This one is a long chapter. 13.7k words in Wattpad 13k words in webnovel for some reason.
∆∆∆∆
By the time he finally got back to the surface, the sun was already dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple that matched the "radioactive" rock Yuuya was still turning over in his hand.
If it wasn't for the system begging him to go already and threatening to play a high-pitched frequency in his ears, Yuuya would've definitely stayed there for another hour.
But finally, much to the system's delight, he was back home. He pushed open the heavy, creaking wooden doors of the church.
"I'm home. Did the Goddess manage to set the stove on fire again, or is it—"
Yuuya stopped mid-sentence.
In the middle of the room, sprawled across his cot like a discarded ragdoll, was Bell, being poked in the cheeks by Hestia.
"Oh hey, welcome back Yuuya!" Said Hestia, waving enthusiasticly at Yuuya.
"I'm home goddess." Replied Yuuya, waving back at Hestia.
Back to Bell, he is clean, he is wearing his casual clothes. However, his eyes were wide, staring blankly at the ceiling, and a faint, translucent wisp of white smoke seemed to be drifting out of his open mouth.
[Look at that,] the System remarked. [His soul is literally packing its bags. I think the trauma finally caught up with the lack of cardio.]
'He looks like he's been through a washing machine on the heavy-duty cycle,' Yuuya thought, stepping further into the room.
The adrenaline that had fueled Bell's world-record sprint through the upper floors had clearly evaporated, leaving behind a body that was currently screaming in languages Bell didn't even speak.
Every muscle in the kid's body was likely vibrating with the afterburn of running for his life.
Yuuya walked over and nudged Bell's leg with his boot. The boy didn't even flinch. He just let out a low, mournful wheeze.
"Hey, Rabbit," Yuuya said, his voice flat carrying out amusement. "You still with us? Or should I start looking for a new roommate?"
Bell's head slowly—very slowly—turned toward Yuuya. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale.
"Yuuya... bro..." Bell croaked. His voice sounded like he'd been eating sandpaper.
"You look like a half-melted Jagamarukun and a jagamarukun doesn't even melt." Yuuya observed, crossing his arms. "What happened to you? I leave you alone for half a day and you come home looking like you lost a fight with a landslide."
Even though Yuuya had been getting the "Live Beef Update" from the System the whole time, he wanted to hear it from Bell himself.
Bell let out a shuddering breath, his body twitching as a cramp probably hit his calf.
"Cow..." Bell whispered.
"A cow?" Yuuya raised an eyebrow. "Pfft—You got beat up by a farm animal, Bell? That's a new low, even for you."
"Not... a farm animal..." Bell sat up with a series of wet, clicking pops from his joints, looking like a zombie rising from the grave. "It was a monster! A two-ton cow with serious, serious anger issues! It was huge! It had horns! And it just... it wouldn't stop chasing me!"
Bell's hands started shaking as he gestured vaguely. "I ran... I ran for dear life. I think I died twice. My life flashed before my eyes and most of it was just you telling me to 'watch the footing' while I was being hunted by a steak!"
[He's not exaggerating about the nearly died part,] the System chimed in. [His heart rate hit a level that would have made a professional athlete explode. His plot armor is the only thing that kept his lungs inside his chest.]
'I can see that,' Yuuya thought, looking at the sheer exhaustion etched into Bell's face.
"So you got chased by a Minotaur," Yuuya said, finally dropping the act a little. "And you survived. That's more than most Level 1s can say."
"I didn't survive," Bell groaned, collapsing back onto the mattress with a heavy thud. "I was saved. A girl... she was like a goddess, Yuuya-bro. She cut that thing down like it was made of paper. And I... I just..."
Bell covered his face with his hands, his ears turning a brilliant shade of pink.
"I turned into a tomato and ran away without saying thank you."
Yuuya let out a short, dry laugh. He walked over to the small table, set down the glowing purple rock he'd been carrying, and sat on the edge of the crate.
"Well, you're alive. That's the important part. You're currently the talk of the town, but the soreness? That's going to be your best friend for the next three days."
Bell let out a muffled sob into his pillow. "Everything hurts. I can't feel my toes. I think my soul is stuck on the 5th floor."
"Tough luck, kid. Go back to sleep," Yuuya said, leaning back. "And tomorrow, we're doing double the leg exercises. If you're gonna be a tomato, you might as well be the fastest one in Orario."
"Noooooo..." Bell's voice trailed off as he finally succumbed to the exhaustion, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
"Yuuya... Leg exercises? After all that beating? That's too far." Hestia commented.
[You're a real motivator, Yuuya,] the System teased. [Double leg day? You're trying to finish what the Minotaur started.]
'He'll run away from things much, much faster than that in the future.' Replied Yuuya as he looked at the sleeping boy, then at the glowing rock on the table. He sighed, rubbing his own aching neck.
'But man... a Minotaur on the 5th floor. This world really doesn't play fair.'
[It really doesn't. But hey, at least you got a cool rock out of it.]
'Twelve Valis, System. Twelve Valis.'
∆∆∆∆
The morning sun was bright, which was a direct insult to Bell's current physical state. As they walked toward Babel, Bell was moving with a stiff, robotic gait that made him look like he'd been assembled by someone who lost the instruction manual.
"My legs... they're still on the 5th floor," Bell wheezed, his armor clanking with every jerky step. "I can feel my calves crying."
"Pain is just weakness leaving the body, Bell," Yuuya said, hands behind his head. "Either that, or it's the lactic acid telling you that running and visiting all the corridors on the 5th floor without stopping was a terrible idea. Either way, keep walking. We've got a dungeon to loot."
[He's walking like a penguin,] the System commented. [If a monster sees him like this, they won't even eat him. They'll just feel bad and give him a band-aid.]
'I call it building character,' Yuuya thought. 'Besides, I need to hit the 21st floor today. I've got bills to pay and a Goddess that a few days from now on will put us in debt.'
As they approached the main thoroughfare near the Northwest street, a girl in a waitress uniform burst out from a nearby tavern—the Benevolent Mistress.
She had grey hair, a bright smile, and an energy that felt a bit too "pure" for a city full of murderers and monsters.
"Wait! Excuse me! White-haired adventurer-san!"
Bell stopped, blinking. Yuuya stopped too, but the moment his eyes landed on Syr, he couldn't help but shudder and feel a chill run down his spine.
'That's her. That... That virgin goddess in disguise. This world is so weird.'
[Careful, Yuuya. Don't stare too long or she might notice those void-eyes of yours. Just act natural. Don't think about the fact that she's technically a supreme deity playing house.]
'I'm acting natural! I'm just... naturally terrified!' Replied Yuuya. He was still reeling at the discovery that Freya is a virgin goddess in this world.
"Are you talking to me?" Bell asked, tilting his head.
"Yes!" Syr panted, coming to a halt in front of them.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a decent-sized magic stone. It was clear and high-quality—definitely not something a Level 1 finds on the first few floors. "You dropped this near the tavern yesterday! I saw it fall out of your pocket when you were... well, when you were running very fast."
Bell stared at the stone. Then he looked at his pockets. Then he looked at Yuuya.
Without a word, Bell grabbed Yuuya's arm and spun them both around, turning their backs to the smiling waitress. They huddled together like they were planning a bank heist.
"Yuuya-bro," Bell whispered, his voice intense. "That's definitely a scam, right?"
Yuuya blinked. He knew Bell was more intuitive in this world, but the kid had sniffed out the lie instantly.
"What makes you say that?"
"I checked my pockets three times before we left the church. They were empty! And I traded every single stone I had yesterday to pay for your 'Good Job Not Dying' award pebble. I don't have a magic stone to my name, let alone one that big."
Yuuya looked over his shoulder at Syr, who was still standing there with a perfect, innocent head-tilt, then back at Bell. He knew she was likely going to use this as an excuse to invite them to the pub later, but he decided to play along with Bell's suspicion.
"Yup, that's a scam. I can tell it," Yuuya replied, leaning in closer. "But look at her clothes, Bell. She's a waitress for that pub right there. Maybe it's just a marketing strategy? You know, the old 'you dropped this valuable item, why don't you come inside and spend the reward money on our expensive beer' trick."
