This is the alternative chapter I talked about following a route more in line with the original.
5K words. Larger because it was easier to produce compared to rewriting everything.
Enjoy.
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—
Silver walked through the streets with his arms behind his back, not really thinking about anything else…
"… MARRY ME!"
/Gasp!/
"YES!"
/Applauds/
"... Congratulations."
'Now that I think about it, I've only ever seen a few marriages in the village. I do not know the norms and the culture around such social structures.'
'What is right, what is wrong, what is accepted and what's not… With so many gods enforcing so many rules, I suppose there's just no defined rules, right?'
'But there has to be… otherwise there wouldn't be limitations on things like the entertainment district.'
"I heard even elves have their own norms… they are very selective with whom they form close bonds, especially regarding physical contact."
'I spent most of my time focusing on my own things, but I should've paid this more heed… what if I end up doing something that's considered harassment or even something like a romantic confession? I need to be careful…'
"That man looks like an adventurer."
'I hope their romance lasts long… that was how I came to be after all. Adventurers have every right to love too.'
He looked at the distant clouds, "I wonder if one day I will marry… pfft… I can't even imagine…"
'Just what kind of woman would tolerate me?…'
…
"Holy shi… man…"
'The price on this armor… Twelve million Vallis for this? It looks just like any chest piece… Hm?… I see, it's made of dragon scales.' He thought as he looked at the armor
"For the blacksmith to have hidden the scales so well when forging…"
'He is quite good, I almost didn't notice it. He must have coated the scales with something else to make them seem like a seamless plate.'
"There are lots of shops around here. Each one more expensive than the next."
Silver looked around, seeing a shop with a unique crest he recognized, "Looks like one of Hephaestus' smiths works around here."
"I wonder how long it'll take for me to be able to afford such a thing."
'I heard higher level adventurers make millions per dive, even if it takes weeks from time to time…'
…
Silver inspected the other items in the shop with interest, 'Quite a versatile array of items, but even the lowest priced one I could find was still well over a hundred thousand Valis.'
"I heard some items could go over dozens of millions… but I haven't seen one like that being sold on the streets. They must sell such high-quality merchandize only at Babel.'
Silver straightened his back, 'Maybe I should pass by Babel first and take a look. Clear out my head a little.'
'I left the pub in a hurry but now I'm having second thoughts…'
/Creaak!/
Distracted, Silver failed to notice that he too was being observed by someone. Soon enough, the shop's door opened, and a strong-armed dwarf stepped out with a wide smile.
"Are you interested in that piece of armor, young man? How about it? I can make it for 2.9 million Vallis."
Silver coughed faintly, "I'm just taking a look."
"Pfft! If you aren't here to buy, then get out!"
The dwarf spat on the ground, 'How rude…' Silver thought as he looked at him calmly
"No need to be like that, I was about to go on my way, anyway… but before I go, I have a question."
"How did you fuse the Mithril alloy with the dragon scales?"
The frustrated dwarf was momentarily surprised. He turned around to face him, squinting his eyes, "Hum?"
"You noticed the dragon scales? You even noticed the source material of the coating?"
Silver laughed, "I thought it was obvious. You weren't trying to hide it anyway. How do they call this sort of design?… Low-Key?"
"Hm… You don't seem like your usual adventurer… why don't you get inside so that we can continue our talk. It's too cold out here."
"…"
'… Why not? I haven't had the chance to hold a conversation with a proficient blacksmith in Orario. Might as well use this chance to clear some of my doubts.'
…
Silver followed him inside the shop, where he sat down and began discussing the armor plate with the dwarf.
One subject bled into another, and before he knew it, it had been over an hour since he had come inside.
"… Boy. You truly are something to have gotten to this level by only learning in the countryside, and at a village to boot… I've seen children of famous clans and lands less knowledgeable about things than you."
He scratched his beard, "I will be blunt. Join our Familia. We can turn you into a master blacksmith in ten… No, five years should be enough with someone of your caliber."
"Thank you, but…"
/Thud!/
He slammed his hand on the counter, "NO BUT! Why are you an adventurer? Money? Fame? Glory? Women?..."
