PinkSnake - Danmachi Harem - 589/590

Chapter 589: The Amazoness Sisters

The lake shimmered beneath the moonlight as night settled over the flickering fire and the girls’ laughter.

Investigating and gathering evidence at night would be difficult, while searching recklessly would be far too dangerous. Riveria and the others therefore planned to begin their investigation the next morning. Until it was time to return to the inn, everyone enjoyed the last of their carefree evening together.

“Bell Cranel?”

Lefiya watched the boy walk away. Still biting into a juicy skewer of grilled fish, she started to get up and follow him.

But Riveria stepped in front of her.

“Sit down and eat. If you start waving your staff at that boy again like before, you’ll damage the Loki Familia’s reputation.”

The Elf Princess scolded Lefiya while savoring the delicious grilled fish herself.

“I wasn’t going to do that... Fine, I understand.”

Lefiya glanced at the lonely backs of the Amazoness sisters, then lowered her head and returned to the meal Bell had prepared with his own hands.

It was a stark contrast to the happy smiles around the fire. Pale moonlight spilled across the lake, making it seem as though all the laughter and merriment belonged to everyone else, while the solitude by the shore belonged to those two alone.

“Argonaut-kun, thanks.”

Tiona smiled as she accepted the grilled fish Bell offered her, then reached over and poked her older sister.

“Thanks...”

Tione turned around as well and took the food.

What exactly had happened?

Neither sister answered Bell’s question. They simply stared blankly across the lake.

“You should eat it while it’s hot. There’s more over there if it isn’t enough.”

Knowing the Amazoness sisters had something on their minds, Bell simply sat down beside them.

The lake gently washed over the sandy shore with a steady rustling sound. The water was quiet, but it was still enough to drown out the laughter behind them.

Bell said nothing more. He merely sat on the rock in silence, gazing out at the same scenery as the two sisters.

Tiona’s lips curved into a smile as she broke the silence first.

“If the Water Monster sang at night, it would be a lot easier to find.”

According to Bell’s theory, if the Aqua Serpent was a Viola, then the Water Monster was very likely a Demi Spirit. Either way, they had to find where it was hiding.

“That would be the [Siren] from the folktales, wouldn’t it? If something like that really existed, it would be a terrifying monster capable of charming everyone who heard it.”

Bell followed along with her train of thought.

According to legend, the sea monsters had the faces of women and the bodies of birds. They enchanted sailors with beautiful songs, causing ships to run aground and sink before devouring their crews.

“As expected of Argonaut-kun. You really did know what I meant. I don’t know what being Charmed actually feels like, but I definitely wouldn’t lose to something like that.”

Tiona replied with a bright smile.

She had only mentioned singing, yet Bell had immediately recognized the story she was referring to. That effortless understanding between them made Tiona forget her troubles and filled her with delight.

“But Charm would make everyone else turn against you, Tiona-san. What would you do then?”

Bell continued along with the Amazoness girl’s thought.

“Hmm... I’d just hit them until they snapped out of it, right? And if I couldn’t beat them all, I’d get Tione to help.”

Tiona’s answer was rather simple, but it carried her usual carefree charm.

“Don’t dump all the trouble on me, idiot. Still... there’s no way I’d lose.”

Tione raised a fist and punched lightly at the air in front of her.

“That’s a lie. You’ve lost to me plenty of times.”

“Huh? You’re the one talking nonsense. I’m obviously ahead.”

Tione immediately fired back at her younger sister.

“I’ve won more. You get knocked flat by me all the time.”

“You’ve got it backward. I’ve won more often.”

“You’re lying.”

“You’re the liar.”

“Liar, liar. Argonaut-kun, don’t believe her!”

“Bell Cranel isn’t as stupid as you are. Of course he can tell who’s telling the truth.”

“I get it, Tione. You want to fight, don’t you?”

“Hmph. Bring it on.”

The Amazoness sisters glared at each other, neither willing to give an inch. Before Bell knew it, both of them had risen to stand directly in front of him, their beautiful figures completely filling his field of vision.

Seeing that a fight was about to break out, Bell immediately stood up and took each sister by the hand, guiding the untouched grilled fish toward their respective mouths.

“I know you’re both strong, but please spare a thought for the person who cooked this. If you wait much longer, the food I worked so hard to grill really won’t taste as good anymore.”

“Mm...”

“Hmm...”

Tiona and Tione looked at Bell, then silently sat back down on the rocks.

This time, instead of sitting together, they took seats on opposite sides of Bell, using him as a barrier to cool their rising urge to fight.

“Argonaut-kun’s cooking really is delicious. I used to eat grilled fish all the time, but none of it ever tasted this good.”

With her limited vocabulary, Tiona did her best to praise Bell’s cooking.

“I’m glad you like it. Did you used to live near the sea, Tiona-san?”

Bell seized the opportunity to learn more about what the Amazoness sisters were thinking.

“...”

Silence was the only answer he received.

Tiona had already stripped her grilled fish completely clean without even realizing it. As she absentmindedly licked the bones, she stole a glance at her older sister.

