Chapter 4
Bell Is Loved
"So you're Zeus Familia," The man revealed to be the mayor said knowingly. He was quite old and looked to be about 60-70. His hair was balding from the center leave a large bald spot and grey hair on the sides of his head. He was rather short and had a wrinkly face. He wore half moon glasses and wore a brown vest over a white buttoned shirt and cream colored pants. He was short and frail yet he gave off the impression of someone wise and distinguished. He met them from the porch of his office/home. They were on the front yard of his property.
"Yes, we are," Kuda nodded.
"I've been expecting you," the mayor said. He stood next to Dorwen, who was the one who told him that they were here. "I'd invite you all in… but I'm skeptical of whether or not you'd all be able to fit inside.
"Heh… I am too," Kuda laughed awkwardly. There was about thirty of them, There numbers included two big dwarves, who carried some rather large weapons, and some quite tall amazons and werewolves. The mayor's home could probably only fit about half of them at the most. "This only needs to be a one-on-one meeting anyway. You guys wait here, okay?"
They nodded.
"Thanks again for leading us here, Dorwen-san," Kuda said to the merchant who lead them here.
"It was nothing," he nodded as he walked away. "I should head back to my stand."
Zeus Familia's member nodded and waved to the man as he left.
"Alright, come on in," the mayor said. "We have much to discuss, I believe."
"Um… Augustine-san," Kyra whispered to Anna as they were walking down the hill to get to the doctor's place. Kyra was still holding carrying Bell on her back, but then a thought had occurred to her. She figured Anna could answer it since she was a mother.
"Augustine-san is my father-in-law, Kyra-san," Anna smiled back. "Please call me Anna."
"Okay… Anna-san," Kyra complied, blushing slightly. What she was about to ask was quite embarrassing. "I was wondering… am I holding Bell-kun right?"
"...I'm afraid I don't understand," Anna replied, caught offguard by the strange question.
"I don't give piggyback rides very often, and I've never done it for a child before. I'm worrying that I'm causing Bell-kun damage by holding him the wrong way. Should his head be placed differently? Should I adjust my grip on his legs?"
"T-That's… actually quite sweet," Anna smirked, giggling a bit. Ridiculous thought the beautiful adventurer may have sound, it was actually quite sweet how worried she was about how she treated Bell. It was almost as though she was a new mother. "But you're fine Kyra-san."
"Are you sure? I'm not being to loose with him right now? Should I bend my knees more?"
"Kyra-san, you're a natural," Anna assured her.
"I am?"
"Besides, it's worse to be so tense," Ana continued. "You should relax more."
"Relax… I understand."
"Does she understand?" Phina whispered to Nim. The two of them were a bit ahead of the two women, but were able to hear their conversation. It was rare for them to see the normally serious Kyra act so awkward.
"Who knows?" Nim shrugged. "I guess this is what happens when you spend most of your life killing monsters in a dark, creepy dungeon."
"Guess we should be grateful that we were kicked out of Orario, huh?" Phina chuckled.
"Yeah, or else we'd end up as socially awkward as her," Nim laughed with her.
GLARE
A chill went down both girls's spines. They slowly turned their heads back slowly. They saw Kyra glaring at them irritably. Vengefully. Her stare definitely translated as 'Once we get to the doctor's office, you two are dead'. The two girls cursed themselves for not realizing that if they could hear her she could hear them.
"I-I really hope it's a long walk…" Phina said with a grim expression.
"D-Ditto…" Nim nodded, her expression equally grim.
"Your girls certainly are troublesome," Anna said good naturedly.
"That's certainly one word for them," Kyra groaned. "How much longer until we reach the doctor's house?"
"Not much longer."
The minutes passed and the small group arrived at the foot of the hill. There were plenty of houses. Nothing could be identified as a doctors office.
"We're here," Nim said, stating the obvious.
"But I'm not seeing a doctor's house," Phina said, scanning the area with her eyes.
"It's over there," Clarabeth said, pointing to its general direction.
"Where?" Nim asked trying to see what she was pointing at, but couldn't be sure. "That white house?"
"No, it's the brown one next to it."
"It isn't very distinguishable, is it?" Kyra couldn't help but say. It looked like a normal 2-story house that any random family lived in. "Isn't it confusing?"
"Not really," Kirk said. "Everyone knows where the doc's house is. Anyone who doesn't can just ask."
"I suppose this an example of the lax nature of country living," Nim muttered.
"I'd guess you can say that," Kirk humored. "Shall we?"
