| Synopsis |
Volume 17
Prologue
Freya reflected on how she got bored with her life in Tenkai. She came down to the earth and enjoyed the pleasures it had to offer, traveled the world and made a familia. She loved her followers, but she soon became bored with her new life again as many days passed with little to no changes. It was then that she remembered the ‘game' that Zeus and many of the other gods used to play. As a part of their game, many of the gods would erase their godly presence and decide to live normal lives amongst the humans.
Having become bored with her life in Orario, Freya thought of it as an opportunity when Freya met Horn and she told her about her desire to become a goddess. Using the appearance of a young girl that Freya often used in Tenkai, Freya gave that appearance the name ‘Syr' that she originally received from Horn and chose the ‘role' of ‘city girl'. Having chosen to become Syr, Freya accepted Mia's request to leave her familia under the condition that she allowed Syr to work for her. Mia was not pleased with the situation, but she allowed it.
Freya's life as Syr was not easy, she often made mistakes in her new job and was often scolded by Mia, but she loved her new life. Every day she met new interesting people and had new experiences unlike anything she ever felt before, but then one day she saw Bell and that changed everything. From then on, Freya eventually decided to throw away her life as Syr.
Chapter 1
After Bell rejected her feelings, Syr was hurt by his rejection and ran away. He felt like chasing her, but did not believe that he had the right to do so and believed that it would only hurt her more, so he just stood there for a while as the rain began to fall. He eventually came to his senses and remembered that he needed to find Ryu and the others and find out what happened. After he returned, he saw Asfi, Ais and Hestia tending to the wounds of the injured Ryu, Chloe and Lunoire. Anya was sitting down nearby with an expression on her face so depressed it made her usually happy personality seem like a lie. Of the four waitresses, Ryu was the only one who was still conscious. She asked Bell about Syr, but Bell had trouble answering her question and only told her that both Syr and Freya's familia were fine.
Ais could tell that Bell was sad, so she put her hand on his cheek and asked him what was wrong. The act of rejecting Syr's feelings made Bell feel guilty and terrible about himself. He Inevitably pulled himself away from her touch and felt like he did not deserve her kindness, because of how he had hurt someone so important to him. Hestia looked at Bell's expression on his face, but was unable to say anything to comfort him.
On the next day, the waitresses were returned to the Hostess of Fertility, seeing their condition Mia had a scarily serious look on her face. They told her about their encounter with Freya's familia, but she did not say a word. Hestia's familia returned to their home soon after returning the waitresses. As Bell recalled his rejection of Syr's feelings Ryu appeared in front of him and asked him what happened to Syr.
Bell explained everything to her about Syr's imposter and then told her of how the real Syr had confessed her feelings to him, and he turned her down. Ryu was in shock, but then got angry at him, she grabbed his shoulders and asked him why he would do that. Bell clenched his teeth bitterly and answered her question telling her that he had someone he admired for a long time now. He told her about his desire to catch up to her and of how he wanted to convey his feelings to her when he did.
Ryu was in shock. While letting go of his shoulders, she apologizes to Bell and tells him that she was not considering his feelings. She wondered why she never thought of the possibility that there may have been another person important to him, in the way he was important to Syr.
Neither of them were able to say anything to each other for some time and then Ryu told Bell that she was going to go look for Syr and asked him what he was planning to do. Bell answered her and told her that he was going to look for her as well, and they both left together.
After Ryu and Bell had left Lili, Welf, Mikoto and Haruhime thought about enjoying the last day of the Goddess Festival since they were unable to enjoy the past two days. However, they soon thought of the events that had occurred, the waitresses' condition and how depressed Bell seemed after what had happened. They decided to look for Syr as well. Mikoto apologized to Haruhime who was looking forward to enjoying the festival, since she was never allowed to go before during her time spent in the Pleasure District of Orario, but Haruhime said it was fine and that there was always next year.
Hestia left her familia home under the care of Takamikazuchi's familia and left for the city. As she walked through the streets of Orario she remembered her previous conversation with Hermes after she saw Syr. After Hestia asked Hermes about the strange feeling she felt from Syr's presence he told her that it was transformation magic, whose effect was to turn a child into a god. Hestia could not believe it, but since Syr's transformation was a child's magic it did not require the usage of arcanum, the divine blood of the gods. These thoughts made Hestia wonder who the true identity of Syr actually was.
If she was simply a familia member of a god, Hestia thought it might possibly be fine, but remembering how Freya always acted towards Bell, Hestia wondered what if the person who was interacting with Bell every day this whole time was Freya herself? Hestia remembered Loki's warning and thought about how she got nervous after the incident with Ishtar, but since then Freya did not do anything particularly questionable, so she did not think much of it since then.
Unsure about her thoughts about Syr and Freya, Hestia thought to herself that she would go and talk to Hermes again. She came across Demeter and some other Gods and she wondered if she could find out anything when Freya appeared before her.
Freya called out Hestia's name. Hestia was surprised to see her and wondered if it really could be a coincidence that Freya appeared in front of her now at this moment. Hestia asked Freya if there was anything she wanted with her and Freya responded by telling Hestia to hand over Bell to her. Hestia was taken aback by Freya's request and angrily asked her what she was talking about and refused to give Bell to Freya. Freya told Hestia that she likes her and respects her, so she really did not want to get rough, but if she did not act reasonably she would leave her with no choice. Freya then asked Hestia again to give Bell to her, but Hestia refused again saying that Bell was her precious child, and a member of her familia, and that she would not give him to Freya. Seeing that further discussion was pointless Freya raised her hand, and a signal in the form of lightning shot up from the ground and rose into the sky.
The Gulliver brothers jumped down from a building above Lili and the others. Dvalinn hit Mikoto in the torso with his hammer before anyone could expect it. The impact of the blow broke some of her bones and sent her flying into a nearby building while coughing up blood. Haruhime tried to run to Mikoto's side as the rest of the Hestia Familia members were surrounded. Dvalinn attempted to stop her when Aisha appeared in front of him stopping his hammer from hitting Haruhime.
Along with Aisha, Falgar, Lulune and one elf member of Hermes familia appeared at the scene as well. Hermes had ordered his familia to trail Hestia's familia in order to keep a surveillance on Freya's familia, because he suspected that they may soon cause problems with them. Falgar got mad at Aisha telling her that Hermes ordered them not to intervene, but Aisha told him that the reason she joined Hermes familia in the first place was in order to protect Haruhime and Falgar stopped arguing.
Not long after the battle resumed, Berling defeated Falgar and Grer defeated both Lulune and the elf with one swing of his greatsword. Out of the Hestia familia members, only Lili could sense the connection between the Gulliver brothers through their movements, and she thought it seemed as if they were communicating with each other even though they did not speak a word.
Aisha attempted to protect Haruhime by distancing herself from the fighting while hiding Haruhime behind her back. Seeing this, Grer and Berling ran behind them and attacked Haruhime, slashing open her back with their greatsword and ax, while cutting some of her hair in the process. Aisha tried to save Haruhime, but Alfrigg and Dvalinn appeared in front of her stopping her. Haruhime called out to Aisha reaching her hand towards her, when one of the brothers grabbed Haruhime's head from above her and slammed it into the stone pavement below, knocking her out.
Seeing this made Aisha furious. She attempted to attack the brothers, but was instantly defeated by them. Welf told Lili to run, hoping that at least she could escape. Allen appeared before Welf and attacked him, slashing him across the chest, and knocking his greatsword out of his hands. Alfrigg approached Lili, who was the only one left standing of her allies. Lili attempted to attack Alfrigg with a magic sword, but Alfrigg caught her arm mid-swing before the magic could be activated. Alfrigg praised the speed of her attack, and commented on how the guild's announcement of her becoming level 2 was true after all. Alfrigg continued and told her that he was not to the extent of Finn, but the fact that there was a pallum like her made him glad. After saying this Alfrigg broke Lili's arm, and the pain was so intense that she lost consciousness.
Ais began running across rooftops followed by Tiona and Tione as soon as she saw the battle begin. The amazon sisters tried to calm her down, but after the events of the previous days with Freya Familia and after seeing the expression on Bell's face the day before, Ais was worried about Bell.
Suddenly, Hogni appeared in front of them, stopping them from intervening in Freya's plans. Ais asked him why they were attacking Bell and his familia, but Hogni only warned her not to get involved. Lightning struck the ground in front of their feet and Hedin arrived at the scene telling them to stand down, so they do not end up causing a confrontation between their two familias. Tione responded to Hedin's warning and told him that they should have thought of that before causing a commotion throughout Orario during the Goddess Festival. She also told him that the guild would not just let them off with just another penalty. Hedin and Hogni both responded and told them that they did not care about any possible penalty for their actions, and said that they would carry out their goddesses' will.
Ottar appeared before Bell and Ryu who were searching the city for Syr. He told Bell that Freya wanted him and his fate had already been decided. Ryu told Bell to run and prepared to fight, but Ottar lunged forward in an attack that sent her flying into a nearby building. Bell tried to run to her, but Ottar grabbed him by his face and slammed him into the ground knocking him out.
Hestia could not believe what was happening and asked Freya why she would attack her familia. Freya told her it was already over. When Freya said this, the Gulliver brothers appeared on the rooftops above them and threw Lili, Welf, Mikoto and Haruhime's weapons down to the ground. Ottar then arrived and threw the unconscious Bell onto the ground next to them. Freya told Hestia that she was done playing around and she finished her sentence saying that Syr's time was over. Hearing this, Hestia confronted Freya and asked her if she was actually Syr all along, and Freya did not deny it.
Freya told Hestia to convert Bell to her familia, and threatened Hestia telling her that she would kill all of her familia members if she did not do what she wanted. Hestia was unable to respond. Freya told her that even if she killed all of Hestia's familia members and Hestia still refused, she would simply send her back to Tenkai and take Bell for herself anyway. Hestia was unable to respond for some time, torn between not wanting to give Bell to Freya and protecting Lili and the others when Hermes approached them.
Hermes asked Freya if she would consider withdrawing her hand. Freya warned Hermes afterwards that if he got in her way that she would send him back to Tenkai along with Hestia. Hermes told Freya that he did not have any intention of taking Bell, but asked her if she would mind waiting a while for his conversion. Freya asked Hermes why, and Hermes told her that Bell has only been an adventurer for six months now and that there was no point in trying to kill Hestia familia in order to get Hestia to convert Bell to her familia, since Hestia could not even do it if she wanted too. Freya was taken aback for a moment, and then Hermes told her that he did not think she really wanted to kill them in the first place, and asked her if she would consider waiting six months until Bell will be able to convert to take him. He continued by reasoning with her telling her that she can take Bell, and he would convince the guild to consider Bell as a half-familia member, and she can have him live his life as if he was in her familia already, despite the fact that he would still have Hestia's blessing.
Freya agreed to Hermes's offer, agreeing with him as she did not want to kill Hestia's familia unnecessarily. Hestia was not happy about Hermes' plan, but Hermes reasoned with her and told her that doing this now would allow them to have half a year to possibly think of a way to get Bell back. When Hermes said this however, he and Hestia were standing too far away from Freya for her to be able to hear what they were saying. Hermes told Hestia afterward that he would do what he can to get Bell back as well. Hestia asked Hermes why he would go to the extent of possibly making enemies with Freya in order to help them. Hermes told her to consider it as him repaying them for everything he put them through during the incident with the Xenos. He also told her that he thought it would be best for Bell to remain with Hestia, so he wanted to help them.
Freya interrupted Hestia and Hermes' conversation and told them that she desired a 'reward' as compensation for her agreement to wait six months for Bell's conversion.
Back at the guild Royman asked Freya what was the meaning of her actions. Freya did not answer his question and instead used her charm on him and ordered him to gather as many people in Central Park as possible, and he followed her orders.
Hermes desperately told Hestia to increase the release of her godly presence as high as she possibly could. Asfi, who was flying above their heads carrying Ryu, who was unconscious from Ottar's attack, called out to Hermes. Seeing her, Hermes called out to her and told her to hurry, take Ryu and get as far away from Orario as possible. Asfi did not understand, but Hermes told her again to leave as fast as possible, and she followed his orders.
Hermes then gave Hestia a small ripped scroll and told her to give it back to him when the time comes. He continued and told her not to give it to him right away, and if she did, he was sure to become her enemy. Hermes then told her that she was the only one in Orario that he could count on. Hestia released her godly presence to the full extent of her ability. After hearing Hermes' words Hestia started to think she knew what Freya might be planning to do, but then Freya came before the large crowd of people gathered in Central Park.
Standing in her room on top of the same balcony that she would always watch over the Goddess Festival from, Freya began a speech to the gathered citizens of Orario. She was wearing a brown cloak, and she had the hood up covering her face as she spoke, but as she came near the end of her speech she removed her hood and she was in Syr's appearance. The gathered crowd watched Freya as she spoke in complete silence giving her their full attention. An essence that seemed like a curse in the form of a bright cloud of light started falling down around her. As she finished her speech, she told the crowd that in order to gain what she desires she was willing to violate their world.
