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Chapter Text

The warm atmosphere of adventurers enjoying a hard-earned mug of ale at the end of the day made the Hostess of Fertility rowdy, even by the usual standards. The bar was packed to the brim with adventurers of all shapes and sizes, celebrating their successful day in the Dungeon with a well-deserved mug of ale and hearty food. Gliding through the crowd, waitresses were balancing platters of food and drink.

Despite the warm atmosphere, the blond adventurer found herself frowning.

For what felt like the billionth time that evening, Ais turned towards Loki, who was sitting leaning against the bar while admiring the beautiful waitresses. “No.”

“C’mooooon Aizu…” the red-haired goddess needled, tearing her leery gaze away from the Hostess’ servers. Although she rarely showed it, she was worried for one of her favorite Familia members— Ais had an unfortunate tendency to push herself too hard, and Loki wanted her to relax for at least one night. “Just one teensy-weensy drink.”

The blond adventurer, however, was not having it.

“I almost killed you last time,” Ais reminded Loki. “You banned me from drinking.”

Truth be told, the memory of a drunken Ais sent shivers down Loki’s spine. However, Loki was determined to help the adventurer relax for at least one night… even if it meant she had to be chased around Orario by a sword-wielding drunk.

Ais had been training hard in preparation for the upcoming expedition. Every day, the shadows under her eyes grew darker.

Loki had precious little experience with cheering up other people. Though a drink or seven always did the trick for her. Maybe Ais just needed to let loose for a bit.

Regardless, the goddess would never know if Ais didn’t accept the damn drink!

“Psh, that’s just water under the bridge!” Loki just laughed it off in response and waved dismissively. She tried again: “Besides, there’s no one else here. Just you and me and one itty-bitty drink. No one else has to know~”

“No,” Ais firmly shook her head again.

When she refused Loki in the exact same fashion she had been doing so the whole evening for probably the hundredth time, the goddess finally threw her hands into the air in surrender. “Okay, fine! At least have somethin’!”

Ais hadn’t gotten anything the whole time they had been at the Hostess, while Loki already had a dozen empty mugs sitting on the bar in front of her.

“Okay,” Ais tiredly acquiesced. She didn’t want to upset Loki any more than she already had; maybe her goddess would lay off her if she ordered some food at least.

“Order yer food. I’m gonna’ go talk to Mia,” Loki grumbled as she got up from her seat. Ais’ gaze followed her for several moments before she simply looked back towards her menu.

“I’ll have the pasta set,” she told one of the waiters.

“Heeeey, Mama,” Loki chirped, leaning against the bar with her signature mischievous grin.

Mia glanced up from the keg she was tending. “Evening, Loki. Need somethin’? I’m swamped.”

“Just a tiny favor,” the trickster goddess purred, her narrow blue eyes gleaming.

Mia tilted her head, intrigued but wary. “Go on…”

Loki leaned over the bar, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Ais has been way too wound up lately. Do you have anythin’ that could settle her nerves? Make her relax for the night?”

Mia raised an eyebrow, her hands pausing mid-pour. “This seems highly suspect. And dangerous.”

The idea of an inebriated Level 5 adventurer let loose in her restaurant sounded like a recipe for disaster.

“The Familia books won’t miss a few thousand valis,” Loki said with a wink. “Call it a morale expense.”

The dwarven proprietress grins widely at the mention of cash before reaching under the bar. She straightened with a green bottle in her hands, blowing a thick cloud of dust off the glass. “This’ll do the trick. Fine, aged stuff… and strong enough to make a Minotaur see double.”

“Perfect,” Loki purred, clapping her hands gleefully.

Moments later, Loki returned to their table with her own mug sloshing with ale. She placed a wooden cup in front of Ais with a loud thunk, grinning casually. “Here you go, my dear Kenki! Some fruit juice to go with your meal.”

Ais eyed the cup but said nothing, mechanically forking pasta into her mouth. She wasn’t hungry, but food was fuel, and she needed it for tomorrow’s dive into the Dungeon. She sipped the drink absentmindedly, her neutral expression barely changing.

The fruity smell was pleasant enough, but the first swallow hit the back of her throat like a wall of fire. Ais winced, before turning on her goddess with an accusatory stare. “This isn’t fruit juice.”

Loki waved a hand dismissively, already turning to chat with another patron. “Don’t be such a grump! It’s a special herbal blend— good for recovery.”

Ais frowned as she swirled the deep, crimson liquid in her cup. She was aching and tired and somewhat sleep-deprived; she didn’t want to think too hard about this or anything else. So she sniffed the fragrant drink again and took another sip.

And then another.

And another.

Before she realized it, her cup was empty.

Ais stared idly at the red-haired goddess conversing with another customer, with Loki seeming to be getting increasingly heated. Her gaze paused on her goddess for a moment. She opened her mouth, before closing it as she lost her train of thought.

The dull heat from the drink warmed her chest and spread through her body, mellowing her thoughts like someone had swaddled her brain in cotton. She frowned and tugged at the neck of her tight-fitting “combat clothes,” feeling stuffy. Then, she blinked as she realized the room had started to tilt.

“I’m… gonna’ get some air…” she murmured to no one in particular; Loki was engaged in a passionate argument about the virtues of a large bust, meaning Ais’ words went unheard.

Without anyone to stop her, Ais stepped outside of the Hostess and onto the street. The world spun wildly around her like a demented carousel, turning the magic stone street lamps into blazing comets.

Crisp night air brushed against her flushed skin, offering some relief, but her head still felt thick and hot.

She took a few shaky steps, looking to find a less crowded part of the streets. However, she realized that the world wasn’t just spinning— she was falling.

Ais collided into someone with a whump.

Through the drunken haze, she caught a glimpse of white hair and piercing red eyes. They said something that might have been an apology, but her balance and consciousness gave out before she could reply.

Everything blurred into darkness.

‘Maybe I’m cursed…?’

When Bell first arrived at the walls of Orario, he thought becoming an adventurer was going to be easy: he would join some god’s Familia, get rich and famous, and save a few beautiful girls in the Dungeon along the way.

One tiny, tiny problem.

The Dungeon was far too dangerous for normal people; in order to become an adventurer, he needed a deity’s blessing. This blessing, called a falna, was bestowed by gods onto their Familia members so they could survive the Dungeon. The Guild didn’t let people without falnas become adventurers.

And no Familia would accept him.

He knew that others with useful skills would obviously be the first pick for recruitment but he hadn’t just been shown the door— he’d had it slammed in his face several times. He was beginning to understand exactly what he was to these organized, powerful Familias: deadweight.

Bell had also known that his journey wasn’t going to be easy, but being stuck on the very first step of his grand plan was more discouraging than anything else.

Setting that issue aside as well, he’d heard that adventurers who began with no experience often had to play as supporters for more experienced adventurers during their early days. That didn’t seem like much of an ‘adventure’ to him, a far cry from his original purpose coming to Orario.

“The big city’s scary… even one night at a ‘cheap’ inn costs so much…” He gulped as he thought about the exorbitant fee that he had to pay every night to keep a roof over his head. Then again, paying the fee was better than sleeping on the street…

Bell had to carefully save the remaining money that he had brought from his hometown… which wasn’t much. He’d been cutting down on meals so he could afford to stay at the inn. Even though he knew walking would only burn more energy, he wanted to do something besides lying in bed and being hungry.

And that was why he was walking aimlessly through Main Street.

When he first came to Orario, he’d been bursting at the seams with optimism. Now, though…?

‘No money, no skills, no Familia, no falna.’

‘Ever since Gramps… left …I’ve felt so lost.’

Even though he was surrounded by hundreds of things he’d never seen before…

Even against the backdrop of the gleaming Tower of Babel…

…his empty gaze just slid over the sights.

Sometimes, the Tower seemed so impossibly big. He felt an incomprehensible gap between him and the heroes his grandfather told him about.

‘It feels like I’m just chasing shadows and fairy tales, sometimes.’

‘Maybe I should just give up and—’

His train of thought was interrupted when he felt someone suddenly stumble into him quite forcefully. Maybe if he had been paying attention, he’d have caught them, but his carelessness caused both of them to collapse onto the street. Bell lay beneath them, their arms braced on either side of him.

“I’m so sorry, I—” The white-haired boy choked on his next words as he realized that ‘they’ were actually a ‘she.’ And ‘she’ was pressed against him. Her golden hair brushed against his cheek.

Bell’s heart began doing double time.

The girl’s revealing clothing, hot breaths, flushed face as looked up at him didn’t help. Bell didn’t think that the human body could become any redder than he already was, but he was almost 100% certain that he had proved himself wrong.

When he noticed the strange looks the passersby were shooting at them, he scrambled out from under the girl and basically dragged her onto her feet. “A-are you alright?”

She stared at him for almost a whole minute before finally speaking.

“...Bunny?”

“...what?”

The unexpected comment almost made Bell forget about his embarrassment. ‘Surely hume bunnies are closer to bunnies than me…’

“Big… bunny…” the girl slurred. That was when he noticed the faint smell of alcohol on her breath. The realization clicked in his head— it reminded him of when his grandfather had too much to drink.

“Miss, you really shouldn’t be out here like this,” Bell said gently, steadying her as she swayed.

Instead of answering, she nuzzled her face against his neck. Bell froze. Butterflies erupted in his stomach, and in that moment, he decided Orario might just be the greatest city in the world.

“I wanna’ big bunny,” she whined.

“M-miss, what’s your name? Do you live nearby?” Bell asked, doing his best to keep his composure. He silently prayed to every god he could think of that he’d get her off the street safely.

“Aizu… Aisssss Waaaallenstein…” she replied.

Bell’s blood ran cold.

Now that he was paying attention, the details clicked into place. The girl’s face was unmistakable. He had seen it on Guild bulletins and in passing on his first day in Orario, when the Loki Familia had returned from one of their expeditions.

This wasn’t just anyone— this was Ais Wallenstein, one of the star adventurers he admired from afar.

Also idolized by the people of Orario as the Sword Princess or the War Princess.

One of the strongest first class adventurers and the juggernaut of the Loki Familia.

Which meant that he would have to take her back to the Twilight Manor.

Bell gulped nervously at the thought of what the Loki Familia would do to him if they thought that he was the one who got Ais into her current state. Whatever remained of him would not be pretty.

However…

‘I can’t just leave her here…’ he sighed internally. His heart wouldn’t allow him to just leave her here.

The boy made up his mind. “Alright, Miss. Let’s get you home.”

“Yay! Bunny gonna’ gimme’ ride!”

“What.”

Before he could even contemplate stopping her, she already had her arms locked around his throat leaving Bell with two choices: a) pick up her legs or b) get choked to death by her weight.

He chose the former, shifting her into a more comfortable position on his back with a long-suffering sigh. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was surprised: for one of the strongest members of the Loki Familia, she was surprisingly light.

“Let’s goooooo!” Ais cheered, pointing in the completely wrong direction.

Bell sighed, for the first of many times that night.

Loki was crying amidst dozens of empty mugs, while another deity attempted to comfort her.

“Sure, they might be kinda’ flat but… it’s about personality!” they said while patting the tricker goddess’ shoulder.

“Y-yeah,” Loki sniffled. “She’s got nothin’ on me besides those filthy meat sacks…”

Feeling better enough to lift her head off the bar, the red-haired goddess scanned the room.

“...where’s Aizu?”

Her eyes scanned the room, her eyes widening as she realized that the blond adventurer was gone.

‘What do the children call this emotion?’

‘Right.’

‘Fear.’

The sudden realization that she had lost an incredibly drunk, incredibly powerful Level 5 adventurer shocked her sober.

“OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NONONONONONONONONO—”

She began running from patron to patron, asking everyone whether they saw where the blond adventurer had gone.

Her search brought her out of the bar, where she began interrogating the passerby.

“Right!” one of them said. “I saw her on some kid’s back. I swear, he looked just like a rabbit.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Bell did his best to ignore the strange gazes that everyone gave him as he piggybacked the Level 5 Sword Princess to her home in the northern district of the city.

However, he could not ignore the whispered comments that he managed to hear.

“Is that Loki Familia’s Kenki?”

“Gods, I wish I was as lucky as that kid.”

“Did he drug her?”

“That’s funny— do you think anyone in Orario could drug the Sword Princess?”

“Awww, he looks like a cute lil’ rabbit!”

Though Bell would never admit it, he cared a lot about what other people thought about him. And so he desperately tried to fight back the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes— crying would only make this miserable experience more embarrassing.

“Go faaaaaster!” Ais slurred, her words accompanied by a light slap to the back of his head.

Bell sighed for what felt like the hundredth time. He quickened his pace, careful not to stumble or drop her.

As they moved further north, the streets grew quieter, the crowds thinning out until only the faint bustle of the city remained behind them. In the distance, the Twilight Manor’s imposing roof came into view, and Bell’s stomach churned.

The thought of facing the Loki Familia with their beloved Sword Princess drunk and clinging to him filled him with dread. He could already picture their glares, their accusations, and their overwhelming strength. Any one of them could probably kill him with a flick of their wrist. A chill ran down his spine.

Yet, the idea of leaving Ais alone on the street felt worse. She might be a powerful Level 5 adventurer who didn’t actually need his protection, but his conscience wouldn’t allow it.

"We're here," Bell announced, his voice tinged with tentative hope. Perhaps she’d walk the rest of the way herself? Surely that wasn’t too much to ask. But Lady Fate, it seemed, had other plans that night.

"Les’ go in!" Ais declared enthusiastically.

“B-but this is your home,” he tried to say.

“C’mon, bunny!” she urged, punctuating her words with another slap to his head.

As Bell continued trying to convince Ais she could go in on her own, he saw someone out of the corner of his eye pacing in front of the Manor. When he realized that they had started walking— running? —towards the gates, he gently, but hurriedly, set Ais down so he might be able to make his escape.

But before he could move, Ais’ hand darted out and grabbed his wrist with a grip that defied all logic. Bell froze, trying in vain to pull free, but her strength was unrelenting. The reality of her Level 5 strength hit him like a brick wall.

Sweat trickled down the back of his neck as a terrifying thought dawned on him: those seemingly harmless slaps could’ve easily turned his head into pulp if she’d used even a fraction of her true strength.

“Bunny… Don’t gooooooo… ” Ais whined.

By then, it was pointless: the person pacing in front of the Manor had reached the gates. Their hysterical voice nearly deafened him.

“MISS AIS! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”

Now that they were closer, Bell could see the person was an elf with strawberry blond hair tied in a free-flowing ponytail and deep blue eyes. Her face was pinched tearfully with a flurry of emotions, mostly concern and panic. Then, her gaze turned on Bell, and her expression shifted sharply.

“WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?! IF YOU DID ANYTHING TO HER, I SWEAR I’LL—”

Bell closed his eyes and consigned himself to a painful death.

An imposing, regal voice interrupted the elf girl. “Lefiya, enough!”

The green-haired elf radiated an air of dignity and seriousness. Bell knew instantly that she was a high elf, but more importantly a big deal. He did not want to end up on her bad side.

“M-M-Miss R-Riveria!” stammered Lefiya. The energy seemed to have drained out of her, leaving only a nervous wreck behind.

“Why were you shouting so loud, when others are trying to sleep?” Riveria reprimanded.

“T-this boy was carrying Miss Ais and s-so I…”

A reprimanding glare from the green-haired elf caused the shorter one to wither. The imposing high elf turned her attention towards Bell next, her piercing gaze seeming to see right through him with ease.

“I f-found her like this on the street and carried her here,” Bell said defensively. “I s-swear, I didn’t do anything to her other than carry her…” After saying that out loud, he felt that his story was about as flimsy as Lefiya’s reasoning.

However, Bell thought he heard the high elf say something along the lines of ‘damn it, Loki.’ Though he thought he must have misheard, as the elf responded quickly.

“And she allowed you to carry her?” Riveria tilted her head skeptically.

“She was the one who jumped on me and demanded a ride in the first place,” he explained.

Ais, who had been quiet for a while, decided to speak up. “I found a big bunny. Can I keep him?”

“…”

Bell looked away, trying to hide his reddened face in shame.

Riveria placed a hand over her mouth and broke out in giggles. Bell was a little confused by the seemingly out-of-character behavior for someone as graceful as the high elf, but Lefiya looked absolutely flabbergasted.

As her laughter subsided, the green-haired elf wiped a tear from her eye and gave Bell an amused smile. “I don’t see the harm; after all, he seems decent enough. Come on, bring her in.”

Lefiya’s jaw practically hit the pavement. “WHAT.”

She quickly withered again under Riveria’s gaze. “S-sorry…”

“Yay!” Ais cheered, before climbing onto Bell’s back again. The white-haired boy sighed for the millionth time that night, no longer fazed with Ais’ drunken antics.

The boy hesitantly stepped past the gate, eyeing Lefiya, who was glaring daggers at him.

He wasn’t sure whether the elf girl was going to make good on her yet-unnamed threats when Riveria wasn’t looking, and he certainly wasn’t going to stick around and find out. Lengthening his stride to keep up with Riveria, he did his best to follow the high elf.

“AIZU! AIZU! WHERE ARE YOU?!”

Loki scrambled through the streets frantically, her eyes brimming with tears as she searched for the blond adventurer.

As Bell stared in awe at the massive mansion, trying to wrap his mind around how much it all must have cost, he heard Lefiya scoff at him. He gulped, looking down at the tile floor and tried not to seem like too much of a bumpkin. Soon they came to a flight of stairs, wider than Bell’s room had been in his house back at his old village.

“Her room is on the left hallway of the second floor,” Riveria gestured.

“WHAT?! YOU’RE TRUSTING AIS WITH HIM?!” Lefiya gaped. Bell couldn’t blame her— he was thinking the exact same thing.

“Lefiya… What did I just say about yelling?” the high elf asked with a strained smile. Lefiya had the conscience to at least guiltily stay silent.

“I’m too tired to deal with this.” The green-haired elf continued, fixing her stare on Bell. “Besides, if he tries anything, he’ll be dead before he knows it.”

Bell gulped, remembering the terrifying grip that Ais had on his wrist. Lefiya quieted down, seemingly satisfied with Riveria’s answer. However, she still stalked after Bell as he took Ais to her room.

After struggling up the stairs, Bell gently set the blond adventurer down in front of her room.

“Well, tonight was interesting. I’m going now,” he said awkwardly, trying to make his exit.

“It’s for the best,” asserted Lefiya, gesturing for him to go. “Now, time to—”

Before he could escape, Ais' hand shot out, grabbing him by the collar.

“Don’t gooooo… I wanna’ cuddle rabbit…” she whined, oblivious to Lefiya’s horrified expression and Bell’s face which was indistinguishable from a tomato.

Lefiya seemed too shocked to speak. Bell, flustered, tried to reason with the drunken Ais. “M-Miss Ais, I don’t think that’s appro—”

But Ais wasn’t listening. She dragged him by the arm, unfazed by his protests. Lefiya attempted to stop her, but Ais’ Level 5 strength made her efforts futile.

“It’s my bunny, go get your ownnnn,” Ais murmured sleepily, easily pushing the elf aside as she pulled Bell into her room.

Outside, Lefiya could only stand frozen in disbelief as she heard the door lock behind them. It clicked with finality that made the elf’s spirit leave her body.

Inside the room, Ais immediately pulled Bell onto the bed, his back against her chest.

“M-MISS WALLENSTEIN, I DON’T THINK THIS IS APPROPRI— hhhhhgggggguhhh—” Bell’s words were cut off as Ais wrapped her arms around him tightly, squeezing the air from his lungs. Perhaps it was the lack of oxygen, but Bell swore he could almost hear his grandfather laughing at him from the heavens.

Ais buried her face into his back, and Bell could feel the exact moment she fell asleep several minutes later. Her breathing was soft and steady.

He struggled against her hold, but even asleep, her grip was unbreakable. She had loosened her arms just enough for him to breathe, and at that point, Bell gave up on trying to escape. He wouldn’t admit it, but he found himself oddly comfortable.

‘I just hope no one wakes me up too early. I’m definitely getting murdered by Lefiya tomorrow, though…’

Chapter Text

Ais woke up to a dull, throbbing headache. Although her Abnormal Resistance was at a high level by now, she discovered that it did little to help with hangovers. ‘How does Bete keep drinking if this is what he deals with every morning?’

The sunlight streaming through the window only made the headache worse. She tried to raise a hand to shield her face, but paused when she realized her arm was pinned under something warm.

Blinking groggily, she opened her eyes and was met with a tousled mop of white hair. Instinctively, she tensed up and her reflexes prepared for a fight. But as her vision cleared, the tension melted away.

Warm sunlight softly illuminated the boy’s round, peaceful face. He snored softly with his head on her arm. Ais’ other arm was around his stomach, holding him close against her. The closeness felt strange, but not unpleasant, and after a moment of consideration, she decided to stay put a little longer.

Curious, her fingers gently combed through his hair.

‘Soft.’

A faint smile tugged at her lips. She lay there in silence, enjoying the unfamiliar warmth. After a few minutes, her small frown returned and she placed her free hand over her chest.

‘I feel warm and fuzzy.’

Her brow furrowed slightly. ‘That’s strange. Am I sick?’

If so, it would be annoying. The Loki Familia executives never let her enter the Dungeon if she showed even the slightest hint of illness, despite her protests. She sighed inwardly, hoping it was nothing more than a passing sniffle.

Deciding the boy posed no threat, she carefully slid her arm out from under his head and climbed out of bed. The cold air nipped at her skin, and for a fleeting moment, she felt a strange sense of loss as she pulled away.

She dismissed the feeling, as she turned her thoughts towards why she had such a terrible headache.

Her forehead scrunched as she tried to piece together the events of the previous night. She remembered going to the Hostess of Fertility with Loki, who had handed her a drink, claiming it was a special fruit juice blend. Ais vaguely recalled sipping it, trusting her goddess, only to find it strangely bitter. Beyond that, everything blurred into a swirl of colors and fragmented memories.

“Loki,” she muttered under her breath, her neutral expression showing a faint flicker of irritation. A tiny frown crossed her face as she caught her reflection in the mirror. She was still wearing the same clothes from the night before, damp with sweat.

A shower felt like too much effort with the pounding in her skull, so she opted to change into clean clothes instead. As she stripped off the sweat-soaked fabric, she moved quickly, eager to get dressed and find something to eat that might help with her hangover. Once dressed, Ais left the room without a second glance.

Unbeknownst to her, Bell woke up as Ais began changing. He squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to resist the urge to look. Frozen in place, he stayed that way until he heard her leave.

As the door clicked shut, he let out a shaky breath, his face burning with embarrassment.

He could still feel the ghost of her arms around him. The thought of the beautiful Sword Princess that everyone admired actually cuddling with him for a whole night sent tingles down his spine.

If any of Ais’ fans like Lefiya learnt that he almost saw her change, they might take up pitchforks to hunt him down…

‘If I wasn’t already on the Loki Familia’s hit list, I definitely am now.’

Looking around, he realized that the room was surprisingly bare and undecorated. There was a small bed, a wooden desk, and a closet that didn’t have that many clothes in it.

Suddenly, he became self-conscious that he was looking around in a girl’s room.

‘This… is kinda’ creepy, isn’t it?’

Bell’s face flushed red with shame as he prepared to leave as quickly and quietly as possible.

Meanwhile, the top executives of the Loki Familia were greeted that morning by a tearful Lefiya. She was trembling on the floor as tears streamed down her cheeks. Finn looked down at her with concern, Gareth with mild confusion, and Riveria with some exasperation.

“Lefiya, what happened?” Gareth asked, his fatherly instincts kicking in as he suppressed a yawn.

Through sobs, the elf managed to stammer, “M-M-Miss Ais…!”

Riveria sighed, clearly unimpressed. “Is this about the boy?” Lefiya's emotional outbursts over anything involving Ais Wallenstein had become routine.

“What boy?” Finn asked, his curiosity piqued.

As Gareth gently guided Lefiya to the dining room, Riveria recounted the events from the previous night, including her suspicions about Loki being the cause of Ais’ drunkenness.

“And after that, I left Ais with Lefiya and the boy to take her to her room,” Riveria concluded.

“THAT’S THE PROBLEM!” Lefiya suddenly wailed, her voice cracking as fresh tears spilled over. “MISS AIS DRAGGED HIM INTO HER ROOM AND LOCKED THE DOOR!”

There was a beat of silence before Riveria sighed again. “If anything, I’d be more worried for the boy. Ais is a Level 5 adventurer who was drunk beyond reasoning, while he’s likely not even Level 2. I wouldn’t be surprised if she accidentally cuddled him to death.” Her tone was dry, dismissing any concerns.

“At least this time, she didn’t pull out her sword,” Gareth chuckled, his deep laugh rumbling as he tried to lighten the mood.

Another moment of silence passed as the three top executives shivered collectively at the memory.

“Perhaps her meeting that boy was for the best,” Finn sweatdropped. “Things could’ve ended worse.”

“Yes. I will be having words with Loki about actions and their consequences,” Riveria scowled.

Gareth and Finn exchanged looks. 

“Aizuuuuuu…”

Distraught and sleep-deprived, Loki stumbled on the streets as she slowly made her way back towards Twilight Manor. After a night of fruitless searching, she decided to give up and just admit to Riveria that she just maybe, perhaps, just might’ve let Ais get kidnapped by a boy with white hair.

Before Lefiya could protest to the executives again, she turned the corner and almost ran into the blond adventurer they had just been talking about. The elf girl took a moment for her brain to catch up before she rushed forwards, grabbing Ais by the shoulders. “MISS AIS ARE YOU OKAY DID HE DO ANYTHING TO YOU I SWEAR IF HE SO MUCH AS TOUCHED A SINGLE HAIR ON YOUR HEAD—”

Ais’ expression didn’t change as she was being shaken violently. She turned towards Riveria and the other executives with a small frown as she asked, all the while still being shaken, “Who— is— the— boy— sleep— ing— in— my— room?”

Riveria covered her mouth with a cough to hide her smile as she explained. “He brought you back to the Twilight Manor when you were drunk last night.”

“But why is he in my room…?” Ais asked with a slight tilt of her head as the elf stopped shaking her.

“BECAUSE YOU DRAGGED HIM INSIDE AND SLAMMED THE DOOR IN MY FACE!” Lefiya sobbed.

At that moment, Tione joined the group at the corner. “What’s the commotion?”

“Ais brought home a boy,” Gareth teased. The Amazoness choked on air, before doubling over laughing.

“Ehehe… that’s a good one, Gareth…” Tione hiccuped as her laughter subsided. 

Lefiya interrupted her with tearful outrage. “THIS ISN’T A LAUGHING MATTER!”

“...huh?” The Amazoness slowly turned towards Ais herself with a stunned stare. “...it’s true?”

Ais tilted her head in confusion. Gareth did say the technical truth. “Yes?”

Tione’s jaw dropped as she looked completely lost. “HUHHHH?!”

“Why is that important?” the blond adventurer asked as they entered the dining hall, bustling with the other Familia members enjoying their breakfast before they left for the Dungeon.

“That isn’t just important, that’s—”

“—HIM! THAT’S THE BOY!”

Bell froze at the opposite end of the dining hall, his head turning stiffly towards the strawberry blond elf who was definitely yelling at him. As he watched, he saw the dainty girl run towards him at an unbelievable speed with a furious, tearful scowl on her face. 

That wasn’t good.

He turned on his heel and dashed out the door of the dining hall and into the hallway. As he ran, he began taking random turns in hopes of throwing Lefiya off, but judging from the angry elf noises behind him, he wasn’t too far ahead. Which was to be expected; she was probably a Level 2 or 3 adventurer, meaning that she outpaced him massively in terms of speed. 

‘Thank the Gods for her clumsy streak,’ Bell desperately thought as he heard Lefiya bumping into vase tables and tripping over rugs behind him.

The problem was that despite her clumsiness, she was still gaining on him. And Bell had no clue where he was anymore.

‘This mansion is way too big!’ he panicked. ‘I’m so, so, so lost!’

As he passed a staircase, he realized that this was where he had taken Ais the night before— he recognized where he was! Thanking his lucky stars for the miracle, he made a sharp turn around a corner as he began sprinting towards the front door. Meanwhile, he could hear the noises of a distressed, angry Lefiya getting closer with every passing second.

In that moment, Bell prayed with every fiber of his being to Tu’er Shen: if he could just be light footed enough to escape, he’d gladly embrace being called a bunny forever. Maybe the Rabbit God above in Tenkai heard him, because he managed to reach the door with Lefiya right on his tail. With a desperate heave, he wrenched the door open—

—and bowled into Loki, sending both of them tumbling down the stone steps.

Bell suddenly became intimately familiar with the stairs as he met them with his arms, elbows, knees, and stomach. Before he could recover, he was knocked flat as Loki fell on top of him.

They ended up in a heap at the bottom of the steps, with Bell sprawled out under the red-headed goddess with every bone in his body protesting painfully.

