After dinner.
Outside the God's Room.
After greeting Ais as she stepped out, Shirou was immediately ushered inside by Loki.
"I heard, you know, Shirou," Loki said cheerfully. "You really stole the spotlight during this expedition!"
"I just did what I could."
Sitting on the chair in front of her, Shirou removed his upper garment and faced the door while chatting casually.
"Hehehe~. So stealing the hearts of our Familia girls also counts as 'doing your best'?"
A finger-oddly stiff-poked his back.
Shirou shuddered slightly, then replied helplessly, "Those were all accidents."
Loki didn't answer.
Instead, she began manipulating the Falna on his back.
Silence filled the God's Room.
"As expected of you," Loki muttered after a while. "This growth rate is honestly ridiculous."
Hearing her speak, Shirou's tense mood finally eased.
Noticing the change, Loki suddenly slapped his back hard.
"You don't seriously think I'd get mad just because other people like you, do you?"
She paused.
Then saw the look on Shirou's face.
Veins bulged.
"Oi! You really thought that?!"
"Although I like these kids," Loki continued sharply, "if they truly love someone, I won't interfere."
"But if you ever do fall for someone-don't you dare abandon them."
"Don't worry," Shirou replied calmly as he put his clothes back on. "I don't plan on settling down anytime soon."
His shoulders finally relaxed.
He had genuinely been worried Loki might target him over something like this. But surprisingly, she was rather open-minded.
...Still a fairly reliable goddess, after all.
"No plans yet, huh?"
Loki's eyes lit up.
Seeing that Shirou clearly had no intentions toward Ais or Lefiya, her thoughts immediately went in a strange direction.
"Then since you're so popular, you should lure a few more girls into the Familia later!"
"Your harem is my harem, after all!"
...I take it back.
This goddess is absolutely unreliable.
Shirou shot her a sharp glare.
Loki just laughed, then quickly handed him the updated status sheet.
Name: Shirou Emiya
Level: LV.3
Abilities:
• Strength: SS1067
• Endurance: S985
• Dexterity: SS1032
• Agility: S963
• Magic: SSS1199
Development Abilities:
• Forging: G
• Sorcery: I
Magic:
• Unlimited Blade Works
Skills:
• Sharpening
• Clairvoyance
• Mind's Eye (True)
• Magic Resistance
• Independent Action
Staring at the paper, Shirou rubbed his chin.
No new magic.
No new skills.
But after this expedition, all his basic stats were already near their limits.
Magic had reached SSS due to constant usage.
Strength and Dexterity had climbed to SS from drawing his bow and repeated close-range evasion.
Even Endurance and Agility-his least-used stats-had reached S.
At this rate, it would probably take about one more week for everything to cap out.
"I heard your great feat has already been surpassed," Loki said cheerfully. "Which means you'll be LV.4 soon, right?"
"Then LV.5 won't be far either!"
Her mood lifted visibly.
She could already see it.
Another monster standing at the top of Orario-belonging to her Familia.
Thinking back to the two LV.8s of the Zeus Familia and the LV.9 of the Hera Familia, Loki felt certain.
Shirou would catch up.
And when that happened-
Her Loki Familia would be the strongest in Orario.
Hehehe.
She'd be able to lure in even more beautiful girls then.
Leaving the God's Room, Shirou spotted Ais and Lefiya waiting outside.
"What are you two doing here?" he asked. "Lefiya, are you updating your status too?"
"I-I'm just here with Ais!" Lefiya replied quickly.
She hadn't actually planned to come this early, but when Ais asked during dinner, she had agreed.
"I see. Then hurry up and go in."
Shirou had noticed Lefiya earlier but hadn't had time to greet her before Loki dragged him inside.
"Good luck."
"Yes!"
Lefiya hurried into the God's Room.
Shirou and Ais moved aside. The two of them standing together drew too much attention.
Noticing Ais's slightly troubled expression, Shirou spoke up naturally.
"What's wrong?"
"Still thinking about that boy who ran away?"
"No."
Ais shook her head calmly.
"I'm thinking about whether I should level up... or keep training."
She handed him the paper she was holding.
Name: Ais Wallenstein
Level: LV.5
Abilities:
• Strength: B785
• Endurance: B747
• Dexterity: S925
• Agility: S922
• Magic: S987
Development Abilities:
• Human: G
• Abnormal Resistance: G
• Swordsman: I
Magic:
• Ariel
Skills:
• Princess of Vengeance
Shirou paused.
He hadn't expected the self-restriction training method to be this effective.
According to his memory, Ais's Strength and Endurance should still be D at this stage, with Dexterity, Agility, and Magic at A.
But now-
Two Bs.
Three Ss.
She could already level up.
Feeling his gaze, Ais spoke calmly.
"Brother's method works very well. My stats increased quickly."
"So now I'm not sure whether I should level up... or keep raising them."
So that was it.
Shirou immediately understood.
It was the same logic he used himself.
Raise basic stats to the limit before leveling up.
That way, each level would push him further ahead of others at the same rank.
Most adventurers couldn't do this.
They lacked either the potential-or the patience.
So they leveled up once growth slowed.
Ais was only hesitating because her growth had been abnormally fast recently.
Seeing her troubled expression, Shirou reached out and gently patted her head.
"Is your goal close, Ais?"
"No. It's still far."
"Is there someone you absolutely need to defeat immediately after leveling up?"
"...No."
"Then why rush?"
"..."
Even if she reached LV.6 now, she would still be far from her goal.
Slow accumulation was better.
"I understand," Ais said quietly.
Shirou smiled.
"It's good that you do."
Enjoying the familiar feel of her hair under his palm, he was about to say more-
When a startled shout came from inside the God's Room.
"Lefiya reached LV.4!"
--------More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter