Illtimina takes me by the hand as we walk down the nighttime street lit by streetlights.
　A short distance ahead of us.

Why do I have to live with the rags?

　There's a purple-haired girl who is buzzing and complaining.

　No, I know the feeling.
　I look up at the beautiful adventurer next to me.

'Um, are you sure about this?'
Of course. I'll take care of Merle for the rest of my life. So you don't have to worry about anything, okay?

　Illtimina-san narrows her crimson eyes and smiles gently.

　I, lifetime.........

　I'm a little surprised and a little embarrassed by her exaggeration.

　By the way, Kilt-san is not here.
　She's currently eating the dinner she had missed out on at the restaurant of the adventurer's guild "Gekko no Kaze", only one person is having a dinner. I'm sure she's planning to go straight into drinking time. And he said that from tonight, we'll be staying at the guild's accommodation.

　So we walk through the night in the royal capital of Mulia, just the three of us.

　The cobblestone streets are lit up by a number of streetlights.
　We slip through the darkness of night and the light from the streetlights again and again. We seem to be moving away from the center of the city, and the popularity of the area around us is gradually diminishing.

(Would it be a bit scary if I walked alone?)

　We crossed the canal bridge, which runs from the lake, twice and climbed a gentle slope.
　There are few buildings and the area is a bit deserted.

　And - as Solstice walks ahead, her feet stop in front of a house.

'Here?'
Yes, sir.

　Illtimina nodded.
　It was a two-story house with a small garden.

(Yeah, an ordinary house, right?)

Even though it's the home of the Silver Seal Demon Hunter, it doesn't look like a mansion.

　I entered the premises with the two of them.
　Solstice says "I'm home~" and unlocks the front door.

　Meanwhile, I take a look at the garden.
　Yeah, the weeds are awesome.
　I wonder if they haven't been home for a while.

　Solstice walked into the pitch-black doorway and turned on the lights in the house, making only the sound of light footsteps thumping.
　It was a bit dazzling to my eyes, which were used to the night.

'Come on, Marle,'
Hmmm, I'm sorry to trouble you.

　Prompted, and a little nervously, I walked into Illtimina and the others' home.

(Oh~?)

　As soon as you entered, you were in the living room.
　There were three or so doors that led to other rooms and a staircase to the right.

　The room appeared to be very tidy.
　But I soon noticed.

(Something tells me there aren't many household items in there...?)

　Just the bare essentials, like tables and chairs.
　And it didn't feel somewhat lived-in. It's like a model room.

　I walked in from the front door.

(With my shoes on, right?)

　I'm Japanese in a previous life, so I'm still getting used to the western style.
　And then, on the first step, there was a poof of dust.

(Oh?)

　Yeah, I'm a bit surprised.
　Mr. Illtimina says apologetically.

''I'm sorry. I've been away from home for about a month due to the overlap of quests.''
Really?

　Demon hunters are hard work, after all.

　Solstice opened the windows throughout the house as she ran tete-a-tete, ventilating the indoor air.
　The cool night breeze caresses my skin and feels a bit nice.

　When the air has settled, Illtimina shows me around the house.

On the ground floor, there is the living room, kitchen, bathroom and other areas. You'll also find our rooms at the back.
"Uh-huh?
Upstairs is the guest room. Right now it's just a storage room but I'm going to clean it up tomorrow and turn it into Merle's room. So tonight, I'm sorry, but you'll sleep in my room, okay?
..........

　Why is that?
　I get a kick out of being told 'in the same room' even though we've slept together.

'Sol. We're going to go to our rooms now, aren't we?
Okay.

　Solstice, who was basking in the wind at the window, looked back at me.

'Thank you for your hard work on this quest, Sol. I'll ask you to lock the door the rest of the way.
I know. I got it. --Good night, sister Irna. And while you're at it, why don't you grab the rag?
Good night, Solstice. Good night, Solstice. I'll see you tomorrow.

　With a small wave of the girl's hand, we proceeded to the end of the corridor.
　At the end of the hallway, Illtimina-san opens the door on the right.

(This is.........Illtimina-san's room?)　

　There was nothing in the room except the bed.
　Slipping past my pouting, she opens the window and sets her bags down in the corner of the room. The white spear hangs over a bracket on the wall and unclasps the armor as she sits on the bed.