Freya's eyes turned silver, and she charmed all of Orario's citizens. Asfi who was flying high up in the air, looked at Orario from behind her as she carried Ryu. Even though it was impossible for anyone to see, it seemed to her as if Orario was engulfed in a silver dome created from the presence of a god. On that day, Orario had changed.
Chapter 2
Bell woke up on a bed in a large exquisite room that he had never been in before. He had trouble thinking at first, but then he remembered what happened with Ryu and Ottar the day before. He wondered how he had gotten where he was. Looking down at his clothes he noticed that he was wearing different clothes than he was the day before. He searched around and noticed that his weapons were also gone.
He looked out the window and saw a large garden, which seemed as if it should be more accurately described as a plain. Wondering where he was or if he was even still in Orario, he cautiously opened the door. When he left the room Hedin stopped him and asked him what he was doing, then Hedin told him to hurry and join them for breakfast. Bell did not understand what was going on and asked Hedin, but Hedin acted like them eating breakfast with each other was completely normal and told Bell again to hurry up and get ready, so Bell followed him.
Once Bell and Hedin had joined Freya's familia for breakfast they were greeted by the Gulliver brothers, Allen and Hogni. As Hedin did previously, they all spoke to him very formally, as if him being there was only natural. Bell asked them where he was. Alfrigg and Dvalinn told him they were at their home, Folkvangr, but acted like Bell should already know that. Bell asked them why they attacked him and why he was at their home. He also asked them what happened to Ryu. All of the present members of Freya familia answered Bell's question with various responses, but none of them seemed to know who he was talking about when he said Ryu, and one of the Gulliver brothers told Bell that they have no reason to attack him outside of their training.
Bell looked at Hedin questionably, and Hedin told him that he was a member of Freya's familia who Freya found and invited him to join. Bell was taken aback by the situation he was in and told them that he was a member of Hestia familia. Allen and the Gulliver brothers got angry at Bell thinking that he was trying to insult their goddess, but Hogni persuaded the others that Bell truly seemed to be confused. The Gulliver brothers were still irritated with Bell's remark about being in Hestia familia, however they told him that the blessing that was put on his back when he came to Orario was Freya's, and they asked him if he hit his head or something. They started to calm down and discuss amongst each other what might have been wrong with Bell, suggesting that he could have gotten a head injury during their training, or someone from another familia might have cast some strange magic on him, which messed with his mind when he was soloing the dungeon. Hedin called out to a maid who was standing nearby and told her to bring Heith, who was currently in Babel to return to their home to take a look at him.
Bell left the room and thought about trying to escape when he walked into the plains he saw earlier and was approached by Vanir, who told Bell that he was late for their daily training. Vanir told Bell not to get full of himself for becoming level 4, and told Bell he would beat him half to death like he always had. Bell ran and tried to escape as several other members of Freya familia who were training called out to him, hoping to practice with him. Bell escaped Folkvangr while his mind failed to make sense out of everyone's memories of another version of him.
Having escaped Folkvangr, Bell ran through the South district of Orario trying to return to his familia home when he ended up accidentally bumping into Mord, who was helping the guild clean up everything left behind from the Goddess Festival the previous day. Bell started getting excited when he saw Mord, but when Mord noticed who bumped into him he said Rabbit Foot of Freya familia fearfully and then apologized, offering him money so that Bell would forgive him. Mord's companions Guile and Scott were with him as well. Bell was taken aback and started to tell Mord about all of their memories they had of each other and asked him if he remembered him, but Mord did not seem to understand what Bell was saying and just begged Bell to forgive him and leave him alone.
Seeing this, Eina came and asked them what was going on. Bell got excited and called out to her. Eina then asked him if they had ever met before, and Bell asked her if she did not remember who he was. Eina answered and told him that hardly anyone in the city did not know of him, but she was just surprised he called her by name. Bell was slightly confused, but told her how Mord was joking with him saying he was in Freya familia, when he was actually in Hestia's. Hearing this Eina asked him if he made a conversion, and told him that she hadn't heard anything about it. Bell could not believe what he was hearing, and told her that she was his advisor. Eina was surprised and told Bell that no one in Freya's familia uses advisors and seemed confused why Bell would think she was his. Bell was in shock, and in his confusion asked who he was. Eina answered him and told him that he was Bell Cranel of Freya Familia, who was famous for coming close to becoming a first class adventure in only half a year. After Eina said this, Bell left and continued his way back to Hestia familia's home.
Freya had lifted her charm over all members of her familia sometime after they finished their breakfast. At Folkvangr Hedin, Hogni and the Gulliver brothers discussed how Freya had used her charm to make everyone, every person and god inside of Orario think that Bell had been a member of Freya Familia all along, and make them forget that he ever had any connection to Hestia's familia. One of the Gulliver brothers mentioned that it was no wonder how confused Bell was, and Hogni commented on how lonely he must be in a world that none of his friends know him.
Bell ran through Orario trying to find anyone he knew. As he ran, several people made comments when they saw him and mentioned Freya's familia. The way they acted when they made comments to each other reminded Bell of people's reactions whenever they saw Ais, but instead of the inspiration in their eyes that he saw when they looked at Ais Bell felt like there was fear in them, and he did not like the sensation.
Suddenly when Bell was running, a girl with light red hair called out to him. Bell stopped, and she asked him what he was doing there. Bell asked her who she was. She acted kind of confused and told him that she was Heith, the healer that always tended to his wounds. She offered Bell some food that she bought, but then commented on how he did not like foods that were too bitter or sweet and probably would not want it. Bell was confused about how someone he did not even know knew things about him like that. Then he ran away trying to get to his familia's home.
Bell ended up seeing Miach, Naaza, Daphne and Cassandra, and he called out to them. Miach asked him who he was and Naaza reminded him that he was Bell Cranel of Freya familia. After Naaza said this Daphne asked Bell what he wanted with them. Hearing this Bell continued to run and he saw Takemikazuchi, Ouka, and Chigusa. Bell called out to them and grabbed Chigusa by the shoulders from behind in his desperation to find someone that knew him. Ouka yelled at Bell and told him to leave Chigusa alone as she seemed startled, and Takemikazuchi commented on Bell being a Freya familia member and asked him if they ever met before because he did not have any recollection of it.
Bell then finally made it back to his Familia home and saw Hestia and all the others. When Hestia saw Bell she tried to hide herself behind Welf. Hestia looked at the the top of a nearby rooftop and saw Ottar and Allen, and she knew that if she acknowledged Bell they would kill all of her familia members other than Bell, so she attempted not to look at Bell even though it was painful for her. Welf saw Bell and recognized him as a Freya Familia member, and Lili cautiously asked him what he wanted with a small familia like theirs. Bell started crying and tried to get them to remember him, but no matter how much he tried none of them had any recollection of what he was telling them. Bell called out to Hestia, but she avoided responding to him and told the rest of her familia members that they shouldn't involve themselves with Freya familia, and they returned back inside of their home.
Bell stood there aimlessly after they left, for longer than he could remember, but eventually Allen approached him and led him back to Freya familia's home. After he had arrived some of Freya's familia members brought Bell to Heith for her to take a look at him, and she told him that it looked like someone used a curse on him to confuse his real memories. Bell did not believe what she was saying. Heith tried to be kind to him, but she told him that it might sound cruel to him in his condition, but he should try and come back to reality as soon as possible, or he would just continue to get weird looks from everyone he met.
Hedin told them for the time being they will just have to let Freya know what happened to him. A few of the Gulliver brothers told Heith to hurry up and undo the curse already, but she told them that she specializes in healing the body, not the mind, and she can't undo curses. She also mentioned that she did not really want to make Freya familia owe anyone any favors, but she suggested Bell to visit Airmid, saying she may possibly be able to help him. Bell thought about the possibility that he was actually under a curse like Heith told him and wondered what would happen if Airmid actually did undo the curse. The thought made him afraid of losing all of his memories of those that were precious to him though, so he quickly decided against visiting her.
Hedin led Bell to the room that he woke up in that morning, and told him that it was his room. On top of the desk, inside the room were a few books filled with adventure stories that appeared as if they were well-read, and Bell thought it looked like he would enjoy reading them. Bell looked in the closet inside the room, inside of it was a baselard, a knife, a tanto, a short sword, along with various other equipment that adventurers commonly use. Bell picked up the weapons and noticed that they fit perfectly to the grip of his hands, and he instantly noticed that they were all custom-made weapons, but he did not remember using any of them.
That evening, Hestia was walking through Orario as she thought about her encounter with Bell earlier, and how Freya used her charm on all of Orario. As she recalled the events revolving around Freya's charm she thought about how her presence as a virgin goddess was the only thing that protected her from being charmed along with the rest of Orario. As Hestia walked, she encountered Hermes and he greeted her. Hestia started to mention what happened the other day, but Hermes seemed confused, so Hestia asked him if he knew of Bell. Hermes said he of course knew of Bell, and mentioned that Bell was the Freya Familia member who became level 4 in half of a year. He also mentioned that he thought Bell would become the hero that the world was waiting for. Hestia thought about giving Hermes the scroll that he had given her the other day, hoping that Hermes would help her, but then she remembered that Hermes told her to not give it to him until the time was right, so she decided against it, and wondered when that time would be.
Hestia parted ways with Hermes and continued walking through Orario when she saw Ais standing on top of the wall that she and Bell used to train on top of. Hestia climbed to the top of the wall, and asked Ais what she was doing there. Ais told her that she wasn't sure why she came there, but she felt like she was looking for something, or wanting to meet someone. Hestia wondered if she remembered Bell and looked at her eyes and she noticed that there was a silver glint in them like all of the other people that Freya had charmed. Hestia asked Ais if she knew of Bell. Ais answered if she meant Bell Cranel of Freya familia. Hestia could feel Ottar watching them, and she knew that Freya would most likely find out about her conversation with Ais, but she wanted to lessen the pain Bell was feeling as much as possible, so she asked Ais to promise her to avoid meeting him. Hestia thought that if Bell met Ais and she did not remember him that it would hurt him more than anything, and it could possibly even make his skill stop working against Freya, allowing her to control him as well. Ais seemed confused and asked Hestia why, but Hestia said she could not say, and Ais promised her that she would.
Eina searched for Bell's profile in the guild, it was late in the evening and the other employees had already left, but Eina could not get the look on Bell's face after she had talked to him out of her mind. So she tried to find any information she could on him out of her curiosity. Eina found Bell's guild profile, and it said that he came to Orario and joined Freya familia six months ago like she thought, but then she noticed something odd about the document. After she examined the document again, she noticed that it had been falsified.
She was confused and wondered if anyone in the guild replaced his original profile with a forged document, but then she started to get confused and a silver glint crossed hollowly across her eyes, as Freya's charm made her think that she must have mistaken the information she learned about Bell. As the information from the Bell that Eina has known all this time fought against the new information suggested by Freya's charm in her mind, her head started to hurt, and she staggered, accidentally knocking over the pile of all the assorted documents that she was sorting through when she was looking for information about Bell.
Eina bent down to try and pick up all the fallen documents when she noticed a journal entitled “Bell Cranel's Advising Journal”. Eina wrote journals for every adventurer she advised, and updated them with any progress they've made in the dungeon, or with any information about them or their familias. She picked up the journal and started to read it. She read through the entire journal, which was filled with remarks on many of the conversations they shared ever since they had first met. She started to cry while reading the journal because she could tell how much Bell had meant to her through her own words that she did not have memory of writing. Towards the end of the journal Eina wrote about how she realized that she likes Bell.
Eina continued to look at the pages of her journal, while thinking about how she did not want to forget these feelings she felt towards Bell, when Freya appeared before her and took the journal from her hands. Freya told Eina that it was only natural that those closest to Bell would start to break free of her charm considering how large of a scale it was. Freya also mentioned that it was good she noticed in time. Freya then told her not to worry and promised her she would not throw her journal away. She then told Eina that her familia will be arriving soon to take the rest of her books. Freya then ordered Eina to go home and forget everything, and Eina complied. After Freya had left Eina became aware of her surroundings again and wondered why she was still at the guild, but then she noticed that she was crying and wondered why.
After Freya had parted ways with Eina she entered Ouranos's Room of Prayer, and greeted him. Freya had expected as much, but Ouranos's altar was protected through the divinity of the gods still in Tenkai, which deemed him with the right to bestow their protection on him. Ouranos asked Freya if she intended to charm him. Freya told him that she did not have any intention on charming him, because if she did and word spread out about her interrupting his prayer it may turn out bad for her.
