Chapter 4

"It's done."

These two words echoed in the silence as Shirou extinguished the heat of the forge, and turned to face Hestia who had been spectating from the side.

Something wasn't quite right with her expression, but it wasn't really directed at him, and prying at the thoughts of a Goddess was never the best of ideas. Then there was also assuming that she'd glimpsed something from him.

To Shirou, this was the most likely case. His inner world hosted a plethora of energies, both obscure and divine, that were related to numerous pantheons from the origin of weapons dating back to the legend of King Gilgamesh.

Considering that the Gods of this world were in weakened states in exchange for walking among mortals, their perception would not have been as omniscient as it would have been in their true forms.

Still, Shirou was suddenly doubtful when Hestia began punching the air and stomping her feet like a child throwing a tantrum.

He really, really could not jump to conclusions.

"Muoh! Hmph! Hmph!"

Hestia scratched at her head, her eyes growing indignant as her hair done in pigtails seemed to turn into rotating propellers.

Shirou's face twitched.

That was a God of equal genealogy to Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon.

Due respect. Due respect.

Shirou reminded himself to remain steady if nothing else before interrupting whatever it was Hestia was thinking about. "Is there something wrong?"

Hestia froze, her eyes rolling to realize that Shirou had finished smithing and had been staring at her for an indeterminant amount of time.

"Ahem. Ugh, N-No, just thinking." Hestia adopted airs and folded her hands behind her back.

More than willing to not dwell over the prior matter, Shirou hummed before carefully handling over his finished product. There was no sheath, so he held the bladed end and offered the leather wrapped hilt to Hestia.

"Here, please inspect if it's to your specifications," he offered.

Hestia made an 'O' shape with her mouth and tentatively inspected the dagger. She was no God of the Forge, but she was still a God and could tell the wheat from the chaff. Primarily, she was quite pleased with how easily the dagger was reacting to her energy. That alone spoke of the daggers durability and make as most crude weapons could not withstand the power of a God for long if at all.

The Hestia Familia symbol shone on both side of the flat of the blade, causing Hestia's lips to tug upward in appreciation.

"Forgive my lacking skill, but I wasn't able to make it exclusive to Bell." Shirou began to explain while Hestia mused to herself. "Instead, it should be usable only to those with your specific energy, or granted Falna. Ah, rather than just a sole exclusive user, it's more accurate to describe it as a Hestia Family exclusive."

Hestia mulled it over.

The weapon wasn't forged by Hephy, but it was clearly at the pinnacle of what could be made in the lower world. No, in some aspects it was even better.

"Hey, Shirou, right?" Hestia's eyes suspiciously darted left and right before she leaned a bit closer and whispered in a low voice. "You wouldn't happen to know when you were born do you?"

Shirou smiled wryly. This answer was all too easy.

"No. I don't have any memories of my early childhood."

Hestia balked as she could tell that Shirou wasn't lying. "T-Then, may I see your hand for a bit?"

Hestia wet her dry mouth when Shirou obliged her request and offered his hand out. Tentatively, Hestia grasped his hand in her own.

Her Divine Perception should be able to gleam a better idea of who Shirou was through prolonged contact. It only helped when certain memories could be triggered through prompts that the recipient placed in the subject's mind.

Early childhood.

This was Hestia's final verification, and the result was nothing but fire, heat, and an ominous black curse that linked it all.

From the origin, the very beginning, this child started in flames. Moreover, the darkness that lingered in the fires, it was unnatural. So utterly wrong that Hestia could only describe it as a deformity on the level of...Hephy's right eye.

Oh, God, was that passed on?

Hestia gradually released Shirou's hand, and then stared at him in silence.

"About the weapon?" Shirou trailed off, trying to avoid the awkwardness.

The sudden gap between Hestia's childish actions, and the worry now reflected in her eyes made him sheepish.

"It's fine. I only have Bell anyway, so it's basically his," Hestia murmured as she returned to inspecting the dagger. It wasn't all that she'd hoped for, but she wasn't going to be picky about a minor thing. "Thank you! Bell will love it!"

Gratitude was something Hestia would always express in earnest.

Besides, no one would feel bad to feeling praised.

"It should suit him." Shirou said, scratching the back of his head. "I made it with Bell in mind by basing it off the weapon he was currently using."

Huh?

"Y-You can do that?" Hestia fumbled. "Is it like a warrior thing where you can look at a person and know?"

"It's a unique skill of mine." Shirou decided to be truthful. Relationships were built on trust, and if anything, Hestia was the warmest Goddess of the Greeks. "Aside from certain absurd weapons, there is no weapon I've seen that I cannot analyze."

That's Hephy's skill.

A distant part of Hestia's inner voice muttered to her.

"...P-Prove it."

"How?"

"Give me a bit!" Hestia sputtered before sprinting out of the church and returning an hour later with-

"You stole that." Shirou was not amused. Admonishment was due where it was due. "You should return it before your friend gets angry."

"H-How?! I didn't even say anything yet!" Even Hephy wasn't that good. Rather, Hephy could immediately tell how a weapon was made down to the materials, but Shirou's seemed to have another step.

Regardless, Hestia grew startled at Shirou's stern expression. Excuses and justification poured from her mouth.

"And it's not the first time I've done it so she shouldn't be that mad. Yeah, that's right! In fact, I'm the one that should be mad."

"Hestia."

"Me. Me. How could she keep this to herself when we even lived together?"

"Hestia."

Shirou's eye twitched. He was done, convinced that the Hestia he envisioned in his mind had crumbled into Hestia's current image.

"They even look alike when irritated. Ah! I-It's genetic…oh, and call me Aunty. Greatest Aunty even!"

/-/

"Stowwwp. Stowwwp pullling my chwweeeks!" Hestia pouted while weakly trying to extricate herself from disciplinary action.

She failed, mostly because she didn't have the heart to hurt others or family.

"Stop acting like a child and return what you stole before you give your friend another headache." Shirou sighed and finally let go, the elasticity of Hestia's cheeks clapping back in place with red dimples on the pinched spots.

She carefully massaged them.

"How could you. Y-You'd bully your best aunty…" Hestia wilted.

"If you're done, didn't you want to give Bell his gift?" Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Ooh, you're right! There's no time for this!"

Shirou froze, stunned at how quickly Hestia could snap back from depression at the sound of Bell's name.

In any case, the dagger was going to be a surprise which was why Hestia had sent Bell off to practice in the Dungeon's Higher Floors. At least there, it wasn't too dangerous and help could be provided by the guild or nearby Adventurers in an emergency.

Hestia deluded herself.

She could already picture the sheer gratitude in Bell's eyes when Bell would look only upon the divinest and sexiest Goddess he knew.

Ehem, that is her.

"Hestia, you're drooling." Shirou cast away any vestiges left of the Hestia he'd always envisioned.

Hestia didn't like the look on Shirou's face.

"Eh, ah? No way! Erase it!" She hurriedly wiped at her mouth. "W-We do not speak of this!"

-BOOOM!

Both suddenly glanced in the direction of Babel, a loud reverberating explosion halting all thoughts.