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The gentle glow of the fireplace slowly dimmed, leaving behind its usual reddish-yellow light. The divine radiance that had filled the room earlier seemed to have been swept away by the wind, vanishing without a trace. Only its warmth remained, caressing the skin like a final embrace before departure.
Shirou, still kneeling before it, took a deep breath. Strangely, his heart felt a little lighter—as if the burden he had been carrying, one he had never even admitted to himself, had evaporated along with that light.
Ever since being stranded in this world, he had forced himself to believe there was nothing to regret. He repeated that phrase like a mantra—"No regrets"—every time the faces of those he had left behind surfaced in his mind. Yet, the lingering longing had never truly disappeared. And that brief moment in the illusion had only made him realize... just how deeply he missed them.
Tears still trickled thinly from the corners of his eyes, leaving warm trails on his cheeks. He tried to wipe them away with the back of his hand, but it only made his already runny nose feel colder and wetter. Sniff... sniff... The sound of him inhaling his snot was impossible to hide.
Hestia, who had been standing slightly behind him, stepped forward with an understanding expression. "My divine fire... isn't just an eternal flame. It can restore many things—curses, charm effects, hypnosis, even mental attacks that shatter the mind," she explained softly, like an older sister comforting a younger sibling who had just returned from a grueling journey.
Shirou took a shallow breath while sniffling, trying to suppress the sound of his runny nose. He didn't know whether to thank her or feel embarrassed for appearing so vulnerable in front of the goddess.
"But well..." Hestia shrugged slightly with a faint smile. "This fire can't cure a cold." She then turned around briefly, grabbed a tissue from the table near the sofa, and handed it to him.
Shirou accepted it with a slightly confused look, then wiped his nose gently. The warmth of Vesta's fire still lingered in his body, but the chill of reality—along with the faint, lingering scent of burnt peppers from the kitchen earlier—reminded him that he was back in the real world.
Hestia gazed at Shirou seriously, her voice soft yet full of concern. "So... what did you feel from it, Shirou?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Shirou exhaled slowly, staring at the embers fading in the fireplace. "I... saw my hometown," he murmured. The crackling of the dwindling fire almost drowned out his voice.
"A hometown... I can never return to," he continued, his words sounding faint and heavy, as if he had to drag them out from the depths of his heart. His eyes no longer looked at Hestia but instead stared deep into the flames, as if trying to grasp the scenery he had just witnessed once more.
Hestia didn't press further. She simply stood there, then spoke with pride yet warmth, "That is one of the powers of my divine fire. I am the goddess of the hearth—a flame that reminds you of home." Though behind her words, she herself was surprised at how deeply Vesta had affected Shirou. Normally, the fire only evoked a faint warmth, not bringing someone so close to memories that felt almost real.
"Thank you, Hestia." Shirou wiped away the remaining tears and dried his face, trying to steady his breathing. "If... if someday I... ask to see Vesta again, would that be alright?" he asked cautiously.
He knew, deep down, that such a request wasn't healthy. Clinging to illusions would only make it harder to move forward. Yet, he also knew—later, when the longing for the people he had left behind became suffocating, he at least wanted the chance to see their faces one more time.
Hestia sighed, then raised a small eyebrow. "Heeeeh... just so you know, you're the first person to experience Vesta from my blood. Even my Familia members have never seen this power of mine."
Shirou looked at her, his gaze almost pleading. He didn't bow his head, but it was clear he wanted a favorable answer.
However, Hestia instead offered advice in a tone that was gentle yet firm. "Shirou... I don't know exactly what Vesta showed you. But remember, it's not good to be bound by illusions of the past. This fire may warm you, but it can also burn if you cling to it for too long."
Shirou lowered his head, accepting her words with a heavy heart. In his mind, he grew more aware that beneath Hestia's childish appearance lay the wisdom of a goddess who had lived far longer than he could imagine.
Shirou let out a small sigh, then spoke resolutely, "Since you've given me the chance to see Vesta... I want to repay you."
