The arrow buried itself in the wall behind him, making a small web of cracks in the
stone. Zanis looked back outside in shock.
There, standing on top of the nearest lookout tower, was a Chienthrope wielding a
longbow.
"I'm ready! Fire away!"
"You don't have to tell me."
Zanis heard the voice of a young man and saw a flash of gold as the Chienthrope took
a new arrow from him and promptly slid it over her bow. She pulled this new golden
arrow back, took aim, and fired in one swift motion. But she wasn't targeting Zanis.
The arrow plunged deep into the stone wall next to the balcony.
The man had only a moment to feel surprise—he saw a very thick wire attached to the
end of the arrow. His surprise turned to disbelief.
As if to confirm his wildest fear, a young man with red hair and a greatsword over his
shoulder ran across the wire toward him.
"?!"
The red-haired man kept his balance, pulling off some very acrobatic moves as he
raced across the wire bridge connecting the two towers. The wire held firm under his
weight. Sword balanced against his shoulder, Welf quickly reached the balcony,
jumped over the silent Soma's head, and landed just in front of the window.
The smith's black jacket unfurled behind him as he stepped inside the chamber and
came to a stop in front of Zanis and Lilly, both wearing looks of astonishment.
"It's time for you to come back, Li'l E."
"Mr. Welf…"
"We're gettin' outta here."
Welf set his jaw, smiling at Lilly before turning to Zanis.
"I've come to collect this one. I've got a partner who is waiting for her."
"Rrrgh—Like hell you are!" Zanis charged without hesitation, brandishing his weapon
high in the air. Welf held his own weapon in his right hand and rushed to meet him.
A rapier against a greatsword in a duel.
The two blades collided in a shower of sparks, the opening bell.
"Come at me, smithy!"
With the ferocity of a madman, Zanis stepped into a forward slash before whipping
his blade around and into an upward slice.
All he managed to do was take a small slice out of Welf's black jacket. It was an attack
that would have skewered any lower-class adventurer, but the young man dodged it
handily and used that momentum to slash his own sword diagonally upward at his
opponent. Zanis was unable to step into his next attack.
Both Level 2 adventurers, they matched each other blow for blow, and their
movements gradually picked up speed.
The shock waves generated on impact were strong enough to make Lilly lean
backward as the echoes of their clashing blades filled the chamber. Welf deflected
Zanis's spinning strikes and high kicks with the armor on his left arm, not allowing
any attack to hit home.
Zanis used his rage to fuel an onslaught of slashes.
Welf held his ground, using his sword like a highly mobile shield despite its weight.
Considering the weapons the combatants were using, Zanis held several advantages.
He knew speed was on his side and he could use it to overpower his red-haired
adversary. Welf calmly read his movements and narrowed his eyes.
"Tough to bully an upper-class adventurer."
Welf's back, shoulders, and arms all flared to life at the same moment.
The massive blade whipped around the young man's body in a powerful arc. It met
Zanis's downward slash head-on, overpowered it, and sent the rapier flying.
"—"
Time stood still for Zanis.
His techniques and maneuvers were useless in a contest of strength—a "warrior
smith" like Welf wasn't about to fall for the same tricks that adventurers who relied on
a high Status would overlook.
Lilly heard Welf's black jacket swish as the man closed the distance between him and
his unnaturally rigid opponent.
Seeing everything in slow motion, Zanis tried to jump out of the way but watched
helplessly as Welf's left foot collided with his chest.
Then he saw the blade flash as it spun around.
Welf had flipped his hold on the weapon so that the blunt edge was facing his enemy.
"Sloppy. That weapon of yours is crying."
With that said, Welf drove the entire blade forward in a rising arc aimed right for his
opponent's head.
"GHEEEEE—!"
The blow struck Zanis with such precision that it split his glasses right down the
middle before launching him backward.
Momentum carried his body straight into the wall, the man's scream of pain cut short
by the impact.
Zanis fell to the stone floor like a bag of potatoes. The blunt edge of Welf's greatsword
left a thick red line down the center of the motionless man's face. What was left of his
glasses lay on the floor beside him.
"That should do it," said Welf as he returned the blade into its sheath at his shoulder
and looked down at the white eyes of his unconscious foe.
"Ya really got it done… Won't have ta drink as much tonight."
"…Mr. Chandra?"
Soma Familia's Chandra had appeared in the chamber and stood behind Lilly,
commenting on Welf's victory in the duel against Zanis.
The usual unfriendly expression on his face, Chandra turned the man's body over and
fitted him with sturdy handcuffs that even upper-class adventurers would have
difficulty breaking.
"He was stealin' soma, usin' it for his own profit. Deserves some time in the slammer."
"What happens now…?"
"I'll make sure ya get no trouble. It's all up to our god after that… Maybe now our voices
will reach 'im."
Apparently, Zanis had hijacked the Familia using Soma's name and punished anyone
who dared say anything against him. Now that his treachery had been exposed right
in front of Soma's eyes, Chandra felt that the new era was about to begin.
The god himself was still out on the balcony, assessing the damage to his chamber—
but his gaze always came back to Lilly.
"Are you all right, Supporter?"
"Lady Hestia…"
It wasn't long before Hestia and the other adventurers led by Mikoto and Ouka made
it to the third floor of the main tower.
Truly grateful to Lilly for all of her hard work, the two made eye contact for a moment
before Hestia walked over to talk with Soma.
"I would like to make a deal for the supporter, Lilliluka Erde, to join my Familia."
"…"
Soma stood silently on the balcony as Hestia stopped just before the open window,
neither of them blinking.
"Please accept this knife as collateral for payment."
"L-Lady Hestia, that's—?!"
"It's all right. I've talked with Bell."
Lilly gasped when she saw the goddess hold out the Hestia Knife and hand it to Soma.
"This knife is a very expensive weapon. If we should lose the War Game, you can get a
lot of money for it."
"…"
"But if we win, I'll buy it back from you with our reward money… I'll make Apollo pay
for it in full. Once you have the money, I'll take my knife back."
She explained that should Hestia Familia win the War Game, she was planning to take
a large sum of money from Apollo. Soma held the weapon in his hands, running his
thumb down the Ἥ φαιστος logo engraved into its sheath. He looked up at her.
"Indeed, this is more than satisfactory. She may leave my Familia."
His lips barely moved as he spoke to Hestia.
Welf, Mikoto's group, and Chandra stood quietly in the doorway as Soma once again
cast his gaze upon Lilly.
Badly injured and still bleeding, she managed to make eye contact. The two stayed still
until finally an answer was heard.
Soma shifted his posture to face Hestia head-on and nodded, saying, "I accept."
Hestia, Soma, and Lilly went to the second floor of the main tower, leaving everyone
else behind.
All three of them entered a small room that had no windows. There was no need to
worry about any information being exposed to prying eyes or ears. The three set to
work in the dim light.
Lilly sat on a chair, pulled off her shirt, and exposed the Status on her back. Soma made
a small cut on his finger and ran it across the hieroglyphs, the ichor in his blood making
the markings glow.
His finger made quick movements across her skin, as if unscrambling a puzzle. The
hieroglyphs glowed brighter with each passing moment until every mark started to
blink.
Now it was Hestia's turn. Pricking her finger, she added her own ichor to the mix,
gradually erasing several hieroglyphs as their color faded. The markings indicating
Soma's contract disappeared from sight as Hestia's name and symbols engraved
themselves above Lilly's name at the top of her Status.
Conversion.
A ceremony that allowed a child of Gekaito be transferred from one Familia to another.
A ring of light worked its way around the girl's Status, making it look like an epitaph
in the dimly lit room. The markings for Hestia Familia shined brightly at the top.
From this moment onward, Lilly was now one of Hestia's followers.
"Lady Hestia… is this really okay? Using Mr. Bell's precious weapon in a trade for
Lilly…?"
"Perfectly fine. Everything will be back to normal if we win the War Game. And we
need you for a chance at winning. No problem at all."
Lilly's nerves had settled down considerably now that the ceremony was complete
and she was fully dressed. However, the collateral made her uneasy. Despite that,
Hestia puffed out her chest and said everything would take care of itself.
"Trust me, no problem. Now let's go."
"Y-yes…"
Lilly's eyes kept jumping from one deity to the other. Hestia placed both hands on the
girl's shoulders and guided her out the door.
"…Hest… ia?"
"That's me. What is it?"
Hestia closed the door behind Lilly and turned to face the god she was meeting for the
first time. Soma wasn't even sure how to pronounce her name.
Only the two of them remained inside the small room.
"…Did that girl actually receive my Blessing?"
Even now, he remembered the strong look in her eyes. And yet Soma had no memory
of her. Hestia was the only one he could ask.
"Without a doubt, she is one of the children who suffered due to your selfish
discontent. She's a little girl who grew strong as a result of your neglect."
Hestia took it a step further, telling him to imagine how much Lilly had suffered after
being abandoned by her own god.
The blue in her eyes became intense orbs in the dark as Soma was unable to respond
to her accusations.
"You should think long and hard about why she changed, the meaning behind it."
Hestia had her hand on the door handle as she wrapped up her lecture with that and
left the room.
Soma was left alone with his thoughts.
He stood there quietly, Hestia's words running through his mind.
Hestia and Lilly rejoined the others at the base of the main tower and exited Soma
Familia's wine storage facility.
Miach had been waiting one block away in case of an emergency. Joining the group of
more than ten, they all ran together through the backstreets.
"Lilly's very sorry for the trouble she's caused… Thank you."
"It's all right…"
"Think nothing of it, Miss Lilly."
"That's right… It's nice to see you again."
Nahza, Mikoto, and Chigusa—her eyes hidden behind her bangs as usual—responded
to Lilly's apology.
Welf and the massive Ouka, holding a greatsword and a battle-ax over their respective
shoulders, were having their own conversation next to the girls.
"That wire, did you bring it with you?"
"Nah, found it in that tower. Thought it might be useful so I picked it up."
The sun seemed to be smiling down at them as everyone celebrated the success of
their mission.
Lilly moved closer to Hestia.
"But, Lady Hestia, Lilly doesn't understand how she can make a difference in the War
Game by herself…"
Hestia smiled at her confusion and then looked back at the path ahead.
"Not quite."
Hestia shook her head as Miach spoke up.
"You won't be alone."
All they had done was increase Lilly's confusion. She tilted her head in their direction
and Miach smiled back at her. Feeling another gaze on her, Lilly looked the other way
to see Mikoto with a very determined look in her eyes.
Even Welf was smiling at her.
The group reached a four-way intersection.
"See ya later, Li'l E."
"…Lady Hestia, we'll take our leave here."
Welf peeled away from the group and went down the right path. Ouka, Mikoto, and
Chigusa led their group down the road to the left.
Miach, Nahza, and Lilly watched them leave from the center of the intersection when
a sudden breeze swept through the backstreet.
Hestia held her black hair out of her eyes with her right hand.
She looked up at the blue sky, where the wind was blowing in a new direction.
"Hmmm—gahhh…"
Takemikazuchi groaned.
He was pacing back and forth inside his own room in an old building designed to house
multiple families, built on the side of a narrow street. The god lived alongside his sixmember Familia; this building was their home. Arms folded in front of his chest, he
wore a troubled expression.
"The War Game… I want to assist Hestia, but…"
The Guild had already announced the details of the War Game. Takemikazuchi knew
full well that it was a castle-assault style and everything that entailed.
His good friend needed military might and he wanted to help her. But he was in a
quandary.
Should he transfer one of his own followers to Hestia Familia with a conversion
ceremony, or not?
"It's impossible for Miach. He only has one and his Familia will collapse should she
leave…"
Without any members, Miach Familia would be disbanded by default and revoked by
the Guild. Miach would lose the reputation and recognition he'd worked so hard to
gain. There was also the possibility that he could be forced to sell his home in order to
pay off current debts.
Takemikazuchi completed yet another lap around his room, mumbling to himself as
he considered every possibility.
"Even among my own children, the only two who could compete with Apollo's children
are Ouka and Mikoto. Chigusa and the others would only weigh them down…"
Chigusa and the other three were still Level 1 adventurers. Only Ouka and Mikoto
made sense.
"Ouka is the captain. I can't send him…"
Which would mean the only option was Mikoto—
"Would she be willing to go to a different Familia…?"
Mikoto loved Takemikazuchi Familia too much.
She'd always had a strong sense of justice and an urge to do what was right. Was she
capable of betraying Ouka and her allies? There was also the mission given to them by
their hometown in the Far East to consider—Mikoto would never abandon it.
"I'll just have to find some way to convince her… After all, I'm the one who wants to
help Hestia… But wait, if I did that… Ghaaaaaa…!" Takemikazuchi stopped in the
middle of the room and scratched his head with both hands as he groaned at the
ceiling.
Caught up in a fit of very ungodlike indecision, he almost didn't hear the knock outside
his door.
"Lord Takemikazuchi, it is Mikoto… May I speak with you?"
"Ohh!" The deity jumped on the spot in surprise at the girl's visit.
Mikoto must've interpreted his surprise as an affirmative and opened the door with a
slight bow.
"…? Has something happened, my lord?"
"N-no. Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about."
The girl tilted her head as Takemikazuchi hastily straightened his hair.
Forcing an air of calm, the deity closed his mouth and looked upon his follower. She,
too, wore a distressed expression similar to his own.
Her silky black hair was tied back in its usual style. However, she carried herself
without her normal level of confidence, shoulders uncharacteristically drooping. Even
her violet-colored eyes were trembling as she met his gaze.
The two stood face-to-face in silence.
The tension building, Takemikazuchi gave in and opened his mouth.
"—Mi-Mikoto."
"—Lord Takemikazuchi!"
The two spoke at exactly the same moment.
Both paused, saying, "My apologies, go ahead," and, "Speak first, I insist," back and
forth.
Mikoto was the first to accept the offer.
She took a deep breath and made eye contact with her god.
A moment later, she threw herself to the floor at his feet. Takemikazuchi Familia's
special technique, the prostrate bow.
"Please forgive me!"
"Wh-what?"
Takemikazuchi was taken aback by Mikoto's sudden plea, her hands, knees, and
forehead on the floorboards.
She didn't look up, only raised her voice to be heard clearly despite speaking directly
into the floor.
"Please allow me to go assist Sir Bell!"
Takemikazuchi's eyes shot open.
"Despite nearly causing his death, I haven't done anything to atone for my actions! I
also made a promise; we made a promise to help each other!"
Mikoto's body shook as her voice took on a more serious tone.
"This is my chance. I can't abandon him in his time of need…"
The look of surprise gradually left Takemikazuchi's face as he watched his follower
bare her soul to him.
His shoulders relaxed, arms hung loosely at his sides.
So we both came to the same conclusion…
He had been with her for so long and yet he had failed to anticipate how she would
react to the situation. It was shameful.
Takemikazuchi grimaced before a genuine smile grew on his lips.
"Ahhh…" He let out a long sigh. Mikoto's shoulders shook once again.
The deity looked back up at the ceiling and mumbled under his breath.
"One year… Such a long time."
Mikoto looked up with a start.
It was a rule among Familias: A child who had been transferred to a different group
with Conversion could not be transferred again for at least one year.
Mikoto immediately understood what his words meant. Her face grew brighter and
brighter by the second.
"But it will pass. Learn as much as you can from Hestia's children and come back
stronger than ever."
"—Yes, sir!"
Mikoto brought her fist and palm together as Takemikazuchi smiled upon her.
Lastly, she gave him her Familia emblem for him to hold on to until she returned.
Mikoto Yamato had joined Hestia Familia.
"…"
Hephaistos sat at her desk, examining a dagger in her hands.
She was visiting one of her Familia's shops located on Northwest Main. Rather than
working in her private office, she was focusing on this particular weapon.
There was a story behind its maker. A rather difficult child, his skills had been rather
unpolished at the time he forged this dagger, but passion for his craft alone gave him
incredible potential—that "passion" could be felt by anyone who used the blade.
Hephaistos herself could feel it coursing through her when there came a knock at her
door.
"Enter."
She opened one of the desk drawers at her side, returned the blade to its sheath, and
placed it inside.
Closing the drawer, Hephaistos looked up to see the silhouette of a young man in a
black jacket standing in the doorway: Welf.
"What is it?"
Rather than answering, Welf walked up to the other side of her desk.
Showing no hesitation, he came as close as the desk would allow and met her gaze.
"I've come to say good-bye."
He closed his eyes and continued.
"I'm joining Hestia Familia. Please allow it."
This was not a request for permission, but a demonstration of strong will and
determination.
Leaving Hephaistos Familia would mean that he would be forbidden to use her logo as
a smith. Despite attaining his dream of becoming a High Smith at long last, he was
willing to forfeit the right to engrave "Ἥ φαιστος" into any of his work and leave
Hephaistos behind.
"And what makes you think I would allow such a selfish decision?"
"Because the goddess I know and love would scold me if I didn't."
Welf responded without missing a beat.
Hephaistos displayed no emotion, her face stoic as she asked another question.
"Didn't you want to overcome the blood in your veins, create a weapon that exceeds
magic swords?"
"As long as I have a hammer, metal, and a good flame, I can forge weapons anywhere.
The one who taught me that was you."
Even apart from her, he would work to spread his name and reach a higher plateau.
He answered her without any hesitation.
"And what was it that inspired this intense enthusiasm?"
Welf raised his chin and grinned.
"Friendship."
At long last, a smile appeared on Hephaistos's lips.
"Then I accept."
Hephaistos stood up from her desk and walked toward a long line of hammers on a
shelf behind her.
She selected one that was the same crimson color as her hair and eyes, and picked it
up.
She approached Welf, still standing in front of her desk, and handed the hammer to
him.
"A parting gift. Use it well."
Hephaistos said her good-bye by bestowing him with the soul of a smith. Welf grinned
from ear to ear and graciously accepted it with a bow.
"Thank you for everything."
The fabric in his black jacket ruffled as he turned to leave.
Leaving the goddess he revered behind, Welf confidently strode out of the office.
Welf Crozzo had joined Hestia Familia.
"…So that's how it is. Would you mind helping out again?"
Hermes kept a close eye on her face as he asked.
They were a little ways away from The Benevolent Mistress, inside of the wooden
building where the employees lived. The elf Lyu sighed at Hermes's forced smile.
"God Hermes, are you mistaking me for some handmaiden?"
"Sorry! But do this for Syr. Bell needs your help!"
"I would like you to refrain from using Syr as a bargaining chip…"
"S-sorry, Lyu…"
"Syr, your apology is unnecessary."
Three figures huddled together inside Lyu's private quarters: Hermes, Syr, and Lyu
herself.
There were only a few days left before the War Game. Hermes had lobbied to allow
outside involvement for just this reason, to request her help.
The condition: said outsider must belong to a Familia outside Orario—must have the
blessing of a deity from outside its walls. Since Lyu's goddess, Astria, had not been in
the city for some time, there would be no objection to her participation.
Hermes felt slightly guilty for being directly responsible for forcing Bell and Hestia
into the extremely disadvantageous Castle Siege and this was his way to, kindly, offer
his assistance.
"Should I fight, there is a high probability that my identity will be revealed during the
War Game."
"Don't worry about that. I'll convince everyone that you came from someplace on the
other side of the mountains before the fight begins. No one will believe you're a
waitress at a bar once I'm through with them."
Several events in the recent past had landed a hooded adventurer on the Guild's
blacklist—there were still many who resented the "Gale Wind." Hermes already had a
plan to help keep her and those living with her anonymous and safe.
Lyu sighed. "Mother Mia will scold me again."
Either way, the ex-adventurer couldn't abandon Bell to his fate. The elf agreed to
Hermes's request.
The room itself had very little decoration. Lyu walked a few paces to the corner and
grabbed a knapsack along with a wooden sword.
"I'll handle the paperwork with the Guild. It'd make it a lot easier to jump through the
hoops if I had your Familia's emblem. Do you still have it?"
"I do. Be sure not to misplace it."
"It'll never leave my sight," he said with a nod as he took the badge engraved with the
sword of justice and wings from her.
Lastly, Lyu approached Syr, who was holding out her cape.
"Do your best, Lyu. I'll come up with something to say to Mama."
"You have my gratitude, Syr."
Lifting the string of her knapsack over her shoulder, Lyu flashed a soft smile.
Hermes and Syr saw her out of the building and watched as she disappeared into the
night.
Lyu Lyon had joined the War Game.
Blades clashed in vicious flurries.
A silver flash, lashing forward at tremendous speed, was blocked head-on by the
downward swing of a crimson blade. Knife and saber collided under the reddish glow
of dusk, their wielders' blond and white hair flowing in the breeze.
The boy's long shadow passed over the stone surface, slamming into the girl's shadow
over and over. Each time he was thrown backward and each time he charged again.
Their brutal training was taking place on top of the city wall around Orario.
"You learned how to… react without seeing…"
"D-do you really think so…?"
It was already the fifth day.
Aiz lowered her saber, signaling a brief pause in the action. Bell took a deep breath
and took a look at his own body. What was left of the evening sunlight illuminated all
the cuts, scrapes, bruises, and dried blood that littered his skin. Completely covered in
sweat, the boy's condition showed just how intense these training sessions had been.
After gathering supplies and setting up a small camp, Bell had committed himself fully
to sparring with Aiz. They started just before the sun rose each morning and
continued until the stars lit up the night, dramatically increasing the length and
intensity of their sessions from the last time they were here. They ate meals together
and slept at the same time; neither of them had gone into the city even once. A dirty
pot and the remains of a fire sat on top of the path just inside the chest-high stone wall,
a guardrail on the city side of the wall. Three water bottles and three sleeping bags
also sat at the base of the guardrail.
Bell had his eyes focused on the cuts crisscrossing his arm when suddenly—whoosh!
A saber came at them from his blind spot without warning. His instantaneous reflexes
brought his weapon into the path of the oncoming blade, deflecting it before he
jumped backward.
Looking very rabbitlike, standing with his left shoulder higher than his right, he stood
at the ready for the next attack. Aiz seemed very satisfied as she nodded over and over.
"Guess who's back!"
Bell and Aiz turned to face the owner of the cheerful voice.
Emerging from the doorway of the tower that housed a stairwell connecting to the city
street was Tiona with a very large backpack over her shoulder. She skipped her way
up to them and plopped the backpack at their feet on top of the stone path with a light
"Hup!"
"Picked up a ton of meat and fish! Bread and water, too!"
"Thanks, Tiona…"
"Sure thing! Ah, Argonaut, these blades work okay for you? I bought about five of
them."
"Y-yes, thank you very much… s-sorry for the trouble."
Bell stood next to Aiz, scared stiff, as Tiona withdrew the weapons from her backpack
one after another.
Tiona had been supplying the two of them with food and items for the past five days.
It was thanks to her that Bell and Aiz could focus solely on training.
Bell couldn't shake the feeling that he was building up quite a large debt to the always
smiling, happy-go-lucky Amazonian girl Tiona. With the exception of Ushiwakamaru,
he couldn't count how many blades had snapped in half or been damaged beyond
repair during their combat sessions.
"Well, I heard quite a bit around town. First off, the War Game is four days from now."
"Four days…"
"Yep. It's gonna happen outside of Orario, so we have to think about travel time… I'd
say you've got maybe two more days left."
Tiona continued to relay the information she had collected that day.
Her update complete, Bell looked out over the guardrail and across the beautiful
cityscape.
"Exactly one week… Goddess."
The five days of training plus two more would make one week. Bell said a quick thankyou to his goddess, who had managed to deliver on her promise.
Bell's ruby-red eyes smiled; he knew that somewhere in this gorgeous city, Hestia was
smiling back.
"Also, you'll never guess what was posted on the Guild's bulletin board. Hestia Familia
has some new members."
"Eh?!"
"Soma, Takemikazuchi, Hephaistos… Looks like all three of them transferred
someone."
Bell fought to contain his surprise and delight until Tiona was finished talking. The
two girls watched as his face lit up and tears of happiness rolled down his face.
Hestia had saved Lilly, plus Welf and Mikoto were coming to help him. He didn't need
to know the details because he already understood. The black void that had been
eating away at him finally lifted, a new warmth flooding his soul.
Bell stretched out his arms. He looked at Aiz and Tiona with renewed strength and
willpower, feeling stronger than ever.
"Another round, please!"
The look in his eyes made Aiz and Tiona smile.
"Yes…"
"Try to keep up!"
The two girls went on the offensive beneath the red sky.
Three sets of legs dashed about with blinding speed.
Aiz, Tiona, and Bell mixed attack with counterattack in the very limited space on top
of the city wall. Two daggers, one silver saber, and two insanely wide swords struck
with jolting impacts, sparks lighting up the twilight sky.
"Ehsaa!"
Bell did everything he could to keep the attacks of two top-class adventurers at bay.
All the while he couldn't take his eyes off the massive blades in the Amazonian girl's
grasp. Despite learning how to defend against attacks from the side, knowing that
another blade exactly like that edge of death was following right behind it sent shivers
up his spine.
He knew immediately that the weapons were order made. Seeing her wield the thick,
heavy blades as if they were nothing more than shortswords was the stuff of
nightmares. The Amazonian girl smiled, practically laughing as she danced her way
into every strike.
Rather than trying to defend against such an attack head-on, Bell chose to get out of
the way.
Jumping back to avoid the first and to his right to dodge the second, the boy managed
to get clear. However, Tiona charged forward even though her weapons weren't poised
to strike.
"Hup!" Spinning in midair, Tiona unleashed a kick right into Bell's face.
"Geh?!"
The wheat-colored skin of her bare foot buried itself in his cheek, sending the boy
flying backward. Hitting the stone floor and bouncing several times, Bell rolled to a
merciful stop.
"Try not to use potions. If you take one after every hit, you'll run out really quick.
Better to kick the habit."
"I-I'll try…"
Tiona approached him with her swords over her shoulders, looking like wings from
hell. Aiz wasn't too far behind. Tiona gave him some advice as soon as she saw the
boy's hand reach for his leg holster.
"That's the thing about being an adventurer. We still have to be able to move even after
the crap's been beaten out of us!"
Although she was holding back, the kick of a top-class adventurer to the face can inflict
immense damage. Bell slowly nodded as feeling returned to his head. Just as she'd
suggested, it would be a good idea to learn how to fight well when not at full strength.
The lesson had literally been beaten into him.
Gritting his teeth, Bell climbed to his feet as Tiona looked on with a satisfied smile.
"My turn."
"?!"
The session started back up. Bell was forced to use both knives in order to repel Aiz's
direct attack.
Not only that, Tiona circled around to his blind side and continued her assault. Two of
the greatest sword wielders in Orario weren't holding back any techniques on top of
the city wall. Bell desperately intercepted each strike, deflecting the blades out of his
ever-changing path. However, he hadn't come here to learn how to defend. He had to
find a window for counterattack.
Fighting off his own cowardice, Bell surprised both of them by charging forward.
"!"
Aiz's posture slipped ever so slightly.
Her feet and shoulders weren't on the same page, moving in different directions as
Bell came in for his attack. Bell couldn't believe his luck. The girl's feminine frame was
trying to retreat, leaving her side wide open. This was his chance and he didn't
hesitate.
A golden opportunity—score a hit on the Kenki.
Taking aim for her ribs, Bell took a quick step forward and thrust the dagger in his left
hand toward his opponent.
"Hm."
"—"
But Aiz spun her body around like a top, armor a blur.
Taking advantage of his outstretched position, Aiz easily dodged the weapon and
traded places with Bell. Now directly behind him, she whipped her saber forward with
less than her full strength and nailed the light armor protecting the boy's back.
"BuuHA?!"
"You dove for the opening…" said Aiz as Bell landed flat on his chest on top of the stone
floor.
Only then did Bell realize it was a trap. She had baited and set it for the rabbit as
though to demonstrate the prowess of a skilled hunter. Bell's head hitthe stone surface
in disappointment.
The boy pushed off the stone floor into a sitting position. Aiz crouched down in front
of him and continued her lesson.
"Monsters and people fight differently…"
"Y-yes."
"Monsters always attack head-on, aiming to kill… but people read each other, change
their strategy."
Unlike monsters that used their full power all the time, people used techniques and
experience to gain the upper hand in a fight. This was especially true of the
combatants of similar strength and skill.
"People become easier to read when they see a window. Just like now."
"…!"
"Guard is lowest when the final blow is near… That's what I was taught."
People became overconfident when they saw victory within their grasp, which meant
they neglected to cover their blind side.
That was especially true during a duel.
Bell looked up, making eye contact with Aiz as she finished her impassioned
explanation.
"Your best opportunity lies in the moment you've been cornered. Don't forget."
Bell carved her words into his very soul.
Aiz held out her hand. Bell nodded and took it.
She pulled him to his feet.
"How about some more?"
"Yeah…"
"Yes!"
Both combatants nodded at Tiona's invitation and their battle heated up once more.
Lessons of the top-class adventurers fresh in his mind, Bell continued his training long
into the night.
In order to grasp victory or to rescue a friend.
Each of the people caught in the whirlpool was taking their own actions for their own
reasons and coming together.
The city of Orario might appear calm on the surface, but excitement was building
underneath its placid exterior.
The War Game was fast approaching. With each passing day, the average citizens of
the city discussed it on the streets, at their workplaces, and over a jug of ale at their
favorite bar. The number of adventurers going into the Dungeon fell dramatically,
forcing disappointed shops to close early. No one seemed to want to do anything else.
Even the children seemed to sense that something was different. Many of them
gathered in city parks wielding toy swords and staging their own games.
Orario was quietly, but undoubtedly, boiling over with excitement. It grew more
intense as the War Game drew nearer.
Most of all, the ones closest to the people caught in the whirlpool had their own
reactions as they watched the preparations unfold.
The curtain of night fell over the city, revealing a star-filled sky.
The white tower in the middle of it all looked over the city as magic-stone lamps
gradually lit up its surroundings.
"Lady Freya, it has been completed as ordered… Lady Freya?"
In the highest room of Babel Tower.
While Freya heard the words of her follower, Ottar, she didn't respond in the slightest.
The man looked upon her in concerned confusion as she ran her fingers through her
long, gorgeous silver hair. The goddess sat in her usual chair facing the window,
watching something outside with so much intensity that Ottar was afraid the glass
would melt.
"…Fu-fu."
Her silver eyes were being drawn to a fierce battle taking place atop the city wall.
The blond-haired, golden-eyed knight along with the warrior wielding massive twin
blades fought two-on-one against a white-haired boy. Two female, one male, three
different spirits "glowed" as they clashed. Freya was enjoying every second of it.
She felt no pity for the boy whenever he was launched into the air by the Amazonian
girl or cut down by the long-haired human.
This was because every time the boy got up, his soul shone brighter. It was as if this
training ground was a forge and the girls were eliminating all impurities, like a smith
prepping metal. They were drawing out his soul's clear glow.
It was that glow that originally drew Freya to him and would hold her interest until
the end of time. Every hit the boy took added a new sparkle. The goddess sat there,
completely transfixed.
"…Are you certain that we can allow Apollo's followers to go through with this?"
Ottar tried once again to draw her attention away from the city wall.
Her eyes stayed put, but she used one thin finger to pull a lock of her silver hair behind
her ear and grinned.
"I thought about crushing them for trying something so stupid but… No."
Her silver eyes narrowed as they followed the boy charging back into battle against
the human girl and the Amazon.
"No goddess worthy of her divinity wouldn't want to see how this turns out."
Her cheeks pulled back into a full smile as she looked down from her spot among the
stars.
Unable to rest, the stars twinkled brightly through the night.
Even at this late hour, the Guild headquarters was alive with activity. Clerks holding
stacks of papers, receptionists carrying boxes upon boxes, and employees with no
time to sit down were busily working in every corner of the Pantheon decorated with
white pillars.
With the War Game only four days away, there was enough work to be done to make
their eyes spin.
"No more! I'm gonna die right here!"
"Misha, you're too heavy…"
The human receptionist Misha set yet another stack of papers down on her desk
before drifting over to Eina and collapsing onto her back amid the commotion. The
half-elf looked at her old friend with tired eyes as she spoke again.
"Eina, wha'cha doing…?"
"Making a plan to keep people away from the war zone… Advising, I guess."
A small mountain range of paperwork encircled her desk, each pile bearing Eina's
handwriting.
"Do not enter" was written in big, bold letters—all referring to the Shreme Castle ruins
located southeast of Orario.
"Shreme Castle… Didn't that group of robbers decide to move in a while back?"
"Yes. Ganesha Familia accepted our request to remove them ahead of time. A few
quests have also been issued to help them out… It's a good opportunity to catch them
while we can."
Eina continued writing while she responded to Misha's question.
Misha could hear the constrained energy in Eina's voice despite her weak tone. The
girl looked at the side of Eina's face before standing up and bringing her chair next to
her.
"Eina… are you worried about Bell?"
"…Worried? How could I not be worried…"
Her expression became cloudy as her emerald eyes trembled.
Her head drooped as she brought her hand to her chest. One of the adventurers
assigned to her, practically a little brother at this point, was caught up in a battle
between Familias. And now he'd been forced into a War Game in which it wasn't
uncommon for participants to die. Needles pierced her heart just by visualizing the
boy's innocent smile—would she never see it again?
If she could convince him to run away or maybe assist him, maybe she wouldn't be in
this much pain.
"But I'm an employee of the Guild… I can't interfere in any way."
However, the situation had progressed so far that one half-elf couldn't have any
influence at all. Eina knew that she was powerless in the face of the forces at work.
That fact had soaked in completely. The tone in Eina's voice bordered on despair. She
felt utterly useless.
"We____ll, you know… You could root for him?"
Misha could tell that her friend was upset and tried to cheer her up.
Eina looked up at her.
"Root…?"
"Yep. 'Go for it!' and stuff like that? I'm sure that if he had your support, he'd do the
best he could to win, right?"
Eina looked at Misha's childish smile for a few moments.
Finally, she stood up and walked over to the window at the end of the office.
The moon shone brightly down on her as she looked up at the night sky.
"…Go for it."
Eina whispered to the moonlight.
"Ahh, how patient must I be…"
The deity's eyes slowly closed in a dark room illuminated by moonlight.
Sitting on an ornate throne made of gold, Apollo brought a glass of wine to his lips.
The manor that he called home was tranquil, a good distance away from the noisy
areas of the city. Tonight, it was much quieter than usual. The bulk of his Familia had
already left to prepare the castle ruins that would become their battlefield. As it was
their role in this battle to defend it, Apollo Familia had a lot of work to do.
If his only goal was to steal Bell away from Hestia, it would've been easy enough to
continue their assault and capture him even without the cooperation of Soma Familia.
If he had done so, the boy would already be his.
However, Apollo was partial to the idea of a War Game.
There was a very clear difference between a conflict fought on the streets and the War
Game. Crushing a foe in battle to obtain an objective left everyone involved with a sour
taste in their mouths. On the other hand, should he obtain his prize by following a set
of rules, then he would be able to bask in the glory of victory and enjoy the spoils. It
was, after all, a game. He would not allow the Guild or any other group to profit from
this situation. With victory, he would gain the authority to take the follower of the
enemy god—if Hestia refused to perform a Conversion, it was impossible to make Bell
his own both in name and reality.
Above all, the other gods would not be satisfied by such a quick turn of events. Apollo
had gathered the support of many gods who were starving for some "entertainment"
in order to capture Bell. He owed them the show they were dying to see.
He also wanted some amusement.
A war of gods fought by mortals. By far the most delicious flavor of Gekai, it was
enjoyed by all gods.
There was no greater excitement than to be able to move their followers like pieces on
a board game without any kind of interference.
Those were Apollo's true feelings—the influence of his own divinity.
His wants and desires swirling within him, the god wearing a crown of laurels looked
toward the sky.
"Oh, my beloved Bell Cranell… will there ever come a day I can embrace you in my own
arms?"
He wasn't sure when he first knew of the boy—most likely when the rumors of a new
record holder came to light. Apollo had a habit of indulging in everything new and
fresh. Picturing the events that would soon unfold brought him greatjoy. His very body
shook with anticipation.
—Ahh, Bell!
—No, my Belly-boy!
—You won't get away!
He could see the boy now, a tear in his eye. But something else was swelling up within
him. This heat surging through his chest was proof of his love. Apollo's craving for the
boy was on the verge of driving him insane. His thin, compact build and rabbitlike
features with white hair and young, red eyes that were untainted by the truths of this
world—everything.
Apollo's cheeks flushed like those of a drunken man.
"…If our love is to grow, Hestia, you will only get in the way. Once he is mine, I will drive
you out of this city—no, out of Gekai entirely."
Coming back to reality, Apollo opened his eyes and looked up at the stars.
The moonlight reflected off his suddenly serious eyes as his lips curled upward.
"I'm counting on you, my cute little children…"
A low laugh resonated from his room beneath the calming moonbeams.
Click. A few moments later, both hands of his clock joined him in looking skyward.
The time drew near.
The city was filled with a morning chill just before sunrise.
The streets were lined with silent and motionless shops. Shutters were closed over
windows and doors; it was unbelievable how lifeless the city seemed. The city wall
cast a tall shadow over the buildings, the streets covered in shade.
Two figures ran quickly through East Main Street toward the brightening horizon
through the unnaturally quiet morning air.
"You have to hurry, Bell! The caravan's about to leave!"
"Right behind you!"
Hestia and Bell ran through what was left of the morning fog. Their destination was
the East Gate. They kept talking as they ran.
"They already know you're coming. There's a spot for you on one of their horse-drawn
carts. Get off at a town called Agris, it's pretty close to the old castle! Guild employees
will give you instructions from there, so pay attention!"
"Will do!"
The War Game would start the day after tomorrow.
Bell had finished training with Aiz and Tiona and had received a Status update from
Hestia. Now all that was left was to travel to the battlefield. It would take a day to get
there, so arrangements had been made for Bell to travel with the caravan of merchants
for most of the trip.
He was dressed in light but strong traveler's clothes with a cloak around his shoulders.
Everything else he needed was in a bag over his shoulder, the drawstring held tight in
his grasp.
"Everyone else is already there, so meet up with them in town! Also, here's your travel
permit issued by the Guild—show it to the gatekeepers and the leader of the caravan!"
Orario was set up so that it was relatively easy to enter the city but extraordinarily
difficult to exit. An individual needed several documents approved by the Guild before
they were allowed to pass. Bell took the signed sheets of paper identifying him as a
War Game participant from Hestia and said a quick "Thank you."
At last, they arrived at the heavily fortified East Gate. Somehow, it looked a lot smaller
to Bell now than it did when he'd passed through a few months ago. Members of the
caravan were already here, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Bell and Hestia
worked their way through lines of horse-drawn carts and large storage containers on
wheels toward the head of the caravan before stopping in front of the first gate.
"…I'll be waiting right here for your glorious return."
"…See you then, Goddess!"
Hestia smiled at him. Bell smiled back.
That's when Hestia jumped onto his chest, wrapped her arms around him, and
squeezed with all her might. Bell's body tensed out of embarrassment, but he didn't
try to escape. He couldn't. Hestia ignored all the commotion around them and enjoyed
the warmth emanating from his chest as long as she could. Bell's face turned beet red
as her arms worked higher, going above his shoulders and around his neck as she
started to pull back. Meeting his gaze, she opened her mouth into a bright, gentle smile
as she said, "Now go."
Bell took a step back, a shy smile on his face. Wiping his hot cheeks with his free hand,
the boy turned and ran to the front of the caravan. "Wait for me!" he yelled to the front
and took off into the maze of carts. The caravan leader was talking with one of the
gatekeepers. Both looked up as the boy approached, holding out his paperwork for
them to see.
The gatekeeper was an adventurer—probably someone who had accepted an
assignment from the Guild. Two Guild employees emerged from the gate office from
behind him and took Bell's paperwork. Reading it over, they nodded to each other. The
caravan leader pointed to a cart in the line and told Bell to take a seat.
The horse-drawn cart that Bell climbed into was more spacious than he thought. It
had a roof as well as windows on each side. A few people—some travelers, merchants,
and a hired guard—were already on board. Each ofthem had a very distinctlook about
him or her, a few in light armor and others in comfortable clothes.
"…Hey, you there. Aren't you the Little Rookie from Hestia Familia?"
"Ah, yeah, that's me."
"Thought so! On your way to the War Game, huh? Give 'em hell!"
Bell took a seat at the back corner of the cart next to a rather friendly animal person
who immediately recognized him and started a conversation. The smiling young man
had the aura of a drifter and a bushy tail wagging cheerfully behind him. The tension
in the cart dissipated as the other passengers came over to break the ice.
"Those guys are rough, but give it your best shot!" "This is our tradition, we have some
snacks before every trip!" "How 'bout this?!"
Each of them came over with handfuls of nougat, dried fruit, and tarts. Surrounded by
kind and welcoming people, Bell couldn't help but smile, nod his head, and manage to
say, "Th-thank you…" He didn't really like sweet foods but he didn't want to reject their
goodwill and decided to eat everything he was offered.
The cart lurched beneath him as it started to move forward.
The cries of many horses cut through the morning air. The East Gate was open; the
caravan started to move.
Bell felt every bump in the road through his wooden seat when suddenly—
"—Bell!"
He heard someone call his name.
He leaned over to look out the window and saw Syr running right beside the cart.
"Syr?! What are you doing? It's dangerous!"
Bell lifted the window open and called out to her.
She was out of uniform, wearing a cape over her usual clothes and running as hard as
she could to keep up with the cart. She thrust her right hand toward the window.
"Take this…!"
"Huh?"
Something golden glinted from within her outstretched hand. Bell reached outside out
of reflex.
She gave him an amulet. It was in the shape of a golden teardrop, a jewel in its center.
It had to be an accessory that granted the wearer some kind of power. Bell raised his
eyes from the item in his hand to look at Syr.
"It was a thank-you gift to the bar from an adventurer a while ago… A good-luck
charm!"
Bell's eyes shot open as he listened to her explanation.
"Do your best! And please come back to our bar!"
The cart picked up speed and Syr couldn't stay beside it, almost tripping a few times.
"I-I'll have a lunch ready for you! I'll be waiting!"
The girl's cheeks blushed a light pink. Bell couldn't help but smile.
He leaned out the window and waved good-bye as she fell farther and farther behind.
She came to a stop, put her hands together in front of her chest, and watched the cart
disappear through the East Gate.
"…"
Bell returned to his seat and looked again at the shining amulet in his hand.
Sliding the thin chain around his neck, he tucked the amulet under his shirt.
—Win.
—Win and come back.
The faces of everyone he'd met in Orario flooded his mind as he swore to see them
again. Squeezing the amulet with his right hand through his shirt, the boy suddenly
realized he was smiling.
He looked outside the window as he felt every bump in the road shake his seat.
The sun was just peeking over the mountains in the distance.
Bell shielded his eyes from the bright morning light.
The ruins of Shreme Castle.
Standing in a field void of trees or hills, the castle had been built in ancient times as
the first line of defense. Completed before Babel Tower served as a "lid" over the
Dungeon, it was used to stop the advance of monsters that emerged from the hole to
attack nearby towns and villages. Many castles just like this one were built relatively
close to Orario for just this reason. Most of them had been destroyed or collapsed after
centuries of neglect, but Shreme was used as a staging point by the kingdom of Rakia
in the war almost one thousand years ago. Several of its main towers were damaged,
but the castle's main wall and other defenses were very much intact. Now it had been
selected to host the War Game.
The outer wall stood an impressive ten meders high, even higher in the areas where
the towers once stood. The wall itself was more than thick enough to withstand the
strongest of attacks—perhaps with the exception of a powerful blast of magical
energy. Even top-class adventurers would have difficulty cracking it. The castle was
located in an open area and very easy to attack. This wall was the main reason it had
lasted so long.
"Get some clay over here. Reinforce everything that's fixable."
Night had already fallen, the moon shining brightly overhead. Apollo Familia was hard
at work making their final preparations for the War Game that would begin in a few
short hours.
One hundred ten of them had arrived three days ago and had been working around
the clock to make sure the castle was ready. That was almost all of their Familia.
Working in groups, they had made repairs to the castle itself as well as set up hidden
stores of spare weapons and items in various places inside the structure.
"Humph, pointless… Why bother?"
The fortress's main tower stood above the wreckage of the other towers in the very
middle of the castle. Hyacinthus watched the other members of his Familia work from
the top floor.
