Chapter 292

Chapter 292: Chapter 292

Rayleigh returned to the surface shortly before dinner.

The test had gone better than expected.

Shinsō’s Shikai was simple enough that he had understood its practical strengths after only a few fights, while Kamishini no Yari had proven stable under his current spiritual pressure without demanding anything close to what Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame had cost him in Knossos.

He still had no intention of treating Bankai casually, but knowing that his sixth blade could be released safely gave him another option for enemies that needed to be killed quickly without destroying half the battlefield around them.

By the time he left Babel, however, the practical excitement of testing a new Zanpakutō had been replaced by a much simpler problem: he was hungry.

Rayleigh stopped near the western street and considered his choices.

Going home meant cooking, and although Alfia was perfectly capable of preparing food herself, there was almost nothing left in the kitchen because he had forgotten to buy groceries after spending several days working on Shinsō.

He could shop first, or he could eat now and worry about tomorrow’s breakfast later.

The second option won easily.

He was already halfway toward the Hostess of Fertility before he realized exactly where his feet had taken him. Rayleigh slowed.

The tavern stood farther down the street, its windows glowing warmly against the early evening.

Customers were already entering in small groups, and the familiar noise of conversation carried through the open door whenever someone stepped inside.

He could choose another restaurant; there were dozens nearby.

Instead, Rayleigh looked at the two swords at his side, thought about the grey-eyed waitress who had once tried far too casually to examine his soul while serving him bread, and continued toward the tavern.

’I’m hungry. That’s all.’

Shinsō gave no response, and Benihime remained equally silent.

Rayleigh frowned.

’Neither of you gets an opinion.’

He entered.

...

Syr saw him almost immediately.

Rayleigh had barely made it three steps past the door when her expression brightened, though she recovered quickly enough that anyone who was not already suspicious of her probably would have thought nothing of it.

"Yōtōsai-san." She approached with an empty tray tucked against one side of her body. "You came back."

"You sound surprised for someone who works at a restaurant," Rayleigh said, glancing around the crowded room.

"You’ve walked past us plenty of times since your last visit and never once stopped in. I figured you’d been busy."

"I have."

There was enough meaning behind those two words that Rayleigh looked at her more carefully.

News of the Deep Floor rescue had spread through Orario quickly, although the Guild had kept the stranger details quiet.

Most people knew that a joint expedition had disappeared, another group had gone down after them, and the survivors had eventually been brought home.

The black network, the monsters copying Zanpakutō abilities, and the organism growing through the thirty-ninth floor had not become common tavern gossip.

At least, they should not have.

Syr smiled at his expression.

"People talk, Yōtōsai-san. Several adventurers disappeared into the Deep Floors, the Sword Princess went after them, Tsubaki Collbrande went with her, and then everyone came back looking like they’d spent several days being chewed on by the Dungeon. It wasn’t difficult to guess that something happened."

"That explanation is almost reasonable."

"Almost?"

"You’re still suspicious," Rayleigh said.

"I remember you saying that last time," Syr replied.

Before he could answer, a loud voice came from behind the counter.

"Syr! Stop blocking the entrance and either seat the boy or get back to work!"

Mia Grand’s voice cut through the room without requiring her to raise it very much.

Syr immediately stepped aside. "Right away, Mama Mia."

Rayleigh followed her toward an empty table near the wall.

He was actually grateful that Mia had interrupted them.

Syr was good at turning a perfectly ordinary conversation into something that made him wonder whether he had accidentally agreed to something dangerous.

He sat down and placed both sheathed Zanpakutō beside him where they would not obstruct the aisle.

Syr noticed them before she handed him the menu, her gaze settling on Shinsō.

"That sword is new."

Rayleigh looked from her to the weapon. "You remember which swords I carry?"

"You’re the most famous swordsmith in Orario, and you regularly walk around with enough weapons for several adventurers. People notice," Syr said, without quite answering the question.

"That wasn’t really an answer."

Syr only smiled and placed the menu in front of him. "No, it wasn’t."

Rayleigh decided he had walked into that one.

