Chapter 77 – Temptation from Hestia!
The next morning, the sound of knocking echoed through the quiet hallway, rousing Shin Akira from his slumber.
When he opened the door, the visitors standing there weren't strangers. It was Goddess Hestia, and beside her was a white-haired boy with vivid red eyes.
The moment Akira laid eyes on them, he instantly recognized who the young man was.
This was Bell Cranel—the main protagonist of Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka, or simply Danmachi. A genuine main character, the kind who always had powerful allies backing him from behind the scenes.
"Shin Akira, this is my Familia child, Bell. Isn't he just adorable?"
As soon as he stepped out, Hestia puffed her chest proudly and showed off Bell like she'd just acquired the rarest treasure in the world.
Bell, on the other hand, looked visibly nervous as he stared at Akira. His red eyes, reminiscent of a timid bunny, sparkled with curiosity and awe.
He'd heard the name Shin Akira countless times since joining Hestia Familia. So often, in fact, that Akira had become somewhat of a mythical figure in his mind.
Within Bell's youthful heart, a seed of admiration had already been planted.
"He's your Familia member?"
"Yep! His name's Bell Cranel! I'm amazing, aren't I? I already found my first Familia child!"
"Yeah, yeah, you're amazing. But… why are you here this early?"
Akira glanced at the magical clock on the wall.
It was barely 5:15 in the morning—before dawn had even cracked.
"Umm… I just wanted to show how serious I am," Hestia mumbled, averting her eyes.
Of course, what she wouldn't admit was that she hadn't been able to sleep all night, worried that Akira might reject her request.
Besides, she knew full well that Hephaestus was still asleep at this hour. The last thing she wanted was to get caught.
"U-Um… My name is Bell Cranel. Please take care of me," Bell said nervously, bowing deeply as he introduced himself.
His tension was obvious.
"I'm Shin Akira. Nice to meet you."
"It's an honor to meet you as well."
Akira couldn't help but chuckle a little at Bell's overly formal response.
Was this really the so-called hormonal rabbit that would go on to charm goddesses and gorgeous women alike?
With his naivety and lack of self-awareness, Bell seemed destined to stir romantic chaos wherever he went.
"So? For my sake, will you please train Bell?" Hestia clung to Akira's arm with childlike innocence… and just a hint of weaponized charm.
Her "white bunnies"—soft and deadly—pressed gently against his arm, dangerously disrupting his focus.
After all, Hestia was a legal goddess, but her proportions were anything but modest. The ultimate "big loli."
"Fine, I'll train him. I just leveled up anyway and was planning to take it easy for a few days."
"You leveled up again? What level are you now?"
Hestia was one of the few who knew just how absurdly fast Akira could level up—almost like drinking water.
She had tried to poach him from Hephaestus Familia several times in the past, but sadly, Akira had been growing closer to her best friend instead.
If she weren't afraid of being smacked by Hephaestus herself, Hestia would've already gone all out in seducing him.
"I just leveled up yesterday. Now I'm Level 5."
"Level 5?! You monster! Are you sure you don't wanna switch to my Familia? Hephaestus hasn't even fully accepted you yet, right? If you come over to my side… I'd totally be down to date you~"
A goddess's temptation. Not the first, and probably not the last.
Bell, meanwhile, was frozen in place. Level 5? He might've just arrived in Orario, but even he understood how incredible that was.
As for Hestia's not-so-subtle attempt to steal a member from another Familia… he wisely chose to ignore it.
He had come to Orario searching for his own heroic fate—not necessarily to date a goddess.
But still… Hestia had given him hope and a reason to move forward. For that, he was genuinely grateful.
"HE-STI-A!!"
A voice boomed from the hallway—a roar full of raw, simmering fury.
Hestia, who had been clinging to Akira just moments ago, froze in terror.
Her expression paled. Cold sweat ran down her back.
Hephaestus was approaching, her footsteps steady and deliberate. A heavy, black aura radiated from her entire body.
"H-H-Hei, Hephaestus~ You're up early! G-Good morning~"
Trying to steal someone's man… in front of the woman herself? Truly, a terrible move.
Now, Hestia clung to Akira's arm, practically on the verge of tears. As a fellow goddess—and Hephaestus's best friend—she knew exactly what was coming.
"Hestia… you really tried to seduce Shin Akira again? Have you learned nothing?"
"I'm sorry! Forgive me, Hephaestus!"
"Sorry? This isn't the first time, is it?"
"I promise I won't do it again!"
"You're still saying 'again'? So there'll be a next time?"
"No! No next time! I swear!"
"Too late~"
"Aaaaa~ Akira, save me~!!"
In one swift motion, the petite goddess was yanked into the room by Hephaestus.
It was clear that what came next was not something either Akira or Bell wanted to witness.
"…My goddess… is this really how she is…?" Bell muttered, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Well then. You're Bell, right?"
"Yes, sir! I mean, yes, Akira-senpai."
"Just call me Akira. Don't need the 'senpai' stuff."
That word instantly reminded Akira of a certain perverted eggplant back in Chaldea. It made his skin crawl a little.
"Ah, then… Akira-nii?"
"Sure. That works."
Seeing Bell's bright eyes and innocent smile, Akira couldn't help but laugh softly.
If only the one standing before him was a sweet bunny girl, calling him "senpai" in a cute, teasing voice, asking to be trained gently and carefully… what a future that would've been.
Too bad. Bell was a guy. And worse—he had the soft aura of a classic uke.
As distant screams echoed from behind the closed door, Akira shook his head and walked off. Bell hurried after him.
"Akira-nii, what kind of training will we do today?" Bell asked with childlike enthusiasm once they were outside.
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet…"
"Then our first priority is breakfast. We'll talk about training after that."
"Okay, Akira-nii!"
Bell's eagerness was oddly refreshing.
Though Akira himself hadn't been in Orario that long, he was already miles ahead of this wide-eyed rookie.
Training Bell? Yeah, that was definitely something he could handle.
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