“What the hell?” Loki mumbled as she rolled off the boy. “Who the heck are—”

Her eyes widened. White hair, check. Red eyes, check. Looked just like a bunny rabbit, check.

“Yer the kidnapper!” the goddess exclaimed, her eyes reddened from as she clutched Bell by the front of his shirt. “Where is Ais?! What did you do to her?!”

“W-w-wait, I was just—” Bell stuttered, trying to defend himself.

At that moment, the top executives and Ais arrived at the door next to Lefiya, who was being held back by a dark-skinned Amazoness. Chills ran down his spine as he watched the feral elf struggle in the other girl’s grasp, knowing that he would’ve been a dead man if he had been any slower… though his current situation didn’t seem much better.

Loki back and forth between the white-haired boy, then back up at the group standing on top of the steps. “Aizu?! How— why— when— Didn’t you get kidnapped?!”

Riveria, exasperated from repeating the same story several times, impatiently gave Loki a brisk summary. “He didn’t kidnap Ais. He returned her to the Twilight Manor.”

“Who was only drunk because you took her on a night out.”

“And then you lost her.”

She stepped closer to the red-headed goddess, who released the boy so she could scoot away from the angry high elf.

The green-haired elf scowled. “We are going to have words, Loki.”

“Err— yes,” the goddess sweatdropped, tugging at her collar. “Of course.”

“...” Seemingly satisfied, Riveria nodded. “At least no one got hurt. You have him to thank for that.” She gestured towards the white-haired boy.

“So this is the boy they’ve been talking about?” Gareth chuckled.

Finn extended a hand to help Bell onto his feet. “Thank you for bringing our Kenki back safely. May I ask your name?”

The sudden switch-up from being chased by a rabid Lefiya to meeting his actual heroes, had Bell reeling. ‘T-that’s— these are the aces of the Loki Familia!’

Finn Deimne; Gareth Landrock; Riveria Ljos Alf; and other famous faces that he recognized.

Adventurers that he practically revered.

He was too afraid for his life last night to really process anything, but he was meeting the executives of the Loki Familia!

“I r-really didn’t do much,” he blushed as he noticed Ais staring at him from behind the top executives. “B-but, sure. I’m Bell Cranel.”

“Nice to meet you, Bell,” Finn smiled genuinely as he shook his hand. “I’m Finn Deimne, the captain of the Loki Familia.” 

He had a very favorable impression of Bell; the memory of the last time that Ais had gotten drunk still haunted him and the other executives, and he was glad this time had concluded with significantly less property damage and life-long traumas. 

Bell had no way of knowing this, however, and was extremely confused on why the captain of one of the top Familias was so pleased to make his acquaintance.

“N-nice to meet you too,” the boy stuttered as it really set in that he was shaking hands with the captain of the Loki Familia. ‘What if they find out I slept in the same bed as Ais…?’ 

Thoughts of how he might be executed suddenly filled his mind. He startled when Finn spoke again.

“What Familia do you belong to?” the pallum asked.

Reality came crashing back down. After such an eventful night, he had almost totally forgotten about his troubles…

“N-none,” Bell replied as he lowered his head in shame. “None of them accepted me…”

A beat of awkward silence passed.

“Apologies for the misunderstanding,” Finn continued, with a slight bow. 

Bell panicked, waving his hands in front of his face. “No, no, no, it was nothing…”

“Well, you seem nice enough,” Loki chimed in as she dusted herself off. “Sorry for thinking you were a kidnapper, lil’ rabbit.”

“Don’t w-worry about it,” he said sheepishly. “I c-can see why you would think that.”

“Some of those cuts look pretty nasty,” the trickster goddess frowned. “We can’t let you leave here looking like that— people are gonna’ think we beat up an innocent kid.” 

She herself had a few bruises that looked like they needed ice. As Loki dragged him to his feet while announcing that they were going to “get ourselves patched up,” Bell couldn’t tear his gaze away from the aloof Ais. Her indecipherable gaze followed him as the trickster goddess pulled him past her.

For a moment, they were close enough to touch.

And then, the moment passed. Bell stumbled after Loki, trying not to trip over his own feet as she pulled him back into the Twilight Manor.

“So, why’d you do it?”

“H-huh?”

Loki and Bell were alone in the infirmary. Surprisingly, the goddess was carefully wrapping bandages around the scrapes on Bell’s elbows from the fall. He hadn’t expected the trickster goddess to know first aid, but Bell was learning that appearances could be deceiving.

For example, the aloof Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein. As it turned out, she was a very cuddly drunk. Bell felt the heat rush to his face at the thought and shook his head to try to clear his thoughts. Loki’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“Why’d you bring Ais home?” she clarified.

“W-what do you mean why? She was—”

Loki cut him off with a sharp gaze. “Did you think you’d score points with the Sword Princess? Maybe get somethin’ out of it?”

“No! I would never!” Bell blurted out, his voice trembling with indignation.

“Mm-hmm.” Loki’s eyes narrowed, studying him like a hawk. “I dunno’ if I believe you. Imagine the Sword Princess walks up to you, completely vulnerable and out of it... That’d test the willpower of any man, wouldn’t it?”

“I’d never do what you’re implying!” Bell shouted, his face burning with embarrassment.

“Do you like Ais?”

Bell froze, choking on his words as his face turned a deeper shade of red. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t say anything.

Loki chuckled softly. ‘His feelings are so obvious. It’s almost too cute,’ she thought to herself.

“Well, it’s alright,” she said with a teasing laugh. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a guy— or a girl —who doesn’t have a crush on Ais Wallenstein.”

Bell bit his lip, turning his gaze away, feeling exposed. Loki just flashed a Cheshire grin.

After a moment, the goddess spoke again with more seriousness. “Look, I know we didn’t exactly hit it off when we first met, but... how would you like to join my Familia?”

“What? Can you really just do that?” Bell asked, startled by the sudden question.

“Hey, it’s my Familia! I can do what I want!” Loki laughed. “Besides, yer an interesting kid.”

The boy paused, biting his lip to think about it. The offer had come out of the blue, but really considering his options…

His funds were dwindling and it wasn’t like he had his pick of Familias to join. 

Even if he felt he wasn’t anywhere near talented enough to warrant joining such a prestigious Familia…

…what was the harm of giving it a shot? 

(And in the back of his mind, the childish part of his brain whimpered. It was the kid who sat in his grandfather's lap as he listened to stories of heroes and monsters. It was the kid who left his village after his only family left him all alone.

It was the boy who cried over a single loaf of rye bread.

‘I just want someone, anyone to be there for me.’

‘I want a bed and a good night’s rest without waking up hungry.’

‘I… I really miss Gramps.’

Even if the idea of a Familia— a family who stuck together through thick and thin —seemed something that someone like him didn’t deserve… he was selfish. Bell wanted what he didn’t deserve anyways. He didn’t care if this was an act of pity or not. 

He just wanted a home.)

Bell smiled brilliantly, despite his glistening tears. “If so, then I’d be glad to join your Familia!”

After they both had their wounds iced and bandaged, Loki took him to her room. He sat shirtless on a stool as she began drawing the falna on his back.

Bell couldn’t help but be excited. After all, this was the first step for him to become an adventurer!

The falna being drawn on his back granted superhuman prowess to those that Gods blessed. However, that was only the beginning; by reading an adventurer’s excelia, or their experiences, and updating their status, Gods could help their children grow into powerful heroes.

However, he quickly learned that despite the awe-inspiring nature of the blessing he was receiving… sitting there was really boring. 

His entire body still ached from his tumble down the front steps, so he tried to distract himself from the pain as he looked around the room. There were empty glass bottles haphazardly scattered throughout the room, though there were several lined up neatly inside a glass case as well. Some papers were scattered across her desk. Half of the books that should have been on the shelf were stacked on the desk or at the foot of the bed.

“Y’know, I’m really grateful you brought Ais home. Riveria woulda’ had my head if anything bad happened,” Loki chuckled.

“So you got Miss Ais drunk?” Bell asked.

“Don’t worry yer pretty lil’ head over it, Bell,” Loki laughed, flicking his ear.

‘So it was her fault,’ he sighed. ‘I wonder where Miss Ais is now?’

The procedure was quick and Bell felt something ripple through his being as Loki finished drawing the falna on his back. Colors seemed brighter and the air seemed different in some way he couldn’t name. Bell looked down at his hands curiously, but he didn’t see any noticeable differences.

“I’ll handle the formal stuff now— yer room will be the furthest left, so go make yerself comfortable.”

“Alright. Thank you, Loki-sama,” Bell bowed. The goddess just waved him off with a grin.

“Don’t thank me, you did me a huge favor.”

As the door clicked shut behind him, Loki continued musing inwardly.

‘I have a feeling he’ll be a very interesting child,’ she brooded as she began filing his paperwork application for Finn to organize.

Meanwhile, Bell went to check out his new room, only to realize…

“Why are you here?!” Lefiya scowled. “Shouldn’t you have gone home by now, you pervert?!”

‘There’s no way I’m in the same hallway as her…’ he gulped as he held back tears. 

‘Maybe I’m cursed…?’

Chapter Text

Thankfully, Lefiya had to leave three days later for the Loki Familia expedition, meaning that Bell wouldn’t have to deal with her for a while. In the meantime, he did his best to avoid the elf girl, though whenever she did see him in the dining hall, she would shoot him a dirty look. Although he knew that the elf’s concern for Ais came from a good place, the zealousness of her worry meant that he always felt like he needed to be careful around her. 

‘I don’t think she’ll ever get over the incident with Ais…’

Just thinking about… that …made his cheeks flush red. He couldn’t help his mind wandering to her softly breathing as she cuddled up against his back and— stop. Bad thoughts. Bad, bad, bad, wicked thoughts.

On the other hand, Bell hadn’t seen Ais since that day and likely wouldn’t for a while, since the expedition party was scheduled to return in two weeks. For some reason, he felt a sense of loss, but he quickly brushed it off. ‘It’s not like I have any right to expect her time just because I helped bring her home,’ he reminded himself firmly.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what he had been hoping for in the first place. Whatever it was, he knew it wasn’t realistic.

Bell slapped his cheeks, refocusing on his surroundings as he heard the gabbling of Goblins from around the corner. Ahead of him, Mitsuru was pressed flat against the wall with a finger pressed to her lips as he unsheathed his longsword. The cat person raised a fist to indicate that they would wait behind the corner to ambush the monsters, before raising four fingers.

‘Four Goblins,’ Bell thought as he fiddled with his backpack straps nervously.

The boy reprimanded himself for not paying attention. According to his Guild advisor, Eina, that was exactly how many adventurers met their untimely demise. “The worst thing an adventurer can think is ‘ah, whatever,’” she would always say.

At least she seemed more relieved that he was exploring the Dungeon with a party.

Even though he knew that he probably wouldn’t need to use the blade, Bell silently unsheathed his Guild-issued skinning knife. He wasn’t responsible for fighting— that was Mitsuru and Liruka’s job —but better safe than sorry.

As the first Goblin rounded the corner, they were immediately cleaved into two by Mitsuru’s longsword. The other three yipped as they backed off in surprise. Unfortunately for them, the distance allowed Liruka to shoot the next Goblin through the throat with a well-placed crossbow bolt.

The remaining two yowled as they charged towards the trio, but that only ended with one of the Goblins running itself into the point of Mitsuru’s sword. Since he couldn’t pull his sword out in time, the cat person kicked the last Goblin in the stomach to send it stumbling backwards.

Before it could regain its balance, another crossbow bolt appeared in its skull and it collapsed to the floor, twitching.

Bell sighed in relief as the fight ended, before stepping forwards with his knife to start cutting out the magic stones.

“Thank you for your hard work,” Mitsuru smiled as he flicked the Goblin blood off his sword. The cat person was always friendly, and Bell appreciated his kindness and efforts.

Liruka just nodded her appreciation as she slung her crossbow over her shoulder. Bell was learning that she was an elf of few words.

Bell rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, before returning to gutting the monsters with deft fingers. He marvelled over his own skill— he hadn’t been this capable months ago. The effects of his blessing and Dexterity were tangible.

“I-it’s no problem… rather, I’m glad you guys would take on a newbie like me.”

Normally, new members of the Loki Familia would start off as supporters who aided adventuring parties by carrying supplies, magic stones, and drop items. However, few parties wanted to take on a complete newbie, while even fewer of the lower-class adventurers wanted to associate with the boy who had earned Lefiya’s ire.

Thankfully, when Bell was considering going solo in the Dungeon, Mitsuru and Liruka had asked him to join their party. Their previous supporter had started adventuring on his own, so they needed someone to fill their place. Bell wasn’t sure why they didn’t ask any other supporter, but he was thankful for the opportunity.

Pausing to count the days, he realized that he had been in their party for a week and a half.

After he took the magic stone from the Goblins, they began moving through the Dungeon again. “How do you feel about going to the fifth floor?” Mitsuru asked the white-haired boy. “Do you think you’re ready?”

“I wouldn’t want to hold you back,” Bell sheepishly rubbed his neck. “I’m already really grateful you accepted me into your party.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to push you if you’re not ready,” the cat person tilted his head with concern.

“I’m fine,” Bell assured.

Bell was not fine.

‘Maybe I’m cursed…?’

A Monster Party had burst through the Dungeon walls as the trio had been walking through the fifth floor and Bell had been forced to run. Now that he had finally lost the six or seven Goblins who had been chasing him, Bell looked around as he realized that he was separated from Mitsuru and Liruka… and completely lost.

Leaning heavily against the wall to catch his breath, he tried to remember which turns he took so he could backtrack his way to the fifth floor entrance.

‘This is starting to become a theme,’ he sighed. ‘Lesson learned: I need to pay more attention when running for my life so I don’t get lost.’

“Hellooooo? Mitsuru? Liruka?” Bell called out tentatively, his voice trembling as he peered into the dim corridors, hoping his companions were close enough to hear him.

A low, guttural groan rumbled from behind.

“Mnnrrghhhh…”

Bell froze. Slowly, almost mechanically, he turned his head.

Towering over him was a massive humanoid with rippling muscles and a bull’s head, casting its shadow over the white-haired boy. Strings of saliva dangled from the monster’s open mouth. The bull-headed monster’s hot, rancid breath tousled his hair.

“M-Minotaur?!”

Bell turned on his heel and bolted with every ounce of speed he could muster.

‘Why is it on the fifth floor?!?!?! Don’t they spawn on the fifteenth floor?!?!?!’

Judging from the roars that echoed through the hallways around him, the Minotaur was not far behind.

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—”

He leaped forwards to avoid getting crushed by the Minotaur’s hooves, landing flat on his face. Only inches away, a deep crack appeared in the floor where he had been standing moments ago. Scrambling to his feet with clumsy adrenaline, he kept sprinting before the Minotaur could grab him.

