AN: As I was finishing the last few paragraphs of this, I heard a song play on my Pandora. I went to like it when I noticed the title.

Leviathan, by Dirt Poor Robins.

It's a goddamn sign from beyond.

In any case, I'll be working on this until I figure out what the shit is going on with Paleblood. Maybe post a BR and Seventh or two. There was something else... something I can't remember. Something with a heart... Eh. You know what they say; if it's important, it'll come back to you.

On with the show.

"Cao Cao!" Indra smiled and waved. He never looked away from main stage as one of Ganesha's best was playing with a sabertooth. "Glad for you to join me. Want some popcorn?"

He lifted the colorful bag over his head and shook it a little, gesturing for Cao Cao to take a handful.

"No thank you, Indra," Cao Cao said in a polite tone. Still, his lack of a title for the god made the lackeys of Indra Familia scowl at him. "I'm only here for a short while to pass on a message. There's been a change of plans."

He approached Indra and stood at his side. The god was sitting sideways with one leg over the armrest. A lidded beverage rested in the cup holder and all he had to do was crane his neck slightly to sip from the straw. He didn't say anything as his eyes observed the monster tamer perform.

"Leave us," Cao Cao said to the Adventurers standing guard over their patron. Servants, more like. It was a pity people like them were more common than not. Too many people went straight to the gods for power and protection rather than claiming it for themselves.

It was something Cao Cao sought to fix in this modern age. He could feel it in his bones. This would be the era where the mortals would take back what was theirs and Heroes will return.

"Go on," Indra waved at them. "Go and stretch your legs or something. We all know neither of you are watching the show. Don't know why I even brought ya."

The two Adventurers scowled further but wouldn't dare to disobey the direct order of their god. They glared at Cao Cao before turning and walking out of the curtains.

Cao Cao waited a few seconds to make sure they weren't lingering.

"We're not going with the plan," he began.

"Eh?" Indra gave him a look. "You mean after all that plannin' you're just gonna toss everything out the window? I thought you said you were changin' somethin', not forgoing it completely."

"Let me reiterate," Cao Cao stepped a little closer. He knelt down so to speak in a normal voice. At this range, the roaring of the crowds could muffle out anyone trying to overhear. "We've just learned the monsters will be let loose onto the pavilion. We will intercept them and prove ourselves as Heroes."

"That so…?" Indra drawled, taking a moment to toss a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth. "A'ight. I'll bite. Why tell me instead of just carrying it out?"

"Siegfried says he spotted the Devil," Cao Cao answered in a lethal tone. "She is the instigator. What's more, this is all a trial of sorts to strengthen her heir."

"You don't say…" Indra muttered as he tilted his head. His eyes stared across the stadium without focus.

"We are keeping an eye on her," Cao Cao continued. "She is masquerading as a goddess partaking in the festivities. Killing her now will have the populous believe we assaulted a goddess. We will need her to make the first move."

"Yeah, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Indra said with a casual tone. "Ophis' orders. Leave her be for now. Wait until you're a little older, Cao Cao."

Cao Cao stiffened. "The Ouroboros doubts my abilities? With my spear could I slay whatever Devil this may be."

"Yeah, if it lands," Indra raised a finger at him. "You came to me for my glamorous wisdom, didn't'cha? Well here it is. You're not strong enough to tackle a Devil. Not yet anyways. But… if you're so determined to throw yourself to the fire, I suppose I could tell you the location of the next church."

"…You found another church?" Cao Cao asked with astonishment.

"Who do ya think I am? You know the drill; assemble your team first thing in the morning and I'll tell you where to go. But leave the Devil alone. We don't want them to know we have Sacred Gears. Especially a few Longinii."

Cao Cao frowned a bit. "Then you suggest we do nothing?"

"The sun's out," Indra stated as he lifted his head. "The Devil ain't supposed to be here. Didn't expect her to be. But if that's how it is… better not reveal yourselves just yet. There'll be another chance, Cao Cao. Let Ganesha deal with the monsters. It's his show anyhow."

"…By your leave, then," Cao Cao didn't hold back his distaste as he stood and began to leave.

"One more thing," Indra snapped a finger. "The heir. Leave him. I convinced Freya to deal with him. Be smart about it now, Cao Cao. Let her take all the heat. If you kill the heir, that Devil is going to come after your sorry ass. Hell hath no fury and all that."

Cao Cao didn't stop walking. He threw the curtain back and stepped into the hallway. This was a private section reserved for the VIP. Security was tight and only those with a special ticket and a name on the list could be allowed to enter.

Which meant he had to descend the stairs until reaching the commoner's section before meeting with Arthur.

"Well?" asked the bespectacled blonde.

"He told us to ignore everything and to fall back," Cao Cao growled with irritation. "I never specified what the heir was and yet he speaks of it with familiarity. He's still hiding things from us. Never mind him. Be prepared. We move at the first sign of trouble."

"The usual then," Arthur nodded. "Please make sure Heracles doesn't make a mess of things. Again."

"I put him on recon," Cao Cao replied as they walked towards the colosseum exit.

Arthur eyed him with a raised brow.

"I am having him track the heir and discover what he can about him. And end him if possible. I encouraged him to access his Balance Breaker."

Arthur frowned at him. "There will be collateral damage."

For a moment, Cao Cao almost looked sad. "Perhaps. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Imagine what worse the heir would do if let loose longer."

Arthur looked like he wanted to argue further. But he kept his words to himself.

They parted ways as soon as they stepped back into the streets.

0-0-0

Bell blinked a few times. The sounds of the festival grounds had changed dramatically. He heard the roaring of the crowds but something was off. It bothered him. The entire atmosphere of the celebration had become chilling. The people around him began to notice and searched for the source of this uneasy tension. The origin was coming from the coliseum.

And then a bloodied body flew over and landed in a sickening squishing noise at their feet. It was the body of a child. Her back was torn open with large gashes and her limbs mangled impossibly.

The potato puff fell out of his hand through numb fingers. He couldn't look away from her vacant eyes.

People began to scream. People began to run past him.

The sounds were becoming more chaotic. Along with people screaming came the sound of beastly howls and roars. It was the noise of monsters.

The monsters from the coliseum had gotten loose. They were attacking the festival goers.

The carnage was coming closer to him. He spotted several monsters among the chaos. They were rampaging, attacking anyone and anything in their path. Stalls were knocked aside and bodies were being shredded. Adventurers took to arms and were able to subdue a few of them, but they were quickly overrun by other monsters.

All the while, as this was happening, his feet were rooted to the floor. His knees were buckling. He had seen death before, but never at this scale. The livestock in his farm, the occasional elder in funerals, and even the goblins he had killed down in the Dungeon were nothing like this. These were people being slaughtered before his eyes.

"Bell!"

Someone was shouting at his side. Someone was tugging on his arm. He blinked, focusing on that sensation. He forced himself to pull away from the blood and gore so he could stare into a pair of ashen gray eyes.

Syr was looking back at him with widened eyes. She was terrified; her hand that clenched onto his arm was shaking.

Seeing her like this… seeing such a cute girl stricken with fear shook him to his core. He snapped out of his shock. He remembered who he was— what he was. He was an Adventurer, newbie or not. It was his task to slay monsters. But before that, he was a man. And a man never lets the maiden get into trouble.

"We need to get out of here," he said. His voice was shaking and his throat was parched. He hadn't fully recovered from his shock but he could at least move. "Syr, come on!"

They were about to move when something flew by them and crashed into the fried potato stand. Wood and brick exploded everywhere. They learned quickly it was one of the Adventurers in security that had been flung. He lay within the wall, dead.

"H-Help me!" Hestia called out. She stretched a hand out towards Bell. The stand had collapsed with the fabricated roof coming down on top of her. She was trying to crawl out of it but was tangled with the fabric and ropes.

A second later and the other end caught ablaze. The oils had splashed onto it and she hadn't the chance to turn off the burner.

Bell moved without a second thought. He grabbed onto Hestia's hand and tried to pull her free. Something kept her in place. Syr came to his side and tried to pull the goddess out.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Hestia cried out. "My leg! Something's around my leg!"

The fire was spreading.

Bell unsheathed his sword and cut into the fabric before tearing it apart. He didn't want to hurt the goddess by accidentally stabbing her. He looked underneath and saw that the crates of ingredients had fallen onto her heel. The weight was crushing her and keeping her in place.

"Somebody help!" he shouted even as he tried to do what he could. The crates were too heavy to move on his own. He had to unload them by digging out the potatoes and spices individually, throwing them onto the street. Only then could he yank on the crate.

…Or not. The roof itself was keeping it pinned in place.

"Hot!" Hestia screamed. "It's hot! That burns! Hurry!"

"Anybody!" he shouted again. He worked frantically to figure out how to free this goddess.

People kept running. He latched onto the nearest passerby and begged for help, only to be elbowed off. Nobody was coming to her aid.

The fire was getting too close. Hestia was crying out in pain and panic.

Was there nothing he could do? The fire was being fueled by oil. Water wouldn't work, even if he could find a suitable source at this exact moment. Trying to dampen it with cloth might work, provided he found something just as large and enough people willing to help him suffocate the flames.

He lost all sense as his mind became overloaded. He stared blankly at Syr, who tried to untangle the goddess. He saw Hestia screaming with tears falling down her cheeks. He saw the people flee with terrified faces, Adventurers trying to secure the area, and monsters thrashing around.

It was at this breaking point did his mind reset. There was a moment of clarity as he could see the ugly world for what it was. No, it was more like he was an observer— watching himself watch the carnage around him. And it was at this moment could he think clearly.

His eyes widened with insight.

He gripped his wrist and pointed the palm at the flames. Serafall's magic circle began to glow in his hand, expanding out until the ring was as large as his head. It spun as he put as much focus on his desires as much as possible.

He made a wish.

He prayed this would work.

"Freeze!" he more begged than commanded.

Cold blew out of the magic circle like an arctic wind. It did not so much as battle the flames as it cleansed them entirely. The heat vanished in an instant with a thick layer of frost covering everything his hand pointed at. It froze the fabricated rooftop, the wood and ropes, and even the deceased Adventurer imprinted onto the wall.

Hestia let out a small moan of relief before collapsing to the floor. He heard her sobbing now that the fear of being burnt alive was gone. However, they weren't safe just yet.

"Syr, help me," he said as he climbed onto the rubble and grabbed onto one of the wooden pillars. Now that nothing was on fire he could lift what he couldn't previously. "I'll hold this up. Try to get her free."

"R-Right!" Syr joined him and went to where he pointed at. She managed to push one of the boxes off and shift around the others. Hestia's foot was free, though it was bruised, swollen, and slightly burned.

"Thank you, thank you!" Hestia sobbed as Syr pulled her free. She threw her arms around the maid and cried into her chest.

"We need to leave," Bell said, dropped everything, and tried to climb out of the wrecked stand.

"BELL!" Syr shouted. Her eyes were locked on something behind him.

He spun, knowing by instinct a monster was behind him. His sword was in his hands as he spun around.

They watched as a troll used a lamppost as a cudgel and brought it around. It smashed onto Bell's back just as he was turning and launched him off his feet. His body flew across the street, hitting the cobblestone, and rolled until crashing onto an adjacent stand.

The troll tossed away the now broken lamppost. It approached the girls.

Syr began to run and drag Hestia with her. But the goddess couldn't run. She stumbled and fell. Syr kept holding onto her. They wouldn't be able to outrun a troll. Not unless she was willing to sacrifice the goddess. Her eyes were full of this truth but she refused to accept it. She would never be able to live with this if she abandoned Hestia.

"HAAAAAAAAAAA!"

She didn't need to make such an ultimatum. In the next instant, Bell slammed into the side of the troll with his blade sinking deep between its ribs. He had sprinted across the street with all his might and drove himself into the monster. The troll howled but then coughed blood. It stumbled sideways until falling onto Hestia's stand. It tried to get back up.

Bell kept shouting as he repeatedly stabbed into the troll, deepening its wound. Blood splashed onto the floor and onto his white dress.

Eventually, the monster gave one last shudder before going still. It dissolved into ash while its magic stone landed on the pile.

Bell panted as he hunched over. It was the armor Serafall gave him that saved his life, he was sure of it. Though there was no back armor on the dress, he had hardly felt the blow. The only real damage he felt was when his head hit against the stall that stopped his trajectory.

"Bell, you're alive!" Syr was full of relief. "Help me carry the goddess out of here."

He was the one full of relief. He was just so glad he got back to his feet and stopped the troll before it could do something irreversible. It was just about to grab Hestia when he got to it first.

He joined Syr and went to Hestia's other side. He forced her arm over his shoulder and the two of them carried Hestia out of the area. Because the goddess was so small, she hardly had to take a step on her own.

0-0-0

Serafall watched the onslaught upon a rooftop a good kilometer away.

…Or was it a kilop? These people and their strange metric system.

Anyways, she looked down at the carnage she had wrought. She knew Sirzechs would have a word with her once news of this reached him. In fact, she'll have to be the one to tell him. Otherwise he'll grow more upset if he found out later rather than sooner.

And to make sure he received only her abridged version of this calamity, she was going to make sure none of the monsters properly made it to the Dungeon. Not that she expected any of them to do anyways. The heroes of the modern age were impressive. They may have been taken by surprise and lost a few of their numbers at the beginning, but they quickly recovered after listening to their god, Ganesha, and organized a proper suppression.

Other heroes had been requested for this emergency. Her subjects were being slain before it was too late. And those who had managed to slip through (instead of filling their bellies) were being chased down.

The sole purpose of this was to force Bell into a corner. To shove him into an uncontrollable environment and see how he would react. Would he cower in fear and be devoured? Or would he bare his fangs and strike back?

She watched. His response was surprising. Rather than doing either, he had done everything in his power to ensure the safety of Syr and… Hestia.

Serafall made a face she hadn't made since Excalibur could talk.

In any case, she watched as he led them through the major street before turning down another. Though he was out of her eyeing view, her extra senses kept tabs on him.

Good ol' Carbuncle was following him, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as easily as hopping from one rock to another on a shallow river.

But… the Ufriti alpha wasn't the only one following after him.

Serafall spotted gold hair. Aiz Wallenstein, after slaying another monster with a single strike, had caught a brief flash of Carbuncle.

What was she doing here?!

No, no, no! She's going to ruin everything! Someone as powerful as the Sword Princess would swoop in and rescue the damsel in distress! Her Bell wouldn't learn anything out of this!

Serafall had to do something. Anything!

She wondered if she should nuke the girl. Hmm. No, that would definitely get Sirzechs' attention and he would know instantly she had been behind all of this. She didn't want her paycheck penalized or, worse, receive a suspension without pay. Plus… Bell might be a little upset if his role model spontaneously incinerated.

It's not like Serafall could just go straight down there and ask politely.

…Or could she?

"It's time those rehearsal sessions paid off!" she declared as she activated a teleportation spell. In a flash of red did she zip through space. At the same time, she altered her clothes into a new disguise.

As Aiz dashed through the streets in pursuit of Carbuncle, Serafall appeared in another flash of red light in front of her. The Sword Princess slid on her heels to stop and raised her sword in alarm. She blinked once.

Serafall wasn't in her lovely magical girl attire. Nor was she in the adorable tavern uniform. She was dressed in bright pink spandex leotards and matching leather plating. Her head was hidden beneath a florescent pink helm with a black visor over her eyes to hide her identity.

"Not another step!" Serafall said boldly as she struck Poses 2, 8, and 13 in rapid succession. "I cannot allow you to go any further!"

Aiz lowered her blade slowly. Serafall was surprised the girl was considering the demand but quickly shirked off the emotion before any expression could show on her body.

"…Goddess Serafall?" Aiz asked. "Is that you?"

Serafall froze.

"You are mistaken!" Serafall jerked to Pose 6. "I am Satan Pink! Sworn protector of the Dungeon and upholder of justice! Love is my power—"

"I'm sorry," Aiz said and began to move around Serafall. "But I don't have time for—"

Her plan failed. But this wasn't the only plan she had! Every villain— erm… hero had a Plan B!

"Don't gooooooooo!"

Groveling. Serafall threw herself at Aiz and held her in place.

"Goddess, please," Aiz said softly and tried to push Serafall off. She didn't put much effort into it. Aiz believed Serafall was a goddess and didn't want to harm her. "There is a monster still loose. It could hurt people."

"It's fine, it's fine!" Serafall assured as she was now being dragged by Aiz's leg. "It went into Daedalus District. It'll probably get lost and starve. Besides, I'm sure some other hero will show up to kill it. Maybe even Bell!"

"…How do you know where it went?"

"That's not important," Serafall's reply was instant.

"Please let go?" Aiz asked with uneasiness.

"Not happening," Serafall returned flatly.

Aiz tried to shake her off. It only made Serafall's grip tighten. The girl's strength was inhuman, as expected from one of the best of today's heroes.

"I have to stop that monster."

"I keep telling you it's fine!"

"People could get hurt."

"People get hurt all the time! Just this morning I stubbed my toe on the door."

"People could die."

"A reincarnation system was installed for a reason!"

"Goddess… I don't want to use force."

"I'll die before you ruin Bell's big day."

"…What was that about Bell?"

"Nothing! Don't you have a Dungeon to terrorize? Why are you out there anyways?!"

"He wasn't in the Dungeon this morning. I went looking for him. He isn't involved in this, is he?"

"N-No. Pfft. Bell?! Him?! Don't be ridiculous. Bell has nothing to do with this! Who's Bell? I've never heard of anyone like that before. Do you know somebody like— Owie! W-Why are you doing that! Stop hitting me with the butt of your sword!"

Aiz had enough and started to knock her sword against Serafall's helm. Thankfully the material was crafted out of carbon fiber. While it wasn't anywhere near strong enough for an actual fight, it was sturdy enough for the stunts they had planned for the show… that never came into production due to a lack of audience.

And Sirzechs didn't want to make it a royal decree! Years of screenplay writing, storyboarding, editorial backlash, budget crisis, and endless hours of choreography went to waste!

At least she could tell him the helmet he designed could withstand the repeated abuse of a blunt object.

0-0-0

Carbuncle squashed yet another oppressor under his massive fist. His hands were drenched in their blood, once more proving why he ruled his clan under the name Redfist. But needless slaughter of these beasts was not his priority, nor did he take pleasure in it like his fellow captives. While they used violence to break free for the Dungeon, they were giving in to their bloodlust and vengeance.

He was not like one of these brutes. He did not attack any of the surface monsters if they did not attack him. Nor did he feast on them— the idea alone sickened him.

But the great and mighty Leviathan had given him a task. He could not return yet to the Dungeon until it was fulfilled. Hence he roamed around in search of the Leviathan's heir and to challenge him in the ways of old.

He needn't have to search long for the heir. The scent of the Leviathan, though nowhere near as potent as the dark king's, left a trail in the air.

The lad was moving away from the center of conflict. He was isolating himself. Was this so his fight would go uninterrupted? Carbuncle could understand and respect the decision.

"Young Prince!" Carbuncle announced as he landed within the side-street the heir took. "I have answered the call of challenge! We shall do battle until—"

"Gyaaaaaaa!"

But, unceremoniously, the heir gave a shriek of terror. He threw the goddess in his company over his shoulder, grabbed onto the hand of the human girl at his side, and began to run in the opposite direction.

"N-Now see here!" Carbuncle called out after him. He began to follow. "This is most unworthy of your stature, my liege! It is beneath you to turn tail!"

"It's coming after us!" the heir shouted. "Why is it chasing us?!"

"W-Wait!" Carbuncle reached a hand out. The group all screamed and doubled their efforts. They dove into a tight alleyway. Carbuncle tried to follow them, having to squeeze his body and walk sideways to not lose them. "Come back! Why do you run from me, Young Prince?"

Carbuncle almost lost the boy. By the time he escaped the alleyway was the heir nowhere to be seen. But the scent of the Leviathan was strong with him. Carbuncle only needed to sniff around briefly. He followed the trail until he stood at his full height and peered over a wall.

The heir and his companions were all hunched together, pressed against the wall. Their eyes were wide as they looked up at Carbuncle.

"There is no need of this, Young Prince," Carbuncle sighed. He put up a smile, "My challenge is towards you only. Let us duel for the honor of the—"

The three screamed, scrambled to their feet, and took off running again.

Carbuncle sighed once more. His frustrations were getting the best of him. This was truly a trying quest. He knew it would be a challenge to face against the heir of the Leviathan. But he didn't expect the challenge to come in the most irksome ways.

He climbed over the wall and pursued them further.

"There is no honor in this!" he raised his voice, this time trying to provoke the prince. "This is cowardice! You dishonor your King! Come and face me, Young Prince! You cannot run forever!"

The place they led him into was a labyrinth of its own. The buildings were compacted and stacked over another with streets and stairways splitting like tree branches. But no matter what they tried, so long as he had the Leviathan's scent could Carbuncle follow him.

"Bell! Not this way!" the human girl shouted.

But it was too late. They were trapped. The lot the heir led them to had no exit.

The only way to leave was to get through Carbuncle.

"At last," Carbuncle sighed with both relief and irritation. "Young Prince, I will excuse this no more. You are the heir of the Leviathan. You will do battle with me for her honor. Or you will perish and shame the name of the Leviathan forevermore."

"Syr, take Hestia and wait for an opening," the prince handed the goddess over to the human girl like a piece of equipment. His sword was drawn but his eyes were crazed with fear. "I'm going to distract it. As soon as its eyes are off of you… run. Get as far from here as possible."

"Bell, no!" the human girl, Syr, gasped with horror.

"Hmph," Carbuncle snorted. "Worry not, my liege. I have no quarrel with that monster and the heretic. They may leave."

"Just do it!" Bell shouted. His sword was shaking in his grip. He tried to put up a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll protect you."

Something finally donned on Carbuncle. "My liege… can you not understand me? Do you not speak the dweller's tongue?"

"You should listen," the goddess said as her eyes were locked on the heir. "His mind's made up. Everything will be in vain if we don't go. We can at least get help."

"But… he'll die," Syr said in a low voice. "That's a monster from the Deep Down. There's no way a rookie like Bell can—"

"It's alright, Syr," Bell said in a deceptively calm voice. He had stopped shaking. He looked at the girl and gave her his best smile. "I'll be fine. I can handle this. But I can't fight him and protect you at the same time. Please go."

Syr was transfixed for a moment. She gave a slow nod in the end.

"…I see," Carbuncle grunted. "Very well. Though you do not understand my tongue, allow me anyways to introduce myself!"

He stood tall and pounded his fists onto his chest. He played the song of challenge as he let out a roar. The battle would commence once the formalities were over.

"I am Carbuncle Redfist Ufiti, alpha of my clan! May the dark lords remember my name as I—"

An unholy pain erupted from his back. The world was spinning as something launched him forward and flipped him around.

But as he became upside-down, he noticed his waist and legs were elsewhere. The torso was missing.

It wasn't until he landed on the floor did he realize something had severed him in half. He only saw a faint image of those surface monsters before the world went dark.

0-0-0

Bell was ready. His mind was focused. He held the straight sword with both hands as he tried to think of a way to distract the Silverback and let Syr and Hestia escape. He would try to attack hard and fast to get its attention and then draw it towards the furthest side of the lot. Only then would they have the chance.

He knew he would probably die. He might be able to last a while with Serafall's armor but there was no way he could stand up against a Silverback on his own. It was just as Syr said.

But he could die happy knowing Syr and Hestia escaped. So long as they were safe… he was content with giving his life for them.

A fiery explosion deafened their ears. It came from behind the Silverback. The monster didn't even realize what had happened.

The explosion was powerful enough to rip the monster in half. As soon as both halves hit the floor did it burst into ash. Its magic stone was cracked.

"Damn monkey's in my way," growled the man who had crept behind the Silverback.

It was a very huge young man who was extraordinarily tall and packed with muscle. His skin was a dark olive tone, his hair a dark brown and wild, and his eyes black. He didn't wear armor but instead had a sleeveless tunic stretched to the brim and shredded shorts.

His fist was extended and smoking. He must have used some sort of magic on the Silverback.

All Bell knew… he didn't have to fight the Silverback after all.

