Yesterday had been a whirlwind of emotions and experiences.
From finding myself Isekai'd to the world of Danmachi to meeting, and subsequently joining, the Hestia Familia, to learning my Falna was somehow messed up to knowing about my sort-of Cheat Abilities.
It was a lot to take in and I was tired by the end of it all.
Hestia did eventually leave my stomach, as I sort of missed the warmth and softness, if I were to be honest. Though some unsaid acknowledgement, we didn't talk about my brief boner during that time.
Hestia offered me some of her Potato Puffs which were what we both ate for dinner. It didn't fill me up, but I didn't want to be impolite to her after she offered me both shelter and dinner. I also learned what they were called. They're called Jagamaru-kun, but also known as Potato Puffs or Croquettes.
They tasted nice, but the ones we ate had gone a bit cold, with the cheese inside having been somewhat solidified. They probably taste even better when warm, I guessed.
After Hestia telling me she'd like me to go to Hephaestus to get my weird crest checked and I having to agree after not finding any plausible reason to deny that, I got her to make Hephaestus promise to either not see my Skills or, if she had to, to never tell anyone about them.
Hell, if possible, I'd like her to just get advice on the matter without showing my crest. The weirdness of my crest didn't concern me as much as it did Hestia. I hadn't felt any adverse effects from it, even now after an entire night had passed.
Now, I trusted Hestia to some extent and she trusted Hephaestus, but I managed to convince her that it was still a risky idea to have another Goddess know of my special Skills.
Hestia also had a hard time believing that I had that broken Infinite Mana cheat.
I even earned a playful slap on the chest and a dramatic huff of "What a troublesome first child!" for it—not that she really meant it, judging by the warm smile on her face right after.
After thinking it through, she agreed with me: I needed to get a Magic.
It was the most sensible course of action, really. Without one, the infinite mana was practically useless.
The problem with that was that we were both piss poor and jobless.
She informed me of her plan to ask for a job from the Jagamaru-kun vendor who seemed to be in need of an employee. I told her of my plans to search for a job through the Guild.
She was both impressed and confused. Her exact words being:
"Do you not want to be an Adventurer, Ethan? Even though you have such amazing skills?"
She never expressed an ounce of distaste or disappointment at my choice. No, in fact, she supported it when I told her of my aversion to entering the dungeon alone and unprepared.
If possible, I wanted my first excursion into the dungeon with an experienced and trustworthy team or at the very least a Level 2 or higher Adventurer if I could only have a single partner.
It made sense to learn the ropes from an experienced and skilled Adventurer, but I also didn't want to let others know of my special skills or go into dungeon with people I didn't know (from my metaknowledge) and trusted.
That settled it.
Hestia was very much in agreement with my thought process and agreed that I was making a sensible decision. She also promised me that she'll see if she can get some of her friend Gods and Goddesses to agree to let me accompany their Familia members in a dungeon dive.
And just with that promise, Hestia had proven that she wasn't completely helpless and useless like she had claimed before.
Finally, it was late at night when it came time for us to sleep and I ended up sharing the bed with Hestia seeing we were both already sitting on it at the time.
She never asked me to use the sofa, and I never raised the point either.
I wanted to believe she didn't mind sharing the bed with me. As for me, I was sharing a bed with a beautiful Goddess. How could a man decide against it? Even if it was just a harmless sharing of bed and we maintained a respectable gap between us… at least at the start. It wasn't something I would deny, though I would have easily accepted it if she had asked me to use the sofa.
-x-
It was early morning by the time I stirred awake.
Something was tickling my nose—soft, wispy, and persistent. I brushed at it sleepily, groaning, only to realize it was… hair?
I cracked open my eyes and took stock of the situation.
First thing I noticed? There was a weight on top of me. I was lying on my back, and that soft hair brushing my face belonged to none other than Hestia.
Second thing? I had a full-on case of morning wood—standard issue for someone my age, confined behind boxers and jeans, and currently pitching a modest tent.
Third thing—and most problematic—was that said tent was smothered under the lower half of Hestia. Specifically, her nightgown-covered thighs.
Because of our difference in height, her head was snuggled into the crook of my neck, while her thighs rested neatly against my pelvis. We were covered by a blanket, thankfully, though it barely reached her mid-back and my stomach, leaving her lower body fully in contact with mine.
I had questions. Like when did she climb on top of me? How did I not notice? And how was she even able to sleep like this?
Normally I wasn't a particularly heavy sleeper, but I guess yesterday's chaos had wiped me out—both mentally and physically.
And now, here I was, lying underneath a cute, short-stack goddess, warm and soft and dangerously affectionate.
I let out a long, silent sigh.
How did my life turn into an ecchi anime?
Honestly, it felt like I had somehow replaced Bell, living out his story—but with my own little detours along the way.
