Chapter 675

"Bang—"

Hestia's head knocked against the tabletop.

"Snap—"

Another one, pinching a crab leg, dropped the crab leg back into the plate.

"Pfft—"

The One-Eyed Craftsman's freshly swallowed wine sprayed out in a burst.

"Cough cough—"

Even Hephaestus, this God of Smithing, was choked by saliva in the throat and coughed violently.

【Broly-san, you're just laying your cards on the table like that?】

Bell stared wide-eyed at the boy.

"Broly, you've shifted your affections, this child. You don't like me, this Goddess-sama, anymore, but have fallen for other girls?!"

Hestia lifted her head and asked with tear-filled eyes.

"Shifted affections? I haven't."

However, regarding Hestia's statement, Broly shook his head, indicating he had not shifted his affections.

"But didn't you say you confessed to another girl?"

Hestia looked over in puzzlement.

"Mhm, I did confess."

Broly nodded.

"Then isn't that shifting affections?"

"What does confessing to someone else have to do with shifting affections?"

Broly asked in puzzlement.

At the dining table, Miss Chun, Naza, Hestia, and Hephaestus all listened, somewhat dazed.

"Broly, let me ask: you confessed to Miss Liliruca — was it out of sympathy for her?"

The dog-person girl Naza raised her hand and asked.

"No, not sympathy. Lili is also a woman I wanted to encounter, and she didn't betray me and Bell, which I appreciate very much. I wanted to bring her back, so I confessed to her."

Broly explained.

"Cough cough, Broly, the person you liked before was Hestia-sama, correct?"

The One-Eyed Craftsman Miss Chun coughed once and asked.

"Mhm, correct."

The boy nodded.

"Then now you've fallen for another girl and even confessed to her — that is shifting affections.

Because you transferred your liking for Hestia-sama onto another girl."

Miss Chun began explaining it to the boy, though she herself was someone devoted to forging and had no romance experience.

But even if she hadn't seen a pig run, had she never eaten pork?

Principles like this, she could still explain a thing or two.

"That's wrong, Miss Chun. What you said isn't right."

"Ah, where is it wrong?"

The One-Eyed Craftsman looked at him in puzzlement.

"I didn't transfer my liking for Hestia-sama onto Lili.

Rather, when I fell for Lili, I still continued liking Hestia-sama."

Broly very seriously corrected the error in her words.

"Wait, you fell for another girl but still continued liking Hestia-sama — what do you mean by that?"

"I don't mean anything by it. I'm just being honest with Hestia-sama about the situation: in this world, I cannot be single-mindedly devoted to her, and will fall for other women."

Broly said, paused, then looked at his own Goddess-sama.

"And on that basis, Hestia-sama, will you allow me to still like you while liking others, and regard you as one of my future wives?"

He asked directly.

"Ah, Broly-san, what impure words are you saying to a Virgin Goddess? Something like this, Hestia-sama could never possibly……"

The dog-person Naza's words hadn't finished when Hestia interrupted, the Loli Goddess's eyes shining as she looked over.

"Broly, you regard me as your future wife?"

"Yeah, from the moment I met Hestia-sama, when you agreed to have an encounter with me, I wanted to make you my future wife — just not the only one, but one of them."

Bell: "……"

【Broly-san said it. Right in front of a Goddess-sama, he spoke his desire to open a harem candidly, his tone natural as if it were only natural, not a shred of concealment toward the Goddess-sama. But can words like this really be said like this?!】

The youth's breathing grew heavy. He could no longer predict what changes would follow, but there was no doubt this was Broly-san's live demonstration of opening a harem.

Hestia's brows knitted into a knot. The boy wanting to make her his wife pleased this Goddess-sama, but the situation of not being the only wife made the Virgin Goddess somewhat conflicted.

Hestia thought for a moment, then tried asking: "Broly, if my answer is that I cannot accept this behavior of yours?"

"Then Hestia-sama, I can only very apologetically tell you: your refusal now is already too late. Now that I already like you, even if I have to force you, even if I have to coerce you, I will make you stay by my side."

【Hestia, Happiness Value Rise……】

Confirming the Crystal Palace Panel's prompt, Broly picked up the juice beside him, drank it down, then got down from the chair.

Circling around the dining table, he arrived beside Hestia opposite, and swiveled the chair the Loli Goddess was sitting on, shifting its direction.

Then he jumped up and stood straddling in front of Hestia, forcing his Goddess to lean back, and pressed both hands on the chair back — somewhat like a kabedon, kabedon-ing his own Hearth Fire Goddess on the chair.

"Lady Hestia, please make your choice: are you willing to agree to become my wife in the future, or are you unwilling — yet will still be forced by me to become my wife in the future?"

The small boy, now looking down from above, was pressing such a strange question upon her.

Hestia, beneath the boy's shadow, felt her face grow somewhat feverish.

"What difference is there between these two choices?"

She used a retorting remark to cover up her current embarrassment.

"There is a difference. If you are willing, Lady Hestia, I will be very happy.

But if you are unwilling, Lady Hestia, I will be very disappointed."

