Demeter Familia Premise Chapter 6 (Patreon)

Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter! Now that Bell is Level 2 (the fastest Level Up in history, taking only twenty days) the entire city is abuzz with his exploits. Bell’s fight against the Ligerfang has spread throughout Orario like wildfire and such things often catch the attention of many Deities. But Bell has other things to think about beyond the people looking at him and talking about him in the streets: he needs new gear since his sword was destroyed in the battle. Thankfully, he just slew an irregular Monster and should have some nice materials to use!

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 6 – Spoils of the Storm

Bell could say that he’d had a VERY good morning, so far. Waking up with Lunoire and Demeter snuggled up with him had put a smile on his face immediately. The three had shared warm, gentle kisses as they all woke up to start their day, which kept Bell’s smile up all morning. And now, at breakfast, he was the center of attention and congratulations came from all the members of the Familia.

“Haha! Who’d have thought one of ours would shatter the record for fastest Level Up ever?!” An older man in a work shirt and overalls laughed while patting Bell on the back.

A woman that reminded Bell of some of the nice ladies from back in the mountain farming village gave him a warm smile. “You’re another member we can take pride in, Bell. People are already talking about your fight all over Orario!”

“She’s right, Bell. On my early morning wheat delivery to the millers, I heard all sorts of people talking about you!” A young man, still a few years older than Bell, grinned brightly at the newest member of Demeter Familia.

“Lili was worried sick when they carried you in last night, Bell.” Lili lightly poked Bell’s shoulder, her brown eyes boring into him. “What were you thinking fighting a Ligerfang all by yourself?!”

Lunoire nodded in agreement with Lili. “You did something incredibly dangerous, Bell. I thought I’d lost you when you nearly collapsed.”

Bell gave Lunoire a half-smile. “Sorry… I just reacted when the Ligerfang showed up and people were running from it and screaming.”

“That’s called be a man!” One of the other older farmers said, his thick beard barely hiding his smile as he gave Bell a nod. “Standing up and protecting others is what a man should do! Why, if I saw that great beast, I’d have…”

“Died. You would’ve died.” His wife lightly tapped his head while looking at him flatly. “Bell was an exception; and even he nearly didn’t make it. You don’t go fighting Monsters beyond the Sixth Floor, mister!”

The farmer man nodded quickly. “R-Right, honey. Just what I was gonna say!” He chuckled as the snickering and giggles came from the other members of the Familia “I still have to teach our little ones all about farming.”

Bell couldn’t help but smile and chuckle along with everyone. The Demeter Familia was always like this, a warm family-like atmosphere, similar to the farming village that Bell grew up in. It was perfect for soothing the heart after the life-and-death battle that Bell had with the Ligerfang.

“By the way, what happened to the Ligerfang after I passed out?” Bell asked, looking at Lunoire curiously.

“Since you were the one to slay it, it became your property.” Lunoire grinned at Bell. “After we dragged it back to the Familia home, Lili here went ahead and harvested it for you.”

Lili had a proud look on her face. “Lili did her best and managed to get Drop Items from the Ligerfang!”

Bell smiled brightly at that, and clapped along with the rest of the Familia for Lili’s skills. “Thank you, Lili.”

“Don’t mention it.” Lili waved off the applause, a happy little smile on her lips. She really loved the Demeter Familia and how much of a family they were compared to her previous Familia. “Though multiple Drop Items are kinda rare, and I don’t know what a Level 2 Monster’s Magic Stone looks like, since I’ve never held one before, but the one I got from the Ligerfang was bigger than both my hands.”

Lunoire saw the interest and excitement in Bell’s rubellite eyes and couldn’t help but smile a little more. “You can look at your spoils after breakfast, Bell.”

Bell nodded and gave Lunoire a bright grin before he started to eat quickly. That got another round of chuckles from the other Familia members at breakfast.

-Demeter’s Office-

“Here they are, Bell.” Demeter giggled as she motioned to the huge tiger pelt folded up on top of her desk, along with the two large saber fangs from the Ligerfang that were lying atop the fur. The large Magic Stone, filled with swirling lights of magical energy, was the largest one that Bell had ever seen as it sat atop the pelt as well.

“Whoa…” Bell breathed out as he picked up the large Magic Stone, getting a feel for its weight. “It’s way bigger than anything I’ve gotten from the Monsters in the Dungeon.” He couldn’t help but wonder how much this would sell for when he took it to the Guild Exchange. “The fangs are huge too.” He set the Magic Stone down and picked up one of the two large saber fangs. Each of them was nearly the length of his old sword…just a little shorter than the blade had been before it broke. “Drop Items like this can be made into weapons, right?” Bell asked Lunoire, his rubellite eyes nearly sparkling at doing something he’d read about in his Heroic Tales.

Lunoire nearly cracked up at how excited Bell was. “Yeah, you can…”

Demeter was hiding her laughter behind her hand as Bell nearly beamed. “I’d recommend either Hephaestus Familia or Goibniu Familia for a personal commission, Bell.”

“Right!” Bell smiled brightly at Demeter and Lunoire before looking at the large saber fang in his hand. ‘I think I know what I want to do with the pelt too.’ He placed his free hand atop the fur, feeling the softness, but also the strength behind it as he moved his hand across it. “Can I go today?” Bell asked Demeter with a grin, clearly wanting to get started since he’d have to take time off from the Dungeon until he got a new sword.

