Chapter 3

"Oh my, such a youthful child. Come, sit, and enjoy this tea with me while we talk, yes?"

Lady Dia or Goddess Hebe's appearance was not something I had expected in mind.

"Ah-- yes, pardon me, Goddess."

I even wondered if it was fate. A comical way of saying 'Short people need to stick together.'

"Such an intense gaze you have there, young man. Is my appearance not to your expectation?"

She was short-statured, had a petite frame, and a pure and delicate, child-like appearance.

"Well-- well, no, it's just--"

Yet, as I was looking at her, I couldn't help but admit that her image suited her perfectly.

I'm not even sure why I felt that way. Probably just the impression I had when I saw her.

She was elegant, gentle, calm, and-- well, brimming with unmeasured youthfulness...

"Fufufu, how adorable.", she said teasingly. "Come, don't be so stiff. Just relax."

My intent gaze immediately faltered with her playful jabs as we sat opposite each other.

"Anyhow, I trust Miss Misha already told you about me, still, introductions are in order, yes?"

With the same, gentle smile on her face, I looked at her and nodded my head in agreement.

"Then allow me. I'm the Goddess Hebe. Presiding over immortality, youth, and forgiveness..."

----

~~~Maria's Orphanage~~~

"Alright kids, greet your big brother a happy birthday!"

Lady Dia and I didn't linger in the guild for long and soon left after a pleasant conversation.

"Bro Lumi, happy birthday!"

"Frae, happy birthday! We love you!"

"Bro Lumi, bro Lumi! You went to the dungeon earlier right? Did you join a familia--"

And, well, knowing that she literally has nothing at the moment, I extended an invitation.

"Now, now, Rye. I told you to greet Lumiere, not interrogate him."

After all, as the first member of her unofficially formed familia, her well-being falls on me.

"Typical Rye, always so excited when anything related to adventuring comes up--"

"Oh, shut it, Fina! Why, can't you just appreciate adventurers anyway--"

And she's got no one to rely on anyway, so I took it upon myself to take care of her...

"Alright, settle down-- Please forgive me for such an unsightly scene, Goddess."

With my siblings' usual banters, Mom began chiding in before it got even more rowdy.

After all, with the presence of a guest, a Goddess at that, she found it inappropriate.

"There's nothing to apologize for. On the contrary, I prefer a lively atmosphere like this."

Lady Dia, being the gentle Goddess she was, expressed her thoughts with a smile.

She was smiling the whole time, deeply engaged in accommodating my siblings' antics.

"That's good to know.", Mom heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. "Keep her company, alright?"

She was kind of glad that the Goddess I'd soon be serving was easy to get along with.

One that is not repulsed by the idea of indulging and mingling with poor mortals such as us.

"And don't indulge the younger ones with your adventure stories too much. Especially Rye."

And after telling me off, she excused herself and went on her business toward the kitchen...

----

"With this, you are officially a member of the Dia Familia-- Oh, oh my!"

Having had our fill from a hearty, birthday supper, Lady Dia and I soon excused ourselves.

"Is there something wrong, Goddess?"

It was, after all, finally the time for me to undergo the ritual of receiving her divine blessing...

'Don't tell me those kinds of perversions in my body can be reflected in my falna as well?'

Furrowing at her words, I couldn't help but curiously wonder what got her so agitated.

Only for my eyes to widen as my body stiffened up the second my imagination ran wild.

"Wrong? Quite the contrary, child! You have an ability and a skill, right from the get-go!"

Fortunately, the speculations I had were proved wrong as she pointed out a different thing.

"Uh, okay-- Is it supposed to be, I don't know, great? Or maybe it's unheard of?"

I'm not even sure myself on how I should react. I'm quite a newbie to this system after all.

Probably due to my seemingly underwhelming reaction, she couldn't help but sigh in defeat.

"Ah, yes, forgive me. You still don't know the intricacies of how the Falna works."

As it turned out, it is common knowledge among adventurers and Deities alike.

Especially for freshly inducted adventurers, such manifestations were unheard of.

But of course, it is not without exceptions. Especially among beastmen and elves.

"What's more, having manifested both at the same time? It's just preposterous."

She expanded the subject until she got to the point of attracting unwanted attention.

"And trust me, child. More often than not, if word of this gets out, we will be in trouble."

After all, mysteries and absurdities such as this can entice the most curious of eyes.

Especially, to the ones who would even abandon their lengthy and lavish lives for a bit of fun.

"I see, it makes sense. Don't worry, Goddess. I won't speak even a sound of it to anyone."

It was only then that I understood an idea, something within the grand scheme of things.

And that although most of us have a common goal, in the end, we are still rivals after all.

"We're on the same page, that's good.", she nodded. "Anyway, here you go. Your status."

====

Name: Lumiere Frae

Affiliation: Dia/Hebe Familia

Level: 1

Strength: I 0

Endurance: I 0

Dexterity: I 0

Agility: I 0

Magic: I 0

Development Ability: Myriad Arms Mastery: I

Skill: Light of Defiance

Magic: --

====

----

"Fortunately! Fortunately! Or I'd be labeled as a perverted abomination at my age already."

I was soon left alone to my own devices when Lady Dia decided to retire for the night...

"Although we don't really know what my skill does, it can't be that perverted thing, right?"

A deep and lengthy sigh escaped my lips as my agitated nerves gradually calmed down.

"And it even sounds too fancy for a perverted skill to be named like that."

Because although I may have appeared unbothered earlier, I know that it was just a facade.

"Still though, if she can't explain it, then I probably can't come up with one myself."

And after deciding to stop brooding over it any longer, my thought went on another matter...

"Anyway, just like she said, we will eventually find out something about in the dungeon."

Willing for it to appear before me, it didn't take long for that hieroglyphic interface to emerge.

"Now let's see what this mystery box I've been waiting for years has in store for me."

And, it was a struggle no more. I had plenty of time to figure out how to toggle it after all.

"Restrictions have been lifted-- Haha! Finally! Now let's see what I'll get for tonight--"

Creak!