"I have a rough idea of what the conditions are."
Bell had already made a similar guess back when he created the sphere, and the answer had come to him almost immediately.
He had long since arrived at one conclusion.
"The Seven Deadly Sins are the root of human desire, and also the essential element that allows humans to be called human."
"Humanity is the source from which the Seven Deadly Sins overflow. And the force that restrains that overflow—self-discipline—is also something only humans possess."
"So the greatest requirement for creating this condensed entity is a pure human."
But why must it be a human?
That was the part Bell still couldn't understand.
What exactly was this sphere formed by black and white mist? The idea that desire and self-discipline—two opposing and contradictory forces—could fuse into one was strange enough. But more than that fusion, Bell was most curious about what the sphere itself truly was.
"Pure human?"
Zeus and Hera muttered the words subconsciously.
"In truth, desire and self-discipline aren't exclusive to humans. Even gods, demi-humans, and Xenos possess strong desires. But judging from the gods' reactions, and from how my mother acted, I'm certain of one thing—pure humans are the true requirement."
"The gods feel intense rejection toward this sphere. And my mother intentionally created my body to be that of an ordinary human, not any other race. That alone is probably the answer."
Bell laid out his analysis and speculation.
It wasn't something he'd concluded in a single day—he'd spent several days thinking it through to reach this point.
However, Bell couldn't guarantee that this answer was correct. It was still only a bold conjecture based on what he currently understood.
And since it was a conjecture, naturally, its accuracy couldn't be ensured.
"This is… just a conjecture, isn't it?"
Zeus finally asked.
"Yes. It's purely speculation."
Bell didn't deny it. It really was conjecture. But sometimes, conjecture was the only path forward. This was his first encounter with something like this, after all. Without clues, it was impossible to deduce a definitive answer—he could only identify the most likely possibility.
"Since this is the first time I've dealt with something like this, all I can do is analyze the situation and speculate, then pick the answer that seems most plausible."
There were things Bell chose not to say aloud.
He reached this conclusion because he understood too well what the current situation resembled.
"The Seven Deadly Sins" might sound a little off… but "The Evils of This World" was far too familiar.
The collective malice of all humanity condensed into a single form.
And if one replaced "Seven Deadly Sins" with "The Evils of This World," then it became obvious who the vessel of such power must be.
Not gods.
Not demi-humans.
Not Xenos.
Only a pure human could bear it.
Bell didn't know if that truly was the reason—but for now, it was the only explanation that fit the clues he had.
After a few seconds of silence, Bell lightly shook his head.
"Further discoveries will be needed before we can fully answer this."
"But I have a feeling that, moving forward, what I need to do is perfect this sphere."
The "Seven Deadly Sins" were a power completely outside both the Type-Moon system and the Falna system—and this power was the very reason Bell had chosen to cast everything aside.
And the sphere born from the fusion of the Seven Deadly Sins with a force called "Autonomy" would, naturally, become the key to Bell's future path.
"You're relying on that power?"
Zeus struggled to imagine where such a force might ultimately lead.
Likewise, it was difficult for Zeus to picture the always-cautious Bell depending on something so incomprehensible and unknowable.
"You brat… this is a gamble."
Bell, who had already made his decision, understood this perfectly. His expression didn't waver in the slightest; he simply smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Old man, caution is necessary while you're still growing—otherwise you don't make it far enough to grow at all. But once you've reached the end… should you stop just because the road ahead is unknown?"
"I may be cautious, but that doesn't mean I lack the courage to take that crucial step…"
Hera smacked Bell on the shoulder with a firm slap.
"Good! Very good! A man can't be afraid of this or that. When the moment comes, if you can't take that step, that's not caution—that's cowardice. Pure lack of courage!"
Hera was genuinely impressed by Bell's resolve. She hadn't expected that brat from before to grow to such a level.
"You brat, you've grown not just in strength—your mind and everything else have matured a great deal."
Zeus, standing to the side, chuckled and shook his head.
"This kid really has grown fast—not just in power, but in mindset too."
"When it comes to crucial choices, you must decide for yourself. Don't let gods dictate your path. Your life belongs to you, not to the gods. We can't give you the clear answer—you have to choose it yourself."
Zeus's satisfied smile deepened.
"It's great that you understand that on your own, but…"
A teasing, ambiguous grin crept onto his face.
"Your love life is a bit too lively lately. That doesn't seem to match your decisiveness at all, kid."
In an instant, Bell—who had been basking in praise—went blank.
He absolutely did not expect this old man to change topics so suddenly, and with a turn sharper than a right angle. Utterly outrageous.
"Hestia is one thing—since long ago, I always felt that girl was easy to win over."
"Ahem!"
Hera shot Zeus a sharp, disapproving glare.
"It's not that Hestia is easy to win over. That child's temperament is simply very soft. Her aloofness and cold exterior in Tenkai were just her protective shell."
"So then—what kind of feelings does that girl have for you?"
Hera couldn't help leaning in with curiosity.
Hestia and Bell's relationship fascinated her.
After all, it was rare for a god and a child from the Genkai to develop feelings to such depth—especially with one boy facing five goddesses. It was practically unheard of.
...
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