Keeping Up with the Hestia Familia (5)

"So, on a scale of 1 to 10. What are his chances of survival?"

"Zero."

"Sheesh, Eina's really THAT mad?"

"Yes and no."

"Huh?"

"Eina's never been one to let her clients go the easy way. Instead she'll ensure that they'll receive the maximum incentive to keep living tearing down and rebuilding their will to live, brick by brick."

"…That actually sounds terrifying. So, wait, what was the "No" part about?"

"That was my response to the scale that you made for your question."

"Huh, but you did answer that with zero."

"No, that zero meant something else."

"Like…?"

"Like the absolute amount of fucks that I have to spare for this conversation."

"Uwaaa….! Rooooooose…" A pitiful whimper joined the conversation as the hasty sounds of a pink headed advisor's quill was filling out the additional stacks of paperwork that a certain Half-Elf pushed onto her as punishment (payback).

"Shut up and work, Misha." Rose Fannett, guild advisor to the Pantheon and senior to of Eina Tulle and the currently wailing Misha Flott, growled at the constant source of her stress and aggravation, who was yet again impeding with her work productivity. "Now get away from my desk. You've already reported the completion of your mission and know when and where to expect your reward."

"Reduced reward…" Michael coughed in his hand, pointedly not looking in the direction of the building's busted door, which was gaining the odd looks of onlookers on the streets outside. He was really going to have a chat with Karen about that later.

"Yes, that, and…" The redheaded werewolf pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to him. "This."

Michael's eyes trailed down the cursive written parchment and noticed that a set schedule for the upcoming four days was written on it. He started piecing things together once he read the words "Heartless Lecture" in various timeslots.

Not even giving him the chance to voice his thoughts, Rose decided to speak them aloud herself. "Because of the abrupt end of today's class, you're to arrive on the designated days to teach the adventurers that paid for today's session."

The man's shoulders fell as a deep sigh slipped past his lips. "Lemme guess. Instead of giving the adventurers refunds, Royman decided to reschedule the classes for the rest of the week."

"Yup."

"That would explain the different timeframes…" Michael mumbled. The old pig was stubborn as hell when it came to money, he'll give him that. He couldn't have imagined the amount of work that went into gathering and organizing the busy schedules from the adventurers attending his class in order to create a whole new schedule throughout the week that matched with their availability. He found the old elf's gesture to be considerate but did not deny that main motive was to avoid losing Valis.

Despite his greed, Michael had to admit that the Old Man sure picked an amazing and hardworking man to be the false leader and face of the Guild's authority in Orario.

"But hold on…why do I have to teach all of the classes? Aren't one of you guys more than capable?"

The Keyblade Master's business dealings with the Guild these past few years were complicated. At first, he was thrilled to simply share the details of the Heartless with the organization for free. He even offered to teach for free as well (now in hindsight, he was beginning to regret it a bit).

Thankfully, before Royman could wholeheartedly agree and make a profit off of his good will, the real figurehead of the Guild stepped in and insisted that Michael at least receive payment for his added contributions towards fending off the ghastly shadow creatures. So, in addition with the monthly payments from the Guild, he'd receive 15% of revenue from his written Heartless Compendiums, and 15% from volunteering to teach the classes.

This didn't sit well with Michael at first, but he reminded himself that he couldn't be so charitable especially with his Familia still being dirt poor at the time.

It was a crucial reminder since he's not simply a visitor to the world; he intends to make it his own home, and to do that he'll have to acclimate to how its society functions. All it meant was that he couldn't be TOO selfless with his deeds.

That wasn't to say that he needed to act as jaded and cutthroat like the adventurers that inhabited the city. The type that relished the "Strongest of the fittest" mentality while belittling those, who didn't possess the strength or will to help themselves.

Never.

"We are. It's just that Mardeel-san used your name as instructor to reel them in and convince them to the new schedule change." Rose groaned and leant back in her chair, she might as well since the man wasn't going to leave anytime soon what with Eina tearing into the poor runt that she's advising.

"We've read your work and integrated it into lessons to be taught to newbies among the other know-how for the Dungeon. However, instead of hearing about this from stuffy Guild employees, most adventurers would rather learn about Heartless from an expert, who's reputation as the "Lost Key" and his unofficial title as "Savior of Daedalus" still precedes him."

"…I don't know how to feel about my name being used this way, especially with that stupid nickname the gods at the Denatus gave me." Michael scratched his head.

Rose let out an amused snort at that. It was an odd case to actually hear that from an Adventurer. Held every three months, the deities of Orario gather to discuss the events going on in the city while ganging up on each other to give Children from other gods'/goddesses' Familia's the cringiest and edgiest names imaginable. She's heard from an old senior of hers that it was basically a Roast towards the God of honor by going after the one thing they loved, their Children.

Now of course, apart from the deities, adventurers seemed to love these nicknames, and Rose wasn't one to judge or care, so she didn't bother judging. Yet, she wasn't one to hide her amusement to see her client fume about his epithet the first time he received it. She should have expected that the weirdest adventurer that she's ever advised would be aghast by the time. She even laughed at his face once his official level up to "Level 3" was announced and the title was still kept for him after that following Denatus.

If there was one thing that she found joy in from this soul-breaking profession of counseling idiots, who willingly jump into a deadly dungeon only to inevitably die, it was finding pleasure in the weird man's misery.

'Among…other things…' Rose grunted, stealing a long glance at him before focusing on the paperwork on her desk once he turned around.

"Well, you're name's going to be used for more than just that. Since today's class was broken into groups for the oncoming days. There will be open seats for any more adventurers wanting to pay to attend, and because you'll be the one teaching…"

"Ugh…!" Neither of them needed to say anything because they knew that a few of the last-minute adventurers joining will be difficult to say the least. One of them being an insistent Familia captain, who's Goddess is friends with his own. The other, a pleasant yet exhaustingly energetic Amazon, who's goddess constantly butts heads with his own.

The Familia Captain asking more about the keyblade has mellowed out lately thanks to a quick chat with a friend to handle things; the Amazon however wasn't too bad, but he doesn't approve with how she's always signing up for the class despite being a high enough level to handle herself and already knowing the material. That seat that she always takes would much better suit a fresh adventurer, who has yet to face the Heartless.

And those were only the two, who's intentions were honestly decent. The others were the unsavory kind, who wanted to recruit him to their Familia, threaten him, and sometimes usually both. A flash image of a brown, ponytailed man came to mind, but it wasn't important to dwell on at the time. There was also that one time where an Amazon stayed after class and attempted to *AHEM!* seduce him over to the Pleasure Quarter of the city.

So, yeah, he's met a lot of colorful people during class time!

Rose relished the amount of Schadenfreude welling up in her with each dragging groan that flew out the man. This almost makes up for his usual bombastic entrances that he makes whenever he returns.

She knew the reason why he does it along with having Chirithy stay with her during work to assure her of his status while in the Dungeon, but she wasn't happy about it at all. Nope, she's not the least bit thrilled to have him so concerned for her. There's absolutely no way that anyone could prove that she secretly feels relieved whenever the fool kicked down the door and announces his arrival!

"Me being impressed with how far greed pushes your boss to plan that far ahead aside…" Michael dragged his hand over his face. "I hate being popular…"

"Well, you're shit out of luck. You're in the one city in the world where Gods willingly leave the safety of the Upper World to get a front row seat to witness the struggles of those of us below. If you wanted to avoid getting fame, then you should have sought a different career than being an adventurer." Rose pointed her gloved hand at him.

These were the facts, and despite it being rare for any normal adventurer to lament their fame, she's grown used to her advisee not being the set norm that the city has come to produce. "Any adventurer would kill to be in your shoes. No, wait, adventurers have killed to be in shoes like yours but," She sighed, "at least you realize the dangers of fame."

"And here I thought that things would cool off by now. It may not be as chaotic as it was back then, but it's still such a hassle." Michael scratched his cheek.

Rose huffed out in amusement. "Pfft! You think two years is long enough for an active adventurer's publicity to die down? Yeah, good luck telling that to the public, who've grown up hearing the exploits and tales of the "Braver", "Nine Hells", "Elgarm", and "SOLDIER". That last one has still been the talk of the place for the past TEN years."

Michael winced. She was right. In the long run, his two-year tenure in this World seemed much brisk when compared to the other well-known adventurers before him. So, someone like him with such a fresh reputation was bound to get a lot of attention and by extension unwanted attention (though he's already had bitter experience with that if the heated look that he received from the top of Babel was anything to go by).

Just perfect.

Perhaps lingering on the subject wouldn't do him any good in this department. As a matter of fact, now that "SOLDIER" was brought up…

With a resigned sigh, Michael asked, "Okay, I'll be sure to come in." Besides, its not like he wanted to relax and teach his own pupils after returning from his mission. "But do you think I could squeeze out a lesson in the Colosseum before the Monster Feria?" The last day on the schedule was devoid of any classes as a massive drawing of the God of Masses, Ganesha-

"Yes, I am Ganesha!"