Ouranos asked Freya why she came there, and she told him that she wanted to make a deal with him. If Ouranos agreed to stay out of her way in her plans for Bell, Freya promised him that she would order her familia to explore deeper regions of the dungeon. She also promised him that if he helped her she would lend her aid when the time came against the One Eyed Black Dragon.
Knowing Freya's past history with Zeus in regards to the One Eyed Black Dragon, Ouranos asked Freya why she would go to that extent in order to have Bell. Freya started to say it was because there was something she wanted, but she stopped herself mid-sentence and told Ouranos that it was because she found her Odr. She then told Ouranos that if she could only have Bell, she did not need anything else.
Freya then told Ouranos of how she had been wandering around tying up loose ends from possible flaws in her charm, and checking on people close to Bell to make sure they were not breaking free of it. She also told Ouranos of how her charm did not reach the adventurers who were in the dungeon at the time, but she already had charmed them as well, including the residents of Rivira. Freya told Ouranos after that there still may be some loose ends that she needs to wrap up, but she would leave that to Horn and the others. Freya then asked what Ouranos was planning to do, and he answered by telling her that he currently has no way to stop her, so he will not do anything to get in her way.
After Freya had left Fels appeared before Ouranos and asked him if the conversation he just heard was actually true. Despite the fact that Fels had heard Ouranos and Freya's conversation Freya's charm had affected Fels, and its power was too strong for Fels to fight against. Having heard Ouranos's displeasure to Freya's plans Fels asked Ouranos if he planned on becoming their enemy. Ouranos answered Fels by saying that whatever happens in Orario will be decided on Bell's actions.
That night, Hedin came to Bell's room and told him that Freya had returned, and then told him to come with him. Thinking of all the occurrences over the past few days, and his memories of Hedin before coming to Folkvangr, Bell asked him if he knew someone named Syr. Hedin stopped in his tracks and looked back at Bell, and asked him who that was. Bell told him that she worked for the Hostess of Fertility and had connections to Freya Familia, before asking him if she happened to be there at Folkvangr. Hedin told him that she wasn't there, and he continued leading Bell until they reached Freya's room.
Freya apologized to Bell after he entered the room, and told him she wanted to see him sooner, but she was busy taking care of everything left behind from the Goddess Festival, along with the other goddesses of harvest. Freya told Bell afterwards that Hedin told her that he did not remember her, he thought he was from a different familia somehow. Freya told Bell that she thought he was joking with her, but from Bell's response to seeing her it looks like it was true after all. Bell asked her if he was actually a member of her familia, and Freya told him that he was. She then told him of how she found him when he first came to Orario and invited him to her familia.
Bell asked her to prove it to him then, and asked her to update his status. She told him that she did not mind and Heith brought her a needle, so that she could update it. After Bell took off his shirt Freya began updating his status, and he could not believe it when he felt the same sensation coming from his back as he would always feel when Hestia updated his status. Freya told Bell that she was done, gave him a paper with his new status written on it, and Bell looked at his back in the mirror not understanding what was happening and saw the mark of Freya's familia's blessing rather than Hestia's.
Bell fell to the ground in defeat, he sat there, and wrapped his arms around his knees as his body started trembling. Freya tried to comfort him telling him that she understood how he was feeling, and would try and help him. In order to update Bell's status Freya had used a magic item called ‘Status Snitch'. Status Snitch was an updated version of the item ‘Status Thief'. Created from the usage of ichor, the blood of the gods, Status Snitch allowed an adventurer's status to be updated, even without the blood of the adventurer's own god. The item did have its limitations, in the way that; no skills, magic or levels could be updated through its usage.
Freya continued to try and comfort Bell and after sometime, he managed to calm down and said he was fine. Freya then told Bell that she wanted him to tell her about his memories outside of her familia, and she would try to help him in any way she could. She then told Bell that Ouranos ordered her to have her familia make advancements in their dungeon exploration. She also told Bell that she wanted him to train with the other members of her familia, although she mentioned it may be hard for him in his condition, but she did not want to lose him when he joined them in the dungeon. After saying that, she told him that after his training they can talk again. Freya then commented on how it was late and asked Bell if he wanted to sleep together tonight, but he turned her down embarrassedly, and then returned to his room.
After Bell had left Freya called to Heith, and told her to make sure to protect Bell, but to not let anyone notice it, and then report his daily activities back to her. She then called Horn and told her to make sure to remember the deal they made about staying away from Bell, reminding her to avoid him. Horn acknowledged Freya's command and told her that she would make sure not to. Then Freya told her to take her place, giving Horn her permission to use her charm, and told her to make sure people weren't breaking free of her charm. Freya also told to make sure to take care of anyone entering Orario from outside the city especially.
Horn then asked Freya if she was really fine with not punishing her for attempting to kill Bell, but Freya told her that she wasn't going to help Horn in relieving the guilt that she felt for betraying her. Freya also told her that she did not doubt her loyalty towards her, so she should just do as she commands from now on. After Freya told her this, Horn told her that she understood and then left the room. Heith told Freya after Horn had left that Allen would most likely be angry over Freya's decision to allow Horn return to her previous position in Freya's familia, but Freya told her just to tell him that she forgave her. Freya then thought to herself of her actions were sure to hurt Bell, but she would be there for to comfort him as the sole person who understands him as well, thinking this she apologized to him in her mind, but thought it could not be helped because she has no other choice as long as she wishes to have him.
Chapter 3
The next morning in Freya familia's training grounds Bell and Vanir prepared to fight, as a part of their training. As a part of Freya familia's training regime every member from level one to level 4, except for healers or possible other non-combatant members trained together every morning. Bell had heard rumors about their training before, and have heard that Freya Familia members fought each other with such brutality that it seemed as if they were trying to kill each other, but he had never seen or experienced it first-hand before that day.
After Vanir slashed his blade in an attack that was aimed for his heart, Bell came to the realization that the rumors he heard were true. All around them were other lower members of Freya Familia who fought each other, with the same brutally that Vanir aimed towards Bell as well. Vanir had a slight upper hand on him and as Bell tried to defend himself he used firebolt on him in order to defend himself despite the fact that he had never used his magic on Ais in any of their training. Bell's firebolt had hit Vanir directly in the chest, and despite the fact that smoke was rising from his body, Vanir glared at Bell as he continued to try and attack him.
Despite the injuries that they were receiving from each other, none of the Freya Familia members in their training group seemed to have any exclamations of retiring from their battles.
Bell was forced to put the bitterness of no one remembering him aside, and only focus on fighting in order to defend himself. They fought around until mid-day, and in the end Bell was the only one left standing. It wasn't as if Bell was more powerful then all of the other Freya familia members level 4 and below, but Bell's magic gave him an advantage over all of them as he was forced to use it against the other Freya Familia members in order to protect himself on several occasions as they came at him from all directions.
Just when Bell started to feel exhausted from both the usage of his mind and body, he felt like he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up with this type of fighting, the Gulliver brothers, Hogni, and Hedin appeared on the training grounds and all challenged him at once.
That evening, Bell was unaware of how much time has passed since he had been defeated. During their training he had been cut, hit, and burned from all of their attacks several times until he eventually was left in a state close to death. He laid on the training ground with several broken bones, and was bleeding from several cuts all along his body. He started to feel cold and felt like he was about to die when light engulfed his entire body, and he was healed by Heith's magic.
Heith said it was close, and he almost died. She then told all of Freya's elites who Bell had fought to leave Bell alone, and that he lost too much blood to fight anymore for the rest of the day. Heith then warned Bell not to move. After Heith said this all four of the Gulliver Brothers commented on how pathetic Bell was for not being able to fight any longer, but after that they all left as Heith instructed.
Bell had lost count of how many times he almost died that day, and was brought back every time by either Heith's healing magic or her potions. Heith told him not to worry and said that she could heal him even if he was close to death, but she also mentioned that she never seen anyone get as injured during their trainings as he had.
Hogni told Bell that under his condition of having lost his memories he handled his first day of training very well. After Hogni said this Hedin told Bell that they will be fighting him again from tomorrow, and told him to prepare himself, then they both left as well. Heith then offered Bell her shoulder and helped him leave the battlefield, since he could not stand on his own.
That night the members of Freya familia ate the meals that Heith and the other healers and herbalists of Freya Familia had made for them. As Freya familia's elites ate Heith noticed that Vanir and the lower members of Freya familia looked irritated and asked them what was wrong. Vanir answered and told her that he did not like to admit it, but he acknowledged Bell's strength after they had fought.
Hedin brought Bell to Freya's room again to talk to her that night. He entered the room, and Freya who was wearing a black nightgown greeted him. Freya apologized for asking him to come see her after she noticed how exhausted he was. Bell asked her if he really did this extreme type of training everyday, commenting on how exhausted it left him and his fear of it. Freya slightly laughed and commented jokingly that his training may have been a trauma to him that caused him to lose his memories.
Freya then asked Bell to tell her what he remembers, and he told her of how he first came to Orario, and of how Hestia found him and invited him to join her familia. After they had talked a little more, Bell asked Freya to tell him how they met. Freya told him that she first saw him when she was offering flowers to the graves of children in her familia that died when she saw him visiting the Hero's Monument, and she fell for him at first sight. Bell got embarrassed when Freya said that, and Freya told him of how she asked him if he would join her familia after that.
Freya then told Bell about how after he went into the dungeon the first time he came back after killing only one goblin, and his excitement made her laugh. Bell was really confused about how Freya could have known about that, when the only people who knew where Hestia and Eina. Before Bell came to meet Freya that night, Freya had read as much as she could about Bell from Eina's journals, so that she could use the information she gathered from Eina, as well as the knowledge she knew of Bell from her days as Syr, to convince and to make Bell believe that he was in her familia.
Bell then asked Freya several questions about his life after he had come to Orario, and the way Freya answered his questions made Bell think that if there was another version of him out there somewhere who had met Freya before Hestia, then it seemed like something that would actually happen. Freya told Bell to tell her more about his memories, and they exchanged their own versions of what had happened for a while, as Freya spoke to him kindly, but tried to trick him into thinking his memories were fake.
Bell seemed embarrassed and Freya noticed that he glanced at her breasts, which were revealed to a great extent by her nightgown. Noticing this Freya mentioned that it was hot, and called out for someone to bring her some other clothes to change into, and then she asked Bell to help her change. Bell asked her what she meant and she told him that her outfit buttons up in the back, and she can't take it off by herself. Bell asked Freya if he could decline, and Freya told him that it was fine if he did, but if Ottar finds out about it he may get angry and give him a hard time tomorrow.
Freya asked Bell if her outfit was too stimulating for him. Bell had trouble answering her, so she asked him instead if it did not suit her. Bell was embarrassed, but he managed to reply and tell her she looked good in it. He started to unbutton her nightgown, but then Freya let out a gasp and when Bell heard this he stopped and ran out of the room telling her he was sorry.
Freya laughed to herself after Bell had left, and thought that it was the first time that anyone had ever fled from her bedroom at night. Horn came into her room and told her that she prepared some new clothes for her, but Freya told her that she changed her mind, because Bell told her she looks good in it.
Later that night Hestia felt someone watching her as she walked to the guild, much like she often felt since Bell has captured. After Hestia arrived at the guild she climbed down the stairs and visited Ouranos. Hestia was glad to see Ouranos was not charmed. She started to ask him about the scroll that Hermes gave her, but Ouranos cut her off mid-sentence by telling her that discussing anything with her right now was pointless because Fels, who was charmed by Freya, was watching them and would report the information to Freya.
Hestia was surprised and made a comment that was slightly a question to Ouranos, mentioning how what Freya was doing with the citizens of Orario was breaking their rules of how the gods are allowed to use their powers. Ouranos disagreed with Hestia however, and told her that Freya was not using arcanum, so therefore she was not breaking any of their rules. After saying this, Ouranos told Hestia to go home, and told her that there was currently nothing that she could do.
Hestia tried to get Ouranos to talk to her more, but Ouranos told her that he was too busy to discuss anything more with her. He then told her that this year is going to be even colder than last year, and told her that he has to prepare enough firewood for the city. Ouranos than told Fels to tell Hermes to make the preparations to gather the wood. Fels said he did not mind, but he asked Ouranos why Hermes familia when Ganesha's familia was usually put in charge of that. Ouranos answered Fels and told him that Freya was currently using Ganesha familia for her will and that they were too busy to do it this year. Fels agreed with Ouranos and left to visit Hermes, and Hestia returned home as well.
The next morning during Bell's daily training session Hedin came to Freya's room after she had called him there. Ottar, Hogni and the Gulliver Brothers were there as well, but Allen was currently keeping watch on the Hostess of Fertility. Freya and her familia members, who were currently present, started a meeting to discuss matters over who they need to keep watch over and Bell's training. Hogni praised Bell in his speed, and told Freya that he was doing very well in observing and reacting to all of their attacks during their training. However, Hogni also told her that Bell currently lacks the proper experience in battle, but through continuing his training with them in Folkvangr, he believed that Bell would soon be able to gain that experience.
