Shared ownership—this was a particularly delicate topic, and the true reason the four goddesses had gathered together today.
"Ugh..."
The term "shared ownership" was the last thing Hestia wanted to hear.
Bell was hers alone to begin with. Yet because of her best friend Hephaestus's interference, this idea of "shared ownership" had surfaced.
Now, even her greatest enemy, Loki, and her most incompatible rival, Freya, were here to discuss this same topic. The very thought made Hestia's fragile heart ache.
"Stop 'umming.' Whether you like it or not, you'll have to accept it."
Loki had reverted to her usual casual appearance—simple boxer shorts and a snug top, her hair tied in a single ponytail. Everything about her look screamed nonchalance.
Sitting cross-legged on the sofa with a self-assured grin, Loki wore a smile completely different from her usual mischievous smirk.
It was the smile of someone in control.
"The skill Bell possesses requires the other 'Deadly Sins' to complete it," she said.
"The world he carries on his shoulders is already on the brink of a restart. Surely you don't want him to stumble over something trivial?"
The pointed words left Hestia choking for a response.
Still, she understood all too well the trials Bell faced. If he failed in his battle against the Black Dragon, the entire world would be thrown into a crisis of restart.
And a world restart meant that even the gods would be forced to begin anew.
If that came to pass, everything—everything they had now—would be erased.
Hestia could never accept that outcome.
After a restart, she would no longer be herself.
And the Bell she cherished most might not even exist before her again.
'No! That absolutely cannot happen!'
Though rage and frustration burned inside her, Hestia couldn't ignore the truth. Bell's fight against the Black Dragon would come, and when it did, she needed to be sure he could overcome it.
For that, his skills had to be complete. He couldn't go into the final battle with imperfections holding him back.
Freya's gaze drifted toward Hephaestus.
'So this is how you got her to agree back then?'
Receiving that silent message, Hephaestus covered her face with a sigh, refusing to look at the foolish Hestia.
'Don't ask me. I know nothing about it.'
Back then, she hadn't used this method to win Hestia over, but seeing the goddess fall headfirst into this trap now made Hephaestus realize she'd overestimated her friend's common sense.
Didn't Hestia know?
Even if Loki spoke so harshly now, when the time came, she would still hand it over. It was only a matter of when.
Others might not realize that—but Hestia should.
What did it mean to love that child?
Could someone who loved him truly stand by and do nothing while he faced such danger?
Hephaestus wasn't sure about the others, but Loki and Freya were absolutely incapable of that.
That was why Hephaestus knew that if Hestia could just hold her ground a little longer, she might seize the upper hand.
Unfortunately, Hephaestus also knew that when it came to Bell, Hestia's reasoning tended to shut down completely.
"Hmm..."
Hestia was fuming inside, but she couldn't refute Loki's words.
Bell's challenge against the Black Dragon was inevitable.
To transcend the limits of life itself, he first had to overcome the greatest obstacle standing in his way.
And to ensure that Bell could conquer that final trial, Hestia couldn't possibly allow him to face it while still incomplete.
Even so, her gaze toward Loki still carried a trace of resentment.
"You clearly love your own child, yet you've come here to talk to me about 'sharing' mine?"
"Is there a problem? There's a difference between liking and loving."
Loki was as shameless as ever. Though she might show a trace of shyness in front of Bell, at her core she remained utterly unflappable.
After all, when faced with someone she truly loved, even Loki wouldn't retreat half a step.
"Hestia, this isn't about exclusivity—it's about 'sharing'."
"His Familia won't undergo any changes, and there will be no more threats from me or Freya. This is the best outcome for both you and him."
"Me and Freya—we're not that bitch Ishtar."
In truth, Freya Familia and Loki Familia did pose significant threats to one another. But since they had never been in direct conflict of interest before, things had remained civil enough.
Now, however, tension had finally surfaced.
If this discussion of 'shared ownership' went poorly, uneasy days were surely ahead.
Still, Loki's tone remained casual. Talking about it did no harm—acting on it would be another matter entirely.
If they truly made a move, that would mean the relationship was broken beyond repair.
Neither Loki nor Freya were fools. They both knew that as long as they didn't let things reach a public rupture, there would still be room to maneuver. If they really went after Hestia, Bell would undoubtedly take a side.
And they both knew exactly whose side he would choose.
Hestia was, without question, the most important person in Bell's heart.
So taking action was out of the question.
But talking? That was harmless enough.
"Oh..."
Cornered, Hestia had no way out.
Just as Freya and Loki had to consider Bell's feelings—forcing them to suggest this idea of "sharing"—Hestia, too, had to think about his position.
"Do you really think this is something I can just agree to?"
Freya and Loki exchanged glances, and both broke into soft laughter.
"Hestia, haven't you realized just how high you stand in that child's heart?"
"Well, this shorty probably never will," Loki muttered, jealousy prickling in her chest as she recalled how Bell had pushed her away.
"Those who are loved possess privileges beyond compare," Freya said gently.
"Remember what Bell once told us—if it were your wish, he would destroy even Orario."
"The place you hold in his heart is one no one else can ever replace."
Loki couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
'If she really could take him by force, would Freya hesitate for even a second?'
She knew Freya too well. If there had been even the slightest way for that love-drunk goddess to make Bell hers, "sharing" would have been the last thing she'd agree to.
The dignity of the goddess of beauty, combined with Freya's pride, made compromise nearly unthinkable.
But because there was no other path, "sharing" had become their only choice.
Bell's unique nature, and the weight Hestia held in his heart, made possession impossible.
To receive love's return, one had to take a step back.
That was Freya's decision—and Loki's as well.
...
For more chapters, feel free to follow me on P@treon.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
[email protected]/PinkSnake