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Thanks to Rayx2108 and comteqfr for being the beta readers and quality supervisors of this chapter.
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The city lay peacefully beneath the night sky, bathed in the soft light of street lamps and the distant glow of the moon. Bell walked through the cobblestone streets of the residential district, the church drawing ever closer. The grimoire rested in his hands, carefully wrapped in a dark velvet cloth Freya had given him, as if he were carrying a sacred treasure.
Silence accompanied him… at least for a few seconds.
"That was convenient."
Artemis' voice echoed softly from the spear hanging on her back. Though he couldn't see her, Bell could perfectly imagine her expression: serious, frowning, arms crossed, if she had a body.
Bell let out a sigh, not annoyed, but rather resigned.
"You don't have to sound so distrustful. She didn't do anything wrong," he retorted, turning the grimoire carefully in his hands. "It seems like she's just trying to do things right… her way."
"Her manner includes throwing herself at you and hugging you like you're a prize."
Bell blushed instantly and quickened his pace.
"Th-that wasn't so…! It wasn't a big deal."
"Of course." Artemis's voice dripped with sarcasm. "And the fact that you came away with a magical artefact worth more than a mansion is pure coincidence. You say she wants to do things right, but she seems more interested in buying your heart."
There was a pause.
"You seem easy to buy, Orion."
Bell stopped dead in his tracks.
He turned his head slightly towards the spear, although he knew it was useless to look at it.
"That was… a bit aggressive, don't you think?"
"Perhaps," Artemis admitted, not even sounding sorry. "But it's not a lie. I saw how you hesitated when she offered you whatever you wanted. And don't even mention your face when she mentioned the grimoire."
Bell looked down, frowning slightly.
"It wasn't the gift. It was the way she said it. She has… a strange way of expressing herself."
"A manipulative way of expressing herself."
Bell sighed again, no longer able to argue at all.
"I'm not saying I trust her blindly. I just... try to see the best in people. That's not a flaw."
Artemis remained silent for a few seconds, then said in a softer tone:
"No, it isn't. But you can't let that make you vulnerable."
Bell nodded silently.
Bell continued walking in silence as the echo of footsteps rang faintly through the stone streets. Artemis's earlier comment still hung in the air like an invisible weight. The grimoire in his hands felt heavier than usual, though he knew it was only due to the conversation.
After a few moments, Artemis' voice emerged again, this time with a less sharp tone.
"…I'm sorry. I was too aggressive."
Bell blinked in surprise, his expression softening slightly.
"It's nothing," he replied with a half-smile. "I guess after everything that's happened, you're worried. It's just… well, I didn't think you'd hate her so much."
"Because I do hate her," she said without hesitation, bluntly but without raising her voice. "I really don't like her."
Bell tilted his head slightly, curious.
"But why? Did she do something to you?"
There was a brief pause before Artemis responded, her voice low and firm, as if she were unwilling to open that door too wide.
"We're like polar opposites, Orion. Some things just feel wrong, even if you can't quite explain them."
Bell raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. With gods, emotions often had roots that weren't always visible to mortals. Still, the phrase made him think. Polar opposites? Why? Was it because of their ideals? Because of the way each treated their followers? Or simply because of the kind of love they embodied ?
The young man sighed.
"Well… thanks for caring. Even if you do it with thorns sometimes," he said with a tired smile.
Artemis didn't respond immediately, but this time, the silence felt a little less awkward.
Bell had barely crossed the threshold of the church when he felt something small, warm, and very strong crash into his chest.
"Bell!"
Hestia hugged him tightly, as if she feared he would disappear from her arms at any moment. For the second time that day, Bell found himself caught in a sudden embrace, and though he tensed in initial surprise, he soon relaxed, letting the grimoire dangle in one hand as he gently reciprocated.
"I'm fine, Hestia-sama…" he murmured, a little embarrassed but also touched by her concern.
