It's been a few days since tea time with Princess Sofia.
Fuji-yan went back to Makkaren to take care of his unattended business and... Chris-san.
How should I say this? She's been doing her utmost best to accommodate my party members and me. To the point that it's become a little overwhelming.
Sa-san also got her own weapon.
It's a giant hammer that can grow and shrink in size.
It was in the Rozes treasure vault, and Prince Leonard, who guided us there, casually gave it to us...
I even felt guilty taking it, but he said, "It's fine, you are the Hero of Rozes and Aya-san is your companion. I'm sure even Nee-san will agree with it."
He really is a good boy.
Sa-san and I parted ways... She went to sleep in her room, and I'm going to train my magic before I sleep.
As I headed to the training grounds, I spotted Lucy slumped on the cold floor.
It seemed she hadn't recovered most of her mana.
"Oi... Lucy, wake up. You shouldn't sleep on the cold floor, you know?"
Hearing my voice, Lucy slowly opened her fiery red eyes.
"Makoto..."
Then suddenly... she opened her arms, as if wanting a hug.
"Carry me..." she said in a dreamy tone.
I couldn't help but sigh...
Still... I carried her in my arms. She's light—no, the body training I've done over the past few months is showing its progress.
I could feel her softness, but... with [Clear Mind] activated, all those lustful thoughts vanished.
Hmm...
Since I'm carrying her... should I train my magic while running laps?
That's not a bad idea.
With that resolve, I carried Lucy while running laps around the training grounds and simultaneously doing my magic training.
"Fweehhh?? Makoto?" Startled that I was carrying her while running, Lucy looked at me questioningly.
"Ahh... Sorry, did I wake you up?"
"N-no... But why are you training while carrying me?"
"Hmm... Well, I figured that if I do this, not only will I be able to train my magic, but also my body."
"Now that you're awake, Lucy, want to learn a Skill before doing magic training?" (Makoto)
"Eh, why?" (Lucy)
"When the Taboo Monster showed up, the mages were all rendered powerless, right? If you learn a Skill like [Clear Mind], I thought it would be useful the next time we fight one." (Makoto)
Or rather, this shouldn't be limited to Lucy; the mages of the kingdom and adventurers should be doing this as well.
I should consult with Princess Sofia or Prince Leonard about it.
"Makoto… [Clear Mind] is a rare Skill, you know?" (Lucy)
"Eh?" (Makoto)
Really?
I didn't know... So it was a rare Skill, huh.
"There's a variety of mind-stabilizing Skills, but the one you have is a superior one. If I were to learn one, it would be the [Calm] Skill." (Lucy)
"I see, so there's a variety, huh. Also, I use [Clear Mind] the whole day, but I feel like my concentration doesn't drop." (Makoto)
"…You use it the whole day?" (Lucy)
She looked at me as if I were crazy.
"I think it has the same effect as the [Concentration] Skill… I see, so maybe using Skills while training would be more effective?" (Lucy)
"I didn't pay it much mind, but that might be the case." (Makoto)
I simply used the Skill to hold down my uneasiness after seeing my classmates leave one after the other back at the Water Temple, though…
Maybe it had an effect I didn't know about.
"Yeah, but it might be as you say, Makoto. I have been training my magic one-sidedly, but it might be better if I were to learn the [Calm] and [Concentration] Skills first! Thanks, Makoto." (Lucy)
"No problem." (Makoto)
With this, the next time a Taboo Monster attacks, I can fight alongside Lucy.
Sa-san has gotten a weapon too.
Yeah, it seems there's a lot we can do.
"Then, let's train." I smiled as I put her down.
"Okay!" Lucy said with enthusiasm.
And with that, we trained in the training grounds for two more hours.
"…Zzzz." (Lucy)
"She fell asleep, huh." (Makoto)
We did our best for a while, but maybe training Skills makes you sleepy?
