"This is your soul world."
"My soul world...?"
Seeing the curiosity on Bell's face, Freya smiled as she explained.
Soul world?
It was the first time Bell had heard such a term.
Naturally, it was also his first time seeing a world like this.
Freya glanced at the massive stone door beside her—blocking everything beyond—and then at the surrounding gloom, letting out a quiet sigh.
"No wonder I couldn't see your soul the first time. I didn't expect it to be like this."
The dim, lifeless soul on the surface was just a facade. The true soul within was sealed behind a stone door nearly impossible to see through—like a Wall of Lamentation that completely separated the Underworld from the Pure Land.
Freya couldn't help but wonder why someone like Bell, a mere human, would have such a soul.
This barrier wasn't just spiritual—it was like a natural fortress, shielding nearly every part of this child's soul from any intrusion.
And the surrounding, oppressive darkness served as a second wall—a deeper layer of defense within Bell's soul. Two soul barriers, just like his personality: extreme, yet exceedingly cautious, low-key, and prudent.
Freya stepped closer to Bell, until they were nearly eye to eye, their height barely different.
"I can't take you by force."
"And your personality... ha, I've never met such a troublesome child."
Thinking back on Bell's behavior over the past six months, even Freya was left speechless.
Though she'd enjoyed the chase while searching for him, there were moments when his elusiveness had left her deeply frustrated.
Even now, standing directly inside his soul world, she still couldn't glimpse the inner radiance of his soul.
These two layers of defense shielded his soul world too thoroughly. Even after stepping inside, she couldn't perceive any color or light.
Yet rather than deterring her, these two failures only made Freya more curious about Bell's secret—and about Bell himself.
"Still, you're the second person in Genkai I've met who can completely ignore my charm."
"And you're even more special than the last."
Freya's smile carried a deep yearning.
"I want you."
But that desire quickly gave way to helplessness.
"Yet your fate lies with Hestia. It's like the world is playing the cruelest joke on me."
Fate could be so capricious—even gods weren't immune to its whims. Maybe that's why they were incomplete.
Bell was silent for a moment before speaking with a conflicted expression.
"Freya-sama, if you know that, then there's no need to waste so much time on me."
"I'm afraid not."
Give up? Freya immediately rejected the idea.
"Now that I've seen your soul world, I'm more certain than ever. You're the one I've been searching for."
"You're the 'encounter' I've been hoping to find in Genkai."
Even if she still couldn't see into the depths of his soul, just those two soul barriers alone were enough for Freya to know—this time, she had found the right person.
And because of that, a silent jealousy flickered in the depths of her gaze.
"If only I had discovered you when you first arrived in Orario... then you would've been mine."
But fate had toyed with her, deliberately letting her miss him entirely—and now things had turned into this mess.
"Bzzzt!"
Suddenly, Freya's form rippled.
"The defense mechanism…"
She sighed again, visibly discouraged.
His soul world was so complete—even a Wall of Lamentation specifically designed to shield him. It would even eliminate foreign soul intrusions. It was absurdly thorough.
"We'll talk outside."
...
Back in the present, Freya returned from the soul world with an exasperated look on her face—tinged with a hint of childish sulkiness.
'What a cheat...'
She glanced again at the image of that boy—only to realize he had vanished in the blink of an eye, fleeing faster than anyone.
It was like he saw her as some terrifying beast.
Did she really look that scary?
That bratty reaction left Freya slightly unbalanced emotionally.
"Hermes, I'll leave the matter of arranging a meeting with that child to you."
Without giving Hermes a chance to protest, she turned to Ouranos.
"Ouranos, now that this is over, I'll take my leave."
Still fuming, Freya turned and gave Hermes a fierce glare before walking off without another word.
"...???"
Hermes, stunned by the sudden glare, was left full of question marks.
He hadn't said or done anything, and he'd been perfectly polite to Freya. So why was he the one catching the blame?
"Heh~"
A rare smile appeared on Ouranos's normally stern face.
He had seen everything Freya had done—but this shift in her demeanor actually made her seem more normal than before.
"Hermes, I'll leave the matter with Hestia to you. Speak to her about Freya."
"...Huh???"
Hermes was completely dumbfounded.
Talk to Hestia about arranging a meeting between Bell and Freya? Wasn't that basically suicide? Everyone knew how much Hestia adored Bell. Asking her to throw him into the lion's den? That was just asking for trouble.
"Ouranos, shouldn't Ganesha handle something like this instead?"
Ganesha, who had been gleefully watching Hermes squirm, immediately broke into a cold sweat. Even his muscle-bound brain processed the danger in an instant.
"Hermes, I'm not close with Hestia. I wouldn't know what to say. So, I'll be counting on you."
Before Hermes could say a word, Ganesha bolted from the prayer room at top speed, leaving Hermes alone, wide-eyed and speechless.
—What the hell!?
By the time Hermes snapped out of it, Ganesha was already gone. He'd never seen Ganesha run so fast before.
Was that really Ganesha?
The guy who was normally as stubborn as a rock—why was he suddenly so quick to back off?
The answer was simple. Ganesha understood the danger of dealing with a goddess's feelings. Staying out of their emotional affairs was the best way to survive.
Which is exactly why he shoved the trouble onto Hermes. That was the safest move.
After all, Ganesha couldn't guarantee he wouldn't get jumped later that night by one of Freya's more enthusiastic admirers.