Demeter Familia Premise Chapter 4 (Patreon)

Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter! As Bell undergoes training with Ais, Tione, and Tiona each afternoon after his day in the Dungeon, what else can he do to improve? His pure and unending desire to get stronger and be better as an Adventurer in pursuit of his dream to be a true Hero continues to fuel his rapid growth. But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! Perhaps some certain ladies can help Bell relax a bit?

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 4 – Flash of Lightning

In the early morning of Orario, just as the sun rose to start the day, the Demeter Familia were all beginning to rise as well. Several of the members were heading for the kitchen to get breakfast started for the Familia. Others were waking up and beginning to talk about what needed to be done for the day. Their vast fields would need to be tended, pest control was a constant thing to keep their crops healthy, and it had been a little while since they’d had rain, so watering would need to be done as well.

Bell could only smile as he listened to his Familia talk, always reminded of the farming village that he’d grown up in, as he headed out the back door of the Wheat Manor to start his new morning exercises. It started with stretching, then multiple laps around the back garden at a jog, to warm him up, followed by exercises like jumping jacks, pushups, sit ups and the like.

“I wonder if this counts towards my growth?” Bell wondered to himself as he jogged around the large perimeter of the back garden.

After his exercises, Bell washed up a bit and sat down for breakfast with Lili and his other Familia members. Demeter smiled beautifully at her Familia as everyone began to eat and Bell couldn’t help but feel warm when their eyes met for a moment. After breakfast was over Bell put on his armor, his sword, and his backup knife before meeting Lili at the front doors of Wheat Manor.

“Ready, Bell?” Lili asked with a smile.

“Ready.” Bell said with a nod as they headed off towards the Dungeon together.

-Dungeon ~ Seventh Floor-

Bell sliced the top of a Frog Shooter’s head off before it could launch its tongue at him. Pivoting to the left, he slammed the pommel of his sword into the face of a War Shadow while dodging its knife-like claws. The cracking of its ‘face’ killed the War Shadow instantly as it dropped to the ground. Bell was already moving, his left hand shot forward with a jab (like Lunoire had taught him) and staggered the Killer Ant that had been approaching. A swing of his sword and the Ant’s head flew through the air before hitting the ground.

Wsh

Wsh

Lili fired two bolts to take out the Purple Moth’s above before they could scatter too much of their poisonous powder. She had antidotes, of course, but it was better to not have to worry about getting poisoned at all. “Is Bell even faster than yesterday?” Lili certainly noticed an increase in speed from the day before. “He’s not even using his Magic yet.”

It was true, Bell was fighting without using his Lightning Enchantment. It had been an idea he’d had after sparring with Tione, Tiona, and Ais yesterday. None of them had used any Magic against him and Bell had been impressed. Sure, the vast Level disparity meant that Bell had no real chance at all to begin with, but to see the strength, speed, and technique that the three Level 5’s had honed over their years as Adventurers was impressive.

‘If I fight without my Magic, could I get strong enough to not have to rely on it?’ Bell wondered as he cut down another Killer Ant, dodged the claws of a third Ant, and lopped its head off with his sword.

Two white blurs shot forward at Bell from behind the falling Killer Ant.

“Huh?!” Bell juked to one side and brought his sword up.

Ching

One Needle Rabbit flew threw the air, having missed Bell entirely. The second Needle Rabbit’s horn struck Bell’s blade as he blocked its surprise charge.

Bell forced the Needle Rabbit back easily enough after blocking, the Monster didn’t have much weight to begin with and no leverage meant it was easy to push back and leave it defenseless in the air. “Hah!” Bell hacked the Needle Rabbit in half and the dead Monster hit the stone floor with a wet splat, blood painting the grey stone red.

“Careful, Bell. Needle Rabbits are opportunistic.” Lili said from behind him.

“Are you alright, Lili?” Bell asked, only to see the second Needle Rabbit lying dead on the ground with a bolt sticking out of its head.

Lili grinned at Bell. “Lili is just fine.” She picked up the Needle Rabbit and added it to the pile of Monsters that she’d already made. “Just give Lili a minute and she’ll have all of these Monsters harvested.”

-Later-

“Spark!” Bell activated his Magic and was cloaked in the sparking white-blue lightning.