“I’m full～ Since you treated us, I’ll tell you a little about where we came from. Even Lefiya and the others don’t know about this, so Bell Cranel, you can’t go telling anyone, okay?”

Tione glanced toward the girls behind them. Her voice was gentle and pleasant, perfectly matching the ladylike manner she always tried to maintain.

After Tiona quietly let out a breath of relief, Tione added in a more serious tone.

“That said, there isn’t much we can tell you. You’re not allowed to trick Tiona or lead her into revealing anything else. And even what you do hear won’t be a pleasant story.”

“Of course, Tione-san. I promise.”

Bell gave his word without hesitation.

“Hmm... I was only keeping quiet because I was worried about how Tione felt and didn’t know whether I should tell Argonaut-kun. Why do I suddenly feel like everyone thinks I’m an idiot?”

Tiona looked accusingly at her sister.

“Don’t worry about it. Lefiya and the others eat slowly, so let’s finish before they’re done.”

Tione gazed toward the distant sea and continued.

“Tiona and I were born in the Amazonian nation of Telskyura.”

Men were forbidden from entering the nation. The few men who lived within its borders were essentially slaves kept for reproduction.

Conflict and slaughter, screams and cheers. Such things never ceased within the nation.

Countless female warriors lived steeped in the smell of blood, fighting monsters, fighting their own people, and even fighting friends and family.

From that brutal crucible emerged a nation of warriors whose strength rivaled that of many Familias in Orario.

Tiona spoke calmly.

“Bell Cranel, we’re criminals who killed countless people from our own homeland. Even knowing that, can you still sit beside us without being afraid?”

They had taken part in genuine fights to the death, rituals that ended only when one side lost their life.

The Amazoness sisters had managed to reach such heights at such a young age precisely because they had survived countless hellish battles.

“Argonaut-kun... I’m sorry...”

Following her sister’s words, Tiona quietly apologized as well.

To anyone else, the two of them would surely seem unbearably stained by what they had done.

Tiona had hidden her bloody past behind a smile. From that perspective, she was nothing more than a liar who cared only about herself.

But Bell did not see it that way.

“Why are you apologizing to me? If you hadn’t raised your weapons back then, you wouldn’t be sitting here beside me now. No matter how I look at it, the fault lies with that twisted country, doesn’t it?”

Bell stated his reasoning plainly.

This world had always been one where the strong preyed on the weak. Bell himself had killed countless members of the human races.

The warrior nation across the distant sea had simply taken that rule to an even greater extreme. Morality and law held no meaning there. If someone wanted to survive, their only choice was to raise the weapon in their hands.

More importantly, a person’s values were inseparable from how they were raised. Someone born into a nation that glorified battles to the death would inevitably have their thoughts and beliefs shaped by that environment. That could not simply be ignored.

“But... that doesn’t change the fact that we killed our own people.”

A weary sadness filled Tione’s eyes.

Despite the calm expression on her face, her hands were trembling slightly.

Bell rose and turned to face the Amazoness sisters.

He did not stand above them and pass judgment. Instead, he bent down until the three of them were looking at one another at the same eye level.

“Tiona-san, Tione-san, you were forced into those circumstances. You didn’t take other people’s lives simply because you wanted to. The fact that you can look back on what you did in an environment like that and still see it as wrong already says a great deal about the kind of people you are.”

“Truthfully, I’m really glad you trusted me enough to tell me this.”

“So if you ever need someone to train with, you can always come to me.”

“And if you want to hear stories about heroes, I’ll stay with you and tell you as many as you want.”

“As for Telskyura, if they intend to cause trouble in Melen, then I’ll definitely stand with you.”

...

Chapter 590: Intelligence

No matter the season, Melen at night looked much the same.

Brilliant Magic Stone lights spilled out from within Orario’s towering city walls, outshining the clear moonlight and illuminating the prosperous town below.

As a trading port under Orario’s influence, Melen was bustling with activity as well.

Young men dreaming of becoming Adventurers boasted about their ambitions while gazing toward the towering walls in the distance. The merchant caravans that had brought them here raised their cups and sampled the harbor’s local specialties. Workers and fishermen, their long day’s labor finally over, laughed as they enjoyed the peace of the evening. The entire town was filled with a lively atmosphere reminiscent of a festival.

“They’re finally gone. This is much better.”

Taking advantage of the packed streets, Heith slipped her arm through Bell’s, and she had not let go since.

As they had agreed earlier, the Loki Familia parted ways with Bell’s group on the way back into town, heading toward separate inns.

“Heith-san, do you really get along that badly with them?”

To avoid attracting suspicion from anyone nearby, Bell did not specify who he meant by “them.”

When they had parted ways with Riveria and the others, Heith had deliberately leaned against Bell and made a face at the Loki Familia.

Ais and Riveria had shown little reaction, but Lefiya and the Amazoness sisters had glared at Heith while grumbling angrily, nearly starting a fight on the spot.

“Hehe, I was only trying to annoy them a little. It’s not like I have any serious grudge against them. As for what everyone else thinks, I have no idea.”

Heith wore a satisfied smile.

