Gently floating in the air, I slowly ascended to the top of the clocktower.
In the center of the open-top pinnacle stood a massive bronze bell which chimed every hour,
and there I easily spotted Artemis, lounging against the bell.
“Artemis, hello?”
Her knees were pulled tightly to her chest, arms wrapped around them, face buried deep as she exuded an oppressive melancholy.
On this tiny, one-pyo space atop the clocktower where there’s barely enough room for one person, hearing another voice besides my own made her lift her head and look around.
“Hyyyyaaaaaaak!!”
Seeing me floating effortlessly in the air like a buoy on the sea startled her immensely.
She was so startled, in fact, that when her head collided with the bell she was leaning on, the massive bell trembled ever so slightly.
“Ughhhh… That hurts… How did you know I was here? No, nevermind that… HOW ARE YOU FLOATING IN THE AIR?!?!”
She glared at me, rubbing the back of her head where it throbbed from hitting the bell.
Smiling warmly, I pointed to the winged cap I was wearing instead of answering.
“That hat…! That stupid Hermes and his useless antics!!”
“Isn’t it obvious? What’s the point of staging a sit-in protest in such a narrow high-rise clocktower?”
“Tch! The locksmith couldn’t even open the first floor’s door – I made sure it was sealed. Without that hat, you wouldn’t have been able to come here.”
“Hmm?”
Her confident declaration made me linger momentarily before moving to land beside her at the clocktower’s peak.
I didn’t sit facing her, instead positioning myself so our hips and shoulders touched while she sat huddled on the narrow floor.
We’ve grown accustomed to this level of contact by now.
Being so close, the sweet scent of oranges grew stronger, and strangely, the tension in my heart began to loosen.
She doesn’t wear any perfume.
If her natural fragrance were bottled as citrus cologne, it would likely top the sales chart in modern times, I thought.
Facing the wind that swept in from all directions, I smoothed my hair and continued speaking.
“You can always find a way to get here, right?”
“Tch! What, were you planning to attach a ladder to this tall clocktower?”
“That’s one way… But there’s this too.”
I raised my right arm and rested it on her folded knees, gently shaking my wrist.
“Ugh! Rainbow…”
“That’s right.”
The bow Apollo gave me as a present, containing seven divine tools.
The seals on three of them have already been broken, allowing full use of their functions.
Needless to say, Apollo’s red arrow of light is magnificent,
Athena’s blue augury is priceless,
And most recently, Hermes’ teal arrow grants the ability to teleport to wherever it lands.
“The reason I was able to borrow this hat was pure coincidence. I initially intended to use the teal arrow to reach the spire. Either way, it appears I’ve benefited from Hermes’ assistance.”
“Tch, that schemer is useless every single time.”
Her grinding teeth and imaginary devouring of her younger brother conveyed her feelings vividly.
Looking at her adorable expression, I couldn’t help but smirk as I gently covered her hand with mine.
This contact made Artemis flinch momentarily,
but she made no move to withdraw, merely blushing and puffing out her cheeks.
“Artemis.”
“What, bastard?”
“No matter what, a heroine shouldn’t run away from a confession moment, right?”
“Too bad, what are you going to do about it?”
“Oy. Don’t you trust me at all?”
At this light question about trust, Artemis narrowed her eyes dangerously.
Then, despite our bodies still touching, she made a short, snapping motion with her fist, striking my side.
“Cough! Why did you hit me out of nowhere?”
“If there’s anyone who can’t be trusted, it’s older brothers. Mom said if someone like that shows up, to give them a piece of my mind.”
I opened my mouth to retort but closed it immediately,
because a strong piece of evidence supporting her claim of “I’ll just hold your hand” had just popped into my mind.
Wheeeeeeeeh—
Just then, the strong wind that had been blowing changed direction,
carrying off the light atmosphere surrounding the clocktower and disappearing into the distance somewhere.
In an instant, the clocktower’s peak became a dead calm.
“… …”
“… …”
The awkwardness between Artemis and me, who had been sitting shoulder to shoulder with our hands stacked, grew rapidly.
Artemis, who knows very well my style of conversation—starting with light-hearted topics then delivering a serious line—clearly understood what was coming.
