"Is it because of those troublesome matters?"
"I suppose so."
Artemis's lips curved slightly as her body, which had just retreated, leaned forward toward Bell once again.
"Darling, would you like me to help you forget your troubles?"
It was an incredibly tempting offer—enough to make anyone pause—and even Bell couldn't say he was surprised. But rather than that alluring suggestion, what caught his attention was a different concern about this particular version of Artemis.
"Aren't you afraid the Artemis goddess might suddenly jump out and seize control of your body?"
With just that one sentence, Artemis instantly lost her composure.
If her body were truly under her own control, she could have built a more direct, intimate connection with Darling. Otherwise, she feared he'd end up completely bewitched by those seductive vixens around him.
Like someone whose sore spot had just been poked, Artemis's face was filled with frustration and dissatisfaction. She couldn't help grumbling at Bell, who had so casually pointed out her weakness.
"It's all because of this body. If it were mine alone, I wouldn't have to overthink everything."
"I think you still need to consider things a bit more carefully."
Bell wanted her to reflect on that more seriously.
Under the blazing midday sun, Artemis's words carried the frightening intensity of an obsessed fangirl. Her sudden outbursts could easily make someone's heart skip a beat.
Luckily, Bell—used to bearing the full force of her affection—had long grown accustomed to it. Otherwise, his heart probably wouldn't have lasted this long.
The love of a goddess was fierce—Artemis proved that well—but it was also troublesome.
Take her "willfulness," for example. That was Artemis's biggest issue right now.
"As a virgin goddess, you should try to be a bit more reserved."
"No way."
Artemis shot down the idea without hesitation. She had no patience for so-called restraint. In her view, if you were going to love someone, then love them passionately. Holding back until no one even realized your feelings existed was meaningless.
"I may be the virgin goddess, but I'm also the moon goddess. As the goddess of the moon, I have no reason to cling to purity—especially after finding my 'sun.'"
Everyone knew the moon shone only by reflecting the sun's light. The sun was the one and only radiance in the moon's life.
As for Apollo, the "sun god," Artemis declared that her brother had already perished in the destruction of that world. Now, Bell was her only sun—and she saw nothing wrong with that.
The sun, huh? Bell hadn't realized he held such importance in Artemis's heart.
"Do you want me to help with what's happening over there? I'm not like them—I'm not bound by this world's restrictions."
Artemis's situation was different from the gods of this realm. Her power wasn't limited by Genkai.
Still, Bell chose to refuse.
"No, it's best if you don't get involved this time."
Artemis wasn't surprised by his answer—she'd already expected it.
"Is it still because of this world?"
"No."
This time was different from before. Previously, Bell didn't want Artemis getting involved in Orario's troubles because she was an outsider goddess. If others noticed her, it would create endless complications, including for him.
"I'm not strong enough yet. If you were exposed, I wouldn't have the power to protect you."
"...Huh?"
Artemis had thought she already knew what he would say—but this answer wasn't what she'd expected at all.
As the meaning sank in, her eyes suddenly lit up with pure joy.
"Darling!"
"...Hey! How many times have I told you not to suddenly pounce on me?"
Artemis's sudden leap caught Bell completely off guard again. He honestly couldn't understand how she always managed to throw herself at him so suddenly. To be fair, he doubted he'd ever get used to it.
Ignoring his tone of complaint, Artemis clung to him tightly, completely unfazed. At this moment, she had finally seized hold of something truly important to her.
In the dim surroundings, all was quiet. The only sound that remained was the faint crackling of burning torches.
"Have none of the other strongholds been discovered?"
"Or perhaps they weren't truly undiscovered, but rather someone chose to pretend they hadn't found them—to avoid alarming the enemy?"
The man held a map of Orario spread out before him. Thirty-five locations were marked in red, yet only one had been crossed out.
He knew the people operating on the surface weren't fools—they were sharper than anyone gave them credit for. Having fought both openly and in secret against those people for years, he understood exactly what kind of schemes filled their minds.
Their current inaction was just a test, a way to see whether anyone would make the first move.
To win this war, he needed to seize the initiative. He had to take control. Only by forcing the battlefield onto Orario's surface could they ever hope to achieve their goal.
Yet the ones watching them from the shadows remained utterly still, as if there were no observers at all.
The man's brow furrowed. He trusted his instincts more than anything. The previous setbacks, the conflicts with the Spirits—none of it, he believed, was without human interference.
The only question was whether the hidden hand belonged to the Guild or to "Enyo."
"Or perhaps... a fourth faction?"
"Loki? Freya?"
The two goddesses at the very pinnacle of Orario naturally entered his thoughts. Both had every reason to get involved.
Though he couldn't say what the two were planning, the clues and traces suggested they were most likely siding with the Guild.
He had plenty of reasons to suspect as much. He'd learned from multiple sources that Loki and Freya had been visiting the Guild frequently not long ago. Yet afterward, Loki never left the Twilight Manor again, and Freya hadn't stepped outside the Tower of Babel.
Those two goddesses were definitely hiding something.
It was precisely because of that that the man had paid close attention to their actions—and those of their Familia members. But in the end, he'd found nothing. No movement. No activity.
The result left him with a throbbing headache.
"Looks like waiting any longer won't give me any answers."
He knew that if he wanted to seize the initiative, he had to act first—waiting would lead nowhere.
...
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