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Asfi clapped her hands lightly together and said flatly, "Well, that's all I can show you today. Consider it a bonus for your special visit."
Lefiya gave an awkward smile, her small fingers clasping each other in front of her skirt. "I... could never make magical tools as amazing as yours, Asfi. Even though I just received the Developmental Ability 'Mystery'." Her tone was full of self-deprecation, her elf ears drooping slightly.
Asfi sighed, then leaned back against the table full of equipment. "Don't sell yourself short like that. I've been immersed in this world for a long time, even before I received my Falna from Hermes. Years of tinkering, failing, trying again... until eventually it all felt natural."
"Years, huh..." Lefiya looked down, her face gloomy. "So it takes a very long time to master it. Sigh..." She complained softly, her shoulders slumping like wilted leaves.
Asfi looked at her carefully, her eyes glinting behind her glasses. "Honestly, I'm puzzled. How could an Elf mage like you obtain Mystery? It feels... unnatural. Could it possibly be related to your magic, the one that can mimic other Elves' spells?" she guessed.
Lefiya looked up quickly. "No... It's not because of that," she said hurriedly. She shook her head hard, then took a deep breath. "Actually, Loki herself told me the reason why I got the option to choose Mystery when I leveled up."
Asfi leaned her body forward, her curiosity burning even brighter. "Oh? So what's the reason?" she asked in a cool tone, but her eyes were sharp, waiting for Lefiya's answer.
Lefiya took a deep breath before explaining, "According to Loki... I was able to get Mystery because I previously helped Shirou at the forge. She said that experience opened up new possibilities in my excelia."
Asfi raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised. "Shirou? Oh, you mean that redhead. The supporter who was with your group, Bete, and Filvis when you were our reinforcements back on the 24th floor against Evilus, right?"
"Yes, that's right," Lefiya nodded quickly, a bit excited that someone remembered Shirou clearly.
Unexpectedly, Asfi crossed her arms. "Hmm... I thought he was just an ordinary adventurer. So it turns out he also has an ability in the field of forging?" Her tone was full of curiosity, but also held a hint of appraisal.
"Yes, although actually Shirou is just starting out too," answered Lefiya. She gave a small smile, then looked down, embarrassed. "And back then, I was just casually helping him. I never even imagined that my trivial help would impact my Falna status."
"I see..." Asfi tapped the table slowly, her expression serious. "In that case, may I see what you two made?" she asked with great interest.
Lefiya immediately waved both her hands in panic. "U-uhhh, it's not much! Just a beginner's bow, and a very simple one at that... and one more thing... a secret."
"A secret?" Asfi pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose slightly, her lips curling mischievously. "Lefiya, I allowed you into my private workshop, showed you all my work, and even let you touch dangerous items. But you're keeping secrets from me? That's not fair, you know..." she teased in a half-joking tone.
"Uuuu..." Lefiya's face trembled, and she nervously clutched her short skirt. "It's just that the other thing... we plan to file for its copyright with Altena first! So no one else can see it yet..." she explained haltingly, while in her heart she vividly recalled the pink bicycle she and Shirou made together—something too conspicuous to reveal to the public right now.
Asfi chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming like a cat that had just found a new toy. "I see. If you're keeping it that secret, it must be extraordinary. But, I have a condition."
"A condition?" Lefiya straightened up.
"After the copyright is settled, you have to give me one unit. Consider it a barter, since I also gave you the chance to try out several tools here."
Lefiya was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh with a resigned smile. "Alright... deal! But don't blame me if the result astonishes you later."
Asfi grinned contentedly, then sat back down casually. "Heh, I'm looking forward to it. It seems that Shirou is far more interesting than he appears on the surface. He even managed to drag an elf like you into a world outside your field."
Lefiya's face turned red again, her ears twitching. "D-don't say that!" she protested, but her heart couldn't deny that Asfi's words held some truth.
Asfi crossed her arms, looking at the still-confused Lefiya with an analytical gaze. "If that Shirou is the reason you could obtain Mystery, then understanding your ability is actually much simpler than you imagine."
Lefiya blinked in confusion. "Simpler? What do you mean?"
In a calm, certain tone, Asfi answered, "Just go back to the forge with him. Try to repeat the situation that formed your excelia back then. That's when you might find the direction for your ability's development."
