Dionysus.
"There is no need to wait for the 『Appointed Time』—this Lower World, too, shall be transformed into the Netherworld... orgia... the 『Frenzy』 I so yearn for will come to pass in the end."
And yet. By the same token. Haimer tilted his head slightly, his gaze settling upon Dionysus, seeing with unusual clarity that even though Dionysus maintained that gentle, refined demeanor on the surface—the corners of his mouth even curved into a respectful arc.
But. Whatever it was that lay hidden beneath that sack of skin, Haimer saw it more clearly than anyone.
A sickly obsession with chaos, and an extreme hatred for every form of order in the Lower World.
One could even say that the reason this fellow had sidled up before him just now and spoken those seemingly loyal words was, to put it bluntly, nothing more than an attempt to test him.
These gods were like a pack of problem children—anything that didn't suit their fancy, they would reject with utter extremity.
But still. Naturally, Haimer was not about to crush Dionysus's little scheme outright just because of a few sweet words from Demeter, nor had he any intention of severing his ties with either side completely.
After all, to Haimer, whether it was Demeter or Dionysus, the two of them were essentially no different. The two of them—there was, in truth, no fundamental difference between them.
Both had merely sensed a threat to their own interests, or else caught sight of some greater gain.
And that was why they had come scurrying over so eagerly, making the choice to attach themselves to him or to curry his favor.
Demeter could command the agricultural lifeline of Orario.
The resources in her hands were precisely what he needed to seize for his current construction of the new outer-ring base, and for the future settlement of the "Cursed Children" he would bring over from World G-404.
As for Dionysus—he most certainly held leads on the hidden factions.
And the man himself was likewise a super-powder keg. If used well, this fire could fully help him burn clean every piece of deep-rooted, festering rotten flesh in Orario that ordinarily obstructed his designs.
His very existence could serve as a pawn to keep Demeter in check.
To favor one side too heavily would, on the contrary, only risk shattering this balance.
As the old saying goes, when the flying birds are gone, the good bow is put away; even if Demeter were granted ten times her courage, she would never dare commit the act of cooking the hound once the cunning hare is dead.
But why, then, should he have to tear off all pretense with Dionysus right now?
Since Dionysus had extended the olive branch of his own accord—and since he had no plans to fall out completely—he simply took it as a matter of convenience.
After all, he had no shortage of dirty work for him to do.
The only trouble was that Dionysus, all affability on the surface, was a thorough and utter madman to the bone.
When his madness flared, he was ruthless not only toward others—even the mortal children within his own Familia, the ones who had devoted their faith to him, could be treated by him as expendable scrap to be cast aside and trampled underfoot on a whim.
If he weren't reined in with at least a layer of control—if Dionysus were left to run wild through Orario following that intensely impatient, twisted nature of his—sooner or later he would draw in a few flies.
He had to suppress that mood of his first, and let him know just who it was that held the reins.
Fortunately, the infamy he had left behind in the Heavens worked far better than any lecture in the eyes of these madmen—deranged, yet so extreme in their worship of power.
And so. Out on the terrace. Haimer stared into Dionysus's eyes, his voice sinking low.
"I do indeed have a plan."
Haimer paused, watching Dionysus's pupils contract, then continued.
"But until I give the nod, there's no need for you to know the details."
"I trust you understand my meaning, Dionysus."
Those few short words alone were enough to set Dionysus's mind racing through a thousand imaginings.
This feeling. The shudder he'd originally felt surged through his entire body in an instant.
Just like back in the Heavens, when he had watched with his own eyes as Haimer pressed those lofty, exalted deities down into pools of their own blood.
And so. After that brief shudder, what welled up in Dionysus's heart was an even greater excitement.
As expected! Haimer was still the very same Haimer from back then.
He had not come to the Lower World to play house. He surely harbored some terrifying scheme to overturn everything, just as before!?
To Dionysus, who craved nothing more than to plunge the whole of the Lower World back into chaos, this declaration of Haimer's was like sweet rain after a long drought.
"But of course."
Dionysus drew in a deep breath, striving with all his might to control the expression on his face—yet his voice had already leaked a trace of irrepressible exhilaration.
