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Sarutahiko Familia Chapter 13
🕑 Added 2024-12-29 03:08:35 +0000 UTCHello friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter! Things are certainly happening in secret…hidden from most of Orario. But now that the disaster on the Twenty-Fourth Floor has been cleared, and new information obtained, more plans can be made. But aside from such things, most of which Bell knows very little about, there’s a need for downtime. And what’s better during downtime than to spend it relaxing with the ones you care about?
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Chapter 13 – Payment, Downtime, and Date
At the Twilight Manor, the day after Ais, Bete, and Lefiya had returned from the secret quest that Ais had taken, there was a bit of commotion within the Familia Home. The reason would become obvious to anyone in only a few seconds if they walked through the front doors.
Ais was dressed in a traditional maid outfit.
A long black dress that reached her ankles, a white blouse beneath it that shown through the ‘breast window’ of the black dress, showing off Ais’s blessings, while there was a white-frilled collar that was kept closed with a black bow, the long sleeves of the dress ending in frilled white cuffs, and the entire ensemble was completed with a simple white lace headdress sitting in Ais’s long golden hair and a white apron tied around her waist.
Loki’s punishment for making her worry had been a LONG lecture about not taking strange Quests from unknown people and an entire day cleaning the Twilight Manor while dressed as a maid. Arguably, it was mostly so that Loki could ogle Ais dressed up so cutely (though Lefiya also enjoyed the sight as well), but the lesson and punishment fit the severity of the ‘crime’, given that everyone had returned alive.
A knock on the door of the Twilight Manor saw the ‘maid’ going to answer it as she was currently cleaning the entryway.
“Hello…” Ais’s greeting trailed off as she saw who was on the other side of the door.
“Wow…” Bell breathed out as he saw Ais dressed as a maid.
Ais’s cheeks turned pink and then red at Bell seeing her dressed like this. “…Bell.” There was the smallest hint of a whine in her tone at how intensely Bell’s rubellite eyes were taking in her appearance right now.
Bell snapped out of his memorization of Ais in a maid outfit and he shook his head once. “S-Sorry, Ais…” He gave her a soft smile. “You just look really cute in that outfit.”
“Th-Thank you…” Ais couldn’t help the little smile on her face at the genuine compliment from her boyfriend.
“I just wanted to come see you, Tione, and Tiona today.” Bell said with a grin.
Ais nodded, her heart fluttering a little in her chest as she held out her hand for Bell to take. Once Bell had gently taken her hand in his, Ais led the way through the Twilight Manor, knowing at this time of the day that Tiona and Tione would most likely be sparring in the back garden.
The two walking hand-in-hand through Twilight Manor got more than a little attention. Many of the members of Loki Familia just stared in shock, others…like Loki and Lefiya…shot envious looks at Bell the whole time.
Once the couple had exited through the back doors, Bell instantly spotted Tiona and Tione. “Fast…” He uttered out, his eyes barely able to keep up in the slightest.
Tione blocked a punch and threw her knee towards Tiona’s stomach. Tiona pivoted to her right while grabbing Tione’s blocking arm and threw a punch straight at her sister’s face. Tione caught the punch, and twisted her body, putting considerable torque behind her sudden shoulder throw of Tiona. Not that the suddenness stopped Tiona from reacting, slamming her feet down on the ground to catch herself before the throw was even complete. With strength most Adventurers would never acquire, Tiona took hold of Tione’s arms and threw her forward as she stood upright from her awkward position.
Tione flipped through the air, noticing Ais and Bell watching them, and smirked. “Catch me, Bell!” She allowed herself to fall towards her boyfriend with a smile.
Bell did so without a second of hesitation, stepping forward and holding out his arms. Tione landed in Bell’s arms and giggled when Bell immediately hugged her close. “Got you.”
“Mmhmm~” Tione snuggled into the hold, enjoying being held in a bridal carry very much.
“Hey! No fair, Tione!” Tiona was jogging over to the group with a cute little pout on her lips.
Tione ignored her sister and continued to snuggle in Bell’s arms.
Bell smiled happily at Tiona. “Good morning, Tiona.”
“Morning, Bell!” Tiona’s pout was replaced with a bright, sunshine-like smile. Seeing Tione hogging Bell’s arms, Tiona grinned and leaned forward. “Mmm.” And kissed Bell over her sister’s head.
“Hey…” Tione realized that Tiona had gotten a kiss from Bell before her.
“Hehe!” Tiona giggled as she pulled back from Bell’s lips with a victorious little smirk that Bell found incredibly cute.
Bell kissed the top of Tione’s head, making her smile and blush a little at the simple affection. “I came her to ask you three if you’d be available for a meeting sometime in the next couple of days?”
Tione, finally letting Bell set her back on her feet, looked between Bell and Ais. “Is this about the Chienthrope woman that Ais told us about?”
“Lulu…right?” Tiona asked with a smile.
“Lulune…” Ais corrected with a little smile of her own.
Bell nodded to Tione’s question. “Yes. Miss Lulune has shown genuine interest in joining our relationship…so we all need to get together and discuss it as a family.”
“Bell…” Tiona and Tione cooed a little at how Bell thought of his girlfriends already. They were both ecstatic that the man they’d fallen in love with was so straightforward with his desires and goals for their relationship.
Ais also had a beautiful smile on her face as she leaned into Bell, enjoying the feeling of his arm wrapped around her waist and pulling her closer.
“We’re not doing anything that I can think of in the next day or two.” Tiona said as she put the tip of her index finger on her chin, her eyes looking upward as if she was physically seeing their schedule in her mind. “I can’t wait to meet Lulu!”
“We don’t have any plans at the moment.” Tione already knew that for sure. “Unless some kind of emergency happens, we should be free.”
Bell beamed happily at that. “I’m glad.” He kissed Ais’s cheek, making her blush, before he spoke again. “I have free time right now…if you three wanted to spend some time together?”
“Yes!” Tione and Tiona exclaimed with bright smiles.
“I’d like that…Bell.” Ais said with a beautiful smile of her own.
-Dian Cecht Familia Hospital ~ Midday-
Bell was walking through the hospital on his way to see Airmid. He’d been directed down a hallway by one of the other members, the young woman giggling slightly at Bell’s thoughtful surprise for their Captain.
“No matter how much you pout, we cannot repair your gear here.” Airmid’s voice came from a room that Bell was close to.
“Shut it! I know, okay?!” Bete’s rough voice was heard. “And I’m not pouting. Just bored that I’m stuck here.”
Bell poked his head into the room to see Airmid sighing at Bete’s temperament as she checked over his chart.
‘I’m gonna get another earful from Tsubaki about this…’ Bete grimaced as he looked at his cracked Frosvirt. Absorbing the mass amounts of magic energy and attacking that Olivas, or whatever the fuck his name was, guy down in the Dungeon had damaged his gear and his leg. Having seen Bete toughing out his injury when he limped into the Twilight Manor; Loki, Finn, Gareth, and Riveria had forced him to come to the Dian Cecht hospital for treatment.
