Chapter 23: Conversation with Hephaestus
"So she's still alive."
"To think she could get kicked out of Hephaestus's home and still survive for all these days, truly incredible."
"You guys probably don't know yet, but my Familia saw her working part-time over at the North District shopping street, she's super hardworking."
"For a dignified deity to fall to such a state, really..."
Hestia could naturally hear the whispered discussions of the surrounding gods, and she knew she would be laughed at by everyone. However, she decided that unless someone came to cause trouble for her, she would just pretend not to hear—after what she was doing right now was quite shameful to begin with.
Yet, the female voice that immediately followed from beside her made Hestia's movements stall.
"What are you doing here?"
Hearing that familiar voice from a friend, Hestia's expression turned blank for a moment, and then she turned her head to look.
What greeted her eyes was blazing red hair and a bright red gown. Slender-lined yet sharp-angled facial features displayed the inner strong will of their owner. The precious metal earrings pinned to her ears seemed to sigh in self-deprecation when met with her flame-like beauty. And the most eye-catching thing among that beauty was the black leather eyepatch covering half her face. The beauty wearing a large eyepatch over her right eye looked down at Hestia with an expression of astonishment in her left eye.
"Hephaestus?!"
"Yeah, long time no see, Hestia. Glad to see you're safe and sound... I'd be even gladder if you could look a bit more presentable."
After letting out a sigh, Hephaestus looked up at the ceiling, her waist-length hair emitting a dazzling and brilliant radiance. Under the illumination of the ceiling's magic stone lamp, those red, fine-silk-like strands shone sparklingly as if mixed with sugar.
Thinking to herself, That hair looks so pretty every time I see it, Hestia ran over to her side with undisguised joy.
"Long time no see, Hephaestus... Sorry about staying in your Familia for so long before."
"It's fine. On the contrary, I heard you've been working part-time lately. How are things going? If you need anything, I can help."
Hephaestus let out a soft sigh, her attitude toward this friend carrying both concern and helplessness. Even though the two were old acquaintances and could be said to be best friends, ever since Hestia had been living in Orario, she neither organized a [Familia] nor planned to work, which had long since caused Hephaestus's confidence in her to plummet to rock bottom. However, upon recently hearing that Hestia had started working part-time, Hephaestus felt that her friend had improved and was much more gratified, her feelings toward her warming up slightly.
"No need, Hephaestus. After leaving your Familia, I thought about a lot of things. After starting to work, I also understood how hard it is to make money. Thank you so much for taking care of me during that time."
"Your changes lately... really are huge."
Hephaestus looked at the current Hestia with some astonishment. And Hestia wore a strained, bitter smile.
"Well, recently I've truly experienced the hardships of the people in the Lower World, and finally understood your feelings."
Hearing these words, Hephaestus displayed a gentle smile on her face and patted her friend's shoulder.
"You really are changing, you know. I have a lot of confidence in the current you, do your best."
Hestia nodded, and then spoke with a somewhat emotional tone.
"Yeah, because Shirou, who lent me money, is someone I just met, I figured I had to pay him back. If it weren't for that... I might really never have changed at all."
"I have to say, your changes over these past few days are really something else..."
Hephaestus looked at Hestia with a hint of surprise. "That deity from another world is practically like he replaced your brain."
"Hey! Saying it like that is way too weird!"
Hestia said with some dissatisfaction. "Ah, sorry, sorry, I'm just a bit finding it hard to believe."
Hephaestus hurriedly apologized to her friend. Right at that moment, the crisp sound of high heels striking the floor approached from behind Hephaestus.
"Hehe... you two are still as close as ever."
"Eh... F-Freya!?"
The goddess who appeared in Hestia's field of vision stood head and shoulders above the crowd of outstanding-looking goddesses, managing to outshine the other deities by a clear margin. Her exquisite, fair skin reminiscent of snow and her slender figure were enough to captivate hearts simply by sweeping through the air. The V-cut gown embroidered with gold
thread laid the whiteness of snow bare to the extreme. Her flawless devilish figure seemed as though the concept of the golden ratio was derived entirely from her. Her long eyelashes were pitifully touching, her pair of beautiful eyes ethereal and refined, and her appearance possessed an incomparably peerless beauty.
Freya, the "Goddess of Beauty" whose beauty made others sink into despair, swayed her silver hair as she arrived before Hestia, her delicate fingers lightly twirling a wine glass, the red wine inside sloshing slightly with her movements.
Outshining all the divine women among the deities, Freya was one of the exceptionally gorgeous "Goddesses of Beauty" among the gods. These male and female gods possessed the power to make the fundamentally fickle deities drool with desire and lose their minds—"Beauty." As for mortals, a single glance at her would probably make them instantaneous slaves to love, unable to extricate themselves. Yet, the personalities of all the "Goddesses of Beauty" were difficult to mess with. Even this point was something other deities could not match. Although the degree varied for each of them, honestly speaking, Hestia really didn't want to get involved with them.
"Why are you here...?"
Hestia looked at Freya with some vigilance. "Ah, I ran into Freya over there. Since it's been a long time, we chatted for a bit and talked about whether we should stroll around the venue together."
Hephaestus explained. " T-Too casual, Hephaestus..." Hestia said with a twitching corner of her mouth.
"Hehe~"
A smile rippled across Freya's face as she looked at Hestia with her usual playful attitude. "I heard Hestia recently had some contact with that deity from another world?"
"Just had a meal, and borrowed a bit of money along the way."
The moment Hestia uttered those words in an indifferent tone, the surrounding gods instantly broke out into a flurry of discussions.
"Waa! That 'Virgin Goddess' actually went to eat with another male deity!"
"Big news! We've got a great show to watch now!"
"I am directly transforming into a spectator for the lulz!"
"Interesting, truly too interesting!"
A group of deities who loved watching the chaos without making it too big had their gossiping hearts burning furiously, their eyes practically glowing.
"These guys, seriously!"
Hestia gritted her teeth and unhappily glared around her. "Hey-hey! Fifi, Freya~ Huh? The shorty is here too?!"
The suddenly intruding voice caused all the gods to cast their gazes over. Hestia shifted her gaze away from the elegantly smiling Freya, turned her head, and saw a goddess waving her arms wildly as she walked over.
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