2 Chapter 2: Joining Hestia's Familia

(This chapter was re-uploaded on Monday 14/August/2023 9:00 PM, timezone GMT+3)

('1), ('2), ('3), etc. means that there is some explaining for the thing in the notes at the end of the chapter.

"..." small moment of silence

"Talking"

"He-" Someone was interrupted.

'Thinking'

[Skills' names, chanting and spells' names]

Don't shy from commenting on typos and/or inconsistencies. That and/or suggesting a modification to certain things that didn't make sense to you.

I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.

(Line Break)

"So? Have you two reached an agreement?" The two men were standing before Eina's reception desk again. Of course, Fey was dozing off on Henryk's shoulders yet again.

"Henryk will join our familia" Bell was excited. Every hero had a party. Among them, one was his best friend. Maybe Henryk will fill that role?

"Can I just finish the registration procedure now? Now that I think about it, how does it work?" Henryk wanted to be efficient. He did not want to waste time the next morning registering at the guild; something he probably could do now. He wanted to allocate all daytime tomorrow to do some dungeon delving.

"For the registration process, the presence of the patron deity, the captain or an executive is required. Someone who is authorized by the prior people can also fill their position to register someone. Bell, as the only member of the Hestia familia, counts as the captain. He can vouch for your registration as a familia member" Eina explained to them both. Bell needed to know how this works, now that he is considered captain.

"Eh?! Am I the captain?!" Bell pointed at himself, feeling perplexed. "I have only been an adventurer since yesterday. Should Henryk be the captain? He is older and may have had experience hunting with Fey"

"Bell, listen here. Although I butchered the prey we hunted alongside others, I never took the life of anything that bleeds myself, yet. I will feel revolted the first few times I take a monster's life. Also consider that I'm not charismatic to anything but animals, a quality needed by someone occupying the seat of captain. You be the captain for now" Henryk told Bell firmly. "And don't say that I'm old. I'm only 19 this year" He followed by a complaint.

"Even though you appear to be in your late 20's?!" Misha interjected.

"Nobody asked you, little girl" Henryk shot back.

"HEY, I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I'M 19 YEARS OLD! I'M NO LITTLE GIRL!!" It appears Henryk brought up a sensitive topic.

After ignoring a fuming loli, they were done with the paperwork. Henryk was(not) officially part of the Hestia familia. For some reason, Hestia's opinion on this was ignored.

"See ya" Henryk said, before abruptly taking Bell in a princess carry and sprinting out of the guild building.

"IyaaaaAaaAaAAaAAAAAAAAAA" A very high-pitched, feminine voice resounded throughout the streets of Orario. Nobody thought that a boy was the one screaming.

(Line Break)

"Good thing Fey left my shoulders before this" Henryk was glad he pulled it off.

"What am I?" Bell was devastated. People saw him being carried like a princess and issuing feminine-sounding screams. They may as well see him as a woman now.

"A rabbit. A very easily embarrassed rabbit" Henryk did not hold back. "Anyway, is this the place? Is this where I will join the Hestia familia?" He emphasized the part about joining the familia.

"Yes!" Bell's mind tightly sealed off the last half an hour of his memory. It was to be forgotten. As a result, hearing what Henryk said brought life back into him. "Follow me in"

One could reach this place if they headed down the west mainstreet from Babel and went north about halfway through it.

Bell led him through the creaking, broken front door. 'Not very safe'. As they navigated between the pews, they reached the back of the podium, where Bell moved a certain mechanism. A piece of the wall moved aside, opening a path to an underground area. 'A bit safer, still not very safe'.

Fey decided that the door was not open enough, so she went to the roof. She wanted to stay atop it, but seeing the holes littered through its expanse, she descended one of them to the interior of the church.

Fey saw the two going down. As her wing would not fit through the opening, she stood back on Henryk's shoulders.

"Bellll!" Just as they opened the door, a white missile with black lines slammed into Bell. He, alongside the missile, fell to the floor.

"Am I interrupting your quality time together?"

Hestia froze. As she directed her gaze upwards, she somehow missed the human standing there and looked at the bird on his shoulders.

"Lady Hestia?" Hestia heard her name being called, a little lower than where she was looking.