Detecting the uneasy atmosphere from Artemis, who was trying to appear nonchalant yet flustered, I recognized the moment.
Both of us knew what was coming.
Every spring, the same persistent and warm confession would arrive, like a crow never giving up.
“Artemis! It’s me—hungh!”
As I leaned my face close, Artemis, as if she had been waiting for it, pushed my face away with her palm.
Then, her body glowing with moonlight turned her crescent moon-like eyes on me.
“[It’s a damn quest!! Arc, don’t mess with my feelings with your awkward confession!! We’re supposed to return to our original world, so stop shaking me up!!]”
“I… … … Huh? What? I definitely said something, right?”
Thinking I had delivered a confession,
but nothing reached my ears.
Like when an actor in a TV drama accidentally mutes the confession scene with the remote control,
all the sounds I uttered had vanished.
“Arc. This is the gag order I’m giving you for constantly shaking me up.”
“Gag order… That’s an impressive way to put it…”
“Tch! Pretending to be tough won’t help. Now every irresponsible word you might say will vanish. For two weeks, keep it up.”
The binding order poured out in succession.
It was also the form of a gag order as part of a quest.
Thus, I could clearly feel it through my skin.
This was her final resistance.
Should I test it once?
“… … … Really?”
“Tch! Of course.”
“When I said I wanted to kiss you heavily, it all disappeared. Hmm, I guess internal monologues aren’t restricted then? Hehehehe…”
“Mi… Mi… Mi… Min… You’ve really gone insane!! Your fits have flared up again!”
Steam seemed to rise from her head as Artemis reacted to the word “kiss.”
Whatever she might be imagining,
her expressive face filled with confusion at the quest’s loophole was incredibly adorable.
And of course, the bonus is that she still hasn’t shaken off my hand that’s covering hers.
Anyway!
There’s just this fortress-like final wall left to break through.
Once I do, the Artemis, goddess of purity, who I’ve only dreamed of having,
will become a woman only mine, not everyone’s goddess anymore.
Of course, I have the most suitable weapon to break this wall.
A weapon that I wouldn’t have on my own, but gained through conflicts and support from many others.
Through this weapon, I’ve come to possess a clear and pure affection, free from distortion.
Even if the road becomes treacherous and dark, if the goal is visible, I can walk straight without losing my way.
Only my goddess Artemis…
I wish she would look at me.
I hope she would feel.
This me, Arc, who thinks of no one else but her.
“Artemis.”
“What… What is it? Why are you acting so solemn again?”
Artemis was startled by my unwavering presence despite being caught in the sudden quest’s order.
Instead, she maintained her red face, unable to suppress her pounding heart.
“Our quest clearly began with your oath to the River Styx, didn’t it?”
“Just offering one novel for sale ended up being such a shackle… Pfft! Every time I think about it, I still feel the heat.”
“Artemis, then let me change it.”
“…What?”
“The wish of the oath to the River Styx… to want to be your boyfriend. I’ll withdraw that wish. Yeah, you don’t need that wish anyway.”
“W-What… Wh-What… What… Now what happens…”
A startled Artemis widened her eyes and fell into confusion.
Blocking her fretfully chattering lips with my index finger gently, I continued.
“Instead of a confession through the device of a wish, I want to make a real confession.”
“Arc… you…”
“Artemis, you’re a mysterious goddess to me, both here and on Earth, a puzzle that cannot be solved.”
“… …”
“During the short time I’ve been by your side, I’ve learned some things. You have a quick temper, are fiery, and you’re also very emotional… Above all, you’re aggressive.”
“Hold on? Those are all flaws, right? How do you see me?”
While she couldn’t close her eyelids, captured as if under a spell by my gaze, Artemis’s eyes turned dangerously sharp, glaring like axes at this defamation.
She started swinging her fists again, but
I moved faster this time.
Capturing both her wrists tightly, I pinned them against the large bronze bell behind her.
With Artemis’s strength, she could have shaken me off, yet she didn’t.
No,
She couldn’t.
She could only tremble with her eyes and lips as mine approached.
“I want to learn the rest of your good points too. But we’d need to grow closer to find out.”