The time limit for the Castle Siege War Game had been set at three days. Apollo Familia
would win if either he was alive after that time or if the enemy general—without a
doubt, Bell Cranell—was defeated in combat.
It was their role as the defender to make sure the castle was ready, but it was obvious
that they could win without all this fuss. Hyacinthus had heard that the enemy ranks
had increased as of late, but they would face no more than five combatants. What point
was there in having more than one hundred warriors repair a castle when they could
crush their enemy outright in a head-to-head battle?
"Lord Apollo, why? Why a castle siege…?"
Hyacinthus was very confident that he could win without all of these favorable
conditions. Did his god not trust him and the rest of the Familia? The man was feeling
underappreciated, as though Apollo had forgotten what he was capable of.
The disgruntled man walked away from the window and took a seat on the throne at
the back of the room. The throne itself had been there when Apollo Familia first
arrived, but they had made a few modifications. Very comfortable, the back of the
ornate chair was an enlarged version of the Familia emblem, a burning sun with a bow
and arrow. The rest of the room was decorated with artwork and had been cleaned
spotless because Hyacinthus had ordered everyone under his command to make the
space pleasing to the eye.
Leaning back on his throne, Hyacinthus begrudgingly laughed through his nose.
"What a boring game…"
"—Yeah, Hyacinthus would say something like that…"
The short-haired woman, Daphne, grumbled to herself as she looked up at the throne
room from her post on top of the solid castle wall.
Rakia had made a few strange modifications when they occupied the castle. Their god
must have really enjoyed showing off because the main tower had many complex
designs built onto its surface. It had a luxurious feel to it despite being the castle's last
line of defense. Seeing her own Familia's emblem attached to the top of the main tower
made her want to laugh out of sheer absurdity. That hunk of metal was so big it could
probably be seen from Orario.
Daphne sighed to herself and continued with her own assignment. It was her job to
motivate the other members to hurry up with the wall repairs. The hard part was that
most of them shared Hyacinthus's opinion of the upcoming battle and couldn't wait to
watch it unfold. Despite having more than one hundred workers under her command,
making sure that there were no weak points in any of the walls of the castle had been
frustrating beyond belief.
Also, Ganesha Familia had arrived at Shreme a few days before Daphne and the rest of
Apollo Familia in order to clear out the group of thieves and marauders that had been
living in the castle. Since they'd been ordered not to damage the castle in any way
before the War Game, the eviction had been carried out by digging holes under the
wall and catching the squatters by surprise. They'd captured every single one of the
criminals in less than a day. Daphne made sure that they filled in the holes before
returning to Orario.
"Daph…"
"Cassandra?"
Magic-stone lamps lit up the top of the wall in place of the torches of old. Cassandra
approached Daphne, nervously calling out to her.
She came to a stop in front of one of the lamps, only half of her face illuminated in the
light. She embraced her own trembling body with both arms as if she were afraid it
would fall apart.
"It's no good… We need to get far away from here."
"Huh?"
"The castle, the castle will fall…"
Daphne's expression turned to annoyance as she listened to the nonsense coming out
of Cassandra's mouth.
"Another dream? You know it's too late to do that now. Get it together."
"Please, please, Daph, believe me…!"
Cassandra desperately begged her friend to take her prophetic dream seriously even
though there was no way it could come to pass.
Daphne ignored her and continued inspecting the wall, but Cassandra was much more
persistent than usual. The long-haired girl's shoulders slumped as if she were
debating whether or not to keep trying, before freezing on the spot.
Surprised by the sudden silence, Daphne turned around to face her. Cassandra's face
was pale and gaunt as if she were moments away from death, eyes transfixed on a spot
below them.
"No, we can't let it in. There's still time; it mustn't come inside…"
A small line of horse-drawn carts carrying the last of their supplies was approaching
the wall just outside the gate. The girl watched, horrified, as the gate opened.
"Heey! Wait up, will you?!"
Luan yelled at the top of his lungs, chasing the last cart as he watched the castle gate
start to close.
The driver of the last cart ordered his horse to gallop to cover the distance, forcing the
prum into an all-out sprint just to make it inside the gate before it shut completely. A
dull thud sounded a moment after he slid between the massive iron blocks.
"Why, why would you shut it when I'm still out there?" the small prum man asked in a
pathetic, panting voice to the exceptionally large animal person standing at the gate
controls.
The large man just laughed."Hee-hee, so you were there, Luan. You're so tiny! Couldn't
see you at all."
The lower-class adventurer known as Luan Espel looked much younger than his age,
almost like a child. Other members of Apollo Familia treated him like the bottom of the
barrel because of the combination of his rank and his appearance. That was why he'd
been assigned to bring supplies to the castle at this late hour.
Prums were often discriminated against because of their short size and
unintimidating presence. "Come on," he retorted as other members of the Familia
joined in the laughter.
"…Quite a large shipment you brought in."
"Three days' worth of weapons and rations. Best to be ready, you know?"
The animal person laughed again, saying that he was being a little too careful
considering their opponent. The large man didn't even look at Luan as he started to
inspect the shipment.
In moments, other members of the Familia were unloading box after box from the
carts and taking them to the castle's already well-stocked storage rooms.
"Aaah…"
Cassandra watched it all unfold from her spot on top of the wall.
Daphne had never seen her friend like this. Although she felt something was wrong
with the girl, Daphne turned to leave.
"Wake up, we have work to do!"
Cassandra watched Daphne's back pass in and out of the light of the magic-stone
lamps. She took a deep breath and let out a long, heavy sigh.
Then she whispered in a shaking voice like a prophet who'd seen the end of the world.
"It's too late… The Trojan horse is inside the wall."
"What took you?"
"Sorry."
"Are your preparations in order?"
"Yes. My goddess upgraded my Status already."
"Great. Now, here's the knife I promised you. The cutting edge is way better than the
first one, I guarantee it."
"Thanks."
"Sir Welf… What about those?"
"Ready and waiting. Didn't have much time, so I could only finish two."
"…Um, Welf, are you sure this is all right?"
"Yeah… I've stopped compromising allies for pride."
"?"
"Never mind… Yo, you can take these now. But I warn you, they were very rushed so
I'm not sure about their full power or how long they'll last. Don't waste them."
"Understood."
"Well, then… Everything is going according to Lady Hestia's plan."
"Yep. And tomorrow—we take down the castle."
"Yes… Let's win this."
Several voices went unheard under the cover of night.
War Game versus Apollo Familia. Classification—Castle Siege.
Victory condition: defeat the enemy general.
The long night was almost over