Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

The girl's profile remains deep within her chest, never to disappear.

"..."

As if seeing through Bell's inner turmoil, Hestia became expressionless.

She pursed her lips, and after making up her mind, she took Bell's hands in both of hers.

The goddess asked the startled boy:

"Bell, do you like me?"

Bell let out a strange cry at the sudden question.

"Huh!?"

"This is a very important matter."

Hestia blushed and continued:

"As long as you say you like me, I'm prepared. As long as I believe what you say, I can laugh off even troublesome jealousy (feelings). I can do anything! I'll fight to the bitter end with anyone!"

The grip on his hand tightened.

"I love you so much. I cherish you terribly. I want to live with you forever, to stay by your side forever... I don't want to give you to anyone else."

The fingers of their clasped hands were trembling.

"What do you think of me?" she asked one last time.

Hestia remained blushing, gazing intently at the boy's face with a serious expression.

Even the flustered Belle was infected by her charm, and blushed as she replied:

"I...I respect you very much..."

"That's not what I'm asking!"

Bell's shoulders jerked when she yelled at him right in front of him.

What did the goddess (Hestia) want to say? What did she want to ask? He listened to his heart pounding uncontrollably, trying desperately to understand the meaning of the goddess's question about "like," and the purpose of her words.

Facing Hestia's affectionate gaze, he had a premonition that something precious would be destroyed, and that the two would no longer be gods and members of their own kin.

Just as Bell unconsciously felt worried and opened his trembling lips—the blow struck.

"!"

The blast wave from the waterway entrance hit Bell and his team.

Bell quickly pinned Hestia down to protect her, and the party of mages and adventurers came into view.

"Found it, in the waterway!"

"Everyone, charge!"

"!"

They were finally discovered, and Bell grabbed Hestia and ran away.

Bell picked her up again and carried her out of the waterway without a second thought.

"Once is one thing, but to get in our way twice... How infuriating!"

The goddess in his arms, with her fierce expression, startled Bell.

Hestia was furious, her eyes blazing with rage.

"I'm angry! Bell, I'm going all out!"

"Yes, yes!?"

"Southwest, head southwest!"

She gave instructions in a fit of rage, and Bell obeyed.

They drastically changed their course, turning in the opposite direction from the guild headquarters and heading southwest through the back alleys. The adventurers, caught off guard by their sudden change of direction, were momentarily at a loss. Bell simply accelerated past them.

"..."

"..."

Running in silence, Bell secretly rejoiced that the previous question and answer had come to nothing.

Whether she thought so too or not, Hestia didn't bring up what had just happened, but instead pressed her blushing face against Bell's chest.

The goddess's delicate body nestled in his arms mingled with the sound of his own heartbeat. Bell couldn't help but feel this way.

Heading to the southwest designated by Hestia is quite easy.

After leaving the encirclement netting that was noticeably thinner than before, we crossed West Street and entered the Sixth District, an area sandwiched between West Avenue and Southwest Avenue.

Dominating the attention of the surrounding crowd, he ran across the wide streets and, guided by Hestia, arrived at a vast expanse of land.

"here it is……"

Tall iron railings, a spacious forecourt filled with lush vegetation, and a massive stone mansion. Seeing the bows and arrows and sun emblems adorning the gate, Bell swallowed hard.

"We're not here to cause trouble, move aside! Go away!"

Just as Bell and his companions were about to step through the gate, they were stopped by the gatekeepers with long spears. However, the gatekeepers were no match for Hestia's boldness as she waved her arms wildly and had no choice but to let them pass.

As if to guard against a surprise attack, the remaining members of the group were deployed in front of the mansion. Bell witnessed the disparity in combat strength between the enemy and himself once again, and was so shocked that he was speechless.

Ignoring the vigilance of the surrounding members, Hestia recklessly crossed the center of the front courtyard. At that moment, as if he had expected it, Apollo calmly appeared from the mansion.

"Hey, Hestia. What brings you here?"

Seeing her crush come down the steps in front of the gate with a big smile to greet her, Hestia glared at him fiercely.

With Luan, a dwarf serving as his personal bodyguard, Apollo stopped in front of Hestia and the others.

Faced with the unstable atmosphere emanating from the goddess, both Bell and Ruan were sweating profusely, while the two main gods confronted each other.

