67 Chapter 52: Return to Orario

The evergreen forest wrapped around Bell as a gentle breeze brushed past through his face, slightly lifting the edges of his hood before he undid it himself, the light peeking through the shade of the leaves reaching his eyes fully as he did so.

It was gentle and quiet, but just beyond the horizon, the serenity was broken by an electric atmosphere.

The shaking of the ground from the steps of mortals and pack-beasts. The murmuring of idle chatter and significant business. He could feel the familiar sensation come rushing back to him.

From the dirtied attire of hard-laboring adventurers to the common pieces of cloth of civilians and even the adorned dresses of the elite.

The mass color of souls shifted between common, empowered, and divine. A hotpot of connections and fate that defined the city that was crowned as the center of the world.

"I'm finally back in Orario"

Bell said exuberantly as he stood at the ledge of one of the many hills that surrounded the dungeon city. Observing its splendor and beauty that he hadn't seen in quite a while. A sight he had sorely missed.

It had been a month since he had begun training Emma Flores in the basics of combat and indoctrinating her as his fourth disciple in his teachings. Leaving her with a projection of Kanshou and Bakyua for her personal use, and the assurance that they would one day meet again in Orario.

"Emma said that she would begin her travels in two months… more than enough time to establish my familia as a known presence"

Bell smiled to himself as he could finally make use of the bulk of his knowledge as a reincarnator.

Though he was quite well-versed in the world of Danmachi, he wouldn't deny saying that the sheer detail of the main events greatly dwarfed all the other background knowledge and side stories combined.

As far as he was concerned, he had been flying partially blind due to the lack of concise details in some of the events he had meddled in during his journeys.

"There were many hiccups and near-misses, but I made it. Now that I'm finally in my element, it's time for me to make an absolute mess of Orario"

He had accomplished all the pre-planning he could achieve, now it was time to rake in the profits of all his investments and long waiting. He could hardly contain himself… but… there was one last thing blocking him away from all that.

"Long lines… you cheeky bastard…"

Bell had to undergo yet again the arduous experience he had dreaded once before, that being Orario's immigration procedure. An arduous gauntlet of patience under the heat of the sun.

…

..

.

"Hey, is that guy from a prominent familia?"

"He should be, you don't just see a guy like that and think he's ordinary would you?"

"Is he an elf? Most good-looking people are elves… but I don't see pointy ears… is it even possible to look that good?"

Murmurs and whispers were constantly uttered all around Bell as he waited by himself in line. He didn't have that many issues with patience, but his self-control was truly being tested as he gritted through hearing all the gossip the people around were making about him with his enhanced senses.

"Mama? Is that mister a celebrity?"

"Oh dear, it's not nice to disturb strangers!"

Seeing an innocent bull child in front of his position waving at him energetically, Bell flashed a gentle smile and kindly waved back in reciprocation. But alas, his gesture had more profound of an effect than he had anticipated.

The bull child and bull mother pair were suddenly left quiet as a subtle red shade began to color the contours of their cheeks. Similarly to them both, the observing crowd had been left raptured at the smile Bell had shown off-handedly.

'Eh… What's wrong with anyone?'

Bell thought to himself as he felt the stares being directed towards him only grow more and more in intensity. He knew he was handsome as per his previous interaction but unknown to him, the many fortunate encounters he had in his journey had radically morphed him.

( i m a g e )

The Orion Arrow which currently served as the basis of his Avalon had morphed his face to the peak of his genetics, which was rather high in large part to his mother who enraptured countless powerful adventurers and gods in her time.

The Aegis Shield only further enhanced the capabilities of the former and the newly added Sessrumnir had a small vestige of the goddess of beauty's charm when he had inherited it.

As if that weren't enough, his tenure as a scholar of the Altena Academy blessed him with the bespoken atmosphere of an intellectual, while his time in the Kaios had given him the rugged radiance of a veteran fighter.

It gave contrast to his natural young features with a mature taste, a combination that greatly appealed to many, in addition to his exotic heterochromatic eyes.

'I normally hid my face under my hood as many of the places I went to weren't the most welcoming… but I didn't expect it to be this bad…'

Bell wondered if this problem only became worse once he had inherited Freya's Sessrumnir, as he had never been mobbed this badly before.

'Well, even if I do find out the cause, I still have to live with this… I guess it's time to get used to living like a celebrity'

Faced with the gazes of admiration of the crowd, Bell prepared himself to ease the situation as best as he could. With a calm expression and demeanor, he began to speak to his onlookers.

"There's nothing to apologize for, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would respect my privacy and boundaries… won't you please do that for me?"

As if manifesting his grandfather's divinity, a shock, akin to a lightning bolt, began to spread through the observing crowd. They had been exposed thoroughly for their rude behavior, and yet, there was no malice to be extrapolated from Bell's words.

It was a gentle request that held within it a great amount of patience and understanding. As if they had all just heard the words of a kind father figure.

Heeding his words, the crowd began to stop their observation of Bell and mind their own business once more, but alas, trouble wasn't so easy for the Cranel bloodline to rid themselves of.

"P-Papa…"

"HUH-"

Feeling a tight tug on his leg and a light voice reach his ears with a concerning message, Bell quickly turned his sights on the small child who had begun to hug his leg with fervor.

Bell felt perplexed about what he should do, but he was quickly saved by the mother of the child who quickly separated her daughter from his leg.

"Dear, it's not nice to suddenly hug people. You heard what the kind man said right? Respect his boundaries"

"B-But… Papa…"

Bell fell silent as he never anticipated resolving this kind of situation in all his years of training and fighting. Helpless to do anything else but stand still and hope it resolves by itself.

"He's not your papa, dear. Papa is off working abroad on a business trip… for four months… twice a year… I don't blame you for not remembering… but do your best to keep that in mind alright?~"

It was a series of inconspicuous words that a mother might say to their child, but what alerted Bell to their possible hidden meaning were the series of small glances the mother had shot his way in between each pause. As if to enunciate and emphasize her points.

'She is indeed quite beautiful at her age with… abundant assets… but I am above cuckolding! I may be a pervert like Grandpa, but I won't be a complete degenerate like his counterpart in my previous life!'

Such was how Bell's time waiting in line to enter Orario went. The experience left him so traumatized that he swore to never leave Orario until he could secure a fast pass for entry that prominent familias use.

…

..

.

Walking through the streets of Orario, Bell obscured his face beneath his hood as best as he could for a number of reasons, most concerning for him being gathering notoriety for his looks.

He was intimately aware of the reasons most gods descended into the lower world, it was to have fun and fuck around. As such, one of the most sought-after treasures the gods look for, especially in a place like Orario, is good-looking mortals to recruit into their familia.

'Had I known that I would've turned into a handsome Squidward, I would've done a better job at hiding my face… I can't risk drawing attention, especially a bastard like Apollo'

Bell instinctively shuddered as he recalled just how obsessed the sun god was in his lust for good-looking mortals. He would regularly send out his children to patrol the streets of Orario in search of potential recruits rather than having them dive into the dungeon to grow stronger.

