Who Wouldn't Want To Bask In Her Maternal Embrace?

Chapter 3 - Who wouldn't want to bask in her maternal embrace?

Bell didn't dare slow down for a moment, heading directly towards Orario.

Interestingly, Bell had anticipated encountering monsters along the way, but he didn't see even a trace of one.

This wasn't a bad thing; it allowed him to quicken his pace significantly.

After crossing the plains and hills, he soon came to a main road.

Bell noticed some wheel marks on the ground. They weren't very fresh, indicating they were made some time ago.

Realizing this, Bell decided not to continue walking on the road.

Although he was poor, he wasn't worried about being robbed.

But trouble isn't limited to robbery; sometimes it's just seeing too much.

Bell knew the wisdom of avoiding unnecessary trouble, so he only took out his notebook to write a diary when he stopped to eat and rest at noon, to express his emotions and avoid feeling stifled on the road.

Fortunately, he wasn't very talkative by nature, and sometimes silence made the journey more relaxing.

Bell slowed down once he noticed the wheel marks to avoid direct encounters with people.

Although his pace had slowed, he covered a lot of ground each day, but now he needed to be more cautious.

After a few days of careful walking, Bell felt on the fourth day that his body was becoming more adaptable to the situation. His physical strength improved, and his pace quickened.

Bell carefully reviewed the "Mystic Code". It seemed that fighting was necessary to gain experience, but this rapid improvement in his body was strange.

However, he hadn't been in any battles. Where did these experience points come from?

After some thought, Bell found the answer in the concept of "Combat Judgement".

The term "battle" was broad, encompassing training as a form of combat and strength accumulation. Thus, any effort to build strength could be considered a "battle."

Understanding this, Bell realized the remarkable potential of this skill.

This wasn't something that could be achieved by ordinary effort alone.

This skill would become a magical tool for gaining experience for Excelia during limit off.

Despite this understanding, Bell didn't waste time recklessly using the skill. Before reaching Orario, he conserved his physical strength, energy, and time.

Bell recalled an old man's words from an anime: "Living in the forest is very difficult; just thinking about survival is enough."

Traveling and being cautious about pedestrians consumed enough physical strength and energy.

Spending additional effort on training would only delay his journey to Orario.

As he adjusted his daily travel schedule, the closer he got to Orario, the fresher the wheel marks and footprints on the road became.

This indicated increasing passerby traffic.

At this point, Bell decided to travel at night.

Though risky, traveling by day also had risks.

After a few nights of travel, Bell's eyes adapted to the dark, allowing him to see in moonlight.

This wasn't a skill enhancement but rather his eyes becoming accustomed to the darkness, much like nocturnal animals.

With his eyes adjusting to the night, Bell spent more time traveling at night, bringing him closer to Orario.

The cautious approach sharpened his senses, improving his eyesight and hearing.

Finally, after fifteen days and nights, Bell found himself less than ten kilometers from Orario.

The city, built over a dungeon, was now in sight. However, the number of people around increased.

"Orario is just around the corner. The next step is to enter Orario, officially register as an adventurer at the guild, and find a suitable familia."

Bell began to consider his choice of familia. Finding the right one was crucial for his advancement.

A powerful familia could provide significant early support.

However, joining a renowned familia wasn't easy.

Demonstrating ability was essential.

With Bell's capabilities, merely showing his spatial abilities would likely secure a spot in the "Loki Familia."

Skills related to spatial manipulation were rare and highly valuable, especially for familias that frequently went on expeditions. The ability to carry items without limit would make dungeon exploration easier and more rewarding.

However, Bell also considered the "Hestia Familia."

Hestia was a kind goddess who cared deeply for her familia, particularly the "Bell" in the original story.

"Choosing between a loving, supportive goddess and a powerful one is really tough."

Bell found himself in a dilemma over this important decision.

