Chapter 59 - It's Surprising Bell Got Hard Over Her!
"Ah, that's really Bell's style," Hestia and Hephaestus thought to themselves.
The two goddesses, familiar with Bell's behavior, knew that the outcome was perfectly in line with how Bell would handle things.
Wearing a hood while going out wasn't something adventurers would do.
But for Bell, it was entirely characteristic.
However, the fact that this habit carried over into the dungeon truly surprised them.
In Orario, such attire might bring trouble instead of caution.
Nevermind...
The dungeon is a space where adventurers frequently cross paths.
Despite its vastness, encounters with others are inevitable.
It seemed strange that no one had noticed him.
It felt like pure luck that this hadn't happened… Ah!
Speaking of luck, Hestia and Hephaestus suddenly remembered Bell's EX Luck, which could directly influence the dungeon.
With this skill combined with Bell's carefulness, it seemed plausible that he could avoid being noticed.
This result was something neither goddess had expected.
Who would have thought that such a skill could make such a difference here?
"Cough, Loki, we can get back to the topic now," Hestia said, cutting Loki off.
Loki glanced at them briefly, a little puzzled, but chose not to press the matter.
While the investigation results appeared questionable to Loki, they had been carried out by her own Familia.
Criticizing them would mean doubting her own children—something she wasn't willing to do.
"Let's continue talking about the runestones," Loki said, shifting focus.
"What I want to know is whether there are still many undisclosed functions of the runestones."
"That's correct," Hephaestus confirmed without hesitation.
There was no point in hiding it—any god who examined the runestones would come to the same conclusion. And indeed, it was true.
"Weapon enchantments, healing, curse removal, advanced weapon sharpening, magic bullets with various attributes...
"Enhancements to status, and even regeneration of internal organs."
Loki's eyelid twitched as she listened.
Even just the weapon sharpening function was enough to make her heart race.
She recalled seeing one of these runestones in action. When used on a low-tier weapon, its sharpness instantly reached top-tier.
Applied to high-tier weapons, the results were extraordinary—elevating the weapons to an indescribable level.
And now there was supposedly an upgraded version of this runestone?
If Hephaestus hadn't said so herself, Loki might have suspected deception.
But it wasn't just the weapon-sharpening runestone. There was an upgraded version of the status-enhancement runestone too?
This was outrageous!
She vividly remembered Finn's experience with one of these runestones. His basic abilities had increased by 200.
If Loki hadn't witnessed it herself, she wouldn't have believed it.
The runestone's effects even surpassed the status limits imposed by the Falna.
After using it, Finn's Agility stat broke through the maximum of 999, reaching an unprecedented 1199.
Altogether, his five of basic abilities had increased by a total of 1,000.
This level of enhancement was absurd.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that these effects could drive any adventurer mad with desire.
And now Hephaestus claimed there was an even more advanced version?
"Can you not go so far with this kind of development!?" Loki gritted her teeth, barely managing to suppress her frustration.
But as her irritation grew, so did her resolve. This time, she had to secure the rights to these runestones.
Still, Loki knew she needed to stay calm. Losing her composure now would put her at a disadvantage.
She had to approach this transaction carefully.
She also realized something important: Hephaestus wouldn't sell such powerful runestones freely.
If she had been cautious about releasing them so far, it was clear the runestones on the hidden list wouldn't be casually sold either.
'Hestia probably isn't just considering me. She could also approach Freya,' Loki thought, narrowing her eyes.
As one of Orario's two reigning powers, Loki knew better than anyone how formidable Freya's influence could be.
'Then why didn't Hestia choose to collaborate with Freya?'
The answer struck Loki like lightning.
Hestia's child was a boy.
'Oh, I see now,' Loki muttered with a sly grin. 'That explains it, Hestia. No wonder you're avoiding Freya.'
Understanding Freya's notorious tendencies, Loki realized her own position in this negotiation was far stronger than she had initially believed.
With that realization, her irritation gave way to her usual mischievous expression.
"Hestia, you don't want to team up with Freya, do you?"
Hestia, who had been basking in her small victory, froze instantly.
Seeing her reaction, Loki's grin widened.
"Looks like I guessed right. I thought it'd make more sense for you to collaborate with Freya, but it seems you chose me instead."
"I wondered why… and now it's clear. You're trying to protect your child from Freya's attention."
Hestia puffed up her cheeks in frustration, glaring at Loki.
She knew the initiative had shifted, and her position had suddenly become far weaker.
Hephaestus, who had been quietly observing, sighed.
Loki wasn't one to miss an obvious opportunity.
Once the initial shock wore off, she would always zero in on her opponent's greatest weakness—and this was no exception.
"Hestia, I told you, you can't outplay Loki. She's sharper than you think," Hephaestus remarked with a hint of amusement.
"Hmph~ Of course I am," Loki replied smugly, soaking up the compliment.
"Hephaestus, I assume today's meeting was arranged by that Bell, right?"
"Yes," Hephaestus confirmed.
"Then let him come out and talk to me. If he made such a bold decision, he must have some idea of how to handle me.
"I'd love to hear what he has up his sleeve."
Loki's tone was casual, but her intent was unmistakable.
Whether it was Freya or Hestia, Loki had no intention of letting such a valuable opportunity slip away.
Still, she was genuinely curious to hear what Bell had planned.
The situation had completely turned around.
The one who once held the upper hand was now caught off guard, becoming the weaker party.
Yet, this outcome wasn't unexpected.
Loki's ability to exploit a weakness was entirely predictable.
In moments of crisis and special circumstances, Loki was often the quickest to think on her feet.
Accepting compromise without resistance was simply not in her nature.
Although Loki appeared calm on the surface, inwardly, she remained on high alert.
After learning about the hidden list of runestones, Loki's greed only deepened. She wanted more.
"That boy should have considered this possibility," Loki thought confidently.
Yet, she also believed that she would ultimately accept the boy's proposal.
Loki mused.
Despite her unease over the unknown, a surge of curiosity filled her heart.
What secrets could this child possibly hold that would force her to agree?
"Hestia, bring your child here, quickly," Loki said, her legs crossed as she leaned back on the sofa, eagerly anticipating her next meeting.
At that moment, she felt the sofa beneath her shift slightly and some hard object poked her buttocks.
"I'm so sorry, Loki-sama, I've been here all along."
The voice from behind startled Loki.
Turning her head mechanically, she realized she had been sitting on Bell's lap the entire time.
The discovery left Loki utterly baffled.
From the moment she had sat down, she had sensed something was off.
She had even turned to check—but had seen nothing unusual.
How could this have happened?
Loki remained frozen, not even thinking to stand up immediately.
Clearly feeling the hard object through her buttocks.
"H-hey! Loki, why are you still sitting there!?"
While Loki struggled to process what was happening, Hestia had already reacted.
Puffing out her cheeks in frustration, she grabbed Loki and pulled her off Bell's lap.
Only then, as Hestia forcibly moved her, did Loki finally snap out of her daze.
She turned stiffly to look at the white-haired boy sitting on the sofa.
"When… when did you… sit there?"
"I've been sitting here from the very beginning."
"So, when I thought something felt strange as I sat down… it wasn't just my imagination?"
Slowly piecing things together, Loki realized why the sofa had felt unusually warm. She had been sitting on his lap.
And that hard object....wait...
"How… how did you pull that off?" Loki asked in a low voice.
Bell didn't respond with words. Instead, he demonstrated again, masking his presence in an instant.
Before their eyes, Bell vanished, leaving the sofa empty.
The three goddesses stared in disbelief.
It wasn't just that Bell had disappeared; his presence, his aura, and even the faintest trace of him were gone.
Loki's face twisted in astonishment.
Even her focused perception had been disrupted by some mysterious force, making it impossible for her to concentrate.
'Is this… part of that text's power?' Loki muttered.
Bell reappeared wearing a polite smile.
Having recently undergone a rank up, Bell had chosen Mystery as his first developmental ability.
It significantly enhanced his magic related control.
It was clear that Bell had made the right choice.
"It's something like that," Bell said humbly.
He stood up from the sofa and bowed slightly. "I apologize, Loki-sama, for startling you like that."
Loki took a moment to collect herself.
She skipped the part where buttocks were poked by some big thing. Although she should have pursued this matter.
But she choose to ignore it. After all, someone having an erection over her made her quite happy.
Alas with her figure...it's surprising Bell got hard over her.
Nevermind...
Her intrigue about the mysterious runestones deepened, and her interest in Bell's abilities grew stronger.
The feat he had just performed was no ordinary display.
Although the their powers were limited in the lower world, they still retained certain abilities.
Mortals, for instance, could never lie to them.
For someone from the lower world to completely conceal their presence—especially from them—was nearly impossible.
Yet, Bell had done it.
'If he can fool the us.' Loki thought, 'then he could fool every adventurer.'
"Well, let's set aside what just happened for now," Loki said, waving a hand dismissively.
"Since you're here, I assume you overheard my conversation with Hestia and Hephaestus earlier."
"Yes, I did," Bell replied.
"Good. Then let's get straight to the point," Loki said, leaning forward, her sharp eyes narrowing.
"I know you and Hephaestus need support."
"The runestones you created have caused quite a stir in Orario."
"If you want to remain safe amidst the chaos, you'll need more than Hephaestus's influence."
"And only two familias can provide that: Freya's familia and mine."
"But Hephaestus doesn't seem interested in joining forces with Freya, so that leaves my familia."
Loki's grin widened slightly. "Now, tell me—what can you offer to convince me?"
"And let me make one thing very clear—the runestones alone won't be enough."