Chapter 60: Catching Up With The Harem

(A/N: Plot progression next chapter. This is the last chapter of Bell struggling to be a harem protag for a while I swear-)

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"HHhhhaaa. I can never picture my life without your cooking now, Bell~"

"Haha, is that so? Then keep enjoying it. Here's your second serving"

"My child is the best!"

Spending a leisurely late breakfast inside their familia home of the abandoned church, Bell cooked up some of his goddess' most beloved pancakes after he had returned from his talk with Freya at Folkvangr.

The hearth goddess simply accepted that her child was doing vigilante things that he simply couldn't talk to her about, and simply chose to enjoy her pancakes without ruining the good mood with her concern.

But alas, though Hestia believed her child to be safe and sound of mind, as he cooked more pancakes for himself in the kitchen, the white-haired youth constantly ran through Freya's schedule in his mind.

'After I'm done with breakfast with Hestia, then I head to Eina's office, then to Naaza's shop, then to Aphrodite's home, then to Lili's training, then to Hephaestus' office, then with Artemis… with that 'free' section for any random encounters…'

????

Reviewing the things he needs to get done whilst proficiently tossing a perfectly cooked pancake over his pan, Bell was beginning to regret the large net he had cast for himself when it came to his relationships with women.

'I just need to keep my things with Aphrodite and Naaza platonic. Aphrodite seems to be invested in just being my friend for now, so I need to navigate well with Naaza. I'm already beginning to struggle with the amount I have right now…'

?????

Setting himself a plate of pancakes and masterfully spreading butter and pouring syrup over top, he began to hastily devour his food, leaving Hestia shocked that he didn't relish such fine cuisine with more appreciation.

But before she could even comment on it, the white-haired youth had finished his meal and left his used plate, utensils, and cooking ware by the sink. Brushing his teeth with haste before making his way over to the goddess.

"I'll be heading out now, Hesti. See you tonight!"

???

Planting a small peck on Hestia's forehead, he quickly made his way up the stairs after grabbing his bag from a nearby table. Leaving the familia home like a passing storm.

"..."

Having been shocked by her child's quickness and forwardness, the goddess let out a slight tinge of red on her soft cheeks as she tried her best to reign in her emotions.

"That Bell… he's probably off to see more girls… I really need to ask Hephi how to calm a teenage boy's drive… W-WAIT!- HEPHI IS ONE OF HIS VICTIMS! WHO DO I ASK FOR ADVICE NOW?!"

As the hearth goddess lamented how much of a gigolo her child was, Bell happily made his way through the rough streets of the ruins district to mark off another planned meeting on his harem management schedule. An office chat with Eina.

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"Hey look, the gigolo is back. What brings you here today, gigolo?"

"Gh- Spare me those false rumors, Misha"

"Hehe♪~ They don't seem so false to me♪~ Tell me how you manage to be so close to that cold and distant Igknight? Do you have a thing for short girls?♪~"

"That is between me and my FRIEND, Liliruca Arde"

"Psh, killjoy"

Bantering back and forth at the counter at the guild's headquarters, Misha signaled for a replacement to be called over to her post as she guided Bell toward Eina's office. The process is done so naturally due to its frequency of being done.

"Why do I always have to be escorted to Eina's office? I can name a majority of the staff here with how many times I passed through the staff area"

Questioning the tediousness of the routine, Bell was confused why he wasn't just simply allowed to be allowed in. To which, Misha replied with a cheeky smile that befitted her gossiping and teasing nature.

"It's the head director's orders. Eina actually pushed for it a while back, but that grumpy Royman was adamant to deny it, despite how much influence Eina accrued in recent times. That old elf must be territorial with how long he's run things here"

Hearing her answer, Bell's eyes narrowed as he was reminded once more of the director of the guild, Royman Mardeel. An elf aged around a hundred and fifty years old, and a trusted servant of the ever-secretive Ouranos.

'The guy has quite the ego. Taking tons of bribes. Looking down on most mortals. And having a massive hate boner for half-elves… and I'll most likely have to deal with him after I reveal my identity…'

Royman, for all his faults, was an effective worker who brought in a lot of progress and growth for Orario. Though it came with a lot of caveats, such as sucking up to foreign powers and using famous adventurers as bargaining chips.

'If I remember correctly, Royman tried to auction off Finn's hand in marriage to some princess whose country was a major investor in some projects of the guild… hopefully Freya can keep him in check for me soon…'

Bell quickly fell into a rabbit hole of planning his actions for the future, as he did so many times before. Noticing his silence, Misha saw an opportunity to play with the white dog in her sight.

"Why do you want to cut off our routine, Bell? Don't you like to see little 'ol me? It's not every day that a guy can walk with a cutie as if it were natural~"

"You're still on the clock, Miss Flott. Stop now before I report you to Eina for harassment"

"HHhhhaaa, still as tough a nut to crack as ever… as expected of Orario's resident gigolo~"

"Gh-"

The petite girl ran circles around Bell. Where Freya was a strategic teaser with millions of years of experience, Misha was a natural talent that far exceeded others with little effort.

When put on a competitive ranking of teasing ability, Bell was sad to admit that he was a mid-rank scrub compared to other professionals in the sport of competitive teasing.

"You're not even using the term in the correct meaning! I'm not being paid to give any woman pleasure!"

"Oh? So you don't get paid? Forgive then and let me correct myself… ????… manwhore♪"

There are many ways that one might react to getting pushed over the ledge when teased. Some go quiet. Some get sad. Some tease back. And some just ignore the teases completely… Bell was none of those, instead, he got angry.

???

Slamming the petite human girl against the wall with his imposing body, Bell let out an exhausted sigh as he could no longer take Misha's playfulness.