“As long as you feel alright, Bell.” Demeter nodded with a warm and affectionate smile as she looked him over.

Lunoire was more direct, her hands gently trailing over Bell’s body as she looked for any sore spots that he still had left. “You aren’t still hurt anywhere, right?”

Bell nodded, quite enjoying Lunoire’s hands roaming over his form. “I’m fine, Lunoire. I don’t plan to do anything strenuous today either.”

“You better not.” Lunoire gave him a half-hearted glare, nearly a pout that Bell found incredibly cute. “But stop by the Hostess when you’re done so I can make sure.” She smiled and kissed Bell’s cheek softly.

“I will.” Bell agreed, turning to kiss Lunoire warmly, the two both letting out soft little hums of pleasure as they shared their love physically.

Demeter giggled, her hand cupping her cheek. “You’re so cute~” She cooed at the two before taking a step forward. “But I want a kiss too…” She leaned in once Lunoire and Bell separated their lips, stealing Bell’s lips for herself in a long, soft kiss.

Bell was nearly walking on air, much to Lunoire and Demeter’s beautiful laughter, as he gathered up the Magic Stone and the three Drop Items. Lunoire and Demeter helped him pack them away in a simple canvas bag and walked with Bell to the front door of the Wheat Manor. With a warm smile, Bell kissed Demeter again, then kissed Lunoire as well.

“See you both tonight.” Bell smiled warmly at the ones he loved.

“I’ll be waiting, Bell.” Demeter giggled softly, enjoying how affectionate Bell was.

Lunoire leaned in and stole a small kiss from Bell’s lips again. “Don’t forget to stop by the Hostess after you’re done, Bell.”

Bell nodded, a warm and almost dopey smile on his face. “I won’t.”

Demeter and Lunoire watched Bell leave with the large canvas bag, his happiness and excitement practically radiating off of him.

“I love him.”  Lunoire sighed happily, watching Bell until she couldn’t see him anymore.

“I love you both.” Demeter said as she kissed Lunoire’s cheek softly, giving the young woman a smile like warm sunshine.

Lunoire touched her cheek, feeling the heat that was definitely turning it pink. “G-Goddess…” The smile that spread across her face couldn’t be stopped though. She hugged Demeter warmly (quietly enjoying the softness that pressed up against her own breasts) before stepping back. “I’ve got to head to work. See you soon!” She jogged off quickly.

Demeter’s soft laughter was like music as she watched Lunoire run off. “She’s so cute.” She was looking forward to absolutely spoiling Bell and Lunoire with her love, once they were all ready for that.

-Hephaestus Familia Shop ~ Eighth Floor of Babel Tower-

“I can’t believe the Magic Stone sold for so much.” Bell mumbled to himself as he entered the shop. That wasn’t even the weirdest thing either. His trip to Babel was filled with people whispering and pointing at him. Bell shook his head once to refocus on why he was here. ‘With the 50,000 Valis that I got for the Ligerfang’s Magic Stone, plus what I’ve already saved up, surely I can afford a commission…right?’

“Welcome!” The Hephaestus Familia member manning the shop today greeted Bell with a small wave and a smile. Then he went back to arguing with the customer at the counter who had a wooden box on the counter in front of him.

The redhead slapped his hand down on the counter. “I made a sale, two of them! Why is this off in a corner?!”

The shopkeeper sighed in annoyance. “I told you…a couple sales doesn’t entitle you to shelf space. You need to sell more to earn that space for your work!”

“Oh, so you’re saying it’s my fault!” The redheaded man shot back, leaning forward a bit.

“You know the rules, Welf! If you don’t like it, talk to the higher-ups!” The shopkeeper snapped back at the other man.

Bell blinked at the redheaded man’s name. ‘Welf? Could he be Welf Crozzo?’ He wondered, lightly touching the breastplate of his armor. ‘I should definitely check!’

Welf nearly growled at the shopkeeper. “I’m not asking for top shelf placement, but at least put my stuff on an actual shelf now! How am I suppose to get more customers if people can’t find my work?!”

“Um…” Bell spoke up, blinking when both Welf and the shopkeeper turned to look at him at the same time.

“Yes? Can I help you, sir?” The shopkeeper lightly pushed Welf a step to the left to clear the way for Bell.

Welf couldn’t stay silent at that. “Hey! I wasn’t done!”

Bell surprised both men when he turned to look at Welf. “Are you Welf Crozzo? The one the forged this armor?” He patted the breastplate of his white armor with the short red lines on one side.

Welf’s eyes widened and his immediate response of asking people that sought him out what they wanted died before he could speak. ‘It’s that guy that fought the escaped Ligerfang…’ His blue eyes glanced down at the armor Bell was wearing and a small grin formed on his face. ‘And that’s my armor… He was the one that bought it?!’ A quick nod to Bell and Welf introduced himself. “That’s right, Welf Crozzo, at your service.” He gave Bell a quick smile and pointed at the armor Bell was wearing. “And that’s my Pyonkichi Mk. II armor.”

“That’s great!” Bell smiled at meeting the smith that had forged the Light Armor that fit him almost perfectly. “I was hoping to request a commission!”

Welf blinked.

The shopkeeper blinked.

Bell was smiling as he opened the canvas bag, oblivious to the shock he’d caused.

