Chapter 64

CHAPTER 1 Precious Little Time, New Equipment Part I: A Pleasant Chat and Three Types of Dessert Though our unexpected meeting with Johan and the White Night Brigade had left us all tense, my party and I shook it off and headed to the Forest Diner’s private dining area with Rikerton’s family as well as Louisa, Ceres, and Steiner. We split into two groups and took our seats at the two tables; soon after, a man and a woman came to take our drink orders. “Atobe, are you having something to drink?” “I think that could help us all relax a little. What do you say we forget about coordinating and just order whatever we like for a toast?” “I have to thank you, Arihito. My wife’s taken a liking to silverline wine ever since she became a werecat, and apparently they serve it here.” Ferris looked at Rikerton and twitched her ears, clearly a sign of agreement. I’d had no idea, but evidently Ferris’s acute sense of smell had alerted her to the wine in the establishment. “…I want to try some,” said Melissa. “Am I too young?” “…Meowww.” “Ha-ha…,” Rikerton chuckled. “Well, your mom seems to be saying that you should do as you please. Personally, I think you’re a bit young for a drink.” “Oh…okay. I’ll have juice, then,” Melissa replied, readily capitulating to her father’s wishes. Ferris, seated at Melissa’s side, silently began stroking her hair. Melissa looked embarrassed, but nonetheless happy. “Let’s see… I’ll have this District Five specialty, the aqua-blue wine, please,” I said. “Excellent choice. This comes in a small pitcher that serves about ten cups.” “I might as well have that too,” Igarashi chimed in. “It’s alcoholic, but the menu says it won’t leave a hangover.” “Ooh, then maybe we should get ourselves a little pitcher of that, huh, Suzu?” said Misaki. “Juuust kidding. I’ll have this refreshing mint juice.” “I’ll have that as well, please,” Suzuna added. As the rest of our party continued ordering their drinks, I showed the menu to Theresia, who was sitting next to me, so she could choose what she wanted. After studying the list for a minute, she decided on the mixed fruit juice. “……” Nothing about Theresia seemed out of the ordinary, but I couldn’t keep myself from stealing sideways glances at her. Igarashi saw this from across the table and whispered, “I’m sure we’ll make it in time. Try not to torment yourself too much, Atobe.” “You’re right, thank you. I’ll be fine.” I’d take Theresia’s place in an instant if I could. She’s always gotten us out of the nastiest scrapes in the nick of time. Maybe that’s why somewhere deep inside I’ve been clinging to her as a ray of hope. Our drinks were soon rolled into the room on a wagon. Once everyone had their own glass in hand, we asked Rikerton to lead us in a toast. “If I hadn’t met Arihito in District Eight, I wouldn’t be here with my wife and daughter tonight. I’d like to propose a toast of renewed thanks for that blessing… From the bottom of my heart, and with gratitude for the opportunity to be with you all here this evening, I’d also like to raise our glasses to safe passage throughout your seeking. Cheers!” “““Cheers!””” I took a swig from the pint glass Theresia had filled for me with my wine; it was an absolute delight, entirely different from any other wine I’d had before, with sweet and refreshingly tart tones that went down like a dream. “Mm…!” Igarashi murmured. “It goes down so nice. I wonder why all the drinks in the Labyrinth Country are this delicious.” “The effects of this wine do not linger for long, but it will nonetheless catch up to you. Please do indulge in moderation,” the server who had brought us our drinks politely advised. Igarashi and Louisa looked at each other. “R-really?” asked Igarashi. “I sort of just threw it back…” “I must admit I did as well…,” Louisa added. “Well, holding out can be pretty taxing, too. Please, have as much as you like,” I reassured them, then drained about half of my glass. It probably wasn’t the most common way to enjoy wine, but the aqua-blue wine went down so nicely, I felt I could drink it as easily as water. Next to come out were our hors d’oeuvres, which everyone munched away at to their heart’s content. Ferris was feeding Rikerton a few morsels; I gathered that must have been their custom back when they still lived together. It was an intimate scene, one that left me feeling a bit like a voyeur. “Guess you would love fish, wouldn’t you?” Misaki joked. “…Are you gonna be okay with that silverline wine?” “Melissa, you look a little red…,” said Suzuna. Melissa wasn’t supposed to have had any of the feline-friendly wine, but Misaki and Suzuna made a fair point. Even from a distance, I could see Melissa’s face was a little flushed. Although, to be fair, even the slightest tinge of red stood out sharply against her snow-white skin. “…Hic. Mom, have a bite of this.” “Meooow.” “Young Rikerton, I understand