There she finally saw the young man. He was 2.03 meders tall, had short light-brown hair that was swept back, and he was quite muscular and had broad shoulders. Under what he had donned, he did not seem particularly burly.

His sharp eyes, they were absorbing her, drowning her in their dark-green depths. They felt ready to judge her at any moment.

His other features were all average and his clothes were plain. He wore a traditional white kosovorotka embedded with earth-brown threads, and a beige pair of pants of unknown material. He also had a pair of brown boots specialized for forest grounds. The boots went halfway up to his knees. ('1)

"Hey? Are you there?" Henryk waved his hand in front of her unfocused eyes.

"Bell? Please, snap her back to reality" Seeing as he could not get her attention, he had Bell do something.

"Goddess, he will be joining" Bell dropped a bomb.

"Huh?! Mind repeating that?" Hestia thought that she was hearing things.

"Henryk here will be joining our familia, lady goddess" Bell's face was radiant with joy.

"I don't believe this" Hestia was in denial, hopeful denial. She did not want to wake up from this sweet dream.

"Believe it. And before going on a tirade of our familia's situation, captain already informed me of it. I'm joining either way. Oh, the paperwork's already done"

Hestia could not believe their luck. To get a new familia member just the next day after Bell joined, it was both a good and a bad sign.

'Why would he intentionally join our familia of all available ones?' "I want to confirm a few things with you before giving you your falna. Is that alright with you?"

"Should I go outside?" Bell was trying to be considerate of Henryk's secrecy. He failed, however, in affirming his position as captain.

"No, captain. You stay here. It's your right to interview a possible member. And yes, I can try answering your inquiries"

"Then let's start. Are you affiliated or acquainted with any familia?"

"I only really met Sir Ganesha. I was interrogated and let go afterwards. I met no other divine aside from you two, neither did I deal with anyone belonging to another familia"

"Why did you choose our familia specifically? As much as it pains me to admit it, but Freya's and Loki-no-boobs' familias have way more resources and other benefits than ours does, not to mention other familia's that already established themselves"

"I did it mostly for personal reasons. If I have to say one, it would be that I wanted to help captain with some fateful life decisions. I also wanted to help him realize his dreams, both of them, if he was willing to accept my help"

'Does Henryk know my dreams? HOW?!' Bell was blushing all on his own.

"There is a contradiction. You are not affiliated with a familia, but you have a tamed monster. Care to explain?"

"Haaaah. You aren't the first to mistake my girl for a monster. This girl's no monster. She is a harpy eagle, one of the many I raised. She imprinted on me and that made it easier to make her listen to my requests. She still ignores said requests sometimes"

"Why did you want to be an adventurer for? Helping Bell isn't the only reason, is it?"

"To make a living? It is one of the easier paths. I also wanted to feel the thrill of exploring the unknown and fighting a monster or two. It wouldn't hurt"

"What life did you lead up to this point?"

"I lived mostly alone in the hut I built with grandpa's help in the middle of a forest. I raised my babies there, all of them were animals that I saw come to this world personally"

Hestia felt that she should not ask why he was alone.

"What is your end-goal?"

"Spend the money I accumulated to pamper my wife and children, if I had any wife in this life at all"

"You are welcome. Now, lay on your stomach with your back bare. I will be giving you your falna"

"Be careful, I'm ticklish"

"Okay"

Henryk raised his shirt to reveal a set of well-defined back muscles. He laid down and waited. It was not long before Hestia pricked her finger. She was standing beside the couch as she let a drop of her blood fall on his back.

His suffering began. He was getting tickled by the droplet moving on his back, but he could not move. If he moved, he ran the risk of screwing with his falna. He thought since this world is now real, he might have some unforeseen consequences for things like an unsuccessfully bestowed falna.

Light illuminated a small half sphere space above his back as Hestia did her work. When she was done inscribing the falna, she was shocked.

"No way. This is not happening right now" She grabbed at her hair, almost pulling on it. She was barely holding back that urge.

"Yes way" Henryk retorted. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"

"Look here, mister. It is simply unbelievable" Hestia put a paper on his back and copied his falna onto it so he could see.

Henryk took the paper and started reading.

(Line Break)

Name: Henryk Williams

Familia: Hestia Familia

Level: 1

STR: I0

END: I0

DEX: I0

AGI: I0

MAG: I0

Magic:

None

Skills:

Advanced Taming:

By weakening a monster, you could feed it a magic stone to tame it.

