So I survive, huh! However, what happened? How did I manage to survive such a dire situation? I lie on what feels like a thin cot, with sparse bedding providing little comfort beneath me.
As I reflect on my circumstances, I notice that my wounds are healing noticeably faster than usual, especially given the injuries I sustained during the fight.
While I've always recovered quickly compared to others, this time it feels unusually rapid. I check my body carefully to assess mycondition.
"Kael!"
Suddenly, Lady Hestia burst in through the door, her face filled with worry as she quickly looked toward me in the cramped room.
"Are you okay? Didn't you promise me that you won't take risks on your first day? "
Looking at her worried expression, I let out a complicated smile.
I mean, who could have ambushed by three goblins on the first floor? On my first day no less
"It's as if the dungeon is targeting me!" I mutter to myself.
"Dungeon is targeting you" God miach ask in a confused expression
"No, nothing, Lady Hestia, I am fine, just exhausted myself, that's all. A little nap and I will be on my feet."
"No, you don't "
"I'm fine, honestly I promise"
"Indeed, aside from a little injury, only exhausted", Naaza cut in.
Looking at her face, I began to worry about how to repay her debts
sigh
———
It's been some time since we returned home. The abandoned chuch of course
The first thing I did was to take a bath in the basement.
haahh finally alive
Dried blood flakes off my skin as warm water rinses it to the ground.
I can't believe how fast my wounds heal, even my body feels different
A sense of comfort wash of me as if I had broken some kind of shackle binding me.
So what happened in the dungeon? Why can't I remember it, according to what Ouka told me when they found me I was already passed out
While drying myself and putting on pants, I thought to myself
Coming out, I found her setting up the food we brought on the table.
"sorry goddess, can you help me apply medicine on my back I can't reach it " Rubbing my hair, I asked her apologetically my voice tinted with guilt
I feel worse myself asking her she has always helping me since we met
She raises her head Looking at me gently, her voice filled with blame
"Why are you apologising? Isn't it natural to help family members?"
She helped me sit on a stool, while holding the medicine and bandage in one hand
The wound was already sealed.
Pink. Raw.
But closed.
"…That's not normal," she whispered.
So she sees it too.
"…Is that bad?" I asked.
She didn't answer right away.
She wrapped the bandage around me anyway.
"…No," she said softly.
"It just means you're… special."
Special huh!
That's a word no one ever used for me before. And for the first time in my life—Someone was afraid to lose me.
I found my ears becoming hot as she applied medicine to my wound.
"So what happened to you in the dungeon, with the preparation you have made, it wouldn't be so difficult at first floor"
Concentrate on my wounds she asked while trying to hide concernin her voice
"Nothing happened, when I was returning, I found myself surrounded by 2 goblins. I killed them while running away That's why I was exhausted"
Damn I felt worse lying to her
"You know Kael, mortals can't lie in front of gods"
I flinched at her voice but in the end, I chose to remain silent.
"TADAH, All finished. Now, let's eat—I'm starving!"
To soften the tension in the room, she sank with forced cheer. Her eyes crinkled into warm crescents as she patted her belly.
I let out chuckles, looking at her adorable expression.
"I'm also starving " Putting on my shirt I also sat down on dinner table
"Here you go " taking the plate from her hand I start wolfing down the food
"cough cough, wa water "
Watching me cough and petting my chest. She rushed to get water in panic
"here here"
Gulping down a glass filled with water, I let out a sigh of relief.
We locked eyes for a moment—me with a grain of rice stuck to my lip and her holding a water bottle—before we both burst out laughing.
It's nice to be alive
Warm current passes through my body as I relax in the comfort of family
Hestia, sitting at my waist, dipped divine blood on my back where Falna was glowing.
"Okay… let's see how much you grew today, Kael."
I lay still on the edge of the bed, shirt off, back to her.
It had been only one day since I received Falna.
I nearly died yeah … but that's still nothing compared to real adventurers who face death every day.
Her thumb touched my back. As warmth flowed into me.
Then she stopped moving.
"…Huh."
My shoulders stiffened.
That's never a good sound.
"Lady Hestia?"
She leaned closer, eyes scanning my Falna.
"…Your numbers went up faster than normal."
Faster than normal… but not insane, right?
She read them out loud.
Name: Kael Verdan
Familia: Hestia Familia
Level: 1
Strength: I → H 88
Endurance: I → G 142
Dexterity: I → H 96
Agility: I → G 135
Magic: I → I 15
I swallowed.
That's… more than zero.
A lot more. That's not just faster but way faster
Hestia tapped her finger on my back slowly.
"…Most rookies barely leave the I-rank after their first day."
"So… this is good?" I asked.
She hesitated to answer.
"…It's impressive. But also… strange."
There's that word again.
She went quiet for a second. Her brow frowned.
"…There's something else."
Hearing her, my body tensed for a moment then relaxed.
"What?"
She focused on the deeper layer of the Falna.
"…Not active yet. But it's there."
She doesn't write it down; instead, she hides it so others can't see it and read it out loud to me.
New Entry — Hidden Data (Visible only to Hestia)
Trait (Soul-Based):
Ancestral Regeneration — Dormant
• Accelerated healing
• Bleeding suppression
• High resistance to the concept of death
She whispered slowly
"…Your soul refuses to accept death."
Refuses to accept?
Is that what happened in theck on dungeon?…
Then she paused again. Her eyes widened.
"…And this."
Hidden Skill (Dormant):
Bond of Ascension
• Growth increases based on emotional bonds( Currently only Hestia)
• Power responds to trust, connection, and emotion
• Currently inactive
She pulled her hand away slowly from my back.
"…Kael."
"Yeah?"
Her voice softened, her brow relaxed, as she told me.
"You're not normal."
I figured that out today.
"…I just want to survive," I said quietly, my voice lowering.
Hestia smiled.
"…Then let's make sure you do."
"Alright, it's time to sleep. Aren't you exhausted?"
She patted my back a few times then stood up.
"Okay, good night goddess Hestia"
Getting to my feet, I moved to the couch, lay down, and wrapped myself in a blanket while replying to her
"Good night, Kael!"
———
[Third-person pov ]
The next day.
West Main Street district.
Home of Hestia Familia.
Kael stretched in the shadow of an abandoned chapel, warming his muscles for today's adventure.
What a beautiful morning to start an adventure
Jumping a few times, Kael began to prepare for day 2 hoping today's dungeon dive won't be crazy
[A/N: my whole chapter got deleted even after I saved it, I was hoping to upload 2 chapters today😭 😕 😞 😌]