Sounds fishy.

Karina-chan here. The Goddess just handed down some really sketchy-sounding divine words to me.

… Oh. Time has stopped. Goddess Time, huh. Come to think of it, the Goddess just casually stops time whenever she wants. Truly a Space-Time Goddess.

"No, I'm not lying. For real."

"Reaaally?"

"I mean, Sati-tan hasn't been looking for her sister at all in the first place. If she had been searching, she would have found her in Solasidor already, right?"

Hmm?

When she puts it that way, she might have a point. Aishia was sold to Solasidor just last month. The night Sati-tan and I drank till morning, Aishia was in Solasidor too.

If Sati-tan had really been looking for Aishia, that near miss would've been cruel enough to call it fate's irony.

"She probably just thought saying she was looking for her sister, instead of “I'm here for the booze,” would make it easier to get permission into the Elflands."

"Ahh. Yeah, I can totally see Sati-tan doing that."

"Buuut that part, you knooow? That scheming side of her—?"

"Is exactly what makes her so cute and loveable!"

We went, "Yaaay!" and did an air high-five.

"As for Aishia-chan, why not just go for a dramatic “surprise, it's the real deal!” reunion?"

"Ah, so Aishia really is Sati-tan's sister?"

"She really is. Oh, and there's something important I need to tell you. Listen well."

Hm? What could it be? I braced myself.

"The socks Sati-tan is currently wearing are copies that Karina-chan made, so do not offer them to me! However, Karina-chan keeping them for her own use is totally fine! … That's all, transmission over. Over."

"That's the important part???"

… From the Goddess's point of view, I guess it is important. Yup. She's nothing if not consistent.

Time started moving again.

Man, that last line from the Goddess completely took the tension out of me.

I mean, "for my own use"? It's not like I have a hobby of adoring smelly socks… Wait, what? Just imagining Sati-tan's smelly socks is making my heart pound.

Come to think of it, my fetishes got etched into me at an instinctual level, didn't they… oof. Which means Sati-tan's socks, a natural 100 out of 100, are like the ultimate delicacy for me.

… The fact that part of me is starting to think that's not so bad is what's freaking me oooout!!!

While I was mildly depressed over that, Aishia came into the inn.

"Ah. Master! Welcome back!"

"Oh, Aishia. You're back. Welcome home to you too."

Aishia had gone around scouting the nearby eateries. I gave her a good there, there head pat.

… Sati-tan's big sister, huh. This innocent vibe… if Sati-tan did it, it'd definitely be an act… Yeah. That would still be good in its own way. Weaponized cuteness.

"Speaking of, your little sister's here, Aishia."

"Eh? … Which one? Pastel? Ghana? Sati?"

"It's Sati-tan… Wait, you've got more little sisters?"

"For reference, I've also got two younger brothers, four older sisters, and three older brothers."

Dwarves have so many kids!?

"Oh, no, I mean, for dwarves everyone in the clan counts as brothers and sisters."

"Ahh, I see."

"Once everyone gets drunk together, nobody has any idea who did what with whom. My moms say my dad's probably some traveling bard."

Dwarves are so free-spirited!!

No wonder nobody cares who gave birth to which kid. Everyone just gets lumped together as "our children" and treated as siblings.

"Anyway, can I bring her here for now?"

"Yes, Master. If she bares her fangs at you, I will show no mercy—even if she is my sister."

"It's fine, she's a friend. Apparently she's 'looking for you', more or less?"

"Ah, that's probably a lie. She's the kind of girl who pretty much only ever thinks about alcohol."

So Sati-tan's true nature is completely exposed, huh.

And so I took Aishia with me back to the room.

And then, the tearful reunion!

"I'm back, Sati-tan. I brought your big sis～."

"Ah, welcome back, Karikari… huh?"

Sati-tan looked at me and her eyes flew wide open in shock.

"… Sati! It's been a while!"

"A-Ai-nee!? Wh-what are you doing here… No, wait. I've wanted to see you so much, Ai-nee!"

Sati-tan let out a wail and flung herself at Aishia in a hug.

But I saw it. There wasn't a single tear in those eyes!

"Hey, Karikari, what's going on? That's seriously the real deal… Nobody told me she was still alive. Why is she even here?"

"I have noo idea. It's, like, totally just coincidence."

"That sounds so fake."

I imitated the Goddess, but yeah, it still sounded totally fake. Knew it.