----- Bell POV -----
I was finally here!
The dungeon city of Orario!
'Bell,' I remember Grandpa saying.
'Orario is the greatest of cities to have ever existed! Where heroes are born, legends are crafted, and harems are made! And the women, Bell! Oh, the women... they are simply exquisite!'
...Although that last part wasn't as important, this was where I would be able to live my dream!
To be a hero...
Although... I wish he was here to watch me.
I still remember the faces of sympathy the villagers showed me when they broke the news.
A hunting accident.
It was quite a shock.
To think that Grandpa, who was the strongest person I knew, would die to something so... mundane. But this was reality.
The worst part was, there wasn't even a body to make a proper grave for.
Grandpa... the one who had raised me all my life... just like that, he was gone.
After getting the news, I was... pretty sad, for a while, but then I remembered the stories of great heroes that Grandpa told me, and my flame of aspiration was reignited.
So... I took it upon myself to travel to Orario.
Since there weren't any people who knew about adventurers and the dungeon in my small rural village, Grandpa did tell me some basic info about the city, and what to do when I first got here.
Though... he didn't tell me that the carriage ride here would be so expensive.
So, with my heart ablaze with excitement, I made my way to the guild, just like Grandpa told me, to find myself a Familia!
The only problem was... everyone else had rejected me, and there was only one last Familia that was recommended to me by the nice receptionist.
The Astraea Familia... one of the four strongest Familias in Orario.
From what the guild receptionist told me, they were also known as the 'Familia of Justice', as they were the main police force in the city.
They were also the talk of the town as recently, one of their members, the Celestial Sword, had reached level 7, the pinnacle of strength for an adventurer, only reached by the strongest in Orario, the King.
Though... now no one knew who was the strongest amongst the two.
Anyway, it was a great Familia with great achievements and prestige to match!
A perfect place to start my journey!
But... the only problem was... they rarely accepted new members... and past that... they were all women.
Except for Celestial Sword, of course, but he was... an exception.
So I was unlikely to get accepted, but it was still worth a try!
Having followed the map that the receptionist gave me, I found myself walking down a cobbled path toward the Astraea Familia manor.
I could feel my legs tremble in nervousness as my back naturally straightened as I knocked on the door.
But after a single knock, the door opened, revealing a tall man, with long silver hair, similar to mine, and piercing blue eyes.
Alright, Bell!
This is your chance, let's make a good first impression!
Respectful, but not subservient!
"Umm, hello! M-My name is Bell! Bell Cranel! A-And I'd be honoured to join your Familia! Please accept me!" I say with some difficulty.
I did it!
The man's expression shifted from surprise to a small frown as he rubbed his temple.
D-Did I do something wrong?
"Umm, sir?" I say again.
That seems to shake him from his daze.
"Right. 'Join us', huh? Just... come on in. Go take a seat on the couch and we can have a little talk," he says.
Following him inside, he then leads me to a room with a bunch of couches, and books lining the shelves.
Wow... I guess this is what to expect from one of the top Familias.
"I'll go get you something to drink. Is water fine?" he says as I sit down.
"Ah! Y-Yes, please," I answer.
Well, at least I didn't get rejected right out of the gate, and that man seemed pretty nice, so this was going quite well!
Wait... man?
But... that would mean he was Celestial Sword, right?
—-- Sirius POV —--
Okay... what the fuck was going on?
I normally wouldn't have gone to the kitchen to get water for a meeting, as I could simply summon some with Elemental Orb, but I needed some time to recompose myself.
"Husband? Is everything okay?" Ryuu asks as I fill up a glass.
"Huh? Yeah... it's fine. Just... future shit," I respond tiredly.
Alise and Ryuu shared a look of confusion before finally understanding what I was saying.
"Right. How does that feel again?" Alise asks.
"Usually it's only a nagging feeling, but this one felt like a headache," I respond, massaging my still-sore temple.
"I see. It seems that that recruit is quite important, huh?" Ryuu speculates.
"...Yeah."
I had a sense that, with the headache I had felt, that kid was a bit more than simply 'important'.
