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Welf went ahead, rubbing his neck, and Damien followed — though his thoughts were still halfway back on Tsubaki's smirk.
When they entered the office, Damien's eyes immediately fell upon her — Hephaestus.
The goddess stood behind her desk, fiery red hair spilling over her shoulder like molten silk, her single visible eye glowing with a calm, smoldering light. The other was covered by a black eyepatch that somehow made her beauty sharper, more magnetic.
She wasn't dressed like the divine figure he'd imagined — no flowing robes or jewels. Instead, she wore a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway, black trousers hugging her legs, and brown leather boots that reached mid-thigh. The simplicity of her outfit only made her more captivating; it drew attention to her natural grace, her sculpted frame, and the confidence that clung to her every gesture.
"You must be Damien, correct?" she said with a soft smile, her voice rich and calm. "I heard you saved our Welf here." She rested a hand atop Welf's head.
Then her tone shifted — firm, but not harsh. "This is the second time something like this has happened. I don't think your judgment of character is sound, Welf."
"How was I supposed to know they were Ex-Evilus?!" Welf protested.
"You weren't," she replied. "But you were supposed to recognize trouble when you saw it and walk away. I don't want to lose a child of mine."
She turned back to Damien, her gaze softening again. "And that's why I'm thankful for what you did, Damien."
"No problem," he said, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "I just saw someone in trouble and had to help. It wasn't much."
Hephaestus smiled faintly. "Wonderful. Fights a Level 2 adventurer and two Level 1s and calls it 'nothing.' You've got the qualities of a good child… unlike my Welf."
"Hey!" Welf groaned.
Her attention flicked to the parchment Damien was clutching, the Guild's seal visible at the corner. Her expression darkened. "What is that? From the Guild?"
Damien winced. "Yeah… I was, uh… kinda fined."
Her eye narrowed. "Fined? Why would they fine you? You saved my child."
"Yeah!" Welf added, fists tightening. "That's ridiculous!"
Damien sighed. "It's not for that. It's… for something else."
Both of them stared at him suspiciously.
"Uh… here goes nothing. It's a fine for… entering the Dungeon illegally. Because… I'm not in any Familia."
"WHAT?!" Welf and Hephaestus shouted in perfect unison.
"How is that possible…?" Welf said, still staring at Damien like he was seeing a ghost. "You beat a Level Two. I saw it with my own two eyes… You were strong — very strong."
Hephaestus, who had been silent for a moment, shifted her gaze to her child. She could tell from Welf's trembling tone that this wasn't exaggeration — he meant every word. Her visible red eye flicked back to Damien, studying him.
"Damien," she said slowly. "That's your name, right?"
"Damien Ardent," he replied, his posture straight but uncertain. "Yeah… that's my name."
Her eye narrowed slightly, though her tone stayed calm. "You're not some secret villain in disguise, are you?"
"Uhh… not that I remember," Damien said, raising his hands slightly in protest. "I came to the city yesterday. I've always been this strong, I guess. Used to think everyone else was the same until—" he gestured vaguely, "—well, clearly not."
For a long second, Hephaestus simply looked at him — really looked. In the young man before her, she didn't just see muscle or reflex. She saw focus. Control. A raw brilliance still unshaped — a diamond in the rough.
"Damien Ardent," she said at last, her tone carrying the weight of command and kindness in equal measure, "would you like to join my Familia?"
Damien blinked. "What?"
"You will be treated well," she continued without hesitation. "Trained by the best of my smiths and adventurers, made into the future of this Familia. A talent like yours comes once in a million. I'd be a fool to let it slip away."
She leaned forward slightly, resting her hand on the desk. "Whatever your demands, I will meet them."
Damien stood there, caught between disbelief and gratitude. "Wait… wait, hold on—uhm…"
Hephaestus smiled faintly. "Take your time. But let me be honest with you. The Guild won't keep your information quiet. They'll inform every major Familia that a lone adventurer — without Falna — defeated a Level Two. Every god and goddess will want you."
She paused, her voice softening. "And so do I. The choice, however, is yours."
Damien exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair as the weight of her words pressed on him. "Is it possible… that I make my decision during the Ganesha Familia tournament? That's where I wanted to choose my Familia."
Hephaestus nodded approvingly. "You don't need to ask my permission for that. It's your life, your path. Don't let anyone take that choice from you."
She stood and reached out, gently taking the folded parchment from his hand. "I'll handle this fine for you — and have a special permit issued so you can reenter the Dungeon without penalty."
Her expression softened into a smile. "As for a reward for saving my Welf… visit Tsubaki tomorrow. She'll craft you one piece of equipment of your choice — free of charge."
Damien's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
Hephaestus nodded. "You've earned it."
He smiled — a tired, grateful smile. "Thank you. For all of this."
She shook her head, her hair glinting in the forge-light. "No, Damien. Thank you for saving one of my children. Welf may not look like much sometimes…" — she gave Welf a side glance, making him flinch — "but he's precious to me. I couldn't bear losing him."
Damien bowed his head respectfully, then turned to leave. As he stepped through the doorway, the smell of forge smoke and divine fire filled the air — the world of gods and heroes slowly opening its gates for him.
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If you Like this story! Check out my other story's ! Sukuna in DC! and Dragon Slayer in Marvel!
AND
If you wish to read more or simply support me just because ? than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/Riadooo"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want !