Rayish
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Chapter 146
🕑 Added 2025-06-21 10:39:24 +0000 UTCLefiya skipped cheerfully toward the pond, her blue eyes sparkling as she saw numerous fish floating on the surface. Some were large, some s
Lefiya skipped cheerfully toward the pond, her blue eyes sparkling as she saw numerous fish floating on the surface. Some were large, some small, but all appeared fresh despite having died from electric shock.
"Wow! We can cook so many different—"
"Lefiya," Aiz interrupted calmly but firmly. "Be careful. The water is still electrified."
Lefiya froze mid-step. "Eeek—!" She immediately retreated two steps, her face tense. "Right, right! I forgot...!"
Shirou, who had been watching from behind, stepped forward. "Don't worry, there's a solution."
He raised his hand and, with a smooth motion and a short incantation, projected a fishing net. Its design was simple yet sturdy—the threads resembled a silver weave with a lightweight wooden handle, perfect for reaching the water's surface without direct contact.
"With this, we can collect them without touching the water," Shirou explained, handing the net's handle to Lefiya.
"Amazing!" Lefiya exclaimed, taking it eagerly.
Taking turns, the three of them began catching the fish one by one. Aiz prepared a makeshift container, while Shirou and Lefiya worked together to scoop the scattered fish into a projected basket Shirou had also created earlier.
A few fish twitched slightly, remnants of reflex from the shock, causing Lefiya to let out a small yelp. But once she got used to it, she grew quicker and more skilled.
After about fifteen minutes of work, they stood beside their haul—two dozen fresh fish, colorful and naturally oily, some still warm from the residual electricity.
"Two dozen..." Shirou murmured, counting quickly. "Enough for a small feast."
Lefiya clapped her hands in satisfaction. "Come on, Chef. Let's start cooking!"
Before beginning the preparations, Shirou glanced at the pond and then at the net still in his hand. He lifted it slightly, allowing the silver weave to dissolve back into prana particles that vanished into the air.
His gaze then shifted to the gray tent, where Raikiri leaned gently against the doorframe. "Aiz, were you satisfied with trying Raikiri earlier?" he asked in a friendly tone.
Aiz gave a short nod. "Yes. Thank you." Her voice was as calm as usual, but a faint glimmer of disappointment in her eyes couldn't be completely hidden.
With that, Shirou raised his hand once more, and Raikiri shimmered into blue light, flowing softly before dissipating like vapor.
"Alright, time to start cooking," he announced.
His hands moved again, and before them, a wide wooden table in deep brown materialized with a zzzzhhk sound as its structure formed perfectly from prana light. It didn't take long before he also projected logs and stones to serve as the base for a campfire.
Seeing this, Lefiya immediately exclaimed, "I'll help! I'll grab the spices from the bag, okay?" Without waiting for a response, she dashed off toward Shirou's blue tent, lifting the hem of her swimsuit slightly to avoid tripping.
Meanwhile, Aiz sat beside Shirou as he arranged the dry logs and stones to secure the fire.
"So... you're making grilled fish?" she asked, handing him a few small twigs.
"Yup," Shirou nodded while lighting the fire. "Simple, but if the seasoning is right... It can taste incredible."
Aiz watched him for a moment, then said softly, "...I'm looking forward to it."
Soon, quick and light footsteps approached from the direction of the blue tent. Lefiya reappeared excitedly, carrying a small wooden box filled with glass bottles and cloth pouches containing various spices and seasonings.
"The spices are ready!" she declared, carefully placing them on the projected cooking table.
"Thanks, Lefiya," Shirou said as he began cleaning the fish one by one on a wooden cutting board. Using a small projected knife, he scaled, gutted, and rinsed them quickly and efficiently.
Lefiya promptly took her place beside him, helping prepare the seasoning mix by grinding spices and blending salt, pepper, and a bit of lime juice.
Meanwhile, Aiz stood on the other side of the table, watching their activities with a hesitant expression. Her hands lifted slightly, as if she wanted to join... but she wasn't sure what to do.
"...I want to help too," she said quietly.
Shirou glanced at her briefly before calling out, "Then, help with this."
With a swift motion, he projected a bundle of slender metal skewers and handed them to Aiz.
"Skewer the fish one by one after we season them."
Aiz took the skewers seriously, examining each metal rod as if studying a combat technique. "Understood," she replied succinctly.
