Beyond Bell's gaze lay a paradise. Though it lasted only a fleeting moment, the young man etched the scene into his mind. The spring water played a soft, melodic tune, its ripples weaving through the gentle flow as bodies of natural, exquisite beauty rose and fell in harmony. The Artemis Familia was blessed with a distinctive beauty of its own. Elves, Humans, Demi Humans... It was as though the world's beauty had been gathered in one place, with twenty young women playing and resting in the water, utterly unguarded.
Yet, before the two goddesses, this stunning scene was nothing more than a backdrop. Hestia's usual twin ponytails had fallen loose, her silky black hair blending with the clear spring water. She had submerged everything below her shoulders, her voluptuous figure subtly appearing and disappearing beneath the water's surface.
Unlike the freely indulging, shorter Hestia, Artemis stood with grace. Her dignified, gentle face, the curve of her chest, and her slender, elegant abdomen, all adorned with droplets of water, made her figure appear exquisitely proportioned and exceptionally captivating. Moonlight and spring water intertwined, her blue hair brushing the surface. This fairy-tale-like scene was reflected in Bell's eyes.
The girls' gazes met Bell's, and screams erupted one after another.
"What...?!?"
"Eeek?!!"
Embarrassment surged among the girls, quickly spiraling into utter chaos.
"Knock him out!"
"No, he must atone with his life!"
"I know you're super shy, but don't chant magic here?!"
Some of the girls were already terribly embarrassed just being open with their own kind. Faced with Bell's sudden intrusion, they had completely lost their composure.
"Wait... Could he be here for Artemis-sama?"
"Huh?!"
"Block Artemis-sama!"
"Use my body as a shield! Watch this, Bell Cranel!"
"What the hell are you doing, you idiot!"
A human girl fought to suppress her shame, spreading her arms wide and standing before Artemis. The others initially grumbled but quickly joined in.
"To sacrifice oneself to such an extent for Artemis-sama... then I too…"
"I can do it too!"
"For the goddess…"
"For the goddess!"
The girls stood up one after another, forming an unbroken human wall before Artemis. Hestia's face turned crimson as she covered her chest with one hand, speechlessly watching the scene unfold. Her gaze, complex and bewildered, seemed to convey, "What on earth are these girls doing? And Bell too—he must have accidentally fallen into this situation. If that's the case, why doesn't he just turn around already?"
Bell had to admit, the goddess's beauty under the moonlight had left him momentarily frozen.
"Excuse me—sorry for interrupting—"
Just as Bell began to turn around, a girl had already dashed in front of him.
"Catch him!"
"Huh... Why?!"
"Think about Artemis-sama's nature! If we let him go, it could be hundreds of years before she's this open again! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"Huh? You might be right…"
As the virgin goddess of chastity, Artemis's romantic life was truly worrying. A vision appeared in the minds of the maidens: as they themselves grew old and passed away, Artemis's love would still be stuck at the stage of holding hands. Meanwhile, the boy's other lovers would be holding their grandchildren, laughing mockingly at Artemis.
"Gulp... That absolutely can't happen! Catch him now!"
"Seize the moment and take Bell Cranel now!"
"Exactly! Since he's already seen everything, there's nothing left to be shy about."
"For Artemis-sama!"
"For the goddess!"
The maidens, consumed by obsession and madness, charged toward Bell as one. Even though they outnumbered him, they didn't pose much of a threat to the skilled youth... Everything should have gone according to plan. Yet, in this chase, the girls quickly gained the upper hand. On one hand, Bell had his arms raised in front of him, forced to dodge instead of counterattack. On the other, the girls used their natural weapons to shrink Bell's available space.
"Um, Bell-dono?!"
"Bell-sama... What exactly are you doing?!"
"Captain..."
Before Mikoto and Lili could recover from their blushes, the scene devolved into utter chaos. Hestia furrowed her delicate brows, watching the chase, now involving more than twenty people. She turned to her divine companion and said,
"Artemis, you have to stop them! If this keeps up, your children will truly be exposed! Hmm... Artemis?"
Hestia's puzzled gaze found Artemis had already retreated into the water, her eyes shut.
"..."
Back in Tenkai, even when male gods threw lecherous glances at her, Artemis would immediately fire her arrows without hesitation. But now, exposed and naked, she hadn't used force? Hestia was completely shocked by her dear friend's change.
"Artemis... snap out of it! The more you avoid it, the shyer you'll become!"
Hestia tried to impart her own experiences. Whenever the young man said something that made her blush, Hestia would purposely look away. But later, those moments would only become more unforgettable.
Artemis seemed to have blocked out all sound, her face flushed as she hid under the water, offering no response.
"You must be able to hear me!"
Seeing no response, Hestia changed her tone.
"Um... Could it be that Artemis is also hoping they catch Bell, so she can make things irreversible with him?!"
"Absolutely not!!"
Artemis suddenly poked her head out and protested loudly.
"Then go stop them right now."
Hestia retorted immediately.
"But... but... if I go over there, he'll see me..."
Artemis stammered, her face flushing crimson.
"It's fine! Stop hesitating!"
Hestia urged.
Artemis paused, then spoke softly:
"Hmm... these children belong to Hestia's familia now, right? You could go stop them yourself."
"..."
Hestia hadn't expected to be outmaneuvered like this.
Silence spread between the two goddesses.
Just as the boy was about to be captured, a figure suddenly leapt down from the trees.
"My apologies, Cranel-san."
Ryuu wore her usual shorts, a cloak draped over her shoulders. She caught Bell's body, pushed off with both feet, and leapt onto a tree, splashing water as she did so. Like an unconventional hero rescuing a damsel, the two vanished instantly into the forest.
After clearing the treetops, Ryuu set the boy down safely.
"Thank you, Ryuu-san. I was almost captured..."
Bell murmured his gratitude.
"It's nothing. I was bathing alone too—unexpected encounters happen."
Ryuu paused, turning her head away.
"Cranel-san, I'll accompany you to retrieve your clothes. But before that... use this to cover yourself first..."
Bell looked at the cloak she offered and asked,
"Thank you, but are you sure?"
Ryuu's fastidiousness was a well-known fact to both of them.
"Mhm..."
Under the moonlight, Ryuu merely gave a slight nod. Her expression remained hidden from view.