Chapter 51.1: Interlude Freya

(A/N: romance incoming. Idk if what I wrote is considered cringe, so if it is, apologies in advance HAHAHA)

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“Artoria as a kid, huh? I look forward to when she grows up”

Bell commented to himself quietly as he walked through the streets of New Sorshana. Observing the smiles of the citizens, and the refined atmosphere the settlement exuded, he couldn't help but feel his resolve strengthen in the face of it all.

He had brought joy and happiness to so many people with his own two hands and will. Though he wanted to be a hero who did not get drunk off his success like a certain parody of the man of steel, he couldn't deny that the accomplishment was intoxicating.

‘Well, not like I can get drunk off success for long. I still have a lot more things to do before I can truly retire and gloat off my success’

Remembering the implications of everything he had learned in his journeys, he knew he had only scratched the surface of the troubles he would face in this second life of his. A mystery that not even the gods of this world were capable of uncovering by themselves.

‘Evilus… Enyo… the living dungeon… the first demi-spirit… the beasts… the alien god… my reincarnation…’

Recalling the numerous threats he would have to stave off, on top of the fact that he still hadn't yet uncovered the truth behind them all, Bell truly didn't have time to become arrogant.

“Well, let’s take things one step at a time”

Letting his ego settle down once more, Bell inconspicuously began to deviate away from the populated roads of New Sorshana. Traversing numerous alleyways and dimly lit paths, he eventually made his way to a grand structure at the center of the grand city.

The centerpiece of New Sorshana, and the symbol of the nation’s revitalization from an age of hardship and struggle. A testament to the Shalzard spirit in the face of absolute fear and adversity.

Funded and constructed by the wealth of the Freya familia and the secret connections of the Hermes familia, the new royal castle of Shalzard became the envied jewel of the Kaios region.

『Eos Castle』

“Arry was really adamant to name a lot of stuff after us. First, it was Bell Port, and then it spiraled into 『Eos Castle』”

Bell remembered how much he and the royal’s advisors had struggled in calming down the passionate monarch to think rationally once more.

“I was lucky that I managed to stop her before she renamed New Sorshana into 『Gray Ghostia』”

Shuddering at the thought of having a nation’s capital city named after himself, Bell eventually came face-to-face with the larger inner-city walls that protected the city, and a pair of lone guards that stood silently at the secret entrance to the castle.

Reserved for the entering and exiting of important guests and dignitaries, it had been designed to provide the utmost security and protection, a special privileged pathway… but to Bell, it had become something else entirely.

“Welcome back, Lord Bell!”

“Thanks for waiting for me guys. I’m done with my daily walk for the day, so you can go back to your regular posts”

“As you command, Lord Bell!”

He had been using it as his personal backdoor whenever he had the urge to aimlessly wander around town.

‘It still feels weird that people know both my real and secret identity… granted it's only within Shalzard’s inner circle. I’ll have to prepare myself for when I perform my grand reveal to the public…’

Bell thought to himself as he observed the guards. The innermost circle of the nation was completely aware of who he was with and without the mask, but after everything that had happened, his identity was fiercely protected by all who came to know of it, the two guards included.

????… ????… ????...

With disciplined steps, the two guards courteously began to make their way to their assigned post after giving their reverence to Bell.

“...”

Reinforcing his vision a bit with his magecraft, he began to observe the strength the guards were exuding from their bodies. His vision not missing a single detail.

‘Not bad, though I should probably not judge them by my standards…’

They both held a decent amount of magic and physical strength. No means impressive in his eyes, but to the rest of the world beyond Orario, they would be considered fearsome elites.

‘The Shalzard royal guardsmen, consisting of hand-chosen level three adventurers from the Isis and Selene familias…’

Taking off the hood of his gray cloak, after observing the states of the two guards, Bell began to recount the immense benefits that the alliance had received after their victory against the Behemoths.

One was the mass level-ups of the children of the Isis and Selene familias that now served as the main military forces in service to Shalzard.

Though the excelia each soldier had gained was diminished greatly due to the number of people involved in each Behemoth kill and their reliance on the tools Bell and Asfi had forged, they had still accrued an immense amount of high-quality excelia.

Outside of a select few special soldiers that were to be cultivated as the pillars of Sorshana’s future strength, each soldier had their status raised at the bare minimum required for a level-up.

