"But, Halr is already dead," Ryuu said, "Only, I rembered, [Slave Cat] was a fanatic monster enthusiast."
"He took pleasure in studying monsters, and conducted many horrifying experints. I rember, Halr once fed monsters with magic stones, causing them to enter a berserk state, lose reason, and beco more aggressive," Ryuu did not directly connect [Slave Cat] Halr with the current enhanced species incident.
After all, he was already dead, and even if Halr were alive, with his Lv.2 strength, it would still be impossible for him to create those terrifying enhanced species.
Lv.4 red mantis, purple fla firebird, and that Lv.5 giant tree dragon, these monsters' strength far exceeded Halr's limits, unless, soone was helping him.
"He should be dead...", Ryuu said softly.
At that ti, she did not personally see Halr's corpse, but under those circumstances, the chance of survival was nearly zero.
"If, he is still alive," Ryuu thought of this possibility, and her gaze involuntarily darkened.
"Ryuu, thank you for your reminder, the [Beast Tar], indeed, is very suspicious...", Emiya looked at Ryuu's expression, and said seriously, "But, promise , absolutely do not act on your own. If there is any news or discovery, inform or Lady Riveria imdiately."
He paused for a mont as he said this, "This is... my request."
Ryuu looked up at him. After a mont, her gaze softened, "Yes... I understand."
Emiya smiled a little, he reached out and gently stroked Ryuu's hair.
At that mont, Ryuu's delicate nose twitched slightly, as if she had slled sothing.
She suddenly raised her head, looked at Emiya with a trace of doubt in her eyes, "Shirou, did you change shampoo? I sll violets."
Ryuu clearly rembered, the shampoo Emiya had been using recently had the fragrance of gardenia, a fresh and sowhat warm scent she was very familiar with.
Emiya was slightly stunned. Before he could respond, Riveria standing by the side blushed slightly.
The elven princess tried hard to maintain a calm expression, her shampoo had a violet fragrance.
Riveria cleared her throat softly, "Ryuu, if those enemies hiding in the dark are really remnants of the Evilus, then you may be their true target."
"So, even though you're a first-class adventurer, you must pay extra attention to your safety."
"Thank you for the reminder, Lady Riveria... It's almost noon, Shirou, let's go back," Ryuu glanced at the clock and spoke.
.
.
.
At the [Hostess of Fertility] tavern, just after stepping in the back door, Emiya suddenly pulled Ryuu aside.
"Ryuu, I have sothing to tell you," Emiya looked seriously at the elven girl.
Ryuu was stunned, but she didn't ask. Instead, she closed her eyes, as if waiting for sothing.
———
"It's nothing, her body has no abnormalities. In fact, she's extrely healthy," After saying that, Airmid looked up at everyone.
She had been eating lunch at the [Hostess of Fertility] tavern, when Emiya suddenly called her to check what had caused Ryuu to faint.
Chloe looked puzzled, "Very healthy, nya? Then why did Ryuu suddenly faint, nya?"
Airmid squinted slightly, her gaze swept over Emiya's lips, then lowered her head to look at the unconscious Ryuu.
She reached out her finger, and gently wiped Ryuu's lips.
In her heart, the girl pondered, 'This color doesn't match Ryuu at all, it suits a slightly older woman. In fact, this bit looks like it was rubbed off... and, it should be from another woman.'
Airmid glanced at Emiya, with a subtle expression as if looking at a "female enemy."
"Ryuu has no physical issues," Airmid continued, "The reason she fainted was simply, she was too excited."
The girls: """Huh?"""
Airmid: "Literally. She was too emotionally excited, and has very low resistance to physical contact with n. She couldn't handle it, and just fainted."
Lunoire and the others exchanged glances, then all turned their eyes to Emiya, then looked at the unconscious Ryuu again.
"Uwah, such a hopeless elf...", Anya sighed.
"Just slightly stronger than that useless pervy fox, nya."
———
"Shirou, is sothing bothering you?"
Goddess Hephaestus smiled and asked, tilting her head slightly with a playful smile at the corner of her lips.
"Or perhaps, you have a friend, who ran into so headache-inducing trouble?"
Emiya shook his head, "No, it's indeed my own issue."
Goddess Hephaestus nodded, "Is it a relationship problem?"
Emiya sighed softly, "That obvious?"
The goddess' smile deepened, with a hint of teasing in her eyes, "Very obvious. Besides, both Riveria and Ryuu ca to see you this morning, I know all about it."
At the Hephaestus Familia residence, after brooding in his own room for a while without finding an answer, Emiya finally decided to seek advice from the goddess.
The goddess looked at Emiya's expression and smiled gently, patting the seat next to her, "Sit down. Let hear your troubles, maybe I can offer you so advice."
Emiya obediently sat down, thought for a mont, and began to speak, "Right now, I don't know how to face Riveria, Ryuu, and also..."
Goddess Hephaestus patiently listened. After Emiya finished speaking, she slowly said, "First of all, Shirou, I need to remind you, in this world, there's no such rule as 'monogamy.'"
Although monogamy is more common among ordinary citizens, in this world filled with supernatural powers, both n and won may establish "harems."
Not only matriarchal societies like the Amazons or so beastman tribes like lion societies, but also among royalty, lords, and nobles of various human nations, and even among powerful adventurers in Orario, many people have multiple partners.