Bell would've been flustered to death in this moment, sputtering and probably launching himself out of bed like a cartoon character.
Me?
…
I was aroused, if we're being honest.
And also, extremely comfortable.
My arms had reflexively wrapped around her sometime in the night, and she felt warm, soft, and safe. There was a quiet intimacy in it—less about lust and more about comfort. Still, my very male physiology wasn't exactly ignoring the situation.
After a few moments of internal debate, I came to a conclusion:
Do nothing.
Pretend the boner didn't exist. Cuddle the adorable goddess currently using me as a body pillow. Enjoy the warmth and softness for what it was.
Whatever awkwardness came later in the morning… was a later problem.
I shut my eyes again, hugged Hestia a little tighter, and let a small, content smile form on my lips.
If she didn't want me to cuddle her, she wouldn't have climbed on top of me in the first place. This was fair play.
Besides, she didn't seem to mind physical contact yesterday either.
Maybe there was truth to her being an affectionate and clingy goddess.
And honestly?
I was all for it.
-x-
Hestia
She woke up when she felt something hard poking at her tights.
A soft grumble escaped her lips as she squirmed a little in her half-asleep state, eyes still shut. Her arms instinctively tightened around whatever her hands had latched onto in her sleep. Something broad… solid… and really warm.
It was really nice, actually. Cozy. Comfy. Homey.
She would've absolutely kept sleeping—snuggled up and content—if not for the very definitely there and definitely warm thing pressing gently against her thighs.
Her brow furrowed slightly.
What… was that?
Still groggy, Hestia finally cracked an eye open—and realized she was not in her bed. She was on top of someone. Her cheek pressed into a very nice chest. Her legs curled around someone's hips.
Her mind caught up with her body at once.
Wait. Wait wait wait—!
She jerked her head back slightly, blinking down at the sleeping face below her.
Ethan.
Her first familia member.
And she was currently sprawled across him like a clingy body pillow. Oh Gods.
Her eyes widened as the situation sunk in. The warmth pressing against her thighs? Yeah. It was exactly what she suspected now.
Oh gods. Oh gods, how did I end up like this?! Did I crawl on top of him in the middle of the night?? Did he say anything? Did he notice?!
She turned bright red, a high-pitched squeak escaping her lips—but Ethan didn't stir. He looked peaceful. Relaxed. Maybe even… smiling?
That caught her heart off guard.
Her cheeks flushed again, but softer this time, and a warm feeling bubbled in her chest.
Her first familia member.
It… wasn't a dream.
She was really here. In this rundown, half-broken home, in the arms of someone who had chosen her. The first person to believe in her. The first soul she had ever bestowed her Falna upon.
Her first child.
Her fingers curled lightly into his shirt as emotion swelled in her chest. She had genuinely feared it was just a dream yesterday—that he'd vanish, or that she had messed up too badly and scared him off. But no. He had stayed.
She had a familia now.
A real one.
A real bond.
"I… I really did it," she whispered to herself, voice cracking with emotion. "I really have a child of my own now…"
Tears welled up, but she blinked them away quickly, not wanting to wake him with sobbing.
Instead, she pressed her cheek against his chest again, gently listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat.
This warmth… this feeling… this is what I've always wanted.
Hestia smiled, a few silent tears slipping free anyway, soaking into his shirt.
She didn't know what the future would bring. What that strange Falna meant. Or what Ethan wanted.
But right now, in this quiet moment, all she knew was that she was happy.
She had someone to protect now.
Someone who trusted her.
And she wouldn't let him down.
Not ever.
Closing her eyes, she decided to sleep in, just for a little while longer. She wanted to cherish this feeling for as long as she could before reality came knocking down their door.
-x-
Later that morning, we finally got up.
Things… were a little awkward.
She had jolted awake before I did and we'd both awkwardly separated, with her avoiding eye contact like she was a high schooler caught holding hands with her male friend. I guess for all her affectionate and clingy nature, she was still embarrassed by such things.
Still, neither of us made a big deal out of it. We were both adults—well, I assumed I was an adult by age, and she was… whatever eternal age goddesses stopped aging at. Probably still counted.
Point is, we both moved past it without turning the whole thing into some drawn-out anime style misunderstanding. She blushed, I pretended not to notice the effect her warmth had on my blood pressure, and we both got on with our day.
After brushing ourselves off (with me having to use my fingers as a substitute for toothbrush) and scarfing down on the last two Jagamaru-kuns left in our tiny pantry that she had saved somehow from our tiny fill of dinner, Hestia became a little ball of energy.
She stood up suddenly, arms raised high like she'd just scored a touchdown.
"Alright! Time to make some moves!"
She declared, practically bouncing in place.
I blinked at her over my half-eaten breakfast. It was… not the best breakfast. A bit too dry and spongy for me right now, but since beggars can't be choosers, I ate it without raising a fuss.
"Moves?"
I finally asked, wiping any residues from my mouth.
"Yep!"
She turned to me, eyes sparkling.
"We're going to see Hephaestus!"
Ah.
"She's my best friend."
Hestia said, puffing her chest out with pride.
"If anyone can help figure out what's up with your weird Falna stuff, it's her! And maybe, maybe, we can even ask a few of the other gods to see if any of their children would be willing to take you into the dungeon. I am planning to ask Hephaestus too, but she told me her familia doesn't dive into dungeons very often as they're focused on making items and equipments."
I gave a slow nod, then added.
"And I'll go check with the Guild again after that. See if anything turned up overnight. I can't rely on the dungeon as I am now. And I'm pretty sure we'll need money to buy items and equipments even if I wanted to dive as soon as possible."
Her nodded in return, humming and her twin tails bobbing up and down, but I pointed a finger at her next.
"And you're going to see that Jagamaru-kun vendor, right?"
She made a little "Ah!" sound, as if she'd forgotten—and then immediately pouted.
"…Yeah."
She said with a sheepish smile.
"I do."
"… You sure it's a good job for you?"
I asked after a small silence, frowning.
"I mean… you're a goddess. Isn't it weird for you to work on a fast food stand?"
She waved off my concern like it was silly.
"It's fine, really. I want to support our familia however I can—and right now, that's what I can do. Besides… if I'm gonna mooch off you, I should at least earn us a couple of potato puffs, right?"
Her grin was playful, but her eyes were serious. And I realized then how much this all meant to her.
She wasn't just trying to play the role of the cute, bubbly goddess. She was really trying—fighting—to make this work.
"… Yeah. You're right."
I said, a little softer.
"I'll work hard too."
She smiled at me, wide and warm and full of something I couldn't quite name. Hope, maybe. Trust.
Whatever it was, it felt real.
-x-
Hephaestus Familia's Headquarters was massive.
No—impressive was the word. Thick stone pillars, intricate metalwork along the walls and doors, and the distant, rhythmic sounds of hammers striking steel echoed faintly from deeper within. This was the home of a Goddess of the Forge, the home of some of the best blacksmiths in the world. The place had a very specific feel to it, a warmth, not like Hestia's which was warm and comfy, but more along the lines of a fireplace.
I adjusted my collar, feeling woefully underdressed in my plain clothes and slightly worn shoes.
Hestia, in contrast, walked with purpose. Confident, bouncy steps. She didn't even hesitate as she made her way through the wide entrance hall, nodding politely to passing smiths and assistants. Clearly, even if she'd once overstayed her welcome here, she hadn't burned any bridges too badly.
We turned a corner and nearly bumped into someone.
A tall woman in a sleek, form-fitting black outfit with a sword on her back. Her eyes were sharp, like a hawk's, and she moved with the kind of effortless grace that screamed powerful. It was the first time I had wanted to describe someone with such an adjective. There was something that differentiated this woman from everyone else that we'd seen and it surely wasn't the weapon she was carrying.
Her gaze flicked to Hestia, and a subtle smile formed.
"Hestia-sama. It's been a while."
"Hiya, Tsubaki!"
Hestia greeted with a grin, hands on her hips like she owned the place.
"You look as serious as ever!"
The woman—Tsubaki—gave a soft chuckle, then looked at me.
Her eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity.
"And this is…?"
"My first familia member!"
Hestia said proudly, gesturing to me.
"His name is Ethan."
I nodded, a polite smile on my face.
"Nice to meet you."
Her eyes didn't leave me for a second or two. They were assessing. Measuring. Looking for something, I didn't know what. However, it only lasted long enough for me to be aware of it and not long enough for it to feel awkward or offensive.
After a moment, she nodded.
"Goddess Hestia's first child, huh? Good luck. Take care of her."
"… Thanks, I will."
I replied, unsure of her words but getting the meaning of the later part.
Hestia chuckled and patted my back as we continued deeper into the mansion-like headquarters.
"She's Hephaestus Familia's captain."
She whispered to me.
"Don't worry, she's nicer than she looks."
I nodded slowly, my nerves still very much present but hidden behind a stoic and curious façade.
I took a breath to centre myself, wondering how this meeting will go.
I had managed to work things out with Hestia, but she was honestly too easy. Hephaestus likely won't be.
And right then I also remembered about the in-built Lie Detector. So far, it had seemed to be a non-factor. Hestia never called me out until now and I wasn't trying to be absolutely truthful to her.
I briefly entertained the idea that maybe I was immune to it but quickly shook it off as I had no proof of that.
I'd have to be careful in front of Hephaestus but not too careful or else it might seem suspicious.
Polite and friendly, but not overly so.
-x-