Hestia didn't have any good impressions of the Ishtar Familia. Once she learned this fox-girl had been snatched from them, she stopped caring entirely.
What, did they really think the other side would dare come over and cause trouble? *Then go take it up with our Yor,* Hestia thought. Right now, Hestia was far more curious about why Natsuki Minamiya and Yor Forger had gone over there in the first place, and why they had brought back such a person.
*Did these two go to the Pleasure Quarter looking for fun?* Hestia's expression turned a bit strange at the thought. *No, that can't be right.* After all, her perception told her that both of them were pure maidens.
"We were bored and wandering around, ended up over there, and ran into this fox. I saw she had good talent, so I brought her back. Plus, she's clean," Natsuki Minamiya explained simply.
"Ishtar actually allowed that?" Hestia was surprised. Did that damn woman really not send anyone to stop them?
"She didn't allow it at first, but Yor had a little chat with her. I imagine she didn't want to be bled dry in her sleep!" Natsuki Minamiya said calmly.
It was just a mere god; Yor could easily handle her. Without the ability to use divine power, Ishtar was practically a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. Besides, there was no need for the other party to offend them over a single fox-girl.
Hestia's expression grew increasingly bizarre as she listened to Natsuki Minamiya's explanation. This was a blatant threat! But it was undeniably effective. After all, there were very few people in all of Orario who could stop Yor.
Let alone the Ishtar Familia. Therefore, if Natsuki Minamiya and the others wanted to take someone away, the Ishtar Familia wouldn't dare stop them. They could only obediently cooperate.
"Her talent is quite good. Go ahead and update her Falna. The Ishtar Familia has already unlocked her Falna on their end, so she's our person from now on," Natsuki Minamiya stated.
Hestia nodded, not refusing. She looked at the somewhat nervous fox-girl and said, "I'm Hestia. What's your name?"
Hearing Hestia's question, Haruhime Sanjouno hurriedly gave her name. "Sanjouno Haruhime... Please take care of me, Hestia-sama."
She already knew her fate and the identity of the person before her. In a place like the Pleasure Quarter, information flowed the fastest, so she was very clear on exactly what kind of Familia she was currently in.
"Then I'll just call you Haruhime from now on. Come with me!" Hestia nodded. After memorizing the name, she gestured for the girl to follow. Hestia needed to grant her a Falna.
At the same time, she wanted to see exactly what kind of abilities this fox possessed to make Natsuki Minamiya feel she was worth snatching. It made her incredibly curious.
"Take this kid with you too. Give him a Falna first, then we'll talk." Just then, Shizuka Hiratsuka spoke up, gesturing for Hestia to take Bell Cranel along as well.
Hestia looked a bit awkward. "Is this really okay? Shouldn't we wait until he wakes up? Isn't this taking advantage of him?"
Good grief, she was truly speechless. How did they end up acting like a bunch of bandits? Was it really okay for them to do this?
"Isn't his talent excellent? Isn't he dazzling? Doesn't he meet Ren Isana's requirements? Can't he serve as a core member of the Familia?" Shizuka Hiratsuka looked at Hestia with a beaming smile.
This barrage of questions made Hestia pause for a moment, but she quickly gave a firm nod. "That's right, he's more dazzling than many people in the class. We definitely can't miss out on him!"
Saying that, she ran straight over to Bell, rolled him onto his stomach, and prepared to give him a Falna right then and there. Seeing that there were no traces of any previous Falna on his back made Hestia even more excited.
*He really is from outside the city and hasn't joined any other Familia yet.* If that was the case, they absolutely couldn't let him slip away. With that thought in mind, Hestia got straight to work.
The Falna of the Hestia Familia was etched onto his back. However, this time, the Falna was a local one, identical to the Falna given by other gods, unlike the unique ones Ren Isana and the others had.
Looking at the newly formed Falna, Hestia couldn't help but comment, "As expected, because they're from different worlds, the Falna is different too. This Falna is the local version."
He was a complete blank slate, a total novice. There wasn't much to see right now; they would only be able to see his true status once he slowly leveled up. She just wondered how far this child would grow in the future.
"He's a local, after all. Alright, go sort out Haruhime. I'll keep an eye on this kid. I'm actually quite curious about his talent," Shizuka Hiratsuka said, her curiosity about Bell peaking.
Someone who could catch Hestia's eye shouldn't be that simple. Plus, this kid looked to be only fourteen or fifteen—still a minor.
