While Loki and the others were still at the Seiya Familia house, and thanked Eiji for what he gave them.
A news spread to many residents in Orario. The news was about the Apollo Familia who had challenged the Hestia Familia to a 'War Game'!
War Games were official inter-Familia battles recognized by the Gods, often involving high stakes such as Familia expulsion or surrender of members.
In this case, it involved high stakes as Apollo wanted a member of the Hestia Familia, Bell Cranel.
The conflict started with Bell's refusal to join the Apollo Familia this morning. Apollo did not accept his refusal, and immediately told him that he would challenge Hestia to a War Game.
Hearing this, Bell's face paled. Immediately, Hestia received the news and was angry of course.
She had an argument with Apollo on the first floor of the tower of Babel and in the end, under the threat of Apollo Familia, Hestia could only agree to the War Game.
"I'm sorry, Kami-sama! It's my fault, if only I hadn't attracted the attention of Apollo-sama, I wouldn't have given you any trouble." Bell canceled the exploration of the dungeon with his party, and was now kneeling in his familia's living room.
Lili and Welf were also there, they found Bell to be very pitiful.
Or rather, they were beginning to wonder if she was a trouble magnet?
Hestia rubbed her forehead, she had a slight headache and unlike in the original work where she would immediately tell Bell to stand up, she now couldn't help but be annoyed at him.
She stood up while tapping the floor with one of her feet.
"Bell-kun, instead of apologizing, you should immediately increase your stats and even your level. We still have three days to prepare before the War Game starts."
Three days was not much time for an ordinary adventurer. But Hestia remembered Bell's unique skill, Liaris Freeze, which could make him at least become a little stronger if he made good use of the preparation time.
Although fighting Apollo Familia with only two members, who were not even first-class adventurers was still too difficult.
By the way, besides Bell, Lili had also become a member of the Hestia Familia, after she left the Soma Familia as in the original work.
"I understand, kami-sama! In three days, I will increase the power as much as possible!" Bell raised his head with determination in his eyes.
Actually, he was quite confident because of his unique skill.
"You're not alone, Bell-sama. Lili will also help!"
"I won't stay silent if my friend is in trouble either!"
Lili and Welf said.
"Lili, Welf... Thank you!" Bell stared at the two people with a touching feeling in his heart.
Putting Welf aside, he thought Lili kind of hated him since what happened this morning. He even saw a hint of disgust in her eyes when she looked at him.
However, that seemed to be just his feeling.
Lili still liked him as a 'friend', right?
If Lili knew what Bell's thoughts were, she wouldn't argue. In the past, she liked him romantically, but now... maybe it would be better if they were just friends.
She couldn't like a man who liked another man romantically. Imagining that made Lili shudder.
"Before you leave, I'll update your status first." Hestia said seriously to Bell and Lili.
As for Welf? He was a member of the Hephaestus Familia.
Bell and Lili certainly didn't refuse to update their status. Welf wisely said, "I also seem to have to return to my familia first."
In his heart, he had decided something.
Therefore, he had to meet Hephaestus!
(Author: Jie jie jie...)
After Welf left Hestia Familia's house, not long after—Hestia was surprised by something.
She looked at Bell's status sheet with slightly trembling hands.
How could she not?
"Kami-sama, what's wrong? Have my many basic attributes increased again!?? How many points did I get?" Bell asked excitedly.
He thought his goddess was so surprised by the increase in his stats.
Lili was curious and patiently waited for Hestia to speak.
"This... This...! Bell-kun, your basic attributes increased by 442 points. But that's not the case!"
"...?" Bell was confused.
442 points? That's a lot even though last time—he only went to the dungeon for a few days.
As expected of him!
But what was the problem?
Why was the way his goddess looked at him strange?
Hestia awkwardly said, "Bell-kun, your unique skill–Liaris Freese–has undergone a slight change."
"My unique skill has changed a bit!? What changed, kami-sama?"
"Hestia-sama, is it bad for Bell-sama?"
