Back at the battlefield, the aftermath of the War Game had left the castle stripped of its once ancient standing. Where it had once stood in its complete form, marked only by the natural decay of its surfaces from the passage of time, it was now scattered with broken and destroyed structures, most of the damage caused by Aurelius.
Aurelius, now the last one standing after his battle against the four top members of the Plutus Familia, let out a deep sigh of relief. He deactivated his magic, his form shifting from his golden armoured state back into his regular human appearance. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward Marcus, who lay unconscious on the ground in front of him.
A faint smile appeared on his face, the feeling of respect evident within his expression as he looked at his fallen opponent.
Soon after, he noticed two presences appear beside him. Turning toward them, he saw that it was Bell and Lili.
Bell and Lili immediately knelt on the ground, showing a sudden act of respect toward their captain. "Congratulations on your flawless win, Captain," Lili said, her tone formal as she congratulated her familia captain. Bell nodded in agreement with her words, silently supporting what she had said.
Aurelius did not respond to their compliment right away. Instead, he let out a small snort, clearly finding their sudden gesture out of place.
"What is this for?" he said. "Suddenly acting like this is really awkward coming from you two."
Bell smiled and let out a light chuckle. "Haha. We have to show respect toward our captain one way or another."
Lili then chimed in, a noticeably satisfied smile present on her face. "Besides, we have to show a bit of professionalism right now. Who knows what fortune awaits us after this, Captain?"
Hearing Lili's words, Aurelius couldn't help but laugh in amusement. "Hahaha! Always finding a way to look for opportunities, aren't you, Lili?"
Lili lowered her head slightly, her smile still present. She did not deny her intentions whatsoever, clearly standing by her earlier words about taking advantage of opportunities like these.
Aurelius, now entertained enough by his two comrades' antics, turned his attention back toward the aftermath of his battle. His eyes briefly scanned the ruined surroundings before he looked back at Bell and Lili.
"Stand up, you two," he said, giving them a simple order. "I think we should help these people a bit. Surely, the majority of them aren't as bad as their patrons. At the very least, let's make it easier for them to recover."
Bell and Lili nodded at their captain's suggestion. They rose from their kneeling positions without hesitation, content to follow his orders.
The three of them then began helping the still-unconscious members of the Plutus Familia, including the four top members, right where they lay.
As time passed, some of them began to regain consciousness while the Hestians were already halfway through their efforts. Seeing the Hestia Familia helping them without asking for anything in return, they expressed their gratitude sincerely and eventually joined in the effort, turning it into a shared act of cooperation.
After some time had passed, all of them, the three familias together, made their way back toward Orario. Of course, both the Apollo and Plutus Familia members were far from pleased, their thoughts filled with the misfortune that awaited them upon returning to the city.
The Hestians, on the other hand, were in an entirely different mood. Knowing what their goddess had declared as the terms of victory, their spirits were high, their excitement impossible to hide.
And so, the three groups travelled back toward the city of Orario, looking forward to what awaited them, both the consequences and the rewards, alongside the anticipation of seeing their goddess once more.
<->
After a while of riding back toward Orario, they finally arrived at their destination. The three Hestians, alongside the Apollo and Plutus Familia, were brought to the front gate of the east side of the city, where the Amphiteatron was near.
The Apollo and Plutus members, now former members, slowly got off their caravans. Although they were still technically part of their familias at that moment, their disinterest was clearly visible. The motivation to return was almost non-existent, their expressions dull and unenthusiastic.
The three Hestians, however, did not get off their caravan. Instead, they remained seated, turning their attention toward the driver of their transport as they began to make a request.
"My good man," Aurelius called out to the caravan driver, "can you take us toward the abandoned church west from here?"
The driver glanced back at the Hestian captain. "The one that got destroyed recently, yeah?" he said. "It'll cost ya."
Aurelius then shifted his gaze toward the two Hestians beside him. Lili, understanding the unspoken cue from her captain, reached into her belongings and brought out a pouch of valis, enough to pay the man for the additional journey to their destination.
Without hesitation, Aurelius took the pouch and tossed it toward the caravan driver. The man caught it with ease, a satisfied smile forming on his face as he felt the weight of the payment.
"Alrighty!" the caravaner said, clearly eager now to take them where they wished to go.
He then gave the command for the horse to move, setting the caravan into motion once more. Their next destination was the home of the three Hestians, their home.
Or rather, what remained of it.
<->
A short time later, after passing through the bustling areas and the abandoned districts of Orario, they finally arrived. There, they saw Hestia already waiting for them.
The three Hestians hopped off the caravan, thanking the caravaner as he left without a word. They then approached their goddess, all of them wearing happy expressions on their faces.
Hestia, watching her familia children with a joyful mood, had that same feeling reflected back at her. "Congratulations, you three," Hestia said in a proud tone of voice. "You three have won incredibly flawlessly."
Bell gave a wide, goofy smile. "Of course, Goddess! You can always count on us to win anything." He then gave a thumbs-up toward his goddess, his confidence clear.
