A Waning Of Silence

by JL Davenport

She was meant to leave and to die causing destruction throughout Orario. But instead, Alfia, the Maiden of Silence, found herself captivated by the young child her sister had left behind in this world. And so, Bell grew up with one extra guardian, and the ripples from that small change will change his story a great deal. Bell/Harem.

14. Chapter 14

Is It Wrong To Finally Meet?

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Author's Note: And here we are! If you're not following my Twitter, or my other uploads, you may not be aware, but my (P)(atreon) got shut down earlier this year. I've moved instead to SubscibeStar, so please, find me at subscribesta(r.c)om/jldavenport This chapter went up for early access there a week ago! And all my future chapters will be there a week in advance too.

Either way, I promised myself that this one wasn't gonna get away from me and become another crazy 40k Monstrosity, and while it took longer than I wanted (mostly due to me starting another story first before pivoting to this to get it done) I've managed to keep it from getting too out of control, I think this is about the right chapter length, I'm pretty happy with it, and I hope you'll enjoy it too!

So here we are, the long-awaited Freya v Alfia confrontation, and some more besides…

ALSO: This is me once again reminding you that FFN often doesn't send out notifications/updates, and it will periodically auto opt you out of notifications/updates anyway. If you want to keep recieving updates about this story, please check your settings and opt back in to notifications to reset the timer, and honestly, you're best off just following me on Twitter, davenport_jl.

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A ravenous terror awaited at the doorstep of the Freya Familia.

A beast long presumed dead. A witch from an era already long passed. A nightmare from a memory forcefully buried.

Hair like polished silver.
A dress like blackest midnight.
And an aura of malevolence that seemed to carry out into the air beyond.

All who remembered her knew fear. All who had felt her cruelty knew dread. And all who looked upon her did so with wary hearts.

Even as she sat, with her hood thrown back and presence exposed, just a few meders away from the home base of the proudest, strongest Familia in the Dungeon City, not a single member dared flare killing intent towards her. To do so was to risk inciting her wrath, and to incite her wrath was to invite destruction.

Even among those who had never seen this woman, and those who had never even heard her name (for only rarely was any other woman's name uttered within Freya's halls) could understand, just from the way their executives reacted, that a great and ruinous power sat now before them.

Words, titles and legends were whispered among the lower-ranking members.

The Maiden of Silence.
The Incarnation of Talent.
The Silver-Haired Sorceress of Orario's Dark Age.

A woman of terrifying might and dreadful magic, an adventurer so skilled she was said to have even surpassed the strength of Hera's Level 9 Captain.

Yet, even as their hearts hammered and skin grew clammy with sweat, not one of them quailed or shirked their role, and neither too did any of them lose their mind with some reckless bravado. Even without comradery, and even without standard discipline, they maintained absolute composure. They were the immortal Einherjar, those who would gladly die for the sake of the Goddess they adored and those who would then rise again to protect her still. All the same, there was no stopping the unease that spread among their ranks.

While only few knew the details, everyone knew that the Freya and Loki Familia were responsible for the destruction of Zeus and Hera.

By their Goddess's hand, Alfia had been cast low.
And now, like a spectre from Orario's violent past, here she sat before them.

It was hard to imagine this would end in anything but bloodshed.

The lower ranks spread around the neighbourhood, passing out cursed wands and status-down items.
The spellcasters sang quietly, weaving songs to bolster and empower, boosting every one of their members to the limits of their ability.
The healers prepared themselves with grim determination, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Despite being a Familia that detested working together, their co-ordination was no less than perfect, preparing themselves with no effort spared, as if readying to face a Dungeon Boss.

The reason for that, and for the strict discipline being followed by the usually unruly Familia was, surprisingly, because of the same strict discipline being followed by the even more unruly executives. Every one of them was perched atop a building, overlooking the park below, each of them was balanced right on the knife's edge of tension, and not a single one of them had yet made a move.

"If she takes even a single step forward, I'm going," Allen declared, his hands clenched tight around the spear he held pointed directly at Alfia's heart, his personal magic spell already twisting in place around him, "I'll skewer her before she can do anything!"

"You stupid mangy cat!"
"Have you forgotten who that is!?"
"That's the Silence. You won't be skewering her, you'll just get blasted to bits!"
"And while we would enjoy that, the rest of us would also get dragged into your stupidity!"

As always, the four Prum that made up the Bringar spoke in unison. While no less ready to jump into the fray than Allen, they at least held enough restraint to understand that acting recklessly would be even worse than not acting at all. Heith's legendary healer corps, the Andhrímnir, could bring someone back from the brink of death, but only from the brink of death. There would be no second chances in this, and if any one of them acted, then the entire Familia would act as one, there would be no possible do-over. The entire Freya Familia might end in an instant, and they did not bear that weight easily.

"I fear not death, and I fear not your death especially," Hogni's voice held none of his usual cowardice, with the Dark Elf having already taken up the mantle of Dáinsleif, "If our lives are what it takes to stop her- then the better to act now, before she has a chance to do anything."

His logic was sound. If even Allen couldn't hope to reach Alfia before she could kill him, then what hope did any of them have to keep her from harming their Goddess? Harming a divinity was one of the world's greatest taboos, but none of Freya's followers would be willing to gamble their beloved Goddess's life on something like that.

"Our Goddess said to stand down, so we stand down," however, Ottar's logic was even more sound, "She said she has no wish to risk war with this woman."

All evening, they had been here, surrounding this woman, preparing themselves while awaiting their Goddess's presence, unwilling to act without her approval.
And now, having arrived a few hours past dusk, Freya had bid them all hold position, desiring -against fervent objection- to speak to Alfia alone.

"None of you idiots are going, and neither is anybody else," Hedin clicked his tongue while groaning out an exasperated sigh, "Do none of your eyes work or is it your brains that's the problem? Clearly, she's here to talk, otherwise, why would she make such a great show bringing a book instead of a weapon, and why would she be sitting outside our headquarters instead of assaulting us without warning? Do you think the Maiden of Silence is so nice that she would give her enemies time to prepare, do you think at all? So, instead of annoying me with this insipid chatter, just shut up and focus on Freya-sama. We await her signal."

As usual, the White Elf had the most rational view of the situation, but while the man known as Hildsleif could say such things with full confidence… he was also the one who had directed the entire Familia to their positions encircling the park where Alfia was sitting, his rhomphaia was still unsheathed, and hundreds of bolts of lightning hung ominously, ready to be unleashed at the slightest moment.

The entire Familia was on edge, and every one of them was watching with bated breath as the most beautiful Goddess in the world stepped lightly towards the most terrifying woman in the world.

---

It was Alfia's rage that had brought her here.

No matter how calmly she'd been reading her book, or how carefully she'd masked her expression, even though she didn't let even a single spark of killing intent flare towards the Freya Familia, that anger roiled and seethed within her. It was a fury she hadn't felt in years, worse than the disgust she'd felt towards Zeus's affronts or his abandonment, and worse than the indignation she'd felt towards Hera's attitude or her commands. It was the same kind of outrage she'd felt when her Familia had been destroyed, and when her sister had died, a boiling cauldron of wrath full enough that it felt like she could just burn the entire world down!

Mostly it was directed at Freya, but also her condemnation landed upon herself.

Despite her pride and vanity, Alfia didn't hold herself to perfection, she hadn't expected her disguise in Orario to last forever. But she'd thought she could stay out of sight a lot longer than she had, and never once had she even thought to investigate the bar that Bell was spending so much time in. She'd never had a reason to, nor any cause to give the place more than a cursory thought. He'd claimed the food was good and the waitresses kind, she'd hardly cared about anything more than that.

And then she'd walked through those doors and come face to face with Mia Grand.

It was like a bad joke. It was like the Fates were mocking her directly.

Of all the bars in Orario, of all the places her (adorable and beloved) Bell could have eaten, he'd wound up in the one run by the ex-Freya Familia Captain, Demi Ymir!? And what was a former Captain even doing running a bar!? At least Alfia had an excuse for her less-than-auspicious circumstances!

Even at the time, seeing the immediate recognition on Mia's face, seeing the curious looks from all the other staff -probably all Freya members- Alfia's stomach had churned horribly. She had pushed it all away at the time, not even a word had passed between them as she'd followed Syr back to where Bell had been laid up, all Alfia could have possibly focussed on during those days was her sister's son, anything else was irrelevant. But ever since Bell had gotten back on his feet, she'd been unable to stop thinking about it.

No doubt Mia had immediately reported her presence to Freya, and so that infuriating slut-Goddess, one of the very targets of Alfia's revenge, had known she was back in the city.

And now… and now… and now…

After all his desperate hard work, all the crimson blood she'd seen dripping down his body and all the tears he'd hidden away from her!
After terrifying her with just how recklessly he'd risked his life!
After Levelling Up and becoming an astonishing record holder, reaching Level Two faster than anyone in history!
After his first step toward overturning her objections and becoming a Hero had been etched into Oraro's annals!

…

After everything Bell had done and all he'd worked for, Freya gave him that title. That ridiculous, disgusting, humiliating title!

That was the cruel whims of a Goddess of Beauty encapsulated. Ignoring everything about him, a Goddess who didn't even know who he was, who had never even met him, had given him a second name he would carry forever simply as a way of calling out Alfia, as a way of taunting her and drawing her out!

Even just thinking about it had Alfia clenching her jaw so tight the bones creaked. Even just picturing how happy Bell had smiled when he'd been given that poisonous name made her vision soak red. It was almost enough to make her beg for Hestia's blessing and burn down Folkvangr once and for all!

She had just barely restrained herself. For Bell's sake, and for the sake of a revenge that would make Meteria smile, rather than sigh.

And so, here she was.
She had accepted the Goddess's taunt. She had come out, bold and unadorned, right to the very doorstep of Freya's headquarters.

This was a foolish risk, she knew that, she could feel that down to her bones. Alfia was not a gambling woman, the Dungeon had taught her very well not to take pointless chances, she much preferred to amass an unstoppable power and then destroy any that dared oppose her.

But right now, she was bluffing. Surrounded on all sides by Freya's children, feeling the pinpricks of their gazes all across her body, feeling their anxiety, their doubt, and their anger. Without a Falna, Alfia was truly nothing but a paper tiger, if any of them did snap and attack her, there was nothing at all she could possibly do to defend herself. Freya's Einherjar had no way of knowing her Falna was gone, that she was nothing but an (exceptionally beautiful, yet) ordinary civilian, but even so, Alfia detested that she could do nothing but rely on her old reputation and previous legacy to keep them at bay.

It was just another thing to be angry about.

Even if she wasn't going to burn down Folkvangr just yet, the prudent thing would still have been to ask for Hestia's blessing, at least then she would be facing them from a position of strength. When she'd considered it, she'd been surprised to find herself less repulsed at that idea than she'd expected… it seemed she'd grown fond of that foolish little Goddess, because her mind hadn't lurched at the thought of submitting herself to Hestia's will. But, in the end, it had been thoughts of Bell that had held her back.

With a Falna, it would be harder, probably impossible, for her to justify not involving herself in his adventures. The danger around Bell would only grow, and the threats he was to face would only become deeper and deeper. If she had the strength to save him, to support him, to keep him safe… She knew she wouldn't be able to resist. After all, hadn't it been the love she'd felt for him that had stopped her from dying alongside Zald? She couldn't resist Bell, the love she felt for him was no less than what she'd felt for Meteria, the only other person Alfia had ever truly, deeply cared for.

Sooner or later, she would wind up drawn into his adventure. And in trying to keep him safe, she would destroy his legacy, overshadowing and tainting his story before it could even begin.
Rather than a man who rose himself from nothing, he would simply be seen as the Maiden of Silence's coddled student.

Even beyond that, Alfia was fully aware that the moment she took on a Goddess's blessing then her "vessel" would expand and the sickness that still lay dormant within her would wrack her body once again. Her lifespan would immediately be cut to shreds. She could accept that, of course, so long as she lived long enough to see Bell overturn her mockery and become the Hero she'd always denied. But who knew how many years it would take him to amass that kind of strength, and who knew how long she could even last in that state. After seeing the way Zeus's disappearance had shattered him, Alfia had absolutely no desire to force Bell to watch her die slowly from disease. The moment she took on a Falna, she would truly become dependent on the Evils' gifts, and she would then be dancing properly on the palm of Thanatos's hand.

No, the only future that made sense was for her to choke down this humiliation, to wait, and only take up power when Bell was strong enough to oppose her. For now, she could still use the Evils and manipulate them for her purposes. Only then would she join Thanatos's mad crusade, playing the part of a revenge-obsessed fool, she would become an unyielding and overbearing obstacle for Bell to defeat. And finally, when he had hardened his heart and cast her down, her destruction would grant him the pedigree to truly become the Last Hero. She would embrace her death gladly.

If, to make that happen, she had to face off against the anger and fear of the assembled Freya Familia, with nothing but her past deeds and seething fury to keep her strong, then that was a small price to pay.

