DANMACHI: The Silence's Heir (OC x Freya)

Chapter 9

GODDESS HESTIA

Hestia was rather nervous as she stood beside her newest child, who showed her their humble abode. Bell was both excited and jittery about the whole affair as well, as the taller boy looked over the decrepit old church building..

"You live here," he suddenly began chuckling, and she felt her cheeks flush, in embarrassment.

"I know it is not much but...."

"No. No, it's nothing like that," he said as he stepped forward, a smile on his lips as he entered the church.

"It's just that this brings back quite some memories," he added, making her frown.

"What do you mean?" both she and Bell followed after him, and as he opened the door, he turned back and answered.

"Because years ago, I lived here as well," and both her and Bell looked at each other.

"What!" she gasped, and he shrugged.

"Let's just say I made some rather big mistakes in the past," he said as he entered the church, and both of them followed afterward.

"You do not know it yet, but this church is very special in many ways," he said, and she frowned.

"How?" she asked, and at that, she noticed him glance at Bell before he suddenly shook his head.

"Well, that is a story for another time," and then they entered the room, and he sat down.

"First of we all need to discuss my role in the familia," and both she and Bell perked up at that.

"That is if you still want me, of course?" he turned towards her, and she nodded.

"Of course I do," she replied quickly, and he smiled.

"So be it, then. But I must warn you I am quite a trouble magnet and have drawn the ire of some rather dangerous entities within the city. Are you sure you want their eyes on you and your family members," he asked gravely, and she became quiet at that.

She did not care that much about herself. She could tackle them, but when it came to her precious.

"I will be fine," Bell answered.

"You need not worry about me, Goddess-sama," he said, and as she looked at his bright and confident face, her heart melted as she smiled.

"Bell-kun! So, it is decided then," and then the boy shrugged.

"Then so be it, I am a member of the Hestia familia then," and at that, she jumped from her seat.

"Yeah! I finally have myself a second child," and then she turned towards Bell-kun.

"Now, Bell-kun leaves the room while I update his status," she said, and Bell-kun nodded before he left them all alone.

"Before you do this, I want you to make a promise to me that you will not reveal my secrets to anyone else, not even Bell-kun," he said, and she nodded, though it was jarring that he wished it so. It was not out of the world.

"Of course," she agreed.

With that, the cloak fell away, revealing black armor with golden trim all around it. The cracks and missing pieces showed that it had gone without proper maintenance for years, and then, as he began to remove the pieces, she realized that this was orichalcum.

That this was high-level armor, more expensive than anything she had ever seen before.

"Despite my age and looks, I was a high-level adventurer for years, one who had also inherited much of my old famila's wealth. However, later on, most of it was confiscated by the guild. This armor was the last purchase I was able to make before things went completely haywire, but even in its current state, it is better than any mid-ranged armor anyone can buy," he explained, and she nodded.

And then the boy took of his shirt, and she stilled as she saw at the scene infront of her. His skin was porcelain and unblemished, except for one large scar that covered the center of his chest.

"This is recent," she realized, and he nodded.

"It is. I had a run-in with a very powerful adventurer recently and barely survived. But it is healed now, so I believe it is time for us to get to the main point," and with that he turned his back towards her, and she finally found herself staring at his falna.

The symbol of Astrea, remained inscribed onto his back, and seeing her friend's sigil made her smile tense as she took the dagger and made a small cut on her lip.

And as her blood fell, the falna began to glow as the writings began to shift, and then the symbol of justice was replaced by a heareth, and her eyes widened as she read his stats.

"Impossible," she gasped out as she saw those high stats, values she had never ever seen in her life. There were God's and Goddesses outside of Arrakis as well. Yet, only Orario produced adventures of High and First Class because of the presence of the dungeon and how it allowed them to hone their skills and overcome challenged constantly.

And otherwise, it was rather difficult to raise one's stats. Inumaki-kun had been away for five years and yet he was up for a level up.

"You are up for a rank up," she said as he nodded.

"Do it," and their eyes met as she nodded and dropped another drop of her blood and his fauna as he levelled up.

"You are now a level 5 adventurer...." she said as she copied all his stats to a page, still distracted by the sheer number of magic and skills he possessed.

Only then did she realize the gap between her Bell-kun and those standing at the top of Orario.

"So many skills and magic, and that name," she gasped as she read through the names and saw the new addition as well.

"Since you recognized me, you must know who my mother is," he added as her head snapped towards him.

"This means...." and her eyes widened in realization as he nodded.

"Yes. Believe it or nor me nor Bell are related by blood," he answered as she found herself stilled by that revelation, a revelation that connected Bell to not only Orario's strongest familia, but also its strongest adventurer.

"I am his cousin," he elaborated, and she felt her head was going to explode.

"But he..."

"He does not know it," the grey-haired boy replied as he looked at his new stats.

"Copy Magic, huh? That's interesting," he whispered before the paper caught fire in his hands.

"The blood that runs through our veins carries with it a heavy burden, and it brings with itself a whole slew of enemies. Enemies that evaded even my eyes and ears for years, if it ever gets out that Bell is related to the menace that was Alifa-the Silence, he would find it very difficult to live in Orario. So, it would be best if you kept this to yourself, at least until I have taken care of these hidden enemies," he said, and she nodded, still too perplexed by the revelation.

"You knew his mother?" she asked, and he nodded with a smile.

"I did meet her one or two times. She was a kind person," he finished as he picked up his shirt.

"Speaking of that, there is one more thing I think we should discuss..."

0000

INUMAKI-The Silent

"What!" Bell Cranel, gasped as both of them walked towards the Guild Office.

