Chapter 32

The night grew late, and the members of the Loki Familia sitting at the table with Shirou were heavily drunk. Finn, Bete, Raul, and Gareth—usually full of energy and discipline—were now unable to control themselves after drinking so much. Their laughter had faded into incoherent murmurs, and their movements became uncoordinated.

After ensuring they were done drinking, Shirou decided to pay for their orders. He walked toward the counter where Syr stood, her usual friendly smile playing on her lips, though there was a mischievous glint in her eyes. Shirou pulled out a coin pouch from his pocket, ready to settle the bill for the night.

"I'll pay for them," Shirou said politely.

However, Syr just chuckled softly, her eyes teasing. "Oh, there's no need. Mama Mia said that as long as you're working here, they can eat and drink for free. So, consider it part of your 'job bonus'." After a brief pause, Syr added with a playful tone, "And, yes, I overheard your conversation earlier. You're such a coward, Shirou."

Shirou's face immediately flushed at her words. He knew Syr was teasing him about the answer he'd given to his friends earlier regarding his feelings. Defensively, he replied, "Eavesdropping isn't good, Syr."

Syr merely shrugged, still with that sly smile. "Me? Eavesdropping? I have no idea what you're talking about, Shirou." Her tone was dripping with feigned innocence, making Shirou even more embarrassed.

Not wanting to drag the conversation any further, Shirou sighed and gave a small smile. "Thank you, Syr," he said before turning back to his friends, who were still staggering at the table.

The night weighed on, and a new task awaited Shirou: getting his drunken friends back to Twilight Manor. He quickly took action. Bete, who was completely wasted, needed help walking, so Shirou deftly slung Bete's arm over his left shoulder. Raul, who wasn't much better, was supported on his right.

Gareth, who seemed to handle his drink better, wasn't as affected. Casually, he lifted the small Finn onto his shoulder as if carrying no burden at all. "Let's get them home," Gareth said with a wide grin, even though he was a bit drunk.

The walk back to Twilight Manor was lively. Bete and Raul, barely able to walk straight, began singing off-key songs about adventurers. They tried to sing the lyrics, but they were garbled and out of tune. Finn, slung over Gareth's shoulder, hummed along even though his eyes were half-closed. Shirou couldn't help but smile as he listened to their nonsensical singing.

"Oi, Shirou...!" Bete slurred, his eyes nearly shut. "You... you gotta... gotta sing too!"

Raul joined in, his voice barely audible through his drunken laughter. "Yeah, Shirou! Sing... sing...!"

Shirou chuckled softly, shaking his head while continuing to support them. "Maybe next time, you two are too drunk to even hear my singing right now."

Finally, after a journey filled with laughter and noise, they arrived at Twilight Manor. Shirou carefully guided Bete and Raul to their rooms, ensuring they were safely lying in their beds before gently closing the doors.

Meanwhile, Gareth effortlessly placed Finn in his bed, making sure their captain slept comfortably.

After all his friends were tucked into their respective rooms, Shirou sighed with relief. The long night was over, and although exhausting, he felt satisfied knowing he had taken care of his friends. With a small smile on his face, Shirou headed to his own room. Once he lay down on his bed, he closed his eyes and drifted off, ready to face a new day.

That morning, as usual, Shirou arrived early at the Hostess of Fertility. The morning air was still cool, and the streets of Orario were fairly quiet. But as Shirou entered the restaurant, something was different from the usual routine. Aside from Ryuu, who was there as always, calmly sweeping the floor, Shirou noticed there was someone else in the kitchen—something that never happened this early.

As Shirou stepped closer, he saw Syr standing by the stove, busy stirring something in a pan. Steam rose in thin wisps from whatever she was cooking, and a strange aroma wafted from the kitchen. Syr seemed very focused on her task, unaware of Shirou's arrival.

With a small smile, Shirou greeted from the kitchen door. "Good morning, Syr. What are you doing in the kitchen this early?"

Syr jumped at the sound of his voice, nearly dropping the wooden spoon she was holding. Her face turned slightly red from the surprise, but she tried to maintain her composure. "Oh, Shirou! You startled me. I'm... just making a morning meal."

Ryuu, hearing the conversation from the front room, glanced toward the kitchen with a small smile on her face. "Syr always prepares meals for Bell whenever he heads to the Dungeon," Ryuu said in a calm but clearly teasing tone.

Upon hearing that, Syr's face grew even redder, this time from embarrassment. "R-Ryuu! You didn't have to tell him that!" she responded, half upset, though it was obvious she was flustered. She turned back to the pan, trying to hide her embarrassment by focusing on her cooking.

