"Such a nice place... even if you bundled me up and sold me, I definitely couldn't afford to live here!"
"Haimer!"
Having said that.
Hestia immediately hugged the throw pillow on the sofa, raised her head, and looked over.
"Anyway, you said the old house was left for me to live in."
"Since that's the case, why not do it in one step? Just let me live here directly!"
"I eat very little! And I don't take up space!"
"Even letting me sleep right here is fine!"
"Look, this sofa is big and soft! It's spacious too! It's more than enough for me to sleep on!"
Looking at this close friend of his who had absolutely no image of a deity whatsoever.
Haimer couldn't help but rub the space between his eyebrows.
Tsubaki, watching from the side, also covered her face directly. She really couldn't bear to watch, and couldn't help but retort:
"Hestia-sama..."
"Although I know you really want to improve your life."
"But at least have a little reserve, will you?"
"If you just shamelessly squat in the new base of Lord Haimer's Familia like this... if word gets out, you'll be laughed at by the other gods!"
"Let them laugh then!"
Hestia buried her face back into the pillow, her voice coming out muffled, carrying a tone of reckless abandon.
"..."
At this point.
Everyone was completely helpless.
At the same time.
Shakti walked up.
She glanced at Hestia, who was still rolling around on the sofa, a trace of astonishment flashing through her eyes. Then, she turned her head and bowed slightly to Haimer.
"Lord Haimer."
"Since you have now moved into your new residence."
"And the hour is late."
"I should return to report on my mission."
"Regarding the events that occurred today..."
Shakti paused, her tone becoming solemn.
"I will report truthfully to Lord Ganesha."
"Regarding a better method of compensation, please rest assured. I will discuss it with Lord Ganesha and give you a reply as soon as possible."
"No need to rush, Captain Shakti."
"Everything you have done today has already made me very happy."
"Send my regards to Ganesha for me."
"Also, thank you for the hospitality."
"Yes."
Shakti bowed again, then turned around. That standard light armor reflected a cold, hard luster under the lights as she quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
With Shakti's departure.
The atmosphere, which had been somewhat constrained, seemed to relax quite a bit.
"Alright."
Haimer clapped his hands, pulling everyone's attention back.
"Although we have the house, and we have the bath."
"However..."
Haimer pointed to the clothes on the girls' bodies—clothes that, while not yet destroyed, were dirty beyond recognition.
"You probably don't have a change of clothes yet, right?"
"It seems your luggage is still left at the Hephaestus Familia workshop and hasn't been brought over."
"Ah..."
Hearing this, the girls looked down at themselves, their faces also showing difficulty.
Indeed.
Without a change of clothes, even if they washed themselves clean, would they have to put this dirty armor back on?
Wouldn't that make the wash in vain?
"Then shall we go back and get them now?"
Onigawara Rin looked out the window with some hesitation.
"Since we already have a home, it wouldn't be good to trouble the people from the Hephaestus Familia to deliver them."
"That is true."
Haimer nodded.
"Since that's the case."
Haimer stroked his chin.
"If we go back to get them now..."
"I'll go!"
Before Haimer could finish speaking.
Tsubaki slapped her chest so hard it made a thundering sound.
"I have to go back and report the situation to Hephaestus-sama anyway."
"It's right on the way."
"I'll take these girls back to get their things, and then come over together."
"But, well..."
"Lord Haimer."
"You see, I've run so many errands today."
Speaking of this.
Tsubaki suddenly chuckled, winking that single eye at Haimer, revealing a generous, mischievous grin.
Originally a straightforward and refreshing big sister type, at this moment she was being a bit vague and coy.
Looking at this 『Cyclops』 suddenly acting like this.
Haimer couldn't help but laugh as well.
"Miss Tsubaki."
"The gates here are always open for you."
"Whether you want to come for a soak in the bath, or to mooch a meal, or simply want to find a place to cleanse your mind."
"As long as Miss Tsubaki wants to come."
"I welcome you here anytime."