Two Killer Ants died to the same slash from his blade. A War Shadow’s head went flying. A Frog Shooter’s tongue was cut off before the amphibian Monster’s head was split. Three Needle Rabbits were cut down in midair. Bell was a bright blue-white blur as he speared his hand through a Killer Ant’s tough exoskeleton and electrocuted it from the inside. A flash of his blade saw another Killer Ant die, and he was cutting through three more in the time it took to blink. A Frog Shooter’s tongue was caught and the powerful electric current made the Monster violently spasm and writhe before it died. Another War Shadow lost it’s right hand and was bisected before it realized that Bell had moved past it. The final Monster of the group, a Needle Rabbit, tried to flee, but was overtaken by Bell’s speed and cut down.

“Hah…” Bell let his Magic fade with a sigh. “Too many that time for me to take them all on without my Magic.” To be fair, the cavern that he and Lili had entered was on the path to the Seventh Floor Pantry, so the number of Monsters had been rather high. ‘I need to be faster.’ Bell thought to himself as he watched Lili’s back while she worked.

“You did really well.” Lili said, giving praise where it was due. “You took down almost twenty Monster before you used your Magic.”

Bell gave Lili a small smile. “I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to use my Magic at all. But there was just too many of them.”

Lili looked at Bell curiously. “What’s wrong with using your Magic?” She popped out the Magic Stone of a War Shadow and placed the small purple crystal into her large green backpack.

“There’s nothing wrong with it. But I don’t want to become completely dependent on it either.” Bell explained as he watched both ends of the cavern in turns. “If I can take out Monsters without my Magic, then I can ration my Mind better and fight longer. Not to mention I have new ideas and forms that I need to practice with too.” He’d learned a good amount from Tiona, Ais, and Tione just from their first afternoon of training together.

“Lili thinks she understands what you mean. But she’s glad that you know when to use your Magic, even if it wasn’t your plan.” Lili said as she easily harvested a Needle Rabbit. “Oh, Drop Item!” She smiled at the Needle Rabbit’s Tusk and placed it into her backpack along with the Magic Stone.

Bell chuckled a little. “Well I’m not going to be too stubborn about it. I just want to get better with all of my skills.” He wouldn’t risk his life, and certainly not the lives of others, by not using his Magic when the situation called for it.

-Guild Exchange ~ Late Afternoon-

“Your Magic Stones were worth 16,340 Valis.” The woman behind the glass said with a small smile as she pushed the tray back onto Bell’s side.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Bell returned her smile as he collected all of the Valis and carried the coins over to a free table with Lili. “We made even more today than yesterday.”

Lili grinned as Bell started to count out their shares. “We’ll make even more the deeper we go. So, let’s aim for Floor Ten as our first goal.”

“Sure thing, Lili.” Bell said with a smile as he finished counting out the Valis. “8,170 Valis for Lili.” He pushed Lili’s half towards her. “8,170 Valis for me.”

“Do you want me to take care of selling the Drop Items again?” Lili asked as she put her money into her pouch.

Bell nodded to her with a smile. “If you could. I need to give Sophie my report for the day and then I have training afterwards.”

“Leave it to Lili!” Lili said and gave Bell a thumbs up. “You can come get your half of the money when you get back to the Wheat Manor tonight.”

“Thank you, Lili.” Bell thanked her for taking care of the Drop Items. He didn’t want to be late for his training with Tiona, Tione, and Ais.

-Atop the City Wall ~ Later-

“Bell!” Tiona smiled brightly at him the moment that he made it to the top of the stairs.

“Good afternoon, Tiona, Tione, Ais.” Bell greeted the three women warmly. “I got here as fast as I could. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”

Tione waved it off. “Not too long, don’t worry about it.”

“Good afternoon, Bell.” Ais greeted him with a small smile.

Tiona held out the jacket and shirt that Bell had let her and Tione borrow yesterday, both of the garments neatly folded. “We brought your clothes back. Thanks again!”

“You’re welcome.” Bell took his shirt and jacket back and placed them in his backpack, setting it off to the side just like he’d done yesterday.

“Are you ready, Bell?” Tione drew her kukri knives and held them at the ready. “I’ll be going first today.”

Bell drew his sword and took up a ready stance. “I’m ready.” His rubellite eyes nearly glowed with a fiery determination to get stronger.

‘I really like those eyes…’ Tione thought to herself as her Amazon Blood pulsed in her veins. In the next instant she’d moved forward and clashed with Bell.

Ching

Blade met blade with the ringing of metal.

-Hostess of Fertility ~ Evening-

“Bell?!” Lunoire nearly bolted towards Bell when she saw him enter the pub. “Are you okay? You’re looking a bit…rough.” She said, noticing his slightly disheveled hair and a bruise or two on his face.

Bell smiled at Lunoire. “I’m alright. Training with Tione, Ais, and Tiona is challenging.”

Lunoire sighed and shook her head once. “Right. I almost forgot that you’re doing something crazy like that.” She took his hand in hers and led him towards the seat at the end of the bar near the stairs to the second floor. “One now seating!” Lunoire called out to Mama Mia at the bar.

Once Bell was seated, Lunoire took his order and headed into the back. Anyone with eyes could clearly see that the waitress was doting on Bell as she brought him water while he waited, and then an ale with his meal. Not to mention the times that she gently looked him over, lightly touching certain spots on his arms, his back, and helped him clean his face with a cool rag.

“Mr. Cranel, good evening.” Ryu made time to greet Bell as she went back and forth to the kitchen as she took care of her tables. “Did you have difficulties in the Dungeon today?” She asked after seeing his rough state.

“I’m alright, Miss Ryu.” Bell smiled at her. “Just trying to get stronger with some training after dungeon crawling each day.”

Ryu thought that over for a moment before giving Bell a small nod. “I see.” Looking him over again, Ryu continued. “I’d advise taking the proper time to rest and recuperate as well.”

Bell nodded in agreement. “I plan to take a day off from the Dungeon soon. Thank you for your kindness, Miss Ryu.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Cranel.” Ryu gave him a small smile before continuing with her work.

Bell left the Hostess of Fertility with a full belly and a warm heart after all of Lunoire’s care of him. Had it not been for her shift still going, Lunoire probably would’ve walked him back to the Wheat Manor too.

“Hah… What are we going to do with him, Ryu?” Lunoire watched Bell walk down the street.

Ryu, having bid Bell farewell for the night, looked at Lunoire for a quiet moment. “Mr. Cranel will be alright, I believe. He’s quite determined to get stronger, but he listens to and heeds advice.”

Lunoire had to agree on that much. “It’s still crazy that he’s training with three Level 5’s after a full day of dungeon crawling. I can’t stop myself from wanting to take care of him.”

“He’s doing what…?” Ryu blinked in surprise, not having known the details of Bell’s training.”

“Yeah, the Kenki herself offered to teach him some swordsmanship, and then Tiona and Tione got in on the training too.” Lunoire told her friend with a sigh. “It’s why I was so concerned for him tonight.”

Ryu watched Bell’s back for a silent moment. “I understand. That’s very unusual.” She wouldn’t pry, of course, but Ryu had to wonder just what it was about Bell that seemed to endear him to so many in such a short time. The fact that she was easily able to make a mental list of Bell’s good qualities without much effort made Ryu’s cheeks turn a light pink color.

-Wheat Manor ~ Night-

Demeter watched Bell’s Excelia for the day, seeing his progress in the Dungeon and his decision to not become overly reliant on his Magic. The training with Ais, Tione, and Tiona was just as hard for Bell as it had been the day before, but he never backed down or gave up. “You’re growth is even more impressive today, Bell.”

“I’m managing, but I don’t feel like I’m making that much progress yet.” Bell said with a small sigh. He was giving his all to his dungeon crawling and his training. The vast difference between him and Tiona, Tione, and Ais was still blatantly clear though. Logically he knew that he wouldn’t approach their strength anytime soon; but he was striving for it, determined to stand where they were standing and go even further than that.

Demeter moved the Excelia into Bell’s Basic Abilities and watched the numbers rise substantially. “You won’t reach their level overnight, Bell. However, I have no doubt that you will reach it in time.” She assured Bell with the absolute belief that she had in him. Demeter placed a blank paper on his back and copied the new Update over with a twirl of her finger. “Here, Bell.” She handed him the paper while locking up his Falna safely.

Bell took the Status Update, eager to see how another day in the Dungeon plus training with Tione, Ais, and Tiona had done for his growth.

-Status-

Bell Cranel

Level 1

Strength – E 434 > D 558

Endurance – E 406 > D 536

Dexterity – E 448 > D 573

Agility – E 487 > C 612

Magic – E 492 > C 614

-Magic-

Caelum – Incantation: “Spark.” This Magic allows the user to imbue their body and weapons with Lightning Magic.

-Skills-

Liaris Freese – Fast growth as long as desire lasts. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user’s desire towards their goal. Makes the user immune to Charms and Mental Magics. Passive.

-Status-

“Agility and Magic skipped D Rank entirely…” Bell could hardly believe what he was seeing on his Status Update. His feeling of lacking progress didn’t match up with what he saw on the paper that he was holding.

Demeter gave him a warm hug from behind and held him close. “You may feel like you aren’t making much progress. But that’s because of the ones that you’re comparing yourself to. You’re still growing so much, Bell.”

