The night was deep.
The girls inside the mansion noticed that something was off with Hestia and Bell.
Led by Lili, they rushed toward the bathhouse, ready to stop this secret meeting.
"Don't go interrupting them, okay?"
Artemis appeared in front of them and blocked the girls with the authority of a goddess.
"Mm..."
The girls quietly withdrew.
Within the calm steam, the private conversation between one person and one goddess continued.
"Bell... this is already a friendship price..."
Hestia replied with her head lowered.
[Hestia Knife].
This dagger could grow together with its wielder. It was a divine weapon unlike any other in the world.
Other than Hephaestus, the goddess known as the Goddess of Smithing, not even Hestia knew its secrets.
From that point of view, the fact that Hestia had obtained this priceless treasure for only two hundred million valis already meant she had received an enormous favor.
Even so, for the current Hestia Familia, it was still an astronomical amount.
"Two hundred million valis... no wonder Goddess-sama refused to tell me."
Bell murmured softly.
The familia had barely gotten started before it was burdened with an overwhelming debt.
Hestia must have worried that if she told him, it would put too much mental pressure on him, which was why she had hidden it until now.
"Goddess-sama, did the IOU you wrote include a repayment deadline?"
Bell calmly asked for the details.
"No... Bell, aren't you being way too calm about this? That's two hundred million valis!"
Hestia had imagined this moment countless times in her head.
Once the matter of the IOU came to light, it should have caused a huge uproar within the familia.
She had never expected Bell, as captain, to frown for only a moment and then calmly accept it.
"The amount really is beyond what I expected. I thought Goddess-sama might have been made to do something weird."
Bell recalled the nature of the gods and answered honestly.
"Something weird?"
Hestia repeated in confusion.
"Yeah. Like wearing a maid outfit and serving tea to Hephaestus-sama or something."
Bell replied with a smile.
It was always hard to guess what gods were thinking.
Hephaestus had not asked anything else of Hestia, and had settled the matter with nothing more than an IOU. Bell could sense the nobility of the Goddess of Smithing in that.
"Hephaestus would never make me do something like that. We're best friends!"
Hestia proudly puffed out her chest.
The image, beautiful as a sculpture, lasted only for an instant.
Overcome by embarrassment and guilt, the goddess sank back into the hot water again.
Bell smiled softly at her ever-changing reactions.
"Goddess-sama, are you really close with Hephaestus-sama?"
"O-of course. When I first came down to the Lower World, I was always freeloading off her."
Hestia admitted to her stay-at-home lifestyle.
"..."
Bell immediately understood the relationship between the two goddesses.
Hephaestus had thoughtfully prepared a place for Hestia to stay, and the matter of the dagger was probably her way of looking after Hestia too.
"Mm... if you two are that close, does Goddess-sama know any leverage on Hephaestus-sama?"
Bell asked again.
"Ugh... leverage?"
"That's right. Like some dark history she wouldn't want other people to know, or some private side of her that nobody else knows about."
In complete contrast to Hestia's confusion, Bell's tone was utterly calm.
"Y-you... why are you asking about that?!"
Hestia's voice trembled slightly.
"Bell... don't tell me you're planning to threaten Hephaestus?!"
"I'm just asking casually. There's no way I'd have any improper ideas about Goddess-sama's best friend."
Bell answered at once.
"Ugh, I smell lies..."
Hestia puffed out her cheeks.
"Bell, you don't need to worry about this. I can pay back the debt on my own."
Ever since obtaining the dagger, Hestia had never avoided work. She had kept working at Hephaestus's shop the whole time.
As long as she kept at it, someday she would be able to pay off the debt.
"Goddess-sama, Lili and Daphne and the others are all very smart. You won't be able to keep this hidden forever."
Bell reminded her.
The familia's status was rising higher and higher. Hestia not only had to stay busy with work, she also had to update the statuses of more than twenty people. Under that kind of burden, it would be easy for Lili and the others to notice something.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
Hestia had long since prepared herself to shoulder it alone. She truly did not want to tell the others.
"Try negotiating with Goddess Hephaestus. The dagger is already broken anyway, so we need to go ask her about it."