"Alright, I'll leave him to you. When he wakes up, explain the situation to him." Hestia glanced at Bell lying on the floor, didn't think much more of it, and called Haruhime into the room to begin updating her Falna.
Not long after Hestia left, Bell regained consciousness. He scrambled up from the floor, looking at his surroundings in utter bewilderment. He remembered being knocked out by someone?
"Yo, you're awake. Congratulations, you are now a member of the Hestia Familia." Shizuka Hiratsuka looked at Bell, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly as she dropped a bombshell that Bell couldn't quite believe.
Bell looked around in a daze. It was Shizuka Hiratsuka who had knocked him out. Aside from her, there were two other women he had never seen before. Bell was starting to panic.
Especially when he felt a strange sensation on his back, giving him an ominous premonition. He asked fearfully, "What... what did you do to me?"
Feeling the strangeness on his back, Bell blurted out the question. He desperately wanted to see what had happened back there!
"Nothing much, just gave you a Falna. From today onward, you belong to the Hestia Familia!" Shizuka Hiratsuka bluntly informed Bell.
Hearing this news, Bell felt like the sky was falling. He couldn't believe his ears. On the verge of a breakdown, he cried out, "How can you just force me into this?! I haven't even agreed yet!!"
Wasn't this a total scam? He had been hoping to join a decent Familia. From what he knew, there wasn't even a Hestia Familia in Orario.
Even if there was, it probably wasn't a very famous one, right? Coupled with this forceful recruitment tactic, he was even more certain that this Familia was definitely not a good place.
"Do you have any idea how many people want to join the Hestia Familia but can't find a way in? You should be grateful, kid!" Shizuka Hiratsuka rolled her eyes in exasperation at his dramatic breakdown.
*Getting a massive bargain and still complaining?* The Hestia Familia was currently the hottest commodity in town. Many people wanted to join, especially after news leaked that the Loki Familia had formed an alliance with them.
Furthermore, members of the Loki Familia had learned new magic from the Hestia Familia—magic that could actually be taught to others. This revelation had instantly set Orario ablaze.
After all, this was the magic countless people dreamed of. Many couldn't awaken magic even after leveling up, but the Hestia Familia could actually teach it? This was a monumental benefit.
"But I've never heard of the Hestia Familia..." Bell said, still skeptical. If it was really such a powerful Familia, shouldn't it be famous?
"How old is your information? The Hestia Familia only recently arrived in Orario, so your news is outdated!" Shizuka Hiratsuka figured it out—this kid was operating on obsolete information.
That made Bell feel a bit awkward. Was that it? Was his information out of date? Bell glanced around. The place seemed quite large and rather grand.
It really didn't look like a small Familia. Muttering to himself, Bell felt conflicted. Should he just join like this? But he knew absolutely nothing about this Familia.
"Ah, you're awake. I'm Hestia, the goddess of the Hestia Familia!" Having finished updating Haruhime's Falna, Hestia walked out and greeted the now-standing Bell.
"Goddess Hestia, I am Bell, Bell Cranel!" Hearing that Hestia was a goddess, Bell greeted her respectfully and gave his name. No matter what, the person before him was a deity, worthy of his respect.
"No need to be so formal. First, let me apologize. We bestowed a Falna upon you without your permission. Although our methods were a bit underhanded, I still want to welcome you to the Hestia Familia." Hestia waved her hand and offered an apology first.
Hearing Hestia's words, Bell felt a bit helpless. He looked around and, noticing that everyone present was a woman, asked uncertainly, "Um... are these the only people in the Familia? And they all seem to be women... Is this, by any chance, an all-female Familia?"
Aside from himself, Bell couldn't see any other males... And was this everyone? Bell found it a bit strange.
"The Hestia Familia has 45 official members. With you and Haruhime, that makes 47. These three are also members of the Hestia Familia. It is not an all-female Familia," Hestia explained with a smile.
Hearing that it wasn't an all-female Familia, Bell breathed a sigh of relief. And the number of members seemed quite high? It could be considered a mid-to-large-sized Familia, right?
"The other members of the Familia are currently training in the Dungeon. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be a while before they return, so right now, it's just the few of us in the compound," Shizuka Hiratsuka explained to the novice.
Bell nodded in understanding. So that was it. No wonder he couldn't see anyone else—they were all in the Dungeon. If that was the case, he felt reassured.
