Danjon ni Deai wo Motomeru no ha Machigatteiru Darou ka - Familia Chronicle - Volume 1 - Chapter 2.5

5 
Warm morning sun poured down. 
A clear, cloudless blue sky announced the beginning a brisk new day. The clamor of people on Main Street was peaceful. 
“Uuuhh…why am I doing this kind of thing, meow…?” 
“You’re annoying. Just shut up and work, stupid cat…” 
On that peaceful morning, a couple of people choked back tears as they worked. Chloe and Runoa. 
They were wearing waitress ­outfits—­the uniform of The Benevolent Mistress. They were nailing boards to the ­broken-­down parts of the side building and storage shed. 
“It’s because you guys busted up the shop, meow…” 
“The one who broke the building wasn’t me, meow! It was this ­muscle-­brained bounty hunter and that homicidal elf, meow!” 
“Wait, don’t go blaming other people, stupid cat!” 
“I always go too far…” 
Along with Chloe and Runoa, Ahnya was removing rubble, and Lyu was pulling the wheelbarrow it was loaded into. 
It was three days after the incident. 
Having suffered Mia’s imperial wrath, they were forced to do the cleanup work for the destroyed areas around the tavern, working until today. As indicated by their outfits, Chloe and Runoa were The Benevolent Mistress’s newest employees. 
The careers of Black Fist and Black Cat, terrors of the underworld, had ended with a whimper. 
“I’m going to escape. I’ll definitely escape, meow…!” 
“That’s a bad idea, giving up is better…” 
“Mama’s special distilled fruit wine. When the storehouse was blown to pieces, it went bad, meow…” 
Chloe swore she would escape as she swung her hammer with teary eyes, but Lyu and Ahnya had knowing looks. Chloe and Runoa had smashed up Mia’s property. They were ordered to work until they had paid back what they owned. The amount specified was 100 million valis. 
“It’s just some booze and an old building, that’s absurd, meow!” “Yeah, yeah!” They had tried to argue, but they were laid flat with a single blow from Mia’s clenched fist. Trying to plead their case with the dwarf they had enraged was hopeless. 
—­Incidentally, the catgirls who had started a party by themselves were even now working triple shifts in the tavern to dry up. 
The open area that had been planned for another building had been damaged too much, so it was now being turned into a courtyard. 
“But I think this is good, meow. Thanks to Mama, the guys who knew your identity were caught by the Guild, so now no one will come after you, meow?” 
“Probably, although this isn’t good at all. In the end, that crazy dwarf is the one controlling my fate!” 
The ­black-­and-­blue head of the Bruno Corporation who had tried to take down Gale Wind, Black Fist, and Black Cat had been taken to the Guild on that day. They took that opportunity to round up the entire Bruno Corporation , too. All of it was Mia’s work. 
She had not been satisfied with simply dealing with the girls who had busted up her tavern. 
“If you say anything about these girls, I’ll bury you . If you leak anything to the Guild, I’ll bury you . Whatever I do, I will bury you .” 
Looking furious as she lightly tied them up, that faction of the Bruno Corporation literally started foaming at the mouth. Five years later, she would make a heroic march into the corporation and ­single-­handedly destroy the ­familia-­scale organization that hid behind the ­scenes—. 
After that trauma was impressed upon them, the names of the wanted people never crossed their lips ever again. 
“Quit chattering, you stupid girls!” 
Mia’s angry shout rang out from the direction of the tavern, sending shivers down their spines. 
Seeing them freeze in terror, Lyu averted her eyes, knowing this involved her, too. 
What happened that night…I don’t ever want to remember it. 
“Everyone, breakfast!” 
“Hurray, meow!” 
“We’ve been at it since early, so I’m starving…” 
Chloe and Runoa cheered when Syr came to the courtyard to call them, and the four girls started to move. 
“Ahh, at this point the only reason to keep living is the food, meow…” 
“Ah, this is bad. We’re in such deep trouble…” 
“According to the owner, eating delicious food is reason enough to live.” 
“That know-it-all face is so annoying, meow!” 
“Yeah, yeah, this useless elf!” 
“What? Correct yourself! I’m not useless!” 
“Mya-ha-ha-ha! Lyu is definitely useless, meow!…Meow? Idiot or useless…which is better, meow?” 
“You’re super-dumb and annoying, so just shut up, meow!” 
“What’d you say?!” 
“Everyone’s getting along well, it seems.” 
