Report
Chapter 198: The Nighttime Battle
"Alto-kyun, do you have a minute?"
It was nighttime.
After returning safely from Kishkud, I had taken a bath, finished dinner, and was about to wind down when the useless maid sidled up to me.
Well, day or night, my response never changes.
"No. I’m busy right now."
"That’s so mean! So cold! Mia-oneechan here knows for a fact that you don’t have study time after dinner today, Alto-kyun!"
Why are you keeping track of my schedule? And quit that smug smile.
"So, you see? I’d like you to let your Mia-oneechan have some of your time before bed."
"Noo!"
Phe hugged me tightly.
"Niita is going to play with Phe! Today, Phe will get Niita to play with blocks! No time for Mia!"
"Oh, can’t you share him for a little while? I want to… hehe, cuddle and pet Alto-kyun like Phe does."
This girl! She just confessed to coming here not because she needs anything from me, but just to cuddle me as she pleases! And now she’s smiling in that weird, creepy way, just from imagining it!
"Don’t misunderstand, please. This is for Alto-kyun’s education. Alto-kyun needs to pay more attention to older girls. It’s just a precaution to prevent her from developing a preference for younger ones."
What a refreshingly selfish justification. She’s so shamelessly honest about her desires. Besides, aren’t you the one who’s into younger types?
I can’t even keep up with the comebacks. If I paired her with Kupikupi, the master of tsukkomi, I’m sure it’d grow awfully noisy pretty quickly.
"Phe will protect Niita’s peace and quiet! Phe will even use the no-no techniques if Phe has to!"
You’d better not; that could kill someone.
Mia, who was accustomed to Phe’s threats, just chuckled and brought over some after-dinner tea.
"Now, now. Let’s not get mad, okay? I made some delicious tea for you. It’s got plenty of sugar in it, just how Phe-chan likes it."
"Hmm? It does smell sweet… Phe loves sweet things! Phe loves Niita!"
"Come on, try a big sip. It’ll melt all your tiredness away!"
What is she up to?
I was on guard, but the tea was offered to Phe, who’s a big fan of sweet stuff. She took it without hesitation and drank.
"Mmm! Sweet and tasty! Just how Phe likes it! Phe loves this flavor!"
Mia may be a scatterbrain, but as a maid for a marquis’s household, her tea-making skills are no joke.
"Mmm… warm… Phe feels all relaxed and dreamy! Phe loves it! Phe loves Niita! Pet me!"
Phe hugged me, asking for head pats, so I obliged. As I did, her big eyes began to grow drowsy.
"Nn… nyu…?"
"Yes, that’s it. Just relax…"
Don’t tell me… Mia…!
By the time I realized her scheme, it was too late. My little sister, who’d run herself ragged during the day, had slipped into a deep sleep.
"Mia, you…! This was a setup!"
"Nyufufufu♪… It’s not for nothing that I’ve watched over the Cranput family from dawn to dusk! I’ve watched you two so much, I know exactly when you’re about to hit your limit. All I needed to do was give a little push."
“Urgh…!”
My strongest shield had crumbled in an instant. Mia devised such a cunning plan for her own selfish desires. She’s terrifying!
"Zzz… zzz…"
Not good.
I can tell, as a Phelia Sommelier, that she’ll be out until morning. And worse, she drank that sweet tea without brushing her teeth! I can’t believe Mia managed to take down my little angel with just a cup of tea!
If it had been a sleeping or paralysis potion, Abel’s detection magic would have caught it the moment it entered the west wing and disposed of it. But just tea? No countermeasures.
Which means… I might be playing right into Mia’s hands as we speak.
"Heheh. This is the power of a Rank Ten Mage."
That has nothing to do with magic!
"Now. Setting jokes aside."
Despite being a maid, she plopped down next to me, sitting way too close.
"At the rate you’re going, Alto-kyun, you’ll probably become a Rank One Mage next year, right?"
"I don’t think it’ll be that easy."
The level-five practical exam was tough… If it gets harder than that, I honestly don’t think I’m up to it right now.
"Even if it doesn’t happen next year, you’re aiming to reach the first rank, right?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
Unlike the village girl’s innocent reasons, I want to become a magic tool craftsman and make all kinds of things.
Making sales items for the association, learning blacksmithing from Gad—all of this has shown me that I actually enjoy crafting things.
Creating things is simply fun for me.
So, I want to expand my options and increase what I can do.
That’s why I want to become skilled enough to make magic tools.
But just then Mia said something unexpected.
"If you obtain the first rank, you could form your own magic society."
"Huh? A magic society?"
Because magic is powerful and practitioners are few, mages and magic tools are regulated by the government.
So, forming any group related to magic typically requires approval.
Magic societies fall under this, and while anyone with a mage license can join an existing society freely, forming one requires a certain certification.
And that is the first rank.
I hadn’t considered certifying one, because I don’t intend to live my life as a mage…
"But just a hunch from your onee-chan here… it doesn’t feel like Alto-kyun will stay in this wing forever."
Well, yeah, if I gain enough power and money and get Mom’s blessing, I have no reason to stay here.
Marquis Kasper seems ready to use me to his advantage, and I don’t want Phe to become a pawn in political games, so I plan to leave eventually.
"If Alto-kyun leaves, then we won’t have any way to stay in touch, right? All that would be left is a red string of fate connecting our pinkies. That would make Mia-oneechan lonely."
"But won’t we lose contact anyway if you end up getting married?"
I’m not even going to touch the whole red string thing. Strategic silence.
"Marriage?! Does that mean the law’s been revised so people can marry beautiful children?! That’s a fantastic future! But don’t worry! You’ll always be my top choice, Alto-kyun."
Where did that come from? This girl’s brain works on another wavelength.
"Anyway, if you get the certification for a society, I’ll decline any other offers and join yours, Alto-kyun."
So it’s all for her own convenience! She’s suggesting I form a society just so I’d have to continue to worry about her attacks? What kind of punishment is that?!
As for what society activities would involve, I won’t bother discussing it. Not only because it’s absurd, but because a magic society’s activities can vary widely.
There are societies that work as teams, diving into research or pursuing profits together, and there are looser societies where members act independently most of the time.
In essence, it’s like in online games where you have "hardcore" and "casual" guilds.
Hardcore societies are intimidating. Really intimidating.
That tense atmosphere? No, thanks.
In any case, what Mia’s after is the latter—a “casual” society she could drop in and out of.
Though, even if she wanted a hardcore society, my answer wouldn’t change.
"I’m not gonna make one though."
