(Bell POV)
I opened my hazy eyes to see that I was surrounded by darkness. From the stone-cold floor and the iron bars in front of me, it was clear that I was in a cell.
I leaned my head back against the wall behind me looking up, both my wrist and ankles chained into the wall.
The chains used were sealing ones even though they were considered illegal, I guess that's how desperate they were to keep me locked up.
After a while of just sitting, I decided to call out, "Is anyone there? At least tell me the time."
I expected someone to be on the watch. I then heard footsteps walk towards me, I looked up at the figure whose body was impossible to make out from the darkness.
"To think when we would next meet when you are in a cell...I must say, your brain fails you."
The voice made it clear who it was right away, the man then snapped his fingers and a small light lighted up the man's face. It was none other than Hermes.
"Are you gonna tell me what time it is or not?"
"It has been one day since your capture. As you can see, no one is here to help you this time. You are in checkmate."
"...So, you got to my familia?"
"No matter how much they claim to trust you, they eventually had enough. I'm sure you realized it as well."
I let out a sigh as I put my head back against the wall again.
"So what's going to happen to me now?"
"You already know what's going to happen. Execution."
"Stop lying, like you said I know what's going to happen to me."
"Alright, alright. You're going to be forced into a slave contract by magic. You are going to be forced into the dungeon over and over again to help with expeditions and whatnot. The only reason you're not going to be executed though is because you're an anomaly. The fastest person to level up to level 5 so fast."
"...And Zeus?"
This seemed to make Hermes tense up a little.
"He...Got sent back to heaven. He didn't leave any messages or anything."
Then there was an awkward silence that followed. I had a question itching at the back of my throat but I didn't know what would happen if I were to ask.
Then, as if reading my mind, Hermes spoke up, "Only we gods get punished for speaking the taboo, as a mortal you have nothing to fear. Speak of your theory."
"Alright, I'll be blunt then," I then readjusted myself to look right at Hermes, "Is the dungeon controlled by the gods in heaven?"
"..."
There was an eerie silence that unfolded after. We both just wanted to be sure that nothing would happen.
"Well...I can't answer that without getting sent back to heaven." He replied as he tilted his hat down over his eyes and a small smirk appeared.
That told me all I needed to know.
Back when I spoke with Freya way back when she started to speak of ways the gods in heaven were killing time. I doubt that it could have been something dumb, but the secret of the dungeon would certainly make sense.
It would mean that the incomprehensible dungeon was made by the gods, which would explain a lot. How it arrived here, the monsters, the complexity, the seemingly endless level of floors, everything. They were simply there because the gods in heaven were bored. When a god wanted to come down here to play on the game board they created, they obviously had to make sure not to speak of it, because if they did, then who would want to serve the gods?
Naturally, though, that doesn't mean that people don't regret it. If I had to guess, many gods after starting a familia and getting to know their followers, felt awful dread when knowing that the reason for many of their deaths was for their own amusement.
"Do you have a guess about the Xenos?" Hermes asked, a large smirk on his face.
"Not really, just the whims of the gods if I had to guess."
He just rolled his eyes and turned around, his back facing me as he leaned against the iron bars.
"How does it Feel, Bell? To know that for the first time in the world, you are truly alone?"
"..."
I didn't answer at first, I thought back to all my relationships so far. My familia, which had grown to distrust me after my evil ways. Freya, who now just seemed to not care about anything, dying of boredom. The Loki familia, which I had hurt a good portion of. And lastly, Ais who was also part of the Loki familia, who I had forced my goals upon. I didn't even know what to think of a few others currently like Lyu and Eina.
"Did they find Bete?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Yep. Cause of you he had a complete 180 in personality though. After getting beat up so many times I can only imagine that."
"You're not much better. You knew what I was doing and set it up before I even had the chance to."
"...Anyway, answer my previous question."
"It...Doesn't feel very good. But, knowing that my dream will come true afterward...I wonder if that will fix that feeling?"
"It won't," Hermes said bluntly as he turned his head towards the ground, "As the smartest living thing to ever exist, I can assure you that if I had to choose between my goals, or keeping even just one friend, I would choose the latter."
"What were your goals then?"
"Heh. Well, when I first came down to the mortal realm, I wanted to create an information familia, as I have now. In the process of doing so though, I had to kick down a lot of friends I had made in heaven. When I finished my goal, I realized that the world was lonely when you could only celebrate with yourself and no one else."
"Didn't you have Zeus?"
"Luckily. If I didn't, I may have just gone back up to heaven with absolute boredom. He tried to get me back on good terms with the other gods and goddesses again, but it didn't end so well. I only had him, and now he went back to heaven."
"..."
It was technically my fault for Zeus going back to heaven. He came back to see me after all.
"If you're feeling guilty, then you can do one thing for me..."
"Hm?"
"Complete his last wish, to kill the dragon."
"I was going to do that anyway, I don't think you have too much to worry about there. It's too late to turn back about that choice anyway."
"I know. Last thing, about Zeus. He wasn't always the way you see him. He was normally a happy old man that was like everyone's favorite uncle or cousin. But, when his whole familia died, well, you can imagine how that affected him."
"I get it."
"Well, I'll shut up now. When everyone in Orario gets strong enough to kill the dragon, I'm sure you'll be called back up from your duties."
"..."
I didn't respond as I sank back into thought.
'Will I truly be as lonely as Hermes says afterward?'
(Ais POV)
I was currently in the guild headquarters finalizing the workings of Bell's punishment. We had asked his familia, as well as other familia's op[inions, and came to the idea of having him be in a slave contract for the dungeon.
Bete had been found, half beat to death and now he jumps whenever things move too quickly, and has lost his snarky attitude. While I didn't like it before, now I miss it.
"Umm...Miss Ais?" a half-elf girl asked as she walked into the room "The Xenos are starting to migrate into the city now as we speak. As you said, thanks to their intervention in catching Bell, the people have realized them less as monsters and more as...Well, I guess smart monsters."
"Good, it may take a while but I imagine people will start seeing them normally soon enough."
"Yes...Also, about Bell..."
"Yes?"
"Is he going to be in the contract forever?"
"..."
There was a hidden part of the contract that the Hestia familia surprisingly enough fought very hard for. They all agreed that Bell needed some serious punishment, but they had fought for the fact that if Bell's role in defeating the dragon is important enough, and he survives when it is killed, he will be set free.
These things cannot be let public though, as if it were it would make the system here look terrible, but just as much though, Bell had done major good deeds as well. He killed a rampaging minotaur, was the first link between humans and Xenos, and assisted in killing the juggernaut.
Also, there was the fact that not one person died during the mass explosions, only a few people were gravely injured.
At the same time too though, not even Bell was to be told of this.
"...Maybe."
That was the best answer I could give her right now, but it seemed to be good enough for her.
"Thank you very much, Miss Ais." With a quick bow, she then left the room.