However, he could only go so far.

The weight of his backpack was starting to exhaust him and as he was running, his feet betrayed him as he tripped. Tumbling head over heels, he only stopped when he slammed into the Dungeon wall— he had reached a dead-end.

Bell trembled as he looked up at certain death. There was something cruel in the Minotaur’s clumsy, broken smile as it raised its hoof to crush the boy’s skull into pulp.

‘And this is where my stupid fantasies led me…’ Bell thought as he prepared himself.

Suddenly, a silver line shot through the Minotaur’s body and bisected the creature into perfect halves.

“Hnrgh???”

“What?”

Several more lines appeared, cutting through the monster’s midsection, chest, and limbs. Crimson suddenly spurted through these lines and drenched Bell from head to toe with Minotaur blood. The monster fell apart into large chunks. Behind the body stood Bell’s savior— Ais Wallenstein.

Her lithe frame was clad with gleaming silver armor.

Her sword was like a needle of starlight.

Her blond hair fanned around her pretty face like a halo of light.

Her eyes were radiant gold.

“Are you… okay?” the Sword Princess asked. Her normally neutral voice was mixed with concern and confusion.

Bell was consumed in a whirlwind of emotions and struggled to hold back tears. Rather than gratitude, he felt…

…incompetent.

‘Did I really think I could start something with Ais Wallenstein?’

‘Just because I did her a favor doesn’t mean I have any right to stand next to her…’

‘I’m so stupid.’

Meanwhile, Ais’ face didn’t reveal what she was thinking whatsoever. However, she recognized Bell and was trying to figure out how she should apologize for her drunken behavior one week ago… as well as drenching him in Minotaur blood.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—”

Before she could say anything, Bell had scrambled to his feet and started sprinting as far away from her as possible. She watched him trip and land face first, but he clambered back up and continued running and screaming.

She stared in the direction he had run off in for several seconds.

“Ehehehe… Bahahahahahahaha! He ran away from you, Ais!”

Behind the blond adventurer, Bete wiped a tear from his eye as he howled with laughter.

“Wahahahaha! That guy… pft, that guy looked like a tomato!”

Ais stared at the werewolf for a moment before turning back to the direction that Bell had run with a pout.

‘I need to apologize to him next time…’

Eventually, Bell reunited with Mitsuru and Liruka at the entrance to the fifth floor. They seemed very worried about how Bell was drenched with blood and were relieved when they found he was uninjured.

Once they returned to the surface, Bell showered the blood off at the Babel showers and traded their magic stones at the Guild exchange (accompanied with some choice words from Eina), before they headed back to the Twilight Manor for dinner.

“So, the expedition party’s already back,” Mitsuru mused, pausing mid-bite as they ate dinner in the Familia dining hall. “It’s earlier than planned, no?”

The orange-haired cat person, black-haired elf, and white-haired human stood out since they were the only ones eating at the table furthest in the corner. Bell was thankful that Ais and the other expedition party members weren’t there— most of them were busy organizing things after their return, such as repairing their gear. He didn’t think that he would be able to survive dinner while in the same room as Ais.

Bell had just finished recounting what happened after they were split up. His words stumbled awkwardly over the details of his encounter with Ais, which only caused him to stutter more. To hide his flushed face, he shoveled food into his mouth and only responded to Mitsuru with an embarrassed nod.

The cat person smirked at the younger boy’s expression. “Got something on your mind, Bell?”

Liruka stifled a small laugh, coughing lightly as she raised a hand to conceal her grin.

“Or maybe…” Mitsuru leaned in with a mischievous glint in his emerald eyes. “Someone?” 

His smile widened into a teasing, Cheshire-like grin.

Unable to form a proper response, Bell buried his face in his arms, his cheeks flushed as red as a tomato.

“Cat got your tongue?” Mitsuru chuckled, leaning back in his chair. Feeling bad for the boy, he continued. “Alright, I’ll stop. Anyway, don’t you have an appointment to update your falna soon?”

Bell’s head shot up as he seized the opportunity. “Right!” he yelped. Grateful for the chance to excuse himself from the conversation, he quickly scarfed down the remaining food, stood up, and grabbed his dirty plates.

“Thank you for your hard work today!” he called over his shoulder before disappearing toward the exit.

Mitsuru and Liruka gave each other an amused look as he ran off.

“Goddess, are you alright?” Bell asked as the door swung open to reveal Loki.

The red-haired goddess looked disheveled, dark circles under her eyes and a half-empty bottle of liquor in her hand. The sharp scent of alcohol wafted toward him, confirming it was something strong.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” she sighed, taking a swig directly from the bottle. “The expedition party came back early, and now I’m drowning in requests to update falnas.”

“S-Sorry,” Bell stammered, scratching the back of his head with a guilty expression.

Loki waved it off with a grin, patting the seat of a nearby stool. “Don’t worry yer pretty lil’ head about it. Today’s yer scheduled day anyway. Come on, sit.”

Bell sat down and removed his shirt, exposing his back for the update. Loki pricked her finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto his falna. Almost immediately, he felt the familiar rippling sensation coursing through his body.

Loki remained silent as she worked, her sharp eyes scanning his status. After a moment, she let out a low whistle. “So, what happened in the Dungeon today?”

“Uh, I almost died,” Bell admitted with some hesitation.

The goddess raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Oh?”

“There was a Minotaur on the fifth floor…” Bell began, his face flushing with embarrassment. “I got separated from my party, and it chased me around for a while until it backed me into a dead-end.” 

He hesitated, then continued reluctantly. “Then, out of nowhere, Ais showed up and killed it. I… I was so embarrassed, I just ran away.”

Loki paused for a beat, then burst into a fit of giggles.

“It’s not that funny!” Bell protested, though he couldn’t help but let out a small laugh himself.

“Come on, it’s pretty funny,” Loki teased with a mischievous grin. “How does it feel to be saved by the girl you’ve got a crush on?”

“I don’t— I mean— I’m not—” Bell stammered, his face now as red as a tomato.

“Yer too easy to read, rabbit,” Loki chuckled, patting his back lightly. “Anyway, good work. Keep it up.”

She handed the paper she had written his status on.

Bell Cranel

Level 1

• Strength I-33 → I-58

• Endurance I-74 → I-92

• Dexterity I-47 → I-55

• Agility I-6 → I-56

• Magic I-0

Magic

( )

Skills

( )

Bell couldn’t contain his excitement as he looked over his updated status. ‘It went up by 101 points!’ 

The improvement was dramatic, the equivalent of several weeks of adventuring; Loki’s impressed reaction further confirmed that this was something incredible.

“Goddess, when do you think I’ll get my first Skill?” Bell asked as he looked at his empty Skills section.

Loki paused for a moment, then gave him an encouraging smile. “Probably pretty soon. At the rate yer going, I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens before long.”

Bell nodded, taking in her words. “What about magic?”

Loki’s grin widened as she flicked his ear playfully. “Well, people who use magic tend to be more of the bookish types. If yer serious about it, maybe you should start hitting the library more.”

“I see…” Bell scratched his neck sheepishly. ‘Maybe I’ll shelve magic for now…’

“Anyways, I’ve gotta’ go deal with the expedition party,” Loki said, abruptly standing up and shooing him out the door. “Get going, rabbit. I’ve got work to do!”

Bell nodded and slipped back into his shirt. “Yes, Goddess. Thank you!”

As the boy left her room, the goddess looked back down at the paper. There was something she had intentionally neglected to include.

Liaris Freese

Rapid Growth

Continued desire results in continued growth.

Stronger desire results in stronger growth.

“What a unique kid,” the goddess laughed softly to herself. “I’ve never met anyone like him.”

“...I can’t believe he told me the whole story,” she giggled a little. “He can’t keep a secret for his life… There’s no way I could tell him about this Skill— he’d tell anyone who asked nicely.”

Her expression turned more serious. 

“I should tell Finn and the others about this,” she mused.

Chapter Text

Bell had done his best to sleep well— he needed to be rested for another day of hard work. However, the image of Ais slicing the Minotaur into chunks kept filling his mind as he tried to fall asleep. Then, he would remember how her arms felt around him on that eventful night.

In the end, he only managed to fall asleep around midnight.

When he woke up and checked the time in the communal bathroom’s magic stone clock, Bell realized that he had woken up very, very late. 

‘Crap!’

Deciding to forego breakfast for the sake of speed, he fumbled with the straps on his backpack before dashing out the door.

The sun was already peeking over the skyline in the east, but for most of the city, the day was just beginning. Most of the restaurants and shops were still closed. Despite that, Main Street was far from empty— dwarves, elves, humans, and the occasional pallum were walking in the same direction as Bell. Most of them were probably adventurers just like him.

However, while they were heading towards the Dungeon for another day of hard work hunting monsters, Bell had something just as important but far less exciting to do: running errands.

New recruits like Bell would run errands during the weekends they had off, though they normally had at least one day without any work at all. Unfortunately for Bell, he had drawn the short end of the stick. Today, he was supposed to pick up an order from the Dian Cecht Familia. It was one of the least desirable chores amongst the newbies, since it meant that they’d have to get up extra early and the Dian Cecht Familia was very fussy about punctuality. After all, for a business-oriented Familia, time is money.

Somehow the other newbies always ended up shoving Dian Cecht pick-ups onto Bell.

Last time he had been late picking up an order, the Dian Cecht receptionist had shot him a scathing glare that made him feel dirty. Bell wasn’t willing to make the same mistake twice, slapping himself awake and picking up his pace.

Unfortunately, when he looked around, he suddenly realized that he recognized none of the buildings around him. 

“...Did I make a wrong turn or something?”

Growl.

“And now my stomach is talking to me. Great.” Bell sighed. If he’d only been more careful, he would already be at the Dian Cecht Familia Pharmacy. Then, he might’ve been able to grab breakfast…

“...?”

A shiver traveled down his spine.

‘There’s something right behind me!’

He whipped his head around, looking for the source of bloodlust. He hadn’t honed his adventuring instincts enough to where he could sense danger or anything but… 

‘I swore I felt the eyes of a killer on me…’

His gaze flickered over someone setting up tables in front of a restaurant, two beast-humans deep in discussion at the street corner, and a woman pushing open the upstairs window of a shopfront. Everything seemed completely normal.

‘Am I going insane? Is the hunger making me hallucinate?’

Bell’s heart pounded in his ears, but it nearly leapt into his throat when someone gently tapped him on the shoulder.

“Um, excuse me?”

“Gah!” The boy spun around, arms covering his face. He suddenly became self-conscious when he saw who he was standing in front of.

A human girl with blue-gray hair tied into a ponytail-bun stared at him curiously. She looked a year or two older than him. Her widened eyes, which were the same shade as her hair, looked innocent and cute. Her skin was milky and flawless.

“S-sorry! I’m just a little jumpy…” Bell rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“No, no, I’m sorry for startling you,” she waved her hands slightly and shook her head.

Was this the girl he saw in front of the restaurant? She was carrying a whole table by herself…

“Um, can I help you?” The boy asked, confused.

“Oh, right. You dropped this.”

She proffered her open hand, with a tiny bluish-purple crystal in the center.

“A magic stone?”

Bell checked his pouch, fingers only feeling the jingle of coins; he could’ve sworn that he had already traded all his magic stones in at the Guild, but there might’ve been one that he had missed…

“Thank you for going out of your way,” Bell bowed slightly, taking the crystal and putting it in his bag.

“Oh no, don’t mention it.”

“I’ll be going now so—”

Growl.

…she heard that, didn’t she?

His face turned red. She laughed a little.

“Haha, are you hungry? Did you not have breakfast?”

“...Yeah.”

The atmosphere was awkward. However, Bell noticed the light change in her eyes before she ran back to the restaurant in a hurry. She reemerged quickly with a rustic basket full of bread and cheese.

“Well, the restaurant isn’t open yet… if it’s okay, I can offer you my breakfast.”

Bell was completely taken aback, fervently waving his hands in front of himself.

“Huh? No, no, no! That’s your food, I can’t take it!”

She bit her lip and looked away. Bell’s breath caught in his throat. ‘She’s cute… when I see Miss Wallenstein, my breath gets taken away, but her beauty shines softly.’

“I can’t leave you like this,” she rebutted, stubbornly pouting. “It’d make me feel bad if I let you go hungry… so, please, Mister Adventurer, accept it. For my conscience.”

“How can I say no…?”

“Well, if you’re having reservations… what about a trade?” she grinned.

“A trade…?”

“Since I’m giving you my breakfast… you have to eat dinner tonight at the bar where I work!”

“...” Bell chews it over for a moment, but ultimately wryly shakes his head. “You don’t play fair.”

“Hehe. Nope! I’ll be making a lot of money tonight!”

Basically, “spend lots of money tonight!” Great.

“Alright, then. I’ll be seeing you later then.” He pauses. “I… I’m Bell Cranel. What’s your name?”

She smiles.

“Nice to meet you, Bell. I’m Syr Flover.”

Bell waved as he walked away, thinking about his new date.

…

Less than ten seconds later, he was back. His face was flushed.

“S-sorry, but I have one last thing…”

“...?”

“...do you know where the Dian Cecht Pharmacy is?”

After being thoroughly chewed out by the Dian Cecht receptionist— something about “professional respect” and “every second is valis trickling away” —Bell brought the order of various medicines back to the Twilight Manor. He logged his chores as ‘complete,’ before returning to his room and studying Dungeon maps and monsters.

When he looked up after a particularly grueling study session, he realized that the sun was already well on its way down, already dipping below the western Orario skyline. Not willing to be unpunctual again for the second time that day, Bell quickly grabbed his coin pouch and his knife before strapping them both to his belt and setting out towards the bar.

By the time he was strolling on Main Street, the red rays of the setting sun had been replaced by bluish moonlight that cast a silvery glow on everything.

Adventurers back safe from the Dungeon and people getting off work were enjoying a well-earned drink or seven. Hundreds of voices poured out of all the bars that lined Main Street, blending into one storm of cacophony. Warm light poured out of the doorways, casting shadows onto the cobbled streets.

‘I’m sure I met her somewhere around here this morning…’

Bell wandered through the foot traffic of Main Street, feeling like a lost puppy. The stark contrast between day and Orario’s nightlife, combined with the endless crowds, made it hard for him to recognize any buildings or landmarks. He wasn’t even fully sure he was in the right place.

Several smiling beast-human servers were drawing people off the streets into their respective establishments; a couple of pallum, the shortest among the non-human races, were standing shoulder to shoulder and singing their hearts out; a stout dwarf joined their circle and hummed along merrily.

