While they sat waiting for their food to arrive…
Hestia began tapping her fingers on the table with an impatient expression.
"Ughhh, I'm starving… when is the food coming…?"
"You literally just sat down," Kaelis said.
Bell smiled awkwardly. "It shouldn't take long. The kitchen looked really fast."
Hestia puffed her cheeks. "Easy for you to say! I haven't eaten anything since this morning! I was on my lunch bre—"
She abruptly went silent, making Kaelis raise an eyebrow while Bell looked confused.
Kaelis rested his chin on his hand. "In any case. Tomorrow, what exactly do you guys have planned?"
Bell perked up. "Um… I wanted to check out the Dungeon first thing."
Kaelis nodded. "Same here. I want to see if it matches what I have in mind as well as seeing if I can find any material while getting some money."
Bell nodded.
"And you?" Kaelis turned to the silent Hestia.
"I-i h-have work…" she stammered pale faced.
"Hm? Work? I didn't see you working today. Did you have a day off or something?" Kaelis asked.
"N-no! I-I was on… my lunch break…"
Her voice became low towards the end there but they could still hear her words clearly.
Kaelis eyes widened in surprise. "So you ditched work to prowl along with us?"
"Aren't you afraid of losing your job, Lady Hestia?" Even Bell was surprised.
"Scratch that…" Kaelis shook his head. "Why does a god or goddess even work? Don't you like, get free stuff?"
"Not in the lower world. Goddess or not, I still gotta buy food. I can't just sit around doing nothing, you know?"
"Where do you even work anyway? I can't imagine a goddess would have a low tier job, right?"
"…"
"What? You are?"
Hestia turned her face to the side to prevent them from seeing her face.
"…clerk…" She whispered under her breath.
"Haaa?" Kaelis drew closer.
"…clerk…"
She repeated with a lower tone than before.
"Haaahhh?!" Kaelis drew even closer, nearly leaning over the table.
"A clerk, damn it!"
She shouted frustratingly drawing the attention of the whole restaurant.
Everyone looked over questioningly at their table at Hestia.
Seeing everyone looking at her for her outburst, she coughed and sat back down trying to act like she didn't just shouted, making Kaelis giggle at her red face.
"Sorry everyone! It's that time of the month for the goddess!"
Turning to the other patrons of the Hostess of Fertility, he apologized on her behalf.
"Oh, really? No problem."
"Sure, kid. Must be rough dealing with a cranky goddess."
"I feel for you two.."
"You—"
Seeing everyone accept Kaelis statement and went back to what they were doing, Hestia jumped up, once more about to have another outburst.
Nearly everyone in the restaurant was male and they knew what it's like being around a woman on her period.
And if a mortal woman can be so aggressive at that time of the month, what would it be like for a goddess?
Shivers ran down their spine at the mere thought.
They didn't know whether a goddess could have a period like a mortal but none wanted to find out so they just shrugged.
"Heh. Works like a charm." Kaelis chuckled.
"Master… you shouldn't do that you know?"
Bell tried to scold his master but his tone was too soft to have an effect.
"Look, Bell." Kaelis slipped in his teacher-like tone and serene expression as he delivered a life lesson.
"You must use everything at your disposal in certain situations."
"But you shouldn't go using the goddess like that."
"Are you guys ignoring me!?"
Hestia gritted her teeth as she ran around the table and slapped Kaelis's cheeks with both hands and pressed her forehead against his, making him gaze into her eyes.
"You—how dare you embarrass me like that!?" She growled.
She looked pretty angry but her embarrassment was higher.
You could tell from her face redness.
So cute.
"No. No. I wasn't ignoring you." He smiled. "I was just educating my dear disciple."
She let go of his face and crossed her arms, as her cheeks puffed up like a hamster's.
"I don't believe you one bit…"
She went back to her seat.
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that~"
"Here's your order, dear customer."
Their food had arrived, carried by the same grey haired girl from before.
"Oh, thank you." Kaelis thanked.
"No problem." She answered as she placed everything on the table before them.
"And this here is our Hostess Grand Platter!"
She began introducing,
"A mix of our three best-sellers—Mama Mia's Minotaur Steak, Baked Honeybread with soup, and the Flaming Salamander Skillet with Moonlight Cider juice. Perfect for hungry adventurers… or anyone who wants to taste everything at once!"
She gives a playful wink.
"Oooo! Amazing!"
Hestia's mouth became watering as she ignored all courtesies and grabbed a piece of everything.
"Thank you for the food." Bell didn't wait either.
"Enjoy!" The waitress said.
Kaelis grabbed a plate and filled it with portions of each dish and was about to eat.
"Um. What's your name, Mr. Customer?" The waitress turned to Kaelis.
"Hm? You're still here? Well, the names Kaelis Valeblade. And yours?"
"My name is Syr Flova. Call me Syr." She smiled cheerfully.
"Syr Flova. Cute name for an equally cute girl." Kaelis nodded.
"He-he-he~" She giggled shyly.
"Well Mr. Kaelis. It's nice meeting you. I hope you come again." She left bouncing on her feet.
He watched her run off before he went back to sorting his plate.
"Seems you have admirers." Hestia spoke through chewing.
"Don't talk and eat at the same time. You might bite your tongue."
"Hmph!"
"This is good." He muttered to himself.
Time passed as they ate in silence.
Once they finished eating, Kaelis thought he should get to know this tiny goddess.
"So you're a clerk huh."
"So what!?" Hestia asked aggressively.
"Nothing really." Kaelis shook his head. "What do you sell in the store? Who do you work for? Is the pay good? Do they treat you well?"
Bell listened closely as he could learn more about his patron goddess.
She gave him a suspicious look as she scrutinized him.
"I sell weapons."
Hestia leaned back slightly, relaxed as she explained, "I work at one of Hephaestus-sama's weapon shops. She gave me the job to help pay off… well… my debt."
Kaelis raised an eyebrow. "Debt?"
Her face took on a red tint. " I… I freeloaded a little at her place after I descended. Before she kicked me out. I've been working to pay off my debt for months now."
Bell blinked. "…months? That's… a lot shorter than I imagined."
Hestia nodded. "Y-yea… and Hephaestus-sama takes most of my pay, leaving me just enough to buy food. I was actually planning on starting a little potato stall on the side to make some extra cash… but I haven't gotten around to it yet."
Kaelis shook his head with a faint smirk. "You really are embarrassing, you know that?"
Hestia's cheeks immediately became crimson. "E-Embarrassing!? W-What are you talking about!?"
Kaelis leaned back in his seat, grin widening.
"A goddess working as a clerk, trying to run a potato stall on top of that… it's kind of cute… in a humiliating way."
Hestia crossed her arms, scowling but unable to hide the pink tinge spreading down her neck.
"I-I am NOT humiliating! You're the one acting all… all superior!"
Bell tilted his head, quietly trying to process everything. "I… I had no idea… Hestia-sama, you've really been working hard, haven't you?"
Hestia let out a small sigh, shrugging.
"I've got to. Even gods have bills." She glanced down at her plate, muttering.
Kaelis chuckled quietly, shaking his head.
"I swear, you're impossible. But I'll give you this—you're persistent. Not many people could handle that kind of—what'd'ya call it…lower-world grind."
Hestia peeked at him, still pouting slightly. "I-It's not like I wanted to… it's just the way it is!"
Bell, on the other hand, tried to be more thoughtful.
"I think it's kind of impressive… I mean, if it were me, I probably would've given up a long time ago."
Kaelis smirked at the boy. "Exactly. Perseverance is everything, Bell. Even for a goddess."
Hestia's blush deepened, but a small smile tugged at her lips despite herself. "Y-You… really don't make it easy to stay mad at you, do you?"
Kaelis tilted his head, giving her a playful glance. "That's the idea."
Bell quietly drew closer. "So… this weapon shop… you actually handle weapons? Like swords and armor?"
Hestia nodded enthusiastically, brushing some stray strands of hair behind her ears.
"Yup! I handle weapons all day, sometimes I even clean them, though that's mostly Hephaestus-sama's apprentices."
Kaelis smirked. "Yeah? Somehow I see you doing it clumsy and them sidelining you."
Hestia huffed, cheeks still pink. "Shut up…"
Bell looked at both of them, smiling. "I… I had no idea being a goddess in the lower world could be so… overworked."
Kaelis tilted his head at him. "It's a lesson in humility… I guess even god's aren't exempt from mundane struggles."
Hestia glanced between them, a mixture of pride and embarrassment on her face. "I'm not a mortal! I can handle it!"
"Sure you can. Just… don't expect anyone else to take it as seriously as you do." Kaelis grinned.
Hestia's blush deepened again. She groaned quietly under her breath.
"You're… really something else…"
Bell, meanwhile, tried not to laugh at how flustered the goddess looked next to her two patrons.
Chapter 61 end.