‘It was simply much more efficient in the short term to have Sorshana’s forces receive a quick boost in power. Maximizing each soldier’s status will only be possible once Shalzard can afford to dedicate the resources to it’

As a result of this decision by Bell, Arry, and the goddesses of the respective familias, each soldier in the Shalzard army was a level two, with a few special soldiers at level three.

Considering that the Shalzard army numbered in the tens of thousands, the once hard-pressed nation had come out of the desperate battle with a force just shy of rivaling a major power of the continent such as Rakia.

‘Hopefully, the appearance of Shalzard on the world stage will make even that dunce Ares reconsider invading southward again… the last thing I need is for him to strain interracial relations with another burning of the Alv mountains…’

Another benefit gained was the massive influx of wealth that Shalzard had received from trade and investment.

After the battle, the crater left by Bell’s projection of 『Ig-Alima』had morphed the waterways of the desert immensely.

In essence, Bell had single-handedly created his own version of the Suez Canal, cutting a path from the southern edge of the Kaios which led to a network of waterways that eventually reached Altena.

It wasn’t long before merchants from the West of Gekai, who needed to traverse the entire edge of the continent to conduct maritime trade with the East, began to salivate at the thought of the profits they could make with the reduced travel costs by sailing through this canal.

Before long, New Sorshana had become the trading hub of the desert. Holding the rights to the most lucrative waterway in Gekai, possessing security with their strong army, the backing of the Anti-Behemoth alliance, and even being able to sell luxurious and exotic goods such as Behemoth drop-items or Perseus-made magic items.

‘Arry and her advisors worked day and night to capitalize on the influx of public trade, and Hermes had a field day gaining complete control over the underworld that began to form as well’

Bell smiled to himself as he remembered how hectic it had been during the aftermath of the battle. In some aspects, it had been even more troublesome than spending months on end forging weapons to avert an army of world-ending monsters.

“So much has happened in four months…”

Countless other boons transpired as well over the course of four months.

Some desert nations tried and failed to gain control of the Shalzard Canal, announcing to the world Shalzard’s military prowess with how easily they had dispatched countless armies

Countless royal families began to try and forge connections with the emerging Shalzard superpower through any means necessary, resulting in a conundrum where princes and princesses had begun to seduce the lower-ranking officers of the Shalzard army. A desperation formed by the aloof responses given by Arry and her powerful vassals, recognizing their true intents.

Bell had developed a defense system for the city using the scraps of the False Barrel,  named 『Mellamu Dingir』

Arry had implemented revolutionary reform and governance mandates, marking her rule to be one of change and improvement

Many great feats had come after the momentous triumph of the alliance, but if Bell were to pick the three greatest among them in his eyes, they would be the following…

??? ?????…

Arry had become the first queen of Shalzard.

‘It’s finally good that she no longer has to hide behind a mask… soon it’ll be the same for me as well…’

The monarch had revealed her true identity after coming back from dealing her final strike against the beast, Hesperides.

Though she braced herself for some backlash, after going through immense suffering, her people weren't so petty as to be tied down by tradition.

They had all personally witnessed the necessity of change and the sacrifice she had put in for the nation and its people. As such, she had been crowned once more. No longer as King Allum Raj Shalzard, but as Queen Arry Raj Shalzard.

Seeing his friend, master, confidant, and student finally be happy, Bell couldn't help but rank the occasion as one of the greatest in his eyes.

??? ??????…

Ottar had achieved the monumental achievement of reaching level eight.

This single fact alone had dwarfed the amount of craze than even all the strides that had come to Shalzard.

The first level eight since the Zeus and Hera familias. Such news was bound to rock the world, no matter the circumstance.

Ottar had long sat at the top, being one of three level seven adventurers in the world, but he had now become a true hegemon as the only level eight. Proving his superiority over even the strongest of the world.

Orario was swept in cheer as an adventurer raised in the dungeon city achieved another feat to add to their long-storied history.

Altena and the Dizara Maritime Union gave their congratulations to the Freya familia, being the powers who employed the other two level seven adventurers.

The Loki familia immediately began to strengthen their forces in response to the news, with their main force having been noted as increasing the frequency of their deep floor expeditions for training.

