[A few hours after being released from prison]
Daylight seeped through the small cracks in the church's broken windows, creating golden patterns on the ceiling.
My eyes opened slowly, feeling something I hadn't felt in so long softness.
This bed...
It's soft.
Too soft.
I vaguely remember arriving at the church a few hours ago.
Hestia immediately handed me a bottle of healing potion.
After I drank it, the effects hit along with this incredible exhaustion... an accumulation from days of torture.
My consciousness just vanished.
I must've passed out right away.
Goddess Hestia, in her panic, probably could only carry me to the nearest place to lie down.
I glanced at the sheets beneath me, seeing some stains from my dirty prison clothes.
Sorry, Goddess. I'll wash them later, I thought guiltily.
Since I'm going to wash them anyway, it doesn't matter if I lie here a few more minutes, right?
My body had gotten used to the cold stone floor of the prison, the hardness that stabbed into my spine every night.
Now, sinking into pillows and blankets that smelled like soap, I almost felt like I was drowning in clouds in the sky.
The scent of clean fabric flowed into my lungs...
fresh, warm, so different from the damp, rotten smell that clung to the prison cell.
In the distance, the sound of small footsteps echoed lightly on the floor.
Familiar footsteps.
Steps that always let me know who it was.
Who else but Goddess Hestia?
I sat up slowly, feeling my body wasn't as painful as before.
The healing potion Goddess Hestia gave me after I was freed from prison worked well...
Thinking about healing.
I know there's one thing that can't be healed by any potion.
That's the condition in that contract!
As for how I know, Goddess Hestia told me on the way home after being freed from prison.
'That's not a condition of freedom... It's chains wrapped in kindness.'
Suddenly...
A voice broke through my thoughts.
"Kaen-kun~! I brought food!"
Hestia entered with a smile so bright it was almost blinding.
I felt that smile was so beautiful.
Was it because it came with the perfect background?
Like it gave the impression of someone stepping out of a painting?
I watched Goddess Hestia walking toward me.
In her hands, a tray with warm bread, eggs, and a steaming glass of hot water.
She swayed the tray like a little kid proud of their new toy.
But I could see it...
behind that smile was exhaustion she was trying to hide.
Her eyes were slightly puffy, like she hadn't slept well last night.
There was a small tremor in her cheerful voice, something she wanted to cover but couldn't completely.
"Goddess," I said while getting up from the bed.
"You don't need to go through the trouble—"
"Eh? Of course I have to!" she cut me off quickly, immediately sitting beside the bed.
"You just got home! I have to make sure you eat properly!"
She placed the tray on the small table next to the bed, then looked at me with sparkling eyes full of hope.
"Besides," she continued with a wide smile.
"Today's a special day! I have something that'll shock you!"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Something?"
"Ehehehe~" her characteristic laugh came out, but this time it sounded a bit forced.
"Eat first! Then I'll show you!"
I took the bread and bit into it slowly.
It tasted...
normal.
The usual bread Hestia always buys.
'If there's time, I should show Goddess Hestia the place where I usually buy good bread.'
I ate the bread leisurely.
But somehow, after days of eating stale bread in prison, this felt like food of the gods.
"Tasty?" she asked.
"Very," I answered with a smile.
Her smile widened, and for a moment, the exhaustion in her eyes disappeared.
After finishing eating, Hestia stood with slightly nervous movements.
She walked to the old closet in the corner of the room, then returned carrying something wrapped in white cloth.
"Here it is!" she exclaimed while placing the item on the table.
She unwrapped the cloth carefully, and...
My eyes widened.
A thick old book lay on the table, its cover made of leather yellowed by age.
Strange golden writing glittered on its surface, and what caught attention most... the aura radiating from it.
A grimoire.
"This is it, Kaen-kun!" Hestia shouted, her eyes sparkling like stars.
"This is the gift from that deal! With this, you'll become strong! Quick, read it! This is the key to our future!"
Hope.
Faith.
Pure happiness.
All of it radiated clearly from Goddess Hestia's face, making me feel like I was stepping on a blooming flower.
I stared at the grimoire, then looked at Goddess Hestia's face again.
My mind raced.
Bell Cranel...
in the original story, he accepted that grimoire.
He accepted every help, every opportunity given to him.
But in the end, he rejected the goddess who had given him everything.
But I... I'm not him.
I won't choose the same path.
For me, that grimoire isn't a gift.
Freya didn't give it out of kindness.
She gave it because there's something in me...
in my soul that caught her attention.
At first, I thought my soul was like any other human's.
I thought the reason I was imprisoned was just because Freya was furious after I choked her.
But the more I think about it...
the more I feel something's off.
