Riho, picking up the hot potato, grinned a bit as she surveyed the room. Then she extended a slightly sorrowful hand to Maou.
“Sorry about that, Maou.”
“No, um, but… Today…”
“I understand, of course. But I’ve been thinking a little. And I figured that no matter what we told him, it’d just be too confusing. So we didn’t tell him anything.”
Chiho, the attention now directed her way, bashfully turned away a bit.
“Sorry, Dad.”
“That’s fine, but about what?”
“Well, um, I didn’t think he and his friends would be this tormented about it, so… But, yeah, they would be. I guess I’ve been kind of numb to it, in a lot of ways.”
Sen’ichi, faced with his wife’s and daughter’s elusive behavior, grew more and more perplexed.
“But if I could say, Maou,” Riho began, “I’m perfectly fine. I’ve talked with Chiho about it numerous times, asking her questions about what I didn’t understand, and I’ve come to accept it. And yes, maybe you were hiding a thing or two from us, but it’s clear to me that you’ve always put Chiho first.”
“Y-yes… Thank you very much.”
Riho’s true intentions were still a mystery, but hearing that from her was at least a slight comfort to Maou.
Then, as if suddenly having a new idea, Riho turned to Emi. “By the way, Ms. Yusa, is Alas Ramus around? I haven’t seen her lately.”
“Alas Ramus? She, um, yes, she’s around, but I didn’t feel right bringing a toddler in for our apology…so…”
“Is she…inside?”
“Yes…”
“Well, while we’re all here, would you mind introducing her to my husband? I think that’ll be the quickest way to get started.”
“Are you…sure?”
“It’s the easiest thing to understand, isn’t it? Out of it all. Besides, I’ve only heard about her, so I’d like to see what she’s like for myself.”
“All right, well, if you don’t mind… Alas Ramus, be a good girl, okay?”
Emi stood up and put her hands forward. The next moment, with a light pop, and a glint of purple softer than a camera flash…
“Chi-sis! Hiii!”
“Hmm?!”
“Ooh! Is that how she looks?”
From out of nowhere, a small child appeared, taking Sen’ichi visibly aback while Riho clapped her hands.
“Wh-what was that?! H-how did you…?!”
“And I believe that Mr. Maou has a similar child…?”
“Huh?! Whoa, whoa, she’s definitely not suitable for this meeting! And she’s actually napping right now!”
“Oh, that’s all right! Show us!”
“Wha…? But…”
“Do you mind showing her, please, Maou?” Chiho asked, pushing the reluctant Maou along. “With Acieth’s size, nobody will be able to explain it away as a magic trick.”
“…Well… Hey, Acieth? …Um, I don’t think it’ll be that easy to wake her up…”
Maou stepped back a bit. Then, in the space between him and Sen’ichi:
“Agghh!”
A young woman appeared.
“Whooaahhh?!”
Even the quiet father had to let out a surprised holler.
“Oww… Maou! What is meaning of this? You be the mean to me, I shoot more of the things from my face, buster!”
“Sorry, Acieth! Not here, okay? Now’s not the time or place for it! Once I get paid, I’ll treat you to whatever you want, so hold back for now! You’re in Chi’s house!”
“Ooh, now you say it! …Wait, Chiho’s house? Ahhh, yes, then I better be on top behavior.”
“Wha-wha-wha…”
“Huh? This man, he smell like Chiho, is he the father?”
“Yep. I told you yesterday, didn’t I? We were going to her place to apologize.”
“Yes, but you did not say I show up, too… Oh, but I must give my greetings! Hello, Mr. Chiho Dad! I’m Acieth!”
“Y-yes…”
“Ah, you’re Acieth? Well, I’m Chiho’s mother!”
“Her mother?! Wow! Is this the big party or something? But bringing me and my big sister out, is that okay? Too late now, but…”
“…Yeah, so that’s why I didn’t think she’d be a good fit for this moment…”
“Wh-wh… Where did those two come from…?!”
Sen’ichi stammered to himself as the two oblivious Yesod children looked around the Sasaki residence. Maou had no idea where they’d take the conversation from here.
“All right, she should be here any moment now…”
The moment Riho copped to it, they heard the sound of a scooter screeching to a halt outside. The intercom rang out.
“Hello! MgRonald delivery!”
“Whoa!”
The voice was intimately familiar to Maou, Emi, and Chiho.
“Ah, um, long time no see, Ms. Iwaki…”
Fresh from the Hatagaya Station location of MgRonald, a place that had indirectly connected these visitors from another planet to Chiho Sasaki, was manager Kotomi Iwaki, here with a delivery.
“Ooh, I thought it was your place, Sasaki! The phone number seemed familiar, so… What’s going on?”
Iwaki was at the foyer with two large, insulated bags. The sight of the living room, seen through the still-open front door, made her eyes bug out behind her glasses. Anyone would be surprised, after all, if they saw two of their employees kneeling on the floor in business attire at someone’s house.
Then, realizing something, she gasped a little.
“Oh… Are you in the middle of something? Does it have to do with Ente Isla? Did you not tell your father before now?”
Iwaki hadn’t been acquainted with Maou and Emi for that long, but she knew the truth about them, finding out the same way Chiho’s mother did.
“Sort of, yes. Things are still kind of going in all directions for the moment, but…”
When Chiho had told her mother that Maou and his friends wanted to visit the Sasakis to apologize for lying to them, Riho didn’t react the way Chiho thought she would. In fact, she took the news pretty casually. When Chiho asked why, she had replied that, yes, they may have lied about their origins, and they may have exposed her to danger unbeknownst to her.
But…