We arrived at Murteu, flying through clear skies as the storm passed.
　The purpose of meeting Maha had changed to the appearance of Irg Balor instead of Roug Touahade.

As soon as I reached Murteu, I approached the point where the communicator was buried, accessed it with a child, and channeled it to Dia, Tart, and Maha. I set it to a special three-person-only one and activated it.
　It's to let them know that they're safe.
　However, it would be tomorrow before Tart and Dia would hear this transmission.
　The communicator in the Touahade's main house is top secret, and I have given the two of them a terminal that can only be accessed by those in the back hills.
　They probably won't be there and will hear the recorded words tomorrow or so.

It would have been better if I had put in a communication in the royal capital, but the royal capital was a special place where I could set up a communication device due to certain restrictions, and there was a problem with me approaching it now.
　That's why I entrusted the letter to my agent.

'It's Lug. The trial was concluded successfully, and you were acquitted. I'm going to work at Murteau today and return tomorrow.'

That's all I said and was about to hang up, but someone other than me was accessing the communications network, and a voice leaks out of the communicator.

'I'm glad you're safe!　I'll be waiting for you to make Master Rouges' favorite food.
'Oh, God. You're late to call me. I was so worried about you!'
"Both of you. I told you yesterday that I was okay.
"Because I won't feel safe until I hear his voice.
''That's right. That's why I've been sleeping all night and worrying about it, and I haven't gotten around to developing magic.''

I can hear Dia, Tart, and Maha.
　Aside from Maha, who has a comm in her room, Dia and Tart should have had to go up to the back hill to receive the comm even with a cordless transmitter.
　I'm sure they were worried about me, so they've been stuck to their communicators in the backwoods since about yesterday.

I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm sorry for worrying you, but I bought a variety of souvenirs for you to look forward to. And Maher. I'll see you in a couple of hours.
'We're all set. I've been coordinating my work so that I can have more time after the trial. I'm going to take the whole day to help you, Brother Lug.'
'Ugh, I'm so jealous. I wish I could date a rogue.'
"Is that what you say, living together?
You're right. Sorry. Hey, Maha. Do you want to meet her?　Isn't it weird that we've never met?'
'Well, I'll make time for you somewhere else. I have a lot of questions and things I want to talk about. We'll discuss where to meet.
'I'd rather not have a rogue.
"Yes, of course.
I'm afraid of that.

What the hell are these two bothering to talk about without me?

'There are things that only happen between women.
'Yes, don't worry brother Roug, I'm not looking for a fight. I don't want to do anything that Brother Lugue doesn't want. I've been told too much about your love affair with Dia. I'm not foolish enough to hurt someone who is dear to my brother Rougues.
"I just want to be friends with you. I can feel the distance from you just by having this conversation.

Anyway, I'm relieved it doesn't sound dangerous.
　Let's just leave the girl-to-girl business to you two.

I'll cut off the transmission. And just so you know, everything we say in here will be logged, so keep that in mind.

I'm warning you that the three of you are going to go into chatting mode as it is.
　Although the three of them won't be outspoken, they may say many things that they don't want me, a man, to hear.

I understand. I'm remiss in not realizing that I can chat with Maha-chan anytime I want.
'The tart won't change but it's a relief to hear your voice.
'Oh, you have to come with me, Tart. We have a mutual friend to talk to.
"My unworthy tart will serve as my bridge to you with all my heart and soul.

What, it looks like there's nothing to worry about.
　After being favored by everyone like this, but I don't want everyone to be on edge over me.

◇

We had decided in advance to stop by Murteau, so we had used our agents to make them order a lot of things.
　After all, Murteu is good.
　As the largest port in the Kingdom of Arvan, most things can be obtained there.
　I finished my shopping one by one and bought a souvenir for Maha in addition to what I needed.
　I had already bought cookies that last for a long time in King's Landing, but apart from that, I bought a bouquet of flowers.
　Maha's favorite purple flowers are in season.
　In the case of Tart and Dia, flowers and other things do not please her. Tart rejoices in food and Diah rejoices in books. Of the three, Maha has the most feminine sensibilities.
　That's how we came to Orna's main store after we had done our shopping.
　I greeted her at the familiar reception desk and headed to the room where Maha was waiting.

◇

Maha, who has been staring at her papers as she enters, slowly looks up.
　I can't help but think that this calmness is typical of Maha.
　If this were Tart or Dia, she'd be hugging me.

'Long time no see, Maha.'
Yes, it's been a long time. I see you're here today as my brother Irg.
Yeah, don't you like it better this way, Maha?
'You're getting better at handling girls. Normally you'd say it's more convenient for you to be here.

Maha chuckles and then stands up.
　He seems to make me a cup of tea as usual.
　The herbal tea that Maha brews is very tasty and soothing.

''Can you brew it austere today? I bought some souvenirs from King's Landing. Marlana's raisin cookies, didn't Maha tell you they were delicious?
I'm glad. I received one as a gift and it's my favorite. I've always felt that the goods from King's Landing are indeed of good quality but too expensive, but this one is worth the price.''

I put the flowers I bought in a vase and add them to the vase while Maha makes tea.

'Oh my, Merna's flowers. You're a little too attentive and defensive to come with a bouquet of my favorite sweets and flowers.

That said, his mouth is loose.
　I'm relieved that he seems to be properly pleased with me.

'Maha's done a lot of work for me, and I want to thank her.
'Well that's what you think. Then you're just in time. I wanted to ask you to do something for me.

Maha sits down in front of me with her herbal tea.

'If there's anything I can do to help, I'm all ears.
You're the only one who can do it. When you're done with your snacks, I'll ask for you.
All right, well, it would be a shame to let Maha's herbal tea go cold.

Maha's herbal teas are put in reasonably well anyway. The temperature, the brewing time, the amount of tea leaves, and the quality of the water.
　Only Maha uses different water for different tea leaves.
　That is why it is delicious.

The herb tea is soothing to my tired body.
　When I opened the raisin cookie I bought at a local market, the aroma of wine and raisins spread through the air.
　They are elegant soft cookies, and the key to their taste is the deliciousness of the raisins soaked in fine brandy and the spices used in the dough to accentuate their flavor.
　The taste is both luxurious and complex. Maha delights in this kind of class.

'They're still delicious. These cookies are delicious. I wonder if it's possible to make these cookies over here too.
'It's going to be difficult. From what I've heard, they make a special brandy to soak the raisins in. It's ridiculously expensive, but the level of commitment is different. This can't be copied overnight.

It's no ordinary obsession to create a drink from scratch that is used to soak raisins.
　And if you are doing that, it means you are obsessive about everything else.

And when you do it, it means you're obsessive about everything else. It's the opposite of what we do.
Our company, Orna, has an advantage in terms of innovative ideas, technology, funding, and our own distribution network, but we don't have the history or the talent to take something as mundane as this and perfect it to the extreme. We shouldn't aim for this line of thinking.

In business, it's not a big deal that there are things you can't do.
　What's important is what you can do, and you can win with what you can do.

'Well I'd love to do something like this someday. It would almost be a hobby, though.
'Orna is now more than big enough. It's going to be hard to move around any more, and from now on, it might be nice to be defensive and open a hobby shop.

Orna continues to expand, and we are struggling to get our equipment and personnel in place to keep up with its growth rate.
　...And it's about to reach a realm where every inch of it is out of reach, no matter how efficiently we manage it.
　That's dangerous.
　Orna could spiral out of control without us being able to see it.
　In business, stopping is also an important decision.

That's what I'm saying. I've been meaning to talk to you about it, but your brother Ilg has spoken to me about it.
I'm surprised that Maher had that perspective.
'Could you not lick it?　How long do you think it's been since Brother Ilg gave you Orna?　If it's just business, I might already be better than you, you know?

Maybe so.

In fact, I'm just an advisor now, and it was Maha's ability to make Orna, which I started up, so big.
　As we talked about Orna and enjoyed our raisin cookies and herbal tea, we were quickly emptying out.
　When that happened, Maha suddenly began to fidget.
　I'm sure it was something she wanted to ask me to do for her when she finished her cookies.
　Is she going to ask me to do something so embarrassing?
　Maha coughs deliberately and then begins to speak.

'Well, I've been thinking that the tart has changed for a while now. We communicate by letter and so on, and I feel that the happy, frightened girl is gaining in confidence.
Come to think of it,

Tart had always seemed unsure, even after being one of the best in the country.
　And yet, lately, he's been a little different. He's become more imposing. It's the same with the conversation on the communication network earlier. A few years ago, Tart would never have said anything like that.

I asked him why........and he said, well, you know, he did that with his brother Irg. Since then, I've been thinking about why the tart was the only one to do that, and I've been thinking about all sorts of unpleasant things... Hey, brother Ilg, could you do a favor for me as well?　I like my brother Ilg. I know he thinks of me as a sister, and I'm glad for that. But I don't want it to be enough. I'm insecure, I'm afraid that he thinks I'm more unloved and most unimportant than Dia, more than Tart, because I'm the only one who doesn't have a connection, and I'm not sure.

Her face turns bright red, her eyes glaze over, and she looks at me from underneath as she peers at me.
　It's cute and teasing.

'....Whew, you're really sure it's me, aren't you? It's a waste of time when you're being proposed to by the sergeant of the Balor Trading Company.

Maha puffed out her cheeks as she said it in a teasing manner.
　It's rare for Maha to make such a childlike gesture.

''The power of the Balor Chamber of Commerce is attractive, but Brother Ilg is more attractive than that... and Brother Ilg and I could make Orna into more than the Balor Chamber of Commerce, couldn't we?''

I laugh bitterly.
　Probably, if any other merchant heard this line, they would laugh at me.
　But I was confident that I could do it with Maher.

Yes. We can do it ... just so you know, we can't just love Maha.
I know. Still, it's okay.

Maha stood up and sat down next to me.
　Then she looked at me intently.
　I'm sure she wants to........

''Hmmm........pfft.......unlike the previous kiss, this is a mature kiss.
I've always treated you as family.
'You don't have to stop doing that. But from now on, you have to look at me as a lover too.

This time, Maha kisses me and accepts.
　I've had a relationship with Maha after Tart.
　I'm sure they'll never betray me, and they've used their mind control and brainwashing techniques from their past lives to increase their loyalty to me.
　But it's only loyalty, and it's far from love.
　The reason I didn't use romantic feelings for brainwashing is because they are easily transferred and are not suitable to be used as a wedge.

And yet, the fact that this is what happened means that the emotions I turn to Tart and Maha, and the emotions that are directed from Tart and Maha, were created by something unintended.
　I feel glad that I don't know, while questioning something that doesn't compute or fit the logic.

'Shall we change places?'
Yes, I've set it up for you.
You're ready.
I am a merchant.

It had to be.
　So we packed up and left Orna.
　Maha smiled and withdrew her hand.
　I'm in awe of her.
　I realize once again that she really has grown up beautifully.
　I want to make her happy. I got her because I needed her as a tool. But now I feel that we are a really important family.

We arrived at Murteu, flying through clear skies as the storm passed.
　The purpose of meeting Maha had changed to the appearance of Irg Balor instead of Roug Touahade.

As soon as I reached Murteu, I approached the point where the communicator was buried, accessed it with a child, and channeled it to Dia, Tart, and Maha. I set it to a special three-person-only one and activated it.
　It's to let them know that they're safe.
　However, it would be tomorrow before Tart and Dia would hear this transmission.
　The communicator in the Touahade's main house is top secret, and I have given the two of them a terminal that can only be accessed by those in the back hills.
　They probably won't be there and will hear the recorded words tomorrow or so.

It would have been better if I had put in a communication in the royal capital, but the royal capital was a special place where I could set up a communication device due to certain restrictions, and there was a problem with me approaching it now.
　That's why I entrusted the letter to my agent.

'It's Lug. The trial was concluded successfully, and you were acquitted. I'm going to work at Murteau today and return tomorrow.'

That's all I said and was about to hang up, but someone other than me was accessing the communications network, and a voice leaks out of the communicator.

'I'm glad you're safe!　I'll be waiting for you to make Master Rouges' favorite food.
'Oh, God. You're late to call me. I was so worried about you!'
"Both of you. I told you yesterday that I was okay.
"Because I won't feel safe until I hear his voice.
''That's right. That's why I've been sleeping all night and worrying about it, and I haven't gotten around to developing magic.''

I can hear Dia, Tart, and Maha.
　Aside from Maha, who has a comm in her room, Dia and Tart should have had to go up to the back hill to receive the comm even with a cordless transmitter.
　I'm sure they were worried about me, so they've been stuck to their communicators in the backwoods since about yesterday.

I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm sorry for worrying you, but I bought a variety of souvenirs for you to look forward to. And Maher. I'll see you in a couple of hours.
'We're all set. I've been coordinating my work so that I can have more time after the trial. I'm going to take the whole day to help you, Brother Lug.'
'Ugh, I'm so jealous. I wish I could date a rogue.'
"Is that what you say, living together?
You're right. Sorry. Hey, Maha. Do you want to meet her?　Isn't it weird that we've never met?'
'Well, I'll make time for you somewhere else. I have a lot of questions and things I want to talk about. We'll discuss where to meet.
'I'd rather not have a rogue.
"Yes, of course.
I'm afraid of that.

