Chapter 12 – Emiya is Simply an Enchanting Man
Faced with Ais's cold attitude, Loki seemed quite used to it. She smiled and waved her hand, letting Ais stand off to the side alone, then spoke to Shirou:
"Well, Ais-tan's personality is like a tsundere. Shirou-kun, just make two servings of fried rice."
"I am not tsundere!"
Ais was visibly irritated by Loki's attitude and quietly retorted.
Shirou didn't say much in response and began preparing the fried rice with practiced ease.
While he was cooking, Loki and Ais began chatting beside the stall. The topic was naturally about the Sword Demon.
As a Familia that had witnessed numerous Dungeon Lords disappear with their own eyes, the Loki Familia was deeply concerned about the Sword Demon's existence.
Especially Ais, the Familia's strongest swordswoman and known as the "Sword Princess"—she was particularly curious about the legendary Sword Demon, and even wanted to fight him.
However, since returning to the surface, the Loki Familia hadn't heard any further news about the Sword Demon.
Ais was, without question, quite disappointed about that.
Therefore, once she completed her surface preparations, Ais was eager to return to the dungeon to search for the Sword Demon.
But her idea was stopped by the Familia's main god, Loki.
Not only did Loki refuse to let her go to the dungeon alone, but she forcibly tied Ais to her side, making her act as a bodyguard.
That's how today's outing between Loki and Ais had come to be.
Hearing their conversation, even though Shirou wasn't too familiar with the Loki Familia, he understood that Loki's actions were to protect Ais.
Although Shirou himself knew that this so-called Sword Demon was none other than himself, the Loki Familia obviously had no such intel and didn't know the truth behind the Sword Demon's identity.
If the Sword Demon really were some crazed killer, then meeting him would pose great danger to Ais—which was clearly something Loki didn't want to see.
Because of this, Shirou couldn't help but marvel at how diverse the relationships between gods and their Familias in Orario were.
There were Familias like Hestia's, where the Familia took care of the goddess, or Soma's, which operated more like a mafia. And then there was Loki's, who treated her children like her own kids—truly, each Familia had its own unique style.
To Shirou, he didn't mind that Hestia, his goddess, behaved like a child. In fact, he was quite glad that she wasn't full of herself—it allowed him to do what he wanted freely.
"Two servings of fried rice, done."
Shirou scooped the fried rice into food containers and handed them to Loki and Ais.
Loki received hers with glee.
Ais, on the other hand, looked hesitant. She wasn't particularly interested in fried rice, but seeing Shirou's sincere smile, she instinctively accepted it anyway.
"Oooh! This is the legendary golden fried rice! Just from the looks alone, it's top-tier!"
Loki lavishly praised the dish, and after taking a bite, her face lit up with utter joy as she exclaimed loudly, "This fried rice is just as good as Soma's divine wine! Hey, Shirou-kun, how about joining my Familia!?"
"What!?"
Upon hearing Loki's words, Hestia immediately voiced her displeasure.
"Loki, what the hell is wrong with you!? You trying to poach my Familia member!?"
"I'm merely offering Shirou-kun a brighter future. With cooking skills this amazing, staying in a tiny, rundown Familia like yours is a total waste!"
"Ugh…"
Faced with Loki's words, Hestia looked like she had no argument and could only gaze at Shirou with teary eyes, clearly not wanting him to leave.
Seeing Hestia's worry, Shirou didn't seem too bothered. Smiling, he said:
"Don't worry, Hestia. I won't leave the Familia—no matter what happens, that resolve won't change."
"Shirou…! Uwaaahhh, Shirou!!"
Overcome with emotion, Hestia threw herself into Shirou's arms, sobbing so much that she soaked his chest.
While the god and follower were putting on this touching emotional display, Ais stood off to the side with a conflicted expression, holding her fried rice.
She really wasn't interested in the fried rice—that wasn't a lie.
Compared to food, she cared more about swordsmanship. What she really wanted was to become stronger.
That's why she was so displeased that Loki had forcibly dragged her out and kept her from returning to the dungeon in search of the Sword Demon.
However, as the fried rice Shirou had made sat in front of her, emitting a mouthwatering aroma and appearance that were hard to ignore, Ais couldn't help but swallow—drawn in by how ridiculously delicious it looked.
But she didn't want to be swayed by such desires. To her, those kinds of indulgences were unnecessary, and even inappropriate.
"You don't have to think too hard about it."
After comforting Hestia, Shirou noticed Ais's expression. He had a good guess about what she was thinking and offered gently:
"Food, strength—either way, they're both necessary for survival. As long as we live in this world, we need to eat to survive. And if you're going to eat anyway, why not choose something delicious?"
"This…"
Hearing Shirou's words, Ais suddenly felt a sense of clarity.
She looked at the man in front of her, who neither looked particularly special nor radiated any great power, with some surprise. After a moment of hesitation, she silently took a bite of the fried rice.
At first, her expression didn't change—it looked as if she were eating something utterly ordinary.
But her hands told a different story—they moved at lightning speed, rapidly shoveling the fried rice into her mouth. She didn't stop until not a single grain of rice remained in the container.
"Thank you for the meal."
"I should be the one thanking you for your patronage."
Shirou replied with a smile. From beginning to end, he hadn't shown any excessive emotion. Yet, it was precisely this calm and ordinary demeanor that made Ais feel very comfortable. There was even a faint look of approval in her eyes as she gazed at him.
As the two interacted, Loki suddenly furrowed her brows, her expression turning serious as she said to Hestia:
"Nope, I take it back. I don't want Shirou-kun anymore. Absolutely not letting him into my Familia!"
"Huh!? Why the sudden change of heart!?"
Though Hestia had never considered handing Shirou over, she hadn't expected Loki to change her mind so quickly either.
Loki, with a solemn face, said:
"Shirou-kun is just too damn enchanting. If he joins my Familia, all the cute girls are gonna be in danger! Whether it's Ais-tan or the other girls—they're all mine! I won't let anyone steal them away!"
"…Huh?"
Both Hestia and Shirou were left speechless by Loki's ridiculous declaration.
Ais, on the other hand, inexplicably turned a bit red in the face—clearly embarrassed by her goddess's outrageous comment.