Chapter Three: The Night Is Short, Stay With Me Girl

Chapter Three: The Night Is Short, Stay With Me Girl

Hand in hand, Anima and Luina walked the road to Garaat, their house getting smaller and smaller behind them. Anima was anxious about leaving the girls there all by themselves to begin with, but that anxiety only got worse with every step they took.

The goblin attack that had led to his summoning aside, his daughters had never been in danger of being attacked, as the area was patrolled by Hunters around the clock to ensure the safety of its residents. He had seen them multiple times while going out and, so far, they’d been successful. It was almost unimaginable that monsters could penetrate the town’s defenses. That was clearly not an issue. What was an issue, however, was everything else.

Would they be able to bring the laundry inside? Would they be able to make their own lunches? Would they be able to draw the bath? He and his wife finally had a day to enjoy as a couple, just the two of them, yet questions like that flooded his mind. He stared silently at the ground as he walked, unable to quell his fears.

“We’re lucky the weather is so nice today,” Luina said, breaking the silence.

He jerked his head up and nodded affirmatively.

“The laundry will dry very quickly in this warmth. Let’s just hope they can reach it…”

“Don’t worry. I took the laundry in all the time when I was Myuke’s age, and she’s even taller than I was. I’m sure they won’t have any problems.”

“Oh, okay… But with how sunny it is, they’re bound to get thirsty. Myuke can’t possibly draw water from the well…”

“It’s going to be okay. You drew enough water yesterday to last them two or three days even if they choose to wash even more laundry. There’s water in the tub, too; they just have to heat it up.”

“But they’ll have to make a fire to do that. They could hurt themselves with your fire lizard stone…”

“Anima, they’ll be fine.” Luina stopped and looked into Anima’s eyes with the understanding smile of a mother who was about to explain something very important to their child. “If someone as inexperienced as me can use the stone, there’s no way a Hunter like Myuke would hurt themselves with it. Food won’t be an issue either. You must have realized by now that they’re very skilled with their hands, right?”

“Right. They’re amazing artists, Myuke and Bram—even little Marie. Those hands can create such incredible art, so they should be more than capable of creating food that’s just as incredible. I suppose I shouldn’t worry that they could cut themselves with the knife…”

Luina chuckled. That cute smile of hers was enough to dispel all of Anima’s fears.

“They’re doing their best to make us happy. Nothing can stop them when they work together. Nothing is going to happen, so stop worrying. Trust me. I had to look after the house when I was little as well, and… I’m here with you now, am I not?”

“Weren’t you afraid to look after the house all by yourself?”

Luina shook her head. There was a twinkle of nostalgia in her eyes.

“I wasn’t by myself, and neither are the girls. It was a lot of fun for us to work together and accomplish things we normally wouldn’t be able to on our own. I still remember the taste of the stew we made. It was a little burnt, but that almost made it all the tastier.”

Anima felt relieved listening to her story.

“I see. Kids like to look after their house?”

“They do, so don’t worry about them. They’ll be fine.”

Luina’s warm words calmed Anima’s racing heart. Once he’d cooled down, he thought back on his behavior, which made him feel somewhat miserable. He had acted like a child who sought comfort in their mother’s skirt—a stark contrast from his usual can-do demeanor.

“I’m sorry you had to see me acting so pathetic…”

“You weren’t pathetic at all,” she answered in a serious tone, still wearing the same warm smile. “Parents always worry about their children, and being able to see just how much you care for them means more than you know. I fall in love with you all over again with each passing day, and I’m incredibly grateful that we finally have the chance to go on a date.”

“Luina…” Anima was breathless. A dazzling smile spread across his face as a surge of joy filled his entire being. “I feel the same way; words can’t express how happy I am that I get to go on a date with you! Let’s make this the best day of our lives!”

While his previous worries were gone, he had one more mental wall he had to break down. Their date was no ordinary date, it was the accumulation of their daughters’ efforts in the form of a heartfelt gift; he had to enjoy it to the fullest. He owed that not only to Luina, but to their three little angels as well.

“Yes! Let’s make some wonderful memories today!”

Taken by Anima’s wonderful smile, Luina linked her arm with his. The warm, squishy sensation and her lovely, gentle fragrance only broadened the grin on his face. Finally, he was getting into the right mindset for a date. He had been a pitiable slob just moments ago, but that was no more. He was ready to escort his beautiful wife with his head held high.

