Bell Cranel(1)

--- Ren's POV ---

I was seething with anger.

Cleaning up after other people's messes was never my cup of tea, to say the least.

Still, it appeared that my words had managed to reach this imbecile.

"I was...wondering. Have we met before?"

The status of a Virgin Goddess was annoying.

I couldn't care less if she knew my true identity. However, I didn't want this rude behavior to tarnish the reputation of the Loki Familia.

What if others started spreading rumors about Ais as well? That would be unacceptable. I would have to commit mass genocide, which she wouldn't like...

So, for now, revealing myself was out of the question, as some people were still gazing over us with scrutiny as we walked.

"Maybe. Still, I saved you, so don't pry any further. I don't want to disclose my identity, nor do I want you to assume this means anything more. That pathetic excuse for a God had a ludicrous plan in mind, so I had to stop him. If he had kidnapped you, I would have had to save you anyway. I simply struck preemptively."

My words were completely truthful, although I conveniently omitted some key details.

"You really...don't mince your words. You show no respect for a Goddess..."

I half-expected her to start yelling at me, asserting her pride as a Goddess. However, something seemed different this time around.

Honestly, I couldn't be bothered to dig deeper and understand her. My sole purpose was to ensure this idiot didn't get into any further trouble.

My expression seemed to give her pause as she continued speaking.

"You know...in my Familia, there's this child who stubbornly respects Gods. He never looks at me properly, even though I love him so much... But you, on the other hand, are the complete opposite. A truly perplexing World..."

Oi, why do I have to listen to you simping over Bell now? Haven't I insulted you enough? Damn...

I sighed. Despite her being the same annoying Hestia, she now had a serious and sorrowful expression.

Comparing me to Bell Cranel, really...

"That kid was probably raised by someone who firmly believed in showing respect to Gods. You can't forcefully change his mindset as you might be thinking, Dumb Goddess. You need to find a way to his heart through different means. Stop going around in circles just because he doesn't see you as the woman you want to be seen as. Clearly state your intentions and stop hiding like a coward."

Though I couldn't physically feel it, my eyes glimmered with an incandescent cyan hue.

Such a weakling almost on the verge of tears, because a man didn't love her while she put in no effort, infuriated me. It made me feel as if she treated love as a joke.

My words seemed to ignite a spark within her, as she appeared both bewildered and accustomed to my rudeness.

"...I always thought that if I told him how I truly felt, our relationship within the Familia would suffer."

She glanced away, which only irked me further.

"Is your love so shallow that you're concerned about that? Are you clinging to a hollow relationship where you make futile advances, knowing they'll never reach him, no matter how hard you try? That, Dumb Goddess, is not a relationship. I wouldn't even call it the love you seem so convinced of."

Even though I wasn't speaking with Ais, I couldn't bring myself to lie.

When it came to matters of love, only her image occupied my thoughts. If I were to deceive myself now about my true feelings, it would be like tearing apart the very essence of my love.

The intensity of my emotions, reflected in my now vibrant cyan eyes, caused her eyes to widen, tears involuntarily streaming down her face.

But I didn't utter a word or make a move. Frankly, I couldn't care less.

She needed to realize what she had to do and make Bell hers, or accept the consequences of him being defeated by me for daring to entertain thoughts about my Ange--

"Kami-sama!"

Suddenly, a figure materialized before me—a young teenager with white hair and red eyes, clad in lightweight armor. He swiftly unsheathed his dagger, aiming a forceful strike at me with the blunt edge, perhaps attempting to intimidate me.

Well, from an outsider's perspective, it might appear as if I were bullying her or something...

It felt strangely familiar as if this had happened before. I must really be terrible at introductions myself...

With a simple flick of my finger, I deflected the dagger's trajectory, redirecting it away from my shoulder.

But I didn't stop there. Utilizing his own momentum, I nudged my finger behind his back.

He went hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby wall. Despite the impact, he managed to get back on his feet after a few moments, his glare utterly unimposing.

To be fair, I was merely in the mood to give him a little training session! You see, I'm not displaying any anger on my face right now. I simply want this youngling to learn a thing or two from his seniors, that's all.

Amidst my whimsical thoughts, Hestia began to panic.

"I-It's someone from my Familia! Please don't hurt him!"

Hestia hurriedly rushed to Bell's aid, her actions making it seem as though he was teetering on the edge of death. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of awkwardness at that moment.

However, Bell simply reassured Hestia that he would protect her and lunged at me once more...

Honestly, Bell, you and Ais would have been two peas in a pond.

But sorry, that's not happening, not in my story.

I allowed him to continue his futile attacks for a few more seconds before simply stopping his dagger in its tracks.

"Now, Bell Cranel. The time for acting like a hot-blooded kid is over. Calm down, look at your Goddess, and cease your futile attempts to attack me. Not even the Sword Princess can pierce my skin, let alone you, kiddo."

My words seemed to snap him out of his thoughts. He first stared at me, then turned to his Goddess. She was genuinely concerned that I might harm him.

Why does everyone assume I'm so quick to resort to violence? Relax, everyone, I'm all for peace!

What I didn't expect, however, was a melodic voice from behind me that sent a shiver down my spine.

"...Soon, Ren, I'll be able to pierce your skin."

My angel, it's fine if you want to say such things, but please don't blow my cover...

I sighed. I had been so absorbed in Hestia's absurdities that I failed to properly assess my surroundings.

Naturally, with the news circulating, the Loki Familia would have been mobilized to locate Hestia. And as an executive, Ais would undoubtedly be involved in the search for any trace of the Hestia Familia.

Well, that works out perfectly. I was starting to feel a bit lonely without her presence.

"I'll ensure that happens, Ais."

With those words, I offered her a smile as I discarded my disguise.

There was no longer anyone around to witness us, after all. At most, I would persuade Hestia to keep my true identity a secret, or perhaps I would dedicate some serious training time to Bell—trust me, it would be a truly rigorous regimen.

As Hestia and Bell slowly exchanged apologies for the recent incident, I noticed a change in Hestia's eyes. Finally, her love was taking a more respectable form, one that was no longer repulsive to behold.

"Let's give them some space. They had a quarrel"

I whispered as I gently took hold of Ais' hand, taking her elsewhere for a while.

It was a slightly risky move at this moment, but she didn't reject my gesture, which brought me immense joy.

Though we had been seeing each other frequently in the past few weeks, our interactions were primarily focused on training.

Occasionally, we would join forces to battle against Rakia's forces, while other times we would act independently.

Ais seemed to have gained a valuable understanding of love through her conversations with Riveria.

Though she struggled to properly convey and comprehend her own emotions, I sensed a gentle warmth emanating from her hand as our fingers entwined. She purposely avoided meeting my gaze, and I couldn't help but find it incredibly adorable.

---

Author's Note:

This should've been a chapter for Bell Cranel. Yes. Did it become Ren and Ais' cuteness? Yes, much better.

Of course, after this chapter, Bell's POV!