by Fujino Omori
“Sure. All right, Bell. I’m counting on you?”
“Y-yes!” Slowly but surely, I reach out and take Lady Hestia’s extended hand.
I turn to the front and am once again overwhelmed by the extravagant palace in front of us. The doors to the front entryway are open. All of us make our way inside, our clothes and shoes sparkling as we pass through the well-lit doorway.
My breath leaves me.
It’s a different realm, one that I have no connection to, a world of the night.
If someone had told me when I first came to Orario that I would be able to be a part of this realm alongside my goddess, would I have believed them?
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited…but more than that, I’m nervous.
Time stands still as I’m swept up in the luxurious atmosphere around me. I take a small breath before taking my first step into the hallway.
Other guests make their way into the building as well, men escorting the women. Lord Miach and I each take the hands of our partners and join the line flowing deeper into the palace.
The entrance hall is just as ornate as the outside of the building.
Golden pillars decorated with hundreds of candles line the hallway. I have to squint my eyes. The soaring style of architecture makes it feel very open. Alabaster statues designed to look like every single god and goddess stand in different areas of the hallway like small shrines.
The hallway leads to a set of equally extravagant stairs. The location of tonight’s party is waiting for us at the top: the second-floor ballroom.
The ballroom is already noisy with guests who had arrived before us. And, of course, the ballroom is just as well decorated as everything else. Many chandeliers equipped with magic-stone lamps hang from the ceiling, and long tables with elaborate spreads of food run down the sides and back of the ballroom. There’s a balcony beyond the tall, thin windows.
The sun has already set, and no light is coming in from outside. This building is located on North Main, surrounded by the houses of some of Orario’s wealthiest residents. That could be why the sounds of the taverns and nightlife feel very far away. This place is so quiet that it’s hard to believe I’m still in the same city.
It’s amazing that a place that can give you the feeling of stepping into another world exists in Orario.
“Um…That person, I’ve seen him before…”
“That adventurer has been famous for a while. He’s strong, too…I haven’t heard good things from other members of his group. They’re a bit afraid of him, actually. Be careful…”
I catch glimpses of well-known adventurers as we go into the center of the ballroom. One elf looks like she’d rather be anywhere but here. There’s a dwarf whose clothes are too tight, and some sharp, vigorous-looking animal people and Amazons. Humans and demi-humans are intermingling with the gods and goddesses.
Nahza tells me a lot of things as we go, but I’m still overwhelmed by this atmosphere.
“Ah yes, there you are.”
“Miach, too! This is a surprise.”
“Hephaistos, Také!”
A god and goddess greet us as we make our way toward the corner of the room—and Lady Hephaistos and Lord Takemikazuchi. Lady Hestia rushes out to meet them, followed closely by Lord Miach and Nahza, who smile and give short bows.
“Hey,” says Nahza.
“You look well,” says Lord Miach. Both sides smile and say hello.
“You brought Mikoto, eh, Také? Thanks for what you did the other day.”
“Y-yes, er, n-no! It’s nothing…!”
“Who is accompanying you, Hephaistos? I don’t see anyone.”
“He’s a strange one, leaving me here to explore the party on his own.”
Lady Hestia expressed her gratitude to Mikoto, the human hiding behind Takemikazuchi’s back. The girl who came deep into the middle levels to save me not too long ago is now blue in the face with nervousness.
Her long black hair has been expertly braided and matches her flowing dress. She’s physically shaking…I’m glad it’s not just me.
She must not be used to exposing her shoulders, because she’s huddling in, making them as small as possible. Even the tips of her ears are turning red.
I can relate. I don’t blame her for standing there with her eyes flying left and right. Lord Miach and Lady Hephaistos continue their conversation beside us.
“—Hey hey, everybody’s here! Let me join in the fun!”
“Ah, Hermes.”
I turn around in time to see Lord Hermes practically bound over to our group. He’s wearing his usual charming smile, his eyes narrowed.