Bell's eyes widened. "A marketing strategy? By lying to my face?"
"In Orario? People have done weirder things to get customers through the door," Yuuya shrugged.
"What should we do?" Bell asked.
"I don't know. Let's accept it for now maybe? It won't hurt to do that plus we got some extra valis out of it. Treat it as a... Unsolicited donation."
Bell bit his lip, contemplating. "I suppose so... extra valis is extra valis. It would help with dinner."
"Exactly. Turn back around. Try to look like you actually lost it."
[You are corrupting the kid,] the System sighed. [One is a hero and the other is... Questionable. Yet you both agree on taking the scam money in record time.]
They both spun back around. Bell put on a sheepish, slightly embarrassed face as he took the stone from Syr's hand.
"Oh! You're right! I must have... dropped it. Wow. I'm so clumsy. Thank you so much, Miss...?"
"Syr. Syr Flova," she said, her eyes twinkling with that hidden goddess mischief. "Try to be more careful, Bell-san. Why don't you and your friend come by the Benevolent Mistress tonight? I'd feel better knowing you had a good meal to celebrate your luck."
Yuuya nudged Bell in the ribs. 'See? Marketing strategy,' he thought.
"We'd love to, Syr-san! Thank you!" Bell chirped.
As they walked away toward the Dungeon, Bell whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "You were right, Yuuya-bro. She went straight for the dinner invite."
"Told you," Yuuya said, tossing the stone in the air. "Now let's go. We've got a long day of not getting chased by cows ahead of us."
[You guys actually did it,] the System laughed. [Freya just gave you a gift and you treated it like a successful mugging. I love this timeline.]
'A win is a win.'
∆∆∆∆
The 6th floor may be overwhelming for any other two week old adventurer. But for Bell, it was a familiar territory. Despite the incident yesterday, Bell was actually a natural.
He navigated the twists and turns with an intuition that most rookies took months to develop. Thanks to his innate talent and potential paired with his growth skill.
If it weren't for that rogue Minotaur appearing early, he probably would have reached the 7th floor days ago.
Yuuya walked a few paces behind, acting as the silent overwatch. He wasn't there to carry the Bell, he was there to watch him for a bit before he proceeded to the middle floors.
"Frog, ten o'clock," Yuuya said lazily.
Bell didn't even look back. He pivoted, his shortsword flashing in the dim light. He dodged the sticky tongue of a Shooter Frog and delivered a clean, horizontal slash that sent the monster into a cloud of ash.
"Good. At this rate, you can switch to a longer sword by the end of the month. But do watch the recoil on your heel," Yuuya noted.
[He's getting faster,] the System whispered. [Liaris Freese is a hell of a drug. At this rate, he'll be Level 2 before you even figure out how to polish that purple rock you found.]
'He got the drive and the reason to back it up.' Yuuya thought.
They reached the transition to the 7th floor, a wider chamber where the walls seemed to pulse with a faint, rhythmic thrum. Suddenly, a pair of War Shadows materialized from the floor—black, blade-armed spirits that were notorious for contributing the majority of newbie casualties.
Bell moved to engage, but Yuuya was already raising a hand.
•Gospel.•
The air didn't just vibrate; it distorted. A ripple, like a stone dropped into a perfectly still pond of reality, expanded from Yuuya's palm. The two War Shadows didn't even have time to shriek.
The invisible shockwave hit them, and they simply... folded. Their physical forms shattered into dust before the sound of the chant even finished echoing.
Bell stood frozen, his sword halfway out of its sheath. He stared at the empty space where the monsters had been, then at the lingering distortion in the air.
"Every time I see it... it's just so weird," Bell muttered, turning to Yuuya. "No fire, no ice, no light. Just... a ripple."
"It's efficient," Yuuya shrugged, letting his hand drop. "Less flashy means they don't see it coming until their internal organs are vibrating."
Bell walked over, his expression unusually focused. "Yuuya-bro... that chant. You just said 'Gospel,' right? That's the activation?"
"Yeah. One word. Why? Jealous of the short chant?" Yuuya teased.
But Bell didn't laugh. He stopped walking, his gaze drifting toward the floor. A strange, soft expression crossed his face—a mix of deep nostalgia and a lingering, quiet sadness.
"No, it's not that," Bell said softly. "It's just... I've seen it before. Or something exactly like it."
Yuuya went still.
'System, he's referring to her isn't he...'
[Yup, it's Alfia,] the System replied, its voice uncharacteristically somber. [The Maiden of Silence. The woman who left the scar on the 18th floor.]
"My Aunt," Bell continued, unaware of Yuuya's internal dialogue. "She was the one who took care of me back in the village. She was like a mother to me until I was seven. She didn't like too much noise, and she always looked like she was in pain, but she was... amazing."
A small, sad smile tugged at Bell's lips. "Grandpa used to take me aside to teach me about... well, about 'romance' and how a man should build a harem. Auntie would always catch him. She'd walk in, say that one word—'Gospel'—and Grandpa would go flying through the wall before he could finish his sentence."
Bell let out a tiny, hollow chuckle. "Seeing you use it... it felt like I was back in that old house for a second. The way the air shakes. It's exactly the same."
Yuuya looked at the boy. He saw the way Bell's fingers traced the hilt of his sword, and the way his eyes seemed to be looking at a world that didn't exist anymore.
The "Maiden of Silence" wasn't a legend or a monster to Bell; she was the woman who had tucked him into bed and blasted his perverted grandfather into the masonry.
The curiosity burned in Yuuya's chest. He wanted to ask how Alfia could have been in a village seven years ago. He wanted to know how a "Silence" from the Hera Familia ended up raising the grandson of Zeus.
He wanted to hear the "IF" that Omori said, personally. From the people from this world itself.
[Ask him,] the System suggested.
Yuuya looked at Bell again. The kid looked fragile—not physically, but emotionally. He looked like someone who was holding onto a precious, painful memory that he wasn't ready to reveal just yet.
'No,'Yuuya thought, suppressing the urge. 'There will be a proper time for that. And that time is not right now.'
"Sounds like she was a scary lady," Yuuya said finally, his tone gentle. He reached out and gave Bell's shoulder a firm, grounding squeeze. "But hey, if it worked on your Grandpa, it'll definitely work on a War Shadow. Let's keep moving. That 7th floor isn't going to loot itself."
Bell blinked, the nostalgic fog clearing from his eyes. He looked at Yuuya, saw the lack of prying questions, and his smile became a bit more genuine.
"Yeah. You're right. Thanks, Yuuya-bro."
As they descended further into the shadows of the 7th floor, Yuuya kept his thoughts to himself. The mystery of Alfia and the impact she made to Bell's life was deeper than he had imagined, but he could wait.
For now, the Bell needs to grow. And Yuuya will be there to protect him until Bell is strong enough in case the world tries to screw him
∆∆∆∆
The rest of the day was a blur of steel and stone. Yuuya eventually heads down and has spent a few hours on the 20nd floor as usual.
Collecting magic stones for money to ensure they won't eat frugally after Hestia put the familia in debt, as well as saving for his own weapon.
So that he can at least pay the down payment to Hephaestus once he commissioned a weapon from her.
By the time he pushed open the heavy church doors, the sun had already tucked itself behind Orario's towering walls. Inside, Bell was sat on the edge of the bed, shirtless, while Hestia traced the glowing ichor across his back.
"Oh, Yuuya! Welcome back!" Hestia chirped, not missing a beat as she finished the update. "Bell's numbers are growing like crazy. At this rate, he'll be a Level 2 in no time!"
"Good to hear," Yuuya said, leaning against the doorframe. He was still fully decked out in his silver plate, his helmet tucked under his arm for the moment. "Hey, Bell. Since you managed not to get eaten by any farm animals today, and since we've got a standing invitation... how about we hit the Benevolent Mistress for dinner?"
Bell's eyes lit up instantly. "The pub? With Syr-san?"
