“Hmm, to be finished with just this much is pathetic.”
“Hanako, did you say something?”
“Hmm, just talking to myself.”
“Oh, I see.”
Looking at Fuuko’s motionless torso, Hanako stared at her with the same gaze one would give a cicada that had run out of energy. Kent, who thought he heard her say something, asked her, but she replied it was just a monologue.
“Hmm, now that my body is loosened up, I’ll reattach the head and torso. There we go.”
*Clang*
Hanako picked up Fuuko’s head, which was lying on the floor, confirmed where it connected to the neck, and slammed it back on with all her might. Then, a connecting sound, as if something had been linked, was heard from Fuuko.
“Hey! Just because my head came off and I couldn’t say anything, you’re going to play with my body like that! It’s so embarrassing to have… *it* happen while exposed for everyone to see!”
“Fuuko!”
“Ah! You startled me. M-Master. Don’t hug me so suddenly.”
The moment the head and torso were reconnected, Fuuko exclaimed loudly in protest. Kent, delighted that Fuuko was back to normal, couldn’t help but hug her.
“Hmm, I fixed you. Thank you.”
“Hmph. You didn’t have to do that. You just needed to reattach what came loose.”
“Hmm, you could say that.”
“Hanako, by any chance, were all those things you did earlier unnecessary?”
“Hmm, you could say that… maybe.”
Fuuko protested while looking at Hanako. Kent, who had been listening to their conversation, realized that all the questionable acts from earlier were completely meaningless.
“Ha-na-ko—”
“Hanako-chan!”
“Hanako-chan, even if I might have been the cause of this originally, you shouldn’t play with other people’s bodies, you know?”
“Heh heh, you should savor what I usually receive after I play a prank.”
“Hmm, it was just a momentary impulse. *Munch munch munch*.”
Hanako received scoldings from everyone.
“Fuuko, is your body alright now?”
“Umm, my head hurts a little. I didn’t expect Marie’s power to be that strong. I was struggling to get free, but the more I struggled, the deeper it dug in, and my consciousness gradually faded. Hmph, I award you the title of Fairy Killer.”
“I don’t need such a title. I’ll be careful next time, so will you sleep with me again?”
“No.”
“Ah…”
Rejected by Fuuko, Marie slumped to the floor, hands on the ground.
“I-I was just joking! I’ll sleep with you again!”
“Thank you, Fuuko-chan.”
“Wah! It’s hard to be hugged by both of you at once.”
As Fuuko replied shyly, Marie happily hugged her. Since Kent had already hugged her, Fuuko, hugged by both of them, had a pained expression.
“Everything is settled now, isn’t it? Breakfast is ready, so let’s all eat.”
“I thought you left midway through preparations to come here, but when did you finish?”
“Hmph, hmph, hmph. While Kent and his companions were having fun, I secretly returned and resumed preparations with Al.”
“That’s right!”
Before they knew it, Catherine and Al had finished preparing breakfast, and they stood with their arms crossed, looking smug. Despite the morning’s commotion, Kent and his companions moved to the kitchen and happily enjoyed their breakfast.
*Thump, thump, thump*
“Oh? It seems someone has arrived.”
“It would appear so.”
After breakfast, as Marie and Kent were cleaning up, the front door was violently knocked upon. If it were someone they knew, they would have just entered or not knocked so roughly, so they knew immediately it was an outsider.
“I’ll get it. Hello! Please wait a moment.”
“W-What was that? The voice came from the wall.”
When Marie replied through the intercom’s master unit, a surprised voice was heard from outside. Although Kent’s house had an intercom, it was rarely used. It was a voice-only model without a camera, and since it didn’t exist in this world, visitors didn’t use a doorbell. Instead, they usually announced their arrival by knocking on the door, as the visitor had just done. Marie would normally have gone to the entrance herself, but since she was in the middle of cleaning, she didn’t want to keep the visitor waiting and used the rarely used intercom this time.
“There will be a significant announcement from the country today. Therefore, it has been declared a holiday, and you are to prepare for the announcement. This applies to all citizens. The details are written here. I must now move on to the next house, so I will take my leave.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Marie accepted the paper from the visitor, who then hurried off to the next house.
“Marie, who was that?”
“It was an official. Today is a holiday. They said there will be a significant announcement, but I wonder what it could be.”
When Kent asked Marie about the visitor, she replied that it was an official.
“A holiday? Catherine, have you heard anything?”
