19 Hostess of Fertility, Mia Grand, His Past.

Narrator POV:

"So, this is the place you were talking about?".

What Hestia saw with curiosity was a two-story stone building located on one of the main streets.

"Yes, someone invited me to come, so I guess it would be rude of me not to come."

With a chuckle, Mikhael prepared to enter with Hestia in the famous pub called the "Hostess of Fertility".

It was a well-lit building, and even from outside, through the double wooden doors. You could hear a lively and noisy atmosphere.

Entering with the young man, Hestia watched as the young man scanned the entire place as if to memorize it. A habit she had noticed he had in all the new places they went to.

"Cheers!"

Following his example, she looked around. The interior of the bar was spacious and numerous tables full of adventurers who came to enjoy the food and alcohol.

"Cheers!"

She even managed to see several gods that she recognized had come with their families to celebrate... or they just wanted to join in the fun too.

Furthermore, around the pub wander different female employees, in uniforms like the one Mikhael had seen on Syr when he met her. Each of them being a different type of beauty.

Some carried trays full of food, others carried mugs of beer, and a few took down customers' orders.

"Oh?"

The couple that had entered suddenly caught the attention of several people. One of them was a tall Dwarf, with brown hair and eyes.

The same one who was behind a bar counter, right next to a staircase that led to the second floor. She was Mia Grand, the owner of the pub.

(Is this the boy "she" was talking about? What an interesting boy. He hides it well but his concealment is still not perfect)

Looking at the boy with platinum-blonde hair, who seemed like a boy with a rather calm and taciturn temperament. Coupled with his small faint smile that conveyed a refreshing feeling.

The young man left a generally good first impression, superficially seeming like a novice adventurer who was still growing or that's what most would see.

But she, who fought against all kinds of assassins like the Sekhmet familia, could see it.

His decades of experience as the former captain of the Freya familia and her combat instincts as Lv. 6 told her.

Perhaps Ottar would be fooled by him, but she could feel it, although it seemed that his body was "rusty". She could glimpse what was a quite skilled combatant.

More precisely, a fighter who seemed to have expressly trained in the art of fighting against people.

The boy's way of walking and the habits that he revealed reminded her of the Assassins of the Sekhmet familia.

She had defended that annoying goddess a dozen times from the attacks of killing machines trained by "the shadow of the continent". being that how the Sekhmet familia was called.

She could see through his facade, even more so when the young man didn't seem to be on guard or want to hide it. His hiding was probably just an instinct engraved in his body or mind.

Looking curiously at the young man who, along with her goddess, was sitting at one of the empty tables in the corner. The dwarf suddenly saw the young man's gaze turn towards her.

Having felt her gaze, in response to him, she met his gaze. Same that conveyed a careless feeling but she could see deep down a more serious and analytical feeling.

Only for him to look away from her to the cheerful blue-gray-haired girl that had come to greet and take his order.

(Hahaha, interesting guy, he probably felt my strength... and yet he looked at me like I was just a target)

Looking at the scene with a smile, Mia looked forward to what surprises this young man would bring her. Not in the least worried about him.

After all, although the young man seemed to be skilled, an LV.1 was still only a Lv.1. added to that sense of conflict in the young man's aura, she as a Lv.6 could easily defeat him.

Crossing the gap between one level and another is achievable. And it is even possible to ignore the difference between up to 3 levels with skills like the one of the leader of the Astrea Familia or the famous Crozzo's magic swords.

But the gap between a Lv1 and a Lv6 was an uncrossable abyss that could not be crossed by any means.

"I'm glad you came, I was waiting for you"

Tucking her hair behind her ear with her empty hand, the "young woman" happily spoke to Mikhael, looking at him with an excited look.

While she seemed to ignore the presence of the goddess.

"Well, I promised to come, and I usually keep my promises."

"So you're Syr flo-whatever-kun"

The young woman diverted her gaze from the young man who responded calmly to the goddess who was looking at her up and down. Her eyes stopping on a certain part of her.

While these same eyes acquired a slight disdain and their features conveyed a sense of victory and pride. Apparently having won some type of contest.

"And you are the goddess that Mikhael spoke of, it is a pleasure to meet you"

With a vein on her forehead at the midget who looked at her as if she had defeated her in something.

"Syr" thought with disdain and slight envy that a body like that was not necessary and that her slim figure was perfect.

