Bell had heard a fair bit about the Loki Familia.
The rapidly advancing Sword Princess, the magic-proficient Nine Hell, the powerful twin sisters…
Spend just a few days in Orario and you were bound to hear people talking about them.
Stepping out of his room, Bell stopped at the corner of the stairs, quietly observing the group of top-tier adventurers—figures who were practically heroes.
As the patrons had said, they were all strikingly attractive, but the most eye-catching of them all was the girl with long golden hair that gleamed in the light.
Ais Wallenstein.
Her face was exquisitely beautiful, like a fairy or a spirit stepped right out of a story. The calm expression paired with her clear golden eyes gave her an air of both untouchable grace and fragile purity.
Bell began to understand why the Sword Princess was always the subject of endless conversation.
Ais didn't have to do anything—just standing there was enough to draw every gaze in the room.
"Great work on the last expedition! Tonight we drink until we drop!"
Bell could tell the one who raised her cup and shouted was a God.
The familia members cheered in response, drinking heartily amid laughter and the clinking of mugs.
They tore into meat and gulped down wine—an energetic, boisterous sight that perfectly fit the image of adventurers celebrating their victories.
Only Ais and another Elf maintained their elegance, savoring their food at their own calm pace.
Bell turned back toward his room. Though the sight was pleasant, he wasn't the type to enjoy watching others eat. Staring too long would only make things awkward and draw unwanted attention.
"Isn't it about time we talked about that white-haired kid?"
Hearing the Beastman's words, Bell frowned. He had a bad feeling he was the topic of conversation.
"Bete, you've had enough to drink. This isn't the place for that," the Pallum Finn said, trying to stop him.
"Hah? We're talking about a nobody. Am I supposed to sneak around and whisper about how weak he is behind his back?"
Bete bit into a chunk of meat and downed his entire mug in one go.
He'd followed his God's orders and spent his free time gathering information on Bell Cranel.
The results had been disappointing.
A so-called promising rookie adventurer—turns out he was just a joke who got flattened on the first floor.
All that time wasted investigating him could've been spent in the Dungeon training instead.
Bete felt Bell had wasted his precious time, and resentment simmered inside him.
"Besides, how weak do you have to be to get taken out by Goblins?" His sneer continued.
The Elf Riveria set down her knife and fork, clearly displeased.
"That's enough, Bete. Every adventurer risks their life when they fight. They're not supposed to be your tavern gossip. And every one of us started out as a rookie. If you can't see past numbers and mock others for being weaker, then you should be ashamed of yourself."
"Ha! As expected of the noble Nine Hell. No wonder the Elves worship you—defending even some random weakling you've never met. I'm just telling it like it is. A weakling is still a weakling. You might not say it out loud, but don't pretend you don't think the same thing."
Bete's face flushed red, his thoughts clouded by drink.
No one replied. The group's morale was already low after their failed expedition.
Though Bete's words were aimed squarely at the white-haired boy, they somehow managed to sting the pride of several others at the table.
"Silence means consent, right? That trash rookie—if we leave him alone, he'll just end up dead in the Dungeon sooner or later..."
Before Bete could finish, a server interrupted him.
As Syr carried a tray of drinks, ready to serve, she "accidentally" lost her balance and spilled the wine straight over Bete's head.
"What the hell are you doing, you idiot!"
Bete instinctively moved to strike back, but was stopped by a solid punch from the dwarf Gareth. "Bete, you're drunk. Consider that a wake-up call."
"Damn it, I'm not done with you!"
Syr clutched the tray nervously, clearly flustered. The innkeeper, Mia, crossed her arms and walked out with a cold expression.
"You're the one who got drunk and caused a scene, knocking over your own glass. My Syr kindly came to serve you more—so tell me, who exactly are you trying to pick a fight with?"
"Now, now, it was just an accident," the Familia God Loki interjected with a grin. "I'll make sure this stupid wolf gets a proper scolding. He won't be troubling your staff again."
...
Up in the attic, Bell listened silently to everything that unfolded below.
At some point, an elf girl dressed as a waitress appeared in the room.
"Ryuu Lion," she introduced herself curtly. "Cranel-san, Syr asked me to look after you."
"Look after me?" Bell asked, confused.