Countless other reactions erupted throughout the world in response to the event… but for Bell, there was only one thing he was concerned with…

‘To think Ottar would become my student to learn my swordsmanship…’

The strongest man in the world was now his student.

It came as a shock to Bell after Freya and Ottar himself asked to enter his tutelage but after learning of the reasons why he came to understand why.

‘Only my swordsmanship can handle that absurd magic he gained…’

Bell was both dumbfounded and exhilarated that his nudging of Ottar to fight against the Behemoth resulted in such magic developing in his status. It was to the point that he even began to consider whether it was even more broken than 『Liaris Freese』

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Ottar Valfreyja

Level-8

【????????】  I 0

【?????????】  I 0

【??????????】  I 0

【???????】 I 0

【?????】I 0

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?????:

【? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?】

『 Super short chant enchantment. Allows one to redistribute all their END, DEX, AGI, and MAG parameters to increase STR』

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It was a magic that was simple in principle and deadly in its capabilities, especially in the hands of an adventurer like Ottar who had maxed his status at rank S at every level.

The Boaz beastman was now capable of producing a strike that could make even the Zeus and Hera familias look weak in comparison, but it came with a massive caveat in that such a strike would destroy Ottar as well.

‘It’s like loading a missile into the chamber of an assault rifle. If Ottar doesn't distribute his stats evenly, his own attack would destroy his body’

It was a magic that befitted the name it was named after. A magic that could bring destruction to all if taken lightly.

‘With this in mind, Ottar and Freya realized that he would need to learn to fight with more caution… learn to fight with finesse rather than simply brute forcing everything… so they came to me’

Bell understood what they aimed to achieve, and in his eyes, there was no better teacher for Ottar than himself.

His swordsmanship was based on the flowing, reversal, and redirection of the countless techniques he had read in his past life.

Faced with the problem of possessing and handling too much power, there was no better technique to learn than his. As such, Bell had come to begin teaching the world’s strongest man.

‘It really is surreal. Teaching the powerhouse that swayed the story with his presence alone… I really have come far in this life…’

‘But there is one thing I found weird… why were Freya and Ottar so nonchalant with allowing me to know his status?’

Bell began to ponder as to why the stoic beastman had come to be willing to obey, but after remembering Freya's talk about being the father of her familia… he promptly brought that line of thought to a halt.

“I am too young to be a father…”

“Too young for what now?”

“Huh? Freya?”

Lost in his thoughts, Bell had unknowingly traversed a fair distance inside the premises of Eos Castle, passing by numerous staff, guards, and officials who gazed at him with immense admiration as he appeared to be in deep thought.

『Lord Bell must be thinking deeply about future plans!』

『Lord Bell has a profound insight that rivals clairvoyance!』

『As expected of Lord Bell!』

Countless discussions and rumors began to make their way through the castle shortly after, eventually landing upon the ears of the silver-haired goddess whose interest was piqued by the mention of her Odr.

“Honestly, Bell. You have to be more conscious of your appearance in public. Take it from a goddess that gets swarmed with confessions of love if I slip my hood out in public”

Freya smiled gently as she began to advise him about the woes of fame. She knew that it wouldn't be long before he fully revealed himself to the public eye, so she took it upon herself to educate her beloved before he became a walking traffic generator.

“I would love to teach the ways I was able to avoid detection from even my own children… but let’s leave that for later… first lesson, my dear. When meeting with another famous person, make sure it's in a private setting”

The goddess motioned her eyes on her surroundings. In a matter of moments, Bell and Freya were now swarmed by a crowd of onlookers who couldn't help but admire the two heroes of their nation.

『Lord Bell and Lady Freya! I knew that Bell x Freya was the endgame!』

『No! Why?! It should’ve been Lord Bell with Her Majesty Arry!』

『Bell x Arry?! I wanted a harem ending, damn it!』

Seeing that they were slowly being surrounded on all sides, Bell eyed the ledge that led to the castle’s garden.

“Hold on, Freya”

“Mm”

After receiving a reply from Freya who was used to what he was about to do, Bell quickly picked up Freya by her waist, he deftly leaped through the opening and landed on the ground after reinforcing his body.

