The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.

gg/c4pXbSYKTA
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
Table of Contents
Double Role II –5
Chapter 6: A Goddess’ Journey ~Orario’s Revelation~ – 15
Chapter 7: After this Battle is Over We’re Getting Married – 53
Monologue VI – 105
Chapter 8: Faction War – 117
Chapter 9: Words of Flowers to You – 269
Epilogue: Double Cast – 599
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
Double Role II
I always ended up at the flower field.

While I was still in Tenkai, I was troubled by a few things. A Goddess of Beauty is something
special, even among Gods.
This power is both a sweet nectar and a deadly poison.
The power of Charm is absolute, it can even make the mind of a God crumble. Other Gods
were afraid of us Goddesses of Beauty while also lusting after us. It was a common
occurrence that I made other Gods my puppets, and yet in doing so I became a puppet
myself.
Therefore, there are only two ways to deal with a Goddess of Beauty.
Either destroy them completely or pamper them like a princess.
It was usually the latter. Thus a virgin Goddess was often tasked with functioning as a
‘stopper’ for our charm. Aphrodite, for example, a fellow Goddess of Beauty, was silenced by
the Virgin Goddess Artemis, often through force. It was an unwritten law, that the Virgin
Goddesses, as the watchdogs of Tenkai, were allowed to use their powers without
restrictions to prevent the ‘invasion’ and ‘domination’ by us Goddesses of Beauty.
So I was troubled with guards as well—or not.
Because my charm could even affect a Virgin Goddess. That’s exceptional, even among
the Goddesses of Beauty.
I was to be revered and feared, whether I wanted to or not. Perhaps only the three Virgin
Deities of Olympus could truly resist my power.
So I was subjected to strict ‘management’.
It was supposed to be a paradise, where not a single thing was unattainable for me. But in
reality, I was locked in a prison for eternity.
The great and priceless temple I was given in Tenkai, and the many subordinate deities and
spirits that were guarding it were all ‘shackles’ that bound me. The most revolting thing was
that Odin, the Great God who created my prison, saw the true nature of my tastes and
preferences. Freya, the queen, chose the ones she couldn’t abandon at her own discretion,
and then their impure affection turned into chains that bound her.
Living a comfortable life in a place where my Charm does not reach and if anything happens,
he would throw his divine spear and kill me. I’m pretty sure that’s what that detestable old
God was thinking.
But I never lamented those inconveniences.
I had countless complaints, but I was resigned to my fate as the Goddess of 'Beauty' and
'Love'.
Not because I was sarcastic or anything, but because I was more fortunate than anyone else
to be loved by everyone. So, pretending to be unhappy was something so ridiculous
everyone would laugh at. And above all, even before I was locked in that prison, I already
accepted my fate and did as I was told.

Because, after all, this is just ‘Puppet Play’, right?

Nobody defies me. Nobody can defy me.
Everybody kneels down wanting my ‘Love’.
No matter how strong the God of War or how inhuman the God of Evil, they are all eager to
seek my ‘Love’.
On the other hand, if I ask for it, any being would give me ‘Love’.
I had come to believe that ‘Love’ is the most hollow thing in the world.
Nobody could ever understand.
Nobody could ever sympathize with me.
What a crooked contradiction, those who are on the verge of insanity because they seek my
‘Love’ offer me their ‘Unconditional Love’ once I ask for it.
The ‘Love’ of ‘Beauty’ that transforms even desires as dark as the abyss into a pure white
plain.
Charm or not, it doesn’t matter.
As long as I am a Goddess of Beauty, this emptiness will follow me forever.
The truth is, I, the Goddess of Beauty and Love, cannot escape this yoke of emptiness.
I had come to realize that because I am the one who presides over ‘Love’, I am also the
slave of ‘Love’.
No matter how atrocious my behavior is, no matter how much I try to put myself in the shoes
of a merciless witch, I will never be free from the Yoke of the Goddess.
Not that mask of a smile everyone fawns over.
But a ‘true smile’, when was the last time I let out a smile from the bottom of my heart?
I can’t remember anymore. ‘Love’ is useful, isn't it?
You can get anything. Nothing is unattainable. ‘Love’ is wonderful.
It can produce happiness. It fosters happiness and creates those who envy it. ‘Love’ is
beautiful.
It must be beautiful. If it is not beautiful, it cannot be called ‘love’.
Selfishness is not called 'Love’. If it is even a little bit ugly, it is not considered ‘Love’.
Otherwise, sexuality would not be giggled at and narcissism would not be condemned.
’Love’ must be sacred. Everyone has illusions about ‘Love’. They have no doubt that ‘Love’
is the most precious and the most beautiful thing of all.
So, if I am not beautiful, will I forget about ‘Love’?
So, if I give up my ‘Beauty’, will I be freed from the Yoke of the Goddess?
I wanted to sully myself.
So I decided to get dirty.
I was locked up in a golden cage, surrounded by male deities, and indulged in all kinds of
pleasures.
I also called in the Goddesses and did every depravity​I could think of.
This capital of whoredom is nothing to sneeze at. And the one who took the moral decay of
the otherwise boring Tenkai to its extremes was, without a doubt, the great God who locked
me up in my prison. For thousands and thousands of years, I wallowed in sexual lust and
carnal desire.
And then, at one point, I suddenly realized I was enveloped in a deep sense of fatigue, bored
by the idiosyncrasy of the Gods.
Those eyes that were staring at me.
That passionate ‘Love’ that was in their gazes.
Nothing ever changed.
Nothing ever changed!
I tried it for so long, but no matter how dirty I become, no one ever abandons me!
The Yoke of the Goddess will always stick to my body!
I screamed.
For the first time, I cast aside any semblance of ‘decency’ and ran away from the great God
that confined me.
I crossed mountains, valleys, oceans, stars.
Wearing the face of a ‘girl’, only one of my hundred faces, I shook off my pursuers and
continued to wander through the endlessness of Tenkai.
And then I arrived at a vast field of flowers.
Where the boundary between Heaven and Earth was disappearing, I fell to my knees and
collapsed in a sea of beautiful red flowers.
I couldn't cry.
And yet, the tears kept running down my face.
In the end, resignation had taken over and intense emotions had finally turned into a dry
desert. So nothing should have made me sad, but I still covered my face with my hands like
a young, innocent girl. The unstoppable rain turned to gold, trickling onto the red flowers and
wetting the earth.
I can’t find it.
I can’t find it.
I can't find what I'm looking for.
And yet, I can’t stop searching. Searching for ‘something’ to release me from Yoke of the
Goddess.
Hollow tears without the slightest hint of sorrow kept flowing for a thousand, two thousand,
no three thousand nights.
Then, as the petals fell, the stem broke, and the golden fountain began to soak me, she
appeared.
Iðunn​, a Goddess who hailed from the same place in Tenkai as me. She was a good and
innocent Goddess with beauty that could compete with that of a Goddess of Beauty. She
said she came to lecture me because she wasn’t able to watch me live the life of a slut
anymore.
Sweating as she said she searched endlessly, and in accordance with the things she
governs, she began giving a fervent speech about ‘youth’.
She said, the tryst between a man and a woman is more pure.
She said, sweetness and bitterness must be shared.
She said, no matter how many years pass, the soul remains young.
She said, that’s why you should enjoy your youth☆!
I wanted to kill her.
I stood up, went behind that woman who talked as she pleased, and tried to put my hands
around her slender neck. 
"So, Freya, let's find your Oðr, shall we?"
"──Oðr​?"
I stopped moving.
Unaware that she was about to be strangled, Iðunn ​laughed and replied.
"Your Oðr, who will fulfill all of your desires, I'm sure he's out there somewhere. The one you
can enjoy your youthful life with. He will surely free you from the Yoke."
When I heard that, I laughed at Iðunn.
There is no such thing.
However, I decided to believe in Iðunn’s story.
Because after all, I couldn't prove that there was no such thing either.

After returning to the temple and troubling those around me, my mania for collecting began
to worsen.
I collected beautiful things, especially children's souls, and searched for the one being that
only belongs to me.
Then, after the dust settled, I began to wander out of the temple again and again.
Everything was a journey to find my Oðr. As if having a ‘fit’, I wore the appearance of a ‘child’
and traveled aimlessly through the heavenly world.
Time and time again, I slipped out and got rid of my pursuers, but I never found my Oðr. And
my disappointment grew. I continued to wander around, trying to withstand the poison of
boredom that gnawed at me, seeking stimulation, and sometimes giving the Gods who
swarmed around me their appropriate treatment. I wonder if it was around that time that I
met Hestia by chance.

When I met Iðunn again, she smiled at me and asked in a carefree voice: "Did you find your
Oðr?"
I almost strangled her. But I knew one thing.
There is only one thing we Goddesses of Beauty cannot have.
Because of our ‘Beauty’. Because of their ‘Love’.
I wondered for a second, what the other Goddesses of Beauty thought about that, but then I
immediately stopped. Of course such thoughts wouldn’t cross their minds.
Other Goddesses of Beauty were never as troubled as I was. They had no doubt that they
were absolute queens and devoured offerings and blessings as if it was the most natural
thing to do. They thought that they were supreme and had no regard for anything else.
I am jealous of that arrogant Ishtar.
I envy that idiotic Aphrodite.
Because when they find『    』, they can either sneer at it or reject it with a shrug.

And as the time passed by, I had searched every spot in Tenkai.
My Oðr was not in this heavenly sea.
That’s why the next place I had to go to was Gekai.
Chance it was that just around this time the Age of Gods began and Gods were descending
to the Lower World.
On the outside, I gave the impression that I was dreaming of the possibilities that imperfect
world had in store, to kill the boredom I had endured in Tenkai. That miraculous ‘unknown’ -
but in reality, I was clinging to the fact that I might meet my Oðr.
I put my trust in the fact that I might meet my Oðr.
But…
The Lower World, far smaller than Tenkai, soon showed its limits, and my prayers quickly
turned to despair.
The horizontal search of Gekai was over quickly. Now, all that remained was to search
vertically, to wait for the time to pass.
At that time, I had already established a Familia and I became tired.
I smiled my queen's smile in front of my lovely children, but this was enough to make me
think that I would rather have been consumed by the poison of boredom. I wished to sleep
forever.
One day, after I slipped through my children’s guard, I ran away on my own and arrived at a
scene that, oddly enough, resembled my heavenly realm.
A field of red flowers setting in the twilight.
In the middle of it, I fell to my knees and wept. 
This time, my tears were accompanied by sadness and while the Yoke was laughing at me, I
desperately tried to push that despair out of my mind.
Perhaps those were the first and last tears I shed down here.
… Oh, no they weren't.
Because Syr burst into tears in front of you.
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
Chapter 6: A Goddess’ Journey ~Orario’s Revelation~

My hair has grown.

Before I knew it, I found it growing over my neck and even my back.

If you’d try to pick it up, you would see a tuft of light-green hair with a golden hair line.
To hide my true identity, she was always the one who dyed it, she was also the one who cut
it.
Those friendly eyes that used to be reflected in that full-body mirror seemed so distant now.
So did the smile that was always on her lips, I couldn’t really remember it.
The one who used to cut my hair was gone.
I tried to stop her, but she left regardless.
By now, I felt as if she herself wanted it like that.
What was she thinking while she was combing my hair?
What on earth did she feel when she complimented my beauty?
Was all the time we spent together a lie?
Accompanied by anger and sadness, questions came and went for what seemed like the
umpteenth time.
Those pale gray eyes were just 'Role Playing', she said.
She said unmistakably that her life at the Hostess of Fertility was only a ‘Play’.
There were many things I didn't understand.
There were countless things that hurt me.
Should I scream that I've been betrayed?
Should I cry that I have been deceived?
Or would it be easier to just curse our naïvety?
I kept thinking about things like that in the basement where I was locked up.

But.
I suddenly realized.
She said nothing has changed.
Because she had always been selfish.
She talked about how much she cares about us while shrouding herself in mystery.
Laughing and joking around, she always slipped from our grasp.
She always was a free-spirited ‘soul’.
And she still was one now.
She only told her side of the story and cut ties as she pleased.
Leaving me in uncertainty, without me ever knowing what to believe.
That's right...
I have not yet exchanged a word with her to my satisfaction.
If that was the case…
I should reprimand her and say "I don’t give a damn!" and force her to give me an answer.
No matter how much she shrugs off the past, scoffing at all the lies and calling everything a
‘Play’. 
I have yet to uncover even one of her innermost thoughts.
If you want to throw away your life as the girl next door and instead be an egomaniacal
queen, then do as you please.
Then, for now, this ‘gale’ shall turn into a violent ‘storm’.

"... didn’t I tell ya I’d bring it. Good thing I picked it up during that battle."
Standing in front of the city gate, outside the city walls, I received it from him.
A shattered piece of wood.
I thanked Rivira’s ‘leader’ for coming all the way from there, and then looked up at the sky.
The border between night and day, when the sunrise had not yet begun.
In the twilight sky you could see shining stars.
A countless number of stars that I would never turn my back to again.
"Hermes-sama said… ‘that person’ seems to be in Solingen, the sword-smithing city far to
the east."
I nodded my head in appreciation to my friend, who told me the words of her God.
With her help, I had everything ready to leave.
Now all that remained was to say goodbye to this city for a while.
I turned my back to the city wall, looking out at the clear horizon.
For the boy with the white hair.
For the girl with the light gray hair.
And, for the one who kept her golden hair hidden until this day, for her own good.
I was going to complete my last ‘purification ritual’.
With my back facing the city walls, I looked at the shining stars and let my muttered words be
carried by the wind.
"Wait for me, Syr. I won't be satisfied until I've pinched your cheeks."

An unprecedented Wargame has been decided.

The news spread through Orario like wildfire.
The residents of the Labyrinth City, who could not even organize their own memories due to
the large-scale Charm… or rather the large-scale ‘assault’ cast by the Goddess of Beauty,
were bombarded with even more information, making each and every one of them even more
confused.
Freya Familia vs. the Faction Alliance.
Whether this unprecedented and exceptional method to solve a dispute was the consensus
between the Guild and the Gods, or whether Freya had proposed it herself, the townsfolk,
who were only at the mercy of the situation, had no way of knowing.
What remained certain through all was the feeling that this would be the ‘grandest Wargame’
in Orario’s history.
The news of the Faction War even crossed over the city walls and had an impact outside the
city.
"What is the meaning of all this!?" yelled those who could not keep up with the situation.
It was only natural that those whose memories had been tampered with were enraged.
There were also those who only saw the event as one big show.
Still, the greatest part were those who could not hide their bewilderment at what was about to
happen.
Even the merchants were concerned about the ‘Balance’ of the city and refrained from
pursuing their usual business opportunities.
Even the Gods were no exception.
A number of them threw away their usual mischievousness and seriously considered what to
do about their own future.
One could not count the number of those having a hard time stopping their bloodthirsty
children from joining the Wargame. Whatever the case, not a single soul spoke of forgiving
Freya Familia for their reckless outburst.
Although the manner in which the Wargame should be resolved was astonishing, it was also
a surge of resentment over the many outrageous actions that had occurred in the past,
including the destruction of the Entertainment District.
So…
Now, in this situation, Freya was isolated.
It was safe to say that nobody would openly declare that they were on her side.
And what’s more, not many were reckless enough to be willing to fight against the ‘entire
army of the Goddess of Beauty’.

"What the hell is going oooooooooon!?" Hestia’s loud voice echoed.

The high ceiling was supported by a colonnade of pillars.
A Denatus was being held on the 30th floor of Babel, located in the center of the city.
"Why won't you join the Wargame, Loki?"
Bang.
Hestia slammed her hands onto the round table with all her might.
Loki, sitting diagonally across from her, had a resigned frown on her face.
"...It can't be helped. That's the way it is."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
The great hall became noisy as Hestia started to rant unilaterally.
The purpose behind this Denatus meeting was to discuss the Wargame competition format
and other issues.
A part of the agenda was also the confirmation of the list of those who wished to join the
Faction Alliance under the lead of Hestia Familia.
Needless to say, Loki Familia was the most promising candidate to join the opposition that
was forming against Freya Familia.
However, they said they will ‘abstain’.
The Denatus assembly was greatly disturbed.
With the unexpected large number of deities in attendance, the Denatus was heating up.
"You are usually the first in the line when it comes to wanting to beat Freya to a pulp! And
now at a time like this, you suddenly say, ‘Soweee, I’m not participating’?! How are you not
ashamed?"
"You are the one who dared to take on a Wargame with that shit eating grin on your face…"
"As bloodthirsty as you guys are, I thought you’d be the first ones to join us! I mean, I was
ready to rely on your Wallen-what’s-it! Otherwise, there is no way I would fight those
frightening Freya guys!"
"Then aren't you ashamed of yourself for relying on the power of someone you normally
detest ...?"
Loki shot the unreasonably childish-looking Goddess, who was relying on the powers of
others, a look of dismay.
But Hestia is only being herself and that’s not the point here.
She leans forward and shouts at Loki in rapid succession, spitting at her.
"Look around! Now that you said you aren’t participating, all the people, who were willing to
join, are getting cold feet!"
The Gods, who had been observing the movements of each faction, were now both
physically and emotionally detached and distanced themselves from Hestia.
Specifically, the chair that was five steps away from the round table was feigning laughter
with "hahaha" and "hehehe" sounds.
"If Loki Familia is not going to participate, then who is going to hold Ottarl and the other
monstrous members down?" — was what the voices in the hearts of the Gods and
Goddesses were saying.
If things go downhill, people enter self-preservation mode. That doesn’t change, no matter
Human or God.
Loki, who was looking around, reluctantly opened her mouth again.
"Well, let me tell you something... if I were to go all out, it would be called ‘a fight between
Loki Familia and Freya Familia’ and nothing else."
"Urgh—?!"
"Nominally, it's just a 'fight between Hestia and Freya’. You can’t just let yourselves be
piggy-backed by some other Familia… it’s not a war on behalf of us Gods, it’s a war on
behalf of your Bell."
It needed to be ‘Freya Familia vs. Hestia Familia and her supporters’ — not ‘Freya Familia
vs. Loki Familia and many others.’
Those were Loki’s words.
Hestia couldn’t find a flaw in her logic and had to agree with it.
Thus she was silent and at a loss for words.
It was ugly and unfair towards Freya, who was putting her wealth, honor, and even her pride
on the line to fight in this battle.
But the enemy was simply too strong, so Hestia couldn’t help but think ‘I don’t care about
appearances! We’re betting on Bell-kun’s chastity!’
"But then, at least let some of them join the battle...!"
"That's also been forbidden ahead of time... by the Guild."
Even though Freya proposed the Wargame herself, as it stood now, it was just a public
execution.
The Guild’s ‘argument’ seemed to be that it would not look good to other countries if our
Wargames were not fair.
‘But the Wargame between us and Apollo Familia was even more unreasonable’ is what
could be said if any objections were raised.
"It was your fault for being lazy and not recruiting people" Loki scolded.
"Gnggghh…" in the end, Hestia could only grit her teeth while groaning.
The Faction War was an unusual many-on-one battle.
Naturally, there were no rules in place, so it wasn’t surprising, but—
"...."
Hestia glanced at one corner of the round table.
Right in front of her was an empty seat.
It was the seat of the queen that Hestia was supposed to stand off against.
In this Denatus, Freya wasn't present.
‘I accept everything,’ she assured them, ‘no matter how much the odds are stacked against
us, no matter the details of the rules and regulations.’
The Goddess of Beauty, who had also forsaken her right to reside on the top floor of Babel,
was now eerily silent on her throne at her home, awaiting the city's decision.
Freya, who demanded to start a war with everything she had built up, was still the queen.
"The Guild will not tolerate a war that could tip Orario in the wrong direction. We were
ordered to withdraw our participation in this war by a certain man, so we have no choice but
to watch you participate—"
".....You don’t mean to tell me that Freya has a weak spot or something, do you?"
"Gnargh!"
Hearing Hestia’s whispered words, Loki was visibly annoyed.
Immediately, Hestia's brows furrowed.
"Just like I thought! It seemed odd that you, as hot-tempered as you are, would listen so
docilely to the Guild!"
"W-what are you talking about?! It’s not like I’m being blackmailed because of some old stuff
that happened in Tenkai, like borrowing a feathered robe or something, that’s not it!"
"You’re not getting the rave reviews that you desire, you bad God!"
Hephaestus, Miach and Takemikazuchi, who had been watching the whole thing, sighed
heavily as Hestia and Loki stood up from their chairs and yelled at each other.
Loki, who conceded, moaned longingly and sat back in her chair.
"...If we could fight, we would. That sex-obsessed idiot has done too much this time. I'm not
satisfied until I give her a good beating."
"Then...!"
"But there's a reason why that won't work out." Loki assured with a reluctant frown on her
face.
There was a ‘reason’ that forced her divine will to repay her debt to Freya.
And Loki had no intention of disclosing it.
Hestia had no choice but to give up on the idea.
As a God herself, she understood that a God’s divine will cannot be overturned once it has
been decided.
"I understand. I’m not going to ask you to join anymore, but can you at least lend
Wallen-what’s-it’s strength to us?"
The last thing Hestia, who had been pressed into a corner, did, was negotiate.
Even if they could not fight side by side, she tried to at least manage that compromise.
"Bell and Wallen-what’s-it have a good chemistry in terms of the way they ... fight. So I need
the help from that kid until the Wargame starts."
Hestia asked for it while keeping her words vague so as not to reveal Bell’s ‘rare skill’ in front
of the assembled deities.
Hestia, who knows the source of ‘Liaris Freese’, was perfectly aware of how much training
and engagement with Ais would help Bell to leap forward.
Just as the boy's training with her before the Wargame against Apollo made him advance so
fast that he was able to accomplish a landslide victory.
Loki, who had been staring back at Hestia without moving a muscle, shook her head…
helplessly.
"I refuse."
"W-why?!"
"Ais is stuck right now."
Hestia grimaced at the phrasing.
Loki leaned back and looked up overhead.
"Right now, the one bound most by that ‘contract’ is that girl."
A vast ‘Wilderness’ shrouded in morning mist.
An early autumn morning that was almost as cold as a winter day and the sun hadn’t risen
yet.
Ais was there alone, facing a single male Boaz.
"I’ll deliver my Goddess’ words."
"..."
"‘I’ll get what you owe me.’"
"..."
"‘The price you will pay is silence.’"
"Tch..."
Ais’s closed lips were trembling.
"’Do not get involved in any matters concerning Bell Cranel.’"
"...!"
"’The timeframe for that will be until the decisive Wargame has ended. I think that’s a fair
price to pay for what we've done here in the Wilderness.’"
"That’s…"
"Are you saying you don’t want to accept it?"
"..."
"It's only a verbal agreement. If you want to disregard the ‘contract’, then do as you please."
"...Is this ok?"
"If you do that, the only thing you’ll sully is your sword."
"!!"
"How can a sword that cannot keep its oath not become dull?"
With only them two in a sea of green, Ottarl didn't say much.
The Boaz warrior turned his back on Ais and disappeared deeper into the fog.
Ais, left alone in Folkvangr, looked up to the Heavens, her words stuck.
"...Bell."
I’m sorry.
All Ais could squeeze out was that one sentence.

"What do you mean, Royman?"

The tone of the Pallum's voice was clearly full of criticism.
The Guild leader, Royman Mardiel, glared back at Finn Deimne's reproachful eyes, a bead of
sweat dripping down his face, but he remained firm and resolute.
"As notified. As the Guild, we cannot allow Loki Familia to participate in this Wargame."
The Pallum and Elf exchanged glares over the table between them.
They were in a small coffee shop in a back alley off the main street.
Finn and Royman, just the two of them, were now having a secret meeting.
"I don't need to explain to you, nor do I need to convince you. Loki Familia and Freya Familia
are the two major forces in the city. Just like Zeus and Hera, who were once the strongest
factions, you must continue to reign over Orario in perfect balance!"
Royman intensified his tone, his true intention was obvious.
‘We cannot allow Loki and Freya to clash and tear each other to pieces in a Wargame.’
Royman was trying to avoid this ‘Great War’ with that one thought.
And he was willing to try to push it through even though it may have been in a despicable,
almost dogmatical way.
As evidence, Royman pressed his flabby belly down with one hand and started rubbing it. He
was looking pale. There were probably many within the Guild who were opposed to his
decision, one could almost hear them moaning about their stomach pains by now.
In the first place, the reason why Royman chose such a back-alley coffee shop as the place
for their secret meeting was because he was afraid of the eyes of those around him.
If word got out that Braver had come directly to the Guild headquarters to protest, their
prestige would fall to the ground, spurring displeasure among adventurers and Guild officials.
Their public image would also be tarnished.
If Royman collapsed under the extreme stress, it would be a waste of time, so Finn had no
choice but to choose this restaurant as the place for their secret meeting. He had learned
about it from an Elf belonging to his Familia.
It was obvious that this offer was a bitter pill for Royman to swallow.
But from Finn's point of view, that was none of his concern.
This stern and piercing gaze was unlike his otherwise gentle nature.
So much so, that one could tell that Finn was also greatly displeased by this decision.
"What is the Wargame for? What's the set of rules for? A duel, not a war… The format of the
Wargame is supposed to prevent the ‘damage’ you are so afraid of, isn’t it?"
"What the hell do you mean? I don't believe the promises of any adventurer!"
Royman briskly opposed Finn’s point.
This is the one thing he stubbornly refused to concede.
"How many times have we taken your word for it and there were no casualties? It's rather
unusual when there weren’t any victims!"
Even if the ‘killing’ of the opponent’s Familia members would be prohibited, there would still
be casualties.
That was the Guild’s view.
Even though it was a proxy war of the Gods, the one who fought were the fierce adventurers.
Especially if it was against a rival Familia, the frenzy of the battle would make the ‘rules of
good manners’ fly right out of the window.
But from Finn's point of view, that was nothing new.
In fact, until now the Guild had always turned a blind eye on the sacrifices of the Wargames.
No, in fact, the Wargames themselves were even recommended.
This was in large part because it was better than having a war in the streets, and also
because of the realization that the quarrel between Gods would never come to an end unless
a game was prepared and a winner was established.
However, there was no doubt that the plan included an undernote to promote the Rank Up of
adventurers by having factions fight each other.
Wargames were also a kind of ‘trial’ where the return was greater than the sacrifice.
The Wargame between Hestia Familia and Apollo Familia was a prime example.
Contrary to most expectations, Hestia Familia did not end up as Apollo Familia’s ‘prey’ but
won, and thus made great strides by taking it all.
Bell, in particular, earned the name of ‘Super Rookie’ in both name and reality with that one
battle, and emerged as a promising adventurer.
Some were even whispering that he was a candidate for a new hero.
"Orario is not the same as the land of the barbaric Amazoness, who kill each other all year
around!"
Royman would adamantly insist on this, but if you call yourself the ‘City of Heroes’, it was
inevitable that those who seek to become heroes would eventually clash with each other.
However…
"Even I can see that, Finn! This Wargame, it will be the biggest! It will be so fierce that we will
lose all composure and any semblance of self-control will be drowned out! First-class
adventurers are no exception! That's what it means to go to war with Freya Familia!"
It was time for chaos to ensue.
The memory of Orario’s citizens itself was tampered with by an inexcusable Charm, and all of
them were played for good. The overwhelming majority of them had their dignity trampled on,
and their anger was taking over.
"Goddess Freya did an unforgivable thing, even I acknowledge that! But that's why so many
are outraged, and there is no stopping them now! Vanargand is a good example!"
After the Charm got purified by Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, the Werewolf Bete was the
first one who wanted to beat them to a pulp and return with one of their decapitated heads.
So much so that Finn and the others had to hold him down to stop him, even after the Guild's
ceasefire order had been issued.
"For once, we can't let the worst case scenario unfold! We cannot afford to lose so many
first-class adventurers, especially you, Loki Familia, as well as Freya Familia, not before the
defeat of the Black Dragon...!"
Defeating the Black Dragon, the last remaining of the Three Great Quests, was the
responsibility and duty of the Labyrinth City.
If Finn and Ottarl were to mutually destroy themselves, not only would the Lower World’s
dearest wish be lost, but hope itself would dwindle away.
Royman was more concerned about that one point than anyone else.
"If we don't participate, Hestia Familia and its coalition will surely be defeated." Finn said,
cutting him right off.
"What about it. Freya’s only request is ‘the transfer of Bell Cranel’. All that would change is
the affiliation of one adventurer." Royman shut his mouth once, then grunted once more.
"…Hestia Familia's defeat will not hurt the city's strength in any way!"
For the first time in a while.
For the first time in a really long time, Finn wanted to click his tongue.
The Guild's, or rather Royman's, bad habit has come out.
Seeing too much of the big picture let him become irrational.
He was the head of the Guild, and he was not an incompetent ‘Guild Pig’ by any means.
However, in giving priority to the Great Quests, he had a tendency to abandon all empathy
and even morals.
This time was no different.
In order not to harm Freya Familia’s high military strength, they are trying to prevent Loki
Familia from intervening, all whilst abandoning Hestia Familia along the way.
Royman took the side of Freya Familia even after having tasted such an ‘offense’. Despite
fearing the Charm even now, he was going to fulfill the Labyrinth City’s duty to achieve the
world’s dearest wish, even if he had to discipline his emotions with iron reason.
It surely was the right decision for a statesman to make, and perhaps the wisest decision for
those who were in danger in the Lower World. At the same time, it was a non-significant thing
that will never be justified in the terms of righteousness. And it was not enough to convince
Finn, Bete, and the rest of the Loki Familia.
"What a farce, Royman."
"It has to be a farce, Finn."
Their gazes intertwined.
Royman didn’t even blink while looking into Finn’s eyes, which were near to showing his
bloodlust.
His posture revealed his resolve.
"...The format and rules of the Wargame will also be decided in coordination with the
Denatus. Fairly, so that both sides have a chance of winning. By no means do I want Hestia
Familia to lose, either."
"Compare that statement with your actions, just how many people do you think would be
convinced? At least, my Familia members won't be. And I'm not going to let you have it your
way."
Finn said while trying his best to hold his composure.
Royman immediately turned red with anger. His face turned bright red and he sighed heavily.
With the face of a completely exhausted old man, he pulled something out of his pocket.
"Finn...have a look at this."
On the table was a ‘clump of ice’.
It was even smaller than a short knife.
On closer inspection, it was not a block of ice, but a frozen dagger with a chipped blade.
"Is this…?"
Royman informed Finn, who had a puzzled look on his face
"It was brought back from ‘Thalia's Ice Garden’, the Dungeon’s Glacier Territory."
"!"
Instantly, Finn's eyes widened. His gaze started flicking back and forth once between
Royman's face and the icy object on the table.
"...Have you had any success besides this?"
"It's nothing more than a relic."
"...Where?"
"Between the 60th and 61st floors. That's all I can tell you right now."
Finn unconsciously kept his voice down. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked
"... and the key is?"
"Not found. At least, Zeus and Hera never found it."
A momentary silence filled the restaurant.
One would say that the world had come to a standstill.
Royman, however, did not pause and got to the point.
"If you promise not to participate in the Wargame, I will disclose the information the Guild has
about the Glacier Territory. Everything from the detailed route, to the location of the area.
Wouldn’t that make you able to advance?"
For the second time, Finn was hit by astonishment.
While the Pallum was completely frozen in place, Royman himself continued with a strong
sense of bitterness showing through.
"Even Zeus and Hera could only bring back to the surface such a small piece. But...you Loki
Familia with that 'tomboy' of yours might be able to find the 'key'."
Royman's words almost passed unnoticed through Finn’s spinning thoughts.
Shaking off the shock, Finn desperately tried to collect all this new information in his mind…
Before probing for Royman's true intentions, he asked:
"Why are you disclosing this information now?"
"Don't make me say it, you stubborn bastard!"
Royman, on the other hand, raised his eyebrows at a steep angle again.
"Originally, I had no intention of giving this information to either Loki or Freya Familia until you
were colluding like Zeus and Hera did! If reports are accurate, the area where the Glacier
Territory is located is extremely dangerous! But all you do is squabble, not a single hint of
you guys joining hands! On the contrary, here are you guys on the brink of crossing swords!"
He slammed his hands on the desk with a loud bang.
Lifting his upper body Royman kept on talking without pause, his saliva spraying through the
air.
"Before you guys are able to destroy each other!!…I’d rather disclose the information I’ve
been withholding to avoid that clash!"
Breathing so heavily that his shoulders raised, Royman slumped down into his chair and
concluded his talk.
It was a transaction that should be carefully weighed, a desperate negotiation.
If the two major factions did not cooperate, they wouldn’t have gotten permission to go into
the dangerous territory that the Guild had been trying to keep them from challenging, and
here was Royman offering to permit Loki Familia to attack alone.
In exchange for staying out of the Wargame. That was what Royman was saying.
"..."
To the Guild leader's compromise, Finn shut his mouth for the first time. This was clearly
Royman’s retaliation against Finn.
So much so that Finn and his Familia couldn’t ignore the information that was dangling right
in front of them.
At least Riveria won't shut up about it. If I tell her this, she will make us avoid this
Wargame, even if she has to fight with Bete and the others.
"Finn... you must defeat the Black Dragon at all costs."
"..."
"There will never be someone else again. There will be no more 'heroes' like you."
"..."
"The completion of the Three Great Quests is of the utmost importance."
The Elf, whose age exceeded 150, said each word with a note of tiredness.
"You will be the commander during the coming defeat of the Black Dragon. Don't keep
pretending to be a mere adventurer…"
The admonitory tone included a plea. What flowed between them was a long silence.
"...I've told you what I wanted to tell you! Don't get into the Wargame, Finn! Okay?!"
Finally, Royman regained his usual composure and stood up from his seat. After repeated
reminders, he left the restaurant in a hurry.

