'Not exactly happy. If it hadn't affected me at all, maybe I could be pleased. Unfortunately, some flaws have still appeared in Ikelos' actions.'
A shadow flickered in Bell's eyes.
Though he had suffered the least within this vortex, he still stood at its very center. Once it grew larger, even someone buried deep below the surface like him would inevitably be exposed.
This was why the vortex needed to be resolved quickly.
Bell already understood well the danger Evilus posed, so their eradication had to be set into motion.
Loki caught the look in Bell's eyes, understood instantly, and broke the silence.
"So, the next step is to take advantage of this momentum and wipe out Evilus completely?"
"Exactly. The very existence of Evilus is an anomaly. If they're destroyed, Orario will enjoy a period of stability."
That much Loki agreed with. As long as Evilus stopped stirring trouble, Orario would definitely settle into peace.
"But aren't you worried that during this stability, Freya will come knocking?"
Bell himself had to agree with Loki on that point.
'Once Orario quieted down, the greatest threat to me would likely be the goddess Freya. And I'm almost certain that the moment Orario entered a stable period, that goddess would indeed come looking.'
"Hmph... Freya again!"
Hestia's eyes instantly sharpened. The last person she wanted to see right now was Freya.
"Can't that woman just restrain herself a little?"
Her complaint earned a blunt retort from Loki.
"If she knew how to restrain herself, she wouldn't be a love-struck fool."
That was true.
Gods rarely held back in pursuit of their goals. Their very nature set them apart from ordinary mortals in Genkai, and their judgment couldn't always be trusted.
"This time, that fool has already shown a lot of restraint. If this had been in the past, she would've personally taken action long ago."
Loki's words were harsh, but also factual.
Freya's recent moves had been unusually light-handed, as if afraid of overstepping.
But considering Bell's unique circumstances, her behavior was understandable.
Hestia puffed her cheeks and muttered under her breath.
"Isn't that precisely because Bell-kun isn't affected by enchantment? Otherwise, would Freya's advances really be this simple?"
What Hestia said was exactly right. If Bell hadn't been immune to enchantment, and if he weren't the one Freya was truly seeking, she would have already taken far more aggressive action.
After all, wars between gods over Familia members were hardly rare.
Even if a Familia boasted a gifted child, if their god lacked the strength to protect them, the result was the same—the child would be taken away by another deity before their very eyes.
Such battles over Familia erupted several times a year.
Apollo and Ishtar were well-known active participants in these so-called 'War Games.'
Freya, however, was no enthusiast of the 'War Game.' When she set her sights on a child, she rarely resorted to crude plundering. Instead, she relied on her charm and grace, luring the child to pledge themselves willingly.
With her divine power of 'Enchantment,' Freya always had ways of ensuring loyalty from those she chose.
Bell knew this well, which only made him more cautious of her.
Loki didn't press Hestia's point about Freya's methods, instead steering the topic toward Evilus.
"Which members of Evilus do you know of?"
Bell gave a slight shake of his head.
"Lately, many Familia have become much more careful with their words. I've also been too tied up to gather much intelligence."
Loki was a little disappointed by the answer, but she knew it was true.
She too had been gathering information on Evilus, yet her own efforts had yielded little.
"No surprise. With all that's happened in Orario, those guys aren't idiots. They know walls have ears."
"And with Ikelos' staged death, plus the way we drew in a third party, I'd wager they're starting to suspect the Spirit."
"Most likely, yes."
"Framing God Ikelos' death as happening inside the Guild's prison is the perfect cover for the Guild. Neither the gods nor Evilus possess the ability to kill a deity, so neither side would think the other responsible. Which leaves only the Spirits—those who both resent the gods and have a reason to strike one down."
Among all of Orario, the Spirits were a prime target, their hatred of the gods unmatched.
But for now, they wouldn't be emerging from the Dungeon to cause trouble.
Not long ago, their souls had been torn apart, nearly one-third of their essence ripped away. Damage like that would not recover quickly.
And so, after confirming the Spirits would stay hidden, Bell had no hesitation in pinning all the blame squarely on them.
Though Evilus and the Spirits were allies, once the seed of doubt was planted, cracks in their cooperation were bound to form.
And that was an excellent outcome.
Loki couldn't help but laugh, her eyes glinting with delight.
"The partnership between the Spirits and Evilus was flimsy to begin with."
"It only exists because of their common enemy, Orario. But if the Spirits really are suspected of being able to kill a god—even if that's just malicious manipulation—without proof to clear themselves, their alliance will take a serious hit."
Loki could already picture the rift between Evilus and the Spirits widening beyond repair.
Her gaze shifted back to Bell. The kid really knew how to scheme.
"But what if the Spirits offer an explanation?"
Indeed, if they did, Evilus would most likely believe it.
How could they ignore intelligence from their enemy's enemy?
But Bell shook his head without hesitation.
"The Spirits might be able to explain, but right now they're at their weakest. Even if they wanted to, they don't have the time."