Heroes in the Moonlight

by Yuri Kitayama

  “Of course — I’ll accompany you. It will have to be after the banquet ends and everything with Miharu has settled, though...” Rio offered immediately.

  “Geez, you’re always so quick to respond. ...But, I’m happy. Thank you. Of course I’m fine with that. Thank you for taking care of me, Rio.” Celia laughed shyly, bowing her head.

  ◇　◇　◇

  Meanwhile, in Miharu’s room, Satsuki was happily spending time together with Miharu, Aki, and Masato. Miharu and Satsuki were sitting down on the bed together, while Aki and Masato sat on chairs.

  “When Miharu was put in a different carriage, I honestly thought we were doomed. Aki even started crying,” Masato said, recounting the events that happened right after they wandered into this world.

  “W-What?! T-That’s not true!” Aki shouted, embarrassed, in a fluster.

  “Liar. You were a mess — throwing a tantrum and wailing like a baby.”

  “I said I wasn’t! Anyway, you were so scared, you couldn’t even do anything!”

  “Ah, well... I was unarmed back then.”

  Masato and Aki were bantering with each other over nothing, like usual. Normally, this would have led into a light siblings’ quarrel, but...

  “Heh... hehe... ahaha!” Satsuki started laughing, which made Aki and Masato stop arguing.

  “Umm, Satsuki?” Miharu cocked her head.

  “Ah, it’s just so funny. Sorry for laughing so suddenly.”

  “I mean, it’s fine. What was so funny, though?” Masato asked in confusion.

  “It just reminded me of the way you two teased each other when we were still in Japan. It’s been so long since I’ve seen it, I lost my cool for a sec. It was very healing. Aki, Masato... I’m so glad you two are doing well,” Satsuki said.

  “Ah, I see.” Masato smiled bashfully.

  “Ahaha, normally Takahisa or Miharu would’ve stopped us before it got too heated, though,” Aki said with a sad look, remembering her brother.

  “...I still don’t know where Takahisa is, either.” Sensing the change in Aki, Satsuki also spoke with a gloomy look. She had predicted the possibility of him being the hero of Centostella, but she wasn’t certain.

  “Right...” Aki bit down on her lip and nodded. Although she already knew that from when Aishia came to inform them of the visit, hearing it again made her heart feel heavy.

  “I’ll notify you two as soon as we receive any confirmed information regarding Takahisa. There’s just one thing I want to ask, though. What will you do if he’s discovered?” Satsuki asked. Miharu’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “I want to see him, obviously!” Aki replied fiercely.

  “Same with you, Masato?” Satsuki checked.

  “Well, yeah. If we’re both alive, I’d want to see him,” Masato replied a bit shyly.

  “Would you feel the same way even if he belonged to another kingdom as its hero?” Satsuki pressed.

  “...Yes.”

  “Yeah, I have lots I want to tell him anyways.” Aki and Masato nodded their heads.

  “What are you planning to do after you see Takahisa, then? Haruto is taking care of you at the moment, but would you let Takahisa’s kingdom take care of you instead? Of course, if it seems like Galarc Kingdom will treat you well too, you could stay here... Or asking Haruto to keep taking care of you is another choice...” Satsuki asked, digging deeper with her line of questioning.

  “We did talk a lot about that before coming here, but...” Aki started somewhat hesitantly.

  “You haven’t made a decision yet?”

  “...Yeah.”

  “I think you understand already, right? That not everyone’s decision may be the same,” Satsuki guessed. Aki’s expression stiffened as if she had hit the nail on the head.

  “Well, we had a vague idea it could happen, so we were mindful not to delve too deep into the topic,” Masato said, scratching his head uncomfortably.

  Although Rio had been taking care of them until now, there was the possibility they would each live separately from now on, depending on the choices they made.

  “It’s fine with me as long as you understand it. Really, I’m probably interfering too much. You’ll know the answer when the time comes, so let’s discuss it when we’re all together,” Satsuki grinned, shrugging her shoulders rather excessively as she looked at Miharu.

  “...Okay.” Miharu looked back at Satsuki and nodded apologetically. Meanwhile, Aki was watching Miharu somewhat anxiously.