He dropped his sword and sank to his knees. He felt ready to cry. Tears threatened to sprout in the corner of his eyes. The stress of the incident came crashing down onto him all at once.

"Bell, you dummy!" Syr tried to scold him but fell at his side. She gripped the collar of his dress and gave him a few shakes. Her face was on the verge of tearing up but also burning with anger. "Don't do something so stupid like that ever again! Do you have any idea how I would have felt once I left?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

She pounded her fists on his plated chest a few times. She didn't put much effort into it else hurt herself. He took a few hits anyways.

"Hestia, are you okay?" Bell asked.

"Don't ask about another girl at a time like this, Bell!" Syr scolded him further.

"I'm… fine," Hestia was also on the floor. Her legs were spread out while her hands held herself up behind her back. "I still can't figure out if all of this was part of your diabolical scheme… or I might have been wrong about you."

He could only give a flimsy laugh at her reply.

"Ah," Bell turned once he noticed the stranger was approaching their group. "Thank you, mister. You saved our—"

He saw stars as the man suddenly brought his foot around and kicked Bell across the jaw. He tasted blood as he was knocked a few short meders away from Syr.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Syr shouted.

"Being a Hero," the man said. He shoved Syr aside— a casual gesture to him but it had the strength behind it to force her off her feet. "You'll thank me for this after she's dead."

Bell quickly realized this man hadn't shown up to help. His eyes were full of murder as he cracked his knuckles. Bell's sword was out of his reach; he began to crawl backwards.

This man had killed a Silverback with a single punch. If Bell had the slimmest chance against the monster then there would be no way he could stand up against this Adventurer.

Syr ran and stood between them. She spread her arms out as she glared up at the man. "Leave Bell alone! I don't know what you have against him, but you'll have to go through me to get to him. Can you do that and still call yourself a hero?"

The man stopped walking. His grip changed to crack the knuckles of his other hand. He stared down at Syr with an impassive glare.

"Sure I can," he said.

And then he brought the back of his hand across her face. His unreal strength had Syr off her feet once more.

"Syr!" Bell shouted.

She hit the ground. Her face was bleeding. She put a hand on the ground and tried to get up. She fell back down and lay there.

"Raaaaaaaah!" rage consumed Bell instead of fear. He found the strength to get back onto his feet. He charged at the Adventurer who had hurt Syr without a second thought.

The man snorted with amusement.

He brought his hand around, this time twice as fast as before. Bell wasn't prepared and had no way of protecting himself.

Also, the back of his hand ignited.

Pain blazed through the side of Bell's face. His ears were ringing as he lost all sense of direction. He felt weightless… until his body hit the ground. The pain doubled as soon as his mind registered he was still conscious.

"…That's disappointing," the man said. "Cao Cao said I would need my Balance Break to kill you. But you're still just a hatchling. Bummer. I was really looking forward to testing out my new power on a worthy foe. Instead… I'm left with the dirty chore."

Bell's hand latched onto his face as he stood up. His face felt like it was on fire. It hurt to open his eye and he was left keeping it shut. He didn't want to know what it looked like.

"W-Why are you doing this?" he croaked.

"Don't act so innocent," the man spat. "You're nothing but a monster in disguise. You can fool these girls but you can't fool me. I'm a Hero. We were born to kill things like you."

The ramblings of Hestia he might be able to excuse. But when someone else came along and called him the same thing? Something wasn't right. It went deeper than some divine feud between his goddess and Hestia.

And speaking of the goddess…

"Hya!"

It took her some time, but she had managed to grab a good enough sized rock and hurl it at the man's head. It struck him in the back and bounced off. It did as much damage to him as a child's toy.

Nevertheless, it infuriated the man. He craned his head around and brought his murderous glare down upon the goddess. She froze in place.

"You're going to regret that," the man snarled and then turned his back to Bell.

Hestia squealed as he began to approach her.

"Freeze!"

"Hmm?" the man turned his head back towards Bell… only to get a blast of cold magic from Bell. A layer of frost covered his clothes and skin. By the time the spell finished did it look like he had been left out in the frozen tundra for hours.

"Ha!" cackled the man. He flexed his muscles and brushed the ice off of him as simply as removing a coat. "Well, well. The bitch has a little bit of bite after all. Was that all you could do?"

Bell gritted his teeth. This was the first day he's had magic. Honestly, when he used it to save Hestia he didn't even think it would work. He didn't know what else he could do.

He tried to recall Serafall's advice on how to use his magic. He needed to focus on what exactly he wanted and wished for it. It was the same principle as the teleportation spell to return to her castle.

While he was new to this brand of magic, he had a whole week of practice in using the teleportation spell on his own. If they were really one in the same…

"Fireball!" Bell shouted and pointed his palm forward. He imagined the spell he had read in the Dungeon Oratoria that every wizard had used.

A ball of flame fired out of his hand as fast as an arrow.

The man smacked it aside without much effort. The flames didn't burn him. He snorted. The amusement in his expression was quickly fading into disappointment.

No! It wasn't good enough! Bell needed it to hurt the man! He needed something strong enough to pierce through his tough skin! He needed a spell that would leave a mark!

He needed to inflict the same pain on the man as he did against Syr. He needed… an explosion.

"Firebolt!" Bell declared.

The magic circle glowed again. This time, he felt something within him drain. This spell cost him a little more energy. But it obeyed and was made by his desires.

The ember firing out of his hand was faster than an arrow. And it zigged across the air in an unpredictable fashion. At first, it looked like it was about to jerk out of course, only for it to realign itself at the last instant.

The man roared as it struck him in the chest. A fiery explosion sent him sliding back. His feet ground against the floor. The spell had torn a hole through his shirt and left a black mark on his skin.

"That's more like it!" the man laughed with excitement. "I almost felt that one! Now it's my turn to show you what I'm made of!"

Unbelievable. The man was hardly fazed by the combustion. Bell didn't know what else to do.

He had to think of something fast. The man charged at him with the unreal speed belonging only to a high-ranking Adventurer.

"Shield!" Bell cried out in alarm and brought both hands up. Though only one of them contained Serafall's glyph, something in the back of his mind told him this gesture alone reinforced the workings of the spell.

Serafall's magic circle grew until it was large enough to cover his body from head to toe. It spun lazily as the red glyph glowed an eerie hue.

The man's fist rammed into the magic circle as though it were a solid object. And it was. Another explosion erupted out of the man's hand but was contained on his side. Still, Bell felt his entire body buckle from the impact. The magic circle held up and that was all that mattered.

Rather than be deterred, or even attempting to go around this obstacle, the man brought both fists around. Repeatedly. And every impact created an explosion.

"Don't. Think. This. Will. Stop. Me!"

Every strike rattled Bell's mind and bones. The shield was demanding something out of him. He was feeling more tired the longer he kept it up. And his body was about to give out from the strain. His arms were shaking.

Blood dripped down his nose as black spots started to invade his vision.

A crack appeared on the magic circle.

The man brought his fist back and twisted his body for a wind-up. He drove it forward with all his might.

The explosion this time was monstrous. It shattered the shield and knocked the wind out of Bell. His body flew until he slammed into the wall at the edge of the lot. Something inside him broke; he was too dazed to figure out what it was.

He fell down. He tried to get up. But it felt like someone was standing on his back.

"It was fun while it lasted," the man said as he began to approach. "But Cao Cao's right. You're too dangerous. You're already this strong. If we let you live and grow… who knows what you'll become?"

Strong? This high-level Adventurer thought he was strong? He couldn't stand up against this man. He was at the man's mercy. And the man said Bell was strong?

"You'll never get that chance."

The man turned his head.

Hestia held a defiant look as she balanced on her one good foot. She used the nearby wall to keep her steady. "That Devil is still just a child. You said you wanted to test some new power against a strong opponent? Let her mature a little bit. If you really call yourself a Hero, like the ones from the Ancient Times, then you know this death has no glory. If you want people to sing about your legend, wait until she's a real threat. Then the people will worship you… instead of thinking you're just scum."

The man scowled. When Hestia gestured to something behind her, he humored her and looked. After all, there was nothing she could do that could hurt him. And Bell was too weak to do anything himself.

