Chapter 1: 1 – Is it wrong that I’m not surprised?

"And stay out! We don't need riffraff like you!"

A harsh voice called out and then a door slammed shut.

I winced and slowly stood up on my feet, leaning against the stone wall behind me as I did. "What... the hell...?"

I slowly shifted my gaze to look around my surroundings. As I did, bits and pieces of my memories were starting to come back.

I was in Orario. I wanted to come here to be an adventurer after my grandfather died. A 'Hero' like in the stories he used to tell.

...No. The truth was that I wanted to pick up girls like he said, but it wasn't the whole truth. That part about wanting to be a hero was true at least.

And most importantly was my name. Bell. Bell Kranel.

...Except that wasn't 'my' name.

I could feel the memories drift in, but I could also feel that they weren't 'mine.' At least, not mine to start with. Almost like if I had experienced them from a third person or read them as a story.

Instead, 'I' was... someone else. I couldn't remember the details anymore. And I had a feeling it wasn't that important even if I could. Or rather... A situation like this...

"I'm pretty sure I died." I mumbled and then took a look around.

People were staring at me. Not just people, 'Adventurers.' Those who lived in this city and fought monsters day in and day out. Some looked at me with pity. Others with scorn. But overall, it wasn't a positive reception.

I shook my head and then gathered up the tiny bag on the ground next to me that held my belongings and started walking off, mixing back into the crowd.

I had a headache. Was it from smacking my head against the wall, or because 'I' had emerged and overlapped Bell's memories?

...Was I really Bell? Or was Bell 'me'?

I didn't know the answer, and I had a feeling that it wasn't really important anymore. What mattered was that I was here with his memories and his body. And more importantly...

"This is Danmachi, isn't it?"

Bell Kranel. The name was familiar, but only just. I think I remembered reading the manga and light novel a while back, but I didn't remember much from it since only the first few volumes were translated at the time.

What I did remember was that this place had a game-like system, gods, and a lot of trouble.

"Hah... This is weird." I glanced at the people around me as I walked.

It was busy. I was going down the main street of the city, so there were a lot of other people around. But they were dressed like you'd expect to see from an MMORPG rather than reality. Swords, armor, staves... Not only that, but I could sense some weird 'thing' in the air emanating from some of them as well. Mostly the ones that looked like mages or priests.

Was that 'mana'?

Either way, it was a problem.

Bell- No, 'I' didn't have anything on me except the clothes on my body, my bag, and about 200 valis... which equated to roughly two bucks USD in terms of comparison.

In short, I was flat broke. From what I could remember, it seemed like I spent most of my money on a carriage here and for food.

"What an idiot." I cursed Bell... No, I cursed myself for lack of preparation.

I came here to be an adventurer without even a proper weapon or funds? At the least I could have saved up a bit more!

Not only that, but the worst part of it all...

"I don't remember the story."

I knew this setting, but I didn't know what happened. I didn't know the characters either... The only person I remembered was Bell because his design was pretty unique. White hair, crimson eyes... Well, in hindsight not THAT unique considering all the Isekai protags that came out, but unique enough at the time.

If I did, I might be able to cheat things around a bit. Find important items, people, get strong, etc.

But I didn't. All I knew was what Bell knew and what I knew.

In terms of what Bell knew, this place had a dungeon with monsters and the only real way to make a living off of that was by getting a god's blessing, or a 'Falna' and becoming part of their family, 'Familia.'

In terms of what 'I' knew... I knew a lot about general ways to get strong, study, science, etc... but I didn't know what would work here and what wouldn't. Testing would be needed.

I was fairly certain I could get things going if I had some setup. I wasn't a genius, but I was fairly intelligent. Definitely more than Bell, that much was for sure. And from what I remembered, I would only be... 14? The prime growth time.

I passed by a shop window and stared at my reflection.

It was odd. A weird sense of both recognition and incongruence.

The person staring back at me was a young man with white hair and crimson eyes. His face was a bit androgynous, but in the way that would probably be really handsome if he filled out a bit more with some muscle. He was also around average height... I'd say 5'5" or so? Not too tall but not too short.

He was also thin. Spry.

It was weird. I'd never been this thin in my life. Did this guy never eat properly at all? No, he did... so was it his genetics?

Well, easier to build up than tear down. Even if it wasn't a game like world, with this sort of base, I could get it fairly fit with some time.

But that required funding.

Which required a job... Which, in this town, meant finding work as an adventurer or someone helping adventurers.

Thankfully, I could read so I could do some basic jobs... Maybe I could find some bookkeeping things? There was an adventurer's guild, right? In this sort of place, I'd bet there weren't too many people who knew arithmetic, so-

A sudden prickling sensation- No. A tangible sensation like someone stabbing the back of my skull, enough to make me flinch and spin around.

"What the hell?"

I scanned my surroundings for the source of the sensation and didn't see anyone. But I could still feel it.

Frowning, I traced the area and then pinpointed the source.

It was a building. Around the fifth floor. There, something, no, some*one* was staring at me.

I couldn't make out the features of that person, but I could sense it. Like a third eye, or a sixth sense, I 'saw' that the person there was a woman. A beautiful woman beyond words. At the same time, she felt vaguely familiar, like I should recognize her or know her...

But as soon as I had that thought, her gaze vanished.

"Hey! Get out of the way!" Someone brushed by me, shoving me to the side.

I was mildly annoyed at that, but let it be, still thinking about that gaze.

"Weird..."