The sun god and his familia were a target that he wanted to capitalize on for resources and progress his own strength and fame, but he was in no position to fully reap the rewards of such a task.

'It would be near impossible for Apollo and his children to harass me like the original story, I'm just simply min-maxing my margins of profit per ounce of work I put in… and I want to exile him from Orario in a war game and not deal with his boner for pretty faces'

A month was the amount of time he speculated he would need to have before he could truly let all hell go loose upon Orario. Where Bell once saw a land of beginning a few years prior, he now only saw a Jenga tower that would soon collapse and pave the way to the achieving of his dreams.

'I have my work cut out for me in the next few months… but I suppose I can leave my work for tonight, for now… it's time to meet with some friends I haven't seen in a while'

Bell thought to himself as he walked through the busy main street of the dungeon city. Appearing slowly into his view was the destination that many souls entered and exited. The administrative head that governs Orario.

"It's been a while since I last met Eina"

The guild's headquarters.

…

..

.

"Hey Misha"

"Hm?"

Having lined up at the guild's help desk, Bell patiently waited until it was finally his time to have his queries answered by the guild staff who was manning the desk. Luckily for him, it was being manned by the second person he wanted to meet most at the help desk, the petite pink-haired guild staff who was often mistaken for a Pallum, Misha Flott.

'I would've liked it if it was Eina I met, but Misha is fine as well. I could just ask her where Eina is since they're close'

Containing his excitement to reunite with his advisor after so long, Bell maintained a cordial smile as he awaited Misha to reciprocate his greeting. But as seconds passed in silence between them both, he began to grow confused at her awkward silence.

"Misha?"

"Eh? Oh, uh, who might you be sir?"

"Eh-"

Bell was left dumbstruck at the petite guild staff's response because he knew she genuinely didn't recognize him.

Peering into her soul with his silver eye, he could ascertain a mixture of confusion and distress within her soul. Her demeanor didn't appear stiff, as if she were lying, and he knew that Misha was a terrible liar when it came to most things.

Seeing this, Bell could only feel hurt as his friend had forgotten who he was after so long. Though it was something he considered possible of happening, the pain of being forgotten hit him more than he had expected.

"You forgot me, huh? I thought we were closer since we hung out quite often a few years ago whenever I swung by… but I guess it's only natural… maybe if I took off my hood?"

Bell considered that, though unlikely, the faint shadows of his hood might've obscured Misha from recognizing him.

'I wanted to keep it on to avoid manifesting another peanut gallery… but I really wanna know if I was forgotten'

Taking off his hood, Bell's pristine white hair came into view. Reflecting the sunlight that peered into the guild's halls resplendently.

Similarly, his sky blue and cold silver eyes began to shine with the increased light that reached his face, raising his handsomeness even more.

His face had been truly exposed… and yet, Misha still didn't recognize him,

"I-I'm sorry, sir, but I cannot seem to recall who you might… be…"

"GUH-"

Bell faced considerable emotional damage from facing the cold reality that he had truly been forgotten.

'Was I really that forgettable in Misha's eyes? I do know that guild workers often disassociate adventurers into one giant mass, but I thought I would've been different… I suppose this is just an ego check…'

As he reigned in the ego boost he wouldn't like to admit having, through being admired for his face, unknown to him, Misha was undergoing the greatest mental strain of her life.

'THINK MISHA! THINK! HOW COULD YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN A HUNK LIKE HIM?!-'

She desperately made sure to control her outward expression as she racked her head to draw forth the smallest sliver of remembrance of the man in front of her.

'Pristine white hair. Exotic eyes. Sculpted face. Insane physique. Is it even possible to forget someone as striking as this person?!'

Her eyes traced every part of Bell. From the contours and features of his face to the masculine eroticism of his chiseled body that greatly played to her tastes.

In particular, her vision was drawn to his exposed triceps and bulging pectorals. It was as if she had become a perverted old man ogling an abundantly gifted maiden.

'What I would give to rest my face in his chest… wait… white hair? Exotic eyes? Sculpted face? Impressive physique?'

As Misha nearly lost herself to her delusions, she had struck gold as her memory began to slowly recall who the person in front of her was.

The memories began to slowly form together like a delicate jigsaw puzzle until the answer fully came to her, and it shocked her greatly after she uncovered the truth.

𝙎 𝙇 𝘼 𝙈

Slamming her small hands into the desk and raising her body beyond her station, Misha reached out to the towering man in front of her before uttering the identity of who she believed him to be.

"Bell? Bell Cranel?"

Hearing the words she had uttered, Bell was broken out of his small depression as a wide smile began to be painted across his face, blessing the guild's halls with the sincere smile of a beauty.

"Yes! Do you remember me now, Misha?!"

He excitedly awaited the confirmation of his friend. It was his first experience of reuniting with an old acquaintance in both of his lives, so he was living high on the ecstasy of a bond reforming once more despite the constraints of time and distance.

"... You really are, Bell…"

Seeing the way he excitedly acted, Misha knew beyond a doubt that the person in front of her was Bell Cranel. Memories of how he acted when he studied the dungeon with Eina flooded back into her consciousness.

His eyes appeared as if stars had been born in their splendor and an increased activity in his body language was openly conveying his joy… akin to a dog excitedly facing something that caught their interest.

'It looked adorable and cute when he did it back then, but now it's different… rather than a dog, it's like a wolf is standing in front of me right now…'

Misha knew that two years was a long time that could change anyone, but she didn't expect such a drastic change to be possible for any person… but she wasn't gonna complain about how time had treated Bell, in fact, she was grateful how well he had aged.

'Shit… Eina told me to keep my hands off of him…'

Stopping her desires from leaking out before disaster befell her at the hands of her best friend, Misha quickly regained control of herself and began to execute what she needed to do with Bell.

"Bell! Meet me by the entrance to the worker's lounge! Quickly!"

Leaving the help desk, Misha began to quickly head towards the worker's lounge of the guild staff. The very fate of the guild rested on her ability to complete this task, otherwise, she and her coworkers would be doomed to mandatory overtime.

"Huh? The worker's lounge? But why-"

"No questions, Bell! My life is at stake here!"

"Alright…"

Heeding the words of his friend, Bell began to make his way to the entrance of the worker's lounge. He didn't know why he was needed at such a place, but he wouldn't say no to a request from a friend he had just reunited with.

'Well, if she needs some help with her work, I suppose I can do it for her this one time. Athena has trained me to be a document-processing aficionado in Altena'

…

..

.

"So that's Bell Cranel…"

As Misha and Bell left the scene, a guild staff who was manning the magic stone exchange counter uttered her thoughts clearly.

Bell Cranel was a name that all the guild staff had become intimately aware of. Being the recipient of hatred and worship in equal parts depending on a single factor… whether he had sent Eina a letter or not.

"So that's the treasured little brother of Miss Eina… I gotta say, I don't blame her now for getting attached to him… any advisor would want an advisee that attractive"

Another guild staff uttered in response to the sudden appearance of the prodigal little brother. Very few had remembered how Bell actually looked back when he first arrived in Orario, so his appearance had become quite the hot topic among workers prior to his return.

Some said he was the long-lost elven half-brother of Eina Tulle. A discarded son from one of her parents' heated affairs.

Others theorized that he could've been an orphaned beast person that Eina had come to care for over her life.

For the few who had romantic aspirations for the bespectacled half-elf beauty, they postulated that he was nothing more than an average guy.

But none could've believed that the enigmatic little brother turned out to be a handsome exotic prince of a man, and such a revelation elicited a variety of responses from the people in the guild headquarters.

"Finally, he came back, now we won't have to worry about our workflow being congested… though I must say, do attractive people just naturally gravitate towards other attractive people?"

(E/D: Do you believe in Gravity?)

The more work-oriented guild staff focused more on the benefits Bell's return would bring to their work environment.

"Did you see how he looked? Eina said that he was out on a personal journey… Do you think I have a chance?"

The more casual guild staffers began to gossip heavily about the famed little brother, speculating whether they could pursue him and fantasizing about his attractive features.

"Pfft… he's not too handsome. Besides, he's just a little brother to Miss Eina, it's not like she would ever consider him as her partner… right?"

"She eagerly awaits his letters every few months and is in pain when he's not near her. And based on the fact he doesn't share any resemblance to Miss Eina, indicating at not being blood-related… it's looking grim…"

And the passionate pursuers of Eina became more and more depressed as they realized they had no chance against Bell in the arena of romantic aspirations.

This was not even mentioning the reactions of the passing adventurers and gods who had business to settle in the guild. All in all, Bell's return to the guild had left a deep impression in the minds of many, much to the detriment of his goal to not draw attention to himself.

But just as the guild's halls began to descend into a cacophony of noises with the endless gossiping and murmuring, a single voice tore through the sea of sounds and reestablished order.

"Quiet! This is the headquarters of the guild! Workers, return to your tasks! Adventurers and gods, please begin queuing at the necessary desks to resolve your business! No loitering or slacking will be tolerated!"

A lock of brilliant crimson hair entered the sights of many as if the hue of the hair was made to match the confident fire being conveyed in the voice that echoed loudly at present.

"Y-Yes Miss Rose!"

"Good!"

Confirming that order had been reestablished, Rose Fannet returned to her work with a flare of confidence and professionalism.

'Good grief, all this just for some handsome human. Has the guild fallen this low?'

Rose thought to herself as she sorted through the documents on her desk, but as she was about to sign off on another document that awaited approval, Bell's smile flashed through her head like a phantom, disrupting her workflow.

"..."

She was quiet as she slowly regained control of her thoughts, pushing aside the random occurring memory and regaining focus on her work, but not before she vented her frustration at being the same as the people she had scolded, something quite rare for the werewolf.

"Tsk"

…

..

.

"Huh? You want me to meet up with Eina as soon as possible?"

"Yes! We're headed to her office right now!"

Walking through a hallway of doors and workers, Misha guided Bell through the offices of the guild headquarters in order to reach the door of the half-elf.

But though Bell was now having his desire of meeting his advisor again fulfilled, he was quite confused about the urgency the petite guild staff had in making him meet Eina.

"Is there a reason why I must meet Eina as soon as possible?"

"Um… Eina just really misses you, you know? She always talks about it with us… haha…"

Misha replied to Bell's question with a stiff voice and an awkward laugh. Peering into her soul with his silver eye, Bell could recognize that Misha wasn't lying to him, but his intuition let him know that he wasn't getting the full picture… and he would be correct to think as such.

Eina's tantrums and depressive episodes began to replay in Misha's mind as she neared ever closer to the location of Eina's office. With each step she took, the petite human girl could hardly wait for the nightmare to be over and resolved.

'When Bell's letter would arrive late, she would spend the first day tirelessly waiting by the headquarter's entrance for the arrival of any delivery… by the second day she would grow angry at the inefficiency of the postal system of Gekai… by the third, she would demand to meet with the post office of Orario for improvements to be made… and this would continue until the seventh day where she would generally get the letter'

Eina would constantly worry for Bell's well-being to the point that it made her incapable of doing anything productive, negatively affecting the guild's workflow as she stood as the crux of many guild functions.

The guild's staff had to adapt to Eina's shift in moods in order to stay afloat as that was all they could do.

When they experimented with what might happen if she left, their logistics were stretched beyond their capacity.

When they attempted to intervene and curb her behavior, they were greeted with a fierce response from Eina.

Even with the intervention of the guild's head, Royman Mardeel, who had a distaste for half-elves like Eina, no changes were established.

Even after he had engaged in an hour-long conference with Eina… rumors say that he trembles slightly at every mention of her name after that event.

At the end of everything the guild came to learn three important things. Eina was the backbone of the guild who chose to remain as a front-desk advisor of her own will, she possessed the capability to bring even the most stubborn people to heel, and she treasured Bell Cranel above all else.

'I can't let Bell learn who Eina truly is… if he grows disgusted with how obsessed she is… the guild might truly collapse in on itself'

Misha's speculation was quite the hyperbole, but the guild would face significant losses with the departure of Eina Tulle, daughter of the royal advisor of Riveria Ljos Alf, Aina Tulle.

"... here we are… office space 266, Eina's office…"

After quietly brisk walking, the pair finally arrived at the door of Eina's office. Standing behind Misha, Bell grew a bit anxious as he observed the door.

Just beyond this construct of fine wood was a person he treasured dearly. Someone he hadn't met in two years. A character he came to love, and a person he came to value greatly.

'Eina is just beyond this door… how has she been? She said she had been fine in her letters, so I'm sure nothing too drastic has happened… but I know that she missed me a lot'

Bell reminisced on how unwilling Eina was initially to his idea of going on a journey. The half-elf's concern was extreme meddling in the eyes of many, but he knew that she just didn't want to lose another person to this cruel world.

'The world of Danmachi really isn't safe. Monsters roam the lands between major settlements, and crime is rampant in the lands where the order has failed to reach'

'They were never a concern for me and my magecraft, but for Eina, I was just a regular human with no powers… it must've been a tremendous ordeal for her to accept my desire to travel'

Bell thought about it more. Had he been in Eina's shoes, would he have allowed a powerless friend he cared for into the wilds of such an unforgiving land?

'I suppose this is the same ordeal every parent must face. Growth versus safety. Concern against development. Eina must've been affected more after all the death of the adventurers she advised… many people hate her, but I stick by my opinion, she really is the best advisor I could've gotten… and one of the best people I could have bonded with'

Taking a breath and stepping forward, beyond Misha, Bell slowly began to open the door to Eina's office. Wanting to reunite with her badly.