"Ganesha-sama...no one said your name…" Groaned the Vice-Captain of the Ganesha Familia, Shakti Varma.

-took up the entire day's timeslot.

"Not possible, they're still using it for the remaining days to clear out the Monsters that they use to train their recruits before cleaning it up for the event." Rose shook her head. "If you really want permission to use it, then just ask the Ganesha Familia for permission. You're on good terms with them so no one would fault you for making use of that connection."

"Nah, I don't want to impose with a request that out of the blue especially when they'll be busy for the rest of the week." Welp, guess he had to stay cooped up in the backrooms for the following four days to come. He wasn't going to complain since he knew the real importance of the Monster Feria's success.

"You're loss…" Rose shrugged then began to wave him off. "Now would you be so kind as to step the hell away from my desk and leave me be? I have work and I can't finish it with all your questions and complaints."

"Hey, Rose, you have any plans for Monster Feria?" Michael continued as he stood in place reading his new schedule.

"For fucks sa-! No." Rose quietly hissed at him since her words fell on deaf ears. Angrily pointing past his shoulder, she growled, "Wait in the lobby."

"And sit next to that eyesore of a statue? No thanks." Michael muttered, distastefully.

"Sounds like a personal problem. Go." Rose snapped her fingers and pointed to lobby.

"So, about Monster Feria…you want to hang out?"

"No."

"C'mon, it'll be fun to chill with friends."

"Hell no."

"Why not?"

The werewolf's lips straightened in a thin line. "Because I work that day."

"I know. It's not my first Feria, you guys at the guild always sponsor the festival and supervise things to ensure that chaos is brought down to a minimum." He noticed the annoyed twitch of one her wolf ears. "What I mean…is would you like to hang out during your break?"

"…Why?" It creeped him out that Rose's usual annoyed expression grew rigid and unreadable.

"You know just to have fun and so you can enjoy a bit of the festivities before your dragged back to work." Michael chuckled. "I mean when was the last time that you participated at the Feria without having to be the staff that maintain everything?"

"…" Rose's silence spoke for itself, but that neutral expression of hers was still unsettling. Did he do something wrong? "Wouldn't you naturally be going out with your Goddess?" Rose wondered why the man would even go in the first place considering the first event that he went ended in a disaster from freak accident that almost costed him the life of his Goddess.

N-Not that she cared what happens to him!

"Of course, but it doesn't mean that I can't include hanging out with a friend."

Rose's eyes narrowed. "Aren't you also going out with Iris too?"

"Of course. I'd be spending time with her too along with the other members in my Familia. There is a lot of time to enjoy the Feria with everyone so there's no need to rush." Plus, should any Heartless be reported during the celebration, he'll handle clearing them out while letting everyone else enjoy themselves. He frowns a bit, realizing that should that happen his Goddess would be miffed that he had to cut their date short. "So, let's meet up whenever your break's about to start unless you don't want to do it."

"…" Rose remained impassive. "We'll see." She returned to her paperwork, not dignifying the man a direct answer. It wasn't a yes or no. It meant "I'll think about it", but when Rose said it with that gruff uncaring voice of hers, it might as well of been "I'll only say yes now to get you out of my face, so I can forget about it later".

But Michael being the optimist that he was, happily looked at the brighter side. She certainly didn't say no, so there was a chance at least. "Nice. So, make sure to tell me the time your break is then we'll meet up at…well, we'll think of a place to meet at during the week before it happens."

"…Whatever." Rose grunted.

*PWOOOOOM!*

A familiar cloud of smoke erupted in thin air and out came the plushy form of Chirithy. Thank god, Rose thought. She could use with a distraction. "So…is Bell not coming home with us or has he…?" Chi drew a halo over their head and clap their stubby hands together in prayer.

"Don't worry, Chi. Rose said that Eina won't kill him. The worst that she can do is break his will to live and build it back up again like brand new."

"…I don't see how that's any better." Chi tiredly groaned and facepalmed.

"Well, it's said that surviving a life-threatening incident gives the victim a boost in euphoria, so in a way, Bell's receiving twice that pleasure today." First from the Minotaur and now a blistering Eina. It was a fair trade off for his reckless and commendable actions…sort of.

Eventually Eina did return wearing a sweet smile that greatly contrasted her sour mood from earlier. However, trailing behind despondently her was yet another victim to the Half-Elf's harsh advising. Michael swore that the boy looked more exhausted than he did after waking up from the incident.

"So…how did everything go?" Michael coughed.

"Quite well, Michael-san." Michael shuddered, her voice still had a bit of an edge in it and the Half-Elf's smile wasn't making any less apparent. "I just decided to hammer in all of the past lessons that Bell-kun apparently forgot about today into his head. We can't have him run off into danger and get himself killed. Nope. That'd be dreadful. Almost as dreadful as going past the recommended dungeon floor and breaking my trust."

"I-I'm sorry, Eina-san…" Bell's teeth chattered and shook in his boots. It was almost heartbreaking to see the boy look this pitifully apologetic.

"Hm? Bell-kun, why are you still apologizing? I already forgave you. Plus, it all worked out in the end, right? You came back alive and well after going on your first adventure even after I expressly told you not to go on one. So stop apologizing and be thrilled that you'll get to continue being under my guidance and actually heed my words…right?" The light reflecting off the Half-Elf's glasses truly encapsulated the foreboding nature behind her words.

"I-I'm so sorry…"

"Bell-kun?"

"…R-Right…"

"Good!" And just like that the Half-Elf did complete 180 and her chipper mood became more genuine with an honest smile on her face.

This still did little to comfort the disturbed Keyblade Master. 'I-I'm sorry, Bell.' Michael gave the boy his condolences. He's had his fair share of admonishment (well, cursing and insults) from Rose whenever he had to report in some of his reckless exploits in the dungeon, but even had to admit that Eina's methods of advising was simply too brutal.

Well, her brutality was a sign that she cares, so that's at least counts for something. Still doesn't change the fact that she was downright terrifying most of the time.

"Eina, you can be quite scary sometimes…" Chi voiced what his Keyblade Wielder felt.

"Here you go, Michael-san." Ignoring the comment, Eina placed her hands on the boy's shoulders and pushed him forward. "You said that you were going home, yes? Well, I hope you all have a lovely evening. Welcome back, Michael-san."

"Y-Yeah, thanks. Its good to be back…" Michael awkwardly laughed as Bell was pushed into his hands. "H-Hey, pal, you doing okay?"

"…I-I'm sorry…" The boy was like a broken record, and dang, he still shook like a lead. Plus, his eyes were deader than a gutted trout. Eina really did not hold back!

"Yikes…" Chirithy frowned.

"H-He'll be fine. He'll be fine." Michael repeated to himself for self-reassurance. He still was going to give the boy his own brand of punishment when they returned home. Just less severe than Eina's lest he leaves the boy a crying mess of "I'm sorries". "It was nice seeing you guys. Take care, Eina…"

"Michael-san." Eina bowed.

"Misha…"

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Michael looked over to the wailing pink-haired receptionist still crying into her mountainous stack of paperwork.

"Rose…"

"Thank the gods, you're finally leaving…"

The man smiled at his advisor's rude dismissal. The werewolf's literally one of the very first people that's been there to support him since his debut as an adventurer (and secretly a new inhabitant of this world). Her cold exterior was easy to see when they first met, and like another grumpy Werewolf, he knew that there was a reason for their abrasive nature. So, her snide remarks had no effect on him.

However…

"Well, its been a pleasure assisting you these past few days, Miss Rose. I made sure to organize the last batch of documents for that group of adventurers who came to visit." Chi bowed.

"Thanks, Chi. Goodbye and take care." Rose amicably waved the Chirithy goodbye.

It still hurt a little to witness her treat Chi more nicely than him. It was nice to see Rose smile like that, but still…the treatment between him and his longtime partner were night and day.

Trudging the despondent Bell towards the door, Michael gave one last wave back to the trio of receptionists along with Chi. "See you guys later…or more like tomorrow…" He muttered that last part to himself in a huff. "Oh, and Rose make sure to tell me when your break begins so we can have fun together!"

"Eh!?" Eina started looking like a red tomato along with the furious Werewolf beside, who would definitely pass as a steaming kettle.

"Stop shouting stupid shit without context!"

"Whoops, sorry. So, are you going to-?"

"I said we'll see!"

"But-"

"Get outta here! Now!"

"Au revoir."

Shrugging, Michael happily waved on continued his way to the exit. Which left Rose with the irritating aftermath of that misunderstanding with her two colleagues, specifically the troublesome one of the pair.

"Au re-what?" Eina tilted her head at the weird word. That word wasn't from any dialect that she's ever heard of, Rose must've taken notice of her confusion and simply told her not to mind her strange client's words.