"I'm not in the best of moods right now, Misha. I have a lot on my mind… quit it…"

Bell's eyes sent a cold chill down Misha's spine. As a falnaless human, she could quite easily be treated horribly by the goddess-blessed adventurer in front of her.

But when faced with the growling canine that shadowed her small self, she could only feel her heart race even more as the stakes of her game were raised.

"Make me"

Misha was a prodigy at teasing, so she wasn't unaware of what happens when things go too far. But as a child born to tease, she enjoyed every aspect of the thrilling task, even when she got punished for her unchecked boldness.

"What are you going to do to a cheeky brat like me, Bell?"

She urged him more and more. Like a gambling addict that got off to the thrill of endless success and gut-wrenching failure being decided by factors out of her control.

Her eyes went mad as she descended into her personal form of vice that she rarely showed to anyone else, but just as she was about to figure out what waited for her beyond the edge, she was left without the climactic reveal.

"????… Just bring me to Eina's office, Misha"

"Psh, killjoy"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry for being such a killjoy~"

Upon seeing that the white canine retracted his fangs from sinking down on her skin, Misha grew frustrated as she saw that Bell wasn't new to performing such acts.

'I could see it in his eyes. The guy has dominated women who have teased him too much before'

With her immense history, the petite human girl was able to easily identify the characteristics of a person who was guilty of doing such things before.

The only barrier that stopped Bell from going over the edge was that Misha wasn't someone he had to take responsibility for.

'Responsible and composed whilst also having the self-control to not lash out like some rabid wild animal. I wonder who trained him to be such a fun animal to play with♪'

With a personality that would've made her great friends with a certain silver-haired goddess with similar tendencies for pleasure. Misha returned to leading Bell through the office's hallways with a cheeky smile on her face.

"Isn't this fun, Bell? I really enjoy this schtick we have here, so do you mind continuing our little daily walks? Just for me?"

Acting cutesy and flashing a quick wink at the white-haired youth, Bell could only sigh once more as he questioned just how depraved Misha was beyond the words of the story along with one other concern.

'I haven't picked up another girl without my knowing, have I?'

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"Sorry about that, I'll scold Misha later to stop bothering you so much"

"Thanks, Eina… ????…"

After gaining reassurance from Eina about Misha's teasing, Bell let out another tired sigh as he melted into the soft cushions of the half-elf's office sofas. A piece of furniture that befitted its use in the office of an influential guild worker.

Seeing how often the white-haired youth was sighing in recent days, Eina giggled to herself as the sight of him reminded her of someone she treasured deeply.

"With how often you've been sighing like a tired old man, Bell, you kind of remind me of my father. A lot of dads do that particular kind of sighing"

"? ? ? ? ?"

After hearing Eina deduce so naturally the role of a stepfather that had been hoisted onto him by Freya and Hephaestus, Bell began to worry if he was unconsciously accepting it in his mind.

'No! No! I'm too young!'

Denying the thought that Freya was right about him all along, the sound of Eina setting a cup of tea on the table had ridden his mind of getting lost in another internal struggle to reject his fatherhood.

"Here, some tea. You must be going through a lot right now, right? Then just relax for a bit. Let big sis take care of you for now"

With the warm air and gentle fragrance of the alv green tea wafting against his face, Bell's eyes began to grow heavy as he took a sip of the tea.

A warm feeling began to coarse through his body. Warming his stomach before relaxing everything else.

'Damn it. I could stay up way longer than this… what changed?'

Bell became confused about why he felt so low on energy, but that was when he remembered Eina's specialty. She was an expert caretaker all her life.

From her childhood tending to her sickly mother, tired father, and needly little sister. To her endless hours of studying in the academy district. To her current occupation of being an adventurer advisor.

The half-elven beauty held a gentle heart as easy on the eyes as her evergreen eyes and soft brunette hair.

Hestia undoubtedly was the best at giving a sense of family, but Eina was unparalleled in her ability to raise one with excellence.

"..."

"Sleepy? I'll get a blanket. Rest well, Bell"

The short time of peace Bell experienced made him a laxer person. It was a pleasant experience he wished would never go away.

No villains to think about. No world-ending threat at every corner. No tragedy he could avert with his past life's knowledge. Just simply bliss in living in the moment.

The warmth of Eina's blanket made retaining consciousness a losing battle. The security her hands gave as she brushed against his hair like a gentle coastal tide was addicting.

'No… the schedule…'

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"Hehe, take away everything and he's still just a boy"

Peering at the sleeping Bell, Eina smiled kindly as she watched with gentle eyes how his body heaved with the soft breaths he took.

Seeing how easily he fell to slumber, the half-elf thought about what kind of things he might be hiding from her.

It was natural for a guild worker like herself to know when someone was lying. From his reports of his dungeon dives. To his personal life. And even his recent journey across the continent.

"The world isn't kind to everyone…"

Eina repeated the words that her mother told her were the doctrine of the royal alv forest. Beyond the safety of their evergreen fortress was a land that took no pity on the weak.

Men went against men in their feuds for supremacy and ego. Beast went against Beast for temporary glory and honor. Monsters roamed the lands in search of their next prey.

This doctrine led elves to fear and look down upon what lies beyond the shade of the leaves. To believe that only they were the true mortals befitting consciousness and intelligence.

『But as cruel as the world may be; Beyond the veil of suffering lies the possibility of something beautiful』

Such words were what led her mother to join her Aunt Riveria to leave the royal alv forest in an adventure. One that would come to birth the Loki familia.

She laughed. She cried. She mourned. She feared. But undoubtedly, she was more alive than all the decades she had spent staring into the monotonous green shade of their home forest's leaves.

"... I wonder what you saw, Bell?"

What did the young man resting by her side see when he saw the world? One of suffering? One of beauty? She didn't know.

