Danmachi: My Adventure With a High Fairy Queen, Vol. 1

Sacrifice

Absorbed in procuring provisions for the looming quest to vanquish Medusa, the evil Queen of Monsters, Bell Cranel meticulously examined the wares at a local shop in Orario. His crimson eyes darted from item to item, mentally tallying the supplies he and his party would require for their perilous journey. As he reached out to inspect a coil of sturdy rope, a hand abruptly seized his shoulder from behind, causing the white-haired boy to nearly jump out of his skin. Bell's heart raced as he spun around to confront the unexpected contact, instinctively reaching for the Hestia Knife at his hip.

"Hermes-sama, what are you doing here?" Bell gasped in surprise.

"We need to talk. In private," Hermes insisted, looking around them suspiciously.

Bell raised an eyebrow but didn't protest as Hermes dragged him out of the marketplace and into a nearby alleyway.

"Lord Hermes, what can I do for you?"

Hermes looked Bell in the eyee, his expression grave and his tone somber. "Bell, there's something you need to know about the Light Bond Shield, and it's not going to be easy to hear."

Bell's brow furrowed with concern, a sense of unease settling in his gut. "What is it, Lord Hermes? Please, tell me."

Hermes sighed heavily, the weight of his words bearing down on him. "The Light Bond Shield is incredibly powerful, a force to be reckoned with, but it comes at a great cost. It burns through Riveria's life force every time it's used, sapping her strength and vitality. If you rely on it too heavily, she will eventually die when her life force is completely depleted, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind."

Bell's eyes widened in horror, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach, a cold dread seeping through his veins. "What?" he whispered, his voice barely audible, a mere breath escaping his lips.

Hermes placed a comforting hand on Bell's shoulder, his grip firm yet gentle. "I'm sorry, Bell. I truly am. But you need to be prepared for the possibility that Riveria may not come back alive from this quest. She may have to be sacrificed in order to defeat Medusa, to ensure the safety of Orario and all who dwell within its walls."

Bell stood in stunned silence, his mind reeling, struggling to comprehend the enormity of the truth that had been laid bare before him. His worst fears were confirmed, and he felt as though the ground had been ripped out from beneath his feet, leaving him adrift in a sea of uncertainty and despair.

"I..." Bell was at a loss for words, unable to formulate a coherent response as his emotions churned within him, a tempest of sorrow and anger swirling within his soul.

"No," he said, his voice trembling with emotion, raw and unfiltered. "I won't let that happen. I won't lose another person important to me."

Hermes nodded sadly, understanding Bell's pain and anguish all too well. "I know how hard this must be for you, Bell, but you must be strong. Riveria knows the risks, and she's willing to make that sacrifice for the greater good, to lay down her life for the sake of others."

Bell gritted his teeth, his hands clenched into fists, his resolve hardening like steel. "I don't care. I won't let her die. I'll find a way to save her, no matter what it takes."

Hermes looked at Bell with a mixture of admiration and pity, both touched and saddened by his determination to defy the fates, to fight against the inevitable. "Bell, listen to me," he said, his tone imploring, earnest. "Even if you are successful in your quest to defeat Medusa, there's a good chance Riveria will die anyway. The Light Bond Shield is too powerful, too dangerous; it will eventually consume her entirely. Even if you manage to get her back to Orario alive, she may not survive for long."