"... Haaah—"
Finn let out a pent up breath.
He reached for the icy object left on the table, holding it up to the ceiling, and looking at it for
a moment. He then leaned back in his chair, let his head fall back, and spoke out loud albeit
alone.
"Is this all in accordance with Goddess Freya's calculations, Hedin?"
"Don't say my name so casually, Pallum."
What came back from behind was a cold voice. It came from the end of the store Finn was
at. Seated behind a single partitioning screen was, other than Royman, a rather good looking
Elf. The name of the Elf holding a book with one hand and whose long golden hair was
flowing down his back was Hedin Selland. He was a first-class adventurer, Lvl. 6, and an
executive of Freya Familia.
"I didn't know you were a regular here too."
"It's obvious from the name of the restaurant that it has a connection to the Elves. I'm sure
Thousand recommended the store to you, too."
The name of this restaurant was Wishe. Finn had no idea, but this was the coffee shop
where a certain boy was taken by Hedin. It also was the place where Finn approached that
same boy about the ‘marriage proposal for a certain Pallum girl. Royman did not realize it,
but Hedin was already there when he and Finn entered the restaurant. Knowing he was
there, Finn proceeded to talk to Royman  — also as a kind of ‘feint operation’ — not only
Finn, but also the Elf Master, who was still enjoying his tea behind the counter as if this had
nothing to do with him, was quite a highly skilled person.
"From the very beginning Freya-sama's gracious plan was to crush Orario's entire army.
Don’t you dare insult her with your petty suspicion, peasant."
Hedin pointed that out as if talking about the weather, even without taking his eyes off of his
book.
Finn, on the other hand, asked back in return, while fumbling with the frozen over object in
his right hand:
"Your goal was to defeat us along with the Faction Alliance?"
"All I’m saying is that if we were to go to war with you, we would have to have to plan
accordingly. To kill you savage brutes."
Freya Familia was a group of Einherjar, or ‘mighty warriors’ who fought only for the sake of
their Goddess - an overwhelmingly uncontrollable group of ‘individuals’. What would happen
if they started working together for the sake of their Goddess? First, it would get out of hand.
Hypothetically, though, Loki Familia would not be able to beat Freya Familia if they were to
show more leadership than Finn and his team.
"The first-class adventurers will be taken care of by the executives, the other rabble will be
tidied up by Heith and the others."
"So you're saying even the Andhrímnir, your healing corps, is that strong, huh...?"
"After all, even though he is an annoyance… as long as we have Ottarl on our side, all
expectations will be overthrown."
"..."
Yes. In any situation, no matter who you are, if you can't defeat Ottarl while dealing with
them, it's over. That's what this was all about. To engage in a battle with Freya Familia, who
had the ‘strongest adventurer in the city’.
"...Despite all Royman did say, I'm going to aid Hestia Familia."
"So, what?"
"Intervention may be forbidden, but ‘cooperation’ is not."
"By that you shall mean?"
"Allow me to impart some wisdom to my brave brethren."
"Don't give me that cryptic bullshit and sore loser crap, fool."
Their backs were turned to each other, not a single glance was exchanged, only voices
passed between them.
"I was quite satisfied, seeing you getting your fill from the Guild Pig. It was almost enough to
make up for my lost time listening to you fools."
"Yeah, they got me."
Finn readily accepted Hedin's sarcasm as said Elf turned the pages of his book without
changing any of his facial expressions.
Royman, more than anyone else, feared the loss of the city’s power, so he played his trump
card.
If even one person from Loki Familia entered the Wargame, he would never give Finn the
information they were looking for.
"Now, reinforcements are out of the question ..."
If Loki Familia intervened, it would be just barely an even match. It would just barely shift the
balance. That's how strong Freya Familia was now. What awaited Hestia Familia was a battle
that promised harshness and despair.
Finn looked out the window. His blue eyes narrowed as he thought of the face of a certain
Pallum girl.
"I wonder, is she keeping her composure without crying and screaming?"

"B-Bwweeeeelllll-saaaamaaaaaa!!"
No, she wasn’t.
Braver’s wish was in vain, as Liliruca Arde had turned into a toddler who only cried and
bawled.
"Lili... I'm all right now..."
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Lili is… Lili is…
uwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Hestia Familia’s Home Hearthfire Manor. Bell was standing right there in its living room. To
be precise, all he could do was stay glued to the spot. Lili hugged Bell, burying her face in his
belly, looking up at him with tears in her eyes and repeating her apologies like a broken
self-playing music box. Bell was completely helpless as she clinged onto him tearfully.
Furthermore, Lili was not alone.
"I’m sorry, Bell-kun! That I said something like that… I failed as an advisor!"
"You are the hero who saved me and all I did was pay you back with resentment… How can
my own body alone ever atone for this?"
Eina was diagonally to the right, while diagonally to the left was Haruhime. Both of the Elf’s
hands were squeezing his right hand, on the other side, the kneeling fox's petite fingers held
his left hand in a tight grip. The apology from all three directions could not have been more
mournfully tinged with sadness. And they were heavy. It was so heavy that it made the back
of Bell's head unintentionally sweat. Bell was shocked at the sight of not only Haruhime, but
also Eina crying. Seeing Eina, who was a few years older and something like an older sister
to him, sobbing like a child for his sake - or rather because of him - was too shocking for a
14-year-old boy.
The tremendous guilt he felt at that moment halted all the words he wished to say in place.
"I’m so sorry Bell-dono… to not only forget about you but also to heartlessly push you
away…! Being unable to save you in such a situation, what in the world is a Familia good for,
if we can’t even do this much? Not even a dogeza could make up for this!"
"I am sorry Bell. I too… I was…"
And so on and so forth…
Besides the three girls clinging onto him, Bell was surrounded by Mikoto, Welf and many
more. Nahza, Daphne, Cassandra, Ouka, Chigusa and the other Takemikazuchi Familia
members, Aisha and even Mord were there.
Everyone who had been affected by Freya’s Charm had all pushed Bell away.
"I wish you’d hit me with a clenched fist…"
"That would just be self-satisfaction to make yourself feel less guilty…"
"Well, then what can I do…"
"... Seppuku?"
"O-ouka, w-what are you saying?! H-however if this is what Bell wishes for I would…"
"You guys have all lost your cool…"
"I don’t think my suggestion was that wrong…. I wasn’t expecting you guys to become so
upset because of it…"
Yadda, yadda, yadda.
They all seemed to have the same somber look on their faces, they were all ashamed to
meet his gaze. Words kept overlapping each other in an atmosphere resembling that of a
funeral. The once lively living room had now turned into one full of apologies.
"Ahhhhhhh, maaaan you are all being unreasonable!" was what the small Hestia, living in
Bell’s head, was saying while spinning like a windmill.
"What should I do?" Bell was mumbling to himself. To be frank, he was at quite a loss. He
had never been the type to make others apologize so much for his sake. On the contrary, he
was one of the people who became awkward by this.
Moreover, Lili and the others were not at fault this time. The girls, who mistakenly believed
Bell to be a stranger due to the Charm, were also undeniably victims. But no matter how
many times he told them "It’s okay" or "It’s not your fault", their faces would darken.
So he turned his gaze towards the ceiling, wrinkled his brows, kept quiet and was puzzled. If
he could, he would escape reality. But he could clearly feel Lili’s throat choking, as she
continued to sob into his stomach.
"Lili said… Lili said she would… she swore to never betray Bell-sama again…!"
During their first meeting, Lili approached Bell for a money-making scheme and out of
personal resentment. She had lied, betrayed him, and yet Bell saved her, and she had
become his unmatched supporter. For her, the fact that she hurt Bell must have been even
more unforgivable than anything else she could have done. It was so much that she didn’t
even think certain death could make up for it. The cries of a girl haunted by deep regret,
self-loathing and repentance spoke for the thoughts and feelings of those present. Bell, still
lost for words while watching her tears flow, finally made up his mind. He placed his hands on
the girl’s shoulders, kneeling down on the floor, and looked into her eyes, which were still
overflowing with tears.
"Lili, you hear me? I can’t fulfill your request. I cannot give you a punishment for this."
"Ugh, guuuhhh— but…" Sobbing and hiccuping Lili looked Bell in his eyes, her own gaze
filled with sadness. Her chestnut colored eyes were overflowing with tears that wouldn’t stop
no matter how many times she wiped them away with her small hands.
While staring at Lili, Bell addressed Eina and the others with the intention of making them
finally hear his words.
"But… there is something far more powerful and terrifying awaiting us than any punishment.
Not just for Lili, but for me too."
"!!"
Lili’s eyes widened. A hint of surprise was also leaking out from Welf and the others.
Bell relaxed his eyebrows and smiled, a little pitiable.
"I can’t handle the battle that’s laying ahead of us on my own. That’s why, such an uncool
guy like me… needs your help."
"Bell-sama…"
"... So don’t apologize — I want you to be by my side in this."
I’m sorry, Lili.
Please help me.
Hearing that sincere wish from the bottom of Bell’s heart and seeing his rubellite eyes, her
chestnut colored eyes were moistened in a different way than they had been a moment ago.
Lili wiped away her still spilling tears roughly, sniffed noisily, and nodded as much as she
could.
"Y-yes…!" Lili will… Lili will save Bell-sama! Lili will support you! For the pain Lili has caused
you until now, no, even more than that, for all that Lili may cause in the times to come."
"... Thank you, Lili." Bell smiled at Lili, who exclaimed as if making a vow. When Lili saw this,
she eventually broke into tears once more and hugged him.
Bell looked around, gently patting the back of the girl, who put her arms around him and
buried her face in his belly, clinging to him.
"I beg you, Welf, Mikoto, Haruhime,... Eina and everyone. Please, help me."
Now, he had his eyes fixed on Welf and the others who were looking back at him, eyes wide
open.
"I’ve caused you a lot of trouble, haven’t I? So let’s now… ‘get even’... I’m probably more
‘indebted’ than you are, though, so it’s not really balanced out." Bell scratched his cheek
while saying so..
A smile finally broke out on the faces of Welf and the others.
"Those are our Captain's orders. Let’s do this, guys!"
"Yes… we are the ones who can help Bell-dono!"
"Haruhime too will return the favor! Even if I need to pay the cost with my body!!"
Welf let out a brotherly laugh, Mikoto answered earnestly and Haruhime swore as she wiped
the corners of her eyes with her fingers.
‘Bell Cranel of Freya Familia’, had finally become ‘Bell Cranel of Hestia Familia’ again. That
was what Bell was thinking at that moment.
"Bell… I’m going to start making potions… and I’m going to try my hand at elixirs, which I
haven’t been able to master for a long time."
"Thank you very much, Nahza-san!"
"I’ll keep sleeping, even if it’s painful, until I have a good premonition dream!"
"Please don’t strain yourself, Cassandra-san."
"Bell-kun! I’ll share all the information I get from the Guild too!"
"A-as expected from Eina…"
Nahza and the others, finally able to escape the thorns of guilt because of Bell’s words,
looked up and verbally promised to help.
And as Bell continued to blush even more, large beads of sweat began to accumulate on his
forehead.
And then, the door of the hall burst open with a loud bang.
"Aaaaah~, it’s no use. I still doubt I’ll be able to convince Loki and the others!"
It was Hestia, who shouted her predicament and came into the living room.
When she returned from the Denatus, she threw the documents she had brought back in the
air and let out a "Haaaaah~!" while diving face first into the sofa.
"Loki Familia is prohibited from joining… that way… even so…"
Picking up a piece of parchment that had fallen to the floor and skimming through it, Bell
could not hide his distress. Everyone knew that Hestia had been at the Denatus every day
since the Wargame had been decided, trying to sway the conditions in their favor. The
outcome was starting to look more and more grave.
"Freya did not attend the Denatus and is willing to accept any match format rules, but…"
"The difference in strength is too extreme to begin with. The fact that Loki Familia isn’t going
to participate in the Wargame has caused the other Familias, who had been eager to
partake, to back out as well."
Miach and Takemikazuchi entered the living room after Hestia. The last to enter the room
was Hephaestus, and during the entrance, all the Familia members’ faces stiffened up.
"Can we not just make a binge eating contest or something?"
"Who in the world is going to be satisfied if you win or lose on something like that...?"
Daphne’s words made Ouka's head hurt, but even he couldn’t deny that he found this idea
appealing..
The prowess of Freya Familia was so outstanding that fighting them meant despair.
"There has been some animosity within the Guild regarding Loki Familia’s non-participation.
However, the upper echelons of the Guild seem to fear that a clash between Loki and Freya
Familia will lead to mutual annihilation."
A silence fell upon the living room after Eina’s words. Why did they take on the Wargame?
No one blamed Bell and Hestia for choosing this path. This was because everyone
understood that if they did not overcome this one battle, they would not be able to break the
ties with Freya Familia and the turmoil would never be settled.
After letting go from Bell, Lili finally regained her composure and looked at Welf’s face, finally
taking on the face of the Familia’s commander.
"Welf-sama…"
"I know,... there is no need to tell me, I’m going to craft Crozzo’s Magic Swords. As many as
time allows me to."
"W-welf, that’s…"
Welf’s Magic Swords were inevitably dependent on the ability of the wielder.
Even if they shattered, the only way to generate the firepower to defeat a superior opponent
was to use Crozzo’s Magic Swords.
Under Bell’s concerned gaze, Welf only shook his head and cocked it to the side.
Welf's Magic Swords, which was created during the Expedition, had the element of
self-destruction removed, but therefore its effect and firepower depend entirely on the ability
of the user, except for the creator Welf himself.
If Lili, who was currently Lv. 2, were to use it, she would only be able to display firepower
proportionate with Lv. 2. If you wanted instantaneous firepower to burn away your enemies,
Crozzo’s Magic Sword was a must.
Welf would not show hesitation in imitating his hometown, the kingdom of Rakia led by the
Ares Familia, which boasted the myth of ‘being undefeated’. Welf, who normally would evade
making Crozzo's Magic Swords, was determined to make that commitment.
Everyone present, including him, realized that this was no enemy they could fight with
conventional means.
"Let’s start planning our strategy. We will closely and meticulously explore all options.
Otherwise we will stand no chance at winning." Lili had dropped the tension from her voice.
Aisha, who until then had not joined in the apology to Bell and had remained silent, was now
opening her mouth.
"I’d rather beat the crap out of Freya’s people than bow to Bell Cranel. That’s what I’ve been
thinking. It makes no difference if Loki Familia is there or not… or do you guys believe
otherwise?"
She was provocative and belligerent in her Amazonian way of speaking. For once, the
adventurers agreed.
"Yes Aisha! I, too, will show you what I've got!!"
"Bell-dono continued to fight all on his own. Now it’s our turn to give it our all!"
Haruhime and Mikoto also voiced their thoughts. The voices of their childhood friends, Ouka
and Chigusa, followed to fill the room right after and with a smile they said "Yuush!" and
"Y-Yes!"
Aisha’s explosive words were the catalyst that dispelled the gloomy atmosphere. Soon,
under Lili’s guidance, a Wargame discussion began.
"... Good."
Bell’s lips curved upwards as he watched Lili and the others, full of energy and will. It was a
smile of relief and joy that everyone seemed to be free from guilt again. Bell, who had been
squinting, soon changed his expression. He quietly moved away from Lili and the others and
approached the window. The sun had already given up its place to the moon.
"I wonder what that person is doing right now."
While looking at the sky, the events from the ‘Wilderness’ came back to his mind. There, he
spent a false time and ‘she’ showed him so many expressions he didn’t know she could
make. Looking up at the shimmering moon, he was muttering the name of that one girl, with
a voice that couldn’t be heard by anyone.

The azure night resembled a dark canal.

Twinkling stars were shimmering on the surface of the water. And the waning moon was a
single gondola on its expanse. It shined fleetingly across the thin clouds. As if looking for
someone who has become separated, the moonlight lamented that it couldn’t find anyone.
Then who was it that it was searching for?
She was about to ask that, but the Goddess stopped. She found herself too comical,
sentimental, and pulled herself out of the sea of sentimentality, just muttering the boy's name.
"Bell…"
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
Chapter 7: After this Battle is Over We’re Getting Married

Level 4
Strength SS1033 → SSS1379
Endurance SSS1218 → SSS1501
Dexterity SS1041 → SSS1383
Agility SS1089 → SSS1442
Magic S965 → SSS 1251

"..."
"..."
Goddess Hestia and I were silent from start to finish, as we stared at the updated Status —
Lv.4 final ability score.
"...Bell-kun."
"...yes."
Both our eyes were fixed on the Status update sheet that we held together in our hands.
Goddess’ mouth hung open with an unreadable expression while I sat upright, my upper
body still naked, with a serious look on my face.
"Exactly how battered were you at Freya’s place?"
"I can say it was absolutely the most … whack, crush, snap, crack, thwok, bam-ish time of
my life…"
No, I think it was even worse, even harsher, even crueler than my experience in the ‘Deep
Floors’... In the sense that there seemed to be no end to the hell, the ‘Baptism’ was the
worst… that’s what I think at least. When I tried to voice my thoughts in that … not very
sophisticated way, Goddess said nothing.
Instead she closed her eyes and gave me a tight hug, like a father who was finally reunited
with his child after it came back from war.
She put her arms around me while gently patting the back of my head. All I could do was
keep a straight face rather than succumbing to my usual flustered embarrassment while
Goddess buried my face in her ample chest.
After Goddess finally let go of me, she let out a deep sigh.
"Haaaaaaa... I’m so sorry, Bell-kun. You were thrown in a very harsh place and I couldn't help
you. You had to endure all that suffering to the bitter end."
"No, that’s not true, Goddess. You came to help me."
I had heard from Hermes and Asfi that Goddess had done a lot of painstaking work to break
the Charm that had plagued the city. I was too preoccupied with myself, so much so that I
couldn’t do anything about that ‘Sandbox’ until the very end. Goddess and the others are
truly amazing for taking it down, and I think they did it as fast as anyone could have. So I
looked up at Goddess, who slumped her shoulders, and I conveyed my feelings straight from
my heart.
"When Goddess and the others flew to my rescue.... I was really, really happy."
"...!"
When I looked into her eyes and told her clearly how I felt, Goddess’ eyes trembled as if she
was on the verge of tearing up.
She jumped toward me with her arms wide open and hugged me saying "Bell-kuuuuun!"
And this time, while my face was buried in her soft cleavage, I blushed from ear to ear due to
the sheer embarrassment.
After a while Goddess let go of me and brushed the spot around my eyes lightly, before
turning her attention back to the update sheet in her hand.
"But… That’s an astounding increase in all stats. Freya must really be a sadist for saying she
wants you, all the while torturing you this much! No doubt about it!"
"Ahaha…"
Goddess complained in a very sharp and aggressive tone about that person. Maybe the fact
that someone else updated my Status other than her, was the reason for her bad mood.
"And still, because of that…your status has grown at a breakneck pace. You were strong
enough after you returned from the Deep Floors, but now you’re even stronger."
The overall Excelia value increased over 1600 points. The multiple SSS and ability values
were also outrageous.
Letting myself sink back into the memories of the murderous battles in the wilderness where
we spent most of our time fighting, I was filled with various emotions that words couldn’t
express. After a while I looked back at Goddess.
"Well, Goddess…"
"Yes. Let’s do your Rank Up, Bell-kun."
And with this, all of the preparations were in place. I sat on the bed and Goddess tapped my
back with her index finger. The feeling of being knocked to the depths of your heart and soul.
My back turned into a surface of water as silent ripples spread throughout my body. That was
the illusion I felt at that moment. And at the end of it - gasp! The newly engraved Hieroglyphs
radiated heat as if on fire. While holding my breath at the unprecedented sensation, Goddess
wrote down my new Status on another piece of paper.

Bell Cranel
Level 5
Strength: Ｉ0 Endurance: Ｉ0 Dexterity: Ｉ0 Agility: Ｉ0 Magic: Ｉ0
Luck: F
Abnormal Resistance: G
Escape: Ｉ→ G
Chain Attack: Ｉ

Magic
Firebolt
● Swift-strike magic.

Skills
Argonaut
● Allows for a charge for active action, the longer the charge the more powerful it will
be.

Ox Slayer
● Heavily increases all abilities when fighting bull-type monsters.

Vanadis Tevere
● Hestia’s divine protection.
● Triggered when charmed. Raises all stats by a large amount.
● Constant regeneration of Stamina and Mind.
"Congratulations Bell-kun… You’re now Lvl. 5."
With those words, Goddess handed me the Status sheet. As long as there was still only one
slot, there was naturally no new Magic.
The new Skill was ‘specialized against charm’, so its manifestation now made sense. I’m
sure it would be tremendously powerful under very specific conditions, but I think it won’t be
of much use in the upcoming Wargame.
The Development Ability that accompanied the Rank Up was ’Chain Attack’.
According to the Guild’s information that Eina gave me, it was a valuable offensive ability that
increases the potency of attacks when multiple are made in a row. But all of those words
were nothing more than fluff.
The most important thing was that one number, dancing on the paper.
Lv. 5.
Even I, a mere adventurer, could understand the importance and weight of the number ‘5’.
Bell Cranel became a ‘first-class adventurer’. He has now joined the ranks of the most
powerful force this city boasts.
Finally, here I am. Her back - the back I’m trying to reach, the longing that had brought me
here - was in clear sight.
And still—
Even though this was normally a joyous event, my face remained tense. Goddess probably
felt the same way, as she kept her lips closed and remained silent.
"...Goddess."
"...What is it?"
"Do you think I can compete with Master and the other executives of… Freya Familia?"
It was a question taking into consideration the number of extra points I had accumulated
before the Rank Up. Clinging to that slim glimpse of hope, I asked Goddess for her opinion.
"Since I am not a God of War, I can’t be as specific as Take but…"
"..."
"But I don’t think you can compete with Freya Familia."
I didn’t think that Goddess’ view was cruel. It was the harsh truth that I had felt myself.
I felt so unreliable even with the number ‘5’, which should indicate the greatness of the feats
achieved.
Lvl. 6, and then Lvl. 7.
What awaited us was something extraordinary, the ‘most powerful’ of all.

"......How are we supposed to do this?"

Lili moaned amidst a sea of paper.
In her Home’s library, countless parchments littered every single spot on the floor and the
desks.
All of these were pieces of information about Freya Familia.
While Welf had holed up in his workshop to create Magic Swords, Mikoto went to
Takemikazuchi and Haruhime headed to Aisha, both intending to hone their abilities and
skills as much as possible. While everyone was doing what they could to prepare for the
Wargame, Lili, as the Familia’s ‘Brain’, was gathering every little bit of information on the
enemy she could find. With the help of Eina and her connection to the Guild, she was able to
get her hands on a lot of information.
However…
"Too strong. There’s no way we can do this…"
The more Lili read, the more she analyzed, the more she was hit with a single word: 'despair'.
An unfathomable difference in military strength. It wasn’t a dog against a lion. It was an ant
facing a dragon.
Even though Lili had thought she knew the meaning of being the ‘city's strongest’, now was
the first time she actually understood it.
As of now, Freya Familia had 157 members, but if her civilian ‘devotees’ were included, they
would number more than 5,000....... On top of that, not only were the first-class adventurers
extremely strong, but the second-class adventurers were also a serious threat. Especially the
fact that Freya Familia has by far the highest number of healers in all of Orario.
Just by looking at the numbers on the papers, Lili almost gagged. Andby looking at the total
number of second-class adventurers, from Lv. 3 to Lv. 4, the urge to quickly pack her
belongings and flee overnight skyrocketed.
If we say we could divide Freya Familia into 20 medium-sized Familias, it would be easier to
compare their battle strength with that of the Faction Alliance.
Furthermore, reigning over these second-class adventurers were first-class adventurers such
as the King, Ottarl.
"A bombardment of ultra-short chants that obliterated a monster party on the 'Lower Floors'
in a single blow… Ridiculous is not even the right word to describe that…"
The leakage of information on Magic and Skills was fatal to a Familia.
That was why the Guild allowed them to keep this kind of vital information secret.
Therefore, the data Eina had gathered was only hearsay from the Guild’s staff and other
adventurers, and is annotated as ‘approximate abilities’.
However, even the 'approximate' information was enough to break Lili's will to fight.
The vast range bombardement of this single adventurer was comparable to the
bombardment of a giant military ship, and it made her question the whole notion of Magic
Swordsmen.
Then there was the coordination of the four Pallums, who had won a Wargame by
themselves.
Or the legs of the Chariot that beat even ‘Vanargand’, and won the title of the fastest in the
city.
Not to mention the instinct of the Boaz that he used so often during Orario’s Dark Ages.
If all that came together, Lili, as the Familia’s commander, could do nothing but almost
swoon.
(We don't have enough people. It's more than hopeless. I knew from the very beginning that
there was a difference in power between Hestia Familia and Freya Familia. But, but still......!)
What was truly frightening was that, even taking the added strength of Hephaestus Familia
into account, they currently did not stand a chance. She was utterly aware of that.
Even the sloppy attacks carried out during the Goddess Festival had led to Hestia Familia’s
instant defeat.
"Even if we were to lay out a plan of action. How are we supposed to do this…"
The overwhelming difference in basic strength caused Lili’s thoughts to go round in circles,
and finally, she elicited the same mumbled words as before.
Even with the wisdom of Daphne, who was currently helping her Familia with the refinement
of potions and elixirs, it was unlikely that they could find a silver lining.
If anything, Daphne would have given up all hope by now and gotten a head-start on packing
her things to make a run for it. Lili's face was white as a sheet.
Only a ‘Supreme Commander’ with a more advanced tactical perspective than Lili would be
able to overcome such a great disadvantage....
"S-Supporter-kunn!!"
Lili was standing on the border between escapism and despair when Hestia vigorously
kicked open the door to the library and stumbled inside.
"Hestia-sama…? What’s the matter…?"
"You have a visitor! N-no, I don't even know if visitor is the right word, but anyway, you have a
guest!"
Seeing how terribly upset Hestia was, Lili wondered what could make a God so nervous, but
when she recognized the person who appeared right after her in the doorframe, she
immediately understood.
"Hi. It's been a while, Liliruca Arde."
It was a golden-haired Pallum man who entered the room with one hand raised.
"Fi-Finn-sama!?"
"Is this all material regarding Freya Familia? You’ve done a great job collecting it."
Ignoring Lili’s astonishment and with a carefree manner, Finn picked up a few pieces of
parchment that were scattered on the floor.
The female Pallum glanced over to her Goddess, giving her a puzzled look, but Hestia just
shook her head. Apparently she was just as surprised by their unannounced visitor.
Hestia, who had been acting suspiciously, eventually said, "Well, then, I'll leave you two to
enjoy yourselves" and quickly left.
(Is she really planning on leaving us to do all the heavy lifting? I will never forgive that slob of
a Goddess.)
"You’ve been spending every second awake gathering information on the enemy? I’m
impressed. That’s the way a true strategist does things."
"...... T-thank you ......"
Finn looked at Lili, who had black bags underneath her eyes, and gave her a light smile.
Lili nodded slightly, unable to understand what was going on.
"But that's not necessary."
"Wha…!"
He threw the collection of parchments in his hand into the air, and her chestnut-colored eyes
widened as she stared at him.
"I will give you all of the information that I have. The tactics at which Freya Familia
excels, the details of their Magic and Skills–everything that I know about them. You’ll be
getting all of the information of a first-class adventurer who has fought with them many
times."
At this, Lili gasped.
Information from people who had actually fought with Freya Familia was very different from
uncertain information gained through rumors. It could become a deadly weapon.
Furthermore, a first-class adventurer's perspective combined with his discerning eyes had
the potential to be more valuable than simple collected facts.
That was why Loki Familia had gathered information about their longtime rivals over the
course of all these years.
Now, with the new cards that Lili held in her hand, perhaps it was possible to take
countermeasures.
"I will turn you into an unparalleled strategist. You’ll become a ‘Marshall’ worthy of leading the
Faction Alliance."
Finn's powerful words brought courage to her trembling heart.
The urge to strike while the iron was hot welled up as Lili drooled at the opportunity but -
gchh…!
With a will of steel, Lili suppressed her emotions and asked the fellow Pallum in front of her a
question.
"What’s your deal…? Why are you offering to help us…?"
"Oh, do you need an explanation?"
While Lili desperately tried to be rational, Finn's eyes narrowed, as if he were eyeing
something he liked.
At the same time, he shrugged his shoulders in a mildly exaggerated manner.
"Freya Familia... or rather, Goddess Freya, has violated a taboo. Using the cruelest means
possible, she has trampled upon the Lower World's dignity and twisted our very beings."
"That, that is..."
"This is something that should be condemned. Even if the Guild says that there were no
negative consequences, there remains a lot of unease about the whole situation. That's not
even mentioning those who admire Bell Cranel, who must be outraged by the current
situation. Am I wrong?"
"............"
"I’m angry, too."
It was how Finn described it.
There was no lie in his words.
"The Guild stopped us from participating in the Wargame, so instead, I'll lend you my wisdom
until the battle begins. ...No, let me clarify. I want you to make Goddess Freya, Ottarl, and the
rest of Freya Familia scream in frustration."
Finn concluded his thoughts to Lili with a mischievous and playful expression.
Right now, he was probably revealing a little bit of the real intentions that were hidden behind
the justifications for his assistance. Braver, hero of her race, offered his aid not only for the
sake of appearances, but also as reassurance to his fellow Pallum.
Despite that, Lili could not bring herself to make the decision immediately.
Something like ‘one-sided benefit’ didn’t exist between Familias.
Even though she wasn't dealing with the Hermes Familia, who were always plotting
something behind their back, some offers were just too good to be true.
Could she really take this offer without any consequences?
Wasn’t that a decision that should be left up to Hestia?
As the brain of her Familia, Lili agonized over the decision until, at last, her brethren spoke.
"... 70 points."
He whispered, a faintly wry smile on his face.
"Liliruca Arde. This careful approach to things is commendable, but right now, you shouldn’t
be focusing on what I’m hiding."
"Eh…?"
"Instead, you should be thinking about how to win a desperate match that would even make
me consider giving up, using whatever means possible."
"!!"
The ferocity within Finn’s words made Lili’s heart beat wildly.
"... At least, that’s what I would’ve done in your position, even if it meant exploiting the hero of
my brethren and ripping out as much information as I possibly could."
"Gch…!"
"That apprehensive side of your personality is similar to Bell Cranel. I'm not saying it's bad.
Being cowardly is a virtue in and of itself, after all. But right now, what you should be most
afraid of is–"
–Losing someone important to you.
He didn’t even need to say it out loud to deliver the finishing blow.
Lili unclenched her small fist and held it out to Finn.
"Lili is sorry for showing you such a pathetic sight."
"Hehe… so?"
"—Please, Finn-sama! Lend your wisdom to Lili!"
To Lili, who had made up her mind, Finn responded by clasping her outstretched hand.
"Yesssssss!!" The childlike Goddess, who had been spying on them through a gap in the
door, pumped her fist in triumph.
From this point onwards, Hestia Familia would collaborate with Braver.
"... But... just so you know, if you want Lili to pay you back somehow... there isn't really
anything Lili can offer... so please, have mercy on Lili..."
"Don't worry about it. Like I said before, if you can teach Ottarl and the rest of Freya Familia a
lesson, then I'll be able to save face and satisfy my shallow pride."
That was Finn's wry response to Lili, whose high spirits had deflated like a punctured balloon
when the thought of owing Loki Familia struck her with fear.
"Besides, you guys have integrity. I'm sure there are many others who would be willing to
help you."

"Why are we not allowed to fight together with Argonaut-kun?!"