  “Hmm... The topic got all serious, so I’m kind of tired now. We were finally able to reunite with this limited time, so we should use it to talk about more fun topics. Oh, that’s right! Tell me more about this house. It seemed pretty big, so I’d love to have a tour.” Satsuki smiled brightly and changed the topic.

  “Hmm... There are a lot of rooms similar to this one, but it might be worth having a look at the gigantic bed in Haruto’s room. I’ve never seen a bed that big before in Japan,” Masato said.

  “Wow, so he sleeps in such a big bed all alone?” Satsuki’s eyes widened.

  “Well, not really. Latifa and Aishia sleep with him sometimes, which occasionally causes a bit of a commotion...” Aki broke into an amused grin, reminded of those times.

  “Wait, he sleeps together with his little sister and Aishia?!” Satsuki exclaimed in surprise.

  “The two of them sneak into his bed while he’s sleeping. Cecilia and Sara often find them and scold them about it,” Aki explained with a hint of a wry smile.

  “Oh, I see... Well, you can show me that bed later. Are there any other interesting places you can tell me about?” Satsuki grinned happily, having landed upon an interesting piece of information.

  “Hmm... The only other place I can think of is the bathtub,” Masato said, cocking his head.

  “How nice — a bathtub! I’d love to stretch my arms and legs and take a long, warm bath. The castle has a splendid bathtub too, but the soaps aren’t anything to write home about, and there aren’t any bathtubs like the ones you would see in Japan...” Satsuki’s face lit up as she longingly spoke of Japanese-style bathtubs.

  “Do you want to ask Haruto if you can take a bath here, then? We have a bathtub made of stone and a wooden tub as well,” Aki offered.

  “Oh, that sounds nice. The perfect combination,” Satsuki responded enthusiastically, her smile pure.

  “We also have a nice collection of soaps, so I’m sure you’ll like it,” Miharu added.

  “I look forward to seeing that! Wait. Wait, what?! I let my guard down and just went along with the conversation, but... what?! Y-You have one in this house? Really? A Japanese-style bath?” Satsuki had been smiling broadly before she noticed something odd with the conversation. She gasped at Miharu.

  “Yes, although it’s more like a hot spring than a Japanese-style bath.” Miharu laughed in amusement.

  At that, a fire ignited in Satsuki’s eyes. “Oh my god, a hot spring?” she gulped.

  ◇　◇　◇

  Meanwhile, Rio finished speaking with Celia and returned to the living room. Aishia, Latifa, Sara, Orphia, and Alma were gathered there as well.

  “Welcome back, Onii-chan! Did you finish talking? Come — sit down, sit down!” Latifa immediately called Rio to the spot on the sofa between her and Aishia. Aishia shifted to the side, as if reading Latifa’s mind, creating a space for Rio to fit between them.

  “Oh, thanks.” Rio sat in the space between them as though this was a natural occurrence. On the other hand, Celia reluctantly lowered herself into the empty one-seater sofa.

  “Onii-chan energy — recharge!” Latifa announced, immediately clinging to Rio’s right side.

  “Hmph.” The other girls looked bitter, as if they wanted to say something, but it was a little sister’s right to be doted on by her brother, after all.

  “Ehehe!” Latifa beamed in satisfaction, enjoying Rio’s attention.

  Meanwhile, Aishia didn’t attach herself to Rio as closely as Latifa ha
d, but leaned in enough to toe the line of Celia giving a warning. At times like this, Aishia and Latifa were the only ones that could get this close to Rio, making them extremely formidable.

  “Umm, why’s everyone so quiet?” Rio asked, noticing that he was being stared at by Celia, Sara, Orphia and Alma.

  Celia sighed in exasperation. “Huh? Isn’t it because we just arrived? What were you guys talking about before?” she asked Sara.

  “We were talking about Miharu’s friend, Satsuki. Just wondering what kind of person she is,” Sara answered with a faint smile. At that very moment, the door to Miharu’s room opened to reveal Miharu and Satsuki.

  Satsuki’s eyes widened when she spotted Rio sandwiched between Aishia and Latifa, but she called out to him with a grin. “...Hey, Haruto. I have a favor I’d like to ask.” Beside her, Miharu was also giggling in amusement.

  “Yes, what is it?” Rio stiffened, feeling a strange presence coming from Satsuki.