He saw people. Though they had hidden away as soon as the Silverback ran through their streets, they were beginning to emerge once more at the sounds of new confrontation. They were watching through their windows, on rooftops, and at the lot's entrance. And each one was glaring at him with disgust.

"…Damn it all," the man groaned and rubbed the back of his head. He looked away, ashamed of their stares. "Goddess, why are you siding with a Devil if you know what she is?"

Hestia glared back. She answered begrudgingly, "Because… she saved my life. If I gave her to you then I wouldn't be any better than her kind. But this is a one-time deal!"

The man's fists tightened. He glared down at Bell, "You're lucky, little bitch. Killing you now will turn the people against us. We will be watching. As soon as you reveal what you truly are…"

He drew his thumb over his neck. The point wasn't missed.

He left the scene with a dark expression. The crowds booed at him and some threw garbage at him. But a glare and a raised fist forced them all to stop. They were wary of his unique ability.

"…Goddess," Bell croaked out.

Hestia looked down at him.

"Thank you," he said through pain. Her salvation had torn a wound through his pride that overshadowed anything the man delivered. But he meant his gratitude. She had saved his life.

It was only then did he black out.

0-0-0

A metal gazelle wasn't a usually dangerous monster. While they slew many great Adventurers in herds, they were weak individually. The metals making out their flesh and bone had to be taken into consideration as well. Most were born with inferior metals like copper and bronze. Some even had iron and the ever rare orichalcum or adamantine metals.

The metal gazelle was a swift creature despite the weight of its body. It was nimble and knew its body was both a weapon and a shield. It spent hours a day in the Dungeon sharpening every edge it could from its horns to the angular protrusions along its body. The curve of its body made it difficult to slay with piercing weapons. And blunt weapons were typically too slow to land a strike.

As for Monsterphilia, nobody wanted to see the standard metal gazelle. Perhaps the Non-Adventurer who never stepped foot in the Dungeon might have an interest, but Adventurers also enjoyed this festival.

Thus, Ganesha Familia went over and beyond, as they do every year by order of their whimsical god.

A metal gazelle bred with Damascus steel had been found and captured. It was an Irregular monster. While nearly every metal gazelle had been born out of natural metals either found in the Dungeon or in the surface, this one had been born with the metal body of a manmade process.

…And had been let loose.

"It's getting away!"

"My arm!"

"It's too fast!"

"Stop it before it escapes!"

The metal gazelle was the last of the monsters to elude the Adventurers. It wasn't the fastest of its brethren— that title belonging to the propulsion tortoise— but it was the most nimble. Its unique body also played a part as any blade or even bludgeon was ineffective. Unless an upper-tier Adventurer showed up, there was nothing the Adventurers of Ganesha Familia could do to stop it.

They had tried to capture it again. But the gazelle was aware of the trap that had imprisoned it the first time. It bucked and leapt around, using its body as a weapon. It knew it was free and would not let this chance escape.

It tore them apart like a cheese grater. Bits and chunks of flesh were peeled off every time it rammed itself into the next Adventurer foolish enough to get in its path.

"Clear the way!"

"It's going down Northwest!"

"There are people there!"

It was almost to the Dungeon. All it needed to do was clear through the last plot of land and it would be free. Babel Tower was in its sights.

As well as a hoard of people flooding the Guild. In the alarm of Monsterphilia, people had flocked to the Guild for help. They crowded the outside lot as well as the water fountain sitting at the center of the crossroads.

They screamed and scattered at the sight of the metal gazelle breaking through the line of Adventurers protecting them.

All save a little girl who had been knocked aside.

The gazelle kept charging with no indication of slowing down, altering its course, or preparing to leap over the girl. It would pierce through her as easily as a knife through butter.

There was a flash of light.

A young man stood over the little girl, using his body as a shield as he drove his spear forward. The gazelle knew no weapon of the Adventures could break its hide. Even so, it moved itself so the tip would graze along its side. It would still carve through the young man as it made a pass.

The tip of the spear cracked open and split down the middle. It opened like a dragon's maw.

It breathed light. A blade of light extended out of the shaft.

The light pierced through the gazelle with no resistance. It kept digging, extending out of the spear until the gazelle was split in half. In the next instant, the gazelle burst into a cloud of ash. Its magic stone at its center shattered into a million fragments.

With a twirl, the young man drew back his spear. The spade closed and the light was gone.

Cao Cao turned back to the little girl. He reached a hand for her, "Are you hurt?"

The little girl shook her head. Her eyes were wide and dazzled by his heroic deed. She will remember this moment for the rest of her life.

As was his intention.

The common folk were watching him. They would soon begin clapping and cheering him for his heroics. While praise was appreciated to a Hero like him, he did not want to lose their attention so easily.

He posed. He made sure they would take in his appearance. He made sure to wear nothing that might confuse him into believing he was an Adventurer. He wore no crest belonging to any familia.

"People of Orario!" he knocked the butt of his spear against the cobblestone. He had their attention. "Look around you. Do you not see the destruction wrought by the negligence and incompetence of the Adventurers? How long will you live by the whims of debauched and perverse gods whose only interest is their own entertainment? I am no Adventurer. I worship no god. Yet here I stand, ready to defend my fellow man from the monsters of the Dungeon. It is I and my comrades who protected you when they could not.

"I am a Hero! I wield no blessing of the gods! With only my spear did I slay a monster the Adventurers could not! Who among you wishes for glory? Who among you look up to the Adventurers but are shunned by their greedy gods? If you take my hand and walk with me, you will know glory! You will know what it means to be superior to the gods!"

He extended his hand out towards the crowds.

No one took his hand. They all glared at him, looked at him as though he were crazy, or whispered among themselves. The crowds parted to resume their own business. The girl's mother snatched her child away from him and walked briskly off.

There was only a single sound of applause towards him. Clapping. It started off slow and then became enthusiastic.

As the crowds dispersed… the origin of applause had come from Indra. The two Adventurers of his familia who guarded him stood in the distance, but close enough to protect their god if needed.

The Deva continued to clap as he approached Cao Cao. The clapping became more thunderous, belonging to one who wished for an encore. But his face was blank.

"Give me that," Indra snarled at he was celches away from Cao Cao. With unbelievable speed and strength, he had snatched the spear out of Cao Cao's grip. The boy stumbled forward in surprise. "Did'ja not listen to a word I said? Don't answer that. What was the point of coming to me for help when you're just gonna ignore me?"

"Indra," Cao Cao kept his calm as he regarded the god. His eyes were locked on the spear. "What do you think you're doing?"

Indra waved the spear around. Left. Right. Cao Cao's eyes followed it.

Cao Cao was wary. But all Indra saw was a dog wanting a stick.

The Deva rested the butt while he wrapped his arm around the shaft. He leaned against the spear while he removed his shades and began to clean them with his shirt. He talked with a disappointed, if not slightly distant, tone.

"You weren't ready. None of ya were. See, stagin' somethin' at the coliseum would have been under a controlled environment— everyone would have been together and safe while you and the other kids fight a monster in the ring. But, nah, you had to do everything the hard way. Tell me, Cao Cao, what did all this destruction give ya?"

He put back on his sunglasses and gestured to their surroundings. Though Cao Cao had stepped in to save the little girl, no one was praising him. Though he had slain a monster a band of Adventurers could not, no one thanked him. They had dismissed him entirely.

"The Devil would have released those monsters regardless if we followed with the plan," Cao Cao stepped up and snarled. He noticed the two Adventures of Indra Familia take a few cautious steps forward. Indra gave them a casual gesture to stand back. "We responded. You told us to do nothing. More people would have died if we listened to you."

Indra gave a long sigh. His breath was rank with alcohol; it almost made Cao Cao take a step back. "Why not tell Ganesha? He could have set up better security if he knew about this in advanced. Could've cleared the floor by screaming fire— or starting a fire. Less casualties. Hell, I could'a sent these two to help."

He stuck his thumb over his shoulder briefly.

"Your head still isn't in the game, Cao Cao," Indra shook his head. "All you worry about is proving yourself as a Hero. You already are one. This spear is yours for a reason."

Cao Cao tilted his head back when Indra dipped the spearhead dangerously close to his face.

"The purpose of today's activity was to recruit more of us," Cao Cao countered. "We took necessary steps to gather as much attention to our cause."

