A/N: November 17th, 2019. I've extended the final scene of chapter 4 when Syr goes to give Bell his lunch. Please go back and read it if you've previously done so before now. And thank you for your continued interest in this odd but fun pairing and story!

Your Falna will carve your soul into a blazing sun. As I make my way through West Main, I notice the morning become brighter, and I recall those words from the grimoire I had once read. The sun above, until now hidden behind a blanket of clouds drifting leisurely across the sky, is now peeking down on me. I'm starting to feel a pleasant warmth on my cheeks, though the fiery globe has yet to fully emerge from behind the clouds and let Orario feel its full blaze.

I've certainly come a long way as an adventurer in a relatively short time, and I know I'll only continue to grow, strengthening and forging old and new bonds along the way. I think I've even made a new one today, though that could just be me being overly hopeful.

A cool spring breeze accompanies the steady movement of horse-drawn carts. Besides the clopping of horseshoes on cobblestones, I hear the pleasant chatter of townsfolk, the affable exchanges between shopkeepers and their first customers... It's some kind of a rare perfect morning, where the ugly and dreary sides of life are still asleep, and everyone around me seems to be in a good mood.

Well, almost everyone.

"L-Lefiya-san, what's the matter?" I ask my elven companion, who's trailing behind me with a slightly furrowed brow.

There has been a somewhat uneasy silence between us ever since we left the Hostess of Fertility. Maybe it's because she was caught between two options that didn't particularly thrill her: working at the pub, or Dungeon prowling with me. Or maybe it was whatever Syr had whispered into her ear. Either way, I can't help but try to break the silence.

"It's nothing," she says, her eyes peering down at my hand, or rather what's in it.

"Ah, this?" I raise the lunch Syr had packed for me.

Lefiya takes a moment to respond. "Does that girl often prepare lunches for you like that?"

"Y-yes... I feel bad about it, but she and Ryuu-san insist that it's not a big deal and that I should take it."

"You have feelings for Ais-san, yet you accept Syr-san's lunches? That's... that's unacceptable, Bell Cranel!"

"W-what do you mean?" I'm not certain I see a connection between the two, but my face feels hot all of a sudden hearing mention of how I feel about Ais.

"What do you mean 'what do you mean'?" Lefiya's pace quickens until it matches mine, and now she's getting in my face a bit. "How would you feel if you made lunches for Ais-san everyday while her heart was after another? Say, Bete-san?"

Bete... that guy is real manly, and an incredible adventurer, I'm certain, fully worthy of Ais's affections... Just imagining it is...

"I'd rather not think about it," I say.

"Hurts, doesn't it? That's the way you'll make Syr-san feel if you keep leading her on like this."

"L-leading her on? Lefiya-san... I think you have the wrong idea about Syr-san. These lunches... they are her way of keeping me coming back to the Hostess of Fertility for meals." Often pricey meals, I might add! "She knows I can't refuse."

Lefiya sighs, but the anger in her eyes seems to have lessened. Usually by this point in our conversations, she's absolutely livid with me. I suppose this is an improvement in our relationship.

"I suppose that does sound like her," Lefiya concedes. "However, don't you think making meals for a single person everyday like this solely for some extra cash is overkill? There's only one reason a girl would go to these lengths for a boy - because she has a crush on him!"

"I-I dunno." Syr can be flirty sometimes, but I can never tell if she's being serious or not. "She's got a mischievous side."

"I-I'm well-aware," she says, a tad annoyed. Her face is nearly as red as when Syr had spoken to her. "But did she seem like she was joking when she offered you t-to, to lick crumbs off her fingers last night!?"

"That definitely had to be a joke!"

Lefiya shakes her head swiftly. "Not from what I saw! She looks at you a certain way, you know? I bet she tends to giggle and blush often around you too. You're a cute boy, after all."

"Y-yeah, that's true - wait... did you just call me cute?"

I'm doing my best to suppress an embarrassed smile right now.

Lefiya's eyes widen as she begins stuttering, and she plants a hand on my chest to stop me in my tracks.

"I-I, th-that's - the point is that those are signs Syr-san likes you!"

She's so loud that it causes a few people nearby to turn our way, which is only making her more flustered.

I can't help but laugh a little.

"W-what are you laughing at!?" she asks me. "Th-this is a serious matter, Bell Cranel!"

"Sorry, it's just..." You're pretty adorable when you're embarrassed. "Ah, it's nothing."

"Hmph!" Lefiya turns her face away from me. I can just barely tell she's pouting. "Just think about what I said, okay?"

I am indeed thinking about what Lefiya said, and I'm starting to think she may be right. Now that she planted this idea in my head, it's making more sense than I wish to admit.

After that encounter with the silverback that was after my goddess for reasons we still don't know, Syr mentioned she had seen me fight and defeat the beast, and that she had fallen for me as a result. I thought it was some kind of cruel joke at the time, but... all this effort making sure I won't be hungry while in the Dungeon, the way she acts around me...

