-Roy Raynolds-
‘’Ughhh… I want the damn license plate of the bus that hit me…’’ I groaned as a killer headache rocked my head. ‘’This is worse than when I broke a pineapple apart with my head.’’
Don’t ask. There’s a lot of shit I would do for twenty bucks. Skirts included.
Opening my eyes and not seeing either the dreaded Southeastern sun or the moss-covered roof of my shitty apartment, I frowned in confusion.
But like a cliché bitch who got his shit rocked in an Isekai, the knowledge came back to me with an even sharper pain that made me think some bastard was stabbing my brain with a needle like an angry kid would do to a block made of playdough.
Bell’s scared face and screams. That one tanned and barely clothed lady.
And the piece of shit beef wellington that almost put me five feet under without even trying. The crunching of my bones against the Dungeon’s wall and the way my lungs filled up with liquid would have been traumatizing for anyone else.
Sadly, I visited Detroit once, and shit can’t really get any more traumatizing than that.
Turning my head to the side, any sort of annoyance got replaced by smugness. If it was Mina’s or Bell’s doing or not, I didn’t know, but right at the bedside table, there was a piece of rough-looking brown hide, and a fist-sized magic stone that, had I been living in a cartoon, would have made my eyes have big dollar signs.
Instead of mopping, I raised my hands high in the air, ignoring my aching body and the blanket that just partially fell onto the floor, and I cheered.
‘’Woooooo! Get fucked!’’ Laughing hurt, as did trying to sit up, but I did it anyway. ‘’Bitch got packed. Who said bulls couldn’t get milked? Cause we sure as hell are swimming in that compensation money.’’
Because we sure as fuck weren’t killing that thing on our own. My mind may still be a bit hazy, but I could remember that lady basically One-Woman-Punch-ing that overfed cow.
Also, even while painful, my body was feeling awfully light, but my mind went through shit a mile an hour. Makes me remember that one time I put a handful of white powder my uncle saved in a drawer in my gums and chewed, thinking it was rock candy.
To be clearer, I was high as a kite.
And the fact that I wasn’t dead or riddled with seven thousand casts all over my body meant that either:
A: I was now Wolverine and had a healing factor.
B: That tanned lady and my buddies got me to some magic-medic-school graduate, and we were a gazillion valis in debt.
C: Same as above, but without the debt.
Or D: The Shadow Government was actually sorry for my inconveniences, and paid my treatment, expenses, and the like.
For starters, this shit wasn’t America, so I ruled the debt out. Besides, I’d have heard Hestia crying in a corner if we owed that kind of money.
It sure as fuck wasn’t the government either. They didn’t even provide free gear for joining in, and they lived off Adventurers’ fighting for their lives. I bet there’s Life Insurance somewhere.
So it was either A or C.
Rolling over, I grunted as my body hit the floor with a thud. I looked at my hands, a beautiful gift of god that they were, for a few seconds.
‘’Nom.’’ I bit into my right hand’s ring finger. Hard. ‘’…Tastes like hand… and blood.’’
Seeing the small bit of red liquid falling from the digit and into my palm for a few seconds, I sighed in disappointment as I didn’t start healing like I had some sort of super-cancer.
‘’So, it is by flawless logic, option C.’’ I cheered from my place on the ground before frowning. ‘’Floors cold. Need blanky—‘’
Grooowl…
‘’Stomach empty. Need foodie and then blanky.’’ I decided, immediately changing course of action. ‘’Legs lazy. Initiating worm mode…~’’
Swish, swish…
‘’Shit’s easier on tiled floor.’’
Sh-sh-sh-sh.
The first obstacle I found was none other than the bedroom door. However, my opponent, being a wooden door, had no chance against my years of experience in wall-breaking.
SLAM! Crack.
I lay on the ground, face down, the door unbothered.
‘’…Fuck, they make doors out of real wood in here and not plaster shit.’’ I groaned. Feeling dizzy. ‘’Damn you… quality materials…!’’
Creaaaak.
I looked up once more, and instead of the dreaded wooden door, there was a beautiful, marble-crafted Goddess. With a white dress and long black hair tied into twin ponytails by the cutest blue ribbons there could ever be.
Her wide, blue eyes looked down at me, like a human would look at a worm. Her face stretched into a panicked frown, but even that was incredibly beautiful.
Sniff…
Ah, and in her right hand, there was a plate of something that smelled delicious.
Sniff…
‘Is that… beef?’ My eyes widened in surprise, and my stomach growled once more. ‘But of course! This must be a Goddess sent to deliver my rightfully earned bite of that accursed creature. In your face, bitch-ass bull, I’m eating your fat cousin!’
…That sounded way better in my head.
‘’Roy…’’ Hestia started with a soft tone. Her expression torn between worried, confused, and absolutely-fucking-done. ‘’Why are you on the floor?’’
