Bell's theory wasn't entirely without merit. The very presence of Artemis from another world was already the strongest evidence.
Yet the goddesses present all sensed a trace of unease. They knew Bell harbored certain secrets, but they had never known who was behind them. Now that Bell had voiced his conjecture, it became clear that the force driving those secrets likely originated from two worlds.
"If two worlds are the driving forces, that might make sense."
"But precisely because of this, I've begun to question the path I chose for myself."
Bell picked up where he left off, and at last, the goddesses present understood why he had chosen to abandon the "Falna System."
The reason Bell doubted his chosen path lay in the two forces behind him. Being selected by two worlds had to carry special meaning, and that meaning certainly wasn't as simple as becoming a god through the "Falna System."
Far too shallow.
Such a reason wasn't nearly significant enough to draw the attention of two worlds.
It was that realization which finally snapped Bell out of his earlier confusion. Because his mind had cleared completely, he became even more certain that he could choose another path. There had to be hidden qualities within him, and those very traits were the fundamental reason why two worlds worked together behind the scenes to push him forward.
"No wonder..."
The explanation fit perfectly. Loki, who had been so agitated moments before, now felt completely calm.
With two unseen hands pushing Bell onward, the secrets surrounding him were clearly far from simple.
"So, the method you used earlier was essentially a means to accelerate your growth? Something like the 'Falna System'?"
"Yes, based on the current situation, that seems to be the case."
In truth, it was after realizing this that Bell began to treat the "Type-Moon System" with caution and distance. He knew better than to keep using the gacha feature—there were probably deeper schemes at work. He was just a teenager, after all, no match for the calculations of those far older, especially the minds behind such a system.
Still, Bell understood that if the "Type-Moon System" had wanted to manipulate him, it wouldn't have waited until now. Moreover, the ones behind the system might very well be the rulers of that world.
That only made things more confusing.
'So what exactly do they see in me?'
The question left him genuinely puzzled. Though it was difficult to understand now, Bell believed that as long as he continued down the path he'd chosen, he would uncover the answer one day.
"Even if I don't know the reason now, I'll need to be cautious once I do."
"That's precisely why I must abandon both the 'Falna System' and that other path, and instead choose a power not derived from either."
The Seven Deadly Sins.
The goddesses who were unaware of the details immediately realized what power Bell meant. Their gazes instinctively turned toward Freya—who happened to be the vessel of "Lust."
Freya made no attempt to hide it.
"Yesterday, 'Lust' was already given to Bell."
So that's why it was yesterday.
Everyone now understood why it had to happen then—Bell's confusion, and the key factor he needed to move forward.
But Loki couldn't stand it anymore. She lifted her head and pressed it against Bell's chest, her eyes full of grievance.
"Damn it! Why didn't you come to me about this? I could've talked it through properly too!"
Bell felt a bit embarrassed. He couldn't exactly admit that Freya had been the first person he thought of, not Loki.
"Well... when it comes to guiding others forward, I figured Freya had more experience, so I went to ask her. The conclusion I reached yesterday was actually temporary—it was something Freya said that made me realize where the real problem was."
Bell instinctively glanced at Freya, who returned his look with a smile. There was still a quiet understanding between the two.
Hestia and Hephaestus could also see where Bell was coming from.
"Loki, Freya is way more dependable than you."
Hestia blurted it out without hesitation—not to mock Loki, but simply stating the truth.
"Damn it! You little runt, tell me where I'm unreliable!" Loki's temper flared, her anger now aimed squarely at Hestia.
But Hestia wasn't fazed in the slightest. She rolled her eyes and shot back immediately.
"You tell me what's reliable about you? Or better yet, go ask your kids what they think of you. I bet your reliability ranks dead last."
"You—!"
Loki was left speechless, because she already knew exactly what Ais-tan and the others would say about her. Her children would definitely call her a lecher before anything else. And fair enough—she admitted it herself. She liked both women and men.
Her unreliability stemmed straight from that.
In fact, Loki realized it was probably because of that very trait that Bell hadn't thought of her first, but of Freya instead.
"Bell, I am Sloth, after all. Shouldn't I be next?"
That line alone showed just how impatient Loki had become. She was even willing to say it out loud. It seemed her old rivals had been offering themselves up one by one, and even among the Seven Deadly Sins, her turn was dead last. No wonder she was getting anxious.
But Bell couldn't agree right away.
"Ahem, sorry, Loki. After retrieving 'Lust,' I could feel that something will definitely change once all Seven Deadly Sins are gathered. So the final 'Sin' has to be retrieved back home."
The implication was clear—they'd have to wait until 'Wrath' was dealt with first.
Loki's eyes dimmed instantly, and the sound of her grinding teeth filled the air.
"Can't Dionysus just die already?"
Bell carefully tried to calm Loki down before her temper really exploded.
"I think that might happen soon."
Loki's eyes lit up immediately, her mood flipping in an instant.
"Although our arrangements and the Guild's cooperation have slowed Evilus's actions, the fact that they still dare to operate in the Dungeon means they're making their final preparations before moving."
"Didn't you mention it yourself? The Guild reported that Evilus members have been transporting humanoid-sized objects into the Dungeon. If I'm not mistaken, those are probably the results of forcibly fusing Spirits with humans."
"Judging by how many they've sent down, I'd say Evilus isn't planning to wait any longer."