Shirou couldn't help but smile. "A meal for Bell, huh?" he said, stepping closer to the kitchen. "Can I try some?"

Syr glanced at him quickly, a little hesitant, but eventually handed him a small piece of what she was cooking. "Sure, but don't expect too much. I'm not as good in the kitchen as you are."

Shirou took the bite Syr offered and tasted it. As soon as the food touched his tongue, Shirou immediately realized something was... off. The flavor was strange, an unbalanced mix of ingredients that should have complemented each other but instead clashed. His face tried to stay neutral, but it was clear he was struggling to swallow the food.

Syr, noticing his reaction, began to look worried. "How is it? It's good, right?" she asked, though she was clearly beginning to sense that something was wrong.

Shirou swallowed with difficulty and then asked cautiously, "Syr... did you follow the recipe?"

Syr looked offended, her eyebrows raised. "Of course, I followed the recipe! I just... did a little improvising here and there." Her tone was firm, as if she was convinced her improvisations couldn't possibly be wrong.

Shirou let out a long sigh and placed the meal on the table. "Syr, why don't you try it yourself?" he said with a slight smile. "I'm sure you'll understand."

Syr hesitated but eventually took a bite of her own cooking. As soon as the taste hit her tongue, her expression changed. Her eyes widened slightly, and her face slowly crinkled, even though she tried to remain composed. "I-It's not bad," she said softly, though her face clearly showed she was struggling to like it. "It's... good, right?"

Shirou couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "Syr, don't force yourself. It does taste weird. You know it."

Syr sighed and set her spoon down. "Okay, okay, maybe I did improvise too much," she admitted, blushing with embarrassment.

Shirou smiled, rolling up his sleeves. "Well then, let me show you how to cook properly, without too much improvising."

Syr looked at him for a moment, then gave a shy smile. "Alright, I give up. Teach me, Shirou."

With that, Shirou took over the kitchen and began giving Syr basic instructions on how to cook properly. He showed her how to measure ingredients accurately, how to balance flavors, and when to stop "improvising" with a recipe. Meanwhile, Ryuu remained at the front of the restaurant, occasionally glancing toward the kitchen with a gentle smile, watching the interaction between Shirou and Syr with warmth in her heart.

After demonstrating the proper way to cook, Shirou handed things over to Syr. "Now it's your turn," he said with a patient smile, giving her space to practice what she had just learned. Syr, a little nervous, nodded and started working.

However, not long after she started, small mistakes began to happen. Syr looked awkward as she poured the ingredients, and at one point, she even spilled too much salt into the mixture. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she realized her mistake.

Shirou calmly stepped closer. "It's okay, Syr. We can fix this," he said reassuringly, helping her reduce the excess salt and offering advice on how to balance the flavor.

As Syr tried again, she got distracted while frying, causing the pan to start smoking because the oil got too hot. "Oh no, I forgot!" She quickly lifted the pan, but some of the food spilled onto the floor. Her face turned red with embarrassment, but Shirou just chuckled softly and said, "You can do it, just stay focused. Don't worry too much."

With incredible patience, Shirou helped Syr correct her small mistakes, showing her how to calmly handle each issue. They worked together, and although Syr kept making errors, Shirou never lost his patience, ensuring that Syr learned from every step.

Finally, after several attempts and corrections, Syr managed to finish a meal for Bell. Although not perfect, it tasted much better than her previous attempts. Syr, tasting her creation, looked surprised. "Did I... did I actually succeed?" She seemed unable to believe her own cooking.

Shirou smiled at her reaction. "You did great, Syr. It tastes good."

Syr looked at Shirou with gratitude, her face beaming. "Thank you so much, Shirou. Without you, I would never have been able to cook something edible!"

Shirou, as usual, smiled humbly. "No problem. I just showed you the way, you did the rest yourself."

Still smiling, Syr prepared to deliver the meal to Bell. "I'm going to take this to him now. Thanks again, Shirou!" she said, waving as she left.

After Syr left, Ryuu, who had been quietly observing from a distance, walked over to Shirou. "Thank you, Shirou," Ryuu said sincerely. "Syr has tried cooking so many times before, and... I was often the victim who had to taste her failed dishes."

Shirou smiled awkwardly at that, imagining what Ryuu had endured with Syr's strange cooking experiments. "You must have suffered a lot," he muttered, unable to stifle a small laugh. "But at least now, Syr is starting to learn how to cook properly."

Ryuu nodded, her face calm but with a small smile at the corner of her lips. "Yes, hopefully after this, I won't have to taste her dangerous experiments anymore."

