(Riven POV – Hearth of Threads)
'I wonder if she'll like it.'
That thought drifts idly through my mind as I wait, hands in my pockets, the faint rustle of fabric coming from behind the curtain. The silence stretches for only a few minutes before the curtain bursts open with a flourish.
"Ta-daa!"
Hestia steps out with a proud grin, striking a pose with her hands on her hips as her blue eyes gleam like polished sapphires. "Well? How do I look?" She asks, clearly fishing for praise, and knowing she's about to get it.
And honestly… how could she not?
The outfit fits her perfectly.
(If I forget, remind me to add the images)
(This is the original, before colour changes. The cover image is a reference with the changes implemented. But below is the actual thing, - colours.)
It's a deep, celestial blue, reminiscent of the sky just before nightfall. The high, fitted collar frames her slender neck, while a teardrop-shaped cutout rests on her chest, echoing her usual boob-window, but with a more refined charm.
The sleeves catch my eye next. Long, flowing, bell-shaped, cream-colored silk that shimmer with every movement. They're cinched at her forearms with delicate dark blue ribbons, and patterned faintly with pale blue floral designs that glimmer like frost.
A ribbon of the same deep blue wraps neatly around her waist, tied into a bow at the front, and from it, a sheer cream fabric falls in twin streams, trailing behind her like a ghostly veil. It sways lightly with her movements, as it's floral patterns catch the light in soft glimmers of blue.
The dress itself ends at her mid-thigh, its layered hem rippling like waves, with little rose-shaped embellishments winding up from the edges in vine-like patterns of white and baby blue.
And below it all, her sandals, simple but elegant, lace up her calves with dark ribbons tied into neat bows.
It's… perfect. Graceful but playful, elegant yet carrying her unmistakably innocent charm.
A smile tugs at my lips before I even realize it.
"You look amazing." I say simply, and I mean it. My voice must give me away, because her entire face lights up, her grin turning radiant.
"Really?!" She beams, twirling once, her skirt flaring out around her like petals in bloom. "I knew it! I mean, I did feel cute, but hearing you say it makes it even better!"
I chuckle softly. "You do look cute. But…"
Her twirl stops mid-spin. "But?"
"The outfit's still missing something."
Her happiness falters into confusion, then panic. "Huh?! W-wait, what do you mean missing something? I'm sure I wore everything that was in the box!" She says frantically, already turning toward the changing room. "Did I forget something? Oh no—"
"Relax, Goddess." I catch her wrist before she bolts. "You didn't forget anything. I just… didn't give you everything."
Her jaw drops. "You what?! You did that on purpose, didn't you?!"
"Maybe." I say, grinning.
"You're such a—!" She puffs her cheeks, glaring adorably up at me. "You always tease me like this!"
"I tease you because you're cute when you're embarrassed or shy."
"See?! You are doing it on purpose!"
I can't help but laugh, holding up my hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I wasn't trying to mess with you this time. I just wanted to do the last part myself. I find it quite fun."
She blinks, tilting her head suspiciously. "The last part…?"
I pull out the missing pieces from Stomach. Two long, sheer cream ribbons with tiny rose patterns woven through appear in my hand.
"That's it?" She asks, her brow furrowing. "You hid ribbons from me? What could possibly be fun about that?"
I take a step closer, smiling softly. "It's fun for me."
Her cheeks pinken at my tone. "O-oh…? O-okay then…" She murmurs, confused but curious, turning around obediently when I motion for her to.
Her hair, usually tied, now falls freely down her back, a cascade of silky black that gleams in the morning light. I gather it gently in my hands, the strands soft and warm against my fingers, before tying it into her familiar twin tails with the new ribbons.
The sheer fabric catches the light, the faint rose patterns blending with her hair like scattered petals in moonlight.
"There." I murmur, stepping back. "Now it's perfect."
She turns, blinking up at me with wide blue eyes. "You really think so?"
"Mm. The outfit's nice…" I admit. "But the one wearing it makes it beautiful."
Her cheeks instantly turn red. "Y-you can't just say stuff like that out of nowhere!" She stammers, fidgeting with the skirt's hem.
"Why not? It's true."
"Riven!" She whines, puffing up her cheeks again. "You're always teasing me!"
I laugh quietly, then reach a hand out on impulse, but stop myself just before ruffling her hair. 'Right… I probably shouldn't ruin it now.'
But Hestia notices the motion and frowns slightly before leaning forward, pressing her head lightly into my palm.
"If you like my hair so much…" She says softly, a smug little smile returning, "You can touch it."
I blink in surprise before chuckling, brushing my fingers gently through her hair.
She giggles at the touch, tilting her head into my hand.