““““Not at all!”””” 
Syr seemed to be smiling as they responded in unison. She started giggling and then turned toward Runoa and Chloe. 
“Also, you have guests, Runoa and Chloe.” 
“Us?” 

“Meow?” 
As they followed Syr to the entrance of the ­tavern— 
“Congratulations on your new job~!” 
“You surprised me. Who’d have thought you’d be working at a tavern.” 
“Demeter?!” 
“And Njör?r, meow?!” 
The cheerful goddess and congenial god had come bearing produce and seafood. 
“I heard from Syr that there were new workers, so I wondered if it might be…” 
“When I heard the description, it was dead on. Here, a celebratory gift.” 
“De-Demeter, you’ve got it wrong!” 
“We aren’t staff, meow! We’re slaves! Slaves, meow!” 
Njör?r and Demeter smiled broadly as they watched Chloe and Runoa struggling to explain. 
“But it’s a relief. You’ve gotten used to it and all.” 
“You’ve put on various facades, but you look much livelier than before.” 
Runoa and Chloe were at a loss for words as the gods looked at them with kind eyes, as if watching over children. They glanced at each other with an uneasy, dissatisfied sort of look. 
“We’re a lot alike, meow! And we get along perfectly, meow!” 
“Don’t lump me with an idiot like you, meow!” 
“Well, it’s probably fine not to worry…That is, there’s no need to.” 
“Yes, I agree.” 
Ahnya jumped in with a misplaced sense of pride and Chloe snapped back instantly as Runoa and Lyu nodded in agreement. 
As a result of their gigantic fight to the death, or perhaps just a brawl between them, they had become coworkers who could argue and trade fists without concern. Chloe and Runoa were certainly smiling at that point. 
Seeing that, Demeter and Njör?r both grinned. 
“Next time I’ll bring Persephone and the rest. We’ll enjoy the food you bring us.” 
“Okay…Thank you very much for everything up until now, Demeter.” 
“Looks like you got some companions finally. You said you couldn’t make friends, but you’ve got a place where you belong. Treasure it.” 
“Njör?r, I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused, meow…Thank you.” 
The way the girls said their thanks and accepted the gods’ gifts was reminiscent of the bonds between deities and their followers. 
Demeter and Runoa hugged. Chloe’s tail trembled as Njör?r patted her head, announcing the end of their relationship. The girls smiled until it was over. 
“—­Recently, we’ve had more employees loafing about, so this is a good opportunity. Gather ’round.” 
After the gods had left and breakfast was over, Mia assembled the staff of the tavern. Crowded among the chairs and tables, they focused on the mistress standing behind the counter. 
“I’m the law in this shop. I’m the owner. Whatever I say is absolute. Even gods don’t quibble with me.” 
“She’s really not scared of the gods at all, meow…” 
Chloe whispered absentmindedly as Mia crossed her arms and looked cocky. 
“And since I’m the owner, I’m your Mama. You all are my girls. Everything in this bar in mine, and anyone who tries to lay a hand on anything of mine will pay for it.” 
Lyu, Runoa, and Chloe all went ­wide-­eyed. Syr and Ahnya and the rest, who had been at the tavern longer, smiled. 
This was The Benevolent Mistress. 
The tavern that could send any strong adventurer, outlaw, or villain running away in fear. 
And no matter what their past, girls would be worked like mules, serving delicious food and alcohol, sharing smiles with lots of ­guests—­a benevolent restaurant. 
“Got it, you stupid new girls? Starting today, you call me Mama!” 
This time she looked directly at Lyu, Runoa, and Chloe. One groaned, another was embarrassed, and the third made a face of disgust, but the scolding voice prodded them. 
“Quickly, now!” 
“…Mama Mia.” 
“…Mama Mia.” 
Their cheeks red with embarrassment, Runoa and Chloe mumbled her name. Finally came Lyu. 
“…Mama Mia.” 
She looked straight at the mistress, the words coming out without ­resistance—­to her surprise. 
For some reason she could not comprehend, she smiled. Smiling in acknowledgement, Mia nodded. 
“Well, then, guests are coming! Raise your voices! Even at the shittiest of times, this is a place to come eat food with a smile.” 
Grinning, she gave a rousing shout. Obeying their mistress, the cute girls in uniform gathered by the front door. 
They greeted the guests approaching with a smile, and said in unison: 
“Welcome to The Benevolent Mistress! Come on in!”