"I came to this conclusion through my own research and speculation."
At first, Bell had been curious about whether Freya was truly a virgin goddess. After all, the hints—or rather, the outright implications—were there. But something about it had always felt off to him.
A goddess capable of enchanting all of Orario, even in madness—would she really be so easily taken?
In truth, when Bell began to think more deeply about it, he became certain there was something suspicious beneath the surface.
"What I said earlier was based on a condition I derived from that line of reasoning."
"If Freya can influence the humans of Genkai, then is she truly a goddess like Ishtar?"
"I was unsure at first. But then Hephaestus-sama told me that a goddess's love is unique. And Loki-sama mentioned that Freya had always been searching for someone."
"Combining those facts with my prior speculation about Authority, I came to the conclusion that Freya is a goddess who loves only one person. That she descended to Genkai solely to find someone who matches her ideal."
"So, I also inferred that Freya-sama is a virgin goddess."
As terrifying as she could be when acting yandere, her obsessive, fixated nature served as the clearest standard for Bell's deduction.
He had sensed something was wrong from the start—and once he applied his understanding of Authority, the answer had come to him immediately.
"I see."
So he pieced it all together from her past actions—and the one she had been searching for?
Though Freya thought the boy had been gambling to some extent up to this point, she was still impressed he'd come this far.
To build a bridge toward the answer using scattered clues—only this child could have done it.
And the answer he arrived at left her more than satisfied. Deep down, she knew now with certainty: this was the one she had been looking for.
"Your bold reasoning and deduction leave me no choice but to acknowledge that you're right."
"I am indeed a virgin goddess, just as you guessed."
"In the past, I occasionally gave trials to other children who caught my interest, but it seems those children had already made their assumptions from the start."
The four Gulliver Brothers were left speechless, mouths agape in disbelief.
The black and white Elves bowed their heads.
Even the Cat People looked deeply regretful.
It was clear they were all thinking about the trials Freya-sama had once given them. And not a single one had guessed correctly.
Now they finally understood—it wasn't that Freya-sama hadn't given them chances.
She had. They simply hadn't known how to seize them.
The only one who took it in stride was Ottar.
Harboring nothing but admiration and loyalty toward Freya-sama, he had never once considered monopolizing her.
So from the beginning, this question had never crossed his mind.
Even now, though surprised, Ottar finally understood the reason behind some of Freya-sama's past actions.
They had been her trials.
But none of them had recognized that part of the test.
It might not have been a crime, but a trial remained a trial.
At the same time, Freya's core Familia members also realized—this was the same kind of trial Freya-sama had once given them.
And now, she had given it to the young man standing before them.
The man standing before them had passed the trial given by Freya-sama.
At that moment, they were filled with regret—why hadn't they thought things through back then?
'So that was what Freya-sama's expression meant at the time.'
Only now did Alfrigg understand the complex look on her face after she saved the four of them. Back then, he failed to grasp Freya-sama's divine will—and missed the most crucial trial because of it.
'Why is it only this person who managed to reach that answer?'
Alfrigg didn't believe the trial Freya-sama gave this boy today was any easier than theirs. Maybe it wasn't the same kind of silent test they had received, but her question had been just as deadly.
Even with careful thought, it was not something easily deduced.
And so, all Alfrigg felt toward him now was jealousy.
Freya, however, was delighted by the answer she received and smiled.
"So, you're not going to deny that you've been avoiding me?"
Caught off guard, Bell merely gave a slight bow. His expression remained calm as he replied,
"Goddess Freya, caution is simply how I handle things. I must also emphasize—I haven't been avoiding anyone."
He was clearly planning to dig in and not back down. At that, a rare look of resignation flickered across Freya's face.
She understood clearly now—pushing further was pointless.
"Well~ let's leave it at that, then."
...
The clever goddess didn't press the issue any further.
Her gaze shifted to Loki, and the smile she gave was so unsettling it made Loki visibly stiffen. In that moment, Loki knew.
I'm screwed. She's got her eye on me.
Realizing that made Loki's expression instantly darken. She knew full well—having that love-crazed woman's attention was never a good thing.
But knowing it was one thing. Escaping it? Entirely another.
Meanwhile, Bell, who had been standing out front just moments ago, had quietly taken a few steps back.
Dressed in a new, black, form-fitting shirt, loose black trousers, and a white hooded coat, he looked every bit the part of a lightly equipped mage.
The outfit was far flashier than what he'd worn in the past, but as he retreated, his presence faded—and he vanished from everyone's sight.
'He slipped away.'
Freya sighed internally. But really, there was no more room for talk today. She still remembered—the purpose of this gathering was to celebrate the Loki Familia's child reaching Level 7.
It was a shame she didn't get to say more, but with so many eyes watching, it simply wasn't the right time.
She'd gotten all the answers she needed today.
If she wanted more, she'd just have to find another opportunity.
Once the brief chaos passed, the celebratory banquet resumed in full.