Chapter 748: Past Regrets Are Forgotten, Along With My Future Home's Goddess

"Go to the orphanage on Daedalus Street and distribute food to some children? Sorry, I shouldn't have time, but there are some ingredients in the store that are about to go bad; perhaps you, Broly, can take them over to enrich those children's diets a bit."

Xier glanced at the Loli Goddess outside the window, said this, and took Broly to the back kitchen, pointing at crate after crate of ingredients that looked very fresh, signaling the boy to move them out.

"Eh, Xier, can you really give these things to me? Won't I get scolded by Mama Miya?"

Broly looked at the things the waitress girl wanted him to take away, somewhat worried this was her acting on her own initiative.

"How about I still pay for these things?"

Broly had money; compared to Xier getting scolded, he was willing to foot the bill.

"No need, Mama Miya is a good person; her reason for opening the shop was to give others a hot meal to eat."

Xier said this, saw the Saiyan boy's puzzled gaze, and continued explaining.

"Although the food here isn't cheap, if someone is at their wit's end and just wants a full meal, Mama Miya doesn't mind giving them a bowl of rice.

Mm, this shop, which originated during the Darkest Great Struggle seven years ago, also sheltered quite a few refugees who had been forced into a corner by the Dark Faction back then.

Of course, if you have the heart, when you distribute food to the children at the Daedalus Street Orphanage, just mention our Hostess of Fertility's name; that'll count as publicity."

Under the waitress girl's confirming words, Broly lifted crates stacked several high, taller than himself and packed with ingredients, and walked out through the half-hanging tavern door.

"Xier, you had Broly clear out our store's ingredients; are we still doing business today?"

The little giant Miya came to the waitress girl's side only after the Saiyan boy outside had loaded the store's ingredients onto the empty handcart, voicing her dissatisfaction.

"Then it'll trouble Mama Miya to make another trip to the vegetable market."

Watching Xier hiding at the window, peeking at the boy outside, the little giant Miya also sighed helplessly.

This habit of avoiding the other party's Main God and secretly carrying on a romance with their child — who knows where she learned this homewrecker fetish.

"Forget it, just as you say, count it as publicity for my tavern."

That's what was said, but both Miya and Xier knew this kind of publicity was of little use.

The Daedalus Street Orphanage children, even if they knew of the Hostess of Fertility, would never come over here to eat.

Because they lack purchasing power; even their survival relies on the aid of kind-hearted people and benevolent gods.

Mm, the Hostess of Fertility's Boss Lady and the Freya Familia's Main God probably count as some of them, but the main contributor is the Demeter Familia's Main God, who manages Orario's agriculture.

Pulling the handcart loaded with ingredients supported by the Hostess of Fertility, they headed to the wholesale market, their target being to purchase enough meat ingredients here.

"Buying on such a large scale, can't you give us a bit of a discount?"

"Goddess-sama, ours is a small business; you're driving such a hard bargain that if I sell to you at this price, I might not even earn back this stall's rent."

"Hah, don't try to fool me; I know the rent on this street perfectly well. Including profit, my offer may not let you make a killing, but it's at least more than you usually earn in a day."

The Loli Goddess was haggling with the butcher; she had money, but most of it was earned by Broly. Even if the boy didn't mind her taking it for charity, she still had to save where she could.

"Also, we're not a big restaurant stocking up; we're buying meat to go to the Daedalus Street Orphanage, to help the kids there and treat them to a big meal."

Moral coercion, when it's time to use it, you have to use it; besides, Hestia wasn't making the other party do business at a loss, just earn a little less.

"Ah, since Goddess-sama you've put it that way, I'll sell my meat at the price you said."

The butcher relented, and upon learning Hestia needed to buy even more meat, this burly butcher actively led them to other stalls to purchase; meat, fish, melons, fruits, vegetables, eggs, oil — soon the entire large handcart was piled full.

"Ah, Hestia-sama, is the supply you purchased a bit too much?"

When they met up at the square in front of South Avenue Daedalus Street, Bell and his human girlfriend looked at the large handcart whose wheels left marks on the ground, loaded full of ingredients, and were somewhat dazed; judging by the quantity of food on that cart, it would be more than enough to cook a sumptuous meal for several thousand people.

Bell's original plan was merely to treat some orphanage children to some delicious fried potato balls.

