Summary: This, is the story of an adventurer named Bell Cranel. Bell isn't your normal day adventurer either, no, he is in fact, an unblessed one. No one would accept him into their Familia, due to his weak looking self. Leaving Bell with one last option to secure his dreams. Watch as Bell becomes the first unblessed adventurer to enter the dungeon. Tread carefully young hero...The Gods are not with you here...Yet.

Disclaimer: I do not own DanMachi or any characters from the light novel. Please support the original release by buying the manga, the Light Novel, and the anime when it's available. Look on google play if you wish to buy the light novel like I did. I do, however, own this story idea, and any new original characters or monsters I use.

Character quote of the day: "I may not have the blessing of a God, but I was born to be an adventurer! I will not be detoured from my path, my dream, my destiny! I am a champion!" ~ Bell Cranel

Story: Somebody Up There Likes Me

Chapter One: The Weak Look Elsewhere

My journey to Orario was rather uneventful and short. It took a good three days from my old village, if I kept my current pace. It should have been less than that, but I didn't see the point on rushing; the dungeon that made the city so famous wasn't going anywhere. There were other reasons that made Orario famous too; a lot of Gods and Goddesses lived there. That was a very big reason why the place was so famous. It was where adventurers gathered to achieve their dreams, and fight for the God's blessings. Dreams of wealth, fame, power, women or men depending on your likes and sexuality. Yes, there were many different reasons one became an adventurer.

I was no exception. My grandfather, before he passed away, used to fill my head with uncounted heroic tales. Stories of epic adventurers that saved princesses or a fair maiden from some horrifying monster, and how that girl would fall in love with the adventurer. Somehow he always managed to tie in women or harems in each of his stories. It was a talent of his, if a useless one. He said: 'A true man doesn't just shoot for one woman, but desires a harem.' Now that doesn't sound all that bad, being a young male such as myself. Having multiple women around that cared for me and wanted me in such a way was an attractive idea.

My grandfather made sure that I'd always shoot for a harem. It seemed like that was the only way to please him at times. He also strongly encouraged me to talk to both women and girls. It wasn't an occasional thing either; he pushed the idea ALL THE TIME.

I did have one question though! I had put a lot of thought into this question too. I had never asked my grandfather this question before because it might make me look unmanly in his eyes. That was the last thing I wanted my grandfather to think. But the problem was a deeply puzzling one: I'd heard most men had a problem handling just one woman. If that was true, how the hell was I supposed to handle an entire harem? Better men than I have tried and failed. While I will definitely try to accomplish the goal my grandfather gave me, I have little confidence in succeeding.

If I was to go by what my grandfather told me, he wouldn't upset if I wasn't a very successful adventurer. If I had a harem I was golden in his books. Him and that damn harem. It had to be his favorite word; he absolutely loved the meaning it held. I was raised to pick up women, he'd even given me a guide book on the subject. It was most likely written by him too. I had no idea how he'd obtained this information, or if any of it would even work on the opposite sex. My grandfather was an odd individual, to say the least. A good man though! He was someone that I greatly respected.

That said, he was a bit of a hothead at times and quite forgetful. His personality was that of the wind, always changing. I still remember the stupid arguments we would have. One of our most memorable arguments had been - enlightening. I believe I labeled it as the: "Egg incident".

"Oh come on!" I'd yelled rather loudly. "I'm telling you those jumbo eggs did not cost one hundred and twenty-eight vails, it was totally two hundred and eighteen!" I glared at the older man, known as my grandfather. He'd obviously forgotten that, and when I tried to correct him on the real price, he started an argument over it. He should have known better!

My grandfather was sitting across the table from me matching my glare with his own. "And I'm telling you that they cost one hundred and twenty-eight vails. I was the one that put them into the cart!" He stated the last as a fact. A fact I could disprove rather easily!

"Have you lost your mind already? That didn't happen." He outright refused to believe my answer. I knew I was right too! I'm always the one who pushes and loads the cart.

"I'm always the one who pushes the cart! I know what I said!" I argued back not losing any momentum. His insult to my memory wasn't going to help him here, he wasn't baiting me with that like he always did. I was so gonna win this one, that was for sure. He knew damn well I have one of the best memories around.

"Yeah, you always push the cart, away from me!" he shot back, "Ditching me to look for some other crap."

"Oh my God," I face-palmed, giving up on the conversation. "I ditch you because it takes you five years to move from aisle to aisle! You can't decide on anything! That only proves I was the one to get the eggs, because you were still in the meat aisle!" Hopefully, that would be the last nail in the coffin.

