"What... the hell" Artemis was staring at the back of the boy that glowed in blue with disbelief.
"Goddess? What's wrong?" Bell inquired, shifting his gaze to Artemis.
"Bell... the last time that I updated your status was 2 days ago, right?"
"Yes, that's so. Why?"
"Your status... your status has risen by 500 points."
"WHAAATTT!?"
"WAA!?"
When Bell heard it, he yelled and spun around, causing Artemis to fall off his body.
"Ah! Sorry, Goddess!"
"No, it's fine, but this status.."
Artemis returned her gaze to the page and fell into deep thought.
(Among all my children, I have never seen someone like Bell. While there is a method to earn a hundred points in one go, such as updating status with a few months gap, this child only got 500 points in two days. Was this due to the fast-growing ability, Liaris Freese? Even so, '
'Abnormal' word wouldn't be able to explain this.)
"So noisy, don't shout in the morning." Alfia emerged from her room while rubbing her eyes.
"Alfia! Goddess said my status increased by 500!"
"..What?"
Before Bell could blink, Alfia was behind Artemis, having already taken the paper from Artemis's hand and now was examining it.
(This is incredible... Back then, such a jump was only achievable after undergoing rigorous training from our training program, but Bell did nothing of the kind and instead only spent two days in the dungeon...)
Alfia stretched out her hand to Bell.
"Good work, Bell, you did well," she remarked as she patted Bell on the head."
"Really!?"
"Yes, Bell, be proud; you accomplished something that not everyone could do, and I am proud of you."
Alfia said with a gentle smile.
"Though going into the dungeon alone is a foolish thing to do for a beginner, I suggest you join a party."
"Yes! Goddess! Alfia! I'm off
After Bell's figure disappeared, Alfia returned her gaze at the paper once again.
Bell Cranel
Race: Human
Level: 1
Strength: G221
Endurance: H101
Dexterity: G232
Agility: F313
Magic: I0
Skill: Liaris Freese
"Alfia, was this sort of growth common in Hera familia back then?"
"If you were referring about stacking falna, then yes, this was the standard, but it would take at least 1 or 2 months to complete. Getting 500 points by just defeating a low-level monster in the dungeon for two days? If Hera saw this, she would have no words but a bewildered expression."
As I thought, this Liaris Freese skill is the real deal, but... Meteria, just what on earth you did to this boy?
=
Under the morning sky, Bell arrived in front of babel.
Today was an incredibly joyful day for Bell because he was complimented by Alfia. Alfia is like a mother figure to him; a few years ago, she unexpectedly appeared in front of Bell and his grandpa. While she is really scary when she's angry, she is very kind to Bell. But Bell almost never saw Alfia's smile. He would catch sight of her gazing out the window with a sorrowful expression. As if she was staring at something unattainable no matter how hard she stretched her hand. Sometimes he'd cast that sorrowful look towards Bell as well.
That's why right now he's extremely happy. If becoming a strong adventure would make Alfia smile more often, he will do it. He will be a strong adventurer.
To stand beside the golden knight that he admired. To put a smile on the person that unconsciously he looked up as his mother, he will get strong.
Without Bell realizing, his back glows slightly. Another meaning has been added to his back.
"Get away from me!"
"What's the problem, cutie elf~?"
Bell turned around to see a group of three adventurers around a female elf with golden-yellow hair and dark blue eyes. One of the adventurers reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
"What's the harm miss, let's form a party and go to the dungeon, will ya?"
"Y-You!? Don't touch me!"
The girl raised her staff and was about to open her mouth.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, she's my party. I'm sorry to keep you waiting! "Let's go."
Bell walked past the adventurer and grabbed the Elf's hand.
"W-Wha?" The girl's expression is confused; she was abruptly seized by someone claiming to be from her party. He was a guy with white hair and red eyes, and she nearly mistook him for Almiraj, a rabbit monster located on the middle floors.
