"I knew you would win."
The silver-haired goddess lay in the hot spring, turning her head toward the entrance, where a golden figure was standing.
"Even faster than I imagined. Even though I already thought highly of your strength, I still underestimated you, Elise."
Though white steam filled the bath, Elise could clearly see Freya's entire body—even the parts submerged beneath the water.
It had to be said, Freya truly lived up to being a goddess of beauty. Her appearance was breathtaking.
More importantly, even without using charm, there was still a hazy allure about her—something that stirred an inexplicable longing in the heart and made one instinctively trust her.
That, in itself, was an extremely dangerous signal!
Elise forcibly suppressed that feeling and faced Freya with a cold expression.
"The duel is over. I'm the one who won."
"As we agreed before, you should remove the charm on my companions now, right?"
All this time, Elise had used honorifics when speaking to any god. It was the basic respect due to a deity.
But now, she clearly had no intention of showing Freya any further respect. Words like "you" or "Lady" were deliberately omitted.
The moment for pretense had long since passed. There was no need for Elise to leave her any dignity.
"Don't be in such a hurry."
Freya's expression remained calm, with no intention of getting out of the bath.
"Your battle ended far too quickly. There's still plenty of time left."
"Oh, right! Didn't you just finish fighting? Would you like to join me for a bath? The hot springs of my Familia are sourced from outside Orario—the quality is exceptional."
"You think I'm in the mood to bathe with you right now?"
"Yes, I believe you are."
Facing Elise's impatient look, Freya only smiled faintly.
"I did say I would remove their charm, but I never said when. Even if I wait until the very last moment, that still counts as fulfilling my promise. However..."
"If something were to happen at the last second—say, I slipped and fell—then that would be quite unfortunate."
"These lovely girls would surely end up becoming part of my Familia in the future, wouldn't they?"
A threat.
A blatant, undisguised threat.
If Elise did not comply, Freya might very well follow through. After all, she was exactly that kind of capricious goddess.
"What do you think, Elise?"
Faced with Freya's question, Elise could only suppress her dissatisfaction and force herself to calm down.
"I understand."
She nodded, then waved her right hand. Her clothes dissolved into starlight and faded away, revealing a breathtaking sight seen by only a select few.
And this place did not hold only Elise—there was also Freya, a goddess of beauty. If anyone outside were to witness this scene, who knew what they would think?
The saintess and the goddess of beauty?
It was an intriguing idea, but if anyone actually dared to act on such thoughts, Freya would likely be the first to deal with them.
"Oh!"
Seeing Elise's pure white body with her own eyes, even Freya could not help but let out a soft exclamation. A blush, shaped like a heart, gradually colored her gaze.
"As expected of you... to be so..."
Her words trailed off—not because she chose to stop, but because she had been completely captivated by the sight before her. Something indescribable slowly slipped from the corner of her lips.
"Cough, cough... then come in. The water temperature is just right."
Freya lightly patted the water beside her, signaling for Elise to sit there.
But Elise did not immediately step into the bath. Under Freya's puzzled gaze, she dipped the big toe of her right foot into the water.
"My apologies, Freya."
"This water is far too dirty. Someone must have used it before."
"Before I enter, I'll have to clean it a bit. At the very least, I won't let anything unpleasant cling to my body."
Hearing this, Freya paused for a moment before understanding.
Elise was expressing her dissatisfaction.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Elise!"
So what if she was dissatisfied?
The prey was already in her grasp. Could it possibly escape now?
Yet what happened next caused Freya to widen her eyes slightly.
"This is..."
White light spread from Elise's toe into the hot spring where Freya was bathing.
At that moment, even the surface of the water began to shimmer with a radiant glow, looking incomparably sacred.
"I didn't expect you to possess such a rare skill... truly eye-opening."
She watched as the ordinary water transformed into glowing liquid, even carrying a special effect—
Something like cleansing abnormal states?
Thinking about it that way, Elise really was versatile in every aspect.
She was becoming more and more desirable.
It only made Freya want her even more.
"Don't rush. We have plenty of time."
A few minutes later, Elise and Freya were soaking together in the hot spring.
Although the distance between them was very close, it felt as though an invisible wall separated them.
"That thing on your body is still there, right? That barrier that isolates everything?"
Suddenly, Freya reached out toward Elise, aiming to grab one of the soft mounds.
But just before contact, Elise abruptly pulled back, causing Freya's hand to grasp nothing but air.
"What's the harm in letting me touch it? Could it be... you're shy?"
"It's fine. I know plenty of ways to make it feel good!"
"A woman's body has many inconveniences, doesn't it? As a goddess, I can guide you through them one by one!"
Faced with such enthusiasm, Elise naturally rejected her firmly.
"How could that be?"
"I've lived in this body for a long time now. I'm completely accustomed to it, and I've never felt any inconvenience."
"On the contrary, you're the one who's causing me trouble."
With that, Elise made no attempt to hide her attitude toward Freya.
This woman had not only targeted her companions, but was now trying to lay hands on her as well... once this incident was completely over, she would launch a War Game against the Freya Familia.
As long as this troublesome goddess was sent away, she would no longer have to worry about such matters in the future.
"I see..."
Ignoring Elise's attitude, Freya still wore a gentle smile, though something seemed to be hidden beneath it.
"For some reason, I feel a little unhappy."
"You won't even let me touch you..."
Freya made a gesture as if she were about to cry, but anyone with eyes could tell it was fake—and Elise naturally saw through it.
However...
Right now, she could only go along with Freya, since her companions had yet to recover.
Since she had already decided to initiate a War Game, she might as well let Freya indulge herself for now.
