Anticipation filled the whole main hall as the tiny Goddess appraised the breakfast Raphael had prepared. The large display of food was a completely new sight for a divine being like her, as one such as she had never needed to indulge in mundane necessities like eating.

But now, things were different. Her physical body seemed to have come with the same disadvantages as everyone else; though she would soon learn that eating was indeed quite a privilege, especially when it came to Raphael’s cooking!

She grabbed a crispy yet fluffy piece of toast and examined it from every angle, when a surprised voice cut through the room.

“Ah! She’s awake!” Lilithra exclaimed from the stairs, causing everyone but the Goddess to glance at her.

“Morning, Lil” Raphael greeted as Lilithra hurriedly approached them.

“So, Uncle’s gonna tame her with food!” She declared with sparkling eyes, admiring the child. Lilithra thought Athanya’el looked adorable sitting on the high stool, with her legs swinging cheerfully! The tiny Goddess didn’t pay any heed to her, though, completely enraptured by the feast before her.

There was not only toast and a cup filled with a hot, brown liquid, but also all kinds of colorful delicacies. “If I remember correctly… I have to ‘eat it’!” Athanya’el suddenly spoke aloud, prompting evertone to gaze at her with anticipation.

With a bit of hesitation, she brought the piece of bread to her mouth, and nibbled cutely on it, causing Lilithra to squeal in delight. For a moment, Athanya’el paused, her eyes opening wide as she savored the flavor. Then she began to munch faster and faster!

“W-what is this?!” She questioned with a sliver of admiration in her voice, her bread slowly but steadily disappearing as she consumed it without pausing. Raphael puffed out his chest with pride, knowing that even a God found his cooking worthy, while Ascalon picked up the cup and offered it to the child.

“Here, my lady.” He said as the small Goddess grabbed the cup with both hands, gulping down the last piece of bread before asking.

“What is this…? It fills my nose with a nice sensation!” Athanya’el stated with a smile, likely smelling the sweet aroma of the cocoa.

“It’s cocoa! It’s yummy!” Lilithra replied instead of Ascalon, earning a curious side-glance from the Goddess. Normally, Athanya’el would’ve probably shot her an irritated look, but she was too captivated by the food to even think about acting prideful.

With eagerness, she brought the cup to her lips and sipped slowly. “Wooh!” She suddenly blurted out, her eyes gleaming with glee. Forgetting any sense of decorum, she leaned back and drank the whole cup in one go, before slamming it down on the counter and gasping for air.

“Ah! You need to be patient, or you’ll choke!” Lilithra reproached as she patted the Goddess’ back, who whimpered and coughed a little.

“Ugh… why is this body so delicate?!” She complained as she quickly reached for another piece of food, this time a cute pastry with a strawberry on top.

“This…!” Athanya’el muttered as she observed the delicacy, almost drooling. Ascalon chuckled at the sight, while Lilithra took the chance to caress her hair. “It’s so soft…” She said to herself as she combed the silky strands with her hand. At the same time, the Goddess took a bite off the pastry, and squealed in delight.

“Whoa!” The child gasped before devouring the baked treat, ravenously! “How have I been missing out on this?!” She questioned with a pained expression, and Ascalon nodded a few times in agreement. He too had thought the same thing the first day he tried Raphael’s food.

“How can I describe these sensations…?” Athanya’el asked aloud as she picked up another pastry.

“You can say they’re ‘good’, ‘tasty’, or ‘great’!” Lilithra chimed in, and Athanya’el looked up at Raphael.

“Tasty!” She proclaimed as she munched on the new treat, relishing the flavor.

Raphael simply bowed courteously before chuckling. “I suppose I’ll prepare some more for later, then!” He said with enthusiasm as he headed toward the kitchen, eager to please a new guest! Ascalon watched him go with admiration in his gaze, while Lilithra was now combing Athanya’el’s hair with a brush, likely produced from her own inventory.

The sight was actually quite heartwarming, the knight thought, witnessing the Goddess being more relaxed around his friend, and Lilithra having a good time too. He couldn’t help but smile gently, a joyful sensation spreading within his chest. It was then that another grumble escaped Athanya’el’s stomach, catching everyone by surprise.

“Uh…? Wh-what is this…?” She said with a frown, patting her abdomen. “Ugh… It feels… weird…” She added, prompting Lilithra to hurriedly pick her up. “Uh?” Athanya’el muttered as she was abducted.

“To the bathroom!” Lilithra declared as she left with the Goddess in her arms.

“Ah! Of course…” Ascalon mused as he saw them go, nodding to himself. If her physical body felt hungry and tired, it was likely that all the related… inconveniences were bound to appear, too. As if on cue, Raphael brought him a coffee, which Ascalon enjoyed while waiting for the girls to come back.