Bell relaxed into his Goddess’s embrace. “I guess I am.” He knew that Demeter was right, of course. He was a Level 1 comparing himself to Level 5’s. It was foolhardy to do so. ‘I’ll focus on my skills and getting better as an Adventurer right now. I’ll keep giving it my all and one day…’ He thought of Ais, Tione, and Tiona. His mind conjured up memories of the Lightning God from his grandfather’s stories. Bell smiled as he recalled all of the Heroes that he’d read about growing up. ‘One day I’ll be a Hero.’

“You are.” Demeter said as she began to hum softly, soothing Bell as she held him close, feeling the tension leave his body.

-Next Day ~ Dungeon ~ Seventh Floor-

“Hup!” Bell cut down a Frog Shooter with his sword. A quick backstep got him out of range from the tongue of a second Frog Shooter before he rushed towards it and stabbed straight through its head before it could retract its long tongue.

Wsh

Wsh

Wsh

Lili shattered the face of a War Shadow with one bolt. The following two bolts killed another Frog Shooter that had opened its mouth to try and attack with its long tongue. “Bell is even faster than yesterday.” She noticed that Bell’s speed had increased noticeably again, even without his Magic. “Lili has to do her best too!” Lili increased the pace that she was collecting the Monster corpses and clearing the floor so that Bell could fight without having to worry about his footing.

A Needle Rabbit launched itself at Bell from the side, but Bell caught its horn midflight and swung the rabbit Monster into the wall with a meaty thump. The Needle Rabbit fall to the floor and didn’t move again. A War Shadow charged at Bell, only to find itself cut in two before it realized that Bell had moved past it. Bell continued to move, putting his lessons from Ais, Tiona, and Tione to the best use that he could as he kept his momentum and closed the distance on two newly spawned Killer Ants that had just broke free from the wall.

“Kreee!” The first Killer Ants screeched at Bell, only for its head to be cut in half.

“Skree!” The second Killer Ant faired no better as it’s exoskeleton cracked from Bell’s fist slamming into its head, followed up by being decapitated by Bell’s sword.

“Is that all of them?” Bell asked, looking around the area for any more Monsters. Not seeing any, Bell listened for the telltale sound of the Dungeon walls cracking as a new Monster was born. Only silence greeted his ears.

Lili grabbed the two dead Killer Ants and dragged them over to her pile of Monsters. “These two were the last, Bell.”

Bell stood guard with a small smile on his face. ‘Goddess was right. I am getting stronger.’ He clenched his left hand into a fist. ‘I’m getting closer to where I want to be. It’ll take tons of hard work and time, but I’ll reach my goal as long as I don’t give up!’ While his progress wasn’t much compared to Tione, Ais, and Tiona, it was incredible growth for a fairly new Adventurer like him.

-Later-

Bell spun, kicking a Needle Rabbit into the wall with a loud crack, his sword flashed upwards to split a War Shadow nearly in two, he then lunged forward to impale a Killer Ant through the head. “So many…” Bell skipped back to avoid a pincer maneuver from two more Killer Ants and ducked below the swiping claws of a third.

“Skreee!” The Killer Ant that missed screeched at Bell. It was quickly silenced by having its head split in half by Bell’s blade.

“Kreeee!” The other two Killer Ants rushed at Bell, swarming him with more of their kind as Bell was encircled.

‘Two in front, one on either side, and two behind… Six is doable!’ Bell quickly observed his situation and reacted like he’d been taught. He lunged to the right, stabbing the Killer Ant on that side through the head. A jerk and pivot let Bell decapitate one of the Killer Ants that had been coming from behind him. It’s partner didn’t last long as Bell went low and dodged its swiping claws while also cutting off its front legs that were supporting the Ant’s weight.

“Skreee!” The Killer Ant cried out in pain and surprise.

“Hah!” Bell stabbed straight down, piercing through the Killer Ant’s head swiftly before it could use its pheromones to call for even more backup. He didn’t stay in place for more than a moment, moving to the left as the remaining three Killer Ants all swiped at where he’d been. “Yah!” Bell cut one Ant down, lunged forward with a stab to kill the next one, and blocked the final Killer Ant’s swipe with his vambrace before bisecting its head with his blade.

Wsh

Wsh

Wsh

“Bell! More are coming!” Lili called out a warning as she put bolt after bolt into Needle Rabbits that were looking for any opportunity to ambush Bell while he was fighting the Killer Ants.

