Ryuu was practically hauled into "The Hostess of Fertility" pub by Suren.
The stares and whispers along the way had left her so embarrassed she felt ready to faint. It was only when the wooden doors swung shut behind them, sealing away the curious eyes of the outside world, that she dared to lift her head even slightly.
"Welcome! Oh my, what do we have here?"
A tall figure straightened up from behind the bar. It was a woman—or rather, based on her physical features, she was clearly a dwarf, though her height defied all racial norms, standing well over 180 centimeters. She wore a simple apron over sturdy muscles built from years of labor, and her brown hair was pulled back into a neat bun.
Most striking were her eyes: sharp as a hawk's, seemingly capable of piercing through any facade.
Mia Grand. Former Captain of the Freya Familia, Level 6, known by the alias "Demi Ymir." A legendary figure who, despite being a dwarf, possessed the stature of a giant, she had retired to run this famous Orario establishment.
Her gaze paused for a split second on the tightly joined hands of Suren and Ryuu. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her rugged face.
"Well, well. If it isn't rare guests from the Astraea Familia."
Mia's voice was deep and resonant, like the steady strike of a hammer on an anvil.
"The elven lady of Astraea and the 'Versatile' lad who's been making quite a name for himself lately. What brings the paragons of justice to my humble shop for a meal today? And hand-in-hand, no less?"
"M-Mistress Mia!"
Ryuu yanked her hand back as if it had been scorched. This time, Suren didn't resist and let her pull away. The elven girl's face was completely flushed again; she tried her best to regain her usual stoic composure, but her frantically twitching pointed ears betrayed her panic.
"W-we are here on—on patrol! Yes! And we decided to have lunch while we were at it!"
"Patrol? Holding hands on patrol?" Mia arched a thick eyebrow, her expression one of blatant disbelief. "Fine, fine. Young people will be young people. Where do you want to sit? By the window? Or a corner? I think a corner would suit you two better; wouldn't want people staring and making you even more shy."
"A corner! Please, give us a corner seat!" Ryuu answered almost instantly.
Suren suppressed a grin and gave Mia a polite nod. "Thank you, Mistress Mia. I've heard great things about your cooking."
"Hmph. The kid has a smooth tongue." Mia snorted, but the teasing in her eyes faded, replaced by a hint of scrutiny. "Go on then, Table 3. Syr! Anya! We have guests!"
"Coming, coming, nyan!"
The kitchen curtain was swept aside, and a petite figure came charging out. It was a cat-person girl, two sensitive cat ears standing tall amidst her short flaxen hair, while a tail swayed happily behind her. She wore the same black-and-white uniform as the other waitresses, though her apron was dusted with flour, suggesting she had been helping in the back.
Anya Fromel. Level 4, former member of the Freya Familia, alias "Vana Alfi." She was the younger sister of the current Freya Familia Vice-Captain, "Goddess's Chariot" Allen Fromel.
On the surface, it appeared she had been "kicked out" of the Familia due to a lack of strength. In reality, her extremely overprotective brother, desperate to keep her away from the dangers of the Dungeon, had severed ties and begged the Goddess to find an excuse to remove her from the front lines.
"Welcome to—Whoa, nyan! It's Ryuu-nyan!" Anya's cat-like eyes lit up, and her tail wagged even faster. She leaned in toward Suren, her ears twitching as she looked him up and down with curiosity.
"Hello, nyan! Eh? Wait! I know you! You're Versatile Suren-kun, right, nyan? The one who reached Level 2 in three months, nyan!"
"You don't look as scary as the rumors say, nyan. You're actually quite handsome. Are you and Ryuu-nyan having a date, nyan? Just the two of you? Ehehe, nyan~"
The implication in her laugh was far too obvious. Ryuu's ears began to redden all over again.
Just then, another voice drifted down from the stairs. "Anya, don't stare at the guests like that. It's impolite."
A gray-haired girl carrying a tray walked down the steps. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, her medium-length gray hair tied loosely at the back, with a few soft strands framing her face. Her features weren't breathtakingly beautiful, but she possessed a clean, warm charm. Her gray eyes were like morning mist, carrying a faint, gentle smile.
This was Syr Flover—at least on the surface.
In Suren's mind, however, alarm bells were screaming. He knew the true identity of this "gray-haired waitress" all too well. This was Freya, the Goddess of Beauty. Through the use of transformation magic, she had swapped bodies with her follower, Helun, and could perfectly control this avatar to a degree that even other gods could not see through.
This goddess possessed the ability to see the very essence of a person's soul. The more brilliant, pure, and noble a soul was, the more it ignited her possessiveness.
And right now, Freya's gaze was fixed squarely on Suren.
Her footsteps faltered ever so slightly.
In Freya's vision, the physical world fell away, leaving only the radiance of souls. She had seen countless souls: the pure white, the golden brilliance of heroes, the silver of the brave, the deep blue of the wise, the murky filth of villains... she collected these shining souls like precious gems. Her Familia was filled with Orario's elite adventurers, each possessing a soul-light that was dazzling to behold.
The Goddess of Beauty loved pure souls—at least, that was what she thought until she saw Suren.
But this boy's soul...
It wasn't gold, it wasn't silver, and it wasn't the pure white she expected. It wasn't any color she recognized.
It was a vast expanse of "Infinity."
It wasn't the magnificent nobility of an epic hero, nor the deep, pure rationality of a sage, nor was it the untainted soul of someone like Bell Cranel. It was something more fundamental, more primal.
Across the surface of Suren's soul, countless veins of laws and logic intertwined like an open grimoire. Every page recorded a different truth; every line was in a state of fluid, constant change. It wasn't a static "essence," but the embodiment of "Infinite Possibility" itself.
The Infinite Law of Logic.
Freya had seen the souls of visitors from other worlds before—those who occasionally fell into the Lower World. Their souls usually carried a "foreignness" that was at odds with this realm. But this...
"Foreign" wasn't enough to describe it. It was a form of soul she had never seen, one she couldn't even begin to comprehend.
She had heard the stories: Level 2 in three months, hunting Enhanced Species, sparring with Ais Wallenstein... she had originally thought he was just a gifted mortal, perhaps with a soul that had a bit of extra luster worth observing.
But now, in the depths of those gray eyes, the consciousness of the Goddess of Beauty began to seethe. It wasn't mere "interest"; it was an almost instinctive craving.
She wanted to read every page of that book. She wanted to understand every shifting law. She wanted... to see everything this unprecedented soul had to offer.
"Syr-nyan?" Anya called out, sounding confused.
Freya instantly suppressed all her outward emotions. Syr's face returned to a gentle waitress's smile, though deep within that smile was a heat that was difficult to detect.
"Sorry, I spaced out for a moment." She walked to the table and skillfully laid out the cutlery. "Welcome to The Hostess of Fertility. You... must be Suren-kun, right? I've been hearing your name quite a bit lately."
Her voice was soft and gentle. Her gaze flickered between the two, her smile turning slightly mischievous. "Are you two together? You walked in holding hands, didn't you? Mama Mia saw it just now."
Ryuu's face turned red yet again. "That was... an accident! We're just..."
"Just important partners, right?" Suren interjected, offering Syr a polite but distant smile. "Miss Ryuu is a very important senior and comrade to me. We were passing by on patrol and heard the food here was excellent, so we came in for a taste."
He deliberately emphasized "partners" and "senior," drawing a clear line while remaining inwardly vigilant. Freya's gaze felt strange to him; it wasn't love, but it also wasn't the look of a predator watching its prey.
"I see~" Syr drew out her words, clearly not buying his explanation, but she didn't press the issue. "So, what would you two like today? Mama Mia's stew is the specialty, and the fresh fish is excellent. Or perhaps some vegetable soup for the elven lady?"
"I'll have the stew and bread," Suren said decisively. Right now, he just wanted to eat and leave as quickly as possible.
"I-I'll have the same," Ryuu whispered, still reeling from the repeated teasing.
