"Yoru, you really like acting spoiled, don't you?"
As Yoru gently patted her head again, Hestia first pouted slightly, then let out a soft giggle as she teased him.
Am I really being spoiled with her? Hestia might've said it as a joke, but Yoru seriously pondered it.
Now that he thought about it… yes, perhaps he was. In this unfamiliar world where he lacked a sense of safety, it seemed he couldn't help but seek out warmth and affection. He behaved this way with Hestia… and with Riveria as well.
And that wasn't a lie. I really, truly want to have you, Riveria.
The thought of that beautiful elf, who smiled so gently like a mother, made his heart stir again. A powerful yearning welled up from within him—stronger than ever.
"This is what I earned today."
Not feeling the least bit embarrassed about acting spoiled, Yoru snuggled a little closer to Hestia. The response was a playful pout from the little goddess, though she didn't reject his closeness.
"Oh? Did you earn a lot today?"
Hestia smiled brightly as she took the pouch Yoru handed her. But once she felt its weight, her expression suddenly darkened.
It wasn't because there was too little inside—on the contrary, it was because there was too much. For someone on just his second day as an adventurer, this amount of valis was absurd.
If he were hunting goblins or treants on the first floor, this amount would require killing over a hundred monsters at minimum.
"Yoru! Be honest with me! How exactly did you get this money?! I told you not to put yourself in danger!"
Now Hestia was truly upset. Her round, aquamarine eyes stared at him in frustration—but they were also shimmering with unshed tears.
"If… if you suddenly died out there… I'd blame myself for the rest of my life!"
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm really, really sorry…"
Seeing her so worried and fragile, Yoru couldn't help but pull her into a tight embrace. He lowered his head to her ear and whispered repeated apologies, over and over.
Finally, Hestia couldn't hold back her feelings any longer and broke into tears in his arms.
"I told you, didn't I? When I said you should earn money to support me, I was only joking! Yoru, it's enough just for you to stay alive! I don't want… I don't want to be all alone again…"
"Don't worry. That will never happen. You'll never be alone again, Hestia… because I'll always be by your side."
Yoru said gently, before explaining the true source of the money.
"It was my fault—I should've explained earlier. This money wasn't something I earned all by myself. There was an unexpected incident, and this is the compensation I received from it."
Once she heard that, Hestia gradually calmed down. Still, her gaze toward Yoru turned a little strange.
"…Aiz Wallenstein and Riveria Ljos Alf? Seriously, you lucky bastard. You got to meet both of Orario's top beauties?! One's a cold and stoic sword princess, and the other's a gentle, motherly elven lady… so unfair!"
"Uhh… are you okay, Hestia?"
Watching the little goddess mutter through clenched teeth, Yoru couldn't help but give her a baffled look.
What was with this reaction…? Was Hestia… jealous?
But that didn't make sense. He hadn't said anything suggestive. He hadn't mentioned how Aiz held his hand and wouldn't let go, or how Riveria hugged him so tightly she didn't want to let him go…
So why was she acting like this?
"I-I'm fine! Anyway, take your clothes off—we should check your status. After everything that happened today, maybe you've had a huge jump in your stats!"
Forcing a rather stiff smile, Hestia lunged at him before he could protest.
"Don't be so impatient! I can undress myself!"
Yoru laughed helplessly, but the moment he said that, he realized how awkward those words sounded.
Soon, he removed his shirt and lay face-down on the bed. Just like the night before, Hestia straddled his back and began checking his status.
However… her expression quickly turned into a frown.
There hadn't been any change in his basic attributes. Not even a little.
"Something wrong, Hestia?"
Sensing her silence, Yoru glanced back, puzzled.
"Ah… n-no! I was just surprised by how much your abilities improved today."
Hestia gave a flustered reply and forced a smile.
"Is that so?"
Yoru didn't seem too concerned. For some reason, he was surprisingly indifferent about all this.
Hestia climbed off his back and sat beside him, resting her chin on her hand as she murmured to herself.
"Aiz Wallenstein and Riveria Ljos Alf… they're beautiful, powerful, and probably admired by tons of guys. I'm sure they're surrounded by people trying to woo them."
"…Is that so?"
Yoru thought back to the moment Bete had snapped at him.
"…Exactly. So, you'd better not fall for them too hard. Try paying more attention to those closer to you. I'm sure there's someone around who's gentle, beautiful, and willing to embrace all of you."
"Because… as members of the Loki Familia, those two will never be able to marry someone like you, Yoru. You're not even from the same world."
Members of a Familia could freely marry others within the same Familia. But marriage between people from different Familiae? That brought complications. Whose banner would the child fall under?
While there were exceptions, maintaining intimate ties with another faction could cause issues. To keep everything functioning smoothly, the gods imposed strict rules on their own Familias.
Not to mention, if the gods themselves were hostile to one another, they'd never allow a trusted member to marry someone from a rival Familia.
Eina had explained all this before, and so had Hestia.
Yoru just never seemed to take it seriously.
Not from the same world, huh…
Then I'll just bring her over to mine.