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Miach Familia Premise Chapter 5

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Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you a new chapter! After Monsterphilia, Bell continues his dungeon crawling and working outside of Babel Tower. As he delves deeper into the Dungeon, it gets harder to keep up with killing Monsters and harvesting Magic Stones, not to mention Drop Items. It seems Bell is growing past his ability to run solo and will need to hire a Supporter as he prepares to drop down to the Seventh Floor and search for the rare Blue Papilio so that Naaza can progress with creating her new potion.

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 5 – Supporter and Seventh Floor

It was five in the morning when Bell stirred in bed. Opening his eyes, he hummed lowly, feeling warm and comfortable. Blinking away the sleepiness, his mind went back to Monsterphilia yesterday and how he’d had to explain what had happened to Naaza after the Guild had finished getting his account of the incident with the strange flower Monsters. The two had still been able to have their date—after Bell had assured Naaza that he was fine and that he wanted to take her out—and they’d stopped by the Hostess of Fertility afterward to return Syr’s coin purse. Which had led to discovering that Syr hadn’t forgotten it, but had left it and simply carried her money in her pocket to keep a large coin purse from being visible from any pickpockets among the large crowds.

“Hm?” Bell looked down and smiled as Naaza was sleeping cuddled up to him. ‘That would explain why I slept so well last night.’ He thought as he gently squeezed Naaza closer, only to grin when one of her cute, fluffy dog ears flicked in her sleep. Nothing explicit had happened between them—neither of them was ready to take that step together just yet—but sleeping in the same bed was definitely new for them and their relationship.

Naaza softly nuzzled into Bell some more as she slept. “Mm…” She hummed lowly, but didn’t wake.

Bell didn’t want to wake Naaza yet, so just smiled softly as he held her close and closed his eyes again. He didn’t doze off, but he very much enjoyed just lying with Naaza. Her warmth and her softness pressed against him was more than enough reason for Bell to stay in bed until Naaza woke up.

“Hmm…” Naaza did wake up several minutes later, her sleepy purple eyes opening slowly as she looked into Bell’s rubellite eyes with a soft smile. “Morning.”

“Good morning.” Bell returned her smile with his own.

The two leaned in and kissed warmly without a thought, only pulling away from each other’s lips after a long moment. Naaza sat up and stretched, smiling with amusement as Bell watched her body move in her thin night clothes. Playfully tapping his nose with her index finger, she rolled over Bell, briefly straddling him with a grin as Bell hummed appreciatively, before she slipped out of the small bed and stood up.

“Do you really like my tail that much?” Naaza questioned with a little giggle as Bell’s hand softly stroked her fluffy tail.

“Yep.” Bell answered simply and honestly as he felt the soft fur of her tail. “It’s cute.”

Naaza felt her cheeks turn pink at Bell’s genuine compliment…and the nice feeling of his hand gently stroking her tail. Before she moved it away and looked over her shoulder with a little grin. “Time to get out of bed, Bell.” She walked out of his room with a little sway in her hips, practically able to feel Bell’s eyes on her ass and her tail until she closed the door behind her.

Bell blinked as he snapped out of admiring Naaza. “I guess I’ll get breakfast started.” He chuckled to himself as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and put his feet on the floor.

Breakfast this morning was eggs, toast, sausage, and fresh fruit with milk, juice, or tea to drink. Naaza and Miach would be running the shop, as was normal, while Bell would be going into the Dungeon again to earn more money for the Familia.

“Have a good day, Bell.” Naaza smiled at him as she finished stocking his backpack with potions. “Come back safely.”

“I always do with your potions to help me, Naaza.” Bell said with a bright smile as he took his backpack from her.

The couple shared a sweet kiss before Bell headed out the door and made his way towards Babel Tower.

-Dungeon ~ Seventh Floor-

Bell glanced around as he took his first steps onto the Seventh Floor. As expected, the main route had been cleared out by Adventurer Parties that had passed through on their way to deeper Floors. “First day on a new Floor. I’ll start getting familiar with the area and look for a Blue Papilio while I’m at it.” He decided as he briefly consulted his map before stowing it away again. “The first right corridor today.” He chose his route and headed down the corridor that branched off from the main route through the Seventh Floor.

It wasn’t very long of walking down the corridor before Bell met a new Monster for the first time.

A white blur lunged from a shadowy crag, launching itself straight at Bell with lethal intent.

“Whoa!” Bell jerked to the side and saw the Monster as it passed him by, its lengthy horn nearly hitting his shoulder. With a pivot, Bell brought his staff down on the airborne Monster from behind right before it touched the ground.

Whack

The Monster didn’t even have time to cry out in pain before it died. It’s body wasn’t very durable, and it was rather small on top of that.

Bell examined the Monster, noting how it looked just like a rabbit…if not a little larger than any rabbit he’d seen on the surface. But the obvious difference in the Monster was the long horn on its head, nearly the same length as its body. The tip was incredibly sharp, meant to pierce holes through Adventurer’s armor and clothing for lethal stabs. “So, this is a Needle Rabbit.” Bell hummed as he pulled out his knife and, with experience born from living in the mountain farming village, easily cut the rabbit Monster open and found its Magic Stone. “They’re fast, but that’s about it.” As the Needle Rabbit fell apart into white ashes, Bell placed the Magic Stone into his backpack and continued on his way.

-Later-

“This…” Bell smacked a Needle Rabbit out of the air with his staff. “Is…” He pivoted to dodge a second rabbit Monster’s horn. “Way…” He smashed a third Needle Rabbit into the ground with a sharp ‘thwack’. “Harder!” Bell skipped backwards, barely managing to avoid a pincer attack as multiple Needle Rabbits glanced off his red cloth armor here and there. “Burn brightly…” He focused, having to stop for a second to focus as he wasn’t capable of concurrent chanting yet. “Lasair!”

Flames alighted atop Bell’s staff and he spun it once, bringing the burning flames along the ground and then upward, creating a large wall of fire as the Needle Rabbits all leapt at him simultaneously, becoming a spiked wall of death.

“Pyik!”

“Pyk!”

The Needle Rabbits cried out in pain as they weren’t able to change direction midair and burned alive as they passed through the wall of flames. A dozen charred corpses hit the ground in front of Bell a second later.

“Hah…hah…” Bell breathed out as the flames dispersed and he looked around, checking for any other Monsters. “These things are opportunistic…always coming at you from your blind spots.” He pulled out his knife and opened up the first Needle Rabbit. “I should look into getting a Supporter.” He’d been making good money recently, surely he could afford a Supporter to help him out now, right? “Hm?” Bell blinked as the Needle Rabbit’s horn remained on the ground while the rest of the body had turned to white ash. “Drop Item!” He beamed as he quickly picked up the ‘Needle Rabbit’s Tusk’ and placed it into his backpack. “Can I get another one, maybe?” He moved over to the next dead Monster and cut it open.

Unfortunately, Bell did not get a second Drop Item form the group of slain Needle Rabbits.

A while later, shortly after lunch, Bell was in a large cavern fighting a large group of Killer Ants. He backstepped to avoid the snapping mandibles of one ant, smashed the head of a second with his staff, swiped the legs out from beneath the third ant, making it collapse against the fourth ant, then lunged forward to jab the butt of his staff through the compound eye of the fifth Killer Ant, before pulling it out and spinning it into an overhead swing that pulverized the rest of the injured ant Monster’s head.

“Kree!”

“Skree!”

The Killer Ants screeched and chittered aggressively as Bell got out of their encirclement.

“Burn brightly, Lasair!” Bell aimed the small white crystal atop his staff at the grouped of ant Monsters. Dumping a bit of extra Mind into the cast, and then a bit more to use Spell Control and alter its form, a narrow stream of intense, bright white flames was unleashed. The torch cut straight through the Killer Ants’ durable exoskeletons, scorching them black instantly. The ‘newbie killers’ were all cut down in a single pass from the modified spell, their corpses smoking and smoldering on the floor in a pile. “Whoa…” Bell blinked at the success of his newest idea for using his Skill with his fire magic. “That cut through them like a torch…” The term sounded good though. “I guess that’s what I’ll call it.”

Listening for any sounds of approaching Monsters or cracking walls, Bell approached the torched and burned through Killer Ants. The heat off their bodies was still a bit high as Bell held his hand over them. Tapping one of them, Bell pulled his finger back swiftly.

“Not burning hot…but not something I want to touch right away.” Bell said thoughtfully as he wondered how long he’d have to wait before he could harvest his newest kills. “Better take another potion.” He pulled a Mind Potion and a Low Potion from the protected pocket of his armor designed to hold potions and uncorked them both. The Low Potion went down first and the soreness of Bell’s muscles eased as the small tears and strain healed up. The Mind Potion was downed next, the citrus-colored potion only took a few seconds to work and Bell sighed pleasantly as his reserves were topped off again. “Much better.”

While Bell definitely had naturally large Mind reserves, to the point of being an outlier among humans, with how long he spent in the Dungeon and how often he used his magic they inevitably started to run low. Unbeknownst to Bell, that was also exactly how a Mage slowly, but surely, increased their overall Mind reserves. With Naaza’s quality Mind Potions readily available to him every single day, Bell didn’t have to worry about rationing his Mind as much as most beginner magic users. Not that he recklessly used up his Mind, of course, both Naaza and Anna had made it VERY clear why he shouldn’t do that while in the Dungeon. He did his best to regulate how much Mind he put into each spell and factor in when he used his Skill as well for the best efficiency that he could get. The combination of these factors was making his already substantial Mind reserves grow at what most would call an accelerated rate.

-Late Afternoon ~ Blue Pharmacy-

“I’m home!” Bell called out as he entered.

Naaza—and the customer that she was making a sale to—looked at Bell.

“Welcome home, Bell.” Naaza greeted him warmly, her normal ‘sleepy’ look brightening up as she smiled at her boyfriend. Turning her attention back to the customer, Naaza continued the sale. “That’ll be 12,500 Valis.”

The woman in leather armor smiled as she handed over the money. “Thank you. Your prices are much better than the place we used to go.”

Naaza gave the other woman a small smile. “We try to price our potions and items fairly here at the Blue Pharmacy.” She said while helping the woman put her purchases in wooden box with a handle built into the top for ease of carrying.

“I’ll be back when we need more.” The woman gave Naaza a smile and a nod as she grabbed the handle of the box and headed for the door.

Bell held the door open for the woman politely. “Thank you for your business, ma’am.”

The woman gave Bell a quick once over before smiling at him. “Thank you, sir.” She walked past him, giving him a little wink, before she was out of the shop.

“Bell,” Naaza called him over with a little smile. “You look like you did alright today.” Her purple eyes were looking him over with experience, checking for any damage to his red cloth armor or any change in his posture, walking, or body language that would hint at an injury.

“It was a close call a few times.” Bell admitted as he brought out the Valis that he’d made today and placed the money on the counter. “But I was lucky to get a few Drop Items today, so there’s a bit extra today.”

Naaza smiled as she quickly counted up the money, giving Bell the maximum that he’d take—much to both her appreciation and consternation—before putting the rest in the safe below the till. “You’re amazing, Bell.” She praised once she stood back up to look him in the eye.

Bell leaned forward over the counter with a warm smile of his own. “I have a promise to keep.” He gently pressed his lips to Naaza’s and both hummed in pleasure as they kissed for a long moment. “I’ll get changed and get started on cleaning the chimney.”

“Thank you, Bell.” Naaza thanked him warmly, her eyes filled with affection. ‘He’s truly a blessing for us.’ She thought as Bell headed into the back to get changed so that he could take care of another task around their home. As a jack-of-all-trades, Bell had repaired the hole in the roof, fixed up the cracked and damaged plaster of the outer walls, and now was taking care of maintenance tasks like cleaning the chimney and the gutters when he wasn’t in the Dungeon or working outside of Babel Tower.

After dinner that night, Bell was once more sitting backwards on one of the wooden chairs in the kitchen while Miach gave him a Status Update.

“That’s quite the inventive use of your spell.” Miach commented as he watched Bell’s Excelia and got to the part where Bell had created an intensely concentrated flame like a cutting torch and killed at least ten Killer Ants in one pass.

“I wondered if I could do it…but it’s not something I could really test out in the city.” Bell said as he recalled the intense heat of the torch he’d turned his spell into. While a lot of Orario’s construction was stone, it was often supported by timber frame. A strong fire would weaken the supports and see the structures collapse under their own weight if Bell’s tests with his spells got out of hand and started a fire. ‘And I really don’t want to be accused of arson either.

Miach finished moving Bell’s Excelia into his Basic Abilities and once the numbers stopped rising, he placed a blank paper onto Bell’s back to copy the update over. “There we are…” He handed the paper to Bell with a smile. “…here ya go, Bell.”

