No, I'm not dead. I was taking a break from most fanfiction for the past few months. But I'm back now!

Most of this story takes place in the past. Yes, it's mostly one really big flashback. There were be only a few times when we see Adult Bell in action (outside of the snippets at the end of most chapters). Those occasions will only happen when I find a break in his timeline. I didn't plan on showing the present until he starts getting into the routine of being an Adventurer. Certain characters still need to be introduced.

Thank you for your patience. As usual, on with the show.

Cover: Oslight

Co-Written by: Generalmoose2nd

The Dungeon. It was the center of the world and had been around since the Ancient Age, a time where magical beasts and spirits flooded the planet. It had been the source of all the world's monsters. None knew how it came to be, except for perhaps the gods. It was only here, in the center of Orario, where the mortal children could become heroes. Adventurers, as they were called in today's time.

Bell had heard all manner of stories about the Dungeon. From the stories his grandfather told him to the passing conversations between Adventurers on the streets. They were all filled with feats of glory— of heroes going down into dark and perilous pits and vanquishing mighty beasts. They told tales of comradery, of epic battles, and of how they returned to their lovers back on the surface. They were the sorts of things that had led Bell to this far.

At high noon, as soon as he woke up, he entered the Dungeon.

His head swiveled around at every corner. This was the first time he had ever entered the Dungeon. No one had stopped him when he entered Babel Tower with the crowd of Adventurers and descended down its steps. But here he was, without a party, without equipment, and without a lick of what he was supposed to do.

The first layer of the Dungeon was dark, only being lit by the natural crystals growing out of the cavern walls. As soon as he stepped foot in it, he felt an ominous presence surrounding him. This invisible being constantly hovering over his shoulder didn't like him. It wanted him to leave. It hated him and promised to make him suffer before killing him.

His hand clutching against the kitchen knife shook. It was the only weapon he could acquire, having taken it from the brothel he worked at. He promised to bring it back once he was done. Tammuz would skin him alive otherwise.

His footsteps echoed. He took a different path from the Adventurers he followed and was now by himself in the Dungeon. It might have been a mistake. Now that he was alone, he felt vulnerable. It felt like the Dungeon itself was watching him, licking its chops and knowing he was fresh meat for the taking.

The walls themselves seemed to breathe in reaction to his presence. He heard stone crack and rumble. He paled and took several steps back as the wall beside him opened up. Emerging out of the stone was a small humanoid figure with dark green skin. It was half of Bell's height with disfigured limbs and a head too big for its body. It's body was cradled as if within a mother's womb.

The Dungeon spat this creature out, a goblin. It fell out of the wall but awakened right before hitting the floor. It's green eyes blinked a few times and spotted Bell immediately. It hissed at him and lowered its stance, ready to rush at him.

Bell's knees shook as he put the knife between him and the goblin. His teeth rattled. He remembered a time when he came across a goblin in the fields of his village. He threw a rock at it and ran away, crying for his grandfather to save him. The village men ended up killing it after banding together. To this day, Bell had developed a fear of goblins he couldn't get over.

But today was the day he did. Despite how much his body shook in fear, he forced himself to focus and calm down. He needed to be a hero. He swore to his late grandfather he would become a man and win the heart of a girl. And in order to do that, he needed to get over his fears. A hero feared nothing. A hero laughed in the face of danger.

He made the first move, screaming an unholy howl as he sprinted at the goblin. He raised the blade up and brought it down when he was within range.

The goblin moved out of the way. It had been so quick Bell had temporarily lost sight of the monster. He couldn't stop himself from running; he needed a few extra steps to gradually come to a stop and turn around. The monster took this chance to leap at him. It latched onto Bell's arm as he was turning around and bit into his shoulder.

He let out a cry of pain. He had broken his arm once, having fallen from a tree the other children dared him to climb. The pain then, he thought, was unbearable.

It was nothing compared to this. A dozen tiny blades pierced his flesh and dug deep into his meat. The pain was so shocking he didn't think about attacking the goblin with the knife. He instinctively pulled away from the goblin, which was pointless considering it was latched onto his arm. His shoulder hit the wall, stunning himself further.

The impact jerked the goblin around. Its teeth sank in deeper and tore a larger gash through his skin. A new jolt of pain flared through Bell. This time, he felt alert and responsive. He swung his arm around with the intent of cutting the goblin. It had sensed his movement for it had dislodged itself from his being and kicked itself away. The motion forced Bell to slide against the wall and fall onto his side. The knife had missed the monster by a large margin.

He was breathing hard from pure adrenaline. He saw the goblin rush at him and he tried to get up quickly. It wasn't fast enough as its hands— its claws swiped across his face. He turned just in time for it to miss his eye but he felt a burning sensation sweep across his cheek and ear.

He screamed and flailed his arm around without thought or direction. He felt a moment of resistance and heard the goblin squeal like a pig. It had leapt away from him, which gave him a chance to put one foot on the ground and rise back up.

Now he was panting. He heard his heart hammering between his ears. Time seemed to slow down as his only focus was the goblin in front of him. He had grazed its arm… and made it angry.

It came at him, leaping into the air without concern for its own safety. Bell, backed into the wall, couldn't retreat. The idea of rolling out of the way never came across him as he put the knife between them once more. The positioning was wrong and the knife didn't so much as scratch the goblin. Bell put up an arm at the last instant and was able to use it as a shield to bar the goblin from clawing out his eyes.

"Hey, come take a look at this!"

"Is that a civie?!"

"What's a brat doing in the Dungeon?"

"He's really struggling against that goblin there."

"My money's on the gob'."

He received a few scratches here and there but had managed to twist his body enough to throw the goblin off of him. But not without it digging its claws into his forearm and peeling the meat off of him as it was flung off. It rolled on the floor and got back up quicker than he could have.

Bell's hand gripped at his bleeding forearm, feeling the sticky red liquid soak his jacket and hand. His wounded arm felt numb. And with it, so too was his weapon hand. The knife was no longer in his hand. His eyes bulged and zipped across the floor in search of it.

Its tip was planted in the stone floor… right between he and the goblin. He needed it to defend himself. The goblin, despite its limited intelligence, knew this as well. Bell moved. So did the goblin.

He stretched a hand out for the knife, diving in desperation to reach for it. The goblin reached it at the same time with its speed surpassing his own. Its claws cut into his hands. In desperation, Bell threw his body forward on his elbows and brought up a fist. The punch was hardly anything as it didn't bother the goblin at all. It threw its body on top of Bell's, biting and scratching at him for the knife. At the same time, Bell did all he could to get the monster off of him and retrieve the weapon.

It was difficult to tell what was going on. All he knew was the goblin was on top of him. Every instinct in him told him to not let go of the knife. And he didn't. But neither did the goblin. It clawed at him and he threw his fist at it. His vision became red as blood dripped into his eyes. He bellowed as he continued to flail around and retaliate against this monster.

"Oh shit! It got the knife!"

But the goblin won in the end. It sank its teeth into his wrist and retched the knife out of his grip. It held it overhead, ready to plunge the sharp end down onto Bell. Time stopped and Bell was frozen in place. He saw how he was going to die. The goblin was going to bring the knife up and down on him. Repeatedly. It would keep stabbing into him even after he was dead.

The goblin's muscles tensed as it was readying itself to move. Bell felt like every celch of his body was filled with lead. His heart was beating erratically as his body moved in such an aggravatingly slow motion. He tried to bring both arms up to block the attack. They felt heavier than ever before as the goblin brought its own arms down to stab into him.

His wrists made it, crossing over to act as a shield under its forearms. The knife was a few celches away from his face. He tried to push the goblin off of him, but the monster bore all of its body down on him. His arms shook as the knife was growing closer and closer between his eyes. He felt the tip of steel kiss his brow.

That tiniest prick triggered something within Bell. He was going to die. His first encounter against a monster as an adventurer was going to be his last. In this moment, he didn't care about being a hero. He didn't care about getting the girl. The only thought that went through his mind was how he was going to die right here, right now.

Pure instinct took over. Untapped strength surged through him as his mind went blank. He could only process few, base thoughts. He acknowledged that his body was moving on its own but he would not be able to explain how things came to be.

All he knew was after kicking, flailing, and screaming, he had managed to get the goblin off of him. The fight wasn't over, though. He was on top of the goblin this time. The knife was nowhere to be seen as he stared down at the monster beneath him. It hissed at him.

He brought a fist down on its face. The crunching sound of a broken nose reached his ears. The hissing continued. He brought his other fist around. It hissed some more, this time bringing claws up against his chest. He ignored it and struck again. And again. And again.

The damn thing wouldn't die! If it didn't die, it was going to kill him! He needed to end this now.

