It Is Alright To Use Spiral Power In A Dungeon (TTGL X Danmachi Crossover)

[Xodarap]

Oof the Lily arc is always such a chore to read through in fics as the constant angst and suicidal thoughts are way to real for me so to see that argument being pulled apart is nice.

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Man this stories just awesome

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Spoiler: Sneak Peek

"So, the Gods came down here, destroyed the original thing keeping the Dungeon closed by accident, laughed, and then made this thing to make up for it?"

Bell and Lilly nodded in response to Simon's question. Simon hummed and then glared up at the tower. The three of them had come back from another very productive Dungeon run. It was late outside, with Central Park covered by a curtain of darkness. According to Bell, his income had skyrocketed since the two of them started working with him. Which Simon understood. Many hands made light work after all. And, as always, Bell was planning to give Lilly fifty percent of their haul, while Simon was going to give her whatever extra he had learned. Though both took note of how Lilly tried to convince them to not give her so much because it was "too generous" and how she was "worried because Mr. Bell looked vulnerable".

She had been giving Bell a lot of lectures like that lately, and he didn't seem to understand where they were coming from. But Simon could see what was happening. It was likely her way of making up for stealing from Bell and lying to him. Seeing it made him smile, though he really hoped that Lily would eventually trust them enough to tell the truth.

Which led to the discussion of Babel Tower and the history behind it. As well as how many floors there were, and how the gods were living on the upper floors. Learning that the tower was something made by the gods after they destroyed the old one, and only fixed it after laughing at the people who made it...gave him mixed feelings. On the one hand, at least they bothered to fix their mistakes and, arguably, gave people something better than just a normal lid. On the other hand, the fact that their response to causing such suffering to humans was to laugh at it and act like it wasn't a big deal didn't sit right with him. He glared up at Babel Tower, wondering how many gods like that there were in Orario. And if he should give them a bit of a reality check.

"I think I understand," Bell began, eyes focused on the Tower, "Whenever I hear stories about the gods, I can't help but wonder just how boring their world is. They'd have to be bored enough to want to leave the heavens and come down here, right?"

"Maybe they hated their jobs enough to run away?"

"Doesn't sound like a good enough reason to me. Then again, maybe that's cause I'm not a god. And, personally, I'm glad I'm not," Simon said, putting his hands in his coat pockets.

Bell had turned to face Lilly who was still staring at the Tower. But as she spoke it sound like she was speaking to Simon, "Lilly's isn't sure about that. Lilly's heard that the gods had many responsibilities in Tenkai-the upper world. Their most important one is taking care of us, their children, when we go to eternal sleep."

"Isn't that...?"

"So they help those who have died," Simon answered for Lilly. She nodded and he continued, "And what exactly do they do? Just grab the soul and keep it forever."

Bell was the one to answer, shaking his head, "No, no. It really depends on the person. They judge their souls once they reach Tenkai. You could be allowed to live in Tenkai forever, made to suffer unimaginable pain, or be forced into endless meaningless labor. It all depends on how much the gods liked you."

Simon grunted and shook his head but Lilly spoke up before he could say anything, "Then again, most souls just get reincarnated anyway...Since there is all this work to be done, the gods still up in Teinkai have to pick up the slack left behind by the gods living down here. They're overworked with no time to rest. They'd be angry, wouldn't they? The next ones to come here will have a very intense 'discussion' to determine the order they leave."

Simon narrowed his eyes and focused on what Lilly had said about "reincarnation". He didn't think that applied to him. Sure, he knows he died an old man in his world and then just suddenly appeared in the Dungeon just as Bell got attacked. But he didn't really remember how any of that happened. Whenever he tries to think of it, the only thing he could recall was him laying down and closing his eyes. Considering what Lilly had said, there was a chance that he was here because the gods reincarnated him...but he doubted that
.
First, if this was supposed to be a reincarnation, why did he keep his memories? He's pretty sure you're supposed to lose those when you come back to really get the "second chance" it sounded like it was. And you were supposed to completely start over. Be reborn as a baby and grow up as a different person. At least that's what he always got when people talked about it in his world. Yet he had just woken up in the Dungeon, with all of his memories, and his body back to its prime. As if he had just taken a nap and woken up from a dream
.
Second, he's pretty sure that if any of the gods tried to judge his soul, he'd fight back. At least fight to get some say in what happened to him after he died. He may have died peacefully, but he still held the same ideals that him and his friends had fought so hard to defend. To be free to decide their destiny, fighting against a world that tried to tell them what was true, when they could define it for themselves. If some god then took his soul and tried to decide where he would go against his will, he'd punch them in the face. Especially if they were anything like the gods of this world. At least from what he's heard of them.

Lastly, if he was reincarnated by the gods, why did he show up in the Dungeon? Bell had told him that the gods weren't allowed to go into the Dungeon. And if the gods could put people in the Dungeon, then couldn't they just remove the monsters from the Dungeon? Or wipe it off the face the planet? He felt like the gods didn't have any control over how the Dungeon worked, so it was unlikely any of them had any say in how or why he show up there.

He was lost in thought for a moment, until he heard Lilly's next words, "...But there was a time when Lilly longed for death. If Lilly went before the gods...if Lilly could be reborn...the new Lilly would surely be better than the current one..."

Simon was already preparing to refute her as always, while Bell was standing as if he had been punched in the gut. However, before either could speak, Lilly lowered her head and lifted her right palm toward her face. Her hood had fallen back letting both Bell and Simon see her focus on the item in her hand. The core drill that Simon had given her. She curled her hand around the item and said, "At least...that's what Lilly used to think...now Lilly isn't too sure..."

"L-Lilly," Bell said, seeming relieved with her response. Simon relaxed and his lips curled into a small smile. He kept it up as Lilly regained her bright and cheerful act and said they should all hurry home. Though Simon moved to follow her and say goodbye, Bell was left speechless for a few moments. He knew that Lilly had meant what she said both times. And he was happy that she seemed to have changed her mind from before. But...he couldn't stop his mind from asking; What had happened to Lilly to make her think like that?

He didn't get an answer. So, he did the one thing he could do. He ran after her and Simon.

---

Freya stood within her private room in the Tower of Babel. She stood before the glass wall of her room, her eyes focused on the white shadow below as it ran after two other shadows. Excitement filled her eyes and she clapped her hands together, "That's wonderful. You must shine even more. More, more, shine even brighter child. It's your duty, now that you have my attention."

Freya watched Bell Cranel with great intensity as he continued to run. It was an obsession. An obsession guided by a fire passion for love. Because that was her "hobby". Using her "Eyes of Insight" she saw the true colors of the children and sought to add the most talented to her collection. And, to many, having the Goddess of Love and Beauty do that for them was of the highest honor. Even if they were forever restrained and denied their freedom.

No one refused her. No one could refuse her. No one had ever been able to resist the magic that were her beauty.

No one...except that man.

Freya's beautiful smile slowly disappeared. In its place were lips curled into a frown. For she could see very clearly that the emerald light she had seen in the child's soul had only grown brighter. What was once a simple discoloration in the bright white of his soul, had turned into a dim green light. It still wasn't strong, but she could see that it wouldn't stay that way. It would grow along with the boy.

And that...was wrong.

"He's mine," there was a barely hidden curse within her voice, as she cut her eyes at the man who walked alongside the boy. He walked alongside the boy and the small girl that had joined their group recently. She couldn't help the frustration that filled her just seeing the man being with the boy. Most who had met or were aware of the goddess couldn't be blamed for being confused. When asked about her "hobbies" she had openly stated that she "Just likes strong men". And the man, Simon from what she remembered, certainly fit that description. He could go into the Dungeon without a blessing, his souls showed that he had a powerful mental and emotional base, and he could match Ottar even though the boarman wasn't using his full strength. He should be someone that Freya liked.