"Wait, dinner at a pub?" Hestia asked, tilting her head. "In this economy? Yuuya, I know you've been doing well, but those places aren't exactly cheap."
"Don't worry about it, Goddess," Yuuya waved a hand dismissively. "It's on me. Consider it a celebration for Bell surviving his first floor 7 trip. Besides, I heard the food there is legendary."
In this version of things (thanks to the interference of me, da autha), Hestia didn't pout or get jealous. She just beamed, her eyes sparkling at the prospect of a high-quality meal that wasn't a potato snack. "Well, if you're offering, who am I to refuse? Let me just grab my coat!"
"Yuuya-bro," Bell said, standing up and stretching his sore limbs. "Are you... not going to wash up? You've been on the middle floors all afternoon. You probably smell like a Kobold's gym locker."
Yuuya looked down at his armor, which was stained with dungeon dust and a few splashes of monster ichor that hadn't evaporated yet. He slapped his helmet back onto his head and locked the visor.
"I'll wash later," Yuuya's voice came through the metal, slightly muffled but firm. "I didn't sweat much in the dungeon anyways. Besides, if we're going to a pub full of rowdy adventurers, I'd rather have a few inches of steel between me and a drunk werewolf."
[You're just too lazy to take the boots off, aren't you?] the System poked. [Admit it. You like the 'mysterious knight' aesthetic.]
'It's called being prepared, System. And yes, the boots are a pain to lace back up.'
∆∆∆∆
The tavern was a riot of noise, laughter, and the mouth-watering scent of roasted meats and heavy stews.
When the doors opened and a fully armored knight walked in—followed by a white-haired boy and a petite Goddess—a few heads turned, but most people just assumed Yuuya was a high-level bodyguard or a very paranoid rookie.
"Welcome!" a booming, gravelly voice echoed over the din.
Mia Grand, the dwarven matriarch of the establishment, stomped over to them. She loomed over most people despite her height, radiating an aura of pure 'Don't-Mess-With-Me.'
"Table for three, Mama Mia," Yuuya said, his visor staring her right in the eye.
"A guy who doesn't take his hat off at the table, eh? Fine, as long as your Valis is good, I don't care if you're wearing a fortress," Mia grunted, led them to a sturdy wooden table, and slapped three menus down. "Order fast. We're busy."
Bell and Hestia opened the menus, and within five seconds, their faces went pale.
"Y-Yuuya-bro..." Bell whispered, his finger trembling as he pointed at the price of a simple beef stew. "This is... this is two days worth of my loot. For one bowl."
"Yuuya, maybe we should just go home and have some bread?" Hestia added, her eyes wide as she did the math. "If we all eat here, we'll be broke by tomorrow morning! We have to be responsible!"
They both looked at him, their expressions a mix of hunger and fiscal terror. They knew Yuuya had money—he'd been soloing deep floors, after all—but they had no idea he was currently sitting on over two million Valis. To them, he was just a successful Level 2, not a walking treasury.
Yuuya leaned back in his chair, the silver metal clanking softly.
"Relax," Yuuya said, his voice calm. "I told you, I've got it covered. Don't look at the right side of the menu. Just look at the pictures. Order whatever looks good. Eat until you're full, and then order dessert. I didn't spend ten hours in the damp dark today just to skimp on dinner."
"But Yuuya—" Hestia started.
"Goddess. Trust me. We aren't going broke today. Or tomorrow. Or next month," Yuuya reassured her.
[Because you guys will be in debt in a few days from now on.]
Yuuya sweat dropped at the comment. 'yeah right...'
Yuuya then turned his helmeted head toward Bell. "And you? Don't even think about just getting a salad. Look at you, Bell. You're scrawny."
Bell froze. The word hit him like a physical blow. "S-Scrawny?"
"Yeah. You want to be a hero? You want to stand next to the Sword Princess without looking like a toothpick she could snap in half?" Yuuya leaned forward, his visor glinting. "Heroes need muscle. Muscle needs fuel. If you keep eating like a bird, you're going to stay the tomato boy forever. But if you eat like a warrior..."
[Oh, look at him,] the System snickered. [He's actually sparkling. You enlightened the kid.]
Bell's eyes suddenly blazed with a new, fierce determination. He slammed his hand onto the table, his face set in a mask of pure ambition.
"I'm not scrawny! I mean... I won't be!" Bell turned to Mia, who was waiting impatiently with a notepad. "I'll have the Mega-Meat Platter! And the thickest stew you have! And extra bread!"
Hestia blinked, then shrugged, caught up in the energy. "Well, if Bell is going for it... I'll have the seafood pasta and the honey-roasted ribs!"
Yuuya gave a nod to Mia. "And a large ale for the lady, and whatever the house special is for me. Keep 'em coming."
"Now that's what I'm talking about! Comin' right up!" Said Mia as she stomped off to the kitchen.
Bell was already vibrating in his seat, his hunger finally overcoming his shyness. He looked at Yuuya, his face full of gratitude.
"Thanks, Yuuya-bro. I'm gonna eat enough for two people!"
"That's the spirit," Yuuya said. Under the helmet, he was smirking. 'Two million Valis, and they're worried about a stew. If they only knew.'
[The day you tell them the actual balance is the day Hestia actually has a heart attack,] the System laughed.
'Let them enjoy the mystery for now. It keeps them humble.'
Just as the food started to arrive—trays piled high with steaming, delicious meat—the door of the pub opened again. The night was just getting started, and in the Benevolent Mistress, you never knew who was going to walk through the door next.
The food lived up to the hype. Bell was attacking a mountain of ribs like his life depended on it, and Hestia was halfway through a bowl of pasta that looked larger than her head.
Yuuya, meanwhile, hadn't removed his helmet, instead opting to just click open the jaw-piece of his visor, sliding spoonfuls of house-special stew into the opening like he was refueling a tank.
[You look like a very expensive vending machine,] the System commented. [The dedication to not showing your face is impressive. Are you hiding a pimple or something?]
'Nah I just don't feel like it.'
[Just say that you're lazy.]
Suddenly, the front door slammed open, and the rowdy atmosphere of the pub cranked up to eleven. The Loki Familia had arrived.
Yuuya's spoon stopped halfway to his visor. 'Here it begins. Let's hope this turns out different. Please, Bell, just keep your head down and keep chewing.'
The red-headed Goddess Loki scanned the room, her eyes immediately locking onto a certain twin-tailed Goddess.
"Well, well! If it isn't the bottom-tier Goddess! What's the matter, Hestia? Did you finally find enough change in the couch to afford a real meal?"
"Shut it, you Flat-Chested Drunkard!" Hestia shot back, standing up on her chair to bridge the height gap. "My Yuuya is treating us! Unlike you, I don't need a hundred followers to feel important!"
The two began their usual high-pitched catfight, a blur of insults and waving arms, but it was short-lived.
Mia let out a roar from the kitchen that sounded like a tectonic plate shifting, and both Goddesses immediately scurried back to their respective tables.
As the Loki Familia settled into a large booth nearby, Finn caught Yuuya's eye and offered a respectful nod.
Riveria and Tiona gave small waves, clearly recognizing him from their encounter on the 18th floor. Yuuya gave a lazy, armored wave in return, his heavy gauntlet clanking against the table.
Because of Yuuya's massive, silver-plated frame and the way he was leaning back, Bell—who was currently hunched over his ribs and didn't even notice his crush arrived—was almost entirely obscured from their view.
To the elites, it just looked like Yuuya was having dinner with his Goddess and a very small, very hungry assistant.
The food started flowing, the alcohol started flowing. It was all normal at first. The usual celebration.
Until a minute later, it now begins.
Bete Loga slammed a large mug of ale onto his table, his face already flushed with a cocky, drunken grin. He wasn't totally drunk yet, but he is feeling a bit of it. He leaned back, his voice carrying over the chatter of the pub.
"Man, today was great," Bete barked, looking toward Ais, who was quietly picking at her food. "But the best part? That damn Rabbit on the 5th floor. Did you guys see him? Drenched in blood, shaking like a leaf. I've seen some pathetic rookies, but that tomato boy takes the cake!"
At Yuuya's table, the air turned ice-cold.
Bell froze, a half-eaten rib hovering near his mouth as he finally noticed the presence of the Loki familia. He didn't even get the opportunity to look at Ais and dote over her.
The moment he heard Bete's comment, his shoulders hiked up to his ears, and his face began to drain color
Hestia, on the other hand, went from a happy eater to a literal volcano. She knew exactly whom Bete was talking about. Her fork bent in her hand as she began to rise, her eyes narrowing at the back of the werewolf's head.
"That overgrown mutt..." Hestia hissed.
Yuuya didn't move a muscle, but his voice came out deep and steady from behind the steel.
"Sit down, Goddess."
He reached out a gauntlet and placed it firmly on Bell's trembling shoulder. The cold metal seemed to ground the boy, stopping the shaking for a split second.
"Bell, look at me," Yuuya said. Through the visor, his dark brown—almost black—eyes were fixed on the kid. "Are you a tomato?"
"N-No..." Bell stammered.
"Are you done eating?"
"N-No, Yuuya-bro."
"Then keep eating," Yuuya said calmly. "Don't let a drunk dog's barking ruin your steak. He's loud because he's got nothing better to do. If you let him spoil this meal, he wins. You want him to win?"
"No," Bell whispered, his grip on the rib tightening.
"Then eat. And Hestia, let it go. We're here for the food, not the drama."
[You're actually being a responsible adult,] the System teased. [I was halfway expecting you to throw a spoon at his head.]
'I've seen worse. Compared to that, he is just a noise.'
But Bete wasn't planning on stopping any time soon.
"Bete, that's enough," Riveria's voice cut through the noise, cool and authoritative. "The boy's predicament was a result of our failure to contain the herd. It is unbecoming of a member of this Familia to mock those who suffered for our mistake. You should be ashamed."
"Hah!? What's wrong with saying trash is trash?" Replied Bete, leaning into the table and slamming his hand.
He then turned his head toward Ais, leaning into the table even more towards.
"Hey, Ais! Help me out here. Between me and the tomato loser, who would you choose?"
"Bete you're drunk, stop it." Said Finn but Bete didn't pay him any mind.
"I'm asking you Ais!" Continued Bete, still staring at Ais. "If that kid asked you out, would you agree to it?"
Ais didn't answer. She stared into her glass, her expression unreadable, but her silence only seemed to fuel Bete's engine.
Bete's yapping continues and at the other table, Yuuya's hand remained firmly on Bell's shoulder. He could feel the kid's muscles twitching.
Yuuya knew Bete's deal—the guy was an elitist jerk. He didn't like seeing people die. That in itself is fine, but it was his way of telling the weak to stay out of the meat grinder that is wrong.
It was annoying, but Yuuya who knows a bit better of Bete's personality, let go for now.
But his restraint would be shattered soon.
'Just breathe, Bell,' Yuuya thought, his visor fixed on the boy's bowed head. 'It's just noise.'
Bete was drunk, and the noise was getting louder. He noticed the lack of laughter from his own Familia and decided to dig the spurs in deeper.
"Actually, it makes sense, doesn't it?" Bete sneered, his voice dropping into a cruel, mock-contemplative tone. "A kid that pathetic? He probably comes from a long line of nobodies. I bet his parents were just as weak as he is. Probably some low-tier trash that couldn't handle the world either."
Bell's grip on his fork tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"In fact," Bete continued, his words slurring slightly but the venom remained sharp, "I wouldn't be surprised if he's an orphan. I mean, if they just took one look at him and realized he was a lost cause. Why else would a kid like that be all alone? He's so weak, I bet his parents didn't even like him. They probably just dumped him in the sticks and left him to rot because they knew he'd never be worth a damn."
The tavern went dead silent.
Loki's smirk vanished. Finn's eyes narrowed into slits of cold steel. Riveria had an expression of absolute disgust in her face.
Even Tiona and Tione has long sinced stopped laughing and has a serious look on their face. Lefiya can even be seen looking down on her lap, feeling the heavy atmosphere around her. Looking like she wants to go home more than anything.
This had crossed the line from arrogant venting to a personal topic.
But it was too late.
The words 'abandoned him' and 'didn't like him' hit Bell with the force of a physical blow.
The memory of his Aunt's quiet, pained face—the way she looked at him with that hidden sorrow before she was gone—and the mystery of parents he had never known suddenly twisted into a jagged knot in his chest.
Maybe Bete was right. Maybe he was so weak that he was meant to be left behind.
"Bell?" Hestia whispered, her voice trembling with concern. "Bell, don't listen to—"
Bell didn't hear her. He didn't feel Yuuya's hand on his shoulder anymore. He didn't see the pity in Ais's eyes or the anger in Finn's.
All he felt was the suffocating weight of the blood on his face from that morning and the crushing realization that no matter how much he ate, he still felt small.
Bell suddenly stood up. His chair screeched against the floorboards, a jarring sound in the silence.
"Bell, wait—" Yuuya started, reaching out.
But the Rabbit was already gone. Bell didn't look back, didn't scream, and didn't defend himself. He simply bolted for the door, a white blur of pure, unadulterated heartbreak, disappearing into the dark Orario night before anyone could say a word.
The atmosphere in the Benevolent Mistress immediately shifted from a lively tavern to a pressurized chamber. Especially the moment the people inside realized that the person who just ran out, is the same one Bete was just talking about. There's no other explanation.
The silence following Bell's departure was deafening.
Hestia was vibrating with a rage so potent her divine aura was beginning to leak, making the air around their table shimmer with heat. She turned her head toward the Loki Familia's table, her teeth bared.
"Loki! Can you not contain your—!"
Hestia was cut off as a heavy, cold gauntlet landed on her shoulder.
The weight of it was immense, physically forcing her back into her seat.
"Yuuya! What are you doing!?" Hestia hissed, turning her fury toward him. "Go after Bell! Who knows what he might do in that state! He's heartbroken! I'll stay here and handle this drunk mutt—"
"Goddess."
Yuuya's voice was different. It wasn't the voice of the bored adventurer.
It was a voice filled with a cold, calculated fury that felt like the edge of a blade pressed against a throat. Even through the steel of his helmet, the temperature at the table seemed to drop.
"I'll handle this," Yuuya said, his visor fixed on the back of Bete's head. "Go after Bell. He needs you right now. I'll follow after."
Hestia froze. As a Goddess, she could feel the sheer intensity of Yuuya's intent. It wasn't the chaotic, hot-blooded anger of a brawler. It was similar to that of a patient man pushed to his edge.
"Yuuya..." she whispered, her own anger wavering into concern. "Okay. But... don't do anything bad, okay? Promise me."
Yuuya tilted his head slightly, the metal of his gorget creaking. "Of course. I won't do anything too much."
Hestia lingered on the words "too much." As a Goddess, she knew he wasn't lying—he truly believed his next actions would be measured. But "too much" was a subjective term for a man who soloed the 20th floor for fun. Seeing the absolute resolve in his posture, she realized there was no arguing with him.
"Fine. Just... don't be late," she said, before slipping off her chair and sprinting toward the door to find her white-haired child.
With Hestia gone, Yuuya didn't move for a moment. He sat there, a silent statue of silver and shadow. Contemplating his next course of actions.
[Yuuya,] the System whispered, its voice devoid of its usual snark. [Are we really doing this here? In front of the executives?]
'He touched a nerve, System,' Yuuya thought, his eyes narrowing behind the darkness of his visor. 'I can handle him calling Bell a loser. I can handle him calling the kid weak. Both of those are one thing. But dragging his family into the dirt? That's another.'
Yuuya slowly stood up. 'Especially since this version of Bell has a deep bond with Alfia.'
The sound of his plate armor clanking was the only noise in the pub. Every member of the Loki Familia—Finn, Riveria, Gareth, even the twins—turned their gaze towards Yuuya.
Bete, still leaning into the table and just saw Bell leave, turned his head over towards Yuuya.
"Oh it's you. What's the matter you tin can? You know that rabbit or something—" Bete's voice died in his throat.