He grabbed the side of its skull with both hands, ignoring how its claws sank into his arms as it fought for its own life. He didn't care. He pushed all of his weight forward and slammed the skull down against the stone floor. There was a dull thud from the impact. The goblin's body loosened for an instant. It's claws gripped tighter on his arms.

Bell did it again, bringing the head up and driving it back down. He could still hear the thing hiss at him. He did it again, crushing his fingers underneath. This time, he grabbed it by the small tuft of hair on the side of its head. He put everything he had into ramming its head into the ground a few more times.

At the eleventh time, when he was out of breath, the goblin exploded into a cloud of ash. He fell onto his elbows, breathing heavily. He coughed as some of the ash went into his mouth, forcing him to roll onto his back and gasp for air.

He had done it. He had killed a goblin.

The sound of groaning caught his attention. He turned his head to the side. A large group of Adventurers had huddled at the pathway's entrance.

"The damn brat lived!"

"I bet the goblin was gonna eat him alive!"

"Yeah? He was supposed to have his throat cut open."

"Thought he would'a been done in by his own knife."

"Did anyone bet he was gonna live?"

"That's a fool's bet and y'know it."

"Well the little shit is alive, ain't he?"

"This blows. I want my damn money."

"Go to hell. Ain't nobody winnin' today."

"Screw it. I'm getting something out of this."

One of them, a racoon-man, stepped away from his party and approached. Bell sat up and was about to get up to his knees… when the man kicked him in the face. A grunt escaped his lips as he was knocked back to the ground. Before he could get back up, another hard blow struck him in the stomach. The air was knocked out of him and the man continued to kick into Bell's side.

His body instinctively cradled in on itself to mitigate the blows. They kept coming as the man relentlessly attacked him. A few blows struck his head, making everything dizzy.

Disoriented, Bell's head wobbled to the side as the man picked him up by the collar. He felt his hands go into Bell's jacket, patting his shirt and pants with an unsatisfied grunt.

"Oi, Canoe, ya find anything or you coppin' a feel?" one of the other Adventurers laughed.

"This little shit ain't got nothin'!" the raccoon-man, Conoe, continued to pat down every inch of Bell. His hand patted on his trousers, one particular spot. He reached into Bell's back pocket and took out two gold coins. "Hoh? What have we here…?"

They were the gold coins Mia Grande had given him as a tip. It was the only money Bell had at the moment. He had wanted to buy Aisha and Lady Ishtar something with that money. His hand latched onto the man's wrist. The grip was weak but he held on as strong as he could.

"Give that back," Bell said, his voice muffled by a swollen mouth and blood seeping from his gums. He couldn't fully open his left eye as he glared at the man.

Conoe smirked at him… before letting go of Bell's collar. With the same hand, he curled it into a fist and drew it back.

"You're in the way," a deep, heavy voice filled the hallway. "Move aside."

Conoe snarled and whipped his head around, "Just go around before—"

His ears twitched and bushy tail stood up. The rest of the Adventurers had moved away to clear a path without hesitation. The one who stood at the pathway's entrance was a tall, intimidating boarz with minimal armor and a greatsword at his back. He gazed impassively at the party in his way.

Bell recognized him as Ottar, one of the companions of Mia from last night. Their eyes met briefly.

"You don't belong here," his guttural voice echoed. The gravitas behind it reached deep into Bell's core. Here, a legitimate Adventurer, had just passed judgment on Bell and found him unwanting. Unworthy.

"H-Hey, what're you—" Conoe stood up and stepped away in alarm. Ottar approached him; his hand moved faster than Bell could blink as it latched onto Conoe's wrist. There was the sound of a twig snapping and the raccoon-man howled in pain. A casual shove from Ottar sent him flying, slamming into the wall and sliding to the floor. Conoe held onto his broken wrist.

Without another word, Ottar reached down, picked up Bell under his arm like a sack of potatoes, and carried him up towards the way he came. Bell hung there limply. A part of him, in his dazed stupor as he watched his own blood drip off of him, found being carried like this comfortable. He was getting too used to being like this.

Time had passed before he knew it. Ottar dumped him at the base of Babel Tower's tiled floor. He was now back on the surface.

Two gold coins dropped out of Ottar's hand and rolled over towards Bell's face. Bell's hand slapped down on them, not having the strength to hold them but just enough for this action.

"Thank you," he said.

His blurry vision stared at Ottar's boots. The man didn't leave just yet.

"...No hero has ever accomplished their goal alone," he said. With that, he turned and walked away— not back into the Dungeon but out of Babel Tower entirely.

Bell's face rested against the cold surface of the floor, his body throbbing in pain and thoughts vague and slow. The words Ottar left behind played in his mind. As he lay there, Adventurers walked around him. Some didn't bother to deviate from their path and walked over him. Not a single one helped him back to his feet.

Eventually, he forced himself up. He wobbled out of Babel Tower, unfit to return to the Dungeon.

0-0-0

"Can I have a healing potion, please?" Bell asked.

The really cute girl behind the counter gave him a bewildered look. She wasn't the only one as a young man in an apron carrying boxes and a very young dog-girl stocking shelves were gawking at him too. It was to be expected since he walked into some random pharmacy broken and bloody. Actually… he couldn't recall how he had gotten here. He didn't know where here even was.

"R-Right away!" the girl snapped out of her stupor and practically threw herself into the inventory behind the counter. She pulled out a vial the size of his long finger containing a dull red liquid and held it for him to take.

He did, slapping one of Mia's gold coins on the counter before accepting the vial. He wasn't sure how much these things cost so he hoped it was enough. His hazy mind told him the potion was more important to worry about. He bit off the cork and drank the contents in a single swig. Warm ooze flowed down his throat and he nearly gagged at the bitter taste. The cherry aftertaste did nothing to lessen it.

His thoughts were returning to him as he felt a little lighter. The pain was gradually going away. Oh, it still hurt, and a clearer mind was telling him how much. But he didn't feel as stiff and slow as before.

"Thank you," he sighed in heavy relief.

"You looked like you really needed it," the girl gave him a strained smile. She looked as relieved as he felt. Her eyes flicked down to the payment. She blinked, rubbed her eyes, and then looked at the gold coin again. She picked it up, drew it at eye level, and flicked a nail at it. She listened to the dinging it made.

She broke out in a cold sweat as she slapped it back down. "Excuse me," she said quickly before hurrying off to the back of the shoppe. She slipped into another room blocked off by a flap. He heard hushed but urgent words being spoken to whoever was back there.

Bell began to panic himself. Was his money not good enough? Did healing potions cost more than he realized? His head whipped around. There wasn't a sign to say how much anything in the store cost. It made sense if they were so expensive. Before the gods arrived, medicine was nothing but herbs, some spit, and a flip of a coin to see if you would wake the next day. Now, they had miracle elixirs that could bring people back from the dead!

The flap was pulled back and a man in the prime of his age stepped into the store. With just a glance Bell knew this man to be a god. He had a divine presence that any of the mortal children could sense. This could only be the keeper of the shoppe, and thus the patriarch of this familia.

Bell might have unintentionally robbed another familia.

"P-Please!" he whipped out the second coin as fast as he could. "This is all I have! I promise to pay you back! I didn't know healing potions were so expensive!"

The god, as well as his children, looked at Bell with almost as much shock as when he first appeared. But the god's expression softened as he put up a hand. "There seems to be a misunderstanding. Be at ease. I am sorry to say but we cannot accept your payment. We are… a modest familia and cannot break your currency unless you make a large purchase."

It felt like Bell had ran at full sprint into a wall. It took his mind a moment to focus after the metaphorical impact. "Eh?"

"Young man," the god's eyes grew concerned as he lifted up the gold coin on the counter. "Do you know how much this is worth?"

"Uh… gold coins are worth ten thousand valis, right?" Bell asked.

"Yes… and no," the god said with a thoughtful expression. He placed the coin back down, ducked beneath the counter, and pulled out a strongbox. He unlocked it and pulled out a separate gold coin. Unlike Bell's, it had a square hole in the middle of it.

"These gold coins are worth ten thousand," he explained. "Though they are called gold coins, they are mostly filled with metals of much less quality. The one you brought in is solid and filled with higher quality metals."

Bell nodded, being able to follow this much, "I see. Then… how much are these worth?" He asked, raising the second coin in his hand already.

The god didn't answer right away. He pulled a set of scales off the shelf behind him, placed the first gold coin on one side while placing miniature weights on the other. Bell saw the female clerk jerk with surprise while the other two observants paled. Even the god's brows furrowed as he put up a strained smile.