“HAHAHA!!!” Welf burst into laughter, almost leaning over the counter to get in the shopkeeper’s face. “Would you look at that! Not just a customer, but a full-on CLIENT!!!”

“Ugh…” The shopkeeper leaned further back while looking off to the side.

Welf turned back to Bell just in time to see him pull out a large saber fang from the canvas bag. “Oh…” His blue eyes locked onto the fang, judging its appearance, size, and condition to measure its worth as a material for forging a weapon. “That’s good material…”

Bell smiled as he held the Ligerfang with both hands. “I’d like a sword made from this fang, if possible. I got it from a Ligerfang…”

“That you slayed during Monsterphilia.” Welf cut him off with a smile. “I saw the whole fight! You were great, especially with that Lightning Magic!”

“Oh, thank you, Mr. Crozzo.” Bell appreciated the praise, even if the battle had nearly killed him. It was nice to know that people appreciated the hard-fought battle to protect them.

Welf smiled before looking at the shopkeeper. “Put this on a shelf for me, please.” He pushed the wooden box that he’d been arguing with the shopkeeper about towards the other man with a grin. “As for you, ‘Tiger Killer’, let’s talk somewhere we can sit down.”

Bell nodded, placing the fang back into his canvas bag and following Welf out of the shop.

“No one back home is going to believe this…” The shopkeeper mumbled to himself as he picked up the wooden box with Welf’s newest armor in it. “…but ‘Crozzo the Defective’ actually got a client.”

Outside of the shop, Welf led Bell over to some benches in a more open area that faced multiple different blacksmith shops. Once the two young men sat down, Welf looked Bell over for a second before speaking. “So, you’re the famous ‘Tiger Killer’, huh?”

Bell tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean ‘Tiger Killer’?” He’d wanted to ask back in the shop, but Welf had agreed to the idea of a commission, and he’d followed him out in excitement.

Welf was the one confused now as he cocked one eyebrow. “You don’t know your new nickname? It’s all over Orario already.”

“I was unconscious after the battle until after nightfall…” Bell told Welf bluntly.

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Welf rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. “You really gave it your all against that big Ligerfang.” He gave Bell a smile as he refocused the conversation. “Still, seeing you now up close…I thought you might’ve been older than me. Then again, age doesn’t matter that much when it comes to Adventurers and strength.”

Bell shrugged once at that. “Um, how old are you, Mr. Crozzo?”

Welf shifted a little at the formal term of address. “Turned twenty-one this year. But could you do me a favor and drop the ‘Mr. Crozzo’? Not particularly fond of my family name.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Welf.” Bell was fine with being a little less formal if that’s what Welf preferred.

“Still ‘Mr.’, huh?” Welf mumbled before speaking up again. “I’ll just cut to the chase. I’d like to keep you.” He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, a frustrated grimace crossing his face. “I don’t want to sound full of myself, but I put out good quality work. There’s just one problem…none of it sells. Everything gets rejected at the last second. Can’t figure it out…”

‘Maybe work on the naming of your pieces?’ Bell thought to himself as he recalled the name of his armor ‘Pyonkichi’. ‘But maybe I shouldn’t give my opinion out loud…’ He DID still want to commission Welf to forge him a new sword.

Welf opened his eyes and smiled at Bell. “But then you came along. You saw the value of my work, and you came back for more. Like a client.” He let out a short sigh. “To be blunt, low-ranking smiths compete for clients. Adventurers flock to the famous ones, but making yourself known is easier said than done. Usually, only the newbie Adventurers buy our stuff every once in a while. That’s just how it is.” Welf looked at Bell with a grin. “It’s not everyday that low-ranking smiths get recognized. But you recognized me. Nothing could make me happier than that. You’re my first client. I can’t just let you walk away.”

“So…you want me to keep buying equipment from you?” Bell asked Welf, curious about the difference between a customer and a client.

“Well, yeah, but I’d like something a bit more permanent.” Welf said as he placed his hand over his chest. “Would you sign an direct contract with me, Bell Cranel? An agreement between one Adventurer and one smith. I’ll make strong weapons and armor out of the Drop Items and materials that you brig back from the Dungeon, at a cheaper price. Mutual benefit, we help each other out.”

Bell blinked in surprise at what Welf was requesting. “Direct contract…? Is that okay?!” He remembered his Guild Advisor, Miss Sophie, telling him that items forged for a specific user were often a bit better than one’s just bought off the shelf.

Welf nearly laughed at Bell’s surprise. “Hey, that’s my line. You’re the talk of the entire city. All of Orario knows your name. I’m a no-name smith that doesn’t even have the Blacksmith Developmental Ability, yet. The shoe should be on the other foot, right?”

‘Oh…that means once the Guild announces my Level Up, all of the stares, pointing, and whispering on the street is going to get even crazier, isn’t it?’ Bell thought, realizing that the most unbelievable thing he’d done hadn’t even been revealed yet.

“Add to that…” Welf put his hand on Bell’s shoulder. “See those guys over there by the shops?” He pointed out several blacksmiths standing before the various shops across from the benches. “The ones looking right at us?”

Bell nodded once. “Yeah…”

Welf grinned a little. “They’re after you. Specifically, a direct contract. Just like me.”

“Huh?” Bell couldn’t believe that so many blacksmiths would be interested in contracting with him. The ones looking their way ranged from young to older, men to women, and a few different races too.