this must be a happy reunion for you, but perhaps you can think of the place it has put us in these two nights,” Ceres teased. “Ha-ha-ha, you got me there… I’d thought for sure I would not see this day for a long while yet to come, so happy as a clam I am, indeed.” “Ferris, you seem thinner than the last time I saw you… And am I imagining things, or have you done something with your fur?” Falma asked. Clearly, she and Ferris were already acquaintances. The two mothers seemed to share a special connection that enveloped their whole table in warmth. “Apparently, one of my wife’s skills as a werecat gives her the ability to change the color of her fur.” “Then maybe mine will change, too. I inherited her same skills, so…hic.” “Melissa, are you all right? Why don’t you have a nice glass of water and drink slowly?” Steiner helpfully suggested, but Melissa’s hiccups didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I’d been in her shoes before, so I started getting a little worried. Or, rather, I started to wonder whether she wasn’t in fact drunk on the silverline wine. “Oh, I know how to stop hiccups! You just drink from the opposite side of the cup, like this!” “Misaki, you shouldn’t shoot out of your seat like that…,” chided Suzuna. “My grandmother showed me a few tricks for how to get rid of hiccups,” Madoka added. Soon all three girls had gotten up from their seats. We were free to move around as we liked, so before long, Seraphina left her seat and came to our table. “Excellent work today, Mr. Atobe.” “Likewise. Thank you.” Sensing Seraphina was about to refill my glass, I drained what was left of the wine. She wound up topping it off once more to the brim, but I figured I could handle this much. “I wanted to speak to you about Fylgja. Ever since she dematerialized, she’s been communicating with me.” “Oh, she has…? What’s she been saying to you?” “She was curious about my experience as the person responsible for frontline defenses. I believe I managed to share the knowledge I have, but she seemed quite surprised and noted we have a tendency to fight monsters much stronger than our party level.” “Hard to argue with that…,” Igarashi agreed. “You and Ellie are more on par with those monsters, while the rest of us bring down the party’s overall average.” “Charging in alone isn’t actually a great way to contribute to a party,” said Elitia. “Arihito always finds a way to make me feel included. That’s why I’ll never go off on my own again.” Elitia seemed to be warning herself with her repeated admissions of remorse, but I for one couldn’t see her making the same mistake twice. “Forget that for a sec, Ellie,” said Misaki. “You see, our little Suzuna here…” “…Wh-what?” “You haven’t had a bite yet… Here, say aah,” Suzuna instructed as she fed Elitia an appetizer. “Ngh…! Gulp… Th-thanks…,” Elitia replied shyly. Suzuna smiled, content. The next instant, Misaki popped up behind me. “Arihitooo, Theresia looks like she wants in on the fun. Will you let her? Okay, it’s a done deal!” “Uh, b-but we’re already—” “……” Theresia cut off a piece of my fish, skewered it on her fork, and offered it to me. The white-meat fish glazed with a perfectly tart vinegar sauce melted so wonderfully in my mouth, I felt my cheeks soften all on their own. “C’mon, Arihito, you know it’s only polite to return the favor, right? The technical term for it is a ‘cross-counter.’” “A little bit on the nose, that term, but she’s not wrong.” “N-not you, too, Igarashi… Ahem. Theresia, may I?” Nodding, Theresia turned toward me. She had already started eating on her own, and now licked her lips clean with her tiny tongue. “Theresia’s tongue is so cute…,” thought Arihito. The narration came courtesy of Misaki, of course, but for once I couldn’t deny her claim. Meanwhile, Theresia waited for me with her mouth open. Everyone’s focus was trained on me, and I fed her a morsel in return. “…Mmn…” “Hoo boy, nope, that’s way too shmexy. There you go again, Arihito, working us up without even realizing it. And now I’m gonna be the one to pay for it. If I can’t sleep at all tonight, I’m gonna—” “Misaki, I suggest you rein it in or the rest of us will have to do it for you,” Igarashi cut in. “But also…Atobe, you shouldn’t be giving Misaki any more fodder.” “N-no, that wasn’t my intention…” “…There’ll be no end to it if I start asking you to fulfill my own selfish desires now, so I do hope you’ll excuse me for seconding Kyouka’s rebuke.” “What—? I—I mean, I’m okay, but don’t let me stop you, Louisa.” “…Are you quite sure?” Before I knew it, things at my table had gotten really tense. What should I do? As their leader, is it my job to give everyone a warning? “And now, your meat dishes. Today we have skewers of the Chef’s inspiration.” There wasn’t much room for turning it down if the Chef—in other words, Maria—had planned this dish herself, was there? Perfect finger