While some of the beast-human servers were wearing “playful” clothes in an attempt to draw in more customers, they were modestly dressed compared to the group of Amazons strutting through the crowd, wearing not much more than silks. They didn’t seem to pay the eyes that followed them down the street. Bell tore his own gaze away from them and kept walking.

The sound of exotic string and wind instruments cut through the roar of the crowds.

‘So this is Main Street at night…’ Bell looked around, unable to take in everything at once; there were just too many interesting things to see. 

Finally, he came to a stop before a two-story building with a stone foundation and rustic, wooden aesthetic. Looking inside, the bar seemed much bigger and rowdier than the others; Bell thought it might be the biggest one on Main Street.

“This should be it…”

It was the Hostess of Fertility, according to the large hanging sign, where Syr worked.

As he pushed open the door, Bell’s eyes readjusted to the warm lighting inside. Behind the bar was a stout dwarf woman, who he clocked as the owner of the Hostess. Her thundering voice could still be heard over the din of clanking cups and scraping tableware.

Dancing through the crowd with practiced grace, several cat people wearing aprons over black dresses were carefully balancing platters of food and alcohol as they served their customers. There was even an elf, renowned for their pride, among the servers. It wasn’t risque or anything, but they were all beautiful.

The next thing he noticed was the gender ratio of the staff… were they all female?

Bell took it all in for a moment, realizing that this might be out of his pay grade. 

‘But a promise is a promise.’

The sound of sloshing drink and cheerful chatter created a warm atmosphere. The decorations were modern but not over-the-top or too austere. The waiters smiled as they served their guests and the customers seemed happy; the whole place felt alive. Most of the customers looked like intimidating adventurers, but they were having fun drinking with their friends. 

And the food looked really good…

‘Maybe it won’t be so bad?’

Bell paused, feeling someone’s gaze on him.

A voice next to him spoke up. “Bell?”  

He startled, looking over his shoulder. ‘Syr? How long has she been standing there?’

“…Here I am.”

“Yes! Welcome!”

She was wearing the same blouse, skirt, and apron as that morning. Bell followed her inside, as she called out, “Now seating one!”

‘I don’t think I’ve eaten anywhere this nice before.’

With sure-footed steps she led Bell to a chair at the bar.

“Please have a seat,” Syr smiled.

“T-thank you,” he anxiously smiled, trying his best not to seem awkward.

His seat was tucked against the wall at the edge of the L-shaped counter, allowing him to eat in peace and not have to worry about people sitting down next to him. 

‘Is Syr going out of the way to make sure I’m not uncomfortable?’ The boy mused, flushing slightly when he realized that he hadn’t been acting as naturally as he had hoped. ‘She must have noticed that I’m clueless.’

“So, you’re Syr’s guest? You’ve got a cute face for an adventurer,” the dwarven bartender chuckled as she leaned over the counter and scanned him up and down with her dark eyes. “Just give us a holler if you need anything! I hear you’re going all out tonight; I’ll keep the food coming, as long as you keep ordering!”

“Huh?”

…

Bell turned to look at Syr with an unamused expression, but she only turned to the side and whistled.

“Who said I was going all out? And how come I’m the last one to know?”

“Hehe.”

“What’s so funny?” Bell sighed tearfully; it seemed his purse would be much lighter by the end of the night.

“Well, I told Mama Mia that I invited someone here tonight… and I kind of talked you up a bit and things may have gotten a little out of hand…” She stuck her tongue out cutely.

“...”

“I’m rooting for you!”

“Please, just clear this up,” the boy begged meekly, only adding to his rabbit-like appearance. “I’m dirt poor, I still have to make my weekly quota!”

In order to pay the Familia for food and utilities, beginner adventurers had to meet the 2100 valis quota every week; combined with equipment repair costs, there wasn’t that much profit for beginners like Bell.

Syr giggled, delicately covering her eyes with the back of her hand as she feigned exhaustion. “…I’m… so hungry… didn’t have breakfast… my strength… it’s leaving me…”

“Ha ha. Very funny.” Bell sighed, his heart aching even though he knew it was a joke. “I was right; you really don’t play fair.”

“I’m just kidding,” she laughed, lightly slapping his shoulder. “I just wanted to have some fun, that’s all. Take your time and order when you’re ready.”

“...Okay. Just a little, then.”

The boy shook his head wordlessly as Syr steps away to go serve another customer, before grabbing the menu and flipping through the wide variety of food.

Normally, he made a little more than 1300 valis every day, which was enough to pay his quota. Especially since Liruka and Mitsuru handled the fighting, Bell didn’t have any equipment that needed repairs. Furthermore, he always took advantage of the Loki Familia’s dining hall, which meant that he didn’t need to spend money on food— combined with his scrimping and saving, he had some money set aside.

He had been planning on saving up for a proper weapon, not the skinning knife that he used to harvest magic stones. In fact, he had that same knife on his belt for self-defense since he couldn’t afford another.

A new knife would have to be pushed back, though. ‘Bye-bye, 300 valis,’ Bell mourned as he ordered the pasta. Before he had joined the Loki Familia, 50 valis worth of food was enough to keep him full, but even the cheapest item at the Hostess was six times that…

Before long, the dwarven lady, who he presumed was Mama Mia, set a steaming plate of penne pasta in tomato sauce with melted cheese and basil garnish on top in front of him. While the food still seemed overpriced to him, Bell had to admit that it looked fancy and smelled amazing.

“How ‘bout some ale?” asked Mama Mia.

“No thanks…” Bell politely refused. Not only was he underage, but he also probably couldn’t afford drinks.

He was pretty sure she wasn’t listening, since she thumped one down in front of him anyways. Bell stared blankly at the sloshing golden liquid in the cup before he sighed and pushed it aside. ‘Why did she bother asking in the first place if she wasn’t going to listen?’

Syr came back when he was about halfway through his pasta. 

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

“… I’m a bit overwhelmed, actually…” 

She untied her apron, her blue-gray hair cascading down as she pulled it over her head. She hung it onto a hook on the wall, before dragging another barstool up to Bell and sat down.

“What about your job?”

“The kitchen’s a little busy, but the others have everything else covered. Things are slowing down, too.”

She shot a pleading look at the dwarven lady, asking for permission. Mama Mia chuckled, giving her an ‘okay’ sign before returning to the kitchen.

“Well, first of all, thank you for the bread and cheese this morning. It was delicious.”

“No, no,” Syr shook her head vehemently. “You coming here tonight made my empty stomach worth it.”

“You mean it was worth wringing me dry for dinner?” Bell huffed jokingly.

Syr laughed, bowing her head slightly with a giggled, “Sorry, sorry.”

After a moment, Bell couldn’t help chuckling a little as well.

They talked as he ate, mostly Bell asking idle questions or Syr volunteering bits of trivia.

He learned that the bar, the Hostess of Fertility, was founded by Mia, the stout dwarf behind the counter, who was also an ex-adventurer. Her employees called her “Mama” or “Mama Mia” instead, though. She had gotten permission from the god of her Familia to retire from dungeon crawling and open up the Hostess. Bell found more respect for Mama Mia, hearing about her history.

Mama Mia only hired women, but she gave all types of girls with questionable backgrounds the chance to work and welcomed them with open arms.

“How do you like your job?” Bell asked curiously.

“We’ve become pretty popular with adventurers as of late, so the money is flowing in. The pay is good.”

“Are you one of those people who’s obsessed with money, Syr?” Bell teased. “Kidding, kidding.”

She wordlessly turned away from the bar, looking towards the colorful cacophony that filled the room.

A human waitress bent over to take a dwarf customer’s order. There were elves waiting for their food, impatiently tapping their feet. A group of pallum boisterously cheered across the room with flushed faces.

Everyone was raising their cups, drops of alcohol sparkling in the air.

“People are so full of possibilities; I get really excited just thinking about who I’ll meet and what I’ll learn every day. I think it’s the best part of my job.”

Her eyes creased at the corners with her vibrant smile.

“Ahem.” She coughed lightly, her face flushing as she realized Bell was looking at her. “Anyways, that’s how I feel… I guess meeting new people is fun. My heart yearns for it.”

Bell thought about how he felt when he first arrived in Orario. Everything seemed so new and foreign, always running into new kinds of people every day and surrounded by interesting things.

‘That might be the best thing about Orario; the people who live here. You’re always learning new things.’

Just as he was about to open his mouth, the doors suddenly burst open. A dozen new customers filed into the bar, where they were led to an empty table in the opposite corner from Bell; they must’ve made a reservation beforehand.

His eyes widened as he realized he recognized them: they were from the Loki Familia.

Chapter Text

The group was very diverse. Some faces he recognized, while others were unfamiliar.

He spotted Lefiya and immediately ducked his head to avoid being seen. Beside her was Riveria, the high elf who seemed to be Lefiya’s mentor. Finn was there too— the pallum commander of the Loki Familia.

Even though he saw them almost every day, he still felt a sense of distance between himself and them. After all, they were on a completely different level from him. Bell was most familiar with Raul, the second string adventurer who handed out the chore assignments.

There were others Bell had only caught glimpses of before, like the Amazoness sisters. He remembered seeing one of them back when he’d crashed into Loki. He’d since occasionally spotted them around the Twilight Manor, though he’d never had the chance to actually meet them. They always seemed busy; there were always many errands that had to be done after an expedition.

The goddess was there as well, her arm slung casually over Ais’ shoulders. Bell’s heart skipped a beat, jumped into his throat, and tackled his ribcage before settling into an unsteady staccato rhythm.

Blond hair that shimmered like spun gold.

Her body was delicate, yet every movement revealed lithe muscles that put the Amazon sisters to shame.

She didn’t simply walk— she glided. Stalked. Danced. Her every motion had an indescribable grace.

Clear, golden eyes swept the room and made Bell gasp from their stunning color.

Around the bar, the din quieted down just enough for him to catch hints of conversation.

“…Oho!” 

“Are they royalty or somethin’?” 

“Of course not, moron. Look at their emblems.” 

“…Meh.” 

The whispers took on a different tone when they realized that the group was from the Loki Familia.

“So that’s them.” 

“…They’re the ‘giant-killer Familia,’ huh?” 

“Aren’t they all first-class adventurers?!” 

“Who’s the Kenki I’ve heard so much about?” 

Awe rippled through the crowd as the Loki Familia elites walked by. Bell, despite living in the same house, was just as awestruck. Some of the braver customers whistled at the girls as they passed. 

‘S-should I go over and thank her for saving my life?’

‘It was really rude of me to just run away like that…’

“Bell?” Syr’s voice was tinged with concern, though it all went in one ear and out the other.

‘No, no, no, I’d just look stupid. I need to calm down. I can thank her some other time at home… though she probably doesn’t even know I joined her Familia…’

The white-haired boy trembled, lowering himself slightly to make sure that his distinct hair color didn’t get him recognized by any of the others.

“…Bell…?” 

Syr’s concern only seemed to grow, but Bell was too focused on the Loki Familia.

Screech!

Their chairs scraped against the chairs scraped against the ground and waiters began pouring out of the kitchen, setting down large platters of steaming food and filling their cups.

As they sat down, Bell’s heart did a few loop-de-loops in his chest again: Miss Wallenstein’s seat was facing towards Bell, giving him a direct view of her. 

“Thank you for all your hard work for the past few days! Great work on the expedition and thank you for the help organizing things after!” One of them stands up and raises his cup high. “Drink up! Y’all earned it!”

The others cheer, clanking their cups together before drinking deeply.

Cutlery clinked against plates as they began eating, their chatter filling the room. Like some kind of signal, the Loki Familia settling down to eat almost seemed to remind the other patrons that they had their own food and drink as well. They returned back to their meals and conversation, like some switch had been flipped.

Realizing that Bell had been staring at the Loki Familia the whole time, Syr chuckled. “The Loki Familia are regulars here. Their goddess seems to like it here.” 

‘So, I might see Miss Wallenstein more if I come here?’ Bell perked up by a tiny fraction, before mentally berating himself. ‘We live in the same house, there’s no need to act even more like a creep…’

However, he couldn’t help his eyes from tracing every one of her movements; the way she laughed softly when someone told her a joke, how she gave the other girls small smiles and encouragement, and her graceful manners while she ate. He watched her wipe the mouth of another girl, chastising the other without heat.

Bell wasn’t proud of watching her like some kind of stalker, but he also can’t stop himself.

His whole body felt hot.

Suddenly, one of the men, a werewolf with messy gray hair and a mean look, spoke up. “Hey, Ais! Tell us that one story!” 

“That one story…?” 

“You know the one! About those Minotaurs that got away!” The werewolf prodded, smirking the whole time. “Remember, you finished off the last one on the lower fifth floor! You know, tomato boy!” 

Bell froze, his spine tingling; the butterflies were gone. Something else was taking their place. 

Another person spoke up— Raul. “Are you talking about the Monster Party that attacked us on the lower seventeenth floor? The ones that ran away?” 

“Yeah, yeah! Can’t believe they actually ran away with their tails between their legs! How can they even call themselves monsters?” Bete howled with laughter. 

Ais didn’t speak.

One of the Amazon sisters asked, “And they ran all the way to the fifth floor?”

“Yeah, and there! That ‘adventurer!’” the werewolf sneers. His mocking intonation causes Bell to cringe.

‘…Me.’

“Some fuckin’ newbie got himself cornered like a lil’ bunny! Shaking like one, too!” Bete roared with laughter. “He looked like he was about to explode!”

Every inch of his body was burning. Bell thought he might explode right there. 

“Oh? What happened to the boy? Was he okay?” Riviera asked curiously.

“Ais dashed over and carved up the Minotaur at the last second!” 

“……” 

“The kid got drenched in that filthy cow’s blood! Completely soaked!” the wolf wheezes. “He looked like a fuckin’ tomato! Gyahahahaha—!” 

“Ais, tell me you weren’t trying to do that!” One of the Amazon sisters asks, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye as she giggles. 

“…No, I wasn’t.”

Bell couldn’t tell what was going through her mind. Her flawless face was impenetrable.

‘Did she recognize me back there?’

His heart sank at the thought.

‘She must think that I’m pathetic.’

The werewolf was laughing so hard he was tearing up. The others were chuckling as well. 

Even the customers nearby were trying not to laugh.

“And get this! Tomato boy ran away, screaming his head off!” Bete manages to get out between laughs. “Our princess saves him, and he runs! Aizu scared the kid off!” 

The table erupted into laughter.

Lefiya trembled as she held back her laughter. “Hahaha… I’m sorry, Ais… It’s just too funny…” 

“……” 

Ais remained silent. Loki poked her cheek playfully, but Ais swatted her hand away irritably.

