[Roleplay]: Some of the gods can completely erase their own "divine aura," hide the proof of their divinity, pretend to be residents of the lower world, and live among the common folk as children.
You could say it's giving themselves another identity, temporarily forgetting the status of a deity to enjoy life in the lower world.
In the heavens, the great god Zeus was famous for being skilled at transformation. Beyond bulls and swans, he could even turn into rain.
The great god Odin was no less impressive, with countless different forms.
As for Freya, although she wasn't a great god with overpowered divine strength, she was still rather good at transforming. Back in the heavens, in order to avoid being surrounded the moment she stepped out of her temple, she often sneaked out not in the form of the goddess of beauty.
Of course, that alone wasn't enough. Whether it was the precision of transformation or the control of divine aura, the goddess of beauty was far from gods like Zeus or Odin. Her disguise could hardly fool other gods for long, and even some sensitive humans could notice something strange.
But Freya was lucky. The "true name" and "experience" she obtained from a certain girl filled in the gaps, making her "roleplay" possible.
Horn, a girl who once lived in the slums, met Freya and wished to become her.
In exchange for her true name, "Syr Flova," Horn gained the ability to transform into the goddess.
A name represents a person. Exchanging true names carries immense significance.
Thus, when the goddess took on the identity of the girl (Syr), it was only natural that the girl's appearance she had once used in the heavens was recreated.
Freya entrusted the role and duties of the goddess to the contracted girl, while her true self disguised as "Syr Flova," worked as a waitress at the Hostess of Fertility.
It was nothing more than a whim to relieve boredom. Just a bit of entertainment.
That's what the goddess thought at first, but she ended up encountering all sorts of unexpected joys.
The children who visited the tavern all displayed their own unique brilliance.
The lost kitten, the lonely black cat, the girl seeking a place to belong, the elf who would rather make mistakes than betray herself.
Playing the part of a girl brought the goddess endless joy, to the point where she began to wonder herself, 'Do I actually prefer being a "goddess," or do I want to be a "girl" more?'
This question, even now, Freya (Syr) herself couldn't answer.
Yet as if he had seen through the goddess's confusion, that boy walked up to her and bluntly declared, "I'm going to drag the goddess down from her lofty throne."
He had the most dazzling soul Freya had ever seen. Yet dazzling didn't mean pure. For beneath that radiant light was hidden a streak of pitch-black darkness.
And now Freya finally realized she had been completely mistaken.
That wasn't just a little darkness. It was a bottomless abyss. The boy's essence was ten thousand times worse than her worst imagination.
Whether to be a "goddess" or a "girl", even while Freya herself still wavered, he directly spoke, "I'll strip that high goddess of her throne and turn her into an ordinary 'girl.'"
What arrogance, what conceit, what outrageous self-importance... That degree of greed left even a goddess who had lived hundreds of millions of years speechless, and even a little afraid.
And yet, for some reason, the goddess did not deny his words.
Faced with the choice between goddess and girl, Freya ultimately chose to let go.
She decided to just go with the flow. Whether goddess or girl, she would let the children decide.
To Ottar, Allen, and the others who wished for her to be the noble, beautiful goddess Freya.
To Shirou, Ryuu, and the others who wished for her to be the innocent, gentle, and lovely girl Syr.
The lost Freya/Syr resolved to pursue the final answer born from their clashing wills.
———
"Syr is the goddess Freya," When Ryuu and the others learned this, they were completely stunned.
Especially Haruhime. The little fox muttered in disbelief, "Four maids, three of them are goddesses..."
"So this battle is to decide whether Freya... is the goddess, or Syr?", Ryuu murmured softly.
Exactly. Goddess or girl, Freya or Syr, that was the true wager of this War Game.
Shirou resolved to cut away the shackles called "goddess" and give Syr her freedom.
Syr answered his resolve. Meanwhile, Ottar and the others' will, Freya also chose to face that directly.
Shirou frankly admitted that his actions could hardly be called "saving the girl."
"I don't want to lose Syr", that selfish desire alone was why Shirou started this war.
