Chapter 708: Housewarming Party ①

At last, or should I say, finally, the housewarming party has begun.

I, as the owner of the house, started off with the greetings, but unlike the birthday party I had back then, this time I had plenty of time, so I had prepared a well-written greeting.

Well, though I say that, there wasn't really any need for me to think about complicated greetings since the people gathered here were all my acquaintances. I just said something "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come here today. Please enjoy your stay" or along those lines.

Incidentally, my house is in the central section of the royal capital, which means that if he stretches out his head, most of the royal capital would be covered in shadows…… so as expected, it was difficult for Magnawell-san to participate.

That's why, Fafnir-san brought Magnawell-san's gift as his substitute. I'm planning to go to Magnawell-san's home and express my thanks later.

The garden of my home, where the party will be held, with the help of Anima, Eta, Theta, Caraway-san…… and the maids from Lilia-san's mansion, including Illness-san, has been made to look gorgeous and beautiful.

I need to thank everyone again, but first, I should go thank the people that helped me with the party from the start.

[……Ein-san, Zwei-san. For all your help this time, thank you very much.]

[I'm glad I could be of help.]

[If I could help Miyama-sama, I would be more than happy to be of assistance.]

Hearing my words, Ein-san and Zwei-san slightly smiled and replied. How should I say this…… Looking at them together like this, I felt that Ein-san and Zwei-san were similar in many ways.

The respectful tone in their voice and their cool atmosphere are similar. The only difference between them is that Zwei-san is a little sharper than Ein-san, or rather, she may be a little more frightening than her.

Of course, currently unable to understand her emotions with my Sympathy Magic, even when I know that Zwei-san is friendly to me…… Standing in front of Zwei-san who had the atmosphere of a strict teacher, I felt my back straighten a bit. I'd really like to get to know Zwei-san a little better if I can……

After slightly chatting with them with these thoughts in mind, I moved away from them to greet the others.

Thereupon, at that moment, Alice, who hadn't shown herself for some time now, appeared and called out to me.

[……Hmmm. As far as I'm concerned, that child is family…… but having "this misunderstanding remain" is a different thing, isn't it? I guess I'll clear up the misunderstanding here.]

[Unnn? Misunderstanding?]

[I'm talking about Zwei-san. What kind of person do you think Zwei-san is, Kaito-san?]

[Ehh? Errr…… She's a calm and collected adult lady that's good at her work, and according to Dr. Vier and the others, she's apparently strict about etiquette.]

Unsure what Alice's intentions with her words were, I tilted my head and asked her back…… Alice let out a light sigh, and with a wry smile on her lips, she replied.

[That's actually a big misconception.]

[……Does that mean that Zwei-san isn't the person I think she is?]

[That's right. Let's see…… By the way, Alice-chan's impression of her is that she is a "cheerful and interesting girl, rich in emotions, who is a bit too serious and somewhat klutzy, but she's always doing her best".] 

[……Eh?]

I understand the serious part, but her being klutzy? My impression of her is more like she's seamless with her actions.

A cheerful and interesting girl, rich in emotions? I feel like her facial expression barely changes, and her voice is always constant…… Alice's impression of Zwei-san certainly is different from the one I have in mind. I wonder why?

[Ahh, I'll explain that to you as well. Let's go to where Zwei-san is first.]

[Y- Yeah…… Alright.]

Puzzled, I nodded at Alice's words and walked towards Zwei-san, whom I had just left earlier.

[……Oya? Miyama-sama…… Haven't you gone to greet everyone?]

[Ahh~~ I asked him to return first. It's been a while, Zwei-san.]

[If it isn't Shalltear-sama. It has been a while. It's an honor to see you here.]

Zwei-san tilted her head when she saw me return, but upon hearing Alice's words, she immediately greeted me with refined movements. Hmmm, I still don't think she fits the image I heard from Alice.

[Even so, you've also become quite the elegant lady, haven't you? Ahh, I miss the days when you were always trotting behind Ein-san, saying "Ein-oneechan! Ein-oneechan!".]

[……S- Shalltear-sama? W- What are you saying?]

