On the western streets of Orario, an exceptionally beautiful scene came into being.
Several stunning young women walked together beneath the sunlight.
Elves, humans, gods, cat people…
They clustered around Bell as they headed toward a certain destination.
"I didn't expect Syr to have even prepared the venue."
Bell couldn't help but marvel at just how thoroughly this [Holy War] had been arranged.
By the time he and Ryuu arrived at the tavern, Syr had already worked out the rules with Artemis and was leading everyone toward the site of the duel.
"I asked a certain god to take care of the setup. We're almost there,"
Syr replied with a light laugh.
A spring breeze passed through the street, and pedestrians stopped one after another.
Even couples who were already together couldn't help but be drawn in by the breathtaking sight.
"It's the Little Rookie…"
"So that goddess is Artemis-sama?"
"That bastard, being surrounded by so many beautiful girls!"
"No matter how jealous you are, don't say it out loud. Be careful, or the goddess Artemis might punish you…"
Male adventurers whispered among themselves, while some couples even started arguing.
"Be honest, you were sneaking glances at the goddess and the others just now, weren't you?"
"But you were staring at the Little Rookie too…"
"Well… that's totally normal! I mean, he was incredibly cool in the War Game, and he's the legendary [Orion], after all…"
"What did you say?!"
"...…."
Unlike the noisy chatter of the passersby, the atmosphere around the boy himself was unusually tense.
"I support Syr, nya!"
Even Anya, who usually helped lighten the mood, couldn't stop the situation from turning sharp.
Neither Syr nor Artemis said anything.
They continued forward in silence, carefully watching each other's movements.
If even one of them moved a step closer to the boy, the others would immediately follow.
Though it was nothing more than a meaningless contest of nerves, the duel hadn't even begun, and yet the signs of a battlefield were already there.
Standing in the middle, Bell felt the girls' gazes, sharp as lightning.
He deliberately had Ryuu and Lefiya walk on either side of him, using them to shield himself from the strange heat of this unspoken clash.
Lefiya's emotions were in complete turmoil.
Everyone close to the boy is here, so why am I the one walking beside him…?
Doesn't that make it look like I'm… important?
People might get the wrong idea…
Lost in her thoughts, Lefiya never voiced her doubts.
On the other side, Ryuu found herself torn between wanting to support her friend and struggling with curiosity over who the blonde girl was.
Bell's past declaration of his ideals kept resurfacing in her mind.
Blonde hair. Elf. Older.
Although Laurier fit those conditions, Ryuu instinctively rejected the idea born from the prophetic dream.
That resistance only gave her even more room for suspicion.
Ryuu was completely unaware of the strange tension surrounding her.
Just as Bell was making full use of his two human shields, the voice of a small girl drifted over from the side.
"Mama, who are those people…?"
"The boy in the middle is the Little Rookie. Some of the girls are his lovers."
"The big sisters are all so pretty!"
"Yes. They're all amazing people. We've received Airmid-sama's care before as well."
"Eh—?" The little girl blinked. "Then who's the prettiest among them?"
"..."
"Don't say things like that again. It's very disrespectful to Airmid-sama and the others."
The girl's mother looked toward Airmid and the rest, lowering her head apologetically.
"..."
"..."
Airmid didn't speak, only returning a faint, gentle smile.
To everyone else, the exchange between the girl and her mother was nothing more than a passing moment, hardly worth noticing.
But the instant they left the little girl's sight, silent flames flared in the saint's eyes.
She turned her gaze to the boy, her unwavering violet pupils seemingly searching for an answer.
Bell understood all too well how troublesome this question was.
No matter who he chose, it would lead to nothing but turmoil and bloodshed.
He had intended to keep using Lefiya and Ryuu as shields, avoiding the question entirely.
But Syr smoothly took over the conversation, voicing the very question that had just been asked.
"Bell, who do you think is the prettiest among us?"
Her voice was angelically sweet, yet the intent behind it was like that of a scheming demon, pushing the boy straight into the fire.
"..."
Under the girls' piercing gazes, Bell fell into silence.
"I'm curious about the answer too. You don't need to consider the [Gods]. Just tell us what you really think, Orion."
Artemis smiled softly as she brushed aside her blue hair.
The Moon Goddess had once believed that goddesses like Hestia were the true embodiment of beauty and cuteness.
Although she had become the boy's lover, she had always lived a life filled with battle and bloodshed, making it difficult to associate herself with the word "beautiful."
That lingering sense of insecurity bound deep in her heart made Artemis care greatly about the answer.
"There's no point in competing over something like this… Bell, you don't need to answer."
Laurier stepped to the boy's side.
To support him, she never acted on selfish impulses.
Even if they were not lovers, Laurier would likely still be Bell's most steadfast supporter.
No matter the situation, she could always set aside her own desires and jealousy. That was the way the sunflower's love chose to bloom.
"Is Laurier-san scared? Afraid the answer won't be her?"
Syr spoke the blonde elf's name with gentle familiarity.
Yet beneath that sweet address, her words carried a sharp, unexpected edge.
It was as if Syr had seen straight through Laurier's heart, cutting off any path of retreat.
"I… I wasn't thinking that at all?!"
Laurier replied in a panic.
Even as she stood firmly by the boy's side, part of her still hoped the answer would be herself.
At the same time, Laurier instinctively tried to avoid facing it.
Whether it was Artemis or any of the other girls, every one of them possessed a beauty capable of captivating the heart.
Even with the added advantage of [Preferences], Laurier's chances of winning were vanishingly small.
"In that case, there's nothing wrong with hearing Bell's answer, right?"
Syr offered the boy no opportunity to dodge the question.
Whether this was her scheming nature showing through, or a deliberate consideration aimed at Artemis, no one could tell.
"I want to know the answer as well, Artemis-sama. I'll leave it to you to discern whether he's lying."
Airmid spoke softly.
On this matter, she found herself standing on the same side as her rival.
"Bell, everyone here is a strong girl. You don't need to worry about us. Just say what you really think."
Syr smiled gently, then added,
"Of course, since we're talking about the prettiest one, there can only be a single answer."
Along with those sweet words, gazes filled with curiosity and stubborn resolve all focused on the boy.
"..."
Bell silently swept his eyes around.
The open space was already devoid of passersby.
The girls showed their beautiful faces openly, waiting for his answer.
Who was the prettiest?
There was no doubt. This was a forbidden question.
A true no-win situation, a battlefield no one could walk away from unscathed.
Even answering with a lie would be seen through by Artemis, only wounding even more hearts.
He couldn't speak. He couldn't hesitate. He couldn't respond.
The boy had nowhere left to retreat.
What stood before him was a true dead end.
Bell recalled the scene from the [Prophetic Dreams] and finally made up his mind.
A spring breeze brushed past.
His lovers gathered close.
The boy remained silent.
He simply took off his hat and gently placed it on Ryuu's head.