While Ryuu was showering, Tsuna sat at one of the tables in the tavern. A piping hot plate of Mia's breakfast was already set out for him, but he politely waited for Ryuu to return before eating.
"Look, look It's your favorite cat-teaser, nya"
"Gau…"
Chloe waved a fluffy toy on a stick in front of Natsu, who was currently curled up safely on Tsuna's lap. Rather than pouncing on it, the little lion just trembled in fear and buried his face into Tsuna's stomach.
The Hostess of Fertility was an establishment that served food and alcohol, meaning animals were strictly forbidden inside. However, after some careful begging, Mia had given them special permission to let Natsu stay in the dining area.
"Funya! I can't hold back, nya!"
"Why are you the one falling for it, nya!?"
"Stupid cat…"
Instead of enticing Natsu, Anya's feline instincts kicked in, and she batted excitedly at the toy. Chloe smacked her over the head, while Lunoire sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Come to think of it, I don't really know why… but Natsu really took a liking to Syr. He couldn't think of a single logical reason why his Box Weapon had warmed up to her so quickly.
Actually, she realized I was the one using the illusion at the casino too, didn't she? Tsuna recalled the incident from the day before. Even though he had been fully concealed behind his mist flames, Syr had looked directly at him, silently asking for his help.
"Hey, just who exactly is Syr?"
He had asked Ryuu the same question before, but hoping to gain a different perspective, Tsuna decided to ask the three waitresses.
"Syr is a witch, nya."
"A-A witch!?"
"That's right, nya. Do you know how many times I've had to take over her dishwashing duty because I lost to her in poker…?"
"Ah…"
When Anya dramatically called her a witch, Tsuna genuinely wondered if magic users of that caliber existed in this world. But hearing the incredibly petty reason behind the title completely deflated his expectations.
"Well, she isn't entirely wrong, honestly," Lunoire chimed in.
"Eh?"
"I don't know how she does it, but it's like Syr can read our minds. Sometimes, it honestly feels like we're dealing with a deity."
"Yeah, nya. She sees right through my best poker face and all my cheating, nya."
You go that far just to avoid washing dishes!? Tsuna was astounded by Chloe's sheer immaturity, resorting to cheating just to push her chores onto someone else.
A deity, huh… But… Lunoire had compared Syr to a deity, but Tsuna didn't sense the same overwhelming, distinct aura from her that he felt from Hestia or Miach. However, she clearly possessed an atmosphere that separated her from normal humans. The more he learned about Syr, the more of an enigma she became.
"T-Thank you for waiting…!!"
"E-Ehhh!?"
Tsuna's thoughts ground to a sudden halt as Ryuu finally emerged from the back room. He let out a strangled yelp of shock, because standing before him was Ryuu—dressed in a pristine, frilly maid outfit.
Tsuna wasn't the only one stunned. Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire's jaws dropped to the floor, leaving them entirely speechless. The only person who seemed entirely unfazed was Syr, who stood beside Ryuu with a brilliant, satisfied smile.
─────
A few minutes prior. Ryuu stepped out of the shower and into the changing room.
"W-What is the meaning of this…!?"
She reached for the clothes Syr had supposedly left for her, only to find a perfectly ironed maid uniform laid out on the bench.
W-What is going on here!? Unable to comprehend why such a garment was in the changing room, Ryuu stared at it in sheer panic.
"Ryuu, do you like the clothes I picked out for you?"
"S-Syr!? Explain this immediately!"
Hearing Syr's voice from the other side of the door, Ryuu instantly protested the bizarre wardrobe choice.
"There's nothing to explain. I just thought that if you wore a maid outfit, Tsuna-san would definitely become more conscious of you as a woman."
"Keep your nose out of my business!! I could never perform such a shameless act!!"
"But if you don't take the initiative, you'll never close the distance between you two. The plan for him to return to his homeland might be delayed, but he's still going to leave eventually, isn't he?"
"T-That may be true, but this method is entirely inappropriate…!!"
"Besides, Tsuna-san woke up early just to keep you company for your morning training. Don't you think you should properly reward him for that?"
"T-That is…!!"
"Don't worry. I'll back you up."
─────
In the end, Ryuu had been completely steamrolled by Syr's logic and forcefully dressed in the maid uniform.
"W-What's with that outfit, Ryuu…!?"