  “Umm, I’d like to use the bathtub. Is that okay?” Satsuki said with a completely serious expression, clasping her hands together as she pleaded.

  “S-Sure. Feel free to help yourself.” The anticlimactic answer drained the strength in Rio’s shoulders, making him agree in relief.

  “Really? You’re sure? Thank you!” Satsuki laughed happily.

  “It’s just a bathtub — I don’t mind if you use it,” Rio said in amusement, lips turning upwards into a smile.

  “What are you saying! When you want to use someone else’s bathtub, it’s only polite to ask the owner of the house for their approval,” Satsuki said, as though she were pointing out the obvious.

  “When we told her about the bathtub in this house, Satsuki leaped out the door saying she’d ask you herself,” Miharu giggled.

  “That just shows how important that information was to me, gosh.” Satsuki’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

  “In that case, please ask Miharu about how to use the bathroom,” Rio said.

  “Yup. Also, would anyone else like to join us? I’d love to have the chance to talk to everyone.” Satsuki nodded eagerly, turning to address the group of women.

  “Us too?” Sara muttered, exchanging a look with Celia and the others.

  “Please go enjoy yourselves,” Rio urged them. “Masato and I will wait out here.”

  “Ahaha, I should have known... Right...” Masato seemed a little disappointed, laughing bitterly.

  “What, did you want to join us too?” Aki shot Masato a dull look, sighing tiredly.

  Masato’s face flushed. “N-No! Just go already!”

  ◇　◇　◇

  “It’s so spacious...” Satsuki opened the door to the bathroom and froze in astonishment. The changing room was already large to begin with, and she had nearly yelled “is this a holiday inn?!” when she saw the curtain hanging over the entrance, but none of that could compare to this.

  This was definitely a holiday inn. Seeing the bare rock surfaces, artifact-powered bubbling water, and steam filling the entire room had her heart pounding in elation she couldn’t hold back.

  “Apparently the water is made through sorcery, but isn’t it just like a hot spring?” Miharu said to Satsuki with a smile, her naked body hidden behind a towel.

  “Yeah, this is the best...” Satsuki replied in a daze.

  “Come this way — I’ll explain the different soaps and how to use the water.”

  “Please do!” Satsuki followed Miharu to the washing area. While it was a little bit cramped with this many people using it all at once, they took turns and compromised with each other’s time. They formed pairs of Miharu and Satsuki, Celia and Latifa, Sara and Alma, and Aishia and Orphia, each helping wash the other’s back.

  “Oh, it smells wonderful. If only the bath at the castle had this soap... There’s only a limited amount of hot water, too. Now it feels weird to wonder how a house like this was built in a rocky area in the middle of nowhere.” Satsuki was spellbound by the soap bubbles enveloping her body and sighed at the inadequacy of the castle’s facilities.

  “Ahaha, the bathing facilities at the royal castle are meant to be the best in the Strahl region, but once you’ve experienced this house’s bathroom...” Celia said with a smile of exasperation, washing Latifa’s hair beside them.

  “Onii-chan made all the soaps in the bathroom, you know!” Latifa added. For the record, Celia’s hair color was still being altered and Latifa still had the accessory-shaped magic artifact to hide her ears and tail.

  “I’m shocked... I heard he could cook as well. What can’t Haruto do?” Satsuki said, her eyes widening.

  “That’s right, he’s good at pouring tea too. Miharu and Orphia are good as well, so we always have great tea in this house. Snacks, too, of course,” Celia said happily.

  “Miharu and Orphia are the ones in charge of making snacks, though. The scones and jam they made last time were something else.” Latifa started drooling at the memory of the taste.

  “The more I listen, the more this house sounds like a better place to live in than the castle...” Satsuki said with a small sigh, showing a hint of a bitter smile.

  “What’s life normally like living at the castle?” Miharu asked in curiosity, washing the water from Satsuki’s back.

  “Well, it’s boring. I wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, study things about this world, eat lunch, exercise a bit to help digestion, study, exercise... By the time I stop, it’s nighttime and another day is over, I guess?” Satsuki described with a dry smile.

  “I thought you would’ve interacted with the king and other nobility more, being a hero.” Miharu was a little surprised.

