So after that long train of thought, which, it should be said, didn't even last half a second with the subtlest use of her divine authority, she chose to answer, just as a greatsage once had.
— Nothing in particular. — she said, wearing the kindest and gentlest smile she could muster in that situation.
Freya hid a faint smile behind her hand, while a vein throbbed visibly on Hermes' forehead.
— Sure… nothinginparticular. How could I not think of that… — he repeated sarcastically, complaining under his breath.
— Ha! She really got you, huh? Relax, Hermes. The boy is strong, and he's survived all this time on his own. Everything will turn out fine. — Takemikazuchi let out a loud laugh and nudged Hermes' shoulder, his tone overflowing with confidence.
— Easy for you to say. It's not you who- ugh, forget it… — he cut himself off, almost letting something slip.
Something everyone noticed, yet chose not to comment on.
— And why are you so sure, huh? Do you happen to know the kid?
— Of course I'm sure. — Takemikazuchi crossed his arms and raised his chin proudly. — After all, I'm the one who trained him. And I don't rest on my laurels.
— Hmm? / Ehh? — Hermes and Miach reacted in unison.
Although Takemikazuchi and Hestia shared a good relationship, neither of them had expected the other to be training her child.
Exchanging glances, they quickly noticed that Hephaestus and surprisingly, Freya as well, had barely reacted to the revelation.
Hephaestus, at least, made sense… but Freya too?
— Hey, hey. Why didn't I know about this? I'm the one teaching the boy herbology and mineralogy inside the Dungeon. Shouldn't I know this as well, as his teacher? — Miach protested, unsure whether to look at Hestia or Takemikazuchi.
But his confusion was cut short when both answered at the same time.
— You didn't ask.
— You didn't ask.
Miach froze, mouth slightly agape, torn between feeling betrayed or outright offended.
Hermes, meanwhile, was once again caught off guard, this time by Miach's words.
'How could I not have known this? Are my people getting lazy? It's not like the fact that the boy was frequently visiting the house of two gods could be easily covered up.'
— What do you mean, you're teaching him too? Don't you have a shop to run? — he asked, fishing for more information.
— Well… — Miach scratched his cheek. — I had some free time. And when Hestia came to ask for help, I thought: Why not teach another disciple? It would help to clear my head. So I gave him some very basic lessons here and there, about some plants and things he should keep an eye on while wandering the Dungeon. They're quite valuable to alchemists, after all.
His expression darkened slightly.
— We were about to move on to monster parts and how to retrieve them properly… but then, well, you know what happened.
He leaned closer to Hermes and lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret.
— I was also planning to buy the materials he collected at market price and give him a tiny discount on my potions...
— Ohhh... great plan, great plan. — Hermes nodded with his head many times.
— I can hear you! — Hestia commented, slightly annoyed.
Miach immediately stepped back and, with absolutely no shame, pretended nothing had happened.
— I didn't say anything.
The others witnessed the exchange in silence. It almost felt like something straight out of a theatrical comedy.
But some were clearly more affected than others.
Although he tried his best not to show it, Hermes realized he had just heard something he shouldn't have. The surprise was genuine, and unsettling.
A single mortal receiving the direct support of multiple gods was not normal.
As the pieces fell into place, the picture grew increasingly absurd.
1- Hestia was his Familia Goddess.
2- Hephaestus had clearly provided high-grade equipment.
3- Takemikazuchi had trained him personally.
4- Miach was involved as well.
5- Then there was Ouranos, quietly observing the boy from distance.
6- Hermes himself had been circling the situation without realizing it.
7- And Freya, too?
The boy had the eyes of seven gods on his back; that would be enough to artificially create a hero, a weak one, but a hero nonetheless.
Slowly, Hermes expression hardened as the implication settled in. Perhaps this was what Ouranos had meant when he said the boy was special.
In any case, Hermes would need to re-evaluate his notes.
— Getting back to the subject, Takemikazuchi… — Freya said, lowering her cup as she finally joined the conversation. — You mentioned that you trained the boy, didn't you? Is there anything… in particular you'd like to say about him?
Hermes' eyes widened ever so slightly. No one noticed, but he cast Freya a grateful glance. For a moment, his earlier shock had gotten the better of him, and he had failed to press for more information.