Yet anyone who truly knew the Goddess of Love and Beauty, would understand exactly why she didn't like him.

First, Bell. Bell was her's to guide. He was meant to get stronger because of her intervention. He was supposed to grow because she allowed it. His soul was meant to shine brighter as he became stronger thanks to her decisions and actions. Everything Bell would become was meant to connect back to her. He was meant to be her toy to do with as she saw fit. Simon was getting in the way of that. He was guiding the boy's growth more than she was at the moment. And that was unacceptable. Even if he wasn't aware of it, he was going against the will of a goddess. To Freya and those who followed her, that was akin to blasphemy.

Second, what his ring meant. The first time she saw it, she could tell that he was married. Though she hadn't seen his wife, her eyes had let her see the connection he shared with her. The pure love that she had seen had impressed her. And, because of that, she had left him on that day he had met Ottar. However, it was only that. A gesture done out of respect for how much he loved his wife, even if she was not with her. But in truth she saw such a thing as an anomaly.

To Freya, love's very nature was to deteriorate. To begin at the height of emotion with both sides holding hope and excitement in their hearts during those first moments. Then, after hitting its peak, it was fated to crumble away. No one longed for a love that had gone cold. That was simply how it was. And to Freya, the Goddess of Love, that was why it was beautiful. Yet one look at Simon's soul told her that he defied even that. The love he felt for his wife was old. Much, much older than he looked. He still carried that flame for her after all this time. Despite how long it had been, his love for the woman hadn't crumbled.

That was an exception. A defiance of nature. Which meant it was a defiance of love. Which meant it was a defiance of Freya.

Which led into the final reason Freya didn't care for Simon. Which, to her, provided an explanation for how he was able to resist her Charm and deny her offer: He was still in love with his wife.

If his love for his wife was this strong, then that means she must be beautiful. A man like Simon would only fall for a beautiful woman. That in and of itself wouldn't be enough. Even married men and women had found themselves captivated by Freya before. But Simon's love for that woman was enough to overcome the Charm that Freya had. Which would only happen if that woman was so beautiful and charming that Freya didn't compare.

Which meant Simon thought that there was a woman more beautiful than Freya, the Goddess of Beauty.

And that...was insulting.

The boy and man were quite small in the distance, but both had come to a complete stop and were looking around. The boy was frantically searching the area, as if he had lost something and desperate to find it. The man, meanwhile, had already divined where her gaze was coming from. His head was tilted upward with his eyes locked onto her abode. She felt like he could see right through the glass, swirling green eyes glaring into her silver ones. She could feel the defiance contained within them. Defiance of her will, as if saying that she would not have her way with the boy. That he would be there to stop her.

Freya's frown deepened for a moment, before she let the frustration slide away like a wave off a rock. Her lips curled back into that confident, beautiful smile she calmed herself. There was no need to get so worked up over him. He may have managed to overcome the challenges of wherever he was from, but he would find that Orario would not be so easy to overcome. His intervention would be annoying but not impossible to circumvent. After all, at the end of the day, he was just one man.

And one man could not defy the gods.

It was simply impossible.

---

Bell sat down at the table in his home, placing the book he had brought home down in front of him. Hestia and Simon weren't around, so he had all the time in the world to read it. The last few days he had been in something of a slump. During an earlier Dungeon Run, he had messed up and nearly lost his life to an army ant. He only survived because Lilli and Simon were there to watch his back. Lilli made sure to scold him for being careless, while Simon just nodded along with what Lilli was saying. Lilli scolding him in the same way Eina would had already shot what little pride he had down, Simon backing her up delivered a finishing blow. Things only got worse when he asked Lilli about her Familia and how it worked. While she told him some things, he couldn't help but feel like the distance between them had grown larger.

In contrast, she seemed to be much more comfortable around Simon. When he asked her about the wine that the god Soma made, she explained how drinking it had changed some of the adventurers in her Familia. And how the two of them should stay far away from it. Neither Bell nor Simon fully understood what she meant, but they both agreed to stay away from the wine at her advice.

Yet, throughout the entire circumstance, Bell couldn't help the feeling that he was failing. Failing at helping Lilli, failing at being adventurer, failing at...everything really. It got so bad that he hadn't gone to the Dungeon at all these past few days. He knew Lilli was handling herself and doing things he had no business in helping her with, and Simon had gone off to the Guild. He had made it clear it wasn't to go into the Dungeon, but to talk to Eina and ask her a few questions. So, he had stayed home doing nothing for the longest time this strange feeling killing any motivation he had to continue adventuring. The only reason he had left the house today was because he realized he had forgotten to give Syr her basket back.

However, it turned out going to the Mistress was exactly what he needed. Syr had listened to his woes and had said he should try reading. He figured she was might be right. If he read the stories that had inspired him as a child, he would regain the motivation to be an adventurer. Though he was skeptical about taking the book she offered as it did belong to another adventurer, he couldn't turn her down after she said it was "the best should could do for him". And Simon had told him not to reject an offer from a girl. He would just have to remember to give it back after he was done reading it.

So, he pulled up a chair, sat down, and opened up the book. He looked over the title page without a title.

Mirror, Mirror: The Fairest Witch in the Land Is ME: An Autobiography (With Appendix: Awaken Your Magic!)

Bell couldn't help feeling that it sounded childish.

Chapter 1: Modern Magic Even Goblins Can Understand!

And he certainly didn't think teaching magic goblins was a good idea. He felt like closing the book, but decided to push through. He couldn't let Syr's good intentions go to waste. He forced his eyes across the characters on the pages with all the endurance he could muster. However, as he read he started to notice something strange about the book. While some parts of the book were written in Koine, the general trade language that almost anyone could understand, there were strange characters between the lines. They were different from hieroglyphs, the language of the gods, and different from any language of the races of people. Nothing in common with itself, just a strange grouping of marks.

Yet...the passage...the sea of characters was pulling him in.

Magic is interest. This is a vital factor for all acquired magic. What holds your interest-what do you accept, hate, want, grieve for, worship, swear to, long for? The trigger is already within you. Your Falna will carve your soul into a blazing sun. If you desire it, answer. If you desire it, break. If you desire it, focus! A terrible mirror of truth lies before you.

A picture of a face had appeared in the book. It took Bell a second to recognize it as his face. His face with nothing above its forehead. No, it wasn't his face...it was a mask. Another face of him. A him he didn't know.

Now, let's begin.

The picture's eyes open and it speaks with his voice. Its words shoot through him as the words begin to spin.

What is magic to me?

Bell didn't know. But he always saw it as something great and mysterious. A finishing move to slay monsters. A mysterious power used by heroes to come back from near death. Strong, fierce, mysteri-

Badump

For but a moment, Bell was drawn out of the trance induced by the book. His left hand was still on the book, but his right had moved to just above his chest. He could feel something warm against his palm and looked down.

His hand was tightly squeezing the core drill around his neck.

His attention returned to the book and he felt his mind be drawn in once again. The question repeated itself.

What is magic to me?

...At one point in time, he would've said power. A great power to defeat his weak self. But now, after having met Simon...he didn't think that anymore. Because Simon could do the things that normally required magic. Making his cloak as hard as steel, blowing a minotaur's head off in a single attack, somehow making a silverback explode twice. But none of that was magic. It was Spiral Power.

Fighting Spirit
.
That's what magic was to him. Fighting Spirit. The strength needed to keep going forward. To face any challenge no matter how tough. The will to smile through the worst the world has to offer.

What kind of a thing is magic to me?

Thing?

What kind of a thing?

...A drill.
Just like the thing that felt warm in his palm. Magic had to be a drill.

Sure it was small and seemingly plain. At first glance, no one would see it as something magical. But Bell had seen Simon use it. He knew what it truly meant to be a drill.

It meant to spin and break through
.
Walls? Drill through them. Metal? Drill through it. Shields? Drill through them. Monsters? Drill through them. It didn't matter what was in a drill's way, how long it may take, or what it was up against. As long as a drill kept spinning it would break through anything that tried to stop it.

That's what he wanted to be.

A drill that could pierce through any obstacle.

He wanted to become a drill.

What do you seek in magic?

To become stronger, like him.

To become faster, like him.

Like an emerald light breaking through the clouds.

Like lightning racing across the sky.

More than anyone, more than anyone, more than anyone.
Faster than anyone.

Like him.
To be in his sight.

That's all?
...No.

He didn't just want to be in his sight. He wanted to catch up to him. He wanted to reach the same place that man stood at. He wanted to catch that strong back he saw the day he was rescued from the minotaur.

He wanted to become a hero.

He always wanted to be a hero, and like a fool he's perused that dream.

Not only like the ones in the tales...but like the one he met that day in the Dungeon.

He wanted to become like him. Like Simon.

Because no matter how pathetic a fantasy, how vain and indignant, how miserably unsuited he was for it...he believed in Simon.

And Simon said he could be a hero.

So, he wants to become enough of a hero for Simon.

To prove that his belief wasn't wasted.

You're such a child.

...Maybe...but Simon acts like this too. And he's an adult.

That's true. And it's me, too.

The him inside the book smiles.

Then everything went black.

 

[Savanna]

Nice snip the danmachi gods have only dealt with mortal who never tried to oppose them and even then fell figure out life extended potion and had his original God freak out a scream at him about mortal shouldn't be able to do that.

Is it strange that this just makes me want to see your library of ruina and danmachi crossover written more. I blame caito 7 and qk blood fiend bell snips for making me want a project moon and danmachi crossover more. Mostly because them having to deal with e.g.o stuff and the light would be funny especially if they meet the birds

 

[OutcastClankzilla]

Well, I knew that sooner or later, someone would finally push Simon to take off his kid gloves and show just how and why he got as far as he did.

But damn is Freya a fucking petty-ass bitch! But at the same time, yeah - Nia would be leagues better than you!

 

[TwinstarKegare]

ok who here also wants to pass down the glasses and the jacket symbol down to Bell? And since Lily also has a Drill too who here wants to have her melt it down to make it part of a weapon for her like a drill like lance or a drill sword for her.

https://www.deviantart.com/deiyeah/art/Drill-lance-435505972

https://www.reddit.com/r/conceptart/comments/11hivsc/drill_lance/

https://www.tumblr.com/teamvcta/89623975656/name-spina-di-rosa-passione-mortale-weapon

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/336081190939926293/

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"So, the Gods came down here, destroyed the original thing keeping the Dungeon closed by accident, laughed, and then made this thing to make up for it?"

Bell and Lilly nodded in response to Simon's question. Simon hummed and then glared up at the tower. The three of them had come back from another very productive Dungeon run. It was late outside, with Central Park covered by a curtain of darkness. According to Bell, his income had skyrocketed since the two of them started working with him. Which Simon understood. Many hands made light work after all. And, as always, Bell was planning to give Lilly fifty percent of their haul, while Simon was going to give her whatever extra he had earned. Though both took note of how Lilly tried to convince them to not give her so much because it was "too generous" and how she was "worried because Mr. Bell looked vulnerable".

She had been giving Bell a lot of lectures like that lately, and he didn't seem to understand where they were coming from. But Simon could see what was happening. It was likely her way of making up for stealing from Bell and lying to him. Seeing it made him smile, though he really hoped that Lily would eventually trust them enough to tell the truth.

Which led to the discussion of Babel Tower and the history behind it. As well as how many floors there were, and how the gods were living on the upper floors. Learning that the tower was something made by the gods after they destroyed the old one, and only fixed it after laughing at the people who made it...gave him mixed feelings. On the one hand, at least they bothered to fix their mistakes and, arguably, gave people something better than just a normal lid. On the other hand, the fact that their response to causing such suffering to humans was to laugh at it and act like it wasn't a big deal didn't sit right with him. He glared up at Babel Tower, wondering how many gods like that there were in Orario. And if he should give them a bit of a reality check.

"I think I understand," Bell began, eyes focused on the Tower, "Whenever I hear stories about the gods, I can't help but wonder just how boring their world is. They'd have to be bored enough to want to leave the heavens and come down here, right?"

"Maybe they hated their jobs enough to run away?"

"Doesn't sound like a good enough reason to me. Then again, maybe that's cause I'm not a god. And, personally, I'm glad I'm not," Simon said, putting his hands in his coat pockets.

Bell had turned to face Lilly who was still staring at the Tower. But as she spoke it sound like she was speaking to Simon, "Lilly isn't sure about that. Lilly's heard that the gods had many responsibilities in Tenkai-the upper world. Their most important one is taking care of us, their children, when we go to eternal sleep."

"Isn't that...?"

"So they help those who have died," Simon answered for Lilly. She nodded and he continued, "And what exactly do they do? Just grab the soul and keep it forever."

Bell was the one to answer, shaking his head, "No, no. It really depends on the person. They judge their souls once they reach Tenkai. You could be allowed to live in Tenkai forever, made to suffer unimaginable pain, or be forced into endless meaningless labor. It all depends on how much the gods liked you."

Simon grunted and shook his head but Lilly spoke up before he could say anything, "Then again, most souls just get reincarnated anyway...Since there is all this work to be done, the gods still up in Tenkai have to pick up the slack left behind by the gods living down here. They're overworked with no time to rest. They'd be angry, wouldn't they? The next ones to come here will have a very intense 'discussion' to determine the order they leave."

Simon narrowed his eyes and focused on what Lilly had said about "reincarnation". He didn't think that applied to him. Sure, he knows he died an old man in his world and then just suddenly appeared in the Dungeon, just as Bell got attacked. But he didn't really remember how any of that happened. Whenever he tried to think of it, the only thing he could recall was him laying down and closing his eyes. Considering what Lilly had said, there was a chance that he was here because the gods reincarnated him...but he doubted that.

First, if this was supposed to be a reincarnation, why did he keep his memories? He's pretty sure you're supposed to lose those when you come back to really get the "second chance" it sounded like it was. And you were supposed to completely start over. Be reborn as a baby and grow up as a different person. At least that's what he always heard happened when people talked about it in his world. Yet he had just woken up in the Dungeon, with all of his memories, and his body back in its prime. As if he had just taken a nap and woken up from a dream.

Second, he's pretty sure that if any of the gods tried to judge his soul, he'd fight back. At least to get some say in what happened to him after he died. He may have died peacefully, but he still held the same ideals that him and his friends had fought so hard to defend. To be free to decide their destiny, fighting against a world that tried to tell them what was true, when they could define it for themselves. If some god took his soul and tried to decide where he would go against his will, he'd punch them in the face. Especially if they were anything like the gods of this world. At least from what he's heard of them.

Lastly, if he was reincarnated by the gods, why did he show up in the Dungeon? Bell had told him that the gods weren't allowed to go into the Dungeon. But if the gods could put people in the Dungeon, then couldn't they just remove the monsters from the Dungeon? Or wipe it off the face the planet? He felt like the gods didn't have any control over how the Dungeon worked, so it was unlikely any of them had any say in how or why he show up there.

He was lost in thought for a moment, until he heard Lilly's next words, "...But there was a time when Lilly longed for death. If Lilly went before the gods...if Lilly could be reborn...the new Lilly would surely be better than the current one..."

Simon was already preparing to refute her as always, while Bell was standing as if he had been punched in the gut. However, before either could speak, Lilly lowered her head and lifted her right palm toward her face. Her hood had fallen back letting both Bell and Simon see her focusing on the item in her hand. The core drill that Simon had given her. She curled her hand around the item and said, "At least...that's what Lilly used to think...now Lilly isn't too sure..."

"L-Lilly," Bell said, seeming relieved with her response. Simon relaxed and his lips curled into a small smile. He kept it up as Lilly regained her bright and cheerful act and said they should all hurry home. Though Simon moved to follow her and say goodbye, Bell was left speechless for a few moments. He knew that Lilly had meant what she said both times. And he was happy that she seemed to have changed her mind from before. But...he couldn't stop his mind from asking; What had happened to Lilly to make her think like that?

He didn't get an answer. So, he did the one thing he could do. He ran after her and Simon.

---

Freya stood within her private room in the Tower of Babel. She stood before the glass wall of her room, her eyes focused on the white shadow below as it ran after two other shadows. Excitement filled her eyes and she clapped her hands together, "That's wonderful. You must shine even more. More, more, shine even brighter child. It's your duty, now that you have my attention."

Freya watched Bell Cranel with great intensity as he continued to run. It was an obsession. An obsession guided by a firey passion for love. Because that was her "hobby". Using her "Eyes of Insight" she saw the true colors of the children and sought to add the most talented to her collection. And, to many, having the Goddess of Love and Beauty do that for them was of the highest honor. Even if they were forever restrained and denied their freedom.

No one refused her. No one could refuse her. No one had ever been able to resist the magic that were her beauty.

No one...except that man.

Freya's beautiful smile slowly disappeared. In its place were lips curled into a frown. For she could see very clearly that the emerald light she had seen in the child's soul had only grown brighter. What was once a simple discoloration in the bright white of his soul, had turned into a dim green light. It still wasn't strong, but she could see that it wouldn't stay that way. It would grow along with the boy.

And that...was wrong.

"He's mine," there was a barely hidden curse within her voice, as she cut her eyes at the man with the boy. He walked alongside the boy and the small girl that had joined their group recently. She couldn't help the frustration that filled her just seeing the man being with the boy. Most who had met or were aware of the goddess couldn't be blamed for being confused. When asked about her "hobbies" she had openly stated that she "Just likes strong men". And the man, Simon from what she remembered, certainly fit that description. He could go into the Dungeon without a blessing, his soul showed that he had strong emotional and mental fortitude, and he could match Ottar even though the boarman wasn't using his full strength. He should be someone that Freya adored.

Yet anyone who truly knew the Goddess of Love and Beauty, would understand exactly why she loathed him.

First, Bell. Bell was her's to guide. He was meant to get stronger because of her intervention. He was supposed to grow because she allowed it. His soul was meant to shine brighter as he became stronger thanks to her decisions and actions. Everything Bell would become was meant to connect back to her. He was meant to be her toy to do with as she saw fit. Simon was getting in the way of that. He was guiding the boy's growth more than she was at the moment. He was slapping her newest toy out of her hands. And that was unacceptable. Even if he wasn't aware of it, he was going against the will of a goddess. To Freya and those who followed her, that was akin to blasphemy.

Second, what his ring meant. The first time she saw it, she could tell that he was married. Though she hadn't seen his wife, her eyes had let her see the connection he shared with her. The pure love that she had seen had impressed her. And, because of that, she had left him on that day he had met Ottar. However, it was only that. A gesture done out of respect for how much he loved his wife, even if she was not with her. But in truth she saw such a thing as an anomaly.

To Freya, love's very nature was to deteriorate. To begin at the height of emotion with both sides holding hope and excitement in their hearts during those first moments. Then, after hitting its peak, it was fated to crumble away. No one longed for a love that had gone cold. That was simply how it was. And to Freya, the Goddess of Love, that was why it was beautiful. Yet one look at Simon's soul told her that he defied even that. The love he felt for his wife was old. Much, much older than he looked. He still carried that flame for her after all this time. Despite how long it had been, his love for the woman hadn't crumbled.

That was an exception. A defiance of nature. Which meant it was a defiance of love. Which meant it was a defiance of Freya.

Which led into the final reason Freya didn't care for Simon. Which, to her, provided an explanation for how he was able to resist her Charm and deny her offer: He was still in love with his wife.

If his love for his wife was this strong, then she must be beautiful. A man like Simon would only fall for a beautiful woman. That in and of itself wouldn't be enough. Even married men and women had found themselves captivated by Freya before. But Simon's love for that woman was enough to overcome the Charm that Freya had. Which would only happen if that woman was so beautiful and charming that Freya didn't compare.

Which meant Simon thought that there was a woman out there who was more beautiful than Freya, the Goddess of Beauty.

And that...was insulting.

The boy and man were quite small in the distance, but both had come to a complete stop and were looking around. The boy was frantically searching the area, as if he had lost something and was desperate to find it. The man, meanwhile, had already divined where her gaze was coming from. His head was tilted upward with his eyes locked onto her abode. She felt like he could see right through the glass, swirling green eyes glaring into her silver ones. She could feel the defiance contained within them. Defiance of her will, as if saying that she would not have her way with the boy. That he would be there to stop her.

Freya's frown deepened for a moment, before she let the frustration slide away like a wave off a rock. Her lips curled back into a confident, beautiful smile as she calmed herself. There was no need to get so worked up over him. He may have managed to overcome the challenges of wherever he was from, but he would find that Orario would not be so easy to conquer. His intervention would be annoying but not impossible to circumvent. After all, at the end of the day, he was just one man.

And one man could not defy the gods.

It was simply impossible.

---

Bell sat down at the table in his home, placing the book he had brought home down in front of him. Hestia and Simon weren't around, so he had all the time in the world to read it. The last few days he had been in something of a slump. During an earlier Dungeon Run, he had messed up and nearly lost his life to an army ant. He only survived because Lilly and Simon were there to watch his back. Lilly made sure to scold him for being careless, while Simon just nodded along with what Lilly was saying. Lilly scolding him in the same way Eina would had already shot what little pride he had down, Simon backing her up delivered a finishing blow. Things only got worse when he asked Lilly about her Familia and how it worked. While she told him some things, he couldn't help but feel like the distance between them had grown larger.

In contrast, she seemed to be much more comfortable around Simon. When he asked her about the wine that the god Soma made, she explained how drinking it had changed some of the adventurers in her Familia. And how the two of them should stay far away from it. Neither Bell nor Simon fully understood what she meant, but they both agreed to listen to her advice.

Yet, throughout the entire circumstance, Bell couldn't help the feeling that he was failing. Failing at helping Lilly, failing at being adventurer, failing at...everything really. It got so bad that he hadn't gone to the Dungeon at all these past few days. He knew Lilly was handling herself and doing things he had no business in helping her with, and Simon had gone off to the Guild. He had made it clear it wasn't to go into the Dungeon, but to talk to Eina and ask her a few questions. So, he had stayed home doing nothing for the longest time, this strange feeling killing any motivation he had to continue adventuring. The only reason he had left the house today was because he realized he had forgotten to give Syr her basket back.

However, it turned out going to the Mistress was exactly what he needed. Syr had listened to his woes and had said he should try reading. He figured she was might be right. If he read the stories that had inspired him as a child, he would regain the motivation to be an adventurer. Though he was skeptical about taking the book she offered as it did belong to another adventurer, he couldn't turn her down after she said it was "the best should could do for him". And Simon had told him not to reject an offer from a girl. He would just have to remember to give it back after he was done reading it.

So, he pulled up a chair, sat down, and opened up the book. He looked over the title page without a title.

Mirror, Mirror: The Fairest Witch in the Land Is ME: An Autobiography (With Appendix: Awaken Your Magic!)

Bell couldn't help feeling that it sounded childish.

Chapter 1: Modern Magic Even Goblins Can Understand!

And he certainly didn't think teaching magic to goblins was a good idea. He felt like closing the book, but decided to push through. He couldn't let Syr's good intentions go to waste. He forced his eyes across the characters on the pages with all the endurance he could muster. However, as he read he started to notice something strange about the book. While some parts of the book were written in Koine, the general trade language that almost anyone could understand, there were strange characters between the lines. They were different from hieroglyphs, the language of the gods, and different from any language of the races of people. Nothing in common with itself, just a strange grouping of marks.

Yet...the passage...the sea of characters was pulling him in.

Magic is interest. This is a vital factor for all acquired magic. What holds your interest-what do you accept, hate, want, grieve for, worship, swear to, long for? The trigger is already within you. Your Falna will carve your soul into a blazing sun. If you desire it, answer. If you desire it, break. If you desire it, focus! A terrible mirror of truth lies before you.

A picture of a face had appeared in the book. It took Bell a second to recognize it as his face. His face with nothing above its forehead. No, it wasn't his face...it was a mask. Another face of him. A him he didn't know.

Now, let's begin.

The picture's eyes opened and it spoke with his voice. Its words shot through him as the words began to spin.

What is magic to me?

Bell didn't know. But he always saw it as something great and mysterious. A finishing move to slay monsters. A mysterious power used by heroes to come back from near death. Strong, fierce, mysteri-

Badump

For but a moment, Bell was drawn out of the trance induced by the book. His left hand was still on the book, but his right had moved to just above his chest. He could feel something warm against his palm and looked down.

His hand was tightly squeezing the core drill around his neck.

His attention returned to the book and he felt his mind be drawn in once again. The question repeated itself.

What is magic to me?

...At one point in time, he would've said power. A great power to defeat his weak self. But now, after having met Simon...he didn't think that anymore. Because Simon could do the things that normally required magic. Making his cloak as hard as steel, blowing a minotaur's head off in a single attack, somehow making a silverback explode twice. But none of that was magic. It was Spiral Power.

Fighting Spirit.

That's what magic was to him. Fighting Spirit. The strength needed to keep going forward. To face any challenge no matter how tough. The will to smile through the worst the world had to offer.

What kind of a thing is magic to me?

Thing?

What kind of a thing?

...A drill.

Just like the thing that felt warm in his palm. Magic had to be a drill.

Sure it was small and seemingly plain. At first glance, no one would see it as something magical. But Bell had seen Simon use it. He knew what it truly meant to be a drill.

It meant to spin and break through.

Walls? Drill through them. Metal? Drill through it. Shields? Drill through them. Monsters? Drill through them. It didn't matter what was in a drill's way, how long it may take, or what it was up against. As long as a drill kept spinning it would break through anything that tried to stop it.

That's what he wanted to be.

A drill that could pierce through any obstacle.

He wanted to become a drill.

What do you seek in magic?

To become stronger, like him.

To become faster, like him.

Like an emerald light breaking through the clouds.

Like lightning racing across the sky.

More than anyone, more than anyone, more than anyone.

Faster than anyone.

Like him.

To be in his sight.

That's all?

...No.

He didn't just want to be in his sight. He wanted to catch up to him. He wanted to reach the same place that man stood at. He wanted to catch that strong back he saw the day he was rescued from the minotaur.

He wanted to become a hero.

He always wanted to be a hero, and like a fool he's perused that dream.

Not only like the ones in the tales...but like the one he met that day in the Dungeon.

He wanted to become like him. Like Simon.

Because no matter how pathetic a fantasy, how vain and indignant, how miserably unsuited he was for it...he believed in Simon.

And Simon said he could be a hero.

So, he wanted to become enough of a hero for Simon.

To prove that his belief wasn't wasted.

You're such a child.

...Maybe...but Simon acts like this too. And he's an adult.

That's true. And it's me, too.

The him inside the book smiles.

Then everything went black.

---

"Hey, Eina," Eina looked up from behind her counter and frowned. She saw Simon making his way toward her and stopping right in front of her. Her expression softened as she spotted the man's own pensive face. Simon leaned over until his arms were on the counter and asked, "ya got a minute to talk?"

Eina looked over Simon's shoulder to see if anyone was standing behind him. Thankfully, despite the numerous adventurers all over the Guild at this time, none of them seemed to be coming to her counter at the moment. Whether that was because no one was there to meet her today, or they were put off by Simon's presence she couldn't tell at the moment. She straightened up and looked Simon in the eye, "For now. Is there something you needed, Simon?"

"Yeah. What can you tell me about Soma Familia?" Simon asked, his eyes focused on Eina's, "Lilly told me and Bell a bit, but I'd like to get some info from someone who isn't directly connected."

Eina frowned, "May I ask why you're inquiring about such things?"

Simon shrugged, "I'm worried about Lilly. She doesn't say much about her Familia, but it's pretty clear she doesn't like them very much. She's always trying to make sure me and Bell know not to get involved with them. And I don't think that's normal, is it?"

"Generally, no. I can't speak for all adventurers, but those who join Familias generally do have positive things to say about them. Of course, there are those who are unsatisfied with their Familias. Thus it is possible to leave your current Familia, though that has a process of its own," Eina says, her suspicion of Simon lowering even more. Someone who was planning to betray or lead Bell astray wouldn't be asking about a different party member's well being like this. It didn't completely let him off the hook. He could just be a very good liar. But this did help alleviate some of her worries.

"That so. And what about Soma Familia?"

Eina debated answering Simon. She couldn't say anything of actual substance in regards to the Familia. The gods and their adventurers were entitled to their secrets. Not to mention Guild Policy in regards to such matters. However, she also couldn't tell him anything concrete. Which she supposed would have to be enough. Leaning in a bit, she waved for him to come closer. He did so and she whispered to him, "I don't know much. Just that they're a Adventuring Familia that makes amazing wine. Their god, Soma, is known for it. To the point that any wine made by him is called 'Soma Wine'. It's heavily coveted by wine connoisseurs all over Orario. But other than that, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them."

Eina and Simon separated, with Simon nodding his head. He put a hand on his chin as he considered what Eina just told him. He didn't believe that there was "nothing wrong" with the Familia. While it would be easy to simply pass Lilly off as a thief who wanted to take Bell's knife and sell it, he didn't feel like that was it. Lilly struck him as someone who had been through a lot. The fact that she admitted to wanting to die earlier told him that. Not to mention her reaction to him getting her food and asking for nothing in return last night was strange. It was like she was always expecting for him to take everything back and say she owed him. Or that he would hold something over her. And when he didn't she just couldn't understand it. She hadn't said that but the look on her face told him that much.

The only link to that kind of behavior that Lilly had mentioned was her Familia. Specifically, how she told them to stay way from Soma wine. If the wine wasn't a problem and people really liked it, then why would she be so adamant about them not touching the stuff? Something had to be wrong with it. And if something was rotten with the wine, then something was rotten with where it was coming from. But he didn't have any concrete proof of it. While that hadn't necessarily stopped him before, the last thing he needed was to cause trouble for Bell or Hestia by running in without a plan.

If it was just his problem and life on the line then he wouldn't mind.. But he wouldn't drag Hestia and Bell into a situation that they weren't ready for.

