(Riven POV – Church Basement Room)
I blink my eyes open, the dim glow of the basement's lantern casting a warm, golden hue over the rumpled sheets. My arms are wrapped securely around Hestia, her small frame curled against my chest like a kitten. Her hair spills over my shoulder, tickling my skin, and her, soft, rhythmic breathing calms me.
'She makes the perfect body pillow.' I muse internally, a lazy smile tugging at my lips. 'How long has it been?' I wonder.
[Answer: It is currently 5:31 PM. You were asleep for roughly 7 hours.]
'Thanks, GS.' I think. 'And how long until Goliath spawns?'
[Answer: Approximately 12-14 hours.]
'That's plenty of time, but I'll need to head out tonight.' I calculate, my gaze drifting back to the Goddess in my arms. She's still out cold, her chest rising and falling gently. 'She slept all night, and somehow slept through the entire day. It's quite the impressive talent.'
I can't help but feel a swell of affection mixed with amusement. Gently, I brush a strand of her dark hair from her face. "Hestia... it's time to wake up." I whisper softly, giving her a light shake.
She stirs slowly, her head lifting just enough to reveal her sleepy, half-lidded blue eyes. She squints at me, adorable in her grogginess, and mumbles. "Just five more minutes..." Her voice is a cute, drowsy grumble.
A sudden impulse surges through me. Maybe it's the intimacy of the moment, or just the lingering haze of sleep. But before I can overthink it, I lean in and press a soft, tender kiss to her lips. It's meant to be quick, a gentle wake-up call.
But Hestia's eyes snap wide open in shock, her vibrant blues glaring with surprise. I brace for the usual… her face turning beet red, as she starts stuttering and yelling. Instead, to my utter astonishment, she doesn't pull away. Her eyelids slowly flutter shut, and she kisses me back, melting into it with a blissful sigh that makes my heart skip a beat.
Emboldened, she takes it further, her small hands fisting in my shirt as she deepens the kiss. It's passionate, hungry even, her lips moving against mine with a fervor I didn't know she had in her. My heart races, surprise giving way to excitement as I reciprocate, tightening my hold around her waist and pulling her closer. Our breaths mingle as the kiss turns into a tangle of tongues and soft moans that echo faintly in the quiet room.
Seconds stretch into what feels like minutes before her boldness falters. She breaks away with a gasp, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, chest heaving as she stares at me, wide-eyed and breathless. "R-Riven... I think that's enough..." She pants, her voice trembling but laced with a hint of reluctance, like she's not entirely sure she wants it to stop.
I grin, feigning innocence even as my pulse thunders in my ears. "You can't just dive in like that and bail once you're done. That's not how this works."
She squirms a little in my arms, realizing she's trapped against me, her body pressing into mine in ways that make it hard to think straight. Her pout is irresistible as her eyes plead with a mix of embarrassment and excitement.
"But... you started it…" She protests weakly, whining softly.
"I was going for a simple good morning kiss." I counter righteously, my hands sliding up her back, my fingers trailing her warm skin. "You escalated. So… you've got to take responsibility."
She bites her lower lip, her flush deepening, but there's an eager glint in her eyes, which surprises me. Hestia, who's usually extremely shy is looking at me like she can't wait for me to continue.
"At least... have mercy on me?" She begs, trying to sound pitiful, though her hands betray her as they clutch my shoulders like she'll never let me go.
I pause, genuinely pondering. 'Is this what she wanted all along? Am I being set up?' The thought crosses my mind, but I dismiss it.
Hestia's not the scheming type. She's too straightforward and pure-hearted for that… I think.
'Nah. I'm probably overthinking it. And either way, I'm happy with the result.'
"…I'll try?" I say with a grin, and what follows is a whirlwind of passion that stretches on for the next thirty minutes.
I capture her lips again, this time slower, savoring her taste as she whimpers softly into my mouth, her body arching against mine.
My hands wander. Light petting at first, tracing the curve of her hips, the dip of her waist, feeling the rapid beat of her heart under my palm as I skim over her chest. She gasps, her arms locking around my neck and pulling me closer.
Hestia's shyness peeks through in waves. She'll pull back for a breath, murmuring, "R-Riven, this is... too much," only to lean in again, her kisses growing bolder, her legs shifting restlessly against mine.
I trail kisses down her neck, nipping gently at her skin, eliciting soft, needy moans that make my blood roar. Her hands explore too, tentatively sliding under my shirt to feel my body.
It's intoxicating. The contrast of her usual timidity with this unexpected fire, the way her body trembles with a mix of nerves and desire.
And as hard as it is… I hold back, remembering that we don't have enough time to properly enjoy ourselves, and keep it teasing and light.
Eventually, however reluctantly, we slow down, both of us breathless and flushed. Her head rests on my shoulder as she catches her breath with a satisfied smile on her face.
"We should probably get something to eat." I say softly, running my fingers through her hair. "We haven't eaten all day."
"Yeah…" She mumbles dreamily.
Then—
"Wait." She suddenly sits up. "All day? What time is it?!"
"It's already evening." I laugh.
"…EH?!"
(Hestia POV – Church Basement Room)
"Ahh~" I sigh happily, patting my belly after finishing the last bite. "Your food is amazing, Riven! It's unfair that you're also good at cooking!"
"I'm glad you liked it." He says, rinsing the plates. "Now… onto business."
My ears perk.
"…Business?" I echo slowly.
He starts taking off his shirt.
"W-wait!" I squeak, waving my arms. "I just ate! I can't do that when I'm full!"
