Danmachi: Be Her Hero

#10 An Unresolved Apology

A/N

Hello you reading this book! Yes you holding the phone or tablet..you know what I mean. I would appreciate it so much if you would be willing to vote or comment on this story. The more interactive you guys are the more it motivates me to keep writing!

This chapter gets in depth into this story's lore and pushes things foward.

*Bell's P.O.V*

Familiar.

This was familiar.

I slowly opened my eyes to see the sword princess staring back at me. One of her hands was in my hair and her legs were underneath me. Just like that one time in the dungeon, I was laid in her lap.

The events of yesterday rushed like a tidal wave, and remembering everything I jumped up and off the bed.

"Ais!"

She opened her mouth a little looking at me. I scurried across the floor and clumsily put on my shoes eager for a reason to leave.

"Bell."

I paused when I heard her voice. "Y-yes?"

"I'm sorry. This..." she looked around before continuing. "This was because of me wasn't it?"

I didn't say anything.

She was sad. Her eyes were full of sorrow and her face was crestfallen. My instincts kicked in after seeing her in distress and ran over and grabbed her hands.

"Hey its okay! You know that right?" I tried to comfort her, but it seemingly had the opposite effect. "I'm not... upset at you." I tried to tell her.

She turned her gaze to my hands holding hers. Very gently she pulled them from my grasp and moved away from where I was standing next to the bed.

"No... you don't understand." Her voice was monotone but I could faintly pick up the tension in her words.

She stood abruptely. "I'm going to go return our key cards and head to Orario. I'm sure Loki is worried about me."

She was bluffing. There was more to it then that. "Um Ms. Ais could you tell me what wrong?" I began to seriously worry as I watch her near the exit.

She smiled at me very slightly. "I don't know what you mean" she denied before opening the door. "Goodbye Bell" and just like that she was gone. The door shut putting up a barrier between the two of us.

It was too sudden, and I stood not knowing how to respond.

*3rd Person*

Ais was running away figuratively and literally. Her mind was racing as she struggled to comprehend her own emotions. Bell could never care for a person like her, Ais Wallenstien the very same girl who became a hero for no reason other then to get revenge.

She wasn't like him. Driven by hatred if he knew he would never talk to her again. Bell wouldn't forgive her and rightfully so. Would he?

She shook her head.

"Hoping for the best won't prepare you for the worst..." she told herself. She would separate herself from him to protect his light, and to protect herself from her heart.

Before Bell awoke she had laid his head on her lap. She gazed at him for a while and thought it through, coming to this conclusion.

"I'm sorry."

***

Bell was clueless but quickly realized it was out of his control. If Ais wanted to leave he wouldn't be able to follow. He left the hotel solemnly with his bag hoisted on his shoulders and began to walk the streets. He felt aimless after she left, but resolved to keep pushing. Finding an empty corner between two buildings, he leaned against the wall and pulled out his scroll.

After looking around to make sure nobody could see he began to read.

Dear Argonaut,

If you are reading this then that means you have accepted! I'm looking foward to working with you, but we need to get down to business.

Over the course of millenia humans have walked this earth. A majority of this time was while the gods were in heaven. Hatred and sorrow took over many people in this cruel and unjust world. Before the Gods including myself came to this earth, the world was a place taken over by war and greed. This created pain, strife and suffering. These negative feelings began to cluster and became multiple entities in it's own right. These beings eventually took up a conciousness with a one track mind to kill and take revenge on the people who created it's miserable existence.

Before the Zeus and Hera familias were killed, they defeated two of these beings. It was a time of hope for the humans. The two familias went on a quest to kill the final beast. The one eyed dragon.

The adventurers fought bravely, but in the end they were defeated. The dragon left injured and with a missing eye giving the beast it's nickname.

After this fight the very same creature went into rest to recover. It has been sleeping for many years, but there are signs showing it will be awakening.

Bell shook in fear. The same beast that killed the Zeus familia?

The dragon protects itself on the bottom floor of the dungeon Bell. My quest for you is to reach floor one hundred and defeat it in battle. Use this money to pull your familia out of debt, and get proper weapons and armor. I'm trusting you with everything. It's your time to be a hero. Be the Argonaut.

Saying nothing Bell began to walk. He avoided eyes with everyone and began his journey home.

"If she wants this beast dead, this can be my way of protecting her." He thought of Ais and his chest tightened with pain and with determination.

Underneath his shirt not visible to the eyes of passerbies, two words were written on his back

Liaris Freese+

And those words were glowing.