"Not much, not much; at worst if we can't finish it in one meal, we can eat the rest next meal. Come on, Bell, hurry up and lead the way for us, you and your little girlfriend."

"Ah, Anna-san and I haven't confirmed that yet..."

Bell's shy attempt at explanation was directly ignored by the Loli Goddess; the Goddess who had been lovey-dovey with Broly all last night hated most this kind of dilly-dallying guy who doesn't dare make a move. She slapped the youth's butt with one hand, telling Bell not to delay her showing off her might as the Goddess of the Hearth for the orphanage children.

The large handcart's wooden wheels creaked over Daedalus's streets; although this is Orario's famous slum, the street surface is still paved with hard stone slabs, not like other cities' slums where even the ground is potholed mud.

However, there are many steps here, and the roads wind intricately; if not for local Anna-san leading the way in front, anyone entering Daedalus Street for the first time would likely be dizzy from this complex street known as the aboveground labyrinth.

Along the way, they encountered quite a few vulgar people; poverty made the residents here poorly educated, and simultaneously let quite a few petty thieves sprout up here.

Besides Broly, this child-like guy, and Bell, who merely looks like a young boy, being male, the whole group was female, plus they were pulling a handcart with so many supplies; inevitably some people with sticky fingers leaned over.

"Ah—"

Sure enough, someone was caught red-handed shortly after; the other party had sneakily stolen a large bag of processed, cut chicken pieces from the cart.

The one who caught the thief was Ryuu; this elf lady seemed very experienced — after entering Daedalus Street, she deliberately walked behind the cart so she could watch the surroundings.

"These are ingredients being delivered to the orphanage children; you're a grown man with hands and feet who can work to earn money and support yourself, why come steal?"

"I'm sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me."

Kicked down by the elf with one kick, her movement was so swift even a habitual thief like him didn't react; the male thief just directly admitted defeat and apologized.

"You, you're not sincerely admitting fault; you're just afraid of getting beaten now that you're caught."

The Loli Goddess walked over, looked at the man bowing his head in apology, and said a line.

"Ah, a Goddess?!"

The man's eyes widened; before stealing he hadn't noticed a Goddess in the group; now seeing Hestia's Divine Eye emitting faint light, he knew he couldn't lie, so he just chose to lay flat.

"Fine, I only stole a bag of meat; you, a Goddess, surely can't cripple me, let alone beat me to death over this."

This man lay on the ground, hands hugging his head, looking like a smashed jar ready to take a beating.

"You're right, but beating you is meaningless."

Hestia stroked her chin and asked the other party a question.

"You stole meat because you want to eat meat, right?"

"Of course, I haven't had meat in many days."

The man on the ground nodded.

"Since that's the case, I can treat you to a meal of meat."

"Eh?"

The man lying on the ground was somewhat dazed; he was caught red-handed stealing, yet the victim wasn't preparing to beat him, but to treat him to meat — this was something he had never encountered before.

"However, you have to help push the handcart, and once we arrive at the place, help with the cooking prep too. How about it?"

"Ah, that's all it takes?"

"You're not willing?"

"No, I'm willing."

No beating, and there's food to eat; just need to help with work and cooking — on this side of Daedalus Street, that's truly a good thing.

Regarding Hestia's handling, Broly had no objections, and Ais and the others didn't either; only Ryu looked at the Loli Goddess a few times.

【If it were Adi, she would probably handle it the same way as Lady Hestia…】

The Tavern Elf thought in her heart, and Adi was her good friend from the past, and also the younger sister of the current Regiment Commander of the Ganesha Familia; she just died seven years ago during the Great Faction War period. The other party was a kind girl; even when facing villains that justice could not tolerate, she would still wonder if there was some other reason for their wrongdoing.

That young lady taught her to distinguish true evildoers from those who were forced into wrongdoing by their living circumstances; the former are true bad guys, while the latter belong to the retrievable.

With just some help, tolerance, and guidance, they might return to the right path, and even step forward for others when they encounter danger, becoming a link in the transmission of kindness and justice.

【Justice flows eternally…】

The Tavern Elf's mind suddenly brought forth the answer to the question 【What is Justice】 posed by that Dark Lord God during the confrontation and battle with the Dark Faction seven years ago during the Great Faction War period, which she had comprehended together with everyone.