“Feh.” Lord Takemikazuchi doesn’t seem to be too happy about this.
Miss Asfi is right beside him, her silver glasses sitting comfortably on her face. “Lord Hermes, please lower your voice…” There’s a hint of protest in her tone as she sighs under her breath.
“Why did you come over here? We haven’t had direct contact for very long at all.”
“Hey, c’mon, Takemikazuchi. Didn’t we just work together? Don’t leave me out in the cold!”
Lord Hermes slips by the obviously perturbed Lord Takemikazuchi after giving us an energetic greeting.
A few moments later, he’s standing in front of me, showing off a toothy grin. “Hi there, Bell! Love that jacket, that’s what I call style! And Nahza, wonderful dress!”
“Th-thank you.”
“Appreciated…”
“What’s this? Got some butterflies in your stomach, little Mikoto? Your cute face is going to waste!”
“C-cute…?!”
Unlike Lord Miach and myself, Lord Hermes is dressed rather casually. He goes around our circle, complimenting everyone from my goddess to Nahza. His eyes twinkle like a kid who’s found a new toy when he turns to face Mikoto. He reaches out and takes her hand before pressing his lips onto her fingers. Poof! Mikoto’s face practically explodes in a deep red blush.
Thud! Smack! Lord Takemikazuchi slaps Lord Hermes in the back of the head at the same time that Miss Asfi drills her heel into his shin.
“Many of us have come out tonight.”
“This time the children are with us. Tonight’s Celebration promises to be a bit livelier than usual.”
Lady Hephaistos and Lord Miach strike up a conversation to try and ignore Lord Hermes’s whimpers of pain after he collapses to the floor.
But they’re right…This is starting to feel like a party. Even our little corner of the ballroom is starting to get noisy.
I think I’m getting used to this atmosphere, though.
“—My guests! I’m glad to see you’ve all arrived!”
A loud voice echoes through the ballroom.
Every head around me instantly turns to face the other side of the room.
There is a god standing in front of the opposite wall.
He has blond hair that seems to shine like the sun. The bright and wavy locks glide over one another like early afternoon sunbeams. With a smile that is equally as brilliant, his handsome looks are powerful enough to make me, another male, stand and stare.
He’s pretty tall, too, and wearing a crown of laurels on top of his head.
Two very powerful-looking adventurers, a man and a woman, are standing just behind him on either side.
There’s no doubt about it. This has to be Lord Apollo.
“An idea came to me about how to make this event special. How do you like it? Dressing up the ones we hold most dear and bringing them to our Celebration—what could be more delightful?”
I can clearly hear the excitement in the voice of our host. Quite a few other gods agree with him, shouting and clapping in approval.
“Seeing so many of my kin and the faces of their beloved children fills me with great joy. Tonight is a night destined to be filled with grand opportunities and new meetings. I have foreseen it.”
I step to the side to get a better view, when suddenly—
Lord Apollo’s gaze
sweeps over the crowd, but then seems to instantly lock on me.
…?
I frown for a moment and look behind me over my shoulder. Lord Apollo doesn’t seem to react; he’d already started talking again as soon as I turned back toward the front.
…I might be overreacting because of what happened between me and Apollo Familia. That has to be the source of this awkwardness I’m feeling. I should just ignore it.
“The night is young. I have assembled only the finest wines and freshest food. So by all means, wine, dine, and enjoy yourselves!”
He raises his arms high into the air as the last echoes of his voice make their way through the ballroom.
There’s another cheer, mostly from the male deities, in response to this. Wineglasses with all sorts of designs carved into their bases are filled and clinked all around me as the party officially gets underway.
“Goddess…Um, what should we do?”
Lady Hestia looks at Lord Apollo the moment I ask her my question. “Mm, I want to settle things with Apollo, but it might be a good idea to wait. He looks a little busy right now.”