"Hey, Rose. Why is your tail wagging?" Misha asked.

"Why are you staring at my tail?" Rose grumbled.

"Well, you were picking up a bit of wind just now and it kept blowing some of my work away. In fact, you're tail's been consistently wagging the whole time that you've been chatting with Michael-san about the Monster Feria." Misha pointed out, then a cheshire smile plastered itself onto her face. "Ufufufu! Don't tell me…were you actually happy when he invi-?"

"…Hm? What's that Misha, you want to work overtime by doing half my share of today's reports? Why thank you, I really appreciate your sense of diligence."

"No! O-Okay, I'll stop! I promise not to tease you! In fact, I'll reserve all teasing for Eina whenever her "Little Brother" comes in!" Misha fell to her knees and begged the werewolf.

"Rose-san, go ahead with giving her half of your reports." Eina ruthlessly stated.

"Sure." Uncaringly, Rose plopped the stack onto the suffering human's desk.

"NOOOOOOO!"

*Gacha!*

"Ah!"

"Hm?"

Before the group of three consisting of Michael, Chirithy, and Bell (who was still out of it) could leave, they came face to face with a beautiful golden-yellow haired elf clutching a white staff encrusted with a magical stone in one hand, and some carved wooden item in the other. One look at that face being present, and he's able to confirm that the Loki Familia's expedition has returned and are apparently back on the surface.

"Hello, Lefiya…" Michael waved.

"O-Oh, Michael-san?" The vaunted "Thousand Elf" gaped at him and the long sword strapped to his back. The way her eyes glazed over him was like she was mentally piecing some elaborate puzzle together. Looks like he was the last person that she expected to run into but was not saddened or angered by it all. In fact, she looked happy at the incidental meeting. "H-Hi! Its nice to see you again."

"Likewise. You guys have been gone for a while. I actually had a quest to take care of during your absence, so I guess that its luck that we all came back on the same day."

"R-Really? What are the odds? Hehehe…" Lefiya nervously laughed.

"Good evening, Miss Viridis."

"Ah, Chi~!"

"No hugs!" Chirithy screeched once the Elf's arm began to reach for them.

"R-Right, sorry." Lefiya sheepishly apologized while cuddly dream eater tiredly shook their head. Michael snickered, it certainly wasn't the first time that would happen, and it wouldn't be the last. His little pal might be annoyed by random people picking him up to cuddle, but he personally believed it was way better alternative than them straight up attacking them for believing that they're a monster.

"White hair…red eyes?" Now the elf looked at the despondent Bell in recollection. She did remember hearing Ais-san angrily mumble those descriptions when she regrouped with the rest of the expedition after some incoherent babbling about Kar-something being stupid?

In all honesty, she was pretty much taken with how cute the swordswoman was with her angry pouting. The same couldn't be said for the fuming Bete, but no found that to be out of the norm.

"Something the matter?" Michael questioned.

"O-Oh no, its nothing. Just wondering aloud to myself." Lefiya hurriedly shook her head, then sighed in relief. "But since you've been gone as long as us; this should at least give Tiona-san some comfort."

"What?" Michael blinked in confusion. A part of him didn't like how that sounded since it included one of the troublesome adventurers that manage shoehorn themself into almost every one of his Heartless informational classes.

"…It probably isn't my right to say this, but she was particularly disappointed that she couldn't make it to all of your classes during the trip. But since you were gone on a mission, albeit a little later than us, that would cheer her up to know that she didn't miss one of your personal classes." Lefiya happily smiled for the plight of her friend.

"A-Actually, I'd very much suggest that she stick to reading the books and perhaps attending the classes that Guild runs than simply come to lectures that I give." Michael tiredly groaned.

"I-I understand." Lefiya wryly smiled. She was sort of glad that the Amazon was too tired to join her. Although, she'll be throwing a fit should wind of this meeting ever reached her.

After all it was a common occurrence in Twilight Manor revolving around the Amazon rushing scrounging for Valis to attend the classes from either her own savings or her older twin sister's (that results in a VERY destructive sibling spat). All while closely being updated about the Heartless lecture schedules that the Guild posts, but she along with the others aware knew that she mostly checking the "Lecturer" designations for each day.

"So…how was the expedition?" Any exuberance on the Elf's delicate (and nervous) features were washed away by her mental and physical fatigue finally emerging to the surface. The girl's appearance was dirtied by usually pristine gear now covered in claw marks, burns, and blood stains.

"I-It was…a challenge." Lefiya wistfully sighed.

Any injuries on her body were nonexistent, probably thanks to some potions and the reliable healing spells of the Familia's strongest Mage. But the toll of whatever she faced on that expedition to the…erh…60th floor(?) really left put the poor girl through her paces if the bags under her eyes were any evident.

"There were just so many of them. Some new and others…too strong." She blankly looked off into space.

"Monster? Or Heartless?"

"Yes."

'Yeesh…' Michael winced. He knew from experience that the Heartless traversed the depths of the dungeon's lower floors in countless packs, so it made him wince knowing that adventurers like Lefiya have to go through those odds along with dangerous monsters that naturally inhabit the space.

"There were so many things that even the Captain couldn't take into account." And if a veteran like the "Braver" had trouble coordinating things, then it undeniably was a taxing challenge to plan things out. "So, we had to fall back after getting overwhelmed."

"I see."

"Yeah, it was tough for everyone…especially…" Lefiya never finished that train of thought and only pressed the wooden carving on her chest, using it to scrounge up as much metaphysical strength as she could.

"At least you guys made it back safe and sound, I hope." He tried to put the failure of their expedition in a more a positive light. When she nodded, he said. "Good. You guys get to live to fight another day, and that's more important than reaching some goal by floors."

"AHEM!" A non-subtle cough from his Chirithy roused him to move things along.

Heeding the cue, he gave the elf one last smile and wave. "Know this, there's no shame in failure, and its alright to feel scared. Try again and just follow your heart." He motioned Bell and Chirithy (who was still despondent throughout that whole conversation, SHEESH) around Lefiya and out the door.

"B-But!"

"?" He snapped his head back to spot the elf tightening her grip on the carved wooden crest. Her face was a deep shade of red for some reason and wound up so tight that one would assume she swallowed a lemon.

"But I did do my best! I-I didn't doubt myself as much like usual, and I provided the best support for Ais-san and everyone else! I was scared. So scared that I froze in place and thought about failing everyone, but I still kept my mind focused, and did my best to be confident. I-I had faith in myself. Faith in my own strength! So that's why I-I-I-!" She realized that she was virtually screaming out of the blue at the man, who only watched her impassively.

No matter how flustered she felt from her burst of emotions, she still examined him in search of something so desperately that she would even put her usually timid self out there. Her grip tightened on the wooden crest so hard that the carved wolf symbol was beginning to imprint the soft skin of her hand.

All she wanted was any sign of him, then she could finally express her deepest grati-!

"Um…I'm glad that you were able to pull through, Lefiya. As expected of a fellow Level 3 adventurer, but…" Lefiya's heart sank a bit as the man awkwardly laughed and scratched his cheek. "I'm not quite getting why you're telling me all of this."

'…Oh…' The elf thought in disappointment.

A part of her believed that she'd get the reaction that she wanted, but it seemed that today was not that day. Belief and doubt warred on inside her as her thoughts kept denying her hopes, but her heart said so otherwise.

"R-Right, sorry for springing that on you…" It was hard for her smile to not show shades of her sadness. Having your hopes to high only to have them demolished does that.

"N-No worries, you're probably just tired so take all the time you need."

"I-I will. Take care…" With a halfhearted smile, she waved them goodbye and closed the door.

'She's probably going to see that damned statue again…' Michael truly hated the thing, but felt a tinge of sadness that Lefiya would seek it out as way to accommodate for the connection that she missed.

"I know why you're being this way, but I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Harsh." Chirithy facepalmed.

The keyblade master groaned and rubbed the back of his head. "I know, I get that was terrible of me, but I can't afford to bring anymore attention onto myself." He's already dealing with unwanted attention from current status and achievements as an adventurer. Being from another world with his own array of skills and equipment further added to how much of an unknown that he was, which made him that more desirable to the Gods and Goddesses of this world. "Whatever happened during my Ordeal of the Heart* stays a secret, including those who just so happened to be there."

That whole month of him taking his self-imposed Mark of Mastery exam in the dungeon yielded him the greatest harvest in the form of his title as Keyblade Master, but it also landed him with so many headaches. His unofficial title and deeds from saving Daedalus street were still fresh in the minds of Orario's citizens. So, imagine if word got out that the persona that he used during that one-month timeframe was trailed back to him.

Add that heap of deeds onto his well-known ones, and he'd be practically fending off more troublemakers or worse.

