The kitchen of The Hostess of Fertility was as efficient as ever. Once his dinner was packed, Liang Yue dragged his exhausted body back to their base.
Although they lived in the basement of an abandoned church, it was more than adequate as a home. The room was spotless—so clean that even the farthest corners were free of dust.
Everywhere bore the traces of careful upkeep.
For Hestia, this was one of the few things she could still do.
As a goddess, she couldn't offer her familia members a better living environment. Aside from updating their status sheets, there was very little she could contribute.
And that, she knew, wasn't enough.
"I wonder when Liang Yue-kun will be back… And if his Dungeon expedition went well," Hestia murmured, leaning back against the sofa.
Her legs, bent at the knee, formed a beautiful curve—slim and well-shaped, nothing out of proportion. The phrase "just right" suited her perfectly.
With her arms loosely wrapped around her knees, the long wait had left her impatient. But as the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears, her slightly furrowed brows relaxed.
When she saw the boy she had been thinking about all day, her gaze softened. "Liang Yue-kun, you're back…"
Her bare, pale feet—fresh from cleaning the wooden floor—padded toward him without hesitation.
"…Picked up dinner at a restaurant on the way."
As her soft embrace wrapped around his neck, Liang Yue's smile brightened noticeably. He lifted the bento box in his hand with a little shake.
There was no doubt—Hestia hadn't eaten yet.
"Liang Yue-kun, meeting you really is the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me!"
It wasn't the food she cared about, but the thought behind it. Even after the dangers and exhaustion of a Dungeon dive, he still thought of her—his goddess who could barely help him at all.
Seeing the food laid out on the table and the forced smile on his face, her heart swelled with both gratitude and worry.
If she could, she'd go back to the time when they first met—even if life was harder then. Back when she had to work stalls in the North Main Street just to get by…
At least then, they spent more time together.
Now, all the pressure of growing their familia rested entirely on his shoulders.
She was about to speak when she met his sincere gaze. "Meeting you too, Hestia-sama, is my greatest fortune."
The words came from the heart.
Yes, Orario had many gods with their own familias, and even joining a strong one only meant gaining a platform.
But a goddess like Hestia—who offered food, shelter, and poured her entire heart into her children—was something you couldn't find anywhere else.
Even if things were rough in these early days, Liang Yue could accept that.
"This is also my motivation to challenge the Dungeon every day."
The sudden, straightforward declaration made Hestia—who had just taken a bite—blush deeply. Even her hands slowed.
Gods had one special trait: mortals couldn't lie to them. Every word he'd just said was unquestionably true.
"Liang Yue-kun… hurry and eat before it gets cold…"
She kept her head down, unsure if her feelings toward him were purely familial… or something else.
But if she had to describe it… dinner had never tasted better.
———
With his stomach full and his energy replenished, a wave of drowsiness hit him.
"Hestia-sama, here's fifty thousand valis. Tomorrow, you can pay back Hephaestus-sama. I should be able to gather the rest in the next few days."
"…Liang Yue-kun, you've really been working hard lately…"
She looked at him, asleep on the soft sofa after his meal, his expression calm.
This was the path he had chosen, the goal he was determined to reach.
As a goddess… all she could do was support him.
Seeing that he was sound asleep—though his brows were still slightly furrowed—she quietly cleaned away the dinner boxes, then returned to his side.
Sitting down next to him, she slid her arm around his neck and gently rested his head on her lap. Her slender fingers massaged his temples until his expression finally eased.
"…Thank you, Liang Yue-kun…"
———
He didn't remember much about last night. All he recalled was that, after eating, a tide of exhaustion had swept over him.
By the time he awoke, fully rested and clear-headed, it was already morning.
He lay on the patched-up sofa, a gray blanket over him… and noticed Hestia sleeping beside him.
He could have rested longer, but the way her arm tightened around his neck had woken him up.
"…Can't quite remember."
Adjusting her sleeping position, he went to wash up, then left the base.
He carried the weapons Tsubaki had lent him, bought bentos for supplies, and prepared for another day in the Dungeon.
On the way, he stopped at Hephaestus's main store in Babel. Welf was manning the counter today, and told him that Tsubaki had just left the forge that morning.
She had left instructions: the weapon would be ready in three days.
———
Back in the Dungeon, Liang Yue wasn't particularly disappointed. But when he looked at the two mithril short swords in his hands, he couldn't help feeling a twinge of sentiment.
[Weapon Trial Period Remaining: Less than 3 days…]
"Three days left. I'll have to speed things up. Today's goal—level 20."
Heading for the 7th floor, he had already decided on his strategy: use his "fishing for trouble" method to lure swarms of Killer Ants.
Whether for experience or magic stones, it was the fastest method—just a little monotonous.
Time passed quickly. With the thought of unlocking a new skill, he kept his enthusiasm high, cutting down every monster in sight—whether Shadow, Lizardman, or anything else that yielded EXP.
"No reason to let any go."
"…Almost there."
When his supplies were finally exhausted and his body nearing its limit, he sliced through the last Killer Ant with a wave of sword energy.
[EXP +68]
The meager EXP gain was followed by a Sword Soul Template prompt flashing in his mind, snapping him out of his weariness.
"Can we get a nice surprise here?"
———
[Liang Yue]
Level: 20
EXP: 0.01%
Skills: Inner • Ghost Sword Technique (Mastery), Triple Slash (Lv3), Moonlight Slash (Lv3), Backstep Slash (Lv3)
SP: 80
A new skill is available for learning. View now?
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