They took a light step forward, resuming their walk through Garaat. Hand in hand, they merrily walked the main street under the dazzling sunlight. They headed down the block with the instrument store, art supply store, restaurant, and tailor, then entered an alleyway. Passing by a cozy, hidden little pub, they quickly came out on the other side. They wandered around without any particular goal while Anima tried to think of somewhere fun to take her.

The pressure weighing on his shoulders was immense. It was their first date, a gift from their precious little daughters; some run-down pub wouldn’t cut it. He needed someplace grandiose to make the best memories possible. It was a difficult task, especially so because his idea of walking by places she’d enjoyed in the past yielded no results. Her head resting against his shoulder, she simply walked with him wearing a silent smile. If he was going to take his wife somewhere special on such an important day, he was going to have to put his brain into overdrive.

Maybe we should stop by the fruit stall…? No, that isn’t something you’d do on a date at all. Then maybe a nice inn? Oh, what am I thinking? It’s way too early for that.

They would be spending the night in Garaat, so their date would definitely end at an inn. It was a rare opportunity for the two of them to be alone, and he was going to make the most of it—he wanted to kiss, hug, cuddle, and eventually make love to Luina. The only question was how he would go about it. Surely he couldn’t just turn to her and say, “make love to me”. That would be weird, and it might even scare her. Dropping subtle hints wasn’t his style either, though, and there was always the danger of them getting lost in translation. Regardless, he had time to mull over his options. They wouldn’t go to an inn until right around sunset, so for the time being, he had to focus on the rest of their date.

That, however, was no easier. He still hadn’t managed to think of a place to take her. To make matters worse, neither of them had said a word in quite some time—Anima had been too lost in his thoughts to interact with his wife. He had to say something before Luina got bored, turned on her heels, and went home.

Oh, no… he thought. It may have already been too late.

He glanced at her, but to his surprise, she didn’t seem bored at all. On the contrary, she was smiling, and seemed to be having the time of her life. But why?

“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” he said.

“I am! This is a lot of fun.”

“But we’re just walking.”

“Yes. We’re walking, arms linked, carefree as birds. I find it very calming and pleasant, but maybe you don’t? Your forehead has been crinkly for a while now, are you still worried about the girls?”

Anima shook his head.

“No. I mean, of course I am, but I believe in them.”

“Then what’re you worried about?”

“Well…” He’d wanted to be as suave as possible on their date, but that ship had sailed. He had to stop insisting on solving everything himself; his image meant nothing if his lovely wife didn’t enjoy herself. No matter how lame it made him look, he had to ask for her help. “I don’t know where to take you.”

She took his grave confession with a smile.

“You’re so incredibly kind. Not many people would worry so earnestly for others. I’m so lucky to be on a date with such a wonderful person.”

“Are you enjoying our date?”

“Of course I am. Dates aren’t about the places you visit, they’re about the person you’re with. Simply wandering the streets with you is enough to make me happy, so for all intents and purposes, this date has already been a big success.”

“Oh, so… this is already a date.”

“Yes, and a really fun one at that.”

Luina’s words lifted the weight off of Anima’s shoulders. He straightened his hunched back and looked around, letting a world of endless possibilities and the commotion of the busy town overtake his senses. In doing so, he realized that the town plaza was right nearby. That would be a good place for them to stop and take a breather after walking so long.

“Why don’t we visit the plaza? There could be some treasures hiding there. I told you where I got Marie’s bunny hair ties, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you won them in an arm-wrestling competition.”

“Their cart was filled with countless interesting things. You might find something you like if they’re still there. So what do you say? Should we go check it out?” Luina nodded, and they headed toward the plaza. They scanned the various stalls set up around the perimeter, but the arm-wrestling table was nowhere to be found. “Shame, it seems like we missed them… Oh, did you find something?”

Luina was looking across the street, at a building that had been moderately worn down by the wheels of time. A man and a woman, hand in hand, stopped at the entrance and read the signboard next to the door before entering. At the same time, another couple was taking their leave.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a theater.”

“Is it now? Do you happen to like plays?”

“Yes, I love them! I haven’t had the chance to go recently, but I went to watch plays with my parents a lot when I was little.”

“Then why don’t we go see one?”

