Allen stared at Alise, Ryuu, and the Goddess standing in the distance. Frowning, he quickly withdrew his silver spear.
"You think you can just leave after picking a fight?"
Su Lun let out a cold shout. A heavy, powerful slash instantly swung toward Allen.
"Divine Smite!"
The sword Pale Justice in Su Lun's hand transformed into a dazzling streak of light, resembling a sunbeam. A terrifyingly powerful strike swept forward.
He wanted to see exactly how much of a gap remained between Level 3 and Level 5.
Allen hadn't expected Su Lun to counter-attack so directly. His silver spear parried the Divine Smite, but the light from the strike immediately began to swallow the spear.
Allen's expression changed. He could feel the sheer terror within that light; if it landed squarely, the power was enough to instantly kill an ordinary Level 4 adventurer. Moreover, the sword in the boy's hand was clearly extraordinary—it surpassed his own silver spear in quality.
What kind of weapon is this? It had nearly cleaved his spear in two.
Then, Su Lun uttered another incantation.
"Heat Metal!"
The spell Heat Metal caused any metal object to reach extreme temperatures, and this heat was capable of causing severe burns.
Cat-people were naturally sensitive to heat. Within seconds, the silver spear in Allen's grip easily skyrocketed to a temperature of several hundred degrees.
But Allen could not let go of the spear. For an adventurer, abandoning their weapon was no different from death.
Gritting his teeth against the agony, Allen held on. The horrific heat was intense enough to sear his palms instantly—the cat-man's hands were now hot enough to boil an egg.
Enduring the pain, Allen glared at Su Lun through gritted teeth. "Damn you... you bastard."
Allen was furious. He, a grand Level 5 adventurer, was actually struggling to hold his weapon because it had become too hot to touch.
"If you fight here, it will only tarnish Lady Freya's fair name, won't it?"
Su Lun spoke first, cutting off Allen's potential retort. Using Freya's reputation to pressure him was an incredibly effective needle against members of the Beauty Goddess's Familia.
The Astraea Familia already held a sterling reputation. If the Guild were to apply pressure, it was the Freya Familia that would suffer the consequences. Most importantly, Allen was the Vice-Captain; if he caused such a massive public scandal in his position, he would surely be punished upon his return.
Allen clearly realized this, his face turning a shade of grim steel-blue. Furthermore, Goddess Astraea herself was watching the scene.
In the end, Allen threw a sharp, stubborn parting shot at Su Lun. In a public place like this, the destructive power of First-tier adventurers was nothing to scoff at.
"Brat, are you still not satisfied despite having other women? Hmph. The next time we meet, I'll settle the score."
"My lover doesn't need your lectures! If you want to fight, I'm ready!" Alise declared boldly, asserting her claim.
Allen let out a cold snort. With a few quick leaps, he vanished from sight.
"The Freya Familia is always so self-centered. I really hate dealing with them," Kaguya said from the side, a complex expression on her face.
"Indeed," Ryuu and Alise agreed wholeheartedly.
While the Freya Familia wasn't as easy to get along with as the Loki Familia, they were by far the most difficult people to reason with during patrols in Orario. To a man, they were fanatics—obsessive lunatics whose loyalty to their Goddess bordered on madness.
"By the way, why did the Freya Familia suddenly target you, Su Lun?" Ryuu asked curiously.
"I don't know. It's not like I'm one of them," Su Lun said, half-truthfully. He was 100% certain that Allen's confrontation was based on Freya's instructions; without her orders, Allen wouldn't have bothered.
"Since it's settled, we should head back. But Su Lun... are you planning to make chocolate?" The Goddess looked at the materials in Su Lun's hands, sounding a bit puzzled. She felt Su Lun wouldn't do something as simple as just making regular chocolate.
Su Lun caught Lady Astraea's meaning. He placed an index finger to his lips and smiled. "It's not that simple. Let me keep it a secret for now."
Nearby, Kaguya watched Su Lun's secretive act with a hint of annoyance.
"Heh. The hopeless elf and the Captain teaming up to protect their own? Scumbag Su Lun, your harem is quite united, isn't it!"
As soon as Kaguya's mocking comment about the "united harem" landed, the atmosphere instantly froze. Su Lun's cheek twitched, and he could feel a vein throbbing in his temple.
He knew Kaguya wouldn't miss a single chance to tease him. Especially since Ryuu and Alise had just shown such an obvious protective stance, this poisonous-tongued beauty knew exactly how to poke the most awkward spot.
"Kaguya! Do not twist the bond of companions so casually!"
While Ryuu did see Su Lun as her lover, being called out by Kaguya with the word "harem" still made her feel a wave of panicked embarrassment, particularly in front of Goddess Astraea.
Alise, on the other hand, put her hands on her hips with her usual energy and made a face at Kaguya.
"Hmph! Isn't it only natural to protect an important partner? Kaguya, you're just too stubborn to admit it! However..."
Her tone shifted as she leaned closer to Kaguya. "Since you're so focused on it, could it be that you were moved by our spirit and want to join in too?"
"This one most certainly would not!" Kaguya snapped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her fair cheeks instantly flushed crimson as she whipped her head away, her hand squeezing the bag of potato puffs until they crunched.
"Captain, what nonsense are you talking about! This one simply cannot stand the sight of this scumbag acting so smug!"
She would never admit that seeing Ryuu and Alise protect Su Lun without hesitation had left a very subtle, peculiar feeling in her heart.
Goddess Astraea watched her children bickering, the smile on her face deepening with boundless tenderness and maternal love.
"Now, now," she spoke softly, her voice like a spring breeze that easily defused the tension. "Rather than arguing, isn't Su Lun's intention more important right now? Didn't you say... it was a secret surprise?" The Goddess skillfully changed the subject, her eyes filled with encouragement.
Su Lun breathed a sigh of relief and shot the Goddess a grateful look.
"Ah, right." He weighed the bag in his hand, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Let's just head back to the base. The kitchen should be free, right?"
"The kitchen?" Alise immediately perked up, tossing the Freya Familia and Kaguya's teasing to the back of her mind.
"Yes, yes! I bought so many ingredients! Su Lun, let me help! Even though Kaguya is always complaining, I'll definitely make something delicious this time." She pumped her fist with confidence.
"I might not be great at cooking, but perhaps you need an assistant?" Ryuu looked at Su Lun, her eyes gleaming with clear anticipation.
She had originally intended to buy a cake, but now it seemed she had a chance to participate in the creation of Su Lun's "secret gift"?
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours