Divine pressure surged like a ferocious tidal wave, washing over the staircase and flooding the entire tavern.
And yet, in the very next instant, it vanished without a trace.
"Syr!"
Ryuu rushed up to the second floor and flung open the door in a panic.
"Are you… all right?!"
Her voice cut off abruptly.
She stood frozen in the doorway, at a complete loss for words.
Reflected in her blue-green eyes was a scene so absurd it defied belief.
Both Syr and Artemis were sprawled on the floor.
Their bodies were tangled together in an awkward knot, twisted like a lopsided bow.
Artemis had Syr's wrists pinned down, while her other hand tugged at the collar of the tavern uniform.
Though clearly overpowered, Syr dug her fingers into the goddess's side, scratching all the way up to her waist without letting up.
"Syr…?"
Ryuu stared at the two of them in disbelief, her worry dissolving entirely into confusion.
Silver-gray and pale blue hair spilled across the floor.
The dignity and gentleness they once carried were nowhere to be found, replaced by a wild mess like scattered dandelion fluff.
"Mmm…"
Syr pressed her lips together tightly, her cheeks puffed with pent-up frustration.
"Ha… haha…"
Artemis burst into laughter from the ticklish assault, yet the emerald light in her eyes held an unyielding resolve.
"..."
Ryuu had no idea which of them she was supposed to help.
Calling it a fight felt wrong. It was closer to roughhousing.
The two of them seemed to be following some unspoken set of rules, acting in silent mutual understanding.
They avoided striking each other directly, instead focusing entirely on each other's clothing.
Syr's apron had been torn into wave-like shreds, exposing large patches of skin.
Artemis's longbow and slender sword had been set aside in a corner.
Her once-light and tidy attire was now wrinkled and bunched together, stripped of its former sharpness.
"What exactly happened here?"
Laurier frowned as she voiced the question.
"..."
Artemis finally released her grip and quietly ended the scuffle.
She adjusted her appearance, her expression clearly carrying a hint of displeasure toward Syr.
"Ugh… this goddess is completely unreasonable!"
Syr puffed out her cheeks and complained as she got back on her feet.
"Artemis-sama, that divine pressure just now was…?"
Ryuu came back to her senses and asked quietly.
Under normal circumstances, humans should not be able to lay a hand on a god.
The others couldn't help but wonder—had Syr's feelings already surpassed the limits imposed by divine power?
Artemis seemed to notice their confusion.
She glanced at Syr, who was busy straightening her skirt, then let out an irritated sigh before speaking.
"We were planning to decide a winner, but she suddenly cheated. I reacted on instinct and raised my divine power. I apologize for frightening you."
"..."
A winner?
Cheating?
Ryuu listened in a daze, her gaze drifting toward Syr.
"Well… Artemis-sama made a very unreasonable demand…"
Syr walked over to the others and lifted a hand to wipe away tears that weren't actually there.
Her voice trembled slightly.
Artemis remained silent, watching without interrupting.
"She said that from now on, we're not allowed to touch Bell at all…"
Syr lowered her head, looking utterly dejected, as if she were seeking comfort.
Her words immediately resonated with the other girls.
"Artemis-sama, are you serious about that?!"
Laurier asked urgently.
"That's right. Except for special situations, such as when Bell is injured, all intimate contact at other times is strictly forbidden."
Artemis stated her demand with unshakable resolve.
Within her gentle voice flowed the Moon Goddess's singular expression of love.
No touching allowed.
No desecration tolerated.
What Artemis desired was an uncompromising [exclusivity].
Her words fell like a sudden downpour.
The atmosphere instantly tightened, sharp and confrontational.
"...Artemis-sama, please take back what you just said."
Airmid lowered her head and made her plea.
"Unfortunately, that's impossible. Preventing you from having physical contact with Orion is my current [Divine Will]."
Artemis held no weapon in her hands, yet her gaze was as sharp as arrows, piercing straight through the girls before her.
Goddess of the Moon.
Goddess of Purity.
One of the Three Great Virgin Goddesses.
The [Chastity] governed by Artemis delivered its judgment in a different form.
There would be no compromise.
And no retreat.
Airmid and Laurier both lowered their heads, caught in a difficult position.
"Artemis-sama, may I understand your stance as possessiveness?"
Syr showed no fear at all.
She stared straight into the goddess's eyes, as if trying to peer into her heart.
"..."
Artemis froze for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.
"I never thought of it from such a new angle… I'm not sure myself."
"The way to tell is actually very simple."
Syr pointed lightly toward Artemis and continued.
"You're stopping us from touching Bell. Are you prepared to do the same yourself?"
"..."
Artemis felt the flutter in her chest and couldn't answer.
Although the contract she had given the boy contained many restrictions, it had never completely sealed off that path.
There was no doubt that personal feelings and impure thoughts had mixed into the [Chastity] she governed.
"It seems the answer doesn't need to be said, Artemis-sama. You can't use [Divine Will] to stop us."
Syr saw the conclusion clearly in the goddess's hesitation.
The Artemis standing here now was not making demands for pure chastity itself, but acting as a girl driven by emotion.
Because she couldn't accept going further herself, she tried to prevent others from touching the boy.
She didn't want to witness a shameful scene.
She couldn't accept the unfamiliar sting of jealousy.
Once the boy left her side, her thoughts would be overtaken by imagination, flooding her with endless longing and restless fantasies.
"Artemis-sama, you're jealous…"
Syr spoke the true source of those feelings.
Artemis frowned and immediately objected.
"I am the goddess who governs [Chastity]. Feelings like that could never arise in me."
"Is that so…"
Syr took a deep breath and continued.
"Artemis-sama, last night, were you unable to sleep?"
"When you were lost in thought, who were you thinking about?"
"When Bell isn't by your side, what fills your mind?"
Artemis pressed a hand to her chest, unable to respond.
No matter how she tried to argue, she couldn't deceive her own heart.
She worried about the boy's safety.
She felt lonely and empty.
And at night, she would unconsciously imagine whether Bell was sharing affection with other girls.
"Artemis-sama, do you believe your love is nobler than ours?"
Syr's words turned into a slender blade, slicing through the Moon Goddess's defenses.
At this moment, Artemis was no different from Syr and the others.
She was simply a girl holding love in her heart.
"I've never thought that…"
Artemis answered honestly.
"But your actions say otherwise."
Syr stepped forward slowly.
"I… I don't understand…"
Artemis faltered and took a step back.
Syr gave her no chance to retreat and gently took hold of her hands.
"Artemis-sama, no matter how long you try to delay this, I and the other girls won't back down."
"You should know better than anyone that this can't be allowed to affect Bell."
"He'll shoulder everything himself, worrying and working himself to exhaustion for our sake."
Green eyes met gray pupils.
Here, there was no goddess.
Only a girl intoxicated by love.
Syr looked straight at Artemis and spoke her final declaration.
"Let's decide this properly."