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In the kitchen, Syr was already busy washing the dirty utensils. The sound of running water from the faucet mixed with the soft clinking of plates touching each other. Her body moved automatically, but her gaze was empty. She was clearly lost in her own thoughts.
Shirou arrived shortly after. He rolled up the sleeves of his cream tunic to his elbows and stood beside Syr, taking some dirty plates from the pile to wash. "Excuse me," he said softly, his voice gentle, trying not to disturb Syr's fragile focus.
As he washed, Shirou felt a strange shift in the atmosphere. The scent of winter flowers that usually surrounded Syr, soft and full of life, now felt different. It was as if the fragrance had turned dull, like flowers beginning to wilt. Shirou quietly bit his lip, realizing that something he had said—or perhaps something that had happened at the dining table—had affected Syr's mood.
"Do you not want to ask about... what happened earlier?" Syr's voice suddenly broke the silence. Her tone sounded flat, but there was hidden tension.
Shirou glanced at Syr briefly, then turned his attention back to the plate in his hands. "I won't ask if it makes you uncomfortable," he answered calmly. "I think... you have your own reasons."
Syr glanced at Shirou from the corner of her eye, and a small but meaningful smile formed on her lips. Deep down, she felt that Shirou was so different. Despite having a soul scarred with trauma and rust, there was something shining within him. The paradox of an ugly soul, Syr thought. Shirou has such a beautiful dream: to be a Seigi no Mikata. Her heart felt a little warmer, though the feeling was mixed with sadness.
Syr took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Shirou," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "What do you think of Freya?"
The question pierced the air, making Shirou pause for a moment. His hands holding the plate remained still under the water. Why is Syr suddenly asking about Freya? he wondered. Shirou searched his thoughts, trying to connect the question to what he knew about Syr's true identity. Is there a connection between Goddess Freya and... Syr? His heart pondered.
"I... don't really have a strong opinion," Shirou finally answered, choosing honesty. "I've never met her directly, so I can't really judge. But why do you ask? Do you... hate Goddess Freya?"
Syr fell silent for a moment. Her hands remained busy washing, but she seemed to be thinking hard. "No, I don't hate her," she finally said. "But when you said Freya upheld justice earlier..." Syr chuckled bitterly. "It felt... so out of place with who she really is."
Shirou frowned, confused. However, he chose not to press further. To him, Syr had her reasons for everything she said, and Shirou would wait until she was ready to share more.
After a moment of silence, with only the sound of running water and clinking plates, they finally finished washing all the utensils. Syr wiped her hands with a small cloth hanging near the sink, then glanced at Shirou, who was putting the last plate on the drying rack. For a moment, she hesitated, as if considering something.
"Shirou," Syr called suddenly, her voice soft but serious.
"Hm?" Shirou turned, looking at her attentively.
"If... hypothetically," Syr began slowly, "Goddess Freya decided she wanted to kill me, what would you do?"
The question stabbed through the air, making Shirou pause. Meanwhile, Syr's mind raced with thoughts she couldn't voice. If I fail in my role as Syr—this warm, innocent girl—what will happen? If Bell isn't captivated by my charm now, perhaps I'll have to destroy all this pretense. Shed this human disguise and return as Freya, the selfish goddess who always forces her will. She suppressed the thought, realizing how provocative it sounded.
However, Shirou's reaction was completely unexpected. The man suddenly looked at her with a sharp, serious gaze. Before Syr could regret her words, Shirou stepped closer and placed both hands on her shoulders.
"Is the Freya Familia targeting you, Syr?" he asked with a worried tone. His usually calm face now showed visible tension.
Syr flinched, her cheeks flushing uncontrollably. She took half a step back, nervously brushing Shirou's hands off her shoulders. "Ah... no, no! It's just a hypothetical," she said with an awkward laugh. "No one's targeting me, I just... wanted to know what you would do, that's all."
Shirou still looked at her with deep concern, even as Syr tried to reassure him. After a few seconds, he finally took a deep breath and answered with full conviction, "Even if that happens, I will protect you."
Syr looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Even if you're only level 1, and they have Ottar, the Warlord, who's level 7? You know that's an overwhelming difference in power, right?"
"Even so," Shirou answered without hesitation. "I don't care. Even if it's Ottar or the entire Freya Familia, I will still stand and protect you."
Shirou's answer left Syr stunned for a moment before she burst into cheerful laughter. "You really love acting cool, don't you!" she said, patting Shirou's shoulder while gently pushing him out of the kitchen. "Alright, alright. Go back to the front before I get even more annoyed hearing your answer."
Shirou scratched his head, confused by Syr's sudden mood swing. However, he obeyed, letting himself be pushed out of the kitchen. Though confused, he felt relieved. The scent of winter flowers around Syr... he thought. It's back now. In fact, it's even more fragrant than before.
After Shirou left the kitchen, Syr's laughter still echoed in the small space, ringing like silver bells. "Hahaha... oh my, Shirou!" Syr laughed until her body shook slightly, her hands pressing against the edge of the table to keep herself from falling over. Waves of amusement washed over her, but there was something deeper behind that laughter.
As a divine entity, Syr—or more accurately, Freya hiding behind that identity—could sense every note of sincerity in Shirou's earlier answer. She knew Shirou wasn't twisting the truth or trying to boast. In his heart, he truly wanted to protect her. That thought made Freya pause for a moment. He's only level 1, yet he's willing to do anything to protect me, even against something far beyond his capabilities. How could I not be moved by that?
The image of Shirou's serious face as he spoke was still vividly etched in her mind. That image made her lips curve, not into laughter this time, but into a meaningful smile. She touched her chest, trying to calm the unusual pounding of her heart. Someone like him… Ah, Shirou Emiya. You really know how to disturb my thoughts.
"Haaah..." Syr's breathing grew heavier, the laughter slowly subsiding, replaced by rapid breaths. "Haaaah~" she murmured, trying to compose herself, but her voice sounded different—lower, more laden with something primal. The sigh escaped her lips unintentionally, sounding like a moan too mature for the Syr everyone knew.
Her body began to change. Slowly but surely, the divine aura she had been suppressing began to emanate. Her neatly tied blue-gray ponytail lengthened gracefully, transforming into a shimmering silver that radiated a soft glow. Her gray eyes shifted into a royal purple, sparkling with magical charm. The simple figure of Syr disappeared, replaced by Freya, the unparalleled goddess of love and beauty.
"Shirou Emiya..." Freya murmured softly, a blush beginning to color her cheeks. Her voice was warm, but there was also a dark, burning undertone. She gently touched her chest, as if trying to calm the surging emotions within her. "If you keep this up... if you keep tempting me with your sincerity... I might not be able to hold myself back any longer."
She took a deep breath, her eyes still fixed on the closed kitchen door, as if imagining Shirou standing there. You're only level one, Shirou. But why do you keep making me feel like this? she thought, a small, meaningful smile gracing her lips. Freya exhaled deeply, then began to smooth her long hair, trying to regain control of herself.
***
After leaving the kitchen, Shirou walked toward the front counter. His steps were steady, though his mind was still filled with Syr's laughter that had echoed even as he left. When he arrived at the counter, Ryuu was standing there, her face showing concern. Beside her, Lefiya waited patiently, looking calm but clearly curious about Shirou.
"Shirou," Ryuu called softly as he approached. "How's Syr? Is she okay?"
Shirou paused for a moment, thinking of the most appropriate answer. "When I left the kitchen earlier, she was laughing. Honestly, I don't know what made her laugh like that, but she seemed fine."
Ryuu looked thoughtful but eventually nodded. "That's good to hear," she said with a relieved tone. However, she still seemed a bit anxious. "Shirou, can you watch the counter for a bit? Anya, Lunoire, and Chloe seem busy with orders at the tables."
"Sure, I've got it," Shirou replied quickly, stepping behind the counter to show his readiness to help.
Ryuu gave a brief nod, then turned toward the kitchen. "Then I'll go check on Syr again," she said as she walked away. Shirou only watched her for a moment before focusing on the task at hand.
However, as he entered the area behind the counter, a familiar voice sounded from behind him. "I'll join you," Lefiya said, stepping in and following Shirou.
Shirou turned with a raised eyebrow. "Join? For what?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips, slightly confused.
