Chapter 21 - Hephaestus: Don't Belittle Yourself!
"So during this time, make sure Bell avoids Freya. Her members are Level 5, 6, and 7, and they won't be coming into direct contact with Bell."
"Freya usually only gets rough if her sweet talk fails."
Hephaestus knew Freya's character pretty well.
Freya liked winning people over with charm more than force.
"But still, be careful. Avoid her if you can. Once she's locked onto someone, she doesn't let go easily."
Hephaestus knew she couldn't fully protect Bell from Freya.
Most gods who came down from the heavens didn't want to deal with Freya. She wasn't someone to mess with lightly.
"However, as long as Bell keeps his head down and only goes to the dungeon, he probably won't run into her."
"Even though she can see a person's soul, she needs to meet them in person."
"If Bell avoids direct eye contact, she won't find him easily."
Orario was packed with adventurers, making it hard to single one out.
Freya's power worked best one-on-one, and she needed to see someone to dive into their soul.
Hephaestus didn't think Freya would have an easy time finding Bell in the crowd.
Hestia stayed quiet, mulling over Hephaestus' advice.
Bell, though, was anxious. He knew Freya, the goddess of beauty, had a talent for finding those who shined the brightest.
'My soul's definitely not bright.' Bell thought.
He tried to reassure himself.
His magic and skills came from the system, so he believed his soul wasn't all that impressive.
In fact, he thought it might be dark. Bell didn't see himself as some noble hero, so he figured his soul wouldn't stand out.
Even so, Bell had no plans to go near any place Freya might show up.
He wanted to avoid any unnecessary drama unless he had no choice.
Hestia was also nervous about Freya.
She wasn't exactly great at dealing with her and was afraid she'd spill something she shouldn't.
Under normal circumstances, Bell running into Freya was still pretty unlikely.
"As long as Bell doesn't make a huge scene when he levels up to Level 2, Freya won't come after him."
Bell nodded slightly.
He figured keeping himself low-key would help avoid Freya's attention.
By managing his progress, he hoped to bypass any big problems.
'As long as I don't show off too much, I can keep leveling up quietly.'
Bell took a deep breath, feeling a bit more at ease.
Hestia shifted the conversation from Freya to the real reason they were here.
"Hephaestus, can our familias work together in the future?"
"Hmm, since your child's got talent, I don't see why not."
Hephaestus agreed to Hestia's request for cooperation. She hoped Hestia would grow her familia well.
The deal benefited both of them, so Hephaestus had no reason to refuse.
Hestia smiled, happy with the agreement.
She also wanted to use this chance to ask Hephaestus for a favor.
With a mischievous grin, Hestia moved closer to her friend.
"Since we're cooperating, can you do me a favor, Hephaestus?"
Hephaestus had seen this coming, already guessing Hestia had a favor in mind.
Cooperation was one thing, but Hestia's real aim was the favor. Even though she knew it might be a big order, Hephaestus decided to let her talk.
"Alright, spit it out. But don't ask for something that'll get you kicked out."
"Hee hee~ Actually, it's just a small thing for you."
Hestia grinned, making Hephaestus even more suspicious.
The happier Hestia looked, the more demanding the request usually turned out to be.
"Actually, I want you, Hephaestus, to forge a weapon."
This wasn't a ridiculous ask. Forging weapons was a regular thing in Orario.
But asking Hephaestus to do it herself was different. Weapons made by her were on a whole different level from those made by mortal smiths.
The quality and price of a weapon came down to the smith's skill.
Hephaestus stared at Hestia, speechless.
Hestia's shamelessness hadn't changed. Only Hestia would have the guts to make this kind of request among the gods.
"Hestia, do you even realize what you're asking? Even without my divine power, weapons I make are way better than what regular smiths can forge."
"The cost and effort are not something small."
Hestia smiled innocently, knowing she was asking for a lot.
"But Hephaestus, it's only for Bell."
"He's been growing so fast, and having a weapon made by you would be a huge help."
Hephaestus sighed, seeing the genuine concern Hestia had for Bell.
Even though it was a big ask, she understood the potential benefit for him.
"Fine, Hestia. I'll make a weapon for Bell. But this is a one-time thing."
Hestia beamed with excitement.
"Thank you, Hephaestus! I knew I could count on you."
Hephaestus couldn't help but crack a smile at Hestia's enthusiasm.
"Hestia-sama... Your request is just way too much."
Bell, standing behind her, couldn't help but facepalm.
He had already tried to talk her out of this idea before they even showed up here.
