AN HOUR LATER
VESTA
The first floor of the Dungeon smelled just like I remembered, damp stone, faint magical hums, and a hint of something that probably should not exist outside of monster lairs. Adventurers were darting around, swords clashing, spells flashing, and none of them noticed me. Not that I cared.
I adjusted my satchel, knife balanced perfectly between my fingers. Small, sharp, precise, the perfect tools for a quiet goddess who didn't need anyone watching. From the corner of the corridor, I saw two goblins squabbling over a scrap of rotten meat.
"Hey! That's mine!" one hissed, brandishing its tiny club.
"No, mine!" The other screeched.
I sighed, ducking under a swing, and flicked my knife in a smooth arc. One down. A quick kick to the second sent it sprawling.
"Really, you two should learn to share." I muttered.
Nearby, a young swordsman was struggling against another pair of goblins. His arms trembled, his sword shook, and his voice was pitched somewhere between panic and despair.
"Help! Someone-!"He screamed.
I tossed a small loaf of herb-infused bread near his feet.
"What the-?" He muttered, catching it mid-fight.
He bit down, and the faint divine energy in my cooking surged through him. His bruises faded, his stamina returned, and he lunged forward with renewed vigor.
"Whoa! Where… where did that come from?" He gasped, cutting down a goblin in a single, surprisingly clean strike.
"Bread helps." I said, ducking under a swing from another goblin.
The young man's eyes went wide.
"Did… did you just-?"He asked.
I vanished behind a pillar before he could finish.
"Nothing. Just… rogue morale."I said.
Down the corridor, an archer staggered, quiver half empty and her hands trembling.
"Need some help?" I called softly.
She spun, eyes wide.
"Who said that?"She asked.
"Just… consider it encouragement." I muttered, tossing another loaf her way.
One bite, and her breathing steadied. Arrows flew straighter and faster than before. She blinked, completely baffled.
"I… I don't understand…" She whispered.
"You will. Eventually." I said with a shrug, ducking under another goblin swing.
As I moved through the dungeon, I noticed faintly glowing mushrooms clinging to the walls. Perfect for seasoning, or roasting with a little goblin meat.
"A pinch of this, a dash of that, and dinner's practically guaranteed to heal someone without them knowing why."I whispered to myself.
A young mage stumbled past me, staff swinging wildly.
"Oh gods… help me! I can't"He panicked.
I tossed a small bunch of herbs near her feet. She bit one, then another, and a faint golden glow rolled over her. Her eyes widened.
"I… I feel… strong… energized?!"She asked.
"You're welcome." I said, ducking as her wand accidentally misfired a small fireball at a wall.
"Wait! Who-?!"She asked, surprised.
"No one you need to know." I whispered, already moving down the corridor.
After helping a few more adventurers in silence, I crouched near a pile of rubble to examine my gathered ingredients: goblin meat, strange mushrooms, dungeon roots, and a handful of tiny leafy herbs. Not bad for a quick sweep of the first floor. Something blue twinkled faintly in the rubble. Curious, I reached down and picked up a small mana stone. Huh. Well… might as well take it. One could enhance a dish or make subtle healing easier.
"Hmm… not bad for a field trip." I muttered.
Another glint caught my eye. Two more stones, tucked beneath debris. I slipped them into a hidden pocket of my satchel. Not what I came for, but a goddess doesn't leave useful things behind. Suddenly, shouting echoed from deeper in the hall.
"Oh no." I muttered, tightening my grip on my knife.
A small party of adventurers was cornered by a horde of goblins, five, maybe six. They were panicking.
"Uh… someone, anyone help!" One shouted.
"Someone already is." I murmured, stepping forward.
I ducked and weaved between the goblins, slicing and disarming with precise movements. Meanwhile, I tossed herb bread and mushrooms to the cornered adventurers.
"What the-?!" Shouted a young swordsman as a loaf hit the ground by his feet.
He bit down mid-strike, and a golden warmth surged through him. Cuts healed, bruises faded, stamina returned.
"Wha…? How…?!" The archer stammered as she caught a tossed mushroom and ate it.
Her aim sharpened instantly.
"Focus on the fight." I muttered. "I have got… the rest."
By the time the last goblin crumpled, the adventurers looked around, confused.
"We… we didn't even get hit that badly." One said.
"Yeah… what happened?" Another asked.
I crouched behind a pillar, smirking.
"Bread, herbs… a little divine seasoning. Nothing they'll ever know."I whispered.
