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The evening sun was almost set, its golden-orange light piercing through the window as Shirou and Syr finally stepped into the Hostess of Fertility. The aroma of the evening meal began to fill the room, greeted by the noisy sounds of customers. However, the moment they set foot on the doorstep—
"Stop right there!"
Mama Mia's gaze instantly shot sharply towards them, her arms crossed over her chest. Her face was scrunched up, her eyes looking as if they wanted to swallow Syr whole.
Behind her, Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire could barely hold back their laughter, snickering and nudging each other. "Nyaahaha, Syr's dead~" Anya teased in a half-whisper.
Calmly—or more accurately, pretending to be calm—Syr smiled sweetly while clasping her hands behind her back. "I just went for a little walk, tehee~," she answered lightly, as if it were no big deal.
"A walk, a WALK?!" Mama Mia growled, her tone as loud as thunder. "Do you think this restaurant is a playground, huh? Are you still serious about working or not, Syr?!"
Syr just put on a cheeky grin, unfazed by the shouting. Shirou, standing beside her, could only feel cold sweat dripping down his temples. Uh oh... if this continues, it could drag on.
Mama Mia then turned her gaze to Shirou. Her tone lowered, but remained firm. "And you, red-headed brat. Why did it take you so long to find her, huh?"
Syr glanced briefly at him, then winked slowly in Shirou's direction. It was clearly a code—don't spill it!
Shirou swallowed hard, then forced an awkward smile. "Uh... I... I went along with Syr on her walk earlier," he answered softly.
A moment of silence. Anya covered her mouth to hold back laughter, while Chloe pretended to cough to cover her giggles.
"HEEEH?!" Mama Mia stared intently at Shirou, then let out a heavy snort. "You... don't keep spoiling Syr! If she skips work, just let her face the consequences, don't you go running off with her!"
Shirou fell silent, unsure whether to defend himself or not. Syr beside him just put her hands to her cheeks, pretending to be remorseful while muttering, "Ehehe~ don't be angry, Mama Miaaa~."
"Quiet, you little rascal!" Mama Mia shouted again, while the waitresses behind her almost fell over from trying not to laugh at the scene.
Feeling that this was also his fault, Shirou stepped forward with a resolute attitude. "In that case, punish me, Mama Mia," he said seriously, his voice sounding firm even though the atmosphere was awkward.
Mama Mia glanced sharply at him, her eyebrows raised. "Punish you? Hmph... you were just following Syr's lead. Should you really be punished too?" Her tone sounded hesitant; clearly, she couldn't really bring herself to punish Shirou.
But before Mama Mia could decide, Syr suddenly raised her hand high. "In that case, punish me twice as much!" she declared firmly, causing all the waitresses who had been snickering to fall silent.
"Eeeehh?!" Anya and Chloe exclaimed in unison, shocked. "Syr is willing to be punished?!" Lunoire even dropped the tray she was holding.
Mama Mia narrowed her eyes, feeling suspicious. "Huh? Are you serious?"
Syr nodded firmly with a determined smile. Then she leaned slightly closer to Shirou, whispering softly so only he could hear. "You want to go back to the orphanage to donate, right? Let me repay the favor this time. Consider it my turn."
Shirou froze for a moment, his heart feeling warm. Syr... He could only give a small nod, touched by the girl's intention.
Mama Mia snorted and announced in a heavy voice, "Fine! Your punishment is... fix the clogged toilet!"
"Noooooo...!" Syr immediately slumped her shoulders dramatically, her face tense as if she had just been sentenced to death. She looked at Shirou with a gaze full of suffering, as if blaming him for this fate.
Meanwhile, Shirou could only scratch the back of his head with an awkward expression. "Sorry..." he whispered faintly before walking upstairs to change into his casual clothes.
"Ugh... the smell is gonna be awful..." Syr muttered in resignation, making all the other waitresses burst into laughter, seeing the suffering expression on the grey-haired girl's face.
It didn't take long for Shirou to come down from the upper floor. His green uniform was now neatly folded in his room, replaced by a simple brown tunic that made him look more casual. His footsteps sounded softly on the restaurant's wooden stairs until he finally arrived on the ground floor.
Curiosity made him glance towards the bathroom. Carefully, Shirou peeked through the slightly ajar door.
Inside, the scene he saw was quite... dramatic. Syr was squatting, using a plunger with both hands, her face red from struggling hard. "Nnnngh—come out, you damn clog!" she hissed with determination.
On the other side, Ryuu, who was cleaning the walls, looked as calm as usual, though one hand was covering her nose. "This smell... is worse than burying a corpse in the forest," she remarked flatly, making Shirou almost choke back a chuckle.
Noticing this, Shirou initially felt pity. Should I help? he thought, his hand starting to rise. However, he suddenly caught a whiff of the scent of winter flowers—Syr's characteristic divine fragrance—wafting so strongly it filled the room.
It wasn't the usual scent he felt from Syr while working... this was brighter, purer. As if, even while doing a dirty task like this, Syr was genuinely happy.