‘’Got the hangries.’’ I said flatly.
She blinked, now genuinely worried. ‘’…Are you feeling alright? Do you have a concussion?’’
‘’No way, Jose. No way, no how.’’ I shook my head with a grin. ‘’Though. Have I told you just how beautiful you look from the bottom angle? Damn, those things are huge…’’
I was obviously talking about how far below her twintails went. Practically her mid-thigh.
What, thought I was I was totally referring to those huge breasts that to this day remained without a bra, or the small bit of underboob I could peek at from this angle?
Because I totally was.
‘’Ugh, you…’’ Hestia’s free hand trembled, tight into a fist. Her cute face had a small shade of pink, and for a moment, I thought I could hear her whisper something along the lines of ‘I can tell you’re saying the truth’ and some sort of insult to my intellect.
Must have been my drugged-addled imagination.
‘’Let’s just get you to bed.’’ My goddess sighed, slowly kneeling.
‘’No way.’’ I denied, making her pause and deadpan at me. ‘’I bet I’ve been stuck there for hours. Couch is better.’’
‘’…Fine. Couch it is.’’ She sighed, just as I made grabby gestures at her. ‘’What are you doing now?’’
‘’Carry me?’’ I pouted.
‘’…Roy.’’ Now her tone was flat. Though I could see how hard she tried to purse her lips and maintain composure. ‘’You’re twice as heavy as I am, and an Adventurer to boot.’’
But I insisted, an evil grin taking over my features. ‘’If you don’t, I’ll gnaw on your toes.’’
Her uncovered, sandal-wearing feet were inches away from me, after all.
‘’You wouldn’t.’’ Hestia declared with narrowed eyes.
But she made the mistake of not stepping back.
‘’Bet.’’
Nom.
‘’A-ah! Alright, alright, you big baby!’’ Hestia squealed. Her big toe from the left foot now had a bite mark as she pouted down at me with cheeks as big as a well-fed chipmunk. ‘’You’re lucky you’re not in the right state of mind, or I would have given you a nogging for that, hmph!’’
Joke's on her; I was never in the right state of mind.
-X-x-X-
-Hestia-
Seeing her second child sitting on the couch with a plate of warm stew in his hands as he ate ravenously with a pleased, happy hum brought a sense of warmth and fulfillment to Hestia’s chest.
This was her task. The Goddess of the Hearth. Be it with roaring flames or with a warm meal, she wished nothing more than to support anyone who followed her in any way she realistically could.
‘…My toe still hurts, though.’ She lamented, gaze set on the floor. ‘Uhhh… It’s the Elixir, Hestia. So… relax.’
Those things were awfully powerful, but the memory right before using it…
One thing that most mortals didn’t know, it was that Gods and Goddesses had a special connection with those who bear their Falna. Hestia, personally, never experienced it, but… Her friend Hephaestus had.
That day, the Goddess of the Forge struck her hammer seventeen times. Not one more, nor one less, to create a small metal trinket.
It was much later that Hestia learned that was the age of one of her children who had died that day due to a Pass Parade.
So, when Hestia was happily preparing dinner for the two of her children, and… Midna—whom she still didn’t know how to feel about—her world froze.
She felt short of breath and like someone had stuck a dagger in her chest and twisted. The pain brought her to tears, but she instinctively knew what had happened.
One of her children had been lethally wounded.
She ran. Ran so much that her feet hurt, as she had forgone the sandals that she usually wore, and the scene she found at the entrance of the Dungeon was something that would haunt her for life.
A massive crowd surrounded the place, Adventurers and common folk whispering among themselves, and amidst all of them, she saw Roy.
His body was a mangled mess of broken, exposed bones and blood. His clothing was torn and soaked with the life-bearing liquid. Bell, at his side, was in tears, covered in the stuff while shaking his side, crying and screaming all the while.
Hestia never wanted to see that look on her Little Bell again.
Midna wasn’t doing much better. She had looked like she was holding her composure, but in reality, her shaky hands and trembling lip gave her away.
It wasn’t until a bronze-skinned girl—an Amazon, Hestia recognized—crouched at the side of Roy that Hestia finally reacted.
Just in time to see the girl forcing golden liquid, an Elixir, down his throat. As if a miracle had transpired, she saw exposed, splintered bone cracking back into place. Skin mending and blood flow stopping.
Roy was alive, and the twisting knife in her heart had receded to the back of her mind.
A shiver went down her spine as she came back to reality.
‘I’m getting more of that stuff.’ She decided while twiddling her thumbs with a forlorn look on her face. ‘Doesn’t matter what it costs. At least… At least one…’
But that wasn’t the end of it.
