After some time had passed since I received Udaeus's black sword, I returned to the camp and saw Bell trembling while clutching a scrap of paper.
"What's wrong? Why are you shaking like that?"
"My goddess... was kidnapped."
"..."
...Are these people insane?
"I'm going!"
"Wait a second."
I projected a magic sword and handed it to Bell.
"Its effect isn't anything special. Just throw it and it explodes. I won't charge you for it."
"Thank you!"
It was a magic sword without a crossguard, longer than a knife but shorter than an arming sword.
As a sword, it was decent enough, so it would do the job.
At this point, even if the kidnapper was Level 5, it should still be enough to inflict a serious wound.
"I came alone, just like you asked. Where is my goddess?"
Bell, holding the magic sword I had given him, appeared before Mold's gang, who had kidnapped Hestia.
"Who knows?"
"..."
Bell had taken up the magic sword I gave him instead of the sword Hestia had given him.
He and Mold's gang had never been on good terms, but this had crossed the line.
"Get him!"
When the Mold who had kidnapped Hestia shouted, the hidden adventurers rushed in all at once.
"[Keraunos]!"
Blue lightning burst from Bell's hand.
The blue lightning swept across the adventurers wearing metal gear, and—
"Guh..."
"H-hey!"
"Kuh..."
"It's only a Level 2 spell..."
Where the lightning passed, only blackened adventurers lay unconscious.
And then,
"One."
"H-hiiik!?"
Bell wrapped lightning around the magic sword from Bellf and picked off the remaining adventurers one by one.
"Lord Hermes. Is this really all right?"
"Ah, it's fine. There's a saying in the Lower World, you know? If you get caught, it's a crime. If you don't, it's art."
"That's not what I mean!"
Hermes, who had incited Mold's gang, was secretly watching Bell fight alongside his follower Aspi.
Unlike the relaxed Hermes, Aspi was tense all over.
"That's Crozzo's magic sword!"
"Huh... really?"
The reason was the Crozzo magic sword in Bell's hand.
In this Orario, and in the entire world, the only person who could make Crozzo's magic swords was Bellf Crozzo.
Bell was the captain of a newborn Familia that was always short on valis.
The fact that he possessed a Crozzo magic sword, a high-priced item that existed on an entirely different level from ordinary magic swords, meant Bellf was backing him from behind.
"You useless fools! I'll—"
"Explode!"
"Guhk!?"
Bell threw the sword at Mold, and the magic sword exploded right in front of him.
Mold was forced to retire on the spot, unable even to use the projected magic tool Aspi had made.
Bell kicked the fallen Mold once and then searched the cave for Hestia.
"...That's strange. That old Zeus. He said Bell had absolutely no talent."
"What are you talking about?"
"..."
Hermes felt a chill run down his entire body at the man's voice from behind him.
The man wasn't threatening him, and he didn't even seem angry, but—
"Why don't you answer me?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
He had the feeling that if he made even the slightest mistake, he wouldn't survive.
"A god sneaking into the Dungeon wasn't enough for you... you even had another Familia's god kidnapped..."
He's insane.
"Well then, I'll see you in court."
"P-please, just let this one slide! Please!"
"No."
Hermes clung to Bellf's leg as he tried to head back to camp.
"Let go."
"If I let go, you'll report me!"
"Then should I just pretend I didn't see it?"
"Couldn't you do that?"
"Do I look like I can?"
"..."
Realizing even he didn't think that was likely, Hermes said,
"If you'll overlook this, I'll provide you with any information you want, free of charge, every time!"
"...Oh?"
It was a rather tempting offer.
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