I am tired after a long time. On a day like this, I should just go home, eat a nice meal, take a bath, and go to bed. With these thoughts in mind, I returned to my residence in the capital.
As soon as I entered the mansion, I was greeted by the children. Until recently, Eryl and Allyria would dive into me without question, but now Idea and Piatrice welcome me back. Behind them, my two big sisters are welcoming me. I feel like I've become a good big sister, but at the same time I feel a little sad that my daughters are leaving me.
I hold Idea and Pia in my arms, and then Eryl and Alyria. I wonder how long they will let me hold them. I enter the dining room, wondering if it will be the end of this year....... There, the same delicious meals were laid out on the table as usual.
As usual, our meals are delicious. Not only Peris, but also Ferris and Ruara's skills have improved considerably. Not only that, Rico, Mei, Sidhi, Soleil, and Matkal are taking turns in cooking. The wives have also become quite skilled.
Recently, Eryl and Idea have joined them. Eryl helps out in various ways, while Idea is mostly for fun. He seems to love washing the dishes now, and is doing them with water. Pia looks on happily as she does so.
After the meal, I take a bath with the children. It is quite noisy, but I wash the children's bodies and take them out of the bath one after another. Riko and Mei are waiting outside to help the children get dressed.
After such a hectic time, I was finally able to catch my breath when the children went to bed. Lying in bed alone in the empty bedroom, I think about today.
"If I were a warding master on the elven side, I would definitely put up wards of the same color as the snow. But how can I make it so that the magic is undetectable ......?"
I close my eyes and think without telling anyone. When I was still a slave, Master Falco had taught me the importance of image. So, I guess you could say that I have to materialize an image that will keep the magic power from leaking out. ....... But I don't even know how to imagine it now.
"Hmmm. I wonder what my teacher would have thought of it: ......"
I try to remember many things, but for some reason, when I think of him, I remember him being depressed and angry because he was rejected by a woman. And then there's ....... He's the one who's been giving me fire magic with his freaky eyes. Yes, Eryl is slashing at me, hiding behind the flames. ....... Come to think of it, that was a brilliant coordination, now that I think about it. ......No, I don't think that's true for the two of you. They were never good at getting up in the morning, so there was no way they had time to do so. Thinking about that, I can't help but let out a smile.
"You seem to be having a good time.
A gentle voice and an elegant scent hit my nose. It's Rico. I slowly open my eyes. There is Riko, with her hair down, in her pajamas. She is holding Idea in her arms and smiling beautifully.
"Well, I was just thinking about my teacher."
"Well, ......."
Rico puts Idea on a child's bed with a slightly surprised look on his face. She then lovingly covered him with a blanket, stroked his face and kissed his cheek. Rico gazed contentedly at his sleeping face, and then he climbed into my bed.
"I knew it, boys are so cute," she said.
"That's not true. Eryl and Idea, and of course Alyria and Pia ....... All children are cute. It's just that ......"
"Just what?"
"Idea and Pia miss me so much ....... I can't help but wonder about them."
"I see. ......"
It is true that Eryl has been attached to Matkal since he was born, and that is still the case. In her own way, she respects and admires Rico very much. However, she seems to be too much in awe of Rico to come close to him, to be honest. Rico seems to be concerned about this, but I am not worried about it for now, because I believe that the distance will disappear as Erile grows up.
With this in mind, I put my arms around her. I look at her face and tell her about what happened today.
"Of course it was. ....... I'm sorry to hear that. Sadie told me that Linos worked hard until he ran out of magic. But even after all that, you still don't know where the elven village is. ......"
"Yeah, they're probably putting up all the security they can in case Hays attacks."
"Have you told the elves that this Haze is no longer in the world?"
I heard that the grandmother told them, but I don't know if they got the message.
"Since the elves are so resistant to contact with the outside world, maybe they haven't gotten the message.
"Maybe I need to tell them first. But if I do, how do I tell them?"
"Yes, I suppose so. ......"
Rico slowly closes his eyes. Her face is as beautiful as ever. I stare at her face for a while.
Suddenly Rico's eyebrows twitch. Then her eyes slowly open.
"How about a letter?"
"A letter?"
"Have Princess Meek write a letter. That Hayes is dead. She must admit that she would like to return to the elf village if she could."
"Do you think the elves would be moved by that?"
"I think it's worth a try."
She sits up and stares me in the face.
"The Elf King wants to see Princess Meek, doesn't he? Despite this, when Linos went to the foot of the Filcon Mountains, there was no contact from the elven side. Rather, they have kept their presence thoroughly under wraps. ....... Even the elves must know who has come to the foot of their mountain range. Perhaps they have no idea what the intentions of Linos and the others are.
"I see. I see. So having Princess Meek write a letter is a good idea. Also, the staff of Latgis that Hayes was carrying: ....... I believe that was a treasured item of the elves, wasn't it? Maybe if we tell him we'll give that back too, he'll open up even more."
"Yes, of course. That might be a good idea."
Rico smiles.
"Thank you, Rico. That's kind of a step in the right direction.
"I'm glad I could be of service."
With these words, she got into bed again and put her face in my arms. I hold her body.
"Please ...... turn off ...... the light."
"...... Rico's been wanting to turn off the lights lately. Is something wrong?"
"My body is getting ...... older, and I'm ...... embarrassed."
"I don't think so."
I said something like that and turned off the light.
Even in the darkness, I could see that Rico's body had not lost any of its strength. Her silky skin was as beautiful as ever, and her proportions were exactly the same. I am sure she is making efforts in her own way, even if I can't see it. I was glad to see that Rico was so considerate that I didn't feel it at all.
"Linos...... are you thinking about the elves right now?"
As I hugged Riko, I suddenly heard her voice. Oh shit. Subconsciously, I was thinking about how to make contact with the elves during my next vacation. I slowly look up and see Rico's face, feeling sorry for myself. In the dim darkness, she stares at me with moist eyes.