Bell watched as Goddess Hestia gulped down water frantically and finally settled down.
His attention, however, was soon snatched away by the mention of a banquet by Goddess Astraea and Artemis.
"So... Artemis, would you be going to the banquet your brother has set up later tonight?" Goddess Astraea asked Goddess Artemis with curiosity; even Goddesses liked gossip.
"I didn't think about going before but... are you going, Astraea?" Goddess Artemis asked, deliberately glancing at Bell for a moment.
"Hestia and I have decided to go since... it's better to be well informed and connected with our fellow Goddesses, don't you agree?" Goddess Astraea did not miss Artemis' deliberate glance, her eyes becoming dangerous.
"You're right about that, Astraea. I'll attend too." Goddess Artemis spoke while once again glancing at Bell.
Bell pretended to be blind and deaf, all her signals going right over his head.
What? What were they talking about? A newly ascended Level 2 adventurer like me certainly didn't understand.
Goddess Artemis knew Bell and his behaviour but still decided to try her luck.
"How about you accompany me to the banquet set up by Apollo, Bell?" She didn't even flinch after asking.
Shameless!
Goddess Astraea spoke a moment ago that she had decided to go to the banquet, and now you're asking whether I'll accompany you?
Goddess... Do you think my mind was kicked by a donkey, that I'll accompany you instead of my own Goddess?
But we had to give it to Goddess Artemis for the shameless and casual way she asked the question.
Goddess Astraea was about to blow a fuse with how much Goddess Artemis kept trying to snatch her Bell.
Fortunately... Bell was sensible and spoke before Goddess Astraea could open her mouth.
"I'm flattered by your invite, Goddess Artemis, but I have to accompany my own Goddess for the banquet and wouldn't want others to gossip if you were seen accompanied by a male adventurer." He spoke while gently turning her offer down, giving a personal and collective reason to reinforce his rejection.
Goddess Astraea and Artemis looked at him; both understood the slick tricks he was trying to pull, but neither of them exposed him for it.
Goddess Artemis looked at Bell with quirked lips and spoke with a naughty smile.
"If you can't accompany me to the banquet, then you'd have to at least accompany me to practice your 'aim' together; you nearly left me gasping in shock the last time."
Bell felt an incomparably cold chill erupt from his crown.
[Instinct] went ballistic.
Goosebumps rose across his body.
His hands and legs felt submerged in slabs of ice.
Goddess Artemis glanced at the frozen Bell, then at the composed Goddess Astraea, and excused herself with a self-satisfied smile.
Goddess Hestia's danger sense activated at that instant. The Goddess sneaked out of the drawing room without drawing any attention to herself.
She heard Bell and Goddess Astraea's voices from behind while running to her room ASAP.
"So... practicing 'aim', huh?"
"Goddess... It's not what it sounds like!"
"Left gasping for shock, huh?"
"Goddess! Hear me out first."
"G-Goddess... W-What are you doing!?"
"No... No... Not there!"
"Hmph. If you dare to play around with this... I'll cut it off."
"NOOOOO!"
"Someone... Save me!!!"
...
..
.
Night.
Bell walked out of his home. He was wearing a pitch-black tuxedo for the night, his luminescent white hair presenting a deep contrast to his black coat. He had not worn a bow tie, though, because it didn't feel good on him.
He looked striking with his ruby red eyes blazing with resolve. His white hair reached his shoulders, tied in a makeshift knot.
His thoughts were on the Apollo Familia banquet ahead as he greeted the carriage coach who was standing nearby, their ride to the venue.
Ten minutes later.
Goddess Astraea came out after some waiting. The moment he laid his eyes on her, he felt like someone had punched him straight in the gut.
T-Too beautiful.
Bell was spellbound as he looked at her without any restraint. Goddess Astraea was wearing a walnut brown one-piece dress; it accentuated her curves in all the right places. Her black high heels made her even taller than she already was. She was almost a head taller than Bell himself after wearing high heels.
Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail, but that gave her a homely look, harmonising with her mature look from the one-piece dress and high heels.
Goddess Astraea found his look quite pleasing and winked at him.
His heart skipped a beat. He barely composed himself with a deep breath and complimented her with honesty.
"You... look stunning, Goddess Astraea." His words were heartfelt.
"You don't look so bad yourself, Bell." Her words were a little coy as she roamed her eyes up and down him. She looked in control, if you ignored her slightly flushed cheeks.
She closed the distance between them with a click-clack of her heels, her face gazing at him from above.
Bell looked up at her. He didn't even have a chance to speak before she brought her lips down and pecked his head.
His arms wrapped around her waist in response. She did not react; instead, she brought her lips down once again, this time aiming for his lips.
However...
The door of their house crashed open once again, breaking the atmosphere and forcing them apart as Goddess Hestia eagerly ran out from inside.
"How do I look? Bell? Astraea?" She twirled her dress towards them, showing off her newly bought attire with a smug grin.
She indeed looked mind-blowing.
Goddess Hestia was wearing an elaborate, open-shoulder dress in royal blue colour, with frilled linings. A royal blue collar ribbon adorned her neck. White elbow gloves ending just before her elbows.
Her dress gave her a graceful look, mixing along nicely with her cute face and exaggerated proportions. She wore white high heels to complement the look, her height nearly reaching Bell's head.
"You're going to turn heads at the banquet, Goddess Hestia. I bet Goddess Loki would be envious secretly." Bell spoke truthfully, though he kept sending discreet glances towards Goddess Astraea beside him.
She silently and stealthily intertwined her fingers with his, meanwhile... Goddess Hestia was none the wiser.
"Hehehe~ I can't wait to show off in front of Loki. I won't be Hestia if I didn't make that flatboard die of envy due to my lucious figure...Hehehe~." Goddess Hestia held both of her cheeks with her hands. Her mind already flying away to the scene of everyone fawning over her while Loki looked on while chewing on a white handkerchief with boundless envy.
Bell's one hand was intertwined with Goddess Astraea's. He offered his other hand to Goddess Hestia.
"Shall we?"
"Yes... let's."
Goddess Hestia held onto his other hand.
The three of them walked together and boarded their carriage.
Onwards to the Apollo manor.
Onwards to the grand stage of Orario.
...
..
.
***
[300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
[8 chapters ahead on P@tr3on = [email protected]/Not_Aaryan]
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[Author's Thoughts]
Alright... Enjoy my friends.
&
Don't blame me for leaving you hanging mid action.