As time drifted quietly by and Leon pulled his thoughts back from wandering, the scene before him had turned lively and full of warmth.
The girls lounged about in loose bathrobes or denim shorts and camisoles, lazy flip-flops on their feet, sitting cross-legged on the sofas in twos and threes, chatting.
"Leon, Leon, Leon!"
Laurier's cheerful voice broke the calm.
"Shouldn't we throw a party today?"
Leon blinked.
"?"
"Dummy!"
She winked playfully, putting on an exaggeratedly heartbroken face as she reminded him.
"A party to welcome the new member!"
"A welcome party for Margaret!"
At that, Leon's eyes lit up.
"You're right, we should throw a party!"
"But before that, I need to update Margaret and Iri's Basic Abilities first."
"The early stage is when a newcomer's stats grow the fastest. Can't waste that golden window."
The words had barely left his mouth when Laurier lunged, burrowing right into the middle of Jeanne, Rose, and Kureha. She grabbed an arm on each side and clung to her older sisters, wheedling.
"Big sis Rose! Leon's decided to hold a bonfire party in the snow tonight!"
"Let's hurry and get the food ready!"
Watching Laurier, all impatient and adorably guileless, Rose exchanged a glance with Jeanne and Kureha beside her and couldn't help but smile.
"A party? Well, if it's Leon's idea, then sure."
Rose's tone was gentle, with a touch of indulgence.
"And besides... who can say no when you're this eager, you little glutton!"
"Yes! Awesome~~!"
On the other side, Aura, who had been quietly trading magic tips with Iri and Margaret, was startled by Laurier's cheer.
"What's all this about?"
"Big sis Rose says we're having a bonfire party in the snow tonight!"
"Huh? Really?"
"Alright, don't just stand there grinning!"
Rose clapped her hands and spoke with a bright smile.
"Everybody, get moving!"
She briskly divided up the tasks.
"Aura, the three of you come with me to the ice cellar to pick out ingredients for the party."
"Jeanne, you and Kureha and Laurier head to the back yard and haul over some firewood and charcoal. Tonight we're cooking over the bonfire!"
"As for me, leave the food prep to me!"
As the Familia's "head steward" overseeing all household affairs, Rose got everyone organized in just a few words. Under her direction the whole prep process ran in good order, busy but never chaotic.
And Leon took it all in quietly. The corner of his mouth curved up, smug.
Heh heh. As the head of the household and the leader, I've got Jeanne on one arm and Rose on the other. One handles the inside, one handles the outside; one oversees the household, one commands on the battlefield. Throw in everyone else's support, and from here on I can stop thinking entirely and just coast.
"Gotta hand it to my cheat, a real eye for talent! Damn!"
I really am a genius!
...
...
Night.
The hands of the magic-stone floor clock had reached 8 p.m.
"Dong... dong... dong...!"
The bells of the great clock tower near the Colosseum rang out across the sky, right on time.
In a secluded corner of Orario's Seventh District, a cluster of old, ruined buildings lay quietly beneath the snow. Against this rather plain streetscape, Leon's little walled house stood out like a warm island cut off from the world, all the more striking now.
The view drew closer, and in the yard everyone, the new member Margaret included, was immersed in a cozy, easygoing evening gathering.
Magic-stone lamps shaped like wrought-iron storm lanterns hung from branches or dotted the eaves; the bonfire blazed, and against the backdrop of pristine white snow, it lit the whole courtyard bright and warm.
To celebrate Margaret formally joining the Familia and the successful completion of her first Dungeon expedition, everyone had agreed to make tonight's dinner especially lavish.
And so came this cozy feast, a barbecue out in the snow.
The hiss of grease dripping onto the coals, paired with the tempting char of the skewers, spread through the air like an invisible aroma bomb. Laurier, impatient by nature, had long since lost her composure, staring longingly at the grill and quietly swallowing.
She snuck a look around, confirmed that everyone was either chatting over drinks or absorbed in study and discussion, no one paying her any attention, and quietly reached a "guilty" little hand toward a skewer of vegetables grilled to a golden brown...
"Smack!"
The back of her hand got a light but firm slap.
"Ow... what was that for!"
The elf girl pouted, wronged, accusing him with a resentful look. Leon didn't so much as change expression, still turning the skewers in his hands at an unhurried pace.
"You little glutton, they're not done yet. Hold on a bit longer!"
"Fine..."
Watching Laurier get rebuffed by Leon, Aura, who was taking small sips of spring water from the snowy mountains near Orario, pressed her lips together and laughed softly.
Leon ignored the girl staring longingly at the skewers turning in his hands. His attention was on the Falna he'd updated earlier for Iri and Margaret.
...
[Name]: Irisviel von Einzbern
[Title]:
[Level]: Lv.1
[Basic Abilities]:
Strength: F355 | Endurance: E411 | Dexterity: E478 | Agility: E499 | Magic: A801
...
[Name]: Margaret Odius
[Title]:
[Level]: Lv.1
[Basic Abilities]:
Strength: I31 | Endurance: I44 | Dexterity: I51 | Agility: I50 | Magic: I77
...
Take Iri first. After this month of seasoning, her stats had generally climbed into the E tier, with only Strength still lagging slightly at F, while the rest were excellent across the board. Magic, in particular, had hit a stunning A.
Beyond the fact that her talent was specialized toward Magic-related abilities to begin with, this month of Dungeon exploration and the grind of the "Baptism" regimen had driven her Magic to terrifying growth.
And of course, the boost from the Beloved's Crest played no small part in it either.
Still, in Leon's view, Iri's growth rate... was just a touch slow.
As for why, those who get it get it, and explaining to those who don't would only leave them scratching their heads.
He couldn't let Iri fall behind. He had to pour energy into her hard and draw out the Crest's potential even further.
...
Compared to Iri, the growth Margaret had managed in just a single day actually looked more "normal."
Not hard to understand, either. On her very first day touching down here, Margaret's whole being, body and soul alike, had been deeply branded with Leon's mark.
So the boost her Crest skill received had been at a high tier from the very start, and her ability to rack up Basic Abilities this fast naturally followed.
What's more, Leon believed that at this rate of development, before long Margaret would catch right up to Jeanne, Rose, and Kureha, thoroughly reshaped into Leon's image.
As his thoughts wandered, his gaze happened to meet Margaret's as she walked past carrying a bundle of firewood.
Having just shared such an intimate exchange with him, Margaret was acutely sensitive to the man's gaze right now. Almost the instant their eyes met, she read the unspoken meaning behind that look.
Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she spat under her breath.
"Scumbag!"
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