Hephaestus's premonition was spot on.
Not long after that sneeze, a familiar voice drifted into her office. Her office was soundproofed to perfection, yet the shout pierced through as if the speaker were standing right beside her ear.
"Hephaestus, I've come to see you!!"
Hephaestus's forehead pulsed with a visible, angry vein.
"Hestia, I kicked you out only two days ago, and you're already back."
"Can't you show a little backbone?!" Hephaestus looked up and roared as Hestia pushed the door open.
Even with her best friend, the goddess couldn't maintain her patience. The words of frustration spilled out. Two days. It had only been two days since she'd sent Hestia packing to start her own Familia. Seeing her back so soon made Hephaestus's blood boil with disappointment.
"Ah, I'm not here to mooch off you again. I'm here to share some good news."
Hestia didn't get angry. She looked a bit embarrassed but spoke quickly to defend herself.
"Good news? What could you possibly have?"
"Did you actually start a Familia?" Hephaestus stopped snarling. She raised an eyebrow, her face full of disbelief.
"Hehe, I've already found my first child. I just finished carving the Falna. Isn't that great news?" Hestia puffed out her chest. She stood with hands on her hips, looking incredibly smug.
"Oh? Really?"
Hephaestus was genuinely surprised. Starting a Familia in two days? Was it really that easy now? She found it hard to believe. It had taken her half a month to recruit her first member. And this slacker did it in forty-eight hours?
"Yep, it's the truth."
"So... shouldn't you support your best friend?" Hestia nodded confidently. Then her expression shifted. She put on a pleading, sycophantic face, begging for a handout.
"Hmm? No."
"If you had gone out and done this on your own initiative earlier, I might have helped. But now? No." Hephaestus's brow twitched. She rejected the idea without hesitation.
"Don't be like that, Hephaestus."
"I just started. I have nothing. I don't even have money to buy that child equipment."
"You wouldn't want my Familia to disband the moment it started, right?"
"I'm not asking for a freebie. Once my Kitahara earns some money, I'll pay you back. With interest, okay?" Hestia was getting desperate, her voice rising in a plea.
Hephaestus didn't answer immediately. She frowned, considering the situation.
'It's true. Hestia finally started a Familia and she's actually motivated. If something happens to her first child, she'll probably lose heart. She might never try again.'
'Fine, I'll help her out.'
"Fine. I'll give you a set of gear. But nothing top-tier. Just some decent beginner equipment."
"If I give you anything better, that child won't be able to protect it anyway."
"By the way, is your first member named Kitahara?" Hephaestus couldn't bring herself to be cruel. She agreed and asked about the name out of curiosity.
"Mhm, Kitahara. He's very handsome, you know! It's the first time I've seen someone so good-looking. He's not even inferior to Miach."
Hestia's smugness returned. Having a handsome first member was definitely something to brag about.
"Heh, really? On par with Miach? That's quite something."
"Bring him by next time. I want to see for myself." Hephaestus was taken aback. Miach was a famous noble of Heaven, beloved by many goddesses. For Hestia to rank a human alongside him piqued her interest.
"Sure, I'll introduce you when there's a chance." Hestia agreed with a quick nod.
"Alright, let's go. I'll let you pick some gear."
"I'll pick out a set of Light Armor. A rookie Adventurer going solo can't handle heavy armor."
"Besides, you wouldn't be able to carry it anyway." Hephaestus stood up and walked toward the door.
Light Armor was the best choice. Heavy armor would be a death sentence for a novice. Their bodies were still essentially human. Dragging heavy plates into the Dungeon alone would just lead to a quick death. It was too taxing on stamina.
Plus, Hestia was tiny. Even as a goddess, she had the strength of a young girl in the Lower World.
"Mhm, thank you so much, Hephaestus!" Hestia followed her.
Soon, Hestia left the Hephaestus Familia headquarters, carrying a bundle and looking ecstatic. Back in the office, Hephaestus leaned against the window. She watched Hestia skip away and sighed.
"I hope everything goes well for your Familia."
New Familias were fragile. If the first member died, the group dissolved. It shattered a god's confidence. Orario was full of such tragedies. She didn't want that for Hestia.
She returned to her desk and went back to work. Meanwhile, Hestia hurried back to the library.
Kitahara leaned against the cool stone wall of the library entrance. He waited in silence. His eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar small figure.
He spotted her immediately.
Hestia's silhouette broke through the sea of people, her energy radiating even from a distance. Kitahara didn't hesitate. He pushed off the wall and walked toward her.
"Kitahara! I'm so sorry to keep you waiting!"