While Bell was setting up the spatial coordinates, Loki stood nearby, watching intently.
"Hey, seriously, why are you so hung up on that shorty?"
"Between Haruhime and Cassandra, which one isn't better than her?"
Wait... you're actually pimping your own girls?
Bell wasn't shocked—just caught completely off guard.
That sounded a lot like pimping.
If any other god had said something like that, he might've taken it as a well-meaning attempt at matchmaking. But coming from Loki-sama, it just felt wrong.
After all, no one doted on their children more than Loki did. If she hadn't been so obsessed with her kids, she wouldn't have openly pursued the "Sword Princess" and "Nine Hell" like they were her ultimate goals.
"Loki-sama, I know I've shown some talent, but please don't unlock any disturbing fetishes like 'NTR' on my account."
"The hell you say!? 'NTR'!?"
Loki was completely thrown off by that one.
She'd never had any such twisted interests. Female, likes girls—that had always been her divine standard. Sure, she occasionally showed some special affection toward certain boys, but it was just the usual affection between gods and their children—nothing close to how she felt about Ais or Riveria.
"If Haruhime hadn't shown such a strong reaction to you, I wouldn't have said anything."
"Then maybe it would've been better if you hadn't said anything at all."
Bell shook his head and turned his focus back to constructing the spatial coordinate.
"I can't just meddle in the feelings of a goddess. And I never intentionally tried to stir up Sanjouno Haruhime's heart. Rather than creating more problems, I think it's better to leave things as they are."
Loki didn't seem mad anymore. After multiple rejections, it was clear to her that Bell wasn't trying to seduce Haruhime. Her feelings were one-sided, and there was little hope for anything to come of it.
Still, something else crossed Loki's mind.
"You're not avoiding her just because she won't live forever... are you?"
Bell's hand paused.
"...So that's it, huh!"
Loki's eyes widened. From his reaction alone, she knew her guess had hit the mark.
Bell looked at Loki-sama, clearly a bit exasperated that she'd managed to dig that out of him.
"Don't you think you're overthinking things?"
"Am I? I don't think so at all."
Now that she'd uncovered the truth, Loki was even more intrigued.
"You're seriously giving up on Haruhime over something that trivial? And you call yourself a man?"
Bell just scoffed at her.
"Exactly because I'm a man, I can't just say 'I love you' and be done with it. Gods come down from Tenkai in search of 'fateful encounters,' but for some of them... the inability to make that bond eternal is torture in itself."
'I've heard the phrase "A goddess can only love once" before—and I truly believe it.'
At that moment, Loki finally understood why the boy in front of her pursued strength so relentlessly.
"So your goal is to reach Level 10..."
"You want to surpass the Black Dragon, become a false god, and gain immortality just so you can stay with a goddess forever?"
That's your reason!?
Loki could hardly believe it.
She never imagined an adventurer would aim to conquer the Black Dragon and reach Level 10... just to forge a permanent bond with a god.
That reason was absolutely insane. And yet... unforgettable.
"Not a false god, Loki-sama."
Loki blinked, then slapped her forehead.
"...Right. Once you take that step, you're no longer just a false god."
Normally, surpassing Level 10 would make someone a "false god," with the only difference from a true deity being the lack of Authority. Mortals who ascend can't possess Authority, so for most adventurers, that's the ceiling.
But this kid in front of her was an exception. He already possessed Authority. So when he reached that stage, he wouldn't just be a "false god"—he'd become a real god.
"Tch... That shorty really struck gold."
Whether or not he could actually defeat the Black Dragon and reach Level 10 was still up in the air, but just having Authority made the journey that much more meaningful.
And Loki wasn't stupid. She knew exactly how many survival tricks this kid had up his sleeve. If he couldn't win straight up, he'd just run and try again.
Give him enough chances, and he might really pull it off—even take down the Black Dragon for good.
The thought left Loki feeling a bit sour.
"Loki-sama, didn't you meet the 'Sword Princess' too? Plus you've got Captain Finn, Vice-Captain Riveria, and even Gareth on your side—aren't you happy?"
"Of course I'm happy."
She'd been lucky enough to meet so many talented kids. How could she not be?
"But seeing that shorty land something even better still pisses me off."
Pure jealousy.
Watching Loki-sama grit her teeth, Bell just gave a small sigh and returned to focusing on the spatial coordinate setup.
Creating the anchor wasn't difficult—it was just about linking two fixed points through a specific connection.
So the setup was actually much faster than expected.
"That kind of emotion isn't good, Loki-sama."
"Especially considering we'll be working together a lot in the future. I know you and Hestia have that whole love-hate thing going on, but I really suggest you explain it clearly to Captain Finn and the others. Wouldn't want any unnecessary misunderstandings."
Bell wouldn't misread Loki-sama's intentions—but whether the rest of her Familia would was a different story.
"Hah! Don't worry. My kids are all smart."
"Like 'Jormungand'?"
"..."
Loki, who had been talking so tough a second ago, instantly deflated. Bell couldn't help but laugh.
"I knew Finn was popular, but I didn't expect someone in your Familia to be obsessed with him like that."
"By the way, Loki-sama, aren't you going to get involved?"
Loki gave him a big roll of the eyes.
"You think I don't want to? Watching Finn and Tione together is torture. Sure, Finn doesn't hate her, but he's too damn stubborn. He keeps talking about reviving the Pallum race, so even his marriage has to be tied to it. He's practically saying 'I'm not interested in Tione' without actually saying it."
"Just like you."
"How is that my fault?"
Bell finished the final inscription, then stood up. The text melted into the ground, and as he pulled out a black Rune, a rift in space opened above the platform—linking directly to the Hestia Familia.
"It's ready, Loki-sama."
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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