The Grand Casino—the largest entertainment establishment in the labyrinthine city of Orario.
It was where noble gentlemen and ladies came to indulge in pleasure. It was also where the gods sought amusement.
Because the Grand Casino allowed gray industries to operate, it became the second-largest source of cash flow in Orario, surpassed only by the Guild.
Its exclusivity gave it an air of allure—entry required an invitation, and even among the nobility, only the wealthiest had the privilege to step inside.
For that reason, the Grand Casino was especially beloved by the noble socialites. After all, these ladies often longed for a fateful encounter, one that might lead them to their destined partner.
And so, for all these reasons—by nightfall, the front of the Grand Casino was always packed with people waiting to enter. Horse-drawn carriages formed a long line outside, yet the area remained orderly.
This wasn't by coincidence. The Grand Casino consistently hired Familia to maintain security, and among them, the Ganesha Familia was the most frequent choice.
As the Familia responsible for maintaining order in Orario, the Ganesha Familia was well-known throughout the city. Powerful and dutiful, they were the ideal group to keep the peace.
Since the Grand Casino operated only at night—different from the Ganesha Familia's usual working hours—they often had the time to handle security here. Thanks to their constant presence, disturbances were almost unheard of in this place.
The Ganesha Familia might not have as many Lv.6 or Lv.7 adventurers as the Loki Familia or Freya Familia, but they held the highest number of Lv.5s among all Familia. It could be said that, apart from Loki and Freya's groups, the Ganesha Familia was the hardest to deal with in all of Orario.
...
"It's quite the spectacle."
Seated at the front of the carriage, Bell looked out at the dazzling casino as he drove for the two goddesses.
On the surface, it was the height of luxury—but that splendor felt hollow.
Even with his eyes closed, Bell could clearly sense the chaos within: madness, noise, despair, greed, and longing. The entire place was a pit of desire.
In his eyes, the casino was steeped in the Seven Deadly Sins, black mist of corruption seeping into every corner.
'Only a place like this could breed such rampant desire.'
Yet Bell didn't dislike it.
As the carriage ahead moved forward, he urged his own onward in turn.
After what felt like dozens of minutes, it was finally his turn to enter the Grand Casino.
Jumping down from the driver's seat, Bell went to open the carriage door.
Inside, both goddesses raised their hands at the same time, and Bell froze.
What was he supposed to do?
After three seconds of hesitation, Bell reached out and took Loki-sama's hand first.
"Hmph~"
Loki chuckled with a broad grin, while Freya's expression remained painfully strained.
Why did he have to help Loki first?
Freya's resentful gaze seemed to scream that very question, her frustration nearly boiling over.
Bell, caught in her glare, had no easy solution—this choice itself was a massive problem.
If Hestia and Hephaestus were the options, Bell would have chosen them without hesitation. Why not just carry both down? It would spare him the hassle of dealing with their arguments.
But Loki and Freya weren't options.
Therefore, Bell could only prioritize practicality and choose Loki first.
After all, he'd interacted with Loki far more frequently. Freya, on the other hand, was a deity requiring caution—their relative closeness was thus quite clear.
"Well done."
Stepping out of the carriage, hand supporting Bell, Loki felt inexplicably much better. Probably because, between her and Freya, Bell had chosen her.
Even knowing Bell chose her due to familiarity, Loki still delighted in being placed before Freya.
"You really should know when to stop."
Bell muttered helplessly.
After assisting Loki, he turned to help Freya.
Though placed second, Freya extended her hand when Bell approached...
Then, under Bell's gaze, she used her own strength to give his hand a sharp twist.
"Hmph!"
Furrowing her delicate brows, Freya let out a slightly annoyed snort—her displeased counterattack to Bell's earlier move.
Faced with this, Bell felt rather wronged.
In that situation, no matter which choice he made, he'd be wrong. What else could he do?
But seeing Freya this angry was a rare sight, and she seemed to be throwing a minor tantrum.
Was this really how Freya was supposed to be?
Bell scratched his head in confusion.
The appearance of the two deities instantly drew the attention of everyone outside the door.
"Th-those two are... Loki-sama and Freya-sama!"
"Why are they at the Grand Casino?"
While deities occasionally visited the casino, it was unprecedented for these two goddesses—who stood at the pinnacle of Orario—to appear in such a setting.
Historically, most deities who came to the Grand Casino were male gods, and they tended to be the more pleasure-seeking types. Goddesses rarely chose to frequent such places as the Grand Casino.
Today, however, an exception had occurred—and not just one, but two of the most prominent goddesses.
"So this is Goddess Freya... She's breathtaking..."
"Yes, absolutely stunning..."
A group of men stared at Freya, their eyes wide with awe. Even from a mere 1.8 meters away, Freya's innate charm was enough to captivate any man.
"Pfft!"
Loki could clearly hear the murmurs around her. All the praise was directed at Freya—none of it had anything to do with her.
'So what if she's a bit taller than me? So what if she's got a couple extra pounds? What's so great about that!'
Still, Loki felt quite content at that moment.
The gazes and compliments from those around her didn't matter to Loki, because she knew Freya wouldn't care either.
The only one Freya cared about was Bell.
And just now, when stepping down from the carriage, Bell had chosen to help her, not Freya.
That single act alone made Loki's mood absolutely splendid.