Shirou chuckled softly, feeling relieved that he could help. Even though it was something as simple as cooking, he was happy to make someone's day better—whether it was Syr, who now felt more confident, or Ryuu, who would no longer have to be the "victim" of failed meals.

That night, after the last customers had left the Hostess of Fertility, the restaurant became much quieter. Shirou and the other staff decided to relax at one of the tables, enjoying a break after a long day. The faint smell of leftover food still lingered in the air, but now the atmosphere was much more laid-back. Everyone looked tired, but content after a productive day.

Syr, who was sitting next to Shirou, looked at him with a gentle smile. "Thank you again, Shirou," she said sincerely. "This time, Bell actually said the meal I made was good. He didn't have to pretend anymore." Her face radiated simple happiness, as if her success in cooking had given her more confidence.

Shirou smiled softly at that. "Well, that's because you followed the recipe carefully and were more cautious while cooking. If you keep practicing like this, your cooking will only get better."

Syr chuckled at Shirou's compliment, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Maybe I'll keep asking for your help. You'll have to teach me to cook during your days off. How about that?"

Shirou nodded happily. "Of course, I'd love to teach you." For Shirou, helping others with something as simple as cooking was one way he could spread kindness, and watching Syr improve in the kitchen made him feel fulfilled.

Anya, who had been listening to the conversation from across the table, suddenly added a teasing comment. "You know, Shirou, Syr's had a crush on Bell for a long time. Aren't you worried that another guy might steal her away?" she said with a playful tone.

Syr, who had been calm up to that point, immediately blushed upon hearing that, imagining the possibility of Shirou and Bell competing for her. "A-Anya! Why would you say something like that?" she replied, clearly feeling awkward with the sudden topic.

Shirou, usually composed, also felt a bit of awkwardness creeping in. Initially, he was a bit uncomfortable with the subject, but after thinking for a moment, he realized that Bell was a good person—someone honest and sincere. "Actually, if Bell is the one you like, Syr, I'm more than happy to help the two of you get closer," he said sincerely.

Syr was stunned by Shirou's words. She stared at him with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard. "What? You're... not jealous?" she asked in confusion, still trying to process his response.

Shirou, realizing that he couldn't lie to Syr—especially if she really was a goddess, as he suspected—just smiled, trying to give an ambiguous answer. "I... just want to see the people around me happy," he said, avoiding a direct response.

Syr frowned slightly, looking a bit annoyed. "Hmph, so you're not jealous at all? Maybe my charm really can't compare to Aiz or Lefiya, huh? I overheard your conversation yesterday." Her tone carried a hint of irritation but still had a playful edge.

Syr's words shocked everyone at the table. Chloe, sitting not far from them, immediately turned toward Shirou with narrowed eyes full of curiosity. "Wait, wait... Since when did you get close to Thousand Elf Lefiya and Sword Princess Aiz?" Chloe asked, her voice a mix of suspicion and strong curiosity.

Shirou, now feeling cornered, blushed with embarrassment. "It's... not what you think," he said awkwardly, scratching his head. "Lefiya is my mentor; she helped me a lot when I first joined the Loki Familia. And Aiz... well, she just likes my cooking, that's all."

Anya, not wanting to miss out on teasing Shirou, burst into laughter. "Haha! So you charm women with your cooking, huh? No wonder they're all close to you!" she said, her tone full of playful mockery.

Shirou could only sigh, smiling awkwardly while trying to stay calm amid all the teasing. Even though the conversation made him a bit embarrassed, he was happy to spend a relaxing time like this with his friends, even if they didn't stop teasing him.

As the night grew late, the atmosphere at the Hostess of Fertility remained warm and full of laughter. Syr, still not satisfied with the lighthearted conversation, pulled out a deck of cards from her apron pocket and placed it on the table. "How about we play cards?" she asked with a playful grin.

Lunoire, sitting across from her, frowned. "Hah, playing cards with Syr? You must be kidding. You always win." Lunoire clearly showed her reluctance to play, remembering Syr's reputation in card games.

Shirou, seated in the middle of them, looked at the cards with curiosity. "I've never seen cards like these before," he said honestly.

Syr's smile widened, and her eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief. "Oh? You've never played? I'll explain the rules. It's a simple game, similar to ones you might have played before." She then explained the game's rules in detail, and Shirou realized that it was quite similar to poker from his world, with just some minor changes in names and cultural adaptations for Orario.

After Syr finished explaining, they started the first game so Shirou could get used to the rules and flow. However, as the game progressed, it became increasingly clear to Shirou that Syr had an unseen advantage. She seemed to easily read the emotions of the other players—perhaps part of her divine powers—which gave her a significant edge. Whenever someone was nervous, doubtful, or confident, Syr always seemed to know, making her almost impossible to beat.