A memory during his rough ordeal two years ago hit him. It was a faint light that glimmered while he fended off the darkness and monsters that filled the dungeon. His constant struggle with the Darkness inside of him was given a brief reprieve thanks to a meek Level 2 Elf, who got separated from Familia, and trapped in the dungeon's middle floors.

That memory was one that he'll keep close to his heart. It was meeting that benefited both him and the elf. One received the budding confidence that she needed to grow into an better version of herself along with reaching the Third Step, and the other unknowingly passed a trial that gave him the reassurance he needed to realize that he'd be a good teacher despite being a survivor of a war with too failures to fathom.

It honestly hurt him to feign ignorance towards Lefiya like this, but he really couldn't risk getting too many eyes on him. Especially with Loki being her Goddess, were the elf to slip up, then word of what really happened would spread around like the plague as amusement for the Trickster Goddess. The fact that he's in Hestia's Familia certainly didn't help with that either.

He's already had to delt with the most troublesome Familia around, and that issue had been watching him from the very beginning of his new life in this world. He doesn't need more getting curious and putting his family in danger just to sate it.

Speaking of said Issue…

*Gaaaaaaze~!*

The usual heated glare that he received from the top of Babel was much weaker in comparison to earlier during the day. Meaning that she's currently out and working her shift.

"C'mon… Time to go home…" He pushed the boy up the road. There was no need to be cautious or care, he'd already made feelings to the Issue very clear.

"Michael…?"

"C'mon, Chi, we need to get the lead out! It's rude to keep everyone waiting."

"I know that, but Michael…"

"We're all going to finally be together again, so let's hurry!"

"You're going the wrong way…" Chi groaned.

The man and blank faced boy froze on the spot.

"To reach the café, we're supposed to go northeast of the Tower of Babel."

"I-I knew that." Michael coughed to hide his fluster.

"Oh…really…" Sarcastic wit, Chi's most powerful weapon was used. "Then tell me Wise guy, why are you heading south of Babel?"

"…"

"Not going to defend yourself?"

"…"

"I see, so you're just going to stay quiet and ignore me, huh? Yup, what solid counterargument you have there, Master Michael…" Chirithy continued to prod at their Wielder, receiving no answer from him.

'As usual, you need someone to help push you in the right direction…' Chi shrugged their shoulder and shook his head.

Walking up to the young man's back, Chi tugged at the ends of his coat and pointed in the direction they needed to take.

"Alright, let's go…for real time."

"Okay…"

For the townsfolk of Orario anyone who stood on the streets that day would bear witness to the unusual scene of a grown man being led by the stubby hand of an adorable cat spirit while a recovering blank faced boy dragged his feet behind them. With someone competent to lead the way, the three managed to make good time on their return home. The old roads and abandoned buildings were nostalgic indicators that home was not too far away.

Northeast Orario's residential area was sparse of any of the other decent luxuries that different locations in the city have. It was where the convoluted streets of Daedalus Street lie along with the Adventurer's Graveyard where many who've lost their lives in the dungeon are laid to rest. The majority of the city's destitute inhabit this portion of the city as they take refuge in Orario's common sites of abandoned buildings. Naturally those in poor living conditions usually turn to crime such was the way of life.

The Hearth's Café wasn't exactly too deep in Northeast Orario, only near the border between the more guarded streets of the city and the wonderful dark streets where anyone can get nicely mug or shivved to death by a desperate thief. Why was the Hestia Familia's home and business established there? Well, besides from those who first established it in the first place, the reasoning went over the heads of so many.

Well, apart from the rapid aggregation of Heartless attracted to Daedalus Street that needed swift extermination, it was still a weird and risky place to start a business. Everyone knew that the success to a good business was location, Location, LOCATION! A location where customers won't have to tense up about ordering a pastry and later getting shaken down for it and the rest of their money.

In all intents and purposes, it shouldn't have worked, but it strangely did. For all intents and purposes there were many reasons why Michael and Hestia settled for the area. Its just that one of those reasons was the amount of breathing room and space to relax without being so close to the busy happenings in the other districts of town.

The sun was beginning to set, and the trio were close to home. By then Bell was out of his trance and now burying his burning face into his hands after Michael and Chi told him what transpired while he was off in his own little world.

"I-I feel so stupid…" Seriously! How could he miss out on the chance to meet a second-class adventurer belonging to the Loki Familia, one of Orario's top dogs, with such an amazing title as the "Thousand Elf"? His blank, unresponsive condition thanks to Eina's scolding (he still shuddered at the horrible memory) must've made him look like an idiot.

"Don't. You were still reeling pretty bad from your little "chat" with Eina. Besides, its nothing to get worked up over, you'll just have to apologize and properly introduce yourself next time." Chi comforted the boy with gentle pats to his leg which Bell appreciated.

Bell's shoulders slumped down. "But still…"

"Bell, you're free to keep worrying about it, but let me ask you something." Michael cut in. "Will making yourself worried sick change what happened?"

"N-No."

"Do you enjoy feeling this bad about yourself?"

"No…"

"Then don't sweat it. When you see Lefiya again, you'll do things right. Nothing good will come out of worrying yourself over nothing." Michael patted the boy's shoulder and strolled a bit ahead of him.

'T-That's actually a pretty good point…' Bell still beat himself up from embarrassment but realized the truth in his Captain's words and figured that he should heed them.

Wait a moment. The way he spoke of her name held some familiarity in his tone. "Captain, you know someone from the Loki Familia?"

"Pfft!" Michael dryly laughed. "Bud, everyone knows someone from the Loki Familia. There's not a household in Orario, who doesn't know about Finn Deimne the Braver, Riveria Ljos Alf the Nine Hells, Gareth Landrock the Elgarm, and Raul Nord the High Novice."

"…Who?" Bell innocently tilted his head.

Exasperatedly sighing, Michael shook his head and whispered. "One day, Raul, one day…"

"Sorry if I wasn't clear, but I meant if you knew the Loki Familia personally?" Bell reiterated.

"Yup."

"Really!? So, you've really met those guys?" Bell excitedly gasped.

'You technically did too, but you were probably too caught up fighting that Minotaur with your concussion and injured back to notice…' Michael snidely remarked in his head.

"Hey, the Labyrinth City's a big place. You're bound to come across just about anyone on the street if you're lucky enough." It just so happens that Heartless also fill those streets, and its his responsibility to exterminate them with the addition of inadvertently meeting a wide array of colorful characters on the job.

Gulping in anticipation, the boy excitedly stuttered. "S-So, what were they like?"

Michael could basically hear the dripping enthusiasm from those five words alone. Like he guessed, the boy was a clear Hero worshipper. Despite that, he still found his innocent enthuse about wanting to know about the adventurers from the trickster goddess' familia to be quite precious. It certainly was a step up from the ridiculous "Hero + Dungeon + Damsel = Harem" mentality that the boy still seemed to carry (he hoped not).

"They're a fine group of people, nothing much else beyond that."

Was what Michael wanted to say. No rose-tinted glasses, no overhyping the Familia up to be these perfectly heroic adventurers. Because at the end of the day, they're just people like anyone else and that shouldn't be cause to put all of them on such a high pedestal. It'll only discourage you from getting to know them beyond their title and reputation. This mindset was something that he (who's still well-known for saving Daedulus among other achievements) and his friend from the Ganesha Familia undoubtedly shared.

All of this wasn't to say that he thought less of the Loki Familia. Like the Ganesha Familia, he actually found them to be a decent group. They weren't as selfless and benevolent as the Keyblade Unions were (before everyone was fighting and killing each other over Lux), but he's come to lower his expectations ever since settling down in Orario. The Loki Familia wasn't his favorite Familia outside of his own, but it was one that he'd vastly prefer than a certain other top-ranking Familia in the city.

At least the Loki Familia members could get along without threatening to kill each other.

Now back to the boy eagerly awaiting his response. He could speak his honest thoughts about the familia, but he still needed to be punished so…

"Meh, I'll tell you another time…"

"E-Eh? But why?"

"Because…"

"Because?"

"Just because~!" Michael flippantly waved his hand over his shoulder.

"…"

"Heh." His back might've been to the boy, but the young man can clearly picture the annoyed pout that he was sporting.

"Honestly, you can be so childish sometimes…" Chi walked beside the man with an amused sigh.

He was neither going to confirm nor deny that statement, the only response he gave was a cheeky grin.

"We're here." Finally, home sweet home.

The two-story building looked just like it was when he had left. From the looks of the wooden "We're closed" door sign with the background of a city and weird "A" shaped tower in the background (a gift from the World's greatest chef), his Goddess and the others must have closed early. Yet there was still activity happening on the main floor since there were amber lights peeking through the edges of the door and shining through the windows.

If he were a betting boy, he would say they were either cleaning things up or…considering that Karen rushed back here before them…

His hand never did get the chance to open the door to find out, or even touch the doorknob for that matter. A sense of deja vu hit the Nineteen-year-old AND his Chirithy. "Make sure to grit your teeth!"