Turns out I was wrong.
My soul isn't an ordinary soul.
If not, why would Freya go so far as to give me a grimoire?
There must be a deeper reason.
And the only logical explanation... is because I'm someone who reincarnated, so there's something Freya can see that I can't see.
In other words, my imprisonment wasn't just punishment.
It was part of Freya's grand plan.
And what's worse... the plan worked perfectly.
Because she managed to make Goddess Hestia ask for her help.
This grimoire, the 'date' with Syr, elite training... these aren't help.
They're chains.
Every gift I receive will become another link binding me to her, making it harder to break free later.
If I already know I'll reject her in the end, then I have to reject her from the beginning.
I took a deep breath.
This decision will hurt Goddess Hestia, but in the long run, this is best for both of us.
"I can't accept it, Goddess."
Her smile vanished instantly.
Like a candle blown out by wind.
Her brow furrowed, her eyes widened like she'd just heard something impossible.
"W-what?" her voice trembled slightly.
"What do you mean? But... Kaen-kun, I... this is for you! This will make you strong!"
I could see the pain in her eyes.
She thought I was rejecting her effort, rejecting her sacrifice.
But she's wrong.
"I know, Goddess. And I'll always be grateful," I said in the calmest voice possible.
"But I don't want to become strong from pity."
"Pity?" she repeated confusedly.
"Freya," I answered directly.
"She gave this not out of kindness. This is an investment. Every time I use power from this grimoire, I'll remember that this strength came from her. And someday, she'll collect on that debt."
Hestia fell silent, her eyes looking at me with an expression that was hard to read.
"I'll become strong in my own way," I continued.
"I'd rather take the slower path than a shortcut full of debt."
Silence filled the room.
I could hear my own heartbeat, waiting for Goddess Hestia's reaction.
Then, slowly, a thin smile appeared on Hestia's face.
Not the forced smile from before, but a genuine smile.
Warm.
"Ehehe~" her laugh came out, this time natural.
"Such an idiot..."
She stepped forward and hugged me tightly.
"I'm proud of you, Kaen-kun."
Her voice was soft, whispering in my ear.
I was surprised, 'proud?' Did Goddess Hestia really hope I'd reject it?
"At first I was worried you'd be tempted by quick power and end up joining Freya Familia. But... this is what I hoped for. You're still my stubborn Kaen."
I returned her embrace, feeling the warmth of her small, familiar body.
"Sorry for making you worry, Goddess."
"Hmph!" she released the hug and hit my chest lightly.
"You really are troublesome! But... I prefer troublesome Kaen over Kaen who can be bought easily."
"If you got bought, I'd be alone!"
She took the grimoire from the table and wrapped it again.
"I'll return this to Freya," she said with a definitive tone.
"Our debt to her is just that contract. Nothing more."
The silence that followed felt different.
No longer tense silence, but liberating silence, as if a heavy invisible burden had just been lifted from both our shoulders.
I watched Goddess Hestia walk to the table.
With deliberate, firm movements, she rewrapped that cursed grimoire with the white cloth.
Each fold was neat, as if sealing a problem so it would never open again.
She didn't put it back on the table, but placed it in the corner of the room, far from our view.
As if it were a dangerous artifact that shouldn't be touched carelessly.
After finishing, she dusted off her hands as if cleaning invisible dust, then turned to face me.
A long, relieved sigh escaped her lips.
Her previously tense face now softened.
"Phew... That matter's finally settled," she muttered more to herself.
Then, her eyes looked me over from head to toe, assessing my condition that was still dirty and shabby.
"Kaen-kun," she said with a much lighter, almost cheerful tone.
"You smell like prison. Go take a bath. I've prepared clean clothes for you over there."
Her simple command made me nod, a small genuine smile finally carved on my face too.
"Thank you, Goddess."
•••
The healing potion Goddess Hestia gave me really worked perfectly.
When I bathed in the church's small bathroom, I could see changes in my body in the cracked mirror.
The big wounds had closed, leaving only some scratch marks still visible on my body...
like sword slashes.
But strangely, those marks didn't look terrible.
Instead, they looked like... marks of honor.
If I meet Zagan, I'll have to thank him.
For leaving scars that looked like carvings by a war artist.
However, besides that, there was something else surprising!
Another change...
My face looked slightly sharper, and my body...
slightly taller?
'This isn't normal.'
I remembered the pain I felt after fighting Zagan.
I felt it then...
Like my body was being "recycled," rebuilt from within.
Looks like that actually happened.
'Is this a side effect from that potion? Or something else?'
But for now, I can't do anything but accept this change.