“For better or worse, famous Adventurers all have a target on their backs. That’s the difference between Adventurers that’ve done amazing things, and those that’re just dungeon crawling as a day job.” Welf explained to Bell why there was so much interest in him from the smiths. “I want to be your go-to guy for smithing. And signing an Adventurer with your potential is great for my reputation. Which is why inking a deal is great for me.” He told Bell the honest truth of just what he got from the deal that he was proposing. “…or that’s the spiel, anyway. But honestly, fame doesn’t matter that much to me. Because out of all the options out there, you chose MY armor! Never thought this day would come, that someone would want to use something that I made, you know? It’s an awesome feeling; I can tell you that much!” Welf nearly gushed, excitement and energy radiating off of him.

Bell couldn’t help but smile, recognizing the same energy and passion that Welf had for his dream as what he had for becoming a Hero. ‘He’s a good smith…and a good person. I can see myself working together with him. I can’t explain it, but this sounds pretty good.’ He raised his hand towards Welf, offering the blacksmith a handshake. “Alright, Mr. Welf, I’ll sign a contract with you.”

Welf grinned brightly and shook Bell’s hand strongly. “It’s settled! Don’t know what I would’ve done if you said ‘No’!” He raised their clasped hands to show the other watching smiths. “Yeah!”

Bell saw a lot of the blacksmiths slump forward a bit. There were more than a few calls of ‘Aww, damn it’ and plenty of ‘tsks’ as the smiths headed back into their shops.

“Looking forward to working with you, Bell!” Welf said with a big smile.

“Me too.” Bell returned the energetic smile with one of his own.

Welf rubbed his neck once, massaging out some tension that had built up while making his pitch to Bell. “I’ll get all the paperwork ready soon. But for now, can I ask a favor?” He closed his eyes and gave Bell a half-bow from his sitting position. “Of course, I’ll pay you back. Just tell me what you need and I’ll make it all for free.”

Bell gaped at that. “Huh?!”

“Why are you surprised?” Welf asked, Bell’s shock clearly written all over his face. “Adventurers want equipment from smiths. That’s just common sense, right? Bell…add me to your Party, please.”

“Huh? My Party?” Bell couldn’t help but be a little confused as to why a blacksmith would want to join his Party.

Welf nodded and explained his reasoning. “At the moment, I’ve gone as far as a blacksmith can while still Level 1. Without the Blacksmith Developmental Ability, I can’t progress any further in my craft. I need to go deeper into the Dungeon, get stronger, and eventually Level Up. For that, I need to be part of a Party.”

Bell considered Welf’s request for a long moment. “I’d have to ask my only other Party member, Lili, before I could agree. I’d also like to present my commission first.”

“A bit of a test to see if I’m worth it, eh?” Welf had a confident smile on his face. “I like it! You wanted a sword made from that Ligerfang’s fang, right?”

“Yeah!” Bell nodded, his rubellite eyes sparkling with a similar excitement to Welf’s.

Welf stood up, his craftsmen’s spirit burning brightly. “Follow me to my smithy, Bell! I’ll show you just what I can do!”

-Welf’s Smithy-

“Welcome to my workshop, Bell!” Welf said as he opened the door to his smithy.

“Whoa…” Bell breathed out as he looked all over the interior, seeing dozens and dozens of tools, the forge itself, and work tables covered in various pieces that Welf had made previously.

Welf chuckled a little at Bell’s reaction. “Sorry, it’s a bit of a pigsty in here. My Familia assigned me this smithy. Every member has their own private workshop. Only the Hephaestus Familia does that.”

Bell looked over at Welf curiously. “You mean it’s not normal for smiths to have their own workspace?”

“Doubt it.” Welf shook his head once. “It’d be much cheaper to build one big workshop. More efficient too.”

“Then why…?” Bell didn’t understand why they’d make less efficient individual workshops.

Welf grinned and crossed his arms. “So other smiths don’t see your techniques. My way is mine, yeah? My Familia members are both my allies, and my rivals. That’s the way Lady Hephaestus wants it.” He waved that off with a little chuckle. “But enough about the workshop. Take off the armor and stand on this for me, Bell.” He pushed a short step stool towards Bell. “I’ll need your measurements first. I can take it from there.”

Bell looked between the step stool and Welf. “My measurements?”

“I promised, didn’t I? That I would make all of your equipment.” Welf said as if it was the most obvious thing. “Might as well have it adjusted to be closer to tailor-made for you, right Bell? Any requests? Just say the word and I’ll make anything for you.”

“Hmm…” Bell thought about any other requests before an idea came to him. “Could you use any of this for the armor?” He opened the canvas bag and pulled out the folded up pelt of the Ligerfang.

Welf looked at the pelt and put his hand on it, lightly feeling it for quality. “Uh, yeah…at least a small portion of it.” He could put some of the fur around the neck of the armor to obscure Bell’s vitals without compromising the movement of his neck, easily enough. “It would be a bit more of an upgrade beyond just perfectly fitting the armor to you.”

Bell smiled at that. “Please do so then!”

“Okay.” Welf was a bit flummoxed, though he did his best to hide it. ‘Does he really NOT want a Magic Sword? Hmm, well I’m not gonna complain if that’s the case.’ But he would see what Bell wanted from the sword that the Adventurer wanted commissioned. “So, about this sword you want…”

“Right, can you use this?” Bell pulled one of the two saber fangs out and handed it to Welf. “I’d like a sword that’s durable enough to handle my Lightning Magic, and sharp enough to cut through even large Monsters.”

