Chapter 9 - Final Preparations

The training for the 61st floor mission continued into the 3rd week. As Bell had surpassed Tiona, Tione, Bete and Ais without using ariel, he primarily sparred with Ottar, Finn and Gareth. As he improved at his unusual rate, there were less lap pillows from Ais by the day.

For team training, the group also rotated members between the initial team of Bell, Ais, Gareth, Lefiya, Bete and Asfi and the 2nd team of Ottar, Finn, Riveria, Tione, Tiona and Mikoto. The focus was becoming razor sharp on the upcoming mission.

The group continued to go to dinner at the Hostess. Thankfully, the initial tension was calming down. At least Syr and Ryuu could talk to them without everyone being really nervous, and the other girls were less angry with the playboy bunny. Mia was of course grateful for the big spenders.

During this time, Welf and Tsubaki worked on a new sword for Bell with material supplied by the guild. It was an unbreakable magic sword with the ability to fire off attacks of ice spears. Not only did it provide a magic attack of a different element, it allowed him an alternative for exercising his magic stats.

As the 4th week began, Bell was getting pretty used to battling Finn and Gareth, while still losing badly to Ottar. At the end of the 1st day, Hestia made a suggestion. Bell-kun was already a quarter of the way into his 5th level, and there was an opportunity for a quick trip to the dungeon for him to power up significantly. This was because no one has recently defeated the 17th floor goliath, the water city amphisbaena and the 37th floor udaeus. Loki and Hermes agreed this was a good opportunity and thus Bell, Ais and Riveria went on a quick mission to boost Bell's stats. They returned after 3 days with the news of Bell defeating the 3 floor bosses. Their plans were rewarded with Bell's stats that were more than 50% into the 5th level. With his new update, Bell was fighting roughly even with Finn and Gareth. Furthermore, in the battles with Ottar, while still uneven, no longer resulted in more knock-outs requiring lap pillows from the disappointed Ais.

With a few days before the mission, Hestia decided that Bell should also practice against Ais using ariel. While Ais was apprehensive at first, she understood that Bell needed different challenges. The wind did give her a huge advantage over Bell, but they were able to control the sparring whereby he could learn under the difficult environment.

Finally, it was the last day of preparations before a rest day prior to the big mission. The guild helped with the supply of materials for the journey, and each familia had their own meetings and meals before the mission.

Chapter 10 - Compensation

Loki and Hestia saw their children off at the Babel and then started heading away. However, someone was in their way. It was Hermes.

Hermes "Loki, are you forgetting something?

Loki "..."

Hestia "What is going on Loki?

Smiling Hermes "Loki, you made guarantees with your divinty seal"

Worried Hestia "Loki what is going on?"

Panicking Loki "Remember I had to convince Hermes to help with the guild"

Really angry Hestia "Loki, what have you done?"

The frightened Loki ran from the furious Hestia, who gave chase as Hermes followed with an evil smile. The 3 deities ran to a remote part of Orario when Hestia finally tackled Loki onto the ground and the 2 goddesses were struggling with each other while rolling on the ground.

Hermes "How convenient, Loki, my price will be a good steamy girl-on-girl action."

Loki "Bastard!"

Hestia "Loki, you pimped me out?"

Hermes "Here is your divinity seal, so show me the goods. Let's start with some hot kisses with tongue action!"

Forced to comply by her own divinity seal, Loki claimed Hestia's lip with lots of special action.

Hestia POV

Stupid Loki. What is this thing in my mouth. Wowwwwww this feels so good even if it is Loki...

Loki POV

Damn Hestia does taste good. I can get used to this. Damn Hermes, I will still get my revenge.

Hermes "Wow, lets see more..."

Forced to comply, the goddesses were soon frolicking on the ground after the clothes went flying... This pleased Hermes to no ends...

Suddenly a female voice surprised the deities "You two must immediately cease and desist from your scandalous act. You are hereby under arrest for indecent exposure and lewd behavior in the public"

Red-faced Loki and Hestia thought "omg, oh no!"

Shakti Varma "Even though you are goddesses, you are violating the law. You need to come with me"

Completely defeated, Loki and Hestia put on their clothing and followed Shakti to the same building where Bell and Ais were held before. Hermes followed along with an evil smile...

As a result, Orario was hit with another huge scandal 1 month after the Bell and Ais scandal.

Chapter 11 - Consequences II

There was another large crowd around the building when Lili, Haruhime, Alicia Forestlight and Elfy Collette went to bail out their goddesses. After the bail was paid, the humiliated goddesses and their children walked back to their homes on another walk of shame.

The Hestia familia and the Loki familia had become the joke of Orario. First Bell and Ais, and then the two goddesses. Many thought that those fancy homes were having orgies and other subversive activities of ill repute. Some even thought they may have taken the place of the Ishtar familia.

