Chapter 91

The moment the words fell.

The figure before her had already disappeared without a trace.

The Hero left in nothing more than a golden flash that streaked across her eyes, and in the blink of an eye, was no longer there.

Timani quietly pulled up her hood to cover her crimson hair. The tail hidden in her brown robe swayed, making the loose garment rock gently from side to side.

With her left hand holding her right elbow, she stretched lazily.

At this moment, there was no one around. The comfort brought by stretching at last made her let out a soft, adorable little cry that did not match her irritable personality.

"Hu...! Mm, the Humans really are more complicated than I thought... so many weird people. Sigh... I wonder when I’ll finally be able to go home."

Under the hood, her scarlet vertical pupils gazed up at the sky.

Above her eyes and below the clouds, there was a haze the moonlight could not brighten.

But fortunately, both the moonlight and her eyes were bright enough.

She did not have the leisure to keep recalling everything that had happened tonight. She was still busy.

Busy with what?

Busy looking for a sturdy enough tree to climb up and spend the night sleeping in!

Otherwise, wouldn’t she have to camp out on the street again?

...............................

"Heave-ho... Sheffy, are you feeling alright? Are you dizzy?"

"Mm... dizzy..."

Xiarette carefully laid Sheffy down on the big soft bed and brushed her bangs away from her forehead.

At this moment, Sheffy’s disguise had already lifted on its own. Her black hair turned back into silver, and Miss Shaya had temporarily left the scene.

It was clear Sheffy was not feeling very well.

If she were fully conscious, she could have cast healing magic on herself and sobered up instantly, but being sober and being drunk were, in the first place, two things that could not happen at the same time.

In this world, there was no such thing as a hangover remedy. Xiarette herself did not know healing magic, and it was out of the question to go looking for a healer—Sheffy’s existence was a secret that could not risk any complications.

Though it was only drunkenness… any discomfort at all from Sheffy made Xiarette’s heart tighten in pain.

Truly… she could never let her drink again!

Supporting Sheffy to sit up, she poured a cup of warm water and brought it to her lips, but Sheffy’s woozy head kept swaying side to side, as if she could not possibly drink it.

"Be good, Sheffy… have some water. You’ll feel much better."

"Hot…"

"Hot? Is the water too hot?"

"Mm… a little hot."

Xiarette tasted the water—it really wasn’t that warm.

Seeing the fine sweat at Sheffy’s temple… she guessed Sheffy didn’t mean the water was hot, but rather that she herself was feeling overheated.

【Ice Spirit’s Blessing】【Basic Wind Magic】

Xiarette needed no incantation. In the room, a cooling breeze began to circulate, lowering the temperature to a comfortable level.

The temperature was just right now, but after drinking, Sheffy had sweated quite a bit. Strands of her silver hair clung to her cheeks, and beads of sweat soaked the collar of her thin azure dress. Against the smooth, delicate, and petite curve of her neck, it created such an enchanting scene that Xiarette couldn’t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

She quickly shook her head, trying to fling those unnecessary thoughts right out of her mind!

Sheffy was drunk… W-What on earth was she thinking!

But without much hesitation, Xiarette reached out and unfastened the buttons at the front of Sheffy’s dress. She supported Sheffy’s arms to help her lift them slowly, then gently slipped the dress off her body.

“Sheffy, lift your arms first… You’ve been sweating, and you can’t sleep in wet clothes, you’ll catch a chill.”

“Alright… alright, alright… The grilled fish grew up so well…”

“Pfft… What grilled fish, you little glutton, even in your sleep you’re thinking about food.”

With the dress no longer covering her, the pink bear-print underwear they’d bought on their shopping trip was now completely revealed before Xiarette’s eyes.

Calm as still water… Calm as still water…

She folded the dress neatly and set it on the bedside cabinet. She’d wash it in a little while.

But in the short half a minute she spent folding the clothes…

Xiarette turned back.

And found Sheffy’s adorably flushed little drunk face right in front of her!

The whole sweet little thing was kneeling on the bed, half her body leaning out over the edge, swaying unsteadily as she tried her hardest to lean toward Xiarette, looking as if she’d fall any second but never actually toppling over.

Xiarette froze.

Because at this moment, Sheffy’s eyes were hazy yet dazzling, reflecting Xiarette’s face with such breathtaking beauty it seemed beyond this world.

“Hee… Sister Xiarette is so lewd… undressing me… ah, where did my clothes go… turns out they were taken off… mmm… Sister Xiarette is so lewd.”

“……”

Sheffy, she really advised her not to pin crimes on her.

Everything she’d done just now was only because she was worried Sheffy would catch a chill, and she had no other choice.

But if Sheffy insisted on this attitude…

She might really have to show her just how “lewd” her Sister Xiarette could be, hm?

---

Xiarette did have that thought in her heart, but alas, Sheffy did not give her the chance.

The drunken teasing was just that single sentence. Immediately after, Sheffy’s whole body went limp, a soft little whimper catching in her throat, and then she collapsed onto the bed like a sheet of delicate paper, all strength leaving her.

Xiarette looked down at the adorable little thing sprawled there with her little bottom sticking up and her flushed face buried in the sheets…

How could she possibly take advantage of her in this state and devour her completely?