food, skewers made for easy hand-feeding. “And the race is on to see who can get more in Arihito before he’s totally full…or…” But before Misaki could finish her declaration, Theresia had already picked up a skewer and held it out for me. Explaining in my defense to no one in particular that grilled meat and spices brought out our most primitive urges, I took a bite. Theresia studied me closely as if to see whether I liked it. All I could do was smile and give her a thumbs-up. The diner had also prepared a special guard dog dish for Cion, which Falma was now feeding her. “She’s become quite dependable, hasn’t she?” Falma noted. “She’s only a little bigger than when we had her at home, but there’s something more mature about her now.” “Cion’s been a tremendous help. She not only keeps our party safe, she also rescues townspeople when there’s a crisis…” Falma pressed her forehead against Cion’s, then turned to me with a smile. “Whenever I do this, I can feel what she feels. Call it an owner’s intuition.” “Wow…” “Hee-hee…” She chuckled. “That said, all I can really discern is that she’s quite taken with you, Mr. Atobe.” “Woof!” “…Th-that tickles… What’s gotten into you?” As if she’d understood Falma, Cion stopped lapping up water and licked my cheek. “Please take her wherever your journey takes you, Mr. Atobe. I will always be happy to have her at home as well, if you think she needs a rest.” “Thank you, Falma. But I think Cion’s home will always be with you and your children…” “…My owner’s intuition also tells me what Cion wants most to do now, what she treasures most.” What Cion wants… If what she wants is to be part of our party, then I need to think extra carefully to make sure she doesn’t get hurt and avoid pitting her against dangerous monsters. “Mr. Atobe, guard dogs are a proud breed. They want you to believe in their strength. This little one’s mother, Astarte, was exactly the same.” Cion was sitting obediently, watching me with eyes that seemed to see right through my concerns and tell me I had no need to worry. “Cion, want to keep pushing forward with us?” “Arf!” “C’mon, Atobe, stop hogging Cion all to yourself…” “My apologies, Kyouka. Cion, go have Kyouka give you a few pets.” “…Y-you sure? Who’s a good girl…?” Cion had also grown quite attached to Igarashi, who was returning that love with much less inhibition now, thanks perhaps to a little liquid courage. The guard dog’s face buried in her chest, Igarashi scratched and petted her canine friend to her heart’s content. “…Mr. Atobe, would you care to follow Cion’s example?” “My, my… It looks like you’re feeling rather bold yourself, Louisa. What would you say to another drink with me?” Falma asked. “Of course, gladly… Mr. Atobe, won’t you join us, too?” Though it wasn’t my place to say, tipsy Louisa was terrifyingly sexy. With her clothes slightly disheveled and her hair down, loose of its usual buns, she had more than enough mature appeal to go around. “Pardon the interruption, but…Mr. Atobe, may I have a word?” “S-sure. What’s this about, Maria?” With impeccable timing, my savior—or rather, Maria—brought over the desserts I had asked her to bake. “This is a soufflé made from the Herculean Walnuts and freshly harvested labyrinth pears. With the Apples of Wit I baked an apple pie, and I used the Nimble Grapes to make a fruit syrup to be enjoyed drizzled over pancakes.” Maria placed the desserts on our table. Each one looked like a delicacy served at a first-rate restaurant. There were three soufflés, four slices of apple pie, and three servings of pancakes. Our supporting artisans and staff received other desserts as well. “One of my skills allows me to spread the effects of one ingredient over two or three dishes. Once you partake of one power-granting ingredient, there is a window of time during which you will not be able to feel the effects of anything else, so eating more than one will not grant any more benefits.” “But there are enough desserts here so we can all feel some benefit…correct? Thank you very much, Maria.” “Smells sooo sweet… There’s always room for dessert…” “Y-yeah… I have to agree with you there, Misaki. But is it really okay for us to have something this valuable…?” Suzuna wondered. “It’s going to be hard to choose one…,” I noted. “Seraphina, which will you have?” “Hmm… A particularly difficult question, indeed. Perhaps the soufflé…but then again, it is hard to pass up the apple pie… Hah!” “The power boost is one aspect, but it gets even trickier when you think of which type of dessert you want… Atobe, what are you going for?” Perhaps stymied by a general love of desserts, we were all finding it hard to pick our pleasure. However, we couldn’t leave Rikerton and the others waiting forever, so I bit the bullet and made my choice. ♦Current Status♦ > ELITIA, MELISSA, and CION acquired HERCULEAN WALNUT SOUFFLÉ Strength increased > ARIHITO, KYOUKA, MISAKI, and SUZUNA acquired APPLE OF WIT PIE Maximum magic levels increased > THERESIA, SERAPHINA, and MADOKA acquired NIMBLE GRAPE SYRUP Agility increased Though my magic had been almost completely restored during dinner, when I checked it after my pie, it appeared to be half-empty. In other words, though my maximum magic power stores had increased, the magic itself had not, which made it seem like I’d used that much magic. I never would’ve imagined it’d increase this much… This is basically two levels’ worth, no? “I feel so light… I have every faith that now I can block much more quickly, even while carrying a large shield.” “U-um, I also feel lighter…,” Madoka added. “…Will this be of any help to you all?” The ability to move faster was always a plus, no matter the situation. I had no doubt it would benefit Madoka, who would be joining us to steer the wagon. “I hope these desserts were to your taste. Please do get in touch if you ever find yourselves in need of dishes cooked with special ingredients.” “Excuse me, Maria…might I speak with you for a moment?” Louisa called on her way out of the room. I hadn’t the faintest idea what that was all about. Part II: Scout The taste of dessert lingering on our tongues, my friends and I left the Forest Diner. However, Louisa, Igarashi, Theresia, and I stayed back for a little while at a table on the first floor. “Louisa, I’ve got to say…that was a pretty, you know, bold proposal.” “I do apologize. The thought came to me and I simply went with the impulse.” Louisa had called to Maria before she left and asked if the Chef would like to come to our lodgings after work later in the evening. The invitation had come as a complete surprise to me, but Maria looked at Louisa in silence for a few beats before matter-of-factly saying, “I still have to close up for the night. Would you mind if I came after?” “Maria’s been such a great help to us since we got to District Five,” Igarashi commented. “Maybe it would be a good idea to use this opportunity to get to know each other a little better.” She had removed her armor before dinner and had now shed another layer, leaving only a knitted tunic very similar to the one she’d worn when we first came to the Labyrinth Country. Why does all her clothing emphasize her curves so much? “Mr. Atobe, how do you find her skills as a Chef?” Louisa asked. “…Oh, I see what you’re getting at.” “Huh? Wait, are you thinking about asking Maria to work for us exclusively, too?” Igarashi ventured, perfectly reading between the lines of what Louisa and I had said. All I could do in response to her astute observation was nod. “Not only would this allow us to enjoy her delicious cooking more often, but I think it might be wise to have a specialist on hand who can make the best use of any valuable ingredients you acquire during seeking expeditions…” “Yes, that’s an excellent point,” I agreed. “Thank you for taking the time to think about us, Louisa.” “I-it’s nothing. Truth be told, a Receptionist like me should not involve herself in such matters…” “Oh, hush. We all think of you as another party member. Go ahead and tell us anything that comes to mind. Maria will have the final say on this plan, of course.” “Kyouka…” Igarashi and Louisa had become fast friends, partly, I assumed, because they were so close in age. They were sort of the designated “adult” members of the party. Seraphina would have normally been included in that category as well, but she had gone home ahead of us to train. The Forest Diner wouldn’t shut its doors for another two hours, but apparently some customers would stay past closing time until the early hours of the morning. Maria’s shift ended whenever the customers at her assigned tables left, which this evening meant she would get out around eight-thirty. “Thank you for waiting.” Changed out of her uniform, Maria carried a sack full of belongings over toward us. She wore a leather jacket and pants; topped off with that cap, her whole ensemble was very casual. “Wow… Maria, you look like a different person from the Chef we know,” Louisa marveled. “Do they even sell such stylish clothing in this country?” “Yes, I purchased them in a store I dropped by when I was dispatched to District Six.” “I didn’t know there was such good shopping there,” said Igarashi. “I’d love to hear all about it.” “…I’ll tell you about it later this evening, then.” Louisa and Igarashi exchanged gleeful looks. I thought it would be great if Maria joined our team, but more than that, I hoped she and the other ladies would get along. Battling Hidden God parts provided invaluable experience for us. That said, those fights didn’t help us rise in level. Our licenses would read we’d “defeated” an enemy, but those victories were evidently evaluated differently from those involving normal monsters. We’ve filled in several experience bubbles… I guess it must