146 Ch. 146 Hestias' Quest

( Yuto Pov )

The wind blew under the night sky.

I thought changing my ways to become a hero was a choice, but it was a responsibility.

" The Temple of Hestia." I spoke.

Atalanta frowned.

" You don't think the goddess is the one behind this?" She doubly said as she looked around the temple.

I looked around the temple to see the goddess statues vandalized.

The whole temple was a mess.

" No, it seems something bad happened here." I spoke as I crouched down to a dead body.

" They've been dead for days." I got up and walked towards the large broken statue.

Atalanta followed.

As soon as we came in front of the statue, we felt divine energy surge in front of us.

I immediately took out [ Faith's Fall ] and was ready for any attacks.

" Wait!" Atalanta held out her hand.

" P....Pl....please H....he....help my children." There was a static in her speech as an avatar descended upon us.

" Goddess Hestia." I spoke.

I took a step forward. I ignored that Atalanta was trying to make me kneel with her.

" The one who vandalized your Temple and killed your children, who are they?" I didn't bother acting nice.

I wasn't fond of Gods or Goddess.

" God Slayer," She said as she turned her attention towards me.

" Please help my children. They are in grave danger." She spoke.

I looked at her.

" And my reward?" I asked.

" A blessing from me." She offered.

" What kind of blessing." I asked.

" Yuto!" Atalanta shouted.

" A blessing of Hearth." Hestia spoke.

I held out my hand.

"An oath, I don't trust the gods." I said

" I understand." She said as she put her hand on top of mine.

" I, Yuto Yamamoto, will complete Goddess Hestias plea. "

" I, Hestia, the Goddess of Hearth, will bless Yuto Yamamoto once he completes my quest. "

A golden light descended the both of us as we let go.

I looked at the oath seal on my hand and turned around.

" The evil dragon, Thyphon, Please be careful." Hestia said as she saw me walking away.

Once her avatar disappeared, Atalanta stood up and rushed towards me.

" How can you be so disrespectful to the Goddess!?" She shouted.

" She asked us to save her children, of course she needs to pay a price for it. " I said.

" But didn't you ask for the perpetrator on who vandalized Hestia's temple?"

" Either way, she would've told us about Typhon." I said as I passed the Temples gates.

" Stop! What is wrong with you!!?? You've been acting differently lately. You act like a hero, and the next, some kind of person I don't recognize. What's wrong, Yuto?"

I sighed and just sat on the temple steps that led up to its gates.

" Sigh, I...I don't know, alright. I wanted to be a hero, but... but my now I don't know."

" I thought I was a hero, but in the end, I was just a killer, and a...."

" Of course you're not a hero." Atalanta spoke up. I looked up to her.

" I never thought of you one, but I never thought of you as a killer as well. I thought of you as a warrior, the greatest warrior I've seen with great morals to help the suppressed people and took down tryant nobles, and not taking any form of disrespect from others, not even the gods." She said as she sat down next to me.

" And whatever happens from now on, we'll deal with it together. From here on out, well, get through this together."

I guess she was right, I didn't want to be a hero like Aristos he was a hero, no doubt, but that wasn't me, I also didn't need to be some emotionless killer.

I was me. And it'll stay that way no matter what.

I chuckled as I looked up to the sun.

" I guess you're right. " I looked back down towards Atalanta and smiled, which she returned as well.

I guess in my moments of weakness, she managed to reach my heart.

We both looked at each other.

Looking into her gentle eyes, I saw myself. The fact I was trying to he hero and an emotionless killer was funny, and at the same time, I kinda cringed.

A few seconds later, I leaned my head in her shoulder.

Atalanta let me as she sat there looking at the sky.

" Sigh, you don't mind if I stay like this for a while, do you?" I asked.

" It's alright, just take your time, Yuto." Atalanta said as she gently smiled at me, and I smiled back as well.

The both of us could hear it.

Our beating hearts.

I smiled at Atalanta's small blush.

" What are you smiling about?" She said as she turned her head away.

" You look adorable with that blush." I chuckled.

" You should look at your face as well."

" Hm?" I looked at her with a confused face.

" You're smile...." She said.

" Hmm, did you fall in love with my smile?" I teased.

" Tch."

" Hahahaha!!" I laughed as I stood up.

" Thank you, Atalanta, for helping me. " I stood in front of her.

I turned around toward the sun.

" My heart yearns for you, Atalanta, I don't know how, but it does. You don't have to say anything. I know you'll be cursed by the goddess Artemis." I stopped and turned towards her.

I held out my hand.

" So let's continue our adventure. We have a dragon to slay."

* Swoosh *

The wind blew Atalantas hair, making her more captivating. If I didn't have Gamers mind or have been used to her beauty, I'm sure I would've been obsessed over her beauty.

Atalanta smiled and grabbed my hand.

" Yes, let's go." She spoke as she held my hand.

She held it for a few seconds before letting go.

We both walked down the Temple steps.

" This dragon, what do you think he'll look like?" I asked.

" Maybe a bigger than a regular dragon?" She answered.

" Nah, I'm thinking of a dragon with thousands of dragon heads." I spoke

" That's a lot of heads." Atalanta spoke.

" Are you doubting me?"

" Yes." She replied

" Alright, how about a bet?" I asked.

" A bet? I lose in every bet we have, but a thousand? I'll take it."

" Alright. If I win, you have to wear this on." I held out a pair of cat ears.

" I'm not wearing that." She deadpanned.

" It's a bet." I spoke.

" Tsk, alright, if I win, you have to kneel and ask to be stepped on...in public."

" I'm not doing that." I deadpanned.

Atalanta smiled.

" it's a bet." She replied.

" Alright, your funeral." I said as I took out a coin.

* Flip *

[ +1 luck ]

I took out the [ Lucky Coin ]

Atalanta, not knowing why I flipped a coin, ignored it, and kept walking.