"Master!! You could've helped!!"
Bell cried towards the corner where he last saw his master, his voice strained.
Stepping out from within the shadows, Kaelis acted as if he wasn't watching.
"Oh. You're done?" He acted surprised.
"You weren't watching!? What if I had died!?"
"Good job staying alive then." Kaelis simply gave him a thumbs-up. "Keep that up."
Bell wanted to cry and throw his sword at Kaelis at the same time.
But he could only sigh at his master's antics.
In any case…
He looked back at the spot where he delivered his final attack to the monster, effectively killing it in one blow.
He'd beaten something stronger than him.
On his own.
He looked down at his callused palm.
His palm was rough now, compared to his delicate face that resembled a baby's, the calluses were thicker, the skin tougher.
Small reminders of every time Kaelis made him redo a swing, every hour spent holding that sword until his fingers cramped.
Yeah… this wasn't just luck.
He clenched his fist, flexing his arm muscles.
A proud little smile crept onto his face.
"…I really did it," he whispered.
And the funny part?
He hadn't thought about anything hero-like or being a hero at all during the fight.
No dramatic monologues.
No cool poses.
Just… footwork, distance, timing. The stuff Kaelis drilled into him day after day.
Somewhere along the way—without realizing it—he started thinking less like someone chasing a dream and more like someone who fought with a sword for real.
A swordsman.
He didn't notice it.
But Kaelis, who was watching him, saw the fire being lit in him and chuckled proudly.
Kaelis walked over casually. "Mm. Told you. You could handle it. Just have to put your skills where your mind is."
He then draped an arm around his shoulder putting his face close to Bell's.
"You know… in all the disciples I've trained, you're one of the most skilled. You're in the top 30 most skilled—not strongest, just skill."
Bell puffed his cheeks again. "Hmph! I'll definitely make it to the top 10!"
He announced with determination.
"Yay! You can do it!" Kaelis clapped his hands together to cheat him on, making Bell's face turn red.
"Anyway. Let's grab that magic stone and we'll continue to the next floor. Floor ten is our goal for today's dive?"
Bell froze.
"…C-continue? Tenth floor?"
Somewhere deeper in the corridor, several scratching noises, as if metal was being dragged across the walls of the dungeon, could be heard faintly, sending chills down his spine.
Bell's face went pale.
Kaelis grinned.
"Let's call those your warm-up."
He slapped the boys back pushing him forward.
Bell's stamina was halfway depleted and was slowly recovering while for some reason his mind felt heavy, though slowly replenishing as well.
"Master…"
Seeing that his master was set on reaching the tenth floor, he could only suck it up and follow along.
'I wonder how Miss Eina will react to the report…"
Now filled with determination, he glanced down the dark hall as numerous red glows shone as if looking back at him.
Gripping his sword tighter, steeling his nerves, he stepped forward.
'Come!'
As master and disciple made their way through the seventh-floor monsters toward the tenth, their pace was steady.
Meanwhile, a tiny goddess—who had spent her entire morning apologizing to her employer—had finally reached her lunch break and was now heading towards babel's upper levels at full speed.
…
Babel tower's upper level~
Inside a quiet office room, behind a heavy desk stacked with contracts, material requests, smithing schedules, a beautiful red haired woman who anyone could see was a goddess, worked in total silence.
She turned a page, dipped her pen—
And the office door burst open so hard, one would think it was about to fall off its hinges.
"HEPHAESTUS!!"
The goddess looked up with such calmness, it made one wonder if she was used to such things.
If Kaelis was here, he would recognize the name from the god of forge from Greek mythology but he would also be taken aback by the sight of a female Hephaestus.
The goddess in question paused as her pen stopped mid-stroke.
Only one person ever made that kind of entrance.
The goddess of forge, Hephaestus let out a sigh and put her pen down.
"…Hestia. You know… most people knock."
Tiny feet pitter-pattered into the room and nearly over the desk.
Hestia puffed out her cheeks but the excitement on her face didn't fade.
"Sorry! But I needed to talk to you!"
"You always need to," Hephaestus said dryly. "Usually it's because you want something. Need I remind you that you already owe me."
"That was ONE time!"
"Mm-hm." Hephaestus leaned back in her chair, folding her arms as she stared deadpan at her sister-like best friend.
"So? Shouldn't you be working right now? That debt of yours won't pay itself."
Hestia flinched. "I was! But—uh—now is my lunch break. And yesterday I was… busy."
"Busy skipping work," Hephaestus corrected.
Her eye narrowed slightly, but there was no real heat behind it. Just… resignation.
She'd known Hestia long enough.
Hestia waved her hands. "I wasn't skipping! I was recruiting!"
That made Hephaestus raise a brow. "Re–cruiting?"
"Yep!" Hestia puffed up with a proud grin. "I got adventurers to join my Familia!"
"…Plural?" Hephaestus asked, eyebrow raised.
"Well—technically one." Hestia scratched her cheek.
"The other one isn't taking the Falna. But still! My Familia has members now!"
"You didn't have to run all the way here just to tell me that," Hephaestus said, though her voice softened just a bit. "But congratulations."
"Thank you!" Hestia beamed… then leaned forward eagerly.
"And one of them—Bell—he's really talented! Like super talented! Actually, he has this special skill and it's called Echo o—"
"Hestia."
Hephaestus raised her hand, stopping her mid-sentence.
"That sort of thing is private," she said firmly. "You don't tell anyone else your child's abilities. Not even another god. It's the child's and familia's secret."
Hestia blinked. "Oh. Right… I guess that makes sense. He-he-he." She laughed nervously.
Hephaestus's face scrunched up. "You guess?"
Hestia puffed her cheeks again. "Well I was excited and you're my best friend so there isn't any problem."
"Yes, you're mine as well and even though I won't tell anyone, it's best if you keep a tight lid on your familia affairs. "
Hephaestus returned her attention to the papers, flipping the next page.
"Regardless, you have a Familia now. So go do your job before I dock your pay."
"Ehhh!? You can't do that!"
"I can. And I will."
"Meanie!"
Hephaestus smiled faintly—just enough for someone who knew her well to notice.
"Go on, Hestia. Before you end up owing me another month of debt. I have work to do.
With a cute little hmph, Hestia spun around and headed for the door—her tiny steps bouncing with excitement.
As she closed it behind her, leaving Hephaestus to his documents, the goddess of the forge couldn't help but think about the child her best friend had taken in.
She was curious about the skill Hestia was going to tell her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind for now.
Hephaestus shook her head slightly, sighing softly as her attention turned back to the pile of papers on her desk.
Pulling a fresh sheet forward, she began jotting down notes, her mind already on the task ahead.
Tsubaki was going down to the 59th floor of the Dungeon with the Loki Familia, and Hephaestus had to make sure everything was set.
Supplies, plans, contingencies—nothing could be left to chance.
She scribbled down potions, healing salves, stamina elixirs, and protective wards, making little notes about quantities and timing.
Everything had to be accounted for—they couldn't afford to be blind in a fight.
She glanced at the chart of the 59th floor, noting which monsters popped up where and which dropped useful materials for crafting.
Hephaestus leaned back.
Tsubaki and the team had to be sharp, coordinated, and ready for anything.
In the dungeon, every choice, be it simple or not could mean the difference between coming back in one piece or not at all.
The dungeon is not a playground.
"All set," she muttered. "Let's make sure these guys survive long enough to get something out of it."
After all, in this partnership, her familia would be the most profitable.
Chapter 65 end.