"Darling~"
Bell had just returned home after completing the setup in the "White Palace" when a soft, melodic voice called out to him. The drawn-out tone dripped with sweetness. Before he could even focus on the source, two soft orbs slammed into his face, carrying with them a faint, fragrant scent.
When he came to his senses, he realized someone was already wrapped tightly around him.
His body instantly recognized who it was—his reflexes didn't even bother to react. Bell figured he'd probably lowered his guard the moment he heard that syrupy voice.
"Artemis, I told you not to pounce on me every time you see me."
He was still a man, after all. Keeping his mind calm and his desires restrained under such conditions was impossible. If this ambush happened every time he came home, even the most disciplined monk would cry, "I can't take this anymore!"
"Who told you to leave me for so long, darling?"
Artemis pouted, her expression full of dissatisfaction. Life in this household was comfortable—too comfortable, even—but it had its drawbacks. Her darling often had to go into the Dungeon.
She knew, logically, that he needed to grow stronger, but every time she imagined him interacting with other girls, jealousy flared inside her like wildfire.
Still, Artemis understood that Darling was doing all this to prepare for his future advancement, so she forced herself to smother those jealous thoughts.
Bell slid his hands under Artemis's arms and gently lifted her off him. Once freed from the pressure of those two soft weights, he finally felt his emotions settle again.
"You really should be more careful. After all, you're sharing a body with this world's Artemis. The appearance may differ slightly, but the senses are the same, right?"
Artemis puffed her cheeks, visibly displeased. She loved clinging to Bell, but knowing that someone else—another version of herself—could feel the same heartbeat made it feel like she was cheating on herself.
Her body in her original world had already been destroyed. Now, the only reason she could exist in this world was because her soul had been grafted onto the Artemis of this realm.
Setting Artemis aside for the moment, Bell turned his gaze toward Hestia.
"I'm back, Hestia."
"Bell!"
Hestia, overcome with emotion, immediately threw herself at him. Only when she buried herself in his embrace did the ache of two weeks' separation finally ease.
The other goddesses, however, could only watch with a mixture of envy and irritation—especially Loki, whose eyes all but sparked with electricity. She was the first to stand up and stop Hestia's overenthusiastic reunion.
"Alright, alright, Hestia, that's enough."
"Hey! Loki, don't interrupt my 'Welcome Home' ceremony for Bell!"
Loki grabbed Hestia by the collar and pulled her out of Bell's arms. Facing Bell's confused expression, she went straight to the point.
"Ais came to me for a Status Update the moment she got back. Her growth this time far exceeded anything I expected—so much that it's almost abnormal."
Bell paused, quickly catching on to what Loki meant—the 'Sword Princess's' rate of growth had become too fast. He rested his chin on his hand, frowning as he considered it.
"Her Status increased that much?"
"Way too much. She's never gained this much in just half a month before."
"So... you think it's because of me?"
"Who else in all of Orario could trigger such rapid growth? You've been training Ais nonstop these past two weeks. Tell me, who else could possibly be responsible?"
Before Loki could finish, Bell already knew what his answer would be.
'It's me.'
But even as the thought crossed his mind, his brows furrowed deeply.
"It's probably my fault. But I've never used any method to accelerate the 'Sword Princess's' growth. External power can't make someone truly grow faster—it can, at best, add a few years to their appearance."
Those Craft Essences only work on me; they can't be used on others.
And I'm not foolish enough to do something that reckless. There's no way I'd lend Ais one of my own Craft Essences just to speed up her development.
Which means... she must have been influenced without my realizing it."
As Bell thought about it, one possibility came to mind—the "Seven Deadly Sins." Among all his Skills, only that one was capable of affecting even gods.
"The Seven Deadly Sins… I didn't expect this."
Although Bell knew that the "Seven Deadly Sins" could influence deities, ever since the incident with Hephaestus, it hadn't affected anyone else. He hadn't imagined that the "Seven Deadly Sins" would be quietly lingering—waiting for a chance to touch the 'Sword Princess.'
"It's not Pride, Gluttony, or Greed. Those three trigger much stronger reactions. Ais is with me constantly—if it were one of those, I would have noticed it immediately."
"So… it's Envy?"
Bell gradually pieced together the answer, though it left him uneasy.
'Envy' wasn't harmless. Compared to the other three major sins, it was weaker, yes—but it was far more insidious, capable of twisting one's heart. Once stained by it, things rarely ended well.
"Envy? No way. That child would feel envy?"
Loki's eyes widened in disbelief. Others might not understand, but she did. That child was reserved—quiet to a fault. Though introverted, she wasn't the type to envy others so easily.
"Maybe it's partially because of my influence."
Bell wasn't completely certain, but it seemed the most likely explanation.
"Hephaestus was affected before, though only mildly. For ordinary mortals, though... the effect might be stronger."
He thought back to Ais's behavior earlier. She had seemed completely normal—except for the hug she gave him before leaving. That wasn't like her usual self at all. Could that small shift also have been caused by 'Envy'?
"Probably not. When I sent the 'Sword Princess' back, she seemed perfectly fine—no obvious signs of any disturbance."
"Ais didn't show much reaction, true. But what worries me is what happens next."
Loki's concern wasn't without reason. The Seven Deadly Sins could influence gods—so if their power touched a mortal child, the impact could be far more severe.
Bell couldn't deny it. The influence of the Seven Deadly Sins was immense. Could they corrupt a person's soul? Yes—he could confirm that much. And once corrupted, undoing it was no simple matter.
As the bearer of the Seven Deadly Sins, Bell himself was immune to their effects. But the aura that leaked from him could easily sway those around him.
"I understand. I'll visit the 'Sword Princess' myself later and check on her condition."
...