'Holy crap... Women are already terrifying, but goddesses? They're several times worse.'
Bell was no stranger to the concept of a "battlefield of love." He'd already seen one firsthand between Hestia and Hephaestus.
But he never imagined he'd one day find himself caught in one—and between Loki and Freya, of all goddesses.
This was a situation he never could have prepared for.
Right now, Bell was so tense he didn't dare move a muscle.
If he had even the slightest chance to leave, he'd take it immediately and flee from this dangerous scene.
Unfortunately, with both goddesses holding onto him at the same time, escape was completely out of the question.
And it wasn't like he couldn't feel it—both of them were quietly emanating divine energy.
If he tried to move, he had no doubt that what awaited him next would be something even more terrifying.
Sparks seemed to ignite in the air as Loki and Freya locked eyes, neither willing to yield an inch.
Not far away, a well-dressed couple witnessed the sight of two goddesses fighting over the same man.
"...Loki actually likes men?"
The man stared blankly at Loki, eyes wide in disbelief.
"He" was an Elf, easily recognizable by his pointed ears and short green hair. A wide black eyepatch covered the right side of his face. Clad in a sleek black suit that emphasized his tall, lean frame and striking features, his refined looks would no doubt make countless women swoon.
"Ryuu, now isn't the time for comments like that."
His companion was every bit as captivating.
She wore a moon-white strapless gown that perfectly showcased her elegant figure—curves as alluring as a siren drawing souls into the depths of temptation. Her eyes, deep and expressive, seemed to speak volumes on their own.
"...Mm."
The two of them weren't here just to spectate; they had a far more important mission.
They'd even gone so far as to disguise themselves, with one of them posing as a man for the sake of their objective.
Ryuu's sharp gaze swept across the Grand Casino's interior.
'The standoff between Loki and Freya has drawn nearly everyone's attention.'
Indeed, most of the guests in the hall had turned their eyes toward the spectacle.
But a place as public as this was certainly not where her target would be found.
'If the person we're after was sold into this casino, the buyer wouldn't be foolish enough to appear here in plain sight.'
After scanning the hall, Ryuu's eyes finally settled on a locked door deep within the casino's interior. Two members of the Ganesha Familia stood guard before it.
'There's no way to get in through normal means.'
'And the Ganesha Familia guards won't let anyone through.'
Even with her own strength as a Level 4 Adventurer, taking on the entire Ganesha Familia alone was nothing short of delusional.
'This isn't a mission to cause trouble — it's a mission to save someone.'
'I need to find out exactly where Anna is first.'
Her gaze flickered toward the guards, and her heart sank.
'With this level of security, once I rescue Anna, I'll have to leave immediately.'
Outside, the casino was crawling with Ganesha Familia members—and even Ankusha, the "Staff of the Elephant God," was among their ranks tonight.
'If we get caught, everything will be over.'
Ryuu gave a small shake of her head.
'No… now's not the time to think about escaping.'
'The real problem is figuring out how to get into that room in the first place.'
In a place like this, only those who stood out the most could catch the attention of the casino's operators.
And the best way to do that was simple—win big.
'If I win enough chips, the casino's management will send someone to approach me, trying to minimize their losses.'
'They'll probably invite me inside under the pretext of "Would you like to experience a more exclusive game?"—leading me straight into that heavily guarded room.'
'So… how can I win enough chips?'
As a Level 4 Adventurer with countless battles behind her, Ryuu knew how to read people—their tells, their posture, their eyes. She could use that instinct to analyze her opponents' behavior during each bet and tip the odds in her favor.
But even with that advantage, there was no guarantee she could win every game.
'If I can't win enough, there's no chance I'll ever attract the attention of the Grand Casino's operators.'
Just as Ryuu was racking her brain, the two goddesses beside Bell temporarily set aside their quarrel.
[Loki, there's no point in us fighting here.]
Having calmed down, Freya's eyes shimmered faintly with divine power as she spoke directly to Loki through the encrypted language of the gods.
[Ah, you're right. It's meaningless.]
Now that her head had cooled, Loki fully understood Freya's point.
For both of them, the real obstacles were Hestia and Hephaestus. Unless they dealt with those two first, squabbling here would accomplish nothing.
[Don't be fooled by how docile this brat looks—he's incredibly resistant.]
Loki pouted slightly. A goddess openly showing affection, and this brat still resisted? That was absurd.
Sure, her figure couldn't compare to those two, but she was still a goddess! Did he really think she wasn't even worth considering?
[Sigh… That's just the kind of person this child is.]
Freya knew all too well what kind of temperament he had. His heart was probably already occupied by Hestia and Hephaestus.
[A heart untouched by divine Authority. Unless this child develops that kind of desire, there's no way…]
[No. That brat would never develop such desires.]
Loki's certainty made Freya raise an eyebrow in curiosity.
[Why do you say that?]
[My Renard is more than charming enough, but that brat deliberately set her up to end up with me. And when my Renard later tried to offer herself to him willingly, he dodged her completely.]
[The reason is simple—lifespan.]
Freya blinked, then quickly understood.
The time Bell possessed was not the same as that of ordinary mortals.
If Bell were to truly defeat the Black Dragon and step beyond the boundary no adventurer had ever crossed, then he might actually walk the path to godhood.
Once he took that step, Bell would no longer belong to the world of ordinary people.
From that perspective, Freya could understand why he acted the way he did.
But even so, she was deeply surprised that Bell genuinely intended to pursue divinity.
'This child…'
Freya drew in a slow breath, steadying herself.
[In that case, I have even more reason to compete for him.]
...
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