“Hmm, I haven’t been to the castle for a few days, so I don’t know the details. Well, if it’s a holiday, it can’t be helped. I feel so much better thinking I don’t have to deal with my accumulated paperwork.”
“Haha, Catherine, you seem to have it tough too.”
Kent asked Catherine, a high-ranking official of the country, if she knew anything, but it seemed she hadn’t been informed. The sudden holiday made her happy to be released from work.
“Speaking of which, didn’t the official give you something?”
“Ah, that’s right. Let’s see… Today, all citizens are to take a day off work and refrain from going out. You must check the announcement that will be released by the country around noon. It seems several locations have been designated for the announcement. The closest one to here is in front of the shrine.”
“I see. I don’t know what the announcement will be, but the shrine is included in the designated locations. Are you sure you don’t know anything, Catherine?”
“No, I don’t. But now that you mention it, Kent, I’m starting to feel a little unsure.”
Marie read the paper the official had given her, and Kent and his companions learned that some kind of announcement would be made by the country around noon. The shrine was included as one of the announcement locations, but Catherine still seemed to know nothing.
“The shop is also cleaned up, and there’s nothing else I can do right now, so it might have been good timing. Let’s take it easy at home until the announcement is made.”
The shop was cleaned up, and since there was no prospect of reopening at the moment, Marie decided to close the shop as per the country’s directive and spend her time relaxing at home until the announcement.
*Tap, tap*
“Oh? It seems someone has arrived. Hello!”
Just as they decided to relax at home, the house door was knocked upon, and someone seemed to have come to visit. Marie hurried to the entrance to check.
“Kent, Otsupain is here to see you!”
“Huh? Otsupain? I wonder what’s wrong.”
Otsupain was the one who had come to visit. Called by Marie, Kent headed to the entrance.
“Otsupain, what’s wrong? Come in, please.”
“Ugh, Kent, your invitation is most welcome, but I’m actually not here to see you.”
“Oh my, I assumed Otsupain was here to see Kent.”
Marie had assumed Otsupain had come to see Kent and had relayed the message without confirming. Realizing her mistake, Marie blushed with embarrassment.
“Marie-sama, I appreciate your concern. I’ve actually come because I have business with the Saintess.”
“Oh, you have business with Catherine. I’m sorry. Catherine, Otsupain is here!”
“Catherine isn’t here. I know it’s about work, and I’ve decided to take the day off.”
Otsupain stated she had business with Catherine, and Marie called out to her. Catherine, however, pretended not to be home and refused to meet her.
“Excuse me, may I come inside?”
“Yes, please take off your shoes and come in.”
“Understood. I’ll be intruding, then.”
With Kent’s permission, Otsupain entered the house.
“Who are you?”
“Oh? A child I haven’t met before. I am Otsupain, captain of the Holy Knights. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young lady.”
“Hmph, I don’t dislike polite people! I’m Fuuko, Kent’s mistress!”
“Hey, Kent. To think you’d have such a young girl as your mistress, you brute. I’d like an explanation.”
As Otsupain entered the room, her eyes met Fuuko, who was lounging in the living room. Since they were meeting for the first time, after introducing themselves, Otsupain’s expression changed. She confronted Kent, demanding an explanation about his relationship with Fuuko.
“I-I’m not her mistress!”
“What are you saying after playing with my body so much! And after thrusting that big thing between your legs into me, you say that? How cruel! *Sob sob*.”
“Hey Fuuko, what are you saying?”
“K-Kent, tell me in detail?”
As Fuuko added to the pressure, Otsupain’s eyes, filled with murderous intent, turned towards Kent, and she slowly closed in on him.
“Now, now, Otsupain-san, please calm down.”
“Ah, how could I lose my composure like that? It was a disgraceful act for the captain of the Holy Knights.”
Otsupain seemed moments away from harming Kent, so Marie stepped in to mediate between them.
“I’m touched that you’re so emotional for me. I am Master’s Contract Fairy. It’s nice to meet you properly.”
“I see, so you are a Contract Fairy. That makes you the fourth one. Is it alright for Kent to contract with so many fairies?”
“So far, my condition hasn’t changed.”
“I see. In that case, I can rest assured.”
Upon learning Fuuko’s true identity, Otsupain understood her relationship with Kent and her expression turned to one of relief.
“Speaking of which, didn’t you have business with Catherine, Otsupain?”
“That’s right. Where is Saintess-sama?”
Reminded by Kent, Otsupain recalled her original purpose and began searching for Catherine, who was hiding somewhere in the house.
