Bonus Short Stories

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◇Houghtow City—Flio’s House◇

Garyl sat up awake in bed in his room. There was a time when Garyl was younger that he slept in the same room as Elinàsze and the other children, but now that he was more or less grown up he had a room all to himself. There was a knock on the door, and Elinàsze showed herself in. “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long?”

“No, not at all!” said Garyl, greeting his sister with a smile.

“Well then, what is this about?” Elinàsze asked. “You said you had something you needed to speak to me about?”

“That’s right...” Garyl said, scratching the tip of his nose in a bashful gesture. “It’s something I can’t really talk about with mom and dad...”

That expression...Elinàsze thought, glancing at her brother’s face as she sat down on the bed beside him.This must be about Miss Ellie...“So,” she asked, folding her arms, “what seems to be the matter?” She thought she had a pretty good idea as to what was going on.

“Well...” Garyl hesitated. “Actually, I told Miss Ellie that I’d take her out somewhere next time. But I have no idea where to go!”

“In other words, you need a date plan?” Elinàsze offered.

“A d-d-d-date?!” Garyl said, waving his hands frantically. “N-No! It’s nothing like that! It’s just...you know...”

Oh, Garyl...Elinàsze thought, smirking.Look at how flustered he is! That brother of mine couldn’t hide how he was feeling if his life depended on it!“I see...” she said. “Well, I’m afraid I don’t have any experience when it comes to dates myself. Why don’t you try asking papa and mama? They’re still going on regular dates, if I’m not mistaken...”

Garyl frowned. “I mean, I thought about that... But, well, mom and dad’s dates are just a bit...you know...”

“Ah...” Suddenly, Elinàsze understood Garyl’s predicament.Now that he mentions it, when papa and mama say the word “date,” usually what they mean is that the two of them went hunting together...

In the back of her mind, Elinàsze recalled the image of her mother cheerfully hauling a slain magic beast, saying,“We caught this one on today’s date!”

“I’m fine with hunting, personally...” Garyl said. “But...”

Elinàsze let out a small sigh and refolded her arms. “Yes. It’s hard to imagine that Miss Ellie would have much fun hunting, isn’t it? In that case, I suppose we’ll have to use this.” She held out her right hand and summoned a magic circle, plunging her hand all the way inside and retrieving a single book. On its cover was written,Magical Kingdom of Klyrode: Travel Guide. “I bought this from a bookstore in the capital the other day. Why don’t we look for a sightseeing destination Miss Ellie might enjoy?”

“That sounds great!” said Garyl. “Thanks, big sis Elinàsze. I owe you one.”

Elinàsze opened the book and placed it on the bed, while Garyl read over her shoulder with a smile. “I know!” said Elinàsze. “Miss Ellie is a proper grown-up lady. She’s even older than mama, you know. Perhaps she’d like this café?”

“A café, huh...?” Garyl mused. “I’ve never really been anywhere like that before...”

“Well, then. I suppose we’ll just have to go investigate this café ourselves?” proposed Elinàsze.

“That would be great!” Garyl agreed.

“In that case,” Elinàsze suggested, “perhaps we should pay this restaurant a visit afterwards as well...”

Garyl and Elinàsze pored through the book, talking about places that might serve as likely date spots. The two siblings, it seemed, were as close as ever.

◇Kinosaki Hot Springs◇

One day, the members Flio’s household took a trip to visit the Kinosaki Hot Springs. “Ahhh...” Rys sighed happily, her hair done up as she soaked in the hot water. “This bath really is the best...”

“Like, no kidding!” Byleri agreed as she enjoyed the water alongside Rys, a smile on her face. “Every time we come here, this one is totally the best.”

“U-Um...” ventured Ellie, the Maiden Queen, who had been sitting next to the two women. She looked up at Rys timidly. “I-Is it really all right for me to be here? This is a family vacation, is it not?”

“Of course it’s all right!” said Rys, smiling cheerfully at the reigning monarch. “After all, you’ve been coming by our house for bride training whenever you have a spare moment! You’re as good as a member of the family.”

“B-Bfweh?!” Ellie exclaimed, expelling a jet of water from her mouth in surprise at Rys’s words. “Ack, hack! Ahem! U-Um... You know, my intention in visiting your house was to study the lives of my subjects. I haven’t the faintest idea what you might mean bybride training...”