Bell took the paper with a smile of his own, feeling Miach locking up his Falna securely. “Thank you, Lord Miach.”

-Status-

Bell Cranel

Level 1

Strength – B 709 > B 772

Endurance – B 712 > B 775

Dexterity – B 734 > B 798

Agility – B 706 > B 767

Magic – B 730 > B 796

-Magic-

Leigheas – Incantation: “Gather the herbs to heal the body. Banish the evils of pain and sickness. Restore the body to wholeness; succeed where the father failed. Heal all who seek wellness.” Healing and Cure Magic that restores the target’s body and stamina, while also removing abnormalities like poison, paralysis, curses, and charms.

Lasair – Incantation: “Burn brightly.” Conjures fire in proportion to how much Mind is used.

-Skills-

Edelbell Asabria (A Willful Promise to a Deity) – Fast growth. The greater the effort towards the user’s goal, the greater the effect. Blocks things that would interfere with growth, such as Charms.

Spell Control – Allows the user to control their spells for a bit of extra Mind per cast, allowing for changes in range and shape while retaining their function.

-Status-

“Both Dexterity and Magic are almost ‘A’ Rank.” Bell was amazed that he was still making such progress.

Miach chuckled at Bell’s amazement. “With how hard you work, Bell, you really shouldn’t be so surprised.” He patted Bell’s shoulder with warm reassurance. “Don’t sell your hard work and effort short, Bell. Your determination and diligence will serve you well as you become the reliable hero that you want to be.”

Bell couldn’t have stopped the smile that spread across his face if he tried. “Thank you, Lord Miach.” He stood up and tossed his Status update into the fireplace and watched it briefly as it burned up before heading for his room to relax before bed.

-Three Days Later ~ Outside of Babel Tower-

“Thank you, sir!” A Werewolf man smiled gratefully at Bell as he flexed his right hand, amazed that the previously broken limb was perfectly fine now.

“You’re welcome.” Bell returned the Werewolf’s smile with his own.

The Party Leader, a Werewolf woman with dark black hair, placed a few drop Items into Bell’s hands. “Thanks for healing him up. These should cover the cost for ya.”

Bell looked over the Drop Items: a few Needle Rabbit Tusks, two War Shadow Finger Blades, three Killer Ant Claws, and a roll of Orc Hide. Totaling up what he’d get from the Exchange for the items, and only because he had experience with the prices of most of them, Bell gave the Werewolf woman a smile and a nod. “Payment accepted.” He said professionally and the Party began to walk off.

“Next time, dodge the Orc’s club, don’t try to block it!” The Werewolf woman said to the Werewolf man as they rejoined their two other Party members.

“Lay off, will ya?! I already gave up my cut for today to pay for the healing!” The Werewolf man shot back. “And I have to dip into my savings to get a new shield!”

Bell chuckled softly as he stashed the Drop Items into a thick duffel bag next to his chair and zipped it up securely. “Speaking of new equipment…I should probably check out that Hephaestus Shop on the Eight Floor that Anna recommended. The Needle Rabbits keep getting in close and making it hard to use my staff.” There was also the issue of what Bell would do should he ever lose his staff in the Dungeon. A backup weapon could only be a good thing. “I’ll head up to the shop once I’m done for the day, then head to the Guild to exchange the Drop Items before heading home.”

-Hephaestus Familia Shop ~ Eighth Floor of Babel Tower-

Bell had been browsing the weapons of the shop for a bit, trying to find something he liked. “It can’t be too big, or I’ll have the same issue as I do with my staff.” He glanced over a large knife on the shelf. “But I’d like something a bit bigger than a knife or dagger.” He kept walking down the shelves and checking out anything that got his attention. It was as he was near the very back that Bell noticed the barrels on the back wall filled with various swords. “Are these for sale too?”

There was a price tag on the first barrel: 8,000 Valis, so Bell assumed anything within the barrel was that much. He picked up the first sword, but didn’t like the weight. The second was too long, requiring both hands to wield. On and on, Bell checked each and every sword out, unsheathing some of them, but never choosing anything until he got to the sixth sword in the second barrel labeled with the same price as the first.

“This one isn’t bad.” Bell liked the weight in his hand and unsheathed the shortsword. “Nice blade.” He smiled at the steel, admiring its finish. He wasn’t an expert, but he could tell quality metalwork when he saw it. Moving it around in his hand and through the air, Bell got a feel for the balance of the shortsword and found it fit him well. “It’s almost like it was made for me…” He marveled as he looked over the somewhat plain shortsword. Aside from the dark red leather wrapping the oval handle, there was nothing flashy or eye-catching about the weapon. “Welf Crozzo, huh?” Bell read off the name of the smith that had forged the sword, having found it etched into the bottom of the guard.

Sheathing the shortsword into its scabbard, Bell took it up to the counter and purchased it without hesitation. The Raccoon man behind the counter gave the weapon a slightly odd look after noting down the name and writing something in a ledger off to the side. But as he took Bell’s Valis and handed the weapon over without a word, Bell ignored it and happily placed the shortsword into the thick duffel bag and zipped it up again.

“I hope I didn’t take too long.” Bell murmured as he took the elevator down to the ground floor. He had looked through a majority of the shop, but didn’t want to get home too late and make Naaza or Miach worry. “Not to mention that it would be bad if the Exchange closed before I got there.”

Thankfully, Bell made it to the Guild with some time to spare and exchanged the Drop Items that he’d been paid with over the day he’d spent healing Adventurers outside of Babel Tower. With all of the Valis earned now secured in the duffel bag, Bell was ready to head home for the evening.

Once outside of the Guild building again, Bell noticed the setting sun and decided to take some backstreets that he had become familiar with over time. If he could avoid the congested areas of the busier streets on the way back, then he should be able to get home before dark. He was making good time and was looking forward to getting home and showing Naaza and Miach how much he’d made today, as well as his new shortsword. As he neared a corner, he thought he heard the sound of feet on the paved street. He stopped just as he crossed the corner but a short person glanced off of him and hit the ground with a grunt.

“I’m so sorry,” Bell apologized as the person pushed themselves up and into a sitting position on the ground. ‘A Prum…’ Bell noticed that it wasn’t a short human, but a Prum Girl that he’d inadvertently knocked down. She had chestnut-colored brunette hair and matching brown eyes. She was rather cute in Bell’s opinion. “Are you okay?” He held his hand out to help her up. The whole time the girl simply stared up at him warily.