After dressing in a clean shirt and pants (which luckily still fit even though my body changed slightly), I returned to the church's main room.
Hestia was already sitting on the old sofa, her legs swinging like a little kid.
In her hands was a cup of warm tea, and its steam curled up forming thin patterns in the air.
"Kaen-kun!" she called out as soon as she saw me.
"Come here! Since you can't enter the dungeon today... Let's just chat!"
I sat next to her, and she immediately leaned against my shoulder.
"I missed this," she whispered while shifting her seat slightly, making her head more comfortable on my shoulder.
I could feel the warmth of her breath on my shoulder.
"Missed chatting casually... without the fear of you suddenly not coming home."
I glanced at Goddess Hestia briefly, I felt strange...
Why did Goddess Hestia suddenly become so emotional?
Did she suddenly change in just a few minutes?
A few minutes ago she was like this, now like that.
I'll never understand.
"Me too, Goddess. But I didn't expect you could miss me that deeply."
Her cheeks puffed up slightly, pretending to be annoyed.
"Don't be full of yourself! I just... well... got used to having you here."
"If you're used to it, that means if I disappear again later... it'll feel empty?" I asked while holding back a smile.
She looked at me from below, her eyes slightly narrowed.
"Don't you dare try to disappear. If you dare, I'll... hmm... tie you up in this church... Yes, I'll tie you up."
"Is that so?" I deliberately moved closer, making the distance between us almost disappear.
"If Goddess ties me up, are you sure you can handle all my needs every day?"
Her eyes widened for a moment, then her face turned red.
"Y-you...! Don't say weird things!"
I chuckled.
"You started it, Goddess."
She looked away, pretending to focus on her tea that was starting to cool.
"Anyway, today... you sit here. Don't go anywhere. Period."
"Yes, Goddess. I'll always follow sweet commands."
Goddess Hestia was quiet for a moment, then glanced at me with narrowed eyes.
"Hmph... why did you become so good at sweet-talking? You weren't this skilled before."
What does she mean I wasn't this skilled before?
"Maybe it's the prison's influence," I answered casually.
"The brain gets creative when bored." That wasn't entirely a lie... my mind was indeed a bit clearer.
"Or maybe..." she bit her lower lip, looking thoughtful.
"You met a pretty girl in prison?"
I almost choked.
"Goddess, that was a men's prison."
"Oh." Her cheeks turned slightly red.
"Well, whatever." Goddess Hestia said that, but she kept staring at me, making me uncomfortable.
That lasted for half a minute until finally...
"Kaen-kun! I have an idea!"
"What idea?"
"Let's play a game!" she exclaimed while jumping from the sofa.
"It's called... uh... 'Who Can Last the Longest'!"
I raised an eyebrow, I felt Goddess Hestia was getting weirder.
But I didn't know what was weird.
"Last against what?"
"Last without getting... getting..." her face turned red. "...without getting flustered!"
"A game... of who can make their opponent embarrassed first!"
Ah, I realized what game Goddess Hestia meant.
I was slightly interested, was Goddess Hestia trying to tease me?
Was she annoyed because I kept teasing her?
So she wants revenge?
"That's a good idea, Goddess," I said while leaning back.
"But is there a prize?"
Hestia's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"There is! Whoever loses... has to obey the winner's request! Anything!"
"Anything?" I was slightly tempted by the stakes.
"A-NY-THING!" she emphasized confidently.
"Do you dare?"
I won't blush just from beginner-level teasing. I tried to comfort myself—no matter what, Goddess Hestia was one of the 3 virgin goddesses.
She shouldn't have much experience teasing people.
"Alright. I accept your challenge."
When I accepted, Hestia's cheeks got redder, but this time her eyes blazed with strange enthusiasm.
Goddess, can you not show that kind of look?
"Hmph! In that case..." she straightened up confidently.
"Now it's my turn, I go first!"
"Oh? First turn at what, Goddess?"
Hestia cleared her throat softly, then with movements trying to be graceful, she moved closer to me.
"Kaen-kun..." she whispered in a voice she tried to make seductive.
"Do you know... your eyes are... so beautiful..."
I looked at her flatly.
"Thank you. Goddess's eyes are also beautiful, like stars in the night sky."
"Eh?!" she immediately panicked.
"T-that's not when you're supposed to sweet-talk back!"
"Are there rules?"
"There are!" she pointed at me with a trembling finger.
"The one being sweet-talked should be embarrassed, not sweet-talk back!"
"Oh, I see." I nodded seriously.
I wanted to laugh, this level was nothing.
"Then try again."
Hestia took a deep breath, trying to gather courage again.
"K-Kaen-kun... it's hot today..." she said while fanning herself with her hand, trying to look sexy.
