Meanwhile, the five goddesses, who had previously been at odds in the Tower of Babel, now sat together at the same table.
"Who would've thought today would be the day Bell completes his advancement?"
Indeed, this was something no one had anticipated. Bell's advancement had never been something that could be precisely predicted. Had they known in advance, Hestia wouldn't have spent the day coming up with ways to buy more time.
"Who could have foreseen such a thing?"
Loki shrugged. She understood Hestia's frustration, but matters like this were inherently uncertain.
"After all, Bell is probably the first adventurer to transcend from Level 9 to godhood. And his ability to traverse worlds—just that alone makes him far stronger than us gods."
The ability to cross worlds was not something gods could possess.
In fact, no god born in this world had the qualification to cross dimensions.
At this thought, Loki's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she shifted on the sofa, leaning sideways with her chin resting on her arm.
"For the first time in my godly existence, I fell for a boy. And this boy actually proved himself worthy—he didn't leave me alone to drift through the river of time."
Loki's heroine-like statement made the veins on Hestia's temples throb violently.
"But he didn't choose this path just for you."
Hephaestus, sitting beside them, chuckled and patted Hestia on the shoulder.
"Well, well~ It wasn't just for Loki. It was for all of us, really. And, Hestia, you did carry a slightly heavier weight than the rest of us."
"Hmm..."
When Hestia heard the word "weight," her entire body seemed to slump.
Although she hated to admit it, she couldn't deny the truth. After all, all of them here had formed substantial, direct relationships with Bell. There was no room for denial.
"It seems Bell's progress has been smoother than we expected. After completing the promotion ritual, he's now officially stepped onto the stage under the spotlight. I was worried he might struggle with the transition, but it looks like I was overthinking it."
This smooth progression put Freya in an exceptionally good mood. If she didn't need to be at the Tower of Babel tomorrow, she might have indulged in a drink tonight.
"The changes among Zeus's and Hera's familia, though, caught me off guard."
"Oh, right!"
At the mention of those two families' issues, Loki immediately straightened up.
"Who would've thought a child from Zeus's familia would make a pact with the 'World'? It's a miracle he managed to endure it to the death—otherwise, today wouldn't have ended so well."
Resurrection was a bit much, but that too was a reward for the child who endured to the very end without speaking a word.
"I thought that after this, the 'New Hero' era I started would begin. Instead, all the 'Old Heroes' have come back. I wonder if Finn's feelings are pretty complicated right now."
Loki's focus had shifted a bit from his old familia. But even with this partial shift, he still cared deeply about his child's wish.
Becoming a "Hero" was Finn's dream.
Only by becoming a "Hero" could he stand on that stage and help the Pallum rise above their current fate, where most of them were only ever destined to become Supporters. But that wish now seemed farther away from Finn than ever.
Poor child. Loki even felt some sympathy for Finn's predicament.
First, he'd been suppressed by Bell—fortunately, Bell wasn't the type to seek the limelight.
Then, the "Old Heroes" were resurrected.
"I wonder if Finn will ever give up on his past aspirations."
"He probably won't."
Loki's guess was immediately dismissed by Freya.
"With your child's stubborn nature—treating the rise of the Pallum as his personal mission—I can't imagine him ever giving up. But if he can't achieve it himself, he'll probably push it onto his children."
"The 'Braver' already has a fiancée, right? If it weren't for all the recent chaos, wouldn't your boy be planning a wedding by now?"
"That's true."
Loki found himself agreeing with Freya.
Had recent events not interfered, Finn and Tione might well have begun considering marriage.
Back when they were preparing for the "Corrupted Spirit's Fetus" raid, Tione had proposed to Finn. At the time, Finn accepted, partly due to the uncertainty of their future. But in the end, they passed the "Corrupted Spirit's Fetus" trial.
Of course, had Bell not intervened, that hesitation might have led to casualties among Loki Familia's main force. It truly had been a time of uncertain prospects.
Now that they had returned safely, the engagement needed to be taken seriously. Otherwise, Loki was sure Tione would be the first to refuse.
Speaking of marriage, Loki couldn't help but turn the conversation to their own situation.
"Now that Bell has completed his quest, shouldn't we start considering marriage too?"
The word "marriage" hung in the air for the first time.
"Marriage..."
At the mention of it, even Hestia, usually so composed, looked slightly embarrassed.
"I always thought it would be something far in the future. I didn't expect Bell to reach this stage so quickly."
Hestia remembered the words Bell had once spoken to her.
"I want to possess all your time."
Such a possessive declaration.
Back then, Bell had still been an adventurer. By his own admission, he wasn't yet in a position to say such things.
"Marriage!!!"
Artemis's inner self swapped, and the newly emerged Artemis immediately shouted out her deepest desire.
"Mmm~ Finally, I'm going to take that step with my darling."
The thought of wearing a wedding gown, walking down the aisle with her beloved, and exchanging vows made Artemis excited.
The blush spreading across her cheeks spoke volumes about the goddess's feelings.
She then shot a reproachful glance at the other four.
"Unlike you impure 'virgin goddesses,' I am the true virgin goddess."
"And you'd better give me some alone time on our wedding night."
"Do you really need to rush things like this?"
The four goddesses' faces twitched slightly. Bell hadn't even proposed yet—their wedding certainly wouldn't be happening anytime soon.