“Hmm… I give it an eight out of ten. Perfect jumping and landing technique, Bell, but it lacks the oomph that made my heart throb like back when we were on the battlefield”

The goddess lowered her eyes as she joked whilst nestling into the arms of her beloved.

Seeing Freya acting playful, Bell decided to play along. Deeming it appropriate to flirt now that he was away from the eyes of observers.

“I’m quite concerned that you would consider a bloody warzone as a romantic setting, dear goddess… just as much as I am concerned about a slight increase in the burden I feel in my arms”

“Ack!-”

Freya received immense damage from Bell’s comment on her weight. She knew it was false. She would never allow her figure to be ruined, but it still hurt quite a lot to hear it from the man she loved.

“Haa… haa… h-how cruel you are, my Odr. Do you not care that this goddess might break with your careless words?”

Freya’s face contorted as she struggled to recover from the vigilante’s blow, but as she tried to draw out words of apology or comfort from Bell, she was only met with another response that would throw her into a loop.

“You told me that I was free to do with your heart as I liked, right Freya? I am within my right to do such a thing. Blame your folly for falling for someone like me”

“....”

The goddess’ eyes widen as her face began to be flushed with a soft and tender red coloring.

Her chest began to beat with the rhythms of her divine heart as it heaved up and down, her soft mounds moving alongside the motions.

“...”

Pressing herself further into Bell’s embrace, the goddess who played with the hearts of many with a distant gaze in her eyes… was now melting into a puddle in his arms.

“That’s not fair… but though it’s unfair, it has raised your rating to a ten”

Seeing the goddess in his arms, Bell couldn't help but smile at the affection she was showing him. Similarly, Freya began to smile as well as her embarrassment and love began to calm, directing him toward a spot she had discovered in the castle’s walls where they could talk in private.

“It’s quite the scenic view. I always had a knack for finding stuff like this. Must be from all the years I spent wandering”

“You still wander, Freya? I thought you only did that because you were searching for your Odr?”

“That’s true… but my wandering doesn't stem from my desire to find you alone… observing this world has become quite a beloved hobby of mine. Something we both share in common”

Delving into the intricate pathways of the castle garden, the goddess and hero began to let the time pass whilst talking with one another. No pretenses of masks to hide behind, simply laying it all bare as they appreciated each other’s presence.

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“Bell, I fail to understand why you believe the world is a soup”

“Your failure to recognize the truth in my words greatly disappoints me, Freya”

“I believe it to be foolish to call this goddess who has lived far longer than you to be incapable of grasping the machinations of your mind, my Odr”

“Then do you concede that you’re a granny who has chosen to seduce a child much younger than herself?”

“I- THAT- HOW-”

“... cougar”

“I AM NOT A COUGAR!-”

Sitting atop a bed of flowers overlooking a lake within the garden of the castle, Bell and Freya indulged each other in pointless conversations.

The first three months in the Kaios, they had spent it aiding Arry in her revolution.

The next four were spent in preparation and engaging the Behemoth horde.

The subsequent four months after that were further spent reconstructing the capital, Sorshana, and revitalizing the nation of Shalzard.

As figures of great importance, they had grown tired of all the important talks and consequential decisions, so they simply let loose with one another.

They both had nothing to prove or achieve… though, there was one thing that Freya wished to achieve through these sweet moments of meaningless nothings.

“... hey, have you finally decided to accept my confession?”

The goddess spoke with a clear and succinct voice. Her eyes gazed into Bell’s with determination as she tried her best to raise her appeal at that moment… only for it all to be met with a swift response.

“No”

“WHY NOT?-”

Freya raised her voice in annoyance. It had been the umpteenth time that her confession had been left on hold. Though she declared that she would be willing to wait, it was slowly becoming unbearable for her.

“We are both quite close with each other, yes?”

“Yes”

“We have both come to trust each other a lot, right?”

“Absolutely”

“We even go for intimate outings with one another”

“No question”

“We hug, hold hands, flirt, and have even kissed… we even bathed with one another!”

“I see no falsehood in that”

“One might say that all the things we have done with each other would be what couples would normally do”

“Yes, that is quite true”

“SO WHY HAVEN’T YOU ANSWERED MY CONFESSION YET?”

“Because I said so”

“HMPH!-”

In the eyes of the public, the Gray Ghost and the goddess Freya were intimate with one another. This perception was even more believed by the elite personnel of the Shalzard kingdom.

