This was a development Hestia had never anticipated. At first, she thought Liang Yue had come to see Hephaestus because there was a problem with his weapon.
It had never crossed her mind that he had earned enough money to pay off the debt and help her end this daily grind of working at the shop.
"Liang Yue-kun…"
The height difference was obvious. Hestia tilted her head up to look at the young man beside her, his gaze steady, his smile sincere.
If one looked closely, they could see faint traces of fatigue in his brows.
When she had created her Familia, she had intended to treat her children like family. But when it came to Liang Yue, she couldn't ignore the subtle flutter in her heart.
Even though she was a goddess of little practical use, the fact that he had worked so hard to help her solve her debt made her heart beat faster—and Hestia gradually realized…
This "familial" feeling was changing.
Was it really changing?
She instinctively glanced at Liang Yue's profile. She knew that mortals couldn't lie to gods, but this was a question she couldn't bring herself to ask.
If he only felt respect for her as a deity… then when the truth surfaced, she wouldn't even know how to face him. Especially when Liang Yue turned to meet her gaze—
The impact of that moment made her pale cheeks flush crimson in an instant. Still unsure of how to handle this new dynamic, she turned her head away, hiding her eyes.
She masked her fluster with a smile. "Just leave the money here."
"I'll have to come by the shop again tomorrow to return the uniform. If there's nothing else, shall we go home?"
"Sure."
Seeing her so uncharacteristically tense after hearing his explanation gave Liang Yue an odd sense of accomplishment.
Just as they were about to leave, he noticed something.
She wasn't wearing shoes—her pale, petite feet rested on the cool tile, the store's overhead lights tracing the perfect arch of her instep.
Her toes, smooth and white as pearls, curled slightly—a subtle reflection of her nervousness.
The Hephaestus branch had a strict dress code, and Hestia had traded her usual sandals for the shop's grey-brown, round-toed flats. But in her rush to greet him earlier, she hadn't had time to put them on.
Something was missing.
"Hestia-sama."
Once the thought occurred to him, Liang Yue acted on it. He took 70,000 valis from his pouch and set it on the counter, then picked up her small pair of flats.
He crouched down in front of her, fully aware that what he was about to do might be seen as presumptuous toward a goddess, but showing no hesitation.
"Before we go home… shouldn't you put your shoes on first?"
"…"
Finding him suddenly crouched before her left Hestia completely blank.
The flats in his hand said everything about his intention.
She could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. Back when they had spent time alone together, she had thought it was fine to just keep things as they were—she'd never imagined this kind of development.
Now he was kneeling before her, his gaze sincere beyond doubt.
Biting her lip gently, Hestia realized that even in all her long years in the heavens, she had never been in such intimate contact with a man.
And now… she didn't refuse. She simply shut her eyes tightly as she lifted her foot.
Her fondness for Liang Yue was undeniable, and as she felt the rapid flutter of her own emotions, Hestia finally understood—
This feeling went beyond that of family.
"Uh…"
She wanted to say, I can put my own shoes on, but the moment she felt that electrifying touch, her lips pressed even tighter together. The deep blush on her cheeks spoke for her.
Her skin was smooth and warm like fine jade, with just the right amount of softness—it was almost ceremonial in its perfection.
After all, she was a goddess who had sealed away her divine power to live in the mortal realm. There was no chance of the… unpleasant side effects mortals might have after wearing shoes all day.
Knowing the Danmachi world's story well enough, Liang Yue knew Hestia only recruited Familia members out of familial affection.
Which was exactly why he felt he had to act decisively. No one could refuse a kind, gentle, and understanding goddess—especially one with such charm.
And so, he made his choice without wavering.
Feeling the lingering warmth of her foot at his fingertips, his smile faded into seriousness. "Hestia-sama, let's go home."
"…Mm."
Hestia nodded lightly. She made no effort to pose as the mature goddess she usually pretended to be. The flats fit her perfectly.
When she glanced up again, she saw the boy's face—serious, yet with laughter hidden in his eyes.
Perhaps… this kind of daily life together was just right.
With the debt problem settled, Liang Yue reached out and took her hand, tilting his head slightly. "What should we have for dinner tonight?"
"I'll leave it to you, Liang Yue-kun…"
She didn't pull away from his hand, and her already-flushed face seemed as though it might start dripping with color.
Their destination was, as always, the Hostess of Fertility.
When they were about to head home with their dinner packed, Hestia—finally calm again—made her first request of him.
"I want a drink."
So much had happened recently, and she felt she needed alcohol to clear her head, even if only for a short while.
Only that way could she calmly think about her feelings for Liang Yue.
——
By the time they returned to their Familia's residence with their food, night had fallen. Liang Yue had no need for alcohol—he simply needed to eat.
After filling his stomach, heating water for a quick wash, and tidying up, he went down to the basement of the abandoned church—and found exactly what he expected.
Hestia had changed back into her white short dress, showing off her slender, shapely legs, and wore her signature blue ribbon. Her cheeks were flushed—clearly from drinking too much.
"As for your stats…"
"We can wait until tomorrow. Once they're maxed out, we can think about updating and maybe advancing your level."
Putting off the update, Liang Yue looked at the tipsy goddess on the sofa, finding her uncharacteristically adorable.
But when their eyes met, the drunken Hestia spread her arms across the sofa back, her earlier hesitation gone, her face breaking into a bright smile.
Without any of the dignity of a goddess, she was more like a tipsy girl who couldn't hold her liquor. Standing up, she declared with tipsy bravado—
"Liang Yue-kun… I think I really like you!!"
From the perspective of someone standing opposite "God," Liang Yue had always thought—
Why chase the distant Ais Wallenstein, when Hestia was right here?
"Same here."
Even though she was drunk, Liang Yue smiled as he replied, clearing the table and disposing of the empty bottles before returning to the basement.
Hestia was already asleep on the sofa.
It wasn't like a goddess could catch a cold, but he still lifted her gently and laid her on the soft bed.
This bed had originally been hers—
When he'd joined the Familia, she'd insisted on giving it to him, saying, A goddess should give her children the very best.
He didn't do anything improper.
Just pulled the blanket over her, noticing the faint tremor of her lashes and the smile on her sleeping face.
"See you tomorrow… my goddess."
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