Chapter 7 - Idiot

''T...thank you for helping me'' Bell said in a small voice as he and Laurens walked back from the Tavern.

''I didn't do it because of you, your irrational behavior would've gotten you killed. Besides, I was merely making a point to someone'' Laurens said with a warm smile as he looked at Hestia in his embrace.

''O..oh, to who?'' Bell asked with a curious expression.

''A thot'' Laurens said with a cold tone, before giving Bell the chance to think about it, he asked another question.

[A/N: If you know, you know....]

''Do you like Ais Wallenstein?'' Laurens asked coldly.

''….mm'' Bell looked down and made a sound that sounded like confirmation.

''Idiot, She saved you once and you're head over heels because SHE saved YOU'' Laurens coldly stated, he was oddly frustrated since he felt Hestia tremble in his embrace.

Laurens didn't mind love like that, that is if you actually knew what love actually was! Bell didn't believe it even if you showed him it, with Hestia as the prime example.

It was clear she felt Bell's confirmation, so he decided to drop the bomb and ask the real question Hestia really wanted to know,

''Bell, if a Goddess loved you, would you accept her as a woman?'' Laurens looked at Bell who instantly took a step back and started swinging his hands in front of him.

''N..no no no, how could I?! We are talking about a Goddess here! I'm just a human!'' Bell said with a nervous expression.

A hand suddenly clenched his shirt and Hestia's body started tremblling, Laurens hugged Hestia tighter and sighed.

''Is that the Goddess? Is she sick?'' Bell said with a worried expression.

''Yes Bell, she is very sick'' Laurens coldly said and internally continued, 'That she loved a braindead idiot like you! If it wasn't for her I would've let you die tonight! That I considered this kid family for even a fraction of a second is making me want to headbutt a wall!'

Laurens accelerated in pace and soon arrived at the abandoned church.

''Goodnight!'' Bell smiled with a dumb smile and went to bed, he had to get stronger so he had to get up early so he could stand next to her!

Within a mere minute, he was already asleep while Laurens gently put Hestia onto the bed.

''You're awake, right?'' Laurens asked gently, Hestia shook and slowly sat up with teary expression.

"Do you blame me?" Laurens asked with a bitter smile on his face.

Hestia looked at Laurens and smiled but it was obvious that it was extremely forced as she said,

"No... I'm glad, you asked the question I didn't dare to ask for so long yet it still feels so.... painful"

''Sigh... give me your foot'' Laurens gently said with a bitter smile as he made took off Hestia's slippers.

After all that, he tucked her in and crawled into the bed aswell after removing his shirt, shoes and socks.

''Come here'' Laurens opened his arms to Hestia who still sat straight with a heartbroken expression.

''Why...'' Hestia softly spoke.

''Mmm?''

''Why am I never good enough, whether it was in Tenkai or here.....?'' Hestia asked, whether she asked herself or Laurens, nobody knew.

Laurens gritted his teeth and pulled arm to get her to lay in his arms, Laurens turned towards his side and pulled her into him.

Putting her head under his chin and her body against his, fully embracing her small body.

"When I was younger I had a woman I loved when I was younger, I ended up being rejected because my dreams were somewhere else than hers though, I felt messed up for quite a while but. Hestia, in the end, he is just 14.... '' Laurens sighed and stroked Hestia's hair as she hugged him closer.

''But, who am I supposed to love?'' Hestia quietly whispered, normally she was the happy-go-lucky type of woman, but it seems even she didn't know how to deal with a heartbreak.

''Just give it time, one day you might fall in love with someone that loves you for you'' Laurens said while stroking her hair.

''...Is it really impossible?'' Hestia whispered in a quiet tone.

''What is?''

''A human and a Goddess falling in love''

''Hestia, take Freya for example. It's just that Bell is just not the type to differ from the norm'' Laurens smiled which calmed Hestia down a bit.

''How about we go shopping the day after tomorrow?'' Laurens asked, Hestia turned her head upwards and looked at Laurens with a berating expression and said, ''I told you to buy a new weapon!''

''I already did, the sword over that stands against the wall is new''

Hestia sat up on the bed and looked the be slightly sobered up, she didn't waste a second and stood up from the bed before picking up the sword.