In every measure, Bell and Freya were a couple in all but name… and yet… he still refused to declare himself to be in a relationship with the divine beauty.

“Is it because of the other goddesses you like?!”

“There’s no need to bring them into this, Freya”

“Then is it because of my children again? You don’t have to listen to them!”

“I could hardly care what that tsundere black cat has to say about me”

“Then why do you still choose to not answer my confession?!”

“If you want an answer, then consider it karma for all the hearts you’ve broken”

“I know that’s not the truth! You can’t lie to a goddess!”

Freya drew herself closer to Bell after sensing his falsehood. Though she was well-versed in the human mind, she could never seem to find the cause as to why Bell kept delaying his response to her confession.

“And even if it were true, that's a load of bull from a person who has their own fan club of admirers! You will break countless hearts yourself in the future!”

“But it pales in comparison to the countless ones you’ve broken in your long life, o’ goddess”

“The difference in quantity doesn’t make you any less of a hypocrite!”

“... cougar”

“I AM NOT A COUGAR!”

“Pfft-”

“BELL!-”

The pair continued to bicker back and forth with no substantial progress being made. If the people of Orario saw the sight taking place in the castle’s garden, they would’ve been shocked beyond comprehension.

Freya, the goddess that reigned over Orario with her beauty and the strength of her powerful children… was now simply being toyed around with by a humble human man.

“HAHAHAHA- Why are you pressed about this Freya? Don’t you have the dignity of a goddess to maintain? Especially with your familia’s reputation?”

Bell continued to stoke the goddess’ annoyance even further, but to his surprise, he was met with a wavering expression from the divine beauty, one that ceased him from continuing his antics.

“Do you not like it when I’m like this?”

Freya’s eyes grew with worry as she began to examine every facet of Bell’s intent. Over the course of her time with him, she had grown very comfortable in his presence, especially when it was just them both.

But just then, she slipped. She had accidentally completely removed her facade as a dominant goddess.

Without her knowing, she had taken on her true nature. The one she would use when she was unbound by the duties and necessities as the most sought-after goddess and head of the most powerful familia.

The nature she would show as Syr Flova, the cherished waitress of the Hostess of Fertility who exuded positivity and playfulness in equal measure.

“...”

Seeing the worry grow within Freya, Bell thought to himself about his future course of action regarding the goddess.

‘I can only truly take Freya as my own once I’m the strongest, otherwise, I would simply be busy being challenged by her pursuers’

‘But that's only for announcing it to the public… it wouldn’t matter if it was a secret between us for now, right?’

In his past life, he had come to adore and fall in love with the goddess of beauty through the countless stories he had read about her.

In this life, he had come to grow fond of her persistent pursuit of him. A loyalty and dedication that even drove her to traverse the Kaios to be by his side.

He didn’t care for her past history. He was not some man that defined a woman’s worth with his insecurity, all he cared for was how she acted with him in the present… and she made it clear to him that she would be by his side no matter what.

Through pain. Through suffering. Through loneliness. Through even death. Freya faced it all to spend even a second more to be with him.

Faced with all that… the choice was obvious.

“Of course, I like you”

“... eh?”

Bell began to speak clearly to Freya without a single ounce of doubt or hesitation. His heterochromatic eyes of gray and blue reflected off the goddess’ silver as he continued to air out his thoughts.

“Any man would grow weak if such a woman kept pursuing them… but I don't like you as just a pretty face. I’m not so shallow as to fall in love at first sight”

“I’ve fallen in love with everything that makes you who you are. From the largest aspects to the most inconspicuous details”

Freya’s face grew hot and red as she listened to every word Bell said. Each sound he uttered made the goddess more and more lost in her feelings.

Soon, she struggled to hear what he was saying… her beating heart was drowning out all other sounds…

But just as she desperately tried to regain her hearing, Bell drew closer to her. Closer and closer, until their breaths grazed the other’s skin.

Placing himself next to her ear, Bell would whisper words that would completely break all rationality she would have left.

“I love everything about you,  even the parts you try to hide, Mardoll… or should it be Syr in this case?”

“!!!-”

How did he know? How long has he known? What methods did he use to find it out? Does he know about Horn?

