Before the Loki Familia officially began their expedition, he had to hone his "Status" to the absolute limit—he had to reach his peak and find the "Excelia" needed to break through to Level 3.
But that was the ideal case. Bell wasn't sure if he could push his "Status" to the level of a proper Level 3 in the limited time he had.
"Bell-kun, if you go through with this, you're going to be really exhausted for a while."
Hearing him say that, Hestia already understood deep down that even if she tried to stop him, Bell would still go through with it.
And as it turned out, she was right.
"It might be a bit exhausting, but it's necessary. Aside from dealing with the Black Dragon, we also have to guard against Freya's ambitions."
"The best outcome of this expedition would be to find an avatar of the Corrupted Spirit deep underground, use it, and raise the overall strength of the Loki Familia. As long as Orario isn't dominated by the Freya Familia alone, their influence will drop significantly."
"To make that happen, I need to improve my odds of success."
As he spoke, Bell's usual cheerful expression faded. Freya was a serious problem.
Power may be simple, but sometimes it's that very simplicity that shifts the entire balance.
That's why the strength held by the Freya Familia—Orario's strongest—couldn't be ignored.
"If there's not enough time, I'll hold off for now. I can't sacrifice the future over a temporary power boost. But if it's possible, I'd still like to polish my 'Status' before the expedition."
Bell understood well that rushing things could ruin his future, so he had set limits for himself. If he couldn't fully hone his "Status" in time, he wouldn't resort to any extreme measures.
Leveling up was simply added insurance. Even if he didn't reach that point, he wasn't too worried. Bell was confident in his plan—his current state was already enough to handle many challenges.
He wouldn't throw his future away just for a small increase in the plan's success rate.
"Ah... so that means Bell-kun is going to be busy again."
Truthfully, Hestia wanted Bell to stay with her a little longer. She wanted to act spoiled with him—it had taken so much to finally get to this point.
Hephaestus sighed quietly in her heart, but she knew this was the fate of all adventurers.
"Sorry, Hestia, Hephaestus."
Bell didn't really have a better option. This was a crucial time in his growth. Until the expedition, he wouldn't have a moment to rest. Every day had to be scheduled, and he couldn't afford to lose any training time.
"Ah, you don't need to apologize, Bell-kun."
Hestia quickly cut him off.
"We all know you've been preparing nonstop for the expedition. On top of that, you're setting up the plan you'll execute during it—that's going to take even more out of you."
"Right now, you need to pour all your energy into what's in front of you. Everything else can wait until you get back."
"She's right. You should be focusing all your attention on yourself right now."
Hephaestus completely agreed and hoped Bell would stay focused on his plan.
"With Freya's threat and Loki's agreement, you've got way more to handle on this expedition than you think. You'll need to be even more focused on yourself."
"I know."
Bell had already studied the Corrupted Spirit's Fetus thoroughly and was confident in his ability to control it. He had done all the necessary preparation. Now, it all depended on whether Loki's Familia could withstand the pressure.
Once the tension eased, Bell collapsed, drained, onto Hephaestus's lap.
"So, this is the only time we can relax before the expedition, huh."
He'd only just gotten serious for a moment before sinking back into drowsiness.
A heavy wave of sleepiness washed over him.
Maybe it was the cozy, peaceful atmosphere at home—everything he'd been bottling up all day finally hit him at once.
Before long, Bell drifted off, his breathing slow and steady. The two goddesses looked down at him, fast asleep, with a trace of heartache in their eyes.
...
"That's why I said it'd definitely be exhausting."
Ever since she stopped Bell from using Runes to induce sleep, Hestia had often seen him doze off the moment he lay down.
Hephaestus gave a small shake of her head.
"This is the path Bell chose. He knew from the beginning how hard it would be, and with everything he's preparing for, it's no surprise he's like this."
"Of course I know that, it's just..."
"If you know, then don't say anything more. What we gods can do is support him. What he's doing now could change all of Orario, and it ties directly into the future for all three of us. Easing his fatigue is the best—and only—thing we can do for him right now."
As she spoke, Hephaestus gently lifted Bell off her lap and moved him onto the bed so he could sleep beside her.
"Hestia, could you handle the magic stone lamp?"
"Ugh... next time, it's your turn to turn off the light."
She grumbled, but Hestia still walked to the door and turned off the lamp.
With the light gone, only the moonlight lit the room. Luckily, enough of it still filtered in—otherwise, it would've been pitch black, not even enough to see a hand in front of your face.
In the dark, Hestia groped her way back to the bed.
Once she found her spot, she lay down beside Bell, who was sleeping in the center, and slowly closed her eyes.
...
Morning came.
After a full night's rest, Bell's exhaustion was completely gone. He felt refreshed, as if all the fatigue had stayed behind with yesterday. He also had a feeling it was thanks to the presence of the two goddesses beside him.
Pushing himself up, Bell sat up and gently kissed Hestia and Hephaestus on the cheek.
"Good morning, Hephaestus, Hestia."
There was no need to say anything more.
Even though their heartbeats didn't skip or flutter, Bell knew—thanks to past experience—that both goddesses were already awake.
Without another word, he smiled and got up from the bed. A new day had begun, and it was time to get moving again.