Chapter 1C: The Hostess of Fertility is Barren!?

[ONE WEEK AGO]

Ryuu Lyon offered her hand to the tattered warrior in red garb lying on his back. He scoffed and picked himself up with some effort. His companions, decked out in full plate armor, backed away slowly. The warrior reached for his sword, but Ryuu kicked it away. It spun across the floor until it hit a wall with a clink.

"ENOUGH!" Mia Grand yelled. Everyone froze mid-move. Mia was a stocky woman in her forties with short, greying brown hair. "This is a place for eating and drinking. Get out!"

All four adventurers hesitantly headed for the door. Ryuu's defeated warrior in red walked fastest. Mia Grand sighed and resumed cleaning mugs.

"Those Level 3s and 4s think they can do whatever the Hell they want," Mia slammed a clean mug on the shelf and grabbed another. "At this rate, I'll have to promote you to bodyguard."

Ryuu, a blonde, elven girl with intimidating eyes, walked over to the warrior's massive sword. He must have forgotten it in his rush. She picked it up and placed it on a back shelf: "lost and found." Ever since the trouble started, low-level adventurers' wallets had been stretched thin. Only higher-level adventurers, who ventured deep into the dungeon where monsters still spawned, could afford the Benevolent Mistress' prices. Mia Grand knew she couldn't complain: most restaurants had shut down entirely. Many families didn't have enough to eat. No matter how you looked at it, adventurers were central to Orario's economy. Even if Mia could do something about it, she was much too old to resume her old adventuring life.

"You didn't have to do that," Ryuu said. "I know we're struggling to break even as is."

"Don't you tell me how to run my restaurant," Mia winked and sat the clean cup aside. Upside: not as many dirty dishes lately. "Besides, our portions are plenty large. They shouldn't treating you girls like a second course."

Syr Flova, a silver-haired, Human girl in a green waitress outfit and long, black boots walked out of the kitchen balancing two trays of roast beef. She looked around and saw Ryuu and Mia, but those customers were gone. She sat the trays down on an empty table.

"Someone was being naughty again and had to leave, right?" Tears welled up in Syr's eyes. "So I made all this for nothing. Again."

"Syr, look outside, nya," Arnya Flomel, a cat Chienthrope with brown hair and sharp teeth peeked out from the kitchen and pointed to the door. "Isn't that your Little Rookie, nya?"

"Bell!" Syr picked up the larger plate and ran outside. Bell Cranel stopped and turned. "Are you going to the dungeon today?"

"Ah, Syr. We haven't seen you guys in a long time, huh?" Bell couldn't stop staring at that roast beef plate. He'd forgotten to eat breakfast, and his mouth watered like a distressed gardener.

"I'm sorry," Syr bowed and held the plate out in front of her. "We've been so busy trying to bring in customers. I haven't had any time off. Would you like some?"

"Bell, come on! We already wasted enough time this morning," Unnoticed until now, Liliruca Arde tugged at Bell's arm. Syr leaned to the side and examined Lili's massive backpack and chipped greatsword. Something was off. Syr remembered her face from the last time Bell ate here, but she'd never seen his supporter walking with him on the way to the dungeon. They couldn't be... living together?

"Syr!" Mia, standing in the doorway, stomped to get her attention. "Don't just offer fresh meat for free. We have to pull a profit!"

"Oh, that's right," Syr stood straight and smiled. A plan formed in her mind. "If you buy one plate, the other's free, but just for today. Wouldn't you like to treat your supporter?"

"Lili, did you hear that?" Bell put his arm around Lili's shouder. "It's been a while since our last date, you know?"

Date?

"Engaged for a year and you're still doting on me," Lili reluctantly followed Bell in. "I think that's something I like about you, Bell."

ENGAGED!?

Syr's pupils slowly descended. Sure enough, a small, diamond ring encircled that vile dog-girl's fourth finger. Engaged? To Bell? Who? Her? Syr's hands shook, and her plate started to slip, but she caught herself and followed Bell inside.

"So that's the sort of trouble you're in," Lili's fork searched for stray beef crumbs. "But why would low-level customers stop coming?"

"There are rumors, but we don't know for sure," Ryuu, sitting across the table from Bell and Lili, hung her head.

"Hmm. Now that I think of it, Lili, haven't we been making less money lately?" Bell pushed his empty plate over to Lili, and she scoured it for microscopic meat morsels. "Maybe it just seems that way because I stopped going at night."

"Huh? Going to the dungeon at night, all alone?" Lili poked her fork into Bell's cheek. "You're just now telling me this?"

"Oh, right, uhhh, eheheheheh," Bell put his hands behind his head and looked away. He was sweating furiously.

"So that's how you were able to afford these things so quickly," Lili said. "You're always so reckless, so reckless! Don't you know I would have married you no matter what? And you go and put yourself in danger for some finger bauble!"

"It's not some bauble, Lili," Bell held his palms out between them. "I know you struggled a lot before we met, so I wanted to give you this as a symbol, like: 'those times are over, I'll provide for you now.'"

"Bell..." Lili's voice cracked.

"NYAAAAARGH!" Aryna materialized and flipped their table, sending Bell and Lili hurtling toward the floor. Ryuu stood and dusted herself off. "This is our one-time, super special Benevolent Mistress chapter and you're clogging it up with your stupid romance story, nya!"