  “That was partly out of my own request to be treated as an open secret until the reveal at the banquet, so I haven’t met any nobles yet. Well, I do see the royalty a lot instead, though. You met Michel and Char, right? There are other royals too, but I see those two the most often.”

  “Princess Charlotte seemed like a very friendly and carefree person. You’re close to her too, right?”

  “Yup. Well, I suppose she’s one of the few friends I’ve made in this world so far. She may seem friendly, but you can’t let your guard down around her.”

  “Has it been hard after all? The king seemed like he treated you well, but...” Miharu asked worriedly.

  “Yeah, well enough. Outwardly, he’s so nice it’s almost scary, but that’s probably because I have value to him. I let him be nice because I wouldn’t be able to live comfortably otherwise, so in a way, we’re using each other. But I’ve become suspicious that there’s something behind every move he makes, so my biggest worry is my own mental fatigue.” Satsuki smiled in a way that showed exactly that.

  That’s why I’d honestly prefer living with Aki and Masato — and, if possible, Miharu — not in a place like that. That’s what I truly feel, but I suppose it won’t work out that way... she thought, sighing quietly.

  “If I were to give you advice as the eldest of this house, it would be to make one friend that you can trust from the bottom of your heart — someone you can tell anything to,” Celia said, seeing that she had experience being born and raised in noble society.

  “Eh?” Satsuki looked extremely confused.

  “...H-Huh? Did I say something weird?” Celia replayed her last words over in her head, wondering if she had said the wrong thing.

  “N-No, that’s not it... Umm, this may be impolite of me, but may I ask how old you are, Cecilia? You just said you were the eldest...”

  “Umm... T-Twenty-one...” Celia stated in embarrassment.

  “...EEEEH?!” Satsuki yelled in great amazement. That attracted the attention of Aki and Sara’s group, who were talking amongst themselves elsewhere.

  “N-No way, you don’t look it at all! There’s just no way! I honestly thought you were somewhere between Aki and Miharu in age! Ah, s-sorry, I didn’t mean to yell so loudly!” Satsuki explained her surprise and apologized to Aki and Sara.

  “Ahaha, thank y
ou. Being told that by the hero gives me confidence.” Celia laughed in amusement.

  “I’m the one losing confidence here. Cecilia’s so beautiful and young.” Satsuki exhaled, looking over Celia’s body.

  “I have the body of a child, so it’s embarrassing when people stare...” Celia paused in washing Latifa’s hair and shyly hid her body with her hands.

  “Don’t say that. Let me see your hands...” Satsuki grasped Celia’s hands and inspected them up close. “See, your skin is so clear and white like snow, it makes me envious as another woman! I wish I were like that!”

  “That’s thanks to the soap in this house, I think? Miharu and Latifa look the same, and I’m not as pretty as the other people in this house,” Celia said, placing emphasis on the effect of the various soaps Rio made.

  “No no, everyone in this house is unbelievably cute, but you’re also included in that count, you know?” Satsuki said to Celia in disbelief.

  “N-No way, I don’t think that’s true at all. If you want, you can check Miharu’s skin for yourself. Her skin’s super soft,” Celia said.

  “...Huh?” Miharu paused in washing Satsuki’s back, looking like a deer in headlights.

  “It’s time to check Miharu’s skin, then!” Satsuki whipped around and swiftly made her way behind Miharu.

  “Y-You’re fast! Wait, what? S-Satsuki?! W-Where are you touching — kyah?!” Miharu flinched out of her skin.

  “Wow, this certainly is something...” Satsuki excitedly moved both her hands, groping Miharu’s body with a gentle touch.

  “T-That tickles. Please don’t s-squeeze either!” Miharu squirmed, cheeks turning bright red.

  “Now now, the bubbles make everything more slippery, so don’t thrash around and just show me. You’ve grown so much in the time we’ve been apart.” A flame had been lit in Satsuki’s mischievous heart, spurring on her teasing. It seemed to help release the stress she had suppressed since coming to this world, as her smile was truly vibrant.

  After that, though it was only for ten seconds or so, their squabble continued until Satsuki was satisfied for the time being and went about washing Miharu’s back. “Ah, that was fun. Thanks, Miharu.”