Yuuya wasn't looking at the exit. He walked, one heavy, rhythmic step at a time, not toward the door, but toward the Loki Familia's table. He stopped right at the edge of their space, looming over the seated werewolf like a vengeful omen.
The air in the room didn't just feel heavy anymore; it felt like it was being sucked out of a vacuum.
Yuuya's visor locked onto Bete's eyes.
Finn feeling the vibe, stood up slowly, his hand resting on the table, his eyes cautious. "Yuuya, stay calm. He's drunk. He crossed a line, and we will deal with him internally."
"Oh, I'm sure you will, Braver," Yuuya said, not taking his eyes off Bete. "But I'm not a member of your Familia. I don't have to wait for an internal review."
Yuuya didn't reach for a weapon. He didn't issue a grand challenge for a duel in the streets. He simply stood there, a wall of cold, unyielding silver, looking down at the werewolf.
"Apologize," Yuuya said. The word was short, sharp, and carried the weight of a falling hammer.
Bete blinked, his eyes widening in a mixture of disbelief and drunken mired amusement. "Hah? What did you just say to me?"
"You heard me. Apologize for what you said about his family," Yuuya repeated, his voice echoing inside his helmet. "Call the kid weak. Call him a loser. That's your business. But dragging his parents into your mouth to fill the void where your own self-respect used to be? That stops now."
Bete's snarled. He slammed his mug onto the table, the wood groaning under the force.
"And why would I apologize for the truth? Trash is trash because it comes from trash. If they didn't want him, it's because he's a waste of space. I'm doing the world a favor by—"
"You're not doing the world a favor, Bete. You're just a loud-mouthed coward who's so terrified of loss that you try to kill everyone's spirit before the Dungeon can kill their bodies." Yuuya leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a freezing draft. "I might be right I might be wrong. If it was the former, then I'll admit; it was a good reason. But the way you act? Pathetic. Simply pathetic. That's not strength. It's the behavior of a dog that's been kicked too many times and finally decided to bark at a shadow."
The entire pub went deathly still. The other adventurers—even the ones from the Ganesha and Hermes Familias—stared with dropped jaws.
No one spoke to a Loki executive like that. No one.
Bete's face turned a dangerous shade of purple. He kicked his chair back, the wood splintering as it hit the floor.
He stood up, towering over the table, and cracked his knuckles with a series of sickening pops.
"I've been annoyed with you since the 18th floor," Bete hissed, his eyes glowing with predatory glint. "Walking around in that shiny tin suit, acting like you're above it all. You think because you can solo a few floors you're hot stuff? I'm gonna enjoy breaking that armor piece by piece."
Everyone present at that moment feels a confrontation between the two of them are imminent.
Finn stood up. His voice sharp. "Bete! Sit down! That's an order!"
"Not now, Finn!" Bete barked back, his gaze never leaving Yuuya's visor.
Even Gareth stands up, looking like he'll suplex Bete any moment now.
Riveria rose from her seat as well, her hand reaching for her staff, her brow furrowed in genuine concern. "Yuuya, back away. Bete is not in a state to be reasoned with. Don't let your anger dictate this."
"Oh? But I'm not angry. In fact, I'm perfectly calm. I'm just asking for an apology for my familia member. Simple as that." Yuuya replied.
Loki remained on her chair, her eyes are actually opened and narrowed, watching the tension spike.
She didn't stop them. She wanted to see what this child of Hestia was actually made of. And what he had in mind that made him so confident in facing a first class adventurer.
Ais also stood up. She looked like she was about to step between them to restrain Bete, but the werewolf was already in motion.
Bete stepped into Yuuya's space, his chest nearly brushing the silver breastplate.
"Last chance, tin man. Run after your rabbit before I make sure you can't walk."
Yuuya didn't flinch. He didn't back down.
[Yuuya, be careful,] the System warned, its voice frantic. [His agility is ten times yours. If he connects, that armor is going to be your coffin.]
'I know,' Yuuya thought.
In a world of levels, a Level 5 was a god compared to a Level 2. Even with his stats making him effectively a high Level 3, the gap was still big.
If Bete moved at full speed, Yuuya wouldn't even see the hit coming.
But Bete was drunk. He was angry.
And Yuuya? Thanks to his monstrous talent and potential, it did not only made him a superhuman back in his past life. It also made him a master in combat. May it be in hand to hand combat or the use of a weapon, he mastered all of it.
As long as something involves combat or physicality, he is a class of his own. And the thing is, even in this new life, he still carries that same abnormality in his existence. He knows his body is built for combat more than he can admit it.
Yuuya also knows he can't beat Bete in speed with his current stats. But he can predict it instead.
Before Bete can even throw a punch, Yuuya saw the slight twitch in Bete's lead shoulder. He saw the shift in the werewolf's weight.
Bete lunged, a lightning-fast right hook aimed directly at Yuuya's visor, intended to shatter the steel and the man beneath it in one go.
To everyone else in the room, it was a blur. To Yuuya, it was all he needed to justify his next course of action.
The moment he saw the twitch in Bete's shoulder, he simply opened his mouth.
•Gospel.•
Yuuya hadn't reached out a hand. He hadn't made a dramatic gesture or struck a pose.
He simply stood like a pillar of cold iron, the word "Gospel" leaving his lips with the finality of a death sentence.
He didn't need to stretch out his hand in the first place. He just needs to face the general direction of where he wants to cast it and say its word. He just stretches out his hand to improve accuracy as well as fool monsters and fellow adventurers alike. That he needed to stretch out his hand to cast.
The moment he spoke the word, the air, the space in which Bete is in, simply rippled.
To the observers, the space between Yuuya and Bete distorted, as if the world itself had flinched.
Yuuya had held back. He wasn't trying to level the building or put the werewolf through a stone wall—that would be a headache for Mia. And Yuuya wasn't exactly the type to want to cause trouble to others.
He tuned the frequency, narrowing the output to a concentrated block of sonic pressure designed to repel and disorient.
Bete's fist was inches from Yuuya's visor when the spell connected.
Bete didn't fly backward. Instead, he stumbled, his entire body jerking as if he'd run chest-first into an invisible iron beam.
He staggered back three steps, his boots skidding on the floorboards, his arms flailing for balance.
But while the physical push was minor, the internal toll was catastrophic.
Bete's eyes rolled back for a second. His enhanced senses—the very thing that made him unique compared to a normal human—had just been turned against him.
To a werewolf with ears that could hear a heartbeat from a mile away, Yuuya's Satanas Verion was like having a supernova go off inside his skull.
Thin trickles of dark red began to leak from Bete's nose, the corners of his eyes, and both ears. He let out a low, wet groan, clutching his head as his equilibrium shattered. Every nerve in his body was screaming in a pitch only he could feel.
The pub, however, wasn't looking at Bete. They were looking at Yuuya.
A heavy, suffocating chill swept through the room. Finn, Gareth, and even Loki didn't just stand up—they recoiled.
Their faces, usually masks of veteran composure, were pale. That single word, spoken in that specific tone, was a ghost they had spent years trying to forget. It was the sound of the Dark Age. It was the sound of the end.
But for Riveria, the reaction was physical. She not only heard the word Yuuya used, she felt the mana—pure, colorless, and absolute. It wasn't just a similar magic like Yuuya said it was before, it was a perfect replication. The distortion in space, the silent weight of the activation, down to the very word used to cast it—it was the exact same spell of the Maiden of Silence.
'No,' Riveria thought, her hand trembling as it gripped her staff. 'It's impossible. She's gone. She fell in the abyss.'
On the other side of the room, Ryuu Lion who was just about to deliver a tray of drinks to a table, stood frozen. Her hand gripping the tray so tightly her knuckled are white.
Her elven ears were twitching painfully. She had stood on the front lines as well. She is one of the few people who had experienced fighting Alfia seven years ago. She had felt that pressure before—the absolute, crushing authority of the "Gospel."
Her gaze locked onto Yuuya's silver armor, her breath hitching. And in her vision, she didn't see an adventurer. For a terrifying second, she saw the silhouette of the woman who had brought Orario to its knees.