*SLAAAAAM!*

Those words of caution could not have been spoken any more quickly than the jittering door that was flung open and slammed into the wall beside it so hard that splinters flew off it.

Now of course doors don't open by themselves…unless magic was the prime source of it.

"MICHAEL!"

And he highly doubted that a four foot seven Goddess speeding through the air like a white blurred torpedo (or in the words of a familiar Trickster Goddess: a bitch missile) would count as it. Though any mistaken relation would be forgiven based on how bizarre it looked when she slammed into the taller man's chest.

Years of getting glomped and dive bombed in the solar plexus have honed Michael's body to the dangerous antics of his Goddess. The best it did was knock a bit of the air out of him. The warmth of four limbs entangling him into a full body hug brought a smile to his face.

"You're back! You're finally back!"

Inclining his head forward, he was met with two bright blue eyes staring into his own with an even brighter smile to follow it.

"I'm home, My Goddess." Michael fondly caressed his Goddess's head.

Luxuriantly enjoying the young man's touch, Hestia nuzzled her head to his chest and happily giggled. "Welcome home!" Her laughter ceased and became a relieved sigh once the man adoringly wrapped his arms around her into a gentle hug. Contentment was writ on both of their faces as the two embraced. Though days have passed from their separation it was clear that it had only made their hearts that much fonder for their reunion.

This couldn't be any more obvious for the hugging pair…and the many around them who watched. Precisely Bell and Chi; with the former a bit uncomfortable with the amount of affection being displayed by the pair, and the latter being slightly impatient with the amount of time they're PTA is taking up.

"Ahem!" Chi coughed.

"Oh, Chi, you're back too? I'm so glad~!" Refusing to release her full-bodied hug on her Familia's captain, Hestia gushed over the Chirithy in the middle of her prolonged embrace.

"Good evening, Miss Hestia. I'm happy to be back and see that you're healthy and brimming with so much vigor…" Chi then muttered. "A little too much vigor to my liking," But soon enough the Dream Eater became cheerful at the reunion. "But it's truly wonderful to be with you all again."

"That stupid pig and rude wolf girl didn't give you any trouble, right?" Hestia angrily pouted. "Just tell me if they are! If I hear word that they're working my adorable, precious Chi into the ground, then I'll-I'll-!"

"There…there…"

"Nfufufu~!"

Before the Hearth Goddess could go off the handle, she was easily placated by Michael rubbing the naked back of her dress and her head. It was like watching a very nice cat getting pet.

To Bell, he's still getting used to watching the amount of affection shared between his Captain and his Goddess. Not that he had anything against it, he's still hoping to one day experience a type of love like theirs after rescuing a damsel (hold on didn't he already do that…?) and forming his own harem. He's even using the glimpses of what he sees of his Captain's relationships with both Goddess Hestia and Iris for future reference in the future for when he'll inevitably have to do so too.

Its just that…he could never see himself date a Goddess. He slightly frowned; its not like he was against the idea since the Goddess that come to the Lower Worlds are beautiful, but he just couldn't see himself as worthy enough to earn a divine being's favor. Plus, compared to his lifespan which might span to at least a century, that's a mere wink in the immortal life of a deity.

He wouldn't fathom the unsurmountable strength needed to realize that you'd have to leave your loved one behind, and they can't join you. That's why he found his Captain to be such an amazing person. He'd obviously had to be aware of this, and yet, he's still openly affectionate with Goddess Hestia.

To be able to continue with such an inevitable tragedy at the end of the road, Bell just couldn't find that completely and absolutely astonishing…and a little sad.

Its truly this sadness that prevents him from even considering the notion of personally falling for a Goddess.

"Ah, Bell-kun! You're back too! Welcome home~!"

The boy shook himself off. These thoughts weren't suited for this moment of happiness. The happiness that had filled the hole in his heart after the passing of his grandfather. The happiness of being welcomed back into a warm home with a motherly smile to top off the end to a hectic day.

"Y-Yes, Kami-sama. I'm home!" The boy's bright smile gave Hestia's a run for her money. No, wait, it was making the Goddess shed tears.

"Uwaaaaaah! So pure! M-Michael, i-its too bright! N-Next time he goes into the dungeon, make sure to go with him and protect him no matter what!" She wailed.

"Hehehe…there, there…" The scene was almost comical as Hestia's crying was peering out while under the gentle ministrations of Michael's petting.

"B-Bell, you sure that you don't want to stay and work with me and Iris at the Café? You're chances of dying won't be so high anymore. That way someone as pure as you won't be taken from us!" The boy tiredly laughed. He had received that offer multiple times during his stay in the Hestia Familia. Now obviously, he'd politely turn down each offer as he was very adamant about making his dream come true through braving the Dungeon.

He still wants to save a damsel, get himself a harem and above all else...

He looked to the gentle man lovingly rubbing Hestia's back.

Become a hero.

Though he felt that there was an addition to his desires after today. His horrifying and exhilarating fight with the Minotaur came to mind. It might have been a dud for his first adventure, but…at that moment…he didn't want to lose to it.

It was a feeling that he didn't dwell on as he supposed that it was simply a lingering feeling from that situation.

"Well…" Michael drawled on with a cheeky smile. "I doubt that he'll have much choice on whether or not he'll be staying to work in the café considering what he pulled today."

Bell's back straightened as his entire body went stiff.

'O-Oh, right…my punishment…' Bell winced as the weight of what's about to happen finally hit him in the face.

"Hm? Did something happen today at the dungeon?" Hestia tilted her head.

"Yeah…" Michael strangely did the same. "Didn't Karen tell you what happen when she returned?"

"Nope, Kare-tan only told us that you're back from your mission, so we've been getting everything ready until you returned."

"Oh, really?" Michael wore a knowing smile and rubbed his chin. "I see…"

"Now then…" With a lot of effort on her part, Hestia unlatched her arms and legs from Michael's upper body and landed on her bare feet (something that still befuddles Michael). A cheshire smile found itself on her face as she turned back to the open door and screamed. "Hey, Iris-chan, guess what! My "Lover's Intuition" was 100% right after all~! Haha!"

Confused by the woman's gloating, Chi raised one stubby hand over their mouth and whispered to his Keyblade Wielder. "Wait, wasn't it called the "Mother Hen" Intuition before we left?"

Michael leaned down and whispered, "It was, but let's not bring up why she changed it. She looks happy."

"Of course, that'd be you're main priority, Michael." Chirithy groaned in a mixture of exhaustion and…pride with their keyblade wielder's willingness to preserve the happiness of others yet again.

Ask (or rather obnoxiously scream) and you shall receive. First to arrive at the front door was Iris, who tiredly sent Hestia an unamused half-lidded stare. "Yes, yes, you were right, Hestia-sama. Forgive me for doubting your "Godly Intu-"."

"Ah, "Lover's Intuition!""

"Yes, you're "Lover's Intuition…" Iris rolled her eyes, then widely smiled. "And I suppose to get that 100% chance of success, we had to constantly waste ingredients for three full sized cakes and give them away for free on the days when the Captain was still absent."

"WHAT!?" Chi, the financial advisor and distributor to the Hestia Familia gasped in sheer shock.

"Iris-chan, you tattletale!" Hestia hissed at the Cows woman then frantically turned to Chi. "Nononono! It's not that bad, Chi-chan. I only wanted to bake a perfect cake for Micha-everyone once they've returned! Besides, we only had to give away the one that were good enough, the other attempts that weren't perfect were thrown out."

Everyone froze, including Iris.

"Hestia-sama…there were other cakes?" Iris's eye twitched.

"Yep, but don't worry, they didn't meet the standards that would fulfill the tastebuds to my adorable Children so I made sure to throw them out." Hestia proudly puffed out her chest.

"…How many?"

"Hm?"

"How many cakes did you go through before finally getting it right?" Chirithy decided to chip, their cute voice now cold and devoid of any mercy.

"U-Um…" Hestia shook under the intense gaze of the Chirithy. Watching a full-grown Goddess wilt under the sheer pressure exuded by the smaller creature would be comical were it not for the fact that it was also quite pitiful to watch. "T-Five Cakes! About five cakes!"

"My Goddess…" Michael frowned, the link shared between their Hearts allowed him to discern panic from her. Not to mention, he felt a sharp dread arose when she immediately changed her answer.

Hestia noticed this and fiddled around with one of her twin tails, timidly. "Urp…ten…"

Everyone's eyes widened, save for Michael's and Chi's.

"Hestia…"

"Eeek!" Hestia flinched. She knew how the man was with speaking her name to her in private. Any other time it would thrill her to her beloved call her name, but now was not that time. Because it also meant he was serious and unwilling to overlook this. "T-T-Twenty…"

"…" Darkness enshrouded, Chi's vacant expression that terrified Hestia and the others to vary extents.

"I'm sorry!" Hestia squealed. There was only one way to appease the dominant adorable figure in their household. She would have to bust out her friend's ultimate technique. Falling to her knees and slamming her head to the ground, Hestia thus performed the Take-mikazuchi brand dogeza. "Forgive me! Forgive me! I apologize with all my Heart!"

"…It's okay, Goddess Hestia…" Chi patted the Goddess's head. "I'm not mad at you."

"R-Really, Chi-chan?" Hestia raised her tear stained face.

"Of course. I'm sure that tons of Valis might have been wasted, but there's no worry. Michael's mission would rack up more Valis and then some. So those twenty wasted cakes won't matter." Chi blissfully smiled.

"C-Chi-chan…" Hestia gasped; it was like she looking at an adorable angel.

"Because you're allowances from working the café will be put to paying off the cost for ingredients that you wasted along with any worn cooking equipment that were the victims to your wasteful cooking." Chi cruelly stated with some cute laughter that it left Hestia with her jaw to hit the ground.

"W-What?"

"You heard me."

"NOOOOO!" The Goddess wailed and tugged at her whipping twin tails. "But I can't entertain myself if that happens!"

"Well, I sure hope that you enjoy café work until you pay it off because that's exactly the point." Chi huffed and shook their head. They've already figured out the total estimate of the Goddess' wasteful…everything involving the cakes. This was part of the reason why they were reluctant to leave for the Guild, you look away once and Hestia will probably go overboard with the budget unsupervised.

"Captain." Iris meekly walked over to Michael with an uncertain smile before dropping it to bow her head. "I'm so sorry!"

"T-That's a…new way to say hello…" Michael bitterly laughed with Bell beside him, the boy was willing to divert his attention from the terrifying Chirithy dolling out punishment to his Goddess.

"Please forgive me for not doing a better job of keeping an eye on Hestia-sama. I only knew about the three perfect cakes; I had no idea that she was wasting twenty more until just now."

"I-It's fine, no need to get so worked up. Plus, she's already paying for it so don't beat yourself up over it." Michael encouragingly placed a hand on Iris's shoulder and grinned. "Anyways, I'm back, Iris. Nice to see you again."

A slight blush graced the brunette Cows' cheeks as she returned the gesture with a small smile. "Y-Yes, Captain. W-Welcome home."

Poking his head past Michael, Bell shyly waved to the woman. "Hello, Bennett-san."

"Oh, B-Bell!" Quickly composing herself, Iris coughed into her hand and graced the boy with a warm smile. "Its good to see you back safe and sound."

"Thanks." Bell nervously scratched his head.

"Well, he was relatively safe and in the clear when he was brought back from the dungeon." Michael chimed in.

"Brought? Did something happen?" Iris looked between the guilty looking Bell and the wistfully smiling Michael.

"You could say that, but before we get into any of that…hey, Karen!" Both Iris and Bell turn back and followed their Captain's line of sight to spot the stoic raven-haired girl peeking her head out the door. She quietly examined the entirety of her Familia without making a peep.

There also seemed to be something around her lips.

"Welcome back, Master…Bell." Karen curtly nodded to them both, she would have done the same for Chi, but wisely kept to herself lest she bring the Chirithy's wrath upon her.

"H-Hi, M-Morris-san." Bell timidly waved to the girl, remembering his Captain's advice, he decided to try and push himself to better know the girl. Ah! She waved back. He internally gave a fist pump at the bit of progress made. Sure, he was a little worried with why she stared intently at him a let out a huge sigh, but he such doubts on the backburner and decided to focus on the positives.

Meanwhile, Hestia was still trying to weasel her way out from the almighty Chirithy's wrath.

"D-Do I still have to pay for the fourth cake? B-Because my "Lover's Intuition" worked today, we didn't have to go ahead with giving it away."

"Only because Karen returned and told you that Michael was back."

"Guh!" The Goddess flinched and whimpered. "B-But still, since its not wasted. It technically doesn't count if we use it to celebrate, right? I promise that it's the best tasting cake you will ever eat!" She totally wasn't just saying this just to spare herself the extra hours that she'll have to work.

Raising an eyebrow, Chirithy looked just about ready to begrudgingly agree with her. Everyone was finally back so a bit of leisure (and mercy) wouldn't hurt. Until Michael pointed something out that made the Goddess prostrating before them freeze up in terror.

"Hey, Karen what's that you got around your lips?"

"…Nothing." The Raven-haired girl swiftly turned her head away from the others as beads of sweat poured down her forehead.

"…Karen, look over here…" Iris' tone of voice was frigid when she strode towards the young girl and imposingly turned her head over to them all by the chin. Blue frosting and based on the deep blue coloration of her lips and tongue, she must have eaten A LOT of it.

Iris recognized the frosting color, she had to because she had to give them away for free for most of the week. So, with a strained smile, the Cows woman gave the already shaking Karen and lusterless, cold glare. "How much?"

"…?" Karen gulped, and innocently tilted her head.

"Oh no, there's point in playing dumb because I'm way past indulging you. Now. How much?"

"…" Well there went the girl's only trump card. All she could do was stay silent and hope that the Cows woman's ire would tide ov-.

Iris' glare hardened. "No supper for a week."

"One slice!" Karen cursed herself for being week but found that it was worth it to avoid the hell of starvation.

"One slice?" Iris narrowed her eyes and received a nod.

"Phew!" Michael had no idea how long he'd been holding his breath throughout that exchange. "So, if its only one slice then it can't be too bad. It's not like I mind her having a bit before the rest of us."

"Y-Y-Yeah, you even said so yourself that Kare-tan went the whole day without a filling meal, Iris-chan!" Hestia forced her laughter to poorly hide her concerned self-preservation.

"R-Right, I-I'm sure that Morris-san must have been hungry so she couldn't help but take a bit to enjoy herself." Bell did his best to back up Karen. How could he not after she pulled him out of the dungeon and saved his life (probably along with the other two who were present)? So as a way to get closer to her, he'll have her back and save her from an admittedly scary Iris.

Yet, the girl looked more guilty from his comment. D-Did he say something wrong?

"Bring it out then."

"…?" Karen's eyes widened for a split second.

"The entire cake. I want to see how much one slice for you really is. Do it."

"…" Lowering her head in defeat, Karen's hunched form retreated to the depths of the café, and through a prolonged ten seconds of silence, she returned holding a big platter with a single slice of cake on it. No one had any words. It had already been obvious from their blank expressions that the answer had already came to them save for one who was in complete denial.

"H-Hey, Kare-tan…I'm pretty sure that, Iris-chan told you bring the rest of it. Not just a slice."

"…This is it."

"Eh? N-No, it isn't. There should be a whole cake, well, apart from the slice you took, but still! I'm certain there should be more!" The poor Goddess was already devolving into shouting to hide her disbelief.

"…I'm sorry."

"…Eh? Sorry for what? Do you seriously mean to tell me that you ate everything but that single slice!?"

"…Yes."

"…" Hestia shakily turned to an impassive Chi, who's arms were crossed. "I-It might not be the whole cake, but this much ought to count, rig-?"

"No."

The sight of seeing their Goddess sorrowfully fall to her knees and sobbing in defeat was just pitiful. So pitiful that everyone just decided to move things along inside their home before they get cold (or embarrassed). Iris was the first to enter with Karen closely following behind by her tugged ear. Next was an exhausted Bell and Chirithy. Finally, in his arms, Michael carried their wailing Goddess and slowly closed the front door behind them.

"T-This day can't possibly get any worse!" Hestia sobbed into his shoulder.

"Bell fought a Minotaur on the Fifth floor today." So, Michael decided to rip that band-aid before things started to settle to avoid disrupting the peace of the evening later down the road.

""WHAT!?""

Both Hestia and Iris's voices filled the Hearth Café that night along with the multitude of apologies that flew out of Bell's mouth. To say that Michael's welcome back dinner wasn't hectic would be dramatically underselling things.

But that was to be expected coming from an unorthodox Familia as this one.

XXX

"So that's what happened?" Michael inquired from his seat in Bell's room as the Magic stone lamp illuminated the spartan space around them.

It was nightfall, and everyone else retired to their respective rooms save for Michael and Hestia, who took this reprieve from their chaotic dinner to discuss the newest member to their Familia's punishment.

"Y-Yeah…" Bell groaned from the added pressure of laying on his grumbling, empty tummy, and the weight of his miffed Goddess on his naked back, who was currently updating his status.

With Iris being the one responsible for cooking that night, she decided to give her own brand of punishment to the boy by barring him from tonight's dinner. Though a tad much, she justified it with saying that a single night of starvation is leagues better than an outright death that he would surely have gotten had things played out differently today. It was easy to tell that the Cows lady wasn't amused with the boy's recounted deeds in the dungeon. She was relieved most of all, but that didn't change the fact that he ventured deeper than he was supposed to, and willingly continued to fight a Minotaur than escape.