“You’re lucky that you’re as strong as you are, Mr. Loga.” Airmid said as she put his chart back on the front of his bed. “You had hairline fractures throughout your right leg; you injured your foot, ankle, knee, and hip. Most other Adventurers would be in a brace right now so that the bones could heal properly. You only have to be here for another day for the rest of your potions regiment.”
Bete sighed as he put the cracked in half Frosvirt on the bedside table. “Yeah, yeah.” He grumbled as he put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling.
Airmid shook her head once at Bete’s attitude and left the room, only to nearly run into Bell. “Ah!” She yelped cutely, backing up a step. “I’m so sorry…” Her apology trailed off as she realized just who she’d almost bumped into. “Bell!” The smile on her face practically lit up the hallway.
“Airmid.” Bell smiled back before pulling a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. “For you.”
“They’re beautiful.” Airmid took the flowers with rosy cheeks. She easily recognized most of the flowers in the bouquet: Freesias, Lilys, Lavender, and Peonies. All of the flowers were beautiful and in multiple colors, their vivid and pleasing scents making Airmid smile and sigh happily. “What brings you here today, Bell?” She asked her boyfriend as they walked down the hallway, back towards Airmid’s personal desk.
“I wanted to see you.” Bell said simply, making Airmid feel the butterflies in her stomach as her heart thumped in her chest.
Airmid blinked as she saw two women at her desk, both wearing the same uniform as her. The two other women giggled as they left a simple vase filled with water on Airmid’s desk and gave their Captain a short wave as they left. “Bernadette and Martha… I’ll have to thank them.” She had a soft grin on her lips at the thoughtful actions of her friends. Airmid placed the flowers in the vase of water and smiled as they really brightened up her desk and filled the surrounding area with the pleasant scent of flowers.
Bell loved seeing the smile on Airmid’s face as she enjoyed his gift. “I did have one thing to ask you, Airmid.”
“What’s that, Bell?” Airmid smiled at him warmly, looking up into his eyes given her slightly short stature.
“Would you like to go on a date tonight?” Bell asked as he gently took Airmid’s hands into his own.
Airmid felt her heart soar at Bell’s words. “Yes!” She accepted gleefully, before realizing how loud she’d been and blushing adorably. “I mean…” She coughed softly once and returned her volume to the normal level for the hospital. “…I’d like that very much, Bell.”
“What time does your shift end?” Bell questioned with a grin at Airmid’s little outburst.
The two discussed the time for their date, but Bell wouldn’t tell Airmid exactly where he was planning to take her, making it a surprise for later.
Once Bell left the hospital, Airmid watched him go with a soft smile filled with warm and love. She stood their far longer than she thought, even after Bell disappeared from her sight. But even being called back inside by Martha when she’d been gone for too long couldn’t remove the small smile from Airmid’s face for the rest of the day.
-Hostess of Fertility ~ Lunchtime-
“Welcome…” Syr’s greeting was warm and bright as always, but trailed off near the end as she saw who had entered the pub. “Mr. Cranel!” She brightened up at seeing Bell. “I’ll go get Ryu!” She was heading towards the back before Bell could say a word.
Bell could only chuckle to himself at Syr’s playful personality.
“Syr? What is so important that I need to…” Ryu was asking why Syr was pushing her along so insistently, having practically dragged her from the back of the pub, when she caught sight of her boyfriend near the front doors. “Ah…” Ryu’s cheeks turned red as she became adorably flustered by the surprise visit at work. “Thank you.” She whispered to Syr as she walked over to Bell.
Syr only giggled behind her hand as she trotted off to the back…where Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire were all poking their heads out to watch with little grins on their faces.
“One, now seating!” Ryu called out to Mama Mia at the bar as she picked up a menu and motioned for Bell to follow her to his normal spot at the end of the bar.
Once he was seated, Bell smiled lovingly at Ryu, making her blush even brighter. “Good afternoon, Ryu.”
Ryu took a second to get a semblance of control over herself before she gave Bell a smile. “Good afternoon, Bell.” The two were just looking into each other’s eyes for a moment before Ryu eventually remembered that she was working. “Wh-What can I get you to drink?”
“Tea is fine.” Bell said with a grin. “I’m glad I got to see you today, Ryu.”
“I’m glad too…” Ryu said as she wrote down his drink order, even though she didn’t need to. Going through the work motions was helping her remain calm even as her heart was beating faster. “How have you been?”
“Good,” Bell smiled as Ryu was starting to relax. “Mr. Welf, our third Party member is working out well. Our new Familia members are working hard, both in the Dungeon and during training, and our own progress in the Dungeon is going well.”
Ryu’s soft smile was filled with love and warmth as she listened to Bell’s words. Hearing that everything was going well soothed her heart and made her happy that the one she loved was in good health and good spirits. “I’ll return with your tea shortly.” Ryu said as she headed towards the back to get Bell’s drink while he decided what he wanted for lunch.
“You treat her right, boy.” Mama Mia said with a clear warning in her voice as she stood in front of Bell, only the bar top separating the two of them. “Any man that wants to date one of my girls better understand what happens if he hurts them.”
“Never.” Bell said with such complete finality that even the Level 6 Mia felt the strength and power behind his words. “I love Ryu and will never hurt her. My only desire is to make her happy for the rest of our lives together.”
Mia and Bell locked eyes for a stare down, but eventually the Dwarf woman cracked a smile.
“That’s how a man should be.” Mia nodded once and turned to go take care of another customer.
It was only after Mia walked away that Bell realized that Ryu had been standing close by, having returned with his tea.
“B-Bell…” Ryu’s entire face was red, her blush even extended to the tips of her pointed Elven ears! She carefully set his tea on the bar in front of him, her heart thundering in her ears from hearing Bell’s feelings for her and how he wanted to share their lives together. “Y-Your tea…”
“Thank you, Ryu.” Bell smiled and patted the stool next to him. “Can you sit with me for a little while?”
Ryu’s blush got darker, if that was possible, and she barely managed to stop herself from sitting down immediately. “I…I should get your o-order first…” Ryu managed to get out her pad of paper and pencil to take Bell’s order.
“Aright,” Bell chuckled at how flustered Ryu was. “I’ll have the sirloin steak, cooked medium, the buttered broccoli, and…the house salad.” He decided on his meal, going for the salad as it had been awhile since he’d last had one.
“Of course, we’ll have that right out for you.” Ryu managed not to stutter or stumble over her words as she calmed down thanks to the normality of her job.
A while later and Bell’s meal was brought out to him by Ryu, along with a refill for his tea.
“It looks great, Ryu.” Bell smiled at his girlfriend. “Could you sit with me for a bit?” He patted the stool next to him again.
“Of course she can, it’s her break time.” Mama Mia said as she overheard the couple.
“M-Mama Mia…” Ryu’s face was red again as she blushed, but she sat down beside Bell quickly.
Bell beamed at Ryu and for a moment he could’ve sworn he saw Ryu’s Elven ears wiggle a bit. ‘Did I imagine that?’ Bell wondered as he looked again but didn’t see the cute up and down motion this time. ‘Do Elves’ ears wiggle when they’re happy? That would be adorable…’ He wanted to see Ryu that happy all the time!
After Bell had finished his lunch, he and Ryu continued to chat for a while, though Ryu’s face never stopped being at least pink the whole time. The reason? Under the edge of the bar, Bell’s hand held hers, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand and making Ryu’s innocent heart overflow with love for him the whole time.
‘Bell is never crude or aggressive. He respects me and my beliefs about our relationship and how fast it should progress. We can happily sit together and have a fulfilling conversation while h-holding h-hands the entire time.’ Ryu thought to herself as she sat next to Bell at the bar. Her break had probably been long over by this point, but Mama Mia hadn’t called for her.
Eventually Bell needed to leave and continue his day, but he’d certainly made Ryu’s day as she watched him walk down the street while leaning on the doorway of the Hostess of Fertility’s front steps. There was a soft smile on her face, making her look even more gorgeous than she already did, as she watched Bell disappear into the crowd of the street.
“Ryu’s head is in the clouds, nya~” Anya giggled from inside the Hostess.
“All caught up in her lovey-dovey time with Bell-nya~” Chloe agreed with a teasing giggle.
Ryu, still with the soft smile on her face, walked past her friends.
Her hand was no more than a blur.
Smack
Smack
“Nya!” Anya yowled at the sharp pain on the back of her head.
“Ryu!” Chloe whined, holding the top of her head.
Ryu just continued into the back, her happy little smile still on her face like she hadn’t just smacked both of the Cat Girls upside the head.
“You had that coming.” Lunoire snickered at Chloe and Anya.
Syr was holding her cheek with one had. “They’re adorable together.” She cooed at how cute Ryu and Bell had been the whole time. ‘Ah~ To see new Love bloom right in front of me! Truly a wonderous part of this role~’
-Evening ~ Dian Cecht Familia Home-
Airmid smiled warmly as she exited her Familia’s Home and saw Bell waiting for her. Tonight she was wearing a lovely silver-white dress with blue accents that went down to her knees. Her long silver hair was left free to cascade down her back and she wore just the faintest bit of makeup to bring out her lovely purple eyes. On her feet were matching, low-heeled shoes and she had a small purse with her that completed the outfit.
“Beautiful.” Bell said as soon as he saw Airmid.
“Thank you, Bell.” Airmid blushed a little at the compliment as soon as Bell saw her. “You look very handsome yourself.”
Bell was wearing a black button up shirt with white slacks and a black belt. It wasn’t overly fancy, but was definitely a step up from his normal attire. He was even wearing black leather dress shoes to complete the outfit.
“Ah, thank you.” Bell looked himself over once. “I’m not used to dressing up much, so I’m glad that this outfit worked out.” He offered Airmid his arm with a smile. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” Airmid let out a light giggle as she looped her arm through Bell’s.
The couple headed down the street, just enjoying being together and seeing the lights of Orario at night for a bit.
Their first stop for the evening was a nice restaurant for dinner. It wasn’t high-class or incredibly expensive, but was more formal than the Hostess of Fertility. The two were seated and Bell even pulled out Airmid’s chair for her to sit down. Light conversation followed, the two mostly talking about their days at work or in the Dungeon and how their respective Familias were doing. They chose a wine together from the offered menu, a white wine that was recommended by Airmid as something she’d had before.
As they enjoyed a little wine, the topic of their conversation moved onto each other as they shared some of their history growing up and how they’d both come to Orario. As their food was brought out, Airmid was once more brought to an adorably blushing state.
“Aahh~” Bell held out a piece of his fish dish to Airmid on the end of his fork.
“B-Bell…” Airmid’s cheeks were red as she stared at the offered bite of food. Without giving herself time to overthink, Airmid leaned forward and let Bell feed her.
Bell grinned happily as Airmid chewed and then swallowed. “Good?”
Airmid nodded once, looking down at her plate, then off to the side, before finally meeting Bell’s gaze again. “Y-Yes…it was very good.” Her heart was beating faster and she didn’t know if she’d be able to handle it if Bell offered to feed her again.
“May I have a bite of yours?” Bell asked with a smile.
“Eh?” Airmid’s worries about what she’d do if Bell wanted to feed her again derailed entirely as she processed Bell’s request. “I… Y-Yes, I suppose that w-would be f-fair…” Her cheeks were bright red as she lifted her fork towards Bell. “Aahh…”
Bell happily took the bite and enjoyed the food, all the while Airmid’s entire face turned a dark red.
‘My heart… Bell is going to be bad for my heart.’ Airmid thought as she felt the way her heart was racing right now. ‘But he’s also good for my heart.’ She reasoned from a non-medical view.
After dinner the couple’s night continued as Bell finally showed her where he was taking her.
“The theatre?” Airmid was a bit surprised. She enjoyed a play as much as the next person, but had definitely only mentioned it to Bell once before.
“The play they’re putting on right now is something we’ll both enjoy.” Bell said as he pointed to the large sign that declared the current premiere play to be ‘Sir Fulland of Water and Light’ an immensely popular Heroic Tale that was directly connected to Orario’s history. It was a tale of both love and tragedy between the mortal Fulland and the Undine Water Spirit known only as Dine.
Airmid smiled beautifully as she leaned closer to Bell while they walked into the theatre, Bell handing two tickets to the play over to one of the employees as they walked through the doors and headed for good seats to see the play.
During the play, Airmid leaned her head onto Bell’s shoulder, stifling a tear or two at the tragedy that befell Fulland and Dine’s love from the Hero’s growing doubt about being able to make the nigh immortal Undine happy when he himself would eventually pass away.
Bell simply held Airmid’s hand, gently squeezing it whenever Airmid squeezed his for comfort.
-Later-
“That was wonderful.” Airmid’s soft smile could light up the streets more than the Magic Stone streetlamps on either side.
“The actors and actresses did an amazing job of bringing Fulland’s tale to life.” Bell agreed as he walked Airmid home, their arms looped together and Airmid leaning into his side.
Eventually the couple arrived in front of the Dian Cecht Familia’s Home once more. Airmid looked up at Bell, the young man being noticeably taller than her, with shining purple eyes. Bell gazed warmly into Airmid’s beautiful eyes and the two leaned in without a word to share their first kiss.
Neither of them knew just how long the kiss lasted, only that it was soft, warm, and filled with their love for each other.
“Aah~” Airmid cooed softly as she pulled her lips away from Bell’s.
“Wow…” Bell said equally as soft.
Airmid blushed and hid her face in Bell’s chest as his arms pulled her flush against him into a warm hug filled with affection and comfort. “This was a wonderful night, Bell.” She mumbled into his chest.
Bell felt his heart soar at making Airmid happy. “I’m glad that I got to share it with you, Airmid.”
“Bell…” Airmid felt her entire face practically burn as she blushed.
The two eventually let go of one another, sharing a shorter second kiss, before Airmid walked into her Familia’s Home. She practically floated through the halls towards her room, much to the quiet giggles and coos of the other female members that saw her.
Bell happily headed home to the Floating Bridge Mansion, a lightness to his steps to match the warm smile on his face.
-Next Morning ~ Twilight Manor-
“Yo! Sword Princess!” Lulune greeted Ais with a wave and a smile.
Ais, having come to the gate as one of the Familia members acting as a guard right now had come to tell her that she had a visitor, smiled back at Lulune. “Good morning, Lulune.”
