FAMILIA PANACEA
“ACHOO!!!”
A tremendous sneeze causes Goddess to jerk up in bed, casting off the covers and making her twin ponytails fly up. I pile up her many blankets again and replace the hand towel that’s fallen off her forehead.
“Urgh…” she groans.
“A-are you okay, Goddess?”
“Ha-ha, Yeah, I’ll be fine…probably…” she answers, failing to inspire much confidence.
I’ve been running around trying to take care of her. Her round cheeks and slender neck have turned an angry shade of red, and her eyes are distant and unfocused. She’s shivering constantly as if she’s freezing, curled up underneath a mountain of blankets.
There’s no getting around it—she’s definitely come down with something.
“I didn’t even know goddesses could get sick,” I remark.
“We usually can’t. But when we came down from the heavens, we made it so that we could.”
I have been looking after Goddess all day, attending her bedside in the church basement that we call home.
It all began this morning, just after I woke up. I was getting ready to head to the Dungeon when I heard her cough like she had been trying to hide it.
I may not be good at understanding women, but I knew what she was trying to do. When I was a child, I would always hide under my covers and try not to sneeze so my grandfather wouldn’t have to look after me.
But now that the cat’s out of the bag, I can’t just leave her alone, so I spend the morning checking her temperature and making sure she has enough blankets to stay warm.
“I understand there are rules,” I say, “but did you really have to go and make life difficult for yourselves?”
“H-hey! Come on, Bell. Don’t look at me like that! You should be proud of us! There’s no greater way to understand our children than to experience the pain and suffering they have to go through on a daily—HAUGH!! HAOUGH!!”
“Goddess?!”
It almost sounds like she’s going to tear her throat coughing, but there’s nothing I can do for her except pitifully call her name. I can tell she must be heating up since her whole face is red even though she’s shivering madly.
It does seem to be just a common cold, though…
“Ugh…”
“Goddess?”
She tries to speak, so I lean closer. Her eyes are closed, and she’s shaking hard.
“…I’m cold. Snuggle up with me, Bell. We need to huddle together for warmth…”
She must be delirious. Probably has a fever, too.
I check the wet towel on her forehead, and it’s already lukewarm. I remove it and refresh it with some cold water from a pitcher. Then I wring it until it’s damp and use it to wipe the sweat off Goddess’s brow.
When I gently brush her cheek with my finger, it feels unbelievably warm, and after a moment’s hesitation, I place the back of my hand to her head. It feels like a furnace.
“That feels good…” Goddess mumbles, her eyes still closed, placing her hand over mine. As I listen to her shallow breathing, my worry grows. I want to help her somehow—anything to alleviate her suffering, even a little.
I rack my brain. What did Grandpa always do for me when I was sick? He would wipe my sweat, give me hot food to eat, make me medicine…
Medicine…
Of course! I should get her something to soothe the pain! It might help her recover quicker, too. But does our medicine even work on deusdea? There’s a chance it might even be harmful to them.
Besides, if I go out and buy some, I’d be leaving Goddess alone…
Unable to come to a decision, I simply let time pass. And as I am wondering what to do, I hear a voice.
“Mr. Bell! Are you in?”
There’s a dainty knock at the front door, and I turn to see Lilly poking her head inside.
“Lilly!” I exclaim.
“You didn’t come to the Dungeon, so I came to see what was keeping you,” she explains. “Has something come up?”
Lilly and I always meet at the same time and place before heading into the Dungeon. She must have been confused when I didn’t show. But right now, my little Dungeon partner is like my shining angel. I stand up and beckon her inside.
“Could you help me, Lilly?! Goddess is sick, and I need to go out! Can you look after her?! I’ll pay you back. I promise!”
“M-Mr. Bell?!”
Immediately upon entering, Lilly has to weather my barrage of questions. Before she has a chance to reply, I’ve scraped together what money I have and am out the door.
“I’m just going to get medicine!” I shout. “I’ll be back soon!”
“He’s gone…”
“Ughh… Bell, hold my hand…”
“You’ll have to make do with Lilly’s, I’m afraid. I don’t mind, though.”
“…Whaaa?!”
I run down the crowded streets of West Main Street and dip down a side road. My panic causes me to take the wrong turn a few times, but eventually, I reach my destination: a single house built in a spot with very little sunlight. I open the wooden door and rush inside, screaming, “Excuse me, is Lord Miach here?!”
This is the home of Miach Familia. The interior is lined with shelves and cupboards, and standing there are Miach and Nahza. They seem to be in the middle of cleaning up, carrying wooden boxes around the shop. They turn to look at me as I enter.
“What’s the matter, Bell?” Miach asks. “Did something happen?”
