The morning light from between the curtains woke me up.
Sleeping on the bed, Althea and Io are snuggling towards my sides.
I slept with these two yesterday. Of course, I didn’t only sleep, but loved them thoroughly.
I called Althea because I wanted to ask something about the Solon Church, but she was such a good woman that I couldn’t help but get in the mood.
Io passed by at that time, so I dragged the two of them into the bed……and the night had passed when I noticed it.
Well then, I should really ask Althea about it today.
I thought of that, and when I was about to wake up.
「Althesama, could you please give me just a moment?」
Io talked to Althea across me. I got interested in what they were going to talk about, so I just continued to pretend to sleep.
「Can you call me, just Althea?」
「W-Without honorifics?! Oh no, I cannot do that, it’s too rude towards the legendary Great Sage!」
Io got flustered. Fumu. Althea is amazing after all.
Well, she should be. After all, she took noble titles from the five great kingdoms in this continent so easily.
It’s like grabbing a minister’s position from America, Russia, or Japan and other top countries at the same time.
The Great Sage Althea, thinking about it carefully, she’s an amazing woman.
「You do not need to think like that you know? I am Althea, just simply, Althea」
「Just Althea?」
A soft hand passed over me. It’s Althea’s hand.
She took Io’s hand and pulled it to her chest.
「I am but a simple woman who had undressed everything she is wearing, I am just simply, Althea. When I am in his arms like this, I am just a woman just like you」
「I-Is that so」
「Or is it that, do you want to claim “Call me the Rank Adventurer, Thousand Lightning Io-sama!” in front of him?」
What kind of character is that?
「I do not wish for that! I am Kakeru-san’s」
「Similar to that, I am also just Althea. I’ll be happy if you call me like that」
「E〜to, uhm……can’t I call you with -san? Calling someone older, is a little……」
「Fufu, okay, that is fine. Can I call my cute younger comrade with just her name then?」
「Please do so!」
With me in between, a friendship between women was created.
「And so, did you need something again?」
「Oh, that’s right! Althesan. Is Althesan knowledgeable with magic?」
「Only in theory. I remember every single magic that exists in this world as knowledge. From those ones that were boasted in prosperity but lost, to those legendary laws that were created but not used even once. All of it, is just knowledge though」
「Amazing……」
I completely agree.
As expected of the Great Sage. The amount of her knowledge is staggering.
「What do you want to ask then?」
「Uhm……I just thought, I want to learn more magic. I want to learn more and more, become more and more useful to Kakeru-san……no, that’s not it」
She took a deep breath and rephrased. Her breath tickled my side.
「I need to become more suitable to Kakeru-san」
「That’s why you want to ask me if there’s a magic that is fitting」
「Please! AlthesamaーーAlthesan. I know that something that is very valuable must be given to Althesan in exchange for teaching something! But even so! Please!」
「Are you really saying that, knowing what would be taken in exchange?」
「I don’t know. Butーー」
「If it’s the most recent one, I think I said “go and kill your parents”」
Oi oi, that’s a heck of a price. It’s like how a devil makes a deal.
「Will you still do it, even so?」
「That is……」
She grabbed me tightly. Io’s finger is sinking to my skin.
It hurts a little. I can really feel that she’s considering it seriously.
「Let me see, in your case, I would ask you to kill those two」
「Those two……Agnes and Julia?!」
Io realized half way.
Althea, that’s where she led it huh.
「That, is……」
Where did her momentum from a while ago go to? Io clearly became downcasted.
「I’m sorry……I, my resolve was not enough」
I don’t need that kind of resolve though.
「It looks like I played the joke too far. I don’t need that kind of resolve」
He〜?
「Eh?」
「I won’t say something like that, I would be hated if I did」
「Then, what do I need to do? I will do if it’s anything else!」
「You don’t need to do anything」
「Eh? But……」
「I am Althea, just, Althea」
As if it was a spell, as if to sing a song.
……Althea said as if to whisper in my ear.
「As long as I am here like this, I am nothing but a simple woman just like you. In other words, we are comrades, or maybe, something like sisters」
「Sisters……」
「It would seem that he really prefers women who are excellent in their way. That’s why I will teach Io. I will teach you everything, all the magic that you can possibly learn your talents」
「ーー! Thank you very much!」
「You do not need to thank me. Being both his woman, do you think those words are needed?」
「I think it is! Whether or not being Kakeru-san’s!」
Althea became silent as if she was caught by surprise. I felt her presence get startled.
「Thank you very much! Althesan!」
And Io added even more.
I almost instinctively move my arm that she was using as arm pillow.