“That would be great! I hope they still have tickets…”

They approached the theater. The play that was showing was a romance, which was a perfect fit for their date. Their midday showing was almost sold out, but the evening one had plenty of empty seats.

“Which one should we see?”

“I’d prefer the earlier one.”

They bought two of the few remaining tickets.

“We still have some time before the play, so why don’t we eat?” Anima suggested. “Are you hungry?”

“I’m starving, but we don’t really have the time for a proper lunch.”

“Then how about we get something from over there?”

Anima gestured toward the plaza, dotted with various stalls offering light snacks. There were already people enjoying the beautiful day on the benches, nibbling away at their favorite snacks from the vast selection the stalls offered. Luina agreed, and they began circling the stalls. Lost in the sweet ocean of baked goods, they spent some time looking around until Luina spotted something.

“Ah, look!” she exclaimed, excitedly pointing to one of the stalls. “Could we have that?”

“Which one?”

“The waffles! Have you had waffles yet?!”

“I can’t say that I have.” Anima was caught completely off-guard by Luina’s sheer excitement over waffles. “Are these… ‘waffles’ really that delicious?”

“They are! They’re very sweet, but more than that, I have a very precious memory tied to them. One time, when I was still little, I went to see a play with Mom and Dad. We had waffles while we waited for the play to start. They were so incredibly fluffy and sweet; I still remember it to this day. They filled me right up—to the point that I couldn’t help but doze off during the play.”

“You must’ve been a very adorable little girl,” Anima chuckled at his wife’s cute anecdote. “Well, you’ve convinced me. Let’s get waffles.”

“Yes, let’s.”

With their eyes set on the prize, they approached the stall. They watched as the cook dusted the fishnet-patterned fried batter treats with powdered sugar. They looked really sweet and fluffy.

“Excuse me, two waffles please! One with chocolate sauce.”

Luina’s waffle, doused in sticky chocolate sauce, looked even sweeter. Anima was getting excited to try one for himself. Waffles seemed like a meal befitting a special occasion—he got the sense that they’d never forget sharing them on their first date.

“And for the gentleman?”

“Umm…” It didn’t matter to him as long as he could share the experience with his wife. First, he thought of getting the same topping, but after seeing some others share their waffles with their significant others, he got a better idea. “I’ll go with honey.”

They took their waffles, wrapped in thin paper, and sat down at a nearby bench. The autumn breeze made Luina’s beautiful blue hair flutter.

“Are you cold?”

“No, it’s perfect. I have you to warm me up,” Luina said, snuggling closer to the flushed Demon Lord.

“We should get you something to wear once the play is over. I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. We could enjoy another autumn date if we get you something warm.”

“That’s true,” Luina responded with a delighted chuckle. Her joyful smile completely enamored Anima. “Ah, the honey’s dripping onto your hands.”

“Oh. I was too taken by your beauty to realize.”

“There you go again…”

Anima was completely enthralled in his adorable, slightly flushed wife. He could have stared at her forever, but they had a play to attend.

“Shall we eat?”

“Yes. Let’s dig in.”

Anima brought the waffle to his mouth and bit into it. It had a nice, soft fluffiness to it, like spring clouds. Its sweet aroma hinted at the taste, but it couldn’t possibly have prepared him for the explosive sweetness of the sticky honey and powdered sugar that coated his mouth.

“It’s so sweet and yummy,” Luina said with innocent, childlike wonder. Anima’s stomach filled with butterflies as he watched his wife smile, her cheeks stuffed with waffle. It was a side of her he never really got to see at home. Luina glanced over at him and chuckled. “There’s some sugar stuck to your cheek.”

She grabbed her handkerchief and gently wiped it off.

“Thank you. Would you like a bite of my waffle?”

“Yes! Please, have one of mine, too.”

They exchanged bites. Luina’s tasted sweeter than his, but that may have been because he was being fed by his lovely wife. He joyfully went back to eating his own, and just as he finished, he noticed that Luina hadn’t eaten any more of hers. She had loved the taste, which made her actions all the stranger.

He followed her gaze to find a couple sharing a kiss at a nearby bench. They freely expressed their love without fearing the judging eyes of the public. His heart began racing, and a wave of jealousy washed over him, but he couldn’t do anything about it. The last thing he wanted was to put Luina in a situation that made her uncomfortable. In her mind, it was unimaginable to share a kiss in public. That was reserved to the privacy of their home.