"Wh-that's it?!" both Simon and Eina turned their heads toward the Exchange. There, they saw an adventurer slamming his balled fist down on the counter. His eyes were wild with desperation as he glared at the Guild employee, "That's all I made?! Th-That can't be! There's gotta be more than that!" Simon couldn't hear what the person behind the counter said, but he could guess that it wasn't what the adventurer wanted to hear. A second later the man had his head on the counter, his hands and body trembling in despair, "N-No. It's-It's not enough. I-I need more..."

"Hmm, that a normal sight around here?" Simon asked, turning to Eina.

The half-elf slowly nodded, a somber expression on her face, "Not everyone who goes into the Dungeon and comes back is guaranteed to make a lot of money. Many adventurers come back only to discover that what they worked so hard for isn't enough for them."

"Right," Simon said, continuing to rub his chin as his mind worked. He felt like that connected to Lilly somehow. He didn't know exactly how or why. But his gut was telling him that something about that random adventurer's situation, Lilly's Familia, and Lilly's current circumstances and world view had something to do with each other. If he had something a bit more concrete, then he could figure out how he could really help Lilly. As much as he wanted to just ask her, he knew she wouldn't be straight with him about it. She'd either change the subject, or ask him not to pry into her personal business.

He sighed and shook his head. Looked to him like he would have to just wait until Lilly said something. He smiled at Eina and waved to her as he left, "Thanks for the help, Eina. See ya round."

Eina waved goodbye, but was precluded from saying it by another adventurer who came to talk with her. Simon left the Guild and continued his walk around the city for the rest of the day. He spent most of his time on the rooftops just watching people as they went about their day to day business. He kept at it until the sun set behind the horizon, the stars lit up the night sky, and most of the people in Orario had gone home or closed business. As the night life began to wake, he jumped off the building he was on and started making his way back to Bell and Hestia's place. He had been there enough times by now that he knew how to get there on his own.

But right when he rounded a corner, he spotted a familiar shock of white hair rushing down the street. Raising an eyebrow, he stepped out into the street and shouted, "That you, Bell?"

"Simon!" Bell came to a sudden stop and dashed to stand by Simon. He hopped up and down, barely able to contain his excitement. His ruby eyes shined, his voice quivering as he stared at the older man, "You're here! That's great! Come on, we're going into the Dungeon! I've got something to show you!"

Bell didn't give Simon a chance to reply, already running off toward the Guild. Curious, Simon caught up to him and ran alongside him. He asked the boy, "What's up, Bell? What do you want to show me?"

"I'll tell you when we get there!" Bell said, barely holding himself back from telling it to Simon. The two soon reached the Guild where Bell lifted the gear on the front gate so they could enter. The two reached the Dungeon entrance hole cover in the basement, and went through it to the spiral staircase where Bell jumped over the side of the railing halfway down. Smiling, Simon followed suit and soon the both of them landed on the first floor of the Dungeon with a solid thud.

Soon enough the two were on the first floor of the Dungeon. They were in a wide hallway and a short, fate green shadow appeared in their line of sight. It was a goblin. There was still a bit of distance between them, and it didn't seem to have noticed them yet. Simon glanced at Bell who wiped this sweaty palms on his inner shirt. Bell unsheathed his knife and crouched, looking like he was preparing to run. The goblin spotted them and yelled as it charged straight at them. Bell kept his eyes on the goblin while he steeled himself for what was to com. His Core Drill dangled from his neck, small twinkles of emerald coming from it as the seconds wore on. When the goblin had closed half the distance, Bell finally acted. With a yell he shouted out a two words:

"Spiral Boost!"

His body was temporarily encased in a green light. Then in a flash he was moving toward the goblin. His feet were off the ground but his body moved forward at incredible speed, becoming a human missile as he shot toward the goblin. The creature was caught off guard and could do nothing as Bell closed with it within in a moment. He swung his knife and felt no resistance as it cleaved through the goblin's body. Only when he was a good ten paces behind the goblin did the sudden burst of speed stop. He skid to a halt then quickly turned around to see if it had worked. His smile grew wider as he saw the goblin's body turn to dust.

He turned back around to look at Simon with the proudest smile on his face, "I have magic! I finally have a Magic Spell I can use! Lady Hestia saw it when she updated my status tonight, and best of all it's 'Swift-Strike Magic'. I don't need an incantation to use it! Look-Look, I'll show you again!"

Bell got ready to repeat the maneuver, getting into the same stance as before while looking for a new target. However, he was stopped when he felt Simon grab him by the back of his collar. He looked up to see Simon with his lips curled into a small smile. He gently picked Bell up then placed him back on his feet. Then he rubbed Bell's head as he spoke, "That's awesome, Bell! And if I saw right, I'd say that's some Spiral Power in your magic."

"You think so?!" Bell somehow looked even more excited at the thought.

"I know so. I mean, it's called Spiral Boost. But," Simon removed his hand and walked until he stood in front of Bell. He crossed his arms while his smile widened, "you can't just use it at random. Now's the time for us to practice."

"Practice?" Bell seemed a bit confused by Simon's words. He lifted his free hand and said, "I mean, it's magic. Do I really need to practice it?"

Simon shook his head, "Bell, if you're going to be a good adventurer, you need to know how make use of every single tool in your arsenal. You need to know them and yourself inside out, so you can use them to their fullest potential. Then you'll know when best to put your fighting spirit into it. Come on, I'll show you what I mean."

Simon walked further into the first floor with a confident stride. Bell followed him, looking like a rabbit hopping after his master. While monsters were born from the walls or appeared before them, they were quickly dispatched by their combined force. Eventually, they came to a more open spot in the floor with a few large rocks littering the ground. Simon looked around to be sure the place was clear then nodded, "This place looks good. So, first thing we're gonna check on is if your Boost is affected by your speed. First, I want you to do what you did last time. Use your spell. Go ahead."

"Um, okay," Bell still wasn't sure what Simon was trying to do. But he figured it couldn't hurt to get in some practice. That and he really wanted to us his new spell some more. He got into the same stance as last time, faced an empty spot on the floor, then shouted, "Spiral Boost!"

Like before the spell shot him forward at incredible speed before he suddenly stopped. He looked back and saw that he had landed fifteen celch away from Simon. Simon called out to him, "Good. Now mark the ground there with something."

"O-Okay!" Bell called back, kneeling and making a small mark in the ground with his knife. Then he walked back over to Simon and stopped in front of him, "So, what next?"

"Next," Simon turned aside and pointed a fair distance behind him, "I want you to get some distance. Go far enough that you can get a full sprint going. Then, run back to me but once you reach me, use your spell while you're running."

Bell's eyes lit up as he began to grasp what Simon was getting at. Without a word he jogged passed Simon until he was far enough away. Once he was, he turned on his heel and immediately began running back toward Simon. With his high Agility it didn't take him long to get to a full sprint. Nor did it take him long to reach Simon's position. The moment his hit the ground he shouted the phrase, "Spiral Boost!"

As before, a green light came from his body as he was launched forward. Air parted in his wake as he flew straight forward and passed Simon. Simon's cape flapped in the breeze left behind by the young man. It took Bell longer than before to hit the ground, and he had a harder time getting his feet under him. He kicked his legs repeatedly as he skidded across the earth before finally coming to a stop. He ignored the exhaustion that was creeping in and immediately looked down at his feet. What he saw made his smile widen until it reached his ears.

He hadn't landed at the same spot as before. And after marking the ground and running back toward Simon, he discovered that he had landed a full twenty celch further than before. He sprinted back to Simon and said, "You were right! I went further! The spell makes me go further the faster I'm going!"

