SSR Waifu Summoner

Four more figures rushed forward from the shadows, weapons drawn and hostile intent radiating from every movement.

Bandits, clearly coordinating their ambush.

"An ambush–nya?!"

Niya's ears flattened in panic.

"I'm so sorry, everyone–!"

"Stay back,"

Nero's voice cut through her distress, calm and measured.

Aurelia had already stepped forward, her hand moving to her sword hilt.

The six former wives shifted into combat stances, ready to engage.

"Wait."

Nero raised a hand, stopping them all.

His black pupils were fixed on the approaching bandits with a hint of interest.

"Let me handle this."

"Lord Nero–" Aurelia began.

"I want to test something."

There was something in his tone that made even the angel pause.

The lead bandit, emboldened by their numbers, sneered at Nero's apparent arrogance.

"Quite brave now, big boy! If you think just killing our best thrower will make us scared, you're dead–"

*Boom!*

He didn't even get to finish before his head was separated from his body by Nero's roundhouse kick, ending his life on the spot.

"!!!"

The rest of the bandits were shocked, same with Nero as he simply stood there, feeling his revived body, blinking his eyes with a bit of surprise.

'Was I… always this strong?'

His knuckles popped as he clenched his hand into a hard fist.

He tensed his legs, feeling the enhanced strength and speed that had become his new baseline.

… The feeling in his body felt different. It's like his raw strength felt more natural?

*Hack!*

The first bandit swung a crude axe at Nero's head.

The attack might as well have been announced with a trumpet fanfare for how obvious it was.

Nero sidestepped casually, his counter strike catching the man in the solar plexus with enough force to lift him off his feet and turn him into a human rocket.

*Crash!*

The bandit flew backward into the alley wall with a loud crash.

His state? Bordering between life and death.

"Aggh!"

"Bastard!"

The second and third attacked simultaneously, probably hoping coordination would help.

Spoiler alert. It didn't.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Both weapons sliced through empty air as Nero simply wasn't where they expected.

His movements were fast.

A palm strike to one's jaw.

An elbow to the other's temple.

Both crumpled to the floor, bleeding on their orifices.

"A-Ah!!! Monster!"

The fourth bandit, seeing his companions fall so easily, tried to flee.

"How rude… I'm still a human, you know?*

*Thud!*

Nero's thrown rock, casually plucked from the street as it struck the back of the man's knee with enough force to shatter the joint.

"AGHHHH–!!!"

The bandit went down screaming.

The entire encounter lasted perhaps 15 seconds since it started.

"..."

Complete silence fell over their group and the surrounding pedestrians who'd stopped to watch.

Nero stood among the defeated bandits, his breathing unchanged, his expression thoughtful and curious rather than triumphant.

'Interesting. My perception makes them seem almost frozen. And my body responds before I consciously decide to move.'

He flexed his fingers experimentally, still analyzing the sensation of his revived form.

Noticing the laid out pouch of golden coins from one of the unconscious bandits, Nero took it.

'Lucky find.'

For them to deliver money in front of them…

Looks like they won't have to worry about what to pay.

"N-nya…!"

Niya's voice trembled slightly.

"I'm so sorry! The security in Eidralis is still one of our biggest problems, nya! With the city being so new and the guard stretched thin, nya, criminals sometimes slip through, nya..."

Her ears drooped with genuine distress.

"This shouldn't have happened, nya! I should have guided you through safer routes, nya–"

"Don't apologize."

Nero's tone was surprisingly gentle as he turned to face the distraught catgirl and rubbed her auburn hair and fluffy ears.

"You said it yourself… This is a free city. That freedom cuts both ways. Some people will use it for honest trade, others for less savory activities."

He glanced at the defeated bandits as city guards finally arrived to handle the situation.

"Besides, it's not your responsibility to guarantee our safety. We can take care of ourselves."

'A free city with incomplete security systems,'

He thought.

'That's the trade-off. More freedom, less centralized protection. Everyone has to look out for themselves to some degree.'

[Master is so cool!] Aria's voice practically squealed with excitement. [That was amazing! Master totally handled them like they were nothing!]

'Well, handling high-tier monsters by yourself and having an incredible teacher, and taking care of these things becomes something natural.' He chuckled as he saw a bunch of armored individuals approach.

The guards efficiently collected the unconscious bandits, showing practiced professionalism despite the city's youth. One of them approached Nero.

"Self-defense?" the guard asked, his tone suggesting he'd already drawn that conclusion.

"They attacked first," Nero confirmed simply.

"Right. We'll process them."

The guard gestured to his colleagues, and they hauled the criminals away with minimal fuss.

… It seems it's okay to kill as long as it's self-defense.

Niya still looked distressed, her tail drooping.

"I really am sorry, nya. Eidralis is supposed to be safe, nya..."

"It's safer than most places, I'm sure," Nero assured her. "Every city has its criminal element. At least the guards respond quickly."

The catgirl's ears perked up slightly at his understanding tone.

"You're very kind, nya. Most people would be angry about being ambushed, nya."

"Takes more than a few amateur bandits to ruin my day."

His casual dismissal of the threat seemed to finally ease her worry.

And not to mention that they gave free money.

The group continued on without further incident, though several pedestrians now gave them respectful distance after witnessing Nero's combat efficiency.

"So about lodging, nya..."

Niya resumed her guide duties, her natural enthusiasm gradually returning.

"There are several reputable inns in the merchant quarter, nya. The Floating Lantern is probably your best bet, nya! Good security, clean rooms, and the owner is honest about prices, nya."

"Sounds perfect," Nero agreed.

The catgirl led them through several more streets, pointing out various establishments that might be useful.

A weaponsmith who specialized in enchanted blades.

An apothecary that stocked rare healing supplies.

A bookshop that allegedly carried texts from multiple merged dimensions.

Finally, they arrived at a three-story building with a sign depicting a glowing lantern suspended in mid-air.

The Floating Lantern.

The inn's exterior showed quality construction without excessive ostentation, though the freshness of the paint and the newness of the fixtures revealed its recent establishment.

"This is it, nya!"

Niya announced with obvious pride.

"The owner, Mira, is a friend of mine, nya! Tell her Niya sent you and she'll give you the good rates, nya!"

"Actually..."

Nero pulled out a few gold coins from his pouch.

"Before we check in, I want to thank you properly for the tour. How about dinner? My treat."

"Eh, nya?!"

The catgirl's ears perked straight up in surprise.

"You don't have to do that, nya! The tour was my job, nya!"

"Consider it a bonus for excellent service," Nero insisted with a grin. "Plus, I have more questions about Eidralis, and I'd rather ask them about good food than standing in the street."

"Well..."

Niya's tail swished with obvious temptation.

"There is this really good restaurant nearby that serves amazing fish dishes, nya..."

"Then it's settled."

***

The restaurant Niya recommended was called the Silver Scale, a modest establishment that specialized in seafood despite being in a landlocked city.

The interior was warm and inviting, with wooden tables and comfortable seating that suggested the owner prioritized customer satisfaction over flashy decoration.

They secured a large table near the back, the nine of them filling it comfortably.

"So, nya..."

Niya practically vibrated with excitement as she studied the menu.

"The grilled salmon here is incredible, nya! And their shrimp pasta is to die for, nya! Oh, and they have this special fish soup that–"

"Order whatever you want," Nero interrupted with amusement. "I'm buying, remember?"

The catgirl's eyes went wide before she dove into the menu with renewed enthusiasm.

Aurelia, sitting beside Nero, leaned forward with equal interest as the server began describing various dishes.

Despite having regained her memories and divine nature, her curiosity about food remained endearingly childlike.

"The salmon has herbs from the elven territories," the server explained. "And the shrimp are freshly caught from–"

"I want to try both," Aurelia stated with surprising decisiveness, her golden eyes gleaming.

"Nya! Me too, nya!" Niya's tail swished excitedly. "The salmon is my favorite, nya!"

Both of them looked absolutely adorable in their shared enthusiasm, Niya's cat ears perking up while Aurelia's usually stoic expression showed genuine excitement.

Nero couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

Celis smiled warmly, clearly finding the display endearing.

The six girls exchanged glances with wry smiles.

As food orders were placed and drinks arrived, Nero steered the conversation toward more practical information.

"You mentioned the city is still developing its systems. What's the biggest challenge right now?"

"Ah, good question, nya!"

Niya took a sip of her drink before responding.

"Probably balancing growth with stability, nya. New merchants and residents arrive every day, nya, which is good for business but hard to manage, nya. The merchant councils are constantly debating how to handle expansion while keeping the free city spirit alive, nya."

"No single leader overseeing everything?"

"Nope, nya! That's part of what makes it a free city, nya. Multiple merchant councils handle different aspects, nya. Major decisions require agreement from several councils, which can be slow but keeps any one group from dominating, nya."

She leaned forward conspiratorially.

"There's also a rumor of some really wealthy backers, nya. People say there are investors from the major territories who want Eidralis to succeed, nya, so they've been funding infrastructure projects in exchange for economic influence, nya. But that's mostly speculation, nya!"

[Master! That totally confirms what Aria said earlier.]

Aria chimed in within his mind.

[Anonymous big money investors keeping things neutral while making profit! It's like the perfect business model.]

Food began arriving, plates of expertly prepared seafood that filled the air with delicious aromas.

Niya's excitement became palpable as she dug into her grilled salmon with obvious relish.

Aurelia took her first bite and her eyes widened slightly… reminding Nero of her dramatic reaction when she first tasted what a cheeseburger and cola is.

"... I-It's good," she stated simply, though the way she immediately took another bite betrayed her genuine enjoyment.

"Nya! I told you, nya!" Niya bounced slightly in her seat, her tail swishing happily.

The sight of both of them savoring their meals with such similar expressions of delight prompted another chuckle from Nero.

They looked like excited children discovering their favorite treats.

After settling the bill, Nero gave Niya a gold coin for all the information and help.

"N-nya! T-This is too much! 5 bronze coins should be–"

"It's fine. You've shown us good info… You can take the rest as a tip."

"..."

Leaving the stunned Niya behind, Nero waved his hand dismissingly as the group made their way back to the Floating Lantern as the strange violet sky began darkening toward evening.

"T-Thank you very much, nya!"

Nero could faintly hear her gratitude as the group went towards the recommended inn.

As they stepped inside, the inn's interior proved as comfortable as its exterior suggested.