Back to Yuuya, he didn't move. He didn't even drop into a fighting stance. He just looked at the bleeding, staggering Bete.
"The next time you want to talk about family," Yuuya said, his voice echoing through the silent pub like a bell, "make sure you can stand the sound of your own heartbeat first."
He turned his back on the Loki Familia—the most dangerous people in the city—without a shred of fear.
Yuuya didn't just walk out. He wasn't a man who left a tab unpaid or a message unfinished.
He reached into a side pouch and pulled out a heavy leather bag. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward the bar. It sailed through the air, landing with a heavy, metallic thud and the unmistakable jingle of Valis right in front of Mia.
Mia didn't move to open it. She was staring at Yuuya with eyes that had seen the rise and fall of eras. As a former captain and a veteran of the old world, she didn't need to be a mage to recognize what had just happened.
She had seen that specific spell countless times before. Her hands, usually steady enough to crush a skull, were gripped tight against the wood of the counter.
"Mia," Yuuya's voice cut through her shock. "Sorry for the mess. And for not finishing the food. It was good and I'll definitely come back for more later. Keep the change for the trouble."
Then, Yuuya turned his head. The light from the tavern's chandeliers glinted off the cold, impassive surface of his visor as he directed his gaze toward the Loki Familia's table.
Finn was still standing, his face grim and his fist clenched. Gareth looked like he was ready to leap. Riveria was pale, her eyes searching Yuuya's armor for an answer that logic couldn't provide.
"A word of advice for the 'Elites,'" Yuuya said, his tone flat and devoid of heat, which somehow made it even more terrifying. "Teach your dog some manners. Or at the very least, teach him the difference between a jab and a death wish. If he ever makes a comment like that again—especially about my Familia—he won't just be leaking from his ears."
He let the threat hang in the air, thick and suffocating.
"Next time, the outcome would be different. That much I can promise."
Yuuya took one last look at Bete. The werewolf was slumped in his chair, his hands clamped over his ears as he let out low, ragged grunts of agony.
The gospel had been a mere vibration compared to what Yuuya could actually do, but for a man of Bete's senses, it was a hellish prison of sound.
Yuuya didn't wait for a response. He didn't care if they chased him or if they put a bounty on his head. He turned his back on the strongest Familia in Orario and walked out.
The heavy wooden doors of the Benevolent Mistress swung shut with a dull, final thud.
Inside, the silence stretched.
"He's... he's just a Level 2," Tiona whispered, her voice trembling. "Right? Finn? He's just a Level 2?"
Finn didn't answer. He looked at the bag of valis on the counter, then at the blood on the floor, and finally at the door where the Yuuya had vanished.
"Level doesn't matter," Gareth grunted, his voice like grinding stones. "Not when you're staring at a ghost like that."
After a few more moments of silence and the only sound in the room is Bete vomiting in the floorboards as his world continues to spin, Loki finally spoke.
Her voice uncharacteristically small and devoid of its usual playfulness.
"Finn... tell me I'm crazy."
Finn didn't look at his Goddess. He was staring at the door. "If you are, Loki, then we're all seeing the same ghost."
∆∆∆∆
Yuuya didn't need the System to tell him where Bell had bolted. It was just exactly as the original.
Bell has gone out for the Dungeon.
Yuuya reached the entrance of Babel, the massive white tower that pierced the heavens. Standing under the stone archway of the Dungeon entrance was a small figure.
Hestia looked small against the backdrop of the tower. She was staring into the dark maw of the stairs, her hands clasped tightly over her chest.
When she heard the heavy, rhythmic clank of Yuuya's boots, she spun around, her eyes red-rimmed and frantic.
"Yuuya!" She ran to him, grabbing his wet silver gauntlets. "He went in! I tried to stop him, but he just... he didn't even look at me! I can't go after him, Yuuya! The Guild, the restrictions... I can't!"
Yuuya looked down at her. The cold fury from the pub was still there, simmering under the surface, but it softened as he looked at his Goddess.
"I know," Yuuya said, his voice a low vibration behind the helmet. "I've got him, Goddess. Go back to the church. Get some towels and the medicine ready."
"Is he... is he going to be okay?"
"He is Bell. The Bell that we know," Yuuya said, stepping past her into the darkness of the descent. "He's too stubborn to stay down for long. Go. I'll bring him home."
The Dungeon at night was a different beast. The shadows seemed deeper, the walls more claustrophobic. But the sound echoing through the corridors of the 5th floor wasn't the roar of a monster—it was the frantic, desperate sound of steel hitting a monster hide.
Yuuya stood in the shadow of a jagged rock formation, his armor hidden by the gloom. A few yards ahead, Bell was a blur of motion.
The boy was fighting like a man possessed. He wasn't using the clean, calculated movements Yuuya had taught him.
He was just hacking and slashing. A group of Goblins and Kobolds had him surrounded, but Bell didn't care. He took a scratch to the arm just to drive his blade into a monster's throat.
He was venting, pouring every ounce of the shame, the heartbreak, and Bete's cruel words into every strike.
[He's sloppy,] the System remarked quietly. [His heart rate is dangerously high. He's going to exhaust his stamina in minutes at this rate.]
'Let him,' Yuuya thought, leaning against the wall. 'He needs to bleed it out. If I stop him now, he'll just carry that poison inside him until it rots. As long as he's breathing, he's winning.'
Yuuya watched as Bell took down another kobold, his breathing coming in ragged, sobbing gasps. The kid was hurting, and for the first time, Yuuya felt the true weight of being a "variable" in this world.
When he had first arrived, the System had reassured him: The events that he knows are guaranteed to happen. Bell will survive. The world will move toward its destiny regardless of Yuuya's presence.
But standing here, watching the boy scream in frustration as he decapitated a monster, Yuuya realized that "guaranteed" didn't mean "painless."
[You could end this with one 'Gospel',] the System prodded. [You could take him home right now.]
'No. He doesn't need that right now. He needs to realize he can stand on his own two feet even when the world tells him he shouldn't exist.'
Yuuya remained a ghost in the shadows. Every time a monster tried to sneak up on Bell's blind side, Yuuya would flick a small, pebble-sized distortion of mana—not a complete gospel, but just a tiny ripple—to trip the creature or distract it for a split second, giving Bell the opening he needed without ever knowing he had help. It was a silent, invisible guardianship.
Bell let out a final, guttural yell, driving his sword into the last remaining Kobold. As the monster dissolved into ash, Bell didn't move. He stood in the center of the clearing, his sword drooping, his head hanging low.
The silence of the Dungeon rushed back in.
Then, the first sob broke through. Bell collapsed to his knees, his hands digging into the dirt of the 5th floor.
He wasn't a hero at that moment. He wasn't the tomato loser Bete called him out to be. He was just a kid who missed his family and wondered if he was enough.
Yuuya stepped out of the shadows, his armor clinking softly. He didn't say anything. He just walked over and stood behind the boy, his large shadow falling over Bell's trembling form, shielding him from the cold light of the Dungeon walls.
He was the variable. And maybe the guarantee wasn't about the events—maybe it was about making sure the kid didn't have to face the darkness alone.
"Done?" Yuuya asked quietly.
Bell flinched, but he didn't look up. He just nodded, his shoulders shaking.
"Good. Let's go home. Hestia's waiting."
∆∆∆∆
The morning light of a new day was already peaking out when Bell and Yuuya returned to the church.
Hestia was already waiting by the front door when they arrived. She immediately hugged Bell the moment she spotted him.
After cleaning him up and healing his wounds using the potion Yuuya still have, he decided to talk with Bell together with Hestia.
"Bell... I know this is not the best timing there is, but please..." Yuuya started. "Tell us what happened in your past."
"Yeah Bell! Please! Share us your burdens!" Hestia continued, her hands holding one of Bell's, giving it a gentle squeeze to ground him. "You can't just carry it all on your own..."
"Goddess is right Bell... We are a family here, Bell." Yuuya holds the other one of Bell's hands, giving it a soft squeeze. "And we don't leave a family member to his own predicament."
