DanMachi Vol.16

CHAPTER 6: THE WISH'S COST

I can tell I'm waking from a deep sleep.

Opening my eyes, an unfamiliar wooden wall and a window covered by cheap curtains greet me. The unfamiliar scent of the building is a vivid reminder of where I spent the night.

"It's morning...Guh?"

And also who I spent it with.

"Syr?"

Only then do I finally realize that I am alone in bed.

The person who was supposed to have been there beside me is gone. Sitting up to look around, I see that her clothes that had been set out on the chair are gone as well. She isn't in the shower, either. Did she leave on her own? Even if I was exhausted, how out of it was I to have not even noticed?

And why?

Does she actually hate me after everything that happened?

The other possibility that comes to mind...is that Freya Familia has taken her away.

I shudder at the thought. It's incredibly unlikely, since I'm obviously still alive and well. But maybe she had protected me...?

Even I can tell my imagination is just running wild at this point, and I can't stand around thinking about it forever. I quickly get dressed, grimacing at the unpleasant dampness of the half-dried clothes.

"...!"

I pause for a moment in my hurried rush to leave.

There is a single item on top of the table. A silver accessory with blue decorations—one half of the matching pair. I stare at it for a moment before slipping it into my pocket and running out of the room.

"Syr! Where are you...?"

I ask the dwarf on the first floor, but he doesn't know where she went, either. And she didn't leave a message for me.

I exit the inn.

Ashen clouds form a solid wall above. Unfortunately, the weather changed, and the second day of the festival will be happening under overcast skies.

Those are heavy clouds. What a troublesome color. It might rain later.

I start sprinting, quickly speeding up. I look everywhere as I retrace our path from last night in my head.

The Bridge of Heroes, coming ashore, the waterway cruise. It has been through some rough sailing, but I spot Spoon Aqua safely docked at its pier. After we left, Freya Familia and everyone else had no more reason to continue fighting, so the night had ended without too major an incident, I guess. I find an employee who had been there last night and try asking if he had seen Syr, but he doesn't know anything, either. He does hand me the trunk I had forgotten last night, though. The magic items inside are all safe and sound. I thank him before continuing my search.

Unsurprisingly, I make very little headway running around aimlessly.

"Did she go back to The Benevolent Mistress...?"

I cling to that possibility as I angle toward West Main Street, even though I don't really believe it.

It's early morning, but the taverns are still packed with patrons who have been partying through the night, and there are noticeably more people out on the street than usual. The festive mood has not faded at all even with the dawn of a new day.

Coming out on West Main Street, I see Welf dressed as a waiter, looking exhausted as he heads toward The Benevolent Mistress.

"Welf!"

"Hmm?" He turns around. "Wait, Bell?! Where the hell did you go yesterday?!"

He looks around frantically before running over to me.