Alise stretched lazily after finishing her meal, "Oh, that was good!" She rubbed her stomach contentedly.
Airmid nodded beside her, dabbing her lips with a handkerchief. "Yes, I enjoyed it as well."
"Glad you enjoyed!" Lunoire arrived at our table, "And here is the bill," she said, handing me the bill. Nearby, Anya cleared our table.
"Thank you," I said with just a hint of sarcasm as I paid the bill and turned to address the girls, "So, should we call it a day?"
"Yes, I should get going. Leaving the cleaning unattended for long wouldn't be wise," Airmid said, as we got up from our chairs and started walking toward the exit.
Chloe swept over with a cloth in hand, "Here." Chloe pressed the headband into my hand as I passed.
I couldn't help grinning as I slipped the headband into my pocket. "You can't be any more obvious, can you meow?"
"Thanks, Chloe!"
"Sure, meow. But remember—you owe me now, meow."
"Yes, sure," I said, waving my hand to shoo her away, which seemed to have worked, as she turned away, with a huff. "Hmph! So ungrateful, meow!"
After we exited the pub, Airmid bid her farewell, along with Alise, as she also had her patrolling shift soon.
"I'll take my leave here. Thank you both again for helping me today." Airmid gave a light bow as she spoke.
"Don't worry about it. If you ever need help, just ask." I said, Alise nodding enthusiastically.
"Yes! After all, we are going to collect everything needed to make the panacea! No matter what!" Airmid and I both smiled at Alise's actions and decided to part ways for the day.
I walked aimlessly through the streets of Orario, deciding on what to do next.
"Thank you so much! This painting is beautiful!" A feminine, high-pitched voice attracted my attention. I glanced over to see a couple admiring a portrait an artist had just finished for them. The woman held it carefully, smiling at the captured moment.
Captured moment.
The thought struck me suddenly.
Right. If I'm going to have Ryuu wear the headband, then I need to capture it on camera, too.
It would be a crime otherwise!
And that means I need to have a camera to capture all the sweet moments that I will create with the girls. I smiled at the thought. "I should start making one, right now," I said, and started making my way straight towards the traveller's inn.
It didn't take long to reach the Hermes Familia home. I was walking through the corridor when Falgar appeared, heading toward Hermes' office. He nodded when our eyes met.
"Oh, Arin, if you are here for Asfi, then she has gone outside a while back," he said.
"That's fine, just let her know I will be in the workshop when she arrives," I replied and walked past him.
Once inside the workshop, I gathered the tools I'd need for the camera. While I didn't have Wikipedia memorized, my background in media gave me enough knowledge of how cameras worked to attempt building one.
As I started putting parts together and designing sequences that required delicate care, forgetting about time and all the outside world, all my focus went completely into designing and making it.
I was so focused on the task at hand that I didn't even notice the door opening and closing behind me. Neither did I notice the footsteps approaching behind me.
It may have been hours before I was done. When I finally looked up from the prototype, I nearly jumped. Asfi sat in the chair beside me, chin resting on her palm, watching me work.
"When did you get here? …and why are you staring at me like that?" My words seemed to have snapped her out of whatever trance she'd been in.
Her eyes widened for a split second before she closed them and coughed lightly, turning her face away from me. Her eyes swept the room before settling on the prototype sitting on the workbench.
"What is that you made?" she asked, sidestepping my question. I smirked at her attempt to escape and closed the distance between us.
"Answer me first." I murmured. She tried to step back, but I caught her waist, keeping her in place. Her face flushed, lips pressing together. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then seemed to change her mind. And placed her head in the crook of my neck.
I went still. The gesture was so unexpected, so unlike her usual composed self, that I didn't know how to respond. My hand on her waist loosened instinctively.
She took the opportunity to slip free, spinning away and snatching the camera off the workbench in one smooth motion. She stood a few feet away, face still pink, examining the device with pointed focus—as if she could hide behind analyzing it.