“I’ve got them!” Bell yelled back as he saw the stream of Killer Ants coming at him and Lili. “Spark!” Lightning crackled all around Bell as his Magic took effect. He was gone in a blur to Lili’s eyes, a zig-zag of blue and white that passed through the horde of Killer Ants before the Monsters even realized that they were being attacked. “Whew…” Bell exhaled slowly from the high-speed movement.

Behind Bell, the entire horde of Killer Ants fell to pieces, steam rising off several of them from the heat of the lightning that had coursed through their bodies. At least twenty Killer Ants had been slain in the time it took for most people to blink twice.

“Lili shouldn’t have looked at the lightning.” Lili blinked her eyes three times to try and remove the spots in her vision. “That was incredible, Bell.”

“Thanks, Lili.” Bell thanked her for the praise. “I was hoping that I wouldn’t need my Magic for this fight though.” He looked over all of the dead Monsters littering the cavern floor.

Lili almost deadpanned at her friend. “But you killed almost twenty without using your Magic.” Lili pointed at the smile pile that had been around where she’d been. “Lili only took down eleven!”

Bell rubbed the back of his hand with his free hand. “I know. But I’m…”

“No buts!” Lili pointed at him with a pout. “You were like a flash of lightning! All of the Killer Ants are dead thanks to you!” She reached up and lightly flicked Bell’s forehead. “You should learn to accept praise when you’ve earned it!”

“Ow…” Bell rubbed his forehead. “You’re right.” He gave her a smile and a short bow. “Thank you, Lili.”

Lili nodded in satisfaction while setting down her green backpack. “Good. Now, this is gonna take a little bit, so keep a close eye on the entrances, please.” She pulled out her knife and set to work on the nearest Monster, a Killer Ant that was not only split in two, but had clearly been electrocuted by Bell’s Magic.

-Late Afternoon ~ Atop the Wall-

‘Where am I?’ Bell wondered as he slowly opened his eyes to see the blue sky above. He felt something softly moving through his hair and wondered why it was so soothing. Then he noticed something at the edge of his vision. ‘Boobs…’

Indeed, a nice pair of breasts covered in a white battle dress and a silvery breastplate with an asymmetrical form that left the bottom of one breast slightly exposed. Bell blinked once, trying to recall how he’d gotten here, before his vision was filled by Ais’s cute face.

“Are you…okay?” Ais asked, still gently running her fingers through Bell’s soft white hair.

Bell looked into her golden eyes for a moment as he realized that the softness that was beneath his head were Ais’s thighs. “I’m fine.” No way would he ever say anything else while getting a lap pillow from Ais. “What happened?”

Ais briefly looked off to the side. “I…forgot my strength a bit. Sorry.” She apologized for knocking Bell unconscious.

“It’s alright.” Bell forgave her easily, still enjoying his position and the gentleness that Ais was showing him. “I should’ve moved back instead of to the side.” He was now able to recall the failed dodge that had led to Ais’s kick slamming into the side of his face.

“I hope that…this is okay?” Ais said, her cheeks a light pink. “Tione…said that I should let you rest like this until you woke up.”

Bell certainly wasn’t going to complain. “It’s nice.” He answered without thinking about it.

Ais smiled softly, her heart speeding up just a little while butterflies filled her stomach. “I’m glad.” Her fingers continued to run through Bell’s hair softly.

Bell just relaxed, as he looked at the sky. “Thank you so much for this training.” He had no idea how many times he’d thanked Ais, Tione, and Tiona already over the last two days. It never seemed like enough though. All three of them were First-Class Adventurers, Level 5’s at that, and yet they were spending their time training him, a random Level 1 newbie.

“You’re welcome.” Ais said with a small nod. She’d come to very much enjoy training with Bell in the afternoons. All she’d be doing otherwise was going into the Dungeon for the entire day, instead of just in the mornings, and waiting for Desperate to have its maintenance finished by Goibniu Familia.

“Am I…getting any better at all?” Bell asked after a moment to gather his thoughts. He knew that he was, given his performance in the Dungeon and his Status Updates, but he wanted Ais’s honest opinion too. She was the one that would be wasting her time on him if he didn’t measure up.

“…Why do you ask?” Ais looked down at Bell, his head still resting on her lap. He’d been doing so much better each day that she wondered why Bell had asked at all.

“Well, I got knocked out today…that’s never happened before.” Bell let out a small sigh. Such a simple mistake in dodging had left him unconscious.