They started toward to the doctor's house. Once they had arrived at the front door, Kirk was the one who knocked. A moment later, the one who answered was a young and attractive blue haired woman. She was fairly tall and had sparkling blue eyes. She wore a pure white, one piece dress that had buttons on the top and went to her knees. Her nurse uniform, perhaps.
"Kirk-san?" She said. "What are you doing here?"
"We have an injured boy, Sapphire-chan," he explained gesturing to Bell, who was still lying unconscious on Kyra's back. "Bell-kun has been injured."
"Bell-kun?" Sapphire looked towards his direction and gasped. It was most likely due to the fact that his clothes were badly torn and that there was dried blood on them… however, Bell had directly received two strong blows from the goblins club, who had enough strength to shatter a normal person's bones with just one swing. Even with Phina's healing spell, he was still far from fully recovered. The nurse's concern was warranted. "My goodness…! I will call the doctor immediately. P-Please, come inside."
They complied. They entered a room that was clearly the living room of a house, surprising the adventurers. They thought that at least they would be entering some kind of doctors office or waiting room, not a cozy living room with a couch, rug, coffee table, a fireplace, and other furniture.
"Wow, this house is really a doctor's clinic,huh," Nim muttered.
"Country people really are lax," Phina nodded.
"Shut up, both of you," Kyra ordered.
"I will go get the doctor, but first," Sapphire said, holding out her arms. "Please, allow me to take Bell-kun and lay him on the couch."
"Alright," Kyra nodded after a moment's hesitation. It was better to allow a trained person to hold him than an amature such as her. "Be gentle, please."
Kyra inched forward to Sapphire, who was at the couch and carefully lifted Bell off of Kyra's back and laid him gently on the couch. Sapphire said, "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me…"
She left to go get the doctor who was upstairs. A moment later, she came back with an older man who appeared to be in his 40s. He wore the typical white coat over a buttoned shirt and khaki pants. He had brownish red beard and hair that was greying on the sides. In his hands was a briefcase.
"Kirk, Anna, Clarabeth-chan," he nodded. "It is good to see you. Albeit, it seems the circumstances are a tad negative." He glanced at Bell, who was resting peacefully, lightly breathing.
"Indeed, Doc," Kirk nodded. He explained what happened. Hearing it made Sapphire gasp and cover her hands and it made the doctor look stone faced.
"Sounds like you all were lucky," he said after Kirk finished explaining. "No one else was hurt or anything?"
"No, everyone else managed to run away," Kirk answered. "They probably don't know that the monsters have been dealt with already."
"That could be a problem in itself," the doctor said. "You should go tell anybody who knows. Or doesn't know, in this case."
"Right," he nodded.
"And you," the doctor addressed the adventurers for the first time. "Thank you for putting a stop to to the problem before it became an actual problem. As a member of this village, I'm grateful that a member of the famous Zeus Familia assisted us."
"It was nothing," Kyra said dismissively. "We just did what we could."
"Even so, thank you," the doctor smiled. "Let me formally introduce myself. I am Doctor Oswald Oleson and she is my nurse, Sapphire DeLouise-chan."
"I, too, thank you for stopping the monsters," Sapphire said, lowering her head respectfully.
"I'm Kyra Slavis," Kyra said.
"I'm Nymphadora Diapulm," Nim said, introducing her full name. "But please call me Nim."
"And I'm Dellaphina Olrichs," Phina said, also introducing her full name. "But I prefer Phina, if you wouldn't mind."
"It's nice to meet all of you," Doctor Oleson said, smiling. "I haven't seen an elf or demi-human since I went studying at the big city to be a doctor."
"So, um, Doctor Oleson," Kyra began nervously. "About Bell-kun… it's nothing serious, right? Phina-chan used her magic to treat him, but it seems he's still in bad shape."
"Hmm…" The doctor inspected Bell with his eyes and hands. "I'd have to give him a closer look to be sure, but… oh, no. He's dead."
"WHAT?!" The three adventurers, and only them, screamed, horrified. The rest just stared at the doctor dryly and irritably.
"That isn't funny, Oleson-sensei," Sapphire sighed.
"Nor appropriate," Anna scolded. "Bell-kun put his life on the line to save my daughter."
"I'm sorry, but they seemed so serious that I just had to light the mood," the doctor chuckled.
"That was... a joke…?" Kyra said, trying to calm down.
"Doctor Oleson has a horrible habit of teasing people by saying that someone is going to die," Clarabeth explained sourly. "Mama once caught a cold and he said it was a terminal illness."
"Clearly, that, too, was a joke," Anna sighed.
"Ah… it was all a joke. I see…" Kyra took a deep breath, smiled, and then, for just a moment, she looked totally at peace, but, then, her entire face contorted to illustrate her righteous, passionate fury. "I will murder you!"
