Bright music echoed through the banquet hall.
"Is this your first time dancing?"
"Yeah..."
"I'll lead. Just follow me."
The Crozzo family was a noble house of the Kingdom of Lacia.
Because of that, I'd been dragged to banquet halls a few times as a child,
and thanks to that, I'd learned how to dance a little.
"...Have you danced with other women?"
"A few times, before I met you."
"..."
"Well, I don't even remember their names now."
The lively performance had already reached its middle.
"What did Bellf do before coming to Orario?"
"I spent my time making magic swords."
"Even in Lacia?"
"I didn't think I could achieve my goal in Lacia."
Thinking about it again, that place really was hopeless.
The king was a warmonger, and King Martinius blindly followed Ares, so he was called the Fool King.
The only one with any sense was Marius, but...
What was that guy doing now?
"...What a shame."
"What is?"
"That this dance is ending."
"If you're disappointed, we can do it again."
"You'd do that?"
"If it's once in a while, I'll keep you company."
"...Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
The music came to an end.
The adventurers and gods who had been dancing exchanged handshakes and the like, receiving applause and cheers.
"This really doesn't suit me..."
I needed a break, so I headed for a sofa in a nearby corner.
"Everyone, are you enjoying the banquet?"
As I sat down, I saw Apollo, the god who had hosted the banquet, standing in the center of the hall.
"I'm glad if you are. It makes hosting it worthwhile."
Behind Apollo as he walked toward the center of the banquet hall stood Hyakinthos, the one known by the epithet [Phoebus Apollo], with the power of a Level 3 adventurer.
"And... Hestia, it seems my child was indebted to yours the other day."
"Ah... likewise."
Apollo spoke with a smile, while Hestia answered with a hard expression.
"My beloved child suffered a grave wound at the hands of your boy. I demand compensation."
"What nonsense! Your side started the trouble first, did it not? And our Bell-kun was injured too!"
"And yet Bell Cranel looks perfectly fine, without a single wound. By comparison, our Luan..."
At Apollo's gesture, a Pallum boy in a wheelchair appeared.
"Ahh... it hurts..."
"As you can see, he ended up like this... truly tragic!"
Apollo spoke with exaggerated flair, as if performing a carefully rehearsed play.
"Wow... that's rough."
"[Little Rookie]... more vicious than he looks."
"Isn't that what makes him good?"
"Agreed."
As the gods whispered among themselves, Hestia began grinding her teeth.
"I cannot stand by after my precious child has been hurt. I challenge you to a War Game!!!"
War Game.
A full-scale battle between Familias.
By mutual agreement, they reenact specific situations from wartime and compete through various formats, such as siege warfare or one-on-one duels.
"I refuse!"
The Hestia Familia was a newborn Familia with only Bell as a member.
By contrast, the Apollo Familia was a mid-tier Familia with veteran adventurers, led by Hyakinthos, a Level 3.
There was no way they could be a match.
"No, I'll accept."
"Bell-kun!!!"
"Please trust me, Goddess."
Bell said confidently to Hestia, then
"The Hestia Familia hereby challenges the Apollo Familia to a War Game!"
after glancing at me for a moment, he said it to Apollo.
"...Why did he look at me?"
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