"You can get it all by being a blacksmith! Don't look down on it! Or are you one of those perverts who want to do nothing but hunt and get bloodied all day long?"
"Let me tell you, our best smith is also our strongest force! Don't look down on her prowess and skill! Those that did have already been culled by her blade."
"…"
'What an energetic and overbearing old man…'
Silver took a deep breath. Maybe this was the opportunity he had been waiting for… it seemed fate truly had other plans for him, "Thing is, I already went to apply. But I heard Hephaestus was busy, so I left to return another day"
"So you have a good eye after all. I knew I wasn't wrong… but don't worry, I can get things done, regardless."
"Old dwarf…"
"No need to say anything else! Let's go! Young men like you shouldn't waste their time!"
"When I was your age, I spent much of my youth chasing meaningless things when I should've hit iron. Had I focused more on that, I would've been in Babel with the other master smiths instead of here."
"It's a pretty good shop, though. I can't see anything wrong with it."
"Maybe I spoke too harshly… I'm not wholly dissatisfied, only disappointed. I had dreams of putting my products beside those of my goddess, to have skill worthy of remaining by her side."
"Even if I were just good enough to be the tablecloth for her blades, it would still make it the most perfect cloth! Alas, I grew a tad too old."
"…"
'This old dwarf may be grumpy, but he's unusually caring and understanding.'
…
Silver and the Dwarf went down the street, crossing Babel and reaching into another district.
He recognized the area; he had passed through here not long ago. If he wasn't mistaken, the home of the Leto Familia was nearby, probably only a few streets away from here.
"Here it is, Valka's Crimson Chamber, the home of the Hephaestus." The old dwarf said as he crossed his arms, "Wait here. I'll go call the examiners. They'll test your skill and if you pass, once the goddess finishes her divine work, she'll welcome you to the Familia with open arms!"
"No problem."
'Guess that makes it… I'll join the Hephaestus Familia. She was my original pick between her and Loki anyway.'
/Creak…/
He entered the mansion and disappeared. Not wanting to wait standing, Silver looked around before finding a good bench and taking a seat there.
/Clang!/
/Clang!/
"The sound of hammering is quite strong. I even have the impression this place is slightly hotter then in other regions… must be an impression."
Silver crossed his arms, keeping himself warm, and waited… and waited…
…
After ten minutes of waiting… "I feel like I got dumped…"
/Slam!/
"Buwaaa! Hephaestus that idiot! Kicking me out just like that again! In this cold of all times… ATCHIU!"
A woman came running out of the manor…
"She called me into Gekai and threw me away like an old bag! I told her I was going to look around some more after winter passed, but she threw me out after she told me I was getting in her way!"
"Unfair! Evil old lady!! How unfair, Hephaestus! You barely taught me anything, and now you tell me to figure things out still? What am I supposed to do?!"
A youthful yet depressed feminine voice rang in the cold streets…
After trembling in the cold for a while, she raised her hand in determination, "Urg… fine! I'll show you! Just wait, Hephaestus! I'm going to find a child in no time! My Familia will…"
/FWUSH/
The cold wind slammed onto her face with such strength it almost blew her jacket off.
"It'S SO COLD! HEPHAESTUS!!!"
Silver turned around to see a short girl in a heavy coat, her head covered by a thick hoodie, kicking the front door of the mansion as she begged for mercy.
But once her words were ignored, she turned around and ran away crying… or more precisely, in an overly dramatic manner to attract attention.
She kept looking back as she ran, causing her to almost slip several times.
"That girl…"
'If she keeps running like that, she will trip. Especially when she is wearing those leather boots. While ice hasn't yet formed, this ground is quite smooth and slippery."
He squinted his eyes, 'That said, she seems quite familiar…'
"Owa!"
Just as he thought would happen, the girl slipped and fell on the ground, spinning quite comically.
As she planted her face on the ground, her hoodie fell off, revealing her face… which only made Silver frown even more.
Black hair, blue eyes... Her face was flawless… really. There were no imperfections or blemishes on her skin.
Together with an almost otherworldly symmetry… 'A rather unusual goddess.'