Welf took the fang into his hands and looked it over closer, turning it this way and that. “It’s a bit bigger than average, from what I’ve seen going around the Familia sometimes. Definitely a little heavier, but it’s amazing material. Durable enough to handle Lightning Magic…any particular style of sword, Bell?” He looked up at Bell after inspecting the fang.

Bell thought about it for a moment before telling Welf about his first sword. “Well, the sword I’ve used up until now was a simple single-edged straight sword. It was Skillful Grade with a minor enchantment for durability.”

“Right, gotcha.” Welf hummed as he pictured the battle that Bell had against the Ligerfang at Monsterphilia. He could picture the flashes of lightning, the crashing thunder, and Bell’s crazy speed. But he also focused on HOW Bell fought and used his sword. “Alright, yeah…if it’s gonna be like that…” He was already getting lost in ideas for the creation of his first commissioned work.

“One last thing, Mr. Welf…” Bell spoke up, seeing Welf’s blue eyes filled with an intensity that was like a blazing fire. When Welf looked at him again, Bell patted the Ligerfang pelt. “Do you know where I could go to get the rest of this processed into some kind of clothing?”

Welf blinked once and held his chin in thought, even as his craftsman’s spirit burned like a star within him. “Hmm, I know that Neith Familia’s skill with textiles is often compared to the Hephaestus Familia’s skill in blacksmithing. With comparable prices, depending on what you want done, of course. You might want to try there.”

Bell smiled at getting a recommendation for the idea he’d had to use up the Ligerfang’s pelt. “Great! How much of the pelt do you need for my armor?”

“Not too much.” Welf stood up and grabbed a straight blade from the nearest work table. With precision and control, he sliced through the Ligerfang pelt smoothly, making sure not to nick or tear it along the edges. “Whoa…this stuff is a bit tougher than I thought.” He’d actually had to put a bit of strength into the blade to cut it cleanly. Taking the cutting, Welf smiled as he placed it on the work table. “Alright, Bell, armor off and let’s get those measurements!”

“Sure, Mr. Welf.” Bell started taking off the Pyonkichi Mk. II and handing each piece over to Welf as he got them off. Stepping up onto the short stool, Bell was surprised when Welf pulled out a measuring tape and easily took his measurements, writing each one down before fluidly returning to take the next one. When the last measurement was taken, Welf motioned for Bell to step down from the stool. “About how long will you need for the commission?”

Welf hummed as he considered what he wanted to do with such a good material. “Give me five days for the sword and I can make a damn fine blade.”

Bell smiled at having a day to come pick up his new sword. “Great! How much will it cost?”

“Since you brought the Drop Item, I’ll need to supply the metal, then my time for labor… Should be about 75,000 Valis.” Welf gave Bell the price for the commission. “If you had needed to purchase a Ligerfang of this unique quality, then you’d have been looking at closer to 300,000 Valis.” He said while patting the large saber fang on his work table.

‘That’s a relief, I CAN afford the commission!’ Bell thought to himself as he knew he had that much with the sale of the Ligerfang’s Magic Stone and the money he’d saved up from his dungeon crawling. “I’ll bring the money to you five days from now then, Mr. Welf.”

Welf nodded and the two shook on it. “Let’s get the paperwork out of the way for the commission contract.” He moved over to grab some paper from a box on the far side of the smithy.

-Orario ~ Neith Familia Textiles-

Bell smiled as he found the shop run by the Neith Familia. Walking inside, he was amazed by all of the clothing on display. Casualwear, suits, dresses, cloaks, even various types of cloth armor, like leather, furs, and cloth that Bell couldn’t tell was anything but normal…yet felt a difference to them when he got close, and all of the clothing was made in various styles and with more materials than Bell could hope to name. There was even the sound of work coming from further in the back of the shop. Drawn by his curiosity, Bell headed towards the counter and looked beyond it.

“Whoa…” Bell could only watch as men and women measured cloth of various types and colors, cut it, stitched it, added buttons or zippers, pockets, and all with the ease of years, if not decades, of experience.

“Welcome to Neith’s Textiles.” A lovely woman with a warm smile greeted Bell. “How can we help you today, sir?”

Bell returned the woman’s smile with his own and placed the canvas bag he was carrying on the floor. He reached in and pulled out the huge Ligerfang pelt, placing it on the counter before the woman. “I was hoping to get this Drop Item made into a few coats, if possible?”

The woman looked at the tiger pelt and smiled. “May I?” She asked Bell for permission to unfold the pelt and examine it.

“Of course.” Bell nodded and watched as the woman easily unfolded then entire pelt, the length nearly covering the entire counter and the edges hanging down to the floor and partially across it.

“Oh my, you usually don’t see such a large Ligerfang pelt as a Drop Item.” The woman said with interest in the sheer amount of material. “How many coats did you want? And in what style? Short? Full length? Mid-length? We’ll need to take some measurements to assure a proper fit.”

Bell thought about it and mentally counted the ones he wanted to give such a gift. ‘Demeter, Lunoire, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Miss Ryu, and I want one too…’ He smiled at the woman. “Seven, full length, if possible.”

