The ruins after the rain were cool and damp. The goddess statue had been half-chiseled away by someone. Raindrops clung to her cheeks, and under the midday sun, she regained a faint trace of divinity.
Bell stood outside the church, waiting for Ryuu to arrive. At the end of the road, the figure of the elf girl appeared. She wasn't in her usual uniform but wore a white blouse trimmed with lace, a light green skirt, and white stockings.
"Cranel-san, sorry to keep you waiting."
Ryuu stepped into the church and noticed the boy's gaze fixed on her.
"Does this outfit look strange?"
"No, not at all. It's really cute. It suits you." Bell spoke honestly.
Her adorable outfit contrasted sharply with her composed expression, leaving the boy briefly at a loss for words. He had heard from the tavern staff that Syr was the most popular among the servers. Bell thought that if Ryuu dressed like this, she would be just as charming.
Ryuu tilted her head slightly, her icy expression softening.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Syr had given her this outfit a few days ago, but Ryuu had never worn it—until today, when her friend insisted she should. Truth be told, her training clothes felt much more comfortable than this.
Suppressing the light, floating feeling of the skirt's hem, Ryuu followed Bell into the church.
"I didn't expect the underground room to be this spacious."
If one overlooked the lighting and cooking inconveniences, Hestia's home base was actually quite cozy. The moment Ryuu stepped inside, she felt a strange warmth and comfort.
"There's no partition here?" she asked, noticing the flaw in the room's layout.
"Partition?" Bell poured her a cup of hot tea.
"Aren't you living together with the Goddess Hestia?" Ryuu pressed.
"Yes, right here."
Ryuu frowned, watching the tea leaves swirl in her cup. After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"But there's only one bed."
Bell smiled lightly.
"You're mistaken. I sleep on the sofa."
He did wish for that kind of closeness, but he knew—if he wanted a harem, he had to make every girl happy.
"My apologies, I spoke out of turn."
Ryuu took a sip of tea, the gentle aroma spreading across her tongue.
Still, even if they slept separately, why not hang a curtain in the middle? A god's thoughts were impossible to predict; mortals couldn't judge them by common sense. Sharing a room with a boy meant he could see her sleeping face—or something else—whenever he wished.
If it were her, she would never agree to such an arrangement. But if it was this boy... maybe it was fine...
"Cough, cough..."
Ryuu startled herself with her own thoughts and accidentally choked.
"Is the tea too poor in quality?" Bell asked, concerned.
"It's fine. The tea's good. It's just me," Ryuu replied, opening the food box.
As she set out each dish, the room filled with the rich aroma of food.
"Did you make all this yourself, Ryuu-san?!"
Sandwiches, soup, grilled meat, and two stir-fried dishes covered the small table. Some had a few burnt spots and didn't look perfect, but the enticing smell told another story.
"The others at the tavern helped me a lot," Ryuu admitted honestly.
"Thank you. I'll start then."
After giving thanks, Bell picked up a sandwich and took a bite.
"How is it?"
Ryuu pressed her lips together. Only now did she realize how impulsive it had been to insist on cooking.
Bell hesitated for a moment, then swallowed.
"It's really good."
"Is it? Then I'll try some too."
As Ryuu reached out, the boy quickly grabbed another piece before she could.
"This is amazing."
Bell gathered all the remaining sandwiches onto his own plate.
Ryuu blinked, her emerald eyes fixed blankly on him. When her gaze shifted toward the grilled meat, Bell swiftly picked up his knife and fork, sliced a piece, and popped it into his mouth.
"This is great too."
In an instant, all the grilled meat was on his plate.
…
After all the fuss, only two vibrantly colored stir-fried dishes were placed before Ryuu. They contained pork and potatoes, along with many other enticing ingredients. In terms of portion size alone, these two dishes perfectly met Ryuu's lunch needs.
Ryuu lowered her head slightly. These dishes weren't her cooking. She knew her culinary skills were poor, and the boy's actions were clearly meant to spare her from disappointment.
Could it be that Chloe had foreseen this situation and, based on past dining habits, prepared her own lunch in advance?
A wave of irritation welled up inside the elf girl. To shake off that uneasy feeling, she shifted the topic to something she was more comfortable discussing.
"Cranel-san, didn't you go to the Dungeon this morning?"
"Hmm, I was worried that entering the Dungeon would delay lunch. But don't mind that—my plan was to investigate this morning's incident first," Bell answered truthfully.
"How did it go?" Ryuu regained her composure.
"The culprit was apprehended, and the Miach Familia will receive appropriate compensation. However, when I offered to help, Miach-sama turned me away." Bell gave a bitter smile.
"Turned you away? Why?"
In response to Ryuu's question, Bell recounted the god's words.
According to Miach, the favor he owed the boy was far greater than Bell had imagined. As a city teeming with adventurers, Orario saw countless incidents—both major and minor—every day. In the past, when the Astrea Familia still existed, small-time criminals never dared to act recklessly.
Now, although the Guild and the Ganesha Familia handled ordinary citizens' disappearance cases, their limited manpower prevented them from responding quickly. To rescue Naaza swiftly, one had to submit a private commission.
For the Miach Familia, that was nearly impossible. Without substantial reward money, no adventurer would willingly risk their life. In the eyes of Miach, the boy's actions had far surpassed those of a hero. Naturally, they wouldn't let Bell help clean the shop.
Ryuu listened in silence. Her slender, leaf-like ears twitched slightly at the mention of the Astrea Familia. Bell, noticing the reaction, smoothly changed the subject.
"After getting kicked out of the pharmacy, I stopped by the Guild as well…"
Eina wasn't there; her colleague Misha greeted Bell instead. According to her, all the culprits involved in the kidnapping case had been arrested. The merchant who instigated the crime was expelled from Orario, permanently forbidden from returning.
As for the mercenary, it seemed he had anticipated this outcome—he voluntarily handed over his own criminal record. The Guild, recognizing his contribution in providing intelligence and noting that he had actually helped contain the damage in several incidents, pardoned his crimes and recruited him into their ranks.
The decision may have also been influenced by the fact that he had a sick wife and several children to care for.
Misha had glanced around nervously while stressing to Bell that this information must not be shared with anyone. She was making an exception only because of her friendship with him.
Bell shared with Ryuu only the parts he was allowed to reveal.
The elf girl pressed her lips tightly together, a shadow crossing her face.
"Cranel-san, about this morning's incident… there's something I've been keeping from you."
Bell let out a quiet sigh. He had tried to steer the conversation, but there was no avoiding it. Seeing the faint guilt in Ryuu's expression, he asked directly:
"Are you talking about your level—or about watching the fight?"
...
Ryuu froze in place, her beautiful, composed face filled with shock. Staring into the boy's crimson eyes, she slowly asked,
"How… did you know?"
...
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