“M-Mistress...” Aisha began. “I really, really don’t want to ask this, but that woman you’ve been ordering around... Didn’t I see her at the victory party?”
She had been pretending not to notice, doing her best to act like she was alone with her mistress, but in the end, she had to know where Nacht’s new gofer had come from.
“She’s the one who helped us reserve this section of the library, you know!” said Nacht. “And now, she’s waiting on us out of the goodness of her heart.”
“It’s hard to believe that she, of all people, would be waiting on us,” Aisha said. “She seemed really important from that speech she gave. Are you sure this isn’t a dream?”
The woman—none other than Elenora Ruttie Lenvell—returned with a book, startling Aisha into silence by addressing her directly. “If you’re interested in magic, my lady, I would recommend this book,” she said.
“I’m dreaming...” Aisha repeated. “This is definitely a dream...”
Elenora was the head of one of the two great noble houses that governed Free Market City. She was a proud noble who considered commoners beneath her. For her to be acting like a tutor to someone like Aisha seemed utterly absurd. Aisha faced the other way.
“This is a dream...” she repeated to herself once more. “I’m dreaming...”
But alas, it was reality. “Does the book displease you, Lady Aisha?” Elenora asked. “In that case, might I recommend this one?”
“Whyyyy?!” Aisha wailed. “Mistress! Why is Lady Elenora addressing me like I’m the noble?! I don’t understand! What’s happening?!” This was beyond what she could tolerate. She seized Nacht by the shoulders and shook her.
“Well, you’re my servant, aren’t you?” said Nacht. “I think it makes sense for her to call you ‘my lady.’”
“That isn’t what I asked!” Aisha protested. “Please! Tell me what’s going on!”
“Ha ha ha!” Nacht laughed, a huge grin on her face. “Calm down, Aisha. It’s not that big a deal!” Elenora noticed Nacht’s smile and once again began to tremble. “It’s just a bit of punishment—and a bit of education.” Aisha’s face twitched.
Next to them, Elenora began to ramble. She seemed nauseous with fear. “The face...at night... No! Stay away! The sky! The sky! Oh, please! Please don’t kill me!”
“What did you do?” asked Aisha.
“I just gave her what she deserved for attacking my Aisha twice,” Nacht said. “But if you want to let her go, I’ll be happy to leave her to her devices.”
Elenora looked imploringly at Aisha and bowed her head. “My lady...” she said. “Please, forgive me for harming you! I was such a fool!”
“S-Stop! Cut it out!” Aisha said, looking pitiably at the groveling noble. “It’s okay! I forgive you! I’m not sure what you did in the first place, actually...”
“Well, isn’t that nice,” said Nacht, turning toward Elenora. “My Aisha is so magnanimous, isn’t she?”
Elenora breathed a sigh of relief. “Y-Yes,” she said. “But I would still like to apologize. I tried to steal your ring from you, and then I sent my knights after you to try to save face. If there’s anything I can do, you must simply ask. Just please keep your mistress away from me...”
“Hm,” said Nacht. “Seems like she hates me, huh?” It struck her as unfair after she had given her this chance to apologize.
“Mistress, you mustn’t be so cruel to people!” said Aisha. “Um, Lady Elenora? I had Mistress and the spirits protecting me, so I didn’t really notice that I’d been attacked. I’m not really upset or anything. And I’ll have a word with Mistress about harassing people...” Aisha seemed to sympathize with Elenora’s experience running afoul of Nacht. Nacht, who seemed like she was being pegged as the bad guy in this situation, simply shrugged and rolled her eyes.
“Thank you, Aisha,” said Elenora. “If you’re ever in trouble, don’t hesitate to come to House Lenvell. I will do everything in my power to assist you.”
Aisha still looked troubled by Elenora’s obsequiousness, but the authority she possessed would be very convenient. It was that very authority that had earned them a private room in the library. Elenora certainly had her value as an ally.
“You can use the library whenever you want, of course,” Elenora continued as if sensing what Aisha was thinking. “I may be a bit busy in the near future, so I can’t always accompany you like this, but I’ll have a document written up with the authority of my name. It should be enough to get you into most official city buildings.”
“You will? Thank you so much!” Somehow, the two had become something like friends. Elenora had tried to kill Aisha not long ago, but now, they were talking cheerfully, completely ignoring Nacht.