'You must be surprised to find that there's nothing there.'
Uh-huh.

　I nodded honestly.
　Iltimina told me with a wry smile.

'This is just a place for me to rest my body.
..........
'Partly out of desperation, especially after I found out I couldn't have children. I got rid of my stuff so that I could die at any time.

　She beckons me to take off my armor.
　As I approach, she touches the jacket of my traveling clothes and removes it from my hands.

'But I don't want to die anymore,'
..........


　Laughing that way.
　I was happy to see you laughing like that, too.　

(My existence is also of some use to you, Illtimina-san.......)

　To me, who was thrown out alone into a world I didn't know, she was truly a light in a world of darkness.

　And that light of mine, my sister.

Merle....

　sizzling sound

　She hugged me and lay down on the bed as it was.

　It's a bit dusty in the room, but Illtimina's gentle smell and warmth are the same.　
　Caught between the soft cleavage of her breasts, I close my eyelids.

''........Please continue to be with me, Marle?''
Yes.

　The sound of happy laughter tickled my eardrums.

　And so, feeling each other's warmth, the first night in the royal capital of Mulia passes--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　When I woke up the next morning, I didn't see Illtimina-san on my bed.

(...yeah, I'm used to this pattern.)

　I don't panic, I don't panic.
　Picking myself up, I stretch and do one missing stretch.

　The morning sun pours in through the window, and I can hear the chirping of the birds. The air is crisp and fresh, having been ventilated overnight.

　The air is crisp and refreshing, and there's an appetizing smell flowing in from somewhere.

''Good smell...''

　With a growing hunger, I was lured out of Illtimina's room by the smell of it.

　I arrived at the living room.
　Bacon and eggs with fried eggs, corn soup and baked bread were spread out on the table. Oh, yummy!

　I'm fully awake.
　In those ears.

'Oh, you're up?　Good morning, Merle.

　A soft, familiar voice.

　I turned to see Illtimina, dressed in a white shirt and black slacks.
　Her beautiful forest-colored hair was tied up in a cord around the nape of her neck, and a white apron was draped around her neck. Her slender hands were dexterously holding three plates of salad.

　-- the beautiful young wife of a career woman.

　I can't help but think of those words in my head.

　I couldn't help but admire her, and the young mistress smiled softly at me.

I'm so glad. I was going to go wake you up just now.
Oh, really?
'Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. ...but Sol hasn't woken up yet. Excuse me, Merle. Could you go get her up, please?
Yeah, sure.
Thank you, Merle. Please?

　Illtimina smiles happily.
　Yeah.
　She's really beautiful.

(Happy eyes, happy eyes...)

　Having been nourished first, I went back down the corridor I had just come from, as Solstice's room was the one across from Illtimina's.

　Eventually, I arrived at the girl's room.　

　Konkon.

　I knock on the door.
　But there's no response.

"Solstice?

　You just got back from a long trip, so maybe you're tired and asleep.

　With a tilt of his head, he grips the doorknob.

　Katja.....　　　

　It's open.
　It didn't seem to be locked.

　I hesitated for a moment, but then my hunger overcame me and I pushed it open.

"Are you coming in, Solstice?

　I step into the dark room.

　Thud.

(Ouch?)

　My toe bumped into something.
　When I picked it up, it was a thick book that looked like a dictionary.
　

　Yeah, it's a difficult title either way.
　And then you have to step over it and go inside.

'Wow...'

　I was stunned by the sight in the room.

　Books.
　A large number of books filled the room.

　The walls are lined with two bookshelves that reach up to the ceiling, and all of them are stuffed with spines of books. There were countless books piled up on the floor and beyond the reach of my feet, and there were also piles of books that had fallen apart. There were also piles of crumbling books on the floor, some of which had fallen apart. There were many sheets of paper scattered across the desk with many notes left on them, and next to them there was a pile of books with sticky notes on them.

'The Lost Magic Formula of Ancient Thanatos Magic'
"The Cure for Lack of Magic Syndrome
"Dr. Seigel's Advanced Magic
Questions and Reflections in the History of the Albac Continent
The Truth About Demon Wars.
The Dollar Continent: A Study of Trade Cultures with the Seven Countries

　

(This is what Solstice strives for ... a source of knowledge?)