“Huh?” Byleri asked. “So, like, youdon’twant to be Garyl’s bride?”

“B-Bfffh!” Once again, Ellie performed an impressive spit-take. “Hack! Agh! W-Well, you know...I still haven’t exactly spoken with Garyl about that proposition. But...I can’t say I am entirely opposed to the idea...” Ellie’s face and even her exposed shoulders turned bright red as she tried desperately to explain herself. Rys and Byleri just smiled.

“You aren’t exactly hiding your emotions with the way you’re acting, you know,” said Rys. “Now, let’s just relax and enjoy the bath to our hearts’ content as we pray to be blessed with children.”

“What was that?” Ellie asked. “Blessed with ch-children...?”

“That’s right!” Byleri chimed in. “Like, people say you’ll be blessed with children if you soak in the Yanagi Bath! That’s why I was able to have my Rislei!”

Ellie looked between Rys and Byleri, her face growing redder once again. “Ch-Children...?” she said. “B-But I’ve never done anything like...that.”

“Oh?” Rys asked. “You still haven’t gotten that far, even after all the lovers’ trysts the two of you have been on?”

“Bfwahhh!” Ellie did her third spit take of the conversation.B-But I had been so careful!She thought.How could they have found out that I’d been meeting alone with Garyl?!

Ellie’s mouth opened and shut wordlessly, her face bright red...but unconsciously, she had begun to gently rub her belly in contemplation.

◇Houghtow City—Flio’s House◇

It was late in the evening. The members of Flio’s house had finished dinner for the night and were gathered for a meeting.

“Now then,” said Rys. “It’s time for our regular household assembly.” Hiya and Tanya nodded sternly as they sat in their seats. “First, the division of housework. I see no reason not to carry on as we were this past month, with myself and Byleri in charge of preparing meals for the house.”

At this, Tanya and Hiya both raised their hands simultaneously. “Forgive my interruption, wife of the Exalted One,” said Hiya. “However, you have claimed responsibility for meal preparation every single month for as long as we have been holding these meetings. Perhaps your humble servant Hiya might be allowed to take on this task.”

“That wouldn’t do at all!” objected Tanya. “You should leave it to Master Flio’s faithful maid, Tanya, instead! After all, I doubt whether a djinn could ever truly understand the true depths of housework.”

“Oh?” The corners of Hiya’s mouth crept up in a cold smile. “Resorting to cheap provocation, I see...”

“Provocation? I meant no such thing.” Tanya said, her mismatched eyes glinting as she looked defiantly back at Hiya. “I merely spoke the truth.”

“In the first place, it was you alone who presumptuously declared herself to be the Exalted One’s maid,” Hiya pointed out. “Do you not find this to be an act of insolence worthy of death?”

“It would be far worse for an esteemed personage like Lord Flio not to have even a single maid under his employ, would it not?” Tanya countered. “But even this simple idea seems to be beyond you, I’m afraid...”

The two were smiling at each other with aching politeness, but judging from the contents of their conversation, it didn’t seem impossible that they might come to blows at any moment.

Bang!Rys slammed her fist down on the table, interrupting Hiya and Tanya’s spat. “I’m very glad the two of you want to help, of course,” she said, smiling cheerfully as she glanced between the angel and the djinn. “But I’m afraid there is no force on Klyrode that will get me to relinquish the duty of preparing meals for my lord husband.”

“Your humble servant can but yield to your wishes, o wife of the Exalted One...” said Hiya, bowing deeply.

“If that is your will, Mistress Rys, I will humbly agree,” concurred Tanya, following suit.

“Now that we’ve safely resolved the matter of food preparation duties for another month, perhaps you would like to take a break and have a cup of tea?” offered Tia, stepping up to the table and placing a cup of her famous tea in front of everyone present. “I hope, Lady Rys, that it is not presumptuous of me to request the responsibility of brewing tea for the house next month as well?”

“Of course not!” Rys said as she happily sipped from her own cup. “Nobody can match you when it comes to tea, after all, Tia!”

Hiya and Tanya’s smiles grew somewhat strained as they watched Tia and Rys’s exchange.

“She secured tea duties last month using an identical stratagem, didn’t she...?” Hiya whispered.

“For a former magic doll, she certainly doesn’t seem to have any trouble with negotiation...” Tanya agreed, whispering back.

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