"Depending on who you barter with… the average market would value your coin at… seventy thousand valis. Give or take a thousand valis here and there."

Bell's gasp nearly sucked in all the air in the shop. Seventy thousand valis. How many bread and soup specials was that?! He never had so much money before. The village he grew up in didn't have that much money! And all that wealth was within a single coin. Two coins.

Mia Grande gave them to him as a tip. As a percentage of her total payment at the brothel.

"F-F-For reference," his body was shaking as much as his voice. "How much do you charge for health potions?"

"The one Aife gave you costs four hundred each," the god answered readily. "We sell a set of four for a thousand."

Bell could buy seventy sets. He wouldn't know what to do with them all. He also didn't realize health potions were so cheap. The one he received cost as much as a kebab from a street vendor.

"I…" Bell began as he realized the problem with the purchase. To be blunt, these people couldn't afford to make Bell change. He didn't know what he was going to do. "These are the only things I have…"

"...It's alright," the god said after a moment. His smile was soft and understanding, "You are not a bad person, I believe. In your state, any of my children would have given you that potion."

Now all Bell felt was shame. "I'm sorry. Thank you! I promise to come back! I'll pay for the potion when I can! And I'll be sure to buy some more things too!"

"All I can ask is that you repay the favor to another in need," the god said with some light laughter. "But if you insist, our doors are always open."

Rather than feel guilty for taking advantage of his charity, Bell felt inspired to do good. He thanked them again and left the shop, silently promising himself to live by the god's example.

0-0-0

The streets of the Red Light District were coming to life when Bell returned. Brothels and taverns were setting up shop for the early wave of clients that will be coming through in a few hours. Hardly anyone paid him any mind as he made his way through the winding pathways he was becoming familiar with. The towering spires of the palace could be seen over the rooftops of the smaller buildings, and that was what he used for direction. He would never get lost so long as the palace remained in his sight.

He had with him a bag tucked under his arm. On the top was a wrapped bundle of the newest kitchen knife to replace the one he lost in the Dungeon. It hid the two colorful presents buried underneath. A quick trip to the markets on Main Street had him finding exactly what he wanted. After seeing something through the glass windows of one shop, he had managed to break one of Mia's coins. Buying the replacement knife was a small effort afterwards.

He only wished he had more time to return to the pharmacy. Now that he had smaller coin could he pay for the potion and maybe stock for the next time he went into the Dungeon.

At the moment, however, all he could think about was getting ready for work. As well as the look on Lady Ishtar and Aisha's faces when he—

"Oh, hey, Bell," the voice of Aisha called out to him. He turned around and saw her slipping out of one of the taverns. "Coming back from town? Tammuz is going to get mad if…"

Her eyes narrowed as she searched him from head to toe. He cradled the bag closer to his chest before deciding to move it behind his back. He didn't want her to see its contents just yet. But that wasn't her focus as her eyes lingered on his clothes.

Before he knew it, she had crossed the distance in an instant. She gripped his shoulders with fingers as solid as stone. Her eyes blazed with a ferocity that terrified him, "Who did this to you? Who beat you up? Tell me who did this to you so I can find them and castrate them with a wooden spoon!"

Bell shook where she held him, scared for his own safety even when her ire wasn't directed at him. Just the sheer presence of vengeance she radiated was enough to make him want to run and hide. He gulped. "W-What do you mean, Aisha?"

"Who beat you up?" she repeated. "You look like you came back from a train and didn't get paid for it. Don't pretend like this is nothing, Bell. You're my property. If anyone's going to make you walk with a limp, it's going to be me."

He couldn't keep eye contact with her as his face burned. He felt touched she was so concerned about him. And he knew where her intentions lay. Someone as lovely as her was this interested him in a way he had only dreamed about. He remembered the promise they made last night.

Glancing away gave him an excuse to examine his attire. His clothes were soiled and covered in his own blood. There were gashes and tears where his wounds had once been. Most of them had been self-infliction due to his inexperience as well as the goblin he faced. But the rest…

He'd rather not tell her about the Adventurers who tried to rob him. He didn't want to worry her.

Instead, he turned it around. He gave her a beaming smile that wasn't untrue. The excitement from this morning returned to him. "Oh, that! Aisha! I went into the Dungeon today!"

"The… Dungeon?" she blinked, taken aback by his childish glee. She tilted her head and gave him a quizzical look. "What were you doing down in the Dungeon?"

"I wanted to see how far I could get on my own," he explained, now bouncing on his heels as he couldn't wait to tell her about his adventure. "I stepped into the first floor and came across a goblin! I killed it all by myself!"

"Uh huh…" she nodded slowly. Only then did she release him and crossed her arms. "And then what?"

It was his turn to blink. "What do you mean?"

"I'm asking you what happened. Why are you like this?" she gestured with one hand to her clothes.

"Because of the goblin," was his simple and honest answer.

"That's it?" she gawked. "Just the one goblin?"

"Well…" he averted his gaze as he didn't feel so proud of his accomplishment anymore. "It was my first time. It put up a fight. B-But I won! I managed to kill it!"

"Bell, goblins are the easiest of…" she began but stopped herself. She studied him, sighed, and rubbed her brow with a few of her fingers. "Just… don't go in by yourself as you are. You don't even have any gear. What did you even use to fight it?"

He scratched his cheek and remained silent. She came to her own assumptions. "Never mind then. So what's in the bag?"

He turned his body further away from her to shield the paper bag, "...Nothing."

A shiver swept down his spine when she saw a glint of hunger in her eyes. That, and the predatory smile that sprouted on her face. "Oh really? Show me what's inside."

"I, uh… need to go," he said while backing away. She took a step closer to him. "Mister Tammuz will be expecting me. I need to get ready for the night."

"That old stiff can wait a minute or two," she was upon him again, throwing an arm around his neck while trying to reach for the bag. He tried to pull it out of her reach and she extended her hand further. Doing so pressed herself further on him. He could feel her breasts rubbing against his side and he tried his hardest to not focus on it. Unfortunately, it was a distraction too strong and she got around his defenses. She slipped by him and snatched the bag out of his grip.

"Aisha! Wait!" he pleaded and tried to take the bag back. She turned her back to him while she rummaged through. No matter how hard he tried to get around her, she would dance around his attempts. She unearthed the first bundle and her eyes became dazzled by the colorful wrapping of what lay underneath. She pulled the first of the two brightly colored packages out and held it to her eye upon her palm.

"Is this a present, Bell?" she cackled lightly as she turned it around in her hand. "A gift for one of your clients? I remember when I felt the need to thank the guy who first bought me. Or is it for Tammuz for putting up with you? I didn't know you swung that way. Should I feel jealous…?"

Her teasing dropped like a rock when her eyes landed on the tag.

"That one is for Lady Ishtar," he said in a defeated tone. "I wanted to give that to her for letting me into the familia. B-But the other one is—"

She tossed the package into the bag and shoved it into his arms. Her Amazonian strength knocked the wind out of him. A bitter and annoyed look crossed her face. She wouldn't look at him.

"And here I thought you weren't affected by her Charm," she sighed. "The fool is me for thinking you were anything different. But that's a Goddess of Beauty for you. I'm sure she'll like it, Bell. I've got things to do before I get started. I'll see you later tonight after your shift."

"Aisha?" he spoke her name softly, confused with her actions. She refused to look at him as she briskly walked away. "Aisha! Wait! What's wrong? D-Don't you know that the other gift is for—"

"There you are, Bell, my love," came a sweet voice from directly behind him. Before he could turn around, a pair of hands cupped over his eyes. He heard the dainty giggle of a young girl close to his age. "Guess who~"

He knew this voice. However… "M-Miss. I didn't get your name. I'm sorry but I'm trying to talk to Miss Aisha."

"Oh don't worry about her," came the coy reply as the hands removed themselves. Bell turned and came face-to-face with the nameless Amazoness from yesterday afternoon. The one who took him to her room and played with him while he slept. Her smile was appreciative as though he were a piece of decorative candy she loved to eye before devouring. "She's always jealous of the other girls. The goddess and the queen especially. This is just her way of showing how much she cares about you. She'll just never admit it."

He frowned and took a step back from the girl who was so close he could smell her minty breath. Her eyes narrowed further in delight, as if being terrified of her aroused her further. And perhaps it did. She didn't move any closer to him, merely watching him. He had the impression that if he moved any further would she pounce on him like a cobra on a mouse. She was letting him keep his distance.

There was no denying she was beautiful. Enchanting, really. She had a smaller frame compared to the other Amazonesses. She was slender and nubile compared to the lean and muscular builds of her sisters. She was more liken to a fairy than a warrior. But there was no denying what she did to him was absolutely wrong. It bothered him. Though he would have been in absolute bliss and would have treated her as a friend, possibly as a lover, had she approached him honestly. Instead, she took him when he couldn't defend himself. Took him when there wasn't a choice. And she didn't care.

She put her hands behind her back as she leaned forward. Her smile was friendly, and he couldn't tell if it was honest or not. "You don't need to be afraid of me, Bell. I won't bite… unless you want me to. I can be whatever you want. I can be your friend, if you like. I can even be jealous of Aisha if that'll get you to look at me."

"I…" he began, trying to find an excuse to get away from her. He looked around in an attempt to distract her or find an opening to flee to. Those walking to and fro were minding their own business and wouldn't offer any help.

"No?" she tilted her head and studied him. She made an adorable pouty face, "Poo~ You know I don't mind if you sleep around with other girls. I've heard Aisha is one of the best. I mean, she always has a full schedule. Imagine that; many, many men come to her nightly. She must have a good amount of experience under her belt. I'm sure she'll give you a night you'll never forget.

"I on the other hand choose my clients very carefully," her smile shifted as she stood up straight. "I'm part of the adventuring team so I don't need to sleep around as much. But even I get lonely on some nights. Sometimes I just want someone to talk for hours about the burdens of the Dungeon."

She was an Adventurer? She wasn't just a prostitute like all the others? She was specifically within Ishtar Familia's adventuring team, a unit devised for the sole purpose of exploring the Dungeon?

Her smile became victorious as she turned away from him, "You know where to find me, Bell. Have a good night."

He did not miss the way her hips swayed with each step. He also had the strangest feeling she knew he was staring at her shapely rear.

He shook his head to clear his mind. His eyes strayed towards the way Aisha went. He should go after her. But… he didn't know where exactly she went. She could be anywhere by this point. Also, it was getting late and he still needed to change his clothes. Tammuz would be furious if he went to work in these bloody rags. There was also the fact he needed to sneak into the kitchen and slip the new knife without either of the cooks noticing.

He counted the seconds and decided enough time had passed. The girl… whose name he still didn't get must have been far enough. He continued his path back to the dormitories.

0-0-0

Meanwhile, around the corner and behind a set of water barrels, Phoebe and Cellaneo spied on the engagements with their latest prey, Bell Cranel. They saw Aisha be… Aisha; the stupid girl couldn't see Bell saw her as equally as their goddess and bought her a gift as well. And they saw how Celeste (or was it Drea today? Or Astophe?) had watched as well and then pounced at the perfect moment to stop him from chasing down Aisha.

And the things she said! That bitch was going to steal away their toy. Again!

"We need to do something about this," Cellaneo said in a low growl.

"We could take him now," Phoebe offered. She even had a bundle of rope on her person. They had brought it just in case. "Both Aisha and Nivre left him. He's just standing there. I could just…"

"Hold that thought," Cellaneo put a hand on her arm to stop her from lassoing the boy like cattle. "We could take him. But what's to stop Aisha from killing us later? Or Phryne before we can even get him to a bed? I don't know about you, but I'd like to get off at least once before either of those two kick open our door."

Phoebe sat down and leaned against the barrel. She rolled the rope back up with a sour expression. "I guess… What do you want to do then? We can't do anything against Phryne."

"No, but we can do something about Aisha and Miss New Name Every Day," Cellaneo stuck her thumb over her shoulder. "Bell seems to care a lot about Aisha. Like, a lot. And Miss Fake Bitch already branded him. We need to get rid of them both before we can claim Bell for ourselves."

Phoebe looked up at the sky as she thought to herself. "You heard Aisha and Bell are meeting up later tonight. What if we stop that from happening?"

Cellaneo nodded a few times, "Yeah. That could work. It would really piss off Aisha. You know what? I think I have a plan in mind."

"But what about… the other girl?" Phoebe asked.

"It's simple," she shrugged back with a smug expression. "We watch her closely. The moment she snags him, we bust down her door and 'save' Bell." She used air-quotes. "Course, to make it seem authentic, we can't sleep with him right after we do it. We gotta earn his trust first. Only then can we enjoy him to the fullest."

"Alright," Phoebe nodded back. "What's the plan with Aisha then?"

0-0-0

"Sir Gareth?" Raul glanced over at his commanding officer. "I'm grateful for this opportunity but… maybe we should have gone to a regular tavern instead? It's just that… it's only the two of us. Anna didn't join us even when this party is our welcoming celebration."

Gareth stroked his beard as the two of them walked through the streets of the Red Light District. It was late in the evening and the entire avenue was bustling with Adventurers and rich merchants. Parties flared everywhere he looked and beautiful women flocked here and there towards any man (and some women) who passed by their establishments. Laughter, whistling, and catcalls were heard in every direction.

But he and Raul weren't involved! It was as if one of Riveria's barriers surrounded them! Had that stuck-up elf cast a curse on them both?! He thought he kept the location of where he was taking the newest rookies of Loki Familia a secret. He had only told his goddess because he thought it would be a good idea to invite her. She had been all for it! But she suddenly backed out at the last second.

"Ya mustn't worry 'bout things like that, lad," Gareth snorted as they continued to walk. "So what if the others are too shrewd to have a good time? Ya only live once and there's only two ways to feel alive. Either in the Dungeon with a monster breathin' down yur neck or sucklin' on the knockers of a fine woman."

Gareth laughed. Raul did too, though his was obviously forced. It wasn't that the boy didn't want to be here— far from it. He was still a boy and didn't know how to fully enjoy life. He was still young. A night here would teach him much about the way real life works.

The old dwarf's senses told him they were being watched. It wasn't too hard to find the source: an Amazoness girl leaning against the pillar of one establishment. She didn't hide it either. She licked her lips and liked what she saw. Pushing herself off with her shoulders, she began to make her way towards them. Gareth slapped Raul's stomach (making the boy grunt) and pointed the girl out. Raul's breath was taken away when their eyes met.

But before the girl was halfway towards them, something else drew her attention. Her eyes caught something, tried to regain focus on them, but drew back towards the distraction. Gareth followed her gaze and saw… a young boy so green he didn't belong here. It looked like he was putting every ounce of effort on ignoring the debauchery around him.

"Bell~" the Amazoness called out to him and skipped happily to him. They were forgotten as she flung her arms around one of his and tried to drag him off elsewhere.

"C-Cellaneo?" the boy, Bell, gasped with shock and tried to pull himself free from her solid grip. "Sorry but Tammuz is expecting me back. I was only sent to deliver a report. I'm still working."

"That's no fun," she squeezed harder. "Come on~ Come play with me. I'll even pay you. You can say it was work related."

The boy's face lit up like a second sun. "I-I-I-I can't do that! Please! Tammuz will get mad if I'm not back soon!"

"Fine, fine," she let him go before poking the tip of his nose. "But you owe me a date at least. I did stand up to Phryne for you."

"I… Y-You did," his face became downcast next. "I'm sorry for that. I'll be sure to take you somewhere nice when I have enough money. It's the least I can do for you."

This time, it was the prostitute's face who flushed. She coughed into her hand and looked away from him. "G-Good. Just remember that, okay? I gotta get back to work so… off with you. Shoo!"

She gave him a casual shove before moving away herself. She did not go towards Gareth and Raul as intended. It was as if she had forgotten about them entirely. But Gareth's experience told him she was still watching them intently.

Raul made a noise in the back of his throat. When Gareth glanced at him, he saw the boy was watching the Amazoness go with a disappointed look in his eyes.

"Come on," Gareth told him after slapping his front again. "There's plenty o' fish to catch. I ain't stoppin' ya if ya wanna go after that particular one though."

"I-It's not like that at all, Sir Gareth," Raul denied as if his hand wasn't in the cookie jar this instant.

"Just Gareth, lad," the dwarf told him for the fifth time since meeting him. It probably won't be the last. He would continue to make a point out of this until the boy learned.

They continued on through the streets. Gareth noted they were following the same path as the white-haired boy, Bell. He also noticed how some of the female patrons were eyeing him curiously while plenty of the workers were calling out to him. Some, like the girl Raul fancied just now, had stopped conversing with clients to get his attention. He either tried to ignore them or gave them a passive but polite greeting.

"Oh, Miss Phoebe, sorry," the boy said when he bumped into another Amazoness… who Gareth knew was waiting around the corner. "I didn't see you there—!"

He flailed around in surprise when she cupped his cheeks together and planted a deep one on him. The nearby prostitutes all shrieked something or other when seeing this, calling out how unfair this girl was and how it was against the rules. Before any blood could be shed, the girl stepped off of him and walked away. The boy was left dazed and heavily confused, calling out to the Amazoness on what happened and why. He looked more scared than anything.

