Chapter 12

Demeter led Sitonai into a modestly sized room, though what it lacked in grandeur, it made up for in warmth. The hues of red and orange wrapped the space in a comforting embrace, a stark contrast to Sitonai's cool, icy-blue presence.

A neatly made bed occupied the farthest corner, beside it an unadorned wooden desk.

Near the entrance stood a sturdy wardrobe, likely for storing clothes—if she had any to begin with.

"Do you know how a Falna is bestowed?"

Demeter's voice was gentle, carrying the warmth of a mother's embrace.

Sitonai, unaccustomed to such unconditional kindness, felt a peculiar tightness in her chest—something foreign and unfamiliar. It was unsettling yet… oddly comforting.

Sitonai shook her head.

"With just a drop of my blood, the Falna is inscribed upon your back."

Sitonai looked confused. That's it?

Demeter chuckled, her voice carrying a teasing lilt. "Simple, isn't it~?"

Sitonai hesitated but nodded.

You can lie down on the bed with your back facing up. I'll step outside so you can remove your top," Demeter said with an easy smile before leaving the room.

Sitonai exhaled deeply.

This goddess… was a threat. A true S-Class danger to her mental state.

Was this what it felt like to be domesticated?

Sitonai sighed.

She needed to expose her back for the process, but her current outfit was all she had.

Perhaps Demeter knew where she could get more clothes.

…Not that she needed to mention that she could just dematerialize them.

After setting her clothes aside on the desk, she lay down on the bed, sinking into its unexpected softness.

This bed… It feels different from the one I conjured yesterday.

Before she could dwell on the thought, a soft knock came from the door.

"Are you done~?"

"Yes!"

The door creaked open, and Demeter approached, a small needle in hand.

"There's nothing you need to do~ I'll let you know when it's over," Demeter reassured her.

"…Alright."

Deciding to simply endure it, Sitonai shut her eyes.

The moment the process began, warmth bloomed across her back, spreading like ripples in a pond. Then, all at once—a surge of power.

It was as if a dam had broken.

If her previous intake of mana had been akin to sipping from a trickling stream, now it felt as though a faucet had been turned on.

With this… I might be able to maintain Shirou's presence for an hour.

A quiet gasp came from behind her.

Sitonai chose to ignore it.

Out of sight out of mind.

"You can get up now, Sitonai-chan~"

She swiftly pulled her clothes back on and turned to face Demeter.

"You're officially one of my children~"

Demeter placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair with gentle fondness. Sitonai, despite herself, leaned into the touch.

I'm not a cat… but I might as well be one right now.

"What does it look like?" Sitonai asked, glancing at the paper in Demeter's hands.

"Well… you have two Skills and one Magic."

Sitonai tilted her head. Alfia had mentioned that Skills and Magic were rare, but she hadn't elaborated.

"Is that good?"

Demeter's smile deepened. "It's practically unheard of. Especially these effects… I can't even decipher what one of your Skills and Magic do, but they all seem immensely powerful."

She handed over the paper.

Strength: I0Endurance: I0Dexterity: I0Agility: I0Magic: I0

Expected.

But what caught her attention were the Skills.

[Thronus Legenda]The Throne of Heroes is a symbol of memorialization. Those who claim it channel the power of ancient legends.Alter Ego–Origin: [Sitonai]Saber: [Locked]???: [???]

The Throne of Heroes…?

Did this mean she could wield the power of other Servants?

…This is broken.

Perhaps the locked parts would unlock as she leveled up? The potential here was limitless.

She moved on to the next Skill.

[Fides Coniunctum]For the weary, hear this truth: Through bonds, strength is forged.Levels: Acquaintance—Friend—Companion—Family—LoveCharm Resistant.

…What does that even mean?

It seemed related to relationships. Perhaps the more bonds she formed, the stronger she would become?

…Is this world telling me to make friends?

At Sitonai's puzzled expression, Demeter giggled.

"The skill Fides Coniunctum increases the amount of excelia you gain based on the bonds you form, Sitonai-chan~"

So it's an experience multiplier?

That was useful in any scenario. Sitonai nodded, satisfied.

However, her gaze fell upon her Magic, and her brows furrowed.

[Sitonai]

Nothing else. No description, no chant.

Is this what allows me to use my Noble Phantasms and Magecraft?

If there wasn't a chant, then it was either passive or instant-cast.

Well… no point overthinking it.

Demeter, however, sighed softly.

While Sitonai's growth potential was exciting, these Skills and Magic were simply too rare. No—unheard of.

Other Familias would wage war for such abilities.

Demeter's gentle expression turned serious.

"Sitonai-chan~?"

Sitonai looked up, her face the picture of innocent satisfaction.

Demeter could tell.

Sitonai had no idea how dangerous this made her.

The goddess sighed inwardly.

"You mustn't tell anyone about your Skills or Magic, alright~?"

Sitonai blinked, her head tilting slightly in confusion before realization dawned on her.

"…Is it that dangerous?"

Demeter solemnly nodded.

"Some Familias might even invoke a War Game just to claim you. Our Familia isn't suited for battle… it would be difficult to protect you."

A weight settled in Sitonai's chest.

She didn't want to leave Demeter so soon.

If keeping quiet meant she could stay, then—

"…Okay."