"The average level of our Familia members is Lv.3. The Captain is currently Lv.4, and it probably won't be long before he hits Lv.5. As for me, my name is Shizuka Hiratsuka, and I'm also a member. However, the few of us here hold the position of teachers. My current level is Lv.6, and those two over there are Lv.8." Shizuka Hiratsuka sat on the sofa, looking at Bell with a beaming smile.
She casually revealed the strength of everyone present. Hearing Shizuka Hiratsuka's words, Bell couldn't help but gulp. Lv.8? And two of them?! If that was true, then this Familia was truly incredible.
No wonder she had said earlier that many people wanted to join but couldn't find a way in. Looking at it now, he had hit the jackpot! The realization gave Bell a massive shock.
Haruhime, standing nearby, was equally shocked. After all, the strongest combatant in Orario right now, Ottar, was only Lv.7. Yet her two benefactors were actually Lv.8?
"R-Really?" Bell couldn't quite believe his ears. Was he dreaming? He had just arrived in the Dungeon city and was forcibly dragged into a Familia like this?
*Actually, this isn't bad at all...* Bell's mindset began to shift. After all, joining this Familia was a massive win for him. Originally, he had only hoped to join a small or medium-sized Familia, level up slowly, make a name for himself, and maybe have a fateful encounter...
Now, it seemed his luck was off the charts. He had just arrived in Orario and was instantly scooped up by a super-powerful Familia.
"Of course it's true. However, we are only responsible for teaching; we don't participate in Dungeon matters. From now on, when you go to the Dungeon, you'll be led by the Captain. You can meet him when he gets back." Shizuka Hiratsuka was very satisfied seeing his attitude change.
*Let's see if you still want to leave now.* Hearing this news, the kid was probably dumbfounded.
"O-Okay!" Bell silently memorized all this. He was even more curious about this Captain he had yet to meet. What kind of existence could make these powerful individuals willingly hand over the position of Captain?
After all, in Bell's view, only the strongest person could be the Captain. But in the Hestia Familia, that clearly wasn't the case.
"Welcome to the Hestia Familia. Before Ren Isana and the others return, you two will be taking over our training. This is Instructor Yor; she will teach you weapon techniques. I will teach you how to use magic. As for Instructor Hiratsuka, she will teach you hand-to-hand combat." At this moment, Natsuki Minamiya also spoke up.
She directly laid out the schedule for the two of them. Haruhime was startled by this. She pointed at herself and asked uncertainly, "Lady Minamiya, me too?"
As soon as her voice fell, Hestia spoke up, her tone absolutely certain. "Of course you do, and you absolutely must. Your magic is incredible and will be a huge help to Ren Isana and the others, so you need to improve your strength too!"
While converting her Falna just now, Hestia had seen exactly what the girl's magic was. A magic that could raise someone's level? This was an absolute treasure!
If it could raise Ren Isana's strength by an entire level, what kind of performance would that result in? If news of Haruhime's magic got out, countless people would probably extend an olive branch to her.
That damn whore had hidden her so well! To think she had a dependent like this and not a single rumor had leaked?
If Natsuki Minamiya hadn't brought her back, was Ishtar planning to hide her for the rest of her life?
"Alright... I understand." Though Haruhime felt a bit overwhelmed, she nodded. Since she was now a member of the Hestia Familia, she would accept everyone's arrangements.
Even though she wasn't good at fighting... she would work hard. She would definitely become a woman who could satisfy the Captain. With that thought, Haruhime made up her mind.
Having finally escaped that demon's den, she had no desire to ever go back. So, from now on, she would study diligently under Lady Minamiya and Lady Yor.
Bell, meanwhile, was completely dumbfounded by Natsuki Minamiya's words. What did he just hear? Besides teaching combat techniques, they were going to teach magic? Wasn't magic supposed to be incredibly rare and precious? Why was there someone specifically teaching it here?
While he was still reeling, Natsuki Minamiya spoke again, looking at the two of them calmly. "On the left is the boys' dormitory, and on the right is the girls' dormitory. Go take a look, find an empty room, and settle in. As for daily necessities, just go ask the maids for them later."
She organized them just like a teacher arranging dorms for new students. Hearing Natsuki Minamiya's calm instructions, the two unconsciously stood up straight and hurriedly voiced their agreement.
Right at that moment, a maid walked in carrying hot water. Natsuki Minamiya had her take the two of them to get settled first. As for the teaching, they could wait until the two were familiar with the compound. There was no rush; they could start tomorrow!