'I can't leave her like this can I?… If my parents were here they would've told me to help… as a mortal, if I helped a deity, would that be considered positive karma?'
'Maybe I'll be blessed like in those old stories, haha…'
Silver approached her slowly, "Are you alright, miss? Running around in those boots is a good way to plant your face on the ground."
He reached with his hand, waiting for her to hold on to it.
"Ouch… my bum… Oh? Thank you!" She replied with a beaming smile as she reached out to his hand
Silver pulled her hand, and she bowed, "Thank you very much! But I must go on my way! I have a revenge to fulfill!"
"Do your thing, miss…"
'Wait, should I have been more formal? She doesn't seem to mind, rather… she doesn't seem to bother about it at all.'
/SLIP!/
The deity stepped forward… only to slip immediately.
This time Silver held her arm, preventing her fall.
"That was close… Hey, that was a pretty fast reaction. Are you an adventurer?" She asked as she took a deep breath to calm herself down
Even she seemed to have understood she was a bit too nervous.
"No, I am not. I am looking for one actually; that's why I'm here."
She grimaced, or rather, she puffed her cheeks as she looked away, "Tsk! What does that boring girl have that is so good? Once I see her again I'll…"
"You don't seem to like her very much."
She shook her head... but at that moment, she opened her eyes wide, having a revelation.
"HAHA!! I know now!"
She held Silver's hand with everything she had.
"How about you enter my Familia instead!" She asked as her eyes brightened, "We met like this in the cold winter right after the evil old lady threw me out!… It must be fate!"
'And a perfect opportunity to exact revenge… suck it, Hephaestus! I'm taking your child right in front of you, hehehe…' She thought as a smirk formed on her lips
"Your Familia? Can you tell me more about it?"
'Though from her words, I can imagine what she's going to say… I need to find a reason to refuse her. But I have the impression she'll cry like a siren if I do so.'
But as he looked into her resolute eyes, his opinion changed, 'Forget it, she's a goddess at the end of the day, honesty is how I must proceed.'
That said, at his question, the deity's eyes wavered… "Ah!... I, uh… haven't yet established the Familia, so we… have no type… B-But I am sure it will be strong!"
"…"
'Being the first child of a deity has its own perks. But I also have certain necessities and aspirations… besides… am I capable enough to lift a Familia from scratch?'
'Maybe I could enter her Familia and remain around for a year to raise my level before jumping onto another boat?… Actually, that does sound like it could work.'
Perhaps seeing the hesitation in his eyes, she tried to divert the subject, "My name is Hestia! What is yours?"
/BOOM!/
Silver felt his mind explode, 'How couldn't I have noticed?'
Seeing how unresponsive he was, she looked around his face for a reaction, "Erm… Moshi moshi? Are you there?"
"Huum? Sorry… my name is Silver, Mellios Silver."
She smiled, "Would you enter my Familia Silver?"
Silver looked at Hephaestus' home and smiled, 'Sorry old dwarf. But I have found what I was looking for.'
He turned back to face her, "If you are okay with a no-name adventurer. Then, why not?"
"YAYYY! I just started, yet I already found someone! Take that, Hephaestus!"
She turned around and stuck out her tongue as she looked at Hephaestus' home. 'She's quite energetic…' Silver thought as his thoughts went elsewhere.'
'To think I would meet her here… since that's the case, it seems I'll have to do some heavy lifting.'
Hestia grabbed Silver's hand and pulled him, "Let me show you where I live!... Where we live!"
"I… I haven't been there yet, but it'll be fine!"
"…"
'She's very kind… that could be problematic… or is it? Gods tend to be good judges of character, and she's a special case… perhaps I passed her silent check.'
'Well… that can wait for another time.'
…
Just as Hestia dragged Silver away, the large gates opened, revealing a tall lady with red hair and an eyepatch covering the right side of her face.
"..."Evil old lady"… Just you wait…" Hephaestus mumbled to herself as she closed her eye with some frustration
A stepped out from the manor with a taller woman with an eyepatch.
"Hephaestus-Sama? What brings you here?" The dwarf asked as he bowed slightly
"Espínter… I told you not yo act like that around me…"
The old dwarf was quite embarrassed as he scratched his head.