"Anyway, you two just stay here, alright?" I ask.
"Why?" Alise asks.
I then look pointedly at their nearly bare lower halves and quickly getting my point, the two then nod, with Ryuu's blush returning once again.
"Anyway, just let me deal with it, okay?" I ask.
"Y-yeah, that's fine. But make sure you consult Lyra before accepting them," Ryuu says.
"I will."
Walking back into the room, I looked at the boy in question, his hands fidgeting over one another as his eyes darted from side to side.
And the migraine... it was back.
And just as powerful as before.
Shit... was this the fucking protagonist?
I mean... he doesn't look like much right now, but that growth would be par for the course for an exciting story.
So now was the question... what the hell do I do?
Knowing that the Astraea Familia- my Familia- would have died without my intervention, I had no qualms about messing up the natural flow of the world.
But... would that be best?
In the story, considering my Familia was dead, he definitely would not be accepted by Mother Astraea.
And while I didn't mind messing up the natural flow... that was just for the case of saving souls that were 'left behind', and would die in the main story.
In terms of this guy's growth... I would like to stick to the main plot as much as possible.
"U-Umm, thank you for the water. Are you... are you perhaps Celestial Sword?" the boy, Bell, asks.
"...Yes. Yes, I am. Now," I say, bringing my chin to rest on my steepled fingers, "tell me about yourself."
Taking a drink of water, Bell shakily sets down the cup before taking a deep breath.
"W-Well, I come from outside Orario. F-From a village in the mountains," Bell says.
"I see. Good for building survival skills. Do you have any combat experience?" I ask.
Bell shakes his head.
"N-No. We were quite safe, save for the odd Goblin. And G-Grandfather was able to take care of those whenever they showed up..." Bell says, trailing off at the end.
He looked a little... sad.
"Did something happen to him?" I ask.
Bell clenches his fists.
"Y-Yeah. He... he died, from a hunting accident about two weeks ago," he says.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I say with sympathy.
"Ah! I-It's alright! He lived a long-"
"Papa! We're back!" Alea shouts, opening the door.
Ah, well... there goes my serious facade.
"In here, sweetie! How was the dungeon?" I say with a smile.
Glancing at Bell, he looks extremely confused.
Well... consider this payback for giving me a massive headache.
"It was awesome! Me and Leo did a cool combo attack where-!" Alea then notices our guest.
"Uhh, Papa? Who's that?" She asks.
"A friend. Where are your siblings?" I ask.
"They're still at the guild, exchanging the magic stones," Alea says, bounding over to me before deciding to sit on my lap.
"Hello! I'm Alea! Alea Lovion! What's your name?" My daughter asks Bell.
The boy looked confused.
As if trying to see how such a carefree girl like Alea could possibly be the daughter of me, who was looking at him with such a deciphering gaze.
Well, it seems that my daughter's cheerfulness had made him feel more relaxed, so that was good, at least.
Maybe I was getting a little too into the serious and thoughtful shtick.
So, leaning back against the chair, I return my gaze to Bell's red eyes.
"Sorry for that, but she really is my daughter. A daughter that needs to take a shower," I say, poking Alea's side.
She just looks up at me before playfully punching her head and sticking her tongue out in a 'silly me' gesture.
Damn idol act...
"But Papa, can't you just clean me with your magic?" She asks.
"I'm not your damn walking shower," I grumble under my breath.
But, succumbing to her request, I quickly chant Aqua Corona, cleaning up all the dirt and grime that had accumulated on Alea's body.
Seeing that there were no injuries to be healed, it seems that Stella had been taking care of her siblings.
"Anyway, Bell. You can continue," I say to the boy, who was staring at me in wonder.
Was that his first time seeing magic?
Or maybe he was just entranced with my daughter's adorableness.
Well, either way, the boy quickly cleared his throat before continuing his story, about his grandfather, his love of heroes, and what he knew about the dungeon city.
'Yep,' was all I could think while listening to his story, 'he's definitely the protagonist.'
I mean... how cliche of a mindset could you get?