Actually, if anything, the thought of those proud and pathetic executives cowering away from a woman who didn't even have the strength to oppose the least among them, brought out a sadistic joy within her.

Not quite enough to quell her fury, but enough to at least pass the time.

"!"

And then, at last, wrapped up in a long shawl that covered all but a few strands of silvery grey hair slipping from the cowl, the Goddess of Beauty finally arrived.

---

"Freya."

"It really is you, I'm amazed," the Valkyrie Goddess's voice came out breathlessly, half in wonder, half in amusement, "I'd heard you'd returned, and now I've heard you were waiting outside my own house. I am sorry it took me so long to arrive… it's been a busy night."

Alfia scoffed, "What, busy slutting around with one of your boy-toys?"

"Hehe, something like that," Freya spread her hands in a small shrug, "Did you come here to ask for an introduction?"

Freya's purple irises were calm, appeasing and appraising.

"Tch."

Alfia's green and silver eyes were blazing red hot with rage.

"I came here to ask why you saw fit to give Bell Cranel the title, Vanadis Odr!"

"Oh my! Do you not like it? I thought it was a perfect title for him. The other Goddesses were all so concerned with giving him something cute, but I knew there had to be more than that after all, he's not just cute, is he? There's a hidden manly side to that child. He needed a title just like that, something sweet, but reliable and strong. And you know, no man in history has ever been adorned with the title Vanadis Odr before, ahh, it's truly something he can wear with pride."

By the time Freya finished her little speech she was smiling giddily, with her hand pressed against her cheek and a flush on her face. Alfia, however, was glaring back with her fists clenched tight at her sides and a suicidal impulse to sock this arrogant Goddess worming its way through her heart.

Normally, Alfia would have been more than happy to spend the evening talking about (her adorable and beloved) Bell, debating his strongest features, that slowly blossoming side of manliness she'd seen from him, and all the little things that made you love him. She'd spent more than a few happy afternoons with Hestia doing exactly that.

But hearing this woman talking about him. A woman who didn't even know him. A woman who'd never even spoken to him. A woman who'd never even seen him… A woman who was responsible for his mother's death… Hearing Freya talk about Bell as if she knew even the first thing about him…

It was like she was being lectured about a topic she was an expert in, by someone who'd found it as a curiosity.
It was like being slapped in the face.

At length, Alfia forced herself calm. She knew this game. Whimsical, fickle and impulsive. This was just how Goddesses were, and Goddesses of Beauty more than any other. It was probably because she'd been spending so much time with Hestia lately that she'd forgotten just how infuriating so many of the other deities were.

"What do you want, Freya? What are you after?"

Blinking out of her little monologue, the Valkyrie Goddess spread her arms wide, beaming a disarming smile.

"Do you really have to ask, is it not obvious? I want you."

Of course.

She'd predicted that. Even outside of her personal vanity, it was the most obvious answer. Whether the title was meant as a threat, a provocation or an offer, it was directed at her, a woman who could easily shake Orario's current balance of power. Even so, Alfia knew Freya better than to assume her desires were that simple, nor that she would voice her intentions so easily.

"You've changed so much since I last saw you… I could scarcely believe my eyes when I beheld you before me once again. Oh, don't glare at me so- you're still just as captivating as I remembered, Alfia. I've always admired that pride of yours, your noble bearing, your ferocious malice, and -of course- the Maiden of Silence's legendary, dark beauty, that used to be carried in whispers all across this fair city… it's as if you've scarcely aged a day."

Licking her lips, the Goddess of Beauty's gaze ran hungrily over the other woman- up her lusciously long legs, around the wide turn of her waist and the contrasting slenderness of her trim waist, along her trim, toned stomach and over the huge swell of Alfia's chest, a mountainous bust that stood equal even to Freya herself. Even without a bra shown beneath the thin black dress, the Maiden of Silence's chest stretched the fabric out just as surely as it had in Freya's memories, and beneath the folds and straps of that dress, the woman's creamy-white skin had all the same softness and suppleness she remembered. Exactly as she'd said, it was as if not even a single day had passed for the mortal woman, through all the years she'd been away.

Freya had become a collector and she knew better than anyone just what a rare and wonderous beauty Alfia was. The fact that her incredible streak of Level Ups had preserved her so perfectly even after all this time was exactly the kind of small and special miracle she loved the Lower World for.

If her Odr hadn't so completely and utterly dominated Freya's affections, the Goddess's thighs would have surely been hot with wet lust right now.

"You would be welcome in my bed anytime you should wish."

That was a lie, of course. Freya's bed belonged to Odr alone, now. She'd even had his name embroidered onto the covers.
But the offer came as a habit, and it was worth seeing the other woman's reaction all the same.

Despite herself and despite her fury, Alfia couldn't help but squirm away from the Goddess's nakedly appraising gaze. She was used to getting such looks from men like Bell's (worthless and pathetic) father, or Zeus, but swift and unrelenting violence had always been a suitable answer to that, she had no such answer right now.

"But what's changed isn't your body, but your Soul." Freya continued, stepping forward as Alfia faltered, "It used to shine so purely and dazzlingly black. Not a murky, sickly-looking bleakness like those fools that follow the Evil Gods, but a proud, pure and self-satisfied black, like polished obsidian. It charmed me, even during those days… But now… Now your Soul shimmers like a river of silver. It flashes dark one moment, and shines bright the next, holding both shades within it but neither mixing them, nor keeping them in opposition. It's truly captivating. Are you still the same woman I once knew? Was it that boy who changed you? Or is it simply time?"

Alfia gave no answer.
She'd always known that being with Bell had changed her life… but hearing that he had changed the very nature of her Soul, that the boy she so loved had affected her so deeply… Despite herself, despite everything, she couldn't help but feel a small mote of begrudging gratitude towards the Goddess.

"You know, I used to wonder if it was you that would become my Odr… But instead, it was the boy you've raised instead," Freya's laugh was like clear, soft and beautiful music and it flared the anger in Alfia's soul once more, "The Fates truly are strange at times, aren't they?"

"He's not your anything!"

"But he could be. And you should be too. Honestly, I could scarcely believe it when I was told you were back in our fine city once more… I hadn't heard any such thing from any of the other established Familia, not a whisper of your arrival from Loki, Ganesha, Apollo, or anyone else. I was almost shocked speechless when I discovered you were working with Hestia. I am dearly fond of our adorable little Virgin Goddess, I've certainly given some thought to completing those old Quests Zeus issued myself… but, a Goddess without any followers, one who works part-time in a food-stall, and who operates from the basement of a ruined church?

"That's hardly the kind of accommodation befitting one of Orario's most legendary adventurers. Become mine, Alfia. I'll provide you the kind of comfort and luxury you used to enjoy. You'll have the freedom to act as you like, my children will provide you with whatever food and drink you desire, and I'll arrange for housing suitable for a woman of your status…" Freya's inviting grin turned slightly playful as a tiny spark of an understanding between women played out, "Something with a proper, private bathroom."

Alfia's heart clenched.

The squalid bathroom of the church's basement was barely any better than the one she'd put up with all those years in their small countryside house, the public baths had become a barely suitable alternative. For a woman as vain as her, that offer caught her right between the eyes.

"I'll take young Bell in as well, of course. He truly is an adorable child, isn't he?"

Despite herself, and despite all her subdued anger, Alfia still had to restrain herself from crying "I know, right!?" in response. Even if Freya had never met him, she had surely seen his image and details during the Denatus, and despite the Goddess of Beauty's depravity, Alfia knew she would never have given a title like that to a man who didn't capture her attention. Even if the other woman knew nothing at all about him, Alfia could at least agree with her on that alone. Bell was adorable.

In another life, perhaps these two women might have reconciled their differences by gushing over his baby photos and stories of his childhood exploits.

"Is he yours?"

"No," the soft warmth that had been momentarily kindled within the Maiden of Silence was snuffed out immediately, "He's my sister's. I raised him after her death."

Her heart slammed in her chest, and her hands curled tight at her side, but Alfia held back from adding "Because of your actions." Even if it had been discovered that she was back in Orario, it was still far too early for her to be making any direct moves against Freya, or to risk giving the Slut-Goddess reason to take action in return. Either way, given Freya's conniving nature, she doubted she'd spread word of her arrival. For now, it was better for each of them to keep their cards close to their substantial chests. And so, Alfia bit her tongue and swallowed her words.

Oblivious to the other woman's inner turmoil, Freya continued.

"All the more reason you should take my offer. You, of all people, know just how merciless the Dungeon is. There's no end to the amount of underprepared young adventurers we lose every day; it's no place for a young man with little proven battle experience, and absolutely no place for someone without any allies or comrades of their own. From what Syr's told me, until just recently he's been going into the Dungeon, all alone, with barely more than scraps of armour and the cheapest potions he can find! That's just pure recklessness!

"He has certainly made incredible progress; a whole team would be proud to have made it half as far as he has in twice the time, but the deeper he goes, the worse it will get. The monsters will come in greater quantities, the floors will turn into labyrinths, the traps will become insidious... No comrades, few items, and beginner-grade equipment… if anything goes wrong, if he ever makes a mistake, he won't come back. And, from the sounds of these recent Minotaur Incidents, he's already encountered some great peril, he was extremely lucky even to escape with his life. You know very well that such encounters will happen again."

Even while facing the woman who raised him, the woman whose love and adoration she had seen for herself for him, Freya guiltlessly recounted the event that she herself had caused.
The Empress of Orario was supreme, even in shamelessness.

"Your sister's child, the boy entrusted to you, Alfia, he should have a Familia worthy of such trust."

"His Familia is the one he chose, the Goddess that he found and the one who saw value in him. This is his adventure, and I have not come here to try command him like some puppet on a string."

At that, the smile on Freya's lips changed just slightly, and a feeling passed between the two women that -at least in this- they were alike. Alfia had no desire to manufacture his rise to heroism, and Freya had no interest in manufactured heroes.

"But you did come. You could very well have simply stayed behind and left him to his own devices- you're here in Orario to advise and support him. And this is the time you can offer such guidance. The Familia he chose was when he had no other options, now he does. You know better than anyone the dangers I'm talking about, and you know very well just how staggering the death toll for underprepared rookies is in the Dungeon. If you want to keep him safe, then he needs support equal to his efforts- a Goddess who can protect him, reliable allies, dependable equipment, and items that will save him from disaster.

"Don't get me wrong, Alfia, my interest is for you, but that doesn't mean I am not impressed by his achievements; to steal the Sword Princess's title is no small feat. And so, I recognise Bell Cranel and I will see to it that he doesn't become just another lost youngster, one more casualty added to the tally. This isn't me interfering with his story, nor would this be you holding his hand, this is nothing but the natural result of his success. After all, is this not the starting point that all Adventurers aim for?"

Alfia scowled.

Unfortunately, frustratingly, Freya was completely correct. There was a reason so few Gods successfully started their Familia in Orario, while the blessing each God offered was the same, the support they could provide was far from it. If an Adventurer was going to risk their life and limb in the Dungeon, then it only made sense for them to do that for a God that could provide them with tools, equipment and a comfortable lifestyle. Only the most foolish or desperate would sign up with a Familia like Hestia's.

Her mind had been changed when she'd first met the small Goddess, and she'd allowed Bell's recruitment. More than anything, she'd appreciated that, of all the people in this great city, Hestia was the only one who had seen Bell's worth.

But how much was that appreciation worth?

In the short time Bell had been active as an Adventurer, she'd already lost count of how many sleepless nights she'd had, seeing the injuries he brought home from his recklessness.

Alfia doubted she would ever forget the horror of seeing his body after that fight against two Minotaur.

The healers had already finished by the time she'd been let in, but the blood-soaked shreds of his armour and clothing were still visible from where they'd been discarded in the corner of the room, and Bell… Her adorable and beloved Bell had been lying motionless on the bed, his cheeks pale and his skin sallow, as if he was just one step away from death. Any trace of Alfia's composure had shattered instantly at the sight of him. She could still vividly remember the hot tears that had streaked down her face, the way her legs had given out from under her, and how she'd wailed, bawling her eyes out as just pathetically as Hestia, without a shred of dignity or restraint.

Alfia was used to losing people. She had lost every single comrade she'd once had. Just the same as an experienced Guild Advisor, a veteran Adventurer had to build up a certain resistance and callousness to the death that followed so close behind them.
But, just as he had ever since the moment she'd first laid eyes on him, Bell had ripped down all her defences and all her resilience against such loss.

She couldn't possibly bear to lose him.
She couldn't refute Freya's words.

But, that didn't mean she was fool enough to imagine the hand held out to her was free of deceit.

"You say you're interested in me, but once again we're talking about him," she answered instead, "First that Grimoire, then you force that ridiculous title on him, and now this apparent offer. You've got an undue interest in that boy. What do you want with Bell, exactly?"