Lili nodded in agreement with the white-haired rabbit's words. She also believed that they had succeeded with flying colors.
Hestia then turned her attention toward Aurelius, a satisfied smile directed at him. "You too, Aurelius," she said. "Your leadership was a bit crude, though..."
All three, Bell, Lili, and Hestia, sweat dropped at the same time. It was indeed a bit crude in terms of Aurelius' leadership style, but considering the situation, it was hard to blame him.
"We were up against possibly more than a hundred and fifty members, Goddess," Aurelius replied, calmly making his point. "A quick rush toward the enemy base before they knew what hit them was the best option for our situation."
Bell, Lili, and Hestia listened to their captain's reasoning. There was logic in it, though it only worked because of their confidence in their own capabilities.
Hestia let out an exasperated sigh. "At least we're still together and victorious. That's what matters most."
The three Hestians then regained their composure. Slowly, each of them turned their gaze toward their destroyed home.
Seeing her familia children fall into a somewhat somber mood, Hestia decided to lift their spirits with some good news.
"Ahem," Hestia called out, drawing their attention back to her. "We really did make memories in this place. But… it's time to make some new ones in another."
Bell and Lili immediately lit up with excitement, understanding what their goddess had implied. Aurelius maintained a neutral expression on the outside, but inwardly, he was also pleased by the news.
Hestia then gestured for them to follow her. "C'mon, you three. Follow me to our new home."
Without hesitation, the Hestians followed their goddess, leaving behind what remained of their old home as they headed toward a new, more lavish place that awaited their arrival.
<->
As they journeyed toward their new home, they engaged in small talk with one another. Their conversations mainly revolved around the War Game and their experiences during their first time participating in it.
Bell and Lili talked about how they had dealt with multiple enemies, recalling how they had been swarmed from all sides. They also spoke about how powerful they now felt after reaching Level 3, their voices filled with excitement as they reflected on their growth.
Aurelius, on the other hand, did not speak much about his time during the War Game. The one-sided beating he had delivered was something that his comrades and Hestia were already familiar with. However, he did mention his fight with Marcus, describing how strong he had felt when they clashed.
After some time spent leisurely talking and walking together, the Hestia Familia finally arrived at their destination. What stood before them was a magnificent mansion.
"Behold!" Hestia announced, presenting the mansion to her familia children. "Our new home!"
Bell and Lili looked on with expressions of awe as they took in the grand sight before them. They could hardly believe their eyes, that such a massive and luxurious structure now belonged to them.
Aurelius, observing the large mansion, turned to his goddess with a question. "Is this Apollo's mansion?"
Hestia nodded, a proud expression forming on her face. "You are correct, my dear Aurelius," she said, her smug smile showing a clear sense of pride. "This is now all ours to settle in."
Aurelius continued to look at the mansion, raising an eyebrow as another question came to mind. "Why didn't you take Plutus's residence instead? I would reckon that he would have a better-looking base."
Hestia, understanding her captain's reasoning, nodded in acknowledgment. "Well, you see," she began, "their residence costs more than this one. So, logically speaking, I'd rather sell anything that they had."
A small bead of sweat trickled down her forehead as she continued. "You should have seen how much gold there was in his residence. The entire ball room alone was covered, ninety percent of it more or less, in gold. Besides, this mansion is already big enough as it is. It could hold more than a hundred people when Apollo still owned it."
Aurelius, hearing Hestia's explanation, nodded in understanding. "I guess that makes sense," he said.
Hestia then walked toward the gate of the mansion and pushed it open as her three familia children watched. Bell and Lili practically had stars in their eyes, their excitement for their new home clearly visible.
Turning back to face them, Hestia placed her hands on her hips, standing in a confident pose. "Well?" she said. "What are we waiting for? Let's settle in!"
Bell and Lili raised their fists high into the air and shouted, "Yeah!" in unison, their excitement overflowing.
Hestia stepped inside first, followed closely by Bell and Lili. Aurelius entered last, walking behind the three as they all made their way into their new home together.
They then proceeded to explore each room and space together. As they inspected the place for themselves, many comments were made along the way. Most of them revolved around the impressive architecture crafted by those who had built it, praising the masterful work that had gone into its construction.
Their compliments also extended to the furniture within the residence. The lavish and elegant pieces further reinforced just how fortunate they were after they have won the War Game, bringing genuine happiness to all of them.
However, not all of their visits were pleasant.
At this moment, all four of them stood inside a particular room, their expressions twisted into bitterness and disgust as they stared at the scene before them.
Hestia, who stood in front of her three familia children, looked on in complete disbelief. Her eyes were visibly twitching as she took in the contents of the room.
Bell and Lili also showed extreme disgust at what they were seeing. Their faces instinctively contorted into expressions of utter distaste, unable to hide their reactions.
Even Aurelius, despite being a reincarnated soul, could not help but flinch at the sight before him.
