Is It Wrong To Crave Love (In A Dungeon?) Chapter 9 - Family

Life was good for Zanis Lustra.

He had been the Captain of the Soma Familia for a long time, and there were many things he had seen and many things he had experienced as the de facto leader of his Familia. As his god, Soma, was too preoccupied with his creation and pursuit of the perfect wine, Zanis’ word, and thus, his will, was law in the Familia. He spoke on behalf of his god, gave orders on behalf of his god, and shaped and molded the Soma Familia into the entity it was today. The Familia, under his hand, sought profit more than any other, with more and more adventurers throwing themselves and their lives recklessly into the Dungeon for a chance to earn more so they could taste of that divine liquor. 

Soma had no interest in what his children did, which gave Zanis the freedom to do and undo as he wished. He was only a Level 2 Adventurer, and while the Soma Familia was considered a low-tier Familia, all things considered, the wealth that had been accrued from the creation of the eponymous Soma was enough to surprise even some mid-tier Familias.

As the Captain, the one at the very top, he benefited from this wealth more than any other member. Thus, indeed, Zanis had little to complain about, and indeed, one could say, he was at the peak and pinnacle of his life satisfaction.

Until, at least, today.

“I’m leaving the Familia!”

“I can’t… I can’t believe what I’ve been doing… because of this stupid wine!”

“No more! I want to leave too!”

“We want to speak with Lord Soma!”

“Let us speak with Lord Soma, Zanis!”

“We’re not paying your stupid leaving fee!”

“Let us go!”

“Let us leave!”

“We want to leave!”

Hordes upon hordes of those in the Soma Familia had swarmed him all at once, swarmed him, demanding they leave the Familia, demanding to speak with their god.

The reason, Zanis had found, was because of one man… because of one entity.

Moses Vanderzee.

This man, the Captain of the Hestia Familia, a Familia that Zanis had not even known existed before today, had used either the power of his Goddess or some absurd skill to establish campfires and safe zones in the Dungeon. Many had dismissed the validity of these ‘safe zones’ at first, many had doubts, and many had concerns, but it had been tested by many, confirmed that monsters fled from them, and that anyone who entered the warmth of that light would be cured of any affliction and any disease, healed, rejuvenated, and almost rebirthed anew.

Within a single day, word had spread to all of Orario. This was because entire hordes of Level 1 Adventurers were in the Dungeon, searching for the ‘Upper Floor Ghost’ and thus, word travelled far faster than anyone thought feasible. The Guild had put out a hurried statement, saying the matter of the ‘Upper Floor Ghost’ had been resolved and the bounty removed, and saying that they were in the process of confirming and validating this claim, these ‘Rest Points’ in the Dungeon. Once they did, an official announcement would come. 

Yet, despite this, many had experienced it themselves, many already had their lives saved by hopping into the campfire to flee from monsters, and many, many had already come forth to give reports that those who broke the rules and tried to harm others within the light of the campfire were struck down by Divine Retribution.

In a single day, the Hestia Familia and the Goddess Hestia became a name, a topic, falling on the lips of every single entity in Orario, from Adventurers to Gods, to orphan children.

The name, Moses Vanderzee, too, had been elevated from a no-name newbie adventurer to a level of fame unprecedented to have been achieved by a Level 1 Adventurer. Some remembered him as the Pauper’s Orator, supposedly, a storyteller who narrated tales to orphans, beggars, and children at first, but now, he had risen to become much, much more. People swarmed the Guild to gain information about him, which was sparse, and many were already professing the Hestia Familia to become the next Zeus Familia or Hera Familia, and there were those excited, believing that with the aid of this individual, clearing the Dungeon, completing the Three Great Quests, was no longer unfeasible. 

No Level 1 Adventurer had ever reached this level of fame before, and Zanis doubted that any Level 1 Adventurer would ever reach this level of fame again.

However, whereas others rejoiced at the arrival of this ‘Messiah’, Zanis cursed him.

For when members of the Soma Familia bathed in the light of those campfires, they were washed clean of the shackles that Soma had on them. The power of the Goddess of the Hearth and Home really did cleanse the spirit, and in cleansing the spirit, it warred against the desires of the flesh. 

