章 6: Chapter 6: A Mysterious Book
As usual, Bell stopped by the Hostess of Fertility to pick up the meal Syr had prepared. He couldn't help but smile as he entered, despite the slightly odd smell of the meals she usually prepared for him.
As he waited for her, he glanced around, intrigued by the shelves filled with books in one corner of the room. Among them, a strange book caught his eye. Its worn cover and intricate patterns shone slightly under the light. Unable to resist, Bell reached out to grab it and began to leaf through it.
"You seem curious, Bell," a familiar voice said behind him.
Bell jumped slightly and turned to see Syr, who was smiling mischievously.
— Sorry, Syr, I didn't mean to pry... But this book caught my eye.
Syr looked at the book, as if she knew its origin, before answering him softly:
—No one ever comes asking for this kind of thing. This book was abandoned here a long time ago. If you want, you can take it.
Bell hesitated, but the enthusiasm in his eyes was evident.
— Are you sure? I really can?
— Sure. Consider it a gift, she replied with a mysterious smile.
She then handed him his meal, which he gratefully accepted.
— Thank you, Syr. For everything.
As he was about to leave, Syr stopped him for a moment, her soft but piercing eyes staring into his.
— Be careful, Bell. The dungeon is not kind to brave souls like you.
Bell nodded and left the inn.
On his way to the dungeon, Bell noticed a young Prum at the corner of an alley, surrounded by three men who looked menacing.
— Hey, what are you doing? Bell shouted, stepping in, determined despite his lack of experience in this kind of situation.
One of the men, an imposing human, looked him up and down before responding in an aggressive tone:
—It's none of your business, kid.
Bell didn't back down, clenching his fists.
—I can't just stand by and do nothing while you go after someone innocent.
The man frowned, ready to attack Bell, but a cold, sharp voice suddenly rang out:
— You should leave. Now.
Ryuu appeared behind Bell, his intimidating aura enough to make the men tremble.
— R-Ryuu?! We don't want to get into trouble, one of the attackers said as he backed away hastily.
They quickly disappeared, leaving Bell and Ryuu alone.
—Thank you, Ryuu. I don't know what I would have done without you, Bell said with a slight bow.
Ryuu nodded, watching the Prum as it walked away into the distance.
— This person… Beware of appearances, Bell. Danger can take seductive forms.
Bell blinked in confusion, but Ryuu didn't say anything more.
After a hard day in the dungeon, Bell returned home exhausted. Hestia was still at work, so he settled in with the book he had retrieved. Its pages seemed written in an ancient language, but as he leafed through it, he felt a strange warmth invade him.
Without realizing it, fatigue caught up with him, and he fell asleep, the book still open in his hands.
In his sleep, he found himself facing a perfect reflection of himself, floating in an empty, luminous space.
—Who are you? Bell asked uncertainly.
—I am you, the shadow answered, or rather a part of you that seeks to become stronger.
Bell hesitated.
— Why am I here?
—Because you have a choice to make. What kind of power are you seeking?
Bell thought for a moment, remembering all the times he had felt helpless.
—I want a power that can burn through obstacles, that can strike like lightning.
The shadow smiles.
- Alright.
Bell tried to ask what this meant, but he was suddenly pulled out of his dream by a familiar voice.
— Bell! Wake up, you lazy bum!
He opened his eyes to see Hestia, her face worried.
—You fell asleep on that weird book. You could have gotten sucked in by a curse or something, idiot!
Bell sat up, rubbing his eyes, a nervous smile on his face.
— Sorry, Goddess.
Hestia sighed but couldn't help but smile at his expression.
— Okay, let's update your status.
As she carved the runes into his back, Hestia noticed something unexpected.
— Two new magics?! Bell, this is incredible!
Bell turned around, surprised.
— Really? What are they?
—The first one is called Thunderbolt. The second one is called Firebolt. And you don't even need an incantation to cast them!
Bell felt a surge of excitement inside him.
— I… I have magic now?!
Hestia nodded, but her smile was slightly worried.
— Yes, but be careful. This kind of power can be a burden if you don't use it properly.
Bell stood up, determined.
—I will do my best, Goddess. I will not disappoint you.
Hestia placed a hand on his shoulder, a genuine smile on her face.
—I know you won't, Bell.
The next day, Bell listened intently to Eina, who had lectured him on the dangers of going down to the lower floors alone.
— Bell, if you want to go deeper into the dungeon, you need to find a supporter. Someone who can carry your gems and help you manage the loot. Alone, you'll put yourself in unnecessary danger.
