Loki knew very well that Emiya could have done this without informing her.
It was his secret. He could tell whomever he wanted.
The fact that he chose to tell her first meant respect.
Because of that, she couldn't simply get angry and force him to abandon the idea.
First, she wasn't that kind of god.
More importantly, forcing him would only push him away and create a rift between them.
After thinking it through, Loki nodded. "Just be careful. Hephaestus isn't a gossip, but you should still be discreet."
"Don't worry," Emiya replied. "I will."
He vanished from the room and traveled directly to the world of Food Wars!.
Since he was going to see Hephaestus anyway, he decided to bring Erina Nakiri along and have her join the Hestia Familia as well.
This time, finding Erina took almost no effort.
She had just finished her latest exam and was relaxing in a massage chair. When Emiya appeared, she immediately stood up.
"Lord Emiya."
"Erina," he said, "change your clothes. I'm taking you to meet someone."
"Yes."
She didn't hesitate and headed straight for her bedroom.
Emiya followed. Halfway there, Erina suddenly stopped.
"Um... Lord Emiya?"
"Yes?"
"Can Hisako come with me?"
Emiya didn't even think about it. "Of course. That's no problem."
He added, "Hestia will probably be happy too. Tell her to change and meet you in your room."
"Thank you."
Erina happily pulled out her phone and called her secretary.
Not long after, Hisako Arato-already dressed-knocked on the door. Emiya opened it.
"Lord Emiya."
She bowed, then asked, "Where is Lady Erina?"
"She's still changing," Emiya said, pointing at the closed bedroom door. "Go in."
Hisako nodded, crossed the living room, and knocked.
"It's me, Lady Erina."
The door opened. A hand reached out and pulled her inside.
Emiya shook his head with a helpless smile.
He wasn't planning to peek. Why were they being so cautious?
Ten minutes later, Erina stepped out wearing a white dress. Hisako followed, dressed in a blue top and a black skirt.
"Ready?" Emiya asked.
They both nodded.
"Alright. Let's go."
He snapped his fingers, and the three of them entered the DanMachi world.
The sun was setting in the west, bathing the wide market streets in warm light.
The glow spread slowly across Orario, enclosed by towering city walls.
Clean air flowed through the fantasy city, untouched by industrial pollution.
Emiya glanced at the two girls, who were clearly captivated.
He smiled faintly. "Welcome to another world-the Labyrinth City of Orario."
It took them a moment to recover.
"This... this is really another world?" Erina asked, barely containing her excitement. This wasn't a manga panel. It was real.
Hisako looked around carefully. "Lord Emiya, what kind of world is this?"
"Let's walk and talk."
As they moved, Emiya explained Orario, the Dungeon, the gods, and the Familias.
Erina remembered the goddess from the previous day's Shokugeki. "So, Lord Emiya, you're an adventurer of the Loki Familia?"
"That's right. But today, I'm taking you to the Hestia Familia."
He smiled. "Unlike Loki, Hestia is a wonderful goddess. I think you'll get along with her."
"Hestia... the goddess of the hearth?" Erina asked.
"She is," Emiya said. "But this isn't Greek mythology. This is Earth. Mythologies aren't separated here."
Erina and Hisako nodded together.
They asked for directions along the way and eventually learned how to reach the Hephaestus Familia.
Emiya was new to the city, and there was no navigation system, so asking around was the only option.
Fortunately, the people here were genuinely friendly.
After paying some Valis, many were happy to help.
Halfway there, Emiya realized something.
Even if he didn't know the roads, carriage drivers did.
So he hired one, and they arrived smoothly at the Hephaestus Familia headquarters.
Unlike the Loki Familia, which focused purely on adventurers, the Hephaestus Familia was centered around blacksmiths.
Their headquarters was a massive weapon shop.
Weapons forged by the Hephaestus Familia were famous throughout Orario and even beyond. Only the Goibniu Familia could compare, and even then, they ranked second.
Hephaestus Familia was the undisputed leader.
As soon as they entered, several employees approached, clearly about to promote weapons and armor.
Emiya stopped them.
"I'm here to see the goddess Hephaestus. I have something important to discuss."
The employees froze.
They said they couldn't make that decision and went to find someone who could.
Emiya waited.
Soon, they returned-with a girl who had black hair and red eyes.
Her long black hair was tied back with a white ribbon.
She wore a long red skirt like a shrine maiden, but her upper body was only wrapped in white cloth.
It was a bold outfit.
Emiya had seen her in manga, but seeing her in person was different.
She was stunning.
Behind him, Erina and Hisako's faces flushed.
"Shameless," Erina whispered.
The girl clearly heard her.
But her expression didn't change.
This was Tsubaki Collbrande-the strongest blacksmith in Orario beneath the gods themselves.
Leader of the Hephaestus Familia.
A Level 5 first-class adventurer.
There was no way Erina's voice escaped her.
She simply didn't care.
That was the composure of the strong.
"Erina," Emiya said calmly. "Apologize."
All three of them froze.
"What she wears is her choice," Emiya continued. "Judging someone by appearance-especially without knowing their history or character-is foolish."
He looked at Erina. "I hope you understand. Apologize."
Erina's face turned pale.
Tsubaki spoke first. "There's no need. I don't take it personally. My clothes are revealing."
"I'm sorry," Erina said quietly. "I judged you without understanding. Please forgive me."
She bowed her head.
Tsubaki paused, then nodded. "Apology accepted. You may raise your head."
She explained that her outfit made forging easier, preventing sparks from burning her clothes.
Erina looked even more ashamed.
Tsubaki smiled. "Let's leave it at that."
She turned to Emiya. "I heard you want to see our goddess. And that it's something important."
"That's right," Emiya said. "It concerns whether the Hephaestus Familia can continue to prosper."
Tsubaki's expression sharpened. "My name is Tsubaki Collbrande. May I have yours?"
"Emiya. Loki Familia."
He gestured behind him. "These two are Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato. They're not adventurers yet and haven't joined any Familia."
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