When Bell Cranel came to Orario after his grandfather passed away, his head was filled with dreams. Dreams of meeting cute girls, saving them, knowing ladies of all the various races. He blamed his grandpa! He'd been raised on the Dungeon Oratoria, one of the largest collections of Hero stories in the world. Growing up with his grandfather in their quiet mountain village had been a simple life. They had to occasionally deal with monsters, but nothing too strong ever appeared, mostly weak Goblins. He still remembered his last birthday before his grandfather had passed away.
-Flashback-
"Happy Birthday Bell!" The old man smiled brightly at his grandson. He had white hair, tanned skin from working in the fields, and could usually be seen wearing workman's clothes or loose robe-like clothing when he wasn't working. "How's it feel to be a man?"
It was Bell's fifteenth birthday today, the age at which children were recognized as adults in their country. The teen had woken up only expecting a small gift and maybe something sweet from the older ladies in the village. He wasn't expecting his grandfather to have two cups set up with a bottle between them!
"Grandpa, I know I'm allowed to drink now, but isn't it too early in the morning for that?" Bell chuckled at his grandfather.
"Nonsense!" His grandfather laughed off. "This is the only bit of this drink in the world! I want to share it with my beloved grandson for his first drink!" He motioned Bell over to the table and the two sat down. A full cup was pushed towards Bell, and he smiled as he picked it up. The drink looked to be a red color, or was it a dark-orange? The simple wooden cups obscured the color and even the bottle was opaque.
"To my grandson becoming a man!" His grandfather laughed and the two tapped their glasses against each other.
"Smells pretty good," Bell noted as he brought the cup to his lips. He drank and his eyes widened at the flavor. It was astounding, easily the best drink he'd ever had! He couldn't place the flavors, but the drink filled him to the core. His whole body was rejoicing, and Bell felt like he was walking on air for a few moments. "What is this?!" He asked his grandfather with a smile.
"I've had it stashed away for years," His grandpa laughed at Bell's happy face. "Can't remember the name that used to be on the label, but it was said to be as good as the Ambrosia of the Gods!"
"Thanks for sharing it with me, grandpa!" Bell thanked his grandfather with a beaming smile. The old man simply smiled happily at his grandson and wished him a happy birthday again.
-End Flashback-
That had been only a few years ago, it seemed longer though. But his grandfather had died. There was no way to recover his body either. With a broken heart, Bell had simply moved listlessly through their house for almost a week after receiving the news. It was only when he'd stumbled across the Dungeon Oratoria book that a fire had ignited in his heart once more. His grandpa had always loved Hero stories and had encouraged Bell to follow his dream to be a Hero. The fact the old man was a bit of a pervert and had even encouraged his young grandson to love many women and have a harem was better left unsaid. Being told tales like that and encouraged to follow his desires since the time he was old enough to remember and through his development into a man might have colored his goals and dreams, just a little bit.
With his decision made, Bell had gathered all of the Valis that they'd saved up. He packed his things, sold off the useable tools and goods in the village to make some extra money and then bought passage on a merchant convoy headed for the Dungeon City of Orario.
The massive city had been everything that Bell had imagined and more. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Chienthropes, Cat People, Amazons, Hume Bunnies, Boaz, Werewolves, Weretigers, Raccoon People, Prums, and every Race that could be thought of by the young man was here in Orario! He'd headed for the Guild first thing. They were in charge of all Dungeon activities, and you had to register with them to become an Adventurer.
Only that was a little harder than he'd initially thought.
To become an Adventurer, you needed a Falna, a God or Goddess' Blessing. The monsters in the Dungeon, the literal source of all monsters in the world, were far stronger than the monsters found on the surface. Being that most surface monsters were mere offshoots -descendants for a different term- of monsters that had escaped the Dungeon before Orario was built over it that was understandable. The Guild wouldn't let just anyone delve into the Dungeon and throw their life away.
So, Bell had set out to join a Familia. He of course tried all the big names first! Loki Familia, Freya Familia, Ganesha Familia, and a few others had turned him away at the door. They were large Familias and required new members to have something to offer the Familia first. Skills, Magic, Combat Experience, none of which a simple mountain villager like Bell possessed at all. He stayed away from certain Familias at the suggestion of the nice Guild Lady he spoke with. She was a very beautiful Half-Elf named Eina. Familias like Apollo, Ishtar, Soma, Goibniu, Hephaestus, and a few others. He understood why though. He was neither a blacksmith nor a craftsman, so both Hephaestus and Goibniu wouldn't take him in. Apollo Familia and Soma Familia both had reputations, and not in the best way. Ishtar only accepted Amazons or beautiful people into her Familia.