"Gyaah!" The doctor yelped in fear as Kyra lunged at him. Who knows what she would have done if Nim and and Phina hadn't stopped her by grabbing her.
"W-Wait, Kyra-san!" Nim demanded, holding her back from the front.
"He's sick, but he's the only doctor here," Phina tried to reason with her as she struggled to hold her back from behind. It was like trying to restain a mad beast that was thrashing about endlessly. "He is, isn't he?!"
"The only reason he can get away with this, or still breath, is because of that," Sapphire explained dryly as she she watched the scene with indifference. She must've seen things like this too often to be phased anymore.
"Hear that," Nim shouted, as if Kyra was too far gone to hear them. It wasn't too big of an understatement. Kyra's eyes seemed to glaze over. "He needs to live to treat Bell-kun!"
"Do it for Bell-kun!" Phina begged loudly.
"...For Bell...kun," Kyra groaned, slowly regaining her senses. She gently brushed Nim and Phina off of her and recomposed herself. "Fine, I won't kill him. But you'd better not make a joke of treating him."
"U-Understood," he stuttered. He looked as white as a ghost for a second.
"It's what you get for teasing concerned… why do you care so much for Bell-kun, any way?" Sapphire asked Kyra as she was scolding the doctor. "You seem too invested for a mere passerby. What is the nature of your interest with Bell-kun?"
"Bell-kun is the grandson of the old man," Kyra answered, unshaken. "That's enough for me."
"Is it, now?" Sapphire said suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. The two women glared at each other. It was though there was an unseeable battle going on. Ordinarily, Nim and Phina would think that Kyra would win any battle, but Sapphire gave off an unusual pressure. Was she truly just a nurse?
"That's enough, Sapphire-chan," Doctor Oleson ordered. "Your being rude. Think of the patient. Undue stress in the air can be felt unconsciously, you know? It's highly inappropriate and unprofessional to raise it."
"You're one to talk!" Everyone screamed angrily at the comedic doctor.
"But, yeah, we should hurry and treat Bell-kun," Sapphire nodded. "Should we give him healing potion, Sensei?"
"I don't think that's necessary," he said. "They're a commodity. Bell-kun can be treated the old fashioned way, however, I imagine I might have to reconsider if the elf-chan didn't go out of her way to heal him with her magic." He winked at Phina, who grew bashful. "Just get him a stretcher and move him to the office."
"Yes, Oleson-sensei," Sapphire said respectfully before going to get a stretcher from a room and coming back to put Bell on it, then took him back to the doctor's office. After saying he'll say when he's done treating Bell, the doctor went to do his job.
"That was probably more dramatic than it need to be," Nim muttered. "Kyra-san, should we not go to the others to explain what happened?"
"We should," Kyra nodded before turning to face the Augustine's. "I'm sorry, but could one of you please show Nim-chan the way to the mayor's home?"
"I would even if you didn't ask," Kirk said with a grin. "I'm ready whenever you are, young lady."
"Thank you, sir," Nim said politely.
"Do you two want to stay here?" Kirk asked his wife and daughter. They both said yes, saying that they still needed to thank Bell for what he did. Subsequently, Nim and Kirk left to go to the mayor's.
"Would you like anything to drink, Kuda-kun?" The mayor asked Kuda when they entered his home. His house was decorated with furniture, such as a fireplace, a set of couches, a rocking chair, coffee table, etc. A typical home it was. Waiting for them was a pretty woman in her 20s with blonde hair tied back in a bun. She wore a dark pantsuit with dark pants. It was quite similar to what the guild staff wore at Orario. Only difference, she had a black long-sleeved blazer as opposed to the guild receptionists sleeveless vests. "We have a great variety, except for alcohol. 'Fraid I have ridiculously low tolerance for the stuff."
"I'll just have water, thank you," Kuda said.
"Very well," the mayor nodded. "Ah, this is my grandaughter, Monica-chan. She also acts as my assistant and secretary. She's very reliable."
"It's a pleasure, Monica-san," Kuda smiled and lowered his head. "I am Kuda."
"Likewise, Kuda-san," she nodded. "Shall I get water for your friends outside?"
"I wouldn't want to trouble you," Kuda said. "There are about 30 of us. Besides, I'm almost positive that some of them will whine about not getting alcohol."
"It isn't a problem, I assure you," she insisted. "I've worked in the local bar for over a year. I'm very used to rowdy drunkards and the like. Besides, I have always wanted to meet the adventurers of Orario."
"If you're sure, then please," Kuda obliged.