"Your will is my only direction. So long as you require it, I shall, at any moment, clear away the stones upon your path."
"Since you're so loyal, then this makes things easy for me."
Haimer did not play along with Dionysus's fervor; instead, he cut straight to the point in a cold voice.
"From this moment on."
"Stop going after Demeter's convoys. That's all I'll say."
Haimer raised his hand and patted Dionysus's shoulder, very casually.
"Dionysus, I trust you're a clever man. And a clever man naturally ought to know what to do, and when."
In that moment, the destructive urge in the depths of Dionysus's heart—that craving with nowhere to be placed—seemed in an instant to have found its most perfect home.
Even though everything he had done was part of a scheme he himself had long been plotting. But now.
Come to think of it, even if he had still been secretly tinkering away at some dull little plan to destroy the Labyrinth City—once measured against being able to throw himself, body and soul, into the unpredictable script this dread god of the Heavens was designing for the Lower World, those petty little machinations hidden away in the sewers seemed as laughable as a child mucking about in the mud playing house.
The mere thought that even this being—the one who made every god in the Heavens tremble with fear—was willing to draw him into that grand chessboard.
No matter how desperately Dionysus struggled to maintain that gentle, refined mask, at this very moment, upon that handsome face of his, he could no longer hold down that streak of utterly twisted, manic glee.
"I understand, Lord Haimer."
Dionysus bowed slightly, lowering his posture to its very humblest.
"I will keep the children under my command in line, see to it that they stay obediently put, and never disrupt your good spirits."
"As for Demeter—I won't lay another finger on her."
"Very good."
Would Dionysus deceive him? Haimer looked into his eyes, and knew very well in his heart: at the very least, not for now.
At that, Haimer gave a satisfied nod.
"Alright. You and I have lingered out here too long—it'll all too easily set those scheming minds inside running wild with conjecture."
"What's more, you're a man who can't sit still, Dionysus. One can tell from the way you couldn't help but send people after Demeter's convoys—your temperament is still far too hasty."
"So now, I want you to learn to settle yourself in Orario. The day you've learned that mortal patience—the kind that crawls through the mire—is the day you can be said to have truly learned your lesson."
Hearing these admonishing words, Dionysus shuddered all over.
That nearly pathological glee was at last forced down with tremendous willpower, and onto his face he once more hung that impeccable, perfectly proper smile. He turned, and with extraordinary obedience bowed and stepped back half a pace, placing one hand over his chest.
"You are right to chide me... It was I who was too impatient, and nearly bungled your great undertaking."
And there. After this simple bit of pressure and a few words of warning to Dionysus.
Haimer gave a light nod, did not spare him another glance, and turned directly to walk from the terrace toward the arched entryway leading into the hall.
As he passed through that arched entrance, Haimer brushed shoulders with the elven maiden Filvis, who had been standing guard there as still as an ice sculpture.
——The captain of the [Dionysus Familia].
——Formerly the "White Witch," now an adventurer branded throughout the city with the ill name of the "Banshee": Filvis Challia.
As the sole survivor who had lived through that "Nightmare on the 27th Floor" all those years ago, Haimer had a particularly strong impression of Filvis.
But he only spared her that single extra glance before drawing his gaze back.
Then he strode straight into the hall.
Inside the hall.
With Haimer reappearing in everyone's line of sight, the already somewhat oppressive atmosphere seemed to grow a few degrees heavier still.
The gods who had been conversing in low voices a moment ago all fell silent one after another, their gazes unconsciously trailing after Haimer's figure.
As for quite a few of the other gods, they were secretly sizing up Dionysus, who walked in after him.
Demeter most of all. She had been keeping an eye on the direction of the terrace the whole time.
The instant she saw Haimer return, she rose at once and went to meet him.
"Haimer, finished talking?"
A radiant smile hung on Demeter's face as she, ever so naturally, hooked her arm through Haimer's once more. Her ample figure pressed right up against him.
At the same time, her gaze swept past Haimer's shoulder, discreetly glancing over Dionysus, who followed behind.
Dionysus met Demeter's gaze.
