DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

Chapter 4 Today's Meal at the Emiya House

Ryu realized that she might have been taken to a very strange place.

Reluctantly following Xier, they arrived at the restaurant on the first floor. The space, though not spacious, was very quiet, with only Liu and the others present.

The boy's wish was granted by Boss Mia, who was busy in the kitchen. After a while, he and Boss Mia came over with steaming plates of food.

"Let's all have a taste, and thank you all for taking care of us during this time."

"It's Meat Cat, it has Anya's favorite meat~"

This is a dish with various spices, simmered chicken, scrambled eggs, and various vegetables—chicken and egg rice bowl.

One of the most frequently prepared home-style dishes in Emiya's previous life, second only to curry rice.

"This kid's cooking skills..." Mia, the owner, who had been watching Emiya cook in the kitchen, looked shocked, then turned to Ryu, who was in a daze: "Hurry up and eat, are you going to wait until the food gets cold!"

Realizing she had no way to resist, Ryu resignedly picked up the spoon. Because Shirou had made a lot, Anya and Seele also got a share, and the cat girl was the most eager to get hers.

"Wow, this is delicious! It's even better than Mia's mom's cooking, meow!"

Ryu heard the sound of her fist clenching. She scooped up a spoonful of rice and put it into her cherry-like mouth.

First, the umami flavor of the chicken soup and the tenderness of the egg spread in your mouth, while the fragrant rice melts in your mouth, and the sweetness of the vegetables flows on your tongue.

Unlike the rustic nature of dwarven cuisine, which is a hodgepodge of ingredients stewed together with plenty of oil and salt, making it suitable for manual laborers or adventurers after a long day, or the overly delicate and bland nature of elven cuisine, this dish is delicate and gentle, taking into account both taste and nutrition.

It's like the home-cooked meals that mom would make.

"This dish brings warmth and is very delicious." Despite being a fairy with a very awkward personality, she would speak the truth when it came to food.

Mia laughed and spoke slowly.

"This dish is made with heartfelt intentions. Whether it's gratitude or longing, it's all the boy's feelings for you." She said, "Being able to enjoy such a delicious and heartfelt dish is enough to give me a reason to live."

Ryu fell silent, suddenly realizing what she meant to this boy.

Although Ryu believed she had disgraced justice and had no face or right to talk about justice or salvation, Emiya's existence still told her that she could still do the right thing.

At least, one child was saved.

So, what is the correct thing to do next...?

Liu didn't say a word, picked up the spoon again, and ate the food, spoonful after spoonful. Although the elf girl's mouth was small, she was quick and finished the whole plate of food in the blink of an eye.

"Hehe, I'm done eating."

"Thank you for your hospitality, I am very grateful."

Ryu's feelings were very complicated. Looking at Emiya, she subconsciously wondered: Did she deserve to be like Alicia, a savior and guide to others...?

"So—you've finished eating?"

The flow has changed.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Ryu immediately became alert.

What are you saying—

"Just like paying back debts and paying for murder, it's only natural that if you eat at a tavern, you should be charged. That's only right."

Ryu's expression became very stiff, while Mia's lips curled up.

"Thank you for your patronage, fifty million in benefits."

Emiya: "Huh?"

"How can this be possible!"

The elven girl slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "This price is outright fraud."

"It's a normal price, considering the very precious ingredients added to the dish, such as... well... the meat of the Cannon Dragon, the egg of the Phoenix, the fruit of the Elven Tree, etc... How is fifty million Fali expensive?"

Emiya Shirou: "...No, it's just regular chicken, eggs, and potatoes."

Of course, under Mia's threatening gaze, he didn't say anything.

"Well, judging from your appearance, you probably can't pay. In that case, there's nothing I can do but stay here and work to pay off your debt."

"what?!"

Liu was so shocked that she couldn't speak.

"That's too, too unreasonable. No, it's outright fraud, complete lies and sophistry."

In the past, Ryu would have already launched a powerful attack, but now she simply couldn't, because her opponent was far stronger than her. As a result, the elf girl was thrown into unprecedented panic, and her ears trembled with anger.

"This is a labyrinth city. Whether it's underground or on the surface, who knows what you'll encounter."

The dwarf boss's imposing aura surged forth like a giant wave, making it impossible for Ryu to confront his sharp edge directly.

She hurriedly looked at the others.

Seele: "In this shop, we have to obey everything Mia says... Waaah~"

The girl covered her face with both hands, crying very fakely. What a cunning girl!

Shirou: "Miss Ryu, I was also taken in to work..."

Anya: "Ania is asleep, meow. Anya knows nothing, meow."

“As Seele said, I represent the law here. If I say it’s white, then even if it’s black, everyone has to treat it as white.” Mia revealed a villainous, wicked smile.

In fact, everyone else present understood that this series of farces was because Xier and the others knew that if they let this stubborn Liu leave, something bad would definitely happen, and she would most likely die outside. This time, she was on the verge of death.

Seele and Mia did this in order to cheer her up and at least keep her alive.

At this moment, Ryu, of course, couldn't understand this matter.

"You plotted against me!"

"That's decided then," Mia concluded.

And so, Ryu was forced to become a waitress at the tavern "The Abundant Mistress".

·

"Thank you, Boss Mia."

Seele and Anya dragged Ryu to try on the waitress uniforms, leaving only Emiya and Mia in the restaurant.

“We were already short-handed, so we were just going with the flow.” Mia snorted. “The more stubborn the elves are, the better.”

"Moreover, her words are worth saving." The dwarf's tone carried a hint of reminiscence.

It's clear that Mia knows Ryu, and for her, keeping Ryu, a "Level 1 wanted criminal," around isn't a big problem.

"Hey kid, want to be the head chef of this tavern? My policy is to hire only women, but with your skills, I can make an exception." Mia's lips curled into a smile: "All your colleagues are beautiful girls, are you tempted?"

Emiya Shirou remained unmoved; his expression, tone, and gaze were all incredibly resolute.

"I want to become an adventurer."

Mia turned around, her strong arms crossing over her chest: "What's the reason?"

"Why do you want to become an adventurer? 'Adventure' is not something you can just talk about." The dwarf female boss's voice was calm.

"Is it for money, fame, a desire to become a hero, or simply the pursuit of power?"

The boy took a deep breath and said softly, "I don't want to feel the helplessness of not being able to protect the people I care about anymore."

Chapter Five: The Familia of Hephaestus

Mia was not surprised by this.

"Okay, not a bad reason. Which clan do you plan to join?"

Familias are organizations centered around gods, consisting of "children" who have received divine blessings. The labyrinth city is made up of Familias of all sizes, and people engage in activities such as adventure, production, and commerce in units of Familias.

"I don't know much about this yet..." Emiya said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Honestly, you want to become an adventurer without even considering this?" Mia said disdainfully. "Come with me."

She walked to the counter and started searching. She quickly found a thick, somewhat old booklet—"The Orario Familia Compendium".

Looking at the contents on the cover, Shirou Emiya realized that he seemed to have mastered the language and writing of this world on his own.

"First of all, we can ignore any clans that don't even have a level 4. They're all trash and not worth paying attention to."

Boss Mia's first sentence categorized over 90% of the Familias as trash, leaving only the first few options.

“Currently, the most powerful Familia in the city is the Freya Familia. Well, I have some influence within the Freya Familia, so I can recommend you.” Mia said, flipping through the Familia Encyclopedia. The first page displayed the Valkyrie Crest of the Freya Familia.

Freya, the Norse goddess of beauty and love, has a kin who are at the pinnacle of the labyrinth city. They not only have several Level 1 adventurers of Lv.5 or higher, but also the city's strongest and only Lv.7 warrior.

“However, I don’t recommend you go to Freya’s Familia.” After thinking and struggling for a long time, Mia finally came to a conclusion.

"Why?" Emiya asked.

“It’s not suitable. The compatibility is too bad. The Freya Familia is full of confused and loveless children, while you are neither confused nor loveless.” Mia made this judgment.

“It’s obvious that you’re a determined and serious person, and not only do you not lack love, but you’re the type who gives love out of abundance,” Mia said earnestly.

This statement is a bit strange; it sounds a bit like it's describing a scumbag...

“So you’re not suited for the Freya Familia. If you go there, it will probably cause the Honkai to collapse.” Mia said thoughtfully, “That’s my assessment.”

"Wow, is it that serious?"

“No, I’m not saying you’re going to break down, but that the Freya Familia will break down… In short, it’s not suitable.” Mia thought to herself, “The Freya Familia’s entry standard is ‘the color of the soul.’ Fortunately, that goddess’s current interest is ‘purity’ rather than ‘brilliance’.”

Turn over the Freya Familia's emblem, and then there's an emblem of a clown mask.

The Loki Familia is the second strongest faction in the Labyrinth City. It has three Level 6 adventurers and four Level 5 adventurers. Its combat strength is second only to the Freya Familia. At the same time, it is more active than the Freya Familia in the Labyrinth exploration activities.

“If you want to become an adventurer, the Loki Familia is probably one of the best choices, but…” Mia shrugged, “I can’t recommend the Loki Familia to you. If you’re interested, you can try it yourself.”

Next, Miya introduced each of the Familias to Emiya in turn.

The Ishtar Familia is out of the question. Although they are powerful, they run an entertainment district, so it's best to stay away if you don't want to be exploited.

Emiya naturally had no interest in places like entertainment districts, and showing interest in this clan would probably get him killed by Mia.

The Ganesha Familia has 11 Level 5 members, including its leader, Shakti Farma. In addition, the Ganesha Familia boasts numerous Level 3 and Level 4 members, serving as the vanguard in the fight against the Dark Faction.

In Orario, the Ganesha Familia serves as the city's guards. Due to their good relationship with the guild, the Ganesha Familia is responsible for Orario's daily defense, patrols, and maintaining order.

“The Ganesha Familia seems like a good choice, and then there’s… the Astrea Familia…” Emiya murmured.

Astraea, the goddess of stars and justice, was somewhat concerned about this clan.

“That Familia is no longer around. It was involved in an accident in the dungeon, and almost all of its members were wiped out. The main god also left Orario.” Mia said in a low voice, “This Pokédex entry is from three years ago.”

"I see..." Emiya silently overlooked the Astrea Familia, but he still made a point of remembering the emblem of the Wings of Justice.

"Then, the Hephaestus Familia."

The chief deity is Hephaestus, the goddess of fire and a master of forging.

The Hephaestus Familia is a comprehensive family that combines production, commerce, and adventure. Its main activities are in the manufacture of weapons and equipment, and it is the largest equipment manufacturer and seller in the labyrinth city.

The leader is a Level 5 adventurer, the highest-level blacksmith in Orario, the [One-Eyed Master] Tsubaki Kobrand.

"I intend to join this clan." Emiya made up his mind.

"Oh why?"

“I have some interest in the matter of ‘forging swords’.”

"I see. So, because you're an excellent chef, you're interested in blacksmithing, which also involves fire? No problem, I can write you a letter of recommendation." Mia's mother was decisive and settled the matter immediately.

Emiya said apologetically, "I'm sorry, we agreed to help out here..."

"It's alright. You can pay back the elixir and treatment fees when you earn money in the future. I don't need a little kid like you." Mia waved her hand and patted his shoulder.

"If you ever get tired of being an adventurer, feel free to come back anytime. I can still afford to feed one person."

·

"No problem, welcome to the Hephaestus Familia."

With red hair, an eyepatch over her right eye, a white top, black trousers, and black over-the-knee high-heeled boots, the goddess Hephaestus accepted the letter of recommendation from Emiya without even opening it, and made her decision immediately.

As expected of a goddess, her beauty remains undiminished. Furthermore, her simple, almost masculine attire—a white top paired with black pants and gloves—perfectly embodies the image of a "beautiful woman," while also giving those meeting her for the first time the impression of a "boss."