—-- Stella POV —--
"Another good day of adventuring! Isn't that right Leo?" I say, skipping down the street.
"Yeah. It's nice to finally get some pocket change, too," He says, jingling the coin purse he had filled after turning in today's loot.
"I suppose. Though you know that Papa would have given us anything if we asked. Especially if Stella or Alea deployed their puppy eyes," my sister says.
"Aww, come on, Ellie! You know Papa would do the same for you!" I say.
"Yes, but I am not so shameless to do such things. Unlike you two," she says blankly.
"Muu~ I'm telling Mama Alise that you're bullying me!" I say, running down the walkway to our home.
Opening the door, I'm met with... no one.
Hmm... I knew that Mother Astraea went with Kaguya to visit one of her Goddess friends but weren't my parents meant to be home?
"Hello~?" I say, looking around the empty room.
"In here!" Alea says.
Ah! So they were in the office then!
Making my way over, I promptly open the door, excited to tell Papa about today's exploits in the dungeon.
"Guess what!? Today, we explored the entire second floor! We even... fought..."
The words die in my throat as I look at the visitor who is sitting opposite Papa and Alea.
A young man, looking no older than 14, with white hair, the same colour as I had in my previous life, messily strewn across his head.
And his eyes... they were exactly like his.
It... it couldn't be, right?
I had somewhat expected him to come here, considering all the hero stories that old man likely preached to him, but I didn't expect it to be this soon!
But for some reason, my instincts, motherly instincts, were telling me that this was-!
"Bell?" I say, wistfully.
Looking toward me, his head tilts to the side cutely as his eyes shine with confusion.
"Y-Yes, I'm Bell Cranel. Umm... what's your name?" he says.
Bell... the name I gave to the bundle of joy on my deathbed.
And if all the signs weren't enough, he also had his father's last name...
I was confused... definitely confused.
How he was here... when he came... did Zeus explain anything to him... all those questions were swimming in my mind.
But for now...
"Bell!" I shout, running toward him and tackling him with a hug.
For now... I'll just appreciate this reunion.
And while it may be a bit difficult, considering my situation... I'd give him all the love he had been missing in his life, and more.
—-- Sirius POV —--
Seeing Stella run headfirst toward Bell, engulfing him in a hug, I was momentarily stunned for words.
Stella's hopeful and thankful expression... the love she was showering this kid in... Bell...
Oh... oh shit!
This was her son, wasn't it!?
F-Fuck, this doesn't mean I'm this kid's grandfather, right?
N-No, he already had a 'Grandpa', so I was free, but... this... this complicates things.
"Papa... can we keep him?" Alea says, looking up at me.
How cheeky...
"Shtawp~!"
So in response, I pinch her cheeks, stretching them to the side.
"Stop complicating things further," I say to her.
Hmm...
"U-Umm, w-who are you? I-I uh-"
The poor kid was having a bit of trouble, but I get it.
Suddenly coming to a prominent Familia for an interview, talking with one of the two strongest adventurers, and then getting glomped by some random child, I too would be in a state of panic.
"Stella. Come on over here, please," I say gently to her.
She turns her head, giving me a pout and a small glare.
"But Papa-"
"I know. But he doesn't. Just look at the poor kid," I say, nodding my head Bell's way.
Seeing her... son?
Ugh, that will be weird to get used to.
Seeing her son's state, Stella finally gets the idea as she gets off his lap, giving him a small kiss on the cheek while doing so, and then making her way over to sit next to me.
"Ah- Umm- T-Thank you?" Bell says, his cheeks rosy red as he gently rubbed the spot he was kissed.
...He's very lucky I roughly know about the situation.
If it was any other father, he would be seeing stars right about now, or perhaps seeing nothing but the embrace of death.
"Sorry about that. This is also one of my daughters, Stella. She's just very... affectionate," I explain.
"O-Oh! I-It's okay!" he says, waving his hands in a frenzy.
Jeez... so jumpy.
Calming himself down, Bell takes a breath before looking back at me with a pleading expression.
"So... sir."