　The sheer awesomeness of it is overwhelming.



　And then a strange voice came from the back.
　There was a bed that looked like it had drifted into the ocean of books. Above it, an object could be seen stretching out like a mollusk.

(Itai)　

　I walk up to the bed and shake its shoulders as I place my feet in the gap between the books.

'Good morning, Solstice. It's morning already, okay?
Hmm...?

　She spills her purple hair from her sleeping habit and sluggishly picks herself up.

'Unya ... marl?'
Yes.

　Her sleepy eyes find me laughing.
　At that time, the blanket that was on her fell to the floor in a puff.

(..........Ah....)

　The girl's top half of her body was wearing a t-shirt.
　But the girl's lower half of her body was just a simple pair of light blue shorts.

　Her young, white thighs were dazzling to my eyes.

　Her sleepy crimson eyes followed my gaze.
　It slowly opens up, and the light of understanding lights up there.

　The next moment.

'Unyaahhhhhh!

　The horrendous scream of the girl, who turned bright red, echoed throughout this house--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　I made little autumn leaves on my cheeks and started eating Illtimina-san's homemade breakfast with my sisters.


..........

　The girl sitting on the other side of the table is still staring at me with tears in her eyes.

　Oh, horrible........

　The angry Solstice, like a gourmand girl nevertheless, gobbles up three times as much breakfast as we do.
　And that fork pointed at our plates.

　Zashhhh, hyoi, puck.

(Ugh!?)

　I-I-I don't know, they took my bacon and eggs in a second!

Mogu... what?
.................... No, nothing?

　I swallow my complaint at the tremendous eye roll.

　Ugh, I can't help it.
　I was bad this morning, too, and for the sake of our future friendly life, let's just bear with it for now.......haha.

　Illtimina chuckled at our condition.

"Merle.
Hmm?

　I moved half of the bacon and eggs on my plate to my plate. Huh?
　She laughs softly to my surprise.

'If you'd like?'
Are you sure?
Yes. I was the one who asked Merle to wake Sol up.

　I, Illtimina!

　As expected of Solstice, she can't seem to take it away from her sister, either. She can only glare at me with her fork in her mouth in frustration.

　I have the best bacon and eggs of my life.
　Oh, happiness....

　As we proceeded with our breakfast, Illtimina stopped eating and said to us, "Well, what are your plans for today?

Well, I have a plan for today, but after this, I think I'm going to go shopping.
Shopping?
Yes, sir.

　She nodded and looked at the food on the table.

'I made it this morning using the preserves, but after being away for a while, we don't have any more ingredients in this house. If we don't get some, we won't be able to eat lunch.
Oh, really?
'Oh my God!　Buying is your top priority!

　Solstice becomes very serious in these situations.
　And Mr. Illtimina looked at me.

'Merle, come with me on that shopping spree.
Uh-huh.
'If you're going to live in King's Landing from now on, Marle would do well to learn a bit about the city. I'll show you a lot of things today.

　I see.
　First of all, I need to get to know the city.

　I appreciate her concern.

"Thank you, Miss Illtimina. It's a pleasure to meet you.
No.

　Illtimina responds with an adult smile.
　Solstice points to herself.

'Am I a stay-at-home?'
'Yes, sir. And one other thing: move your stuff out of the storage room upstairs and make room for Marle.
'Huh!　This me, a room of rags and tatters!

　Solstice, I'm aghast.
　To her sister, Illtimina nodded broadly.

Of course. To begin with, all the stuff in the shed is your personal property, isn't it?　...If you don't want to, I'll just skip lunch with Sol.
......

　...Solstice, why are you staring at me?

(This is not my fault...)

　Eventually she replied with a face that looked like she was about to spill tears of blood, "...okay," to which her beautiful sister nodded with satisfaction.

'We'll help you when we get back. Oh, and let's get the house cleaned up by the end of the day.
Yes.
Shit.

　I nodded, and Solstice clasped her hands behind her head, her lips twitching.
　Iltimina looked at us gently, then resumed her interrupted meal.

　While eating elegantly.

Phew, it looks like you're going to be busy every day from now on.

　I muttered a bit happily.