Addictions, ailments, and diseases, were cleansed by bathing in Hestia’s light.

The members of his Familia, who would be willing to turn against their comrades, lie, cheat, steal, and do whatever was needed to gain enough funds for just the tiniest sip of Soma, had all been hit with a potent dose of bitter sobriety.

Thus, they had come, barging, screaming, making demands, wishing to be ‘set free’ from this Familia. They wanted to leave en masse. If it were one or two, Zanis could have handled it, doing as he always did, demanding an exorbitant fee, exploiting their desire for an escape, and lining his pockets from it.

Unfortunately, there were too many. He was only a Level 2 Adventurer, and while his strength was nothing to scoff at, fighting off hundreds of Level 1 Adventurers, his own Familia members, was something that would cause a ripple effect that may even involve the Guild. If the Guild were to contact Lord Soma directly and sanction him, then his iron grip would weaken.

“Zanis. What is happening?”

The rancour, the noise, the demands, had finally disturbed Lord Soma from his wine making. Standing before him, with his hair in a scattered mess, Zanis immediately bowed before his god, biting the inside of his cheek. He had not been given time to prepare; he had been caught off guard, and as always, a mortal could not lie to a god. In the past, he had skirted with deception by framing the truth in a way that suited him, but in this situation, with this many voices, there was no way to twist the truth to his favor.

Or is there…?

“They are demanding to leave, Lord Soma.”

“Why?”

“They may have been beguiled and led astray,” Zanis said. “This is the work of one adventurer called Moses Vanderzee. He is the Captain of the Hestia Familia, and he and his goddess are responsible for—”

Soma’s hand went up. “Hestia?”

Zanis paused. “Lord Soma…?”

“I know Hestia. Her authority has nothing to do with bewitching others.”

Zanis faltered. “That… then…”

“Give them all Soma.”

“...My lord?”

“If they can take one drop and still state their wish to leave before me, I will let them.”

Zanis’ eyes widened. He could see it. It was such a simple, yet brilliant solution. Upon tasting Lord Soma’s divine concoctions, who would still claim they wanted to leave? Once they remembered that feeling… once they enjoyed that feeling once more… enraptured in that bliss…

“O-of course, my Lord!”

Zanis was aware they would not be able to resist. In a fell swoop, not only would he return them all to their eager, addicted states, he would shut down any future chances they would come together again to make such ridiculous demands.

But…

Zanis saw a problem. If they bathed in the light of those campfires again, they would be freed from Soma’s influence once more. A repeat occurrence was likely. How many times could they repeat such incidents? Such constant distractions to Lord Soma would mean Lord Soma would pay more attention to the Familia, and that would undermine Zanis’ de facto control.

This Moses Vanderzee, those campfires… they were a problem. They would cause many problems. Zanis was certain he was not the only one who would find a problem with these campfires. Many groups did less than reputable things in the Dungeon, and if there was always a ‘safe zone’ for people to flee to…

It could cause complications.

Fortunately, he’s just a Level One Adventurer…

There was no shortage of ways to ‘take care’ of a Level One Adventurer. The real challenge was finding a way to do so that would not lead back to him or implicate his Familia. There were likely to be many groups thinking the same thing… and if anything, it was the fool’s fault for trying to make such changes as a weak Level 1.

If Moses Vanderzee was a Level 2 or Level 3… Zanis would be wary. If he were a Level 4 or Level 5, Zanis wouldn’t even dare to entertain such thoughts. If he were Level 6 or higher, Zanis would have rushed to meet him and prostrate himself flat, asking how he could be of service, and buttering him up with gifts and tributes.

But a Level 1?

He was a long way from any sort of real threat.

After all, how fast could a Level 1 Adventurer possibly grow?

=====)+(=====

“Zee, you’re ready to advance to Level 2.”

Eh?

Lilly sat, bundled with blankets, in front of the cozy fireplace of the small basement of the church building that the Mister, Moses, called home. Having freshly showered and adorned a set of clothes that belonged neither to her nor the goddess, but to Moses. Supposedly, this was his only other set of clothes. She drank in his scent from it, a strange scent of the sea, and beaches, and had been idly sniffing it in silence, before her neck whipped towards the young, blue-haired man in question, sitting topless on a bed as his goddess, Lady Hestia, engraved something on the Falna upon his back.

