"Be-Bell-kun," Hestia stammered, her face a mixture of shock and... jealousy? "It's not normal for status to increase this quickly. What happened today?"
"I don't know, Goddess," Bell shook his head, still looking disbelieving at what he was reading. "I just... fought harder in the Dungeon today."
"Did you meet someone?" asked Hestia, her tone suddenly shifting to intimidating.
"N-no!" Bell answered too quickly, his face reddening. "I mean, I met some other adventurers, but no one special!"
"Bell-kun," Hestia placed both hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You can't lie to your goddess. Status doesn't increase this drastically without a strong reason. And the only thing that could cause such an increase is..."
"I-is?" Bell swallowed nervously.
"Strong feelings!" Hestia pointed at Bell's face. "You fell in love with someone, didn't you? Who is she? Is it that Wallenstein girl?"
"EEEHHHH?!" Bell shouted again, his face now bright red. "N-no, Goddess! I'm not—"
"Don't lie!" Hestia frowned in annoyance. "Your status wouldn't increase like this without reason! Tell me, Bell-kun! You're thinking about another girl, aren't you? Even though you already have me!"
Kazuma shook his head at the scene. Bell's panicked expression and Hestia's jealousy looked funny, but also a little sad.
This scene was more intense when seen in person compared to the anime.
"Go-Goddess, I just want to become stronger! Really!" Bell tried to dodge, but the blush on his face betrayed him.
"Hmph!" Hestia turned her face away, clearly unsatisfied with that answer. She walked to the corner of the room and grabbed her small cloak. "I need some fresh air!"
"Goddess, wait!" Bell was about to chase after her, but Hestia had already hurried up the stairs out of the basement, leaving Bell and Kazuma in awkward silence.
"Did I... say something wrong?" asked Bell in confusion, looking at Kazuma as if seeking answers.
Kazuma sighed. "Goddess Hestia... she cares deeply about you, Bell. I think she's just worried you're thinking about another girl."
"But... we're not like that..." Bell shook his head in confusion.
"For Goddess Hestia, you're more than just her ward," Kazuma explained carefully. "She cares about you very much."
Bell looked even more confused and a bit embarrassed. "I... I care about the Goddess too, but..."
"But your feelings for Aiz Wallenstein are different, right?" Kazuma asked directly.
Bell's face seemed to explode in a blush. "H-how do you know?!"
"It's obvious," Kazuma smiled slightly. "There's nothing wrong with having feelings for someone, Bell. But remember also the feelings of others who care about you."
Bell lowered his head, appearing to think about Kazuma's words. After a few moments, he took his shirt and put it on.
"I... I'll go out for a while," Bell finally said. "Maybe walking around town will help me think clearly."
Kazuma nodded, although inside he knew Bell would most likely go to the Hostess of Fertility to return Syr's lunchbox. Everything was proceeding according to the anime's plot.
After Bell left, Kazuma sat alone in the church basement. Thinking about what just happened, he felt a certain responsibility knowing the "storyline" that would unfold. Should he let everything proceed according to the original plot? Or should he try to change the fate of characters he liked?
Deciding not to just sit idle, Kazuma finally got up and followed Hestia's trail. He knew exactly where the small goddess had gone—to the riverbank flowing through the city of Orario.
---
Elsewhere, Bell Cranel walked into a busy tavern—the Hostess of Fertility. His face was still slightly red when remembering Kazuma's words about his feelings for Aiz.
As he stepped inside, a familiar voice greeted him.
"Bell-kun!" Syr, the gray-haired waitress, smiled cheerfully. "You came!"
"Syr-san," Bell smiled awkwardly. "I came to return this." He handed over the cloth-wrapped lunchbox.
"Oh, thank you for returning it," Syr accepted the box with a sweet smile. "How was it? Delicious?"
"Very delicious!" Bell nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks to your food, I could last longer in the Dungeon today."
"Really? I'm glad," Syr looked pleased. "You must be hungry now. Want to have dinner here?"
Before Bell could answer, a loud voice interrupted.
"Hey, look who's here!" Bete Loga, an adventurer from Loki Familia, called out from the bar. "The scared rabbit who abandoned his friend!"
"Eh?" Bell turned around, surprised to see Bete staring at him with a mocking look.
"Yes, you!" Bete took a swig of his beer. "Yesterday you ran away scared and left your friend to face the Minotaur alone! What a coward!"
Bell's face paled, then reddened with shame. He couldn't deny it—that's exactly what happened. He was too scared and ran away, while Kazuma kept fighting even though he ended up badly injured.
"I... I..." Bell stammered, not knowing what to say.
"You what?" Bete grinned mockingly. "What kind of adventurer runs away leaving his comrade? You don't even deserve Level 1!"
Mocking laughter rang out from several other adventurers. Bell could feel his face heating up, shame and guilt mixing into one.
"That's enough, Bete," a green-haired female adventurer from Loki Familia—Riveria—tried to calm him. "He's still new."
"Precisely because he's new, he needs to learn now," Bete argued. "In the Dungeon, there's no place for cowards! If he continues like that, he'll die young—or worse, cause his comrades' deaths!"
Those words pierced Bell like a dagger. Without saying anything more, he turned and ran out of the tavern, ignoring Syr's calls.
Bell kept running, tears welling up in his eyes. He's right... I am a coward. I left Kazuma-san... I don't deserve to be an adventurer!
Unconsciously, his feet took him toward the Dungeon. Bell didn't care that it was already night. He just wanted to prove—to himself, to Bete, to everyone—that he wasn't a coward.
---
Meanwhile, by the quietly flowing river, Kazuma found Hestia sitting alone, throwing small pebbles into the water. Her face still showed annoyance, but there was sadness in her eyes.
"Goddess," Kazuma greeted softly, approaching the small goddess.
Hestia turned, a bit surprised. "Kazuma-kun? Why are you here?"
"Thinking about the same thing as you, I guess," Kazuma sat beside Hestia, looking at the moon's reflection on the water's surface.
"Stupid Bell-kun," muttered Hestia, throwing another pebble into the water. "Already has me, but still looking for another woman."
Kazuma smiled slightly hearing that complaint. "Bell is still young and innocent, Goddess. He may not understand your feelings yet."
"But I'm always there for him!" Hestia frowned angrily. "I work hard for him! I give everything for him! And what do I get? He falls in love with that sword woman from Loki Familia!"
Kazuma listened patiently. This was a side of Hestia rarely seen in the anime—a fragile and insecure side behind her usual cheerful attitude.
"Aiz Wallenstein and Bell... they're at very different levels," said Kazuma softly. "Bell is still a new adventurer, while Aiz is one of the strongest adventurers in Orario. Their relationship... is difficult."
"Exactly!" Hestia nodded in agreement. "Bell-kun should realize that! He can't possibly be with Aiz Wallenstein!"
But eventually, they will be together, thought Kazuma, remembering the ending of the story he knew. But he remained silent, letting Hestia voice her complaints.
"Kazuma-kun," Hestia suddenly looked at him. "You're a wise person. Why is it so hard for Bell-kun to understand my feelings?"
Kazuma picked up a pebble and threw it into the river, creating a small splash and widening ripples. "Sometimes, the people we like don't always return our feelings the way we hope."
Hestia was stunned hearing those words. "You... have experienced that?"
Kazuma smiled slightly, looking at his own reflection on the river's surface. "Yes, I understand that feeling."
"Who?" asked Hestia curiously.
"Someone very special," Kazuma answered ambiguously. He couldn't say that it was Hestia herself—the small goddess he had admired since he was still living in his old world.
They both fell silent for a moment, absorbing the peaceful night silence. A gentle breeze blew, stirring Hestia's long black hair.
"Bell-kun... he will come back to me, right?" asked Hestia suddenly, her voice soft and hopeful.
"Bell cares about you, Goddess," answered Kazuma honestly. "Maybe not in the way you hope, but he greatly values and respects you. You are his goddess, but also his family. Your bond is more than just adventurer and goddess."
Those words seemed to comfort Hestia. She nodded slowly, a small smile beginning to form on her face.
"You're right, Kazuma-kun," Hestia finally said. "Bell-kun is still young. He's still learning about the world and his feelings. I need to be more patient..."
"And supportive," added Kazuma. "He needs your support to grow into a strong adventurer."
Hestia nodded again, then fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, she laughed softly.
"What's funny, Goddess?" asked Kazuma, confused.
"Nothing," Hestia shook her head, still smiling. "It's just... strange that I'm getting advice from my own ward. The goddess should be giving advice, not the other way around."
Kazuma smiled too. "Sometimes, we all need someone to talk to, even goddesses."
They spent quite a long time by the riverbank, talking about various things—from life in Orario, Kazuma's experiences in his home village (most of which he made up), to Bell's dream of becoming a hero.
Hestia seemed to enjoy the conversation, while Kazuma was happy to see another side of the goddess he had only been able to see as an anime character before.
Without realizing it, time passed and the night air grew colder.
"We should head back," Kazuma finally said. "It's late."
Hestia nodded and stood up, brushing dust from her dress. "Thank you, Kazuma-kun. I feel better now."
"You're welcome, Goddess," Kazuma smiled sincerely.
As they walked back to the old church, Kazuma stole a glance at Hestia walking beside him. The small goddess looked calmer now, a gentle smile lingering on her face.
I like her, thought Kazuma. Even before coming to this world, I always admired her. But...
Kazuma shifted his gaze to the starry sky. He knew Hestia liked Bell.
And Bell, though currently liking Aiz, would ultimately not realize Hestia's feelings for him. At least, that's what happened in the original story he knew.
Do I have the right to change the storyline? Kazuma asked himself. Or should I just be an observer, letting everything happen as it should?
That question continued to echo in his mind as they arrived at the old church. The basement was empty—Bell hadn't returned.
"Bell-kun hasn't come home yet?" Hestia frowned with worry.
"Maybe he's still walking around," Kazuma tried to reassure her, though he knew Bell most likely went to the Dungeon alone because he was provoked by Bete.
"It's late," Hestia stared toward the stairs, as if hoping Bell would appear there. "He doesn't usually stay out this late."
"He'll be fine," said Kazuma, though there was concern in his voice. "Bell is stronger than we think."
Hestia nodded, though her face still showed worry. "You're right... I'll trust him."