'As I thought, not a single member of Freya's Familia is here.'
While chanting her incantation, the woman had paid close attention to her surroundings. She was absolutely certain—there wasn't a single member of Freya's Familia nearby.
'Even if it's a trap, as long as I can kill that bitch quickly, what does it matter? A few Level 4s—what, they think they can turn the tables on me?'
With the final verse of her incantation complete, a crimson barrier enveloped the entire "Hostess of Fertility." She paused for a few seconds, waiting for someone to rush out—but no one did. Without hesitation, she dashed out of the alley at full speed, ignoring the people in the street, and plunged into the barrier.
Inside, she immediately saw the Level 4 girls had already gathered around that bitch.
'Think that's enough?'
She sneered inwardly, completely ignoring the girls struggling to move under the pressure of the barrier. The real problem wasn't them. What mattered now was killing Freya as fast as possible.
If she could kill Freya and force her return to Tenkai, then Freya's Familia would lose the power granted by their god—at least temporarily.
The woman knew full well this was a trap. But the bait was just too irresistible to pass up.
And the simplest way to break the trap? Kill Freya.
If she was fast enough, even a few hidden Level 6s or 7s wouldn't be able to stop her.
This was the decisive blow.
One swing to take Freya's life—that would be her victory.
She gripped the greatsword strapped to her back, surged forward with a burst of speed, and unleashed a downward slash.
Ignoring the Level 4 girls entirely, she charged straight at Freya.
For an instant, it was as if time had frozen. In this life-or-death moment, Freya never turned to face the attacker. Her beautiful eyes remained fixed on Bell.
And Bell—more aware than anyone of the time slipping by—held Freya-sama in his gaze as well.
"!"
Just as the blade was about to strike Freya, the woman's body suddenly locked in place.
She sensed something was wrong. Her mind was conscious—but her will could no longer move her body. She was frozen midair, still holding the sword in a downward strike.
Before she could understand what was happening, a sigh echoed through the space.
"You used yourself as bait to lure the Evilus into this trap, just to see how I'd react? Risking your life like this... not the best idea."
Freya, though being scolded, only smiled as she looked at Bell—completely unfazed.
"So, you knew?"
"No. It was just habit. Out of caution, I came by this tavern before the meeting date to scout the area. And habitually, I set up some protective barriers. I always leave myself a backup plan—it's just the way I operate."
And that truly was Bell's habit.
Thanks to his cautious mindset, Bell would always leave an escape route before taking action—so that even if things went south, he'd never be cornered. That's why he had come to scout the tavern the day before.
Coincidentally, during that preparation, he'd overheard some members of the Evilus discussing Freya's plans. That was how he'd learned about the scheme.
Of course, even if he hadn't overheard anything, Bell would've still set up a series of barriers around the "Hostess of Fertility" regardless.
This time... he had just gotten lucky.
"It was just supposed to be a precaution... who would've thought we'd catch such a big fish. But Freya-sama, please don't play games this dangerous again. If I hadn't taken proper precautions, that ambush might've sent you straight back to Tenkai."
"Yes, yes, I understand."
Freya offered a helpless smile, brushing off Bell's reprimand.
'This child definitely knew the Evilus would show up—that's the only reason everything was prepared like this...'
Freya was absolutely certain: today's setup was no coincidence.
Sure, she was the one who lured the Evilus here—but she hadn't known who exactly would come. Yet Bell's preparations were as if he knew their abilities in advance, and made the most precise countermeasures.
You could tell just by how quiet it was outside.
Not a single sound of chaos. No shouting. The pedestrians out on the street seemed completely unaware of what had happened.
Was that normal?
Of course not. That silence was the result of Bell's meticulous preparations—clearly targeting whoever the Evilus sent.
By all accounts, this "date" was a failure. She hadn't seen what she wanted to see. Their conversation had been abruptly cut short. And now, the atmosphere was ruined—there was no salvaging this meeting.
And besides... there was now an uninvited guest.
Freya's eyes turned to the woman frozen in midair, the chill in her gaze steadily intensifying.
She wasn't angry about the attack itself.
She was angry about the timing.
'Useless. You couldn't even seize your chance properly.'
Freya seethed inwardly at the incompetence of the Evilus. She couldn't remember the last time someone had made her this furious.
But she quickly reined in her emotions—after all, her image as a perfect goddess had to be maintained.
By now, the five waitresses had all gathered beside Freya, their eyes sharply focused on the assassin suspended in midair.
"The space has been frozen. By using the properties of the barrier, a localized freezing of space and time was achieved, restricting the target's movements. It requires setup time, but the result is quite effective."
Mages aren't meant for close combat. While Bell was skilled in melee, he only chose to show that side of himself when absolutely necessary.
And magic users aren't just people who stand still and chant. They also excel at shaping the battlefield in their favor—setting up advantageous terrain, and turning vulnerable situations into moments of control.