Without Loki interference, the trio celebration became much more lively. Hestia even started drinking competitively with Hephaestus.
Nathaniel, however, didn't drink. He never liked alcohol before transmigrating, and now he avoided it even more because alcohol could lead to trouble!
Only by staying sober could he take care of his wife, Hestia, after she got drunk. Yes, that meant carrying his drunken wife home on his back!
"Well, Goddess Hephaestus, I'll head back now," Nathaniel said, bidding farewell to Hephaestus while carrying the sleeping Hestia.
"Alright, take good care of Hestia, Nathan."
"Of course, she's my beloved wife."
Hephaestus, being Hestia close friend, naturally knew about Nathaniel pursuit of her.
"Hehe, Hestia is really lucky to have met someone like you," Hephaestus said with a hint of envy as she watched Hestia, arms wrapped around Nathaniel neck, resting on his back.
"Well, I'll head back too. See you around."
"Goodbye."
Watching Hephaestus turn and leave, Nathaniel spoke softly.
"My dear wife, let's go home."
"Mhm."
Hestia, who should have been sound asleep, responded with a soft murmur. The whole drunken act was just a pretense.
During dinner, Hestia had been boasting about Nathaniel to Hephaestus, which annoyed Hephaestus so much that she challenged Hestia to a drinking contest for the night.
Hestia, not wanting to engage in such a competition, simply pretended to be drunk and conceded. Hephaestus could see through the act, but as a good friend, she didn't expose it and let Nathaniel take Hestia home.
Nathaniel adjusted Hestia on his back, lifting her petite body a bit higher.
Hestia cooperated by climbing up slightly, wrapping her arms around Nathaniel neck and resting her hands on his chest, her small head nuzzling against his cheek.
Enjoying the softness of Hestia face against his, Nathaniel held her smooth thighs with both hands as he walked through the night toward the familia residence.
Though carrying his wife around the city was nice, it was better not to wander around Orario at night. So Nathaniel quickly returned to the familia base. After a quick wash, he carried his wife to bed and they fell asleep.
Nathaniel attitude toward Hestia was clear—he adored her. Having traveled to this 2D world and found a wife he loved, of course, he was going to spoil her.
Not just spoil her, but practically dote on her. Even though Hestia clung to him constantly, Nathaniel didn't cross any boundaries. He wasn't in a rush.
At most, they slept in the same bed every night, with Nathaniel lying on his side, holding the petite Hestia in his arms.
But by morning, Nathaniel would find himself lying flat on his back, with Hestia sprawled over him like an octopus, even drooling onto his chest, leaving a wet patch.
In terms of sleeping habits, Hestia was far from graceful.
....
Just like the past twenty-something days, when Nathaniel woke up, he saw the familiar ceiling and felt the familiar weight on his body.
Yep, same as usual. He glanced at his watch to confirm it was time to get up, then gently peeled Hestia off himself and covered her with the blanket.
In her sleep, Hestia twin tails were undone, and her long hair cascaded down, giving her the appearance of a classic "black long straight" beauty—or rather, a "black long straight, petite, and busty loli," a new attribute.
After gently stroking Hestia adorable face, Nathaniel began his new day.
First, he headed to the familia simple kitchen to whip up some food.
Speaking of which, Nathaniel had to marvel at how incredible Grey Wolf was. His homemaking skills were off the charts. Because he could never catch a sheep, Grey Wolf had honed his cooking skills to an extraordinary level.
To satisfy Red Wolf picky palate, Grey Wolf had become the best chef in the Green Grassland. Having inherited Grey Wolf wisdom, Nathaniel also inherited his homemaking abilities, so his cooking skills were top-notch.
[Note : Red wolf and grey wolf is from chinese animation called Pleasant Goat and Grey Wolf]
After quickly preparing a table of convenient bento boxes, Nathaniel retreated into his research room. The basement of the church wasn't very large, consisting of only four rooms. One was Nathaniel and Hestia bedroom, another was their bathroom, the third was a combined kitchen and dining area, and the last was Nathaniel research lab.
This was where Nathaniel crafted his equipment. All the firearms he used were created here. Before venturing into the dungeon, Nathaniel would always prepare here, crafting the gear he needed.
At first, simple firearms and ammunition were sufficient. Later, he upgraded to RPGs and high-explosive grenades. But Nathaniel knew that as he delved deeper into the dungeon, the monsters would grow stronger.
While firearms could still be effective, the amount of ammunition he'd need to carry would increase significantly.
The dungeon wasn't just about fighting on the way down; monsters also appeared on the return journey, requiring combat as well. Nathaniel was alone, and it was easy to imagine how much ammunition he'd need to carry the deeper he went.
The Hestia Familia consisted of only him.
As a Level 1 adventurer, grinding in the first 10 floors was enough to level up. But after reaching Level 2, he'd have to venture deeper, and that's when he'd need to carry a lot more equipment.
Without something like a spatial storage bag, he'd find it increasingly difficult to manage. Therefore, he needed to upgrade his gear. He really wished he had a spatial skill, preferably an inventory system.
In this world of swords and magic, Nathaniel was the first to introduce firearms, showing the adventurers of this world that times had changed. And now, Nathaniel goal was to make this era progress even faster!
Sitting down, Nathaniel pulled out a bag from a drawer. Inside the bag were magic stones, all of similar size, which he had picked from his dungeon loot.
Since they were called magic stones, they must contain magical energy. And if they contained magical energy, then that energy must be usable—otherwise, why would the Adventurer Guild bother buying them? So, could he find a way to harness the energy within these magic stones?
Nathaniel new weapon research direction was this point - extracting magic power from magic stones, turning it into magic bullets, and then attacking with them.
That's right, I, Nathaniel, am going to make a magic machine gun today!