Did he see the cruelty of existence? Did he see the beauty of life… or perhaps… he saw the world be encompassed by someone special… just as her mother did when she first met her father.

"If you did meet that someone. I expect you to introduce me to them, Bell. I'm quite protective of those I care for after all. Hehe~"

But whatever he saw, she would be right there by his side to help him process it all. Whether it be as his advisor, as his sister, or something more, all Eina wanted was to see him smile.

To the one who reaffirmed her dreams was not just foolish idealism. To the one who reinforced the belief that it wasn't wrong to keep trying for everyone, she can reach.

"I don't know what you're going through, Bell, but whatever it may be, remember that I will always love you, my brave adventurer"

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"♩♪Hush little baby don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird♩♪"

'Where am I?'

Bell felt the coarseness of sand beneath his body. Welcoming him like a gentle mattress. As if it were made only for him.

'My reality marble?'

He quickly deduced where he was, his reality marble, Unlimited Blade Works. Every time he fell into a slumber, he would find himself in this world of infinite sword creation.

Usually, he would work if he wanted to experiment with some ideas, or just simply sleep as he did on top of the sand to rest, but this time was different.

"♩♪And if that mockingbird don't sing. Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring♩♪"

A beautiful voice sang gently to him as he continued to sleep. One that felt familiar to him, despite not being able to pinpoint it to a person he knew.

The connection he felt to his reality marble had grown stronger as he accrued more excelia in himself. Like a string becoming reinforced with newly added material.

Where once it felt like an unintelligible force, it began to take a life of its own, as if his magecraft were alive.

"♩♪And if that diamond ring is brass. Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass…♩♪"

So many weird things were happening. The answer to it all was at the tip of his tongue, but no matter how hard he tried, Bell felt he was infinitely distant from reaching the truth.

"Hm? Oh, you should be rested by now… get up… you wouldn't want to mess up the schedule your wife gave you"

"If you really are that dead set on meeting me again… gain more excelia… the more you're body is empowered, the more freely I can act"

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"?!"

Waking up in a panicked state all of a sudden, Bell quickly began to gain his bearings as he was struck by the rattling of some cups.

"W-Woah, Bell, you alright?"

"Eina?"

With his eyes slowly adjusting to the gentle light of the room, Bell felt his stomach sink into the floor as he saw what was happening outside.

The sun emitted a soft orange hue as it began to descend over the high walls of Orario. The light of the city began to awaken as the night drew closer.

Bell had slept through most of the day despite having such a packed schedule that he had to follow.

"Shit!"

Unwrapping himself from Eina's soft blanket, the white-haired youth began to quickly gather his things as he panicked to figure out if he could salvage what was left of the plan Freya had given him.

"Why didn't you wake me up, Eina?! I had so much to do today!"

In the midst of his panic, Bell raised his voice as he was lost in the confusion. But not affected by the sudden urgency, Eina simply pulled his attention towards herself.

With her hand on his face and a stern expression showing, the half-elf began to correct the behavior of her adventurer and little brother.

"Deep breaths, Bell Cranel. Nothing will be accomplished by panicking. Deep breaths"

Seeing this, Bell's mind began to slowly calm down before eventually plateauing at its usually composed state.

"... ????… I'm sorry for raising my voice, Eina"

"I wasn't asking for an apology, just for you to calm down… and stop sighing like an old man already. If keep doing that, you might end up becoming an old man"

"... Is that so?"

Flashing a wry smile, Eina's eyes began to narrow as she could feel that something was bothering Bell. Something that weighed particularly heavy in his mind.

"Though it generally isn't expected, an adventurer's advisor is tasked with ensuring their raised adventurer is at their optimum state at all times for when they dive into the dungeon"

"As such, personal matters can affect your performance and survivability in the dungeon. So if you are experiencing any issues you can always confide in me, Bell"

With an eagerness to help the white-haired youth with whatever was troubling him, Bell felt that there was no escape from Eina now that she knew something was amiss in his mind.

"I'm not gonna be able to sweep this under the rug am I?"

"I am quite punctual with my work tasks. I pride myself on a clean work record"

Being guided back to the sofa by the half-elf, Bell consciously stopped another sigh from leaking out of his mouth as he prepared for his very own therapy session.

Even the most stalwart of practitioners of mental health require their own treatment from time to time.

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"So you're trying to make amends for all the people you suddenly ghosted with your sudden trip across the continent?"

"Yes…"

"Hm, well, I won't deny that it was rather in poor taste to just leave with a letter for me. I can only imagine how much worse you treated other people"

"I may have even forgotten to say goodbye to some…"

"I know I was joking about you sighing causing you to become an old man, but you're really acting like a deadbeat dad right now, Bell"

"I have no excuses…"

With Bell lying flat down on the sofa as Eina sits on her chair analyzing his mental state, the half-elf was both relieved and disappointed that Bell was still capable of committing mistakes. Even ones as egregious as ghosting multiple people on a whim.

"And so you got this plan from your 'friend' to make up for lost time with your other 'friends'. Thereby absolving your guilt for the last two years you were gone?"

"Yeah…"

(E/D: Me after watching every John Wick movie.)

"..."

Under the scrutinizing gaze of the half-elf, Bell began to sweat as he tried as best as he could to downplay the severity of his crimes as much as possible.

It was the truth, for the majority of the people he was trying to make amends with, he wasn't sure about his relationship with them.

He prayed that it would all be platonic, not wishing to have more lovers to worry about, but he was reminded multiple times by his current lovers that such things was unlikely for him.

Naturally, Eina picked up on the fact that he was hiding something beneath the words he spoke, but she simply let it slide. Believing it is best for him to solve the problem than to punish him further.

"Alright, I can get the general gist of it. In summary, you are way too much of a people pleaser, Bell"

"Ack-"

"You seem to have this innate desire to see people be happy with your presence and take any negative reactions quite severely. I believe this is called a savior complex?"

"Guh-"

"I'm thinking this is derived out of some loneliness you felt before, and an immense fear of losing what you've gained and returning to that dark time in your past"

"Ugh-"

"So in summary, you have a problem with people's perception of you, take responsibility far too much, and are extremely sensitive to any semblance of loss or failure"

"STOP! I GET IT! NO NEED TO PUSH IT THIS FAR, EINA!"

"Just making sure you face the truth, Bell"

Having gotten a taste of his own medicine, Bell reeled from the harsh assessment of Eina regarding his mind.

He knew that he was far from a normal person in terms of mental development. No amount of happiness could reverse the experiences he underwent, but it was still hurtful to have it presented to him in such detail.

Seeing her adventurer in such a pathetic state, Eina could only let out a soft chuckle as she moved on from the punishment of her therapy session and onto the reward.

"Hey, Bell, it's not like all those traits are bad. In fact, a lot of them are very admirable. You just simply have an issue with excess"

"Stop trying to act all by yourself. If you're the person I think you are, there will be people willing to help you no matter what. So trust in them"

Hearing her words, Bell could only be silent as he failed to imagine where his current relationships would help in his current predicament.

"But-"

"Shush, Bell. Trust. You've been acting like a lone wolf since the first time I met you. Get used to receiving help from others from now on, alright?"

"How-"

"Just trust in the bonds you formed, Bell. Trust in them. Stop believing that the only guaranteed way to success is through your own effort alone"

"..."

Processing the words for a moment, Bell was still unsure but decided to try it out despite all his doubts about it.

"... Alright… thanks for the therapy talk, Eina"

"No problem, Bell"

With the therapy session finally over, Bell grabbed his bag as he began to head out to 'trust in his bonds' but just as he was about to close the door to the office, Eina left him with some parting words.

"It's all well and good to live your youth to its fullest potential, but don't play and break too many girls' hearts, Bell"

"?????"

"Before you ask, I already heard the rumors about my little 'gigolo'. Now close the door, I have some more documents to catch up on"

Closing the door and making his way to leave the guild's headquarters, Bell began to feel a shiver down his spine as he sensed something was changing around him.

Just like the protagonist he was, the world began to align in order to provide Bell with the answer he needed to solve his current predicament, though it wouldn't be one that he particularly liked.

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"You gotta be shitting me"

"Hm? Oh? Hey! Bell! It's me! Your best friend, Aphrodite!"

"Huh? Bell? What are you doing here?"

"Lord Bell?!"

"Fufu, what a coincidence to meet you here"

In front of Bell who was wandering through the plentiful streets of Orario, he eventually came across a quaint cafe that he recognized from his numerous patrols as the Gray Ghost.

But though he remembered it as being quaint, it currently was anything but so as a large crowd of onlookers gathered around to observe the peculiar get-together at one of the cafe's outdoor tables.

Aphrodite, Naaza, Lili, and Artemis all sat with one another around the table, peacefully chatting as they sipped on their drinks and ate trendy confectionaries.

The group of beauties known across Orario naturally drew in a large crowd of observers who wished to admire their splendor from afar.

The alluring goddess of love. The silent but charming potion brewer. The distant and cold pallum spear knight. And the ever-desired huntress goddess and divine virgin.

Many people felt a warm heat spread across their chests seeing such women chat and eat idyllically. That was until they all turned around in recognition of someone they all knew.

"It's Bell Cranel! The gigolo of Orario!"

"Don't tell me the gigolo has tainted all of them already?!"

"No! It's not fair! Damn you, you fucking gigolo!"

The crowd immediately began to grow hostile towards Bell as they instantly recognized his distinct looks from the many rumors being circulated around Babel.

Walking through the sea of hateful glares as he struggled to process why all the women he had to meet were grouped together, he began to hear a serene voice in his head.

『Freya told me to gather myself and all those girls quite a while ago. Something about you sleeping like a dog in the sun and not wanting to ruin the precious moment』

Artemis smiled wryly on her face as her voice was conveyed to Bell through their mental link. Realizing this was the result of Freya, he was both angered and thankful for the goddess' help.

'Couldn't you have picked a more discrete location, Artemis? There are too many people watching…'

『Um, Freya also told me that this is meant to be both helpful and punishing to you. Something about training you in management skills?』

'Damn you, Freya…'

With no other choice but to accept the cruel goddess' training regiment to become a proper harem manager, Bell quietly prepared to take a seat on the table of the four girls, his face appearing stiff as he felt tons of hateful glares directed his way.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

As he put out his request into words, a variety of reactions erupted from the four girls.

"Ah, feel free, Lord Bell!"

Lili, though confused and bewildered by his appearance, was the first to accept his request. Not even asking the other people at the table if it was fine with them.

"Of course my best friend!"

Aphrodite excitedly welcomed Bell to their table, having grown extremely happy that her best friend was also in the presence of her other best friend, Artemis.

"If the others don't mind, then join us"

Naaza was a bit perplexed, but seeing the atmosphere around the other women, and being familiar somewhat with Bell, she didn't mind his intrusion into their little group.

"Any child of Hestia is naturally trusted by me"

And lastly, Artemis put on a facade as if she didn't know the young man in front of her, whilst covertly chatting with Bell through their shared mental link via the Orion arrow.

"..."

But, noticing the uncomfortableness in him, the four girls wanted to alleviate his suffering a bit by thinning out the crowd who were watching them.

Lili began to emit a violent aura at the people who disrespected her hero. Aphrodite signaled her children to disperse the crowd who were growing angry at her friend. Naaza gave out a gold glare of disapproval… and as for Artemis… she had her huntresses quietly act on her will from the shadows.

Even some adventurers of the Freya familia assisted in dispersing the crowd, willingly doing so as one last gift for Bell, before they eventually committed all sorts of horrors upon him in their future war game.

In a matter of minutes, the once large crowd has been dissolved entirely, bringing the peace and quiet that was usually found around the cafe at this time of day.

"????… so… what brings you here, Bell?"

"I would like to know that myself…"

Answering Aphrodite's question, Bell wasn't quite sure how to make sense of the situation. Here he was at a table with four girls he was planning to meet.

So, mustering all the courage he had as a harem protagonist, Bell began to use all of the socialization skills he had developed throughout his second life to unravel the mess of a situation that was his current predicament.

But he was not alone in this herculean effort as Artemis also provided her own support as a goddess to clear up all the awkwardness and tension around the table.

Just like Eina had said, Bell shouldn't always do everything by himself. It made him happy to know that he had such people whom he could rely upon, but it still made him guilty that they had to help him with an issue such as knowing too many girls.

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"Oh, so you sold him some potions when he was starting out as an adventurer, Naaza?"

"Yes, though it pales a lot in comparison to your story of meeting him in Preblics, Lady Aphrodite. It amazes me that you were able to meet again despite the time and distance"

"I know right?! Also! Just call me Aphrodite. I'm not really a fan of titles, and I like you quite a lot. So, let's get along from now on, Naaza!"

"Oh, um, it would be my honor… but I'm generally quite reserved…"

"It's alright! I personally find it much easier talking with people like you!"

On one side of the table, Naaza and Aphrodite were talking up a storm as they naturally clicked with one another after their relationships with Bell were known.

The goddess of love was charmed by the usually silent but engaging chienthrope potion brewer, and Naaza was similarly interested in the endless amount of stories she had to tell.

Seeing this, Bell smiled gently at the sight, but he was soon taken out of it as Aphrodite whispered to him discreetly. The goddess is seated to his right.

"Psst! Hey! Bell! I made another friend!'

Aphrodite smiled like an innocent kid as she bragged about her ability to get another friend. With nothing else for him to do, Bell simply smiled as he congratulated the goddess like a parent watching over their kid.

"Good job, Aphrodite"

"Hehe♪"

Just as Bell was congratulating Aphrodite silently, he noticed that Naaza locked eyes with him for a split second.

Having been caught, the chienthrope girl panicked for a few moments before eventually following through with her decision to look at the white-haired youth.

????

Not having the extrovertedness to speak, but not wanting to make things awkward, Naaza performed a small wave toward Bell.

She wasn't quite sure how to interact with him just yet, but at the very least, she wanted to seem friendly to her long-time customer.

"Gh-"

"B-Bell?! You alright?!"

Seeing as Bell physically recoiled out of nowhere, Aphrodite grew worried that something had happened to her friend, but beyond her knowing, he was simply experiencing the effects of a deadly attack. A shy cute girl's friendly gesture.

'No more girls in your harem, Bell Cranel. No more girls in your harem, Bell Cranel. Prove to Freya that you can keep a platonic relationship with someone of the opposite sex!'

As Bell fought for his life within his mind, Artemis could only awkwardly continue receiving her lover's thoughts through their mental link as she talked peacefully with Lili.

"Oh! So using those muscles will improve the movement of one's spear"

"Yes. I experimented quite a lot with hunting spears back in heaven. You should take the chance to try it out"

"I see. I'll tell Lord Gra- I mean- My mentor to help me try it out in a spar! I'm sure he can help me integrate it into my fighting style"

The pallum and goddess of the hunt and moon talked about their knowledge and fondness for the art of spear combat.

Artemis shared her knowledge on the subject as she often wielded the Orion arrow as a spear in the heavens, and Lili thoroughly absorbed her expertise on the field, wishing to make the most of it to benefit Bell as his spear knight.

Upon noticing Lili's shift in mood whenever she mentioned her mentor, Artemis shifted their conversation to that person, side-eyeing Bell all the while, causing the poor young man to feel a shiver run up his spine.

"Hm? Do you have a mentor? They must be quite talented to have trained a well-known adventurer like yourself, Lili"

"Yeah! He's the best! He taught me a lot! When he first started teaching me…"

The pallum began to get lost in her praises for her beloved mentor, talking incessantly about his stories and charming traits.

And though she hadn't activated her transformation magic, Artemis felt as if there were a pair of animal ears and a tail wagging energetically as Lili spoke.

『This mentor of Lili… it's you isn't it Bell?』

'Yes…'

As Lili spoke, Artemis went to confirm her theory with Bell who held up no resistance in admitting his large presence in the pallum's life.

『You did a good job raising such a strong young lady, Bell. Will I have to prepare for her to be part of our little group?』

'No. She said she would like to focus on getting stronger rather than her love for me…'

『Really? A cute girl like her and you didn't fold? Color me surprised, but also quite disappointed』

'Disappointed?'

『It's the job of a man to take responsibility for making such an innocent maiden fall for him. Seems like you couldn't handle the weight of your actions』

'I apologize for being such a gigolo…'

『As long as you're aware of the problem』

With the dynamic in place, the group of the four girls and Bell continued to chat together in relative peace. Their bonds with one another being strengthened all the while.

Before long, the night began to take hold of the endless sky, marking the end of their sudden-get together.

They all bid each other goodbye as they walked their separate ways. But, as the protagonist he was, it was far from the end for Bell.

"????…"

Walking down a lonely street in Orario, Bell sighed as he felt his mind become extremely tired from walking a tightrope between all four women at the cafe.

But before he could indulge in his old-man behavior once more, his body was suddenly pulled away from the street and into an alleyway by a firm hand.

"Hey!"

"Aphrodite?!"

"The one and only!"

Pushed back against a wall, Aphrodite stood in front of Bell with a wide smile on her face as she held his hand. The goddess seemingly wanted to talk about something.

"What are you-"

"I know that you're the Gray Ghost"

"?????"

Hearing her blunt declaration of knowing his secret identity, the young man coughed violently as the shock, but Aphoridte simply ignored his coughing and explained how she knew.

(E/D: Bell has developed COVID-19 in another world.)

"When I was trying to find you back in Preblica, I had my children look into some recent rumors around the city"

"Just when you escaped, there were some rumors going around the locals of some hooded figure in the forest"

"Given that you were able to outrun and elude my experienced adventurer children, the rumors of a ghost-like figure in the northern forests, and hearing the notorious stories of the Gray Ghost, it was only natural I figured it out!"

Listening to the goddess' explanation, Bell was shocked as he was reminded once again how competent this world's version of Aphordite was compared to other stories he had read.

"I see…so what do you plan to do with this information?"

Bell grew worried as he didn't know why Aphrodite would mention such a thing to him. Blackmail? Extortion? He was beginning to expect the worst with his tired mental state, but he was only met with a firm tightness around his body. Aphrodite began to tightly hug him.

"You seemed tired when you were chatting a while ago… were you exhausted with vigilante duties?"

"Yeah"

"I also saw you with a goddess I know quite a lot. Hestia. Are you a child of her familia?"

"... Yeah"

"I see. Does she know about your secret identity? It's not nice to lie to a kind person like her"

"... Yeah…"

"And the reason you're still keeping it a secret… is because you have enemies that might hurt the people you care about, so you're trying to get strong first?"

"For all your airheadedness, you're quite frighteningly good at deduction, Aphrodite"

"Of course! Hestia is a goddess who I treasure a lot back in heaven! And… you're important to me as well, Bell…"

"..."

In the lonely alleyway, Aphrodite and Bell continued to stay in silence as the goddess embraced the mortal with all she had.

Taking a moment to process everything, Aphrodite eventually released her hug as she faced Bell with a clear and determined gaze in her green eyes.

"Alright! As of this moment, the Aphrodite familia hereby pledge to be your allies!"

"Huh-"

"You have a bunch of allies, right? Something called the Gigantomachy thingy. Whatever it is, I want to join!"

"But-"

"I won't take no for an answer! I'm a hundred percent sure my children won't refuse my order! And we're quite strong, you know!"

"Aph-"

"I'll help you, Bell, that's what friends are for right?"

Being faced with her sincerity, Bell couldn't do anything but laugh and accept the goddess of love's insistence on helping him out.

"Fine. Thank you for your support, Aphrodite"

"Great! But! This will be a give-and-take relationship! I'll help you out if you give me something in return!"

"Hm? And what would that be?"

"More dates!"

"?????"

"Between friends!"

"Lead with that first, you cheeky goddess!"

"Hehe♪"

Backing off to avoid Bell's anger, Aphrodite laughed as she ran around the alleyway to escape his wrath.

Eventually, Bell became too mentally exhausted to continue the charade any longer, so the goddess took this moment to explain her reasonings for desiring more dates.

"I was quite surprised, you know, to see that you know so many people that are girls. I've been hearing rumors about you being a gigolo, but I was surprised to see that they were true"

"I don't know what you plan on doing with them all romantically, but I couldn't care less for that.  I'm more concerned with the women who'll become your friends, after all"

"Because no matter what, I'll make sure-"

…

..

.

"-That I'm your number one girl best friend, Bell♪"

…

..

.

Aphrodite's eyes gleamed with a divine green hue as she declared her intent to maintain her current position within Bell's heart. Having grown extremely attached to the first male friend she had in her long life of sexual and romantic partners.

"So with that, have a good night, Bell!"

Though many things differed between Danmachi's Aphrodite, and other versions of the Greek goddess, there was one similarity she shared with them all.

For whoever captured her interest, she would hold onto them no matter what. Even if cities fell and burned in her desire to keep them.

But before she went away completely, Aphrodite turned around to leave the struggling young man with one last discovery she had made.

"Oh! Also! Treat Artemis well, alright? I'll mutiny against you if you hurt my second best friend"

"HUH?! HOW DID YOU-"

"I'm a goddess of love, Bell. You'll have to do a damn lot to hide those lover's eyes you were flashing her throughout our chat~"

Flashing a cheeky wink before disappearing into the crowd of the street opposite the alleyway's entrance, Bell was left silent as he was thoroughly played around her divine fingers.

But he wasn't done just yet, as our protagonist was hit with another fateful encounter.

"Bell?"

"Naaza…"

The chienthrope girl stared at his exhausted face with some awkwardness. But before long, she began to talk with him, despite her not knowing how to best talk.

"I was actually looking for you"

"Oh, is that so…"

"Yeah. You said to leave a letter for you at the guild if I wanted to meet up… it's too late to head to the guild now, and I have to head back to my familia home… so I decided to look for you and give my letter personally"

Taking out a neatly made envelope from her bag, Naaza held out her letter to Bell with a slight smile on her face.

"I still don't remember a lot of our talks from two years ago. Work and other stuff occupied my memories a lot… but from our talks a while ago… I realized that it would be a shame to not reconnect"

"I'm not the best at conversing, but I remember we used to get along quite a lot back then. So, do you feel the same?"

Naaza nervously waited for Bell's reply. The chienthrope had few friends outside of work, so she wanted to see if she could salvage one of the few friendships she had before she was swamped with her studies and research.

"I would love to. I also think it would be quite a shame to let go of the thing we had all those years ago. I quite enjoyed our past talks"

"Is… that so?"