"I'll join in," Ryuu said without hesitation.
"Not wanting to lose the girl", in this, Ryuu's will might even be firmer than Shirou's.
"I'm in too."
"So am I."
"And nya too!"
"Cats are in nya!"
Lunoire, Haruhime, Chloe, and Anya, all of them thought the same.
This time, Anya didn't shrink back for even a second despite the shadow of Allen.
The girl's courage was easy to understand. Right now, not to mention Shirou, even Ryuu far outshone her as a member of Hostess of Fertility.
And Anya never had much awe for the useless elf.
Een if Ryuu had risen to Lv.7, to them she was just a Lv.7 useless elf.
So of course Anya wouldn't be afraid of Allen, who was even less than that.
In truth, Anya and the others also understood. Shirou didn't actually need their help. With him and Ryuu, their combat strength was more than enough.
Their reason for joining was so that Syr would see their feelings.
The goddess (Freya) was terrifying.
But the girl (Syr), who had once saved them, was adorable.
"Anya's a selfish cat, so Anya only wants Syr nya!", the catgirl shouted.
She knew very well that her stupid brother liked the goddess (Freya).
That only made her resolve stronger.
"We cats will snatch Syr away, and make stupid brother cry his eyes out nya!!"
The girls had made their decision, and naturally Shirou didn't stop them. Thus the roster was set, and Freya Familia directly agreed as well.
———
Soon, the day of the War Game arrived.
"The cold wind whistles, the drifting clouds float, but as everyone can see, the weather is clear and cloudless. Even in this mountain battlefield where the weather shifts unpredictably, today is a fine day for battle!"
Across distant Orario, the state of the Shrem Old Castle Ruins was being reflected through the mirrors.
The "Divine Mirrors," set up with broadcasting functions, had already been prepared. Under the lead of the Ganesha Familia and the city's military police force, the war was being streamed live.
["Good morning, everyone! The live commentator for this War Game is none other than me. From the [Ganesha Familia], the talking flame mage, Ibri Achaa! Nicknamed [Fire Inferno Flame], and I'll skip the rest!"]
["And as for the guest commentator, we also have none other than Lord Ganesha himself──"]
["I AM GANESHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"]
This overly loud pair of commentator and guest was surprisingly popular among the citizens. Many in the crowd cheered Ganesha's name, while Shakti and the rest of the familia could only cover their faces and sigh endlessly.
In the courtyard before the Guild headquarters, Ibri grabbed the magic-stone loudspeaker with one hand and shouted, ["As for the rules of this match! Put simply, the side that defeats all members of the opposing side wins!"]
The simplest, most direct, and most brutal form of war.
["At this very moment, Goddess Freya is seated within her temple. If every member of the Freya Familia is defeated, then our [Grand Saber], Shirou Emiya, can directly seize the goddess!"]
When the announcer mentioned Shirou's title and name, a cheer erupted through the city. For some reason, ever since the boy declared that he would "steal the goddess," his popularity among the goddesses themselves had skyrocketed, and the number of goddesses joining his fan club had surged.
Alongside the cheers and celebration, there were also sharp glares directed at the boy. Especially from the gods coveting the Goddess of Beauty Freya. At this moment, they were all fervently cheering for the [King] Ottar.
In the words of the gods: although Ottar, as Freya's guardian, was equally a target of jealousy, at least the [King] cherished and protected his goddess. He would never do anything presumptuous.
But if the [Grand Saber], the [Demon King of Swords], were to succeed, given his personality (according to rumors), the goddess might not be left in peace.
As for the greater number of Ottar's supporters, their reasoning was simpler. They had bet money on the Freya Familia.
"[Grand Saber] Shirou Emiya...", In the sushi shop, Bell softly murmured the man's name.
Inside the shop of [Sushi no Sennin], a crystal screen had also been set up, broadcasting the live War Game.
After more than a year of operation, Takemikazuchi's shop had already established a firm foothold in the dungeon city, gained considerable fame, and secured a loyal customer base.
