Chapter 84: It Seems the Lady Lord Is Coming
“The mountain—”
“It’s… burned up…”
Before them stretched a scene that drew weary, disappointed murmurs from the two small shadows.
Scorched trees lay scattered in all directions, their blackened, charred trunks a grim testament to the intensity of the fire. From the degree of their carbonization, it was clear that this place had been consumed by an extraordinary heat.
And indeed, there was a reason for it. This area had taken the full brunt of the Red Dragon’s breath. Now, what had once been a thriving mountainside had been reduced to a bare, lifeless hill.
“It’s terrible…”
“Why did this happen…?”
“Our home… is gone…”
“Gone…”
The two shadows lamented the mountain’s transformation, so far removed from the world they had known. It seemed that before the Red Dragon made its lair here, this very place had been their home.
Then, as if noticing something for the first time, one of the shadows perked up and called out.
“What’s that—?”
“Which one?”
“Over there!”
The two shadows scuttled forward on their short legs, hopping closer to the object of their attention. Eventually, they arrived at a patch of ground unlike the surrounding charred soil—a small square of dark, rich earth, fertile and inviting.
“Nice soil!”
“Full of nutrients!”
No sooner had they stepped onto it than they erupted in joyous exclamations.
“We’ll live here!”
“Yes, live here!”
Clearly, they had taken a liking to this patch of earth. Their earlier despair evaporated entirely, replaced by little leaps of delight as they danced across the soil.
◇◇◇
After Pippi had (supposedly) learned to fly, we returned home.
“Gugogogo…”
Miranda was sprawled across the sofa, still snoring loudly as ever. Last night, she had indulged herself with copious amounts of alcohol, making a scene before collapsing into a deep sleep.
“…I hate that I’ve become so used to this sight.”
I wanted her gone by now, but no matter how many times I told her, she always evaded the request with that easygoing stubbornness. I couldn’t force her out myself, and, truth be told, Sena had grown fond of her, which complicated matters further.
“Nya?”
“Huh? You’re saying you’ll throw her outside? Hmm… I guess that’s an option of last resort.”
Well, she had enchanted Sena’s sword, so for now, I’d treat it as rent and put up with her presence. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how much such an enchantment would cost if commissioned professionally.
“Better make lunch.”
It was nearly noon, and she’d probably stay asleep until then. I decided to leave Miranda be and headed to the kitchen.
Of course, I had to prepare extra portions for her; otherwise, she’d survive on nothing but alcohol. Somehow, she maintained that figure despite her drinking habits.
Adding one more mouth to feed wasn’t a huge hassle, and the ingredients were free… yet it still irked me slightly.
“Onii-chan, onii-chan! Something terrible’s happened!”
“Sena?”
On my way to the kitchen, I heard Sena’s hurried footsteps coming from the entrance.
“What’s wrong? Weren’t you supposed to go to the lord’s castle?”
“That lord—she’s in trouble!”
“The lord? W-what? Is she sick…?”
“No! The lord is coming here—to our house!”
“…Huh?”
For a moment, I couldn’t process what she said. The lord was coming… to my house?
And of all places, our cramped little home? Why on earth…?
“I’ll explain,” Anii interjected.
“Anii? And Shifa-san and Sarassa-san too…”
“Wha—? You mean my Gift has been discovered?”
“Technically, it’s more like… almost discovered,” Anii corrected.
“It seems someone checked the other garden. They pressed for answers… and, well, it’s the lord, so I couldn’t just stay silent. I didn’t reveal everything, just the fact that it’s a Gift. I wanted to get your permission first, since it’s yours. Then, the lord said she wants to see it in person.”
And that was how the lord ended up coming to my home.
“But shouldn’t I go to her instead…?”
“She wants to see it in action, right?”
“Ah… right…”
Still, a lord in such a commoner’s house… I tried not to think about that.
I couldn’t lie to her, and while I might not have to show every aspect of my Gift, she would inevitably learn the basic nature of it.
Will she make me work like a horse, endlessly producing crops?!
…Though, I reminded myself, it wouldn’t be physical labor.
Shifa-san noticed my worry and said reassuringly:
“The lord isn’t a bad person. She’ll treat you well.”
“Shifa-san…”
If Shifa-san says so, I could trust it.
“The lord is, like… a little child,” Sena added.
“A child…?”
No, she couldn’t be serious. The lord couldn’t possibly be a child. Well, Sena’s remarks were usually absurd, so I reminded myself not to take them seriously.
“So, when will she arrive?”
“Soon, I think.”
“Soon!? Why didn’t you say so earlier!”
At least I needed to clean the place!
“Gugoaah…
“And I still need to deal with this drunk…”
I shoved Miranda into Sena’s room for the time being. With Sena’s help, we carried her off, then, with Shifa-san and the others pitching in, we cleaned the house as best we could.
Then it struck me—what about Milk and Pippi?
They were still in the second home garden, but depending on the circumstances, they might need to be moved. Surely, it would be bad if the lord knew I kept monsters at home.
“Right. Better keep them in the garden near Moria Village for now,” I thought, and transferred the two to the third garden…
““!? H-humans?!””
—And then we encountered a strange creature.