In the hidden room beneath the church.
Bell sat with a hand pressed to his forehead, deep in thought, while Hestia waited quietly on the sofa for his answer.
After updating his Status, Bell had finally reached the point where he could level up. Now he was contemplating which Development Ability to choose upon upgrading.
[Abnormal Resistance]—practical, able to counter poison.
[Hunter], a rare ability specialized for slaying monsters, boosting attributes when facing foes he had once defeated.
And [Luck], an ability so enigmatic that even a Goddess couldn't decipher it.
Three options.
From a short-term standpoint, [Hunter] was undoubtedly the most beneficial choice. He had already reached the 18th Floor; with this ability, the Middle Floors would become far easier to handle.
But Bell rejected it.
[Luck]—an ability even the gods could not see through. If his goal was a height no one had ever reached, then its potential value was immeasurable. Whether chance encounters or divine blessings—there were places effort alone could never reach, but fortune might.
"Goddess-sama, I've decided. I'll choose [Luck]."
"Alright, then let's get you leveled up."
Hestia smiled gently and gestured for Bell to lie down on the bed. She could barely contain her excitement.
The boy whom no one ever believed in had now grown into an adventurer capable of standing on his own. Hestia wanted to announce it to the whole world.
See? My Bell is incredible, isn't he? All those people who said horrible things—come line up and apologize properly!
But her pride lasted only a moment. Worry, relief, longing, affection… a swirl of emotions brewed inside her small frame.
"Congratulations, Bell. You're now Level 2," Hestia said softly.
"...I don't feel any different."
Bell's reaction came down to two simple feelings.
Ordinary. Plain.
The scenery hadn't changed, and no surge of power coursed through his body.
"Your capacity has increased. You'll notice once you start fighting," Hestia paused, then eagerly continued, "But more importantly, Bell, you have a new Skill."
"Liaris Freese… Argonaut…"
Bell looked at the parchment, puzzled.
Hestia explained, "Sorry, I hid the first one on purpose. It was completely unheard of, and I was afraid it might cause trouble for you. Now that you've grown, I can finally tell you."
"Hmm, I understand Goddess-sama's concern. And the other one?"
Bell understood the word: Argonaut—the Argonaut Hero. It came from an old fairy tale.
A useless young man ventures into a labyrinth to rescue a princess kidnapped by a minotaur. The ending is good enough, but the journey itself is absurd. He is deceived, used, and in the end, saved by the princess he meant to rescue. A somewhat comical story.
Adventurers always said that Skills reflected the inner heart, like a mirror. Bell yearned for both a harem and to become a hero—these skills suited him perfectly.
But he still didn't understand what Argonaut actually did.
"Allows a charge for an active action.."
The explanation on the parchment felt far too vague.
"I'm not too sure myself," Hestia admitted with a soft laugh. "We'll need to test it out when we get the chance."
"But Bell wanting to become a hero…"
Such a pure wish was nearly extinct among people in the Lower World.
"Huh? Did I not tell Goddess-sama? Even Eina-san knows about it."
Bell spoke his childish dream openly, without shame.
"Hmm…"
Hestia had wanted to tease the innocent boy as a superior, like an elder. But Bell's straightforward honesty completely flipped the script—leaving her feeling like the one under attack instead.
"You never told me any of this!" Hestia pouted.
Whether it was about the Dungeon or about his love life, the boy rarely shared anything with her.
"What about me pursuing a harem?" Bell dropped another bombshell.
"Wh–what?!"
Hestia thought he was joking. But she quickly realized he was dead serious. Given that his Skill fluctuated based on the number and intensity of those who yearned for him, it was obvious Bell wasn't lying.
"How could I possibly allow that?! Do you know what kind of Goddess I am in Tenkai?!"
Hestia had planned to reward the boy today, but that intention evaporated instantly in the face of this shocking truth.
"A harem? That's far too impure!"
"Bell, you idiot, idiot!!"
"You… why are you laughing?!"
Amidst her barrage of criticism, the boy actually smiled.
"Nothing… I just think Goddess-sama is really cute like this."
"Wh—"
Hestia's anger vanished instantly. She sat back down on the sofa, cheeks burning red.
"Even if you flatter me, some things are still not allowed!" She turned her head away, hiding her expression.
"I've heard the legends about Goddess-sama, but sleeping in the same room on the very first day we met… from a purity standpoint, isn't that already disqualifying?"
Bell calmly recalled the past.
"..."
Hestia's fingers fiddled nervously with the end of her black ponytail.
"And besides, Goddess-sama is always hugging me and saying 'my Bell.'"
Bell stated the facts with complete neutrality. His point was simple: as one of the Three Virgin Goddesses symbolizing purity, Hestia's behavior was full of loopholes. She had no standing to criticize his dream of a harem.
"T-that… that's because Bell is special…"
Hestia stammered, suddenly the one on trial.
"Just because I'm special, you feel fine sleeping beside me?" Bell pressed without mercy.
"Uu…"
Hestia did harbor special feelings toward the boy. To exaggerate slightly—if Bell accidentally saw her changing clothes, she would be embarrassed… but maybe, somewhere deep down, a little happy too.
