“Well then, I have plans with Caro, so I’m going. Thank you for showing me the Sanctuary, Catherine.”
After finishing their tour of the Sanctuary, Kent and his companions had lunch at Marie’s Bakery. After they finished eating, Rachel said she had an appointment with Caro and rushed out of the shop.
“Well, Catherine and I will head home first and do some cleaning.”
“Then I’ll also…”
“Kent, it’s fine for you to relax here. We’re staying with you, so let us at least repay your kindness.”
Just as Marie was about to take Catherine to clean the house, Kent requested to accompany them, but Catherine gently refused.
“I understand. Then, please take care of it, both of you.”
“Leave it to us.”
“Al and Hanako will help too, so I’ll have them make it sparkling clean, please look forward to it!”
Marie and Catherine said that and left the shop.
“Master, here is your tea.”
“Thank you, Emily.”
The lively meal that had been taking place in the dining space moments ago suddenly became quiet, and Kent felt a sense of loneliness. Just then, Emily brought over tea and placed it on the table. She then sat down directly across from where Kent was sitting.
“Speaking of which, I don’t see Elnet.”
“Elnet hasn’t returned since yesterday.”
“Is that so?”
Elnet, who lived and worked at this shop, had returned to the Duke’s family after the party yesterday. Today was her day off, and Kent had no intention of intruding on her personal privacy. However, he realized that he and Emily were now alone in this space.
“It’s rare for us to spend time together like this, just you and me, isn’t it?”
“It is. The last time we went out together, Bobby and Prim joined us halfway through.”
“Now that you mention it, that did happen.”
Reminded by Emily, Kent recalled their previous outing. They had gotten caught up in a kidnapping incident then and had gone through a terrible ordeal. However, today they were inside the shop, so Kent thought there wouldn’t be such worries.
“I somehow ended up sitting on this side, but I feel a distance from this spot, so may I sit next to you?”
“Not at all. Please do.”
“Then, excuse me…”
Emily, who had been sitting across from him at the table, felt a subtle distance and moved to the seat next to Kent.
“Emily, there was something I wanted to ask you for a while. May I?”
“What is it? I’ll answer if I can…”
Emily was wary of Kent’s seemingly solemn inquiry.
“This shop is Marie’s, but why did you contract with me and not with Marie, the shopkeeper?”
“Ah, about that.”
Kent’s question wasn’t something that would make Emily wary, and she looked relieved.
“Not just anyone can contract with a shop-attached fairy. A minimum amount of magic power is required. Unfortunately, Marie has no magic power at all.”
“Then what about Catherine?”
If Marie couldn’t contract due to a lack of magic power, Kent thought her daughter, Catherine, would be the next option. Catherine possessed enough magic power to become a Saintess, so he thought she would be suitable for a contract with Emily.
“It’s true that Catherine possesses magic power inherited from her grandfather and great-grandfather, with whom I previously had a contract. However, at the time I contracted with you, she only had a slight amount of magic, just enough to see fairies.”
“But if she has even a little magic, can’t she contract?”
“That’s true. However, if a master with immense magic power is nearby, they might be drawn to that person. I have that much freedom of choice. Fairies have a habit of being drawn to those with appealing magic.”
Emily explained why she chose Kent.
“Besides, when I first appeared before you, you were already on good terms with the shopkeeper, weren’t you? You’re practically family already.”
Emily stated it as a fact.
“I believe that choice back then was not a mistake. Thanks to it, the shop has grown so much, and my power has also increased considerably.”
“So, if the shop prospers, Emily can replenish her magic power, right?”
“Yes. As the shop grows, so does my power.”
Emily rolled up her sleeves and showed off her strength.
“Are there any other ways to replenish magic power besides that?”
“Yes, there are. Mike, who’s at the second store, receives magic power by making the shop prosperous, but it seems he also replenishes his magic power through other methods.”
“Does that mean… no way?”
Kent recalled last night’s events. Mike, the shop-attached fairy at the second store, was dressed as a boy. Al and the others believed it was the most efficient way to replenish magic power. The thought of Rachel and Mike engaging in such acts made him inexplicably irritated.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I phrased that poorly. It’s not in the way you’re imagining, Master, so please don’t worry.”
“The more you say that, the more curious I become…”
“It concerns Rachel’s privacy, so I cannot say anything from my end.”
“What if I order you to tell me?”
Kent asked Emily mischievously. Emily made a complex expression.
“If you order me, I will obey. Actually, Rache—”
“Ah, it’s fine. You don’t need to say it. It was a joke. Just a joke.”
Kent hastily stopped Emily.
“I understand. However, if you say such things, I will look down on you a little.”
“Gah!”
Kent was wounded by Emily’s words.
“But you noticed Al doing that secretly, didn’t you?”
“So Emily knew…”
“Yes. In Al’s case, he can replenish a certain amount of magic power with water and light, but that’s only to maintain his body. If he uses powerful magic, he’ll need to replenish from you, Master, or he won’t be able to use magic again. Please don’t blame him for replenishing it discreetly so as not to burden you mentally.”
“I understand.”
Emily bowed her head and pleaded with Kent.
“However, to have noticed Al’s actions, you truly are remarkable, Master.”
“At that time, Hanako…”
“Huh?”
The reason he noticed was not Al, but because Hanako had moved so violently while Kent was sleeping, waking him up. As Kent was about to say that, he stopped, realizing he had mentioned her name. Emily had clearly heard Hanako’s name.
“No, that…”
Kent hastily tried to retract his statement.
“Is that so… So you also noticed Hanako’s true identity. She’s so good at disguising herself that it took Al and me a long time to realize she was a fairy.”
“Is that so? I heard she was a fairy impersonating a family member.”
“I heard that story too. The magic she emits is indeed weak, and she seems to be a harmless low-level fairy. However, I feel something is different about her.”
“What do you mean?”
Emily began to speak about Hanako’s mystery.
“She uses high-level magic that low-level fairies don’t typically use. Also, there’s usually a repulsive force between fairies, but I felt no such emotion towards Hanako. Before I knew it, we were often acting together like family…”
“The repulsion, like when Emily and Al first met?”
“That’s right.”
When Emily and Al first met, a battle had broken out inside the shop, causing quite a commotion. However, nothing like that had happened with Hanako.
“It’s hard to believe she’s a harmful being when we act together like this, but I feel there’s something more. Master, could you please keep my words in the back of your mind?”
“Ah, I will.”
Kent decided to honestly heed Emily’s advice.
“Master, your tea is gone. I’ll bring you a refill.”
Saying that, Emily stood up and went into the kitchen.
