Su Mo had never been to the Dungeon before, so his understanding of how much a rookie adventurer could earn in a day was vague at best. He vaguely remembered that in the original story, Bell Cranel, when he was still Level 1, managed to earn around 4,000 valis in a day. At that time, Bell was still a complete beginner with relatively low stats. Experienced adventurers would likely earn even more.
So even though Su Mo had only casually gathered a few scattered magic stones, in retrospect, it seemed he might have collected a bit too much.
Before long, the staff at the Exchange finished counting and handed over a pouch of money. "The total value is 12,000 valis," the attendant announced clearly.
Eina froze on the spot. "How much?"
She thought she might have misheard.
"12,000 valis. It's accurate," the attendant patiently repeated before moving on to the next customer.
Su Mo and Eina stepped aside. Eina stared at him in disbelief. "Are you sure this was your first time in the Dungeon? Even veteran adventurers with supporters rarely make that much on a normal day."
"It was definitely my first time," Su Mo replied with a calm nod. He didn't dare tell her that he was already Level 3. If he did, Eina might tear his shirt open right then and there to confirm it for herself.
"Incredible…" Eina muttered in awe, shaking her head. Thinking back to Su Mo's unbelievable speed during the registration test, she could just barely accept it. He had to possess some rare skill, one that granted an exceptional boost in combat efficiency—perhaps that was why his gains were ten times higher than the average rookie's.
"In that case, I guess we don't have to limit ourselves to a street stall anymore?" Su Mo asked with a grin.
"No need," Eina said, shaking her head. Now that she knew Su Mo had the capability, treating her to dinner wasn't a financial strain. In fact, her insistence on saving money earlier felt a bit silly in hindsight.
Following her recommendation, they ended up choosing a well-known establishment in Orario—Hostess of Fertility.
Su Mo was already familiar with this tavern from the original story. Several important characters worked here, particularly a mysterious waitress named Syr Flova. For a long time, many believed she was the daughter of the goddess Freya. It wasn't until much later that the truth came to light: Syr herself was likely a manifestation or avatar of Freya.
Because of that possibility, Su Mo had always stayed away from this place before gaining his "cheat." He had been cautious—what if Syr noticed his dashing looks and took an interest in him? And what if that interest extended to Freya herself, who might become obsessed with his "pure soul"?
Without a cheat, he wouldn't stand a chance against Freya. He could easily end up being exploited or worse. Although Su Mo didn't harbor much hatred for someone with Freya's… active lifestyle, he certainly preferred to keep his distance from such trouble.
But now, with his golden finger in hand, he no longer feared her. With his current strength, he was beyond Freya's reach.
So, when Eina suggested the tavern, Su Mo readily agreed—though he never once stopped to consider whether his "pure soul" was truly all that pure.
To his surprise, the meal went smoothly. While the waitresses were noticeably more enthusiastic due to his looks, there were no unexpected incidents. No drunken adventurers caused trouble, and none of the Loki Familia showed up. It was a calm, peaceful dinner.
Afterwards, Su Mo walked Eina back home. Once he saw her safely to her door and said goodbye, he remembered Hestia's earlier request and bought a portion of fried potato balls from the shopping street before heading home.
But just as he was about to knock on the door, he paused.
From inside, he heard voices—someone was having a conversation, and the faint scent of alcohol wafted through the cracks. Did Hestia invite a friend over? And more importantly… they're drinking?
Su Mo's first thought was of a certain goddess known to be close with his blue-ribboned roommate—the goddess of flame and forge, Hephaestus.
However, the voice inside didn't match hers.
Now genuinely curious, Su Mo instinctively held his breath and focused, quietly trying to listen in on what was going on inside.
Then, he heard the conversation taking place inside.
Eavesdropping on your own house… that shouldn't be illegal, right?
Inside the room, Hestia's youthful, tender voice was unmistakable—soft and playful as always. Even just from her tone, Su Mo could already imagine the look on her face: smug, proud, and full of boastful delight.
"Artemis, I'm really happy, you know! My Su Mo is amazing!"
Her voice carried a faint slur, laced with the scent of alcohol. Her cheeks must have been flushed red with drink, clearly tipsy. Yet the goddess had no intention of lying down and resting. Instead, she gestured animatedly as she poured her heart out to her friend.
"Whether it's his personality or his looks, he's the best in the world! I'll always love Su Mo!"
