Visitors

Several days after Shikina wrote her letter, a certain VIP came to our inn.

And so, just as I was about to take my afternoon nap, Ichika caught me and dragged me to the inn's reception to greet this person.

"It's been a while, Kehma-san. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

Clank, clank. Standing there was a female heavy knight clad in silver full plate armor that looked heavy… probably at least forty or fifty kilograms.

Standing, she was a rampart. Sitting, she was a fortress. Walking, she was a moving castle.

Commander of the Empire's First Knight Order and direct subordinate of the White Goddess. The Living Armor, Sally-san.

Furthermore, she wasn't wearing a helmet, showing off the dignified, beautiful face she had when humanized.

… The atmosphere around her is completely different from that disappointing elf currently training under me.

"… Sally-san. What brings you to our inn so suddenly?"

"Oh, my superior just told me to rest my wings for a bit, so I'm on a personal vacation. Well, I also came to check on how my former subordinate is doing."

Given the timing, that's obviously a lie.

However, there was a situation that prevented me from definitively calling it a lie.

"Hey, Sally. They have a hot spring here! I wanna get in. With you, if possible."

"N-No, we can't, Plume. The hot spring is apparently separated by gender, but according to what I heard from my superior, the suite has a private bath, so we could get in that together…"

That's right, Sally-san had brought her boyfriend along.

At first glance, he was so delicate and androgynous that it was hard to tell if he was actually male, but Sally-san introduced him with a bashful look, saying, "Oh, this is my boyfriend." … A femboy, maybe? Or perhaps he's intersex like Setsuna?

"Even so, wearing such heavy armor on a personal vacation…?"

"This is like a part of my body for me, so I actually feel more at ease with it on."

Not just like a part of her body; it IS her body. I already knew that.

But since her boyfriend doesn't seem connected to dungeons, it would be unnatural not to ask about it.

"… Is your boyfriend okay with it?"

"Sally's strong, and it's great having her protect me. Besides, only I need to know what Sally looks like without it, right? Right, Sally?"

"Y-Yes! I'll protect Plume with everything I have, so there's nooooothing to worry about! Ufufufu!"

Wow, she's totally lovestruck.

Plume was much shorter than Sally-san, so he stretched up on his tiptoes to pat her head. Sally-san fidgeted bashfully. Her armor clanked happily.

The suite's fine, but the floor won't break, will it…? Maybe I should secretly reinforce it.

Just then, having heard what was happening, Shikina showed up.

"Sally-sama! It's been too long!"

"Oh my, you seem well too. I read your letter, Shikina."

"Sir! —Err, is today your reply to that?"

"No, it's just a stop on my personal vacation. Incidentally, the answer is [No]. I genuinely want you to become stronger, which is why I referred you here."

… If I had my lie-detecting magic tool right now, it would probably be glowing red.

Could it be that she asked if she was a honey trap agent in that letter?

Also, there's no way the person who secretly assigned her as a honey trap would say "you're a honey trap" in front of the target.

"I see… I suspected you wrongly, my apologies."

"It's fine, being suspicious is actually proof that you've grown… Oh, here's some replacement stationery. I'm giving you several sheets, so please keep me updated on how you're doing. I'll also have Wataru bring stationery when he stops by. So please send at least one letter per month."

"Sir! Thank you very much, Sally-sama!"

So basically, she's being told to report in regularly.

"… By the way, who is the woman beside you?"

"He's my boyfriend."

"M-My apologies!? He looks so delicate that he might blow away in the wind!"

"Yes, so I'm doing my best to hold onto him tight so he doesn't fly away."

That wasn't a compliment, Shikina. Well, it seems to have worked out as flirting anyway.

"Hey Shikina, show Sally-san to her room. The suite."

"Sir! Understood!"

"Fufu, Shikina. How has Kehma-san been treating you?"

"Master has taught me many things! I can now do multiplication and division!"

"… Are you planning to become a civil servant? Well, I suppose it's better than not being able to do it."

Shikina led Sally-san and her boyfriend into the inn.

…

Well then, time to sleep.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

I woke up. Ahhh, that was a good nap～

When I got up from my nap and headed into the inn, Rei called out to me.

"Master, you're awake? A customer has arrived."

"Hmm? Oh, Sally-san? I know."

"No, a different matter."

Something else? I tilted my head.

"… It's not an inn guest, is it?"

"Correct. It's a customer for you, Master. Niku-senpai is currently attending to them."

Two visitors in one day. How rare.

But Niku's handling it? Who could it be? Don't tell me Misha came along to keep watch too?

"It's a blue-haired young girl named Maiodoru. She said she's come from Tsuia."

"…"

Crap, I totally forgot about the Tsuia matter.

Rather, has it already been about a month since then? So this is about the contract being completed?

"… Umm, where is she waiting?"

"The parlor."

"I'll head there now."

I made my way to the parlor. Well, it was right nearby anyway.

As I approached the parlor, I could hear voices talking. It was Maiodoru and Niku's voices.

And Maiodoru's voice sounded somewhat excited.

"U-Um, Kuroinu-sama. It hurts when you do it that roughly."

"Mmm, the pressure is difficult to adjust… How about this?"

"Ah, it's starting to feel really good… mmmm."

What, she's giving a massage?

I knocked on the door and entered.

"Hey, coming in…!? S-Sorry!"

And I witnessed Maiodoru in a rather indecent state. I hurriedly backed out of the room and closed the door.

Catching my breath in front of the door, I heard Maiodoru's voice from the other side.

"U-Um? Kehma-sama, is something the matter?"

"No, uh, sorry, I mean, I apologize. I didn't expect you to be having a foot pressure point massage."

That's right. I caught a glimpse. A glimpse of Maiodoru's bare soles.

… No matter how young Maiodoru looks, she's already at a marriageable age. In a different era, I might have had to take responsibility. That was close.

"W-Well… that certainly may have been improper."

"The giggling was fine, but you shouldn't do that in the parlor."

"… I was careless. Goshujin-sama, I'll tidy up immediately."

"Eh, Kuroinu-sama? Was it really that improper?"

Niku efficiently tidied up despite Maiodoru's confusion, and soon called out, "You may enter now."

When I entered the room again, Mai had already put her shoes back on and was sitting on the sofa. Phew.

Oh, now that I look, there's a maid with her too. Well, there's no way a young girl would come alone.

"… Um, so, Maiodoru-sama. What brings you here?"

"Please call me Mai, Kehma-sama."

"… Mai-sama. You came here for a reason, yes?"

"Yes."

Saying that, Maiodoru pulled out a single glass bottle from her [Storage].

It contained a blood-red liquid… something about it seemed ominous.

"What is this…?"

"Yes, my father said this is what you desired, Kehma-sama. With this, the engagement can proceed without issue."

A drug I desired? What is this about?

"It's the magical drug that makes one's sex chaotic, [Futanaru]."

"What? Sorry, could you say that again? I don't think I heard you correctly."

"It's the magical drug that makes one's sex chaotic, [Futanaru]."

"… Makes one's sex chaotic… umm, what?"

"[Futanaru]."

I thought I was hearing things, but apparently she really did bring some strange drug.

And what's this about me wanting it? Could someone please explain what's going on?