Bell had always thought heroes were meant to smile.
Not nervously. Not awkwardly. But confidently, like Ais Wallenstein, or with charm, like the Captain of the Loki Familia. Yet here he was, nervously clutching his dagger, standing beside a goddess who wasn't his, in the middle of a courtyard that had gone so quiet you could hear the wind blush.
Tsukihana smiled.
It wasn't a warm smile. It wasn't threatening either.
It was… complex.
It was the kind of smile that said I know too much and I choose violence only if you ask nicely.
The goddess of the Hestia Familia had returned to Orario only days ago, and already, chaos followed her like perfume. Not just because she was beautiful — although she was. Not just because her tails defied logic — although they did. But because every time she appeared in public, something happened.
Today?
Today, Ottar — the King of Warriors — was on his knees.
Literally.
People would say later that he slipped, or tripped, or misjudged his balance.
But Bell had seen it.
Tsukihana didn't even touch him. She'd just stared at him, nine tails flicking behind her, eyes glowing with faint silver fire, and the world shifted.
Ottar had bowed.
Not to her power.
To her presence.
"Did she really beat Ottar?" Lili whispered beside Bell, her voice barely audible.
"I… I don't know if they even fought," Bell murmured.
Across the courtyard, the crowds were clearing. The pressure was still thick, like something divine had passed through the mortal world and left a scent behind. Hestia stood just behind Tsukihana, expression a mix of awe, pride, and a dash of horror.
"He's fine," Tsukihana said lightly, brushing invisible dust from her kimono. "Just needed to reevaluate the universe."
Ottar rose slowly, face calm, but his posture slightly lowered — not from pain, but from respect.
Behind him, someone else stepped into the square.
Bell recognized her immediately.
Everyone did.
Freya.
Goddess of Beauty. The untouchable queen of the Tower. A being so charismatic that entire Familia broke themselves just for a glimpse of her favor.
And she was looking at Tsukihana like a star that had just found its sun.
"I see now," Freya murmured, voice like dark wine. "You're the reason the Dungeon has been so restless."
Tsukihana's ears twitched. "Oh? I thought that was because someone was tossing too many Level Fours into Floor 27 without warmups."
A few adventurers coughed. One fainted.
Freya smiled. "You're clever."
"And you're radiant," Tsukihana replied, stepping forward. "I wonder which of us will burn first."
For a moment, Bell thought the air would catch fire.
It didn't.
It froze.
Tsukihana's kimono rustled softly in the breeze, her tails wrapping and unwrapping themselves lazily. She stood only a few feet from Freya now, a full head shorter, but somehow taller in presence.
"Have we met?" Freya asked, even though her eyes said I know exactly what you are.
"Not formally," Tsukihana replied. "But I've heard stories. A goddess who collects beautiful things. Who speaks in riddles and rewards with silence. And yet…"
She leaned in slightly. "You came in person."
Freya's lips curled. "You're not a thing to be collected."
"No," Tsukihana said with a flash of sharp teeth, "I'm the one who builds the collection."
Ottar subtly moved a hand toward his axe.
Freya gestured once, and he stopped.
Hestia was gripping her twin ponytails, looking like she was about to have a heart attack.
Bell was frozen. Not because he was afraid — although he was — but because something about the way Freya looked at Tsukihana was… different.
It wasn't hunger.
It wasn't lust.
It was reverence.
"I felt you before I saw you," Freya said softly. "The moment you entered Orario, the threads shifted. So many destinies wrapped around you like vines."
Tsukihana's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And yet," Freya continued, "I can't see yours."
"I keep it in a box," the fox goddess replied, tail swishing. "Right next to the body count."
There was a pause.
Then Freya laughed.
It was quiet, elegant, and terrifying.
She stepped back, gaze never leaving Tsukihana's. "I look forward to our next meeting, Queen of Something Forgotten."
And with that, she turned and vanished into the crowd, Ottar following in her wake.
As the tension melted, the square erupted into whispered voices and nervous chatter.
Bell exhaled for the first time in what felt like minutes. "What… just happened?"
Hestia walked up to Tsukihana and slapped her gently on the arm. "What did I say about poking ancient deities in public?!"
"She poked first," Tsukihana said. "I merely smiled."
🧊 Deeper Below…
In the depths of the Dungeon, something stirred.
Floor 49. Quiet. Lifeless. Untouched by most mortals.
And yet… the walls quivered.
A distant, low hum echoed — not of monsters, but of awareness.
❝She has returned.❞
❝Hide.❞
The Dungeon pulsed like a living heart.
And then it went still.
🌕 Later, Back at the Inn…
Bell sat at the table, staring into his bowl of stew. "Do you think… Freya likes her?"
"She wants to collect her," Lili said flatly. "Like a jewel."
"I think she wants to marry her," Welf muttered.
"I think she wants to worship her," Mikoto added, arms crossed.
From across the room, Tsukihana yawned. "Honestly," she said, "it's always the beautiful ones that get obsessed first."
🌌 Author's Note:
Tsukihana is officially on Freya's radar… which means Orario is in trouble.
The Dungeon is restless. Freya is intrigued. Bell is confused. And Hestia? She's just trying not to have a divine stress ulcer.