The woman nodded as she started to fold the pelt back up. “Of course, please, step over to the fitting station, sir.” She motioned over to a stall with three wall, the wall at the back being a large mirror, and a short step stool in the middle.

“Right.” Bell nodded, finding it almost amusing that he was being measured twice in one day for two very different things. As the woman measured his shoulders, his height from shoulder to waist, from shoulder to knee, and then from shoulder to ankle, before measuring his chest and then his waist, Bell did his best to hold still for her, unless she told him to move.

“There we are.” The Neith Familia woman nodded as she wrote down the last measurement. “Were all the coats going to be for you, sir?”

Bell shook his head once. “Oh, no. I wanted the other six to be gifts…for women I know.”

The older woman smiled softly at that. “Would you happen to know their measurements, sir?” The innuendo was VERY blatant.

“N-NO!” Bell shook his head rapidly. “I do have a good estimate of one, and most of them are close to her size.” Lunoire teaching him how to fight for the Dungeon, and his training with Ais, Tione, and Tiona gave him fairly accurate estimates of their heights and overall size. “One of them is my Goddess, Lady Demeter.”

“Ah, we do have Lady Demeter’s measurements! She’s a semi-regular customer of ours.” The woman brightened up at getting to make another piece of clothing for the well-liked Goddess of Agriculture and Fertility.

Bell hadn’t considered that, but smiled at the good luck. “That’s great, then. Can I leave it to you then?”

The woman nodded as she led Bell back over towards the counter. “Of course, sir. If there is extra material, should we make more coats?”

“Huh, I hadn’t thought about that.” Bell said as he thought about it. ‘There’s a chance that one of the coats could get torn or stained, having an extra or two wouldn’t hurt.’ He gave the woman a smile. “Yes, please.”

“Very well, Mr…?” The woman asked his name politely.

“Bell Cranel, ma’am.” Bell told her his name and saw her write it at the top of the paper with his measurements on it, along with his order.

The woman held the pencil at the ready. “Now, you said that you had estimated sizes for the women?”

Bell smiled as he thought of the women that he was definitely in love with. “Yes, I know they’re all between 160cm and 165cm tall.” He went on to describe their body types as the woman wrote down all the information.

“Alright, now that we have all the information on measurements, or a general idea at least, there’s only a few more questions.” The kind woman smiled as she tapped the pencil onto the paper holding Bell’s order. “Will you be wanting any enchantments or Attributes applied to the coats?”

“No, ma’am. Just normal coats to help protect against the cold.” Bell said, not even wanting to know how much having an enchantment or Attribute weaved into the coats would cost him.

The woman wrote that down and hummed for a moment. “No enchantments or Attributes…simple full length coats…you provided the materials yourself…labor costs for the estimated work time…” She mumbled and wrote down multiple numbers at the bottom of the paper. “We should be able to finish your order in about three days, Mr. Cranel. The full-price of 54,000 Valis will be required to pick up the order, but we will hold the finished order for you for up to two months, if necessary. However, after that time, we will sell the items in the shop.”

Bell smiled, happy that the price was something he could afford well before the two months were up. “I appreciate that ma’am. I’ll leave it in your capable hands.”

“Of course, Mr. Cranel.” The woman giggled softly. “Would you like to know how much it would’ve cost you to buy this much quality Ligerfang fur for your order?” She teased lightly, only to laugh warmly when Bell paled and shook his head quickly.

With his order placed and the large Ligerfang pelt taken into the back, Bell picked up the canvas bag with the single Ligerfang fang left in it and exited the Neith Familia shop.

-Hostess of Fertility-

Bell smiled as he stepped into the popular tavern, seeing the late lunch and early dinner crowds mixing, filling the air with warmth and chatter.

“Bell!” Lunoire beamed as she approached Bell. “One, now seating!” She called out, taking Bell’s hand in hers as she led him over to his seat near the end of the bar. “I’m glad you remembered to stop buy after your errands.”

“I promised that I would, Lunoire.” Bell smiled warmly at his girlfriend.

Lunoire glanced around and then stole a quick kiss from Bell’s lips. “That’s another reason that you’re such a good man, Bell.” She smiled affectionately at him. “Did you get everything you needed done today?”

Bell nodded, smiling just as warmly at Lunoire. “I did. The cost wasn’t as bad as I thought either…but I will need to save up a little.”

“Can you afford to eat here?” Lunoire teased with a soft giggle. “If not…I supposed I could pay for you, as long as you pay me back tonight~” She whispered hotly in Bell’s ear.

“Lunoire!” Bell looked at her with wide eyes, glancing around to make sure no one was close enough to hear Lunoire’s naughty innuendo.

Lunoire laughed beautifully, making Bell smile almost reflexively. “What would you like to drink, Bell?”

Bell shook his head at his girlfriend’s teasing before he ordered. “Some tea for now.”

“Got it.” Lunoire didn’t even need to ask what kind, already knowing what Bell liked. She glanced over her shoulder at Bell as she purposefully swayed her hips for his viewing pleasure while she walked back into the kitchen.

“Love her so much.” Bell said quietly to himself with a smile, having VERY MUCH enjoyed the view, even if Lunoire’s waitress uniform was rather conservative and hid a lot.

Ryu stopped by Bell as she was returning to the kitchen with some used dishware. “Good afternoon, Mr. Cranel.” She gave him that small smile that Bell loved to see.

Bell returned her small smile with a warm one of his own. “Good afternoon, Miss Ryu.”