'Even though I said I don't remember earlier seasons well,' Aurelius thought, 'this one in particular I remember quite clearly. Even so, I still can't help but react poorly to this.'
Each of them cringed at what lay before their eyes.
The room was filled with statues of Apollo. From one corner to the other, no matter where one looked, the only thing visible was the face of the Greek Sun God, repeated over and over again.
As their gazes shifted deeper into the room, they discovered something even worse, something that surpassed the horror they had already witnessed.
A naked statue of Apollo and Hyakinthos stood at the centre, embracing each other passionately.
The moment Hestia saw it, she immediately covered the eyes of Bell and Lili before they got to see the absolute horror that had presented itself. "Bell, Lili! Don't look!"
Aurelius, upon seeing this, moved without hesitation. He stepped forward and, without wasting a single moment, destroyed the statue with a single punch.
The sculpture shattered instantly, turning from a masterfully crafted piece into nothing more than a pile of rubble and broken stone scattered across the floor.
Hestia, witnessing her captain's decisive action, let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. You're a saviour, Aurelius."
Aurelius also sighed, though his was filled with exasperation. 'I know Apollo is a Greek god and all, but this is just way too far. I have no business with what their relationship is, nor do I care, but making a statue of your bond or whatever is just… eugh, nah man, no.'
He then turned his attention toward Hestia, who had now removed her hands from Bell and Lili's eyes. "I think we should call Lord Goibnu to remove all of this. It's ridiculous how absurd this freaks' desires are."
Hestia nodded in agreement. "Agreed."
Bell and Lili, now able to see again, looked around with confusion, unsure of what had just happened or why their captain had destroyed a statue.
After that brief intermission, they resumed their inspection of the mansion. Moving from room to room once more, they continued exploring their new home.
After some time had passed, they finally decided to take a break, gathering together in the meeting room of the mansion to rest for a moment.
All four of them took their seats that were presented to them. Of course, Aurelius barely fit in the chair due to how large he was, his frame making the furniture seem almost inadequate beneath him.
After settling down, a brief moment of silence washed over them as they relaxed into their seats. The quiet lingered for a short while, comfortable yet expectant, before Hestia finally decided to speak up. "Since we're already here, we might as well have our first official meeting in our new home."
The three members of the Hestia Familia turned their gaze toward their goddess as the silence was broken. Each of them wore expressions of both confusion and anticipation, clearly wondering what it was that their goddess intended to discuss.
"So," Hestia began again, initiating the discussion, "there are two main topics. Well, one of them is more like news, in all actuality, but since Lili doesn't know about it, it might as well be considered one."
Lili raised an eyebrow at that. She then glanced toward Aurelius and Bell, noticing that both of them gave small nods, as if they already understood what Hestia meant.
Hestia lifted her hand, raising a single finger to signal the first topic of discussion. "First, about the weapons that both Aurelius and Bell have. If you didn't know, Lili, those pieces of battle equipment aren't just something bought from a store. They were pre-ordered and custom-made."
The information surprised Lili, if only slightly. "Is that so?" she said. "No wonder they looked a bit too high quality. I found it strange at first, but considering the circumstances of our Familia, I dismissed the thought almost immediately. No offense, of course."
Hestia nodded in response. "No offense taken. Though, we had to keep it from you at the time because of… well, the drawbacks that came with it."
Upon hearing that, Lili immediately understood. Having lived in harsh conditions during her time in the Soma Familia, she knew exactly what Hestia was implying.
Lili let out a small sigh before speaking again, her tone exaggerated as she asked, "So, how much did both of those pieces of equipment cost?"
Hestia hesitated for a moment before bringing out a small, rectangular box, which she then handed to Lili without another word.
Lili accepted the box and examined it briefly. On its surface were the words "Do Not Touch," accompanied by a hand symbol gesturing to stop.
Without hesitation, Lili opened the box. Inside, she found a neatly rolled piece of paper. She reached in, took it out, and slowly unrolled it.
It was a contract.
<~>
The Hephaestus Familia, under the Goddess Hephaestus, agrees to forge and deliver the divine weapon known as the Twin Sword Of Hestia and Shield Of Hestia to the Hestia Familia, under the Goddess Hestia, for the exclusive use of Bell Cranel and Aurelius. The total cost of [400,000,000] Valis shall be repaid in installments over 35 years with applicable interest, during which the Debtor shall provide continuous labour to the Creditor as primary collateral, and any delay or failure in payment will result in penalties or enforced measures at the Creditor's discretion. If the Debtor can pay the amount stated in full, that can as well be considered a completed payment. This agreement is sealed under divine authority and remains binding until the full debt is repaid.
Signatures
Creditor:Hephaestus, Goddess of ForgeHephaestus Familia
Debtor:Hestia, Goddess of HearthHestia Familia
Witness:Authorized Guild Representative
<~>
"…" Lili was in complete and utter shock, her face seemingly having lost all hope. As she read through the contract, especially the part that stated four hundred million valis, the number shook her to her very core.