The monsters you tame become a new species.

Monsters can heal any injury by eating magic stones. Unhampering wounds are still going to form.

Master of monsters:

Although you may be slower than your monsters, you will be able to follow their movements as clear as day.

Orders:

If out of earshot of your monster, only one order could be transmitted at a time. Upon receiving a reply, you could send the next order. Orders could be ignored.

Fake Falna:

Allows the automatic bestowal of falna to your monsters.

Bestowing and updating the fake falna does not require your blood, only levelling up does.

The fake falna can enhance parameters using only magic stones as a catalyst; they replace excellia.

The monsters you tame at least have one non-racial skill and one racial skill. Some of them could have more.

If the monsters have an animal person counterpart, they will get a [humanification] skill to become that counterpart.

Your monsters' levels increase by one after being tamed.

Monsters will acquire the [Abnormal Resistance I] development ability for level two. Any further development ability could be chosen by you.

Monsters' parameters, upon being tamed, for all levels below their shown level are all S999, regardless of the presence of any magic spells, or the lack thereof.

Feeding the monster a magic stone of the same species, it will make them into a variant with a skill appropriate for the variant type or change an already existing skill accordingly.

(Line Break)

"Okay? I still don't know what is so unbelievable about it" Henryk was still confused. "If you meant the skills, is it abnormal to have skills from the start?"

"Here, captain. You should be in the know about all familia members' status sheets, at least the basic abilities" He handed the sheet to Bell after tearing off the skills.

"Unfair. This is so unfair" Bell started crying over his luck. He wanted a cool skill or two so bad, and he was let down by his falna. He felt betrayed by the world.

"Say that in a few weeks" Henryk knew of the BS called Liaris Freese. Now THAT is what you call unfair.

"What did you say? I did not quite catch that"

"Nothing"

"To answer your question, yes, it's unusual. While it's possible to have a skill manifest the moment you receive a falna, it's rare. Having two is ever rarer. Any more than two is just absurd and is beyond reason" Hestia was explaining it to him. "We are quite the lucky bunch. A person with skills wanted to join our familia. Hehehe" She then, after mulling over it for a moment, giggled. It was a happy occasion.

"Well, at what hour are we going to the dungeon tomorrow?" Henryk was going to plan on what to do through the day depending on when they go there.

"I would normally go as soon as sun rises"

"An early riser. Truly, a farmer's way of life. It seems that this habit stayed with you from your farming days"

"You knew?"

"Boy, I saw you cradled by your grandpa while he said: "If anyone has the right to be called a hero, it's not the one who took up the blade. It's not the one who raised his shield, nor the one who healed the wounded. The one who truly risks his life may be called a hero.

Protect your friends, save the girl, and face the danger. It doesn't matter if you fall. No, that's just fine. Cry your heart out over it.

Within the defeated, a victor waits to emerge. Stay true to your wishes. Cry out your desires. And if you do, that's what will make you the coolest hero! Let your longings burn! Scream out your wishes!". I heard it all, boy" Henryk wanted to embarrass him. What he did not expect was for Bell to spill tears.

"Sorry, Bell. I said s-"

"No, it is fine now. You just reminded me of grandpa's words" Bell's smile did not reach his ears this time. "I will become a hero worthy of his respect"

"Don't forget to build a harem that impresses him, formed entirely from beautiful maidens you rescue in the dungeon"

"Umm" Bell only hummed, almost all the sadness he felt being gone now, replaced with awkward shyness. He was not prepared for his secret dream to be revealed like that.

"Let's go back to my status. I trust that you, as captain, won't disclose to anyone for any reason, neither the basic abilities nor the skills, if I let you see the skills later. That also applies to you, lady Hestia" 'He isn't one to keep a tight seal on his own secrets for long. I hope this teaches him to do so'

"Your secret is safe with me" Bell thumbed his chest. He meant for that gesture to boost Henryk's confidence and trust in him. What they saw was just a cute rabbit acting big.

"Hestia?" Henryk was controlled by an urge he did not recognize.

"Yes?"

"Can I adopt him? I always wanted to raise a bunny"

"HEY!"

