“Hm?”
Right after hearing Gloria’s explanation of the Authority that Addams held, I thought I felt an ominous aura coming from the south. I knew that south of the elven village was Parth...
No, it’s farther away than that...I think?
It was nothing but a vague feeling, so I couldn’t be sure.
“What’s wrong, Kelvin? You look like you’ve got a bad feeling about something...or maybe not?” Gloria ventured.
“How can you be so on point? Is my face really that easy to read?”
“Well, compared to Addams, whose face you can’t even see, I guess it is.” Gloria nodded in agreement with herself.
Okay, yeah. Compared to Addams, my face is definitely easy to read.
“To answer your question, I just felt something hard to describe coming from that direction. It was only for a moment, so I was wondering if it was just a figment of my imagination. Hm...no, something is definitely niggling at me. Did either of you two feel anything? Efil? Gloria?”
“Are you talking about something like a strange presence?” Gloria asked before searching her memory. “No, I didn’t detect anything special.”
“My apologies, master,” Efil replied. “I also did not feel anything in particular.”
“I see...”
Then it really was just my imagination? Hm... If only Sera with her incredible intuition or Catria with her extremely good detection skills were here, I could get a better reading, but there’s nothing I can do about that. Sera’s staying on the Northern Continent, and Catria is probably still at the Academy over on the Western Continent, so they’re both too far away. There’s no way—
::Honey! Did you feel something ominous just now too?! Like, for just an instant! I feel like it came from the southern part of the Eastern Continent!:: Mel suddenly messaged me through the Network.
Wait a second. You should be in Leigant on the Western Continent right now, I thought privately. You’re much farther away than me, so how were you able to feel it? No, wait...maybe it’s because this had something to do with Mel?
I switched gears to reply telepathically. What a coincidence. I’m in the elven village, and I thought I felt something coming from the south too. I’m with Efil, though, and she didn’t feel anything. What do you think, Mel?
::So only the two of us felt it... Right. Maybe, for example, whoever was the source has some strong feelings toward us, which is why it was especially easy for us to sense. Like, they may be surrounded by a barrier that hides them, but their feelings are so strong, they’re able to leak out or something?:: Mel suggested.
Uh...well, the only one that would fit such a specific scenario would be Luquille, wouldn’t it? Though if you ask whether her feelings are positive or negative, they’re definitely negative, I replied.
::You’re right. And if you factor in what we know, I believe Addams and Maria are with her too,:: Mel added.
Yeah. They’re not the type to stay quiet until the ceremony, after all... I answered.
Luquille had recovered from a near-death state that healing magic could not help in a short time, managing to win a spot in my weddings’ objection system. It was impressive, given that she was still recovering. But I didn’t believe that fanatic was satisfied. Most likely she was shaving away at the life we had saved once again, trying to obtain more power.
And there was no way Addams and Maria would leave her alone with her intense greed for strength. There were so many possibilities that I couldn’t guess whether they were helping for some deep reason or just on a whim, but I was sure they were helping. Yeah. I’m definitely sure, if she really is trying what I think she’s trying, I thought.
Well, as long as she doesn’t do anything bad, I welcome whatever she makes use of to get stronger, I told Mel through the Network. Still, hmm... Luquille’s going that far to become stronger. If that’s the case, we should do our best to prepare for the event as well!
::You’re plotting something, aren’t you, honey?:: Mel said flatly.
::Mah!::
::See? Even Lalanoah is fed up with— Wait, Lalanoah? Can Lalanoah use the Network too?:: Mel asked.
Huh? I replied dumbly through the Network.
::Hawh?::
Ah, it’s true, I thought to myself in realization. At some point, Lalanoah had woken up and was participating in our telepathic conversation. Wait, WHAAAT?!
::Um, honey?:: Mel asked.
Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just a little surprised, I answered. No, wait another second. I know I gave her a Clotho clone for protection, but I never taught her how to use the Network!