Hestia POV

Damn Hermes. Now I know how Bell-kun felt like. This is ridiculous. But the whole thing smells fishy.

Loki POV

Damn Hermes. How can this Shakti be everywhere? Does she not have something better to do? Why does she not stop dangerous criminals instead of something so harmless? Something is not what it seems here.

That evening, the red-faced Loki and Hestia went to beg the guild to again be discreet about the bulletin. That flustered Eina. She did not know what to say to the 2 goddesses who cannot seem to keep things in their pants. Afterwards, each goddess had a short talk with their familia members.

Fels and Ouranos also discussed the matter and decided nothing should disrupt the important trip to the 61st floor. But there will need to be a meeting of the gods to deal with what happened.

The next day, the guild put out a bulletin on the two goddesses:

Loki the goddess

Hestia the goddess

Both were taken into custody together yesterday morning for violating several public codes for proper behavior and dress code. Both goddesses expressed regret for their poor choices and were released on bail by familia members.

Chapter 12 - The Mission and the Results

A week after the mission started, the group successfully returned to Orario with no casualties. The group had little trouble reaching floor 61 with no monster rexes in the way. The monster ballrooms on the various floors simply represented a target-rich environment for gaining excelia.

The 61st floor mission turned out to be an arrangement made between Ouranos and Fels and the Xenos, who were waiting for the group on the 61st floor. Indeed it was time for the Bell vs Asterius rematch. With healing potions and spells at the ready, the battle of the level 5.5 Bell and the level 7 Xenos was a battle for the ages. It would seem illogical for the boy to have a chance, except for his Ox Slayer and argonaut skills. It reminded the Loki familia of the boy's battle with the mino back on the 9th floor only 5 months ago. At the end of the battle, Bell emerged victorious. After the 2 combatants were healed, everyone celebrated the battle with a feast.

When the group returned to Orario, they found the sullen atmosphere to be strange. That is until they discovered that their goddesses were busted for the same infraction that the favorite children were busted for only 1 month ago. Even Ottar laughed when the bulletin of Loki and Hestia was shown to the group.

Hestia Hearth Manor

When Bell, Mikoto and Welf returned, Hestia hugged them. Although the mood soured when Hestia discovered that they saw the bulletin. Lili teased the loli goddess some more which quickly turned into a cat fight. After the brief battle, Hestia cried to Bell-kun about her ordeal and how she now understood what Bell-kun went through.

The familia talked about what happened to Hestia and Loki and agreed something very fishy is going on. Having gone through the ordeal herself, Hestia released Bell-kun from his remaining punishment.

Later on that evening, Hestia updated Bell's status and screamed at the top of her lungs that Bell reached level 6.

Twilight Manor

The Loki executives returned to their home and found a humiliated goddess. Rarely have they seen her so depressed, though the prospects of the remaining week of Ais' punishment did perk her up.

Loki did discuss what happened with Finn, Riveria and Gareth, and they all thought what happened with Hermes is very suspicious.

Finn "Looks like a setup"

Riveria "But that means Ganesha and Hermes are conspiring against us?"

Loki "There is something really strange going on"

Finn "My thumb tells me that it is not over"

Loki "Well, we need to watch ourselves. This feels like what happened with Enyo"

Meeting of the Goddesses and Executives

The next day, Hestia, Bell, Lili and Welf went to meet with Loki, her senior executives and Ais. By that time, Bell's level 6 advancement was all over Orario, and everyone congratulated Bell. However, there were more important concerns in everyone's mind. The situation felt like they were pawns in someone's 3D chessboard.

Loki "Hermes set us up. I am almost sure of it."

Hestia "It sure feels like that. How could Shakti be at both remote locations just in time to bust Bell and Ais and then you and I."

Finn "This would mean that Hermes and Ganesha are colluding against us"

Riveria "But Hermes convinced the guild to help us"

Finn "So Ouranos is in on this"

Loki "That is less probable. The guild may be being played just like us"

Finn "Then what is their endgame?"

Loki "That is what we cannot figure out"

Hestia "I bet it has to do with Bell"

Lili "But Hermes has always declared that Bell is the hero, and he always helped us"

Hestia "He clearly played us into jail"

Riveria "We must be really careful and not fall into any more traps"

Loki "Ais, be really careful. Everyone, do not leave the home by yourself."

Hestia "Bell, especially you. But everyone, do not be outside the home by yourself"

Hestia "Loki, I think it is important that Bell keeps progressing as much as possible. Lets continue with the training. Bell, Welf and I will head to the same location before sunrise tomorrow."

Loki "Alright, I will bring Ais, Finn and Gareth. Momma will stay home and hold down the fort."

After the discussion, everyone went back to their home. Though Bell and Ais wanted to talk, this was not the time for it.

