Chapter 34

As she spoke, when Sylatrella closed her eyes and then opened them again, the fiery purgatory within her gaze had completely vanished.

All that remained was the vast expanse of the lake before her, verdant overlapping mountains, and the brilliance of stars and moon.

And… at this moment, standing right in front of her was Lady Sheffy.

“Lady Sheffy also shoulders so much… stronger than me, carrying even more than I do. The more I gazed into the abyss of your magic, the more I understood how deep your despair must have been…”

“But you made a choice completely opposite of mine.”

“You disregarded the honor of the Demon Clan, left behind your parents who, though Demon King and Queen, only demanded you strive harder, and pursued with all your heart your own inner sanctuary. And you even met the Hero, someone who could truly understand you…!”

The more Sylatrella spoke, the more excited she became!

“You accomplished everything I failed to achieve! Someone like you… how could I ever be afraid of you!”

Sylatrella clasped her hands behind her back and began to smile.

As though it was not her present self who was smiling at this moment.

But rather, the girl from a thousand years ago, standing before an intensely hot sword-tempering furnace…

A despairing girl, casting a glance that shocked the world.

“I won’t be afraid… because you are my hero.”

34. *A Gift?*

At dinnertime, when Xiarette placed on the dining table that plate of cabbage and mushroom stew she had carefully simmered for three hours…

In that instant, a predatory gleam burst forth from Sheffy’s eyes like a starving tiger ready to pounce!

That look, one second away from starving to death upon seeing the food, truly left Xiarette dumbfounded.

“Careful not to burn yourself, Sheffy, eat slowly.”

“Mm, so delicious, so delicious… huh?! Eat slowly? Xiarette, what kind of words are those! Are you looking down on the aroma of cabbage and mushrooms, or are you underestimating your own magnificent culinary skills!”

“My magnificent…?!”

“What else could it be!”

Ugh!

Sheffy, if you keep praising me like this, I really won’t be able to resist making you another midnight snack! That would be too sinful!

Sheffy gulped down the cabbage and mushroom broth until she was full.

In Xiarette’s eyes, little hearts sparkled; watching Sheffy happily devour the meal was enough to fill her with joy as well.

But sitting to Sheffy’s left was the little Holy Sword Sylatrella.

She did not eat a single bite.

Throughout the entire meal, Sylatrella kept her small mouth slightly open, eyes filled with admiration as she looked upward with both hands raised over her head, staring blankly at the ceiling.

—Though in truth, she was not really looking at the ceiling; she was simply absentmindedly patting her own head.

Mmm… my head… just now by the lakeside, it was patted by Lady Sheffy.

I told her she was my hero.

Then Lady Sheffy suddenly raised her hand, and Sylatrella had thought she was about to hit her again.

But instead… it was to pat her head.

Ah…

She suddenly felt she could die without regret now.

Seeing her so dazed, and with the food on the table nearly cleared away by Sheffy like a whirlwind sweeping fallen leaves, Xiarette asked softly.

“Sylatrella, aren’t you going to eat? I didn’t expect you to come out so suddenly… if you want, I can make some more. There’s still some mushrooms and meat left.”

“No need.” Sylatrella was too busy patting the top of her own head, so her answer was very brief. “My physical form is still unstable at the moment, so I don’t need to eat like humans do. I’ll probably need to return to the sword soon to rest.”

“Haah… then why are you constantly patting your head?”

“Hmph hmph, of course that’s because it was Lady Sheffy who…”

“Pfft! Just eat this!”

“Mm mm?!”

Sylatrella, who had just said she didn’t need to eat, suddenly had her mouth stuffed with a piece of bread that Sheffy passed over at an astonishing speed.

She couldn’t say that out loud.

Of course she couldn’t say it!

This was what Sheffy called an emergency measure!

Well… you just called me a hero, I was indeed a little happy about that…

But that doesn’t mean you can go around telling everyone about it!

At the very least, you must not tell Xiarette!

Ahh… just thinking about how she had impulsively reached out to pat this little one’s head by the lake earlier… Sheffy felt it was absurd.

Damn it… now she was actually starting to think that this little Holy Sword might be a good kid.

But that didn’t change the fact that she was still a damn pervert! Sheffy, get a grip on yourself!

Seeing that Sylatrella was forced to stay quiet, looking a bit excited, Sheffy decided to take the initiative to stop her from speaking further.

“Eat! Don’t talk about whether you need to eat or not. Look at you, such a short little thing, malnourished, so pitiful. Look at me—don’t you think you could grow taller too? Of course you could! But that’s only if you eat properly instead of always wasting mealtime with nonsense. Now hurry up and eat!”

“Mm mm mm!” (Lady Sheffy wants me to grow taller. I will definitely eat well and grow taller!)

You little thing… you really are obedient, aren’t you…?

Xiarette had no idea why Sheffy was suddenly so agitated.