And again, to Alfia's questions, Freya simply shrugged, adopting an air of indifference.

"Oh? Want? Why nothing at all. That Gimoire was just something lying around in my collection… Syr came to me, telling me stories about this young man she knew, and how worried she was watching him going off to the Dungeon each day with barely more than the clothes on his back to keep him safe. She begged me for some tool, or trick I could grant him that would protect him. I had never even heard of this Bell Cranel before then, but he obviously meant a great deal to Syr and I suppose I've always had a soft spot for hardworking children. I gave it to her as a favour, a whim, nothing more than that.

"As for the title… Well…" At that, Freya spread her hands wide with a soft, beautiful laugh, as if the whole thing was nothing more than a joke between Gods, "Would you like me to change it?"

!

Alfia's world slammed to a halt.

Of all the possibilities, of all the ideas and all the courses she'd imagined this conversation going, that hadn't once occurred to her! Titles were sacred and reverent acknowledgements, bestowed directly via the Divine Will of the Gods themselves. When one grew even greater, they may be gifted a new title instead, but no matter what, no matter who, even during the heydays of Zeus and Hera, she had never heard of a title being changed!

It was unthinkable. It was unimaginable. There had never been a reason for it to be done. Could it even be do-

"I can arrange it." Freya assured her, correctly guessing her thoughts.

She probably could, at that, Alfia considered.

…

…

…

Her fists clenched at her side, so tight her knuckles went white and her face twisted up into an evil scowl. But, even as her mouth opened and closed, even as she straightened her back to speak, she couldn't force the words out. Eventually, Alfia heaved an agonised sigh.

"No. Leave it be. As much as I dislike it, as ill-suited as it is for him… changing his Title would leave the entire city talking about him," it would be an even bigger scandal than letting the other Gods find out about that quick-growth Skill of his. Bell's story would become a gimmick, an oddity of Divine Privilege, and all his actual accomplishments -like becoming the Record Holder- would be overshadowed with slander and speculation. And that was without even guessing how the members of Freya's Familia would react to their Goddess's favour being taken away, "He doesn't need anything like that right now."

It was a bitter draught to swallow. It made her hate the Valkyrie Goddess even more for having put her in this position.
Now she too was responsible for him bearing the title Vanadis Odr.

The sourness on Alfia's face was unmistakable, but Freya's laughter rang out just as beautifully and just as lightly as ever.

"Good! I'm glad to hear that, because I'm very fond of that title myself, I believe he truly embodies it, in every possible fashion," Alfia's murderous glare was ignored, "Perhaps a part of it may have been me playing a bit of a joke at Hestia's expense, but it was more than that too, it was… A small gift, I would say. A simple offering from me to you. I knew you were back in the city at that point, and I knew that Bell was connected to you, although, nobody else seemed to know that… So, without addressing you directly, I thought a title like that… Not only does it suit him perfectly, but… Well, it's practically declaring my interest in him to the world, isn't it? He's going to have a lot of attention from now on, but a title like that will certainly make people think twice before they mess with him, won't it?"

!

Again, Alfia's world slammed to a halt.
Again, the Goddess's machinations were well beyond her expectations.

It was sickeningly self-conceited, but following that twisted logic, Freya was certainly correct.

Bell's kind nature was part of his charm, but even so, he was far too innocent and much too trusting for his own good, and even if this wasn't the Orario that Alfia had once known, it was still a city with plenty of dark sides and one with no shortage of people willing to take advantage of someone's better nature. Lilli had demonstrated that perfectly, if even a single thing had played out differently with that Prum, Bell may have lost the Hestia Knife or even his own life. Would Lilli have dared mess with an Adventurer who was known to have Freya's interest? She doubted it.

As much as she hated to admit it, having Bell branded as Vanadis Odr might very well make him too dangerous to risk targeting. That was something she hadn't considered and something a more suitable title (like, say, "Ultra Sonic Blitzfang") couldn't provide.

"Is that your way of looking out for him? How disgusting."

"Your boy received a truly wonderful title, I got to tweak Hestia's nose a little, and you've come to join my Familia. I'd say it's worked out magnificently in all respects."

Alfia scoffed, "Then what about that healer of yours, the one you sent to assist his training? Is that another one of your little gifts? Or are you going to claim she's got nothing to do with this either?"

Freya tilted her head, looking for all the world like she had absolutely no idea what she was even being accused of.

"Healer of mine? One of my children helped with his training?"

Alfia just glared, silent in response.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're… Oh… Oh perhaps, it must have been Heith? I did wonder where she was going off to all those mornings… Hehe, well, given how frequently that child visits Mia's bar, I can only imagine you'd need to ask Syr about that arrangement. I'm afraid I don't keep my children on quite so short a leash."

Despite herself, the Maiden of Silence's icy glare began to defrost.

It was only natural to doubt Freya's words. While a mortal couldn't possibly lie to a Goddess, a Goddess would have an endless amount of fun teasing mortals with lies, half-truths, and all manner of deception. But, every accusation she'd levelled against the silver-haired slut had been deflected or blunted, and all the Valkyrie Goddess's answers had made a frustrating amount of sense.

Alfia adored Bell. She was very aware of this. She was painfully aware of just how deeply her love for him had changed her and altered her very destiny. He wasn't just the only reason she was still alive, he was very much her reason for living.
Which meant it was very possible she had an enormous blind spot in her thinking when it came to him.

Given how obsessed she was with him, and how quickly the (once) Virgin Goddess Hestia had become with him, it had seemed outright reasonable to assume that Freya must have (somehow) become just as taken with him.
She saw how wonderful he was, day after day, and this whole time in Orario she'd simply been waiting for the rest of the city to see the same thing.

Instead, Alfia was now facing the more troubling possibility that she'd read the room wrong. Perhaps Freya's interest in him was just a passing fancy. Perhaps the Maiden of Silence's legend still eclipsed his.

"Odr is a lovely young man, and I am eager to watch his growth, to see just what kind of man he shall become. I'm excited to see his dreams, and to taste his desires," As if reading the very thoughts from Alfia's expression, Freya continued, her gentle words serving both to soothe and to infuriate, "But, he is still just a young man. He has much to learn, and far to go. He's not yet someone who can command a Goddess's attention so devotedly as to garner this much consideration-

"My interest is in you, Alfia," Freya repeated, lying with all her heart and with a welcoming smile on her face, "I truly had no way of knowing you were even in the city when I gave him that Grimoire and the title was just a small banner of protection offered to someone I believed was important to you- I thought you would be able to understand that. That was my way of extending my hand to you, and now… I offer you again- Alfia, Incarnation of Talent, Maiden of Silence, join my Familia. I will keep Bell safe, I shall make you happy, and I'll give you both all the comfort and accommodations you deserve."

Alfia grit her teeth. Her hands clenched at her sides.

Tempting.

Tempting.

Tempting.

She hated Freya, but she'd hardly been kind to Hera either, she of all people could understand getting along with a powerful Goddess. She didn't have any interest in actually joining Freya's Familia, or in taking an active role in Orario anymore, but it was unduly enticing just play along, to see just how far she could take advantage of the Goddess's hospitality without actually committing to anything. She was already using the Evils for the sake of Bell's story, why not take advantage of the strongest Familia in Orario at the same time?

The biggest issue, as well as their biggest secret, was that damned Skill, the pledge Bell had made to Hestia. Unfortunately, the child Alfia had raised seemed to have gained a stubbornness enough to match her own. It was simply impossible to take any action that he would see as having betrayed the small Goddess.

But, even so, she could work around that. Bell had only been Hestia's child for a short time and by convention at least a year had to pass before a child could convert, which would give them plenty of leeway in regards to taking everything they could get from the larger Familia, without actually receiving her blessing… and perhaps she could even convince Freya to take Hestia on as a Vassal Goddess, which would mean he wouldn't have to convert at all.

Options spread out before her, some heartless, some callous, some cruel, and some downright pragmatic.

'We could certainly ma-' An image of Bell bowing down to Freya rose in her mind, '…If, if I was to make sure, then the equipment we could take from them wou-' Her mind's eye filled with the sight of the silver-haired Goddess drawing Bell towards her, wrapping herself around him as her lips whispered gently to his ears, 'T-Th-Then, then, I could, we could, um, it would mea-' Moans, gasps and cries of delight bounced around her head, sounds that had become mortifyingly familiar to her in recent days, except this time the voice of them wasn't the (no longer) Virgin Goddess of the Hearth, but the Whore Goddess of Beauty 'I… um… er… that is… I could… We could…' She could see his back, and all across it, she could see the sight of Freya's symbol.

"Ah!" wrenched from her thoughts, Alfia gasped aloud, her façade of composure snapping entirely as she stumbled back a step, a furious glare returning to her face as her hands rose as if to ward off the other woman, "No! No way! No way, that's impossible!"

"Oh? Do you truly have such ill will towards me? I don't recall you loving your last Goddess so desperately."

"He's still too young! He's not ready! Someone, someone like you! You'd devour him whole!"

The second Alfia spoke those words, she regretted them. She knew better than to speak recklessly to a Goddess, or to reveal anything from her heart. Of course, Freya could see instantly that her words were absolute truth.

Raising a hand to her mouth in a soft chuckle, the Goddess fitted her with a pointed look, "If that is truly your concern, then… aren't you the one appointed as his guardian? If that's his weakness, then is that not your fault? Should you not be the one to see to his training?"

If this was any other time, Alfia would have been able to answer back with conviction, "T-T-Train him?" But, unfortunately, after having careened off on a tangent, her mind was filled with memories of her unwitting witness to Bell's nights with Hestia.

The sounds she'd heard the smaller Goddess making, the delight and ecstasy she'd howled into the night.
The scent of his musk and her delight, the smell of their love and lust, powerful enough to fill the room even till the next morning.
The sights she'd seen of Bell, the child who'd become a man, strong and proud and more than capable of making his woman cry his name.

"Why not? You're not some innocent flower or naïve child, Alfia. You're strong, proud and beautiful, and, despite all the years that have passed, you remain the same young woman who once held all of Oario within her palm. In all your time lording over this city, you must have gained plenty of experience in handling men… If there's something you believe he's lacking, some terrible vulnerability that makes you recoil from me so, then, is it not your job to teach him?"

"That's ridiculous!" Alfia spat back, doing her very best to fight down the blush rising forcibly up her cheeks, "He's my sister's child!"

"But he's not your child," Freya shrugged, "Although, perhaps my advice would be the same even if he were."

Gods had no understanding of family in the same way mortals did. They didn't have brothers or sisters, fathers or mothers. It was a sense of morality and perspective that was completely misaligned with the thinking of the lower world, and one that clashed directly between the two women.

"He's young, he's strong, and he's both cute and handsome. After his performance during that Monsterphilia, the rumours of him being wrapped up in this Minotaur Incident, and now his astonishingly fast Level Up, Bell Cranel is very much the talk of the city right now. He's come very far in a very short time, you must be very proud of him… and you must be able to understand that he's no longer the boy who used to chase after you. He's a man now, with all that entails. Have you truly never looked at him like that? Have your thoughts truly never drifted his way? Hehe… or, is the reason you're so worried about me taking him into my arms because you'd rather wrap him up in your own?"

"You're every bit the wanton slut I remember, Freya."

Her disdain and her furious glare were met only with the Valkyrie's chiming laughter, "You didn't answer my question though… Is that because you didn't want me to see the true answer? Or, because you didn't want to see it for yourself?"

"You've got your answer already. I refuse to hand Bell over to you, nor will I leave his side."

Freya sighed, "A pity. Well, when you change your mind, I shall inform my children to accept you anytime." And with just a small bow of her head, she reached back to doff her cloak once more.

"Wait."

As always, Goddesses of Beauty were a damn pain.

Alfia had lost control of much of this conversation. Some of it had gone exactly as she'd envisioned, but far more of it had spiralled out far beyond her expectations. But she was still a legendary adventurer, and she was still a woman who had come to Orario with one very specific goal. She had her own intentions for this face-off, and for that, one final act yet remained.

"You've been kind enough to give me your wisdom, so allow me to offer you some in return," by now, there wasn't a drop of warmth in her words, nothing but a freezing warning, dripping with cold pangs of revenge, "I know you Gods think of your lives in this world as something akin to a game. So, in that sense, you should consider me as a piece that's off the board.

"If I wanted to be part of a powerful Familia, I could have come to you, or to Loki, or anyone else, as soon as I'd arrived, or I could have found someone before I'd even stepped within sight of this city. Don't pretend I needed this invitation from you, if I had any interest in you, I would have come to you anytime I wished, and none of you would have turned me down. I didn't return for my sake; I came here only for Bell. And in all of Orario, Hestia is the only one who saw value in that boy. That's why he's with her and that's why I'm at her side. As a piece no longer part of the game, I'll return to play only one time- when he's ready, I shall emerge as an obstacle for him to overcome."

