"So, this is the second topic in the 'Shared' series—'Relationships.'"
"Bell can accept our current situation, but he hasn't yet accepted our relationship."
Freya went straight to the point.
Hestia and Hephaestus both turned their eyes toward Bell, who instantly felt awkward. Freya's words were spot on—there was a huge difference between accepting something willingly and simply going along with it.
"Bell, what's there to be dissatisfied about when two goddesses are offering themselves to you?"
Dissatisfied?
Hearing such words from goddesses who favored him would probably make any mortal in Genkai faint from disbelief. Bell had no such dissatisfaction—after all, neither Loki nor Freya were anything like that slut Ishtar.
If someone like her ever set her sights on him, then he'd feel disgusted.
"Freya-sama, you're mistaken. I don't harbor any dissatisfaction toward either of you."
"I don't think there's a single person in this world who would feel unhappy being pursued by you and Loki."
"Oh, but the idiot sitting right in front of me clearly would."
Freya rolled her eyes at him.
As if he didn't understand how conversations worked—start with praise, end with the punchline.
Most people wouldn't refuse, wouldn't resist, but this fool insisted on holding his ground.
"I'm just an ordinary person."
Bell wasn't sure if that made him an idiot, but he had his own code.
"To me, emotions aren't something you can acknowledge lightly."
"Because feelings are both a bond and a responsibility."
"I see."
Freya began to understand what Bell meant, her gaze flicking toward Hestia.
Because Hestia had become his responsibility—the one he felt he had to protect—did that mean he rejected other gods for her sake?
She bit her lip, jealousy flaring once again.
But she exhaled softly a moment later. Trying to replace Hestia's place in Bell's heart was basically impossible.
Responsibility.
A familiar word for gods, yet one that rarely applied to them. For a mortal to demand that a god take responsibility—it was something beyond comprehension.
Bell had always been serious when it came to the idea of responsibility, yet he was also very aware of who he was.
"So, Hestia and Hephaestus are your responsibilities, and the rest of us are just burdens?"
"...No, that's not what I meant."
Bell quickly shook his head with a strained smile.
"I'm just saying that accepting a goddess's affection takes time."
"For me, love is born out of impulse. Maybe it's different for the gods, but I can't suddenly turn those feelings into bonds and responsibilities overnight."
In short, Bell wanted love to grow at its own pace, not to be something forced or rushed.
"Time, huh..."
That answer eased a bit of the jealousy in Freya's heart.
"So, Bell is admitting to our 'relationship,' then?"
"...Like I said before, Freya-sama, no ordinary person could refuse when a goddess offers herself to them."
Isn't that exactly what you did?
Freya and Loki both thought the same thing.
They were certain Bell had already prepared himself to refuse long before this—before Hestia had even accepted him, he'd been ready to say no.
But now, things were different from a few days ago, and that had changed the outcome.
Though the road to this point had been tangled, at least now, their "relationship" was finally established.
"In that case, let's start with a few small changes."
Freya's proposal was simple, yet it made Hestia tense up instantly.
Bell didn't object, but he still wanted to know the details.
"Like what?"
"Hmm… let's start with how we address each other—and drop the honorifics. I don't mind if you want to keep things hidden from outsiders, but inside this house, I don't want to hear any formalities."
Freya stated her request plainly.
'Leave it to this lovestruck woman—she's got it handled.'
Hearing Freya's suggestion, Loki couldn't help but grin.
Only when they stood on the same side could Loki truly appreciate just how reliable Freya could be.
Bell knew this wasn't a major change, but it did shift the sense of closeness between them.
Freya's request wasn't excessive; compared to others, it was actually quite mild. He really had no reason to refuse.
"Alright. Then let's start with how I address you."
That reply brought a pleased smile back to Freya's face.
"Then go ahead—try saying my name."
"Freya-sama… cough—Freya."
The honorific slipped out by habit, but Bell quickly corrected himself.
"Hmm~ that sounds much better."
"Hey, what about me? You're not forgetting me, are you?"
Seeing Freya so pleased, Loki immediately grew restless. She tugged at Bell's sleeve, pulling his attention toward her.
Of course, Bell hadn't forgotten Loki, and she wasn't about to miss her chance either.
He steadied himself, then called her name for the first time.
"Loki."
"Oh! Now that sounds right."
Her tone made Bell's face heat up a little.
He wasn't used to this kind of thing, and facing it for the first time left him completely flustered.
Scenes that had only ever existed in his imagination were now happening right in front of him.
'Looks like there's no avoiding change from here on.'
Among humans, the simplest reflection of closeness or distance came through how they addressed each other.
Titles revealed the depth of a relationship.
Once the way two people called each other became more intimate, time naturally deepened that closeness.
It was the same between men and women—how they addressed one another often marked the first shift in their relationship.
As Bell was mulling that over, a faint scent drifted past him.
When he turned his head, he froze.
Freya's crimson lips had just pressed lightly against his cheek.
"Chu~"
"This is your punishment for avoiding me all the time."
The "punishment" left Bell completely stunned.
"Freya, what are you doing?!"
"It's just a simple kiss."
"Simple? There's nothing simple about that!"
"Given our relationship now, it's perfectly normal~"
Faced with Hestia's growing jealousy, Freya only smiled as she offered her explanation.
Her gaze lingered on Bell, eyes soft and teasing, as she murmured,
"I can be very clingy, you know, Bell."