Hestia grinned broadly, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Ehhh, I'm so flattered~" she said, lightly nudging Shirou's arm in a teasing tone. "We're friends, no need to be so formal..." But then her blue eyes sparkled mischievously, her lips curling into a sly smile. "But—how exactly does Shirou plan to repay me?"
Shirou met her gaze without hesitation. "I'll help you... pay off your debt."
"Huh? Debt?" Hestia tilted her head, momentarily confused.
"I heard rumors," Shirou said calmly, "that Hestia Familia has a debt of two hundred million valis. I can't cover all of it, but... I can help a little."
"Ahhhhh!" Hestia exclaimed, grabbing the ends of her twin tails as if she wanted to yank them off. "So the rumors have spread that far, huh...?" She groaned, her voice half-despairing, half-annoyed. "I thought it was just gossip, but it's already reached your ears..."
Shirou merely raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. Hestia, still gripping her hair, mumbled like a child caught misbehaving, "Well... how do I put it... this is all Bell's fault... or maybe mine... ahhh, it's a long story!"
Shirou straightened his back, eyeing Hestia while raising one eyebrow. "Hmm... so I'd like to hear this story. But..." He narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone half-joking, half-accusatory, "This debt isn't because you splurged on luxuries, is it?"
Hestia immediately retorted, "Of course not! Don't compare me to Loki, who wastes money on drinks and weird things every day. This debt... is because I wanted to make a truly powerful weapon for Bell."
Shirou leaned forward slightly, his eyes widening a bit. "That weapon... could it be the black knife Bell used during the War Game?" His memory flashed to Bell running across the battlefield with that extraordinary-looking weapon.
Hestia smiled proudly, her ample chest puffing out. "Correct! It's called the Hestia Knife. I commissioned Hephaestus herself to forge it."
Shirou nodded slowly, then frowned. "And? What else? Surely that's not all?"
"That's all," Hestia replied casually, shrugging as if two hundred million valis were just a number in the air.
Shirou's eyes widened. "Wait... how can a single knife cost that much?"
Hestia glanced left and right, then leaned closer to Shirou, whispering as if sharing a state secret. "Because the knife's power... well, you could say it's 'cheating.' Unlike ordinary weapons, the Hestia Knife grows with its user. The stronger Bell becomes, the stronger the knife gets."
Shirou fell silent, his mind racing. A weapon that grows with its user... if I were to project this weapon, would its strength follow Bell? Or... would it follow my own strength?
The question lingered in his mind, sparking a curiosity he couldn't ignore.
Shirou was still staring at the fireplace, lost in thought about the possibility of projecting the Hestia Knife, when Hestia's voice snapped him out of his reverie.
"So... Shirou," the goddess said, interlacing her fingers behind her head, "you don't need to trouble yourself with helping me pay off the debt. That knife... is proof that I'll always support Bell. The debt is mine to bear."
Shirou turned to her, his tone slightly serious. "But... isn't two hundred million valis an enormous amount? At your current rate, selling Jagamaru-kun on the streets, it'll take decades to pay it off."
Hestia merely chuckled, without a trace of worry. "It's fine. Even if it takes a hundred years, I can keep working. Goddesses don't die of old age, right? So relax. Besides, you should save your money. You might need it to upgrade your weapons or gear."
Shirou shook his head slowly. "I don't need to do that..." His voice was low but firm.
Hestia squinted, then huffed with a hint of envy. "Damn, Loki Familia really is different. So much money, but no idea what to spend it on. Fine, if you can't think of anything... why not donate it to orphans?"
Shirou looked at her, a flicker of interest growing. "Where can I donate?" he asked. Deep down, he felt a slight emotional connection—because he, too, had once been an orphan.
Hestia leaned back on the sofa, thinking. "Try Daedalus Street. If I remember correctly, there's a small orphanage there. Most of the children lost their parents to the Dungeon."
Shirou nodded slowly, storing the information in his mind. There was something resolute in his tone—as if he had just found another meaningful thing to do in this world.