But as he did so, he was greeted with quite the sight.

"Huh?"

"Eh"

"Oh…"

( i m a g e )

The office room was nothing like Bell had remembered it to be. Various documents and books were spread out throughout the floor. Articles of clothing and underwear were hung haphazardly across various pieces of furniture.

The couch he had read many books on was nothing more than a glorified table for more books and documents, and standing at the center of it all was Eina, half-dressed and appearing disheveled.

Her evergreen eyes were sunken as if they had gone through a long period of disinterest, but they gave off an allure that just drew in one's sight and desire, further enhanced by her choice of glasses.

Her workplace was slobby, but her physique was anything but. Fat was distributed in all the right places, giving the half-elf a bounty of erotic curves that enticingly hid beneath her upright and pristine demeanor.

Her plump lips and white teeth bit down ever so gently on her necktie, as her delicate hands ran along her locks of gentle brown hair. With a hair tie being expanded with her fingers, it would seem that she was intending to tie her hair into a bun.

Lastly was the lighting. Her curtains were closed greatly, but a single ray of light shone through, mystifying Eina in an atmosphere that was equal parts soothing and desire-stoking.

"..."

Bell, Misha, and Eina stood in silence as if they were having a cowboy stand-off. But in Bell's mind, he recognized the trope he was currently in. The lucky pervert. Variant: Accidental Snooping.

Like instinct, he immediately raised his arms like a boxer. To not only block any incoming retaliatory strike from the snooped-upon beauty but to also give himself plausible deniability by obscuring his vision.

"Eina! I-"

But before he could even utter a word, he was met with a soft and malleable sensation. Something he was quite familiar with… in his nightly encounters with Arry and Freya months prior.

"Eh?"

"Bell!"

𝘾 𝙍 𝘼 𝙎 𝙃

Falling onto the floor, Bell felt little pain from the impact on his body, but more concerning to him than having fallen down was the fact that Eina was currently on top of him.

Her front body was directly pressing upon his clothes as she rested her head on his chest. He naturally grew concerned for her appearance as they were in the hallways where people might see her, so he attempted to speak and move her… and yet… Eina did her best to remain still.

Bell grew quiet as he felt a small shiver emanate through his body from Eina. Peering into her soul, he could see she was awash with a flurry of emotions. Relief. Happiness. Excitement… Concern. Fear. Anxiety. It gave him clear insight as to what was happening with the half-elf, and what he needed to do.

Lightly pressing on her head to urge her further into his chest, Bell stilled his heart and breathing as he opened his mouth to utter the words he knew she was waiting to hear for a long time,

"I'm back Eina… I'm not going anywhere…"

Hearing his words, Eina's trembling began to settle down as she began to reply with her own thoughts as well.

"I almost lost my mother to sickness, my father to exhaustion, my sister has been away for a long time in the school district… and the countless adventurers I advised before were lost to the dungeon"

She grasped the hems of Bell's jacket as she struggled to contain her emotions, wanting to be calm enough to convey her words coherently.

"I thought I could stay strong. Trust that you would be safe… but you just had to be so irreplaceable…"

"You were the only one who thoroughly listened to my lectures. Who willingly chose me to be their advisor. Who communicated how grateful you were to be my student… you were the only one who validated my efforts… who told me what I chose wasn't wrong… that I wasn't wrong to keep giving my best to every adventurer"

Her tears began to stain the black cloth of his clothes. A damp sensation began to course through his senses, but he didn't mind, he simply continued to let it be.

Her voice stopped as her words became stuck in her throat. Blocked by the outflow of emotions and tears she had finally let loose.

Misha could only watch with gentle eyes as Bell only hugged Eina tighter.

Beyond the facade of a comedic harem story, Danmachi is a story laced with death and misfortune in every possible corner.

For a person to willingly delve into the depths of mortal peril in search of a greater cause would be an oddity bordering on insanity…

… and for a guild staffer who took on the Sisyphean task of averting untimely adventurer deaths, it was true insanity.

No matter how well-prepared an adventurer might be, their lives still hand on the whims of luck. They might fall victim to a pass parade, a criminal act, a dungeon, or any number of other misfortunate circumstances.

『Then I will cram them with as much knowledge as I can. At the very least, my efforts can raise their chance of survival more if they understand the dungeon』

No matter how many people a guild staffer's actions might save, the deaths of the people under their care will triumph over any number. The memories of their faces will forever be seared into their mind as they realize they are no longer of this world. Such a scene would break any spirit.

『I must put aside my sadness for the people under my care. If my spirit falters, theirs will as well. For the best chance of their survival, I must always be composed and smile』

No matter how much they are taught, pride and greed will always cloud the mortal mind. Delusions of fame and glory will always override common sense when presented. It is pointless to try and dissuade human behavior.

『Then I will be more stubborn than them. My first advisee… and my friend… died all because I let her arrogance aside. I will instill all the people I care for with the knowledge and vigilance to survive… I may be scorned… I may be avoided… but if they can survive… if I don't have to add another name to the records of the deceased… then…』

It was a fool's dream. A dream to save all adventurers from an untimely demise. The memories of the smiling adventurer she once met as a new hire of the guild is both her motivation and curse.

She burned many bridges in pursuit of this ideal. Many distanced themselves away from her. The rest cut off contact entirely without a goodbye… but they were alive in the end… and that was all that mattered to her.

She didn't need thanks. She didn't need acknowledgment. So long as she did her job… she was happy… but when faced with a treasure that naturally urged her to raise them beyond her sense of duty, it would break her.

"Welcome back, Bell"

Her desire to raise her adventurers with all of her effort bordered on insanity, and her desire to raise Bell… was insanity itself.

'Why do all the women I meet have an obsession with me?'

Bell thought to himself as he peered into the soul of Eina. Her soul's color was reminiscent of Freya's, so he was acutely aware of what had happened to her during his absence.

He didn't know which among the many actions he had committed had spun Eina away from the version he remembered of her from the light novel... but he didn't care. The Eina in front of him was the only Eina he had to care about.

'I must have a problem… because I keep getting attracted to women with red flags…'

Hugging the half-elf tighter in his embrace, Bell replied to her words once more.

"It's good to be back, Eina"

…

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Inside the premises of Eina's office, Bell and Misha did their best to make themselves comfortable as Eina touched up on her appearance.

Her hair had been tied up into a small bun as she dressed up to an acceptable degree, wearing her black slacks and buttoning up her shirt to at least cover her chest. Her tie continued to hang loose around her collar as her glasses stood at the edge of her nose bridge.

"Haa… why must you still look good even as a slob, Eina? Do you know how much I and the other female guild staffers have to work on our appearances every morning?"

Staring at the effortless allure Eina radiated, Misha could only grow frustrated with her best friend's genetics, specifically, the partial high-elf blood that flowed through her veins.