"Just call me Sirius," I say, cutting him off.
"O-Okay. Sirius... Would you accept me into the Familia?" he asks.
Would I accept him into the Familia, huh?
Well, it wasn't really my decision, but I had already made my choice on the matter.
"No," I say with finality.
His head droops and both Alea and Stella turn their heads my way with shocked expressions, but I put a hand over their mouths before they start yelling.
"Don't look so down. There's a reason for this, and it's not anything about your personality. Essentially... you're too weak. Not only would you be put in dangerous situations with our Familia's activities, but you would also have no teammates at your level," I tell him.
Well... there was Sophie, but not only did she have combat experience, but she was also being trained as Alise's disciple, so not really a comparable situation.
Plus... I knew how shitty it felt being the weakest in your Familia.
He would be better off joining a new, weaker Familia, where he could grow alongside companions rather than playing catch up.
And I knew just who to go to.
Thinking over the Gods I had met over the years, a few specific cases came to mind.
Loki, Freya, Take, and Miach.
All four, I felt a 'future premonition' for, but it was fairly weak.
Hestia, on the other hand, was stronger. And quite a lot stronger at that.
At first, I was questioning whether that child-like, walking set of boobies could be the patron deity of the protagonist. The 'hero' of this story. But Mother Astraea had mentioned how she was one of the few 'good' Goddesses out there.
Not only that, but Mother Astraea had all but made her our godmother, telling us that if she were to be sent back to Tenkai, we should join Hestia's Familia.
So even though I had only met her when she acted childish, I held quite a bit of respect for Hestia.
Besides... I did tell Hephaestus I would send any straggling adventurers her way, didn't I?
"But don't worry. I know a Goddess who would love to have you, and she's a trustworthy, good Goddess. Plus... I'll help you with anything you need, at least until you can stand on your own feet," I say with a smile.
If I didn't do that last point, not only could the protagonist potentially fall before the end of the story, but Stella would likely hate me.
So, sweet daughter of mine... you could stop biting my hand now, thank you very much.
----- Bell POV -----
I was finally here!
The dungeon city of Orario!
'Bell,' I remember Grandpa saying.
'Orario is the greatest of cities to have ever existed! Where heroes are born, legends are crafted, and harems are made! And the women, Bell! Oh, the women... they are simply exquisite!'
...Although that last part wasn't as important, this was where I would be able to live my dream!
To be a hero...
Although... I wish he was here to watch me.
I still remember the faces of sympathy the villagers showed me when they broke the news.
A hunting accident.
It was quite a shock.
To think that Grandpa, who was the strongest person I knew, would die to something so... mundane. But this was reality.
The worst part was, there wasn't even a body to make a proper grave for.
Grandpa... the one who had raised me all my life... just like that, he was gone.
After getting the news, I was... pretty sad, for a while, but then I remembered the stories of great heroes that Grandpa told me, and my flame of aspiration was reignited.
So... I took it upon myself to travel to Orario.
Since there weren't any people who knew about adventurers and the dungeon in my small rural village, Grandpa did tell me some basic info about the city, and what to do when I first got here.
Though... he didn't tell me that the carriage ride here would be so expensive.
So, with my heart ablaze with excitement, I made my way to the guild, just like Grandpa told me, to find myself a Familia!
The only problem was... everyone else had rejected me, and there was only one last Familia that was recommended to me by the nice receptionist.
The Astraea Familia... one of the four strongest Familias in Orario.
From what the guild receptionist told me, they were also known as the 'Familia of Justice', as they were the main police force in the city.
They were also the talk of the town as recently, one of their members, the Celestial Sword, had reached level 7, the pinnacle of strength for an adventurer, only reached by the strongest in Orario, the King.
Though... now no one knew who was the strongest amongst the two.
Anyway, it was a great Familia with great achievements and prestige to match!
A perfect place to start my journey!
But... the only problem was... they rarely accepted new members... and past that... they were all women.
Except for Celestial Sword, of course, but he was... an exception.
So I was unlikely to get accepted, but it was still worth a try!
