Before Frondier drew the bowstring,
“Charon, we’ll join!”
Two Paladins judged that it could not go on like this. They stepped out before Charon.
Up until a moment ago, because of Charon’s pride, and because they hadn’t thought he would possibly lose, they had stayed still. But seeing the situation, it did not seem like the time for such thoughts.
“Ghh......!”
At the sight of the Paladins protecting him, Charon twisted his face, but said nothing. He set aside his pride.
One of the Paladins leveled a glare of anger at Frondier.
“You demon bastard, I’ll make you regret daring to charge a Paladin.”
“......”
Frondier quietly listened to that and then,
Fwiing─
He loosed an arrow.
“......!”
An arrow that split between the two Paladins and flew toward Charon.
Crack!
In the middle, one of the Paladins cut the arrow with his sword.
‘It bends in a strange trajectory! As expected of a demon’s bow!’
An arrow clearly aimed at Charon. It was good up to the point it avoided the two and tracked Charon, but it was blocked by the Paladin’s sword.
Frondier scratched his head.
“Hmm, I guess it’s fine. If a Unique bow is about this good, I should be grateful.”
Frondier, who had already used a god-tier bow and keenly felt its might.
If it had been Kriselacatos, even the sword the Paladin swung would have been avoided and it would have reached Charon.
To his eyes, the Sure Hit of a lower grade did not satisfy him at all.
“W-What did you say......?”
Of course, that remark could only look like ridiculous bluffing to the Paladins.
“Your spirits are awfully high, demon......!”
“Well, a Paladin is rolling around from a single arrow.”
Frondier spoke with an impassive expression.
“Besides, when two of you have come out because your comrade might die, and you’re there talking about making me regret it. I’m allowed to have a bit of spirit, aren’t I.”
“You bastard!”
Without anyone going first, the two Paladins charged.
Swords imbued with aura drew two clean lines, each trajectory aimed at Frondier.
Frondier did not move.
Instead,
Kkaaaang!!
One sword was blocked by a magic barrier that someone suddenly raised,
Kwaaak!
And the other sword was blocked by another who sprang up from beneath a shadow.
The two who stood at Frondier’s side looked at him with reproachful eyes.
“I told you I didn’t want to do it! What were you going to do if I didn’t block it?”
“Please at least tip me off beforehand! I almost just stood and watched!”
“You two would never do that.”
Hearing the two’s exchange, the Paladins froze for a moment at the absurdity.
Each was seized by his own confusion.
‘What was that just now? A magic barrier blocked my sword?’
‘Did that woman really spring out from the shadow......?’
The two fell back to recompose themselves.
Frondier quietly watched all those movements.
“Selena. I have a favor.”
“Yes. I’ll also give them my utmost—”
“Raise your head.”
“Pardon?”
At those words, when Selena reflexively straightened up,
Srrrk─
Frondier took off Selena’s mask.
“Ah! W-What are you doing!”
Since Elodie had already taken off her mask under Frondier’s instruction, both Selena and Elodie now had their faces revealed.
No one made a comically intense reaction like in a comic at their glamorous looks, but it was true that everyone around looked at them again.
The two became somewhat embarrassed. It felt like their faces had become some kind of artifact effect.
Selena asked,
“D-Does this mean anything to these people?”
“No, not really.”
An immediate answer. A negation on top of that.
Selena was dumbfounded. She had plenty to say to Frondier, but no matter what, with Paladins before her she could not turn her gaze aside.
‘It doesn’t mean anything to the bastards here.’
Frondier thought.
The reason he showed the two’s looks. For most here, it wasn’t particularly meaningful.
If the vote were in progress right now, it would have become one variable.
Selena and Elodie, or Riri. Their looks would surely have been no small shock to the citizens.
But Charon knows the faces of these three. On top of that, Atena knows them as well.
If he showed them during the vote, it would be easy for Charon to frame them as demons, and then Frondier would not be able to call into question the vote itself the way he wanted.
Above all, it was too dangerous to show them in the very middle of the square where gods and demons and Paladins were.