I should have known better.

"But where does the meat go?" he asked. I was so done after that question. I'd won since he changed the subject, anyway.

Yes, we had some rather interesting… debates. I would take that particular one to the grave too. I knew for a fact that those damn eggs cost two hundred and eighteen vails. It wasn't my fault he put the wrong numbers around different places.

Anyway, my name is Bell Cranel. I'm a five foot-five inches, fourteen-year-old male, with white hair and red eyes; often compared to a rabbit based on my appearance. Such a comparison doesn't really bother me much, rabbits were fast and agile. I wear a hip length brown coat with a black patch just below my right shoulder, over a long sleeved black shirt. I also wear black pants, a beige belt with a silver buckle, and brown shin-high boots. For weapons, I had a long combat knife on my left side, it was a gift from a friend before I had left the village.

Huh, I guess I do really look like a rabbit, a rabbit with a sword-err knife!

Well, girls liked rabbits because they were cute and cuddly. I'd heard that from some of the girls in my village when I was growing up. Never you mind the hunter girls! Those girls would want to play tag, and not in a good way. 'Catch the rabbit,' the game was called. I was always the damn rabbit. The game was simple: just me running away from a bunch of tomboys that wanted to tackle me into the ground. It always ended the in one of two ways, either my getting away because of my speed, or being dog-piled. My grandfather called me a lucky son of a bitch, I had no clue why. He wasn't not the one coming home tired and beaten.

"What the hell was I just thinking?!" I practically yelled at myself. Man, that was a weird thought. I can't believe I considered those girls could like me so much. Man, the faster I get in that Dungeon, the better.

It was true that I wanted to become an adventurer to meet girls, but there was also another desire. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to save people, protect them from monsters. I wanted the whole world to know of the adventurer named Bell. Bell: the amazing, the strong, the fast, and the 'Rabbit'! Sure a rabbit wasn't all that intimidating, but it was fast and could easily get away from danger. That's all that mattered to me. That, and the namet kinda stuck to me after having so many people call me that from my hometown.

As I walked down the dirt paved road that led to the city, I could make out its massive tower that reached to the heavens. It was known as the world's largest tower, the Tower of Babel. I heard it used to be much shorter, but when the Gods descended to Earth, they'd decided to make the tower larger. Kind of funny that the tower had originally been meant do just that, reach the heavens, to reach the gods. Yet in the end, the gods came to man.

My grandfather had told me a lot about the city of Orario. Regrettably, most of what he told me was the names of Goddesses and their chest sizes. I was rather young when he had first told me about the place, I'm still able to remember that a goddess named Freya is considered to be the most beautiful among the Gods and Goddesses, and is said to have the perfect body. My grandfather's never ending facts of useless information were like a waterfall. It just kept gushing over the side of a cliff into a massive pool of wasted potential and fruitless information.

I could feel my stomach tossing and turn as the fifty-meter tall wall caught my sight. I could easily see it almost impossible to climb. The wall was smooth, made from strong rocks and stones with guard posts all over its heights. Orario was truly an impenetrable fortress, built not only to keep people out, but to keep the monsters in, should they try to escape the dungeon. The god's didn't mess around when they built things. They had to make everything majestic and built to last since, well, you know, they're everlasting. They will never die, so why would they want things that fell apart? They didn't.

It was as I got extremely close to the gates of Orario, that I noticed my comparatively small stature. Next to the buildings, the wall, the Tower, I was an insignificant ant before Orario. This was how I felt, completely lost as I stood before the gate. I hadn't the faintest idea of what I should do next. All I had in my mind at the time was to reach the city. I hadn't planned that far ahead. The lack of foresight was humiliating.

This wasn't how I expected my great adventure starting off. Racking my mind for an answer, I came decided to get acquainted with the massive city, starting with obtaining a map. It was a good start. Yes, that would do quite nicely actually. If I had a map, I could learn where everything is located. With this in mind, I kept my eyes peeled for a vendor as I entered into the city.

That was then when I felt something wash over me. I don't know how to explain it, but it was almost like something had just searched me. It didn't feel like a person's gaze; no, it felt like a small gust of wind. It was cold on the skin for a second before it completely disappeared. The sensation felt odd, and completely unexpected.

'Just what was that?' I asked myself, probing my mind for an answer of some sort. My brain came up short, however. I ended up shrugging it off and continued on my way into the city.