“You’re improving quite a bit. Enough to surprise me.” Ais admitted with a thoughtful look on her features, her fingers leaving his hair to gently trail along the side of his face where her kick had connected. “You only got knocked out because I forgot my own strength…”

“I see…” Bell tried not to let it show just how much he enjoyed her gentle caress on his skin. He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the look on Ais’s face change. ‘Ah, she looks pretty disappointed. Her expression doesn’t change much…but I know this is how she looks when she’s sad.’ Bell didn’t like to see Ais feeling down at all. ‘She’s the beautiful, sublime Sword Princess, the Kenki. A lovely flower far out of reach. That hasn’t changed at all…’ He watched as the breeze moved her long blonde locks gently. ‘But she seems like a normal girl…when I see her like this.’

“…Can I ask you a question?” Ais suddenly spoke up and Bell nearly jolted.

Bell nodded slightly. “What is it?”

“How are you getting this strong…so quickly?” Ais’s golden gaze looked at him gently.

“Strong?” Bell almost stared at her in confusion. “I’ve still got a long way to go…” He felt happy that Ais had said that he was getting stronger, but he was still nowhere close to where he wanted to be. “But…there’re people that I want to catch up to…and a goal that I’ve set for myself that I can’t leave unfinished. I’ve focused solely on closing that distance so that I can reach that dream…and now I’m like this.” Bell looked into the blue sky without really looking at anything in particular. “There’s a height that I have to reach, no matter what. I think that’s why.” He didn’t see how Ais’s eyes widen at his words and certainly couldn’t hear her heart beat increase. But Bell did hear her draw in a small breath though, making him look her in the eyes again.

“…I know that feeling.” Ais looked up into Bell’s rubellite eyes. “I too…”

“We’re back!” Tiona’s bubbly voice broke the ‘moment’ that Ais and Bell were sharing as she and Tione returned with Jagamarukun.

Tione held up a certain Jagamarukun with a smile. “We got your favorite, Ais.”

Both of the Hyrute Sisters stopped when they saw Ais still giving Bell a lap pillow, even though Bell was clearly awake now. Bell looked like a surprised deer at the appearance of Tiona and Tione. Ais merely looked at her friends (sisters in all but blood) with a small smile.

“Thank you, Tione.” Ais thanked Tione for getting her favorite Azuki Cream Jagamarukun.

Tiona giggled at the two of them. “You two look cozy together, huh~” She teased playfully.

Ais’s hand was running through Bell’s hair again. “It’s…nice.”

Bell felt his heart thump in his chest. “Yeah.”

Tione and Tiona both burst into laughter at that.

“We got you a Jagamarukun too, Bell!” Tiona held one out to Bell.

Bell slowly sat up and accepted the Jagamarukun from Tiona. “Thank you, Tiona.”

“No problem!” Tiona beamed at him as she sat next to Bell and started eating her own.

Tione took the spot on Bell’s opposite side with a little smile of her own as she took her first bite. “You woke up faster than I expected.” She looked at Bell with approval. “You’re definitely getting stronger.”

“Thank you.” Bell accepted the praise with a small smile. “I’m still far from where I want to be, but I’ll get there one day. No matter how hard it is or how long it takes.” His rubellite eyes burned fiercely, making all three young women smile fondly at Bell.

-Hostess of Fertility-

“Hah…” Bell sighed as he wandered down the street, without thinking, his feet took him towards a familiar location and a very familiar voice snapped him out of his musings.

“Bell!” Lunoire took his hand in both of hers and smiled brightly at him. “I’m glad to see you!”

“Lunoire?” Bell blinked at the sudden appearance of his friend (maybe more if she wasn’t just teasing him), only just now realizing that he was in front of the Hostess of Fertility. In what seemed like a blur, Bell was practically dragged into the tavern and then into the back. He found himself in front of a sink and a small mountain of dirty dishes.

“Thanks! We’re a little short-staffed tonight!” Lunoire smiled as she picked up two trays of food and headed towards the front. “It’s so great to have you helping us out!”

“You pretty much made me!” Bell called out to Lunoire, still confused at what he’d just been roped into.

“Nya, get to work, white hair!” Anya, the brunette Cat Girl teased him as she walked by with another tray of orders.

“Boy enslaved by Lunoire, get used to it, nya~!” Chloe, the raven-haired Cat Girl, giggled as she also carried out another tray of food.

Bell sighed in defeat as he rolled up his sleeves and took a rag and the first plate in hand. “I suppose I can do this much for Lunoire.” He started washing the dishes as his mind wandered.

“Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Cranel.” Ryu spoke, breaking Bell from his wandering thoughts. The Elf waitress had a tray balanced on each hand. “I’m sorry that you were pulled into this.”