Shirou stood frozen for a moment, then slowly lowered his hand. She's really enjoying it... alright then, let her finish it herself.
He turned around, his steps firm as he headed towards the front door. At the bar counter, he greeted Mama Mia, who was wiping glasses. "I'm heading out now," he said politely.
"Be careful on your way home," Mama Mia replied, glancing at him. "And next time, don't follow her skipping work, understand?"
Shirou just nodded, then left the restaurant.
On the way home, the sun had begun to tilt westward, its rays bathing the city of Orario in a golden hue. The evening breeze blew slowly, making Shirou pensive.
Shirou's thoughts drifted. Who exactly is she? What goddess would willingly disguise herself as an ordinary girl, skip work, and even accept punishment by fixing toilets? He shook his head slowly with a faint smile.
"One thing's clear... she's the weirdest goddess I've ever met," he muttered. "But... no less kind."
Shirou finally arrived at Twilight Manor just as the magic lamps in the yard began to light up. He opened the entrance door and found Lefiya sprawled on the living room sofa, her face flushed, cheeks pressed against a cushion, breathing heavily after a day of magic training.
"Welcome back, Shirou..." she murmured weakly, not even trying to get up.
Shirou gave a small smile seeing her. "Good work today. Don't forget to drink water before sleeping," he said briefly while walking up to the second floor.
Once in his room, Shirou headed straight for the wooden wardrobe in the corner. He pulled out one of the drawers, where he kept a heavy leather pouch. The sound of coins clinking rang clearly as he lifted it—the pouch contained his savings from months of work.
He untied it and checked the contents. Silver coins, gold coins, even a few large, shiny coins. The amount reached tens of millions of Valis. He rarely touched this money because all his daily needs were covered by the Loki Familia: food, lodging, and even his basic equipment.
Previously, he had thought about using this money to help Hestia pay off her famously large debt, but the petite goddess had instead refused jokingly and suggested he donate the money to the orphanage.
Shirou looked at the coins with a serious expression. If I give it all at once... it would surely surprise them. They might even suspect where this money came from.
He let out a long sigh. "Just ten million for now... that's enough to help without causing a commotion," he muttered to himself.
Carefully, he separated coins worth ten million Valis into a smaller leather pouch, tied it tightly, and slipped it into his pocket. The remaining large pouch he put back into the drawer and locked it.
By the time he left his room, the sky was dark. The streets of Orario began to be lit by magic lamps, casting long shadows along the stone-paved roads. The night air felt chilly, but Shirou's steps were firm.
He passed through the shopping district, which was growing quiet, only hearing the sounds of merchants packing up their wares and a few adventurers returning from the dungeon. After that, he turned onto a narrower path, following the same route as earlier that afternoon.
Finally, he reached Daedalus Street, where the city's labyrinth stretched out with rows of old buildings tightly packed together. The atmosphere here was quieter, and only occasionally heard children's laughter from a distance. Shirou tightened his grip on the small pouch containing the valis.
"Today, I'll make sure this money reaches them," he said softly, then stepped deeper towards the church where the orphanage was located.
After walking along the winding stone path, Shirou finally went deeper into the Daedalus Street area. Night had truly fallen; the magic lamps on the house walls were lit, casting a soft light into the narrow alleys branching out in all directions.
"...Eh, which way was it again? This afternoon I just followed Syr's scent..." he murmured softly, looking left and right. This time, there was no scent of winter flowers to guide him.
Awkwardly, he stopped in front of an old man drawing water from a small well by the roadside. "Excuse me, sir... do you know the old church that's also used as an orphanage?" he asked politely.
The man nodded slowly, then pointed amiably towards a fork in the alley. "Take the right path, go straight until you see a broken fountain, that's its courtyard."
"Thank you," Shirou bowed respectfully before continuing on his way.
A few other residents who saw his appearance—a red-haired young man in a simple tunic—also gave additional directions. They understood, as Daedalus Street was famously confusing, even for Orario's own residents.
However, among the crowd, one young man narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He crossed his arms, staring sharply at Shirou. "Wait a minute... you... Aren't you that perverted waiter who was seen sniffing around here this afternoon? Huh? I saw it with my own eyes!"
"E-eh!?" Shirou immediately stiffened, his face paling. Cold sweat dripped down his temples. "N-no! You've got the wrong person... I just... at that time... eh..." his voice became increasingly unclear as he panicked, searching for an excuse.
The men around also turned to look, some grinning, others staring in confusion.
"Uh, I... just happened to have a cold!" Shirou finally answered, quickly waving his hand while pretending to sneeze, "Hachoo!"
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment, then some of the residents actually chuckled in amusement.
"Hahaha, what a weird young man," commented one woman, covering her mouth in amusement.
Extremely embarrassed, Shirou hurriedly bowed, "S-sorry for the misunderstanding!" and immediately quickened his pace into the alley pointed out by the residents earlier. His face was still hot with shame.