In Elise's view, as long as things did not go too far, it was still acceptable.
Wasn't her relationship with Astraea somewhat like this as well?
As long as Freya did not cross the line, a little contact would not matter.
With that thought, Elise dispelled the barrier around her body, and the sensation of the hot spring became far more vivid in that instant.
The barrier existed to prevent injury, but under normal circumstances it still allowed for touch. Elise could interact with the outside through it, so it was not as though she felt nothing.
But if one had to point out the difference... it made her just a tiny bit more sensitive.
Really, just a tiny bit.
But the goddess beside her immediately noticed the change and lunged into Elise's arms, clinging to her like an octopus and rubbing against her body.
"Yes, this is the scent!"
"I said I'd let you touch me, but you still need to know your limits!"
Feeling the movement against her body, Elise could no longer endure it. One leg shot up from beneath the water, pressing directly against Freya's face.
Water splashed as droplets scattered across both of them. Under the glow of the lights, the atmosphere grew increasingly strange.
Elise maintained her raised leg, but Freya had no intention of letting her off so easily.
It was just a foot, wasn't it?
And Elise's body carried no unpleasant odor—in fact, it even had a faintly sweet fragrance... besides, they were in a hot spring.
Slurp.
Elise: ?
When I put out a question mark, it's not because there's something wrong with me—it's because I think there's something wrong with you!
"Ah—!"
Aren't you a goddess?
Why would you do something so shameless to a human?
Has your dignity as a god been eaten by a dog?
Elise hurriedly pulled back her leg and covered her chest with both hands, retreating a considerable distance.
"Thank you for the treat!"
Relishing the sensation from just now, Freya revealed an expression of pure enjoyment.
This left Elise completely at a loss. Even if she racked her brain, she would never have imagined Freya doing something like that.
The distance had been too close—so close that even Elise had not reacted in time.
"We're clearly enemies..."
"Just moments ago, your Familia was fighting me to the death outside, and now you, their chief deity, are doing something like this..."
"Aren't you afraid they'll do something extreme if they find out?"
A glimmer of moisture appeared at the corner of Elise's eyes. Just as Freya had pretended to cry earlier, Elise responded in the same way.
Who couldn't do it?
"It's fine. My children are very obedient," Freya said with a smile. "If they're not, I'll simply discard them."
"Then what about me?" Elise looked toward her. "If—just if—I were to join your Familia..."
"I would never obey you..."
There was no need to say the rest. Freya had said she would discard those who disobeyed—so Elise would certainly not comply.
"You're different!"
Freya immediately rejected that notion.
"Whether it's Ottar, Allen, or anyone else, they are merely my Familia. Only you are my lover!"
"The difference between the two is like heaven and earth."
"So, are you willing to turn that 'if' into reality?"
Are you willing to join my Familia?
Freya knew Elise would understand. As long as she nodded, she would become the queen of Orario.
From then on, within this city, no one would be able to oppose her. She could do whatever she wished.
Anyone who stood in her way—Freya would eliminate them all for her.
"That does sound like quite an appealing offer. If I agreed, I'd be able to walk sideways through Orario, wouldn't I?"
"Of course. I guarantee it."
As long as Elise nodded, everything would be hers.
"But I refuse."
Rejected once again...
Freya had asked Elise countless times whether she would join her Familia.
And Elise's answer had always been the same—she would not. Never.
What Elise did not expect, however, was that this might very well be the last time Freya would ask her.
And Elise's answer became the final straw that crushed the camel's back, completely destroying all of Freya's remaining reason.
In an instant, a sense of danger surged within Elise's heart...
"I see..."
The smile on Freya's lips vanished. Her gaze turned cold, as though she had lost her very soul.
"So you refuse..."
"As expected... you still refuse..."
Even though Elise was blindfolded, she could clearly sense that Freya's attitude toward her had completely changed.
"In that case, there's no need for me to hold back anymore..."
An incomprehensible radiance began to appear around Freya. At first, it was like a tiny spark, but within moments, it erupted into towering flames!
This was... divine might?
What was Freya planning to do?
"You were the one who kept rejecting me, so you can't blame me for what happens now!"
A white light surged toward Elise. Even with her eyes closed and covered, she could still feel just how blinding it was.
This was the true power of a god!
The genuine release of divine might!
Before divine power, all are but ants!
"If I can't change your heart willingly, then I'll forcefully reshape it with charm..."
"You belong to me. You must belong to me!"
Freya completely unleashed her charm.
Even though Elise had prepared for this by equipping herself with a Stigmata that resisted charm, it was useless. It did not last even half a second before she was completely overwhelmed by that power.
No matter how strong Elise was, she was still within the realm of mortals. Facing a true god was not something she could even begin to imagine—let alone overcome.
A god needed only the slightest effort to destroy everything.
"It worked... I did it!"
Looking at the motionless Elise before her, a flush slowly spread across Freya's face.
"Just to be safe, I should confirm it."
"Elise, come here!"
At Freya's command, Elise obediently walked over to her side.
"Open your mouth!"
Elise followed the order. Without hesitation, Freya leaned in and bit down.
Now, it was time to savor the fruits of victory!
Soft...
Sweet and delicious...
Exquisitely delightful!
"I've finally obtained you!"
Freya embraced Elise's delicate body, rubbing her head against her again and again—until...
Her attention fell upon the blindfold covering Elise's eyes.
Freya had never been able to determine why Elise wore it.
There had to be some hidden secret behind it!
She could no longer wait to find out.
"This thing is in the way!"
With a casual motion, Freya tore off the black cloth from Elise's eyes and looked at them once more.
Then she froze in horror.
"What... is this?"