Hestia, seeing the prum completely baffled by the contents of the paper she had just read, tried to "comfort" her.
"L-Lili?" Hestia called out hesitantly. There was no response whatsoever.
Hestia then tried her luck once more.
"Lili? A-Are you fin—"
"DO I LOOK LIKE I'M FINE?!"
Hestia, taken aback by Lili's sudden outburst, instinctively retracted. Bell, who was sitting beside her, also grew pale. Knowing that he was much closer to the prum, he understood that he was in far greater danger.
Aurelius, however, did not react. He understood the kind of reaction that Lili had just shown.
Lili, still very much consumed by her anger, lashed out once more.
"HOW DID YOU ORDER SOMETHING LIKE THIS?! DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT MONEY IS PRECIOUS, LADY HESTIA?!"
Hestia, now desperately trying to calm the prum down, waved her hands frantically in front of her as if asking for a chance to explain. "Wait! Let me explain!" Hestia said quickly. "I know it was stupid of me! I wasn't the brightest back then, but I've changed!"
Lili, still not satisfied with the answer, immediately retorted, "Changing is not going to pay the debt, Goddess! How are we supposed to pay all of this?!"
Hestia, who had been reacting in fear just moments ago, suddenly straightened herself, her expression shifting as she raised a thumb with confidence. "Heh, don't worry about that! It's already covered."
Lili, still in her angered state, narrowed her eyes as she questioned her goddess. "What do you mean by that, Goddess?"
Without delay, Hestia pulled out another item, a sealed letter envelope. She then presented it toward the prum. "This," Hestia said, "what lies inside it is a certificate that allows us to fully pay off the debt we currently have."
Bell, upon hearing this, reacted with immediate joy. "Really, Goddess?!"
Hestia turned toward Bell and nodded with a bright expression. "Yes, Bell! From now on, we won't have to live under the pressure of the piling debt that I foolishly created back then. Hahahaha!"
Bell jumped in excitement, overjoyed at the thought that they were now free from the burden of repaying such an overwhelming debt.
Aurelius, who had been quietly watching everything unfold, finally decided to speak. "How do we even have that much? Does Plutus really have that kind of money?"
"Yup," Hestia responded casually. "And a lot more than that. It's kind of stupid of him not to use it to expand into more businesses, honestly. He has enough that he could still recover even if, theoretically, a business made by him went bankrupt multiple times over."
Aurelius could only look toward his goddess with a hint of surprise as he thought to himself, 'So he had that much? Well, lucky us then.'
Lili, now holding the envelope in her hands, carefully inspected it. As she did, her thoughts began to surface. 'Is she lying? No… that can't be right. No one would bluff about something like this.'
With no other leads to confirm whether this was true or not, Lili eventually decided to let it go. She let out a quiet sigh. 'Well, it's no use. It would seem scummy of me to act like this after everything they've done for me.'
'Besides, if she really is telling the truth, she'll settle this as soon as possible. That's the kind of goddess Lady Hestia is, after all,' Lili thought, placing her trust fully in her goddess.
Lili then handed the envelope back to Hestia. "Alright then, Lady Hestia. I trust you."
Hestia accepted the envelope once more, holding it carefully in her hands as if making sure not to let it go.
"Alright then, onto the next topic," Hestia said, smoothly shifting the discussion.
"New recruitments."
After hearing the new topic presented, the three members of the Hestia Familia immediately focused their attention.
Hestia, noticing that her children were now serious about the matter at hand, decided to go straight to the point.
She began explaining how the recruitment process would proceed and what would be best for the Familia. That meant understanding the kind of backgrounds potential recruits possessed. Of course, that would not be easy to handle, but Lili and Bell volunteered as she was prepared to take on that responsibility.
She further added that the Familia needed people who were willing to do everything for one another, as if they were part of one big family. Considering that a person's character determines how well they bond with others, this would naturally lead to stronger connections and better chemistry within the group.
That was the ideology she wanted to instill into her Familia.
"So, are there any suggestions?" Hestia asked, remaining open to ideas from her three Familia members.
The three of them glanced at one another, silently waiting to see if anyone would speak first. However, not a single one responded. After a brief pause, they turned their attention back to Hestia and simply shook their heads.
Aurelius, in particular, nodded towards her idea. "It's pretty solid. If there is any flows to cover, we would decide it when we have more members. We are fairly new after all, being a familia of only a few months old."
Hestia, hearing Aurelius' words, nodded.
"Alright then," Hestia said. "Then it's settled. This will be the principle of our Familia. A strong, unbroken family. Any further implications would be discussed and possibly implemented after we have a solid foundation as a whole."
With that, Hestia rose from her seat. "You three can go ahead and explore more of the mansion. I need to go and pay off this debt, to get it done with before we even think about recruiting any new members into our Familia."
The three members of the Hestia Familia nodded in agreement. They then stood up from their seats and began to leave, one after another, until the room was empty once more.