Tiona’s voice echoed loudly throughout the Twilight Manor, Loki Familia’s Home.
In the reception room the Amazoness shouted energetically while raising both hands over
her head.
"So many Familias are already planning to fight Freya Familia! Why is ours the only one
forbidden from entering the Wargame?!"
"How many times do I need to explain this? It’s an edict from the Guild. If I said it was
comparable to a mission, would you understand me?"
The one trying to placate her was Gareth, the Dwarf.
Right now, the mighty warrior with decades of experience on the battlefield was nothing more
than a parent who was tiredly dealing with an unruly child. No matter how many times he
tried to explain, Tiona continued to act like a child, screaming "I don't understand!!" as she
stomped on the ground with both feet in frustration.
"I want to help Argonaut-kun too! I said a bunch of horrible things, so I want to lend him my
strength!"
"It’s no use. Just stay put."
"But whyyyyy?!! This suuuckkss!!!"
Gareth held a resigned expression as Tiona's shouts echoed loudly through the hall.
"Really... to think that you lot are all Familia executives... If you keep throwing a tantrum,
you're gonna end up like Bete. You want that?"
Gareth’s face and thick arms were covered with wounds.
Bete’s patience had already snapped long before. And when he declared without a shred of
hesitation that he would beat Freya Familia to a pulp in the Wargame, Gareth had been
forced to intervene. As he was trying to hold him down, the Werewolf fought back but in the
end, had to admit defeat. With his emotions still running wild, he spat out "Damn it!" and
headed off towards the Dungeon to run amok there instead.
"I'll fight Gareth if winning means I can join the Wargame!"
"Don't say something like that. If it was just about beating, I wouldn't really care... but even if
you win, the Guild still won't allow it. No matter what I do, if you break the rules and join the
Wargame, it'll count as a foul for Hestia Familia. And if that happens, you'll be owing that lad
a lot more than you already do."
"Uuuuuuuugghhhhh~~~~!"
Faced with Gareth's sound logic, Tiona began to ruffle her hair with both hands and spun
around while looking upwards at the ceiling, seemingly performing a strange dance.
Unable to watch the scene in front of her any longer, Tiona’s sister raised her voice and
interrupted them.
"Gareth. It's the Captain's order, so I'll obey, but... I'm not satisfied with this outcome, either.
And even if Raul and the others don't talk about it, our feelings are the same. It's not just
what they did to Bell Cranel and Hestia Familia–they messed with our memories, too."
Gareth closed his eyes, mulling over Tione's words as she leaned against the back of the
sofa.
I feel the same way myself. Just before that sentiment spilled out from his mouth, however...
"That’s enough, you two. You know it’s not Gareth’s fault."
"Riveria…"
"Tiona, you too, stop making such a fuss. Try to act like an executive for once."
"Uuuuuuuugh…."
Riveria had entered the reception room. The High Elf's long jade hair, tied into a knot,
swayed back and forth in the air.
As the Vice-Captain of the Familia, she swiftly scolded both of the sisters, but soon her gaze
dropped to the floor.
"If you want to complain, talk to me instead... I'll listen to everything you have to say."
"Riveria…?"
While Tiona and Tione looked up in confusion at Riveria's sudden change in attitude, the Elf
walked over to the Dwarf.
"Sorry, Gareth… this is all because of my selfishness."
"... There's no such thing like that, Riveria. It's not as though we can disregard a hint to the
Glacier Territory's coordinates, anyways."
The two of them exchanged words in hushed tones.
They were talking about the deal Finn had struck with Royman–to be precise, the "payment"
that had been offered. Riveria Ljos Alf refused to let that information slip through her fingers.
As a result, Gareth and the others had no choice but to persuade Tiona and the others with
the Guild's official explanation instead of telling them the truth.
"Even when I try to talk to Ais, all she says is 'sorry'... Uuuuuuuuuhmmmmm.... yeah!"
Tiona groaned about it some more before dropping her current line of thinking entirely.
"Let’s go Tione!"
"Tiona, where are you going?"
"To Argonaut-kun's place!"
Tiona shouted back, answering Riveria's question as she ran out of the room.
"Oh dear," Tione said, before getting up to follow. Tiona, meanwhile, turned around and stuck
out her tongue.
"Even if I can't fight in the Wargame, I'm going to support Argonaut-kun!!"
After that statement, she turned and sprinted out of the mansion. It was sheer coincidence,
but Tiona arrived at the same conclusion as Finn.
Loki Familia — Not participating.

"Then, will the whole Familia help Welfie and the others?"
In front of a giant forge, Tsubaki Collbrande asked.
The building in the northeast area of the city that towered over all the other buildings of the
Industrial District was ‘Valka's Crimson Workshop’.
Hephaestus Familia’s Home was different from the other shop branches that existed on
Adventurer Street and inside Babel. The Half-Dwarf who had just finished forging a new
Magic Sword wiped the sweat from her arm and looked at her Goddess.
"Yes, it’s been confirmed that Loki Familia cannot participate in the Wargame, so we are the
only ones who will give Hestia our full support." Hephaestus, who was looking around,
answered with an expressionless face.
The hammer sound was constantly ringing. The furnace burning at full power was releasing
murderous heat. One of the members finished forging a Magic Sword and presented it to
Hephaestus. The blacksmith Goddess ran her gaze over the blade and ruthlessly said "No,
make it again."
The Goddess' usual assessment of the weapon's quality was far harsher than normal due to
the upcoming Wargame. So much so that it terrified not only the other blacksmiths, but even
Tsubaki, who tried to smile but failed.
"Will the weapons work in a war against Freya Familia? I’m really curious but … just thinking
about it makes my whole body tremble."
And this was not trembling with excitement.
In the eyes of the Lv. 5 master smith, Freya Familia’s Einherjar were not only ‘warriors who
wield weapons’ but instead ‘battle obsessed berserkers who would keep on fighting no
matter what’. She didn’t have an answer as to how to cut and pierce them with the weapons
they prepared, nor how to stop their advance.
"Well… we have no other choice, huh. If we don’t do anything, my young apprentice Welfie
will be crushed."
Tsubaki stopped her hand for a second and as if to shake off the distractions that nested in
her body, she swung her hammer down at a new metal ingot.
Hephaestus Familia – Participating.

"Why, sis?! Why shouldn’t we join the Wargame?"

Ganesha Familia’s Home.
Inside ‘I Am Ganesha’, an oddly huge statue of an elephant-mask wearing man whose crotch
harbors the entrance to Ganesha Familia’s Home, Ilta Farna complained loudly. She was an
Amazoness and the Vice-Captain of the Familia.
"Our master is Ganesha and we are called the 'City’s Military Police'."
The Familia’s Captain Shakti sighed endlessly over Ilta who almost made the same racket as
the Amazoness of a certain other Familia in the Home of a certain Jester Goddess.
"Especially since we are the 'Military Police' we should sanction everything they have done
so far! When, why not now, in this situation?! Do you know how much damage they have
done to Orario?"
"Even if we wanted to, the Guild won’t let us."
"What’s with that? When did Orario, the center of the world, fall to the same level as
Telskyura, the Amazoness settlement I know so well?" Ilta became more and more enraged
at Shakti's decision of prioritizing their position.
Today, Ilta was on the lawful side, but when she first entered the capital of Orario, she was
one of the most wanted outlaws. As an Amazoness, she was a woman who used strength as
the only criteria to define right and wrong, and went to extremes with her brutality.
Then one day, Shakti and her sister truly passed ‘judgment’ on her.
Ilta was shocked and impressed by the strength of these women who had defeated her, and
even more by their spirit of protecting the weaker citizens. It was not unlike an Amazoness.
She then joined Ganesha Familia and with this, Orario saw an amazonian ‘military police
officer’ for the first time.
That is why she could not stand the Guild's corrupt intentions and the silence of Shakti and
the others.
"This Wargame will be the largest in history, there will be more participants than ever before.
You understand that much, don't you?"
"Of course I do! So what about it?!"
"The rules of the Wargame are yet to be determined, but the 'battlefield' will probably be a
vast area outside the city, and it will be impossible for anyone but us to monitor and regulate
it."
Shakti explained all of this as the Captain of the city’s Familia that boasts of having the most
members.
"We must keep an eye on the entire perimeter of the battlefield as a third party, unaffiliated
with the Wargame. Otherwise we will give other countries and cities a chance to intervene."
"!!"
"There are plenty of organizations that want to weaken Orario and shift the balance of power.
Evil Gods – some of them who may even be affiliated with Evilus or other organizations like
that – will also have the same goal. If the weakened Freya Familia or Familias of the Faction
Alliance are targeted, it will lead to a decline in… the city's strength."
It was 'politics' that Shakti spoke of.
It was a perspective Ilta still did not understand.
The Three Great Quests - Shakti was aware that she was a member of the Labyrinth City
that held the fate of the world in its hands.
Ilta, however, was not. She was only concerned with the immediate future.
Whatever her inner feelings may be, Shakti, as the head of the Military Police, was ready to
take a clean and clear view of the situation.
"And we are the only ones who can act as referees. If you want this to be fair, you need
someone who watches over Freya Familia. Not every Familia in Orario would be able to do
this, so it needs to be us."
"B-but… t-that is…!"
Prepare the battlefield, destroy monsters and supervise the surrounding area. In order to
make the Faction War work, in every sense of the word, Ganesha Familia had no choice but
to go behind the scenes. Shakti admonished her, and Ilta began to lose her earlier
momentum. Unable to come to terms with her emotions, she…
"Caaaaaaalm doooooooown, Ilta-saaaaaaan!! If we don't take charge of the Wargame, who
the hell is going to be the moderatooooooooor? Of course it will be me, ‘Fire Inferno Flame’,
whose commentary will be like fire magic to people's eardrums!! Since my name is Ibri
Achaaaaaaaaa’s, it’s my duutyyyyyy!!"
"Shut up, Ibri! You're hurting my eardrums, you idiot!"
"C-calm down, Ilta! And Ibri, stop speaking in such a high pitched voice, you're annoying!"
"I'm calm, Mokada!"
"You are wrong again! You’re mixing up the letters! My name is Modaka!"
"What? Are you kidding me?"
"We have known each other for such a long time now and you still don’t know my name?!"
"Shut up! It's your confusing name that's at fault! Hey, Ganesha! Don't just stay silent after
hearing all of this, say something! Let me hear your thoughts as our patron deity!"
"I. AM. GANESHAAAAAAAAAA!!"
"YOUU SHITHEAADS!"
Adding up to the other Familia members' interjections, Ganesha’s statement, as their patron
deity whom they relied upon, was the last straw that made Ilta erupt in a spectacular fashion.
Shakti, the only one who was being serious in this whole situation, lamented endlessly over
the parade of rage and angry shouts.
Ganesha Familia ─ Not participating.

"A-Are you serious, Mord?

Mord Latro shouted back at Guile and Scott’s shrieks. They were both Humans from his
Familia.
"Oh, yes! We're going to side with Hestia Familia!"
A tavern on the city’s outskirts.
While many of his peers were still undecided about their stance on the Wargame and an
information warfare was going on in the city, Mord's standpoint was certain.
"I've already convinced Ogma! He said, 'If ya kick the bucket, I ain't gonna dig a grave for ya'
but I don't care! The whole world, not just Orario, will be watching this fight, and we're going
to make a name for ourselves!"
Mord was a member of the Ogma Familia. So were Scott and Guile, who were sitting across
the round table.
Their Familia’s Rank was F. And while they did have a lot of Lv. 2 members, their names
were not really known among the city. And even if the Familia was not really a low ranked
one, calling them a middle sized faction would be too much. All in all, they were a very
Mord-like Familia.
"But this will end today", Mord declares as he slams the mug he's been drinking from onto
the tabletop.
"Above all! If we win, then the winners of this Wargame will get the property of Freya Familia!
If you include all the land, then it will be more than that of a small kingdom!"
The winner of the Wargame can take anything and everything from the loser.
It was only logical that according to that rule, upon victory over Freya Familia, those who
helped Hestia Familia could also demand a price. Mord gave a fervent speech about how
they will be given compensation for the things they had to go through because of their
falsified memories if they participate and win.
"We’ll be more than billionaires! I can now say goodbye to my days of cheap booze in
Rivira…!!"
Even if each faction takes a piece of the cake, the wealth of Freya Familia would still be
enough for an individual to have an extravagant lifestyle. A vicious smile appeared on Mord’s
face, which only added to his overall appearance as a thug.
However, Scott and Guile looked at each other and then sighed.
""……""
"That's enough, Mord."
"Huh?"
"Tell us how you really feel."
Scott nodded in agreement to Guile's words.
Mord froze as his longtime comrades pointed out he was hiding his true feelings.
"You just want to help Bell Cranel, don't you?"
Mord's face turned red as he was called out.
"You remember how he was in a bad mood when Bell Cranel played the fool with the
Vouivre, that dragon girl-monster, and the people in the city hated him for it?"
"He bet all his money on him during the Wargame with Apollo Familia, too......"
"And when the Charm was lifted he immediately ran towards Freya Familia's Home. It's like
you are not able to bear seeing Rabbit Foot in danger. Like a big brother worrying about his
little brother, or… like a dad."
"D-don't be stupid! I'm not like that......!"
Mord stood up and shouted all over the place as his past actions were mentioned.
He tried to deny it, but Guile and Scott were staring at him, making him unable to continue
speaking.
"That's not right. That's not why I can't leave the kid alone......"
Mord sat back into his chair without any strength, and after gritting his teeth and snarling a
lot, he shook his head.
"I still owe him for saving my ass!"
Nearly six months ago, the Black Goliath appeared on the 18th floor.
Mord began shouting with so much vigor that spit flew through the air. He explained that he
was not ‘fond’ of Bell, but rather felt indebted to him, since Bell saved him despite the
‘treatment’ Mord and the other outlaws gave him. Or, how they used to call it, despite the fact
Bell ‘got a taste of the outlaw’s banquet’.
"Ah, yes, yes, okay, okay."
"Seeing you trying to hide your embarrassment really gives me the creeps. Actually, it kinda
spoils the booze…"
"Y-you bastards!?"
Guile and Scott laughed at Mord, who stood up once again and yelled at them.
It can't be helped. Let's do it.
We won't be much help, but it's still better than nothing.
With such a notion, the three men decided to fight for the boy.
Ogma Familia – Participating.

"Modi… and Magni."

Reluctantly, Takemikazuchi greeted the two Gods.
"Oh, Takemikazuchi~. And Miach~"
"Certainly, you are here to invite us to join the Faction Alliance, aren't you?
"Don’t ask if you already know."
On the 30th floor of the great white tower Babel, a Denatus was being held to discuss the
format and detailed rules of the Wargame for what felt like the umpteenth time already. In the
midst of it, Takemikazuchi and the other Hestia supporters went around addressing the other
deities, trying to get as many allies as possible.
Miach returned a sigh while Modi and Magni, who were sitting in the corner of the round
table, were grinning and laughing.
Both had earth-colored hair and eyes paired with a physique that could be described as
sturdy. And naturally, their faces were very well proportioned. But, just like with any other
God, everything was ruined by the vulgar smiles they were constantly wearing on their faces.
Takemikazuchi frowned, not really wanting to get involved with the two Gods that let
themselves become Freya's toys.
"Which side are Takemikazuchi and the others going to join~?"
"There’s no need to ask such a question. I'm siding with Hestia."
"So will my Familia. Since we have hurt Bell now it’s our turn to help him."
When Takemikazuchi and Miach mentioned the collective will of their Familias, Modi and
Magni had a faint smile on their lips.
"I see."
"Loki has decided not to participate, but as expected, Hephaestus is participating. The Gods
are not sure how the balance of power will turn out therefore they are unsure about what to
do.…… Well, that's only for the neutrals."
Modi nodded as Magni supplemented the situation. Takemikazuchi and Miach, who had been
listening silently, grabbed two empty chairs from the round table and sat down right next to
the two deities, sandwiching them.
"So? What are you two going to do? Are you going to join the fight? Or are you going to sit
on the sidelines?"
"It would be helpful if you would just promise to stay out of our, no, out of Hestia's way."
Modi's lips lifted up at Miach's cutting words.
Magni spoke in his stead.
"Miach~. Takemikazuchi~. Do you know why the Denatus is taking so looong already?"
Even though the Denatus had been held every day, determining the details of the Wargame
has remained a difficult task.
The Gods, who loved festivals and hated boredom, were quick to make decisions. If
something promised to be fun, then they would push it through as quickly as possible.
That was their usual practice. Even taking into account the fact that this was the first Faction
War in Orario's history, this situation, in which even the format of the game had not yet been
decided, was simply absurd​.
"Isn't it more like you guys are sabotaging the Denatus by saying stuff like this?"
A "Hee-hee-hee" was the answer.
Modi and Magni did not even bother to hide their vile smiles as Takemikazuchi frowned at
them.
The voices of the Gods and Goddesses were still flying around the round table.
Mainly, the female deities proposed favorable conditions for Hestia and the Alliance while the
male deities rejected them.
Hundreds and thousands of similar exchanges were repeated.
Hestia had been present since morning, doing her best to control the conversation. However,
despite her best efforts, she was completely ignored. "What do you think you're doing,
ignoring the one person actually involved in all of this?! HEY!!" she yelled angrily.
"So you are Freya's 'sympathizers' too, huh?"
"Please call me a fan~!"
"We are indebted to Freya a lot, you know~. Even at a time like this, I still want to lend my
strength, or perhaps precisely at a time like this.……well… It's called being seduced."
It was an open secret that many of the male deities in Orario were supporters of Freya.
And sometimes they did things for their beloved Goddess even without her asking.
Now was such a time. They were trying to help Freya from the sidelines.
"Can't you understand the fact that Freya did something unforgivable, for once?"
"I do. I do, but my love for Freya still prevails."
"Of course, we have our own ulterior motives, such as the hope of getting a reward for our
efforts here......, but in the end, we want Freya-sama to be our queen despite all that."
Modi and Magni smiled a different smile than the vulgar one they had been showing before.
Takemikazuchi sighed.
If things went downhill, all the male deities except a few, such as Takemikazuchi, Miach, and
Ganesha would be operating on the same principle of action as Magni and Modi.
The current Denatus, where futile discussions were being repeated day after day was, so to
speak, a microcosm of the struggle between the ‘forces on Hestia's side’ and the ‘supporters
on Freya's side’.
"We don't want to give Freya a huge advantage either. I mean, I don't think Freya herself
would want that."
"But I want to make it a little fair, at least. Well, there's the difference in strength and so on.
...... a 6:4 or 7:3 balance in favor of the Faction Alliance would be OK."
"So we won’t approve of a binge eating contest or some other stupid competition format, no
matter what."
As if they were brothers, Modi and Magni finished each other’s sentences.
Frankly speaking, to preserve Freya's dignity, they won’t compromise on anything.
"The same thing would’ve applied to Loki. If the Guild hadn't issued their edict, we would
have interfered with Loki's participation in the war as well. No matter what Freya-sama would
have said."
""!""
"Even if Loki had joined, an internal conflict within the coalition would have started the
moment the game began. No matter whether it’s Bell Cranel or your children."
It was far from fair, but it made sense–that was what the two of them were saying.
Takemikazuchi and Miach stared at Modi and Magni's faces as they said this.
"...... What is this ‘sense’ you guys are talking about?"
Takemikazuchi asked.
"Loki or no Loki."
Modi briefly declared.
"Isn't ...... that too extreme?"
Miach raised an eyebrow.
"Which part? Isn’t it just fair?"
Magni shrugged his shoulders.
"Hephaestus is fine. They are blacksmiths and when the time finally comes to fight, I think
Hestia will be the one bearing the flag and taking command."
"But that won’t be the case when it comes to Loki. Once Loki joins, it's all Loki's game."
""...""
Neither Takemikazuchi nor Miach could argue with that.
"The command, the tactics, and the fighting power would all be dyed in Loki's colors. The flag
bearer would be just a decoration. Instead of a ‘Faction Alliance led by Hestia', it would be a
‘Faction Alliance taken over by Loki’."
"Then it would’ve been Loki’s Wargame from the beginning to the end, that’s what we are
talking about."
"And what's more, that would be just a lynching, not a game, right?"
Modi and Magni each added that.
Takemikazuchi and Miach finally understood.
Even if the Guild had not taken action, Loki's entry into the war still wouldn’t have been
possible.
"The justification is important. But the ‘outcome’ would be wrong, right? This is a Wargame
just between Hestia Familia and Freya Familia. The rest of the Faction Alliance are just
helpers who are siding with Hestia."
Their argument was sound.
The Goddesses who have a grudge against Freya, who was the absolute queen of the city,
wanted her to fall, and tried to pull off all sorts of tricks, but the Gods, who knew the ‘Love’ of
the Goddess of Beauty, resolutely prevented them from doing so.
The divine will of Modi and Magni and the others was, 'Fight and settle this properly'. That
was all.
"...... So you guys are going to take Freya’s side?"
"Nah we aren’t. I mean, we can't do it. That's what Freya wants."
"We'll do our best to make it a fair fight, but that's as far as we go. If I said, ‘I'm going to fight
with Freya,’ I'd be beaten to a pulp on the spot."
"..."
"After the Wargame had been announced, Freya decided to fight with nothing but her own
power. And the one thing that we can’t let be tarnished is a Goddess' pride."
In the end, Modi and Magni asserted that with stern expressions on their faces that could be
called ‘divine’ for once.
Takemikazuchi and Miach kept their mouths shut. At the same time, they reconsidered the
image they had of them.
Modi and Magni had something one could call conviction.
"So that’s why we intended to just watch from the sidelines when—-Dormul that idiot~~~~!"
"Also my Luvis said something like, 'It's time to pay back my debt to Bell Cranel!’ and he
won't listen to me~~~!"
And in the next instant, Modi and Magni threw all the seriousness out of the window and
started wailing and bawling.
"They still have a grudge against us because of that little prank we pulled at that time with
Eina-chan! They won't listen to us, their Gods, even though we've tried to stop them so many
times! ’Who gives a damn about your orders?!’ is what they said!"
"Ah~~, Luvis you idiot~~! You're such a thickheaded child~~~!"
At the sight of the two male deities sniveling and wailing in a fit, Takemikazuchi and Miach
who had rather humble looks on their faces before, were now staring disgusted at those two.
"It's the end! It's the end of my Familia!"
""It's all my own fault.""
Takemikazuchi Familia, Miach Familia, Modi Familia, Magni Familia – Participating.

"Those stupid male deities! They are just getting in our way!"
"In that case, we need to form an Alliance of Goddesses! Now is the time to bring down
heavenly punishment on that detestable Freya! She’ll get what she deserves!"
A certain place.
Every night after the Denatus was over, the voices of a few Goddesses clad in black robes
echoed through a suspicious hall.
"Demeter's out of the question! Her Familia has their hands full already, and above all, she
gets along well with Freya! She's the only one who invites Freya to bathe with her in the
Temple Baths!"
"And above all, the boobs!"
"Ah yes, big boobs!"
"I can't approve of that size! That means, she’s out of the question!"
"""That’s why it’s Hathor! You will be our poster Goddess!"""
"No, no, no, why?"
The voices were headed towards a single Goddess.
She had long black hair tied up in a tidy knot, fair skin and wore fig earrings and a necklace.
A wooden mask in the shape of a cow was covering the upper half of her face. With a height
of 155 celch, she was taller than Hestia.
The Goddess with half of her face hidden was Hathor. She is one of the Goddesses who sat
on the ‘Tower of Fertility’ at the Goddess Festival, and it is rumored among male deities that
she was actually by far the Goddess with the strongest motherly appeal.
"She’s the best choice, after all, she’s a Fertility Goddess, just like Demeter and Freya!"
"Now that the leader of the Anti-Freya Faction, Ishtar, is gone, there's no one else!"
"I don't have anything against Freya–. And that fertility thing is just a bonus to the things I
reside over..."
Lying on the sofa, Hathor lazily refused, but the Goddesses did not stop.
"Didn’t you say earlier that you ‘won’t forgive her for living that fulfilled reverse harem life’ and
that you ‘will show her what a real reverse harem looks like’?!"
"That was just a figure of speech!"
"""Just do it!"""
"Hey, oi, what?! Uwaaah, what are you doing, stoooooop!?"
Alliance of Goddesses – Participating.

The days flew by.

Denatus was held, and the debates continued day after day and night after night until the
ordinary people, who could only look up helplessly at the white tower, began to feel a vague
sense of unease. Even those in the Guild could do nothing but wait for the gods to come to
an agreement.
In the meantime, the number of participants in the Wargame steadily increased as they
joined the Faction Alliance. Some members of the Guild began to wonder, "What if...?" as
they looked at the growing list of members.
However…
"It’s no use. It’s a defeat."
On the eight night after the Wargame declaration from the Goddess of Beauty, Hermes let
himself fall onto his chair.
Hermes Familia’s Home, the God’s chamber. As soon as he returned home from Denatus,
Asfi, who had been waiting for him, remained silent for a short while as she saw her God
carelessly throw the parchment he was holding onto the desk.
"Isn't it still too early to say that?"
"It’s not too early. Hestia and Bell will lose. I'm sure of it."
Asfi's words, uttered with a stiff face, were dismissed by Hermes in a matter-of-fact manner.
"It doesn't matter how much strength we have. Without Loki, there is no point. That's what it
means to go to war against Freya-sama."
"That’s…!"
"If only Ais-chan was on our side we would have had a chance to win, even if it was only a
one in a million, but...... Freya-sama got the better of us. With these 'conditions', it's a
complete checkmate."
It was neither assumption nor resignation, rather the voice of a God who had seen it all
through.
Asfi's eyebrows turned into a quizzical expression at the word ‘conditions’, and she continued
to ask questions.
"What about us, Hermes Familia......?"
"If even one member of our Familia joins, it would mean that our Familia has joined the
coalition. After winning alone, Freya-sama will put a collar on all the Gods she has defeated
in order to make her relationship with Bell-kun eternal. I would like to avoid that."
"Tsk… Even though you gave your everything during the ‘Sandbox’ incident, now you're just
going to back down?"
"I'm not a hero. I'm not going to raise in a game where I already know I have the losing
cards."
"……"
The God didn’t even dare to finish his whisperings, which were nearly inaudible in the first
place.
As if to forbid even wishful thinking, Hermes would not say the rest of this sentence out loud.
"I… this time I… want to fight with them."
Asfi, on the other hand, revealed her honest feelings. While she was saying this, even she
couldn't help but feel that this was out of character for her.
"I don't mean to say that I've fallen in love with Hestia Familia and Bell Cranel. But as the one
who heard… Lion's wish, at least until she comes back, I will…"
Hermes, who had been listening with his eyes closed to his Familia member's determination,
interrupted her by raising his hand, showing her his palm, signaling her to stop.
He had a look on his face as if he understood her thoughts and feelings well, and yet had to
tell her something that would depress her to no end.
"Sorry, but Perseus is forbidden from participating. This was explicitly designated in the
Denatus."
At this strict order, which she didn't see coming, Asfi let out a "Wha–!" and gazed at Hermes
with wonderment.
Why?!
Just as she was about to shout out this question, one of the pieces of parchment that had
been thrown on the desk, was presented to her.
"This is …"
Asfi gasped in surprise when she saw the decision in cold print.

"Welf… are you okay?"

"Oh…… no… I’m… not… okay."
Inside Hearth Manor's living room, Bell sweated nervously as Welf slowly responded,
noticeably pausing between every word.
It was already nighttime, and the remnants of the sunset had already vanished from the west.
The young blacksmith had locked himself away in the forge for who knows how long, and as
a result, every part of his body was lined with exhaustion.
"I’ve never forged so many Magic Swords before… I don’t even have time for self-loathing."
Welf’s cheeks were sunken, and his voice sounded hoarse, as if his throat had dried up.
As far as Bell knew, the reversal of day and night was the norm for Welf, who hadn't left his
workshop even once in the past couple of days. But the sight of Welf downing potion after
potion even though they weren't in the Dungeon was something that made Bell break into a
cold sweat.
"Everyone is doing their best to prepare strategies and countermeasures for the Wargame,
which could begin at any time... Or maybe it's better to say that doing nothing just makes us
more and more uneasy... it's impossible..."
Lili, who had spoken up, also had dark circles under her eyes.
Mikoto and Haruhime were huddled shoulder-to-shoulder on the sofa together, their dazed
expressions the aftereffect of Mind Downs they had experienced only moments before.
To increase both the accuracy and power of their Magic, the two of them had pushed
themselves to the limit. After all, if Hestia Familia wanted to turn the tables during the
Wargame against Freya Familia's members, who had an overwhelming advantage in Level, it
would have to be with Magic, the trump card that could provide a decisive blow.
Everyone had managed to make some time to meet up after a long while, but the
conversation quickly died down. They were all in need of rest.
Despite that, everybody found it difficult to fall asleep.
The beating of their hearts echoed throughout their body, seemingly asserting their
existence.
Any sense of excitement was crushed by overwhelming unease and nervousness. The
existence of the Familia that bore the title of ‘the strongest’ had deprived Bell and the others
of anything else.
They needed to do what they could, but as things were, none of them could even
concentrate.
"... Are you okay, Bell? You're covered in wounds."
When Welf turned to look at him, Bell smiled wryly while rubbing his cheek with his finger.
His body was covered with raw wounds, both on his exposed skin and underneath his
clothes.
It is a necessary 'ritual' and a 'price' he had to pay.
With the help of some allies, he underwent an ‘adjustment’ to bring his ‘body’ and ‘mind’ into
sync again.
(Everyone is working hard all the time. Lots of people are helping us out...... I want to win…
No, I have to win. I don’t want to leave Hestia Familia…!)
Bell shouted in his mind as he watched Welf and the others.
(But most of all, that person… I need to…)
Then he looked out of the window and gazed at the piercing cold sky that looked just as if it
reflected the heart of the Queen of Winter. He quietly clenched his fists and renewed his
determination when…
"It's decided. It’s all decided!"
Outside of the room, the sound of a huge door opening echoed through the manor.
The first to respond was Bell.
Lili and Welf turned around in a flash, Mikoto and Haruhime got up from the sofa as if they
had been shot. Bell was the first one to run out of the living room, followed by Lili and the
others.
When the family members rushed to the entrance, their Goddess, who was almost as
exhausted as they were, stumbled and rolled over. After a few seconds, she pulled her tiny
body off the floor with what little strength she had left.
"The rules and the format of the Wargame have been decided."
"""""!!"""""
Everyone gasped hearing that. Finally, only Bell asked the question that was on everyone's
mind.
"Goddess, so how do we play the Wargame?"
The Goddess stood up with the help of Bell and instead of answering, held out the scroll she
had been clutching all the while.
Lili hurriedly took the paper and unfolded it while Welf and the others gathered behind to
sneak a peek.
Five pairs of eyes arrived at one of those words written on the parchment in Koine.
As Bell and the others looked on, Hestia told them:
"The format of this Wargame will be hide and seek ──── ‘Divine Hide and Seek’."

"The details of the Wargame have been decided, Freya-sama."

Allen's voice echoed through the Goddess' chamber.
Receiving the paper that was reverently offered to her on her couch, Freya read it quietly.
"The date and time is six days from now, and the location is the 'Ruins of Orza' ......, where
the 'House of Gods' is located."
The Goddess, after looking through the paper, seemed to have lost interest in it and burned it
using the candlelight that was on the single-legged round table.
"It is confirmed that Loki Familia will not be participating in the event, as officially announced
by the Guild."
"Yeah. I thought Ouranos would have stopped Royman by now, but he seems to be staying
on the sidelines……"
In the end, it doesn't matter either way.
That was the honest impression of Freya, who did not change her facial expression in the
slightest while Allen was explaining.
Oddly enough, as Hedin told Finn, Freya requested the opening of the Wargame with the
intention of having a fight with Loki Familia as well. The divine will had already been
determined. She even thought it would be a good opportunity to have a showdown with Loki,
who along with her were often referred to as ‘the city's twin heads’.
She would defeat the enemy whether or not Loki Familia joined the war.
She would smash the total army of Orario head on and get what she wanted.
That was Freya's attitude as a queen.
"…May I ask you something?"
That's why.
That 'contradiction' was pointed out by a Familia member who understood the divine will of
their Goddess.
"Why did you keep the Sword Princess away from that Rabbit?"
"......"
It was none other than Freya who ordered Ottarl to contact Ais and bind her with an oath.
While the intervention of the whole Loki Familia wouldn’t bother her, or on the contrary, it
would be a favorable outcome for her, she tried to prevent the intervention of only one girl
with all she had.
It was a clear 'contradiction'.
Allen, on one knee, seemed to be questioning this totally uncharacteristic choice for a queen.
Freya replied after a slight pause.
"You probably know the true nature of Bell's ‘Liaris Freese’?"
"Yes."
"There is a fear that by training with the Sword Princess, that child will grow even stronger
than he is now. Or perhaps this training will let him develop more power than the 'Baptism'
you have given him here in Folkvangr."
When the ‘Sandbox’ was built, Bell's Skill, which also repelled charm, was disclosed to the
Familia members.
Based on this, Freya explained her assumption.
"Do you really think he can corner us with that much?"
This time, Allen's eyes narrowed sharply.
His eyes were like those of a ferocious cat that wouldn’t hesitate to dig its claws into even
the flesh of its own master.
"I will be your personal 'chariot' that will carry you everywhere and kick away all of your
obstacles. That's what I swore to you when I abandoned that 'dullard'."
You would insult my power as an Einherjar and my pledge of that distant day.
That’s what his sharp fangs said in an unspoken manner.
"...... it is all to make sure that I get the child."
To her Familia member, the Goddess responded with that one short sentence.
Outside the window, the moonlight was hidden by the wavering clouds.
Allen's icy anger vanished as he looked at his Goddess.
Without any further questioning, he stood up.
"My words went too far."
"……"
"Excuse me, I’ll take my leave."
Like a faithful guardian who didn’t dare take a step into the sanctuary of the Goddess, the cat
person left.
Left alone in the Goddess’ chamber, Freya leaned her head against the backrest.
"To 'make sure I get him'?"
Makes me laugh.
She looked up at the high ceiling and dropped a sneer at herself.
"This is just… jealousy."
I want to keep the person he’s longing for away from the boy.
I don't want Ais near Bell.
With a thought similar to that of a little girl, Freya forbade the Sword Princess from interfering.
Ais and Bell’s training on the huge city wall. She has seen it many times from the top floor of
Babel. She wasn’t able to stomach the thought of those meetings being repeated day after
day. It felt as if someone thrusted a dull, rusty sword into her chest only to forcibly pull it out
again and again.
She could tolerate it before. But not anymore.
Her desire to possess the boy had grown so intense that the restrictions previously
restraining it had since been lifted. Uncontrollable emotions were driving the ‘character’ that
made her the Goddess of Beauty beyond the vortex of passion.
Any moment now, something was going to flip.
It was as if, really, she was degenerating into just another boring 'little girl'.
"… It is so pathetic."
She muttered in a voice that no one else could hear.
"Does Freya-sama not believe in us?"　
The Gulliver-Brothers reacted to the words of the fourth son, Grer, in unison.
‘Sessrúmnir’ on the first floor of Folkvangr, far from the Goddess' chamber on the top floor.
The warriors had already finished their supper, and the oversized, almost empty hall had
more than enough space for them.
The voices of the first-class-adventurers echoed in every corner of the room.
"Why did she order Ottarl to keep the Sword Princess away?"
"To ensure victory. What other reason is there?"
"I have to admit, it's upsetting. No matter what kind of enemy comes, we will defeat them all."
In turn, Grer, Berling, and Dvalinn exchanged replies.
It was a rare sight. The brothers, who share a wordless connection, asked and answered
questions; the result sounded as if one person were talking to himself. They were doubting
their patron deity’s decision. Well doubt might be a bit too much, there was only a tinge of
disapproval for their Goddess.
As the three identical voices argued, unable to grasp Freya's mindset, suddenly another
voice spoke up: "Don't doubt Freya-sama. Such things are against our allegiance​."
It was Alfrigg, the oldest brother.
Hearing his words, Grer and the other two hushed.
The conclusion was obvious. No matter how suspicious they may be, no matter how many
other Familia members had the same doubts, they all ended up arriving at the same
conclusion.
For the sake of the Goddess, Freya Familia would wager their lives in the fight. That’s all
there was to it.
"I understand Freya-sama's feelings a little."
Someone blurted out.
Hogni, the Dark Elf, was the only other person in the room. He was holding his bent knee in
his arms while sitting on a table.
"I don't like it when someone steals what I put my eyes on ...... either."
There was a hint of loneliness in his voice.
His gaze was on the seat where the boy, now gone, used to sit.
Even though it was a false relationship and fleeting as it was, the eyes of that Dark Elf
certainly missed the ‘Bell Cranel of Freya Familia’.
"Sword Princess or not… With my own hands, not anyone else's, I wanted to raise Bell just a
little bit more. Compared with us Einherjar, it looked like he didn't have much talent. He
should have been rejected by the world and trapped in the ‘Sandbox’, doubting even his own
perception."
A being that defied the Goddess of Beauty’s words, that defied her Charm and every
harshness it was presented with.
Hogni was frightened of contact with others. Despite that, as an Elf, he found the Human boy
very fascinating.
He had been revealing his feelings with his eyes downcast but suddenly noticed that the
gazes of Alfrigg and the others were focused on him.
"He is talking a lot today."
"And he is talking normally, too."
"You should do that on a regular basis, you socially awkward Elf."
At Hogni’s words that, surprisingly enough, didn’t need Hedin's translation, the four Pallum
brothers hurled a cruel barrage of verbal fire against him: """But what are you getting all
sentimental about?"""
Hogni instantly blushed with embarrassment, his eyes became white and he stuttered
"a-a-bababa…" while hurriedly pulling up the collar of his cloak and hiding half of his face.
"Hogni. You can get emotional all you want, but when the time comes…"
"D-don’t fret! This body, shrouded in an endless darkness, is a servant of cruelty…!"
While the brothers gave blank stares, Alfrigg threw him a warning.
As always, Hogni tried to keep his composure with words that only worsened the situation.
Then he suddenly took the face of a cold warrior and told them.
"If we meet on the battlefield, I will surely use this sword to cut him limb from limb, all for the
sake of the Goddess."
Freya Familia did not hesitate.
Whenever they stood on the battlefield, they considered it time to offer victory to their
Goddess.

"It's still not working. She won't open her eyes."

On the fifth floor of Folkvangr, in a room located on the west side of the building, a young
girl's voice echoed.
Ottarl, who had been listening to the report in silence, opened his mouth.
"You mean it’s too late?"
"Even I can get angry, Captain. I have my pride as a healer who is always asked to do
unreasonable requests, after all."
She said while casting a sharp glance at him.
Heith, the female Healer, looked up at him with piercing eyes.
Ottarl, on the other hand, did not lose his stony, intimidating expression.
But despite his stern face, the Boaz’ ears bent slightly above his head.
Ottarl was not good at dealing with this Healer.
More precisely, one could say that he was indebted to Heith and the Andhrímnir for their work
in the aftermath of the daily death matches in Folkvangr between the members, their
‘Baptisms’.
Heith, being an excellent Healer, was forced into all of the difficult work, so she resented
Ottarl, who never helped or behaved like a proper Captain. Thus, it resulted in a rarity where,
in this ultra meritocratic faction, the positions of a mere Healer and a Lv. 7 Captain were
reversed.
Heith, who fearlessly expressed her opinions even to first-class-adventurers, continued her
report with a sigh, while the giant Boaz remained silent like a pouting child.
"I’ve done everything I can. I cast restoration Magic for nausea, sealed up all the wounds,
and restored her blood. Both her breathing and pulse are normal. Normally, she should be
waking up......, but her eyelids just won't open."
".... You mean she’s in a state of near-death?"
"As a Healer, hearing it put that way is a hard thing to accept but… you aren’t wrong."
With that said, Heith and Ottarl looked down at the bed to their side.
"You really are a… troublesome woman, Hörn."
Lying on the bed, there was a single girl.
The Goddess' Attendant, Hörn.
However, her current appearance was not that of Freya’s Head Attendant.
Untied, her blue-grey hair flowed down to her shoulders. Ottarl and the others knew that
inside her closed eyelids, her eyes were the same pale shade as her hair.
This appearance was that of a city girl called Syr Flover.
Heith knew it was the result of her Magic, Vana Seiðr.
Without violating the one absolute rule of the Gods to not use their Arcanum in the lower
world, using this Magic, the girl was capable of transforming herself into a Goddess. But right
now, Hörn had used her Magic to transform into Syr, one of Freya's 'faces'.
"Telling Bell everything and then trying to kill yourself with a sword… I just don't understand
what your intention was by betraying Freya-sama."
In the ‘Sandbox’ created by Freya, Hörn had violated the rule forbidding contact with Bell and
exposed the relationship between herself, the Goddess, and the girl known as Syr.
It was no exaggeration to say that she was the one who destroyed the ‘Sandbox’ scenario
that Freya had created.
That was the perspective of Heith and the others. Hörn's treacherous actions were well
known throughout the Familia; if Freya hadn't stepped in, the members of Freya Familia
would've turned the girl into a corpse without hesitation. Even Heith, who had been Hörn's
colleague for a long time and could be likened to a trusted friend, was no exception.
For a moment, the girl who was only loyal to the Goddess had a cold glint in her piercing
gaze as she looked down at Hörn.
As Ottarl stared at Heith, who looked as if she would turn her hand to the sleeping girl's thin
neck, the expressionless woman closed her eyes and sighed.
"Following Freya-sama's divine will, she was kept alive. But that is all. I might be
demonstrating incompetence, but there is nothing more that I can do."
Heith’s voice echoed through the large room.
The elegant white room, unbefitting of a sinner that had betrayed the Goddess, only had one
bed inside of it. When combined with the sacred, church-like atmosphere, it was reminiscent
of the space between heaven and earth where souls would wander.
The box-shaped bed where the girl slept looked like a coffin.
If flowers were laid around her, nobody would doubt that the girl was a corpse.
Like the maiden of a fairy tale, the girl once known as Syr continued to slumber.
"Do you know why she won’t wake up?"
"Only the gods can truly know, but…"
With a gaze that said ‘I don’t care’, he urged the Healer to continue.
"The first possibility is that Hörn herself refuses to awaken. And from the fact that she
planned to commit suicide, it’s obvious that she feels guilt towards Freya-sama. If the spirit
desires eternal sleep, no amount of healing the body will work…… As for the other
possibility…."
Heith, trying to put her hypothesis to words, clammed up here.
Then, after much hesitation, she started to speak.
"She now holds the link to ‘Syr’ that Freya-sama tried to bury......"
Ottarl also kept his mouth shut.
"Hörn only hurt her own body, not that of the Goddess. But now that her critical injuries have
been healed, and despite her loss of consciousness, the contract with the Goddess hasn't
been lifted."
"……"
"By that, I can only conclude that Hörn continues to use her Magic to avoid losing
'something'…"
After a while, Heith shook her head helplessly and continued.
"It’s just speculation and nonsense. Forget it."
"… Mh."
Ottarl could only reply superficially to the girl's words.
(The Goddess' heart that only Hörn could understand... or something that even she couldn't
notice. Something.)
From using Vana Seiðr countless times and transforming into the Goddess for so long, Hörn
simultaneously suffered a backlash and experienced the Goddess’ feelings.
Ottarl had heard it from Freya's own mouth.
What was Syr thinking as her eyes remained closed, and why did she continue to sleep?
The man was unable to fully understand just what it was she desired - and he did not want to.
Because all warriors could do was fight.
Because all the strongest needed to do was crush the Goddess’ enemies.
So, knowing his unworthiness, the strongest warrior asked the sleeping girl a question.
"What kind of dream are you having right now?"
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
Monologue VI

I am dreaming.
It’s not a dream of mine, Hörn, nor a dream from my past, of Syr. It’s a dream of Her, Her
memory.

She was lonely.

Even though She was supposed to be filled with ‘Love’, She was not at all satisfied.
If anyone could’ve seen Her true feelings, they might have called Her extremely arrogant or
distastefully extravagant.
How many down here in the Lower World have grown up and lost their lives without knowing
'Love', I wonder? One of those was my past self, Syr.
But She understood 'Love' better than anything else, and so She felt an emptiness that they
could never understand.
Those who hunger for love, but can never be satisfied by it
And those who, satisfied by 'Love', are trapped and killed by it.
Which of them is more unfortunate? I cannot say.
If anything can be said, it is that across an eternity, even 'Love' may become a hellish, deadly
poison.
In my dream, She was crying in a field of flowers.
Covering Her face with both hands in sorrow, She wept profusely, turning the field of red
flowers, basked in twilight, into a sea of gold.
I can't find it.
I can't find it.
She had been lamenting that for a long, long time.
Eventually...... a woman appeared before her.
It was a short Dwarf.
The determined-looking Dwarf was shocked at first, by both Her beauty and Her anguished
tears.
She quickly stood up.
You saw it? She asked.
As She wiped Her tears away, Her silver eyes shone through.
She wanted to Charm the Dwarf, to make it forget everything it had seen.
The moment She was about to give the command, the Dwarf twitched and wobbled closer on
unsteady legs, and then…

…sent out a fierce uppercut.

It was such a strong uppercut that even seeing it through the dream I, Hörn, tried to bend
away backwards with all of my might, letting out an "Eeeeeh—-?!".
The Dwarf’s uppercut hit Her square on Her chin, and the Goddess fell flat on Her haunches.
Landing in the flower garden, Her fall sent a flurry of red petals dancing through the air.
She rubbed Her chin and Her eyes rolled back into Her head, while the Dwarf woman gave
Her a sinister scowl.
Don't try anything funny! Otherwise I’ll send you flying!!
The Dwarf growled, although She had already been sent flying.
She was surprised at having been caught in such a miserable state, and had waited just a
little too long before using Her Charm. The Dwarf hadn’t wasted any time closing the gap
between them in that pause.
In stunned amazement, She exclaimed.
But I'm a Goddess!?
The Dwarf woman snorted back.
I don't give a damn!
The Dwarf boldly declared that they had never worshiped any deusdea in their whole life,
causing Her to burst out laughing.
It wasn't long before Her laughter became harsh and bitter.
But that disappeared as quickly as it had come, and instead She fell back into the field of
flowers, curling up like an infant.
Even though it was done unknowingly, the Dwarf woman had taken Her important ‘first time’.
She became 'the first woman to hit Her.'
She kept laughing as She lay amidst the flowers.
Hey, what is your name?
…It’s Mia.
With that, She decided to follow after the surly and unwilling Dwarf.
The Dwarf was born in a certain coal mining town.
By the time She encountered the Dwarf, those mines had all but run dry and the town was
falling apart.
The men had all been sent off to work as miners, and the only dwarves left were the poor,
starving women and children.
The Dwarf woman was running a tavern - more precisely, a kitchen that was called a tavern-
all by herself in order to feed them.
The Dwarf met Her while foraging for food for the people of the impoverished city.
Who cares about any Gods? I’d rather have food! I can’t survive off of jewels!!
The Dwarf had come to know the pain of starvation better than anyone else. She firmly
believed that enjoying a hot meal was worth much more than any beautiful jewel or Goddess.
It was a scene that never could've been possible in the bountiful Heavenly Realm, where
hunger and poverty didn’t exist.
At the same time, She couldn't help but wonder if this was the true power of the Lower World.
It was precisely because of these imperfections that ‘unknowns’ were able to be born, ones
that even the Gods couldn't anticipate. Through these struggles, existences like this Dwarf
before Her were nurtured.
And the greatest manifestation of the 'unknown' was the Hero.
It was then it occurred to Her that perhaps the Oðr She was searching for might also be a
Hero themselves.
I wonder, could you be my Oðr?
What kind of nonsense is that? You foolish Goddess.
Faced with the Goddess’ eager and hopeful eyes, the Dwarf was completely indifferent.
Much to her disappointment, instead of finding the Hero She now dreamed of, this Dwarf
woman was a genuine cook: a Andhrímnir who toiled with a stained face, all to fill peoples’
bellies.
Yet this Dwarf had not once venerated Her from the moment she appeared before Her.
This country-bumpkin Dwarf had no idea of Her significance among the deusdea, or of how
many Gods would fall over themselves trying to earn Her favor. What’s worse, the Dwarf
probably wouldn’t care.
Was it because of the randomness of their encounter, or was it due to sheer recklessness?
Clearly it was both.
This was a dwarf that wouldn’t care no matter who was in front of her. One who wouldn’t
hesitate to heartlessly spank a Goddess of Beauty, whose divine cheeks were treasures in
both the Lower and Heavenly Realms, if they made the mistake of irritating her.
Even if a strong Familia tried to intimidate her, no matter how many times they did, she still
wouldn't flinch.
And even if she was surrounded by warriors much more powerful than herself, her stout pride
would let her endure.
Her strength drew the admiration of everyone in the city, and so she continued to cook for
them, even though she herself was slowly withering away. Despite never receiving a
blessing, her strong soul could resist even a Goddess’ divine authority.
That Dwarf really was unique.
When She met the Dwarf, it even started to feel like She might be saved.
Mia, about your town. I only saved it on a whim.
…
I gave everyone stable jobs, so this town will never be in danger again. You don’t have to
worry about them relying on you for food anymore.
…
By the way, there happens to be a Goddess around here who hasn’t eaten for far too long.
…What a foolish Goddess.
She took a liking to that Dwarf and, with a little force, adopted her into the Familia.
The Dwarf may have groaned and complained, but she still accepted the Blessing in the end.
Deep down, she felt she owed the Goddess for saving her hometown. However, she had one
condition.
I’ll only keep working for her until I've paid back my debt. When hungry people like the ones
from my hometown show up, I'll go help them. And then I'll open up a real tavern, the way
I've always wanted to. Those are the terms of my agreement.
She agreed to all of those terms.
After that, She asked the Dwarf,
Hey, Mia. I’m still looking for my Oðr.
I’ve heard that enough already. I won’t be anything like that, and I won’t help you find them
either.
I knew you were going to say something like that. So, let’s make a contract.
Contract…?
Knowing you, you’d give me a beating if I tried to pull anything over on you, right?
...
For the sake of my Oðr, I’ll become whatever I need to be, whether that means becoming a
saint or a callous witch.
...
So, Mia. No matter what kind of woman I end up as, don't get in my way, ok?
...
Please, Mia.
...Understood.
She knew that if anyone would end up getting in the way of Her wish, it would be the Dwarf in
front of Her.
At that point, it was just a hunch, but She still wanted a promise from the Dwarf in exchange
for accepting her terms.
To Her surprise, the Dwarf nodded readily.
She wondered why.
Then all of a sudden, it hit Her.
The Dwarf had already seen Her bawling like a miserable little girl…

Accompanied by the Dwarf, She continued her journey in search of Her Oðr.
She cherished the time She spent traveling with the Dwarf as they made their way around
the vast Lower World, although it was still small compared to the Heavenly Realm.
Along the way, She resolved to never try and sway the Dwarf with Her Charm.
The Dwarf woman was honest; she didn’t have the inflexible pride of an Elf, and although she
was stubborn and gruff, she had more integrity than anyone. She came to admire the Dwarf,
who was the first to ever dare argue with Her, and even though the Dwarf was unimaginably
young compared to Her, She thought of her like an older sister.
But She knew that even that stouthearted Dwarf would become captivated with beauty if She
willed it. If the Dwarf asked Her for love, the little hope She had gathered would be lost
forever.
The journey continued.
Her Oðr was never found, and Her shoulders slumped numerous times as the Familia that
worshiped Her only grew in size.
One day, She was defeated by the ‘Most Vile and Evil Goddess’ and trapped in the Labyrinth
City.
Although She began to live in the center of the world, She continued to search for Her Oðr.
While doing that, She took a Boaz child under her wing.
Two kings were freed from the barbaric island of the elves, where black and white were
locked in a battle to the death.
In an industrial city, She sold her body in exchange for four Pallums.
In an abandoned wasteland, She picked up two kittens who were all alone by themselves.
That winter, I was also saved from a slum.
More and more powerful warriors pledged their loyalty to Her.

But even then, she did not find her Oðr.

The Dwarf also asked to leave before the city’s darkest days began.
Disappointed by Her search for Her Oðr, consumed by the poison of boredom, from that day
onwards, She began to roleplay.

Then, She made friends.

Then, She found a place where she belonged.
The poison of divine sight, resignation, and boredom that was slowly killing the heart of the
Goddess was cured.
She immersed Herself in the days of being a ‘normal city girl’.
I wonder if She noticed?
Even though She may have felt She was only playing a game, the days She spent living as a
‘normal city girl’ enriched Her life, and those golden tears She had shed faded into memory.
In the end, it was the ‘city girl’ that got Her closest to Her wish.

But… Ah…
Here She was again.
Back in Her fantasy, in a beautiful and lonely garden full of flowers.
Even Her sorrowful words were the same.
I can't find it… I can't find it…
She hasn’t stopped crying since that day.

Let us weep. Let us weep.

For as long as your hero isn’t near.
Garden in bloom, flowering gold reflecting on crimson tears.
May a light unseen keep your paths.
Let us laugh. Let us laugh.
Trusting that someday their light will shine with yours.

It’s a poem of heartbreak that echoes out from everywhere.

Although Her Oðr should have already appeared, Her torment hasn’t ended.
I’m powerless, only able to watch through the dream.
Please, somebody help.
Please, help Her.
I beg of you.
But there’s no one there to help Her.
After all, She was the one who threw everything away.
And rather than stopping Her, I helped Her do it.
I only noticed these tears too late.

Sorry, Anya.
Sorry, Chloe.
Sorry, Lunoire.
Sorry, Ryu.
Sorry, …Mia.

Through Her sobs, She’s apologizing.

I’m apologizing along with Her.
But no matter what, Her tears keep falling.
I can only watch as Her body begins to fade, slowly flowing away like Her falling golden
tears.
I cradle Her in my arms and voice the words buried deep in Her heart.

Stop me, please…

Save me…
The translation is being worked on here: https://discord.gg/c4pXbSYKTA
Chapter 8: Faction War

“Anya.”
“…”
“How long are you going to keep doing that?"
“…”
“I'm asking how long you're going to keep moping in your bed?!”
“...Lunoire, calm dow-nya.”
“Don't tell me to calm down, Chloe! Anya, Syr is actually Freya-sama, right?”
“…”
“Then we have to go talk to her, even if that means we have to send her flying!”
“…”
“Let’s join up with Adventurer-kun! Don’t you want to go get Syr back?”
“…”
“Say something, you stupid cat!”
“Calm down, Lunoire.”
“If you don’t hurry up and get out of bed on your own, I’ll force you to—!!”
“Lunoire!”
“Tsk…”
“…”
“……”
“…”
“…Well, we’re going.”
“…”
“Fine then, just keep on moping like that until you rot!"
The door was flung open and then slammed shut behind her with a crash that resounded
throughout the whole room, as if to express the girl’s resentment.
Just like that the two girls were left alone.
”Anya, mya and the others are going to the Wargame today-nya.”
”…”
”I bowed down to Njord-sama and Demeter-sama and had our kitchen chef May and the
others converted as well.”
”…
"Ryuu doesn't know. ...... but mya and the others are also going to fight."
”…”
”Anya don’t you want the tavern to go back to the way it was before?”
”…gchh.”
”I want it back. … that’s why I’m going."
And now, there was only one person left in the room.
The door was closed and Anya, who was cowering on the bed, squeezed her knees tightly.
Lunoire is strong, and so is Chloe.
For Anya, fighting is impossible.
I am afraid of my brother, Allen.
I am afraid of the Goddess, Freya.
I don’t know who or what that ‘Syr’ who saved me was.
I can't even muster up the courage to find that out.
Lunoire was right. Anya continued to rot, unable to do anything on her own, just like a lost
kitten.
She hung her head with disappointment in herself.
That's when it happened.
”─oi!”
The door was opened violently and someone walked up to the bed violently.
They looked very much like someone she knew well and had the same violent way of
speaking.
Anya, who had buried her face in her knees, began to shake with fright.
"────............ brother?"
The lost kitten looked up fearfully.

Sweat pours from my cheeks in large drops, while the last bits of the dark night sky retreat
before the morning.
“Hraah-!”
A second later those same sweat drops, along with some strands of my hair, are obliterated
by an unbelievably enormous double-bladed sword.
My eyes widen and my breath catches in my throat, but my limbs keep moving.
I tilt my body wide to the side and kick off the earth twice from that position, as if I was
dancing. Using the momentum from my rotation, I use Hakugen, the knife gripped in my right
hand, to strike.
"Mmmpf!!”
The increase in my Strength and Agility feel almost overwhelming.
This was a move that would have been absolutely impossible for me to make before, but now
I’m doing it haphazardly, based on instinct alone.
The Status of a Lv. 5 makes it possible to combine attack and evasion into one movement.
“Don’t get caught up in your Status!!”
However, my movements are crushed just as easily, by the absurd force of the person in
front of me.
With a combination of dynamic vision, grit, and the brute strength of an Amazoness, she
seizes my right wrist right through my attack and throws me behind her.
“Gwuaaahhh?!”
Instead of arcing through the air, I bounce painfully off the ground like a ball.
As I slam against the ground I brace myself with my forearm, but the impact nearly knocks
me out of my stance. I readjust and swing out my leg, letting me kick off the wall that was
quickly closing in to leap aside.
I land with no time to spare as another Amazoness, her long black hair fluttering, is already in
range and slashing at me.
“Don’t jump after every attack we make!”
“....! Haaaa!”
Twin Kukri Knives flash at me in succession, and then a leaping double-bladed monster
comes crashing down from overhead.
I meet the twin sisters' barrage of blows with a yell from deep in my gut.
We're at Hestia Familia's home, and dawn hasn't arrived yet.
How much time have I spent being trained by Tiona and Tione in that courtyard?
It was the other day when I was assaulted at Hearth Manor with a shout: “I want to help you,
Argonaut-kun!" Goddess and I were both astonished at the offer but Finn, who had offered to
‘mentor’ Lili, advised her to “let them help him get used to his adjustment.” And that’s why
since then, I have been fighting like this at home.
It would’ve been better to train on top of the huge city wall or down in the dungeon like Ais
and I had done before, but Tione pointed out that we were just wasting time going back and
forth. With no time to waste, it was decided that we’d be more efficient training right where
we are.
”Here I comeeeeee—!!”
But it was clear now that the courtyard is nowhere near large enough for first-class
adventurers to run amok: the lawn has been torn up, the plants are shredded, and even the
Magic Stone Lamp’s pillar is shattered. I am certain we won’t escape Lili’s wrath when she
sees the repair costs, but we can't afford to worry about it now. We don’t have any time to
lose focus.
Although it’s just practice, I’m still fighting against true first-class adventurers.
“Instinct first! Thinking comes later! Otherwise, you won't last a second in a battle of
first-class adventurers.”
“Freya Familia’s attacks will be even more extreme!"
The fresh wounds never cease to appear and my limbs creak non-stop. Everything down to
the marrow of my bones trembles and I feel numb.
The Kukri Knives strike at me sharply in a flurry, and the heavy blows from the large
double-bladed sword shake me to my core. All I can manage is to stay on the defensive.
The whirlwind of attacks, which could only be described as a raging torrent, keeps pushing
me over and over again. Ninety percent of my parries are crushed, and my only lifeline is my
pathetic attempts at evasion. It’s a nightmare, even if I unleash a kick like a cannon, I see it
easily turned aside by an elbow.
As first-class adventurers, Tiona and her sister easily have the edge in terms of experience
and skills, so it’s no surprise that Bell Cranel spends his time training by getting ripped to
shreds.
“Remember your training with Ais!”
“She hammered all that technique and tactics into you, didn’t she? So use them!”
Tiona’s and Tione’s words are hammered into my mind and body again and again.
─Don't get distracted by Status.
─Don’t jump every time you’re attacked.
That’s right, this was all taught to me before by the person I’m yearning for.
Now that I am at Lv. 5, I should return to the fundamentals of my training.
Link my Status with my technique, combine weapons and tactics, and let my body and mind
resonate.
“Grow── Uchide no Kozuchi!”
Just then, I hear the voice of my support coming from behind me.
Haruhime, who has been kneeling in a corner of the courtyard, stands up and finishes
chanting.
Sweating as heavily as I am, she squeezes out her Mind and grants me a Level Boost.
“.....!!!!”
I focus sharply on controlling my Status, which has shot up extensively, and launch a
counterattack.
I accelerate, trailing motes of magical light, and I flash the blinding white and jet-black knives
in my hands.
Using a technique that deflects the trajectory of an attack by striking it with the side of my
weapon, I repel all of Tione’s slashes.
Then, I intentionally leave an opening to provoke an attack – using tactics to steal a moment
when Tiona isn’t doing anything – I swing at her with the Hestia Knife in my left hand.
”Haaaaahhhh!"
A big swing with everything I have – literally, a blow with every bit of strength I can muster.
Tiona catches it head-on with a smile, both eyes open as she’s blown backwards along with
her great twinblade.
There’s a shock that makes even the adamantite of the great double-bladed sword tremble.
It’s a pleasant sound I haven’t heard since this training started, and the high-pitched sound
resembling that of a tuning fork echoes throughout the courtyard of Hearth Manor.
”Whup! … You alright, Argonaut-kun?
"...... yes. It’s probably okay now… "
Tiona spins around in the air, landing on the ground without difficulty and asking her question
from a distance.
Gasping for breath, I sheath both of my knives and clench my hands into fists several times.
“The sense of ‘misalignment’...... is gone."
Every time a Rank Up occurs, there’s a gap between the body and the mind.
I’ve only been an adventurer for a short period of time, so it takes a while for me to close that
gap – probably because of my inexperience. It’s like 2 months ago, where during the
expedition, I closed the gap by fighting the fastest monsters of the Lower Floors, the Iguazu.
Therefore, the purpose of this training isn’t to become stronger until the very last minute, but
rather – as Finn said – to adjust to the misalignment between my mind and my body.
It feels like we started last-minute… but we’ve made a lot of important progress.
“You were able to keep up with us, right? I’ve heard about it before, but that’s some really
amazing Magic right there.”
“T-Thank you very much~~~"
Tione smiles at Haruhime, who looks like she’s about to collapse. Haruhime, who was the
other person aside from me to Rank Up in the Familia, has been involved in this adjustment
training for several days now.
Though in her case, the focus is more on testing her upgraded Level Boost Magic rather than
physical training.
At Level 2, the duration of her Magic has increased from 15 minutes to 20, and the interval to
activate the next Magic has decreased from 10 minutes to 9. The maximum number of tails
that Haruhime can hold has also increased from 5 to 6.
Haruhime’s power is key to our victory in the Wargame. Lili had been up all night and asked
us with bloodshot eyes to “experiment as much as you can”, so both of us had done so. As a
result, we don’t have to worry about the Wargame catching us off-guard since we’ve already
started preparing for it.
(I also had a great time trying out the movements of a pseudo-Level 6…)
The effect of Haruhime’s Level Boost combined with the gap between my body and my mind
from going up to Level 5… it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I might’ve turned into a
rampaging bull.
It might be a strange way to describe it, but─ I felt power welling up inside me, like a dragon
trying to hold back a burst of flame. If I hadn’t controlled it properly, I could’ve accidentally
destroyed everything around me. Thanks to Tiona and Tione though, I was able to practice
controlling my power.
If it weren’t for the Level 6 Tiona and Tione, this kind of adjustment by fighting two first-class
adventurers wouldn’t have been possible. I can’t thank them enough.
“If only Ais could’ve trained with Argonaut-kun, then things would’ve gone even better…
sorry.”
”No, it’s fine. I heard that there were circumstances, and I’m sure that Ais-san is supporting
me."
As I mention Ais-san, who isn’t here, I shake my head. I don't know the details of what
happened, but ...... her teachings are firmly rooted within me. Her lessons helped me in this
current training and even in that “Battle in the Wilderness”.
So, with her teachings, today we go to war.
”The sun is rising…”
Haruhime mutters as she looks up at the sky.
Even from the courtyard, which is surrounded on all four sides by the manor’s walls, I can
see that the morning sun had appeared.
Because the sky is turning red, it’s a sight that could almost be mistaken for twilight.
Today is the third day of training. Today is the day of the Wargame.
My heart has been relatively quiet until now, but as that fateful day has finally arrived, it
instantly goes out of control.
“…Argonaut-kun.”
There’s no excitement. Just the sensation of anxiety and building tension as I look up at the
sky.
Tiona and Tione walk up to me and Haruhime and smile at us.
“Good luck!”
“Send those people in Freya Familia flying!”
When we see the smile that’s shining like the sun and hear those harsh and violent words,
Haruhime and I look at each other, feeling as though we’ve been refreshed.
We nod and smile back on behalf of Goddess, Lili, and the others.
””Yes!””

It was a monument left behind in the wake of history.

Countless massive, crumbling pillars stood in rows.
Faded cobblestone pavement stretched across its surface.
Though they had weathered the passing of innumerable years, the ruined arches clung to
their shapes.
As the ground eroded with the passage of time, the remnants of tombs and priestly dwellings
became exposed. Large rocks dotted the landscape, and plants had crept into the once
grand ruins reclaimed by nature.
It was simultaneously a lonely and magnificent sight.
The ruins were strategically located on an island in the center of a lake.
The lake itself was a massive caldera, surrounded on all sides by the sloping rims of a
volcanic crater. It looked almost idyllic from afar, as if the island was floating atop the
emerald-green water.
The ruins of the ancient city, Orza.
The vast lake was situated in the western part of the Beor Mountains to Orario’s northwest. It
was in these ruins that the Wargame would take place.
The ruins themselves dated back to over two thousand years ago.
In its prime, Orza had been a great fortress city, built to fight against the hordes of demons
overflowing from the ‘Great Hole’.
The city’s location not only allowed access to a near-infinite supply of fresh water, but
protected it against intruders as well; the caldera lake functioned as a natural moat and
prevented monsters from reaching the city walls. The city had thrived as a self-sufficient
community – largely thanks to the efforts of many half-elves and half-dwarves that had made
it their home, and it had stood until the day a group of powerful monsters had flown in and
wiped it off the map.
Although it was little more than stone and rubble now, the elliptical edges of the island were
lined with the remains of defensive ramparts and towers. Even after the passing of many
years, the island’s slopes and collapsed buildings still gave off the impression that it was a
castle town. At the western end of the island lay the remains of the city’s largest structure,
the Grand Temple.
In the Ancient Times, before the Gods descended from Heaven, mortals had worshiped a
fictional group of deities whom they hoped would grant salvation from the constant onslaught
of monsters.
The city of Orza, which had been rumored to hold a close connection to the Spirits, had built
a temple that they called the ‘House of Gods’. Enshrined within the temple were statues of
several of their gods.
One of the beings they worshiped was said to have been a Goddess who presided over
Beauty as well.
“—The wind is cold, and here and there are some scattered clouds, but as you can see, the
sky is mostly clear and the weather is good! Hello, welcome and good day, ladies and
gentlemen! I, Ibri Achaa, the well-spoken flame magician and proud member of the Ganesha
Familia, will once again be reporting the Wargame live! My alias is none other than 'Fire
Inferno Flame'!"
”I am Ganeshaaaaaaaaaaa!”
"Ganesha-sama will be your commentator as well!”
Inside Orario, far away from the lake, the Ruins of Orza were being reflected in a mirror.
The Divine Mirror was transmitting an image from a faraway location, broadcasting what was
currently happening. So far, it had only shown Ganesha Familia acting as the military police
and safeguarding the preparations for the Wargame.
However, unlike the Wargame with Apollo Familia five months earlier, the city hadn’t fallen
into its usual frenzy. Instead, it was quiet. Even though the battle hadn’t started yet,
everyone–the adventurers in the bars, the people standing in the streets looking at the
mirrors, and the Gods gathered in the Tower of Babel–all had tense looks on their faces.
“We have an exceptional Wargame in Orario today! The strongest Familia in Orario, Freya
Familia, will clash against the Faction Alliance led by Hestia Familia! And the theme–or
rather, the form of the event today is––Divineeeee Hideeeee aaaaaaand
Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!”
The only people who were really noisy were the people commenting on the situation.
In the courtyard of the Guild headquarters, Ibri, the commentator, was shouting at the top of
his lungs with a Magic Stone-made megaphone.
”I’ll try to keep it short, so I won’t go into the details of the rules! Each Familia will hide their
Gods in the ‘Ruins of Orza’, and the opposing Familia members will try to find them!! The
winner is whoever finds their respective Gods first! It’ll literally be a game of hide and seek!
“Am I… Ganesha!?”
“As Ganesha-sama has said, this isn’t just a simple game of hide and seek though. If you
encounter members from the opposing side, you can interfere with their search and fight
them! That is to say, it’ll literally be a battle royale!! Countless rivers of blood will flow, and
graves made out of weapons will pile up, all to either protect or find the God!!”
This was by no means just a metaphor.
47 Familias in total are participating, and more than 800 Familia members will fight in this
great battle. No matter what the rules are, there will be a fierce battle and a bloodbath.
Everyone was taken aback by Ibri's explanation.
"The only victory condition for the Allied Forces is to discover the Goddess Freya, whereas
Freya Familia has to find all of the hostile Gods and Goddesses! I think this is indeed an
unequal advantage in favor of the Faction Alliance! What do you think about that,
Ganesha-sama?”
”To be honest, I don't think this is enough of a handicap."
”Did Ganesha-sama really give a serious answeeeeeeeer!?”
The heated temperature of the commentary could not be more distant from the cold
temperature of the winter air in Orario. And as this commentary roared on, those who
remained in Orario looked at the transmission in their respective homes. Each of them had
their own respective expressions on their faces.

"Bell-kun......"
"Eina ......"
At the Guild headquarters the Wargame was broadcasted through a mirror floating near the
ceiling. Eina, who could only pray for Bell’s safety, felt restless and anxious, as if she had an
itch she couldn’t scratch. Misha was hugging her in order to comfort her.

"With the rules as they are, I, Perseus, could have easily ended the war just by flying
through the air until I found the Goddess' location. Therefore I was banned from participating
in the Wargame… is that what you’re saying?"
“Well, it’s your Talaria to be exact… Although some people have always known about Magic
Items that let you fly, due to the incident where you and Hestia crashed into Freya-sama's
home, yours have become common knowledge. Is that good enough of a reason?”
“There’s nothing more that we can do. We have already provided Liliruca Arde and the others
with as many Magic Items – besides Talaria – as we were allowed … All we can do now is
believe in Bell and his Familia.”
Up on Babel’s 30th floor, surrounded by the turmoil of various excited deities, Hermes
concluded his words with a shrug while Asfi’s frown only deepened.

“Ais, I know it might be hard for you, but… should we watch it together?”
"..........Yes"
At Loki Familia’s home, Ais, whose hand was being held tightly by Tiona, raised her head
and stepped into the reception room.
Within the room Tione sat on the sofa, Gareth crossed his arms as thick as rocks, Riveria
closed one eye, and Finn, who was licking his finger, looked intently at the viewing mirror
Loki had set up.
The time of the Wargame’s start was drawing near.

“How big…”
I mutter to myself as I stand in front of a cluster of ruins so vast, even an upper-tier
adventurer’s eyesight can’t see it all in detail.
“The eastern side is where the Faction Alliance is, and the west side belongs to Freya
Familia, right?”
“That’s right. The biggest ruin over there is the center… that’s where the border is.”
I arrived a couple minutes ago, so Naaza is explaining the situation to me while holding a
longbow.
We’re standing at the outer rim of a mountain that overlooks the Ruins of Orza.
The view of the caldera lake from atop the cliff is spectacular.
If I were here as a tourist under different circumstances, I probably would’ve gasped in
admiration at the shimmering emerald green lake that reflects the bright blue sky like a
mirror.
This is the second time I’ve been to the Beor Mountains. The ‘Beor Caldera’, located near the
sea to the west, is in the opposite direction of Edas Village where Goddess, Ais, and I
eventually found ourselves when we got lost during Rakia’s invasion.
I didn’t know that there was such a spectacular view at a place that an upper-tier adventurer
could reach so easily - this was a distance I could cover in a few hours even with Haruhime
on my back.
“I’ve been told that Freya Familia has been in the ruins since the morning… I’m pretty sure
their goddess is hidden somewhere on that western side.”
Following Naaza’s finger, I see the ruins of a huge, half-destroyed temple at the center of the
map, dividing the battlefield into two.
The place where each patron deity can be hidden is defined as the east side for the Faction
Alliance and the west side for Freya Familia - the gods can be hidden anywhere within either
side’s respective zones. The middle area has a good view of the towers just outside the
map’s edges. As I was moving to scout the battlefield, it slowly dawned on me that finding a
single God in these city ruins would take a lot of effort. The ruins were large enough to
replace an entire district of Orario.
“But what a place for a Wargame…”
“If nearly 50 Familias are going to participate, it’s only reasonable…”
As Ouka speaks while we scout from above, Naaza struggles to keep her hair down as the
wind plays tricks on it.
While I’m not trying to borrow Ouka’s words, the city ruins floating on the huge lake really do
seem like a different world of their own.
With that former city fortress turned into a battlefield, we’re going to be facing off against the
strongest opponent today.
“Thank you. This should be good enough. Let’s go back.”
With my nerves barely kept in check, the three of us descend the long, steep slope to make
our way back to the camp.
There’s a bridge located at the southern end of the caldera lake, where the Familia Alliance’s
campsite is located.
Aside from me and Haruhime, who were training until the very last minute, many of the
adventurers arrived yesterday and had settled into the tents provided by both the Guild and
Ganesha Familia. On the other hand, the members of Freya Familia appear to have entered
the city ruins by boat from the northern side of the lake.
It seems our camp will also double as a first-aid station for treating the wounded who drop
out after the War Game starts; members of Dian Cecht Familia are also seen here and there.
“I feel like I don’t have enough items… Hey! Does anyone have spares?”
“Miach Familia is making them! Ask Miach-sama for items!”
“It’s a dream come true that I can use both Crozzo’s Magic Swords and Hephaistos Familias'
weapons… but I still don’t feel confident.”
The camp was filled with the hustle and bustle of preparation.
Excited and tension filled voices were constantly heard all around.
A Beast Human is carefully inspecting his weapon and a Dwarf was putting on his heavy
armor with assistance from his companions. As I am silently watching this scene unfold
before the impending battle, a voice calls out to me.
""Bell Cranel!""
”Ah… Luvis-san, Dormul-san!”
When I turn around, a familiar group of people is approaching me. They are Luvis-san from
Modi Familia and Dormul-san from Magni Familia.
They are the Elf and Dwarf who fought with us against the enhanced species–the Moss
Huge–during our expedition in the lower floors.
"Will you be fighting with us......?"
"Of course. This life, which should have been taken from me along with my right arm, was
saved by you. If I don't return this great favor now, when will I ever return it?"
Equipped with a quiver of arrows and a bow, Luvis gently touches his "right arm".
He is wearing combat clothes with gloves that covered the arm, much like Naaza did with her
silver prosthetic arm.
Luvis, who once lost an arm, wears the smile of a fastidious elf.
“It is finally time to fulfill my oath. Let us fight together, allies of the elves!”
‘I swear on the name of Luvis Lilix that one day I will repay this favor.’
I remember what Luvis told me in Rivira after defeating the enhanced Moss Huge.
Behind him, Rana and the others stand their ground with their prosthetic legs and the same
smile on their faces.
“What’s with that ‘allies of the Elves’ gibberish? Our comrades from Hestia Familia are the
brothers and sisters of Dwarves!”
Dormul interrupts with a loud voice.
Ignoring Luvis’ reproachful gaze, he pounds his thick chest with his fist.
“We never forgot what happened. It was one hell of an opponent, but… we’ll fight to end for
you, comrade.
Dormul’s words made me choke up as he grinned at me alongside his fellow Dwarfs.
We had an unusual encounter with Eina, helped each other out in the Dungeon, and now
we’re fighting together side-by-side. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this a strange
outcome, but I was glad to have met Luvis and the others who had come to my aid because
of that outcome.
”Yes, thank you very much.”
"Hey, don't forget we're here for you too, Rabbit Foot!”
"Guweeeh?!"
A thick arm comes down on the back of my neck.
Luvis, Naaza, and everyone else are startled, flustered as I look around–only to find an older
adventurer with a crooked smile right next to me.
“M-Mord-san?! You and your familia came too?”
“Hell yeah we did! After all, if we win, we can have all the treasure that Freya Familia is
hoarding… which means we can play in the Casino all we want!”
With his arm around my neck, I smile at Mord, who hasn’t changed tack even in this situation.
A little bit behind him, Guile and Scott are shaking their heads and saying “Good grief…” I
wonder what they’re talking about.
”...... you look like you're all set."
Mord lets go and looks me up and down.
My armor is the 6th generation of Pyonkichi made by Welf, with a brand-new battle uniform in
a sweatless condition.
My weapons are the Hestia Knife and Hakugen, which I’m already experienced with. Around
my neck is the Goliath Scarf.
My leg holster holds three Dual Potions and one of the special Elixirs made by Naaza.
Before heading off to the battlefield, I take another look at my armor, even though it’s already
too late to change things, and nod.
"Let's win, Rabbit Foot."
"...... yes︕"
I smile back in response to Mord’s adventurer-like smile, which doesn’t look like that of a
scoundrel’s for once.
“Gods and familia members, gather up! I’m about to give the final briefing.”
As all of us who belong to different familias rally together, Hestia-sama’s voice echoes from
the back of the encampment. Naaza, Ouka, Luvis, and Mord nod to each and head towards
the voice.
It’s 2 hours before the War Game starts.
We’re in the last intermission just before we enter the battlefield, waiting for Ganesha Familia
to give us our orders.
In front of the encampement’s central tent, the gods and the familia captains are sitting in the
front row. Hestia-sama is the center of attention while Welf, Aisha, and many adventurers,
blacksmiths, and Berbera form a semicircle around us.
“First, gods, take the flowers I have laid out here. Be sure to put them on your chest. Don’t
hide them. This is Ganesha Familia’s order.”
The gods all do as Hestia-sama says and take the flowers on the table one-by-one.
Takemikazuchi-sama takes a purple chrysanthemum.
Miach-sama takes the leaves and blossom of a coleus flower.
Hephaistos-sama takes a light red rainbow iris.
“I’m done for.” Modi said in a whining voice and with a feigned smile on his face. The gods
and goddesses holding a grudge against the goddess of beauty – they all pinned flowers to
their chests, each with different expressions on their faces.
“The rules were already decided in the Denatus, so I’m sure the gods already know it but… if
this flower is either taken by one of the hostile familia members, or if it is lost, that god will be
eliminated so be careful!”
“If the gods are discovered, they are not immediately eliminated from the game but can
continue participating as long as their flower isn’t taken… is that right?”
“Oh Mord-kun! Regarding the gods, the children are only allowed to target the flowers.
However, if the patron deity’s flower is taken, their Familia is eliminated from the game, so
the gods should run or resist until the very last minute!”
While answering Mord’s question, Hestia wore a red Freesia on her chest.
The whole premise was that the inhabitants of the lower world were forbidden from harming
or killing the gods.
I was told that “taking of the flowers” was a rule provided for that very purpose.
It was forbidden to attack gods directly and if they were caught in a magical bombardment or
if they were accidentally sent back to heaven, the wronging Familia would be disqualified
immediately.
Which means, pulling off a drastic move like bombing the entire ruins at the start of the battle
just to uncover the gods’ locations would be too risky.
Freya Familia must aim for the Alliance’s flowers.
And we…. will have the ultimate goal of capturing the flowers that that person has.
“I didn’t really clarify this at the Denatus, what counts as resistance? Can I directly
counterattack?”
“Releasing our divine authority is a no go, Freya’s power, Charm, is also banned of course
but…..”
”But in the case of a war god like Take?”
At Takemikazuchi’s question, Hephaistos made a doubtful face, and Hestia also had a large
bead of sweat on the back of her head.
The things that gods preside over… for Takemikazuchi-sama, martial arts could indeed count
as a kind of resistance. I’m not too sure about how much can be banned… Well, it seems to
be more like a fine line anyway.
“By the way… how well do you think you’ll do against Freya’s kids?”
“I can send up to 20 second-class adventurers or 1 first-class adventurer flying.”
““Go to the front and fight, you freak.””
Takemikazuchi-sama answers Hestia-sama’s question without a single change in his
expression, and Modi-sama and the others spit out that reply as if they’re looking at
something creepy they don’t understand.
Everyone else has a bemused expression on their face, while Ouka and Mikoto proudly puff
out their chests.
“Well, I’ll ask that you resist only to the extent that you won’t be accused of foul play… but
the most important thing is the battle formation - or, in other words, where the gods will hide.”
Hestia-sama, having regained her composure, looks behind her.
Behind her is the “Supreme Commander”, who’s currently standing on a wooden box and
looking down on a piece of parchment spread out across a large desk.
The Faction Alliance’s leader is Hestia Familia.
Then, of course, the one in charge of command must be a member from Hestia familia.
At first, I was expected to take command as I am the captain and only recently reached Lv. 5
instead. So there were considerable protests against her taking command. But now, at last,
there is no one to object.
Like the "hero of her brethren," she continues to stare at the map of the ruins spread out, with
a profile as serene as the surface of a calm lake.
Even before I had arrived at this encampment, Lili had been keeping a bird's eye view of
the battlefield and planning her strategy.
”...I'll leave the formation up to the gods.”
Did she finally came up with a strategy or did she just succumb to the fact that she’s running
out of time?
Lili looks up as if to cut off her hesitation and meets the numerous eyes staring at her.
”If Lili does comes up with the formation of her own, he will be able to see through my
tactic right away. He will surely discover where the gods are hiding. Therefore, we want to
separate the hiding places of the god’s from Lili's intentions."
"......Oh, I get it, Supporter-kun."
Right now, no one thinks that she intended to just immediately abandon her responsibilities.
No, Lili calmly assessed the ability of both sides, and she was even trying to take advantage
of the omniscient gods.
With a “mhm-m” Hestia nodded and agreed to the Pallum girl who was standing right next to
her.
One of the male gods whistled merrily.
”Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to go ahead and say this: The enemy’s commander is
smart. Much more so than Lili. If we have ten tricks up our sleeve, they will try to destroy nine
of them and use the remaining one to trap us.”
Lili's words, as she looked around at the Adventurers, are no exaggeration at all.
The enemy's commander will be Hildrsleif, it’s a 90% chance.
The white elf and Master who had trained me, Hedin Selland.
I know how intelligent he is, how rational he is, and how cruel he is.
”And it goes without saying for the Einherjar. Even with such a full lineup, if we were to go
head-to-head, we would lose. That is the enemy of Lili’s team, that’s the Freya Familia.”
"Liliruca......"
“To be honest, if it weren’t for these circumstances, Lili would’ve already run away.”
Daphne mutters worriedly to Lili, who’s admitted her own thoughts, feelings, and weaknesses
about the War Game.
Lili’s face, covered by a fragile mask, looks down for a moment.
“But—Lili wants to win.”
But…
She looks up, and her eyes are filled with a determination so strong that it takes my breath
away.
“I want to defeat Freya-sama for doing something unforgivable and… above all else, I don’t
want to be separated from Bell-sama! We will not hand over the person that’s so special to
Lili, our familia, and our friends!!”
Mikoto and Haruhime look at Lili in wonder as they hear the sound of her voice, Welf’s mouth
curls into a smile.
Daphne and Cassandra are surprised, but Aisha and Mord break into brazen smiles as Ouka
and Chigusa nod, while Naaza, Luvis, and Dormul narrow their eyes.
And,

“Lend us your strength, adventurers! Lili will bring you to victory!”

She said.
Those words.
There’s no turning back now. This is a vow that can only be fulfilled by winning.
In the next moment, the adventurers roar in jubilation.
“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!”
They raised their respective weapons above their heads and shouted heroically.
They raise their respective weapons above their heads and shout heroically.
Her words hit the point. A loud sound erupted. The skies shook. Goddess Hestia, who is
standing next to Lily, is so taken aback that she almost falls over.
"All right! Let’s do it!"
”If even that Pallum brat is able to say this…”
“It would ruin the name of amazoness if we couldn’t!”
The fragile morale of the Adventurers, who had been fighting against tension, anxiety, and
fear, is overshadowed by a ferocious fighting spirit.
"Yes, Lili-chan is a good woman. I'm sorry~ for laughing at your undersized figure.”
“At the next Denatus, let’s give her the alias My Little Lover or Our Beloved Angel.”
“I’ll show Lili that I have my good points as well~.”
Not only the familias, but the deities as well, who are known for their moodiness, are
suddenly very motivated.
The heat that engulfed the encampment was enough to overwhelm anyone. …But it lasted
for only a little while.
I found myself with a dazed look on my face, my cheeks were rosy and a broad smile hung
on my lips.
"She really took all the spotlight from you as a captain… that supreme commander, huh."
“Ahaha…… But I think it is better this way.”
Naaza smiled mischievously and gently whispered in my ear, and I smiled in return.
It would have been a waste of time to give a pep talk that did not suit my style. I guess I did
not really live up to my image as a captain. But, right now, I am happy. Words cannot express
how happy I am.
The first "partner" I formed a party with, the supporter girl who hated adventurers so much,
was now able to sway so many people and get cheers.
She really looks like Braver.
That's what I thought.
Even though she would say she still doesn’t have the same status as Finn, I felt very proud.
”Ah, Bell-sama"
As the feverish Adventurers left the front of the tent one after another and rushed off to make
final preparations, I walked up to Lili and my goddess. Lili, who had just finished her first job
of delivering an ”explosive blast" and was about to exhale, looked at me and smiled shyly.
”Lili, you were amazing. It was truly… like I was watching Finn-san”
”It was all Finn-sama's idea. 'Make use of your cute appearance, it’s something I would use
if I had the looks as well. And then, after some time of talking in a gentle and charming
manner, fire them up at once with rough words’..... he was sure, that's what would get the
adventurers fired up…”
Lili, who is still embarrassed about revealing the truth, then comments on Finn’s methods:
"He is so cunning that the word 'brave' really doesn't fit him….”
I laughed. Lili looked so mature right now.
(...... I feel like I can talk to Lili now…)
I've been thinking about it for a long time.
It wasn’t really a sense of discomfort, more just a wild story, but the "what if" I kept being on
my mind.
”Hey, Lili......, can I talk to you for a second?”

Together with the sound of wind, the white clouds cross the blue sky in the eastern direction.
It is after the other Adventurers and deities have completely left from the center of the
encampment.
Only our familia, Aisha, and others who had once been on the expedition with us remain.
Once Lili hears my theory she frowns.
”Since it’s coming from Bell-sama, I don’t mean to be skeptical but… After all, I guess that’s
highly unlikely.”
”Yeah, that's fine. I agree with Lili too.”
But I hope you keep that in the back of your mind for a bit.
When I asked her to do so, she smiled and nodded saying, "Alright”.
Perhaps I should not have bothered the commander, who was responsible for the entire
battle by saying something strange. In fact, I had not thought to voice my suspicions until just
now.
But I decided to trust Lili, who was much more mature than I was.
”U-uhm…do you… do you have a minute for me as well…?”
Then, Cassandran, who was hugging her rod, opened her mouth nervously.
”What, Cassandra? You're not going to tell us about your 'dreams' again??"
"Ugh......Daphne-chan, you believed me in the Lower Floors, but after all...... you still won't
accept my prophetic dreams...”
Daphne's eyes are sharp, and Cassandra's body is shaking as she holds back tears.
As the gazes of everyone are resting on her, she starts to become nervous so
I try to give her a helping hand.
”Umm, so you did dream again?”
”Y-yes…”
”What kind of dream was it?”
”I don’t know how to say it… There was no way out in the first place, and it seemed
inevitable… Such and such a thing happened in the twilight-colored land… The elf and the
pallum… The boar and the chariot….”
A-a feeling of turning the tides...
Cassandra is looking pale and trying desperately to keep her words straight. Her gaze is
wandering from side to side and I am sweating while looking at her like this. Finally, she
announces as if she had made up her mind:
”But the wind blows.”
The words she said with a straight face aren’t making me skeptical—it would be more
accurate to say they surprise me.
“The… wind?”
“The wind blows, so what?”
“‘I-I don’t know… but the wind blows.”
Haruhime bends her head slightly to one side, Aisha has a look on her face as if she was
looking at something dubious, but Cassandra keeps repeating the same thing.
While Daphne and the others are sighing to no end, I look up to her.
“The Wind, huh….?”
Under the shining sun, a single soft breeze draws the clouds along.

“I hereby release the bridge! Faction Alliance please move to the designated area!”
1 hour before the battle
With the order from Ganesha Familia’s captain, Shakti the Guild staff and members withdraw
from Ruins of Orza over the bridge.
Seeing that, the adventurers of the Faction Alliance who were impatiently waiting in front of
the camp, rushed out all at once.
Dwarves with warhammers on their backs, elven mages with staffs, blacksmiths with magic
swords, the Berbera who had responded to their sister’s call, they all headed to the spot
instructed by their commander.
“Anyway, it was surprising, Bors. I didn't expect you to join us in this fight.”
“Shut up, Cyclops! I do what I have to do! … No, that’s a lie. Actually, I really didn't want to
come even if I was dead....!”
Tsubaki, who carried a Magic Sword, threw her voice at Bors, who carried a big axe. He
thought he was talking back with authority, but instead he looked as if he was turning pale
and his nose become snotty at any moment.
“I planned to hole myself in Rivira! But my stupid goddess wants to make Freya speechless
so she forced me to participate!”
“Haah, really, is that all?”
“...No, if it wasn’t for Rabbit Foot and Gale, I would be gone long ago. Pay back what you
owe before it becomes a hassle. That’s the Rivira way.”
While the great stone bridge trembled from the footsteps of the many adventurers, the head
of Rivira, who was caught in the calamity with Rabbit Foot and Gale, spoke out as if to make
an excuse.
“Hahahaha! I see, I see, if that is so, then you need to prove your manliness.”
“Of course! In this case, I just need to win, and get both money and fame! And then, I’m
gonna boast over the cowards who didn’t come and fight!”
At the end, Bors screamed desperately and Tsubaki laughed loudly. After they crossed the
bridge, they separated into different directions. Other adventurers followed their lead and
scattered.
There were no parting words. Because they knew that no matter what beautiful white lies
they would throw around, it would be mere consolation in the face of the enemy that was
awaiting them.
“Deep in the forest, inside the center of the city ruins or in it’s cellar… There are too many
places to hide that you should be more worried about not being found. Not being found in
hide-and-seek is so empty that the setting sun stings my eyes.” (TL note: feels like some
weird idiom, she just means something like ‘not being found in a hide and seek would go
against it’s very nature/would make it meaningless’ or sumin)
The gods also crossed the bridge, searching for a hiding place within the designated eastern
area.
“Stop talking stupid things and find a place to hide quickly, Hestia. It’s not funny if the Patron
Deity gets caught first and becomes a hindrance to the children.”
“I- I know! When I was still in Heaven, I was a master of hide-and-seek. I was soo good that I
was treated as a rare character!”
“That’s news to me…”
“Isn’t it more that no one could find you because you shut yourself in your temple?”
As Hestia puffed her chest at Hephaistos’ warning, Takemikazuchi sent a suspicious glance
and Miach gave a deduction that was really close to the truth. The gods of the Faction
Alliance, moving with a small escort, took each other's movements into consideration and
established their hiding places.
“The adventurers and the gods have crossed the bridge.”
“All right, block the bridge. Ilta and the others will stay and keep watch around the shoreline
as planned.
After the gods have passed, Ganesha Familia blocks the bridge.
The Ruins of Orza — A huge island located in the southern part of the caldera lake. The
ruins could only be accessed via this bridge over the southern end of the lake, and even if
one attempted to swim across the lake, the military police, who were evenly spaced along the
four shores, wouldn’t allow it. In other words, even if an intervenor, a monster, or a third party
appeared, it would be impossible to penetrate the ruins without breaking through the Lv.4
second-class and Lv.5 first-class-adventurers that Ganesha Familia boasts.
Shakti's impregnable siege network involved many familias.
The Great War won’t end until the last flower is taken from the last god.

“Freya-sama”
In the western part of the city ruins, Freya Familia.
Ottar, clad in his equipment, approached Freya, who was sitting on a stone throne.
“What is it, Ottar?”
“The flower has finally arrived from the Guild. Please decorate your chest.”
It is a collection of small petals.
The key to victory or defeat in the Wargame.
The flower was a purple lilac flower.
“...How ironic.”
Looking at the beautiful purple flowers, Freya smiled, almost to the point of self-mockery.
“...? Do you have something in your mind?”
“No it’s nothing.”
Freya took the flower and placed it on her chest.
he wasn’t wearing her usual dress that was reminiscent of black flames.
She wore a white dress that was elegant, chaste, and reminiscent of a bride.
The goddess dressed in white, said to her boaz attendant as if telling him to cut off all
lingering attachment :
“Give me victory, Ottar.”
“Yes, madam.”
“This is the only way to get Bell.”
“...Yes.”
The warrior simply nodded. No matter how many times.
Only to fulfill the will of his Lord.
“...”
Coral colored red eyes were gazing in her direction.
With his long golden hair swaying in the wind, Hedin kept his expression fixed, staring only at
the goddess.
“What are you doing standing there idly, vermin?”
"...... Shut up, stupid cat. I was merely determining my loyalty."
Hedin turned around without a glance at Allen, who was wearing a silver shoulder brace and
a cloak over his left shoulder.
GAP AHEAD!
There are still 20 in between, so read further at your own risk. Short explanation for what
happens in between:

The next 20 pages are mainly just Lili communication via the Occulus with the various
squads, desperately trying to find enemies from Freya Familia. Lili’s tactics in various
scenarios are explained only for the Alliance to find the entire Freya Familia at the most
western part of the island. Which means all of Lili’s strategies where for naught ‘cause Hedin
just decided: “Fuck that shit, I ain’t playing your dumb hide and seek game. Let’s just fight to
death head on!”
The pages that follow start right after Lili's announcement to all the squads that they have no
choice but to take them head on. They are standing face to face over a few kilometers away.

“It's like a dream. I can't believe I'm going head-to-head against Freya Familia…"
“I know… but it’s more like a nightmare.”
In the main camp, Lili was directing the movements of a crowd of adventurers as they linked
up shoulder to shoulder.
Hearing the mutterings of Guile from the Ogma Familia–whose face had become
ashen–Naaza's lips curved slightly.
“I joined because I thought if we weren’t facing monsters I’d be able to fight, but… this is
scary. Way too scary."
Her silver glove-covered arm trembled with a rattle.
They were facing the most formidable enemy imaginable. A Floor Boss would have struck
less fear in their hearts than their current opponent. Even Naaza–who usually kept calm and
collected–wasn’t immune, and her fear was shown openly on her face.
“...But I can’t run away. I don't want to hurt Bell anymore, I want to help him."
She wouldn’t feel regret over her decision.
Naaza had chosen to fight for Bell together with Lili and all the other adventurers.
Shocked out of his despair by her smile, Guile laughed back with new resolve “...It’s the
same for us."
Then without exchanging words of farewell, they headed to their respective positions.
Guile–hefting his axe–went to the commando unit​, while Naaza joined the left flank with her
bow and arrows.
The center flank would be headed by a defensive vanguard filled with tank-like adventurers
who would soak up most of the damage and leave the outer flanks, consisting mainly of
quick-footed races like Beast Humans and Elves, to focus on skirmishing with the enemy.
Magni Familia, filled only with Dwarves, would be in the center.
Lili stood on top of the huge tomb while giving a series of orders into the Occulus held in her
hand. She was the only one left there.
Adventurers were not grouped according to their Status. It would be easier for members of
the same familia to work together in a group, so with the exception of Naaza and others who
had experience working outside of their familias, troops were assigned by faction.
Grouped in the center flank were Tsubaki, Welf, Magni Familia and many other high
blacksmiths from Hephaistos Familia.
On the right flank were Daphne, Cassandra, Ouka, Chigusa, and all the outlaws of Rivira led
by Bors.
Holding the left flank were Aisha and the Amazonesses formerly of Ishtar Familia. Since the
left flank had received fewer Magic Swords than the other two, Mikoto had been deployed
there to offset the imbalance. They were putting trust in the power and scale of her Gravity
Magic.
Immediately behind the three main units was the rearguard made up of the Alliance’s mages
and a reserve unit where Haruhime was hidden.
Finally, the Commando Unit had slid into the ambush position and readied their shields.
“S-should we change our position as well?”
“No, it is useless for us Gods to do so now. All that remains is for us to hold our breaths and
watch."
Inside a certain ruin, Hestia was peering restlessly at the Occulus that connected to Lili. To
her side, Hephaistos leaned against a wall with her arms folded and her eyes closed.
All the familia members that were not escorts or guards had disappeared from the eastern
region of the island, where the gods of the Faction Alliance hid.
The battlefield lay to the west of the island’s central boundary line, which was drawn north to
south.
The Faction Alliance, which is headquartered in a huge tomb in the center of the western
region, and Freya Familia, which is deployed to defend the House of Gods on the western
edge of the eastern region, are glowering at each other.
“...I've never seen a Wargame this quiet.”
In a distant city, a Magic Stone loudspeaker broadcast the quiet murmur from the normally
boisterous Ibri.
Just as he said, it was quiet.
The only sounds echoing across the island were from the movements of the Faction Alliance
reorganizing its forces.
Other than that, no clashing of swords or shouts were heard.
Both the gods on the island and the residents back in Orario had no choice but to continue to
watch with bated breath.
But eventually….
The time came and that silence was broken.
“We’re starting… Begin the advance…”
Lili gave the order via the crystal in her hand to the entire Faction Alliance, which was primed
to go.
What spread before both sides was a great battlefield where crumbling ruins had become a
sea of stones.
Where once there would have been cluttered buildings, there was now a historic clearing
devoid of any cover.
The three large units that made up the flanks began to march towards Freya Familia, which
they saw shadowed against the horizon. The air was filled with tension so thick they could
scarcely breathe.
“Hold positions.”
In contrast, Freya Familia remained motionless, unwavering.
Following Hedin's cool-headed, curt command, they maintained their positions without
making the slightest move.
Some held their spears rooted to the ground as if they were gatekeepers, while others glared
across the battlefield with their swords still sheathed.
“Don't falter. Keep pushing forward…”
Lili ordered the flanking unit again, which had almost stopped walking upon seeing the
numerous eyes glaring at them.
They were advancing to the border of their effective range.
The ideal distance for bombarding with Magic Swords, from which they could burn down
entire enemy lines.
Each step gave the illusion that their lives were fading further away, but they continued to
march driven only by their wills of steel.
“Advance…”
The Faction Alliance moved forward.
“Hold.”
The Einherjar did not move.
“Advance…!!”
Beads of sweat were streaming from the Pallum girl.
“Hold.”
The Elf tactician’s expression was unflinching.
“Advance…!!!!”
Sweat dripped from the girl's chin.
“Hold.”
The keen eyes of the military strategist never misjudged the range between the opponents.
“Advance…!!”
Then the next instant.

“Kill them.”

“RRROOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

With a roar, the opening attack of the war was launched.

“Here they come?!”
Bors screamed as the Einherjar, who had been totally motionless only seconds before,
suddenly surged forward like a raging wave threatening to overwhelm them.
“Ready the Magic Swords!”
At the sound of Tsubaki's yell from the center unit, the intimidated adventurers all raised their
Magic Swords at the same time.
“Not yet! Don't fire yet!”
From within the left flank, Aisha started searching for the right moment to start the
bombardement.
“The enemy isn't preparing Magic! They aren’t in range yet, so relax!”
On the right flank, Daphne called out the results of her analysis.
Ever since the Gods descended to Earth, Magic replaced arrows as the norm, flying through
the air as soon as battles began. But right now, that wasn’t the case.. In other words–the
enemy wasn’t wary of Crozzo’s Magic Swords; instead, they simply didn’t care.
That was how Daphne and the others saw it.
“Ugh…!”
But the approaching threat was the real deal.
Weapons filled with bloodlust, battle cries like a horde of beasts, and above all, brutal speed,
catapulted forward by their Status.
The wild and disjointed charge, lacking any sense of coordination, was truly like a rogue
wave.
The members of Freya Familia, who were obsessed with honing their individual strength in
Folkvangr every day, did not care about their comrades. They simply sought to pierce their
opponents with their own blades, striking out on their own as independent vanguards as soon
as the chance to attack the alliance came.
Ouka and Chigusa were involuntarily overwhelmed by the assault and began clutching their
Magic Swords.
"N-not yet! Not yet?! Don’t be hasty!”
Bors’ blood ran cold at the scene in front of him. And even though his voice was trembling,
he desperately tried to control himself.
They were approaching. Surging forward. Almost flooding.
The strongest warriors, who, once they had overcome the distance, would overrun them in
the blink of an eye. In the face of this, the adventurers of the Faction Alliance felt so much
pressure that their tongues had dried up. And yet they were enduring it, even though it
almost felt like an eternity now.
”Not yet, not yet──────now!”
And then.
Bors shouted this command with so much vigor, that the veins on his forehead knotted and
saliva shattered through the air.
”Shooooooooooooot!"
It overlapped with Tsubaki’s command to open fire.
And immediately after.
”Kadukiiiiiiiii!!!”
Countless Magic Swords spout flames.
Infernos, blizzards, raging gales and thunderstorms burst violently on to the advancing army.
”────ghh!?”
The flashes fired off from seven different Magic Sword types intertwined into a seven colored
torrent of enormous magic power that drowned out the screams of Freya Familia. They
suffered a direct hit.
A deafening roar followed by a shockwave cracked the stone pavement, shaking the entire
ruins.
Bombing after bombing, the large contingent of adventurers unleashed a simultaneous
barrage of fire that quickly produced a flood of destruction.
“Gyuuuuh?!”
”Gheee!?"
”Gaaaaah!?!"
The relentless fires mowed down the Beast Humans, who were leading the charge, then the
Humans, followed by the Half Elves. Every single one of them got devoured in a blaze of fire.
Against overwhelming rapid-fire artillery that was far from being reasonable, even Freya
Familia could not come out unscathed. The renowned second-class adventurers fell prey to
the Magic Swords and were swallowed up in a vortex of flashing lights.
Crozzo’s Magic Swords were far more powerful than a high class mage’s long chants. And
adding on to this, they also had Hephaistos Familia’s Magic Swords - together, the firepower
was bloated to the degree of overkill. The sheer intensity could conquer the dungeon’s Deep
Floors.
Even the wielders of Crozzo’s Magic Swords were trembling at the sight of widespread
destruction.
However, the astonishment was immediately replaced by ‘fear’.
”---Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhh!!”
They did not fall.
Whether their skin was covered with burns or they lost their weapons. Whether they had their
arm cut apart or legs blown off.
The Beauty Goddess’ familia members did not stop.
“Eeeeek?!”
Forgetting that she was a healer herself, Cassandra clutched her staff and screamed in
terror.
The human figures, burnt to a crisp, were still charging at them.
Dwarves were inhibited by icicles all over their bodies. Amazoness warriors held on to their
limbs cut off by a wind blade. No matter how much they were blown away, they stood back
up, trampled even their own allies, and pushed toward the Faction Alliance.
”’Einherjar!’”
Daphne could not hold back her scream.
The Einherjar, who continued advancing amidst hellscape, were truly battle-crazed
berserkers.
Freya Familia did not fear death. They battled day and night in Folkvangr, facing death
repeatedly only to be brought back to life. There was fear and pain, but the tough followers of
the goddess overcame them with pure loyalty and raw fighting instinct.
That was why they never stopped.
They forged ahead under the fire of Magic Swords.
That was why they were called the Einherjar, the ever-resurrecting warriors.
The faces of the Adventurers paled, and their bodies cowered in fear at the sight that only
Freya Familia could pull off – one of the many reasons why they were known as the
strongest familia.
“Don't be intimidated! Crush them! Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shooooooot!!”
Even though his screaming was born from fear, Bors's hoarse voice moved them.
It was an order so rough and simple that the Adventurers were able to follow it like a
conditioned reflex.
Shot after shot after shot was unleashed.
Their Magic Swords desperately rose and fell as they unleashed barrage after barrage of fire,
hoping even the warriors who weren’t afraid of death would falter.
Once the swords of the Adventurers on the front line crack and shatter, Adventurers waiting
in the back will step forward and continue the barrage with fresh swords.
Even without divine mirrors, the residents of Orario could hear the bombardment and feel the
resulting tremors like a volcanic eruption. The sounds reverberated all the way across the
mountain range that separated Orario from the battlefield and caused many of the people in
the city to shudder.
“Uwaa… ugh”
“Seriously, this is just plain war.”
“But this is the only way Hestia and her team can win.”
“No wonder that fool Ares is obsessed with Crozzo blacksmiths…”
High above the trembling populace in Babel, the gods couldn’t contain the thoughts racing
through their minds.
The constant sound of artillery fire made the whole area around the Beor Mountains tremble.
The sides of the mountains shook, and even monsters living in the area were frightened
away from the huge caldera.
And they still hadn’t even used up half of the total number of Crozzo Magic swords.
As the multi-colored light particles consisting of fire sparks, specks of ice, and bolts of
electricity slowly vanished, countless Einherjar lay face down on the shattered stone remains
of the battlefield.
“Ha… Gwahahahahahaha!!! Yesssss!!! Serves you right, you Freya bastards!!!”
After a few dozen seconds, the moment he was sure that the enemy wasn’t getting up, Bors
became excited and fell into loud shrill laughter.
“Pfft, Einherjar my ass! We have Crozzo Magic Swords!”
His laughter spread among the other Adventurers, who had been breathing intensely up until
then, and they gradually began to let out cheers as well.
Einherjar may not fear death, but they are not immortal. They aren’t transcendent beings like
the deusdea.
They would reach their limit at some point. This time, it was all due to the sheer firepower of
the Crozzo Magic Swords exceeding the fortitude of the brave warriors.
“—Oooooooooohhh!!!” With that shout, The Faction Alliance went wild with excitement.
Even though the enemy's first-class-adventurers weren’t among the fallen, the majority of
their forces had been eliminated. They had achieved a complete victory before the actual
battle could even start. The members of each faction were making an uproar as they held up
the hilts of their already shattered blades.
Only some of them had frowns on their faces.
This was true for Daphne, Aisha, and others who had mixed emotions about bulldozing their
way through with brute force, which could hardly be considered an actual tactic. And yet, it
was the only way they had even the slightest chance to win.
"The ‘Myth of the Undefeated Kingdom’… my ass!”
Even among those frowning, Welf's brow was especially furrowed with bitterness at having
been the one who had mass-produced the Magic Swords.
Welf's homeland, the Kingdom of Rakia, was constantly at war with neighboring states and in
the past, they had reduced entire nations to scorched earth using countless Crozzo Magic
Swords.
Those swords that brought such destruction were hated by the Elves and cursed by the
Spirits.
The scene that unfolded before his eyes was no different than the deeds of the kingdom that
boasted the myth of being “undefeated”. At least that’s how Welf saw it.
“In the end, I’m just the same as that country…!”

p 150
A fierce sense of self-loathing struck Welf as he witnessed the results of following the same
path that the kingdom he had spitefully abandoned had taken.
However.
Welf’s disgust and self-loathing were misplaced.
Welf’s interpretation of events was flawed.
Welf's perception was too naive.
”Ha ha ha ha ha ────...... ha?”
Bors’s high-pitched laugh, which had been echoing through the air, suddenly stopped.
Scanning the battlefield, his single right eye saw the members of Freya Familia laying on the
ground atop the shattered cobblestones.
As well as several motes of golden light, shimmering like the dawn.
”My name is gold. The arm of the Goddess who took an oath of immortality. “
The next thing that reached the adventurers’ ears was a clear, translucent singing voice.
”Burned thrice, pierced forever. The flaming spear prison, the light that kills death.”
The source of that sound came from the enemy’s encampment.
In the distance, amidst the gradually dispersing dust clouds, ‘they’ appeared right in the
Faction Alliance’s line of sight.
”The Andhrímnirs?!”
Lili was the first to notice their presence.
Her chestnut-colored eyes caught a glimpse of a group of people dressed in standard white
robes that resembled priestesses’ clothes.
The heavy bombardment of the Magic Swords had created a curtain of dust that blocked the
battlefield, and when the commander finally understood what was going on, she let out a
shriek.
”Curse, Curse, Curse. My body is gold. Here comes the endless struggle under the reviving
light.

151
She had long, light-red hair tied into two ponytails, and her battle clothes consisted of a white
apron and a red nursing gown that had almost no armor over it. Heith Velvet, the only girl
whose attire was different from that of the other healers, wove her magic spell in a clear,
sonorous voice as she held up her gold-embellished staff.
At the center of the battlefield, a massive, golden magic circle unfurled.
Time seemed to slow to a stop for the adventurers who watched the scene, and still unable
to comprehend what was happening in front of them the name of that magic was announced.
“Zeo Gullveig.”
Super wide-range recovery magic.
The girl, who was basically healing all the casualties from Folkvangr’s daily ‘baptisms’ all by
herself, activated her spell, and the fallen Einherjar were ‘resurrected’.
”Wha—?”
Bathed in the golden, magical light emitting from the ground, the charred bodies of Humans
and the frostbitten bodies of Beast Humans turn back to normal.
Dwarves and Amazonesses pressed their severed arms and legs to their bloody stumps -
steam filled with concentrated magical power was rising into the air from those injuries as
they regained their limbs.
Just like the undead, they moved slowly, swaying from side to side.
Bors and his men were stunned, at a loss for words as the fallen warriors arose, one after
another.
“Freya has given her permission. From now on, this is another Folkvangr.”
After creating this scene, Heith uttered those words that were carried away by the wind. She
entirely disregarded the Faction Alliance’s forces who had come to a complete stop.
“Welcome, you brave barbarians.”
And yet contrary to her words, her ruthless eyes and expression seemed as if she was
looking at insects, rather than a group of warriors.

152
She didn’t look like a healer at all–rather, her eyes had the gaze of a ‘merciless opponent’
that even the boy had never seen from her before.
The beautiful girl with the appearance of a goddess delivered the death sentence to the
adventurers before her.
“Blessed be your suffering.”
The eyes of the resurrected Einherjar lit up with a fierce determination.
“T-The Magic Swords?!”
Lili shouted.
“Too slow.”
The elf declared.
“Go, Einherjars.”
Heith conveyed the divine order on the goddess’s behalf.

“OOOOOOOAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!”

A second rush.
This time, the death-defying soldiers reached the Faction Alliance with their frenzied charge.
“A-are you kidding meeeeeeee?!” Bors’s screams were swallowed up by a terrifying war cry.
The first assault had halved the distance between the two sides, and this time, the Einherjar
closed the gap in a single charge, violently unleashing their swords, spears, axes, and
hammers as one.
Both sides clashed at the Faction Alliance’s defensive vanguard, which had arranged
themselves into a shield wall.
“Guooooooooooooooooh?!”
The moment Dormul came into contact with the enemy, he let out a scream.

153
The greatshield was crushed and Dormul, heavy armor and all, was thrown backwards.
“I can’t stop them!”
The struggle only lasted an instant.
Dormul and the rest of Magni Familia were blown away as the defense was torn to shreds.
"Eeek?! Uwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!?"
Once the vanguard’s defense was breached, the inevitable screams of the other adventurers
behind them could be heard within the formation.
The Einherjar’s attack shattered armor, and even weapons were ripped apart in the wake of
their assault. In the blink of an eye, fresh blood splatters were dancing in the air as if
performing a weirdly alluring dance. From there, a familiar scene took place–lower-ranked
adventurers were mowed down by the cruel numbers bequeathed by the Status.
Humans were cut down. Beast Humans were impaled. Elves fell prey to throwing knives.
Amazonesses were mowed down in an instant. Dormul and the other Dwarves were thrown
to the ground, blood spilling as they were crushed by the relentless march of iron boots
trampling over them.
Chaos and panic filled the Faction Alliance, and the frontline unit fell apart in an instant.
“Damn bastards!”
Within this one-sided melee, Aisha’s angry voice echoed as she swung her Podao
greatsword.
The right and left wings and the center had been partially destroyed by that single clash. The
front line, including the vanguard’s shield wall, had been completely devoured, and the
mages in the rear and their reserves where Haruhime was hidden were now vulnerable to the
enemy’s fangs.
Disregarding their allies in the mix, some adventurers unleashed Crozzo's Magic Swords to
no avail. Even if a part of Freya Familia’s advance was blown away, they didn’t stop. Leaving
their fallen comrades behind, they continued to attack, mowing down the adventurers holding
magic swords. It was a nightmare–even if there were only three Einherjar attacking, numbers
didn’t matter. They would turn the tides in their favor no matter the odds.

154
The law of quality over quantity emerged in the era of the gods.
A high-level adventurer would dominate the battlefield against one hundred soldiers.
The Faction Alliance’s adventurers were at a disadvantage against an opponent with both
superior skills and tactics.
“Every one of those soldiers, down to the last one… they’re overwhelmingly strong!”
Mikoto, who could only concentrate on evasion, shouted as she fought off blades coming at
her from every direction.
Fighting head-on as “samurai” or “master swordsmen” was no longer possible; all that could
be done now was the prolonging of survival by “shinobi” techniques. Smoke bombs, hand
grenades, Shakuya - kunai with crimson tips of Blood Onyx made by Welf - and the other
weapons and tools prepared in advance were used up at an alarming rate.
Finally, she was able to cut down one of them with a counter, but her opponent’s response
told her that he was merely an Lv. 1 adventurer. She stood still, shocked, but there was no
time for hesitation. Almost immediately, an attack nearly ripped her open at the neck and she
was forced to continue fighting in a hurry.
The Strongest Faction.
The words, which Mikoto and her team were well aware of but only now came to understand,
sent shivers down their spines.
“Haruhime-sama, Level Boost, now! Give it to Aisha-sama, Mikoto-sama, Daphne-sama,
Bors-sama, and Welf-sama!”
”Y-yes!”
Lili hadn’t been fiddling around while the Faction Alliance was being devoured by the enemy.
The number of tails at Haruhime’s disposal used to be five, but with her Level Up, the upper
limit of Kokonoe increased that number to six. During the expedition to the Lower Floors,
Haruhime suffered a Mind Down after using five tails, but with the increased amount of Mind
from Leveling Up it was no longer a concern either. In order to maintain the front line, they
would have to use dirty tricks as freely as possible.

155
“–Mages, start the bombardment! Everyone from Serket Familia to Ratri Familia, gather
firepower at the center!”
Furthermore, Command Call: The effect of the new Skill that was acquired upon Leveling Up
was an extension of one’s ability to transmit information when shouting exceeded a certain
threshold.
The louder the shout, the clearer Lili’s voice could be heard, and this Skill worked even on a
fierce battlefield. The ability could even be used to supplement instructions for those who
hadn’t been given an Oculus.
Using both the Occulus and her skill from the top of a massive tomb at the far end of the
battlefield, Lili continued to issue instructions.
However, there was no way to wipe the frenzied panic from her face.
“Fire the Magic Swords–! Or, no, that would just be a waste of firepower!”
The assault by the Einherjar had happened at the start of the War Game.
That had seemed like a reckless strategy at the time, but it had been a trap designed to use
up as many Crozzo Magic Swords as possible.
Even Hedin must’ve been wary of the Magic Swords made by Welf and Hephaestus Familia.
The Andhrímnirs had been able to take the limited attacks of the Magic Swords head-on
without any casualties–and in doing so, they were able to gain the added bonus of a powerful
counterattack.
(The Andhrímnirs, like Finn-sama said, they really are trouble!)
The opening match, which the Faction Alliance thought they had won outright, had been
overturned by them - or to be more precise, by a single girl.
The death-defying army and the city’s best - no, the second-best healer. Without those two
things, Freya Familia wouldn’t have been able to pull this tactic off. It was a tactic exclusive to
Freya Familia alone.
“But I know where they are…!”
Along with the enemy’s first-class adventurers, defeating the Andhrímnirs was the Faction
Alliance’s top priority.

156
In order to turn the tables on the situation in front of her that already made her want to look
away, Lili reached out towards the Occulus that had been silent until now, determined to
defeat Heith’s group by any means possible.
“Luvis-sama, and Mord-sama, please!"
Immediately afterwards, the ambush troops that had been lying in wait let out a warcry.
“Gotcha!”
”Let's go, boys!”
In the northwest, far away from the battlefield where allies and enemies fought amongst one
another and off to the side where the Andhrímnirs had gathered into a battle formation, Mord
and Luvis’s men threw off their robes, dispelling their invisibility.
The Reverse Veil, a magic item which had been created by Fels.
Lili had given those items to the reorganized ambush force and ordered them to go
undercover. While the main battlefield became occupied by the two armies of the Faction
Alliance and Freya Familia, this undercover unit had stealthily circled around to prepare an
ambush–all for the sake of taking out the Andhrímnirs.
”I've been waiting for you guys to show up.”
Mord and his squad, who had been moving cautiously up until this point to avoid being
noticed by the enemy, took advantage of the element of surprise and started sprinting.
To break through the Faction Alliance’s forces, most of the enemy’s troops had been
deployed to the front lines.
The Andhrímnirs were the rearguard, separated quite a ways from the front lines with no
escorts.
Mord licked his lips in anticipation as he stared down the isolated group of healers before
unsheathing the Magic Swords he was carrying.
"Eat thiiiiiiiis, assholeees!"
The flames released by the three Magic Swords carried by Mord, Guile, and Scott engulfed
the Andhrímnirs.
“We’re not done yet!!”
The ruthless ruffians fired a rapid volley from the Crozzo’s Magic Swords they were holding in
an attempt to destroy the beautiful girls in front of them.
BEWARE! What follows now is the original JP text along with a very rough first TL.

157
『鏡』が映像を中継する都市では神々の大野次(ブーイング)が上がっていることも露知らず、Mord
達は間断なき砲撃を浴びせていく。Unaware of the booing that was raised by the gods in
Orario who were following the broadcast through the divine mirror, Mord and his team poured
in a ceaseless bombardment,
「お、おいっ︕ やり過ぎではないか!?」”O-oi! Isn't that a bit much!?”
「【Freya・Familia】相手にやり過ぎもクソもねえだろう!! お前等がこの『Magic Swords』を使えね
えって言うから、俺達がやってやってんだ︕ 大人しく見てろ︕」”There is no such thing as
‘overkill/overdoing’ when it comes to having Freya Familia as your opponent! They said we
are allowed to use Magic Swords, so we’re hella usin them! Just watch and learn!
あまりの容赦のなさにElfのLuvisが声を上げるが、Mordは聞く耳を持たない。The Elf Luvis,
shouts out that they are too merciless, but Mord refuses to listen to him.
Mordは燃えていた。Mord was on fire.
義勇心などではなく、ただ一人の少年を『助けてやれる』と熱意を秘めていた。He was not
motivated by a sense of duty, but by the enthusiasm/zeal to "save" just that one boy.
今までの借りを返すとばかりに、無法者は猛る。The outlaw rages as if to pay back what he
has been owed.
「俺達がBell Cranelを助けるんだよぉ︕」”We're going to save Bell Cranel’s ass!”
『CrozzoのMagic Swords』が与える全能感にも押される形で、爆炎は量産された。He was
pushed by the omnipotence of Crozzo's Magic Swords, he produced an inferno.
炎の轟声が紅蓮の海へと変わり果て、Andhrímnir達を燃やしつくす。The roaring flames turn
into a sea of crimson, burning the Andhrímnirs.
完璧な不意打ちにより回避など間に合わなかった。この火力の前では防御も無意味だ。The
perfect surprise attack made it impossible to evade in time. Defense is useless in front of this
firepower.
ピシッと剣身に罅が走り、『Magic Swords』の使用限界が迫る頃、肩で息をするMord達は、よう
やく砲撃を止めた。With a crack in their sword blades, Mord and the others, breathing so
heavy that their shoulders moved up and down, neared the limit of their use of "Magic
Swords" and finally ceased their bombardment.
「はぁ、はぁ……いくら回復できるっつっても、自分達が集中砲火されちまえば『Magic』も使えねえ
だろう︕ そのままくたばっちまえ!!」”Haaa, haaaa… No matter how well they can recover, they
can't use Magic if they are under heavy fire. Go to hell!”
得意げな笑みを浮かべ、MordはMagic Swordsを肩に担いだ。With a proud/elated smile on his
face, Mord slung the Magic Swords over his shoulder.
炎の海の中に、立っている者は誰一人としていない。In the sea of flames, there is no one
standing.
燃焼の雄叫びが囂々と戦場に鳴った。The cries of conflagration rang out noisily over the
battlefield.
前線で戦い続けるEinherjar達は関知しない。当然のように。The Einherjar, who continued to
fight on the front lines, did not care. Naturally.
陣中にいるHedinでさえも傍観する。必要などないように。The same goes for Hedin, who is in
the camp and was just standing by and watching. There was no need.

158
やがて肉が焼ける不快な香りに、うっ、とLuvis達ともども顔をしかめるMordが「さすがにやり過ぎ
たか……︖」と太い腕で鼻もとを覆っていると──The unpleasant aroma of burning flesh soon
made Luvis and the others almost throw up. And Mord as he covered his nose with his thick
arm, said, "Did I overdo it after all ......︖”
「いるでしょうね、我々を狙う『伏兵』程度は」"I'm sure there will be at least a few "ambush
soldiers" who will try to get to us.”
炎の奥から聞こえてきた声に、動きを止めた。He stopped moving when he heard a voice
coming from behind the flames.
「ですが、それが何か︖」”But, what’s that?"
ゆっくりと、高熱の大地から体を剝がし、一人の少女が立ち上がる。Slowly, a girl peels her body
from the hot earth and stands up.
「なっ!?」What?
MordとLuvisは、目を疑った。Mord and Luvis could not believe their eyes.
少女は燃えていた。The girl was burning.
防具は全損し、衣服も焼け落ち、雪のように白かった肌が赤熱の色に染まっている。Her armor
is a total loss (completely gone), her clothes are burnt down, and her snow-white skin was
dyed in a burning red.
燃え盛る炎の海の中で、業火に苛まれ、今も全身が醜悪な火傷に埋めつくされていく。In a sea
of blazing fire, tormented by hellfire, even now, her whole body is scathed with more and
more hideous burns.
そして、その側から再生していく。Only for it to get regenerated again.
「【Earth Gullveig】──残念ですが、既に私の『Magic』は発動しています」Earth Gullveig - I'm
sorry, but my 'Magic' is already in effect.
猛火を退けるのは黄金の光。It is the golden light that repels the raging fire.
魔法円を凝縮したかのような光の文様が、少女の肌の表面に浮かび上がる。A pattern of light,
as if it was a condensed from a magic circle, appears on the surface of the girl's skin.
「モ、Mord︕ あいつ、まるで……!?」"M-Mord︕ She’s… it's like ......!"
「18th floorの時の!?」”It’s like on the 18th floor?
蒼白となるGuileやScottの脳裏に蘇るのは、Bell達とともに戦った『黒いゴライアス』。Guile and
Scott's paled as their minds were filled with memories of the "Black Goliath" that they had
fought alongside Bell and the others.
魔導士の総攻撃を被ってなお『自己再生』によって体を修復させていた階層主と、目の前の『悪
夢』はあまりにも酷似していた。The "nightmare" in front of his eyes was so similar to that of
the floor boss who had been able to repair his body through "self-regeneration" even after
suffering an all out attack by mages.
Automatic Healing.

159
一定時間、持続的に損傷を癒し続ける再生効果。Regenerative effects that continue to heal
damage for a sustained period of time.
Heithはその『Magic』をMord達が襲いかかる前、それこそ戦場に足を運ぶ直前に、自分を含めた
Andhrímnir達へ施していたのだ。Heith had applied this "magic" to the Andhrímnirs, including
herself, before Mord and the others attacked, just before they stepped onto the battlefield.
少女に続くように、一度は倒れていたHealerや薬師が一人、また一人と立ち上がる。Following
the girl, Healers and herbalists who had once fallen stand up one by one.
「ば、馬鹿な……!?」”A-are you kidding me?"
炎の海の中にあって復活する光景は不死鳥か、あるいは火葬から蘇ったリビングデッド(生ける
屍)か。It is the sight of the resurrection of a phoenix amidst a sea of flames, or more like the
living dead coming back from cremation.
焼け爛れていた皮膚が、黄金の光粒とともに瑞々しさを取り戻す。Burnt skin regains its
freshness with golden light particles.
二つに結わえていた髪留めが焼け落ち、炎が燃え移る長髪さえ、すぐに修復されていく。Even
her long hair, which had been tied in two buns, burned down and caught fire, was quickly
restored.
勢いの弱まりつつある炎では『Magic』の回復量を上回ることができず、今や火傷一つ負わせられ
ない。呻く焰にできることは、もはや衣を焼き剝いで少女を辱めることだけ。The flames, which
are weakening, cannot exceed Magic's recovery rate, and now cannot inflict even a single
burn. All the moaning flames can do now is burn her robe off and humiliate the girl.
かろうじて残る戦闘装束はその被覆面積をごっそりとなくし、肩や臍、しなやかな腰と大腿部、形
のいい乳房の下部まで露出させていた。The barely remaining battle gear has lost a lot of its
coverage area, exposing her shoulders, the navel, graceful/refined hips and thighs, and even
the lower parts of her well shaped breasts.
だが、それでも欲情することなどできない。But still, there is no such thing as sexual desire right
now.
杖を片手に、業火の中を一人進むHeithは、あまりにも神々しかった。Heith, walking alone
through the fire with her staff in her hand, was just too divine/godlike.
「こっ、この化物どもがぁぁぁ!!」"Y-you monsters!”
「Mordぉ!? よせぇ︕」"Mord? No/don’t!!”
【Freya・Familia】の団員のみしか知らない派閥情報、『稀少Magic』の存在を目の当たりにした
Mordは、破れかぶれに逆上した。When Mord saw the existence of "Rare Magic," a
information known only to the members of Freya Familia, he fell into a self abandoned (being
so immensely desperate that he forgets himself) frenzy.
Guile達の制止の声も聞かず、炎の中から歩み出てくるHeithへと斬りかかる。He does not hear
Guile and the other’s cries of restraint, and slashes at Heith, who steps out of the flames.
「Magic Swordsを直接叩きこんじまえばぁ──!!」"Imma strike/knock/thrust the Magic Swords
directly into her...!"
背に振りかぶった『CrozzoのMagic Swords』を、至近距離から撃ち込もうとした。He tried to
shoot from close range, swinging the Crozzo's Magic Swords over his back.

160
「醜い」”How unsightly; unseemly; disgraceful; shameful; dishonorable (choose one, lol)​"
が、少女の手に握りしめられた長杖が、豪速をもって一閃される。And the long cane the girl
held tightly in her hand flashed blazing fast.
「──ぐべえっ!?」"Guweh! (sound when you get hit)
大上段より縦一線に振り抜かれた長杖が、あたかも戦鎚のごとく男を地面に叩き伏せた。From
atop her head (literally: holding a sword above one's head -> kendo posture​) the long cane
took a full swing, knocking the man down to the ground as if it was a war hammer.
粉砕される石畳と顔面が接吻を交わし、白目を剝くMordの意識が刈り取られる。The shattered
cobblestones and the man’s face exchange kisses and the wide eyed Mord gets robbed of
his consciousness.
「汚らわしい。見苦しい。あまりにも不愉快が過ぎる」”How filthy/disgusting/nasty. How
ugly/deplorable/shameful. Just too obnoxious."　
轟然と陥没した地面に、GuileやScott、Luvis達が絶句する中、少女は転がったMagic Swordsを
片足で踏み砕く。While Guile, Scott, Luvis and the others collapsed to the ground with a
thunderous sound, the girl smashed the magic swords that had fallen to the ground by
trampling on them with one foot.
「貴方達程度の塵芥が何故、偉大なる女神に歯向かうのか理解できない。何故あの方の威光を
穢そうとするのか……正気を疑う︕」I don’t understand why trash like you dares to oppose the
great/mighty goddess. Why do you seek to stain her majesty? // why dishonor/disgrace her
power/authority? ...... I’m doubting your sanity︕"
うつむいていた顔を上げ、前髪という暗幕を取り払えば、その鮮やかな紅の双眼に宿っているの
は瞋恚の炎だった。what you would see if she would lift up her face and remove the dark
curtain of her bangs, were the flames of anger burning in her bright red eyes.
「恥を知れ、奸賊どもッッ!!　女神の神意に反する不浄の手先!!」"Know some shame, you
treacherous cretins! You Impure/dirty minions/pawns are going against /oppsoing the
Goddess’ divine will!
160 (continuation)
「お前達の下卑た眼差し、汚臭、そして唾液一滴たりともあの方のもとに届かせはしない!!」I will
not let a single one of your vulgar gazes, your foul smell or one drop of your saliva reach her!
普段の温厚さなど欠片も存在しない激しい口調、憤怒の形相。Not an ounce of the usual mild
tone of her voice is left, her expression is full of fury/anger/resentment.
Bellがここにいたなら腰を抜かしていただろう人格の豹変は、何てことはない、他の団員達と同様
少女もまた『Beauty Goddessの崇拝者』というだけの話。
If Bell had been here, the sudden change of her personality would’ve made him unable to
stand up due to fear, in the end, the girl, like the rest of the familia, is just another worshiper
of the Beauty Goddess.
女神に救われ、女神に忠誠を捧げたHeithの崇敬は、『狂神者』(ヘルン)に勝るとも劣らない。
Saved by the Goddess, Heith loyality and reverence to the goddess is no less than that of
Hörn’s, who’s also known as a ‘religious fanatic’
「全てはFreya-samaのために──消えろ、Adventurer!!」All for the sake of Freya-sama….now
get lost/get out of my sight, Adventurer!
激昂とともに、少女は殺意と戦意を剝き出しにした。Together with great rage, the girl lay bare
her will to fight and her intent to kill.
始まるのは、ただの『殲滅』だった。What was to commence, was plain
“annihilation/extermination”.
「「ぐあああああああああああああああ!?」」”"Guaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?"”

161 (mostly provided by chrome, made a few additions/changes)

「がぁぁっ──!?」Gaaaaaah--!"
『Magic Swords』を使わせないままGuileとScottを長杖で薙ぎ払う。早撃ちされたLuvisの矢は少
女の肩を射貫くも、ただそれだけ。引き抜かれた後には傷など一つもなく、Luvisが顔を引きつら
せた次には、振り抜かれた杖に意識を遮断される。Without even giving Guile and Scott the
opportunity to use their Magic Swords, the long staff mowed the two down. The arrows shot
by Luvis quickly shot through/ pierced the girl's shoulder, but that was all/the girl was
unfazed. After she pulled out the arrow, there wasn’t a single wound, not even a scratcht.
Luvis’s face twisted before being knocked out by the swinging staff.
残ったModi Familia(妖精達)も、HeithはHealerにあるまじき力と動きで、地面へと沈めていった。
The remaining elves from Modi Familia also sank to the ground. Heith mowed them down
with a force and movement unbecoming of a Healer.

一介のHealerがＬｖ．３を始めとした上級Adventurerを蹂躙する。A single healer was

overruning/trampling down multiple adventurers in one go, not to mention a Level 3 upper
class adventurer.
そんな非常識の光景を映し出す『鏡』に、特に言葉を失うのは民衆でも冒険者でもない。But it
wasn't the ordinary people/townsfolk nor adventurers who were stunned speechless by this
insane scene / by seeing a scene that went against all of their common sense in the divine
mirror.
冷や汗を湛える、同じHealer達である。It was the healers, wielding the same profession as that
girl, who let out a cold sweat.
「Heith・Velvet……」"Heith Velvet..."
Wargameの参加を回避した【ディアンケヒト・Familia】の中で、【Dea Saint】Amid・Teasanareは畏
れるかのように瞳を細めた。In the [Dian Cecht Familia], that avoided the War Game, [Dea
Saint] Amid Teasanare, narrowed her eyes, fear apparent in them.
都市最高の癒し手と名高いAmidと、Heith。Amid was renowned for being the best healer in
the city. And so was Heith.
彼女達はしばし、Orarioが誇る『二大Healer』という名目で『銀の聖女』、『黄金の魔女』とたとえら
れることがある。Orario took pride in having ‘the two best Healers’ in the city. And there was a
time, when the women were compared with each other as the "Silver Saint" and the "Golden
Witch".
実質Healerの序列において一位と二位に君臨する彼女達の違いとは、まず『回復範囲』。
Regarding the hiearchy/ranking order as to who takes the first and who the second place by
having the best qualities as a healer, the first thing to consider was the "range of recovery”.
Amidも広範囲回復Magicを行使できるが、『Folkvangr』で鍛えられたヘイズは桁が違う。治癒の
効果や出力では勝っても、恐らく持続力という点でもHeithに軍配が上がるだろう。Amid could
also launch a wide area recovery magic, but Heith, who had been drilled in "Folkvangr", was
on a whole different level. Although Amid was probably better in terms of healing power and
healing effects, Heith most probably won in terms of longevity.
そして、もう一つの決定的な差異が──純然たる戦闘能力。In addition, another decisive
difference between them was combat ability.
あくまで白兵戦の腕前はいちHealerの域を出ないAmidに対して、ヘイズは単身で第二級
Adventurerを撲殺してのける。Simply said, while Amid’s hand-to-hand combat skills didn’t
exceed those of an ordinary healer, Heith could beat second tier adventurers to death all by
herself.

162
「彼女のHealerとしての来歴は、あまりにも異質過ぎる……」"Her career as a healer is
extraordinary/on a whole new level..."
それは聖女が耳にした風の噂であり、紛うことなき事実。The saint heard rumors about it and
now, could see that it was an unquestionable truth.
もとはEinherjarとして『Folkvangr』のBaptismを受け続けていた少女は──とある『捨て猫』と同じ
ように──戦士としての己の限界を知り、絶望した。 The girl who had originally continued to
receive the Baptism in "Folkvangr" as an Einherjar — much the same like a certain
“abandoned/stray cat” — soon got to know her limits as a warrior and despaired.
しかし、それでもなおBeauty Goddessへの忠誠をもってHealerへと転身し、秘めていた黄金の才
能を開花させたのである。However, she still remained loyal to the Beauty Goddess and turned
into a Healer/changed profession to a Healer, and with this her hidden golden talent/ability
blossomed.
現在の【Status】はＬｖ．４。Her current Status was Level 4.
与えられた二つ名は──(ヴァナ・マルデル)【女神の黄金】。The alias she had received was -
Vana Mardöll.
そのMagic Power光の輝きと、決して死することのない意志と生命力にちなんで神々が讃えた、
正真正銘のヴァルキュリア(生と死を司る戦乙女)である。Praised by the gods out of the glory of
her magic, and her will and vitality to never accept death. She was a true Valkyrie that
controlled life and death.
「【Freya・Familia】という過酷な環境が生み出した異色の眷族……。first-class-Adventurer達と同
じく、彼女を何とかしなければFaction Allianceに勝ち目はない……」Freya Familia, a special
familia born from a cruel environment... Like the first-class adventurers, if they don't defeat
her, the faction alliance will not have a chance at victory..
周囲では自派閥のHealer達が戦々恐々としている中、聖女は絶対の確信とともに呟いた。While
the other healers of her Familia around here were trembling in fear the saint muttered with
absolute certainty.
「まずい︕ このままじゃあ……！」"Oh no!/Crap! If this keeps up/If we don’t do something......!"
その認識を、Daphneも十分承知していた。Daphne, too, was aware of this fact only too well.
「Liliruca、他の遊撃は回せないの!?」”Liliruca, can’t you send another squad?!”
『もうやっています!! ですが、【女神の黄金】の回復量が異常過ぎる︕ どうしても落とせない︕』
I'm already doing it! But the amount of recovery of Vana Mardöll is too crazy! whatever we
do, we just can't make her stop it/drop the rate."
押し寄せるEinherjar達の隙間、かろうじて見える視界の奥では全滅したMord達とは別の遊撃隊
が攻撃を仕掛けているが、Andhrímnir達は倒れない。In the gap between the
onrushing/surging forward Einherjars, so far behind that it was barely in one’s field of vision,
Mord and his team were completely wiped out while another commando unit started its
attack, but the Andhrímnirs did not fall. 他のHealerやHerbalistの働きも尋常ではなく、撃破に
手こずっているうちに敵本陣に残る魔導士達の手で蜂の巣にされた。The other healers and
herbalists did an extraordinary job as well, and while the faction alliance struggled to defeat
them, they were turned into swiss cheese by the mages who were left behind/stationed in the
enemy’s main camp.
腰に吊るされているOcculusから、Liliの焦りが痛いほど伝わってくる。Lili's impatience becomes
painfully clear transmitted through the Occulus hanging from her waist.

