Flower Language for You Part 2

She experienced the same feeling of betrayal she felt when she found

out Hörn had betrayed the goddess. A traitor like Hörn. When she

confirmed that, Heith cast aside all doubt and embraced a raging inferno of

wrath.

"Have you no shame, apostate! Lady Freya's will is absolute! How can

you speak of devotion while turning your back on it?!"

"Talking with zealots like you is tiresome. And a waste of time. Go to

sleep."

The barrage of lightning began anew.

Even though Heith was the only one still left standing, the awful

lightning strikes continued to fall.

"As if!"

Struck by successive blows, her body was scorched and blasted, at times

her limbs were barely hanging on, but the golden crest on her skin quickly

undid all of the damage.

"Ars Gullveig! Even if you are a first-tier adventurer, you can't finish me

off! I am Heith Velvet—the witch Lady Freya bestowed with gold!"

A golden glow emanated from her as she continued healing with a

bottomless regeneration. The auto-heal that even Crozzo's magic swords

couldn't break. Despite being a Level 4's magic, it still endured Hedin's

Caurus Hildr. It was truly an absurd ability.

"So long as I am here, the einherjar and Andhrímnir will not fall! I will

protect Lady Freya!"

Heith raged as the anger went to her head. Bathed in countless lightning

strikes, her body shuddered, but she stepped forward, attempting to

advance.

"Silence, pig."

"Wh—"

Hedin spoke, as if it was a waste of his time.

"Can't finish you off? Fool. Your magic isn't eternal. It's finite."

As if it was bothersome even to explain.

He continued speaking while maintaining his barrage.

"Mind is required to make use of magic. That is something everyone

knows."

Heith's Mind capacity was a clear cut above other healers and mages of

the same level as her.

The amount of healing she could sustain over time was one of the

coalition's greatest concerns.

However…

"Between my Mind and yours, who do you think has the greater

capacity?"

" "

Hedin Selrand.

The magic swordsman who even Riveria Ljos Alf acknowledged had the

highest total Mind of anyone in the city.

When that realization hit Heith, it quenched her fiery rage. and she

froze.

"It goes without saying who will run out of strength first."

The barrage accelerated.

A furious torrent of lightning that surpassed even Heith's healing levels.

She healed, regenerated, recovered, and continued to be struck and

scorched by lightning. Heith's magic creaked and groaned. Her advance

halted, and finally her knees struck the ground. Buffeted by an unceasing

barrage, she saw it—the scornful sneer on the elf's handsome face.

"Your gold is inferior to that incomplete goddess—to Hörn."

Her eyes widened, and she screamed as he revealed the jealousy that she

had felt toward Hörn.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

Lightning.

Destruction.

When the merciless artillery barrage finally stopped, what lay on the

ground was a golden wreckage that turned out to be not so eternal after all.

"Hedin Selrand…!"

Lyu was visibly stunned.

It had been almost instantaneous.

Right after she had defeated Hegni, he immediately unleashed his magic

and annihilated the Andhrímnir.

She went still for a few moments at the impossible situation.

"Gale Wind! Go to the northwest!"

After putting Heith down, Hedin fired off a command.

"That stupid rabbit…Rabbit Foot is fighting Ottar in an amphitheater

there!"

"!"

"Facing that one alone is hopeless! Go do something!"

Her fellow elf unhesitatingly gave Lyu an order. After a brief instant's

shock, Lyu shot back.

"You expect me to listen to a member of Freya Familia! To believe

you've switched sides?"

"I cleared away all the healers that were such a threat to you. Do you

need any further proof?"

As he said that, a bolt of lightning floating above his shoulder—magic

he had had on standby—activated.

The target was Lyu's position…because a battered beast person had been

sneaking up on her. He slumped to the ground with a groan. It was an

einherjar who had used his allies as shields to somehow survive her

Luminous Wind.

Lyu's eyes widened at the efficient shot that had protected her.

"…I find it difficult to accept this. You could rightly say I am agitated."

"From my view, you are just as irregular yourself. As a result, I had to

move up the timetable for my plan."

Hedin leaped closer, still keeping a certain distance as he stood across

from her.

Despite their words, the two white elves calmly revealed their thoughts.

"But there was value and meaning in moving sooner."

"…"

"I'll use you. So make use of me, too."

"…Answer me one question. Why?"

Hedin's answer was unchanged.

"Obviously, for my master's sake."

Their eyes locked.

Their matching blond hair swayed in the sandy breeze.

After a moment, Lyu decided to trust her fellow elf's eyes.

"I will go to Bell. What will you do?"

"My thunder is more efficient for destruction than your wind. I will

follow after taking care of some cleanup. Go."

Turning away from her, Hedin deployed another magic circle.

He didn't even look at Lyu as he put the determination in his heart into

words.

"It is I who embarked on this foolish path. I am the sinner who disgraced

the goddess."

I won't yield that position to anyone else.

With that last, unspoken declaration, Hedin began the bombardment of

Freya Familia's headquarters.

"Gaaaaah?!"

"H-Hedin! What are—?!"

"Uwaaaaaah?!"

The einherjar on standby were devastated by a storm of lightning.

Even though he had moved the headquarters forward while leaving

Freya in the house of the gods at the westernmost point of the island, he let

go of all hesitation. The members of Freya Familia that had been held back

in reserve were swept away before they could realize what was happening.

The stone pavement exploded, and a storm of lightning filled the area.

"L-Lady Freya?!"

"Hedin is attacking the headquarters!"

News of the disaster quickly reached Freya.

Hearing the report of her guards who came rushing in, there was a look

of amazement on her face.

"Gh…? Hedin…?"

This was a development even Freya hadn't predicted.

Even she never doubted Hedin's loyalty. Because before the war game,

even with the eyes of a deity, she could detect no lie in his pledge of loyalty.

"I will not beg your forgiveness, Lady Freya."

Imagining the look that was likely on her face in that moment, Hedin

murmured to himself.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, hiding the foolish emotion he felt, he

looked out over the battlefield more nobly than anyone.

"This is my ego. In exchange for being branded a traitor, I will see this

through to the end."

With Hedin's resolve, the bombardment intensified.

It was a lighting blast that made friend and foe alike stare in surprise.

Freya Familia's headquarters and its left wing.

The entire main battlefield was in firing range for him, and his mopping

up made a giant mess of the battle.

""""What are you doing, Hedin?!""""

Dodging or swatting aside all of the magic bolts fired at them, the

Gulliver brothers erupted.

"Guaaaaaaaa…?!"

More einherjar fell, helpless to do anything against the menace falling

from the skies.

It was an ultra-dense fusillade that struck only Freya Familia, and in the

face of its terrible destructive power, even Level 3 adventurers were

knocked out entirely from a single shot. And there were no more

Andhrímnir to revive them. Without the blessing of resurrection, they were

just simple adventurers.

The ultimate formation that had so tormented the coalition melted away

before their eyes.

As the screams and shouts reached his ears on the wind, Hedin

monologued.

"I did say this was the strongest formation."

—When they are within earshot, I can command the warriors as freely

as I move my arms and legs.

—This method is the most efficient. This formation is the strongest.

He had said all of that himself.

An absolute brain controlling the individually powerful einherjar like

arms and legs. That did indeed possess a destructive ability greater than

Loki Familia, who excelled at strength in cooperation.

However—

"But if I were to fall, or to change sides, that would make this the

weakest formation."

From another angle, Freya Familia's current deployment was too

dependent on Hedin. More than Loki Familia depended on Finn, even. So if

there were some disruption to the head of the formation, it would collapse

in the blink of an eye.

They had already completely lost the chain of command. The einherjar

were overly optimized for fighting and ran around aimlessly while the elf

who could precisely see the board was able to unleash an accurate and

mercilessly fusillade.

"There is nothing strange at all about this. It is the natural consequence

of my decision."

Who possessed the greatest magic firepower in this war game?

Hedin.

Who had the greatest range on this battlefield?

Hedin.

And who understood the deployments of each side and grasped the

current state of the battle better than anyone?

Hedin.

Hedin Selrand's betrayal was the one and only event that could sink this

battle into unrecoverable chaos.

"I have preserved my Mind. Don't worry, I'll eradicate every last one of

you."

The defeat of a first-tier adventurer would break the spirits of any army.

So what happened after the betrayal of a first-tier adventurer?

The answer was simple.

Despair.

"It's shifting!"

Finn's eyes opened wide.

"It's shifting?!"

Hermes was dumbfounded.

"It's shiftiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!"

And Ibly let go with a loud shout.

"The balance! Freya Familia's overwhelmingly superior position! A

single savage elf has upended the balance of power!!!"

His stupendous bombardment that had poured down across the main

battlefield. Orario shook again after witnessing the destruction Caurus Hildr

left in its wake.

Even complete amateurs could tell that Freya Familia had been dealt a

painful blow.

This was a situation that Finn hadn't imagined and Hermes hadn't

foreseen. That was only natural. Even Hedin's patron goddess Freya hadn't

suspected this.

But regardless, the tide was turning.

"You can't say the remaining forces are even! The first-tier adventurers,

even minus the black and white knights, are still unscathed! But the

einherjar and Andhrímnir being taken down means that Lady Freya has her

back against the wall now…!"

Hermes leaned forward toward the mirror as cheers and boos filled the

thirtieth floor of Babel.

Most of the coalition's deities had dropped out. Only four remained:

Hestia Familia, Miach Familia, Hathor Familia, and Plutus Familia. The

number of followers who could still fight had dropped below thirty. It was

already just a coalition in name only, hovering on the precipice of complete

destruction.

But Freya Familia's einherjar, excepting those at the house of the gods

serving as Freya's guards and the squadron in the east led by Allen, were

almost completely wiped out, and the familia members following the

Gulliver brothers were even now running for their lives from the barrage.

Strictly speaking, if the coalition could keep Ottar and the other first-tier

adventurers in place while scraping together a force strong enough to

assault the house of the gods, they could pressure the queen whose defenses

had grown terribly thin.

"This is different! They have a clear path to victory now!"

Meanwhile in Loki Familia's home, Finn shared his thoughts with the

familia.

"It's huge that Ottar and Allen are so far away…!"

He was excitedly standing on the sofa.

Freya Familia's number one and number two. If they worked together,

they would be able to put the coalition down, even with Hedin switching

sides. That was just a testament to how much power and speed the city's

strongest and the city's fastest could bring to bear.