She hadn't wanted to reveal any of this. She hadn't even told Hestia this. But Freya already knew too much, and if she needed to lay down some of her cards to keep that witch from acting out of turn, then so be it. Like this, the Goddess would know exactly what Alfia intended, if not the manner of it, and would know she was no threat to her own plans or her own Familia.

Freya blinked, and chewed on her finger, her mind spinning at the unexpected revelation.

But the self-titled Empress of Orario was no fool, in just a moment, her eyes shot wide and her jaw fell open as she realised exactly what Alfia was intending to do.

"O-Oh! Oh my! An obstacle for him to defeat," she laughed, her gaze practically sparkling with unbridled interest as she appraised the mortal woman all over again, "Then, does he not even know who you are? Incarnation of Talent? Haha, what a wonderful, unexpected idea! So, are you now simply playing the role of stern, disbelieving mother?"

"His mother was my sister. I'm his guardian- a woman who doesn't believe in adventurers, in heroes, or in Bell. I'm someone he will prove wrong, the final hurdle for him to overcome."

At that, Alfia's thoughts flashed to the poor Elf that had been visiting them recently, the pure-hearted and foolish girl mired in darkness deep enough to stifle even her elven pride. While she didn't care much at all for the Evil's schemes, the idea of Freya's children keeping watch over the abandoned church was intolerable- there would be no chance at all for Bell to save Filvis if Freya's goons caught wind of her and hauled her away to some inquisition.

"Bell is a young, rookie adventurer, and I'm a piece that's off the board. So, neither of us are worth paying any attention to, nor worth mentioning to anyone else."

"I see."

"I hope you do," Alfia answered, raising her hands with a shrug and a sigh, a farce of acceptance that contained not even a drop of kindness, nor a moment of relaxation, "Of course, it's a precarious position I'm in. I'm simply here to support Bell's growth, I have no plans to interfere or intervene with him, or Orario or anything else, but if something were to happen to him, or if someone were to mess with him, if he was put in danger… obviously, I would have to intervene. I could easily be dragged back into play early…"

She let that comment hang in the air, as if it was nothing but idle speculation, simply musing on the idea that imperilling or impeding this young rookie would bring the wrath of a Level 7 adventurer down upon you, as if that was nothing but a matter of course.

"I heard your Ottar managed to make Level 7, The Warlord they call him now, the pinnacle of Orario. And the rest of your children have grown too, Freya, you must be very proud…"

Alfia's warm words and bright smile contained neither brightness nor warmth, and, standing just a few meders from her, the Valkyrie Goddess suddenly felt as if a terrible weight was pressing down upon her.

"But, were anything to happen to Bell… Please, don't let that pride fool you into imagining that they could keep me from you."

"A-Ah!"

This time it was Freya's composure that gave out. Stumbling back a step as a terrifying chill ran down her spine, her voice cried out before she'd even realised it.

And, perfectly in time with their Goddess, the same freezing dread speared through each of the Freya Familia members surrounding the park. The lower members stumbled back in shock, their voices freezing in their throats, and even the executives found themselves pinned in place, their hands clammy around their weapons and their hearts jolting in their chests. Even Ottar found his lips pulled back in a grimace, an unease he'd almost forgotten washing over him along with ancient memories of painful defeats.

Every one of them, from the Goddess to her children, shared the exact same sensation, a knowledge that was carved into their soul, 'If you get in our way. I will kill you.' It wasn't a threat, nor was it a promise, it was a simple statement of fact.

"I see. Then, I thank you for your advice," to her credit, Freya required only a few moments to recover, pulling herself to her full height, she threw her hood back over her head, "However, you're wrong about one thing, Alfia."

In all of Orario, Hestia was not the only Goddess who saw value in Bell Cranel. She was simply the first, and only by pure providence.

"And so, allow me to offer a small token of my goodwill."

So saying, and without explaining a thing, Freya turned on the spot and swept away, her luscious hips swaying with an enthralling rhythm even as she slunk back out into the darkness.

"Hmm."

Frowning once more, Alfia was left with nothing to do but ponder her meaning as she followed the Goddess's example, throwing her cloak back over her head and turning for home.

As always, Goddesses of Beauty were a damn pain.

---

"Ha-Hhhaaaaaa… Haaa.. Hhaaa! Hhhaaa…!"

"W-Well, th-that, that went better than expected! Ouranos-sama will be pleased!"

"Hermes-sama!" slipping out from invisibility, as the Hades Head fell limply to her hands, Asfi slumped to the ground, her entire body was trembling and her legs couldn't keep her standing another moment, "Th-That w-was… She was staring right at us when she said that! She definitely knew we were there!"

"Ahaha, w-well, you can't go underestimating the instincts of a first-tier Adventurer!"

Asfi couldn't respond to that, all she could do was ball her hands in a fist and look up in terrified fury towards the God that had once again carelessly thrust her into danger.

Alfia. The Incarnation of Talent. She was supposed to be dead, or gone! What was she even doing back in the city!? Apparently, she was looking after some young boy, that's what she'd told Freya at least, but as far as solving the mystery, Asfi couldn't believe that was the only reason. Not when she'd given that whole spiel about becoming some obstacle for that boy to overcome. It seemed to have meant something to the Goddess, and to her God too, but Asfi couldn't hope to even begin to make sense of it… at least not when it felt like her heart had almost stopped in her chest.

She would have sworn on her life that Alfia had been looking directly at her when she'd given her final piece of advice. The full weight of those words, the sensation of 'If you get in our way, I will kill you.' Had bored directly into her. And Asfi, unfortunately, was burdened with a God who did nothing but interfere in people's business.

"Th-This is too dangerous, Hermes-sama… L-Let's stay away from them. That, Bell Cranel… he's only just hit Level Two, h-he won't cause any problems."

"Ahah, my dear Asfi, don't fret so much, it's fine, it's all fine. The worst case was averted, after all!" the worst case, in this instance would have involved Orario's most powerful Familia having its Goddess sent back to Heaven. And most likely, half the city would have been destroyed in the process, "We're observers after all, so, we shall simply… see how these events unfold!"

She wanted to reply. She wanted to complain. She wanted to scream at her selfish God and ask what his sudden interest in this Bell Cranel even was.

But right now, slumped to the cold cobblestones of an Orario alleyway, it was all Asfi could do just to remember how to breathe.

---

Tossing and turning beneath her sheets, Ryu's sleep was eluded and her solitude was haunted once more by voices she couldn't mistake and by screams she could never forget.

That wasn't unusual for her, she was used to nights like this. She'd barely slept properly for years after her Familia had been killed, and even to this day she occasionally still woke up in a cold sweat, with the sound of their pain and terror echoing through her mind. Even now, the Elf waitress could vividly remember every one of the Astrea Familia's voices.

What was unusual for her, however, was that the voice currently echoing through Ryu's memories didn't belong to any one of them.
Unfortunately, the scream haunting her now was something completely different! Something the poor, bewildered Elf maiden had absolutely no clue how to handle!

Ryu was extremely close to, and protective of, Syr. Syr had been the light of kindness that had protected her when the entire world had been a dark grey and nothing but despair had surrounded her. Even ahead of her friends in the Astrea Familia, the grey-haired human waitress was only the second non-Elf whose touch Ryu had been able to bear. Syr was an upright, sweet and innocent girl, a gentle and caring soul, and a maiden in love the Elf had sworn to support as best she was able.

…

And, with Ryu's sensitive Elf ears, combined with her highly tuned Level 4 Adventurer status… she'd heard every last second of Syr's voice crying out in heavenly delight!

A scream of unbridled joy. A moan of wanton bliss. Pants and gasps of unrestrained, shameless excitement. A moment of pain immediately forgotten beneath a torrent of delight. The sound of someone who had found exactly what it was they had always been looking for. And the unrelenting, overpowering, assaulting, sound of two bodies coming together, again and again, as the bedframe creaked and rocked beneath their motions.

She'd tried to explain it away, tried to deny it, tried to assure herself that she was mistaken and that her unfounded assumptions were nothing but an insult to the woman she knew. Ryu wasn't stupid, she knew very well that a human's sensibilities weren't the same as an Elf's, but for Syr's sake, she had done everything possible to assure herself and convince the other waitresses that what they'd heard had been nothing but a misunderstanding.

Until, of course, Syr destroyed that illusion in nothing but a streak of whimsical mischief.

The confirmation hadn't been needed, Ryu had always known, just as she knew now, exactly what it was she'd heard-

The sound that had resonated so powerfully through her that night…
The cry that haunted her memories even now as she tried to bury herself within her sheets…
The excitement she'd heard, the joy, the ecstasy, the heat and warmth, the affection and desire…

Was the sound of Syr being deflowered.

There hadn't been a moonlit confession in a solitary forest glad, silent to all but the sound of two lovers whispered words.
Nor had there been a respectful 5-year courtship, or even the kind of magnificent and honourable wedding ceremony that Syr deserved.
They hadn't sojourned to their own house, or private sanctum where all that existed for a time was the two of them, and the light of the moon bearing their promise to one another.

There had been nothing but a man and woman who loved each other, and the love they'd shared between themselves, all night long.

To a forest Elf's sense of morality, it was unthinkable, it was shameless to the point of being almost unimaginable, she wouldn't have thought even Amazons would act so quickly and so unrestrained, and if she'd had even a single inkling that it wasn't exactly what Syr wanted, then no force in the world would have stayed her wrath from Bell Cranel.

But Elves were romantics, and even as Ryu's cheeks burned crimson at the shameful memory she'd unwittingly been forced to bear, she couldn't possibly deny the sheer romantic nature of two lovers who cared only for one another, to the point that nothing else at all mattered- not propriety, not circumstance, not location, and not even the threat of someone else listening in. It was so flagrantly shameless that it seemed to gain a kind of pure earnestness all to its own, one the Elf could only accept.

Of course, that didn't make her any happier about having been forced to listen in!

She'd gone through her entire life to that point without having ever once borne any kind of witness to either the sound or sight of a man and woman making love, and she would have been very happy to have gone the rest of her life like that too!

…

And yet, even so, in the quiet of this night. With the bar closed, silence surrounding her, and memories of the party they'd hosted in Bell Cranel's honour… memories that included him specifically acting to protect her honour… Ryu was left without sleep, and with a head filled with echoes of the sounds that still haunted her thoughts.

Dressed lightly in her bedclothes, holding the thin sheets tight against her, Ryu twisted around in place. Every time she tried to still her thoughts they always drifted back to him, to her, and to all the sounds she'd heard. Her breath came with the same languid pace as ever, but her heart quickened -just slightly- within her modest breast, and slowly, gently… a warm, yearning heat began to spread out and up the length of her body.

"Hha…"

A shiver ran up her spine, and instinctively she squeezed her thighs together, as treacherous thoughts of Bell Cranel crept through her mind's eye. The sight of him smiling so brightly at her when he'd thanked her in Elvish... The determined look in his eyes when he'd thought to protect her from being touched… The warmth she'd seen in him after having accepted Syr's love…

A hundred different sights mixed with the echoing sounds that still resonated through her entire body. And, for just a second, for just one single moment… the Level 4 maiden Gale Wind opened her pursed lips and exhaled a shuddering breath, hot with just a tiny instant's lack of control.

"Syr… I thought it was meant to hurt the first time… does… nnn… does it really feel that good?"

…

The moment passed and control was regained.

"Ahhhhh!? What am I even thinking!?"

Slamming her pillow forcefully overtop her head, Ryu furiously buried her face into the mattress and cleared her mind with all the force she could muster.

---

"Ahnnn! Nnn! Hha, Yes! Yes!"

Slumped gracelessly down atop her lover's bed, Cassandra's breath came only in halting, ragged pants. Lying spread out, completely naked, her massive breasts heaved with every gasp and moan that fell from her mouth.

The shy, bluenette seer once of the Apollo Familia, was exhausted, utterly satiated and entirely spent.

Her stamina was long since depleted, and her Mind was hovering just barely past the point of passing out, her body ached pleasantly in a hundred different places and the shivers of delight that still rippled through her left her thoughts cloudy with bliss. Cassandra's beautiful aquamarine eyes were glassy with lingering pleasure, her long legs were trembling weakly as echoes of those mind-numbing sensations continued to wash through her, and her usually shy smile was replaced by a look of pure, giddy joy.

All across her flawless, creamy-white skin, from her quivering pussy, to her well-rounded ass, her huge breasts and even across the blush of her face, Cassandra was covered thick in a fresh, warm and very welcome coating of Bell Cranel's cum.

In short, once again, the shy prophetess had come to her lover's room, been pushed down onto his bed, and then passed an unknowable amount of hours being fucked utterly insensate as she screamed her head off in mindless bliss.
Or, to put it another way, it was Tuesday.

With her vision slowly clearing as some semblance of thought began to return, her head listed to the side.

"Nhnn! HHAAA! Y-Yes! B-Bell! Bell! Bell!"

Gathering what remained of her strength enough to raise her head, Cassandra looked past where Bell was sitting to her right, to where the equally overwhelmed form of Airmid Teasanare was splayed out on his opposite side. The two healer's gazes met and a warm smile was shared between them as they realised they were each in exactly the same state- panting with exertion, trembling with bliss, and only just slowly blinking themselves back to reality.

The beautiful, doll-like Silver Saint's typically flawless expression was just as flushed, just as giddy, and just as exhausted as the Mirabilis. Her perfectly maintained silver hair was splayed out wildly across her shoulders, her face was slick with sweat and slathered with cum, her porcelain-white skin was flushed red, and instead of the restrained, emotionless look usually found in Airmid's deep, purple eyes, both her gaze and her expression were shining bright with radiant joy and unhesitating love. It was something Cassandra only ever saw from the other healer when they were together with Bell, something Airmid showed only to him, a secret unashamed happiness that was known only by the man she loved and the women he cherished.

And, just like the Prophetess, it seemed that simply rolling her head to the side to regard her companion was taking almost the totality of the Dea Saint's remaining strength. She had cum just as hard, just as often and just as wantonly as the bluenette, her womb had been stuffed full with just as much of their lover's seed, and her body still trembled now with just the same lingering bliss.

Due to her time in the Dungeon fighting at his side, Cassandra had a good amount more strength and stamina than Airmid, as well as more experience being wrapped around that unrelenting, irresistible, unfairly thick cock that had made each of them into women… but, in the face of Bell's wonderful, enrapturing, overwhelming love, their surrenders had practically been in synch.

"Cu-Cum-Cumming! Bell! I'm cumming! GNhh! HhHHAAAA! NHA! NHAA! FREYA-SAMA!"

Sharing the same smile, their eyes both turned towards the ongoing screams together. Of course, the third member of their trio, clinging desperately tight to the man she loved even as she cried out desperately for her Goddess's protection, was Heith Velvet. Currently seated directly atop Bell's lap, with her arms linked tight around his shoulders, her long lightly-red hair undone and loose in the air, and her impressively large bust bouncing and squishing against his chest, the beautiful Golden Witch of the Freya Familia threw her head backwards, shouting to the heavens with wanton delight.

It was a familiar sight, one Cassandra had seen, and been part of, countless times.

And yet, strangely, as she watched Heith collapse down onto Bell's shoulder, and as she licked her lips at the sight of Bell's cum flooding down from her companion's well-stuffed pussy, an unusual sense of otherness filled the Prophetess. As if, just for a moment, she was watching the scene from someone else's eyes, and as if she was somehow witnessing something incredible… something beyond belief that both amazed and delighted her. It was as if a distant echo of Cassandra's past was looking to this moment and was shocked to find herself in bed with both the Silver Saint and Golden Witch, and that all three of them were bathed heavily in Bell's seed.

…

The unusual sensation lasted only a moment, and Cassandra gave it no consideration beyond that. With her head still fogged with lust, and her thoughts only coming through a haze of desire, the bluenette Mirabilis was well past caring enough to give any kind of attention to such stray thoughts. She couldn't remember if this moment was something she'd witnessed in a dream, but it would hardly be unusual if it were. After all, there was nothing strange about any of this.

The three of them were the Bell-sama's private Andhrímnir, his beloved attendants whose healing spells serviced him both in battle and the bedroom. This was far from the wildest combination of women Cassandra had shared her master's bed with!

"I… Hhaa… I can… I can keep going!" Heith panted desperately, she was slumped entirely down onto Bell now, leaning the full weight of her lithe figure and massive chest fully into him. Her words came out only in weak pants, and the sheen of sweat coating the healer's body made it clear that even the Elite Adventurer was running into her limits, "I'm not… I'm not gonna stop!"

Shocks and shivers ran through the beautiful healer, her arms trembled and her legs could barely keep her upright atop him, and yet, even so, the redhead refused to surrender. Even as every movement she made left new quivers running up her spine, and fresh moans slipping from her mouth, Heith continued to slide her hips forcefully up and down his length, grinding herself along the full shape of his cock with all that she had!

"Heith…" stroking a hand gently through her thoroughly tousled hair, Bell tilted her head up towards him enough to place a soft kiss on her lips, "There's no need to push yourself."

"Hha! I'm, I'm not pushing myself! Th-This is, hha… I'll show you… This is nothing, compared to her."

If Cassandra had a little more strength, she would have let out a laugh. As it was, she simply settled with sharing an indulgent smile with Airmid as their friend made her declaration.

The pride of an elite Adventurer in a first-tier Familia wasn't to be underestimated, but the women with the Goddess of Beauty's blessing were especially troublesome. Of course, none of them would act so wilfully when Bell was depressed, injured or otherwise troubled, but even so, Cassandra had heard such declarations countless times, from Heith, from Hörn, or from any of his other women in the Freya Familia.

A rejection of what their own bodies and souls were telling them, a challenge to the man they loved… a desperate attempt to try at least convince themselves that they didn't prefer Bell's embrace to their Goddess's.

Of the trio, Cassandra and Airmid's desires were wonderfully simple, they simply, truly and completely loved being with Bell. They loved his soft embraces and gentle touches, they loved his rough caresses and rough domination, they loved when he let them pleasure him and they loved when he dominated them in return. Whether they were joining him in the baths, and helping soothe his relaxation, or being dragged away to some secluded corner, just barely out of sight, they thrilled with just the same delighted excitement.

Some of Cassandra's happiest memories, and most powerful orgasms, had been felt twinned up in this very bed, wrapped around his length, with her body aglow from the gentle support of her healer companions. And many of her others had been found within the Dungeon itself, with her hands clamped desperately over her mouth, Bell's cock slamming into her pussy and the rest of their party no more than a few meders away. And, given the way Airmid seemed to disappear with him, anytime Bell visited the Dian Celch pharmacy, Cassandra knew her companion felt exactly the same.

It was more complicated for Heith. The relationship she shared with her Goddess was a tricky one. The entire foundation of the Freya Familia was built upon the obsessive love those members shared for their Goddess. Until Bell had come into their lives, it would have been unthinkable for any one of them to have sex with anyone else, let alone fall in love with them. It didn't matter that their Goddess had approved of it, it went against everything they believed in, it was practically a betrayal of their own hearts and their own souls.

It was impossible that the feelings Heith had for Bell would surpass the adoration she held towards her Goddess. Utterly, truly, completely, absolutely, impossible.
But, of course, Bell Cranel always happened to break right through all such barriers and all kinds of impossibilities.

When Bell was in danger, she ran to him. When he was troubled, she soothed him. When he held her in his arms, she smiled and moaned with just the same joyful delight as any of his other lovers. It was clear Heith savoured his tender embraces, his rough handling, his secret kisses, and every moment of his attention just as much as they did, but… she couldn't accept it as easily as they did, not while being burdened with a kind of desperate pride neither of the other healers could understand. Unlike Cassandra or Airmid, Heith couldn't simply revel in the joy of giving herself unto the man she loved, of surrendering to his whims and losing herself in his desires. At least, not without trying to fight back first.

"Y-You, nhh-hHAA! You think, j-just, because I love you, th-that I belong to you! Nng… B-But, but, I've only given m-myself to you, with her permission! I-hha, n-no matter how many times I cum! I'm still! I'm still! Freya-sama's devoted!"

"Heith…"

It was a wonderful statement. Bold and forthright, as befitting someone of her status. Words strong enough to reject reality, even as her body visibly trembled with heady bliss.

And it was all for nought.

Unfortunately, despite the redhead's courageous defiance, the result was a foregone conclusion. Even as an elite adventurer, Heith's body had already been strained to its absolute limits against the wonder of Bell's kisses, his caresses, his technique, and the sheer unassailable might of his cock. And while Bell Cranel's three personal Andhrímnir usually faced him as one, Cassandra and Airmid were already completely defeated, with no support left to offer their companion. Between the healing magic they'd already cast, and the seemingly endless climaxes they'd enjoyed, their Mind and Stamina both were just barely enough to have roused them back to consciousness. All three of their bodies were stained thick with his seed, but no matter how much they'd already wrung from him, he wouldn't stop, not until he'd driven all three of them to the throes of ecstasy

Heith was fighting all alone. The Golden Witch was facing off against the full might and majesty of Bell's passionate affection all by herself.

All that awaited her was a blissful and happy surrender.
No matter how defiantly she invoked her loyalty to her Goddess, soon enough, the only name passing the healer's lips would be his.

…

Or, at least, that's how it should have been. That was how Cassandra had seen this play out countless times in the past. That was how the Prophetess had expected things to go.

But, right before her eyes, three things happened all at once.

Heith's waist slid back all the way to the base of Bell's cock once more, sheathing his entire length inside her with a look of unmistakable delight.
Her body raised up, pushing back up off where it had been laying atop him, straining herself through both effort and orgasms as she re-gained her bearing once more.
And… With her mouth hanging wide, somewhere between a prayer and an exaltation… Heith drew in a deep breath…

And she began to sing.

!?

Cassandra's eyes went as wide as dinner plates, Airmid's flushed cheeks turned completely pale, and even Bell's jaw fell open with shock.

But Heith didn't stop, nor did she slow down. Raising her hips back up along his length, she didn't pause her ministrations for a moment. Even as her body trembled, even as her voice shook, even as her pussy clenched and pulsed and thrilled around him… Even as irresistible the waves of delight washed through her very core, down to the depths of her soul, still the red-headed healer drank deep from the depths of her willpower and forced herself to keep moving, to keep bouncing atop him… to drown him with the very same pleasure he so regularly filled her with.

Even as her body was wracked with delight enough to sear her mind white, her song continued.

And with it, the still remaining drops of power spread thinly within her began to wash over the entire room. A magic circle spread out from beneath her, stretching out until it was covering the entire bedroom. And with each note of Heith's sweet voice, small motes of golden light began to permeate through the air.

Bouncing atop him, squeezing herself around him, grinding down his length, gasping, moaning, panting, cumming, still she sang! Still, she wove her spell!

Cassandra couldn't believe what she was seeing, but there was absolutely no denying it.

'Concurrent Sexual Casting!'

An absolutely unthinkable idea! The kind of thing nobody in their right mind would ever even consider! This was exactly the kind of impossibility only first-tier Adventurers would even dream of! And that was the kind of reckless pride it took to even attempt such a feat! If nobody was going to support Heith, then she would support herself!

Casting Healing Magic during sex had become a routine part of Cassandra's life these days, her role supporting Bell was just as true in the bedroom as on the battlefield. And, while she'd initially been extremely shy about joining his other lovers in bed with him, the effect her spells had on helping his women keep up with him was something not even she could deny. With her magic, even someone like Lilli could keep clinging to him time after time… and of course, the same was true for her, when she had a Level Boost, even Cassandra could ride him almost as forcefully as his Amazons! She had supported, and been supported by, all kinds of different women that surrounded Bell, and her Stamina, Dexterity and Magic stats had all grown prodigiously from the effort.

But this was something else entirely! This was an entirely new world!

When Cassandra sang her healing spells, it was always while another woman was wrapped around him! That was the core of their Andhrímnir, the ability for all three of them to trade off positions and roles as the other two kept the stamina-restoring magic active!

Instead, Heith sang on, all by herself, clinging to him just a gasped breath from disaster! Fucking desperately just a single thrust away from failure!

A single lapse in concentration and Ingus Faltus was certain to follow, but the Golden Witch pushed herself on, and Bell made no move to stop her. Accepting her challenge, as well as her love, his hands took hold of her waist, guiding and steadying her as she drove herself atop him! Her body slammed into his, again and again, over and over, as her back arched, as her legs shook, as her hands clawed for purchase around his shoulders, with every drop of strength still remaining in her, Heith rode up and down the full length of his cock!

She couldn't possibly resist the pleasure that slammed into her, so she didn't even try. Instead, she kept her magic steady and her voice strong, even as orgasm after orgasm, climax after dizzying climax blew through her!

"Ah!"
"Heith-san…"

The motes of light were enveloping them now, wrapping them in a warm golden glow, as Heith's song grew to a fever pitch! As the magic spread through the room rose to a peak!

And then, a heartbeat later, as the Golden Witch's hips descended one last time, the song completed!

"Ahha-hhhhhaaaaa!"
"Nhhhaaahhhha!"
"MhhhhhhHAAAAA!"

The golden glow flashed into a white light and the three healers each heaved the same shuddering sigh. The pleasant ache in their bodies disappeared, the dizzy haze over their thoughts vanished and, slowly, the strength began to flow back into their muscles. Their Mind wouldn't return, but even at her very limits Heith's Zeo Gullveig was more than enough to completely restore their stamina! They had no spells to cast, but they could move, they could fight!

!

No more than an instant after the magic burst around them, all three healers moved in unison!