Not only Bell, Lili also began to wonder.
To be honest, Hestia didn't know whether she should tell Bell or not, she herself was confused.
It was normal for Bell to like a beautiful woman like Ais Wallenstein, but how could he now...!
"Bell-kun, Liaris Freese accelerated your status growth drastically as long as the feelings you had for pursuing Ais Wallenstein were strong. That was then, now—I'm not sure if there's anything wrong, but the person you're chasing has turned into..."
Hestia hesitantly mentioned the name of a god, "Apollo."
"Ehh?" Bell froze. There was a huge question mark hovering over his head.
"Huh!!? Bell-sama, you... So it's true? You're in love with Apollo-sama!?" Lili stepped back and slightly distanced herself from Bell.
"Eehhhhh!!!? Lili, what nonsense are you saying!? I... there's no way I did that! I just like Ais-san!" Bell shouted with panic on his face.
He glanced at his goddess, but she also stepped back as if she didn't want to get too close to him. "Ka-Kami-sama?! There must be a mistake! You must believe me."
"Um... Haha, you're right. There might be a mistake. Then, let's try checking your status again." Hestia laughed, she also hoped there was a mistake.
But a few seconds later.
She threw the status sheet in her hand at Bell's face rudely, "There's no mistake at all! Bell-kun, you're the one who's wrong! Something's wrong with you!"
"Ehhhhhh!!? This... This..."
Bell again let out a Beta protagonist scream. He read his own status sheet with disbelief in his eyes.
He read the description 'Liaris Freese' many times, and really couldn't see Ais' name there. Instead, Apollo's name was written so clearly that his body shivered.
What was wrong with him!?
There was no way he had such feelings for Apollo!
*Thud*
Bell knelt down, both hands pressed to the floor. He cried without tears, and laughed dryly.
Hestia and Lili felt that the man was very pitiful. But soon, they felt disgusted because despite Bell's denial, he had probably been mesmerized by Apollo ever since meeting him.
In his heart, Ais was even lower than Apollo.
Lili who was at the scene this morning 99% believed that Bell really was mesmerized by Apollo. Because back then, she saw him blush when he saw his face for the first time.
Bell-sama, I didn't expect you...!
"No way, no way... Haha, this thing is probably just temporary, right? Kami-sama?" Bell raised his head to look at his goddess again.
He wanted her to comfort him.
But Hestia only said, "Maybe?"
"*Hiks!* Why? Why did my unique skill become like this!?"
Bell started sobbing, he beat the floor with his hands.
And thought hard and wondered how such a thing could happen? He admitted that when he first saw Apollo, he felt he was very handsome, and made his heart beat fast.
Bell's face paled, he felt like he had lost his mind when he remembered that. There really was something wrong with him!
"Bell-kun, I know you're very sad about what happened to your unique skill. But don't forget, you still have your other unique skill—Arganout!"
"With that skill, you can still get stronger a little faster if you don't want to use Liaris Freese. We only have three days before the War Game starts."
Hestia was suddenly sad, not because Bell became a crooked pole because before this, she no longer seemed to like him romantically like in the past; it must be because of Eiji and the things she saw when staying at his familia's house.
But, was this the end of her familia?
"Kami-sama, I..." Bell was discouraged because of what happened to Liaris Freese, he was really reluctant to think of chasing Apollo every time he fought in the dungeon.
He felt disgusted with himself.
And even feared that he really had such feelings for Apollo. In short, it was like walking on a tightrope where when you fall, you might not deny that you like men.
Disgusting! Disgusting!
So scary!
Bell hugged himself, and tried to think of Ais... But Apollo's face often crossed his mind.
He wanted to bang his head against the wall right then!
"Bell-sama, I have an idea!" Lili suddenly said.
"Idea? What idea do you have, Lili?" Bell had hope in his heart.
Perhaps Lili really did have an idea to solve his problem.
However, he overestimated the woman and hoped to never hear what she said next.