"Haha, you're quite pretty yourself Misha. There's nothing for you to be hung over about"

"Easy for you to say…"

Eina laughed as she watched her friend's adorable expression from across the room, but slowly her eyes panned away from her pink-haired co-worker and over to the person sitting beside her atop the cluttered sofa.

'Bell…'

Her keen eyes traced all aspects of the white-haired youth, and to her surprise, he had changed drastically from the last time she had seen him two years ago.

'I was able to recognize him in an instant, but taking one more look, he has grown up quite a lot'

His face. His body. His demeanor. Everything just screamed maturity in her sensibilities, but she could still sense the youthful exuberance that defined him still remained.

"So, you're finally back, Bell. I suppose you have finally accomplished what you had set out to do in your journey?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah…"

Bell replied to Eina's question with a hint of hesitation and awkwardness in his voice. Was it the uncomfortability of his seat? Was it the abrupt nature of how they reunited? No, it was another reason entirely… two reasons.

"Eina. Shouldn't you cover up your chest a bit more? It's not the best for a man to see your bra so easily"

Bell said so with as much of a respectful tone as he could. It was taking him all his might to not ogle the half-elf's assets, but much to his misfortune, Eina simply smiled as she observed her advisee's reactions.

"It's fine, Bell. I normally don't like showing much skin… but I consider you my little brother, there should be little need for hesitation for such stuff between us, right?"

Calmly walking over to the opposite sofa before sitting down and crossing her legs, Eina's intentions were clear as day for Bell. He didn't even need his silver eye to know what exactly was happening.

"I see…"

"Sheesh, can you two leave the flirting until I'm gone"

Growing annoyed that she had been forcibly delegated as the third wheel, Misha wanted to leave as soon as possible. To give the two some space, and to not suffer any mental damage from the sight.

But Eina quickly dissuaded her from such action as she lightly laughed before changing the topic. Grabbing a folder of documents into her hands as she prepared to speak.

"No need to be like that, Misha. Bell and I have plenty of time to 'catch up'… but for now, I can already tell why he might've wanted to go to the guild besides reconnecting with the both of us"

She smiled softly as she had perfectly predicted his behavior, much to Bell's delight who laughed at how well his advisor knew him, despite not having met in two years.

"You know me so well, Eina"

"Anything for my advisee"

"Ugh, stop speaking in silence. Any more and I will really turn into a normie-hater…"

Bell and Eina laughed at Misha's growing frustration before the three began to discuss what exactly the half-elf had prepared in advance.

"Familia registration papers? You're finally graduating from being a falnaless adventurer, Bell?!"

Seeing the document she was quite aware of as a guild staffer, Misha grew excited as she realized the white-haired youth would finally be looking for a falna.

"About time! Did traveling the world finally make you realize how much you need a blessing? You must've been scared of a surface monster, huh~ Don't be shy~ You can tell it to ol' Misha~"

The pink-haired guild staffer began to teasingly poke at Bell's arms with a playful expression, but as she did so, Bell began to recall through his memories of his journey… and conclude that Misha's words were not exactly wrong.

'Nearly dying from Antares… nearly dying from Leviathan… nearly dying from Angra… working myself to the bone with the Behemoths… yeah, Misha isn't exactly wrong'

Bell had been holding off on gaining falna in order to maximize the benefits it would bring in enhancing his base state, in addition to the worries he had about anti-falna abilities in the world of Danmachi.

For the former, he had reached a point where any further progress would have diminishing returns, and for the latter. However, it concerned him that he had indeed proven the existence of anti-falna abilities, he had also developed a countermeasure for it.

'The Loki familia will begin their expedition to the deep-floors in a week. In that expedition, they will encounter the Virga Demi-spirit… Ais would have no problem dealing with it, so it's the best chance to test my prototype…'

As he lost himself to his thoughts, he was abruptly pulled back to reality by a sudden tug on his jacket.

"Jeez, you still lose yourself in thought. You should really fix that habit of yours, Bell"

Misha said in annoyance as she had been ignored all this time, which elicited a half-hearted apology from Bell who could only do his best to appease her anger.

"Bell? Misha? It would seem as if it was my turn to be the third wheel. Please focus back on the documents"

Hearing the voice of Eina, the two put a stop to their banter with an awkward cough. Losing themselves in the long process of adventurer registration and familia application.

Whilst the two guild staffers helped Bell along the process, Misha decided to comment on a peculiarity she had noticed during their conversations.

"You know, Bell. You've gotten uncannily good at talking to both Eina and I… as if you have experience managing multiple women at once…"

"𝘾 𝙊 𝙐 𝙂 𝙃"

"... no way… you rascal! You actually played multiple women!~"

"Misha-"

"There's no backing out of this, Bell. I know gossip when I see it! Spill all the details!"

The pink-haired guild staffer's eyes shined with a burst of curiosity and playfulness as she had unintentionally uncovered a gold mine of gossip.

She had long speculated that Bell was a born player, but she didn't expect for him to be able to hide it so well.

But just as they were about to divine into a full-blown interrogation, they were halted once more by Eina, who cleared her throat to catch both of their attentions.

"Misha, we can arrange a separate day to catch up with Bell. I'm sure he has a lot to do, so let's not try and bother him too much for now"

She spoke with a clear voice that indicated no hostility or underlying message. It was a simple plea for focus. Even observing the half-elf with his silver eye, Bell could not detect any fluctuations in her soul that would indicate she was lying.

Accepting their faults, the two fell into line once more. Reminded once again why Eina was so adept at being an advisor. Her experience raising her sister, tending to her sickly mother, recuperating her overworked father, and reigning in rowdy and bombastic adventurers for a living, had made her a natural leading figure.

…

..

.

Watching by the window of her office as Bell walked out into the busy streets of Orario, Eina saw him off from the window sill as she sipped on a cup of tea. A brew Bell had made for her before he had left.

She took in the flavors she had long missed. The earthiness and slight bitter taste that invaded her senses brought her back to a time she treasured dearly. Knowing she could relive it once more brought a serene smile to her face.

But watching the zen Eina was a worried Misha. She knew how protective her best friend was of her advisee.

Realizing just how far she had pushed him whilst being lost in her desire for teasing and gossip, Misha worried about the retribution that would be coming her way, but no such punishment ever befell her.

"I'm not angry, Misha. I know this is just your way of bonding"

With a light laugh, Eina released the anxiety that was weighing down on her petite friend. After years of friendship, she had gotten used to her tendencies… and she had also gained a realization of how she should treat Bell.

"I realized that the reason Bell was so different was that he is both capable and incapable at the same time. As hard as that may be to visualize"

"He knew his strengths and weaknesses perfectly and worked hard to balance himself. As if he had the perfect measuring tool to judge himself in comparison to everything else. Such a thing is hard to find in even the most veteran of adventurers"

"Arrogance. Pride. Shame. And even just unfortunate unknowing, these things plague numerous people, but Bell acts as if he is always in control of his road forward. That's what makes him so different"

Eina spoke as she took periodic sips of her tea. Her smile remained evident as she conveyed her thoughts to Misha who attentively listened to every word the half-elf spoke.

