The sunlight was as gentle as ever.
Since arriving in Orario, Bell had slept soundly for the first time. Though his "bed" was nothing more than a narrow sofa—one wrong turn and he'd fall to the floor—his life as an adventurer had only just begun. Bell believed he could change his situation.
The Hestia Familia was pitifully small. Aside from Bell, there were no other members. Their home matched their humble status. It was a dim, underground room lit only by the faint glow of a Magic Stone lamp.
According to Goddess Hestia, the upper floor had once been a quiet chapel. For various reasons, it had fallen into disuse and turned to ruins. With the help of a friend, she had taken over the basement and made it their home.
Despite their poverty, Hestia herself remained cheerful.
"Listen, Bell. The most important thing for an adventurer is to stay safe."
She flipped her black twin ponytails back and puffed out her unfairly generous chest as she stressed the importance of safety.
An adventurer must never take reckless risks.
Bell had heard the same advice from Eina before. But compared to the composed and intellectual Half-elf at the Guild's counter, Hestia's petite, youthful appearance carried little authority.
"You have to promise me," Hestia said again. "No matter what happens, don't push yourself too hard."
"Alright. I promise."
Bell's reply was not entirely sincere. He had no intention of doing anything that would make this adorable goddess cry. If he could, he wanted to lift her out of this poverty and repay her kindness.
But reality was not so kind. To be precise, Orario had been a cold wake-up call.
After joining Hestia's Familia, Bell had spent several days fighting on the first floor of the Dungeon. He'd earned a decent amount of money from Magic Stones and Drop Items, but the fatal problem was that his stats hadn't increased at all.
No matter how many monsters he defeated or how hard he trained, Bell Cranel's abilities remained at zero.
"Bell, stop going to the Dungeon for now."
It was the third time Hestia had said those words. She was hiding the existence of [Liaris Freese] from him.
An adventurer's status never lies. Every monster slain, every narrow escape, every desperate fight—each should have raised his stats, even a little. But Bell was different. The skill [Liaris Freese] was directly linked to the growth of his abilities.
The more admiration he received from others, the faster his experience and strength grew. In other words, for a boy mocked and admired by no one, no matter how hard he tried, Bell Cranel could never grow stronger.
Hestia didn't know how to explain it, nor why such a rare skill existed. But one thing was certain—if this continued, Bell Cranel would die.
The deeper one ventured, the stronger the Dungeon monsters became. Without the ability to grow, Bell had no future as an adventurer.
"Goddess-sama, you've always forbidden me from entering the Dungeon. Can you tell me why?"
Bell, sensing her hesitation, finally asked.
"I can't tell you... but please... just listen to me..."
Hestia frowned, her face full of worry. The boy possessed a skill never before seen in the world. If that secret were revealed, it would put Bell in grave danger.
He had only just arrived in Orario, and Hestia had to take responsibility for him.
At the very least, she needed to wait until the boy could stand on his own—until he wouldn't be so easily threatened or deceived into revealing the existence of [Liaris Freese]. But that waiting period could last days... or perhaps years.
Longing was such a vague thing. Even as one of the Three Virgin Goddesses of Tenkai, Hestia couldn't fully grasp what that emotion truly meant. No one knew when the boy would finally grow.
"I understand, Goddess-sama, but I will still go to the Dungeon."
Bell spoke softly.
"Why... Bell? You know your stats haven't changed, and yet you still want to fight?"
Hestia's face showed both sorrow and confusion. For adventurers, defeating monsters to grow stronger was an undeniable truth. It was that very certainty that kept people climbing forward.
"Goddess-sama, I believe stats aren't everything. They're just numbers. In the legends, didn't the heroes of the ancient age also lack Falna? Don't worry, I'll make sure to take care of myself."
Bell wanted to become a hero. Stat growth was only a numerical shortcut for adventurers, nothing more. Even without progress in numbers, that wasn't reason enough to stop. The battles he fought and the effort he poured into them—those experiences would still help him grow.
That kind of growth was different from stats. It was something engraved into one's very existence.
"..."
