Bell watched as the Loki Familia members carried Bete away towards the Dian Cecht Familia. Probably to save his descendants from extermination by fire.
Though before walking out. Ais did take a discreet look at him. Nearly making his heart leap out of his throat.
Did she know something? Or was it the supernatural sixth sense of a women?
Bell felt sweat accumulating across his back as he watched her walk out of the tavern.
"Hahaha... He totally deserved it for being a jerk." Syr laughed gently besides him. Her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes were on him though.
Bell felt his heart skip a beat. Of course she would know he did it. He could fool normal vision and senses with his speed and steam. But what she looked at was the soul.
For Freya... His actions might as well have looked as transparent as glass.
Truly... This Goddess Of Beauty was not someone easy to deal with. She might already know he was using her to get back at Evilus. But still was following his rhythm nonetheless.
Gods or Goddesses who had lived for who knows how long were not so easy to manipulate as he had thought.
Bell pulled his gaze away from her towards Ryuu. She was serving food at another table like the fiasco from before did not effect her at all... Only if you didn't focus on the minute twitches of her elf ears.
He wanted to continue to talk with her but understood that they were not familiar enough for him to start a conversation unilaterally.
Damn Bete!
That werewolf really had to but in and start to spew trash just as he was talking with Ryuu. Bell really wanted to kick his crotch once more in good measure.
"Miss Syr... The food was good... I'll come back some other time... See you. You too Miss Ryuu." Bell finished his food. Not achieving what he had come here for.
He really felt that Loki Familia and him did not go well together. Their guard stopped him at the gates. He in return bitchslapped him later. Their executive Bete insulted his Goddess and interrupted his talk with Ryuu. Then he burned that werewolf's future generation to ashes.
Just by looking at these things. He really had to salute the Loki Familia for screwing him over again and again.
And he had even sent their Familia captain Finn a future pallum wife Liliruca. Instead of thanking him. They didn't even control the mouth of their werewolf.
Well, technically Finn would be thanking Evilus for sending him a wife. Not him.
... Insignificant details.
'At least the food was good.'
Bell consoled himself while getting up from his seat. Waving a hand at Syr and Ryuu while walking out of the tavern.
Syr waved back with enthusiasm. Ryuu gave a polite nod.
Bell walked across the streets of Orario. Deep night surrounded him.
[Ittou Shura] reverberated to life. His presence tore across Levels. His speed accelerated faster than the flow of wind.
He wove across the streets of Orario like a ghost. His steps barely touching the ground before he was already way ahead of his surroundings.
Bell finally reached Tower of Babel after running through the streets.
This time he did not go inside and downwards towards the dungeon. Instead he jumped on the pillars of the Tower.
His legs pushed him upwards. His heels using small footholds to climb the Tower from outside.
Bell let himself climb upwards. His feet following the footholds and misalignments in the structure to climb higher.
He sat on a protruding platform at the outer layer of the Tower after climbing twelve stories high. From here, He could take in all of Orario with his eyes.
Wind roared in his face. [Ittou Shura] roared in his blood. Freedom roared in his core.
Orario looked small from here. Compared to it's actual size.
Bell took in the sight for some time. His back resting against hard rocks of the Tower.
After appreciating the view from here. He bought his gaze back to his hands.
They were shaking. Not with fear. With anxiety. With apprehension.
He had already hit the limits of his Falna. Probably.
Now the choice had presented itself.
Level Up as he was. Or get another Falna. Depend on his wheel's adaptation to bear two Falna's.
Take a risk or walk the easier way.
There would be a real chance of death if he took the risk.
Will his wheel adapt faster than the time it takes for two Falna's to destroy his body?
Will his body be able to take the pressure and not collapse before the adaptation?
Will he live... or die?
His hands shook. Emotions clouded judgement. Uncertainty devoured resolve like poison.
Wind carved through his skin. Ruthless.
Orario was swallowed by the darkness of the night beneath him. Doubt.
The rocks behind his back were cold. Unfeeling.
A voice resounded in his mind. The one which had accompanied him from the start. The voice which spoke to the his true self buried beneath expectations, labels and descriptions.
'*****, Anxiety is born when effort quietly turns into obsession with outcomes.
You replay the past.
You predict outcomes.
You imagine futures that haven't happened yet and then react to them as if they are real.
But... Anxiety fades when you stop needing to prove strength, control, or certainty.
You don't need to be unshaken.
You need to be unentangled.
You need to do the only thing you can.
Try
Try continuously
Try till the very end
Even if death awaits at the end.
Then... Even in death... You would feel no regrets.
Then... Even in death... You would feel alive.'
His heart beat harder at those words...
'Alive... Even in death.' His hand came to rest on his heart. Still beating. Still alive. Still here.
If he did not take a risk right now... He'd come to regret it later down the line. He knew the dangers waiting farther down his path.
He needed strength to protect those close to him. He'd rather be alive even in death than be dead even while alive.
His will crystallised under the moon. Beneath the eaves of the Tower. Above Orario.
It was decided... He would gamble everything to have another Falna.
_________ Later Night _____________
He walked to his home. His steps sure. His determination crystallised.
Bell walked inside while closing the door behind him and walked in. Goddess Astraea and Goddess Hestia were waiting for him.
"Child... How was your outing?" Goddess Astraea asked. Her voice gentle. Eyes taking in the determination in his posture.
"It was not the most successful... But forget about that Goddess... I think I've hit the limit of Level 1... S-Rank in all stats." Bell spoke. His voice sure. As he sat besides her on the couch.
"W-What? Already? Bell... is that true?" Goddess Hestia jumped up at his words. Her voice raised. Full of shock and incredulity.
"Then...Child... Do you want to Level Up right now?" Goddess Astraea asked while ignoring Hestia's outburst. Her focus solely on him.
"Goddess Astraea... Would you like to listen to my proposal?" He spoke carefully. His voice a little guilty yet still full of determination.
"Hmmm?" Goddess Astraea tilted her head slightly. Gesturing him to continue.
"I-I would like to have another Falna... Goddess Astraea." The gentle smile was wiped off Goddess Astraea's face at his words. Her expression turned blank. Her eyes looking deep into his.
"Do you want to betray me...My child?" Goddess Astraea spoke with a gentle tone. Yet her expression was blank. Her eyes twin whirlpools of nothingness.
Bell felt a deep chill run down his spine. Goosebumps roose all over his body. His [Instinct (A)] screamed so hard that he nearly turned deaf.
Even the wheel tattoo materialised between his brows for a moment.
His body started to shake... Scary... Goddess Astraea like this was so scary.
"No-No... You know about my wheel Goddess Astraea. With it I should be able to adapt to having two Falna's. I'll really need that strength for the future threats." Bell quivered while speaking his mind. His body was shaking. Yet his words were full of determination and willingness to risk it all.
"Oh... I thought you wanted to join some other Goddess's Familia after leaving mine." Her gentle smile returned like her earlier face was merely a mirage. Her hand came to rest across his shoulders gently.
Bell felt a his body relax at her actions. For a moment he had felt his life was about to be turned upside down earlier.
He was almost sent to meet the original Bell waving from Heaven at him.
He swore. He would never play around or speak half sentences when it came to Goddess Astraea's feelings.
Or he might just join the cheerleading squad of heaven... Throwing flowers from above for heroes of the lower world as they bought down the Black dragon.
Was one silver haired yandere not enough?
He really had nowhere left to cry.