Getting the boring part out of the way

Context - Ryuu sent Bell to supposedly give Syr her money pouch cuz she is a "silly goose" and forgot it. Bell goes to the monster Feria looking for Syr, meets Eina then Hestia. Hestia talks with Eina asking what her relationship with Bell is or something. Normal harem mc shenanigans

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The festival air had settled into a comfortable rhythm. With most of the crowd gathered inside the coliseum, the once-bustling streets of East Main Street had quieted to a far more relaxed atmosphere. The echoes of cheers from within the arena drifted faintly through the stone paths, mingling with the lingering scent of food stalls and sun-warmed brick.

Hestia walked beside Bell, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Kami-sama, what did you and Eina talk about?" Bell asked, glancing at her.

"Yes, yes, it was just a casual chat," she replied lightly.

Their search had taken them in circles, once again leading them back to East Main Street. Bell's gaze swept the street, scanning for any sign of the woman he sought.

"Ah, Bell-kun. The person you're looking for is also a female?"

"Eh? Ah, yes."

He nodded, not thinking much of the question. "A human woman with gray hair and eyes. She's about my height. She forgot to bring her pouch to the festival so she should be quite penniless right now..."

He failed to notice the way Hestia's expression shifted.

She had listened without much interest at first, but now, a reproachful look settled in her eyes.

Bell flinched under the sudden weight of her stare. "Eh, Kami-sama?"

"...What I talked about with your adviser just now," she muttered, turning her head away. "You really are a perfect person—"

"W-What do you mean?"

"Hmph."

She gave a dramatic turn, her twin ponytails swaying as if to emphasize her displeasure.

Bell swallowed, confused but unwilling to press further. He had a feeling any attempt to explain himself would only worsen the situation.

Then—

A sound.

Something sharp and urgent, different from the festival's cheerful noise.

Bell's steps slowed. Hestia, now a few paces ahead, stopped and turned to face him.

"What is it, Bell-kun?"

He didn't answer. His head turned, eyes flickering toward the depths of the coliseum.

The sound again.

Not the dull roar of celebration.

Not the chatter of festival-goers.

A scream.

And then—

"MONSTER!"

The word ripped through the air, tearing apart the fragile peace of the street.

For a moment, the world held still.

Then, panic.

A ripple of movement. People turned, eyes wide, bodies frozen for a heartbeat before the instinct to flee took over.

And Bell saw it.

A silver blur, a storm of muscle and fur charging down the stone path, shaking the ground with each step.

The Silverback.

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The monster was wild with excitement.

Its chest heaved, silver fur rippling as its powerful limbs propelled it forward.

Its mind burned with a single desire.

To find her.

The goddess.

The vision of silver hair, shining, disappearing into the distance. The scent that clung to its senses, irresistible, intoxicating. It had never known such a feeling before—this desperate, unrelenting pursuit.

This was not instinct.

This was not hunger.

It was love.

A raw, overwhelming love that seized its body and commanded it forward, chains of obsession pulling tight.

It would find her.

It would be pampered.

It would be adored.

The carriage barely registered in its path.

The impact sent the wooden frame skyward, the horse screaming as it reared back in terror. The driver, thrown from his seat, hit the ground and tumbled, the wheels of the overturned carriage spinning aimlessly in the air.

The Silverback barely noticed.

Its breath came in deep, ragged huffs. The scent was fading. Had it taken a wrong path? It turned, nostrils flaring, seeking.

Then, stillness.

People surrounded it.

Limp bodies, shaking hands covering pale faces. Their terror was suffocating, pressing in from all sides.

It hardly paid them any mind.

Because it had found her.

Eyes, wide and dark, locked onto its bloodshot gaze.

Not the goddess.

No.

But similar.

A tiny goddess.

The last words whispered in its ears echoed in its skull.

"Go chase after that tiny goddess, okay?"

The Silverback took a step forward.

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Screams shattered the air.

Bell moved before he thought, seizing Hestia's hand and pulling her back. One step. Two. His heart slammed against his ribs, breath tight in his throat.

The monster's presence pressed down on him like a crushing weight.

A broad, burly form. Thick silver fur flowing past its waist. Eyes burning with something unreadable, something beyond mere aggression.

It looked at them.

At Hestia.

Bell's pulse pounded in his ears.

Why was there a monster here? How had this happened?

His mind barely had time to process the questions before the sheer force of its presence took hold.

This feeling—

He had felt it before.

Like ice flooding his veins.

Like a shadow stretching too long over his back.

Like the Minotaur.

Overwhelming.

Unstoppable.

A predator staring down prey.

There was no contest here.

He understood that in an instant.

If he stood in its path—

If he faced it—

He would die.

The answer was absolute.

But.

A voice.

Somewhere deep within him.

A whisper he had heard before.

'Then, should I try?'

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The midday sun bore down on the coliseum, its heat rippling through the air. Cheers and laughter rang out from the stands, the energy of the crowd undiminished. The festival was still in full swing, the performance below reaching its peak as a tamer rode a dragon across the arena, its long neck swaying with each gallop.