Lulune grinned as she held up two small keys, one in each hand. “I got black robe up to speed. Got these keys as our reward. I’m pretty sure they open Gnome Storage units.” Lulune handed the key in her left hand to Ais. “Black robe said this one was for you.”
Ais took the small key, the inconspicuous thing only different than a normal key by the shape of its bit, the teeth/ridges as some called them, and notches being an interesting mix of straight edges and smoothly curved ones. Only Gnomes, the Earth Spirits, were known to be able to make such intricate keys and locks with their immensely dexterous fingers and crafting skills. It was why picking the lock of a Gnome-made storage unit was considered impossible by most.
“You want to go with me to the Eastern Security Vaults and find out what we got?” Lulune offered Ais with a friendly smile.
“Sure.” Ais agreed with a small smile of her own.
The two headed down the street side-by-side, chatting a bit as they continued to deepen their friendship. Had it not been for the still secretive nature of the Quest that Ais had been given (said Quest something that both Loki and Finn had forbidden her, Bete, and Lefiya to talk about with the rest of the Familia for now) then she would’ve definitely brought Tione and Tiona along to meet Lulune today.
-Eastern Security Vaults-
Having found the lockers that matched the two keys, both only separated by a single locker between them, Ais and Lulune put their keys into their own lockers and turned them. A quick series of clicks was heard by the sharp ears of both women, before the doors were unlocked and they could open them.
“Wha?! What the heck?!” Lulune couldn’t believe what she was seeing within the locker.
“!!!” Ais couldn’t even gasp, too stunned by what she saw in the locker that she’d just opened.
Lulune looked at the contents of the locker wide-eyed. “Gemstones… Gold and silver rings… Valis coins… A Unicorn horn?! But it was the three books standing on one side of the locker that nearly made Lulune feel like she might be dreaming. “Grimoires…?”
Both lockers held identical contents, including three Grimoires each. That alone put each locker’s value at a minimum of over 300,000,000 Valis, going by the cheapest price that a single Grimoire had ever sold for in Orario’s history.
“Holy… How many millions, no…how many hundreds of millions is all of this worth?!” Lulune managed to ask through her shock. Not even counting the Grimoires, Unicorn horns were incredibly rare, and the gemstones were large and perfectly cut, not to mention the collection of gold and silver rings, some of them set or inlaid with diamonds!
“How…?” Ais blinked, still stunned at seeing the Grimoires. They were incredibly rare and only someone with both the Mage and Mystery Developmental Abilities at high enough ranks could make them. For six to be given as Quest rewards was unheard of!
Lulune slowly looked over at Ais, her voice shaking slightly. “Y-You don’t think that ‘washed up Mage’ can make Grimoires…do you?” As part of the Hermes Familia, Lulune was VERY well aware of just how rare the Mystery Developmental Ability was. Only five people were known to have it in all of Orario, with Asfi being the most famous and the most prolific in making Magical Items. Just having it was enough to make a person famous and no one had ever heard of a SIXTH user of that particular Developmental Ability living in Orario.
“I…don’t know.” Ais shook her head once. It seemed impossible for someone like that to not be known about at all. And there was nothing ‘washed up’ about any Mage that could successfully create a Grimoire.
“My Familia is definitely giving one of these to Meryl.” Lulune said, mostly to herself, as she quickly stashed the three Grimoires into her satchel that she’d brought with her. No one needed to know what she was carrying, that was for sure. “If I had another slot for Magic in my Falna, I might’ve considered asking for one too.” She stashed the Unicorn horn into her satchel next.
Ais, not having brought anything to carry such precious items in to hide them from view, was looking around in a bit of a panic. She could just close the locker and lock it to keep them safe for now. All lockers only had a single key and the Gnomes that owned and ran the Security Vaults were the only ones that could unlock a locker without a key. The Grimoires and other loot would be safe inside until they could be recovered later. But the thought of not securing them right now and bringing this treasure back to her Familia still made Ais worry.
Lulune saw Ais’s slight panic and smiled. “Need a bag?” She pulled out a folded up thick cloth and shook it out, revealing it to be a simple canvas bag that one might carry clothing or other miscellaneous items in. “I always carry one with me, just in case.”
“Thank you.” Ais accepted the offered bag and quickly, but carefully, placed the three Grimoires within. The Unicorn horn was next, followed by the silver and gold rings, then the gemstones, and finally the Valis.
With their rewards safely and inconspicuously retrieved, and after returning the keys to the Gnome at the front desk and informing him that they had emptied the lockers, both Lulune and Ais left the Security Vaults.
“I think we should both probably head home as quickly as possible, huh?” Lulune laughed a bit, but her ears were perked up, clearly listening for anything suspicious in the area, her nose also twitched occasionally as she took a sniff of the air to check for scents. The Chienthrope, while sounding normal enough, was actually on high alert.
“Mm.” Ais nodded once in agreement, also keeping her eyes open for anyone that looked suspicious.
Lulune snapped her fingers and a look of remembrance crossed her face for a second. “Ah, right! I almost forgot! Pott and Pock both Leveled Up from that Quest!” She shared the good news with Ais. “After a bit of needling from Pott; Pock agreed to take you up on that opportunity to meet Finn!” Lulune snickered at Pott’s teasing eventually getting Pock to admit that he wanted to meet Finn now that he and Pott were both Level 3’s.
Ais smiled at the fact that both Prums had earned a Level Up after all the hell the group had gone through down on the Twenty-Fourth Floor. “I’ll speak with Finn and send you a message. I’m sure that he’ll be thrilled to meet more Prums that’ve made it to Level 3.” It was exactly the growth and hope that Finn was trying to inspire in his people, so her Captain would probably be very happy to meet Pock and Pott.
“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow for that meeting!” Lulune smiled at Ais, a teasing look spreading across her face a moment later. “I hope you all will be nice and we can become ‘sisters’ afterwards.”
“We’ll see.” Ais said with a small grin before the two parted ways. For now, quickly heading towards their Familia Homes to secure their rewards from the mysterious Mage.
-Floating Bridge Mansion-
“Hyah!” Kaede swung her wooden sword at Bell as quickly and powerfully as she could.
Clack
Bell easily blocked with his own wooden sword.
“I’ll get you this time!” Kaede declared as she blurred and tried to take Bell’s back with her Usagipo Skill.
Bell smiled as he pivoted around Kaede’s swing and tapped her in the stomach with the pommel of his wooden sword. “Coming from behind is the most obvious strategy, Kaede. Try coming in from the person’s blind spot on either the right or left side. Even if they turn to face you, you’ll still have an opening to strike before they can guard properly.”
Kaede held her tummy for a second before straightening up again. “Right!” She blurred again with her Skill.
Clack
Bell blocked again and gave Kaede an approving nod. “Very good.”
Sitting off to the side, Coco, Momiji, and Lili watched the one-on-one spar between Bell and Kaede.
“Kaede is lasting longer this time.” Coco mentioned, watching as Kaede tried to land a strike on Bell, only to be blocked or dodged each time…with the occasional counter throwing her off whenever Bell felt like she was leaving herself too open.
Momiji nodded, but she clearly realized why as well. “Bell is training us, so he’s drawing out each spar so that we benefit the most from it.”
Lili smiled at both of the younger girls. “That’s right. It’s why both of you lasted much longer than normal as well. Even all four of us at once would’ve been defeated by now if Bell was really trying.”
“Thank you for the Low Potions, Miss Lili.” Coco said with a small smile. “They really help with the bruises.” She rubbed her shoulder where Bell had managed to smack her with his own wooden training hammer earlier. “Captain is so good with whatever weapon he picks up.” But Coco couldn’t deny that it made for better training to see strikes, blocks, and parries demonstrated with her weapon of choice while she sparred with Bell.
“It’s almost unfair.” Momiji had a slight pout on her face. Bell sparred with her using a short staff the same length as her ōnusa, showing her how best to use the Focus as a weapon as well as a wand/stave. “He’s so skilled that I can’t land a hit on him at all.” Her black fox tail wagged behind her a bit. “But one day I’m going to…one day.” The adorable Renard plotted her ‘revenge’ on Bell for all the bumps and bruises.
Lili laughed at Momiji’s plotting and gently patted the younger girl’s head. “You’ll get there one day, Momiji.” She switched to giving Coco a head pat, making the other Prum blush cutely. “We all will.” Lili also wanted to get stronger and improve her skills so that she could keep up with Bell.
Once Kaede’s one-on-one sparring with Bell was finished; the Hume Bunny girl letting out a heavy breath as sweat covered her face, Lili was quickly to offer her a Low Potion for her minor injuries. She’d taken to helping all three of the younger girls recover lately, wanting to be more help to the Familia, especially as they were likely to continue growing in the future.
“Thank you, Lili.” Kaede sighed in relief as the spots of pain faded away as her bruises and bumps were healed.
Bell smiled proudly at all of them. “You all did well today, as always.” He praised them all for their hard work, first and foremost. “We can always improve, but all four of you are making great progress.”
“Thank you, Captain!” Momiji, Kaede, and Coco thanked Bell for his instruction.
“Thank you, Bell.” Lili thanked her lover with a cute smile that never failed to make Bell smile back.
Bell grinned at his Familia’s Adventurers and gave them a nod. “Alright, the rest of the day is free time, so do what you want.”
Kaede immediately perked up, her rabbit ears standing tall. “A bath!”
“A bath!” Coco agreed with a cute nod.
Momiji nodded in agreement with both of her friends. “A bath sounds great. I smell like sweat.”
The three younger Adventurers quickly headed to their rooms to get changes of clothes before heading to the baths, leaving Lili and Bell alone.
“Not going to join them, Lili?” Bell asked curiously.
Lili only smirked and took Bell’s hand in hers. “Lili had a different idea for a bath.” She dragged Bell along, only briefly stopping by their bedroom to grab casual clothes to lounge around the house in later.
“Eh?” Bell realized Lili’s plan as she put a sign that said ‘Cleaning’ across the entrance to the men’s side of the baths and dragged Bell inside to bathe together.
“Ehehe~” Lili’s giggles became sexy and tempting as she pulled Bell along.
Not that Bell actually put up any resistance.
-Later ~ Sarutahiko’s Room-
Sarutahiko chuckled as he was updating Momiji’s Status first tonight. “Even on days off, you’re all still doing your best to improve. That makes me very proud.”
Momiji smiled at the praise that Sarutahiko freely gave to his ‘children’ while he watched their Excelia. “Thank you, Sarutahiko-sama.”
In a short time, Momiji had her new update in hand as she carefully put her yukata back on properly.
-Status-
Momiji Shinonome
Level 1
Strength – G 226 > G 244
Endurance – H 195 > G 218
Dexterity – F 331 > F 356
Agility – F 314 > F 337
Magic – F 377 > E 402
-Magic-
Shūryō (Cool Autumn Wind) – Incantation: “A wondrous change, a season of brilliant colors that fade. Little fox, curious of the cooling breeze, play among the leaves. The divine blessings of nature wither this season.” Magic that appears as orange, red, yellow, and brown leaves that cut like blades with a cool breeze. Those cut by the leaves have their Status lowered. The decrease in Status is dependent on the user’s Level.
-Skills-
Kurokojutsu (Black Fox Magic) – Increases the effects of the user's magic and improves Mind usage.
-Status-
Momiji smiled happily at seeing her growth. “Endurance and Magic went up a Rank this time!” Her tail wagged back and forth happily behind her.
As Momiji moved aside, burning her Status Update with the nearby candle as she did so, Coco took her place in front of Sarutahiko.
“Are you ready, Coco?” Sarutahiko asked as Coco lowered the top of her yukata and covered her breasts with the long sleeves for modesty.
“Yes, Lord Sarutahiko.” Coco nodded with a little smile. Being able to get Status Updates whenever they wanted let her see her growth every day, if she wanted to, and that was a big confidence boost for Coco as she could see the progress she was making.
Sarutahiko let a drop of his blood fall onto Coco’s back and the blue-white light glowed a second later. After watching Coco’s training with Bell, the elder God chuckled a bit. “Your hesitation is almost gone entirely now. Very well done, Coco.”
Coco was happy for the praise, as always, and had a cute little smile on her face. “Thank you, Lord Sarutahiko.”
Sarutahiko finished the update a moment later and handed the paper to Coco while he locked up her Falna.
-Status-
Coco Collins
Level 1
Strength – G 246 > G 263
Endurance – G 210 > G 231
Dexterity – G 282 > F 304
Agility – F 305 > F 326
Magic – I 0
-Magic-
-
-Skills-
Demure Potential – Increases the user’s stats by a large amount.
-Status-
Coco perked up as she saw her increased stats. “My Dexterity went up to ‘F’ Rank!” She quickly, but carefully, put the top of her yukata back on properly to cover herself before moving over to burn her Status Update like Momiji had done before her. “It’s tough, but the training with the Captain is really paying off!”
“Let’s see how I do!” Kaede had a wide grin on her lips as she sat down in front of Sarutahiko and shrugged off the top of her yukata one arm at a time, using the wide sleeve to keep her girls covered as she exposed her bare back to her God.
“I’m sure you’ll do just as well, Kaede.” Sarutahiko said with a laugh, sounding like a proud grandfather. A single drop of his blood touched Kaede’s back as he began the update to her Status.
Kaede looked over her shoulder at Sarutahiko after a moment. “Did I get a new Skill or anything, Sarutahiko-sama?”
Sarutahiko shook his head once. “Not this time, Kaede.” He finished the update and placed a blank paper against her back.
“Darn it.” Kaede sighed, wanting to get stronger and have more Skills to use. She took the paper when it was handed to her and looked it over.
-Status-
Kaede Tsukinokami
Level 1
Strength – F 364 > F 388
Endurance – F 337 > F 360
Dexterity – F 396 > E 422
Agility – E 403 > E 431
Magic – I 0
-Magic-
-
-Skills-
Usagipo (Rabbit Step) – Increases the user’s speed and lets them clear distance in fewer steps. Active Trigger.
-Status-
“Hey, my Dexterity went up a Rank too!” Kaede beamed at the new ‘E’ Rank on her second highest stat.