"No, you can't" Hestia had an unimpressed smile. It was simply ludicrous. How can you adopt her rabbit?

"DO NOT IGNORE ME! AND DO NOT CALL ME THAT!"

"Hestia, look. Bell did a "Bell thing". Isn't he cute? Shouldn't we be protecting him from the pollution this world will throw at him?"

"COME OOOOONNNNNNN!"

"Total agreement on that. We shall protect this pure-hearted boy from the corruption of the city" Hestia nodded sagely.

"STOP TEASING MEEEEEEEEEE! THIS IS SO EMBARRASSIIIIING!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA. Okay, okay. I will stop teasing you. you can stop looking so red. We don't want to lose you to a popping vein"

Bell was directed a death glare at Henryk, which Henryk found cute.

"What about the sleeping arrangement? I only see a couch and a bed. Should I take the couch while you two share the bed? As for Fey," Henryk looked at her only to find her already sleeping. She waits for no one. "She seems to be okay there"

"Bell, I want to talk with Henryk alone. Can you give us privacy?" Hestia suspected things. She wanted to verify them.

What Hestia said did make Bell's desire to know soar. However, Hestia's abnormally serious attitude dissuaded him. He went upstairs and sat on one of the pews, waiting.

"Henryk Williams, although everything you told me was the truth, you still have too many oddities around you"

"You mean my girl? The gods of THIS world didn't create her kind, I know that gave me away with Ganesha too"

"And what makes you sure that I will not hand you over to the others?"

"The Hestia I know would never give up her family, even if they had very recent criminal acts before joining. Others might have also been a good choice. Among them are Ganesha, Takemikazuchi, Miach, Hephaestus and Goibniu among many others. I also know a thing or two that will interest both the Bimbo and the Flat Washboard. Heck, I know a way to worm my way to Artemis' heart, and we both know how she is with men in gene...ral..." 'Shit! That was not supposed to slip out!'

Hestia had her mouth agape and mind blank at the mention of Artemis. Artemis of all people was not an option as a romantic target. She would twist a man in two and leave him to die in cold heart.

As for Henryk, he was going through a dilemma. 'Wait a fucking minute! That annoying friend of mine spoiled the movie to me a few years back. Why didn't I think of this? I should go to see Hermes. I hate his mug, but I need his help to send a letter to Artemis. She and her familia should never go near the Elsus ruins'

"I will go call Bell over. I may take a day or two before joining him in the dungeon, depending on the progress I make with a personal problem. This isn't a matter for discussion. I will see you after I'm done. Good night, Hestia"

"Fey" Henryk went upstairs with Fey and said his piece to Bell. Bell, of course, was dejected since Henryk will not join him tomorrow. He still went down while thinking that Henryk had his reasons.

(Line Break)

"Now, if I was dubious Hermes, where would I exist at the moment?"

"Why are you searching for lord Hermes?"

Henryk turned around to the sight of cloaked woman with aqua blue hair with a white strand to the side. She wore glasses and appeared serious, to the point, you could say.

"I reckon you are miss Andromeda? It's a pleasure to meet you. My name's Henryk Williams. I have a message for your god. It is of utmost importance, as it may decide the life and death of a goddess"

"What is the message?"

"I want to meet him myself, as he may not believe me otherwise"

Asfi pondered on what action she should take from here. There were no trust problems from Ganesha's side, which weighed a lot in his favor. The thing was that it was not part of her objective to take him to Hermes. Her objective was to deliver a letter from the Ganesha familia to him.

Asfi ultimately decided to take him to Hermes. If what he said was true, then it would be a great crime to let it be. But, if he spoke falsehood to her, then she will not let him go. A deity's safety, life and death are no joking matter.

"Follow me"

(Line Break)

They walked the entire time in silence. Asfi took a glance or two at Fey, but that was about it.

"To what do I owe the honors?"

"I have no time for your quirky false personality, Hermes. This concerns Artemis's life and death. Tell her to never go near the Elsus ruins, as there exists a god-eating scorpion of sorts. If it eats her, it would be able to use her Arcanum. Now that I said my piece, I bid you farewell" Henryk just left after he was done saying what he wanted. It left Hermes confused. Why would the young man leave so abruptly? Henryk gained Hermes' interest.