On top of that, with [Absolute Shadow] Yamato Mikoto and [Martial God's Son] Kashima Ouka both leveling up to Lv.3, the Takemikazuchi Familia had now entered the ranks of upper-class factions.
"Miss Bell, which side do you support?", asked a male adventurer.
"Well, I don't really know," Bell smiled shyly as she answered.
Bell was a street girl running a fried potato-ball stall near the [Sushi no Sennin] shop. A few days earlier, when she first arrived in Orario and got lost wandering, she ended up straying into the Pleasure District.
On her pretty face, the words "easy to trick" were written. The girl nearly got dragged off by a few drunken men, but fortunately, some battle courtesans of the Ishtar Familia were patrolling nearby. They quickly intervened and beat the unruly customers half to death.
Afterward, the Amazon big sisters noticed the girl's "potential." Once they learned Bell lacked money, they enthusiastically introduced her to work. The girl, unable to refuse, nearly fainted from the pressure.
Thankfully, a fox-woman sister passed by and saved Bell from the situation. That sister seemed to have once belonged to the Pleasure District but had returned to visit her old companions (and perhaps seek technical advice).
It seemed the fox-woman had been redeemed by an extraordinary man. Wearing the highest-class twelve-layered kimono as she walked through the district, she looked like an empress from a distant land. Lv.3 and Lv.4 Amazons surrounded her warmly, showing even a hint of flattery.
Once they realized Bell had only wandered into the Pleasure District by accident, the Lv.4 Amazon scolded the two courtesans who had tried to recruit her, made them apologize, and afterward, the fox-girl introduced Bell to Yamato Mikoto of [Sushi no Sennin].
With Mikoto's help, Bell set up a fried potato-ball stall. Although the income was modest, the business street had a friendly atmosphere and no safety concerns.
Because she was cute in both looks and personality, the girl was warmly welcomed by her neighbors. With everyone's support, her little stall gradually grew more successful. Bell planned to earn her living this way while searching for a familia willing to accept her.
At the moment, Bell was watching "television" together with other shopkeepers, street girls, and some sushi-shop regulars inside [Sushi no Sennin], the only shop on the street that had set up a broadcast screen for the "War Game."
"Of course, the [Freya Familia] is stronger," said one male adventurer, "Even if the [Grand Saber] can fight across levels, the [King] is Lv.8."
"Yeah, even if the Lv.7 [Gale] and [White Fairy's Magic Wand] match each other evenly, the Freya Familia still has two Lv.6s. The difference in total numbers is even greater..."
Hearing the surrounding discussion, Bell thought to herself, 'As expected, the [Freya Familia] is stronger.'
Level and numbers... ever since arriving in the city, Bell had repeatedly heard people emphasize these two things. Though she hadn't yet begun her adventurer career, she understood that "fighting across levels is nearly impossible."
"The one who'll win is definitely Lord Emiya!", A firm voice rang out. It was the human girl Mikoto.
"Ah, Miss Mikoto, I know you admire the [Grand Saber], but the level and number gap is just too big."
"Of course, it's natural for Miss Mikoto to support him, he's her teammate, after all."
Listening to the adventurers' chatter, Bell was startled, "Eh? Teammate?"
To her, names like [Grand Saber] and [King] were mythic, as if they were figures high above in the sky.
She never imagined that Yamato Mikoto would actually have ties to such a great figure.
"What are you surprised about, Miss Bell? Haven't you heard of [Absolute Shadow]?"
"Ah, that's right, Miss Bell only came to Orario recently."
"Miss Mikoto is amazing, her leveling speed is even faster than the [Sword Princess]. She's bound to become a First-Class Adventurer in the future."
"Now that the [Grand Saber] and the Loki Familia aren't out on dungeon expeditions, we're lucky enough to eat sushi made by [Absolute Shadow] herself."
When Shirou was away, the Loki Familia still frequently took Mikoto on expeditions. Her "Monster Detection(Yatanokurogarasu)" and "Companion Location(Yatanoshirogarasu)" skills were invaluable in the dungeon.
Because she had taken part in so many high-quality adventures, her level had risen so quickly.