The day passed, and as nighttime approached, Hestia had already finished her business a while ago, while the three members of the Hestia Familia had also finished exploring the mansion in its entirety.
At the moment, all four of them were gathered in a room. Hestia had called her three Familia children to the place where they now stood. The room itself was rather spacious, large enough to probably accommodate a dozen people comfortably.
However, there was one thing that immediately caught their attention. The room was decorated as if it were meant for celebrating someone's birthday. Not to mention the abundance of food that had been laid out on a table nearby, presented in a way that made it clear this was no ordinary gathering.
Bell and Lili, upon seeing the state of the room, could not help but question it. "What's with all the decorations, Goddess?" Bell took the initiative to ask. Lili nodded in agreement with the white-haired rabbit's question, equally confused by the scene before them.
Hestia, wearing a mischievous smile, stood confidently before them. "Hehe. Well, what else?"
Bell and Lili tilted their heads in confusion at their goddess's response. Aurelius, on the other hand, simply shook his head with a small smile on his face, slightly exasperated by Hestia's sudden playful nature. He seemingly already understood what was going on.
Hestia then spread her arms wide before making her announcement with full conviction. "All of this is for your level up, of course!" she declared, her voice carrying a strong sense of pride. "Congratulations to both of you for leveling up to three!"
Bell and Lili reacted in shock at first, but that shock quickly turned into excitement and happiness. Without hesitation, they both cheered, their voices filled with joy at the unexpected celebratory surprise.
"Well, what are you two waiting for?!" Hestia urged. "Let's dig in! You too, Aurelius! Eat like it's your celebration as well!"
They all accepted with glee and began to eat at their own pace, enjoying the feast laid out before them. It was a celebration not only for Bell and Lili's level-up, but also for their victory in the War Game.
After celebrating for a while, they eventually found themselves completely full. The table that had once been filled with dishes was now covered in empty plates, a clear sign of how much they had enjoyed the meal.
"Haaah~, I've never been this full in my life before," Bell said as he lay on the ground, rubbing his stomach.
"Me too. I wish we could have something like this every day~," Lili added, equally satisfied as she lay down as well, rubbing her stomach due to how full she was.
Aurelius, who had surprisingly not eaten as much as he usually would, sat on the ground with his back resting against the wall.
Of course, he understood that this was a celebration for his two comrades, and he had no intention of taking most of the food for himself. Even so, he was still full.
Hestia, who was also lying on the ground after eating her fill, expressed her satisfaction as well. "Haaah~, that was delicious~."
After taking some time to relax following their eating spree, they eventually decided to clean up the room. It took a while, as they had to deal with the dishes and tidy up everything, but they managed to finish as quickly as they could.
Once they were done cleaning, Hestia asked them to follow her back to the meeting room.
The three members of the Hestia Familia complied, following their goddess without any second thoughts.
____
They then arrived at the meeting room. Aurelius, Bell, and Lili took their seats at the meeting table, settling in as they waited for their goddess to share whatever information she had prepared.
Hestia soon took her seat as well. After a brief moment, she began to speak. "We're here again not because of another discussion or topic that needs to be addressed. Actually, there's something that I want to show you. It's something that I made earlier today."
Hestia then took out a piece of paper that had some sort of drawing on it. The three members of the Hestia Familia leaned in slightly, taking a closer look at the contents of the paper, only to see what appeared to be a logo of some kind.
Bell then spoke up, directing his question toward Hestia. "What is this, Goddess? Some sort of drawing?"
Hestia nodded in response. "Indeed, Bell. In fact, it's a drawing of the emblem of our new Familia."
Bell looked a bit surprised at that before giving a small nod. "It looks cool, Goddess."
Lili followed up with her own opinion. "Well, it looks a bit rough around the edges, but it's pretty solid to me."
Aurelius observed the newly drawn Familia emblem with a neutral expression. 'It shows what it needs to show of this Familia. Pretty good,' he thought to himself. He then shifted his gaze toward Hestia and gave a small nod in acknowledgment.
[Image]
Hestia, having heard what she needed to hear, seemed satisfied with their responses. "Alright, that's all," she said. "Go ahead and get some rest. You three have done more than I could've asked for."
All three of them nodded in agreement. They rose from their seats and began to leave the room, heading toward their own rooms.
As they were about to go to bed, Aurelius suddenly called out to Hestia. "Goddess, aren't you going to rest as well?"
Bell and Lili turned toward Hestia with curious expressions after their captain spoke.
Hestia responded with a gentle smile on her face. "I'll be a little late. I still have some things to do here. Don't worry about me."
The three members of the Hestia Familia raised their eyebrows slightly in confusion, but they chose not to press further. Bell and Lili, in particular, were already feeling drowsy from the long and tiring day they had gone through.
"Okay then," Aurelius said. "Don't push yourself too hard, even if you are a goddess."
Hestia waved her hand lightly. "Don't worry, I won't."
Aurelius nodded. "Alright then, good night."
Hestia responded warmly, "Good night, Aurelius. You too, Bell, Lili."