"When I advise an adventurer, I must compensate for their lack of foresight with my own, often leading to disagreements… but Bell simply accepted everything I taught him as if he himself agreed with all my points on every theoretical level… it was when I met him again earlier that I realized I should change my approach"

"Instead of pulling as I do with most people, I should simply go with whatever Bell does. Become whatever he needs me to be and be where he wants me to be. That's the only way I can truly keep him safe and happy"

Hearing this, Misha was a bit dumbfounded. After experiencing all her complaints and worries she held for Bell, to see that her friend had just accepted to let him go free with no fight… it astonished her mind that such a thing was possible.

"So… that thing I mentioned about him playing multiple women?"

"Bell is quite the catch so it's only natural, and it's not my place to decide who he gets to love"

"Does that mean I can go for Bell?"

"Sure, if he accepts it, I'll be happy for you"

"What if he wants you?"

"I would gladly accept him if that were the case"

"Then… hypothetically, what if he wanted both of us? At the same time?"

"I would be in your care then. I'm not well-versed in bed, so I would rely on your expertise, given your history"

"Eina… are you alright?"

Misha was worried that meeting Bell had caused her friend's brain to go haywire, but as if to dissuade any notion of her mind not being sound, Eina peered into her eyes whilst declaring her thoughts clearly.

"It's not hard to understand, Misha. So long as Bell is happy… then that's all that matters"

Eina's evergreen eyes shined faintly, awakening her slumbering high-elf heritage ever so slightly.

It would appear that all sisters of Bell Cranel were of the same mind when it came to their policy of how to best protect their treasured brother.

…

..

.

"Not much has changed since I was gone"

Bell muttered to himself as he aimlessly wandered through the various districts of Orario. He had some time to kill, and he decided to simply take in the sights of the city he had not seen for so long.

The various shops he would often see in his vigilante patrols and travels to the dungeon remained the same for the most part. The restaurants and stalls he would occasionally buy from remained where he remembered them to be as well.

Everything was where he had left it, but it still filled him with the same sense of grandeur and curiosity as it did when he had first arrived. Fresh from his home village of Colchis.

'Speaking of Colchis, I should probably plan a trip back there… maybe next year…'

Bell thought to himself as he pondered on how his aunt Idyia was doing. He knew that his grandfather would begin traversing the world for his own plans, and he came to learn in Altena that his little sister had traveled similarly to him to become an adventurer. So there was only his childhood caretaker to ponder on.

'Wait, Aunt Idyia also had a husband… weird… why can't I seem to remember who-'

But before he could follow this train of thought longer, his attention was taken away as a burst of noise came to his senses. Numerous cheers of youthful voices erupted in a crowded corner of a street.

Peering into the direction of the commotion, he slowly began to make out what exactly was causing such a frenzy among many children, and it was a surprise he wasn't expecting.

"It's the Moon Rangers! It's the Moon Rangers!"

"Ranger Rethusa! Ranger Lante! And Ranger Atalante!"

Bell's body shook in surprise as he saw his companions of the Artemis familia being smothered by a crowd of starry-eyed children. He had expected that their group would become a major presence in Orario, but he hadn't expected them to become a tokusatsu group.

'Well… it looks like they're having fun at least, and Atalante looks like she's over the moon right now'

He smiled as he observed the trio struggle to manage the innocent joy and excitement of the children. Rethusa did her best to maintain order, Lante goofed around with whoever wanted to play, and Atalante tried her best to hold back her desire to dote on the children.

"Agh! Lante! Stop playing around! The children might fall down in the crowd!"

"It's fine~ Don't be such a stuck-up red ranger~"

"Guh- Why did the gods start referring to us by our hair color… now the children keep calling me 'red' whenever I go out"

"I don't know, it must be one of their weird culture thing in heaven. Hey, green ranger! Need any help holding back?"

"I'm fine… I… must… stand… strong… must… not… HNNGG…"

(E/D: FBI! OPEN UP!)

Bell laughed to himself as he continued to observe the moon rangers. Thinking how they originally were fated to die at the hands of Antares, he could begin to feel the weight of his intervention… and it only motivated him more. To continue averting the countless demises of the world he now lived in.

'It's a shame I couldn't have been reincarnated even earlier… perhaps I could have averted the tragedies of the dark age… heh, that would've made for a good fanfiction idea'

After concluding that line of thought, Bell began to move away from the commotion. He wanted to reunite with the hunters of the moon goddess, but it wasn't the most opportune time.

They were a group with far more eyes on them. A band of beautiful virgin hunters. If they were seen associating closely with a guy, rumors would surely run amok like wildfire.

'Wait… thinking about it more, Artemis should currently be in Orario right now… so why hasn't she contacted me yet?'

Did the goddess understand his circumstances? Was she perhaps currently busy with another matter? Bell did not know, but what he did know was that out of all the possibilities, there was one he believed to be the most likely… and the one he feared the most.

"Artemis is already watching me"

In an instant, a cold chill went down his spine. He had gotten the moon goddess' permission to pursue more women, but he didn't know how exactly she would react to having bagged Athena and Freya.

'If I remember correctly, Artemis and Athena had bad blood as per Aphrodite's dialogue in the side stories… and Artemis was a divine weapon prepared to strike down Freya, meaning she always viewed her with enmity and suspicion… how the hell do I survive this situation?!'

Bell couldn't perceive a reality where they could all co-exist with one another in peace. In his simulations, Arry would always come out well-liked by all three goddesses, but he couldn't seem to find the winning formula to have a peaceful life with his divine wives-to-be.

'How in the hell does someone even manage a harem?! There are no books or resources for something like this!'

Bell had taken hold of the desired harem rose and he was now suffering the pain of its thorns.

"... I suppose I'll just wing it like usual… I hope she won't be angry that I'm trying to find Hestia right now as well…"

…

..

.

"One shot to his knee… one to his Achilles tendon… one shot to his wrist… and one to his heart~"

Standing by a window in the tower of Babel, Artemis performed shadow archery as she observed her target from far away.

Her movements were graceful and her intent was calm and steady. Her striking points were all targets she was used to aiming for. For the purpose of capturing a beast of prey.

She was confident in her skills, but as she theorized on the efficacy of her theoretical bow movements, a small smile painted itself across her face.

"As expected, all arrows were intercepted. I suppose it's only natural that you could deal with a sniper, Bell"

In the mind of the goddess of the moon and hunt, every arrow she had released was quickly taken down by Bell with ease. His sword redirected the momentum of her arrows like he was diverting the current of a river.

She expected no less from her Orion, and she could hardly wait to actually engage with him in a real duel rather than another simulation in her head.

"Hm? You alright there, Artemis? Practicing some archery?"