"O-Oi, who are you?!?" One of the adventurers yelled angrily.
"Sorry, sorry! Let's go!" Bell shouted at the Elf, signaling her to run, to which she nodded.
"Now!" They both sprinted at the exact moment.
"OI! WAIT HERE!" One of the adventurers yelled angrily and pursued them away, but Bell and the Elf didn't glance back and quickly fled the area.
They both came to a halt after they had reached a safe distance.
"Haa... Haa... I think we are safe...." Said Bell with a ragged breath
"Haa...Haa...Haaa...." More than Bell, the female Elf was trying to control her breath. As a mage, she rarely ran like this before. Her face right now was a mess. Bell laughed bitterly when he saw the beautiful Elf's face that he saw before was now in a mess.
"...Thanks...for saving me, but why did you save me?" With strained breathing, the Elf said
"N-No, there's no need to thanks me. I uh... I find myself suddenly rushing to the scene. Ahahaha."
(I couldn't say that I heard my grandfather's voice in my mind saying, "Bell! Save the girl! Pick up the girl! Can't I!?)
"I-Is that so? T-Thanks..." A faint red can be seen on the Elf's face as she looked down.
(T-This is awkward, I need to say something)
"My name is Bell Cranel, an adventurer!" said Bell with a proud face.
"I'm Lefiya Viridis, also an adventurer, pleased to meet you, Bell Cranel. Are you going to the dungeon?" Lefiya giggled a bit when he saw the boy in front of her saying adventurer with a proud face. He must be new here, thought her.
(His equipment and demeanor tell me that he is level 1, for a level 1, he runs pretty fast).
"Yes! I'm about to go to the dungeon! Is Viridis-san too?"
"Ahh... Umm... Please don't call me by Viridis. Only elves are permitted to call our elf name. Please call me by Lefiya."
"Ah... got it then, Lefiya-san!" Bell didn't feel offended because he remembers he read a book in the past about Elf's name saying the same thing.
"Then, I will call you Bell-san too, your question before, No, I just came back from babel to retrieve my repaired equipment... Wait, are you going alone to the dungeon? Where's your party?" Asked Lefiya while she looks at Bell's back. Curious if he got a party following him.
"No, I don't have a party yet. I just came to this town around 1 week ago. My advisor told me that she gonna look for a party that currently recruiting. Still, It seems hard for level 1.. Ahaha..." Bell scratched his head.
"Hmm.... then as my thanks, I will accompany you to the dungeon today." Lefiya paused for a while before opening her lips with a grin.
"E-Eh!? Is that okay!?" The boy said with a surprised look
"Yes, you don't want?"
"N-No! Please accompany me, Lefiya-san!" Said Bell with a happy face!
"Uhmm... Ah.. yes, please treat me well." Lefiya responded with a flushed face.
(W-Why this human looks cute, just like a rabbit!? C-Control myself, Lefiya Viridis! H-He seems kind, BUT! My heart is filled with Aiz-san! There's no room for this human!)
Both of them entered the dungeon. Lefiya told Bell that she will act as a backline supporting him, which Bell replied with, "what's a backline?"
While advancing, Lefiya would educate him about different subjects regarding parties. Such as frontline and backline, and what someone should do when they are in parties, as they were diving further.
Bell would slash Kobolds and goblins he spotted while listening to Lefiya.
Lefiya suddenly noticed that they are on floor 3. She was sure before that for 1-week old adventurer, floor 2 is the deepest they could reach if they went solo. But because Bell seems familiar with the floor, even on floor 3 so she asked a question.
"Bell-san, What is the deepest floor that you reached?"
"I reached floor 6 two days ago."
"F-FLOOR 6!?" Lefiya raised her voice in disbelief
"Y-Yes!? Is that too bad?"