Bell nodded, although a little nervously.
— A supporter… I'll try to find one.
As he walked through the bustling streets of Orario, trying to figure out where he could find such an ally, a voice rang out behind him:
— Hey, you, adventurer! You're looking for someone to help you, right?
Bell turned around and saw a little girl with animal ears giving him a big smile.
"I'm a penniless supporter looking for an adventurer like you," she laughed, raising her arms as if to emphasize her poverty.
Bell stared at her, surprised.
— Wait… I saw you, you're yesterday's plum. You were in trouble, right?
The girl shook her head vigorously.
— Me? Not at all! I think you're confused. I have ears and a tail. The person you saved doesn't, right?
To prove her point, she tilted her head forward slightly. Out of curiosity, Bell touched one of her ears, which made her blush violently.
— H-hey! Don't touch! she shouted, pulling back abruptly, embarrassed.
Realizing his clumsy gesture, Bell began to wave his hands in apology.
— Sorry! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable!
The girl calmed down and introduced herself.
— My name is Liliruca Arde. Call me Lili. And you?
— I am Bell Cranel.
— So, Bell Cranel… I want to be your supporter.
Bell hesitated for a moment, but realized that this was exactly what he needed.
— Okay, Lili. Let's go to the dungeon together.
In the dungeon, Lili walked behind Bell, carrying a large bag to collect the gems dropped by the monsters.
Bell, for his part, was trying out his new techniques.
"Firebolt!" he shouted, hurling a glowing flame at a group of goblins, who were instantly defeated.
Lili, though amazed by his power, couldn't help but stare intently at the dagger Bell wore on his belt.
— Impressive… she murmured.
—Huh? Bell asked, turning to her.
—I was talking about you, of course, she replied with an innocent smile.
Later, during a break, Bell brought out the food Syr had prepared for him. Lili, curious, looked at the plate.
— Hey, you eat that? Seriously? It doesn't kill you?
Bell laughed nervously.
— Well… It doesn't taste the best, but I think it's made with a lot of effort.
Lili rolled her eyes but kept quiet, settling for an amused sigh.
Back on the surface, after exchanging the gems with Eina, Bell handed a fair share of the money to Lili.
— Here, that's your share.
Lili blinked, surprised.
— Seriously? You give me that much?
— It's normal, you helped me a lot.
A fake but charming smile appeared on Lili's face.
— Thanks, Bell. See you tomorrow, then!
As she walked away, her smile widened as she looked at the Hestia dagger she had stolen from Bell without him realizing it.
Lili went to a weapons workshop to sell the dagger. But the seller looked at it quickly and shook his head.
— This blade is special, but it seems… exhausted. It is worth little.
Lili frowned, disappointed.
- Seriously ?
She left the workshop, dejected, the dagger still in her hand.
Meanwhile, Bell happily explained to Eina that he had found a supporter. However, Eina immediately noticed something.
— Bell… Where is your dagger?
Bell looked around in a panic.
— My dagger?!
— Did you lose it? Bell, this dagger is irreplaceable!
Panicked, Bell rushed into the streets of Orario to look for Lili.
Lili was walking down a quiet alleyway, dagger in hand, thinking about what she would do next. Ryuu and Syr, who were passing by, immediately noticed the Prum and the weapon she was holding.
—That dagger… Syr murmured, her gaze hardening slightly.
Ryuu stopped in front of Lili, cold and impassive.
"Where did you find this dagger?" she asked in a tone that admitted no escape.
Lili took offense, clutching the dagger to her.
— It's none of your business!
Ryuu narrowed his eyes, drawing a knife.
— This dagger belongs to Bell Cranel. There is no other weapon like it.
In an instant, Ryuu threw the knife, which hit Lili's hand, causing her to drop the dagger. Syr calmly walked over and picked up the weapon.
— Thank you, Ryuu.
Lili tried to run away, but Ryuu followed close behind her. As they turned a corner, they literally ran into Bell.
— Bell! Lili shouted, trying to hide her embarrassment by playing coy.
Bell, out of breath, looked at Syr, who was holding his dagger.
— Syr… You saved me again. Thank you.
He gently grasped her hand, squeezing it gratefully.
— I don't know how you do it, but you're always there for me.
Syr smiled softly, her cheeks slightly pink.
— It's normal, Bell. But be careful next time.
Then she leaned towards Lili and whispered softly, but firmly:
— Stop your nonsense. This boy is far too nice to deserve this.
Lili looked down in shame, while Bell looked at Syr in awe.
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