The selection of the Twelve Gods was, in truth, nothing more than a game to the gods.
Although the candidates were chosen through collective voting, those divine seats held no real power or authority. In the Tenkai, what truly mattered was strength, not some hollow title.
Of course, the stronger a god was, the more divine seats they tended to hold.
Take Hestia, for example.
Despite her normally lazy appearance, her dislike of socializing, and the aloof air she gave off, her strength absolutely qualified her for a place among the Twelve Gods.
But who would have expected Dionysus to take it so seriously?
"That guy doesn't seem interested in authority at all."
Hermes found it strange. Dionysus clearly wasn't anything like those Evilus types. So why would he get himself tangled up with them?
Even more, Hermes couldn't understand why Dionysus was so determined to destroy the Dungeon.
"If he's not after power, then it means he's after some other form of vengeance."
"Power, money, and beautiful women… Those things matter to the children of Genkai, but for us gods, their importance is… questionable."
Loki paused and corrected herself slightly.
"I mean, power and money mean nothing to gods, but beautiful women are still very useful."
You pervert.
Hermes cursed silently, though he couldn't deny she was right.
He also enjoyed beautiful women—especially those with interesting souls.
"Dionysus definitely isn't doing this for women. Otherwise, he wouldn't have thrown himself in with that pack of lunatics. Only he knows what he's really after."
Loki clearly didn't think Dionysus's goal was beauty.
The key was probably "Wrath."
The powers Bell hoped to reclaim always attached themselves to people—gods or mortals—who possessed strong emotions.
Just as Hephaestus had "Envy," Freya bore "Lust," and Loki herself carried "Sloth," Dionysus's issue was clearly "Wrath."
'But what exactly is that guy so angry about? I really don't get it.'
Loki simply didn't know Dionysus well enough. If she had, she might have been able to guess more.
But she didn't feel any regret.
In the end, Loki didn't care what madness drove Dionysus. She only knew this would be his last rampage.
"Dionysus's madness can wait. Hermes, tell me the solution you and Ouranos came up with."
Hermes glanced at Ouranos, then nodded.
"To calm the panic among ordinary children in Orario and ease the unease among the gods, we need to make this campaign public—let everyone witness Evilus being wiped out."
As expected.
Loki understood immediately, though her face still held clear skepticism.
"The assault might trigger a lot of issues. It could even reveal unexpected scenes, which would bring trouble to everyone watching."
"The biggest problem is the secret Bell is hiding."
Hermes looked troubled. He had said this to Ouranos as well, but the current situation left no room for hesitation.
"I know Bell needs to remain an unknown factor. Keeping him hidden allows him to grow more smoothly. But right now, we also have to prioritize Orario's overall stability."
"However, I'm not planning to expose Bell in this operation."
Now this was interesting.
Loki crossed her arms and examined him closely.
"You say the entire assault needs to be made public, yet Bell must stay hidden. Hermes, don't you think you're contradicting yourself?"
Under Loki's stare, Hermes felt the pressure immediately.
He hurried to explain—if Loki decided to label him an "enemy," he could forget about living comfortably ever again.
Especially when Bell's side had no shortage of capable, terrifying goddesses. If even one of them decided to rough him up, Hermes might as well prepare for early retirement back to the Tenkai.
"There isn't actually a contradiction."
"I mean that Bell must not become publicly known, while Ouranos wants the assault to be publicly broadcast… It seems contradictory, but it's not completely impossible."
"Ouranos only wants the process made public. He needs to use the defeat of Evilus to stabilize the people of Orario and calm the gods, and even warn any remnants of Evilus hiding among the deities."
"Then how do you keep Bell from being exposed during it?"
Ouranos's goal was straightforward, and Loki couldn't argue with it.
Truth be told, she didn't want Orario thrown into chaos either—she'd grown comfortable here. She didn't want to move just because of some mess.
Even so, Bell's anonymity was still her top priority.
"There is a way. The broadcast doesn't need to show Bell himself."
"The footage can be processed—even during a live transmission."
"As long as any shot containing Bell is handled properly, like switching the primary perspective directly to his point of view and removing him entirely from the frame, there's no risk of exposing him."
Loki frowned, thinking it over. Surprisingly, she found Hermes's suggestion decent.
As long as Bell never appeared on screen, even if the gods learned of his involvement, they still wouldn't be able to determine who he was.
"Ouranos, the Guild isn't going to mess up something this important, right?"
"I can guarantee it."
Ouranos didn't elaborate—he simply gave his word.
Loki nodded in satisfaction.
"If you're guaranteeing it, then I agree."
Compared to other gods, Ouranos was much more reliable. His promises could normally be trusted.
Since the Guild under Ouranos could guarantee Bell's concealment, Loki was certain the other gods wouldn't find any clues about him.
With this, the arrangements for the assault were essentially finalized. All that remained was preparation—and waiting for the day the operation began.