"Understood. Two stew sets coming right up." Syr noted the order but didn't leave immediately. Her gaze settled on Suren again, her gray eyes curving into crescents. "Speaking of which, Suren-kun... you seem very interesting."
Suren's heart skipped a beat. "Interesting?" he feigned confusion. "In what way?"
"Oh, it's nothing." Freya brushed it off lightly, though the scrutiny in her eyes didn't diminish. "I just feel... Suren-kun is a bit different from most people. I suppose those rumors aren't just rumors, are they? Level 2 in three months and all that."
"Just good luck," Suren responded, keeping his guard up.
"Is that so?" Syr smiled and finally turned toward the kitchen. "Then please wait a moment. Your food will be ready soon."
Watching her walk away, Suren let out a silent sigh of relief, but his internal guard was higher than ever. Freya had noticed him, and her interest was significant. This was not a good sign.
"Suren..." Ryuu whispered suddenly. "Were you nervous just now?"
An elf's intuition was incredibly sharp. Suren turned to her and saw Ryuu looking at him earnestly, concern in her jade eyes.
"That waitress, Miss Syr... she's a bit strange," Ryuu lowered her voice. "For a brief moment just now, I felt like... like something was watching me."
Suren thought for a moment and decided to give Ryuu a warning.
"Miss Ryuu, this shop isn't as simple as it looks," he whispered back. "Mistress Mia is the former Captain of the Freya Familia, a Level 6. Miss Anya is also a former Freya member, Level 4. As for Miss Syr..."
He paused. "She's the one who feels the most dangerous to me. Even though she looks like an ordinary waitress, we'd best be careful."
Ryuu's expression grew serious. She nodded, not asking how Suren knew all this. After three months together, she had come to accept that Suren occasionally knew things he "shouldn't" know.
"I will be careful," she said.
The heavy atmosphere was soon broken by the aroma of food.
"Here we go, nyan! Two stew sets!" Anya carried a massive wooden tray, navigating skillfully between the tables to place two steaming ceramic pots and freshly baked bread before them. "Mama Mia's special stew, simmered for six hours, nyan! The bread was baked just this morning; it's the best for dipping in the sauce, nyan!"
The rich scent of meat wafted up. Large chunks of meat had been stewed until tender in a deep brown broth, accompanied by carrots, potatoes, and onions. It was a sight that made the mouth water. Suren and Ryuu were indeed hungry; they had been on patrol since morning and had endured quite a "struggle," leaving their stomachs empty.
The two stopped talking and began their meal. The meat melted in their mouths, perfectly seasoned, and the bread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Even Ryuu, who usually ate with restraint, couldn't help but take extra bites.
"How is it? Good, right?" Syr had reappeared, pitcher in hand, to refill their water. "Mama Mia's cooking is the best in Orario. Even the captains of the major Familias come here often."
"It's delicious," Suren praised sincerely. Setting aside his wariness of Freya, the food was truly beyond reproach.
"I'm glad~" Syr smiled, her gaze drifting between them. "Seeing you two enjoy it so much, you really do have a good relationship. Ryuu-san is usually quite a picky eater; seeing her so happy, Suren-kun, should you consider bringing her here more often?"
"Miss Syr!" Ryuu nearly choked on her bread. She quickly drank some water, her ears turning red again.
Suren smiled helplessly. "That depends on Miss Ryuu. But the food here really is amazing; we'll definitely be back if we have the chance."
"You're welcome anytime," Syr's smile deepened. "Especially... 'special' guests like Suren-kun."
She placed a distinct emphasis on the word "special," and before Suren could respond, she turned away to greet other guests who had just walked in.
Suren watched her go, his nerves drawn tighter. Being targeted by Freya... was far more troublesome than the Dark Faction.
He looked at the elf beside him who was still "battling" her food, and made a silent vow. No matter what, he had to protect this shy, klutzy elf—and everyone else in the Familia.
As for Freya's interest... he would deal with that himself.
────────────────────────────────────────
Grand Opening Celebration
Sign up now and get 50% off – from today until the end of the month!
My : https://p*tre*n.com/Noctra418
Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (90 Chapters – Ongoing)
────────────────────────────────────────