"Ahem...", Mikoto, blushing, interrupted the adventurers' praises, "The reason I say Lord Emiya can win isn't out of admiration. It's because I'm serious. Lord Emiya is really strong."
"Hmm... then how about a bet? If the [Grand Saber] wins, I'll treat everyone to drinks. If the Freya Familia wins, Miss Mikoto treats us all to sushi," a tavern owner joked.
"No problem!", Mikoto replied firmly.
"Ah, then I'll join too. I think the Freya Familia will win. If I'm wrong, I'll treat everyone to milk."
"I absolutely support Lord Emiya. Lord Emiya is invincible, I'll bet my family's tofu."
Listening to the cheerful clamor of her neighbors, Bell couldn't help but smile. She lifted her head and looked at the crystal screen.
The girl's pupils widened slightly.
"The battle... has begun."
"What is... that?"
The crystal screen broadcasting the battlefield suddenly turned completely crimson, the color of raging flames.
Amid the announcer's cry of shock, the Divine Mirror's perspective zoomed out rapidly, revealing the battlefield in full.
The moment the War Game began, everyone's eyes gathered on the screen, and the surroundings fell silent.
Bell let out a soft murmur, "A meteor?"
———
"A meteor?"
Staring at the "thing" falling from the sky, the Freya Familia adventurers' faces were all dyed crimson by the flames. But their true color was likely pale as death.
Less than a minute into the battle, the Freya Familia fighters had just left their base in the ruins, heading toward the island's center to face the [Grand Saber] in decisive combat.
And then, at the very instant the battle began, a "meteor" dropped straight from the heavens.
"It's not a meteor. It's a fireball, pure fire magic...", whispered the Lv.7 mage Hedin, the first to see through the truth of the attack.
Ottar was the second to realize. He stared at the blinding fireball shining like the sun, and finally saw clearly, inside it was an arrow.
The [King] spoke the name of the attack, "[Hephaistos Gandiva]."
Long ago, he had endured one such arrow, a fully charged [Hephaistos Gandiva] from Shirou. But back then, Shirou had only been Lv.4. And now—
"Allen, run! Everyone else, defend!", Ottar roared.
"Protect Heith! Protect the healers!"
As the [King] bellowed, the "meteor", or rather, the "fireball," or rather, the "arrow", came crashing down.
The world was dyed scarlet.
From the front surged a fiery gale like a tsunami. The red-hot wave became a flood, rushing into Ottar's vision.
First was Ottar himself, showing unprecedented speed. The boaz warrior spread his arms wide before the healers, and was swallowed by the crimson torrent.
Next was Hedin, standing before the healers as well, summoning thunder to shield the girls. Then Hogni, then the Gulliver brothers... Only Allen, having activated his acceleration magic to the utmost, managed to escape the range of the fiery storm.
Once the flames subsided, aside from First-Class adventurers and the healers Ottar and Hedin had shielded in time, all the Second and Third-Class adventurers had fallen.
"...He controlled his mana output, because he didn't want to kill," Hedin murmured.
He had instantly woven a lightning barrier with short-chant magic. But his protection wasn't for himself, it was for the healers.
Though he considered all his comrades rivals vying for the goddess's favor, as commander he knew that right now, only the healers were absolutely indispensable.
"Heith, begin treatment," Hedin ordered coldly.
Heith Velvet, Lv.4 adventurer, healer, titled [Golden Witch].
Alongside Airmid, she was celebrated as one of Orario's [Two Great Healers], hailed respectively as the [Silver Saintess] and the [Golden Witch].
Ranked first and second among healers, Airmid was slightly superior in effect and potency, but Heith surpassed her in endurance and range.
"With one breath left, anyone can be saved," Her magic [Zeo Gullveig] carried the same evaluation as Airmid's [Dia Fratel]. While it lacked poison-cleansing and curse-breaking, its healing ability was of the same level.
Thus, by reason, Shirou's [Hephaistos Gandiva] seemed pointless. So long as Heith remained, so long as he didn't kill outright, all fallen warriors would soon rise again.
Yet—
"Does it matter?", Heith said coldly.
