20 Their determination(corrected)

Upon hearing the guide's words, Mark felt his heart beating fast. He had finally managed to find a fragment and was trembling with joy. Taking a deep breath to calm himself he asked the Guide.

"Where is it?"

[It is located on the counter near the seller, the fragment looks like a small cube with many lights inside.]

Turning his head he saw a cube on the counter, he immediately wanted to go and get it but he could see that it belonged to the seller. Thinking for a second, an idea came to mind. Taking the armor he had chosen, he walked towards the seller.

"I'd like to buy this armor." -He said with a smile.

"Good choice, it's an armor that is forged with minotaur skin and reinforced with light metals. In all, they make 10,000 valis. "

Paying for the armor he pretended to notice the cube only now.

"What a beautiful stone, where did you find it?"

"Ah, I found this in a park, it seemed very beautiful to me and that's why I picked it up. I also tried to break it but it seems very resistant. "

Said the seller laughing, not realizing that Mark was looking at him with the coldest gaze he had ever had while resting his hand on the short sword.

'This ... this little shit HAS TRIED TO BREAK SELENE'S FRAGMENT!'

Trying to curb the murderous impulses, he asked again with a polite smile. - "So it's on sale? My girlfriend likes these bright things. "

"Well technically it's not for sale... but if you want, I'll sell it for 500 valis." -Said the seller slightly embarrassed by the high price he asked, but to his surprise, Mark gave him the money right away.

"Thank you and goodbye." -Without waiting for a second, Mark took the cube and armor and headed for the elevator.

"Finally... finally the first step" -Speaking while lovingly stroking the fragment.

[Host avoid touching the fragment directly, you could contaminate it.]

Hearing the words of the Guide he immediately stopped touching it and put it in the inside pocket of his jacket. After exiting the elevator, he stopped at the fountain in front of Babel while continuing to talk to the guide.

'Now what do I do with the fragment.' - He said as he gently placed his hand on his chest.

[At midnight I will bind your soul with that of the fragment, so it no longer has to assume its solid state and you can always have it with you.]

'Why do I have to wait until midnight?' - He said with some impatience.

[The souls of the dead are stronger at midnight, so if I try to connect your souls nothing bad will happen, but if I did it sooner or later, accidents could happen] -The guide replied with his mechanical voice.

'Sigh'

Sighing, Mark could only wait until midnight. The advantage was that since he had wasted a lot of time finding the armor, it was already evening and there were a few hours left. As he was preparing to go to the tavern he heard a voice calling him.

"Hey, Mark you're here too."

Turning around he could see Bell waving to him.

"Good evening Bell, are you taking a walk?" -He asked with his usual smile.

"I was going to the 'House of Fertiles', this afternoon a waitress from that tavern gave me the monster stone I had lost and in return she told me to come this evening." -Sayed while scratching his head embarrassed.

"Was she called Syr by chance?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Bell asked surprised.

"Intuition" -But what he really thought was. - 'I'm sorry boy, the psychopathic girl/goddess finds you interesting.'

"So Mark, do you want to come with me? Obviously, if you are busy don't worry "-He asked him.

"I was going there anyway." -Sayed Mark as he shrugged and started walking.

"Do you eat there too?"

"In addition to eating there, I live there." - Answering the question, the duo walked towards the inn.

During the ride, it was mainly Bell who asked the questions. Usually, Mark wouldn't answer but due to the fact that he was able to find the first fragment today, he was in a good mood. Among the various questions that Bell asked him, only the last one interested him.

"Mark why do you venture into the dungeon?" -Bell asked him seriously.

Pausing for a moment, Mark closed his eyes and various memories came to mind. Selene's smiling face when she wakes him up, her soft touch full of affection and her voice that always managed to relax him. They were all memories that in the past he considered normal, but since he lost her, in his heart there was a hole that he couldn't fill. Opening his eyes he looked at Bell.

"I'm looking for something that I've lost and that I care so much about, that I wouldn't mind losing my life to find it." -After saying those words he started walking again.

--- POV Bell ---

Walking with Mark to the tavern I asked various questions to try to make a conversation and I must say that I found him very interesting. After several questions, I came up with one.

"Mark, why do you venture into the dungeon?"

Upon hearing my question, he stopped and closed his eyes. Waiting a couple of minutes for him to answer me, he finally opened his eyes and looking at his gray irises, which until now I thought were lifeless, I could now see an inflexible determination. Those eyes stared at me so intensely that I involuntarily stepped back.

"I'm looking for something that I've lost and that I care so much about, that I wouldn't mind losing my life to find it."

Hearing his words, my heart pounded. My dream was to become like the heroes in fairy tales, but once I came in Orario the harsh reality hit me, I had no talent. But feeling Mark's determination I also don't want to give up, I want to be at Aiz's level, no, I want to overcome her and I want to be a man who can have the same determination as Mark.

'I want to be a hero.' -With that promise, Bell followed Mark, taking the first step towards achieving his goal.

--- GENERAL POV ---

Mark and Bell had finally arrived at the tavern only to be greeted by Syr's smiling face.

"Mark and Bell what a surprise to see you together, come on in." - But what she really thought was. 'Haaa the fact of seeing two men who are not affected by my charm is driving me crazy, they must be mine.'

While Bell was embarrassed by Syr's free attitude, Mark was looking at her with more disgust than usual.

'How is it possible that her aura is more depraved than usual?' - Mark thought speechless.

Upon entering the pub he noticed the usual amount of adventurers, walking up to the counter both Mark and Bell took their seats.

"Good evening Mark nya, take the usual to take away nya." -Asked Chloe, who was working behind the counter since Ms. Mia would be late today.

"No, today I eat here." -After saying those words Chloe, Syr, and Ryuu who were close, froze.

"Is it rare for Mark to eat here?" - Bell asked curiously, seeing how all the waitresses had stopped.

"Rather than rare, Mr. Mark has never eaten here. Now that I pay attention to it today, you seem to be in a good mood, Mr. Mark. " -Ryuu told him, showing a rare smile.

"Something good happened." -Said as he stroked his chest happy.

After a simple meal and some chat, he heard the voice of the Guide.

[There are 30 minutes to midnight.]

Hearing the warning, Mark let the others know that he was leaving.

"It was a pleasant evening, but now I have to take my leave."

"Already?" Bell asked a little sadly.

"Leave him alone Bell nya, it's more than enough that he ate here nya. Why don't you talk to this big sister nya, you know you're just my type nya . " -Chloe told him as she stroked Bell.

"Eh ... EH!" -Leaving a panicked Bell and a Syr who was about to kill someone, Mark immediately went to the stairs but bumped into an adventurer.

"Look where you walk!"

Without even looking back, Mark continued to walk upstairs. He was so focused on the fragment that he didn't realize he had bumped into Bete from the Loki Familia.

valis: 4000