Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Be the Main Character in Orario?

Whoosh!

A sharp gust cut through the air, shooting straight toward the highest balcony of the tower near Orario.

Inside a teahouse, Freya and Loki watched intently.

Under the gaze of the two goddesses, the speeding wine bottle gradually slowed down, landing on the high railing. Moments later, two cloaked figures appeared atop it.

They were actually there. Loki's lips twitched—she hadn't expected that shorty and the kid to really be up there, watching everything from above.

Freya glanced over and felt a mild headache coming on.

Though a god's eyesight wasn't completely sealed, and they could still see others from a distance, seeing through a hood wasn't something divine eyes could manage. That wasn't a matter of simple vision.

The two standing on the high tower wore cloaks and hoods. From this distance, the only way to distinguish them was by height.

But on a day like Monsterphilia, when everyone was cloaked and hooded, Freya finally understood why her investigations had yielded nothing useful. With this kind of caution, even if intel existed, it would be nearly impossible to uncover.

"I used to think only that child had that issue. Now it seems even Hestia's picked it up."

Normally, Hestia went out completely unguarded. How long had it been since she started leaving the house wrapped in a cloak and hood?

"Then who do you think Hestia is protecting herself from?"

Loki's comment instantly shut Freya up. Of course. Who else could Hestia be dressing like that for? Wasn't the answer obvious?

Bell caught the wine bottle and handed the note attached to it to the goddess.

The message was clear—it was an invitation for the goddess.

Hestia frowned at the words, conflicted.

"Bell-kun, do you think I should go?"

"I'd rather you didn't, Goddess-sama. But if you refuse this time, we won't be able to avoid her next time."

Bell definitely didn't want Freya and Goddess-sama facing off right now. The gap in power was far too big. If they clashed directly, it wouldn't end well.

'There's no getting out of it,' Hestia thought, pouting with frustration. She'd been avoiding Freya all this time, yet today, even while attending Monsterphilia with Bell-kun, Freya still managed to find her.

Just as Bell-kun said—she could dodge this invitation. But what about the next one?

Even if she desperately didn't want to see Freya, they were both gods living in Orario. Sooner or later, they were bound to cross paths. What then?

"I'll accept. But I'll go alone. Bell-kun, don't follow."

"Understood."

He didn't need the reminder. Bell had no intention of confronting Freya directly at this point.

Last time at the "Hostess of Fertility," she hadn't noticed him. That proved he lacked the radiance of a soul. For him, that was the best outcome.

Freya's interest in him likely came from his current work drawing her attention. Following that trail, she discovered his connection with Hephaestus and confirmed he was part of Hestia Familia, ultimately setting her sights on him.

It wasn't exactly good news—but it wasn't the worst either. At least it meant Freya's interest was still at the level of curiosity and hadn't escalated to what it was in the original story. That meant he still had room to maneuver.

As long as he avoided meeting Freya again, her curiosity would likely stay at just that.

So for now, what Bell needed to do was find a quiet place and stay put.

"Goddess-sama, I'll come get you once you're done over there."

Six runes appeared simultaneously, forming a circle that rapidly expanded, distorting the space around it. In an instant, they enveloped Goddess-sama and transported her away at high speed.

...

"Over there... can't see them anymore."

Loki widened her eyes. In just the blink of an eye, the two figures standing atop the high balcony had vanished.

"Looks like that's a refusal."

Freya sounded a little disappointed. She had hoped to have a proper talk with Hestia, but the latter had flatly turned her down.

"Ahem!"

A deliberately loud cough made Loki and Freya spin around. Just moments ago, no one had been there, yet now a cloaked and hooded girl stood before them. The bottle of wine in her hand made her identity unmistakable.

"Freya, what did you call me over for?"

"Naturally, to talk about your child."

Freya's words immediately turned the atmosphere tense. Hestia even took two nervous steps back.

"Bell-kun is my child!"

Freya gave a faint smile. Of course, she already knew that. When choosing children in the past, she never concerned herself with which Familia they originally belonged to. But that approach wouldn't work here—Hestia's child was different.

"I've never denied that. But that child is also one I misjudged—he left a strong impression on me."

"Huh? You've made mistakes before?"

The word "misjudged" truly surprised Hestia. As far as she knew, Bell-kun wasn't someone who could be so easily mistaken for another. She also understood that Freya saw people through the color of their souls—could she really be wrong about something that clear?

"Well, even I can make mistakes sometimes. If I'd seen that child's soul back then—if I'd acted right away—maybe I could have taken him. But now the situation's not so simple. If I tried to take him, he'd resist."

"Hmph... So you really do want to take my Bell-kun."

"I'm not denying it. The fact that he fooled me once is enough to catch my attention. But making decisions based on that alone goes against my principles."

Indeed, Freya only chose her companions after seeing the color of their souls clearly. Her choices weren't impulsive or made on a whim—never reckless, and never without reason.