"I think I have an idea on what's going on," Gareth said. "Follow my lead. Oi! You! Boy! Come 'ere fur a sec!"

The boy spun around at the sound of Gareth's booming voice. He looked around in search for another of his description before pointing at himself for clarification. Gareth waved him to come closer as they approached. The boy did, timid as his hands twitched as though he didn't know what to do with them. Keep them on his front, or on his side, or behind his back? Things like that.

"Can I do something for you, sir?" he asked Gareth while glancing curiously at the silent Raul.

"We mean no harm, lad," Gareth assured him. "You look like a fun one. You and this one seem to be close in age. I'm treating him tonight as a welcoming to my familia. How's about you join us?"

Raul's attention shifted over to Gareth. Not a word was said as the boy simply questioned Gareth's intention. If the newbie Adventurer couldn't read the situation like this, he was going to be in for a rough time in the Dungeon.

"I'm sorry sir," Bell's response was polite and honest. It was a quality rarely seen in these parts. Like a diamond within a field of sand. "I'm not supposed to mingle with the guests. I just work at a tavern at the edge of the district. If you like, I can take you there. My boss has some good wine and the food is delicious. We just catered to Freya Familia."

Gareth hummed. That was interesting to know. But it wasn't important. What did he honestly care if Freya's followers tended to these parts? The Goddess of Beauty probably encouraged it to learn new techniques on how to worship her. Still, the place sounded promising if it had gathered their attention.

"There you are," a new voice said. Yet another Amazoness approached their group. "I've been looking for you. Cellaneo said you wanted to see me? Oh? These friends of yours, Bell?"

"A-Aisha!" Bell gasped with surprise as he spun sharply to greet her. He was nothing but flustered by her presence. "She said what? N-No, not particularly. Not that I didn't want to see you! It's just that I've been so busy and Tammuz has been sending me all over the district. I haven't had a chance to look for you."

Gareth cleared his throat loudly enough to draw both of their attention. Bell looked ashamed to have temporarily forgotten about them while the girl, Aisha, looked annoyed at having her conversation broken. "Wur just a couple of guests here an' thinkin' about hirin' this one for the night."

Something possessive overcame Aisha as she stepped in front of Bell, shielding him from Gareth. "I'm sorry. But those kinds of services are not available to someone like him. I can point you towards the brothels that cater to those needs."

He hummed. Everything he thought about the boy was true. He didn't know the intention of the first two girls but he couldn't ignore the rest of the district. And the reaction of this girl solidified his assumptions. The boy was a natural and something they needed. "You got it wrong, missy. We wanted to hire him as an escort."

"We do?" Raul blurted out. Gareth ignored him. Aisha pretended to not hear as she continued to glare at Gareth. Bell wanted to say something but was silenced when Aisha raised a hand. Her eyes narrowed at Gareth as she tried to size him down. He was unfazed by her.

"The hourly fee for Bell's company is twenty-thousand valis," Aisha said in a firm voice.

It was almost convincing hadn't Bell start to gape like a fish.

"Ten thousand," Gareth bartered. "The night is still young an' we plan on spending much 'round here. Can't do much if ya charge us those prices."

"Then I suppose I could convince his manager to settle at fifteen if you promise to keep your entertainment within the district," Aisha's sharp gaze was piercing. He almost felt something. "Would you like to pay in advance or should I send the bill to Loki Familia?"

Gareth snorted as he reached into his coin purse and fished out a few mithril-gold coins. Aisha's eyes dazzled with greed as she accepted them, curling them within her hand and keeping them there. There wasn't a place in her tight and limited clothing for her to tuck it into.

She turned her head to address Bell, "I will tell Tammuz on your behalf. Go and play host to these fine gentlemen. And," she gripped onto his arm… giving it a squeeze hard enough to make the boy wince. "Don't forget about your promise to me."

Her stare lingered as she began to walk away. Her hand lingered even longer. She only released him when she was beyond reach. The boy watched her go, rubbing the bicep that was probably bruised by her inhuman strength.

"Sir…?" Raul leaned over to whisper into his ear. "I know I shouldn't ask since that's your money. But are you sure about this?"

"It's my own fault if not," Gareth said loud enough for the both of them to hear. "From my own coffers. Now, I saw a tavern on the way here that had some of the ladies dancin' on the tables. We should go before they get off."

Gareth slapped Raul's back before heading off, making the boy cough. It took him a moment to follow after. It took another moment for Bell to realize what was going on and step up to Gareth's side.

"Um… hi?" the boy offered. "I'm Bell. I'm not sure what exactly you want me to do but I'll do my best."

"That, boy, is exactly what I want," Gareth said with a few chortles. Bell probably thought it meant about him being his best but Gareth meant for the boy to just be himself. A natural, innocent, idiot. "I'm Gareth. This here is Raul. All I want for you to do is to work your lil' charm. We're in for the night of our lives, the three of us! Yul never forget it!"

Bell could only give an unsure smile as he walked on. Raul remained silent, unsure and unwilling to voice his own opinion to his senior. Bah. The two of them needed to break the ice and have a good time. Hopefully Bell wasn't a pointless purchase and the ladies would come flooding over to him. And therefore Raul would unwind.

"Bell~" came a young and eager (read: carnivorous) voice from the first tavern they visited. Surprisingly, this one wasn't from an Amazoness but from an animal-person. "So good to see you! Come in and have a drink. Who are your friends? The first round is on me. You are drinking, right?"

Bell glanced over to Gareth for confirmation. So did the dancers.

"Aye," Gareth nodded sagely. "We'll be drinkin' fur a bit."

Money. Best. Spent.

0-0-0

"Belka," Tammuz refilled a patron's drink before moving to the other end of the counter. The Amazoness dropped a few coins on top before he could reach her. He asked silently with a raised brow.

"Bell got himself dragged off by some Loki Familia members," Aisha explained. "Ten thousand an hour and this is what they gave me."

He counted the coins without touching them. The estimated value was eighty-thousand. He would need to break out the scales in his office to make an exact amount. Given that, Bell would have eight hours to entertain a set of guests. His shift would end in six hours so there was little Tammuz could do about it.

"I don't appreciate you bartering my employee without my consideration," his eyes snapped back at her.

She snorted, "Employee? He belongs to the familia. Just be glad I brought you your money instead of pocketing it for myself. They wanted a cheaper price but I settled for a price in between since they promised to spend everything here."

"And where are they?" he asked while looking over her shoulder. It was mostly for show.

"Not here-here," she stepped off the counter, planted her hands on her hips, and looked around the tavern. "Be real, Tammuz. This place is a dump. You'd sooner scare off Loki Familia than milk them dry. Bell's talents are wasted here if you ask me."

"Lady Ishtar delivered him to me and it is my decision on where to send him," he retorted. "You're lucky he isn't needed or I would have taken the loss in profits out of you."

"Tammuz, even with half of what I just gave you would that boy double your daily profits," she gave him a cheeky, superior smile. He didn't blink. "Look, I came to deliver and tell you where he went so you don't go off on him. Job done. I'm out of here."

"The boy draws attention but he's going to need more than that if he's going to survive Ishtar Familia," Tammuz said before she could run off. "He needs to learn how to turn a profit."

"That sounds like your problem since he's your 'employee'," she rolled her eyes.

He slid the coins towards her. Her eyes flicked down to them and widened. "I'm making it your problem. See that he doesn't embarrass the familia. He seems to trust you."

"The rabbit's not my problem," she frowned. "He seems to be doing just fine these past few days anyways. I can't exactly waste my time teaching him how we do things. I have my own quota to make."

"If you're too busy I will have to ask someone else to teach him," he said while looking directly at her. Unfazed and unblinking. "It would be cheaper as I know a few who are willing to do it for free."

Her frown deepened as she glared at him. He dismissed her and went back to managing his tavern, refilling the same patron's drink and keeping an eye on the other clients. In the corner of his eye, he saw Aisha swipe the coins off the counter and march out of the building.

"Well color me surprised," said the Amazoness who used his tavern to hide. She slipped up to the counter with an elbow propped and hand on her cheek. Her smile was teasing and knowing as if all the secrets of the universe were visible to her. "He's hardly been here three days and you're already investing a bit in him."

"It is wasteful to not use potential when it is available," he explained to her. "He is more useful out there than he is waiting tables. Unlike you, who lazes around in other people's places of business."

"I'm recovering from a wound from the Dungeon," she gave a half-hearted reply. "What do you care what I do? I bring you customers whenever you ask."

