A Ripple Spreads

Once they escaped from the alleyway and emerged onto a busy thoroughfare, Bell finally set down the woman who he had rescued, though she was somewhat unwilling to release her grasp on him. That was understandable. She had just been in a very potentially hazardous situation, and it was perfectly natural that she might cling to him for comfort after her close escape. So he was patient with her as he waited for her to slowly unfurl her arms from around him and step down onto the street beside him.

"You were very brave." She said, looking down at him. Looking up at her now, and seeing glimpses of what was under that hood, Bell was suddenly incredibly self conscious. Not only was she incredibly beautiful, but without the cloak covering him up, he could finally sense something he hadn't before. The almost tangible aura of power that emanated from her. There could be no doubt about what she was. He had just rescued a Goddess.

"I... just did what I had to." He replied candidly. If this was any other situation then he would probably be a lot more forwards in the conversation, but this here was a bonafide divine being. He was a level 1 adventurer. She was someone so far above him that to just be talking to her like this was an honour, and he couldn't quite find the words to express that fact.

"No. You did not. You did far more than could have been expected of you." She said with a warm smile on her lips, though the way that her hood fell down over her face made it impossible to see her eyes. "And I shall reward you for it."

"No, no! That isn't necessary!"

"But it is what I want to do, and so I shall." She said to him, a light giggle rising from the back of her throat at the sight of Bell's brow scrunched up trying to think of how he could possibly decline. "Are you really going to deny a Goddess?"

She had him trapped. He couldn't refuse. He was sure he looked like just the most adorable little bunny right now, nose all scrunched up in confusion as his brain ran around in circles trying to find a way out that didn't exist. He was not worthy of a reward from a Goddess. And he could not turn it down or he would be disrespecting her, spitting in her face. She had caged him like a rabbit.

"No." He said at last with a sigh, bowing his head in defeat.

"Excellent. Then follow me. I shall reward you with a fine lunch." She let out alongside a little squeal like a young girl who had asked their crush out on a date and received a yes in response. And then she quickly grabbed hold of his hand and began to practically drag him down the street, her fingers intertwining with his and showing a surprising amount of strength.

The place she led him too was a café that had a second floor restricted for the sole use of the gods. It was one of the finest establishments in all of Orario, and when she pulled him up the stairs he was surprised at how empty it was. He could believe that it wouldn't be as filled as the downstairs open to most patrons, but for there to be no gods here whatsoever was, quite frankly, suspicious.

But that was all pushed aside for the moment as she pushed him down into a chair at the edge of the balcony, and swiftly dropped down into the only other chair at the table, right across from him, and mounted her elbows on the table so she could lean across towards him. A server came up to ask them their for their order, and Freya spouted off the names of two dishes he could barely even pronounce, let alone have any clue what they were, but the server just nodded and vanished away downstairs.

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two. Bell was finding it very hard to think of anything to say to the Goddess. But thankfully she was more than willing to start talking for him. "So. Tell me about yourself. Who is my gracious saviour?" She asked, and there was a lilting tone to her voice like she was amused with the whole situation. "Surely you didn't think you could save me and then vanish?"

"Umm no." He muttered. "I just... You're a goddess. I'm just a normal adventurer from a different Familia. I shouldn't really be talking to you."

"Oh? And why is that Bell?" She asked, a lone sliver slip of hair hanging down out of her hood and beginning to sway lightly in the wind, while she licked her lips at him. She must be very hungry right now, which explained why they were here in a café.

"Gods are... something to be worshipped, not just casually spoken to. They are higher beings. Above all of us. They are... Gods."

"Do you really think it is as simple as that Bell?" She asked, leaning back slightly. "We are Gods because we have power. But is power all it takes to be worthy of respect. Tell me Bell, as an Adventurer, which other Adventurer in all of Orario do you respect the most?"

"Aiz Wallenstein." He replied immediately. There was no question about it. There was no one in all of Orario who had a more beautiful drive to become stronger. Who was as beautiful, and powerful, in both body and soul. There wasn't an adventurer in the world who he looked up to more.

"Not Ottar? He is the only level 7 in all of Orario, the strongest Adventurer without question. And yet you find Aiz Wallenstein the more intriguing." There was an edge to the Goddess' words, as if she had both liked and despised the answer he gave, and he wasn't at all sure why that was. "So you already agree don't you? Power is nothing. The Divide between Mortal and Divine is not as great as you seem to say you think."

"No. I mean yes. I mean... maybe?" Bell quickly ran his mouth, flustered at being caught up in wordplay by the Goddess.

"Ufufufu." She giggled at his obvious distress, bringing one slender finger up to her mouth and lightly nibbling upon it. "Then surely the relationship between Goddess and Child, is just the same as between Mortals yes? They can be familial. They can be sexual. They can be platonic. Or perhaps even..." She trailed off, and for the first time in the entire conversation she turned her head to one side and he got a glimpse of one of her eyes. They were strangely enchanting, seeming to switch between Silver and Purple. Not all at once though, not some abrupt change, but instead they seemed to smoothly transition between the two colours like the gentle ebb and fall of the sea as waves crashed onto a sandy beach. "Romantic?"

"What! No! No way." Bell said, almost jumping out of his seat. He only didn't because that was the moment the server returned, depositing two plates onto the table in front of them, as well as two glasses of red wine. He waited for the server to be gone before he leaned forwards over the table and hissed at the Goddess. "Mortals and Gods... they can't ever be together like that."

The Goddess snapped back from him as if she had been smacked across the face, and for the first time her expression turned dark. "And why not? Why may another Mortal be given love when a God may not? What makes them more deserving?"