Bell looked at Hestia and Yuuya. Really looked at them. He then gave a soft, saddened smile.
"Ah... Where should I even start..." Said Bell. The same face which Yuuya saw earlier in the day at the Dungeon. That expression of nostalgia mixed with sadness in it.
"Back when I just turned 7 years old..." Bell started. "Aunt Alfia—I mean mom, and I had a talk in a field near our house. It's a place mom and I used to take a walk into frequently."
"Aunt? Does that mean...?" Asked Hestia. Not daring to finish her question.
"Yes goddess, she isn't my biological mother. But rather, the sister of my real mother." Bell replied, his voice soft and calm. "I grew up without knowing who's my father and mother. All I know is that when I come into my senses, mother Alfia, uncle Zald, and grandpa was there."
'...it seems Zald has taken care of Bell too huh.' Thought Yuuya.
"Anyways, you two might be wondering why and when I made that promise with her... right?" Said Bell. "It was around the time when a man visited our house. I didn't exactly know what they talked about during that time. All I know was that man talked with mom, uncle Zald, and grandpa about something. The next day, he left as fast as he arrived. Together with Uncle Zald."
'Erebus... And he took—no, rather Zald agreed to come with him.' thought Yuuya.
"After that day, I asked mom if it's alright for that man to leave so quickly and why uncle Zald had to leave..." Bell stopped for a moment. "I still remember the words we exchanged the day."
"For the latter, mom simply replied that uncle Zald simply goes somewhere far to do something. A final call of duty she said. As for the former, mom's reply to my question: yes, it was for the best. I've already made my choice. I cannot call forth "Evil" if it means leaving you behind." Bell said, saying the exact words Alfia said that day.
"I didn't understand what she meant by evil during that time so I asked her. What does evil mean? She said it was a force of pure destruction that would drive the world into chaos in it's search for "justice." A force that would kill many."
"I was so innocent by that time that I didn't even know what the word kill even means. So when I heard her say it, I just repeated it with a confused tone." Bell chuckled, his voice hollow.
"Mom answered: Yes, all so that the hero of the age might finally appear. It would steal away all that the people hold dear. But in overcoming their sorrow they would grow, and we could entrust the future to them."
"It... It would save the world... That's what mom said." Said Bell, his voice trailing off. Suddenly, Bell started coughing.
"Bell? Are you alright?" Yuuya asked, placing a hand behind Bell's back and giving it a gentle back blows. The same kind we give to a person who's coughing.
While Yuuya is assisting Bell, his mind is having questions. 'She rejected the offer. So why did she still participated on the last day of the feud?' thought Yuuya. 'Could it be...?' His train of thoughts are cut off as Bell starts coughing more roughly.
Yuuya decided to put the thought aside for now. He can come back to it later and talk with the system.
"Goddess, go get a glass of water." Said Yuuya as he continues to give Bell back blows.
A moment later, Bell's coughs finally receded.
"...sorry, that tends to happen when I push myself too much." Said Bell as he drinks the glass of water.
"It's alright, take your time" said Yuuya.
After a few moments later, Bell once again continues.
"...when mom finished that word. The part where she said 'it would save the world..." I thought that was that."
"And thinking back at it, that thing, that choice. It was terrifying. Sad. Painful. No matter what the reason behind it was, the people who had suffered would never forgive the ones responsible."
"So I was glad, even the me seven years ago who can't make much sense yet if her words, was relieved. Relived that mom would never had to bear that weight. She chose to avoid the path that would have left her hated and despised. And yet..."
Bell stopped for a moment.
"...she said that because she refused to call it forth. That the world may very will perish... When she said that, her face was filled with regret." Bell said, squeezing back at Hestia's hand gently as to not hurt the goddess. His mind recalling Alfia's expression that day.
"Looking back at it again, maybe the reason mom had that expression is because though she wasn't hated or branded a criminal, perhaps maybe even because she wasn't, she... Felt ashamed. I..."
"...I saw her face at that moment and even at a young age... I can see it. She is slowly sinking into despair from it."
"Mother Alfia said that the last hero... May never be born."
"I was so confused at that moment. She avoided the path that will make her be hated by many people and will hurt her in the process. So why... Why is she sad? I couldn't understand her sadness. It was impossible for me during that time..."
"But I knew... That I didn't want that for her. That I didn't want her to had that expression. And that's when... That when I said my promise to her... My vow to mother Alfia." Said Bell, his expression taking on a small, soft genuine smile as he recalled the memory. Clearly, it was a memory he holds dear.
"I told her... Until she can finds her hero, then I'll become the hero." Bell said. His smile still there. "I don't even know why I said that first part. For all I know, she I my hero. Not only grandpa and uncle Zald, but her as well. She didn't know it but she already saved me... Saved my world and made my childhood happy just by being in my side and taking care of me. She is the best hero I can wish for. Sure, she might have a short temper and blast me into a wall or punch me with her 'gospel punch' when I did or said something wrong or when she's scolding me but..."
"I still love mom... And she loves me too. I mean if she doesn't, then why did she choose to be with me even though it brings her guilt because the last hero may never be born?"
"So for me, she is my hero. Mother Alfia is the best hero I can ever wish for. So until she finds her hero who can save her too, then I'll become her hero. I'll become the hero myself that she speaks of. I'll become the last hero just for her. Just for mom."
"...you know that you might regret it someday right?" Asked Yuuya.
Bell nodded. "Yes."
"There will definitely be times when the weight of it all bears on you so hard that you'll wish you could take it back. But even so..." Yuuya paused.
He looked straight at Bell's eyes, his own softening as he looks at those pair of ruby eyes.
Yuuya can see it. Bell's love for his aunt, Alfia. Whom he treats as his own mother.
"...but even so, if it meant seeing her happy. You'll do it all over again. You'll choose the same exact words again. Right?" Yuuya said.
"Absolutely. In every universe out there." Bell replied.
"Because when I said those words, she smiled." Bell said, his genuine smile softening a little bit more. "She said 'foolish child' but her smile at that moment... It was the best. The most genuine smile she ever gave to me. I could die just to see and make her smile like that again."
"From that day on, I made up my mind. No matter how long it may take, no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, I will become a hero. Not just for anyone, not just for the people that I cherished, but for her as well."
Bell paused. He then sighed. A long one.
"I... I thought that was that. That she will be by my side until I grow up and became a proper hero." Bell said, he voice cracking as tears started streaming down his face.
Yuuya can feel it. The next words that came out from Bell is the reason why Bete's words hurt Bell so much.
"Halfway through the year, I wake up one morning and she isn't there anymore. I looked all over the house and the only person there was my grandpa. After that, I looked all over the village. She wasn't there as well." Bell said, sobbing in between his words. Hestia herself started tearing up upon hearing it. Her chest felt tight as she heard the burdens of her child.
"When I asked grandpa where did mom went, he just said that she goes into a very far place to search for a cure for her disease. And that she has a message for me before she leaved." Bell said. He was really crying now this time. "S-she said, that I need to make sure that I become the hero I promised her that I'll be, while she is gone. That she is so proud of me. She said in her message that never, never should the doubt of if she actually loved me shall never cross in my mind or else, she'll send a gospel all the way from her location to hit me.
She asked me to never doubt her love because she will always love me no matter what. That if she was given the option again to meet me, she'll do it all over again." Continued Bell.
At this point, Hestia was crying as well. She no longer held Bell's hand, she was now hugging him.
While Yuuya cannot do anything but stare at the ground. His expression grim, filled with empathy and sadness from hearing Bell's story. His fist clenched so hard in his lap, his palm is starting to bleed from his nails. Yuuya also feels like he might actually tear up right now from the sheer absurdity of Bell's story and how cruel the world is to him.
He wants to offer him comfort. To say to Bell that it's alright. But the very act of it felt like betrayal to Bell.
Why? Because he knows Alfia's fate better than Hestia and Bell as of the moment.
Perhaps Hestia might know of it too, Alfia's fate if she had browsed the history books or past records. Perhaps she saw Alfia's fate from heaven as well during those time. Perhaps... She might've met Alfia's soul herself back on Tenkai before she descended.
