The embarrassing interlude at the dessert shop had eased some of Ryuu's gloom, and the atmosphere among the three became much lighter.
"I want to eat those fried potato balls." Syr pointed toward a stall in the distance.
"Aren't you worried about getting fat?"
Ryuu walked beside Syr, keeping pace with the two.
"I'm different from Ryuu—I can eat anything and never gain weight," Syr replied with a cheerful smile.
"I… I wasn't worried about that! I just… I'm afraid it might affect my agility…" Ryuu hurried to cover it up.
"Syr, I think Ryuu-san's figure is actually very well maintained," Bell added.
"Um…"
"I'm your girlfriend! What are you even talking about?!" Syr huffed, puffing up in annoyance.
...
Inside the clothing store, the unusual date continued.
"Ryuu, what do you think of this one?"
Syr held up a purple top.
"This… isn't it way too revealing?!"
Ryuu frowned at it. It was clearly not something anyone could walk outside wearing.
"Eh, I'm going to take it off anyway. For wearing at home, I think it looks really good."
"Huh… take it off?!"
"Of course. Matching underwear is important too." Syr turned around and picked up a light-purple bra. "How about this one? …Ryuu?"
Ryuu stood in the store with her face burning red, completely petrified.
"..."
Syr turned to Bell, who was waiting. "What do you think, Bell?"
"Hmm… for you, it seems a little too small?"
Hearing the boy's response, the already statue-like Ryuu shattered on the spot.
Why does he know that so clearly?!
Could it be that they already…?!
Bell wasn't the type to force anyone.
If so… does that mean Syr was the one who…?!
With a loud crash, an entire shelf fell over.
"Ryuu?!"
"Ryuu-san!"
"..."
"Falling in the middle of an empty aisle… at least the shopkeeper didn't charge us for the damages." Syr thought back to her friend's clumsiness and spoke softly.
"I'm sorry…"
Ryuu's head felt like it was about to explode.
And to think… this was only the beginning of the date.
The first person they ran into next was Heith of the Freya Familia.
"What? You two are already together?!"
Heith's eyes flew wide. "I'll bless you! Even if it costs me my life, I'll make sure the two of you find happiness!"
"It doesn't need to go that far…" Bell said with a wry smile.
Syr went ahead and voiced the boy's dream.
"—A harem? No, no, impossible. A plain girl like me could never hope for something like that. But if there were a one-in-ten-thousand, one-in-a-billion chance… if it were possible…"
Hearing the harem declaration, Heith began muttering under her breath.
"Heith-san, I think you misunderstood… Last time with the Viola, you saved me. You're strong and beautiful—you really don't need to look down on yourself like that."
Bell ignored the more ambiguous parts of her murmuring.
"Beautiful? Well, not exactly..." Heith glanced at the silent Syr and quickly corrected herself. "I… I have things to take care of. I won't bother you any longer!"
Before she even finished speaking, she hurried away.
Ryuu watched her lively steps and the swaying pink hair, falling into thought.
"Bell..."
After they walked a short distance, a Guild employee called out to them.
"Good afternoon, Eina-san."
"What is this…"
Eina stared at the arm Syr was holding, her brows tightening.
Bell introduced Syr as his girlfriend and explained why the three of them were on a date together. Yet the clearer he explained, the darker Eina's expression became.
"I… never thought your relationship would progress this fast…"
Her voice trembled. What should have been a blessing came out strained, unable to hide the bitterness in her heart.
"A… harem?! So everything Bell-san told me before… was serious?"
Eina had once heard him speak of his dreams—to become a hero, to protect the smiles of girls. She had thought the second part was just something he made up out of embarrassment.
"This kind of thing… is completely unreasonable…"
Hearing Eina's words, Ryuu silently agreed. The others accepting it so naturally was the strange part. At least the boy still had someone normal in his social circle.
On this matter, Ryuu found herself approving of the gentle Half-elf girl.
But the next moment, as Eina walked away, she murmured softly:
"A harem… how could I accept that… but they're already together… Compared to cheating, being upfront might actually be better… Pull yourself together, Eina… there's still a chance…"
Watching this unexpected ally drift away, Ryuu felt a swirl of emotion. Those dangerous words had been meant only for her ears.
Ryuu chose not to dwell on them and pushed the thoughts aside. The Guild clerk must have been joking. Yes, that had to be it.
Just as her thoughts grew increasingly tangled, the group arrived at the commercial district of the Tower of Babel.
"The weapons here are so expensive."
Syr remained completely unfazed, her smile still bright.
"Yeah, I wanted to buy a dagger for Cranel-san before, but the price scared me off," Ryuu replied as she looked at the costly weapons in the display.
"You're helping Bell pick out a weapon?" Syr caught the point immediately.
Ryuu suddenly realized she'd been carried away by the lighthearted mood and blurted out without thinking. "No… it's just because I broke his weapon… so I planned to compensate him. It's definitely not what you're imagining!"
"What am I imagining?"
Syr narrowed her eyes and leaned closer.
"So… um… that…"
Ryuu's cheeks flushed crimson as she stammered and backed away.
Bell was just about to step in when an unexpected voice came from beside them.
"Bell?"
Hestia, dressed in her red apron-style uniform, looked over with confusion.
"Goddess-sama, what are you doing… Don't tell me you're working two jobs?" Bell asked, slightly worried.
"Hm… that's a secret!"
Hestia hadn't expected Bell to visit such an extravagant shop.
"Looks like I guessed right, Goddess-sama. The problem really is this dagger, isn't it? Tell me—how much does it cost?" Bell pressed.
The goddess had named the black dagger the "Hestia Knife." It grew together with its wielder. For such an exceptional weapon, the price must have been unimaginable.
"I told you it's none of your concern! I'm happy you worry about me, but I'm a Goddess. I'll be fine."
Hestia glanced at the girl beside Bell and quickly shifted the subject.
"She… she's the girlfriend you mentioned a few days ago? And you're even holding hands…"
Reluctantly, Hestia moved closer. If they weren't in a weapon shop, she would have already wanted to chase the girl away.
"Um… yes…"
Bell turned his head—Syr had vanished.
"…Ryuu?"
At some point, the one holding Bell's hand had become the flushed elf girl.
"..."
"..."
Under the gaze of one human and one Goddess, Ryuu once again crumbled into a useless mess.