But Allen was currently on the far eastern edge of the island on Hedin's

orders.

The lines of communication couldn't be stretched any further. And Ottar

was fighting in the ruins to the northwest, far enough away that even Allen

couldn't cover the distance in an instant.

"He gained a lot of time and distance sending Allen after the coalition

deities! …He adapted Lilliluka Erde's original failed strategy!"

That theft made Finn groan as he looked down at the game board from a

distance.

And Lilly, whose strategy had been hijacked, just wanted to scream at

Hedin.

"What is this cherry-picking all the good parts for yourself…!!!"

Lilly was furious atop the mausoleum.

Her anger was understandable. After all, he had easily coopted the

strategy that she had feverishly crafted while enduring pressure that she

swore would be the death of her. There was a sense of defeat and inferiority

seeing him easily accomplish what had been impossible for her.

"What nobility? What honor? He's just a savage, evil elf!"

She stomped and flailed her arms, screaming with tears in her eyes.

"—Is probably what your spewing, but don't misunderstand."

Hedin spoke, accurately predicting that she would be having a tantrum.

"This is all your achievement. Your deployment was excellent. Be

proud. It was adequate enough for me to recycle it."

Because the positioning, commands, and tactics were all skillfully done,

Hedin was able to adopt her strategy for himself. Or more precisely,

because it was skillful, he judged it worthy of coopting. It was because she

was there that the battle had gone in this direction.

"Arrrrrrggggghhh! Ms. Haruhime, Ms. Aisha! Fall back with the

Berbera! Forget the enemy! Just completely ignore them! You'll get used as

cover from the barrage!"

"Y-yes, Miss Lilly!"

"I know! I'm not getting mixed up in this insane magic!"

What made that clear was the fact that Lilly had given that order through

the oculus before Hedin had announced his betrayal.

The einherjar couldn't even try to use the coalition adventurers as

shields. Aisha's group had pulled back from the left wing at some point,

linking up with Haruhime's reserve, aiming to gather in front of the

mausoleum, at the point where Tsubaki's completely destroyed division had

been.

A location where they wouldn't get in the way of Hedin's shots.

"Efficient. But that is as it should be."

Lilly had promptly anticipated the situation and prepared for the

possibility that Hedin would switch sides. Precisely because none other than

Hedin had arranged it.

He had set out all the signs in advance.

He had moved Freya Familia's headquarters up farther than necessary,

approaching the Andhrímnir, as if signaling the possibility of his betrayal in

a way that only a commander in the field could possibly notice.

Not because he had confidence in a commander he had never even met

before.

But because he trusted the shadow of Finn lurking behind her.

"If he was giving you hints, then you should be able to see it."

Hedin had even used the information he learned at Wishe, that Finn

intended to teach Lilly.

They hadn't arranged it in advance. It was solely Hedin's decision. His

plan couldn't work unless he succeeded in deceiving both his allies and his

enemies, so of course he wouldn't share it there. Allen and the others had

sharp noses. If he had made contact with Lilly, they would surely have seen

through it no matter how much subterfuge was involved.

Because of that, on the other side of the mirror, the prum hero smiled,

guessing everything.

Lilliluka Erde…you probably noticed the possibility of my betrayal

based on the fact that I was holding a good portion of my Mind in reserve.

Other than the opening barrage that had stunned Daphne and Lilly,

Hedin intentionally refrained from any area-wide bombardments. He left

the following rampage to Hegni and the others, preserving his Mind for this

moment.

Lilly might have been scared the magical barrage could resume at any

moment, but on realizing that it wasn't coming, she would surely have felt

something was off. Putting all those pieces together, she would guess what

he was really targeting.

Even though he couldn't be sure, he expected her to be prepared to use

him, even as she fought against such an immense force—and though Hedin

had no way of knowing, it was the possibility that Bell had voiced earlier

that was the final factor in her decision.

"You pass. I acknowledge it. You are capable, prum. Far more so than

that stupid rabbit."

After giving her his greatest praise, which would have made Bell cry if

he heard it, Hedin adjusted his glasses.

It wasn't just Lilly, either.

Though he accepted the insolence of it, he had also made use of his

master's sudden change of intent. Thanks to that, he had been able to

distance Allen from the main battlefield. If it was Hedin's order, it would

have invited argument, or in the worst-case suspicions of his betrayal.

Hedin hadn't let any of the opportunities that had appeared slip by,

including Gale Wind's sudden reinforcement. Sifting through the enormous

range of possibilities, he had managed to materialize this current situation.

"The majority of the coalition was sacrificed all for this moment. And

even with that, the balance of power is still disadvantageous."

It had been a major gamble.

Like a king embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime gamble, Hedin had been

forced to push all-in.

That was just how powerful Freya Familia was.

"But there still remain some usable pieces."

There were still cards left at hand with which to fight.

So they still had a chance of victory.

"To fulfill my wish—and to have her realize her wish, I shall lend my

strength. Work like your life depends on it, adventurers."

""""Hedin, you bastard!!!""""

The Gullivers were furious.

Of all people, it was the retainer whose loyalty they never questioned,

even if they did detest him. Their rage knew no bounds.

"That piece-of-shit four-eyes!"

"How mad does he have to go before he's satisfied!"

"Purge him!"

"Murder him!"

The lightning continued to rain down. And worst of all, the Andhrímnir

who were the familia's lifeline had been wiped out. The balance had

shifted. There was no scale great enough to measure the sin Hedin had

committed. The four brothers let loose a shout that terrified friend and foe

alike and, ignoring the coalition entirely, they started to charge at the

loathsome white elf.

But—

"Oraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

A steel fist unleashed a thunderous blast.

"Gaaaaaah?!"

The powerful blow slammed into the ground, blowing away all the

einherjar fleeing the hail of lightning in a panic.

The shock emanating from behind them forced the Gulliver brothers to

turn around.

""""What now?!""""

Spinning around in annoyance, they were greeted by several figures.

"Who, us? Allies of justice of course! We'll be jumping on Lyu's

bandwagon, mew!"

"As if there's an ally of justice like you, black cat."

The shadow of a cat person spinning a knife appeared in the cloud of

dust. And a human figure stood up, pulling their fist out of the cratered

ground.

The breeze flowing through the massive caldera blew the cloud away,

revealing the group that had appeared on the battlefield.

"We're here for some payback, mini-mes!"

Runoa Faust drove her right fist into the palm of her left hand.

"Meooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!!!"

Chloe and the rest of the cat people yowled to echo that declaration of

war.

"That's…! Lady Runoa, Lady Chloe?!"

"They're…the tavern girls?!"

Haruhime, who was still invisible, and Aisha were both taken aback.

""""The Benevolent Mistress!""""

There was venom in the Gulliver brothers' cry.

The workers at The Benevolent Mistress were not wearing their usual

green uniforms but an array of battle clothes and armor. Runoa wore short

clothes that bared her stomach and a scarf, Chloe a short, hooded cape.

They and the rest of the girls were wielding weapons that no civilians

would hold and brimming with determination to fight.

"More reinforcements after Ms. Lyu…?"

Lilly also noticed the girls from The Benevolent Mistress appearing at

the southeast end of the main battlefield. Runoa and Chloe, who were Level

4, went without saying, but the others also gave off the air of upper-level

adventurers.

Orario's strongest tavern had joined the fray.

"Whoa, enemies and allies are sleeping everywhere meow. This is why

we were in such a rush."

"We're seriously late. All 'cause of a certain stupid cat."

Chloe casually swished her tail as she looked around while Runoa's lips

broke into a smile.

And then a single cat person walked out from behind the group.

"—I'm back meow, Freya Familia."

A golden shoulder guard that reflected the sunlight and a spear with a

gold design.

The few remaining einherjar murmured at that familiar sight.

"Vana Alfi…"

"Ahnya Fromel!"

The stunned voices focused on Ahnya.

And the chaos also reached the eastern edge of the island far in the

distance.

"Allen! The lightning flashes that have been going off! That was Hedin

attacking our—!"

"That miserable fly…! What the hell is he thinking?!"

Allen and the einherjar hunting down the deities noticed the disturbance

at their main base. Hearing the report of the scout that had run to the center

line and then hurried back to report, Allen was furious, but his expression

changed again when he heard the next part.

"A-also…reinforcements from The Benevolent Mistress have been

confirmed! Including Vana Alfi—"

"—What?!"

The scout was speechless after giving that report because of the mask of

fury that appeared on Allen's face. As the other einherjar gulped, Allen

clenched his silver spear, as if to snap it, and glared to the west.

"That dumbass!"

The hellish gazes of the einherjar skewered Ahnya. And her brother who

was somewhere on the island would find out soon enough, and he'd scorn

her, too.

Surrounded by her personal trauma—Ahnya kept her eyes up and

forward, refusing to flinch.

"Abandoned cat! Still clinging on!"

"Didn't Allen and Lady Freya—no Lady Syr—already break your

spirit?!"

When the city had been twisted by Freya's charm.

Her own flesh and blood had poured salt on her wounds, and the

goddess had given her the most cruel revelation.

In fact, she had crumpled. She had holed up in her room and wasted

away ever since then.

Answering Dvalinn and Alfrik's insult and observation, Ahnya nodded

honestly.

"My spirit did break, meow. No, it was totally shredded and messed

up…I didn't understand anything anymeowre," she answered in a lonely

voice.

Runoa and Chloe and the others held their tongues.

"But I won't waver anymore."

But the next moment, she looked forward with determined eyes.

Past the Gulliver brothers.

To the western end of the island, toward the house of the gods, where the

girl was.

"I came to help Syr, meow!"

Ahnya howled her resolve across the battlefield.

Going back in time.

"Why are you here, you useless goddess?"

"What's it matter, this is a bar, ain't it?"

Before the start of the war game.

The CLOSED sign was hanging on the door to The Benevolent Mistress,

but a lone goddess was drowning her woes in alcohol, her cheek resting on

the bar. It was Loki, of course.

Other than her, there was only one other person in the tavern: the owner,

Mia.

Because she refused to serve the goddess any more alcohol, Loki had

even brought her own.

"Hey, Mama Mia…not gonna join the war game?" Loki rambled

drunkenly, looking up from the counter.

But even so, Mia was unwavering.

"Go home. Nothing will change no matter how many times you come

here."

As Mia implied, Loki had been coming to the tavern for days now.

Or more precisely, every day since before the rules of the war game

were set, trying to persuade Mia to take part.

"I can't join, but the Guild can't say jack about me hanging around

anywhere outside the battlefield. I don't like letting that shrimp take the

cake, but just this once, I decided to do what I can to make sure Freya

loses."

"Got nothing to do with me."

"Bete and them are all pissy, too. Finn's even giving out all the advice

he can."

Loki just kept talking, and Mia, who had heard it all several times

before, now just looked at her in disgust. She was polishing a glass, as if fed

up with having to deal with this drunk customer.

"Hey, Mama Mia. We've got a bet going for the war game this time, too.

You know what the numbers are?"

"How would I?"

"One hundred to zero. No one will take the bet. Every last deity bet on

that bimbo."

"…"

"That's not even a gamble anymore, so the bookie just gave up. That's

how rigged this war game is. 'Cause of that Guild idiot, this is just gonna be

a public execution."

Loki didn't try to hide her annoyance.

She just grumbled more complaints into her cup like "What three great

quests, stupid, stupid, stupid."

"But…there is a way to make it ninety-nine to one."

Loki's joking demeanor suddenly disappeared, and she raised her head.

"If you joined the coalition."

"…"

"Freya Familia's former captain Mia Grand. The Level 6…Demi Ymir.

If you switched sides, then just maybe…is what everyone's thinkin'."

That was before Ottar was captain.

She had half-retired from Freya Familia during the dark ages, but she

had made it through that terrible baptism, all while sniffing her nose at it all.

She knew all of Freya's children well, and still had the goddess's blessing

on her back, so if she joined the coalition, she would immediately boost

their chances and could even be the ace up their sleeve.

But Mia kept her silence.

This time was different from when the city had been trapped in Freya's

world. With Freya, who had been willing to abandon everything for Bell,

Loki could accept that Mia hadn't been able to take too big a step out of line

—as demonstrated by Hestia's, Hermes's, and Asfi's struggles to break free.

But it was different now. Freya couldn't use her charm. There was no

reason for Mia to be so passive.

"You gave his back a nudge, but you won't lend him your strength?"

Mia polished the glass.

And polished it.

It wasn't like her.

Getting frustrated with the goddess's all-seeing eyes and the

pointlessness of it all, she sighed.

"…I made a deal with that goddess."

"A deal?"

"I swore that if she ever happened to meet her Odr, I wouldn't get in the

way."

Mia skipped the details, but she was referring to an old story. When a

still small dwarf had met a goddess in a field of flowers.

"And that boy is her Odr…That bimbo's fated partner?"

"That's how it is."

"How stupid…You're gonna keep that deal? You? Mia Grand?"

Mia didn't particularly blame Loki's reaction.

She had resisted and rebelled before because she didn't like how the

goddess of beauty was going about things this time. She had felt something

from Bell when he kept trying to fight while still being driven into the

corner from every angle, so she gave him a little push.

But in the back of her mind, she also thought that if she hadn't done

anything at that time, the goddess would have gotten her hands on her Odr.

As terrible and twisted as it might have been, she would have achieved part

of her wish.

"What do you think that goddess was doing the first time I met her?"

"…? What, pull that high-handed 'Become my follower' crap or

something?"

"She was crying. On the ground in a field of flowers, hands covering her

face."

"!!!"

Loki's eyes widened, and she couldn't believe her ears. Mia's gaze

drifted into the distance.

"My start with her wasn't the goddess, it was the girl…I knew her true

nature was on that side."

That girl weeping all alone in a field of flowers at twilight was still

burned into her eyes. At the time, Freya hadn't made her deal with Hörn,

and of course she didn't have the girl's face then, either. But in Mia's eyes,

the goddess crying in the field of flowers had just looked like a lonely girl.

"Chloe and Runoa and Ahnya…I snapped when she messed with my

stupid girls. That was why I pushed that kiddo's back."

"…"

"But your bimbo is just another one of my stupid girls."

"…"

"If even I betray her this time, if I give her a real good smack…that idiot

might really break this time…That's what I'm afraid of."

Mia set the glass she was polishing aside and weakly shook her head.

The doubt and hesitation that only she knew, as the one who had spent more

time with the girl than all of her other followers. Looking at the fist that had

once clocked a goddess but that she couldn't swing again, she closed her

eyes.

Loki fell silent and looked at her.

"I understand you can't abandon Freya or Syr."

"…"

"But you know, Mia. I've known that bimbo even longer than you."

Bringing up their time in the heavens, Loki flashed a wicked grin. "She is a

nasty queen who reeeally hates to lose. Being real here, I think she can't

control herself anymore and is just desperately flailing around. I'd bet on

it."

"…What are you getting at?"

"If Freya was looking for a way out, would you help stop her?"

Mia refused to bend her will, avoiding getting caught up in a deity's

smooth-talking.

"Unless that stupid girl herself asks me to help, I won't go."

That moment. Loki grinned like a jester who had trapped her prey.

"You said it."

"…What?"

"I'll take you up on that promise."

The goddess stood up.

"You're coming with me, Mia."

Lots of familias' homes had been empty since the day before the war

game.

It went without saying that it was because they had moved to the Orza

ruins. Hestia Familia and all the others had put in requests to the Guild and

Ganesha Familia to have their homes guarded in the meanwhile. Some had

asked friendly familias not participating to watch their homes, and a few

had left behind a few members.

Freya Familia was one of the latter.

There was no one willing to openly ally with them after what they had

done to the city, not even the Guild. And even in this situation, Freya didn't

want to borrow anyone's strength. Because of that, there were around

twenty upper- and lower-class adventurers in the giant home.

Freya Familia's accumulated wealth was immeasurable. With its

defenses completely weakened, Folkvangr was like a mountain of treasure

ripe for the taking. But even so, there was no one fool enough to try to

break in.

The majority of the Labyrinth City, and above all the deities in charge of

familias, didn't doubt that Freya would win the war game. Anyone who

tried to rob their treasure would assuredly be obliterated upon the

einherjar's triumphant return.

Because of that, there was no one so reckless as to break into their

home, let alone to invade it.

No one besides them.

"Leeeeeet…meeeeew…go…!"

Ahnya's loud voice rang out.

She was squirming and trying to break free while a lone werewolf

carried her over his shoulder.

"Let mew go, Vanargand! This is kidnapping, no, catnapping! Copying

big brother's voice to abduct meow! You fiend!"

"Who'd copy that shitty asshole! Shut your mouth, you stupid cat!"

After Runoa and the others left, the person who had appeared in Ahnya's

room was Bete.

A crass attitude, crass actions, and crass tone of voice. He and her

brother shared those common traits. Ahnya had looked up in shock thinking

her brother had come to see her, and then she had been forcibly carried off

by none other than Vanargand.

"Take a nap!"

"Guaaah?!"

A member of Freya Familia had come running, drawn by their shouting,

but Bete silenced him with a kick. Even with one arm locked up carrying

Ahnya over his shoulder, the lowest-level guards couldn't stop the assault

of a Level 6.

"B-breaking into Folkvangr…?!"

Ahnya was pale as a ghost. Even an ex-familia member like her couldn't

help shuddering at such a reckless action as invading Freya Familia's

home. Or rather, precisely because she was an ex-familia member, the blood

completely drained from her face.

"You're more evil and awful than big brother meow…"

"Quit comparing me to that asshole over everything little thing! It's not

like I want to do this crap, either!"

Bete shouted in annoyance as Ahnya withered on his shoulder.

"That stupid goddess…I won't forget this!"

He had rampaged wildly at not being able to join the war game, been

silenced by Gareth's fists, and vented on everything around him when a few

days ago his goddess had snuck up and whispered in his ear.

"There's a way we can make Freya and them really cry. You in?"

Even if he had been really pissed off then, he still wondered what the

hell he had been thinking. Even though he knew he would end up getting

used like this!

"Where are you going?! I've never been this deep inside the home,

meow!"

The palatial estate had fallen silent. The only sound that could be heard

was Bete's footsteps as he ran down the wide, long, white corridor, making

it clear that most of the guards had already all been dealt with.

"How should I know! I'm just following the smell!"

"…Smell…?"

Bete sniffed as he ran up a long staircase, reaching the fifth floor of the

estate.

Before Ahnya's doubt could be resolved, he arrived at a big room on the

western side of the building.

A white room with a chapel-like, atmosphere.

The ceiling was tall, and there was nothing inside other than a bed in the

center of the room. And a girl with blue-gray hair lying atop it.

"Ah…"

Ahnya was speechless as she was set down on the ground.

The big space brought to mind a soul lost between the mortal realm and

the heavens, and the girl sleeping like the dead, unmoving.

Finally, she reflexively tried to run over.

"Sy—mgh?!"

"Not so loud."

She was stopped by Bete's outstretched hand.

Loki had already told him about the connection between Hörn and

Freya. SO he knew the identity of the girl lying there. Loki had given him

something of the girl's, and he had followed its smell all the way here.

Glaring at Ahnya, his eyes told her not to make a noise as he covered

her mouth. She just barely managed to nod.

"…This is…Syr, right? Syr…wasn't just Lady Freya?"

"…She's like a mirror. What she's saying is the same as that bar girl's

true feelings."

Bete didn't like bothering with complex explanations, so he just covered

the basic point.

With Vana Seiðr active, Hörn's senses were connected with Freya's. So

even if the war game had already started, he still kept his voice down to

avoid Freya realizing what was happening.

Ahnya looked down in disbelief at Syr's twin—or rather Syr herself.

The bed almost looked like a coffin. As if the girl had slipped into her

eternal slumber. Her heart ached, and she almost slumped to the ground.

Ahnya understood why the rough werewolf had brought her there.

He was telling her to listen. To learn what was true and what was real.

What the girl who had pushed Ahnya to destruction really wanted.

But Ahnya couldn't do it.

She was still terrified. Of Freya laughing at her again. Of Syr betraying

her. If the same cruel, unchanging reality awaited her, Ahnya wouldn't be

able to stand back up again.

Covering her mouth with her hands to keep herself from sobbing, Ahnya

somehow managed to bring her spasming lungs back under control as she

stood in front of the bed. Standing there trembling, unable to ask anything

— "Sorry…Ahnya."

" "

Time stopped when those words slipped from her lips.

