Chapter 18: The Tavern Staff's Affection Levels Increased?!
"Loki Familia? They eat here too?"
Hestia also noticed the arrival of Loki and her Familia, but she had no intention of greeting them. In fact, she deliberately used a wooden board to cover her face.
This was understandable. Although the gods treated each other as equals in the heavens, once in the lower world, hierarchies emerged even among gods.
A god like Loki, whose Familia stood at the top of Orario and was filled with outstanding adventurers, was naturally more prestigious than someone like Hestia, who was so poor she could barely afford to eat.
If it were just a gathering of gods, Hestia might be able to bluff her way through with her thick skin. But when Familias met each other, strength spoke louder than status.
Without real power, one couldn't utter a single witty remark.
Even if not for herself, Hestia had to consider Shirou and Bell. She didn't want them to be demoralized by the overwhelming power of Loki Familia.
Perhaps because their table was in a relatively hidden corner, or because Loki Familia was too large to notice their surroundings, none of them paid any attention to Hestia and the others. Instead, guided by the waitstaff, they silently took their seats at a large table some distance away.
Loki Familia's members were a mixed bunch, but one thing was certain: they were all formidable. There wasn't a single greenhorn like Bell among them. Even the weakest support members were at least Level 2.
Yes, in Loki Familia, even Level 2 adventurers could only serve as support.
The actual members all had strength equivalent to Level 3 or higher — true core fighters.
"..."
Faced with such a powerful group, both Bell and Hestia fell silent, not daring to provoke them. Only Shirou remained calm, his expression unaffected.
"Alright, good job on the dungeon expedition, everyone! Tonight we drink till we drop! Cheers!"
Over at their table, Loki Familia began celebrating on their own.
They clinked beer mugs, heartily enjoying food and drink.
Even Ais, who usually appeared quiet and reserved, seemed more relaxed during this group event — a testament to their excellent team dynamics.
"Don't look!"
Sensing that Shirou was observing Loki Familia, Hestia grabbed his hand.
"Shirou, you're part of our Familia. Don't even think about jumping ship to Loki's side!"
"Don't worry. I'd never do that."
Shirou gave a helpless smile at Hestia's concern and patted her head, trying to comfort his goddess.
"Don't pat me — I'm a goddess, you know."
Despite saying that, Hestia made no attempt to stop him. In fact, she even leaned into his hand a little more.
Seeing this, Shirou couldn't help but feel that this goddess in front of him resembled a pet.
Realizing how disrespectful that thought was, he quickly dismissed it from his mind.
"Here's the food you ordered."
As they chatted, the gray-haired waitress returned with a tray of dishes and placed them on the table.
"Hmm? This food…"
The moment he saw the dishes, Hestia and Bell didn't react much. But Shirou's expression subtly changed.
As a culinary expert, Shirou wasn't only skilled at cooking; he was also a discerning food critic.
He immediately recognized that the dishes here were no ordinary fare.
Even the seemingly simple grilled meat had multiple layers of technique behind it — both presentation and taste were at an above-average level. It wasn't as good as Shirou's own cooking, but it certainly qualified as top-tier cuisine.
While Shirou was still marveling at the tavern's food quality, Hestia and Bell had already thrown all manners aside and started gorging themselves. Having lived on bread and water for so long, they were utterly entranced by this sudden exposure to gourmet food.
Their wolfing down of food made it seem as though they hadn't eaten in days.
Meanwhile, Shirou, driven by a cook's instinct, wanted to find the person responsible for this food and have a chat — perhaps exchange cooking insights.
Though confident in his own skills, Shirou believed there was always something to learn from others. Even those less skilled might have techniques or knowledge worth borrowing.
So, he headed over to the tavern's counter and curiously asked the gray-haired waitress:
"Excuse me, who cooked the food here?"
"Cooking?"
The gray-haired girl looked obviously puzzled by the question.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was really impressed by the food in this place."
Shirou had always been serious and passionate about cooking — toward both himself and others. He held high standards and never hesitated to give praise where it was due.
Back when he taught his younger sister Miyu how to cook, he'd often talk endlessly once he got into the topic.
"Forgive me for being blunt, but the dishes just now were exceptional. The knife work and heat control were spot-on. What really stood out to me, though, were the sauces and ingredients — both were of extraordinary quality. This wasn't just casual cooking…"
Shirou spoke enthusiastically and at length, showing more intensity than when he discussed dungeon monster strategies with Bell. The gray-haired girl could only keep nodding as she struggled to keep up.
"Sorry, I guess I talked too much."
Shirou hadn't expected to ramble on like that to a stranger.
For some reason, he had lost control of his emotions for a brief moment and hadn't managed to restrain himself properly.
The girl just gave an awkward smile. Rather than being annoyed, she actually seemed more intrigued by Shirou.
"May I ask your name?"
She looked at Shirou with a hopeful expression.
"I'm Shirou Emiya."
Shirou didn't hide his identity and calmly introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Emiya. I'm Syr Flova. Just call me Syr."
Syr gave Shirou a gentle smile.
Although her smile was warm and kind, for some reason, Shirou found it a bit dazzling — not in a bad way, just oddly intense.
Still, he sensed no hostility, so he didn't dwell on it.
Just as Shirou was about to ask more about who prepared the food, he suddenly realized that all the waitresses in the tavern had quietly gathered around him.
They were either whispering to each other or exchanging meaningful glances — all of them were clearly focused on Shirou, eyes sparkling with interest.
"Uh… can I help you?"
Shirou asked, confused by being surrounded.
Syr smiled and explained:
"This tavern doesn't have a dedicated chef. The food is prepared in turns by us waitresses. Also, all the sauces and ingredients are prepared by us too. So, Mr. Emiya, your compliments just now made all of us really happy — because, essentially, you praised everyone in the tavern."
"Wait… huh?"
Shirou's eyes widened in surprise.
Did that mean… he had just raised the affection levels of every female staff member in the tavern?
While Shirou stood there dumbfounded, the waitresses continued to gaze at him intently, their sparkling eyes full of interest — as if they were about to devour him on the spot.