be the rule here that Named Monsters are worth more experience points. If we take on another monster in our next seeking expedition, I’ll bet a few of us should be able to level up. We’ll probably run into a few battle opportunities when we go to the Tremulous Foothills to search for the Holy Stones, but should we try to avoid them and prioritize our resource search? It’s a hard choice. “…I once made my living as a Seeker…but my party hit a dead end in District Seven and disbanded shortly after,” Maria explained. “Many of our members specialized in work better suited for supporting Seekers, though, so that may have played a part in our split.” “Yeah, I sooo get that. I’m a Gambler, so it’s a struggle to find ways to help in battles. But my big bro Arihito always lets me pitch in.” “That’s…that’s just wonderful. We all start out as Seekers in this country, but whether we can successfully draw out our own strengths during battle relies on more than just suitability for the job. It depends on each person’s sense, too.” Maria told us she often went out drinking with her coworkers after work, and just as often would have a drink at home by herself. After a little alcohol worked its way into her system, my overall impression of her changed. Her tongue loosened, and she spoke much more freely than while she was on the job. At this point, she had removed her leather jacket and cap and was chatting with us on the sofa, looking very at home. Misaki took it all in happily. “…Mr. Atobe, the way Ms. Misaki refers to you—are you two perhaps related?” Maria asked. “No, she just calls me that since I’m older than her…” “You’re everybody’s brother, y’know,” Misaki chimed in. “Although I think you miiight be a little more for Suzu or Ellie.” “It’s not nice to talk about people behind their backs like that, Misaki,” Igarashi warned. “Friendships can crack at the littlest things.” “Ah-ha…ha-ha… Let’s pretend you didn’t hear that. Say it’s off the record.” “Hmm…? Off the record?” Maria asked. “All right, how about you and I go take our baths, Misaki? Atobe has something important to discuss with Maria.” “Melissa and the others are prob there. You think Ferris hates water?” I wonder. They say cats hate water, but Melissa’s a great swimmer. Maybe Ferris doesn’t mind it much, either. Igarashi left the living room with Misaki in tow. Theresia stayed behind, waiting. I felt it would be too awkward to tell her she should go with them. I heard the group chatting boisterously as they headed to the baths. Maria, however, stayed where she was. “Maria, what’s your plan for the rest of the evening?” “Louisa is sleeping off her drinks at the moment, so I think I’d like to take a bath with her later if I may. She asked if I would on the way here.” “Sounds good. So you may have already heard, but we were wondering…” “If I could sign an exclusive contract with your party, correct? Yes, I am aware.” “Sorry to spring this on you so suddenly. We were actually still in District Seven, but we skipped a district to get here,” I explained, figuring it probably would have been more appropriate to bring this sort of proposal up after we’d earned the right to officially seek in this district. However, Maria shook her head lightly. “You and your party have already accomplished commendable feats in District Five. Also, I’m in a similar boat. By all rights, I should still be in District Seven, unable to move up in the ranks. But I transferred up here thanks to my skill as a Chef.” “You transferred…,” I repeated. “I didn’t know you could do that through the Guild.” “Yes. Such special exceptions can also be made for talented support staff. The Guild provides training to help us maintain our levels as well… I left District Seven as a level five, but have since grown to one level below the recommended level ten for this district.” A level-9 Chef—and one that surpasses my current level, at that. I wonder if the people you see around town in District Five are all at such high levels, too. “When you and your party fought to quell the stampeding monsters here, you protected all sorts of people, from those who are too elderly to fight anymore to support staff who have for one reason or another gone down in level. Ever since I first heard about the amazing job you had done, I’ve been trying to think of how I could help you in return. I was already honored to have been able to serve you at the Forest Diner, so when you asked me to bake those desserts for you, I was overwhelmed with emotion.” “That’s very kind of you… Actually, I should say the honor was all ours. My party and I have a pressing task to accomplish in District Five, so we wanted to come as quickly as we possibly could. We joined the effort to quell the stampede at the Guild’s behest, a request that came with special permission to come to this district.” “…May I ask what that task is?” “A rescue mission. We’re