475 - Alisa's Wish and Negotiations with the Fairy
"Tina!? Why is Tina here... no, fine. I understand."
Leonardo is quick to understand, thinking it is another prank by the fairy. Until a moment ago, he must have been surprised to hear my voice behind him when I shouldn't have been in Mandez, but now his face is normal. It is not the sharp face of work mode, nor the meltingly doting face he makes in front of me. It is a face where his thoughts have switched to correctly judging the situation.
...Despite being my big brother, he is competent in everything except matters concerning his sister...
Leonardo dotes on me blindly, but he is quick to switch between times when it is okay to dote and times when it is not. The time from his sister-talk during a break in work, to hearing my scream-like shout suddenly from behind, to turning around and connecting the dots to the fairy's prank was short.
...Well, in my case, I experience strange things so often that I immediately suspect spirits whenever something mysterious happens.
Upon confirming my appearance, Leonardo first tilts his head. Following that, the question that comes out of his mouth is why I am wearing a maid outfit.
"I thought I would take the opportunity to surprise you, Big Brother Leonardo... but Big Brother Leonardo didn't notice at all."
"Ah, I see. A mischievous Chris at sixteen is..."
"It's too late for that. Even when I served coffee and said 'please,' you didn't lift your face from the documents at all."
"I could see the cute hand accompanying the cup."
"Eh? Big Brother Leonardo, are you the kind of person who says things like 'cute' about a new maid's hand? Is that sexual harassment?"
"Sexual harassment...?"
"Additionally, there is one more thing I want you to notice."
Ignoring Leonardo, who tilts his head not understanding "sexual harassment," I spread my arms.
I am urging him to look closely at the room, but Leonardo's gaze only moved once from right to left. Since he still has a puzzled look on his face, he probably didn't notice what I told him to "notice."
"...I'm surprised that Big Brother Leonardo doesn't notice it's strange that Salisa is right in front of him."
"Salisa should be in Grenore. The one in Mandez is Alisa."
Since Leonardo says he wouldn't mistake that, I call Alisa, who is outside the door. I was the one who intentionally had her do her hair the same as Alisa's, but I didn't think he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Salisa, who he spends quite a lot of time with, and Alisa, who he only works with for about a week a year. If it were me, I would notice the subtle differences even if the three sisters all had the same hairstyle, but Leonardo apparently cannot. Comparing Alisa and Salisa standing side by side in front of him, Leonardo's bewildered gaze returned to me.
"...Why is Salisa, who should be in Grenore, in Mandez?"
"It seems Salisa was also caught up in the prank this time."
If I am the one being transported, it is in a sense "the usual," but if Salisa was transported by a spirit, the story changes slightly. Something that is not the usual has happened.
"Is the fairy gradually gaining power?"
"I think so too."
When it first sprouted, there were no changes. The anomalies began to occur at the Grenore mansion after I had a strange dream and buried Kalisa's remains in the Enomena pot. Based on the size of the sprout, it clearly changed from a normal Enomena, and the first instance was when it was transported to the detached palace in the royal capital. That might have been the sign of the Enomena's growth. After returning from the detached palace, mysterious phenomena that could only be the work of a spirit began to occur frequently at the lord's mansion. It would have been fine if it were just pranks like floating petals in the bathtub or the furniture in the dollhouse changing positions without anyone noticing, but being transported alone to a castle in a neighboring country is very troublesome. And now, finally, someone other than me has been transported. No matter how you look at it, the prank fairy's power is growing stronger.
"...By the way, Tina."
"Yes, what is it?"
"I told you to be careful with the Enomena flower, didn't I?"
Suspecting that I might have carelessly muttered something like "I want to go to Mandez" again, he questions me, and I deny it. I don't have absolute confidence, but I was being careful for the most part. I don't remember muttering "I want to go to Mandez" to the Enomena flower. However, I am aware that I sulked in the kotatsu with the Enomena pot, saying "Leo, Leo" out of loneliness due to Leonardo's absence, so I could easily imagine how the prank fairy made its judgment. Regardless of the location, it probably transported me to where Leonardo was.
...Wait?
I noticed this after arguing with Leonardo that it was an act of force. I am always subject to the pranks of spirits and fairies by force, but Salisa is different. Using pancakes as a price, she had come to Mandez of her own will.
"It seems Salisa was able to negotiate with the prank fairy."
"Negotiate with a fairy...?"
"Yes. She said she would give it pancakes if it took her to me, and it seems the fairy followed her."
I let Leonardo hear about the situation in Grenore as told by Salisa and the method Salisa took there. The tentative conclusion after confirming with Salisa several times is this case, where negotiation with the prank fairy can sometimes work. New questions arise, such as whether negotiation with pancakes works every time, or if it's possible to tell it not to move me arbitrarily, but no answers come. Even if I wanted to verify, I don't know when or at what timing the prank fairy will pull a prank.
"If only we could decide the time of departure and return by our own will..."
"That is not known yet. I always suddenly return at some random moment."
If there is a timing, it is when crossing a boundary like a door. When moving from room to room, there are times when I suddenly return to the original place.
"In Wyack Valley, I appeared in the kitchen of Aurelia-san's house, but I was able to go outside and visit the grave. It seems it's not necessarily the case that I return whenever I pass through a door..."
"There are so many unknowns. For now, Tina, I think it's about time you returned..."
"I agree that it's about time I returned, but I request a bit more replenishment of Big Brother Leonardo."
Under the guise of replenishment of Leonardo, I cling to Leonardo's side. It seems true that he hasn't shaken off the dust of travel, as there was a slight smell of sweat and dust. As I hug his side with all my might, Leonardo's hand immediately descends toward my head, so I reject this. It is a superstitious vent of frustration, wondering if the reason my height grows slowly is because Leonardo frequently pats my head.
"Shall we try negotiating with pancakes again?"
"Even if we propose a negotiation, let's do it after dinner."
Setting Salisa's suggestion aside, I decide that the replenishment of Leonardo is still insufficient. I feel like my sudden visit to Mandez might have caused screams at the Grenore mansion, but since I've already come, it can't be helped. Since I'm here, I intend to replenish my Leonardo-quota as much as time permits.
After hugging plenty to replenish my Leonardo-quota, I spent time next to the executive desk until Leonardo's work reached a stopping point, fearing that I would return to Grenore the moment I stepped into the hallway. I was also cautious when moving to the dining room for dinner, but it seems that sudden returns do not occur when moving with a clear purpose. At Aurelia's house, I was able to go outside to visit the grave, and conversely, at Augun Castle, I returned from behind a curtain rather than a door. Perhaps because it is a mysterious phenomenon like a fairy's prank, it was currently impossible to completely pattern it.
After dinner, I moved to the living room and spent time with Leonardo, just as I do in Grenore. Just as I let my guard down, thinking I could replenish my Leonardo-quota for about one night, it happened.
A conversation came up about betting on who would get to sleep where tonight with a game of Seque, and it was decided that if I won, I would sleep with Leonardo, and if I lost, I would sleep alone. When I stepped into the hallway to get the game board, I was already in the lord's mansion in Grenore.
"...Huh?"
I realized immediately that I had returned, but my regret over letting my guard down was great. I spent dinner together and was by his side during work, so it couldn't be said that the Leonardo-quota wasn't sufficiently replenished, but still, it was too sudden. I wanted to savor Leonardo, whom I hadn't seen in a while, for a bit longer.
"I'm home, Koku-maro."
It seems the black Shiba (Koku-maro) was the first to notice my return. I heard a sound like scratching with front paws from the door behind me, and when I opened the door, the black Shiba jumped out. Following that, Aaron jumped out of the room and asked for an explanation, so I explained that I had been to the town of Mandez. To the claim that Salisa had disappeared, I answered that Salisa had also come to the Mandez mansion. That she had negotiated with the prank fairy with pancakes and seemed to have followed me.
I informed Bart of my return and told Tabitha that I had already finished dinner. While doing so, Siegwald, who is not used to my disappearances, returned from searching the mansion, so although I felt bad, I asked him to search the mansion one more time. Salisa had not yet returned from Mandez. I didn't think Salisa, who followed me, would stay at the Mandez mansion forever. There was a possibility that she had suddenly returned somewhere, just like me.
