The next day after Theo’s birthday.
In the baby room where temperature and humidity are perfectly controlled, you’ll be able to see a scene where a very small miss clinging to my face.
Naturally, you wouldn’t be to see without the special eyes――Magic Eyes, which allow seeing races of magical power.
【Say, Kuti…… I’m happy that you are ill.u.s.trating, you know? It’s easy to understand, and it helps me a lot. But, you see…… don’t you think it would be a problem if you stick to me all the time?】
「Ya」
【Muu…… c’mon, recover your mood~ It can’t be helped since it was Theo’s birthday yesterday, right? Besides, Theo is Oniichan, so nothing wouldn’t happen……】
「Ya」
「Fumu, may I resume the lesson soon?」
【Ah, yes. I’m sorry, please contiune】
「Ya」
The bad mood of the O’Fairy-sama clinging to my face became even more negative.
Nevertheless, I’m sure that her ill.u.s.trations are correct but slightly sloppier than usual. Well, even though they are sloppier, they are still easy to understand, so it doesn’t really matter.
She has been in a bad mood since she got rendered unconscious by Sani sensei yesterday. She revived after the birthday party ended and I was about to go to sleep, but she has not separated from me since her revival.
I was drowsy at first, and she always clings to me, so I didn’t pay much attention to it, but she has been like this during the breakfast and even after the lesson started.
It’s obvious that the cause is from yesterday, so I made many excuses, but she replied to all of them with a single sound.
There’s nothing more I can do. It’s my first time seeing Kuti like this, so I don’t know how to deal with it.
Therefore, I have decided to let her do as she pleases until she gets tired of it.
Even so, I occasionally patted Kuti back and squished her little dress-up doll-like face, but she never got over her bad mood.
I could only wryly smile at her jealous side which was a mysterious experience that I somehow slightly liked.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
The middle of the 9th Month is approaching, and I’m getting heavily clothed when going outside.
Although it’s not every day, we always go to observe my siblings’ practice on their days off.
Their practice has not changed much, but I can clearly understand that they are getting used to it.
It’s the day when the autumn deepens.
「Why! Why do I have to return!」
「So I don’t have to go」
「Isn’t that the same for me then!?」
「If you don’t go, who will?」
「No, that’s, look. It’s that, ah! Why doesn’t that fellow Ras.h.i.+gant go!」
「Aren’t important doc.u.ments piling up because you left everything to him?」
「Gu…… b, but…… isn’t it too heartless for only me to go?」
「It’s not heartless. I want to be with these children」
「W, well I feel the same! That’s unfair!」
「It’s not unfair. In the first place, you――」
It appears that Roland Ojiisama has to return to his fief.
Moreover, Annela Obaasama was supposed to go too at first, but she apparently canceled it.
Ojiisama who learned about it threw a tantrum that he doesn’t want to go too.
Ojiisama is a feudal lord of a province.
An ordinary feudal lord can’t leave the fief for too long. But, it was apparently possible for Ojiisama because of a trustworthy and excellent subst.i.tution.
Still, he has not returned for over a year, and the limit is quickly approaching.
There seem to be no problems with Ojiisama returning alone for the official duties, but his wife, Obaasama is expected to naturally return with him.
But, Obaasama wants to stay in this mansion…… no, she doesn’t want to leave from our side.
Knights Order was formed, and I even have personal maids. My defensive power is much higher than before.
But even still, Obaasama saying that she wants to stay makes me feel that much relieved. Aside from her teasing.
In my heart, I want Obaasama to stay.
I feel bad for Ojiisama, but Ojiisama himself doesn’t have much use.
Although he acts like Commander of the Knights Order, he only does the work of Theo’s and Ellie’s practice instructor.
Even though he might be training the other knights of the Knights Order without me knowing, such information didn’t reach my ears so I can’t add points for that.
「Look, you won’t be able to make it in time if you don’t return soon, you know?」
「N, no way! I’m not going! Isn’t it too heartless of you to be the only one surrounded by our cute, adorable grandchildren!」
「Mou…… Ro, aren’t you acting too childish?」
「Isn’t Ann the one who’s childis.h.!.+ In the first place, it’s unfair! Isn’t Ann always the one holding Lilianne! 」
「Ara, Lily-chan naturally prefers to sit on my lap rather than being roughly embraced by you」
「You can’t know that for sure! Lilianne is a girl! She definitely likes to be held in the strong chest of men better!」
Speaking frankly, I would like to avoid strong chest of men.
Ojiisama, it’s your loss. Please, quickly return to the fief.
You can’t win against Obaasama’s soft lap. Spiteful gaze.
「Look, even Lily-chan thinks that you should quickly return to your work. Here Lily-chan, let’s do bye-bye to Ojiichan」
「Nugugugu! I, in that case, I will use force! I won’t lose! Prepare yourself, Ann!」
「Ara, ara, is that all right? …… I won’t hold back, you know?」
「U…… h, holding back…… u, umm…… please do hold back!」
「It’s pointless to argue!」
The vigorous Ojiisama’s face grew stiff, and Obaasama settled the matter with a single blow of her hand.
The match ended instantly. Although it was an obvious result, it was still a brilliant blow.
It’s too terrifying.
Ojiisama’s body whose consciousness almost left crumbled down before Obaasama’s slender arm.
A difficult to describe, beautiful, magical power flows through her slender arm.
Obaasama who’s three heads smaller than Ojiisama easily lifted his huge body and threw him towards Lacria.
It was Ojiisama who was easily thrown away, but compared to Obaasama――no, comparing her to Obaasama is a mistake in the first place, but stepping one, two steps back with her sharp steel movements, Lacria easily caught Ojiisama.
She’s little taller than Obaasama, but her style is considerably good. The places which should be sticking out are sticking out, and places which shouldn’t be sticking out are not sticking out. She’s a splendid woman with wonderful equipment (bunny ears) on her head. Nevertheless, she doesn’t look like a person that could easily carry Ojiisama in a princess carry by no means.
As expected of Christophe House’s maid. I thought that the maids chosen as my personal maids had to be considerably skilled, but this confirms it.
This person is extremely strong as well.
Lacria still holding Ojiisama in the princess carry bows and leaves the room.
Even though she was holding on a stupidly huge body, her bow was still full of elegance.
No matter what happened, her movement and conduct deserve words of admiration.
…… It’s just that magical power is an eloquent thing, after all.
When helping to change my clothes, her magical power wasn’t like Nija’s, but it felt full of interest. It didn’t show on her face at all, but my viewpoint of her changed because I could understand.
Furthermore, various changes in the flow of her magical power occurred.
Particularly, her interest in me became more intense.
It wasn’t something exciting that would raise the tension like Nija, but a pure curiosity as if she was exploring something.
I don’t know what she’s searching for, but she’s a person who was chosen as my personal maid. It’s not something that would be harmful to me.
That’s because if she had any harmful thoughts, Obaasama and Kuti would be able to tell immediately.
Kuti is especially outstanding in that field.
I have been told this secretly by Sani sensei, but it appears that Kuti has gone around the mansion and setting up barriers against those who had bad thoughts about me.
Those who got caught were apparently driven away without mercy.
There doesn’t seem to be any inside, but she apparently perceives several people far away behind the barrier――in the outskirts of Ovent.
Kuti has not left this room at all, but something like that is no problem for her.
It appears no one can escape her sorcery no matter where they are. It seems that only Sani sensei who studied Kuti’s sorcery can take measures against her.
She did not tell me what happened to those with harmful thoughts about me, but Sani sensei’s opinion is that no one will be able to harm me as long as Kuti is around.
I actually think the same.
As my knowledge deepens, I steadily realize how strong Kuti who surpa.s.ses anyone is.
It’s just that it doesn’t matter to me no matter how terrifying fighting power she possesses.
I’m simply happy that she’s protecting me. I have no negative feelings in regards to Kuti’s strength.
I trust her with my body and soul.
Someday, I want to become a sorceress that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
I prayed in my mind for Ojiisama who was carried out while dreaming of walking side-by-side with my beloved Kuti.