Women Sometimes Have to Do Whatever It Takes~

"Come on in." Syr invited the two of them inside again.

Lefiya and Ais stepped through the doorway, then abruptly stopped in their tracks, nearly stumbling over the sight before them.

The floor of the first-floor hall was piled high with cardboard boxes, packed so tightly there was barely anywhere to step. Even the staircase leading upstairs was half buried beneath them.

"What...?" Lefiya looked around in astonishment, still unable to figure out what had happened.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the stairs.

Thor was coming down with a cardboard box full of assorted odds and ends. Seeing the two frozen in the doorway, he didn't break stride, only spoke in a slightly apologetic tone. "Is it already this late? Just a moment. We'll be done soon."

"Lord Thor, what... exactly is going on?"

Lefiya managed to squeeze one step through a gap and pointed at the mountains of luggage all around them.

Thor sighed. "Sorry, but we'll have to put off the nighttime training we'd planned."

He glanced at Syr, who was still sorting through her belongings. "Syr suddenly said tonight that she wanted to move in for good, and she brought... well, all her personal belongings. We're busy getting everything sorted out."

The two of them stared silently at the first-floor hall, nearly swallowed by boxes.

Just how many personal belongings did Miss Syr have? Had she emptied out the entire tavern?

Ais also thought the amount was absurd.

Hearing Thor's complaint, Syr puffed out her cheeks in protest. "Lord Thor, that's so mean. You make it sound like all my personal belongings are a burden~"

"I'm a member of the Thor Familia too. Isn't it only natural that I move in?"

Thor set the box he was carrying in a corner, intending to throw it all away later.

He shook his head helplessly. "Would a normal person bring this many personal belongings after finding out how small my place is?"

"But I think all of these things are absolutely necessary..." Syr answered casually, showing no sign of reconsidering.

Lefiya and Ais exchanged a glance. They could read the same thought in each other's eyes.

Lefiya took a deep breath. "How about we help out?"

Ais silently nodded beside her.

Thor looked a little surprised. "You really don't mind?"

"At this rate, it'll take ages to get everything put away, won't it?" Lefiya looked over the mountains of boxes. "If we all pitch in, we can get it done sooner."

Thor's expression filled with gratitude. "You'd be a huge help."

He pointed to the tightly sealed boxes piled up to the south. "Could you two help sort through those boxes over there?"

Only then did they notice the stack of boxes that almost reached the ceiling.

Curious, Lefiya walked closer. "What's in these?"

"Oh, those?"

Syr poked her head out from behind a mountain of boxes and glanced over before answering.

"Those are my very private belongings, like underwear and things. I was going to ask Lord Thor to sort them out for me, but he wouldn't, and I haven't had time to do it myself..."

Thor pressed a hand to his forehead and said irritably, "I am a man, you know. How could I sort those things for you?"

His voice was full of exasperation.

He could guess what was in those boxes.

Syr didn't seem to care at all. She poked her head out from behind another pile of belongings and winked playfully. "But Lord Thor is special~"

Her tone held a matter-of-fact intimacy.

Thor looked at Syr's utterly carefree expression. Knowing there was no point in arguing, he could only sigh and give up.

He needed to check how Bell was doing with the furniture upstairs and lend a hand while he was at it.

"I'm not coming back down for a while," he said before turning away. "You two... just help Syr sort through things."

With that, he hurried upstairs and disappeared around the corner.

Ais and Lefiya exchanged a glance, then got right to work.

Ais headed straight for the pile of boxes Syr had pointed out.

Lefiya rose onto her toes and took down the most thoroughly wrapped box she could reach.

Several layers of thick kraft paper covered it, and tape had been wrapped around it until it was completely sealed. Somehow, it gave the impression that it held something especially valuable.

It was sealed so tightly. Could there be something precious inside?

She struggled to tear through the layers of tape. The moment she lifted the lid—

The neatly arranged garments inside came into view!

Lefiya's mind went buzz. Her face felt as if it had been scorched, and a rush of blood flooded her cheeks!

Almost on reflex, she slammed the lid shut. The force was so great that the box jumped.

W-what did I just see?!

The loud noise immediately caught Ais and Syr's attention.

Ais was carrying another, smaller box. She stopped and looked at Lefiya's stiff back and ears that were nearly smoking. "What's wrong, Lefiya?"

Head bowed, Lefiya didn't dare look at Ais, let alone Syr. As if she'd committed some terrible crime, she could only shake her head frantically and stammer, "N-nothing... It's j-just..."