"Asfi, grab 'em"

(AN: RIP, Henryk. It was nice writing what little of your adventure there was)

"Haah" She really did not complain. It annoyed her still.

A few seconds later, Asfi could be seen dragging a limp man on the ground with Fey following behind them. Henryk told her not to attack Asfi.

"How may I help you?" Henryk monotonely said.

"Why did you concern yourself with Artemis? Better yet, how did you know about a monster hidden from even us?" 'Does it have something to do with this bird of his? I don't remember any of us creating this species'

"Knowing you, you already know why I want to help Artemis"

"Aa Aa. No dodging the other question. How did you acquire information that we couldn't yet?" Hermes was smiling. He was also talking in a way that suggests the other gods not knowing about Antares, which they knew about. It is just that nobody was devoured by the ancient monster, thus their ignorance of its arcanum-absorbing tendencies.

"Tsk"

"..."

"Would you stop that creepy smile?"

"What about answering my question?"

"Okay, fine. I will. Just stop smiling like that"

"Here you go. Now, answer" It was another creepy smile. It was a different smile, nonetheless.

"Miss Andromeda, do you always have to deal with this thing?"

"Do not talk about it" Asfi was looking at Hermes blankly with very judging dead eyes.

"That hurts my feelings, dear Asfi" Even Fey joined by staring at him weirdly.

"Anyway, a promise's a promise. A friend of mine told me. Sadly, he is not in the lower world" Henryk kept his promise to answer Hermes' question. The thing is, he did not specify if hidden facts are allowed or not. So, Henryk answered in a way that will delude them into thinking that his source of information, his friend, died. 'That nefarious walking-spoiler may be the toughest nut to crack out there. Good luck outliving him. I seriously wonder how he is still alive after all that happened to him' Henryk thought, smiling with clear melancholy.

"My condolences"

"It's fine, really. He may have laughed at me if he knew I felt sad over such things" 'It's unfortunate. I guess I won't be getting spoiled on the anime anymore'

"What a weird friend you had"

"He was my only friend growing up. I hope we can meet again" Henryk looked through the window, at the night sky, to emphasize his act. But was it really an act?

"So, as you might know, I'm also the god of trades. What do I get from this?" Hermes's calculating eyes almost made Henryk flinch.

"I will help you keep the hero of this age alive, at least until he fulfills his role. That is enough" Henryk stretched his hand for a handshake. 'Well, I will give you this piece of information you already know. Deal with it'

"Then consider your message delivered" Hermes took his hand, agreeing to what he would get in exchange. He at least pretended to not have noticed that Henryk dodged his trap knowingly.

Henryk got up and dusted himself. "Just remember to deliver my message. And don't you forget, tell her that you didn't detect any lies in my words. No matter how much of a pervert, your words as her fellow god are going to weigh a ton"

'I may have gotten a new, useful chess piece. He speaks as if he already knows that there is a hero... No, he speaks as if he knows him personally. The coming times might be interesting' Nobody knew Hermes' thoughts as he tipped his hat down.

(Line Break)

"Huh? You returned so quickly?" Hestia, with sunken, sleepy eyes, sat on a pew, while Bell slept awkwardly on another. They were waiting for Henryk. If he did not return, they would go searching for him the next day.

"And you stayed awake this late into the night? Anyway, I was lucky to run to the person I was looking for"

"Who?"

"Why, Hermes of course. I needed him to deliver a message for Artemis. It might help her"

"What is this with Artemis?" Hestia got pouty. He joined her familia, and now, he is aiming for her friend? "Do you want to curry favor with her? Is that what you meant by "I know a way to worm my way to Artemis' heart"? Huh? D-"

"Stop. The thing that will make it possible to worm my way there is in her position right now. A spear/arrow thing that will light-up once a pure-hearted person holds it"

"Heh?" Hestia immediately switched from whatever mode she was in to a skeptical one. "Tough luck"

"I won't need it. I'm not aiming for her anyway"

They went to sleep after carrying Bell to the couch. As for Henryk, he settled for bringing the sturdiest pew downstairs to sleep on. It was, mostly, a peaceful night.

(Line Break)

End of chapter.

'1:

He feels comfy in these, that's why. Here is an image of what his kosovorotka looks like, just imagine a different color for its embroidery.

Have a good day, ladies and gentlemen.