"Oh, just some light movements. I get quite restless when I see an interesting target to practice on. Moving on from that… are you sure you can take on the commission? It's alright to leave it to some of your other smiths"

"Haha, it's alright, Artemis. Though I may be under the weather, a few emotions won't come in the way of my business and standards. After all, it's the pride of my familia to equip the keepers of order in Orario"

"You overpraise me and my children too much, we are simply doing what we believe is right… I'll trust in your hands to craft a new set of hunting bows for my executives, Hephaestus"

Artemis and Hephaestus smile to one another as they finish the details of a commission the Artemis familia had given to the Hephaestus familia's main smithy.

The moon goddess had been concerned after hearing some rumors that Hephaestus had been under the weather in recent times, but seeing the smithing goddess' eyes continue to burn with the fire of a master smith, Artemis decided to continue placing her trust in her work.

'I wonder why Hephaestus is under the weather? The last time she was this down under… was when Hestia went to the council of Olympus… being separated from her treasured friend did a lot to her. Speaking of Hestia, I wonder if I should write to her to descend…'

Unknown to Artemis, not only had her friend and fellow virgin goddess descend onto the lower world, but they would soon all be connected through a common link.

…

..

.

'I thought I would eventually bump into Hestia through my thoughtless wandering, but it seems she's not around most of the spots I would assume her to be in…'

Wandering down yet another street in Orario, Bell was beginning to wonder where the goddess of the Hearth could be.

He wanted to connect with the goddess through means that were not obtrusive, so as to naturally gain her trust.

'I can't just wander around her church. Barely any people go to the ruins district, so meeting a guy who coincidentally was looking for a familia at that location would just be too suspect… and the novels never went into detail about her workplaces outside of the Hephaestus familia's shops in Babel, but she shouldn't be working there right now'

As the seconds passed, Bell began to grow more and more worried that perhaps his actions had somehow affected the heart goddess' descent into the lower world.

'Shit… Hestia is my ideal choice because of one reason, she has the capability to manifest her divinity in the lower world despite the restriction imposed by Ouranos'

『Dios Aedes Vesta: Descent of the Eternal Torch's Temple』

Through a complex ritual, Hestia is capable of descending the temple of the heavenly flame to any location she desires. Doing such will allow her to access and manipulate the source of all fire to her liking.

'In the main story, Hestia was able to use the temple to nullify Freya's charm on the entirety of Orario, utilizing the heavenly flame's pure attribute to rid any impurity in the area she chooses. It's a broken AOE dispel of the highest order… but I am more concerned about its second use'

'In the side story Aedes Vesta, after morphing herself into the goddess Vesta and descending her temple… she gains full control of all fires in the world, and was almost manipulated by the villain of the story into burning everything to cinders…'

Despite Hestia's persona of being an air-headed goddess, she holds a great amount of potential power in the lower world. As if that weren't enough, all children that inherit the falna of Hestia gain access to a portion of the heavenly flames' blessing.

'The Hestia familia was able to manifest a limited control over fire, purification, and resistance to burns and heat'

Unknown to many, the choice of one's source of falna can grant them additional abilities. The falna of Apollo can give lesser versions of Hestia's falna. The falna of Freya and various other goddesses of beauty grant small immunities to mental attacks. Along with many other effects depending on the authority a god presides over.

'As it stands, Hestia is the most dangerous and reliable goddess to receive falna from. I must confirm if she has descended. Depending on what I find, I might have to pivot my plans'

Faced with this predicament, Bell had lost himself once more to his thoughts as he mindlessly walked down the street. It was then that he had caught the attention of another past acquaintance.

He had his hood on top of his head, and a mask covering his face as further protection, but it would seem that such measures weren't enough for him to avoid detection from this person.

"Adonis!"

𝘾 𝙍 𝘼 𝙎 𝙃

Fortunately for Bell, he didn't fall victim to another glomp attack, standing firm as he caught whoever had suddenly run into him.

A bed of long blonde hair filled his eyes and a pair of shining emerald eyes peered back into his. Through his hands, he could feel the soft and supple skin of the woman he now currently held in his arms.

She was dressed in a revealing outfit of pink, gold, and light green, which accentuated and enhanced her beauty even further. Before long, Bell had finally remembered who this person was.

"Aphrodite?"

"Ah! You still remember my name! We truly are friends!"

Aphrodite brightened up as Bell called out to her by name. Remembering how he had promised he was her friend in Preblica, and treasuring the bubbling feeling the platonic friendship had given her, the goddess of love hadn't forgotten who the white-haired youth was.

"Honestly! Did you know how long my children and I had searched for you? It was as if you were trying to run away from me…"

The goddess began to tear up as she remembered the futility that had come from sending her familia's scouts into the forests around Preblica, only to report that they had lost track of Bell.

She was broken up by his sudden disappearance, but as if fortune were on her side, she noticed that the boy she had been looking for was now in Orario.

𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙥...

The goddess had never once experienced what a pure friendship was like with a person of the opposite sex. It was a high of emotions that she greatly desired.

Now that it was in her grasp once more, Aphrodite would make sure it wouldn't slip through her hold once more.

"Bell… Why did you leave?"

Aphrodite looked up at Bell with sincere eyes of sadness and confusion, but though the sight in front of him warranted much attention, his focus was currently being placed somewhere else.

'I'm surrounded…'

Reinforcing his senses, Bell was able to ascertain that countless adventurers had encircled his position.

He could easily break through the encirclement and escape, but doing so would have many drawbacks.

For one, it would draw attention to himself yet again, and for another, it would require utilizing his abilities.

In a place like Orario, if anyone who knew him as a falnaless adventurer caught wind of any rumors of his abilities, it would draw in tons of trouble Bell had no time to deal with.

"..."

Placed between a rock and a hard place, he decided to bite the bullet and choose the lesser of two evils.

"𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙝… I can explain myself, Aphrodite, but can we move someplace more private? I don't like all the people that are staring at us right now"

Hearing his words and sensing Bell had no intention to escape once more, Aphrodite was overjoyed as she began to lead him by the hand through the street.

"Great! I know a great place we can talk in! Let's go, Bell!"

"... Sure, Aphrodite"

Seeing that their goddess' target had succumbed to their demands, the hidden adventurers of the Aphrodite familia disengaged their preparations for capture and containment. Moving through the shadows to blend back into the crowds.

But unknown to them all, resting upon a luxurious bed on the highest floor of Babel with a divine crystal ball in her hands, Freya watched in amusement as her Odr willingly humored Aphrodite's request.

"My, my, Odr. Who would have thought you would covet another goddess of beauty after me…"

Freya's silver eyes glowed faintly as she continued to observe them both, but there was no malice to be had in her gaze, only simple curiosity.

"Hmm, it would seem as though there's no romance involved. How strange… hooking a goddess of love in platonic love, you never cease to amuse me, Odr"

Giggling to herself at the absurd circumstances her beloved had found himself in, Freya moved her attention away from observing her love and onto more pressing matters.

『Vana Seith』

A silver glow began to bathe Freya's entire body before dissipating just as quickly as it had manifested.