Having followed the map that the receptionist gave me, I found myself walking down a cobbled path toward the Astraea Familia manor.
I could feel my legs tremble in nervousness as my back naturally straightened as I knocked on the door.
But after a single knock, the door opened, revealing a tall man, with long silver hair, similar to mine, and piercing blue eyes.
Alright, Bell!
This is your chance, let's make a good first impression!
Respectful, but not subservient!
"Umm, hello! M-My name is Bell! Bell Cranel! A-And I'd be honoured to join your Familia! Please accept me!" I say with some difficulty.
I did it!
The man's expression shifted from surprise to a small frown as he rubbed his temple.
D-Did I do something wrong?
"Umm, sir?" I say again.
That seems to shake him from his daze.
"Right. 'Join us', huh? Just... come on in. Go take a seat on the couch and we can have a little talk," he says.
Following him inside, he then leads me to a room with a bunch of couches, and books lining the shelves.
Wow... I guess this is what to expect from one of the top Familias.
"I'll go get you something to drink. Is water fine?" he says as I sit down.
"Ah! Y-Yes, please," I answer.
Well, at least I didn't get rejected right out of the gate, and that man seemed pretty nice, so this was going quite well!
Wait... man?
But... that would mean he was Celestial Sword, right?
—-- Sirius POV —--
Okay... what the fuck was going on?
I normally wouldn't have gone to the kitchen to get water for a meeting, as I could simply summon some with Elemental Orb, but I needed some time to recompose myself.
"Husband? Is everything okay?" Ryuu asks as I fill up a glass.
"Huh? Yeah... it's fine. Just... future shit," I respond tiredly.
Alise and Ryuu shared a look of confusion before finally understanding what I was saying.
"Right. How does that feel again?" Alise asks.
"Usually it's only a nagging feeling, but this one felt like a headache," I respond, massaging my still-sore temple.
"I see. It seems that that recruit is quite important, huh?" Ryuu speculates.
"...Yeah."
I had a sense that, with the headache I had felt, that kid was a bit more than simply 'important'.
"Anyway, you two just stay here, alright?" I ask.
"Why?" Alise asks.
I then look pointedly at their nearly bare lower halves and quickly getting my point, the two then nod, with Ryuu's blush returning once again.
"Anyway, just let me deal with it, okay?" I ask.
"Y-yeah, that's fine. But make sure you consult Lyra before accepting them," Ryuu says.
"I will."
Walking back into the room, I looked at the boy in question, his hands fidgeting over one another as his eyes darted from side to side.
And the migraine... it was back.
And just as powerful as before.
Shit... was this the fucking protagonist?
I mean... he doesn't look like much right now, but that growth would be par for the course for an exciting story.
So now was the question... what the hell do I do?
Knowing that the Astraea Familia- my Familia- would have died without my intervention, I had no qualms about messing up the natural flow of the world.
But... would that be best?
In the story, considering my Familia was dead, he definitely would not be accepted by Mother Astraea.
And while I didn't mind messing up the natural flow... that was just for the case of saving souls that were 'left behind', and would die in the main story.
In terms of this guy's growth... I would like to stick to the main plot as much as possible.
"U-Umm, thank you for the water. Are you... are you perhaps Celestial Sword?" the boy, Bell, asks.
"...Yes. Yes, I am. Now," I say, bringing my chin to rest on my steepled fingers, "tell me about yourself."
Taking a drink of water, Bell shakily sets down the cup before taking a deep breath.
"W-Well, I come from outside Orario. F-From a village in the mountains," Bell says.
"I see. Good for building survival skills. Do you have any combat experience?" I ask.
Bell shakes his head.
"N-No. We were quite safe, save for the odd Goblin. And G-Grandfather was able to take care of those whenever they showed up..." Bell says, trailing off at the end.
He looked a little... sad.
"Did something happen to him?" I ask.
Bell clenches his fists.
"Y-Yeah. He... he died, from a hunting accident about two weeks ago," he says.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I say with sympathy.
