind for a while now, but she’d thought it better to simply give him space rather than press him about it… and now his sudden confession and apology hit her like a tonne of bricks. Just what had Alfia told him!? She didn’t know whether she should be happy, or angry, or mortified!
Her twintails flicked through the air and the hair-ties rang clear soft tones as she whipped her head back and forth, shaking her hands and stuttering madly. Hestia’s face was burning as crimson as his and her heart was beating so loudly, she could barely hear her own stuttered replies!
She answered that she’d had no idea he was thinking about any of that, that she hadn’t thought anything of him leaving and… And then she paused. And the virgin Goddess’s voice dropped an octave, shaking unsteadily as she admitted that Alfia’s words were true, that of course, she would never just share a couch with just anyone, that she’d never done anything like that with anyone else. For all her boldness and brashness, Hestia had no experience with relationships, she was just as terrified as Bell was at souring anything between them or at making a mistake and hurting him. Despite holding onto her feelings for as long as she had, she’d never been able to say anything to him directly, she’d wanted him to make the first move, to make himself clear to her, to make it easy for her. She’d wanted him to realise that she was the encounter he was looking for in Orario, or to believe that him accepting her Hestia Knife meant accepting and understanding her love.
But now, Bell’s courage drew out Hestia’s in reply.
And, with her hands shaking tremendously at her sides, she continued. Finally, Hestia lay her own heart bare before the man she’d fallen for. She told him about how he had captured her heart, how deeply she felt for him, how she’d never known love or romance before and how off-guard it’d taken her to find the feelings growing so strongly and so powerfully within her! And, just as Bell’s emotions had poured out of him in a sudden rush, so did Hestia’s in return. She told him she did like him, that she’d liked him almost since the first moment she’d met him, she told him about how she wanted to be with him, and wanted him to be hers! She kept going, and going…
…Until she saw that Bell was staring at her wide eyed and warily, and that with each word and each confession he stepped backwards, falling away from her step by step.
Hestia’s words trailed to nothing.
“B-Bell..?”
Every celch of her body seemed to snap tight with tension. The moment seemed to draw out to infinity. Her breath paused in her throat and her heart squeezed so tight in her chest Hestia feared that anymore and she might just ascend back to heaven. She could picture exactly how this was going to play out. She could see it in his eyes, the excitement and joy she’d hoped to see reflected in him was missing, there was only shock and fear. She wanted to flee, she wanted to run away, and escape. But the courage that had given her the will to confess kept her rooted in place, and so Hestia could do nothing but reach out futily towards him, her hand grasping at air…He was going to mention that name… he was going to tell her that he only saw Wallenstein… and her dreams were going to come crashing down around her…
“Goddess… I, we, but, we can’t!”
Hestia blinked, and the tension relieved, just slightly. She repeated his name, reaching for him once more, and this time he didn’t retreat from her. Instead, finally, Bell began to explain once again.
It all made sense in his head. It was logical and clear. The Gods were to be respected, to be honoured and loved, of course, but a Goddess and a mortal couldn’t be together! The gulf between them was impossible, it was unimaginable. One was just a fading life and the other was eternal. He couldn’t possibly do that, he couldn’t bear that thought. He’d felt the pain of loss more keenly than he’d ever imagined when he’d lost his Grandfather, he knew how terrible it was to be left behind, he couldn’t possibly inflict that same pain on someone he loved! It was wrong, it was selfish, it would be inflicting a wound that would last forever! From friends to family, from family to lover, from lover to partner, the deeper the bond gets the more special it becomes and the deeper the scar that gets left behind! It all made sense in his head. It was logical and clear.
But somehow, when he tried to explain it, everything got mixed up. It didn’t sound clear, and it didn’t sound right. He tried again, and again, but soon his words were running together, his vision was blurred and he could barely talk from the way he kept sniffing. Without realising it, Bell was using everything he had just to hold himself together.
“Bell… come here…”
“Ah…”
His Goddess’s hand gently took hold of his. It was just as warm, and just as comforting as it had been back when she’d first found him. And, just as she had then, she pulled him from the mire he was lost in.
Squeezing Bell’s hand with her own, Hestia drew him down from the walkway, away from where people could see them, and away from where they had to worry about anyone else. Walking through Orario’s side streets and to the quiet, half-abandoned district they were so familiar with, their steps soon followed a familiar path all the way back to the old bookstore she’d always been so fond of.
Being happy enough to indulge the whims of the small Goddess, the owner had long since given her permission to come and go as she pleased, so it took only a minute’s work for Hestia to check for anyone watching before fishing the key from the inner rim of a flowerpot, unlock the door and pull Bell inside.
Walking slowly through dusty tomes and overstuffed bookshelves, a soft sense of peaceful nostalgia filled each of them. And Hestia led Bell up to the second floor and right to the large, reading room in the back. The large, plush couch and the soft carpet was intimately familiar with the Goddess, and a comforting memory for the Adventurer.
This was where Hestia had spent so much of her free time to escape the drudgery of her life in Orario before meeting Bell.
This was where Bell had received his Falna and been inducted into her Familia.
This was where their Familia Chronicle had begun. It was a special place for each of them.