"Of course you're not okay, silly!" Hestia raised her voice, though she didn't move away from the hug. "I was worried sick! Do you know what was said in the city? Do you know what Flat-Chested Loki did?"
Bell blinked. "Huh?"
Hestia raised her head with a grimace of annoyance.
"She summoned an emergency Denatus. An emergency one, Bell! That hardly ever happens. All because of an 'incident in Rivira.'" She made quotation marks with her fingers, visibly annoyed. "And just as I heard that, you were on your way there. How could I not be worried?"
Bell shifted a little uncomfortably, his hand gripping the grimoire more firmly.
"B-But everything turned out okay in the end, Hestia-sama… really. I'm fine. Nothing serious happened to me."
Hestia narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms as she pulled away from him just enough to look at him seriously.
"Oh yeah? So why didn't you go back with the Takemikazuchi Familia guys? Because they arrived hours ago, Bell. Everyone's safe. What happened?"
Bell opened his mouth, then closed it. He searched his mind for an excuse, anything that sounded reasonable, but Hestia raised an eyebrow with that expression that clearly said "don't you dare."
"Uhh… well, it's just that… I saw an opportunity to—"
"No," she interrupted him curtly. "You're lying. You're not going to fool me, Bell. Remember who your goddess is."
Bell looked down, defeated, and muttered:
"Ottar asked me to accompany him…"
"Ottar?" Hestia took a step toward him, her eyes wide. "The Ottar who works for Freya? What did he want with you? And what is that book you're hiding like it's illegal?"
Bell swallowed and held up the grimoire as if that explained everything. "It's a grimoire. The goddess Freya gave it to me as a reward for… well, for everything that happened today…"
The silence that followed was heavy.
Hestia stared at him without blinking for a long second.
"…Bell. Did you go to Freya's floor alone?"
He nodded slowly, waiting for the scolding.
"And she gave you a grimoire or whatever it's called."
He nodded again, more tense.
Hestia brought a hand to her forehead, massaging her temples. "Do you want to die, Bell?!"
Bell jumped slightly at the volume.
"You know what that means, right?! The most obsessive and manipulative goddess in Orario just gave you a gift worth more than my entire church, and you took it like it was a cookie!
"I didn't—I didn't mean to take advantage!" Bell protested, waving his hands. "She just offered it to me, and—"
"And you accepted it without telling me! You're playing into her hands again, Bell!"
He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I know… I'm sorry, Hestia-sama. But… she really helped me. Thanks to her, the news about the… the dragon didn't get out."
The goddess blinked.
"What?"
Bell froze for a second. "Uh… Did I say dragon? I meant golem… or… giant chicken…"
"Bell Cranel."
Bell lowered his head even further. "...I can explain."
Bell and Hestia sat at the wooden table, facing each other. The church was quiet, dimly lit by the light from an oil lamp on the wall. The grimoire lay on the table, forgotten for a moment, as Hestia stared at it.
She no longer looked hysterical or screaming. Her expression had changed: she now seemed more concerned, with the air of a mother fearing for her child, rather than an indignant goddess.
"Okay," she said, her voice softer, though her expression said otherwise. "Now then… tell me everything, Bell. What happened down there?"
Bell took a deep breath, and with his eyes slightly lowered, began to speak.
"At first, everything was going well. We traveled without any problems to Rivira. The Takemikazuchi familia welcomed me well, and we were exploring Rivira when… it happened."
Hestia frowned. "What happened, exactly?"
Bell looked up, seriousness on his face.
"A god… unleashed their Arcanum within the Dungeon."
The silence was immediate. Hestia froze, her expression hardening. It was as if the air itself had thickened.
"A god… used their Arcanum inside the Dungeon?" she repeated in a whisper, as if needing confirmation that she had heard correctly.
Bell nodded slowly.
"Yes. I didn't see it directly… but I felt it. Everything changed. The entire floor shook, the magical pressure… It was suffocating. And then the Goliaths appeared. Many. Not one… not two. Three variant Goliaths."