Hestia's reaction to the tale was met with conflicting emotions.

She was happy that her Child had returned home safely and in one piece after that horrible experience.

She was disappointed with him for disobeyed the warnings of his seniors and Guild Advisor to not go any deeper into the dungeon.

She was proud that he was so willing to help someone so selflessly like the good boy he was.

She was furious when she found out that Loki's kids were the cause of the Minotaur rising to the upper floor AND being partly responsible for saving his life.

And to top it all off, she was speechless when she saw the updated results of the boy's Falna. Now obviously he faced a Minotaur and lived to tell, so that factored into it, but that tidbit paled in comparison to something else that popped up on the boy's status.

This didn't make sense, Hestia thought to herself and questionably looked to Michael, who shot her a look of question.

"I'm done, Bell-kun." She patted his back and hopped off of him, so she can hurry over to Michael's side and show him what she's looking at.

"…!" Michael's eyes widened from the same shock that Hestia experienced and looked to her to find that she was looking at him expectantly. He gave his answer with a slow shake of his head and took the page from his Goddess to double check things.

Confused, Bell looked between the two worriedly. It wasn't the first time that someone other than his Goddess checked his Falna, but this scenario felt different and tense. During the update to his stats, he went ahead with telling his Captain everything about his dream and what he experienced. The three weapons, the Heartless, the stained glass depicting various animals, and the apparitions of his grandfather, Goddess, and some boy (he omitted the boy's details as he was still unsure if he was truly who he thought he was).

After gathering the courage, he asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Yep. Everything is just…fine." Michael kept looking from the status page then back to Bell, then back onto the status page along with Hestia by his side.

It must be something big if they're that engrossed in it. "C-Can I see my growth?"

"No."

"But-!"

"You'll see it after your punishment is over after the next fours days." Michael decided to get this elephant in the room addressed before talking about the other one. "You disobeyed our warnings and ran into a Minotaur because of it. You chose to fight it, and had I not been at the guild to heal you, your injuries would have been more debilitating. Bell, you were kind and courageous in helping someone in need, but that doesn't excuse from the consequences."

Bell solemnly nodded.

"So, from now until the fifth day of this week, you're to work at the Café with Iris and our Goddess. You're not allowed to enter the dungeon, any attempts to do so behind my back will prolong to ban. Training is also banned. Until the fifth day, the day of the Monster Feria, you are to devote yourself to working in Hearth Café as one of its faithful employees, am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Watching the boy deflate under the heavy punishment wasn't easy for Michael, especially Hestia, who wanted to say something but had to begrudgingly agree with the words of her Familia's captain.

"Good." Michael rolled his shoulder and folded Bell's Falna sheet into his pocket. "Now we've gotten the gritty part of this conversation out of the way. So now would be best to talk about those weird dreams of yours." Bell's body straightened up at this.

"Thank goodness, something less painful to endure listening to…" Hestia let out a sigh of relief and leant against Michael's shoulder as she happily watched in silence.

"Before we begin…" Michael extended his hand outward much to Bell's confusion before in a flash of light, an all too familiar blade materialized in the man's grip. "I'm sure that you're already aware that is the Keyblade. A weapon known for dispelling the Heartless, yes?"

Bell excitedly nodded. He was starting to like where this was going. Finally, he was going to get some answers, and get the chance to ask if he could possibly wield one as well.

"Good, but you've been living under the same roof as me and the others, so it's a given that you'd know this barebones info. To elaborate further, the Keyblade is a weapon that chooses its wielder. Only those who possess the strongest of Hearts are deemed worthy to wield them. Now hearts play a bigger role for the Keyblade." Michael then coughed into his freehand. "Now when I speak of Hearts, I mean the metaphysical one, not the literal organ."

Bell nodded, he got gist of it after a while of being in the Familia.

"A Heart is what comprises what a being is. They hold everything from your sense of identity, memories, strength of will, aspirations, and dreams. Without your Heart, you wouldn't exactly be you anymore."

"Um…" Bell quirked his head in deep thought, trying to grasp the concept.

"Okay, let me explain. Lets say your Heart was taken from you from the Heartless, you're Heart would be submerged in Darkness and lose all of its individuality to be assimilated into Darkness. You would thus in turn become a Heartless. Now the body and soul left behind will no longer function, you'd essentially be an empty husk of who you used to be."

Michael forewent explaining about the Nobodies. That would be discussed on a later day. Besides, back then they were aimless husks of victims with no directing force to lead them. So there was no cause for rush to inform everyone about an enemy that doesn't possess the drive to do any harm.

"A-Ah…" Bell gulped, that morbid way to explain things, but he got the picture now. "So, my Heart is vital to who I am?"

"Yup. Everyone needs a heart no matter who they are. Whether it be humans or…" He gestured to Hestia smiling and waving at him. "Gods and Goddesses." He comfortably placed his hand over his chest. "We exist because of them, and they allow us to bond to so many others all around us. Giving us strength beyond our measure of comprehension and a better understanding of the world around us."

"Whoa…" Bell copied the man's gesture. He had no idea that this talk of following his Heart was that serious.

"With that out of the way, it'll be easier to describe what you dreamt, no, what you experienced…" Michael pointed at boy and chuckled. "You my friend have experienced your Dive into the Heart."

"D-Dive to the Heart?" Bell repeated, he certainly did feel like he was diving while also rising at the same time.

Affirming the term with a nod, Michael continued. "It's a dream where you're taken to you Station of Awakening, in this case your heart. Should one enter their own heart, revelations of their true nature will be known to themself and the Keyblade that will soon come to them."

"Right…right…" Bell nodded then stopped. He blinked and blinked once more. "What!?" K-Keyblade? So that dream of his actually meant that he'll be able to wield one as well?

"Shh!" Michael shushed the boy, there were others in their home, who were trying to rest after all.

"S-Sorry…" The boy whispered and blushed a bit as his Goddess laughed at his enthusiastic reaction. Leaning in, Bell muttered. "So, I-I really will get a keyblade?"

"Hard not to deny that possibility. From what you told me, the stages of your dreams were the same process that I and the others experienced. Each person's dive to the heart is different yet the same. Only you could have dreamt up those individuals, who gave you your answer because you're heart recognizes them to be so important that they're the reason you're the person you are today." Michael explained.

"Awwww~! And you think that I'm just as important as your Grandpa, Bell-kun! That's so sweet!" Hestia cooed as the white-haired adventurer did his best to hide his embarrassment from the two adults in front of him. He didn't think the dreams were that serious!

"Now the Dive to the Heart doesn't just happen for everybody. To even be acknowledged that you're worthy of the Keyblade there are two methods to receive one. Either through the Ritual of Bequeathal or simply possessing a strong and pure heart to be deemed worthy." The man raised one finger. "The act of bequeathing involves a Keyblade Master passing on the ability to wield and summon a Keyblade to the others they deem as worthy." Spinning Fenrir in his hands, Michael carefully held the blade and stuck out its hilt to Bell, who was confused with whether he should touch it.

"In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking...its wielder you shall one day be."

Recalling his keyblade back to the depths of his heart, Michael playfully jazzed his hands. "The bam! If whoever was holding the keyblade possessed a strong heart and it didn't dematerialize from their hand, then they're automatically worthy to call one of their own."

Pointing his thumb to the door, he chuckled. "This was actually how Iris and Karen got the ability to call their own. Though Iris's was more accidental than Karen's."

"Hm?" The boy made his confusion known with a furrowed brow.

"Lets just say that back then I possessed the strength of a potential Keyblade Master but wasn't one officially. I still could have bequeathed someone on my own, but since I was still inexperienced, I could have accidentally passed the power onto others, who touched my keyblade. Iris was that very lucky person." Michael coughed, still a bit embarrassed at the memory of his screw up.

"Hehehe~! You should have seen him, Bell-kun, he was beating himself up for ages for letting that happen." Hestia poked at the man's cheek much to fake chagrin.

"Yeah, yeah…" Give him a break, he was still processing (even to this day) the fact that the one World was destroyed and split into countless bordered worlds as the only survivor of a war that supposedly happened centuries ago. Of course, he wouldn't have his head completely straight back then to notice that.

"So…you think that you might have accidentally bequeathed to me the power?" Bell asked.

"Nope. Not a possibility anymore. After getting things straight by officially acquiring my title as Keyblade Master," Well, he underwent an ordeal and was deemed worthy of the title by basically the World and Chirithy, who was a living encyclopedia to all knowledge on Keyblade Wielders and their history, "I was able to build up my mental fortitude so the same mistake wouldn't happen again. All masters do this to avoid any strangers from walking up and touching their keyblades in order to be worthy. No, only those I willingly bequeath the blade to will possess the chance to receive the power."