Heith drove herself powerfully back up along Bell's cock! Holding onto his shoulders now, with all the confidence and all the strength of an elite member of Freya's Familia, her previously desperate ministrations roared into an incredible crescendo! The second she reached the peak of his length, she drove herself down, slamming the full might of his shaft against all her most sensitive walls, driving herself to madness even as she sped him to his own pleasure! "Hh-hhHAAAAA!" Again! And again! Faster! Harder! All the strength she'd regained was immediately poured out into him, throwing her slender body recklessly down his cock with all the recklessness of an Amazon!

And this time, Cassandra and Airmid were there to support her attack!

The Prophetess and the Dea Saint's movements were a perfect mirror of one another, neither wasted a second on thought or hesitation, the moment they could move, they dove between Bell's legs!

Enveloping Bell's most sensitive parts within the warm, wet confines of their mouths, the two healers shared his sack equally between them, covering it so completely that their lips were pressed together in an absolutely wanton kiss as they squirmed and slithered into position, twisting and turning their heads and twirling their tongues, all the better to caress the balls being teased so lovingly by both the once-so-innocent women, "Mm-mhammm!", "Mhhahnnn!" Cassandra's arms wrapped around Airmid's neck, and Airmid's fingers teased through Cassandra's hair as the two women pulled each other closer, falling deeper in the lewd embrace, seeking ever greater pleasure for the man they adored, until their tongues were sliding freely into the other's mouths, dancing around one another as they each caressed both of his balls at the same time, the entire load shared between each healer.

"Ah-GhhAA!"

With Heith offering her all to his shaft, and with Cassandra and Airmid worshipping his balls with loving devotion, Bell was immediately assaulted with an absolutely overwhelming surge of pleasure! His three personal Andhrímnir worked in perfect harmony, matching their motions perfectly with one another, and with each shake and each shudder that ran through him!

It was more than even he could resist!

His balls clenched tight within the Prophetess and Silver Saint's mouths, throbbing with aching need around their delighted, dancing tongues!
His shaft throbbed and shook from deep within the Golden Witch's pussy, pulsing out even thicker and wrapping her innermost walls even tighter around him!

Bell's hands locked tight around Heith's waist, his fingers digging forcefully into her soft skin.
He threw his head back, loosing a guttural cry.

And, all at once, Cassandra's world was flooded in white.

!

Rope after rope, stream after stream, of hot, heavy and dizzying potent seed splashed out from Heith's overstuffed pussy, drenching all across the bluenette's face. His release splattered wet and warm over her eyes, it ran down her cheeks, and streamed down to where her lips were still locked in place, still suckling lovingly around his balls.

'Ngh!'

To say she loved it was to put it too simply. To say she savoured every drop of her master's release coating her was to undersell it. To say that Cassandra's body shook, trembled and came just from the sensation of his bliss that she could feel thrumming from his sack was to downplay just how happy she was in this moment. With her arms still wrapped securely around Airmid's shoulders, and her holding against the Dea Saint's in a now cum-soaked kiss, Cassandra savoured every last moment of her master's release. She sensed it surge up into Heith, she felt it splash down atop her, and then slowly, soothingly, she fe-

!?

'Wha-!?'

…And… and she didn't feel it subside.

It was only in that moment that she realised something was amiss. The echoing sound of Heith's gasp, and the shiver she could feel trembling through Airmid's equally post-orgasmic body told her they had realised the same thing. There was an uncanny strength pulsing through Bell Cranel right now… a rush of power that wasn't just the sensation of a powerful orgasm.

'Oh… Of course…'

Understanding came a moment later. And, despite the way their faces were currently splattered thick with his seed, and their lips were pressed warm against one another around his balls, Cassandra found herself and Airmid sharing another indulgent smile.

No matter what she said, or how defiant she acted, Heith truly, deeply loved Bell, just the same as they did.
And despite her confidence, the Concurrent Sexual Casting had truly taken every bit of her skill and every drop of her concentration.

She'd been casting, and fucking, along a knife's edge, the fact that she'd managed it was an impossibility born of both incredible effort and deep desperation.

And, of course, when Heith was spreading out the bounds of her healing magic, while running on pure concentration, without a thought to spare for any excess details… It was only natural she would extend that same golden light around the man she loved.

Healers dedicated every part of their body and soul to keeping the people they cared for safe. Could any healer selectively exclude their own lover from their magic under such circumstances, when their mind was frayed almost to breaking and the chant was running on pure instinct? Cassandra knew she would never be able to do that, and… despite everything, she felt herself filled with a warm and tender feeling towards Heith, even as the three of them felt an incoming dread towards what had now awaited.

Bell Cranel had been completely restored.

…

"A-Ah! B-Bell-sama!"
"Bell-sama!"
"Ngh-hha! Bell-sama!"

Their three surrenders came practically in unison, and their moans, gasps, cries and screams of delight filled the air once more moments later… And all three of them called out only his name.
And from there, Cassandra's night faded into pure white bliss.

---

"Hmm… mmm…"

Some unknowable time later saw Cassandra laid out, humming lightly atop Bell's chest.

Heith was curled up to his right, and Airmid was snuggled up to his left. His arms were around each of them, and presently, his fingers were threading lightly through Cassandra's soft, blue hair as they made gentle conversation.

The other two healers were still asleep, Cassandra had only woken a few minutes ago. Most likely she'd been the first to collapse, although her memories of exactly what had transpired were hazy at best, and her body was still trembling lightly and flushed hot with pleasure… From the satisfied ache in her muscles and the heavy sense of fullness within her womb, she guessed she would be out of action for a good deal of the following day… or at least until one of them recovered enough Mind to get them all back on their feet at least enough to function.

But that was a concern for another time. She would fall asleep again soon, but for now, she was savouring a soft moment alone with the man she loved.

"Hey, um… Bell-sama…?"

"Mmm?"

"What was that you were whispering about before? Mmm, before… before we fell asleep…"

She could only remember bits and pieces of the night that had passed, positions and caresses, and gasps and sensations powerful enough to still thrum through her… but that was one thing that she did recall, a single solid memory that'd remained even as her mind had swirled in the heady clouds of pleasure.

When they were all finally finished, when everything had been wrung out, and they were each satiated to the very limits of what they could endure, the girls had each clung to Bell, and he had wrapped them up in his arms and pulled them to the mattress with him, wrapping the covers around them with a sense of finality to close out the night. And as they'd drifted off, as Cassandra's consciousness had finally slid away entirely, she'd heard him whispering to them, heard him speaking in a slow, melodic rhyme as he'd held them close and bid them all goodnight. It was strange enough that, even with her exhaustion, and the daze of pleasure still spread over her, she remembered it even now.

"O-Oh, you heard that?" surprisingly, he flushed at her question, and if his hands weren't currently occupied, she was sure he would have been scratching the back of his head, just like he used to do so often. The sight of it could only make her smile, "It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing… not something I've thought about in years… But, aha, just, well, when I was looking at you three, and thinking about how happy I've been lately, and how grateful I am, about everything… I was thinking how much I love you, all of you. And I remembered that song, it was an old lullaby, from my childhood."

She blinked, "Alfia used to sing that for you?" Of course, the woman had raised him, but even so, it was hard to imagine. Especially given how much she claimed to hate unnecessary noise.

"Hmm, not really sing… Just, she would speak it, softly…"

She nodded, "I see."

And then, wriggling atop him slightly -in a way that left her huge breasts squishing wonderfully against his chest- Cassandra's face twisted into a complicated expression. Chewing on her lip slightly, her mouth opened and closed, but she said nothing.

He laughed, "Would you like to learn it?"

"Ah!" She brightened instantly, "Is that, is that okay?"

"It's nothing especially private, it's just an old song…"

And so, keeping his voice low and soft, so as not to wake the other two, he traced his fingertips across her cheeks and repeated the words once again.

Imprinting the words firmly into her memory, Cassandra nodded, sucked in a small breath, and…

---

…She began to sing. Softly, slowly, sweetly, her small voice echoed warmly all around.

"A-Ah! Wh… Wha!?"

Almost blown over by what he was hearing, Bell gaped in dumbfounded shock!

He wasn't prepared for any of this, it was still early morning, and his day -it seemed- was already off to a very strange start. He'd been minding his own business, making his way to where he was meant to be meeting Syr for their date a little later on, when a beautiful, nervous-looking blue-haired girl had called out to him and begged for a moment of his time.

He'd followed along, asking how he could help, and instead been taken to a quiet little alcove just a few steps from the main thoroughfare, where the unfamiliar girl had gone bright red in the face, taken several deep breaths, visibly fought down the urge to flee, and then… began reciting an old lullaby he'd almost completely forgotten, one he hadn't heard for years, not since he was a child.

Even now, as her strange, gentle song came to an end, this strange girl still looked almost ready to wilt entirely under his gaze. She was smiling shyly, but her cheeks were flushed so brightly crimson they might as well have been glowing, and throughout her entire performance she'd been staring directly at the ground at his feet, seemingly entirely unable to meet his eyes.

Watching as she shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, he noticed that her outfit seemed also to match her nervous demeanour, only now that he was standing just a half meder away from her did he notice the clearly-sizable chest being flattened against the long, thick robe that covered her from neck to toe. And that, aside from the pale white skin of her hands and the look on her face, was about all he could make out at all, the solid fabric hid her curves and almost everything else about her. It was a beautiful design, proudly bearing the insignia of a Familia he couldn't quite remember but he was sure he'd seen around, and the materials were clearly high quality… but the whole thing seemed as if made from some forlorn desire to stay out of sight and out of mind.

And yet… this girl, who still couldn't lift her gaze from his feet… had called out to him, pulled him away to a quiet nook… and… sung him a lullaby he hadn't heard in almost a decade.

Bell's mind was swirling. None of this made any sense. Finally, he broke the strained silence.

"That song… that was…"

"Y-Y-Yes, th-that's, um, th-that's the song that your… um, you, you know it right?" her voice was so quiet now, and with the way she was tripping over her own words, he could hardly make out what she was saying. But, at long last, and with a great deal of hesitation, she finally raised her gaze to meet his, "U-Umma, aahh, y-you, you do remember it, don't you?"

"Yeah," Bell nodded, and he couldn't help but smile at the visible wave of relief that washed over the strange songstress. For however reticent she may be, she certainly seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve, he liked people like that, "But, how do you know it? Or, ah… Why did you sing it for me?"

At that, she gave a sudden start and bowed low, all the way down to her waist.
And when she rose once more, clasping her hands to her breast, she -again, very visibly- did her very best to look him right in the eyes.

!

She was still flushed a deep crimson, and her body seemed to have begun outright trembling, but her face's expression was broken out with a smile so wide, so earnest, and so beautiful that his breath stopped for a moment.

"Bell-sam- *ahem*, um, Cranel-san… My name is Cassandra Ilion, from the Apollo Familia. Ah, um, I, I wanted to meet you, b-because, because… Because I am, er, I will be, your friend!"

It seemed his strange morning was about to get stranger still.

Following her, extremely strange, declaration, the woman apparently known as Cassandra launched into an awkward, halting, but undeniably impassioned explanation. She introduced herself as one of the main healers in the Apollo Familia, told him about how she'd been in the Dungeon City for several years now, how their expeditions had made it down to the Middle Levels and then, with her face blazing a vibrant crimson and her smile wavering terribly… she told him about her dreams.

According to herself, Cassandra was a Prophetess, cursed with cryptic visions of an unknown future. When she slept she would often see scraps of knowledge, and hear whispers and clues, bits and pieces of information that when put together would foretell danger or disaster.

That was incredulous enough. But then she told him that recently her prophesies had changed; instead of seeing small glimpses of events to come along with words she struggled to make sense of, she would clearly see entire scenes from her future playing out as if she was living them. And that every one of those visions had revolved around him.

Bell was young, and he was undoubtedly still a bit naïve. He had come all the way to Orario with a head full of dreams and a heart full of heroic aspirations, and even to this day, that hadn't changed much. But he wasn't stupid.

Fairy tales were full of prophecies, of cryptic visions and chosen messengers of the Gods… but in reality, they were the domain of scammers and con men. He'd never seen this girl before in his life, nor had he ever heard anything about a Prophet living in Orario. Surely someone who could see the future and warn her Familia about danger would be as famous as Nine Hells, Anusha or the Dea Saint, and yet he'd never so much as heard the name Mirabilis before she mentioned her title to him. He knew, with an absolute certainty, that if Lilli were here, she wouldn't have even given this girl the time of day.

…

And yet, as Cassandra's strange tale continued and as he wracked his brains, Bell still couldn't figure out what the possible scam would even be.

Her dress was clearly of a high quality, and the emblem definitely matched what he remembered the Apollo Emblem to be. Very few people would risk walking openly displaying the emblem of a Familia they weren't part of, most likely she truly was from the Apollo Familia. But… The Apollo Familia was one of the most respected in Orario, it was renowned in wealth and influence and was ranked just a few places below the Ganesha and Hermes Familia.