Once back home, with that Amazon lady carrying Roy with a sour expression on her face, Hestia decided to bring herself some peace of mind by updating Bell and Roy’s Falna.
A God, after all, could see what their children had gone through by looking at the Excelia they had gained during their hardships.
And Hestia had to contain the need to scream. Not because of what she saw, even if the scene was terrifying, but because of the consequences that followed.
[Bell Cranel.]
Species: [Bunny-Hume.]
Status:
[Level: 1.]
[Strenght: I-72 --> I- 88]
[Endurance: I-34]
[Dexterity: I-81 --> I-92]
[Agility: H-133 --> H-186]
[Magic: I-0]
Skills:
[Cruentus Cordis.]
‘’The one who saves, and the one who plays. She gives her Heart, for they are bonded.’’
Increased Growth when Desire is present. Greater Growth with greater Desire.
Magic:
[-]
[Roy Raynolds.]
Species: [Human.]
Status: This story is hosted at g.com.
[Level: 1.]
[Strenght: I-82 --> H-102]
[Endurance: I-52 --> H-105]
[Dexterity: I-60 --> I-73]
[Agility: I-74 --> I-94]
[Magic: I-0 --> I-1]
Skills:
[Monster Taming(?)]
[Szalony Debil]
‘’The one who plays and the one who saves. He gives his Mind, for they are bonded.’’
Faster Growth when Recklessness is present. Greater Growth with Greater Recklessness.
Magic:
[-]
How, how was it that both of her children had gotten such strange Skills all of a sudden?! Were they just that amazing, or was Hestia missing something?!
‘Not to mention, those matching descriptions are way too adorable. Are my children bonded by Fate or something?!’
Yet, the evidence of their peril and subsequent survival only made Hestia's heart twist further.
‘’So.’’ Roy cleared his throat, interrupting her thoughts. He seemed calmer, but the dilated pupils told Hestia another story. Finally setting his plate down, the brown-haired man smiled. ‘’The fuck did I miss? By how cold it is, I bet it's nighttime. Was it hours or days?’’
Trembling in barely contained rage, Hestia threw herself at the man.
‘’Whoa!’’ He shouted, surprised, trying to catch Hestia by the shoulders and failing as she attached herself to his waist. Hugging so tight that she might crack one of his ribs. ‘’Too tight, too tight! Ghh…!’’
‘’You absolute idiot!’’ Hestia shouted. The worry, anger, and terror in her voice spilled all at once as her eyes clouded with tears. She tried wiping them with her gloved hands, but they just kept falling down. ‘’Y-you… I thought you died! Bell was crying, I was crying, and… and… Why did you throw yourself at a Minotaur of all things?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATHWISH?!’’
Each word was punctuated by a small, weak slap. Even in this state of mind, she unconsciously suppressed her strength so as not to hurt Roy any more than he already had been. But her fury and bottled-up despair were very real.
And she lashed it all out in a single second, as her face pressed against his chest and she cried.
Hestia didn’t know for how long.
Aching sobs turned into hiccups, and even those quieted down after a while. All she knew was that a pair of hands had wrapped around her back, drawing slow circles in an awkward manner.
‘’…Did you get it all out?’’ Roy asked. His tone… softer, in a way.
‘’Shut up.’’ She snapped back, hands shaky. ‘’I… I didn’t know what I would have done. You, y-you…’’
‘’Idiot. Stupid. Retard. Dunce. Clueless motherfucker. Dumbass. Reckless…’’ He listed off, making Hestia’s head snap upwards as she glared into his brown eyes. ‘’Did I get them all?’’
Yet, what Hestia saw wasn’t the typical, cocky smirk. The dumb expressions he made from time to time, or even a set of pursed lips with bored eyes.
Instead, it was a small, awkward smile. The brown locks of hair swished slightly, revealing a set of chocolate-brown eyes that overflowed with… guilt.
Hestia opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. Hesitant. ‘’…You probably missed a few.’’
‘’Probably did.’’ He nodded, a mirthless chuckle escaping past his lips. ‘’For the record, not my brightest idea.’’
‘’You think?’’ She bit back, hands tightening on his side.
‘’But.’’ He interrupted, making Hestia wince as he booped her nose. ‘’…It was the only one I could think of at the moment. I didn’t know those living steaks were so tough. So… my bad.’’
Hestia, of course, did not think that everyone would be fixed with an apology. His decision was stupidly reckless and almost got him, Bell, and Midna killed.
But… seeing the genuine regret in his gaze, the soft smile, the serious tone, and…
The way he had been embracing her for a good thirty minutes or so. How his dark, chocolaty eyes glimmered under the candlelight. The way his thin yet robust arms felt around her back, and the warmth of his chest, and, and…
A sudden warmth rose to her face and even traveled to her stomach. ‘W-well… Maybe I can forgive him… this time.’