Just as he was ready to let out a sigh of defeat, Luina tightly squeezed his hand. She looked at him with flushed cheeks and spellbound eyes. Even without words, he understood what she wanted to say: “It’s okay. I’m ready.”

Anima returned her grasp, looking deep into her watery eyes. There was no going back. He leaned in and shared a passionate kiss with his wife. After the magical moment passed and Anima leaned back, Luina looked at him with a mischievous smile.

“We did it in public…” she said bashfully.

“Yeah. We did.”

The world ceased to exist for the two of them. There was nothing but them and their burning love for each other. After that tiny exchange, they both leaned in and shared another kiss.

“Ah, look! They’re kissing!” a young voice cried. Luina immediately put distance between herself and Anima despite the other couples throughout the plaza who were kissing as well. The mere thought of someone teasing them made her redder than a ripe tomato.

“It’s such a treat to see people that are so in love.”

“I wish I were that young and passionate again.”

“What a lovely couple. Bless their hearts.”

Only one couple was being openly discussed in the middle of the busy plaza, and that was Anima and Luina. Anima was happy to hear that they were a “lovely couple”, but those words did nothing to soothe Luina’s embarrassment. She stood up in a huff and turned to Anima.

“I-Isn’t it time for the play?”

“No, we still have plenty—”

“We should really be waiting inside!”

Cutting him off, she took his hand and dragged him into the theater.

◆◆◆

While Anima and Luina were enjoying the play, back at home, the girls were having lunch.

What are we gonna do for dinner?

The gears in Myuke’s head were spinning at high speed while she watched her sisters stuff their cheeks full of warm, sweet bean soup. They were eating the last of Luina’s cooking, so she was going to have to make their dinner herself.

It was she who had warmed up their lunch, expertly using the fire lizard stone to the point of being praised by her sisters for her control over the flames she created, and while she loved being in the spotlight, it also put immense pressure on her. Making a tasty meal from scratch instead of relying on the magic of reheating leftovers presented quite the challenge. All she could do was hope that she would be able to live up to her sisters’ expectations.

“Why the long face, Myuke? Don’t be sad, m’kay?”

“I’m thinking about dinner.”

“Already? We just ate, m’kay? Are you still hungry?” Bram asked in a worried tone.

There had only been a little bit of bean soup left, so she’d given most of it to Bram and Marie. When combined with the fact that Myuke had finished her bowl in such a short time, there was more than enough reason for Bram to be concerned. Myuke couldn’t have her sisters worrying for her, though; she had to stay strong. She turned toward Bram with a reassuring smile to try to calm her nerves.

“Nah, I’m stuffed.”

She wasn’t. In fact, she was starving, but she couldn’t tell them that. Rubbing her stomach, she faked a delighted smile.

“Okay, that’s good. It’s a little weird to be thinking about what we’re having for dinner this early, though, m’kay?”

“The sooner we figure it out, the better. Cooking isn’t just ‘add this, stir that, we’re done’; it takes a lot of time. But don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll be ready before the sun goes down.”

Myuke confidently shared what she knew about cooking. She didn’t want Bram to realize that there was a non-zero chance they’d go to sleep with empty stomachs.

I’ve gotta make something amazing. I owe it to Bram, Marie, Daddy, and Mommy!

Making sure they had a good meal for the night was the most important mission she had ever been given. If she failed and Anima and Luina came home to find them starving, they were certain to be overcome with an overwhelming sense of guilt for having gone out. They’d regret having left them alone, and would never go on a date again. While those terrifying thoughts ate away at her, Bram shared an idea.

“We can just have some apples and bread if we gotta, m’kay?”

“No way! Eating right is really important! You’re gonna regret it later if you don’t eat healthy.”

“You’re super nice, m’kay?”

“I-I’m not… I’m just the oldest, so it’s my job,” Myuke mumbled. Her cute little sisters deserved something yummy, and she was going to rise to the challenge.

“Thanks for the meal!” Marie sang just as Myuke’s determination returned.

“Wow, you ate everything! Good job, m’kay?”

“I help clean!”

She took her bowl and jumped down from her seat.

“Wait, Marie! We’ll wash the dishes in the kitchen this time, not out at the well.”

Myuke could draw water if she really wanted to, but she wanted to save her stamina for cooking. They headed into the kitchen, where a jug Anima had filled to the brim with water the night before was waiting for them.

