Under the quiet moonlight, Sakura finally placed Hestia steadily onto the bed.
The goddess had truly drunk far too much.
Even the bumps along the way had shown no sign of waking her.
At this moment, moonlight spilled across her sleeping face. The sadness from before had already faded, leaving only a peaceful expression behind.
Only the tear tracks still faintly visible on her cheeks seemed to speak of the feelings she had poured out earlier.
"Sakura... I'm sorry... I... I'm so useless..."
Hestia's sleep-murmur was very soft and faint.
But Sakura, standing beside her, could hear it.
Sakura held Hestia's hand and let out a mature little sigh, one that did not seem like it should come from a child at all.
"Hestia-onee-san, you're the best."
The little girl bent down and whispered softly beside Hestia's ear.
But Hestia, deep in sleep, could not hear her. She remained asleep, breathing in and out evenly.
Sakura let go of her hand, then covered her with the blanket.
She looked at the sleeping goddess, gently kissed her cheek, and then walked out of the room.
'Hestia-onee-san, I won't let that kind of thing happen!'
Her small back looked unusually determined as she left.
"Sakura..."
This time, there was no one left in the room to hear Hestia's murmur.
...
"If that's the reason, then I can understand why Sakura wants to become stronger."
After a brief silence, everyone in the restaurant began expressing their own thoughts.
Ainz was the first to speak.
When Yuto had asked him to teach Sakura magic, he had agreed immediately.
However, in his heart, he had also been somewhat confused about Sakura's reason for wanting to become stronger.
After all, Yuto had only asked him to teach Sakura magic.
He had not explained anything else.
╮(╯▽╰)╭
"Eh... It feels like gods aren't really that different from humans. They also compete, take things from each other, and maybe even make things more troublesome."
Rimuru looked somewhat thoughtful.
"Hmph! So-called gods are nothing more than a group of noisier and more unreasonable creatures. Compared with humans, the trouble gods bring is far greater."
Gilgamesh crossed his arms, his face showing arrogant disdain, as if the word "god" itself greatly displeased him.
Considering his current circumstances, that attitude was easy enough to understand.
He was the King of Kings, a man whose arrogance was unmatched.
Even though gods truly existed in his era, he still held undisguised dissatisfaction and distance toward them.
"That's right, that's right. Those gods are all so annoying!"
In Tohru's world, dragons and gods were mortal enemies.
Whenever the two sides met, they wished they could hammer each other to death.
As the eldest princess of the family that led the Chaos Faction dragons, Tohru's stance toward gods was even firmer than her stance toward humans.
Her dislike and rejection were almost instinctive.
Her attitude when she first met Hestia had already explained everything.
"I won't comment on that kind of behavior. I'm actually quite curious about those gods. If possible, I would like to try conquering a god. Ahahahahaha!"
Iskandar scratched his head and laughed loudly.
Although he possessed Divinity, he had never truly seen a god.
Rather than offering reverence to gods, he preferred using his army to test the limits of gods.
This was the boldness of the ruler known as the King of Conquerors.
To shout a challenge toward unreachable glory—that was Iskandar's path of domination.
"Facing gods... That is rather interesting. Kamisaka, if possible, I would also like to try teaching Tohsaka Sakura."
Lord El-Melloi II rested his hand against his chin and thought for a while, then a somewhat excited look appeared in his eyes.
Teaching a "person" to try facing legendary gods...
In a way, that was using human strength to contend against the divine.
Such a thing would make any magus feel their blood stir!
"Hmph. Since this king has already agreed, then leave it to this king!"
Gilgamesh looked at Lord El-Melloi II with an arrogant and disdainful posture.
The arrogance surging around him could not help reminding Lord El-Melloi II of that "Gilgamesh" from the past.
The arrogant king covered in golden armor.
"Don't forget the premise. Sakura has to agree before you can teach her."
Yuto reminded Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh snorted with great confidence.
He crossed his arms and leaned back slightly.
"She will certainly agree. Receiving my teaching is the greatest honor. No one would refuse this king!"
If special effects could be added to Gilgamesh right now, then his entire body would probably be glittering like a game character covered in flashy paid cosmetics.
Yuto looked at Gilgamesh and hesitated for a moment.
If Sakura studied under him... would she be influenced by him?
The moment Yuto imagined Sakura standing with her hands on her waist, her face full of pride as she gave an arrogant laugh, he felt that he could not accept that image at all!
"Strictly speaking, Tohsaka Sakura and I are the ones truly from the same world. I also happen to be a teacher at the Clock Tower. When it comes to teaching, I still have confidence."
Lord El-Melloi II did not give up because of Gilgamesh's earlier attitude.
Instead, he said something that Yuto deeply agreed with.
He was an actual teacher, so he must be skilled when it came to teaching students.
Yuto admitted that Gilgamesh was strong, but personal strength did not mean someone could become a good teacher.
Compared with Gilgamesh's identity as a "king," Yuto was more inclined toward Lord El-Melloi II, who was a teacher.
"A mere institution formed by a group of third-rate magi. No matter how hard you try, you will never reach the level of magi from the Age of Gods."