“Goddess is bedridden!” I blurt out.
Under the soft gaze of his ultramarine eyes, the same color as his hair, I explain the situation.
Miach Familia is a group dedicated to brewing and selling potions and other healing items. It’s the best place to come for anyone seeking medical advice, and as a fellow deity, Lord Miach may have some insight into my goddess’s condition as well.
When I am finished explaining and out of breath, Nahza says, “Here…” and hands me a glass of water, which I accept with a thank-you. While I calm down, Miach places his chin in his hands and mulls over the problem. Then he looks at me and smiles.
“Don’t worry, Bell,” he said. “I’ve got just what you’re looking for—a wonder cure to treat any god’s ailment!”
“R-really?!”
“Yes.”
But before I can ask more, Lord Miach begins to explain.
“It costs nothing to prepare. The procedure, however, is paramount, and of course, it shall require a bit of legwork. To that end, Bell, I’m afraid I must ask for your cooperation.”
“I-I’ll help! Whatever it is, I’ll do it!”
“Very good.”
Miach gives me a satisfied smile, then turns to Nahza.
“Get everything ready for us, will you?” he asks her. “Bell and I are going to go for a walk.”
“I understand,” Nahza replies. Then she turns her sleepy gaze on me. “Good luck, Bell…”
I nod, and the girl heads toward the back rooms of the shop.
“Erm, Lord Miach? What exactly is it we have to do?” I ask, feeling a little left out of the loop.
Miach raises his hood and smiles. “Oh, just gather a few things, that’s all.”
“Are you here, Demeter?”
Tucked around the back of an idyllic wooden house is a snug garden—a farm, really—surrounded by a handmade fence. As a helpful lady from the familia leads us around the side of the building, I catch the scent of earth and leaves. It reminds me of my childhood.
There we find the goddess, sowing seeds. She turns at the sound of Miach’s voice.
“Ah, Miach. What is it today?”
The goddess—Demeter—wears a loose kirtle and a straw hat and smiles at the god’s approach. A tuft of her fluffy, honey-colored hair peeks out from under the brim and glimmers in the sunlight.
“Oh,” she says, noticing me. “You are…Bell, if I’m not mistaken. Hestia’s follower? I’m terribly sorry for interrupting your special time the other day.”
When she calls out to me, my shoulders stiffen, and all I can say is, “Th-that’s okay!”
Some time ago, when I tried to go out for dinner with Lady Hestia, Demeter and a few other goddesses…ambushed us, I guess? Even just thinking back on it makes my whole face go red. My face, buried in Lady Demeter’s chest…I shake my head and do my best not to look at the impossible-to-miss curves that her clothes aren’t hiding at all.
“Well, it’s actually because of Hestia that I’m here. Bell here tells me she’s fallen ill.”
“Hestia’s sick?”
“That’s what I hear. And so I was wondering if you might share some herbs with me.”
According to Miach, Demeter’s familia is a commerce-focused group that grows and sells fruits, vegetables, and other produce. This small field we’re standing in is only the tip of the iceberg. Demeter Familia apparently owns large tracts of land beyond the city walls, and they supply a good portion of Orario’s food.
There’s also another aspect to their business unique to the Labyrinth City. Demeter Familia buys strange fruits and seeds that adventurers find in the depths of the Dungeon and attempts to cultivate them up on the surface. They’ve apparently introduced many new crops to the people of Orario already, which are always very popular among civilians and adventurers alike. I couldn’t believe it when I first heard it.
Fruits found in the Dungeon also tend to be more nutritious than their aboveground counterparts, and herbs found there are far more effective, so they’re very useful ingredients for making items that can help adventurers.
So this is what Lord Miach came here for…
One of those plants must be the ingredients for Goddess’s cure. Perhaps he intends to gather everything we need from places around the city.
Lady Demeter seems to pick up on something, too. She turns to me and smiles.
“I see. Well, why didn’t you say so? I’ll give you some that we picked today. Oh, Persephone! Bring me some rinne herbs, will you?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
After she calls over to her follower, Lady Demeter turns and smiles at Lord Miach, and I reflexively smile as well.
That’s the first ingredient obtained.
“W-we’re going here?”
When I see the walls of the next location before me, I suddenly get cold feet. We are on Northwest Main Street, the avenue known as Adventurers Way, looking up at an impressive red shop front.
The sign hanging above the door reads Hφαιστος.
“Excuse me. Is anyone in?”
In stark contrast to my timidness, Lord Miach strides right through the front door, leaving me to hurry in after him.
“Come in!”
