/Clang!... Clang…/

'Silver looked at the clock on the wall and said:'

"It's already 12 Pm?"

"Finally! Unhand me!" Exclaimed Hestia on the bed

'Silver rolled his eyes, and got up from the bed.'

"See if you can walk normally."

'Hestia nodded, she got up from the bed and started to walk, she felt nothing unusual, she ran a bit and even jumped, she was completely fine.'

"Looks like you are fine, in that case, you are free to go."

'Silver went to the door while he drank a mind potion.'

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know, I'm just a bit bored, so anything will do to be honest..."

'But before he left, Silver stopped and asked:'

"Oh wait, I have one last question… What happened after I got knocked out? Where are my grandparents?"

'When she heard this, Hestia shook her head and said:'

"What happened after you got knocked out was a bit confusing since I wasn't there and everything I heard came from the mouth of that potato cutter."

"Your… Grandparents brought you to Loki and she had someone nurse you with potions until you got stable, some time passed and when the fight was over, someone went to me and told me about your state, when I arrived your grandparents had already left."

'Hestia seemed to be thinking and she suddenly remembered:'

"They left a message… I think it was… Something on the likes of: They were happy to see that you were doing fine and how much you developed, and with the defeat of that guy, there was nothing to fear anymore. So they left, asking you to visit them soon."

"..."

'Silver frowned.'

That's a bit unlike those two old farts to leave just like that…

This situation was already strange, to begin with... But for them to leave like this means that… They are afraid…

I see, are they afraid of returning late and suffering the wrath of their wives? Hehe.

If they stayed I was ready to beat them up as well. Lucky guys.

I'll snitch on them when I visit them again...

"As for everything else… I forgot."

'Silver frowned even harder.'

"How can you forget such a massive event? It was a serious fight!"

It should've been one at least.

"Don't blame me! Loki was simply too bad at explaining and I lost my focus mid-way through her unfunny jokes."

"... Sigh… I'll see you later then."

I'll just have to ask Loki herself if she knows anything else later... But right now I think I will just take a nap until the recruitment starts…

'Hestia watched as Silver left without a word, and she pouted in frustration.'

'But she shook her head and smiled.'

"..."

I don't know exactly what we are right now, but it's certainly better than before…

'Hestia started to drool, but she quickly stopped and looked around, thinking Silver was going to appear and make fun of her, but he didn't.'

"I can't get late…"

'Hestia removed her clothes and put on the ones she prepared for today before she left the room and closed the door.'

…

"Hehehe…"

'Hestia had a silly smile as she watched the big crowd outside of her Manor. It sounded good when she thought about it, she felt proud and even a bit confused about it all.'

I did it! Look, Hephaestus!

Everything is going well…

"!"

'It was at that time she saw a small group approach the gates.'

"Artemis!"

'Hestia said it out loud, but obviously, no one heard her, but still, the sight of Hestia waving her hands on the window attracted her attention.'

'Artemis smiled, before she started to circle the manor, since getting in the front gate was pretty much impossible…'

…

/Sometime later…/

"Thank you for coming!" Said Hestia as she hugged Artemis

'Artemis was wearing her usual white and blue attire, since it was both good for combat, allowing her to move around quite freely, and it was also rather charming.'

"There's no need for that, I was the one who proposed to help at the end of the day…" Replied Artemis with an awkward smile

'Hestia looked behind Artemis and saw a group of girls following her.'

"You brought quite a lot of people with you today…"

That's more than I expected…

'Artemis suddenly raised her head.'

"Ah! I don't think I had the time to introduce all of them to you."

'The girls all nodded and bowed slightly to Hestia.'

"These are my Familia children, they all came to help."

'Rethusa suddenly came from the side.'

"Wasn't you the one that convinced us to come?"

'Artemis suddenly looked at her with an angry gaze, making Rethusa shut up.'

"..."

'Artemis started to look around, a bit shy. But she did not find her target.'

'So she asked, still a bit shy.'

"Is… Adventurer Silver around here?"

"Silver? He is…"

'But then it came to Hestia, now that she had some time to think and the girl in question on right in front of her, she remembered a distant memory from before the time Silver Leveled up…'

…

/Flashback…/

'This was when Hestia and Artemis met for the first time in Genkai…'

(CHAP 36)

…

"Do you like him?" Artemis asked with a small smile

'Usually, Artemis would disapprove and scold Hestia, however, after having a night-long talk with her Familia members, she learned to be laxer.'