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The gaze wasn't malevolent. Instead, it felt like the sort where you found a person who caught your eye in some way. Not love at first sight... but maybe someone who reminded you of an old friend? Nostalgia?

That was what I felt anyway.

I shook my head and kept walking forward. As I did, I stared up at the sky to think.

It was getting dark. Or rather, the blue sky was turning orange from the day passing by. Bell... Or rather, I had been running around Orario all day looking for a Familia that would accept me, but the ones that looked interested weren't ones that wanted an adventurer, and the ones that catered to adventurers didn't want someone as scrawny as me.

I sighed and came to a stop in the middle of the road.

Should I just try it anyway? The dungeon didn't require you to be part of a Familia to enter, but it'd be dangerous.

"...No. That's an easy way to die."

I quickly got rid of that thought.

Maybe if I was in my real body, I'd chance it. While not the most skilled, I did train martial arts as a hobby. Enough to where I was confident in running away if things got hairy. It'd be risky, but worth doing... not.

Even if I wanted to try and risk it, my current body wasn't like that. Thin, spry... I didn't think I could even lift a pair of dumbbells properly, let alone fight. At least, not unarmed.

In that case, what should I- Hm?

Something in the corner of my eye. A young girl... No, a petite beautiful woman was talking to a man.

I couldn't make out the conversation, but the man shook his head and walked away. And afterwards, the young girl looked sad. No, even a bit depressed.

I took the time to examine her a bit more. There was something about her that just caught my eye. A bit like how I felt that gaze on me. There was a 'presence' about her that felt different from normal people. And not just because she was beautiful.

And oh was she beautiful. Silky black hair that were tied in cute twin tails. Glittering blue eyes that looked like pure sapphires. A perfect and flawless face with soft pink lips that pulled at the heartstrings now that it was set in a deep frown. But not only that, while she was petite, probably a few heads shorter than me, her chest very much wasn't. Something made clear by the fact that she wore a thin white dress that barely fit her.

But that wasn't important. Instead...

'A goddess.'

I was sure of it. While I hadn't met any gods personally, there was just something that told me that was who the person I saw was. A divine being... Though it was odd that she looked so helpless.

Even so...

I nodded to myself and walked over. As I did, I could hear her talking to herself.

"...That's number fifty." A dejected but beautiful female voice echoed.

A few people noticed, but they walked around her, purposefully ignoring the goddess.

Only I was approaching her. But even then, she didn't seem to notice yet.

"Is it because I'm a failure of a goddess? The Falna should be the same, but... Is it because nobody knows me?"

A self-deprecating statement. Clear depression.

Odd, coming from a supposed goddess. But... Even so. She was a beautiful young girl who shouldn't be making that sort of expression.

So I put on a smile and said, "I'd say it's because they're all idiots. Who wouldn't want to join the Familia of such a cute goddess?"

"H-Huh?!" The young girl- No, the goddess flinched and started to fall backwards. Before she could, I reached out and grabbed her hand.

Her sparkling blue eyes stared into my own, confusion filling them.

I laughed and helped her up. "Now, now. You shouldn't be acting like that, Miss Goddess."

"S-Sorry!" The goddess quickly stood up. As she did though, she gave me a sorrowful expression. "Uu... To think that I showed such a pathetic side to myself..."

"Now, now. You shouldn't underestimate yourself. I don't know your circumstances, Miss Goddess, but whatever the case, a frown like that doesn't suit you."

Her face turned red and then she laughed. "Thank you. Um... But what was that you said earlier?"

I tilted my head. "Hm? That you were a cute goddess?"

The goddess blushed an even deeper shade of red, but she shook her head. "No, not that! You... You said 'who wouldn't want to join' my Familia. Then..." She lowered her gaze, poking her fingers together.

A bit of hope, but also a bit of fear.

I could understand it. From what I overheard, it was her fiftieth rejection. Even for a goddess, that would take a toll on the mind... No, especially for a goddess.

And seeing such a beautiful goddess... No, such a compassionate young girl look so distressed pulled at my heart.

So I put on a wide smile and said, "Yep. I want to join your Familia."

"Really?"

"Really."

Her eyes lit up. "Really really?"

I laughed and said, "Really really. The name's Bell by the way. Bell Kranel."

...Odd. It came out smoothly. But I didn't stop to question that. Instead, I stared at the goddess and said, "Could I have my lovely goddess's name?"

"Oh! I'm Hestia! U-Um... That is..." She started to fidget.

I smiled and said, "Lady Hestia then... Or would Tia be okay?" I frowned. "Lady Hestia is a bit too formal, and Hestia is kind of long... Not to mention Tia is cuter... Though I suppose it'd be better to use a proper name in public."

"E-Eh?" Hestia stared at me with a blank look. No, it looked like her brain short-circuited.

I laughed again at that and shook my head. "Well, never mind. I suppose that's a bit rude for me to do anyway-"

"N-No! That's fine!" Hestia's face went back to normal and a bright smile filled it. She grabbed my hand and said, "Tia's fine, Mister Kranel!"

"Then Bell's fine, Tia. But..." I looked around at the people staring at us and said, "It'd probably be best to get going. We're starting to make a scene."

"Oh!" Hestia looked around at the people staring and lowered her head. "Sorry. I didn't even notice... What a-"

Before she could knock herself down again, I shook my head. "It's fine. Being happy always makes people lose track of time, right? Now... Is there a place we could go for a more private chat about me joining your family, Tia?"

"Yes! Right this way... Um, it's not mine, but I prepared a place to give my blessing to my first child..."