Chapter 4: Recreation & Tranquility

A/N: Hello readers! I just wanted to say that if you made it past last chapter, I appreciate you. I am sure a lot of you are wondering why I did this, and why I did it so early. The main reason I did this was because I wanted the mc to have a personality. I am sure if you are attentive, you have noticed how Kira was kind of mindless, and how he didn't have a great personality. Anywho, please enjoy this chapter!

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-2 months later-

"...Hey." A feminine voice called out into a dark, damp room. If one squinted at the bed on the far corner of the room, they could see a young man laying there with an expressionless look on his face. Kira, after returning from his own personal hell on the 12th floor had changed. For 2 months, he did nothing but sleep and train, sleep and train, as if he was preparing to fight the hardest battle of his life. What made this interesting, however, was the fact that he... didn't speak. In the last two months, as Hestia has observed, he has only responded with 'thanks' whenever she made dinner or brought food home from her Jagamarukun stand. Deciding to finally talk to Kira after coming up with the words to do so, she walked forward, albeit hesitantly.

"Kira... can you please tell me what happened? You just came home dirty and bloody after being gone for 2 days, and you never told me what was going on. Kira... I care for you, as you are a part of my familia, my family... so please." Hestia begged, choking back tears as she remembered the terrible state he showed up in after going missing for two entire days. Her face became ugly as she tried to erase that horrible thought from her head.

"Please...

...

...I am truly pathetic, letting the goddess who took me in cry like this. I suppose it is not completely my fault, but although I may be suffering, dragging my goddess down with me is truly... pathetic. Looking towards my goddess with as much warmth as I could muster, I decided to finally, after all this time, speak to her.

"...I am sorry, goddess... for allowing you to feel this way for so long. I... will tell you what happened." I said, seeing Hestia perk up slightly at the sound of my voice, while drooping at the same time due to its monotone intonation.

After around 10 minutes of storytelling, I finally got to when I made it back here after the events of two months ago. Looking at Hestia with the corner of my eye, too afraid to look back up at her, I saw her... crying?

"...*Sniffle* I didn't know... I didn't know you went through all of that... Kira.." The goddess said as she took me into her arms. Feeling the warmth of her care, I started to feel wet on my cheeks... and without realizing it, I started crying with her. Feeling thankful for having such a caring goddess, and although angry at myself for acting so foolishly, thankful for my survival in the end regardless. While we continued to hold each other, I thought over and over again, just as I have been the last few months, what I could've done to change the outcome that occurred.

Thinking about how I foolishly rushed my entrance into the city, blinded by the prospect of adventure. I realized how I forgot my necessities back at the inn, forgetting their very existence in my excitement. Shaking my head solemly, I knew the past could not be changed. The best I could do for myself now is to continue to improve.

Letting go of my goddess, I put on a cold, courageous face as I spoke.

"Goddess, I swear... I will get stronger, and use my head before jumping into something so dangerous... I am so sorry for hurting you in the way I have." Speaking to the goddess, I told her how I truly felt hoping to convey my conviction to get stronger, and grow.

"Kira... I am sorry for leaving you be these last 2 months, not truly realizing how you felt." My goddess said, her caring gaze filing me with the strength I needed to continue.

Looking at Hestia with a look of gratitude, I decided to set out for the city, looking to explore a little more than I had originally.

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