-Vainticel's POV-
"Hn hn hmm~"
Humming a song I knew for a long time, I swung my legs back and forth while sitting on my chair. I just can't help it as the First Stage is done! To think that I could go ahead of my schedule while maintaining the child's situation is a big chance!
"...Nee-sama, it seems you are quite cheerful today." A voice chimed in and I turned to the left.
"Ara, if it's not my sworn sister A-chan. It's been a while!" I greeted with a smile and a wave of hand.
The person in question - a lady with flaxen hair, golden pupils and a pair of cute wolf ears sighed. Umu, as a Hunting Goddess, she's definitely on par with me. Maybe because the word 'Hunting' can mean 'Hunting men'. Although her fur coat dress is somewhat a turn-off and that big bow... How did she fit it into the conference hall?
After all, the Heavenly Fanged Bow is a grand long bow with the size of fifteen meters. As if someone can maintain their balance while carrying it around. Also..
"Sit down, sit down! How many years have it been since we sisters met each other?"
"Uhm... probably five centuries. And after the Dark Age, I went to Nee-sama's shrine yet you relocated it in the outer rim of the heaven."
Honestly, you should have told me, she reported. I apologized right away as I had an errand from our Fabulous Book Nerd Midgrad and I had something to attend that day.
"Heh he, A-chan is really cute as ever." I complimented. "How many men have been swooned by you?"
I poked her cheek yet she brushed it off with a tired sigh. Ara, she blushed! What a tsundere!!
"Please cut it out... Also, call me Atrial in this place, Nee-sama. I don't like to invite any misunderstanding."
Oh? What kind of misunderstanding? I tilted my head but I soon pounded a fist on my palm.
"Right right! I forgot that a guest was rumored to be your secret lover! And he called you 'Aria' like a certain gynophobic man who got his switch turned on!"
"That man is NOT my lover!!"
Uwah, she snapped! I'm sowwy but your reaction is so cute~! Also, grumbling 'As if that liar can be my lover! Not a chance even if Stasis woke up again!!' like that won't help a tsundere character like you, you know?
"Urgh... that is something I don't want to ever recall. Geez, raising a topic about an event from a million years ago.. Nee=sama is still not tactful at all!" Atrial yelled.
"Yes, yes. I know how you feel. Love is pretty difficult to conquer right?" I laughed.
My beloved sister seemed to want to say something more but the others seemed to be inconvenienced. Well, no worry! The conference this time isn't something crucial so most of the Major Gods aren't attending. Also, the lofty geezers seemed to be bored around there. Hmm.... But surprisingly, Martial God and Blade Dragon are attending.
I wonder why. Those fellows have no business other than powering up their tribes to make up their crushing defeat in the recent quarrel.
"Quiet down, everyone. The conference will begin shortly." A deep voice interrupted.
I looked at the center of the hall. With how it looked like a colosseum, everyone can't help but be drawn by the being who stood as the speaker. But I frowned a bit as there are two persons there.
A phantom... or should I say, an ethereal being wearing tattered cloak with a skull mask was standing next to my dear colleague Helios.
"The Dark God Blaze...?" Atrial tilted her head in confusion. "I thought he was watching Stasis' coffin. Why is he here?"
Uhm... even I want to know. It's quite unfortunate that I wasn't informed and as a God, he has some loose screws more than I do.
"Now then. With the current development happening in the mortal realm, I - Helios, intend to discuss with everyone who is present with no exception allowed."
...uwah. This is... bad. So even if this lasts for hours, not one soul is allowed to exit for a toilet break. The spartan-style Helios is always scary but being shamed in public is quite new for me so I welcome it!!
"Over there. You ridiculous temptress, close your legs or I'll seriously nail my axe on your damn loose lips." Helios-kun reprimanded me!
He's looking this way! Oh my, the handsome is so handsome!!
"...just be quiet already. Your thoughts are leaking and this involves you."
"Uuh...? That's not fun but fine... Oh, I made one heck of a pun."
Helios-kun sighed and the rest seemed to hang their heads. Hey you lots! Aren't you being rude to your elder!?
