Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

Chapter 8.7

By the time the lesson from Madam Parline was over, it was already late in the evening.

The sun had completely set and the stars were twinkling in the sky.

Nozomu and his friends were treated to a late dinner at the Francilt Mansion and were planning to return to the dormitory after enjoying the delicious meal.

However, after the meal, Irisdina’s words caused a bit of a commotion.

"Nozomu, it’s getting later than expected, so why don’t you stay the night?"

"Eh?"

"Whaat --------!"

The first one to protest was, of course, Victor.

He said, "Even though you know each other well, it’s not right to let a person of the opposite sex stay at your house!" and, "We mustn’t make any mistakes! Aside from the women who may not feel safe on the streets at night, the men should be sent back to their dormitories!"

His words were all a very straightforward protest.

Of course, there was no doubt that behind those words was an outburst of love for his daughter.

But Irisdina also made a counterargument.

"Not only women but also male servants live in this mansion. Besides, there are more than enough spare rooms in the mansion, so it’s not a problem for the opposite sex to stay in this mansion."

"In the first place, Nozomu and the others are the benefactors of the Francilt Household. It would affect the dignity of the Francylt Household to disrespect such people."

She confronted Victor head-on.

Although she had a valid point, a slight hint of anger could be seen in her words.

Furthermore, Irisdina secretly ordered the maids to prepare rooms for Nozomu and the others.

Moreover, the room prepared for Nozomu and the others was on the opposite side of Irisdina and the others’ rooms across the center of the mansion.

In other words, it was the furthest away from the women’s rooms. This was also probably done to persuade Victor.

"N-, no. As a father, I cannot tolerate it, no matter what!"

However, of course, Victor would not back down either.

He continued his argument in an attempt to somehow get rid of Nozomu and the others, but Irisdina completely ignored Victor’s words and called out to someone else.

"We have also prepared a room for Madam Parline. We hope you will stay with us today."

"Oya~, even though letting me join you for dinner was enough to trouble you."

"No, I was the one who forced you to come today. Please make yourself at home."

Madam Parline was slowly sipping her after-dinner wine as she watched the turmoil of Irisdina and Victor with amusement.

Behind her were two female maids. They were the maids of Madam Parline. One was a beautiful woman with short dark blue hair. The other was a pretty woman with fluffy brown hair.

Both looked to be about the same age as Nozomu and the others. However, Nozomu was convinced that these women were quite powerful and that they were the ones who had sent warning glances to him at the entrance.

They stood behind Madam Parline, blending in with the atmosphere of the place, but remaining vigilant in their efforts to ward off any danger that might befall their master.

Their figure was like a guardian spirit.

"Irisdina! We haven’t finished talking yet!"

"Father, I am the master of this mansion. And although I am still young, I am the next head of the Francilt Household. Do you really think that I would act so rashly, father?"

"Ugh......"

Meanwhile, the balance was tipping in Irisdina’s favor in the bickering parent-child quarrel that was being repeated noisily.

Victor was momentarily at a loss for words at the dignified atmosphere of Irisdina.

"Isn’t it alright? You used to be quite a fool when you were a student, too."

At that moment, a helping hand came to Irisdina’s side that seemed to push the balance even further in the direction it was tilted.

Victor’s forehead broke out in cold sweat when he saw Madam Parline suddenly taking Irisdina’s side.

"O-, oi, Mazari-!"

(TLnote : Mazari (マザリー) = kind and gentle like a mother)

Victor unintentionally blurted out a nickname for Madam Parline from his student days.

"Umm, Father, what did you do when you were a student?"

"Oya~, Somiriana, you didn’t know?"

Somia nodded at Madam Parline’s words.

Victor was shaking his head for some reason, but Madam Parline glanced at Victor with a sideways glance and smiled wickedly.

"If you want, I can tell you the story. He was known to sneak into the girls’ dormitory and was nearly slashed out on suspicion by the female knight guarding the place. Furthermore, he went on a triple-booking date arrangement and tried to cover it up. However, Firana caught him in the act..."

"Alright, I get it! It was my bad! Please, I beg you to stop!"

Firana was Victor’s wife. In other words, she was the biological mother of Irisdina and Somia.

