Chapter 57: Ambition Unleashed – Target: Level 10

"Wow! Bell-kun, I love you!"

Bell, already hit with a direct confession, was instantly struck again—twice over.

Even someone as rational as Bell found his mind wandering. With such a sweet and innocent girl in his arms, who wouldn't?

Unable to resist the emotion stirring inside, Bell hugged Hestia tightly.

Hestia held him just as tightly. To her, Bell was truly one of a kind. As her very first Familia member, he carried the label of "the only one" in her heart. Add to that the fact that Bell fit her ideal type perfectly, and Hestia couldn't help but imagine the kind of fated encounter that might happen between a god and a child of Genkai.

Before descending to Genkai, she'd often talked about this sort of thing with other gods who had returned from Tenkai. But Hestia herself had never been particularly interested in the opposite sex. The male gods up there were all handsome enough, sure—but none of them ever made her feel anything.

The only exception was when she met her first Familia member in the lower world.

Hestia admitted she was a bit of a face-con. And since Bell was her first, that naturally made her feelings for him all the more special.

"Bell-kun, let's kiss!"

That blunt request left Bell at a loss.

"Goddess-sama... isn't it a little too soon for that?"

"Is it?"

Haa...

Bell took a deep breath. He had to admit, what first drew him to Hestia Familia was her divine beauty. But feelings between a god and their Familia member needed a real foundation. He didn't think there was any need to rush into something deeper just yet.

"Goddess-sama, how about hearing my thoughts first?"

Hestia immediately turned around, settling into his lap with sparkling eyes full of anticipation.

"Okay."

Bell finally had the chance to speak his mind.

"Goddess-sama, I think I've mentioned it before, but the reason I came to Orario in the first place was to become stronger. My grandfather was cornered and killed by monsters while hunting in the outside world. It was after that happened that I decided to come to this Labyrinth City."

"Eh~ Bell-kun, was it really just for power?"

Hestia blinked, staring at him without looking away.

"...Alright, I'll admit it. I was also hoping to meet a girl."

"Mmhmm, now that sounds more honest."

Hestia didn't mind that at all. Every Adventurer came with hopes like that.

People who came to Orario were here for fame, money, women, or strength. Everyone had their own goals and desires—there was nothing wrong with wanting a fateful encounter with a beautiful girl.

"Bell-kun, who exactly were you hoping to meet?"

Can I say it's you?

Bell couldn't help but mutter that thought to himself.

Truthfully, from the very beginning, the girl he'd wanted to meet wasn't just anyone—it was her. The one he'd tried so hard not to think about.

In the entire Labyrinth City of Orario, the only god who had both "loli" charm and "big" appeal... was Hestia.

From a divine perspective, she doted on her Familia and was even willing to go into heavy debt for their sake.

From a girl's perspective, she was nearly flawless.

Choosing Hestia didn't just lead him to the ideal encounter—it also led him to the perfect Familia.

Wasn't that the best of both worlds?

"Goddess-sama, isn't that you?"

"If it was me, then why did you go looking for Hephaestus first instead of me?"

I was looking for you from the very beginning!

But how could Bell say that? He couldn't admit that he'd known Hestia was recruiting a Familia member, and had targeted Hestia Familia from the start. It was only because he couldn't find her that he ended up trying his luck with Hephaestus.

Bell composed himself—those thoughts weren't something he could say aloud.

He simply held the slightly jealous Goddess-sama tightly in his arms.

"No matter what I thought before, right now, the only person I want to meet... is you, Goddess-sama."

Now that's more like it.

Hestia, who just moments ago had been sulking with jealousy, brightened considerably.

As for why Bell had gone to Hephaestus first, she decided not to ask anymore. Pushing the issue might damage the fragile bond they had just begun to build. Besides, Hestia firmly believed she was in no way inferior to Hephaestus—well, except in height.

"Ahem! Anyway, gaining power and meeting you, Goddess-sama—that's why I came to Orario."

Bell cleared his throat, steering the conversation away from the earlier topic.

"Now that I've met you, half of my goal is fulfilled. The other half is to gain power."

"But aside from that, there's another issue I have to face."

"How can I live a little longer?"

Meeting a goddess wasn't the hard part. But making the time they had together last—that was the real question. When Bell brought up lifespan, Hestia wracked her brain, trying to remember whether there were ways to extend life in the lower world, Genkai.

She didn't want Bell to only stay with her for the span of a human lifetime. She had desires too—she longed for more time with him.

"...If we were in Tenkai, there would be many methods. But here in Genkai, unless a Familia member breaks through their limits and surpasses those of ordinary mortals to reach Level 10 and become a demigod, there's really no other way to extend a lifespan."

After thinking it through, that was the only solution Hestia could come up with.

"Level 10..."

Bell's face twitched slightly. In all of Orario's history, the highest-ranked Adventurers had only reached Level 9. And now he was aiming for Level 10?

It felt impossibly far.

Still, after letting that reality settle, Bell felt his resolve return.

After all, he was doing it to live longer. Wanting more from life wasn't a bad thing—and reaching Level 10 likely meant far more than just gaining longevity.

"A demigod, huh..."

"Goddess-sama, if a Familia member really did reach that level... would they gain a lifespan like a god's?"

Hestia thought carefully, then nodded.

"Yes. Even a demigod would have transcended the limits of mortal life. They wouldn't have divine Authority, but aside from that, they'd be nearly indistinguishable from a god."

But even as she said it, Hestia couldn't help but worry.

In theory, neither humans nor demi-humans in Genkai should be able to reach that level. If only reaching Level 10 were that easy...

What troubled her most was the fear that Bell might do something reckless in pursuit of becoming a demigod.

"Bell-kun, maybe... maybe there's another way."

"No need, Goddess-sama. This is the best way."

Bell feared death, yes—but he wasn't a man without goals.

As someone who had transmigrated to this world, the one thing he didn't lack was ambition.

With the support of the System, he might just accomplish what no other Adventurer ever had.

Of course, that didn't mean Bell was without backup plans.