What did someone from the Apollo Familia possibly gain by tricking him? And why would a Familia with such resources choose such an openly suspicious method? And how did she know that lullaby? How did she know that he knew it? He couldn't make any sense of it. Of course, that didn't mean he could trust her, he could practically hear his supporter's voice telling him that just because he couldn't understand someone's motivation didn't mean they didn't have one. She'd said exactly that when he'd expressed his disbelief that Nazaa had been scamming him.

But,

'Her eyes…'

When he looked at Cassandra, when he saw the way she was looking at him, behind her nervousness, behind her awkwardness, behind her shyness… he saw the same hopeless expression he'd once seen on Lilli. The look of someone who so desperately wanted to reach out, but who had absolutely no expectation of being helped.

…

Cassandra's story finally spluttered to a halt. Gasping lightly for breath, and suddenly realising she didn't have anything more to say (at least, not without broaching the content of her dreams, something she had very forcefully avoided) she staggered for a moment before pulling herself upright, standing to attention with all the grace and decorum of a decorated member of the Apollo Familia. Breaking that decorum however, she kept both her hands clenched tight over her breast, holding her arms together and against herself with all her strength, it was the only way she could keep them from trembling.

It was as if she was presenting herself for inspection. But unlike any appraisals she had endured with her God's wandering eye, watching as Bell's gaze ran across her, left her heart pounding frantically in her substantial chest.

A part of her was excited, but more than anything, right now, she was terrified.

Of all the times Cassandra had tried to explain herself, of all the times she'd ever tried to make herself believed, this was the furthest she'd gone ever gone since the time she'd first met Daphne. She'd told him everything, she'd been as honest as possible, and she'd even offered proof -the song she could have only possibly learned from her visions-. More than anyone ever before, she so desperately wanted him to believe her.

And yet, she knew he wouldn't.

Even Daphne never had. Even with all the times her prophesies had played out, even with all the times she'd begged Daphne to believe her, and even with all the years they'd spent together, her only friend and treasured companion still thought she was delusional.

Cassandra knew exactly how this would go. She could practically see the cogs turning over in his mind. He was trying to make sense of what she'd told him, in just a moment he would reassure himself that things like prophetic dreams weren't real, then he would smile and laugh it all off as a joke, or perhaps as the ravings of a lunatic. And then he would ask her how she knew that lullaby anyway, did she know his guardian? Had she visited his village in the past?

She'd been through all of this before, she'd seen that exact outcome play out time and again. No matter her entreaties, no matter how much she begged, or cried, or tried to reason, the result was always the same.

That's why it had taken her so long to look for him. It had taken everything she'd had to arrive at this moment, to bring herself to the point where the man she loved would break her heart.

…

Staring desperately at Bell, holding her body furiously tense and holding out against an impossible hope with all her heart, Cassandra's entire being was focused on this boy and this moment.
So much so that she didn't notice a small sensation of warmth spreading out and wrapping around her like a cloak.

Bell was optimistic, he was trusting, he was earnest, and he was almost dangerously open-hearted. He was someone who knew the depths of loneliness and had come to Orario as much for acceptance as anything else. From her gentle demeanour, to the lullaby she'd sung, to the look of solemn desperation in her eyes, Cassandra had become someone he wanted to protect, and… from the instant she'd so earnestly declared her intention to be his friend… She'd become someone he cared for. Bell didn't have many friends yet, but those he did, he cherished greatly. And, while he wasn't foolish enough to trust her completely, he was enough of a fool to trust her a little.

That drop of care and that mote of trust was enough that a tiny fire ignited on his back and the barest whispers of his skill began to shield her.

Rabbit's Foot.

Hestia had called it something akin to a divine protection, something that would be there for you when nothing else was. It was by no means reliable, nor was it accommodating… but the power of luck was the power of fate itself. As such, it was able to nudge destiny, just a little. Just enough to give a chance to words that were fated to be disbelieved.

Wrapped up in the thinnest, most fragile divine shield, for the first time in her life Cassandra was allowed to be believed. Not by everyone, and not wholeheartedly. Instead, it meant the direct effect of her own efforts could finally be conveyed to the person she most desperately wanted to hear them. If Cassandra had simply begged for him to believe her, if she had simply bemoaned her fate, or simply offered up stories of her prophecies while simply hoping to be trusted, then nothing would have changed. But the self she'd seen in those future visions believed utterly in Bell Cranel, and that belief gave Cassandra the courage to change. That belief was why she was here now, and why her heart was hammering in her chest.

Bell sighed.

Try as he might, he couldn't make sense of what he'd been told, or how she could have possibly known a lullaby from his childhood. Her story seemed unbelievable, and everything about her was the very epitome of suspicious, there was absolutely nothing at all about Cassandra that was convincing, and her awkward attempt at an explanation had hardly made a compelling case for herself.

But he couldn't deny the earnestness in her words when she'd said she would be his friend. And he couldn't deny the look in her eyes of someone desperate for help they didn't think would ever come.

He'd had no reason to believe in Lilli after she'd betrayed him, but he hadn't been wrong to do so.
And so, he decided to believe in Cassandra too.

"Aha…" scratching the back of his head, Bell gave an awkward laugh, "So… So, you've been seeing a bunch of prophesies with me in them? Is there… um, is something big going to happen then? You're here to warn me, right?"

Cassandra blanched.

"You… You… believe me?"

"Ah, well, um, I wouldn't say, I mea-…"

Bell stopped and his words died in his throat. Watching as she processed what he'd told her, as the weight of his belief washed through her, the bluenette's gloomy-looking face broke out into a smile of such beautiful, unrestrained joy that he could do nothing but be swept up in her sudden rush of happiness. Cassandra was already gorgeous, in her own reticent and shy manner, but being so completely caught in the radiance of her smile, Bell's heart skipped a beat and, for a moment, the world around him faded to nothing but white light.

'He believes me!'

And she, of course, was no different.

'He believes me!'

If not for the visions she'd seen of her future happiness, of the life she would one day live with this man that she loved, the woman titled Mirabilis may well have fainted on the spot. As it was, she thumbed away the tears that welled in her eyes, and did her very best to steady herself with gasping breaths, holding on to every scrap of composure her time in the Apollo Familia's expedition party had afforded her. Pulling herself to her full height, she forcefully kept her mind from spinning out of control and focussed it entirely on his words.

'He believes me!'

"Um… warn you? Oh, no, nothing like that. I didn't… I didn't see anything bad. When I see you, I just see… the two of us… together… Um, w-w-we're, we're… c-close friends?"

"O-Oh? Just… Ah, just that? No… No mission? Or danger? Or…?"

She shook her head, "Normally when I dream about the future… it's always something terrible. A disaster, or danger, it's always whenever something awful is going to happen. But… But lately, it's just been… um… w-well, it's just been the two of us spending time together… T-T-T-Th-Th-That's how I knew yo-you would be someone important to me!" Once again, Cassandra's face was blazing crimson and her breath was coming in ragged pants as she desperately talked around the point.

"Just… the two of us? We're not, in the Dungeon, or, on a Quest, or…?"

Again, she shook her head, but this time there was some hesitance. She had definitely had several visions of them together in the Dungeon, but, she knew that wasn't quite what he'd meant.

"That's how I knew the lullaby, an-and, and how I knew you knew it. You taught it to me."

Now that got his attention.

So far, Bell hadn't been quite sure what to make of Cassandra's strange prophesies. Her talk of calamities, great danger and cryptic warnings had all sounded like exactly the kind of prophetic visions he'd read about in fairy tales… but as soon as she'd started speaking about him, it sounded utterly mundane. She just saw the two of them together? What was he even supposed to make of that? It wasn't like any prophesy he'd ever heard of. It was a very similar feeling to when he'd recently levelled up- after spending so long envisioning reaching a new level with all these dreams of feeling an incredible surge of new power, the actual mundanity of the process had been disappointingly anticlimactic, no matter how overjoyed he was to have levelled up. Here was a woman saying she could see the future, and that she'd seen his future, and all she was talking about was being friends with him? It was a welcome and wonderful thought, but it was also about the furthest thing he'd ever imagined for any prophecy. Who'd ever heard of an oracle who foresaw everyday events?

But this, at least, was enough to capture his interest!
The song that had served as an introduction between them was a message passed from his future self to her. That was certainly something that set his imagination on fire!

"Then, what was my future self like? What kinda person am I in the future?"

"Ahhh…"

Holding a hand against her cheek, Cassandra finally broke off eye contact with him, closing her eyes as she breathed out a heady sigh. Tossing her head and her long blue hair softly from side to side as she immersed herself in thoughts and memories. For a moment, he thought that was the only reply he was going to get.

"You are… a great man," she whispered, a short while later, her words soft and quiet, but with an ironclad surety to them just as intense as her original talk of future dreams, "Kind and very gentle. Your strength makes people feel safe… but your warmth makes them feel welcome… You… More than anything, you are deeply, and dearly loved."

It took all of Cassandra's quickly waning confidence even just to force out that barely adequate explanation to the man in question. Something as simple as that wasn't anywhere close to enough to explain the Bell-sama that she had seen, and that she would come to love, but it was all she could possibly manage in this moment. Unlike the times she'd described him to Daphne, right now, she couldn't possibly afford to give the kind of earnest description her heart was truly yearning for- it had taken practically the full remainder of her restraint just to keep from mentioning her own adoration for him!

'He believes me!'

Now Bell was the one left flushed red and unsure what to say.

He'd expected something a little more specific, information about his Level, or how far he'd managed in the Dungeon, maybe if he'd grown a little taller or gotten a few cool scars… and instead, he'd gotten what felt like an entirely unearned, undeserved, heartfelt expression of praise. He'd only just met this girl, he hadn't yet done a single thing to be worthy of the softness and care to which Cassandra described him… it was embarrassing just hearing about it, like he was reaching for accolades he hadn't won.

His naturally depreciating nature made him want to flinch away from it, to put such ideas away as a long-distant future.
But instead, he was reminded of the promise he'd made to himself, for Hestia, for Ais and for Syr, that he would become worthy of the love they offered him.
And, his thoughts echoed too, his long-past resolve for Alfia, that he would become a man and a Hero great enough for her to believe in.

He couldn't possibly face the warmth in Cassandra's words, but he could accept them, and he could add them to the resolve pushing him down the path he'd chosen. If she truly could see the future, then he wanted to believe that he could become the kind of man she would describe with such profound fondness.

"Al-Also, uh… I, s-sorry, I should have said this earlier… But I wanted to congratulate you, o-on your Level Up."

He blinked, "Oh?"

She dithered, swaying slightly in place as the look on her face returned back to a nervous shyness and she began wringing her hands around one another, "Y-Yes? Um, th-that was actually… That was actually what made me f-finally come find you. I, I know how hard you always work and how you're always pushing yourself… Congratulations."

'He believes me!'

Smiling under the praise, he laughed awkwardly and thanked her weakly, reminded once again that he still wasn't good at accepting compliments. However, her words did serve to drag him away from his thoughts of prophecy and the future and back to the stark reality he had been currently facing, back to the question that had been on his mind since talking to Ryu the previous night.

"A-Actually, Cassandra-san! If, haha, w-well, I mean… Since you said, we're going to be friends… Ah, well, right now my party is just myself and my supporter, and we've made it down to the end of the 10th floor. We want to go further, and I'm sure we can- but, I was told that I need to add another member before we start going into the Middle Floors..."

!?

!

Cassandra's world spun to a halt and her heart leapt in her chest. She hadn't had any specific plans in seeking out Bell today, this meeting had already gone better than she could have ever dreamed possible. And right now, it was as if the very axis of her destiny was being shifted!
A wave of warmth flushed through her body, a shiver of excitement ran down her spine, and a wide smile broke out across her face.

"So, would you be interested in joining my battle party?"

'He believes me!'

"I wou-"

"Unfortunately," a stern voice cut through the moment like a steel bar, "That would be impossible."

Bell spun around, Cassandra jolted in place, and both were broken out of their minor reverie as they turned to see a handsome red-haired woman striding over towards them.

Her physique was just as slender as the bluenette's, and they stood at about the same height. And yet, while Cassandra's reticent nature made her feel far smaller, this new woman's strong, commanding presence made Bell feel almost as if he was looking upward at her, even though she stood no taller than him. Wearing a striking white outfit as a contrast to Cassandra's black, her clothing was just as impressively crafted, but did far less to hide her features, leaving Bell no doubt both about the generous curves of her hips and the modest shape of her bust.

And, of course, her shoulder was emblazoned with the exact same emblem as Cassandra's. The Apollo Familia.

"D-Daphne-chan!"

"Cassandra is a member of the Apollo Familia's expedition team. Our God isn't about to let her just join another Familia's party."