[This world... It's cruel.] The system said. It's voice flat.
However, Bell continues to say his past.
"For years, I waited for her to come back. I never stopped hoping even to this very moment that one day, I'll see her again. That maybe if I become the hero I promised her I'll turn into, she will comeback." Bell said. "All that was left in that home of us in our village is grandpa. It used to be so lively in its own way. It used to have grandpa asking me to read hero stories with him, mother Alfia's remarks on how irritating grandpa's face was, and the smell of uncle Zald's cooking."
Bell paused for a moment, trying to gather the voice he needed to continue.
"When I reached the age of 12, I started thinking. I started blaming myself. That it's because of me that uncle Zald and mother Alfia left. I started loathing, blaming, and hating so much I started having these voices in my head."
Yuuya cannot stop it this time. He started shedding some few tears as he processes Bell's pain.
"And then last year... Grandpa leaves me as well. One day, I just heard the news that he died." Bell's voice cracked. His voice choking in between the words. "My only remaining family, gone. I was truly alone. No grandpa, no uncle Zald, and no mother Alfia. I was so devastated that I stayed in my room for days. The voices in my head came back and they are louder. They are telling me it's all my fault. That I should've never been born. That all I did was cause misfortune to those who love me and those who cared for me will always leave me."
'god damn it Zeus...!' Yuuya cursed at the god in his mind. 'The boy is already spiraling before you even leaved. You're his last family member. Why can't you choose a better option to make him go to Orario rather than leaving him!?'
Yuuya wants to find Zeus, hold him by the collar of his shirt, shake him until he physically can't, and shout at him. To say to the old god the consequences and pain he caused Bell because of his decision. He wants to ask Zeus why he can't just make a good decision for once, just for Bell's sake.
But alas, he can't do anything. He cannot do anything to change the past. Perhaps if he was reincarnated in this world 7 years earlier, then maybe.
But now? He can't do anything but listen to Bell's sorrow.
"The only thing that brings me out of from my despair was them. When the voices started getting louder, I heard their voices. Grandpa's voice telling me the importance of romance in a hero's path. Uncle Zald telling me some tips as how to become a better cook in the future. And most importantly, my promise to mother Alfia. Her smile that day when I said I'll become a hero." Said Bell.
"I missed it. I missed them so much. I missed the family I used to have and once had."
With that, Bell finally goes quiet. He has said everything. All that is now left is for him to cry out his sorrow.
"Shhh. It's alright now Bell. Just cry it out. We will be here, we won't leave" said Hestia as she hugs Bell tighter. Trying to wrap him in her own warmth as much as possible. While Bell just clings on to Hestia like his life depended on it. The sound of his crying is the only hearable thing inside the room.
The world is cruel. It's unforgiving. It's greedy. It takes what it wants; it takes what it gives, but it also takes away what remains of others. Even if all that is left are embers and bone, it still finds a way to take it all. The people who deserve the world are stripped of it. While those who take everything for granted gain everything. It's cruel, the world is cruel. It's a world that demands more from those who have the least to give.
∆∆∆∆
Moments after that has passed. Bell and Hestia are now both laying on the bed. With Hestia still hugging the other doing other the same.
After the revelation of Bell's past, exhaustion finally got him. His rampage on the dungeon has exhausted his him and the story of his past drained what remains of it.
Hestia who was waiting for Yuuya and Bell overnight, naturally fell asleep while comforting Bell on her embrace.
In the end, it was Yuuya who picked up the two with relatively no effort and brings them to the bed.
Currently, Yuuya was at the sofa. Staring at the two. Watching their sleeping figure.
But as Yuuya recalled the memory of the past few minutes, he can't help but sigh. So much so that he can't help but bury his face in his hands.
[Hey...] the system talked. It's voice void of its usual witty remark. [I put two and two together using the information we had so far. It's about Alfia. Do you want to... Hear it?]
Silence followed in Yuuya's mind. He was contemplating it.
"...go on."
[I had a guess why Alfia leaves Bell. She didn't do it because she wants to, but because she is dying.] Explained the system. [Unlike in the original where ethe author said if she takes care of Bell, her mom power would have allowed her to live longer. Allowing her to see Bell become a hero and be the final boss for his lovers.]
[But... In this world, that didn't happen. The mom power never came. Her incurable disease progressed and she was dying sooner than she expected.]
[Out if desire to not see Bell see her slowly rot and die in a bed, she takes on the Erebus offer. The offer to become a stepping stone so that the next generation can get stronger.]
[She did that because she would rather die for a cause than die in a forest or somewhere where people won't find her remains. She broke her promise to Bell yes, but it's Alfia. So she won't let her self die without doing something first.]
[But even then, she loves Bell so much she restrained herself from leaving his side until the day before the final day Feud in Orario. Only then, did she finally leaves his side.]
[Even though she broke her own words that she chooses Bell than be part of the Evil, she still kep a part of that promise.]
[This was shown by the fact that even though she showed up just once in the Dark Age of Orario, she didn't kill anyone. Unlike in the original scenario where Alfia kills civilians, adventurers, and etc to further provoke Orario, in this one, she didn't. She chose not to. She already broke her promise to Bell, she won't break it any further.]
[Plus, her time with Bell and the people in the village softened her a bit. So maybe that's another factor.]
[In the end, if we base it in action alone, she is clean. If she truly returned one day, all that is needed is to tip the opinion of the people and clear her name. She is just a sick, tired, and heartbroken woman, forced to be separated from the person she values the most more than her own life. She was left with no more choice and her time is up.]
[...]
[Well... That is all for now.]
Yuuya stayed silent during the entire time the system is talking. He has laid down on the sofa, his gaze on the ceiling. Taking his time to digest every new information about her.
'...the world truly is cruel huh.'
A part of him believes Alfia is truly dead.
However, a part of him also tries to fight the world and deny it.
The feeling that he had before when he had that conversation with Finn on the 18th floor about Alfia. The feeling of being pulled.
The itch that makes him want to become stronger and dive deeper to the Dungeon. So that he can unravel a clue, any clue about that silver haired woman. That feeling is starting to become clearer and stronger inside him.
And that further feeds on the part of his self that denies the idea that Alfia has truly died. Creating a cycle where a part of him not believing that's how her fate ended feeds on his 'what if" and vice versa. That only strengthens the itch he had to become stronger.
'That sliver of light that follows her... It might be something after all.' Yuuya thought.
He started creating scenarios. He started thinking that maybe, that sliver of light Alise and the others saw that day was not just because of mana saturation, a trick of the light, exhaustion and fatigue, and many more.
Maybe she was still there. On the lower floors. Waiting.
'I swear...' Yuuya thought. His hand clenching into a fist. 'I will find clues about your existence. Anything that leads to you.'
'Even if I have to turn this world upside down.' The thought in his voice sounding like a finality. A ultimatum.
'So if you're down there... Please—'
Give me... Us... Bell... Anything.
Give us a sign. Any sign that you're down there.
And if you do, I'll promise. That I will gladly—that I shall fall down to hell for you.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The world is cruel. It takes what it gives. But sometimes, it also gives back everything it takes.
∆∆∆∆
Alfia—coming soon.
∆∆∆∆
Author:
Pardon if some parts look odd and confusing to understand. Right after I published the last chapter—which is around 10 p.m in my country I believe? I took two hours of brak a.k.a doom scroll on tiktok. After that, it was now 12 midnight when I found the energy to make another chapter.
At first I considered making it into a multiple chapters but ultimately, I decided against it and make one long chapter instead.
And yes, I still haven't sleep and it's currently 11:30 A.M in the morning in my country.
Yes. I've been up since yesterday. My only sleep being a two hour nap yesterday.
Yes. I'm surprised I'm still alive.
Yes. I will proofread the chapters later. But if you guys are patient (please do🙏), just try your best to understand what I meant in the paragraph you're having a difficult time in.
Or you can also leave a comment on that paragraph. So that when I wake up, I can explain it better.
That's all, hope I don't fall sleep permanently, byebye.