"Ryuu wanted to thank you for helping her train this morning, Tsuna-san. She volunteered to be your personal maid for the morning."
"Stop spouting lies!!"
Ryuu immediately barked a denial, utterly mortified by Syr making it sound like this was her deepest, darkest desire.
"Do not misunderstand, Tsuna!! I was forced into this attire by Syr against my will!!"
"R-Right… I figured…"
Seeing Ryuu desperately defending her honor with a bright red face, Tsuna let out a breath of relief. For a second, he actually thought the usually stoic elf had undergone a drastic personality shift.
"That's no good, Ryuu. You have to call him 'Master'."
"M-M-Master…!!"
"I get the message, Ryuu, really! You don't have to do this!"
Unable to bear watching the proud elf force the words out of her trembling lips while dying of embarrassment, Tsuna frantically waved his hands, insisting that no thanks were necessary.
"Alright, let's start with feeding the Master his breakfast," Syr declared, completely ignoring Tsuna.
"F-Feeding him!?"
"I-It's fine!! I can eat by myself!!"
Syr pushed the agenda forward without missing a beat. Her words caused both Tsuna and Ryuu's faces to erupt into a violent shade of crimson.
"Chloe, Anya. Hold Tsuna-san down."
"Understood, nya!!"
"Leave it to us, nya!!"
"Eh? Wait—!?"
Determined to see her plan through to the bitter end, Syr issued her orders. Catching on to her mischievous intent, the two catgirls happily tackled Tsuna, pinning his arms behind his back so he couldn't escape.
"Aren't you lucky, Tsuna-san? You get to be hand-fed by Ryuu."
"You're the one orchestrating this whole thing!?"
"Stop whining and open your mouth, nya!!"
"Say 'ahhh', nya!!"
This is practically torture...! Tsuna yelled out a desperate retort to Syr, who was acting completely innocent. Meanwhile, Anya and Chloe practically ordered him to comply. To Lunoire, the scene looked less like a romantic comedy and more like an interrogation where the enemy was forcing a truth serum down a prisoner's throat.
"Now's your chance, Ryuu."
"B-But…!!"
"Are you really fine leaving your debt unpaid?"
"Ugh…!!"
Ryuu didn't want to force the issue, but Syr's words struck a chord. The thought of being an ungrateful elf who couldn't even repay a debt of gratitude for the training was equally agonizing. After a moment of intense internal conflict, she steeled her resolve.
"O-Open your mouth, Tsuna!!"
"Ehhh!? You're actually going through with it!?"
"Just do it already!!"
"O-Okay!!"
Intimidated by Ryuu's demonic, blushing glare, Tsuna reflexively opened his mouth. Ryuu picked up a small sandwich from the plate with trembling fingers and slowly brought it to his lips. Tsuna took a bite and swallowed mechanically.
"H-How is the taste, Tsuna-san?"
I… I can't taste anything…!! Under normal circumstances, Mia's cooking was an absolute delicacy. But with the sheer anxiety of being hand-fed by Ryuu, his taste buds had completely shut down.
"Okay, now for the next step. Ryuu, take a sip of water from the cup and feed it to Tsuna-san mouth-to-mouth."
""Wha—!?""
"As expected of Syr, nya!!"
"Brilliant idea, nya!!"
Syr smoothly escalated the situation directly to a kiss. Both Tsuna and Ryuu jolted as if struck by lightning, their faces practically steaming. Anya and Chloe, realizing things were about to reach critical mass, enthusiastically endorsed the idea.
"Once you seal the deal, the rest will naturally follow," Syr whispered softly, leaning in so only Ryuu could hear.
"I-I could never do something so utterly shameless!!"
However, no matter how much she wanted to repay her debt, kissing Tsuna out of nowhere was a line she simply couldn't cross. Ryuu was left a stuttering, flustered mess.
"Prepare yourself, spiky-hair, nya!!"
"Hurry up and offer your lips to Ryuu, nya!!"
"S-Somebody save me!!"
Anya and Chloe tightened their grip, completely sealing off Tsuna's escape routes. He struggled desperately, but without Hyper Dying Will Mode, he didn't possess the physical strength to throw off two high-level adventurers.
This situation is entirely beyond saving… Watching the utter chaos unfold, Lunoire sighed deeply, realizing there was absolutely nothing she could do to intervene.
---
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