She explained it simply with a shrug as if to say it was just an unfortunate reality, but Bell could only lower his gaze as his cheeks flushed red. Of course. Of course, someone in a high-ranking Familia like that would already have a team they were part of. Cassandra had even told him she was part of their main group, and that she'd made it to the Colossal Tree Labyrinth, a place he couldn't even imagine. She was level 2 already, she must have been exploring the Dungeon for far longer than him.

He'd gotten so caught up in the moment, he'd entirely stopped thinking.
Somehow, after all her talk of prophecy, it had felt like destiny.

"A-Ah, r-right."

Daphne sighed, and then she offered him a conciliary smile.

"Look, don't worry about Cassandra, okay? I'll apologise on her behalf if she's said something weird to you."

"Huh?"
"D-Daphne-chan…"

She's harmless, really. All that stuff she talks about, she doesn't mean anything by it. I… I'm not exactly sure where she got so much information about you, but I assure you, she doesn't have any ill will. She just… She just mixes up dreams and reality sometimes. It's no-"

"Daphne-chan!"

A desperate, frustrated shout finally cut off the red-head's words and Cassandra had crossed the distance in a moment, frantically pushing her friend away from Bell Cranel and away from saying anything more than she already had. Taking back the initiative as she was shunted away from the white-haired young man, Daphne pulled her friend's hands off her and instead began leading Cassandra away with her, back towards the Apollo Mansion.

"We'd better be going," turning over her shoulder as she went, she offered a small nod back towards the bewildered young man, "Oh, and congratulations on your Level Up."

"G-Goodbye, Cranel-san…" For a moment, Cassandra hesitated, but then a tug on her wrist saw her walking away, following with slightly sullen steps, "I'll see you again, soon?"

He barely even had time to raise his hand in farewell before the two girls stepped back into the main thoroughfare of Orario, and disappeared into the throngs of people surrounding them.

Once again, Bell felt slightly deflated, like a balloon that had been puffed up with wonder and expectation and then had all the air let out of it at once.

He'd met a strange girl who claimed to have prophetic visions of the future, who bore a message from his future self.
But the events she foresaw were just daily living.

He'd met a fellow Adventurer, an experienced veteran of the Dungeon who claimed she wanted to be his friend.
But she was already committed to another battle party.

Scratching the back of his head, he wasn't quite sure what to make of this encounter.

"Well, she seemed nice?"

---

"So, that was Bell Cranel, huh? After the way you described him, I thought he'd be taller."

Daphne's words were as firm as ever, but internally, she was currently doing everything possible to keep herself under control.

'AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!'

Her jaw clenched as a silent scream ripped frantically around her psyche.

'THAT WAS HIM! That really was him! Nononononoooo! He really does exist! Ahh! This is the worst! The worst! The worst! Ahahhhh, how did this happen!? Ahhh! I didn't even need to ask who he was! I recognised him instantly! He looks exactly like she told me! Just like I imagined! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!'

Daphne's legs wobbled almost imperceptibly as she maintained the same brisk pace just a step ahead of her friend.

'All those nights! All those times I was rolling around on my bed! I was imagining that face! All those times I-! And when I-! And I moaned his-! And I dreamed about his hands wrapped around-! Cassandra was just making up all those stories about him! I thought he was just some make-believe guy she'd invented! Annnddddd I imagined myself with him, in those same storrrrriiiieesssss! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

"Um… Daphne-chan… You look upset? Are you angry?"

"Not at all. Let's just go home."

While Daphne was using up every last drop of her willpower to keep from having a breakdown in the middle of the street, Cassandra's thoughts were a lot simpler.

'He believed me!'

Holding a hand to her flushed cheeks, with her legs wobbling for a very different reason, the bluenette's face was the very picture of contentment as she was led back to the Apollo Mansion. She didn't know when she would be able to see him again, nor what she would say to him when the time inevitably came for Apollo to take him into their Familia… but, she had made it clear that she was his friend. And he had believed her. Cassandra was sure, her lonely fate had already changed.

And so, the two girls made their way silently back to their home.

One was filled with delight, the other with despair, and both with their thoughts utterly dominated by the same man, the memories they had of him… and of the dreams in which they'd seen him.

Feeling more content than she'd ever imagined, Cassandra savoured thoughts of the man she'd just met, and the man she knew he would become, the time they'd spent together and the times she knew awaited her.
Feeling more mortified than she'd ever known, Daphne was completely unable to forget the fantasies of the man in her dreams, the way she'd clung to him, the scenarios they'd shared and the sensation of his passion meeting hers.

The two girls, so close they may as well have been sisters, were different in almost every way.
And yet, despite their very different viewpoints on this moment and those dreams… the hot, wet lust that pooled across their thighs, and dripped slick down their legs, was completely identical.

'Mmmm… Bell-sama… I'll see you again soon.'
'Ghaaa… Bell Cranel… I'll apologise next time.'

---

After leaving behind Cassandra, Daphne and the strange meeting that had started his day, Bell had made his way over to the central plaza where he was meant to be meeting Syr for their date. Despite having negotiated it on the spur of the moment with Mama Mia, and despite the impetus for it being Syr's offer to come along and help him replenish his items to return to the Dungeon… the time he'd then spent waiting for her, and the time he'd therefore spent watching all the other couples gathering together before heading off to the city, had made him increasingly self-aware that this probably wasn't a very romantic idea for a date.

His first date with Eina had been as simple as window shopping and her taking him to purchase equipment… but Syr was his girlfriend, was it really okay for him to have absolutely no plan in mind other than buying some armour and potions?

It was a sobering thought, another reminder of just how far he needed to go to understand women.

And unfortunately, it was right as he was reaching that conclusion that he ran out of time!

"Bell-kun! Oh, you're already here? I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"

"Syr!"

Snapped from his worries by the melodic sound of his girlfriend's voice, his heart leapt immediately at the sound of her and his mind whirred with the strict reminder Alfia had given him to always compliment a girl's appearance when she arrived for a date. Snapping into action, he spun around to face her, his day immediately brightening and his smile beaming wide!

"No, I just got he-…ah?"

Only for both to immediately fade as he found himself face to face with an absolutely withering expression, cold enough to freeze his bones and harsh enough to leave his throat dry.

Standing before him was a slender, graceful-looking young woman with long silver-grey hair that fell all the way to her waist. Similar to Cassandra, she was covered head to toe in a trim, sleek looking battle dress of unquestionably high quality, but unlike the Prophetess, this outfit gave absolutely no impression she was hiding from other's sight, rather there was a distinct feeling that she wouldn't bear others to look upon her. Despite this, the dress was still cut in an alluring, enchanting fashion, hugging tightly to her notably large bust and showcasing the full turn of her deliciously curved hips.

One of her eyes was hidden behind her silver-grey hair, with her long bangs hanging fully over half her face and thrown back over her shoulder. But the other looked at him with an expression of pure disdain.

Bell swallowed heavily.

She was beautiful, without question. But with her lips pursed into a tight frown and with her single eye flashing furiously at him, it was the exact same beauty as held by naked steel.

So taken aback by this sudden show of unabashed hostility, it took him a full moment to notice Syr walking up, right alongside this woman, the same cheeky expression he'd come to love, hate and fear plastered wonderfully atop her face.

"…Syr?"

"Hehe! Bell-kun! Here, let me introduce you!" she declared, stepping a half step before the other woman, before pulling her right towards him, "Hörn, I've already told you all about Bell-kun. So, here, Bell-kun, this is Hörn. My sister."

!?

Her sister?

Well… even if their expressions and mannerisms were completely in opposition to one another, they certainly looked alike… The same soft roundness of the face, the same slender build, the same generous bust, the same delightfully soft hips and tantalisingly flat stomach… But… Syr had never told him she had a sister! And, she'd brought her now, to their date!? And… why was she so mad at him!? Had he done something wrong!?

"Horn? Uh, well," he bowed his head politely, before stretching out his hand in greeting, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Your sister has been taking great care of me."

She didn't take his hand.

More specifically she looked at his outstretched arm as if he was holding out a dead rodent for her to take.

"Hörn." She corrected, instead.

"Hörn!" Syr pouted, "Be nice! If you're mean to Bell-kun, I'm going to be mad at you!"

The woman's glacial expression didn't change, and she didn't take his hand… Instead, she slowly drew herself up, sucking in her breath and clenching her fists with all the poise and gravitas of someone preparing themselves for a truly terrible fate. Jaw set and teeth clenched, she had every look of a woman marching towards the headsman's axe, and when she finally spoke, although there wasn't a trace of doubt or hesitation in her words, Bell could have sworn they were each covered in ice sharp enough to pierce through him.

"Bell Cranel… By command of Lady Freya, I have been sent to join your battle party."

"Eh!?"
"Ahehe, isn't this great, Bell-kun? You've got your third member!"

---

Bell Cranel - Level 2

Development Abilities
[Rabbit's Foot]

Skills
[Liaris Freese] Rapid growth. Continued desire results in continued growth. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings.
[Eternal Pledge to the Goddess of the Hearth] Greatly improved fire resistance. Additionally, provides a temporary Status increase when defending loved ones. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings. Effects are reversed if the pledge is broken.
[Argonaut] Executes automatically with an active action.

Magic
[Sagitta Sonus] Swift Strike Magic

---

A/N: And there we go, Freya said she was going to give a little token of her goodwill, and now we'e seen just what form that'll take! Hörn finally gets in on the action! And doesn't she just look so excited to be there? She's practically trembling with anticipation! Or is that molten fury? Well either way.

I'll also add quickly, I don't know if this is something that worried anyone, but I'm not planning on making Cassandra as shy or nervous as she was in this little interaction, she's not that bad in canon! This is definitely a very special occasion for her, she's well over her head and fighting through a lot of very intense competing emotions, so I thought it was fair to show her a bit overwhelmed by it all. She'll have a better handle on things as we go forwards, and well- you've seen her in the future scenes, she ends up pretty comfortable and without any problems talking to him.

The big event here, I think at least, is probably the long awaited showdown of Alfia v Freya! We got a few more answers about both women, and about Alfia's intentions there. Freya knows that Alfia is in the city, and knows she's connected to Bell, but she's also been warned very clearly to keep her hands off… of course, Freya's not a woman who's afraid of testing the boundaries, and so far, Syr has slipped past Alfia's radar, so…

A small Ryu scene, because, hey, I love Ryu and I'm sure you all do too. She's got a lot to think through, but if you've read Volume18 in the LN's then you'll know she's the kinda girl who can be a lot more flexible with things than she first appears.

And, a quite different style of sex scene this time. I hope you enjoyed this, I thought it'd be a fun way of including some women who won't get shown or screentime until quite a bit down the line and to give them something fun to do instead. Plus the idea of Heith not just using Concurrent Casting, but Concurrent Sexual Casting was too amusing for me to ignore, what a great visual, bouncing atop Bell's cock, cumming her brain out, and yet still getting her magic off. This dream/prophesy sequence is a little different from the previous ones, as I sort'a tried to showcase, Cassandra is far more used to them and far more attuned to them now, so rather than just seeing glimpses of it through her eyes, we get the full in depth scope through the women that're participating. And with that comes hints to the future… Cassandra with a Level Boost? Now that's an interesting thought.

Funny news about Heith though, if you want some behind the scenes thoughts: Rather than Hörn it was meant to be Heith that was joining Bell's party to act as his supporter and healer. I was planning on having her keep her true Level hidden, and to disguise her power a little bit, holding back a little bit to keep Bell from realising how strong she was. Lilli would see through it, of course, but Lilli wouldn't object to having an incredibly strong healer looking after them. It seemed like they'd have a fun dynamic and that seemed like exactly the kind of mission Freya would (unfairly) force her to do…

…But then I read Volume 18, and… My God. Yeah. That would not work. I'll avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn't read it, but let's just say that any such plans were immediately scuttled and Heith was shown to be MUCH more powerful than I had expected. Rather than putting someone on say Airmid's level on his team, it would have been like putting Ais, Ryu or Chloe in to help him, he just simply would not be in any danger with her around, at least not for the kinds of enemies he's fighting in the near future.

So, unfortunately for Heith, she won't be joining the battle party just yet. Hörn has replaced her. And hey, maybe for the best, since Hörn should have a deliciously fun dynamic with Bell. And we'll come back to Heith sometime in the future instead.

And one final, really positive note! One of my friends and long-time supporters has recently finished a small one-shot acting as something of a spin-off of this series, set further in the future where things are far more lewd. It's about Freya and Hörn and features extreme cum-play, so if you're into gokkun and think that sounds fun, I highly recommend checking it out! Link: archiveofourow(n.o)rg/works/54781426

Anyway, this chapter was posted first on my SubscribeStar a week ago, so if you want to read it quicker/earlier, or if you just liked it and wanna support me to help get these chapters out faster, or if you just want more details about my story statuses and updates, then you can find the details at:

subscribesta(r.c)om/jldavenport

Otherwise, you can follow me for updates on twitter at: davenport_jl