"You just need to pretend to pursue Apollo in your heart! That way, Liaris Freese, can still be used! At least for now—because let's be honest... Our victory presentation against the Apollo Familia that contains many first-class adventurers is very low. Bell-sama needs to get stronger as soon as possible!"
Lili did not mean to trap Bell, she was not that evil. But, as a supporter and strategist in Hestia Familia, she was only thinking objectively.
Bell and Hestia were stunned.
Pretending to cheat your own unique skills?
This was probably one of the craziest things they had ever heard of.
However, Hestia thought it wasn't a bad idea and said, "Bell-kun, Lili's idea is good and worth trying."
"...!" Bell
Lili and kami-sama... Aren't you two worried about me actually falling into the fire pit?
He really wanted to cry.
But what Lili said made sense. The problem with Apollo was also his fault, he didn't know why he was so attractive in the eyes of the other party.
For the sake of their victory in the War Game, he had to take the risk of becoming stronger!
Bell clenched his hands into fists, and bit his lips before reluctantly saying, "Alright, I'll do it..."
"Yeay! Bell-sama, I'm sure you can do it!"
"Bell-kun, do your best!"
"....."
Hearing how the two women were encouraging him, Bell was not happy at all.
His lips twitched, but as a good protagonist, he forced a smile and nodded.
He would do his best to become stronger. Even if he had to sacrifice himself in the process to do so.
When Bell and Lili went out to pick up Welf before they went to the dungeon, Eiji's inner voice suddenly sounded and Hestia was stunned.
[I've heard the news that Apollo Familia challenged Hestia Familia to a War Game.]
[Oh my, this is finally happening. Not only was Bell able to attract the attention of a Beauty Goddess like Freya, he was also able to attract Apollo and make him greedy for him.]
[Hestia must be having a hard time right now. If she wants, I can actually help her. However, I can't do anything to Bell...]
[I don't like badmouthing people behind their backs. But in the original work, Bell actually doesn't just like Ais. Ahem! It wasn't explicitly explained, but when Bell met Apollo for the first time, his reaction was strange.]
"Strange? What's strange!?"
Knowing Eiji was willing to help her, Hestia was touched. But what surprised her more was that the conflict between her and Apollo also occurred in the original work.
[I suspect the reason he rejects the beautiful women around him, and only focuses on pursuing Ais... It's because he doesn't really like women, he might... Ugh, I don't want to think about the details.]
[That's too disgusting!]
"!?" Hestia.
She and the other women understood what he probably wanted to say. In short, Bell was probably a bent pole!
"Makes sense, makes sense... No wonder Bell-kun was unmoved by my charm in the past."
"That's because he's actually...!"
Hestia did not doubt what Eiji said because he said it in his heart.
And with her positive level on him, she naturally believed him. Her face was grim, and she sighed.
Bell was a member of her familia, although she felt disgusted with him because of this incident, she at least wouldn't hate him.
However, it was impossible for her to have romantic feelings for him again.
...
At the same time.
At the Hephaestus Familia headquarters.
"Hephaestus-sama, I love you! I know saying this after I haven't returned to your familia for a long time is a bit wrong... But I still want to say the feelings that I have been harboring in my heart for a long time. If possible, I want to be your lover."
Welf straightened his back, and confessed his love for his goddess. His voice was also loud enough for the other members including Tsubaki to hear.
Not only Hephaestus, they were also surprised of course!
"Welf, you... Are you crazy? Sorry, but that can't be happening." Hephaestus had an awkward expression on her beautiful face, which was even more dazzling in the past because one of her eyes had been healed.
That was the reason why Welf could not resist confessing. It had been a long time since he had seen his goddess, and now she looked even more beautiful.
However, Hephaestus firmly rejected her confession. She even didn't blush like in the original work.
"Wh-Why? Is it just because I'm human?" Welf did not expect his goddess to unhesitatingly reject him, he was sad and wondered if it was just because of his race and limited lifespan.
Hephaestus replied, "It's not because of that. Welf, I already have a lover."
She did not say that compared to her lover, Welf was far inferior to him.
"Y-You already have a lover!? Who is it? How come I never heard of it!?" Welf was dumbfounded and his expression looked very ugly.
Hephaestus refrained from rolling her eyes.
What makes you think you'd know the latest news about me when you're so busy with Hestia Familia?
This man was too confident.
"You should have heard his name. He is the god of the Seiya Familia, Eiji Seiya. He is also the one who has cured my eyes."
"Eiji Seiya? I've heard of a god by that name... and he cured your eye, Hephaestus-sama!? I see."
Or rather, Welf still remembered what Eiji looked like in the dungeon which made him feel inferior and jealous of him.
However, knowing he was the one who healed Hephaestus' eyes, he also understood why he could be her lover.
"Is that all you have to say?" Hephaestus asked.
She did not bother to reprimand Welf because he often played with the members of the Hestia Familia.
"I... There is one. Actually, I also came to beg you to let me transfer to Hestia Familia. I want to help Bell fight Apollo Familia in the War Game!" Welf wanted to see the reluctance on his goddess's face, and wanted her to be angry because that meant...
She cared about him so much, and maybe he still had a chance?
"Oh? Considering how good your relationship with Bell Cranel is... That's not too surprising. I will grant your request to transfer to Hestia Familia, Welf."
"But remember, once you leave... You cannot come back and beg to join my familia again."
Hephaestus said that with an indifferent expression.
Welf shuddered, and felt that all the scenarios he had envisioned before coming here were shattered into pieces.
Hephaestus' reaction was worse than he expected!
His love was truly unrequited. Welf wanted to cry, but he held back his tears and nodded. "I will remember that, Hephaestus-sama."
"Good." Hephaestus said.
After Welf was officially removed from her familia list and she gave him permission to move to the Hestia Familia.
She told him to leave the office immediately, as she still had work to complete. Welf smiled wryly, he obeyed her words.
But before he walked out, the door suddenly opened and a man with pure white hair, whom he recognized stood in front of him.
"Hephaestus? Are you busy? I seem to have come at an inopportune time." Eiji said while holding back the laughter behind his smile.
Ahem, he did not say that he had seen and heard Hephaestus and Welf's conversation through the surveillance of his shadow warriors.
And as expected of Hephaestus.
She did not disappoint him!
Unlike the original work, she rejected Welf's confession and made him feel green by mentioning that she already had a lover.
Her lover was him, Eiji Seiya.
[Yare-yare. I missed Hephaestus, but I didn't expect to meet a green-haired man, Welf.]
[From the way he looks at me, he seems to be jealous, and a little hostile towards me.]
[That's quite funny.]
Welf was red-haired, but putting that aside—Hephaestus was happy to hear that Eiji missed her so soon, and visited her.
When she saw his smile, she blushed and hurriedly said, "No, you came at the right time. I was about to rest, Eiji."
!?
I remember you said you still had work to finish.
But now? You want to take a break?
Welf clenched his fists hard, he forced a Bell-like smile. Hephaestus had clearly put aside her work for Eiji's sake.
Just because of that man, she also smiled so beautifully and blushed.
Welf felt sour, the pain in his heart was no less than that of an NTR victim.
"Welf, why are you still here? Hurry up and leave." Hephaestus ordered with annoyance in her voice.
She was clearly impatient to be alone with her beloved soon.
"O-Oh, sorry." Welf hurriedly walked out of Hephaestus' office, and left the Hephaestus Familia headquarters bowed.
He did not want others to see his expression that was so painful as if he wanted to cry.
However, Tsubaki saw that and could not help but laugh. "Pfft! Hahaha! Poor man... Unfortunately, he was already too late. Hephaestus-sama's heart has already been taken by another man."
She shook her head and thought Welf was pathetic. She did not hate him, but it was hard to like him when remembering what he had done all these times.