"Darling, look at me today."
She wore a blue dress with a simple white top over it, softening her overly striking figure just enough to bring out a lively, youthful charm. Paired with her fresh, adorable face, it was enough to make people worry she might turn passersby into walking artillery shells.
"Whoa~ You feel totally different from usual."
Bell was used to seeing Artemis in her sexy strapless dresses at home, so this burst of youthful energy hit him with a completely different impression.
"I'm not very good at complimenting people, but Artemis looks beautiful today."
"Mmm~ That really is a line from someone bad at complimenting."
Artemis couldn't help teasing him, but after spending so much time together, how could she not know Bell struggled with social stuff?
Which was why, when she heard Bell invite her on a date," she'd been genuinely stunned.
But still—
"But since it's coming from you, Darling, I'll take any compliment you give."
She quickly slipped to Bell's side, hugged his arm, and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.
"I think it's best to accept the good ones and just skip the bad ones…"
Bell suddenly remembered how many times he'd told Artemis not to pounce on him, yet she had never once actually listened.
"You totally skipped it again, didn't you?"
"Eh? What are you talking about, Darling?"
"Don't play dumb. I'm talking about telling you not to throw yourself at me every single time."
"Ah, that."
Artemis finally realized what he meant, though she clearly didn't care. After all, not everything Darling said was worth remembering. Yes—just remember the things that benefit me, and everything else can go.
"This isn't a bad thing at all, Darling~"
"Darling only rejects my affection because of that coward, not because of me. So I've concluded it's not a bad thing. For me as a goddess, and for Darling, it's a good thing."
She said this with her chest out and chin raised, completely unashamed.
Her total lack of guilt left Bell helpless.
Though, in some sense, he couldn't argue with her calling it a "good thing."
Artemis pouncing on him really wasn't ideal… but the problem was… her figure was great, and every pounce came with a lot of soft cushioning. It was hard to argue against that.
Seeing that Darling didn't refute her, Artemis smiled even more brightly, all while grumbling at that coward inside her heart.
'Watch carefully! If you like someone, you should take the initiative. Who hides at home like you?'
Just thinking about that half-bodied coward made Artemis boil with irritation.
Today really was a perfect opportunity.
Getting invited out on a date by Darling was incredibly rare. In Artemis's eyes, she had to seize this chance.
And she had zero worries about herself.
She had more than enough confidence, and she'd already gotten Darling's indirect affirmation.
Her biggest issue now was the other half.
The inner Artemis naturally saw everything unfold, hearing the voices of both her other self and Bell.
Seeing her other half smiling so brightly made a faint bitterness rise from the depths of her heart.
Some things are truly painful when compared.
Especially with Hestia and Bell constantly interacting so intimately, Artemis felt that bitterness almost overflowing.
Even her own other half was like this.
Watching herself chat and laugh with Bell was nearly enough to push her into depression.
But the two on the outside had no idea what was happening within.
Bell and Artemis had already stepped outside and onto the streets of Orario.
Orario today was as lively as ever, filled with merchants calling out for customers and crowds of adventurers moving through the streets.
But this wasn't a problem for Bell.
He simply set up a barrier to keep people a bit farther from them and laid a few illusions so no one around them would notice anything strange...
Since coming to this world, Artemis had hardly ever stepped outside.
Aside from the few times she needed to attend the Denatus, she stayed quietly at home and never seemed interested in going out for fresh air.
And Artemis was far more aloof than any god in this world.
Yes—Artemis was an aloof goddess.
She just never showed that aloofness toward Bell or the gods at home. But outside, when dealing with others, she never bothered to hide that cold front.
"There really are a lot of people outside. Their auras aren't very strong individually, but there are so many of them. And several of them already possess a level of aura comparable to heroes from ancient times."
Even Artemis, who had seen countless things, felt a bit surprised.
She had learned the basics of this world after merging with her half-body, but the fact that the Falna could create so many heroic figures was astonishing. If the gods from her original world found out, they would definitely be tempted to imitate it.
"Orario has quite a few Level 5 adventurers. Higher-level ones are much rarer—anything above Level 5 becomes scarce."
"The ones you sensed are probably all Level 5."
Bell patiently explained.
"And while the Falna System is extremely universal, if the blessings of gods spread across an entire world, it could reshape civilization itself.
"But this is the only place where such a thing would work."
Artemis agreed.
"It's too convenient. Once everyone relies on this Falna System, ordinary people end up narrowing the gap with natural talent and ability.
"And once they taste a bit of power, they become easy for gods to control."
Just imagining what those lunatics from her original world would do if they discovered the Falna System made Artemis feel relieved her world didn't have it. Otherwise, that world would've been ruined long ago.