Miach giving the boy a few lessons was relatively insignificant, as long as he didn't teach alchemy directly, there was little chance the boy would stray from a hero's path.
Takemikazuchi, however, was different.
His evaluation was crucial to understanding Luki. Hermes needed it, no matter what.
— Luki-kun, huh… — Takemikazuchi murmured. — What can I say about him…
He lowered himself into a relaxed squat, resting his elbows on his knees as he thoughtfully stroked his chin.
His gaze briefly shifted toward Hestia, as if silently asking how much he was allowed to reveal.
Hestia didn't react.
Whether that was permission, or simply indifference, he chose to take it as a yes.
— Luki-kun is a person… — Takemikazuchi began, then corrected himself. — I mean, he's quite talented in his own way. He doesn't give up easily and keeps a level head. I'd say he's a very… composed person. Yes, composed. If he continues like this, he'll surely go far in life. I don't know where, but far.
— I also noticed he has good combat instincts, even if he's not fully accustomed to fighting yet, which is understandable, considering he had only started a few weeks before meeting me. So I focused mainly on the basics: posture, footwork, breathing, motor coordination, how to swing a sword properly, how to dodge.
He smiled faintly.
— That last part in particular, he learned splendidly. Truly. He dodges blows so well it's almost as if he has eyes in the back of his head.
Hermes made a note of this.
— After a few months under my tutelage, I became certain he was capable of facing the Dungeon's new monsters on his own, even though he was physically far weaker than them. That surprised me at first. He didn't seem especially gifted… but then I reflected on how hard he trained with me, and imagined how much harder he must be training alone. That's when I realized he was more than I had thought.
Takemikazuchi exhaled slowly.
— He has an impressive amount of energy for someone so weak.
Hermes listened in silence, carefully filing away every word in his mental notebook.
'So Luki has principles, composure, and enough resilience to catch Takemikazuchi's attention. That explains part of it… but not all, I will need to see him face to face to know more.'
'Still, his assessment is clear: a newcomer with moderate talent and an absurd work ethic.'
'Good.'
'A lack of overwhelming talent has always been one of the strongest motivators for those who seek greater power.'
'However, I still don't see anything truly worth noting. Ais Wallenstein's swordsmanship talent, along with her… very special lineage, makes her a far better candidate for a heroine than he is.'
'So what am I missing here…?'
As if responding to those unspoken doubts, Takemikazuchi continued speaking.
— But considering his Unique Skill, I think that was only to be expected. — he said casually, as if he were commenting on the weather rather than revealing something important.
For the others, however, it was anything but unimportant.
— Wait a minute, he have a Skill?! — Miach, Hermes, Freya and even Hephaestus widened their eyes and spoke at the same time.
Takemikazuchi blinked once.
Then twice.
He slowly looked from Miach to Hermes, then to Freya, whose expression, though still calm, carried a sharp glint of surprise. And Finally Hephaestus that looked a surprised and a little betrayed.
— ...Hm. Why are you all reacting as if this is something new? He pointed his finger between them, genuinely confused.
— Because. It. Is. — Hermes replied flatly, his usual smile nowhere to be found.
— Nobody ever told me this before. A skill isn't something that can be easily hidden. — Miach added, frowning.
Takemikazuchi frowned in genuine confusion.
— Eh? I thought Hestia had already told you. I mean… it came out pretty early, didn't it? — he scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Freya's lips curved ever so slightly, though her eyes were sharp and focused.
— No, Takemikazuchi. This is the first time we're hearing about it.
Takemikazuchi stiffened.
— Ah… oops?
All eyes turned to Hestia, whose expression could only be described as that of a deer caught in the glare of oncoming headlights.
— Hestia… — Hephaestus called, slowly, pronouncing each letter of her name slowly, very slowly.
Hestia visibly recoiled, turning her face away so stiffly that her neck let out a faint creak.
— You didn't, by any chance… — Hephaestus continued, her voice calm in the most threatening way possible, — decide to hide from everyone the fact that the boy awakened an Skill, did you?
Hestia pressed her lips into a thin line, shoulders rigid, and answered with hesitation.