Hestia brought a hand to her mouth. "That… that's not just a violation of the rules. That's suicide. The gods can't use their power down there! Let alone unleash the Arcanum! The Dungeon is the only place we could truly die, Bell. For good. Do you know what that entails?"
"Yes," he replied firmly. "That's why it was so terrifying. I felt it, Hestia-sama. It wasn't normal. And everyone knew it. Even the adventurers from other familias were panicking."
"Do you know who it was? Were you able to see them?"
Bell shook his head. "No. I just… felt their power. But it was so immense… and yet so strange. Like it wasn't of this world."
Hestia was silent for a few seconds, her fingers drumming on the table.
"This explains the Denatus," she murmured. "Loki wouldn't be that upset by just any fight, no matter how big. But if there was a god using their power inside the Dungeon…"
Her gaze turned to Bell, serious.
"And you were right in the middle of it."
Bell nodded, lowering his head with some regret.
"Yes. Although… it wasn't just that. There was more going on. Things that… I don't think were just coincidences."
Bell looked down slightly, the grimoire still in his hands as he held it somewhat nervously.
"After the first Goliath appeared, we began fighting it. I joined in too. I thought I could help by using Artemis' Spear…"
Hestia frowned, tension clearly written on her face.
"…and when I used it, the spear released something. Something… like a spark of Arcanum. It wasn't intentional, it just happened when I activated it. I felt a kind of shock, as if the spear had reacted on its own… and then two more Goliaths appeared."
Hestia stood completely still. She didn't even blink. Her gaze was fixed on Bell with an intensity that would chill anyone.
"Are you saying your weapon… released Arcanum ? Inside the Dungeon ?"
Bell nodded slowly.
"Just a little, I think… but it was enough. It was as if the Dungeon sensed it, as if it reacted aggressively. I don't know if that's what attracted the other two Goliaths, but… it happened right after."
"Bell!" Hestia said through gritted teeth, clearly holding back.
He lowered his head even further, as if accepting any scolding that might come.
"I'm sorry. I know it was irresponsible, but I've never used the spear in a real fight, and I didn't know that could happen…"
There was an awkward silence. Hestia seemed to be debating whether to yell at him or hug him. Finally, she took a deep breath and sat back down, rubbing her temples.
"What happened next? Is everyone okay?"
"Yes… Although it wasn't easy. It was chaotic. But then Miss Riveria and Ais, from the Loki familia, arrived. They helped a lot. If it weren't for them, I don't know if any of us would have made it. Everyone in Rivira fought as best they could, but the Goliaths were too many… until we managed to defeat them."
Bell lowered his voice slightly; the atmosphere had become denser, more serious. He'd already left behind the part where adrenaline could disguise how dangerous it all had been. Now came the worst.
"While everyone was fighting the Goliaths… a scream was heard."
Hestia blinked, confused.
"A scream?"
Bell nodded.
"Yes. But it wasn't like a normal monster's scream. It was different. I don't know how to explain it… it was like the Dungeon itself was screaming. Like something down there was… suffering, or furious." His fingers tightened slightly on the grimoire.
Hestia frowned at him, no longer just worried, but intrigued. It wasn't common to hear those words from anyone.
"So what did you do?"
"Miss Riveria heard it too. So we went to see what was happening in the central area of Rivira."
He paused, swallowing. He could still remember the smell of blood, the screams, and the desperation.
"When we arrived… it was already a mess. A monster. One I'd never seen before. It wasn't like any of the bestiaries, not even an irregular one. It was… different."
Hestia remained silent, watching Bell intensely.
"Different how?"
"It was… skeletal, I don't know how to describe it. It had a way of moving that didn't seem of this world. And it was brutal. It had already killed several when we arrived. It didn't fight on instinct like normal monsters. It did it with intention. As if it knew what it was doing. And enjoyed it."
Bell closed his eyes for a second, the scene still clear in his memory. The broken weapons, the blood, the screams of the wounded.
