by Fujino Omori
“BuuHA?!”
“You dove for the opening…” said Aiz as Bell landed flat on his chest on top of the stone floor.
Only then did Bell realize it was a trap. She had baited and set it for the rabbit as though to demonstrate the prowess of a skilled hunter. Bell’s head hit the stone surface in disappointment.
The boy pushed off the stone floor into a sitting position. Aiz crouched down in front of him and continued her lesson.
“Monsters and people fight differently…”
“Y-yes.”
“Monsters always attack head-on, aiming to kill…but people read each other, change their strategy.”
Unlike monsters that used their full power all the time, people used techniques and experience to gain the upper hand in a fight. This was especially true of the combatants of similar strength and skill.
“People become easier to read when they see a window. Just like now.”
“…!”
“Guard is lowest when the final blow is near…That’s what I was taught.”
People became overconfident when they saw victory within their grasp, which meant they neglected to cover their blind side.
That was especially true during a duel.
Bell looked up, making eye contact with Aiz as she finished her impassioned explanation.
“Your best opportunity lies in the moment you’ve been cornered. Don’t forget.”
Bell carved her words into his very soul.
Aiz held out her hand. Bell nodded and took it.
She pulled him to his feet.
“How about some more?”
“Yeah…”
“Yes!”
Both combatants nodded at Tiona’s invitation and their battle heated up once more.
Lessons of the top-class adventurers fresh in his mind, Bell continued his training long into the night.
In order to grasp victory or to rescue a friend.
Each of the people caught in the whirlpool was taking their own actions for their own reasons and coming together.
The city of Orario might appear calm on the surface, but excitement was building underneath its placid exterior.
The War Game was fast approaching. With each passing day, the average citizens of the city discussed it on the streets, at their workplaces, and over a jug of ale at their favorite bar. The number of adventurers going into the Dungeon fell dramatically, forcing disappointed shops to close early. No one seemed to want to do anything else. Even the children seemed to sense that something was different. Many of them gathered in city parks wielding toy swords and staging their own games.
Orario was quietly, but undoubtedly, boiling over with excitement. It grew more intense as the War Game drew nearer.
Most of all, the ones closest to the people caught in the whirlpool had their own reactions as they watched the preparations unfold.
The curtain of night fell over the city, revealing a star-filled sky.
The white tower in the middle of it all looked over the city as magic-stone lamps gradually lit up its surroundings.
“Lady Freya, it has been completed as ordered…Lady Freya?”
In the highest room of Babel Tower.
While Freya heard the words of her follower, Ottar, she didn’t respond in the slightest.
The man looked upon her in concerned confusion as she ran her fingers through her long, gorgeous silver hair. The goddess sat in her usual chair facing the window, watching something outside with so much intensity that Ottar was afraid the glass would melt.
“…Fu-fu.”
Her silver eyes were being drawn to a fierce battle taking place atop the city wall.
The blond-haired, golden-eyed knight along with the warrior wielding massive twin blades fought two-on-one against a white-haired boy. Two female, one male, three different spirits “glowed” as they clashed. Freya was enjoying every second of it.
She felt no pity for the boy whenever he was launched into the air by the Amazonian girl or cut down by the long-haired human.
This was because every time the boy got up, his soul shone brighter. It was as if this training ground was a forge and the girls were eliminating all impurities, like a smith prepping metal. They were drawing out his soul’s clear glow.
It was that glow that originally drew Freya to him and would hold her interest until the end of time. Every hit the boy took added a new sparkle. The goddess sat there, completely transfixed.
“…Are you certain that we can allow Apollo’s followers to go through with this?”
Ottar tried once again to draw her attention away from the city wall.
Her eyes stayed put, but she used one thin finger to pull a lock of her silver hair behind her ear and grinned.
“I thought about crushing them for trying something so stupid but…No.”
Her silver eyes narrowed as they followed the boy charging back into battle against the human girl and the Amazon.
“No goddess worthy of her divinity wouldn’t want to see how this turns out.”
Her cheeks pulled back into a full smile as she looked down from her spot among the stars.
Unable to rest, the stars twinkled brightly through the night.
Even at this late hour, the Guild headquarters was alive with activity. Clerks holding stacks of papers, receptionists carrying boxes upon boxes, and employees with no time to sit down were busily working in every corner of the Pantheon decorated with white pillars.
With the War Game only four days away, there was enough work to be done to make their eyes spin.
“No more! I’m gonna die right here!”
“Misha, you’re too heavy…”
The human receptionist Misha set yet another stack of papers down on her desk before drifting over to Eina and collapsing onto her back amid the commotion. The half-elf looked at her old friend with tired eyes as she spoke again.
“Eina, wha’cha doing…?”
“Making a plan to keep people away from the war zone…Advising, I guess.”
A small mountain range of paperwork encircled her desk, each pile bearing Eina’s handwriting.
“Do not enter” was written in big, bold letters—all referring to the Shreme Castle ruins located southeast of Orario.