"...I wonder why there is this time difference?"
I think Salisa caught up to me quickly on the way there, but Salisa returned to Grenore at my bedtime. After taking a bath, combing my hair, and entering the blissful time of reading books until I truly became sleepy, Salisa appeared to report her return.
"Rather than a time difference, I think she just stayed for the necessary amount of time."
I settled down after spending time with Leonardo. Salisa had things she wanted to consult with Alisa and Iridal about at the Mandez mansion, but since private matters are not for work hours, she helped with work until their work settled down, and the result was that her return time was before my bedtime.
"...May I ask what you talked about?"
"I consulted them on how to use Kalisa's condolence money."
I feel like this country didn't have systems like labor standards laws or life insurance, but some amount was to be paid as condolence money for Kalisa's death. Since Kalisa was treated as having died in an accident during work and had left clues leading to my search, it seems a large amount of condolence money would be paid. If it were Alisa, even though they are the same sisters, not a single copper coin of condolence money would be paid. There was an invisible difference, where Kalisa was a servant (human) and Alisa was a servant (brownie). Knowing Leonardo, I can't imagine he wouldn't give even a single copper coin as condolence money, but on paper, Kalisa's death is a "human death," and Alisa's death would be counted as a "servant (brownie)," which is "just furniture breaking."
"Leonardo-sama suggested that he use Kalisa's condolence money to buy back Alisa's status."
"That sounds like something Big Brother Leonardo would say."
"Iridal also agreed with Leonardo-sama's opinion, but..."
"Was there some problem?"
"Alisa said that instead of buying back her own status, she wanted to buy permission for breeding and the status of the children born."
"...Breeding, you say?"
Breeding is when a servant (brownie) has children. The status of the child changes depending on the parent, but if they are born by the wish of Alisa, who is a servant (brownie), the child's status is decided as a servant (brownie) even before birth. In rare cases, if a master couple who cannot have children wishes to borrow the womb or seed of a servant (brownie), the born child becomes the master's child and is not counted as a servant. For such reasons, usually, servants (brownies) do not make their own children, and the masters do not tell them to breed. From a servant (brownie)'s perspective, they think of their child who will be a servant (brownie) from before birth. From the master's side, there are various reasons why few masters let servants (brownies) have children, such as the servant (brownie) becoming unable to work during pregnancy and childbirth, and the fact that childcare costs for years until the born child can work as a servant (brownie) would come out of their own pocket. Especially for a servant (brownie) of a mansion provided for the lord of a fortress, the master changes frequently. Even if Leonardo permitted breeding, if Leonardo's next master decided they didn't want a servant (brownie) child who takes time to become able to work, the child would be put in a difficult position.
"Alisa wanted her own child. But if that's the case... wouldn't it be better to buy back Alisa's status and then get married...?"
If Alisa's status is bought back, Alisa is no longer a servant (brownie). If she then gets married and has children, neither Alisa nor the children are servants (brownies). Childcare costs and such would come out of the pockets of Alisa and her husband, but that is a natural expense for parents as long as they nurture a child. Even if she is no longer a servant (brownie), it doesn't mean she's no longer a servant of the mansion, so she wouldn't have trouble finding a job.
"It seems it is more convenient for Alisa herself to remain a servant (brownie). After all, Iridal is at the Mandez mansion."
I tilt my head, wondering what the problem was that made Alisa want to buy the status of an unborn child rather than her own. According to Salisa, the answer is "Iridal." Alisa doesn't just "want her own child regardless," but "wants to have a child with Iridal's seed."
"...Did Alisa like Iridal?"
"Yes. Since she was a child, Alisa has been saying 'Iridal, Iridal'."
By the way, the face Iridal showed when he heard Alisa's feelings was apparently a sight to behold in a sense. Iridal, who is usually almost expressionless and has a gloomy face, apparently froze with his eyes wide open at Alisa's feelings.
"For Iridal, it's like being told by a daughter, 'I want to have your baby,' even though he didn't raise her with that intention."