After all the fish were cleaned and seasoned by Shirou and Lefiya, Aiz carefully took on her task, skewering each fish with precision. Though her movements were a bit stiff at first, she learned quickly.
Before long, the three of them sat cross-legged around the campfire, which now burned steadily in the center of their campsite. Each held skewers of fish that slowly blackened at the tips, their skins sizzling as the spices caramelized, releasing a mouthwatering aroma that made their stomachs growl.
The light from the Dungeon's ceiling crystals had dimmed further, leaving only a soft blue glow. Floor 25 seemed to dissolve into an artificial night. The only sounds were the gentle crackling of the fire and the faint trickle of water from the pond behind them.
The campfire's glow illuminated the three of them—still in their swimwear, their skin slightly damp and hair beginning to dry from the heat. Small smiles graced their faces, peaceful and content, as if momentarily forgetting they were in the world's most deadly place.
The aroma of grilled fish filled the air, mingling with the thin smoke that curled upward and faded into the warm atmosphere of Floor 25. The fish were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with the spices perfectly infused—a result of their teamwork that felt like more than just cooking.
Aiz bit into her skewer eagerly, her cheeks puffing slightly, her golden eyes radiating the satisfaction she often showed when eating delicious food. After swallowing, she turned to Shirou, who sat across from her, his face illuminated by the firelight.
"...Shirou," Aiz murmured softly, "why did you learn to cook?"
Lefiya, who had been blowing on her fish to cool it, quickly looked up. Her long ears perked with curiosity. She didn't say anything, but her body leaned forward slightly, waiting for the answer.
Shirou paused for a moment, staring at the embers crackling quietly before him. The firelight flickered in his eyes, reflecting shadows of a past that still felt vivid.
"My adoptive father," he said quietly. "Kiritsugu... he's the reason."
Lefiya immediately asked, her eyes shining, "Was your adoptive father also a great chef?"
Shirou exhaled lightly, his smile tinged with bitterness. "Quite the opposite."
He chuckled softly—not because it was funny, but because the memory, once painful, now felt warm.
"When I was little, he once tried cooking for me. But the result... nearly burned down the kitchen." Shirou shook his head slowly. "After that, I started learning on my own. At first, it was out of necessity. But... over time, I began to enjoy it. I cooked for him every day, and it felt like the only thing I could give him."
Aiz gazed at him intently, then said in a calm, sincere tone, "If Kiritsugu could see you now... he'd be proud."
Shirou smiled faintly, but his eyes remained fixed on the embers. Silently, his heart replayed the soft voice of his adoptive father, the rare laughter he seldom heard, and the hopes he once couldn't understand.
"I hope so..." he whispered, barely audible.
Deep inside, he still held onto that old promise—the promise to become a hero. To fulfill the dream of the person who had once saved him.
As they enjoyed the warmth of the campfire, the three of them continued their simple dinner. The savory aroma of grilled fish lingered in the air, its tender flesh disappearing one skewer at a time.
Unsurprisingly, Aiz was the fastest and the biggest eater. With calm movements and her usual expressionless face, she finished far more skewers than Lefiya and Shirou. Yet no one minded—they were used to seeing her like this.
"Hmmm..." Lefiya hummed, patting her stomach gently. "Looks like we'll be sleeping in the Dungeon tonight. The coral-gathering quest isn't done yet."
"Yeah," Aiz added between bites. "I also... haven't started learning to swim."
Shirou glanced at the remaining untouched fish—only eight skewers left. He placed them in a small projected storage box to keep them warm and fresh.
"Then let's save these for breakfast tomorrow," he said. "So we don't have to rush cooking again."
The other two nodded in agreement.
Lefiya stood up and retrieved the spice box she had brought earlier, handing it back to Shirou. "Here. There's still some left."
"Thanks," Shirou accepted it with a small nod.
He then stood, brushing the sand off his slightly damp swim shorts, and began dissolving the cooking table. Slowly, the structure shimmered before vanishing like glowing dust swallowed by the air. The unused skewers also disappeared, returning to prana energy.
Night settled quietly over Floor 25. The light from the Dungeon's ceiling crystals grew dimmer, leaving only the warm glow of the campfire at the center of their campsite.
After finishing dinner and cleaning up, the three of them sat briefly to arrange a watch schedule for the night.