Why do I always end up in embarrassing situations like this... he thought, lowering his head, trying to calm himself.
After the embarrassing incident in the narrow street, Shirou took a deep breath and continued walking. Finally, he arrived at the destination pointed out by the woman—a simple wooden building that looked fragile in the night, but felt warm from the dim light within its windows.
From the front of the old church, he walked towards that row of small wooden houses and found the intended door. A wooden sign reading "Daedalus Relief House" swayed slowly in the wind. Creak-creak, the old wooden facade groaned slightly as he pushed the entrance door open. Inside, the small reception space was filled with neatly arranged racks of second-hand clothes and a wooden table where a middle-aged woman with her hair in a neat bun sat—her face friendly, fine lines at the corners of her eyes showing she often dealt with donors and volunteers.
"Excuse me..." Shirou called, his voice slightly hesitant because the place was so quiet.
"Oh, good evening. How can I help you?"
Shirou stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I... would like to make a donation to this orphanage," he said with a slight bow.
"Oh, is that so! Thank you very much," the receptionist answered with a sincere tone. She immediately stood up, taking a notebook. "Please, have a seat for a moment."
They talked briefly about the orphanage and the activities they did. Shirou listened attentively, feeling warmth, hearing how they helped children and needy residents in the area.
When it was time to hand over the donation, Shirou placed the small pouch containing Valis on the table. "If possible... I'd like to remain anonymous. No need to record my name," he said humbly.
The woman nodded understandingly, then opened the pouch. Her eyes immediately widened upon seeing the amount. "Oh my...!" she reflexively covered her mouth, then looked at Shirou. "I don't mean to be rude, but... are you a high-level adventurer?"
Realizing her question might be too personal, she immediately stopped and bowed politely. "Forgive me, that's none of my business."
Shirou just gave a small smile, raising one hand to signal it was okay. "It's nothing. I just... want to help as much as I can."
The woman smiled warmly, this time with eyes that were slightly teary. "Thank you, young man. This help will mean a great deal to them."
Shirou nodded slowly, feeling his chest lighten a little after successfully handing over the money. At least... I can do something useful with these hands.
Shirou was about to take his leave after handing over the donation, but before his foot could step out, the receptionist called to him in a soft tone, "Young man, if you're not in a hurry... would you like to see the conditions of other places around here? Besides the orphanage you just visited, there are other relief houses."
Shirou fell silent for a moment. His mind initially refused—he had already been quite emotionally moved at the orphanage. But the guilt that kept gnawing at him, and his instinctive urge to help, made him nod. "If it's alright... yes, I'd like to see."
The woman smiled, taking an oil lantern from the table. "Come, I'll show you."
They went out, walking along the winding alleys of Daedalus Street. The lantern light danced on the mossy brick walls, and Shirou could feel the damp air mixed with the night breeze. Soon, they arrived at the first building—an old folks' home.
Inside, the sounds of elderly coughs and soft conversations could be heard. The elderly sat on rickety chairs, some lost in thought with vacant stares, others greeting them warmly. An old man with thin white hair approached Shirou, his eyes teary. "Son... are you my boy? Have you come home?" his hand trembled as he reached out. Shirou couldn't bear it; he grasped the hand tightly, holding back a tremor in his own chest. "I'm not your son, but... I'm here to keep you company tonight." A faint smile appeared on the old man's face, though his eyes remained blurred by dementia.
Their steps continued to the next building, a place where widows, whose husbands were mostly adventurers, gathered. The aroma of simple soup filled the air. In the corner of the room, a blind woman sat with a shabby shawl covering her body, her lips trembling as she voiced her complaints. "If only my husband were still here... I wouldn't be like this. Sometimes I fear... my child might also choose to follow his father's path into the Dungeon." Her voice broke.
The woman wasn't alone. Sitting before her was a girl in a long black hood, her figure slender, her voice gentle as she replied. "You are strong enough; you need not fear. Your child will have better choices, and I believe you will be able to guide them." That tone, full of calmness, conveyed warmth, like a small candle refusing to be extinguished in the darkness.
Shirou, who had initially just stood in the back, bowing respectfully at that moment, suddenly felt his chest pound. There was something familiar about that voice. His curiosity grew, and slowly he shifted to the side, seeking a glimpse past the dark hood covering the girl's face.
The lantern light revealed a little. Long black hair spilled out from the hood, reflecting a faint gleam. And when the girl turned slightly to soothe the blind woman, a pair of red eyes piercing through the darkness became clearly visible. A face that was usually stiff, cold, unsmiling—now looked soft, full of a tenderness Shirou had rarely seen displayed.
Shirou was rooted to the spot. His breath caught. That's... Filvis?
The shadow of the Elf he knew in the Dungeon, a figure full of inner wounds and loneliness, was now before him—completely different from the one he knew. Filvis Challia, in a simple hood, was comforting a poor widow with gentleness Shirou had never imagined from her.
His chest felt tight, his eyes widened, his thoughts raced. Why... is she here?