Chapter 8:

I was on the 5th floor when I made a realization that made me facepalm. I forgot to pick up my sword from Hephaestus, and even with Loki's reminder I still managed to forget it because of Hestia's showing up.

As I left the dungeon the amber colour of the midday sky assaulted my eyes which were used to the relative darkness of the dungeon.

I continued my run in the direction of Hephaestus' shop, It was a short while until I got there.

I burst the doors open with a loud thump, running over to the stairs I used previously with Loki and Ais. Like we did last time I made my way to the door at the end of the hallway. This time before opening it, I stopped in front of it and gathered myself, I wasn't tired, but I looked like I had been running for a while, so I fixed up my appearance and opened the door calmly.

"Oh! Cain! You're finally here! You really did make me wait, you know." Hephaestus said with some disappointment and surprise, upon seeing I was wearing her armour, and smiled to herself.

"Yeah,,, Sorry about that." I scratch the back of my head, feeling a bit bad that I was more focused on Hestia than my weapon which costs way more than an arm and a leg.

"Anyway. Here's your weapon, Cain. You can name it whatever you want" Hephaestus pulled out what looked to be a katana in its scabbard, the scabbard was black, but the handle and hilt were both as white as snow, it looked like it showcased duality, Black and White. I pulled the scabbard off to reveal a pearlescent white blade with engravings on it that looked like the spitting image of purity. Then I thought of a name I think would fit it. It didn't take too long.

"Yin, that's what I'll call it" I say to Hephaestus, after I said it she seemed to be in thought about if she thought it was a worthy name for her creation.

"Yin… I like it. Congrats on becoming a real adventurer Cain!" I look at her weirdly for that comment.

"You only become a real adventurer once you get a named weapon, at least in my books" Ah, I see.

"Well, I'll be on my way, take care!" I strap the scabbard to my waist before saying that and leaving. 

Now with that settled and an actual weapon obtained, maybe floor 18 will be much easier than what today's experiment suggested. I hastily walked my way over to Hestia's stand.

Luckily for me, Hestia was still doing her business for the day, though it didn't seem like good business. I haven't seen anyone at it other than when I came to it. Hestia did seem a bit exhausted, maybe she had a lot of business while I was in the dungeon.

"2 Jagamarukuns, please" I say to Hestia, It seems she wasn't actually expecting me to come back today so she seemed a bit surprised.

"Mister Cain! Your back so soon." Hestia exclaimed.

"Well, today was a quick day in the dungeon" My response seemed to make Hestia a bit sad.

"Oh… you already have a familia" Hestia muttered to herself while starting on the Jagamarukuns.

"Did you perhaps, want to recruit me into your familia?" I asked her, it seemed to bring up her hopes.

"Do you want to!?!" She asks completely overtaken with hope.

"Sadly, I don't think my goddess would allow it." I say blatantly, Hestia does deflate a bit upon hearing that, but she has one final idea before giving up.

"If you don't mind, who is your goddess, maybe I can pull a few favours" Humoring her I say the name.

"My goddess is Loki" Hestia's face freezes before she utters a response.

"Not possible… we wouldn't do anything for each other," Hestia says. She also takes out the Jagamarukuns from the fryer and I take both, only to hand one back to her.

"Here, take this" I say, almost on cue, Hestia's stomach growls in response to being offered food. She swiftly takes it from my hand and begins nibbling on it cutely.

"So why is a goddess like you running a Jagamarukun stand?" Even though I knew the answer I still wanted to hear it, so I had a reason for knowing it, luckily her reason didn't really differ from the anime, wanting to not starve to death, and keeping the abandoned church's basement were the main ones.

"Well, I was gonna offer to help you out, but maybe you'll just freeload off me, I'll instead just support your business!" I say, Hestia nervously laughed.

"So how about your familia?" I asked more so I could pinpoint where in the timeline we are. She seemed a bit hurt by my question, especially after what I had done.

"I don't have one yet… its hard for an unproven goddess to get adventurers to join them." Hestia sulks

"I can only imagine, I for one only wanted to join Loki's Familia because of the prestige that she acquired, it really must be hard for a goddess to try to build something from nothing." I say as I pat the short-stacked goddess on the head, in response her face turns red like a tomato, and she begins stuttering.

"Th-th-thanks M-m-m-mister C-cain" Hesta eventually stammered out

"Just Cain is fine, Hestia" I assure her, she nods and we continue some idle chit-chat while munching on our food.

The once amber colour of the sky started darkening so I hastily said goodbye to my new goddess friend and made my way back to the Twilight Manor as Hestia went to the abandoned church I presumed.

I made my way back to my room, and as I entered my room I encountered Loki. She was staring at the door like a gargoyle waiting for somebody to arrive.

"You're late!" Loki yells

"I am? There was a time set?" I ask, my response seems to stun her for a bit.

"Hmm. I suppose not, but you had me waiting for a long time" Loki answered

"So, How was your first experience with the dungeon" Loki asks seriously

"Surprisingly smooth though there was a hiccup on my end" I say, I seem to have gotten worried as she began my body for injuries.

"Oh! Nothing like that I just forgot to pick up Hephaestus' sword" I say, I see Loki's once worried face transition into an expression of apathy.

"Even with my reminder?" She asks, I nod 

"How do you even do such a thing" She sighs, I explain what happened

"I saw a goddess selling Jagamarukuns, I was a bit curious and hungry, checked 'em out talked to the goddess a tad then got on my way to the dungeon, the sword just slipped my mind. I still picked it up though" I finish drawing attention to Yin attached to my hip.

Loki inspects it pretty thoroughly and approves of everything.

"Right! Let's get down to business!" Loki directs I comply and lie down on my bed with my shirt off waiting for her to update my status.

{Name: Cain

LvL: 1

Strength: EX2072

Endurance: EX2584

Dexterity: EX2023

Agility: EX2299

MAG: EX3238

Developmental Abilities:

Magic:

Fire Magic

Skills 

God's Child

Incubus Constitution

Demon Chorus}

"Looks good Cain, Oh! How far did you even get into the dungeon?" Loki asked as she handed me my status sheet.

"I got to the 15th floor but headed straight back" I replied, Loki nodded at my progress into the dungeon expecting something like that from me.

Loki looked like she was waiting for something, knowing her habit of hopping into my bed when I went to sleep, I decided to invite her onto my bed instead.

"Loki, do you wanna sleep with me?" My words seem to have been misconstrued since Loki's face becomes red like a tomato, and is too overwhelmed to answer.

"I mean sleep on the same bed as me?" I asked as I corrected what I meant to say previously while lifting up the covers of my bed. Loki sheepishly nods her head and gets under the covers with my shirtless self.

Instead of being shy like her appearance seemed to show she was, she instead was straightforward, nuzzling into my chest like she did in the morning or maybe she just didn't want to face me. I fell asleep in that position.