I returned to the royal capital, Mulia, for the first time in about 20 days.

　When I arrived at the guild.

I'll see you in 10 days.

　Looking around at us, Mr. Kirt declares that he will be dismissed.

　Ten days later, we have a departure ceremony.

　Until then, we're free to do nothing.

(Yeah, let's take our time.)

　Miss Illtimina smiled at me and Solstice.

So let's go back to our house.
Yes.
Yeah.

　We laughed too.

　Then we said goodbye to Kilt, who saw us off, and we walked to Iltimina's house in the royal capital.

　We crossed two bridges and walked up the hill.

(I could see!)

　It's our first home in over six months.

　It looks the same, but the weeds in the garden are bowed out....

　Solstice, forgetting how tired she is from the trip, runs off.

''I'm home~!

　I'm the first to unlock the front door.

　I guess I'm just glad to be back in my own home, after all?

　She smiles a reassuring smile that we don't often see during the trip, and opens windows all over the house to get rid of the dust.

　Me and Ms. Illtimina laugh at the girl's back.

　Then.

I'm home!
I'm home.

　We were late, too, and went into the house.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　When I got home, it was a peaceful day.

　The first day was a big cleanup.

　I worked hard to clean the house of the dirt that had been in it while I was away for so long.

'Whew....'
I can't.

　When all is said and done, me and Solstice are goofy.

　It's taken a whole day.

　Iltimina laughed, unraveling her hair, which had been pulled into a bun while she cleaned.

I'm going to make a good dinner for you tonight.
Really?
Yes!

　Instantly, we were in high spirits.

　Hmm, you really know how to handle us, as expected of you, Illtimina!

　We all smiled and ate a lot of dinner that day.

(Happy....)

　I fell asleep at night, comfortably tired.

　The next day, I went shopping.

　I went with Illtimina to the town of the capital to buy food for 9 days.

　By the way, Solstice has been staying at home.

"I'll be able to use 'divine magic' like Master Colontude.

　He said.

　He wants to work hard at researching and studying for it.

(...great...)　

　You have a clear goal, and I respect the way you work hard to achieve it.

　That's what Solstice is all about.

　So it's just the two of us on a shopping date, Illtimina and I.

　A date just the two of us.

(Heh-heh....)

　I'm a bit embarrassed.

　So I walked through the shopping district of the royal capital, holding hands with Illtimina-san.

　When we had finished shopping to a certain extent.

Would you like to take a break?

　We stopped at a nearby coffee shop for a smoke.

　It was warm and sunny in spring, and we ordered some ice cream to go with our fruit juice.

　Soon, our order arrives.

(Cold and delicious!)

　Excitedly, I pick up the spoon.

　Iltimina, too, takes a scoop of ice cream with the spoon.

"Yes, Merle.

(Huh?)

Uh-huh.

　.....................

　Her spoon is held out to me.

　On the other side of it is the gentle and beautiful smile of Illtimina-san.

(Haha.........)

Uh-oh.

　Shyly, I open my mouth.

　A spoon is inserted into it.

　Cold.

　And sweet.　

"Mmmm, is it good?
Uh-huh.

　It's very, very sweet.

　At my condition, Illtimina-san is happily beaming at me.

(Alright, fight back.)

　I sipped my ice cream with my spoon.

　And.

Well, I'll go first. --Yes, Miss Illtimina. Ahhh.

　I laugh at her.

　Ms. Illtimina rolled her crimson eyes.

Wow, me too?
Yes.
...Okay, okay. Uh-uh-uh.

　I open that mouth.

　I put the spoon in there.

　Through the spoon, I can feel the softness of her lips and the elasticity of her tongue.

(I'm a little nervous...)

Hmm....

　My lips close and I pull out the spoon.

　Perrot.

　An outstretched tongue licked away the melted ice cream on her lips.

　Something s*xy.

'Does it taste good?'

　I asked.

　Ms. Illtimina's cheeks turned a little red and she laughed in annoyance.

''........I'm so embarrassed I can't really taste it.''　

　Oops.

　She looked around.

It's such an embarrassment to be in a place where people are watching you.

　I muttered.

(Leave it to me...?)

　This needs to be punished.

Miss Illtimina.
Yes, sir.
One more bite.
What?

　I lift the spoon that I've been scooping ice cream out of.

'Yes, uh-uh.'
..........
Uh-huh.
Uh-oh.

　Illtimina turns bright red and opens her mouth like a little bird seeking food.

(Cute....)

　The embarrassed look on his face is unbearable again.

　Puck.

　I eat my ice cream.

　Then he glares at me a little bitterly.

'Merle is a mean man, isn't he? So now I'll start.

　Huh?

"Yes, Merle. Ahhhh.
..........
Uh-huh.

　I was rushed.

　'Ugh, okay.

Oh, uh-oh.

　This time, I open my mouth again.

　Puck.

　It's cold and very sweet.

　But I'm still embarrassed.

　I suddenly looked at Illtimina-san, who drew a spoon, and we looked at each other.

　We were both bright red.

''.........''
..........

　Out of the blue from either of us, I would blurt out.

　Then we both laughed.

　After that, we let the two of us eat each other's ice cream and eat our own ice cream with a spoon that served as an indirect kiss.

(It's kind of like a real date!)

　A very enjoyable time.

　I'm sure she felt the same way.

　Then we left the coffee shop and went back to our house, holding hands again.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　The peace continued.

　For ten days, Mr. Kilt came to visit me after noon and practiced his sword every day.