Yet he did not, as he usually would, show that gentle smile that always sent shivers down Demeter's spine. Instead, he bowed slightly and most respectfully in Haimer's direction, then turned and led Filvis off toward another corner of the banquet.
Seeing Dionysus behave this way, the stone that had hung over Demeter's heart for a good half-month finally settled completely to the ground.
"By the look of it, my children should finally be able to sleep soundly for a while now."
Demeter laughed sweetly, the delight in her eyes impossible to hide.
She practically wished she could glue herself to Haimer, her fingers even beginning to grow a little restless, lightly tracing circles on the fabric of his sleeve.
"Don't get too pleased with yourself."
"Since I went ahead and cleared up the trouble in front of you, then as for what you ought to do next—you should have a good idea of that in your heart."
"Of course. Rest assured—how could I ever be so ungrateful to a great benefactor like you? I promise."
"From now on, at the Denatus, in any matter concerning you—no matter what those other fellows say—I, and my Familia too, will unconditionally stand on your side and support you, first and foremost."
After following Haimer back to their seats, it was as if she had truly recovered that easy familiarity from their days in the Heavens.
Demeter's eyes curved into a pair of pretty crescent moons. She even took the initiative to lean her impressive assets toward Haimer.
Lowering her voice, she softly murmured words of loyalty into Haimer's ear.
To others, however, this scene took on quite a different flavor.
"Hey, hey, hey! What do you think you're doing!"
Hestia slapped both hands down hard on the table. Her big eyes went perfectly round as she shouted out, beside herself with indignation.
"Demeter! What are you snuggling up that close for?!"
"Let go of him this instant! Get away from Haimer!"
Faced with Hestia all puffed up like a ruffled bird, Demeter merely covered her mouth and laughed softly, her brows and eyes brimming with smugness.
"My, my, Hestia."
"I'm just discussing important matters of cooperation with Haimer, you know."
"Whatever sort of nonsense is going on in that little head of yours?"
At this, Haimer, with a bit of a headache, withdrew his arm. He raised his hand and gave Demeter's shoulder a light pat, signaling her to rein it in a little.
"That's enough. Mind appearances."
"Everyone's watching."
Demeter followed Haimer's gaze and swept a glance around. Sure enough, she noticed the assorted looks the other gods in the hall were casting their way.
Only then did she, with a smile still on her lips, obediently release her arms from around Haimer's, and sit herself properly upon her chair.
Seeing this, Hestia was still huffing away, cheeks puffed out in a pout.
She snatched up a little wooden bear carving from the table and rapped it hard against the tabletop twice, as if knocking it against Demeter's head.
Loki, seated directly across from Haimer, still had one leg crossed over the other, a cup of iced ale in hand, her eyes narrowed to slits.
From Demeter's whole string of abnormal reactions when Dionysus appeared just now—combined with the smug look on Demeter's face now, as though she'd gotten the deal of a lifetime—with Loki's shrewdness, she had naturally caught a faint whiff of something off.
Likely it was Haimer, up to some scheme or other behind the scenes again.
Still, looking at this venue—chaotic, with other gods all around—Loki merely curled her lip and put on an air of utter, leisurely indifference. She even tilted her neck back and took a long, gulping swig of ale, deciding to seek out Haimer the next time.
Only. It was right at that moment.
Loki's bored, idle gaze swept casually across the crowd, and suddenly fell upon an exceedingly familiar figure.
Loki narrowed her eyes into a smile, and the corner of her mouth at once tugged into a wicked, mischievous grin.
She immediately raised her hand and called out loudly toward the center of the hall.
"Heeey——!"
"Freya! Get over here!"
Upon hearing this name—the moment those three syllables, "Freya," reached their ears—the chatter in the hall, noisy as it had been, fell instantly into dead silence.
The gods turned their heads in unison toward the source of the sound. And there—
A tall, slender, graceful figure was leisurely parting the crowd as she came.
A long gown of black and red, cut to cling extremely close to her form, traced that near-perfect, golden-ratio figure to the fullest.
Her long silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, the ornament atop her head glinting faintly in the light.
Her purple eyes, even more so, seemed to carry an allure so bewitching that even a god, with a single extra glance, might find himself lost in it.
——None other than one of Orario's two strongest Familia.
——The Goddess of Beauty of the [Freya Familia], Freya.
But. Strangely enough—at Freya's side, there was not a single soul.
Not one other officer of the [Freya Familia] followed in her wake.
As Freya drew near with elegant steps, her purple eyes first swept around at the several people at the table, lingering with particular fixedness on Demeter, at Haimer's side, for a couple of extra moments.
Seeing Freya arrive before them, Loki at once raised an eyebrow in curiosity and asked:
"Come to think of it, what wind blew you in? How come you didn't bring along your own children?"
"You do know that today's Denatus has, all of a sudden, permitted bringing the children of the Lower World along to broaden their horizons."
Hearing Loki's words, Freya let out a soft sigh as well, raising a hand to tuck a stray lock of silver hair behind her ear—the gesture indescribably alluring.
"Who could have guessed? I never imagined either that this Denatus would, as an exception, allow the children to attend."
"As for the others, well—it seems their information is far better-sourced than mine."
In Orario, whose intelligence could ever be more useful than the [Freya Familia]'s?
These words were nothing if not an insinuation that there were little cliques among the gods of Orario.
With that said, Freya's gaze swept across the faces of the several goddesses at the table.
"Hestia, this gown of yours is truly lovely—it makes you look even more adorable."
"Hephaestus, this dark-patterned rose ensemble really shows off your figure."
"And Demeter—you're in such fine spirits. It seems something happy must have come your way?"
Having been praised one by one like this by Freya—
Hestia was especially pleased with herself.
Hephaestus gave a slight nod by way of greeting.
Demeter let out a couple of dry laughs, a hint of wariness showing in her eyes.
At last, Freya fixed her gaze upon Haimer's face.
"It's been a long time, Haimer." Freya's voice was soft and gentle.
Haimer met Freya's gaze.
"It has indeed been a long time." A faint smile curved at the corner of Haimer's mouth.
Because this was the first time, since he had come down to the Lower World, that Freya had stood before him in her true self—and not as Miss Syr, the poster girl at the tavern.
Haimer too feigned the air of a long-awaited reunion.
"Have a seat." With that, he generously gestured toward the place beside him.
Since it was her true body that had appeared, there was no need to worry about any flaw being discovered, so Freya did not stand on ceremony. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she walked over to Demeter's side.
By the look of things, this seat had just become a great deal more scalding to sit in.
Demeter's eyes shifted, and then, ever so tactfully, she rose from her chair.
"Come to think of it, I just spotted a few goddess sisters I'm acquainted with off in the distance, and I haven't gone to say hello yet."
"This is the perfect chance for me to go over and chat with them."
"You just sit here in my spot, Freya."
As Demeter spoke, she moved aside of her own accord to make room.
"Wouldn't that be too much of an imposition?"
At this, Freya covered her mouth slightly, looking somewhat reluctant—yet within that soft, lovely tone, there was not the faintest hint of any genuine desire to decline.
"It's quite all right."
Demeter waved a hand with a smile, and to make her excuse seem all the more convincing, she pointed her palm toward the other end of the hall.
Sure enough, over there a few goddesses were indeed waving toward Demeter.
"In that case, then... I won't stand on ceremony."
Freya inclined her head slightly, expressing her thanks with an elegant motion.
Demeter nodded with a smile.
Only, just before leaving, as she brushed past, Demeter—her back to Freya—secretly and playfully winked twice at Haimer, who sat in his chair. Only then did she lift the hem of her skirt, turn, and depart.
When Freya had seated herself in the spot Demeter had previously occupied—
The two titans of Orario's two strongest factions—Loki, patron deity of the [Loki Familia], and Freya, patron deity of the [Freya Familia]—now sat side by side.
The atmosphere of the entire Denatus banquet hall underwent an extremely conspicuous change in an instant!
Over in the corner, Amid, Naza, and Mikoto saw this scene and were utterly astonished, each turning her head to look toward her own patron deity.
And yet. Compared to their astonishment, the expressions on the gods' faces betrayed an even more profound gravity.
And there it ended. The dinner portion of the banquet drew to a close.
Led by the [Ganesha Familia], the gods made their way to their respective rooms.
____
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