"The harvest was substantial."
Furina summarized, "The Dungeon's mechanics are basically a training ground that offers infinite combat experience, and you can pull in a decent amount of money after a fight, too."
It was no wonder this city was so favored by adventurers.
"Heh, Furina is picking it up quickly. Even though it was your first day in a real fight, you got into the groove of things so fast," Sushang added from the side. "Among the people I've seen, that kind of talent is right up there at the top!"
"Is that so?"
Focalors looked at Furina and nodded. Their success was obviously great news, but there was something else she cared about more.
More than the growth or the money they'd brought back from this adventure, she wanted to know if they had actually enjoyed themselves.
Whether it was the thrill of the spoils or the wonder of exploring the unknown, she hoped they had finished their day with smiles on their faces.
But it seemed she didn't even need to ask.
Between Furina's reserved, satisfied smile and Sushang's cheerful grin, it was clear that their excursion hadn't ended on a sour note.
"Actually, we ran into a few unexpected hiccups on the way, but we can talk about that later."
Furina, feeling slightly flustered under Focalors' gaze, quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Sushang and I were planning to celebrate our first adventure, so we wanted to ask if you'd like to come with us. After all, this isn't just our first time out; it's the first time for the entire Focalors Familia."
"Of course. Count me in."
Focalors certainly wasn't going to turn down their invitation.
"Wait! You're going out for a feast!?"
Hestia, who had been lost in her own gloomy thoughts, suddenly snapped to attention.
Seeing Focalors—who was supposed to be helping her finish up the leftover jagamarukuns—suddenly planning to head out for a fancy meal, she felt the tears of envy practically streaming from her mouth.
"Eating a feast right after your first adventure... isn't that a huge waste of Valis?"
"Not at all. Although we had some trouble that cut into our haul, we still managed to exchange the remaining magic stones for about 3,000 Valis. It's plenty for a meal, so it won't be a problem."
Taking a hit during an adventure was practically a rite of passage; they didn't look like supporters, so it was perfectly normal for them to struggle with bringing the stones back intact due to the intensity of the fighting.
But...! But! Just on their first outing, even after losing more than half their haul, they still raked in 3,000 Valis! I want kids like this so badly!
"It's so nice...! So nice! Having a god in the Familia really makes all the difference!"
Hestia was genuinely on the verge of tears.
Ever since she'd been kicked out by Hephaestus, she hadn't had a single rich or delicious meal.
She had originally thought that since they were both newcomers, she could help Focalors out through her initial financial troubles and maybe reclaim a little bit of her dignity as a "senior." She never expected to be flexed on so hard.
Not only did Focalors have a gifted child who had been nurtured for over a decade, but she had also recruited someone who seemed even more capable—someone who could act as a guide.
Why didn't she get a "god-tier" opening like that? On top of that, she had invited over a dozen people to join her Familia and had been rejected every single time... Was it really because she was just too lazy?
Thinking of the look on Hephaestus's face, Hestia couldn't help but fall into a spiral of self-doubt.
"Are you alright?"
Sushang asked, watching Hestia's expression oscillate between misery and disbelief.
Truth be told, she actually recognized the girl with the blue ribbon.
She was quite a famous character, after all—especially that distinctively recognizable ribbon, which was almost more famous than the character herself.
She vaguely remembered that this was the protagonist's future goddess, and that her Familia consisted only of her and him—a very small, tight-knit group.
Aside from that, though, she didn't have much of an impression.
"I... I'm fine..."
Hestia gathered herself. Whatever the case, she was still in front of children from the Lower World; it was probably better to keep at least a shred of dignity.
Focalors looked at Hestia, thought for a moment, and then turned back to Furina and Sushang. "How about we bring Hestia along with us?"
"I don't have any objections. The more the merrier, right?"
Sushang thought it sounded like a good idea. She had always been fond of the protagonist's inner circle; after all, if you're on good terms with the main cast, you never have to worry about them stabbing you in the back. If this were a pirate story, it would be like getting a top-tier buff from the Straw Hat crew.
Not that she really needed one, though.
"Bring Lady Hestia?"
Compared to Sushang's warm welcome, Furina looked at Focalors in confusion, unsure why she'd made that suggestion.
She understood the logic, of course. They were just starting out in Orario, and building bridges with friendly Familias wasn't a bad move.
Back in the day, the Loki and Freya Familias weren't top-tier from the very start, either.
By leaning on each other for warmth and strength early on, who was to say they couldn't eventually rise to the top?
Still, inviting Hestia at this moment felt a bit rushed. Not to mention they'd only just met, but wouldn't this be seen as an insult by the other members of Hestia's Familia?
It almost looked like a show of force, as if to say: "Can you believe your goddess had to come to us just to get a good meal?"
Focalors knew exactly what Furina was worried about. Heck, even Hestia could guess what she was thinking.
But having Hestia admit that herself... she really couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.
"Well, I had originally planned to have dinner with Hestia, and it wouldn't be right to break that promise now." Focalors said, flashing a playful, teasing smile. "Besides, leaving Hestia all by herself to go home alone... I just haven't the heart for it."
"Focalors...!"
It was embarrassing, but hearing it put that way by Focalors made the shame much easier to swallow.
Hestia looked at her, feeling a mix of embarrassment and genuine warmth.
Wait? Does Hestia's Familia not have anyone else yet?
Furina and Sushang realized it at the same time.
If they remembered correctly, hadn't this goddess been in the Lower World for months already?
Hadn't she met the main character yet? (T/N: This is only MC's thoughts)
"In that case, Lady Hestia, just come and eat with us!" Sushang took the initiative, her tone bright and natural. "The more people, the more fun it is! And since you're a friend of our goddess, how could we let you go home all alone?"
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL