The evening at "The Old Barrel" ceased to be languid and smoothly flowed into the stage of a "soulful gathering."
Raine was already finishing his second mug of ale, listening to Takemikazuchi's tall tales about Eastern spear techniques, when the tavern door creaked open. A small figure appeared in the doorway, looking as if she had lost a battle with life itself.
It was that same potato seller.
Her pigtails hung dejectedly, her white dress was stained with oil and flour, and universal sorrow could be read in her eyes. She literally dragged herself to their table and, without asking permission, flopped onto the empty chair next to Raine, dropping her head onto her folded arms.
"I am a nothing..." came a muffled voice from under her arms. "The world is cruel. People are mean. The potatoes have gone cold."
"Rough day, Hestia?" Miach asked sympathetically, sliding a menu toward her.
"Terrible!" She jerked her head up. Her blue eyes flashed with righteous anger. "Zero! Zilch! Not a single sale in the last three hours! My boss said if I don't sell double the quota tomorrow, he'll deduct the cost of the oil from my wages! And there's nothing there to deduct!"
She suddenly froze, noticing Raine. Her nose wrinkled funnily.
"And who is this?" She poked a finger at him unceremoniously. "Why is a mortal sitting with us? Did we lower the secrecy bar to the level of a 'public thoroughfare'?"
"Hestia, have a conscience," Takemikazuchi chuckled. "This is Raine. He's my countryman, the son of my priestess, and the savior of Miach's budget. Raine, meet Hestia. Goddess of the Hearth, fire, and, temporarily, fried snacks."
Raine, who had already guessed who was before him, nodded slowly, hiding a smile behind his mug.
"It is an honor, Goddess," he said with slight irony. "I saw you... working today. Your passion for the job is impressive."
Hestia narrowed her eyes suspiciously, trying to figure out if he was mocking her or not, but then waved her hand.
"Hey, innkeeper! Beer! The cheapest kind, but a big mug!" she shouted. "And put it on Take's tab!"
"Hey!" the God of War protested, but immediately waved his hand good-naturedly. "Alright, if we're partying, let's party."
When the drink was brought, Hestia attacked the mug with the greed of a traveler in the desert. Draining half of it in one gulp, she slammed it onto the table with a loud thud and wiped the foam from her lips with the back of her hand.
"Tell me, Raine," she began, leaning dangerously in his direction. She smelled of oil, cheap soap, and hops. "Why are you humans so complicated? I offer them delicious food! With love! And they walk past as if I'm empty space! Am I really asking for much? Just a little attention!"
Raine took a sip of his ale, feeling a pleasant warmth spread through his body, blurring the edges of reality. The situation was surreal. He was sitting at a sticky table, and around him, three great entities—a God of War, a God of Healing, and a Goddess of Fire—were discussing the problems of small businesses and loans.
"People don't just need food, Hestia," he noted philosophically, looking at the bubbles in his glass. "They need a story. An impression! Something that makes them want to return and try your cooking. And you are selling just potatoes."
"It's not just potatoes!" she objected, but immediately deflated. "Eh... you're right. Maybe I should dress up in a monster costume?"
"Don't," Takemikazuchi and Miach answered in unison.
The gathering dragged on for another hour. Takemikazuchi, who seemed capable of out-drinking an ocean, suddenly looked at the sky and slapped his forehead.
"Dammit! I promised Ouka I'd lead training at dawn! If I'm late, he'll chew my ear off."
He stood up abruptly, tossing a pouch of coins onto the table that covered the entire bill with interest.
"Raine, buddy!" He placed a heavy hand on the guy's shoulder. "You look the soberest and sturdiest. Do me a favor, look after these... lightweights. Walk them home so they don't get lost or fall asleep in a ditch."
"What?" Raine blinked, trying to focus his gaze. "Wait, I didn't sign up to be a babysitter..."
"Thanks! You're a real man!" Takemikazuchi had already disappeared into the darkness of the alley, leaving behind only the echo of his laughter.
Raine shifted his gaze to his companions.
Miach sat staring at one spot with an unfocused gaze, looking as if he was about to get seasick right on the chair. Hestia was nodding off, mumbling something about a crispy crust.
"God, what did I do to deserve this..." Raine groaned, rubbing his temples.
The walk home resembled a pilgrimage of cripples.
Miach turned out to be weak not only in the head but also in the stomach. They hadn't gone two blocks when the God of Healing turned green and dashed into the nearest gateway, toward an old well.
The sounds coming from there would make even a minotaur shudder.
Raine and Hestia remained standing at the entrance to the alley, leaning against the wall. The night chill of Orario cut to the bone. Hestia hugged herself, trying to keep warm. Her outfit—that same revealing dress with the ribbon—was clearly not designed for night walks. She was trembling slightly, and her teeth began to chatter.
Raine, whom the alcohol warmed from the inside, looked at her. Then at her bare shoulders. Then at his jacket.
"Idiotic outfit," he grumbled without malice.
"It's... hic... a work uniform!" she snapped, teeth chattering. "To attract... c-clients."
Raine sighed, took off his leather jacket, remaining in just his shirt, and draped it over the goddess's shoulders. The jacket was three sizes too big for her and smelled of leather, tobacco, and a little bit of Raine himself.
"Wrap up," he commanded, shivering from a sharp gust of wind. "Or you'll get sick, and the world will lose its best potato seller."
Hestia froze. She looked at the jacket in surprise, then at Raine, who had already turned away and was listening with grim interest to Miach's latest bout of sickness.
"Th-thank you," she squeaked quietly, burying her nose in the collar. Her cheeks turned pink, and this time not from the beer.
"Lord Miach! You alive in there?" Raine shouted into the darkness.
"I'm... fine..." came a weak, gurgling voice. "Just... the salad was a mistake..."
At that moment, light footsteps were heard from the direction of the main street.
"Raine?"
Raine turned around. Bell was walking toward them. He looked elated, his eyes shining, and his gait was light, almost dancing. The contrast with their dismal company was striking.
"Oh, Bell," Raine waved a hand in greeting, trying to maintain a vertical position. "How did it go? You're practically glowing."
"It was... wonderful," Bell exhaled dreamily, but immediately focused on the scene before him. "And you... what is happening here? Who is this?"
Raine swayed but stayed on his feet.
"Ah, this..." he gestured broadly at the girl wrapped in his jacket. "Meet Hestia, Bell. A Goddess."
Then he pointed a finger into the dark gateway, from where groans were emanating.
"And there, hugging a bucket, is Lord Miach. Also a God. We were... resting culturally."
"G-Gods?!" Bell's eyes rounded to the size of saucers. He looked at the little girl in the huge jacket, then at the sound accompaniment from the gateway. "You're joking?"
"Nice to meet you!" Hestia tried to curtsy but got tangled in the hem of the jacket and almost fell. "Hic! Oh, what a cute boy! Are you an adventurer too?"
"Y-yes," Bell bowed in confusion.
At that moment, Miach crawled out of the darkness. He was pale as a sheet and holding onto the wall.
"Good evening..." he rasped, trying to smile his trademark kind smile. "I apologize for... bleurgh..."
The smile was replaced by a grimace of horror, and the God of Healing doubled over again.
"Oh, hell," Raine and Hestia rushed to him simultaneously. Raine grabbed Miach under one arm, Hestia tried to support him from the other but almost fell herself.
"Bell, don't just stand there!" Raine commanded. "Take him from the other side! We need to drag this divine body to the pharmacy."
Bell, still in a state of deep shock, ran up and offered his shoulder.
"I... I'm carrying a God?" he muttered, feeling the weight of Miach's body. "I'm carrying a drunk God?"
"Get used to it," Raine smirked.
The scene at the "Blue Pharmacy" was worthy of an avant-garde artist's brush.
The door flew open, and Naaza appeared on the threshold—the dog-girl with the prosthetic arm. Her ears twitched when she saw the procession: two guys who had bought out half her store dragging her unconscious patron, with the Goddess of Fire shuffling behind them.
"You..." Naaza narrowed her eyes, and her tail twitched nervously. "What did you do to Lord Miach?"
"Returned him safe and sound," Raine reported, handing the limp body into the arms of the approaching (and very strong for her build) assistant. "Had a bit too much ale."
"Sorry, Naaza!" Hestia squeaked guiltily, peeking out from behind Bell's back. "Take was treating... we lost track."
Naaza sighed heavily, rolling her eyes, but gently accepted her God.
"Thanks for not abandoning him," she grumbled, but gratitude was audible in her voice. "I'll take care of him. And you... go on now. You reek excessively."
When the pharmacy door closed, silence hung over the street.
"Well then," Raine looked at Hestia. "Where to for you?"
"It's not far," she waved her hand. "The northern part of Daedalus Street. The old church."
They got there quickly. Bell walked silently, still digesting the evening's events. Raine fought the desire to go to sleep right on the pavement.
When they stopped at the rusty gates of the abandoned, dilapidated church, Raine looked at the building skeptically. The roof had collapsed, the windows were boarded up, and the yard was overgrown with weeds waist-high.
"You... live here?" he asked, the alcohol evaporating a bit from surprise. "Seriously?"
"Well, yeah," Hestia poked the ground embarrassedly with the toe of her sandal. "It looks bad from the outside, I know. But downstairs, in the basement, it's quite dry! And... cozy. Almost."
Not waiting for her to fall asleep standing up, Raine gently nudged her toward the entrance.
"Go to sleep, Goddess. Tomorrow is a new day."
Hestia mumbled something and, swaying, disappeared into the darkness of the ruins.
Raine and Bell were left alone on the empty street. The wind rustled the leaves, a dog barked somewhere in the distance.
"Well," Raine stretched, feeling the intoxication begin to recede, giving way to fatigue. "Shall we go home?"
Bell looked at his friend, then at the closed church door, then back at Raine. And suddenly he started giggling.
"What's funny?" Raine raised an eyebrow.
"It's just..." Bell shook his head, and the giggle turned into outright laughter. "We've only been in Orario a short time. Today I went on a date with an elf from the Guild. And you drank with Gods, and even gave your jacket to a Goddess of Fire who lives in ruins."
Raine snorted and a second later broke into a smile himself.
"Sounds like the ravings of a madman, right?"
"Yeah," Bell nodded. "Total madness."
"Welcome to adult life, Bell," Raine slapped his friend on the back, and they slowly trudged toward the inn. "Sometimes it's cooler than any fairy tale. The main thing is to find someone to drag you home in time."
Their laughter echoed off the stone walls of the sleeping city, dissolving into the night sky of Orario.