"Miss Riveria acted quickly, and I… couldn't keep up. But that monster was different. It didn't react like the others. It seemed immune to magic, and it was incredibly fast."
"Did you manage to kill it ?" Hestia asked, growing increasingly tense.
Bell nodded gently, but then his expression changed slightly, as if he remembered a ray of light among so much darkness.
"Yes… but we weren't alone the whole time. Yharon showed up. Just in time to help Miss Riveria and Ais."
Hestia blinked, surprised.
"Yharon? Did your dragon make it to Rivira?"
Bell nodded, still with some disbelief in his own voice.
"Yes. It was as if he sensed something bad was happening. He landed in the middle of all the chaos and started fighting without hesitation."
Hestia frowned, not out of distrust, but out of confusion.
"But… How did he get there? A dragon of that size entering through the Tower of Babel isn't something that goes unnoticed. I'm sure the guild would have raised the alarm if they'd seen him descending through the main entrance."
Bell looked down, uncomfortable. It was a good question. One he'd asked himself, too.
"I don't know," he admitted finally. "I didn't see him coming. He just… appeared. One moment we were being obliterated, and the next, he was there, roaring, breathing fire, and covering Miss Riveria. As if he had come straight through the ceiling of the apartment or come out of nowhere."
Hestia looked at him silently, her blue eyes assessing him.
"So you didn't see anything?"
Bell took a moment to think about it. Then he shook his head.
"No… I just felt relief when I saw him. Like I knew things weren't going to end there. But I didn't feel like he spoke to me or anything."
Hestia sighed, putting a hand to her hair.
"That's… worrying. That such a powerful dragon can move around the dungeon like that without anyone noticing. Even if it's your partner, Bell, that could cause quite a stir. Especially among the gods in the Denatus."
Bell nodded, clutching the grimoire to his chest. The memory of the fight, the chaos… and Yharon roaring at that indescribable shadow, was still all too fresh.
"I know. But at that moment… I didn't care how he got there. I was just glad he was there."
Before Hestia could ask another question, Artemis' voice rang clearly in the room, her tone calm, but with a tinge of strangeness that caught both of their attention.
"I saw him coming."
Bell blinked, his gaze dropping to the spear resting at his side, right where Artemis' soul resided. Hestia frowned, still somewhat reluctant to fully accept the constant presence of another goddess in Bell's life, but she crossed her arms, listening.
"How did you see him?" Bell asked, somewhat confused. "You… well, you can't see in the normal sense, can you?"
"That doesn't prevent me from noticing what's happening around me," Artemis replied calmly. "And what I perceived was… unusual. That dragon of yours, Yharon, didn't fly down from above or appear from a hidden passage."
There was a curious silence. Bell leaned slightly toward the spear, attentive.
"So?" Hestia asked, intrigued.
"He literally came through the dungeon wall," Artemis said, with unnerving precision. "Not like a monster breaking it, or someone using magic to force their way through. No. He came through the wall… as if he were intangible."
Bell froze, trying to imagine the scene. A creature the size of Yharon, emerging from nowhere through solid stone without a trace.
Hestia, for her part, was even more surprised. Her expression went from confusion to concern.
"The Dungeon… shouldn't allow that kind of thing. For something to pass through like that, without resistance…" She paused. "That shouldn't be possible."
Bell rubbed the back of his neck, lowering his gaze slightly. So much had already happened in such a short time that even sorting them out mentally felt like a difficult task.
"After that… Ais, Miss Riveria and Yharon were in charge of defeating the monster."
Hestia raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms tightly.
"And you?"
Bell sighed. "There wasn't much I could do. That… whatever it was, moved too fast. As soon as I saw it, it was already somewhere else. I tried to help, but honestly, I would have just been in the way."
Hestia seemed about to say something, but seeing the sincerity in Bell's eyes, she held back. She just nodded gently, encouraging him to continue.
Bell did, though his tone dropped slightly, almost as if hesitant to say that last part.
"Once everything calmed down, Yharon left. Just like that. He didn't even say goodbye. He just took flight and disappeared into the dungeon's passageways."
"And what happened to the others?" Hestia asked.
"Well…" Bell scratched his cheek, uncomfortably. "Miss Riveria was just about to interrogate me. Something tells me she already suspected my connection to Yharon… I don't know how, but she was looking at me strangely."
Hestia narrowed her eyes. "She's more perceptive than I thought from someone from Loki familia."
Bell nodded. "Yeah, I thought so. But then Ottar showed up. I don't know where he came from, but he talked to her, very calmly. And then he said I should go with him."
"Just like that?" Hestia looked incredulous.
"Yes. Almost as if Freya had anticipated Yharon's appearance." Bell glanced at the grimoire on the table. "Ottar pulled me out of there before I could say anything. Miss Riveria didn't insist, but I'm sure she won't forget."
Hestia frowned and looked down thoughtfully, though it was clear she was seething with worry inside.
Bell looked down and gently stroked the cover of the grimoire still on the table. Then he looked up at Hestia.
"Freya… had Yharon's existence classified as confidential information by the Guild."
Hestia looked at him with wide eyes.
"What!?"
"Yes. Mr. Ottar told me. It was on Freya's direct orders."
The goddess ran a hand over her face, exasperated. "Of course it was because of her. And then what? She gave you the grimoire like someone handing out candy for good behavior?"
Bell grimaced. "Actually… after that, Ottar took me to see her. He welcomed me into her suite."
Hestia clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Of course. You couldn't pass up an opportunity like that."
"And then… she offered me a reward for what I did in Rivira. At first, I didn't want to accept anything, but then she asked me if I wanted something else… and she offered me the grimoire."
Hestia narrowed her eyes, her fingers drumming on the table.
"So now we owe Freya." She said it as if the idea gave her a heart attack. "Perfect."
Bell raised a conciliatory hand. "It wasn't unusual. She insisted, but it was… normal, this time."
"I doubt it." Hestia snorted, then crossed her arms. "And now she's made a major move by hiding Yharon from the Guild. If she doesn't beat me to it, tomorrow's Denatus is going to get interesting…"
Bell swallowed. "Are you going to talk to her?"
Hestia looked at him with a resigned but firm air. "I have no choice. I can't let Freya continue doing whatever she wants to you without saying a word. That woman is like a storm: if you don't confront her, she'll sweep you away."
Bell couldn't help but feel a chill. If there was anything more intimidating than Freya being intense, it was Hestia facing her directly.
Hestia, after a few seconds of tense silence, shook her head as if to clear away thoughts of Freya and forced a smile.
"Well… let's change the subject before I get an ulcer from that woman. Let's do what I'm supposed to do as your goddess: update your status!"
Bell nodded with a small smile and removed his shirt to free his back. Hestia approached with the needle and paper ready. She sat behind him, now with a little more of her usual energy, although her face was still tense.
A few minutes later, the quill stopped moving. Hestia let go of it. She stared at the paper in complete silence. Bell, curious, tried to turn his head.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"…You…" Hestia murmured in a grave tone, before raising the paper with a trembling hand. "YOU…!"
Bell blinked. "Huh?"
She showed him the sheet with an expression somewhere between astonishment, pride, and existential fear.
Bell Cranel
Level 2 (+)
Strength: SSS1500
Endurance: SSS1500
Dexterity: SSS1500
Agility: SSS1500
Magic: SSS1500
Magic:
Explosion: Chantless magic. Generates an explosion with the user at its center.
Skills:
[Loved by the world]: The world loves you. Generate blessings based on needs.
…
…
Development skills:
Spirit Healing I
"You're completely maxed out!" Hestia exclaimed, waving the leaf around as if she couldn't believe it. "Literally! All of your stats have reached the absolute limit for this level!"
And then she stopped, astonishment giving way to firm resolve.
