"Well, I was a slave. I was forced to work all day, forging swords for the Alecto Familia. I don't know whether they were using them or selling them."
Hearing Ethan's words, Hephaestus was surprised.
If the Alecto Familia had had access to swords forged by Ethan for so long, why hadn't those swords become famous before?
Were they really being sold? Maybe that wasn't the case.
'Since the swords are of very high quality, maybe they're being used by the members of the Alecto Familia,' Hephaestus thought.
But only Ethan knew that the swords he had forged while enslaved weren't nearly as good as the ones he was forging now. They were probably still circulating out there, but they weren't swords worthy of attention.
"Was it just you? Was it because of your skill?"
"No, it wasn't because of that," Ethan said. "No one besides Welf and you knows about my skill. I showed it to Welf because I trust him and because I needed a job to earn money."
And also because Ethan knew Welf was a "main character" and knew he wouldn't be betrayed.
"I see. So they don't know about your skill."
"That's right, they don't. But they might know I have something special now that the swords I've forged are starting to gain some recognition. I expected something like this to happen eventually, but I didn't think it would happen so quickly."
"How long have you had this skill?"
"Hmm... I think a little over a month."
"Such a short time?" Hephaestus was surprised.
"Not even I know the limits of this skill. But don't ask me how it works—I won't tell you."
Hephaestus smiled.
"Don't worry. I won't."
"Good. The only thing I can tell you is that the skill depends on my luck." Ethan smiled.
Hephaestus and Welf didn't quite understand what he meant, but they didn't ask questions.
"Luck... Well, you don't seem to have much of that, do you? Considering you're being hunted by a Familia like the Alecto Familia." Hephaestus laughed.
Looking at Hephaestus seriously, Ethan asked what she knew about the Alecto Familia.
Her answer didn't satisfy him very much.
"Honestly, I don't know much. Every major and minor Familia knows that the Alecto Familia, just like the Apate Familia, is involved in shady activities. But to be honest, I don't have much information."
"I see. I thought you'd know more about them since you're the goddess of such a large Familia."
"I'm sorry," Hephaestus apologized.
'Freya and Loki certainly know more than I do, but I don't want them to find out about him before I bring him into my Familia,' she thought.
"You don't need to apologize." Ethan smiled. "So, how exactly do you intend to help me with this problem? Do you have members strong enough to fight the Alecto Familia?"
"There are many Level 3 and Level 4 adventurers in my Familia, but for now I'd like to avoid a direct confrontation."
After a few seconds of silence, Hephaestus continued,
"Stay here. I guarantee your protection."
"..."
Hearing Hephaestus's offer, Ethan was satisfied.
In the end, this was exactly what he wanted.
He wanted a place where he could be safe and work so he could grow as much as possible.
Ethan remained deep in thought, and Hephaestus assumed her offer wasn't good enough. Before she could make another proposal, however, Ethan spoke.
"Alright. I accept."
"Hm?"
"I said I accept your offer. Make sure I have a forge to work in and that I'm kept safe. If you do that, I'll stay by your side and forge swords for your Familia."
Ethan had no use for the swords he forged anyway.
He would gladly hand them over to the Hephaestus Familia as long as he was treated well and had a decent place to live.
At least until he managed to destroy the Alecto Familia.
He wanted to destroy that Familia at its very core.
Even if he suffered divine punishment, he would kill a god with his own hands.
Ethan was prepared for that.
####
Ethan talked with Hephaestus a little longer and made a few requests. He asked for a forge exclusively for himself, as well as a private room with his own bathroom. Naturally, he also wanted good meals every day.
Hephaestus was surprised by his requests, since they were nothing more than the basics.
'Just what did he go through at the hands of the Alecto Familia?' she wondered.
After their conversation ended, Hephaestus gave Welf a few instructions.
"Give him a room on the third floor with a large private bathroom. As for the forge, I'll take care of that."
Welf didn't live in the Familia's main residence, but he knew the place well. He left Hephaestus's office with Ethan and led him to the third floor.
On the way, Welf asked,
"What really happened at my workshop?"
"Those guys showed up out of nowhere and smashed the doors down. They tried to kill me, so I killed them. Nothing out of the ordinary happened."
"I see."
"Did you think I'd killed them for no reason?"
"No, of course not."
"Are you afraid of me?" Ethan asked, glancing sideways.
Welf noticed his expression and answered honestly,
"I'm not afraid of you, but I don't exactly feel comfortable around you either."
Ethan understood.
"Well, you won't have to stay around me anymore after today." He smiled.
"..."
The two of them soon arrived at the door of a room.
Without thinking, Welf opened it.
"What would you have done if someone had been using this room?"
"Very few rooms on this floor are occupied."
"You sure know a lot for someone who doesn't live here."
"..."
Ethan stepped inside and looked around.
There was a large, comfortable double bed, a spacious wardrobe, a desk that could be used for reading or writing, and a roomy private bathroom.
Ethan was more than satisfied.
He had never had a place like this all to himself—not even in his previous world.
The room was large and incredibly luxurious.
Seeing that Ethan was satisfied, Welf left the room, closing the door behind him.
Ethan threw himself onto the bed with a smile on his face.
"Things are finally starting to get better for me, aren't they?" he said as he stared up at the ceiling.
However, in just a few days, those words would lose all meaning.