"Ahnya was abducted by Vanargand?! Are you sure, Roshi?!"

"Y-yeah! Mei saw it…!"

"What's going on! Why now!"

The corridor outside was growing noisy.

Chloe and Runoa and the rest of the workers at the tavern appeared,

having chased after Ahnya. Reaching the big room, they started to say

something, but time froze for them as well when they saw what was there.

"Sorry…Chloe…Sorry…Runoa."

In a holy white room that brooked no lies, they heard it.

"Sorry…Lyu."

Their eyes widened, and they stopped breathing.

"I'm so sorry…Mia."

Mia, who had just come rushing in with Loki, was stunned.

"…Sy…r…"

Ahnya's eyes wouldn't listen to her anymore.

A tear trickled down her cheek, and she couldn't untangle her tongue.

"Stop me…"

And as if sharing her feelings.

A tear welled from Syr's closed eyes.

"…Save me…"

Ahnya's tear fell on the girl's cheek. Her hand trembled as she touched

the girl's cheek, wiping away both of their tears.

Bete didn't stop her. Even though she knew it would be transmitted to

the goddess, Loki didn't stop her, either.

The others watched, speechless as Ahnya slowly turned around. Facing

away from Syr, she walked forward, eyes down, until she stopped in front

of Mia and everyone else.

"Chloe, Runoa…everyone…Mama…"

Several teardrops fell at her feet. The translucent tears splashed against

the marble floor and shimmered in the light.

"I…am scared of my brother…I'm even more scared of Lady Freya,

meow…"

Her voice was trembling. The cat's tears didn't stop. Runoa was teary,

Chloe hid her eyes behind her hair, and Mia watched as Ahnya looked up.

"But…Syr asked…She asked to be saved…"

Tears fell from both of her eyes. Her face a mess, the cat that had been

abandoned still mewled.

"I'm an idiot. I don't know anything…What's a lie, what's true…! But

still!"

The tearful mewling turned into a powerful resolve.

"I want to save my family!"

In that room where no lie could be told, her plea lingered in their ears.

Runoa, Chloe, the other waitresses, none of them said a word. They didn't

have to.

"…So, what will it be, Mia?"

And finally, the goddess's question. The dwarf who had watched

Ahnya's tears closely, closed her eyes. As if being overwhelmed by

Ahnya's resolve. As if accepting Syr's plea.

Quietly clenching her fist, her eyes opened forcefully.

"—I'm going."

And back to the present.

"Can you hear me, Syr? It's fine even if you can't because I'll shout

loud enough that it doesn't matter, meow!"

Holding her spear in her right, she put her left hand to her chest and

shouted toward the house of the gods.

"I'm coming to save you now! Even if Lady Freya says not to, I swear

I'm coming!"

The tears were gone from her eyes. She had already made her decision.

The cat had parted with her doubt and let out a roar.

"Until we hear you!" She turned her golden spear against the Bringar

and Einherjar standing in their way. "We'll beat alllll of them! We'll fight

and win! To stop you, Syr!"

The answer of those warriors was, of course—

""""We won't let you!!!""""

The prum brothers and the few remaining einherjar bellowed.

As the strongest army charged with weapons drawn, Runoa cracked her

knuckles, Chloe licked her lips, and Ahnya spun her spear overhead like a

fan.

The Benevolent Mistress raged.

"Meow! Don't get in our waaaaaaaaaaaaaay!"

The two sides clashed. Fertility and brave warriors.

It was like Ragnarök was beginning.

Though they were both aspects over which the goddess ruled, they both

sought a battle to the death over her.

The golden spear swept enemies off their feet. Fists that knew only

destruction shattered armor. A nasty knife created blossoms of warriors'

blood.

Enduring the four brothers' fierce assault, they thundered their

determination across the battlefield.

"Wait for us, Syyyyyyyyyyyr!"

—Thud!

The goddess's slender arm slammed down against the armrest.

"…How far must you go before you are satisfied?"

The stone throne easily broke her skin, causing blood to slowly well.

But Freya didn't pay that any heed as her eyes flared in rage.

It was the first time.

The first time that Freya had struck something.

The ground quaked, and the heavens cowered as the goddess's anger

was laid bare. All sound disappeared from the house of the gods. Her

panicking bodyguards watched as Freya raged.

"How much must you get in my way until you are satisfied, Syr?!"

Was it directed at Hörn, who had once called herself Syr?

Or was it a curse aimed at her other self that she had already buried?

She wasn't asking to be saved at all. What they had heard was all just

the result of Hörn's emotions and that dream blending together. Asking to be

saved, the gall. That was the goddess's assertion.

Her vehement declaration.

She would never ask to be saved. It was impossible. She would never

accept it.

Freya was indignant her emotions had slipped all bounds and control.

"Hörn, Hedin, and you…! What is it?! Why do you go so far for Syr?!"

In place of the lightning that had stopped for a time, Ahnya's shout

echoed outside the temple.

This was what Freya had been apprehensive of. Though it had been used

by Hedin in his betrayal, her intent in hastening the complete destruction of

the coalition was absolutely correct. A countermeasure taken out of concern

for this awful situation—the joker card that was The Benevolent Mistress

joining the fight.

It was all because Hörn—or rather, Syr—had misrepresented Freya.

That was the source of the apology that had echoed in her head via their

shared senses. At first, Freya had mistook it as part of the dream. That Syr,

who was even through this still sleeping, was just talking in her dream.

But she was wrong. It was a message for Ahnya and them when they

came to see her. Probably at Loki's provocation. Her oldest, insuperable

bond among the deities, Loki was the only one who had an accurate

understanding of the connection between Freya and Syr. She had done it as

payback, just to see how she would react.

And right now, just as she had feared, the state of the battle had now

become something where the result was up in the air.

They had come.

Ahnya and them.

And her.

"Ngh…Mia!"

"Bell!"

At the same time they had appeared on the battlefield, Lyu reached the

amphitheater.

"Ms…Lyu…?"

"So you've come, Gale Wind."

The boy was on his knee, barely more than a bright red lump of flesh.

The boaz was standing calmly.

Lyu's eyes flared when she saw the two polar opposites, and she swiftly

transformed into the wind.

Ottar didn't try to stop her as she cradled Bell, carrying him to a distant

place to heal him.

"So…rry…"

"Don't talk. Just stay still."

"You…came…"

"Of course I did. If anything, I am sorry for being late."

She held his shoulders, apologizing for letting him suffer like this as she

filled with regret.

She continued using Noa Heal over and over, but his body wasn't

recovering at all.

The amphitheater looked like it had been cratered by artillery, and there

were several crushed vials and bottles scattered all around. Even though

Bell had clearly used all of his potions and even the elixir that Nahza had

completed and was still terribly wounded. Lyu furrowed her brow as she

wrapped Bell in healing light and looked forward.

Warlord Ottar. An opponent who was just too strong.

Even now that she was Level 6, Lyu couldn't envision them defeating

him.

The heart-chilling strongest warrior stared back at her.

Then—

"I'm butting in."

It almost felt like a giant's footstep shook the ground—a single dwarf

appeared.

"…! Mama Mia!"

"…Mia…"

Lyu was shocked, and Ottar's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the

second uninvited guest.

Mia was the same as always. She wasn't wearing armor or even battle

gear, just her usual outfit and the white apron she wore while running the

tavern. The only difference was a shovel.

It was a massive steel shovel, so large it almost looked like an ax. She

was holding it lightly in one hand, letting it rest on her shoulder. Mia Grand

was standing on the battlefield for the first time in a long, long time,

wielding only a single shovel.

"You don't look surprised, boar boyo."

"I suspected that you would come, too."

Lyu and Bell couldn't believe their ears hearing her call a Level 7 boyo.

"Still…you chose here instead of Lady Freya?"

"Don't be stupid. If I went there, you'd just come flying over anyway."

Mia was right. If anyone drew near the goddess, he would have swiftly

concluded his baptism of Bell and moved to block the way. He was the final

hurdle that Bell and the coalition—that Lyu and Mia and the rest of The

Benevolent Mistress—would have to clear.

"Lyu! Hurry up and heal the kiddo and then help me out! Let's get this

boar out of the way! You've got somethin' to tell Syr, too, don'tcha!"

"…!"

"And I need to give that stupid girl a good smack!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Mia's big, booming voice lit something warm in Lyu's heart, something

different from battle spirit or resolve.

"And kid! How long are you gonna keep lying there! Did you already

forget what I told you!"

"Ghhhh!!!"

"The last one standin' is top of the pack!"

It was the same for Bell.

As he sat down in the elf's arms, his eyes opened wide, and he felt

something burning deep in his heart.

"…Y-yes…!"

Seeing Bell borrow Lyu's hand and manage to rise to one knee, Mia

smiled.

"Come, Mia."

The giant black sword split the air.

Unlike when he had been facing Bell, Ottar assumed a stance, preparing

for battle.

"Don't go gettin' cocky!"

Shattering the stone beneath her feet, the dwarf rushed the boaz.

"""Mama Miaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"""

Orario roiled at a feverish pitch yet again as Demi Ymir joined the fight.

The reaction took one of two extremes. The relatively younger

adventurers and those residents who had only recently moved to Orario

were confused, but those few who knew her true identity cheered

themselves hoarse. The deities even now making Babel quake aside, the

cheers outside split between those who knew Orario during the early stages

of its dark age, and those who didn't.

But there was one thing they all shared.

The dwarf who was even now fighting with Warlord was unbelievably

strong, and the cat people who had rushed in as reinforcements were also

surprisingly powerful.

It was impossible to know now.

The adventurers and residents of the city were losing it because finally,

the competition was no longer a foregone conclusion. Adventurers

watching the mirror from a tavern wildly shouting "Kill 'em!" while people

looking up at the mirror on Main Street put their hands together in prayer.

The bookie started making rounds among the deities, trying to open bets

again, but Freya's fans tied them down, and no one could take their eyes off

the mirror for even a moment.

Voices rose in shouts too violent to be called cheering all around the city.

"C-Captain Shakti?! Is this really okay?!"

But there were some who couldn't allow themselves to be carried away

in the moment.

Ganesha Familia.

Deployed all around the giant caldera lake, the security detail who were

watching the ruins had been plunged in chaos.