"In any case - I would like to discuss you with Blaze's finding..." Helios-kun glanced at the skull-mask and he nodded.
Stepping to the front, the Dark God is as eerie as always. But his mind is totally like a pandora box so he could be brilliant at times and he could be the greatest idiot at the wrong time. To be honest, he's a lovable idiot with no way to deduce his thoughts.
And that mysterious fella said, "A-hem. Well, everyone. You see..."
...other than his unreliable speech, I'd have showered him with love and sweet whispers. I almost sighed but the Dark God paused and...
"You see. It seems that the Chaos God woke up just now. And he had a brimming morning wood."
.........huh? Did someone just called for my service?
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Once I woke up, I saw white ceiling and gentle sunlight peeking through the window curtains. I was back in my room and my luggage was still sitting in the corner of the room.
I sighed with a sign of headache pestering me for a while. It felt like hangover. Or rather, I felt like something outrageous had happened.
Once I rubbed my head and my eyes, I realized I was wearing shirts and was on the bed.
"...someone carried me...?" I tilted my head but the moment I laid my eyes on the window, a realization dawned upon me.
Looks like that guy used it as a shortcut. How could I miss the distinct mark left behind by a shoe?
"...at least close the windows, geez..." I walked and overlooked the scenery from the window.
Haah. I failed huh. I guess the mood took the better of me. Or rather, I was just so happy to talk with Fei that I forgot about confessing. Though it did took a nosedive at the last part...
"...this is bad. I didn't think we'd skip the ladder." I looked at the Crest on my chest and sighed.
Even though we don't have anything against each other, the engagement part has already been settled. I feel overjoyed at the fact but as a former Japanese person, a set of rules and steps must be covered else it will end in failure. For me, I'd love to see Fei confessing to me first before telling me that but...
"...so embarrassing...!" I squatted down, holding my head as blood rushed to my head.
Impossible! I think I'm going to get a heart attack if he said the words! Despite being cynical, he's gallant at times and if the atmosphere was correct, I'd probably explode as a response!
Well, not exactly exploding but I'd definitely faint in bliss....
"Haa... Maybe stupidity really can't be cured by death." I knocked my head, stood up and observed the scene outside.
With the layout of the building, the view I could see was the spacious backyard and beyond it was a small forestry area made for aesthetic purpose. Morning mist occupied the forest and I couldn't see beyond the second fortified wall guarding the kingdom due to it.
Meanwhile, the sky was clear, vast and although cloudy, the golden-blue hue coming from the eastern horizon was terrific.
After a while, I glanced at a long case resting against the wall beside the window in my room. Knowing the content of it put a little pressure on me as I recalled my position.
I got astonishing reward from the heads of alliance. Two of them were nobility statuses which were 'Chevalier' and 'Seeker,' then another was an item...
Or you could say, a weapon. It's a legacy inheriting the spirit and memories of Iris Isperia Waltzen, the princess of the feline beastmen tribe.
"I haven't used you until now, eh?" I smiled wryly before looking back to the scenery. "Oh? There are people..."
Usually, at his kind of hour, nobody would want to go out but I noticed a pair of girls in the backyard. And I happened to know both of them!
I quickly retreated into the room and opened the wardrobe. Shuffling through the content, taking out a fresh set of uniform and underwear then changing.
"Huh, this shirts isn't mine though...?" I looked at the one I wore.
It's actually quite easy to tell since I injected mana to make it fit my size but even then, the shirts did not really change.
...oh well. An extra perhaps. Though it smells... familiar. So much that it reassured me and caused me to want to sniff it more.
...
Exiting the dormitory, I found two girls standing across each other.
But before I greeted them, one of the two suddenly pulled out a staff. Her blue hair sparkled with a faint glow of azure and she swung the staff.
"Freezing the land and skies, I call forth the lance to skewer my enemy!!"
The temperature suddenly dropped and static sound buzzed. Shards of white began to appear around the girl. They quickly formed into Spears made from ice and shot forward!
"Ha! Something like that won't stop me!!"
The target - another girl with maroon hair and a wide, childish smile pulled her arm before punching one of the lances squarely!!
