A Day with the Sword Princess

Prologue

 The magic stone light warmly glowed in Bell's room in Hestia familia's Hearthstone Manor. Bell, with his back bare, was lying face down on his bed while Hestia moved her fingers across his back, updating his status.

Bell and Hestia had just arrived at Hearthstone manor after agreeing with Freya on the terms of the upcoming war game. Bell was incredibly relieved for all of Orario to remember Hestia familia's Bell Cranel. It had been an extremely grueling two weeks being a part of Freya familia and he was glad to be home.

Bell Cranel

Level 4:

Strength SS1033→SS1122

Endurance SSS1218→SSS1425

Dexterity SS1041→ SS1136

Agility SS1089 → SSS1232

Magic S965 → SS1051

Luck – F

Abnormal Resistance – G

Escape – H

Magic:

Firebolt

Skills:

Liaris Freese - Fast growth as long as feelings last. The strength of the effects corresponds to the level of the user's feelings.

Argonaut

Oxslayer

Hestia finished his status update and had transcribed most of his status onto the usual sheet of paper. Aside from noticing the incredible gains he had made in just the past two weeks; a certain skill had caught Hestia's attention. Liaris Freese. She had worried that it would have diminished or disappeared if he had found out a certain girl had forgotten him due to Freya's charm. But it was still clearly etched on his back, and to her surprise, it was perhaps etched even clearer than ever before. No doubt, Freya had been unsuccessful in making him hers if his feelings remained intact for a certain girl.

"All done. You can sit up now."

"Hey Bell, did anything happen with Miss Wallenwhatsit?"

Bell sat up and he put his shirt back on. Emotion filled Bell's face; happiness mixed with surprise.

"Huh, why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular...I was just curious."

"Actually...something did happen earlier this morning. I guess you could say that I was at my breaking point. I was nearly ready to give up and enter into Lady Freya's warm, inviting embrace. As sort of my last hope, I sought out Miss Ais in hopes that she would remember me. And –"

Bell's voice broke off for a moment while he gathered his thoughts, his eyes became watery.

"She remembered me...the real me...and the promise she had made to train me again. I mean...it was still difficult for her and everything, but it was enough for me. She saved me from giving up on myself and my identity as Hestia familia Bell Cranel."

"And what did you say to her?"

Bell answered with the same longing in his eyes the day he met the Sword Princess.

"Well I...sort of confessed my feelings to her–"

Hestia immediately stood up, clearly shocked by this revelation.

"You whaaaat?! You confessed your love to her?!"

"No, no, not exactly...I told her that she was the one I admire, and it wasn't wrong at all to have met her."