Just as they were doing their best to recover the adventurers who had

been trampled by Freya Familia and those whose familias had dropped out,

this reinforcement mess had started. Lyu had appeared from high above in

the air, which they had had no way of stopping, but the humiliating part was

that their perimeter around the lake had been broken as well.

At the southern end of the east-west dividing line of the island, the one

bridge onto the island, The Benevolent Mistress's staff had forced their way

through, a blot on the pride of the city watch.

But it had been Demi Ymir of all people leading that charge, so even

Ganesha Familia could be forgiven for being batted aside.

"Even if we avert our eyes to Demi Ymir and Vana Alfi, since they are

Goddess Freya's followers…none of the others are members of any of the

coalition familias, right? This is a rule infraction, isn't it, Captain?"

Outside the island, in front of the bridge, multiple Level 5 first-tier

adventurers were still lying on the ground, eyes spinning as the young

familia member Modaka pointed at the island.

Shakti, who had been watching from a different location and only just

rushed over, had a deeply conflicted look on her face.

"Quit complaining, Morsaga! Now Freya and them can finally be put in

their place! Just look the other way!"

"You know we are supposed to be judges, right, Ms. Ilta?! And my name

is Modaka!"

Ignoring their argument, Shakti considered the current rules.

Only those followers whose deities were on the island were allowed to

participate. From that alone, Lyu's participation was a clear infraction.

There were more than a few familia members like Ilta who couldn't

forgive Freya Familia and were willing to overlook it. But they were the

city watch, the guardians of order.

If she were to say her personal opinion, Shakti wanted to support Lyu,

who had fought together with her during the dark age, but Ganesha Familia

also had to fulfill its duty. Even if that meant being berated for being

hardheaded and inflexible.

"…Modasha is right. Leon's participation goes against the rules set out

at Denatus. The patron deities of all followers fighting must be somewhere

inside the island. In view of the infraction, the coalition must be penalized

—"

Shakti grimaced, prepared to make the hard decision, even though she

knew that in this situation, a penalty would mean the immediate defeat of

the coalition.

"So if the children's parents are on the island, then it's all fine. Isn't that

right, Shakti?"

Before she could say it, though, a beautiful goddess's voice rang out

from behind them.

"—! You're…"

Shakti spun around at that.

Before she even had time to wonder at what sounded like a familiar

voice, she reflexively shouted her name.

"—Lady Astrea!"

Long walnut-colored hair flowing down her back, she was wearing a

pure, unblemished white gown. Her eyes were even clearer that Lyu's sky

blue, a deep indigo like the starry sky. It was unmistakably her—the

goddess of justice, Astrea. Seeing her there, Shakti was dumbstruck.

"Why are you…?"

"Lyu found her answer and came to see me. So I am supporting her.

That's all."

The goddess of justice, who had left Orario five years ago at Lyu's

request after she decided to seek revenge, smiled at an old acquaintance

with an honest gleam in her eyes.

Behind her were several girls who seemed to be her new followers.

And behind them.

"Thank you for guiding us, Asfi. With your help, it looks like we just

made it in time."

"Not at all, Lady Astrea. I was just keeping my promise with Leon."

Asfi could be picked out immediately due to her iconic aqua-blue hair.

She had been watching the war game with Hermes in Babel, but she left

to go meet them. Lyu and Astrea and her new followers had been on their

way back from Zolingam so far away from Orario.

Everything had been planned beforehand.

When the rules and date of the war game were set, she had sent word to

Zolingam, and in the event that they were not going to make it back in time,

Lyu would light up the paired magic item Asfi had given her before she left

Orario as a signal, so that Asfi could meet them.

They had at least made it to within sight range of the city, so Asfi carried

only Lyu, taking her into the air over the Orza ruins and dropping her, and

then she quickly returned and guided the rest of the re-formed Astrea

Familia to the caldera.

"We're here, too, Shakti."

"Chloe and them took forever to come, so I wondered what would

happen."

"Lady Demeter…and God Njǫrðr…"

Another god and goddess appeared along with Astrea.

Demeter, who led Orario's biggest agricultural producer, and Njǫrðr,

who ran Meren's fishing industry.

"The Benevolent Mistress's girls have all converted already."

"…!"

"They're all our followers now. So if we take part, too, it shouldn't be a

problem as far as the rules are concerned, right?"

Shakti was taken aback.

Runoa and Chloe had begged their deities the day before the war game,

and the girls from The Benevolent Mistress had finished their conversions

already. So if the two of them set foot on the island, it wouldn't be a rule

infraction.

"I heard from Lyu. I never would have dreamed Freya and that girl were

connected like that. But…she told me she would fight, even if it meant

overcoming Freya's will. To question the one who saved her when she

should have died after losing Alize…"

Astrea didn't hide the emotion she was feeling as her gaze grew distant.

But she also voiced her own determination, like a parent watching her

own child grow up.

"Right now her justice involves stopping her friend. So I wish to shine

starlight on her path, so that she can safely spread her wings…We will join

the coalition."

"Lady Astrea…"

"May we cross that bridge, Shakti?" Astrea's walnut hair swayed as she

smiled.

Shakti looked between the goddess and her followers.

They wore their familia's emblem—the sword and wings of justice

arranged like a scale. The symbol of justice that had been Shakti's model

and whose spirit she still carried.

As the deities and the familia members watched, Shakti closed her eyes.

And finally, she stepped aside, clearing the way for them.

"Please. You have the right to cross this bridge."

"…Thank you, Shakti."

Modaka couldn't believe it while Ilta and the others grew excited.

Without their captain's orders, the familia members provided a flower to

each of the deities. Forming a path for them to walk past, Ganesha Familia

and Asfi and Shakti watched as Astrea Familia, Demeter, and Njǫrðr

entered the island.

"It's been a while, Astrea. Sorry for the late greeting. Have you been

well?"

"Yes, Demeter. I'm glad to see you and Njǫrðr looking healthy."

"I would have liked to have a little reunion party…but this isn't the

time."

The three deities who had known one another since before the dark age

smiled in tandem, setting foot in the ruins on the other end of the bridge.

The moment they stood on the island, the sounds of battle resounding

through the air grew even more intense.

It was the sound of a life-and-death struggle, not something for

adventurers from outside Orario to intervene in.

"Sorry for making you come all the way from Zolingam with me,

Cecille, everyone."

"Not at all! We are your followers, Lady Astrea, and we will protect you

no matter what! And also, this is an important thing for our predecessor."

The girls who had become her followers after she left Orario five years

ago smiled cheerfully.

Astrea giggled as she looked ahead again.

To the western ruins where battle cries were even then still ringing out.

"We have the right to watch, but not to fight. So let's watch from here."

The goddess's indigo eyes grew focused.

"We forgot to ban any outside familias!!!"

"I'm sorry, Lady Freya!"

Seeing Astrea, Demeter, and Njǫrðr, the male gods cheering for Freya

cried out.

The fans who had thought it was impossible that any reinforcements

would come to fight Freya Familia—who had even thought that if there

were any, it would be more interesting if they did—were a day late and a

valis short in their regret. As long as there was a loophole in the rules, the

omniscient, impotent gods couldn't blame Shakti's judgment allowing them

to join mid–war game.

The pandemonium happening on the thirtieth floor of Babel was

unending, but a single goddess made her way through the noise.

"Now it's finally a real fight."

With an old man's grunt, Loki sat down in an empty seat.

Diagonally behind her was Bete, who she had dragged there with her.

Ignoring him as he complained about watching with a bunch of

annoying gods, she crossed her legs and looked up at the giant mirror

hanging overhead.

Another god sat down in the seat next to her.

"Hey, trickster. Sending Mia in? What magic did you use to pull that

off?"

"You're one to talk, pretty boy. You pulled out all the stops to throw

Astrea into the mix, didn't you?" Loki snorted as Hermes waved his hand.

They were both supporting the coalition from the shadows.

Even understanding that the odds of the coalition winning were

hopelessly bad, for their own reasons—to protect Bell, out of annoyance

with Freya—they had continued working in the shadows, preparing

countermeasures, all the way to the end.

It wasn't just them, either. Finn and many others who couldn't fight had

provided support. And thanks to all of that, the coalition had managed to

row themselves all the way to the watershed.

"Got any more tricks up your sleeve?"

"Nope. This is the real deal now. No more funny business."

They had used up all the arrows in their quiver.

Would the coalition grasp victory, fall in defeat, or arrive at some other

result? The ones to decide that were the adventurers—and the deities—

standing on the battlefield.

"I really don't like siding with that Jyaga titty monster, but…right now

she's better than Freya. A whole hell of a lot better. So." The vermillionhaired goddess stared at the scene projected on the mirror. "I set the table

for you shrimp…now win."

"Whoaaaaa…?! It sounds like something incredible happened while I

wasn't paying attention…!"

Unaware of Loki's stare, Hestia muttered her hapless thoughts aloud like

the epitome of incompetence.

As far as she could tell, there had been thunder, and a bunch of cats had

gone on a rampage, and the stench of guaranteed defeat seemed to have

cleared away some.

She had run for a while to not let Hephaistos and everyone's sacrifice go

to waste. The self-proclaimed hide-and-seek master had managed to escape

from Allen and the einherjar's clutches. Or more accurately, Hephaistos and

Takemikazuchi had earned her enough time to slip out of range of their

keen senses.

"The item Miach gave me…! It threw off the beast people tracking me!"

And also, the item Miach and Nahza had prepared.

Noticing that many of the pursuers were beast people who tended to rely

on their noses, Hestia had put it on her head. That she had used it after

parting from Hephaistos, while so many deities were dropping out all at

once, had also helped. The beast people chasing after her were confused

when her scent disappeared, but they just changed to another target.

Not realizing she was hiding her face but not her chest—that her large

bosom was peeking out from the shadows of the ruins—she stealthily

looked around as the massive game of hide-and-seek wound its way down.

"…The enemy is…going back to the west?"

From deep inside a ruin, she saw a massive cloud of dust and heard a

furious gallop that wasn't horse hooves.

Learning of the danger to their main base, to Freya, Allen and the

einherjar called a halt to their hunt.

Hestia breathed a sigh of relief seeing the einherjar cutting through the

ruins at high speed on their way back west.

"But what do I do now…? Keep hiding here? Or keep moving? It feels

kind of like reinforcements came from the south, so maybe it's safe over

there…?"