“The water’ll get dirty if we wring the washcloth into the jug, so grab another bowl for that, m’kay?”

“Good call. Let’s see…” Myuke looked around and found a bucket suitable for the task. They ladled some water into it, then wet the cloth. “Ah, Marie, wait! You’ll get water all over the—”

She was too late. Marie wrung out the cloth, making a sizable puddle at her feet. Myuke quickly told her to stay where she was, then brought over a dry towel and cleaned up the floor so Marie wouldn’t slip.

“Wooow, isso sparkly! Myukey so ’mart!”

“Thank you.”

“I can do sparkly too!”

Marie was busy polishing the tableware to the best of her abilities. Since the soup was left over from the night before, they only had a handful of items to wash, and were done in a flash.

“Wow, really well done, Marie!” Myuke lauded. “We’ll use these for dinner too, so just put them on the table, okay?”

“’Kaaay!”

She watched Marie merrily trot into the dining room, then took a look around the kitchen. There were a dozen or so apples lying next to a bunch of bananas, along with bread, sausages, and some seasonings.

“We have a bunch of stuff, m’kay?”

“Yeah, but we’re missing the most important ingredient.”

“The most important one? M’kay…”

“Yep. Vegetables.”

Those who ate their vegetables every day didn’t have to worry about getting sick. Myuke had been raised that way for as long as she was in Luina’s care, and sure enough, she’d never gotten seriously ill.

“I pick veggies!”

“We’ll dig ’em up in no time, m’kay?”

“Whoa, slow down! Don’t run!”

Chasing after her enthusiastic sisters, Myuke bolted out of the house. The bright sunlight almost blinded her as she stepped outside.

“We’ll be back soon,” she reassured the empty house, then continued after her sisters, straw hats in hand. She handed them out, then looked at the field.

“Gimme the plan, m’kay?”

“Hmm, let’s see…”

She put her hands on her waist and scanned the field. Radishes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, and sweet potatoes were all ripe for the picking. There were other vegetables growing that weren’t quite ready to be harvested, but they still had a decent selection at their disposal. They hadn’t decided what to cook yet, but she figured she couldn’t go wrong with picking their favorites.

“All right, you two, gimme your favorite vegetable.”

“I like sweet ’tadoes! They’s is sweet ’n nummy!”

“Ooh, good one! I love sweet potatoes!”

The potatoes they could buy in Garaat had a very simple, one-dimensional flavor, but the ones they grew themselves were sweet and had a much better texture to them. They had grown regular potatoes way back when, but after Luina’s parents passed away and they could no longer afford sweets, she’d swapped them out with sweet potatoes.

“I love radishes, m’kay?”

“Radishes are great too!” All that remained was the issue of coming up with a meal that combined sweet potatoes and radishes. Sweet potatoes were great fried, but she’d never had fried radishes before. “Hmm… What if we boiled the potatoes and radishes together with sausage?”

She half-heartedly threw her idea out there, but the girls loved the idea.

“That sounds yummy, m’kay?”

“Less boideled it!”

Her sisters’ enthusiasm immediately cheered her up. With the cooking method out of the way, they just had to pull the vegetables from the ground. First up were the potatoes.

“Lookie! I wants this one!” Marie shouted, pointing to a tall plant sticking out of the ground.

“Oh wow, that’s huge! I can’t wait to eat it, m’kay?”

“Well, we’ll first have to dig it out. Gimme a sec.”

Myuke crouched down and started digging around the plant with her bare hands. It would’ve been easier to use a shovel, but she didn’t want to damage the potatoes. Wanting to help, Bram and Marie also crouched down and started imitating her.

“Your hands are gonna get dirty,” she warned.

“It’s faster if we all help, m’kay?”

“Lemme dig! I’m big girl!”

“Bram… Marie…”

Their bright smiles dispelled all her worries, and gave her a rush of energy. They dug, dug, wiped their foreheads, then dug some more. After a while, they stood up and agreed that it was time for the potatoes to leave the soil’s loving embrace. The trio grabbed onto the plant and readied themselves to pull.

“On three! One, two, three!”

They gave the plant a strong yank, and three potatoes came flying out of the ground.

“Twee!”

“And they’re huge, m’kay?!”

“They look delicious!”