Indra raised a brow and looked around, "Oh yeah. Wonderful job that did. Tell me how many signed up."

Cao Cao's lower lip twitched once. He diverted the topic with, "How can I expect you to understand when you hide things from me? You knew about the Devil and its heir, didn't you?"

"You know, trust goes both ways," Indra returned with a clear and sober voice. "I don't trust you with this information, kid. You haven't earned my trust. Not yet. When the day comes you and your band of merry men are ready, I will gladly tell you everything I know. But until then… I think I need to teach you a lesson."

"I'm not afraid of you—" Cao Cao began with anger slipping out of his voice. He tried to reach for his spear.

Indra whipped the spear around and slapped Cao Cao's hand aside with the flat of the blade. Its secret didn't activate and cut into his flesh. The handling had been performed by someone who lived and breathed with a weapon in hand. It had surpassed anything Cao Cao could currently perform.

"I know yur not," Indra's slur returned. His posture shifted to a drunkard who used the spear as a crutch to stand upright. "It's not me ya should be afraid of. It's your own hubris, Cao Cao. Which is why I'm givin' ya a good spankin'. Be ready in the mornin', early dawn. I'll tell ya where the next church is."

"…How is this a punishment?" Cao Cao eyed the god warily.

"Oh," Indra stood upright and snapped a finger as he recalled something. "The password this time. What was it…? Ah, that's right."

Indra began to walk away as he mumbled to himself. He took Cao Cao's spear with him. When the young Hero tried to reach for it, the Adventurers made moves to ready their weapons. This time, Indra didn't stop them.

The Deva tapped the shaft of the spear on his shoulder. He raised a finger as insight finally reached him. He kept walking.

"The password is… Michael."

0-0-0

At first, there was nothing. In an unknown span of time, he realized there had been nothing until sensation returned to him. The numbness was a nostalgic memory as soon as the pain started to kick in. By the time his brain realized he was in pain did consciousness return. Along with nausea and fatigue. And bed sores.

Bell groaned as he sat up. All the pain he felt in his bones shot straight to his head. He winced as his hand slapped onto his brow. Pressing his palm onto his forehead seemed to alleviate some of it.

"Bell, you shouldn't move like that."

He blinked a number of times. He started to make sense of his surroundings. He was on a bed under a few sheets. The room was dimly lit but made out of a dark wood. He recognized the wood was the same used in the Benevolent Mistress. His deduction was furthered when Syr approached and put a hand on his shoulder. She tried to push him back down but he refused.

"I'm fine," he protested. "I feel better like this, honestly. Syr? What happened?"

His eyes widened as the last of his memories flashed across his mind. Specifically, he remembered what that man had done to Syr.

He looked up at her. There was a small patch on the side of her head, no bigger than a thumbprint.

"I'm fine," Syr assured him with a firm voice. Her eyes were full of concern. "You shouldn't be up. You were beaten up pretty badly. You're lucky we keep some potions for emergencies. They're supposed to be used like that one time the kitchen exploded but…"

"Did… Did you carry me all the way here?" he asked. He tried to consider the distance between… wherever it was they ended up running towards and the Benevolent Mistress. While he was still a growing boy, Syr couldn't possibly way more than him. He couldn't imagine her carrying him to the end of the block.

"Actually… it was Miss Wallenstein," Syr put up a crooked smile. It was the sort when someone couldn't figure out whether to be happy or uncomfortable. "She found us after that jerk took off. She left after your condition was better. She had to report to her familia."

"I see…" Bell nodded. He didn't understand Syr's expression but didn't want to question it. There was more to the story but if it included Aiz then he'd rather not know. She's weird.

With the conversation falling short right there, Bell noticed the lit candles. Syr hadn't used any of the magic stone lanterns, probably so he could sleep peacefully. He also noticed the shutters were closed but there was no light slipping through the gaps. It was nighttime.

"You were very brave back there," Syr said. Her head was lowered and she looked up at him through her bangs. She fidgeted with her fingers. "I thought you were very heroic, Bell."

Bell blushed at the way Syr was suddenly behaving. He looked away at how cute Syr appeared in his eyes. "T-Thank you. But… I couldn't protect you. You got hurt because…"

She leaned close and flicked his forehead. He yelped more in surprise. When he looked at her, she was smiling at him.

"Don't look down on yourself," she told him. "That guy was a jerk. But I'm not talking about him. You were going to stand up against that Silverback all on your own. At that moment… I realized I fell in love with you."

His face turned crimson at her words. But was she being serious? Her eyes were closed as she gave him one of her sweet smiles. It was the same sort of teasing smile she gave him after she had tricked him to working at the tavern.

Regardless, she giggled at his face. "You know, I might get jealous if you look like that. Honestly, a boy shouldn't look cuter than a girl."

Suddenly, all the color in his face washed away.

"…E-Eh?" he croaked.

Syr kept smiling as she tilted her head to the side. Her eyes flicked downwards.

Bell followed her gaze. He quickly realized his battle gown was gone. His bare chest had been wrapped with a few bandages.

Nevertheless, he squealed like a girl and covered himself with the sheets. He shook hard enough to rattle the bed.

"Did you honestly believe I didn't know?" Syr asked with genuine curiosity.

"Wait, you knew all along?!" he gasped and poked his head out.

"Of course!" Syr huffed with her hands landing on her hips. "Bell, I knew you were a boy from the first time I saw you! Everyone in Orario knows you're a boy! You'd have to be blind or mental to not tell!"

"A-A-A-A-All of Orario?" he squeaked. He shook further as the trauma from being groped flashed through his mind. "B-But… how?!"

"Adam's apple," Syr's answer was simple and immediate. She tapped at her jugular.

Bell was on the verge of crying. This girl… she knew he was a boy all along. And yet she put him in the maid uniform and tricked him into working for another day.

"Well, that was the obvious clue," Syr said after a moment. "You also walk like a boy and hate being in a dress. Those you can knock off as being tomboyish. But you have the hands, calves, and feet of a man. Those are much harder to hide."

He stared at her. "Syr… you sound like an expert at this."

"I'm sure your goddess made you do it," she said with her usual smile. "They love doing things like this."

It was the only answer she was going to give him.

As though sensing the end of this conversation (or eavesdropping all along), someone had knocked on the door. Syr went to answer it.

"Hello there, Goddess Serafall. He's awake now."

0-0-0

"Hello, Goddess Serafall," Lyu greeted her as soon as she dragged her feet up the steps of the tavern entrance. The elf eyed her briefly. "Are you unwell?"

"No, no, just…" Serafall waved a hand as she slouched. She paused to consider how to answer. "A long day."

That Wallenstein was no joke. Serafall almost had to cheat when handling the Sword Princess. But she had to keep pretending to be a goddess otherwise everything they had planned would have failed. Or, and this she wouldn't have minded at the time of getting flung around like a rag doll, kill the girl to keep her silence.

"We didn't know where you lived," Lyu continued after accepting Serafall's word. "We sent a message to the Guild to send word to you. Are you aware of Mister Cranel's condition?"

"Shh, not so loud," Serafall put a finger to her lips. "Not everyone knows my Bell is a trap. But yes, I heard all about it. Is he still upstairs?"

"He is recovering in the third room on the left," Lyu nodded. "Syr is with him at the moment, I think. It might be good for him to see his goddess when he wakes."

"I'll get to that and start my shift right after," Serafall perked back up. She did a few twists to crack her back and lightly slapping her cheeks. She had her game face on. She was back to being her perky and cheerful self as she climbed the stairs.

But as she crossed the room right before Bell's, she sensed something. She eyed Bell's door as she considered something. Coming to a conclusion, she straightened herself and opened the other door. She entered without permission or announcing herself. Her steps were silent; only the creaking of the door was heard.

Goddess Hestia lay in bed with her leg propped up. The appendage was wrapped and what skin was exposed was swollen. It wasn't anything serious… or enough to (regrettably) send her back to Heaven. But she wouldn't be able to walk on it for some time.

Their eyes met.

Serafall shut the door and put her hand on the wood. She used a spell to seal off the room with a barrier. Only a powerful hero capable of wounding her could break through. Sound especially won't slip through the cracks.

"…Are you here to kill me?" Hestia tried to put up a front. The fear wasn't missed by either of them.