And if the next time, he also embraced her like this—No! No, Hestia, what are you even thinking about?! Those are some degenerate thoughts that flat-board Loki would have with her own children!
Shaking her head, Hestia quickly separated from the man. Hands on her hips, as if everything was fine, she stared at him. ‘’A-alright. Apology accepted, but I'd better not hear you doing some reckless thing again, you hear?!’’
No matter what that skill said, she preferred her children alive.
Roy’s usual smile returned as he raised his hands in a placating manner. ‘’Alright, alright, I promise. Okay?’’
‘’Hmph. You'd better.’’ She huffed.
As Roy looked around, however, confusion settled on his face. Before he could even ask, Hestia was already answering his question.
‘’Midna and Bell are out. That nice Amazon lady who healed you—for free, by the way—Also invited them to eat.’’ Hestia explained, grabbing the empty plate and turning to the kitchen to wash it.
‘’Really?’’ The man asked, genuinely surprised. ‘’Where did she take them? Somewhere expensive?’’
‘’I… never have personally been there, but the place is called Hostess of Fertility… or something like that,’’ Hestia explained, turning on the water to wash the dishes. ‘’She wanted to invite you, too, but… You hadn’t woken up even hours after you were healed up.’’
‘’That bad, huh?’’ He hummed.
‘’Yes, that bad.’’ Hestia hissed, back turned as her hands clenched against the cutlery. ‘’But you were… stable, at least.’’
In Hestia’s mind, that must have been thanks to that awful Skill. Jumping fifty-three points in a single attribute in the span of a day was something extraordinary.
She really didn’t know if she should be grateful or worried.
Hestia really, really didn’t want to mention it to Roy. She saw firsthand just how much Excelia the young man had gotten from surviving that encounter.
Just like Bell’s was heroic and good-natured, so was Roy’s absolutely unpredictable and nerve-wracking. What sort of manic desire did he have before he was put on death’s bed that managed to develop a Skill like that?!
‘Yes. It’s better if I don’t tell them. Not until… until I know they are safe.’ Hestia nodded, turning off the water. ‘’I know you may be inclined to go, considering how stingy you are with money. But I asked the girls to bring you something so—‘’
It was then that Hestia noticed that the room was awfully quiet.
Her lips pursed. Air entered her lungs, and exasperation rose from the balls of her feet to the tips of her hair. And, as she turned around…
Sure enough, Roy Raynolds was gone. Probably from the moment she told him about the restaurant.
Hestia took a deep breath.
And screamed.
‘’ROY RAYNOLDS, I’M GOING TO PUT YOU IN YOUR DEATHBED MYSELF, YOU INFURIATING, STUPID, HANDSOME IDIOT OF A MAN!’’
Hestia would, later on, ignore that she said that second-to-last part.
-X-x-X-
-Bell Cranel-
The bar was buzzing with loud cheers and clicking mugs of beer. Adventurers, from beginners like them or even high-class ones, were eating and drinking after a long day of beating Monsters in the Dungeon.
Some practiced restraint, talking along in their small groups with relieved smiles. Others were throwing Valis around until their wallets ran dry.
The beautiful yet intimidating waitresses certainly didn’t mind the former or the latter. Greeting each and every single person, be it beastfolk, Elves, Dwarfs, or anything in between, with proper modisms and big smiles in most cases.
Such a place, meant for celebrating victories…
It certainly didn’t reflect Bell’s inner turmoil. Albeit Midna seemed much more relaxed. Her curious gaze roamed the entire establishment.
‘’Hello~’’ They were stopped a few steps from the entrance by one of the waitresses. ‘’My name is Syr Flova. Is this your first time eating with us?’’
She was a young girl who looked to be a bit older than Bell. Her hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and she wore the establishment’s outfit. A long green dress with long, puffy sleeves, a skirt of the same color, a white apron right on top of it, black thigh-highs to cover her legs, and a makeshift bow made of white cloth wrapped around her head.
On another occasion, the girl’s warm, bright smile would have made Bell turn away and stutter. Especially when Syr leaned forward with a circular tray in her hands, because the action made her… chest move in a particularly enticing way.
But the mental image of her second ally. The man who came up with a plan on the fly to buy enough time for them to get saved by that kind Amazon appeared at the forefront of Bell’s mind again.
Her mood was immediately soured, and if Syr had noticed, she didn’t say anything out of politeness or awkwardness.
‘’Hey there, hooman!’’ Midna stepped forward, grabbing Syr’s attention and causing the waitress to look down. ‘’We sure are new. Got invited by one fancy-looking, uh… Amazon chick. Don’t think there’s a list with reservations now, is there?’’
Syr seemed to freeze for a moment. Her grey eyes focused on Midna. Her lips pursed, and if Bell was paying attention instead of sulking, she would have noticed that the girl’s grip on the tray tightened impossibly hard.