Emiya helplessly, "Goddess-sama..."
Goddess Hephaestus, "I'm being serious, Shirou. You're soone who can't easily reject other people's feelings."
In a certain sense, Emiya Shirou's essence might be that of soone who responds to others' expectations.
The original him, was soone hollow inside.
Even the ideal of "hero of justice" at the beginning, was sothing inherited from soone else.
To him, what he truly cared about wasn't justice itself, but the people reflected in his eyes.
In the depths of Emiya Shirou's heart, he could never ignore the expectations of others.
He could not overlook those sincere gazes, whether filled with hope, dependence, sadness, or despair, Emiya would always act in response to them.
"I want... everyone to be happy," Emiya said softly.
Not taking initiative, not admitting, not taking responsibility... that might be a more rational approach, and could reduce many troubles and pains, but Emiya was unwilling to do so.
Goddess Hephaestus looked at him, a trace of pity in her eyes, "In that case, the path you walk, is one of thorns."
Emiya: "I've already prepared myself."
He looked at the goddess seriously, "Including you, Goddess-sama... I also wish for you to be happy." [T/N: Mah boye]
Goddess Hephaestus was stunned for a mont, then chuckled softly, "Eh~ You want to add to your crystal palace too, Shirou? Don't be too greedy, okay?"
"No, what I an is, your pain, please allow to share it with you," Emiya spoke seriously.
Goddess Hephaestus paused slightly, then gave a bitter smile, and said softly, "Shirou, as for , I'm not worth it. A goddess as ugly as , what qualifications do I have to pursue happiness..."
As she spoke, she gently touched the eyepatch on her right side. That was the scar the goddess always hid, the source of her deepest pain, inferiority, and sha.
The goddess placed her hand on the band covering the right half of her face and smiled bitterly.
Hephaestus, the goddess of smithing.
A goddess of fire and forging, with a face considered ugly even among the gods.
A flaw that should not exist in a perfect deity, yet even with "divine power" it could not be corrected, this was the true appearance of the smithing goddess.
Whether male gods or goddesses, to be mocked and insulted by other gods for "ugly appearance" was a cruel thing.
"Those who can look at what's under this eyepatch without laughing or being afraid are probably only Hestia and Artemis."
"Even children of my Familia are afraid. So, you should give up on ."
Kind children like Tsubaki, though she would try hard to act normal, for gods, such inner fear could be seen at a glance.
However, Emiya did not look away. He just seriously looked at her, his gaze containing no fear or disgust, only gentleness and determination.
Goddess Hephaestus looked at his unwavering gaze, and her heart slightly trembled, as if sothing was stirred in that mont.
She sighed lightly, slowly moved her hand away, and with a hint of helplessness in her voice, "Sigh, well, since you're so insistent... then, I don't mind being shad again."
She slowly removed the eyepatch covering her right eye, revealing the scar hidden in the shadows.
Around the right eye, was a hideous burn scar, the skin twisted irregularly by flas, as if an unerasable mark had been carved onto her delicate face.
Emiya's serious gaze stayed on Goddess Hephaestus's "ugly" right eye, and in his eyes, there was no wavering or retreat.
He spoke softly, "Goddess-sama, you are beautiful."
Hephaestus froze, eyes widening slightly, unable to believe her senses, "You're not lying? Not saying it just to comfort ?"
The goddess had already expected that, with Emiya's willpower, even if he felt fear or disgust in his heart, he wouldn't show it on his face... but now, this sincere praise, this unconditional acceptance, was sothing the goddess never expected.
A god's intuition already told her, Emiya was serious.
After a mont of silence, Goddess Hephaestus finally understood Emiya's heart. The corners of her lips rose slightly, and she chuckled, "You really are... terrifying, this child."
Among the gods in heaven, only Hestia and Artemis were not afraid of Hephaestus's appearance.
However, even Hestia and Artemis simply were not afraid, and were willing to accept Hephaestus's appearance.
But Emiya was different. He not only accepted Hephaestus's appearance, but truly found her scars beautiful.
Emiya Shirou's heart, values, even his essence, were twisted.
Faced with Goddess Hephaestus's pain, he could not turn a blind eye. Emiya wanted to respond to her sorrow, wanted her to feel happiness.
This feeling and obsession even surpassed common sense and cognition.
"Shirou, your distortion is enough to devour even gods," Hephaestus spoke softly.
The forging goddess didn't imdiately put the eyepatch back on, but just like that, t Emiya's gaze, "This determination, I accept it."
[T/N: Third stone has been added to the gauntlet]
———
[Dionysus Familia Headquarters]
Filvis confronted the masked mysterious person, and the atmosphere around them was especially tense.
"Why do these unnecessary things, Ein?", Filvis's voice carried anger, her gaze sharp, staring at the person in front of her.
"Because of your unauthorized actions, not only were a large number of precious magic stones wasted, but you also alerted the Loki Familia and the Hephaestus Familia. You were even nearly killed by [Goddess' Chariot]!"
The city's fastest adventurer, [Goddess' Chariot] Allen Frol, possessed a magic that allowed unlimited acceleration. His terminal speed was only limited by his reaction ability, and the faster he moved, the stronger his attacks beca.
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