trying to save someone important to one of our friends…which makes her important to us, too,” I replied, giving Maria only the briefest bullet points. It didn’t feel right to go into detail without Elitia’s permission. But would that be enough to earn Maria’s trust? For a while she seemed to be deep in thought. Then, from her seat straight across from me, she looked me in the eye. That’s when I realized her eyes were not actually seeing me. “…The reason I quit seeking was because a Named Monster stole almost all my vision from me. My party members said they would look for a way to get it back, but I told them not to. I didn’t want to bind them in a search for that Named Monster.” “So does that mean…you supplement your vision with something else?” “Yes. With my acute sense of smell from my line of work, and my hearing. These bracelets give me the Heightened Hearing 2 skill.” Maria removed one of the bracelets, gemstones tied together with a string, and handed it to me. “Maria, is this…?” “Would you please take one for me? I cannot assist you in battle. But I hope you will allow me to wait for your safe return here in town.” “…All right. I’ll return this to you—I promise. I’ll keep it on me until then.” “Of course. Expeditions in District Five come fraught with danger… I pray you will all return safely, despite the risks. I’d like to once more…no, once and many times over prepare meals to nourish you.” “Maria…” “…This is what it means to invite a Chef to work exclusively with you. Do you understand?” I had been thinking about hiring Maria to cater for us, about what we would need to provide and how we could compensate her. That was what I’d expected the negotiations for her exclusive contract would require. But our party and our supporters had never done anything like that before. Instead of writing up contracts, we’d talked things over and built our relationships on a foundation of caring. “…I would love to entrust you with any rare ingredients we find in the dungeons and see what you could make with them—as long as you’ll agree to join us at the table from time to time. Would that work for you? This is how we maintain our relationships with all our supporters.” “A Chef’s place is in the kitchen. But that does sound very fun.” Maria extended her right hand. I shook it, after which she stood up and offered it again to Theresia. “……” “You always stay faithfully by Mr. Atobe’s side, don’t you? I was so pleased to see you enjoying your fill of my meals. I look forward to getting to know you better.” Though Theresia couldn’t directly respond to Maria with words, her tail shook vigorously back and forth. It was just a feeling, but to me it seemed like she was saying, Me too. As the baths in our apartment were occupied, I ambled over to the public baths right next door. With five silver coins, you could reserve a small, private bathing room. This establishment stayed open quite late into the night. The receptionist at the desk greeted me drowsily. “So, that will be one…excuse me, two adults, counting your companion, correct?” “Y-yes…” Mixed bathing wasn’t prohibited per se, but it still made me feel a little guilty. “……” Theresia pitter-pattered after me. No sooner had we entered the dressing room and closed the door than she started reaching for the clasp to her suit. “W-wait. Don’t undress in front of me.” “……” She obediently stopped what she was doing. Granted, I was struggling to get myself undressed, but this was no time to get cold feet. I stripped everything off in a flash, opened the door, and slipped into the bathing room. Right behind me, I heard the snap of the clasp unfastening. “Arihito, are you taking Theresia with you again? Enjoy your bath.” “Arihito, my boy, I meant to provide you with my company in the bath this evening, but I had Ferris and Falma with me, you see. We supporting ladies need our own little spa day.” “Have a relaxing bath, Mr. Atobe. And do take care to wash Theresia’s back for her.” Madoka, Ceres, and Falma had cheerfully sent us off. And yet, though we’d recently shared baths with groups of three or more, it had been quite a while since Theresia and I had taken a bath just the two of us. It brought back memories of when we’d first started out. Back then, I’d unintentionally gotten a glimpse of Theresia naked after she unexpectedly stripped before me, only for my younger companion to give me a few pats on the back. I still wasn’t sure if that had been her way of reassuring me or what. Still, so much had changed since then, since we were two strangers who had just met. Steam swirled around the room as the door slid open. Theresia stepped inside, naked except for the mask she couldn’t remove. “Here, Theresia. I’ll start by washing your back.” “……” “Hm? …You’d prefer I go first?” Theresia nodded. I didn’t mind if that’s what she wanted, so I sat in the shower chair and turned my back to her. “……” “…Theresia?” I didn’t want to look behind me without good reason. But Theresia showed no signs of movement, so I grew worried and tried turning my head. “……!” “…S-sorry. I should’ve said something first.” She’d stopped me before I could look back, so I faced front once again. Something’s different; she’s not always like this. And I know exactly when it started. Maybe the curse is changing something within her? Will the Evil Domination affect her more as it advances, or will nothing happen until its progress reaches 100? “…Just a little longer. Just hold on a little longer, Theresia.” She started scrubbing. Her hands moved so gently, it almost broke my heart. Part III: Revisiting Medium After we returned to our suite, I was sitting in the living room when Suzuna, who’d apparently already taken her bath, came in. She closed the door behind her and sat across from me on the sofa. “Arihito, there’s a notification on my license.” ♦Notification♦ > ARIADNE requested SUZUNA use MEDIUM Ariadne had seemed somewhat reluctant to use Medium, but given she’d be able to read my thoughts if I tried to scrutinize why, I tried to keep my mind as clear as possible. “…You are overthinking things.” “Sorry,” I mentally replied. Suzuna also heard her, evidently, and grinned bashfully. “All right, I’m going to let Ariadne into my body.” “Great, thanks.” Suzuna sat on the floor in a seiza position, closed her eyes, and began to concentrate. A faint blue light enveloped her frame, and a few locks of her flowing black hair floated gently. “…Enter this vessel and let the world hear your voice…” Suzuna intoned the incantation, at which her body suddenly listlessly slumped forward, and her hair took on the blue sheen of Ariadne’s. “It’s been a while, Ariadne,” I said. “To me, it does not feel as if much time has elapsed at all,” the Hidden God replied in her usual detached way, though something about her overall presence felt different from the last time we’d communicated via Medium. “The longer Seekers remain contracted to Hidden Gods, the more optimal their bonds become. Currently, I deem we still retain room for improvement.” She sounds mechanical, or like some super-advanced AI system—granted, Ariadne’s not a robot, so that’s just my random impression. “I am the product of my creator’s invention. Therefore, your interpretation is partially valid.” “Sure, but we were all made by something.” “…There are vast differences between your physical and psychological structures and my own. Nevertheless, while I remain present in this flesh, I can understand the physical aspects of human nature. As a result, I am capable of certain simulations.” “…Hm?” I’d been pretty laid back, as we hadn’t yet gotten down to business, but it sounded like Ariadne might’ve said something I shouldn’t let slip by me. “It was a stroke of fortune to find Fylgja at this stage. Given her ability to instantaneously provide one party member with highly effective protection, she is one armament we cannot do without.” “Instantaneous high-powered protection… Can she also teleport?” Ariadne nodded, then stared at me intently. It seemed as if she wanted to say something. Suzuna’s eyes glinted with Ariadne’s characteristic gleam. “…We can attempt a test now, but I will require a store of magical power before I am able to extract the full functions of my parts.” “So it’s better not to use it here, then? All right, let’s get started and give you some magic.” “Y-yes… Go ahead, Arihito,” Suzuna said. I wasn’t sure if that meant she’d taken the reins again, or that Ariadne would temporarily hand them to her in moments like this. Suzuna came over and sat by my side. After she turned her back to me, I placed my hand over her shoulder as I had before. ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated CHARGE ASSIST 1 SUZUNA recovered magic > SUZUNA activated ENERGY SYNC on ARIADNE’S behalf > ARIHITO’s and SUZUNA’S magic have achieved equilibrium My Charge Assist provided the target with a little more magic than it cost me to activate. After I restored Suzuna’s magic, our levels evened out with the help of Energy Sync to essentially create a machine in perpetual motion—a fancy way to say we could keep raising our devotion levels without expending any magic. “So that’s one round… All right, let’s go one more— Ngh…” “Suzuna, are you sure you don’t want to take more of a break?” “N-no, it’s just… I’m fine. I’ll get used to it soon enough.” I don’t know if it’s because she just got out of the bath, but Suzuna feels a little warm—maybe I should touch her somewhere different each time so no one spot gets overheated. “……” I could feel Theresia’s eyes boring a hole through me. Even though she knew what we were doing, it must’ve been a bizarre sight. “There is a limit to how much you can raise devotion levels in one session. That maximum depends on factors such as the involved parties’ levels and the time elapsed since the previous session, but we yet have room to grow. Continue until I instruct otherwise.” Until she instructs us otherwise—how many times will that be? I’m just gonna have to keep a totally clear head to get through this. “Okay,” I said to Suzuna, “let’s do one more round…!” “Go ahead…!” The magic flowing within me streamed through my palm and into Suzuna. All the excess magic from Charge Assist that Suzuna’s body couldn’t contain floated off her like glittering grains of light. I see. That’s how Ariadne’s magic gets charged. Two times, then three—the more magic I poured into Suzuna, the more her shoulders relaxed. Maybe she had gotten used to it, just as she’d said. Four times, five times; I’d moved my hand around between rounds, but now I was running out of space. “You’re getting pretty feverish… Want to take a break?” “…Arihito… I’m all right. Please continue… Next time, go a little lower…” A little lower put me right above the small of her back. Not wanting to go too far, I made sure to stay squarely within what counted as her mid-back—until Suzuna reached behind her and grabbed my wrist. “A little…lower. It’ll make the magic circulation more efficient.” “O-okay… Let’s do this. Charge Assist.” “…!” She claimed my hand placement affected the efficacy of the transmission, but I wondered how much. That said, I did feel my magic streaming faster into Suzuna than when I’d had my hand higher up on her back. “…Continue exactly as you are. I should be able to suppress the mental shock waves…the fluctuations…for three more rounds.” “Y-you got it… Just three more, then.” “All right, that’s…doable… I should be…okay…” Suzuna looked anything but okay, but I felt too awkward to bring it up. As far as I knew, though, this process shouldn’t hurt her. I kept activating Charge Assist, my hand right where Ariadne had told me to leave it, sliding only a little from the middle to either side. I wondered if there was some reason the small of her back worked well for this. “…Every human frame has a corporeal celestial map delineating each magic receptor and connecting them together. Ideally, one should cycle through every receptor in order, instead of simply sending magic into the body,” Ariadne explained, then turned around to face me as if to signal our time was up. I never could’ve predicted what she said next: “In fact, most of these receptors are located on the front of the body.” “…On the front?” “Because your skills work only on those in front of you, you cannot use these front-facing points. However, those same skills should allow you to reach around from behind the back to touch these nodes.” “Y-yeah… We can’t do that, Ariadne.” Even laying my hands on Suzuna’s back felt a little improper, so reaching around in front was completely out of the question. Would Ariadne understand? She’d averted her eyes, but now she glanced over at me. “…I see no issue, either morally or in terms of your relationship— No, I can’t do it! I can’t make Arihito do that…!” Suzuna cut in halfway. She must’ve gotten pretty flustered, because she crawled backward and accidentally pushed me down on the sofa. “S-sorry, I…!” “I-it’s fine, no need to apologize…” “I have caused a misunderstanding. I should not have spoken for the Shrine Maiden without first asking her consent. I will endeavor to ensure this does not happen again…” Ariadne spoke for one brief beat as Suzuna pushed herself up, but then Suzuna took over once more. She seemed to feel really guilty, and honestly, I did, too. What was I supposed to do in moments like these…? “……” Theresia scooted into my line of sight and held a hand down on her lizard mask. Was she trying to say what I thought she was? That plan could possibly only further anger Suzuna, but I just had to go for it. “…Suzuna, I’m the one who should apologize.” “…Ah…” I patted Suzuna’s head. Only after I felt her silky hair did I realize one crucial thing. “S-sorry—you probably don’t want people touching your hair after you just washed it…” “…No, it’s fine. It’s all dry by now.” “…Right.” A peek at Suzuna’s face was all I needed to decide whether to continue. She looked a little embarrassed, but she stood stock-still with my hand on her head. “Thank you. This feels very calming…” “…Has Ariadne left? Because your hair…” “Oh…y-yes, it seems so. She’s a little mischievous, isn’t she?” Suzuna noted, although she didn’t ask what Ariadne had communicated to me telepathically. Our devotion levels had evidently satisfactorily risen—along with Ariadne’s magic. “…Eep?!” “Wh-what’s wrong?” Suddenly, Suzuna yelped. I whipped around to see why, only to notice Misaki had at some point sneaked into the room. “Th-the thing is…you see, I was wondering how Suzuna was doing and came to check, but the vibe in here felt kinda off, and it seemed like some super-serious stuff was going on… S-sorryyy!”