"It's really well-made! Just how much did you earn on your first day'' Hestia said in amazement as she slightly unsheathed the sword.

She definitely wasn't an expert, but she could atleast tell when a weapon was good or not.

''around 60.000 Valis'' Laurens said and looked at her from the bed with a grin on his face.

''Wha-?!'' Hestia nearly screamed out and quickly covered her mouth.

Bell merely turned around on the couch and continued sleeping, Hestia gave a sigh of relief and suddenly remembered something.

''On your stomach'' Hestia said sternly.

''Why?'' Laurens looked at her with a questioning gaze.

''Now!'' Hestia said as she started pushing Laurens from the side of the bed onto his stomach, not that it helped but still.

Laurens smiled and laid down on his stomach after which Hestia climbed on top of his back and pricked her finger to continue letting a drop of blood fall on Laurens' back.

As the Status Board of Laurens started to appear and the numbers starting to change, Hestia couldn't believe her eyes.

However, instead of the happiness Laurens thought she would feel, he felt small droplets fall on his back instead and he could tell that it wasn't blood.

''G..goddess?'' Laurens confused voice came from the front and Hestia just copied the Status Board on a special paper and threw it to the side before laying on Laurens' back with her head in his neck.

''What's wrong?'' Laurens' worried tone seemed to trigger Hestia's emotions even further and she asked in tears,

''Why are you so reckless!''

''What do you mean?'' Laurens asked in confusion.

''Earning over 60.000 Valis on your first day, it's an amazing feet. Increasing your stats so much n a day however, should be impossible without a Skill that improves your growth...'' Hestia clung onto Laurens' back tightly, unlike Bell, Laurens didn't have a Skill that boosted his growth yet he still grew way more than Bell!

''Goddess, can you show me'' Laurens said with slight anticipation.

''Here'' Hestia had a complicated yet bright smile on her face as she pushed the Status Board copy in front of him.

=====================================

Level 1

Strength – 43 I -> 233 G

Vitality – 21 I -> 87 I

Dexterity – 29 I -> 201 G

Agility – 25 I -> 216 G

Mana - 0 I

Magic:

Skills:

[Heaven's Sense]

[Bloodlust]

=====================================

[A/N: Someone didn't understand how stats increased so I will put it here real quick: STR is increased by dealing damage to enemies, Vitality is increased by getting hit, Dexterity is increased by using fine movements and evading/redirecting enemy attacks, Agility is increased by things like sprinting, running, evading, parrying etc. ]

Laurens nodded as he was satisfied with the stat increase since Vitality was trained by getting hit and he didn't get hit more than 3 times today and those 3 times were because he wanted to test the strength difference of Goblins of the 1st and 2nd floor and the Kobolds on the 2nd Floor once but he doubted that had such a huge influence since it did no damage beside a stinging feeling on his arm.

''Laurens-Kun, you idiot'' Hestia headbutted Laurens from behind without hesitation, even Laurens had to admit her head was hard as fuck!

''Ouwouwow'' Hestia put both of her hands on her forehead and nearly cried out in pain.

Laurens grabbed the back of his head and turned on to his back, Hestia almost yelped but quickly covered her mouth.

Laurens grabbed Hestia's waist and threw her onto the bed, he was still lightly drunk, and Hestia was even further away from home in that regard.

''Goddess, let's sleep'' Laurens said as he hugged Hestia in his embrace who couldn't help but yawn aswell.

Hestia lightly smiled and nuzzled deeper into Laurens' embrace, it would fine for a while, right?

The two soon fell asleep and the sun started rising 5 hours later.

Bell opened his eyes and stretched his body while yawning, he slowly got up and went to brush his teeth and grab a potato for breakfast before wanting to ask Laurens if he wanted to go into the Dungeon together.

However, to Bell's surprise, on the bed was only Hestia who hugged Laurens' pillow.

''I thought he was making a joke yesterday, it seems that I was wrong'' Bell whispered to himself and thought to himself that he needed to get stronger aswell!

To become a hero and stand next to Ais, he needs to get stronger!

[A/N: Cringe but meh, that's Bell for you]