DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

Emiya: "Why?"

Aisha: "Because...because...it just won't work!!!"

Because a man who is strong in both strength and inner strength is the Amazon's greatest weakness, any Amazon who loses to such a male is doomed.

This is the other side of the Amazons, who plunder, exploit, and ravage men. The Amazons' strength and domineering nature are based on "power" and "victory," but once they are completely defeated, the pathetic characteristics in their bloodline will begin to surface.

It would be fine if it were an ordinary male, because most adventurers are only strong in physical strength, but their mental fortitude cannot overpower Amazon.

The Amazons' most feared and coveted "conquerors" are men whose power is as strong as gods, and whose hearts are as hard as steel.

[The Mighty] Meets half the requirements. The burly Ota is the strongest adventurer in the city, but Ota, who is too attached to the goddess Freya, does not have the inner strength to conquer everything.

On the contrary, the gentle and refined "Hero" Finn, a dwarf, possesses a giant's will that belies his appearance, so much so that almost every Amazon defeated by the "Hero" falls in love with him unconditionally.

So far, the Sword King is the adventurer Aisha has seen who is most like, and even surpasses, the Hero.

He has the same humble and gentle appearance, but his inner will will not waver even at the end of Ragnarok.

However, it is precisely because Emiya is this kind of person that Aisha trusts him so blindly.

"This is truly... like letting a wolf into the house..."

Aisha sighed softly.

She led Emiya to the top floor of the [Wandering Pavilion].

"Haruhime is inside. This is her first time receiving guests, and I specially arranged it for today... I'll leave the task to you, Emiya."

88

Chapter 88. Haruhime Sanjou.

Emiya entered the boudoir on the top floor of the [Wandering Pavilion].

What comes into view is glossy golden hair, as well as animal ears the same color as the hair and a thick, long tail.

The fox-people are a rare race that can only be found in a few regions such as the Far East.

Her figure, somewhere between a young girl and a woman, is delicate, beautiful, and captivating.

The girl, dressed in a bright red kimono, sat in the corner of the room as if she had accepted her fate. Around her delicate neck, she wore a black choker—no, a necklace—that she couldn't tell if it was an ornament.

She looked up at the night sky outside the window, her eyes filled with envy and longing.

Hearing footsteps behind her, the girl slowly turned around.

The girl's emerald green eyes looked over.

The brief exchange of glances felt like tens of seconds, or even longer.

As her gaze met Emiya's, she smiled faintly, her cherry lips parting slightly.

"My lord...am I dreaming?"

Emiya, who had already removed his cloak and hood, stepped forward and stood in front of the girl.

"This is not a dream. It's been a long time, Haruhime."

Emiya said softly.

"...Tonight is my first time leaving my home."

Chunji raised her head, a genuine smile playing on her lips:

"It is my greatest honor to serve you, my lord, and to entrust everything to you. I am truly... very happy..."

She knelt down, her thick tail swaying gently.

Even her movements as she stood up were so meticulous and respectful. She took Emiya's hand and gently led him over.

Haruhime led Emiya to the depths of the room... where a set of bedding was neatly laid out.

"I admire you."

She bent her knees and knelt on the tatami mat in front of the bed.

"Back then, you really were like a hero."

Haruhime spoke softly, recalling Emiya's figure standing between her and the surging tide of monsters, and a happy expression unconsciously appeared on her face.

"I know you're not doing this to save me..."

Chunji lowered her eyes.

【Swift Wind】, 【Garden of Purity】, 【Thousand Fairies】—these spirits, symbolizing purity in contrast to her own status as a prostitute, are the ones truly worthy of her protection, Haruhime knew this.

"However, while being protected by you, I still shamelessly felt joy, even gratitude..."

Haruhime lowered her head, pressing it firmly onto the tatami mat, her hands resting on the ground, her tone respectful:

"Therefore, I beg Sister Aisha, I have reached the age of marriage, and I only hope, only hope that my first time... can be given to you, sir..."

At that time, she also prayed to Aisha, but Haruhime never imagined how much courage Aisha mustered for her sake.

Now, what Emiya needs, and what he came here for, is only one thing: Haruhime's courage.

With an expression of determination, she propped herself up and began to untie the sash of her kimono.

However, Haruhime's actions were quickly stopped by Emiya.

Emiya pressed down on Haruhime's hand.

"My arm, my arm...my arm, the master has grabbed it...oh..."

Chunji trembled violently, but in the moments before she fainted, she forced herself to take a deep breath and remain calm.

Chunji struggled to breathe: "Huff, huff, for Master's sake, I can't faint..."

"Where are you from, Haruhime?"

Emiya suddenly asked.

Chunji was taken aback: "Chatting before getting down to business, is that your type, Master...?"

She recalled what the older women in her tribe had mentioned: some men liked to chat about random things before and after sex. The Amazonian women generally found these kinds of guests annoying, troublesome, and meddlesome.

However, Haruhime was pleased to know that the other party wanted to know about her.

She sat up straight as if to hide her embarrassment, then looked up slightly at the ceiling.

“My birthplace… is the Far East.”

As expected, Emiya said, "Could you tell me more specifically?"

She seemed to be recalling scenes from her hometown, and continued:

"It's an island country surrounded by the sea, and the four seasons are more distinct than in Orario. Cherry blossoms bloom in spring, cicadas chirp in summer, maple leaves turn red in autumn... and winter is filled with misty white snow."

My gaze shifted from the ceiling to the window, fixed on the moonlit night beyond the open paper partition.

Emiya gazed at that beautiful profile, shimmering and translucent in the moonlight, seemingly otherworldly:

"Is Miss Chunji's hometown a noble one?"

"How did you know, sir!?"

“Sanjo, that sounds like a noble surname.”

"...Just as you said, my family is a noble family with a long history. I have no mother, and my father is a government official...When I was young, I was always taken care of by many maids."

She said she only knew about the grand mansion she lived in and knew nothing about the outside world. Every day she learned the etiquette and manners of a nobleman... Although her pampered life was somewhat lonely, she always had a few friends and lived a life where she had enough to eat and wear.

At this point, Miss Haruhime's expression suddenly turned sorrowful.

"However, just five years ago... when I was eleven years old, I was expelled from my home."

"why?"

Emiya asked.

"I fell into a deep sleep... and ate the most important item... the offering for Father's distinguished guest."

According to Miss Haruhime, when she turned eleven, a certain dwarf official began to visit her residence frequently.

Then one day, Miss Haruhime fell asleep and ate the offerings brought by the guests who stayed overnight at the mansion - the offerings to Amaterasu, the goddess who ruled the Far East.

Emiya: "Did you really eat the offering?"

"I have no recollection, but when I woke up, my lips were covered in food scraps... It must be that Chunji was hungry and went out to steal food every night...!!"

Miss Chunji covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

Later, her father, an official serving Amaterasu, was furious and wanted to severely punish Haruhime—but the dwarf guest persuaded him, saying, "Alright, alright, you've already eaten her, let it go," thus saving Haruhime's life. In return, he no longer recognized Haruhime as his daughter, and she was taken back by the guest.

Emiya: "...And then?"

"Waaah... I don't understand anything, I can only let people lead me around... But on that person's way back, waaah, we were attacked by a monster...!"

Upon seeing a group of ogres charging towards them, the man abandoned the cumbersome Haruhime and fled...

When I was about to be killed, I was rescued by a group of thieves. Knowing that Chun Ji was still a virgin, they sold me to Orario.

Emiya sighed softly and looked out at the crescent moon.

The description of the Takemikazuchi Familia, the information obtained from the capture of the bandit leader by Runova and the information gleaned from Chloe through torture, plus Haruhime's confession...

The intelligence chain is complete, and there are ample witnesses.

According to the goddess Astrea's plan, there are two more factors that prevent the Ishtar Familia from falling into an insurmountable predicament.

Firstly, the physical evidence: the "Killing Stone".

Secondly, and most importantly, is Haruhime's will.

“I did not become a prostitute willingly,” “I want to leave the Ishtar family,” or even just a simple “Save me.”

She only needed to ask Emiya for this request.

Then they can turn the Ishtar Familia upside down.

89

Chapter 89: The Dark Side of the Nine Families

Emiya was not in a hurry to move forward with the plan. There were still several days until the full moon night necessary to activate the [Kesshoseki] ritual, and Astraea and the others were not yet fully prepared to take action.

He sat upright on the ground, and in this courtyard, Emiya saw "tatami" for the first time since his rebirth. The long-lost contact with the familiar object unexpectedly calmed his mood.

The light from the candlelight and the magic stone lamp illuminated his face from the side, but it also obscured the other eye of Emiya in shadow. In the warm light, his crimson hair appeared even more profound.

Emiya looked at Haruhime, her eyes still those amber-colored, molten gold-like eyes. Even a Level 2 Amazonian battle prostitute from the Ishtar Familia would feel fear in them, but Haruhime, who was powerless to even kill a chicken, felt at ease.

“Besides the experience at the time, the similarity in our names should also be the reason why Haruhime trusted me.”

Emiya thought to himself.

Although he was reborn from another world and actually had no connection with the Far East, the name "Emiya Shirou" sounds like something from the Far East, and anyone would think that he had at least some connection with that country.

The Far East is too far from Orario, and that country has developed its own unique pantheon, so residents from the Far East are not common in the labyrinth city.

Emiya knew that his leader, Tsubaki, had half Far Eastern blood, and that the Takemikazuchi Familia was a small faction from the Far East that had only recently arrived in Orario, as well as Kaguya Gojou of the Astraea Familia.

In contrast, the scale of the pleasure quarters in the entertainment district is unbelievably large, but the vast majority of its customers and courtesans are locals from the labyrinth city. Including Haruhime, there are no more than ten courtesans who actually have Far Eastern blood.

The popularity of the pleasure district in Orario is purely due to the trend started by many male gods—the knowledgeable male gods highly praised the pleasure district, and the Ishtar Familia followed suit.

Because of the strict protection of Aisha and others, Haruhime rarely had the opportunity to come into contact with the outside world. Emiya was the first place outside the entertainment district where she met a fellow countryman from the Far East.

Therefore, Haruhime inevitably projected her longing for her hometown onto Emiya, and even after learning that he was not from the Far East, she still held onto this feeling.

After all, for Haruhime, the few short years she spent in her hometown during her childhood were the happiest time of her life.

However, in Emiya's view, Haruhime's life at the Sanjo residence, even with its luxurious lifestyle, could hardly be described as "happy".

"Besides learning aristocratic etiquette, were you taught anything else?"

Following up on the topic of his hometown, Emiya inquired.

"I learned to read and write from a tutor when I was very young, and then I have been learning aristocratic etiquette and sacrificial rites."

Chunji answered obediently:

“My father believed that daughters of the Sanjo family didn’t need to acquire any other knowledge. Apart from textbooks on etiquette and rituals, the only books I’ve read are Heroic Tales…”