Although not even the daughters, let alone Nozomu and the others, didn’t seem to know it, it was said that the head of this family was quite a playboy when he was young.

When he was a student, he was always in a relationship with two or three women.

"Father..."

"J-, just so you know, that was before I was in a relationship with Firana! And that’s already in the past!"

Absolute zero stares from the daughters toward their father.

Victor desperately tried to make excuses, but in this case, whatever he said would only lower his reputation.

By the way, it was said that after he fell in love with Firana, Irisdina’s mother, he stopped his flirtatious behavior once and for all, and continued to think about her sincerely.

In Foskia, there is no prohibition against having a second wife.

This is because insurance may be necessary, especially for a household of high status.

Of course, one cannot have a second wife unless he is financially able to afford it and has the appropriate authority.

However, Foskia was not directly invaded by demon beasts even ten years ago, and the disposition to have numerous wives was almost non-existent, except for some nobles and royalty, and even among the nobles, it was gradually being left behind.

This was because marriages with a number of families could end up reducing the power of the main family.

Victor, too, never welcomed a second wife after taking Firana as his first wife, because of his single-minded devotion to his wife.

Irisdina, too, had seen Victor desperately trying to save her late mother when she was a little girl, so she seemed to be convinced in her head.

However, since she had always thought of him as an ideal father who was always respectable and dignified, she was unable to hide her disappointment at this discrepancy. It was even more obvious when it came to Somia.

It was the first time she had seen her father’s pathetic appearance. And because the reason for his behavior was so terrible that there was no way to cover it up, she turned her eyes to Victor with a look of deep disgust.

In the end, Victor, who couldn’t stand the cold stares from his daughter, easily relented and agreed to let Nozomu and the others stay in the mansion.

He then retreated to his own room with tears streaming down his face like a waterfall.

===================================

As the moon rose into the sky and illuminated the night city with its gentle light, the bathhouse of the Francilt mansion was filled with the voices of the ladies who were amazed in awe.

"Uwa~! So spacious~!"

"What’s this, it’s even bigger than the classroom at the school..."

The bathhouse could only be described as ridiculously large.

The bathtub, which was so vast that it looked as if it might have been brought straight from the fountain, filled with milky white water and furnishings carved out of marble, transforming the vast bathhouse into a majestic palace.

This was truly a bathhouse of the highest quality.

The women, all of whom were from commoner backgrounds, let out a cry of admiration, their eyes shining brightly.

"H~yahhoo~!"

The first to charge in was Mimuru.

*Splash!*

She jumped into the bathtub with a loud splash and began to swim in the hot water like a child.

"Uwa~, I can swim in this bathtub, look, look!"

"Hey, Mimuru, that’s improper! You should wash your body first!"

Shina pulled Mimuru out of the hot water while admonishing her with a bitter expression on her face.

She then sat Mimuru down on a nearby bath chair, splashed hot water over her head, and began to scrub her with soap.

"Unya~! Shina, my ears, my ears, stop it~!"

"You’re noisy! Please behave yourself!"

"Ahaha, Mimuru-san, your ears are still weak after all."

Mimuru screamed at Shina’s rather aggressive washing, but the elf girl washed Mimuru’s head without care.

On the other hand, the other women were washing their own bodies with soap, smiling at Mimuru, who was being washed like a pet.

Fluffy foam bubbles like cotton candy covered and flowed over the girls’ fresh skin.

Moreover, these girls here were so good-looking that everyone would look back at them if they walked down the street.

If that lusty dragon were to see them, he would surely have a nosebleed from the excitement of this scene.

"Camilla, can you wash my back?"

"Y-, yeah"

"Come on, Tima-san come here."

"Ue~!?"

Some of the girls were washing each other’s bodies.

The three of them were washing each other’s backs. Lisa turned her back to Camilla, and then Lisa pulled Tima’s arm in front of her.

Tima, who was shy, suddenly found herself in a situation where her back was being washed and she involuntarily curled her back and shrank back.

By curling herself up to hold her knees, Tima’s surprisingly large breasts peek out from the edges of her slender thighs.

"H~hmm ..."

"W-, what is it?"

"No, I was just thinking that Tima-san has big breasts..."

"Fuhyaa~!"