Lefiya smiled faintly, though there was a hint of awkwardness on her face. "I want to know what it's like to work here. You've been working at the Hostess of Fertility for a while, right? So I'm curious."
Shirou looked at her for a moment, trying to gauge the seriousness of her words. When he saw that the elf girl was genuinely interested, he simply sighed and smiled faintly. "Alright. But I'm worried you might get overwhelmed, Lefiya. This might be too much for you."
Lefiya looked at him with determination, her fists clenched in front of her chest as if trying to reassure herself. "I'll do my best! Besides, it's only temporary, right? I want to know what it's like to work in the place where you spend so much time."
Shirou simply nodded, deciding to let her curiosity be satisfied. "Well then, welcome to the Hostess of Fertility. Let's get to work."
After a while, a customer approached the counter with a leisurely pace. He carried a handful of valis in his hand and began speaking to Lefiya. "Thank you, the food was delicious. So, I ordered a bowl of soup, a piece of bread, and a glass of fruit juice," he said with a smile.
Lefiya stood nervously behind the counter. Her small hands fumbled with the menu notebook to confirm the prices of each item mentioned. "Uhm... the soup is... uh... 50 valis, the bread is 30 valis, and the juice... 40 valis," she murmured softly, then tried to add them up. However, her face looked uncertain, and she almost misquoted the total.
Shirou, standing beside her, quickly glanced at the notebook. "The total is 120 valis," he said calmly, correcting Lefiya's calculation without hesitation.
"Oh, right... 120 valis! Sorry, I almost got it wrong," Lefiya quickly looked at the customer with a red face.
The customer just chuckled softly, handing over the valis. Shirou deftly counted the money, then handed back the change with ease. "Here's your change, thank you for coming," Shirou said politely.
As the customer walked away, Lefiya let out a long sigh and leaned her hands on the counter. "It looks easy, but it's actually quite hard, huh," she complained with a weak smile.
Shirou patted her shoulder gently. "It's like that at first. But you'll get used to it. Besides, it's a new experience, right?"
Before Lefiya could respond, Ryuu appeared from the kitchen with a puzzled expression. Her steps were quicker than usual, as if something was bothering her.
"Ryuu, did you meet Syr?" Shirou asked, noticing her expression.
Ryuu shook her head slowly. "No. When I went to the kitchen, I heard Mama Mia scolding Syr. She said Syr's appearance wasn't suitable for a waitress. I tried to go in, but the kitchen door was locked," she explained, her voice sounding confused.
"Scolding Syr?" Lefiya asked with raised eyebrows. "But she was wearing her uniform neatly earlier. What was wrong?"
Shirou also looked puzzled, recalling that Syr's appearance had seemed normal, nothing out of the ordinary. "Maybe something else happened?" he murmured softly.
"Ah, never mind," Ryuu waved her hand. "I'll talk to Syr after work. You don't need to worry."
Hearing that, Shirou and Lefiya felt relieved. They stepped out from behind the counter, ready to say their goodbyes. "Thanks for helping, you two," Ryuu said with a faint smile. She then gave Shirou a half-glare. "Oh, and don't forget we have training tomorrow, okay?"
Shirou nodded. "Of course, I won't forget."
After saying their goodbyes, Shirou and Lefiya stepped out of the Hostess of Fertility, leaving Ryuu to return to serving customers. Outside, Lefiya smiled faintly. "Working here is fun, but I think I'm more suited to cooking in the Loki Familia's kitchen," she joked, making Shirou chuckle softly beside her.
On their way back to Twilight Manor, Shirou and Lefiya walked side by side under the soft moonlight. The streets of Orario were growing quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing on the cobblestone path. Shirou glanced at Lefiya briefly before deciding to ask, "Lefiya, you seemed quite familiar with Syr and Ryuu earlier. Have you known them for long?"
Lefiya turned with a faint smile. "Ah, actually, I just met them, Shirou. My first meeting with Ryuu happened when she left a message for you to pay your debt."
"Debt?" Shirou cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. He remembered the small promise he hadn't fully fulfilled. "So... she wanted to remind me about that?"
Lefiya giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "Yes, but she didn't seem too angry. She just wanted to make sure you didn't forget."
Shirou scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Alright, I'll take care of it. What about Syr? How long have you known her?"
"Oh, Syr?" Lefiya smiled faintly. "I just met her tonight. Even though the Loki Familia often celebrates at the Hostess of Fertility after successful expeditions, I rarely talk directly with the waitresses there. I usually just join in eating and listen to the seniors' conversations."
Shirou smiled warmly at her answer. "I'm glad you're getting closer to them. Ryuu and Syr are good coworkers. They've helped me a lot."
Lefiya nodded slowly, then her expression turned slightly serious. "But, Shirou, I'm curious... Do you think there's some issue between Syr and Goddess Freya? Earlier, when we talked about Goddess Freya, her reaction... was quite strange."
Shirou frowned, trying to recall their earlier conversation. "Hmm, I'm not sure either. Even though I talked with Syr earlier, she didn't explain anything about that. Do you know if there's any god or goddess who's at odds with Goddess Freya?"
Lefiya pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I've heard rumors that Goddess Ishtar deeply hated and envied Goddess Freya. Both of them are known as goddesses of beauty, after all. But well... now Goddess Ishtar has been defeated by Goddess Freya and even forced to return to Tenkai."
Shirou fell silent, processing the information as he gazed at the empty street ahead. Goddesses of beauty... he thought to himself. If that's the case, maybe Syr is actually another goddess with a similar relationship. Aphrodite, perhaps? The goddess of beauty from Greek mythology, who might also feel jealous of Freya. After all, I know Syr avoided Hestia when she appeared, probably because Hestia could recognize her identity. Fellow Greek goddesses would surely recognize each other.
Shirou kept those thoughts to himself, while Lefiya continued walking beside him, seemingly enjoying their casual conversation. Finally, after a moment of silence, Shirou spoke again, trying to reassure Lefiya. "I think, whatever the issue is, Syr will be able to handle it."
"Oh, Shirou," Lefiya suddenly said, breaking the silence between them as they walked through a small, quiet alley. "Why did you stop me from talking about the bicycle we made together earlier? I remember how you suddenly winked at me when I almost told Syr and Ryuu about it."
Shirou turned, smiling slightly. "Didn't you say you wanted the bicycle to be a surprise? If you tell them directly, it won't be a surprise anymore, Lefiya."
Lefiya paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "You're right," she murmured with a shy smile. In her mind, she began imagining the wonderful moments she'd have with the bicycle. That beautiful pink bicycle, with a small basket in the front... I'll ride it around Orario, through the main streets, and everyone will look at me in awe. She pictured the amazed faces of her friends, maybe even Aiz praising her. "Hehe..." A small laugh escaped her lips unconsciously.
Shirou, walking beside her, couldn't help but chuckle softly at seeing Lefiya smiling to herself. "Hey, you're smiling all by yourself. What are you imagining, huh?" he teased.
"Eh? It's nothing!" Lefiya quickly deflected, her cheeks turning red. However, the smile on her face remained, making Shirou even more amused.
After continuing their walk for a while, the sound of a small bell rang in the air. Kring, kring! It came from a street vendor selling various souvenirs by the roadside. Shirou stopped and approached the vendor. He raised his hand, making a small circle with his fingers, and asked, "Do you have a small bell, like this?"
The vendor nodded with a friendly smile. "Yes, just a moment," he said, then began searching through his wares.
Lefiya, curious, also approached. "What do you need a small bell for?" she asked, looking at Shirou with confusion.
Soon, the vendor handed over a small silver bell that emitted a soft sound when shaken. Shirou smiled in satisfaction, then took out 200 valis to pay for it. After that, he handed the bell to Lefiya. "This is for your new bicycle," he explained with a wide smile. "So everyone will know when you're passing by. Or..." he added jokingly, "If you really want to show off, at least do it in style, right?"
Lefiya paused for a moment, her cheeks turning red again. Her intention to show off was apparently very obvious to Shirou. However, she felt warmth in her heart hearing Shirou's thoughtfulness. In a soft voice, she said, "Thank you, Shirou..."
Shirou simply smiled, then continued walking. Behind him, Lefiya clutched the small bell tightly, vowing in her heart to take good care of her new bicycle—and, of course, to make the most of the bell Shirou had given her.