"I'll take first watch," Shirou said, standing and stretching his shoulders.
"I'll take second," Aiz declared without hesitation.
"Then... I'll take last," Lefiya nodded, though she sounded a bit weary from the long day.
Once the schedule was set, Aiz and Lefiya returned to their gray tent. Both looked tired but still managed to exchange small conversation as they carried their spare clothes.
Meanwhile, Shirou remained seated by the campfire, still in his blue swim shorts. He hugged his knees, watching the flames crackle softly. The warmth enveloped him, but he knew the Dungeon's air would soon grow colder.
After a few minutes of contemplation, Shirou rose and walked toward his tent, thinking to change before the temperature dropped further.
But as he reached the back of the gray tent, his steps halted.
Aiz and Lefiya had already changed into their usual clothes—Lefiya in her corset dress and Aiz in her fitted white top.
They seemed busy trying to dry their still-damp swimsuits—Aiz holding hers in one hand while Lefiya struggled with a makeshift clothesline tied from ribbons.
Seeing their difficulty, Shirou stepped forward. "Let me help."
They turned, momentarily startled, then nodded.
Quickly, Shirou projected a short post and two horizontal supports from prana. In seconds, a simple drying rack with slender yet sturdy metal rods took shape.
"This should work for tonight. They might dry slowly because of the humidity, but it'll do," he said, securing the last hook.
Lefiya looked delighted. "Thank you, Shirou!"
Aiz merely nodded, but the gratitude in her eyes was clear.
"Well, at least we won't be sleeping in wet clothes," Shirou smiled before heading back to his blue tent to change, leaving the two to hang their swimsuits with relief.
Shirou entered his blue tent, silent and serene, with only the distant crackle of the campfire audible from outside. He took a quiet breath, then removed the blue swim shorts that had clung to him all this time.
With a small pulse of prana, he summoned his usual attire—a simple white tunic with fine stitching at the collar and comfortable brown travel pants suitable for night watches. The clothes materialized gradually from the prana, wrapping around him warmly.
Once dressed, he stepped out and projected another small drying rack for himself—just a post and two crossbars, enough to hang his damp swim shorts.
After hanging them quietly, he returned to the campfire.
The orange flames danced on his face as he sat cross-legged, now alone. The Dungeon's air had grown colder, but the fire's warmth kept him comfortable.
He stared into the fire in silence. Seconds passed without a word.
In his mind, faces from long ago surfaced one by one.
Taiga
Tohsaka... Rin...
Sakura...
The faces of his past flickered in the firelight, like distant dreams fading away. That world—his original home—felt increasingly far, with no path back. He had long accepted that reality.
I hope you're all doing well, he thought.
He clasped his hands in his lap, feeling the cold stone beneath his palms.
The night in the Dungeon felt long, but he would keep watch... and continue protecting those now beside him—and those left far behind.
***
Elsewhere, far from Floor 25 where Shirou stood guard, a different atmosphere enveloped Floor 4, Twilight Manor. The magic stone lamps in the hallway glowed dimly, casting a soft light along the quiet stone corridor.
Inside one of the elegant and tidy rooms, a High Elf with long emerald-green hair stood before a mirror. A dark green night robe draped over her shoulders, made of thin yet warm fabric, with gold embroidery along the edges that signified her noble elf status.
Riveria Ljos Alf was preparing.
She tied her hair half-up with a simple ribbon and adjusted her collar. Her serene eyes reflected the moonlight from the window, yet her expression remained as composed as ever.
Knock knock knock.
A heavy but gentle knock sounded at the wooden door.
Gareth's deep voice came from the other side. "Riveria, are you coming tonight? Finn said he'd join later."
Riveria sighed softly before replying in a formal yet warm tone, "Yes, be patient, Gareth. I can't possibly go out with messy hair, can I?"
Soon, the door opened.
Riveria stepped out, carrying the scent of fresh leaves and a faint elf-blossom fragrance. Her green robe swayed gently with her steps, blending with the night's tranquility.
Gareth stood with his arms crossed, waiting, then nodded in satisfaction at seeing his longtime friend ready.
"Well, at least you didn't make me wait half an hour like you used to," he muttered, turning away.
"Age brings wisdom," Riveria replied with a faint smile, following behind him.
The night had just begun, and the three founders of Loki Familia were preparing to spend time together... as they once did, though much had changed.