"I heard a couple of things today," Serafall began as she approached the bed. Slowly, without separating eye contact, she lowered herself to sit at Hestia's bedside. "I heard a pint sized goddess with Amazon boobs rescued the White Rabbit."

"Who the hell called me pint sized?!" Hestia's fear turned to rage. "And you're not that much taller than me! You're one to talk!"

"I am five whole centimeters taller than you are!" Serafall barked back. "That's more than a lot!"

"…What's a centimeter?" Hestia gave her a strange look.

And just like that, what impression Serafall made with this girl was popped like a bubble.

She puffed her cheeks. Now that Hestia's fear was gone, there was no need to act like the super dangerous dark lord she wanted to be. Granted, she was a super dangerous dark lord. But it all meant nothing if she had no reputation to back it all up with.

"Why'd you do it?" Serafall asked as she looked at Hestia through the corner of her eye. She wouldn't make full contact. She was still miffed at the goddess for ruining the moment.

"You mean stop your thrall from becoming wall plaster?" Hestia rebutted. "She's not like you the others, is she? She didn't sell her soul for more power, did she? She doesn't even know who you are, does she?"

"So you think Bell is innocent?"

"That… and she saved my life," Hestia added the last part in a low mumble. A normal person wouldn't be able to hear it. But Serafall's hearing was better than most on this planet. "But that's like you Devils, isn't it? You tricked her into becoming your servant. You couldn't find some other crook out there to serve you? Why her?"

"I think that's my business, thank you," Serafall countered.

"She deserves to know," Hestia pressed, surprising Serafall with this much fire in her voice. "She asked me some questions. She doesn't know who you even are, are you?"

"Do you know who I am?" Serafall leaned in and asked.

Hestia met her gaze… and quickly looked away. "No. I don't. But I recognize this amount of taint. You might fool the other gods into believing you're either minor or unimportant, but you can't fool me. I know what you are. Whichever one of the seven you are isn't important when you're all evil."

"Well a whole lotta good that does," Serafall turned back around. She rested her hands on the bed while she kicked her feet against its side. "When you made that ruckus in the markets, nobody believed you. The name of Hestia doesn't hold as much weight as it used to, does it? Hmm… did it ever, actually?"

"T-That doesn't matter!" Hestia flushed. "Just know I'm on to you! I won't let you corrupt that child any further than you already have! I'm going to tell her everything!"

Serafall stopped kicking. Her head whipped back around. Her cute persona washed away.

Hestia met with the eyes of the Leviathan.

"Tell him anything and I tell everyone how old you really are."

The color in Hestia's face washed away just as much as any threat to her life. Actually, this was worse than any life threat. Her life would be virtually over if anyone learned of this information.

"Y-You wouldn't…" Hestia's voice was small. Her arms wrapped around her chest. Her breasts were pressed together.

"I plan on telling Bell," Serafall returned to her childish personality. She resumed kicking. "Someday. When he's ready. For now, I'm going to fulfill our contract. Did you know all he asked for was to become an Adventurer? Not gold, or glory, or power, or even women. Just… to be a part of something…"

For a moment, Serafall's face softened as she recalled Bell's wish and what she read in his heart.

"That boy was so desperate I think he would have made a familia with you!" Serafall snorted as she shot Hestia a look.

"…Now I know you're pulling my leg," Hestia's eyes turned flat. "You know, I thought at first Bell was a boy as some part of a deception. But now I know you're just spewing your usual lies. If you're just going to make fun of me then leave me be."

Serafall blinked a few times as she stared at Hestia. "Well. It looks like you still need to recover. So I'll leave you be for now. Just remember what I said. If he comes to ask for a secret meeting with you after your shift, make some excuse."

Hestia shifted in her bed. Oh yes, Serafall was fully aware of the conversation the two of them (plus Syr) had at Monsterphilia. Sona told her! Telepathically!

…But then Sona was squashed while in Bell's backpack. And then lost during the chaos. That was the real reason why Serafall took so long getting here. She couldn't leave her sister behind!

"Oh, and don't say I don't pay back my debts."

As Serafall made to leave, she eyed Hestia once more. She circled around until she was at the foot of the bed. She brought her hand over Hestia's bruised and burnt ankle. A magic circle was conjured in her palm. Green light emanated from her magic and sprinkled down onto Hestia's limb. Before Hestia could say anything, the swelling had gone down and the burns healed. There wouldn't even be a scar.

Let it be known out of all of her kind, Serafall prided herself as the best healer. She was even better at it than Ajuka, who was living breathing magic incarnate!

…She had to learn when she was the one who fought against heroes the most.

"T-Thank you…" Hestia breathed out.

It wasn't out of gratitude or relief. It was out of… disappointment and anxiety.

"Would you rather I return the wounds?" Serafall offered with a sweet smile. The magic circle began to spin the other way. Her brow may or may not be twitching with irritation.

"Can you?!" Hestia was nearly bouncing on the bed. "I-I mean… Curse you, Devil! I spit in your direction! Go on and take your anger out on me! Maim me! Hurt me so I have to stay in bed for days, miss out on work, and not have to go home!"

Serafall deactivated the magic as she read Hestia like a book. The smile on her face turned to something worthy of her breed. It promised torture that will make Hestia a legend. The little goddess was sweating bullets at this point.

"This is the best you've been living, isn't it?" Serafall cackled with her hand over her mouth. "Is that why you work at a minimum wage establishment? They're totally going to kick you out once they learn you're all better!"

"Please!" Hestia flipped around in order to bow dogeza style. Any pretense about the natural order between goddess and Devil was tossed out of the window. "I live in a rundown church! It's falling apart! The winter nights are brutal! The summers are going to be scorching! But most of all… they promised to feed me until I'm better!"

There was a puddle spreading along the sheets made by Hestia's tears.

"My dark deed of the day is complete," Serafall said with such giddiness it was like the first time peeping on Sona bathing all over again. She made her way to the door before the goddess could stop her. "Bye-bye, Hestia! Thank you very much for rescuing my Bell! I'll be seeing you around!"

"NO! WAIT!"

But Serafall undid her barrier and was out of the room in an instant. The door bent briefly as Hestia rammed her head into it when trying to tackle Serafall.

"Was that Goddess Hestia?" one of the maids, Runoa, passed through the hallway.

"Yep," Serafall beamed a smile at the girl. "I just had to pay her a quick visit after I heard what she did for my Bell. She seems pretty lively and can't wait to go home."

Behind her back, Serafall pressed her hand on the door. She put up a light barrier in order to muffle out Hestia's sobbing slipping through the underside.

"I'll tell Mama Mia then," Runoa muttered and went on to carry out her duties. She didn't press for further information. She was on duty and Mama Mia ran a tight shift.

Moving along, Serafall skipped over to the next door and rapped on it a few times. She rocked back and forth on her heels as she sensed Syr approaching the door.

"Hello there, Goddess Serafall," the ashen-haired girl had a welcoming smile. "He's awake now."

"That's great," Serafall returned with a smile of her own. "Can I see him?"

"Of course," Syr stepped back to open the door wider. "I'll leave you two alone. I have to prepare for tonight anyways."

"Sure thing. Tell Mia-chan I'll be down in a bit."

Syr blinked at her, "Goddess, you don't have to work tonight. Mama Mia said you can take tonight off. You should be with Bell instead."

"That's so nice of her!" Serafall was beaming. "In that case I'll take her generosity."

"I'll let her know," Syr gave a light bow at Serafall. "Good night, Goddess Serafall. Bye Bell. I hope you feel better soon."

She waved at Bell before shutting the door behind her.

Serafall expected to see… something out of her Queen. Excited to see her. Relieved to be in her company. Heartbroken and stressed to the point he starts crying and throws his arms around her while she pets him affectionately. She was really hoping on that last one.

Instead… he was wary. Cautious. He tried to hide it but it was seeped into his heart. He had a smile for her but it was nothing compared to his usual self. She would have even preferred the small ones in his moment of self-doubt.

She pretended to have not noticed any of this.

"Nice job in raising your first flag!" Serafall gave him a thumbs-up. "I didn't think Syr would be your first one. Be careful of that. Usually the first flag becomes main waifu. And if you're not careful, she'll hunt down all the others whose flags you raise."