“Aww, no fair, Kaede!” Coco had a cute pout on her face. “I just got up to ‘F’ Rank like you and you immediately go up to ‘E’?”
Kaede giggled as she put her yukata back on properly. “That just means your goal is to surpass me!” She burned her Status Update with a grin.
Coco’s pout lasted another couple of seconds before her face became determined. “I will!”
“That’s the spirit!” Kaede and Momiji said at the same time to encourage Coco even more.
Sarutahiko laughed warmly at the three girls being so encouraging of each other. “Ah, you three make me happy to be a Deity of Guidance.” He smiled proudly, making all three girls beam at the praise.
Lili came up behind Coco, Kaede, and Momiji and hugged all three as best as she could in a group hug. “Great work, girls!”
After the group hug, Lili took her place in front of Sarutahiko and removed the top of her yukata. Just like the other girls, she used the long and wide sleeve to cover her chest for modesty’s sake as Sarutahiko placed a drop of blood on her bare back.
“You’ve grown into a new role for your younger Familia members, Liliruca.” Sarutahiko said as he watched Lili’s Excelia.
“Lili is doing her best, Lord Sarutahiko.” Lili said with a little smile. “Lili wants to give her all to our Familia, to help and support everyone as much as possible.”
Sarutahiko nodded at Lili’s words as he finished watching her Excelia. “I believe that you’ll go on to do just that, Liliruca.” He wrote what had newly manifested from Lili’s Falna after deciphering what it was and how well it fit the new path that Lili was taking in her life. “One moment…” He placed a blank paper onto Lili’s back and copied the new Status over.
“Thank you, Lord Sarutahiko.” Lili accepted the paper with a smile while her Falna was safely locked up.
-Status-
Liliruca Arde
Level 1
Strength – G 254 > G 275
Endurance – G 253 > G 276
Dexterity – E 460 > E 484
Agility – C 602 > C 627
Magic – D 596 > C 611
-Magic-
Cinder Ella – Incantation: “Your wound is mine. My wound is mine. Echoing message of midnight.” Transformation Magic that enables the user to transform into anything around their size.
Shōsen – Incantation: “Sage’s mystical palm.” Healing Magic that surrounds the hands and can heal both internal and external wounds of the user or others. Can also help relieve afflictions like poison. The magic energy surrounding the hands can take on razor-sharp cutting properties instead of healing by chanting Mesu.
-Skills-
Artel Assist – When the user is carrying a certain amount of weight, this Skill will help compensate in abilities. The amount compensated depends on the weight.
Storage Scroll – Allows the user to store non-living objects in scrolls. The scroll’s script must be written with ink that is mixed with the user’s blood.
-Status-
“Lili… Lili has…” Lili stared at the new Magic on her Status Update. “Lili has a new spell?!” She quickly read over it again…and then once more. “Healing Magic… But with a Spell Key to make it offensive?” It was certainly unlike any Healing Magic that Lili had ever heard of before.
Sarutahiko gently patted Lili’s head as she stared at her Status Update. “You’ve set yourself on a vastly different path than you were on before, Liliruca. That goal, and the powerful desire to follow it, has been made manifest in this new Magic.”
“Congratulations, Lili!” Coco, Kaede, and Momiji said in unison, all of them smiling brightly at Lili’s new Magic acquisition.
“Thank you…” Lili felt the smile spread across her face as she put her Status Update on the tatami floor in front of her and then slipped her yukata back on properly. “Lili will do her best for our Familia.” She chuckled while rubbing the back of her head. It was such a nice feeling to have people that looked up to her and were happy for her achievements and improvements.
Momiji grinned as an idea came to her. “Maybe we can do some magic practice with Bell-sama?”
“We can ask.” Lili agreed with a small laugh as the girls all stood up and bowed to Sarutahiko.
Sarutahiko nodded to them and kindly waved them off to enjoy the rest of their evening however they wanted.
Once the girls were out of the room, Bell came in to get his own update.
“Lord Sarutahiko.” Bell gave a short bow to his God.
“Sit, sit…” Sarutahiko chuckled as Bell turned and then sat on the cushion in front of Sarutahiko, taking off his jinbei top while he was at it.
“Lili has a new spell.” Bell said as he felt the drop of blood touch his back.
“Indeed, she does.” Sarutahiko nodded as the image of his Falna emerged from Bell’s skin. “I believe she left her Status Update on the tatami for you to look over.”
Bell picked up the paper and read over the new Magic that Lili had manifested. “Hmm, it’s definitely useful for Support…but also for combat if necessary. A perfect fit for the role that Lili’s taken in our Party.”
Sarutahiko watched Bell’s Excelia with a small smile on his face. “Just as you developed your Shihyō Skill from your powerful desire to grow and be a model to others as a True Hero, her own desires that she’s put into practice manifested into something fitting to that role.”
The update was completed a few moments later and Sarutahiko handed the paper to Bell while he securely locked up his Falna.
-Status-
Bell Cranel
Level 2
Strength – H 182 > H 197
Endurance – H 177 > H 192
Dexterity – H 185 > G 201
Agility – H 180 > H 196
Magic – H 194 > G 209
-Magic-
Gogyō (Five Elements) – Incantation: “Earthly God’s mastery.” This Magic allows the user to use five different elemental Magics by using the appropriate word modifier: Sui for Water Magic, Do for Earth Magic, Fū for Wind Magic, Rai for Lightning Magic, and Ka for Fire Magic.
Kokushin (Black Needle) – Incantation: “Disrupt.” This Magic allows the user to create a black material in the shape of needles, batons, or rods at the cost of Mind.
-Skills-
Fugō (Sign) – Allows the user to change the form of a spell by making different signs with their hands.
Shihyō (Paragon/Teacher/Model/Leader) – Removes limits of growth. Rate of growth increases in proportion to the user’s efforts to improve. Growth of others increases when instructing them.
Kanchi (Sensing) – Allows the user to sense living things within a certain range of themselves and distinguish between Monster and Non-Monster. The range increases based on the Magic stat. Active Trigger.
-Developmental Ability-
Martial Mastery – I (Massively increases all Basic Abilities, greatly enhances perception and reaction time.)
-Status-
“Both Dexterity and Magic have reached ‘G’ Rank now.” Bell was happy to see the continued growth. He didn’t grow as much from sparring and instructing Lili, Momiji, Coco, and Kaede given their Level difference, but he still grew well enough for a day outside of the Dungeon.
“As you continue deeper into the Dungeon, I’m sure you’ll see your growth increase further. But always remember that coming back home with everyone is the most important goal.” Sarutahiko said, not that he really believed that Bell needed the reminder. But soon enough, Bell’s Party would most likely start planning their first adventure into the Middle Floors and it was always good to offer guidance where possible.
Bell put his jinbei top back on as he burned both his Status Update along with Lili’s. “I won’t let anyone fall if I can do anything to help it, Lord Sarutahiko.” Bell said as he gave a respectful bow to his God. There may come a day when there was simply nothing that anyone could do to prevent a death, but Bell’s goal to become a True Hero meant that he would always do everything he possibly could to prevent a death in his Party.