As quick as it happened, it was gone, and Syr’s smile became wide and warm once more. ‘’Ah, of course there is! Please, come on in and tell me your names?’’
Looking at each other, the pair shrugged and followed after the cheerful waitress, dodging out of the way of loud customers and busy workers.
‘’Name’s Midna. Just Midna. Don’t wear it out now.’’ The Pallum chuckled, staring close to Bell so as to not get trampled by the people around.
‘’Bell. Bell Cranel.’’ The bunny-hume replied, tone flat.
‘’Hummm…’’ Syr had seemingly pulled a notepad from one of the pockets in her dress. ‘’Midna and Bell… Ah! Yes, my apologies. I didn’t know you were friends with Crusher!’’
‘Crusher…?’ Bell frowned. Realization hit her a moment later. ‘Ah, that must be Lady Tiona’s title. It sounds so cool, too…’
In all honesty, Bell didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings when that nice lady killed the Minotaur. She didn’t see Midna sneak away the beast’s Magic Stone, nor did she understand half of Tiona’s words before the strong Adventurer was carrying Roy on her back with ease and running to the Dungeon’s exit.
So, did that mean they got saved by someone who was a huge deal?
‘A hero…’ The word came to her mind like lightning striking the ground in stormy weather. ‘I… I have to thank her again. She’s probably coming, right? Doubt she would just pay our bill and not show up, right?’
But that was something to think about later. As Syr guided them to the very front of the bar. The entire row in front of the counter was cleared, and customers actively avoided it for some reason.
‘’Sorry, we are really packed full tonight, so the only available seats are right here.’’ Syr bowed in apology for some reason. ‘’Mama Mia!’’
And, as the floorboards creaked with a thud, Bell understood why the counter seats were avoided.
Coming from the door was a massive, hulking unit of a woman. She had short, brown hair tied into a bun, and seemed to have a permanent scowl on her face.
Unlike the waitresses, ‘Mama Mia’ wore a giant apron on top of a robust blue dress with sleeves that reached up to her elbow, and held on tight to her muscular frame.
Bell’s entire body froze as the towering woman stepped forward. Her brown eyes were laser-focused on both Midna and her for a few moments. ‘’Ho? So, these pipsqueaks want to sit at the front? I bet they have some deep wallets now, don’t they, Syr?’’
‘’W-we actually—‘’ Bell tried, but was interrupted.
‘’They sure do!’’ Syr nodded, clasping her hands happily, and ignoring the betrayed look Bell sent her way. ‘’They were invited under the Crusher’s name, and specifically told to ‘eat up until they burst’!’’
‘Wait, what?!’ Bell panicked internally. ‘J-just how much money does Lady Tiona have?!’
‘’HAHAHAH!’’ The woman threw her head back and laughed. The sound reverberated through the establishment’s walls as her attitude did a complete one-eighty, looking between them with a huge smile instead. ‘’I see, I see! Take a seat then. Name’s Mia Grand, and I’ll be racking up your bill tonight. Let me get you some entrees started while you look at the menu! And don’t worry, we have adjusted portions for Pallums!’’
Midna, being Midna, merely jumped into one of the seats and cackled. ‘’Well, I sure hope that you mean the portions are bigger, then! Because I don’t know about the rest, but I could eat for the two of us!’’
Mia Grand slammed her hand on the counter, causing the wood to creak as she laughed. ‘’Now that’s what I like to hear!’’ Then, the massive woman turned back to what Bell assumed was the kitchen. ‘’HEY, MAY! GET THREE PLATES OF NOODLES READY, WE HAVE HIGH-SPENDERS AT THE BAR!’’
Bell didn’t hear an answer as she took a seat, but considering Mia Grand’s pleased smile and the sound of metal utensils intensifying, she could make an educated guess that the chef had heard.
‘’Here are the menus, by the way~’’ Syr commented. Leaving a copy of the paper in front of Midna and Bell before bowing and waving. ‘’Call for me if you need anything, okay? The place is reaaally busy tonight!’’
Finally left to her own thoughts, Bell leaned against the counter, a tired sigh escaping past her lips.
‘’I… really don’t feel like we should be here.’’ The bunny-hume commented, side-glancing her Pallum companion. ‘’Maybe we should have stayed back home? Roy still hasn’t woken up.’’
‘’It’s fiiiine, bun-bun,’’ Midna reassured her. Her single eye looked between the menu and Bell. Yet, even through that toothy, confident grin, there was some lingering shakiness. ‘’We’re getting him something to go, aren’t we? ‘Sides, Roy’s tough. He’ll… He’ll be alright.’’
Bell preferred not to comment on the hint of doubt in Midna’s tone. Instead, focusing back on the paper in front of her.