“Ooooh, don’t make those scary eyes! It ruins yer cute face!”

The table roared with laughter again.

“Um… B-Bell?” Syr’s voice sounded distant. 

As the laughter died down, Bell stood up quietly. He couldn’t take it anymore. If he heard another word, he felt like he might shatter.

However, Bell had forgotten about the cup of ale Mama Mia had placed in front of him. His knee clipped the counter as he pushed back his chair, and the cup tipped over the edge.

Clank— clank— clank— clank…

It hit the floor and bounced awkwardly, clattering longer than it had any right to. 

Bell froze.

Ale slowly soaked the cuffs of Bell’s pants and between the seams in his boots.

“Bell?” Loki was the first to recognize him. She sounded surprised.

The werewolf laughed disbelievingly. His grin widened. “Tomato boy! What are the chances?”

The room had gone silent.

Loki’s eyes opened slightly with realization. The two stories seemed to click together in her mind, as her expression turned panicked. However, Bell wasn’t focused on her.

“Heh.” Bete stalked up to him, slouching so they were at eye level. The werewolf’s breath smelled like alcohol and his expression was slightly flushed. “You heard all that?”

Bell didn’t respond. He couldn’t. 

He was paralyzed where he stood.

“You’re really somethin’,” the werewolf rasped with a sneer. “Trying to run away again? Like a coward?”

Bell couldn’t find his voice.

“Seriously… What the hell were you doing?” growled Bete, his smile falling off his face. “If you’re gonna’ piss yourself like a lil’ bitch, you shouldn’t be down there in the first place. Right, Ais?”

He turned his head, looking over his shoulder at the blond adventurer.

“……”

Her silence stung more than the werewolf’s words.

“It’s weaklings like you who give adventurers a bad rep,” Bete sneered. “Just give up!”

“Shut up already, Bete!” Riveria snapped at him. “It was our mistake, letting the Minotaurs escape; that boy had nothing to do with it! Learn some respect!” 

“You elves and your damn pride!” Bete sneers. “What’s in it for you to protect this trash? You say it’s not his fault just to keep your sense of ‘honor.’ Trash is trash. Why pretend it’s anything else?”

Every word sliced down to the bone, but Bell couldn’t move an inch.

“Hey, that’s enough!” Loki finally stepped between them, causing Bete to take a surprised step backwards. Her voice was firm, unlike the playful bantering that Bell had grown accustomed to. 

She turned to the boy. “Are you alright?”

Bell’s eyes drifted to meet his goddess’ gaze. Loki saw his empty stare and placed a firm, steadying hand on his shoulder, giving him a quick squeeze. The boy didn’t react.

“Eh? Why’re you so concerned about this kid?” Bete flicked his ears.

“It’s only normal that I take care of my children, isn’t it?” Loki responded evenly.

“...he’s in our Familia?” Bete snarled, his amusement fading. Genuine disgust twisted his expression. “You’re kidding.”

Loki didn’t respond. Bell felt like he was watching everything from a distance, as if it wasn’t real.

“You’re tellin’ me that you accepted this weakling?”

The broad-shouldered dwarf, Gareth, spoke up. His gaze was dark as he turned on the werewolf. “Are you questioning Loki-sama’s judgement?”

“You’re kiddin’ me,” Bete sneered with disdain. “You’re okay with letting trash like him being one of us? Has your pride rotted?”

One of the Amazon sisters, the one with short hair, interrupted him. “Just shut up, Bete!”

The werewolf snorted, not even turning in her direction.

“You were laughin’ at him along with the rest of us. Every damn one of you are fucking hypocrites.” As he spoke, he stalked closer to Bell. The boy shrunk behind Loki, but Bete just pulled him forwards by the collar of his shirt. 

“Even if you don’t admit it, you all agree; weaklings should know. Their. Place.”

Each word was punctuated with a hard poke against his chest.

“Get your hands off Bell!” snapped Syr. Once again, Bell wasn’t sure when she had appeared behind him.

“Oho? So your little girlfriend came running to defend you?” The werewolf obliged, letting him go. “You’re pathetic.”

“Don’t talk down to me,” she retorted, eyes flashing. 

“What’re you gonna’ do about it?” Bete barked a laugh. “Go mind your own business.”

Bell’s empty eyes focused on the wooden floor. In his peripheral vision, he could see their mouths moving, but all he heard was a deafening ringing that filled his ears.

‘How pathetic am I? I can’t even defend myself.’

‘Relying on them to protect me…’

‘I can’t believe that I thought Ais Wallenstein would give me her time of day when I’m this useless…’

‘Syr… you don’t have to do this…’

‘Why?’

He refocused on the werewolf’s words when he heard—

“—Ais! What do you think? This pathetic piece of shit who was trembling in front of you? Do you think he deserves to stand at our level, as adventurers?”

Ais spoke, her voice soft, tone unreadable.

“…I don’t blame him for acting the way he did. Not under those circumstances.”

“What else could he have done? He’s new! Of course he’s weak— what did you expect?” Syr snapped.

Bell tasted salt.

He reached out and grabbed her sleeve. ‘Please, stop,’ he wanted to say, but the words painfully choked up in his throat. Syr looked down at him, eyes widening. “Wait, I didn’t mean—” 

Stepping around the waitress, Bete leaned closer, his mocking expression looming in Bell’s vision. 

“Wait, are you crying? Bahaha! Look at this pathetic loser!” His face lit up as if he’d just thought of something hilarious. “Between him and me, who would you go for, Ais?”

“…That isn’t an appropriate question.”

“Bete, you’re drunk,” Riveria scolded. “How is this even related?”

“Quiet, old hag!” Bete barked, before continuing, “You’re telling me that if this trash came up to you and said he liked you, you’d actually consider him?”

Bell stiffened.

“……”

“Of course you wouldn’t! Why would this feeble, nauseating trash have the right to stand next to you? Next to us?”

“A pathetic brat could never land Ais Wallenstein!”

Bell's eyes met Ais' golden gaze, her expression impossible to read. She turned away.

‘Ah… I see.’

The world crumbled into darkness around him.

‘I’m not even worthy of looking her in the eyes.’

His cheeks felt warm. Wet.

‘…I’m… crying?’

He wasn’t sure when the tears had started. 

‘She must be disgusted…’

He tore his gaze from hers, ducking around Syr and Loki before dashing towards the exit. His quick footsteps took him out the door, bursting onto the street.

“Bell?!” 

The streets were packed from edge to edge with people, but Bell shoved through them with reckless abandon. Someone was calling his name, but it faded into the clamor of the crowd.

The waitress raced out the door after the bunny-like boy, her gray-blue hair trailing in the hair behind her as she shouted, presumably, his name. 

Silence filled the room, so thick it could be cut with a sword.

“Mind yer damn business!” barked Loki.

Her cold glare froze everyone in place.

The clink of utensils filled the room as the other patrons returned to their food and drink, conversation slowly trickling in to fill the silence. Several customers continued to glance awkwardly at the Loki Familia’s table, though. 

With a long-suffering sigh, the red-haired goddess shot each of them dirty looks, before grabbing one of the glass bottles off the table and taking one long swig. She slumped back down into her chair, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she looked up at the wooden beams criss-crossing the ceiling.

She opened her mouth, before thinking better of it and taking another swig. “This is a damn mess…”

Meanwhile, Riviera was still chewing Bete out.

“Have you an ounce of decency in you, Bete?!” she hissed, grabbing his hair and pulling his face up to meet her furious gaze. “That was no way to treat a new member and inexcusable behavior for an executive!”

Bete scowled, trying to escape her grasp. “Like I said, trash is trash! So what? They need to be put in their place!”

“That’s untrue, but even so, you crossed a line.” Riveria’s gaze promised suffering.

Meanwhile, the Hiryute sisters appeared on either side of the werewolf. Sweat trickled down Bete’s spine.

“Gaaaaah—!”

Ais followed the waitress onto the street, moving even though she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Her sharp eyes picked out several people stumbling as the boy with white hair shoved his way through the crowd with seemingly no heed towards those he had upset.

She pushed off the ground, instantly leaping dozens of meders into the air before landing gracefully atop the Hostess’ roof, her boots tapping the shingles lightly. From her new vantage point, she could see his path more clearly. 

‘Is he… heading towards the Dungeon?’

People were clamoring as they pointed at her from street level. Ais frowned before she began leaping from rooftop to rooftop in silent pursuit of the boy. Only when she had caught up with him did she ask, ‘Why?’

‘Why am I following him?’

‘I should apologize, but…’

A cold voice in the back of her mind murmured:

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘You only need a place to grow strong and strong companions.’

‘Why waste your time on him?’

‘You’ll never find your “hero”—’

Suddenly, Bete’s question popped into her head.

        “Between him and me, who would you go for?”

At the time, Ais didn’t have an answer. Was this the kind of question that people were supposed to have the answer to?

It was impossible anyways; she didn’t have time for anything like that.

She only had time to train. To fight. To grow stronger.

Ais paused as she looked at the white-haired boy below. Hazy, drunken memories resurfaced. 

        A glimpse of white hair and piercing red eyes as the world was swallowed by darkness.

        His gentle smile. His exasperated sighs.

        His warm, steadying back.

“Why did I think of that…?” she murmured to no one in particular.

The girl shook her head, before continuing her acrobatic chase.

Above, dark clouds began to gather; the skies threatened a storm.

‘Damn it!’

‘Damn it!’

‘DAMN IT!’ 

His boots hit the cobblestones as he shoved his way through Main Street. The scenery around him had turned into blurry shapes as he tried to blink the tears out of his eyes. He wasn’t seeing anything anyways; the scene in the bar had been replaying inside his head non-stop.

For the first time in his life… he wanted to disappear. To stop existing.

‘Why am I so damn stupid?!’

Every time the werewolf’s words played in his mind, they cut deeper.

‘Weak.’

        ‘Feeble.’ 

                ‘Trash.’ 

                        ‘Tiny.’

                                ‘Nauseating.’

                                        ‘Pathetic.’

                                                ‘Disgusting.’

                                                        ‘Little bitch.’

Bell wasn’t thinking ‘What can I do to get closer to her?’

He was thinking, ‘If I don’t do something, I don’t even have the right to stand next to her.’

For the first time, Bell felt real anger. Rage that made his heart pump and his veins burn.

However, he wasn’t angry at Bete.

‘It hurts… IT HURTS!’

‘It hurt that I couldn’t say anything, couldn’t defend myself…’

‘It hurt that I didn’t even deserve to look at her…’

‘It hurt that I was nothing to her…’

‘IT HURT BECAUSE EVERYTHING HE SAID WAS TRUE!’

He was angry at his happy-go-lucky self. He was angry at himself for thinking that he could even hope that the Sword Princess would feel anything other than disgust for him, when he was a ‘weak piece of trash.’

Finally, he came to a stop where the press of the crowds thinned out, panting hard. He rested with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath; the cold air stung his lungs and made him dizzy.

“……”

His crimson eyes looked up at the glimmering white tower soaring high above the skyline. Even in the darkest night, it glowed with pale, divine radiance. In the backdrop of silky night, stars twinkled quietly.

The Dungeon was waiting for him at the base of the Tower of Babel.

The doors were open.

Bell ran towards the entrance at a dead sprint.

Chapter Text

Heavy rain pounded against the clerestory windows above the dining hall. The din of utensils against plates and bowls, the sound of eating, and the ebb of conversation filled the room and created a lively atmosphere. There were more people than usual, seemingly drawn to the pleasant vibe of the dining hall or forced inside by the downpour outside.

Liruka quietly pushed her food around on her plate, piled high with creamy risotto with slow-roasted lamb shoulder drenched in thick savoury sauce. The fragrance of the rice and cheese blended perfectly with the savoury meat sauce. Combined with the comfortably warm room and the pitter-patter of the rain outside, there seemed no reason for her lethargy.

Despite the delicious food before her, she hadn’t eaten a bite yet. She was rarely expressive to begin with, but she seemed particularly out of sorts; she wasn’t the type to waste food.

Mitsuru noticed her listlessness, swallowing a mouthful of lamb and looking up from his own meal. 

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, gesturing vaguely. ‘Nothing.’

“The streets outside became empty so quickly,” Mitsuru noted idly, fiddling with his fork. “Business must be booming for the taverns along Main Street.”

The elf only nodded in response, taking a small bite of her rice.

“...You’re worried for him as well, huh?”

Liruka nodded again.

Mitsuru sighed, pushing his hair back. “I hope he got somewhere dry before the rain started.”

She sighed, giving the orange-haired cat person a complicated expression.

“His progress is impressive,” Mitsuru murmured. “He’s keeping pace as a supporter. His basic training and Dungeon knowledge is growing quickly as well.”

The elf raised an eyebrow. Mitsuru could almost hear her scathing remarks: ‘Didn’t he almost die?’

“The Minotaur was a special case,” he laughed, knowing exactly what she was thinking about. “That was just his bad luck. Besides, he’s good at running; that’s a crucial skill in the Dungeon.”

‘You know what else is a crucial skill?’ Liruka finally dropped her spoon and began signing, her hands flickering through gestures with rapid speed. ‘Not getting lost.’

“Heh. I guess he’s still got a lot to learn.” The cat person chuckled. “Well, he has plenty of time.”

...

...

...

Bell kicked off the ground, dashing towards the frog monster with bulging eyes.

“Haaaah!

His skinning knife flickers in a silver arc as he guts the monster from throat to lower stomach.

The corpse crashes to the floor with a gurgling squeal behind him.

He had found monsters, then killed them. Then he found more monsters. He wasn’t sure how long he had been fighting— it was hard to tell time in the Dungeon.

The white-haired adventurer looked down at his knife, which felt significantly lighter. He noticed that the blade had snapped. Looking back, he saw the light bounce off the blade that was still embedded in the frog’s intestines. He let the blade-less handle drop to the floor with a clatter.

The monster was a ‘Frog Shooter,’ which attacked adventurers with a long, spear-like tongue they could launch out of their mouths with incredible speed. Bell had been taken by surprise and barely managed to avoid death by blocking the attack with his tiny blade.

Ultimately, that must have been too much strain for his weapon. The skinning knife hadn’t been made for combat in the first place; Bell didn’t have a proper weapon yet.

Bloody slashes covered his arms and legs, from close encounters with other monsters. Several puncture wounds in his left arm remained from when one of the Goblins had sunk its teeth into it, but he’d promptly driven his knife through the monster’s brain before it had done any debilitating damage.

