At a street corner, Syr absentmindedly purchased cooking ingredients. This wasn't for the tavern, but for Bell. Though Syr worried about the boy's safety, the goddess Hestia showed no signs of intervention—indicating that, at least for last night, Bell hadn't encountered any danger. Bell hadn't come to see her, most likely because the other girls had beaten her to it. Syr suppressed her envy and disappointment, waiting for Ryuu to relay any news.
Members of Apollo Familia whispered nearby.
"Loki Familia are monsters... I almost thought we were done for..."
"Maybe we should just give up... This plan feels doomed to fail..."
"Hyakinthos-sama's gem is lost. If we return without results, punishment awaits us."
"Enough complaining. The Thousand Elf is untouchable, but this is just a tavern girl. Sowing discord should be a piece of cake."
"True enough."
Before Syr could return to the tavern, the group hurried forward.
"Um... Adventurer-sama? What might you need?" Syr blinked, her voice soft.
"!" Just as the Pallum man prepared to confront her, his face drained of color in an instant.
He froze in place.
"Hey... did you feel that?"
"Mm..." The Apollo Familia trembled uncontrollably, speechless.
"Killing intent?!" A bone-chilling cold swept over them, crushing their breath. The Pallum man glanced around. The killing intent had vanished in an instant, leaving only endless terror in its wake.
"...Was it an illusion?"
"Probably just scared by those guys (Loki Familia) earlier..." Apollo Familia wiped cold sweat from their brows and exhaled deeply.
"So... you all blocking my way like this is really inconvenient..." Syr maintained a distance from the group, but their deliberately formed human wall signaled ill intent.
"Here's the thing—you and Bell Cranel are lovers, right?" The Pallum man cast aside his earlier hostility and cut to the chase.
"Did something happen to Bell last night?!"
Syr clutched her vegetable basket tightly, her voice urgent.
The Pallum man glanced at her, a sinister smile spreading across his face. She took the bait so easily. Just an ordinary tavern attendant, as expected.
"Actually, we saw him enter the Pleasure District. He probably spent the night with a prostitute."
The Pallum man couldn't wait to spill the truth. This tavern attendant cared so much about the boy—learning this would surely make her furious.
But Syr's reaction surpassed his expectations.
"Thank you for telling me this." A faint smile graced Syr's face.
"You... aren't you angry?!" The Pallum frowned. What was wrong with this person? Knowing her lover went to a brothel, and she could actually smile?
"I'm not angry. Because Bell wouldn't do anything to hurt me." Syr believed that even if the boy had truly spent the night at the brothel, he must have had his reasons.
"Tsk... We're telling you the truth!" The Pallum man insisted, convinced Syr was blinded by love. The fact that the boy had spent the night at the brothel was undeniable.
Yet Syr's smile only deepened.
"I believe what you're saying, but it still feels... odd." It was a witch's smile—a devilishly inscrutable grin.
"You don't know Bell personally, so how do you know his whereabouts?" Syr asked softly. Her words were like cloying honey, drawing one in without resistance.
"Because..."
The Pallum male spoke slowly.
"Why did Bell stay in the Pleasure District and didn't leave?"
"Because..."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"..."
Questions came one after another, but that sweet voice pierced their eardrums like demonic fangs, binding their nerves.
By the time Apollo Familia snapped out of their daze, Syr's smile had faded slightly.
"... Were you spacing out just now?"
The Pallum scratched his head. It seemed like he had forgotten something, unable to understand why he had been standing there frozen. Why had he stayed silent, not even trying to defend himself?
Ah well, regardless, their deliberate provocation hadn't been exposed. They would just wait for the outcome back at the camp.
The Apollo Familia, oblivious to the dissonance, turned to leave.
"Adventurer-sama, you told me about Bell, and I haven't given you your reward yet."
Syr called after them with a light chuckle.
"Reward? No need... You should hurry and find Little Rookie!"
The Pallum male declined, turning to leave.
The voices of the Apollo Familia grew fainter as they moved away.
"Who would have thought she'd thank us too?"
"Given how things went, they'll probably fight and split up this afternoon, right?"
"Haha, I can't wait to see Little Rookie's face when that happens."
"Exactly... Wait... What's that in your hand?"
"This is... a Magic Stone lighter?!"
"When?"
"The color looks off?!"
"Get rid of it now!"
A deafening roar erupted, followed immediately by wails of agony.
It resembled the [Great Disaster of North Avenue]—an explosion triggered by the Goddess Hestia. In this incident, only the Apollo Familia had been harmed; no innocent bystanders were affected.
Under the darkening sky, the explosion, like fireworks, drew a crowd of onlookers. Syr, watching the dazzling sparks, smiled softly. Then, she pushed through the crowd and walked away without looking back.
What should I cook for Bell tonight...
...
Lefiya gripped her wand, striding down the street with fierce determination. Tiona followed closely behind, her steps light and brisk.
"Argonaut just went out for a snack. Lefiya, your possessiveness is getting a bit much, don't you think?"
"Ugh... could you please stop?!"
Lefiya was already boiling with pent-up frustration, eager to confront the boy. Tiona kept bringing up their romantic relationship, which made Lefiya feel both embarrassed and helpless. After all, the angrier she got, the more it seemed like her affection for Bell was deepening in the eyes of others.
"Lefiya... I already said, the Apollo Familia's words are just one side of the story. They specifically sought you out—they must have ulterior motives," Riveria interjected, trying to calm her down.
"Yeah... I know... But the more I think about it, the angrier I get..." Lefiya pouted in response.
Even if the boy had his reasons, he shouldn't have spent the night in a brothel!
"If that human really did something outrageous... I'll burn him to ashes!" Lefiya clenched her wand, desperate for answers.
"..."
Ais stood frozen for a moment. If Bell and Lefiya fought... who should she support? Ais blinked, silently reaching her conclusion.
A cold wind swept by.
The ruined church appeared at the far end of the horizon.