Long ago, we gods descended to the lower world where our 'children' lived, all in search of a thrill.
And then we made a bold decision: to live in this lower world with you all, forever.
We sealed away our divine power, submitted to a life of Mortality, stagnation, and resolved to live on happily.
The only thing we can bestow upon you is but one thing—a power called 'Falna' to fight monsters with!
The children who receive this power become that god's Familia, their family!
And you are my Familia, the one and only member of the Hestia Familia!!!
###
Wataru's current state was…abysmal. He could feel an acute pain, a torment that began at the very root of every single hair on his body and seeped all the way down into the depths of his soul.
His mind, his very soul, felt like it was being torn asunder. All he could perceive was an endless, all-consuming cold.
His memories were chaos, a turbulent mess that allowed him to recall nothing. Even the name 'Wataru' felt distant and unreal.
When he tried to focus, to remember, he was met only with a vision of boundless frost and the persistent, echoing whisper of a young girl's voice.
What a bunch of sickos. Perfectly good gods, and they choose to come down here to play some role-playing RPG with mortals.
Bearing this confusion and quiet scorn, Wataru slowly opened his eyes.
Had there been a mirror before him, he would have seen his own jet-black pupils flash for an instant with a sinister, icy blue light. That glow was eerie, frigid, utterly inhuman—like a wild beast cautiously wary of everything in existence.
What greeted his eyes was an unfamiliar ceiling. He lay in a terribly narrow room; a single glance around confirmed this place could only be described with one word: pathetic.
He couldn't help but shrink into himself. Even awake, that severe, penetrating cold seemed to linger deep within his soul, subjecting him to a bone-chilling frost.
"You're awake! Ah, that's wonderful!"
Just as Wataru was observing his surroundings in a daze, a voice as melodious as a nightingale's song rang out from the doorway, brimming with sheer delight.
Instinctively, he looked up. A beautiful girl was looking at him, her face alight with joy. The happiness in her expression, her smile, sent a sliver of warmth through his frozen body and soul.
The girl's lustrous black hair just barely covered her ears, falling into long twin tails that reached her waist. A faint, unnatural blush colored her lovely face, making her seem extremely excited. Though her features held a touch of youthful innocence, she possessed a curvaceous, voluptuous figure that starkly contrasted with her childlike face.
Especially that blue string—whether it was mere decoration or simply meant to reduce the burden by lifting her breasts from under her arms, it made her already impressive figure overwhelmingly conspicuous, effortlessly dragging one's mind into… less-than-pure fantasies.
As Wataru stared at the girl, dumbfounded, she spoke up.
"My name is Hestia. I am your goddess! What is your name?"
"..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't you know it's rude to stare at a lady like that?"
"..."
"I said, why are you looking at me like an idiot? Don't tell me I picked up a simpleton?"
"Wuuu… How tragic! My very first Familia member… and he's a simpleton!!!"
The girl was now right in front of him. The close proximity let him catch her unique, faint fragrance, causing his thoughts to stray wildly. The voice in his ears only added to his confusion, making it impossible to grasp the situation.
Though Wataru wanted to answer her, the girl spoke far too quickly, batting back every word that rose to his lips.
Finally, just as Hestia seemed ready to give up, Wataru, having organized his thoughts, slowly spoke.
And the moment he did, even he himself was startled. His voice was impossibly cold.
It was the kind of cold that pushed people away from a thousand miles, the kind that felt like it could freeze a person's very soul.
Wataru genuinely wanted to throw off the blankets and check if his body was actually covered in ice.
"You can call me Wataru. Now, what exactly are you talking about? Where is this place? And who are you?"
Wataru speaking immediately made the girl before him brighten up. Then, with a look of pure joy, she said something that made him sweatdrop.
"That's great! So you're not a simpleton or a mute! I was so worried there for a second."
Simpleton? Mute? You're,the simpleton. Your whole family are simpletons.
Barely suppressing his displeasure, and still feeling unbearably cold, Wataru shrunk further into himself, pulling the blankets tighter, and patiently waited for Hestia's explanation.
Some time later, just as Wataru's patience was about to wear thin, Hestia finally got to the point and began her explanation.
"This is my home, and from now on, it's the home of the Hestia Familia, too! As for what a Familia is… don't you know?"
"No."
Wataru shook his head decisively, indicating he understood nothing.
Seeing this, Hestia facepalmed with one hand, then looked at him with utter exasperation.
"By the heavens! How do you not know anything? How can you not know anything? Becoming a Familia means you form a contract with a god, and that god becomes your family! And because you've become family, the god will grant you power, the power to fight monsters! And you! You are my very first family! I'll support you no matter what you do, because that's what family does~"
"Family…?"
Wataru's expression turned vacant. He muttered the word spat out by the excited girl, and the chill on his body and in his soul receded just a little more.
His memories were still chaos, but a wave of sorrow crashed over him like a tide.
Family…
For some reason, the grief in his heart made him want to break down and weep, but he forcefully held the tears back.
There was no specific reason. He simply refused—absolutely refused—to show such weakness and cry before a young girl.