The morning light began to filter through the makeshift windows of the old church, illuminating the space with a gentle glow.
Hestia slowly opened her eyes, still feeling the weight of yesterday's exhaustion in her small body. She rubbed her eyes gently and let out a soft yawn as she tried to remember where she was.
Still groggy, she noticed a peculiar sensation around her: warmth and a comforting weight that seemed to embrace her. Curiosity made her turn her head slightly—and what she saw made her heart thunder in her chest.
Luki was there, lying beside her, his arms firmly wrapped around her. His calm and peaceful expression as he slept contrasted with the growing blush on Hestia's face.
Her eyes widened as a mix of embarrassment, surprise, and a strange, fluttery happiness flooded her chest.
She tried to process the scene. Luki was so close she could feel his calm, rhythmic breathing. The warmth of their bodies was undeniable, and although her mind told her this was inappropriate, her heart beat to a very different rhythm.
— W-what do I do now...? — she murmured to herself, raising one hesitant hand to cover her flushed cheeks.
For a moment, she froze, just watching his serene face. He looked so peaceful while sleeping, his tousled golden hair falling slightly over his forehead. There was something almost angelic about him—something that made her forget, even if just for a second, all her shame.
Too shy to wake him and ruin the moment, Hestia chose to stay still, staring at him with a mix of tenderness and fascination.
— You're so handsome, Luki... No, my Luki. Only I get to see your sleeping face, hihi~ — she whispered, her voice so low it melted into the silence around her.
She stayed like that for a few more minutes, taking in every detail: the slight curve of his lips in an unconscious smile, the way he looked so vulnerable and yet so protective at the same time.
Though still flustered, Hestia couldn't help but smile. For the first time in a long while, she felt something that could only be described as true happiness.
'Is this what the others felt? Having a family?' she thought, wondering how other gods and goddesses felt when they created their familias for the first time.
The comforting warmth of that morning wrapped around her like never before—but her moment of reflection was interrupted by movement at her side.
— Uhm... — Luki murmured, frowning and shifting slightly. He seemed to be fighting against the heavy fog of sleep still weighing him down.
Hestia watched him as he stirred. Even without understanding his words, the soft, sluggish tone in his voice made her feel he was at peace beside her.
When he finally opened his eyes and saw she was awake, his expression changed instantly—eyes wide, like a kid caught doing something wrong. Hestia let out a light sigh at his reaction.
— Ah... (good morning?) — Luki mumbled.
— Good morning, Luki-kun! — She said, with all the energy in the world
Luki chuckled nervously.
— I... — He pointed at himself, then at her, then made a small hand motion, as if apologizing. His expression was a mix of guilt and awkwardness.
Hestia shook her head, lips still curled into a smile. She crossed her arms and uncrossed them in a gesture that seemed to say It's okay, her gaze remaining soft.
They stayed quiet for a moment, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Luki risked another glance at her and saw the gentle glow in her eyes. He pointed at her, then madethe universal sign of goodness, a thumb-up, tilting his head in a questioning manner—Are you okay?
Hestia blinked a few times, surprised, but gave a slight nod. Then she asked back to him, doing the same sign. Are you okay?
Luki gave a sheepish smile and nodded repeatedly—maybe too much—trying to emphasize that he was fine. Still, the exchanged looks between them said more than any words could have.
With nothing else to say, the two simply stared at each other for a while, sharing a silent connection that words could never express.
Grrrr~Grrrr!!!
The sound of growling stomachs echoed through the room—followed almost immediately by another one.
Hestia and Luki froze. On reflex, each glanced at their own belly, then at the other's. Their eyes met once again—but this time, their expressions were pure embarrassment.
Luki clutched his stomach, trying to play it cool, while his face turned bit red.
Hestia, realizing what had happened, covered her mouth with a hand, trying not to laugh.
— Pff... hahaha! — Luki couldn't hold it anymore. He burst out laughing, almost bending over from how hard he laughed.
Hestia frowned, confused at first, but the sound of his laughter was so warm and contagious that she couldn't help herself. Soon, a melodic laugh escaped her lips.
— Hahaha!
They laughed together, the hunger and awkwardness momentarily forgotten in the lightness of the moment. Luki pointed at his stomach and then mimed eating with his hands, clearly signaling that he was hungry.
Hestia understood, nodding firmly. She stood up, still smiling, and pointed toward the door, indicating it was time to go find something to eat.