And then her eyes landed on the prices.
‘F-five hundred Valis for the noodles?!’ Bell felt herself growing faint, as her hands clutched the paper tight. ‘EIGHT HUNDRED FOR THE FISH?!’
‘’Here’s your noodles, eat up before it gets cold!’’
Before Bell could protest or call out to Mia Grand or Syr, the former came back and slammed three giant plates of noodles with sauce and cheese in front of them.
‘’Now, what should I get you started with? Beers? Stew? Maybe the fish?’’ Mia raised an eyebrow, greed glimmering in her eye.
‘’Oh, oh! I want Stew and fish. Add in a beer, too. I’m hella thirsty!’’ Midna cheered, immediately grabbing two of the plates and digging in. ‘’Hmm~! Holy shit—You have to try this, bun-bun. It's delicious!’’
The Pallum hadn’t even looked at the Menu, and she already ordered two of the more expensive dishes! Get faster updates on g.com.
Though as the smell of the food reached Bell’s nostrils, her ears froze high into the air, and her stomach growled.
‘’What about you, missy?’’ Mia Grand asked.
‘’H-huh?’’ Bell looked up, noticing the expectant look on the woman’s face. ‘’U-um… Maybe the stew, too. And a… water? No… The fruit wine?’’
Mia gave her a thumbs-up. ‘’Coming right up! Enjoy your food, ladies!’’
Bell didn’t know if she could, considering the possible strain that they were now putting on Lady Tiona’s wallet. Doubly so, considering Midna was already two-thirds down her first plate of noodles.
But… maybe it was alright? Apparently, the Amazon did tell Syr they could order whatever, right?
Groooowl…
With hunger at the forefront of her mind, Bell took the provided fork and took a bite. A moan escaped past her pursed lips as the flavors literally exploded in her mouth, to the point it almost brought her to tears!
‘Just like grandpa used to make them!’ Bell acknowledged, immediately digging in without remorse.
However, as Bell and Midna tore through the delicious pasta and subsequent stew, their meal was interrupted as the Hostess of Fertility’s doors swung wide open.
In came a group of people. Four of whom stuck out much more than the rest.
First, there was a lady wearing a black and blue jacket that went above her navel, and impossibly short shorts that did nothing to cover her thighs, though she did have a long pair of black socks. She had light-red hair tied into a ponytail, and eyes so impossibly lidded that Bell couldn’t tell what color they were.
Next was an Elf with jade-colored hair tied into a ponytail that reached all the way to her waist. Her eyes were of the same color, and she wore white and golden robes. Her face and posture were the peak of tranquility, and she seemed to move gracefully with every step.
Then, a bulky, muscular man with a thick brown beard and long hair. His eyes were sharp as swords, and he wore thick, metal armor above a red battle-cloth. Each step he took made it seem like the entire pub was shaking.
Lastly, in front of them all, was a blonde Pallum wearing a purple and golden suit. Unlike the previous two, he didn’t look like much, but something at the back of Bell’s head was screaming that, if anything, he was the most dangerous of the three.
Right behind these three Adventurers were other distinctive people.
A timid, redheaded Elf, who remained behind the green-haired one.
A girl with flowing blond hair and golden eyes, whose expression was like it was carved in stone.
A Beastman with grey hair and a blue, lightning tattoo on his face, who walked in like he owned the place and glared at anyone who dared cross eyes with him.
And lastly, two Amazons, one of which Bell recognized.
‘It’s Lady Tiona. Then, all of these people… Are of her Familia?!’
The girl’s eyes looked around the establishment until they landed on Bell and Midna. Tiona waved immediately, which Bell quickly replied with one of her own, albeit more awkwardly.
The second Amazon looked at Tiona strangely, who started whispering something that Bell couldn’t quite catch with all the noise in the establishment, making the second Amazon’s eyes widen in acknowledgement.
The entire pub seemed to freeze. Excited cheers calmed down, and a mix of tension and admiration filled the room just as a brown-haired waitress with cat ears spoke.
‘’Meow! Now presenting the reservations of tonight: Loki Familia~!’’
The bar erupted into cheers once more. Much louder than before. To the point, Bell hissed as her ears lay flat against her skull.
‘’…Loki Familia?’’ Midna asked while gulping down her mug of beer.
‘’It’s one of the most recognized Familias across Orario!’’ Syr commented.
‘’Ah!’’ Midna panicked, almost dropping her mug as she turned to glare at the waitress. ‘’Where did you come from? Warn a gal next time, would ya?!’’
‘’My apologies.’’ Syr bowed with a smile. For a moment, Bell thought that her grey eyes looked… sharper. ‘’I’m surprised you don’t know about them… After all, Crusher, one of the Familia’s Executives, is the one who’s paying for your bill.’’
