Putting other traits aside, to be honest, Anya is a very lively and cute girl. Zephyr couldn't dislike her at all.
As for the specific reason?
The moment he saw her, he had already guessed it.
Gourmet Creature.
Just two days ago, in the scene at the back kitchen of the Hostess of Fertility where she was devouring food, it had already been revealed thoroughly.
Zephyr felt a mischievous urge to tease her. He didn't expose her immediately, instead putting on a look of serious contemplation, following her lead.
"I think that makes sense too. Anya-san wouldn't be like this."
"Huh?"
Anya looked up in surprise, the cat ears on top of her head pushing up the hood.
To be honest, she knew that her behavior just now was very bad. But her curiosity was piqued upon hearing Zephyr's words, and she tentatively asked, "Then... what kind of person is the Anya you're talking about?"
She didn't realize that as soon as the words left her mouth, she had completely broken through her last layer of disguise, almost blatantly telling everyone her identity as Anya.
When hearing this sentence, Lili felt her head buzzing. She grabbed the shoulder straps of her backpack with both hands, her gaze darting back and forth between the cloaked figure and Zephyr's profile. It felt like they were having a private conversation.
Even though she went to The Hostess of Fertility relatively infrequently, based on Anya's speech habits, as well as the two times just now and now where she dug herself into a deeper hole with her quibbling, her identity was basically confirmed.
This person is definitely Anya!
However, based on her understanding of Zephyr's personality, it was absolutely impossible for him to make such a low-level mistake.
Just as she was thinking about how to warn him, Zephyr didn't give Lili the chance. He thought it over carefully and said earnestly, "In my eyes, Anya-san should be a very impressive veteran Adventurer."
Anya's eyes lit up.
Immediately after, she heard Zephyr's detailed explanation.
"Her personality is very gentle, she looks very reliable, she is diligent in her work, and her smile is very infectious."
"Putting other aspects aside, I think Anya-san is also a very cute girl."
When it came to flattery, he could spout it effortlessly.
Zephyr concluded, "So I don't think Anya-san is like that at all."
"!!!"
The continuous praise made Anya feel a bit floaty. She had never imagined that she would leave such a good impression on Zephyr. She didn't notice that her tail was wagging continuously.
Especially Diligent in her work...
She thought of her slacking habits and felt her cheeks heat up.
She hummed softly, her tone full of excitement. "Actually... I... Anya isn't as good as you say, mm... but if you want to keep talking, Anya would definitely be very happy, nya."
When Anya finished saying this, she didn't receive a response from Zephyr. The atmosphere gradually became awkward.
She waited full of expectation, but didn't hear any further praise from Zephyr.
Thinking of this, she looked up and saw the other party's teasing smile. She realized belatedly that she had been set up.
"You're bullying Anya!"
Zephyr held back his laughter and didn't answer immediately.
Lefiya couldn't help but "pfft" out a laugh from the side, quickly covering her lips with the back of her hand.
With things having developed to this point, Anya simply gave up on maintaining appearances and took off the hood on her head.
Her short brown hair hung to her shoulders, and the white lace hair clip on her head made her look even more energetic.
However, when she looked at Zephyr, her cheeks were flushed. She reached out to tuck the hair falling by her cheeks behind her ears.
She pouted, saying, "Anya just wanted to see that kind of giant frog with her own eyes, nya."
"Chloe couldn't find it even after flipping through the entire Guild encyclopedia, nya, so Anya had to come see it myself. I didn't think I would be discovered, nya."
Her attitude was surprisingly righteous. But one could tell from her words that, in her view, being discovered while stalking an Adventurer wasn't a problem at all, it was purely curiosity about a Gourmet Creature.
Zephyr, Lefiya, and Lili looked at each other. This idiot's thought process really wasn't something normal people could understand.
Understanding that this matter involved Zephyr's privacy, neither Lefiya nor Lili expressed an opinion, handing the final decision to him.
Lefiya snuck a glance at Zephyr's profile, then immediately snuck a glance at the tip of Anya's excited tail, her eyes full of curiosity.
She actually quite liked Anya. She possessed a cheerful aura that she herself couldn't have, which was very likable.
As for Lili, her eyes were scrutinizing Anya's face. Deep in her heart, she had an inexplicable sense of crisis.
Was this person purely curious, or was she an enemy trying to snatch Zephyr away from her?
"Is Anya really that curious?"
Zephyr didn't think it was a big deal. After all, what kind of bad intentions could an idiot cat have?
"Otherwise why would Anya follow you, nya?"
Being in the wrong was a given. Since she would be scolded regardless, Anya felt she should stand and take the scolding.
She had even fully prepared herself mentally to be scolded and reprimanded. After all, stalking an Adventurer was a big taboo in Orario, right?
The most critical thing was that she had been discovered by the other party.
She held her breath, but the scolding she anticipated didn't come.
She opened one eye, only to see the smile on Zephyr's face gradually soften. "If Anya wants to know, you can just tell me directly. If there are things you don't understand, you can ask me."
"Huh?"
Now, it was Anya's turn to not understand the situation. Her head couldn't process the scene before her for a short while.
She was the one who did the wrong thing, so why was Zephyr speaking in a gentle tone?
Those memories that had been sealed deep within Anya's heart were quietly surfacing.
When she was in the Freya Familia, whenever she did something slightly wrong, she would be scolded by her brother Allen. Even though she just wanted to share some things she was interested in, she would be interrupted every time she opened her mouth.
Even... during that life-and-death crisis a few years ago, her brother even severed ties with her, which was also the reason why she retired from being an Adventurer and chose to work.
Anya originally thought that she had become numb to this matter, but feeling this unprecedented gentle attitude from Zephyr, the emotions in her heart still surged.
Her ears drooped and she didn't even use the cat-person speech habit when speaking.
"Why don't you scold Anya?"
"Why should I scold you?"
"Because... Anya did the wrong thing."
"Curiosity is the nature of all humans. I just think you chose the wrong way to go about it." Zephyr didn't think it was a big deal.
He saw the slightly red-rimmed eyes of the problematic cat girl before him, and couldn't help but reach out and gently rub Anya's drooping head.
Anya didn't dodge, she even quietly leaned her head into Zephyr's palm. Feeling the warmth from his palm, she felt her eyes sore. This was the long-lost feeling of gentleness she hadn't felt since her homeland was destroyed by the Black Dragon.
Zephyr recalled that in the restaurant, Anya had once said—she was a very impressive Adventurer, and his gaze immediately turned to Lili and Lefiya.
He smiled and said, "I believe others will also welcome Anya. After all, I don't think anyone would refuse a cheerful and beautiful senpai."
The tail behind Anya gradually became lively, and her expression returned to its usual cheerful curve.
She nodded, her tone earnest. "You are really gentle, Anya really likes you."
"?"
"!"
Lili and Lefiya both turned their gazes toward Anya.
Like?
Lefiya gripped her staff with both hands, somewhat incredulous.
Why could such weighty words be said so easily?
She snuck a look at Zephyr's profile. When he heard those words, what would he think?
Lili's reaction was much calmer. Her eyes carefully examined Anya. Combined with the level of idiocy in her sophistical excuse just now, it should be the literal meaning, a liking for a friend.
But her tense mood at this moment still didn't relax. There were more and more girls around, and as the Supporter who had been by Zephyr's side from the very beginning, she vaguely felt that her position seemed to be gradually threatened.
No. She still wasn't working hard enough!