Chapter 12 – Living Under One Roof!
Hephaestus cast a sideways glance at Akira, standing quietly beside her. Her brows furrowed in hesitation.
Between Akira and Hestia… there was no question.
She and Hestia had been close friends for millennia—true companions long before they ever descended to the mortal world. Among all the gods, Hestia was the only one Hephaestus could call a genuine friend.
If Akira hadn't been here, she would've let Hestia stay without a second thought.
But now…
Having both of them living in the same house made things a bit complicated.
"Hephaestus~"
Clinging tightly to Hephaestus's arm with childlike affection, Hestia pouted and whined adorably.
Akira stood off to the side, watching the scene in silence.
It was surreal.
The virgin goddess of Greek mythology—the sister of Zeus himself—was acting like a spoiled little girl.
"…Alright, fine. But let me make this clear: you'd better behave while you're here."
"Yay! Hephaestus is the best!"
Hestia cheered, jumping up and down like a kid who'd just been handed a festival prize.
Hephaestus let out a long sigh. She had agreed, yes—but somehow, she had a bad feeling this peaceful home was about to become far less peaceful.
She stole another glance at Akira.
He responded with a calm, reassuring smile.
That helped.
"…By the way," Hestia said, finally turning her eyes to the unfamiliar young man in the room. "Who are you?"
Akira gave a polite nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Hestia. I'm Shin Akira, a new member of Lady Hephaestus's Familia."
"Ohhh~ A Familia member, huh…? Must be nice~"
Hestia's expression instantly turned sulky with envy.
She had just descended from Heaven not long ago. While the other gods had already formed their Familia and gathered adventurers, she hadn't even found a single follower yet.
"If you're jealous, then go out and find someone to join your Familia too, Hestia."
"Ehehe~ I just got here! I don't even know where to start. But don't worry, Hephaestus, I'll have my own Familia real soon!"
"Well then, best of luck."
"Hehe, I'm Hestia! I can totally recruit someone!"
She puffed out her tiny chest with confidence, patting the area around her heart.
In that instant, the thin cloth covering her chest bounced slightly, catching the morning light in a dazzling ripple.
Akira froze.
He'd seen voluptuous characters before—Akeno from High School DxD came to mind. But Hestia was… a completely different category.
Where Akeno was alluring and mature, Hestia was cute, compact, and radiated the charm of a mischievous fairy.
You just couldn't compare the two.
Meanwhile, Hephaestus didn't even flinch at the scene.
She was used to this. Her Familia was one of the wealthiest and most powerful in all of Orario. A dozen Hestias wouldn't shake that foundation.
What she didn't know… was that this one little goddess would end up crashing at her place for months without ever leaving.
"Alright," Hephaestus declared. "Hestia will sleep with me in the bedroom tonight. Akira, you'll take the couch in the living room."
"Understood."
The divine residences inside Babel Tower were naturally luxurious. However, Hephaestus's private home only had one proper bedroom. The rest of the space had been converted into her personal forge—as befitting the Goddess of Smithing.
"Wait, he lives here too?" Hestia yelped.
"Yes. Why?"
"But he's—"
She nearly blurted it out: "He's a guy!"
As one of the Three Virgin Goddesses, Hestia had never been comfortable sharing a home with a man. It wasn't disgust—just awkward discomfort.
"I understand completely, Lady Hestia," Akira said, bowing respectfully. "As a Familia member, I'll behave properly."
"…Alright, then. If you say so."
Her gentle personality and the fact that this was Hephaestus's house kept her from arguing further.
Still, deep inside, she felt a faint sense of unease.
Akira could only smile inwardly.
This protagonist aura really is unbeatable.
Getting special treatment from a goddess was already crazy.
But having a virgin goddess pay attention to you?
Now that was talent.
The night passed without incident.
Even though he slept on the sofa, Akira genuinely enjoyed the peace and comfort. After all, this was the Babel Tower—the most extravagant structure in all of Orario. Even its couches were high-grade.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, warming his face.
"Mm…"
He slowly opened his eyes, still unfamiliar with the room's layout.
But deep down, he felt nothing but gratitude—and a bit of awe.
He'd transmigrated again.
This time, into a western fantasy world… Orario.
And now, he was living with two goddesses.
Could life get any better?
Click.
Just as he finished getting dressed, the bedroom door creaked open.
Out walked Hephaestus, still half-asleep.
"Good morning, Goddess."
"…Morning…"
She responded with a tired mumble. Seemed like she hadn't slept too well.
"What's your plan today?" she asked.
"I'd like to head into the Dungeon again. Yesterday I made about 2,000 valis. I want to test how much I can earn in a full day."
"Alright. But be careful. The Dungeon isn't something to take lightly. Don't push yourself."
"Thank you for your concern, Lady Hephaestus."
"If things get dangerous, don't hesitate to use our Familia's name. The name Hephaestus Familia carries a lot of weight in Orario."
"Understood."
Those words filled his chest with warmth.
To use a god's name as a shield… in Orario, that was an invaluable advantage.
Weapons and armor were everything to adventurers.
And Hephaestus Familia—makers of the famed Magic Swords—was the top supplier in the city.
Just one of their swords could sell for a fortune.
After washing up, Akira stepped out and made his way down Babel Tower. The morning market was already bustling.
He used up all the money he earned yesterday to buy three hearty breakfast sets and carried them back home.
"…You went out just to buy breakfast?"
"It was my first paycheck. Naturally, I wanted to spend it on my goddess."
"H-hmph…"
Hephaestus looked away, cheeks tinged red.
Akira wasn't exactly a professional flirt.
But coming from the modern world, he did know a thing or two about winning a woman's heart.
Even if he wasn't smooth… he was good enough.
And so, in that slightly awkward yet cozy atmosphere, the two of them shared a peaceful breakfast together.
Slurp… slurp…
"Hephaestus~ Did you eat yet? I'm starving…"
A sleepy voice echoed from the hallway as Hestia stumbled out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes.
Her clothes were a mess—barely clinging to her petite frame. She clearly hadn't bothered to fix her outfit after waking.
Akira nearly dropped his food.
A divine morning gift, served fresh and unsolicited.
He silently gave thanks to whatever higher power was watching over him.
And then—
"…What are you staring at?" Hestia asked flatly.
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