by Fujino Omori
She forced the matter about Bell away from her head, and in the darkening vision, Hestia mercilessly closed her eyes.
× × ×
Kacha Kacha.
The sound of the cutlery came from outside.
It gently stimulated the ears and gently woke her up. With her blurry vision, Hestia slowly opened her eyes.
After blinking a few times, she slowly moved her hands to remove the blanket that was covering her.
Her face was gently revealed from the blanket and the Magic Lamp illuminated Hestia’s face. She unconsciously narrowed her eyes.
“……”
With a groggy mind and blurry vision, she immediately saw a white figure.
It was moving back and forth between the kitchen and dining table, and it was trying not to make a sound as it gently moved on the ground.
Soon, a faint aroma of soup drifted out.
“……”
Removing the other blanket that covered her body, she slowly lifted her upper body.
The white figure immediately noticed and turned his head and approached Hestia.
“Good morning, Kami-sama.”
“……Yes.”
Towards the gently smiling Bell, Hestia nodded her head.
Raising her head, she noticed that it was already 7 o’ clock at night. Her consciousness was shrouded in a dazed-like state for a few seconds, then Hestia attempted to wake it up and shook her head.
Her hairband on her twintails, patapata, shook left and right.
“……Did you prepare it?”
“Yes. Because Kami-sama seems to be tired……Sorry, I did it by myself.”
A simple salad, peeled potatoes and the recently made soup was on the table.
The soup was placed into a lovely wooden bowl, and exuded a lukewarm heat.
“Today you came back earlier than ever.”
Wanting to cover the scene she saw earlier on and due to the small things that warmed and made her happy, Hestia could not help but use an ironic tone.
“Did you encounter something good?” Towards her, who refused to look at him in the eye, Bell revealed a shocked expression, then shortly, he began to blush slight and temporarily walked away.
He had his back towards Hestia as he took something out from the cupboard, then he came in front of her again.
“That, this……Kami-sama, please accept it.”
“……Eh?”
What was handed out was a small box.
Hestia froze for a moment while widening her eyes, she slowly accepted the small box.
She opened the box, inside there was a pair of hairband.
A hairband with blue petals on top of it was trimmed with tiny silver bells.
“Bell-kun, this is……”
“K…Kami-sama’s hairband that she is using now seems to be broken, so about that, how should I put it……”
A present……Bell muttered with a tiny voice that was about to disappear.
Hestia was really stunned his time. She widened her eyes and lowed at the boy, who was gently bowing his head and had his bangs covering his red face.
The familiar small box that the hairband was in, was the item that Bell had showed to the half-elf girl in the guild headquarters.
It wasn’t for her, but rather to confirm whether the quality was good or bad——In the perspective of the same sex, will they like this present—— and inquired about this.
Recalling the expression of the girl playing around with Bell, Hestia realized her mistake.
(Speaking of which, so I was seen……)
A few days ago, the matter about her looking at the display window at the North West Main Street.
Looking at the hairband that was similar to the one on the doll she was interested in, Hestia understood.
“I…I did not plan on hiding it, but I didn’t feel that it was something I could say without an apparent reason, so…s…sorry.”
“……”
Staring at Bell, whose words were becoming incoherent, Hestia quietly smiled.
Both her cheeks turned red, but on the other hand, she felt unsatisfied.
Even though she had easily given up on giving a present to Bell, but he completely did not do it.
Bell’s thoughts were larger than hers, and it was gentler as well.
“So in order to give this to me, you stayed longer in the dungeon exploring?”
“About that, yes…..Yes, I did.”
“You’re really an idiot……”
It must not have been cheap. Hestia thought as she looked at the high-quality hairband.
In order to earn money, he had explored the dungeon every day for numerous days. He would return with his body filled with fatigue. There must be times when he was even in danger.
Hestia closed her eyes, and slowly relaxed her expression.
“Bell-kun.
“Y…Yes.”
“Help me put that on.”
“Ha?”
“It is your gift. I want you to help me put it on.”
Looking at the flustered Bell, Hestia exposed a smile and pulled his hand.
She came up before the mirror and sat down on a chair. Looking directly above her, she spoke to Bell, who was standing behind her, to hurry up and revealed a smile.
Bell, who was terrifyingly disturbed, finally made up his mind. He nervously picked up the hair band and carefully extended his hand.
“Bell-kun, thank you……Also, I’m sorry.”
“Eh?”
“Ohoh, nothing.”
Hestia revealed a faint smile towards Bell, who was afraid of touching her hair.
While staring at the boy’s expression filled with hardship through the mirror, Hestia heard the sound of her chest calming down.
The moment his hands touched her dark black hair, Hestia seemed to narrow her eyes just like a cat and entrusted herself to this comfortable time.
“……Hey, Bell-kun.”
“Yes?”
“Meeting you, and you becoming my first dependent……I am very happy.”
She quietly convey these thoughts, Bell suddenly stopped his hand.
Then slowly, as if he was really happy, he innocently smiled.
“I also felt that meeting with Kami-sama was really great.”
The smile reflected by the mirror. Hestia also responded with a faint smile while her cheeks were slightly red.
——She will love this child.
The tiny Goddess understood this point.
No matter what time it is, she will want to watch over him and the story engraved on his back. Hestia was only looking forward to that time.
Shortly after, above the clumsily tied up twintails.
A small silver bell rang out, playing a clear sound.
