That actually didn't carry much weight in Heimdall's mind.
"This..."
Ryu's eyes widened and her mouth hung slightly open, unable to close for a long while.
A m...
A maid?!
Why is it this kind of request again?!
Two years ago.
It was Mama Mia who, using the pub's destruction as an excuse, imposed a staggering debt of one hundred million valis, forcing 'Black Cat'—Chloe Rollo and 'Black Fist'—Lunoire Faust to work as waitresses in the shop to repay the debt.
As a result.
The two of them still haven't finished paying off the debt even now.
"Unwilling?"
"Does Miss Elf think this request of mine goes against her principles?"
"Then what's the deal with Miss Elf being a waitress at The Hostess of Fertility?"
"Or could it be that Miss Elf is a masochist?"
"Wanting me to use threats and enticements to discipline you before you agree."
Heimdall stroked his chin, looking thoughtfully at Ryu's pointed ears, which were trembling slightly from nervousness.
Ryu's body suddenly stiffened.
"..."
Ryu opened her mouth.
Wanting to retort.
Only to find herself completely speechless.
This truly didn't cross her line—it wasn't asking her to kill or burn, nor was it asking her to betray her faith.
It didn't even require a Conversion.
It was just cleaning.
But!
What was with this feeling of shame?
"I'll do it!"
Since things had come to this.
Ryu quickly looked up, her voice carrying a sense of determination.
Hearing this.
Heimdall also sighed with a hint of disappointment.
"Fine then."
"Though I was actually looking forward to it."
"But since Miss Elf has agreed."
"Then tomorrow morning, when the sun rises."
"Don't be late."
"I'm not the type who likes waiting for others."
Having said that.
Heimdall didn't spare another glance at the elf, who had completely lost her defiance, and turned around, carrying that silver long spear as he walked toward the alley entrance.
The sound of footsteps grew distant in the alley.
Ryu remained sitting on the ground.
Looking at that back as it gradually merged into the night, her heart was filled with a mix of emotions.
Shame, relief, doubt, and a trace of an indescribable sense of defeat.
This god...
Possessing such despair-inducing martial arts, and clearly having leverage over her.
Yet he only made such a nearly childish request.
Do the powerful all like to act this way?
Not caring about anything else?
Or perhaps...
There's some deeper conspiracy behind this?
Thinking of this.
Ryu couldn't help but clench her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.
"Please... wait!"
As if having made some kind of preparation, Ryu looked up and shouted at Heimdall's back as he was about to disappear around the corner.
Heimdall paused and turned his head slightly.
"Does Miss Elf have something else?"
"No..."
"It's nothing."
In the end, Ryu still couldn't bring herself to say that name.
Syr Flover.
The clumsy girl at The Hostess of Fertility who always wore a gentle smile, and who had picked her up when she was critically injured and dying two years ago.
—The light she considered worth protecting with her life forever.
"..."
Seeing this, Heimdall didn't stay any longer, even though he knew Ryu was likely going to mention Syr.
His figure flickered and vanished directly into the shadows of the corner.
Leaving Ryu alone, kneeling in the empty alley.
The night wind blew past.
Swirling a few withered yellow leaves.
Ryu's tense shoulders finally slumped.
No matter what.
Tomorrow, she would have to find a chance to see if she could feel Syr out to see if she knew this Black-haired Deity.
...
As for...
On the other side.
Because quite a bit of time had been delayed in dealing with this matter.
When Heimdall returned to the residence.
Under a street lamp not far down the road.
Tsubaki.
And behind her.
The figures of Kirukiru Amou, Inaba Tsukiyo, and the other girls had already appeared.
"Yo!"
"Lord Haimo!"
As soon as she saw Heimdall returning to the residence, Tsubaki immediately raised a hand and waved, calling out to him.
"Did you just head out for a bit?"
Heimdall met her with a smile.
"That's right, just went out to digest dinner."
"I didn't expect you all to move so quickly."
"Hehe!"
"Of course!"
"It's just a few clothes and some odds and ends; it didn't take much effort."
"Besides..."
"I wanted to finish moving early so these Little Monsters could get some rest."
"After all the tossing and turning today, they're all exhausted."
"Miss Tsubaki is right."
Heimdall nodded slightly in agreement, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something not far behind them.
There was a large wooden barrel.
On this spacious street, a large wooden barrel looked particularly out of place.
What was even worse...
From the top of that barrel, two very conspicuous black twin-tails were actually sticking out.
And the ridiculous part was...
Hestia, inside the barrel, seemed completely unaware of how clumsy her disguise was.
It was still moving forward.
Those twin-tails were swaying along with the slight movement of the barrel.
...
Seeing this scene, even for a god...
There was a deep sense of powerlessness.
Heimdall sighed, then shouted toward the barrel.
"Come on out."
"Hestia."
"..."
At that, the barrel's movement came to a sudden halt.
"Thud!"
A soft sound.
The lid on top was instantly sent flying from the inside.
Hestia's pouting little face peeked out.
Her body was still stained with black soot from rubbing against the inside of the barrel.
At this point...
Heimdall was also helpless.
"Come inside and wash up together."
"Lady Hestia, you haven't been following us inside that barrel the whole time, have you?"
Tsubaki also had a look of helplessness.
"Hmph! So what! Now Heimdall has personally invited me!"
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