“Found ya, bitch!” A rough male voice barked out and Bell saw the girl stiffen in fear. “Piece of shit Prum…” The man panted out, clearly having been chasing the girl for a while. “You’re not getting away!” His glare was locked onto the girl as he took a step forward. “Don’t even twitch!”

Bell noticed the fear in the girl’s eyes as the man moved towards her. He didn’t think about what he was doing, he just did it. He stepped in front of the girl with his arms spread to cover the Prum and block the angry man’s approach. With his back to her, he didn’t see her eyes widen at the gesture.

“What the hell are you doing?” The Adventurer growled at Bell, his eyes glancing at the staff in Bell’s right hand. “Beat it punk, yer in my way.”

“Look, I don’t know what happened, but why don’t we calm down?” Bell suggested, not moving from his spot between the man and the girl.

“Shut it!” The man spat angrily. “Who the hell are ya? One of the runt’s friends?”

“We just ran into each other.” Bell stated plainly, it was the entire interaction he’d had with the Prum so far.

The older man growled in annoyance at Bell. “Then why protect her?!”

“Because she’s a girl,” Bell replied instantly, not seeing the Prum girl blink in surprise at his words. “You’re a grown man chasing her through the backstreets with the clear intent to hurt her.”

“The hell are you sayin’?” The Adventurer reached for the sword hanging over his shoulder. “You don’t know anything, but if you want…I’ll just kill ya first!” He started drawing the blade.

Bell didn’t hesitate, he let the duffle bag slide down his left arm to the ground and he brought his staff in front of him, both hands on the weapon as he faced down the older man. He was a man protecting a girl. This was the right thing to do; he was certain of it. While it would be his first time fighting another Adventurer, Bell wasn’t going to back down. His staff techniques—even if self-taught—worked best on humanoid targets. This guy clearly had more experience, but Bell didn’t get the feeling that the older man was Level 2. His clothing and armor were a bit too plain for a Level 2 Adventurer, who would use their greater strength to make more Valis and purchase higher Grade equipment.

“You wanna die, huh?” The man demanded as he drew his sword fully.

Bell adjusted his stance and readied his staff up. He didn’t notice the Prum girl’s eyes glancing between his back, his staff, and the duffel bag on the ground next to Bell’s feet.

The older Adventurer placed both hands on his sword’s handle and prepared for his opening attack.

“Freeze.” A familiar female voice demanded and both Bell and the man stopped in their tracks.

“Another one?” The man growled out. “Who the hell are you?!” He demanded of the woman approaching from a side alley.

“The one you are trying to harm…” Ryu spoke as she stepped into the fading light in the backstreet. She was wearing her waitress uniform and holding a bag of groceries. “…is a friend of mine. I will not allow any harm to come to him.”

“Miss Ryu…” Bell blinked at the unexpected appearance of his acquaintance. ‘Wait…she considers me a friend?’ Everything that Bell knew about Elves—which was mostly just what was commonly known to all—made it clear that the proud race calling a non-Elf a friend was a rather uncommon occurrence. The fact that Ryu was his goal, the one that he wanted to be as strong as, and one day even surpass, only made a warm feeling spread through his chest.

“Nobody is making any fuckin’ sense today!” The Adventurer snarled at Ryu and the whole situation. “More shit in my way! Do you want me to slice you too?!” He demanded, pointing his sword in Ryu’s direction.

Silence.” Ryu demanded in a cold tone that sent shivers through the other three in the backstreet. The Elf woman seemed to exude a palpable feeling of dread as she stared down the Adventurer. “I don’t want to use force. I always go too far, you see?” Everyone blinked as they realized the waitress suddenly had a short blade in her right hand, pointing at the man.

A stiletto? When did she…?’ Bell hadn’t even seen her draw it!

“D-Damn it…” The older Adventurer ran off back the way he’d come. “Shit!”

“Are you hurt?” Ryu asked Bell, taking a few steps towards him. He briefly noticed that the stiletto had disappeared again.

Bell gave her a short bow. “I’m fine…thank you for your help, Miss Ryu.” He smiled at her gratefully, rubellite eyes meeting cool blue. “You saved me again.”

“I’m sure you could’ve dealt with him even if I hadn’t stepped in.” Ryu shook her head once and gave Bell that tiny smile that he liked to see whenever he was at the Hostess of Fertility.

Bell felt slightly proud that Ryu had praised his skill. “Thank you for the confidence in my skills.” He accepted the compliment with a small smile. He honestly wasn’t sure how well that fight would’ve actually gone. “What brings you out here, Miss Ryu?” He asked as he picked up his duffel bag again.

“An errand.” Ryu raised the bag of groceries slightly. “I noticed the commotion and stepped in. What led you to your altercation?”

“Oh, this girl here…” Bell trailed off as he noticed the Prum girl had vanished.

Ryu glanced at where Bell had looked. “Was someone there?”

Bell blinked at the empty backstreet. “There was…”

“I’ll be on my way, Mr. Cranel.” Ryu gave him a short bow, careful not to spill her groceries.

“Thank you again for your help,” Bell smiled at the beautiful Elf. “I’ll come by for a meal again soon.” Ryu nodded, the tiny smile on her lips again, before heading back towards the Hostess of Fertility. Bell looked around the backstreet once more, curious as to when the Prum girl had run off, before he started making his way towards the Blue Pharmacy. He would be lucky if there was any light left by the time he got home.

-Next Morning-

Bell was heading for the Dungeon once more, after another nice morning with Naaza and Miach. Breakfast had been filling, Naaza had made sure that his backpack had been restocked with the potions that he needed, and the two had shared a warm kiss before he headed out.

“Would getting a Supporter help me make more money, even after paying them?” Bell wondered to himself as he walked down the street. While he walked, he pondered on what he could do to increase the amount of Valis that he was bringing in for the Familia. He didn’t want to have the debt over their heads forever. That would certainly make recruiting new members to the Miach Familia almost impossible.

As Bell approached Babel Tower, he eyed the line of one the food shops nearby. A service that many Adventurers made use of to procure their lunches before heading into the Dungeon for the day. The line wasn’t too bad this early, so he could probably get in and out quickly. Just as Bell was about to head for the closest food shop, someone called out to him.

“Mister! Mister! With the white hair!” A female voice called and Bell knew they were talking to him. He turned to face the speaker and noticed it was the girl from the evening before. She had a beige cloak on today and a massive green backpack on her back. But the face and the eyes were the same from last night. “Nice to meet you, Mister!” She smiled cutely up at him.

