One night, a few days later...
“Waaaahh! I’m tiiiired! Why should a Great Sorceress have to babysit children?! Is this my punishment?!” Laplace wailed as she flung herself down upon her hotel bed.
“Punishment for what, genius?”
“For being too beautiful?”
“Congrats, that makes absolutely no sense.” Tanya rolled her eyes. If anything, I bet THEY’RE the ones babysitting YOU.
They were wearing the matching nightgowns they’d bought in town together—sunflower yellow for Tanya and marine blue for Laplace. Tanya was never really the nightgown-wearing type, and this frilly style was more to Laplace’s taste than hers, but she was reluctantly convinced after Laplace pointed out that “wearing cute matching pajamas will make us feel more like a real party!”
It was baffling just how childish this “Great Sorceress” could be. Who in their right mind would think to use a weather manipulation spell just to dry her hair after a shower? Tanya had tackled her purely on reflex. Then, using her magical fan, she’d dried and brushed Laplace’s long, dark, silky hair for her. Honestly, what an overgrown baby.
Just then, a question occurred to her. “Hey, Laplace?”
“What is it, Tanya?”
“Why do you think Nadine cares about Alisa so much?” If you’re some almighty Sorceress, then let’s hear your take.
“Good question. Beats me,” she replied flippantly.
Tanya’s face fell. “Oh... I figured Laplace the Great-Ancient-Beautiful-Sorceress would have an answer, but I guess not.”
“Actually, that reminds me. The kids were telling me how Alisa kept going to the Guild every day after their parents died. Apparently she was looking for a Mage to take her in as an apprentice.”
Laplace was easily bribed, as usual.
“Oh, really? Wow.”
“Oui, oui. Not that any of those incompetent losers could’ve taught her anything, of course.”
“Pretty much anyone would look incompetent next to a chick who can levitate and manipulate the weather, shit!”
“Anyway, after a few months of daily visits, she’d exhausted the entire Mage directory, and everyone had turned her down. Some of them even physically threw her out of their houses. She’d have to walk all the way home covered in scrapes and bruises.”
“People got violent with her?!” Whoever these Mages were, they’d have to be total scum to manhandle a tiny twelve-year-old girl.
“Yeah. Meanwhile, she was working whatever odd jobs she could get in order to make ends meet. The kids would beg her not to go back to the Guild, but she’d go anyway. Then one day she met Nadine, and the rest is history.”
God... How could they do that to such a brave and talented girl?!
This left only one question:
“Wait, but... I was there at the Guild, too...” So why didn’t Alisa ever approach me?
“Hmmm... I imagine she must’ve thought a trailblazing female Mage like you would never give her a passing look. If only she’d had the courage to talk to you, maybe things could have been different... What a shame,” Laplace sighed. “Surely an upstanding, virtuous Mage like you would have never overlooked the value of hard work.”
“Right...”
And yet somehow Tanya had overlooked Alisa all the same. Perhaps she never really paid that much attention; after all, it wasn’t until after she was booted from her old party that she bothered to learn the counter clerk’s name.
“Alisa really wanted to be like you, you know. The kids told me all about it.”
“...She did?”
“Of course! You’re one of only a very few women who managed to graduate from the Imperial Magic Academy at the top of their class. I’m sure lots of girls wish they were you!”
“Oh, please...”
“Anyway, all jokes aside...” Laplace leaned in, drawing her pretty face close to Tanya’s.
“Nngah...!” Tanya yelped nervously. What?! What is it?! Why are you so forward with me—I mean, why do you keep kissing me all the time?! Do you do this with everyone you meet?! Wait! Slow down!
Curved in a gentle smile, Laplace’s perfect lips were now mere inches from hers. Tanya squeezed her eyes shut.
“Wait—don’t—!”
“Détends-toi, ma belle. There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Laplace whispered, her low voice tickling Tanya’s ears.
“Aah!”
Then something soft pressed against her lips.
“Mmm... La...place...! Mmmph!”
When their tongues touched, for some reason, she could feel Laplace’s mana flowing into her. How does she do that?
“Oh, Tanya... You’re such a softie, aren’t you?”
“Nnn...” Her body felt warm and fuzzy. Suddenly, a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and her eyelids drooped.
“Listen here, Tanya. I know you’ve been staying up late, sacrificing sleep to correct Alisa’s homework. Trust me, I can see right through you.”
“...exam... ’s comin’ up soon...”
“Ever the dutiful teacher, I see. You know we could always find someone else to join our party... so why are you so fixated on Nadine in particular?”
“...mmm... ‘cuz... uh...”
Because when Nadine stated her conditions, she didn’t ask for money or items. She asked for help on someone else’s behalf—specifically, a little girl with dreams of becoming a Mage. How could Tanya possibly say no to that? It was practically cheating. Of course she’d want to help.
Eyelids... so heavy...
“Don’t you also have a revenge plot to carry out?”
Yeah, but... I gotta... grade her homework... and plan tomorrow’s lesson...
“You’ll need all the sleep you can get.”
She could smell Laplace’s natural scent. A dignified floral fragrance... lilies, perhaps. Her consciousness drifted.
“...Zzzz...”
Somewhere in the distance, she thought she heard Laplace’s voice:
Sweet dreams, Tanya. I’m so proud of my hard worker.