The Hephaestus Familia.
The most prestigious forging faction in Orario.
According to rumors, they supplied over sixty percent of the high-end equipment used by top-tier adventurers.
There wasn’t a single Familia in Orario stupid enough to make an enemy out of them.
If the goddess Kaelen mentioned was friends with a VIP like Hephaestus, she couldn’t possibly be a nobody, right?
Besides, for Kai, just having an option was a blessing.
No one wanted to settle for a mundane, ordinary life when a sliver of hope was dangling right in front of them.
Yes, countless adventurers died in the Dungeon, but thousands more poured into the city every year to take their place.
The Dungeon was the ultimate crucible for change.
Image: Hestia “Lady Hestia, what do you think of this young man?
He’s looking for a Familia that will take him in.” Before long, Kaelen had escorted Kai to a small, slightly rundown bookstore.
The moment he stepped inside, Kai’s eyes locked onto the small figure before him.
She was his absolute last hope.
If even this goddess rejected him, he really would have to leave Orario, find a safe town, and become a merchant—or go back to farming.
“Eh?!
Really?!
Really, really?!
A child who actually wants to join my Familia?!” “Yes, Lady Hestia.
Please, take me in.” “Hehe~ I can’t believe I found a member on my very first day out!
And he’s such an incredibly cute kid, too!
Thank you so much for bringing him to me, Kaelen!” “Then I’ll take my leave, Lady Hestia.” Reading the room perfectly, the old food stall owner slipped out the door.
Now, only Hestia and Kai remained in the small shop.
Bursting with excitement, Hestia rushed over, locked the front door, and then began excitedly circling Kai, looking him up and down.
Kai felt a spike of nervous energy, completely unsure of what to say.
He stood there as stiff as a board, too afraid to even twitch.
“You don’t have to be so nervous!~ By the way, what’s your name?” “Kai… Constantine.” Despite her words, he was still incredibly tense.
His voice even carried a slight tremor.
“Kai.
You’re going to be the very first member of my Familia.
You can relax now.” Hestia might look unreliable, and she frequently acted like an overgrown child, but it would be a lethal mistake to actually treat her like one.
She was a divine being who had lived for hundreds of millions of years—the eldest sister of the Greek pantheon, the chief of the Olympian Goddesses, and one of the Twelve Olympians.
The truth was, Hestia didn’t actually care if her faction ever grew as massive as the Loki Familia.
What she truly wanted was family—someone to keep her company, a ‘child’ to cherish.
The moment she laid eyes on Kai, she read him like an open book.
The insecurity, the hesitation, the burning desire to prove himself.
He was a boy with a few small secrets, but someone absolutely worthy of trust.
Hestia stepped forward and gently wrapped her arms around Kai.
Even though she barely reached his chest, her embrace washed over him like a wave of profound calm.
It felt like sitting by a warm hearth in the dead of winter—soothing, safe, and undeniably warm.
….
[According to your world’s terminology, the Goddess Hestia is the ‘heroine’ of this world.
By her side, Kai might face mortal danger on several occasions, but he will absolutely turn every disaster into a blessing and grow at a terrifying rate.
Oh, by the way, Himeko, the buff you bought has officially expired.] A god, huh… [I know exactly what you’re thinking.
But even if Hestia crossed over to your world, she couldn’t cure the Honkai.
To your universe, the Honkai is a fundamental concept, not a physical entity.
Eradicating it from your reality would require a multiversal powerhouse.
Besides, the Honkai acts as an evolutionary filter for worlds; from a certain cosmic perspective, it’s actually a ‘good’ thing.] Back in her private quarters, Himeko held a glass of her favorite hard liquor.
Usually, she relied on the burning alcohol to briefly numb her physical pain and grant her a momentary escape from reality.
But right now, she stared into the amber liquid without a shred of enthusiasm.
The System’s blunt assessment had completely killed her mood.
If even a literal god couldn’t solve the Honkai, was there truly any hope left for her world?
[You don’t need to stress over the Honkai, Himeko.
My features might be a little barebones right now, but once I help you reach your full potential, wiping out a Herrscher or two will be a walk in the park.
Rather than waiting for some outsider to swoop in and save you, it’s much more reliable to become the powerhouse yourself!~] Then prove your worth.
Right now, all I’ve gotten for a month’s worth of drinking money is the privilege of watching a handsome kid flirt with a goddess.
Give me something tangible!
Even a pig-butchering scam feeds the pig a little before slaughtering it!
[Ahem!
Don’t rush me!
It’s coming, I promise!
The moment Hestia grants Kai her Falna, your reward will drop.
Speaking of which, do you want to buy Kai a talent or a skill?
If you buff him before the Falna manifests, the feedback reward you receive will be infinitely better!] Hearing the mechanical voice whispering in her ear, Himeko’s face immediately darkened.
Thanks to a certain unreliable principal’s recommendations, she was well-versed in anime and light novel tropes.
She had seen all sorts of cheat codes and golden fingers.
But a System that offered zero starter benefits and relentlessly tried to bleed its host dry?
This was a first.
You know, you sound exactly like one of those telecom scammers right now.
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if my phone flagged you as fraud.
[How rude!
I am a highly respectable, legitimate Sys—] Right on cue, Himeko’s phone began to ring.
She glanced at the screen.
[Scam Caller — Marked by 16 Users] …Are you seriously a scammer?
….
The camera angle shifted.
Kai and Hestia were now in a small, cramped bedroom on the second floor of the bookstore.
Kai had removed his shirt and was lying face-down on the small bed.
Hestia sat beside him, holding a sterilized needle.
Anyone familiar with Orario knew exactly what this meant—she was preparing to etch her Familia crest into his flesh.
“Lord Hestia, I’m ready.” Kai took a deep breath, suppressing the violent pounding of his heart.
He had finally obtained it.
The key to the world of adventurers.
A drop of divine blood slipped from Hestia’s fingertip and landed squarely on Kai’s bare back.
The crimson liquid seeped seamlessly into his skin.
A faint, ethereal light began to pool and swirl, slowly coalescing into the shape of a bell overlapping with a flame—the crest symbolizing Hestia’s divine authority, and the ultimate proof of their unbreakable bond.
“Done!
Hehe, I finally have a Familia of my own!~” As the crest fully materialized, Hestia let out a long sigh of relief.
The Falna process wasn’t inherently difficult, but performing it for the very first time still left her fraught with nerves.
Thank goodness!
As the sacred text began to manifest across Kai’s back, the reality that her very first child was sitting right in front of her finally sank in.
It was wonderful.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Hestia practically tackled Kai, wrapping her arms tightly around him while he was still lying on the bed.
She felt that only physical action could adequately convey the sheer joy and excitement bubbling in her chest.