The information spread through the city in an instant, and under the instigation of the gods who loved festivals, many people welcomed the guests.
"""""Waaaaah!!!!!!!"""""
The main street overflowed with countless demi-humans, marking the beginning of a grand festival merged with the Goddess Festival.
"...First, I thank you for such a warm welcome."
Ssh—
"O Founding God of Orario."
In the depths of Orario, a place now familiar to some.
One of the individuals known as the guests stood before Ouranos.
A woman named Rhea spoke to him.
"The citizens of the city offered this hospitality of their own accord. It was not by my decree."
"Even so, I am grateful. We are well aware that we are originally 'unwelcome existences.'"
Just as the conversation between Ouranos and Rhea was about to delve deeper into the meaning of her words—
"Sorry to butt in, but for most of the gods, their primary goal is 'scrutiny.'"
"They're using their children to pretend to welcome you while constantly observing your every move."
Hermes's voice drifted in, revealing the hidden side of the welcome to her.
"...I already knew that. We are the ones who broke a silence that has lasted for thousands of years, after all."
Rhea seemed to be in deep thought about a certain matter, as if she had already anticipated this.
"Has your master also set foot upon this land?"
"No... I believe you already know, but our Master is a cautious individual. He does not reveal himself even to us."
Only then did Rhea begin to speak of what seemed to be their true purpose for coming here.
"He will be waiting for our return in that place—our homeland and sanctuary."
"...."
"Believing that we shall bring back the [Eternal Holy Flame]."
At her words, a heavy gravity settled in Ouranos's eyes as he questioned the meaning behind them.
"...What is your objective?"
"The [Salvation of the World]. The end must not come before the desires of the lower world are fulfilled."
Rhea continued, speaking as if it were merely their duty, something that simply had to be done.
"To contact the Goddess we seek, we have arbitrarily sent shrine maidens as envoys."
With those final words, the meeting between the God of Orario and the guests from the unknown land concluded.
Another day passed, and the boisterous days continued.
Buzz, buzz—!
"The city is buzzing with talk about the people who arrived yesterday... Are they really that incredible?"
The scenery of Orario was several times more chaotic than usual, combined with the Goddess Festival.
Bell looked around the surroundings with Hestia, surprised by the spectacle.
"Hmm... I feel like we're being completely played by the gods, but even after hearing the stories, I can't tell which country they're from..."
"Some say they're royalty from somewhere, or ancient people resurrected in the modern era..."
"Others say they're a harem army belonging to an incredibly wealthy concubine..."
Hestia couldn't get a handle on the identity of the guests who were causing as much of a stir in Orario as the Goddess Festival itself.
Just where did they come from to spawn such a mountain of rumors...?
"What!? A harem!?!?"
Of course, Bell reacted with shock to the last part.
"Why are you reacting to the harem part, Bell~!!!"
"Ah, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!! My grandfather's teachings just came out unconsciously...!"
Bell hurriedly apologized to the fuming Hestia, but thoughts of his grandfather—who taught him things like 'a man's romance'—kept surfacing.
"Honestly...!! I thought you'd stopped saying things like 'seeking an encounter in the dungeon' after you met that Wallen-whatever girl, but here you go again!!"
Hestia was clearly displeased with Bell's behavior.
Step, step—
"Yawn~"
At that time, Akumo was walking the streets alone.
Information he had gathered while investigating the noisy city was swirling in his mind.
"....."
'From a distant continent...?'
There were too many suspicious points. If such entities existed, there was no way he or those around him wouldn't have known.
'...And Loki left, saying she had business.'
The fact that she, someone who never missed out on a prank or fun, had left the scene made Akumo certain that something was definitely afoot.
"I haven't a clue~ Well, if I'm with Bell, I'm bound to get involved in whatever it is!"
Ultimately, unable to reach a proper conclusion, Akumo set off to find his younger brother, who was always a magnet for trouble.
Dash—!!
Someone was watching Akumo as he moved.
".....Dangerous."
'The request I received will go to waste at this rate.'
"There they are~"
Thud—!
Bam—!
Akumo moved quickly through the streets, kicking off buildings.
Before long, he reached an alleyway where the sounds of a scuffle could be heard.