Choosing a familia is a difficult decision. If he chooses the "Loki Familia," he'll grow quickly and gain plenty of resources, but it exposes his unique skill or perhaps Mystic Code, the "Combat Judgement".

On the other hand, joining the "Hestia Familia" means he won't get much help initially and will have to create everything himself.

However, he'll have a loving and adorable goddess and can keep his special skills hidden.

Bell visualized "Goddess Loki" and "Goddess Hestia."

In this world, the mischievous Loki isn't a male god like in other mythologies, but a red-haired, squinty-eyed girl with a petite frame. She might seem careless at times, but she's dependable when it matters.

Hestia, the hearth goddess, one of the twelve Olympian gods from his original world, and sister to Demeter, Hera, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, holds an important position.

She possesses the "inextinguishable" power to keep the sacred fire burning forever, which ranks her high among the gods.

Standing at only 140 cm, she has a curvaceous figure despite her "loli" appearance, making her irresistibly charming.

"Alright! I've decided to join the 'Hestia Familia," Bell resolved, much like in the original story.

After all, who could resist the allure of a goddess like Hestia?

With such a delightful loli goddess offered for free, who could ask for more?

It's like in FGO with Tiamat, where everyone would instantly become devoted if she called them "my child."

Who wouldn't want to bask in her maternal embrace?

Bell didn't have any ulterior motives; he just wanted to rush to his lovely goddess.

Meeting other girls could wait. Hestia was undoubtedly the best choice.

With his decision made, Bell no longer worried about choosing a familia.

However, another issue arose: the goddess Freya.

Freya could see through human souls, discerning their true qualities. Bell wondered if she might see through him.

But considering his mind wasn't as pure as a fourteen-year-old Bell, he didn't need to worry. He wasn't someone who stood out. If Freya saw him, he'd appear no different from an ordinary person.

Freya wouldn't be interested in ordinary people.

"Time to head into the city and gather information."

After packing his belongings, Bell donned a trench coat and walked down the road, blending in as an ordinary traveler.

It turned out that ordinary people rarely encountered trouble. As long as he looked like a regular person and didn't carry too many things, he wouldn't be targeted.

Bell was especially cautious during the last ten kilometers.

It's easy to pretend to be ordinary, but he had to look like a poor, ordinary person... which he genuinely was.

Besides his trench coat, he didn't even have a backpack. He was the epitome of poverty.

Bell saw many carriages on the main road ahead.

Curious, he glanced at the roadside. Carriages loaded with goods were constantly passing by, their wheels sinking into the soil from the weight.

"It seems there's a lot of stuff coming into Orario."

Bell was excited about the prospect of business. The dangers of trading were significantly lower.

"If I'm smart, I might make a name for myself in business."

But Bell quickly abandoned the idea. He lacked the intelligence and resources for business. His straightforward nature wasn't suited for the complexities of commerce.

Accepting reality, Bell pulled down his hood to conceal his appearance. He didn't want to cause trouble or be seen as a threat before he had grown stronger.

Bell walked cautiously along the roadside, avoiding the central path and overhearing a conversation.

"This delivery was rough. We even encountered a wyvern," one person said.

"Yeah, if our hired team hadn't been strong, our goods would've been destroyed," another replied.

Isn't this a species of Dragons!?

Bell frowned. Anything related to "dragon" was dangerous.

He listened closely.

"Good thing it wasn't a real dragon. We'd all be done for."

"True! Meeting a wyvern was already bad enough."

Bell sighed and looked at the mercenary team ahead.

"Wyvern and dragons, this world is full of danger."

"Without strength, you can't go anywhere. Even encountering monsters outside can be fatal."

They were heavily bandaged, their equipment stripped down to the basics, indicating a brutal battle.

Although Bell didn't know their exact strength, the damage caused by one earth dragon was significant.

"As expected, dragons are legendary creatures. It's never easy to deal with them."

"Compared to the uncertainty outside, the dungeon is definitely the best place for me."