A flood of questions entered Freya’s mind in that single instant, but her calculating and strategizing nature was overcome by a single part of Bell’s words.

He loved every part of her. Even though he knew all the things she tried to keep secret… he still loved her… faced with such tantalizing words, how could she hold back.

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Freya’s eyes became hazy as its silver color began to glow more and more. Her heartbeat was beating just as quickly, but her hearing was no longer inhibited… why?

??????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????

“Bell… Bell… Bell… Bell…”

She began to utter his name over and over. Love overflowed into her heart as she did so. It was a word that became the most beautiful product of speech in her mind.

But just as she was about to pounce… she was flicked in the forehead by the person she was calling for in heat.

“Calm down, Freya”

“ACK- WHY?! WHAT IS STOPPING YOU THIS TIME?!”

Freya shouted with annoyance clear in her tone. She was so close to finally sating the desire she had been saving for almost two years for Bell, and yet she was cockblocked at the most crucial moment.

But as the goddess’ mind began to grow more clear after reigning in her desire, it became apparent that Bell was in no mood to consummate their love for one another.

“I was just making sure you didn't lose yourself in another bout of depression, Freya… I know it hurts for you, but I simply don’t have the time for such things right now… hanging out with you was only possible because of fortunate timing…”

Bell’s face began to turn colder as his attention was placed back upon a matter that weighed heavily in his mind, something he was trying to not think about as he walked through the city earlier and talked with Freya.

“...”

A silence fell upon them both, and it was clear to the goddess what it was that diverted Bell’s attention so effectively. Something that was related to the promise he gave to spirit Eos, the promise that he would find a way to save her sister.

Bell’s eyes began to focus on the horizon beyond the castle’s walls. There was little to see in the orange sky with the obscuring of the defensive ramparts except for one thing… a giant black blade that was clear to see from all points in New Sorshana.

“... you’re still thinking about Hesperides?”

“... of course, I am”

Freya’s eyes softened as she noticed she uncovered a part of the truth that Bell was trying to keep hidden. It was a matter that was tied to the third greatest thing to have come from the battle of the alliance… and it also became a problem that consumed him daily.

??-????? ??? ??? ???? ? ?????????? ?? ? ?????… ?? ????????? ?????? ??? ?????????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ??????????

‘Trapping the soul of the dying spirit within a medium, thereby saving her from withering away as a demi-spirit… this was the promised method I gave to Eos when I said I would save her sister…’

Bell thought to himself as he recollected what he had done. It was an act that would no doubt bring him into conflict with many gods of the afterlife, and would disrupt the natural order of the world itself… but it was a necessity for his future plans.

‘Another original enchantment I had made over the course of my stay in the Kaios… an enchantment that would allow the trapping of a victim’s soul within my projections… 『Soul Plunder』’

The concept of the soul is a tangential part of the story of Danmachi.

Great figures of the past would have their legends engraved into their future incarnations.

Demi-spirits were produced by the original demi-spirit through the utilization of the souls of spirits who died in the dungeon.

Xenos were all reincarnations of dungeon monsters who gained sentience after being killed numerous times in countless lives.

As a reader of the story, he knew that the soul existed in all creatures, and if he were powerful enough he could harness it in the same way as the dungeon and original demi-spirit could.

‘I originally developed this enchantment in order to extract information from the creatures that appear in Sword Oratoria. Gaining any information on the original demi-spirit could be vital to the success of my plans… and it just so happened to be perfect for saving Hesperides’

The path that Bell took to develop this enchantment was not an easy one. He would have to somehow find material on the subject of souls, but no such literature was present in the libraries of Altena.

‘I could hardly ask Athena for information on the subject without rousing her suspicion, and I don’t have the capabilities to learn from Fels who possesses the revival magic 『Dia Orpheus』... so I had to start from scratch’

He needed to study the subject himself from the ground up… and the only way one could learn about the soul… is in a place where death’s presence was common. A field where dead were littered without consideration.

? ???????

“...”

It was an act that made Bell disgusted at himself. He was not naive about the truth of the path he took. He had taken countless lives during his time as a vigilante in Orario. Death was a natural course for someone who walked on the path of a hero.

So long as he wished to become a champion of his ideals, he would inevitably be required to strike down those who wish to inhibit his dream from fruition… but never had he witnessed death on such a scale before.

