Stepping out of the Adventurers' Guild, Ye Yu found that night had already fallen completely. The warm, ambiguous glow of orange streetlamps lit up the sides of the road. Adventurers returning from the dungeon bustled through the streets, clinking coins hard-won with their lives as they spent freely in taverns and restaurants of all kinds.
Because he hadn't encountered a single monster, Ye Yu naturally didn't have a single coin on him.
The cries of shopkeepers along the street, shouting energetically to attract customers, had nothing to do with Ye Yu. He had originally hoped to improve Hestia's living conditions a little, but this poor start had dashed those hopes.
Are the monsters in the dungeon really that scarce now?
Just like Eina, Ye Yu didn't believe he had made it down to the fifth floor without meeting a monster simply because of good luck. He was more inclined to think that the dungeon itself lacked monsters, and that the sheer number of adventurers meant that anyone who moved slowly would have no chance to get any.
"Why do I keep getting this strange feeling of déjà vu again...?"
Muttering to himself, Ye Yu suddenly froze for a moment, as if he had sensed something, and slowly turned around.
"Um…"
Behind him stood a young human girl, calling out to him.
She wore a white blouse and a pale green dress that fell to her knees, layered with a slightly long apron tied around her waist.
Her dull, grayish-blue hair was tied into a small bun at the back of her head, with a single lock hanging down below it—like a variant of a ponytail.
Her eyes, matching the color of her hair, sparkled with an innocent charm. Her fair and delicate face carried a warm and welcoming smile that made people feel at ease the moment they saw her.
"Are you an adventurer, sir? You look like you're in a hurry—would you like to come in and rest for a bit?"
As she spoke, the girl pointed to the shop behind her, and only then did Ye Yu notice the signboard above the entrance.
"The Benevolent Mistress"—that seemed to be the name of the tavern.
"Um…"
Ye Yu didn't quite know how to respond. And in truth, the moment she invited him, his stomach had started growling—he hadn't eaten anything all day.
"…I don't have any money."
After a brief silence, Ye Yu confessed honestly. Though a bit embarrassing, his straightforward nature kept him from overthinking it.
"Ah, I see… Is today your first time exploring as an adventurer?"
Ye Yu nodded slightly. The girl then struck a thinking pose before suddenly hurrying off with hurried footsteps.
Just as Ye Yu was wondering what she was up to, she came running back shortly after.
This time, she was carrying a small, neat basket that hadn't been with her before, held in her slender arms. Inside were a few small pieces of bread and some cheese.
"If it's alright, please take this. I was saving it as a late-night snack, but… thinking about it, it's probably better not to eat so much at night anyway."
She smiled brightly as she handed the basket over. Ye Yu blinked in surprise, but accepted it. Then, with a serious expression, he looked at the girl and said:
"I will repay you."
She had been expecting a simple thank-you, but Ye Yu's solemn declaration caught her completely off guard.
"Repay me...? Why so serious all of a sudden?"
Her expression turned slightly amused, and she tilted her head cutely, as if truly considering what sort of repayment to ask for.
"Hmm… then let's do this. As repayment, when you earn your first money as an adventurer, you must come spend it here. And don't even think about getting away with anything less than a full meal!"
She said mischievously, half-expecting a flustered reaction from Ye Yu. But instead, he nodded with the same earnest face, taking her words to heart like someone promising to repay a life-saving favor.
"Geez… why are you so serious, Mr. Adventurer?"
"Am I… too serious?"
Hearing her gentle complaint, Ye Yu touched his face and pondered quietly.
"Yeah, you haven't even smiled once while talking to me, you know?"
Standing on the step above, the girl leaned forward and studied his face carefully.
"You seem so stern… so distant. Why's that?"
"Maybe it's just my personality," Ye Yu replied, scratching the bridge of his nose awkwardly and turning his head to avoid her inquisitive gaze.
"Well, in any case, thank you for the food. I will repay you."
"There you go again… Ah well, whatever. Do as you like—I'll be waiting for that repayment."
The girl sighed with a helpless smile and laughed lightly, watching Ye Yu walk off with the little basket.
Ye Yu stopped in his tracks a few steps later, something occurring to him. He turned back and looked at the smiling girl.
"Um… may I know your name?"
"It's polite to give your name first when asking someone else's, you know? But fine, I'll let it slide. My surname is Froyard—my name is Syr Froyard."
"I'm Ye Yu. Miss Syr… I'll definitely repay your kindness."
Saying his name aloud, Ye Yu reiterated his promise for the third time.
"Alright, alright… I get it. I'll be waiting," Syr said with a wry smile, waving her hand as if to shoo him off. Clearly, she didn't take his promise too seriously, and turned to re-enter the tavern.
That brief act of kindness from the cheerful girl may have seemed trivial, but Ye Yu etched it deeply into his heart. While Syr treated his words of repayment as a joke, Ye Yu didn't see it that way at all.
Even the smallest warmth, to someone like him who still carried wariness and distrust toward the world, was like a flame in the snow—something to be remembered.
And the more nonchalant and indifferent she acted, the more Ye Yu was determined to repay that kindness in earnest.
It might seem hard to understand, but in truth, it was simply because Ye Yu was a little dense.
"Now, how should I repay her…? Hmm, let me think. Maybe I'll make her a goddess? That kind of repayment would definitely make her happy, right?"