However, Shirou wasn't going to lose so easily. He calmed himself, then discreetly used self-hypnosis, imagining the world he always held close in his heart: the world of swords. By entering this mental state, Shirou concealed his emotions and masked any signs that Syr could read. His face remained calm, expressionless, like the shadow of a warrior in control of the battlefield.

They continued the game, but this time, Syr began to show signs of confusion. Shirou was difficult to read. Every time Syr tried to gauge Shirou's movements, she couldn't sense anything—no nervousness, no overconfidence, no hints.

Even stranger for Shirou was that he began to notice Syr's distinct scent—the fragrance of winter flowers he always sensed—changing with her mood. When Syr held a good hand, the flower's aroma bloomed, sweet and fragrant. But when she had a bad hand or lacked confidence, the scent withered, like a stressed flower.

Using this observation, combined with his self-hypnosis, Shirou gradually took control of the game. Syr, who usually dominated every card game, began to lose repeatedly. Everyone at the table—including Lunoire, Anya, and Chloe—started to notice this surprising turn of events.

When Shirou defeated Syr for the first time, everyone was shocked. Syr stared at him in disbelief, though she tried to maintain a smile. "It must be beginner's luck," she said, though her voice carried a slight hint of frustration. They continued playing several more rounds, but no matter how hard Syr tried, Shirou kept winning, again and again.

Anya, amazed by what she was witnessing, leaned forward and asked Shirou, "Hey, Shirou! How did you beat Syr? Got any special tricks?"

Shirou, not wanting to reveal his secret, stammered for a moment. "Uh... maybe I just got lucky?" he replied awkwardly, unsure of what else to say.

However, Syr, who had already lost several times, just smiled and waved her hand. "No need to answer, Shirou," she said sweetly but with a deeper meaning. "A man full of mystery is much more attractive to women, you know." Then she laughed, bringing the cheerful mood back to the table.

Syr's laughter echoed through the room, while Shirou could only smile awkwardly, realizing that even though he had won the game, he could never truly escape Syr's charm and playfulness. The other staff members joined in the laughter, feeling that the night had truly been filled with unexpected card games and little secrets shared among them.

After several rounds of card games filled with jokes and laughter, the atmosphere at the Hostess of Fertility began to calm down. The night had grown late, and the remaining staff and patrons began showing signs of fatigue. Shirou gathered the cards on the table, smiling softly, feeling content with the warmth and surprises of the evening.

"It looks like it's time for me to head out," Shirou said gently, standing up from his seat. He glanced at the remaining staff, including Syr, Anya, Chloe, and Ryuu, who were starting to clean up the restaurant.

Syr, sitting beside him, smiled and waved cheerfully. "Take care on your way home, Shirou. And don't forget, you still owe me some cooking lessons!" she said playfully, though there was a hint of seriousness behind her words.

Shirou chuckled lightly. "I won't forget, Syr. We'll continue later."

Anya, who was cleaning a table behind them, turned and grinned widely. "Don't fall asleep on the way, Shirou. Next time, I want to see that cooking trick of yours that makes all the girls fall for you!"

Shirou just shook his head, smiling, knowing that Anya was only joking, though her words always had a half-serious tone. Chloe, standing not far from Anya, added jokingly, "If you've got any secret tricks, make sure to teach us too!"

Ryuu, usually quieter, simply smiled softly while glancing at Shirou. "Goodnight, Shirou. See you tomorrow."

After saying goodbye to everyone, Shirou took his coat from the hook near the door and put it on. The night air in Orario might be cold, but Shirou felt warmed by the connections he had made that night.

As he opened the door to the restaurant, the cold night breeze greeted him, but Shirou carefully closed the door behind him, not wanting to disturb the stillness of the night. The streets of Orario at night were usually full of life, but now, there was only calm. The street lamps flickered in the distance, casting soft shadows along the stone pavement.

Shirou walked calmly toward Twilight Manor, enjoying the rare tranquility of the night. His thoughts wandered, reflecting on the events of the day—from teaching Syr how to cook to the unexpected card game victory. That night, he felt more connected to the people around him, even with their teasing and playful jokes.

When Shirou finally reached Twilight Manor, the grand building stood before him, towering majestically, though shrouded in the shadows of the night. Most of the Loki Familia members were already asleep inside, preparing for a new day of adventures tomorrow. Shirou let out a long sigh, feeling a warmth spread through his heart. Though his world was different from the one he came from, he knew that this place, Twilight Manor, and his friends in the Loki Familia had become an important part of his life.

With a peaceful heart, Shirou opened the door and entered the manor, ready to rest and face a new day.

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