Just looking at the beautiful, perfectly round potatoes made Myuke hungry. She wanted to find a nice radish as quickly as possible so she could run to the kitchen and start cooking. To that end, the girls made their way to that section of the field and started looking around for a promising radish. Marie quickly found one with big leaves and rushed over.

“I can pull! Lookie!”

She bent down and grabbed the plant. Under her sisters’ watchful eyes, she pulled, tugged, and with one last heave, the radish launched out of the earth, switching places with Marie, who went tumbling onto the ground.

“A-Are you okay?”

“Don’t hurt yourself, m’kay?”

“I finded a biiig rabish!”

The two older girls let out relieved sighs as she hopped up with a smile and proudly displayed her haul.

“Wow, that’s massive, m’kay?”

“Three potatoes and a giant radish… That should be enough for us, right? Can you guys bring ’em to the well?”

After giving her sisters their task, Myuke went into the kitchen, poured some water into a bucket, then returned to the garden. It was hard for her to carry the bucket, filled to the brim with water, all by herself, but knowing that her sisters were waiting for her gave her the strength she needed.

“Sorry I took so long! Let’s wash these veggies!”

Marie loved washing things. Playing with the water was dangerous in the kitchen, but she could splash around outside to her heart’s content. She stuck a potato into the water and merrily splish-splashed around.

“Issall sparkly!”

She raised the sparkling-clean potato high into the air with a beaming smile.

“Good job! I’m finished too, m’kay?”

“The radish is done too. Let’s take ’em to the kitchen!”

With the clean veggies and the emptied bucket in hand, they headed back toward the kitchen. Stepping into the stadium where the grand showdown was to take place, Myuke let out an anxious sigh.

Well… I guess it’s do-or-die time.

Her plan was to boil the potatoes, radish, and sausages, but she couldn’t just plop them into the water without some prep work. They had to be peeled and cut to fit in Marie’s small mouth, which meant one thing: she would have to use a knife. She was scared. Incredibly scared. But she couldn’t show it, lest she send her sisters into panic. She had to be a responsible and capable big sister and make sure the younger ones had fun house-sitting for the first time.

“All right, let’s get choppin’!” she said to encourage herself, then picked up the knife. She put the radish down on the cutting board and pressed the blade of the knife into it.

Whoa, talk about hard!

The knife got stuck in the radish. It sent her into a total panic, but she decided to take a deep breath and calm herself down. She began wiggling the knife back and forth until it slammed into the chopping board with a bam!, sending the two halves of the radish rolling.

“Good job, m’kay?”

“Wooow!”

The girls cheered her on, but she didn’t have the time to celebrate with them. She still had to cut the halves into thin slices. As the pieces got smaller, the risk of cutting herself got larger, but she forged on, and eventually managed to chop up the whole vegetable. That, however, was the easy part—she still had to peel off the skin. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and got herself mentally prepared. She then picked up a radish slice and gingerly ran the blade of the knife along its edge.

“…”

“…”

The girls watched in complete silence as their sister peeled the radish with the utmost care and concentration.

“I-It’s done.”

Myuke was finished with the first slice, but it was far from perfect. The edge was grossly uneven, and peeling just the one had taken what had felt like an eternity. There were seven slices left to peel, and then three whole potatoes after that. At the rate she was going, their dinner wouldn’t be ready until Anima and Luina returned the next day.

Even in such a dire situation, though, she couldn’t ask for help. Knives were dangerous tools. She was at a complete loss, but her slow fall into despair was interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Sounds like we’ve got a guest, m’kay?”

“Mommy ’n Daddy is home?”

“It’s way too early for them to be back. Plus, they wouldn’t knock,” Myuke reasoned as more knocks came. “I’ll go and check. You guys stay here.”

“Nope, let me do it! I’ll just use this if something goes wrong, m’kay?” Bram valiantly announced, touching her vibrant green earring. That earring, the Jade Dragon magic stone, was incredibly powerful; very few people could stand their ground against it. It was so powerful, in fact, that it wasn’t unlikely that there was only one person in the entire world who could hold their own against it: Anima.

“Lemme open!”

“All right, why don’t we all go, then?” For safety’s sake, Myuke took the lead as they approached the front door and opened it. “Oh, it’s you.”

A relieved smile appeared on Myuke’s face. Before them stood a gorgeous, young blonde woman—the leader of the Raiten Knights’ First Corps, Shaer.

“Saaaer!”

It had been three months since they’d last seen Shaer, but Marie still remembered her. She trotted up to the beautiful knight and clung onto her legs. Shaer leaned down, and returned the hug.

“I’m glad to see you’re still the lively little girl you were three months ago, Miss Marie. But oh, I cannot believe my own two eyes. Have you grown, little lady?”

“Uh-huh! Does you know how old I is?”

“Do tell me how old you are.”

“I’m four!”

“My, four already? That’s fantastic! I’m glad to see that you two are also doing well.”

“That’s thanks to Luina’s awesome cooking we get to eat every day, m’kay? Are you doing good too?”

“I couldn’t be better. Though I must admit that I’m a tad hungry. I was thinking of taking up Lady Luina’s offer to join you all for dinner, so I came by,” Shaer explained, excited to dig into Luina’s cooking. “Speaking of which, where might I find Lord Anima and the Lady?”

“Mommy ’n Daddy is on a date! Issour pesent!”

“Today’s their birthday, m’kay?”

“Mommy didn’t cook today, either.” Myuke paused. “Are you free now, by the way?”

“I have to be in the capital tomorrow afternoon, but I’m free today, yes.”

It would take her about half a day to get to the capital using her Pegasus stone, so she wouldn’t have to leave until later in the evening.

“Can you help us cook, then?”

In response, Shaer furrowed her brow and cast her eyes down.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but as I’ve lived my life by the sword, I haven’t had the opportunity to learn the ways of the knife. However, I’d be happy to accompany you to Garaat if you so desire. I’ll treat you to anything you wish, be it a feast of sweets or otherwise!”

“That’s out of the question. What if we run into them?”

“Exactly. And we promised we’d watch the house, m’kay?”

“Hepp us sice!” Marie proposed while pulling Shaer inside by the hand. That must’ve been the final push she needed, as she looked down at Marie and carefully nodded.

“If you trust my inexperienced self, I would be more than happy to help!”

“Thanks so much!”

While she’d said she wasn’t well versed in the use of a knife, she did have years of sword training and practice under her belt. The odds were good that she would at least be able to cut and peel a few sweet potatoes.

“So, what are we preparing?”

“We’re boiling some radishes, sweet potatoes, and sausages. I’ll finish peeling the radish, so could you peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces?”

“It would be my pleasure!”

“Bram, could you get the pot ready please?”

“Will do, m’kay? How much water should I put in it?”

“Umm, fill it halfway, I guess? Marie, can you cheer us on?”

“Cook it! Cook it!”

After giving out the tasks, Myuke returned to peeling the radish.

“Oh no… I can’t bear to look at all this waste…” Shaer groaned in defeat. Glancing over, her potato had become much smaller, and a thick layer of perfectly edible meat was stuck to the peeled skin.

“Peel it, Saer! Peel it, Saer!”

“Mark my words, the next one will be perfect!”

Myuke focused even harder. She had to match Shaer’s determination.

“Done!” she cried.

“I am done as well!” At long last, all the cutting and peeling was finished. It was time for them to throw the veggies—and some delicious sausages—into the pot. “How would you like to season this?”

“Let’s see… I guess we can throw in some salt and pepper for now,” Myuke said, and added a dash of each to the soup.

“I don’t think that’s nearly enough, m’kay?”

“Want me to put in another pinch?”

“I don’t think it would hurt to add a bit more,” Shaer added.

“Okay… How’s this?”

“That might be enough, m’kay?” Bram noted, though she thought it still wasn’t enough.

“If you want more, just add it to your bowl once it’s all cooked.”

Though Bram would have liked a little more seasoning, Myuke went ahead and used the fire lizard stone to start warming the pot. The four of them watched as the water slowly started to boil.

“How long do you plan to let it boil?” Shaer asked.

“Until the radish slices get soft. Let me check.” Myuke grabbed a fork and tried to stick it into the radish. “Nope, still hard.”

She waited a while before trying again. When she finally did, the fork effortlessly punctured the radish slice, and she put out the fire.

“All right,” she said, “I think it’s done.”

Despite Myuke’s lack of enthusiasm, Marie looked up at her with a bright smile.

“Myukey, I’m hungy! My tummy goin’ ‘grrr’!”

“I’m hungry too! Let’s eat soon, m’kay?”

“‘Everything tastes better when you’re hungry’, as they say. I’m sure we will all enjoy your cooking, Miss Myuke!”