Hestia couldn't find the words to respond.
There wasn't a trace of falsehood in the boy's voice. Bell truly believed that even without stat increases, he could still gain something meaningful from each fight.
It was an invisible kind of growth, like running every morning—you wouldn't notice the change right away. While others climbed the staircase one step at a time, Bell was climbing too, using his own effort and determination, advancing at a pace the eye could not see.
Hestia couldn't bring herself to stop him. She could only watch silently as he left and whispered, "Be careful on your way."
Only after Bell's figure disappeared around the corner did she lower her gaze.
Behind her stood an uninvited guest.
"Loki, why are you here?"
"I heard you finally found a Familia member—and a truly one-of-a-kind [Hero] at that. I came especially to congratulate you."
Loki's short red hair framed a face with an unreadable expression.
Hestia waved her hand dismissively. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going. Unlike a certain idle goddess, I actually have work to do."
"Ah, don't be in such a hurry. The Denatus is coming up, and I was worried you might find some excuse not to attend." Loki finally revealed the reason for her visit. A useless goddess and a useless adventurer—such a combination was bound to become the gods' favorite joke.
The gods of Orario loved revelry and gossip. Just imagining how they would mock this busty loli of a goddess made Loki struggle to hide her grin.
Hestia shot Loki an annoyed glare. Of course she would attend the Denatus. They were all fellow gods, after all, and perhaps she could use the opportunity to secure some equipment or assistance for Bell.
But if things went exactly as Loki wanted... that would be infuriating.
"I really was hesitating about going. Fine then—if you arrange a healer for my Bell, I'll obediently listen to you and attend the Denatus."
"A healer? For the first floor?" Loki burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Since you've put it that way, I'll get one ready for him."
"Then I'll see you at the banquet."
Hestia pouted slightly and walked toward the stalls along the northern street.
To everyone else, bringing a healer for a first-floor expedition sounded absurd—but to her, it was essential.
"Bell..."
Hestia recalled the boy's figure and murmured anxiously.
...
Dungeon, First Floor.
Thud.
Bell's boot struck the ground, scattering dust into the air. A hazy gray mist blurred his vision. Closing the distance, Bell swung his dagger in a horizontal arc, slashing for the goblin's neck.
A faint shock ran up his arm. The strike had missed. Another goblin had blocked it.
Teamwork? Just days ago, goblins had barely been smart enough to ambush others while scavenging corpses. They were evolving at a terrifying pace.
Bell quickly backed away, putting distance between them. Recklessness wasn't courage. For now, retreating and taking them down one by one would be wiser.
The labyrinth was complex yet monotonous, its dark green walls like rows of silent tombstones, suddenly cutting off his path.
Impossible.
Bell had memorized every explored route. This wall shouldn't exist.
As if responding to his disbelief, the wall began to ripple and collapse, shrinking into the form of a goblin.
Bell watched the moment the monster took shape. Several goblins surrounded him from front and back, their crimson eyes flickering like ghostly flames.
Cruel laughter echoed through the cavern, as if the dungeon itself were mocking the fledgling adventurer.
Bell took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the dagger, and lunged at the newly born goblin.
Caught off guard, the goblins flailed their claws wildly. One claw tore across a comrade's face; another was met solidly by Bell's raised left arm.
Black mist burst forth, and the two goblins fell.
Amid the black motes of fading destruction, another claw came slashing toward him.
Bell had expected it. He twisted his body, stepping in instead of back, and drove his dagger forward.
Another goblin dropped to the ground.
Spattered in eerie green blood, Bell lifted his dagger. His crimson eyes burned with the ferocity of a hunter.
A cold gleam flashed. The boy ended his hunt for the day.
What the goddess did not know was that gods are always drawn to the [unknown].
Within her, a faint affection stirred toward the ever-forward Bell Cranel. It was a feeling Hestia had never known before, one she couldn't recognize for what it was.
Though the emotion was faint, the [Liaris Freese] experience bonus had already begun to take effect.
The boy's back burned silently.
That day, Bell Cranel experienced his first growth.