"You're… Hestia-sama?"
Cyd blinked down at the tiny figure clutching Bell in her arms, questioning reality itself.
"What's wrong?" Hestia tilted her head, giving him an innocent smile.
"No, it's just…" Cyd scratched his cheek awkwardly, using his fingers to measure the air. "You're a bit different from what I imagined. Proportion-wise."
Hestia—the one goddess among the Greek pantheon who still had a working conscience. Back when the gods still cared about mortal stuff, they must've pooled all their decency into her.
So naturally… she had a big heart.
Cyd cleared his throat.
Yeah. Definitely big… in more ways than one.
But more importantly, she had a comforting smile—the kind that made you feel like everything was going to be okay, no matter how wrecked the world was.
Cyd squatted down to her eye level, tilting his head thoughtfully.
Hmmm… Doesn't look threatening at all.
Honestly, if anything, she'd seem more at home handing out cookies than throwing lightning bolts.
Given her reputation, he figured she'd be this statuesque, towering goddess full of divine majesty. Instead, she barely came up to his waist.
Not that spirit and size were the same thing.
"Nice to meet you," Cyd said, placing a hand lightly on her head. "I'm Cyd."
"Hey! Show some respect, would you?!" Hestia puffed up indignantly, flailing her arms. She grabbed Cyd's face and pulled at his cheeks with surprising strength. "What's with that look you've had this whole time?!"
"He's my savior!" Bell cried, hugging Hestia tightly.
"It's fine," Cyd said with a casual wave, unfazed.
"You… saved Bell?" Hestia blinked.
Cyd gave a lopsided grin. "I just helped someone back on their feet. Nothing worth thanking me for."
"You… you're such a good boy!" Hestia sniffled, dabbing at her eyes dramatically. "If only we had something to offer you in return…"
"It's okay, Hestia-sama!" Bell perked up, fumbling through his pockets and pulling out a pouch of coins. "I actually got some money from the exchange earlier. Well… it's thanks to the magic stone Cyd-san gave me…"
His voice trailed off, and he looked down, embarrassed.
Cyd glanced around their dingy surroundings.
Yeah… not exactly the grand temple of a worshiped goddess. More like a rundown apartment barely holding itself together.
He let out a breath.
Even gods struggle to get by sometimes, huh?
"Bell, take Cyd out for a nice meal!" Hestia declared, giving them a thumbs-up. "It's thanks to his magic stone, after all! One day, Bell, you'll earn your own stones—and when you do, you can properly repay him with your own strength!"
Cyd smiled softly.
Yeah. Even if they're struggling, even if they're weak, they still help each other.
They didn't need him to babysit them. They were doing just fine.
Well.
Maybe a little backup wouldn't hurt.
"Isn't Hestia-sama coming too?" Bell asked, clutching the coin pouch tightly.
"Ahh~ I gotta head to work!" Hestia scratched her head sheepishly. "Can't just leave it all to you, Bell! I'll bring you back some sweets, okay?"
"Gods above… Hestia-sama!" Bell practically teared up on the spot.
Yeah.
Definitely gonna keep an eye on them.
Cyd rubbed his face with one hand.
Now he really understood why Hera had asked for his help.
By the time they got to the Hostess of Fertility, Bell was practically vibrating with excitement.
"This place is called the Hostess of Fertility," Bell explained, clutching his coin pouch like a lifeline. "I… uh… never came before because we were tight on money, but thanks to that Minotaur magic stone you gave me, we can finally afford it!"
Cyd shot him a look.
Bell's cheeks were bright red, and his eyes darted everywhere except at the entrance.
Yeah.
This kid definitely had an ulterior motive.
Peering inside, Cyd spotted a whole squadron of young, beautiful waitresses bustling around the tavern.
"You sure you didn't just drag me here for moral support?" Cyd ruffled Bell's hair, smirking. "You couldn't work up the nerve to come alone, but with two people, it's not as scary, huh?"
"N-No way!" Bell yelped, but the way he immediately ducked his head said otherwise. "I'm sorry…"
"Come on, let's go," Cyd said, clapping him on the back.
"Thanks!!" Bell's whole face lit up as he pushed Cyd toward the door. "Let's hurry!"
Yeah.
Definitely here for backup.
Cyd sighed and let himself be herded inside.
"Welcome—oh, Bell-kun?"
A waitress carrying a tray stopped mid-greeting, her gaze shifting past Cyd's shoulder curiously.
"Hey, Syr-san!" Bell said, scratching his head, only to get yanked up by the scruff of his collar like a kitten by Cyd.
Syr laughed, covering her mouth politely. "Right this way, honored guests!"
Cyd dropped Bell, and they followed Syr to a seat near the bar.
"Oho? New faces?"
A woman with a commanding aura—the tavern's manager, Mama Mia—strolled over, eyeing the pair of white-haired boys like a wolf sizing up her next meal.
"Which one of you is Syr's special guest?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Him," Cyd said without hesitation, flicking Bell's forehead.
"Y-Yes ma'am!" Bell sat bolt upright, stiff as a board under Mama Mia's gaze.
"Got guts, kid," she said with a grin. Without warning, she slapped a heavy mug of ale down in front of him. "That one's yours."
"Eh?!" Bell stared in horror.
…That was basically robbery.
"I'll have this," Cyd said, picking something safe-looking off the menu. It was some fancy pasta dish that made Bell quietly weep at the price.
"You're too nice…" Bell whimpered.
"Relax, don't sweat it," Cyd said, waving him off.
"Good attitude!" Mama Mia said approvingly—and promptly slammed another mug of ale in front of Cyd.
Cyd: […]
Bell: noises of silent despair
Still, the food turned out to be amazing.
Bell slurped down noodles with tears sparkling in his eyes. "S-So good…"
That giant bag of gold?
Already halfway gone.
Worth it though.
Probably.
Cyd polished off his meal and gave Mama Mia a thumbs-up. "Price matches the taste."
"Right?!" Mama Mia chuckled. "Want another?"
"I'll pass. The rabbit's already cleaned out," Cyd said, ruffling Bell's hair again.
"Uuuu…" Bell whimpered, shielding his face.
"No worries," Cyd said, stretching. "We'll just go hunt down a couple more Minotaurs. Easy."
"H-Hunt more?!" Bell squeaked, turning pale.
"Actually," Cyd said thoughtfully, "let's set a little goal. Bell—try taking down ten Minotaurs."
Bell practically choked. "T-Ten?! But those are Minotaurs! I'm only Level One!"
"So?" Cyd tilted his head innocently.
"I mean—! I can't possibly—!" Bell flailed for a bit before drooping in defeat. "I'm just… not strong enough."
"Who says a Level One can't beat a Minotaur?"
Cyd tapped Bell's forehead gently.
"Back when this Dungeon first opened, everyone was Level One. They explored the unknown with nothing but guts and dreams.
Bell—it's not because you're a high-level adventurer that you defeat monsters.
It's because you defeat monsters that you become a high-level adventurer."
Cyd smiled—and then flicked Bell's forehead again, a little harder this time.
"And you're not the type to sit around and accept being weak, are you?"
Bell's eyes widened.
Even Mama Mia, polishing a glass behind the bar, gave a quiet nod of approval.
But the good vibes didn't last long.
A sneering voice cut across the room:
"But trash will always be trash!"
The whole tavern seemed to freeze.
The speaker made no attempt to hide his voice—in fact, it felt like he wanted everyone to hear.