Later that evening, after I had taken a short nap to bleed off the accumulated adrenaline and fatigue and feeling much more relaxed, Hestia came back home and without me having to ask a single time promptly got to updating my Falna for the first time. But not before she peppered me with questions on whether I was okay and if I was hurt in the dungeon. She looked everywhere she could to check for any visible wounds, going as far as to strip my shirt to look at my torso.
I had no damage, not after consuming that magical health potion. I assured her that I was fine. All I got were surface scratches and mild cuts. Nothing dangerous but Hestia still felt worried for me.
It was honestly heartwarming, even if it was a little awkward being mothered like that by someone who looked younger than I.
Still, once she was done coddling me, she got right to the point. Honestly, she looked just as anxious as I was to see the results of my first dungeon dive.
So, I laid down—same as the first time, with my shirt off and on my belly—waiting for her to be done as she sat on my lower back and got to work with her divine mumbo jumbo.
I was feeling nervous. It was like getting the result of an exam you weren't sure if you'd botched. I'd had a few such experiences in college, and they were never fun. I had managed to make it through them somehow back then, but now it was to be seen if my luck would remain or not.
Once she was done and I felt her taking off her finger from my back, I turned my head partially towards her direction and asked.
"So? How is it?"
She looked confused. Then a bit of guilt crept over as her features darkened.
… That didn't bode well.
She just gave me a tight, awkward smile as she spoke.
"...Nothing… I'm sorry, Ethan."
She said softly, appending.
"Your stats have not changed. I can't see any excelia I can use to update them."
I felt her hands landing softly on my back as she started caressing my back gently, probably touching that weird spot which had my weird familia symbol, almost as if trying to console me. After the first day, that had slowly solidified into a more normal and flatter, if still bizarre looking, symbol on my back. No more pulsing or oozing black tar, just a large spot of blackness, with shapes and symbols, like a tattoo that was botched.
I just smiled, wryly, looking back up front.
"Figures."
I said with a hollow laugh, not feeling too disappointed for some reason.
I always knew there might be a monkey's paw for my supposed cheat skills after reading that Status page.
So, accepting that one of my blessings was also a curse was… manageable.
Mostly out of curiosity, I asked if there had been any such cases where a single dive into the dungeon didn't give any points to the person. And while that had happened—did happen often—it was only the case for those who had reached a point where their current monster hunting area was simply not challenging enough for them to gain excelia.
For a first-timer however, there should have been some increase, even if just a point or three.
In my case, all my stats remained at I0.
"I'm so sorry."
Hestia leaned down, pressing her face gently against my back, not caring that it was right where the strange Falna tattoo was. Her breath was warm, soft against me, and the spot tingled slightly. It felt… nice. Comforting, even. I shivered a little from the sensation.
But I didn't move. I was too wrapped up in the weight of what I'd just realized—that I might not be able to grow the way normal adventurers did. That something was holding me back.
She held onto me tightly, and I stayed silent, caught in thought.
"…It's okay, Hestia."
I said at last, voice low.
"Actually… there's something I've been meaning to tell you."
She stayed still, listening.
"You remember what my Skill says—Essentia Luctatoris? I think it's behind the stalled growth. I get the feeling it's absorbing all the excelia I earn. Not removing it… but stockpiling it. Filling up this metaphorical container."
I shifted slightly, trying to find the right words.
"There's this… weird sensation I got, right after I killed my first monster. Like something inside me filled just a little. It's subtle, but it's there. And every time I fought and killed a monster; it filled up a little. I think it's storing my suffering—my struggles, or whatever like the skill description said—and holding back all growth until I hit some kind of threshold. Right now, though… it's barely filled. A drop in a tub, if that."
Hestia was quiet for a moment. Then, her voice came softly.
"Hm… that actually lines up with what the Skill's description said. And if you're right… then maybe, once this 'container' or whatever it is fills up, you'll be able to grow normally. Or maybe even all at once."
Her voice lifted slightly with hope, but then softened again, thoughtful.
"…But until that happens, you won't grow at all. And we don't know how long it'll take. Do you have any idea?"
I shook my head slowly.
"Nope. It's way too vague to quantify. I know it's filling, but there's no real measure. Just that it's… barely anything for now. Drops in a tub, like I said."
"I see…"
We fell into silence again. No words left—just quiet introspection, and the weight of uncertainty hanging between us.
Feeling the rising need for comfort—and with the source of it so close—I gently asked Hestia to ease up a little so I could shift onto my back.
She moved without protest, and in the next moment, she was straddling me, her light weight pressing down over my waist. I reached up, wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her down onto me.
"Eh?"
She let out in a soft squeak, but didn't resist as I embraced her.
I just wanted some warmth. Her warmth, to be specific as I'd come to like it after a week of experiencing it. Something grounded yet likely divine to soothe the mess churning in my chest. Her soft form rested against my bare skin, the cool air in the room contrasting with the pleasant warmth of her body. It helped.
Slowly, I began to relax.
We lay in the dim glow of the lamp[1], inside our cramped little room below the abandoned church. It wasn't much, but it was shelter. It was something. My thoughts drifted, circling everything that had happened and everything that still lay ahead.
