Warm sunlight spilled into a corner of the forest. Bell and his companions stepped out of the mansion, preparing to begin their journey back.
"These are gifts sent by the city's nobles. We can't eat them all, so we're giving them to you. This is my personal token of gratitude. Thank you for saving Astraea-sama." A young girl handed Bell several baskets of specialty fruits, then added a few bottles of precious potions.
With that, the young women of Astraea Familia began expressing their gratitude one after another. As if reflecting each unique brand of [Justice], Bell received an assortment of utterly bizarre tokens of appreciation. Healing potions, exquisitely crafted bento boxes, thick stacks of tactical notes, odd homemade dolls, and even undergarments that left him speechless.
"Eh, isn't this okay? I heard boys really like these..."
Facing the girl's innocent expression, Lefiya flushed crimson. Astraea, smiling wryly, led her aside to administer [Justice]'s judgment.
As the goddess returned, Captain Cecil hurried over with a smile.
"Sorry! I'm late!" Dark circles hung beneath her eyes, and her blue hair was dusted with grime.
"This is for you!" Cecil handed Bell the light armor she had been holding.
"Thanks. Didn't you sleep at all last night?" Bell could see the exhaustion on her face.
"That doesn't matter! Your armor was completely ruined, so I combined it with Spirit cloth and adjusted it." Cecil beamed, clearly proud of her work. Her family had always said her forging lacked something crucial. But after hearing that stirring bell, the clanging of the hammer had felt far more passionate. Cecil wasn't sure if it was inspiration or excitement, but she simply wanted to express her gratitude to Bell. That was all.
"It has extremely high resistance to flames, and its durability against blunt strikes has also been significantly enhanced," Cecil explained.
Lefiya gazed at the light armor gleaming in the sunlight, momentarily impressed.
"To complete the forging in such a short time... It's a good thing you knew his body measurements."
"Of course! I can read a person's stats at a glance!" Cecil shot a glance at the golden-haired elf.
"Speaking of which, I didn't expect you to show some... slight growth in such a short time. What's your secret to getting bigger?"
Lefiya frowned, clutching her chest. "H-How did you... know? Bell Cranel, don't you dare look with her?!"
Just as Lefiya blushed, gripping her wand to punish Bell, Cecil casually voiced her proposal.
"Bell Cranel, would you consider signing an exclusive contract with me? It might be a bit shameless, but I feel that by following you, my forging skills could improve even further."
Faced with this earnest invitation, Bell answered honestly:
"Sorry, I already have an exclusive blacksmith. Plus, the distance between Orario and Sword Smithing City Solingen is too far. Repairing or forging new weapons and armor would take too long."
"..."
"The Captain got rejected?!"
"That's just a reasonable refusal, right?"
"But the Captain has never said anything like that before... She's about to cry!"
"I'm not crying!"
Amid the girls' chatter, Cecil stubbornly retorted. She blinked and muttered to herself,
"If I move to the Labyrinth City, prove my craftsmanship surpasses his current blacksmith, and make it a done deal... then it'll be fine..."
"Captain? That's a dangerous idea!"
"I support you, Cecil... As long as you lock him up in the house, Astraea-sama will be mine..."
"Why is Ulanda joining in too? Astraea-sama, please stop them!"
Amid the pleas from her Familia members, Astraea slowly stepped forward and spoke:
"Indeed, we will be moving to Orario in due time."
Cecil's eyes sparkled with excitement. The other guild members whispered in astonishment.
"Ah, Astraea-sama, if this is for my sake, please reconsider."
Ryuu frowned, worried that she might have implicated the goddess.
Astraea took a step closer to the youth, resting her right hand on her cheek as she spoke with a mischievous smile.
"No, this is purely my own whim. As a member of his harem, it's only natural I should stay by Bell's side."
"?!"
"? ?!"
Ryuu stood stunned beside the carriage, momentarily doubting whether she had fallen into a dream. This was absolutely not the Astraea she knew. A goddess should be righteous, dignified, immaculate, pure, and flawless. And now, she had actually become part of a young man's harem?!
Ryuu stood frozen, momentarily unable to process this astonishing reality.
"Even the goddess..."
Lefiya struggled to articulate her emotions. She was overjoyed that the boy had earned divine recognition. Yet the growing size of the harem stung her. Sweetness mingled with bitterness, tormenting Lefiya's heart. The golden-haired elf, his rival, felt a pang of jealousy, while his lover, Laurier, wore a delighted smile.
The young women of Astraea Familia reacted even more intensely.
"Why...?"
"This must be a dream!"
"A harem? Astraea-sama? Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!! How dare he... how dare he defile Astraea-sama!"
Finally, Ulanda, who worshipped the goddess, cried out loudly. Ominous black magic power swirled around her body. Just as she prepared to chant a curse spell, Astraea spoke softly:
"Bell is my lover, you know."
It was just a short sentence. Yet it declared the goddess's unwavering stance.
Ulanda withdrew her magic power and bowed respectfully. The others gradually accepted this reality.
Bell was slightly surprised. He had expected the goddess to conceal this matter, as she had done before. After all, bound by the pact of tragedy and miracle, their relationship could hardly be called true lovers. Bell and Astraea understood this implicitly, tacitly avoiding any intimate gestures.
Yet here she was, publicly declaring their bond before everyone.
As if reading the youth's thoughts, Astraea flashed a mischievous smile.
"I'll wait for your return like a devoted wife."
This declaration ignited a roar among the young women present, like a burst of flame magic.
Bell understood. This was Astraea's gratitude, and also her goddessly reserve. She accepted the youth's passion, yet refused to let their relationship progress further with an elusive miracle. This behavior mirrored that of many women who toyed with emotions.
But Astraea cut off her own retreat, announcing her relationship with the youth to everyone.
"Give my regards to Hestia. Remember to tell her we're lovers."
The pure goddess had boarded the ship of love. This vessel might stall, held back by the goddess's shyness and innocence. Or it might sink, simply because the miracle never materialized. Even Astraea herself did not know if the small boat would reach its destination.
But regardless, like a carriage fading into the distance, the ship of love had already set sail.
...
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