"Ow..." Lili wished she'd taken to armor. "Geez, sorry."

"What about a promotion?" Bell, still lying on the floor, raised his hand. "Remember how you offered us two meals for the price of one? What if you gave people some kind of incentive to get in?"

"We're running at a loss as-is," Mia scowled at Bell.

"You could do a promotion that doesn't cost any money," Lili said. She was covered in her own spilled beer, but she climbed back to her feet. "Remember: dignity is free!"

"Dignity?" Syr, previously curled up a corner, stricken with NTR grief, jolted back to life. "Wait, you don't mean...?"

...

Business was booming. Directly outside the Benevolent Mistress, a five-by-five pool had been hastily erected. Just above the water was a little diving board. Syr stood on it, shaking, her eyes darting around the open street. Aryna had forced her to wear a grey cat-ear headband because it was, apparently, "titillating." Rowdy men hooted and hollered whenever someone's tomato hit the little target beside Syr, dunking the poor waitress into the pool.

"300 Valis for a 'mater, 600 for three!" Chloe, a black-cat Chienthrope, winked at the patrons.

Syr felt a tomato explode on her face, but she was used to this by now. Someone in the crowd shouted: "Guess I missed, lil Miss!" Everyone laughed. Everyone except Syr.

Just as the girl wiped the last bit of tomato juice off her face, she heard a clunk, and the board under her gave way. Water splashed onto the pavement. Arnya cheered as well before running back inside to fetch more ale.

Ottar, save me...!

...

On the city walls, the evening sun's last gasps painted the sky a brilliant orange-red. Two silhouettes approached one another. Up here, on the wall, no one would see them. Well, anyone who might would be too busy or tired to care.

A young woman with golden Rapunzel hair and large, white wings came into view. She wore a blue-and-white outfit and carried a sword at her waist. Carrying weapons was atypical for a Goddess - except those which no longer have a Familia to protect them.

"Astraea," Ryuu began, but the Goddess cut her short.

"Things are starting to get interesting, aren't they?" Astraea leaned on the walkway's border and gazed at the green farmland beyond Orario. "If you want to make a villain, you just take a good person and give them a little... tiny... push."

The Goddess flicked a small stone off the city wall and watched it disappear off into the distance. Ryuu took a step back. Astraea turned to her and smiled.

"What are you going to do with yourself in these last days?" Astraea asked.

"I'm not certain," Ryuu lowered her head. "But I want to protect the people who helped me."

"Then stay with them. As pressure rises, others will investigate, no doubt. As long as we all play our designated parts in this story, I'm sure it'll work out fine."

"You're right," Ryuu stepped forward and leaned on the edge next to her old Goddess. "Thank you for seeing me."

"I loved my children," Astraea's eyes seemed to twinkle in the dusk's last light. "Each and every one of them. I don't blame you for what you did. It's some consolation to see you've found a new family, in a way."

"Goddess," Ryuu knew deities were immortal, but Astraea looked older now than before. Her eyes were weary, her posture was slanted, and she appeared tired with life itself. "Will you return to Heaven?"

"No," The winged Goddess leapt up and off the city wall. Her wings beat violently, holding her in the air. She spun around and stretched her arms out toward Ryuu. "I still love this world, even with all its sins. Good and evil here are real and meaningful. It's better than the pettiness of Heaven."

"Then you're leaving the city?" Ryuu clenched her fists.

"Orario has no place for Gods now," Astraea said. "Take care of your new family, Ryuu."

With that, the winged Goddess flew off into the sunset. After the sun fully set, Ryuu pulled her long coat around her and hopped down from the city wall. Lunch break was officially over.

...

Miach, a kind-hearted, dark-blue-haired God and part-time apothecary, couldn't resist a good party. Unfortunately, he'd gotten himself a little too entangled in events, and now he was sitting outside the Benevolent Mistress, holding the restaurant's last and smallest tomato. A large crowd gathered around, watching his deliberations. Syr, soaked from head to toe, whimpered.

"If you're expecting divine aiming skills, you're all going to be disappointed," Miach said. He grinned big and, finally, tossed the tomato.

It spun once, twice, thrice, and just as it neared the target, and a blade slashed the tomato clean in two. Ryuu stood in front of the diving board and signaled "stop" with her free hand. Miach threw his arms up and shrugged.

"How anti-climactic," The potion-selling God pulled a thin, green vial from his coat pocket. "Don't let this happen to you: buy Miach Familia's famous Dexterity potions today! 5,000 Valis a pop!"

"It was all a lead-in for an advertisement!?" One man in the crowd shouted.

"That's against the rules, nyaaaa!"

Aryna dashed out the door, leapt onto the diving board, tail wagging, and tackled Syr, sending them both barrelling into the water below. Patrons guffawed, and Miach exited gracefully. Mia looked proudly over the scene.

"Remember!" Mia held her finger up and addressed the crowd. "Even in hard economic times, the Benevolent Mistress will be here to ease your pains. Come and see us again, you hear?"

Her customers cheered and dispersed after thanking the hostesses for a good time. Street lights flickered on, illuminating the pool while the waitresses worked to haul its dirty water back into River Orario. Indeed, thought Mia Grand, even in tough times, we can't all run off and be heroes. Some of us have to serve in whatever way we can... even if that's cleaning dishes.

For just one night, under the stars' glow, happiness briefly returned to this crumbling city.