When he woke up again, the first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
'I'm not in the church ruins.'
Bell immediately realized he wasn't where he had expected. He remembered working with Goddess-sama and Hephaestus-sama on forging the "200 million" short sword. But he couldn't recall whether the blade had actually been completed. He must've passed out before it was finished.
'I went days without sleep... no wonder I blacked out. With the body I used to have, I probably wouldn't have woken up again.'
Sitting up in bed, Bell took a careful look around. There was a window nearby, and beyond it, night had already fallen. He had no idea how long he'd been asleep—he didn't even remember exactly when he passed out.
He focused his hearing. The steady clang of hammer on metal reached his ears. That sound alone confirmed his current location.
'I'm still in Hephaestus's Familia, huh?'
His head still ached slightly—likely the lingering effect of pushing through without sleep. In some ways, his body really wasn't in great shape. Just three sleepless days had already left such a strong backlash. Pulling back the blanket, Bell sat up straight. Now wasn't the time to keep lying around.
Just as he reached for the door, the sound of footsteps on the other side caught his attention. They were heavy, with a certain weight behind them. Maybe it was because the building was made of wood, but the sound was especially clear. Bell instinctively slowed his steps, particularly once the footsteps came to a stop.
Even so, he wasn't particularly worried. This was Hephaestus-sama's domain—anyone outside wouldn't be someone dangerous. He didn't believe that anyone not affiliated with the Familia would dare to act up here. With that assurance, he opened the door without hesitation.
Standing outside was a bold-looking young woman. Her skin was tanned, and an eyepatch covered her left eye. Whether it was for show or out of necessity, he didn't know—but even with it, her presence was overwhelming.
The moment Bell faced her, he felt it—a wave of pressure that hit him head-on. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but the weight behind it was unmistakable. That pressure made it perfectly clear just how wide the gap between them was. It felt more distant than the sky and the earth.
'So this is what a Level 5 feels like... Even if she's not a front-line fighter, just a blacksmith under the Goddess of Smithing, that presence is terrifying.'
Tsubaki noticed Bell's reaction right away. It was obvious he'd sensed the difference in their level. But what puzzled her was how he managed to notice anything at all. She had been suppressing her aura the entire time—others usually never picked up on it. Why could this boy?
Though a smith, Tsubaki was confident in her skill at concealing her presence. Yet somehow, he had still sensed it.
Still, she wasn't too surprised. Every adventurer had their own unique talents. Maybe this one just happened to have an especially keen sense. She had come at Hephaestus-sama's orders to check on things—and to deliver a message to the boy in front of her.
"You're awake, huh? Good. That means I can pass along Hephaestus-sama's message. Hestia-sama's resting with her right now. If you want to see her, you'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Sorry, but... do you know when I passed out?"
"Oh, that was this morning. I'm the one who carried you here."
Bell gave a slight nod. So he'd slept through the whole day. After three sleepless days, his body had finally crashed and made up for it in one long stretch.
He made up his mind then—he wouldn't be diving too deep into the Dungeon in the future unless he was sure he could reach the 18th floor in a day. This feeling—complete mental and physical exhaustion—he'd learned it firsthand today. And he'd never allow himself to be that vulnerable in the Dungeon again.
"Thank you for your help. May I ask who you are?"
"Ah, I'm Tsubaki Collbrande. Just call me Tsubaki."
From their brief exchange, Bell could tell that Tsubaki was straightforward and easy to talk to. She gave off a bold, big-sister kind of vibe—someone who might seem brash but was refreshingly direct. Bell didn't mind that kind of personality. In fact, he preferred it; people like her tended to be more genuine.
After the short introduction, Tsubaki pulled out a contract she'd prepared earlier from behind her. Even she had been a little stunned when she first read through it—not because of the "200 million" debt written on it, but because it clearly stated that the weapon had been forged by Hephaestus-sama herself. As far as Tsubaki could recall, this was the first time in years that Hephaestus had personally forged a weapon for an individual. And it had only been priced at "200 million."
She didn't know exactly what kind of weapon it was, but at that price, it was undeniably a first-class weapon. So who was it for? Tsubaki's first thought had been the boy standing in front of her. He was the new member that Hestia-sama had just taken in yesterday—a complete beginner in the world of adventurers.
But a first-class weapon demanded a lot from its wielder. Normally, a Level 1 adventurer wouldn't be able to handle one. Then again, since this was something Hephaestus had specifically crafted, it clearly didn't follow conventional rules. Still, giving such a high-tier weapon to a beginner was wildly extravagant, and there had to be some kind of limitation built in.
Tsubaki was convinced that Hephaestus-sama had reworked the design to bypass those restrictions, perhaps altering the weapon's nature entirely. But without seeing it for herself, she couldn't say for sure. Only by examining it directly could she confirm what Hephaestus had done. That said, now wasn't the time.
"This is the contract. It covers the cost of the weapon and the total debt amount."
Bell took the document and gave it a quick read. The debt was clearly listed as "200 million." He wasn't particularly surprised—it was about what he'd expected. But as he looked more closely, he noticed something odd: the contract didn't specify any interest or repayment deadline. It really did feel like Hephaestus-sama was doing this as a favor.
"You're not shocked by a 200 million debt?"
"It's not that I'm not shocked—I'm just shocked it isn't more. A weapon personally forged by Hephaestus-sama is without a doubt the strongest in Orario right now. I imagine the 200 million was just the cost of materials, probably discounted out of respect for Goddess-sama. If it went on the open market, someone would easily pay 2 billion for it."
That definitely piqued Tsubaki's interest. Clearly, weapons crafted personally by Hephaestus were on another level. If she got the chance someday, she really wanted to see just what kind of blade Hephaestus had created this time.