Long ago, we gods descended to the lower world where our "children" lived, all in search of excitement.
Then, we made a bold decision—to stay in this lower world and live among you forever.
We sealed away our divine powers and committed ourselves to a life of hardship and stability, choosing to live happily in this mortal realm.
The only thing we could grant you was a power called Falna—a blessing—so that you may fight monsters!
Those who received this blessing became a god's Familia—they became family!
You are my Familia... the one and only member of the Hestia Familia!
Right now, Ye Yu didn't feel good at all. He could feel intense pain—a torment that spread from the tips of his hair all the way down to the very depths of his soul.
It was as if both his thoughts and spirit were being torn apart, and all he could sense was endless, bone-chilling cold.
His memories were in chaos, so chaotic that Ye Yu couldn't recall anything—not even his own name felt real.
When he tried to think deeply, all that greeted him was an infinite frost, and the soft whispers of a girl echoing by his ears.
Seriously, what kind of illness is this? You're a perfectly good god, and yet you come down here to LARP an RPG with mortals?
Still wrapped in confusion and disbelief, Ye Yu slowly opened his eyes.
If there had been a mirror in front of him, he would've seen a flash of icy blue light pass through his pitch-black eyes at that very moment. It was a chilling, eerie light—something inhuman, more like a beast instinctively guarding itself against the world.
What met his gaze was an unfamiliar ceiling. He was lying in a small, cramped room that could only be described as shabby.
He couldn't help but curl up. Even though he was awake, that intense cold still lingered in his soul, stabbing into him like ice.
"You're awake! Thank goodness!"
As Ye Yu blinked in confusion, a sweet, lark-like voice called out from the doorway, full of relief and joy.
This made him instinctively look up. A beautiful girl stood there with a radiant smile on her face, and the warmth of that expression seemed to gently melt the frost within both his body and soul.
The girl's lustrous black hair just barely covered her ears, her twin tails reaching all the way to her waist. A faint blush colored her charming face, and she looked brimming with excitement. Though her features still had a touch of youth, her figure was surprisingly voluptuous—completely mismatched with her childish appearance.
Most eye-catching of all was the blue ribbon tied beneath her armpits, lifting her already generous chest. Whether it was a fashion statement or just a strange design choice, it drew the eye—perhaps a bit too much—leading one easily down the path of… unhealthy fantasies.
As Ye Yu stared blankly at the girl, she began to speak again.
"My name is Hestia. I'm your goddess! What's your name?"
"Hey, hey, don't you know it's rude to stare at a lady like that?"
"I mean, why are you just sitting there staring at me like an idiot? Don't tell me I picked up some kind of fool?"
"Waaah, how tragic! My first Familia member turned out to be a dummy!!"
As the girl rushed toward him and leaned in, the sweet scent on her body reached his nose, making Ye Yu's thoughts wander. The words entering his ears only added to the confusion and chaos in his mind.
He wanted to respond to her questions, but she talked so fast that she interrupted every attempt he made to speak.
Finally, just as Hestia seemed ready to give up, Ye Yu managed to gather his thoughts and quietly opened his mouth.
The moment he spoke, even he was surprised by how cold his voice sounded—distant and icy, as if it could freeze the soul itself.
He almost wanted to lift the blanket and check if his body had literally frozen.
"You can call me Ye Yu. Now, can you tell me what you're talking about? Where is this place? And who are you?"
His calm, frigid response instantly lit up the girl's face, and she happily shouted something that made Ye Yu twitch with frustration.
"Thank goodness! You're not a dummy or a mute after all! I was so worried!"
A dummy? A mute?
You're the dummy! Your whole family's full of dummies!
Ye Yu held back the irritation rising in his chest. Still chilled to the bone, he tugged the blanket tighter and forced himself to be patient, waiting for Hestia to explain everything properly.
After some time—just as Ye Yu's patience was wearing thin—Hestia finally changed her tone and began her explanation.
"This is my home! From now on, it'll be the home of the Hestia Familia too! As for Familia… don't you know what that is?"
"No idea."
Ye Yu shook his head decisively, signaling his total ignorance.
Hestia sighed dramatically and slapped a palm to her forehead.
"Oh come on, how can you not know anything? Being in a Familia means you've formed a contract with a god and become their family. In return, that god grants you strength—the power to fight monsters. And you... you're my very first family member! No matter what you do, I'll always support you~!"
"Family… huh?"
Ye Yu repeated the word in a daze, echoing the girl's excited tone. The chill in both his body and soul faded slightly once again.
His memories were still fragmented, but a deep sadness suddenly welled up in his heart like a crashing tide.
Family…
For some reason, that word triggered a sorrow so intense he nearly burst into tears. But he held it in.
Not for any logical reason—only that he refused to cry in front of this girl.