"After being disappointed, you will still force this Goddess to become your future wife?"

Hestia asked.

"Mhm." Broly nodded, and requested of the Loli Goddess: "So, Lady Hestia, I want to ask you to say you're willing, okay?"

The expectant gaze, the warm breath spraying on her face as he spoke, and the face right before her eyes — all of it made Hestia, positioned below and in the role of the one being pressured, feel her heartbeat involuntarily speed up.

"Ah, there's really no helping you, this child. Indulging a Familia child's selfish wishes is also something this Goddess should do, isn't it~"

Saying this, Hestia bit her lip with her neat teeth, and gave an affirmative reply.

"Broly, I promise you — to become your wife in the future, not the only one, but as one of the indulgences for your selfish wish."

When she said 'one of', Hestia bit down heavily on the word; clearly she was dissatisfied, but as she said, this was indulging the child's selfish wish.

"Thank you, Lady Hestia."

Having received the affirmative answer, Broly showed the Loli Goddess a big, beaming smile, then leaned down and kissed the Goddess on the cheek.

"My my, there are people watching right beside us, you child are too bold, to actually take liberties with this Goddess in public~"

Hestia complained dissatisfiedly, but everyone else looking at her was somewhat speechless — after being kissed on the cheek, the boy tried to pull away, yet was instead hugged back by the Goddess, who turned her head to present the left cheek that hadn't been kissed.

What did this mean? Did she have OCD, wanting left-right symmetry?

Not only that, after the left cheek was also kissed, she tilted her head up and puckered her lips frontally.

What did this mean? Did she want her mouth kissed too?

If so, when kissing, should the tongue be extended?

"Hestia, pay a little attention to the impression you're making; it's not just you and your kid here, you know."

Hephaestus gave a reminder.

"Fine, fine."

Seeing the others looking over, Hestia could only reluctantly give up the intimate interaction with the boy.

But even stopping at this point, Naza and Chun had already been greatly shocked — they hadn't expected this Virgin Goddess, Lady Hestia, could dote on her Familia's boy (Broly) to such an extent.

Hephaestus was likewise surprised, but considering her close friend Hestia's situation, she indicated she could understand.

Hestia had been unable to find a Familia child, when Broly took the initiative to seek her out; her close friend's feelings for her first child must run very deep, not to mention this child Broly is himself exceptionally outstanding.

And compared to the situation where a (God's) feelings are not returned by the (child), a case like this with a clear response — merely one that's a bit too forceful, and still requires sharing the beloved child with other children — is completely a situation a (God) can accept.

A child's life is brief, but a God's divine life is infinitely long; when the boy's brief life reaches its end and his soul returns to Heaven, the only one who can continue walking alongside him is Hestia, as a Goddess.

Therefore, as long as the rival is not a fellow God, an ordinary child (Mortal) is unworthy of being a God's love rival.

Thus, Hestia's agreement is not so hard to understand — merely that she, as a Goddess, is certain she can accompany the child she loves until the end of time, of the world...

【This is a composure unique to Gods, a kind named Eternity.】

Hephaestus thought silently.

【So this is the correct way to start a harem? Be forceful, wall-slam the encounter target (Goddess) onto a chair, force her to make a choice with no choice, and kiss her cheek...】

On the other side, Bell was silently taking notes on 【How to Correctly Start a Harem】, but the white-haired boy didn't know the important role the Assistive Device (Crystal Palace Panel) played in it.

If an ordinary person dared imitate Broly and practice this maneuver, without sufficient strength there's a small probability they'd be beaten to death directly, and a high probability they'd get pummeled.

In the Reverse World, an incident where (Broly's) harem might have caught fire was thus settled into nothingness.

And when Liliruca returned after touring the Hestia Familia Headquarters, she discovered the others' gazes toward her were a bit strange.

The Pallum girl felt somewhat uneasy, walked up to the boy and asked in a small voice: "Broly-san, did Lili do something wrong? Why are their gazes at me all a bit weird?"

【Miss Ede, nothing happened. It's just that while you were away, Broly-san settled things with the Goddess, getting Lady Hestia to accept sharing him with you, and becoming Broly-san's wife together in the future...】

Bell answered the girl in his heart.

【As for why they're looking at you like that, maybe they just want to see what charm you have, to have attracted Broly-san whom Lady Hestia adores!】

Bell's inner answer was indeed correct; the dog-girl Naza, currently washing dishes, was at this moment evaluating the Pallum girl in her heart: 【This Pallum girl is quite cute, and looking closely her figure is quite endowed, her butt is also quite perky...】

【Truly impressive, such a small stature, yet able to compete with a Goddess for a partner.】

But the One-Eyed Craftsman Chun had a different thought.

"Miss Lili, you haven't done anything wrong. The one who truly did wrong is that other guy — the forceful one, the one who bullies Goddesses."

Hestia answered the Pallum girl's question.

"Eh?!"

Liliruca looked at the Goddess in surprise.

"Of course, such a trifle needs no attention. Now, Miss Lili, I only want to ask you one thing..."

Hestia pressed closer.

"What is it, Lady Hestia?"