A couple of minutes later, Lilithra and Athanya’el returned, though this time the tiny Goddess was walking ahead on her own, her face completely red. “Ascalon…!” She approached the knight with teary eyes. “It was horrible!” She added as she hugged his leg.

“What happened, my lady?” Ascalon asked with a worried tone, placing a hand on her head while Lilithra giggled awkwardly.

“Well… she just got acquainted with bodily functions!” Lilithra replied, scratching her head. Athanya’el looked up, sniffling.

“I cannot believe such tasty food can turn into… that! Surely there must be better ways to cleanse the body of impurities…!” She said as she buried her head onto Ascalon’s leg, muffling a few whimpering sounds.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Ascalon sighed gently and caressed her head, knowing there were many trials ahead for the tiny Goddess. At least, they were there to guide her in every step of the way!

As they all finished up breakfast, Athanya’el gradually recovered her spirits and began to ask many questions about the things that caught her attention. Ascalon felt a sense of nostalgia, knowing he had been in her shoes not long ago, and pondered about how many things had changed since he had arrived in New Lumingard.

However, he couldn’t really delve too deep into these thoughts, as Athanya’el yawned with her head resting on the counter.

“Ah! My lady, you should sleep in my bed.” Ascalon said as he quickly scooped her up.

“Ah… I do need some rest…” She replied, nestling in his arms.

“But not in bed… Ascalon’s arms…” She added in a whisper, but Ascalon reminded himself about Raphael’s words.

On one hand, it was his Goddess, and he was indebted to her… but he also needed to repay Raphael’s kindness, and it was going to be difficult with her occupying his arms all day. It was a conflicting situation, but he had resolved himself to let Athanya’el rest in a proper place.

Under Raphael and Lilithra’s gazes, he made his way to his room. Once there, he carefully placed the Goddess onto his bed, and felt a wave of relief wash over him when she didn’t show any signs of complaint. Perhaps his own lingering presence on the sheets and pillow was enough to soothe her!

With a relieved sigh, he went back, and was greeted by a soft but enthusiastic clapping. “You did it!” Lilithra celebrated, beaming from ear to ear. Ascalon smiled back and nodded at her, while Raphael chuckled.

“Alright, I’m going to open up. Want to help out today?” The gentleman asked, causing Ascalon to feel a bit of reluctance and anticipation.

“Of course!” Ascalon declared, earning a bold smile from Raphael. “But first, a quick shower!” He added, scurrying away to the bathroom. He finally had some time to properly cleanse his body!

Soon, The Chalice would fill up with customers, and he would properly serve them! It wasn’t enough to repay Raphael, but it was a good start.

__________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, another group of people had gathered in L’adariel’s manor. Theoldorien, head of the family, sat alongside his sole heir, Selorien. The room was guarded by a multitude of Caretakers, their solemn but eerie gazes placed intently on a guest: Ron, the headquarter’s representative.

He felt a bit suffocated, being under watch by the most dangerous maid squad of the L’adariels, but was also eager to learn about Ascalon’s monitoring. Still, it was surprising to see them there. Selorien’s presence was also intriguing, knowing he was a friend of the knight… and that could be an issue.

But if the L’adariels head saw no problems with it, Ron of course had no room to complain. As he thought about that, Escarlata, who had been assigned with the tailing mission, stood in the center of the room.

“Go ahead.” Theoldorien commanded, and the maid bowed deeply before methodically recounting the events she had witnessed. From the kaiju battle to the very last day of their visit to Starugnia, she made sure to not leave any details out.

Selorien watched in silence, his narrowed eyes a sign of both boredom and tiredness—though learning about the monitoring had been quite interesting. Theoldorien stroked his beard thoughtfully as he listened, absorbing the information. After Escarlata finished, both Theoldorien and Ron exchanged a knowing look, and the old elf spoke up.

“So, what’s your verdict, Escarlata?” He asked, his stare boring into the maid’s eyes. She hesitated for a moment, but answered shortly after.

“I deem him not a threat to New Lumingard.” She declared in a firm tone, and Ron sighed in relief. “Although…” She continued, earning curious looks.

“I may be biased, as I seem to be infatuated by him.” Escarlata revealed, blushing slightly. The Caretakers collectively gasped, and murmur quickly filled the room, surprising Theoldorien greatly.

“Silence!” He growled, taken aback by the maids’ sudden attitude—seemed like they weren’t expecting one of her sisters to blurt out something like that. At his command, the surrounding servants bowed in apology, and the room quieted.

Ron rubbed his mustache with an arched brow, his intrigue and worry evident. On the other hand, Selorien simply smiled gently.

Theoldorien gazed at him, then at the maid. “What do you make of this, Selorien?” The elf asked, while Ron looked at Selorien with curiosity.