Nor did she understand why Sylatrella had suddenly started gnawing on bread.

But as she looked at the deep blue dress with gold trim that Sylatrella was wearing, she found it more and more familiar…

After all, Xiarette had personally accompanied Sheffy shopping when she bought it.

So it didn’t take long for her to recognize it.

“Ah…! I remember now, isn’t that dress Sheff—! Mm?!”

“You eat too!”

Today.

The bread had taken up the banner.

It had saved everything.

……………………………

After dinner, not a single drop of the cabbage and mushroom stew remained. The plate, licked sparkling clean by Sheffy, still sat on the table gleaming brightly.

Sylatrella could only remain outside the Holy Sword for a limited amount of time.

When the moonlight grew hazy late at night, she too returned to the Holy Sword in the form of magic to rest and recover.

The Holy Sword hung by the wall. On the windowsill beside it, a Light Magic Crystal shimmered with a warm, gentle glow.

And within the reach of that light—two stunning young girls lay side by side on the large soft bed, hand in hand.

Their bedtime conversation had progressed in perfect, wordless harmony.

Xiarette held her breath, feeling the soft, small sensation in her palm… unable to resist, she slightly curled her fingers, gently tapping that tender little hand.

Feeling that light touch at her fingertips, Sheffy tilted her head, her bright purple eyes shining as she looked toward Xiarette.

“What is it?”

“You still came over to my side after all… still afraid of the dark?”

“I came for your big soft bed, not for you.”

“Mm-hmm, well, I’ll take it that way then.”

She tightened her grip on that little hand.

Sheffy’s body, which had tensed slightly in the darkness, visibly relaxed a great deal.

At the same time, in a rather casual and cheerful tone, Xiarette looked up at the ceiling and suddenly said:

“Sheffy, big sister likes you, you know?”

“Yeah yeah yeah, you like me, right? I like you too, I like you the most~ Heehee, I get it, I get it, trying to act all big sister-like again? Too bad, I already told you, in this life I’m the one who’s a little older!”

“……”

That’s not what I meant…

Xiarette smiled wryly into the darkness, for now choosing not to voice the deeper feelings behind her words.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to say them.

She was simply waiting for a moment that would hold special meaning for her.

And that moment… was already drawing near.

“Sheffy, this weekend is my birthday. There will be a birthday banquet at the main house of the Wright Family.”

“Really?!” Upon hearing this, Sheffy immediately flipped over and sat up. “Doesn’t that mean there’ll be endless… ahem, that’s not important! The important thing is, Xiarette, happy birthday in advance! What a coincidence! I just got here and now it’s almost your birthday?”

“Thank you, Sheffy~”

After saying this, Sheffy quickly started counting on her fingers, mumbling to herself about her plans.

“It just so happens we have money now… gold coins in hand, we’ve got it all. The birthday gift needs to be… something awesome! What should I get…”

“Sheffy, don’t prepare a birthday gift for me.”

“Come on, are you trying to save me money? I’ll have you know, I’m rich now! I could even gift you donuts, I’m living large!”

“That’s not what I meant… I mean, when my birthday comes, I don’t want you to give me a gift. On the contrary, I want to give *you* a gift.”

“Huh…? Come on, who celebrates their own birthday without accepting gifts and instead gives them out…”

Hearing this, Xiarette just smiled and gently pulled Sheffy’s arm, softly but firmly tugging her back down onto the bed.

Sheffy’s small body landed back on the mattress without even making the springs bounce.

Face to face, very close, they could feel each other’s breath.

Xiarette’s light, pleasant voice sounded even sweeter now.

“Don’t worry about it. Just tell me whether you’ll agree or not, Sheffy.”

“What… acting like a big sister again.”

Sheffy pouted for a few seconds.

But soon she stayed lying down, shrugged, and pulled the blanket over herself.

“Fine, whatever. It’s your birthday, so of course you call the shots.”

“Mm, that’s more like it. Such a good girl, Sheffy.”

“Tsk…! I told you, don’t talk to me like that! Oh right.”

“What is it?”

“It’s just… if possible, I hope the gift you give me is something I can eat. You know me, I’m straightforward! I’ve always loved to eat, I’m super greedy.”

“That’ll depend on whether you’re willing to taste it then. Alright, alright, we have important things to do tomorrow morning. Aren’t we going to the Royal Palace to meet the King and deal with the Theocracy matter? So go to sleep now! No more talking about this.”

“Huh? You were the one who brought it up first… wow! You’re really going to sleep now?! How sneaky!”

Sheffy tried calling Xiarette back, who had suddenly turned her back and started trying to sleep.

Unfortunately, she seemed determined to go to bed early. With a few muffled sounds, she still insisted that Sheffy should sleep too—staying up late would stunt her growth.

There was no helping it.

That was the one thing Sheffy feared the most.

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