He opened the menu. "Whatever stew you served me last time was good. I’ll have that again, with bread."

"I’ll bring you something better."

"I specifically asked for the same thing."

"And I’m specifically ignoring you." Before Rayleigh could object, Syr took the menu from his hands and walked toward the kitchen.

He watched her go.

’Coming here voluntarily may have been a mistake.’

Benihime gave a small vibration against the wall, and Rayleigh looked at it.

"Too late to complain now."

A nearby adventurer heard him and moved his chair slightly farther away from the man talking to his swords, and Rayleigh pretended not to notice.

Syr returned with enough food for two people.

Rayleigh looked at the table, then at her. "I ordered stew."

"There is stew."

"There is also roast meat, potatoes, bread, vegetables, soup, and something I don’t recognize."

"That one is mine." Syr placed the final plate opposite him and sat down.

Rayleigh stared at her. "Aren’t you working?"

"My break started thirty seconds ago."

"Convenient."

"I planned ahead," she said, entirely unbothered.

That answer was honest enough to make him more suspicious rather than less.

Still, Rayleigh had come here to eat, and the food smelled good. He decided to deal with Freya’s games only if one actually appeared.

For several minutes they ate without talking much.

The tavern was crowded enough that neither of them needed to manufacture conversation, and Syr appeared completely content simply sharing the table while customers and waitresses moved around them.

Rayleigh found that more dangerous than the questions.

Eventually Syr glanced toward Shinsō again. "Were you testing that today?"

Rayleigh swallowed before answering. "Yes."

"And?"

"It works."

"That sounds disappointing," she said, propping her chin on one hand.

"It means the sword did exactly what I created it to do. That’s generally considered a successful test."

Syr leaned forward slightly. "You’re telling me that you made an entirely new Zanpakutō, took it into the Dungeon, discovered it worked perfectly, and your reaction is simply ’good, that works’?"

Rayleigh considered the description. "Yes."

She laughed. "You really are a blacksmith."

"Was that ever in doubt?"

"A little. Most blacksmiths don’t disappear into the Deep Floors to fight monsters personally."

"Most blacksmiths have better judgment."

"At least you’re aware of it."

Rayleigh continued eating.

Syr let the subject of Shinsō go, which he appreciated.

She did not ask about its ability or request a demonstration inside a tavern filled with civilians.

Either she understood enough about Zanpakutō to know that asking a smith for the secrets of a newly forged weapon was rude, or Freya had already gathered whatever information she considered useful through other means.

Both possibilities were believable.

After a while, Syr rested her cheek against one hand. "You said you’ve been busy, but what do you actually do when you’re not working?"

Rayleigh looked at her. "Sleep."

"That doesn’t count."

"Eat."

"You’re doing that now."

"Then apparently I’m very good at using my free time."

Syr’s smile remained, but she did not turn the exchange into another joke. "I’m serious. Every time I hear something about you, you’re forging a sword, entering the Dungeon, helping another Familia, or getting involved in something dangerous. Do you ever decide that a day belongs to you and simply do whatever you want?"

Rayleigh slowed slightly. It was an ordinary question, but coming from Syr, that did not make it harmless.

Still, he thought about it.

He had spent most of his life moving from one necessity to another.

Before reaching this world, survival had not left much room for leisurely hobbies beyond whatever old entertainment remained available.

After arriving here, he’d spent months travelling toward Orario, then throwing himself into blacksmithing, Dungeon exploration, Zanpakutō, Evilus, the Great Feud, Alfia, the Guild’s commissions, Knossos and now the Enhanced Species.

Even the week he had called a break had somehow produced Shinsō.

"Apparently not very often."

Syr seemed genuinely surprised by how easily he admitted it. "Doesn’t that bother you?"

"Sometimes. But most of the things I do are things I chose to do anyway. Nobody forced me to become a blacksmith, and nobody makes me enter the Dungeon."

"The Guild seems to ask for your help quite often."

"They pay me."

"That is a very mercenary answer."

"They should keep paying me, then."

Syr laughed softly, but her eyes remained on him. "What about when there isn’t any money?"