"I do… EH?! Why that question out of nowhere?!" Asked Hestia as she lightly punched her friend

What happened to Artemis? shouldn't she be lecturing me right now?

"Ha… So even you…"

'Hestia was about to retort when she stopped in her tracks.'

"Even me?... IT CAN'T BE?! DID YOU ALSO… MUMPH!" Screamed Hestia in realization

'Artemis blocked Hestia's mouth with a red face.'

"Shiiu! It's a secret for now!"

"... PUHAAA… Hehe… Who is the lucky man?"

I can't even imagine the sort of person that could move her ice heart… I guess coming into the lower world does change people.

"... I met him yesterday… During the crisis… I was about to get ambushed by an enemy when he…"

…

/Flashback end/

'Hestia expression was frozen, an ashen look was now on her face.'

'As she looked at Artemis, she also realized one thing, and that was the fact she had confessed to liking Silver since that time! But looking at Artemis' expression… Did she forget that?'

What do I do?!

It's all his fault!

"ZZzzz."

'Silver, on the other hand, could be seen sleeping next to a big pond with a fishing rod in his hands, a few birds could even be seen next to him…'

'While the Apollo Familia's house wasn't as big as Loki's, its total area was much bigger than it, having a massive garden around it, a dance hall, and even a small forest around it…'

'So Silver just relaxed in a secluded area with his fishing rod…'

…

'Eventually, Hestia calmed down and managed to change the direction of the conversation to something more manageable.'

'She led everyone inside and made Rethusa and the others occupied with learning their roles from what Silver left.'

'And this left her and Artemis alone in a room…'

"... Are you sure I don't need to help?" Asked Artemis

"Well… If Silver was here, he would definitely say that it isn't fitting for a God to participate directly in such an activity… But he did prepare something for you. It's just that there is no need to do anything since he already did most of it."

'Hestia talked so fast she almost bit her own tongue, prompting Artemis to ask:'

"Are you okay? You look nervous…"

'Hestia jumped from her couch.'

"Nervous? Me? No no… I am fine…"

'But Artemis got up from her couch and knocked on her head lightly.'

"You were always a terrible liar."

'Hestia looked at her smile and she felt even worse…'

"Urg… I know… Silver tells me that quite frequently…"

'She gathered her courage and asked:'

"Artemis… Do you… Still like Silver?"

"EH!?"

'Artemis' face suddenly went red as she started to stutter:'

"Wh-Wh-What are you talkin…"

'But when she saw Hestia's serious expression she stopped and nodded.'

"Y-Yes… I do. I learned not to deny these emotions from my children…" She said with a shy smile

'Artemis put her hands on her cheeks trying to hide away her embarrassment.'

'This made Hestia's heavy heart drop even further.'

"Hestia? Are you really okay?" Asked Artemis, worried

"Urg… I am fine, I just need to think…"

'Under the heavy pressure of her heart and of her mind who was turning in itself trying to figure out an answer, Hestia said something she would regret greatly in the future…'

"SO BE IT!"

I can't let things continue like this!

'This sudden scream made Artemis fall back on her couch.'

"Artemis… Do you still remember what I told you when we first met?"

"What?..."

'Confused, Artemis started to go over her memories and eventually she remembered!'

"Oh? Are you talking about when we met at the Guild?"

'This calm reaction made Hestia doubt herself.'

"Are you sure we are on the same page? Try to…"

'But Artemis interrupted her with a smile.'

"Are you talking about the fact you like him?"

"?!"

'Hestia opened her eyes wide in shock, her mouth also fell to the ground in surprise…'

'Artemis looked at her and asked:'

"Was it such a surprise?"

"Of course it was! Last time we talked you still looked clueless!"

"True… At the start I didn't know, but it didn't take long for me to realize it… I was a bit confused at first about everything, but as time passed and I had more time to think, I realized it didn't matter much."

"And for a time, when my feelings were in desaray, my children helped me find my own way…"

'Hestia was shocked at simply how mature her friend was acting…'

"So you kept this realization a secret from me and you went to dance with him at the party?!"

'Artemis looked at hestia with a serious face before she did a cutesy pose as she playfully showed Hestia her tongue…'

"Hey! That's… Cheating!"

"What can I do? Love is such a complex thing… I heard from somewhere that there are no rules in love…" She said playfully

"Oi oi oi! That's not how it works! I like him and you like him!"

"From now on, you are a rival! I hope you don't call it cheating when I win!"

'She pointed straight at Artemis, but she just smiled.'

"Despite how much you have changed since you came to Genkai, you are still the same aren't you?"