“It’s alright.” Bell gave her a smile. “I was just wandering a bit with my thoughts on the way home.”

Ryu returned his smile with a small one of her own before heading back out to the front.

What had to have been an hour passed and as Bell was washing another plate, Lunoire returned with a relieved sigh. “Thanks for the help, Bell. You really saved us there.” She rolled up her own sleeves and stood next to him, picking up some of the silverware to start washing. “One of the girls from the kitchen was sick and tonight was especially busy, so we started running out of tableware. Then I saw you outside the door and…yeah.” She gave him an apologetic smile.

Bell waved it off with a grin. “It’s fine, Lunoire. I can help you with this much after all you’ve done for me.” He’d washed stacks of plates, bowls, and cups in the last hour, and each stack was taken by one of the kitchen staff whenever they needed more.

“What’s on your mind?” Lunoire asked as the two washed the remainder of the pile of used dishware together.

“Eh?” Bell turned to look at Lunoire in surprise.

“I’ve known you long enough now to know when something’s bothering you, Bell.” Lunoire grinned at him as she set a newly washed bowl to the side.

Bell stayed silent for a short moment before speaking. “Lunoire…you’re Level 4.”

Lunoire looked at Bell with a raised eyebrow. “What about it?”

“Leveling up…how do I rank up to a higher level?” Bell didn’t look at her when he asked, looking down at the plate in his hands instead. He knew it was foolish to even think about a Level Up with how new he was as an Adventurer, but the ever-burning desire within him to reach his goals, his dream, wouldn’t let him remain silent.

“You must do something great.” Lunoire answered simply as she looked into Bell’s rubellite eyes. “Something so grand that even the Gods cannot ignore it.” Bell could only look at her curiously at what she was saying. “You need to acquire a large amount of quality Excelia and overflow your vessel.” Lunoire explained the concept the way that it had been explained to her. “You can do it all at once, brute forcing your way to a Grand Feat so impressive that it overflows your vessel in one shot, or you can gather a Party and fight stronger enemies together, gaining the required amount of quality Excelia over time.” Seeing that Bell looked uncertain of her words, Lunoire smiled at the young man that had so thoroughly captured her interest. “Leveling Up is strengthening the soul. Increasing the size of the container. The Falna, the Blessing of a Deity, allows the soul to grow, but only for those that have proven themselves worthy.”

“Then my Basic Abilities?” Bell questioned, wondering what the purpose of the numbers were if they had nothing to do with leveling up.

Lunoire nodded to him, already understanding his question. “In short, they help prepare you to do something great. Nothing more.”

“But…won’t I lose if I try to fight something stronger than I am?” Bell asked, that was practically the first lesson that Sophie had ever given him about the Dungeon.

“Overcoming that disadvantage is part technique and part strategy. That’s why most form a Party to do so.” Ryu explained as she came into the back with a new stack of used dishware. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard part of your conversation.” She apologized to Lunoire and Bell. “A Battle Party is necessary if you’re serious about becoming stronger. Please keep this in mind.” Her blue eyes looked into Bell’s rubellite to impress upon him how important forming a trustworthy Party was.

“I see…” Bell looked back down at the dishes they were washing.

“This may be unwanted advice but…” Ryu held Bell’s gaze. “Mr. Cranel, every adventure has a meaning. Don’t lose sight of their purpose.” Bell nodded at Ryu, feeling like the former Adventurer was trying to impart some important wisdom to him. “You are an Adventurer. Most likely, what you seek cannot be obtained without pressing forward.”

Bell gave her a short bow for her consideration and the kindness of sharing some of her experience. “Thank you for the insight, Miss Ryu.”

“Please, think nothing of it.” Ryu shook her head once. “My intuition is often wrong.”

But Bell wouldn’t forget it. Not a single word that Lunoire or Ryu had said. He took in their experience, their advice, and internalized it. If both Lunoire and Ryu said that he needed to continue forward and overcome more challenges, to achieve something that even the Gods and Goddesses would find impressive, then that’s what he’d do.

“A Grand Feat, huh?” Bell said to himself as he headed home while the sun set and night began. “Every adventure has a meaning…” He wondered about everything he’d learned in the Dungeon and what other experiences he could have to grow further as an Adventurer.

-Wheat Manor – Night-

Bell sat backwards on a chair; his arms cross over the backrest as he thought about what he’d learned today.

“You’ve been rather quiet tonight, Bell.” Demeter mentioned as she let a drop of her blood fall onto Bell’s back. The familiar blue-white glow appeared as Bell’s Falna came into view.

