One of the elf girls said in a very small voice, "Wait a moment, isn't that a [Banshee]?"
Another girl quietly supplemented, her voice full of incredulity, "Worthy of the [Elf Slayer], even that isn't spared, truly brave."
"Maybe the [Elf Slayer] can purify the curse of the [Banshee]."
Her companion said in a low voice, "What did the gods say again, 'consecration', it seems that's the term."
Meanwhile, another elf girl quietly added, "Recently, the Amazonesses of the Ishtar Familia at Lv.3 are frantically training in the dungeon, heard they are planning to seek revenge on the [Elf Slayer]..."
"Speaking of which, why do I feel a little scared when I look at him?", One of the elf girls whispered, her tone carrying a trace of nervousness.
"Actually, me too...", Another girl also whispered in agreement.
Although Emiya did not hear their conversation, Filvis' long elf ears twitched slightly.
She said nothing, simply silently continued forward. Not long after, she brought Emiya to a coffee shop called [Alfs], quite famous among the elves.
Emiya had an impression, seemed it was a shop run by an elf from Lefiya's hometown, the Alfs Forest.
Filvis opened her mouth and softly said, "Mr. Emiya, may I... hold your hand?"
However, her words were interrupted by a lively female voice, "Mr. Emiya, Senior Filvis!"
Lefiya ran over very excitedly.
Thanks to Lefiya's appearance, the subtle atmosphere between Filvis and Emiya was eased.
But now, the awkward situation shifted onto Lefiya herself.
"Miss Filvis, are you a frontline profession? I saw you carry a short sword besides the staff."
Filvis lowered her head without answering.
Lefiya felt the air solidify, "Could it be you're a magic swordsman? If... if so, that would truly make me admire you so much."
Still silent.
"Ahahaha...", Lefiya's laughter sounded a bit dry; she didn't know how to continue the topic, could only bite the bullet and ask, "Y-your hobby, what is it?"
Filvis still didn't lift her head, her gaze always falling on the white porcelain cup in front of her, the pale green matcha latte seemingly capturing all her attention.
Cold sweat broke out from Lefiya's back, "T-the weather is really nice today."
Filvis: "..."
Lefiya couldn't help but begin to regret, feeling that joining them was perhaps too impulsive.
At this time, at a quiet corner of the [Alfs] coffee shop, Emiya and Filvis sat facing each other, two cups of steaming beverages placed on the table. Lefiya sat beside them, appearing slightly cramped.
Initially, because of the unexpected encounter, Lefiya was very excited, joined their conversation in high spirits. However, now, the smile on her face was becoming harder and harder to maintain.
Lefiya didn't know why she cared so much about Filvis, perhaps because, as a fellow elf, she couldn't ignore the overly extreme "cleanliness" reactions from Filvis.
Kind-hearted by nature, Lefiya instinctively sensed something unusual deep within Filvis' heart, and couldn't help but want to help her.
Of course, it might also simply be because Filvis was too beautiful, making Lefiya unconsciously fascinated.
Because Emiya helped Lefiya order an iced coffee topped with ice cream, and a steak and vegetable salad as dinner, the girl was too embarrassed to leave before finishing the meal.
"S-speaking of which, Senior Filvis, where did you buy your clothes?"
Lefiya tried hard to find a topic to break the awkward silence, "They are really beautiful."
Hearing this, Filvis finally had a slight reaction, softly repeating, "Beautiful?"
"Mm-mm, of course," Lefiya nodded like pounding garlic, showing a sincere smile, "But mainly, it's because Senior Filvis yourself is very beautiful... Mr. Emiya, you think so too, right?"
"Mm, yes," Emiya nodded. He recalled the information obtained from the guild staff, the half-elf girl Eina.
Once, the Dionysus Familia was also quite a powerful upper-class faction in the labyrinth city; their previous leader was a Lv.4 second-grade adventurer, and the Familia had several members reaching Lv.3.
At that time, Filvis' level was only Lv.2, not even counted as a cadre of the Familia.