"Yeah, that's why Goddess is sweating. Come on, let me wipe it," I replied while reaching for a handkerchief.
"DON'T!" she yelled while backing away.
"That... that's not the right reaction!"
"Then what's the right reaction?"
"You should be... uh... nervous! Or embarrassed! Or... flustered!"
"But I'm more worried about Goddess overheating."
Hestia grumbled in frustration, I could feel she was very annoyed. As if she wanted to dissect my head and see what I was thinking.
Her chest rose and fell, when she finally calmed down.
This time Goddess Hestia took my hand with both of hers.
"Kaen-kun... your hands are big..." she whispered while feeling around my palm.
Oho, a physical touch strategy?
And honestly, I almost blushed.
'Looks like my weakness is physical touch teasing.'
'I feel if Goddess Hestia keeps teasing like this, I'll lose!'
'No, I have to do something'
"Goddess's hands are smaller and softer," I replied while turning the grip, now I was holding her hand.
"Like..."
"K-KAEN-KUN!" her face immediately turned red.
"Why are you the one who..."
"The one who what?"
"The one who... who makes me embarrassed, you're breaking the rules again!"
She tried to pull her hand away but I didn't let go.
"Wasn't Goddess's goal also to make me embarrassed?"
"Y-yes but... argh! This isn't fair!"
Hestia got up from the sofa with a frustrated and annoyed face, then suddenly seemed to get another idea.
With dramatic movements, she stood in front of me and undid her twintails, letting her black hair flow down.
"How about this?" she said while swaying her hair.
"I rarely let my hair down, you know!"
This...
I looked at her seriously for a moment, making her wait hopefully.
"Goddess..."
"Y-yes?!" her eyes sparkled.
'Are you waiting for me to be embarrassed? You need a lot more practice, Goddess. Better learn from Misha Flott.'
"Your hair is more beautiful when it's down. Why don't you always keep it like this?"
"GYAAAAAA!" she immediately covered her face with both hands.
"Why are you like this! I'm supposed to make you embarrassed!"
"But I got to see a new beautiful side of Goddess."
"STOP! STOP SAYING SWEET THINGS!"
Hestia jumped down and hid behind the sofa.
Only her head peeked out, still with a bright red face.
"I give up..." her voice was weak.
"You're cheating..."
"How am I cheating?"
"You... you're too good..." she whispered while peeking.
Seeing Goddess Hestia, I sighed. "Alright, since Goddess already lost, my request is—"
"N-not yet! I haven't lost yet! My turn again!"
Desperately, she came out of her hiding spot and looked at me with a very serious expression.
"Kaen-kun... close your eyes."
"What for?"
"Just close them! Or I'll consider you surrendered!"
Is this just a game... Is it that serious?
Reluctantly, I closed my eyes.
The sound of her footsteps approached.
I could feel the warmth of her body in front of me.
"Open your eyes," she whispered very softly.
When I opened my eyes...
When I opened my eyes, Hestia was standing very close... her face only a few centimeters from mine.
Her hair had fallen loose, soft strands brushing against my cheek as she leaned in.
The neckline of her dress had slipped lower, baring the smooth curve of her pale shoulder… and just beneath it, the soft outline of her chest peeked through, stealing my breath away.
"Kaen-kun..." she whispered with a trembling voice.
"I-I... I..."
Our eyes met.
I could see my reflection in her sparkling eyes.
"I... like you..." she said almost inaudibly.
Holy... My blood rushed up immediately.
My heart beat so fast I was sure she could hear it.
And the worst part...
my nose started feeling warm.
"Goddess..." my voice was hoarse.
"Yes?" she waited with eyes full of hope and embarrassment.
The first drop came out of my nose.
"YAAAHOOOOO!" Hestia jumped back with raised hands.
"I WON! I WON! KAEN-KUN GOT A NOSEBLEED!"
She spun around happily while laughing satisfiedly.
"I won! I won! The sweet-talking champion finally lost too!"
I wiped my nose with my palm, still stunned by what just happened.
"Fine... I lost." I took a breath.
"What's your request?"
Hestia suddenly stopped laughing.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously.
"My request is..." she approached with a mysterious smile. "...a secret!"
"A secret?"
"Yes! I'm saving this request for later!" she said while pointing at me.
"So whenever I need it, you have to obey whatever I ask!"
"That's... really sneaky."
"Hehe~" she laughed like a little villain.
"Who told you to play with a goddess? Now you're my slave!"
"Slave?"
"Uh... not a slave!" her face turned red.
"I mean... well... you have to obey me!"
She sat back on the sofa while swinging her legs, looking very satisfied.
