The splendid, luxurious manors of the noble town of Sharron stood before the royal castle like knights ready to protect their liege. In the middle was a grand park, large and scrupulously maintained. This was the home of the nobility of Estoll.
A group made a beeline for the gate of one manor in particular. They battered down the heavy metal door carved with intricate patterns and headed inside, their weighty footsteps resounding.
“So you came,” Analissia said coldly. “I won’t bid you welcome, but I have been waiting for you, I suppose.” Unsurprisingly, she seemed less than pleased by her guests. The tone she’d adopted was one of superiority. She was no longer even trying to play the role of a kindly big sister.
“Where is Izuna?!” Aisha demanded.
“Don’t be rash,” Analissia said, taking her tone in stride. “No one likes a hasty woman, you know. But I must say, this is quite the party you have going. Frankly, I’m surprised to see you alive, Tina. You should have died when you destroyed the Marionette Heart I gave you. Tell me, how did you manage the trick?” Analissia was speaking calmly, but her stern displeasure was plain to see on her face.
Tina, though, felt like she was the one who had cause to complain in this situation. A mixture of anger and sorrow came over her. “Ghh...” she sobbed, hanging her shoulders. “This is all your fault! I’m going to be Nacht’s slave for the rest of my life! Where exactly am I supposed to find three hundred platinum?!”
Analissia cocked her head. She had no idea what Tina was talking about.
What had happened with Tina’s heart? And how had she ended up teaming up with Aisha? To answer that question, we must return to a little while in the past...
~ ‡ ~
“It’s about time,” Nacht said. “We’re splitting up. I’m going to bring this dream to an end while Aisha pays a visit to her friend’s house.” She sounded oddly mournful about it.
“I’ll be lonely without you...” said Aisha, a shadow crossing over her face as well for just a moment. “But I need to save Izuna! I can’t let that woman have her way with her!” They would only be separated for a moment, after all. It wouldn’t be long before Nacht would come to meet Aisha, a smile on her face.
“I see...” Nacht said. “Then first, let’s meet up with my slave.”
“Y-Your slave?!” Aisha exclaimed. “M-Mistress! D-Did you get a s-sex slave while I was away?!” All sorts of wicked imaginations were filling Aisha’s mind. Nacht smirked at her reaction.
“As if,” she said. “Let’s just say she’s someone I’m working like a slave. It’s quite convenient, let me tell you.”
Nacht led Aisha to a large church with a dragon emblem emblazoned above its door. It seemed a fitting place for Aisha’s mistress. This was where Nacht had spent her time while the two were separated.
“Oh! It’s Nacht! Welcome back!”
“Welcome back!”
“Play with me, Nacht!”
A horde of happy children greeted the pair when Nacht opened the door. They pulled on her arm, jumped up on her, and clung to her legs as she entered. Aisha scowled. For a split second, she was filled with fury that anyone would behave so familiarly with her mistress. It felt unfair.
“Ha ha ha,” Nacht laughed. “Back off for a second! Is Tina here?”
“Sister?” one of the children answered. “I think she’s in the sanctuary.”
“I see. Good kid.” Nacht patted the child gently on the head.
“Nacht, who’s this girl?” another child asked, prodding Aisha. “Is she a new sister?”
“I am not!” Aisha declared. “I’m not a child! And besides, I’m Mistress Nacht’s servant!” She may have been no taller than the children around her, but Aisha was nearly twenty years old. Legally, she was an adult.
“A child servant?” one of the children asked.
“Tiny servant!” another echoed.
“Flat-chested servant!”
“I-I’m not a child!” Aisha insisted. “And that last one is just asking for a fight!”
“The servant’s angry!”
“Run!”
“Run while you can!” Aisha shouted. “I’ll teach you to fear an adult’s— Weh! M-Mistress?” She stopped when she felt Nacht’s hand touch her shoulder.
“Aisha is my partner,” Nacht said. “She’s precious to me. And her name’s Aisha, not ‘servant.’ Understood?”
Aisha’s heart instantly filled with joy. She blushed furiously, but still couldn’t help smiling happily.
“Now,” Nacht went on, “I need to see Tina. You kids be good and play with the golems in the meantime.” The children obediently dispersed.
“Golems?” Aisha asked. She had noticed that the orphanage was full of armored knights standing by to protect the children, maids to play with them, teachers to give them lessons, and even combat instructors to teach them swordsmanship. It was a much more complete staff than one would expect of an orphanage in a church, but they seemed oddly unnatural as they played with the kids. Aisha thought she could guess what was going on. Common sense seemed not to apply when her beloved mistress was around, after all.
“I had some time while I was waiting for you,” Nacht said. “I suppose I decided that there are good uses for dolls after all. Now the kids have plenty of partners to play with them. Besides, these kids all spent time with the one and only Nacht Schatten. Their futures are guaranteed to have great things in store.”
Aisha laughed at Nacht’s cocky turn of phrase. Mistress is Mistress, after all! she said to herself, looking up at her kindhearted but capricious mistress with loving eyes. Then, a thought crossed her mind, one she couldn’t get out of her head. If Izuna, imprisoned and bound in her misery as she was, had been the one to meet Nacht instead of her, surely she would have been the one saved instead of Aisha.
As Aisha was thinking, she and Nacht made their way to the church’s sanctuary. “Nacht!” said the woman who stepped out, casually greeting the demiwyrm. “You’re back!” In her ceremonial vestments, Tina looked far more grown up than Aisha, especially when it came to her chest. She was an attractive young adult who still had her youthful charm. Aisha felt a strong sense of unease as she regarded the new girl.
“M-Mistress?” Aisha blurted out, without really meaning to. “D-Do you not...need me anymore?” She couldn’t compete with Tina—especially when it came to her chest. Worse, Aisha’s sensors were telling her that Tina’s breasts hadn’t even finished growing.
“Excuse me?” Nacht asked.
“I mean...” Aisha went on, “Look at her! With a s-sex slave like that, you won’t have any use for my flat chest, will you, Mistress?!”
“Excuse me?!” Nacht and Tina blurted simultaneously.
“Wh-Wh-What in the world is this girl talking about?!” Tina demanded.
“Sniff...” Aisha started to sob. It didn’t seem like she would stop any time soon. “I can’t believe it! I look away for a moment and my mistress has fallen prey to a harlot! At least give half of your chest to me!”
They had only been separated for a brief time, but it had been more than long enough to make Aisha feel uncertain of her place. Seeing this beautiful young lady converse so casually with Nacht had made her absolutely manic with anxiety.
“No, Aisha!” Nacht said. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called Tina my slave. She’s really just a regular old acquaintance.”
“An acquaintance?!” Tina protested. “That’s just mean after what you did to me.”
Tina certainly hadn’t meant any ill, but her words were like adding fuel to the fire of Aisha’s imagination. “Wh-What you did?!” Aisha exclaimed. “M-Mistress! What did you do to her?!”
“I told you, it isn’t like that!” Nacht protested. “Jeez, Tina. Think about how you phrase things next time.” She sighed deeply and set to dispelling Aisha’s misconceptions. She began by explaining how she’d met Tina and detailing the fight that had broken out immediately after.
~ ‡ ~