Chapter 025: Hestia: How can there still be a slutty woman coming to steal my home? (Patreon)

Through the [Exploration Log], Hestia actually knew perfectly well... that Rozz was currently caught up in something particularly thorny, something he couldn't easily handle on his own.

A new feature of the Hero Cloud-Raising Plan let the young goddess keep constant tabs on her Familia member's movements — though checking in every so often inevitably left her a bit distracted.

[Rozz encountered War Shadow, the monster the Adventurer Guild calls the Newbie Killer, in the Dungeon's Floor 6 area. After a brief fight,]

[he found that the so-called Newbie Killer wasn't nearly as hard to kill as he'd expected.]

...

[After today's intense exploration, Rozz felt exhausted, but thanks to careful stamina management, he made it back to Orario safely.]

...

"Whew."

Reading this, the weight that had been pressing on the young goddess's chest finally lifted, and out of habit, she was ready to ditch work and slip away.

But then she noticed—

Not far off, her close friend Hephaestus wore a stern expression, clearly displeased with how absent-minded she'd been at work today.

But it couldn't be helped~

Her own child was being eyed by other Adventurers, and the whole mess was her fault to begin with — how could Hestia not worry?

She could hardly just come out and say she'd sensed Rozz was in danger through the [Hero Cloud-Raising Panel], could she?

What she could confirm for now was that she seemed to be the only god in Orario who could see the translucent screen hovering above Rozz's head.

"Finally, I can work in peace!"

But just then.

The glass door of the weapon shop swung quietly open. The young goddess glanced up out of habit, and there in her sight was a familiar figure.

[Rozz]

Why was he here?!

The instant Hestia saw the black-haired boy, her mind went blank — but her body moved faster than her thoughts could.

Head down.

She flattened herself against the desk in one smooth motion.

It was obviously a bit like an ostrich burying its head — but she thought of the dignified image she'd worked so hard to build in front of Rozz,

surely it wouldn't come crashing down just because he'd caught her working a part-time job?

Watching all this, Hephaestus — as supervisor of her employee — couldn't help but rub her forehead, her expression turning strange.

"You're here..."

"...Lady Hestia. And Lady Hephaestus."

Rozz looked at the two goddesses before him, each so different in style — and seeing Hestia in a uniform, it wasn't hard to guess.

His own goddess seemed to be working here.

He didn't think much of it — even Takemikazuchi, the God of Martial Arts, worked a fried-potato-ball stall, so why should Hestia's reasons for working be any different...

Most likely, it was because of his own set of Adventurer gear?

He felt touched.

[Never take someone else's sacrifice for granted.]

Especially since she'd never once sought anything in return from him — if he had to name something, growing the Familia was the closest thing to a reason.

That was how Rozz saw it.

He held out the fried potato balls in his hand and explained with a smile, "Lady Hestia, I passed by the potato ball stall and picked up a snack on the way."

"..."

[Affection +3]

[Rozz keenly realized that the reason his own goddess was working outside was very likely the Adventurer gear he was using.]

[Touched, he resolved that no matter what, he would honor this feeling.]

That's a bit much~

This even raises Affection?!

But Hestia had a feeling that line was a lie. The young goddess looked at the Exploration Log on the translucent screen of the [Hero Cloud-Raising Plan].

An instant later, she had her answer.

[When Rozz returned to Orario and didn't find Hestia there as promised, he felt a little at a loss.]

Wait, hold on...

Hestia really wanted to go, but if she asked Hephaestus, given her friend's current mood, she'd definitely say no.

[So.]

[Rozz decided to head to the fried potato ball stall on North Main Street, to ask about matters of training with the God of Martial Arts — and while he was at it, to find out what snacks his own goddess liked.]

Just as she thought...

Rozz really did care about her!!

Hestia looked up again and reached out to take the potato balls, so full of thoughtfulness, from the boy. "Rozz, you really... I'm so happy."

"Thank you for the gift."

"Actually, I should be the one thanking you, Lady Hestia, for looking after me all this time."

Under the doll-faced beauty's tender, loving gaze, Rozz felt a bit embarrassed — after all, he was the one being taken care of.

Mainly, the reason he'd come this time—

he didn't really have anything else in mind, just a feeling... that Hestia would be here. As for the threat he was currently facing,

Rozz had no intention of telling her about it.

That was just how it was once you were out in the working world — especially after being away working for a long time. Even when he called the orphanage director, he'd share the good news and keep the bad to himself.

No point in causing needless worry.

His gaze swept over the pretty girl in front of him, then over to Hephaestus. "Well, Lady Hestia, you get back to work. I'll just..."

"I'll head back to the communal dormitory to rest, okay?"

"Mm..."

Hestia nodded earnestly.

But looking at the easy smile on Rozz's face, it was clear he had no intention of mentioning the threat from the Adventurers.

The young goddess hesitated, wanting to say something, her tone as gentle as she could make it:

"Um..."

"Rozz, you must have come to find me for some other reason, right? If it's hard to say here... should we go talk in the office?"

"No."

Rozz scratched his head and firmly denied it. "I just thought of you, Lady Hestia, so I came to see you."

"..."

The first part was a lie,

but in the second, Hestia could feel how much he truly meant it. Her gaze followed the boy's retreating back.

The young goddess felt a swell of emotion — though more than anything, it was a kind of ache, seeing a maturity in Rozz that didn't match his age.

Because...

even grown Adventurers didn't necessarily have the kind of maturity Rozz carried — which meant he must have been through a great deal.

"Honestly..."

"Sometimes, you're allowed to lean on your goddess a little more, you know!"

the young goddess muttered, a soft complaint.

But there was no hiding the warmth in Hestia's voice. Meeting a Familia member like this — coming to Orario had already been worth it, many times over!

Besides—

through the [Exploration Log], she knew Rozz meant to handle this looming conflict with the Adventurers in his own way.

"So then..."

"I'll step in and help once Rozz really can't handle it on his own!"

That was what Hestia decided.

At this hour there weren't many Adventurer customers around, and besides, Hephaestus couldn't see that translucent screen at all.

So the young goddess chose to slack off in plain sight.

[Rozz's Exploration Log]

[Once he left the weapon shop, Rozz finally relaxed — thankfully nothing had been exposed, sparing his goddess a lot of worry.]

[He was crystal clear on what to do next.]

[On his way back to the communal dormitory to rest, Rozz once again ran into that androgynous-looking god he'd met at the restaurant that evening.]

[When Loki tried to strike up a conversation, Rozz brushed it off, claiming he was too tired.]

"?"

"Oh, fine, fine!!"

Seeing this,

Hestia genuinely laughed out of pure annoyance — here she was, too busy working to even spend time with Rozz, and now this Loki character was trying to poach her family member, was that it?