“Meet me?” Bell blinked in confusion. “Didn’t I see you yesterday?”

The girl completely ignored Bell’s question. “Sorry to bother you, but are you looking for a Supporter?”

“Supporter?” Bell blinked at her. He figured that she was one with the large backpack, but he was still trying to confirm if she was the girl from last night.

“Yes!” The girl’s smile brightened.

“Well…” Bell trailed off at the cute smile. ‘I have been considering a Supporter for a while. Having one would be nice, especially since they make dungeon crawling more efficient. I need to find out how much I can make with a Supporter anyway.’ He mused as he thought of how much more he stood to make each day with a Supporter. He did want to start bringing in more money for the Familia and speed up paying off their debt.

“Are you confused?” The Supporter tilted her head slightly. “It’s a pretty simple question, you know.” She put a smile worthy of a salesman on her face. “A poor Supporter has come to you, an Adventurer, looking to sell her services in the Dungeon.”

“Uh…perhaps phrase that differently…?” Bell said before he shook his head slightly. “Aren’t you the girl from yesterday?”

“Yesterday?” The Supporter held her chin with her right index finger and thumb. Bell now noticed the brown Supporter gloves she was wearing. “Have we met before, Mister? Lili doesn’t remember seeing you.” She tilted her head a little and Bell couldn’t help but find it cute. He also learned that her name was Lili, apparently.

Bell mulled over her seeming lack of memory of last night.

“So, how about a Supporter?” Lili asked again after Bell had been silent for a moment.

“I do want one…” Bell admitted after a moment.

“REALLY?!” Lili beamed at him and for a second Bell would’ve sworn he saw sparkles around Lili’s form. “Then please take Lili with you into the Dungeon, Mister!” She clasped her hands together in a classic begging pose.

“Um, alright then. My name is Bell Cranel, a member of the Miach Familia.” Bell took his hat off his head and held it to his chest as he gave Lili a polite bow. “Let’s go sit down and talk it out.” Bell said with a small smile as he straightened up and put his feathered hat back on his head. The two walked off to an empty stone bench and sat down to have their discussion.

“Lili’s full name is Liliruca Arde. Lili belongs to Soma Familia. They’re pretty well-known.” Lili informed Bell of her Familia as was necessary when forming an inter-Familia Party.

“Then why come to me?” Bell looked confused. “Wouldn’t it be easier to go into the Dungeon with a Party from your own Familia?”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible…” Lili shook her head with a sigh. “Lili is considered the runt of the Familia, so no one will take her with them.”

Bell’s heart went out to her for being left out by her own Familia. It reminded him of all the time he spent getting rejected all over Orario before meeting Miach. In his opinion, no one should be left out by their own Familia. After all, wasn’t the whole point of a Familia to be a family and support the same Deity?

“It’s gotten so bad lately that Lili has to sleep at cheap motels since there’s not enough space at the Familia home.” Lili crossed her arms with a dejected sigh. “I’m almost out of money and can’t take much more.” She turned to face Bell and leaned closer. “So, please, please, please! Take Lili into the Dungeon with you, Mister!”

“I understand your situation, Miss Liliruca.” Bell tried to calm the girl down. “Can I ask you something first?”

Lili sat back in her original spot on the bench. “Yes, what is it?”

Bell decided to just asked her straight out. “Have we really never met before?” He wouldn’t forget a face so soon and he was certain that Lili was the Prum girl from last night.

Lili looked at Bell closely. “Lili thinks this is the first time…are you confusing her with someone else?”

“If it’s okay…, could you take off your hood?” Bell requested, knowing that if he saw her completely, then he’d know for sure.

“Oh…um, okay.” Lili seemed hesitant, but she slowly moved her hands up to her hood. When the cloth was pulled back and fell down to Lili’s back, a pair of fluffy dog ears were revealed.

“Eh?” Bell blinked in shock. They looked very similar to Naaza’s ears! “You’re a Chienthrope?”

“Yes,” Lili nodded slightly as she lifted her beige cloak out of the way and an equally fluffy brown tail was revealed. It also gave Bell a view of her legs and thighs, revealing that Lili wore thigh high black stockings that were a bit torn near the top. She also had a red skirt on with a brown belt. The belt was left unbuckled and the skirt was left unzipped in the front. If the wagging of Lili’s tail hadn’t distracted him, Bell might have guessed that the skirt was actually too small for Lili.

Not a Prum, but a Chienthrope? No way…’ Bell couldn’t believe it. Unbidden his hands moved forward. Lili blinked at him before his hands gently grasped her ears and began to play with them, much like he did with Naaza’s. ‘They’re real!’ He exclaimed internally, having gotten rather familiar with the feel of Chienthrope ears since he and Naaza had become a couple. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear Lili gasping and mewling at having her ears played with. ‘So…she isn’t that Prum girl. They look almost identical, but Lili is a different race altogether!’ It was astounding that two people of different races could look so similar.

“U-Um…Mister…” Lili’s face was bright red as Bell continued to play with her ears. “Lili doesn’t offer those kinds of services…”

Bell let go of her ears and drew back as if smacked. “S-sorry!” he bowed his head to Lili. “I got carried away!”

“To think that Lili’s precious ears would be felt up like that…” Lili covered her ears and pouted at Bell. “You’re going to take responsibility for this.”

“I’m really sorry.” Bell apologized again. “Um…why are you hiding what you are?”

“Lili’s fur is dirty and matted. I don’t want people to see it like that.” Lili pulled her hood back up to hide her ears. “You seem rather experienced in handling a Chienthrope woman’s ears…” She looked at him almost accusingly.

Bell looked off to the side a bit, his voice low. “I do have a Chienthrope girlfriend…”

Lili almost smirked at Bell’s reaction, seeing that he appeared to be the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. “Well, what do you say, Mister? Will you hire Lili?”

“Do I need to pay anything in advance?” Bell asked the Supporter how she normally operated.

“Today is a trial run, so you can just split the Dungeon loot with Lili.” Lili smiled and clapped her hands together. “Thirty percent would make Lili jump for joy!”

“Alright then,” Bell smiled back at the happy girl. “Miss Liliruca, please help me in the Dungeon today.”

“Thank you so much!” Lili cheered and Bell couldn’t help but chuckle a little.