— No…
— And you also didn't, hypothetically speaking, forget to tell me! About this extremely important detail…? — Hephaestus said, rolling up the sleeve of her shirt, revealing a thick, veiny forearm.
— No… — Hestia repeated, her voice cracking this time.
She lifted her face toward the heavens, eyes glistening with regret and impending doom. She knew exactly where this was going.
— HESTIAAAAA!!! — Hephaestus rose from the pouf in fury.
— AAAAAAAAH!!! — Hestia ran off, protecting her head.
But soon realized there was no way out.
— WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!!
— TOO. LATE. — Hephaestus roared.
— AIEEE!!
Smack!
Smack!
— OW! OW! OW! STOP HITTING MY HEAD! YOU ARE GOING BREAK IT! — Hestia cried as Hephaestus delivered a merciless rain of punchs on the top of her head.
— WHY DO YOU NEED IT ANYWAY?! YOU DON'T EVEN USE IT!
POWWW!
Hephaestus grabbed both of Hestia's twin ponytails and pulled them sharply.
— AAAAAH! MY TWINTAILS NO! NO! NO! NO! HEPHAESTUS, SORRY HEPHAESTUS! I REPENT, I SHOULD HAVE TOULD YOU! I REPENT! I REPENT! MY TWINTAILS NOOO!!!
— WHY DID YOU HID SOMETHING IMPORTANT FROM ME?!
— I DIDN'T HIDE IT! — Hestia yelled, squirming. — IT'S JUST... NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN TELL ANYONE!
Hephaestus froze mid-pull.
— …Huh?
Hestia, still being held, hurried to explain through tears.
— A SKILL IS PERSONAL! IT'S UNIQUE! IT DEFINES SOMEONE'S LIFE! YOU DON'T GO AROUND TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT LIKE IT'S GOSSIP!!
Silence.
Slowly, Hephaestus released her ponytails.
— …That's true.
Hestia collapsed to the floor, panting in relief.
Hephaestus crossed her arms, her tone calmer, but still firm.
— I'm not angry because you didn't tell anyone about it. Hiding it from strangers was the correct choice.
She looked down at Hestia.
— But I'm not "just anyone".
— …Ah.
Crack
— AIEEEEEE!!
Hephaestus grabbed Hestia by the head again without warning.
— OW! WAIT, WAIT!! SORRY! SORRY! I AM SORRYYY!!!
Hestia curled into a ball, clutching her head, tears streaming down her face.
— TOO LATE FOR "SORRY"!
BANG!
— AAAAAAAAAH!!!
While Hephaestus was burying Hestia's head in the same level as her chest with her bare hands, the others simply watched calmly.
...
— Anyway, you were talking about his Skill... — Hermes spoke suggestively, clearly interested in learning more.
— Oh, sorry but.. I think I'd better stop here, it would be very bad of me to reveal something that even Hestia hasn't revealed herself.
— Relax, if his ability was really that unique then he wouldn't be in this situation.
— Uhm... well... with you speaking like that... — Takemikazuchi scratched his head while thinking about the boy's ability and whether or not he should reveal it.
In the end, realizing it wasn't a big deal, he chose to tell him. He'll simply compensate for this by training the boy more seriously.
— The name is Tireless Adventurer, or something similar; it increases stamina and recovery, as well as some resistance, nothing too special. The last time I saw it, it still had the strength of a Rank I Development Ability.
— It's not as powerful as the skills of more famous adventurers, but it does offer solid support. It lets him keep training while others are resting, and it's especially useful in prolonged or attrition-based battles.
— In short, it's not useless… but it could be better.
After hearing Takemikazuchi's assessment, the gods' curiosity was mostly satisfied, along with a faint sense of disappointment.
Just as he had said: not bad, but nothing extraordinary.
Hermes remained silent, carefully hiding any change in his expression.
'No… we're looking at this from the wrong angle.'
'How long has the boy been an adventurer, a few months? How long has he trained, a few weeks? Yes, there are those who awaken Unique Skills or even magic the moment they receive their Falna… but those are rare exceptions.'
'After all, ninety percent of adventurers in Orario never even make it past Level One. And practically no one awakens a Unique Skill at all.'
'Yet this boy needed only a few weeks of exposure to danger for his potential to begin blooming. Even if the effects of his Skill aren't impressive right now, that could easily be a reflection of his current level.'
