Ryu subconsciously turned her head and looked to the other side of the tavern.
It was empty there.
Syr was not here today.
That inexplicable feeling of panic forced Ryu to force her gaze back to that corner.
That man...
He clearly looked very gentle.
But why... would he scare Syr away?
"Ryu?"
Just then.
At this moment, Mama Miya's voice interrupted Ryu's thoughts.
"Ah...!"
Ryu came back to her senses.
"Stop daydreaming, the customers over there are still waiting for their ale."
"Take this tray to that table, hurry up."
Miya pointed to a few mugs of rye ale on the counter.
Then.
Ryu looked in the direction Miya was pointing, and her face instantly stiffened.
It was right near the table where Heimdall and the others were.
But... if it's just delivering drinks... as long as I keep my head down and walk quickly, I shouldn't be discovered, right?
"..." Thinking of this, Ryu took a deep breath and steadied her breathing.
"Yes, Mama Mia." Ryu took the tray.
...
And so, just like that, while the atmosphere among the group was lively...
A figure with pale green hair, carrying a tray and keeping her head down, hurried through the aisle beside their table.
She was walking very quickly, as if wanting to minimize her presence as much as possible. It would be best if she could just drift by like air.
However, Murphy's Law took effect at that moment.
"Ehh?!"
"Isn't that the Miss Elf from this morning?!"
Rin, with her sharp eyes, recognized the figure at a glance.
After all, that pale green hair and the dignified aura that even the maid uniform couldn't conceal were simply too recognizable.
"Z-Zae?" Ryu's figure stiffened abruptly. Her footsteps came to a jarring halt.
But before Ryu could even react...
"It really is!"
"Good evening, Miss Elf!"
Kikakujuo Mary and the others also waved enthusiastically one after another after seeing Ryu.
After all, in their eyes...
Although this Miss Elf's cooking skills were at a catastrophic level, having burnt the sandwiches into charcoal, she seemed quite close to Lord Heimdall and had even come over specifically to make breakfast in the morning.
Although it couldn't be eaten, since she was one of their own, it was only natural to greet her when they met.
"..."
However, compared to their composure, Ryu, having been called out, only felt all the blood in her body rushing to her cheeks. Her originally fair elf ears instantly turned bright red, almost to the point of dripping blood.
The hand holding the tray was trembling slightly, causing the glasses on it to emit a soft clinking sound. Shame. It was too shameful.
After all, if it were an enemy, it would be fine; she could draw her sword. If it were malicious provocation, it would be fine; she could ignore it with cold eyes.
But... this kind of greeting, completely devoid of malice and even carrying a hint of intimacy, struck directly at the point Ryu cared about the most.
"G-Good evening..."
Ryu had to keep her head down, turn around, and nod at Rin and the others, responding hastily in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzzing. Then, she power-walked, hurriedly ducked back behind the kitchen curtain, and fled in a panic, nearly knocking over Anya who was passing by.
...
"My, my~"
All of this was taken in by two pairs of eyes from behind the bar not far away.
The black cat Chloe, who was wiping glasses with a rag, and Black Fist Lunova, who was calculating the accounts, saw it all.
The two took in the scene completely. After exchanging a glance, their eyes sparkled with a strong desire for gossip.
"Lunova~"
"Did you see that clearly, nya?"
Chloe twitched her ears, her mouth curling into a mischievous grin, revealing her sharp little fangs.
"Ryu's reaction just now was not! Right! Nya!"
"Mm."
"I saw it all clearly."
On the other side, the human girl Lunova, who was calculating the accounts, also nodded meaningfully.
"That look like she'd done something guilty and was afraid of being caught."
"And that level of panic..."
"It seems we've cracked the case tonight."
"It was letting Ryu go over in her uniform this morning."
"It must be them."
"Nya-hehe..."
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