The Loki Familia had taken away precious time she could have spent alone with Bell, so of course Heith had to get a little revenge.

“Now that you mention it, your Familia really is kind of...”

Lunoire remembered some unpleasant experiences from the past and sighed.

“Don’t talk about the Familia. I don’t want to think about those people at all. More importantly, let’s hurry to the inn and get some sleep～”

Heith quickened her pace, anticipation written all over her face.

“B-Bell-dono, are you really going to share a room with Heith-dono? I do not think that is a very good idea. If Hestia-sama finds out, she will definitely be angry...”

Mikoto asked awkwardly.

In the past, she would have spoken much more firmly out of concern for Bell’s safety. However, while Bell had been away on his Dungeon expedition, Hestia had visited the Freya Familia’s base every single day. Because of that, Mikoto had become considerably less wary of the Freya Familia.

“We already made a promise, and breaking it wouldn’t be right. Goddess-sama will understand.”

Bell looked toward the inn in the distance, paused for a moment, then continued.

“But before we rest, there’s somewhere else we need to go.”

The group made their way toward the eastern side of town while enjoying the nighttime scenery.

After passing numerous open-air stalls, Bell stopped at a somewhat secluded corner of the street.

“Bell～”

A clear, cheerful voice rang out as the blonde elf threw herself into the boy’s arms.

“Seriously, one after another...”

Heith puffed out her cheeks and stepped aside.

“Laurier is supposed to be his actual girlfriend, you know...”

Lunoire muttered as she moved over to stand beside Heith.

With Mikoto joining them, the three gave Bell and Laurier enough space to speak privately.

“Chloe is still at the inn. She hasn’t made contact with anyone, and it looks like she’s waiting for something.”

Laurier immediately got to the point.

According to her investigation, assassin organizations raised carrier pigeons specifically for passing messages.

Chloe had remained alone in her room. Although the door stayed tightly shut, the window had been left open the entire time. She kept staring blankly at the windowsill, which made it very likely that she was waiting for a secret message from someone.

“All right. Keep watching her, and tell me immediately if anything changes.”

Bell thought for a moment before adding, “If I end up in trouble, prioritize your own safety. Just do your best to keep track of Chloe’s whereabouts.”

The various forces operating within Melen were tangled together in a complicated web. Bell could only do his best to prevent unexpected problems, not predict everything that might happen.

He had considered finding Chloe and, under the excuse of protecting her, ignoring the catgirl’s wishes and forcing her to stay with him.

But doing so could easily make Chloe run away and put herself in even greater danger. Worse, forcing her against her will might leave emotional wounds that could never be undone.

“Mm, I understand. As for Welf-san and Goddess Phobos, I looked into them as well. It seems the Goddess fled Melen, while Welf-san followed her trail to another town.”

Laurier hugged Bell tightly and whispered into his ear.

To anyone watching, they merely looked like a young couple deeply in love, stealing an intimate moment in a secluded corner.

“I think I understand the situation now. Thanks for your hard work.”

Bell gently stroked Laurier’s golden hair.

Although her information was not especially precise, since Laurier had not personally seen either Welf or Goddess Phobos, Bell had other ways to verify it.

Mikoto possessed an extremely unusual Skill, [Yatanoshirogarasu].

Within its effective range, the Skill allowed her to sense the presence of companions who had received the same Falna.

Ever since arriving in Melen, Mikoto had kept the passive Skill active, yet she had never sensed Welf’s presence.

There was no doubt that Welf was somewhere else now. Since Hestia had not sent anyone to contact them, it meant there was no need to worry about Welf’s safety for the time being.

Bell therefore decided to focus his attention elsewhere.

“Oh, there’s one more thing. A few days ago, some dangerous goods apparently began circulating in the Sword Smithing City. The Astraea Familia is currently searching for whoever was responsible. If that incident is connected to the forces in Melen, they might end up coming here as well. And because of the rumors surrounding Goddess Phobos, the Rakia Kingdom is also showing signs of preparing for war.”

Laurier shared everything she had learned without holding anything back.

Although these clues seemed completely unrelated and could easily muddle anyone’s thinking, Laurier believed that the boy she loved would be able to untangle them and uncover the truth hidden at the center of everything.

Once she had finished reporting, Laurier reluctantly kissed Bell goodbye.

“Bell, I don’t mind what you do with Heith-san. As long as you come back to me safely, that’s all I care about.”

Laurier openly expressed the simple, sincere love she felt for him.

“Mm. Don’t worry. Heith-san can be trusted, and I’ll be fine.”

Bell answered her without hesitation.

“All right. Once everything in Melen is over, I want you to spend an entire night with me...”

Laurier gazed deeply into his eyes.

After Bell gave her his promise, a smile appeared on her lips, and she quickly headed back toward the inn where Chloe was staying.

“It’s finally over. Let’s hurry up and get some rest～”

Heith was already growing impatient.

The group headed in the opposite direction from Laurier, intending to avoid Chloe’s line of sight.

However, once the crowd began to thin, Bell unexpectedly spotted an Amazoness woman ahead of him.

Aisha-san?