Of course we need to clear the air after what happened at the bar, but all of Apollo Familia is in motion. The Familia members are all dressed in their uniforms and are taking the role of attendants for the other guests. Lord Apollo is surrounded by other deities, greeting and talking as he tries to make his rounds. It would be difficult to even say hello at this rate.
Just like Lady Hestia said, we should wait for things to settle down a bit.
“Well, it’s not every day that we get to do something like this, so let’s enjoy the party. Let’s dig into the food, Bell!”
“Ah, sure.”
The goddess and I join Lord Miach and the others in their circle next to a table. All of them already have wineglasses in their hands.
“Um, Miss Mikoto. Thank you for everything you did on the eighteenth floor. You did so much to help me…”
“I-it was nothing. Really, I didn’t…”
Mikoto must’ve gotten used to this atmosphere and overcome her nerves. She responds quickly.
Not only was she part of the search party, she also came to our rescue when my goddess was kidnapped by other adventurers. I tell her how grateful I am, but she just lightly shakes her head.
“Do not forget what you accomplished, Sir Bell. Facing down a floor boss under those circumstances and delivering the final blow…It’s embarrassing to say this myself, but your strength and bravery left a profound impression on me.”
“N-no, I wouldn’t have been able to do that alone. Actually, alone I wouldn’t have been able to do anything…”
There’s an air of nostalgia in her voice, but I can’t claim full credit for what happened.
The two of us exchange a few more denials. We smile at each other before we know what is happening.
“…Sir Bell. If you are ever in danger, summon me at any time. My sword shall defend you.”
“Miss Mikoto…”
“Captain Ouka and Miss Chigusa would also like to lend you their strength, just as I would.”
“Well, me, too…If any of you are in trouble, call me anytime. I’ll do anything I can to help.” We promise to help each other in the future.
Mikoto’s face melts into a smile as we both nod.
She extends her right hand. I feel a wave of shyness rush through me before I reach out and give her a firm handshake.
“If I may ask you a question. I’ve heard that you grow at an incredible rate. Would you be willing to share some advice?”
“Bell’s not completely human. I dope him up with muscle-building pills of my own design every day…” Nahza joins our conversation, clearly enjoying herself.
“Please don’t tell stories like that!” I take another look around the room.
I’ve heard rumors that these Celebrations of the Gods are overwhelmingly strict when it comes to etiquette, but there seems to be none of that here. The gods and goddesses are laughing, drinking, and enjoying themselves. Everything seemed so formal at first, but it turned out to be no big deal.
The only thing left that’s making me uncomfortable is this absurdly luxurious building.
“Um, does this building belong to Apollo Familia…? Is this their home?”
Asfi answers my question right away.
“No, it is not. This building is under the jurisdiction of the Guild. Familias and merchants who require this facility are able to rent it as needed.”
Lord Takemikazuchi opens his mouth to speak. “I only know of one god who prefers to hold Celebrations at home, and that’s Ganesha. Most of us wouldn’t think of inviting other Familias directly into our base of operations.”
“Everyone’s always looking for something to give them an edge. It’s impossible to keep secrets from this many of us all at once.” Lord Miach adds his own explanation. I understand and nod back.
Lady Hephaistos and Lady Hestia are standing next to our conversation, their eyes scanning the room.
“This Celebration has a different feel to it. Many gods who don’t normally participate in these events are here tonight.”
“Yeah, Apollo has some unique ideas…”
I take a look around the room for myself.
I see a lot of smiling faces and pause a moment to take in the atmosphere, but there’s something else on my mind.
“Excuse me…What’s Lord Apollo like?”
“Oh? Are you interested, Bell?”
Lord Hermes turns to face me. “Yes,” I say as I make eye contact.
His orange eyes smile back at me as he takes a step closer.
“He’s an interesting one. I’ve known him since we were in Tenkai, and even now I haven’t gotten bored of him. That guy has provided us with millennia of entertainment.”