"...Little dwarf, lend me your gloves."

"Eh...okay, okay."

The goddess's unyielding tone left Lu An no choice but to obey.

Clutching the gloves that had been given to her, Hestia used all her strength to smash them against Apollo's face.

"!"

The glove slapped Apollo across the face with a "smack!"

The recoil from throwing the gloves caused the twin ponytails to float gently, startling both Bell and Ruan.

Apollo, still smiling, peeled his gloves off his face. Hestia announced loudly to him:

"Very well! I accept your invitation to the war game!!"

Bell opened his eyes wide and saw Apollo's mouth turn upwards in a wide grin.

"The two gods have reached an agreement—everyone, the war game begins!"

The moment he opened his arms, all the gods appeared from the garden.

"Yay yay ...

No one knows when they hid there, but from the bushes or trees in the garden, a large number of male and female gods cheered.

Bell, Ruan, and the Apollo team members were all surprised, as the surroundings suddenly became chaotic.

"Go and apply to the guild for the War Game!"

"We also need to hold a temporary assembly of the gods! Call all the other gods (guys) over!!"

"I'm so excited—!!"

"A long-awaited grand feast—!"

Excitement erupted everywhere. Lacking entertainment, the gods used their skills to create a festival-like commotion, interspersed with Loki's voice. These gods and goddesses began to lead the preparations for the war game.

"As you've heard. The details of the competition (game) will be decided at the Conference of the Gods. You'll be notified of the date later... Enjoy yourself, Hestia?"

As the crowd continued to clamor, a bold smile appeared on Apollo's face.

Hestia glared back. Apollo turned his back to her, and Luan hurriedly followed.

"Gods, immortals..."

As Apollo walked into the mansion, Bell murmured blankly.

The disparity in the number of members and the strength of the factions was obvious. The faction's confrontation was so obvious that it didn't even need a proper contest, filling his mind with pessimistic thoughts and expectations of its fate.

Hestia suddenly turned around at Bell, who was standing there blankly and anxiously.

"Bell, one week."

Looking up at the young members of the clan, the goddess continued:

"I will do everything in my power to buy myself a week before the war game begins."

“Eh…”

"Bell, please become as strong as possible this week. Please, you must become stronger than any of the children who attacked us today! If it were you, you could do it!!"

Hestia's eyes held the hope that Bell's "single-minded longing" was on her.

Seeing the God's trusting and unwavering gaze, Bell's eyes widened, deeply moved.

"Bell, Goddess Hestia!"

"Welf!"

At that moment, Welf appeared alone.

He probably found this place by following the movements of Bell and his enemies and the surrounding noise, and then broke into this Apollo headquarters.

"Little Riko went back by herself... no, she was taken back to the Soma Familia by those people."

"!"

"There were other people blocking the way at the time, and I couldn't bring her back... I'm sorry."

The unexpected news shocked both Bell and Hestia.

Why? How could this be? Is the girl (Lily) safe now? Various questions and anxieties churned in Bell's heart. He lost his composure and only wanted to save her. So he wanted to ask Welf, who knew the situation.

However, Hestia grabbed his arm.

"Bell, do as I just said."

"But...but!?"

"I will definitely rescue Miss Supporter. Please—you must believe me."

Hestia interrupted Bell's rebuttal and persuaded him.

God trusts His family members (children), so He hopes that His family members (children) will also trust in Him.

Faced with Hestia's resolute expression, Bell hesitated for a moment... but finally believed the goddess's words.

He poured all the emotions that welled up in his heart into Hestia and nodded vigorously.

"Bell, leave my dagger behind before you go."

"I see."

"Welf, I'm sorry, but I need your help to rescue Miss Supporter."

"No problem, no problem at all. Please feel free to ask."

Before everyone went about their tasks, Hestia gave all the instructions and then looked up at Bell.

"Leave everything else to me. Okay, go ahead."

"yes!"

With Hestia bidding him farewell, Bell burst out of the noisy Apollo headquarters.

The deadline is one week.

Before that, he had to surpass his enemy—surpass Hyacinthus.

With his back, etched with grace (ability value), burning hot, Bell stopped acting impulsively and abandoned all pretense of dignity, heading towards the tower at the northern end of the city where the strongest swordswoman (girl) awaited.

Volume 6, Chapter 4: Companions Gather