— A bit too charming, if you ask me. Stay out of trouble, Luki. Especially trouble with silver hair. — Hestia leaned dangerously close to Luki's face, her eyes gleaming with determination.
Luki remained silent, avoiding any obvious reaction. But inside, he was glowing.
'Jealous, huh? My goddess is jealous of me…'
He might not be as naive as Bell, nor a complete pervert, but he at least knew how to read the emotions of the girls around him. And Hestia's were clear: possessiveness laced with a touch of insecurity.
However, there was something else, something he had also recognized in Syr's behavior.
'So that's it… Freya saw my soul. Am i a pure soul? I'm screwed.' He cryed internally.
Among all the threats in the world, Freya was without a doubt the most dangerous, and, ironically, the least likely to strike directly. But now, to his misfortune, she had decided to set her sights on him.
'In the original, she manipulated situations to speed up Bell's growth. Maybe I can use that to my advantage… I just have to stay alive and ignore her fetishes. After all, I'm a modern man of culture.'
As he sank into these thoughts, a sweet voice brought him back to reality:
— Luki-kun~ you're not thinking about her, are you? — The softness in Hestia's voice contrasted sharply with the dangerous undertone hidden beneath.
He swallowed hard and turned to her.— Why… wOuld I? I HAve… Hestia-sama.
Hestia's face instantly turned red, a mix of embarrassment and joy lighting up her eyes. She backed away, bringing one hand to her face as if trying to hide her blush.
— W-well… of course you do! — She replied, trying to disguise how much those words had affected her.
Luki watched the little goddess, her smile impossible to hide, and felt relieved that, at least for now, he had managed to deflect the focus.
But deep down, he knew the real problem wasn't Hestia, it was Freya.
'I need to be ready. At any moment, she could decide to toy with my luck.'
As if she could hear his thoughts, Syr appeared with their order.
— Hope you enjoy. — She said with a professional smile as she set the plates down on the table.
Luki looked at the meal before him: a generous caramelized apple pie, accompanied by a frothy mug of apple cider. The presentation was impeccable, but the sweet, fruity aroma left him curious. He took the fork and knife, cut a piece of the pie, and took a bite.
Right after chewing, his face tightened slightly, not in disgust, but in surprise.
Seeing his expression, Hestia and Syr reacted almost in unison:
— Luki-kun, are you okay? — Hestia asked, leaning over the table in concern.— What's wrong? Don't like the food? — Syr asked, curious.
Luki quickly shook his head to reassure them.
— No… it's not tHat. It's gooD… just diFFerent. — he said, forcing himself to take another bite to prove it was fine.
His words seemed to have completely different effects on the two women.
Hestia clasped her hands on her lap, trying to contain the mix of pride and concern overflowing in her heart.
'He's pretending not to mind so he doesn't ruin the night. My Luki is so considerate and kind… I'm so lucky to have him as family!'
Meanwhile, Syr, or rather, Freya controlling the waitress's body, watched him with a peculiar glint in her eyes.
'A young, immature elf going against his own customs just so he won't hurt his goddess… What a pure and adorable child. Ah, Luki, you're becoming more irresistible to me by the second.'
While the two women were lost in thought, Luki, oblivious to it all, chewed another bite of pie as he reflected to himself.
'The taste is kinda strange… Seems too healthy. Feels like it's missing something, like those artificial seasonings or that touch of grease food from Earth had. Yeah, that's probably it. It's good, just… too natural.'
He took a sip of the apple cider and furrowed his brows slightly.
'Guess I'll have to get used to these drinks too. It's good, but a bit tart. Nothing like a fizzy soda.'
— I'll be going now, enjoy your meal. — Syr said with a smile before leaving, leaving Luki and Hestia alone at the table.
The silence between them was almost palpable. The sound of cutlery against plates seemed to echo louder than it should.
Hestia began to fidget in her chair, feeling the discomfort grow with every moment of unbroken silence. She glanced sideways at Luki, who ate calmly, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air.
'Why isn't he saying anything? Is he mad about what I said about Syr? No, he seems so… calm. But this silence is driving me crazy!'
She cleared her throat to get his attention.
— So, Luki-kun... — She began, leaning forward slightly, trying to sound casual. — What do you think of Orario so far? Any place that's caught your eye?
Luki paused mid-bite, set his fork down, and thought for a moment before answering in his usual slow manner.
— Orario… is bIg… bUsy. Many thINGs to sEE…
Hestia smiled, satisfied with the answer, but felt the need to keep the conversation going.
— Yes! Orario is a unique city. And there's still so much you haven't seen. Maybe, when we have the time, I can take you to see some of my favorite spots?
He nodded, his gaze calm.
— I'd liKe… THat a loT.
Her heart skipped at his simple but sincere reply. She rested her chin in her hands, smiling at him.
— "You're always so direct, you know? Sometimes I have no idea what's going on in your head, Luki-kun."
He tilted his head slightly, thinking.
— I… THink a loT. BUT I caN not... sAY it. WORds… hard. — Luki admitted with his usual awkward honesty.
Hestia laughed softly, shaking her head.
— You're adorable, you know that? — she said warmly, making Luki avert his gaze, slightly embarrassed.
They kept talking as they ate, their low voices filling the space around them. From time to time, soft laughter escaped, creating a light, intimate atmosphere. To an onlooker, they could easily be mistaken for a young couple on a date.
Suddenly—bam!—a heavy hand slammed down on the table, breaking the moment.
Luki looked up to find the imposing figure of Mama Mia, the owner of the establishment, looming over them. Her dominating presence made the air feel heavier.
— Hey, brat. Heard you didn't like my food much. — she declared, her loud, booming voice carrying a tone far too serious to be a joke.
Hestia immediately jumped between Luki and Mama Mia, crossing her arms defensively.
— Hey, hey, wait a second! Luki would never complain without a reason, you hear? — she said, her voice wavering between irritation and nervousness.
Mama Mia raised an eyebrow, looking at the little goddess with a mix of amusement and patience.
— Calm down, shorty goddess, I'm just messing with you. You really think I'd scare your boy? — she said, letting out a raspy laugh.
Hestia didn't look convinced, but Luki stepped in with his usual calm.
— FooD… taSTy… new… home… diFFereNT flaVOR.
Mama Mia narrowed her eyes at him, as if analyzing each word.
— You speak strange, boy... so that's it? An elf trying something new and feeling unsure? Not the first time I've seen that happen. — she said, recalling a certain employee of hers.
— But you know, brat, I don't like hearing that someone didn't approve of my food. — she added, crossing her arms.
—L-Luki didn't mean it like that! He just has a more refined palate, he's an elf, after all! — Hestia tried to explain, clearly nervous.
Mama Mia ignored her, straightened her posture, and raised her hand with a smile hiding mysterious intentions.
Everyone around held their breath, curious to see what would happen next. The staff, especially Syr and a certain blonde elf, watched with tense eyes.
To everyone's surprise, Mama Mia did nothing threatening. Instead, she set down a new plate with a proud smile.
— That's why I made this. Let's see if you like it better this time.
Luki looked at the plate—a vibrant salad full of fresh greens, a slice of bread, some familiar an a unknow sauce.
— Ah, a salad? That suits you much better, Luki! — Hestia said, trying to ease the tension, still surprised at the turn of events.
Without hesitation, he shrugged, picked up his fork, and took a bite. As he chewed, his expression remained neutral, but his eyes lit up slightly.
— BeTTer… remiNDS me of home. — Luki said in his slow manner, eating another forkful.
Mama Mia gave a satisfied smile, hands on her hips.
— That's more like it! Now eat it all, or I'll put you to work washing dishes. — she joked, winking before heading back to the kitchen.
Hestia, still slightly tense from earlier, watched Luki eat in silence. His expression slowly changed.
Without realizing it, a small smile appeared on his lips as he chewed the next bite.
'Feels like a Caesar salad I used to have back on Earth… The dressing's a little different, the greens too, but the flavor… it's so similar. It's been so long since I've tasted this. Nostalgia…'
Hestia, observing him closely, interpreted it completely differently.
'Ah, my Luki-kun… So he really was forcing himself to eat earlier just so he wouldn't hurt my feelings! Even thinking it was strange, he kept eating without a single complaint. What a kind heart he has! My Luki is so sweet!'