I'd survived my first real excursion into the dungeon. That was a win. A huge win, actually. I came back with only minor scrapes and some hard-earned lessons. That alone made it worthwhile.
And then there was the bonus: the pay. Miach had still given me my full day's wage at the Pharmacy, even though I'd taken leave early. Combine that with my earnings from the dungeon, and I'd nearly doubled my usual income. If I could keep this up—carefully, safely—I might actually start saving money. Enough to improve our living conditions bit by bit.
But…
Essentia Luctatoris.
That damned skill.
It wasn't just halting my growth—it was outright stealing my excelia. Absorbing it. Hoarding it somewhere deep inside me.
With no stats growing, I was stuck at the baseline. I'd be no better than when I first arrived in this world even if hunt monsters daily. If I stayed this weak for too long, I'd be stuck scraping the first floor or so, unable to fight stronger monsters without really risking my life.
Still… I couldn't give up.
I still had one more card: Fons Aeternus. The second skill that had shown up in my Status. Infinite Mana, it claimed. But what did that mean if I didn't even have a magic spell to cast? Did it actually give me anything? Did it mean I could cast endlessly once I did unlock a spell? Or was it some trap too with hidden limits I hadn't yet discovered?
For instance, how would I be able to cast Magic if my Mind stat remained at I0?
No way to know without getting access to a Magic skill. But magic wasn't easy to come by. Grimoires were expensive as hell, and unless you had a rich patron god tossing them at you, getting one on your own was like trying to find treasure with a blindfold on.
I sighed.
I wasn't Bell Cranel. No hidden overpowered luck stat and charms to get others to give me one. No miraculous pull of fate guiding me into the arms of some ultra-rare grimoire.
Just me. Ethan Cole. A guy with a cheat skill that crippled him, and another I couldn't use yet.
Still… even Bell was just a kid when he started. Fourteen, if I remembered right. And he survived the dungeon solo for a while before things clicked. Many adventurers here were teenagers. Naaza was barely legal, and Mikoto didn't look older than nineteen. Lily was probably around Bell's age too and she wasn't even an offense-focused Adventurer, but a supporter.
Me? I was a grown-ass adult in his early 20s. Supposedly, I was at the prime of my life. I should be able to at least manage the basics. Survive, train, and slowly—but surely—build myself up. Like everyone else in this world who wasn't the protagonist and had plot armor.
That meant focusing on the fundamentals. Physical fitness. Reflexes. Real-life instincts. All the stuff that didn't matter in the comfy modern world I came from… was now essential. Life-or-death essential.
I didn't have the instincts of a brawler. My body was soft and clumsy. My reaction times were garbage. I couldn't rely on some hidden talent to bail me out either. If I wanted to live, I had to grind myself into shape. Slowly. Steadily.
And maybe, if I was lucky, I could find help. Someone like Mikoto, perhaps. She'd already offered to help, so it was a start. If I could keep leaning on people like her when the chance came up, maybe I'd grow faster than expected. It would certainly be better than going at it alone with little to no guidance.
It wasn't wrong to rely on others, especially if they're more experienced than you.
Hiring a tutor or instructor was a long-term goal. Probably too expensive right now. Maybe not even feasible, even. I'd never heard of it being done in anime. Bell was only taught by Ais coz he used his protagonist charm on her. I'd be lucky if Mikoto agreed to be my tutor.
Then… joining a team? Not happening. Not until I had more to offer. Most adventuring parties were tight-knit groups from the same Familia, and those who teamed up with outsiders were often sketchy as hell. I didn't trust that kind of setup—not yet. Not with my life.
I shuddered internally at the thought of teaming up with assholes the likes of people like those Soma Familia members. Lili's current familia. Addicted to their god's alcohol, violent and unstable. Definitely not the kind of people I wanted to even stand near.
Speaking of Lili… joining forces with her was definitely something I'd want to do. Eventually. I knew her situation, I knew her talents and her experience, and honestly? Even the mess that was my life might be a step up for her right now.
But I wasn't ready for her.
I was near broke, weak, and had nothing to offer. If I managed to bring her into Hestia Familia now, somehow with some Hestia-given miracle, it'd be just dragging her into more uncertainty. And again, going against Soma familia, as I was now, was a big no-no. But someday… I'd make it happen. I had to. It was one of the few solid goals I had.
This was the staple of getting Isekai'd into worlds you had prior knowledge of, after all. You had to help characters you knew were suffering and with whom you sympathized or liked. In my case, it was the sympathy part, as Lily was simply too young for me to have any thoughts of romantic likeness towards her.
Haruhime was another such case, I suddenly recalled.
And her case was even more troublesome— as, if Soma familia was the first Boss, Ishtar was like closer to a mid-game Boss.
I didn't even want to go within a kilometer of that toad Captain thing of the Ishtar familia. And amazons were supposedly known to be Manhunters.
… That being said, I could maybe get acquainted with Haruhime, somehow. If I could find her in the entertainment district, maybe I can introduce myself to her slowly. Gain her trust. But I'll have to do it while not revealing my true intentions to her guards and Aisha. I remember her being Haruhime's guardian of sorts in the Anime.