The Pallum girl had completely no idea what was happening, and was pushed back by the Goddess's ample chest until she plopped down onto the sofa, with nowhere left to retreat, before she stopped.

"In this Familia, who do you think is the biggest?"

Hestia leaned over, just like Broly had wall-slammed her earlier, and now wall-slammed the Pallum girl onto the sofa.

"Ah, this is the Hestia Familia, so of course you're the biggest, Lady Hestia. You're the Familia's Goddess, aren't you?"

Liliruca didn't understand why the Goddess had suddenly become so aggressive toward her, but still answered subconsciously.

"Hmm, I'm the biggest, very good, Miss Lili, please forever remember the words you just spoke, and treat them as the standard you practice for the rest of your life."

Hestia obtained the answer she wanted and nodded in satisfaction.

"Now then, let us discuss how to handle your matter, Lili."

The Loli Goddess's address toward the Pallum girl became intimate once again.

"Eh, Lady Hestia, aren't we taking in Miss Ede?"

Hearing this, Bell asked in surprise.

"It is taking her in, that's correct." Hestia nodded. "But unless this child wants to be a golden birdcage forever, hiding in our Hestia Familia without ever going out, otherwise we have to consider the reaction of the Soma Familia after being discovered by outsiders."

Poaching another Familia's child is easy; as long as you aren't discovered, there's no problem.

But conversely, once discovered, there's a big problem.

It was very obvious that Hestia believed Liliruca hiding here was fine, but hiding here forever without being discovered was not too realistic.

"Uh, Lady Hestia..."

"What is it, Lili?"

"I actually have a magic..."

Liliruca hesitated for a moment, but still chose to reveal the transformation magic she possessed.

"Your scars..."

Even, she began to demonstrate her transformation magic.

Following the Pallum girl's chant, fluffy ears grew on her head, a tail appeared behind her butt, and in an instant she turned into a little cat-girl.

"Eh?!"

Everyone looked at the cat-girl her in amazement.

"Stove Ash Girl, this is my magic. This magic's magic power consumption is tiny; during daytime, I can completely transform into another species' appearance and conduct activities."

Liliruca was using this method to reduce the trouble that the act of taking her in might bring to the Hestia Familia.

"A very wondrous magic, but to what specific degree can it let you change?"

Hestia asked curiously.

"I haven't tried the Stove Ash Girl's transformation limit, but as long as I can imagine the specific image of the transformation target, I can change into it, just like..."

Liliruca canceled the transformation magic, then used transformation magic again, and a Goddess Lady exactly the same as Hestia appeared on the sofa.

"Ah, two Lady Hestias."

Bell exclaimed in surprise.

"Bell, I am the main body."

The Hestia transformed by Liliruca spoke, her voice actually exactly the same as the Goddess Lady's.

"A very wondrous magic; although it cannot deceive gods, it is enough to deceive the Lower World's children."

Hephaestus gave an evaluation.

"Then can you change into me?"

The One-Eyed Craftsman Chun was also somewhat curious about this transformation magic and couldn't help but ask.

"I'll try."

Liliruca nodded and attempted to transform into the One-Eyed Craftsman's appearance.

But...

She did transform, however the One-Eyed Craftsman transformed by Liliruca looked as if she had undergone reduction surgery.

Not only did her build shrink, even that pair of huge breasts in front became flat and ordinary.

"Pfft—"

Hephaestus couldn't hold back and directly laughed out loud.

"It seems that for transformation targets with too great a physique difference, this kind of situation where an obvious huge difference from the main body's existence can be seen will appear."

The Red-haired Goddess made a summary.

"Ah, this figure..."

The One-Eyed Craftsman Chun looked at Liliruca's flat chest after transforming into herself, her eyes filled with unstoppable envy. As a smith, Chun Cobrand hated the burdens hanging on her chest; even if the burdens on her chest gave a huge boost to her own feminine charm, it was the same.

After all, she doesn't date; all day she isn't forging, she's forging. What use is feminine charm? Better to exchange it for forging capability.

"Although there's a physique restriction, even males, I can change into them too."

Liliruca transformed into Broly's appearance again.

"It's just some details I don't know, so it's not a perfect transformation."

Liliruca's words made everyone's gazes turn toward the crotch of the Broly she transformed into.

"Hmm, indeed not a perfect transformation."

Hestia even directly reached out to touch and confirm.

"Ah, Lady Hestia!"

Liliruca exclaimed, hurriedly transformed back, covering the place the Goddess Lady touched, her whole little face already flushed red.

"Don't misunderstand, I just wanted to confirm to what extent your magic can actually reach."

Hestia waved her hand, explaining a sentence.

However, she actually just wanted to confirm the Pallum girl's degree of understanding of her own boy.

Hmm, hasn't seen it all yet; this counts as a good thing.

This Goddess Lady of mine is in a far-leading position.

"In that case, Miss Ede staying here won't be any problem, right?!"

Bell said happily.

"If she stays, that's indeed the case, but if she still goes to the Dungeon, she'll face a problem."

"What problem?"

"Capability Update."

(Chapter End)