In the end.
Perhaps because the first victory was too exhilarating, or perhaps because the fruit wine at Mia's place was simply too easy to get to one's head, this celebration banquet lasted longer than anticipated.
Finally.
When the black bear capable of eating the most in the entire venue—Kyoubou—had to hold its round belly, lying on the ground with limbs sprawled, letting out a satisfied belch...
Only then did this gathering reach its time to disperse.
"Alright."
Haimer put down the empty wine glass in his hand—who knew how many that made—and glanced at the group swaying unsteadily.
"It is getting late."
"Tomorrow has tomorrow's arrangements."
"Let's end it here for tonight."
Having said that.
Haimer stood up.
Almost at the same time.
Seeing this, Shakti at the side also immediately stood up, her movements crisp as she fished out a money pouch from her waist and walked toward the counter to settle the bill.
That series of flowing, natural movements.
It made Tsubaki, who was full of food and drink, stare blankly, shaking her head involuntarily, her single eye filled with amusement.
"Heh heh."
"I'll have to find a reason to make the people from the Guild treat me next time too."
Tsubaki let out a long sigh of relief in her drunken state.
...
"Thank you for your patronage—!"
As everyone stood up and walked toward the entrance.
The two figures who had been playing dead in the corner all along finally came back to life.
In the shadows behind the counter.
Two pairs of eyes stared dead fixedly at that back figure wearing standard light armor, watching until that oak door was pushed open and that suffocating figure completely disappeared into the night.
"Phew—"
A synchronized sound of exhaling.
"Finally gone, meow..."
Chloe looked as if her bones had been removed, lying limply on the edge of the counter. The pair of cat ears that had been pressed tightly against her scalp finally stood up tremblingly.
"Scared this cat to death, meow..."
"As long as that woman is here, even breathing feels difficult, meow..."
"Who says it isn't..."
Lunor also wore an expression of surviving a disaster, reaching out to wipe the fine cold sweat from her forehead.
"As long as that woman is still wearing those gauntlets, I feel a chill on the back of my neck."
"I always feel like in the next second, I'll be pinned to the ground by her, my face rubbing against the floor."
The two looked at each other, seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes.
——Thank goodness, we survived.
This was probably the most difficult night they had experienced since retiring from the world and hiding under Mama Mia's wings to eat this peaceful meal.
However.
Behind the counter.
After Mia finished watching them leave, she couldn't help but stroke her chin thoughtfully.
"A bit interesting..."
"This God, his spending is quite lavish."
"To actually be able to make that person from the Ganesha Familia serve him so attentively."
At this time.
The other waitresses who had finished their work on hand also gathered around the counter.
"Yeah, Mama Mia."
Anya tucked the tray under her armpit and asked with a face full of gossip:
"Do you think what that person named Tsubaki said just now is true, meow?"
"That group of rookies."
"Really killed their way to the 12th Floor on the first day, meow?"
"That's too ridiculous!"
"When I was Lv.1 back then, I wandered around the first 5 floors for half a month, meow!"
"Exactly."
Lunor also had a face full of disbelief, clicking her tongue.
"And look at that red-eyed little girl holding the tachi."
"Although her eyes can't see."
"But when that sword was placed on the table just now, I took a secret peek."
"That kind of sharpness..."
Lunor gestured with her hands.
"Absolutely a first-class weapon!"
"How do they look like rookies?"
"They are simply a group of elites armed to the teeth."
"Sigh..."
Chloe sighed, lying on the counter, her two black cat ears drooping listlessly.
"Comparing people to people drives a cat to death, meow."
"If we had this kind of treatment back then, we wouldn't have ended up doing those shady dirty jobs, meow..."
"But speaking of which."
Anya seemed to suddenly discover something, looking left and right.
"Where did that guy Ryuu run off to, meow?"
"She said she was going to dump the trash just now."
"It's been ages, why hasn't she come back yet?"
As soon as these words came out.
The few people who were originally gossiping also froze.
Indeed.
Although Ryuu didn't talk much usually, she was the most reliable in doing things.
It was just dumping trash.
Why would she be gone for so long?
"..."
Hearing this, Mia's hand wiping the wine glass paused slightly.
She raised her head, her gaze looking somewhat deeply toward the door leading to the back alley.
"Probably tired."
After a moment of silence, Mia spoke faintly.
"After all, Syr isn't here today."
"She has quite a lot of work too."
"Let her be."
"She should be busy with other things."
Having said that.
Mia lowered her head again, wiping the wine glass in her hand.
At the same time.
In the tavern hall.
With the departure of that group, the discussions that were originally suppressed finally boiled over as if a pot had exploded.
Voices of discussion rose one after another.
Envious, jealous, skeptical, amazed.
But no matter what.
After tonight.
This matter was destined to fly through every street and alley of Orario as if it had grown wings.
...
As for...
On the streets shrouded in night.
The slightly cool night breeze blew away the scent of alcohol on everyone.
Tsubaki, walking beside the team, stopped in her tracks, pointing to the rear with some confusion.
"Haimer-sama."
"If my sense of direction hasn't been pickled by those few glasses of wine just now."
"Hephaestus-sama's Familia base should be back that way, right?"
"Although I don't mind taking everyone to see the night view, with all these big and small bags, and two bears..."
"If we go further forward, it'll be the high-class residential area of the Northwest Main Street."
Tsubaki looked at the direction the team was marching, her face full of confusion.
After all.
Since they were already temporarily staying at the Hephaestus Familia, shouldn't they go back to wash up and sleep at this time?
However.
"Hmph hmph!"
Hestia, who had been holding it in all along, finally couldn't help jumping out at this moment.
One could see...
She placed her hands on her hips, puffed out that chest of astonishing scale, and put on a mysterious face.
"This is where you don't understand, Tsubaki!"
"It's right to follow Haimer!"
"This fellow Haimer has prepared a big surprise for these children of his!"
"Big surprise?"
Tsubaki and the girls at the side looked at each other in dismay.
Before they could realize what this big surprise was.
...
Twenty minutes later.
When they arrived at the prime location at the junction of the North Main Street and the West Main Street.
——Quiet amidst the noise.
Haimer stopped in front of this huge black carved iron gate.
"We've arrived."
Haimer spoke softly.
"This..."
Tsubaki looked at this stone house that was obviously invaluable, then looked at Haimer, her eyes gradually widening.
The huge black iron art gate radiated a premium texture under the moonlight; the towering stone walls completely concealed the scenery inside, only revealing a corner of the three-story stone masonry building and a few tender branches extending out over the wall.
____
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