Chapter 651: Hestia: This Is a Wholehearted Confession to Me

"Here are your fried potato balls, welcome back next time!"

When Broly found Hestia, this Goddess was wearing a scarf on her head and an apron on her body, standing on the other side of the counter inside the fried potato ball shop, holding freshly fried potato balls straight out of the pot, handing them to the customer buying in front of her.

A god working for a mortal, reduced to being a shop clerk — this kind of thing is comparatively rare behavior even for certain gods who are treated as good-for-nothings.

Therefore, the fried potato ball shop, which had the gimmick of a Goddess working there, saw its business become increasingly prosperous after Hestia's arrival.

After all, just by paying the small amount of money to buy fried potato balls, one could have a Goddess serve them personally, presenting the purchased fried potato balls with both hands and even saying a word of welcome — for mortals, this was indeed a cost-effective behavior that provided extra emotional value.

"Lady Hestia, I'm back."

Broly queued up to the front of the fried potato ball shop, and when it was his turn, he spoke to the Loli Goddess who was busy inside the counter and hadn't even raised her head.

Hearing this, Hestia finally raised her head; the expression on her face was first a moment of stunned surprise, then the delight of seeing the boy, then worry over whether the boy was injured.

"How come you're back so early? You weren't hurt, were you?"

"I wanted to see Lady Hestia sooner. After getting a decent harvest in the Dungeon, and coincidentally being hungry, I came back early. No injuries."

Broly answered.

Once she confirmed the boy was truly fine, a sincere smile different from her business smile appeared on Hestia's face.

"I still need a little while before I can get off work. You wait for me on the side for a bit."

"Lady Hestia, since your Familia member has come to find you, why not get off your early shift?"

Just as she finished speaking, the shopkeeper — who looked like a bear-woman auntie — spoke up on her own initiative.

"Eh, is that okay?"

"It's fine, it's fine. Thanks to Lady Hestia gracing us with your presence, our shop's business has been this good. Getting off an early shift once in a while is no problem at all."

The bear-woman shopkeeper waved her hand unconcernedly. When she had first met Hestia today, this Goddess had shared with her the matter of recruiting a Familia boy.

Then, every ten-odd minutes, she would bring up the boy once — how he was welcomed by a Goddess, how at their first meeting he was surrounded by a group of Goddesses but chose her in the end, how he could eat a terrifying amount — 100,000 Valis worth of food in one meal — and how he was super powerful, able to defeat a monster like a Wyvern even before receiving a Falna, things like that.

And for a Goddess whose heart and eyes were full of this boy, she was naturally willing to let the other party, who was in an excited phase from just gaining her first Familia child, meet up with this boy named Broly sooner and deepen their bond.

"Also, take these fried potato balls and let your Familia child have a taste."

The bear-woman auntie bagged a few more fried potato balls and handed them over.

"Thank you!"

After receiving the fried potato balls, Hestia sincerely thanked the bear-woman shopkeeper.

"About the debt — I'll definitely pay you back as soon as possible."

The Loli Goddess puffed out her chest and made a guarantee.

"Lady Hestia, you still owe someone money?"

Broly looked over in surprise and said: "I earned quite a bit today. You see if it's enough to pay off your debt?"

He pulled out a money bag.

"Ah, that was just when I first came to work at this shop. Because I didn't know how to operate the Magic Stone Stove, I made some mistakes that caused losses. The debt I caused myself should still be repaid by myself. No need for yours."

Hestia hurriedly refused. She took off the scarf on her head and the apron on her body, held the bag of fried potato balls the shopkeeper gave her in one hand, and pushed the boy's small shoulders outward with the other, walking out.

The customers queuing behind them had a sudden change of expression, like the look of having missed out on something by a hair's breadth.

They had come precisely for the service of the Goddess personally handing them fried potato balls.

As a result, just when it was almost their turn, the Goddess working in the fried potato ball shop got off work.