However, a catastrophic event changed everything. In the incident known as the [Nightmare of the Twenty-Seventh Floor], the Dionysus Familia's expedition team was completely wiped out.
Apart from those like Aura who survived due to not participating, the only one who returned alive was Filvis. That tragedy not only took away many members of the Dionysus Familia, but also many adventurers from other Familias, causing a huge stir throughout Orario.
Since then, the sole survivor Filvis began to be called the Banshee.
"Filvis, you are very beautiful," Emiya suddenly said, voice flat, as if stating the most ordinary fact.
The elf girl lowered her head, speechless, only her fingers gripping the coffee cup slightly tightened.
———
"How about it?"
Goddess Hephaestus half-jokingly asked, "Filvis is also a very beautiful elf, and her strength is quite extraordinary."
Filvis was one of the rare magic swordsmen who possessed both offensive and defensive magic and excelled in close combat, considered the strongest configuration for front and middle guard.
"And that girl named Aura, she is also quite an outstanding elf."
Hephaestus continued, "Not only beautiful but also very capable... that Dionysus fellow indeed had many good children under him."
Actually, speaking of appearance, Aura Moriel's looks were even more exquisite. With the added charm of youth and age, her delicate features and lively eyes could barely compare to Riveria.
Aura seemed to have some high elf blood; her pure white hair like snow and gem-like deep purple eyes were said to be inherited from a royal family of a certain elven forest.
However, compared to Aura, Emiya's attention was still more on Filvis.
Emiya nodded, "Mm... Filvis' past is somewhat concerning."
"The Nightmare of the Twenty-Seventh Floor..."
Hephaestus' expression slightly sobered, her words becoming heavier, "In that incident, even members of our Familia were among the casualties."
Hephaestus' voice was slow, carrying a touch of sad memories.
One of the Familia's Lv.2 senior smiths participated as a supporter of the Dionysus Familia in that expedition. Unfortunately, he too did not return from the nightmare.
However, as a deity, although sad at heart, Hephaestus would not, like some shallow adventurers, vent her pain and resentment on the sole survivor.
Suddenly, Goddess Hephaestus spoke seriously, "Ahem, regarding the elf girl, take it slowly, just let things flow naturally... Shirou, now there are two things you mainly need to focus on."
The goddess looked at him and continued, "First, the perfection of your adventurer team. Your team still lacks a reliable supporter. Regarding this, I have some ideas and will help arrange it later."
Then Hephaestus' expression turned especially serious, the atmosphere instantly heavier.
She took a deep breath and slowly said, "And there's another even more important matter."
Emiya also became serious, asking, "What matter?"
Hephaestus looked at him, lips slightly tightening, voice carrying a trace of helplessness, "The Amazonesses of the Ishtar Familia have come to challenge you."
Emiya: "...What?"
Hephaestus pulled out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Emiya. The letter looked like a challenge letter, but when Emiya opened it, its contents were completely unlike what a challenge letter should have. The words inside could even be called full of affection.
[B̶e̶l̶o̶v̶e̶d̶ m̶a̶s̶t̶e̶r̶ Mr. Emiya, my two foolish sisters and I are about to reach the sublimation of our levels. In order for our insignificant selves to grow to the extent of being useful to you, we earnestly request your guidance and adjustment before our upgrade.]
Emiya began to feel a headache and stomachache simultaneously.
In fact, as early as before the war with Ishtar Familia, Emiya and the goddess Hephaestus had already mentally prepared for what might happen afterward.
After all, this kind of situation was not without precedent.
The [Braver] of Loki Familia, Finn Deimne, was the pearl ahead... or it should be said, a lesson from the past.
This Lv.6 Pallum precisely because he casually beat up an Amazon, as a result, had been entangled without end.
Several years had passed, and to this day he was still relentlessly pursued by that Amazon.
However, miraculously, after Emiya stormed into Ishtar Familia and defeated all those Amazon warrior women, until now, surprisingly, there had been no incidents of those female warriors coming to him praying for favors, or rummaging through his trash can or the like.
He once thought that he had escaped a calamity.