"I will bring you your water momentarily," Monica bowed before going to the kitchen.
"She's a good one," the mayor chuckled.
"She'd make a good guild receptionist," Kuda laughed.
"Would she now?" The mayor led Kuda to his office. Inside there was a large mahogany desk with a huge wind behind it and huge rug under it. Also there were several well crafted drawings of certain people. The mayor sat in his seat and gestured for Kuda to sit in the seat across from him. "So, Kuda-kun, I believe we both know why we are here?"
"Yes," Kuda nodded, his expression composed. "But I just want to confirm. You know about the old man, right?"
"You mean that he is actually the god known as Zeus?" The mayor asked the question that was already answered. "And that he's alive, not dead? And that you are-"
"Alright, you know," Kuda stopped him. "Good. You were the one who took care of Bell-kun after… well, you know?"
"That is true." he answered.
"Thank you," Kuda nodded, a small smile on his face. "I mean it."
"Please, children are a blessing," the mayor smirked. "And Bell-kun really is a good kid. Plus, Monica-chan adores him. Unfortunately, neither she nor I have been been really able to connect with him very well. He's still grieving over his loss. Not that we blame him, of course."
"I see," Kuda said hollowly. He was shocked at himself by how baad he felt hearing that Bell was feeling lonely over the old man's "death". He felt it was his fault Bell was suffering. "I'm really sorry to hear that."
"Yes, well, Bell-kun has a right to grieve and it's only been a week," the mayor babbled. He seemed to have difficulty finding what to say next. "...Look, we both know why you're here. To take Bell-kun to live with you. The old man wanted it this way. I can't- GYAh!"
GLARE
"What-" Kuda shivered, feeling an intense gaze from behind him. Hesitantly, he slowly turned his head back to see Monica giving him the evil eye. In her hands was a silver tray that had two glasses of water and a now empty glass water jug. Her glare radiated the most primal of cold fury.
"M-Monica-chan," the mayor stuttered, fearful. Kuda couldn't imagine that feeling so scared was good for his ticker. "Is something the matter…?"
"I heard," she said darkly.
"Heard what exactly?"
"The adventurers, they said that they were here to take Bell-kun with them," she explained, the venom seeping from her words. "Grandpa, you never said that Zeus Familia was here for something like that."
"W-Well, it slipped my mind…" He said meekly, however, Kuda had a hunch it was due to more than just old age that the old man failed to mention this rather important piece of news.
"This isn't something you just forget," She said, clearly not buying it.
"I'm sorry… it was just-"
"You know what, you aren't actually important to this story," Monica said, walking vigorously to her grandfather's desk and roughly dropping the tray on it. It was a miracle that the glasses of water didn't fall over. She focused her attention onto Kuda, who was sitting there feeling awkward as he watched the one sided argument. As if interrogating him, Monica looked at him with a discerning gaze. Her blue eyes peered directly into Kuda's dark coal eyes with a certain icy. If Kuda was a masochist, or if he didn't have a love, he may have enjoyed being looked at so intensely. But he wasn't and he does, so, right now, he felt very uncomfortable. The pressure Monica was giving off felt equivalent to a veteran adventurers gaze. "I'm no detective, so no matter how long I stare, I won't be able to properly judge your personality, so I'll just state my feelings. I will admit that there are definitely better people to take care of him than a busy mayor and a woman who's inexperienced in childcare. I will give you that, aside from growing up in the same same village, we have no real connection. I'll even admit that the reason Bell-kun hasn't been able to get close to us is perhaps because we aren't the ones who can heal his broken heart. However, even if we aren't related by blood, I know him. We played together whenever his grandpa and mine were busy talking. I think he's cute and I love him. I think of him as my little brother and I believe we can get closer with time…" Monica's lips began to tremble and she clenched her teeth tightly. She clawed the desk with enough force that she left grooves on the desk with her fingernails. "B-But if perhaps…. If there is someone better than us… than me… then I will have no choice but to hold back my tears… and send him off with a smile and a hug. I'll do that because I love him."
"Monica-san…"
"But allow me to ask you this," she continued, interrupting Kuda. "Can you be there for him? Can you be proper role model for him? Can you be strict, but also fair? Can you make him happy? Can you be his parent…?"
Kuda's eyes widened as he faced this woman who loved a child who she wasn't even related as if he were her own kin. Her resolve… it was not inferior to a warrior who has resolved to put his life on the line for the sake of achieving his goals, perhaps greater. To her, at least that's how it seemed to Kuda, giving up Bell was just as bad, if not worse than, as losing her life.
"If you can, then I will accept this with a smile on my face…" She finished her monologue with one final sentence and pulled away from him. This was good, because Kuda couldn't continue to look into her eyes, or else be overpowered by the intensity of her feelings. He contemplated her words and his own intentions. In truth, he truly wanted to be in Bell's life, to be an active factor in his life. However, he also wanted one other thing. He want it with a burning passion. If he needed to, he would almost certainly use Bell as the trump card to accomplish Zeus Familia's ultimate mission. Yet… was it okay to raise him just for that? Of course not! It would be no different than treating him as a tool and Kuda was not okay with that.
"Monica-san," Kuda said, standing up from his chair to face the young woman with his own resolve. Monica was tall, but Kuda was half a head taller and body width added to the size difference, yet she was not the least bit intimidated. Kuda's black coal eyes looked into her blue ocean eyes. He also put both of his hands on both of her shoulders. He was feeling heated, and wanted to put all of his emotions and feelings into words. "I don't know if I can-no- if we can take care of him as well and as lovingly as you, but we'll do our best. That's because I love him too! Bell-kun is apart of our family as well! I am-"
"Sorry to interrupt but- Kuda-san?! What are you doing!?" Nim walked in to the mayor's office without knocking and when she saw Kuda looking into a beautiful young woman's eyes with such passion, her imagination couldn't help but go into a spiral. "Are you cheating on Kyra-san?! You can't! You'll be killed! Hell, all of the women will kill you! Are you really going to put lust before your life!"
"Nim-chan, it isn't like that!" Kuda insisted desperately. He knew from experience that if he didn't clear this misunderstanding up right now he would be paying for it much later. And it would be painful. "I-I was just-"
"It was my fault," Monica interjected, waving her hand to stop Kuda. "I was hitting on Kuda-san without knowing he already had a special lady in his life. He was just trying to let me down easy. Isn't that right, Kuda-san?"
"W-What?" Kuda was slow to follow on Monica's lead. "Uh… y-yeah, I guess…"
"Really?" Nim asked, surprised.
'There's no way she'll buy this!' Kuda thought panickedly.
"It's unfortunate, but I suppose I should've anticipated Kuda-san having a lover," Monica continued. "Alas, I suppose I will have to continue to struggle on in my journey of finding love."
'Isn't she over selling it…?' Kuda thought.
"Ah, I see," Nim nodded. "Don't worry about it. You aren't alone, miss. Kuda-san's charm has left many victims. You see, he's a very popular man. Many women, including a large faction of the ones in our familia, have been charmed by Kuda-san's looks and/or passion. I had heard that it caused quite the problem for the familia once upon a time, but, eventually, Kuda-san chose Kyra-san. Of course, all of that was before my time."
"Is that so…?" Monica side-eyed Kuda, looking both amused and annoyed. Most likely, she was amused by the story itself, but annoyed by the fact that a playboy was trying take Bell away from her.
'She's buying this… no, more importantly, she is making me sound like a degenerate,' Kuda thought, depressed. "N-Nim-chan… was there a reason you came inside? In fact, weren't you with Kyra and Phina-chan to deal with those monsters?"
"Monsters?" Monic and the mayor said curiously.
"Oh, right," Nim said, remembering the reason she had come. "The good news is, Kyra-san killed all of the monsters and no one was killed, however, Bell-kun was seriously injured."
"Bell-kun?!" Kuda, Monica, and the mayor, who was awkwardly sitting through the scene between Kuda and his granddaughter, yelled in distress.
"Don't worry!" Nim quickly said. "Bell-kun is fine now. Phina healed the majority of his injuries and we took him to the doctor with a horrible sense of humor to finish his treatment."
"Horrible sense of humor…?" Kuda said, confused.
"The point is, he's being treated at the doctor's house and Kyra-san and Phina are there right now. "I assume you want to go?"
"I definitely do," Monica announced, starting towards the door. "Bell-kun is still technically our responsibility until we've resolve our current… positions."
"I'm going as well," the mayor announced, getting up from his chair an "Like she said, he's still our responsibility.
"Uh… Kuda-san?" Ignorant of what the mayor and Monica were talking about, Nim was looking for clarification from her leader as they walked past her.
"Of course I'm going," Kuda declared also starting for the door. However, even as he thought about an injured Bell, he also remembered how Dorwen had cared enough about Bell to ask them to be his family, and how Wilna had said that all of the villagers were good people, and just a moment ago when Monica had tearfully asked him if he was prepared to become Bell's parent and bear all f the responsibility that entailed. If he was, then, even though it would break her heart, she would let go of Bell, for his sake.
After all of that, Kuda could be sure of one thing. Bell was very loved. Now the question was whether he could match that love.