When their dinner that evolved into a council of war was over, Mira and the rest returned to the Tower of Summoning. It was already past ten, so Mira yawned inundated by a sense of lethargy.
(I’ll just take a bath and head straight to bed now.)
Thinking that, Mira took her master key out to open the door of her room, but Mariana opened it ahead of Mira.
「Oh, thanks, Mariana.」
「It’s nothing.」
Mariana gave a short reply, making it seem unimportant. But her face showed how much she missed even doing something as simple as that for her master, her expression filled with happiness.
「I’ll go prepare some things for my summoning training tomorrow and then sleep. Good night Mira and Mariana.」
「Ohh, is there anything I could help you with?」
「Not really, it’s nothing big that could warrant your help. It’s just going over tomorrow’s schedule.」
「I see, good night then. I’ll leave the tower in your care then, though I still don’t know for how long.」
「You can count on me!」
Creos asserted confidently before heading to his office. Mira saw him off and then went straight to her changing room.
「You can go to your room to rest too, Mariana.」
「It looked like you were about to take a bath, so I’ll wash your back.」
After opening her dresser, Mira turned around and spoke to Mariana. She was sticking to Mira’s back, with a gaze that said it was the least she could do.
「You don’t have to go that far.」
「I’ll wash your back.」
「No, like I said…」
「I’ll wash your-」
「Okay okay. If you insist…」
Mira resigned herself, unable to break through Mariana’s strong will that refused to give up.
(If she just wants to wash my back I guess it’s nothing bad. It’s not like I can’t refuse if I really wanted to.)
Even if she was her aide, asking that much of her was something Mira felt uncomfortable doing, but since Mariana wanted that herself, there was no reason to deny her either. Mariana on the other hand, had amassed such a large need to serve her master that now she wanted to do even the most trivial tasks for Mira.
Mira took her Robe Set and coat off, while Mariana helped her from behind by folding the clothes and placing them on a shelf. When Mira began taking her inner one-piece dress off, Mariana helped her again, making the process much smoother than when Mira put it on. By then Mira was only wearing her pants, which also came off quickly and she entered the bathroom.
Mariana stayed behind sorting Mira’s clothes, after which she also reached to the cuffs of her own clothes.
In the end, Mira’s bath time was completely taken over by Mariana.
Mariana was almost naked as she fervently took care of everything. Knowing she did that only because of her immense trust, Mira forced herself to look away to avoid seeing her in a different way.
If she paid too much attention to the presence behind her, all of Mira’s nerves would begin going haywire while her ability to make thoughtful decisions decreased.
「I’ll wash the front too.」
「Okay.」
Mira agreed to anything Mariana said, eventually leading to Mariana washing Mira’s entire body.
She felt Mariana touching her back and arms, something colliding against her shoulder every so often, while she caught glimpses of pink skin through the corner of her eyes. The ticklish feeling of having her body washed stung her nerves and making her stiffen, while she barely managed to hold onto her sanity.
At the same time, Mira thought about how she never realized how cute Mariana was, almost forced to notice because of the situation.
When she was done, Mira said nothing of returning the favor, just mumbling something about being tired as she almost fled from the bathroom. In the dressing room, she found a thin and simple robe ready for her to change into.
(That’s Mariana for you…)
Mentally thanking Mariana’s thoughtfulness, Mira wore the robe and sat down on the couch in her room, sipping her wonted apple ale.
While fiddling with the soft robe, Mira’s thoughts began focusing on summoning magic. After a short while, Mariana came out of the bathroom, wearing a similar robe to Mira’s and her face slightly flushed.
「I’ll wash these before I sleep.」
「Oh, thank you.」
In her hands, Mariana held her maid uniform as well as Mira’s carefully folded Robe Set and underwear. Hearing the word ‘wash’ and Mariana holding clothes, Mira recalled her Sage’s Robe.
「That reminds me, I think I left a robe here the last time I came.」
「That one is clean and stored in my room. I’ll bring it here shortly.」
Saying that and bowing, Mariana left to wash those clothes and bring the already washed Sage’s Robe from her room.
(I guess I should get ready for bed now.)
Stretching once on the couch, Mira stood up.
After Mira was done with everything and had just lied down on her bed, Mariana returned, robe in hand.
「This should be it.」
「Thank you.」
Mira received the carefully folded Sage’s Robe. Then she noticed Mariana was holding one more thing. The outside was made of cloth and had many cute ornaments, with a cylindrical shape and it looked soft as she embraced it.
「What are you holding there?」
「A pillow.」
Mariana replied matter-of-factly. Mira’s guess had been spot on, but she still idiotically asked why she brought that when the reason was painfully obvious.
