"Eh? Sister!?"
Looking at Shirou, whose eyes were filled with sincerity and expectation, Lefiya asked timidly, "Is that… okay?"
Lefiya had no objections to becoming Shirou's younger sister.
She was well aware of the kindness and care Shirou had shown her. Many nights she found herself wondering how to repay him, even though he had never asked for anything in return.
That feeling made him truly feel like a brother to her.
"Of course! That's exactly what I want," she answered Shirou with heartfelt sincerity.
Although it was a sudden decision, Shirou believed he had both the ability and determination to protect her. He already carried the sense of responsibility an older brother should have.
Looking up at him, Lefiya gripped her staff tightly, her lips parting softly.
"O-older brother!"
Hearing that angelic voice, Shirou felt his very DNA shiver. He gently patted her head and said with warmth, "I will definitely protect you, Lefiya."
What had happened with Miyu would never be allowed to happen again.
Watching the shy yet spirited Lefiya before him, Shirou's eyes shone with determination.
---
"Eh!? Lefiya is now Shirou's sister!?"
Tione, shocked upon hearing how Lefiya addressed Shirou, let out a loud cry.
Her outburst quickly spread through the members of the Familia.
Unlike Tione, however, everyone else welcomed the new bond between Shirou and Lefiya with genuine joy.
After all, when they had become members of the same Familia, they were already like siblings in spirit. Shirou and Lefiya had simply taken it a step further.
Moreover, after spending so much time together, everyone knew Shirou was exceptionally considerate and constantly helped those around him.
They were delighted he had gained Lefiya as a younger sister.
"Congratulations, Shirou! That's an important addition to your family."
"With Shirou's caring nature, I think you two are a perfect match."
"I wish I had a brother like Shirou, too."
Hearing the crowd's words, Shirou smiled and scratched his head in embarrassment.
At that moment, Riveria appeared before him.
His expression instantly turned serious when he saw her.
As a prominent figure in the Familia and a member of the elven royal family, Riveria's opinion carried significant weight—especially since Lefiya was her direct student.
If she disapproved of their relationship, Shirou could be in real trouble.
However, Riveria was far from critical; instead, she offered her sincere blessing to Shirou and Lefiya's new bond.
"I'll be at ease if you take care of her."
Riveria had already acknowledged Shirou for his recent conduct within the Familia.
She believed he would take good care of Lefiya, and she could feel that this man would never betray anyone.
Hearing her approval, Shirou's tense heart relaxed instantly.
A smile returned to his once-serious face, and he expressed his gratitude to Riveria.
For a brief moment, the Familia's atmosphere became particularly lively.
"Speaking of which, where's Goddess Loki? Why isn't she here?"
After chatting happily with his companions for a while, Shirou finally noticed Loki's absence. At the same time, Ais and the others were also nowhere to be seen.
"Loki went to attend the divine gathering," Riveria replied with a faint smile.
Divine gathering?
Suddenly recalling something, Shirou quickly asked, "Riveria, isn't that where they decide the titles for adventurers newly promoted to Level 2?"
"Exactly."
Upon hearing Riveria's confirmation, Shirou immediately tensed.
When adventurers reach Level 2, their titles are bestowed by the gods at the divine gathering.
Titles like Ais's "Sword Princess," Riveria's "Nine Hells," and Finn's "Braver" had all been granted during such meetings.
In Orario, titles carried even greater significance than a second name.
However, since the naming group wasn't exactly professional, the titles given by the gods—who were mainly seeking amusement—were wildly varied, with many being downright disrespectful.
Although the prestige of the Loki Familia would likely prevent them from giving Shirou something outrageous, he still couldn't help but worry.
The joy of gaining a younger sister had diminished slightly.
When the Familia members dispersed, only a few remained in the main hall, awaiting Loki's return.
As for Lefiya, even with everyone praising her, she had already shyly fled to her room.
"By the way, where are Finn and the others?" Shirou asked.
Tione responded with irritation. "How can you even ask? Isn't this all because of your little theory?"
"You mean about limiting one's own strength?"
Shirou understood immediately. After all, that was the only thing he could think of that might have affected Finn and the others.
"Indeed, it was good you warned us ahead of time. Ais really did plan to go into the Dungeon alone to test it out."
"After some scolding, it was decided Finn and Gareth would take Ais into the Dungeon for a trial. As for Tiona, Bete, and the others, they went along too."
Shirou had long suspected Ais might try to test the theory on her own, so he had informed Finn, Riveria, and the others in advance.
The thought of Ais being scolded almost made him chuckle.
Putting her book aside, Riveria continued explaining to Shirou:
"Finn and I considered your hypothesis carefully, and we believe it's correct. It perfectly fits the growth patterns of our adventurers, and if confirmed, Shirou, you'll be a great hero for the Loki Familia."
For Finn, Riveria, and Gareth—already at Level 6—their progress had slowed to a crawl.
If the effectiveness of this training method could be confirmed, their strength would improve dramatically.
"This is just something I should be doing," Shirou replied humbly to Riveria's thanks. After all, it had only been a guess.
However, he still had something else to ask her.
"Riveria, can you teach me Concurrent Chanting?"
This was a high-level technique involving casting magic while moving or fighting. Its difficulty was comparable to defusing a bomb with both hands in the middle of a battle—one could fail the chant or lose control of their magic entirely.
In the original story, aside from Riveria, Ryuu was also a master of Concurrent Chanting.
She could recite spells fluently even in the midst of fierce battle against the Black Goliath. This technique was extremely important to Shirou.
When he recited the activation chant for Unlimited Blade Works, he was also unable to move.
But if he could learn Concurrent Chanting, the efficiency of his activation would increase a thousandfold.
"If you truly wish to learn, I'd be happy to teach you," Riveria answered without hesitation.
After all, Shirou was an important member of the Familia, a future pillar of the Loki Familia, and even a potential candidate for future captain.
So long as Shirou wanted to learn, she was more than willing to teach him.
"Thank you very much, Riveria."
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."