Bell and Lili replied in unison, "Good night, Goddess."
With that, the three members of the Hestia Familia headed off to bed, finally getting the well-earned rest they deserved.
<->
The next day came, the day when the recruitment of new members would be held.
At this moment, with the time already past ten, Hestia stood outside in front of the mansion lawn, positioned atop the staircase. The reason for this was clear. There were nearly two hundred people gathered below, all waiting to submit their applications to join the Hestia Familia.
Hestia, seeing the sheer number of people eager and impatient to join her Familia, found herself completely fired up, her excitement rising as she prepared to begin the process.
She then announced herself to the large crowd. "Hello there, dear, great, and wonderful people! Welcome to the residence of the Hestia Familia, known as the Hearth Mansion!"
Hestia's words caused the crowd to fall into silence, their attention fully drawn toward the Goddess of the Hearth standing before them.
Hestia continued, her voice filled with energy. "Today, as you all may already know, is the day you have chosen to apply to join the Hestia Familia! So tell me. Who here is excited to join the Familia that defeated two strong Familias on its own?!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the majority of the crowd erupted into loud cheers, their voices rising together in enthusiastic unison.
"Wooooo!"
"The Hestia Familia is the BEST!"
"Yeah! We are ready!"
Hestia, seeing the crowd so hyped up, could not help but be swept up in the atmosphere as well. She raised her right arm, signaling for their attention once more.
Clearing her throat, she spoke again. "That's what I want to see!"
She then pointed toward the area below the staircase where she stood. "As you can see, there are two counter tables that we have set up for your registration. On my left, you can see a big, no, a humongous man standing beside the counter. He is none other than the captain of this Familia, Aurelius."
At her introduction, everyone turned their gaze toward where Hestia was pointing. There, they saw Aurelius standing firmly, his presence both imposing and unshakable. He gave a smug smile toward the crowd as he addressed them. "Welcome. I hope you get admitted into our Familia."
Many of those present looked on with fear. After hearing what the one known as the Titanborn was capable of during the War Game, combined with the intimidating aura he naturally exuded, his mere presence was enough to terrify them.
Of course, this reaction mainly came from those who were new to adventuring. Those who were already experienced adventurers, however, could only watch in awe of him and the overwhelming presence he carried.
Weirdly though, the Amazonians had looked towards the Hestian captain with hearts for eyes. Surely must've been the wind messing with the mind.
Hestia, noticing the playful intimidation coming from her captain, took off her right slipper and hurled it straight toward Aurelius' head without hesitation.
The slipper hit its mark.
Aurelius quickly raised a hand to cover his head as he reacted to the unexpectedly precise throw of his goddess. "What was that for?!" Aurelius protested, rebelling against her action.
Hestia responded with just as much energy as her captain. "You're intimidating our new recruits, damn it! We're trying to invite them, not scare them away from us!"
Aurelius, hearing her words, looked away with a scoff. "Tch," he clicked his tongue before muttering under his breath, "I'm just here to test them a little."
Hestia let out a tired sigh. "Geez, you're the captain, for goodness' sake…"
Regaining her composure, Hestia once again turned her attention to the crowd. "Alright then, sorry for that little squabble. Now, onto my right."
She pointed toward her right side, and the crowd followed her gesture. Upon directing their gaze there, they saw two individuals. One with white hair standing beside the counter table, and the other a small prum brunette girl sitting behind it.
"On my right are my other two members," Hestia continued. "If you watched the War Game, they're the two who defeated the Apollo Familia on their own. These two are Bell and Lili."
Lili stood up from her seat and gave a polite bow. Bell, on the other hand, stepped forward slightly and introduced himself to the crowd with a bright and cheerful expression. "Hello everyone! It's a pleasure to meet you all here. I hope we can work together like a family. Wll, if you get to join, of course!"
Many in the crowd cheered in response to Bell's warm and friendly nature, quickly forming a positive impression of him. At the same time, many others looked toward Lili with respect, acknowledging her professionalism.
Of course, just like with Aurelius, many girls in the crowd began to look at Bell with hearts in their eyes, if not even more so, including some amazons among them.
Again, it must have just been the wind to see hearts for eyes.
Lili, noticing the overly affectionate looks being directed at her brother-like figure, immediately decided to intimidate them. In response, the girls who had been openly expressing their admiration quickly retracted their behavior. Angering a prum who had defeated several Level Threes on her own was not a wise decision.
Hestia, observing the situation unfold, could only massage her temples as she let out an exasperated sigh. "Not you too, Lili…" she muttered, seeing how the prum's actions were almost mirroring those of the titan-like man.
Hestia then regained her composure. "Alright, enough," she said, drawing the attention of the crowd back to herself once more. "You already get the gist of it. I hope that you can be admitted into this great Familia, and together, we can become the best that we can be!"
Hestia then stretched her hand out. "Let the recruitment begin!"
Everyone cheered in unison. As soon as Hestia announced the start of the operation, she immediately moved toward the crowd. She instructed them to split into two lines so that the admission process would go much more smoothly. After organizing them, she went to the empty counter table and began admitting members into the Familia.
Needless to say, the operation went smoothly, surprisingly so. Anyone watching this spectacle would have expected things to be clumsy, considering it was their first time handling something like this. However, to everyone's surprise, it was anything but disorganized.
They managed to recruit people who met their standards. Those who were accepted had the right mindset that aligned with the Familia's principles. On top of that, many of them even possessed useful professions and experience in wielding weapons, despite not yet being adventurers.
Of course, there were also those who were already adventurers beforehand. Most of them came from the Plutus Familia, while others were from Familias that had been disbanded or from groups where they had been cast out due to unfair treatment.
Naturally, there were also those who were rejected. Those who were not admitted were individuals or adventurers with bad records or former criminals, people who sought to join for personal benefit rather than for the sake of the Familia itself.
As the admission process continued, a group approached the counter on Hestia's side. Upon taking a closer look, both Hestia and Aurelius immediately recognized who they were.
"Look at who we have here," Aurelius said, drawing the attention of those nearby. "Why, if it isn't Marcus and his crew. Fancy seeing you here, Captain."
The people in question were none other than the top members of the Plutus Familia. Alongside them were Thalion and Hilda.
"HAHAHAHA! Of course!" Marcus laughed heartily. "I did promise you that we would have a drink together after the War Game, young man! I am a man of my word! It would be bad for me if I didn't keep it, would it not?"
Aurelius responded with a haughty laugh of his own. "HAHAHA! That's what I like to hear, old man!"
Seeing this interaction, Hestia, along with the former top members, could only let out a small sigh, a bead of sweat forming on their foreheads.
Hestia sighed. "Haaaah… it seems like another brute is going to join this family of mine."
Aurelius then looked at the incomplete group and asked curiously, "Where are the others? Surely you didn't leave to be on their own device, did you?"
Marcus shook his head in denial. "Of course not! That would be a cruel thing to do."
He then pointed toward the side where Lili and Bell were handling registrations. "They're over on that side. Also, two trusted friends of ours from the Apollo Familia are with them as well. And one more to add to the mix."
Hestia and Aurelius turned their gaze to where Marcus had pointed. There, they saw the prum twins, Bran and Brom, along with the prum mage, standing on that side together with Cassandra and Daphne.
There was also one more individual. A red-haired male who had also been admitted into the Familia.
That person was Welf Crozzo.
All of them, who were on Bell's and Lili's side, looked toward Hestia's side and raised their hands, greeting them from afar.
Aurelius, seeing this, began to think about the presence of Cassandra and Daphne. 'They're joining too, huh? Makes sense. I do remember that they initially wanted to join the Hestia Familia in the original timeline, but they declined because of Mikoto showing the debt to the crowd.'
He continued his thoughts. 'Not to mention, Welf too. I would have thought that he wouldn't join, unlike in the original, but I guess he has his reasons after all.'
Aurelius then smiled, satisfied with the outcome that had unfolded before him. 'Well, good for them.'
He then turned his attention back to Marcus and his group as they stood at the counter. "Well, welcome to our Familia. Knowing you people, we don't need to understand you further. I think we already know how well you fit with the morale and principles of this Familia."
Marcus nodded. "Thank you, young man. Very much appreciated for the compliment."
With that, they completed their registration, officially becoming members of the Hestia Familia.
____
After a while, the recruitment operation finally came to a close in the evening, just as the sun was nearing the horizon. Out of the nearly two hundred people who had come to apply, only around, barely more than sixty members were admitted into the Familia.
Once the recruitment process had ended, Hestia gathered all the admitted members and had them group up in front of the mansion, just like the first time they had assembled there before.
Hestia, now standing atop the staircase at the mansion's entrance, addressed them. "Congratulations on successfully joining the Hestia Familia, everyone! We have deemed you worthy of our terms and clauses, as well as fitting the criteria of our morale and principles. Give a round of applause to yourselves."
Following her congratulatory words, everyone began clapping. Some even cheered, their excitement clearly visible.
Hestia then continued, her tone shifting slightly. "Although your admission has been achieved with flying colours, the journey ahead will not be the same. For those who are new to the adventuring scene, understand this. Your life from this point onward will be different from how it was before. There will be many trials and hurdles that will test your bravery and your will, and among these trials lies something most crucial to your lives."
Hestia's gaze hardened as her expression grew serious, her brows slightly furrowed as she spoke a single word.
"Death."
Many of the newcomers did not respond outwardly. Instead, they stood there in calm silence, quietly taking in the weight of her words.
Seeing their reaction, Hestia decided to press further, as if testing their resolve. "If you are afraid of such a notion, then leave. If the concept of death has shaken you, then leave. If reality has struck you with the realization of your current situation… then leave. Leave this place at once."
Once again, the newcomers remained calm, their expressions steady as they absorbed the harsh truth spoken by the Goddess of the Hearth.
Hestia, seeing their composed reactions, allowed a small smile to form on her face. "Well, this is a great start for all of you. I'm impressed."
She then shifted her gaze toward those who had already been adventurers before joining. "Now, for those who have experience in the Dungeon or as adventurers, guide the newcomers. As I, along with my three children who recruited all of you, have said beforehand, that this Familia is a family. We must push one another toward becoming the best versions of ourselves."
Her voice remained firm as she continued. "Whether it is through menial work or difficult problems, guide them. Work together. They, along with you, are now part of this Familia, this family. Do not treat this as mere work. Treat it as something to be most cherished. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Goddess!" everyone shouted loudly in unison, their determination now reaching new heights.
Hestia nodded in satisfaction as she looked over the sixty members standing before her. "Good. Now, the election of executives will be held one week from now. I, along with Aurelius and Lili, who now serve as captain and vice-captains of this Familia, will observe your qualities. If you are worthy of such positions, you will stand alongside Bell Cranel in those roles."
At this, the sixty members began to murmur among themselves, each of them already resolving to do their best in hopes of earning such a position.
Marcus and his group, in particular, were confident in their chances, given the qualities they possessed. Even so, they were determined to give their all.
"That is all from me!" Hestia declared. "May our bonds as a family reach even the stars above!"
The crowd erupted into cheers. Hestia then signalled for all of them to follow along toward their designated rooms, allowing them to settle in as they celebrated among themselves.
A legion had been formed, stepping forward toward a new beginning.
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Yesterday,
As Aurelius, Bell, and Lili had just left the meeting room to head toward their beds, Hestia remained alone within the room.
She waited for a while longer, seemingly allowing time to pass so that her three Familia children could settle down and fall asleep.
Once she believed that the three of them had already gone to sleep, she finally left the meeting room.
She then made her way toward her bedroom, her expression solemn, with strands of her hair falling over her eyes, obscuring them from view.
Arriving in front of her room, she paused. Before entering, she glanced to her left and right, making sure that no one was watching. Only after confirming that she was alone did she proceed to step inside, quietly locking the door behind her.
Once inside, she walked toward the desk and opened one of its drawers. Inside, she found the same box that had previously contained the debt contract.
She took the box in her hands before moving toward a bookshelf positioned on the opposite side of her bed. Reaching out, she pulled a book from the shelf.
The book she selected had a large white bookmark inside, one that nearly covered the width of the pages. It was unusually thick for a bookmark.
Though… was it truly a bookmark?
Hestia opened the book to the page where the bookmark was placed. What revealed itself was not a bookmark at all, but an envelope.
It was the same kind of envelope that had contained the certificate used to pay off the debt earlier that day.
Hestia took the envelope and carefully placed the book back onto the shelf. She then walked over to her bed and sat down, holding both the box and the envelope, her expression still weighed down by solemnity.
She set the envelope aside for a moment and turned her attention to the box. Opening it, she revealed the debt contract that had been shown to Lili earlier that day.
Slowly, she unrolled the paper. The contents of the contract appeared to be exactly the same… except for one detail.
The initial amount that had been written as 400 million valis had now changed to 200 million valis.
Hestia stared at the contract, almost as if she were in a trance, her gaze fixed on the altered number.
After a moment, she gently set the contract down. She then picked up the envelope and opened it, revealing the certificate inside.
A certificate that held a value of 200 million valis.
She held the certificate in her left hand for a brief moment. Then, all of a sudden, she raised that same hand, extending a finger outward. She began making tapping motions in the air, as though she were interacting with something unseen.
After what seemed to be her final tap, the certificate suddenly began to vanish. Blue, square-like particles appeared, slowly consuming it.
Bit by bit, the certificate was erased, dissolved entirely by the particles until nothing remained. No trace of it could be found.
Hestia then inhaled deeply, drawing in a long breath before releasing it all at once.
Her thoughts began to surface within her mind. 'I'm sorry that I'm not telling you all. You're not ready for what I have seen and experienced. I'm sorry that I've dragged you along with me on this peace-seeking path that I've chosen. After becoming who I am now, I cannot allow this opportunity to go to waste.'
She slowly lifted her gaze toward the ceiling. 'But don't worry. I will make sure to nurture all of you. I will make sure that you all become so strong, that you, and the members who will join by tomorrow and the possible future to come, will become invincible.'
'And when that time comes, I will tell you everything that you need to know.'
With that, she laid herself down on the bed, closing her eyes as she finally allowed herself to rest.
<---------->
Hello, author here.
With this, ends the second volume of this book.
I know, It's a week since I posted anyhting. It's been a hectic week on my part.
So, I'm here to announce that I would be taking a week off, just to refresh my mind so that I wouldn't ran out of energy.
That's it from me.
Oh and, make sure to check the auxiliary chapters. The information of the current status of the three OG members of Hestia as well as the new ones, at least the important ones from me, would be there.
Until next time.
Peace.
:D