However, seven years have passed; all her companions around her have died, and she herself forgot the so-called justice, taking revenge by any means necessary. Now thinking back to her heart's answer to 【What is Justice】 from the past, there's a somewhat bittersweet feeling of things remaining the same but people gone.

"Ryu, what's wrong?"

Just when the Elf's thoughts were incomparably complex, Broly, who had detected her abnormal Happiness Value fluctuations through the Crystal Palace, slowed his steps, arrived at the Elf's side, and struck up a conversation to ask.

"I just suddenly thought of some things."

Seeing the Saiyan boy's concerned gaze directed at her, Ryu answered casually, but a strange thought suddenly arose in her heart:

【With a kind Main God like Hestia around, what will this child Broly become in the future? Will he become like Adi…】

Then, the Tavern Elf thought of the boy's transformation magic; with the amplification effect of a borrowed magic tool, he could perfectly transform into the Sword Princess's appearance. Could she also request him to transform into Adi, or the appearances of other past companions who have already passed away?

Her train of thought stopped there. The act of making the boy transform into past companions and friends — whether for Broly or for her already deceased friends and companions — was a somewhat disrespectful behavior. Yet this desire to see the people of the past again was so intense, lingering in her heart.

"Can you tell me what kind of things they are?"

After Broly asked this sentence, Ryu, who originally didn't want to say more, inexplicably shared with the boy a story about a young lady named 【Adi Farma】.

"She was a friend of mine from the City Guard. Seven years ago, Orario's situation was turbulent; many residents couldn't survive by relying on normal work, so quite a few people appeared who survived by stealing…"

"Thieves who should have been punished as a warning to others were instead forgiven by her, and the result was that the person who was forgiven, when others fell into crisis, stepped forward…"

"Adi made me understand that impartial, unyielding justice only makes everyone feel exhausted, but if it's justice that combines both severity and leniency, it might be able to make those who committed evil deeds reform and return. And forgiveness is sometimes also a kind of justice…"

By the time they arrived at the Orphanage, Ryu had already finished sharing the story of the young lady named Adi.

And along the way, no more thieves appeared; perhaps because the group now had an old hand who was good at stealing.

After being forgiven by the Loli Goddess and obtaining the promise of meat for work, he seemed to have slightly extended his job description.

"Ryu, your friend sounds like a really very good person."

Broly gave a relatively objective evaluation of the young lady named Adi from Ryu's mouth.

The law does not transcend human sentiment; as a City Guard, she would consider multiple reasons when enforcing the law.

Not treating the city's public security laws and rules as a rigid, unchangeable dogma.

"One would think people's evaluation of her should be very good, right?"

"Mm."

Ryu nodded, and then she said something that made one feel silent.

"Even now, there are residents she once cared for who go to offer flowers at her grave."

There's a saying: the final verdict comes when the coffin is closed. People's spontaneous act of offering flowers after her death can completely corroborate her situation.

"Does that person's grave have her corpse in it?"

Broly subconsciously asked.

"……"

Ryu didn't expect the boy to ask such a strange question; after a long silence, she nodded in reply.

"Yes."

Although her good friend Adi was blown up by a child manipulated by the Dark Faction who carried a Flame Stone (Magic Stone version bomb) and self-destructed, leaving her corpse mutilated.

But after the war, they still gathered her mutilated corpse bit by bit, placed it in a coffin, and gave her a proper burial.

"Then later, I'll also go offer a bouquet of flowers to her."

"Eh?"

"Your words made me develop some respect for that young lady."

"Broly…"

Ryu looked at the boy's gaze, which gradually became gentle.

Broly was going to offer flowers because of the story she told; this expression of acknowledgment of her past friend's behavior made her feel a kind of comfort.

Of course, the Tavern Elf didn't know that right now the Saiyan boy was thinking internally: later go dig up the grave of that young lady named Adi Farma, confirm the condition of her corpse.

If there's still hope, then when this world's Stranded Duration ends, bring some good wine from this world back to offer to Aqua Master, ask her to come over to this world for a business trip, and give the Tavern Elf a small surprise.

What regret and pain over lost friends of the past?

Take that to my Aqua Master's Great Resurrection Art!

However, this world also has gods; don't know if Lady Hestia, also being a god, can directly resurrect someone.

(Chapter End)