What the hell are these two bothering to talk about without me?

'There are things that only happen between women.
'Yes, don't worry brother Roug, I'm not looking for a fight. I don't want to do anything that Brother Lugue doesn't want. I've been told too much about your love affair with Dia. I'm not foolish enough to hurt someone who is dear to my brother Rougues.
"I just want to be friends with you. I can feel the distance from you just by having this conversation.

Anyway, I'm relieved it doesn't sound dangerous.
　Let's just leave the girl-to-girl business to you two.

I'll cut off the transmission. And just so you know, everything we say in here will be logged, so keep that in mind.

I'm warning you that the three of you are going to go into chatting mode as it is.
　Although the three of them won't be outspoken, they may say many things that they don't want me, a man, to hear.

I understand. I'm remiss in not realizing that I can chat with Maha-chan anytime I want.
'The tart won't change but it's a relief to hear your voice.
'Oh, you have to come with me, Tart. We have a mutual friend to talk to.
"My unworthy tart will serve as my bridge to you with all my heart and soul.

What, it looks like there's nothing to worry about.
　After being favored by everyone like this, but I don't want everyone to be on edge over me.

◇

We had decided in advance to stop by Murteau, so we had used our agents to make them order a lot of things.
　After all, Murteu is good.
　As the largest port in the Kingdom of Arvan, most things can be obtained there.
　I finished my shopping one by one and bought a souvenir for Maha in addition to what I needed.
　I had already bought cookies that last for a long time in King's Landing, but apart from that, I bought a bouquet of flowers.
　Maha's favorite purple flowers are in season.
　In the case of Tart and Dia, flowers and other things do not please her. Tart rejoices in food and Diah rejoices in books. Of the three, Maha has the most feminine sensibilities.
　That's how we came to Orna's main store after we had done our shopping.
　I greeted her at the familiar reception desk and headed to the room where Maha was waiting.

◇

Maha, who has been staring at her papers as she enters, slowly looks up.
　I can't help but think that this calmness is typical of Maha.
　If this were Tart or Dia, she'd be hugging me.

'Long time no see, Maha.'
Yes, it's been a long time. I see you're here today as my brother Irg.
Yeah, don't you like it better this way, Maha?
'You're getting better at handling girls. Normally you'd say it's more convenient for you to be here.

Maha chuckles and then stands up.
　He seems to make me a cup of tea as usual.
　The herbal tea that Maha brews is very tasty and soothing.

''Can you brew it austere today? I bought some souvenirs from King's Landing. Marlana's raisin cookies, didn't Maha tell you they were delicious?
I'm glad. I received one as a gift and it's my favorite. I've always felt that the goods from King's Landing are indeed of good quality but too expensive, but this one is worth the price.''

I put the flowers I bought in a vase and add them to the vase while Maha makes tea.

'Oh my, Merna's flowers. You're a little too attentive and defensive to come with a bouquet of my favorite sweets and flowers.

That said, his mouth is loose.
　I'm relieved that he seems to be properly pleased with me.

'Maha's done a lot of work for me, and I want to thank her.
'Well that's what you think. Then you're just in time. I wanted to ask you to do something for me.

Maha sits down in front of me with her herbal tea.

'If there's anything I can do to help, I'm all ears.
You're the only one who can do it. When you're done with your snacks, I'll ask for you.
All right, well, it would be a shame to let Maha's herbal tea go cold.

Maha's herbal teas are put in reasonably well anyway. The temperature, the brewing time, the amount of tea leaves, and the quality of the water.
　Only Maha uses different water for different tea leaves.
　That is why it is delicious.

The herb tea is soothing to my tired body.
　When I opened the raisin cookie I bought at a local market, the aroma of wine and raisins spread through the air.
　They are elegant soft cookies, and the key to their taste is the deliciousness of the raisins soaked in fine brandy and the spices used in the dough to accentuate their flavor.
　The taste is both luxurious and complex. Maha delights in this kind of class.

'They're still delicious. These cookies are delicious. I wonder if it's possible to make these cookies over here too.
'It's going to be difficult. From what I've heard, they make a special brandy to soak the raisins in. It's ridiculously expensive, but the level of commitment is different. This can't be copied overnight.

It's no ordinary obsession to create a drink from scratch that is used to soak raisins.
　And if you are doing that, it means you are obsessive about everything else.