"Oh?" She let out an impressed sound, voice steadier now. "A magic item that can capture the moment like a canvas? You made something quite extraordinary, Arin." She commented, I wasn't surprised she'd figured out what it did at a glance.
The compliment caught me off guard. I'd planned to tease her more, but the words died on my tongue. I walked closer. "Thanks. And since you dodged my question, now you have to take a photo with me." I declared. But before we could do that, the door of the workshop opened with a boom, making me frown.
"Oh! A magic Item that creates a portrait?! Now that something new." I turned to see Lydia and Hermes entering the workshop. Lydia, completely ignoring my frowning face, continued. "We should definitely get a—what do you call it? Fo-to?—With everyone!"
Hermes nodded eagerly, "Now that's what I call a good idea! I should get everyone together!"
"Tch! Yes, sure." I replied.
Hermes clapped his hands together. "Excellent! I'll start making arrangements. We should do this at Twilight Manor—plenty of space for everyone!"
"Everyone?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Of course! All three familias! Loki, Lady Astraea, and mine!" His eyes gleamed with excitement. "When else will we have an opportunity like this? A magical device that can capture us all together!"
Lydia nodded enthusiastically. "It's a wonderful idea. Our alliance should have something to commemorate it."
I glanced at Asfi, who had composed herself somewhat. She gave a small shrug. "It would be... nice. To have something like that."
"It's decided then." Hermes was already heading for the door. "I'll send word to Loki and Astraea right away. Let's do this today, no point in waiting!"
"Wait, today—" But he was already gone, Lydia following with an amused smile.
I sighed, turning to Asfi. "It's going to be exhausting."
"Tell me about it." She moved closer, examining the camera again. "Though he's not wrong. It would be good to have a record of everyone together."
"I suppose so." But I wanted to take the first photo with the girls. I suppressed that thought as we walked out.
A few hours later, I stood in Twilight Manor's courtyard, watching Hermes' "simple gathering" spiral into absolute chaos.
"No, no, NO!" Loki's voice echoed through the Manor. "I am NOT standing in the back! How will anyone see my beautiful face?!"
"You're literally standing on a box, Loki," Finn said with admirable patience.
I stood in the main courtyard with the camera, watching the absolute madness unfold. Three entire familias trying to organize themselves for a group photo was... ambitious, to say the least.
"The magnificent and wonderful Alise Lovell should obviously be in the center!" Alise declared, hands on her hips.
"Actually, the gods should be in the center," Hermes suggested.
"Absolutely not," Astraea said calmly. "The children are more important."
Loki grinned. "I like her thinking! But I still wanna be front and center!"
Riveria appeared at my side, expression serene despite the shouting around us. "This is going to take a while, isn't it?"
"Probably hours," I agreed.
"Arin!" Ryuu's voice called out. She approached with Ais, both looking slightly overwhelmed by the noise. Behind them were Ardee and Shakti.
"You sure took your time," I said, looking at Ardee.
"Sorry!" Ardee said cheerfully. "I brought my sister!"
Shakti looked slightly awkward, standing apart from the chaos. "I hope my presence isn't an intrusion. Ardee was quite insistent."
"Not at all, we are friends after all," I said, moving closer to her.
Some of the tension left her shoulders, replaced with a small smile on her face. "Well, thank you."
"Big Sis!" Ardee grabbed her sister's arm. "Come on! We need to figure out where to stand!"
As they moved away, I noticed Airmid standing near the edge of the courtyard, looking somewhat out of place among the three familias.
I made my way over to her. "Airmid. I'm glad you could make it."
She looked up, surprised. "I wasn't sure if I should come. I'm not part of any of these familias."
"You're a friend," I said simply. "That's more than enough."
Her expression softened. "Thank you. That's... kind of you to say."
"Airmid!" Alise's voice boomed across the courtyard. "Stop hiding and get over here! You're standing with us!"
Airmid's lips twitched in what might have been amusement. "I should go before she comes to drag me."
"Probably wise."
Asfi joined me, clipboard in hand. "I've been trying to organize people by height and familia, but no one's listening."
"That's because Alise keeps insisting she needs to be front and center," Kaguya said, walking up with Lydia.
"The whole world must see my beautiful face captured for eternity!" Alise's voice rang out.
"No one's arguing with that!" I called back. "Just pick a spot already!"
Finn finally managed to get everyone's attention with a sharp whistle. "Alright! Let's try this systematically. Gods in the back row—"
"What?! Why in the back?!" Loki protested.
"Because you're short and will be blocked otherwise," Gareth rumbled.
"I am not short!"
This set off another round of arguments. Bete started complaining about having to stand near "weaklings," which prompted Tiona to challenge him to a duel right then and there.
"After the photo!" Finn shouted.
"Fine! But I'm not standing next to him!"
"The feeling's mutual!"
Tione and Lyra were arguing about who would stand beside Finn. While Lefiya was panicking about standing near Ais. Raul was trying to calm everyone down and failing miserably.
Eventually, after what felt like an eternity of rearranging, debating, and one near-fight between Bete and Tiona that Gareth had to break up, we finally had something resembling organization.
The gods—Loki, Hermes, and Astraea—stood in the back center, though Loki was standing on a box to actually be visible and still complaining about it. The executives and captains formed the next row, with Finn, Gareth, Alise, and Lydia standing prominently.
The rest of the familia members filled in around them—Loki Familia on the left, Astraea Familia on the right, Hermes Familia in the middle. Shakti, Ardee, and Airmid had been pulled into the Astraea Familia spot that Ryuu had made for them.
I'd positioned Ais, Ryuu, Asfi, and Riveria together, leaving a spot in the middle for myself.
"Alright!" I called out, setting up the camera with the longest timer I could manage. "Everyone, stay still! No moving, no talking, no—Loki, stop making faces!"
"I'm not making faces! This is my natural beauty!"
"That's even worse!" Bete called out, earning laughter and a thrown shoe from Loki.
I activated the timer and quickly moved to my position with Ryuu on my right and Ais on my left, Riviera and Asfi close.
This was it. Everyone important to me, all in one place.
"Ten seconds!" Finn called out.
The laughter died down. People straightened up, adjusted their positions.
"Five seconds!"
I could see Riveria's calm expression, Ais's slight focus, Ryuu's serene smile, and Asfi trying to look composed.
"Three... two... one..."
*Flash*
For a moment, we all stood frozen in the bright light. Then chaos erupted again as everyone rushed to see the result.
The photo was... perfect. Despite all the arguing and chaos, we'd captured something special. Three familias, dozens of people, all together. I could see the pride on Finn's face, the mischief in Loki's grin, and Astraea's gentle smile. Alise front and center, practically glowing with satisfaction. The executives standing tall. Shakti looking dignified despite being dragged here. Airmid's subtle smile.
And scattered throughout—my friends, the people I'd come to care about in this world.
"We need copies!" Loki declared. "Lots of copies!"
"I want one for my room!" Tiona shouted.
"One for the familia hall!" Finn added.
"One for each member!" Alise proclaimed dramatically.
I looked at the photo again, at the faces of everyone gathered. Riveria caught my eye across the crowd and gave me an almost imperceptible nod. Ais's lips curved slightly. Ryuu's expression was soft, content. Asfi was with a soft smile.
Yeah. This was worth all the chaos.
"Alright, alright!" I called out. "I'll make copies for everyone! Just... give me a few days, okay?"
The cheers that went up were deafening.
As the crowd slowly started to disperse into smaller groups, Hermes appeared beside me, grinning.
"Good work, kid. You've created something special here."
"It's just a camera."
"No," he said, gesturing to the photo, to the people still laughing and talking. "It's a memory. And those are priceless, especially to us."
He was right. Looking at that photo, I knew that years from now, we'd all look back on this moment. This chaotic, perfect, ridiculous moment when three familias came together for something as simple as a picture.
And I'd been the one to capture it.