Staring at the neatly wrapped container in my hands, I can't help but feel a little guilty.

Having to deal with possible romances in my life is something new for me. Prior to living in Orario, I had only heroic tales and the wisdom of my grandfather to go by when it came to that subject; there weren't many girls around my age in the small village I'm from.

All I know is that when I saw Ais for the very first time, I knew she was the one I wanted to impress.

She is my first crush.

Maybe working so hard to capture her attention blinded me from realizing that I could be someone else's crush.

"I... think you're right about Syr-san," I say to Lefiya.

She nods with satisfaction, but there's a look of curiosity in her eyes.

"So now that you know how she feels, will you reciprocate her feelings?"

All those cute giggles and those beautiful, almost demure smiles of Syr's, the womanly and slightly mischievous charm she has... It makes me happy such a pretty and clever girl feels that way about me. However...

Golden locks flowing in the wind atop Orario's towering walls. Body slender, delicate-looking, feminine. I can visualize the image of the girl with a beauty rivaling that of the goddesses perfectly. I need to climb those walls to reach her, and I'm imagining myself doing just that. But for a moment when I reach the top, I see someone else.

A beautiful girl with amber-colored hair, pointy ears, dark blue eyes, a small nose, lips soft and pink. Lips I can't keep my eyes off, those same ones that had pressed against my own-

"W-well?" Lefiya's voice springs me back to reality. "Will you?"

My face feels like it's on fire. I can't look her in the eye right now.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

Come on, Bell. Deep breaths.

Why did I imagine Lefiya there? That kiss and those feelings she shared with me were things I was never meant to experience, precious things not meant for me.

It surprised me a bit to discover that another girl had feelings for Ais. Eina and my goddess told me how Ais had many suitors, but they never said anything about her having female admirers as well! Now that I think about it, however, a girl as beautiful as Ais was bound to attract the attention of both genders.

I sure must have a lot of competition... and one of my fellow competitors is right in front of me and lives in the same house as Ais!

"I-I'll be fine," I say to myself as much as to Lefiya. I gaze at the cloudy skies as I finish collecting myself. "It's just like I told you earlier. I fully intend on standing beside Ais-san one day."

"Darn," Lefiya says, folding her arms. "Here I was hoping the power of a cute girl would be able to sway your feelings, but... somehow I had a feeling you'd say that."

"Lefiya-san," I say. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping me come to my senses." I look at the container in my hand.

"It's not like I did it to help you," Lefiya says. "I just couldn't bear the thought of some girl hopelessly chasing after you while you're cluelessly enjoying her meals."

"I see what you mean... I should probably go return this to her."

"Hold on a moment," she says. "Don't you think it'd be a bit rude to return it this instant?"

"But it'd be rude to hold onto it too. I certainly can't eat it anymore."

"Just bear with it for now, and return it when we come back tonight."

I nod in agreeance.

I feel bad that I'm going to have to decline Syr's lunches from now on, but it also feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Hopefully she won't end up hating me for it.

With that matter settled, Lefiya and I continue on our path to Babel.

Before heading to the Dungeon, Lefiya decides to take another trip back to her Familia's home in order to grab supplies for today's trip, and we agree to meet back up at Central Park. As for me, I'm already prepared, having brought my old backpack I used to use before meeting Lili, and one high potion and several normal potions I bought from Naza earlier. One of these potions is for my goddess... I hope she really is alright. From the way the Hostess of Fertility staff and the goddess Loki were talking, it seems like my goddess might want to be left alone for now. However, I won't be able to forgive myself if I don't check up on her personally after what happened.

I make my way to Babel's fourth floor through one of the elevators. The floor greets me with window displays lined with expensive weapons and armors still far too out of my reach to purchase, and a familiar crimson sword catches my attention.

Still thirty million valis... You'll be mine one day!

As I admire it briefly, I catch a glimpse of long jet-black twin ponytails and a deep red apron-style uniform around an ample figure inside the shop. I open the door to the shop, and I notice that the girl in uniform is also wearing a scarf, and her back is to me. I'm met with a poorly enthused greeting as she turns.

"Welcome to our - ah, Bell-kun." She winces momentarily for some reason but soon smiles thereafter. I hug her without a second thought.

"Goddess-sama, I've been so worried about you, especially after you started drinking!"

"Oh, Bell-kun, I'm so sorry." She returns the hug in full, wrapping her slender arms around my back. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"Are you feeling sick?" I ask as I lift one of the tail ends of her scarf.

She recoils, pulling the scarf from my hand.

"S-something like that. In fact, you could say I'm sick of a few things." She's grumbling now, and I'm not sure what she means exactly, but I know one thing.