She had some knowledge about what had happened so far, but Hestia

didn't have the feel for the flow of battle, and so she was unsure what her

next move should be. She would have liked to ask Lilly's opinion, but most

likely she was probably desperately firing off commands with bloodshot

eyes. And if she activated the oculus, the prum's loud shot might echo all

around, revealing where she was.

There aren't many deities left other than me, either.

She was at wit's end in a situation where she couldn't rely on anyone

else.

"Hestia!"

"Ngh?!—Phew, Miach! Thank goodness. So you were safe, too!"

She almost sprained her back at hearing her name all of a sudden, but

when she spun around and saw her friend running over, she called back

cheerfully.

"Yes, you too! I was saved by Nahza's item."

If Hestia had fled using an item, then it made sense that Miach had made

good use of that same item. Seeing they both still had their flowers on their

chests, they congratulated each other on making it out alive.

"Miach, what do we do now? It seems like Freya's children went back

west, so we should sneak off some other direct—"

"West!"

"Eh?"

"Let's go west, Hestia!"

"What?!"

Hestia was taken aback when Miach unflinchingly suggested the one

choice she had removed.

"Hide-and-seek has no more meaning in this battle! If Nahza and Bell

and the others are defeated, we will just be hunted down!"

"…!"

"I saw the fighting from a hill! The battle in the west involves the full

remaining force of both sides! It has to be won! And if there is one thing

that we powerless deities can do—"

"—it's update our kids' statuses?"

Realizing Miach's idea, she finished his thought.

"Considering the excelia they've gained in this war game, I'm sure

Bell's and their abilities have gone up at least a bit. Am I wrong?"

"No. Of course, we have to avoid being knocked out of the game, too,

but…"

If they were to drop out, their followers would lose the right to continue

fighting.

Miach's face tensed at the accompanying risk of having their flowers

stolen, but—

"No, let's go. We can't just sneak around in safety."

"Hestia…"

"Let's do what we can for Bell and Nahza and the others! We'll become

the goddesses of victory, Miach!"

"Yeah! Though I'm a god!"

Smiling at each other, they started running.

To the main battlefield in the west, where their followers had gathered.

For the first time, many adventurers discovered that the strikes of weapons

that were far too powerful, far too heavy, could eclipse even thunder itself

when strung together in succession.

"Whoa…"

The repeated clashes between the black greatsword and the steel shovel

were just that.

Watching from where he had fallen in the spectator seats, the half-prum

Van watched in awe as the destructive crashes seemed like explosions.

He had just woken up, and the furious battle left him speechless.

"Urrrrrrrrryaaaaaaa!"

"Nrgh!"

Bell and Lyu were just as speechless.

And even as they froze like statues, Mia renewed the assault. The attack

from high above was met straight on by Ottar's black greatsword. He

himself was unwounded, but the stage itself couldn't endure it. His thick

legs broke the stone pavement, sinking as the amphitheater creaked.

Swinging the sword aside, Mia was knocked back, and her massive body

landed, shattering a marble column lying across the ground. There was an

instant of stillness as the dust rose, but she immediately charged at Ottar

again.

Destruction and annihilation collided. An absurd shock wave consumed

their surroundings. The first thing destroyed by the fierce battle wasn't

either combatant, but their surroundings.

"Tch!"

As if lashing out because she couldn't break his greatsword's defenses,

Mia resorted to her fist instead of the shovel. An uppercut with her free

hand. Ottar defended it with one arm and leaped backward. In the brief lull,

the already half-wrecked amphitheater breathed a sigh of relief, and one of

the pillars on the outer edge fell.

"You've gotten a little better while I've been away."

"I see…"

Ottar rested his sword on his shoulder without sentiment. What crossed

the warrior's face was acceptance of the natural result, and also the

disappointment associated.

"Mia, you've gotten weaker."

"…!"

"You've stagnated, and I've advanced. It is probably only that. But even

so…right now I am higher, and you are lower."

Level 7 and Level 6.

Even in simple comparison, it was clear that Ottar was superior. If

anything, Mia was the strange one for challenging him while ignoring that

absolute difference in level.

But even accounting for that, Ottar was saying that she had gotten

weaker. As if betraying his lingering attachment to the wall that had once

stood before him, as if he had wanted there to be someone stronger than

him.

"Before you left Folkvangr, I never once won. I wanted to win against

you…but I don't need it any more. It's enough."

He was unusually talkative as he gave up that regret he had clung to.

Meanwhile Mia's reaction, was incredibly easy to understand.

Anger.

"Don't get cocky with me, boy!!!"

The stage groaned as the second act of their battle opened.

Bell and Lyu gasped at the battle between the monsters who

unmistakably reigned at the summit of the city.

"I thought Ms. Mia was amazing…but I never thought she was this

strong…!"

"But even so…Warlord is too overwhelming!"

Even as they were amazed by her true strength, they both sensed how

this battle would go. Mia couldn't crack Ottar's defense. She couldn't blow

a hole through his overwhelming array of techniques and tricks. It was a

question whether he would go on offense first or whether Mia would

exhaust herself first, but either way, Warlord's invincibility remained so

long as his absolute defense remained.

The two fledgling first-tier adventurers had achieved enough insight to

see that much.

"Ms. Lyu, let's go! I can move now!"

"—No. Not yet."

Bell started to dash off from his kneeling stance, but Lyu held him back

while she sat on her own knees. A green light like sunlight through the trees

was still emanating from her left hand on his right shoulder and her right

hand around his left, continuing to heal his battered body.

"If you don't wait until you are fully healed, it will be over if he so

much as grazes you. You would just be getting in Mama Mia's way."

"Gh…!"

"Restrain yourself, Bell. It will be done soon."

Lyu's Noa Heal recovered stamina while also closing wounds, but it

didn't have the instant effect of a potion or elixir. Because it had a strong

effect, it had the downside of being slow to reach full recovery. And the

terrible damage dealt by the Level 7 pushed full recovery all the further

away.

Bell couldn't argue. He had experienced firsthand with his body just

how absolute the difference in strength between him and Ottar was before

they had come.

He prayerfully watched as Mia clashed with that terrifying strength.

"…Bell, before we go to fight, I want to ask you something."

As he focused intently on the fighting, he heard Lyu's voice whispering

in his ear.

For the first time, he noticed how close they were. Before he had been

practically dead on his feet, so he hadn't noticed, but there was no distance

at all between them. For a moment, he remembered what had happened in

the deep levels, but neither he nor Lyu had the capacity for something like

embarrassment in the face of such a furious battle. Their senses were

numbed.

Lyu was holding him close, like a knight protecting a wounded princess

—as if holding back a rabbit that might leap away at any moment—even as

her eyes were fixed on Mia and Ottar.

"What do you intend to do to Syr?"

"…Do…?"

"I intended to bring her back and slap her."

"Eep."

Bell trembled, forgetting the situation for a moment after she said such a

violent thing. Lyu herself had never thought to do something like that to her

savior before. But she couldn't forgive the goddess, forgive her for that

outrageous, high-handed behavior.

"I expect Ahnya and the others feel the same as I do. So I will drag her

back before all of us…and ask her what she really thinks of us."

"…!"

"So what of you? After this battle…what will you do to Syr?"

Hestia and all the other deities, and every adventurer on the island, they

were fighting to win. But Bell and Lyu and girls from The Benevolent

Mistress, they were different. Their eyes were only on her. That was why,

before Lyu asked her what she really thought, she was asking what Bell was

thinking.

"Ms. Hörn…Ms. Syr herself told me."

Bell inhaled slightly before quietly answering.

"That she didn't want to be driven mad by love…that she wanted to be

saved."

"!"

"So I will save her. And I'm sure…I will hurt her, too."

As he said it, he grit his teeth, as if tearing open his own wound.

"Because it's my fault that she was driven to this."

He already knew it. That he was the impetus at the start of it all for her.

Syr, Freya, and Bell. Their egos were bloodied.

"It's my fault that she is suffering even now."

If she hadn't been suffering because of him, he would never have

insisted on this egotistical path. If Syr had fallen in love with someone else,

or if she just started hating him, Bell might have felt nauseous, and maybe a

little bit relieved, but he would never have butted into it.

Let's go back to being friends.

The reason they hadn't been able to part on those terms was because of

Freya's obstinacy and because Bell had already stood her up.

"So I will keep helping her, even though we are just hurting each

other…until she can smile like she did before."

It wasn't Bell's fault. With the push of Welf's advice, and with

significant anguish, he had chosen his aspiration. Freya was the one in the

wrong.

So Bell, in attempting to carry her sins, was kind.

"…Bell…you are disgraceful."

Lyu rebuked him, as if censuring his kindness.

"You are a horrible hypocrite."

Her face was right in front of him, close enough that their lips might

touch. Her blue eyes staring sharply into his. Bell looked down guiltily for a

moment—and then he smiled. "Yes, I'm a hypocrite." He looked back at

Lyu with a smile that was battered and exhausted. "So if nothing else, I am

going to hang on to this hypocrisy."

After all the time they had talked in that moonlit room, he already had

his answer. The die had long since been cast. All that remained for the two

of them was to hit each other with their egos, hurting each other, crying

tears of blood. Neither of them could turn back anymore.

So—

"Even if it means hurting her again…I will stop her."

His red eyes looked into Lyu's sky-blue eyes.

Their gazes intertwined, and their feelings clashed and blended.

And finally—

…Lyu quietly smiled.

"…The healing is finished. Let's go."

The green light faded. His wounds were completely healed. Lyu stood

up first and lent him a hand as he got to his feet with a wobble. Standing

beside each other, they watched the boaz and dwarf crash in front of them.

If they went there, the battle would just continue. They couldn't do anything

but continue their life-and-death struggle until it was settled. Until they

reached her…

"Bell, there is something I have to tell you first."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"Yes…wait, what?"

Just as he was about to step out, he pitched forward with a jolt.

Managing to avoid tripping to the ground, he quickly spun around.

"I love you…as a man."

Lyu was standing there, smiling like a maiden. Not blushing, just

tranquil. Bell, who knew it wasn't his imagination or some

misunderstanding, gradually reddened and looked pathetic.

"Now it's fair. Now I can slap Syr."

Her eyes sparkled slightly, almost like a mischievous child, and she ran

forward. Left in her tracks, Bell was stunned, like a soldier left holding a

massive bomb right before the decisive final battle. Confusion and agitation

mixed, but he quickly shook his head.

