An aching back and legs.
No energy.
Sometimes, after working too hard, it felt as though the body had been completely hollowed out.
People might joke about having “weak kidneys,” but Rhodes was certain that wasn’t his problem.
And yet—
Remembering how consistently he had performed throughout his expedition, he genuinely wondered whether there was a Stamina bar somewhere inside him.
He followed Hestia away from Central Park.
On the way back to the dormitory, he stopped at the Pantheon and exchanged the day’s entire haul for valis.
The result was a marked improvement over yesterday.
4,020 valis.
With Lili handling the support work, he had been able to devote all his energy to fighting.
His earnings had nearly doubled.
“I feel like…”
“My Status should improve quite a bit today.”
Under the Falna system, how much an adventurer’s basic abilities improved depended on both their aptitude and the effort they put into their expeditions.
Rhodes was genuinely excited.
His life in Orario was finally getting on track.
And things were moving in the right direction.
For now, though, asking Hestia to update his Status would have to wait.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he was so exhausted that he barely had the energy to speak.
…
[Character: Rhodes][Level: Lv.
1]
[Mood: 56/100 ↓ — Clearheaded][Stamina: 1/100 ↓ — Worn Out][Health: 95/100 ↓ — Excellent]
[Two consecutive days of intensive exploration have left Rhodes physically and mentally exhausted.
Proper relaxation may be needed for his Health to recover.]
“…”
As someone who now held a job herself, Hestia understood why his Health had dropped.
After all, gods sealed their divine powers when they descended to Orario.
Two days of working at the weapon shop had left her worn out, too.
But looking at Rhodes sitting on the edge of the bed, too tired even to tell her about his expedition, made her heart ache.
She even began to wonder whether the goal of “building up the Familia” had placed too much pressure on him.
What could she do to help him relax and restore his Health to its former level?
Oh, enough overthinking!
Hestia rose onto her toes and gave him his daily hug.
First, she would use a little affection to help restore his Stamina.
Her cheeks were faintly pink, but her voice remained as bright as ever.
“Rhodes, you worked hard in the Dungeon today!”
“It wasn’t so bad.”
Suddenly, Rhodes felt that this might be exactly the kind of life he wanted in another world.
It lacked the dramatic twists and turns of anime and light novels.
He could even be described as an adventurer at the very bottom of the ladder.
But having a little goddess look after him like this was wonderful!
The difference was enormous.
More importantly, he could feel his exhaustion easing in her embrace.
Perhaps it was psychological.
Smiling, he explained, “I accomplished everything I set out to do today.
I safely reached the fourth floor.”
“And I made a pretty nice friend here in Orario.”
“Mm-hmm!”
The other gods had always teased Hestia with the title of “virgin goddess.”
Neither in Heaven nor during her time in Orario had she ever been this close to a member of the opposite sex.
Being so affectionate with her follower made her heart beat a little faster.
Yet she felt no desire to pull away.
Then she saw the Hero Nurturing Project’s notification.
[Stamina +20]
Hee-hee!
Hugs really did help him recover!
Hestia felt thoroughly pleased.
But when she noticed the next message—the one announcing an increase in Affection—her smile faltered.
[Feeling his goddess’s kindness, Rhodes recalls the supporter Lili’s miserable circumstances and feels grateful that he met you.]
[Affection +3]
You little—!
Don’t think about another girl while I’m hugging you!
You’re losing points here!
[Affection Stage: 2]
[Available Features: Daily Quests; Rhodes’s Exploration Log.]
[Affection Required for Next Stage: 30/50]
Then again…
Upon seeing the new feature unlocked in the Hero Nurturing Project, Hestia found that she wasn’t quite as annoyed as she had thought.
At least he was thinking about her in the end!
[Rhodes’s Exploration Log]
This new feature…
She didn’t intend to investigate it just yet, but she could make a reasonable guess.
It was probably something like a diary.
That could certainly be useful.
Perhaps reading his exploration log would show her what he was lacking, allowing her to tailor her support more precisely.
Hestia raised her hands and gently massaged his temples, trying to ease his fatigue.
“If you’re really this tired…”
“You don’t have to push yourself so hard in the Dungeon.
We’re going to have plenty of time together, after all.”
“There’s no need to rush building up the Familia!”
Feeling Hestia’s familiar kindness, Rhodes shook his head.
Their financial problems hadn’t been solved yet.
If he started taking time off now, he might have to rely on her again.
He answered seriously.
“The Dungeon is tiring, but… seeing myself get stronger makes it feel worthwhile.”
“Besides…”
“I have a reason I need to work hard.”
A reason he needs to work hard.
He was talking about her, wasn’t he?
The thought filled Hestia with delight.
Remembering that she still had a little over ten thousand valis saved, she looked up and made a suggestion.
“Then… how about we go out for a proper meal?”
“There’s a place called the Hostess of Fertility.
The food is really good!”
“When we get back, I’ll update your Status.”
People’s joys and sorrows were not shared equally.
Adventurers’ Way was bustling, but to Lili, the voices of the people around her were nothing more than unbearable noise.
A short while ago, Enwan Kovo—the man responsible for so much of her suffering—had found her.
The beating she expected never came.
Instead, he presented her with a choice.
Steal Rhodes’s shortsword, the one made by Hephaistos Familia.
Then sell it on the black market.
“…”
Despite everything she had endured, Lili had never considered stealing an adventurer’s most precious possession—their weapon.
Doing so could put their life in danger.
That was a line she had never crossed.
But—
Enwan Kovo’s words kept echoing in her mind.
She could still picture the greed on his face.
If she wouldn’t do it, he had no objection to taking Rhodes’s weapon using his own methods.
It was an unmistakable threat.
“So…”
A despair deeper than anything she had felt before began to take hold.
“Does everyone who gets close to me… end up suffering?”
….
I also have many more novels in my collection that you might be interested in
I upload ten novels a day, with 3 to 4 chapters per title depending on the length.
If you’re following a particular series, please wait your turn a little
If there’s a particular novel you’re enjoying on Patron, please give it a ‘like’ so I know to focus on it
….
I also have many more novels in my collection that you might be interested in I upload ten novels a day, with 3 to 4 chapters per title depending on the length.
If you’re following a particular series, please wait your turn a little If there’s a particular novel you’re enjoying on Patron, please give it a ‘like’ so I know to focus on it