Lilly’s mind tried to comprehend the words she had just heard, but they failed. “L-L-Level 2? But— but Mi— Moses… didn’t you say… today was your first day… in the Dungeon?”

“I said today was my first day as an Adventurer.”

Lilly doesn’t understand. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Well,” the Mister scratched the back of his head. He turned to his goddess. “Can I tell her, my goddess?”

His goddess, Hestia, turned to her. Lady Hestia was… nothing like what Lilly had expected. She could recall the visage created by the campfire, by the Mister, Moses, when they were in the Dungeon, and it had portrayed a much grander depiction. Grander both in size and scale, and grander both in presence and awe. Meeting the actual Goddess, Lady Hestia, and finding they were almost the same height, Lilly had at first thought the Goddess had fallen into a washhouse and shrunken herself by accident, or if the Mister was playing some form of trick on her.

Barefoot as she was, with long black hair, and wearing that white gown that was clearly not made by any craftsman in Orario, she carried the unmistakable presence of a Goddess, but definitely not one Lilly would have expected to be the source of that warmth. Moses had talked her ear off about the kindness and benevolence and greatness of his goddess while he carried her out of the Dungeon in his arms, and Lilly’s imagination had gone wild, expecting a noble, graceful, tall, regal queen-like figure whom she could not dare look in the eyes.

Expectations and reality had never before clashed so vehemently.

“Zee spent months in the Dungeon before he got his Falna.”

Lilly stared. She stared, openly, blatantly, and in complete disbelief. Spent months in the Dungeon, as an ordinary, unpowered human? Without the blessing of a deity? Lilly was weak, and Lilly understood how weak she was with her status and abilities, but despite that weakness, ordinary humans couldn’t hold a candle to her, or keep up with her, nor would they be able to act as a Supporter and carry the massive loads she bore daily.

He entered the Dungeon… without a Falna…?

Only someone completely desperate would do such a thing, or… someone searching for an out.

Moses was clearly a lot of things, stubborn, bull-headed, and crazy, going so far as to make that declaration to everyone, going as far as to scoop her up and carry her all the way in his arms like a dainty princess r back to his Familia without listening to her initial stammering words of protest, and going as far as to introduce her to his goddess as ‘the newest member of our family.’

He was a lot of things: shameless, brazen, cocky, selfish, but she didn’t think he was suicidal.

But… it turned out… okay… thankfully…

Spending months in the Dungeon without a Falna, without even being a Level 1, where tens if not hundreds of Level 1 Adventurers had met their ends, was undoubtedly a unique achievement. If that wasn’t enough, those camps he set up had definitely changed the Dungeon, and would continue to change the Dungeon…

Achievement-wise, the Mister, Moses, wasn’t really lacking to become a Level 2, as long as his Status was good enough…

But how good were they, really? Lilly didn’t know. She had seen his movements against those Kobolds and performed concurrent chanting, and they certainly weren’t those of a newbie Adventurer. His motions and footwork were almost too clean, and, thinking on it further, Moses' Status had to be really high for a Level 1. 

“Mis— Moses, how long have you had your Falna?”

“A week.”

…eh?

Lilly blinked.

One… week?

How did he… those movements… how could… his Status… that made no—

Reaching Level 2… in One… Week?

Lilly’s brain was steaming. Even taking into account the number of months he spent wandering the Dungeon before he got his Falna, it wasn’t like the Status could retroactively take that time into consideration and increase his Agility and Dexterity and other attributes…?

…Could it?

No, no, it couldn’t. Sure, the Falna often gave skills to people depending on what they did before they got it, but it didn’t retroactively affect the Status.

“Is something wrong, Lilly?”

Is something wrong? Are you seriously asking Lilly if something is wrong?!

Lilly opened her lips, not even sure where to start. She slowly turned her head to his Goddess, Lady Hestia, who was sitting behind him, beaming a bright smile, and Lady Hestia slowly turned back to look at her and placed a single finger on her lips, as if to shush her.

“N-no… nothing.”

One week.

Wouldn’t that make him…

Record Holder.