"I… what?" Bell blinked at her. "Flag? Waifu? Serafall… you're not making sense again."

She needed to educate this boy one day. One day.

She plopped herself down at his bedside, "I heard a lot of crazy things today. I heard everything turned to madness at Monterphilia! I also heard you saved Syr and Hestia from a Silverback. Good job, Bell! That Silverback didn't stand a chance against you! You'll be able to conquer the first twenty floors of the Dungeon at this rate! You're definitely worthy of being my Queen!"

"Serafall… what exactly did you hear?" Bell asked her with his large eyes.

"Just that a Silverback was chasing you and you beat it sideways," Serafall's answer was ready. She knew that Ufriti would do as she commanded to the very end. She, unfortunately, couldn't watch because Little Miss Stalker had to get involved. "But I want to hear it from you. Tell me how you did it."

He gripped the sheets until his knuckles turned white. His expression darkened.

"I… didn't fight the Silverback," he gritted his teeth.

Serafall tried her best to not frown. Her smile dropped but she refused to frown. She wasn't disappointed in Bell. Really, she wasn't. She was irked her plan was ruined and the abuse she took in distracting Wallenstein was wasted.

Bell looked up at her. "There was… a man. When we were cornered, he defeated the Silverback by himself. His fists… they created explosions with every punch. We thought he was there to save us. But… he started to attack me."

Now she couldn't hold back the frown. Someone had tried to hurt her Bell? The audacity! As soon as she found out who it was…

"He called me a Devil," Bell said as she plotted genocide. "The same thing Hestia called you."

His eyes weren't full of condemnation. They were the eyes of a hurt child pleading with her.

Her lip began to quiver. Damn him and his adorable puppy dog stare! That was a weapon not even she could shield herself from!

"Would you hate me if I told you nothing, Bell?" she challenged.

His eyes widened slightly. She thought it was rage but… "What? No! S-Serafall, I can never hate you. You… You're the only person who accepted me. You gave me a place and gear. I'm an Adventurer because of you. You've been nothing but supportive. It's just…"

He paused. In the meantime, she was at a loss for words. She had expected a completely different reaction from him. She had expected spite and confusion. He had been assaulted because someone out there still knew about the existence of Devils. He should be angry, especially when she hid the truth from him.

"Are people after you?" Bell asked with a level tone. "Is that why you changed your name? Why you convinced Miss Eina to not check your identity? Why you were surprised when Hestia recognized you? Are Devils… evil gods?"

Again, she was surprised. Bell wasn't exactly the sharpest tool but… she didn't think he'd be able to see through her deceptions that easily. She figured he wouldn't learn about her name situation until much, much, much later!

"In a manner of speaking…" she said slowly. "Bell, I want you to know something. It's not that I don't trust you. I hid this from you because I— we were afraid word would spread around about us. We've been in hiding for so long we had hoped the world wouldn't recognize us."

It wasn't entirely a lie. But the deception had come out so easily it was parallel to the truth.

She watched as he began to fit pieces of a puzzle inside his head. He came to his own conclusions and accepted them. Not entirely— she read doubt in his heart. But it was enough to satisfy the both of him; he to curb his curiosity and concern and her to allow her to breathe a little bit longer.

"So the reason that man attacked me…" Bell began but let the sentence die off.

"I don't know his reasons or why he called you a Devil," the former truth and the latter another lie. "But… he probably attacked you because of me. Bell, please listen closely."

She leaned forward and took his hand. He stared back at her with eyes full of unwavering focus.

"I won't give you my long history. But I am what you might call… a dark divinity. Something so vile and twisted I may as well not be considered a goddess. I've done horrible things at the peak of my power. I've caused calamities and plagues. I've had men war against another, friends and lovers betray another, and wholesome countries to collapse. More than once… I've extinguished an entire civilization. There are no more snow elves, Atlantians, and many other species because of me."

His complexion paled with every word. But she saw the hope in her eyes. He was searching through hers, seeking answers and things to disprove her words. He believed in her.

Why would he? Why should he? She had deceived him up to this point. Yes, the words she said at this moment hadn't been a lie, but nor had they been the full truth. She still lived in a lie.

"We want to change this," she swore. This— This wasn't a lie. "The four of us. We want to do good from here on out. But we can't do it alone. We don't know how. We know nothing about the current world. And that's why… Bell, we need you. I need you."

She put both hands over his as she pressed every emotion she had into those last words. She had her reasons for picking him out of millions of others throughout Orario. He didn't meet the criteria Ajuka demanded, the expectations of Sirzechs, or impress Falbium, but he was everything she could have asked for and more. She needed him.

"…Serafall," his voice was small. But he took her hands. His eyes never left hers. "What's your real name?"

She smiled softly. It was a sad smile. Here was where the deception had to continue. Here was where she had to wave goodbye to the lovely flutter in her heart. She had to be cold once more as she continued to live through this lie.

She stood and took the center of the room. With a wave of her hand did she change out of her maid uniform and back into her bright pink magical girl outfit. The transformation was purposely slow as she twirled and added sparkles and twinkling stars into her magic. It was all a show.

"Presenting she who upholds justice!" she kept spinning on her toes like a dancer. "The defender of peace, love, and sisterhood! Magical Moé Miracle Levia-tan~"

She struck a pose, her body leaning over with her fingers in a victory sign. Oh, and a wink. The wink was the most important and must never be forgotten. It added a temporary buff to her cuteness stat.

Bell sat there for a moment as he took her in. He blinked as he realized something and began to give a few claps.

She stood upright and gave him another smile. She put her hands behind her back and lazily spun back and forward. She awaited his response while her mind worked to react to his.

"That was the name you gave me when we first met," Bell admitted as he scratched his cheek. "I don't recognize it, to be honest. But then there are a lot of gods I don't know about. Also… it sounds a lot like the Leviathan."

She made sure her smile remained perfect. She separated her feelings from her expressions.

"It does, doesn't it?" she played. "That's one of the reasons why I go by Serafall now. A new name and a new identity. It's like being reborn, don't you think? Please keep calling me Serafall from now on. That is my real name."

"Yes, Serafall," Bell nodded. The smile she loved so much finally returned to his face. It made her heart swoon.

Okay. Maybe in moments like these she could allow her feelings and expressions to mingle together. It was against policy to mix work with pleasure. But, hey, none of those other three sausages were here to berate her.

She joined him in bed and gave him a hug. She loved this boy. Perhaps just as much as she loved Sona.

"Why don't we patch you up and then go celebrate?" she pulled away only to give his appearance an eyeful. She ran her fingers across the side of his face where ointments and creams had been placed by the maids. They had dried now.

With a hand on his chest and the other cupping his cheek, she applied healing magic to him. Granted, as her Queen, he would have recovered completely in a matter of days. But she couldn't bear to see him like this.

"Celebrate?" he questioned.

"You did good, Bell," Serafall said as her magic worked its… well, magic. "You saved a damsel and a half. You've just taken your first step into becoming the ideal hero. But you've got a long way to go, especially if you're going to be courting Syr-chan."

"C-Courting…" he blushed. "Serafall, I don't know how much you heard but I think Syr was just playing with me—"

"And it's that misunderstanding why we're going to get you laid tonight!" Serafall stood back up and planted her fists onto her hip. "Bell, you know nothing about women. How can you expect to win Syr-chan's heart if you don't understand what makes us tick? We don't exactly have a user's manual. We're the type of things you gotta figure out by checking what's under the hood."

"…Eh?" was all he could say as steam was ready to blow out of his ears.

"I just so happened to hear about the latest and greatest spot," she leaned over and grabbed him by the arm. She posed dramatically— feet planted as she pointed to the stars. "To the Pleasure Quarter!"

"WAIT WHAT?!"

Before he could stop her, they were gone in a flash of red.

The door creaked open seconds after. The head of Anya peaked inside. Her feline ears were perked. Behind the door, her tail swished around. She looked around and immediately took note of the sudden absence of the two she may or may not have been eavesdropping on.

Never mind the whole talk about Devils and Serafall's actual name. That was nothing compared to what else she heard.

"S-Syr!" Anya fled down the hallway as fast as she could. "We have nya situation!"