And yet—

"Ganesha-sama! Ganesha-sama! This is bad, big trouble!"

On the uppermost seats of the coliseum, a member of Ganesha Familia rushed forward, panting. Sweat dripped from his brow as he stumbled to a stop before his god, who stood proudly overlooking the spectacle below. The massive elephant mask turned toward him, the exaggerated features giving no indication of alarm.

"What is so urgent? I am Ganesha!"

"I know! But this isn't the time to introduce yourself—argh, just listen!"

The familia member sucked in a sharp breath, forcing himself to remain professional, but it was difficult. Every second wasted was another moment of escalating chaos.

"The monsters we captured have escaped! The monster stables are completely empty!"

The cheers of the coliseum crowd roared on, oblivious.

Ganesha remained still, his posture as grand as ever. "Escaped, you say? And how many?"

"Nine," the familia member reported, his voice tight. "And some of them are strong enough to give high-class adventurers trouble."

The elephant mask did not change, but the slight tremble in it betrayed the god's thoughts.

Down below, the dragon tamer brought his beast to a stop, placing a steady hand against its massive snout. The creature hummed before bowing its head and gently licking his palm. The audience erupted into cheers, an explosion of applause that echoed through the entire arena.

Ganesha exhaled. Then, his voice boomed.

"Immediately chase after the monsters! Seek aid from other familias! Call upon the gods who are present and ask for their assistance!"

A slight hesitation.

"B-But, Ganesha-sama! If we admit we lost control of the monsters, other familias might look down on us—"

"I am everybody's Ganesha! Do you want the civilians we protect to be harmed? The greatest blessing should be the smiles of the children. Position, reputation—these things can be thrown aside!"

The familia member straightened. "Y-Yes! I'm really sorry!"

"The festival will continue. Do not let the coliseum audience leave, and do not let them know the truth. If panic spreads, it will only make matters worse."

"Understood! And about the one who freed the monsters—?"

"For now, ignore them."

That startled the familia member. "B-But—"

"If they had wanted to cause destruction, they would have released all the monsters at once. This was not simple malice. There is a goal here. If we mobilize too recklessly, we might play into their hands."

The command was clear. The familia members bowed before sprinting off, urgency in every step.

Ganesha stood unmoving, listening as his orders rippled outward.

The monsters had escaped less than five minutes ago. His familia would respond swiftly.

Still, his fingers curled at his sides.

A god could not intervene directly.

But even so, he could not help but think:

(This is going to be a problem.)

---

On the streets outside the coliseum, Eina Tulle felt her stomach drop.

"Monsters… escaped?"

The words barely left her lips before she turned sharply toward her colleagues. "Where were they last seen?"

"The west side of the coliseum," a guild employee reported, his voice strained. "A patrol caught sight of them just as they got out."

Eina's thoughts raced. A mistake like this—at an event this large—

No. There was no time to waste on shock.

"Listen up! Contact the surrounding familias, starting with those closest to the west side! We also need to notify any adventurers nearby."

A flicker of hesitation among her coworkers.

"Is it really okay for us to act on our own?" one asked. "We don't know what the higher-ups will—"

Eina clenched her fists. "That doesn't matter right now! If people get hurt while we hesitate, it will be too late! Ganesha-sama would understand—he cares more about protecting people than appearances!"

Silence.

Then, one by one, the guild employees nodded.

She released a quiet breath.

"Alright, let's divide the tasks—"

"Excuse me."

A voice.

A presence.

They turned as one.

Aiz Wallenstein.

Golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, her eyes cool and unreadable. A rapier rested at her hip, and even in stillness, her presence was undeniable.

The employees froze. Stared.

"A-Aiz Wallenstein—"

Eina swallowed.

This was… unexpected.

The strongest adventurer of her generation. The Sword Princess. A figure that few could even dream of approaching.

One of the newer employees fumbled through an explanation, words tumbling from his lips. Aiz listened in silence, absorbing every detail with a steady gaze.

Then, she turned.

Toward Loki.

"I heard it," Loki mused, arms crossed. "Seems like this ain't much of a date spot anymore. Well, guess we'll give ol' Ganesha a hand."

Eina felt the tension in her chest ease slightly.

With the Loki Familia involved, the situation would be contained.

Still—

"Where are the monsters now?" Aiz asked.

Eina hesitated.

"They split up. Most were headed toward the West Main Street—"

Her breath caught.

West Main Street.

The same direction Bell had gone.

Her stomach twisted.

Could he be caught in this?

"Misha," she said quickly, "what kind of monsters escaped?"

Misha blinked. "Uh… let's see. A Sword Stag, a Troll, and… a Silverback."

Eina's blood ran cold.

A Silverback.

A monster from the Eleventh Floor.

The Sword Stag and Troll were even stronger, appearing on floors beyond the Twentieth.

And Bell—

Bell was barely surviving on the Fifth.

This was bad.

"Please," she whispered, eyes locked on the horizon.

The sky stretched beyond, endless and vast.

In the direction of East Main Street.

She could do nothing but pray.

For Bell's safety.