Lunoire returned with Bell’s tea, placing it before him with a gentle smile. “You’re tea, Bell.”

Bell took a sip, enjoying the slightly bitter flavor, before telling Lunoire and Ryu about meeting Welf and being asked to let the blacksmith join his Party. He very much valued both women’s opinion on expanding his Party as he and Lili went deeper into the Dungeon.

“Is that so? You have a new ally.” Ryu considered what Bell had just told her and Lunoire.

“Yes, though I still need to talk to Lili about it first.” Bell said, getting a nod from Lunoire for making sure that he consulted Lili about changes to their Party. “I’ll be going back to his smithy to pick up my commission in five days.”

“Mr. Cranel…” Ryu uncrossed her arms, letting them hang by her sides. “Is this person worthy of your trust?” Her eyes looking softly into his rubellite gaze.

Bell tilted his head slightly in confusion. “How do you mean, Miss Ryu?”

“My apologies.” Ryu rephrased her question. “I didn’t mean to imply anything. But things change when Adventurers from different Familias form a Party together.”

“Ah, I see.” Bell caught on to what Ryu was saying now. “He’s one of Hephaestus Familia’s blacksmiths. Our Goddesses are fairly friendly with each other, so there shouldn’t be any problems.” He smiled at the beautiful Elf waitress. “His name is Welf Crozzo, and…”

“Crozzo?” Ryu uncharacteristically interrupted Bell mid-sentence, her expression showing a little concern. “That name is one that many Elves cannot ignore.”

Bell hadn’t been expecting this new bit of information. ‘Why would Elves, specifically, be unable to ignore the name Crozzo?’ He wondered before deciding to just ask about it. “Could you tell me why, Miss Ryu?”

“Very well.” Ryu nodded easily, not having any problem telling Bell about the history between the Crozzo’s and the Elves. “Be warned, this information is not meant to make you change your opinions at all. It is merely history.” Once Bell nodded, Ryu continued. “The family of Magic Swordsmiths known as ‘Crozzo’ resided in the Kingdom of Rakia, a country rather close to Orario. Every one of its citizens follow a single Deity. They are one Familia.” Bell blinked at that bit of information. He didn’t know a single Familia could be the size of a country! “The Crozzo Family produced a large supply of Magic Swords in order to gain favor with their Ruler and acquire nobility. Due to their Deity being a God of War, Rakia was extremely aggressive. The full power of Crozzo’s Magic Swords was unleashed many times within the country’s long history of repetitive wars.”

Bell swallowed reflexively at that. ‘This doesn’t sound good.’ He knew about Magic Weapons, of course, but equipping an entire army with them…that would make them nearly unstoppable if they were High Grade or even a higher Grade of weapons.

“An army of soldiers equipped with Crozzo Magic Swords. Can you envision that, Mr. Cranel?” Ryu questioned Bell in a calm, flat tone. “Rakia had tremendous firepower at their beck and call in those days. With no need to strategize, they laid waste to their enemies, burning them out of existence with overwhelming force.” The Elf waitress continued while Bell listened on. “Victory after victory, an unstoppable, seemingly immortal army. Rakia reaped the benefits of those Magic Swords. Nothing could stop their advance. The wars they waged changed the face of the world. Not a single blade of grass escaped the inferno, leaving a barren wasteland of ash behind.” Ryu caught Bell’s eyes again. “Eventually the fires of war reached an Elvish forest.”

Bell, a naturally kind young man, sympathized with the Elves’ plight. “So, were the Elves chased out of their home?”

“They were smoked out as their homeland burned.” Ryu corrected the somewhat naïve interpretation of what Rakia had done in the past. “The surviving Elves joined a Familia to receive a Blessing. They sought revenge on Rakia with the help of their new allies.” Ryu held up her hands in a half-shrug. “But by that time, Rakia no longer had Crozzo Magic Swords and suffered many casualties. The Elves’ mission was a success.” She let a brief sigh escape her lips before she continued. “For those on the receiving end of the devastation caused by Crozzo Magic Swords, hating the Crozzo Family might be a case of misplaced anger, but there are many who cannot let go of the past. That is why the name ‘Crozzo’ is a name that many Elves cannot ignore.”

“And…for you…Miss Ryu?” Bell looked at her, half expecting to see anger on her face or in her eyes.

Ryu was blunt, without a hint of anger anywhere in her expression. “No, I harbor no ill will.”

Bell was surprised, especially after what she’d just told him had happened. “You don’t?”

“These are nothing more than events of the past.” Ryu placed her hand over her chest. “Also, my own homeland was not directly affected.” Her reasoning for not harboring any anger or resentment towards the Crozzo Family was simple, but sensible.

“Ah, I see…” Bell got out, still processing the new information. ‘That’s surprising… Elves are usually very protective of each other when it comes to other Races.’ He knew that much about the long-lived forest dwellers, at least.

Lunoire took up the tale. “After the Crozzo Family lost their ability to forge Magic Swords, they fell to ruin almost overnight. It’s said they were stripped of all prestige, glory, honor, and privileges. They’re barely nobles on paper anymore in Rakia…or that’s what I’ve heard, at least.”

Bell considered Welf, and his stated dislike of his family name. “I see.”