Chapter 13 - New Training and Shocking Development

The 2 familias met outside Orario the next morning. Everyone was quite eager to see how powerful Bell has become at level 6. The first sparring session was with Finn, and it was clear that Bell had surpassed him. Bell was stronger, faster and more agile than Finn at this point. The second session with Gareth was closer, but it also became clear that Bell has surpassed Gareth with similar strength but much faster and much more agile.

After that was the sparring with Ais using ariel. Bell handled the wind much better after leveling up. In fact, Bell was able to withstand ariel attacks as well as Ottar did, while not using argonaut. With Ais' concern for injuring Bell eliminated, the two sparred for most of the remainder of the day. With what time was remaining, Bell battled Finn and Gareth at the same time.

Hearth Manor

After training, Bell, Hestia and Welf returned home. Following a bath, Bell's status was updated showing good progress consistent the harsh training against ariel. After a quiet dinner, the group retired for the evening.

In the middle of the night, Bell was waken by Hestia and quietly told to get dressed. When he went downstairs, the entire familia was also dressed to travel. Told to stay quiet, the entire familia headed to the training area outside Orario.

Outside Orario

When Bell and his familia arrived at the training area, they saw several people waiting for them in the dark with a large number of horses. Those several people turned out to be Loki, Finn, Riveria, Ais, Tiona an Lefiya. And there was also a large older man. It was Bell's grandfather!

Bell ran to his grandfather, but was told to keep quiet. Everyone mounted horses, covered up with reverse veils, and carefully rode away from Orario. After an hour with no encounters, the group removed the reverse veils and rode at top speed away.

After another hour, the group stopped to talk.

Bell "Grandfather!"

Grandfather/Zeus "Bell, my name is actually the god Zeus. I took care of you when your parents were killed fighting the black dragon. They were executives in my familia."

Bell "Why did we run away from Orario"

Hestia "Bell, your grandfather Zeus came to us in the night and explained what was going on"

Loki "Hermes and Ganesha were colluding against us, but not out of their own free will. They are under Freya's charm power"

Ais "And the guild?"

Loki "Ouranos told Zeus, and he came to fetch us"

Hestia "We cannot fight the Freya, Hermes and Ganesha familias at the same time. But there is hope. She cannot control that many at the same time"

Bell "So why are we leaving?"

Hestia "Bell, you are our hope. You need to get stronger quickly. Enough to counter and defeat Ottar by yourself. Together with Haruhime's power, we can win"

Loki "That is why Hestia is going with you. You need time to advance your stats."

Bell "But I have not fought with Ottar since level 6. I don't know where I stand with Ottar"

Hestia "Yes that is unknown, but I know you can gain status quickly so we are going to take advantage of your rapid growth to gain the upper hand. We need you to be clearly the strongest in Orario"

Ais "What about everyone else"

Loki "Ais, I am not going with you. Someone needs to be in Orario to handle the situation"

Finn "Riveria and I are going to go back with Loki"

Riveria "Lefiya, you are now level 4 and you need to improve also. When you return to Orario, Loki can update your status."

Loki "Ais, you, Lefiya and Tiona will go with Bell, Hestia and their familia. When you are ready, you will return to Orario, and then we will deal with Freya"

Loki "If anything happens to me, join Hestia's familia. You need to update your status. Ais, you too. Tiona, that goes for your also"

The girls nodded understanding the gravity of the situation.

Ais in tears "How can I abandon my familia and my friends?"

Finn "This is an order. Don't worry and go ahead. We will be fine"

Loki hugged Ais "You and Tiona need to help Bell and Lefiya get stronger"

Ais still in tears "But you do not have enough power to battle Freya and the other familias."

Hestia "That is why we need to complete our mission and return as fast as we can"

Hestia "Lili, you and Mikoto will need to go back with the Loki familia. Stay with them at their home, but we need representatives in Orario. I know you can handle yourself."

Lili "Goddess Hestia, Lili will do her best. Be safe"

Lili "Haruhime, you too must work hard to improve your magic. We are counting on you to gain more tails!"

Haruhime "I will work hard and look forward to reuniting with you!"

Loki "Welf, here is my familia's holdings in adamantium. Please use it as Hestia sees fit"

With the conversation over, each of the Loki girls gave Loki and Riveria a hug and a big kiss. In bliss, red-faced Loki thought about the pros and cons of the situation.

Ais even turned around and pointed at her butt for Loki to squeeze, after which the pleasure from the squeeze nearly sent Loki back to heaven...

Zeus "Follow me, let's hurry and do not get detected"

Following orders, Bell, Welf, Haruhime, Ais, Lefiya and Tiona followed Zeus and Hestia into the wilderness. At the same time, Loki, Finn, Riveria, Lili and Mikoto followed a different path back to Orario.