"But..." her voice was suddenly soft.
"Has your nose stopped bleeding?"
"It has. I didn't expect Goddess could be that evil."
Her cheeks turned red. "I-I'm not evil! I'm just... strategic!"
"Confessing you like me is strategic?"
"T-THAT..." she panicked.
"THAT WAS JUST TO WIN! NOT FOR REAL!"
"Oh. So it was a lie?"
"N-not a lie either..." her voice got smaller.
"But... well... that's..."
"That's what?"
"That's also a secret!" she yelled while covering her face with a pillow.
I smiled seeing her antics.
This goddess... really can't be predicted.
Just like that...
We spent the rest of the day with light conversation.
About the weather, about nosy neighbors, about plans to fix the church's leaky roof and washing together.
Trivial things that felt so precious.
At least that's how I felt.
•••
The next morning, I stood in front of the mirror while putting on my gear.
Spear strapped to my back, sword at my waist. Fortunately, I didn't lose my expensive weapons.
No armor, because the old one was worn out and our money wasn't enough to buy new ones yet.
"Are you sure you want to go to the dungeon without protection?" Hestia asked worriedly.
"Just the upper floors," I replied while checking the spear strap one last time.
"I need to feel this new body in real combat."
"If anything happens, come home immediately, okay?" she pulled the edge of my shirt like a little kid.
"Don't push yourself!"
"Yes, Goddess."
I kissed her forehead briefly... a spontaneous gesture that made her blush and smile.
"B-be careful!" she called while waving.
Leaving the church, I walked toward the Tower of Babel through Orario's main streets.
And this is where things got interesting.
Yesterday they looked at me like trash.
Today...
"Kaen! Good morning!" a blonde-haired adventurer patted my shoulder while passing.
"You're a real man!"
"Hey, that's him! The girl hero!" another shouted from a distance.
"Bro! Want to join our party later?"
Not far from there, another group of adventurers just whispered while looking at me.
One of them muttered loud enough for me to hear, "I still don't believe that story. There must be something else."
"That's Kaen, he's my role model, becoming a hero who saves beauty!" another shouted from across the street, waving enthusiastically.
However, there was also a large-bodied man who just crossed his arms over his chest, staring at me with sharp, doubtful eyes as I passed.
'Yesterday they spat at me, today they praise me. Both based on lies. Public opinion is like wind... worthless. What's real is only strength.'
I just nodded politely at their greetings, not stopping for long conversations.
Popularity based on misunderstandings is useless.
What matters is they no longer look at me with hatred.
That's enough to make life easier.
Arriving at the Guild, I approached the receptionist's desk to handle the dungeon entry permit that had been blocked before.
Some adventurers looked my way with friendly smiles, others whispered while pointing.
"Look, that's Kaen."
"The one who was wrongly accused yesterday, but turns out he became a savior?"
"So pitiful, got beaten by a mob when his intentions were good."
I could feel several pairs of eyes immediately focused on me.
Some smiled friendly, but the werewolf receptionist glanced at me briefly with a flat expression before focusing back on her work, as if not caring about the latest gossip.
From the name tag on her clothes, I learned her name was Rose Fanett.
Ignoring her, I stepped toward the pink-haired girl's desk who greeted me enthusiastically.
"K-Kaen!" she exclaimed with a voice slightly too loud.
"C-congratulations on your... uh... cleared name!"
"Thank you," I answered briefly while filling out the permit form.
"I-is it true you really tried to protect that girl?" she asked curiously.
I stopped writing and looked at her.
"Would my answer change anything?"
She was surprised by my flat response. "Eh? I-I meant—"
"What matters is the fact that I'm not guilty has been proven," I said while continuing to fill out the form.
"The rest is just gossip."
She fell silent, apparently not expecting such a cold reaction.
After finishing the administration, I walked toward the dungeon entrance.
Along the way, several adventurers still greeted me enthusiastically, but I kept my distance.
'They celebrate me as a hero based on a made-up story.'
'But for now, at least I can enter the dungeon without being swarmed by a mob wanting to beat me up.'
The dungeon entrance was in sight.
The spiral staircase leading into the earth's depths, where monsters waited. The place where true strength is tested, not with politics or word games.
I took a deep breath, feeling the dungeon's cold and humid air.
Time to see how far I've changed.
Actually, Goddess Hestia offered to update my status but... I refused.
Though curiosity tickled, I was sure I had gained something new... maybe a skill.
Since the fight with Zagan, my body felt stronger.
You know, usually adventurers become stronger after status updates.
But... My body... is different!
With a cold glint in my eyes.
My intuition tells me my fight with goblins this time will end with me being able to wound him.