‘Cybel did that for me.’
With Cybel’s appearance, the situation changed.
Information that no one besides Charon possessed, Cybel Forte. A woman whom one couldn’t even distinguish as human, demon, or god.
She brought out Atena and Aphrodite.
Therefore Frondier was able to execute his plan.
‘With Elodie’s and Selena’s looks, since the humans have all fainted, there’s no meaning at all.’
Frondier was aiming at the single existence behind him that was not in his field of vision.
‘The only one it means anything to is you.’
Aphrodite.
Frondier did not deliberately turn his gaze, but it was obvious what sort of expression Aphrodite would be making now.
And Aphrodite was looking at this scene with a face almost the same as what Frondier had expected.
‘What are they?’
Aphrodite hid her trembling hand as she looked at the faces of the two who had appeared.
She had been able to endure when Cybel appeared. She could even understand Carla’s appearance.
Humans who rival her beauty—over the long years, one or two might have appeared in the past as well.
But now, just with what her eyes could see, there were already four. And it wasn’t that they were each scattered across the continent—they were gathered in this one place.
‘Are looks of that level so common?’
Each one had looks that could rival Aphrodite herself.
Naturally, that is not common. It can’t be.
However, Aphrodite, who cannot leave the capital, does not know the situation outside.
All the women outstanding in looks had come here from outside the capital.
Then perhaps, during the long years Aphrodite has been bound to the capital, in other places looks of about that level have become common.
Of course, human looks do not trend upward in terms of beauty just because the years pass.
But if it’s magic, or a curse. Or if a god did something to humans.
‘No way, did some other god do that to me......?’
There, a fundamental fear sprouted in Aphrodite.
Of all times, Frondier’s party are all outstanding in looks.
Could he possibly have known of Aphrodite’s existence and scoured the entire continent to gather faces that are pretty? And in the midst of that, they each also possess skill enough to stand against Paladins? It makes no sense in common terms.
Therefore, from Aphrodite’s standpoint, she ends up doubting the average looks of the other continents.
Frondier thought.
‘Aphrodite’s biggest problem is that while she “handles beauty,” she herself tries to “be beauty.”’
This may look natural at a glance, but it is one of the things that makes Aphrodite seem the most alien compared to the other gods.
Poseidon, who governs the sea, does not try to make waves every day, and Zeus, who governs the sky, does not choose the weather day by day.
A god, whatever they handle, is originally an existence separate from that.
But only Aphrodite is not like that.
Because she, the goddess of beauty, happens to be extolled as beauty by all gods and humans, she must be more beautiful than anyone.
That is both Aphrodite’s power and her curse.
This is why Frondier calls her the goddess of “jealousy.”
‘I don’t know specifically what Aphrodite is thinking right now. But.’
Either way is fine.
Doubt.
Doubt this situation where women whose looks rival yours have poured out.
Will you be able to say to yourself even after this very moment passes?
That I am the “goddess of beauty.”
That I am far and away more beautiful than anyone.
“Both of you, listen closely.”
Frondier whispered.
“If you can help it, don’t kill them.”
“......?”
He continued whispering to the two on whom question marks had popped up.
“If the fight becomes too one-sided, the other Paladins will start stepping in. The reason the Paladins aren’t moving right now is their assessment of the situation and a kind of pride. It doesn’t make sense for those who # Nоvеlight # represent Palma to all rush in for the sake of just three.”
Frondier was certain as he looked at Paladin Antero and then Charon.
Paladins are strong, but weaker than the Zodiacs. If Elodie and Selena each take one, there’s nothing to worry about even if the condition that they have to hold back is attached.
“And most of the Paladins simply don’t know anything.”
“......So it’s a pity to kill them?”
“Yeah.”
Frondier calmly acknowledged it.
“They just want to eradicate evil.”
Frondier recalled Zodiac Ludovic from them. He had devoted everything of himself out of loyalty to the Empire. But because of that, Ludovic writhed in overwhelming regret.
