"Cranel-san…?!"
Ryuu stood there, stunned.
She had never expected the boy to do something like that. Panic and embarrassment instantly rushed to her face, dyeing her cheeks red.
"Huh? What does that mean, nya?"
Anya watched the interaction between the two ahead of her, her tail swaying in confusion.
"That's just how the young man gives his answer, nya…"
Chloe replied with a mischievous grin.
Bell said nothing, but his actions had already answered the question.
Perhaps it was a [lie].
Perhaps it was simply a way to deal with his lovers.
But because Bell never put it into words, even the Goddesses were unable to tell truth from falsehood.
"Just like the Bell I fell in love with."
Syr smiled beautifully.
As if she had anticipated this outcome from the start, she showed no sign of caring that the answer was not herself.
Choosing the most beautiful one among so many girls was impossible to begin with.
What Bell chose was a living person, not a static picture.
Gentle and kind, righteous and gallant, shy yet strong…
A girl's personality would inevitably influence the boy's judgment.
It was like trying to choose the most beautiful flower from a field full of blossoms.
No matter how Bell answered, some degree of falsehood would always be mixed in.
"What an unexpected way to answer…"
Artemis was unable to press the boy for his true thoughts.
On one hand, Bell's silence meant that anyone could be the answer to this question.
On the other hand, the simple act of placing the hat on Ryuu's head alone was enough to spark endless speculation, throwing Artemis's heart into turmoil.
"Cranel-san, you must have given it to the wrong person… This is something you wanted me to pass on to Syr, right?"
Ryuu finally came back to her senses.
All kinds of gazes fell upon her.
The beautiful yet dignified elf girl found herself flustered for a moment.
Ryuu turned around and looked at Syr with guilt in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Syr… There must be some kind of misunderstanding here."
After all, Ryuu was not the boy's lover and should never have been one of the candidates for that question.
"It's okay. I think it looks lovely too."
There was not the slightest trace of anger or jealousy on Syr's face. Smiling, she stepped closer and adjusted the black hat on Ryuu's head.
"There, that's perfect. The rabbit pattern really suits you, Ryuu."
Artemis stared blankly at the scene unfolding between the two.
She felt as though she finally understood why Syr had asked the boy such a sharp question.
It had all been done to stir her heart.
Just as Syr had said, she truly was jealous…
Jealous of Ryuu, who held special meaning for the boy, and of Syr, who accepted everything for the sake of love.
What Artemis felt toward them was far heavier than simple envy.
Suppressing the emotions surging within her, Artemis silently walked ahead.
...
The duel venue was set inside a large, secluded building.
It appeared to have once been a warehouse used for storing goods, but it had since been completely renovated, transformed into a clean and orderly stage.
Inside, aside from the wide open space, cooking stations and various props were neatly arranged.
"The festival's starting, nya!" Anya raised her fist excitedly.
"It's a duel, you silly cat, nya," Chloe muttered under her breath.
The moment Bell appeared, the supporters of the lovers burst into cheers and applause.
"Artemis-sama!"
"Artemis-sama will win for sure!"
"Huh? Syr already feels like she's losing in momentum, nya…"
"I can't even cheer for Syr, nya. I shouldn't have agreed to be the host, nya."
Anya and Chloe whispered their complaints to each other.
Judging by the number of supporters, each of the other girls only had one, while Artemis alone had a full twenty.
"Lunoire-san, what's going on here…?" Bell asked.
"Syr said she'd give me a week off if I supported her, so here I am."
Lunoire's eyes were filled with enthusiasm.
"I didn't have many people I could ask. We definitely can't let those gods who just like watching the fun find out about this."
Syr explained calmly.
She pointed at her colleague's clenched fist and added, "It's fine. Lunoire is very reliable. She can take on twenty people by herself."
Lunoire's expression darkened slightly.
"Syr… it's great that you trust me, but it's not to that extent… If anything, this feels even more exploitative than actual work."
Syr blinked and spoke as if to herself.
"The other day, Mama Mia seemed to be asking about who used too much strength and cracked the pickling jar…"
"I understand, Syr. Leave it to me!"
Lunoire clenched her fist and answered without the slightest hesitation.
Bell quietly left the two, who were already brimming with fighting spirit, and headed forward.
"Asfi-san, are you going to support Laurier?"
"Yes. She's helped me a lot. As her captain, it's only natural that I lend my support."
Asfi replied with a smile.
As an intelligence operative, Laurier usually interacted with no one more than Asfi.
"If I asked Hermes, I could probably gather more people, but I don't want him to know about this."
Laurier explained.
In her eyes, this was a battle of rivalry between herself and the other girls.
Letting a male god witness something like this would definitely be inappropriate.
"Thank you for being so considerate. That's just like you, Laurier."
Hearing Bell's thanks, a smile bloomed across Laurier's face.
Seeing that smile, more radiant than any flower in full bloom, Asfi once again realized that the once-innocent girl had already embraced love.
Asfi spoke with confidence.
"Don't worry. I've prepared plenty of magic items. We'll definitely secure victory."
While the two were discussing tactics, Bell walked over to a pink-haired girl.
"Heith-san?"
Bell exclaimed in surprise.
Back in his earliest days in Orario, he had a chance encounter with this beautiful healer.
After the Viola incident, Heith had seemingly vanished without a trace.
Although Bell had asked around and learned that she was safe, because of the interference from the goddess Freya, the two had never had the chance to meet again.
"Bell, it's been a long time!"
Heith blinked her crimson eyes and happily swayed her pink twin ponytails.
Even after so long, a faint blush still lingered on her face, her refined beauty no less striking than that of a goddess.
"Heith-san, are you here to support Airmid?"
Bell had heard stories about the city's two great healers, but he didn't know whether the two of them interacted much in private.
"I was originally cheering for Syr, you know. She saved me before… But considering Airmid-san's special position, I decided to stand over here."
Heith answered honestly.
Airmid held considerable prestige in Orario.
Syr was deeply favored by the gods, but the number of supporters backing the Dea Saint far exceeded hers.
If Airmid were to actively gather supporters, the entire venue probably wouldn't be able to contain them all.
"I see. The title 'Dea Saint' really does feel distant. To be able to become Airmid's lover… I'm truly very lucky."
The boy looked toward Airmid standing beside him and spoke with heartfelt emotion.
"Bell…"
Airmid suppressed the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him.
After hearing those words, winning or losing no longer mattered to her.
The two stood there, gazing deeply into each other's eyes.
"H-Hey… I'm not here to watch you two flirt!"
Heith touched her pink ponytail and added,
"Anyway, Bell, I'll support you. Do your best and go chase that harem!"
She seemed to have completely forgotten who she was supposed to be cheering for.
Behind Heith's reddened cheeks, it was hard to tell what kind of expectations or feelings were quietly hidden.