'I knew I teased him too much… Now I'm gonna get punished.' I think. And yet…
'A little bullying wouldn't be so bad…' The thought worms its way into my mind, and before it can go any further—
"What are you even thinking about?" Riven sighs. "I want to update my Falna."
"…Oh." I say, my voice carrying a hint of relief… and a bit of disappointment.
He pauses, smirking. "Though if you want something else, I can always—"
"N-NO! Falna! Falna is good!" I snap, slapping my cheeks. "Obviously that's what you meant! I never thought otherwise!"
"Sure you didn't." He says lightly, sitting on the bed and turning his back to me. "I'm ready whenever you are, Goddess."
For some reason, being called Goddess like that makes me pout a little. 'I prefer be just call me Hestia.' I grumble internally.
Regardless, I quickly kneel behind him, and grab a needle. "Okay! Let's see how much you've grown!"
I prick my finger and let my blood fall onto his back.
"Alright… let's see here—"
The letters appear quickly, but…
"…Huh?"
I blink.
"…Huh?!" My face drains of color.
"Is… is this broken?!" I gasp. "Riven, your Falna is doing something weird!"
"I doubt Falna can break." He says calmly. "So that's unlikely."
"That's not comforting at all!" I yell. "How would you even know whether it can break or not?"
I lean closer, eyes darting over the glowing status.
"…T-This… this can't be right…" I whisper.
My hands tremble.
"Your stats… they're—"
I swallow.
"They're way too high. All of them. And why do you have so many skills?! This…"
"Are skills hard to get?" He hums in an amused tone. "And if you work hard enough, your stats will rise. Nothing weird about it. It's rare, but there are still adventurers out there who push their stats to the limit."
I furrow my brow, looking at him suspiciously.
'Everything he says kinda makes sense…' I think, comparing this to everything I've learned so far. 'But this is way too weird no matter how you look at it.'
——————————
Name: Riven Alaric
Level 1 (Can Level Up)
Strength: SS1001 —⟩ SS1067—⟩ SSS1786
Endurance: SS1001 —⟩ SS1040—⟩ SSS1786
Dexterity: SS1001 —⟩ SS1070—⟩ SSS1786
Agility: SS1001 —⟩ SS1073—⟩ SSS1786
Magic: SS1001 —⟩ SS1112—⟩ SSS1788
<
<
[Blue Papilio Powder] [Purple Moth Powder]
*NEW*
[Ariel]
[Flame Breath]
<
[Great Sage] [Predator] [IronHeart]
<
*NEW*
[Sonic Scream]
[Howl]
[Fairy Canon]
——————————
Under Riven's urging, I finish transcribing his status and hand the parchment back to him.
He scans it once, then sighs. "…Yeah. About what I expected. I didn't really do much."
My eye twitches.
I clamp my mouth shut before something un-Goddesslike comes out.
I saw everything written there. Every number, every change. I know exactly what he's been through… and even though it makes my chest tighten, I also know—
'This time, he really wasn't in danger.'
He kept his promise.
That's what makes it hurt more.
'Even if I worry… it won't stop him.' I think bitterly. 'And I don't want to be a chain around his neck, either…'
My heart pulls in two directions—fear and pride, anger and relief.
In the end, I say nothing. 'Based on everything I saw… he was safe.'
I exhale slowly.
'Still… this growth isn't normal.'
I can't tell Hephaestus about his Falna… but I can ask her about what's actually normal, and maybe get some advice on how to deal with Riven's abnormal growth.
And just as I resolve myself, Riven's voice snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Alright then." He stands and stretches, putting in his shirt. "I guess it's time for me to head out."
"W-What? Now?" I blurt. "It's already night!"
"I wasted the whole day being a bum." He says casually, giving me a teasing look, which makes my cheeks burn. "And I need to level up soon. If I'm going to do that, I should max my stats first."
He says it like he's about to go out for a walk.
"…That logic makes sense…" I say slowly. "But I still hate it."
He chuckles.
"Just…" My voice softens as I clench my fists. "Just come back safe, okay?"
"I always will." He replies lightly. "I made a promise, and can't leave my Goddess lonely."
He steps forward and pulls me into a hug.
"Good night, Hestia."
Then he kisses my forehead.
And before I can say anything else, he turns and heads for the stairs.
I touch the spot on my forehead after he's gone, my fingers lingering there.
"…Idiot." I murmur quietly.
My chest feels tight.
But—
'I can help him too.' I clench my fists. 'I won't hold him back… but I won't stand still either.'
"…I'll go see Hephaestus." I whisper to myself.
I step out of the basement and into the church, heart heavy but determined.
'If Riven is walking forward…' I think with resolve. 'Then I'll be right there beside him!'
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A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So, this is the chapter. I had initially planned it different, but ended up making quite a few changes. How did it end up?
Mainly, the slightly spicy scene between the 2. I wasn't sure whether to cut it out or not, cause in one hand, I wanted to show the love, and on the other, it felt unnecessary. Let me know. Cause, depending on, it'd be easier to fade and summarise without all the exposition of no one really likes it. Although, it's a bad example here, since it slowed things down somewhat.
Ultimately, things are progressing, and we get to see Riven's status again. Let me know if I missed something. And, the hard cap will be 2k in stats. The extra 2 points in magic are the leftover points after dividing them and equalising all stats. I believe my math is decent, but feel free to run you own numbers and check🤣😭.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY.
But yeah, hopefully you enjoyed, and I hope you all have a great day/night😁