Freya agreed with Hogni and told him that it was good that she left his training to him and the other first class adventurers. As they discussed Bell's training, Freya then told them to make sure to train him so hard that he is too tired to think about anything, especially regarding his skill. However, Freya also told them to make sure that Bell has enough freedom, so that he doesn't become suspicious. When Bell would be allowed to go outside of Folkvangr, however she warned them to try and make sure that those close to him don't remember him. Freya also told them in the case that someone starts to remember that she could always re-charm them, but she wants to avoid it as much as possible, because having to cast a charm that is too strong on someone could possibly break their minds.
Freya also mentioned that she wanted them to take Bell along for their future expeditions in the dungeon. Freya's familia members asked her if she was sure that she wanted him to go with them into the dungeon. Freya said she did, and commented on how Bell has the potential to become a hero after all. After they finished discussing this, Freya told them that she is going to be staying in Folkvangr instead of Babel for a while.
Before they ended their meeting, Hedin asked Freya if he may say something. Freya told him that he may, and then Hedin told her that Bell asked him about Syr last night. Freya asked him what he said, and Hedin told her that he told Bell that she wasn't in Folkvangr. Freya asked Hedin why he was informing her of this, and Hedin told her that he was wondering how she wanted them to deal with the situation of Syr no longer existing in Orario. As a part of Freya's charm, as well as making people think that Bell was in Freya's familia, Freya's charm also made everyone who was affected by it forget that Syr Flova had ever been in Orario.
Freya told Hedin to act as if Syr had never existed and he obeyed her. Freya then asked Hedin to explain to her why he had approached Bell before her date with him during the Goddess Festival. Hedin told her that he was trying to teach Bell how to properly be her escort during their date, so he did not displease her in any way. Hedin then apologized for acting out of hand without consulting her about it first. Freya said she did not mind, but everyone in the room could clearly tell that she was irritated with him.
Hedin then asked Freya if she minded leaving Bell's training to him. Freya asked him why, and he told her that he wanted to please her, and he also wanted to use it as an opportunity to prove his loyalty to her. Freya agreed to let Hedin train Bell, and their meeting ended.
After Hedin left the meeting, he joined Bell in his training and they trained until the sun set. During their training Hedin gave Bell many tips in the flaws of his fighting techniques, such as; his failure to defend certain blind spots, unnecessary confirmation of sight, and he also warned him to properly defend himself even during dodges. Hogni and the Gulliver brothers also joined and trained with Bell as well.
Sometime during his training, Vanir also warned Bell that he had a bad habit of floating his arm in front of his body, and told him it was fine against a monster, but it made his movements far too predictable when he was fighting other adventurers. Bell was surprised when Vanir gave him this advice since he always thought that he did not like him, and he asked Vanir why he did. Vanir told him that he knew how hard training with Hogni and the others was, and told Bell that he has his respect as a warrior; however, he told him that it still doesn't change the fact that he hates him. After Vanir said this, a few other members of Freya Familia that Bell had been training with had approached him, talked to him friendly and praised his skills as well.
Bell approached Heith and asked her if it was ok if he went outside of their familia home. She told him it was fine, but told him to make sure to go with someone, and warned him about going into the dungeon alone again, telling him to avoid another situation like the curse someone casted on him. Bell then thanked her and left.
During his time outside of Folkvangr, Bell had thought of trying to find Hermes or Fels to see if they remembered him, but he wasn't able too. He had also tried to gather some information to find out what happened to Syr, but he could not find out anything. Bell also went into the dungeon, but he was unable to come in contact with Wiene or any of the other Xenos, because he was with Vanir and some other members of Freya familia. Bell started to feel even more powerless after going outside of Folkvangr, because he never could seem to find anyone who knew him. Bell started to feel as if the only times he could feel at ease was when he was alone with Freya at night. No matter how much Bell talked about Hestia's familia, Freya was kind to him, and never gave him strange looks like the others who did not seem to remember Bell.
One night Freya kept talking to Bell, but he was too exhausted from his training to say much in response. His training with Hogni and the Gulliver Brothers seemed normal, but Bell felt like Hedin had been becoming harsher on him during his training lately. Freya commented on how Bell seemed unhappy, and suggested to him to go see Airmid once to see if she could heal him, so he did not have to feel that way anymore.
When Freya asked Bell this, she thought that the moment that Bell started to believe that his feelings for Ais were just false memories that were inflicted by a curse, his skill would lose its effectiveness and she would be able to charm him. Freya had thought about all of the preparations that she made to make Bell doubt his feelings for Ais, such as: telling Heith to tell Bell that his memories were inflicted from a curse, and having Hedin and the others wear out Bell's mind through their training, but when she looked at Bell she could not help, but feel a pain in her heart because of what she was doing, although she tried to ignore and not acknowledge it. Bell hesitated at her suggestion at first, but then he told her that he wasn't going to see Airmid. Freya apologized for suggesting it to him, and stood up and poured herself a glass of wine. In its reflection she felt like she saw another person, but she put the thought out of her mind.
After Bell had left the room Ottar entered and told Freya that he received word from Allen about the Hostess of Fertility. Ottar told her that Mia hasn't done anything yet, but there has been no sign of Ryu. Freya commented on how she must have escaped the city along with Asfi after all. Freya told Ottar to prepare a trap for them when they enter the city. After Freya said this, she told Ottar that she would take care of it, along with the matter concerning Anya herself.
Chapter 4
Ryu woke up in a bed, and she did not know where she was. Asfi noticed she was awake and spoke to her. Ryu seemed confused, and then she remembered what had happened with Ottar just before she lost consciousness. Ryu started panicking and asked Asfi what was going on. Asfi told her she had been unconscious for a full day, and explained to her that they escaped Orario. They took refuge in a city called Agris, located far from Orario. Asfi also informed Ryu of how Freya Familia had defeated Hestia Familia before they had fled Orario.
Ryu asked Asfi why she did not wake her up sooner, and tried to jump out of bed, but Asfi stopped her. Asfi told her that they had fled Orario under Hermes' orders, and explained to her that Orario was most likely completely under Freya's control now. Asfi explained to Ryu what happened in Orario in regards to Freya's charm. Ryu could not believe it at first, and asked her why. Asfi told her that it was most likely because she wanted Bell, and explained to her that Hermes had expected for some time now that Freya has had her eyes on him, but she did not know why Freya had chosen to act now.
Asfi begged Ryu to stay calm, and told her that everyone in Orario has been charmed, so they need to approach the matter cautiously. Asfi told Ryu of how Hermes had ordered her to escape with her, and told her that even he is probably their enemy now, since he is most likely under Freya's control. Ryu apologized to Asfi and thanked her for saving her. Asfi told her not to mention it. She then told her to get ready, because they were going to gather some information first, and then try to sneak into Orario.
Agris is a city located South-East of Orario next to the Scheme Old Castle Ruins in which Hestia Familia fought their war game against the Apollo Familia. By chariot, it was a full day away from Orario; however, if Asfi flew while carrying Ryu it was a much shorter travel. On the morning of the third day, after the Goddess festival had ended, Ryu and Asfi looked at Orario from afar, in the shadows of a large boulder, through the usage of a magic item of Asfi's that worked like a telescope. They noticed that with the exception of the South Gate, all of Orario's other gates have been closed off.
Ryu, who was looking at the gate through the telescope, noticed Freya standing outside of it. After Ryu noticed Freya, she hurried and dropped the telescope as not to make eye contact with Freya, so she could not be charmed. Asfi asked Ryu if she was alright, so Ryu told her what she saw. Asfi mentioned that Freya was most likely using Ganesha Familia to close off all of the other gates and lure all the people who were entering Orario into a trap in which Freya would charm them as they entered the city. From there, Asfi and Ryu tried to develop a plan to enter the city.
Ever since her encounter with her brother and the Gulliver Brothers during the Goddess Festival, Anya had been depressed, and hardly left her room. To Anya, Syr and the others at the Hostess of Fertility were like family to her, so the fact that she failed to save Syr, and currently did not know where she was, was painful for her, but seeing her again after what had happened with her brother was also painful to her.
One night, Anya thought she saw a dream. In the dream, she worked at the Hostess of Fertility among the others just as she always had, and everything seemed normal, except for the fact that Syr wasn't there. In the dream, Syr wasn't there, but it seemed completely normal and it seemed as if Syr had never existed to begin with. Also in the dream, Bell was a member of Freya's familia, and Anya strangely did not have any memories of any of her interactions with him as well, but simply only knew the knowledge of him that was common knowledge to everyone else as well.
Anya was currently sitting on her bed, but ever since she saw that dream, she had been afraid to fall asleep again because she was afraid that she might have the same dream again, and the feeling that she felt of how she had forgotten Syr's existence made her feel as if she betrayed her.
Chloe and Lunoire entered the room and tried to get Anya to join them, and get back to working in the tavern. Mia told them to leave her alone, but they did not understand why Anya had been shutting herself up in her room, and tried to get her to join them anyway.
They forced her to get changed into her waitress outfit, and join them in the tavern to make the morning preparations for opening the tavern that morning. They made a comment on how she had shut herself in her room the past few days, and they also mentioned that they did not know where Ryu had been lately either. After they said this, Anya asked them about Syr. After Anya said Syr, they both seemed confused, and Lunoire asked her if that was the name of one of their customers or something. Anya got mad, and started describing Syr, and made comments on all the memories they had shared together, but none of them remembered or understood what Anya was saying. Anya tried to call out to all the other girls that worked there to try, but none of them seemed to remember Syr as well.
Anya was frantic in the situation she was in and felt like her dream was continuing again, when Mia called out to her. Anya ran to Mia crying and tried to confirm that she remembered Syr. Mia said she remembered her, and Anya started to feel relieved, but then Mia told her that Freya made it so that everyone in the city has forgotten her, and said that she erased Syr's existence. Anya got afraid when she heard Mia mention Freya, and asked her why Freya would do that, but Mia did not answer her.
Anya fled from the tavern. Mia tried to call out to her, but Anya ignored her and kept running. She tried to run to Babel thinking that Freya was probably there, and she wanted to confirm what happened to Syr, when Allen told her to stop, and then told her that he would explain everything to her.
Asfi and Ryu had infiltrated Orario. Before they entered the city, Asfi entered Melen and tried to get a better understanding of the situation. Asfi did not notice anything out of the ordinary when she was in Melen, but she was suspicious of the city nonetheless. When they entered Orario, they decided to use a hidden passage into the city located at the foot of Beol mountains, that Hermes Familia had used in the past during the dark ages of Orario. Fels knew about the hidden passage that they were using, so in order for them to not be noticed by Fels, they snuck out of the passage using a hidden door in the 4th district in the North-West region of Orario.
In order to gather information, Asfi suggested to Ryu that they part ways to try and decrease the risk of both of them being discovered, and then regroup at sunrise at a house, which Asfi planned for them to use as a hideout. Asfi used her magic item “Hades Head” to become invisible, and then she flew away.
Ryu started to walk through Orario and tried to avoid busy areas of Orario where she may be discovered, such as the main roads or the Hostess of Fertility. An adventurer who seemed like a hoodlum started following Ryu when he noticed that she was a female elf. She led him into a dark area that no one else was at and then attacked him, and asked him where Bell was, and what happened to Hestia's familia. The man seemed confused why she was asking him about Hestia's familia, or Bell who was a member of Freya Familia.
The man answered her question desperately as she held her short sword to his throat, but then the scared expression on the man's face disappeared, and he asked her if she was sniffing around for information about Bell. The way the man asked seemed to Ryu as if he were a puppet under Freya's control, so she hurried and knocked him out. After Ryu knocked out the man, she peeked through the alley she was in to look at the main-street before her, and noticed that there were several adventurers wearing Freya's familia uniform. When Ryu saw them she thought it looked like they were searching for her and Asfi.
Ryu went further into the alley, and thought of trying to regroup with Asfi for now to try and decide what they should do next. She started to feel an odd sensation when she entered the 7th district in Orario's North-West region and noticed that the area was completely abandoned. She started to have a bad feeling, and thought it might be a trap, but then she saw Anya and Allen.
Anya had no memories of her parents. Her earliest memories were of just her and her brother. She felt as if she was always holding him back, because she was just a small child who could do nothing but cry in fear when monsters would attack them, and he would protect her and fight them off. No matter how much Allen would hit her or knock her down, she would follow him everywhere because the bond that they shared as a family was the only thing she had ever known.
When they first met Freya, she took favor to their souls, especially Allen's, and she offered her hand to them and asked them to come with her. Anya was frightened at the time, but Allen took her hand.
After they joined her familia, they both would fight other members of Freya's familia everyday as a part of their training. They were provided with food and a place to sleep every night, but their harsh training became a trauma to Anya. She'd get knocked down, cough up blood, and feel like running away, over and over again.
As their training continued, Allen started to become more recognized for his skills as an adventurer, and became level 2 only one year after joining Freya's familia. Anya was desperate not to be left far behind from her brother, and fought desperately every day in order to become stronger. Even within their familia, Anya would follow her brother everywhere he went, because she felt as though if she was ever separated from the bond that they shared, she would truly become alone in the world.
During the dark age of Orario, many members of Freya's familia lost their lives. Tension was high among their members. The stronger members of their familia did not have time to waste with those weaker than themselves, and they often were not kind to them. Most of their members were not interested in forming new bonds amongst each other, because the person might just die the next day anyway, but Mia took notice of Anya and tried to look after her. However, they only talked to each other a handful of times, because Anya was so concentrated on her brother.
Allen became level 3 and Anya became level 2. Anya would also follow him and remain not far behind, but eventually she hit a limit in how far she could succeed. Before an expedition into the deep floors of the dungeon, Allen refused to let Anya go along with them, but Anya refused to listen to him and followed him anyway. During the expedition, Anya almost died, but Allen saved her; however, he received a heavy injury in the process. After that happened, Allen told her he never wanted to see her again. Anya cried and begged him desperately to forgive her, but he kicked her, knocking her to the ground in response, and refused to listen to her.
Not long after that, Freya told Anya that she did not need her anymore. Freya smiled as she said this, and Anya thought to herself that Freya just wanted her brother all along, and did not want her anymore after she had put him in harm's way.
Having lost both her family and her home, Anya sat on her knees and cried one day somewhere in one of Orario's streets. At that time, Syr appeared before her and reached her hand out to her. She asked her if she was alright, and told her she would catch a cold. After that, Syr offered Anya to come with her to her home, and told her home's name was the Hostess of Fertility. Anya smiled at Syr that day and was soon happy in receiving her new home and family.
Allen had led Anya into a large open space in the North-West region of Orario. No one was in sight, which made Anya think that they were probably being kept away from the location by Freya's charm. Freya was wearing a hood, and she stood there waiting for Anya and greeted her once they had arrived. Freya said long time no see to Anya, then told her that it hasn't been that long for her, but from Anya's perspective it has been a long time since they had last met.
Freya noticed from looking at Anya how depressed she was and told she could either charm her to make her forget everything or tell her the truth, then she asked her which one she would prefer. Anya did not understand what she was saying and asked her what she was doing, saying that Orario has been really weird lately. Freya told Anya that there was something that she wanted, so she changed everything in order to get it.
Anya asked her what she did with Syr. Freya told her that she wanted to say that Syr was no longer here anymore, but she commented that Anya would not be satisfied with that answer, so she told her that she'll let her meet her.
Freya took off her hood, and she was in Syr's appearance, and told Anya that this is the way things were in Syr's voice. Anya could not believe what she was seeing. Freya told her that she had always been Syr all along. Anya grabbed her ears fiercely and held them down. She screamed and told Freya she was lying, while trying not to look at her.
Freya repeated the same words she said to Anya on the day she first met her in Syr's appearance, and reminded Anya what she said to her that day. Anya felt like Freya was twisting her memories that she had of Syr, and started remembering how kind Syr was to her when they first met, recalling her first days at the Hostess of Fertility.
Anya started crying and asked Freya why she would do something like that. Freya told her that she did it simply on a whim of the gods, for her own amusement.
Anya started screaming and refused to believe what Freya was saying. She told her several times that she wasn't Syr, and demanded Freya to give Syr back to her before trying to grab Freya with all of her force. Allen tried to protect Freya and hit her with the handle of his spear, with enough force that the blow sent her flying into a large pile of wooden boxes.
Ryu called out to Anya as she saw Allen send her flying into the wooden boxes. She attempted to attack Allen, but he easily stopped her. Freya made a comment on how she was right to use her charm to evacuate the area, because it worked as a good trap to lure Ryu out. Freya told Allen to lower his spear. Allen tried to resist, but Freya insisted, so he lowered it.
Ryu asked Freya if she was really Syr after all. Freya commented on how she should already know by now after witnessing what happened with Anya, but then she confirmed to her that she has always been Syr all along. When Freya said this however, she switched back to the speech pattern that she usually used as Syr, rather than Freya.
Ryu then asked Freya if what she said to Anya was true, and asked if saving her and all of their days together at the Hostess of Fertility was just a game to her. After Ryu said this, Freya sighed and agreed with her telling her that it was all just a game to her. She continued and described her game to Ryu as ‘role-playing', and told her that she chose the ‘role' of ‘city girl' and the ‘stage' of a ‘tavern'. After saying this, Freya asked Ryu if she was unhappy with her answer. Ryu had trouble processing the shock of what she was hearing, and did not say anything. Freya continued and told her that everyone tells lies, and this was simply her's.
Freya told Ryu that it was unfortunate how Anya responded to it, but she did not want to hurt anyone, and told Ryu that this is simply who she was. Freya tried to make up with Ryu and reached her hand out to take Ryu's hand, but Ryu pulled her hand away from Freya. Ryu remembered how the only people who she ever allowed to take her hand were Alise, Bell, and Syr. This made Ryu think to herself that even though Freya and Syr looked the same right now, she could not recognize them as the same person when acknowledging the fact that her elf-blood reclined at Freya's attempt to take her hand. Ryu then told Freya, like Anya did before her, that she wasn't Syr.
After Ryu said this, Freya's eyes, which were previously gray since she was in Syr's appearance, turned silver, and she told her to obey her, and Ryu fell to her knees in front of Freya. Freya then apologized to Ryu, and told her that she used to hate using her power, but lately it's becoming a bad habit, and she keeps using it time and time again. After she said this, Freya lowered the force of the charm she put over Ryu.
Freya then told Ryu that she likes Bell, but she likes her as well, so she would not mind sharing him with her. Ryu could not believe what she was hearing, but she looked at Freya and just saw her smiling at her with Syr's face. Freya told her that she did not like the thought of anyone else touching Bell, but if it was her she would forgive her. Freya asked Ryu if she would love Bell together with her, and started talking about all the things they could do with him in detail. Ryu started to feel disgusted at what Freya was saying to her, and then Freya told her that if she would love him together with her, that she could not herself, but Ryu could have Bell's baby.
Ryu had trouble speaking, under the effect of her curse, but her disgust over what Freya was saying to her in Syr's appearance was so strong, she managed to refuse her offer. Freya started to have a sad expression on her face after Ryu turned down her offer, and just for a moment, Ryu thought that she saw the Syr that she had always known in her. Freya told her that they weren't able to get along too well after she had confessed to Bell.
After Freya said that, she told Allen to take Ryu and lock her in the cellar of their familia home, and make sure that Bell doesn't notice her. Allen hesitated, but then asked Freya why she doesn't plan on charming Ryu like all the others. Freya answered him and told him that she doesn't want to dirty her soul. After Freya said this, she told Allen that she would leave Anya to him as she promised him she would and left.
Allen looked at his sister and told her that if she does anything out of hand that he would destroy the Hostess of Fertility, and warned her to stay out of Freya's way. Allen left and soon after Anya started crying as it started to rain, as it did on the day that her brother and Freya first abandoned her.
Asfi waited alone in the hideout, and she noticed it was past the time that Ryu was supposed to regroup with her, so she thought to herself that Ryu must have been captured. Thinking that she truly was alone now, Asfi started to feel discouraged, but despite that fact, she left the hideout again to try and do whatever she could on her own.
Bell stood alone in a hallway in Folkvangr that night and wondered what had happened to Syr, when Hedin approached him and asked him what he was doing. Hedin led Bell to Freya's room after that. Noticing a look on Bell's face, Freya asked Bell what was wrong. Bell asked her if something happened to her. Freya was surprised and asked him why, and he said that she doesn't look like she was very happy for some reason. Freya stared back at him, and then made a remark to him of how it was convenient for him to be so sharp right now, when he usually is clueless when it comes to women.
Bell was taken back, but then he asked her if she wanted to talk about it, and reminded her of how she is always listening to him talk about his familia, so he implied that he wanted to return the favor. Freya told him that she hurt a friend of her feelings. Bell asked her if it was possible for them to make up, but Freya said it wasn't and told him that it was her fault.
Bell suggested that she apologize to her friend, but Freya said that she could not because she decided that there was something that she wanted, and she was willing to throw away anything to obtain it. Bell asked her if she threw away something important to her, if she would consider picking it up again. Freya seemed confused and asked Bell what he meant. He told her that if she could make it in time and pick up what she had thrown away, that it would for sure become even more precious to her in the end.
Freya told Bell that she likes him, and Bell got surprised by her statement. Freya asked Bell if he knew how to comfort a woman, but Bell got embarrassed and tried to change the topic. However, Freya did not allow him, and she told him that you first wrap your arms around her. Bell hesitated and tried to say something, but she asked him to hurry, so he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She told Bell that you pull her close to you, look her in the eyes, grab her chin in your hands, and then she started to tell Bell to kiss her, but Bell refused and backed up in a hurry and accidentally tripped over the couch behind him and knocked it over.
Freya told him that she was loving him so much, and asked him if he did not intend to answer her love. Bell said that wasn't the case, and started to tell her that he respected her as a goddess, but did not finish his sentence. Freya told him that she was a goddess of love, and told him that it was rude of him to run away from her love.
Freya wiped away a tear in her eye, and smiled at him. Bell could tell that she was still upset, but he thought she looked like she was a little happier, so he was glad. Freya said she liked Bell again, but this time in a way as if she was saying it to herself. When Bell saw the expression on her face as she said it, and the tone of her voice, his memories flew back to his date with Syr during the Goddess Festival, and in his surprise he called her Syr.
After Bell called her Syr, Freya put her hand on his cheek, and asked him what was the meaning of him calling her by the name of another woman, before pinching his cheek hardly. Bell was surprised, and he looked at Freya and her expression changed, and she started to look angry. She told Bell that no one has insulted her like that before, and then told him to leave.
Bell did as she said and went to leave, but looked at her one more time and wondered what that sensation he felt was when she reminded him of Syr, and he wondered if it was just a fluke.
After Bell had left, Freya just stood there and clutched her hand above her heart as she thought of their conversation for quite some time. She then walked over to her dresser and pulled out the pendant that Bell had given her during the Goddess Festival.
Freya looked into her mirror and in its reflection she saw Horn and Hedin standing in front of her door, despite the fact that Freya did not give anyone permission to enter her room. Freya asked them what they were doing, and Horn tried to explain to her that Hedin wanted to see her, but she did not finish her sentence. After Horn said this, Hedin told Freya that he wanted to prove his loyalty to her.
Chapter 5
Hedin attacked Bell several times with his magic during their training. Bell managed to dodge several strikes of lightning at first, but ended up being hit in the end. After the third time that Hedin cast his magic, Bell attempted to dodge it by channeling a quick charged argonaut in his leg before kicking off the ground, but he wasn't able to dodge it and got hit mid-dodge. Hedin stopped using his magic and started attacking Bell with his weapon. Bell tried to defend himself, but Hedin ended up knocking his knife out of his hand. Having been left weaponless, Bell tried to use firebolt on him, but Hedin would only hit Bell's arm with his weapon, and deflect his attack in response.
Bell was confused and asked Hedin why he was fighting him like this, because Hedin was going after Bell with a ferocity unlike any of their previous training, and he wasn't acting like his normal self. Hedin did not answer his question. Bell thought it seemed as if Hedin was trying to kill him, so he attempted to hit him in an attack using all of his strength, but Hedin hit him in the side of the face before Bell managed to hit him, and Bell fell to the ground. Hedin called Bell an idiot after his attack and drove the blade of his weapon into Bell's shoulder while he was down. Bell's wound was serious, and he started to lose a lot of blood. As Bell laid there immobilized, Hedin raised his weapon and attempted to attack Bell again, but the Gulliver brothers ordered him to stop, surrounded him and aimed their weapons at Hedin's neck in a warning in order to save Bell.
They yelled at Hedin, asking him why he was overdoing it so much, and warned him that Heith and the other healers might not be able to heal him at this rate. Heith watched nearby the entire time and wanted to help Bell, but did not approach fearing that she might get hit by one of Hedin's attacks. Vanir and all the other members of Freya Familia that were training that day forgot their training entirely, and stopped to watch what was happening as well.