Luki followed suit, running a hand behind his neck and letting out a small sigh. Hunger aside, he felt surprisingly good.
After taking care of the basics—like brushing their teeth and getting dressed (mostly Hestia, who actually had a change of clothes)—the two headed out into the streets of Orario in search of food.
Luki hadn't yet started venturing into the Dungeon and didn't have a single valis to his name, but Hestia still had a small amount of money left.
It was, of course, the money she had borrowed from Hephaestus as startup capital to found her familia.
The morning air was still crisp, and the streets of Orario, though usually full of life, were unusually quiet. Without the usual flood of adventurers, the city felt like a different place entirely.
Orario without adventurers was just a well-built, peaceful city. With them, though, it became a powder keg ready to blow at any moment.
Hestia tugged lightly at Luki's sleeve to get his attention.
— Luki, how about there? — She pointed to a small establishment just ahead.
It looked like a tavern, mostly made of wood with simple but cozy details. The door was slightly ajar, revealing a calm interior, a few tidy tables, and the faint scent of fresh bread drifting into the street.
By the entrance, a signboard sat on the ground—likely the day's menu or something indicating they were already open or about to open.
Luki paused, eyes lingering on the place. He couldn't read the name on the sign—the language barrier was still a major hurdle—but something about it gave him a strange sense of déjà vu.
Even though he wasn't sure why, he nodded, trusting Hestia's judgment.
— Unhum.
Without hesitation, they headed inside, crossing the threshold and letting the scent of warm, fresh food wrap around them. It was a small comfort in a morning that somehow already felt more promising than usual.
As they opened the door, a soft bell jingled. The warm smell of baked bread and hot food enveloped them immediately, bringing a sense of calm and comfort.
The tavern's interior, rustic and inviting, glowed with warm light that contrasted with the still-sleepy streets outside.
— Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility! — a cheerful female voice greeted them.
They were quickly welcomed by a smiling waitress as they entered.
Her silver hair was immaculately styled, and her eyes subtly evaluated the two of them in a way most wouldn't even notice.
But Luki froze. He recognized that face. It wasn't just her warm demeanor—it was the mysterious gleam in her eyes.
He had seen this woman before—or rather, he'd seen the truth behind her. She was one of the followers of the goddess Freya, someone who occasionally switched places with the goddess herself.
'I'm so screwed.'
A chill ran down his spine. He couldn't tell if it was fear or just caution, but being in a place linked to the goddess who hunted for pure souls made him feel incredibly uneasy.
He wasn't sure if his soul qualified, but he wasn't about to find out the hard way.
Hestia, meanwhile, was oblivious to his sudden tension. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she took in the cozy interior of the tavern.
— Breakfast for two, please. — she said.
— Right this way. I'll show you to a table — the waitress replied with a graceful gesture.
Luki forced a smile and followed, not understanding the conversation but picking up on the atmosphere. His steps were more hesitant than usual.
As they walked to their table, he tried to keep himself calm.
'No need to panic. She's just a waitress... or maybe not. Who's in control of the body now? Whatever. Since we're here, might as well enjoy it and not raise suspicion.'
They sat near a window, where the morning sunlight filtered through the curtains. The waitress placed the menus on the table with a smile.
— What would you like? Our homemade bread is the highlight of the morning — she said casually, though her eyes watched them closely.
Hestia smiled and leaned slightly forward, trying to appear relaxed as she made her order.
— I'll have the homemade bread with scrambled eggs, cheese, meat, and a glass of milk. For Luki, he'll have... — she stopped suddenly, looking at Luki, who was staring back at her curiously, clearly unaware of what was going on.
'What does he even like to eat?' Hestia thought, a small wave of anxiety rising in her chest. Their limited communication made it impossible to know Luki's food preferences. He couldn't even read the menu, which made things harder.
She glanced at him. 'Does he like meat?' The thought was immediately dismissed.
'No! Elves don't eat meat. They're vegetarians and prefer light food—I'm sure of it!' Memories of old stories about elven culture echoed in her mind, giving her confidence in her assumption.
Now more certain, she continued with a calm smile.
— For him, just a simple salad and vegetable soup. — she said softly.
Little did she know, Luki wasn't a typical elf. He was transmigrated—and had zero issues with eating meat or heavy food.
The poor guy had just been sentenced to grass for breakfast.