His wounds had already healed. All he needed was a good moment to leave. If he went downstairs now, as the center of gossip, who knew what kind of scene it would cause.
"Don't worry. For any adventurer who dares to speak rudely or act out of line, I've prepared poisoned wine strong enough to kill an elephant."
Is there something wrong with this elf?
She had the looks of a cool, composed beauty, yet her words were downright terrifying.
"I'm fine. There's no need for that," Bell said.
Bete's words weren't entirely wrong—his collapse on the first floor was already public knowledge. If things really escalated to the point of killing someone, Bell would only feel worse.
"I see. What a pity," Ryuu replied in the same calm tone, showing no hint of sarcasm, only quiet sincerity. "Would you like me to escort you out?"
Bell realized she was simply worried about him.
"Is there a secret passage or something?"
"No." Ryuu pointed toward the window. "I can carry you out through there."
No matter how he thought about it, that option would be far more humiliating.
Though her offer was oddly tempting, Bell shook his head. "No, I'll wait until they finish eating before I go."
Ryuu's willow-like brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of concern crossing her face. Seeing Bell's calm expression, she swallowed her words.
Both fell silent, listening to the ruckus downstairs.
Bete was now tied up and dumped unceremoniously on the floor.
"Damn it! Just because I said a few words about that loser, you do this to me?!"
"Looks like you're still not sober enough," Riveria said coolly, staring down at him.
"I'll say it as many times as I want—trash is trash!"
At a nearby table, a timid female adventurer suddenly spoke up. "Um... excuse me."
"Sorry, were we being too loud?" Riveria offered a slight apology.
"No, that's not it," the girl said softly, dressed in a white healer's robe. "About the adventurer you mentioned... please don't insult him anymore."
"Hah? Another one defending that weakling? You—" Bete started, but Riveria silenced him with a sharp stomp to the head.
"He's nothing like what you say!" the girl shouted, clenching her fists.
"Falling on the first floor? That kind of record can only belong to a total failure... mmph—mmph!"
Before he could finish, Gareth stuffed a cloth into Bete's mouth.
"Judging by your equipment, you must be new adventurers, right?" Finn, the commander of the Loki Familia, asked.
"Yes... yes." The girl was accompanied by two others, their gear equally simple and unadorned.
"That boy—did something happen with him?"
"We were attacked by mutant species goblins. It was thanks to him and another healer that we managed to escape."
"I see. Bete was too reckless earlier. I apologize for his crude remarks." Finn bowed his head sincerely.
"No, it's fine as long as you understand. That boy is our savior. Even if his insults were just drunken words, we can't stand by while he's slandered," the girl declared, her voice trembling slightly.
"Thank you for telling us. We'll keep that in mind." Finn smiled warmly.
Once the girl had left, Finn glanced at Bete, still bound tightly and lying in a heap.
The wolf was probably thinking, "A savior? He's just hiding behind that top-tier healer, Heith."
But Finn didn't see it that way.
He had seen the fear in that girl's eyes. For a rookie to stand up to a first-class adventurer like Bete—anyone would be terrified. Without true admiration and respect from the heart, no one could have done that.
That boy was far from worthless, no matter what Bete said.
Finn tapped a finger against his lips thoughtfully. The expedition had just ended in failure, but perhaps this boy—mocked by so many—could become a [catalyst], a spark to reignite the fighting spirit his Familia had lost.
...
As night deepened, Ryuu stood by the window, her green hair fluttering in the breeze.
Syr had asked her to look after the boy, but seeing his calm expression, Ryuu realized there was no need to worry.
He was a raw, uncut gem—a precious one. For a moment, Ryuu thought she saw the image of a comrade who once stood for justice.
A cold gust swept through, and Bell felt the divine script on his back radiate with warmth, as if speaking to him.
He had already steeled himself for ridicule long ago—ever since he'd decided to chase his dream of becoming a hero.
So what if he'd fallen on the first floor? So what if his growth was slow? As long as his strength continued to rise, he could hold his head high and keep moving forward.
What he hadn't expected, though, was that someone would stand up for him—defending him and giving him a name free from shame.
That feeling, that spark of admiration from a novice adventurer, was precious beyond measure—like a star in the darkness.
And in that moment, the fire burning in his heart grew fierce, spreading like a wildfire ready to set the world alight.