"Ohh... I see!" Lefiya's eyes shone brightly, as if she had found the answer to the puzzle that had been weighing on her mind. "Thank you so much, Asfi. That's a great idea. I'll definitely drag Shirou to the forge again later. It feels like it's been forever since we last went there."
Asfi just gave a small smile, then waved her hand lightly. "Heh, go for it. I'm curious about the results."
After that, Lefiya bowed politely and stepped up the stairs towards the exit, the sound of her footsteps fading away as she left the basement.
Now the workshop was quiet again, only the hum of the still gently vibrating magic tools could be heard. Asfi looked at her worktable, her fingers touching the neatly lined-up objects. She muttered softly, "You're so lucky, Lefiya... to have someone like that as a comrade. Whereas I..." she let out a long sigh, her eyes gazing into the distance, "ah, maybe I'm just too comfortable working alone myself."
A faint smile played on her lips, vague, as if hiding a bit of loneliness that had suddenly crept in.
Lefiya climbed the stairs slowly, her heart still beating fast after seeing all the amazing magic tools in the underground workshop. As soon as she pushed the door into the living room, her gaze immediately fell upon the figure of a god dressed in elegant white-blue clothing, lounging casually on the sofa. Hermes, that cunning god, straightened up and gave a meaningfully cheerful smile, waving his hand towards her.
"Ah, Lefiya Viridis, so glad you dropped by. How was Asfi's workshop? Amazing, isn't it?" his voice was light, as if making casual conversation, but his gaze seemed sharp and full of curiosity.
Lefiya was somewhat stiff, trying to answer as innocently as possible. "Y-yes... the place is truly incredible. So many tools I've never seen before."
Beside Hermes, a tanned Amazoness woman in dancer's attire—Aisha Belka—crossed her arms over her chest while glancing suspiciously. She leaned slightly towards the god. "Boss, you look way too happy. What's got you so cheerful?"
Hermes just chuckled softly, then pulled out a small glass bottle containing a bright pink liquid. He held it up high, making the sunlight from the window reflect beautifully off its surface. "Fufufu... my special order is finally done. This liquid is far stronger than the usual version, because it was made using Minotaur blood."
Lefiya jolted. That's...!? Her eyes widened as she saw the bottle. No mistake, that's the result of the quest materials I gathered with Shirou with great effort! It's really in this god's hands now?
Aisha tilted her head, looking at Hermes with an expression of disbelief. "Don't joke, that's an aphrodisiac, right? Would a god like you really need something like that?" Her tone was full of sarcasm.
Hermes just smirked mischievously, patting the small bottle. "Actually, I don't need it... But after sleeping with Ishtar, ehm, who sucked me 'dry', I thought it wouldn't hurt to have an extra weapon. Besides, this supply should be with me rather than falling into the hands of irresponsible people."
"An extra weapon, huh?" Aisha clicked her tongue. "Too bad, Goddess Ishtar has vanished from this world. So, you don't have an outlet for that 'weapon' anymore." Her sarcasm was biting, making the room fall silent for a moment except for Hermes's unshaken soft laughter.
The god brought the bottle closer to Aisha's face, his eyes narrowing temptingly. "Hmm... how about you try it? We could test its effects together, hm?"
"Ptooey!" Aisha immediately spat in disgust, turning her face away. "No way I'd sleep with my own boss! You think I have no standards, huh?"
Lefiya, who had been standing stiffly all this time, heard all that conversation with an increasingly reddening face. Naughty images sparked by the adult talk made her ears burn. She quickly bowed down, covering her pointed ears with both hands, and let out a soft scream, "Hiiiiiieeee!!"
Without waiting any longer, she bowed quickly towards Hermes and Aisha. "E-excuse me, I have to go now!!" Her voice trembled with embarrassment before she fled the room, her footsteps hurriedly descending the stairs.
Behind her, Hermes held back his laughter while patting his knee, while Aisha shook her head, though the corners of her lips were curled in amusement. "Hahaha, look at that! Our innocent Elf girl can't even stand hearing conversations like this," said Hermes, chuckling contentedly.
"Really, you're disgusting, Boss," replied Aisha, but the slight smile on her face showed she was also entertained by Lefiya's reaction just now.
