My Goddess is a Tsundere

"So, do you think you got the best items?" Eir asked, peering at the newly acquired sword on Bane's back and the light armor he carried in a bag given to him by Mr. Grey.

"Yeah, I think these will last me at least a little while. My Appraise skill said these were the best too."

"I know. You already have a skill—amazing!" Eir said, smiling and clasping her hands together. She was proud of Bane—or rather, she was proud of the blessing she'd given him.

"It really is. I can't believe I obtained a skill just from that." He opened his status and saw a new addition in the skills section:

[Skills]: Appraisal LV1

"Yeah, it's really exciting," Bane replied to his goddess. He looked happily at the newly added skill until another box appeared.

An explanation? Bane stopped moving, struggling to read while walking. The box provided a brief description of how the skill worked. It read:

Appraisal: A skill usable by anyone, granting the ability to appraise items and determine their true value.

Eir noticed Bane had stopped and moved closer to him, keeping her voice low. "Did something new appear?"

"Yeah, I was just looking at my skills, and a box appeared explaining what it does," Bane whispered. Eir nodded in response.

"Even I don't have that ability. When gods read someone's status, they can see the skill and its level, but understanding its function is unknown to us. Incredible. So, this is the power of a god's first recruit," Eir said, lost in thought.

Bane agreed. He was aware that such information was typically unknown even to the gods. He closed his status screen and continued walking with Eir.

Currently, they were on their way to the center of the city for one reason: the dungeon. Eir planned to accompany Bane until he reached the dungeon entrance, after which she would return to the faction building. With only 400 Shill to their name, Bane needed to acquire some funds while in the dungeon. But words are easier than actions.

"Bane," Eir said.

"Yes?"

"I have a request for you. Don't get cocky, and return to the faction building tonight," Eir spoke in a rare, serious tone, looking Bane directly in the eyes as they walked.

"I know, I won't. I promise I'll return," Bane said. With such an advantage over other adventurers, it was only natural to feel overconfident and set oneself up for failure. However, Bane had a plan.

The first few levels of the dungeon were incredibly easy, but that also meant they were the least profitable. That didn't mean the danger level was zero on the early floors—just that they were the safest. Bane planned to stick to those floors, gather enough resources to comfortably sustain himself and the goddess, and then move down to the lower levels when he was ready.

Bane had already shared this plan with Eir, and she approved. Yet, her care for him shone through when she said, "I can afford to go hungry as long as you live." However, she blushed and quickly rephrased her answer: "Don't die, because if you do, I'll never be able to make money from you!"

Soon enough, Bane and Eir arrived at the guild entrance.

"I'll see you soon. Good luck," Eir said.

"Yes, I'll see you soon," Bane replied. The two exchanged a brief goodbye before Eir turned to head back to the faction building.

Bane walked into the guild, which was practically deserted compared to that morning. Most of the clerks stood around chatting, while a few were busy with paperwork. Winter, the clerk who had helped Bane earlier, noticed him and called out.

"Bane! Over here!" Winter shouted.

Bane walked over and greeted her with a smile.

"Hello, Winter. How are you?"

"I'm good. How did your visit to the Eir faction go?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"I don't think she likes me very much, but I joined her faction anyway, and she bought me some gear," he said, holding out the bag containing his light armor and turning to reveal the sword on his back.

Winter pursed her lips. "Well, I'm sure she'll grow to like you. What are you here for?"

"Is there a changing area or restroom? I was planning to change into my armor before heading to the dungeon." Winter's eyes widened.

"You're going to the dungeon? Already?" It wasn't uncommon for first-day recruits to head to the dungeon, but many received some training for a few days before their first descent.

Bane nodded. "Yeah, we don't really have a choice. Eir spent the rest of her money on the armor and weapons. If we want to eat in the next few days, I have to go down."

"O-okay, well… There are rest areas over there," she said, pointing across the guild hall to a hallway.

"Thank you," Bane said, lowering his head in gratitude before walking over to the hallway.

Bane entered one of the rooms, which was equipped with a toilet and mirror. He stood before the mirror and quickly changed out of his dirty robes into the new armor.

The armor was mostly cloth, with a few metal plates protecting areas like his chest, forearms, and thighs. He moved around, pleased to find minimal restrictions to his movement.

Bane packed his dirty robes into the bag and returned to the front desk, where Winter stood with a worried expression.

"Winter, is there anywhere I can put this?" Bane asked, holding up the bag of old robes—the only clothes he owned.

"Yes, I can hold onto them," she said, quickly taking the bag from him. "When you return, I'll give them back to you." It seemed Winter was also worried about Bane.

"Really? You don't have to—"

"Nope, it's settled. When you're finished in the dungeon and return, I'll give these back to you." Bane wanted to sigh but nodded and thanked her.

"Thank you, Winter. I don't plan to be gone long," he said, turning to leave.

"Good luck," Winter called after him. Bane simply raised his hand and waved in response.

To enter the dungeon, one had to descend a long staircase to reach the first floor. Bane made his way down the stone chasm, the path lit by fixtures powered by the very crystals he sought.

After what felt like hundreds of spiraling steps, Bane arrived at the first floor of the dungeon—the first time he was seeing it in person.

A large room opened up before him, with a few people scattered around, chatting among themselves. Half a dozen tunnels branched off from the main room, marking the start of the maze. If one explored long enough, the stairs to the second floor would reveal themselves. However, Bane was far from that goal. For now, he just needed to make a little money.

Bane headed for the closest tunnel.

"Hey," a voice called. Bane assumed it wasn't directed at him and continued walking.

"Hey!" the voice called again, louder this time, causing Bane to look back. A shifty-looking animal girl stared at him, her large brown eyes squinting as she sized him up.

"You a newbie?" she asked.

"Yes, I am. Why?" Bane replied, his attention drawn to the girl's feline features. Two brown, pointy ears sat atop her head, and a similarly colored tail swished behind her. Her brown hair was tied up to keep it out of her face.

"I'm Luna, a mercenary. Would you like to hire me?" the cat girl asked. Mercenaries were common for those without a party, often providing firepower and protection for a price.

"No, thank you. I'm just sticking to the first floor for now," Bane said, politely declining Luna's offer. Hiring a mercenary for the first floor was overkill.

"Mmm… I see. Well, if you ever need help, I'll be here," Luna said, returning to her spot near the entrance. Bane felt a hint of suspicion about the girl but tucked it away and continued into the nearest stone tunnel.

Bane quickly realized how unprepared he was. He had no light source. While the first floor was lit, subsequent floors were pitch black. He made a mental note to acquire a light source before venturing deeper.

The people around him gradually dispersed, and soon Bane was walking through the tunnel alone. The only sound was the crunch of his footsteps on the stone ground. Bane had heard stories of the lower floors and how the terrain changed dramatically—from water to grass to lava. The possibilities within the dungeon were endless, and its mechanisms were entirely unknown to the people of Earth.

No one knew why the dungeon existed or why monsters emerged from it. These were unanswered questions, and Bane hoped to one day uncover the truth.

Thump.

Squish.

Bane was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of an approaching foe. Bane reached his hand for the hilt behind his back and drew out his sword.

Shing. The blade screamed, ready for battle.