Hephaestus was the goddess of smithing, her forging skills unmatched by anyone. Asking her to make a weapon? That was bold, even for someone like Bell.
Bell figured that if it came from Hestia, Hephaestus might roll her eyes but would still agree.
But this request? It felt like pushing their luck too far.
'If Hestia didn't have this close relationship with Hephaestus, we'd have been kicked out already.'
Bell couldn't help but be impressed by Hestia's connections.
All the gods knew each other up in heaven, and they got along, sure. But for Hephaestus to agree to something like this? It had to be because they were real close.
Bell couldn't imagine being that generous to anyone.
Hephaestus sighed, clearly annoyed. Without saying a word, she walked up to Hestia, her uncovered eye showing a mix of frustration and an annoyed look.
With no hesitation, she pinched Hestia's cheek.
"You're the only one in all of Orario who has the guts to ask me something like this."
"You even asked me to make a weapon."
"Go ahead, ask around. No other god would dare ask me for that. Not even Freya or Loki would try pulling this."
"You've got some nerve, Hestia."
Even with her cheek getting pinched, Hestia kept grinning.
She knew just how valuable Hephaestus's weapons were. No god had ever dared to ask her for something like this.
But Hestia didn't ask as a goddess. She asked as a friend.
"Because Hephaestus is my best friend."
She wasn't dumb. She knew how to work the friendship angle. Asking Hephaestus for something like this as a goddess would've been too much. But as a friend? It was a whole different thing.
Hephaestus blinked. That was... a good reason.
Not a goddess's request, but a friend's.
"Since it's a request from a friend, it'd be pretty harsh of me to refuse. Alright, Hestia, I'll do it."
"But don't forget, you're still paying for the materials."
"Thanks!!" Hestia beamed, her smile brighter than ever.
"Let's get started then."
Hephaestus glanced at Bell, who was still hanging back.
This child had changed a lot for Hestia in just two days.
From having nothing to running a familia, and now with all this responsibility, it was all because of him.
Hephaestus smiled as she turned and reached for something on the wall.
A soft click echoed as a secret room behind the studio opened up. Inside was Hephaestus's personal workshop, her forge still burning hot. The walls were covered with different hammers, each designed for a specific job.
There were dozens of them, all with different uses.
These weren't ordinary tools.
Even though Bell didn't know about forging, he found himself staring at them.
Could Hephaestus's workshop be anything less than top-tier?
If it was, she wouldn't be the goddess of smithing, now would she?
'So this is... Hephaestus's workshop?'
Bell felt awe seeing the room for the first time.
Even though he knew he'd be stuck with the debt for the weapon, Bell was certain it would be worth it.
He didn't expect some legendary weapon. He focused on building himself up, and outside help was just that--help.
Powerful weapons were great, but they could make some people lazy.
From the start, all he needed was a weapon that could cut through a monster. The fancy, high-end stuff? That could wait until he was strong enough to use it right.
It wasn't about relying on a weapon to kill monsters, but having the power to do it himself.
Besides, Bell wasn't in this for glory.
'I wasn't expecting anything crazy.'
He sighed, caught up in his thoughts.
Noticing his mood, Hephaestus raised an eyebrow, curious.
"What's with the face? Hestia begged me to make a weapon for you, but you don't look all that excited."
"Hephaestus-sama, are you kidding? As a mortal, I never even dreamed of something like this. Hestia-sama asking for this is like... it's too much, honestly. Feels like a dream."
That sounded about right.
Hephaestus wasn't arrogant, but her weapons were the kind everyone in Orario fought over.
And she didn't usually craft for adventurers. This was a rare exception.
As a goddess, she held back--she didn't want to compete with her familia's efforts, and she didn't show off her god-tier skills often.
If it weren't for Hestia's personal request today, Hephaestus wouldn't have taken this on so easily.
But she was still curious why Bell seemed down.
She pressed him again, intrigued.
"So, why aren't you more excited?"
"Hephaestus-sama, don't get me wrong. I'm honored. But can I really have a weapon like this now? I mean, this weapon's gonna be one of the strongest in Orario. And I'm just a Level 1 adventurer."
Hephaestus softened at his words. He was complimenting her work, but there was honesty in what he said.
She glanced at Hestia and smiled, turning back. She gently head patted Bell.
"Don't belittle yourself, Bell."
She'd never thought this cautious guy to be cute sometimes. Ignoring Bell's reaction, she trotted back to the shop.
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Bell's weapon would be a sword same traits as Hestia Knife.
BTW, which heroic spirit template should be better for Bell? Let me know.
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[IMG of heroic spirit]
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