Yeah, Haruhime will sadly have to wait too. I wasn't ready for that level of challenge yet. Not sure when I'd be.
As for other future allies…
Welf.
Now there was a potential friend I could actually approach. He wasn't as complicated as others, and his values aligned with mine. The guy was pretty chill and a bro character. Also, I think he was around my age too.
If I played my cards right, built up trust and didn't make a fool of myself, I might be able to earn his loyalty. Maybe even convince him to join the Hestia Familia eventually.
I wasn't charismatic like Bell, but I wasn't socially dead either. With a little planning… yeah. That could work.
Speaking of Bell, I was planning all this even though Bell hadn't even been in the picture yet because I was simply not sure about him.
The timeline was still not fully clear and there had been no sign of Bell so far. I was looking out for a white-haired boy whenever I went around the city for work and such, but had gotten no hints of his existence. Not that it meant he didn't exist or hadn't arrived in Orario. Orario was too big and the Anime didn't show what Bell was up to before joining the Hestia familia, except looking around to join a familia.
I had a feeling I had already changed the timeline since Hestia already had a job. Or was that actually canon? When did Hestia get her job in canon? I… didn't actually know, to be honest. Even though I was using it to make plans, I wasn't putting my full faith in my canon foreknowledge.
…
Anyway, for now, it was just me. Me, Hestia, and the long road ahead.
I had work at the Pharmacy to keep our heads above water.
Free time that had to become training time.
And knowledge to gather—more visits to Rose, to learn whatever I could about the Dungeon, its threats, its quirks. Every advantage mattered to someone in my vulnerable position.
This was only the beginning.
And I wasn't going to let it end here.
Somewhere along the line of thoughts, my hand had found Hestia's hair. I was gently running my fingers through it, caressing her head, my other arm still wrapped around her waist. She shifted slightly against me, warm and snug.
I was deep in thought, half-mumbling to myself, when suddenly—
"E-Ethan!?"
The sudden cry and jolt from Hestia promptly brought me out of my pondering as I looked down, feeling something soft and plump on my right hand.
Eyes widening, I turned my head downwards to see where I had ended up grabbing.
"Shit! I'm so sorry! I didn't— I mean—I don't know how— I was just…"
I gulped, feeling my face pale and words falter at the realization that I had subconsciously copped a feel of the cute Goddess lying on top of me.
I immediately separated my hands away from those soft yet firm mounds, almost as if burnt by fire, and looked down in nervousness, worry ceasing my thoughts that I had accidentally assaulted Hestia.
Hestia rose up from her position, straddling me and looking at me nonplussed.
"Watch where your hands go, Mister."
"Sorry…"
I could only apologize, feeling embarrassed at my mishap.
Hestia stared at me for a moment, her blank face making me avert my eyes in embarrassment. It was hard to look at those earnest eyes when I had done something like this. It was especially bad if you realized that Hestia was supposed to be one of the three great virgin goddesses in Danmachi canon lore.
Damn it, why did I grope her ass?! For fuck's sake, my stupid damned traitorous hand. Look what trouble you landed me in!
I could only hope she'd not be too mad.
It wouldn't surprise me if I was going to be sleeping on the couch after this accident. And it really was an accident. Completely subconscious and without my notice. I swear. Still, the least I could do to reflect on it was accept any such punishment with grace and—
"Well… it's fine. Just be more careful next time, okay? Hehe~"
And just like that, she flopped right back onto me, snuggling into a comfortable position like nothing had happened.
I just laid there, flabbergasted, arms still stiff at my sides, too rattled to even think about moving again.
"You can put your hands on my back, though. And rub my head. It was really comfy."
Hestia added after a few moments when I didn't cuddle her back, face looking to the side.
Slowly, mechanically, I did just that and I was back to caressing her head and holding her waist, mindful of where my hands went so as to not repeat the incident.
All the while, my mind wondered: What the hell just happened?
How did my life suddenly turn into a damn ecchi comedy anime all of a sudden? That was like a classic ecchi comedy scene from an anime.
Was this the world trying to stick to its original genre, except I'd taken Bell's position this time?
Why was I even cuddling with Hestia in the first place? I had done so almost subconsciously but now that I was thinking straight, this was such a strange and intimate position to be with her. How did we grow so close, so quickly?
I never thought I'd cuddle a literal Goddess ever in my entire life, at least not outside of idle fantasies.
The thoughts kept me occupied for a while. Until finally, it was time for dinner.
We actually ate out that night in a small restaurant Hestia knew, celebrating my first (successful?) dive into the dungeon.
I allowed it this time, forgoing the budgeting concerns, since it made Hestia quite happy. It was fine to splurge a little every once in a while.
-x-
[1]: The lamp. Do NOT focus on the lamp MC, no matter what happens! Destroy it, if possible! No bedside lamps in this story! Na-uh! (If you know, you know.)
(P.S. No, 'the lamp' thing is not going to happen in this story. I'm not shit-posting. This isn't some elaborate copy-pasta. Just your average wish-fulfillment fanfiction.)