"Because." He paused, desperately seeking to rationalise his outburst. "Because." It wasn't a simple matter. But when thinking about it, his thoughts always kept circling around back to his grandfather. "Because we die." He said at last.

The Goddess stopped. Her head turned. Her eyes appeared, now both a fixed silver shade. "And why ever does that matter?"

"Because it isn't fair on you. When Gods love, they do so for but an instant. They live forever, and yet for a few short years they give their heart and soul to another mortal. And they watch them die. Maybe they get decades, or maybe it is only a handful, but whatever the case, they die in the end, and that is something Gods can't do. One short moment of happiness, and it leaves a scar that will last for the rest of eternity. I could never love a Goddess like that... because it would be cruel."

"Oh." She enunciated. Her eyes were wide and silver, the lids quivering, and just that tiniest hint of moisture sat in the well of her eyes. "Oh Bell. I had thought... But you are all the more perfect than I had ever dreamed you would be." That was... something that made him feel very uncomfortable. What was going on here? "When you say such things, whatever is a goddess supposed to do other than fall for you."

Wait what!?! "But you can't! A Goddess and a mortal! I mean... I'm in Lady Hestia's familia! It would be improper! It's-" The Goddess leaned over the table and placed a single finger on his lips, quieting him instantly.

"Ssh Bell. You really don't realise just how special you are do you? I'll admit, I was not entirely truthful when bringing you here. I was never in any danger, and I didn't bring you here as a reward. I brought you here so I could see you up close. You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful soul I have ever seen. Pure, and sweet, and with infinite potential. If you died right now I would kill this body and follow you back to heaven just to hold you in my arms." The way she spoke, there was no doubt in Bell's mind that she was being entirely honest with him. "You are a true jewel amongst forgeries. A soul that all of heaven would be better just to possess. I have no doubt, if the others could see in you what I can, then there would not be a single one who would not desire you for her own."

That was... a lot. He could barely believe his ears, and he wished she had said anything else. After his outpouring about the cruelty of loving gods, it was now that she chose to. Well, confess to him. "But, it would hurt you."

"And what if we accepted that? What if I accepted that, Bell? Your Body may be simple mortal flesh, but your soul is immortal. Most souls are wiped clean and reincarnated once they reach heaven, but I would fight every other god in Heaven to keep you safe. We could be together, forever. I would never have to watch you wither or die. It would just be the two of us together." The light in her eyes was bright and manic, her smile wide to an almost unnatural degree.

"Do-do you really mean that? You would abandon your entire familia, for me?"

"In an instant. You are special Bell. I can see it. Hestia can see it. In time, every Goddess in Orario might see it too."

"Y-you speak like it should be Normal for Goddesses to fall in love with me." And unbeknownst to him, a ripple rang out through Orario. It would not be an instant change. It was not as if every goddess in Orario realised in a single moment that they loved Bell Cranel. But instead, a seed was planted. A seed that would sprout the moment they saw him for the first time, and be watered every time they met after that. And not a single Goddess in Orario would be able to resist.

"Why should it not be?" She responded back as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Why, when there arises a perfect, caring, humble, strong, and loving man, why is it wrong for us to desire him?"

Bell could state his previous answer again, he could keep saying it like he had been the entire time. But the words just turned to ash on his tongue. He couldn't just parrot the same words over again when she had already proven them flawed, at least in her own opinion. "But what about Hestia? It would be wrong to do that to her. I owe her so much, and to just flout that all in her face by doing... that with another Goddess. It just feels like a betrayal." He looked up at the woman, and his stare was ironclad, though also tinged with amusement. "Or are you going to say that it is also Normal for someone like me to have more than one woman?"

"It would be. I would not like it. I want you all for myself you understand?" She said, and her hand went to his cheek, stroking it lovingly as she stood up and leaned over the table to stare down into his eyes, and now he was able to see her in her entirety for the very first time. "Would you be mine Bell Cranel?"

For a moment his heart stopped. There was a draw on his mind and soul that was almost supernatural. Not just magical, but beyond that, like some occult or eldritch **** that tried to stoke his desire for her, to please her, to love her. But he couldn't. He couldn't just give in like that.

"No." He said, and once again the Goddess looked like she had been slapped across the face. No, more than that, she looked like he had taken a dagger of ice and driven it right up into her heart. "I can't just do that to Hestia. If... If you do l-love me. Then you will have to speak to my Goddess about that. I won't betray her trust in me."

Slowly, the Goddess' visage steadily morphed from one of despair to one of true and unadulterated delight. She was just the very image of glee as she collapsed back into her chair. "It doesn't work on you." He heard her mutter to herself under her breath. "Then I shall." She said sternly. And then she reached up under her hood and removed her earrings. "Take these. You were searching for a gift for your Goddess correct? Take them, and gift them to her. My treat to the both of you." What she did not say was that Hestia would know immediately to whom they had belonged. And what that meant.

She daintily dropped them into his open hand before he could even think to reject them, and she slid out of her chair and onto her feet. "I must go. Feel free to have whatever you like." She said, gesturing to the two untouched meals on the table. "The next time we meet... I promise me, I will be there to make you mine. Wait for me Darling."

And so the Goddess disappeared from his life. She descended the stairs, and was gone. His eyes scanned over the crowd outside, looking over the balcony for any sign of where she had gone. But he saw nothing. No hooded figure. No one that even remotely resembled her. He looked down at the meals. It was better not to waste them. He only hoped Hestia would like the gift when they next met.