Chapter 14: A Taste of Kindness

At Nodal Shop

Aria lifted the bowl, drinking every last bit of the noodle soup before slamming the bowl back onto the counter.

“Whaaa… It still has that very rich flavor! Aunty, you really have magic in your hands.”

“Well, it’s nothing like that. You are just exaggerating,” the old lady said, denying the claim.

“No, it’s real! Right, Rikka?” Aria turned her face toward her.

Rikka, narrowing her eyes, looked down at her bowl of untouched ramen. “Why are raw garlic and onions in here? I can’t eat them like this.”

“Don’t you like onions?” the old lady asked.

Rikka replied, “Well, we raccoon beast-kin can’t handle spicy things or strong smells.”

“I see. If you want, I can replace them with something else,” the old lady suggested.

Accepting her kindness, Rikka said, “Yes, please.”

Well, at least this is a cheap place. I was worried for nothing… Rikka turned her face back toward Aria, only to find her pouting in anger. “Aria-sama?”

“Hmph… Rikka, you are quite a choosy one. At a time like this, you should praise her skills. You know, when people work hard, we need to recognize their efforts and accept what they offer,” Aria lectured Rikka.

“Yes…”

Why am I getting scolded for telling the truth? Rikka thought. Well, at least I was able to hear some divine wisdom from her. Also, she looks angry, so I need to be careful from here on out.

A few moments passed before Rikka’s dish arrived. After finally taking a bite of the ramen, her eyes widened in surprise at how good it was. Without taking a single pause, she ate it all and started showering the old lady with praise, making Aria give a smug smirk.

Finishing her meal, Rikka reached into her pouch to pay the old woman, pulling out a silver coin. “Here, I hope this will be enough.”

“No, no, I can’t take this. Aria… I mean, Aria-sama brought you here. Both of you are my guests, and guests do not pay.”

“Really!” Rikka’s eyes brightened as she giggled, but Aria interrupted.

“What are you saying! We ate, so we will pay. You need to buy ingredients for tomorrow, so how else will you afford them?”

“Aria-sama, she is saying we are guests, so maybe…” Rikka hesitantly tried to avoid paying.

The old lady spoke up. “Don’t worry. I was just thinking about closing the shop permanently anyway. Just assume you helped me clear the leftovers.” She smiled gently.

Hearing this, Rikka felt guilty, opening her mouth to say something, but Aria stepped forward and declared, “Please, you can’t close your doors!” Aria thought hard until an idea struck her. “How about you serve your ramen as a free sample at the Grand Star Festival?”

“I thought about that first, but… I don’t have any money for such an event. Plus, it’s very hard for a low-key shop like mine to win a spot in the tournament’s food corner.”

“Don’t worry about that!” Aria said, punching her chest confidently. She added, “Being a Sword Saint, I have some privileges. Also, you will require funds for ingredients then.” Aria turned to Rikka and snatched the pouch right out of her hands. “Here, this will be enough for preparation, and I will fund the rest later after getting permission from Shawn.”

Seeing her money go like that, Rikka’s words slipped out as she watched her savings fly away. “Ah… my luxurious meal. Goodbye… my dream.”

“Thank you… really, both of you. I will always be grateful to you,” the old lady said, bowing as they bid her farewell.

Later on, Aria was tracing Shawn’s mana signature, following it on foot after Rikka completely rejected her flying method. From time to time, Rikka glanced at Aria, who was smiling, until Rikka finally broke the silence.

“Aria-sama, sorry for asking, but I’m kind of curious. Why does a deity like you need to consult everything with her attendant? And I’ve also noticed that, despite being your attendant, he treats you quite roughly.”

“Huh? You think like that? I think he personally treats me very well… leaving aside the fact that he never lets me have my wine—” She paused mid-word, before correcting herself, “—berry to make a tart for myself.”

“I see. Well, I was just concerned because he doesn’t seem very serious about his work to me,” Rikka said. As she walked past Aria, she noticed Aria was no longer following her and turned around.

“Hey, Rikka, do you want to hear about Shawn? So maybe you could understand him better?” Aria smiled gently as she started walking again.

Five years ago...

Aria was standing on the high edge of a rock, her face covered in blood as she turned toward a badly wounded man whose breath was unsteady. She flawlessly leaped down near him, walking over and pointing her sword at him.

“Name…?”

He gathered his remaining energy to answer. “Shawn… Falcon.”

“I see…”

She gently placed her hand on his back as a warm green light radiated from her palm, causing Shawn’s injuries to begin healing. She stood back up after that, pointing toward the distance.

“Take the northeast route from here. I have cleared the way so you can safely reach back to camp.”

Shawn stood up shakily, grinding his teeth in frustration. “Why the hell did you save me… I…” Memories flashed through his mind as he saw his companions torn in half and eaten right in front of him. “You should have come faster! If you had, then they might have…”

“Shut up and go away. Don't waste my time—I have many things to do,” Aria said coldly, leaping into the sky.