"Yes… very much so"

"I see… then, I'll be meeting you again soon. It would be a poor look as a businesswoman if I treated a regular of mine so badly"

Holding out her hand, Naaza smiled as she found a friend, now able to dissuade her god's fear of his child becoming a loner with nothing but work on her mind.

"I look forward to it, Naaza"

Returning her gesture, Bell shook the chienthrope girl's hand with a firm shake. Naaza was surprised for a moment by how gentle yet firm his hand was, but she soon turned her attention to more pressing matters.

"I gotta be home soon, Lord Miach is quite the worrywart… have a goodnight, Bell"

"Goodnight to you as well. Stay safe on the way back"

"Thanks, I will"

Watching as she walked off to the distance the same as Aphrodite, Bell prayed to whatever god would listen to his prayers to let him rest, but he was met with only a wombo-combo of coincidental situations.

"... ????…"

Tiredly making his way to yet another inconspicuous alleyway, Bell intercepted a surprised pallum who was trying to escape.

"There's no need to watch in secret, Lili"

"Um! I! You! So! Actually!... I'm sorry…"

"Just speak to me face-to-face next time will you?"

Slumping against the concrete walls of the alleyway, Bell and Lili stood together in awkward silence as the poor white-haired youth struggled to process everything that was going on.

"I could leave if you want to, Lord Bell"

Sensing his growing frustration, Lili hesitantly gave Bell the option to send her away, but upon him looking at her expression, he could hardly find it in himself to act so cold.

"It's alright… it's better if I just tell you everything. I promised not to leave you out of anything after all"

Scratching his hair as he fixed his posture, Bell took a deep breath before calling out the other coincidental situation he figured would come after meeting Lili.

"Come on out, Artemis. I don't want another Freya who watches me from wherever she pleases"

"Hey now, I'm not like Freya! Her stalking and my hunting habits are completely separate!"

Descending from the roof of a building and onto the alleyway, the goddess of the hunt gracefully made her way to the pair's location, surprising Lili with how she failed to sense her.

"How did you-"

"Concealing my divine presence, Lili. I'm not as good with it as Freya or other gods with the ability to naturally use it. But I learned it in order to hunt"

Artemis smiled as she watched the pallum quickly change through a variety of expressions, all being sourced from putting two and two together… and realizing that Bell had another goddess in his harem beyond her knowledge.

"Lord Bell… gigolo…"

Though she refuted the rumors at first, upon seeing his handiwork firsthand, the poor pallum began to accept the reality that her mentor and hero were undoubtedly a manwhore.

"Hehe, I know right? Bell really is quite the gigolo

Artemis chimed in with Lili's words with a cheeky smile flashed at Bell, and the poor white-haired young man could do nothing but suffer through the consequences of his actions.

"Please don't Artemis. I can feel a headache coming to me right now…"

What ensued thereafter was a lengthy talk of Bell explaining his current love life with Lili. From how he first met Artemis, to meeting Athena, being wed to Arry and Freya, and the other female companions he has met thus far, including Aphrodite and Naaza.

"So that was why you were all seated together and why I arrived so conveniently, Lili. Freya and Artemis are helping me fix up my loose ends when I suddenly left Orario"

"..."

Hearing his words, Lili was happy that Bell showed that much concern for her and his other relationships, but she didn't know how to feel about his consideration for others coming at the cost of his own well-being.

A knight is one who dedicated their whole being in service to their Lord. What kind of pathetic excuse of a knight would be receiving constant help from their Lord?

There was only one thing Lili felt she should do at this moment. She chose the oath upon her spear before her heart, and she would hold true to that decision.

"Let me help you. Lord Bell! I want to help you manage your relationships!'

Hearing the bold words from Lili, Bell was left speechless as Artemis let out a chuckle as she stood in wonder at how her Orion can affect people so deeply.

Even to the point of rallying potential love interests to help him manage his other potential love interests. An anomaly she hasn't had the experience of witnessing in her long life.

"You really are a natural-born gigolo, Orion"

Standing silently as his eyes began to twitch from the sheer absurdity of everything going around him, Bell wondered why he was having more difficulty in this task than fighting off the threats of this world.

"... fine… I really appreciate the help, Lili"

"Yes! I'll do my best to help you, Lord Bell!"

"Hehe, welcome to the team, IgKnight"

Thus, away from the purview of the bustling night streets of Orario, Bell's harem management staff grew from a singular manager into a team of professionals to help him tackle the absolutely messy web of relationships he made for himself.

…

..

.

"????…"

Waking up to another peaceful day, Bell rose from the sheets of his bed to see his familia home being gently lit by the rising sun.

"More… syrup… butter… pancakes… hehe~"

Beside him, Hestia continued to sleep peacefully, dreaming of Bell's hand-made pancakes with a smile on her face as drool dripped onto her pillow.

'I think I want to go on a morning walk…'

Thinking to himself that he needed a moment of idyllic silence for himself, Bell got up from the bed and began his preparations for his morning walk.

In the kitchen, he began to brew himself some black coffee to stimulate his mind from drowsiness.

Securing the dark blend into a jug, the white-haired youth began to make his way outside, not even bothering to change out of his sleeping clothes.

His disheveled hair and messy appearance indicated how tired his mind was as he walked through the decimated streets of the ruins district.

Hopping from one ledge to another with ease, all the while taking in the sights of the city around him. Quiet and still with a refreshing morning breeze.

"HHHhhhaaa…just need to meet up with Asfi in a bit and I can take a break for the rest of this day…"

Exhaling a breath of relaxation rather than a sigh, Bell was thoroughly enjoying his morning walk like an old man relishing retired life, except, Bell was far from retired.

"Suck it, Freya! You kept clowning on me, but I did it! I didn't even need to use that 'free' section you placed in your schedule!"

Shouting out to the world with glee as he was able to deter at least one aspect of the gigolo accusations hurled his way, Bell's joy was short-lived as he began to hear some grunting off into the distance… and the voice didn't seem like it was coming from a man.

