The sun was just starting to yawn on the horizon, and I was already standing in front of the church, playing tetris with my light armor. "Armor" is an understatement. It was more like a cheap adventurer's disguise that the guild had thrown at me on the first day of the raid.
Until that day, I had refused to put it on. But when a small, scowling goddess gives you a lecture about taking better care of yourself, it's a different story. It's hard to say no to an adorably angry goddess.
Hestia, by the way, stood beside me, smiling as usual. Suddenly, a sparkle flashed across her large eyes, halting my movements for a second. Whether it was the slight puffiness under her eyes or the fact that she was holding back tears, I couldn't quite tell. Not that I was an expert on emotionally vulnerable goddesses.
So, what did I do? What any human does in an uncomfortable situation: I patted her on the head. Yes, I know, it's just an excuse to pet her. Sometimes instinct just kicks in.
"Take care of yourself, Ei-kun!"
Her voice sounded suspiciously like my mother's when she dropped me off at school on the first day.
It was the first time I went to the dungeon after meeting Hestia, and it seemed a little strange to have someone say goodbye to me. Well, strange isn't the right word. It's more like warm. Yeah, warm, the kind you want to hug. I turned to her before I left.
"Relax, it won't be a big deal, okay? Just a quick trip." I gave her a playful wink.
Instead of laughing as I expected, Hestia lunged at me and gave me a brief hug. I blinked like an idiot, and before I could fully enjoy the shape of her boob as it molded into my chest, she pulled away with a grin.
"Hah... this is hard on my heart."
At last, I turned and began walking toward the city. I could feel her eyes lingering on me as I moved away, as if she were sending me off with every step I took. A quiet chuckle escaped my lips.
***
"Ei-kun..."
The early sun painted the city in a soft golden glow, and Hestia stood in front of the church, watching Eithan's figure slowly walk away. The sunlight created a small, elongated shadow behind him as his silhouette became smaller and smaller in the distance.
She placed a hand over her chest and a tender, sweet smile tugged at her lips. Goddesses like her seemed to have a natural gift for smiling like that. Her fingers brushed the spot where a gentle warm flame seemed to ignite, right in her heart.
When she had decided to descent to the lower world, Hestia never imagined it would be like this. At first, everything was rosy in her head―what child wouldn't want to join the Familia of a kind goddess? She had imagined a host of followers, all lined up in an endless line to worship her. But the fantasy created in her mind could not have been more wrong.
Doors closed in her face, one after another, as if she were a nuisance. How often did she receive cold stares, cutting words, or vulgar looks? It was a good reality check. Being a new goddess wasn't as glamorous as it seemed. And she soon realized just how difficult it was to earn trust in this world.
But then he came.
Not that she had high hopes for him at first. Rose had mentioned his name almost as a last-ditch effort. "He's a weird guy, maybe it'll work out." And she was right. Eithan was weird. Not in an annoying way, but more like someone who, if you met him, you wouldn't be able to predict his thoughts or actions.
And as she sat there, looking at her closed hand, thinking, "How many rejections will there be with him? Hah~ I only want one Familia. Is it too much to ask for just one?", he broke the string of rejections. He was the one who became her first Familia.
Maybe that's why, even though they had only met a few days ago, Hestia's heart had already carved out a special place for him. Or perhaps it was because he had been so attentive, or because every time she thought of him, a warm spread invaded her heart. Maybe it was that thing mortals call "love at first sight". Though, in truth, she had never believed it could happen to her, a goddess.
In any case, this person who had suddenly appeared—Eithan—had awakened a new sensation in her heart.
"Ei-kun... What are you?"
The gods who descended to the lower world had sealed their powers; that was the rule. Yet, they still retained some of their abilities. They could peer into children's hearts, see their essence, what they were hiding behind their words and actions.
After experiencing several situations where the children lied to her to take advantage of her―though none succeeded, of course―she eventually found herself trusting this ability. The insecurity she felt with the children led her to use it every time she had a conversation with anyone.
Naturally, this meant that Hestia had looked into Eithan's soul more than once, and each time she saw the same thing: honesty. There were no tricks, no masks. His intentions towards her were pure, sincere and transparent. And that made her feel butterflies in her stomach.
That being said, it wasn't as if she didn't know that Eithan was hiding something from her. She wasn't easily fooled. Even if her powers were sealed, she was still a goddess. And that meant that she could sense souls in a way that no mortal ever could. And Eithan's was especially interesting.
Mortal souls emitted a certain frequency, something like an invisible signature that merged with the world. If one had to use an analogy, they were like a finely tuned instrument that was well synchronized with their environment. In contrast, Eithan's soul frequency was like a musician refusing to follow the score, making its own rhythm and out of tune with the rest―a rebellious frequency. Hestia had sensed it ever since she bestowed her Grace upon him. His soul did not abide by the usual rules.
"Is Ei-kun... not from this world?"
In Tenkai, the gods played with souls as if they were pawns on a board. They judged them, sent them here and there, even decided who would be reincarnate and who would not. So the idea of a soul existing outside the boundaries of this world wasn't entirely shocking.
Perhaps Eithan had escaped that jurisdiction? Or maybe another god had a hand in this? Because that was the way the gods were. They loved a good show.
'Ei-kun didn't tell me anything about this. I get it, I really do... If he revealed something that big, it would attract the wrong kind of attention. And there are gods among us who like to stick their noses into other people's affairs. I'm sure he's trying to protect himself, to protect both of us.
It hurt her heart a little that Eithan didn't trust her yet, but who could blamr him? They had only known each other for a brief time.
So she smiled softly to herself. It was a pity that Eithan couldn't see her expression bathed in the morning light, because he'd surely say something like "Don't make me fall in love with you too, please..."
"It's okay, Ei-kun.... I'll be waiting. When you're ready, when you trust me, I'll be here. And when that time comes, I will support you without hesitation!"
Hestia felt her energy gradually return. She couldn't just stand there and complain that he wouldn't tell her his secrets. She was Hestia! Goddess of the Hearth! If anyone could provide warmth and support, it was her. As such, it was time to do something for her one and only Familia member.
So she spun on her heels, her long, silky hair―tied in twintails―fluttering dramatically in the breeze. With a determined smile, she started walking towards the city.
"Time to get a decent job!" She shouted, pumping her fist into the air. "I can't let my Ei-kun live in discomfort. Hestia-sama will do whatever it takes to make sure you're well cared for, Ei-kun!"
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Author's note: I've graduated and I've been looking for a job for the past three months, but I can't find one. I guess I'm giving up for now. Ugh, life is hard.
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