However, none of these thoughts went through his mind. He didn’t look back on his battle to see what he could change. He didn’t care that he didn’t have any weapons anymore. He didn’t even stop to bandage his bleeding wounds.

No armor. No weapons. No thoughts.

Only, ‘Who’s next?’

As the adrenaline wore off, Bell leaned against a wall as his aching wounds caught up to him.

‘It hurts…’

He grits his teeth.

‘...I can keep going.’

The past couple of hours played through his mind as he closed his eyes for a moment.

How far did he run?

        Away from the Hostess.

                Through the crowds of Main Street.

                        Into the Dungeon.

‘Even when I’m trying to be stronger… all I can do is run.’

Tears pricked at his eyes again, but he just swallowed hard before moving again.

He followed the winding curves of the Dungeon walls. His boots echoed against the ground eerily. The tasteless, cold air of the Dungeon wrapped around Bell like a shroud. There was nothing around him— no monsters, no adventurers, just the darkness of the Dungeon ahead.

‘I have to close the distance between me and her, no matter what.’

Ais followed behind him at a distance, silently watching.

‘……’

Her eyes took in his reckless movements and accumulating injuries.

There was wild abandon in his movements.

Something primal.

Something… familiar.

‘He looks like how I did several years ago…’

The way that he threw himself at the Dungeon with that reckless ferocity resonated with her.

She understood him.

        Tears silently falling from cinnabar eyes.

        The sorrow in those eyes left her speechless.

        Her face felt frozen.

        She couldn’t speak.

        The only thing she could think was, ‘Don’t insult him!’

        But instead, she just closed her mouth and looked away.

Ais shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Even if these were the Upper Floors, negligence in the Dungeon was a dangerous habit.

Her eyes refocused on the boy as she crept after him. 

He narrowly dodged the pointed tip of the Frog Shooter’s tongue, wincing as it left a tiny cut on his cheek.

Before the monster could retract its tongue, Bell grabbed it and turned around. Setting his boots into the ground, he pulled the monster by the tongue as hard as he could over his shoulder. Unable to keep its footing, the monster swung over his head and into the wall with a wet splatter.

After stomping its head several times, he took a moment to breathe.

‘Where… am I?’

The walls were a different color than the normal shades of stone-gray of the upper four floors. Rather, the terrain was all a soft, light green. Furthermore, the corridors were narrower and more twisted.

Now that he thought about it, he’d never seen a Frog Shooter before now.

‘This must be the fifth… no, lower sixth floor.’

Faintly, he can hear his Guild advisor berating him. ‘Adventurers shouldn’t go looking for adventure!’

However, he couldn’t care less. He knew exactly what dangers awaited him below and how an unprepared adventurer could easily die… but he kept moving forwards. The idea of turning back never even crossed his mind for one second.

Bell’s gaze flicked back and forth, searching for his next target.

“Haaa… haaa…”

His ragged breathing was the only sound that could be heard.

‘How long have I been here?’

Bell didn’t have an answer. He could have been in the Dungeon for hours, by now.

‘...huh.’

He paused as he found himself standing in the center of a roughly square room. It was a dead end.

Bell turned around, before flinching as he heard a soft crack!

Crack, crack…

‘The sound is getting louder.’

‘There’s nothing to hide behind here and I don’t see any monsters.’

‘Where is it coming from?’

‘Perhaps my senses have improved since I updated my status?’

Bell couldn’t think of any better explanation. He closed his eyes, trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from.

His eyes snapped open.

‘The wall!’

The greenish stone suddenly cracked, fractures spider-webbing through the surface.

Bell finally realized what was happening: a monster birth. The Dungeon was the only place in Genkai that produced ‘threats to the mortal races.’ And monsters were born from the Dungeon walls… as fully-fledged, battle-ready adults. 

Suddenly, the fractured wall burst as a ginormous hand slammed through the cracks. For several moments, the black hand with three knife-like fingers flexed tentatively. Then the other hand exploded through the green stone and sent small pieces of rubble scattering across the floor. 

The creature tumbled out of the hidden nook in the wall, landing on its feet.

It looked like a shadow had peeled itself off the floor.

The monster was 160 celch tall, about as tall as Bell. Its entire pitch black body was uncannily smooth and featureless. It looked almost humanoid but its proportions were all wrong, with huge hands and a bulbous, cross-shaped head. A singular silver orb in the center gleamed with malicious light.

It turned to face Bell.

He recognized it almost immediately: it was a lower sixth floor monster, the ‘War Shadow.’

Crack, crack…

‘Behind me!’

Another large crack formed in the opposite wall from the first monster’s birthplace. There was another monster being born behind Bell. He was getting flanked.

‘Maybe I’m cursed…?’

Bell shook his head, refocusing on his situation.

‘Thankfully, the room is wide enough to move, but…’ 

He glanced at the first War Shadow, which was already obstructing the only entrance to the room.

‘This timing is way too unlucky… Did I fall into a trap laid by the Dungeon?’

The two War Shadows flexed their fingers, circling around the white-haired boy. Their silver ‘eyes’ were flashing like flickering magic stone lamps, locked onto their ‘prey.’

No armor. No weapons. No thoughts.

Every word that Bete said ran through Bell’s mind. That was all that he could think about.

His bleeding cuts and aching bruises couldn’t begin to compare with how he felt that moment.

Run?

No.

‘They’re moving!’

War Shadows have sharp blades for fingers, three on each hand at the end of extremely long arms. Furthermore, they are extremely fast and their attack patterns are complicated.

The books say that War Shadows are the most dangerous Upper Floor monsters in terms of pure power. Adventurers who stick to the Upper Floors, from the first floor to the twelfth, should approach War Shadows with extreme caution— a mistake against one of them could be the last thing they see.

“Gah!”

Fresh blood dripped onto the floor. Bell hissed as he clutched his side; not even ten seconds in and he’d already been hit by a stray attack.

The War Shadows were shockingly strong and fast, their fingers flashing from seemingly every direction. Bell could only barely dodge, constantly taking minor cuts that slashed his clothing to tatters and left shallow wounds all over his body.

‘Their reach is too long!’

‘I can’t get close enough to counterattack!’

He gasped as one of the War Shadows drew a crimson line over his stomach. Any closer and he would’ve been disemboweled, right then and there… They were on a completely different level compared to the other monsters than he had been facing.

The idea of fleeing seemed laughable. He couldn’t counter or dodge, much less run away.

‘They’re just too damn strong!’

Seeing him tire himself out, the silent monsters swung their arms at his head. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw their blades moving. At the last second, Bell tilted his head to the side, only barely avoiding having his head cleaved in two. He had to almost immediately leap to the right to avoid the second Shadow’s attack by the skin of his teeth.

Front, left, down, right, above…

The onslaught was unrelenting. 

He was avoiding fatal blows by mere inches. His blood dripped onto the floor. 

This was a dance with death.

‘...I might actually die down here.’

However, he was alive.

More alive than he’d ever felt before.

His mind was clear as he stared his opponents down.

‘How can someone who has only been adventuring for one week survive on this floor on his own?’

‘Eina has told me before; I shouldn’t be able to dodge their attacks or leave a scratch on them!’

‘She said that my status was low, extremely low.’

‘My status.’

Bell Cranel

Level 1

• Strength I-33 → I-58
• Endurance I-74 → I-92
• Dexterity I-47 → I-55
  
• Agility I-6 → I-56
  
• Magic I-0

Magic

( )

Skills

( )

He remembered the ginormous increases he had received yesterday. Everything clicked.

‘These would’ve been death blows if I was in this position two days ago… and even though I’m hurt all over, I feel mostly okay.’

‘I’m not fast enough to dodge their attacks completely, but my increased Endurance is why I’m still alive.’

There was a glimmer of hope.

He could win this.

The War Shadows capitalized on his moment of distraction, swinging their claws at his face. Bell managed to duck under the strikes, but the second swing with the back of their hand caught him in the face and sent him tumbling onto the ground. Stars exploded behind his eyelids. Despite the pain, he grit his teeth and recollected himself enough to roll into a low crouch.

Closing in with incredible speed, the War Shadows rose above him and prepared to finish him off.

Bell’s eyes narrowed.

Time slowed down.

‘Will I always need someone to rescue me?’

        Her lithe frame was clad with gleaming silver armor.

        Her sword was like a needle of starlight.

        Her blond hair fanned around her pretty face like a halo of light.

        Her eyes were radiant gold.

        “Are you… okay?”

She appeared in his mind, unbidden.

‘I can save myself. I’ll fight… and I’ll win.’

His leg lashed out like a whip, kicking the Shadows’ feet out from under them.

Bell fell onto one of them like a rabid beast, sinking his fingers into the gap between the smooth black skin and the silvery ‘eye’ with wet, crunching noises. Black blood spurted onto his fingers and some landed on his face, but he didn’t care. He pulled with all his strength.

The monster’s silver ‘eye’ ripped away from its face with a wet squelch. The glimmering magic stone had been pried from the Shadow’s face and the body disintegrated into shimmering particles.

On the ground, there was only one of the finger-blades left.

Before Bell could celebrate, he yelped as he was forced to dodge aside as the other War Shadow, who had regained its footing, slashed at his neck. He snatched the finger-blade from the stone floor as he passed by, completely ignoring the fact that he was holding a blade directly with his fingers, before dashing up close. He couldn’t allow the monster to capitalize on its long reach.

The monster began attacking in a frenzy, wildly swinging at Bell.

His eyes followed the movements, allowing him to dodge the most dangerous strikes and block the rest with his other hand. It was much easier now that there was only one.

In one burst of movement, he slashed the monster’s hands, slicing off the fingers on its left hand before he turned his body with the slash. With no fingers to block his next attack, Bell’s leg swung upwards into a clean roundhouse kick and connected cleanly with the Shadow’s head, sending it crashing to the ground.

Bell followed the monster onto the floor, slamming the finger-blade straight through the monster’s eye.

It spasmed underneath him slightly, before going still.

“Haaaa… haa… haaa…”

Bell fell onto his back, gasping desperately for air. His head pounded violently.

His body was screaming at him for doing something so stupid— he hadn’t been ready to fight those monsters whatsoever!

Deep cuts in his fingers and right palm from holding the finger-blade… Tiny cuts across his legs, arms, and torso from Goblins, Dungeon Lizards, and Frog Shooters… and his horribly torn up left forearm, which he had used to block many of the last War Shadow’s attacks.

He was a mess.

‘...But I won.’

As soon as his breathing was mostly back to normal, he staggered to his feet and began moving. He kept the finger-blade; who knew what would happen?

The Dungeon was alive. He had to leave, now.

Bell took one step towards the exit.

“You shall not escape...”

He paused. ‘Am I hearing things? That wasn’t a voice…’

Crack, crack!

“—!” 

The walls were breaking around him! 

Cracks appeared across the walls of the room around him. The sound of breathing filled the room and the greenish stone crumbled, revealing dozens of War Shadows on all sides.

Bell recalled why Eina had warned against descending unprepared: the number of monsters born from the Dungeon walls dramatically increased from the lower fifth floor onwards.

There were more monsters clamoring from beyond the exit.

“...so much for a clean escape.”

He tightened his grip on the finger-blade, ignoring how his blood continuously dripped onto the floor.

For one moment, he can feel his falna burning on his back. Pushing him forwards.

‘Can I win?’

He’d only been adventuring for a week. His combat training was minimal. He could die here.

He shook his head.

‘I have to.’

Ais wiped some blood from her face as she crushed several monsters with one kick. Their bodies disintegrated with their magic stone pulverized.

‘I’ve killed enough. Judging from his strength, he should be able to handle the rest.’

For some reason, her chest felt tight with strange feelings.

Her impenetrable gaze flicked towards where the sounds of wailing monsters and combat originated.

        His brilliant eyes, exactly the color of cut rubies. His delicate white lashes.

        His soft white hair tickled her chin. Her pounding headache faded away.

        His soft breathing. The warmth in her arms.

        …the thought of him not coming back out of the Dungeon.

Her chest ached. 

‘...I can stay. Just in case.’

She wasn’t sure what was wrong with her; she had seen countless people be buried already, yet she felt this way for someone who was practically a stranger.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. A small frown crossed her face, as she realized this was the second time she had lost focus in the Dungeon.

‘...really, why do I keep thinking about him?’

Chapter Text

The magic stone clock on the wall ticked softly. Sunlight sparkled through the rain-washed windows, making the city outside look clean and bright. However, the groaning goddess only dragged the blackout curtains over the glass to shut the painful light outside. Her pounding headache wasn’t getting any better…

‘Maybe more booze would help…?’

She tipped a bottle backwards over her mouth. A single drop fell onto her tongue, but no more. She frowned, shaking the bottle a few times before sighing and tossing the bottle aside with a crash! 

It landed next to a discarded flyer that read, ‘GANESHA’S CELEBRATION OF THE GODS’— Loki didn’t plan on going —and another that read ‘CHEAP SOMA ~ 25% OFF!’ Various papers, books, and other bottles lay scattered around the room. It was far messier than usual, which was really saying something.

The goddess’ gaze flicked over her sloppy room with an apathetic sigh. ‘I’ll clean it up later.’ 

Loki sprawled backwards onto her bed with an arm slung over her eyes to try to block out the asscrack of dawn still piercing between her curtains. She did her best to think coherent thoughts around the throbbing pain in head. Her musings drifted to her Familia members— namely, Bell and Ais.

‘Where did they go?’ she wondered, licking her sticky lips. ‘I hope they got out of the rain…’

Her mind went back to last night and the scene they had made at the bar. ‘Aizu…’

In the nine years that Ais had been in her Familia, Loki had learned to read the tiny tells and nuances in expression of the closed-off girl. ‘She looked upset… And lost. Like she didn’t know what to do.’

‘I should’ve paid more attention to her,’ she chided herself. ‘This is the second time I’ve lost her—- in recent memory —-already. At least she’s probably with Bell… she'll keep him safe.’

‘...I know that, but…’

Loki sighed as she reluctantly dragged herself out of bed. By the time she realized it, she was standing in the massive doorway of Twilight Manor, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed loosely. She lingered there, her thoughts drifting. Mostly, she was quietly hoping that Bell and Ais would come back soon, even though she wasn’t exactly sure what she’d say when they did.

She must have dozed off, because the sound of someone climbing the front steps startled her awake. She rubbed at her mouth, wiping away a bit of drool, and looked up just in time to see…

“Aizuuu! You’re safe!”

Loki dove at her, but Ais just sidestepped casually, watching as the goddess tumbled onto the dirt path behind her.

“Hello, Loki-sama,” Ais greeted flatly.

