"Great, Artemis, you're finally alive!"
As soon as Goddess Artemis stood up, Goddess Hestia rushed over and embraced her.
The two goddesses hugged tightly, and in that moment, their forms pressed together, creating a scene of divine perfection.
Yami was momentarily stunned by the ever-shifting beauty before him.
"I really underestimated you, Yami! I think it's time I limit some of your wandering thoughts."
The sudden remark from Goddess Hephaestus made Yami freeze slightly.
He slowly turned his head, forcing an awkward smile.
Seeing this, Goddess Hephaestus shot him an annoyed look before returning her gaze to Artemis and Hestia.
"Artemis, you've fully returned to your body now, completely leaving behind the state of the missing form. So, what are your plans for the future?"
"Will you continue to roam the land, seek out exceptional children, rebuild your Familia, hunt the remaining monsters on the surface, or will you go to Orario and settle down?"
Faced with Hephaestus's question, Artemis paused slightly.
"Hestia, let me go for a moment."
Her voice was soft, and Hestia instinctively released her hold on Artemis.
"Artemis, why don't you come back to Orario with us? There are even better children there, and you could rebuild your Familia."
Hestia quickly spoke up, trying to persuade her.
She wanted nothing more than for her best friend to move past her regrets and start anew.
But ultimately, the decision had to come from Artemis herself.
Under the expectant gazes of her two close friends, the goddess of the moon felt a wave of emotion, forcing a smile.
"I haven't decided yet."
"But for now, the priority is to return this spear to the heavens. Weapons of this caliber mustn't remain in the lower realms, or the consequences could be unpredictable."
"We can't allow something like Antares to happen again!"
Artemis looked at the 'Spear of Orion' in her hand, her eyes firm with resolve.
"As for the future..."
As she spoke, the moon goddess's expression darkened considerably.
Obvious sorrow filled her eyes.
"I'll probably return to the heavens and isolate myself completely in my residence. Maybe that will bring me some peace."
"In the same way, it can serve as penance for the children who died because of me."
These words left both Hestia and Hephaestus unsure of how to respond.
After all, they couldn't truly understand Artemis's current feelings.
None of Hestia's children had died, so she couldn't personally experience the pain of such a loss.
Hephaestus's Familia had indeed lost a member before, and the goddess herself had felt deep sorrow.
But those children had perished in the dungeon, not for their god, like Artemis's children had.
"Artemis…"
Hestia seemed about to say something, but Hephaestus gently took her arm, shaking her head slightly.
There was no need to say more.
"You're betraying your children's trust in you, Artemis."
The sudden voice startled the three goddesses.
They instinctively turned toward Yami.
What they saw was a young man with a serious expression, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
"Yami!"
"Don't stop me, Hephaestus. I have to say this today."
Goddess Hephaestus was about to speak, but Yami cut her off.
With a determined look, Yami addressed Artemis directly, his voice firm:
"You believe your children died because of you. Is that it?"
"Yes, it's all my fault…"
At the mention of this, Artemis's face immediately showed a deep sense of guilt.
"If I hadn't insisted on leading them to these ruins to check the seal on Antares, they wouldn't have died. I'm no longer fit to be the head of a Familia."
"That's where you're wrong, Artemis!"
Yami's expression grew more serious as he pointed out Artemis's mistaken belief without hesitation.
"Why do you think that way?"
"Those adventurers who died were your children. They looked up to you as their god, seeing you as their guiding star and spiritual anchor!"
"Are you dismissing all their sacrifices?"
"When they faced Antares, did they ever think of running away once they realized the danger?"
"If I'm not mistaken, they didn't flee. They weren't afraid. Instead, they charged at Antares, one after another, without hesitation."
"And at the same time, they urged you to escape, didn't they?"
Yami's words struck deep, like a steel blade piercing Artemis's heart.
In an instant, she was transported back to that hellish night.
Artemis had led her children to the ruins within the Great Tree Sea, intending to inspect the seal on Antares.
But they never expected that the ancient monster had already broken free.
With no other choice, the Artemis Familia fought against it.
None of the children showed fear. Even when faced with an overwhelmingly powerful monster, they fought with all their might, buying time for Artemis to escape.
Until every one of them died tragically on the spot, and even Artemis herself was consumed by Antares.
But Artemis always remembered her children's words:
"Artemis-sama, please run away quickly; we'll buy you time."
"We've never regretted joining the Artemis Familia. You'll always be our pride!"