Bell Cranel.
The protagonist of the Danmachi world, bearer of the accelerated growth skill Liaris Freese.
At this moment, he was secretly gazing at Ais.
"Although Bell really admires Ais," Shirou thought vaguely, "I remember seeing comments before saying that they eventually went their separate ways."
In his previous life, Shirou hadn't read the original Danmachi light novels.
But he loved Danmachi fanfiction.
Once, while browsing for fanfiction, he had accidentally opened the original novel page and noticed such comments beneath it.
"But regardless of how the original story goes, I can't let Ais end up with Bell."
"Even if Bell is a genuine hero, his luck with women is just way too ridiculous."
His thoughts drifted aimlessly.
Before he realized it, he no longer had the energy to care about anything else.
Right now, he was a hot figure within the Familia.
People kept coming to drink with him-some out of admiration for his strength, others with less pure intentions.
Before long, Shirou slumped forward and collapsed onto the table.
"Heh... I knew this would happen."
Muttering to himself, Shirou-who had already anticipated this outcome before attending-quickly fell asleep.
Half-awake, half-asleep, he vaguely heard the sound of arguing.
But he couldn't deal with it anymore.
"Sleep first."
"So it was because Bete got drunk, started causing trouble, and argued with Ais... and that's why she's like this today?"
Standing on the balcony with Tiona and Lefiya, Shirou rubbed his forehead helplessly as he looked down at Ais, who was sitting alone in the courtyard.
"Why can't that guy just quietly pass out like me when he's drunk?"
"His drinking manners are terrible!"
"Forget his drinking manners," Tiona snorted. "I think his personality is terrible too!"
Having long held grievances against Bete, Tiona showed no restraint as she criticized him. Then she turned to Shirou.
"This is on you now, you know."
"Aren't you Ais's brother?"
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Shirou yawned, clearly still half-asleep, having been forcefully dragged out of bed by Tiona barging into his room.
"Wait a moment. Someone's already gone over."
From their vantage point, the three of them clearly saw Riveria walking toward Ais.
"As expected, it still comes down to Mom-san."
"Indeed. Truly Mom-san."
"I want Mom-san's love too!"
Hearing their chatter, Shirou chuckled.
"If Riveria heard that, she'd definitely scold you."
"Hehehe."
After Riveria left, Shirou finally walked over and sat down beside Ais.
"What's wrong?" he asked calmly. "I heard you've been feeling down today."
Since it was Shirou, Ais didn't hide anything.
She had already told Riveria everything.
"I see," Shirou said after listening. "So the one Bete mocked was also at the Hostess of Fertility?"
He nodded as if enlightened, though he already knew the whole story.
Back in the Dungeon, Ais had saved Bell at the last moment.
But Bell, his face splattered with monster blood, fled in panic-whether from shyness or shock.
Bete had seen everything.
At the banquet yesterday, after getting drunk, Bete brought it up as a joke.
Then came that extremely provocative line:
"Those without strength have no right to stand beside the Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein."
That sentence had crushed Bell.
Under Bete's provocation, Bell fled the tavern.
Ais felt responsible.
She believed the boy had been dragged into it because of her.
But Shirou felt there was more to it.
"Anything else?" he asked. "Simple guilt wouldn't make you like this."
That was the real question.
Ais paused.
She thought for a moment.
Then she spoke quietly.
"In him... I saw my younger self."
So that was it.
Empathy.
Bete's words hadn't just hurt Bell.
They had also forced Ais to confront the image of her own past-weak, powerless, unable to protect anything.
Shirou understood.
He knew better than most how deeply Ais's childhood experiences had shaped her.
"What do you want to do?" he asked.
"I want to apologize to him."
"And make it up to him?"
"Mm."
"Then leave it to me."
"...Eh?"
Ais tilted her head, looking at Shirou with confusion.
"As your brother," Shirou said seriously, "isn't it natural for me to help shoulder your burdens?"
"... "
Ais's eyes trembled.
They slowly filled with tears.
She had called Shirou "Brother" before.
But to her, it had always just been a form of address.
In her heart, all Familia members were family.
Finn and Riveria, especially, felt like parents.
But what Shirou said just now was different.
It struck something deeper.
"Mm."
Ais lowered her head gently, not daring to let him see her expression.
Shirou didn't say anything more.
He simply reached out and softly stroked her hair.
That was enough.
The two of them stayed there quietly.
Savoring that warmth.
That brief, gentle moment.
"Did Ais sneak into the Dungeon alone again?"
"It seems she's really cheered up."
"Even so, I wish she'd rest properly once in a while."
Deep within the Dungeon, Shirou held a magic book as he spoke with Riveria.
Among the three Loki Familia executives, Shirou had the closest relationship with her.
Their positions meant all three were usually busy, rarely able to talk privately.
They had only truly become familiar during the expedition.
After all, Shirou had only joined the Familia for about three months, and most of his time was spent training.
With Riveria, however, things were different.
He had once learned parallel chanting techniques from her.
After the expedition, noticing both Shirou's frightening magical power and his lack of breadth in magic techniques, Riveria began dragging him into the Dungeon daily to study magic theory.
Over time, their relationship shifted naturally.
Teacher.
Colleague.
Friend.
"Hm?" Shirou glanced around. "I haven't seen Lefiya today."
"Today is the Monster Feria," Riveria replied. "Lefiya went out with Tiona and Tione."
"Even Ais was dragged off by Loki."
"What, you didn't know?"
"Now that you mention it... I do remember Lefiya mentioning it a few days ago."
Shirou scratched his head.
"When I thought about going with the four of them, I declined."
"What would I even be doing at a girls' gathering?"
"But Riveria, weren't you invited?"
"Loki invited me again," Riveria said flatly. "I declined."
As an elf, she truly disliked noisy, crowded places.
"I see," Shirou murmured. "Monster Feria..."
"I've never actually experienced a festival in Orario."
"Now that you mention it, I kind of want to go."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Then suddenly-
"Why don't we go together?"
"...What?"
"The Monster Feria," Shirou said calmly.
"Let's go together, Riveria."
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