Chapter 39 – How Many Monsters Have You Killed?
Akira's firm, unwavering answer left Hestia speechless for a moment.
She had originally planned to lecture him—seriously. She wanted him to understand what it truly meant to form a relationship with a goddess, all the burdens and consequences that came with it. But before she could even begin her explanation, he had already declared it with such confidence?
"…Wait. Do you really understand what it means to love a goddess?"
"I do. If I choose to be with a goddess, then I must be ready—completely ready—to stay with her forever."
"Even if, a hundred years from now, your life ends... when you reincarnate, your soul will be drawn back to the goddess again. Over and over. Eternally."
"I know. And I accept that."
That unwavering voice, filled with certainty—no doubt, no hesitation.
It made Hestia realize something important—this man wasn't joking. He had already made peace with it.
"…Unbelievable. I never imagined Hephaestus would face something like this one day. But still, I wonder..."
Her voice grew quiet.
"How long can you truly hold onto that resolve?"
Her words weren't aimed at him, not really. It was more like she was talking to herself.
From a goddess's point of view, time worked differently.
A hundred years? A thousand? To gods, that was like the blink of an eye. But to a human, a century was everything—their entire lifetime, sometimes not even that.
Hestia had lived for millions of years. Despite her image as a bubbly, home-loving goddess, she had seen too much. Countless human lives. Countless promises, vows, oaths—all slowly fading as the years passed.
She had witnessed it over and over again.
In her eyes, maybe the only reason Shin Akira could speak so confidently now… was because he hadn't yet truly experienced what it meant.
Would he still say those words… after going through a hundred lifetimes tied to a goddess?
Even more than that—what if, someday, he saw Hephaestus's "True Divine Form"? Would he still feel the same?
Even so, Hestia said nothing more. This was Hephaestus's personal matter. And truthfully… she hoped her friend could finally find someone who would love her sincerely.
Meanwhile, Akira had already caught on to the subtext behind Hestia's words.
She was… testing him, wasn't she?
After all, Hephaestus wasn't a goddess who had always been admired. There had been times—painful ones—when even other gods and her own Familia had looked down on her. Despite her tough exterior, she was far more fragile inside than most realized.
And among the gods, perhaps only Hestia still truly stood by her side.
"…By the way, Hestia," Akira said casually, "do you know where Hephaestus went today?"
"Hmm... I think she said something earlier about handling business with the Loki Familia."
"Ah, probably preparations for the next expedition."
Expeditions—large-scale Dungeon excursions led by one or more Familias—were no small matter.
The Dungeon beneath Orario was shaped like an inverted pyramid. The deeper you went, the more vast and complex each floor became. At the Lower Floors, the layout was so massive, it was said the area dwarfed even the entire city above.
That's how enormous the Dungeon was.
Naturally, breaking through those deep levels required massive preparation—supplies, medicine, weapons, everything had to be thoroughly stocked and calculated.
Because down there... even the smallest mistake could mean total annihilation.
After finishing one expedition, a Familia would usually start preparing for the next right away.
Weapons and potions couldn't be bought in bulk all at once. Not even the Orario markets could handle orders that large. So they collected bit by bit, day by day.
Then, just before the departure date, they'd stockpile everything in bulk to ensure not even the tiniest detail was missed.
As one of the main powerhouses of Orario, the Loki Familia had a longstanding partnership with the Hephaestus Familia. They regularly ordered swords, armor, even magic blades—in staggering quantities.
Akira got up from the couch, changed his clothes, splashed some water on his face, and got ready to head out.
"It's already late. You're still going to the Dungeon?" Hestia asked, glancing at him from behind her book.
"Not this time. I rushed home this morning and didn't get a chance to exchange my Magic Stones. I'll stop by the Guild real quick. Oh, and tonight's dinner's on me. Let's invite Hephaestus too. We'll eat something good at the Hostess of Fertility."
"Woo~! You got yourself a deal. But don't expect me to go easy on your wallet."
"Bring it on. I can handle a few plates."
"Well then, take care out there~!"
With a wave, Akira left the house, while Hestia returned to her reading.
The door closed behind him.
Silence returned to the room.
And then... from the shadowed corner of the floor, a black figure emerged—it was a Shadow Warrior.
In one hand, he carried a large sack stuffed full of Magic Stones—or more precisely, shards of Magic Stones. Because on the Fifth Floor of the Dungeon, monsters only dropped tiny fragments, often irregular and unpolished.
In his other hand... was a wrapped bag containing sandwiches and a bowl of porridge—both now completely cold.
Akira suddenly remembered.
Oh right—he had told his Shadow Warrior to buy breakfast for him earlier this morning. But the moment he got home, he'd passed out cold on the couch and only woke up just now.
He grabbed a meat bun and took a bite.
The flavor was still there—hearty and packed with juicy filling—but the crust had hardened from the cold, making the texture less satisfying.
Still, food was food.
And considering he hadn't eaten anything since last night—and it was already almost evening—he quickly devoured everything.
As for the porridge? He'd warm it up later.
Once he stepped outside the towering structure of Babel, Akira made his way toward the Guild.
"Good afternoon, Miss Eina!"
"Huh? Oh, Akira. Good afternoon to you too."
"Even after days apart, you're as radiant as ever, Miss Eina."
"Stop it with the sweet talk. Compliments won't get you out of trouble this time."
"Such a strict and dedicated advisor," Akira chuckled.
He handed over his backpack.
It was heavy—so much so that Eina nearly stumbled as she took it from him.
Instinctively, she wanted to scold him. Clearly, if the bag was this heavy, Akira must have gone way too deep into the Dungeon again.
But then... she opened the bag.
And saw nothing but Magic Stone shards.
Packed to the brim. No empty space. Not even a sliver.
Her breath caught.
This many...?
Just how many monsters had he slain?
And more importantly... he actually stayed on the upper floors this time?
When she lifted her head again, she found herself staring straight into Akira's face—beaming at her with that bright, innocent smile.
For a moment, her vision went red.
That boy was going to give her a heart attack someday.
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