163
「Andhrímnir達を止めないと、どんなに戦っても全てなかったことにされる……！」"If we don't
stop the Andhrímnirs, no matter how hard we fight, they keep on healing and it’s as if all our
attacks never happened......!"
今、せっかく斬り倒した敵団員も、Heith達が動き出せば復活してしまう。Right now, even their
enemies who got cut down will be resurrected, once Heith and her team make a move. Level
Boost(階位昇華)のBlessingを得て、ようやく一人目だというのに何度だって蘇るなど悪夢でしか
ない。It's just a nightmare for those on the front line who received a Level Boost and get slain
and revived over and over again.
奇襲を失敗に終わらせたLiliを無能者と責める、そんなことはできなかった。Lili could not be
blamed incompetent for the failure of the surprise attack. 『Auto Heal』なんて隠し玉があった時
点で『治癒Magicを行使する前に潰す』という唯一の有効策もご破算となった。The only effective
strategy of "destroying it before it can use its healing magic" was useless when there was an
ace up their sleeve like "Auto Heal". DaphneがLiliの立場なら、今頃ボード(遊戯盤)を引っくり返
して暴れ回っているところだ。If Daphne were in Lili's shoes, she would be flipping over the
board and running amok right now.
『右翼からAndhrímnir達を狙うことはできませんか!?』Can't we target the Andhrímnirs from the
right wing?
「無茶言わないでよ……！　戦線を維持することで精一杯！」"Don't be absurd. ......!　I'm busy
holding/already giving my all to hold the front line!"
乱戦の最中にある右翼部隊で指揮を執りつつ、槍の一撃を短剣《Fencer Laureate》で弾く。
While commanding a right wing unit in the middle of a melee, she plays a blow with her short
sword "Fencer Laureate". 全身に付与されているLevel Boost(階位昇華)の光粒が呻吟を漏らす
ように輝き、何とか敵を押し返した。息をつく暇がないとはこのことだ。The light grains of the
level boost flowing around her her entire body were shining/glowing as she let out a grunt
and managed to somehow push back the enemy. This is what it means to not have time to
breathe.
「【ソールライト】︕」”Soul Light!”
それでも、Daphne達はまだいい。Yet, Daphne and her team are still good.
Healer Cassandraを中心に据えてOukaやChigusa、Borsが死に物狂いで奮闘している。With
the Healer Cassandra at the center, Ouka, Chigusa, and Bors were desperately fighting.
Daphneと同じく、『下層』の『遠征』を経てＬｖ．３となった少女の回復Magicは、その効果を遺憾な
く発揮し、崩れかけるAdventurer達を何度だって立て直していた。Like Daphne, Cassandra
reached Lv. 3 after their expedition to the lower floors. And right now, the girl's recovery
magic was showing its effectiveness without fail, and was repeatedly helping the crumbling
adventurers to regain their footing.
奇しくも敵のHealerに苦しめられ、味方のHealerに救われている戦況。Oddly enough, it’s a war
situation in which the enemy's healer is letting them suffer, whereas the allied healer is
rescuing them.
そして残酷なことに、Healer対決ではFaction Allianceに勝ち目はない。But the Faction Alliance
does not stand a chance in this brutal Healer showdown.
「敵の本陣がっ、魔導士達が上がってきたらまずい︕ 『Magic』の射程圏に捉えられたら終わる︕
 その前にAndhrímnir達をっ──」If the mages come out of the enemy's main camp, we’re in
trouble! Once we are caught in their Magic's range, it will be the end! Before that happens,
we need to defeat—”
汗を拭う暇もなく戦い続けるDaphneが、Occulusに訴えた時だった。It was when Daphne,
fighting on without time to wipe off her sweat, appealed/begged/complained to Occulus.

164
『ッ』”chh!”
水晶の先で首を絞められたように、Liliの呼吸が途絶えたのは。Lili's breathing stopped as if she
had been strangled with a crystal tip (no idea what that is supposed to mean, just go with a
breath taking metaphor i guess).
その意味を、Daphneは一瞬後には理解する。Daphne understands its meaning a moment
later.
「──────」”──────”
時を止める彼女の視界の奥。Time has stopped for the girl and right in the depths of her field
of vision…
遥か先の敵陣の奥で、数えきれない『雷弾』の矛が、Daphne達を照準していた。Far ahead,
behind enemy lines, countless lightning orbs/thunderbolts were aiming at Daphne and her
squad.
「何か思い違いをしているようだが……そこはとうに私の『射程圏内』だ」"You seem to be
mistaken about something… That's already within my range.”
Daphneは青ざめる。Daphne turns pale.
聞こえる筈のない白妖精の呟きを幻聴した彼女は、自分の過ちを悟ってしまう。When she hears
the murmur of the white elf, which must be an auditory hallucination since it should be
unhearable from this distance, she realizes her mistake.
開戦の際、敵は『Magic Swords』を警戒するあまり痺れを切らした。『間合い』を見誤った。At the
beginning of the war, the enemy wasn’t wary of the magic swords, they grew impatient of
waiting. They misjudged the "distance". (note for me: 痺れを切らすto get tired of waiting; to
grow impatient​) → reference to page 145, but still not sure what exactly that means
Daphne達の目にはそう映っていた。That was how Daphne and the others saw it.
違ったのだ。It was different.
敵は、Hedin(敵指揮官)は、『CrozzoのMagic Swords』を吐き出させるために攻撃を加えなかっ
ただけ。The enemy commander Hedin, just didn’t give the order to attack to make them spit
out "Crozzo's Magic Swords".
『Folkvangr』と化したこの主戦場一帯は──最初からあのfirst-class-Adventurerの射程範囲内!!
This main battlefield area, which has been transformed into "Folkvangr" - has been within the
range of that first-class-adventurer from the very beginning!

「詰めだ──【カウルス・ヒルド】」That’s the end — Caelus Hildr!”

発射される。He fired.
立ちつくすAdventurer達の顔を照らす数多の雷弾が、宙に弧を描き、戦場へと降りそそぐ。
Numerous lightning bolts illuminate the faces of the Adventurers as they stand there, arcing
through the air and raining down on the battlefield.
「ぎゃぁぁああああああああああああああああああああああああああ!?」”Gyaaaaaaaaaah?!”
頭上より飛来する無数の雷が、爆撃のごとくAdventurer達を襲う。Numerous thunderbolts flying
overhead hit the adventurers like a bombardment.

165
戦場を混沌に陥れる雷弾は凶悪な兵団そのものだった。逃げ惑うHumanを容赦なく射抜き、大地
ごとBeast Humanを吹き飛ばし、仲間を庇ったAmazonessを感電させる。The thunderbolts that
plunged the battlefield into chaos were the very essence/the incorporation of a
vicious/merciless army. They mercilessly pierced through Humans that were trying to flee,
blew away Beast Humans together with big patches of the ground and electrocuted Amazons
who were protecting their allies.
【Freya・Familia】には掠りもしない『超精密射撃』。It didn’t even graze the Freya Familia
members, it was an "ultra-precise shooting" (only aimed at the enemies).
射手たるElfの眼は戦場の細部を的確に捉え、敵兵のみを射貫き、そして残存している『Magic
Swords』をことごとく破壊していった。The eyes of the elf who shot those lightings, accurately
caught the details of the battlefield, shooting only the enemy soldiers and after that,
destroying any remaining "Magic Swords".
「っっ──Cassandraを守って!!」”P-p-protect Cassandra!”
「うおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおお!?」”uooooooooh!?”
砲雷の雨に晒されながら、Daphneはあらん限りに叫んだ。Daphne screamed as loud as she
could while being exposed to that thunderbolt gunfire.
戦線の維持を諦めてparty(小隊)の生命線を優先させる断腸の決断に、大盾を持ったOukaと
Bors、そしてLiviraの住人が決死の覚悟で従う。The hearbreaking decision to give up
maintaining the front line and prioritize the life line of the party is followed by Ouka and Bors
with their large shields, and the residents of Livira follow suit with determination, prepared to
die. Chigusaに地面へ押し倒されるCassandraの視線の先で、数えきれない雷弾が何枚もの盾と
衝突し、猛り狂った。As Cassandra was pushed to the ground by Chigusa, countless
thunderbolts collided with several shields in her line of sight, it was a raging storm.
柱や瓦礫が砕け散り、石の破片を巻き上げ、戦場が悲惨なまでに分断される。Pillars and debris
shatter, stone fragments hurling around, the battlefield is disastrously put to shreds.
「馬鹿げた『Magic Swords』の数は削った。頃合いだ」”All those foolish Magic Swords have
been erased. It's about time."
バチバチとMagic Powerの電流を伴った大量の煙が戦場を支配する中、一人でこの惨状を生み
出した白妖精は冷酷なまでに告げる。While a large amount of smoke with still crackling
electrical magic power sparks dominate the battlefield, he white elf, who created this
disastrous scene all by himself, cold heartedly announces.
秒読みに入るのは、『真の蹂躙』。It’s the countdown to the "True/Real Overrun/Violation".
「出番だ、獣(kemono)ども。行け」"You're up, beasts/It’s your turn, beasts/brutes/monsters.
Go."

「あの威力の砲撃が、あの距離から届くの︖ 相変わらず、馬鹿げてるわね……！」"A
bombardment of that power can reach from that distance︖ That’s just ridiculous, as always
......!"
『鏡』が映し出す戦場に、双子の姉のTioneは忌々しそうに吐き捨てる。The older sister of the
twins, Tione, spits out annoyed when seeing at the battlefield reflected in the mirror.
射程は五〇〇Ｍを優に超え、規模は二百以上の敵軍を蹴散らすほど。The range is well over
500M and the scale is enough to kick out more than 200 enemy troops.

166

視界の大部分を砂塵で覆い隠す雷の弾幕は、Loki Familia(最大派閥)をして寒慄に値するもの
だった。The barrage of lightning that covered most of the field of vision with dust was enough
to make even the largest faction, Loki Familia, shiver with cold.
「【Hildrsleif】Hedin・Selland……有効射程という点では、Orarioの中でも奴のMagicが随一だろ
う」”Hildrsleif, Hedin Selland...... his Magic is probably the best of all in Orario in terms of
effective range."
「え〜!? でもでも、Riveriaの方が強いでしょう!?　『都市最強魔導士』って言われてるんだから
︕」”Eeeh/What? But Riveria is stronger, right?! She's called the strongest mage in the city
after all!”
「何をもってして語るかで、その認識は変わる。極論、超遠距離からの撃ち合いや、あるいは白兵
戦に持ち込まれれば、私はHedinに敗北するだろう」'It depends on what you're talking about. If
you think it to the extreme, I would be defeated by Hedin if I were brought into a
firefight/exchange of shots/gunfight (basically a mexican standoff LOL) from very long range
and as well into a hand-to-hand combat."
Riveriaの冷静な分析にTionaが負けじと反論するが、翡翠の髪を揺らすHigh Elfは淡々と事実を
述べた。Tiona objected to Riveria's calm analysis determined, but the jade-haired High Elf
stated this reality uninterestedly/plainly/matter-of-factly while shaking her head.
【Nine Hell】Riveria・Ljos・Alfが優れるのはMagicの出力、そして攻撃・防御・支援と多岐にわたる
属性Magicの多さ。一般的に言われる『後衛魔導士』としての能力は他に追随を許さないほど抜
きんでている。Nine Hell, Riveria Ljos Alf excels in Magic output and a wide variety usages,
including attack, defense, and support. Her abilities as what is commonly referred to as a
"rear guard mage" are unrivaled.
だが、Hedinは近接戦闘をも極めた『Magic剣士』。However, Hedin is a "Magic Swordsman"
who has also mastered melee combat.
そもそもの比較する土台からして異なる。The basis for comparison is different to begin with.
白兵戦技術と超短文詠唱によって速射性を極めた彼は、ハイ・バランサー(上級中衛職)の理想と
言っていい。The hand-to-hand combat techniques and ultra-short chants have made it
possible to achieve rapid-fire performance, making him the ideal high balancer (superior
middle guard).
その上、現在のWargameでも披露されている通り、射程や威力そのものも馬鹿げている。On top
of that, the range and power itself is ridiculous, as is being demonstrated in the current
Wargame.
『Magicを行使しているだけで、万の軍勢を壊滅させた』。'Just by exercising Magic, he has
decimated an army of 10,000'.
噓か真か、そのような逸話が砂の海から囁かれるほどである。Lies or not, such anecdotes are
whispered from the sea of sand (referring to the region freya chronicle, forgot its name,
maybe need to check and incorporate it here for more clarity).
彼を正しく表現する単語があるとすれば、それは『魔砲剣士』に違いない。If there is a word that
describes him correctly, it must be "magic artillery swordsman".
「何よりも、マインドの総量……HedinのMagic持続力は私を確実に上回っている」Above all, the
total amount of mind ......Hedin's durability in magic definitely surpasses mine."

167

Magicを使用するためのMind(精神力量)は、都市最強魔導士が明確に敗北を認めるほど。His
mind is so strong that the city's strongest mage, Riveria clearly admits defeat.
大部隊の隅々にまで及ぶ弾幕、そして今も汗一つかいていない涼しい顔が、その裏付けだ。The
barrage of bullets that reached every corner of the large army, and the cool, sweatless
expression that is still on his face, are proof of this.
Amazonessの姉妹があるだけの不服をあらわにする中、Riveriaは瞳を細めた。While
dissatisfaction showed on the faces of the Amazoness sisters, Riveria's eyes narrowed.
「もう一人のElfと合わせ、付けられた異名は『白黒の騎士』……」Together with the other Elf,
they are known as the 'White and Black Knights ' ......."
来るぞ、と。And here he comes…
翡翠の瞳が険しく見つめる『鏡』の奥、立ち込めていた砂塵が晴れようとしていた. In the mirror,
where the jade green eyes were staring with a grim/stern expression, the dust that had been
gathering was about to clear.

「はぁああああああああ︕」"Haaaaaaahhhh!"
「ぐぁあ!?」"Guaaaaaah!"
　鋭い斬撃が【Freya・Familia】を切り裂く。A sharp slash cuts through [Freya Familia].
Faction Allianceに属するAdventurerの多くが押されていく中、血と埃で汚れた顔を荒々しく拭い
ながら、Tsubaki・Collbrandeは獅子奮迅の活躍を見せていた。While many of the Adventurers
belonging to the Faction Alliance were being pushed aside, Tsubaki Collbrande,
roughly/violently/harhsly wiping her blood- and dust-stained face, was showing off a ferocious
battle.
「臆するなぁ!!　三人がかりで駄目なら五人でかかれ︕ 五人でも太刀打ちできぬなら十人だ︕ お
主等が時を稼げば、その隙に手前が全て搔っ捌いてやる︕」”Don’t be hesistant! If three people
aren’t enough, then take five. If five can't compete, then ten will do. If you buy me some time,
I'll take care of it all myself.”
Ｌｖ．５のMaster Smithの叱咤に、周囲のAdventurer達は「お、おおおおおおっ︕」と沸いた。At
the scolding from the Lv. 5 Master Smith, the adventurers in her surroundings were becoming
all heated up.
場所は中央部隊。まともな指揮など執れない代わりに、Tsubakiは敵を斬り続ける武者となってい
た。屈強なEinherjarといえど、first-class-Adventurer級の力を持つ彼女の前には膝をついてい
く。The location was the central unit. Instead of being able to take proper command, Tsubaki
had become a warrior who continued to slay the enemy. Even the mighty Einherjar fall to
their knees in front of her first-class-Adventurer level of power.

168
既に斬り倒した敵は数知れず、辺りには武装に身を包む勇士達が幾人も転がっていた.She had
already slain countless enemies, there were many armed, brave me lying around the area.
（しかし、やはり不味いな︕ 敵の勢いがちっとも衰えん︕ 手前が仲間を何人も斬ってやっている
というのに、彼奴等は委細構わずこちらに刃を突き立ててくる︕）（But it's still not good. The
enemy's momentum hasn't slowed down a bit, and even though I've slain several of their
comrades, it seems they don’t care and they're still thrusting their blades at me.)
そんなTsubakiの頰にも伝う汗。Sweat was trickling down Tsubaki's cheeks.
口の中で転がすのは、戦餓鬼が、という悪態。She was tempted to say a single, abusive word:
battle hungry bastards.
（しかもHealerどもがいる限り、地面で寝ているこやつ等も蘇ると来ている……︕ ええい、深層よ
り死地だぞ、ここは︕）(And as long as those Healers are around, even those who are lying on
the ground now will be resurrected at some point ......︕ Yeah, I guess it’s safe to say that this
place is even more dangerous than the deep floors right now.
だから【Freya・Familia】はやりにくい、と苦渋の念を漏らす。So [Freya Familia] is hard to do,"
he said bitterly.
That’s why Freya Famila was really detestable/amazing, was what she was expressing with
bitterness.
Hephaistos・Familia(同じ上級鍛冶師達)の『Magic Swords』の援護も交え、何とか奮闘している
が、先程のHedinの砲撃で大部分が削られてしまった。With the support of the Magic Swords
crafted by senior blacksmiths from Hephaistos Familia, they manage to struggle, but Hedin's
bombardment just now has largely cut them down. 砂煙で視界が遮られた今、流石に連射はし
てこないようだが、再びあれが見舞われたなら今度こそ味方の士気が総崩れとなる。Now that
the view is blocked by a cloud of sand, it seems that they are not firing in rapid succession,
but if he starts firing again, the morale of her allies will be crushed for sure this time. Tsubaki
も次はないかもしれない。Tsubaki may not be next.
こうなれば砂塵が晴れきる前に、玉砕覚悟でAndhrímnir達だけでも斬りにいくしかないか。In this
case, she guesses she’ll just have to go out and cut down the Andhrímnir before the dust
clears.
Tsubakiが伸るか反るかの決断をしようとした、その時。Just when Tsubaki was about to make
this all or nothing decision.
「ぐぁぁぁぁぁぁぁ!?」”Guaaaaaah?!"
『音』が迸った。A "sound" welled up.
斬られた者の悲鳴などではなく、身の毛のよだつような『斬撃音』が。It was not the screams of
someone who just got cut, but a sound that lets your hair stand up straight, the sound of a
brutal slashing attack.
「────」"────"
Tsubakiは聞き違えなかった。Tsubaki did not mishear.
凄まじき『使い手』しか奏でることのできない、その武器の一閃を。A flash of a weapon that only
a masterful wielder can perform.
「──Hogni!!」Hogni!
弾かれたように振り向いた西の方角。She flipped her head to the west in an instant, looking
over her shoulder
薄れていく砂塵の奥に、そのDark Elfは立っていた。Deep in the fading dust, that Dark Elf
stood.

169
「ヘ、Hogni・ラグナール!?」”H-hogni Ragnar?!”
「first-class-Adventurer!!」”A first-class adventurer!!”
「き、来ちまいやがったぁ……！」”H-he’s here…!”
Tsubakiの叫びを呼び水に、Adventurer達の悲鳴が飛び交う。Tsubakis shout prompted the
other adventurers to scream, shrieks flying past each other.
薄紫にも見える銀の髪と、Dark Elfを示す褐色の肌。Silver hair with a light purple tint to it and
dark/tanned skin showing that he is a Dark Elf.
携えている漆黒の剣は血に濡れ、鋭い瞳がぎょろぎょろと蠢き、今も獲物を追い求めているよう
だった。浮かんでいる冷笑は果たして血の宴を望んでいるのか。The jet-black sword he carries
was soaked in blood/wet with blood, and his sharp eyes are moving/running, as if he is still in
pursuit of his prey. Is the cold smile / sneer on his face really/actually a desire for a blood
bath?
first-class-Adventurerとの対峙。Adventurerならば誰もが絶望する共通認識にFaction Alliance
が浮足立つ。Standing off against a first-class-Adventurer. Something every sane adventurer
would despair at, and also the Faction Alliance is more than ready to flee.
そんな中、当のHogniは、In the midst of all this, Hogni…
（あぁぁぁぁ……知らない連中が俺のこと見てるぅぅぅぅ……!!）(Ohhhhhh ...... All these people I
don’t know are looking at me... ......!!!)

パニクっていた。He was freaking out./panicking

全力で。Totally./ With all he got.
ぎょろぎょろ蠢く危ない眼差しは他人と目を合わせられないためで、浮かぶ冷笑はただ頰が痙攣
して口角が上がっているだけ。人見知りの極致かつコミュニケーション(対人意思疎通)能力がゼ
ロに等しいクソ雑魚Elfは、心臓をかき鳴らし挙動不審の怪物と化していた。The dangerous look
in his wildly spinning eyes is just because he tries to avoid eye contact with others, and the
cold smile on his face is just a spasm in his cheeks while he tries to lift the corners of his
mouth. The elf, whose shyness/fear of strangers was as high as his communication skills
was low, turned from a small fry into a suspiciously acting monster with a pounding heart.
（だ、ダメだ、ちゃ、ちゃんとしなきゃ……！　俺はFreya-samaの眷族で、Orarioでも一応すごい
first-class-Adventurer……！　俺が馬鹿にされるってことは【Familia】やFreya-samaが侮辱され
るってこと……！）(N-no I have to d-do it right. ......!　I'm part of Freya-sama's familia and
known as an terrific first-class-Adventurer in Orario!　If people look down on me /make fun of
me, it means that [Familia] and Freya-sama are insulted......!
痙攣していた頰ごと、無理やり唇をつり上げる。He forced his stiff lips and spasming cheeks to
move.
Hogniは強張りに強張った邪笑を浮かべた。Hogni smiled a wicked smile and perfectly stiff
smile.
「…………ク、クククッ、ここで我が深淵と相まみえたのが終焉の定め……古の残骸は物言わず、
紅が歌う……我が剣は生贄を欲している。つまり…………しししし、死ね」”Y-y-y-you who came
to confront m-me whill face the pitch black ravine, your demise is unavoidable/fate… become
meaningless in front of these ancient ruins, hear the song of red… My sword desires
sacrifice. In other words… d-d-d-die”

170
自分を取り囲む数多の瞳にびくびくとしながら、意訳すると『私がこの部隊の担当なので駆逐しま
す。既に切り込んで前哨戦は終わりました。覚悟してください』と発言するHogni。Scared by the
numerous eyes surrounding him, a free translation of what he actually meant was 'I am in
charge of this unit and I will destroy it. I have already cut deep into your troops position and
the children’s play is over now. Brace yourself’.
それに対するFaction Allianceの反応は、惨劇だった。Faction Alliance's reaction to this was a
tragedy.
「うわぁ、なんだコイツ︕」”Uwaaah, what’s with this guy!”
「いきなり喋ったと思ったらヤベェ奴だった︕」"I thought he was bad news, but then he
suddenly spoke!”
「おいおい理解に苦しむよ何なんだよコイツ︕」”Oi, oi/Hey, hey/Wait a minute, I don't
understand what's going on here/ what’s the deal with this guy.
「ElfのくせにOgreみたいな邪笑しやがって︕」"You're an Elf and yet you're having a wicked
smile like an Ogre!”
「謝れ︕ Elfに謝れ!!」Apologize ︕ Apologize to the Elf!
「「「何でこんなヤツがfirst-class-Adventurerなんだきめぇ!!」」」How the hell is this guy a
first-class Adventurer?
（あ、だめ、死にたい）(Oh, no, I want to die.)
Dark Elfの目もとにキラリと光る滴が浮かぶ。A shimmering drop floats on area around his
eyes (his eyes get wet, POOR HOGNI HAVE YOU NO SHAME?! I WANT TO CUDDLE HIM)
（ヤメテよしてソンナ目で見ないでくれぇぇぇぇぇぇぇ。無理無理無理ムリだって。そもそも何でやっ
ぱりどうしてオレがfirst-class-Adventurerなんだ、注目なんて要らないんだ闇に紛れて戦いたい、
むしろいっそ俺が闇になりたい闇の化身でありたい。不可だよ駄目だよキツイよ森に引きこもりた
い嗚呼もぅ嫌だFreya-samaに膝枕されたい──いやオレがFreya-samaに膝枕したい）（
Pleaaaaseeee, don't look at me like that! It's impossible, it's impossible, it's impossible, IT’S
IMPOSSIBLE. Why am I a first-class-Adventurer after all? I don't want attention, I want to
fight in the darkness, I'd rather be the darkness, the darkness incarnate. I want to shut myself
in the forest, aah, no I want Freya-sama to give me a lap pillow—no I want to give Freya a
lap pillow.)
Hogniは頑張った。Hogni did his best./hanged in there.
視線の圧にも己の被害妄想にも耐えて、必死に頑張った。He desperately tried/struggled to
endure the pressure of the stares and his own paranoia.
しかしこのダダ滑りの痴態が『鏡』によってOrarioにも中継されていることを思い出した瞬間、彼の
精神の均衡は木っ端微塵となって破局を迎えた。羞恥という羞恥が精神を焼き焦がし、情けない
逃避を決行させる。However, the moment he remembered that this dadaistic and foolish
stuttering was being broadcasted to Orario by the "mirror," his mental equilibrium was
shattered to pieces, and he reached his breaking point. The shame of his shyness scorched
his spirit and let him decide on a pathetic escape.
（もぅ無理……やっぱり、使おう）(It’s impossible after all… I’ll use it)
すなわち、『Magic』の行使。In other words, the exercise of "Magic".
「【抜き放て、Magic Swordsの王輝】」”Unleash, king of the magic sword.”

171
騎士のごとく、あるいは顔を隠すように、両手に持った剣の切っ先を天へと向ける。Like a knight,
or maybe to hide his face, he points the tip of the sword he’s holding in both hands toward
the heavens.
同時に足もとで花開くのは、黒のマジック・サークル。At the same time, a black magic circle
blossoms underfoot.
「っっ──!?　詠唱を止めろォォッ!!」tskk—?! Stooopp his chanting!
その光景になり振り構わず叫んだのは、Tsubaki。The one who shouted at this sight was
Tsubaki.
滑稽な演劇に呆けていたのも束の間、その呪文を耳にするなり、最大級の警鐘を放つ。She was
befuddled by the comical theatrics for a brief second, but as soon as she heard the
incantation, she heard the loudest alarm bell ringing.
Hogniの『二つ名』の謂れを正しく知る彼女は、焦燥とともに、腰に差していた短剣型の『Magic
Swords』を引き抜いた。Knowing the correct meaning of Hogni's "Two Names," she pulled out
the dagger-shaped "Magic Sword" from her waist with fretfulness(angsty?)/impatience
(hastily?).
「【代償の理性、供物の鮮血。宴終わるその時まで──殺戮せよ】”Compensation of reason,
offering of fresh blood. Until the end of the banquet - slaughter “
奏でられるは短文詠唱。今から斬りかかっても間に合わない。His spell is a short chant. If you
don’t cut him off now, you won't make it in time.
そう判断したTsubakiの行動に、他のAdventurerや鍛冶師達も目の色を変えて倣った。The other
adventurers and blacksmiths followed her lead, the color of their eyes (i guess they mean
something like thei glint in their eyes like determination is showing or sumin), changing.
何振りもの『Magic Swords』が、数えきれない矢と投剣が、瞑目するHogniのもとへ放たれる。
Many swings from magic swords, countless arrows and throwing knives are fired at the close
eyed Hogni.

「【ダインスレイヴ】」”Dainsleif”

Magic名と爆撃が重なり合うのは、同時。The Magic name and the bombing overlap at the

same time.
展開されていた魔法円が光り輝いたかと思うと、砲撃の嵐に呑み込まれる。Just as the
deployed magic circle seemed to glow, it was engulfed by a storm of bombardment.
Dark Elfの姿もかき消し、そのまま爆光の華を咲かせた。It made the Dark Elf's figure
disappear, too, and then burst into a flower of light.
first-class-Adventurerとて無事では済まない火力に、Tsubaki達が顔を腕で覆い、固唾を呑んで
見守っていると──舞い上がっていた爆煙が、揺らいだ。As Tsubaki and the others stared
intently at this display of firepower that is will not even let a first class adventurer go
unharmed, holding their breath and shielding their faces with their arms, the billowing smoke
waved.
そして。And then.
「ぎゃあああああああああああああああ!?」”Gyaaaaah?!”

172
『音』が迸った。"Sound" welled up.
Tsubakiの耳が戦くほどの、加減や慈悲を一切排除した、壮絶な『蹂躙音』が。The sound was so
fierce, Tsubaki's ears were shaking from fear/shuddering/trembling; no regulation/holding
back, no mercy, just a magnificent/terrific sound of violation/trampling someone down
「────」
言葉を失うTsubakiの視線の先、部隊の一角で血飛沫が舞う。Tsubaki was at a loss for words,
and right in front of her line of sight, blood splattered/whirled through the in one corner of the
unit.
崩れ落ちるのは三名の上級Adventurer。Three upper class Adventurers collapse.
その傍らにたたずむのは、破った爆煙を鎧のように纏う、一人のDark Elf。Besides them clouds
of smoke were waving through the air, and cutting through them was a single Dark Elf, the
smoke engulfing his body like armor.
「──女神の神意に背く逆賊ども。懺悔を聞いてやる。見返りは貴様等の生き血だ」"──you
traitors who defy the divine will of the Goddess. I will listen to your repentance. And in return,
I will take your lifeblood."
がらりと変じた語気。His tone has changed dramatically.
先刻までの気弱さなど欠片も介在しない、酷薄な眼差し。The look in his eyes is cruel and cold,
without a trace of the timidity that had been there up until then.
Tsubakiは起動させてはならない『Magic』が発動されてしまったことを悟る。Tsubaki became
aware/understood that the Magic she wanted to avoid being triggered, has been invoked.
"[Dainsleif] ......︕ Hogni's 'Personality Modification' Magic!"
それは他者の顔色に怯えるDark Elfが、『戦士』になるための儀式にして鍵だ。This magic is the
key, it serves as a ritual for the socially anxious elf to turn into a warrior.
通常の攻撃Magicやエンチャント(付与)Magicとも異なり、術者の内面に作用する【Dainsleif】は稀
少Magicに数えられる。効果は文字通り、性格も言動も別人へと改変させるのだ。『Goddess
Festival』でBellがHogniに襲撃された際、同一人物かと疑った理由も全てこの『Magic』にある。
Unlike ordinary attack magic or ehancement magic, [Dainsleif], which affects the inner self of
the magician, is a rare magic. The effect is literally to alter the personality as well as the
words and deeds​/speech and conduct into that of a different person. This "Magic" is also the
reason why Bell doubted that Hogni was the same person who attacked him at the "Goddess
Festival.
だが、一方でStatus(能力)を上昇させるなどの効果は一切ない。But on the other hand, it does
not have any effect such as increasing Status.
あくまで人格のみに作用し、華々しい『Magic』の中では地味とも言える。It only affects the
personality, and can be said to be subdued in the context of the spectacular "Magic".
「黒妖の剣のHogniに切り替わった……！」”He completely changed into another person!
He truly became Dainsleif!”
けれども、精神作用に特化したMagicは自己暗示を超えた『自己改造』。However, Magic, that
specializes in affection of the mind, goes way beyond auto suggestion, up tp the point of
rather being a 'self-modification'.
つまり引き起こされる事象とは、『理想の具現』と同義である。In other words, the provoked
phenomen is synonymous to the "realization/embodiment of the ideal”.
自分自身を唾棄するあまり発現した、最強たる己(Hogni)を召喚する『Magic』だ。It is magic that
summons the strongest self, and Hogni manifested it because of his strong self loathing.
「戦慄の貌はもう見飽きた。慈悲は与える。剣を執れ。せめて戦士のまま終わらせてやる」I'm
tired of looking at these shivering visages/figures. I give you mercy/ I shall have mercy. Take
your sword. At least let me fend your life as a warrior.”