(B-bad he said!? I never heard a new adventurer reached floor 6 all by himself in just 1 week before. Isn't that basically a suicide!? And I just noticed that he's fast! While he's very clumsy using a sword, just like a new adventurer that never held a sword before, he reacts fast! He could dodge their attacks and closed the gap. By that point, all he needs is to clumsily swing his sword)
"N-No, it's incredible! I've never heard of a new adventurer venturing alone to floor 6. Bell-san, you should be proud of yourself."
"Y-You think so!? Thanks, Lefiya-san!"
Both of them started walking again. Bell would keep defeating monsters such as dungeon lizards that they saw. When Bell was surrounded, Lefiya would cast her magic to clear the way.
In no time, they reached floor 6.
"Why don't we rest for a bit, Bell-san?"
"That seems to be an excellent idea."
They both sat down in the center of the road in case a monster emerge through the dungeon's wall. Lefiya teaches him that you can prevent monsters from spawning for a while by hurting the dungeon's wall.
"Bell-san, I forgot to ask, but which familia are you from?"
"I'm from Artemis familia, thought the member is only me at the moment." Bell scratched his cheek with a bitter laugh.
"A-Artemis familia!?" Lefiya said in a surprised tone
"E-Eh, what's wrong, Lefiya-san?"
"N-No, nothing wrong bell, sorry for raising my voice like that."
Lefiya remembered the event that happened a few days ago at Hostess of fertility. A woman mercilessly defeated Bete with just a few moves. Remembering it made her tremble, and apparently, she's related to Artemis-sama.
(Artemis familia.... Captain told us to be wary of them and don't anger them. But he said that he's the only member of Artemis familia? His face doesn't seem to be lying. If that big smile is a lie, then this world is a horrible place.)
Then she remembers that before the fight, someone ran from the tavern, then that woman said something about his child, then is that person his mother? Steeling herself, she asked Bell a question.
"...Bell-san, please forgive me for the asking... are you the one who fled away from the Hostess of Fertility a few days ago?"
When Bell heard Lefiya's question, he was taken aback.
"Ahaha... so you saw that... sorry, I couldn't control myself. I was kinda frustrated at that night," Bell said with a bitter smile.
Lefiya was finally able to connect the dots: white hair, crimson eyes...
(So he's the one Bete mentioned...)
For some reason, Lefiya seemed remorseful as she bit her lips.
"Lefiya-san..?" Said Bell
"...Sorry, please forgive us!" Lefiya said while bowing to Bell
"L-Lefiya-san!? What's wrong!?"
"Bell-san, I'm from Loki Familia. And I did nothing to stop Bete at that night, heck even I laughed in my heart too!"
"Y-You're Loki familia!?" Asked Bell with a disbelief voice
Lefiya didn't answer Bell; instead, she keeps bowing with a frustrated face.
Bell saw Lefiya's face and scratched his head.
"Lefiya-san... please raise your head."
Lefiya raised her head and saw Bell smiled.
"... You are not angry?" Asked Lefiya with an anxious face
"No, I couldn't... He was right.... I was weak... All I did was daydreaming that I could be strong without doing anything. That's why I'm not angry. I was even thankful about him for telling the truth." Bell said with a small voice while smiling bitterly
"Bell-san.... You are really strong... you're nothing like me at all...."
"Hmm.. what's wrong, Lefiya-san? What do you mean?"
"That werewolf... Bete-san hates weak peoples... He always calls me wimp every day... All this time...."
"E-Eh? You're too Lefiya? But you're so strong."
"No... I'm weak. I was always carried by everyone in Loki Familia. I feel like everyone is leaving me behind. They keep growing every day, and yet here, I'm still stuck without knowing what I must do. I was frustrated! What he said was correct, but there was nothing I could do about it! Yet it just took one of his yells for you to start running. You're strong..."
Tears began to fall from Lefiya's eyes, tears that represented her anger at not being able to do anything, not able to change the situation she was in. Image of her friends leaving her behind only served to amplify her tears.
