'Goddess-sama... your request is seriously over the line.'
Bell, standing behind them, couldn't help but hold his forehead. He had actually tried to talk Goddess-sama out of this idea before they came. Hephaestus-sama was the Goddess of Smithing—her forging skills were far beyond what any craftsman of this era could hope to match. Asking a god to personally forge a weapon? Honestly, even as a transmigrator, Bell had never dared to think that arrogantly.
This wasn't just bold—it was shameless.
Even so, Bell figured that, since it was Goddess-sama making the request, Hephaestus-sama would probably just roll her eyes and agree in the end. Maybe she'd even settle for something simple, like asking Hestia to cover the material costs, just like in the original story. Still, Bell couldn't help but feel the request was pushing it a bit too far.
'If it weren't for Goddess-sama's status, we'd probably have been kicked out by now, right?'
That thought stung a little. Once again, Bell found himself impressed by just how much sway Hestia-sama held. She had connections with many gods in Tenkai and maintained good relationships with them. Even the goddess of blacksmithing had offered her significant material support just because of their bond. That had to be the most genuine kind of friendship—at least, Bell couldn't imagine treating anyone that generously himself.
Hephaestus took a deep breath. Without a word, she walked up to Hestia, expression unreadable. The eye not covered by her eyepatch said it all—speechless, exasperated, and ready to teach this fool a lesson. Stretching out her hands, she pinched Hestia's cheeks.
"You're the only one in all of Orario who dares to talk to me like this. And you even named me specifically to forge a weapon for you. Go ask any other god in their Familia—none of them would ever dare make this kind of request. Not even the two rulers of Orario, Freya and Loki, would push it this far. But you? You actually went there."
Despite having her cheeks pinched, Hestia was still grinning. Of course she understood the value of Hephaestus's work. No god had ever dared to request a custom weapon from her before. Hestia didn't think she could make that kind of demand as a god either. But that wasn't how she was approaching it.
"Because Hephaestus is my best friend."
That's right—Hestia knew how to play the friendship card.
She understood full well that it wasn't appropriate to make this kind of request as a fellow god. But this wasn't a divine request—it was a plea from a friend, asking another to help forge a weapon.
Hephaestus blinked, momentarily stunned. It really was a good reason—probably the best one anyone could give. Not a demand from a god, but a favor asked as a friend.
"That's a good reason. If it's a request from a friend, it would be too cold-hearted to keep refusing. So, Hestia, I'll take on your commission. But don't forget—there's still a forging fee for the weapon."
"Of course, I won't forget."
"Then let's begin."
Hephaestus glanced at Bell, who was standing behind them. Just two days had passed, yet the arrival of this child had already brought significant change to Hestia. She was starting to act like a proper head of a Familia, with more responsibilities to consider.
Smiling, Hephaestus turned around and twisted a wall ornament. The wall responded with a clicking sound—"ka-ka-ka."
A hidden room behind the workshop opened.
Inside was a blacksmith's workspace. The forge blazed with intense heat, and on the wall hung hammers crafted from various types of crystals. These were likely forging tools—different crystals, different hammers, each serving a specific purpose.
Those dozens of hammers didn't look like anything ordinary. Bell wasn't well-versed in blacksmithing, but he wasn't blind either. This was the workshop of the Goddess of Smithing—how could it possibly be simple? If it were, could she really still be called the Goddess of Smithing?
'So this is... Hephaestus-sama's workplace?'
Seeing the room for the first time, Bell couldn't help feeling overwhelmed. Something he thought impossible had just been agreed to so easily by Hephaestus-sama. Even if it meant incurring a debt for the weapon, Bell knew this was a debt well worth bearing.
He didn't actually have any expectations for a weapon. He had chosen a path of steady growth rather than one of instant power. Building strength little by little—that was what mattered. A powerful weapon could bring great convenience, but it could also make one lose the will to improve.
So from the very beginning, Bell had decided that as long as the weapon could cut through monster flesh, that was enough. A first-rate weapon was only meaningful when the user's strength matched it. It wasn't about using a powerful weapon to defeat monsters—it was about becoming strong enough to defeat them with whatever you had.
More importantly, Bell didn't have such grand ambitions.
'I didn't even hope for something like this... and yet, here it is.'
He couldn't help but feel moved.
Noticing the shift in Bell's expression, Hephaestus asked curiously.
"What's wrong? Hestia went out of her way to get me to forge a weapon for you, but you don't look particularly happy."
"Hephaestus-sama, you must be joking. I'm just a mere mortal—I would never dare to dream of something so extravagant. For me to receive a weapon forged by your hands... it feels like a dream."
That sounded about right. Hephaestus wasn't being arrogant—her weapons were undeniably the best in all of Orario, and every Familia would fight for one. She normally wouldn't personally craft a weapon for anyone, not even for her own followers. This was the first and only time.
As a deity, she had her pride. She wouldn't compete with the younger generation for work, nor flaunt her unmatched forging skills. If it weren't for Hestia's heartfelt request as a friend, she never would've accepted this commission.
Coming from a rookie adventurer, his words weren't out of place at all. Which only made Hephaestus even more curious—why did this kid still look so conflicted? Her interest piqued, she asked again.
"Then why do you still not seem the least bit happy?"
"Hephaestus-sama, it's because I'm wondering... do I really deserve a weapon like this? I'm just a newly registered adventurer, and yet here I am, holding something personally crafted by the god Hephaestus. I have no doubt—it's probably the strongest weapon in all of Orario. But I'm just a Level 1."
Flattery, no matter how subtle, was still pleasant to hear—even to a god. Hephaestus gave Bell another look. Sure, his words had a touch of flattery, but he wasn't wrong. What touched her more was that he seemed genuinely concerned for Hestia.
That attitude shifted Hephaestus's impression of him ever so slightly. She turned to look at Hestia, then let out a soft smile.
"The Familia goddess and her child really are alike."