The patron sitting at the bar paid for his drinks and wobbled out of the door, uninterested in any of the girls available for the night. Tammuz took his cup and placed it in the wash bin.

"By the way…" she placed a package wrapped in bright blue paper and a silken white ribbon on the counter and slid it his way. "I happened to come across this earlier. You're meeting up with Dimmuzi later, aren't you?"

He eyed it, "I don't do delivery. And your efforts are wasted. My mentor only has eyes for Lady Ishtar."

"Oh, I know," her smile was bitter for only a second. Something coy and conniving replaced it when next he blinked. "This is, in fact, for Lady Ishtar. Bell seems to be so busy he hasn't had a chance to give it to her. And you know how Lady Ishtar can be, never making time for any of us mortal children. Can you be a dear and do it for him?"

He was going to repeat himself. She new it. Her smile remained and eyes continued to lock onto his as she placed a gold coin on the counter and slid it forward. This one had a diamond in the center.

"Will this impede his duties?" he asked.

"I'll make sure it doesn't," she spoke as though it were truth.

Sighing, he took it and the package.

Her smile became twisted with victory.

0-0-0

The events of the night were nothing but a blur. Events came and went, were forgotten but talked about. Perhaps some of the stories were made up in their drunken stupor. Or perhaps they remembered them in that exact moment with utmost clarity but lost the second the details escaped their lips. It didn't help they continued to drink at each and every spot.

Bell remembered very little. He remembered the first few brothels giving him free drinks with the girls catering to him. One girl sipped on wine and delivered it to his mouth via kiss. Gareth and Raul were missing for some time but they would always return and tell him it was time for the next stop.

"Bye! Don't be a stranger now! Come back soon!"

In another moment, he was in a bright and colorful building filled with decorations that rivaled the Belit Babili. Tables were lined in rows with rules and charts he couldn't understand. Playing cards, dice, and chips were tossed wherever he looked. Very pretty girls in deeply cut dresses served the three of them wine on silver trays while they played games he couldn't remember the rules for.

It didn't take them long to lose all their money playing these games. He and Raul thought to leave but Gareth thought otherwise. He tried to earn their money back… by placing Raul on the table. Raul was unsure, scared even. Bell shrugged and went along with it.

Gareth lost, betting on a pair of twos.

For this moment, the three of them had absolute sobriety.

"Cheese it!"

The only logical thing to do was take Raul and run. Gareth took the top half while Bell grabbed his legs, both of them carrying him like a log on their shoulders. The dwarf charged forwards, flinging tables and security guards out of his way with minimal effort. They ran in a straight line without any thought other than to escape.

"Gareth! That's a wall ahead!"

"Not for long it ain't!"

"DON'T USE ME AS A BATTERING RAM!"

Gareth lowered his head and smashed through the wall of the building. Debris fell on top of them but they all leapt out and kept running. Gareth and Bell continued to carry Raul out to safety even after security no longer bothered to chase them. They dove through the tall bushes acting as a wall (incidentally, there was an iron fence between, which Gareth tore through like with the wall) and kept running.

Several blocks later, they all panted for breath. All four of them. Bell couldn't recall if he was imagining the man with the elephant face or not.

"Wait. Who are you?"

"I am Ganesha."

"You are Ganesha?"

"I am Ganesha!"

"You are Ganesha."

"I am Ganesha!"

"You are Ganesha!"

"I AM GANESHA!"

"YOU ARE GANESHA!"

"Oh, Ganesha? That you? What're you doing here?"

"...I am Ganesha."

"Hmph. Makes sense. Welcome aboard. Shall we go to our next destination then, lads?"

"I am Ganesha!"

"You are Ganesha!"

"He is Ganesha!"

He didn't know when or how, but others had joined in on their nightly tour of the city. There were two more gods and at least a dozen Adventurers now. They followed Ganesha to a secret spot only he and his familia knew about. Around what felt like a maze did Ganesha take them into an open lot. There they found cages full of monsters. None of the beasts showed animosity as they awoke. Each one was either chained or had a heavy collar.

Another moment later, Bell was mounted on the back of a Dire Wolf. A broom was in his hand and a wooden serving tray was in his other hand. He was wearing Raul's armor but couldn't remember how or why. There were other trinkets on him, most of which he knew belonged to the other Adventurers but couldn't recall how he got them.

Across from him was the god, Ganesha, who was using a stack of hay as armor. He too had a broom and the lid of a barrel as a shield. He also was mounted on the back of a Dire Wolf.

"This is for the title of champion! Lord Ganesha against Sir Bell! Whoever wins gets it all! Now, on my mark... JOUST!"

There were names scratched on the wall beside the announcer, a really pretty cat girl. The names were set up like a tournament bracket with most of the names crossed off. The only names left were his… and Ganesha.

As soon as the cat girl slashed her hand down, the Dire Wolves charged forward. Bell was nearly knocked off but the fear of falling off forced him to steady himself. He didn't know what was going on or why. But he was here.

"I. AM. GANESHAAAAAAA!""

"I. AM. BEEEEEEELLLL!"

The crowd roared as he brought the broom around. He felt Ganesha's broom smack into his chest and nearly knocked him off the monster. His own broom struck something, though he couldn't tell what it was. The two beasts crossed by another before coming to a stop and circling around. The crowd roared louder.

Ganesha lay slumped on his beast in defeat. At the tip of Bell's broom was the god's mask.

He raised it over his head in triumph. The crowd went wild.

"In the name of the Guild, you are all under arrest for disturbing the peace!"

"Shit! It's the feds— I-I mean Astraea Familia!"

"CHEESE IT!"

Pandemonium broke out. Everyone scattered in every direction. Bell swore he saw some of them sink into the walls or slip through the cracks of the floor. Ganesha used his mount to leap onto the rooftop of one building and escape into the night. Unfortunately, Bell's Dire Wolf seemed less enthusiastic about following through.

Gareth was there to save him, tucking Bell under his arm like a sack of potatoes. He bent his knees, took in a deep breath, and threw his fist into the air. He leapt into the air, flying over the buildings and dozens of meders away from the lot in a single bound. He formed a crater when he landed. Bell was a little shaken and couldn't stand upright, but out of harm's way.

In time, the party regrouped.

"Okay. That's everyone. I'm counting fourteen."

"Fourteen? There were fifteen."

"A'ight, whoever ain't here speak!"

"..."

"Seems like everyone is here."

"I can get by that logic."

"W-Wait! Raul! What about Raul? I don't see him anywhere!"

"Eh. He's prob' at the next spot. Let's go meet him!"

"YEAH!"

They went off to their next destination. Bell worried about Raul, wondering if he had escaped or had gotten captured. But as they continued to march, anything about Raul was forgotten.

He found himself sitting in a comfortable leather couch when next he opened his eyes. The pretty cat girl was leaning against his arm while he had a mug of ale in his hand. He sipped on it without a second thought. In front of him was a semi-circle of people he knew to be their night party as well as a new cast of persons he couldn't recognize. He had their attention as their eyes were glued on him. Drinks splashed around as some of them laughed and pleaded with him to continue with the story.

Story? Oh. That's right. He was telling them about…

"And then when next I knew, the goblin had the knife!"

Gasps filled the room as though they were enthralled with a drama performance. The next words said may as well have been belches and mumblings. He couldn't even remember what he was talking about even when he knew his lips were moving. Every now and then he realized he was out of breath and took a moment to inhale, take a drink, and continue on. He didn't even know if he finished the story… or what else was discussed for the night.

One moment he was trying to outdrink Gareth, who brought a full barrel from the basement. The next he was talking about his girl problems to a blonde boy close to his age… but with the sharp and patient eyes of an old man. Another time he was discussing Amazonian fashion with a goddess, especially how much they both wished to see their clothes on non-Amazons. Somewhere in between he conversed with Ganesha over politics—

"You are the new Ganesha."

"But… I am Bell."

"You are Ganesha!"

"...I am Ganesha."

—And then Anna Kitty was holding his hand and giving him a tour of the manor. Or was it he holding her hand and giving her the tour? Wait. Who was Anna Kitty? Why was that name so familiar to him? Who… What was he doing again?

He shrugged and took another drink. He didn't even realize his mug had been empty for some time.

0-0-0

He ached all over. It felt like he had been ambushed a dozen goblins and they left him for dead. His head was ringing and the rays of sunshine slipping through the cracks of the window felt like a thousand needles. He craved to go back to sleep but the agony of it all kept him awake.

He didn't even realize where he was. At first he thought he was back in the Pleasure District in the male dormitories. But there was no way his bed was actually this soft. Or smelled this nice. Sure, there was a faint scent of musk but that was everywhere in the Pleasure District. His next thought told him he had stumbled into one of the prostitute's beds. Or his goddess'.

