Twilight Manor.
Lefiya walked along the stone corridor toward the drawing room, her steps slightly hesitant.
Thinking of the reply Zephyr gave in the Dungeon at that time, she was organizing her wording in her heart as she walked.
Where should she start when talking to Loki?
The door to the drawing room was ajar, and the yellow light from the magic stone lamp spilled out from the crack, mixing with a faint scent of alcohol that wafted into the corridor.
Knock. Knock.
Lefiya reached out and knocked on the door.
"Come in." A lazy voice drifted from inside.
After pushing the door open, Lefiya saw Loki sprawled on the sofa, her right hand holding a transparent goblet.
Loki squinted her eyes, her gaze looking toward the direction of the door.nWhen she noticed it was Lefiya, she smiled and waved her hand to signal.
"Oh, it's Lefiya-chan, to think you've come back so late, Did Zephyr get back to you?"
"Yes."
Lefiya stood not far from the sofa, her hands clasped in front of her and said, "Zephyr has agreed to join the Loki Familia."
"!!!"
Loki suddenly straightened up. Her habitually narrowed eyes widened, and for once, she put away her usual slack demeanor.
"For real?"
Lefiya nodded. "However, he made a request, hoping to bring his friend from the Soma Familia, Liliruca Arde, into the Familia as well. She is Zephyr's Supporter."
"A Supporter, huh." Loki tilted her head in thought for a moment, then quickly agreed.
"I already agreed last night. One more Supporter is just one more mouth to feed, the Familia's food budget can handle it."
"As for Zephyr, letting a newcomer with such great talent go without a Familia would be my sin."
Lefiya continued, her tone serious, "Zephyr wants to wait a few more days, until his Dungeon exploration has come to an end, before coming to Twilight Manor to handle the transfer and update his status. He wants to take care of the level advancement at the same time."
"Oh?" Loki was slightly stunned.
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes in thought.
As a goddess who had lived for eons, Loki could certainly understand Zephyr's thinking—that is, to push his status to the limit of his potential before ranking up.
All attribute accumulation before advancement is converted into potential. The more one improves, the deeper the potential, and the more solid the foundation after advancement. This is what the path of an Adventurer is actually about.
But what really made Loki find it interesting wasn't this, but rather the attitude that Zephyr had proactively displayed.
"How sensible. With his current talent, he would be fought over by Familias, yet he insists on grinding his attributes to the peak before considering transferring."
Loki poured the last of the Divine Wine into her glass and took a sip.
"Talking to smart people is refreshing. I am looking forward to that day."
After spending this time together, Lefiya could actually tell that Loki only seemed a bit unreliable, but when discussing serious matters, she would definitely change her attitude.
She nodded slightly and said, "Then Loki-sama, I will head back now. Charles and the others are still waiting for me at the restaurant to eat."
"Wait."
Loki suddenly stood up from the sofa and placed the glass on the table.
Lefiya stopped in her tracks and turned back. She seemed to have a bad premonition in her heart at this moment.
She asked, "Loki-sama, is there anything else?"
"Lefiya-chan~"
Loki waved her over, the arc of her lips looking a bit guilty. "Come here, I want to ask you something."
Lefiya hesitated and took two steps closer. Immediately after, Loki's hand rested on her shoulder.
She narrowed her eyes with a meaningful smile, her tone filled with an irrepressible eagerness. "About that Divine Wine... Does Zephyr have any more in stock?"
"Huh?" Lefiya was stunned.
They were just talking about the serious topic of Zephyr's affiliation, and she had immediately switched to the Divine Wine.
Loki rubbed her hands together expectantly. The eager smile on her face made Lefiya inexplicably recall the look she had when she first lured her in.
"Zephyr brought me a bottle, didn't he? Ever since I tasted that sip of Divine Wine, no other wine has any flavor to me. Can you understand this feeling?"
"It's like eating delicacies, then eating simple meals. It really is tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw away."
