This was a small, neatly arranged room.
It reminded Bell of the basement beneath the Hestia Familia's chapel.
As soon as he stepped inside, he saw the slightly messy kitchen.
"This… it's not what it looks like… I was rushing to pick you up, so…"
Syr hurried into the kitchen, gathering up the ingredients scattered across the counter.
Bell watched her flustered, almost panicked movements and stepped forward to help.
"Thanks. You were planning to make me a bento?"
The table was covered with ingredients Bell liked—clearly things Syr had bought on purpose.
"Yeah… I wanted to practice a little more…"
Even the kids at the orphanage complained sometimes, so Syr knew her cooking still had a long way to go.
"It tasted a little strange, sure, but I thought it was really good," Bell said softly.
Syr puffed out her cheeks. "Hmph, that doesn't sound like a compliment at all."
Bell thought back to her cooking and spoke:
"I'm serious. You can see someone's heart through their cooking. The bento you make feels like something from someone untouched by the mundane world—clumsy, patient, and trying her best in her own way."
"If I had to sum it up… like an innocent princess. Or no… more like a goddess."
"..."
Syr froze, almost dropping the dishes in her hands.
Bell caught them quickly. "I just called you a goddess. Why are you panicking like that?"
"S-sorry…"
Syr pressed her lips together, wanting to say something but unable to get the words out.
The wind and rain tapped quietly against the windows, filling the small room with a gentle, hazy atmosphere.
Bell lightly patted Syr's head. Looking into her gray eyes, he spoke slowly:
"Syr… you're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
"..."
Syr lowered her long lashes without answering.
"Honestly, I've already guessed a bit. The tavern staff are all far from ordinary, and they all live in the dormitory. But you live here alone. And besides me, no one else even knows you stay here… right?"
Bell pieced together the details from the past few days and voiced his suspicions.
"...I'm sorry."
Syr bowed her head, her gray eyes shimmering with tears.
She'd promised him she wouldn't cry so easily, but ever since the incident that afternoon, she'd been holding everything in.
"I'm not asking for an apology, and I'm not trying to force an explanation out of you."
Bell reached out, brushing aside her bangs so their eyes could meet clearly. "Every time I come back hurt, I never tell you the real reason. I make you worry for nothing. Would you ever… dislike me for hiding things from you?"
"Of course not," Syr answered instantly.
"Then it's the same for me. I like Syr. No matter what you've been through, or what you're keeping to yourself… that won't change."
Bell understood this deeply.
Everyone has secrets.
Sad ones, painful ones, unforgettable ones, unchangeable ones…
If you pick apart each one, all you get is suspicion and distance.
He could feel the purity and depth of Syr's feelings. A girl who cared for him this sincerely—why would he doubt her?
When the time was right, she would tell him on her own.
"..."
Hearing such straightforward words, Syr's beautiful face flushed bright red. "I… I get it. Please don't say any more…"
She didn't understand.
Why did the love already overflowing in her heart only continue to grow…?
"In that case, let's talk about something else."
With Bell's words, the two shifted into easy conversation over dinner, chatting about their pasts.
Syr lived alone now, much like Bell. Most of what she talked about revolved around the tavern, as if that place had long become her true home. Besides the little anecdotes, Syr also brought up Ryuu from time to time.
Bell wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but it felt like Syr was intentionally trying to match him with the Elf girl. One was a boy who admired heroes and dreamed of building a harem. The other was an adorably jealous girlfriend who still tried to recommend her own friend.
If any gods overheard them, they wouldn't be able to stop themselves from smiling.
At some point, the rain outside had stopped. The Magic Stone lamp glowed as if waving toward the starlit sky. Inside the room, unlike outside, the air wasn't cleared by the rain. Instead, a warm, intoxicating tension lingered between them.
"Syr… what is this?" Bell asked.
In her palm sat a small piece of jewelry he didn't recognize. A teardrop-shaped metal setting held a beautiful emerald.
"This is for you. A talisman. You have to wear it every day," Syr said, offering it to him.
"It looks really valuable. I don't have anything worthy to give back."
Bell carefully put the accessory away.
"If you need to give something in return… this is enough."
Before Syr even finished speaking, her rosy lips were already leaning toward him.
"..."
"..."
What should have been a heart-stirring moment was halted when Bell placed two fingers gently against her lips. Syr puffed her cheeks slightly and shot him a delicate, sulky glance.
Those shy, charming eyes seemed to say: An adventurer's reflexes are not meant for moments like this!
Bell understood exactly what she was feeling and explained, "If you're doing this because what happened today scared you, if you're worried I might disappear and you're forcing yourself… I don't want that."
Syr was a very innocent girl when it came to love. Bell didn't want his circumstances to warp her natural pace.
"..."
Syr lowered her head, a hint of gloom settling in. Caught off guard by everything, she had indeed rushed things.
"You once asked me about love between gods and mortals. Honestly, I think it's the same for adventurers," Bell said quietly. "Instead of living in fear, it's better to follow your own pace and take things slowly. Time passes, but memories stay forever."
Syr understood what he meant. He was worried about her. She had never experienced romance before. If she forced herself because of an accident, she would eventually regret it.
…But saying it like that was far too unfair.
Syr steadied her heart and nodded, signaling him to lower his fingers.
In the next instant, Syr moved first. With nothing between them, the distance closed in a heartbeat. Her beautiful gray eyes overflowed with affection, clearly conveying one thing: This kiss came from her heart. It was nothing like the "forced" gesture Bell feared.
Soft warmth met his lips. Bell tasted that familiar sweetness again.
Inevitably, Lefiya's image flickered through his mind. Back then… could it have been—
Before he could think further, Syr wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned to his ear, and whispered:
"Just now… were you thinking about another girl?"