173
──Tsubakiの頰に汗が滴る。Sweat drips down Tsubaki's cheeks.
かつてOrarioの『Dark Ages』の中、Hogniはあの『Magic』を用いて、一つの戦場で千を超える悪
の使徒を斬殺してのけた。あの『Magic』の威力を、Tsubakiは痛いほど知っている。In Orario's
"Dark Ages," Hogni used his "Magic" to slay over a thousand evil apostles (would be
literally, i think we can just go with “evilus members” or sumin) on a single battlefield. Tsubaki
is painfully aware of the power of this "Magic.
砕け散ったMagic Circleの光を吸収し、今やうっすらと薄紫の色に妖しく輝く双眼を細めながら、
Hogniは、その宣告を告げた。Narrowing his eyes, which had absorbed the light from the
already dissipated Magic Circle and were now glowing faintly in a strange light purple, Hogni
passed this death sentence.
「死ね有象無象。女神の愛を阻む害虫に、生きる価値なし」"Die, you lot of unworthy plebs!
Vermin that opposes the love of the Goddess do not deserve to live!/ are unworthy to live,”
刹那、Dark Elfの体が浅く沈む。A moment later, the Dark Elf's body sinks slightly.
瞬間移動と見紛うほどの、疾駆。It is so fast that it could be mistaken for teleportation.
闇の影が走ったかと思われた瞬間、一個小隊が斬断されていた。The instant they it seemed as
if a single shadow has dashed, an entire platoon/squad was already beheaded/cut down.
「ひっ──ひぃいいいいいいいいいいい!?」"E-eeeeeeeeeek?!"
『一振り』である。It was "one/a single swing/strike".
握られる呪剣が『斬撃範囲』を拡張し、一閃のもとにAdventurer達を斬り伏せる。The cursed
sword in his hands expands the "slashing range" and with a single strike, he slashes down
the Adventurers.
絶望と斬撃のロンド(輪舞)が開宴した。And with this, the rondo/dance of despair and slaughter
has been opened/started.
躊躇はなく、容赦もない。No hesitation, no mercy. 彼の全力を邪魔するリミッター(気弱)はMagic
によって完全に取り払われ、Hedin(宿敵)をして『Elf(同胞)の中でも白兵戦最強の糞Elf』とまで言
わしめる斬撃の権化と化す。The limiter, his timidness, that hinders his full power has been
completely removed by Magic. He has become the embodiment of slaughter, and even
Hedin, his arch-enemy/longtime rival) calls him "the strongest of all his elven brethren in
hand to hand combat. まさに一度抜けば数多の死をもたらさなければ鞘に戻らないMagic
Swordsのごとく、血の嵐が吹き荒れた。Just like Magic Swords, which, once pulled out, must
cause numerous deaths before they can be returned to their sheaths, a bloodbath ensued.
Exactly like Magic Swords that never return to their sheaths again have to bring about
countless deaths, a bloodbath ensued.
Adventurer達は切り裂かれた。Adventurers were cut to pieces. 鍛冶師達も『Magic Swords』ご
と破壊された。The Adventurers were cut to pieces. The blacksmiths were also destroyed,
along with their "Magic Swords".
その斬撃に貴賤はない。男も女も種族も差別せず、老いも若きも区別せず、神のように平等に、
ただ暴君のごとく終焉の勅令を言い渡す。His attack did not make any distinction. Not between
male, female or races, not between young and old, like a godlike tyrant, he passes the edict
of their demise.
「非道を名乗るのは俺の仕事ではない。全て、弱者に甘んずる貴様等が悪い」”It's not my job
call myself inhuman/to justify my actions. It's all your fault for being weak."
Hogniの二つ名【Dainsleif】は、まさに彼のMagic名をそのまま引用したものである。Hogni's Alias
[Dainsleif] is exactly the same as his Magic name.

174
『闇の騎士（笑）』から本当の『闇の戦王』に変貌する彼を讃える、狂信的かつ熱烈なファン(神々)
から贈られた最大の讃辞。The greatest compliment given by his fanatical and
ardent/passionate fans (aka the gods) is when they praise his transformation from the
"Knight of Darkness (lol)" to the real "War King of Darkness".
十人、更にまた十人と、加速度的にAdventurer達が屠られていく。無慈悲で冷酷、殺戮と蹂躙の
『戦王』となったDark Elfに、一歩離れた位置に立つTsubakiは、声を震わせた。Ten, and then
again ten more adventurers are slaughtered at an accelerated pace. Standing one step away
from Dark Elf, who has fully transformed into the merciless and cruel "War King" of slaughter
and devastation, Tsubaki's voice trembled.
「……Lilisuke、Level Boostとやらを寄こせ」......Lilisuke, give me that Level Boost thing."
『えっ︖』”Huh?”
「早くしろっ、急げ︕」Come on, hurry up!
『は、はいっ︕』”Y-yes!"
Welf(元後輩)の呼称を借りて、水晶の先にいるPallumの少女へ呼びかける。Borrowing the
naming/adress of her former junior Welf, she calls out to the Pallum girl at the other end of
the crystal.
慌ただしい気配が聞こえていたかと思うと、Tsubakiの遥か後方から強いMagic Powerが立ち昇
り、頭上に鎚と見紛う金光の柱が出現した。As if signs of impending activity can be heard, a
strong Magic Power rose up from far behind Tsubaki, and a pillar of golden light which form
could be mistaken for a hammer appeared above her head.
「【ウチデノコヅチ】︕」”Uchide no Kozuchi!"
Haruhime(妖術師)から贈られるLevel Boost(階位昇華)をその身に宿し、Status(能力)がＬｖ．５か
らＬｖ．６へと至る。The Level Boost given by the sorcerer Haruhime is cast on her body, his
Status (ability) goes from Lv.5 to Lv.6.
しかし、それでもTsubakiの汗は干上がることを知らない。But even so, Tsubaki's sweat didn’t
dry up.
周囲では、己以外の全てのAdventurerが倒れ、真っ赤な血に染まるリング(闘技場)が出来上って
いた。Around her, all the adventurers except herself had fallen, and a ring (arena) stained
with bright red blood had been formed.
「俺と死合う資格を有するのは、貴様か、【Cyclops】」"If anyone is qualified to die with me, it's
you, Cyclops."
「おうとも、あやかしつるぎ(妖の剣)め。貴様のMagic Sword、手前がへし折ってやろう」”You and
your dam demon sword. I will break break you, together with that sword!
剣先のように鋭いHogniの双眼がTsubakiを見据える。Hogni's eyes, as sharp as the tip of a
sword, stare fixedly at Tsubaki.
Elfではなく、悪鬼の類だ。He’s not an Elf, he’s more like an evil demon.
軽口の中にそんな笑みを含ませ、すぐにそれを消し、愛刀べにしぐれ(《紅時雨》)を構えた。The
smile she had on her lips during her cheeky comment soon vanished from her mouth and
she readied her cherished sword “Benishigure”.
風が流れ、Dark Elfの外套が音を立てて揺れる。The wind is flowing and Dark Elf's cloak is
swaying with a clatter.
壊滅間近の中央部隊の中で、戦王と鍛冶師がただ二人、対峙する。In the midst of the nearly
destroyed central unit, the war king and the blacksmith are the only two people facing off
against each other.

175
「定めは揺るがない。──この剣が貴様等の墓標だ」Your decision is unwavering. This sword is
shall be your grave marker.
瞬時、二人の姿がかき消え、激烈な剣撃が放たれた。Instantly, the two figures vanished into
thin air/disappeared and a furious sword fight was unleashed.

”Tsubaki!”
背後より届いた刀剣の激音に、Welfは声を荒らげた。At the sound of swords clashing violently,
echoing from behind, Welf raised his voice/shouted.
Ｌｖ．２のWelfではまともに視認できないほどの剣舞。漆黒の剣と長刀が衝突しては滑り合い、舞
い散る火花が軌跡となってそこに斬撃があったことを知らせる。This is a sword dance so
powerful that it cannot be properly seen by a lv.2 welf. The jet-black sword and the long
sword clash and slip together, and the dancing sparks form a trail to let you know that there
was a slash there.
残像を生むＬｖ．６同士の戦闘にWelfは息を呑み、その次には拳を握りしめた。Welf gasped at
the battle between Lv.6s that produced afterimages, and then clenched his fists.
（一騎打ちだろうと、援護するしかねえ︕ Lilisukeには【Dainsleif】の『Magic』について聞いた︕ 
ウィル・オ・ウィスプ(俺の魔法)なら刺さる……！）(I don't care if it's a one-on-one fight, I've got
to cover for you! I asked Lilisuke about [Dainsleif]'s "Magic" ︕ My magic Will o' Wisp would
work(literally pierce)......!
Finnが知る限りの【Freya・Familia】の情報はLili経由で共有されている。その中には当然、Hogni
の『Magic』も含まれていた。As far as Finn knows, information on [Freya Familia] was shared
via Lili. This naturally included Hogni's "Magic.
ダインスレイヴ(人格改変Magic)は『もうひとりのHogni(最強の戦王)』を維持するにあたって、常
にマインド(精神力)を消費し、その体にMagic Powerを帯びる。瞳に灯る妖しき光や、体から漏れ
る陽炎にも似た紫紺の輝きがそうだ. The Personality Alteration Magic Dainsleif constantly
consumes mind to maintain "the other Hogni (the strongest war king)," hence his body is
tinged with Magic Power. The magic power is the bewitching light in his eyes and the
shimmering blue glow that emanates from his body.
そしてそこに『Magic Power』があるならば、Welfのアンチ・マジック・ファイア(対魔力魔法)は種火
に変えて燃え上がる。And if there is "Magic Power" there, Welf's anti-magic fire (anti-magic
magic) will cause an ignis fatuus.
エンチャント(付与Magic)と同じく常に発動を強いられるダインスレイヴ(人格改変Magic)は、Welf
にとって格好の的だ. Dainsleif, which much like Enchantments, is forced to be activated at all
times and hence, is a prime target for Welf.
【燃えつきろ、外法の業！】"Burn out, illegal work!"
『Magic Swords』を持つ左手とは逆、右手を突き出すマインド（精神力）をつぎ込んで範囲は最
大。Opposite the left hand holding Magic Sword, the range is maximized by pushing the mind
out the right hand. (seriously, no idea what the fuck welf is doing here)

176
これならばいかに速く、正確に視認できなかろうが、Hogniの移動範囲を網羅できる。Even
though Welf isn’t able to see his position precisely, this will cover the radius of Hogni's
movement area, no matter how fast he is.
今もTsubakiと切り結ぶリング(闘技場)全体を照準し、超短文詠唱を一気に叫んだ。He aimed at
the entire area, in which Tsubaki was crossing blades, and shouted an ultra short chant in
one gulp
「【ウィル・オ・ウィスッ────」”Will-o-wis–”
だが。but.
トンッ、と。Thud./Tap.
杖で軽く車輪を叩くように。As if a cane lightly tapped on a wheel (ngl, no idea what the fuck
oomori wants to say here).
身軽な『猫』が地を蹴り、駆けるように。A light footed/nimble/agile cat pushed from the ground
and started into a dash.
アンチ・マジック・ファイア(対魔力魔法)の発動寸前、『瞬脚』の音が鳴った。Just before the
anti-magic fire was about to be invoked, the sound of "fleet feet" was heard.
転瞬。In the blink of an eye.
Welfの右肩が、肉を飛ばしていた。Welf's right shoulder became flying meat/splattered
through the air.
「──────────────」
超速の斜線が視界を過り、肩の一部をごっそり攫っていく。A super-fast das passes through his
vision and takes a chunk out of his shoulder.
時の流れを凝縮させるWelfが、『強襲された』と認識した瞬間、抉り取られた断面から鮮血が吹き
出し、その喉から絶叫が迸った。The passage of time condensed for Welf, and the moment he
realizes he has been assaulted/attacked fresh blood was spraying from the section that got
gauged out and from his throat welled up a scream.
「──ぐああああああああああああああああっ!?」"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?"
眼球を血走らせ、顔面中からどっと汗を噴出させるWelfを他所に、右腕が壊れた人形のようにぶ
らりと宙吊りになる。While Welf's eyeballs became bloodshot and sweat started gushing out of
his face, his right arm was dangling in the air like that of a broken doll.
「妙な真似をするんじゃねえ、三下」"Don't try anything funny, you petty underling/small fry."
声が投げかけられる右方。Voice was raised from the right side.
Welfが振り向けば、彼はいた。Welf turned around and there he was.
「おまえ、は……！」You, you're ......!
【Vana Freya】、Allen・Fromel。Vana Freya, Allen Fromel.
いともたやすくWelfのMagicを遮断したAdventurerは、銀槍を手に悠然とたたずんでいた。The
Adventurer, who had so easily blocked Welf's Magic, was standing there completely still and
calm with his silver spear in his hand.

177
左肩に装着された銀の肩鎧に、そこから伸びるエメラルド(緑柱色)のペリース(片外套)。Silver
shoulder armor worn over his left shoulder with an emerald pelisse (one-sided cloak)
extending from it. 防具はその肩鎧と膝から下を覆う銀の脚甲のみ。 防具はその肩鎧と膝から下
を覆う銀の脚甲のみ。 His only armor is his shoulder armor and the silver leg armor that
covers from the knees down. 被弾を想定していない装備は『都市最速』たる故である。His
equipment is not designed to be hit by attacks, because he is the "City’s Fastest”.
脂汗と焼けるような痛苦に顔を歪めるWelfは、知らない。Welf’s face is contorted in cold sweat
and burning pain/anguish - and he is unaware.
【Vana Freya】が片外套を装着するその時とは、全力をもって闘争に臨む時だと。Unaware of the
fact that once Vana Freya puts on his cloak, he is about to join the fight with all his might.
「前と同じように、一撃で仕留めるつもりだったがな」”My plan was to bring you down in a single
blow, just like i did back then but…”
「っ……!?」”tch..?!”
「直前に身を引きやがったか。俺に轢き倒されるのは懲りたか︖」”You pulled your body off right
before I could. Guess you learned your lesson the hard way after already get
Have you learned your lesson about getting knocked out by me once?”
その通りだった。That's right.
『女神祭』でもAllenに襲撃されたWelfの体は、寒気を喚起させる『瞬脚』の音を捉えた瞬間、無意
識のうちに動いていたのだ。その僅か一瞬の防衛本能が彼の瞬殺を防いでいた。Welf's body,
which had also been attacked by Allen at the "Goddess Festival," had moved unconsciously
the moment he caught the sound of the "fleet feet" that evoked a chill. That slight momentary
defensive instinct prevented him from being killed instantly.
「だが、意味もねえ。時間の無駄だ。さっさと消えろ」But it’s useless. It's a waste of time. Get
lost."
「っっ──ふざけんなァ!!」Tch—stop screwing around/screw you!
敵ですらない、進むのに邪魔な『段差』を見るがごとき眼差しに、激昂する。The look in his eyes,
as if he was looking at something that was not even an enemy but just an obstacle for his
progress, made welf furious.
しかし、焼けるような激痛を振り払ってWelfが吠えたのも束の間、Allenは一瞬で眼前に急迫し
た。But it was just this short moment where Welf howled/barked at him, shaking off the
intense/sharp pain, only milliseconds later, Allen was already right in front of him.
始まるのは、凄まじい銀槍の乱突。What was to ensue, was a terrific rampage from the silver
spear.
「がっ、ぎっっ、ぐぁぁぁぁぁぁ……!?」”Gah, Gyaah, Guuuuuaah?!”
打ち上げた怒声はただの威勢にしかならない。But his angry voice was nothing more than
bluster. 未（いま）だくっついているのが不思議な右腕をぶら下げるWelfにできることは、構えを半
身にし、左手が持つMagic Swords《始高（しこう）・煌月(かづき)》を盾代わりにすることだけだっ
た。The only thing Welf was able to do with his still strangely attached right arm dangling at
his side was assuming a stance with legs in an L-shape and use the Magic Swords "Shikou
Kagetsu" held by his left hand as a shield. それはともすれば、木の幹にひそんで身が隠しきれ
ていない滑稽な子供のような体勢。It was a weird sight, as if he was a child that was trying to
hide behind a tree stump while being still fully visible. 長剣型のMagic Swordsで体を覆い、剣
山のごとき穂先の連撃を耐え忍ぶ。He was covering his body with the tow long sword-shaped
Magic Swords, enduring the wild flurry of spear attacks.
だが削がれる。But he is slowly scraped/shaved off. 着流しが、肌が、全身が。His clothes, his
skin, his whole body.

178
失われていく。血が、握力が、反撃の意志が。All got lost. His blood, his grip strength, his will to
fight back.
Magic Swordsを握る左手が、剣腹に押し付ける肩が、防御を飛び越えて貫通する衝撃によって
悲鳴を上げ続ける。肉が潰れ、骨さえ亀裂が走っては砕け、全身を破壊されていく。怒涛としか形
容しようのない槍の刺突がWelfをあっという間に追い込んだ。His left hand that holds/clutches
onto the Magic Sword, his shoulder that presses against the sword belly(the "center" part of
the sword) are penetrated by the attack/assault that overcomes his defense easily and he
keeps on screaming. Flesh is crushed, even bones crack and shatter, the whole body is
destroyed. A spear thrust, which can only be described as a raging wave, drove Welf into a
corner in no time.
（……折れねえ）(...... ain't gonna give in/back down)
一方で、Allenは怪訝な顔を浮かべた。Allen, on the other hand, looked puzzled/quizzical.
何度も突いては揺るがしているにもかかわらず、『WelfのMagic Swords』は砕けない。No matter
how often “Welf’s Magic Sword” got shaken from the torrent of thrusts/stabs, it did not
shatter. 通常の『Magic Swords』は本来消耗品、しかしそれを凌駕するがごとく作り手の『不屈』
を代弁する。Ordinary "Magic Swords" are consumable goods (they shatter at some point) by
nature, but this one surpassed them. It represented the unyieldingness of its creator.
戦車(Allen)の鋭い眼差しが、『段差』から明確な『障害物』を見るものに変わる。The chariot’s
sharp eyes change from seeing mere pebble lying in his way to seeing a clear 'obstacle'.
「その『Magic Swords』はなんだ︖」”What's the deal with this Magic Sword?”
「……おれが、作ったっ……ただの『Magic Swords』だ……！」"...... It’s just… a Magic Sword…
I made….!”
Allenの問いに、Welfは誇らない。When asked by Allen, Welf did not boast.
鍛冶師の矜持をもって、Dungeon(迷宮)で鍛え上げた会心の作品を、ただの『高みの通過点』で
あると言い張る。With the pride of a blacksmith, he insists that the work he has forged with his
heart and soul in the dungeon was just a "A single step to a higher level".
「ただの『Magic Swords』も砕けねえなら、お前も大したことねえなぁ……!!」”If you can’t even
break an ordinary Magic Sword, you’ can’t be such a big deal, huh?”
そして、そんな虚勢を張り続ける。And he continues to stick to this bluff.
止まらぬ血を流し、ずたぼろの体で、無理矢理の笑みを浮かべながら。With his blood still
spilling on spilling and his body in shreds/tatters, he forced a smile on his face.
その挑発に──first-class-Adventurerを鼻で笑う不遜な鍛冶師の姿に、しかしAllenは気分を害す
ことなく、顔色を変えなかった。At the provocation from the insolent blacksmith who dared to
scrunch his nose at a first class adventurer, Allen did not care in the slightest and his facial
expression did not change.
「てめえの鍛冶の腕だけは、見直してやる」”Seems like you’re blacksmithing skills aren’t that
bad."
むしろ泰然としながら、初めてWelfを認めた。If anything, it seemed like he acknowledged Welf
for the first time, with a calm expression.
「だが、それだけだ」"But that's all."
「──────」"──────"
 そして、Welfを貫く殺気を帯びる。And then, Welf is pierced by an immense bloodthirst/intent
to kill.

179
足もとの石畳を蹴り上げる高速の加速。High-speed acceleration by kicking up from the
cobblestones underfoot.
一介の鍛冶師に反応できる道理はない。There is no way for a mere blacksmith to react.
半身を『Magic Swords』で覆い『亀』となっていたWelfの側面、そこへ一瞬で躍り出て、蹴りを繰り
出す。Welf's side was half covered with the "Magic Sword" and had become a "turtle". Allen
leaped to it and kicked.
「がぁぁ!?」"Gaaah!"
それだけでWelfは終わった。Just with that, Welf was done/finished.
すくい上げるかのような右足の蹴撃に脇腹を捉えられ、靴裏が地面から離れる。The sole of his
shoe leaves the ground as he was hit in the side by a right leg kick that seemed to scoop him
up.
刹那の浮遊感に包まれる青年の体に、すかさず左足の回し蹴りが叩き込まれた。The young
man's body was enveloped in a momentary feeling of floating– and without a moment delay a
roundhouse kick from the left foot drove into his body.
肋骨が亀裂で覆われ、吹き飛び、石畳の上を転がって、無残に倒れる。Ribs covered in cracks,
his body was blown away and he was rolling on the cobblestones and he collapsed
miserably.
意地でも手放さなかった『Magic Swords』が、流れ出た血を浴びて、赤く染まる。The "Magic
Sword," which he would not let go of at any cost, was dyed red with the blood that flowed out
of him.
「前にも言ったぞ、三下。工房に引っ込んで、鉄遊びでもしてろ」”I've told you before, small fry.
You should stay in your workshop and play with your iron/steel."
それは【Ishtar・Familia】を攻め滅ぼした日のこと。He was talking of the day freya familia
attacked and destroyed [Ishtar Familia].
初めてWelfと出会った時と同じように、Allenは唾棄した。Allen was just as spiteful as when he
met Welf for the first time.
「何を勘違いしてやがる。てめえら(鍛冶師)が戦場で役に立つ筈がねえだろうが、負け犬が」”
Guess you got something utterly wrong. You (blacksmiths) will never be useful on the
battlefield, loser.
Welfができたのは、一分にも満たない足止め。All Welf was able to achieve, was to stall him for
less than a minute.
地に倒れ伏し、沈黙する鍛冶師を捨て置き、Allenは己の使命を開始した。Leaving the silent
blacksmith lying on the ground, Allen began his task/duty.
「ひっっ!? う、うわああああああああああああああ!?」”Eeek?! U-uwaaaaah?!”
「あ……当たらねえ……当たらねえええええええええ!?」I … I can’t hit him… i can’t hit hiiiiiim!?”
ヘディン(指揮官)の指示に従い、Hogni(戦王)と同じく参戦を果たした『戦車』に、連合の冒険者達
が絶望をかき鳴らす。In accordance with Hedin's instructions, the chariot entered the war and
began to bring despair to the adventurers, just like Hogni did. 墳墓の上で戦場を俯瞰するLili
が青ざめるほど陣形は引き裂かれ、意味をなさないものへ変わり果てた。The formation was
torn apart to the point that Lili, who had a bird's eye view of the battlefield from the tomb,
turned pale, as her strategy/formation turned into something meaningless.

「Aisha殿ぉ︕ 中央の部隊がっっ︕」"Aisha-dono, the central unit…!"

180
「くそったれめ……︕ あのfirst-class-Adventurer(バケモノ）どもが!!」”Those damn bastards…!
They are all monsters!!”
左翼。Left wing.
立ち込めていた砂塵が晴れるや否や、もはやHogniとAllenの手で破壊し尽くされている中央部隊
を認め、MikotoとAishaは苦渋の叫びを等しくした。As soon as the dust cleared, Mikoto and
Aisha immediately let out cries of anguish as they recognized the central unit, which was
already being destroyed by Hogni and Allen.
Faction Allianceの横隊の中で、中央部隊が教科書通り最も厚い。Ｌｖ．５のTsubakiを配置し、
Adventurerや鍛冶師を始め最も多くの戦力を動員した。しかし、それがもう全滅間際。Among
Faction Alliance's flanking units, the central unit was an incredibly thick/heavy unit as if out of
a schoolbook. The Lv.5 Tsubaki was stationed there and it mobilized the most military power
with all its Adventurers and blacksmiths. However, it was already on the verge of
annihilation.
潰走も許されず討ち取られていくAdventurer達の光景は、まともな戦争になっていない。The
sight of Adventurers being struck down without even being allowed to flee was not a scene of
proper warfare.
「どうしますか!? Lili-donoも中央と右翼の指揮で手一杯です︕ このままでは……！」”What are
we going to do?! Lili-dono has her hands full commanding the center and the right wing ︕ If
we don't do something about it, ......!"
「っっ……中央に向かうよ︕ 【Cyclops】がやられたら本当に終わりだ︕ 隠れてるHaruhime達も
回収して、あのDwarfの援護をっ──」I'm heading to the center. If Cyclops gets hit, we're really
screwed! We need to collect Haruhime and the others who are hiding. and get backup from
that Dwarf—-"
Aishaのそれは、苦悩の末の決断だった。For Aisha, it was an agonizing decision.
左翼も大乱戦に陥っている現状、誰かを殿に据え、犠牲にしなければ中央への横断もかなわな
い。Aishaは罪悪感を振り切り、周囲で奮闘するBerbera達に『ここで死んでくれ』と、そう告げよう
と口を開きかけた。The left wing was also in the midst of a battle royal, and crossing to the
center is not possible without sacrificing someone. But just in the moment when Aisha shook
off her guilt and almost opened her mouth to tell the Berberas fighting hard/fiercely around
her "Die here for me, please.”
「うがあッ!?」”Ugaaaah?!"
「きゃあああああああああああ!?」”Gyaaaaaah!?"
だが、その決断も意味のないものへと変わる。But even that decision turns out to be
meaningless.
「……!? シャレイ、イライザ︕」"......!? Shary, Eliza!"
死角にいたBerberaの一員が、『四人』同時に倒される。A member of Berbera, who was in a
blind spot, is taken down by 'four' people at the same time.
驚愕するMikotoとともに振り返ったAishaの瞳に映るのは、四つの影。Together with the startled
Mikoto, Aisha turns her head around. What is reflected in her pupil are four shadows.
「無駄な策だ」”It’s a useless plan.”
「できるわけがない」There's no way you can do that.
「当然だろう︖」”Of course it is.”

181
「我々がここにいる」”Because we are here.”
砂色の兜に、同色の鎧。Sand-colored helmets and armor of the same color.
長槍、大鎚、大斧、大剣、四振りの武装を持つ四つ子が、左翼部隊の前に姿を現していた。Four
armed men - a long spear, a large hammer, a large axe, and a large sword - had appeared in
front of the left wing troops.
「Gulliver四兄弟……！　【Bringar】!!」"The Four Gulliver Brothers. ......!　Bringar!"
Mikotoの戦慄を前に、唇を嘲笑に歪めるのは三人の弟達。Before the shuddering Mikoto, the
three younger brothers twist their lips into a sneer.
「【絶†影】に【麗傑】」”Zetsu†Ei/Absolute✝Shadow and Antianeira.”
「女神祭の焼き直しだな」It's a remake of the Goddess’ Festival."
「また我々に討ち取られるか」"You will be taken out by us again."
最後に同情を告げるのは、長男のAlfrigg。The last to express his pity is Alfrigg, the eldest son.
「Freya-samaのために、ここで倒れてくれ」”Fall here for Freya-sama."
「ッッ──!!　舐めるんじゃあないよ︕」”Tssk—--!! Don’t look down on us!”
激怒するAishaを皮切りに、血まみれのAmazoness達が雄叫びを上げる。
Starting with an enraged Aisha, the bloostained/covered in blood Amazonesses raise a war
cry/roar.
『Magic Swords』の炎が、Level Boostの光が、重力の波動がそそぎ込まれ、四つ子率いる
Einherjarに徹底抗戦する。The flames of "Magic Swords," the light of the Level Boost, and the
waves of gravity are all poured into a do-or-die resistance/resistance to the bitter end​against
the four Einherjar.
劣勢に継ぐ劣勢。One unfavorable situation is followed by another.
Main Street上空に浮かぶ『鏡』が映し出す、その戦争の様を呆然と見上げながら、民衆か、
Adventurerか、もしくは神か、誰かが言った。あるいは、誰もが呟いた。While looking up in blank
amazement at the state of the war that got broadcasted by the mirror floating in the sky over
mainstreet, no one, not the townsfolk, not the adventurers, nor the gods said anything.
Maybe some only mumbled.
ただのワンサイド・ゲーム(蹂躙)だと。It's just a one-sided game, a complete overrun.
「Elf(同胞)の中でも白兵戦最強のヘグニ(馬鹿)は中央、機動力に優れたねこ(愚猫)でしゃげき（
Magic Swords)部隊を潰し、被害の少ない左翼を小人どもの連携で封じ込める……教科書通りで
何の面白みもない」”That fool Hogni, the best melee fighter among us Elves, is in the center,
that stupid cat with its excellent mobility destroys the Magic Swords unit and the four kids are
containing the left wing… It’s out of the textbook stuff, nothing interesting.”

182
自陣の神殿屋上より戦況を眺めながら、Hedinはつまらなそうに言った。Looking out over the
battlefield from the roof of the temple, Hedin said so in a bored tone.
first-class-Adventurer達を出し惜しみせず、開戦から投入していても、これとほぼ同じ光景が広
がったことだろう。Even if the first-class Adventurers had been deployed from the beginning of
the war, the scene would have been almost identical to this.
だが、Hedinは万全を期した。But Hedin was a perfectionist.
軍師を務める彼は『first-class-Adventurerの陥落』という言葉の意味がどれほど致命的かを知っ
ている。HogniやAllen達が倒れた場合、死を恐れないEinherjar達と言えど動揺を来たし、これ以
上ない士気の低下に繫がる。As a military strategist, he knows how fatal the term "fall of the
first-class-adventurer" can be. The fall of Hogni, Allen, and the others would have brought
even the death-defying Einherjar into turmoil and would lead to further demoralization.
Lili(敵指揮官)も必ずそれを狙っているだろう。Lili (the enemy commander) is surely aiming for
this.
故に、『CrozzoのMagic Swords』という唯一の不安要素を十分に排除したこの状態で、
first-class-Adventurerという最大の武器を切ったのだ。LiliやDaphneからすれば絶望するほどの
冷酷さで。Therefore, in this state, with the only factor he was wary of - "Crozzo's Magic
first-class Adventurers. From Lili and Daphne's point of view, they are ruthless to the point of
despair.
「Faction Allianceの主要戦力は軒並み駆り出されている……が、『兎』が一匹、いないな」Faction
Alliance's main forces are being sent out across the board ......, but I don't see a single
'rabbit'."
Elfの眼は敵陣の細部をも見逃さない。Elf's eye does not miss a single detail of the enemy's
position.
この大規模な乱戦の中にあって、己が調教を施した白髪の少年が姿を現していないことを、見抜
いていた。In the midst of this large scale melee, he saw that the white-haired boy he had
trained was not in sight.
「チャージ(蓄力)した砲撃を爆弾代わりに主戦場へ投下したところで、Heith達がいる限り分が悪
い」Even if they bombard the battlefield with charged rather than normal bombs (no idea what
he is on about ngl), the odds are against them /they are at the disadvantage as long as Heith
and the others are there."
今更Ｌｖ．５をたった一枚投入したところで、起死回生の一手にはなりえない。Even if they would
throwing in just one more LV.5 at this point, he isn’t going to turn the tide singlehandedly.
『Folkvangr』で散々殺された、あの愚兎自身がそれを身に染みて理解しているだろうと、Hedinは
呟く。Hedin mutters that the stupid rabbit, who was killed so many times in "Folkvangr,"
would understand this.
「何より……今回のWargameのrule(勝利条件)からして、それもできまい」Above all, ...... the
rules of this Wargame (victory conditions) make that impossible as well."
むしろ、この主戦場を『囮』にして女王を狙うしか、Faction Allianceに勝機は存在しない。Rather,
the only way for Faction Alliance to win is to use this main battlefield as a "decoy" and aim for
the queen.
悪魔的なまでに連合の思考を先読みする白妖精は顔を上げた。The white elf, devilishly
anticipating the coalition's thoughts, looked up.

183
彼が瞳を細める先は、主戦場から遠く離れた島の両端。”He squints his eyes, looking at both
ends of the island - far away from the main battlefield.
「南西か……あるいは、北西か」”Will it be southwest… or northwest?”

北西を走る。Running northwest.
誰にも見つからないように、慎重を期しながら、それでも最大の速度で。Very careful not to let
anyone find me, but still at maximum speed.
たった一人、【Freya・Familia】の本陣に向かって。Only one person, towards the main camp of
[Freya Familia].
「Liliッ、やっぱり僕もみんなと戦った方が……！」Lili, I still think I should fight with everyone
......!"
『駄目です︕ Bell-samaは今のうちにFreya-samaのもとへ向かってください︕』'No ︕ Bell-sama
should go to Freya-sama now that you have the chance to!”
左肩、そして背中を頻りに殴る戦場の雄叫びに──確かめずともわかる味方の夥しい悲鳴に──
引き返そうとするも、Occulusから上がるLiliの声がそれを許してくれない。Hearing that the left
flank and the center of the battlefield get terribly beaten up – he doesn’t need to check, he
can tell by the many screams of his allies — made him want to turn back, but Lili's voice
fromthe Occulus would not allow him to do so.
『CrozzoのMagic Swords』が火を噴いた開戦と同時、僕はFaction Allianceと【Freya・Familia】が
ぶつかり合う『主戦場』を大きく迂回する形で、島の北西部に回り込んでいた。At the same time
that "Crozzo's Magic Swords" opened fire, I was taking a roundabout path in the
northwestern part of the island, making a big bow around the "main battlefield" where the
Faction Alliance and [Freya Familia] were clashing.
Liliの指示だ。軍規模の戦闘を囮にして、敵の本陣へと肉薄するようにと。Lili's instructions. She
said he should use the main battlefield as a decoy so he could close in on the enemy’s
stronghold.
『敵陣にはまだ【Hildrsleif】、そして【King】がいる︕』"There are still [Hildrsleif] and [King] in the
enemy camp.
「っ……！」”tchh…!"
『都市最強のAdventurerを倒さない限り、勝利はありえません︕』We can’t win without defeating
the city's most powerful Adventurer!”
Liliの言っていることは正しい。『頂天』とは、それほどまでの存在だ。Lili is right. The ‘pinnacle' is
exactly such a being.
女神祭でたった一撃、あの剛腕にねじ伏せられた僕こそ、それを痛感してしまっている。I, who
was hold down by his strong arm with only one blow at the Goddess Festival, am fully aware
of this.
あの【King】が玉座の前に立ち、主を守り続けている限り、Faction Allianceは敗北するだろう。As
long as that [King] stands before the throne and continues to defend their master, the Faction
Alliance will be defeated.
There are still around 30 pages left for this chapter but it was around this that I dropped doing
the rough TL on the go… so, you’ll need to wait until the official TL comes out in December ;)

🙏
Thanks to everyone who worked with me on this, it was fun (besides being pain) and it made
the whole TLing a lot more bearable