"So, you abandoned your original plan because of Freya?"
A trace of helplessness flickered across Bell's face.
"Yes, it was because of Goddess Freya."
"My plan was progressing smoothly at first, but her actions completely shattered it. Everything I had prepared, all my calculations, were rendered meaningless by her decision."
Still, Bell didn't seem particularly surprised. This kind of situation had already been within his expectations from the start.
His options had always been limited, so naturally, unexpected developments were bound to happen along the way.
"Even though the original plan fell through and Goddess Freya chose to join the Guild and withdraw to the rear, the overall situation hasn't really changed."
"That part of your plan too?"
"No. Once Freya entered the Guild, everything went off track. But the one thing I didn't expect was that I wouldn't be affected by her. That's actually the main reason the situation hasn't shifted at all."
So that's how it is. Loki understood what he meant.
Freya's move had been sharp, but it hadn't addressed the real issue.
By siding with the Guild, all she did was solve the problem of not being able to locate Bell—but she still had no way of influencing him.
"You really are clear-headed."
Loki realized now—this kid wasn't going to bite, no matter what.
That love-crazed goddess could say or do whatever she wanted, and he still wouldn't fall for it. Unless she pulled something truly unexpected, it just wasn't going to happen with someone like him.
"You're right."
"Even if she tried something, it would only be because all her usual methods—both soft and forceful—had failed. And now that those don't work on you, as long as you stay firm, she's got no real move left."
It was still Freya's disadvantage—she had acted too late.
If she'd targeted Bell back when he first arrived in Orario, things might not have become such a mess for the shorty.
But unfortunately for her, she'd missed her chance.
That gap wasn't something easily closed.
"Before you got back, Hermes came by—trying to play mediator."
Bell nodded slightly, not the least bit surprised that Hermes would be the one saddled with that task.
"As a neutral god, he really is the most appropriate person to say those kinds of things. But… wasn't Goddess-sama furious?"
Bell was honestly starting to wonder if Hermes had made it out of there in one piece.
"Of course I was mad!"
Hestia puffed up her cheeks, clearly still fuming.
"That Hermes guy actually came here spouting that kind of nonsense—I was being nice not to kick him out on the spot."
Bell agreed. With the kind of mess Hermes had stepped into, getting kicked out would've been well-deserved.
"Although what Freya did was infuriating, given the current situation, there's no real issue with you going to see her."
Hephaestus had been worried at first, but now she wasn't nearly as concerned.
"Even so, what Freya did was way out of line."
Hestia was still brooding over it.
Even knowing Bell hadn't fallen under Freya's influence, that entire ordeal had been far too dangerous.
What if Bell hadn't been able to resist her Authority? What if his will had already been twisted by her?
"You're right."
Bell wasn't a god—he didn't fully grasp how serious what he'd faced really was. But judging by the reactions from Hestia, Hephaestus, and Loki, this was definitely no small matter.
"Still, I need to go see Freya-sama."
"Mmh..."
Hestia's cheeks puffed up like they were about to burst, but she knew it was unavoidable.
Even if she hadn't openly aligned herself with the Guild—much like Hermes—she still relied on them to cover up Bell's situation. So the Guild's support remained necessary.
Besides, if Bell accepted the meeting, Freya might use that opportunity to expose him outright.
It might not be a smart move, but when it came to Freya, there always seemed to be some twisted logic behind it...
At the very least, Hestia knew better than to expect reason from her.
Freya rarely acted rationally—unless she was completely cornered.
"That's enough about Freya for now."
Bell ended the topic there.
"It's hard to analyze Goddess Freya's situation with our current understanding. For all we know, even our decision might already be part of her plan. So I think it's better to wait and observe her attitude before deciding anything."
"...Yeah."
Reluctantly, Hestia nodded. She knew there wasn't much else they could do.
Bell stretched a bit. Fresh off the expedition, he was already feeling the fatigue and wanted some proper rest.
"Loki-sama, please don't reveal that I've left the Dungeon. I'd like to use the next two days to get ready before the expedition team returns."
Loki had no objections.
"Freya definitely won't come bothering me. She already tried to drag me into her schemes once, and she knows I'll be on guard for a second attempt. She won't risk making a move right now."
"With the Dungeon in chaos, she can't easily send people to investigate. And given how you operate, you think she hasn't figured that out? Even if she did try to check Floor 2.2, she wouldn't find anything. You can easily delay any invitations until the expedition team returns."
Bell glanced at Loki. It seemed Freya had gone so far as to try and manipulate even her.
But that worked in his favor.
"That's good."
At least for now, there was one less thing to worry about.
Bell wouldn't be able to return to the Dungeon for the next two days anyway—the Dungeon's regenerative function hadn't resumed yet. It'd take at least two more days.
That didn't mean Bell would be idle.
He could use the time to strengthen and absorb Craft Essences.
He couldn't absorb them all at once, so staggering them made more sense. Besides, there was plenty to take care of over the next two days.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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