—Just focus on the battle in front of me.

—Right now, just think about her.

Telling himself that, he shifted gears, and his expression changed to that

of an adventurer facing a final battle. He would be a hypocrite who stuck to

his hypocrisy.

Leaning forward, he ran, chasing after Lyu, throwing himself into the

furious battle.

""Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!""

From the direction of the amphitheater, there was a thunderous crack, like

lightning in the distance. Even as the intensity of the performance

increased, the einherjar were unfazed, performing their own

accompaniment.

"That dumbass…!"

A gale to terrify even the winds themselves was born.

Allen was brimming with rage as he ran across the battlefield faster than

anyone. The loathing fire in his heart at the adventurers who continued to

struggle threatening his goddess, at the fly who had turned traitor, and at his

little sister who had appeared on this battlefield of all places became fuel

for his dash.

"H-hurry up! Double time!"

"Don't fall behind Allen!"

Behind him, the beast people einherjar were desperately trying to keep

up even as he grew smaller in the distance. The fastest elite could see the

main battlefield where the Gullivers were clashing with the girls from The

Benevolent Mistress.

"—Chloe, Runoa! Brother's coming, meow!"

Ahnya was the first to sense the arrival of the squadron being led by that

chariot. Raising her sharp ears, sensing it like a wild cat, she looked to the

east.

"It's fine, so—Hurry up and get ready!"

"Goaaa?!"

"We have our hands full with just them, meow!"

"Kaha?!"

Runoa roared while shattering a dwarf's ribs with her iron fist while

Chloe, sweating, made an elf vomit blood due to the poison on her knife.

"Ms. Aisha! At this rate, you can pincer them!"

"You don't have to tell me…!"

"B-behind—gh?!"

The coalition joined in with a back attack.

Linking up with all of the reserves, Aisha gathered what remained of the

left wing re-formed at the eastern side of the main battlefield. The girls

from the tavern had crossed the bridge onto the island and come up from

the south, and were holding the Gulliver brothers' squad in place. Exposed

to a pincer attack from the front and back, Freya Familia were forced to

endure the onslaught.

"Hey, eastern girl! Give these to your friends, meow!"

"Hah? These are…earrings? What are these, Lady Chloe?"

"Magic items that Lyu and them asked Perseus to make before! We

brought everything we had! We'll find a way to manage this place

ourselves, so hurry up and give them to everyone you can!"

"I—I don't really understand…but if you insist, Lady Runoa!"

Finally, the last einherjar left standing on the battlefield—the last upperclass adventurer other than the core of the familia—fell. Between Hedin's

bombardment and The Benevolent Mistress's numbers, they had hunted

down that formidable force of Level 3s and Level 4s. All that remained

were Bringar.

But—

""""Die!!!""""

""""Nyaaaa?!""""

The four brothers' attacks laid low four different cat people at once.

Seeing their coworkers finished in one blow, Runoa and Chloe both had a

bitter look on their face.

They couldn't bring them down. The Gullivers were all that remained,

but the elf's barrage and the full force of the tavern still couldn't solve

them.

Sand-colored armor, helmets spattered in blood, and their four weapons.

Devil spawn was too gentle a description. Each one was like storm

compressed down into a prum's body. Executing an impossible level of

coordination, they were devastating at the force of girls from the tavern.

"Uwaaaaa?!"

"Leisha?!"

And the Berbera as well.

The Amazons who immediately tried to counterattack were cut down in

one stroke. The coalition's force was down to just the reserve squad, the

guards protecting the invisible Haruhime—Aisha, Mikoto, and Nahza. Even

though they had cornered the enemy, they had their backs up against the

wall, too.

With the Bringar being the only enemy left, the powerful artillery

support stopped being of any use, which was a painful loss. As much as

they quarreled, Hedin and the Gullivers knew each other's moves well. The

four brothers understood the nature of Caurus Hildr and thus used both the

waitresses and coalition fighters as shields to intercept the shots. And even

with Hedin's concentrated precision fire, hitting a first-tier adventurer from

several hundred meders away was exceedingly difficult.

"…So that's how it is."

Far removed from them, in the north of the main battlefield, Hedin's

eyes narrowed. As if sensing that it would no longer be effective, he

switched from direct targeting to harassment strikes. He aimed the lightning

up into the sky in a parabolic arc, shooting at them from overhead.

Of course, they wouldn't be hit by that sort of indirect bombardment. In

exchange for not hitting Aisha and the others who were being used as

shields, he was only throwing up a dense cloud of smoke and setting off a

series of thunderclaps.

Lilly's face twisted as she concluded that she could no longer rely on

Hedin's artillery barrage.

The absolute strength of first-tier adventurers was standing in their way.

"It would have been really bad without this golden light, meow…!"

"I can't see her but is this that girl's work…! If I let my guard down, I

might get taken for a ride by my status!"

The reason they had managed to endure the four brothers' furious

assault and escape instant defeat was only thanks to the power of level

boost.

Following Lilly's timely orders, Haruhime had buffed Aisha, Runoa, and

the rest, effectively pushing them into the realm of Level 5s. In numbers at

least, they were at the same level as the Gullivers. By sticking to hit-andaway tactics to avoid getting drawn into the opponents' coordinated kill

zones, they had managed to somehow force a stalemate.

But it still wasn't an even match.

The chariot had already crossed the center of the island and was closing

in fast.

If Vana Freya links up with those brothers, it's over…!

As she looked out at the scene in front of her, Lilly's heart raced.

It was a searing back-and-forth taking place almost right under her nose.

If Allen and his unit joined in, too, the position would collapse. Looking up,

she saw them in the distance, a trail of dust in the air behind them.

We need to defeat Bringar immediately! If we don't, we'll miss our

chance!

Lilly filtered out everything else, focusing only on Alfrik and his

brothers.

Their fierce attacks, their movements, their coordination, everything.

Habits, weaknesses, tricks, anything.

She analyzed them thoroughly, combining it with everything that Finn

had given her, too.

Her thoughts accelerated as she focused to the limit, trying to find a

revelation.

And the conclusion she reached was—

—There's no opening!

That was the cruel reality. There was no gap to exploit in their renowned

infinite coordination. The four of them supported and complemented one

another, not exposing any gap at all.

Berling took down a waitress who bravely attacked him, Alfrik deflected

one of Nahza's carefully aimed shots, while Dvalinn and Grer knocked

back Aisha and Runoa's pincer attack.

It wasn't just boasting when people said as long as all four of them were

together, they could win against any first-tier adventurer.

As long as they're together, there won't be any openings!

Despair washed over Lilly. And mercilessly, their time limit was ticking

down.

"I'll run you all down."

The chariot skewering them with a furious glare was now clearly visible.

Allen accelerated to blow through the coalition and the girls from The

Benevolent Mistress, and even the Gullivers, too.

"Gray skies, lost home, darkness falls, ruins' rain."

Just then, a voice rang out.

" "

When he heard it, Allen's mind froze for several seconds.

"Headless eyes, questioning statue. What are you, what are you? You

are a kitten, a lost little wheel. I am servant to tears and sobs,"

The cloud of dust cleared. A single cat person appeared from inside it.

An abandoned cat who had stabbed her spear into the ground, put both

hands on her chest, and closed her eyes as she spun her voice.

"Where is my home? There is no answer. Ask the birds. There is no

reply. That is why I cry. Singing to the back of my only family."

The thunderclaps faded.

The Gulliver brothers were now able to hear the cast that had almost

been finished. Dumbstruck, they stopped attacking for a moment.

"Ms. Ahnya's…magic…?! Is that…was Mr. Hedin's attack just to make

cover for her?!"

Watching from above, Lilly was the only one who understood what was

happening.

Hedin's harassment, the barrage of indirect fire that only kicked up

clouds of sand and set off explosions, was just to hide Ahnya while she

focused on her casting. Allen, the Gullivers, and of course Hedin all knew

Ahnya's cast. And it was a magic that put Allen and the prums on edge.

They couldn't stop it now.

Lilly was captivated seeing Ahnya singing there, so different from her

usual self, looking almost holy.

"Hurry up and put on the ear plugs!!!"

"Meow! The tone-deaf apocalypse is comingggg!"

"Eh? What?"

Meanwhile, Runoa's and Chloe's faces warped as they plugged their

ears, setting off confusion among Mikoto and the rest of the coalition

fighters.

The next moment.

"Please don't abandon me—Remisto Felis"

She announced the magic's name.

And then—

"MEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOWWW!!!"

An awful, mysterious sound wave enveloped the battlefield.

"GiiiiiiieeeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeeee?!"

Lilly, who of course hadn't gotten one of the magic items from Mikoto,

experienced the full force of the ear-splitting catastrophe. She held her ears

and fell over backward. Her eyes spun from taking the full brunt of the

ultrasonic weapon, and she was writhing in agony on the ground.

Allen, who immediately covered his ears, and the einherjar behind him

as well all suffered from the sound. Alfrik, Dvalinn, Berling, and Grer all

took the blow without any chance to protect themselves.

Even Hestia and Miach leaped at the sound.

It had been an ultra-wide range attack with an incomparable area of

effect.

Hedin had firmly plugged his ears with his index fingers, but the masses

watching in Orario through the mirrors were blown back by the loud

screech.

The magic began to show its effect. Lilly noticed the change

immediately as she managed to push her upper body up with trembling

arms.

"Gh…? I can't…?"

A loss of strength that wasn't simple fatigue. It was also different from

shouldering a heavy burden. It was as if her body had grown smaller.

Looking closer, she saw a faint, red magic glow around her whole body.

"Wait, this…is it an anti-status effect?"

Her hazel eyes widened as she reached the answer.

"It weakens statuses?!"

As Lilly guessed, Ahnya's magic Remisto Felis was anti-status magic.

The exact opposite of Haruhime's level boost, it was a debuff that

dramatically lowered abilities. Those who experienced the ear-splitting

destruction of Ahnya's voice—everyone inside the magic's area of effect—

enemy or ally alike, was given a status-down, and it couldn't be blocked

without a specialized magic item.

Experiencing the full effect of that magic with her own body, Lilly

quickly looked up. Below her, the beast people einherjar, Bringar, and even

Vana Freya were all shrouded in a telltale red glow.

"What did you—?!"

Allen raged as it continued echoing in his ears, tormenting him.

