The next day, beneath the church.
Lin Dong opened his eyes. A heavy pressure and soft warmth pressed down on him.
He lifted the blanket, and sure enough, Hestia was wrapped around him like an octopus.
"Maybe I should buy a new bed."
Lin Dong skillfully freed himself, washed up, and went to the stove to cook.
When the Familia had first formed, they'd been so poor they only had one bed in the basement room.
Hestia couldn't bear to let Lin Dong sleep on the floor, so she proposed sharing the bed.
But maybe because it was too small, Hestia always ended up climbing onto him in her sleep.
The price Lin Dong paid was having to calm down the "brother who grew up with him" every morning, telling it: Hestia isn't Freya. Calm down.
"Mmm… smells so good…"
Possibly drawn by the aroma, Hestia woke up and wriggled her head out of the blanket, eyes half-open.
"Lin Dong, you're up so early today?"
"Food options in the dungeon are limited. I'm making a bento to take with me."
"Oh, I see."
"And I made your share too. Anything you want?"
"Fried potato balls!"
"Done."
"Yay! I like you the most, Lin Dong!"
Hestia threw the blanket off and cheered.
Now she didn't have to worry about lunch.
After washing up, she sat at the table.
Breakfast was egg sandwiches and milk.
Halfway through eating, Hestia seemed to remember something and looked up.
"Lin Dong, how much money do you have?"
"Two hundred ten thousand valis."
"That's a lot!"
Hestia gasped.
Before she met Lin Dong, her hourly wage was only thirty valis.
Even if she worked 24 hours a day without sleeping, it would take more than half a year to earn that much.
"With that much… hmm. Maybe we can try it."
"Try what?"
"Good money should be spent on a good blade. I'll take you somewhere in a bit."
Hestia winked mysteriously and refused to explain.
...
An hour later.
Hestia led Lin Dong into a volcano-shaped building in the Northeast District.
"Good morning, Hephaestus!"
Hestia greeted her friend, who came out after hearing the news.
"You again?"
Hephaestus looked like she had a headache.
This wasn't the first time.
Ever since she'd kicked Hestia out to live independently, Hestia had shown up every few days asking for "help."
"I told you last time—helping you find a place to live was the last favor."
"Ahh, don't be so cold. I'm here to do business this time!"
"Business?"
"Yeah. This is the child I found recently—his name is Lin Dong."
Hestia pointed beside her.
"You know I haven't been down here long, so I don't really understand gear for the children."
"Hephaestus, you're the expert. I want you to recommend suitable equipment—something that'll keep Lin Dong safe while exploring the dungeon."
"Anything else?"
"No."
"Fine. I can help you."
Hephaestus agreed.
Even if her Familia wasn't on Loki Familia's level, Hephaestus Familia was still a top-tier powerhouse in Orario.
Normally, recommending low-level adventurer gear wasn't something she personally handled.
But Lin Dong was Hestia's first child.
If Hestia came in person, that face was worth giving.
"Let me say this first—I can recommend equipment, but don't even think about discounts."
"No problem. We've got money!"
Hestia produced a flax-colored money pouch.
"Two hundred thousand valis. Here!"
"That much?"
Hephaestus was surprised.
Not long ago, when she'd kicked Hestia out, Hestia had been penniless.
Even Hestia's living arrangements and job had been something Hephaestus later helped set up.
Two hundred thousand valis wasn't much to Hephaestus, but it was absolutely a fortune to Hestia.
"Hehe—didn't expect that, did you?"
"These are all Lin Dong's earnings. He made it in just one week!"
Hestia held up a finger, smug as if she'd earned it herself.
"One week?"
Hephaestus looked at the black-haired boy.
Going from zero to one was always the hardest part.
Even without forging, Hephaestus would find it difficult to earn that much in a single week.
"Looks like you got lucky, Hestia. You found a capable kid."
"Yep! Lin Dong's super amazing!"
"So for Lin Dong's safety, you have to pick him a good set!"
"No problem. Come with me."
Hephaestus led them into the warehouse.
This section stored low-tier gear—the kind priced from a few thousand up to several hundred thousand.
"Lin Dong. Any requirements?"
"Lightweight, decent defense. For a weapon, a blade—sharper is better."
"Got it."
A standard speed-type adventurer.
Hephaestus had seen plenty. She knew what fit.
After searching deeper, she returned with a silver set of armor.
"This is hardened leather and metal, forged with materials like horn-rabbit drops. As long as it's not severely damaged, it can easily block goblins and lizardmen."
"Let me see—so light!"
Hestia took it, shocked at how light it was.
Even with her sealed power and ordinary strength, she could lift it one-handed.
"For your weapon, I recommend this. It's made from refined iron and horn-rabbit horn. By newbie standards, it's top-class."
Hephaestus took a long blade from a shelf and handed it to Lin Dong.
"Very nice."
Lin Dong tested the grip and nodded in satisfaction.
"I'll take these. How much?"
"Two hundred thousand valis."
"So expensive!"
Hestia yelped.
After keeping ten thousand for emergencies, she had exactly two hundred thousand left.
Buying this meant instant poverty again.
"Hephaestus… you didn't calculate that price on purpose, did you?"
"Of course. I have to make money too."
A lie.
If sold in her shop, this set would easily go for at least five hundred thousand.
She said "no discounts," but she still softened.
Taking the money, Hephaestus looked at Lin Dong.
"There's a changing area. Put it on and see if it fits. If it doesn't, we'll swap."
...
-------
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
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