An Unfamiliar Ceiling

I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.

Right, we'd stayed the night in the duke's guest annex.

We'd been sleeping in shifts, but partway through, Alexia-san set up a detection spell that would react if anyone approached the building. So in the end, we all slept at the same time.

The spell apparently didn't work inside the building itself. It would trigger every time a maid moved around, or so she said.

On that front, we had no choice but to trust the other side.

If someone on the inside betrayed us, there was nothing we could do anyway.

The bed was soft, and I'd fallen into a deeper sleep than I'd intended.

I pushed the blanket down toward my feet and sat up.

It was still dark outside, but it looked like it wouldn't be long before dawn.

Just losing the blanket was enough to make it chilly. I rubbed both arms to warm up.

Last night a fire had been lit in the hearth and the room was warm, but unfortunately it had already burned out.

I pulled a jacket from my gear bag at the foot of the bed and slipped it on.

Indoors might be bearable, but it was going to be bitterly cold outside. Better to dress warmly today.

I swung my legs off the bed. Leaving my thighs exposed in this cold would freeze me solid.

Master wasn't here, so I changed into trousers. Just covering my skin made a huge difference.

I put on thick socks and slipped into indoor shoes.

A basin of hot water had been set beside my bed.

When had they placed it there? The fact that it hadn't cooled meant someone had been swapping it out periodically until I woke.

I'd never received that kind of treatment before.

Whether they'd heated it with firewood or a magic tool, it took considerable effort and expense.

What would Master say if he knew? I'd tell him when I got back as a souvenir story. He'd be surprised.

I washed my face with the hot water and dried it with the towel that had been set out alongside.

That cleared the last of the drowsiness. I felt refreshed.

I folded the towel and put it back.

I checked on the other two. Both still asleep.

Elza-san lay perfectly still on her back, not moving a muscle.

Her chest rose and fell ever so slightly with each breath.

Alexia-san, on the other hand, was on her side clutching her pillow.

Her blanket was a bit disheveled, one shoulder exposed.

I wondered if she wasn't cold, then noticed the Fire Elemental was being hugged along with the pillow.

If anything, she was probably too warm. She might have kicked the blanket off in her sleep.

No one had specified a time we needed to be up, but sooner was better.

We'd had nothing to do after our charge, Anatia-san, retired for the night, so we'd gone to bed right after her. Plenty of sleep.

First I went to Elza-san, gently placed my right hand on her shoulder, and gave it a shake.

She didn't wake. Just as I put more force into it for a second try, her eyelids fluttered open.

She looked at me. Our eyes met. As always, her features were strikingly beautiful.

Then that lovely face crumpled into something soft and slack.

"… Mornin'."

And there was the usual Elza-san.

A smile that drained all tension from the room.

"Good morning. Please wash your face and wake up properly."

"Okaaay. It's cold today, huh."

"It is. You might want to layer up."

I helped her sit upright so she wouldn't fall back asleep.

She began washing her face at a leisurely pace, so I left her to it and headed to Alexia-san.

As I quietly approached her bed, Alexia-san's body gave a faint twitch.

She'd reacted to my footsteps, or perhaps my presence.

How much training had it taken to develop that kind of awareness while sleeping?

A glimpse of the strict discipline she imposed on herself.

That said, that wasn't all there was to Alexia-san, which was the good part.

When she truly fell into deep sleep, her sleeping posture went completely to pieces and she'd be wide open.

This time it wasn't that bad.

I carefully reached out toward her, and Alexia-san's left hand seized mine with an iron grip.

No matter how hard I pulled, it didn't budge.

I needed to wake her up.

"Alexia-san, it's me. It's Azu."

"Mm."

She stirred at the sound of my voice and opened her eyes.

"Oh, Azu. Right, you came to wake me. Sorry about that."

With that, she finally let go.

The spot where she'd gripped me stung.

Once awake, Alexia-san snapped to full alertness almost instantly, so I went back to my own bed.

I smoothed out the wrinkles in the sheets and neatly folded the blanket.

The maids would probably tidy everything up afterward, but I didn't want them thinking we'd been sloppy.

It could reflect badly on Master's name.

By the time I'd finished, the other two were ready as well.

Elza-san wore her usual priest robes with a thick white coat draped over them.

It suited her perfectly, giving her a much more grown-up look.

"That coat looks great on you."

"Thanks. That man really does think of everything. It was packed in my bag without me even knowing."

"That's Master for you. It's a big help."

I'd never once had a moment of thinking I was missing something or wishing I had such-and-such.

Dig through the gear bag and whatever you needed was almost always in there.

Alexia-san was in her usual battle dress.

No coat for her, it seemed.

"The dress alone would be fine, but I'm also wearing armor, light as it is. Adding a coat on top just gets in the way. It's a bit chilly, but this little one keeps me warm."

The Fire Elemental returned to her brooch.

Alexia-san gently stroked it.

They seemed to have excellent compatibility. The spirit was clearly very friendly with her.

In my case, I could sense the Water Elemental's presence, and it came to my aid in emergencies.

But normally we didn't interfere with each other much. It didn't feel like it disliked me or anything.

I found the distance comfortable.

Elza-san must have noticed me watching Alexia-san and her Fire Elemental, because she gently stroked my head.

"Just take your time getting used to each other. No need to rush."

"Okay…"

When we stepped out of the room, a maid was right there in the hallway with a wagon loaded with hot water, just about to stop at our door.

She noticed us and gave a deep bow.

"Good morning. You're already up, I see."

"Good morning. Thank you for the hot water."

"Please don't mention it. You're here to guard our lady, so we want to make your stay as comfortable as possible."

She said it as though swapping out water before it cooled was the most natural thing in the world.

Anatia-san must be truly adored by the staff.

Of all the nobles I'd met so far, she seemed the kindest.

"If you'd like, I can have breakfast prepared. Please head to the dining hall."

"You're all already working this early in the morning?"

"When we have guests, we're on standby to assist at any time."

The maid pushed the wagon along as she led us toward the dining hall, and we followed.