"You should be resting instead of working right now," I say. "We're doing a bit better money-wise than when we first became a Familia. Wouldn't it be okay if you were to take off a single day of work?"

"No can do," she says softly as she shakes her head. "Think of this as my way of showing my appreciation to you for always working so hard yourself."

The only thing I can think is that my goddess is working herself to the bone for my sake. For the Hestia Knife.

Yes… I figured that out a while ago. The Goddess and Hephaestus must have come to some agreement about payment for the knife, and her working here was part of it. With a larger Familia and a larger party, I could take that burden upon myself, but for now all I can do is continue doing my part as an adventurer providing for his Familia.

"Goddess-sama, I have something for you." I reach for the item holster on my leg and pull out a potion. "I thought you might need it."

"Thank you, Bell-kun. You're so sweet, but..." Her smile, albeit tired, is full of warmth. She takes my fingers with her hand and curls them over the vial.

"Goddess-sama?"

"Keep it. You'll need it more than me. You're heading to the Dungeon, right?"

"Yes… are you sure you don't want it? It would make me feel better if you felt better."

Hestia nodded. "I'll be fine. You never know when you'll be in a pinch down there."

"That is true..." We recently had a taste of the Dungeon's volatile nature after it spawned that black goliath on the 18th floor. There's no such thing as being overly cautious when it concerns the unforgiving labyrinth. "Please don't overdo it, Goddess-sama."

"I promise," she says. "No Supporter-kun or Welf-kun today?"

"They'll both be busy today." Lili is helping out the old gnome who has been giving her a place to stay, and Welf is making me new equipment since most of my gear is in bad shape from the battle with the black goliath.

"You're not going to the Dungeon alone, are you?" Hestia asks.

"Lefiya-san is joining me today."

"Loki's child? This isn't some ploy by that trickster goddess to get under my skin, is it?"

"N-no, Goddess-sama. I asked Lefiya-san myself to go with me."

The Goddess' eyes narrow and she hums at me inquisitively.

"You two better not try anything funny while you're down there together."

"Th-the only thing I intend to do is help right the wrongs I did yesterday," I say, rubbing my head.

"Don't blame yourself for that child picking a fight with you."

"Yes, I know… Regardless I'm excited I'll be working together with a member of the Loki Familia."

Training with Ais opened my eyes to things I didn't understand before. I imagine this will be the same, especially considering that Lefiya is a mage.

Hestia nods. "I suppose this will be a good experience for you. Do your best, and stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Right!"

Droves of adventurers are pouring into Central Park from surrounding avenues. I love seeing the various kinds of people that the Dungeon draws in. A boisterous group of armored dwarves pass me, and the tallest of them, a bulky unshaven man, is resting a war hammer against his shoulder like it weighs nothing. Off in the distance there's a trio consisting of two humans around my age and a chienthrope with a spear. I can tell the humans are new adventurers; they're using guild-issued swords and armor, but the chienthrope looks a bit more experienced. They are exactly the sort of people Eina worries about. I can only hope they'll do okay.

I look towards North Main Street, where Lefiya should be coming from. We had agreed to meet by the water fountain, so I've been waiting here for about ten minutes. Eventually I spot her and begin to raise my hand to wave, but I can feel a pair of eyes watching me from behind. It's different from the usual gaze of silver eyes, but it is equally intense.

I turn around and see a tall, kind of lanky man staring at me with eyes as blue as the sea. His long brown hair is neatly styled, and he's handsome enough to rival an elf.

Surrounding him are a group of five adventurers all wearing the same dark uniform he is. There's an emblem somewhere on all of their clothing. A golden bow and arrow sitting in front of a burning orb… No, in front of the sun; it must be the emblem of their Familia.

The man continues looking at me briefly before he turns around and joins in on a conversation with his buddies. They're too far for me to hear.

That was strange. Maybe we know each other? But surely I would remember meeting someone like that.

"There you are," Lefiya says from behind me. She's wearing a backpack that's a little larger than mine. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Oh, it's nothing," I reply. "Are you all set?"

She nods. "Forgive me for taking so long. I had to make extra preparations for something that took a little longer than I expected."

"Extra preparations?" I wonder what that could mean.

"D-don't worry about it," she stammers. "And before we go, I owe you another thank you as well, for helping to postpone my debut as a… c-cute elf waitress."

Her face momentarily turned sour after that last bit.

I don't dare say this out loud, but I'm kinda curious how she'll look in the pub's waitress attire.

"I'm glad I could help," I say, smiling. I'm happy that we can actually talk now without her yelling or glaring at me all the time. "Let's make it count."

With a level three adventurer beside me, today's trip should be profitable even without a bigger party or a proper supporter.

The leisure clouds that were hiding the sun have given way once again, bathing Lefiya's face in morning light. Lefiya returns my smile with one of her own.

"Let's go on an adventure."