To my amazement, the peaceful atmosphere that nature had surrounded me with before entering was swept away by the aura this place held. It was such a massive change too. The quietness had been replaced like an empty cup, suddenly filled with the hustle and bustle of the common day folk. Merchants of all kinds waved for attention, calling to would be shoppers. Stores and restaurants stationed members of their staff outside their doors, trying to bring the crowds to their businesses. Adventurers hanging out with their fellow peers, passed time before entering into the dungeon, and street entertainers showed off their skills in various ways. It was a totally new experience for me.

The sights, the smells of various foods filling the air, and the loudness of pedestrians going through their daily lives baffled my senses. Growing up as a country boy that lived in a small rural village, this flurry of activity was completely new to me. There weren't nearly this many people in the streets of my old home. Orario was just so much more lively, yet it definitely didn't give off the same vibes that my old home did. It felt more… unfriendly, dangerous, like something terrifying hid below the surface. It could have been my imagination as well. Nerves getting the best of me in my awestruck state.

I didn't really have to look long to find a street vendor selling maps of various places. I noticed that the maps were of the dungeon below, hiding under the surface of the city. The man wore a long red and gold cloak of sorts, a hood that covered most of his head, and just to hide his face even more, a black ski mask that covered everything but his light green eyes. I could also see his footwear consisted of black boots. I suspected that he may have armor under the cloak - he was an adventurer.

"It would seem my merchandise has caught your attention," he spoke up first.

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly, "Uh yeah, I'm kinda new here to Orario, so I was-"

The man seemed to catch my drift right away, almost like it was a common thing dealt with on a daily basis.

He cut me off with a raised hand, "So you were looking for a map of the city Orario, are you?"

I nodded at the man's question.

"Yes, I have a map of Orario. They're usually the cheapest kind of maps one can buy," he took a map out from a box on the ground under his stall.

I smiled brightly hearing the word 'cheapest'. It meant I wouldn't have to be spending much on a map leaving me with more-

"However," I had to jinx it didn't I? "My maps have been completely updated to last week. Unlike some people who will try and sell you a map from eight years ago."

I blinked looking stunned, "People would try and sell me a map from that long ago?" I asked. I really didn't want to believe that people might try and take advantage of my situation as a newcomer. The guy in front of me seemed trustworthy, though. He merely nodded in answer to my question, "Well thanks then for the information!"

That was when something clicked in my brain. This man looked pretty shady, now that I really looked at him. I decided to voice my concerns. "Well I'm grateful and all for your help, but you seem preettty shady covering yourself and all." I sent him a suspicious gaze.

The man didn't react until he started laughing, "That is a good assumption, however, you'll find I've been here on this spot for three years and have built quite the customer base." He wasn't aggressive at all. No, he seemed more amused that I'd actually used the information he'd given me on himself.

I rubbed my chin in thought. "May I see your map, first?" I asked curiously. This was my end game solution. My memory was so good that once I read or saw something, I could remember it like it was yesterday - but it's a rare gift. So rare that the merchant didn't see any harm in showing me the map. He unrolled the map, placing it on the stall counter. I cast my gaze along the map's surface, memorizing every marking. Orario looked to be cut into eight different sections, eight pieces like how someone would cut a pie. I pointed to the map, "Where are we exactly?"

"We are here, at the 'Alsing's Map Bureau' on Condish Street." The man pointed to the street that we were on. He held out a hand for me to shake. "I'm Alsing Moto, and this is my shop."

Take the man's hand in a handshake, "I'm Bell Cranel, an adventurer hopeful."

I looked at the names over the stores along the street, and noticed that all of them matched the names on the map. It was a legitimate map, at least current to when the shops had been built. The seller gave me a knowing smile, and rolled up the map. "As you can tell Bell-san, it is not a fake and one hundred percent accurate."

'Hmm, he noticed me looking around the area to make sure it was real or not. He's got a very good eye for detail. Which only makes me believe his map work is perfect.' I sighed. Technically, I'd used my gift to take advantage of the man's hard work. I now knew where everything was, though I had no idea what of what any of it looked. I also had to have a picture in my mind of the places, before I could definitely state that I knew where everything was. Well I guess I had to pay for it. "How much is it for the map?"

"It costs five hundred and seventy-five vails," Alsing informed me. That was kind of up there to my mind, not cheap. I almost thought it to be the normal price, not cheap. Err whatever, I'd just pay for it. I'd still have around eight thousand vails left.

I took out the requested sum from my money sack, and put it on the stall counter. The man checked the money, and then handed me my new map, a map that I didn't really need. I put it into my backpack, and heard the man give me a, "Thank you for your patronage."