Bell led the way to the food shop that he’d been headed for earlier. After waiting in the short line, he ordered two meals and after paying for them he handed both to Lili. When she blinked at him in confusion, Bell smiled at her.

“Can you hold onto our lunches today, Lili?” Bell requested of the Supporter since she had the much larger backpack.

Lili stared at Bell as if she’d never seen a person like him before. “You bought one for me too?”

“Well yeah, you’re helping me out in the Dungeon today, the least I can do is feed you.” Bell explained simply, just seeing it as the normal thig to do.

“Oh, thank you.” Lili set her backpack down and opened it up. She secured the two sealed lunches into an interior pocket before closing the top and putting the straps back on her shoulders. “Let’s head to the Dungeon!”

Bell nodded with a smile. “Right!”

-Seventh Floor-

“Master Bell!” Lili called out as group of Killer Ants appeared from the darkness of one of the tunnels. “Right off the bat!” They’d only been on the Seventh Floor for a handful of minutes!

“Not a problem,” Bell stepped forward to face the ants. “If it’s just these guys, we’ll be fine!” Lili watched carefully as Bell charged in with his staff.

The first Killer Ant’s head was smashed by Bell’s staff. He lunged forward and jabbed the butt of his staff straight through the compound eye of the next ant, knowing that it was a weak point after the first time that he’d done it. The ant Monster went limp and fell to the ground as the staff was yanked backwards. Bell grimaced as an ant took a swipe at him from the side. He raised his left arm and blocked the three claws of the Killer Ant with his vambrace. He felt the strike, but he didn’t receive much of any damage thanks to the quality of his armor. Bell backstepped and spun his staff to crack the Killer Ant across the side of the head, shattering its exoskeleton like pottery and killing the ant Monster. Pivoting to the side, he leapt at the rest of them.

“Master Bell, above you!” Lili alerted him and Bell saw a large moth with purple wings flying overhead.

“Got it!” Bell smashed another Killer Ant’s head with his staff as the toxic dust of the Purple Moth began to fall down upon him. “Burn brightly, Lasair!” Flame burst to life at the tip of Bell’s staff and with a bit of extra Mind, Spell Control spun the cloud of fire into a dozen small fireballs and launched them exactly where Bell aimed them.

Boom

Boom

Boom

Boom

Boom

The fireballs exploded against every Killer Ant and the Purple Moth. The poisonous insect Monster fell out of the air and crashed into the ground. Bell looked around, seeing all the Monsters were dead and smiled at his improving control of his magic.

“So strong!” Lili complimented Bell’s strength and magic. She’d suspected that he was a mage, but she’d never personally seen a mage fight in melee first before even casting a spell.

This is so much easier!’ Bell noticed as he glanced at the ground around him. ‘Miss Liliruca is moving all of the Monster bodies out of the way. I can focus solely on combat!

Bell noticed something rushing forward from the corridor ahead of them. Needle Rabbits, a dozen of them at least, were rushing towards Bell at full-speed. “Not happening!” Bell aimed his staff at the incoming Monsters. “Burn brightly, Lasair!” The first Needle Rabbit that launched itself at him was met with a blast of fire that sent it flying backwards. The rest of the charging rabbit Monsters didn’t have time to try and alter their course before they were engulfed in the flames as well.

“Pyk!”

“Pik!”

“Pyik!”

The cries of the burning Needle Rabbits were loud for a second before going silent.

“Master Bell, one is about to be born!” Lili warned as one of the walls near her began to crack. The claws of a Killer Ant broke through the stone as it began to emerge.

“Got it!” Bell charged forward, holding his staff with his hands on the lower third of the haft. “One…” Bell blitzed towards the emerging Monster and then jumped up to meet it. “And two!” He smashed the Killer Ant’s head and it’s exoskeleton shattered while blood nearly exploded outwards. The dead Monster was left half stuck in the wall with its limbs hanging down.

“Master Bell is really, really strong!” Lili praised before looking up at the stuck Monster corpse. “But…what do we do about that?” She reached up and could barely get her hands around one of the dangling legs.

“One second,” Bell smiled as he rested his staff against the wall next to the half-trapped ant Monster. He grabbed a dangling leg in each hand and with a heave dragged the dead ant out of the wall. He let it hit the ground before smiling at Lili. “That should make it easier for you, Miss Liliruca.”

“Thank you,” Lili pulled out her own knife and rolled over the first Killer Ant corpse in the pile she’d made. Bell watched on at the speed, ease, and efficiency that Lili extracted the Magic Stone from the dead Monster. As it was crumbling away into the familiar white ash, Lili had already moved on to the next ant in the pile.

“You’re very good at extracting Magic Stones, Miss Liliruca.” Bell praised her while watching her work. He was also keeping his eyes and ears alert for the sounds of approaching Monsters.

“Not really, Master Bell, this is just the only way to be useful.” Lili disagreed as she collected another Magic Stone and moved on to the next Monster in the pile.

“Um, Miss Liliruca, could you stop calling me ‘Master’?” Bell requested with slightly red cheeks. It wasn’t entirely his fault for thinking it sounded kind of naughty. ‘Damn it, grandpa!’ He could swear he heard the old man’s laughter in the back of his mind.

“Master Bell,” Lili sighed and looked at the stone floor. “Please call Lili ‘Lili’, never add ‘Miss’ to her name.”

“But why?” Bell blinked at the change in her tone. She sounded so…resigned.

“Listen carefully, Master Bell.” Lili set her knife aside as she looked up at Bell. “Supporter might sound important, but the vast majority of us just carry the bags. When brave Adventurers that risk their lives fighting Monsters look at us, all they see are weak leeches living off their hard-earned money.” She gave him a lopsided smile before continuing. “It would be arrogant for Supporters to think we are equal to Adventurers. If we did that, Adventurers wouldn’t give us any of the loot.”

“Is that true?” Bell couldn’t understand why. Lili had made this last fight so much easier with her support.

“Lili knows that you’re nice. Unfortunately, the world is not.” Lili shook her head slowly. “If other Adventurers heard that Lili was getting full of herself and demanding equal respect…they’d never be willing to work with her.” Bell looked saddened by the treatment Lili had obviously gone through in her time as a Supporter. “I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, Master Bell, but think of it as helping Lili, please?”

“Okay…Lili…” Bell agreed with a sigh.

“Thank you very much.” Lili gave him a small smile with her eyes closed. When she opened them again, she decided to move the conversation along. “On a different note, are you really a newbie Adventurer? You killed all of these Monsters by yourself…” Sure, he’d used magic to kill most of them, but that alone was still odd for a newbie.

