“You secreted a lot of preen oil, so make sure you eat well today,” Sapphee instructed Illy.
It was the evening of the same day. Illy was staying in the clinic, not as a patient, but as a guest. She needed to replenish the nutrients she’d used. To allow her to do that, Glenn and Sapphee had decided that she should stay the night.
“Mmm…I never truly eat to the point of being full.”
“That would keep you from flying, eh?” Glenn chuckled.
Harpies divided their meals into small portions. They often ate small amounts of foods with high nutritional content, like nuts. A full stomach could obstruct their flying. They also didn’t drink water to their hearts’ content. They maintained stomachs that were never completely full or empty.
That’s why Illy felt conflicted about the food before her. She flew even more often than most harpies, so she’d normally want to avoid a full stomach.
“You must be exhausted. Besides, you don’t have to fly today, so you can eat more than usual. I’ll contact the harpy village.” Glenn started to hand the fairies a letter, but Illy shook her head.
“Oh, you don’t need to do that. The village chief knows I’m working in town…and I often stay at the Lady’s house! I’m not a child. You don’t need to follow up on everything.”
“That’s good to hear. In that case, please just relax.”
Illy’s eyes were gleaming as she looked at the food Sapphee had lined up on the table.
“Doctor, what are you going to report to the council?” Sapphee sat down and picked up a glass of wine.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Illy asked as she took a bite of roast beef.
“Your health exam. Haven’t you been told repeatedly that you needed to do that?”
“Oh! I forgot! I felt so awkward…” Illy looked away from them as she chewed. She really did seem to be embarrassed about her fight with Plum.
“Illy didn’t have any ailments aside from her ruffled feathers. She’s healthy, so you can report that to the council. She can go to the human realm without any problems.”
“Understood,” Sapphee said.
Illy looked depressed. “The human realm…”
The ambassador to the human realm would make efforts for cultural exchange between monsters and humans. However, Illy had formerly been captured by humans. It was only natural that she was reluctant. It had even contributed to her fight with Plum.
“You don’t want to go east?”
“I don’t mind going,” Illy said. “I even delivered a letter to you there once, Doctor.”
She was referring to the time when Glenn was visiting his parents’ home. During the trip, Illy had brought him an urgent letter. She could fly across the sea on her own.
“But I wouldn’t make a good representative. Lulala and Memé are far more loved than I am. And, well, there are a lot of reasons. But…”
“But what?”
“I do think I’m more popular than Plum!”
Glenn couldn’t help but laugh at Illy’s competitiveness.
Sapphee was looking away, trying to stifle her own laughter. Glenn was worried she might spit out her wine.
“I don’t want to lose to her! Especially after she made so much fun of me!”
“You two need to get along,” Glenn said.
“Yeah. I know.” Illy frowned. She was gracefully holding a fork with one of her wings, eating salad.
Glenn wondered if the two of them would ever be able to make amends.
“Who cares?” Sapphee said, waving the wine glass with her tail.
“Huh?” Illy was confused.
“Obviously, we can’t have you fighting. That would increase the doctor’s workload and worry everyone. But all you really need to do is be civil to each other during the election. If you want to resolve everything once and for all, that’s great, but you don’t need to get along.”
“We…don’t?”
“I’m just saying…you can’t hit or scratch each other, but once the election’s over, that’s that.”
“Hunh. I suppose you’re right,” Illy muttered.
This whole line of thinking made Glenn anxious. He wasn’t the only one who wanted Illy and Plum to be friends. Lulala and Memé were invested in their relationship, too.
“You know, Tisalia and I don’t get along,” Sapphee said.
“Even though you’re sister wives?” Illy’s eyes were round with surprise.
From Glenn’s point of view, Sapphee and Tisalia got along just fine. Then again, they weren’t exactly what you’d call good friends.
“Because we’re sister wives. Neither of us wants to share Dr. Glenn. We’re still ending up in a polygamous relationship, but I’ll be the lawful wife.”
“Isn’t it the same for Arahnia?” Illy asked.
“It’s complicated. I’m good friends with Arahnia. But with Tisalia, it’s more like…we don’t have good chemistry. I don’t really know how to explain it.”
Glenn had three fiancées. They were all civil to each other on the surface, but more complicated feelings seemed to be simmering underneath. Maybe it would help if Glenn intervened, but he just wasn’t a mediator. Besides, he was also married to his work.
“Anyway, everyone has something they won’t budge on. Why does it matter if we’re close or not?”
“Hmmm?”
“In the end, we both like the same person, and we’re making do.”
This was all getting a little abstract. Illy looked even more confused than before.
“So, even if you decide to make up with Plum, it doesn’t mean there won’t be more trouble ahead,” Sapphee said. “If that happens, just make sure you don’t get hurt.”
“Now that you mention it, I think the Lady said something similar,” Illy recalled, her crest feathers sticking straight up. “She said to peacefully smash her into the ground! That’s what you’re saying, right?”
“Not at all! Don’t compare what I say to that former mercenary!”
“So, the Scythias really were mercenaries?” Illy asked. Then perhaps realizing she shouldn’t bring up harmful rumors about Tisalia around Glenn, she said, “Anyway, you’re right! We’ll settle it in the ambassador election!”
Sapphee had lit the torch, and now Illy was running with it.
I-I hope this goes well.
Glenn was still uneasy, but given Illy’s quick temper, perhaps this was the best way.
“It sounds like Plum wants to settle who’s at the top, too!”
“That’s not—”
“No, it’s true,” Illy said casually. “I mean, she probably likes me.”
Glenn and Sapphee both looked puzzled.
“What do you mean…likes you?”
“N-not me, necessarily…but maybe my wings! That Plum likes pretty things, so she loves my wings. She should just say it!”
“Ha ha!”
Illy really was confident about her appearance. Also, she was probably right. Plum liked dressing up, so she probably did admire Illy’s beautiful wings. It was always the things you couldn’t have that you admired the most.
“No matter who wins the election, I’ll still have a roof over my head and food to eat, so I should just go for it!”
Glenn could only laugh at the contrast between Illy’s spoken indifference and the way she looked like she was preparing for war. Perhaps she enjoyed fighting.
“Settling your score is fine,” he said, “but after that, I personally hope you two will make up.”
“I’ll try for your sake, Doctor,” Illy replied, taking another bite of meat.
“You should do it for yourself and for Plum, not for me,” Glenn said.
“Okay, I will,” Illy said. “Even though I’m pretty sure Plum wants to win at everything—the ambassador election, fashion—even more than I do.”
Perhaps this feud would continue. It sure looked that way to Glenn. Though he hoped that talking to Sapphee had worn Illy down a little.
How will this all turn out?
Glenn suddenly got the sense that there was a strong wind blowing outside the clinic, a rare occurrence in Lindworm.
A large storm might be brewing after all, just as the mermaids had predicted.