He’d be beating out the previous record holder, the Sword Princess, by a large margin. The fastest Adventurer in Orario’s history to reach Level 2.

If those campfires in the Dungeon didn’t already make him famous, this certainly would. To say that he would be a rising star was a vast understatement. There would be no one, no where, in Orario who would not know of him, and with that fame and recognition would also come… competition.

The Mister, Moses, said he wanted to love Lilly now, sure, but would he still feel the same once he was surrounded by girls desperate to get their five minutes of fame from hanging on to his shoulder?

“By the way, Zee, you’re not allowed to go into the Dungeon for the next few days.”

“I’m not?”

“I received a message from the Guild. I’m supposed to meet Ouranos tomorrow to clarify some things regarding your use of my Authority. So, no Dungeon for you until we’ve hashed things out.”

“Oh. Did lighting those campfires bring you some trouble, my goddess? Is there an issue?”

“Ouranos and I go way back. It’ll be fine. Plus, Zee, they’re going to compensate us for each day you’re not allowed to enter! You’re earning us money by not going to the Dungeon, Zee! That’s great!” 

“Ah, that’s good to hear, my goddess.” 

“Do you have any plans on what you’ll do in the meantime, Zee? Anyone you want to spend your time with?”

Lady Hestia shot a glance towards her. Lilly blinked. 

Was the goddess… on her side? Was she trying to help her get together with the Mister, Moses? 

Is the goddess… THAT kind of goddess?

She remembered the rumors about Moses’ Goddess and Hephaestus. Lilly had heard that gender was meaningless to the gods, but… the thought of it, the thought of her, Moses, and the Goddess together, was such that steam would have been coming out of her ears if it were physically possible.

“Ah… I was thinking,“ Moses paused. “In the morning, I need to head to the Orphanage.”

Lilly hadn’t expected that. By the look of confusion on his goddess’s face, neither had she.

“Orphanage…? Zee, adopting children is a bit too—”

“What?”

“I mean… why are you going to the Orphanage?”

“I… well, I promised some kids who met me, before I met you, my goddess, that I’d come back and tell them some of my stories…” Moses scratched the back of his head. “It’s only fair to keep that promise.”

…Stories? It was the first Lilly heard of this.

“Zee, you’re so…”

“Is something wrong, my goddess?”

“No, no,” Lady Hestia laughed, humming brightly. “Nothing.”

Lilly bit down on her lip as she looked at the goddess, watching the goddess’ actions.

No… his goddess… she’s also…?

Now that she thought about it, ever since they came back to his Familia, Moses looked in her direction less frequently. He still had eyes for her, but his eyes were more focused on his goddess. It was as if the world around him did not exist, as if everything and everyone else was secondary, and the only person in his vision was her. He held his goddess's hand, nodded along to whatever she said, and smiled a stupid, lopsided grin when she looked at him.

The way he was staring at her… Lilly wasn’t stupid. There was no woman alive who would be blind enough to not recognize that look for what it was. 

He’s completely smitten with his goddess…?

Moses was head over heels, crazily, blatantly in love with his Goddess. Moses did not even try to hide it, or mask it, or pretend, as though he did not care that she saw, and did not care what she would think of it.

So what was all that talk about loving Lilly…?

Lilly looked again towards the Goddess in question.

What is it about her that’s…

Lilly saw the goddess’s chest press against Moses’ back, and her eye twitched.

S-she— she just has bigger breasts, that’s all!

Lilly looked down at her own chest, slowly grabbing them. She mumbled under her breath as a storm of thoughts raced through her. There were rumors that certain goddesses could use one means or another to ensnare people into their Familia. The Ishtar Familia and Freya Familia were both prime examples! Had this goddess also ensnared Moses with those… those…

If asked, those people who were beguiled by those sultry goddesses would claim that they had joined on their own free will, but there was no one stupid enough to not see the truth.

Did she… did she ensnare Moses with those…?

Lilly was suspecting Moses’ goddess of doing bad things, but there was no proof that she did bad things. Lilly knew why she was suspecting this. Lilly saw the way Moses looked at his goddess and bit the inside of her cheek, and burned her chest. The purity of it was enviable. It was like a child kicking his legs with innocent glee.

