Inside a traditional Japanese house in Hephaestus Familia, two people are conversing between a cup of tea.
"So you're asking me who that young lady is?"
Tsubaki was sitting on a rectangular cushion called Zabuton in seiza style.
She was talking to a fellow member of her Familia.
"Yes, I've seen her talking to you yesterday morning, but I can't seem to recall anyone in our Familia that looks like her."
A young man was kneeling in front of her, he has a blue scarf and black clothing.
"Sorry Welf, can't tell cuz it's a personal business of Hephaestus-sama"
Tsubaki looks helplessly at her friend, she heard he was looking for her the whole day however, her goddess ask her about something yesterday.
"Please! I've seen her this morning going to Hephaestus-sama Manor, but I still haven't seen her going out even at this time."
Welf begged while slamming his hand on the small table, his friend whom he treated as his big sister can only sigh.
"Lil Welf is in love eh? Hehe, I can't blame you she's a true masterpiece."
Tsubaki teased her friend who is blushing madly but still looking at her with determination.
"I can only tell you a name, her name is David it means beloved and written like this..."
The young man tilted his head in confusion but relaxed after seeing the word written on parchment of paper.
"If you want to meet her you can visit me tomorrow in the evening, she requested my help regarding her combat training and if you receive her approval then maybe you can stay."
Welf was delighted at her help and hurriedly left after thanking her, Tsubaki can only shake her head.
'I forgot to tell him that she's in a different Familia and a protégé of a god, it seems Welf would have a very hard time.'
Tsubaki sipped her tea while helplessly looking at the setting sun
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Hephaestus walked out in her smithy with David on her tow.
She was evaluating his skill while looking at a simple knife in her hand.
'Perfect without any impurities and mistakes.'
Hephaestus knows that he could finish the knife in just a few hours, but he still spent the entire day hammering a piece of worthless metal.
'Goibniu told me about his obsession, but this is ridiculous'
She looks at the slowly rising sun on the horizon, she remembered how his hammer strikes true in every possible way.
'He told me David lacks talent but compensates it with hard work however, as I've seen him work, I can say that he is second to none in terms of talent, maybe Goibniu is making fun of me'
While David really has zero talent regarding forging, his skill Correxion perfected everything so that's why Hephaestus thought Goibniu was lying.
She glances at how he stopped a few measured steps away from her and waited for approval to sit down.
"Hephaestus did I pass?"
He asked in uncertainty, he remembered how his god also tested him when he first joined his Familia and how he scolds him for harming himself for a piece of junk.
He was shocked at how his god reacted, seeing that the small knife he spent perfecting all day is just a piece of junk for a god, it opens his eyes that perfection is an endless endeavor.
The reason he joined his Familia is to save some money and build his own business but after that day he promised to be better than anyone else.
That's why along with his obsession with perfection, even with everyone ridiculing him and barely any customer looking for his commission he still perseveres in his way.
While David was in turmoil thinking about how can he redeem himself, Hephaestus was fidgeting when he called her name.
There's no one else that called her name except for her friend, even when she joked to call her by name yesterday she was still surprised hearing it.
"Umm no it's fine, but I have a question for you David, are you really serious about me?"
Hephaestus turns around to look at him, straight in his eye, she wants to hear it again, his determination and drive.
"Yes, I am serious Hephaestus."
Without battling his eye and full of conviction, Hephaestus can only turn around again to hide her blush.
-------------
(Yesterday)
"Good morning goddess Hephaestus, I am David a member of Goibniu Familia, I was tasked by my god to learn to your tutelage while he is away, please take care of me"
He can't help but be respectful to the goddess in front of him with how she carried herself, it has been so long since he last saw her, and she was still how he remembered her.
"Goibniu has entrusted me to you but even then I won't tutor anyone who doesn't have any will to learn especially those I would personally teach."
She was looking at him intently betraying how she was content with the young man in front of her, even without asking she can see his determination inside his sharp and modest eyes.
"I don't settle for less than perfect goddess Hephaestus, you're what I want and reason to be a blacksmith."
Hephaestus was confused at first but almost blushed when she 'understand' his intent.
"So you're saying you wish to be with me?"
David nods his head resolutely, goddess Hephaestus is a better teacher according to his god, and it's her Familia that he wants to join first when he first arrives in Orario.
"You asked your god to be personally taught by me because you want me? Does he know about this?"
She asked again to confirm, if Goibniu know about this then she finally understands why he doesn't mind losing out on their negotiation.
It also finally make sense even when they're both gods of forging he still to ask her to teach his protégé.
"Yes, my god also wants this, he even told me to be serious on this and be good to you, or else he will smack me himself."
He knows that his god wants him to marry Hephaestus, but the real purpose of this training is for him to learn the Mystery development ability.
David doesn't even care about the marriage as he knows that even his god understands that it's impossible to obtain the goddess's heart within a short month.
That's why his god reminds him that it's very important to learn the Mystery ability to create a magic sword
'So that's why even the always serious Goibniu accepted a huge loss because he already gives him his blessing.'
She thought while looking at the young man's expression, she wants to see any falsehood or deceit but only burning passion (to learn) for her is all that she can see.
"Is that so? Let me tell you this, but I am not easily satisfied and impressed as a god of forging, let's see what you can do and as a test, I would only give you this month as a limit."
David smiled at the goddess's remark. He remembered how he first arrive in Orario and tried to join her Familia first, but he failed.
"You might not know this goddess Hephaestus, but I admire you since the beginning "
Perfection is his goal, and it is well known that Hephaestus refuses to make a lower-class weapon due to how it would affect her.
'Kyuu'
Hephaestus can only force her voice to calm down when she saw his smile and heard his wholehearted confession to her.