I waved back before going on my way. Now that I knew where everything was, it would make my next step pretty easy: find a Familia to join. That was my next step. The sooner I found a place to stay, the better. No one wanted to sleep on the streets their first night. I should have had planned things out a little better. I was too naive to not even think sleeping on the streets might be a possible outcome. It was a good thing that I had all day to find a Familia to join.

POV Change: Freya, Tower of Orario, Munificent Suite

Hours had passed since Bell began his new efforts, trying to get into a Familia, sadly without any luck. But what he did not know, was that he'd been a little more successful than he'd ever thought.

High above the city of Orario, in the part of the Tower of Babel reserved for a select few, was a goddess. This being did not compare with the average female resident of the Tower, no. This was the goddess renowned to all lands both civilized and barbarian, for her absolute beauty. The goddess Freya.

Even within a society where breathtaking looks were considered average, Freya's beauty surpassed the upper limits of flawless perfection. Long silver hair, coquettishly held back by two black and red bands framed purple eyes, and skin akin in appearance that of fresh snow. She stood at five feet-seven inches, and well aware of how her form defined the perfect golden ratio. Freya's perfect body redefined beauty every time she moved, simply by virtue of her gorgeous splendor existing.

Her clothing, if it could be called that, was very revealing. It was, in fact, in pieces. She wore black satin gloves, long enough to cover most of her arms, ending in a red fur-like design near her soft shoulders. The minimalist dress covering for her body resembled a black leotard, with matching fur designs, but also bearing major differences. Unlike a leotard, much of her pale skin was revealed; most of her firm abdomen could be seen, below the plunging neckline where her generous proportions were displayed. If one were so blessed, they would also see a low back to her dress, showcasing the pale skin like a work of art. The dress extended in a tight fit along her right thigh, playfully leaving the left thigh bare while tightening around the leg, flaring into a cape as it reached both slender ankles, themselves gracing a pair of black high-heels.

The Freya Familia home was known as Folkvangr, located near the center of the business area, on the opposite side of Orario from the Loki Familia domicile. Folkvangr was a huge mansion, built in the same solemn fashion as a temple. It contained a large grounds and was surrounded by four large walls, constructed like the walls surrounding Orario itself. Folkvangr's grounds contained a garden large enough for all its Familia members to assemble within, an obscene display of wealth in a crowded city. The mansion's appearance demonstrated the Freya Familia's power, riches, and honor.

It was of no surprise then, that the Freya Familia emblem was the profile of a Valkyrie. Whom else would choose a mascot embodying beauty, power, and sheer presence?

Her Familia was known to be the strongest in all of Orario. Freya always got what she wanted, using her looks, seductive personality, or by force. Any new adventurer that showed great promise, she ruthlessly pursued. And once they were hers, she would never let them go. No other Gods or Goddesses could snatch them away from her grasp - she kept what was hers in an iron grip.

Her tastes in talented adventurers was insatiable. She loved watching her strongest utterly destroy the competition, bringing the wrath of her will upon those that sought to stand between that which she desired, and herself. Her power over the lands reached greater heights than almost anyone could imagine.

The silver haired Goddess sat in her almost sinfully comfortable, throne-like chair. The chair itself was quite large and wide and could likely hold two people, if she had a mind to share. Its soft cushioning in crimson fabric provided the maximum comfort, lined in real, solid gold. Behind her stood a massive bookcase that covered almost the entire wall, full of books and treasures won by her hand. But despite the decadence of thrones and ancient tomes, the greatest treasure in her boudoir was a massive window that also functioned as a mirror through which Freya could watch anyone she pleased. Of course, this could have been considered 'against the rules,' but she'd managed to… persuade the gods. Coaxing others into letting her have her way was so easy, it inevitably incurred jealousy among the goddesses. Yet despite all that she was in a rather bored state, at the moment.

She had just finished watching a random adventurer from the Soma Familia that had piqued her interest. His rather displeasing display of addiction to that beverage had gotten him killed, by an enemy he shouldn't have even bothered fighting - how disappointing. There was no one that had caught her gaze for quite awhile now; she'd spotted that sad addict months before. Today, she hadn't even used her innate ability, the 'Discerning Eye,' to see the color and brilliance of souls down below. She often used this ability while above, to claim those she took a liking to before anyone else had a notion of their value. Contrary to her normal habit, Freya hadn't used it when she was up here today. Hopefully, there wasn't anyone of interest that had entered the city on the one day she did not use it.