Huh? I feel my eyes pop open. I wasn’t expecting that answer…
“Anyway, he’s rather frisky. Even though he’s not an adventurer, we still gave him the title ‘Phallus the Passionate’ because it fit him so well.”
Ph-Phallus?
Why would they do that…? I have no clue.
“He’s quite the persistent lover boy—wouldn’t you say, Hestia?”
“How should I know?!”
My goddess has her back to us, sampling the food—more like stuffing her face—when she snaps at Lord Hermes’s playful verbal jab. She immediately dives back into the food, shoveling it into her mouth a little more vigorously.
Lady Hestia said that she doesn’t like Lord Apollo…Did something happen?
“Also, he is extremely…tenacious.”
“Huh?”
I flip my head back around to face Lord Hermes.
I’m just about to ask what he meant by that, when suddenly—
Waaaahh! A wave of sound comes from all directions simultaneously around me. It drowns out my question.
“Would you look at that…The big cheese has arrived.” Lord Hermes sounds surprised once he finds the reason for the commotion.
I follow his eyes—and instantly find the source of everyone’s excitement.
All of the attention in the ballroom is focused on one giant animal person and the silver-haired goddess standing beside him.
“Who’s that…?”
“That, Bell, is Lady Freya. I’m sure you’ve come across the name Freya Familia before?”
I lightly nod my head yes. It’s a lot to take in at once.
Freya Familia—they’re just as powerful as Loki Familia. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that those two groups are the heads of the Labyrinth City in terms of strength and influence. Even newbie adventurers have at least heard about both Familias’ bravery and deeds.
So that silver-haired goddess is the leader of that Familia…?
The Celebration’s mood instantly picks up upon Lady Freya’s arrival. She’s just that beautiful.
Silver eyes and a well-defined body line, her large breasts and thin waist are hidden behind a dress that looks like it
was woven in heaven itself. She takes one step forward, and all eyes in the room lock onto her. Another step and the gazes follow. She’s quite a ways from me, but I’m already hot under the collar.
I’ve never seen anyone so alluring…
“—Huh?!”
Without warning, Lady Hestia’s twin black ponytails shiver out of the corner of my eye. But this other goddess is just so dazzling…
Lady Hestia’s face emerges from the table, takes one look at Lady Freya, and then glances at me with wide eyes.
As if understanding everything in a flash, she jumps toward my shoulder.
“Don’t you dare look at Freya, Bell!”
“Bwuh?!”
“Any child who sees a Goddess of Beauty will get brainwashed by her charm!”
Coming in directly from my side, she almost knocks me off my feet.
I somehow manage to regain my balance with the goddess draped around my neck, forcing me to look away.
A Goddess of Beauty—it’s common knowledge.
A deity who is beauty incarnate, with the ability to entrance gods and mortals alike.
It looks like the goddess wasn’t kidding. Almost everyone around me is slack-jawed, staring at her. Man, woman, it doesn’t matter. They’re just standing there, as if their spirits have left their bodies.
Mikoto and Nahza are fighting hard against Lady Freya’s influence. Nahza’s eyes are clenched shut as she shakes her head back and forth. Mikoto has turned the other way, but her entire face is blushing. Only Asfi seems to be holding her own. She’s looking out in the middle of nowhere, like a daydreaming kid.
“First Ganesha’s Celebration, and now this one…Freya never comes out in the public this much.”
“H-how do you mean?”
I hear Lady Hephaistos whispering as I struggle to free myself from Lady Hestia’s grasp and ask for clarification. It’s Hermes who clears things up.
“Lady Freya usually stays in her room on the highest level of Babel Tower, rarely showing her face in public. Many of the gods here come to Celebrations just for a chance to see her with their own eyes.”
She doesn’t show her face in public…Well, yes, it’d be difficult to go anywhere if you get that much attention just by stepping outside. Lady Freya might like to be among us, but I’m sure utter chaos happens every time she tries.