"Stop this wickedness! If you continue, I will step in on behalf of Finn-san and the others!"
The boy he was looking for was there.
As expected, he had gotten caught up in an incident again, protecting a group of girls from some thugs.
Ssh—!
"Hmm...?"
However, Akumo noticed something heterogeneous about the girls Bell was protecting.
"Y-You... the [Rabbit Foot]!?"
"A First-Tier Adventurer....! He was still here... Damn it, let's bail!!!"
Dash—!!!
Even as the thugs beaten by Bell fled the scene, Akumo's gaze remained fixed on the girls.
"....."
'Outfits I've never seen before... and they get involved with Bell on a day like today...?'
A conviction arose from the depths of his heart.
Grin—!
"He really is my brother."
'He has a knack for finding interesting things.'
Just as he was about to descend from the building to join the fray—
Crackle—!
"!?"
Akumo captured a bolt of thunder flying toward him at high speed. He took the hit directly and was knocked back.
"Hmm? Just now, from above...."
Bell sensed the presence and wondered if someone was on the building.
"....!! A-Ah....!"
"?"
"Oh my... could this be.... Is this fate...?"
Looking at Ilia, who was blushing while staring at him, Bell became flustered and ultimately failed to notice anything else.
"....."
The magic had struck his side and sent him flying.
Akumo knew very well who the owner of that magic was. Thus, he lay there quietly and spoke.
"What the hell was that for?"
"...."
Soon, the name of an Elf escaped his lips.
"Hedin."
Hedin Selland.
The one known by the epithet [White-Radiant Magical Spear], called the strongest duo alongside Hogni Ragnar.
He served as the rational brain that led the Freya Familia.
'For a guy like him....'
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
There was no way such a person would attack Akumo without a reason.
"...I will explain, so do not approach Bell Cranel for a while."
"....?"
"I am merely following orders, so do not think too strangely of it."
Hedin's cryptic words were followed by the sound of women cheering in the distance.
"""""Vesta-sama!!!!!"""""
"Euaaaaaaaa!?"
At the same time, hearing Hestia's horrified scream, Akumo immediately turned his head to look down from the building. A shocking sight met his eyes.
"Oh my goodness! It's really Vesta-sama! I've met the real thing!!!"
"She's so beautiful!!"
"So holy!!"
""""Kyaaaa!!!!!!!""""
Hestia was surrounded by women who appeared to be the foreign guests, looking very much like she was in the middle of a harem.
"W-What on earth is....?"
Even Akumo froze at the shocking sight. He slowly turned his gaze back to Hedin and spoke.
"....Let's go."
"....Very well."
There was no doubt that something definitely strange was happening.
"Whoa.... What is all this?"
Step, step—
The place Hedin led him to was the home of the Freya Familia.
However, an unexpected scene was unfolding there.
"It's... empty...."
'What's gotten into everyone to make them leave...?'
Ottar, Allen, the Gulliver brothers—even Hogni's presence could not be felt.
While he questioned this, Hedin, who was guiding him, began to explain.
"A quest came in. Regarding a swarm of monsters outside Orario."
"Specifically for you guys?"
"Yes. Everyone was so focused on their training that they volunteered immediately."
"Hmm~"
'I wonder why...?'
Akumo had no way of knowing that the reason was the intense will of the Goddess's followers, who couldn't bear to see him getting ahead of them.
"Anyway, the reason you interfered with me. Can you tell me now?"
"...."
"No, I know it's Freya-sama's instruction~ but isn't it strange?"
'For a guy who should be busy with the Goddess Festival to personally lead me here...'
Without his questions being resolved, Akumo reached Freya's room.
Creeeak—!
The door opened, and the Goddess within, along with a young girl, welcomed him.
"You've come?"
"....."
Freya, the Goddess of Beauty and the Patron Deity of Orario's strongest faction.
"And beside you... Horn?"
"....It has been a while."
"This is rare. The two of you together."
"....."
Since Akumo already knew Horn's secret, the fact that even Horn—who would usually be assisting the Goddess's hobbies—was there made him feel that something was truly unusual.
".....What?"
Soon, upon hearing the information regarding this incident, his face couldn't help but harden.