[Oya? You're still taking good care of those "gloves", aren't you? If I remember correctly…… Crying out "The gloves Kuromu-sama gave me are torn.", you asked me to fix them back then.]

[……Shalltear-sama. L- Let's change places! M- My family is nearby…… I- I also have my dignity of being their big sister to preserve……]

Hearing Alice's words spoken in a somewhat exaggerated manner, Zwei-san looked clearly flustered.

[Come to think of it, you've always been such a kind child who thinks of family, haven't you? On your birthday, when your beloved Ein-san baked you a cake, you even went out of your way to bring one to me when you could have just eaten it by yourselves…… "Shalltear-sama should eat too~~!"]

[Shalltear-sama! P- Please. Stop already……]

[When I asked if I could eat it, with a big smile on your face, "Of course! Shalltear-sama is my beloved family after all!", you said. Well~~ Those were good days.]

[I'm still young back then! Shalltear-sama!!! Can you please stop already!?]

A- Arehh? Zwei-san's behavior is completely different from what I've seen before. How should I say this…… It feels like she's a little sister being teased by her big sister…… Arehh?

As I was surprised by Zwei-san's change, Ein-san appeared out of nowhere and letting out a sigh for some reason, she spoke.

[……We're talking about the good old days, aren't we? Indeed, Zwei really adored me back then.]

[Ein!? Don't come into the conversation!]

[She also doesn't call me Ein-oneechan anymore…… It's quite sad. Does she hate me now?]

[I don't hate you! I don't you hate you, okay!!!?]

[……But before I knew it, you suddenly started calling me just Ein?]

[……T- That is…… b- because I'm embarrassed…… and I don't really hate onee-chan……]

[I can't hear you very well, you know? Please say it again louder.]

[ ~ ~ ~ ~ ! ? ! ? ]

Zwei-san, who was also teased by Ein-san, tried to stop Ein-san's teasing by clinging on her shoulders, looking like she was about to cry with a blush on her face…… She was filled with so many emotions that it was hard to imagine that she was the same Zwei-san that I saw back then.

[Well, she was such a person.]

[……Errr, that means, the Zwei-san just now…… so to speak, was her true personality?]

[Yes, she usually acts like she's calm, and since she's a Magic Doll, her expression doesn't change much during normal times, so she's often misunderstood…… but her inner expression quickly changes several times.]

[……U- Unnn. Is that so…….]

In other words, does this mean that Zwei-san is someone who usually acts cool? Why would she do that…… was it for that dignity of a big sister that she mentioned before?

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Alice explained with a teasing grin on her face.

[Well, I think Kaito-san already had some reason in mind…… but in fact, there's a bigger, cuter reason to it.]

[……Cuter reason?]

[Please remember what I said earlier. Zwei-san is a big Onee-chan's girl, someone who really likes Ein-san……. See where I'm going? In Kuro-san's family, there's that cool maid who speaks in a polite tone……]

[Eh? Does that mean……]

[Yes, that's what I mean. For Zwei-san, her ideal woman is Ein-san…… In other words, the way she usually acts is just an act of her imitating her beloved big sister, because she wants to be like her.]

[……Then, Zwei-san is perhaps…… actually quite cute……]

[When the Six Kings still live together as one family, Ein-san is the one most often teased by everyone.]

This is a new fact that I didn't expect. Zwei-san, who is so feared by Neun-san and Dr. Vier, is actually the one most teased person who loves her sister so much.

However, this…… probably isn't something Dr. Vier and the others know about, right?

<Afterword>

? ? ? : [It had actually been hinted at in Alice-chan's Extra Chapter "The Visitor's Beginnings". Rather than being cool, she's quite the energetic and cheerful child.]

Serious-senpai : [……How about we stop there? Let's not increase her heroine power. Why don't we just end this with "It was a great party" and move on?]

? ? ? : [The next arc would be the route of a certain character though?]

Serious-senpai : [Let's stretch out this party as long as we can! If the eighth lover appears my life would be in danger!]

? ? ? : [Also, on an unrelated note, the character designs for Volume 7 are now up on the Activity Report!]