Freya's violet eyes studied the tiny droplets forming, swirling as she played with the red wine in her glass. Nothing was happening today - but perhaps? She lifted her head a tad and turned it slightly when the door to her observation room opened. She knew this man's presence anywhere. A small smirk crossed her beautiful features; she'd 'recruited' this man after all. This was the captain of her Familia, Ottar. The highest ranked member of all the Familias.

Ottar was a Boaz, with a rock-like body and stood six foot-eleven inches tall; he had rusty brown hair, rust colored eyes, a pair of boar ears, and a tan skin. His forehead was covered by a red headband, his muscular torso by a skin tight, black sleeveless shirt. A red breast plate set on the left side was held in place with light brown leather straps, contrasting nicely with the black-and-blood gauntlets on his hands. Like everything else, Ottar's pants were finely tailored, a matte black and loose-fitting. Boots, a light brown and black that matched the leather straps, protected his feet. Lastly, there was a silver collar of sorts around his neck.

He entered the room at her glance, bowing respectfully before her, "My Goddess. I have the files of the candidates of this month."

She smiled; Ottar was a truly loyal follower. He would obey her orders, no matter what they were. His loyalty was such that did not allow anyone to insult her in his presence, else driving him into a blind rage. Few tested that devotion: he was one of the most powerful adventurers in the land as of today.

She took notice of the files in his hands. She knew what those files were: the dossiers of people that wanted to join her Familia. It was quite astonishing how so many people wanted to join her little Familia, or simply wished to become close to her. Freya switched the drink to her left hand and extended her right hand. Ottar understood, and placed the files into her flawless hand.

She gazed over each one of the files. Boredom raised its torpid visage once more as she saw the names and supposed accomplishments listed. ''Most of these men I have seen before. Half of what they claim is false. Amusing. to think they could actually lie to this me.'

Afterward, came the sketches of themselves done by her professional sketch artist. 'He's rather plain… Unattractive… No… Ugh, no… What even is that?' She let out an displeased sigh. This was even worse than the previous two months.

Then came the last dossier in her hands; she knew how Ottar worked. The least fitting specimens were always at the bottom of the pile. In fact, most of the time, she didn't even bother looking at the last one. In Ottar's practical sense, the last one was the least in terms of strength and overall appearance, and the most likely to die if they joined… well, any Familia. Though unlike all the times before-hand, it seemed this one was just begging her to open it. Which was certainly odd, it was like the hope this person felt was transferred to his file. It wasn't something she had normally felt. Yet, it was tempting her, almost seducing her decision to open it. Should she?

'Might as well.'

So for the first time in a very long while, she decided to open the last file.

Freya Familia Dossier

Name: Bell Cranel

Physical Characteristics

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 14

Eye Color: Red

Hair Color: White

Height: 5'5''

Professional Status

Past occupation: Farmer and Miner

Current occupation: Adventurer hopeful

Last Known Level: None

Biographical Profile

Hiya, my name is Bell Cranel, like I had listed earlier on in the dossier. I'm from a small farming and mining village not too far away from Orario. I was a farmer and miner there since I was six years old. I just arrived here today to start my adventurer career. I have always dreamed of becoming a heroic adventurer like in all the stories my grandfather told me about when I was a kid. I have always wanted to be a hero that would save the day in some sort of way. I want to get strong so I can protect my Familia and loved ones, should I be accepted into one that is.

I was known for being quite fast in my village that they called me, Rabbit as my nickname. I was also told that I look like one too, on multiple occasions. I may not have a lot of experience fighting monsters or people, but I'm young and willing to learn! Please consider me for the Freya Familia!

Feats of Heroics

I once distracted a bear so a girl could escape. I had managed to dig out a trapped miner out of a cave in by myself. I also trapped a rampaging bull that had gored five people and trampled two others. The last thing I did that was heroic, wasn't all that heroic. I accidentally killed a goblin that was terrorizing miners for the past month. I had run into it by accident, and we both took a rather nasty fall down a mine shaft. I somehow managed to survive because of something breaking my fall on the way down (it was the goblin).

When the Goddess of Beauty had finished reading this boy's profile, she didn't know what to think. She had to reread the profile again, with a little more care. Once she did, she was quite - no. She was very interested in this young Bell. He was naive by the looks of his dream, which alone made her feel giddy. The childish display was just so cute! It would also seem that the boy was a hard worker, based on his past occupations. Neither were easy, and both required a good skill set to survive. The mining part was also good, because the dungeon below was, in essence, a massive cave. He'd basically be back home in his little niche.

Reading over his list of heroics brought Freya to the edge of laughter. There were no big stories of how he strangled a bear with bare hands, sliced the goblin's head off while front-kicking it off a mine shaft, or flipping a charging bull over a fence. It was told exactly like it happened - she'd give him points for honesty. It also made her somewhat angry. Not at the boy named Bell, but at herself for neglecting to use her 'Discerning Eye'. She would have noticed this boy beforehand, and marked him as a person of interest, watching his development over the course of the day.

All that was left was to see the boy's … sketch ….

"Oh my, my!" Slipped out of her delicate lips. Her interest in the boy increased a ten fold. She chuckled; just seeing the goofy grin her artist depicted on Bell, he seemed a rather shy and bashful teen, in part thanks to the artist sketching the boy scratching the back of his head.

'He really does look like a cute little rabbit doesn't he? I can see why Ottar put him on the bottom. He doesn't look like much, yet… there is something about him.' The goddess pondered.

It would seem that the boredom lasting these past three months had ended. All she had to do now was see the color of the boy's soul. Then, she would make a decision on what to do next. She could do it now, but didn't want to risk the trouble it might cause. For now, she would hold onto Bell's file and be patient. She handed the rest of the papers back to Ottar. She waited for him to notice the one file still in her hands.

His eyes flicked down, as the rejected files were tucked under one arm. He would dispose of them right after he was done with his goddess. "Yes, my lady?"

"I want you to keep an ear out for the name of Bell Cranel, and anything he does of note." Freya let her happiness show at the thought; she rarely needed to order any of her Familia, a smile served just as well in most cases.

Ottar took to her words like a fly did to a gemstone lamp, bowing to her. "I will do as you say."

Freya just sat in her chair watching over the city as a smile of sorts graced itself across her perfect face. "Bell Cranel…." It was the only thing on her mind at the moment. It would take time for the young man to prove himself if he truly as interesting as his profile made him out to be. She would have her answer soon enough.

POV Change: Hephaestus, House of Hephaestus

"Please Hephaestus! Please let me stay one more day! Please!"

She sat behind her desk, looking at her pleading friend. Hephaestus had crimson eyes and red hair tied back in a ponytail that reached her waist. While possessing what generously might have been called a 'sharp face', she rose a five foot five inch height, bearing an eye patch. Her clothing consisted of a white, long-sleeve, button front, the sleeves of which bore the protective covering of hardened smithing gloves. Tight black pants with well-heeled knee-high boots helped generate her image as a smith, confirmed by the presence of a holster carrying her personal hammer. Only one goddess carried a hammer like this.

Hephaestus was known as the divine smith. She lead her famous Familia in making the best weapons and armors one could buy. They were also known for performing quick field repairs, essential for Dungeon work. The Hephaestus brand was well known throughout the world, to the point where they were the only Familia in Orario that didn't rely on income from the Dungeon. The Hephaestus brand logo was only allowed on items both authorized by Hephaestus and her executives, and made by Level Two or higher smiths with the Blacksmith Development Ability. The Familia owned several branch stores in alternate locations, including the Tower, and rented the fourth through eighth floors of the tower.

The Hephaestus Familia had the right to give all Familia members their own workshop. This was done to prevent a smith's techniques from being seen by others; for even within the Familia, smiths competed with each other to sell their works. For this, and other obvious reasons, the Hephaestus Familia emblem showed crossed hammers over a volcano.

Hephaestus held back a deep sigh. She'd told her longtime friend that she would be kicking her out today, yet there was a small part of her that didn't want to endanger her friendship with the small goddess. She also hadn't found a place for her friend to stay either… she pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation, and sighed again. "Fine, Hestia! You may stay one more day."

The sigh turned to a groan, as her friend cheered happily.

Her friend, Hestia, was a beautiful, petite, goddess whom's appearance seems to be that of a little girl or teenager. She had roundish blue eyes, and their bright properties highlighted by light-black hair tied into pigtails that reached mid-thigh. The two twin tails were held up by bows, resembling white and blue flower petals, and two rectangular "bell" shaped ornaments. She had a small frame of four foot-seven inches, which further emphasized her breasts; hence the nickname: "Loli Big-boobs." Hestia's usual attire was a white mini-dress with two blue ribbons, one circling her collar and one tied under her breasts. White, elbow-length gloves finished the ensemble, giving an aura of innocent interest, which Hephaestus knew to be true.

Her fellow goddess had come down to earth in order to read the many stories written by the many different races. She'd let the small goddess stay with her, hoping Hestia would soon begin trying to get a Familia together. It became clear to her however, that the smaller goddess hadn't even started on obtaining a Familia, or even a basic job! Hestia could be a hard worker, emphasis on could, but the little goddess had been freeloading for a couple of years. Now Hephaestus was at her wit's end.