::Which means she discovered it on her own? Um...Lalanoah can’t crawl or speak or anything yet, right?::
No, she’s only just learned to hold her head up. But this means Lalanoah really is a genius! To tell you the truth... I started rambling to Mel, telling her in great detail about how Lalanoah had obtained bow magic.
::Huh... I see. So that happened... And now, she’s learned on her own how to access the Network,:: said Mel.
::Augh!::
You are so talented, Lalanoah! I gushed over the Network.
::Honey, our DarkMel is a genius too, okay?! She’s a prodigy, the youngest to ever be admitted to Lumiest!:: Mel said competitively.
Well...yeah? I replied.
Every once in a while, I got the impression that Mel was just as much of a doting parent as I was. But at any rate, all thoughts of the ominous presence disappeared as our telepathic conversation was taken over by talk of DarkMel and Lalanoah.
::Whew, that was a good use of time. Spending time like this isn’t bad every once in a while between training sessions,:: Mel commented.
Training sessions? Didn’t you go to the evacuation shelter in Leigant to prepare for our wedding? I asked.
::That was part of the reason, but I couldn’t allow myself to lose to Luquille too. So I’m going to get back to training-slash-preparing for the wedding. Don’t you dare lose to Lalanoah, honey, you hear me?::
With those final words, Mel cut the connection. I wasn’t sure how well I understood what was going on, but it sounded like she was doing her best. But yeah, I still don’t really get it... I thought.
“Were you having a conversation through the Network, master?” Efil asked.
“Yeah. Just finished. Mel contacted me, and we ended up being surprised that Lalanoah can use the Network too.”
“Lalanoah? That... The potential of our child is frightening, isn’t it?” Efil commented. “Also, cutting in on someone else’s telepathic conversation is a breach of etiquette. I need to teach her proper manners!”
“Ah, that’s your problem with it?”
It seemed like Efil was more fixated on the future than surprised by the present. She really does have a good head on her shoulders, huh? Then I should fix my gaze on the future too, no matter how reckless it is.
“Do you have any plans from now until the weddings, Gloria? If you’ve got time, I’d appreciate it if you would help us train. Erm...if possible, I’d like the other Ten Authorities to join too.”
Despite having harassed her quite thoroughly with our last bit of training, I was still asking Gloria to help. I was expecting to be refused, but if there was even the tiniest chance of training with them, that meant I would be able to experience their Authorities daily.
That’ll help. That’ll help so much!
“Training? Sure, I don’t mind,” Gloria replied. “I don’t know if Cheruvim will come, considering how busy he is, but I’ll put a word in with Isabel and Rem.”
“Oh come on, don’t say that. I know I’m being unreasonable here, but I just want to do all I can and— Wait, WHAAAT?! Are you sure?!”
I was utterly shaken by her completely unexpected agreement. You’re being way too amenable today! Is something wrong?!
“Right now, everyone other than Cheruvim is pretty free. Helping you train would be a better use of time than wallowing in laziness, that’s all,” said Gloria. “Also, I’m pretty sure Isabel will be happy to help if you really want to train. She loves it when those under her care have lofty ambitions. As for Rem...well, she’ll probably help. She’s surprisingly cooperative, after all.”
“Ohhh!”
I’d felt I had to try asking, and surprisingly, it had worked. Not only that, but I’d even managed to enlist the help of Isabel and Rem.
Hot damn! Gloria is looking more and more like a real goddess! She’s shining so brightly to my eyes!
“Uh...I don’t think it’s right to look at me like that with one of your wives right there,” said Gloria. “Then again, I know what’s written about you in the Adventurer’s Directory, so I guess I get it.”
“Master?” Efil said ominously.
“Huh? Uh, no, you’re wrong! Absolutely wrong! It wasn’t that kind of look! It was a look of gratitude!”
Immediately after, I was pressured by Efil’s smile into some deep repentance.