Her appearance had morphed drastically. Her voluptuous figure had been toned down considerably, but its sexual allure was no less than before.

Her resplendent shining silver hair had turned into a more subdued gray, and such was the same with her eyes.

The goddess stripped herself of her usual dress before going through her large walk-in wardrobe.

Various fine pieces of fashion passed through the goddess' eyes before landing affectionately at a getup she greatly cherished, the uniform of the Hostess of Fertility.

Freya had transformed from the famed goddess of love and war into the ever-popular and mischievous human pub waitress, Syr Flova.

"It's almost time for my shift at the Hostess. I wonder if Bell will come by later? I can't wait to see how the girls will react to his return~"

Syr broke into a wide grin as she imagined the looks on her friends' faces. Giggling to herself as she began to choose a set of underwear to wear beneath her uniform for the day.

"Hmmm… it's been a while since Bell and I last did it… and though I'm trying my best to persist, I'm already beginning to miss him… maybe we can do a quickie at the Hostess?"

Syr said so as she eyed a particular set of lingerie that gave easy access to her pleasurable mound.

But just as she was beginning to get hot at the thought of consummating her love once more, a similar voice to her own broke her thoughts in an instant.

"I would appreciate it if you please refrain from such activity for the meantime, Lady Freya'

"HUH!- Wait… Horn? You could've knocked on the door, you know?"

"Apologies, Lady Freya, but this is an urgent matter that greatly concerns my well-being. Please find it in your heart to excuse my breach of formality"

Standing in front of Syr was a girl of similar appearance to her current form, or perhaps, it would be more apt to say that the goddess' current form was an imitation of the girl in front of her.

Horn. A member of the Freya familia. Though she was level three, she was not greatly talented at fighting or exploring the dungeon, instead, she was taken into the familia by its head goddess for her unique soul and even more unique magic.

『Vana Seith』

It was magic that allowed Freya and Horn to assume the other's appearances. Allowing the goddess to observe mortals with little need for concern, and provide the human girl the chance to experience the life of a goddess she so desired.

But the magic came at a cost. The two would be permanently connected and share sensations with one another to a high degree of accuracy. Whatever one felt, the other would also feel with the same intensity.

Though the magic had a cost, the only one who truly considered it a detriment was more often than not Horn.

The human girl barely experienced many emotions by herself, but Freya was much more expressive than her child to an incredible degree.

Horn mostly survived feeling the curiosity and wanderlust her goddess experienced frequently, but the problems came in when she had fallen deeply for her Odr.

Her heart began to be moved as passionately as Freya's. Her desire was stoked just as intensely as hers… and her pleasures were more than apparent to her connected senses.

"Please withhold any sexual urges you might have for Bell Cranel until the commissioned item to inhibit my sexual responses have arrived, Lady Freya"

Horn pleaded with her goddess to not move ahead with her desires. She had suffered countless times over the past few months due to Freya's insatiable appetite for sex.

Collapsing onto the ground whilst she maintained the identity of Syr. Trying her best to not moan and orgasm in public.

Having countless sleepless nights as her body was wracked with pleasure that never gave her even a single moment of rest.

To say the least, Horn was not particularly fond of her goddess' bedside relations with Bell.

"Come on, Horn! Just one time! You know it's even more painful for me to be away from him!"

"..."

Try as she might to convince her child otherwise, it would appear that Horn was not budging on this position, but her keen eyes had picked up on a peculiar detail.

Horn was inadvertently turning her vision to the crystal ball she had left by her bedside desk. The crystal ball that was observing Bell with clear fidelity.

"Oh ho~"

Thus, like a predator who had found its prey, Syr began to sink her fangs into Horn. Just like she had done with Arry, she would turn this poor human girl into a devout enjoyer of the more pleasurable things of existence.

"It's useless to lie in front of a goddess, Horn. Admit it, you liked the thrill my sensations gave you"

"?!-"

Wearing an erotic set of white lingerie, Syr pounced on a dazed Horn, pressing her body against hers. Their chest pressed down on one another like a pair of succulent pillows.

"Lady Freya-"

"You liked how Bell digs deep into my folds. How the tip of his manhood scrapes against my sweet spots. How he brutally knocks down on my womb… you liked how it all felt, right?"

"Mmm"

Syr began to toy with Horn's body as she began to loosen her up. Make her more accepting of her true desires.

The two were similar in appearance, so it looked as if the scene being played out was a forbidden act of passion. It was as if twins were engaging in the desires of the flesh with one another.

"How his teeth bite down on my nape. How his calloused hands play with my breasts. How the weight of his body presses down on mine as we lose ourselves in the heat of pleasure"

As Syr whispered sweet nothings into Horn's ear, she began to experiment to what extent her child's magic could be applied.

Her delicate fingers began to slowly raise the hem of Horn's dress, while her other hand began to move towards her happy place.

Without hesitation, Syr began to toy with both Horn's and her own pussy. Tracing her fingers on the other edges before moving ever so closer inwards.

"Mmm… Lady Freya…"

"Hhhaa… Just enjoy it, Horn… Hhhaa…"

The pair then began to lose themselves in a bout of shared pleasure. It was a sensation neither had felt before, It was an infinite feedback loop of carnal desire, an experience that immediately hooked both of them.

Their breaths grew quicker, as did the heat around their soft mounds, but before they both reached their release, Syr had drawn back from finishing them both off.

"Hhhaa… Hhhaa… Lady Freya… why?"

Horn's eyes were glazed over as she grew confused and frustrated. She was so close. Why had her goddess chosen to stop?

To her child's helpless question, Syr only smiled mischievously before giving Horn her answer.

"I'll give your permission to be excused from work for the rest of the day, Horn. Be by your room at six… and get as comfortable as you can~"

Leaving Horn by herself in the wardrobe, Syr finalized her attire for the day before leaving Folkvangr. Various guards greeted her along the halls of her home before she eventually boarded her own exclusive elevator.

Just as the doors of the lift were beginning to close, Syr wondered with excitement what would await Orario in the future now that her Odr had finally returned. The eye of the storm has now entered, all that awaited now were the winds that accompanied it.

"I'm looking forward to it, Bell"

…

..

.

Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter.

While I was writing this chapter, I realized I was already at 11k words and I was hardly done with all the things I wanted to write about for Bell's return HAHAHA.

I'll continue what happens in Bell's return in another chapter, but for now, I hope you are happy with what has happened so far.

After reading the feedback on the last chapter, I won't include the 2 (possibly 3) seggs scenes for Bell in the next chapter. I will contain all of it in one separate chapter. I hope this is an acceptable compromise.

What to expect in the next chapter? Bell talking with Aphrodite, Bell returning to the hostess with shenanigans, Bell going to the grave of Meteria, Bell reuniting with Lili, as well as reuniting with Artemis, Haruhime, and… Hephaestus.

Got a lot planned, so I hope you look forward to it!

As always, may you all have a nice day!