"Oh no…"

Debating to himself whether or not he should take a look at what was happening, he eventually accepted his imminent karma as he began to change course to head to the source of the noise.

Lo and behold, in a secluded open field, Bell saw a chienthrope girl practicing her spear fighting all by her lonesome.

Her long and dark purple hair flowed with grace, as did her body and spear, moving in tandem as if they were one.

Her sharp breaths and glistening sweat indicated the level of her mental discipline, and the definition of her body showed to all that looked upon her that she was a fighter.

She was undoubtedly a beauty, but to Bell, she didn't seem like anyone he could recognize from his memories.

For a moment he thought he was safe, but once his eyes laid upon the spear in the chienthrope's hands, his hands began to shake as a wry smile plastered itself across his face.

"Why the fuck did I have to meet Gae Bolg this early in the morning…"

Bell's unintentional tracing of the spear revealed to his mind that the weapon was in every way the barbed spear that pierces with death.

And within the spear's memories, he saw within it the connection he held between himself and the owner of the spear.

It was a memory filled with the darkness of the dungeon, and in the passing moments that flew by his mind, he undoubtedly saw himself saving the girl.

And upon further recollection, Bell remembered that she was the first person he saved as the Gray Ghost.

It shamed Bell a bit that he failed to remember his first act as a vigilante, but he was less concerned with that and more about a particular thing the memories informed him about.

The girl's name.

"Halt. Who are you?"

Stopping her practice mid-way, the chienthrope girl pointed her blood-red spear at Bell as her eyes narrowed in caution. Her grip tightened upon the deadly weapon in her calloused hands.

Perhaps it was a behavior she practiced after he saved her from deceiving criminals. He didn't know. All he knew was that he would involve himself in her life, whether he wanted to or not.

"I mean you no harm. Just a simple guy strolling through"

"Strolling? In the ruins district?"

"I'll have you know that respectable people live here ma'am. Have you seen housing prices in Orario lately? It's a travesty-"

"State your identity before I resort to less amicable means, stranger"

"???????… you might even be fierier than Lili… never thought I would see the day…"

"Hah?"

Making a subtle comment without much thought, the chienthrope girl began to emit more hostility upon knowing about Bell's relation to Lili.

"How are you related to Liliruca Arde?"

"Hm? I thought you wanted me to tell you who I am first? Which question do you want to be answered first?"

"Just answer them both! I'm not in the mood to play games, stranger"

The chienthrope girl seemed to be visibly agitated upon having her training interrupted and being reminded about Liliruca Arde.

Bell was confused, but beyond his knowledge, the chienthrope girl was simply improving herself as best as she could upon learning about a certain figure's return.

Seeing that the girl wanted something from him, and he wanted to be involved in the girl's life, Bell grinned as he saw a way to accomplish all his goals with little trouble

"Hey, you're a warrior type, right? How about we make a bet?"

"A bet?"

"Yep, I see you brought two practice spears with you over there"

Over by a lone boulder, the chienthrope girl's bag along with two wooden practice spears could be seen resting atop the gentle blades of grass in the clearing.

With his mention of the spears, the girl recognized where the conversation was heading towards near instantly.

"Two matches. For every one you win, I answer one of your questions"

"... and for every one you win?"

"Hm? Let's decide after we fight?"

Seeing his nonchalant attitude and disheveled appearance, the chienthrope girl grew angry at the cocky attitude of the white-haired young man in front of her.

'I'll knock him down a peg or two. Spearmen should be noble and disciplined'

Holding true to her god's teaching about the art of the spear, the chienthrope girl tossed one of the wooden spears Bell's way before introducing herself, as per the little courtesy she decided to afford him before their duel. In spite of her frustrations.

"Scaith. Lugh familia. But I only allow people I accept to call me as such"

Catching the wooden spear with ease, Bell's eyes remained as relaxed as ever as he received the clear provocation by the chienthrope girl.

"I see. So how shall I refer to you, miss?"

Though he asked, Bell was certain to a high degree that he already knew the identity of the woman who stood in front of him. But he just wanted to play along and confirm his theories.

"Scathach. You can refer to me by that name, stranger"

Hearing her reveal her true name, Bell began to smile as he began to spin the spear in his hands. Getting a feel for the weapon before introducing himself as well.

"Bell. Hestia familia. But I only allow people I'm interested in to call me as such… what a lucky day for you then"

Seeing how easygoing he still was despite all the courtesy she showed him, Scathach began to let out an unconscious low growl as she entered a spear stance of her own.

"Undisciplined and lacking respect. I will be gracious and instruct you in the ways of a true warrior, Cranel"

With the tension between them both being palpable, Bell's eyes began to glow gently as he readied himself for battle.

"I look forward to your teachings then, Shishou"

…

..

.

Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

Word Count:

9.4k

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter!

Rejoice shishou fans, your endless comments yearning for our favorite Celtic spearwoman have now been answered. HAHAHAHA

Next chapter will be a few weeks into the future when the Loki familia returns from their expedition.

If things pan out the way I'm planning them rn, the coming canon event will be the monster feria where I plan to have Bell reveal his identity. Hope you will enjoy that.

Now! For an hardly used feature for this fanfic, I have for you all, another poll. This time about when the next story chapter should be released.

Do you want it to be the next chapter after this one? Or do you want the R-18 mega chapter? I've been constantly receiving demands for the Hephaestus seggs scene HAHAHA.

So, though there will be many who will complain as this is a fanfic catered to nerds, it is democracy time.

[R-18 after identity reveal]

[Brutal seggs now]

May a fair democracy reign.

Hope you look forward to the next chapter, whatever it may be, and as always, may you all have a nice day!