The lance broke into fragments. I realized the girl was wearing full gauntlet that covered her arms and she delivered successful hits at the magic aiming for her.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Even though those lances seemed to come close to subsonic realm...
The two continued to showcase their skills. Although their distances barely shrunk, they were fighting as if anticipating their opponent's next move.
"Then how about this?" The female mage yelled, her staff glowing with strong blue light and I shuddered seeing that.
D-dangerous! An alarm went off inside my head but I was too late. The incantation using ancient language was finished and a white mist enveloped the surrounding before becoming numerous water needles!
This is too much it's already an overkill! There's no doubt that the spell has no blindspot and the enemy is deadlocked for sure!
But, on the contrary, an excited sigh was spewed out from the maroon haired girl. Holding her ground by stretching her legs, she lowered her hips and waist as her arms set up a stance.
Sharp... Her eyes are too sharp with a dangerous glint in them. Even more, she had no opening in her random stance.
Yet what I am surprised about is probably her smile. A savage smile resembling a barbarian's could be seen.
This is... is she laughing even when her life is in danger?
"How about I'll show ya... My special technique!!"
Special technique?
Chill ran down my spine as the girl emitted vibrant red aura. How is it possible? Unlike mana which is universally known with blue color, the aura a person has is always related with their character.
As far as I know about it, the fighter girl isn't someone who has any speck of red color. At least, before I departed but now...
Why does it feel as if her aura mixed together? Even though it was more or less light pink like cherry blossom before, now the color fused together with red.
And it's bright... the scarlet red aura reminded me of a certain boy's.
"Don't blame me if I went overboard, Alia...!![/]"
"...I knew it. So you Pledged,[i] Anise...!"
As the situation deteriorated, the Mage swung her staff down and the Warrior burst out her red aura like a star.
But! Flashing silvery white, I drew out a sword and launched a technique!
Fifth Step: Raging Scales!
Waves of slashes were executed, but each time I slashed, I infused a degree of aura into the blade of the sword and releasing it abruptly.
The air exploded right then due to the uncontrollable shockwave caused by the slashes. Even more, they traversed through the air in the form of slicing winds and dissected the water needles in instances.
Of course I restrained myself so as not to hurt the two girls but I made sure to slash the ground around them to stop them from doing funny things.
The ripped wind caused the whole backyard to become noisy. Sliced grasses were blown by the kamaitachi to the sky.
Then... once the chaos died down... two pairs of accusing gazes were directed to me. I sighed as I, the third party was the one who destroyed the flow of battle.
Lowering the white sword down, I eased my posture and put a hand on my waist.
"Honestly... sparring is fine but make sure to limit yourself. Anise, Alia." I commented.
The two girls who were ex-Adventurers stared at me with wide eyes. Silence lasted only for a few seconds until the pinkheaded girl ran to me and leaped like a launched missile!!
"Chaaaaaaaarrrrllll~~!!"
"Guah...!!?"
*crack* My body which arched due to the sudden impact and jumping hug made a terrible sound and my consciousness blinked away.
We crashed together and before I could recognize the horrible pain, my cheek was rubbed by Anise's.
"Nyeheheheee! It's been a long time! It's been a long time, Chwaaaarrrll!"
"Erm...!? An-Anise, that tickles! Hey, stop it!!"
"Nwwooooo! I don't wanna, sister-in-law!! Family is supposed to do skinship often!!"
Eeeeeeeehhh?!! What's this girl saying all of a sudden!? Since when did I become her family!? Or rather... sister-in-law?!
What's with that refreshingly attractive way to call me!?
I was troubled (no, I'm honestly in a bind and I don't really feel anything from being bear-hugged by Anise. She's flat, yes, but she has a certain style and charm and I felt nothing but slight comfort) by this sudden turn of event that I nearly forgot about the blue haired mage who's sighing with a hand on her forehead.
"Erm... Alia? Can you explain? What exactly happened here?"
"Nothing much. Just some small argument and..."
Ah. She sighed again. For some reasons, I felt a bit weird being stared intently by Alia as it held... different sensation.
I didn't understand why and was about to fall in deep thoughts had Alia not called my name.
"Charlotte."
"Uh... yes?"
"For now... Welcome back."
