Sylphia, Rika and Eris boarded their carriage to Dellwick.

Stretching her arms over and behind her head, Sylphia let out a gleeful moan. The wind blew in from the open window beside her, caressing her face with its cool touch. "Finally, some fresh air!"

Best of all, I don't have to do any more paperwork for a while!

She glanced down at her clothes. A rose pink dress flowed down from her neck down to her shins. It hugged her petite form right down to her hips where it slowly spread to allow a certain freedom of movement. A leather belt wrapped around her abdomen, tilting slightly to the side where it held her living weapon, Sebastian, within a small pouch.

Mm! Simple, but cute!

She smirked.

But of course, it's like that for a reason... I'm expecting a new dress from Cecil - the first of many I have planned! Uhehehe... I can't wait to see it!

She then glanced to the girls beside her.

First, to Rika. Her new, blue-and-white dress shirt with gold buttons identified her as a member of the Royal Knights. She would wear her armor over it - a large breastplate held over from her service as Ealdton's town guard - but as they were travelling, it was, as with most of her gear, stowed with the luggage. Her skirt, too, was a holdover from her last job - apparently the Royal Knights didn't take many female members and so did not stock up on those uniforms. It was short, frilled, and took a vivid red hue that approached the color of her hair. The only gear she actually wore on her person was her greaves and plated gloves, while her sword rested in its scabbard, and itself, on her lap.

Her new uniform is pretty cute! Up till recently, she'd just been wearing the same shirt that she used as a guard, but now, she really looks quite different! Hm. Hm. Whoever designed this certainly has style! I wonder if she'll get some new armor though? Then again... I have access to Mythril now, so maybe...

Rika soon noticed her gaze and grinned. "How do I look?"

"Cute!" she said, giving her two thumbs up.

"Yay!"

They then did a high-five.

Next, Sylphia turned her attention towards Eris. She wore the same clothes each day, as though they were her uniform - a frilled blouse, topped by a dark blazer that, taken together, followed closely the contours of her torso. Accentuating this was her tight skirt. It reached no further down than her thigh and gave off a slight polished sheen.

Well it's certainly very, uh... secretarial? She even has those glasses she loves to fiddle around with- eh?

Amidst her inspection, she noticed the massive box Eris carried on her lap. It was far larger than the one she used to carry documents to her office.

"E-Eris-" Sylphia nervously pointed to the case. "-why'd you bring such a large case?"

"This?" The secretary gave it a dull tap, and its sound suggested that it was hollow, but full. "Oh yes. Since the trip will take a very long time, I believe it would be a very good opportunity to catch up on your paperwork."

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. "W-w-wait... I can't possibly write in this shaky-"

"Oh, do not worry about that, my Lady." The young woman adjusted her glasses, her lips curling subtly into a wry smirk, "This is no mere briefcase. It is a special device that allows one to write even on the roughest of travels."

"...what?"

"There won't be any complaints-" Eris' eyes sharpened. "-will there, my Lady?"

Alas, the last glimmer of hope was snuffed from her eyes. "N-no..."

Sylphia slaved away as letters, reports and other official papers passed in before her, one after the other. Most of them were ones she had received days ago, but had not come around to reading, much less signing.

Augh. My hand... it hurts!

The fancy contraption of a box Eris lent her was every bit as effective as she had feared. It compensated every rattle, every dip and jolt the carriage made, making a fully stable platform upon which she could read and write. Indeed, she would have been quite impressed with it, had it not, at the moment, proved to be the bane of her existence. According to Eris, she bought some time ago, and that it had stabilizers built onto it, to allow exactly for reading and writing on the road.

Who the hell made something like this, anyway? A table with stabilizers!? We don't even have that in my timeline! We're in the middle ages, you dumbass, get a clue!

She rubbed her chin.

But someone like that... an inventor, perhaps? Maybe I could use one of those...

The group had their lunch in the carriage, in the form of packed sandwiches, prepared by Eris, to the pair's delight.