"How many fried potato balls do you want?"

Faced with the bear-woman auntie who had swapped in asking, the slender human youth was too embarrassed to say he didn't want any, and ultimately ordered one plain fried potato ball.

Fortunately, this shop's fried potato balls used solid ingredients and the taste wasn't bad either. It counted as not having completely wasted the effort of queuing for so long.

"What, over 4.6 million Valis!?"

Hearing the amount Broly earned in the Dungeon today, Hestia's eyes instantly widened, and a cry of surprise burst from her small mouth.

"Is that a lot?"

Broly looked over in puzzlement. Passersby around them, hearing Hestia's exclamation, also turned their attention toward the one person and one god.

"Of course it's a lot. You have to know, my daily wage is only 10,000 Valis, and that's with the salary bonus from my Goddess status."

Hestia lowered her voice and answered.

"And an ordinary person doing my job might only earn around 1,000 Valis a day. The money you earned in the Dungeon is equivalent to over four hundred times what I earn in a day working and selling fried potato balls.

Of course, Adventurers are professionals who risk danger to make a living in the Dungeon, so their income is generally higher than ordinary Professionals in Orario. But even for a Lv. 1 Adventurer, earning over 20,000 Valis a day counts as high income.

Yours is equivalent to one against a hundred other Lv. 1 Adventurers, and not just one against a hundred — it's to the degree of one against over two hundred!"

As the Loli Goddess spoke, her eyes also shone bright. Her gaze toward Broly seemed to say: Truly worthy of being my Familia child~

That proud parent look was visibly happy to the naked eye, and this point could also be seen from the Happiness Value that had begun to climb.

"Not only that level. When I first entered the Dungeon Labyrinth, part of the time was spent by me searching for monsters in the Dungeon.

Until I entered the Fifth Floor and encountered an information broker who nearly met with disaster. I saved him, inquired where the most monsters were, learned about Killer Ants — that kind of monster that actively swarms together — and only then did I truly start making money.

And if I had gone straight to the Seventh Floor to find Killer Ants from the start, I definitely would have earned even more money. And even without Killer Ants, as long as I bring a 【Monster Lure】 Tool down there, I can achieve a similar monster-luring effect.

So, Lady Hestia, I can do even better and earn even more — more powerful than even greater numbers of Adventurers combined. Therefore, you can feel free to be even happier, even prouder!"

Under the afternoon sun, the boy speaking self-satisfied words exuded an incomparably confident aura. Even his Soul appeared bright and shining because of it, very beautiful.

"Mm, confidence is good, but turning into arrogance would be bad." The Loli Goddess brought the boy to the nearby Square. Sitting down on a long bench shaded by tree shade and carrying a hint of warmth, she began lecturing the other party: "Broly, everything must still prioritize safety."

And after finishing the lecture, Hestia took out the fried potato balls from the bag again, looking like she was still pleased by the earlier words. Smiling, she said to Broly: "Of course, as the Hestia Familia's super meritorious member who earned the most money today, I will give you the reward of the Goddess personally feeding you fried potato balls. Broly, open your mouth, ah~"

"Ah~"

Broly didn't refuse Hestia's feeding. After taking a bite of the fried potato ball presented before him, he said to the Loli Goddess: "Lady Hestia, the things you say are really similar to what the Dungeon Advisor lady in the Guild says."

"Dungeon Advisor lady?"

Hestia was first a bit puzzled, then remembered.

"Oh, that half-elf girl from last night, huh~"

Although Eina was already nineteen, a competent working adult in the workplace, Hestia, who was over a hundred million years old, calling her a girl seemed to be no problem.

"Hmm, Broly, what did she tell you?"

"Nothing much, same issue of safety, she thinks I shouldn't go to the Labyrinth below the fifth floor of the Dungeon on my first adventure."

Also, she asked me to attend her Dungeon Knowledge popular science class, looking like she wouldn't rest assured about me if I didn't agree."