-Next Morning-
Bell was relaxed, his eyes closed as the gentle morning sunlight fell on him, warming him up a little. Lying back on the engawa (wooden porch/veranda) that wrapped around the Floating Bridge Mansion wasn’t uncommon on a nice day like this, but what made it extra relaxing today was the one sharing it with him.
Ais had a soft and loving smile as she gently ran her fingers through Bell’s white hair as his head rested on her thighs. The ‘lap pillow’ had quickly become a favorite thing of Ais’s as it soothed her heart and mind. Just being with Bell like this was relaxing in ways that Ais would’ve never imagined until she’d tried it.
“I wanna give Bell a lap pillow too…” Tiona said quietly, not wanting to disturb Bell when he was so relaxed.
“So do I…but I also don’t want to disturb him.” Tione agreed with her sister, looking at Bell and Ais enjoying the quiet moment.
Ryu sipped some tea as she sat close to Bell and Ais. “I’m sure we can all have a turn.”
Airmid nodded, sitting on Ryu’s opposite side and enjoying a sweet senbei cracker. The picturesque beauty of the Healer only made her look even cuter as she nibbled on the snack that the retainers of the Sarutahiko Familia had brought out for the visitors. “It’s only fair.”
Ais pouted just slightly as she continued to gently run her fingers through Bell’s soft, fluffy hair.
“No pouting, even if it is cute.” Lili teased Ais playfully as she leaned against one of the wooden support posts that held up the roof over the engawa.
The seven of them were waiting for Lulune to arrive for the meeting that they wanted to have with the Chienthrope woman. If she truly had feelings for Bell, then all of them needed to meet her and come to an agreement on how things would proceed from here. Their relationship was formed on a solid foundation of trust and honesty between all of them and that would never change. Any woman that couldn’t accept that, regardless of her feelings for Bell, would not be welcomed into their ‘family’.
It wasn’t much longer before the woman in question arrived.
“Bell-sama, your new guest has arrived.” The retainer woman, that had guided Lulune from the front gate to where the Captain was, said with a bow.
“Thank you.” Bell said to the woman with a kind smile as he sat up from Ais’s lap pillow. He was given a short bow from the retainer woman before she left the group and returned to her duties. “Good morning, Miss Lulune.”
“Good morning, Bell.” Lulune said while looking at all of the other women around Bell in some surprise. ‘The Kenki, the Slasher, Jörmungandr, Dea Saint… I’m starting to feel a bit out of my league here.’ She thought to herself, before her eyes fell on Ryu and Lili. ‘I don’t know those two…so it’s not all big names at least!’ That gave Lulune a bit more confidence in trying this out.
All of the women that didn’t know her looked Lulune over carefully. Being under the gazes of Tiona, Tione, Airmid, and Ryu was more than a little intimidating, but Lulune held her ground.
“I’m Tiona, nice to meet ya!” Tiona broke the ice with a bright greeting and her normal sunshine smile.
“Lulune Louie, Hermes Familia.” Lulune introduced herself with a smile. It was hard not to smile back at Tiona when she was so warm and welcoming.
Ryu perked up just slightly at hearing what Familia Lulune was from. “Hermes Familia? I see… Your God occasionally comes to the Hostess of Fertility to bug Mama Mia.” That was how Mama Mia described any of Hermes’s visits when asked about them at any rate.
Lulune rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah, sorry about that. Lord Hermes can be…yeah…”
“Understandable.” Tione, Ais, and Tiona all said at the same time with flat expressions. Loki could be the same way with her antics.
“We should probably move this inside.” Lili suggested with a small grin. “It would be more comfortable.”
Bell smiled at Lulune and guided her to sit down on the engawa. “No shoes in the house, Miss Lulune.” He surprised Lulune when he began to untie her boots and help pull them off her feet.
“A little forward…but I don’t hate this.” Lulune teased Bell with a grin, even as her cheeks warmed up, only partially hidden by her darker complexion.
“Already wooing her, huh, Bell?” Tione grinned at Bell’s kind nature, knowing that she could make little jokes like this with him always made her heart feel warm.
“I’ll say~” Lulune shot a grin at Tione.
Bell chuckled as he set Lulune’s boots on the side of the engawa, knowing they’d be picked up and moved into the entryway of the house by one of the retainers shortly. “Just being helpful.”
“Hey, hey, Airmid…” Tiona got Airmid’s attention with a warm smile. “After the meeting, tell us about your date with Bell last night!”
All of the women looked at Airmid with interest, making the Healer blush.
“It’s not that interesting…” Airmid said, looking towards Bell to avoid the eyes of her ‘sisters’.
Ais, Ryu, Tione, Tiona, and Lili all leaned forward a bit, the interest in their eyes showed that they clearly disagreed with Airmid’s statement.
“What kind of date did you take her on to make her blush like that?” Lulune asked Bell with a playful grin.
“A wonderful one.” Airmid said, before her eyes widened as she realized that she’d spoken out loud.
Lili giggled at Airmid’s slip of the tongue. “Well now you have to share with us!”
“Yep! You can’t leave us hanging!” Tiona nodded, her bangs dancing around from the movement.
“Let’s handle one thing at a time.” Bell cut in, saving Airmid from the inquiry for now. Airmid gave him a thankful smile as the group moved into the large room on the other side of the shoji doors, the same room with the long low table where they’d all originally agreed to this relationship, in fact.
Lulune had a small smile on her lips as she followed everyone inside and the shoji doors were slid closed behind them by Bell. ‘I think this was the best decision I’ve made in quite a while.’ The Chienthrope thought to herself, her fluffy tail wagging behind her as Bell guided her to the seat next to him on the left while Lili took the seat on his right.
Lili had a smug little grin at nabbing the seat next to Bell, making Tione pout slightly.
“You have feelings for Bell, Miss Louie?” Ryu decided to ask the most important question to start this ‘family’ meeting. Only years of keeping her expression calm and blank prevented her cheeks from turning pink at referring to Bell and the other women as her family already.
“I’ve definitely started feeling something for him…” Lulune admitted, her blush unable to be hidden by her skin tone anymore as she glanced at Bell. “We’ve only met a few times, I know… But that was enough to spark my interest…and after that…well…”
“I can understand.” Airmid admitted, her own cheeks becoming rosy. “Bell was just a customer of my Familia’s shop… But he quickly became more.”
Bell smiled lovingly at Airmid, not a single word needed to be said as they looked into each other’s eyes.
The meeting would go on for a while, but the end result would’ve been obvious to anyone, as by the time that lunch was being served, Lulune was happily listening to Airmid and Bell recount part of their date along with all of the other women. Her fluffy dog ears were perked up, there was a smile on her face, and her tail was wagging slowly back and forth.
-End Chapter-
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Bell is a good man!
Lucky too… envious grumbles Kek!
Making time for his girlfriends, visiting them at home or work, bringing gifts, and giving them all of the love and the right amount of physical affection that they’re ready for in their relationship.
He certainly made Ryu and Airmid swoon!
On top of that, he’s still doing his best as Captain of Sarutahiko Familia as he trains Lili, Coco, Kaede, and Momiji on their days off!
Ais and Lulune picked up their rewards from the secret Quest to the Twenty-Fourth Floor! GRIMOIRES!!! Ais now has three in her possession! In Canon, she never used one on herself, since she still only had Ariel for Magic…but we don’t know what happened to the three Grimoires either.