Tima’s body jumped at Lisa’s sudden words in her ear.

In a panic, she jumped back and stay away from the place, and began to quiver by the wall.

Apparently, she was quite embarrassed by what Lisa had said to her.

"Ah, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you’d be that embarrassed..."

It wasn’t something that Lisa was particularly conscious of, but she did not expect Tima to overreact that much.

When Tima stayed away from Lisa because of her unexpected reaction, Lisa smiled bitterly and waved her hand saying, "Sorry, sorry."

Lisa was surprised by Tima’s excessive reaction, but at the same time, she was surprised by Tima’s unexpectedly large breasts.

(Maybe they are as big as Irisdina’s? Even so, her legs and waist are so thin... What an unfair girl).

The current Tima, combined with her quivering body, was unusually alluring even to Lisa, the same woman. An ordinary man would surely have his rational mind ascend to heaven in a single shot.

And it was outrageous that she was doing this so naturally.

"Speaking of which, why did you come to Arcazam, Tima-san?"

"Eh?"

"I thought that if you have that much magic power, there must be many other options..."

Thinking that it would be better to divert the conversation for the time being, Lisa suddenly asked Tima about a topic that popped into her head.

Although Lisa and Tima were in the same class, they have actually rarely spoken to each other.

Lisa herself was not very comfortable talking to strangers she was not familiar with, and she herself had always kept a bit of a distance from Tima, who was friends with Nozomu and Irisdina.

However, after Nozomu went out of control, Lisa and Irisdina had reconciled for the time being.

Therefore, Lisa was also interested in talking to Tima.

“............”

However, Tima, who was the person in question, looked complicated and fell silent.

Lisa wondered if she just asked such a strange question out of the blue. Lisa glanced at Irisdina, Tima’s best friend, while thinking so.

But the ashen-haired girl, who probably knew about Tima’s situation, only shrugged her shoulders as she carefully washed her sister’s back.

"Um, maybe I shouldn’t have asked?"

"N-, no. That’s not it."

Tima shook her head at Lisa, who scratched her cheek a little awkwardly.

Seeing Tima’s behavior, Lisa regretted asking such a thoughtless question.

The magic power that Tima possessed was clearly too great for one person to possess.

Lisa didn’t know how much magic power Tima had since she was a child, but it occurred to her at this moment that it was at least inconvenient for Tima to live as a normal person.

And what Tima said that followed was in line with what Lisa had expected.

"I’ve had strong magical powers since I was a child, but I couldn’t control them at all. I can control it a little bit now, but in the past, I couldn’t control it at all ... It often got out of control, that’s why I couldn’t stay in one city for very long."

Magic is the power of the mind, and the effectiveness and accuracy of magic are greatly influenced by the mental state of the user.

There was no way that Tima, as a young girl, could have ever been able to control the enormous amount of magic power.

As a result, it seemed that her family lived from town to town, doing things like peddling.

"I had a scary dream. My magic power went out of control and wreaked havoc inside the tent, or I ended up leaking my magic power when I was playing with my friends. Fortunately, my father, mother, and younger brother told me not to worry about it, but as I got older, my magic power also grew bigger..."

Still, it seemed that everything was still fine when she was a child.

Sure, she had a lot of magic power, but not as much as now.

Even if her magic power leaked out, at best it would be a gust of wind, the ground would rise, and the sparks of fire that flew up would cause a bit of a blizzard.

Nevertheless, as her body grew, her magic power also grew, and when her parents began to fear that they would have to do something about it, she was scouted by the Solminati Academy and came to Arcazam.

"After coming to this city, meeting Ai, and learning at the academy, I’ve gotten a little better at controlling it, but to be honest, I still have a long way to go..."

"But it has been getting better lately, hasn’t it? Even when we fought Nozomu last time, your magic supply was pretty stable, right?"

It was Irisdina who interjected Tima’s words.

However, Tima shook her head and denied her best friend’s words with a wry smile on her face.

"Because at that time, I got help from Tom-kun and the others so that I was able to do that."

At that time, they made use of Tima’s immense magic power for many techniques such as body enhancement, constantly deployable barrier magic, etc.

It was Tom who constructed all of these techniques, and it was Feo who controlled them.

