"Huh!?"
"Not even a full day of peace, and Freya's already back again?"
Hestia felt thoroughly irritated after hearing the news Loki brought back.
She had barely enjoyed a single day of cozy time with Bell and her family, and now Freya was intruding again. How could she possibly be in a good mood?
"Why don't you just go ask Freya yourself? Both of you treat me like some mouthpiece—did either of you even ask what I think?"
"Uh..."
Hearing Loki's grumbling tone, Hestia instantly wilted.
Freya wasn't like Loki, who picked a fight the moment they met. When Freya spoke, she always managed to steer the conversation wherever she wanted. That kind of roundabout tactic left Hestia not only mentally drained but also completely out of her depth when it came to countering Freya's rhetoric.
You don't hit a smiling face.
To Hestia, Freya was a smiling tiger.
As long as the matter wasn't something Freya truly cared about, she always approached others with a gentle smile. But the moment it touched on what mattered to her, that sweet smile instantly twisted into a demon's face.
There was no doubt—Hestia feared Freya's methods.
Because Freya had already made it clear she was after her child.
And Hestia only had Bell. Bell wasn't just her child, he was also her beloved. How could she stand by and watch Freya set her sights on him?
That was why, when it came to Freya, Hestia always stuck to one policy: avoid her whenever possible.
As long as they didn't meet often, the problem wasn't too big.
The real issue was, they were in the same camp. And now, with the conflict between Orario and Evilus at its peak, meeting Freya frequently would become routine.
Hestia had no way around it, so her eyes naturally fell on Hephaestus.
"Don't look at me..."
Hephaestus, who was being stared at, clearly didn't have any better solution either. It was simply impossible to cut Freya off completely.
Unless Freya herself chose to give up.
But would Freya ever give up? She'd probably abandon this entire world before she gave up on being close to Bell.
"Hephaestus..."
"Sigh..."
Seeing Hestia's pitiful expression, Hephaestus let out a quiet sigh.
"Forget about stopping Freya. The fact she even had Loki come speak to us shows she knows we can't fully block her. Otherwise, she wouldn't bother telling us about her next move."
"If she doesn't tell us, then don't! Who asked her to anyway?"
Hestia muttered in frustration.
Hephaestus pretended not to hear.
"Bell's true goal lies with the Black Dragon hidden deep within the Dungeon. To reach that point, he must overcome that challenge. But before that, Orario needs an environment where he can grow."
"Right now, the conflict between Orario and Evilus is out in the open. Restoring peace means thoroughly purging Evilus's operatives. That's why Freya's help is indispensable."
"And keeping Orario stable also means making sure Freya doesn't act recklessly."
Hephaestus's point was clear: 'Orario cannot fall into chaos.'
Both Evilus and Freya were destabilizing factors. Both needed to be kept under control.
Evilus wasn't too concerning—tensions were already at a breaking point, and open war between Orario and Evilus was likely around the corner.
But Freya was different.
She had openly aligned herself with the Guild and made her stance clear.
And she did it all just to get closer to Bell.
If too many obstacles were thrown in her way and Freya was provoked, things could spiral completely out of control.
"Hmm... what about Freya's side?"
"Don't hold on too tightly. Bell definitely won't be swayed by Freya, and he won't be influenced by her either. As long as someone can keep Freya in check, that's enough."
Hephaestus's words were clear, but Hestia's face still carried a look of reluctance.
This wasn't the time for Hestia to decide whether she liked it or not.
Hephaestus turned to Loki, whose expression carried an odd shade. She understood now why Loki had come with this news today.
"So that's why you came to an understanding with Freya, right, Loki?"
"She needs time and opportunities to get close to Bell, and she also needs you to serve as her restraint. Don't think I can't see that Freya's using you in her game."
Loki's face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly forced herself to recover.
"Hephaestus, I'm not even sure if I like that kid. It's more admiration than anything else. Besides, I like girls."
"…Since when did gods start caring about gender when it comes to liking someone?"
"Oi! Don't lump me in with that two-faced Apollo!"
That line made Loki snap.
Say anything else, but to compare her to Apollo—that was crossing the line!
She had far more taste than Apollo ever did.
At the very least, when she took a liking to a child, she wasn't like Apollo, who would stoop to dirty tricks to snatch them away.
"Besides, the reason I pay attention to that kid is because he reminds me of my Ais-tan."
Ais Wallenstein, once the shining rookie of Loki Familia and now the youngest Level 6.
If you asked whether Ais and Bell shared similarities, even Hestia and Hephaestus would have to admit they did.
Both were the same type—people with talent.
Their ways of doing things also had something in common. Ais was the type to charge headlong like an iron-headed fool, while Bell was a lone wolf who relied on plans, determination, and patience.
The resemblances were undeniable.
And Loki's affection for Ais was obvious.
Now, meeting Bell, who shared so many traits with Ais, it was only natural some admiration would slip in.
'Don't let it go too far.'
Before, Hephaestus had sensed Loki had already reached the second stage.
But now, she suspected Loki's progression really did have a lot to do with the similarities between Bell and the "Sword Princess."
If that was the case, pushing her too much could easily backfire.
"Loki, if I said something wrong, then I'll apologize."
"…Forget it. Even I'm confused about what I feel for that kid."
At Hephaestus's apology, Loki sighed and shook her head. She really was a little dazed.
Honestly, what she felt toward Bell was more along the lines of, "This kid's all right."
It was closer to a brotherly kind of bond.
But being caught in this situation had thrown her off balance, leaving her thoughts and feelings blurred.
"Then we're agreed."