Beyond the thick door, we spot a clerk, smartly dressed in a crimson uniform, who immediately greets us. She shoots us a puzzled look, no doubt because we are dressed nowhere nearly finely enough to be patrons, but Lord Miach raises a hand to head off any questions.
“Don’t worry,” he says, with a gallant smile, and the clerk immediately goes red. Wh-what is this power?
Lord Miach seems to know exactly where he’s going and heads straight to the back of the shop, causing the clerk to cry out, “Erm, I’m sorry, sir—I mean, my lord, that area is not for customers!”
“Oh, we aren’t customers,” Lord Miach replies, unruffled. “I just need to have a few words with your goddess. Don’t worry. I promise I won’t get up to anything shady.”
I quickly follow him in silence like a baby duck, trotting across the lavish hall decorated with all kinds of expensive-looking arms and armor. Unfortunately, Lord Miach doesn’t stand still long enough for me to take a closer look.
“What’s with all the noise out there?!”
Just as we are about to cross the counter and enter the door behind it, we hear somebody coming down the stairs on the other side, and the door opens, revealing a crimson-haired goddess with a patch over her right eye.
L-Lady Hephaistos…
All the muscles in my body tense up. Standing before me is the leader of the most famous smithing familia in the entire world.
“Oh, it’s you, Miach. Been a while. And this is…?”
“Oh, have you two not met? Allow me to introduce you. This young fellow is Bell of Hestia Familia.”
“P-pleased to meet you!” I yell, bowing deeply. Hephaistos appraises me with her uncovered eye. I stand still, nervous until she smiles.
“I see. So you’re the one Hestia’s always talking about.”
“She is…?”
“Heh, you didn’t hear that from me. I’m Hephaistos. Good to meet you, Bell Cranell.”
“L-likewise…”
She extends a hand, and feeling obliged, I take it and receive a firm handshake. She is much taller than me, though not as tall as Lord Miach, and stunningly beautiful. I’m not sure what it is. She just seems…impressive, in a way.
“I’d like to ask about that knife I forged…but I assume you have business with me first, Miach.”
“Indeed. You see, Hestia’s in a bit of a pickle…”
As the flustered clerk returns to her post, Lord Miach explains the situation, causing Lady Hephaistos to furrow her brow.
“Hestia, a cold? Are you sure she’s not faking it to get out of work?”
“N-no! You’ve got to believe me! She’s really sick!”
“Believe me, I know what you mean,” says Lord Miach. “But you mustn’t doubt this child. He’s come all the way here to ask for your help, and he wouldn’t do that lightly.”
“…Fine. I’ll believe you for now. So what do you need?”
“A pot.”
“A what?”
Hephaistos raises an eyebrow in disbelief. I’m just as shocked.
“We need it to mix Hestia’s medicine,” Lord Miach explains. “As embarrassing as it is to admit, all of mine are worn out, and it’s about time to get a replacement.”
“That’s what you want? A pot?”
I mean, sure, blacksmiths generally work with more than just weapons and armor, but I can’t shake the feeling that commissioning the world-renowned Hephaistos Familia for a piece of kitchenware is somewhat overkill…
“My good friend is suffering, and I shall spare no effort,” Lord Miach replies. “But more than anything, Bell here is working admirably for his goddess’s sake, and I find that truly inspiring.”
He places a hand on my head, causing me to look up at him in confusion. He smiles and gives Hephaistos a look. After a moment, she smiles, too.
“Heh. Fine. I’ll do it,” she says.
“And will you require payment?”
“Nah, you’ve got me interested now. But if I decide it’s not worth my time, I’ll send Hestia the bill.”
Hephaistos leaves in a good mood, telling us the pot will be ready if we come back later. It seems she’s going to make it herself right here, using the store’s workshop.
We exit onto the street, my mind still reeling with incredulity, but my ears prick up when Miach says, “On to the next place, then.” I hurry on after him.
“Right, that should be all for now.”
After gathering several other items, and with pot in hand, we returned to the home of Miach Familia, where Nahza was waiting. I was led into a back room, which contained a large table overflowing with test tubes, mortars, and other alchemical equipment.
“Erm, Lord Miach? What kind of medicine is this exactly?”
I’ve been wondering about it all day. A miracle cure that could heal any god’s ailment? Was it really something that could be brewed so easily—and for free?
“Hmm, well, I suppose it’s about time to come clean. The truth is, the medicine we’re about to brew is nothing special. It doesn’t need to be to treat a god.”
“What?!”
This revelation strikes me dumb, and before I can get out another word, Lord Miach smiles at me and continues.
“That said, this medicine will be more effective on Hestia’s ills than any common tonic. That is because it contains your love and hard efforts, Bell. There is no better cure for a god than their follower’s devotion.”
Lord Miach turns his kind eyes on me, and I can think of nothing else to say. Is this what he meant by “the procedure is paramount”?
“Wouldn’t you feel better if Hestia made something for you when you were sick?” Nahza says to me in her usual drawl, clapping me on the shoulder. “Now let’s get started.”
I look at her, and then to Lord Miach, who’s still beaming. I can feel myself smiling as well and nod.
And so, under Ms. Nahza’s careful guidance, I clumsily brew the concoction that will hasten Goddess’s recovery.
“Bell…! Hurry up and come home…! Supporter girl’s not good enough…!” wailed Hestia between coughing fits. Lilly wet a towel with water and trotted over.
“I’m right here, you know,” she said, a reproachful look in her eyes. “Now sit up, please. You’ve gotten all sweaty again. Do you want to change your clothes before Mr. Bell comes back?”
“Yes, please…” said Hestia, raising her arms.
“…You’ve gotten quite demanding while Mr. Bell’s been gone, haven’t you?”
Hestia seemed to be leaning on the “helpless patient” excuse a little too heavily for Lilly’s taste. The girl sighed and helped the goddess disrobe. Then she diligently wiped off Hestia’s sweat, glaring daggers at her impressive chest that jiggled at the slightest touch.
Suddenly, the door flew open.
“I’ve brought your medicine, Goddess!”
“EEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!”
Bell’s sudden return threw the two young girls into a panic. Lilly covered for Hestia, panting with exertion, while the goddess hastily pulled her clothes back on.
“B-Bell, you’re back sooner than I expected,” said Hestia with a strained smile. “Did you find some medicine already?”
“W-well, you see, the thing is…” said Bell, blithely ignoring the girls’ flustered state and dropping his gaze to the large pot in his arms. Just then, Miach came into the home behind him and finished what the young boy was finding so difficult to say.
“Bell here made it for you himself,” he said. “All because he couldn’t bear to see his dear goddess suffer.”
“B-Bell…you made this…for me?”
“E-everyone else did all the hard work,” Bell humbly protested. “B-but…yeah.”
While his face became redder and redder, Bell brought the pot over to Hestia. Lilly made some space, and the boy poured its light blue contents into a glass, which he handed to his goddess.
“H-here you go.”
“Th-thanks…”
Hestia scrutinized the concoction for a moment, then downed it in a single gulp. As soon as she did, her ponytails leaped up like they had been possessed, and she began to shake. Bell and Lilly looked on in horror, but Miach only smiled.
Eventually, when Hestia looked up, there were tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Bell,” she said, beaming. Bell was overjoyed—the miracle cure had done its work.
“Isn’t that nice, Lady Hestia?” said Lilly. “Mr. Bell takes just as good care of you as I do!”
“Heh-heh. That just goes to show how strong the bond is between me and Bell! I guess you probably wouldn’t understand, supporter girl. It’s just one of the many perks of being a literal goddess!”
“Whatever you say. Oh, Mr. Bell. Shall we go somewhere private to discuss my usual compensation?”
“What?!”
Bell was relieved to see his goddess full of energy again, a far cry from her poor state that morning. He gave an appreciative bow to Miach, who was watching over the boisterous duo with a smile on his face.
At that moment, the door to the church’s secret basement opened, and three more figures stepped in.
“Hestia, are you okay?” asked Demeter, carrying a basket piled high with fruit. “We brought some things to help you recover.”
“Or so we figured, but it looks like you’re almost more energetic than usual,” added Hephaistos, holding a bottle of some refreshment.
“Yoo-hoo, Bell…” said Nahza, at the head of the party.
Hestia’s eyes went wide when she saw who had shown up. “Demeter! Hephaistos!” she cried. “Why are you guys here?”
“I just came on a whim,” said Hephaistos. “If you want to thank anyone, thank your follower.”
“Tee-hee! Consider us a bonus to go along with your cure,” Demeter said coyly. “But since we’re all in one place, shall we have a little party?”
“Oh, sounds great!” exclaimed Hestia.
“You’re sick, so you need to stay put and get some rest.”
“H-Hephaistos?!”
“Heh-heh. Seems like everyone is getting along nicely,” said Miach with a smile, watching the goddesses bicker while the mortals simply watched from the sidelines. Bell, Lilly, and Nahza looked to one another and shared a grin before taking charge of the cooking, pouring out the juice Hephaistos brought into glasses, and cutting up Demeter’s basketful of fruit into bite-size portions.
Once the table was set, everyone raised their glasses, and Hestia spoke.
“A toast, then! To Bell’s hard work today and to our enduring friendship!”
With great big smiles on their faces, the god, goddesses, and their loyal followers clinked their glasses together.
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