“Problems are on the horizon.”, Marianne said with a low voice.

If one didn't know about the brunette's antics, one might think that she was probably exaggerating. But both Rina and Clara, especially Clara, knew that this was not the case.

When Clara had agreed to Marianne becoming a maid at the mansion, she had wanted Marianne to either stay as far away from her and Rina as possible or to train to become a guard. But in the end, Marianne wanted to help Rina serve her, so she ordered the brunette to train in combat.

That way, in the event of future danger, Clara could use Marianne as a meat shield for her red-haired maid. Unfortunately, that plan went down the drain, as it turned out that Marianne was bad at physical activities. Magic was also out of the question, as she didn't have any elemental affinities either.

To make matters worse (?) Marianne seemed to excel in brain activities. Tests showed that she was even smarter than her and Rina. So, to make the most efficient use of human resources, Clara reluctantly assigned Marianne to study economics and politics.

That was why, Marianne had a deep understanding of reading between the lines in political and economic affairs, even more than Clara. Besides, whether Clara liked it or not, she had spent a lot of time with the brunette. So even if Marianne could be annoying when it came to the red-haired girl, Clara understood Marianne well enough to see when the brunette was serious or not.

Unfortunately, Marianne was serious this time. However, before Clara could get into any deeper thoughts about why they, especially Rina, had been called, Marianne clapped her hands to draw the attention of everyone present.

“Well... let's not waste any more time and go to Lord Eric's office. He and Lady Fran will tell you what they want.”

Clara and Rina nodded at the suggestion and made their way to Eric's office.

It did not take long for the three of them, four if one included Claudrick in Rina's arms, to reach their destination.

After knocking and going inside, they saw that Eric, Lauren, and Fran were already inside.

Rina went over to Lauren intending to hand the toddler over. But as she was about to do so, Claudrick grabbed at Rina's maid uniform as if his life depended on it. “No! I want Wina!”

“Oh, my~~, I'm sorry Rina, can you hold him a little longer?”

“With pleasure, Madam Lauren.”

While Lauren could be seen being somewhat amused by the situation, Eric's expression was a little dry as he didn't know how to deal with the fact that both of his children were attached to the same girl. So, as if he didn't know how to cope with the situation, he joked about it. “Hmm... Rina, my son seems to really like you...”

“Yes!?”

“Father?”

While Rina tilted her head in confusion at Eric's words, Clara had a bad feeling about it and became wary.

“How about you marry my son when he turns twelve?”

“...Ahahaha...” Rina could only laugh wryly and awkwardly at the bad joke she had heard.

However, there was one person in the room who didn't find the joke funny at all. “Father!” Although it was the same word as before that Clara had shouted, the nuance was clearly different, as she glared at her father as if he had killed her parents (?).

“Ahem, of course, I was just joking,” Eric cleared his throat after receiving his beloved daughter's glare.

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“By the way... where is your aide?” Fortunately, Clara already didn't care about it anymore and instead wondered about the absence of the person she hated the most at the moment.

“... Clara...” The blond man answered his daughter's question while massaging the bridge of his nose as if to counteract his headache. “You better ask your maid that question... She had beaten him so badly during their mock battle earlier, that he had lost consciousness... He is in the infirmary now, recovering.”

“I-I see...” Clara struggled to keep a straight face, as she was on the verge of jumping for joy that Arland had gotten his just deserts.

Rina, on the other hand, simply averted her eyes from the subject and concentrated on pacifying the infant in her arms. A few moments later, she successfully handed him over to Lauren.

“... Lord Eric, I wish you wouldn't joke around at a time like this.” Unexpectedly, there was another person in the room, who wasn't amused by the head of the Dragonherz household joking around. It was the former High Priestess Fran. “It's really urgent, so I hope, I can finally start explaining why we called you here... especially you, Rina.”

“Me?” The girl in question blinked a few times, as she didn't understand why Fran needed her. But after thinking for a while, she finally understood the elf. “Do you need my Dark magic?”, Rina then asked. She didn't even hide the fact about her Dark magic anymore, as she had already told everyone in this room about her Gravity magic, including Marianne.