“Shreme Castle…Didn’t that group of robbers decide to move in a while back?”
“Yes. Ganesha Familia accepted our request to remove them ahead of time. A few quests have also been issued to help them out…It’s a good opportunity to catch them while we can.”
Eina continued writing while she responded to Misha’s question.
Misha could hear the constrained energy in Eina’s voice despite her weak tone. The girl looked at the side of Eina’s face before standing up and bringing her chair next to her.
“Eina…are you worried about Bell?”
“…Worried? How could I not be worried…”
Her expression became cloudy as her emerald eyes trembled.
Her head drooped as she brought her hand to her chest. One of the adventurers assigned to her, practically a little brother at this point, was caught up in a battle between Familias. And now he’d been forced into a War Game in which it wasn’t uncommon for participants to die. Needles pierced her heart just by visualizing the boy’s innocent smile—would she never see it again?
If she could convince him to run away or maybe assist him, maybe she wouldn’t be in this much pain.
“But I’m an employee of the Guild…I can’t interfere in any way.”
However, the situation had progressed so far that one half-elf couldn’t have any influence at all. Eina knew that she was powerless in the face of the forces at work.
That fact had soaked in completely. The tone in Eina’s voice bordered on despair. She felt utterly useless.
“We____ll, you know…You could root for him?”
Misha could tell that her friend was upset and tried to cheer her up.
Eina looked up at her.
“Root�
�?”
“Yep. ‘Go for it!’ and stuff like that? I’m sure that if he had your support, he’d do the best he could to win, right?”
Eina looked at Misha’s childish smile for a few moments.
Finally, she stood up and walked over to the window at the end of the office.
The moon shone brightly down on her as she looked up at the night sky.
“…Go for it.”
Eina whispered to the moonlight.
“Ahh, how patient must I be…”
The deity’s eyes slowly closed in a dark room illuminated by moonlight.
Sitting on an ornate throne made of gold, Apollo brought a glass of wine to his lips.
The manor that he called home was tranquil, a good distance away from the noisy areas of the city. Tonight, it was much quieter than usual. The bulk of his Familia had already left to prepare the castle ruins that would become their battlefield. As it was their role in this battle to defend it, Apollo Familia had a lot of work to do.
If his only goal was to steal Bell away from Hestia, it would’ve been easy enough to continue their assault and capture him even without the cooperation of Soma Familia. If he had done so, the boy would already be his.
However, Apollo was partial to the idea of a War Game.
There was a very clear difference between a conflict fought on the streets and the War Game. Crushing a foe in battle to obtain an objective left everyone involved with a sour taste in their mouths. On the other hand, should he obtain his prize by following a set of rules, then he would be able to bask in the glory of victory and enjoy the spoils. It was, after all, a game. He would not allow the Guild or any other group to profit from this situation. With victory, he would gain the authority to take the follower of the enemy god—if Hestia refused to perform a Conversion, it was impossible to make Bell his own both in name and reality.
Above all, the other gods would not be satisfied by such a quick turn of events. Apollo had gathered the support of many gods who were starving for some “entertainment” in order to capture Bell. He owed them the show they were dying to see.
He also wanted some amusement.
A war of gods fought by mortals. By far the most delicious flavor of Gekai, it was enjoyed by all gods.
There was no greater excitement than to be able to move their followers like pieces on a board game without any kind of interference.
Those were Apollo’s true feelings—the influence of his own divinity.
His wants and desires swirling within him, the god wearing a crown of laurels looked toward the sky.
“Oh, my beloved Bell Cranell…will there ever come a day I can embrace you in my own arms?”
He wasn’t sure when he first knew of the boy—most likely when the rumors of a new record holder came to light. Apollo had a habit of indulging in everything new and fresh. Picturing the events that would soon unfold brought him great joy. His very body shook with anticipation.
—Ahh, Bell!
—No, my Belly-boy!
—You won’t get away!
He could see the boy now, a tear in his eye. But something else was swelling up within him. This heat surging through his chest was proof of his love. Apollo’s craving for the boy was on the verge of driving him insane. His thin, compact build and rabbitlike features with white hair and young, red eyes that were untainted by the truths of this world—everything.
Apollo’s cheeks flushed like those of a drunken man.
“…If our love is to grow, Hestia, you will only get in the way. Once he is mine, I will drive you out of this city—no, out of Gekai entirely.”
Coming back to reality, Apollo opened his eyes and looked up at the stars.
The moonlight reflected off his suddenly serious eyes as his lips curled upward.
“I’m counting on you, my cute little children…”
A low laugh resonated from his room beneath the calming moonbeams.
Click. A few moments later, both hands of his clock joined him in looking skyward.
The time drew near.
The city was filled with a morning chill just before sunrise.
The streets were lined with silent and motionless shops. Shutters were closed over windows and doors; it was unbelievable how lifeless the city seemed. The city wall cast a tall shadow over the buildings, the streets covered in shade.