"But what brings you two here? Especially you, Tsubaki, I thought you didn't like staying in the cold."
The girl laughed as she reached for the back of her head, "Hahaaaa… Espínter told me there was a rookie he liked, so I came here to check things out."
"Oh? Could it be the young man with silvery eyes?"
"Did you already see him, Hephaestus-Sama? I tell you, that young man has talent! He needs only a good teacher and he will become a master smith…"
Hephaestus looked away, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead, "About that, he just left... a friend of mine… just recruited him."
"... What?"
Espínter almost fell to the ground in shock, "You… can not be serious… h-he had the talent!"
Tsubaki just scratched her head and patted the Espínter's bald head, "Welp… looks like we were too late. Back to the forge it is then."
"Sigh… Didn't I tell you not to overdo it? It's almost the Winter Festival, Tsubaki, go relax with the others…"
"You say I should relax, but aren't you the one who is working the most? How can I stop when my goddess is deep in the forge?"
"I have many commissions to finish…"
"How about this? Let's stop everything and have a drink! I doubt anyone will complain if we delay things for after the festival. Heck, the New Year even!"
"Tsubaki… sigh… fine… but only a little, I can't delay things too far."
The two women made their way inside while the dwarf stayed there stunned. He clenched his fists in anger, his face growing red.
"... I will crush that boy's head next time I see him…"
He was fuming from his nostrils. His anger was evident… Without realizing it. Silver made a grumpy dwarf very, very angry.
...
/Humming…/
Hestia led Silver through the streets while she happily hummed a song.
"..."
'She is taller than I imagined... Is this something from this world?'
It didn't take long for them to pass through Babel… "Goddess, how long have you been in Orario?"
"Call me Hestia!... I descended two weeks ago under the cohesion of Hephaestus. She told me to come, saying it was fun and now was the prime time to gather members for a Familia."
Her expression changed, "I stood with her throughout those two weeks to learn the ropes… but she taught me nothing! She cast me aside as soon as I grew toon bothersome, leaving me alone… But you are here now, so everything is fine!"
"You seem to have quite a relationship with Hephaestus."
"It's a long story… back in heaven…"
While they crossed the street, she told him tales of her time in heaven and more. She kept going on and on in a very excited tone. Most of the time she made fun of the other goddesses in Heaven, showing him a different perspective on the gods and their antics.
Gods seemed so similar yet so different from mortals… This makes me wonder, what is a deity at the end of the day?
"... And then, Loki-The-Board slid into the ice! Haha..."
"What after?"
'I dont know why, but I feel relieved somehow.'
…
/Over an hour after they departed from Hephaestus' home…/
/Bla bla bla…/
"Uhum…"
That said, Hestia rambled for so long that mid-way through Silver just turned off my brain and turned on auto mode… eventually, he was awakened from his pseudo-sleep.
"Here we are!"
Before them stood an old and abandoned church of questionable durability.
Broken glass, stones, and rotten wood with holes everywhere… Silver knew he could fix it all, but it sure take some time.
"…"
'Might as well just buy a house at this point.'
"Erm…"
Hestia looked at him, probably thinking he was going to leave… "Aren't you going to welcome me inside?" he said as he turned to her.
Her face brightened up, and like a flash, she dragged him inside.
…
The church comprised two areas: the front area, where you had the preaching hall, and a back-door area, where the priests probably lived.
There is also a second floor. But Silver couldn't access it due to a portion of the roof collapsing and blocking the entrance.
"It should be around here…" Hestia brought Silver to the end of the preaching hall next to the central altar where she opened a hidden hatch
/Clack!/
"I did it!"
With that, they arrived at their home… the church's basement.
"Cough, cough!… T-Ta dan~! Home!..." She said with an excited yet awkward voice as she tried to look away from him
The place was pretty messy, with dust all around the place. She wasn't lying about this being her first time here.
Silver laughed faintly, "It's quite dusty. Let's clean this up first."
'I actually came to this abandoned church during my exploration of the ruins… Never thought I'd actually use it. I didn't even know it was owned by someone.'
