After Takumi put Hestia and the other two through a thorough whipping lesson for their jealousy-fueled brawl, the night slipped away, and morning arrived before anyone could pretend they were still upset.
Hestia's side had finally quieted down, but Takumi's schedule was packed to the brim. The moment word spread that he was back, Ais showed up at the new place without wasting a second.
She wanted more training.
She wanted to get stronger.
And today, her mood was noticeably brighter than before.
Ever since last time—since Takumi had made her fuse with a Divine Servant Piece—her status had jumped to Level 6. The scary part wasn't even the level. It was what came with it. (T/N: Divine Envoy —> Divine Servant)
Even if Finn and Gareth teamed up on her at full strength, she still crushed them.
And Bete, who'd leveled up right alongside her, looked like some random nobody in comparison—one kick from Ais and he'd go flying, face-first into the dirt.
That kind of power, power that flat-out didn't match her number, made Ais realize exactly how monstrous the gift was… and it also made something else painfully clear.
Takumi mattered to her now—more than she could afford to deny.
Seeing how hard she was pushing herself, Takumi took her back to the same isolated spot as last time and started another round of special training. He didn't just drill swordplay; this time, he added wind magic on top of it and forced her to control it under pressure.
Ais fought like a storm given human shape.
Her thin combat outfit did not survive.
It tore and shredded until it was basically begging for mercy, fluttering in tatters like a candle about to go out in a gale, and then it finally gave up entirely—leaving her tall frame and sleek, athletic curves bare under the sun. Her skin was flawless and pale, every line of her body clean and sharp with the kind of discipline that didn't need decoration.
Takumi, as her teacher, discovered a very inconvenient truth.
He was struggling to keep his composure.
Ais, drained to the bone, dropped to one knee in front of him, breathing hard, eyes lifted with that honest, straightforward focus that always made her feel dangerous in a completely different way.
And Takumi… reacted.
He clicked his tongue, then smiled like he'd just remembered something important.
"Ais. There's another way to get stronger. Do you want it?"
Her gaze sharpened instantly.
"Teach me, Master."
"Then first," Takumi said smoothly, "put your hair up."
"…?"
A little later…
Ais stared up at him, cheeks faintly pink, hair tied up neatly just like he'd told her.
"This… really makes me stronger?"
"Don't talk. Keep going," Takumi said, voice low and firm, like he was giving combat instructions. "A warrior needs to replenish after training, and recovery matters most right after you've been worked that hard."
"…Okay."
She nodded earnestly, still not fully understanding the logic, but trusting him anyway—because when Takumi said something would make her stronger, it usually did.
And when it was over, the proof was right there in her body: warmth flooding through her limbs, strength rising like a tide she could feel.
Ais's eyes lit up as if someone had struck flint inside her chest.
She brushed a loose strand of golden hair back behind her ear, then looked up at him with pure, shining admiration.
"Master… I got stronger again!"
She sounded like a kid showing off to her dad, proud and almost a little desperate for approval.
Takumi smiled—warm, indulgent, almost fond—and ruffled her hair.
"Good girl."
…
The moment that morning's session ended, Hephaestus popped up on his radar.
Apparently, when Hephaestus realized Takumi wasn't home, she sent her prized Familia member to track him down. And sure enough, the woman found him fast—like she'd been built for errands and trouble.
Tsubaki Collbrande.
Captain of the Hephaestus Familia. A half-dwarf from the Far East—born from a human and a dwarf from the continent—yet still standing tall at around 170 cm, carrying herself like someone who'd never once apologized for taking up space.
She had smooth black hair with a single ahoge sticking up at the top, giving her a playful look that didn't match her actual age at all. She was pushing forty, but her face had that mature, sultry beauty—sharp features, confident eyes, and a teasing edge that made it easy to forget she spent most of her life around molten metal and screaming furnaces.
Her skin was a warm, bronzed tone that added a wild, sexy bite to her presence, and even though she wore a loose, conservative kimono, it couldn't hide the fullness of her figure. The way her curves pressed against the fabric made it obvious she had more than just muscle under there.
The instant she saw Takumi, her eyes brightened.
And the moment their gazes met, something sweet and electric surged through her head like a sudden rush of happiness.
Before Takumi could even open his mouth, Tsubaki was already up in his space—grabbing his hand, hooking an arm around him like they were old friends, and pulling him in with brazen familiarity.
"Found you, Takumi-kun! Our Goddess has been waiting forever."
Then she grinned. "Oh, right—first time meeting. I'm Tsubaki Collbrande. Just call me Tsubaki."
Takumi dipped his head slightly, and his eyes—unfortunately for his self-control—caught the glimpse inside her kimono. Under that collar gap, there was a strip of rough cloth binding down an absolutely ridiculous chest.
So she's already keeping them restrained, huh… He swallowed his thoughts and smiled instead.
"So you're Tsubaki—the best smith in all of Orario. I'm seriously honored to meet you."
"Ha! Best is a big word," Tsubaki laughed. "I just like forging, that's all. But our Goddess is really interested in you. Honestly… with your talent, you might even surpass me."
Still joking and talking the whole way, Tsubaki brought him into Hephaestus's forge.
She was wearing an eyepatch too—only hers covered the left eye, like it was deliberately mirroring Hephaestus. Takumi could tell the same thing was true for both of them, though.
Their eyes were fine.
"So this is… fashion?" Takumi muttered under his breath, deciding not to poke that hornet's nest.
Hephaestus was by the furnace exactly as always, looking like she belonged there more than anywhere else in the world.
Tsubaki beamed. "Goddess, I brought him!"
Hephaestus's mouth complained before her eyes could hide the satisfaction.
"This brat finally shows up. You said you wanted me to teach you forging, then you disappeared without a word. I had people looking all over."
Takumi scratched his cheek, guilty for about half a second.
"Things got hectic and I didn't get the chance to tell you. But—uh—let's get back on track. Please teach me, Goddess."
Hephaestus snorted, but she let it go.
Then Tsubaki raised her hand like an excited kid in class.
"I wanna stay and watch!"
Hephaestus blinked, flatly confused. "Watch what? I already taught you everything I'm going to teach him."
"I wanna see what Takumi can do," Tsubaki said shamelessly. "I've heard the rumors. 'Hero of Miracles,' right? I just wanna take a look."
Hephaestus shot Takumi a dead, unimpressed glance that basically said Are you kidding me?
Then she muttered, half under her breath, "With how easily you pull women in, you shouldn't be called the 'Hero of Miracles.' You should be called the heart-stealing menace."
Because she could see it clear as day.
Tsubaki wasn't obsessed with him like an airhead fan. This wasn't about his face—though even she had to admit the man was unfairly handsome.
Tsubaki's interest was sharper than that.
A smith's interest.
And for someone like Tsubaki—who'd lived for the forge and basically ignored romance her whole life—this kind of curiosity was loud.
Hephaestus wanted time alone, but refusing her own captain would be ridiculous.
So, with obvious reluctance, she sighed and nodded.
"Fine. Watch if you want."