And when you do it, it means you're obsessive about everything else. It's the opposite of what we do.
Our company, Orna, has an advantage in terms of innovative ideas, technology, funding, and our own distribution network, but we don't have the history or the talent to take something as mundane as this and perfect it to the extreme. We shouldn't aim for this line of thinking.

In business, it's not a big deal that there are things you can't do.
　What's important is what you can do, and you can win with what you can do.

'Well I'd love to do something like this someday. It would almost be a hobby, though.
'Orna is now more than big enough. It's going to be hard to move around any more, and from now on, it might be nice to be defensive and open a hobby shop.

Orna continues to expand, and we are struggling to get our equipment and personnel in place to keep up with its growth rate.
　...And it's about to reach a realm where every inch of it is out of reach, no matter how efficiently we manage it.
　That's dangerous.
　Orna could spiral out of control without us being able to see it.
　In business, stopping is also an important decision.

That's what I'm saying. I've been meaning to talk to you about it, but your brother Ilg has spoken to me about it.
I'm surprised that Maher had that perspective.
'Could you not lick it?　How long do you think it's been since Brother Ilg gave you Orna?　If it's just business, I might already be better than you, you know?

Maybe so.

In fact, I'm just an advisor now, and it was Maha's ability to make Orna, which I started up, so big.
　As we talked about Orna and enjoyed our raisin cookies and herbal tea, we were quickly emptying out.
　When that happened, Maha suddenly began to fidget.
　I'm sure it was something she wanted to ask me to do for her when she finished her cookies.
　Is she going to ask me to do something so embarrassing?
　Maha coughs deliberately and then begins to speak.

'Well, I've been thinking that the tart has changed for a while now. We communicate by letter and so on, and I feel that the happy, frightened girl is gaining in confidence.
Come to think of it,

Tart had always seemed unsure, even after being one of the best in the country.
　And yet, lately, he's been a little different. He's become more imposing. It's the same with the conversation on the communication network earlier. A few years ago, Tart would never have said anything like that.

I asked him why........and he said, well, you know, he did that with his brother Irg. Since then, I've been thinking about why the tart was the only one to do that, and I've been thinking about all sorts of unpleasant things... Hey, brother Ilg, could you do a favor for me as well?　I like my brother Ilg. I know he thinks of me as a sister, and I'm glad for that. But I don't want it to be enough. I'm insecure, I'm afraid that he thinks I'm more unloved and most unimportant than Dia, more than Tart, because I'm the only one who doesn't have a connection, and I'm not sure.

Her face turns bright red, her eyes glaze over, and she looks at me from underneath as she peers at me.
　It's cute and teasing.

'....Whew, you're really sure it's me, aren't you? It's a waste of time when you're being proposed to by the sergeant of the Balor Trading Company.

Maha puffed out her cheeks as she said it in a teasing manner.
　It's rare for Maha to make such a childlike gesture.

''The power of the Balor Chamber of Commerce is attractive, but Brother Ilg is more attractive than that... and Brother Ilg and I could make Orna into more than the Balor Chamber of Commerce, couldn't we?''

I laugh bitterly.
　Probably, if any other merchant heard this line, they would laugh at me.
　But I was confident that I could do it with Maher.

Yes. We can do it ... just so you know, we can't just love Maha.
I know. Still, it's okay.

Maha stood up and sat down next to me.
　Then she looked at me intently.
　I'm sure she wants to........

''Hmmm........pfft.......unlike the previous kiss, this is a mature kiss.
I've always treated you as family.
'You don't have to stop doing that. But from now on, you have to look at me as a lover too.

This time, Maha kisses me and accepts.
　I've had a relationship with Maha after Tart.
　I'm sure they'll never betray me, and they've used their mind control and brainwashing techniques from their past lives to increase their loyalty to me.
　But it's only loyalty, and it's far from love.
　The reason I didn't use romantic feelings for brainwashing is because they are easily transferred and are not suitable to be used as a wedge.

And yet, the fact that this is what happened means that the emotions I turn to Tart and Maha, and the emotions that are directed from Tart and Maha, were created by something unintended.
　I feel glad that I don't know, while questioning something that doesn't compute or fit the logic.

'Shall we change places?'
Yes, I've set it up for you.
You're ready.
I am a merchant.

It had to be.
　So we packed up and left Orna.
　Maha smiled and withdrew her hand.
　I'm in awe of her.
　I realize once again that she really has grown up beautifully.
　I want to make her happy. I got her because I needed her as a tool. But now I feel that we are a really important family.