In fact, Emiya was merely temporarily favored by luck. Those Amazon warrior women had not lost interest in him, but were busy with "infighting."
The Amazon race believed in the iron law of "survival of the fittest."
If they as women were stronger than men, they would without any psychological burden establish a "reverse harem."
And if they as females encountered a situation where they were completely crushed by the same male in body and spirit, generally speaking, they would not develop the arrogant thought of 'monopolization.'
On the contrary, they were willing to submit together with other female compatriots to that strong one. This sense of group belonging was part of their society, just like the extravagant pleasure model of the famous [King's Package] in the Pleasure Quarter.
Thus, the Amazons did not mind collectively submitting to Emiya, if he spoke, they would even willingly accept such an arrangement like participating in a orjy.
However, this did not mean they had no internal competition. Just like the dance performances in the [King's Package].
Even sharing the same stage, there was a difference in status between lead dancers and backup dancers.
Therefore, before approaching Emiya, the Amazons themselves first conducted a great internal battle. Only by winning this battle could they determine who would occupy a higher status in contact with Emiya.
This fierce internal strife lasted for quite a while, and as a result, their ability values comprehensively improved.
Adding the experience points (mainly endurance) accumulated during the battle with Emiya, many female warriors had already reached the bottleneck, only short of a feat, they could complete a level-up.
The first to stop this chaos was the goddess Ishtar, for a very simple reason, these Amazon warrior women were beating each other black and blue every day, and since Ishtar Familia had no healers, paying for their treatment was no small expense.
The goddess Ishtar set a new rule: rather than letting the Amazons fight endlessly every day, it was better to simply let them compete on the speed of leveling up. They could, upon accomplishing a feat, challenge Emiya before leveling up.
As for why they needed to challenge Emiya before leveling up, the reason was also simple. The goddess embraced a pragmatic mindset, 'Maybe by fighting a male (or rather, being beaten by one), their ability values might break through the bottleneck?'
Since then, the Amazons started focusing on expeditions . Although not as profitable as working in the Pleasure Quarter, at least their income and expenses balanced out.
And now, the ones who first accomplished feats and were about to level up, were exactly the [Phantom Triple Stars].
Their level-up feats were also related to an intelligence piece that Emiya previously received from the guild.
The three sisters, in the middle floors of the dungeon, encountered an extremely powerful enhanced variant monster.
That monster's potential ability reached the upper tier of Lv.4, after bitter fierce battles and struggles, they joined forces to defeat it, ultimately successfully obtaining feats sufficient for leveling up.
And now, the three sisters' goal was clear: before leveling up, accept the guidance and education of the (self-acknowledged) master, that is, to fight a battle with Emiya.
For their request, Emiya truly could not find any reason to refute.
Firstly, the three sisters had always had a good relationship with Haruhime. Although not as close as Aisha, they had also previously given Haruhime considerable care.
Aisha also mentioned that the three sisters were among the best-tempered among the battle prostitutes of Ishtar Familia, perhaps related to their life experiences. Their income was so high it even made [Beauty Elite] envious; after joining Ishtar Familia, the girls' lives had always gone smoothly, therefore their personalities were especially tolerant.
Moreover, it had to be admitted, that their hope to break through their ability value bottleneck through a battle before officially leveling up. Such a demand, from any perspective, was reasonable.
As adventurers, who did not hope for their own strength to have breakthroughs? The girls' reasoning, whether for Emiya or anyone else, was flawless.
With Emiya's character, he would not easily refuse a reasonable request. Facing the three sisters' sincere challenge, he naturally chose to accept.
Although, both Emiya and the goddess Hephaestus clearly understood in their hearts, that behind this seemingly legitimate challenge, there were ulterior motives.
"Ishtar Familia suddenly gained three Lv.4 adventurers. Moreover, if these three people could temper their ability values to the mid-tier of Lv.4, they might have the strength, through teamwork, to contend with first-tier adventurers," Hephaestus sighed. [T/N: Poach them into Hephaestus familia by marrying them to Shirou. Heheheh~]
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