Bell returned to the earlier topic.
"So... Goddess-sama, hurry up and tell me the Goddess of Smithing's leverage."
"How could I possibly tell you that, idiot!"
Hestia answered with a flushed face.
The goddess's intuition told her that if Bell learned about Hephaestus, the two of them would definitely spark something.
After all, for an adventurer, having a beautiful goddess personally forge a one-of-a-kind exclusive weapon for him was exactly the kind of romance many dreamed of.
I can't let Bell meet Hephaestus!
"Bell, leave this matter to me. I'll go ask Hephaestus first thing tomorrow morning. Logically speaking, a weapon she forged with her own hands shouldn't break."
Hestia stated her decision.
"I understand."
Bell could see how firm the goddess was.
That talk of leverage had only been a way to test what Hestia thought of Hephaestus.
Judging by the result, there was no need to worry that the two goddesses would clash over the broken dagger.
Although he would lose the chance to meet the goddess who forged the [Hestia Knife], Bell still chose to respect Hestia's decision.
He lightly waved his hand and tossed the towel in front of Hestia.
"Goddess-sama, have you been soaking too long? Even your ears are red."
"Ugh... whose fault do you think that is?!"
Hestia's whole face was flushed red.
"Be careful not to slip. Otherwise, I'll be able to see everything clearly from inside the bath."
Bell reminded her in a low voice.
"I-I won't!"
Hestia hurriedly wrapped herself in the towel and started walking out of the bath.
"Wait, Goddess-sama."
"Don't tell me you saw something?!"
"No, I just meant I'll come find you after I change."
"Bell... I may like you, but I don't mean that kind of thing!"
The word like slipped out of Hestia naturally.
After what had just happened, the goddess had become much more honest.
"Hm? I was only going to ask you to update my status. What is Goddess-sama talking about?"
"Ugh... it's nothing, idiot Bell!"
With Hestia's complaint as the final note, the steamy bathhouse returned to silence.
...
Bell Cranel
Lv 3
Strength: i0 D536
Endurance: i0→D580
Dexterity: i0→E494
Agility: i0→D503
Magic Power: i0 E490
Luck: F
Sacred Flame: H
Magic:
[Firebolt]
[Argo's Ship]
Skills:
[Liaris Freese]
[Argonaut]
Floor Reached: 24th Floor
Equipment:
Ushiwakamaru. Broken. The smith Welf has gathered the fragments and is trying to restore it. Unfortunately, the pressure brought by the storm was simply too great, and there is no hope of reforging it.
Hestia's Knife. Broken. Its properties are too special. Although Hestia said the dagger does not possess the indestructible property spoken of by the people of the Lower World, since it was forged by Goddess Hephaestus, it should in theory surpass even indestructible weapons. The exact reason for its breakage is still unknown for now.
Fire Spirit Light Armor. It protected the boy many times, but after taking Goliath's iron fist, it was deformed. Because of the special fairy weave material, even Welf cannot repair it.
Money on hand: 78,500,000 valis. Most of it belongs to Goddess Artemis.
Bell originally did not want to accept it, but not only the moon goddess, even her former familia members firmly supported it. Besides gratitude, the girls also seemed to think that if they did not do this, it would be hard for the goddess to take things a step further with Bell.
Lovers:
Syr. After learning that Bell was injured, she is carefully preparing food and plans to come visit him as soon as possible.
Laurier. She had planned to wait for Bell in his room, but the other girls mercilessly stopped her under the excuse that Bell was injured and needed quiet rest.
Airmid. She has already arranged a place for Bell to rest. Although it is a quiet recuperation facility, she seems to have other plans.
Astraea. Within the next two days, she will visit the Labyrinth City with Cecil. Because of her romantic relationship, she has received many invitations to tea parties and is currently troubled over how to deal with them.
Artemis. In order to stop the girls from disturbing Bell, she personally entered the fray and slept in the boy's bed with him.
Filvis. After entrusting her barrier magic to Lefiya, she left.
Hestia (X). Although she and Bell have confessed that they like each other, but... lovers????