She would keep it a secret.

--+--

The introductions to the rest of the Familia were swift.

They were kind. Warm, even. Yet—

Sitonai felt like an outsider.

Was it her fault?

She didn't know.

Making an excuse to finish her meal quickly—despite how delicious it was—Sitonai slipped away.

The moment she stepped out, she noted with relief that the suffocating gaze from that morning was no longer present.

Good.

Her feet carried her back to the Guild, which had grown noticeably more crowded compared to the morning.

Yet, despite the influx of people, the same counter she had visited before remained conspicuously empty.

Did adventurers not consult their advisors or receptionists?

And once again, the one behind the counter was Blanche.

"Did you get in, Sitonai-san?" Blanche asked, her voice tinged with warmth.

Sitonai's chest puffed with pride.

"Of course I did!"

Blanche chuckled at her enthusiasm before sliding a sheet of paper across the counter.

"Please register your current Status," she explained. "While we respect the privacy of Falna information, occasional updates are encouraged to better assist adventurers."

Sitonai skimmed the form and quickly filled it out. Naturally, all her stats were still at I0, and since it would be strange for a new adventurer to have Skills or Magic right away, she left those sections blank.

After writing down her basic information, she handed it back.

"Thank you for registering with the Guild, Sitonai-san."

"No problem~" Sitonai grinned. "I can go into the Dungeon whenever I want now, right?"

"While we recommend taking a Beginner's Course first, you are free to enter at any time." Blanche nodded, then hesitated before adding, "That being said… I'd advise you to be careful. Evilus has been causing disturbances throughout Orario. I suggest you avoid staying out too late or venturing too deep until the situation stabilizes."

Sitonai tilted her head slightly.

Evilus…

Alfia had mentioned them before. How she had been part of a grand scheme to strengthen Orario before she perished.

If Evilus still existed, they were likely nothing more than remnants. Stragglers, perhaps.

But the possibility remained—there could still be Familias lurking in the shadows, stronger than expected.

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied.

Blanche's gaze flickered over Sitonai's attire. "Also, Sitonai-san, I notice you don't have any gear. Do you plan on getting some before heading in?"

Sitonai looked down at herself. She was still wearing the same outfit from yesterday.

She shook her head.

"For new adventurers, the Guild offers a loan program," Blanche informed her. "You can receive a beginner's weapon of your choice and two healing potions. The cost will be deducted from half of your earnings each day until it's paid off."

A reasonable offer.

But Sitonai didn't need a beginner's weapon.

She could materialize her Bow and Sword whenever she wanted. While most of her abilities were centered around Magecraft, it wasn't like she couldn't use them to an extent.

Her knowledge of this world's common sense was limited, gleaned only from fragmented conversations with Alfia.

"I'm fine," she said. "I can probably ask my Familia for some Valis if I need it. But—do you have a library here?"

Blanche nodded. "Yes, it's on the second floor. If you wish to borrow a book, you can apply for a checkout."

"I see… Thanks, Blanche!"

After expressing her gratitude, Sitonai made her way to the stairs.

She had already confirmed that she could read the language, so she planned to spend the next few days gathering information. There were two reasons for this.

First—she was an otherworlder.

An anomaly.

The less attention she drew, the better. While her Falna had increased her mana reserves, she couldn't afford to recklessly unleash her Noble Phantasms in front of a crowd.

She wasn't suited for large-scale combat unless she used Pohjola Fimbul.

Second—Evilus wasn't her concern.

She wasn't afraid of them. She had faced the Cadmus even before obtaining a Falna and held her own.

However—dealing with them would be a hassle.

On top of that, one of her thirds was Freyja. If this world's Freya were to find out—

No, that was a risk she wasn't willing to take.

Her Freyja's origin of power had shifted from divinity to something more akin to mana, but there could still be similarities in their authority.

And given that Freya Familia was one of the strongest Familias in Orario, it wasn't a gamble worth making.

With Evilus still active and Freya Familia leading the charge against them, they were bound to have eyes on the Dungeon.

For now, it was best to lay low until Evilus had calmed down and Freya didn't have much of a reason to be proactive.

Sitonai saw it as a… paid vacation.

One where she could take her time and learn about this world.

--+--

A/N: Idk if this is having honor and integrity, but I removed the 1 star reviews.

You may say this is a shitty move, but look, if someone's going to be giving this story a 1 star review cause it's yuri, that's stupid as hell.

What happened to rating it for the writing quality, huh?

If you have an issue w/ writing quality, idm if the ratings low, but if it's cause it's yuri ur just homophobic. I love yuri even though I might be asexual or as straight as gae bolg.

I also took a delay for this chapter, mainly cause finals was approaching and then I'm going to Austin for spring break to visit friends for like a week, but if I suddenly gain inspiration I might update next week.

I was originally planning for her to go to the dungeon this chapter, but I wanted a reason to have a POV change for next chapter.

Also, it was nearing the end of the chapter so it would feel weird for me to have her dungeon diving so soon. Maybe in a few chapters, I'd rather have her interact with different characters.

Also, I want to know if Syr is Freya. I know she is but how does it work? Like it's two separate bodies, so that Freya can just possess Syr's body and her main body is normal? Or is Freya just disguising herself.

What POV do you think I'm going to change it to I wonder~