Hephaestus touched her right eye, offering Roy a slightly apologetic word.
"It's my fault for not notifying in advance and disturbing you. I hope you don't mind," Roy apologized.
"You're here about this?" Hephaestus glanced at the Hestia Sword in Roy's hand, as if she'd anticipated it, and asked with a chuckle.
"Yes," Roy nodded calmly.
"How does the weapon feel? Is it to your liking?" Hephaestus asked.
"Though I haven't tested it in the dungeon yet, it feels great in hand," Roy replied honestly.
"What did Hestia tell you?" Hephaestus asked with a smile.
Both she and Roy tacitly understood the situation, guessing what Hestia had shared without needing details.
"Hestia said your deep friendship made you agree to her request and forge this Hestia Sword," Roy said, placing the sword on the table.
"But I think it's not that simple.
"The value of this weapon far exceeds a first-tier one—it can't be as casual as Hestia described."
"One billion," Hephaestus parted her red lips, uttering a staggering figure.
"How much?" Roy was taken aback.
Bell's dagger in the anime cost only 200 million valis—who knew this divine sword would be one billion?
"If sold outright, this weapon I forged would fetch at least one billion valis," Hephaestus explained, producing a note and laying it on the table.
"This is Hestia's IOU."
One version in common script, one in hieroglyphs.
It looked formal and upscale.
A dizzying series of zeros.
"I'm not doubting the IOU's authenticity—just shocked by the weapon's value," Roy said.
Hephaestus replied, "This is one of the finest I've forged since descending. I consider this price a bargain.
"But this is between Hestia and me—you needn't worry."
"You can't expect Hestia to shoulder such debt alone," Roy said helplessly.
Hephaestus shook her head. "Not just anyone could commission a weapon from me."
"So, you really did trick Hestia?" Roy felt his suspicion confirmed.
"Trick... more or less," Hephaestus admitted without hiding. "She's too much of a shut-in.
"Without divine power, she's just a freeloader waiting to eat."
Hephaestus sighed helplessly. "I thought evicting her to form her own Familia would curb her heavenly laziness.
"But who knew she'd luck into a freak like you..." Hephaestus eyed Roy.
"Freak..." Roy's mouth twitched—Hephaestus was blunt.
"Isn't it? What adventurer defeats Lv.5 without Falna?" Hephaestus shot him an annoyed look.
"A normal adventurer joining Hestia Familia would've been fine.
"Though hopeless at life skills, Hestia has responsibility.
"After starting her Familia, she'd shoulder her role as goddess, adventure with members, and learn lower-world living."
"But with you, she slacks off.
"You're too capable—Hestia feels no life pressure.
"Plus your indulgence, she'll waste away."
Buying a luxury home right after founding the Familia—not just for new groups, even established ones found it extravagant.
No wonder Hephaestus worried.
Hearing this, Roy had no rebuttal.
"Anyway, I burdened Hestia with this debt to pressure her out of freeloading," Hephaestus said.
"It's between us—stay out.
"I'll have her work in my shop to repay, interacting with lower-world folk and learning basics."
"I see," Roy nodded, opting not to interfere.
Girlfriend schemes harbored no malice.
"Tsubaki, take Roy to the workshop—I left a scabbard there," Hephaestus called out, then told Roy, "It matches your sword; I finished it two days ago."
After all, gods sealed arcanum upon descending.
Forging the weapon exhausted Hephaestus over three days—she needed rest.
"Lady Hephaestus, one question before I go—please answer honestly," Roy asked seriously.
"Ask away," Hephaestus nodded, matching his gravity.
"In heaven, besides forging goddess, did you hold motherhood godhead too?" Roy quipped before bolting.
"Delete that brat!" Hephaestus fumed at his retreating back, half-amused, half-annoyed at the tease.
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter