After finishing the discussion with Bence-san and returning home, I told Sisha and the others about today's story while eating dinner.

''I've been looking forward to the crabby miso... Diabolus, I will never forgive you!　I won't allow it!

'Yes!　I'll never forgive you!

I'll find you and put a prominence finger in your face!

　When Sisha found out that the blue cancers from which he could get crabmeat were gone, she was angry, a blue streak forming at her temples.
　Taking advantage of it, even Freesia raised one hand and shouted.
　I don't really understand it, but I'm just going along with the groove.......

''Huh.......It's a pity. If it were true, we could have had a delicious crabmeat dish by now, but I'm so depressed that I won't even be able to eat it.

You're eating your heart out...

But you eat a little later than usual in your heart...

　Letting out a sigh, Nol is eating a crab leg that's been roasted on a shichigah.
　Sure, he's slower than usual to eat them but he's still faster than me.
　I don't know how he gets so down when it comes to food.
　You really can't help yourself, can you?
　As I was dumbfounded by this, Luna with her zit-eyed eyes called out to me.

'So, what are you going to do now?　You're still going to investigate?　I'm tired of it.

'We'll continue to investigate, but we're going somewhere else, so you don't have to come with us for a while.

'Hmmm ... then I'm going to get up and go to bed. Thanks to you, I'm sleep deprived. I'm going to hoard.

'Luna-chan's bed looks so soft and comfortable!　Come sleep with me!

No.

'What!　Why the hell not!

　Freesia hovers around Luna, complaining about boo-boos, but she pouty looks away and ignores her.
　I've given up and tolerated her to a certain extent, but I'm not sure I'm going to allow her to intrude on my bed, which is a sanctuary.

　I finished my noisy meal and took a bath before returning to my room.
　And Esther, who also got out of the bath, has come to my room.

''For now, you've calmed down for once. ........although the mystery has increased.

Yeah, but it's better than nothing. That's true, but it's better than nothing. It means that we are making progress, even if it's just a small step at a time.

I hope it works out all right.

　It's certainly better than no discoveries, but I have no idea what the purpose is.
　Since I've been in Sevalia, the mystery of Diabolus, demons, the guardian deity Testudo-sama, and so on, has only increased.
　Both seem to be related, but how are they involved?
　As I was pondering this, I noticed Esther looking at me while smiling and laughing.

''More importantly, I wonder if she remembers her promise for today.

Yeah, of course. That's why you came to my room, right?

'If I really wanted to, I could have asked him in the living room but your brother would be better off this way, wouldn't he?

"Yes thank you very much for your concern.

　Estelle put one hand on her cheek and asked me while tilting her head.
　

'I'm not very handy when it comes to giving you a massage. Don't expect too much from me.

'Yes, don't worry, I know what I'm asking you to do. And when I say I'm tired, I mean it's on the lighter side.

　I guess I was aware of that after all.
　I quickly sat Esther down on the bed and I sat on the floor and lifted one of her legs.
　I couldn't help but keep my eyes glued to her leg, to the soft texture of her fine skin.
　.........I didn't pay attention to it because she always wears knee socks, but it's beautiful skin.
　Oh no, I'm going to give you a massage, what am I thinking!

　I shake my head to regain my composure and start firmering Esther's paw.
　I don't know what the pressure points are or anything like that, so I'm rubbing from the sole of the foot appropriately, but I don't know if it's working.
　Hmmm, it's soft nonetheless. Although I'm tired, it doesn't seem to be stiff.
　........So this is young.

'Doesn't it hurt?'

'It doesn't hurt, it feels better. It feels so much better just to have your brother massaging you.

Oh, well...

　I looked away when Esther, who was giving me a sly smile, told me straight up.
　She's saying something nice, but I'm starting to feel embarrassed when I'm this straightforward.
　I decided to talk about a certain question to cover it up.

''Come to think of it, I wonder what the mutation was this time. We've retrieved that magic light stone and defeated the shellcancer that seems to be the culprit, but the hunting ground doesn't seem to be returning to normal.

　During the time of Queles, the abnormalities of Trent's outbreaks subsided after defeating Grandis, but this time the mutation is still not over, even on a small scale.
　After retrieving the magic light stone, I was still hunting for the name of investigation, but I didn't see a single blue cancers, and shellfish are still coming up.

''Well... if you can think of it, the magic light stone we found this time might be something that changes the nature of the hunting ground.