For now, she would let her off the hook. Otherwise, when Sheffy woke up later, she would definitely complain that Sister Xiarette had no honor and bullied her again.

Wrapping an arm under Sheffy’s waist and another behind her knees, she lifted her gently and turned her over, laying her flat on her back on the bed.

She had just said she felt hot, so Xiarette didn’t dress her in any nightclothes, simply let her remain in her cool state with only her underwear covering her. She laid her on the soft down pillow, pulled a thin little quilt over her, and asked quietly,

“Sheffy… do you still feel hot now?”

“Hot… cold… not cold, not hot… mmgah!!”

“…Huh?!”

What kind of utterly unworldly way of being drunk was this?!

Before Xiarette could react, Sheffy let out a sudden soft cry in her half-asleep state. Her two little legs abruptly straightened, kicking high up into the air, and sent the quilt flying!

The quilt fluttered and drifted before finally floating down onto Xiarette’s head, covering the golden-haired girl completely.

“……”

Xiarette refused to give in.

She pulled the quilt back over her again and again, but Sheffy, in her hazy state, always managed to kick it off in all sorts of creative ways. The last time, she even rubbed at it with her arm until she somehow shaped it into a little pyramid standing upright on the bed.

Sheffy, could she please not showcase her advanced origami skills at a time like this…!

There was nothing for it. If she didn’t want the quilt, Xiarette could only fold it and set it aside.

Leaving Sheffy lying flat on the bed in a state that was nearly bare.

This really wasn’t very good… not just because Sheffy might catch a chill…

—But also because it was placing Xiarette’s mental state under extreme strain.

She didn’t know if it was that being slightly tipsy made certain elements release more easily, but in any case, Xiarette felt as though Sheffy’s scent was even stronger now.

Xiarette hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol, but that fragrance was far more intoxicating than any wine.

And with the perfectly flat landscape in her line of sight… Xiarette truly had no idea where her eyes ought to rest.

She loved her. So even if she was flat, she was still the most peerless sight in this world.

In the face of her beloved, it was perfectly normal that her thoughts would turn a little impure. Everyone had desires; there was no shame in that.

But when Xiarette’s cheeks were faintly flushed and she heard that soft little murmur…

All the unnecessary thoughts in her mind vanished in an instant, as if they had never existed.

“Mm… dizzy… Sister Xiarette… feel awful…”

“So you still feel awful…! Sister is right here!”

Almost on reflex, she grasped Sheffy’s hand without a moment of hesitation.

Xiarette’s warmth would always reach Sheffy’s palm the instant she needed it.

Drunkenness posed no real danger to the powerful Sheffy.

But the person who truly loved her didn’t only care about the hailstones that might come crashing down and smash her head open.

Even the faintest chilly breeze—she could not bear to let it brush against her hair.

“Sheffy… Sister has learned her lesson this time. From now on, I will absolutely keep alcohol far away from you. And you too… if you really can’t handle even a drop, you have to tell me in advance, so I can help you watch out for it…”

“Gu… unreasonable…”

“Who’s the one being unreasonable here…? Look at you, you just had to pick drunkenness—something Sister can’t help you with. If I knew healing magic, how could I let you suffer like this…? Tomorrow I’m going to learn it. This time, I have to master it!”

“Learn… learn my foot…”

She had seen people argue stubbornly before.

But she had never seen someone who could keep bickering even while drunk in their sleep.

Xiarette held her slightly cool little hand, warming her delicately, just as she had in her previous life when the power went out—telling her jokes nonstop to cheer her up so she wouldn’t fear the darkness.

The wind stirred fallen leaves with a rustling sigh, and twin moons shone clear over the evening lake.

The big fish in the lake leapt about in delight, celebrating the absence of the witch once again.

But Xiarette could only silently pray that Sheffy would feel better soon…

A night without her fussing and squabbling felt truly unbearable.

Just as Xiarette was regretting that she had never studied healing magic…

The Holy Sword’s golden glow, which had flashed several times, finally grew still.

She only heard a sudden swish of stirring wind, and a long mane of hair bluer than the sky swept across the edge of her vision.

When the golden light faded, the little girl stood there.

Syla rubbed her sleepy eyes with her small hand, yawning. She hadn’t grasped what was happening yet—it looked like she had just woken up.

“Syla…?”

“Haahuu… I was sleeping just now… Suddenly I felt the magic connection was unstable—it must have been the Hero’s emotions fluctuating very—ah!! What happened to Lady Sheffy?!”

“Sheffy drank—”

“Uwaaah! Lady Sheffy has died!!”

“No, Sheffy just drank—”

“Who did this! I will kill… kill!!”

“I’m telling you, Sheffy is just drunk! Are you cursing her or what?!”

“Ah!”

One moment, the foolish little girl had an adorably fierce face, her head full of vengeance and hatred…

The next, Xiarette struck her squarely on the forehead with a solid chop of her hand, knocking every ridiculous idea right out of her head~

Hearing Xiarette’s words, Sylatrella belatedly came to her senses and suddenly understood.

“So that’s it… Lady Sheffy is merely drunk. Hero, this is your fault. Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“Sylatrella, my little sister, we have to hone not just the way we speak but also our ears. The way you’re acting is like a deaf person—so you can’t blame me for not speaking clearly.”

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