She had no idea how to explain it.

In the end, utterly mortified, Lefiya turned to Syr. Her eyes were full of confusion and a desperate plea for help. "M-Miss Syr, th-this..."

Her gaze kept darting toward the box that had caused all this, and her cheeks burned as if they might catch fire.

Syr saw the box in Lefiya's hands and her near self-combustion, and immediately understood.

She didn't show the slightest embarrassment at having her privacy exposed. Instead, she giggled, a faint blush rising on her face.

But her expression was open, even a little hopeful. "Hehe~ Lefiya, women sometimes have to do whatever it takes for love~"

Lefiya's young heart took a ten-ton blow.

Th-these... were they really made of fabric?! They were practically just a few threads and some sheer gauze! Could anyone really wear something like that in front of a man?!

At the same time, a strange sense of awe began to stir inside her.

Seeing how open—no, how brave—Syr was left Lefiya feeling dizzy.

S-she was incredible!

That level of frankness and initiative felt like something from another world!

If it were her... Forget wearing something like that. Just imagining herself standing in front of Lord Thor with it on—

Lefiya shook her head hard. The mere thought nearly made her faint from embarrassment!

In a panic, Lefiya used the tape she'd torn off to seal the box again.

"...I-I think I'd better leave Miss Syr to sort through this box herself..."

She simply didn't have the courage to sort through the clothes inside.

The next two hours of sorting and moving things were a tremendous relief for Lefiya.

She threw herself into the physical labor, clumsily helping carry boxes and move furniture. She was soon panting with exhaustion, hoping the fatigue would drown out the lingering image of those garments in her mind.

Working together, they finally found a place for Syr's vast sea of "necessities."

Before long, the once somewhat shabby and empty house had been completely filled with Syr's belongings.

The old, stiff sofa was replaced with a soft, roomy new one.

The coarse earthenware cups and bowls were replaced with exquisite white porcelain tea sets and gold-trimmed plates.

Even the cutlery drawer in the corner was filled with gleaming, matching knives and forks.

When the last box of odds and ends had been put away, Thor looked around at the thoroughly transformed home and felt dazed for a moment.

It had taken some time, but thanks to the furniture Syr had brought, the base now had a certain air of luxury.

Syr looked at the transformed home with satisfaction and clapped her hands. "Hehe~ Now this feels like a warm and comfortable home~"

By the time everyone had finished unpacking, it was already eleven at night.

After everything had been put away, a new mattress had been laid out on the sofa in the first-floor hall.

It was for Bell.

The conditions were still a little poor; they couldn't give Bell a bed of his own.

Still, Bell looked quite happy with his new blanket.

His thoughtfulness made Thor feel a little heartbroken.

Then the group climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Everyone's gaze was immediately drawn to the double bed at the back of the room. It was probably the most expensive piece of furniture in the whole base.

And on the wooden floor, about five or six meters from the foot of the bed, two futons had been laid right next to each other.

They were for Ais and Lefiya. Even though this was nighttime training, they still needed somewhere to sleep.

Thor looked around the second-floor space, his brow tightening almost imperceptibly before his gaze settled on the only large bed.

"Where am I sleeping?"

The moment he finished speaking, Syr pointed without hesitation at the middle of the spacious bed.

"Here."

"...And you?"

"Here too~"

Thor fell silent for two seconds.

Then he turned decisively.

"I'll sleep on the first-floor sofa with Bell."

Seeing Thor lift his foot to go downstairs, Syr immediately panicked.

She rushed forward and wrapped her slender arms around one of his, pressing herself tightly against him.

"How could I let my own god sleep on the sofa?"

"Is that so? Then you can sleep downstairs." He offered her another choice.

"Nope~"

The answer came as no surprise.

She wasn't here for the comfort of a bed. What she wanted was the warmth at Thor's side and the feeling of his presence that captivated her.

Looking at the unyielding determination in Syr's eyes, Thor sighed silently.

If they kept wasting time arguing over this, the "dream training" he'd planned for the other three tonight would probably fall through.

"Fine... We'll figure out where to sleep later." Thor set aside the headache-inducing little dispute for now.

He looked up again, his gaze sweeping over Ais, Lefiya, and Bell.

"Now, it's time to arrange nighttime training for the three of you..."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a distinct, calm strength that instantly drew everyone away from their little domestic squabble.

The three who had been on the sidelines now looked serious as well.

Was it finally about to begin?