“Yeah, I haven’t been an adventurer for even a month yet.” Bell admitted with a shake of his head. “I listen to my Advisor when she teaches me thigs about the Dungeon, and my other Familia member is experienced and taught me what she knows. But every time I go to a new Floor and encounter new Monsters, I still have to figure out the best way to take them down in the moment. I’m still inexperienced, so I can’t identify and react swiftly like a better Adventurer would.”

“That’s only because you fight alone.” Lili replied to his self-evaluation. “Most Adventurers travel in Parties of between three and five. No one wants to fight solo.”

“But that’s not to say they can’t.” Bell shrugged, knowing very well that there were plenty of Adventurers that could fight solo. Ryu had certainly made it look easy with the Minotaur, and he was certain that Tione, Tiona, and Lefiya could all fight solo on the Upper Floors without breaking a sweat. “I’m only Level 1. There’s a lot of Adventurers that’re stronger than me.”

Lili nodded once, hiding her confusion at Bell’s humbleness. “Yes…that’s true.”

Bell smiled at her with a chuckle. “I’ve still got a long way to go.”

“Well, I’m sure Master Bell’s strength is more than just his Status.” Lili said as she opened up another Needle Rabbit.

“I just try my hardest every day.” Bell told Lili honestly. It was the only way he’d improved as much as he had since he’d joined the Miach Familia.

Seeing that Bell wasn’t becoming a braggart at her compliments, Lili decided to try something else. “Perhaps we should call it a day, even though it’s early?” She suggested as she placed a Needle Rabbit’s Tusk into her large backpack.

Bell cocked his head to the side. “Already? But I can keep going easily.”

“No, no, that’s being overconfident.” Lili shook her head. “The dust that the Purple Moth spreads is poisonous. The effects aren’t immediate, but breathing in too much will poison the body.”

“Ah, that’s not a problem, Lili.” Bell told her with a small smile.

“But Lili isn’t sure she actually has an Antidote on her…she was careless.” Lili apologized with a short bow. “I can check, but if there’s not one in my pack, then we’ll have to return to the surface for treatment.”

“It’s fine, Lili, I’ve got an Antidote.” Bell pulled out a vial of a transparent green liquid from the pocket of his red cloth armor. “Naaza made sure I had a couple every day once I went past the Fifth Floor.” He uncorked the vial and downed the Antidote in one go. “Egh… Still bitter.” Bell scrunched up his face at the taste.

“Oh, Master Bell is well prepared, that’s a relief.” Lili smiled at him.

Bell gave her a nod as he put the empty vial back in the special pocket. “Miach Familia is a Medicinal Type Familia. I’m always stocked up on potions and the like.”

Lili’s smile got a little bigger at hearing that. “Then we can continue if you’d like, Master Bell.” In her mind there was a different thought. ‘If he supplies his own potions, Lili can’t take a bit off the top of each purchase. But that also means that Lili doesn’t need to spend any money on potions that aren’t for herself.

“Let’s head deeper into the Seventh Floor today, Lili.” Bell grinned as the duo walked onwards. “I’d like to make as much money as possible for my Familia.”

“Yes, Master Bell!” Lili followed along. ‘He wants to gain money for his Familia, while Lili wants to get enough money to leave hers.’ The world was truly an unfair place in Lili’s eyes.

-Late Afternoon ~ Guild Exchange-

“You’ve got to be blessed with luck, Master Bell…” Lili shook her head slowly. Twelve…Twelve Drop Items in a single day! She couldn’t believe it! This had never happened in all the years that she’d been a Supporter!

“We did well today, Lili, that’s all.” Bell was all smiles as they placed their collection of Drop Items and Magic Stones into the tray and drawer at the Exchange window. They had six Needle Rabbit’s Tusks, two Purple Moth Wings, and four Killer Ant Claws.

The Guild worker behind the Exchange window went about her work quickly and efficiently. After raising an eyebrow the amount of Drop Items that a two-person Party had managed to acquire in a single day. Magic Stones were weighed, the Drop Items were inspected and graded for quality, and then calculations were made. “The Drop Items were worth 26,200 Valis, the Magic Stones come out to 37,400 Valis, so your total is 63,600 Valis.” A fairly large sack was placed in the large drawer and pushed over to their side.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Bell picked up the sack filled with the gold coins and grinned happily. He and Lili went over to one of the sitting areas so that Bell could give Anna his report, which would include him adding a Supporter to his dungeon crawls.

Lili eyed the large bag of Valis. “Master Bell, about today’s loot…”

“You were a great help today, Lili.” Bell thanked her with a bright smile. “Let’s just split it fifty-fifty.”

Lili had to stop herself from choking on her breath. “A-Are you sure, Master Bell?” Lili looked into his rubellite eyes and saw only honesty in them.

“Of course, Lili, you helped me slay more Monsters today than I’ve ever been able to do on my own.” Bell was already opening the bag and pulling out Valis coins. He’d more than doubled his normal daily income with Lili’s help. “I’d like it if we could go into the Dungeon again tomorrow too.”

“Lili would like that, Master Bell.” Lili agreed as she watched him count out her share. Her brown eyes glanced at the staff resting against the side of the green cushioned sofa before glancing down at Bell’s shortsword on his hip. She’d bide her time for now; there was no reason to be hasty. If Bell continued being so lucrative, she’d hold off on taking anything until she needed to. Weapons like Bell’s wouldn’t sell for enough to buy her way out of Soma Familia anyway, so it was best to make this lucrative deal last as long as possible.

“There you go, Lili, 31,800 Valis for your share.” Bell handed her the bag while adding his own half into his leather backpack.

“Thank you very much, Master Bell.” Lili grinned as she stowed the bag into her large backpack. “I’ll meet you by the big fountain in front of Babel tomorrow morning at the same time, if that’s alright?”

“That sounds great, Lili, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Bell waved as Lili headed out of the Guild Building and Anna approached him for his report.

-Blue Pharmacy ~ Early Evening-

Naaza was quite thrilled when she found out how much Bell had made today. She’d nearly kissed him senseless before they’d even closed the shop for the day. And when Bell presented the two Purple Moth Wings he’d not sold to the Exchange, she’d kissed him deeply as a little ‘reward’, pressing her body against his. Bell was predictably smiling like a dope the entire time that Naaza was carefully putting the new materials away in the back room. When Bell explained about hiring Lili, Naaza and Miach had both listened and then asked a few questions, wanting to know more about the Supporter going into the Dungeon with Bell.

