"Mister Bell! How could you!?" Cassandra puffed her cheeks. "I thought you were going to...! No, before then, how did you erase my Falna?!"
"Ah, well." I turned Void Archives back into its cube form and said, "Trade secret. I'll tell you when you join our familia."
"What makes you think I'm joining?!"
"Just a hunch."
"..."
"Am I wrong?"
"...You're terrible. Pretty privilege is real after all... Daphne was right."
"Huh?"
Cassandra huffed and sipped her juice.
I chuckled and then grabbed myself some juice as well. "I'm planning to make some food. Want some?"
Cassandra sent me a fierce sideeye and said, "That wouldn't happen to have poison that would put me into a coma until the War Game is over, would it?"
"...I'm not THAT bad."
Though now that she mentioned it, that WOULD be a good way to provoke Apollo and his Familia into-
No, no. That raises too many flags.
"You're thinking about it!" Cassandra puffed her cheeks and said, "Mister Bell! Really?!"
Wow. A woman's intuition was scary.
"I wouldn't do that to you. You're our guest. Now, pasta, roasts, or salad?"
"...As long as you aren't actually going to poison me... I'll take some pasta."
"Great. Just make yourself comfortable then."
I wasn't sure how long the others would be, but dinner was a long way off anyway. They'd probably already have gotten food by now, so let's just make enough for two.
...Ah. But first...
I grabbed a few stacks of paper and a pencil. Then I used crafting to make a giant poster that said "Miss Cassandra is someone I'd like to recruit, not someone I'm interested in." Then I drew her face on it and taped the poster onto the wall.
Cassandra stared at the poster. Then she looked at me. Then back at the poster. Then she said, "...You're... quite serious about not causing misunderstandings, aren't you, Mister Bell...?"
"Deadly. Do you know how many heroes, emperors, kings, and even gods have been ruined because the wrong person got the wrong idea?" I brushed my hands off and then went back to prepping the pasta. "Not leaving that up to fate."
Cassandra giggled. "Well... I can see that. No wonder Mister Bell knows so much about prophecies..."
"Oh right. Also, stop calling me Mister Bell. You're like what, 18, right? I'm only 15. You're older than me."
"...I BEG YOUR PARDON?!"
===
Hestia paused in the middle of frying a fresh set of jagamarukuns, tilting her head back towards the church.
'Why do I feel like our Bell just did something ridiculous again?'
She wasn't too sure. But Hestia had a vague sense that Bell was stirring up trouble again. Something that would be a headache to deal with... and that was already on top of the paperwork she'd have to fill out now with all their new familia members.
Hestia sighed and set out the freshly fried jagamarukuns on the rack to drain the oil. Then she smiled and said, "Well... it's fine."
She'd gotten used to it by now. Bell was Bell. Life was never going to be simple around him. But no matter what happened, Hestia could be sure that he chose them first. Herself, Fina, Freya, Bella, their familia...
Bell was more than a bit ridiculous, but he was a young man who knew his priorities.
Hestia laughed as she started breading some more jagamarukuns. "That's still a bit strange to think about, isn't it?"
Only fifteen... and soon to be sixteen, according to Alfia.
Bell didn't remember his own birthday, so he only counted his age based on the years.
But Alfia said that Bell should be turning sixteen in winter... which was coming up in a few months.
'Winter...'
That was another strange thing to consider.
Although it seemed like Hestia had known Bell forever, it had only been a few months. They met near the end of spring... At least, that was what Hestia remembered.
Time was a bit strange around Bell considering all the antics he got into...
But it was summer now, and soon it'd be fall, then winter.
Hestia smiled softly as she molded another jagamarukun. "Seasons do pass quickly in the mortal realm, don't they?"
There seemed to be all the time in the world up in heaven. But down here, time flowed so quickly...
Hestia giggled and continued forming more jagamarukuns. "Maybe Fina will be grown up before we know it too?"
Bell had changed a lot since she met him, turning from a scrawny teenager to a hulking muscular warrior before his current mature self.
But he hadn't been the only one.
Hestia had been growing too. Her height had definitely increased... something she noticed when her comfy dress definitely became WAY too scandalous to wear. The hem, which used to reach mid-thighs, now rode waaaay too close to 'that' area.
Not that she minded when it was just her and Bell. But for work, it was a bit much.
So, since they had money to spend now, Hestia updated her outfit.
Cozy jeans with overalls. A white dress shirt and glove combo that matched her previous outfit... she kept her trademark blue ribbon and twintails, but she also wore a ribbon on her left arm now that Fina had made for her.
Honestly, Hestia was proud of her look. Mature, competent, and definitely someone who could pass as a proper working mother.
Which she was. After all, Fina was here, and she had just received an abundance of new children in the form of those young girls.
So since she was now the leader of a proper familia, it was important to look the part.
Although a bit overwhelming... It was nice.
A family of their own. One nice and big now with all the new girls. And one that was on the rise too, just like Bell promised.
Not to mention, with Bell's abilities, money wasn't a problem. The girls wouldn't be forced to do anything they didn't want to. And they didn't even have to go into the dungeon if they didn't want to either.
Hestia changed her gloves out for a fresh pair and then rested her hands on her countertop, gazing out at the bustling crowd in Orario. "...You really did make my every wish come true, Bell."
"Is that so, Hestia? It seems like our little hero's been quite productive then since arriving in Orario."
Hestia paused and looked up at the person who spoke up.
It was a familiar voice. Not TOO familiar, but one she'd run into a few times before.
Blonde hair, orange eyes, a feathered hat, and a generally suspicious vibe.
For a moment, Hestia thought it was Dionysius. But then she realized who it was... though knowing that didn't make her feel that much better.
"Hermes." Hestia sighed. "Are you THAT free?"
Hermes scooped up a jagamarukun and placed down the valis for it. Then he said, "Don't be so harsh, Hestia. I just wanted a little chat." After that, he took a bite of the jagamarukun, the potato crepe crunching as he did.
Hestia rolled her eyes and picked up a pair of tongs to fry more jagamarukuns. "A chat with you is never just a 'chat,' Hermes. But if you wanna talk, at least buy some more food."
"Deal." Hermes grabbed one of the fancier jagamarukuns, one covered with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and strawberries. Then, paying for it, he said, "I wanted to talk with you a bit about your Bell."
Hestia grabbed one of the jagamarukuns for herself. The basic hashbrown version. Then dusting it with powdered sugar, she said, "What do you wanna know? And just cut to the chase. I'm not in the mood to dance around with you."
"Fine, fine." Hermes laughed. "I'll just say it then. That Bell... Is he planning on fighting the Apollo Familia alone in the War Game?"