Worn out from the daily "baptisms" of the Freya Familia that left no time for rest, the girl's eyes were dead fish-like. At this moment, her gaze was especially lifeless.
There were many reasons, one being that Heith was actually a member, even a board officer, of Shirou's fan club. Thus she found his declaration to seize the goddess particularly painful.
But more than that, as she said, she simply didn't feel there was any meaning in healing now.
Heith murmured, "Don't you understand what that arrow meant?"
"I do," Hedin answered firmly.
By deliberately held back, forcing every adventurer below Lv.5 off the field without taking their lives. What that "greeting" arrow meant, Hedin knew all too well.
"He was kindly reminding us that numbers mean nothing; or trying to crush the Freya Familia's morale," Hedin said coldly, "In short, he wants to restrict this War Game to a duel of First-Class adventurers."
"But why should I play along with him?"
"Even if they can't match the [Grand Saber] or the [Gale], these people can still handle that stupid cat's group. Or, at the very least, they can force him to waste a swing of his sword. If he's held back by concern for their lives, all the better."
"Just costing you a bit of mana in exchange for so many pawns, isn't that worth it?"
Hearing his words, Heith whispered, "You really are trash."
Hedin sneered, "Once you've healed those pawns, you can tell them this. Anyone who wants to quit, or who's lost their courage, can leave now."
"To devote everything, to show their love for the goddess, if they lack even that resolve, they should flee early!"
"You bastard elf!", Heith cursed as she began to chant.
[I am golden, the goddess's handmaid sworn to an eternal vow.]
[Thrice burned by flame, body pierced forever, dwelling in the hell of spears of fire, still the radiance descends, banishing death.]
[Blessing, blessing, blessing. I am golden, calling forth the endless struggle with the light of revival]
Hedin no longer looked at Heith as her magic circle bloomed. He gazed forward instead.
The white elf whispered, "Truly, the worst possible opponent."
With a single casual arrow, Shirou had nearly torn the Freya Familia apart, even shaking seasoned adventurers like Heith.
Strategy, tactics, plots, wisdom... All of it, in this battlefield, was meaningless.
'The outcome is already decided,' Hedin thought silently.
Among the Freya Familia, he was likely the only one who truly understood the meaning of this "War Game."
Victory was determined outside the battlefield. The moment their goddess nodded, agreeing to become the boy's "prize" for defeating them, everything had already been sealed.
Looking into the distance, Hedin felt a gaze fixed on him. The white elf smiled faintly.
"Even so, we cannot just hand over the goddess we love."
"I'll give it my all, Shirou. Let me be the one to witness your resolve for the goddess!"
———
[Mini-Theater]
When she saw the result of Shirou's arrow, a twin-tailed little goddess "crack" turned to stone.
"Th-th-that, what in the world was that...", Hestia stammered in a trembling voice.
"Shirou's [Hephaistos Gandiva]. Impressive, isn't it~?", Hephaestus, the flame goddess, said proudly.
Hestia: "S-so you're saying... your child is actually that strong?"
Hephaestus: "Of course. I told you before, didn't I? Shirou is the strongest in the city. He's much stronger than Ottar."
"I thought you were just boasting...", Cold sweat ran down Hestia's cheek.
Hephaestus narrowed one eye, "What's wrong, Hestia? You haven't done anything behind my back, have you?"
"N-no, not at all~", Hestia said cutely. The flame goddess, focused on the War Game, didn't notice her odd behavior.
———
Not long ago—
"Obviously the Freya Familia is stronger. The difference in numbers is right there~", another "flame goddess" said matter-of-factly.
"The [King] is Lv.8, two levels higher than Shirou. Such a gap is impossible to cross."
"My reputation as Loki is flawless. When have I ever lied to you? And if you don't trust me, trust the odds. Go ask around, see who thinks Shirou can win."
"What? You don't have money to bet... Fine, for the sake of our old friendship in heaven, I'll lend you some. But as for interest..."
And now, in Hestia's mind, there was only one scream left, ["LOKI, YOU TRICKED ME!"]
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