‘As a vigilante, I made sure that all my enemies died instantly and without much cruelty… but war is different… there was no way I could afford such treatment when faced with thousands of enemies…’

Staring into the lifeless eyes of common soldiers. Scrutinizing every detail he could extrapolate.

The slowing of their heart. The weakening of their pulse. The fading of their skin’s color. The dripping crimson that stained the ground. The metallic smell that plagued the air.

He had borne witness to unadulterated cruelty in his pursuit to study the soul and had his mentality and ideals questioned for a time during the process, but even then, he was only given faint traces of what he was after..

Each common soldier only gave a fading glimpse into the mystical subject of his studies, so he needed to make up for the quality of the subject with sheer quantity.

There are a thousand milliseconds in a single second. Sixty seconds in a minute. Sixty minutes in an hour. Twenty-four hours in a whole day.

Researchers would need years to properly attain a full grasp on a subject they wished to study with no reference, but the number of people that would be needed for such a length of observation was far beyond the lives lost in the Shalzard-Warusa war.

As such, though Bell had been able to formulate the 『Soul Plunder』enchantment, it was beyond scuffed and faulty.

‘I was only successful because of the particular soul I was trying to capture. Trying to trap a common mortal soul would be like trying to thread a needle in the dark… but a spirit divine soul is much easier to capture in comparison due to its sheer presence and size’

Bell was successful in preserving Hesperides’ soul, but the road following from that was murky. He had no idea where to go from there.

He had tried to ask Freya about the soul, knowing she could observe its color, but it was all for naught. The knowledge of such a concept could not be easily explained in mortal tongue, much less divine tongue. It was simply something that was understood through nature and instinct.

He couldn't simply search for another warzone to observe what little of the soul he could from dying soldiers. The efficiency of the endeavor was simply not worth it, in addition to the mental burdens it would place on him to commodify human life for knowledge.

Faced with the fact that Hesperides was still lying in wait to be saved and that the canon of the story would begin in just a few more months, Bell’s mind was consumed by what he should do.

‘I tried to see if I could somehow learn to observe souls among passing people like Freya, so I took to wandering around the city often… but it would seem that my 『Structural Grasp』isn’t fine-tuned to observe such things like the literal soul of a creature…’

Bell simply couldn’t understand why he couldn't do so. His tracing could perceive the history of any weapon he laid his eyes upon, but it couldn't observe the soul? What kind of power-scaling was that?

‘Well, Emiya couldn’t trace or understand Ea or the Jeweled Sword Zeltrech, so maybe it really isn't much of a leap…’

Bell could only use his tracing to even begin studying the soul, but the soul could only be understood if you already know about it. It was a cycle that he couldn’t seem to find a way out for.

“...”

Freya’s eyes grew with worry as she observed Bell being troubled by the matter. She knew that he would not compromise on this matter regarding the nature of life and death, but if she simply left him be, the risk of him triggering a taboo would be considerably high.

‘I don’t want Bell to become a repeat of the fool of Ouranos’ familia… so let’s do this instead…’

“Bell, you have Athena’s 『Aegis』and Artemis’ 『Orion』engraved into your soul, correct?”

The goddess spoke directly to him without a single shred of doubt. Hearing her words, Bell was broken out of his thoughts by the surprise that Freya knew that two goddesses had imparted onto him their divine constructs.

“How did you…”

“I can observe souls, Bell. I can recognize the presence of divinity anywhere, especially in places they don’t normally belong in”

“... and how come you never talked to me about it?”

“I didn't want to talk about other women close to you… at least, women I still haven't fully accepted yet”

Seeing the goddess’ jealousy brought a faint smile to Bell’s face, but his thoughts on Freya’s behavior ended after he had managed to connect the dots regarding her question.

It was something that made him wonder if it would be a future trend for him going forward.

“Don’t tell me… you have a divine construct you plan to give me?”

Hearing his words, Freya could only smile at her beloved’s skilled ability to deduce an answer from the faintest of clues.

“Yes, Bell”

“I would give anything to you if it meant it would help you… even this divine construct … the eyes that allowed me to observe souls on a level that can only be rivaled by one other god in the entirety of heaven”

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『She Who Judges The Field of The Host』

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『Sessrúmnir』

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“...”

