Bell walked back from the dance stage, sword in hand. Ais following him back. He hadn't even taken two steps when female adventurers and Goddesses surged towards him, surrounding him from all sides.
Among the group... one person stood out most, not because of their beauty or status, but because they were... a male.
Yes... God Apollo was closing in on Bell at least twice as fast as the other female adventurers and Goddesses.
Bell felt his hair stand on end after looking at the eagerness on God Apollo's face as he ran over.
Bro... You're not going to ask for a dance too, right?
He took two silent steps back in disgust...
Way to ruin the mood, Apollo.
While he was recovering from the shock of a gae running towards him eagerly, another gaze, filled with malice, landed on his back.
His eyes followed that malicious gaze to its origin and...
Lo and behold.
It was Hyakinthos Clio.
Clio was looking at Bell as if he had stolen his wife.
Bell had to do a double take.
He glanced at Clio, then back at Apollo.
Something clicked inside his mind.
One likes to give backshots. The other likes to take backshots. It's fine and dandy... I don't care, but... Why are you sickos trying to pull me in between?
Bell felt his stomach churn at the thought. His steps speeding up as he walked towards their table, or more accurately, to Goddess Artemis.
Apollo's mind seems to have short-circuited, right? Otherwise... Why would he try to fuck around with someone like me, who nearly fought the King earlier?
Bell scrambled faster towards Goddess Artemis as God Apollo approached with a spring in his step.
Eww.
He reached his table in mere moments, Ais following behind with palpable confusion at his haste.
Bell didn't waste time and directly stood behind the seat Goddess Artemis was sitting at.
Apollo reached their table in moments, meanwhile... the other female adventurers and Goddesses were held back by the Apollo Familia members to prevent them from flooding the area.
He stayed behind Goddess Artemis as God Apollo greeted her first.
"Hey, Sister. How have you been?" Apollo's voice was genuinely caring. It would've been even more wholesome if he wasn't eyeing Bell like a delicious piece of steak mid greeting.
Apollo's gaze was similar to Freya's, but at least... Freya was a peerless beauty, and most importantly, she was a woman.
I emphasize wo-man.
Bell could still barely bear Freya... but this?
He couldn't bear.
What was even more tragic was that... He couldn't even fold Apollo, since this degenerate would probably fold himself willingly.
Wait... that came out so wrong.
His line of thought was broken by Apollo greeting him directly.
"So... You are Bell Cranel? You were outstanding on the dance floor, Bell. I've rarely seen something so beautiful in the lower world." Apollo's words carried excessive sugar, making Bell cringe.
"How about it, Bell... Shall we have a dance, and show our guests the power of friendship?" Apollo continued without any shame, bullshitting about friendship with a straight face.
...
Right now, Apollo could be summed up in one sentence.
I considered you a bro... But you were after my ass!?
Cough. Cough.
Bell's disgust could no longer be described in mere words.
Apollo, you really have a death wish.
Meanwhile... Apollo's question made four murderous gazes snap at him simultaneously.
Goddess Astraea. Goddess Artemis. Goddess Hestia. Ais.
All four of them looked at Apollo like a dead man walking. Apollo felt a chill run down his spine in response, but shrugged it off a moment later, playing it off as excitement.
"So... " Apollo held his hand towards Bell without fanfare.
Bell looked at the hand offered to him... then at Apollo's face as he licked his lips like a pervert.
A glance was exchanged between Bell and his group. There was no need for elaborate talk. All of them reached the same conclusion silently.
Goddess Artemis was the first one to get up from her seat, followed by Goddess Hestia and Goddess Astraea.
Ais and Goddess Loki followed in moments.
Bell ignored God Apollo's offered hand and walked away from the table... towards the venue exit. Ais and the Goddesses fell in step behind him.
God Apollo was left there... his hand hanging in the air. His face twisted into an ugly grimace.
.
However... Bell's path towards the exit was blocked by a certain crooked person from the Apollo Familia.
Hyakinthos Clio.
[Ittou Shura] ignited silently. His strength jumped up. His speed multiplied.
"God Apollo is inviting you. How dare yo—" Clio spoke.
Slap.
Clio flew sideways like a kite with its strings cut.
Bell had backhanded Clio like swatting aside trash.
He even cleaned his hand, which had touched Clio, on his coat.
What was contempt?
This was contempt.
What was disregard?
This was disregard.
He walked out of the venue exit, even forgetting someone like Clio existed in the first place.
...
..
.
Deep Night.
Home.
"We're home... It was so awkward with Apollo earlier." Goddess Hestia spoke while reclining on the sofa in the living room.
"You know how Apollo is, Hestia. Just ignore him, it would be better for us that way." Goddess Astraea spoke while pouring herself a glass of water.
"Yeah, I know that, but... how can Apollo invite our Bell for a waltz without an ounce of shame?" Goddess Hestia wondered in bewilderment.
"Forget us... Even his sister Artemis was probably shocked. We knew he had 'different' tastes after coming to the lower world, but to let his lust control him? It doesn't suit a sun god like him." Goddess Astraea spoke her thoughts aloud after drinking the water she had poured herself.
Silence fell between them for a moment.
"We took the best decision by leaving the banquet at that time." Goddess Hestia concluded after thinking.
"Yes... You're right." Goddess Astraea concurred.
Bell quietly listened to them. His thoughts simple.
Apollo will definitely not let this humiliation go...
So...
"I'll be back in a moment, Goddesses," Bell said after a moment of silence.
"I'm going out for a walk."
...
..
.
A person covered in a dark cloak walked towards the Apollo mansion, a clown mask engulfing his face.
Evilus Faction.
Hall of Souls.
Reporting for duty.
...
..
.
***
[300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
[8 chapters ahead on P@tr3on = [email protected]/Not_Aaryan]
...
[Author's Thoughts]
Our boy is about to take a walk, and you all know what that means, right??
A certain vampire - "I like to take very enthusiastic walks."
...
Bell is going to be such a pain in the ass for both Evilus and Apollo... damn.
Things are going to get heated soon.
And funny too.