「Wait, you want to sleep here?」
「Yes.」
「But umm, sleeping together with a girl is a bit too… A man and a girl I mean.」
「But you’re a girl too now. I don’t think there’s really a problem?」
「Hmm.」
Put that way, it did not look as bad as before. But when Mira thought about it more, she knew sleeping with a cute girl like Mariana would result in a mental conflict with her lust all night long, and Mariana was someone she would never touch as she desired.
But Mariana’s point of view was different. She was ready to devote her soul and body to Mira. Her Fairy’s Divine Protection was like a physical manifestation of that feeling, Mira was not only someone she had to serve, but a partner in a whole different sense.
「Do you dislike sleeping in the same room as me?」
Mariana asked, her eyes looking down, in a slightly dejected and sad tone, while Mira’s brain still struggled trying to catch up with reality.
「Not at all. It’s just…umm.」
That was not the case, so Mira denied it immediately. It was more that she was ashamed of her lustful thoughts. If Mariana had told her about this beforehand, she would have been able to prepare mentally.
But now that she had said that much, she had also lost the opportunity to refuse Mariana’s wish. So Mira steeled her resolve and told Mariana it was okay to sleep with her, shifting her body a bit towards the left of the bed and moving her pillow.
Mariana placed her own pillow on the empty space beside Mira’s before gracefully slipping inside the bed.
「I’m so glad we could meet again.」
Mariana muttered with a quivering voice as they lay side by side. Hearing that, Mira turned around and noticed Mariana’s eyes were slightly moist.
(She’s been waiting for thirty years after all…)
Mariana had asked to sleep together with Mira out of the blue. Thirty years, words alone were not enough to convey just how long that was.
「I’m sorry.」
Looking at the canopy adorned with a paradise of ornaments, Mira voiced yet another apology. Just as she said that, Mariana’s hand brushed against Mira’s abdomen.
「What happened?」
Feeling the unexpected touch, her body twitched as Mira looked at Mariana. When her head turned around, she found Mariana’s face just in front of her. That brought her more confusion while Mariana’s hand went further down.
(What is…what’s happening right now?!)
「Lady Mira…just one more time.」
As Mariana muttered into Mira’s ears, her hand moved past her waist and grabbed Mira’s right hand. Then, after closing her moist eyes, a faint glow came from inside the bed.
「O-oh, that’s what you wanted.」
Feeling relief while also a slight disappointment, Mira grasped Mariana’s hand and brought it between their faces, trying to dissimulate her wild feelings. After looking at the feather mark on the back of their hands, they looked at each other again.
「Were you thinking I wanted something else?」
「Uh…not really.」
Mira evaded her glance while Mariana giggled a bit while holding her hand a bit more firmly.
The Fairy’s Divine Protection was proof of a very strong bond. Mariana renewed it time and time again, each time smiling happily. Meanwhile, Mira scolded herself internally because she only could think impure things.
Mariana was very pure, and only wanted to be with Mira in a pure way. Receiving proof of that once again, Mira noticed her feelings being cleared away like a sunny sky.
「Lady Mira.」
「What is it?」
「Nothing.」
Saying that, Mariana smiled childishly.
「What’s that about now?」
「I just wanted to try saying that once.」
Afterwards they spoke under the faint light, about their latest interests, what they liked to do and what they disliked, and just idle chatter. Eventually, they slept, without really noticing who fell asleep first.
The next morning, Mira woke up feeling completely refreshed. Her mind was clear even barely having woken up, her cheeks slightly flushed when she thought about what happened before they slept.
「Hm, is she up already?」
Looking beside her, she found a vestige from last night, Mariana’s pillow. Next, she opened the menu from her bracelet and checked the time, it was slightly past eight.
After stretching, Mira looked out the window through which the morning sun entered the room, taking a look at the morning scenery outside. Slightly narrowing her eyes, she got her fill of watching that lively cityscape. Then she noticed a slight noise coming from the living room.
Everything seemed to signal a good start for the day. Attracted by that noise, Mira opened the door of her bedroom.
「Good morning, Lady Mira.」
Mariana was in her maid attire while preparing breakfast, greeting Mira the same way as she always did. A faint scent wafted from the table, where tableware for two was laid. Seeing this morning scene she had longed with for so long, Mira stood still oblivious to the passage of time.
「Is something wrong?」
Mariana saw how Mira looked at the table with an adoring look, so she asked what happened. Hearing her, Mira’s mind was pulled back to reality.
「Oh…it’s nothing, don’t worry. Good morning.」
Mira looked away trying to play it off, then ran away with the excuse of washing her hands. As she stood in front of the sink and tucked her robe sleeves, she tried to calm her feelings noticing she had gotten too carried away imagining a married life together with Mariana.
When Mira was done washing her hands, she found Mariana waiting for her while holding the clothes she had washed.
「Lady Mira, let’s get you changed.」
Not giving Mira time to say anything, Mariana handed over Mira’s pants, so she did as told and put them on. Then Mira took off the robe she was wearing, and when Mariana saw her naked body she added:
「By the way, I was unable to find your upper garments when I searched through the laundry. Do you not wear them?」
The only underwear Mira wore before entering the bath last night, as well as now, was only her pants. Thinking that could become troublesome, Mariana decided to ask her about it.
「I never understood how to wear that. Though I do own some.」
「Do you have any with you right now?」
「Mhm.」
With that short reply, Mira took out the basket with her clothes from her Item Box. The basket contained multiple changes of underwear, divided into two parts. Clean ones and used ones.
(That reminds me, I forgot to take out the laundry from here.)
「Are these the ones you’ve used already?」
When Mariana peeked inside the basket, she immediately noticed multiple pants crammed into a separate space. All of them with rather plain and common designs.
「Yeah, could you take care of them?」
「Of course.」
Replying like it was the most obvious thing, Mariana took them out, carefully folding them before bringing a laundry basket from the dressing room.
「Do you have any other used clothes?」
When Mariana asked that, Mira opened her Item Box and took out the early prototype of the Magical Girl dress she used, as well as the Sage’s Robe replica, which she had itemized and stored outside the basket. She did not have any particular need for them anymore, but the prototype had been a gift from the maids, while the replica would probably make a child happy if she gifted it, so she was keeping them still.
「I’ll let you take care of these too then.」
「Certainly!」
Mariana took them and placed them together with the rest of the laundry. Then she searched through the basket and found a couple of bras.
「The sizing…seems to be just perfect.」
「The maids of the castle chose them for me.」
Mira also mentioned how they taught her to wear them, but she promptly forgot how. Hearing that, Mariana stood up while holding one.
「I’ll teach you how, then.」
Mariana’s forceful attitude overpowered Mira, so she obediently let Mariana show her.
Even though wearing them felt strangely ticklish and embarrassing, even Amaratte had noticed her lack of underwear, so now Mira decided to pay attention to Mariana’s explanation. Mariana would put them on Mira, and then she would have to take them off herself so she would get familiarized with how it was attached to her.
That repeated dozens of times until Mira finally grasped how to wear a bra.
When Mira thanked her for it, Mariana smiled happily knowing there was at least one thing she had been able to teach Mira.
When they were done with her underwear, Mira put on her Magic Robe Set and then sat down with Mariana to enjoy their breakfast.
As Mira entertained her palate with some cocoa as dessert, the sound of a bell rang at short but consistent intervals. That sound repeated countless times like some sort of notification.
「What’s that sound?」
Just as Mira asked that, Mariana stood up.
「It’s the bell for Magic Transmissions. I’ll go pick it up.」
「What’s that sound?」
Just as Mira asked that, Mariana stood up.
「It’s the bell for a Magic Transmission. I’ll go pick it up.」
Saying that, she opened a cabinet beside the door, seeing inside the same device as the one Creos used the day before when they received that emergency call. Mariana pulled the lever on the device and the connection was established, a single sound like a pluck resounding through the room for an instant.
「This is the Tower of Summoning. I’m the aide Mariana.」
「This is aide Suleyman from Arkite castle. Lady Mira should be present there, correct?」
They were calling because a part of the documents Mira brought had been decoded, so they had decided where she should go next. Mira had to return to the castle first though, since they would tell her the details there. When the call was over, Mariana looked slightly lonely.
「Are you going already?」
「I’ll come back as soon as I’m done. Thank you, Mariana. As long as you think of me, this place will always be my home.」
Slightly embarrassed, Mira voiced the feelings she had been made aware of last night. Mariana nodded slightly and approached Mira, taking her right hand. The light of the Fairy’s Divine Protection shone as they smiled at each other.
If Mira wanted to return to the castle, flying there would be the fastest route. But it was really cold up in the air, so together with Mariana, she searched through the storehouse for something to keep her warm. Then Mariana found the perfect coat for her, it was extremely soft and white like pure snow. It was made to Danbulf’s measurements though, so it was a bit on the larger side for Mira, but since she was only wearing it to protect herself against the wind, it should be fine.
Next, they went to the Refining room, where Mira prepared some elemental Magic Sealing Stones as a gift for Solomon, as well as some Magic Bomb Sealing Stones that could be used to form contracts with the summons.
(Seriously, if he has something so useful to communicate while being miles apart, he could’ve just told me where to go already. Is there a reason why I have to be present there? Or he just wants to get the Magic Sealing Stones faster…)
Figuring that was something quite plausible, Mira gathered all her things.
「You should try to hurry now.」
Creos said with an impatient voice trying to urge her on.
「I would’ve liked to at least teach her how to tie her hair though.」
「Well…I guess we should leave that for next time.」
Mariana’s voice rang woefully saddened, her hand holding countless ribbons. When Mira was done preparing for the trip, Mariana wanted to fix her hair before she left. Just as she asked Mira what hairstyle she wanted, Creos visited her room and said that he was about to go to the academy, so they could go together.
The Magic Transmission was currently set up in a way that made it audible throughout the entire top floor. Since it was never used for personal reasons, it was more useful that way. Because of that, Creos also could hear from his office that Mira was going to the castle, so he figured they could go together and came to see how Mira’s schedule was.
Mariana looked at Creos with a scornful look. A chill ran down Creos’ spine as he jumped on the elevator and invited Mira to follow him.
「Well, I’ll be going now.」
「Have a safe trip.」
Mira felt slightly embarrassed as she said that, while Mariana smiled heartfully. Creos only tilted his head, trying to guess what could have happened between the two since they were acting differently than last night.
When they were out of the Tower of Summoning, they went to a bizarre carriage placed beside the tower, without any horses attached. The carriage was smaller than a regular one and seemed only one person would fit in it. It was made of wood and metal, with a window and doors.
Creos stopped beside it.
「Well Mira, you know going with Isenfald isn’t something you should really do.」
As he reprimanded her again, he set his summoning spot on top of the carriage.
「I know…」
She replied in a pout, still thinking of another summon that would be able to carry her in the air, but before she could reach a decision, Creos activated a spell.
[Summoning Magic: Garuda]
A magic circle appeared forming a whirlwind, at the same time, particles of light like rainbows shot up from the top of the carriage, until they condensed in the shape of a large bird.
「Ohh…Garuda. You’ll go riding on Garuda?」
「No, I’ll be riding inside of this. Garuda will only carry the wagon with me inside.」
Mira asked as she looked up at the bird, larger than a small house, while Creos called the carriage a ‘Wagon’ with a prideful tone. In other words, it was the aerial equivalent of a horse carriage. It could be called a bird carriage. Though Mira was still debating if the ‘car’ part of ‘carriage’ really made sense if it flew through the air.
「Ohh! That makes sense. With something like that, the cold would not matter at all, and my butt would not hurt either!」
When she peeked inside the wagon, she saw a small table as well as a comfortable seat. She got the impression it was a very comfortable space to be in.
Mira jumped inside the wagon and tried sitting in it, constantly repeating 「So nice, so nice.」
「Normally it was meant to be used by only one person, but since you’re rather petite we should be able to fit somehow. Do you want to try?」
Seeing Mira’s behavior, something akin to paternal feelings welled up inside Creos as he smiled kindly.
「Is that okay?」
「Yes, it’ll probably work out fine.」
Seeing Mira’s innocent face sparkling as she asked that, Creos said that they would find out what would happen as he too boarded the wagon. Mira pulled herself to a corner, making just barely enough space for another person to fit in. Creos sat there, closing the door as he added, 「Seems like we fit without problems.」
「Take us to Lunatic Lake.」
Creos knocked on the wall as he said that, shortly followed by the sound of wind hitting the sides of the wagon.
「Are we flying? Are we flying yet?!」
Mira glued her face to the window and looked outside, the plants and flowers outside swaying under the wind. Then the wind grew even stronger and the wagon was lifted into the air, the passengers feeling a slight floating sensation as the scenery began appearing lower and lower. Mira kept staring outside at the scenery appearing further away with each flap of Garuda’s wings.
Looking at Mira like that, Creos could feel none of the past solemnity attributed to Danbulf, but he felt a different sensation, like a desire to protect her, which created a new reason to swear his loyalty to her.
「Ohh! The tower looks so small already! This is so nice, so nice! What should I do to get one for myself?」
「A wagon you mean? Well…」
Mira finally separated her face from the window a bit to ask him with a face full of expectation. Creos’ response was telling her to calm down and sit still for a moment, then he told her that the castle’s mechanics had built it, so if she needed one she could just go ask them to make one for her.
She decided that as soon as they arrived she would do just that, full of enthusiasm, then she took out two bottles of apple ale and gave one to Creos, after which they enjoyed their calm air trip.
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