What became of him after Frondier left. Did Ludovic overcome it.
“The most important thing is to buy time.”
“Until when?”
“Sorry. That’s not for me to decide.”
“......Okay.”
Elodie nodded as if she understood. Selena as well.
“Now then.”
Frondier raised his voice and looked at Charon.
“Shall we continue? Charon.”
“......!”
Swiish
Frondier’s bowstring was drawn,
Tadat!
Elodie and Selena, the two Paladins, moved almost simultaneously.
“W-Wait, ngh!”
The Paladins wanted to protect Charon, but because of Elodie and Selena it did not go as they wished. Charon realized it. He hurried to raise his body, but he was not yet used to the pain.
Swiish!
“Mm!”
Kkaaaang!
A hastily swung sword. He barely blocked the arrow.
‘Don’t notice.’
As he aimed the next arrow, Frondier thought.
Starting from the second arrow that grazed Charon’s shoulder, Frondier had not used “Sure Hit.” If he had used it, the second arrow would not have grazed Charon—it would have stuck in perfectly.
Strictly speaking, he aimed and shot at other things very close to Charon. There is no reason not to use the ability. He shot while aiming at, say, a pebble rolling beside him, or a tree behind him. Charon thinks the arrows curving in are aiming at him, but in truth the Sure Hit is attached to other things nearby.
In Charon’s current state, frankly, he is not in a condition to fight properly.
Pielot took a worse wound and achieved an enormous feat, while compared to that, Charon is gasping at Demon Realm mana amounting to no more than a fingernail. The fact makes Frondier extremely furious, but for now he had to desperately hold it in.
‘Don’t notice, Charon.’
Kkaang! Kkaang! Kkaaang!
Charon was blocking the arrows with all his strength.
He thinks that’s what he’s doing, but even if he stayed still, the arrows would have missed.
Once you know the truth it’s a truly foolish farce, but from Charon’s standpoint it’s actually a fortunate thing.
‘If you notice, I’ll have no choice but to kill you.’
Frondier raised the speed a little more. As if he had grown impatient at Charon blocking better than he expected.
For his two comrades, the fight with the Paladins was growing long, and the number of Paladins remaining was many. Above all, there were gods.
So he wanted to finish quickly.
To make it look that way, he hastily created arrows, and pulled the string clumsily.
As if his field of vision were narrow and he were looking only at Charon completely.
And then,
“──As long as it’s not divine power, right?”
Thwok!
Something lodged in Frondier’s back.
His pupils flicked. There was no pain.
In that instant,
“Frondier.”
A woman descended before his eyes along with brilliant light.
It was Aphrodite.
She met Frondier’s eyes. At the same time, she completely released her power.
Frondier momentarily turned his gaze. Where he shifted his gaze, there was a young boy floating leisurely in the air, holding a bow.
There was a golden arrow on that bow.
A golden arrow without pain, a young boy floating leisurely.
The moment that arrow hit, Aphrodite met Frondier’s eyes.
“......Cupid.”
“My, you even know that.”
Hehe, Aphrodite laughed.
Frondier, struck by Cupid’s arrow, looking at Aphrodite. That Aphrodite was exercising her divine power to her heart’s content.
“Now you’re mine. You can neither defy my words nor ignore them. That is the power of love. Now, kneel before—”
Thuuud──!
And then.
Everyone saw that scene.
With their mouths hanging open.
Their gazes poured from left to right.
“......T-That, that, that’s,”
What?
A moment ago, the Aphrodite who had been at Frondier’s side was embedded in the wall of some building at the far right end.
Frondier had his leg extended in the direction where Aphrodite was.
What that meant was,
‘......He kicked Aphrodite.’
Struck by Cupid’s arrow and having taken in all of Aphrodite’s divine power, Frondier—
He gave Aphrodite a refreshing kick, then slowly lowered his foot.
“The power of love, huh.”
He muttered that,
“I can certainly feel its effect.”
And, opening and closing his hand, he spoke with a face that was somehow not entirely satisfied.