‘’S-so Lady Tiona was a big shot after all…!’’ Bell shout-whispered, earning a chuckle from the waitress. ‘It’s… It’s so cool!’
‘’Huh… Neat.’’ Midna hummed, pursing her lips before staring at her empty mug. ‘’Ah. I ran out. Mia, another beer please~!’’
Bell couldn’t help but stare in disappointment at her partner. Though if she were to guess, the Pallum was going to become a recurring customer of this place.
‘Well… The drink is tasty.’ Bell admitted, feeling a bit of heat rising to her cheeks after taking a sip of her fruit wine.
However, as the pub’s activity went back to normal, and the Loki Familia was seated and served, Bell couldn’t help but get curious. Their table was somewhat close, and…
Well, it only took her raising her ears back to full height and a bit of focus to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.
‘’Alright! Good job today on the Dungeon, too!’’ The redheaded woman who first walked into the bar with the group spoke. Raising a mug of beer high into the air with a sly grin. ‘’Let’s have a feast, people!’’
‘If the rest are the Loki Familia members… Is that their Goddess?’ Bell thought, not noticing her glass of wine had been refilled.
‘’Yeah, yeah! It’s only right we get to have fun!’’ Tiona followed with a happy grin, swaying side to side in her seat.
‘’’’CHEERS!’’’’ Most of the group shouted, clicking their mugs together.
‘They… They really just act like friends. Don’t they?’ Bell frowned. Then, her eyes locked with Tiona’s forest green ones. The Amazon noticed and raised her mug high. Bell awkwardly mimicked the gesture with a shy grin. ‘Ah… Like I thought. Lady Tiona is so nice! I want to talk to her, but… It would be weird if someone from another Familia walked in on their conversation, right?’
Shaking her head and uncaring of the empty plates piling up at the counter—no thanks to one very hungry Pallum, mind you—Bell decided to stop being a creep and just enjoy the night.
Hmm… Maybe she should take a taste of every dish? Only to know what the tastiest one was so she could bring it to Roy, of course—!
‘’Hey, hey Tiona~!’’ A gruff, raspy, and slightly slurred voice caught her attention just as Bell was about to turn around. ‘’Why don’t you tell us about the Tomato Bunny!’’
Bell froze.
Even the cheerful chatter in the establishment had quieted down a bit. Curious gazes and ears landed on the beastman.
‘’Tomato Bunny?’’ The meek, orange-haired elf asked with a tilt of her head.
Her query, however, made Tiona hiss. Her previously cheerful mood soured, as did her expression.
‘’Yeah, yeah, the Tomato Bunny!’’ The Wolf Beastman nodded. His lips parted into a giant, mocking grin as he swayed in his seat. The mug of beer in his hand partially spilled onto the table and floor. ‘’A young rabbit hume! Wide-eyed and wearing scraps like a beginner! Tiona saved that girl and her party, and the girl ended caked up head to toe in blood because of it!’’
The rest of the table had… mixed reactions. The Dwarf and green-haired Elf frowned, focusing on their drinks. The second Amazon with the long hair appeared to be slightly amused, but one look at her fellow Amazon made any trace of mirth disappear from her face.
The Pallum man’s lips were pressed thinly. And he was the first to speak, trying to have some levity in his tone. ‘’Oi, Bete. Are you drunk already?’’
‘’Man…’’ The red-haired Goddess sighed. Those almost full-lidded eyes opened, revealing crimson orbs. ‘’Beer’s starting to taste sour.’’
Bell, for her part, felt her chest tighten, as if it had been crushed to pieces. The weight of her own failure weighed heavily on her mind and body.
Not even the tiny, black-and-white hand placed on top of her own did anything to make those feelings go away.
‘’I’m not drunk, it’s just hilarious!’’ The newly identified Bete slammed his fist against the counter, his slurry speech and grin turning cruel. ‘’And get this… One of the idiots in her party actually tried fighting the thing! He almost ended up a smear on the Dungeon Wall if we didn’t waste some money to heal him back up!’’
‘’So that’s where the charge of an Elixir went…’’ The Amazon next to Tiona whispered.
‘’That’s enough, Bete. Don’t you feel ashamed of yourself?’’ The green-haired elf spoke next. Her tone was firm, and if Bell could notice, it had an almost shameful undertone to it. ‘’It was our fault that the Minotaurs escaped past the Fifteenth Floor. If anything, we owe an apology to that girl and her party. Especially the young man.’’
‘’HAAA?!’’ The Beastman’s grin turned into a heavy scowl as he slammed both his hands on the table, causing it to rock. ‘’What’s wrong with calling trash, trash, Riveria?! That idiot was way out of his depth! Now, if his intention was to kill himself, that’s another matter entirely!’’