"Heck yeah it does! High five!" Simon held up his hand for Bell to see. Bell immediately slapped his hand against Simon's, the sound echoing through the empty floor. Simon then pointed at Bell, "But we ain't done yet. We've got much more to practice with. You think you're up for it?"

"Yes!" Bell affirmed, wide smile still on his face. Thus he and Simon continued to practice with his new magic spell. Outside of being able to give Bell a quick burst of speed, they also discovered that he could use it in the middle of a cast. If he casts the spell while the prior burst was still ongoing, he could use it again to redirect himself mid-air.

Pretty soon, Bell landed in front of Simon after the latest test. He looked up at Simon, his smile still wide and bright, saying, "Okay! I managed to do three Boosts one after the other. What's next?! What's next?!"

But Simon frowned at Bell. He put a hand on his chin as he examined Bell with his eyes, "Actually, Bell. I think we should stop here. You're not looking too good. And I think we may have gotten a bit carried away." Simon looked around at their surroundings. The walls had turned from blue to green, indicating that they had gone down multiple floors. He believed they were on the fifth floor if his memories of going here with Bell were right. They had gotten here cause they had needed more space to practice, and didn't pay attention to where they were going. Not to mention Bell getting overeager when monsters showed up. The second one spawned, he'd use Spiral Boost to dash in and cleave it in half. Which usually made Simon have to chase after him until where they were headed got away from them.

"What? No, I'm fine. I can keep-" Bell took a step towards Simon...and his body immediately gave out on him. His eyes rolled into the back of his head while his body fell forward. Simon quickly grabbed the boy's shoulders to stop him from hitting the ground. He looked down to see that Bell's eyes were closed and his body had gone limp. Though he hadn't let go of his knife despite that.

"Yeah, like I thought. Using magic takes it out of ya," he shook his head then lifted Bell into his arms. He threw him over his shoulder and prepared to leave.

"Simon?"

The familiar voice made him stop before he could get anywhere. Turning around, Simon smiled when he saw a familiar blonde girl approaching him. Walking alongside her was the elf he had seen in the Benevolent Mistress. He used his free hand to wave at the two of them, "Aiz! Good to see ya. Who's your friend?"

The elf tilted her head to Simon, "Hello. I am Riveria. And you are the one who assisted Aiz and Lefiya. What was your name again?"

"Simon," he replied, turning to fully face the two women, "Good to meetcha. So, what brought ya'll here?"

"We just came back from an expedition," Aiz told him, her eyes moving to Simon's passenger. She tilted her head, "A downed adventurer?"

"Oh! Well, this is kind of funny," Simon laughed, moving Bell so that he was held in his arms again. He held the boy out so that both Aiz and Riveria could see him, "It's Bell. We came down here to practice and went a bit overboard"

Riveria spoke in a matter of fact tone, "No visible wounds, healing and detox appear to be unnecessary...Looks like a classic case of Mind Down. He used magic without thinking of the consequences."

"There are consequences?" Simon asked, one eye raised. When Aiz and Riveria gave him questioning glances he said, "I don't have magic and haven't really heard of it. I figured he pushed himself too hard, but what's a Mind Down?"

"Magic requires mental energy to use. The mind can only do so much before it reaches it limit. Once that happens, the mind will shut down from overuse. Though, to be able to keep using magic to the point of unconsciousness is abnormal," Riveria admitted, looking at Bell with analytical eyes.

Aiz, meanwhile, was staring at Bell's white hair. She whispered a moment later, "This boy..."

"What's that?" Riveria asked the blonde girl, "Do you know him, Aiz?"

She shook her head, "Not really. We've never spoken directly...He's, um, the boy I told you about. The Minotaur..."

"...I see," Riveria looked back at Simon and said, "That would be why you did what you at the Mistress. Allow me to say that we do not believe the same things that the idiot said. I would've stopped him sooner if I had known this boy was there."

Simon waved his hand, "Ah, no worries. It's in the past. And his name is Bell, by the way. That friend of yours just needed a good sobering up. Just so happened that I was happy to give it to him."

Riveria looked at Simon with curiosity, "You're taking this rather well. You are aware that Bete hasn't forgotten what you did? He's been besides himself with anger, always grumbling about how he's going to get back at you once he has the chance."

Simon kept his smile as he responded, "That so? Well, tell him that I'm ready any time. If he wants a fight, I'll give it to him."

Riveria stifled a sigh at Simon's response. Before she could say anymore, Aiz spoke up, "Riveria, I want to compensate this boy."

"...Aiz there are other ways of saying that. Especially in front of a man," Riveria let out a long sigh in response to Aiz's choice of words. Aiz looked up at her and Simon with pleading, sparkling eyes and blinked three times.

Simon shrugged, "Can't help ya, Aiz. I don't get it either."

Both of them turned to Riveria for an answer. Learning that neither of them understood, she gave up and decided to say nothing about it. Instead she turned her attention back to Simon, "Well, helping someone at a time like this is common courtesy. But, would you be willing to allow it, Simon?"

"Of course. If Aiz really feels like making it up to Bell, I say let her. But what's your plan, Aiz? How do you want to thank him?"

Aiz went silent, her head lowered as she suddenly became bashful. Riveria stared at her then opened her mouth to say something. But after seeing Simon, she moved to gently take Aiz by the arm. She turned to Simon and said, "Could you please excuse us?"

She pulled Aiz away and spoke to her in a hushed tone. Simon watched as the two had some type of discussion. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what the two were talking about. Then, Riveria and Aiz separated and came back to him. Riveria walked to Simon's side and said, "Simon, I would ask you to leave that boy with Aiz."

"Hmm? What for?"

"So she may compensate him. I assure you that all will become clear if you give him to Aiz," Riveria waved at Bell then at Aiz to emphasize. Confused but willing to see where it was going, Simon did as instructed. He hands Bell over to Aiz, the girl easily carrying the young man. Then she sat on her knees, adjusted Bell in her arms, and rested his head in her lap.

Simon tilted his head at the sight before looking over a Riveria for an explanation. But he was cut off by Aiz, "...Is it really okay to just do this?"

"I'm not certain, but you will protect this spot. You don't have to do anything above and beyond that. Besides, any man would be happy with this because it's you. Wouldn't you agree, Simon?"

Both women turned to Simon, but he just shrugged, "I guess. So, Aiz is gonna stay here and protect him, then once he wakes up she'll be able to talk to him properly?"

"That's the plan, yes. In the meantime, we should be going. We'll get in the way if we stay here. These two have to be alone to understand each other. Come," she waved for Simon to follow her while she began heading back to the surface. Simon looked at Aiz, shrugged at her, smiled, then waved goodbye.

"Yes, thank you, Riveria. Simon," Aiz called as they walked off. Riveria nodded with an affirmative "Ah" while Simon simply gave her a thumbs up.

---

"Mother..."

That was Bell's first word upon stirring awake. He been in a deep slumber, but it wasn't a bad one. In fact, it had felt downright pleasant. A fragrance like a serene wind, warmed from the heat of the sun filled his nose. He could feel something soft against his skin, and could tell something was stroking his hair. It was all so gentle and reassuring that his eyes slowly opened. All he could see was a fuzzy outline in his vision.

"Sorry, I'm not your mother..."

"Huh?" Bell rapidly blinks his eyes as his senses returned to him. It took a few moments for him to realize who's face was above him.

"Are you awake...?" Aiz asked as she stared down at him.

"Y-Yeah," Bell said, feeling embarrassed as his mind tried to make sense of the situation. He sucked air in through his teeth and asked, "Um, Aiz? Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Is my head in your...your...la-lap right now?"

"Yes."

"Oh...why did you do that?"

"...I wanted to apologize," Aiz looked away from Bell, her normally stoic expression cracking just a bit.

Blinking in confusion, Bell sat up straight. Around them he saw nothing but dead monsters, blood, and bones surrounding them. He scanned the environment before nodding, "Uh, so you protected me while I was sleeping? Thanks for that."

"You're welcome. But, that wasn't what I meant," Bell turned around to see Aiz giving him her full attention. Understanding what she meant, he scooted until he was facing her and matching her gaze. Once he was, Aiz bowed her head and said, "I'm sorry for the Minotaur. I meant to kill it but it got away from me. If it wasn't for that, you wouldn't have been put in danger."

"Oh, uh, well, apology accepted," Bell couldn't help but feel nervous in front of Aiz. He was still trying to process the fact that she let him rest on her lap after falling to sleep, "But you don't have to worry. After all, I kind of have to thank you. Cause if it wasn't for that, I would've never met...Simon!"

Bell's head jerked up as he started looking around, "That's right! I was here with Simon. Where'd he go?"

"He went to the surface with my party member," Aiz responded, her golden eyes focused on Bell's expression. She saw him relax when he heard that Simon had left and felt the tiniest bit confused, "You...admire him don't you?"

"Huh? Uh, I-I guess so?" Bell said, his lips curling into a nervous grin as he fidgeted in place, "He's been helping me get stronger and is really nice and cool and...I just really like him I guess. He's kind of been like a big brother to me. No-Not that he is or that I think of him like that it's just...ya know."

Bell turned away from Aiz who simply continued to stare at him. They both sat in silence for what felt like an hour before Aiz spoke up, "Can I train with you?"

"What?" Bell asked, wanting to make sure he had heard what Aiz said.

"You said that Simon's helping you get stronger. I...want to help. As further compensation for the Minotaur incident. We can all train together," she said, her tone sounding a bit forceful.

"B-But I said you didn't have to-" Bell swallowed his words when he saw the gleam in Aiz's eyes. He wasn't sure why, but he got the feeling that she wasn't really "asking" him to let her train with them. Audibly swallowing, Bell considered the idea. Truth be told, there was no reason to say no. Aiz was the Kenki. The Sword Princess. She was one of the most powerful adventurers in Orario, yet was so aloof and quiet that most people never bothered to approach her. Yet, here she was, offering to help him train and get stronger. In many ways, it was the best possible outcome here. He gets to train with two great fighters, and will become stronger in more than one way.

Nodding to himself, Bell looked up at Aiz then reached out his hand, "Alright, let's do it! I humbly accept your offer, Aiz. Let's shake on it!"

Aiz blinked three times, looked down at Bell's outstretched hand, then at her own. For a moment, Bell thought that she didn't know what to do. Then she reached out and with her right hand and clasped his in her grip. She didn't smile but Bell could feel her happiness through their shake. Once they were done, Bell stood up and dusted himself off, "Okay. Time for me to get going. Um, when do you want to start training?"

"I'll find you," Aiz stood up easily, taking her sword in her hand, "when I'm ready. Tell Simon."

"It's a promise," Bell said, smiling as he jogged toward the surface. He waved goodbye to Aiz who waved back at him.

---

Finally got this done. I hope you all enjoy and really sorry it took so long.

 

[Hi-Cierra]

Tftc cant wait for more!

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Fantastic chapter as always! And man Freya is not ready for what's gonna happen if she keeps poking at Simon.

 

[crashdash]

Thanks for the update man loved it.

 

[Xodarap]

Freya is going to Seethe and Mald from Simon ignoring her.

 

[kinglugia]

Which meant Simon thought that there was a woman out there who was more beautiful than Freya, the Goddess of Beauty.

Click to shrink...

Freya is going to Seethe and Mald from Simon ignoring her.

Click to shrink...

View: https://youtu.be/_Ev_pQZDaj4?si=R-OahUtqd2XwTKQT

 

[sickboy398]

Freeya is already neck deep in copium

 

[ExpWarlock]

Thanks for the Chapter!!!
Keep Cooking King!!!

 

[CNoxS911]

Thanks for the great chapter

 

[Otaku]

dont worry,imagine if bell get another spell that let him summon pats of the gurren to attack like summoning the arms to punch or the legs for a kick or the finisher(GIGA DRILL BREAKER)but they cost energy to do or something like that(like a uchiha susanoO) ,just saying thanks for the great chapter

 

[OutcastClankzilla]

It's Giga Drill Break, you heathen!!

That aside, seeing Bell grow into his own with inspiration from Simon is always welcome - if somewhat still limiting, because at this point, can't be just fully invest in Spiral Power?

Granted, okay, not everybody can be like Simon, but still, you'd think the whole 'do the impossible' thing would stick by now - maybe even encourage Bell to start thinking outside the box!

And hoo boy, is Freya just begging for a beating - and definitely not the fun one, either! If nothing else, I honestly hope that she does something so stupid and horrible that she genuinely pisses Simon off into total John Wick mode!

 

[LinkOnScepter]

It's Giga Drill Break, you heathen!!

That aside, seeing Bell grow into his own with inspiration from Simon is always welcome - if somewhat still limiting, because at this point, can't be just fully invest in Spiral Power?

Granted, okay, not everybody can be like Simon, but still, you'd think the whole 'do the impossible' thing would stick by now - maybe even encourage Bell to start thinking outside the box!

And hoo boy, is Freya just begging for a beating - and definitely not the fun one, either! If nothing else, I honestly hope that she does something so stupid and horrible that she genuinely pisses Simon off into total John Wick mode!

Click to shrink...

The main reason is that this is still Bell before he fully embraces Spiral Power and pushing himself onward. Notice how he hasn't given a speech ending with "Who in the hell do you think I am" yet. That'll change after his eventual confrontation with a Minotaur.

 

[QaletaqaThorson]

Oh, I really hope Simon gives Freya the Anti-Spiral treatment

 

[Athain]

And one man could not defy the gods.

Click to shrink...

Simon: WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?

It was simply impossible.

Click to shrink...

Do the Impossible See the Invisible Row Row Fight Da Powa!

 

[Kloudianorici]

Freya really is just a spoiled brat of a woman. She has never been told no, never been denied a mortal she really wanted, never lost in a beauty contest, etc. etc. Now she is going to face the full brunt of what it means to lose, because if she pulls her classic manipulation tactics on Simon and Bell, she is going to get a hammer arm to the face with an epic speech follow up like you wouldn't believe.

She has no clue about the Evil Overlord List rules, especially not the "Don't eat an energy field bigger than your head" one. Because she will very quickly discover that the power of a spiral is infinite, and that charm of hers is distressingly finite.

 

[OutcastClankzilla]

Freya really is just a spoiled brat of a woman. She has never been told no, never been denied a mortal she really wanted, never lost in a beauty contest, etc. etc. Now she is going to face the full brunt of what it means to lose, because if she pulls her classic manipulation tactics on Simon and Bell, she is going to get a hammer arm to the face with an epic speech follow up like you wouldn't believe.

She has no clue about the Evil Overlord List rules, especially not the "Don't eat an energy field bigger than your head" one. Because she will very quickly discover that the power of a spiral is infinite, and that charm of hers is distressingly finite.

Click to shrink...

At this point, I'm honestly expecting this to be a big wakeup call to everybody else that even the gods aren't infallible/invincible. Like one Vir Cotto once said, some favors come at too high a price to be worth it.

Huh. Come to think of it, have the gods in Danmachi even been meaningfully challenged before? As in, have they even needed to really push themselves to the limit?