"Hey, are those two really that amazing?"

Camilla, who was not familiar with their skills, asked.

Camilla was the only person present who hadn’t been told the truth about Azel’s previous attack, nor did she know that Nozomu was a dragon slayer.

However, she was aware that Nozomu and Lisa had reconciled that day, and out of consideration for their feelings, she did not pursue the matter in any particular detail.

"Well, Feo-kun’s ability to control magic when he is in beast form is probably in the class of a court magician, and Tom-kun, I think he has the ability to build up a technique as good as a researcher at the Gloaurum Institute."

In fact, Tom was an assistant to Torgrein, a lecturer who conducted research at the Gloaurum Institute.

He had just acquired his own forge, so he didn’t have the opportunity to help Torgrein that much, but there was no doubt about his skills.

When it comes to Feo, he had a wide range of combat skills that were comparable with the first class.

He was a master of the talisman technique, staff technique, and sword throwing technique, and he had no hesitation in playing tricks.

In a sense, he was the type of person we couldn’t let our’s guard down if we were to meet him on the battlefield.

"Then, why are those two in the second class?"

"Tom-kun knows a lot about alchemy and magic, but he seems to have a habit of getting lost in it. Besides, he’s not very good at offensive magic or combat-related magic... About Feo-kun, I think he’s ...... doing it on purpose."

"If it’s Feo, it’s certainly possible."

Shina nodded to Tima’s words.

Feo, who was only interested in what was fun for him, would probably cut corners on the final test at the end of the school year, let alone in class. It was a reason that everyone present could agree on.

"Hmm. So, Tima-san, what kind of dream do you want to achieve in the future?"

"I guess I would like to live a normal life, fall in love in a normal way, and have a happy family..."

Tima smiled brightly as she talked about the happiness of an ordinary life, a very small dream for a mage of legendary talent.

"I’m learning magic because it’s necessary for me, and now I feel like I can help Ai and the others with it, but honestly, I used to think that I didn’t need this kind of magic power..."

She used to be uninterested in the magic power she had.

Now she was able to think positively about being able to help her friends, but when she was a child, it must have been painful for her.

Still, the only reason she was able to smile like this now was because of her best friend who accepted her for who she was.

While Tima was smiling with a big smile on her face, Irisdina was blushing with embarrassment.

"I see, the person in that dream is Mars-kun..".

"...Eh !? W-, why is Mars’ name coming up!"

"Eh? Don’t tell me, you’re trying to hide it from me?"

"E-, eh? T-, that’s, umm..."

Tima overreacted to Mars’ name, which was mentioned by Lisa.

Her cheeks, which had been slightly tinted vermillion by the steam, turned red like a boiled octopus.

At that moment, a hand sprouted from Tima’s side and grabbed her huge twin hills.

"Hyaa~!"

A high-pitched scream escaped from Tima’s mouth.

The one who attacked her was Mimuru, who was supposed to have been restrained and washed by Shina.

She was covered in foamy bubbles on her whole body and began to bring her body closer toward Tima.

"I smelled something of sweet and sour love ...... Oh, this is just superb. The size, the firmness, everything is just perfect! Without a doubt, this is what celestial maiden would have!’

Mimuru enjoyed the feeling of the marshmallow-like texture as it changed shape in her hands, and let out a rough breath.

On the other hand, Tima was completely paralyzed by the sudden situation.

"Iyaa~, I envy Mars-kun, for being able to make these breasts his."

"Fu-, fue, fuee ..."

Tima’s eyes began to moisten as she finally understood the situation.

At the same time, the magic power that could make one’s hair stand began to leak out of Tima’s body.

"Ah, this is bad ..."

Lisa’s mouth involuntarily leaked out serious words when she was suddenly confronted with Mimuru’s foolishness right in front of her.

If Tima were to let her magic power run wild at this point, there would surely be a catastrophe.

However, before Lisa’s fears could become reality, the executioner appeared to bring the maniac to justice. Shina, with an expression of Hannya on her face, was standing behind Mimuru.

"What are you doing, you stupid cat! Wasn’t it enough that you humiliated me yesterday?"

Shina grabbed the back of Mimuru’s head from behind and began to tighten it with ferocious force.