Nacht found the situation irksome. Irksome enough that she accidentally let a tiny bit of her animosity toward Elenora slip.
“Eek!” Elenora cried, sensing Nacht’s displeasure.
“Mistress! Cut it out!”
“Gh...” Nacht protested. “But...!”
“I’ve forgiven Lady Elenora,” Aisha said. “Please try to be nice to her.”
“Fine...” Nacht grumbled before falling silent.
Elenora gasped in surprise at the sight of Nacht cowed by her servant’s argument. “Aisha,” she said, “aren’t you afraid of her? She’s so terribly strong.”
The words had come out of nowhere. Nacht suddenly felt afraid herself. But Aisha answered without missing a beat. “I’m not afraid in the slightest!” she said. “She’s amazing and powerful and even godlike, but Mistress is still only herself. She’d never hurt me.”
Nacht felt her heart fill with gratitude. She could hardly hold it in. She stepped closer to Aisha, who was still sitting down, and Aisha looked up at her. Somehow, she seemed even cuter than normal. Nacht squeezed her tightly from behind, wrapping her arms around the girl and nuzzling her face into the back of her head.
“Weh!” Aisha exclaimed. “M-Mistress?”
“Oh, Aisha. You really do always know what to say. Thank you. I’m so lucky to have you. I can’t imagine how I could possibly be any luckier...”
She looked ridiculous, but there was no helping that. Not when Aisha was being so precious. She may have been thrown into an unfamiliar world, but Nacht was still Nacht.
“Weeehhhh...” said Aisha. “Um, I don’t really get what you see in me, but I feel lucky to have you too, Mistress...” The two looked into each other’s eyes, drawing closer. They were so close that, for a moment, Aisha thought their lips would meet. But then, she caught a glimpse of Elenora standing to the side out of the corner of her eye and blushed furiously, scrambling out of Nacht’s arms.
“If I’m in the way, I can leave...” Elenora offered.
“N-No! It’s okay! I-I need to study anyway!” Aisha hastily buried herself in a book. Nacht was disappointed to no longer have Aisha in her arms, but her warm words still lingered in her heart. She couldn’t imagine any greater happiness.
As Aisha reapplied herself to her studies, Nacht began idly leafing through a book and intermittently staring at Aisha. The room grew quiet enough for the three to hear each other breathe.
“There’s something I’d like to ask...” Elenora said, breaking the silence. Nacht glanced over to look at her. “How long do you intend to stay in this city?”
“Why?” Nacht asked, a note of sarcasm in her voice. “Wish we’d hurry up and leave?”
Elenora shook her head. “On the contrary,” she said. “I was hoping you might use your abilities for the good of the kingdom. Would you consider settling here permanently? I could arrange for you to be elevated to nobility, which would merit you a domain and a manor.”
Nacht smiled at Elenora’s words. She had tormented Elenora so badly that the sight of her was a trauma trigger for the woman. She knew perfectly well that Elenora would have preferred to never see her again. But Elenora had the ability not to let her personal feelings affect her eye for profit. It seemed that what people had said of her was true—that she was a talented woman outside of her excessive love of jewels.
“Sorry, but I’m not interested,” said Nacht.
“Ah,” said Elenora, unsurprised. “I thought that might be the case. Then, how long do you intend to stay?”
“Hm...” Nacht ruminated. “Well, I’m not in any hurry. I was thinking of just taking it easy with Aisha until we figure out where we’re headed next. But I’m not planning on staying here either.”
“I see. So you’ll be in this city for some time, at least. In that case, may I ask a simple favor?” Elenora faltered, and Nacht gestured for her to continue. “There is a very esteemed guest who would like to meet you. She’ll be arriving the day after tomorrow. She just wants to talk, it seems. Would that be acceptable?”
If it was someone so lofty that even Elenora regarded her as an “esteemed guest,” Aisha would almost certainly say no to the meeting. For Nacht, the prospect sounded like a pleasant enough diversion, but if Aisha were to veto it, she had no intention of forcing the matter. She figured the most expedient way to settle it would be to ask Aisha directly.
“What do you think, Aisha? Do you wanna meet her?”
“Zzz...” Aisha responded, clearly asleep. “Mmkay...”
“Well, if Aisha says it’s okay, it’s all right with me!” said Nacht.