"Properties?

It means that the demons that were originally there are no longer there, and demons that shouldn't be there are now springing up. Isn't it possible to do that by interfering with that light that the demons sprout up from?

Seriously you're just getting nastier and nastier.

　It's the same black magic light stone, but the added magic is different....
　I feel like they're getting more and more diverse.
　But what benefit is there in changing the monsters in the hunting ground?
　When I was thinking of such a question, Esther opened her mouth to answer it.

''I wonder if they're doing a lot of things as an experiment?　Or ... maybe ... it's just harassment.

Harassment?

'Yes, your uncle, the branch manager, said the blue cancers have great crab paste. So they turned off the blue cancerers relatively close to town so you couldn't eat them.

I don't see how they could use that stuff to harass us in such a f*cking haphazard way.　........though it would be very effective against the Knoll.

''Huh. Sisha was making a lot of noise earlier, so if she was harassing you, she's been very successful.

　Sisha was bummed out and Nol was depressed, so....
　Come to think of it, when I reported to Bence-san, he was disappointed to hear that Blue Cancer was gone, but I didn't think he was worried about Crabby.......
　When I think about it, even if he was harassing me, it seems to be working pretty well.......well, that's just ridiculous.
　Then, while chatting with Esther, I rub the soles of my feet, calves and gradually upwards.
　I don't have the courage to touch the thigh area, so after going up a certain amount, I go back down and repeat.

Are you ready to go?

'Hmm, what should I do? Well, since you're here, I might want you to do some more.

You're not very reserved today.

'It's good to have a go once in a while. I'm jealous of your brother's lack of interest in you these days.

　Estelle's cheeks are puffed out and she looks unhappy.
　It's not that I don't have to deal with her, since we're always together when we go out and she's been in my room quite often in the house, but....
　And what is it about that that makes me jealous?
　And for now, it looks like it's still not enough, so I was about to resume my massage for a bit more.......
　Just when I thought I heard the sound of footsteps thumping from the corridor, I heard a loud bang and the sound of a door opening.

'Hahaha, it's over here!'

I said, "Wait up!

　Freesia's laughter and dusky Sisha's screams.
　.........These guys came in?
　What the hell are they doing here--.

"Ta?

　I stopped the massage and was about to turn around when something slammed into my back as hard as it could.
　The momentum pushed me forward.

''Kyah!''

　He rammed into Estelle, who was sitting on the bed.
　He stopped without falling down until the end, thrusting both elbows into the bed so as not to crush her as quickly as possible while falling down.
　........but she was in a position to cover Estelle, who fell down with her.
　

''I'm sorry, are you okay?''

Yeah, yeah I'm fine.

　Estelle got up quickly, blushing, too.
　Then both of us became silent, and there was an uncomfortable atmosphere.
　Unable to bear that air, I decided to deal with the culprits who created this situation.

''You guys ... don't come running into people's rooms!

　When I turned my gaze to Freesia, who was frozen in place after seeing us, I jolted and shook my body.
　From this reaction, is this guy the one who bumped into me?

''I was just.......sorry!

You really are a troubled elf, aren't you? Oh, I'm chasing after him, too.

I don't know if I should be chasing you around. It was a great place to be and now...

　
　Estelle also muttered as if she thought the same thing, and Sisha reacted to that by putting one hand on her chin and looking at me and Estelle.
　And when her eyes met mine, she lifted the corner of her mouth with a grin.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this.

I see. I'm sorry to have intruded on your life.

No, I don't mean to intrude, but...

Come on, let's get going, rambunctious elf.

I'm not a rabble rouser!

　He braced himself for more teasing, but Sisha grabbed Freesia by the scruff of the neck, bowed, and left the room.

'What the hell was that...'

'You've been making a lot of noise since you summoned Freesia.

Shit, it's not bad to be merry, but it's not like you can just barge into people's rooms.

Yes but it's been a good experience for me.

　Estelle has a smile on her face as she holds one hand up to her cheeks, her cheeks red.
　She was just as upset as I was earlier, but it looks like she's already the same as usual.
　I wonder what the good feelings are........yeah, I don't know.

'Uh, do you want to continue the massage?'

''No, it's fine, I'm all better now. Shall we join in with the commotion of Sisha and the others?

''Well you're right. I'll do it again when I'm tired, don't be afraid to tell me.

Yeah. Thank you, brother.

Oh. Let's get going then.