***
The next morning, the dining room of the Loki Familia was filled with the aroma of warm breakfast. At the long table, members were busy with their plates one by one, while from the kitchen, the faint cling-clang of cooking utensils could still be heard. Shirou sat relaxed with his plate, the result of the cooking he had just helped prepare with Lefiya as part of their usual morning routine.
Lefiya put a piece of warm bread into her mouth, her cheeks slightly warm as she remembered her experience from yesterday. After taking a sip of water to soothe her throat, she began telling Shirou enthusiastically.
"So... yesterday I went to the Hermes Familia headquarters. Asfi showed me her workshop. You know, she has so many strange and amazing magic tools."
Shirou listened seriously, his gaze full of attention. "Magic tools, hm? Like what, for example?"
Lefiya leaned in a little, lowering her voice as if divulging a big secret. "The coolest one was... a black helmet. When worn, the user becomes completely invisible. I even used it and... hehehe, I mischievously poked Asfi until she got annoyed."
Shirou's eyes narrowed with interest; clearly, his attention was caught by that detail. A tool that can make someone vanish just like that... if I can copy it with magecraft, it would be an incredible asset in the Dungeon.
Seeing Shirou's expression, Lefiya smiled slyly. She nudged his arm softly, whispering mischievously, "Hehe, are you thinking about copying it, huh?"
Shirou didn't try to deny it, instead replying with a confident expression that made Lefiya's face grow even hotter. "If I can, why not?" he said calmly, his tone making Lefiya's heart beat faster for no reason.
To divert the strange feeling in her chest, Lefiya quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Shirou..." She looked at him seriously, her fingers playing with the spoon on her plate. "Are you free? I mean... could I ask for your help?"
Shirou put down his chopsticks, tilting his head. "Of course, I can arrange my schedule. What is it? Do you need something?"
Lefiya took a deep breath, then bowed her head slightly before lifting her face again. "Yesterday, Asfi said... to truly understand my Mystery ability, I need to go back to the Forge with you. Just like the first time I got it."
Shirou looked at her for a few seconds, then, with a warm expression, he answered. "I see... if that can help you, I don't mind. Whenever you want, Lefiya."
Lefiya nodded slowly, bowing her head over her soup bowl while hiding the slight expression on her face. Only, the corners of her lips lifted slightly—a faint smile she wasn't even aware of herself.
A loud yet authoritative voice came from the end of the dining room, breaking the morning's warmth. Riveria stood straight at the doorway, her long gown shimmering softly in the sunlight coming through the window. With a serious look, she announced,
"After breakfast, all members of Fairy Force, please gather at the magic training building. I want to check your progress."
Her tone brooked no argument, making the atmosphere at the table tense up instantly.
Lefiya, who had been engrossed in chatting with Shirou, was startled. "Eh—ah! Yes...!" Panicked, she bowed her head over her food, then began hurriedly spooning her soup and bread. Slurp, hap, hap! The rushed sounds made a few people at the table glance over while suppressing amused smiles.
In her rush, a piece of bread she swallowed got stuck in her throat. "Guhh! Khaaa—!" Lefiya started coughing hard.
"Calm down, don't rush." Shirou, sitting next to her, immediately patted her back gently, tap tap tap, helping the piece go down. He offered a glass of water. "Drink this first."
"Ugh... ugh... th-thank you..." Lefiya accepted the water, her expression growing even more flustered, not just from choking, but also from embarrassment.
Riveria raised her thin eyebrows, then continued in a sharper voice, "Especially for our member who just leveled up." Her green gaze was directed straight at Lefiya, who instantly bowed her head even deeper, almost pressing her face into the bowl.
"Y-yes, Lady Riveria..." Lefiya uttered softly, her voice almost inaudible.
Shirou leaned back in his chair, observing Lefiya's awkward expression. In a calm tone, he said, "In that case, you'd better finish your business here first. We can discuss it more later."
Lefiya turned her head quickly, her eyes widening slightly, then nodded briefly. "Alright, Shirou."
In the distance, Riveria, who was still watching the two of them, narrowed her eyes slightly, as if reading something implied in their interaction. But without further comment, she turned and left the dining room with graceful steps, leaving behind a suddenly much tenser atmosphere.