"Brat, I'm giving you your first and only warning: stay away from Syr." Allen spoke somberly, his eyes fixed on Su Lun.
"Who are you supposed to be?"
Su Lun let out a scoff. To be threatened so inexplicably—based on his knowledge of the original story, he had always felt that Allen had some screws loose in his head. Seeing him in person only confirmed that suspicion.
Allen narrowed his eyes and leveled his silver spear.
This brat... I really want to rip that mouth right off his face.
However, anyone who could catch the Goddess's eye was certainly not simple.
"It seems we're going to have a fight, brat."
"You keep calling me 'brat,' but you aren't exactly old yourself." Su Lun found it amusing; the cat-person in front of him wasn't that much older than him. "And besides... you're just a damned sister-con."
Upon hearing the word "sister-con," Allen fell silent. A terrifying expression twisted his otherwise handsome features.
He called me a sister-con.
How did he find out?
Even though he constantly berated and struck his own sister, it was all for her own good.
"Did that idiot Anya tell you about this?"
"Not really. I just guessed."
"Guessed, did you? In that case, I'll make sure you're stuck in a bed for a few weeks." Allen bared his teeth in a savage grin, the spear in his hand beginning to whirl with increasing intensity.
While Su Lun was leaving the Twilight Manor, Ryuu, Alise, Kaguya, and Goddess Astraea were still browsing the bustling commercial district.
Kaguya had chosen to buy some rather specific items. To be precise, she bought several books—Familia Chronicles that Su Lun had mentioned needing—and picked up some fried potato puffs on the side.
Feeling the stares of Astraea, Ryuu, and Alise, Kaguya's face flushed with a mix of shame and annoyance.
"What are you looking at? This one is merely buying things he has recently taken a liking to. Besides, he did say he needed to read more."
Alise gave a peculiar smile. She hadn't expected Kaguya to be so well-acquainted with Su Lun's favorite foods; her observations were surprisingly keen.
Alise decided to buy a large quantity of ingredients, intending to cook a meal herself—a dish that would be her specialty. She also picked up some chocolate. In Alise's eyes, nothing was more important than a gift made with one's own heart.
They were now carrying bags of various sizes.
"Thinking about it now..." Alise looked conflicted. "I'm going to buy a lot of ingredients and cook a special meal for him tonight."
"What? Captain, while your cooking isn't quite as disastrous as the hopeless elf's, this one certainly wouldn't trust your craftsmanship," Kaguya quipped, acting as the group's resident critic.
Ryuu, meanwhile, was carefully scanning the shops. As for weapons—she had originally thought of getting him one, but Su Lun already had his own gear and armor.
What else is missing? Ryuu pondered. Simply giving rings or gold and silver jewelry didn't quite fit the aesthetic of the elven race.
Maybe something simpler... Ryuu suddenly had a thought.
What if I just wrap myself up... and deliver myself to his bed?
No! Why am I thinking like that?!
I must have read too many of those novels Neze gave me. I'm becoming... impure. Unclean.
No, no, that's too embarrassing!
Nearby, Kaguya seemed to pick up on something. The rapid-fire changes in Ryuu's facial expressions were obvious to anyone with eyes.
"Hopeless elf, have your thoughts wandered into the gutter again? You're definitely thinking of something lewd," Kaguya teased.
Caught red-handed, Ryuu's face stiffened. A flash of embarrassment and irritation crossed her features.
She guessed it! No, wait—this is just Kaguya's usual teasing.
Ryuu turned to Kaguya and snapped back with a hint of guilt, "My thoughts haven't wandered anywhere! You're just a single dog. Besides, I don't think an exhibitionist who walks around the base half-naked has any right to talk."
Ryuu continued her counter-attack, "And at the very least, Alise and I have a lover. Do you?"
Kaguya's smirk faltered instantly. To be honest, she actually felt a pang of genuine annoyance. Memories of her distant past flickered across her mind, bringing a brief look of sorrow that vanished as quickly as it appeared.
In the end, Ryuu decided on a custom cake.
"I'll order a special chocolate cake and have our names written on it. Mine and Su Lun's."
The Goddess watched the three of them bickering, a doting expression on her face. Seeing these children find someone they cared for filled her with a sense of "harvest joy."
"Well then, children, it's about time we headed back."
"Yes, Lady Astraea."
It was then that they stumbled upon the scene: Su Lun standing off against the "Goddess's Chariot."
The silver spear in Allen's hand transformed into a dragon of silver light.
In an instant, he thrust.
It was a simple, direct strike aimed at Su Lun's arm. It looked as though he intended to disable Su Lun's limb entirely.
But in that split second...
Thanks to his recent Level Up, Su Lun reacted with ease, raising Pale Justice.
"Shield!"
BOOM!
A massive roar erupted as the invisible force field intercepted the sudden thrust. Ripples like those on the surface of water spread across the barrier.
Allen's pupils shrank. He had always believed that "The Myriad" was a name without substance. He never expected him to actually block it.
That reaction speed... even he hadn't anticipated that his strike would be stopped.
He was a Level 5.
This guy is definitely not a Level 2.
Allen was 100% certain that the boy had leveled up. That strike had been a test to see if he could react. He was also testing to see if this person was worthy of the Goddess's favor.
Unlike the other members of the Freya Familia, Allen didn't feel romantic love for the Goddess. Instead, he felt only gratitude. Because of that, he could not allow the Goddess to become a "normal girl"—a girl who only knew how to love.
If she became ordinary, he could never have his revenge. He could never be the Goddess's Chariot.
Allen pulled his silver spear back slightly. He glanced into the distance and saw the Astraea Familia rushing toward them.
Seeing Su Lun and Allen at a standoff, Alise and Ryuu didn't hesitate for a second. they charged forward and shielded Su Lun behind them.
"What is a member of the Freya Familia doing here?" Alise asked with clear hostility. She knew the Freya Familia well; they were stubborn, self-centered, and followed no rules but their own.
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours