Did she need a reason to be kind to a child of her Familia?
Of course not.
But being able to watch his Affection rise in clear numbers felt like completing quests.
It gave Hestia a strangely satisfying sense of accomplishment.
She looked at the translucent panel above his head.
…
[Affection Stage: 0][Affection Required for Next Stage: 5/10]
…
Only five more points.
Then she could unlock Rhodes’s next stage and properly begin participating in the Hero Nurturing Project.
Hestia had never imagined anything like this.
More precisely, even across Orario’s long history, something like this would be astonishing.
After all, gods could normally offer their followers only a Falna, along with assistance such as equipment for their expeditions.
But she could use the Hero Nurturing Project’s game functions to develop Rhodes and raise the heights he could reach in the future.
Wasn’t that ridiculously overpowered?
“I hope I can unlock the nurturing features soon!”
Filled with anticipation, Hestia led Rhodes along Adventurers’ Way toward the Pantheon, introducing him to Orario’s local culture.
In practice, that mostly meant explaining which restaurants were affordable and served good food, along with local specialties such as fried potato balls.
Since he would be building his future in this city, Rhodes listened carefully.
The city’s overall appearance matched what he remembered from the original series.
Medieval in style.
Fortunately, the streets had decent drainage, so there was no pungent stench.
The most novel sight was the adventurers themselves.
They came in all sorts.
Tall, powerfully built beastmen carrying weapons and wearing armor.
Aloof elves with long, pointed ears who fit the stereotype perfectly.
Everything felt new.
And as a guide, the goddess he had encountered was remarkably capable.
Hestia didn’t merely tell him about local specialties.
When they found something worth trying, she actually paid for it!
That kindness, however, left Rhodes with a somewhat… peculiar feeling.
Almost as though he was living off a pretty woman.
Which, to be fair, he was.
Had Hestia not picked him up, he couldn’t imagine how miserable things might have become after he woke up in another world.
Forget becoming an adventurer.
He might have ended up starring in his own version of Subaru’s suffering simulator.
Except he had neither the Witch’s Authority of Return by Death nor a cheat system.
His fate might have been even worse!
“…”
“Go on, eat!”
Holding a paper bag of fried potato balls, Hestia took a bite before looking up at him.
“They aren’t nearly as good once they’re cold!”
“…”
“Thank you, Lady Hestia.”
Rhodes tried one of the salt-and-pepper-seasoned potato balls.
It was actually pretty good.
Perhaps the gods’ arrival in Orario had brought a little more variety to the local cuisine?
Seemingly noticing his lingering unease, Hestia stopped walking.
Unlike before, she didn’t simply blurt out whatever came to mind.
Instead, she tried putting herself in his position.
He had only just arrived in Orario and somehow become an adventurer.
An unfamiliar environment.
Unexpected kindness from someone he barely knew.
It was easy to see why he would feel at a loss.
If she were in his position…
Hestia thought she would probably feel the same.
But she couldn’t simply tell him about the Hero Nurturing Project game, could she?
That wouldn’t help!
She didn’t want her relationship with a child of her Familia to seem tainted by ulterior motives.
She was treating Rhodes this way because he was her very first member.
Even without this so-called nurturing game, she believed she would have done the same.
“Um…”
“Every god who establishes a Familia has their own hopes for it.
To me, a Familia is a family, and its members are my children.”
“So… I hope you won’t feel you have to be so formal with me.”
“…”
“Then… I’m your child, too?”
“Of course!”
Standing only 140 centimeters tall, with a face and build that made “little goddess” an entirely fitting description, Hestia nodded earnestly.
An open, honest conversation would make it much easier for them to get along in the future.
She placed her hands on her hips, a radiant smile spreading across her youthful face.
“Gods and their children are supposed to be close.
If we’re too formal… I think it’ll just make both of us uncomfortable.”
“So, Rhodes, do you know what to do?”
“…”
Between that speech—which hardly matched her youthful appearance—and the expectation shining in her eyes, Rhodes could only scratch his head.
Then, with considerable difficulty, he nodded and ventured a response.
“M-Mommy?”
“?”
Hestia: Wait, that isn’t right!
The Guild worked efficiently.
With Hestia accompanying her first follower, both the Familia registration and Rhodes’s registration as an adventurer were soon complete.
At last, Rhodes had taken his first step on the long road ahead of him in Orario!
As for his accommodations, the overall conditions were passable.
They found him a room in a communal dormitory in an alley behind the Pantheon.
It was a single room with a window that let in sunlight.
The furnishings were simple: a wooden bed, a desk, and a cupboard.
The shared washroom was in the inner courtyard.
Even so, rent for a single room in the dormitory came to 20,000 valis a month.
By the time Hestia had taken Rhodes shopping for all his everyday necessities, evening was approaching.
“You’ve only just arrived in Orario.”
“And you even passed out in an alley.
Get a good rest tonight.
I don’t think we need to rush into the Dungeon just yet.”
“I’ll figure out what to do about your equipment!”
“…”
Rhodes watched Hestia leave, then looked down at the pouch containing the 10,000 valis she had left for his daily expenses.
She had taken care of his meals, his lodging, and all the basics.
The standard of living certainly couldn’t compare with modern society.
But he could feel that this was everything Hestia could offer him.
The more he thought about it, the stronger the impression became.
He really was being supported by a pint-sized mommy.
“So…”
“I’m the guy who got transported to another world, aren’t I?
Is living off a woman really how this is supposed to go?”
Still, he had to admit it.
Being spoiled like this felt pretty damn good!
How should he repay Hestia?
Rhodes looked at the sunset spilling through his window into the room.
Perhaps the answer was exactly what she had told him.
Stay true to the path he wanted to walk.
“Hmm…”
He didn’t have a cheat system that would answer a cry of “Deep Blue, add points!”
Which meant…
The only thing he could do was work twice as hard as other adventurers and make sure he didn’t disappoint Hestia.
“Besides, any strength I gain is mine to keep…”
“Why do I feel like I’ve suddenly got no excuse not to work hard?!”
…
Meanwhile, Hestia was returning from the dormitory to her friend’s mansion when she noticed a series of notifications from the Hero Nurturing Project.
Even though the surrounding adventurers were giving her strange looks, she couldn’t have cared less.
…
[Affection Stage: 1][Affection Required for Next Stage: 10/30]
[Daily Quests have been unlocked.
Players may use daily quests to assist in the growth of the character Rhodes.]
…
“!!”
….
I also have many more novels in my collection that you might be interested in
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….
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