'This kid... is just ordinary.'
While preparing the food, Syr's eye color shifted slightly.
Her gaze naturally landed on Bell, the newly minted adventurer. But it only lingered briefly before moving on.
A brilliant soul is something no child of Genkai can hide. For gods who can see into the soul, such things are simply too obvious to miss. Yet when Syr's eyes locked onto Bell, the moment she saw that dull, dim soul—it was enough to make her lose all interest.
Bell might be cute for a rookie adventurer, but Syr wasn't the type to steal Hestia's Familia member just because he was adorable. She wasn't looking for cute. She wanted someone with a dazzling soul.
Unfortunately, Hestia's child didn't have that brilliance. That alone doomed his future to mediocrity.
With that realization, the faint hue in Syr's eyes faded back to normal.
Bell, who had been on edge while observing his surroundings, finally felt a wave of relief wash over him.
His sharpened senses had been warning him just moments ago—someone dangerous had been watching him.
And in this tavern, only one person could give him that kind of feeling: the goddess behind it all, Freya.
'Looks like I made it through.'
'Freya isn't paying attention to me.'
'What a blessing in disguise.'
The cold sweat he'd broken into had somehow lifted his spirits. There was just no helping it—if Orario's biggest troublemaker wasn't targeting him, then that meant, as long as he stayed cautious, he could finally go about his life without unnecessary complications.
No more divine meddling. No more worrying about being whisked away by Freya on a whim.
'Now that I think about it, I really was overthinking everything.'
'My soul's not even the same one anymore. I'm a modern-day guy—how could I possibly have a "brilliant" soul? If anything, it's probably dark as tar.'
After confirming that the eerie, oppressive gaze was gone, Bell was certain Freya had lost interest in him. That alone resolved one of his biggest concerns.
Maybe he wouldn't get the kind of growth he did in the original story, where Freya coddled him like a mother doting on her son—but it also meant he'd have far fewer problems.
Going forward, Bell would have to tackle everything on his own.
But that was fine.
He'd known from the beginning that surviving in this world required keeping a low profile. He had no intention of standing out.
As long as he stayed under the radar, there'd be a lot fewer problems to worry about.
Keep your wealth hidden, stay unnoticed in the Dungeon—if he stuck to those principles, leveling up in peace wouldn't be too hard.
Heh... no matter how he looked at it, a quiet and peaceful life lay ahead.
"Hmm? Bell-kun, are you in a good mood?"
Hestia, who had been watching him all along, noticed the shift in his expression.
Bell looked back at Goddess-sama, caught off guard.
"You noticed that too?"
"Yeah, your expression didn't change, but the whole atmosphere around you shifted."
Hestia didn't know what had caused the change, but she still pointed out what she sensed.
"Goddess-sama really is sharp."
"Maybe I'm just starting to get used to things."
Hestia looked at Bell, puzzled. Her instincts told her he wasn't lying—but somehow, it felt like they were talking about entirely different things.
"Meow~ The reserved guests have arrived."
A catgirl in a classic maid outfit walked into the tavern. Through the shadows outside, a group of people could be seen waiting.
As they began to enter one after another, the leader quickly became clear.
A red-haired girl with narrow eyes and a cute side ponytail stood at the front—her striking figure hard to miss.
Almost every adventurer present knew her by name.
She was Loki—one of Orario's current Twin Kings.
And since Loki was leading the group, it was obvious: these were the elites of the Loki Familia.
Finn Deimne, the golden-haired Pallum youth.
Riveria Ljos Alf, noble of the elven royal line.
Gareth Landrock, the dwarven elder.
The Amazoness sisters, Tione and Tiona Hyrute.
Bete Loga, the fierce werewolf.
Lefiya Viridis, the young elf mage.
And of course, Orario's beloved Sword Princess—Ais Wallenstein.
This lineup practically included the entire main force of the Loki Familia, a perfect display of the power behind one of Orario's Twin Kings.
Even Bell, seeing them for the first time, was taken aback by the overwhelming presence they carried.
He could clearly sense the aura each of them radiated.
It might have been subtle, but his sharp instincts picked up on the vast gap between them and himself.
"Tch."
The sound snapped Bell back to reality. Beside him, Hestia clicked her tongue, her gaze locked tightly onto Loki.
"Oh ho~"
Maybe Hestia's intense stare had drawn attention—Loki, standing at the front, seemed to notice and strutted over with a smug grin.
"Yo, shorty. What brings you out for dinner today? No Phae-Phae tagging along? You sure you can even afford the bill without her?"
Loki's sharp words instantly got on Hestia's nerves. She smacked the table and shot to her feet.
"Smack!"
"Stop looking at me like I'm still stuck in the past! I've got the best child now!"
As Hestia flared up, Loki finally noticed Bell sitting at the table.
"Oh~ So this is your kid, huh?"
"A real fresh recruit."
Still, something felt a little off. Loki couldn't immediately figure out what it was. Judging by his aura, Hestia's child couldn't be more than Level 1.
"Hey, newbie, must be tough supporting someone, huh?"
"Hestia's infamous for being a handful. Loves wasting money on junk. Being her kid's gonna be rough."
Her words were laced with mock sympathy, nearly setting Hestia off again.
But Bell didn't react.
"Thank you for your concern, Loki-sama."
"But I believe I can manage Goddess-sama's living expenses just fine. And she's not nearly as bad as you make her sound."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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