A crack appeared in the room's corner, revealing the territory of the Hestia Familia on the other side—truly "outside the world."
Bell placed the black Rune Stone before Loki-sama.
"This is the key to open the space passage. Loki-sama, please apply your blood to it so that only you can enter through the crack."
"Only I can enter? What about everyone else?"
"If someone without rune confirmation attempts to pass through, they'll be torn to pieces before entering."
You take safety way too seriously.
Loki's lip twitched, but she pricked her finger anyway and wiped her blood across the Rune Stone. It absorbed the blood immediately, turning from black to deep red, with a streak of gold shimmering at its center. Visually, Loki quite liked it.
"Then I only need to bring the Rune Stone close to the spatial coordinates, right?"
"Yes. As long as it's near the portal, it'll open. But remember—no one else can approach it, or they'll be shredded by the spatial rift."
"I know, I know."
Bell's reminder stuck with her. She understood why he emphasized secrecy and had no intention of revealing the portal to anyone else.
"What about Hephaestus?"
Bell's expression froze—how could he explain this?
"Wait—don't tell me you left Hephaestus behind?"
Spotting that awkward pause, Loki couldn't help but smirk. Finally, a chance to scold the brat.
Her tone sharpened.
"You really don't understand social norms, do you? Hephaestus was the one who helped you and that shorty at the start. How could you push her so far to the back?"
Bell stared at Loki-sama. It wasn't that he hadn't made arrangements for Hephaestus—it was because he had handled it so thoroughly that he hadn't mentioned it yet.
Should he tell her?
But Bell instinctively wanted to protect his relationship with both goddesses. There was no need to expose anything.
"I've already arranged it with Hephaestus. In fact, she prefers our Familia's environment so much that she's staying with us now—permanently."
"Huh?" Loki, moments ago ready to admonish him, froze completely.
"So... what was that expression on your face just now?"
Bell sighed.
"It's just... it seemed awkward to explain that Hephaestus is living with another Familia. I mean, gods usually don't stay in another family's territory, you know?"
Jeez... so that was what he was hiding behind that awkward look?
Loki didn't know what to feel. She'd been gearing up to lecture him, but now she had nothing. Her mood, briefly lifted, collapsed entirely.
Though she felt a twinge of disappointment that she hadn't caught him in a mistake, she realized it wasn't the kid at fault.
She'd been too quick to judge… but she did find some relief thinking of Hephaestus.
"By the way, does Hephaestus really live with you?"
"Yes. Considering Orario's current instability, Hephaestus moved into our Familia to stay permanently."
"To guard against those lunatics?"
Loki nodded. The Evilus faction's madmen were truly dangerous—gone so far as to groom their children into living bombs and even directly attack gods.
"We definitely need precautions."
"Do you have an available room? May I take a look?"
Bell fell silent. That question was awkward—he and the goddesses didn't need every god in town overhearing.
"Why'd you just stop speaking?"
Loki gave him a look—she expected equal treatment to Hephaestus.
"Hephaestus lives with you, right? Considering the danger, would it be a problem if I moved in?"
"In theory, it's fine."
"In theory?" Loki's expression soured. Words that vague meant "not welcome."
"Only Hephaestus gets that treatment, and I don't?"
"Actually…It's complicated."
But before Bell could elaborate, Loki simply took the Rune Stone and stepped into the spatial crack.
"If you can't give me a straight answer, I'll go ask that shorty myself."
Bell panicked and hurried through the portal into the Familia's territory.
...
"Oh? The view here really is nice."
The space was filled with ambient auras from Spirit Trees—inviting even to gods. Loki took everything in.
This wasn't just a walled-off room anymore—it felt like a fully independent dimension. With no sight of Orario outside, the world seemed completely shut out. If anything, it felt too safe. Not just Evilus lunatics—no god, however powerful, could breach this boundary. If they could, Tenkai's gods would've broken through ages ago.
A moment later, a familiar, irritating figure appeared before her.