Gilgamesh was quite disdainful.
Lord El-Melloi II did not get angry.
Because what the King of Hero said was indeed true.
Mystery developed differently as eras changed.
Gilgamesh was the oldest king of humanity, and the era he lived in was called the Age of Gods.
The power possessed by magi of that era could already be described as "the power of gods" compared with the era Lord El-Melloi II came from.
Looking at the debate between Gilgamesh and Lord El-Melloi II, Yuto crossed his arms and thought of an idea.
"Then why not teach her together?"
Yuto's proposal made both Gilgamesh and Lord El-Melloi II fall silent.
"I have no objections."
Lord El-Melloi II quickly gave his answer.
Gilgamesh, however, remained silent for a very long time.
Only after a long struggle did his expression finally show compromise.
His main purpose in teaching Tohsaka Sakura was still for Uruk.
With Uruk's current situation, he occasionally needed to make compromises.
"That's good. But we still have to get Sakura's agreement first. If Sakura agrees, then the two of you can take turns teaching her. If Sakura doesn't agree to let you two teach her, then forget it."
Listening to Yuto's words, both Lord El-Melloi II and Gilgamesh nodded.
After the restaurant discussed gods for a little longer, Lucoa prepared to leave.
Although she was a dragon, she still had her own rest time every day.
Even though she could go without such things, Lucoa seemed to enjoy maintaining that kind of daily routine.
Perhaps this was a "change" that came after reaching a certain age?
Lucoa stood up and stretched in slight relaxation.
Although stretching was a very normal movement, when placed on Lucoa, it became a little too stimulating.
Yuto had to take several deep breaths inwardly before he completely calmed himself down.
After saying goodbye to Yuto, Lucoa looked toward Fafnir.
"Fafnir, are you leaving?"
"No."
"All right, let's go... Eh? You're not leaving?!"
For a moment, Lucoa did not even register Fafnir's words.
Only when she almost took her first step out did she look at Fafnir in surprise.
It was not just her.
Yuto, Tohru, and the others all turned their gazes toward him.
"No, Fafnir still needs to give us equipment later."
Before Fafnir could speak, Rimuru spoke first.
He sounded somewhat anxious, as if this was an urgent matter!
"That's right. Fafnir is currently the captain of our party! There are still many things we need him to tell us."
Yuto froze.
Party?
When had they formed one?
Although he was confused, that did not stop Ainz from looking extremely serious.
"No. Your levels are still too low. For now, you are not worthy of partying with me."
Fafnir calmly pushed up his glasses and spoke very strictly.
"Please don't worry! We will work hard to level up and catch up to your footsteps!"
"That's right! Please believe in us!"
Looking at Ainz and Rimuru's extremely serious yet humble attitudes, Yuto could not help reaching up and rubbing his brow.
Did this count as the establishment of a new organization?
Then where did that leave Saitama?
"You're staying here just to play games?"
Faced with Lucoa's question, Fafnir quietly pushed up his glasses again.
That posture already looked quite like he was trying to act cool.
"No. I am doing this to acquire inspiration for the next upgrade of my cursed items. Do not assume I am merely playing games. I am researching!"
Fafnir's tone deepened slightly.
His words immediately plunged the surroundings into a brief silence.
Yuto gave a dry laugh and did not know what to say. The corner of Lucoa's eye twitched slightly as well.
Tohru covered her face, feeling embarrassed for her friend.
Kanna directly turned her head to look at Fafnir, then spoke.
"Fafnir is lying."
Fafnir snorted coldly.
"Foolish."
Kanna: ?
She was angry!
The little dragon girl's mood turned bad and needed to be coaxed.
"Then, Fafnir, when do you plan to go back?" Lucoa asked again.
"When the restaurant closes, I will leave."
After hearing Fafnir's answer, Yuto could not help shaking his head with a helpless smile.
Lucoa covered her forehead and sighed very deeply.
"Do as you like."
Lucoa gave up.
If Fafnir wanted to stay, then let him stay. In any case, she was leaving.
"Mm."
Fafnir nodded faintly.
After that, Lucoa said goodbye to everyone and left.
Since Kanna was going to attend school here, she did not need to go back.
From now on, Kanna could temporarily be considered a long-term resident of the restaurant.
Early tomorrow morning, Yuto still had to handle the procedures related to her school enrollment.
When the time came, he might even meet Shouko.
Shouko had not come tonight, since school had started.
In the end, the little girl no longer had as much freedom as before.
Yuto could still understand that much~~~
...
After Lucoa left, Fafnir put on the headset again and began his "campaign."
This made Yuto think of internet-addicted teenagers.
Those teenagers who stayed up all night playing games were truly similar to the current Fafnir.
Just as Ainz and Rimuru were also planning to put on their headsets and continue "tempering themselves," Sakura returned.
This interrupted their actions and also drew the gazes of everyone in the restaurant except Fafnir.
"Boss-nii-san, I'm here!"
The little girl standing at the entrance smiled obediently and sweetly.
Under the soft light of the restaurant, her small figure carried a quiet gentle beauty, like lavender blooming beneath the summer night.