“Well, he’s my friend, so I’ll vouch for him… but you know Escarlata too, don’t you?” Selorien replied, his smile turning bold. Ron was a bit confused, but Theoldorien nodded in agreement.

“Yes, you’re right. Even if she’s ‘infatuated’, I will personally attest to her judgment!” The old elf proclaimed, and Escarlata bowed respectfully. Still, she knew she was going to be reprimanded about some things later.

Ron clasped his hands together and leaned forward in his seat, pondering over the matter briefly. “I see. If both the L’adariel’s head and his heir agree, I can’t doubt her words, then.” He said with a smile, relieved once more. It seemed Ascalon was, indeed, not a threat to the city, which was incredibly reassuring.

“Are you satisfied?” Theoldorien asked, and Ron nodded in response.

“Yes. Allow me to thank you for your assistance on behalf of headquarters.” He began, standing up and bowing courteously. “Arrangements have been made already, and I’m sure you’ll find them quite beneficial.” He added with a sly smile, before excusing himself and leaving.

Selorien yawned in his seat, stretching his arms above his head, and Theoldorien sighed at his actions. “You’re excused.” The old elf mused aloud, and all of the maids nodded before promptly vanishing, including Escarlata. Selorien whistled, marveling at the servants’ skills as always. Then, he gazed at his grandfather with a curious look.

“Why did you ask me to come? I know you didn’t need my opinion…” Selorien questioned as he lazily stood up, and Theoldorien shook his head in disapproval.

“You need to get used to these kinds of meetings—you’re going to replace me sooner or later, after all… sooner rather than later, too.” The old elf exclaimed, his impassive expression making it hard for Selorien to read into it.

“Hah! As if you were going to let the grim reaper take you.” Selorien joked, and his grandfather chuckled.

“Hmmph! Perhaps I’ll make a deal with it.” The old elf replied, and Selorien giggled. Even if Theoldorien had changed much, Selorien was glad to catch a glimpse of his beloved, doting grandfather from time to time.

“Now then, go on. I know you’re eager to leave.” Theoldorien said as he prepared some paperwork, meaning he would be busy from then on. Selorien nodded in understanding, though he felt a bit of regret at the sight. It was hard to let go, but the fun, whimsical times with his grandfather weren’t probably going to return.

With heavy steps, Selorien left the room, heading to his friends’ side.

____________________________________________________________________________

Ascalon did his best helping in The Chalice as the day went on, taking customers’ orders, helping Lilithra with cleaning and taking out the trash, and even complying with some guests’ requests like taking pictures with them. However, Lilithra would always shoot him an irritated stare when he did so! Still, she too had garnered quite the attention, as many recognized her thanks to her fight in the colosseum.

At some point, Selorien arrived, greeting his friends and indulging in some coffee as he watched the knight ‘work’, utterly amused. “You have a knack for this, Ascalon!” He exclaimed from his seat, leaning onto the garden table. The re-opening of the outdoor café had been quite a success, though Ascalon’s presence had likely played a huge part in it.

Lilithra, taking a short rest beside Selorien, pouted as he watched the knight. So many girls would approach him with ulterior motives! Though she knew it was just jealousy. “Ugh~.” She complained to herself, while Selorien giggled at her side.

“Don’t let your chance slip by, Lil!” The elf cheered as he patted her head, and she buried her face in the table, likely embarrassed. Selorien sighed and looked around, his thoughts drifting into other matters. Frowning with determination, he decided to bring up an important topic.

“Sorry to bring the mood down, but…” He began, as Lilithra raised her head in curiosity. “What are we gonna do about… you know, the Guild?” He asked, causing his friend to gasp in surprise.

“The Guild!” Lilithra echoed, grabbing her head with both hands. She had completely forgotten about that! They had been kicked out from Casanova, and were now lowly guild-less!

“S-should we look for another Guild, or…?” Lilithra asked with a bit of reluctance, though her eyes showed a spark of anticipation.

“Well… do you feel ready?” Selorien questioned, a bold smile on his face.

“Ready for what?” Ascalon suddenly chimed in, appearing behind Lilithra with a gentle smile. Lilithra blushed slightly, and opened her mouth.

“Ready to… make my own Guild…” She explained, looking down and fiddling with her fingers. Ascalon was slightly surprised, but then placed a reassuring hand on her head.

“I may not know what making a Guild entails, but… I have full confidence over your capabilities, Lilithra.” He declared, and she looked up with sparkling eyes.

At her side, Selorien lazily raised a clenched fist. “Whatever you decide, I’m in!” He added, exchanging nods with Ascalon. Feeling her friends’ support, she stood up, her eyes burning with determination.

“Ugh if you go that far to hype me up then I’ll have to do it!” Lilithra pouted, though her friends could feel her enthusiasm. Emboldened by their support, she felt it was time to finally give one of her dreams a go: to become a Guildmaster!