Fran nodded at the red-haired girl's assumption. “That's right.” The elf then turned to Eric. “Lord Eric, I need to borrow Rina for a few weeks. As I explained to you earlier, there is a theory about the Demon-Spawning-Clouds that I would like to test. For that, I need her Dark magic.”

“Now wait a moment!” Instead of Eric answering the former High Priestess, it was Clara who forced herself into the conversation. Obviously, she was not amused by what she just heard. In fact, she was so irritated that she addressed Fran without the 'Lady' as if they were in an informal gathering consisting of only her and Rina. “Fran!? What are you talking about!? Of course, it's rejected! Don't use my maid as if she were a tool!”

“Then look in a mirror first, you don't even know if she wants to help or not.”

“You didn't either! You just said you needed her power and then turned to Father to ask him to let her accompany you for a few weeks!”

Fran sighed loudly with her eyes closed at Clara's words. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes again and looked at the redhead. “Rina, will you come with me and help me test my theory? It's important so we can prepare for the demon invasion.”

Again, instead of the person Fran had been talking to, it was Clara who spoke up again. “Fran! Stop phrasing it like that! It's essentially the same as forcing her to do your bidding! Seriously, you're starting to annoy-” Before Clara could finish her sentence, she felt someone tap on her shoulder and, thus, stopped to turn around, only to see that it was her maid who had interrupted her. “Rina?”

“Clara... she only asked for my help because of my Dark magic. Why are you so upset?”

“'Why' you ask? You don't even know what she wants to do! What if it's something dangerous?”

“But maybe it's not dangerous at all.”

“That's-”

Before Clara could argue against her words, Rina continued. “And even if it's something dangerous... if it helps us against the demons, wouldn't it be my duty as someone with special magical powers to help?”

“...”

“Clara... you said it yourself, Lady Fran is someone you consider trustworthy, right? And she's someone you have public relations with, right?”

Clara nodded, though reluctantly and hesitantly, as she had the feeling that she wouldn't like where her maid was going with that formulation.

“Then shouldn't it also be my duty to help her as your personal aide?”

“...”

“On a side note, I also think that she's trustworthy... after all, she's taught us so much about magic... don't you think we should at least hear her out before you dismiss her like that?”

“...”

Seeing no reaction from her mistress, Rina took the silence as an affirmation and turned to the High Elf. “Lady Fran... First of all, welcome back!” Rina bowed curtly. “How are you? I was worried when you left like that a year ago. Is everything all right?”

“...”

“Lady Fran?” Rina repeated her magic instructor's name, having received no response the first time.

“Eh? Ah! Rina... sorry, I was deep in thought... Yes, I'm fine and healthy... Sorry for worrying you.”

“No problem. You're healthy, that's what's important.”

When Fran saw the twelve-year-old girl smiling like a flower, she couldn't help but feel a little bad. After all, she was impressed just now by how well her plan to manipulate Rina into sacrificing herself for the world had worked.

Fran had already known beforehand, that the overprotective mistress would protest when she returned, hoping to get Rina to follow her for a few weeks. But she had never imagined that Rina herself would silence Clara like this, just because the safety of the world and the demons were mentioned. Her plan with Rina was working so well, it was almost frightening.

However, although she felt a little guilty, she was also a little happy, that this sweet girl had shown concern for her. So a natural smile appeared on Fran's face. “Mhm... Thank you, Rina.”

Unaware of the elf's thoughts Rina went on. “So, Lady Fran? For what do you need my help? I suppose for the same reason why you disappeared a year ago?”

Fran nodded. ”That's right, a letter from one of my acquaintances had arrived back then. I couldn't just have told you about it because of the gravity of its contents and because I had to see the situation with my own eyes first. That was why I set out to travel throughout the kingdom... Now I can confirm it to you...”

Fran left her relaxed sitting position and straightened her back. The glint in her eyes lost all of its usual playfulness, causing almost everyone in the room, except for Claudrick, to tense up and wait for the former High Priestess to continue.

“The demons are getting active.”