...I nodded down hearing the gentle emotion and relief in those words. With a wide smile, I replied.
"Un. It's nice to see you both again."
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And so, the three of us reacquainted ourselves by sharing stories. I didn't want to worry these two too much so omitted the difficult parts from my Quest.
"I see. You sure have it tough, Charlotte. Escorting important people while dealing with the animosity and prejudices..." Alia softened her expression as she told me her honest
"It's not so bad. In fact, I seemed to be welcomed due to my looks resembling someone they knew." I smiled wryly.
Although Alia raised her eyebrows in question, Anise hummed while skipping ahead. In the hallway connecting the female dormitory with the cafeteria, I could see students passing by and realized how peaceful their conversations were.
But...
"Oy, look... It's the Princess."
"Seriously? Is it THE Princess? The one who recklessly challenged a whole class and won singlehandedly...?"
"Can't believe it. She must be cheating..."
"And she even returned after completing an S-rank Quest... yeah. She must have curried up favors."
Ah. Anise's mood took a sudden turn. I quickly stopped her from rampaging but even Alia put an annoyed look.
It'll be troublesome if the treatment worsened, you know? Though I'm becoming more patient as nobles like these aren't rare even in the South Territory.
Besides... I'm already 30 years old (mentally). So seeing these teenagers bickering caused me to pity them. Also, as a responsible adult, it won't be cool of me to accept their provocations.
Although, I tried to question why the two felt enraged. I thought they would tell me to quiet down but they answered as honest as saints would.
"These weaklings have no right to badmouth Charl!" Anise half-shouted.
"I hate those who dishonored my friend when they reached this far thanks to hard works." Alia answered indifferently.
I see... these two are seriously good girls. I felt warm just by listening and it's also the first time I heard Alia using the word 'hate.'
Hasn't she become more expressive now?
"It's fine, you know? It's not like they meant harm." I said to calm the two down.
"Still..."
"...if Charlotte said so."
Hm... these two somewhat changed. I wonder if Lily is the same too...? I can't wait to see my little brother too...
"Eh? Anise... you called me as if I'm your sister for a while. Why?" I tilted my head.
"About that..." Outside of my expectations, Alia was the one who was answering but the moment we reached the cafeteria...
"Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!? Lily, why are you stealing the march?!!" Anise's yell resounded loudly.
It pulled everyone in the cafeteria to a halt and turned their attentions to...
A boy and a girl who are sitting next to each other. The boy was a red haired person who 'looked' like human but he's not.
Actually, this boy is my little brother. A sibling bound by oath. A brother-in-law who's also a half-demon.
In other words, a demi-human. And his name is Leonhardt A. Augmund. Leon... he's now eating breakfast and right beside him...
"U...Umm... Leon nii-sama," She raised her spoon filled with a soup. "Sa-say 'Aaah'!"
A petite girl with silver hair and red eyes said, her cheeks flushed red and her gesture was seriously cute as she tried to spoofed my little brother. It's so cute that it's dangerous.
This is bad... what the heck is this lovely creature? It must be an endangered species...
Eh, she's Lily! No wonder she's cute!!
"...honestly, will you stop it, already...?" The boy complained but still accepted the spoonfeed.
What is this!? An event CG!? A flag has been risen?!
I was slackjawed while Anise furiously stomped her way to the two and caused a ruckus. But from the sideline, Alia exhaled.
"...Just why is this happening?" She grumbled. "Even though he's a demon... and why does he sound so happy?"
Eh? Did you say something? Even your cheeks are flushed, Alia.
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A/N: Okay, everyone seems to be eager... or rather, wanting the romance to step up. Yeah, I know that I'm like... cockblocking you all but I haven't laid the stage yet. Besides, something damn good will happen in this volume and it will happen not even before facing a boss character. So yeah, it'll happen quite soon. (Repeating the same word for 3 times)
Also, when I imagined a 13 years old girl and a 18 years old boy having a confession scene in the hot spring is just... sorry, I think blood is stuck in my nose. Anyway, I decided to go the carefree route (for reorientation) before entering Fei's Route.
P.S: Anyone wondered why the Chaos God is in that state?