Relying on her status as a Goddess, she often held his hand or linked arms with him. Even if her chest brushed against him, she never minded. Thinking about it carefully, Hestia—as a virgin goddess—really was failing to meet her own standards. In fact, someone like Freya, the aloof Goddess of Beauty, fit the definition of purity far better.
Hestia pressed her lips together, unable to muster a single rebuttal.
"B–Bell, you big idiot!!"
Without looking back, Hestia stormed out of the room.
A few seconds later, she suddenly remembered something and ran back inside.
"Bell, you almost pulled that off... Find a time to bring your girlfriend over. I need to talk to her face to face! This is a settled matter—no backing out!"
Hestia's cheeks flushed crimson. Before her words faded, her figure vanished.
Bell stepped outside with a bitter smile. If he explained the situation to Syr, she probably would send Ryuu to take her place…
Sunlight streamed down brightly onto the ground as Bell silently made up his mind. For now, he'd just have to stall on this matter…
"Your goddess just bolted out in a panic. Should be fine, right?"
Welf stood guard outside the church, clearly having waited a long time.
"I heard from Miach that she probably went to drink with him."
Bell chuckled softly. Ever since learning the boy had a girlfriend, Hestia had been reeking of alcohol every single day. Even Miach, forced into being her drinking buddy, had complained helplessly to the boy.
"Seems your goddess isn't exactly a saint either..." Welf muttered under his breath. "Enough about that. Let's get moving."
Their destination wasn't the Dungeon, but the rarely visited northeast district. Far from the main streets, this area was surrounded by Magic Stone processing factories, where the bold figures of Dwarves were everywhere.
After traversing a long, dimly lit stone path and passing through several alleys, the two reached their destination.
A traditional, low-roofed cottage awaited them. Inside stood a massive forge, along with various tools and workbenches for smithing.
Bell's light armor was already damaged beyond repair. Welf measured Bell as promised, preparing to craft custom gear. Besides the light armor, there were the horns dropped by the Minotaur.
"Are you really going to use this red horn for a dagger?"
Welf confirmed once more.
"Mhm."
Bell already possessed Hestia Knife. Logically, fewer identical weapons were preferable. But he possessed the technique to wield dual blades. With identical attack ranges, his movements became far more agile.
"Understood. You may leave now. I'll handle the rest!"
Welf laughed heartily. He didn't merely wish to repay the youth's life-saving debt; he yearned to contribute his strength as a true comrade.
He now understood that magic swords and weapons were but external possessions. The forger's passion, the bonds and friendships strong enough to transcend all else—that was what he truly pursued.
Clang!
Welf pushed himself further, striving to keep pace with the youth's resolute and swift strides. On this day, the resounding clashes echoed like celebratory chants, reverberating with fervor throughout the workshop.
...
After leaving the industrial district, Bell headed straight for the Guild. He needed to report the Level Up to Eina.
Perhaps due to the approaching Denatus, the hall bustled with activity. Eina handled her tasks with a hint of weariness, but her face instantly lit up with joy the moment she saw the boy.
"Bell, you weren't neglecting the Dungeon progress to go on dates with your girlfriend, were you?"
Misha, seated nearby, had intended to eavesdrop on their conversation. But Eina's opening remark carried an oddly explosive undertone. Misha hastily gathered her documents, seeking escape from that palpable jealousy.
"You're joking, Eina-san. I've already made it to the eighteenth floor."
Bell reported his progress with a smile.
Misha froze in place, doubting her own ears.
Eina's cheek twitched as she forced a smile and confirmed, "What did you just say?"
"I said I've already been to the eighteenth floor," Bell replied truthfully.
"?!"
Eina's smile froze for a moment. "Bell, I should have told you—no matter how fast you advance, don't go to the Middle Floors, right?"
"Yeah, there was a bit of an accident. Thanks to Eina-san's warning, I prepared fire-woven fabric beforehand and narrowly escaped." Bell thanked her sincerely.
"A little mishap... What on earth had to happen for you to go straight from the upper levels to a safe floor?!" Eina pressed urgently.
"I can't go into details yet, but I defeated a Minotaur and leveled up to Lv2." Bell continued his status report.
Misha was completely petrified.
Her mind couldn't keep up with this conversation.
Eina's smile froze amidst the bustling crowd.
She knew full well the boy's growth had been rapid.
But still, this felt too abrupt, didn't it?
Like a sturdy sapling—though she knew he improved daily—in the blink of an eye, he had become a towering tree.
Had Bell Cranel become reckless too?
Eina asked incredulously, "What did you defeat?"
"A Minotaur."
"And then?"
"I leveled up to Iv2."
"Orario has gods who can see through lies, you know. Can you guarantee you're not lying?"
"Mhm."
Eina blinked, staring intently at the youth's face before speaking again. "Bell, you've only been in Orario for a little over half a month, right?"
"Yes."
Time seemed to freeze for Eina.
The youth had no reason to lie.
But was this truly possible?
Even the Sword Princess, hailed as a prodigy, had taken a full year!
Not just a slight improvement on the record, but a gaping chasm of several times the difference.
Just as Eina's head was spinning, unsure what to do, Misha's voice echoed throughout the entire hall.
"Half a month, and he's already reached Lv2—?!!"
The crowd froze.
That shout thundered like a bolt of lightning, reverberating in everyone's ears.