　Gulp, gulp, gulp.

　The sound of wooden swords clashing echoes through the garden.

　Eventually.

Oh, thank you very much.
Hmm.

　I bowed my head to my beautiful mentor, breathing on my shoulder.

　Mr. Kilt wasn't even out of breath.

(U~, that's great!)

　I'm half in respect and half in pity for myself.

　And then I was wiping sweat off my face with a towel.

Good work, both of you.

　Mr. Illtimina came over with two cups of fruit water on a tray.

'Oh, I'm sorry about this,'
Thank you, Miss Illtimina.
No.

　Smiling, Iltimina smiled.

　We sat on the edge and took it.

　Sigh.

　It's cold, refreshing and delicious.

　I couldn't help but let out a breath.

　And.

What about Merle's sword?

　Ms. Illtimina asked Mr. Kilt a question.

　She looked like a mother asking her tutor about her son.

'Hmm?'

　Mr. Quilt put the empty cup back on the tray.

'That's right. Even when I let loose with my swordsmanship when I'm tired, it's less shaky. It's proof that the technique is so ingrained in his body.
"Huh?
Everything is in place. Merle's sword is growing strong.

　That's what he said.

(Really?)

　I don't really feel like I'm growing up, but I'm kind of glad I am.

　Miss Illtimina laughed too, and

Okay.

　He nodded with satisfaction.

　Then.

'You're doing a great job, Merle.

　He smiled gently and stroked my sweat-soaked hair.　

　Ehehe.

(Yeah, keep up the good work!)

　I was a simple me, renewing my resolve.

　Mr. Kilt was laughing at us as he watched us with peaceful eyes.

　And.

Oh, yes.

　Suddenly she made a face as she remembered something.

(Hmm?)

Actually, I have some news for you today.

　What do you want to tell them?

　I stood there with a scowl.

Oh, what is it?

　Mr. Illtimina asks back.

　Ms. Kilt says.

I'm talking about that guy from Colon.

　I said.

(Mr. Columcude?)

　What's wrong with her?

　Mr. Kilt wisps his hands through his own rich silver hair.

　Then he looks at us.

As a matter of fact, that Colonel guy from the other day gave Poe to his foster family.
..........
Well.

　Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　I let out a voiceless scream and was stunned, but Mr. Kilt gave me a detailed explanation.

'There are a number of reasons for this, one of which is because of what happened on the upcoming pioneering expedition to the Dark Continent.
You mean on the frontier?
"Mm.

　Mr. Kilts nodded.

There is an unspoken agreement that the pioneers must be adventurers of the 'white mark' or higher.

　I continued.

　And so I was taught this.

　We are going to the Dark Continent as a pioneering team.

　Po-chan will accompany us there.

　Our current guardian, Mr. Colontude, is heading to the "Elf Country" and Kirt will be our substitute guardian.

　But.

Matters pertaining to gods and demons, such as the identity of Merle and Poe, are still secret to the public.

　He said.

　With the exception of a few, the other members of the pioneering group were not informed.

　Then there would be no reason for Poe, who was not an adventurer, to accompany them.

(Then what do we do?)

　It went like this.

"Poe became an adventurer.
..........
..........

　Huh?

I heard that Poe registered as an adventurer while they were visiting the Great Forest of Aldoria.

(What did you say? !)

　The guild I belong to is "The Singing Ears of the Meadow", the same as Mr. Colontude.

　Moreover.

"His registered name is Poe Resta.
..........
As an adopted child of Colon. This made a special exception for the examination of Poe's 'white seal'.
..........
Poe passed. I'm told he's already a White Marked Adventurer.

　Whaaat.........

(A month after becoming an adventurer, 'White Mark' is faster than me and Kilt-san.......)

　I'm a bit stunned.

　Mr. Kilt looked like he'd just bitten a bitter bug.

You have used the power of the Golden Mark to your advantage.

　I summed it up.

(Yeah, right...)

　Illtimina said.

'But Poe's fighting prowess would be enough for a 'white mark'.
Well.

　Mr. Kilt admitted.

　She was a little girl who had once beaten Mr. Kilt, even if she had been caught off guard.

'It's not a question of competence,'
..........
But the lack of problems is also a problem.

(??)

Normally, at his age, he would never have been able to do a White Seal.

　Ah.....

(I see.)

And I had to use my position as the "Adopted Daughter of Columcude Lestat" to disguise it.

　I see.........

　Illtimina-san nodded, ''Is that what you mean?

''A child with a talent that the 'Golden Seal Demonologist' wants. Hence the plot of awarding the 'White Seal' as a special exception.
"Mm.

　Mr. Kilt exhales heavily.

'Let's be convinced that this is a worldly thing to do.
Yes.
Yes, sir.
All that's left is that they didn't mind the adoption themselves.

　In the end, he smiled so bitterly.

　...........

(I see.)

　When I remembered how close those two were, I couldn't help but laugh too.

　Ms. Illtimina also has a kind face.

That's why Poe was adopted by Colon.

　Mr. Kilt concluded.

　It was an amazing story, but

(But it wasn't bad, was it?)

　I think.

　I laughed and said.

'I'm sure when Solstice finds out, she'll be like, 'I want to be an adopted daughter too! I might have called out to him.
..........
..........

　Mr. Illtimina and Mr. Kilt look at each other.

　And.

Indeed.
Maybe so!

　The three of us laughed loudly into the blue sky.

　--And so our 10 days off flew by, and the day of the launching ceremony arrived.