Sitting Bell on the couch, Hestia squeezed herself in beside him, still holding tightly to his hand, she leant her shoulder against his own. For a moment, a minute and then several more, they simply sat like that, taking comfort in each other’s presence and in the closeness they shared, that they would always share.
“Goddess…”
“Bell, listen to me…”
And then slowly, gently, she began to answer him.
She agreed, there was no denying that his life would expire and she could do nothing but watch it happen. The judgement of the dead was left to the Gods of the dead, she couldn’t interfere with it, his soul would be purified to prepare for his rebirth. It was a sombre thought, a disquieting and miserable, a reality that neither of them could escape. A deity’s love lasted just a moment in comparison to their existence. But that love was still theirs to give, it was still their honest affection. He could accept it, or deny it, but please, she begged him, don’t be afraid of it, don’t run away from a deity’s love. The Gods had descended to this world to be with humans, to be a part of their world and to experience the joys and sorrows alongside them, that’s what she wanted, she didn’t want to be kept apart, or to be feared. That would be unbearable, the loneliest of all.
And then, she made him a promise.
“Bell, you know, I will always be by your side.”
No matter how old he got, even if he became a bald, wrinkly old man, she would still be with him, she would never leave him.
And even when death separated them, she would still find him.
She squeezed his hand again, and offered her the same smile that’d saved him back when they’d first met.
“No matter how many hundreds, thousands, millions of years it takes. I will find you after your rebirth… Even after you’re no longer you, I’ll still be by your side.”
He was captivated. His vision was too fogged with tears to see, but he couldn’t look away.
“And when I find you, I’ll say, “Would you join my Familia?””
The same words she’d spoken back then. He sniffled, desperately trying to hold back from breaking down.
“Heaven and Earth are just places, they don’t mean anything. I will come find you again. And I’m not the only one, other Gods and Goddesses are the same, their bonds can last eternally too. After all, we are Gods. We live forever, you know?”
The dam broke, Bell’s restraint collapsed and his head hung as the tears streamed down his face. Hestia pulled him close, holding him tight as he bawled into her chest, as he finally worked out the grief and pain leftover from the loss of his grandfather, and as he finally let go of the fears that’d been haunting him ever since.
Bell didn’t know how much time passed like that, it could have been minutes or hours, he had no way of telling. All he knew was that as he slowly recovered, as he lifted his head from his Goddess’s warm embrace, he’d finally found the answer he was looking for.
“Goddess.”
There was a surety in his gaze now, unexpected for one that’d just minutes ago been crying openly into her arms, and it caught Hestia off guard. “A-Ah?” Unlike his usual skittish self, Bell was holding her gaze clearly now, and his hands turned around in hers, entwining his fingers with her own. Her guise as the gentle, guiding Goddess shattered and once more Hestia’s face burned red and her eyes went wide.
“Alfia told me that the power of a Hero is the power to make one’s dreams into reality,” he couldn’t imagine forever. He couldn’t imagine eternity. But he understood enough to know not to run from her love. He understood enough to know he wanted to be with her forever, “I know what my dream is now, I know what I want.”
His breath was tickling hot against her skin, and he was suddenly seeming a lot more manly than she’d ever seen him before, “B-B-Bell?” once again, Hestia could barely hear herself talk over the thundering in her heart.
“I want to get stronger, strong enough to be a Hero, strong enough to protect our Familia, strong enough stand beside Ais Wallenstein… And, and I want to be strong enough to make all the people I care about happy.”
And then he kissed her.
And Hestia’s world exploded into a dizzying bright light.
---------------------------------***********************---------------------------------
The world is transient.
Days pass, weeks pass, months pass, seasons pass, years pass, decades ages, epochs, aeons and millennia all pass.
The world changes.
The ocean changes. The great cities change. Empires change. The animals, birds, plants and insects all change, and the mortal children change most of all.
But the Gods don’t change.
The Gods remain static, perfect, constant, eternal.
And yet…
In that quiet, unremarkable, everyday night in Orario, as the stars moved through the heavens and as Hestia’s world shook, shivered and trembled.
…The three Celestial Virgins became instead, two.
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A/N: And there we are! So, you can see the goal here is for Alfia’s presence to add a bit more spark under Bell’s feet in terms of taking action, and to get involved herself. She’d probably get on well with Hermes wouldn’t she? Ultimately, she wants Bell to be the ideal Hero, and if that means making sure he’s got a suitable wife, or wives at his side to support him, then Aflia’s going to see about sorting that out!
The next chapter, if/when I write it will be showing Bell and Hestia’s time together as a nice smutty scene. I really should have written that for this chapter but I’d already spent so long on this and I didn’t want to make it even longer, so it got pushed forwards. Two chapters without smut? You must think I’m losing my touch.
And after that, I suppose the next appropriate wife-to-be would be Lilli wouldn’t it? Well, I’m open to suggestions or requests if you’ve got another idea. Although I do feel far too sympathetic to Lilli’s situation to not have her saved, even if someone does somehow convince me of someone else that could take the supporter role instead.
As with my previous Danmachi story though, while I do love this idea, I don’t know when I’ll be able to write more, if I even am. So if you like it yourself and think you could do it justice, just drop me a line and/or credit and I’ll be happy to have you take it over yourself I’m sure.
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A Waning Silence