With a rare burst of drunken courage—and emboldened by the fact that Su Mo wasn't home—Hestia began to freely express her feelings. Sitting beside her, the goddess of the moon and the hunt, Artemis, watched her with an amused look of curiosity.
"I never thought that the lazy, gluttonous Hestia would one day form a Familia of her own," she said teasingly. "But Hestia, aren't you a virgin goddess like me? You—liking a man? That's unexpected."
To Artemis, the revelation was baffling. If she hadn't heard it with her own ears and seen Hestia's expression herself, she might not have believed it. That Hestia, of all goddesses, had fallen in love—and with one of her own Familia members, no less.
"Of course!" Hestia declared, slapping her thigh dramatically—only to wince and hiss in pain the next second. Still, it didn't stop her from continuing. "I used to avoid romance only because I hadn't met Su Mo yet! So obviously, we're fated for each other—no one can take him away from me!"
She gave Artemis a fierce little glare, her voice full of childish bravado.
"You included, Artemis! You're not allowed to steal Su Mo from me!"
"...As if I ever would!" Artemis laughed, shaking her head.
"Hestia, did you forget? I'm a virgin goddess—I hate the idea of romance. There's no way I'd ever fall for a man, let alone compete for someone from your Familia!"
Her tone was amused. While she found Hestia's childish behavior endearing, she also felt a rising curiosity about Su Mo. It had been ages since they last met, and now here was Hestia—transformed, infatuated, glowing. Just what kind of human could make a goddess like her fall so deeply?
Yet despite Artemis's assurances, Hestia remained skeptical.
"Hey, I'm a virgin goddess too, but I still ended up falling for Su Mo! So just saying that isn't enough for me to believe you!"
Whether it was the alcohol or not, her cheeks were flushed and her thoughts seemed muddled—except when it came to Su Mo. The moment his name came up, her mind became crystal clear.
Was this what it meant to be in love?
Artemis wondered.
Seeing that Artemis didn't answer right away, Hestia puffed her cheeks and leaned in, her voice dropping conspiratorially.
"I'm going to tell you a secret. But you mustn't tell anyone else, okay?"
Artemis gave a solemn nod. Her character was serious and trustworthy—if she promised to keep a secret, she would never go back on her word.
Not that Hestia seemed to care either way—judging from her excited expression, she probably would've spilled it regardless of Artemis's answer.
"You know how divine emotions are heavy, right?" she began. "That's why we usually try to keep them hidden from our children, so they won't be scared."
She spoke with a bright, pleased smile.
"Mm," Artemis nodded. Though she herself had never experienced such feelings, this was common knowledge among gods. Divine souls were far more powerful than humans, and so were their emotions. If not properly restrained, their love or hatred could easily overwhelm mortals.
There had been countless tragic incidents in the past, caused by gods losing control over their passions. As a result, most gods kept a strict leash on their emotions, ensuring they didn't burden mortals with feelings too great for them to handle.
Artemis wondered how this connected to what Hestia was about to say.
Seeing her friend's curious gaze, Hestia couldn't hold it in any longer. With a silly grin, she confessed, "Yesterday… due to a little accident, I ended up telling Su Mo everything."
Even drunk, she remained careful not to reveal Su Mo's stats or level-up speed—those were top secret. But what truly concerned her at that moment was something else entirely.
"I told him… once I latch onto someone, there's no escape—not even in death. Not even if he reincarnates. Even if it takes ten thousand years, I'll find his next life and be with him forever!"
"...You actually said that?!" Artemis was stunned.
Even she knew that such devotion, while normal by divine standards, would be seen as downright terrifying to a human. For gods, it was just a particularly intense form of love—but for humans, it would seem obsessive, even cursed.
A love like that would be labeled yandere in human terms.
Artemis couldn't help but worry. "He didn't get scared and try to leave your Familia, did he?"
There had been cases like that before. Even if a mortal liked a god, the difference in emotional scale was often too great. Realizing the god's love was all-consuming and inescapable would drive some to run. That kind of fear was only natural.
Yet Hestia didn't seem upset. In fact, she looked happier than ever.
Did that mean… Su Mo had accepted her feelings?
If so, Artemis found herself unexpectedly impressed. For someone to calmly accept the love of a goddess—such a deep, heavy love—they must truly care for Hestia in return.
Though Artemis disliked romance herself, seeing her friend fall for someone worthy made her quietly happy.