The sound of Mimuru’s bones creaking echoed through the bathhouse, and a sharp pain shot through her head.

The pain was too much for her to bear, and she released her hands from Tima’s breasts and began to thrash about.

"Aaa, I’m sorry! I was just a little curious about the pheromones of love! Aaa, stop it, my head, my head will crack~!"

"You stupid cat-!"

"Ukyaaaaaah!"

Without a second thought to Mimuru’s screams, Shina lifted her body and threw her straight into the bathtub.

Mimuru’s body, which had drawn a beautiful parabolic line, plunged head first into the hot water, making a spectacular splash.

"Uee~. I got hot water in my nose~~. Shina, you’re terrible~~"

"You totally deserved it!"

Mimuru’s eyes were teary as she leaked a large amount of hot water from her nose.

However, Shina, who had been sexually harassed by Mimuru yesterday, naturally cut off Mimuru’s protests.

"Shina, you didn’t even feel bad yesterday..."

"Did you say something?"

"No, I didn’t say anything!"

Shina let out a sigh as Mimuru saluted her.

Irisdina and the others, who were watching from afar, were also smiling wryly.

"Good grief, Mimuru is really troubling."

"Ahaha, she seems to be having fun."

"I’m not joking. I wish I didn’t have to be the one to stop her every time."

Shina sighed and shrugged her shoulders as Lisa called out to the indignant Shina in a light tone.

Shina, who had been caught up in the commotion that Mimuru made every time, envied Lisa, who could simply say so.

After washing their bodies, Lisa and the others slowly soaked themselves in the milky white water.

The girls’ cheeks relaxed as they felt their fatigue melt away from the core of their bodies.

"Well, now we know Tima-san’s dream. So, how about you, Shina-san?"

Lisa, who was able to hear Tima’s dream, now turned the topic to Shina.

"Me? I want to take back my hometown, the forest of Foskia."

"I see. What about you, Irisdina?"

"Nothing has changed, to join the Silver Rainbow Knight Order."

"Hmm~..."

Lisa stared at the two girls with a meaningful smile on her face.

The feelings she had for these two were quite complicated.

Was it friendship or sympathy? Or maybe both.

However, for Lisa, these two girls were special in many ways.

"What about you, then?"

"I guess I’m going to become a top adventurer and travel all around the continent..."

This time, Irisdina returned a question to Lisa.

Lisa did not hesitate to answer the question but instead spoke frankly about her thoughts.

There are roughly two types of adventurers.

One is the day laborer, who just wants to make a living for the day. The other is a pioneer who ventures into uncharted territory or into the territory of demon beasts.

Lisa’s dream of becoming an adventurer is, of course, the latter.

"Actually, I could drop out of the academy now, but since I’ve come this far, I feel like testing myself to the end here at the academy... In a way, this is also part of my adventure."

As for Lisa, she could have quit the Academy right now and gone on an adventure.

However, the lessons and experiences available at the Solminati Academy could not be gained by simply going on an adventure.

If that was the case, then it would be better to go out to the continent after having as many "adventures" as possible right here and now. That was Lisa’s current thinking.

"After all, it’s about the promise you had with Nozomu, right?

"Hmmm... Promise ....... I guess so. I guess you could call it a "promise"..."

It was Nozomu who reminded her of her dream of becoming an adventurer, and it was Nozomu who tried to be there for her until the very end.

Even though Nozomu and Lisa’s paths have now parted, Nozomu’s wish for Lisa’s recovery remained strong in her heart.

In that sense, the promise she made with Nozomu when she was a child was what supported her today.

But at the same time, Lisa also understood.

She was not the most special person in current Nozomu’s life.

That’s why Nozomu said he couldn’t go with her.

(... That’s why I will definitely make my dream come true)

However, Lisa didn’t say those words.

Was she trying to be a little mean, or was her competitive spirit got the better of her?

Neither Irisdina nor Shina spoke when Lisa mentioned the word "promise" and remained still in the hot water.

The hot water, which had turned into droplets on the ceiling, fell into the tub, bouncing, and making a pleasant sound.

Feeling the weariness drifting through their bodies and the heat rising in their chests, the three girls closed their eyes and thought about the dreams and the person they each had in mind.