Time rewound several hours earlier.
Syr had sent the boy to queue for snacks, using the chance to separate him from them.
Unsure of her intentions, Ryuu asked:
"Why separate Cranel-san and bring us to this deserted corner? What urgent matter could this be?"
"This is extremely important, Ryuu. I need your help."
Syr blinked, her earnest gaze fixed on the Elf girl.
"Speak. Whatever I can do within my power, I'll assist you wholeheartedly."
Ryuu could see the determination in Syr's gray eyes.
Unlike the playful mood from earlier, Syr truly had something serious to ask.
"You truly wish to help me?"
"Of course," Ryuu replied without hesitation.
Syr took a deep breath and slowly said, "Hearing that puts my mind at ease. If we encounter the Goddess Hestia, could you pretend to be Bell's lover in my place?"
"...?"
Pretend… lover?
Had she misheard?
She understood every word, yet strung together, the meaning escaped her entirely.
"What… did you just say?" Ryuu asked, incredulous.
"Whether it's today or in the future, whenever the Goddess Hestia is present, please take my place and pretend to be Bell's lover," Syr repeated.
Ryuu frowned, her expression complicated.
Not just today—she was expected to assume the role even going forward.
Even with Syr's explanation, Ryuu's thoughts were a tangled mess.
"Why must this be done?"
"Earlier… something happened between me and the Goddess Hestia. If she learns that I'm Bell's lover, she'll definitely forcefully tear us apart…"
Syr lowered her gaze, her voice filled with sadness and timid anxiety.
Ryuu could tell she wasn't lying.
Syr was genuinely afraid of the consequences.
Ryuu wanted to ask for details, but then she remembered—
Everyone in the tavern carried secrets of their own.
Everyone had wounds they didn't want others to see.
So she shifted her thoughts to the practicality of the request.
"Gods can see through lies. Can we really pull this off?"
"If it's you, Ryuu, there'll be no problem. And I'll ask Bell to help. He's clever—he'll definitely be able to work well with you," Syr answered.
"..."
Ryuu hadn't expected Syr to trust her so deeply.
But she had once learned interrogation techniques from her companions.
Seeing from the other side—how to use sophistry, how to hide a lie within truth—she understood all of it well.
As long as the Goddess Hestia didn't grow suspicious, and with the clever boy providing cover, deceiving her would actually be quite simple.
The only issue was… Ryuu's inner resolve....
"This… this is just too bizarre, isn't it?!"
Simply pretending to be lovers was already unusual enough. But the two of them were actually dating, and Syr was the one making the request. No matter how she looked at it, this was far beyond what Ryuu could handle.
Syr stepped forward and clasped Ryuu's hands.
"I know this is a huge favor to ask, but I really have no one else I can rely on. Anyone else would be exposed immediately."
Considering the rumors circulating among passersby, the best choice for a fake girlfriend would be someone from the tavern. Aside from Ryuu, no one else there had the ability to convincingly conceal a lie. And the Goddess Hestia was notoriously careless. As long as Ryuu and Bell could fool her face-to-face, there shouldn't be any risk of the truth leaking from elsewhere.
"Syr, I understand your situation, but pretending to be lovers…?"
Ryuu struggled to accept it—yet not because she rejected the idea. If she looked inward, there was no denying she had feelings for Bell Cranel. Ever since the mercenary battle, she had been keenly aware of him—this righteous, sincere boy. Through their later interactions, her fondness had already grown beyond the level of simple friendship.
Syr must have seen through Ryuu's feelings for the boy. That was why she dared to make such an unreasonable request. The thought left Ryuu with an acute sense of guilt, as if she were betraying her friend. That was why she felt so conflicted.
Syr's gray eyes stared straight into the Elf girl's.
"Ryuu, you said you would support me, right? Are you really going to stand by and watch my lover be taken away from me?"
"I… I do want you to be happy."
Ryuu finally voiced her true feelings.
On that rainy night in the alley, it was Syr who had saved her from the darkness. From that moment onward, Ryuu had resolved to fight for her friend's smile. But the gap between wielding a wooden sword and pretending to be someone's lover was simply too vast.
"Do you hate Bell…? Do you find my lover repulsive?" Syr pressed gently.
"That's absolutely impossible. I greatly admire Cranel-san's wisdom and courage—even more than what I feel for a friend…"
The phrase "find him repulsive" was far too demeaning. Ryuu felt a flash of anger and blurted out her feelings—only realizing afterward that she had spoken too frankly. A faint blush spread across her face.
As she struggled to justify herself, Syr spoke first, as if she had already anticipated Ryuu's reaction.
"Actually, I know very well that Bell also has feelings for Ryuu. Since Ryuu has no objections, then pretending to be lovers is settled."
"W–wait… wait… I didn't—"
Ryuu had no idea how to respond. The very fact that both she and Cranel-san, on some level, were capable of accepting the idea of pretending to be lovers was precisely what made it dangerous.
Syr and the boy had only just started dating. Ryuu stepping between them felt like she was stealing that bond away. The more she thought about it, the more the guilt rose like crashing waves, pressing on her until she could barely breathe.
Syr saw through her hesitation. She had assumed Ryuu would be troubled by the shame of the act. Instead, Ryuu approached it with solemn seriousness.
The more Ryuu worried, the more it looked like confidence—almost defiance—in Syr's eyes. If she feared replacing Syr in Bell's heart, wasn't that the same as believing she could? Ryuu's hesitation was, in its own way, an expression of pride.
Noticing this, Syr felt her determination sharpen.
She buried the swirl of emotions deep inside her and, within moments, tears gathered in her eyes.
"If… Hestia tears me and Bell apart… then living on… wouldn't mean anything anymore…"
"..."
Those words, carried on trembling tears, struck with fatal intensity.
"I… I understand, Syr. I'll do it."
In Orario, many people suffered because of love. Ryuu knew Syr was strong and kind-hearted, but love made people blind. To spare Syr from heartbreak, Ryuu had no choice but to agree.
"Great! Then let's go find Bell right away."
Syr instantly regained her energy, taking Ryuu's hand and pulling her along. Ryuu realized she had been tricked by Syr's tears once again and could only give a helpless smile.
Time passed.
Ryuu approached the Goddess in the distance and slowly reached out to take the boy's right hand. She suddenly realized something—the warmth of his palm was overwhelming.