The girl sleeping in front of him was definitely not a prostitute. It was hard for him to say specifically, but she lacked the sort of… presence the prostitutes gave. She— her name being Anna, he recalled suddenly— had the presence of a normal girl.

She moaned and curled herself further against him. A soft purr escaped her throat as she fell back asleep. It was cute.

A groan came from behind him as a thick arm threw itself around him. He felt the pricking of facial hair at the back of his neck. A deep snore blew into his ear. He didn't need to turn around to know it was Gareth sleeping in the same bed as them.

A part of him found this all… comforting. A cute girl nestling against him while Gareth's strong arms held him securely. He felt safe.

...He must still be drunk.

Quietly, carefully, with as much stealth as he could muster… he fumbled out of bed and crashed onto the floor. Gareth snored loudly in alarm but tossed over and went back to sleep.

"Bell…?" the sleepy voice of Anna mumbled in her pillow. "Come back to bed. It's too 'ly fo'..."

Whatever she was going to say drifted off into sleep talk.

He found himself still wearing Raul's shirt. Just the shirt. He forced himself to look away from the bed. While he was curious as to if Anna had her clothes… he was terrified to learn of the same with Gareth. Instead, he focused on finding the remainder of his outfit. He found his trousers tossed onto a dresser, one boot by the bed, and the other… somehow stuck on the ceiling. He had to use a chair to reach it and had to put his entire weight on it to pry it off.

He slipped out of the room and quietly shut it behind him. His body ached with every step and he couldn't stand up straight. It felt like he was ten times heavier. He also couldn't keep his eyes fully open as the light in the hallway threatened to burn out his retinas.

He found Ganesha slumped against the wall with a lampshade over his head, snoring away. Bell wondered what ever happened to the god's mask and his mind answered dully. He patted his face and found the object in question still placed there from when he won it. He removed it and placed it neatly on the god's lap.

"I am…" the god snored and mumbled in his sleep, "Ganesha once more…"

Bell walked on— waddled along, actually. His shoulder hit the wall and he ended up using it to help support himself. He slid across it as he tried to find his way out of here.

0-0-0

Riveria Ljos Alf tried her hardest to not let the morning bother her. But every time she passed by someone sprawled out in the middle of the floor on her way to Gareth's dorm she couldn't stop her brow from twitching. Her normally stalwart expression was turning into a stern frown. Was she the only responsible one here? She told Gareth to not go crazy in the celebrations. They had training and initiation first thing in the morning. But… well, just look about her.

She couldn't even get her goddess to reprimand them. After all, she had participated in the welcoming celebrations just as zealously. Riveria found her sleeping on the roof. Bed and all.

She didn't knock as she threw the door open. She wouldn't give the dwarf the warning. "Gareth. Have you seen the newest…"

Her eyes flashed towards the bed as though a monster was waiting to pounce on her. She knew the two newest members of the familia was a cat girl and a human male. One of the two was sound asleep… in Gareth's bed… with most of her clothes tossed about on the floor.

She forced herself to walk away. She pinched the bridge of her nose and held it there until the pain of her throbbing head became a dull tolerance.

"Riveria?"

She removed her hand and looked down. Stepping out of a private room was a girl too young to be an Adventurer. But Loki had insisted she join for reasons Riveria could not pry out of their goddess. The girl's lifeless golden eyes gazed up at Riveria. Eyes that did not belong on a little girl.

"Hello there, Aiz," she spoke. A quick observation told her the girl hadn't been involved in last night's debauchery. "Already back from your morning training?"

She received a single silent nod. Nothing else. Her large eyes continued to stare at Riveria.

"I don't suppose you happened to come across Raul, did you?"

This time, Aiz blinked and tilted her head a tiny fraction.

"He would be a young man," she explained. "A new face you haven't seen before in the familia."

"...You mean the boy who fought the goblin?" Aiz questioned.

"What goblin? Please tell me they didn't smuggle in a goblin last night."

"The boy last night told everyone a story," Aiz spoke softly. Riveria felt her brow twitch after learning the small girl did participate. "He said he went down into the Dungeon for the first time with just a kitchen knife. No armor. I don't know why he did it. He told everyone he fought against a goblin. It nearly killed him but everyone cheered for him."

Her brow twitched one last time and remained in place. This. This was the straw that broke the camel's back. "Do you know where he is?"

Aiz pointed down the hallway. Riveria moved, walking at a brisk pace with purposeful steps. She paid no attention to anyone else. Those who were starting their day got out of her way. Even Finn, who was probably the only other sober one in the manor, turned and went back the way he came as soon as he saw her.

She found a boy she hadn't met a couple corners down. He was trying to place a vase back on its pedestal after almost knocking it over. He sensed her presence and went stiff. His eyes flicked to her and went wide. He had the look of someone who knew he was in trouble.

"I-I'm sorry," he said in a shaky, terrified voice. "I wasn't paying attention and I… I-I didn't break it! Look, see? Everything's fine!"

As he placed it back (even adjusting the flowers within) he stood still while facing her, accepting her judgment. She tapped a finger on her staff while eyeing him. He was weak. He had no presence. He had no lick of self-awareness or self-preservation. He was greener than even the greenest of recruits. He didn't belong here.

Even Aiz, a little girl who couldn't even pick up and hold a sword on her first day, had a better chance against a goblin than this boy.

"Come with me," she said in a voice that demanded no argument.

"I, but, I… o-okay," he said in a small voice. He kept his head bowed as she led him down the hallway, down the stairway, and out of the front door. They walked through the gardens, around the manor, and towards the open lot that was used for training. The ground was compact soil with a few racks of wooden and metal weapons around them.

She didn't normally do this. She was a mage and better directed the magic casters in the familia. But considering all the others were indisposed and she couldn't trust herself from murdering Gareth, she took it upon herself to instruct this damn fool. She stood in the center of the field while giving him one last look over. She found him… lacking. This was going to be a long and arduous task.

"Pick a weapon from over there and stand before me," she instructed.

His face lost its color as he threw up his hands, "W-Wait! Did I do something last night? Whatever it was, I'm sorry! I wasn't myself! Please forgive me!"

She sighed and told him in a firm but patient tone, "However you behaved last night is Gareth's responsibility as it was all his idea. But I heard you went into the Dungeon, without proper gear, and nearly lost against a goblin. Honestly… did you not listen to your Guild advisor?"

"Um… my what?" he asked in unveiled cluelessness.

The distance was too far. Her feet took her three steps forward. Only then did she smack him with the tip of her staff.

That response… he had no clue about the Guild advisors. Which meant he knew next to nothing about the Dungeon's monsters. Which meant he hadn't been offered the appropriate starting equipment to protect himself! This boy was more than just green. He was a complete idiot.

"You will pick a weapon from the rack over there and face me," she told him again. "If you are going to be an Adventurer, you need to learn how to defend yourself. Now get to it."

He hurried off in a fluster, still rubbing the spot on his head where she struck him. She watched him closely as he tried to figure out which of the wooden weapons to use. It was out of haste and fear of her impatience did he choose the shortsword. He scurried back to his previous spot and just… stood there.

"Attack me," she told him.

"E-Eh?" he gawked at her.

"I want you to attack me as if I were a monster," she said steadily. She looked at the way he reacted from his posture to his expression. Other than the sluggishness belonging to a boy undergoing a hangover, she found nothing threatening about him. He wouldn't even consider attacking her.

"B-But… what if I hurt you?" he looked on the verge of crying. He looked at the sword in his hand and then back at her. Not really looking at her but what she represented; some dainty flower that needed to be protected.

She quirked a brow. He honestly believed he could do anything against her.

She smacked him again. He didn't even try to defend himself.

"I suppose the first step in protecting yourself is learning how to anticipate another's intent," she muttered as she twirled her staff between her fingers. "Since you will not attack me, defend yourself. Predict my movements and react to them."

He realized she was serious and put up the sword finally. His stance was poor. Too many holes and too stiff. She went for an obvious strike at the shoulder. He blocked when he should have deflected. The only reason why she didn't follow up with another attack was to see his reaction time. Instead of resetting his stance, he kept his sword in place as if he expected her to hit the same spot.

She whacked him upside the head this time. He saw it coming but could do nothing against it.

"Keep your sword up in front of you. It is as much your shield as it is your weapon. Keep your eyes on me instead of your own hands and feet. Don't lower your guard for even a second. Dodge if you cannot deflect. The slightest mistake can cost you your life."

She hit him twenty more times throughout the session. But he was a quick learner and took her advice to heart. He deflected her more obvious attacks and tried to dodge those he knew were going to hit him. Tried. He lacked natural talent like Aiz and was undergoing a recovery from last night. His footwork was sloppy at best.

Only thirty minutes had him sprawled on the floor, panting and sweating. She had yet to move from her spot.

"It's a start somewhere, I suppose," she said as she planted the butt of her staff onto the ground. "Before you go into the Dungeon again, I want you to go to Pantheon and speak to one of the Guild advisors. Then you are to return to me so I can evaluate your equipment. I will have someone train with you if I am not available. You should only go into the Dungeon once I feel you can take care of yourself."

He was too exhausted to give a response. She wasn't sure if he was even listening.

Her eyes flicked to one corner of the field. Finn was standing there, watching them both with a mug of coffee. He stayed out of her way while quietly sipping on it.

"You also need to take better care of yourself," Riveria returned to the boy. "That means mitigating your indulgences. It's fine to enjoy yourself here and there but you're an Adventurer now. There will be times when the Guild issues a mission and it must be answered. You will need to be ready at all times."

He took another deep breath and sat up. He had a serious expression as he contemplated her words. "I see. Thank you. But I can't ask you to train me. I don't even know who you are."

That was true. She never introduced herself. Gareth took him away before she could. She didn't even know the latest applicants had been approved until she returned home from her errands.

"My name is Riveria and I am one of the sub-captains," she told him. His eyes went wide and mouth slightly agape. While it was out of shock, she didn't feel like it was because he was talking to one of the officers of the familia. "What is it?"

"It's just…" he lowered his head but didn't remove his gaze from her. He scratched the side of his head. "You're at the same level as Gareth and you're not that much older than me. That's really amazing!"

She heard the smile on Finn. Her eyes slid over towards him. He kept his grin hidden behind the coffee mug.

"You have the rest of the day to yourself," she told him, closing her eyes and turning away from the boy. No, her face was not heating up. The boy didn't know what he was saying. "Take the chance to go to Pantheon and acquire some gear. We will cover your starting equipment but anything after that will be out of your own expenses. I expect you here for training at dawn."

"Dawn?" he curled a finger under his chin and thought to himself. "That should be fine. Maybe if I push myself I can close the tavern early and come back here in time."

"Tavern?" her brows furrowed.

"Oh, yeah," he stood and patted off the dirt from his pants. "I work at a tavern. I-It's just a temporary thing until I can save up enough and be a real Adventurer!"

Riveria frowned for a new reason. She couldn't tell him to quit and dedicate all his time into adventuring. After all, despite how much they've achieved so far… their familia was constantly broke. At least he was willing to cover his own expenses. It was respectable.

When she turned to address him again, she saw his face lose its color once more. His eyes flicked up to the sky. A million thoughts crossed his mind that made him quiver. His eyes darted down and stared into open space. He was lost in his own thoughts.

"She's going to kill me…" he said in such a low voice a normal mortal child wouldn't have been able to hear it. Life returned to him as he snapped back into action. "I gotta go! Thank you for everything Miss Riveria!"

She didn't stop him as he took off running… and then came back to put the wooden sword away, bow to her, and took off again.

The sound of crunching footsteps made their way to her. Finn didn't say anything at first as the two of them watched the boy round the corner and go out of sight. "Riveria… why did you put in so much effort training that guy?"

"Aiz told me he challenged a goblin with a kitchen knife," she told him with an edge at the end. "And nearly lost, apparently."

Finn laughed lightly, "Ah yeah. I heard the story from him last night."

"And you didn't think anything wrong about it?" she shot him a challenging glare.

"Of course, but it's not my place to say anything about it," he shrugged off her glare with his casual tone. "You're the one being strange about this. Why did you say we would cover for his starting equipment?"

"R-Riveria! Finn!"

They turned their heads to find a fully clothed and decent-looking Anna coming their way. She looked flustered as she jogged to meet them. "Astraea Familia is at the front gates. They have a Guild representative with them. They're saying they have Raul in custody and are demanding we pay the fines to have him released."

"What?" Riveria's maternal instincts kicked into overdrive. "He was here not five minutes ago. For what reason would they take him away?"

Finn's head slowly made its way around to stare up at her.

"R-Raul? I don't know what you're talking about," Anna said. "They're saying they arrested him last night while he and Gareth were out in town."

"Oh," she breathed out. Her rising rage simmered down. "Tell them they're mistaken. I was just seeing to Raul's training."

Finn continued to stare at her while sipping on the last dregs of his coffee.

"B-But…" Anna looked between her two superiors.

"The Guild can only hold onto a person dependent on their crimes," Finn stated calmly. "If this person hasn't done anything serious, they will have no choice but to let him go. Don't worry, Riveria. I'll go talk to them and see what's going on."

"Thank you," she returned before her eyes went to Anna. "That reminds me. I need to find Gareth. If you will excuse me."

"Be sure to inform Gareth about Raul's training while you're at it," Finn said with his usual smile. "He might be out of it so remind him who Raul is. Even then I think he'll have him confused with someone else."

She nodded without a word and left.

In the meantime, Anna stepped closer to her commander and waited until Riveria was out of earshot. Enhanced hearing considered. "Finn? Was she talking about Bell? I saw him run by here. I thought I saw the two of you talking to each other last night. How could you confuse him for Raul?"

"Oh, I didn't," his smile was beaming at her. "But Riveria doesn't need to know that. Think of it as a learning experience for Raul on overindulgence. And… we can't exactly afford Raul's bail at the moment. Riveria would have forced us to pay if she learned what's really happening. But don't worry. The Guild will have no choice but to release him after some time. Probably."

"Are our finances really that bad?"

"Last night put us in the red. We'll need to budget for a bit. Welcome to the familia, Anna."

He gave her one more smile before heading towards the front gates of the manor. Astraea's children wouldn't wait forever for him.

Omake

"Wait," Hestia put up a hand to interrupt him. "You left that poor boy with the Guild for how long?"

"Only a week," Bell answered honestly. He also tried his hardest to not notice Haruhime's disappointed stare. "But, well, things happened and Raul... He went off on an adventurer on his own."

"I can imagine..." Hestia muttered lowly. She was about to call it quits as they had been talking throughout the night. But she suddenly realized something and nearly leapt out of her seat. "WAIT A MINUTE! You saw Ganesha without his mask?!"

"Hmm?" Bell gave her a look belonging to someone who didn't understand the significance of what they had done. "I've seen him without his mask a couple of times. What about it?"

"What about it?! Do you have any idea what this means?! NO ONE has seen his face! Not even the gods from his own pantheon!"

"Have you ever bothered to ask him?" Bell asked as though it were the most obvious thing to do.

Hestia didn't have a retort. No, she never asked the God of the Masses and Trials such a thing. But someone had to have thought of it before her! Surely someone approached him! They must have been rejected. That can be the only reason why asking him was such an outlandish idea. It had to be!

"Bell," Haruhime continued to look at him. "The Riveria in your story wouldn't happen to be that Riveria you told me about before, would it?"

"Ah..." a nervous smile filled his face.

Hestia glanced between her two children. Haruhime's cheeks were puffing up with jealousy while her tail stiffened. Bell was trying his hardest to come up with some excuse to explain himself. Like a man who had been caught cheating on his wife. Hestia knew about the Nine Hell (Loki wouldn't shut up about her). But it seemed like the prudish elf had a special relationship with Bell. Enough so to make the saintly Haruhime on edge. The girl didn't so much as blink after hearing how many girls he slept with on his first few days.

"...You didn't," Hestia accused him.

"D-Did what?" he started to sweat.

"Just tell me something. Is Loki could to come for my head now that you're my child?"

Bell's smile became petrified. He refused to answer.

Think of the money, Hestia. All she had to do was cash in those checks, wait for the down-payment to go through, and she could move out of this crummy church basement. She could have a real bed with a heating system. She could have a fridge filled with more than potato puffs! And a library filled with books for her to never grow bored again!

"Your luck is really something else," she sighed. "Let me guess. You somehow found yourself out of the city, stumble across Artemis and her love-hating children, and somehow become her Orion."

Bell stared at the wall furthest from them as if his life depended on it.

"I'm going to bed," she said as she slithered expertly into the sheets. She didn't even disturb Haruhime, who was sitting on one side. "I know I promised to hear your story but please omit anything that will get me killed or make me lose my sanity. I swear if I hear something like you stumbling across talking monsters and got your freak on I'm going to lose it."

She shut her eyes... and then opened them a moment later. Both Bell and Haruhime together were eerily quiet.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope! She wasn't going to think about it. Instead, she thought about all the things she was going to buy with Bell's money until she fell asleep.

Pat reon: Arrixam