Chapter 23 – Hestia Wants to Steal Another Familia's Child!?
The sudden voice startled both Hestia and Hephaestus out of their seats.
"Cough—cough—!"
Hestia happened to be chewing at that very moment. Startled, she choked and clutched at her chest in a flustered panic. Her jerky movements drew the eyes of several nearby men, who couldn't help but glance her way.
"Quick, drink this, Hestia!"
Hephaestus shoved a glass of juice into her hands.
Hestia gulped it down in one go, exhaling loudly in relief as if she had just returned from the edge of the Underworld.
"Shin Akira! What do you think you're doing?! We were just worried about you, and now you nearly scared me to death!"
Her shrill protest rang through the tavern. For a goddess to become the first in history to be sent back to Heaven because she choked on her food—that would be a humiliation she could never live down.
"Shin Akira, you really went too far this time. Just look at what happened to Hestia because of you."
Even Hephaestus scolded him, her tone laced with displeasure.
"I—I…"
Akira froze, inwardly groaning. Did I just commit some kind of crime here…?
From across the room, a silver-haired waitress paused at the doorway, her eyes locking onto Akira. Her gaze sharpened, gleaming with a strange intensity.
Such a fascinating soul… So bright and radiant, yet steeped in darkness. Both light and shadow dwelling as one?
Her sight pierced straight into the depths of his being.
Akira's soul shone brighter than any ordinary human's, yet within that brilliance lurked a darkness so deep it seemed to glow on its own. It was paradoxical, unsettling—and captivating.
For mortals, a radiant soul signified purity and potential. A darkened soul meant corruption and waste. But here was someone who possessed both extremes simultaneously.
It was like unearthing a chunk of gleaming black metal buried in mud. Rare. Impossible. Astonishing.
Meanwhile, Hestia, still puffing her cheeks with indignation, demanded retribution.
"Now then—admit your mistake."
"…Alright. I was wrong, Goddess Hestia."
"Good. Since you admit it, you should apologize properly. With a gift."
"E-eh? O-of course."
"Excellent. Shin Akira, right?"
"Yes, Goddess Hestia."
"To soothe the wound you've carved in my heart, tomorrow you'll provide me with three meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And they all better be as good as today's."
Her true motives slipped out at last.
The reason she had skipped lunch earlier was simple: both she and Hephaestus were too lazy to leave the house. Even tonight, she had only come out because hunger finally forced her hand.
Now, with one clever excuse, she secured her meals for tomorrow without lifting a finger.
"Hestia, don't overstep."
Before Akira could respond, Hephaestus cut in sharply.
This boy belongs to me—my Familia's child. And you dare to ensnare him?
As a goddess who fiercely guarded her children, she wasn't about to let it slide.
"What's wrong, Hephaestus? This isn't such a big deal."
"Hmph. You've changed, Hephaestus. You'd betray your dearest friend just for the sake of one Familia member?"
Hestia pouted like a sulking child, making Hephaestus feel as if she were dealing with an overgrown brat rather than a fellow goddess.
"Divine One, this was indeed my fault. As an apology, I'll prepare three meals for Goddess Hestia tomorrow," Akira offered sincerely.
"You think a rookie adventurer has the money for that? Even your weapon was a gift from Tsubaki!" Hephaestus snapped.
"But I earned quite a bit today. Even after my shopping earlier, I made another profit this evening. In total… about two hundred thousand valis."
"…Two hundred thousand?!"
Hephaestus's eyes widened. That kind of sum? From a beginner?
It wasn't a fortune by her standards, but for a brand-new adventurer to bring back that much on his first proper dive—that was unheard of.
"Don't forget my abilities, Goddess. I don't fight alone," Akira reminded her.
At once, Hephaestus understood. Shin Akira had the power to summon Shadowkhan warriors—unnatural soldiers bound to his will. That explained his explosive magic growth earlier.
Hestia, however, could only gape.
Two hundred thousand valis… in one day? She, who couldn't even sustain herself in Orario, had been forced to freeload at Hephaestus's home. That sum to her was nothing short of treasure.
"Shin Akira, you just joined Hephaestus Familia, didn't you?"
"That's right, just yesterday. Why, Goddess Hestia?"
"…What do you think of me?"
"Eh? Goddess Hestia is… kind, beautiful, and very cheerful."
"Then… would you like to join my Familia instead?"
Her expression turned deadly serious. Friend or not, she wouldn't hesitate to poach a child like him. Someone like Shin Akira was far too precious to let slip away. Besides, Hephaestus had plenty of children. Losing one shouldn't matter.
"HESTIA!!!"
Before Akira could even form a reply, Hephaestus was already on her feet, her voice like a thunderclap.
How dare she? After all the hospitality she'd shown, Hestia now tried to steal away her child?
Especially this one—the first person who hadn't flinched from her true face. The boy who had even confessed his feelings to her.
"What's wrong, Hephaestus? You already have so many. And I—I have no one. Just let me have this one. Can't you pity me?"
Hestia leaned in with her usual cutesy act, the trick that so often got her what she wanted.
But not this time.
"Don't even dream of it, Hestia. Shin Akira is mine. He belongs to me alone."
"Don't be stingy, Hephaestus!"
"There will be no negotiations!"
The fire in Hephaestus's eyes left no room for doubt. Shin Akira held a special place in her heart.
After all, what kind of ordinary adventurer would ever share a roof with her? None.
Hestia bit her lip, falling silent. But in her mind, a thought began to take root.
Could it be…?
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