For a moment, the store feels silent and still, except for the faint rustling of fabric, and Hestia's quiet laughter.
And for me, only this scene exists.
(Riven POV – Tower of Babel)
I ended up spending about two more hours with Hestia before leaving.
The shop had officially opened, and I stayed just long enough to watch her get used to the first wave of curious onlookers. Most of them were more interested in gawking than buying anything, but Hestia didn't seem to mind. She was as bright, cheerful, and sweet as alway. I'm certain her personality would charm even the stingiest customers into returning.
'She'll do fine.' I think, feeling oddly proud. 'People can't resist her when she's like that.'
As for security… well, I'm not too worried. No mortal would dare harm a god… not unless they want to experience an excruciating death. The clothes don't cost much to make, so even if something did happen, it's not like we'd lose much. And if someone actually did cause trouble… I could always "deal with" them later.
'Besides, Hestia herself is surprisingly dangerous when she wants to be.' I think with a grin, remembering her other personality.
Still, we should probably get another Familia member soon. Firstly, for protection. And secondly, Hestia probably wants to be lazy and not work.
'But future Riven can handle that.' I decide, stretching as I leave the plaza behind and head toward the dungeon.
I want to head deeper today. I stopped before the 12th floor to avoid running into the larger monsters before getting a weapon. But my GreatSword should handle them easily.
Then a thought strikes me.
'…I never named the sword, did I?'
I stop mid-step. Does it matter? Not really. Do I need to? Definitely not.
But I can already see Hephaestus giving me a disappointed look, demanding to know what I've named the "masterpiece."
'If I don't name it, she'll hound me for weeks.'
So, after some deep, calculated thought…
'I'll name it… Sword.'
[…]
There's a long, palpable silence in my mind, as even GS is left speechless. Well, I assume she is. Right?
[Answer: Your statement did not necessitate a response.]
'What? It's simple, it's memorable, and it's honest.' I reason silently. 'What more could you want?'
[…]
I sigh. 'You're too picky.'
Shaking my head, I continue on, entering the marble expanse of Babel. The place is buzzing with adventurers, merchants, and porters all milling about in a chaotic rhythm that somehow maintains order.
Then something small catches my attention. A Pallum girl hauling a huge backpack, surrounded by four adventurers.
'Oh? Liliruca?' I slow my pace, watching her disappear toward the dungeon. 'Didn't think I'd see her again so soon.'
For a moment, I consider following them. But after a brief internal debate, I wave the thought away.
'It's not my business. She's clever enough to handle herself.'
At least, that's what I tell myself, right until I notice another group of three entering after her. Something about them feels… familiar.
'Do I know them?' I wonder, unable to put a name to the face.
[Answer: They are the three adventurers you beat up when you saved Liliruca.]
'Ah… right.'
They really didn't leave much of an impression. I almost forget people that forgettable exist.
Still, I can't help but notice the way they're laughing. It's the kind of evil laughter that belongs to people who think they're about to do something cruel and get away with it.
'Is it a coincidence? That's unlikely.' I muse, my smile fading.
If they're heading into the dungeon right after her… then it's not hard to guess what they're planning. And if I hadn't interfered before, they might have been her "friends" still.
'If they try to kill her, she won't survive long enough to meet Bell… which means I won't be able to exploit her once she joins the Familia.'
And that… would technically be my fault.
I stand there for a few seconds, weighing the options. Intervene, or mind my own business.
…Yeah, like that's even a question.
'I'll follow them.'
Not out of heroism, exactly. She's a potential future ally, a supporting character, and she's lived a tough life. Maybe she deserves a break.
Her constantly getting betrayed by her so called allies makes me sympathise with her a bit.
And, well… I may have indirectly caused this. And maybe, just maybe, I'm a little curious what happens when I absorb a human corpse or otherwise, with Predator.
'Should I feel bad about that?' I think, then shrug.
'When your skills make you a sociopath, empathy's a choice I can simply ignore.'
With that innocent thought, I smile to myself and walk toward the dungeon's yawning entrance, ready to play the part of either a savior, a villain, or an opportunist.
************
A/N: Hello Everyone. How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So, the shop is finally up and running. Her outfit is adorable, and she'll get to model many more in the future. Riven is also going into the dungeon again, after so long.
To be fair, I'm relieved. If I'm not considering Lili a love interest, everything becomes a lot easier and natural. The next chapter will have her POV, and it'll be fun/tragic. Idk. I'm apparently good at giving characters trauma🤣😭. So yeah... She'll get character development 👀.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
And I guess, that's all. Weird. I expected to have more to write about. But it's fine. I hope you all enjoyed, and have a good day/night 🌉!