Chapter 20: You Can Yearn for This Too?
Helping Liam update his status was one of the few things Hestia could do now. And after these days of Dungeon exploration, with Liam possessing such high talent, she was also very much looking forward to how his abilities would improve!
Like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds, she finished dinner, took out the cowhide paper needed for updating the status, and sat on the outer edge of the bed.
Her legs swayed gently.
Her fair, jade-like feet, which looked good enough to eat, were plump and round, her toes wiggling slightly. She didn't rush Liam, who was still eating.
After he had rested well.
Hestia then smiled and called out, "Liam-kun, come update your status!"
"Troubling you, Lady Hestia."
Liam took off his shirt. After this period of high-intensity Dungeon exploration and comprehensive nutritional supplementation.
His muscle lines had gradually become more defined.
But the demonic hand on his left arm, fitted with the limiter, still looked sinister. Having gone through the status update process before, he was already familiar with it.
He lay directly face down on the bed.
Liam was quite curious about the changes in his abilities. Of course, part of the reason was also to help Hestia out of her low spirits.
As a goddess, she was also helpful to her dependant.
"This is what I should be doing."
Hestia then climbed onto the bed, sitting on Liam's thighs, looking at his back where the muscle lines were gradually becoming more distinct.
A hint of curiosity flashed in her azure eyes.
Secretly…
A little touch should be fine, right?
Of course, it's fine!
It was perfectly reasonable for a goddess to be concerned about her dependant's physical condition. Having convinced herself, Hestia hesitated, finally reaching out her hand.
When her cool fingertips touched his back, the nascent muscle lines gave her an unfamiliar sensation, causing the young woman's face to instantly turn red.
"Phew."
"Business first!"
Hestia flusteredly moved her fingers away, trying hard to calm herself. Finally, she took out a silver needle and lightly pricked her finger.
Squeezing out a drop of divine blood onto Liam's back.
As a gentle light continuously emerged, she erased the original ability scores, finally replacing them with the latest status after his trials.
Finally.
She used the cowhide paper to make a rubbing of Liam's updated status.
"With Liam-kun's talent."
"His ability scores will definitely improve across the board after this period of Dungeon training!"
Hestia was full of confidence in Liam, but when she clearly saw the updated ability scores, she still couldn't hide the shock in her heart.
Liam Moon
Lv1
Strength: F337 丨Endurance: F369 丨Dexterity: F301 丨Agility: F354 丨Magic: I0
Development Abilities: None
Magic: None
Skills: Secret Sword Art, Triple Slash, Moonlight Slash, Backstep Cut
"It's only been two days..."
"The magic stat still hasn't changed, but all other stats have jumped two entire grades. This speed..."
"Wait."
"How come there are three new skills?"
Normally, after updating the status, Hestia wouldn't continue sitting on Liam, but today was different.
The change in ability scores wasn't the most pleasant surprise.
It was those unfamiliar terms that had appeared in the skill column that made her, a goddess, lose her composure like this.
When she recruited Liam as a dependant, he had already mastered "Secret Sword Art."
That already indicated Liam possessed extremely strong talent in the way of the sword. And indeed, it was so. What Hestia hadn't expected was…
That his talent could actually be this formidable!
She tried hard to calm her current emotions and then asked, "Liam-kun, how on earth did you do it?"
"Many adventurers..."
"Even if they spend their entire lives, they can't comprehend so many skills!"
"."
Feeling the just-right weight of her straddling him, it was just that Hestia's question made it a bit difficult for Liam to answer. He couldn't possibly say…
"What cheat system? It's just relying on day after day of hard work and sweat, right?"
He thought for a moment and finally decided to embellish what he wanted to say: "I want to be of more help to Lady Hestia."
"I hope to stand by your side through my own strength."
"Liam-kun..."
The extremely sincere words made Hestia momentarily dazed. She didn't doubt the truth of his words.
When she first took Liam in, it was mainly because she saw him wandering homeless in Orario…
Secondly, it was because she wanted to develop her Familia.
Liam, with his mature and steady personality and extremely strong talent, clearly had better choices, yet he still chose to stay in the Familia with her.
At this time, Hestia felt a familial affection for Liam.
But the occasional, unintentional teasing…
Would always make her heart beat inexplicably faster, similar to when she was working at the fried potato stall, and the ingredients she had clearly prepared but forgotten.
The same feeling as when she discovered them several days later…
It has spoiled!!
Hestia didn't continue to straddle Liam. An overwhelming sense of happiness made her show a heartfelt smile.
She handed over the cowhide paper with the rubbed status.
"Liam-kun, take a look at the changes in your ability scores. You've made really great progress during this time, but I still hope you pay attention to your health."
"Thank you for your concern, Lady Hestia."
Liam took the paper with a smile, curious as to what kind of ability score improvement would make Hestia lose her composure like that.
He gave it a simple browse.
He directly ignored the skill column; after all, those were new skills mastered after his "Sword Soul Template" leveled up.
But the improvement in his ability scores.
Indeed exceeded Liam's imagination, directly jumping from H rank to F rank, and this was just the result of exploring the upper levels during this period.
"Is there a possibility..."
"That I'm actually an all-around stats monster too?"
To improve his magic stat, he first needed to master magic. Considering the selling price of grimoires in Orario, he didn't dare to even think about it.
He could even directly abandon this path.
Relying on all S-rank ability scores, paired with the skill methods provided by the "Sword Soul Template."
Liam was very much looking forward to it… What kind of cognitive-defying combat power would a stats-based monster display in the Labyrinth City Orario and the perilous Dungeon?
Battlefield Wilderness.
Bell, having finished his Dungeon adventure, returned to the Familia home, full of curiosity about Liam, who called himself a "passing ordinary swordsman."
To put it more accurately…
"Yearning."
Wanting to become a strong adventurer like Liam!
He hadn't even had time to rest and adjust his condition. As soon as he returned to the palace, he was led by Senior Ottar to Lady Freya's bedroom.
To prepare for the status update after this period of training.
"Bell."
"Was your adventure in the Dungeon relatively smooth?" Gray hair naturally draped over her shoulders. As a goddess presiding over the domain of beauty.
Freya possessed unparalleled beauty.
She wore a graceful and luxurious silk long dress, her eyes gentle as she looked at the young man face down on the bed, proceeding with the status update.
"Lady Goddess, it was relatively smooth, I guess?"
Bell recalled Liam, who had kindly helped him when he faced the Killer Ant swarm on the 7th floor. His smile carried a hint of awkwardness.
If not for the other's help, he might have encountered danger?
It was just that Bell, face down on the bed, didn't notice the slight change in Freya's expression as she looked at the completed status update.
She frowned, looking at the skill column.
「Single-Minded Aspiration」
"This child..."
"What on earth did he experience in the Dungeon?"
(End of this chapter)