/Shine…/
Silver's right turned flashed green as he spread his power around the room. A soothing wind current spread with him at the center gathering all dust and dirt into one enormous ball.
"… for the final touch."
/Pop…/
Bubbles spread from his feet, drowning the whole area… once they were done, everything was left clean and smelling faintly of lavender.
He had cleaned the basement!… The best way he could…
Finished and tired, Silver turned around, "I will throw these out first. I will be back."
"… Eh?"
Hestia just stayed there stunned. This scene was super bizarre to her. It shattered the little information she knew about the lower world… But it made her fears go away as well.
…
"I am back, but I suppose we can clean the rest later."
'After a while, I can think of getting a home closer to Orario. I can easily afford one anywhere anyway.'
"Uhum!"
Hestia looked around and put her small bag on a table, taking out a few items from within.
Once she was donen, she stood before him proudly, "Please take off your shirt and lie down on the couch!"
Silver took off his shirt, showing her his worked-out body. She blushed faintly, looking away… before peeking at him.
She had never seen a half-naked man at such close proximity before... But she quickly threw such thoughts out into the sky.
As Silver lay on the old, dusty couch, she sat on him, much to his confusion…
"Okay, here we go… Ouch!"
/Drip…/
She picked a nail and pricked her finger, letting a single drop of blood, her ichor, drop onto Silver's back.
/Kuinnn/
A slight echo reverberated in the room as the divine blood fell on his back. Waves of magical light appeared, shook on his back like a rock falling into a still lake.
A symbol slowly appeared on his back. It was a large fire burning in a chalice, representing her role in Heaven to look after the sacred flame.
(Image?)
After the symbol appeared, Hestia's body shook. She froze in place, unable to process what she was seeing.
/GASP!/
"… Hum? Did something happen?… Hello?… Hestia?… You there? If I can move, just say so…"
Only after Silver called her several times did she snap out of it, "It's nothing… I was just slightly surprised because it was my first time doing something like this."
She picked up a piece of paper and transferred the information onto it.
After she got off his back, Silver sat upright, ready to hear the good news.
'Why is she so serious?… Is something wrong with my stats?'
"… I've finished it, here."
She handed him the paper after some hesitation, but Silver didn't pay it any heed.
"Finally…"
'This is it! My stats!'
—
Mellios Silver
Level-1
Strength H 100
Vitality H 100
Dexterity H 100
Agility H 100
Magic H 100
Magic:
>Magnum Opus Ambrosia
Skill:
>Vit Alhjin
>Oculus Davidis
—
'I… I can't believe it! Two Skills!'
Distracted by his own greatness, only later that Silver realized that Hestia seemed to be on the verge of tears.
When she noticed his gaze, she wiped her face before looking at him with unusually serious eyes.
"Did something happen?"
"Its… nothing."
Hestia did her best to keep a serious expression, her thoughts her own…
"Now then… Let's start with the explanation! I am sure you are curious about them!"
Silver nodded.
"As you can see, your stats are all above average. That's not normal. Others start at I-0, yet here you are far beyond them. That's the effect of your first skill, Vit Alhjin."
"It's an unusually complex strengthening-type skill… The way it works is quite simple. Your Skill raises the starting ceiling of your abilities. This means that you will always start at H-100 instead of I-0 like everyone else."
"There's also another boon, which is just a reflection of that previous point. Your Skill also reduces the difficulty in raising your basic abilities."
"For example, raising your skills from H to G for you is the same as another adventurer raising them from I to H. One level higher, but the same difficulty."
"That's… incredible."
'Basic Abilities start at I-0 and go all the way to S-999. But to get it that high one must go through hell, and even for those that can, if they do not possess the physical aptitude, they won't be able to progress further.'
'To do so, one must surpass their limits.'
'It's an immense time-saver, and it also provides me with a considerable boost immediately after a Level Up. Its secondary effect is already immensely powerful… or rather, I should consider it the core of the Skill.'
"But it brings a big problem… you won't be able to use magic even if you awaken it, and most positive magic effects will be weakened when applied to you. Which might include crucial effects like healing magic."
