Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

Chapter 13. A Magic Skill

The door to the manor creaked open as Bell stepped inside, Lili trailing hesitantly behind him. The moment they entered, a familiar voice greeted them.

Hestia stood in the center of the room, her deep blue eyes locking onto Bell first—then shifting to Lili. Her expression shifted from warmth to immediate suspicion.

"Bell," she began, folding her arms, "mind telling me why you're bringing a girl into our home?"

Bell winced at her tone. He had expected this reaction, but now that he was in the moment, he realized he hadn't thought of a proper way to explain things.

Before he could respond, Lili set down the oversized backpack she had been carrying, the weight of it landing with a dull thud against the floor. Straightening up, she turned to Hestia with a calm but resolute gaze.

"It's not what you think, Lady Hestia," she said, her voice steady. "Bell saved me. The Soma Familia... they were using me. I was nothing more than a tool for them, a means to an end. If he hadn't come for me, I—"

Her words faltered, but she didn't need to finish. The weight behind them was enough.

Hestia's sharp gaze softened just a little. She turned to Bell, who met her eyes with unwavering determination.

"Please, Goddess," Bell pleaded. "Lili has nowhere else to go. I can't just leave her alone after everything she's been through."

Hestia let out a long sigh, pressing her fingers against her temple. Bell always did this. Always threw himself into trouble for the sake of others. It was reckless. It was frustrating.

And yet...

That noble heart of his was something she could never bring herself to deny.

"Unbelievable," she muttered before shaking her head with a small, tired smile. "You really are impossible, Bell."

With one final sigh of defeat, she turned to Lili. "Fine. She can stay."

Lili's breath hitched, her fingers clenching the hem of her cloak. "Thank you..."

Hestia waved her off. "It'd be cruel to turn her away after all this. But!" She shot Bell a pointed look. "You're explaining everything to me later, got it?"

Bell smiled, nodding gratefully.

Lili wasn't just free. She was safe. And for the first time in a long time... she wasn't alone.

Bell's gaze flickered toward Lili's oversized backpack, the sheer weight of it making him wince. Letting out a small sigh, he crouched down and loosened the straps before beginning to open it.

Lili frowned, tilting her head. "Mister Bell? What are you doing?"

Hestia, watching from the side, leaned in with curiosity. Bell glanced at them both, hesitating for a moment. He hadn't planned on revealing this ability, but there was no reason for Lili to carry everything by herself when he could make things easier.

Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a few common items. Then, before their eyes, both his hand and the objects seemingly vanished.

Lili stiffened. "H-Huh?!"

Hestia's eyes widened. "Bell! What the heck are you doing?!"

Bell chuckled, flexing his fingers as if nothing had happened. "Relax, it's just an ability I have. I can store items in an inventory."

Lili blinked. Then, her expression flattened into sheer disbelief.

"You mean... you could do this the entire time?" she asked, voice eerily calm.