Her voice rose with agitation, drawing curious looks from a few staff members and adventurers scattered across the lobby.
Lynn just watched her.
The half-elf's cheeks were flushed with emotion, and her beautiful eyes held a look of genuine, heartfelt concern. It was similar to the gaze of a Finger Maiden in the Lands Between—that mix of sorrow and prayer before a Tarnished set out on a journey destined for death.
But it was also different. This was more vibrant, more... noisy.
Instead of feeling annoyed, Lynn found it somewhat novel. In the Lands Between, aside from Melina, no one truly cared whether a Tarnished lived or died. Death was the status quo; words were a luxury.
"The rookie phase is always the most impulsive! Everyone thinks they're special, and they're usually the first ones to get weeded out! You were lucky this time, but what about next time? Or the time after that? You can't keep betting your life on something as fickle as luck..."
Eina had entered full lecture mode. She went on and on, covering everything from tactical planning to gear maintenance, and from mental fortitude to logistics. She was like a worried mother hen.
Lynn listened quietly, never interrupting. He realized that the feeling of being nagged to his face wasn't actually half bad.
"...Therefore, I absolutely forbid you from attempting such a dangerous stunt again! Do you understand?" Eina finally finished, hands on her hips and slightly out of breath.
Looking at her earnest expression, Lynn nodded. "Understood."
Seeing his cooperative attitude, most of Eina's anger dissipated. She cleared her throat, sat back down, and began processing the magic stone exchange while muttering under her breath, "Honestly, you're more trouble than you're worth..."
Soon, a heavy pouch of coins was pushed toward Lynn.
"After the transaction fee, it's a total of 3,600 Valis. Mr. Lynn, this is enough for you to upgrade to a decent set of equipment. Please, make sure you—"
"Buy a better set of armor. I know." Lynn cut her off before she could start a second round of lecturing, nimbly swiping the pouch and turning to leave.
"Hey, wait..." Eina started to say something, but Lynn just gave a wave and vanished through the Guild's main entrance.
Watching his retreating back, Eina sighed deeply and massaged her temples.
The cool night air hit Lynn's face as he stepped outside, making him feel refreshed. He weighed the coin pouch in his hand; the crisp clinking of metal put him in a good mood.
Then, Lynn's footsteps came to a halt in the middle of the crowded street.
He looked around: the brightly lit taverns, the closed shops, and the adventurers walking home in groups with their arms around each other's shoulders. A very practical problem hit him like a ton of bricks.
Where am I sleeping tonight?
He didn't belong to a Familia yet. In the Lands Between, he could just find a Site of Grace, sit down, and rest. But here in Orario, he hadn't seen anything resembling Grace. He couldn't exactly sit on the Guild's front steps all night, could he?
Wait. If there are no Sites of Grace... does that mean if I die here, I actually stay dead?
Lynn fell into a pensive silence. After about ten seconds of hesitation, he made a decision very much in line with his straightforward style.
He turned around and walked back.
When Lynn's figure reappeared in the Guild lobby, most of the windows were already shuttered. Only Eina was left, tidying up the last of her paperwork and preparing to head home.
Seeing Lynn return, Eina blinked in surprise and stood up nervously. "Mr. Lynn? Are you injured? Is something wrong with your gear?"
"None of the above." Lynn walked up to the counter, his expression as calm as ever, but his words left Eina stunned. "I have nowhere to stay."
"...Huh?"
"Any recommended inns? Cheap, clean, and safe will do," Lynn said, explaining his purpose with characteristic brevity.
Eina looked at him, then at the bulging coin pouch at his waist. For a moment, she didn't know how to react. A powerhouse who could solo a Minotaur, a rookie carrying a small fortune, and he hadn't even arranged a place to sleep? What rock did this guy crawl out from?
What about his Familia?
She quickly ran through a mental list of reputable inns in the city. She was about to recommend a few when the words caught in her throat. She looked at Lynn's stoic face and remembered how this boy—who was half a head shorter than her—seemed to know absolutely nothing about the basic rules of Orario. An intrusive thought popped into her head.
Is it really safe to let him stay at an inn alone?
Eina's brow furrowed unconsciously, her fingers tapping the desk. She was having an intense internal struggle. As a Guild employee, she should maintain distance and provide official advice. But as his advisor, she felt she couldn't just leave him to his own devices.
Lynn didn't rush her; he just waited patiently. Finally, as if making a monumental decision, a suspicious blush crept onto Eina's cheeks. She avoided Lynn's gaze, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Um... if you don't mind..."
"Yes?"
"My place... I have a spare guest room." Eina blurted it out all at once, feeling like her face was hot enough to fry an egg. "O-of course! It's only temporary! Until you find a suitable apartment! And you still have to pay rent!"
She added the clarifications incoherently, the tips of her trademark long elf ears turning a bright pink. Inviting a boy she had only known for a day to stay at her home was easily the most daring, out-of-character thing she had ever done in her life.
Lynn, however, didn't have much of a reaction. He thought about it for a second and decided this was much more convenient than hunting for an inn.
"Works for me," he agreed decisively. "How much is rent?"
"Eh?" Eina hadn't expected him to agree so fast. She was the one taken aback. "Oh... um, just... just whatever the standard market rate for a normal inn is..."
"Deal." Lynn nodded. "I'll be in your care, then."
His overly nonchalant attitude made Eina's carefully prepared excuses—like "it's just to look after a rookie" and "there's absolutely no other meaning"—die in her throat. She felt like she had thrown a punch only to hit a bag of cotton.
Does this guy really not get it, or does he just not care?
Eina's home was in a very ordinary apartment building. It was small, but kept spotless and filled with a cozy, lived-in atmosphere. The air carried a faint scent of old books and dried flowers.
"Make yourself at home. I'll go get you a glass of water," Eina said, looking a bit awkward as she took off her coat.
Lynn surveyed the small space. A massive bookshelf lined one wall of the living room, stuffed with monster encyclopedias, dungeon maps, and books on history and geography. It occupied nearly all of her private space.
"You live here?" Lynn asked casually.
"Yes." Eina walked back with a glass and set it on the coffee table. "It's small, I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all." Lynn shook his head. "It's clean. It feels like a Safe Zone."
"A Safe... Zone?" That wasn't a word usually used to describe a home.
"Nothing." Lynn picked up the glass and took a sip. The warm water slid down his throat, washing away a bit of his fatigue.
"The guest room is over there," Eina pointed to a door at the end of the hallway. "The bedding is clean. You... you should get some rest. I'll take you to look for a long-term apartment tomorrow."
"Okay."
Looking at Lynn's consistently calm face, Eina felt like an actress in a one-woman show; all her nervousness and shyness were met with zero feedback. She sighed in defeat and turned to head to her own room.
"Miss Eina," Lynn suddenly called out.
"Yes?" She looked back.
"Thank you." Lynn looked at her, his voice very sincere. "For today, and for just now."
In those golden eyes that usually held no emotion, there was a tiny, infinitesimal flicker of something that could be called warmth.
Eina's heart skipped a beat. She nodded frantically and practically fled into her room, clicking the door shut behind her. Leaning against the cold wood of the door, she realized only then that her face was completely crimson.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (46 Chapters, Ongoing)
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