Maybe we’ll do something with that…or maybe Ais will ‘sell’ them to her Familia for a line of credit that she can use whenever she needs it? Like the next time she breaks a weapon loaned to her while Desperate is getting maintenance! Kek!
Lili gained a new spell! Woohoo! Da Bean is growing more and more!
With a Healing Magic that also has an offensive application, she can further support her Party, both as a Supporter and as a Combatant!
Now Lulune has been accepted into the relationship! Happy little Chienthrope!
Soon she will be spoiled with all of the love, warmth, and affection that Bell will give her every time they’re together!
Perhaps some more training with his girlfriends is in order as well? That could lead to new growth for all of them, and wouldn’t that be interesting?
What will the Monstrously Talented Bell do next?
Keep reading to find out!
Let me know what you thought!
Until next time, later!
Comments
Kairomaru
Glad you enjoy the story so much! NO MAGIC EYEBALLS!!! I REFUSE!!! *Shakes fist at the sky*
Timberwolf
Loved re-reading this story :) it’s one of my favourites along with the Bastet one. Hopefully Bells next development skill for level 3 will add some special black dots to his red eyes hint hint lol thanks for the story
Kairomaru
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mr. Khaos
Great chapter!
Kairomaru
In time, in time. Ishtar is already starting to eye Bell, and we all know how she is...
Reno Roderiquez
Can't wait till Haruhime joins the harem, and hopefully the familia I feel like a Western God would fit her nicely.
Kairomaru
Rewards are good for the Secret Quest, yes! All of the warm and fluffy for Airmid! The juniors in the Familia are getting training from Bell, so they're definitely going to grow! Da Bean is getting stronger and more versatile! Woohoo! lol Bell is a lucky man, having so many beautiful girlfriends that want to give him lap pillows. *So envious*
Kaminoryu
Alright, just realized I hadn’t reviewed. Nice cooldown chapter. Ais and Lulune gaining their reward was great to see, and I look forward to what you might come up with if and when you have them use the Grimoires. Also I absolutely loved the date with Airmid. The sheer adorable fluff was absolutely amazing. And it’s nice to see the other members of Sarutahiko Familia growing stronger as well, even if I don’t expect them to have too much screen time comparatively speaking. Lili gaining her new magic was nice to see as well, and the scene with all the girl’s comments on wanting to give Bell lap pillows while watching him and Ais was both heartwarming and hilarious.
Kairomaru
It hasn't come up as necessary just yet, but I've already hinted at it and started laying the groundwork.
striker James
To bad none his skills make him resistance to charm in this
striker James
Now I have to say seeing Freya get Ryu and bell together is actually nice 👌
striker James
This chapter was great
Kairomaru
Glad you liked it!
chris murray
Great chapter as always kai
Kairomaru
No Kage Bunshin here, sorry. There are ways to perform a combination 'Jutsu' depending on the elements used, and that will eventually come up at some point. Apollo might, seeing as his Familia is MUCH larger than the Sarutahiko Familia and is stronger...but we'll see what happens in the future.
savitar
Is there a chance he'll learn the Kage Bunshin somehow? I say this because one of the things I like most about Naruto's ninjutsu is the combination jutsus Can you imagine a big fireball amplified by an equivalent wind jutsu? I think one of the things I hated most about Naruto was that instead of nurturing Naruto's growth and the intelligent application of what he had, they just made it as if he thought everything was nails and the Rasengan was the hammer I'm looking forward to more chapters of this story. Will Apollo try something, right?
Kairomaru
Glad that you enjoyed it! Kek! Yep, the Mystical Palm AND the Chakra Scalpel combined into one! Lili is becoming more and more versatile! *Cackles in plans* Lulune is fun and she still has plenty of things for Bell to discover as they begin their relationship!
Racenrise
Excellent on the reread! The cooldown chapter with the date was nice. Lili learning mystic palm was really a huge buff. Fun to introduce lulune as well.
Kairomaru
A Happy New Year to you as well, my friend! Haruhime: *Sees Momiji* Also, Haruhime: "Little sister!" *Hugs Momiji and then sits her down in front of her before starting to comb her hair and dote on the younger Renard* Momiji: *Confused and blushing at the sisterly affection she's suddenly getting*
Kairomaru
Thank you for the compliment! Happy you enjoyed the chapter! Ais may or may not use a Grimoire, still deciding on that because I COMPLETELY forgot that she got three of them as a reward from the Twenty-Fourth Floor Quest. Yes, a relationship is MUCH more than just sex. It's about being together, making each other happy and fulfilled, going out, talking, and understanding each other. That's what makes a relationship truly special. As for Bell's 'Ninjutsu'...he can use any Jutsu already...technically...but his Mind reserves, while already very large, limit the size and scope of what his spell can do. As he Levels Up and his Mind reserves continue to grow through use, he'll eventually be using widespread Jutsu on a scale that can defeat armies, if necessary.
daly.c
Merry Belated Christmas, Kai, and Happy New Year (Soon). How adorable do you think Haruhime and Momiji's first meeting will be?
savitar
Let me congratulate you on another great chapter. I think Ais should at least have a medium to long range wind spell and possibly also be useful for a broad effect. She is so far excellent for being a fighter who can take down tons of enemies but can you imagine what happens if she is seriously outnumbered? that would be bad. The date and the meetings Bell had with his girls were very nice and sweet, many focus on the sexual aspect forgetting that a couple is much more than that. one question, Bell's jutsus are limited to the magic he possesses, that is, his mental capacity, so when he is at level four will we be able to see him do elemental jutsus like Naruto's type B? once again thanks colt another great chapter
Kairomaru
More kunoichi Lili! Yay! No manipulation of Artel Assist, no. However, I do have a Third Spell planned for Lili, along with a few more Skills, that will make Da Bean into the Danger Bean! Kek!
Kylekatarn77
And so Lili become more of a kunoichi! And a medic-nin's technique at that... Is it possible we might see her manipulate the conditions terms of Artel Assist to get Tsunade strength or something like it? Regardless, wonderful chapter as always!
Kairomaru
A Happy New Year to you, my friend! Yes, you need a slow warm and fluffy chapter after a high stakes battle-filed chapter! I'll think of something to do with the Grimoires, I'm sure!
AthleticWeeb
Merry (belated) Christmas, Kai. Haven’t commented in a while because I forget but awesome chapter as always. A slow paced chapter is always good after a high stakes one and it’s good to see the fluff of Bell and his girls. Still interested in your plans for those grimoires, though, and wonder what you’ll end up doing with them.
Kairomaru
Enjoy your re-read then! Kek!
Racenrise
Its feels like its been a while since ive seen sarutahiko… i only clearly remember the madara inspired beatdown of the soma familia, that means i get the joy of a reread!
Kairomaru
Glad you liked it! Hope you have all of the warm and fluffy in your veins now!
Kairomaru
Glad you enjoyed it! I had a nice holiday, yes. See you soon enough!
Carl Brewer
Great chapter can't wait for more.
Blizzard Burn
This was grate keep the Gold flowing. Hope you had a grate holiday And have a happy new year. See you next month. 😀