"You will not be joining me on expeditions," Inumaki said, shaking his head. The younger white-haired boy seemed rather put down by his words, but he thought it necessary given the nature of his powers.

"I am not saying that. I am just saying that I am going to train you, but until you crack the middle floors, I will not be joining you on any expeditions regularly," Inumaki said, and the red-eyed boy perked up at that.

"You are going to train me," and he nodded, though he doubted much this enthusiasm would remain after the boy had endured one of his training sessions.

"I will, but having someone with my level accompanying you on your adventure would only hamper your own growth," he said, and his cousin became quiet at those words as he nodded.

"Plus, you wouldn't want someone to interfere I your own adventure," Inumaki asked with a smile as the boy's face turned red.

"And if you don't catch up quick, who is to say I might just steal your adventure from you," he japed as the boy's face paled.

"After all, I have known Ais for a long, long time," and at that, the boy's expression shifted nervously as he followed him along.

They reached the guild, with Bell asking him about his own time as a starter and seeking his advice. And as they reached the guild, they found her standing there, Eina Tulle.

The elf was one of the managers. He had promised to take Bell shopping and planned to accompany them, at least until the guild building, because he had an issue to deal with there.

"You wish to renew your registration with the guild," she asked, and he nodded.

"I do," the brown-haired elf looked towards Bell.

"Can you wait for a few minutes, Bell-kun?" and then she led him into the building and went behind the counters, and as he entered the Halls, he could see several older adventurers eyeing him nervously, as he had expected.

The atmosphere of the city had shifted greatly in the time he had been away, years ago there had been nervousness and rage in the city which had bene replaced by hope and vigor, and it reminded him of the times before the attack of Erbeus.

However, only he knew that the city was in danger, even graver than the one it had been during the times of Erbeus.

"I am afraid the person seeing to your account has died," she came up, and the word took him aback, his previous manager had been a dwarf named Olin, who had stood up for him despite all the rumors and allegations surrounding him.

"What am I to do now?" he asked as he offered a small prayer to the dwarf who had helped him so much.

The elf shifted nervously before she looked him in the eye.

"You are him, right? The Silent," she asked, and he nodded.

"I am," he said

"I am new at the job, but I would be happy to be your manager if you are ok with a novice handling your account. I promise to..."

"That will be fine," he cut in, as he took out the paper on which he had written all his details.

"That has all my details," and she took it from him and opened it, and immediately her eyes widened.

"Hestia familia, that means you and Bell-kun," and he nodded as she continued to skim over it, and her eyes widened as she read the level.

"Level 5!" her head snapped towards him, and he nodded.

"Yes, now can I please have my registration."

.

.

.

.

As Bell went to the market to pick out his armor, Inumaki found himself waiting outside the inn where he had just been the day before. Only an hour later, a blonde elf stepped out of the inn and turned towards him.

"I am sorry for making you wait," Ryuu said, and he nodded as they both began walking in the same direction.

"You have joined a familia," she asked, and he nodded.

"I have," he agreed.

"Yesterday, were you serious about everything?" she asked after a moment of hesitation, and he nodded.

"I was. Evilus isn't as dead as everyone thinks it is," and their crimes against him and the city continued, and their intentions were near their completion level.

"You are going to go after them," she asked, and he nodded.

"Of course, I am. I have a score to settle with them," he mentioned as they reached a decrepit castle, once the house of Astraea familia.

"You still have not joined another familia," and her eyes turned towards the floor.

"If your words are right, then I must exact justice for my friends, for my comrades, and for our Goddess. Until then, I do not think I deserve the blessing of..." She did not finish, as he understood her point.

"I will think about it," he said as he joined her inside. The castle was breaking down, showing that no one had lived there for years.

"Is it here?" he asked, and she nodded as she walked towards the altar, where a single box lay chained to the walls.

"That day, I did not understand your intentions in leaving that thing behind. I wanted to break it, destroy it," she added as she approached it and began to chant slowly. The chains and locks unraveled themselves.

"But even then, Alize and the rest convinced me otherwise, and we stored it here. At that time, I had planned to use it as a trap to take my revenge on you," she said, and he noticed how the world's decrepit castle was filled with magic and traps set to kill him.

"But only now do I understand why you left it here for us, for me," she said as the box opened up to reveal a single object inside it.

A spear, one colored scarlet-like blood, with an inscription written on its head as two snakes slithered down its shaft.

"It was meant to be a last resort for you and your friends if you guys ever came under attack," he said as he reached for it, and as he clutched it, a familiar warmth spread over his whole body.

"It is one of the finest weapons in Orario, one forged by the Goddess of Forge herself on the request of Alfia the Silence. Despite her wealth, it cost her more than half her fortune to have it forged, even though she sourced the materials herself," and with that, he spun it around in his hand as he pushed his magic in it. It gleamed an ominous red, and as he struck it into the ground, all the magic circles around the castle simply cracked and then vanished as his eyes turned red.

"The spear that felled a God itself. The Heart Piercer, Gae Bolg!"

And he put it behind him and was about to leave when the elf spoke up from behind.

"I know that we are not in the same familia anymore," she began as he turned to face her.

"I know that I deserve nothing, but please let me join you in this. I want to help you end the evil that ruined my familia," she said, and he looked her in the eye.

She was a Level 4 adventurer, one whose skills put her in the upper echelons of Orario's adventurers. From what little he had gathered, his campaign against the Evilus would take him to the lower floors, and while he was rather used to doing things alone, when it came to the lower floors, having a partner, especially one as skilled as her, was a blessing.

"Are you certain about this?" he asked, and she nodded resolutely.

"I am..."

0000

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