Danmachi: Strongest Familia

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"Please, Hephaestus, I hope you can forge a weapon for Bell." Hestia's sudden and audacious request left the surrounding audience stunned. 

"Are you serious? Do you even realize how expensive the custom-made equipment crafted by my familia is?" Hephaestus' face darkened, but she kept her tone civil—for the sake of their friendship. 

No matter how close her relationship with Hestia was, involving her familia's interests in such a manner was not something she could agree to lightly. 

Familia members are expected to protect their familia's interests, and as the head of her familia, Hephaestus couldn't afford to undermine that principle. 

If she agreed to this request, what would stop other gods from coming to her with similar demands in the future? 

"I know it's worth a fortune, but—" 

"Then think of it as saving up for now and come back when you can afford it," Hephaestus cut her off curtly as she moved to walk away. 

But Hestia, persistent as ever, chased after her, refusing to back down.

She clung to Hephaestus like sticky brown sugar, clearly intent on achieving her goal. 

"Please, Hephaestus, I'm begging you—it has to be now!" 

Hestia's unrelenting determination caught Hephaestus off guard. 

In all the time she had known Hestia, she had never seen her this steadfast. 

For a moment, Hephaestus felt her resolve waver. Their friendship ran deep, and seeing Hestia like this tugged at her heartstrings. 

Still, as a god herself, Hephaestus couldn't allow her friend to continue embarrassing herself in public. 

Without another word, Hephaestus left the banquet. Hestia, undeterred, followed closely behind her, determined not to give up. 

The two quickly disappeared down the road, leaving the crowd buzzing with curiosity. 

Watching the scene unfold, Sol smirked knowingly. 

Hephaestus, with her cold exterior but warm heart, could never resist the persistent pleas of her closest friends. 

It was only a matter of time before the Blade of Hestia—a weapon worth 200 million valis—would come to fruition. 

The staggering 200 million valis didn't even include Hephaestus' personal craftsmanship, a priceless asset in itself. 

Bell Cranel, the protagonist of this tale, was perhaps the only one in all of Orario who could receive such a privilege. 

The surrounding crowd exchanged amused looks, entertained by the drama. 

Astraea, standing beside Sol, had a different perspective. 

"Hestia has matured," she murmured softly, watching her fellow goddess walk away. 

As a virgin goddess, Astraea had been close to Hestia in their days in the heavens and could clearly sense the change in her. 

This was not the same Hestia who used to be a carefree recluse, content to laze around with little regard for anything else. 

Now, she was showing genuine care for someone else, a rare spark of growth that was striking for a god who had lived countless eons. 

"Do you think Hephaestus will agree to equip Hestia?" Sol asked, a knowing look in his eyes. 

Astraea tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hephaestus is a god of strong principles. I doubt she'd just hand over equipment from her familia for free." 

Sol chuckled, a mischievous glint lighting up his eyes. "I'm bored right now, so how about we make a bet? Let's wager on whether Hestia can manage to get a top-tier weapon from the Hephaestus Familia!" 

The suggestion immediately piqued Astraea's interest, her curiosity getting the better of her. "And what's the bet?" she asked with a raised brow. 

"If you lose," Sol began, a sly grin spreading across his face, "you'll wear tonight's dress the next time we spend a good evening together." 

Astraea's cheeks flushed instantly, a wave of heat rising to her face. She lightly slapped Sol's shoulder, her voice slightly flustered. "You had this in mind all along, didn't you? Do you even know how expensive this dress is?" 

Sol smirked, his confidence unwavering. "No matter how expensive it is, if I win, I'll pay for it out of my personal treasury." 

His nonchalant mention of his infamous hoard of treasures made Astraea pause. Sol rarely touched his private vault—a collection of riches gathered through arduous effort.

The average person can't even see Sol's vault.

Have you ever seen a giant dragon that would take the initiative to invite others to visit its small vault?

Dragons are greedy by nature and have a strong desire to control their own things, but Sol is a dragon god, and his desires are controlled by himself.

He can also be more greedy than other dragons.

"Alright then," Astraea said, a sly glint in her eyes. "But don't cry when I win and you have to part with your gold." 

"Deal," Sol replied smoothly. Without missing a beat, he added, "Then I'll bet Hephaestus will make a weapon for Hestia." 

Astraea blinked, surprised by his confidence. "Impossible. Hephaestus would never give away her children's work for free," she countered firmly. With her deep understanding of Hephaestus' character, Astraea was convinced she held the winning hand. 

"Of course, I know that," Sol said, his smile widening. "That's why I said *Hephaestus* will make the weapon herself." 

Astraea froze, his words sinking in. "That's ridiculous. Gods can't use their divine power in the lower world," she argued, though doubt began creeping into her tone. 

Sol shrugged nonchalantly. "Hephaestus doesn't need divine power. Even without it, she's still a master craftsman." 

Astraea's expression stiffened, realization dawning on her. Sol wasn't making an idle guess—he knew exactly what he was talking about. Her confidence wavered as she realized she might have walked right into his trap.

After spending so much time in the lower realm, Astraea had momentarily forgotten one crucial detail—Hephaestus could forge the equipment herself. 

But would the God of Craftsman really go so far as to make something for a novice adventurer? Astraea wanted to dismiss the thought, but deep down, she knew Sol might be right. 

Given the personal bond between Hestia and Hephaestus, if Hestia truly set her mind to pleading, Hephaestus might relent and craft the weapon herself. The goddess's heart, after all, was far softer than the unyielding weapons she created. 

"It seems this bet was doomed from the start…" Astraea thought, her shoulders slumping slightly. Though she considered conceding, she knew Sol wouldn't let her off so easily. 

Even so, she still wants to try!

Because, the mere idea of wearing her expensive, elegant dress during a private evening with him made her cheeks flush in embarrassment!