She watched her so called friend turn to leave, but hardened her gaze on the Loli Goddess at the last second. "Hestia,"

The woman stopped dead in her tracks at her voice. Hestia knew damn well that this voice was the one she made when upset. Hestia slowly turned to look at her, a scared expression on her face.

"Err, yes …?" She sounded like a mouse, caught in the gaze of a hungry cat.

"If I were you, I'd start preparing myself for tomorrow. You're going to have a lot of problems if you don't." She gave the short Goddess some much-needed words of advice. "I'm not going to fall for any more of your tricks or pleas, so prepare yourself!" She crossed her arms over her chest.

Hestia shook for a moment, then dropped her head, shoulders drooping to match. "I understand …."

Hephaestus watched the shorter goddess leave her office, closing the door with a near-silent click. Her last sight was of a goddess that looked like a kicked puppy. When Hephaestus was sure that her friend was gone, she slammed her head down on the desk. "I'm getting too old for this..."

The saying didn't really apply to an everlasting goddess like herself. But the point remained.

'Knowing her...She probably went back to reading...' She groaned at the thought. Hestia always took advantage of the extra time she was given, but not to improve her situation. Her friendly advice was wasted, no doubt. Well, some people just had to learn things the hard way.

POV Change: Bell Cranel, Outside Familia quarters ...again

"You look too damn weak!" The large muscular man yelled at my face; I could smell his lunch on his breath. The man was quite tall, and many scars criss-crossed over his own face. Apparently, the man had seen a lot of action in his days as an adventurer. The armor and broadsword across his back, plus the yellow eyes made it look as if he'd just returned from the Dungeon.

He slammed the door right in my face too, after shouting at it. That was the last adventurer Familia. My hopes were crushed at that instant. There was no place left to turn to, no other Familia to try. If none of these low and mid ranked Familias wanted me, why in hell would the famous ones I hadn't tried want me? I'd already tried the Loki Familia, who told me they were full of requests at the moment. I'd gotten a 'We'll get back to you,' from the Freya Familia, which translated to, 'Yeah right.'

'Do I re-really look weak?' I could feel tears forming in my eyes as my heart sank deeper into despair. This was the sad reality of the world. I knew that being an adventurer was going to be dangerous, but now that looked like getting to the danger itself wouldn't be an option. My dreams of being a famous adventurer had gotten slammed right in my face. Literally.

Hours upon hours of looking, hoping for there to be one group of people looking for a newbie like me. It was all for not. There wasn't one Familia that I could think of that would accept me. It was at this time that I'd also noticed the sky to be darkening into nighttime. The final rays of the sun barely reached up above the horizon now, night had fallen onto the great city of Orario, leaving me alone in the dark. My tears started to fall freely now. It was just too much for me to handle. No one wanted me.

As I walked down the street, a thought stopped me in my tracks. I still hadn't signed up to be an actual adventurer at the Guild! My over emotional self-had neglected to think of that. Damn, that should have been the second thing I did! Looking for a Familia should have been third on my list. I had to get there before it closed. With that in mind, I took off to where the Guild building was located, running at top speed. Anyone on the street that saw me rushing along either made room, or just wondered why the hell I was running. I didn't let the stares get me. There wasn't any time to explain! I had to get to the Guild building as soon as possible.

When I reached the Guild building, after about ten minutes of nonstop running, my searching eyes spotted their lights still on. That was all I needed to know the place was still open. I rushed right in, through the well-made oak doors and ran right up to a girl that was looking rather perplexed by my entrance. At the time I didn't even take in the sights of the outside or inside of the building. Its magnificent glory was totally lost on me. When I finally stopped right in front of her, I was breathing heavily from all the running at top speed. My sides hurt, I felt like my stomach was cramping up, and my over emotional state of mind was most likely showing on my face. But! I had made it in time, that was all that mattered.

It was just too damn bad I was looking like some kind of weirdo in front of a cute girl! The girl before me was a five foot-five inch Half Elf, with a slim body, pointy ears, shoulder length brown hair, and emerald colored eyes covered by glasses. She was wearing what I guessed to be the uniform of the Guild. A white, button up, long-sleeve shirt with a black vest, fastened with small golden buttons. A gray bow tie looped around her neck; all those colors a direct contrast to her black suit pants, black heeled shoes, and black gloves that covered her hands.