Aren’t you going to look at me like that, too? 

As the thought came, her face burned.

No, no, no, what is Lilly thinking?! 

Lilly shook her head and patted her cheeks. She had been swept along by Moses in a way she had never been swept along by anyone else before, and a part of her called her stupid for being so swayed, but there was the other part of her, that remembered how he stood tall and valiant and protected her, and how she enjoyed the warmth of his fire, and the comfort and teasing he provided.

No one had given Lilly such a feeling before, and Lilly… Lilly didn’t know if anyone would ever give Lilly those feelings again.

Besides… 

Lilly sighed as she hugged her knees close.

Lilly can’t go back to her former methods…

Her skill, Cinder Ella, had been exposed. Fortunately, Moses’ announcement and the show with his goddess had taken the spotlight off her, but there were those who would remember, and those who would keep grudges, and her life as a Supporter for others, her means of earning money, stealing, cheating, and swindling from Adventurers couldn’t work any longer.

She needed a new method to ensure she didn’t starve, and the only thing she had currently… Was him. The Mister. Moses.

Before she could think further, two hands snuck under her armpits and lifted her into the air as if she were a kitten. 

“Eh?”

She suddenly found herself staring into the eyes of the Mister’s Goddess, who was holding her up as if she weighed nothing.

Eh? Eh? Eh? Since when are goddesses this strong?!

She turned to Moses and noticed he was… sleeping? When did he fall asleep?!

“I have Zee to thank for that skill of his…” the Goddess, Lady Hestia, said. “I’m the Goddess of the Hearth and Homes. In my home, anything I say goes. Do you understand?”

A familiar shimmering white dome extended out from the Goddess, and Lilly’s eyes widened. She could not forget the dome, and she could not forget how that man, that Adventurer, had been burned to ash as soon as he stepped through it. The Mister, Moses, had called it Divine Retribution. Thinking about it now, wouldn’t that mean… it was… her… the woman, no, the goddess, in front of her… who did that?

Lilly swallowed loudly.

“Supporter… no, Liliruca Arde,” the Goddess stared at her. “I’ll ask you this once, and once only. Do you have any plans to hurt Zee?”

“L-Lilly doesn’t!” Lilly said quickly. “At all! Lilly — Lilly wouldn’t dare!”

Silence stretched between them for a long, long period of time. Lilly’s heart was pounding so hard it felt as if it would explode at any moment.

“Alright. I believe you, Liliruca. Zee decided to bring you into our family, so that means you have a fresh start. I don’t care what you did before he brought you here, but there are ground rules. One, no doing anything bad that will bring trouble for Zee, or to this home. Two, no doing anything that will hurt Zee or bring him pain. Zee… has been hurt enough already. And you...”

The goddess put her down. The shimmering white dome receded. Lilly’s head was still spinning. Slowly, the goddess pulled her into a hug.

E-eh?

“L-Lady H-Hestia? W-what a-are you doing…?”

“Hugging you.”

Hugging…?

“Why are you… hugging Lilly?”

Lilly didn’t understand this goddess. One moment, she was scary, but the next, she was warm. Very warm. The deeper the hug, the richer it felt. The hug reminded her of the campfire; it reminded her of an unspoken comfort, of a warm meal on a winter’s day, of feelings and sentiments she’d seen others experience, but only scarcely, only rarely, felt.

“Why… hug… Lilly?”

The goddess didn’t answer. She hugged her closer. Lilly couldn’t push her away, because she was a Goddess, and because she was Moses’ goddess. Yet, Lilly didn’t want to push her away. Lilly didn’t believe she could push her away even if she wanted to. Lady Hestia’s scent wafted into her nostrils, and Lilly’s throat felt choked.

“Why are you hugging Lilly?”

The goddess didn’t answer. Lilly was smart. Lilly was clever. Moses’ goddess, too. So Lilly understood that her lack of an answer was the answer.

There doesn’t need to be a reason to be hugged.

Moses’ goddess was telling her.

She had no reason.

She hugged her… just because.

Lilly’s vision grew blurry. A lump formed in her throat. For the first time, Lilly wondered if this was what it was supposed to feel like…

To be part of a family.