Night had fallen, and only Bell and Hestia were in her room.
Hephaestus wasn't there tonight—she had stayed in Bell's room instead, leaving this one for the two of them.
"Bell-kun."
Hestia looked utterly dejected, her expression as pitiful as a small hamster about to be abandoned. Her cheeks were puffed out slightly, her face full of grievance.
Bell didn't stay silent. He gently pulled the sulking goddess into his arms.
"I'm sorry, Hestia."
It was all his fault.
"Bell-kun, you don't need to apologize! It's just that there are too many awful women out there!"
Hestia quickly shook her head, refusing to let him take the blame. She knew Bell had always kept his distance from others, avoiding everyone from the very beginning.
She had simply underestimated how irresistible Bell's uniqueness was to the gods.
It wasn't only Freya—even Loki had been drawn in.
Just thinking about it made Hestia grit her teeth.
'Damn Loki! Why couldn't you just keep doting on your own children? Why did you have to come after mine?'
If Loki hadn't interfered, she never would have let Bell and Freya go out together.
Then things wouldn't have spiraled into this "shared" situation—or worse, ended with that hungry wolf Freya invading her home.
"There are way too many bad women in Orario!"
Hestia muttered through clenched teeth, fuming.
But Bell only shook his head slightly at her attempt to shift the blame.
"No… this really is my fault."
"I've drawn too much attention to myself."
If he hadn't been so focused on rapid growth from the start, perhaps he wouldn't have caught Freya's eye so easily.
The slip-ups with Miss Eina at the Guild, and his business dealings with Hephaestus—those were the cracks Freya-sama had used to notice him.
"That's not true!"
Hestia grew anxious.
Bell had always worked so hard—earning money, training every day, constantly pushing himself to get stronger.
She knew he worried about her too. That was why he'd worked so tirelessly to earn enough to build this home, a place where she could finally live safely and comfortably.
"Bell-kun has already done so well~"
"You've managed the familia's growth, your own training, and even looked after me. You've done more than enough."
Hestia knew Bell's only "mistake" was being too good.
When someone shone too brightly, it was only natural they'd draw the gaze of the gods.
But if Bell didn't show that brilliance, where would the foundation for the familia's growth—or this very home—come from? He couldn't rely on borrowed money forever.
Even if Hestia was willing to shoulder that burden, Bell never would have allowed it.
As he always said, "You can't rely on favors just to move forward."
Favors were the most expensive kind of currency—and if you could avoid owing them, you should.
If he didn't want to be indebted to others, then he had to prove his own worth first—that was the only way to stand on equal ground.
"If it weren't for Bell-kun revealing his magic, how else could we have built this house?"
"It's not Bell-kun's fault it got exposed—it's because there are too many wicked women in Orario!"
In short, Hestia would never place the blame on Bell.
Having walked beside him all this time, she knew better than anyone that Bell had done nothing wrong—and had resisted every temptation along the way.
Even in the matter with Freya, Hestia was sure that if she hadn't agreed to that whole "shared" arrangement, Bell would've refused without hesitation.
But it couldn't always be Bell protecting her.
As a goddess, she had to protect him too.
Just as Bell once said—"Bonds and responsibilities."
If not for those particular circumstances, she wouldn't have lost her chance to Hephaestus, and Freya and Loki wouldn't have come to compete for her Bell in the first place.
As she spoke, the hurt from earlier had mostly faded, though a flicker of frustration remained—frustration at having part of her precious treasure taken from her.
After venting, Hestia's mood gradually calmed.
"Bell-kun, how are you going to treat Freya and Loki from now on?"
That was what mattered most to her.
"I'll treat Freya-sama and Loki-sama as family."
Hestia's cheeks puffed out immediately.
That clearly wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.
"Pfft!"
Yet even while sulking, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Yeah… that's just how you are, Bell-kun."
She knew him too well.
He might deny his own feelings or reject others, but when he made a promise, he always followed through.
"But don't let Freya and Loki win you over so easily, alright?"
Obviously, Hestia hadn't forgotten about the Hephaestus incident.
That sneak attack had really traumatized her.
Her child's first time was supposed to be hers to take—but Hephaestus had stolen it right from under her nose.
That definitely wasn't happening again.
Bell, of course, knew how much that still bothered her.
"Hestia, like I said, I need time before I can accept Freya-sama and Loki-sama."
"No one can outright reject a goddess's affection, but… I can't just accept it all at once."
"Exactly! That's the right reaction!"
Hestia nodded in satisfaction. That was normal—who could just calmly accept something like that?
"Hmph! Loki and Freya definitely planned this from the start. We totally fell for their setup this time."
"Bell-kun, there aren't any other goddesses eyeing you, are there?"
"...Hestia, please don't act like goddesses grow on trees. I'm not honey—why would so many of them be after me?"
"Freya and Loki aren't enough proof for you?"
Hestia's worry wasn't exactly baseless, but Bell still felt there was no need to be so concerned.
"I could tell about Freya-sama's intentions—it was obvious ever since that meeting at the teahouse. But I never thought she'd take things that far."
Even now, Bell hadn't expected Freya-sama to back him into a corner so completely—aligning herself with the Guild, no less.
"As for Loki… we usually just argue over business matters. When it comes to emotions between men and women, I'd say we mostly just drink together."
Loki-sama's sudden change of heart had genuinely surprised Bell. He'd never once thought of her that way—especially since she'd always made it clear she liked the 'Sword Princess.'
"I always thought Loki-sama was just a flirt who liked 'Sword Princess.' Who would've guessed she'd ever feel that way about me? At first, I thought I was just imagining things."
Bell gave a small shake of his head.
"But really, in Orario, the only ones interested in me are Freya-sama and Loki-sama. No one else."
"Phew… that's a relief."
At least no new goddess would come swooping in after him. For now, Hestia could finally breathe a little easier.
...
For more chapters, feel free to follow me on P@treon.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
[email protected]/PinkSnake