Was I freeloading an expensive meal from a Level 4 adventurer, or was I overpaying for a job interview?

Hard questions that would never be answered. Our waiter girl, Syr was also the alter-ego of Goddess Freya, living vicariously among the normal humans and obtaining great gossip from the customers of the tavern called Goddess of Fertility.

"A small expedition, huh?" Heith mused while drinking from her ale mug.

I mean, I would have also loved to recruit a good healer for my Familia, and possibly my bed as well, but Freya was watching me like a hawk.

"No further than Floor 17, I assure you." I proposed with a honeyed voice. Lisa glared at me, so I shut up then.

I was really a bad liar.

Heith admired her new golden egg, and hummed. "That should be safe enough. For me."

"Tomorrow then?" Lisa asked in a calm voice.

Heith frowned. "The Goliath was killed 6 days ago. I wouldn't want to meet the Floor Boss without my Familia." she mused softly.

Another week of relative safety then. The Goliath had a respawn timer of two weeks.

With a cheerful wave at the nice Syr, we walked out and then ran towards the church.

Hestia just pointed at her bed, and I lay down as she used her blood to write my legend onto my back. Basically converting experience into myth. Something divine like that, at least. Only the Gods knew how the Falna worked anyways.

Pef- Level 1

Strength - SS1005 > SS1090

Endurance - SS1005 > SS1090

Dexterity - SS1005 > SS1090

Agility - SS1005 > SS1090

Magic - A801 > S912

Abnormal Resistance - C

Strong Body - C

Mage - F

Swordsman - F

Hunter - G

Magic Resistance - H

"And you killed a Dragon too. Alone." Hestia spoke in a harsher tone.

"From the inside. It was really easy. In a minute it was dead. And then Heith from Freya Familia healed me right up." I explained as to make the excilia make more sense.

Lisa lay down beside me, and Hestia read her own excilia for today.

"How many? You managed to kill 51 Jack Birds? No wonder you got Luck as a Development Ability." Hestia observed in a surprised voice.

I glanced at my companion and grinned. 50 million valis for a single day of work? Not even a Level 7 made that much money. It was a bit crazy.

Not crazy enough, not for what items we wanted to buy, but still a bit crazy.

I turned around and drew the girls to my chest. "Shower now, or after?" I asked in a fair voice.

Both of us pampered our Goddess til late in the night, and then had her quit her part-time job. We were rich enough to hire other people to work for us, and Hestia was asked to learn more about Abilities and Skills and how to support an adventurer with her Falna.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Which meant visiting a certain Blacksmith Goddess and bribe her with a rare golden egg, but Hestia would have gone even empty handed and begged, if the need arose. I'll try to keep her dignity intact, this timeline. I mean, her other dignity. For a Goddess of Virginity, our Hestia was quite a moaner in bed.

Thus, the next morning we met with Heith at the Babel tower and descended into the Dungeon, zipping through the first 12 Floors at speed until we reached Floor 13 and the stronger Level 2 monsters.

I passed the choker to Lisa and let her take point, since she was quite a fighter already with SS stats and her Esper powers.

Soon enough we reached the Cave Labyrinth and Heith Velvet coughed a bit embarrassed. "You don't happen to have Salamander hide armor, do you?"

I sighed dramatically. "Even if we could afford such expensive stuff, it would defeat the point. We need Sarah to get Magic Resistance. Hellhounds use magic fire."

The Level 4 adventurer glared at me, before turning towards Lisa. "And you agreed with this crazy plan, Captain Sarah?"

Lisa glanced at me, then nodded. "I know it will hurt. But as long as I heal, it will be worth it. Not like I can get this ability in an easy way."

"Your barbecue then. As for you, Vice-Captain Pef. Aren't you worried about yourself?" Heith asked a bit curious.

"Oh. I already got that from jumping inside the dragon's mouth. Hestia was a bit furious." I answered with a careless voice. Might even be true, only Gods know.

The red-headed healer just sighed. "And I thought my Familia had the crazy ones..."

"If you ever use this on new recruits, please be fair and call it the Pef Maneuver. It is my invention, so I deserve bragging rights." I added for no reason.

Heith just sighed and stepped into the cave, to be received by a torrent of magic flames to the face. She ignored them like warm wind. Level 4s were so bullshit.

Lisa followed and mostly hid behind her great shield, only exposing half an arm or such and getting healing right up. Much safer than the real Pef Maneuver, to be fair. Then again, I was burned alive and died a dozen times. Not as fun as it may sound. It hurts a bit.

Nearly a hundred Hellhounds later, Lisa yelled and stopped a flame with her bare hand. Objective achieved.

I just nodded towards Heith. "Lady Velvet, your assistance was proven useful. May we apply for your services again, should the Hestia Familia obtain new recruits?" I asked in a polite voice.

Heith measured me, then turned towards Lisa. "It can't be this simple. There must be another trick."

I smiled a bit too wide. "And the Dungeon itself is sentient and aware of words spoken inside of it. Which is why so many adventurers die, even with perfectly planned strategies. Or because of those loudly spoken plans."

Without waiting for more words, I rushed into the pack of Hellhounds with my club, and began smashing heads open while my armor began to glow red hot again.

"Wait for me, idiot!" Lisa yelled and followed my lead, leaving Heith alone near the cave exit.

A warm healing glow covered me and Lisa and reduced the heat, and we continued butchering the poor Hellhounds like sheep. A healer in the party was quite a boon, I had to admit. 8 hours later, we returned victorious from our expedition, health still intact even after enduring thousands of flame breaths from higher level monsters.

"I must be the greatest healer in Orario." Heith mused to herself as we encountered yet another Infant Dragon on Floor 12.

"And I get to try the Pef Maneuver too!" Lisa yelled and jumped right inside the flaming breath of the dragon.

The Infant Dragon exploded as Lisa unleashed her psychic blast from inside, ignoring the durable hide and magic defenses.

Even covered in blood and guts, Lisa looked amazing. "I am in love..." I muttered to myself.

"Yeah...you two are the crazy ones." Heith said in a sad and tired voice, as she healed Lisa right back.

"I could have a velvet plush dragon made for you..." I proposed in a bad attempt at flirting.

Heith glared at me. "You can manage to exit by yourself, I say. I had enough insanity for one day." she blurted out, then vanished at hyperspeed.

Oh well. Maybe Bell would have more luck with that one. I tried.