Two figures ran quickly through East Main Street toward the brightening horizon through the unnaturally quiet morning air.
“You have to hurry, Bell! The caravan’s about to leave!”
“Right behind you!”
Hestia and Bell ran through what was left of the morning fog. Their destination was the East Gate. They kept talking as they ran.
“They already know you’re coming. There’s a spot for you on one of their horse-drawn carts. Get off at a town called Agris, it’s pretty close to the old castle! Guild employees will give you instructions from there, so pay attention!”
“Will do!”
The War Game would start the day after tomorrow.
Bell had finished training with Aiz and Tiona and had received a Status update from Hestia. Now all that was left was to travel to the battlefield. It would take a day to get there, so arrangements had been made for Bell to travel with the caravan of merchants for most of the trip.
He was dressed in light but strong traveler’s clothes with a cloak around his shoulders. Everything else he needed was in a bag over his shoulder, the drawstring held tight in his grasp.
“Everyone else is already there, so meet up with them in town! Also, here’s your travel permit issued by the Guild—show it to the gatekeepers and the leader of the caravan!”
Orario was set up so that it was relatively easy to enter the city but extraordinarily difficult to exit. An individual needed several documents approved by the Guild before they were allowed to pass. Bell took the signed sheets of paper identifying him as a War Game participant from Hestia and said a quick “Thank you.”
At last, they arrived at the heavily fortified East Gate. Somehow, it looked a lot smaller to Bell now than it did when he’d passed through a few months ago. Members of the caravan were already here, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Bell and Hestia worked their way through lines of horse-drawn carts and large storage containers on wheels toward the head of the caravan before stopping in front of the first gate.
“…I’ll be waiting right here for your glorious return.”
“…See you then, Goddess!”
Hestia smiled at him. Bell smiled back.
That’s when Hestia jumped onto his chest, wrapped her arms around him, and squeezed with all her might. Bell’s body tensed out of embarrassment, but he didn’t try to escape. He couldn’t. Hestia ignored all the commotion around them and enjoyed the warmth emanating from his chest as long as she could. Bell’s face turned beet red as her arms worked higher, going above his shoulders and around his neck as she started to pull back. Meeting his gaze, she opened her mouth into a bright, gentle smile as she said, “Now go.”
Bell took a step back, a shy smile on his face. Wiping his hot cheeks with his free hand, the boy turned and ran to the front of the caravan. “Wait for me!” he yelled to the front and took off into the maze of carts. The caravan leader was talking with one of the gatekeepers. Both looked up as the boy approached, holding out his paperwork for them to see.
The gatekeeper was an adventurer—probably someone who had accepted an assignment from the Guild. Two Guild employees emerged from the gate office from behind him and took Bell’s paperwork. Reading it over, they nodded to each other. The caravan leader pointed to a cart in the line and told Bell to take a seat.
The horse-drawn cart that Bell climbed into was more spacious than he thought. It had a roof as well as windows on each side. A few people—some travelers, merchants, and a hired guard—were already on board. Each of them had a very distinct look about him or her, a few in light armor and others in comfortable clothes.
; “…Hey, you there. Aren’t you the Little Rookie from Hestia Familia?”
“Ah, yeah, that’s me.”
“Thought so! On your way to the War Game, huh? Give ’em hell!”
Bell took a seat at the back corner of the cart next to a rather friendly animal person who immediately recognized him and started a conversation. The smiling young man had the aura of a drifter and a bushy tail wagging cheerfully behind him. The tension in the cart dissipated as the other passengers came over to break the ice.
“Those guys are rough, but give it your best shot!” “This is our tradition, we have some snacks before every trip!” “How ’bout this?!”
Each of them came over with handfuls of nougat, dried fruit, and tarts. Surrounded by kind and welcoming people, Bell couldn’t help but smile, nod his head, and manage to say, “Th-thank you…” He didn’t really like sweet foods but he didn’t want to reject their goodwill and decided to eat everything he was offered.
The cart lurched beneath him as it started to move forward.
The cries of many horses cut through the morning air. The East Gate was open; the caravan started to move.
Bell felt every bump in the road through his wooden seat when suddenly—
“—Bell!”
He heard someone call his name.
He leaned over to look out the window and saw Syr running right beside the cart.
“Syr?! What are you doing? It’s dangerous!”
Bell lifted the window open and called out to her.
She was out of uniform, wearing a cape over her usual clothes and running as hard as she could to keep up with the cart. She thrust her right hand toward the window.
“Take this…!”
“Huh?”
Something golden glinted from within her outstretched hand. Bell reached outside out of reflex.
She gave him an amulet. It was in the shape of a golden teardrop, a jewel in its center. It had to be an accessory that granted the wearer some kind of power. Bell raised his eyes from the item in his hand to look at Syr.
“It was a thank-you gift to the bar from an adventurer a while ago…A good-luck charm!”