Haimer's tone was relaxed.
"Really?!"
"I never go back on my word!"
Receiving an affirmative answer.
Tsubaki's eye lit up, and she almost gave Haimer a bear hug right then and there.
"Deal!"
"Since Lord Haimer has said so, then I, Tsubaki, can't take advantage for free!"
Tsubaki patted her chest vigorously.
"From now on!"
"As long as it's for your Familia, Lord Haimer—whether it's weapon maintenance, repairs, or even wanting to upgrade to the next generation in the future!"
"Leave it all to me!"
"As long as I, Tsubaki, still have a breath in my body, I guarantee that the tools in their hands will always be the sharpest and the handiest!"
This was a personal promise from the number one master smith in Orario.
If this were spoken outside, just this one sentence would be enough to make countless adventurers fight to the death for it.
"Then, thank you very much."
Haimer accepted with a smile.
"You got it!"
Receiving a satisfactory answer, Tsubaki was also full of motivation.
She turned around, looking at Hestia, who was still stuck to the sofa like an octopus, burying her face in the pillow and playing dead.
"Let's go, let's go! Hestia-sama!"
"Don't loiter at Lord Haimer's place anymore!"
"I need to take them back to the workshop to get their luggage!"
"Nooo—!"
Hestia let out a tragic wail, her hands clawing tightly into the crevices of the sofa.
"I won't leave!"
"Let go! Let go quickly!"
"Great disrespect! This is great disrespect!"
Before Hestia could finish her crooked logic.
Tsubaki stepped forward directly, and like picking up a disobedient kitten, she grabbed the back collar of her white divine vestments.
Then.
With a slight exertion of force.
"Eh eh eh?!!"
Hestia was hoisted into the air, her limbs kicking helplessly.
"Let me go!"
"Tsubaki, you treasonous fellow!"
"I am a God! I am a noble Goddess, ahhh!"
"Yes, yes, yes, the noble Hestia-sama."
Tsubaki completely ignored the struggle in her hand. While carrying her out, she waved to the girls who were still stunned in place.
"What are you still staring for?"
"Let's go!"
"Go early, return early!"
"Ah... Yes!"
The girls finally snapped out of it and hurriedly followed.
Before going out the door.
Hestia still clung to the doorframe, refusing to give up, her blue eyes looking pitifully at Haimer.
"Haimer—!"
"You must wait for me!"
"I will definitely be back—!!"
That posture of life and death separation.
Those who didn't know better would think she was being abducted.
"..."
Haimer didn't speak, simply smiling and waving his hand.
"Well then, Lord Haimer, we'll be going now."
"See you later."
Tsubaki waved her hand.
The girls also waved goodbye at the door.
The Black Bear Kyoubou and its cub also naively waved their bear paws.
"Mm, go on."
Haimer stood on the steps, watching the group leave.
The noise gradually faded away.
Until the last figure disappeared around the corner of the street.
The smile on Haimer's face.
Also at this moment, like receding tide water, slowly retracted.
"..."
Haimer stood on the steps, tilting his head slightly, and gently tapped the long spear in his hand on the ground.
"Clack."
The butt of the spear struck the stone slab, emitting a soft sound.
He cast his gaze over the towering perimeter wall, piercing accurately through the layers of night, landing on a pitch-black, deep alley across the street.
There.
Was a dead angle that even the streetlamps couldn't illuminate.
At this moment.
In Haimer's eyes.
There.
Was a gaze.
From the moment they left the [Hostess of Fertility] pub, it had been stuck to him.
Even just now, when the others were present, this gaze had lingered, hovering faintly.
It did not carry obvious killing intent.
But that tense, scrutinizing, and even slightly wary implication.
It was too obvious.
"You've followed all the way."
"Aren't you tired?"
As Haimer's voice fell.
In that deathly silent shadow.
Finally, there was a ripple.
A black shadow quickly retreated from the darkness, using the wall for cover, and sped away in the opposite direction.
____
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