Bell can only stand there and watch Lefiya weep. The sight of Lefiya sobbing reminded him strongly of a child who fled back home after being defeated by a goblin.
He waited silently until Lefiya calmed down, not knowing how long it had been since she wept. "Sorry... I let you saw an embarrassing part of me..." After Lefiya calmed down; she moved her lips and said in a tiny voice. Her cheeks were still red after crying.
(W-What did I just do!? I just cried in front of a man that I met today!? What the heck is going on, Lefiya Viridis? Where has your dignity vanished?!?)
"Let's get strong Lefiya-san... both of us... till we can make everyone proud." Bell said this while stroking her on the head.
"W-Wha!?" Lefiya was surprised at Bell's sudden action. She was red as a tomato.
"Ah, sorry, I kinda remembered back then my grandfather did this to calm me down."
"Uhh...... W-well... Thanks...."
"You're welcome?" Said Bell in a confused tone
"Bell-san, what drives you to be strong?"
"Me? Uhh... "
Bell paused a bit and blushed. Lefiya noticed this, then Bell looked at the dungeon ceiling while moving his lips.
"There's a person that I want to reach.... She is very strong, you could say that our difference was like night and day... even so... I want to reach it, and stand by her side... and I want to make my mom of me...."
Unconsciously, Bell mentioned Alfia as her mom. At the same time, Alfia's cover was indeed his mom for the meantime, but at this moment, she forgot that fact.
"... You and I are similar, huh..." Lefiya said with a low tone
"Hmm? What did you just say, Lefiya-san? I couldn't hear it well."
"Nope, nothing! Let's go again, Bell-san! As a present, I will guide you to level 7 for today!"
"Yes! Thank you very much, Lefiya-san!"
=
When they came out from the dungeon, the sun was already about to set.
"It was a fun day, thanks, Bell-san," Lefiya said after stretching her body.
"No, no, it was my pleasure, Lefiya-san!"
"We should party again sometimes!" Said Lefiya with a sweet smile
Bell saw that, and his face became tomato.
"Haha, you're cute, Bell! Let's be a friend!"
"Friend? Me and Lefiya-san? ...Am I allowed to be Lefiya's friend.. Won't everyone mock you to have such a weak friend?" Bell said with an anxious face while feeling down
"Bell, please be proud of yourself; getting to floor 6 in only one week is an incredible accomplishment, and I would be honored to be your first friend."
"Yes, you still don't have any friends since coming here, right? Then I'll take the honor of being your first friend, aren't you happy friending a beautiful elf like me? Hehe."
"Yes! Thank you very much, Lefiya-san!"
"And Bell, You got potential, probably more than me... Why don't you search for a teacher that can teach you how to fight?"
"A teacher...? Did you have one too, Lefiya-san?"
"Yes... thought she's scary... ahaha... Did you have someone in your mind to be your teacher Bell?"
"A teacher huh... -!" Bell suddenly widened his eyes. He remembered a woman figure.
"Looks like you have an idea. Good luck, Bell!"
Lefiya waved her hand as her figures slowly disappeared into the twilight sky.
=
"HUUUHHH?! You went to floor 7!?"
Bell was now at the guild, reporting his daily actions to Eina Tulle, his adviser.
"Y-Yes! Today I made it to floor 7!" Unbeknownst to Bell, The half-elf in front of him is on the brink of exploding.
"Bell-san, I told you yesterday, right? Don't go too deep. Why are you keep going deeper? Are you not valuing your own life? You looking to die, is it?" Eina spoke with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
"Y-Yes! But today, I partied with Lefiya Viridis from Loki Familia, and she guided me to floor 7!"
"...."
Eina remained quiet for a bit of time before opening her lips.
"Ahh... this kid has been broken, his wild imagination has running wild, poor child."
"E-EINA-SAN!?
"Poor child... Poor child... God, please forgive him."
"E-EINA SANN!? LISTEN TO MEEEE!"