"This can't go on. I mean, it can, because it makes me look like an awesome goddess—but the right thing to do is level you up right away. Bell, you're officially ready to become Level 3."
Bell was silent for a moment, his heart pounding.
Hestia gently punched him on the shoulder. "Of course! After everything you did, it's a miracle you didn't automatically do it in the middle of the fight. But better late than never."
He stood up from his seat and stretched, mentally preparing himself.
"Come on, Bell. It's time to make history… again."
Hestia, with a solemn expression and a divine light in her fingers, completed the leveling ritual. Bell's Falna glowed brightly before settling. A new sheet of paper with fresh stats materialized before her eyes, and instantly, her face changed from pride to complete bewilderment.
"Uh… what?" she muttered.
Her eyes scanned the page over and over again as if trying to decipher a bad joke. Bell, still sitting across from her, tilted his head.
"Did something strange happen?"
Hestia swallowed and slowly raised the leaf to show it to him.
Bell Cranel
Level 3 (+)
Strength: C699
Endurance: B777
Dexterity: B798
Agility: A854
Magic: D598
Magic:
Explosion: Chantless magic. Generates an explosion with the user at its center.
Skills:
[Loved by the world]: The world loves you. Generate blessings based on needs.
…
…
Development skills:
Spirit healing H
Strong Body I
Hestia looked at him, blinking slowly. "Bell… you can level up again."
Bell froze.
"What do you mean I can level up again…? I just did it!"
"I don't know! No one knows! This isn't normal! No adventurer accumulates enough Excelia in half a second to level up two levels in a row!" Hestia exclaimed, a mixture of despair and bewilderment. "And don't tell me it was by chance. You literally broke the system!"
Bell stared at the blade in silence, his face going from shock to a nervous smile, then to a genuine one. He looked up at Hestia and said calmly:
"So… let's not level up yet."
Hestia stopped dead in her tracks. "Huh?"
Bell shrugged with a humble smile.
"It's best if I max out my current stats first. That way I'll get the most out of Level 3. I don't want to rely solely on the system to reward me… I want to earn the next level, too. Like I did with this one."
Hestia stared at him for a moment. Then her shoulders slumped, and a proud smile appeared on her face.
"Ahh… you're too good for this world, Bell."
"I think my ability says that much…" he joked with a chuckle.
She ruffled his hair lovingly.
"Yes. But I still needed to tell you."
They both laughed softly as night fell over the old church. Bell, now stronger than ever, felt at peace. Although he knew what was coming wouldn't be easy... he was ready to face it.
The night dragged on, enveloping the church in a cozy silence interrupted only by the soft laughter and warm voices echoing from within. Bell and Hestia continued to sit opposite each other, unhurried, talking about everything and nothing.
At some point, Bell stretched, letting out a stifled yawn as Hestia rested her arms on the table, resting her head on them with a calm smile.
"I never thought the night would end like this…" he murmured.
"And how did you expect to end it? Being chased by another unknown monster in the dungeon?" she joked with a mocking lilt.
Bell let out a small laugh. "…It wouldn't be the first time."
The atmosphere became quieter. A night breeze entered through a crack in the window, and the grimoire—elegantly bound, mysterious, and invaluable—rested right there, in the middle of the table. Abandoned, completely ignored, as if it weren't one of the most coveted objects in the world.
Bell glanced quickly at the book… and then looked back at Hestia, who was almost asleep with her eyes half closed.
"Do you think I should read it?" he asked with some hesitation.
"Hmm… tomorrow…" she murmured in the thick voice of someone with no intention of moving in the next few hours. "Anyway… it's not going to get away…"
Bell laughed again. "Okay. Tomorrow."
And with that, he laid back on the bench by the table, crossing his arms behind his head. Hestia only mumbled something incomprehensible before falling completely asleep.
And the grimoire, shining and forgotten, remained there. A silent witness to a peaceful night in which, for once, fate decided to give them a break. Although, knowing Orario… it probably wouldn't last long.
But for now, everything was fine.