Muttering words that would make anyone nearby think he was crazy, Ye Yu passed through an empty alley and arrived before an old, worn-down shrine.
Before he knew it, he was home.
"I'm back, Hestia."
As Ye Yu opened the door and stepped into the basement of the shrine, a figure clad in pure white leapt toward him.
Like a panther lying in wait for its prey, it pounced and pinned him to the floor before he could react.
Of course, there were no panthers in this house. The only one capable of such a tackle was Hestia—who had clearly been waiting far too long and was nearly losing her mind.
"Waaaaah!! Why are you only coming back now?! Do you know how worried I was?! I finally got a Familia member, and if you died, what was I supposed to do?!"
"I'm truly sorry, Lady Goddess. Some unexpected things happened, and I ended up being delayed."
With an apologetic expression, even his tone of address changed, Yuye spoke sincerely. Holding the trembling girl in his arms, he could clearly feel just how much she had been worried and afraid.
In this situation, he didn't dare to tell her about his reckless venture down to the fifth floor. No matter how he thought about it, that was something best left unsaid.
"You idiot! I told you, your safety is the most important thing! Making money comes second! I was only joking when I said you had to support me! I've been working hard at my part-time job too, you know!"
"That won't do. How could I let my goddess work hard on my behalf?"
The ever-cold Yuye, who could freeze over with just a glance, revealed a rare, gentle smile, coaxing Hestia like one would a child.
"What nonsense are you saying! Aren't we supposed to be family? And stop treating me like a child!"
Swatting away the hand he'd placed on her head in a show of affection, Hestia puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
"Did you eat? You were in the Dungeon for so long—you must have defeated a bunch of monsters, right? Did you at least buy yourself something good to eat with your first earnings? Don't try to save money, okay? If you're going into the Dungeon every day, you need to be in perfect condition!"
"I'm fine, really. Thanks to my job, I still get to eat a good amount of fried potatoes. But once you've gotten stronger and start earning lots of money, you better treat me to a huge feast!"
Listening to her chatter, each word laced with concern, Yuye's smile grew even softer. Lifting the small food basket that Syr had given him, he looked toward Hestia.
"Of course I wouldn't forget about you, Lady Goddess. Let's eat together."
"Oh! Bread and cheese, huh? As expected of you, Yuye—already earning such a decent amount on your first adventure."
Though the contents were nothing special or expensive, Hestia made an exaggerated remark as if to praise him, clearly trying to boost his spirits.
Understanding her intentions, Yuye simply gave her a knowing smile, and the two shared their modest meal in a warm, relaxed atmosphere.
"Alright, alright, before we go to sleep—off with the clothes!"
Setting the basket aside, Yuye was debating whether he should return it to Syr tomorrow when Hestia suddenly blurted this out behind him and began tugging at his shirt.
"As a young lady, you should really be more mindful of your words and actions."
Yuye looked exasperated, but he obediently took off his top anyway.
"Well, last time I was so surprised that I didn't get to record your status properly. Since you had your first real battle today, let me check if there's been any progress."
With excitement sparkling in her eyes, Hestia pushed Yuye onto the bed and climbed on top of his back.
Although you say that, Hestia… I didn't actually fight any monsters today.
Yuye's expression turned somewhat awkward. He wasn't sure whether or not to tell her about what had happened in the Dungeon.
After a bit of thought, he decided against it. If Hestia knew he'd gone all the way down to the fifth floor, she'd not only be unnecessarily frightened but probably spend every day worrying herself sick.
Lying face down on the bed, Yuye curiously turned his head. Last time, everything had happened so quickly that he hadn't really gotten a good look at what "divine blessings" actually looked like.
A mirror hung on the wall, and in its reflection, Yuye could see his own back—covered in densely packed black characters that formed a strange, intricate script.
He didn't know when those markings had appeared, but apparently, this was how the gods' blessings manifested—tangible and visible, inscribed in ancient symbols.
A strange sensation trailed across his back—it was Hestia's palm, gently stroking his skin. Once, twice, she repeated the motion over the same spot, almost as if soothing him.
Afterward, Hestia pulled out a silver needle. She pricked her fingertip with it, and a bead of crimson blood welled up. Letting it drip down onto Yuye's back—
And then, her expression turned puzzled.
Normally, the divine blood was supposed to spread across the recipient's skin and be absorbed. That was how the blessing's inscription would be updated.
But what actually happened was something entirely different: the blood began to crystallize, forming a thin layer of frost over Yuye's back.
"That's strange… Why is it doing this?"
Though it differed from what she had expected, Hestia, who was also new to this process, chalked it up to Yuye's uniqueness.
"Well, I suppose it makes sense! My Familia is just different from all the others—even something like updating a status turns out special!"
Murmuring with a mixture of pride and curiosity, Hestia continued her work. The thin frost didn't interfere at all, and she easily traced the characters to complete the status update.
When Yuye turned back around after putting his shirt on, what he saw was Hestia holding a crystal-clear slab of ice in her hands.
"Brrr… So cold… Here, this is your current status. There's not much growth, but don't let that get you down. Becoming strong takes time, after all."
Shivering from the cold but still smiling brightly, Hestia handed the icy panel to Yuye, doing her best to comfort him despite the lack of visible progress.