Before long, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. Mikoto, Haruhime, and Bell appeared at the living room entrance, the sweet aroma of something freshly cooked wafting in with them.
"Ah, perfect timing! We've finished cooking," Mikoto said with a proud smile.
The three of them joined, sitting on the sofas around the low table. Shirou chose to sit beside Bell, while Haruhime carefully placed a large tray on the table.
Hestia, her curiosity piqued, leaned forward. "Hmm~ what's that?" she asked, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the tray.
With a gentle motion, Haruhime lifted the lid. A sweet, slightly tea-like fragrance filled the room, revealing rows of bamboo skewers adorned with small green, white, and pink balls, arranged neatly like jewels.
"Dango," Shirou said instinctively, recognizing the familiar snack. His eyes gleamed slightly—a hint of nostalgia he couldn't hide.
Mikoto nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it's a snack from my homeland. Made from rice flour, it's chewy and sweet. Thanks to Haruhime and Bell for helping me prepare it."
Bell smiled awkwardly, scratching his cheek. "Ah... I only helped a little. Mikoto and Haruhime did most of the work."
Hestia was already salivating, her eyes fixed on the colorful dango.
"Please enjoy," Haruhime said softly, bowing her head slightly.
Each of them took a skewer from the tray. Shirou examined the smooth texture of the rice balls before taking a slow bite, while Bell immediately devoured an entire skewer without hesitation.
"Hmm! So good!" Bell exclaimed, his eyes shining with delight at his new favorite treat. "The texture is soft, the flavor is just right, and it's not overly sweet."
Haruhime blushed, her furry ears twitching slightly. "T-thank you, Bell..." she murmured, her face as red as the dango on the skewer.
Meanwhile, Mikoto remained composed, chewing slowly as she savored the familiar taste. Occasionally, her eyes flicked toward Shirou, and after placing her empty skewer on the plate, she asked, "Shirou, may I ask you something?"
Shirou nodded. "Of course."
"Are you also from the Far East?" Mikoto inquired carefully. "I apologize if I'm assuming based on your face and name... and your reaction to recognizing the dango."
Shirou nodded slowly. "Yes... You could say that." But in his heart, he added silently, The Far East, I mean... isn't the Far East of this world.
Hearing his answer, Haruhime, who was sitting across from him, leaned forward with keen interest. "If I may ask… which city or region is Master Shirou from??" she asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.
Shirou decided to answer honestly, though he knew they wouldn't recognize it. "A small town... called Fuyuki."
Haruhime raised a hand to her chin, trying to recall. "Fuyuki...? Hmm... I don't think I've heard of it."
Shirou smiled faintly. Of course, he thought. Because Fuyuki is on Earth, not in this world.
Amidst the dango enjoyment, Bell turned to them while still holding his third skewer. "If it's okay, maybe we should save some for Welf and Lili? It'd be a shame if they missed out," he suggested sincerely.
Mikoto nodded. "Good idea. Welf will need extra energy after a whole day at the forge."
Haruhime smiled softly. "Yes, and Liliruca would surely be happy..."
However, Hestia smirked mischievously. "For Welf, sure—he's busy. But for Lili... hmm, how about we just finish her share?" she said, pretending to dramatically bite the last dango on her skewer.
"What?!" A loud voice came from the doorway. It was Lili, who had just returned carrying a large bag of groceries. She stood at the entrance with a half-shocked, half-annoyed expression.
"Goddess! Don't just casually eat Lili's share of food!" she protested, stepping inside and dropping the bag on the floor with a loud thump.
"Ehehe~ just kidding," Hestia replied, though her eyes still gleamed with mischief.
The two of them immediately launched into a playful argument, exchanging banter while Mikoto and Haruhime tried to mediate, and Bell could only smile awkwardly.
Amid the commotion, Shirou suddenly remembered something. Ah... that's right. His hand reached into his pants pocket, recalling Finn's request earlier that morning. The letter for Lili...