"Keh, gah…meow, they're all a lot weaker…!"

Ahnya rubbed her sore throat after she finished.

In exchange for being a powerful debuff, it could only be used once in

combat—she had to wait more than twelve hours before using it again. It

wasn't quite a full level lower, but Remisto Felis was incredibly powerful

among debuffs. In addition to massively lowering abilities, it also disrupted

the effects of skills and magic. Knowing that the latter was even more

dangerous than the former, Allen glared at Ahnya like she was his mortal

enemy.

"Brother…I'm scared of you, meow. Even after I was abandoned, I still

wanted to go back to my family, so I was always scared of making you

mad, meow."

But Ahnya didn't cower at his sharp glare. She had joined Freya Familia

and had always been watching his reactions to not be abandoned, but now

she was looking at him head-on.

"I still really want to go back to being family, meow. But! I have another

family, too! Lyu, and Chloe and Runoa! Mama Mia and everyone else who

saved me!"

As dumb as she was, she didn't know why she had saved her.

On that rain day, when Allen and none other than Freya herself had

abandoned her, Syr was the one who saved her. They had given her a home

called The Benevolent Mistress. Maybe it was all just a goddess's

capricious whim like she had said. Maybe doting on Ahnya only to break

her again was just an ugly form of entertainment for the goddess.

—Save me.

But Ahnya had heard Syr's heart. She knew that something was

tormenting Syr.

"So I'm going to Syr, meow!"

She was a fool. A lonely, abandoned kitten. But because she knew how

awful it was to be all alone, she wanted family. Family was more important

than anything to her. So if it was to save her family, she would even fight

her brother.

"I'll beat you, brother, if that's what it takes! For now, I will be your

enemy!"

"You idiot!"

Allen erupted angrily at her declaration of war. Ignoring the anti-status

debuff he had just taken, he sprinted, aiming to skewer his sister with his

silver spear. Ahnya readied her own golden spear and raced forward to meet

him. The curtain raised on the two cats' first ever sibling squabble.

"We're coming, too, meow!"

"Come on, hope you victims of Ahnya's recital are ready for a fight!"

Seeing their chance, Runoa and Chloe took off the accessories they had

passed around and went on the attack.

Its name was Silence Lyra. It was an accessory originally designed to

block the songs of sirens and mermaids that Perseus had modified—

because of a powerful enemy that used sound attacks during the dark age.

Lyu had had a pair among the mementos of her former comrades, and

having experienced Ahnya's catastrophic recital and almost been wiped out

before, Ruona, Chloe, and everyone working at the tavern had put in a

request with Asfi for mass production.

""""Youuu!!!""""

Having escaped that powerful debuff, they leaped at once on the

brothers who were still wobbly.

"Th-this is…!"

Ahnya's magic signaled a sudden change in the battle.

Buffed by level boost, their attacks forced the Gulliver brothers onto the

defensive for the first time. The beast people einherjar couldn't do anything

as Ahnya and Allen were fully engaged in their own high-speed combat, so

they frantically moved to support the Bringar.

They've been weakened by the anti-status, too! There are only a few

Berbera and waitresses left, but even so…!

The situation was even. At the very least, as long as Ahnya with her

pseudo–Level 5 strength could hold Allen back, there was some leeway to

work with against the Bringar.

"So if we could just do something about their coordination…!"

Watching from atop the mausoleum, Lilly directed all of her remaining

strength to her head. They couldn't let even one second go to waste. She

quickly wrung out a plan that was both possible and had the highest chance

of success. Having sacrificed so many of her comrades throughout the war

game, she would bet her own life in those few seconds.

And so—

"Ms. Aisha, Ms. Mikoto, Ms. Nahza! Here's the plan!"

Healing herself with Nahza's item, she sent orders out to the last of the

main battle force she had left. They all understood one another's strengths,

so there was no need for detailed explanations. The transmission was

simple and quick.

"Wh…?! W-wait a moment, Lady Lilly! For this plan, you're…?!"

"Lilly has already sacrificed countless adventurers and deities! Lilly

will put her life on the line, too!"

"Gh…!"

Mikoto objected, but Nahza, who had listened quietly, spoke up.

"…All right, I'm in."

"Lady Nahza?!"

"I'm all out…I've got no more arrows."

"!"

"I can't put up any real fight anymore…so I'll be a decoy, too."

Nahza smiled. Despite her being a back line support, her battle clothes

and armor were covered in scratches.

"Mikoto…use me well. Let's sock it to some first-tier adventurers."

"…Yes!"

Seeing their resolve, Mikoto could say nothing more. Watching them

nod in silence, Aisha grinned.

"I'll tell the girls from the bar. Don't screw this up, shrimp!"

"Okay!"

There was a light from the Amazon's oculus as the final piece came

through.

"The effects of the level boost will run out soon! The next time Ms.

Haruhime casts her magic is the signal to start!"

"—Noga! Go after the enemy's reserve!"

Alfrik shouted without concern for appearances.

"There's a mage or sorcerer using some cheat spell! Finish them off!"

"Gh…! Yes, sir!"

The werewolf immediately obeyed the first-tier adventurer's order.

The remnant einherjar followed, too, charging into the Berbera who had

taken up positions in front of the mausoleum. Aisha and the others tried to

stop them, but the four prums' coordination prevented it.

Alfrik's decision was on point. Even pushed into a corner, his

intelligence and instinct proved him an excellent first-tier adventurer. But at

the same time, it also meant that the Gulliver brothers, who had previously

been focusing on taking out the enemies as quickly as possible, had now set

foot into the tactical dimension.

That was the ultimate proof of a first-tier adventurer being pushed to the

limit.

"Fire!"

"Uwah?!"

Just as they were about to clash with the reserves, the einherjar opened

up with a blast from magic swords. The Amazons used their bodies to

shield the girl they were protecting, but the wind shrouded in flames and

lightning reached all the way to Haruhime in the middle of the formation.

"Haruhimeee! Are you okay…?! Wait, you're visible!"

"…! Fels's mantle…"

Lena frantically ran over as Haruhime stood there in panic. The goliath

cloth she had equipped protected her body, but the reverse veil she was

wearing over it had been blown away, crumbling to scraps. She wouldn't be

able to go invisible again.

"Lena, what happened?!"

"Samira! Haruhime can't go invisible! She can't use her magic like

this!"

The Berbera at the front were falling to the einherjar while the

commander of the reserves, the gray-haired Amazon Samira rushed over.

"The fighting is being broadcast in the city, right?! Haruhime's secret

will get out!"

"Gh…!"

"What do we do? Run away like Aisha said to?! But there isn't anyone

left other than us…! Lady Hathor is still in the game at least…"

Samira couldn't immediately give an order as Lena lost momentum.

Haruhime's level boost was something they had to keep secret no matter

what. A broken ability that delighted even Ishtar, and if it came to light,

people who wanted to seize that power for themselves would come out of

the woodwork. Haruhime would never have a day's rest again.

Aisha had been firm about it before the war game. If her level boost was

going to be discovered, then they should spirit her away without using it.

But if we run with Haruhime now, Aisha and the others will…!

Lena was right. Hathor's followers, including Samira and the remaining

Berbera, were the only ones left.

All but a handful of deities were left after Allen's god hunt, and several

of the Amazons in the reserves had had to drop out, too. But more than

anything, without Haruhime's level boost, the balance between the two

sides would be broken.

Aisha's orders or holding the line. Samira was drenched in sweat and

unsure what to choose—

"I'm going to start…!"

Not waiting for them, Haruhime stood up.

"The magic has already run out…I have to cast the next level boost…!"

"Whoa, wait, you can't, Haruhime! Aisha will get mad at us, and it will

be bad for you, too, if it gets out!"

Haruhime's face was coated in sweat. It was a warning sign of Mind

Down. She had already gone through the huge number of magic potions she

had stocked up on before the start. The dual needs of Kokonoe and level

boost were terrible for Mind usage, and she had been using them nigh

constantly to support the adventurers on the front lines.

Without Haruhime, Lilly's plan would never have reached this state. She

was the secret MVP of this war game.

"Even so…I will sing…!"

Unable to fight, unable to take command. Because she couldn't do

anything, she pushed herself to constantly sing. The ex–Ishtar Familia

Amazons sucked in their breath.

"Haruhime…you…"

Samira stared at the renart girl.

"…Lena's right, if your level boost is revealed, there's no going back.

There might be another huge commotion like with the killing stone…No,

there definitely will be." Forgetting about the battle, she asked, "And there

might be something even more horrible than with Lady Ishtar…are you

really okay with that?!"

"It doesn't matter!"

"!!!"

"It doesn't matter, Lady Samira! Lady Lena! My safety is irrelevant!"

Haruhime shouted back, already decided. "What value do I have if I am

only protected?! How can a despicable woman who abandons the man she

loves and takes no heed of her comrades dare to walk in the warm

sunlight?!"

"Haruhime…"

"Master Bell will be stolen away! Lady Hestia and the others will mourn

their loss! No! I refuse to accept that! The Haruhime who could only be

protected and rescued is already dead!"

The girl that they knew wasn't there.

"I am not a symbol of destruction anymore! I am not just a prostitute

who can do nothing but cry! I am Hestia Familia's Haruhime!"

The girl who once grieved destruction was no more. In her place stood a

lone sorcerer.

"…Haruhime. I hated you."

As Lena stood froze, Samira spoke.

It was the truth.

Unlike Aisha, who couldn't resist Ishtar's charm, or Lena and the others,

who were being threatened, Samira had actively taken part in the ritual to

create the killing stone.

She didn't care at all about a weak girl who could do nothing but cry.

She didn't mind using the life of a girl who she couldn't stand to enjoy a

fight with Freya Familia.

But now—

"But the way you are now…it's good."

"Lady Samira…"

The girl's green eyes widened as Samira smiled.

Standing in front of the kind of strong woman she liked, she slammed

her fist into her palm.

"All right, sing all you like, Haruhime! We'll protect you!"

"Eh, Samira?! Are you sure?!"

"It's fine! If any nasty guys come after her, we can just protect her!"

"Don't say 'just'! Doesn't that mean we're gonna have to guard her for

the rest of her life?!"

Samira turned around and charged over to the Berbera being

overwhelmed by the einherjar. Lena grumbled but chased after her, leaving

in shock when the gray-haired Amazon turned her head back.

"Do it, Haruhime!"