Watching Elise hold out the fruit toward her, Freya wasted no time and quickly ate it.
However, the way she stared at Elise's fingers while eating... was she dissatisfied with being fed using a fork?
Elise felt that if she really tried feeding Freya by hand, the goddess would definitely suck on her fingers directly.
"This truly is a wonderful idea. If I personally send Ishtar back to Heaven, her expression will certainly be amusing, won't it?"
Freya revealed a look of enjoyment. It was hard to tell whether she simply liked the taste of the fruit or was imagining the look Ishtar would have upon leaving...
"Then it's settled. When shall we go? Do you need me to mobilize my Familia and wage a Familia War against the Ishtar Familia?"
"No, there is no need to trouble you with that. Leave the matter of the Ishtar Familia to me. When the time comes, you only need to deal with Ishtar herself."
Elise's answer surprised Freya slightly.
In that case...
"Could it be that you intend to destroy the Ishtar Familia through unconventional means? With your strength, you certainly could do it."
"Of course. Ideally, it should be disguised as the work of the evil gods of Evilus. That way, any other Familia considering cooperation with Evilus will have to think twice about it."
"Very well. As you wish. Ah—"
Freya closed her eyes and opened her mouth, seemingly waiting for something.
A moment later, Elise fed another piece of fruit into Freya's mouth.
"Alright, now it's my turn!"
Freya picked up a slice of fruit with her fingers and brought it to Elise's lips.
"Ah..."
Truthfully, Elise was somewhat resistant.
Because she strongly suspected Freya would not simply feed her normally...
Most likely, the goddess would stick her fingers into her mouth the moment she opened it!
Elise still remembered Fan Xinglou's taste. She really did not want to experience Freya's as well.
But if she refused to eat...
They had only just concluded a deal. She could not exactly refuse to give Freya face.
Even though Freya claimed she would not refuse, if the goddess decided to go back on her word, there would be no way to stop her.
"Ahm!"
The instant Elise opened her mouth, Freya indeed slipped her fingers in as expected.
But unlike Fan Xinglou before, Freya did not stir them around recklessly. She merely brushed lightly against the inside before quickly withdrawing them from Elise's mouth.
Then, under Elise's shocked gaze, Freya placed those fingers into her own mouth...
Huh?
Within Elise's senses, Freya wore an intoxicated expression while murmuring things like, "Truly delicious."
That scene made Elise leap straight out of her chair.
I admit I underestimated you, but don't you seriously think this is lewd? I absolutely cannot handle this!
"Since our business has been concluded, I won't stay here any longer. Lady Freya, once the plan begins, I'll come find you."
At this point, Elise did not want to remain inside the Freya Familia for even another second. Her mind was completely filled with Freya's intoxicated expression from moments ago.
If she stayed any longer, Freya might really eat her clean!
"In that case, I won't keep you."
Normally, Freya should have tried her hardest to make Elise stay.
Yet now, she showed absolutely no intention of stopping her...
Elise only felt a chill run down her back, as though something dangerous was waiting for her in the future.
Outside the gates of the Freya Familia.
The goddess of beauty watched Elise's gradually departing figure, a gentle smile hanging on her face the entire time.
Only after Elise had completely disappeared did the smile vanish, as though she had once more become that lofty goddess above all others.
"Ah... ah—"
"I actually used my charm instinctively... Thankfully, I stopped myself immediately."
But less than two seconds later, the goddess-like composure completely collapsed.
Freya simply slumped onto the ground as unidentified liquid slowly trickled out.
"And... I saw it... I really saw it!"
Elise would never have imagined that at the moment she chose to kiss Freya's forehead earlier, Freya had peered through countless layers of mist and glimpsed part of Elise's true essence.
Everything on the outside was merely a disguise.
Only the Elise hidden within was the real Elise!
"I want to see it... I want it so badly... I want to see the real you! I want to possess the real you too!"
"I want to rip your disguise apart completely! I want to savor the taste hidden underneath!"
"No! If this continues, then I..."
Fortunately, no one was nearby.
Otherwise, if anyone saw Freya in this state, nobody could predict what she might do.
"Elise... as expected, it still has to be you!"
After this meeting with Elise, Freya's desire for her seemed to have become even more severe.
...
"Before going back, I should find somewhere to straighten out my clothes first..."
Elise walked alone on the road back to her Familia, while Freya's earlier actions repeatedly surfaced in her mind.
"No! I need to find somewhere to wash myself too!"
Ever since arriving in Orario, Elise had never once soaked in the public baths.
Because of her special purification ability, she could remove any impurity from her body directly.
But now...
It felt as though if she did not wash herself properly, then even if her body became clean through skills alone, the filth in her mind would never disappear!
Although Freya truly was beautiful.
And she was even a goddess...
But she was DanMachi's Freya!
Her lovestruck portrayal in the anime had left far too deep an impression!
No matter what, Elise did not dare truly get involved with Freya.
In front of a god, she would only end up thoroughly devoured. There was no second possible outcome!
More importantly...
Saintess, oh Saintess!
You must remain firm in your ideals, Elise!
Facing the goddess of beauty directly, even without looking at her with her eyes, the innate charm still affected Elise to a certain extent.
At the very least, for a short period of time, it made her genuinely view the women around her as women.
The bathhouse itself was fairly spacious. Normally, there should have been many people around at night, yet Elise could not see a single person.
She had rented the entire place out with valis.
Elise removed her blindfold and sat alone in the warm pool with her knees hugged to her chest, occasionally blowing bubbles into the water.
As though making up her mind, Elise slowly stretched out both hands toward her chest.
Yet before touching herself, she lowered them again.
Then she raised them once more.
Then lowered them again...
The cycle repeated several times.
Finally, unable to endure it any longer, Elise clenched her fist and slammed it violently into the water, sending enormous splashes everywhere.
"Freyaaaaaahhhhhh—"
Purification.
The bathwater began to glow.
"I need to think about something unrelated to calm myself down!"
Then the image of Amid shyly blushing while cooking soup appeared in her mind...
"Not that either!"
During the following month, Elise never beat up Alise or Kaguya again.
The two of them felt relieved, but also confused.
What exactly had happened to Elise?
Little did they know that something even more dangerous awaited them in the future.