Well, she was standing in the training grounds, doing her best to learn Skills and increase her proficiency.
Once we were both exhausted, I carried her to my room and placed her in my single bed.
And...
Lucy had fallen asleep in my bed. I pulled the blanket over her and let her sleep just like that.
I would feel bad waking her up, after all.
Lucy seemed to be sleeping pleasantly.
I felt like I'd get into a weird mood if I continued watching her sleeping face. Even with [Clear Mind] activated, I wasn't confident I could hold myself back, so I returned to my training.
"Spirit-sans, Spirit-sans." (Makoto)
I deactivated [Clear Mind] and used Spirit Magic.
—Fufu!
I heard a voice again.
Is this...?
Is it the voice of the Spirits?
Did my Spirit Magic evolve?
Yeah… I can't tell…
We're inside a room, so I can't use large-scale magic.
Since I deactivated [Clear Mind], my body feels heavy so I easily gave in...
…I'm sleepy.
At some point, I also fell asleep in the bed.
With Lucy beside me...
<><><><>
I opened my eyes at the voice that I could hear from outside the room.
"Good morning, Aya-san."
"Good morning, Princess Sofia, Prince Leonard, do you have business with Takatsuki-kun?" (Aya)
"Leo said he wanted to meet Hero Makoto and was adamant about it." (Sofia)
"Eeh, you said you wanted to meet him too, Nee-sama." (Leo)
"…Silence, Leo." (Sofia)
Yeah, it is noisy.
"Takatsuki-kun, are you up?" (Aya)
Knock knock, the door was knocked.
"…Hn, I am awake." (Makoto)
I rubbed my sleepy eyes as I answered.
I trained till late in the night yesterday…
The door opened slowly.
"Good morning, Takatsuki-kun. Let's have breakfast togeth—" (Aya)
"Good morning. Today's schedule is—" (Sofia)
Sa-san and Princess Sofia entered and their eyes opened wide as they froze.
Hm?
"Good morning, everyone. What's the matter?" (Makoto)
I greeted them while stretching, but…there was no answer.
"Hey, Takatsuki-kun…" (Aya)
Sa-san said with a chilly voice.
An indescribable chill ran down my spine.
The alarm of Detection was ringing loudly.
Eh?
"Takatsuki Makoto…" (Sofia)
Princess Sofia mutters like a chilly rain.
It wasn't a metaphor, the temperature of the room literally changed.
The Monarch Ice Magic Skill has activated…?
J-Just what in the world happened?!
—That question was answered soon after.
"Makoto-san and Lucy-san get along so well. You are sleeping on the same bed, huh. By the way, why is Lucy-san not wearing any clothes?" (Leo)
Not wearing any clothes!!!????
The Prince, who has a pure heart, asks this truly in curiosity.
Thank you for explaining the situation, Prince Leonard.
Also, this situation is the worst!
I glance at my side and Lucy certainly is sleeping by my side.
Now that I think about it, she slept in my bed yesterday.
The shoulder strings of her usual camisole were out of place, and her naked shoulders were in sight, her body covered by the blanket.
Aah, at a glance, it looks as if she were naked.
Oh! This is bad!
"Hm, I see… After shopping with me, you two last night…" (Aya)
Sa-san, why are you gigatisizing the hammer you got yesterday?!
You must not direct something like that at your classmate!
"…At the sacred room of a Hero, you… This is why the otherworlder men are just…" (Sofia)
Princess Sofia was making the coldest eyes I have seen her make, and Ice Spirits were flying around.
The Spirit-sans were really energetic.
I see, is this the so called 'emotion sharing' with Spirits?
Wait, this is not the time to be impressed!
(Explain yourself at once. You are on your way for the Bad End.) (Noah)
Noah-sama retorted.
Even you Noah-sama!
"W-Wait please! L-let me explain!" (Makoto)
I somehow managed to explain to the two and have them understand.
I feel like I'm walking in my death door as I explain myself to them.