"Ah! I-It's alright! He lived a long-"
"Papa! We're back!" Alea shouts, opening the door.
Ah, well... there goes my serious facade.
"In here, sweetie! How was the dungeon?" I say with a smile.
Glancing at Bell, he looks extremely confused.
Well... consider this payback for giving me a massive headache.
"It was awesome! Me and Leo did a cool combo attack where-!" Alea then notices our guest.
"Uhh, Papa? Who's that?" She asks.
"A friend. Where are your siblings?" I ask.
"They're still at the guild, exchanging the magic stones," Alea says, bounding over to me before deciding to sit on my lap.
"Hello! I'm Alea! Alea Lovion! What's your name?" My daughter asks Bell.
The boy looked confused.
As if trying to see how such a carefree girl like Alea could possibly be the daughter of me, who was looking at him with such a deciphering gaze.
Well, it seems that my daughter's cheerfulness had made him feel more relaxed, so that was good, at least.
Maybe I was getting a little too into the serious and thoughtful shtick.
So, leaning back against the chair, I return my gaze to Bell's red eyes.
"Sorry for that, but she really is my daughter. A daughter that needs to take a shower," I say, poking Alea's side.
She just looks up at me before playfully punching her head and sticking her tongue out in a 'silly me' gesture.
Damn idol act...
"But Papa, can't you just clean me with your magic?" She asks.
"I'm not your damn walking shower," I grumble under my breath.
But, succumbing to her request, I quickly chant Aqua Corona, cleaning up all the dirt and grime that had accumulated on Alea's body.
Seeing that there were no injuries to be healed, it seems that Stella had been taking care of her siblings.
"Anyway, Bell. You can continue," I say to the boy, who was staring at me in wonder.
Was that his first time seeing magic?
Or maybe he was just entranced with my daughter's adorableness.
Well, either way, the boy quickly cleared his throat before continuing his story, about his grandfather, his love of heroes, and what he knew about the dungeon city.
'Yep,' was all I could think while listening to his story, 'he's definitely the protagonist.'
I mean... how cliche of a mindset could you get?
—-- Stella POV —--
"Another good day of adventuring! Isn't that right Leo?" I say, skipping down the street.
"Yeah. It's nice to finally get some pocket change, too," He says, jingling the coin purse he had filled after turning in today's loot.
"I suppose. Though you know that Papa would have given us anything if we asked. Especially if Stella or Alea deployed their puppy eyes," my sister says.
"Aww, come on, Ellie! You know Papa would do the same for you!" I say.
"Yes, but I am not so shameless to do such things. Unlike you two," she says blankly.
"Muu~ I'm telling Mama Alise that you're bullying me!" I say, running down the walkway to our home.
Opening the door, I'm met with... no one.
Hmm... I knew that Mother Astraea went with Kaguya to visit one of her Goddess friends but weren't my parents meant to be home?
"Hello~?" I say, looking around the empty room.
"In here!" Alea says.
Ah! So they were in the office then!
Making my way over, I promptly open the door, excited to tell Papa about today's exploits in the dungeon.
"Guess what!? Today, we explored the entire second floor! We even... fought..."
The words die in my throat as I look at the visitor who is sitting opposite Papa and Alea.
A young man, looking no older than 14, with white hair, the same colour as I had in my previous life, messily strewn across his head.
And his eyes... they were exactly like his.
It... it couldn't be, right?
I had somewhat expected him to come here, considering all the hero stories that old man likely preached to him, but I didn't expect it to be this soon!
But for some reason, my instincts, motherly instincts, were telling me that this was-!
"Bell?" I say, wistfully.
Looking toward me, his head tilts to the side cutely as his eyes shine with confusion.
"Y-Yes, I'm Bell Cranel. Umm... what's your name?" he says.
Bell... the name I gave to the bundle of joy on my deathbed.
And if all the signs weren't enough, he also had his father's last name...
I was confused... definitely confused.
How he was here... when he came... did Zeus explain anything to him... all those questions were swimming in my mind.
But for now...
"Bell!" I shout, running toward him and tackling him with a hug.