[Several beings watch with amusement the confrontation and sparks between the goddess and the young woman]

[The oldest dream comments that she does not envy Hestia at all. That her back would only hurt if she had that type of body, while fiercely biting a handkerchief]

"Likewise, Flo-whatever-Kun, now if you don't mind, can you please just take our orders?"

The complacent goddess ignored the face of the girl who was trying to maintain her smile. Thinking that although Mikhael seemed to prefer a little of everything.

He had more taste for voluptuous women, she could notice it after the trip to the marketplace.

And of course, she wouldn't be nice to someone who ignored her and blatantly tried to seduce Mikhael right in front of her face.

"Then please wait, I'll bring you your food."

Bowing slightly just in front of the young man, after taking their orders. Syr left for the kitchen while cursing in her mind the midget who ruined her plan.

"So, Mika, how about you tell me more about your 'life' while we wait."

Leaning on the table, the goddess rested her head on the palm of her hand, curious about the young man's past.

After all, he had only given her modern common sense and two memories that still Made her heart hurt a little.

"Of course, that doesn't bother you, I don't want to seem intrusive. Or touch any sensitive point in your past."

Looking at Hestia who assured him but still had her eyes shining with curiosity, eager to know more about him.

Mikhael didn't hesitate much, after all, she was the one who asked him. And he didn't mind telling her.

"Well, there aren't many interesting things in my life."

The noise from the surroundings overshadowed their voices. Making it so that only they could hear the conversation between them.

"I was abandoned when I was born. I never made an effort to find out who my biological family was either and I found out much later in my youth that I was adopted."

The young man told the goddess, who was already surprised by the content of the story. While she continued listening attentively.

"Then my adoptive parents, a married couple who came from two families with great wealth, found me while they were on a trip. My mother specifically was the one who wanted to adopt me and took care of raising me with everything she could"

Looking at the calm face of the young man who was telling indifferently, as if it were someone else's story. For some reason, the goddess started to feel a dull pain in her heart.

"She was a kind, fair, and strong-hearted woman who had married my adoptive father in an arranged marriage. Only to realize a few months later that she was infertile."

Playing lightly with the cup that Syr left them before leaving. The young man remembered parts of his pathetic life.

"Therefore, although they did not separate because of the special identity of my mother's father. It was not a happy relationship."

"Then, going against my father's opinion, she adopted me, raising me the best she could while ignoring the opinion of the two families. Who thought she was only using me to console herself for not being able to have children of her own."

With a slight smile at those precious memories from the past. The young man longed for those moments that seemed so simple but now looked so special.

"Then, 11 years later I lost her in an "accident", leaving only me and a father with whom I had an uneasy relationship. But who as a last way to honor the woman he once loved, accepted me into his Family."

"After that, nothing interesting happened until I was 16. When I met her, an arrogant, annoying, and disrespectful young woman who was assigned to me as a maid"

("Jesus Christ, to think they'd assign me to a depressed kid who just watches stuff on the internet all day. Tsk, you know, punk? That's not a very healthy life.")

A beautiful 17-year-old girl had said after scanning his part of the house and looking at his face, seemingly annoyed but amused by the boy.

("Although well...I guess your beautiful face at least makes up for the hassle of having to take care of you, right?. Let's get along, young master~")

Placing her hand on that deadly beautiful androgynous face that tempted both women and men. The maid had said arrogantly and with a gleam of mischief to the dead-eyed young man.

("You should smile more often, even if it is fake, smile for me. I love seeing your smiling face, that abandoned kitten expression is cute but I dislike it. Your beauty is best appreciated when you are happy")

("Master, I am glad to have met you 1 year ago, I am really glad. Just as you told me that you found the meaning of living in me, I also did it in you...what? Why do I have in my hands a woman's wig?, And that you won't fall for my tricks again?.

But~, don't you think it looks good on you?~, and with this you always let me see another of your charms...master~")

("P-please promise me that you won't go back...to the way you were when I met you...I...don't want to...think that you'll go back...to being that sad...after I'm gone...so smile for me...smile like you always do...even after...I am...no longer...at...your side...")

"And she was a woman who did what she wanted by being the daughter of the main maid of my father's family. She was a vain and lazy person even until the end when she fell prey to an illness"

Although the young man's words did not contain any praise. The sad smile that was so soft and pure without any discomfort alongside the young man's distant gaze.

