-- how did this happen?

　Wraith thinks about this as she wipes the ketchup that sticks to her cheeks like blood paste. Suddenly, she looked next to Sylvia, who was fuming and adorably flustered, and Raffy, who was smiling with the edges of her mouth pulled back.

　The destination they were staring at was the same place, where Lurimes, Wraith's master, was standing there. .........no, let's correct that. To be precise, he's floating.

　Fluffy, in the air.

　He is holding a bottle of alcohol in one hand, and his cheeks are stained with vermilion. His eyes are sluggish, and it's really doubtful that he has any reason left.

　Looking at the scene, Wraith thought strongly once more.

　--Why!　This is what happened!

　The exclamation inside reached no one, and Wraith held his head alone.



　******



　It all started after they returned to the royal capital. The Wraiths were shopping in the dusk in order to realize the dinner table that had been decided upon by Lurimes' suggestion.

　By the way, it has been decided that dinner will be eaten at the Wraith's house.

　The gathering of ingredients for dinner was going well. However, a problem arose when there was only one thing left to do: procuring drinks.

''Hey, Rei-kun, it's fine!
No.

　Wraith utters a stern look of denial to Lurimes, who is begging like a child with a bottle of liquor.

　The problem is this: lurimes has discovered the alcohol. And then she won't leave the place, and that's why Wraith is in trouble.

'Hey Wraith, can't we just have a little?'
But you see....

　Lurimes looks brighter to see as a helper is sent out by a smiling Raffy, who laughs. Seeing the stammering Wraith as an opportunity, Lurimes cut his trump card.

''Making a bag of magic tools.''
Ugh....

　Wraith is poked in the sore spot and makes a strange sound involuntarily. Yes, Wraith has Lurimes help him make a bag. At that time, he has promised to give her a drink.

　Wraith was driven into a corner at once, and his expression became bitter. After that, he groaned for a while and then dropped his shoulders with a gulp.

''All right ... but it's only for a little while.
Way to go, Mr. Ray!
I don't know what to say...

　Wraith puts his fingers to his temples and shakes his head in relief. It's not the first time Rulimes has been a drinker, but he really doesn't want to let her drink in the presence of Raffy and Sylvia, either. Besides, Wraith's senses, sensitively honed and sharpened, caught the bad feeling in his chest.

'I apologize in advance, sorry.'
?

　Seeing Wraith apologizing for some reason, Sylvia tilted her head in the air.

　Seeing Lurimes buying the alcohol with a happy look on her face, what comes back to Wraith is the memory of the time when Lurimes was drinking.

''Hmm, as I recall, the last time Master drank, I had to continue cleaning for a week...''
Isn't that a bad idea?
Yeah, that's a bad idea.

　Wraith and Sylvia argue with each other with a straight face. In fact, it's obvious that Wraith will have a hard time if the tragedy happens again. That's not the future you want.

Therefore, let's try to prevent it from happening as much as possible.
Yes.

　We both clench our fists and make a whispered vow.
　Raffy's expression is indescribable at the flag-like scene.

　The shopping ends with the purchase of Lurimes' liquor, and the four of them go to Wraith's house. They decide to cook and eat upstairs in a living space rather than in the workshop, just in case. As far as thinking about the worst case scenario, Wraith's trustworthiness towards Lurimes can be seen.

　--although in a way, she might be trusted in the sense of doing something.

　Wraith looks at Lurimes, who lovingly holds the liquor bottle to his chest, and sighs. But there's no point in worrying about it all. Hoping that nothing will happen, I start to act.

''I'll make the food, so you three can pass the time appropriately.

　I'm worried about leaving Rulimes alone, so I leave Raffy and Sylvia behind in place of a watchman. Raffy was giving off an air of wanting to help, but we'll just have to ask her to be patient there.

''Let's go downstairs and collect them first for now?

　By recover, I mean the plants that Wraith grows. Although most of them are alchemy materials, some of them are edible.

　Wraith visited the material storage room in "Winter" with a basket in hand and was deftly collecting the plants. Suddenly, a fruit at the edge of his eyes catches his attention.

''Linne fruit.......come to think of it, it's already grown?''

　Linne fruit is a fruit that is not an alchemical ingredient. It has numerous small, spherical grains from the ends of the branches, which eventually take on a spiral shape.

　This Linnaean fruit was not just a fruit, it had one major feature. That's why Wraith had been growing them out of curiosity.

'Just right?'

　Wraith nods one nod and collects some of the Linne Fruit as well. I finish collecting all the things I want and take a breath.

The only thing left to do now is to cook...

　Wraith lifted the basket and was about to head into the kitchen--

What are you doing, Mr. Rulimes?

　Such a voice came out of nowhere.
　Half of me wondered if it wasn't early, and half of me wondered if I was right.

　I don't know what happened, but I am sure something happened. As much as I would like to pretend that I didn't hear it, I can't. However, this is not the way to solve the problem.

　The world is a cruel place.

　Wraith sighed and reluctantly headed to the place where the voice had come from. Her legs feel strangely heavy, and it must not be her imagination.

　Wraith was in a depressed mood, but the sight he saw was.

'Oh, Ray-hum!'

　The figure of Lurimes floats in the air with a bottle of liquor. Its cheeks were flushed, and it hadn't even turned on its rounds. No matter how you look at it, it wasn't in a normal state.

　Wraith ignored his master who was chuckling at him and looked at the two people, Raffy and Sylvia, who were standing there in a daze.

''In case you don't mind me asking what happened?''
'Well, for some reason, Rulimes-san suddenly started using magic...'
Suddenly, you know.

　Wraith turns his attention to the liquor bottle that Lurimes is holding. There is a large amount of liquid left in the liquor bottle, and there is no sign of having been drunk at all.

　However, Wraith guesses from the years of association with him.

　--This guy, you drank it without being exposed as a transfer magic user!

　Moreover, he used water magic to fill the liquor bottles thoroughly. So neither Raffy nor Sylvia could notice.

''Hey Master, I won't blame you for drinking a lot of alcohol at this time anymore, so sit down in your chair now.''
I don't want to drink any muck.
No, this guy has no sense left in him.

　Wraith gave a hollow smile and gave up on persuasion too soon.

'What are you going to do, Wraith?'

　Raffy's gaze, filled with anticipation, went to Wraith. In response, Wraith looked at Raffy with a much calmer look.

''........What do I do?''

　Quietly, I confess to being in limbo. At that moment, the wind blew through the room. Needless to say, it was the work of a drunken Rulimes.

''Hey wait a minute, how can you activate magic when you're drunk like this...!

　Originally, the activation of magic should require concentration, but there is no sign of any such thing left in Lurimes. She is activating her magic with only the sensations that are completely ingrained in her body.

''It's a bit forceful, but let's offset the magic and I'll stop it, Wraith-san!
Sorry, please!

　Immediately after that exchange, Sylvia activated her wind magic. Then, after a gust of wind rushed through the room, the wind stopped.

''The wind has stopped.... but...''

　Sylvia's voice sounded a little apologetic. The room is in a state of disarray, as the furniture has fallen over and the condiments and other items that Wraith was holding are scattered in pieces.

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

　Wraith quietly regretted his own carelessness and glared at Lurimes, who was still laughing merrily in the air.