2021.1.31
① “‘W-What’s this? It’s embarrassing enough just to have my knee-high socks taken off!'” → “‘…It’s embarrassing!'”
② “‘…Ahh… Ah… Hah!? Th-That… It’s embarrassing…'” → “‘…It’s embarrassing…'”
Our Party Member, “Princess Harem,” received generous hospitality at the “Garden of the Gods” where Valkyries reside, due to the merits we earned in the Old Kingdom of Portland and the Old Kingdom of Vandis.
My memories are vivid up until we were led to the “Garden of the Gods” by the Valkyries Fliss, Mist, and Elune, who suddenly descended upon us on a mountain path on our way back. However, the memories from that point on are hazy.
It must be the influence of the compulsion that Elune mentioned when we returned to the “Garden of the Gods.”
From the faint memories that remain, I recall being treated to delicacies from mountains and seas and being taught a special “Healing Magic,” but the reason why my body felt sluggish and extremely exhausted remained a mystery.
What exactly happened in the “Garden of the Gods,” a divine realm?
By the way, the impressions of the Party Members were as follows:
In Elise’s case, after returning from the “Garden of the Gods,” her stomach had become slightly rounder.
It wasn’t noticeable enough to call “plump,” but she said she would focus on dieting for a while.
Well, knowing Elise’s gluttonous nature, it’s probably just that she ate too much.
Mai said she had a memory of the food being delicious.
We expected that the Valkyrie Swan Hilda might remember everything, but she said that the Valkyrie sisters had assigned her strict training, so she couldn’t focus on anything else.
However, she also mentioned that she was taught the mindset of a Valkyrie. Was it my imagination that her eyes seemed hot and watery when she looked at me?
In Kirika’s case, she apparently left some memo, but the content she wrote couldn’t be deciphered due to garbled text when we brought back the paper.
It’s likely that she was affected in some way when returning from the Divine Realm to the Human Realm.
It’s truly the work of gods that their compulsion affects not only our memories but also physical media.
Meanwhile, Liliana also left a memo.
We were shown the contents of her writing, but since it was written in Old Sacred Language, only Liliana could decipher it.
This one wasn’t garbled, so our expectations grew, but it only contained details about the scenery of the “Garden of the Gods” and the daily lives of the Valkyries, nothing particularly significant.
Nevertheless, for Liliana, a fan of heroes, it was valuable material.
She said that Valkyries sometimes save heroes from desperate situations and are sometimes sent as messengers of high-ranking Gods, making them an indispensable existence for Liliana.
In Freya’s case, her throat was inexplicably sore, so I healed her with “Healing Magic,” which I cast by mustering my meager spiritual power.
Shera had also lost most of her memories, but it seems she was quite doted upon by the Valkyrie sisters.
We were dropped off at the entrance to the Great Forest Zone. After resting and recuperating for two nights at our regular inn, “Higan to Shigan,” in the post town of Dorsen, we decided to return to our Base Mansion, “Princess Harem,” which is located on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital Granza.
On the first night, perhaps due to the fatigue from the unfamiliar divine realm, everyone slept like logs.
The next morning, I also recovered a considerable amount of spirit and stamina after a night of deep sleep.
Yesterday, I was so weakened that I couldn’t even be bothered to cast “Healing Magic” on myself, but the recovery power of a young body is not to be underestimated.
Then, on the second night, deep in the night, I heard a hesitant knocking sound at the door of my room – *ton, ton, ton*.
A chill ran down my spine, though I didn’t know why. When I opened the door, Swan Hilda stood there looking apprehensive, wearing blue pajamas.
In her hand, I saw anお盆 (obon) bearing two wine glasses, a bottle of red wine, a wine opener, and small plates containing dried snacks and nuts.
“What’s wrong?! Swan Hilda? Come in instead of just standing there.”
“…Yes, Hal.”
Invited in, Swan Hilda placed the obon on the side table next to the bed.
“What’s up this late at night?”
“Yes… I wanted to chat with you for a bit, Hal. Would you like some wine?”
“Since Swan Hilda went to the trouble of bringing it, I suppose I’ll have some.”
“Then, I’ll get it ready.”
Swan Hilda had never visited my room this late at night before.
Moreover, unlike usual, her demeanor was awkward and her behavior suspicious.
Still, with unfamiliar movements, she twisted the wine opener into the cork of the red wine bottle and, with a *pop*, removed the cork.
Then, she poured the red wine into the wine glasses.
“Hal, please.”
“Thank you, Swan Hilda. Let’s toast first! To us!!”
“To us!!”
Raising the wine glass I received from Swan Hilda higher than my line of sight, I toasted her.
The two wine glasses rang with a clear *cling*, and after enjoying the color and aroma of the wine, I took a sip.
“This wine still has a fruity grape flavor, so it seems like it’s from this year’s harvest.”
“Can Hal tell the difference in wines?”
“This wine was just easy to tell. So, is the business about what happened at the ‘Garden of the Gods’?”
“…You can tell, can’t you…? Well, sort of…”
After toasting with the red wine, I pressed Swan Hilda on the reason for her visit to my room at this hour, and it turned out something had happened at the “Garden of the Gods.”
Swan Hilda’s tone became heavy, and her cheeks seemed to flush.
This was likely not solely due to the effects of the red wine.
“Uh, um! Hal, Hal, I want you to see something.”
“See what!?”
“I… during special training, I’ve learned to transform into forms other than my light armor!”
“…Then let me see.”
“…Okay.”
Until now, I had witnessed Swan Hilda transform from her usual attire into light armor countless times during battles as a Valkyrie.
However, the Valkyrie’s light armor is their battle attire, and I had never heard of them being able to change into other outfits.
It shouldn’t be possible…
Valkyries are generally known as beings who descend from the heavens in light armor, wielding divine swords or spears in their graceful hands.
What kind of outfit other than light armor is Swan Hilda about to transform into?
Could it be an outfit worn when unleashing a secret technique…!?
While holding the wine glass in my right hand, my gaze was fixed on Swan Hilda.
Immediately after, Swan Hilda’s entire body was enveloped in a faint holy light.
“…Eh!? …Wh-Why?”
“How is it! Did it succeed?”
When the faint holy light that enveloped Swan Hilda’s entire body subsided, she was standing there wearing the Magically Modified Sailor Uniform that Kirika had recently altered.
“Why is it the sailor uniform Kirika magically modified…”
“How is it, isn’t it perfect!?”
“Asked if it’s perfect…well…”
“This is one of the results of my training in the ‘Garden of the Gods.’ Could you please touch it? Of course, you can take it off to check the condition of the underwear.”
Swan Hilda, her cheeks flushed bright red and avoiding my gaze, asked me to perform a “Quality Check” on the Magically Modified Sailor Uniform she had transformed into.
The Magically Modified Sailor Uniform Swan Hilda had transformed into was short-sleeved, and pure white fabric was used for the entire outfit, including the sailor collar.
As accents, there was a red ribbon sewn around the outer edge of the sailor collar and a wide red tie tied at the neck.
Looking down, she was wearing a pleated skirt with the hem above her knees, which was navy blue.
On her feet, she wore pure white knee-high socks that covered her legs up to her knees, without any shoes.
“You really mean I can take it off?”
“…Yes, please do.”
I couldn’t refuse Swan Hilda’s