When she said this, Loki sighed faintly, winking and making faces to try to make Lefiya understand.
"So... Lefiya-chan, if Zephyr still has stock on hand, could you go and ask him for me? The price is negotiable."
"Uh..."
The corner of Lefiya's lips twitched.
She could only force a polite smile and nodded. "I will convey these words for you, Loki-sama."
"Good girl."
Loki patted her shoulder in satisfaction, narrowing her eyes with a contented smile. "As expected of the Lefiya I value, you are a good child."
"One more thing." Loki lowered her voice and leaned close to Lefiya's ear.
There was nothing more interesting than teasing a serious-minded girl. Her face was filled with an improper smile. "That..."
"Loki-sama!"
Upon hearing the content clearly, Lefiya's face flushed red. She stepped back two paces, covering her skirt with both hands.
Loki laughed. "I'm just teasing you. Go on, don't keep your friends waiting too long. You must help me convey the matter about the Divine Wine, okay?"
"...I'm leaving now."
— — —
The Hostess of Fertility.
Evening is the liveliest time at the restaurant. Looking around, the tables and chairs in the restaurant were almost completely filled by Adventurers.
Charles squeezed into a round table in the corner. "It's a good thing we came early, otherwise we would definitely have to wait a long time."
Kate sat opposite him. She crossed her arms and glanced at this unreliable guy. "If you didn't insist on looking at the weapon shop windows on the way, we would have arrived long ago. The point is, what's the use of looking? Anyway, we can't afford it no matter what."
"Hey, it was on the way."
"What do you mean 'on the way'? You went out of your way, didn't you?"
Charles scratched his head, not daring to refute.
The two had spent a long time together, so bickering had long since become a daily spice.
"Seriously. In a few days, I'll be leaving Orario with the School District. After we leave, I probably won't be able to eat Zephyr's... cough, no, I mean I won't be able to eat Orario's food for a while."
"Dinner is on me tonight." Charles slapped the table.
He looked at Kate with a smile. "Order whatever you want to eat. I made some money exploring these past few days. Don't be polite with me."
"Fine."
Just as the two were going back and forth, a voice came from beside the table. "Guests. Would you like to order?"
Charles turned his head and saw a waitress with long gray hair tied into a high ponytail.
It was Syr Flova who had served them last night.
"Is that... Syr-san?"
After Charles recognized her identity, he readily pushed the menu over.
"Two orders of the grilled meat platter, three orders of thick soup, and I'll take the bread platter too. Also, that signature braised noodles, bring two of those as well. That's all for now, thank you."
Syr nodded with a smile, her pen tip moving continuously across the parchment. Halfway through writing, her movements paused slightly.
She raised her head, her tone still gentle. "Guest. You've ordered so much, will you be able to finish it all?"
Charles waved his hand, his tone casual. "Of course not. A friend hasn't arrived yet, and besides, as an Adventurer, you've got to have a good appetite. How can you have the strength to explore the Dungeon if you don't eat your fill?"
"That makes sense."
Syr's gaze swept toward the restaurant entrance, trying to find traces of Zephyr, that boy whose soul color she had never seen before. She was still deeply impressed by it even now.
A friend hasn't arrived yet... Could it be him?
Just as Syr's thoughts drifted away, Charles suddenly raised his hand and pointed toward the entrance, his voice rising. "Lefiya! We're over here!"
Syr looked in the direction his finger pointed.
An elf wearing the Loki Familia uniform stood at the entrance looking around. She was so beautiful that the Adventurers in the restaurant couldn't help but look back.
The moment she saw who it was, the faint expectation in Syr's eyes vanished, leaving no trace behind.
However, she was able to adjust her mood quickly. The smile on her face remained appropriate, though the warmth of her enthusiasm faded slightly.
"Understood. The kitchen will send the meal over as soon as possible, please wait a moment."
Syr bowed slightly and turned to walk toward the kitchen.