Step, step—
"....."
After Eton departed from the Great Temple, the sound of footsteps echoed through the halls once more.
"The sword of Epimetheus... is it?"
Akumo had come to the Great Temple alone, drawn by a feeling that he simply had to be here.
However, even as he gazed upon the sword resting there, no particular emotion stirred within him.
"Akumo-kun?"
Just then, the familiar voice of a goddess reached him from behind.
"Hestia-sama. I figured you would be here."
"And I figured you would follow us..."
Hestia trailed off into thought, as if she had already anticipated Akumo following them to [Olympia].
"....Hestia-sama."
"What is it, Akumo-kun?"
"It's obvious you know something... but I've conducted my own investigation as well."
"....."
Akumo began to recount the findings of his investigation to Hestia.
The element of the flame sustaining the city itself, the legend of Epimetheus that had never been passed down to the outside world, and even his own intentional exclusion from the proceedings.
"Furthermore, we've seen an incident like this before, haven't we?"
"....!!"
Led by Hermes' guidance, heading toward an unknown location at the behest of an outsider.
Experiencing a unique adventure in that place, only for...
"This is far too similar to what happened at Elsos."
If that were the case, then the entity waiting at the end of this story would be anything but ordinary.
"Since you sent the uninvited guests ahead, I've decided to show up as an uninvited guest myself."
Step, step—
"I'm prepared for whatever I might hear."
Having said his piece, Akumo headed toward the exit of the Great Temple without pressing Hestia further on what she was hiding.
GONG—!!
GONG—!!!
GONG—!!!!
""!?""
The sound of alarm bells ringing out across the city echoed from the distance.
Dash—!!!
"Talk about perfect timing!"
"I don't even know what's happening this time!!!"
An emergency had occurred less than a minute after they had discussed the dangers of this adventure.
Akumo, having expected something like this, was already running toward the gates with Hestia on his back.
"Run!!! The invaders' attack is beginning!!!"
"""Aaaah!!!"""
As expected, the alarm bells were not a harbinger of good news. Soldiers and citizens alike were in a state of high alert against the invaders.
Dash—!!!
'I can't hide anymore. I need to rendezvous with Bell and the others right n—'
Just as Akumo was formulating a plan to join Bell and repel the invaders.
"Leave only the minimum number of guards at the gate! Don't forget your blindfolds and earplugs! Ah, and nose plugs too!"
'....?'
A bizarre command reached their ears.
"What did they just say...."
"I definitely heard them say to leave only the minimum number of guards... didn't I?"
Akumo and Hestia were baffled. They watched in confusion as the forces retreated even as an invader approached.
"Lili! Everyone! What on earth is going on!?"
"Bell-sama! We don't know what's happening either..."
"It's shocking enough that an invader is coming to the Sanctuary, but the soldiers are literally covering their eyes and ears and falling over themselves...."
"Just who is invading...."
Bell's group was in the same state of confusion.
Bell had arrived in a hurry and asked for a status report, but Lili, Aisha, Ryu, and Welf—who had reached the gate first—couldn't offer an explanation.
"""...."""
Gulp—!
Tension hung heavy in the air as they stood before the gate, filled with questions about the approaching enemy.
BOOM—!!!!!!!
The city wall burst open as if it had exploded, and the invader finally revealed herself.
Dash—!
"Bell!!"
"Brother!?"
""""""Akumo(!!)(!?) (Akumo-san!?) (Akumo-sama!?)""""""
In the wake of the explosion, Akumo decided he could no longer afford to hide his identity and stepped forward.
"Ho-ho-ho-ho!!!!"
Suddenly, a feminine laugh filled with supreme confidence rang out.
""""".....?"""""
It wasn't the roar of a monster, the battle cry of a vanguard, nor the sound of flying arrows or clashing steel. It was the voice of a woman.
Hearing such a voice, Akumo and Bell's entire group stood there, utterly stunned.
"It appears to be an invasion, Freya-sama."
"Since Akumo-san and those guys have likely headed there, let us take this opportunity to hide ourselves."
Meanwhile, at the center of the city, Artemis and Freya were being briefed on the commotion.
"Now that I think about it...."
"What is it, Artemis?"
Artemis's expression stiffened into one of discomfort as she listened to Hedin and Horn, and she spoke with a troubled voice.
"One of my friends is here..."
"Well, Olympia is Olympus's territory after all."
"No, I mean, that's true, but... she's a bit unique, I suppose?"
Regardless of who her friend was.
"You lot! Who is the most beautiful being in all the world~?"
""""It is you!!!!""""