And wow, it's pretty good! To think she even got lunch for us...? This was really planned from start to finish, huh...? Should I give her a raise or something?

Rika munched happily into hers, holding it close to her mouth with both hands, careful not to let a single crumb fall to waste.

"Mmmm!" Once the young knight had finished her portion, she was quick to give thanks the meal. "That was delicious! I didn't know Miss Eris could cook!"

Busy with eating herself, though at a more subdued pace, Eris waited to swallow her food before responding, "Ah, no. I did not make these. I bought them along the way when I hired this carriage."

"Oh! I see." Her eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly returned to her usual smile. "Still, thanks for the meal anyway!"

"Mm. Please do not think much of it. After all, I used the administrative funds for Dellwick to buy them. In other words-" She turned to her employer. "-your money, my Lady."

Eh? She means the tax money? Sylphia winced. "Eh? Why? You could have just asked me for some money."

"Why? Because this trip is part of my Lady's duties in administering Dellwick, correct?"

"Ah."

"We are not there on a vacation, or to go sightsee."

Nghf!

Sylphia nearly choked on her food.

W-what'll she say if she finds out the other stuff I'd planned to do...?

"A-ahem," she cleared her throat, "W-well, that's fine. Mm. It's err... expenses. Mm. Makes sense..."

For a moment, Eris stared at her, as though she had roused her suspicion, before relenting. "As you say, my Lady."

"M-mm." Without delay, she averted her eyes and stared out the window.

Soon, lunch break was over, and so was Sylphia's short reprieve. Once her desk was cleared of food and drink, she was forced once more to her duties.

Eris looked out the window. The scenery had shifted away from the populated countryside of the capital province to a more forested region, featuring shallow dips and inclines typical of the northern highlands.

"We should be in the territory of Duke Hemmingsworth now," she said, "Dellwick is just a single province away."

"Oh, so this is Brandonbury!" Rika replied.

Sylphia listened in, but kept herself busy with signing the documents.

"It shouldn't be more than half a day's journey away, but since we are running out of sunlight, we might have to spend the night in a nearby inn." She took another piece of paper and slid it on top of the box. "That's why I ask that my Lady pick up the pace with these documents. There are still two piles left after this."

"Urrrrgh...!" grumbled the little girl, "Give me a break, this is all I've been doing all day for the past two weeks!"

"Please remember that I originally advised against implementing so many sweeping changes in such a short period of time." She then swapped the document that her Lady had just finished with another. "These documents are merely a reflection of my Lady's wishes."

Sylphia whimpered.

All the while, Rika looked fondly at them from the other side of the carriage, her arm leaning on the windowsill as it propped her head up. "Miss Eris is incredible, isn't she?"

"Huh?" Her comment attracted both their attentions.

"Ehehe, I haven't seen anyone who can order Sylphie around before!"

Sylphia puffed a cheek out and said, "Shut up."

"Please don't make it as if I am tormenting my Lady," Eris said, as she adjusted her glasses, "I am simply carrying out my duties as Secretary. And part of it is encouraging my Lady to carry out hers."

"Eh? Ah, no!" Rika sat up and shook her head. "Th-that's not what I meant! A-actually... I uh, sort of... admire...? How dependable Miss Eris is! Mm!"

In her surprise, the normally stoic secretary was forced to avert her gaze. "M-mm. Thank you... for your kind words."

Oh?

Sylphia ogled at her whilst sporting a smug grin on her face.

That was pretty cute, just now. So Miss Poker Face has a weakness to compliments, huh? Good job, Rika.

Eris caught her in the act, however, attracting her deathly glare at that very moment.

Eek!

"What is so amusing, my Lady? If you have the time to amuse yourself, then you have the time finish these documents. Here." She then placed another piece of paper atop the desk.

"Aaah! Wait! I'm not done signing the last one!"

With the sun nestling below the distant mountain ranges, the carriage made a stop at Eddingset. It was the last village on their way to Dellwick, located even in the same province - Northmarch. It would have just been a short ride to their destination, but the roads were dangerous at night, especially with the upswing of banditry in the area.

The girls stayed in a two-bed room, while affording their carriage driver one for himself.

Despite her worst fears, Eris did not force Sylphia to work through the night, insisting, instead, "It would not be healthy to work for such long hours. To perform well on one's duties, it is also important to have enough rest. So please, relax, my Lady. It can wait for tomorrow."

She let out a sigh of relief. As if a heavy burden were lifted from her shoulders, her body felt light and so did her mind.

So she could be nice too, sometimes...

Thus, the girls spent their night relaxing, chatting. Though Sylphia and Rika did most of the talking, Eris appeared to listen intently, no matter how mundane their conversation. Here and there, she would offer her own insight, both to her employer and her co-worker, much to their delight.

Rika bounced on the bed she shared with Sylphia. "Ahh... I wonder how my folks are doing...?"

"Oh, you haven't seen them since you moved to the castle, huh?"

"Mm."

"Haven't really heard anything about Ealdton, so they're probably fine, right?"

"Ehehe, yeah, I'm sure they're fine." As she said this, a tiny breath escaped her lips. "But I sort of want to visit them..."

"Feeling homesick?"

"Well... I guess? Ehehe. You know, I really want to tell them about our recent adventure!"

"Oh, I suppose you would..." She scratched the back of her head.

If my folks back home heard the shit I've been up to though... they'd probably have a stroke.

It was then that a surge of nostalgia washed over her as her mind drifted further and further back to the world she lost.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

How long have I been out here, I wonder?

The memories of her old life seemed farther and farther. Even the faces of the people she loved were clouded over by the shroud of time. Only those fondest of moments remained vivid.

That's strange... the more I act like 'Sylphia', the more it feels... natural. Come to think of it, I haven't even been cursing as much as I used to, either...

She rested her back against the wall beside their bed, turning her head upwards in thought.

Staying in-character is important, but... I wonder if I'm starting to forget which one is the character and which is the actor...

Then, from out of the blue, Eris' voice popped her back into present. "My Lady," she said.

"Uheh!?" She jumped out of her trance with a violent twitch. "A-ah, yeah?"

The young woman then took off her glasses, unmasking her dreary grey eyes beneath. She rubbed the ridge between then, saying, "Please excuse me. I need to wake early tomorrow to prepare for our departure."

"Ah, oh, is it that late already?" She looked around for a clock, but there was none.

"Yes. I suggest that my Lady and Miss Evrika soon take their rest too. It would not do for growing young women to stay up too late."

"Mm-hm... Good night, Eris," she said with a crooked smile.

With a subdued yawn, a tired Rika wiggled her arms over Sylphia's shoulders, and rested her chin on the top of her head.

"Ngh, Rika, you're heavy...!" She struggled to push the much larger girl off. But the more she resisted, the more those arms closed in on her. And soon, they had formed a tight embrace around her entire body.

"Ehehe..." mumbled the groggy redhead, "sleeping with Sylphie tonight…!"

The little girl turned red in a split second.

"S-s-shut up, you idiot!" she bashfully said, driving her elbow into the girl's weak flank.

The blow caused Rika to recoil, breaking her grip to rub the sore spot. "Agyuu!"

"Don't say it like that! They only had one- and two-bed rooms in this place so we had no choice, right!?"

"Ow... that hurts, you know?"

"Hmph! You only get what you deserve!"

The girl puffed her cheeks out. "Gnnn... that's it, I'm going to punish you for all the times you did that to me!"

"Huuuuh!? Oh yeah, what are you gonna do about it?"

"Hmm..." Rika then crossed her arms and pondered over a low hum.

It took a pretty long while.

"Hey... shouldn't you have thought about that firs-"

No sooner had she retorted than did Rika reach an answer. And, without saying a word, she then coiled her arms around Sylphia's torso, before pulling her down onto the mattress.