"So, Broly, did you agree?"

"Yes, I agreed, the class time is in three days in the morning, the location is the Guild Headquarters."

"Then what do you think, what kind of person is that half-elf girl?"

Hestia gently swung her legs on the bench.

Her loli height was enough for her to make such a childish movement.

"What kind of person, hmm, should be a serious person with a relatively high sense of responsibility."

Broly searched his cognition for suitable words, then answered the Goddess's question.

"Then Broly, what do you think of such a person?"

Hestia stopped her leg-swinging movement, and pursued asked another sentence.

"Very good, not bad, is the type of person I like."

Broly answered honestly.

Eina's serious and responsible attitude was somewhat similar to Fujimura Taiga and Iwayama Huangquan.

Benefiting from this, Broly had a good impression of this type of woman, unrelated to the Crystal Palace matter, it was his personal preference.

"Hmm~~~"

Hestia made a long sound from her nasal cavity, then asked again: "Then between me and her, Broly, who do you like more?"

"Is there a need to ask, of course it is you, Hestia-sama."

Broly gave the answer without hesitation.

Although he had a good impression of people like Eina, it did not mean that under the condition of short contact time and only two times, feelings of liking could be produced.

At least, when Hestia asked the question of 【who is more liked】, Broly was able to make an exact answer without hesitation, liking Hestia more.

"Broly, you kid, you really are straightforward!"

Hestia took a bite of the fried potato ball in her hand that the boy had bitten, and her legs started swinging again, with a crossing frequency faster than at the beginning.

And the other hand that wasn't holding anything cupped her own cheek, her eyes narrowed into crescent moons, showing a happy appearance of not knowing whether she was pleased by the boy's words, or satisfied by the fried potato ball in her mouth, or both.

One person and one Goddess, on the bench under the tree shade, sharing the free fried potato balls, Broly ate the fried potato balls while talking about today's experiences.

When he said that the Guild Receptionist Chief, Dog Person Remele said he would keep it secret and accelerate the exchange of harvest matters, Hestia showed a satisfied smile, saying: "Uranus's Familia, they really have the professional quality of being members of a neutral organization!"

"Eh, so, giving me an accelerated money exchange channel, is actually something they should have done originally?"

Broly was somewhat curious.

"Ah, what I said isn't that, but rather that they promised to help you keep the exchange of profits secret."

"What's the problem with that?"

"Broly, the Gods of this world aren't all good, if other guys know about your excellence, maybe among them there would be guys with bad ideas, producing thoughts of wanting to snatch you away from my side."

Although the Gods have an agreement, members who have joined a Familia for less than one year cannot change Familia, but better safe than sorry, and besides there should be methods to bypass this agreement.

"Hmm, Broly, you must protect yourself well outside, absolutely don't let yourself be abducted by Gods with bad intentions..."

Hestia looked like she was guarding against human traffickers, saying this to the boy.

"I won't go with others, besides, as long as I'm unwilling, no one can make me leave your side, not even all the Gods of this world."

"Uuu, Broly, can I take your words as a confession of being single-minded to me?"

Hestia covered her chest, as if struck by Cupid's Arrow, her cheeks slightly red as she looked over.

"If after this in this world, I can't meet any Goddess or woman like Hestia-sama again, Hestia-sama can think so, but only limited to this world."

Broly seriously gave the reply.

"Broly..."

Hestia leaned over, her head resting on the Saiyan boy's legs that looked smaller than herself, and asked: "Just how many times do you want to make this Goddess-sama moved by your words?"

"If it can make you feel happy, I think it can be countless times."

Hestia buried her head in the boy's legs, Broly's words made her blush.

"Hestia-sama..."

"What's wrong?"

Hestia didn't dare raise her head, asking in a muffled voice.

Just when she thought the boy would say some sweet words again, making herself even more shy, she heard the boy say like this: "I don't mind you acting spoiled, but can you please not wipe the leftover oil stains from the fried potato balls you just ate on your mouth onto the leather greaves you bought for me?"

"You know, when in the Dungeon, this leather armor was clean."

"It doesn't matter, tonight you take it off, I'll help you wash it clean."

Hestia turned her head, looked at the boy, and said.

"Eh~"

Broly was somewhat helpless.

"Forget it, I'll wash it myself."

Water Creation Magic was used by him, attaching a layer of water film on his hand.

"But before that, I have to wipe your mouth clean."

Although Hestia and Aqua Master are different Goddesses, taking care of them is unexpectedly somewhat similar to Aqua Master.

Broly placed his hand on Hestia's mouth, the flowing water on his palm took away the oil stains on the other's mouth, then very quickly held Hestia's hand, and also washed clean the hand that just held the fried potato balls and now felt somewhat soft when held.

And after washing the oil stains off the leg guards as well, Broly flicked the water from his hands toward the ground in front of the long bench, outside the tree shade.

"Sizzle~"

The ground, baked by the sun all afternoon, made such a sound.

The evenly spread liquid quickly evaporated, the ground dried, and finally it disappeared without a trace.

"You said spoiling is allowed, right?"

Hestia was first stunned, then asked, and without waiting for Broly to answer, she buried her face, burying it into Broly's abdomen.

Although wrapped in leather armor, unable to actually smell any scent, Hestia still made a deep inhaling motion, somewhat like sniffing a cat.

"Broly, being able to meet you in this world is truly wonderful!"

After finishing inhaling, a while later, Hestia's muffled voice finally rang out from Broly's abdomen.

"Same here, Lady Hestia."

Broly touched the head of the goddess with her smooth hair, yet also gave his own response.

Until the sun set in the west, Hestia suddenly stood up: "We should head home too!"

"Mm."

Broly nodded, following and standing up.

But after walking a distance with the goddess, when passing an alley entrance, he suddenly stopped his steps.

"Want to join our Familia? That depends on whether you have sincerity."

"Excuse me, big brother, what is sincerity?"

"That's money, of course, kid."

"Ah, then how much is needed?"

"Heh, I can only say, the more sincere you are, the greater the chance of joining our Familia."

……

"What's wrong, Broly?"

Hestia noticed the boy hadn't followed, turned her head to look at the boy standing at the alley entrance, and asked.

"I encountered an acquaintance."

Broly replied.

"An acquaintance?"

"Mm, a youth I met before arriving at Orario, and I saved him from the mouth of a flying dragon."

"Is he in trouble now?"

"I'm not sure, the other party is preparing to spend money to join a certain Familia, does that count as trouble?"

"Probably not, there are also some gods in Orario who treat their own Falna as a commodity to sell to ordinary people."

Hestia thought for a bit, then gave her answer, and such a god's Familia is much the same as not having one; to put it bluntly, it's a one-time transaction, ordinary people spend money to buy the most basic Falna, and don't need to fulfill the obligation of supporting the god.

Of course, if a person who obtained Falna this way wants to continue updating their ability values, they probably have to keep paying.

"So that's how it is."

Broly nodded, no longer lingering, followed Hestia, and continued walking toward the Abandoned Church.

"I only have a little over ten thousand Valis on me right now."

"Hand it over."

"Ah, but I still need to eat..."

"Hehe, youth, you're very sincere, I'll recommend you to my Main God, as long as you join our Soma Familia and become an Adventurer, this bit of money you'll quickly earn back with your own two hands."

"Is that so?"

"Of course."

"Then how long do I need to wait?"

"Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll tell you the result."

"Yes."

Hearing this, Bell was very excited, standing in the alley, watching the big man who took his money bag leave.

Thinking that tomorrow he could join a Familia, become an Adventurer in the future, and then become a hero, the white-haired youth's heart surged.

He did not discover that behind him, the Saiyan who once saved his life, stood watching the situation for him, then lifted his foot and left.

(Chapter End)