Hogni came up to Bell, asked him if he was alright, and gave him a healing potion. He then glared at Hedin and asked him what was the meaning of his actions. Hedin told them all that their goddess was in love with Bell, but Bell still wasn't worthy of her. He then told them that it was urgent matter to their familia to make Bell's soul suitable to her, and that no one will be satisfied until it is. Hedin then screamed at Bell and told him to stand up and prove to them that he was the one that Freya had been waiting for. For the next several days Hedin continued increasing the intensity of Bell's training
Later after Bell's training with Hedin the elites of Freya's familia gathered together to discuss Hedin's methods of training. All of the elites were present. Hogni and the Gulliver brother's continued to show their disapproval for Hedin's methods. Allen and Ottar, who were also there, did not make any comments on the matter however. In response to their arguments Hedin tried to explain how his training was necessary in order for Bell to fulfill Freya's desires.
Hedin then accused Hogni of being too fond of Bell, and asked him if he was starting to view Bell as a friend. Hogni tried to deny it and told Hedin that he views Bell as only a pupil, but he also started to admit confused feelings he had towards Bell, and mentioned that his kind personality makes it hard for people not to like him.
The Gulliver Brothers acknowledged that Freya had left Hedin in charge of Bell's training, but still continued to question the harshness of his training methods. Hedin told them all that Freya's plans for Bell were failing, and told them that Freya's failure to succumb Bell to her will was leaving her heart feeling lost in its place. All of the others in the room were surprised by Hedin's acclamation, except for Ottar acknowledging that he felt as if Freya had been emotionally troubled of late.
Hedin told them that he intended to use his training in order to force Bell's mind into a state that Freya would be able to charm him. He then told Allen to join them in Bell's training from the next day, but Allen refused and told Hedin that it was his duty to keep watch over the Hostess of Fertility. Hedin told Allen that there was no reason for him to keep watch over the pub, and told him to leave it to Vanir and the others. Allen wasn't happy about the situation, but he did not say anything, and then Hedin accused him of only wanting to keep watch of the tavern so that he could look after his sister, which Allen got angry at in response.
Allen did not agree or disagree to do what Hedin asked him to do, and then Hedin asked Ottar to train Bell as well, but Ottar told Hedin that there was no reason for him to join them in his training and told Hedin to handle it without him. Hedin told them all from tomorrow they were going to continue to attempt to corner Bell's mind in their training, and the meeting ended.
Asfi had noticed a change in Freya movements as she flew above Orario. Using Hades Head to become invisible she watched Bell training with Hedin, Hogni, Allen and the Gulliver brothers. She noticed how brutally they were training him, and then she remembered that Hermes told her after the event with Ishtar that he suspected that Bell might not be susceptible to goddesses of love's charm. She wondered if that was the case if it had any connection to Freya's familia's change in movements. Thinking that might be the case she decided to try and make a move now, thinking it might be her best chance, since there was currently a good chance that Freya's familia could be caught off guard now.
Hestia was walking around outside of her familia house. She noticed a small piece of paper, picked it up and read it. The paper had a note written on it in red Koine, and said that there were lost belongings in the Forge. Hestia went and found Welf and asked him if he minded if she borrowed the key to his forge. Welf gave her the key and then Hestia asked him what he was doing, because she noticed he was carrying a lot of stuff. Welf told her that he was keeping a lot of the stuff he has been making in the basement of his forge, but it was getting too cramped in there so he was moving some of it to a different location.
Welf held out a broken piece of armor in one of his hands, and asked Hestia why he had been making light armor, since no one in their familia wears light armor. Welf then told Hestia that he felt like he made the armor for someone important to him, but he could not remember. Hestia sadly told him that it was fine that he did not remember, but told him not to forget the bond he had with the adventure that wore that armor.
Hestia entered the forge and when she did Asfi greeted her. Hestia got surprised and asked her how she got in there, and Asfi told her that she picked the lock. Asfi was relieved to find out that Hestia had not been charmed, and then she told Hestia about Bell's training with Freya's familia and of how there was a change of movement in the actions of the Freya's familia members. After Asfi said this Hestia wondered if the time that Hermes mentioned had come yet.
Bell was exhausted both mentally and physically from his training. Every attack that they threw at him seemed to Bell as if it would kill him if he could not try and discover new methods to avoid defending himself against them. Struggling to stay alive started to become the only thing that Bell had room to concentrate on, and eventually he even started to feel as if his motivation to get stronger to catch up to Ais itself was wearing away as his training continued. Eventually he started to wonder if his memories actually even truly existed or not. Bell felt like running away, but even if he did no one remembered him, and he became even more fearful of people not remembering him than he was of his training. During that time Freya became the only comfort to him that he had.
One night Freya asked Bell to sleep with her. She told him that she promised him that she would not do anything to him, and she only wanted to sleep. Bell was physically exhausted and did not think that Freya would try and seduce him anyway, because of how kind she has always been to him, so he layed down in bed together with her. As they laid there Freya asked Bell if there was anything that he wanted. Bell told her that he did not need anything, and Freya smiled and told him that she thought he was going to say that.
Freya told Bell that she liked him and then hugged his head in her arms as he laid there. Bell started thinking to himself that it might just be fine to forget about his memories about Ais and everyone, and just accept Freya's kindness in its place, but then Bell remembered how much he hurt Syr when he turned her down. The guilt and pain that he felt from hurting Syr made Bell be unable to forget everything or forgive himself for what he did.
As Bell fell asleep he remembered how Syr confessed that she loved him, and thought about how Freya only told him that she liked him and then he fell asleep and dreamt that Syr had been holding him in his sleep.
The next morning Bell woke up and left Freya's room. After he opened the door he noticed that Hedin was standing there outside of it. Hedin asked Bell if he was still planning on joining them for his train today, and Bell told him that he would. Bell seemed really depressed, thinking again of where Syr may have disappeared to after he had last seen her. Hedin made a comment to him about how he was too depressing to be around, and told him to go to the training ground on his own, and he would meet him there later. Hedin warned Bell not to get another curse thrown on him again and then went to leave. Hedin told Bell that he did not care about Bell's act of heresy and told him to keep moving forward and that he would not forgive Bell if he stops.
After Bell had left Hedin told Vanir that he did not have to look after Bell today. Vanir seemed confused, but then told him that they had received word from the scouting team that they sent to the dungeon, and told them that a group from Loki's familia including Riveria and Lefiya was currently making their way back from the deep floors of the dungeon. Hedin told them that they could just send Horn into the dungeon to handle this situation personally, but sending her there could cause an accident, so they were going to have them wait for them at Babel instead. Hedin told Vanir that Allen and the Gulliver brothers were already on their way, and he wanted some of the others to go there, and join them as well. Hedin then told him to get the people who were currently guarding the Hostess of Fertility to join them as well, because they will need their help. Vanir asked him what they were going to do about Bell, but Hedin told him not to worry about it, and then mentioned that he would watch over Bell.
Bell left Folkvangr and was walking down West Main Street alone. It was very cold that day, and as he looked around the city he saw many guild workers carrying around firewood. Bell entered the Hostess of Fertility, and when he did Lunoire and Chloe called out to him making mention of how he came again, and told him again that there was no one named Syr there. They then told Bell if he did not intend to eat anything to leave, because he would only get in the way of their work.
Mia came out and got mad at Lunoire and Chloe, and told them if they had that much free time that they should go out and buy some food for the tavern. They listened to her and left right afterwards. Only Bell and Mia were currently in the tavern, Bell looked at her in silence, and he thought she was looking back at him in response, but then he noticed that she was actually looking outside the door of the tavern. Mia then told Bell that she had no intention of going against what the goddess wants, and then she told him that she made an agreement with her that when the time came she would not get in her way. Bell was confused, but then Mia continued and told Bell that she wanted to teach a lesson to the idiots who beat up her girls, but told him that she could not. Bell asked her what she was talking about, and she told him that she was a Freya familia member.
Bell was surprised at what Mia was telling him, and then she told him that she could not help him because of that reason, but then told him that it's pointless for adventures to try and act cool. She continued and told Bell that whoever is still standing in the end will win in the end, so he should believe in himself, and keep standing. Bell stared at her in shock after she said this and tried to ask her questions, but then Mia yelled at him and told him that if he wasn't planning on eating then he should get out.
Bell left and started running, he recalled the advice that Mia first told him not long after they first met when he returned her the money he did not pay the night before after he ran out of her tavern after being insulted by Bete. He thought about how similar the words of her advice that day was to what she just told him, and wondered if she remembered him, and if she knew about what he was currently going through. Mia's words made Bell desperately try to recall all of his memories leading up until now, and he remembered that he still hasn't met Ais since everyone else had seemed to forget him, so he continued to run, so he could meet her again.
Bell ran through the North district of Orario while screaming Ais's name. Ais was just in front of Bell and turned around and looked at him after he heard her name, Tiona and Tione were with her as well. They both recognized Bell as a Freya familia member, and Tione asked Bell if he was trying to start a fight between their familias. Bell started to get nervous again because neither of the twins recognized him, but that alone did not stop him, and he asked Ais if she recognized him.
Tione got angry at Bell for saying weird things to them, and tried to get Ais to leave with her, but Ais reached out and grabbed Bell's hand. Bell stopped and stared at her, and then Ais asked him if he wanted to train with her. All three of the others were surprised, but Ais told Bell that she wanted to knock him out, give him lap pillows, and then knock him out again. She then told Bell that she feels like they need to fight each other on top of the wall surrounding Orario. Ais spoke with a serious expression on her face as if she was trying to remember something important.
She told Bell that she had a feeling that she promised to train someone that said they wanted to get stronger. After Ais said this Bell fell to his knees, and felt as if he had finally been released from the sense of defeat that he had been feeling all this time since everyone had seemed to have forgotten him. As Bell sat on his knees in front of her he held her hand against his forehead and started crying tears of joy, so she asked him if he was alright. Bell stood up, looked her in the eyes and told that he was glad that he admired her, and met her. Bell then bid his farewells to her, and then ran back to Folkvangr.
After Bell returned, he fought with all of his power during his training. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed together and Hedin stared at Bell in amazement from his sudden improvement. Ever since Bell came back he fought desperately during his training, he still was knocked down and injured many times, then healed by Heith in order to fight again, but ever since he met Ais his will never wavered. As Bell and Hedin fought, everyone in the training area stopped what they were doing to watch.
As Bell fought Hedin, he started to use all of the techniques that he had previously learned from Ais against him over and over again. As they fought Bell started driving Hedin to concentrate on defense. Bell thought of his training with Ais, and then remembered how the advise that Vanir given him during their training was actually advice that Ryu had given him when they were in the deep floors of the dungeon together, and Bell could not believe that he started to forget that or doubt that he was a member of Hestia familia.
Hedin managed to knock Bell back a bit, and he took the opportunity to use his magic Caelus Hildr on him. After Hedin's magic was cast several orbs of lighting started to shoot down from the sky around Bell. Bell did not think he would be able to shoot down every orb with his magic, so he took the opportunity, and used firebolt to blow away just one of the orbs, which gave Bell the opportunity to just barely avoid and weave his way between several orbs of lightning. After Bell weaved through Hedin's attack he tried to attack him with his baslard, but Hedin managed to jump away from the attack just in time.
Bell started to feel he nearly had exhausted his mind from using his magic during his training that day. Noticing Bell moment of weakness, Hedin attempted to strike Bell down with his weapon, but Bell remembered the advice that Ais gave him about his opponents being the weakest once they thought they had already won, so Bell managed to dodge out of Hedin's sight completely, and struck at Hedin with the knife in his other hand. Even though Hedin did not see Bell he managed to jump away to dodge his attack. Hedin stood a bit away from Bell and wiped some blood of of his cheek with his finger, and many of the present Freya familia members watched in disbelief as they noticed that Bell had managed to cut Hedin's cheek in his previous attack.
After Bell noticed what happened he told Hedin that he was himself, then said that he was Bell Cranel, in an effort to convey to his master that he still remembered who he was. Hedin told Bell in response not to get cocky for managing to give him one injury, and then told him that he shouldn't be satisfied until he at least manages to get his clothes dirty. Hedin then kicked Bell in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground. After that everyone stopped watching their battle, and returned to their training.
Falgar and Lulune brought Hermes a large stack of paperwork, then Falgar scolded Hermes for being so far behind on his work. They all wondered where Asfi was, because she had been missing for some time up until now. Lulune made a comment about how busy they were and made a comment about how it would have been nice if the guild put Ganesha's familia in charge of the distribution of firewood like they usually do, instead of them this year.
Hermes felt a sense of deja-vu from their conversation, and remembered how he has been feeling a sensation as if the events in his daily life lately were playing on a loop, but every time he would start to remember something Freya's charm would make him forget again, and the pattern would repeat itself.
Hermes wondered to himself why he has been staying in Orario for about the last four months, because he ordinarily would spend much more time during his travels outside of Orario. The fact that he has been in Orario for so long seemed strange to him, and he kept trying to remember the reason.