“Hm, Soma Familia, eh?” Miach looked thoughtful about that.

Bell was curious about his God’s reaction to learning about Lili’s Familia. “Is there something wrong with Soma Familia, Lord Miach?”

Miach gave Bell a half-smile. “You’ll rarely find a Deity as reclusive as Soma. But his lack of presence is still clear in the actions of many of his ‘children’.”

“Most of them are thugs.” Naaza said bluntly, her expression concerned for Bell. “Are you sure this girl is trustworthy, Bell?” While Naaza tried not to judge others without meeting them first, the Blue Pharmacy had dealt with the thugs of Soma Familia back I their heyday on a few occasions when they first started acting out.

“Lili didn’t seem like a thug…she’s a bit short for that.” Bell said as he considered everything he’d learned about Lili today. “Though…she did seem rather resigned to being looked down upon as a Supporter. She did really good work today, I doubled my income thanks to her.”

“Let’s give the girl the benefit of the doubt.” Miach said gently, a kind smile on his face. “Until she actually does something, we shouldn’t judge her because of what her Familia members have done.”

Both Naaza and Bell agreed with that and dinner was quickly agreed upon.

After another warm meal cooked by Bell and Naaza, the Blue Pharmacy was filled with cheer again as everyone took showers and refreshed themselves before bed. Miach had offered a Status Update to see if having a Supporter had also been helpful with Bell’s growth, and Bell had quickly agreed.

Miach watched the Excelia that Bell had gathered and smiled as he saw how well Lili and Bell worked together. It was certainly a much busier day than any of the previous ones that he’d seen through Bell’s eyes. “She does seem to be quite good at being a Supporter.” He said with a small nod, agreeing with Bell’s earlier statement.

“I couldn’t keep up with her speed when it comes to harvesting Magic Stones or collecting Drop Items.” Bell chuckled as he recalled multiple Monsters that he’d killed seemingly vanishing only a short moment later when he got a chance to glance back. All of them had been swiftly added to the pile that Lili made to keep the ground clear so that Bell could fight easier.

“Then we’ll hope that she’s an earnest girl that will work well with you for a long time to come.” Miach said with a gentle laugh as he moved the Excelia into Bell’s Basic Abilities and watched the numbers rise. Once the numbers stopped and nothing new manifested within the Falna, Miach placed a blank paper on Bell’s back and copied the numbers over with a swipe of his index finger. “Here you are, Bell.”

“Thank you, Lord Miach.” Bell took the paper with a smile and looked it over, eager to see his growth.

-Status-

Bell Cranel

Level 1

Strength – A 861 > S 902

Endurance – A 863 > S 904

Dexterity – A 886 > S 931

Agility – A 854 > A 894

Magic – A 889 > S 934

-Magic-

Leigheas – Incantation: “Gather the herbs to heal the body. Banish the evils of pain and sickness. Restore the body to wholeness; succeed where the father failed. Heal all who seek wellness.” Healing and Cure Magic that restores the target’s body and stamina, while also removing abnormalities like poison, paralysis, curses, and charms.

Lasair – Incantation: “Burn brightly.” Conjures fire in proportion to how much Mind is used.

-Skills-

Edelbell Asabria (A Willful Promise to a Deity) – Fast growth. The greater the effort towards the user’s goal, the greater the effect. Blocks things that would interfere with growth, such as Charms.

Spell Control – Allows the user to control their spells for a bit of extra Mind per cast, allowing for changes in range and shape while retaining their function.

-Status-

Bell blinked at his stats for a long, quiet moment. “Almost everything is ‘S’ Rank…” Naaza had told him plenty about how half of all Adventurers never made it past Level 1, and that stats in the upper ranks, especially ‘S’ Rank, were rare outside of, perhaps, a very focused Adventurer that had most of their Excelia go toward a single stat or maybe two stats.

“You’ll be hitting the cap soon enough, Bell.” Miach smiled at his newest ‘child’ with praise and a little pride.

“I guess so.” Bell replied, still looking at his Basic Abilities. ‘But if I hit the cap, then I can’t get any stronger. Well, not until I Level Up, at least.’ The only problem was, he didn’t know what he could do that would allow him to Level Up. It had taken Naaza six years to reach Level 2, according to what she’d told him. ‘Will I plateau for years before I manage a Level Up too?

The Status Update being gently pulled from his hands broke Bell’s staring contest with the paper.

Naaza looked at Bell’s update and her eyes widened just slightly before she smiled warmly at him. “You’re truly amazing, Bell.” She baled up the paper and tossed it into the low fire in the fireplace. “Come on.” She held out her hand and Bell took it softly, allowing Naaza to pull him to his feet and guide him to his bedroom.

As soon as the two were in Bell’s room, they kissed deeply, their tongues playing in each other’s mouths as their hands roamed over each other in their night clothes. Neither of them was planning to go too far, but Naaza easily pulled Bell into his bed without separating their lips. As hands continued to caress and touch, Bell’s hands found Naaza’s ass and massaged it, making the Chienthrope woman moan into their kisses. Bell hummed into Naaza’s mouth when her left hand trailed down his chest and cupped the bulge in his cotton shorts, massaging it as they lay in bed together, deepening their relationship until sleepiness took them and they cuddled up close for another night of restful, peaceful sleep.

-End Chapter-

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Bell is getting STRONG!!!

And not in the way that most Mage’s get strong either!

Not many Mages can punch you so hard that when you wake up outside it takes you a moment or two before you realize that YOU were the one that made that hole in the wall…by flying through it.

Bell has met Lili! Woohoo!

Lili is not in a good place though. Stealing, saving, scrimping for every last Valis, all in a desperate attempt to FINALLY escape the shitty Familia she’s trapped in.

Perhaps…once she realizes that Bell is as genuine and honest as he appears, she’ll be able to open up about her situation.

Then it’ll be up to Soma Familia to survive a pissed off Red Mage and an equally pissed off Archer/Pharmacist! Cackles

Speaking of, Naaza and Bell are certainly deepening their relationship! It’s getting a little hot and steamy in the small Blue Pharmacy! Hehehe~

What will happen next for Red Mage Bell?

Keep reading to find out!

Let me know what you thought!

Until next time, later!

Kairomaru PATREON 208 favs
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POSTEDFeb 28, 2026
ARCHIVEDJun 10, 2026