"I-I see…" Bell nodded and rubbed his chin. "So how was I able to do the Dive to my heart if I wasn't bequeathed?"

"Probably the same method that I got mine." Michael patted his heart and laughed. "We possessed strong and pure hearts to be chosen by the very World itself to wield a keyblade."

"Huh?"

"Now I don't want to go into details about what I meant by the "World" since as your new Master, I'll have all the time to teach you about it. However, just know that a force out there is responsible for deeming whether an individual is worthy enough to wield one. Now usually its main demographic of targets are children since they possess purest of hearts."

'It was also the rarest of methods…well, considering how many pure hearted children there were…20% would have been rare back then.' Michael thought. Now, the rate should be extremely low after the cataclysmic catastrophe of the war revealed to the splintering World what have too many Keyblade Wielders could do.

"Pure hearts?" Bell repeated in awe. So, he was actually chosen? He was getting giddy from the fact that it sounded like those stories he grandfather read to him about heroes being chosen by legendary weapons of eld.

Michael then leant forward and tapped Bell's chest. "Unlike bequeathing this form of receiving the power is much more concrete. It's basically assured that you'll receive your keyblade. Save for the fact that you won't know when you'll receive it."

"Huh?"

"It took Iris's keyblade about a month to appear." And it was a huge surprise since no one expected it to happen at the first place. "Karen's took three months…" Michael recollected then pointed to himself. "While mine…well, lets just say that after my dream, my keyblade appeared the day after."

"R-Really?"

"Fast am I right? Well, I was pretty much at the ripe age of 10 at the time, so my heart couldn't have been any purer than that. It was a blessing…" And a curse. "From then on, my childhood wasn't as peaceful as it once was."

"So, since I'm young and naturally chosen by the…" Bell shot up two air quotes. "World…will that mean I'll get my Keyblade early?"

"Like I said you won't know the when. It'll happen when it happens." Grunting as he stood up, Michael patted his legs and stretched. "You'll have oodles of time to figure all of this stuff out. Since now you're my apprentice."

"Really?"

"What? You actually thought I was going to leave you to figure things out by yourself without any help? Things aren't that drastic in your life to do that. That's why you're in the Hestia Familia." Michael chuckled.

"Here, you're safe and nurtured to grow and develop into who you want to be." Hestia shot Bell another one of her motherly smiles and placed a warm hand to her chest. "There's no need to feel that you're on your own with all of us here to carry a part of your burden. That's because…that's what a family does."

"…!" Bell's eyes began to get misty.

"And to make things official…" Michael snapped his fingers at the boy with a grin. "Bell Cranel, from this day forward, you are to be my apprentice! I will teach you all that I can about the Keyblade, the World, the heart's nature, and secrets of yourself that you aren't even aware of. This training won't be easy and the path to Mastery is one paved with the hardships of Light and Darkness. Do you accept?"

Sniffling, Bell wiped away at the tears pooling in his eyes as his nodded way faster than ever. "Y-Yes!"

"Then starting now, I am your Keyblade Master!"

"O-Okay!" Bell joyously smiled, the tears didn't stop though.

"Good…" Michael reached back to the boy's desk and held out a tissue box. "…And here…"

The boy thanked the man and loudly blew his nose into the many tissues while his Goddess placated him with a comforting rub to the back. Bell knew he looked pathetic, but he didn't care. Finally, he was acknowledged by a hero like his Captain to train under him, and he learned that he was chosen to wield a Keyblade the same as him and his two other seniors. Today might have been one of the unluckiest days of his life, but it was worth it knowing that it led to this.

"Now of course learning in itself is a privilege and it could just as easily be taken away, so you also have to wait until the four days are up before I could teach you." Michael chuckled.

O-Oh. Bell slumped down in his bed. P-Perhaps he shouldn't have celebrated too early.

"M-Michael! Don't get his hopes only to break them down that quickly!" Hestia scolded.

"Heh~!" The Keyblade Master sported a cheeky grin. "You'll still get to learn under me but use these four days of work to reflect. Not just on your punishment, but on anything that catches your attention. All signs of a healthy learning mind are evident by a nice sense of curiosity."

'So, I'm essentially learning while also getting punished…?' Bell scratched his head. 'But wasn't I barred from being taught to…and…gah!'

"Don't think to hard." Michael laughed at the boy's clear distraught. "Besides, I believe it'll be a great time to use these days until the Monster Feria to kick back and really think about things…for everyone to think on things…" For a moment, Michael's eyes looked downcast. Of course, Bell didn't catch this with him being too caught up in his own head.

Hestia though…

"Michael?" The goddess walked up to the man and worriedly held his hand.

Shaking his head, he tried and failed to dispel his Goddess's worries with a sad smile. "N-No, it's nothing, My Goddess. I'll be sure to tell you my thoughts on something pertaining to this…" He pulled out Bell's folded Falna sheet from his pocket. "While we're waiting for our guest tonight."

"A-Alright. But promise me that you won't stay up in your head for too long, okay?"

"…I only promise to do my best."

"…Liar…"

"Hm?"

"N-Nothing~!"

For a split second, Michael could have sworn that he heard his cheery goddess mutter something but shrugged it off.

"Well, go and have yourself a good night's sleep, Bell. After today, you definitely need it." Michael began his departure from his room.

"Sleep well, Bell-kun, and make sure to wake up bright and early! W-We'll have to work doubly hard for the sake of the café…and my personal funds…" Hestia cried to herself as she failed to convince Chi to renege his decision.

"Right. Good night, Kami-sama and Cap-Master." Bell bowed to the both of them and waved good night with the Captain and Goddess pair doing the same.

""Good Night, Bell.""

With a click of the doorknob, Bell was left on his own to exhaustedly collapse into his bed. Today was…overwhelming to say the least, but he wasn't wholly ungrateful for it. In fact, he absolutely grateful for the events that transpired save for his multiple punishments. He saved a damsel, fought a Minotaur (and while he technically didn't win, he still got to live and tell the tale), and now he's finally going to get a Keyblade of his own.

He held hand up into the air, grasping for the imaginary blade that he used in his dream. Hoping that it could also summon the Keyblade that'll choose him. It was in vain, but he intently kept it up as a flood of unanswered questions began to fill his head.

Sure, he was worthy to receive a Keyblade, but could he be worthy to learn under his new Master?

Why was he chosen? Did it mean that he truly was a kid at heart (despite technically still being a growing pre-teen)?

Will he really be able to befriend Karen? He promised to do better and try harder, but the question still lingered in his mind.

Did something happen with his stats? Was it something bad? What will happen to him?

Yet the question that was on his mind the most was…

Who did that voice belong too?

…Shoot! He should have asked his Master what that voiceless voice from the long sword was so he can confirm whether or not his head made it up while he was trying to avoid getting obliterated by the Minotaur.

No, he'll have time for that later… He curiously looked to the long sword that's hung up on the hook attached to his door one last time before delving to his real question.

"That voice. I've been hearing it more lately after my Dive to the Heart. Who's voice could it be?" Now his Master did say that everyone experienced a Dive to the Heart and would have heard a voice, but for Bell, he felt that it was important to gloss over. He didn't know why, but it was just a feeling that Heart couldn't ignore.

Not to mention that boy who appeared in his dreams after he answered the apparitions of his Grandfather and the Goddess's questions. His appearance looked exactly like his Master, but…that doesn't make sense. How would he know how his Master looked as a kid?

Not to mention that town and those animals on the stained glass…wait, did his Master even talk about that? Bell never went into detail about the town, but he was very clear about the images on the platforms. Did his master just decide not to tell him about it…? No, he shouldn't be so quick to think like that.

He probably just forgot to mention it.

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

"Hm?" Picking himself up from his bed, the boy answered his door and looked out to the long hallway leading to the many other closed rooms on the second floor. Based on the lights peeking out from the door that leads to the stairs, he assumed that his new Master and the Goddess were downstairs discussing something.

"Hello?" Bell quietly called out and looked around. There was no sign of anyone. The time it took for them to knock and retreat was incredibly fast. Just as he was about to give up and return to his room, he noticed a plate carrying two banana-nut muffins near the door along with a card.

Now obviously, Bell's mouth watered as his favorite treat was presented to him. His punishment of no dinner was getting to him, but before he chowed down, he picked up the card and read it.

[I'm glad that you're okay, -K]

Piecing things together, a smile tugged at Bell's lips. Well, at least one of his questions were answered tonight. Now he's sure that he'll definitely befriend her.

"Thank you." He quietly whispered and backed up into his room before anyone noticed him smuggling in the treats.

Despite the fact that there was actually one silver eyed girl watching the entire scene play out from the crack of her bedroom door. Being the true culprit for the appearance of the muffin's she let out a relieved sigh and put on a small smile at her success.

Thus, was the end of another hectic day for the Hestia Familia…