I stood and brushed dust off my hands. The first floor was quiet again, though distant shuffles reminded me not to relax. I checked my spoils: goblin meat, dungeon mushrooms, roots, a few herbs… and the faintly glowing mana stones tucked in my satchel. Useful, yes, but the real treasure was the ingredients themselves. Dinner tonight would be amazing. I exhaled, stretching. The adventurers were heading up to the second floor, muttering about how 'the floor was easier than expected' and 'we felt stronger somehow'.
"They'll figure it out… eventually." I whispered.
For now, I was invisible, indispensable, and perfectly capable of handling whatever the Dungeon threw at me. And honestly? It felt good to be useful again. The first floor of the Dungeon behind me, I stepped out into the fresh air and let out a long, satisfied sigh. Goblin meat? Collected. Mushrooms? Check. Roots and herbs? Check. And, by some minor miracle, I had managed to snag a few mana stones tucked among the rubble. Not what I came for, but useful nonetheless. I brushed dust from my apron, tightened my satchel.
"Alright. Let's see how much the Guild is willing to pay for divine ingredients that may or may not have faint magical traces."I muttered
The Guild smelled faintly of wax and bureaucracy when I walked in.
"Miss Vesta!" The receptionist called cheerfully. "Back so soon?"
"Yes." I said, dropping my satchel on the counter with a thud. "I have got… items to sell and enhance. Goblin meat, mushrooms, herbs… and a few stones that, if you're lucky, won't explode."
A young clerk leaned forward, eyes wide.
"Goblin meat? You brought back… actual dungeon ingredients?!"She asked, shocked.
"Yes. I'm aware that 'safe and edible' might be a relative term here. That's why I'm leaving it to you."I explained.
They quickly ran off to fetch an enhancement specialist while I leaned against the counter, surveying the Guild hall. It was busy, adventurers everywhere muttering about dungeons, quests, and occasionally checking their Guild cards. Then I heard a familiar, high pitched voice.
"VESTA!"A woman screamed.
I froze. Of course. I turned, and there she was standing. Hestia, who was standing in the middle of the Guild hall, hands on her hips, grinning like the world had just handed her a free pudding.
"Hestia." I said flatly. "I did not expect to see you here."
"Didn't expect to see you in the Guild either!" She squeaked, bounding forward. "Were you… in the Dungeon? Were you helping adventurers again?!"
"Yes. And yes. And I brought back some ingredients to enhance and sell, so maybe mind your own divine business for five minutes?" I muttered, carefully keeping my tone light.
Hestia gasped, placing a hand over her mouth.
"Enhance… and sell?! You… you cook and trade divine food now?!"Hestia asked.
I rolled my eyes.
"It's not 'divine food.' It's dinner. Also, money is very useful when the roof leaks, the stove wheezes like a dying dragon, and the Guild keeps nagging me to register."I said.
Hestia tilted her head, looking genuinely impressed.
"You really have changed, haven't you? You've gone from forgotten goddess to… wandering chef of the Dungeon?"Hestia groaned.
"Mostly wandering. Chef is just a side hobby." I said dryly. "Anyway, the ingredients. The Guild can make them worth something… if I am lucky."
The enhancement specialist returned, taking my satchel and laying out the ingredients on the counter. I explained which items were best for healing, stamina, or minor buffs, and, as always, the faint glow from my divine energy made the herbs and mushrooms shimmer in a way no mortal could replicate.
"You're actually glowing… a little. Like your food does."Hestia whispered.
"Thanks for the commentary." I muttered. "I don't do this for compliments."
"Still, I think it's amazing!" She said, bouncing slightly. "I can't believe you're actually helping people and making money doing it!"
I sighed.
"It's… practical. Plus, it keeps me invisible enough that mortals think their skill actually matters."I said.
Hestia laughed, clapping her hands.
"Oh, Vesta! You really do have a talent for subtle chaos."She said.
I smirked faintly, watching as the specialist processed my ingredients, enhancing them with magic and assigning value. Some of the goblin meat went for decent coin, the herbs fetched a little more, and the mushrooms… well, a chef always knows their value. Finally, as I collected the gold and tucked it into my satchel, Hestia leaned in conspiratorially.
"So… next time, can I come? I promise I'll help this time!"Hestia said happily. "I can bring my familia too."
I blinked.
"Hestia… you will definitely make it worse if you try to help."I sighed
"I just want to be useful!"She pouted.
"Try being quiet." I muttered, heading toward the Guild exit with my earnings. "That's useful enough for now."
She squeaked and ran after me.
"I'll take that as a challenge!"Hestia said happily.
I groaned, already imagining the next Dungeon trip: me, invisible and calm, and Hestia bounding around shouting, throwing flames everywhere… while I try not to accidentally feed her to a monster.