// Bonus chapter from the P.S goal before
// Support my other translated work <> Danmachi: Ancient God
When Rod opened the door, he was met with a duo of beautiful women.
He recognized them both.
One was Lavinia, whom he had only recently parted from. She was still dressed in her signature magician attire ,pointed hat and white robes. Fortunately, the robe was now fully fastened at the chest, no longer baring her southern hemisphere. The slit of the skirt only reached around the knee, though she still wore those sheer black tights with their telltale sheen.
The other girl took Rod by surprise.
Suzaku Himejima, heir to the Himejima clan ,one of the Five Great Clans. Given the recent upheaval at the Inner Sanctuary, she should've been stationed at HQ, rallying exorcists and helping rebuild. What was she doing here with Lavinia?
Crap.
Had Lavinia let something slip about his identity?
After all, when Rod had rescued her, he wasn't wearing his disguise glasses.
Even if being exposed wasn't a big deal ,he hadn't committed any crimes ,it would still be a shame to have his carefully maintained cover blown overnight.
In truth, Suzaku had two reasons for following Lavinia here.
When Lavinia returned to the Inner Sanctuary yesterday, Suzaku had asked about the battle's outcome.
But while Lavinia could be a bit airheaded, she wasn't dumb.
Since she was going to live under Rod's roof, she knew she had to follow certain unspoken rules ,so she didn't reveal that Rod was the mysterious bespectacled man. She only said he had saved her, and offered no further details.
Suzaku had come to confirm whether Rod was indeed the man from the night before ,and to personally thank him.
After all, Lavinia was a close friend, and now that she was leaving, Suzaku felt obligated to show her appreciation.
"Mr. Rod, I hope you've been well," Suzaku greeted.
She wore a striking red outfit. While most people couldn't pull off that bold color, it looked perfectly natural on her ,radiant and commanding.
As she spoke, she observed Rod closely.
Her encounter with the glasses-wearing man last night had been brief, but his presence had left a deep impression. She was confident she could recognize him even if he turned to ash.
And yet, while there was something vaguely familiar about Rod, her instincts told her he wasn't the man from before.
The demeanor, the expressions, even the face ,it all seemed completely different from the one she remembered.
To be fair, even Lavinia felt the same way. Rod with glasses and Rod without were practically two different people. Not even magic could bridge the difference ,it was uncanny.
"Although you broke our agreement, you did save my friend Lavinia. For that, I must thank you personally."
"It was nothing," Rod said casually. "Helping others is a time-honored virtue. I was top of my class in moral behavior back in school."
Neither woman had ever heard of such a title, but from his tone, it was clearly some kind of self-praise.
Having confirmed that Rod wasn't the mysterious man, Suzaku let the matter rest. "Aren't you going to invite us in?"
...
Inside the hotel room.
Suzaku had dropped her formal airs. Gone was the aloof and authoritative heir ,now she was just a concerned friend.
"Lavinia has been alone most of her life. Now that she's leaving, I worry. I hope you'll take good care of her, Mr. Rod."
Even now, Suzaku didn't understand why he'd offered to take Lavinia in.
But since Lavinia herself hadn't questioned it, she had no intention of interfering.
"Why say that?" Lavinia pouted. "I'm an adult too, you know. I can take care of myself."
"Really? You always space out. And as a girl, why are you still dressed like that?"
"I'm a magician," Lavinia protested. "This outfit is part of that. It enhances my magic, and I can jump into battle anytime."
Suzaku sighed. "Still. You don't take care of yourself. You're such a beautiful girl ,why dress so plainly? Try to treat yourself better."
Clearly used to Lavinia's quirks, Suzaku didn't press the matter further.
"As a farewell gesture, let me treat you all to dinner."
Across East Asia ,and the world, really ,it was customary to part ways over a shared meal.
Soon, the group was seated in a private dining room Suzaku had reserved.
As the dishes were served and drinks poured, Suzaku and Lavinia's cheeks turned rosy from the alcohol. Asia, by contrast, quietly sipped her juice, looking a bit overwhelmed.
She felt dwarfed in the presence of these two elegant older girls.
Then Suzaku suddenly spoke: "Mr. Rod, I'm sure you've noticed ,the Five Great Clans aren't exactly a paradise."
Without waiting for a response, she continued: "But these are the rules we've lived under for generations. I used to have close family ,a sweet cousin and a beautiful aunt. But because of the clan's customs… I lost them."
A shadow of grief passed over her face. Her eyes brimmed with regret and guilt.
"To this day, I regret not being able to save them. If only I'd been stronger… if I'd had more talent… Akano and my aunt wouldn't have suffered."
Why did that sound so familiar?
You're too weak… You lack strength?
Rod was about to joke, but then the system chimed in.
[Suzaku Himejima has issued a quest]
[Long-term Quest: Himejima Clan Reformation]
[Objective: Assist Suzaku in reforming the Himejima Clan and correcting the oppressive traditions of the Five Great Clans.]
[Reward: Depends on the scale of your impact]
Suzaku looked up with determined eyes. "Mr. Rod, I want to change the Himejima Clan. For that, I'm willing to accept help from anyone."
She leaned in close, her face nearing his.
Rod immediately put on a show of wide-eyed panic. Was this actually happening? A beautiful girl, tipsy and bold, about to-
But… wasn't this only their third meeting?
At the very least, someone should cover Asia's eyes first.
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