"E-eeeeh!?" Taken completely by surprise, the panicked young girl froze.

"Ehehe..." Rika said with a wicked smile, "you're going to be my pillow tonight!"

"Eeeeeeeh!?"

The next thing Sylphia knew, they laid cheek-to-cheek with each other,  and she could not even wiggle her body away from her well-honed grip.

"Ehehe… It's no use. This is what you get from being mean. So, good night, Sylphie." Thus, she closed her eyes, and showed no intention of entertaining any protest.

"R-Rika...? Rika!?"

Sylphia's kept racing as she laid in her friend's arms.

Hnnnnngggh!! Too close...! Hey, is this girl serious!?

Soon enough, even that question was answered - with the onset of Rika's light snore.

She was serious!? Urgh... Just how the hell am I supposed to sleep like this?

After a while, she had gotten used in her position as a body pillow, and even felt rather comfortable. If there was one thing she wished to change, it would have been the fact that her arm was lodged underneath Rika's head.

Agh, I think my arm fell asleep first... I don't think I'll be using it tomorrow.

She sighed in resignation.

Muffled voices drew Sylphia back into consciousness. Her eyes opened half-way, still groggy and heavy. It seemed she was able to sleep after some time after all, as, when she had woken up, Rika had already tumbled away, freeing her from her iron grip.

Ueh...? Is it morning? What time is it...?

Creak.

E-eh...!? What was that...?

With one eye closed, she scanned around the room, trying to make out any silhouette from the pitch-black room.

Th-th-that sounded like it came from inside.

Her chest thumped with a rising rhythm.

W-wait... there couldn't be ghosts in this world... right? Right!? But wait... monsters certainly exist, so why not ghosts!? Kyaaaaa...!

Panicked, she shut her eyes and cowered beneath the thin bedsheet, unconsciously pulling most of it off her bedmate in the process.

Oh geez, I wouldn't have been bothered if it was back in the old world, but this place... isn't it more likely that ghosts exist in this world than not!?

While she stirred herself into self-induced paranoia, a low, sustained creak emanated from the door.

Eek!

She retreated to safety, the only way she knew how - by scooting more and more into Rika. The poor girl, sleeping soundly, was pushed right against the wall.

By the time she had calmed down and mustered enough courage to open her eyes, she saw the silhouette of a tall woman against the dim ambient light from outside. The woman slowly closed the door behind her, careful not to make any loud noise.

Huh? Was that Eris...?

Sylphia heaved a deep sigh.

Oh, for God's sake, don't scare me like that...

But just as the wave of relief had started coursing through her body, a new problem presented itself.

Urk... I need to go to the bathroom...

With a displeased groan, she pulled herself up, throwing the sheet over a still sleeping Rika.

I bet Eris was heading to the bathroom. That's convenient since I don't know the way.

Careful not to wake her friend, the little girl got up and crept across the wooden floorboards, on her way to the door.

Oops.

She narrowly evaded hitting Rika's greaves, left standing by the doorway.

That was close.

But the sight of it reminded her of her own equipment, specifically, her Living Weapon. She lifted the leather belt she left on top of the dresser.

J-just in case... though I don't know if I can kill ghosts with this. If nothing else, I can just throw him at them and escape while they eat him.

She nodded nervously to herself.

Or something like that.

Just like that, she slipped Sebastian out of his pouch and went out the door, following Eris.

"Little girl, what's going on?" he asked, "It's the middle of the night."

"Shhh...!" she whispered, "Not too loud."

"What, going to the bathroom?"

She cringed. "S-shut up, just come with me."

He sighed. "You can go by yourself, can't you?"

"O-of course I can!? B-but just in case something happens... you know?"

"On your way to the bathroom? I can't help you even in you fall down, you know."

"Geez, you complain too much!"

"I just want to sleep!"

"Sleep!? I thought you didn't need any sleep!"

"Well, I don't... but being inside that snug pouch, finally being able to experience 'night'... it's pretty relaxing. I guess that's something like sleep, right?"

"Huh..." She cocked her head. "Anyway, just come with me for a second. I can't find Eris anymore 'cause you talked too much."

"Tsk."

Sebastian did not see nor hear like she did. While 'face' adorning the cloth leaves comprising his 'body', did perform as eyes, nose and mouth, they did so magically and thus were not bound to conventional limitations. That was something she learned the moment they left the cave.

"You can see well in the dark, right?" she said, "Tell me where Eris is."

"Fine, fine. Hold on." A vivid grey haze of magic soon seeped out of him and spread like a mist across the hall. "Ah... Eh?"

Her eyes flickered. "What? Did you find her?"

"She's downstairs."

"Eh? There aren't any bathrooms up here? Tsk. What a pain."

"Eh? No, no. There ought to be a bathroom just down this hall behind you."

"What?" Her hairs stood on end. "Then..."

"Ah. She just left the inn."

"What!? Are you serious?"

"For sure. Did she tell you she was going anywhere?"

"No. I thought she was just going to the bathroom!"

"Hmm... so, what do you want to do?"

This doesn't sit right with me...

"Little girl?"

"Let's follow her. I'm counting on you."

"Right."

Guided by Sebastian, she made her way down the flight of stairs leading to the main lobby.

Uwah... pre-industry is so creepy... I miss electric lights... I miss the never ending racket made by cars every night... I miss the low hum of my appliances...

As she came closer to the exit, distant voices filtered in. Men, probably drunk, chatted and cackled amongst one another from outside.

Geez, pests like these exist no matter what time and age, huh?

But as she reached the exit, itself, she heard, mixed in with those grunting noises, a vaguely familiar voice.

Eh?

"Little girl, she stopped." Sebastian said. "There are about seven guys in front of her."

Shit!

She scurried into a dark corner of the lobby and pressed her ear against the wall.

What's happening here!?

"...get is off-limits." Though muffled, she could at least make out a woman's voice from where she hid.

"Hey," she whispered, "is that..."

"It's Eris," said Sebastian.

She clenched her teeth.

A rough male voice then said, "What, you'll just tell us to pass up a prize like this!? It's practically hanging right in front of us!"

"You will do as you are told." Eris replied, her tone, colder, and far pricklier than usual. "Find some other sorry bastard to nab. They have different plans for her."

"Heh! You're cheeky aren't ya? How's about I nab you instead, eh?"

She sighed. "Spare your bravado for someone who will actually be impressed."

"Peh! You're no fun, anyway. Let's go, boys!" he growled. Muffled footsteps ground against dirt, along with dissatisfied mutterings peppered with curses here and there.

Sylphia mumbled. "D-did she just... make them go away?"

"I don't know, little girl," Sebastian replied, "but she's coming back."

Eek!

Sylphia took off her shoes and ran up the stairs barefoot to muffle her footfalls. Slipping back into their room, she dove back into her bed and tried to calm herself down.

Oh, God... oh, God... What was that all about!?

But despite her best efforts, her heart still raced as though she was running a marathon.

From their conversation, it sounded like those guys were out to kidnap someone...!

She agonized in her head as to who their potential target would have been, but kept coming to the same conclusion.

Me...!?

During her she was panic, Eris finally returned to their room just as slowly, and quietly, as she left.

Eeeeeeeek!

Terrified, the little girl forced her eyes shut.

Eris...! Eris...! What's going on!?

Soon, the soft rustle of cloth from across the room signalled Eris' return to her bed. Peeking just a single eye out, she saw her secretary laying away on her bed and falling back to sleep.

She took a deep breath.

Geez, what's going on...? Who's 'they'? And more importantly, who's 'her'? Me? Rika? Someone else entirely? I don't get it...! I don't get it!

I'm scared...

...I'm scared!

She whimpered.

...and I even forgot to pee.

Anxiety kept her awake through the night until fatigue and exhaustion naturally rendered her unconscious.