“Sorry, Goddess, I was just thinking about some things that I learned today.” Bell apologized as he felt Demeter’s finger tracing over his back.

Demeter smiled gently, even if Bell couldn’t see it. “It’s not a problem.” She watched his Excelia for the day, seeing how he took down an entire horde of Monsters without his Magic, and then again with his Magic right after. “You’re really getting the hang of your Magic. If I wasn’t watching everything from your point of view, I wouldn’t be able to see it at all.”

A small smile crossed Bell’s face. “Thank you, Goddess.”

“Just a little longer, Bell.” Demeter finished watching Bell’s time dungeon crawling and began to watch his training with the Loki Familia girls. “I see… You had it a bit rougher than usual today.”

“I made a bad call and paid for it.” Bell said with a small sigh. “I’ll do my best not to make the same mistake again.”

Demeter smiled happily at Bell’s continued drive and determination. “You’ll continue to get better, Bell. Take it one step at a time.” She moved his Excelia into his Basic Abilities and watched as the numbers rose rapidly. “Those who rush while chasing their goals always end up stumbling and falling.”

“Yes, Goddess.” Bell nodded in understanding, feeling Demeter’s care and concern for him.

“Here you are.” Demeter handed over the paper with Bell’s new Status Update on it.

-Status-

Bell Cranel

Level 1

Strength – D 558 > C 683

Endurance – D 536 > C 671

Dexterity – D 573 > C 698

Agility – C 612 > B 742

Magic – C 614 > B 739

-Magic-

Caelum – Incantation: “Spark.” This Magic allows the user to imbue their body and weapons with Lightning Magic.

-Skills-

Liaris Freese – Fast growth as long as desire lasts. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user’s desire towards their goal. Makes the user immune to Charms and Mental Magics. Passive.

-Status-

“Magic and Agility are both ‘B’ Rank now…” Bell noticed his two highest stats. “Dexterity is almost at ‘B’ too.” Strength and Endurance weren’t far behind Dexterity as well.

Demeter gently took Bell’s hand and guided him to sit with her on the small loveseat in the room. “Like I said, Bell. One step at a time. You’ll achieve your goals through determination, hard work, and diligence.” She smiled warmly at him and placed his arm around her waist.

“G-Goddess?” Bell was surprised by how forward Demeter was being. That didn’t stop him from gently pulling her into his side though.

“I’m thankful for how much you want to get stronger, Bell.” Demeter leaned into Bell and relaxed. “Just remember that coming back home to us is the most important thing.”

Bell nodded once. “Yes, Goddess.”

“Demeter.” Demeter looked at Bell with a cute pout. “Call me Demeter when we’re like this.” She emphasized what ‘this’ was by softly pressing her curvy body into Bell a little more.

“Demeter…” Bell said in a lower voice, rather surprised by this turn of events.

Demeter smiled happily and let her arm cross over Bell’s chest and wrap around him, holding him closer to her. Bell let himself relax a bit more and just enjoyed their closeness.

‘I’ll think about Grand Feats later.’ Bell decided with a small smile crossing his lips as he held Demeter close.

The white-haired young man couldn’t have known that a twist of Fate would soon see an unexpected event finding him instead.

-End Chapter-

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Bell and Lili are steadily making their way through the Dungeon, running into hordes of Monsters is quite the test for a two-man Party. Thankfully, Bell’s growing skill with his sword, his hand-to-hand, and his Magic make quick work of the Monsters.

His growth is certainly nothing short of insane! Fast as lightning, indeed!

Ais accidentally knocks Bell out during training! Good thing Tione was there to tell Ais about how to make it up to Bell! Hehehe~

Bell gets a lap pillow from Ais! Woo!

Lucky rabbit!

Ais also seems to enjoy it, and now that Bell has made it clear that he likes it too, Ais won’t feel the need to knock him out over and over again to give him more lap pillows in the future! Kek!

Tiona and Tione are going to have some fun teasing the two. All the while plotting to give Bell lap pillows too! Heh!

Bell learns how to Level Up from Lunoire and Ryu! But surely he still has quite a ways to go before he’s ready for that, right?

Demeter is progressing things with Bell a bit more, seeing through Bell’s Excelia how close he’s getting with the Loki Familia girls. Perhaps she’ll show Bell that just because her Domain of Fertility is related to the harvest, doesn’t mean that she’s lacking in the ‘other’ meaning either~

What event is on the horizon for Lightning Swordsman Bell?

Keep reading to find out!

Until next time, later!