Chapter 219 ⤞ Joining the Familia

"So that's how it is!" Adam exclaimed in surprise.

This was completely new information that he hadn't discussed with the silver-haired old man.

The old man must have assumed Adam would naturally join a Familia — that's why he hadn't mentioned it. After recognizing Adam's excellent potential, he had simply given his blessing and asked him to watch over his grandson.

Speaking of his grandson...

Adam turned to look at Hestia.

"W-what is it, are you considering joining a Familia?" Though puzzled by his gaze, she addressed the young man, "Actually, joining a Familia would benefit you greatly. Given your special circumstances, I believe every Familia in Orario would welcome you."

"Is that so." Adam's response remained neutral.

He was well aware of how sought-after he was — even without considering his potential, his strength alone would have Familias rushing to recruit him.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Adam could choose any Familia in Orario, including the prestigious Loki Familia and Freya Familia!

"Do you have a particular Familia in mind?" Hestia tugged at his cloak, "If you do, I can introduce you with my authority as a Goddess. They would treat you well from the start."

Little did she know how those words pained her to say.

Mature, steady, polite, and brimming with potential — watching such an exceptional young man slip away was tormenting her heart.

But she knew she couldn't keep him.

No, she shouldn't keep him!

With her Familia's current strength, forcing Adam to stay would only hold him back. He had just earnestly offered her advice — how could she do something so selfish?

It would contradict her divine nature.

So she asked about his preferred Familia, hoping to help through her heavenly connections as repayment.

"To be honest, I have many divine friends in Orario. I can help you join any Familia you choose."

"Really? Any of them?"

"Of course!"

Seeing Hestia's proud expression as she puffed out her chest, Adam couldn't help but smile before giving his surprising answer.

"Then, might I join the Hestia Familia?"

"No problem! I'll ask tomorrow — eh?" Hestia froze as she realized he had named her own Familia.

"W-why?"

"I don't really know why." Adam smiled and said, "If I had to give a reason, it would be that Goddess Hestia was the only one who invited me."

"Eh?" Hestia froze, but quickly recovered and shouted, "No! You can't join my Familia!"

"Why not? Didn't Goddess Hestia invite me from the beginning?"

"That was then, this is different!" She shook her head, her twin-tails swaying back and forth, "Back then I didn't know you had such great potential. My Familia is very weak — joining my Familia would only hold back your development!"

She refused him not because she feared disturbing her two-person world with Bell, but simply because she believed her Familia would hold Adam back.

"That doesn't matter. Actually, I prefer challenging situations." He looked at the sky, his eyes bright with determination, "Building step by step from the weakest Familia to become the strongest — don't you think that's a brilliant idea, Goddess Hestia?"

"Not at all!" Hestia rejected immediately, without a moment's thought.

"But Goddess Hestia just said I could pick any Familia and you'd help me join smoothly. How can you deny it right after saying that?"

"T-that's..." Hestia stammered, at a loss for words.

Seeing her intense internal conflict, Adam spoke again, "Well, I actually have my own reasons for wanting to join Goddess Hestia's Familia."

"Your own reasons?"

"Yes, I have secrets — secrets I don't want others to know."

"Hmm?" Hestia looked up questioningly.

"Actually, never mind." Adam thought for a moment but decided not to mention Aqua's existence. Instead, he said, "For certain reasons, I won't be staying in Orario long-term, so I think other large Familias wouldn't want to invest their resources in me. In that case, wouldn't joining Goddess Hestia's Familia be better?"

There were two reasons for joining the Hestia Familia.

First was that he would definitely leave this world eventually. In that case, joining a relatively free, accepting, and loving Familia would be best.

Second was to fulfill the silver-haired old man's request to look after his grandson. Since Bell was in the Hestia Familia, there was no reason not to join.

The Hestia Familia was the best answer.

"So you're saying you might leave the Familia in the future?"

"Yes, that's right." Adam nodded and said, "Of course, if Goddess Hestia thinks my approach is too much, you can reject my joining right now. After all, the choice is in your hands."

To outsiders, this approach would seem like a naked transaction.

The condition was simple: contributing to the Familia in exchange for the deity updating the Familia member's Status and not restricting their freedom. Many Familias wouldn't agree to this approach.

Because once such a trend formed, the Adventurers in the Familia would lose their sense of belonging, and they would easily fall apart.

To Adam's surprise, Hestia immediately accepted his proposal.

"It's alright. Once you join the Familia, you'll be my family. If you want to leave someday, I won't restrict your freedom."

Her words weren't treating his statement as a mere transaction — she genuinely wanted to welcome him as family.

"Family, huh..."

In Orario, Familias generally fell into two categories: those like the Loki Familia, where members united and supported each other like true family, and those like the Freya Familia, where members remained divided and hostile despite being under their deity's control.

Even the Soma Familia operated through their deity commanding the Captain to maintain control. The Wine God simply chose not to restrict his children out of disappointment.

"I must admit, I didn't expect you to agree, Goddess Hestia."

"Of course! When such an exceptional child chooses my humble Familia, how could I refuse?"

"But weren't you just refusing me earlier?"

"That was then, this is different!"

Hestia puffed up her cheeks in frustration, annoyed at how this young man kept spoiling tender moments with his ill-timed remarks.

"Oh right, I still don't know your name."

"To think you'd invite me to join your Familia without even knowing my name..."

Adam realized he hadn't properly introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Goddess Hestia." He bowed respectfully and said,"My name is Adam, Adam Carter."

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