She didn't give me a second to catch my breath, a concerned look was in her eye. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I managed to wheeze out. I don't think she was going to believe that though. I may have also sounded like I'd just watched someone important die. If that wasn't enough, all she needed to do was take one look at my face and see the tears still flowing from my eyes. I should have known that wouldn't have worked.

"Obviously not!" She rejected my answer. It was quite easy too when I looked and sounded like I did. "You are crying, sir ...?"

I sniffed and put a hand up to her while I used the other to wipe my eyes, "Give me a sec." I muttered.

The older girl nodded reluctantly. It was clear she wanted to be of help or at least resolve the problem in front of her. I was finally able to get a hold of myself, 'After I made myself look like such a crybaby!' I felt depressed once again. Some epic adventurer I turned out to be, huh?

"Sorry about all of that," I tested out my voice, relieved it was back to normal. "I'm Bell Cranel."

She gave me a consoling smile, seeming to try her best to keep the situation from escalating further. "Hello Bell-san, my name is Eina Tulle. I'm a Dungeon adviser here at the Guild." Her manner grew more serious. "Now tell me what is the matter?"

"I-I'd rather not talk about it," I told her hastily. I didn't want her knowing that none of the Familias wanted me. They might not let me register into the Guild without one! So hopefully she might just- that look she was giving me told me she wasn't going to budge on this. I sighed when I saw that look, "I've had a pretty rough day. I'm just a little overwhelmed by everything." I got a little closer to the girl, and whispered, "I just got here to Orario so I'm just - don't really know what I should do right now." Then I moved out of her personal space, I didn't want to creep her out or anything.

Eina raised one of her small brown eyebrows at my answer and then thought about it for awhile, and then smiled at me. "I can see your predicament. I'll do my best to help you out. Now I suppose you came here for-"

I grinned at the question and didn't let her finish, "I was hoping to register as an adventurer." I was overexcited.

She blinked at me, apparently not expecting an interruption. "I see..." She looked around and I noticed that I was the only adventurer left in the Guild building. The staff seemed very busy finishing up their current tasks before they closed. That meant she would most likely be the last one done after she helped the wannabe adventurer, and she was going to have to lock up the Guild. "Well Bell-san, it looks like I'm going to be your Dungeon adviser. We have a lot to discuss."

I was now very nervous, her entire demeanor had just changed from supportive to an almost deadly seriousness. "Well, let's get started then!" I smiled at her. I was excited to get my career started; with this, I might be able to go into the Dungeon anyway. I had to start making money, who knew, maybe a Familia might accept me if I showed my worth. I had to try, right? It would also give me more options should I be unsuccessful. Thankfully, the older girl wasted no time in grabbing papers from under her work space behind the counter. She placed a couple of them before me.

Just as I was about to start looking over the papers, she put a hand up to get my attention, "Firstly before you sign up," she started in an all business tone, "The Guild offers both a three thousand vails weapons and armor pack, or a three thousand six hundred version. If you are interested?"

'I guess it wouldn't hurt to buy some extra stuff just in case.' I thought over the deal in my head. It seemed useful. "Yeah, that sounds pretty good, but what do I get in each pack?" I wondered out loud.

She smiled at my question, "I'm glad to see you want to know what you are getting. A lot of the new adventurers just choose the more expensive one." I was puzzled by her response but didn't question it. She continued, "Anyway the first starter pack comes with full leather armor and a knife. The second one you get the same armor and two knives, one health and one stamina potion."

"I think the second one is a better call," I admitted. 'That health and stamina potions were a better deal. Without those, I'd be in big trouble if I got hurt down there, especially if I didn't get accepted into a Familia.' I watched on as she wrote my name down on a list, then point out a packet in front of me.

"These are just legal papers that say you understand the risks of going to the Dungeon, and that the Guild is not responsible for your death. They also explain what the job of adventuring is, how you will protect the city from dangers that the Dungeon poses, what the Guild offers you as an adventurer, and why we need to go into the Dungeon. Sign at the bottom of each paper."

I appreciated her summarizing a whole packet in three sentences or less. No reading for me then. I signed all the papers in the packet, just like she asked.

"Hmm, is that it?" I asked hopefully. I was eager to hurry up and get out of there. I didn't like this paperwork at all. Nope, not at all.

Eina seemed to catch onto my thoughts, she gave me a mischievous grin, "Of course not!"

I gave her a tired sigh, it was going to be a long night for me. That look she had given me told me so, but at least the pretty girl giggled at me. What a day, what a day, oh man, what a day it's been.

Ain't no rest… for an adventurer like me.

End of Chapter One