She continued, her arms crossed, "I can't say if that's exactly it, but it seems the Skill provides you a passive "resistance" towards magic in general, even your own. I can't quantify it, but I'm certain that it'll grow stronger over time."
She grew worried, "Please, never try to use normal magic; the side effects are too great!"
"I know… Ever since I was a child, I could never use magic, anyway."
"Did you try to use it?"
"Yeah, my grandmother was a mage, so she tried teaching me many times, but I was only good at learning at the theory. When it came to practice, I always failed."
She wanted to hear more, but such things were better left for another time, "This brings us to your exclusive magic… I… Cant really explain what it is, since I have never seen something like that before. It seems to be a skill that allows you to modify a part of your body to cast some sort of magic…"
Silver nodded, "That's pretty much it. What you saw earlier was it in action. I have had this since a few years ago when it awakened."
"Oh!! It heard its very rare to be born with an exclusive magic!"
'Just like having a Skill, much less two!'
Hestia seemed really excited. Had she caught a legendary adventurer from the get-go?!
"My grandma said the same." He replied with a small smile as he thought of the past
Hestia seemed rather hesitant to continue, "Now we arrive at the end… uh…"
"This… This skill is… You get more Exilia when fighting big monsters..."
"That's interesting. Can you please elaborate? I can't really work with just this. Are there additional conditions?"
"... There isn't anything else to elaborate on…"
"…"
'She is so bad at hiding things... Is it because she just descended and isn't used to communication? That can't be.'
'She must have a reason, but I need to know everything. Even if its harmful and is hiding it to protect me.'
Placing his hands on her shoulders, Silver pleaded, "Please, tell me the truth. If I want to keep improving, I must know the truth about myself... everything."
"Urg…"
Hestia was conflicted, but after two minutes of grueling self-reflection, she gave in, "Sigh… you win."
"Thank you…"
But before he could breathe in relief… she shoved her hands on his face, "But promise me! Promise me you aren't going to throw yourself into unpredictable situations just for this skill!"
Silver raised an eyebrow at her questions, "Don't you worry but I never had the intention of cutting my life short. I can't go to Heaven when my goddess just descended, right?"
Despite not being convinced, she let it go for now, "Oculus Davidis massively increases Excelia gain when fighting stronger monsters in challenging ways… The more despairing the situation seems, the stronger the effects get. Winning impossible battles increases the chances of rewards."
"I see…"
'So if I go to the Dungeon in my pajamas…'
"HEY!"
Hestia jumped at me and pressed him down into the sofa while pulling his cheeks, "I noticed your look! You just thought about something dangerous! This can't go on, I must punish you right now!!"
"I-I didn't! I swear on my pure soul!"
"Liar!"
"Urg…"
She kept pulling his face apart. It didn't do any damage, but it was quite embarrassing.
'What to do… I need to take control of the situation. I understand her worries, any god of virtue would be like her… so I must dismiss her worries.'
After some thought, Silver easily overpowered Hestia, holding her in a princess carry.
"How about we talk about this later? II don't have any plans for today, so let's commemorate things a little!"
Her face growing a little red in a mix of wrath and embarrassment, she replied absentmindedly, "O-Ok…"
Putting her on the ground, Silver continued, "First, let me show you what I can do. I'm not that vulnerable in the Dungeon!"
"That doesn't mean I am taking the Dungeon lightly. I am not a fool."
'After that… I'll talk with her about my things. I don't mind the church but somewhere closer to the city seems a bit better.'
'Time to shine.'
…
.
.
.
Notes
I wrote this chapter many weeks ago and only recently made the other version. I was intending to follow this route, but recently I have been wondering where to take this story.
I understand all arguments, but I still find it difficult to stray from this path.
I could make it far more interesting and maybe cross his and the Loki Familia's path far more than before since I know they're key for the future.
In any case, I'll leave it here for now. I'll make my decision about where to take this story based on your feedback.
That's all I had to say, thank you for coming all the way here with me.
Peace!
PS: Before you go, I have a question!
Are you a new reader or an old reader? I mean in the context of reading the previous version.
With that, what of the two paths would you like to see the most? I'm asking because I want to know what my older readers want.
Thanks!