For now... I'll just appreciate this reunion.
And while it may be a bit difficult, considering my situation... I'd give him all the love he had been missing in his life, and more.
—-- Sirius POV —--
Seeing Stella run headfirst toward Bell, engulfing him in a hug, I was momentarily stunned for words.
Stella's hopeful and thankful expression... the love she was showering this kid in... Bell...
Oh... oh shit!
This was her son, wasn't it!?
F-Fuck, this doesn't mean I'm this kid's grandfather, right?
N-No, he already had a 'Grandpa', so I was free, but... this... this complicates things.
"Papa... can we keep him?" Alea says, looking up at me.
How cheeky...
"Shtawp~!"
So in response, I pinch her cheeks, stretching them to the side.
"Stop complicating things further," I say to her.
Hmm...
"U-Umm, w-who are you? I-I uh-"
The poor kid was having a bit of trouble, but I get it.
Suddenly coming to a prominent Familia for an interview, talking with one of the two strongest adventurers, and then getting glomped by some random child, I too would be in a state of panic.
"Stella. Come on over here, please," I say gently to her.
She turns her head, giving me a pout and a small glare.
"But Papa-"
"I know. But he doesn't. Just look at the poor kid," I say, nodding my head Bell's way.
Seeing her... son?
Ugh, that will be weird to get used to.
Seeing her son's state, Stella finally gets the idea as she gets off his lap, giving him a small kiss on the cheek while doing so, and then making her way over to sit next to me.
"Ah- Umm- T-Thank you?" Bell says, his cheeks rosy red as he gently rubbed the spot he was kissed.
...He's very lucky I roughly know about the situation.
If it was any other father, he would be seeing stars right about now, or perhaps seeing nothing but the embrace of death.
"Sorry about that. This is also one of my daughters, Stella. She's just very... affectionate," I explain.
"O-Oh! I-It's okay!" he says, waving his hands in a frenzy.
Jeez... so jumpy.
Calming himself down, Bell takes a breath before looking back at me with a pleading expression.
"So... sir."
"Just call me Sirius," I say, cutting him off.
"O-Okay. Sirius... Would you accept me into the Familia?" he asks.
Would I accept him into the Familia, huh?
Well, it wasn't really my decision, but I had already made my choice on the matter.
"No," I say with finality.
His head droops and both Alea and Stella turn their heads my way with shocked expressions, but I put a hand over their mouths before they start yelling.
"Don't look so down. There's a reason for this, and it's not anything about your personality. Essentially... you're too weak. Not only would you be put in dangerous situations with our Familia's activities, but you would also have no teammates at your level," I tell him.
Well... there was Sophie, but not only did she have combat experience, but she was also being trained as Alise's disciple, so not really a comparable situation.
Plus... I knew how shitty it felt being the weakest in your Familia.
He would be better off joining a new, weaker Familia, where he could grow alongside companions rather than playing catch up.
And I knew just who to go to.
Thinking over the Gods I had met over the years, a few specific cases came to mind.
Loki, Freya, Take, and Miach.
All four, I felt a 'future premonition' for, but it was fairly weak.
Hestia, on the other hand, was stronger. And quite a lot stronger at that.
At first, I was questioning whether that child-like, walking set of boobies could be the patron deity of the protagonist. The 'hero' of this story. But Mother Astraea had mentioned how she was one of the few 'good' Goddesses out there.
Not only that, but Mother Astraea had all but made her our godmother, telling us that if she were to be sent back to Tenkai, we should join Hestia's Familia.
So even though I had only met her when she acted childish, I held quite a bit of respect for Hestia.
Besides... I did tell Hephaestus I would send any straggling adventurers her way, didn't I?
"But don't worry. I know a Goddess who would love to have you, and she's a trustworthy, good Goddess. Plus... I'll help you with anything you need, at least until you can stand on your own feet," I say with a smile.
If I didn't do that last point, not only could the protagonist potentially fall before the end of the story, but Stella would likely hate me.
So, sweet daughter of mine... you could stop biting my hand now, thank you very much.