‘’Oi, Bete Loga.’’ Tiona glared at him. Green eyes and tone full of vitriol. ‘’Shut up, will you?’’
‘’What? You're defending him, too?’’ The man rebuked with a confident grin, locking eyes with the Amazon. ‘’So what if I don’t? Wanna take it outside, then?’’
The mood of the pub was lost. There was only a small part of the Adventurers present that found Bete’s words amusing. The rest? They had scowls, looks of disgust, maybe the off-handed whisper.
But nobody said anything.
Bell’s fists balled up together. She didn’t even notice or feel the crimson liquid dripping down her palms, no. Bell couldn’t focus on any of that.
Because deep inside her, all she could feel was… rage.
How… How dare he, as a High-Class Adventurer, mock someone who was just starting? Roy had the survival of everyone in mind when he did what he did!
So… How could he, how could he…!
HOW COULD HE MOCK HIM LIKE THAT?!
At that moment, Bell wasn’t thinking. She made the move to stand up, no matter the consequences. Even if she was going to be beaten black and blue, she wanted to give the Beastman a piece of her mind.
But she didn’t get the chance.
Because Bete’s amusement was cut short, as the mug of beer he raised high in the air had been swapped.
Instead, an upside-down mug took its place. Dropping its contents right on top of the Beastman’s hair and body.
Silence took over the pub completely.
‘’Oops…’’ Except for one voice. Bell slowly turned at her side, noticing that Midna now had Bete’s mug of beer in her hand and was shamelessly drinking from it while staring with a cruel smirk. ‘’Hand must have slipped. Sorry ‘bout that… doggy.’’
If the silence was eerie before, now Bell believed she was standing in a cemetery.
‘’…Ha?’’
Even those at the Loki Familia table were surprised. Bete, however, immediately got up, his orange eyes locking onto Midna. ‘’Hey, pipsqueak. The fuck did you just say?’’
‘’Oh? And here I thought having animal ears was supposed to make you hear better…’’ But Midna didn’t back down under the wolfman’s intimidating gaze. Instead, she doubled down further. ‘’You were talking sooo much smack earlier. You won’t get pissy just ‘cause someone talked back. Right, doggy?’’
Bell saw, in a second, how the Adventurer’s face morphed.
His fair skin went entirely red, and the pupils of his orange eyes seemed to slit. His fists clenched together in barely-restrained fury as he started stomping over this way.
‘’Oi, Bete!’’ The Dwarf man called out with annoyance, but Bete made deaf ears.
‘’He’s really souring up the mood this time, isn’t he?’’ The Amazon asked Tiona, who looked one minute away from getting up herself. ‘’…Tiona?’’
Bell froze. Her simmering fury came to a halt for a second, replaced by fear as Bete stood right in front of them.
‘’Why don’t you say that to my face, you piece of shit?’’ He whisper-shouted, glaring daggers into Midna’s smaller form. ‘’Or should I turn your spine into powder right here and now? Huh? Is that what you fucking want?’’
However, Midna merely… cringed?
‘’God, do you ever wash that shit?’’ She spat, pointing at his open mouth. ‘’You fucking reek. And here I was calling you a ‘doggy’. No, at least doggies are taken care of. You’re a damn mutt.’’
‘’Why, you…!’’
Slam!
Yet, just as Bete was about to make good on his promise and grab Midna by her robes, the doors of the establishment slammed open.
And Bell instinctively turned to the door, only for her heart to simultaneously drop and soar.
‘R-Roy…?!’
The man who walked in was dressed in a plain, long-sleeved black shirt and a pair of leather pants. His brown hair seemed to become a lighter shade under the pub’s light, and his chocolate eyes immediately focused on one Bete Loga.
‘’Heard you were talking shit.’’ He spoke, and an insufferable grin overtook his face. ‘’Hands off my girl, you stinky-ass mutt.’’
-X-x-X-.
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Author's Note:
''Cruentus Cordis'' means Bleeding Heart, and Slazony Debil is Polish for ''Crazy Idiot'' but according to my Polish friend, it's a specific brand of idiot. As he put it crudely, ''Slightly Retarded''. Yes, Roy's skill is ''Crazy Retard'', you can't change my mind.
Bell's Skill may reed the same as Liaris Freese, but the effect its different. Her Desire this time around does not involve reaching a specific someone, but to protect a specific someone. In this case: Roy. Though it could be, theorically, applied to anyone who she's close with.
And considering that Roy's Skill involves him getting into dangerous situations... That's one hell of a feedback loop.
Also, I didn't just use ''Increased Growth'' and ''Faster Growth'' because I felt like using synonyms. They meant different things.
Anyway, Midna is wife. Am I right or am I right, lads?
I also publish on other sites, if you wish to check them out:
FFN: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/15809388/HamsterX42
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