After all, Hestia Familia was the source of the Rune Stone. No one would seriously go after Hestia just out of personal spite—especially not with two terrifying goddesses standing at her side.
"Hestia!"
The starlight in Hestia's eyes practically overflowed as she threw herself onto Artemis.
Artemis, caught off guard by Hestia clinging to her, looked flustered. Her cold, cutting tone from earlier—used on Apollo—vanished the moment she faced Hestia.
"Hestia, don't suddenly jump on me like that."
Apollo looked back at the two of them acting like affectionate sisters, then remembered what had just happened to him. A deep, indescribable sadness welled up in his chest.
What was this? His own sister treated her best friend with warmth, yet treated him like an enemy?
Of course, Apollo didn't dare say that aloud. He knew better than anyone how unreasonable Artemis could be. If he said anything she disliked, the next arrow would be aimed right at his forehead.
Artemis's attitude toward Hestia was naturally different. After all, her other half cared for Hestia's child.
'…Have I been influenced by my other half too?'
Lately, Artemis often felt that her emotions were being tugged along by her other half.
Maybe it was because she could feel what her other half felt.
She was starting to understand why her other half held affection for that child.
Just like when she learned she'd been saved by that child.
There were so many words of gratitude she wanted to express to him.
But that child didn't seem to think much of it; saving her might have been nothing more than a favor done for Hestia's sake.
Artemis bit her lip slightly, pressing a hand over her chest.
Whenever such thoughts surfaced, a tight, uncomfortable feeling spread through her heart.
The gods shifted their attention back to the projection, though this time their focus wasn't only on the current strike against Evilus.
"Tsk tsk… Evilus really hit the jackpot of misfortune this time."
"Right? After all that effort, even cooperating with the Spirits, and it all ends up as this child's gift wrapping. And a move like this definitely isn't just about clearing out those hiding in the secret floors."
"Heh… we all know what this means."
The gods weren't idiots. Even if nothing was said directly, they understood perfectly well.
This was a warning—a show of public execution for the rats still hidden among the gods.
The gods of Orario weren't fools, and the gods behind Evilus weren't fools either. They understood this logic just as clearly.
But they weren't cowards. If they dared to play, they were prepared to lose.
Even if they had ties with Evilus, after today's events, they knew Orario would no longer permit a single Evilus god to remain.
Every god now understood: the Evilus game was over. Orario had no room left for them.
So the gods still connected to Evilus quietly severed those ties in their hearts.
As long as no one exposed their identities, they would remain gods of Orario—rather than gods of Evilus lurking in its shadows.
"Then what about Loki's kids? Do they know the real purpose behind this campaign?"
In the projection, the battlefield where Loki's children fought was even more heated. Nearly everyone was in a frenzy, fully committed to cutting down Evilus.
"Do they look like they know?"
The god speaking looked completely exasperated.
"If Loki's children knew what was really going on, they wouldn't be fighting like their lives depended on it."
"Loki probably knows. Otherwise, her children wouldn't be part of this operation."
"The one we should really be watching is the man taking part in this campaign."
All the gods fixed their attention on Dionysus.
At this point, his identity was essentially exposed. He was the one Evilus called "City Destroyer," Enyo.
"Enyo…" Until now, no one had known who he was. Whether he was a god or a child of Genkai—no one had any clue. No one expected Dionysus to be him…
Even now, the gods struggled to accept it.
Especially Demeter, who had always considered him a good drinking companion.
"This guy… I really thought he was just a fun drunk. Who would've guessed…"
Takemikazuchi wore a similarly conflicted expression. He never imagined Dionysus carried such an explosive secret.
"No one did."
Miach tried to comfort Takemikazuchi, then shifted his gaze back to the projection.
"But for him to dare join this attack on Evilus, he must have prepared himself mentally. Though it looks like he only brought one child down with him."
From a safety standpoint, Dionysus's actions were extremely reckless.
But it was exactly that recklessness that made it hard to suspect him as Enyo.
These gods were the same—if not for the blatant hints, they would never have connected Dionysus to Enyo.
"Idiots."
Loki's cold voice cut off their thoughts. Resting her chin on her hands, she stared sharply at the lone child Dionysus had brought.
"Dionysus isn't stupid. He knows better than anyone how dangerous this campaign against Evilus is. If all he wanted was revenge for his children, he'd be blinded by emotion. But does he look like someone who acts without thinking?"
The gods thought it over. It was nearly impossible.
If Dionysus were someone who lost reason easily, his identity would've been exposed ages ago.
Which left only one answer.
Their gazes all turned toward the child Dionysus brought with him.
Loki's voice grew ice cold.
"Hmph. Quite bold of him. To think he can deal with all my children using just that one kid? That the strength of one child is enough to solve everything?"
"Even that lovestruck Freya wouldn't be that delusional."