Hestia's eyes sparkled with excitement as she finished applying the Falna and leaned in to decipher the glowing hieroglyphs that appeared on Felis's back. This was it—her first-ever Familia member's status! She could barely contain herself as the divine script rearranged into readable text, revealing his abilities for the first time.
Her breath hitched.
Whoa.
At first glance, his base stats were nothing special. Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, and Magic—all were at the lowest possible rank, as expected of a total beginner.
But then, her gaze dropped to his Magic and Skills.
Her heart skipped a beat.
This… this is amazing!
He already had a spell—Aqua Benedicta. A healing-type Magic that recovered wounds proportional to his Magic stat. That alone was a rare and valuable find. Healing magic was highly sought after, and even in the best Familias, adventurers with it were few and far between.
But then she saw his Skills.
And her jaw nearly dropped.
Libertas Aeternum – Complete immunity to abnormal status effects? And… unrestricted growth? Unrestricted growth?!
Hestia's mind raced. Skills that boosted growth were already rare, but one that outright removed restrictions? That was unheard of! No matter how slow his progress started, this Skill ensured that his potential was limitless.
And then, there was Numen Aquae.
Her heart pounded as she read through it.
It enhanced healing spells, made them faster, and reduced their mana consumption. It granted Water Affinity and Resistance, meaning he could likely wield water magic with ease and had natural protection against it. And the Continuous Regeneration… even without casting a spell, he would gradually recover from minor wounds and fatigue over time.
Hestia slowly exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath.
This is insane.
She had expected to be happy just to have her first Familia member, even if he had been totally average. But Felis was anything but average. These Skills—especially together—meant he had the potential to be a first class adventurer.
Hestia couldn't contain her excitement. The moment she saw Felis's status, she practically exploded with joy.
"Hahahahaha! Look at this! I'm amazing! Just wait, Hephaestus! I'll show you how incredible I am! You won't be able to call me an incompetent goddess after this! Hahahaha!"
She jumped up and down, unable to hold back her laughter. The sheer victory of the moment filled her with an overwhelming sense of pride. She did it! She wasn't a failure! Her Familia had begun, and it started with a member who had insane potential!
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Felis still lying on the bed, watching her. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable, and his expression remained neutral, but for some reason, she had the feeling he was… processing something.
Not important!
Right now, all that mattered was celebrating!
Without thinking, she lunged forward, throwing herself at him.
"You're amazing, Felis-kun!"
She wrapped her arms around his torso in a tight embrace, the sheer force of it sending them rolling onto the bed. Hestia let out a startled squeak as they tumbled, only to end up pressed directly against his bare chest.
Warm. Firm.
Felis was much more solid than she expected. And… oh wow, he smelled nice.
Hestia let out a happy sigh, snuggling against him without a second thought. "Finally, my Familia has started! With you by my side, we'll make it to the top!"
Her fingers instinctively curled against his skin, and she registered the firm, steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her palm. A slow, deep exhale brushed against her hair.
Felis didn't say anything, but she felt his body tense ever so slightly beneath her.
She didn't pay it much mind. Instead, a wide, satisfied grin spread across her face as she nuzzled against him, rubbing her cheek against his chest with a happy sigh.
"Finally, my Familia has started! With you by my side, we'll make it to the top!"
She felt him shift slightly, and when she glanced up, a small, almost amused smirk had crept onto his lips. His golden eyes met hers, filled with an unreadable glint.
Hestia's heart swelled.
Yes. This was just the beginning.
Hestia reluctantly pulled away from Felis, savoring the warmth for just a moment longer before pushing herself up. With a bright grin, she hopped onto her feet—still on the bed—and held out the status sheet with both hands.
"Here you go, Felis-kun!" she chirped, her excitement bubbling over.
Felis, now sitting up, took the paper from her and slid off the bed with his usual composed demeanor. Hestia barely noticed, too caught up in her own celebration.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! I did it! My Familia has officially begun!" She bounced on the mattress, fists raised triumphantly. "Just wait, Orario! The Hestia Familia is here!"
The old bed creaked beneath her energetic jumps, but she didn't care. This was her moment—her victory. She spun around, arms wide, soaking in the pure joy of it all.
From below, Felis glanced up at her, amusement flickering in his golden eyes.
Hestia was still bouncing excitedly on the bed, her heart soaring with joy. This was it! The first step toward greatness! Her Familia had officially begun, and she had an amazing first member. She could already imagine the looks on the other gods' faces when they saw how incredible her Familia would become.
As she reveled in her victory, Felis handed the parchment back to her. She barely registered it, too caught up in the moment. But then—
"Hestia-sama, did you already lock my Falna?"
The words cut through her excitement like a blade.
Her body froze mid-bounce, arms still raised in the air, a wide grin plastered on her face. But that grin? It stiffened, twitching at the edges as realization dawned on her like a bucket of cold water.
Oh. Oh no.
"He… Hehe…" A nervous laugh slipped out as she slowly lowered her arms. "I… forgot how to do it."
Silence.
She could feel Felis's gaze on her, unreadable, patient.
Her shoulders slumped.
This… This was fine. She just needed to think! It couldn't be that hard, right?!
Hestia barely had time to process what was happening before she felt strong hands slide under her arms —no, under her armpits. Warm, firm fingers pressed into the soft skin there, sending a quick shiver up her spine.
For a moment, her body tensed, her breath hitching as she was effortlessly lifted off the bed. Felis's fingers pressed into the soft warmth of her skin, his hold steady, as if picking her up required no effort at all. She squirmed instinctively at the unfamiliar sensation, her small frame naturally adjusting to his grasp.
By the time her feet touched the floor, she blinked up at him, wide-eyed. The lingering warmth of his touch, the way his golden eyes flickered with something unreadable—it made her heartbeat stutter for just a second.
Hestia blinked up at Felis, her blue eyes wide in mild shock. The casualness of it all, the way he had just picked her up and put her down like it was nothing, left her momentarily speechless. Not that she disliked it—it was just unexpected.
A tiny breath hitched in her throat before she quickly regained her usual energy, puffing up her cheeks in a pout.
But then, he spoke.
"Then how about we register at the Guild first and ask your friend how to do it? After that, we can pick up something for dinner," Felis suggested.
Her pout barely lasted a second before excitement overtook her once more. "That's a great idea, Felis-kun!" She beamed, grasping his hands in hers, squeezing lightly.
He was warm. Steady.
And for some reason, that reassurance made her even more excited.
"Un! Let's do it! If I ask Hephaestus, she'll definitely tell me how! Let's go, Felis-kun!"
Without waiting for his response, she grabbed his left hand and tugged him forward, practically skipping with enthusiasm.
Behind her, Felis followed obediently, but she didn't notice the way his gaze drifted to his right hand—or the small smirk that played at the corner of his lips.