Even without being told, Akumo would know who it was instantly.
"Then~ who is the most beautiful, noble, and lovely goddess—the ultimate, invincible goddess before whom men, women, and even gods kneel~?"
The entity threw out the question in a beautiful, melodic voice, shamelessly spouting words of self-praise.
"""""It is you, the most sublime one!!!!"""""
As if ensnared by someone's 'Charm,' those standing before her praised and affirmed her every word.
"This feeling.... could it be...."
The specific aura radiating from them was the aura of 'Charm' that Akumo had seen all too often from a certain goddess.
Strike a pose—!
"That's right! In the Heavens, the Lower World, and even the three thousand worlds including the Dungeon!"
"The most beautiful and elegant one is me, the one who presides over beauty and love!!"
The undisputed greatest beauty of Olympus, in charge of beauty and love.
"Since I've graced you with my presence again, become mine at once! Olympia!"
Aphrodite. She had descended upon this [Olympia].
"""""""..."""""""
The group was speechless at the sight of Aphrodite—who was indeed beautiful, yet simultaneously shattered her own image with her antics.
"...Despite being as beautiful as she claims, why does that goddess look so remarkably stupid....?"
"Andromeda, that is blasphemy... She is a goddess, after all...."
"You're subtly looking down on her too, aren't you...?"
Asfi, Ryu, and Aisha could only stare with exasperated expressions, forgetting their initial wariness.
"No, wait.... are you serious.... why is she here...."
"Good grief, I can't believe she's actually in Olympia... How on earth did she break the barrier?"
"........"
Hestia, Hermes, and Hephaestus—all being from Olympus—naturally knew who she was.
Their expressions grew even more troubled as they reeled from the shock of Aphrodite's appearance.
"What are you dawdling for? Hand everything over this instant!"
Sparkle—!
"To me, the Goddess among Goddesses! Aphrodite!"
Akumo clutched his head as a headache began to form, but Aphrodite's tirade continued.
"Otherwise, I'll smash this place to pieces!"
"""""Uoooohh!!!!!!!!"""""
As if responding to her command, Aphrodite's followers let out a roar, looking ready to charge at any second.
"G-Goddess Aphrodite! It's the same no matter how many times you come! You cannot enter, so please go back!"
A young girl, appearing to be a shrine maiden, mustered her courage to ask Aphrodite to leave.
"Shut up!! I said hand it over, so hand it over!"
Grin—!
"Or perhaps... you'd like me to 'Charm' you to your very core?"
Aphrodite didn't listen to a word. She immediately unleashed her Charm.
Shwaaaa—!!
Unlike Freya, she unleashed an unbridled wave of Charm that washed over the surroundings.
"Aaaah~! Aphrodite-sama~! So beautiful! The ultimate beauty! The invincible goddess!"
"Damn it! She's been Charmed!!"
"Minukia!! You're a shrine maiden, how can you let yourself get Charmed!!!"
Naturally, the girl couldn't resist. She was instantly Charmed and joined the ranks of the followers trying to force the gate open.
"This is insane.... it's just straight-up brainwashing..."
"Just looking at her, just hearing her voice... you'll be [Charmed]!"
Welf and Lili were horrified, desperately covering their eyes and ears to block out Aphrodite's power.
"If we act recklessly, we'll just make fools of ourselves... It's no use, I can't move!"
'Especially not with Akumo-san right here...!'
"And yet you're covering your eyes and ears perfectly fine..."
Even Aisha and Ryu, the powerhouses Hermes had brought, were unable to move easily.
Just as the situation was becoming dire, with the enemy attempting to force the gate while the defenders were paralyzed.
"W-What's wrong with you two!?"
""Long live Aphrodite-sama~! Ultimate! Invincible! The best~!!""
"Mikoto-sama and Haruhime-sama have been...!!"
To make matters worse, Mikoto and Haruhime, who hadn't managed to cover their eyes and ears in time, had fallen under the Charm.
"Sigh.... Why are all these deities of beauty like this...."
"I wish she had at least half the moderation Freya-sama shows.... They're all so selfish..."
Akumo let out a weary sigh, showing his exhaustion. Hermes agreed with him while searching for a way to resolve the crisis.
"Fighting is impossible because of the Charm, but staying still is also impossible...."
Glance—
Adventurers who could move in this situation, who were both strong and fast.
""...""
There were two such adventurers right in front of Hermes who fit those criteria perfectly.
"Let's go...."
"W-Will it be okay...!? Brother...."
"It'll be fine, so let's just end this quickly...."
'This Charm is a real pain in the neck...!'
========================
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