Bell didn’t know what to say. He would gladly accept a divine construct from Freya, especially one that would solve the issue of his research into the soul, but observing the expression on the goddess’ face he felt that it wouldn't be as simple as was the case with Athena and Artemis.

“Is there a catch to giving me your divine construct. Freya?”

Hearing his words, the goddess smiled upon knowing that her beloved wasn't a simpleton who would blindly accept anything without any deeper thought.

“Yes… it’s that my divine construct would cease to be mine entirely. In the case of 『Aegis』and 『Orion』they could be transferred between hands through lending… but these eyes, once taken, will be quite impossible to return to me without my arcanum”

“In essence, I will cease to be able to observe the color of souls once I give it to you”

Hearing this, Bell could immediately recognize why such a cost was heavy for the goddess. Observing the color of the souls of mortals had been one of the few joys she had in her long life.

To suddenly be bereft of such joy after millions of years of life, he couldn't even begin to imagine all the feelings she must have come to terms with in order to part with her divine construct.

“Freya…”

“It’s alright Bell… after hearing the words you gave me, I am certain I will not come to regret this decision”

Freya smiled gently as she took in the sight of her Odr, her beloved, her one and only. His white hair regained its gentle glow under the sunlight. His clear skin was cleared of some of its scarrings. His right eye regained the brilliance of blue she so loved.

Looking at it all, her heart couldn’t help but surrender to him and only him. Her long wait had finally ended. Her unfulfilled promise had finally been laid to rest in his hands. The wandering bird who flew across the sky in wanderlust had finally found a nest to call its own.

“I hesitated to give you my divine construct before because I was afraid… afraid you might come to hate me once you’ve learned of everything that I am…”

“My obsession, my greed, my deceit, my sins… I was afraid you might come to hate me once you unravel everything that I am, but hearing your words from earlier, I have come to realize that you’re not that kind of person, Bell”

“You looked past the prejudices and the remarks. You looked past my divinity and origins, and only saw me for who I am…”

“I was so paranoid of losing you, that I planned endlessly on what to do if I did. I thought I would be content if I could continue to admire the brilliance of your soul from afar… see how it glows in the presence of those you love…”

“But I know now, that I won't lose you… ???… and that I absolutely cannot stand it if I am not by your side”

Freya began to cry softly as she spoke. Shimmering under the light of the setting sun, her tears were like jewels that adorned her face. Smiling widely without care for appearance or image, the goddess laid bare all that she felt.

“I am in love with you and only you, Bell Cranel. Hehe… ???… so much so that I turn into a bumbling idiot around you. I don't know what the future lies in store for us both, but even if we face doubt, even if we argue, even if we put into question the things we hold dear, please remember this…”

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"??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?????, ??? ?????? ?? ?????????? ??, ?? ???...????? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ??, ???? ???"

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“Even if I lose the world of color that I have come to love so dearly, it doesn’t matter… like that cheesy line I hear so many times, you alone are my world now, Bell”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

A gentle breeze swept through the garden as Freya finished speaking.

Beautiful. Such was the only word Bell could think of in his mind. Never once did he think that silver could blend so well with so many colors, and yet it did.

Soft. The only way he could express the feeling was in his hands. The tender way that the goddess held his hands in hers as if he were the most fragile object in the world, carefully treating him with gentle care.

Red. The color invaded his eyes as he stared into her face. The red of the blood rushed into her blushing face. The red of her lips wished to connect with his. The red of her love, passionate and burning.

“Do you not care how I know so much about you?”

Bell asked Freya as her body neared his. Face set apart by mere centimeters, the goddess could only grin as she fell deeper in love with him.

“I could care less”

Following those words, he couldn’t remember how much time had passed. Everything became a blur as he felt Freya’s divinity seep into his body.

A silver glow descended upon his reality marble. The white sands cleared the way as it descended deeper and deeper into the mental landscape.

The blue and gold scabbard welcomed it with open arms. The blue arrow shook in shock at the notice of its arrival. The white shield simply accepted its presence as if it had known all along.

Sky blue eyes, such were one of the first things Freya came to love when she first met him, and at that moment, she would come to love one more thing among many others.

His silver left eye that could perceive the mystical and divine, the mark she personally left on the man she loved.

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Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796