As for Salisa, since she thought of Iridal as either a father or an older brother with a large age gap, she also seems to have somewhat complex feelings about thinking of him as the husband of her same-age sister. That said, she had known since childhood that Alisa felt for Iridal, and since she wanted to respect individual opinions regarding marriage and childbirth, Salisa returned after agreeing with Alisa's opinion. Since the trigger for this was Kalisa's condolence money, the use of it is left to Alisa and Salisa. Leonardo also reportedly permitted Alisa's "breeding" on the condition that Iridal's consent be obtained. With this, if Alisa can persuade Iridal to be the seed provider, the born child will be the child of Alisa and Iridal, but will be raised in the mansion as a servant, not as a servant (brownie).
...Does that mean Alisa is in the middle of persuading Iridal at the Mandez mansion right now?
It's a secret that I thought I'd like to see it just a little. A face of confusion from the competent house steward (Iridal), whom I can only remember with a composed face, being pressed by Alisa, whom he raised like a daughter, is something you probably don't see often.
...Even so?
The prank fairy really seems to adjust the stay period to match the convenience of humans (us). I returned after replenishing my Leonardo-quota, and Salisa returned after the consultation about Alisa's future was finished.
...As I thought, it seems convenient if we can get along well, right?
Leonardo and Alfred get angry and tell me not to think about utilizing spirits, but for me, the mysterious long-distance travel caused by the prank fairy looks attractive no matter what. If it is a power that can be controlled by one's own will or through negotiation with the prank fairy, in truth, I would even want to actively incorporate it.
...No, what I want most is a telephone rather than long-distance travel (teleport).
It seems the prank fairy adjusts the stay period nicely. According to Salisa, negotiation with pancakes is possible.
If that's the case, I steal a glance from Salisa and Tabitha, who have been preparing the feast for the Divine King Festival since morning, and borrow the kitchen of the servants' annex to bake pancakes. Since I'm always left behind and scolded, Aaron also participates in this challenge. I also involve Mirshe, who is assigned as a maid instead of the busy Salisa, and move to my room on the third floor with pancakes for three people, stealthing my footsteps. I feel like Alf would get angry if I intentionally tried to borrow the power of a spirit, so it's a secret. I was found by Rannvald halfway up the stairs, but since there was a plate of pancakes in his hand, I think his goal is the same as mine. He wants to spend the Divine King Festival with Leonardo.
"And so, I have prepared offering pancakes! Please take me to Leonardo-san!"
I hadn't asked what Salisa said when she negotiated with the prank fairy, but since I am stating my request expansively, it should work. I offer the pancakes to the Enomena pot and, with a shout of "here I go," open the door and jump into the hallway. What was there was the usual hallway of the lord's mansion. It was not Lugmirama Fortress, nor the hallway of the Mandez mansion.
"...Huh? I'm not moving?"
Wondering if the prank fairy's mood today wasn't for pancakes, I take candies and baked sweets from the desk drawer and offer them to the Enomena pot. I try jumping from the door into the hallway again, thinking "how about this," but the result is the same. Only the usual hallway continues. Looking back, Aaron and the others who offered sweets in the same way were there, and not a single person was missing.
"Don't they grant wishes in exchange for sweets?"
While I was at a loss in the hallway, my plot was discovered by Siegwald. Upon the report delivered from Siegwald's mouth to Alf's ear, Alf, who acts as my guardian in Leonardo's absence, immediately comes to the mansion.
The lecture from then on continued until evening.
Originally, Alfred and Alf take care to treat me according to my age, so there is no mercy. Leonardo and the others tend to become soft in their response to me, drawn by my youthful appearance, but for Alf, the fact that I look like a girl in her early teens was not a reason to slacken his lecture. It is painful to be earnestly admonished that since I already cause worry to those around me by being kidnapped by spirits, I should not do things that cause trouble on my own. It is a lecture resulting from being blinded by immediate desire (Leonardo) and acting without thinking of the consequences. Now that I am calm, it is a grateful lecture that I feel too sorry about, and I should accept it willingly.
Typos and omissions will be fixed at a later date.