Ryu nodded, noticing the slight concern on Bell’s face for the blacksmith he’d only met today. ‘You’re a very kind man, Mr. Cranel. So different from most others…’ She did her best to ignore the little flutter in her stomach as she looked at Bell.

“What would you like for dinner, Bell?” Lunoire asked with a smile, wanting to take Bell’s mind off the history of the Crozzo Family and their conflict with the Elves…and most of the world that Rakia had set its sights on in the past.

“Let’s see…” Bell gave Lunoire a little smile as he looked over the menu again.

-Welf’s Smithy-

Welf sat in front of his forge, watching as the Ligerfang and Nosteel blended together from the intense heat. He’d only been able to get his hands on Nosteel because the Hephaestus Familia held onto large amounts of various materials for their smiths to work with. It was a Lower Floor metal, so it should be more than durable enough to meet Bell’s needs. ‘It’s also the strongest material that I can work with without the Blacksmith Developmental Ability.’ He’d put his everything into this, his first ever commission, to prove to Bell that he was worth making a member of his Party.

Taking the metal from the forge, Welf began to hammer it, blending the Ligerfang fang into the Nosteel. He stretched out the material, then folded it over, before hammering it again. He continued to repeat the process, focusing on the color of the metal, the heat he could feel, and the tactile feel of every blow from his hammer. In his mind, he continued picturing bell’s fight with the Ligerfang. Every swing, thrust, the way the Lightning Magic had flowed through the sword.

“A slight curve, not too deep…for swift drawing…” Welf said to himself as he continued to hammer the metal into shape. “Pair it with a wooden scabbard to eliminate drag…” The flames of the forge crackled, and if anyone had peeked into the forge, they would’ve sworn that Welf was enveloped in flames himself. The young man’s craftsman spirit burned even hotter than his forge, his passion and drive for the craft of smithing nearly palpable as he worked.

-Five Days Later-

“Mr. Welf?” Bell knocked on the smithy door.

“Come in, Bell.” Welf called out through the door.

Bell opened the door and took two steps into the smithy before stopping in his tracks. “Wow…”

Welf looked over at Bell with a smile. “Glad to know you like it, Bell.” He said with big smile as he held the finished sword.

The sword was the same length as Bell’s first sword, but the blade had just the slightest curve now. The blade shone with a gleam; the metal held a luster to its silvery-black color that drew the eye. The guard was circular, depicting a tiger etched into the black metal. The handle was wrapped with white and black cord and capped with an equally black metal pommel. The scabbard that was lying on the work table next to Welf was made of black wood and the middle of it was wrapped with a bit of Ligerfang fur, the tiger pattern of black stripes on white fur standing out on the wood.

“Here, Bell, what do you think?” Welf safely handed the sword to Bell.

“This is…powerful.” Bell said as he held his new sword. It wasn’t the sword’s appearance either…there was just something that Bell could feel as he looked over the blade.

Welf chuckled a bit. “I had very good material.” He was humble enough to admit that the sword wouldn’t have come out nearly as good as it had without the Ligerfang that Bell had brought.

Bell marveled at his new sword for a moment longer before looking at Welf. “What’s the Grade?”

“Skillful, at least…probably closer to Superior.” Welf said with confidence in his creation’s quality. “It’s the best sword that I’ve forged, so far. I don’t think it could be any better with just a little Runecraft and all my skills.” But the craftsman’s spirit that sought to always improve wanted to know just how much BETTER Welf could’ve done if he’d been Level 2.

“It’s amazing, Mr. Welf.” Bell smiled at the blacksmith. “Does it have a name yet?”

Welf nodded, his smile growing a little more. “This one is called: Kotōmaru.”

Bell recognized the name as the Far Eastern language, but he didn’t know enough of it to decipher the meaning of the name. “What does it mean?”

“In the common language of Koine, it translates to ‘Tiger Culler’.” Welf grinned at Bell. He’d named the sword in reference to Bell’s amazing feat of slaying the irregular Ligerfang, and taking one of its fangs to make the very sword he now held.

“It’s a good name.” Bell smiled at his sword, gently picking up the scabbard and sheathing the blade. “I’m glad that I came to you for the commission, Mr. Welf.”

Welf shook Bell’s hand with a bright smile. “Nothing makes a smith happier than hearing that, Bell!”

Bell shook Welf’s hand firmly before smiling as well. “Can you meet me and Lili in front of Babel Tower tomorrow morning?”

“I’ll be there!” Welf agreed with a grin. “You won’t regret making me part of your Party, Bell!” He promised his new client, Party leader, and friend. “Now, let me show you your upgraded armor!” Welf laughed happily, eager to show off another creation, especially as he saw Bell’s eyes light up with interest and excitement.

-End Chapter-

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Woo~ Bell’s got a NICE new sword!

The spoils of slaying the irregular Ligerfang have become keys to Bell’s future, both as an Adventurer and for his romantic future.

One of the fangs became his new sword: Kotōmaru. While the huge pelt will be made into fur coats for Bell and the women he loves. Quite the nice gift to show you care, especially once autumn and winter come to the city!

The ladies are gonna look GOOD in their long fur coats! And maybe nothing else under them if some of the ladies have their way! Hehehe~

Now that Bell had a new sword and upgraded armor, not to mention a new Party member, just how FUCKED are the Monsters in the Dungeon? What will Orario’s reaction be once Bell’s Level Up is announced by the Guild?

Keep reading to find out!

Until next time, later!