They told the goddess, who felt deep jealousy for how she deeply engraved her presence in the boy's heart. Everything she needed to know how much he loved the girl.

'cough'

"Well, after that other incident, my maternal adoptive grandfather offered me to be his successor."

"Initially I was going to ignore him, I didn't have the strength or desire to dedicate myself to something at that time"

Looking at the goddess coughing at him to bring him back to his senses. The young man put on an apologetic smile and continued telling what happened next.

"Much less when my mother had tried to prevent me from contacting him or her family, I was going to ignore him."

"Until he gave me certain information that left me no choice, but to continue with his legacy. To release what I felt at that moment and fulfill my new goal"

"So he trained me for a few years until he died shortly after my training ended. Before that ,he entrusted me to fulfill my goal at all costs."

"So blinded by my feelings, I became better and better at what I was. climbed the pyramid of power and became the best in the world after one year"

"Oh, and what was your profession?"

Hestia asked, really curious about what her son did. After all being the best in the world at something was a great achievement.

"Assassin"

Ignoring how Hestia's face froze in shock. The young man told her the things he now regretted having done in his past life.

"I understand that you may dislike it, but I don't think I have to hide it from you, to fulfill a certain objective"

"I trained myself to become something like a hitman who worked his way to the top of that underworld."

Taking a drink from the cup in his hand, to cool his throat. The young man who was not used to speaking so prodigiously.

"Of course, I'm not proud of it, after achieving my goal and going through certain things, I put aside that life and that self..."

Suppressing her surprise, Hestia looked closely at the young man who seemed disgusted by his past self.

Wondering what happened to that the sweet young man who seemed like a sunflower in her memories to make him end up as a Assassin.

"W-well, I can't say I'm not surprised, but it's not that I dislike you. I just feel sorry that you had to take that path in the past, that's all..."

With a nervous face and moving her hands, the goddess tried to sincerely communicate her feelings. Not wanting to create some silly misunderstanding that would distance them.

"Is that so?"

Looking at the foolishly sweet goddess, Mikhael would be lying if he said that what she told him didn't make him feel relieved. Well, he partly expected it, after all, she, unlike him, was truly kind.

"You can continue, Mika."

"Well... I started donating the wealth I amassed to those in need and after that I traveled around the world, helping people, meeting people, and seeing many places. But I could never really find a reason to live or settle down"

"In my life I tried many things and experienced far many luxuries. But I simply ended up dying after I went skydiving after an old friend invited me to remember the old days"

Looking at the goddess and her strange expression, which apparently expected some kind of exaggerated ending, like an explosion. He told her that he had a pretty "ordinary" ending.

"You sure had a life...well...like a movie, huh?"

With a strange expression, Hestia didn't know what to say as she tried not to accidentally hurt the young man's feelings.

"Mikhael..."

Placing her hand on the young man's, the goddess who was sitting next to him put on a comforting and motherly smile.

"It must have been hard, right?"

While Mikhael's eyes trembled fiercely at what he didn't even expect.

"But now it's okay, you're not alone anymore, you can count on me"

Trying to make her feelings reach the heart of the young man. That was completely helpless in the face of this recent and sudden heat after being isolated for a long time.

"After all..."

With her head tilted to the side, she who had a devastatingly beautiful smile, intertwined her fingers with the young man's.

"Aren't we Family?"

While time seemed to stop momentarily for Mikhael.

He could do nothing about the fact that the goddess seemed to have firmly grasped his heart, squeezing it slightly, and causing it to beat rapidly.

'Clang'

Coming back to their senses by the sound of a metal tray falling on the floor, both could only look bewildered at whoever dropped it. Right in front of them.

The one who dropped the tray was one of the employees who was asked to bring a food order to a table. Because her friend Syr had been called to the kitchen.

The same friend who, while pouting, asked Ryuu if she would replace her and give the young man his food.

She was a beautiful elf who looked with trembling eyes at the young man, and especially at his hands intertwined with the goddess. Shock written on her astonishing features.

Feeling the excitement of the reunion, the joy of seeing him again, the anger and jealousy of seeing that instead of coming to see her as soon as he arrived

He really went to flirt with a random goddess, and the desire to hit that annoying face that had doubt and surprise.

Ryuu could only shakily advance until she was in front of the young man looking at him with an indignant look. She, the normally calm elf, let her anger go free.

"Tell me...what are you doing here?!?!"