"This place is so good that even if someone packed me up and sold me, I still wouldn't be able to afford to live here!"
"Haimer!"
The moment she said that, Hestia immediately hugged the pillow on the sofa and looked up at him.
"You already said the old house would be left for me to live in."
"So if that's the case, why not just go all the way and let me live here instead!"
"I eat very little! And I hardly take up any space!"
"I'd even be fine sleeping right here!"
"Look at this sofa! It's huge, soft, and spacious! There's more than enough room for just me!"
Looking at his friend, who had absolutely no dignity as a goddess, Haimer rubbed his brow.
Tsubaki, who had been watching from the side, covered her face and couldn't help complaining.
"Lady Hestia…"
"I know you really want to improve your living conditions."
"But at least show a little restraint, will you?"
"If you just directly move into Lord Haimer's new Familia residence like this, other gods will laugh at you if word gets out!"
"Let them laugh!"
Hestia buried her face back into the pillow, her muffled voice carrying the determination of someone who had already smashed the pot and given up on caring.
…
At that point, everyone was truly out of things to say.
Then Shakti stepped forward.
She glanced at Hestia, who was still rolling around on the sofa, surprise flashing briefly through her eyes. After that, she turned to Haimer and gave a slight bow.
"Lord Haimer."
"Now that you have moved into your new residence, 3and it is already late…"
"I should return and report."
"As for what happened today…"
She paused, and her tone turned solemn.
"I will report everything truthfully to Lord Ganesha."
"As for a better method of compensation, please rest assured. I will discuss it with Lord Ganesha and give you an answer as soon as possible."
"There's no need to rush, Captain Shakti."
"What you've done today has already made me very pleased."
"Please give Ganesha my regards."
"And thank you for the hospitality."
"Yes."
Shakti bowed once more. Then she turned and left, the standard light armor she wore reflecting a cold gleam under the lights as she quickly disappeared into the far end of the corridor.
With Shakti gone, the atmosphere, which had still been a little restrained, seemed to relax quite a bit.
"All right."
Haimer clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.
"We have the house now, and we have the bath."
"But…"
He pointed toward the girls' outfits, which, though not yet ruined, were filthy beyond saving.
"You probably don't have any clean clothes to change into, right?"
"It looks like your luggage is still back at the Hephaestus Familia workshop."
"Ah…"
Hearing that, the girls all lowered their heads to look at themselves, their expressions turning troubled.
That was true.
Even if they washed themselves clean, without a change of clothes, were they supposed to put those dirty suits of armor back on?
Wouldn't that make the bath pointless?
"Then should we go back and get them now?"
Rin glanced outside somewhat hesitantly.
"Now that we already have a home, it doesn't feel right to trouble the Hephaestus Familia by asking them to send everything over."
"Exactly."
Haimer nodded.
"In that case…"
He rubbed his chin.
"If we go back now…"
"I'll go!"
Before Haimer could finish, Tsubaki slammed a hand against her chest with a thunderous thump.
"I need to head back and report the situation to Lady Hephaestus anyway."
"It's on the way."
"I'll take the girls back, have them gather their things, then bring them here together."
"But…"
At that point, Tsubaki suddenly broke into a grin, winking her single eye at Haimer with an open, roguish smile.
"Lord Haimer…"
"After all the running around I've done for you today…"
Usually she was the sort of straightforward, easygoing big sister who said things plainly, but now her tone was slightly roundabout instead.
Seeing the famed One-Eyed Master Smith acting like this for once, Haimer couldn't help laughing.
"Miss Tsubaki."
"The doors of this place will always be open to you."
"Whether you want to come take a bath, come mooch a meal, or simply find a quiet place to rest your mind…"
"If you want to come, then you'll always be welcome here."
His tone was light and relaxed.
"Really?!"
"You're not going to go back on your word?!"
Getting a clear answer, Tsubaki's eye lit up so brightly she nearly threw herself at him in a hug.
"All right!"
"Since Lord Haimer has said that much, then I, Tsubaki, can't just take advantage for free!"
She thumped her chest hard.
"From now on!"
"As long as it's your Familia, Lord Haimer, whether it's weapon maintenance, repairs, or even upgrades and replacements in the future, leave it all to me!"
"As long as I still have breath in me, I guarantee the things in their hands will always be the sharpest and most comfortable ones possible!"
This was a promise made personally by one of Orario's greatest master smiths.
If those words were spoken outside, they would be enough to make countless adventurers fight each other bloody.
"Then I'll gladly accept."
Haimer smiled and took her up on it.
"Good!"
Now that she had gotten the answer she wanted, Tsubaki's enthusiasm only grew stronger.
She turned and looked at Hestia, who was still clinging to the sofa like an octopus, face buried in the pillow while pretending to be dead.
"Come on, come on! Lady Hestia!"
"Stop clinging to Lord Haimer's place already!"
"I'm taking these girls back to the workshop to fetch their luggage!"
"No!"
Hestia let out a scream worthy of a tragic opera and dug both hands desperately into the seams of the sofa.
"I'm not going!"
"Let go! Let go of me!"
"This is disrespect! Utter disrespect!"
Before Hestia could finish that crooked lecture of hers, Tsubaki stepped forward, grabbed the back collar of that white goddess dress like she was lifting up a disobedient kitten, and gave a slight tug.
"Eh? Eh? Eh?!!"
Hestia's whole body rose into the air, and all four limbs started flailing uselessly.
"Put me down!"
"Tsubaki, you insolent rebel!"
"I'm a god! A noble goddess, you hear me?!"
"Yes, yes, Lady Hestia the Noble."
Tsubaki completely ignored the wriggling thing in her hand and waved at the still-stunned girls as she carried Hestia toward the door.
"What are you all standing around for?"
"Move!"
"The sooner we go, the sooner we get back!"
"Ah… right!"
The girls finally came back to themselves and hurried after her.
Before leaving, Hestia still refused to give up. She grabbed the doorframe and turned her pitiful blue eyes toward Haimer.
"Haimerrr!"
"You have to wait for me!"
"I'll definitely come back!!"
The way she wailed made it sound like she was being sold off somewhere.
Haimer said nothing.
He only smiled and waved a hand.
…
"Then we'll be off for now, Lord Haimer."
"See you in a bit."
Tsubaki waved casually.
The girls also stood by the door and waved goodbye.
Kyoubou and its cub lifted their bear paws too and waved clumsily.
"Mm. Go on."
Standing on the steps, Haimer watched the group leave.
The noise of their voices gradually faded away.
Until the last figure disappeared around the corner of the street.
…
Only then did the smile on Haimer's face slowly recede, like a retreating tide.
He stood there on the steps, turned his head slightly, and lightly tapped the butt of the spear in his hand against the ground.
Tak
The tail of the spear struck the stone with a soft sound.
His gaze passed over the high wall, cut through the layers of night with perfect precision, and landed on a deep, pitch-black alley across the street.
That place was a blind spot untouched by even the streetlamps.
And in Haimer's eyes, there was a gaze there.
Ever since they had left The Hostess of Fertility, it had been clinging to him.
Even while the others were still around just now, that gaze had continued to hover nearby, never fully disappearing.
It carried no obvious killing intent.
But the tension in it, the scrutiny, and even the trace of vigilance, those were impossible to miss.
"You've been following me this whole way."
"Aren't you tired?"
The moment Haimer's words fell, the lifeless shadow stirred at last.
A dark figure withdrew at high speed, using the wall as cover and darting rapidly in the opposite direction.
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