Hermes looked at his desk and noticed that there was a letter from Zeus asking him why he still hasn't given him any updates yet. He wondered what Zeus was talking about, and did not recall Zeus asking him for updates on any information. He wondered if it had any connection with why he felt like he wasn't remembering things properly, and realized that he did not feel like he could recall much of what he had been doing for the last three months or so.
He then noticed that he had been on a loop of almost remembering and then forgetting things again, because there were dozens of notes addressed to himself on his desk that he looked at as if he desperately tried to write something, but all of the notes were left unfinished.
Hermes told Falgar that three days ago he gave him a message, and told him that he wanted him to remind him, then asked him what it was. Falgar sighed and asked him how many times he was going to ask him that, and Falgar told him that he was saying that everything was on a loop and repeating itself. After analyzing all of those hints Hermes realized once again that something was happening in Orario, and thought to himself that it had to be Freya's charm that was causing it.
As Hermes' mind continued to be confused from remembering and forgetting things over and over he left his familia home and walked through Orario. He took off his hat and noticed that there was a note tucked in the inner linings of the fabric. He took it out and read it. It said ‘the repeated demands of an old man'.
Hermes felt like the note was the key of him understanding how to get himself out of the strange situation he was in, but felt like he would be unable to understand what the note meant until he was able to meet Asfi again, because he was sure that he must've given her some instructions in order for her to help him before she went missing.
Three days after, Asfi realized the changes in the Freya Familia members movement, three days before, Bell managed to cut Hedin's cheek. Hermes was walking through one of the Main-Streets of Orario, but there was no one else around him. Although there was no way of him knowing, Hermes thought that there was a possibility that Asfi was there with him, but invisible, so he looked up at the sky and told her that he loved her and told her to come back to him.
After Hermes said this he heard someone whisper in his ear to go to Jyagamaru-kun stand on North-Main Street, but he did not see anyone. Asfi was standing behind Hermes and he smiled without turning around, then thanked her, and she told him to hurry up and return back to his normal self.
When Hermes got to the Jyagamaru-kun booth where Hestia approached him excitedly told him she had been skipping work too often, that if she doesn't sell enough that she would be fired and told Hermes to buy a special Jyagamaru-kun that was far larger than the their ordinary size.
Hermes bought it and ate it as he walked, then walked into an alleyway and looked through several sheets of wrapping that the Jyagamaru-kun was previously wrapped inside of. Inside of the wrappings was the note that Hermes had originally given to Hestia before Freya charmed everyone. He read it, and it said; ‘use the “hearth” to change Orario'.
After Hermes saw both the note in his hat and the note he gave to Hestia he came to a realization of what his original plan to release himself from Freya's charm was and started to make preparations for the hearth.
One day, over two weeks after Bell had started living in Folkvangr, he joined the other members of Freya Familia for dinner after his daily training had ended as always. During the dinner he told Hedin he wasn't feeling well, and asked if he could leave early and Hedin allowed him to. The reason Bell actually left however was because he wanted to avoid meeting Freya again, because he knew he could not lie to her, and did not know what would end up happening to him if she found out that he knew without any doubt in his mind now that he was a member of Hestia Familia all along.
Bell wondered to himself if Freya's charm was causing the change in Orario or not, and wondered why he wasn't charmed along with everyone else if that was the case. Bell wondered if he should try to escape or not, but thought that it was pointless to try and escape in the first place with Orario being in the state that it was currently in.
He then thought about how the waitresses in the Hostess of Fertility did not remember Syr when he met them, and wondered where both Syr and Ryu had been all of this time. He then decided he would try and look for them when he heard a very large noise.
He looked out the window in his room trying to find out what happened and saw smoke rising from one of Folkvangr's walls. Heith ran up to Bell and asked him if he had left his room at all lately or not. Bell told her that he hasn't and asked what happened. She told him that a thief had broken into their familia's home, but Bell was confused on how any one person could break into Folkvangr alone.
Ryu ran through Folkvangr while attacking Freya familia members who tried to stop her from escaping along the way. She woke up in a cellar a week ago, after she met Syr, and did not know where she was. As she tried to escape she realized that she had been in Fokvangr this whole time. A level 4 elf member of Freya's familia tried to stop her, and asked her how she escaped. Ryu remembered a short time ago, that someone undid the shackles that were holding her down, gave her her weapons and let her escape. The person that helped Ryu escape did not look like Syr, but the way she spoke to her, and the look in her eyes when she did, reminded Ryu of Syr. However, as soon as she was free she grabbed her weapons and ran out of the cellar alone. Ryu used her magic to attack the elf that tried to stop her, and the magic caused another loud explosion.
The members of Freya familia who were waiting for Loki's familia's return from the dungeon were waiting in the hall inside of Babel, which connected to the first floor of the dungeon, when a member of their familia appeared and reported to Allen that Folkvangr was under attack. The member told them that the attack was coming from inside Folkvangr, which made the Gulliver Brothers wonder if it was Ryu who was causing it. Vanir then reported to Allen that no one knew where Horn was, to which Allen responded by saying that he should have killed her after all. Alfrigg asked them what they should do and Allen told them that they were all going back to Folkvangr.
Aisha was in the eastern region of Orario near Daedalus Street when Falgar told her that something was happening at Freya familia's home. Aisha did not think much about it however, and told him that they were probably just overdoing it in their training again. Lulune mentioned how cold it was today, while carrying some of the firewood that the guild had requested Hermes Familia to distribute around Orario. They entered a woman's house and started a fire for her, and Aisha told her how Hermes had told them to make sure that they start a fire for the people they deliver the wood to before returning back to their familia home. Lulune made a comment to the others of how she felt like there was a strange scent of blood on the wood, and asked if they thought someone could have hit someone else using them or something, but they dismissed her comment and continued delivering the wood to several dozens of buildings in Orario.
Heith told Bell to stay in his room and told him that she would get scolded if something happened to him, then told him that she would leave guards outside of his room. Heith left behind Rask and Remilia who were members of Freya's familia that Bell often trained with, and then left. Bell thought he could not just stay there, and decided to try and find out what was happening himself. As soon as he urged himself to try to escape, the floor of Freya's familia home trembled and Rask and Remilia fell to the ground. Bell took the opportunity to escape and ran into a hallway.
He caught a glimpse of a shadow of a person just before it disappeared from his sight, so he decided to chase it. He ran upstairs and entered a room that seemed similar to a temple with a tall ceiling and stained-glass windows. The room was filled with various weapons, which Bell thought that they most likely belonged to past Freya Familia members. Horn was also in the room and started walking towards Bell.
Horn asked Bell how much he knew. Bell instantly knew what she was referring to, and told her that he wasn't a Freya Familia member, and that he is a member of Hestia Familia. Then Horn asked him how much he had figured out already. Bell did not know what she meant and asked her, which angered Horn and led to her to ask Bell how stupid he was, and asked him if he really doesn't understand anything after how much he has made Freya suffer. Horn then pulled out a knife, held in a reverse grip behind her, and told Bell she would not forgive him for how he had been making Freya suffer and told him again that she wished that he never appeared before Freya.
Horn told him that even though he has the potential to become a hero, why did he not show any interest in pursuing anything with women. She told him that if he would at least do that Freya would at least be somewhat satisfied. Horn then called him a slave to his admiration. She then started to tell him that it was his fault that both she and Freya were feeling like they were...but did not finish her sentence. As she said that, she lunged at Bell with a tear in her eye and with the knife in her hand in front of her, but Bell grabbed her arm. Her body lunged into him, knocking him to the ground as she fell on top of him, and as they fell the knife that was in her hand fell to the ground next to them.
While she was on top of him, she wrapped her hands around his neck and acted like she was trying to strangle him, but Bell noticed that she was actually hardly putting any of her strength into her grip. While she acted like she was strangling him she told him that she wanted to kill him, and commented on how crazy and pitiful he was making her. After that she told Bell that if she only met him before Freya did, she would have hugged him when she saw him. She continued and told him that she has been doing everything the wrong way, but she was just a girl, Freya wanted him, and she tried to stop Freya's desire by killing him. She told Bell that she thought that if Freya's desire was never fulfilled that the girl's feelings would have been buried away as well, but she was wrong and she's always hearing her cry now, telling Bell that she's never heard her like that before.
The whole time she said these things she was crying heavily, and she told Bell that Freya was suffering and hurting. She told Bell that she wanted him to realize what was happening, but it was pointless if she told him, and he did not figure it out on his own. She begged him again to realize, then she said his name in Syr's voice. After Bell heard that voice again his memories of everything that happened with Horn and Syr came back to him, and he realized what Syr's connections to Freya and Horn was all this time. Bell then tried to confirm his suspicions and asked Horn if both she and Freya were Syr, and Horn smiled back at him in response.
Horn stood up and looked at the ground next to him, noticing that the knife that she had dropped earlier was Hestia's Knife. Bell started to ask her if her intentions all along was to try to help him, because he knew that if anyone other than a Hestia Familia member wielded the knife that it would not cut anything. She picked up the knife and held it tightly in both of her hands, and held it out to him offering for him to take it.
Bell took the knife and the hieroglyphs on the blade shined when it sensed Hestia's blessing, but she did not let go of it. She then told him that she never planned to kill him, and it was her plan to do this all along. Saying that, she threw herself on the blade and plunged it deeply into her left breast. She lost the power to stand and grabbed Bell as she fell to the ground. Bell grabbed her and supported her, and then asked her why she would do that. He pulled the knife out of her chest and desperately tried to stop her blood from flowing out of her. Horn told him that this was the second time she had betrayed Freya, and she had also fallen for him, so this was her way of compensating Freya for her betrayal.
Bell told her that there was still time and if they got to Heith, that she would still be able to save her. He then prepared himself to carry and bring her to Heith or one of Freya familia's other healers. Horn stopped him and told him that if she activates her magic, Freya will know everything that has happened. Horn then activated her magic and transformed into Syr's appearance.
After Horn had transformed into Syr, she told Bell that she meant to throw Syr away, but she could not bear it anymore as it had been painful this entire time in doing so. She then told Bell that she thought that he was all that she needed, and if she could just have him, that everything would work out in the end so she just pretended that Syr was just a lie to herself. She continued and told Bell that she was wrong and she really just wanted something else, but she cut off her sentence before telling Bell what it was that she actually wanted to tell him. She then told Bell that she wanted to stop being herself, and asked him to save her.
Bell picked her up and told her that he would. She then lost consciousness in his arms, and Bell looked at her wound and noticed that it was gone, thanks to the effects of her magic. The presence of a goddess that her magic gave her stopped the flow of the blood and slowed any immediate harm to her, but Bell thought to himself that if her magic came undone, and she returned back to her original form as a human that the wound would re-open, and she would start bleeding out again. In order to save her he started running and headed for Freya's room.
Freya could tell everything that happened, once Horn transformed into Syr, because of the connection of their five senses, which was an effect of Horn's magic. She knew that Bell was on his way. Ottar was with her, and Freya told him to go save Horn. Ottar asked her what about her guard, and she told him that she did not need any, and told him to take the other members of her familia along with him as well. After everyone left, Freya waited in the room alone until Bell came to see her.
Bell ran while carrying Horn and then Ottar appeared before him, and told him to give Horn to him. Bell hesitated, but Ottar promised him that no harm would come to her, and told him that Freya was waiting for him up ahead. Bell gave Horn to Ottar like he asked and ran ahead until he reached the room that Freya was waiting for him in.
After Bell saw Freya he confronted her about his suspicions that she was Syr. Freya did not deny it and told him that she was the girl that worked at the Hostess of Fertility, but told him that she did not want him to misunderstand her, and told him that the ‘girl' Syr never existed. She told him that a girl named Syr once existed, but she herself was just using that girl's name, and everything he saw of her as the girl, was just an act, a game to her in her role-play.
Bell asked her what she meant, and she told him that all of her interactions with him, Ryu and the others, was just a game that she did for fun on a whim of the gods. Bell tried to talk to her and called her Syr, but Freya told him not to call her by that name. Bell refused and called her by Syr's name again and told her that she was lying to him. He then asked her that if she was telling the truth, then why was she crying that day.
Bell asked her why she had always saved him if she was lying. He thought about all of his memories with Syr, like when she gave him the amulet before the war-game, or when she comforted him during the situation with the Xenos. Thinking these things, Bell could not believe that they were all a lie, like Freya tried telling him. Freya told him that she fell for his soul the first time she saw it, and everything that she did was to help him grow to fit her preferences, that she was planning to take him afterwards. Freya then told him that her giving him the grimoire, the amulet, or anything else that she did for him was just because she wanted to protect him.
Freya told him afterwards that the only reason that she cried that day was because she was playing her role as Syr and she would have most likely cried that day after that. After she said that, Bell told her once again that she was lying, and told her that he hurt her that day, and that's why she was crying.