'Hestia smiled awkwardly…'

'Artemis looked at the window, at the city of Orario under the bright sun.'

"It's… It's wonderful, this feeling, these emotions… I have no intention of letting go of them."

"Compared to you, I had much less time with him, and to be honest, my answer to this question would be rather lackluster… But I can say with confidence that I was the happiest when I danced with him at the party."

"He is my first love, I have no intention of letting go of him…"

'Hestia interrupted her.'

"You talk as if you won, don't get cocky, it's only the start and I have the advantage!"

'Artemis raised her head and asked:'

"What do you like about him?"

"?!"

'This question got her out guard! It was out of nowhere after all!'

'And from there, somehow, they started to talk and laugh, exchanging tales and gossip, most of it was about Silver, and everything was going well until Artemis let out thunder from her mouth:'

"I know how to solve our problem."

"Huh? How?"

Something is wrong…

"Can't we just divide… Hum? What's the word? Share?"

'Hestia stayed in silence looking at Artemis as if she was looking at a monster. Sweat falling from her forehead…'

"Wh-What is it? I heard it was rather common in the mortal world?"

'Hestia clenched her fists and said:'

"Th… That's not the problem here?!"

'She started to panic as she discussed with Artemis...'

…

/At the same time outside of the house…/

'Silver could be seen resting on a wooden chair, holding a small bamboo fishing rod. Strangely enough, there was no line connected to the fishing rod…'

"... What is he?…"

'Rethusa looked at Silver and she couldn't help but frown a little. She had been looking for him to discuss how things would go, and since Hestia had disappeared with Artemis, she had to do it on her own…'

And I found him here… Sleeping?

"ZZZzzz…"

/Tuck…/

"!"

'The bamboo rod suddenly moved, startling Rethusa.'

'Silver woke up almost instantaneously and just as he woke up, a red carp was pulled from the river, straight into a bucket of water at his side.'

"..."

What just happened?

'The rod did not move… In fact, how did it move in the first place? Or is he making fun of her? It has to be that…'

But I am sure he was sleeping…

'She approached him and asked:'

"What are you doing if you allow me to ask?"

'Silver turned his head to the side to look at Rethusa, and his first view was of her… Big boobs.'

'He turned his head again, facing the pond, with a smile, he replied:'

"What a way to start the day… I came to fish carp and caught a pufferfish… Two…"

/Bonk!/

'Rethusa knocked on his head with a sheet of paper in her hand, her face was a bit red.'

"I didn't know you were a pervert."

Trying to hit on me as well?... This guy...

"I'm sorry, that was just the first thing that came to my sight… From this angle, they are hard to miss as they are actually bigger than the sun…"

/Bonk!/

'She once again bonked his head, turned her face to the side and looked at the carps in the pond as she asked:'

"Are you ready to talk? I would like to better understand some of these things before we start…"

/Tuck…/

'Silver's bamboo rod trembled and another carp, this time green, was suddenly pulled out of the water. Once again confusing Rethusa.'

"Really, just what are you doing? How did the rod move?"

'Silver scratched his chin and said:'

"I am understanding the DAO…"

/Bonk!/

"Stop with your jokes, we have things to discuss."

Really… He's insufferable sometimes…

'Silver got up from his chair but he did not stop complaining:'

"Don't you dare look down on the DAO of fishing, it's an ancient practice dating back to…"

'And so, Silver who was incredibly bored chartered nonstop on Rethusa's ears until they got in the office…'

…

/A few minutes later…/

'A group of people, 4 girls and 2 guys could be seen walking around the streets of Orario…'

'One Elf, one Pallum, and one cat girl, all very cute girls. And behind them were two Humans, a middle-aged man, and a young man. They were being led by a green-haired beauty.'

"For the last time, please, we are late already!" Exclaimed the young Human man

'But he was ignored, the only one who heard him was the middle-aged man who tapped on his shoulder and shook his head in silence.'

'He was talking towards the 3 girls that were constantly stopping in front of every shop with a glass front to check and see if their clothes were alright.'

'The woman in green then opened her mouth to say:'

"There is no need to be so cautious, you all look very cute."

'But the catgirl replied:'

"You always say this, just like a parent to her child… NYA!"

'The green-haired girl suddenly grabbed the cat girl's tail!'

'The other two girls looked at each other and smiled.'

"Come on, if we get late who are we going to blame?" Asked the young man

'The girls looked at him without replying, scaring the young man.'

"..."

'The Elf girl looked at the crowd in the distance and smiled.'

Wait for me!

…

.

.

.