Loki popped back up without missing a beat, brushing dirt off her outfit and eyeing Ais with an appraising look. “What’s with the cold sh—” 

Her gaze shifted to the state of Ais’ clothes, her eyes widening.

“What the hell happened to you?” she asked, taking in Ais’ torn and dirt-streaked clothes.

Ais hesitated, then shrugged. “...Nothing.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but didn’t push it. “Mm, whatever. As long as yer not hurt. Riveria would have my head if anything happened to you.”

The adventurer said nothing, only nodding absently.

Loki looked her over again, narrowing her eyes. “Something wrong? You seem distracted.”

“...What?” Ais blinked, refocusing on the goddess.

“Yer certainly outta’ sorts. Is this about last night?” Loki shook her head with a frown. “That was a poor welcome for the lil’ rabbit. Bete really crossed a line there...” 

She turned towards Ais, leaning close and studying the adventurer with furrowed brows. Ais scrunched up her face and stepped away. “What is it…?”

The goddess seemed to come to a realization, her expression turning gentle. “You like him, don’t you?”

The blond didn’t respond right away, her eyes flicking away. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. After a beat, she nodded faintly. “...He’s interesting.”

Loki's lips curled into a sly grin behind her hand. "‘Interesting,’ huh? I didn’t know you were into twinks…”

“...?” Ais only gave Loki a confused look. 

“It’s nothing.” The goddess just chuckled, waving her hand. “Anyway… how are you feeling?”

Ais’ hands flexed like she was reaching for something at her hip. She only grasped empty air instead of the comforting hilt of her sword. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t seem to find the words before looking away.

Loki hesitated. 

“...It’s been bothering you, hasn’t it?”

“...Yes.” Ais hesitated, a small frown tugging at her lips. “I... I want to make things right.”

The red-haired goddess nodded for her to continue.

“It feels like I keep dragging him into one bad situation after another,” Ais murmured, before hesitating. “And then last night with Bete. I feel like I should’ve done more to stop it.”

Loki raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got a lot on your mind, huh? You know, it wasn’t yer fault.”

Ais nodded slowly, not seeming to fully believe her goddess. “...but he didn’t deserve that. What should I do?”

The goddess leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, chewing her lip for a moment. “Just say yer sorry; trust me, it’ll mean more to him than you think.” 

Ais bit her lip. “...Is that really enough?”

Loki shrugged. “If yer really set on making up with him, you could give him a gift.”

“...Doesn’t that seem like I’m bribing him?”

“You don’t have to pay him, or even give him something— it could be a favor.” The goddess shrugged again.

“A favor?” Ais seemed to turn the idea over in her head.

Suddenly, Loki was struck with divine inspiration, the likes of which rivaled Hephaistos’ genius when the blacksmith goddess forged the thrones of the gods.

“You could train him,” she suggested with an impish grin.

Ais blinked, seemingly caught off guard. “...You want me to train him?”

“Why not?” Loki continued. “He’s new and ambitious; you could give him some tips and help his confidence. It’s a good way to show yer sincerity.”

“...I don’t know…” The adventurer hesitated. “What if he doesn’t want my help?”

Loki hid her grin. “Then, at least you tried, right?”

She patted Ais’ shoulder firmly. “It was just a suggestion. You don’t have to if you don’t wanna’. So don’t think too much about it,” she said while knowing full well that Ais would now think about it more.

The goddess left the adventurer there in thoughtful silence, as she went to go get Riveria.

‘Train him?’

Bell’s face surfaced again in her mind—

        His fluttering lashes were delicate like falling snow.

        His silver hair caught the light like moonlight on lilies. 

        His quiet, even breathing tickled her collarbone, warm and fragile.

Ais closed her eyes and shook her head quickly, trying to chase the lingering image away.

The hot water streamed over her, running in rivulets down her arms and legs, disappearing into the swirling drain below. Steam filled the air around her, wrapping her in warmth. Droplets condensed on her body, clinging to her for a moment before sliding down her skin.

She watched them, tracing their paths as her thoughts drifted.

‘...Should I?’

Ais set it aside for the moment as she turned off the water. The sudden silence rang loudly in her ears, broken only by the water dripping from her body to the floor.

She reached for the fresh set of clothes she had laid out earlier— another sleeveless dress with open sides and a backless design. She dried off quickly and slipped into it, her movements brisk but distracted. Her mind kept circling back to the same question.

‘Should I?’

By the time she stepped out of the shower room, she was so deep in thought that she barely noticed Riveria until she almost crashed into her. 

Ais stepped backwards in surprise, an apology already spilling out of her lips: “Sorry, I—”

Riveria waved her hands dismissively, smiling gently. “It’s fine. Loki told me you were back.”

“Mm.” Ais nodded, still lost in thought.

“Are you worrying about Bell?” the high elf asked knowingly.

Ais looked up in surprise. “How…?”

“You ran out after him. I assumed you would be concerned about him, especially after the incident Loki caused last week.”

At the mention of it, something twisted in Ais’s stomach. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her tunic. She opened her mouth to respond, but Riveria continued softly.

“I understand how you feel, Ais. Loki tricked you; it wasn’t your fault.” Riveria’s mouth tightened into a line as she continued. “And the Minotaur… that was also out of our hands. We couldn’t have known they would run so far.”

The high elf specifically emphasized “our” to remind Ais that it had been their fault collectively. She was not the sole person at fault who had to bear the burden of every mistake.

“As for Bete and his words... I will handle him.” A faint edge of steel entered Riveria’s voice. “His behavior was unacceptable, but it is not yours to fix.”

Ais wrestled with the idea. She didn’t like this feeling of “owing” him. While it was freeing to hear that she wasn’t really indebted to Bell, it also felt… wrong.

        “You know, it wasn’t yer fault.”

Loki’s words replayed in her mind, but she couldn’t help but think: ‘It might not have been my fault, but I was the common denominator. I should have done better, done more, done something.’

She suddenly snapped out of those thoughts, an unconscious scowl crossing her face. She didn’t like these complicated problems with her feelings. They made her feel…

        …helpless. 

Riveria noticed her frown and sighed. “Ais, you can’t do everything. Sometimes, things happen that we can't stop, no matter how strong or fast we are.”

She offered a small, wistful smile. “And sometimes... people don't need saving. Sometimes they just need the chance to stand up on their own.”

The blond adventurer stood still for a moment, clearly still struggling with her own thoughts. “But… I still feel like I need to do something.”

“You don't owe him anything, Ais," she said. Her voice was firm but not harsh. “An apology would be more than enough.” 

“But—”

“Bell chose to help you— don’t let this sense of obligation be turned against you. He wouldn’t want you to feel that way either,” the high elf said, restating her point. “And those accidents were out of your control. Mistakes were made, but they don’t define you."

Ais bit her lip and looked downwards.

The silence was only broken by the sound of distant Familia members moving through the hallways.

Finally, Riveria’s voice softened further.

"If you feel like you want to do something for him... then do it. Not because you feel guilty. Not because you feel obligated."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze clear and direct.

“Do it because you want to.”

Ais lifted her own gaze slowly. Her golden eyes, usually calm and unreadable, were now swirling with unspoken emotion.

“I don’t want him to think I’m just trying to make up for my mistakes,” she said quietly. “Or that I’m doing this out of pity.”

Even though many people considered her distant and airheaded, she knew from her experience on the receiving end: pity was the worst.

Riveria smiled faintly. “Then show him that you’re not. Bell’s not foolish. He’ll understand if you’re honest. And even if he doesn’t at first... sincerity always speaks louder than words.”

Ais nodded slowly, her hands finally relaxing at her sides.

“...Okay.”

His injuries had mostly stopped bleeding. 

Every step was a struggle as he tried to hold himself together through the pain.

His clothes were torn in several places, his skin marred with deep gashes, cuts, and bruises. His left forearm was a mess— skin shredded where he’d used it to block attacks. His fingers were sliced open, blood dripping from his right palm, and smaller but still painful cuts littered his legs, arms, and torso.

Frankly, he looked like a total mess. He was glad that he managed to get out of the Dungeon before the sun rose; if anybody had seen him in the streets, they probably would’ve fainted.

Bell tried his best to keep quiet, but his clumsy footsteps betrayed him. Thankfully, there hadn’t been anyone from the entrance to the Twilight Manor all the way to the infirmary. However, his luck ran dry there, when he pushed the door open.

Creeeaaaak.

Loki was standing at the cabinets, sorting through some supplies when she turned around and saw Bell. Her eyes softened in relief, before abruptly sharpening with panic as she took in his wounds.

“What the hell happened to you?” she snapped, rushing over to catch him before he collapsed. “What the hell did you do?”

Bell’s breath was labored, his face pale and sweaty as he tried to force a smile. “I… I went into the Dungeon,” he admitted quietly.

Loki’s heart skipped a beat. “Without armor? Without a weapon?” Her voice shot up in alarm. “Are you insane?”

The boy stayed silent.

Loki’s expression shifted, her frustration turning into concern.

“Did what Bete say bother you that much?” Loki asked.

“...” Bell couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

Loki sighed at his silence. ‘That was a dumb question anyways.’

“Come on,” she muttered externally. “Yer a mess. Sit down, let me look at you.” 

She pushed him toward a cot, her voice losing a bit of its edge. Some of the cuts looked worse than they actually were, but the damage was clearly extensive.

As she worked, she glanced at him and couldn’t help but let out a dry chuckle. "We always seem to end up here, huh?”

Bell only nodded numbly.

Loki sighed at his lackluster response. 

After a heavy silence, she continued. “Yer lucky, you know? You could’ve died.”

The white-haired adventurer winced as she carefully bandaged his forearm. “I’m sorry, Loki-sama. I just... I don’t know what else to do. I need to get stronger, and I feel like I’m not improving fast enough.”

"Bell." Loki’s usual mischievous grin was absent. "Strength doesn't come overnight. You’ve already come a long way since you first joined the Familia."

“It doesn’t feel like it.” Bell looked down as he fiddled with his bandages. “I’m not strong enough to be in the Loki Familia. Not strong enough to be someone who could stand beside people who... who are so far ahead of me.”

“...Honestly, I still feel like that lost little kid.”

Loki nodded wordlessly, letting him find his voice.

“I know it’s stupid," he murmured, his face twisted with desperation. "But I can’t help it. Every time I look at someone like— like them, I feel so... weak. Like I don’t even belong in the same room with them."

He swallowed hard, trying to hold back the pressure behind his eyes. "And Bete... Bete was right. I... I'm not good enough for—”

        “—for her.”

“—for this Familia.”

After a long silence, Loki sighed and folded her arms across her chest.

"Look. Bete's got a point, but not the one he thinks. No one else gets to decide yer worth but you, Bell.” She grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look her in the eye. “Not Bete, not me, and not some imaginary measuring stick in yer head.”

Her firm expression blurred in his vision.

        “Do not leave your decisions to others. Not to the spirits. Not to the gods.” 

        “I, for one, will never tell you to do anything.” 

        “Don’t blindly obey. You must carve your own path, and take responsibility for it.”

        “This is your story.”

‘Grandfather…’ Bell’s chest tightened as he held back tears. He met Loki’s eyes as she squeezed his shoulder gently and gave him a small grin.

“You’ve got what it takes to stand beside them. It might not be today, but you will someday."

“But…” Bell hesitated. “But what if I can’t catch up? What if I never become someone who’s strong enough to be worthy of this Familia or… anyone else?”

“You never will, not with that attitude,” Loki flicked his forehead playfully, causing him to recoil and wince. “For now, you need to stop worrying about proving yerself to others, and start proving yer worth to yerself.”

He let his hands drop from his forehead with a small smile. “...Okay.”

Loki ruffled his hair affectionately. “That’s better. Besides, yer already doin’ better than you think, lil’ rabbit.”

Bell scratched his cheek with embarrassment. “Ehhh…”

“I ain't the type to waste my time on hopeless cases,” she said with a smirk. She nudged his side. 

He grinned back at her, then winced as her elbow pressed against his injuries. “Loki-sama, please be more careful…”

Loki smirked. “Glad yer still capable of whining. Means yer alive.”

He nodded quietly, smiling softly. A more comfortable silence passed between them.

…

“Anyways,” she suddenly said, clapping her hands, “While we’re at it, let me update your status. Yer already shirtless.”

“So sudden, Loki-sama?” He huffed a short laugh. Still, he obliged, carefully turning over in order trying not to reopen his wounds. 

“Might as well; otherwise, yer gonna’ have to wait until the end of the month,” she sighs, visibly deflating at the thought of— ew —working.

Bell couldn’t help but chuckle again, despite the lines of pain stinging across his torso. “I appreciate it. Sorry for the trouble, Loki-sama.”

“What trouble? This is nothing,” Loki waved as she leaned over his back. “After all…”

“...It’s a god’s duty to care for their children.”

After a few moments, he felt a familiar rippling sensation travel from his back to the rest of his body.

He waited expectantly. However, Loki didn’t give him the paper with his status on it.

For almost five minutes, Loki remained silent. Bell shifted uncomfortably beneath her, his concern growing. “Is something wrong?”

“Er… no. Gimme’ a second.” Seemingly snapping out of a daze, she hurriedly grabbed a paper and pen.

She passed him the sheet of paper after several moments.

Bell Cranel

Level 1

• Strength I-58 → H-159
• Endurance I-92 → H-185
• Dexterity I-55 → H-114
• Agility I-56 → H-144
• Magic I-0

Magic

( )

Skills

( )

His jaw dropped.

He took a second to do the math; he’d grown by 341 points. Frankly, it was ridiculous.

“L-Loki-sama… surely there’s a m-mistake?”

“Nope,” Loki shook her head, still dumbfounded herself. “It’s just the result of your hard work.”

Bell paused, looking at the paper blankly. ‘From one night…?’

Loki noticed his expression immediately. “Now, don’t get the wrong idea; if you pull another suicidal stunt like this again, I’ll kill you.”

“But wouldn’t I be dead…?”

“I’ll kill you.” Loki’s expression was dangerous.

“Okay, okay!”

“Good,” the goddess chirped, clapping her hands with a grin. She straightened up and cracked her neck. “Now, go take a nap. You need it.”

Bell slowly nodded and got up.

As he was about to leave, Loki spoke up again. “If you want to prove yerself, prove it to you first. The rest of us can wait.”

“...Thank you, Loki-sama. For everything.”

His voice trembled despite his best efforts, and Loki, for once, didn’t tease him. Didn’t grin. She just leaned against the edge of the cot and looked away. 

Meanwhile…

Ais had a thoughtful look on her face. 

“…Riveria?” 

“Hm?”

“What does ‘twink’ mean?”

The graceful, green-haired elf choked.