Syr's strange proposal was unanimously rejected.
Even so, the girls' discussions showed no sign of stopping.
"Airmid-san, come over here for a moment."
Heith furtively pulled the Saint away from the crowd and lowered her voice. "You… you didn't react at all to that topic just now. That means you've already slept with Bell, right?"
"…"
As fellow top-tier healers, Airmid had assumed Heith was about to ask something serious.
She never expected the topic to go in this direction.
"Why are you asking that?"
Airmid asked cautiously.
"Because a friend of mine has been really troubled by it. I think it's become a mental burden, so I wanted to ask for her sake. Please!"
Heith grabbed Airmid's hand with familiar ease and bowed her head in a pleading gesture.
"…"
Airmid looked at the pink-haired girl in front of her and fell into thought.
She trusted Syr deeply.
Since Heith had been brought along by Syr, there was little need to worry about her having a negative influence on the boy.
Besides, Airmid was usually extremely busy and couldn't keep a constant eye on Bell's safety.
As a healer from one of the city's top familias, Heith would surely be helpful to Bell's life as an adventurer.
"What do you want to ask?"
After weighing the pros and cons, Airmid decided to answer.
"Well… um, this is kind of embarrassing, but first tell me. You and Bell really did it, didn't you?"
Heith pressed on stubbornly.
Airmid nodded, answering without trying to hide it. "We did it before, and last night as well…"
"That's great. Looks like I asked the right person."
"Hah…"
Faced with Heith's sparkling, excited eyes, Airmid was momentarily at a loss for words.
Heith's face turned bright red as she stammered, "I mean… um… what did it feel like?"
"…"
Aside from moments involving Bell, this was the first time Airmid's expression had fluctuated so noticeably.
Her doll-like, beautiful face was filled with speechlessness and confusion.
"I—I'm asking for a friend, really! Don't misunderstand!"
Noticing Airmid's thoughts, Heith hurriedly tried to explain.
Airmid nodded thoughtfully. "I know you're asking for a friend. You don't need to keep emphasizing it."
"Ugh… your expression clearly says you don't believe me."
Like someone caught doing something naughty, Heith sneaked a glance at the boy and Syr.
When she realized no one was paying attention to their whispered exchange, she gave up explaining and said instead, "Anyway, please tell me. When you're with Bell, what does it actually feel like?"
"It made me very happy. I felt incredibly blessed, completely fulfilled…"
Airmid recalled that unforgettable night and gave a broad, understated answer.
"Please be more specific. The more details, the better!"
Heith perked up her ears, as if she intended to memorize every single word.
"…"
Airmid hesitated for a moment.
Syr had once said that Heith had helped the boy a great deal.
When Heith reunited with Bell, Airmid could clearly see the deep bond between them.
It was the same look she herself had once worn, eyes filled with longing and reluctance.
Taking all of that into account, Airmid chose to grant Heith's request.
Her violet eyes brimmed with affection, as though trying to hold on to those fleeting moments of happiness that nourished both body and soul.
With a faint smile, Airmid slowly spoke of her memories. "At the beginning, I was a little shy, but even just the touch of skin felt like an electric current…"
A spring breeze passed by, and no one else heard the girls' quiet whispers.
Those embarrassingly intimate details faded away with time.
In the end, Airmid brought the conversation to a close and returned her attention to the Holy War.
Heith remained standing where she was, the blush on her face refusing to fade.
She stared at the boy, lost in her own thoughts.
...
"Now it's finally time for the most important part, the cooking and combat showdown, nya!"
To calm the chaos Syr had stirred up, Chloe shouted at the top of her lungs.
"I think this is the scariest part of the whole competition, nya…"
Anya recalled her experiences at the tavern, as if they had triggered some kind of trauma. All the energy drained from her body.
Just as she feared, the cooking process ended amid a series of rather bizarre smells.
"Alright, I'll go first."
Syr stepped forward, brimming with confidence.
"Wait, nya! I think Syr's dish should be saved for last, nya."
Cold sweat broke out on Chloe's forehead.
"Why?" Syr asked softly.
"Because that way we can enjoy the food even more, nya!"
Chloe felt that if Syr went first, the competition might end on the spot.
"So everyone's looking forward to my cooking that much… In that case, I'll listen to you."
Syr smiled lightly and stepped back to her cooking area.
After the order was rearranged, Airmid became the first to present her dish.
"This is stewed meat mixed with medicinal herbs and mashed garlic. It's very effective for relieving fatigue after battle."
"Huh nya nya? I feel like I've seen this somewhere before, nya?"
Anya stared at the appetizing stew and unconsciously licked her lips.
"Actually, Heith-san was the one who guided me with this."
Airmid admitted it openly.
The dish not only filled everyone's stomachs but also had the benefits of medicinal cuisine, earning unanimous praise from Bell and the others.
The second to step up was Laurier, who usually handled her own meals on her own.
"I'm not very skilled at cooking, so please don't expect too much."
Bell took a bite.
Just as the blonde elf had said, it was a very ordinary dish.
"Thank you. It's all things I like to eat."
Bell pointed out what made the dish special.
Although the score wasn't particularly high, receiving the boy's praise was enough to bring a satisfied smile to Laurier's face.
Artemis slowly stepped forward and spoke shyly, almost like a young girl.
"Um… the others usually don't let me cook. This is actually my first time trying…"
"It looks pretty good, at least…"
Seeing how embarrassed the goddess looked, Lefiya quickly spoke up to comfort her.
Ryuu took a small bite, then immediately frowned.
"I-Is it really that bad?" Artemis asked, holding the plate tightly.
"No… it's better than mine… um…"
Ryuu had only just recovered from the earlier turmoil when she was hit with yet another merciless blow.
After all that practice, she still couldn't compare to someone cooking for the first time…
"Artemis, I didn't expect you to do this well on your first attempt. It's really delicious."
Bell praised her with a smile.
"As long as it suits Orion's tastes, there's nothing that could make me happier."
Artemis smiled warmly and stepped back in high spirits.
Finally, Syr came forward. She moved with steady confidence and lifted the lid.
Arranged neatly on the plate were golden, round balls.
"These are… fried potato balls…?" Lefiya asked in surprise.
"Hehe, these aren't ordinary fried potato balls. Just take a bite and you'll understand."
Syr wore a mysterious smile.
Chloe stared at the spherical food and instantly realized it was a Pandora's box filled with chaos and darkness.
With tragic resolve, she cried out,
"I've already asked Airmid-san to be on standby! Healing magic can be used at any time, nya! Everyone, please eat without worry, nya!"