They stared at each other for some time, and then Freya averted her eyes from him, and pulled the spirit pendant that Bell gave to her out of her pocket. Freya told him that Syr was happy when he gave it to her, and told him that it was the first present he ever gave her, but then she said she no longer needed it and threw it hard to the ground, and it shattered into pieces. After Freya did this, she told Bell that Syr was dead, and no longer existed.
Bell told her again that she was wrong and that Syr was alive, that she was Syr, and she told him that she wanted him to save her. Freya told him that her mind was just muddled with Horn's thoughts at the time, which confused her thoughts, and she did not really mean that. Freya then asked him what even gave him the right to save Syr in the first place when he was the one that turned her down. Bell started approaching her until their faces were practically touching each other, and told her that he was the one that turned her down, hurt her, and made her feel what she was feeling, so he was the only one that had the responsibility to stop her, and save her.
Freya asked him if he even knew what he was saying, and asked him how he was even planning on saving her when he would not love her or give her anything back in response to her feelings. Freya then called him a hypocrite, and told him that she had never met a man as selfish as he was. Bell then told her that she was one as well, telling her that she wrapped all of Orario into her selfishness.
Freya told him that no matter what he said, it did not change the fact that everything had just been a game to her, and Syr was a lie. Bell told her that there was no way he could believe that such a passionate confession was a lie. Freya was taken aback in embarrassment, but then got angry at him and told him that no one had ever made her feel like he made her feel right now.
She then told him that he said he wanted to save her, but then asked him what he was going to do, and she tried to show him his own powerlessness by telling him that she could use her charm to make all of Orario, including Hestia Familia and Ais his enemies if she wanted to. She then told him that there was no way he could save her.
Bell felt a burning sensation on his back, and commented on it out-loud. Freya turned around and saw many flames lit all across her view of Orario, and she wondered if Hestia was up to something.
Fels fell to his knees before Ouranos, and felt a sensation as if his body was burning. Ouranos told him that a sacred flame would undo Freya's charm. Fels tried to resist, and fight against it, but Ouranos told him he was already too late. Fels recalled Ouranos previous discussion with Hestia when he told her that she could not do anything yet and Ouranos' request to have Hermes distribute the firewood all across Orario, as he started to notice that Ouranos had everything planned all along. Ouranos then told him that Hestia's blood had been dropped on the firewood that was delivered around the city.
Hermes along with many other residents around Orario tried to steady themselves as they all started getting headaches and feeling weak. All across Orario were the flames that were started from the firewood that Hermes familia had distributed across Orario. Hestia gave Asfi some of her blood, and then Asfi gave it to Hermes who took it to where his familia was keeping the fire wood, and Hermes dripped one drop of blood on every log before they started delivering it.
Ouranos told Fels that Orario would eventually be destroyed if it was left in the current state it was in. Under Freya's charm, Orario's adventures would never be able to grow as they once did in their current state of mind. With the One-Eyed Black Dragon still alive, Orario losing its strength could also mean the destruction of their world, which Ouranos was fully aware of.
Asfi was carrying Hestia high up in the sky. They flew to Babel's rooftop and landed there. Asfi told Hestia that she still did not know what she was planning on doing. Hestia said that what she rules over as a god is the flame, but she really can't do much with it unlike Hephaestus' flame of the forge, Soma's wine, or Freya's beauty, but Hestia told her that if an altar is prepared for her, then she can do more. Saying this, Hestia raised her right arm up in the air and hundreds of pillars of light, the same color as the shining light that appears when a god updates a child's status, shot up high up into the sky, coming from the flames lit across the city far below them.
Hestia explained to Asfi that her blood being mixed in the fires all across Orario gave her the power to do what she is about to do. Then she told her that since she is a virgin, she can use her flames to remove the lusts that are over people, and undo the god of beauty's charm over them. Hestia then talked as if she was talking to Freya, that it was too bad that she abandoned Babel in order to be closer to Bell, because it allowed Hestia to set up right in the middle of the city in order to use her power.
A circle appeared beneath the flame much like magic incantation circles, and once Hestia fully activated her power that did not require arcanum, flames that were much like an illusion as they did not burn anyone's skin or any building, engulfed the whole city.
Hogni and several other members of Freya Familia noticed Hestia's flames engulf the city. However, Hogni and the other members of Freya Familia who were with him at the time were too busy to pay it too much attention. They had just surrounded Ryu and Hogni told her to surrender. Ryu fought them, but quickly started to be overwhelmed. Ais appeared and protected Ryu from an attack of Hogni that was about to hit her.
As Ais faced Hogni and the other members of Freya familia, she told them with an angry tone in her voice that she remembered everything, and Bell was not a member of Freya's familia. She then told them that Hestia's flame had removed Freya's charm that had been over her. Tiona and Tione soon arrived alongside Ais. Thinking about when she had encountered Bell and did not remember him, Tiona started to feel guilty. Tione got angry at Hogni and the other members of his familia and told him to explain why they had wrapped all of them into this situation.
Ryu told Ais that she was surprised, because she did not expect for her to save her. Ais turned around and asked her where Bell was. Ryu got embarrassed, and asked why the first thing she asked her was where Bell was. Tione got mad at them both, and asked them why they were arguing with each other in the situation they were in. Tiona and Tione started to attack Hogni and the other members of his familia present at the time. Ais and Ryu put their conversation aside and joined them in the fight afterwards as well.
Bete and Allen argued with each other as they fought during that same time as well. Nearby them, Gareth fought the Gulliver Brothers as well.
At that time all around Orario, people started becoming aware of what had happened, now that Hestia's flames had removed the effect that Freya's charm had held over them. At Hestia's familia's home, the members of Hestia Familia felt really guilty when they realized that they had forgotten Bell now that their memories had returned. Lily and Haruhime were especially distraught, but Welf got them to pull it together, and suggested that they all go try and save Bell. They listened to him and left their familia home soon after.
Likewise, the Miach and Takemikazuchi familias talked amongst each other in each of their own respected familia homes, and decided to go try and help Bell as well, after their memories had returned.
Royman started panicking in the guild and told his employees to try and get people to protect Freya familia, because he feared an all out war would break out between Loki and Freya's familias as things currently stood. Misha got a bit afraid after hearing his reasoning, but did not think that Freya's familia could be forgivable from their standings. She tried to ask Eina for advice, but she then noticed that Eina was already long gone. Eina started running to try to invade Freya's familia's home herself after her memories had returned as well.
Aisha was furious after she remembered what Freya familia had done to Haruhime, and she started to run toward Freya's familia home as well, while Falgar and Lulune followed her trying to get her to calm down.
Hephaestus familia started surrounding Freya's familia as well, and Tsubaki asked Hephaestus if she really thought it was ok for them to do that, but Hephaestus told her she was sure it was fine with how many people were there along with them. Loki and Finn stood outside Folkvangr as well. Finn tried to get Loki to calm down as she angrily shouted about Freya. Finn commented afterwards that it was a good thing that Riveria was in the dungeon at the time, because if word spread outside Orario that Freya had charmed a high elf member of royalty, that the elves outside of Orario would not keep quiet about it.
Heith called out to Ottar as she was healing Horn, because she noticed that Freya's charm must have been lifted over the citizens of Orario due to what was happening. Hedin, who was there alongside them, started to prepare himself to fight as well.
Lunoire and Chloe started talking to Anya once their memories had returned, and Anya was surprised that they remembered now. They then asked her what had happened to Syr and Anya started crying, which surprised them, and Lunoire hugged and tried to comfort her. Mia stood at the front entrance door of the Hostess of Fertility, and she commented on how Freya was an idiot as she looked outside in the direction of Folkvangr.
Hestia and Asfi broke through the window in Freya's room, shattering the glass. Hestia got excited to see Bell, and threw herself on him and started hugging him, as she asked him to forgive her for pretending she did not know him when they saw each other. Bell understood the entire situation without Hestia needing to explain it all to him, and he thanked her.
Hestia confronted Freya afterward and told her she was taking back Bell. Freya remarked her surprise on Hestia's ability to undo her power, and Hestia told her that no one, except for the fellow god's that lived in Olympus, the region of Tenkai that she used to live in, knew about her ability. Hestia then asked Freya what she was going to do, with Freya telling her she had lost and everyone in Orario was surrounding her home.
As the fighting continued, Finn asked Loki what she thought about the situation. Loki told him that the guild would not allow a war breaking out between their two familia's and that she thought that today's event would end up dying out without any conclusion. Finn said that there was only one option, and Loki agreed and said a war game.
In response to Hestia's question, Freya proposed a war game to Hestia. Freya told Hestia afterwards that if she won she could have anything she wanted, and she would even return to Tenkai if that is what she wanted, but if she won, then she would keep Bell. Hestia told her to stop joking around, and asked her if she wasn't aware of the situation she was currently in.
Freya told her that the only thing that would happen to her is that the guild would give her a penalty, because her familia is too important to Orario due to the role that they would have to play if the 3 great quests were ever to be fulfilled. Hestia was taken aback from Freya's responses and did not say anything.
Freya told Hestia that she was free to get any help from any familias that she wanted as well. Hestia told Freya that she hated her for what she did to her familia and for taking Bell, but then she asked her why she was willing to go to such lengths just to get Bell. Freya told her that she is a goddess of love, and Bell had simply captured her interest. Hestia did not seem satisfied with her answer, and asked her what she was hoping to achieve. Freya did not say anything in response, but simply looked down at the ground, and Bell thought that she looked sad and lost.
Hestia asked Bell what he wanted to do. Bell stepped forward and told Freya that if he won, then he wanted her to listen to a request of his. Freya said that was fine, and asked him what his request was. Bell started to tell her that he wanted her to let him meet Syr one more time, but then he changed his request and told her that he wanted her to tell him about her true self. Freya told him that he can do whatever he wants, but she was unsure of what his version of what true is.
Asfi later spread word of Hestia and Freya's agreement for a war game. The war game would later become known as Orario's largest war game in history, and would be referred to by many as the Great Faction War.
Double Role 1
Freya remembered the first day she ever saw Bell. His soul seemed very small in comparison to that of her familia members, but it shined beautifully in a color that Freya had never seen before. She immediately thought that she wanted it. She took a magic crystal from a monster out from her pockets and decided to approach him and act like he dropped it as an excuse to talk to him.
Freya thought to herself that the beginning of their relationship had been a lie. She thought to herself that her usual self would not have hesitated to take Bell right when she first saw him, but when Freya first saw him, she was in her Syr appearance as a part of her role-play, not as Freya herself. It was because of that reason that Freya thought that she was able to restrain herself from her desire to take him immediately. However Freya thought that she did not believe that she would be able to hold back for long.
Freya had thought of how she had always hoped for her ‘Odr', her destined partner, but had failed so much in the past. Because of that Freya decided to be patient to watch and aid his soul into becoming even more beautiful, the relationship between Syr and Bell had started. Thinking about it now though, Freya felt like her designs at that time were mistaken.
As Freya originally thought, she wasn't able to hold back on her desires completely, which led her to do things like sending the Silverback after Bell and Hestia, and giving Bell the grimoire. As time passed though, Freya started to gradually feel a change in herself although she wasn't exactly sure what it was. Even though she had planned it herself when she saw Bell and knew that he was going to fight the minotaur soon and possibly could die, she started fearing that and asked him if it was really necessary for him to go on an adventure.
Freya came home that night and wondered why she had acted like that even though she had long decided by then if anything happened to him that she would follow his soul to Tenkai, but then she tried to put the thought aside and thought she must have just overdid her role-play a bit.
After Bell had fought the minotaur, she started to feel that feeling more and more however, and as her desire to protect him grew, she ordered Ottar and the others to make sure that they never allowed him to die. After Freya started interacting with Bell as Syr, the time that she spent in her original appearance became less and less. She started to feel a change in herself, but she wasn't completely aware of the cause.
As she made his lunch for him everyday, and through her many interactions with him, she started noticing more and more things she liked about him, and started liking him even more. Through her interactions with him, Freya started to feel as if she became more attracted to him, not as a god, but as a girl.
Whenever Freya thought about it deeply though, the idea felt laughable to her. She felt as if she became too invested in the main character of her own game and became lost in it even though Syr was a lie. However, Freya felt like the one that first fell for him at first sight was Freya the goddess, but the one that first became attracted to him was Syr, the girl. That feeling made it feel to Freya that pursuing him as the goddess was wrong, and there would be no meaning in going after him at all if she did not do it as the girl. As a result of that line of thought, she tried and failed to pursue him as the girl.
Freya at the very least felt like she wanted him as the goddess, since the girl could no longer have him. Freya thought about how Anya told her to return Syr to her, and could not help but find it amusing since the other girls got so emotionally connected with Syr, when she never existed in the first place. Freya lastly thought of her conversation with Bell and Hestia after they decided to have the war game, and when she thought of this, a voice from her heart called out to her and asked herself when will she become aware of her own desire, but she tried to ignore it.