'Once he grows stronger… older… once he experiences more of the world… he may very well awaken other Skills, far more potent than this one.'
Hermes exhaled slowly.
'Ouranos was right. I need to keep an eye on him… and make sure nothing unfortunate happens along the way.'
Meanwhile, someone else was also lost in her own thoughts and they were far from pure.
'More stamina… is it? That means he can outlast others of the same level… how delightful.' Freya mused, her lips curving faintly as her gaze softened.
She felt her underwear becoming damp at the thought, but masterfully concealed this fact by showing no emotion or blush on her face; her legs weren't even trembling.
— Uhm… guys, not to interrupt or anything, but I think we strayed a little from the topic. — Miach said, after noticing a certain change in the atmosphere.
— Uhm?
— Vish!
— Ufufu~
Each of them reacted differently, but all of them noticed.
Bam
A loud noise suddenly drew their attention.
Turning to the side, they saw that Hephaestus had apparently finished with Hestia and returned to her seat; the sound was simply her backside sitting down.
As for Hestia…
Well, she had certainly seen better days.
— You're right. We really did stray from the subject. — Hephaestus said flatly, showing absolutely no emotion regarding the catastrophe she had just inflicted using someone else's head. — We need to focus on how we're going to bring this situation to an end.
Seizing the opportunity, the others steered the conversation back on track.
— In another month or two, this will have to be forcibly interrupted simply due to lack of personnel. After that, I doubt something like this will happen again. — Miach said.
— Not to mention that we still have no real clue about his whereabouts beyond a vague estimate of the floor. The Dungeon isn't just going to let Hestia track him in real time without retaliation. — Hermes added.
— Exactly… and I hate to say this, but even if I wanted to, I can't neglect my own Familia indefinitely for the sake of someone I don't even know. — Takemikazuchi said with a tired sigh.
— I want to keep helping an old friend, but I may have to return to the surface soon. — His expression was somber and resigned. Unlike many in that room, he was being completely sincere about his feelings.
Hestia noticed that and couldn't help but respond.
With a subtle use of her divinity, careful not to draw the Dungeon's attention, she returned to her usual state, straightened her clothes, and adjusted her posture. Her voice carried understanding and genuine gratitude.
— Takemikazuchi… I understand your situation. Taking care of children isn't easy, even for us gods. Especially for you, who have so many depending on you. If you need to return for their sake, I won't hold it against you.
— No, Hestia. — He shook his head. — You've helped me countless times in the past. You've been a true friend all these years. It would be disgraceful of me if I couldn't grant you such a simple wish.
— Even if it means leaving them without your help? — she asked quietly.
Takemikazuchi fell silent.
No one in that room understood his situation better than he did.
His Familia was made up almost entirely of orphans from a sanctuary in the Far East. He had come to Orario to earn money to support the people there, to give them a future. Yet, since this mission began, those activities had been reduced. All because of Hestia.
He wanted to continue helping the sanctuary. He wanted to be there for the children who relied on him.
But after everything Hestia had done for him, he couldn't bring himself to turn away now.
So he chose the only path that remained.
He would shoulder it alone.
As the God of War, even without his divine powers, his technique alone was enough to overwhelm monsters of the highest tiers. He would handle the danger himself, while his children focused on keeping the Familia afloat on the surface.
It wasn't the smartest decision.
But it was the one he could live with.
— Well… who am I to advise you on how to raise your children? — Hestia said gently. — You know what's best for you. I'll leave that decision to you.
— I've already made it. — he replied.
Hestia nodded once, accepting it, then turned to Miach, who was holding an absurdly long sheet of paper.
— Any more problems?
Miach glanced down at the list in his hands—requirements, contingencies, failed attempts, unresolved variables piling up one after another.
— Many…? — he replied, not entirely sure himself.
Hestia let out a tired sigh and looked around, hopeful.
— So… any ideas?
Silence answered her. Whether they had nothing to say or were lost in thought, it hardly mattered.
After so many months circling the same conclusions, it was clear they had already tried everything. And somehow, even everything hadn't been enough.
This was shaping up to be another meeting that led nowhere.
— What a waste of time. — Freya sighed.
Her words cut through the room, broughting everyone attention to her.