“You…”
“I want to be the answer that knows all the mysteries of you, Artemis.”
Her tears blurred her eyes, piercing through the barrier of the quest to reveal her true feelings.
Her tears seemed to well up endlessly if I tried to wipe them away.
“Huh, but… Aren’t you going back anyway? Aren’t you leaving me to return to your original place?”
Artemis’ voice was choked with emotion, as she finally revealed her true feelings to me.
The moment she tried pushing me with both hands against my chest,
“I swear by the River Styx. I love only Artemis. And even if we are separated, I will find her, crossing dimensions if necessary.”
I deliver this unbreakable vow to myself and to her.
Then she stopped pushing me.
Not missing the opportunity, I drew my body closer to hers.
Gently wrapping my arms around her waist, I held her close and said,
“I love you, Artemis. Forever.”
“Ah…”
A soft sigh escaped her as a tear rolled down her cheek, wetting my neck.
What did this tear, filled with complex emotions, mean?
I couldn’t be certain no matter how much I pondered.
But then,
She wrapped her arms around my waist, holding onto me tightly.
Neither the order,
nor the quest,
nor destiny,
could separate us as we embraced each other.
Finally…
Finally, Artemis has accepted me.
Releasing her cheek from mine, I looked into her eyes.
Feeling the strong yearning in her moist eyes, I slowly approached her lips.
Realizing what this action meant, Artemis closed her eyes tightly in determination.
Presumably, this was the minimum belief she had upheld for thousands of years.
As our lips were about to touch and we inhaled each other’s breath,
“Wait, just a moment—!!!”
Thud!!
“Kyaaah!!!”
With half-closed eyes, Artemis delivered a punch to my face that sent me tumbling.
She grabbed my collar and pointed with her other hand.
“Look at that!!!”
Around the clocktower’s peak hovered countless animals—dogs, cats, turtles, owls, sheep, lions—all floating in the air, observing our scene.
If this wasn’t a zoo, what was it?
“What… is that?”
“Damn! What is it?! The gods with voyeuristic tendencies are watching us through their familiars!!”
Her face flushed with shame, Artemis grabbed the nearest stone and hurled it at the animals neurotically.
They just grinned and dodged nimbly.
“Grrr… Ah, frustrating!!!”
“Artemis, this way.”
I pulled her arm and crawled into the bronze bell.
Inside the bell, surrounded by the sounds of slowly turning gears and the musty scent of rusted bronze,
there could be no cozier place for our private moment.
Circling the confined space, Artemis easily perceived my sinister intention and glared.
“Hey… You… Do you want to kiss me regardless and that’s why you brought me here?”
“How about it? Isn’t it comfortable?”
“Comfortable? You guys are just pitiable. Seriously!”
“Hehehehehe, Artemis~ Looove~”
Approaching her by the side where she was lost in self-loathing, I leaned in again.
Artemis gazed at my stretched lips disdainfully, like a fish.
“Hmph… How did I end up with this sympathetic guy… Ah, I don’t care! Arc, you’re responsible for this!”
She scratched her head while sighing and gave me a faint smile before closing her eyes and extending her lips to me.
For real.
I was actually going to kiss Artemis.
Inside the bell, what a splendid locale!
Though the sounds of the winding gears and cogs were a bit distracting, what did it matter?
My heart brimmed with overwhelming emotions.
Just as our lower lips were about to meet for the first time…
Click, click, ding—
The bell at the center started moving loudly,
then at exactly noon, the bell began to ring.
BONG!!!BONG!!!
BONG!!!BONG!!!
“Kyaahhhhhhh!!!”
“Hyaaaahhhhhhh!!!”
Startled by the ear-splitting bell, we screamed while covering our ears.
Quickly crawling out of the bell, I cried out to the familiars still watching us.
“Why is this always happening to meeeeeee!!!”
My frustrated shout was drowned out by the perfectly-timed bell toll signaling the failure of my first kiss.
BONG!!!BONG!!!
The persistent bell tolls of the clocktower proclaim across the night sky,
like fireworks celebrating the pairing of the goddess of purity, Artemis, and the priest, Arc.
They ring out louder and farther, announcing their bond.