Hearing their thoughts cast out all of her worries.

“Yeah, you’re right! C’mon, let’s dig in while it’s hot!”

It had to taste good. It was the result of a joint effort between the four of them, after all. Myuke ladled everyone a bowl of soup, as the others set the table. She filled the jug in the kitchen with as much water as would fit in case it was terrible, then sat down.

“I can says thanks! Listen! Thanks for the meeeal!”

They all followed Marie’s example, then submerged their spoons in the soup.

“Mm, this is good,” Myuke said. “Let’s see how the radish turned out… Oh, wow! Not bad at all!”

The soup was a bit too light, with only a couple pieces of each ingredient floating around, but it was well seasoned if nothing else.

“It’s really good, m’kay?”

“Oh, I remember cutting this!”

“Saer so ’mart!”

“I could only accomplish such a feat thanks to your unrelenting cheering, Miss Marie. Of course, Miss Myuke’s charismatic leadership and precise instructions were instrumental in the success as well.”

“Thanks, Myuke, m’kay?”

“Thaaanks!”

“You’re welcome!”

Myuke couldn’t hide her happiness. She had successfully cooked her first meal, and was already planning to cook another one for Anima and Luina, who were sure to appreciate her effort and love the result. Imagining the day she would do so, she continued to eat the soup the four of them had made together until there was nothing left in her bowl.

◆◆◆

After watching and thoroughly enjoying the romantic play, Anima and Luina went on to have a filling, delicious lunch and buy some new clothes. By the time they finally sat down on a bench to rest, the sun had already begun to set below the horizon.

Anima was enjoying the scenery, taking in everything that had happened over the course of the day. He seemed composed on the outside, but on the inside, his heart was racing. The sun was disappearing from the vast sky, which meant he and his wife would soon be making their way to an inn. It was entirely impossible for him to stay calm when their first night alone was approaching at such a dangerously high speed.

“…ma? Anima? Are you okay?”

His mind had wandered incredibly far off, but came rushing back when Luina lightly tugged on his sleeve.

“Oh, sorry. Yes, I’m fine. Are you hungry?”

He tried to buy some time to calm himself down. A nice, relaxing dinner would surely give him that opportunity.

“No, not really, but I don’t mind joining you if you are.”

“I’m not hungry either.”

It hadn’t been long since they’d eaten lunch. Desperately wishing for just a little bit of time, Anima racked his brain in search of options, while Luina longingly looked up at him.

“It’s getting dark,” she noted.

“It is.”

“Are you tired?”

“No, I’m perfectly fine. My stamina is effectively limitless.”

“Oh. Okay…”

Anima noticed the dejected tone of her voice, but he couldn’t figure out why she felt that way. Half a year into their marriage, he was able to read her to an extent, but a woman’s heart was as vast and mysterious as the ocean. He couldn’t possibly have hoped to comprehend everything about her in such a short time.

That didn’t mean he could disregard her feelings, though. Luina was hardly a stranger to spelling her feelings out to him, but that contrasted with the otherwise modest and refined personality of hers that lent her the gentle eyes he’d first fallen in love with. She wasn’t the type to give vague hints, and since she wasn’t telling him what was wrong, it meant that she was feeling something more than just dejection. There was only one emotion he could think of that would prompt her silence: embarrassment.

Based on the situation they were in, one thing that would definitely make her feel embarrassed was sharing a kiss. In other words, she wanted to kiss him, but she wanted to be in a more private location first—especially after what had happened that morning. An inn would be a safe place to kiss, and possibly even go further than that. While Anima still hadn’t figured out how to broach that topic, he was definitely not one to turn down a kiss.

“It’s getting cold,” Anima said. “Should we go to an inn?”

“Yes, let’s,” she answered with a dazzling smile, proving that his intuition had been spot-on. With that boost to his confidence as a husband, he took her hand, and they walked the cobble road until they reached an inn.

“What do you think of this place? Should we get a room here?” Anima asked.

“Yes. Anywhere is fine as long as I’m with you.”

They entered the inn and rented a room on the second floor for the night. The room itself was small, but it was cozy. Inside was only a bed and a small dresser, so after a quick look around, they sat down on the side of the bed.

Anima stole a glance at Luina, who was looking down at the ground. He didn’t catch her expression, but her delicate shoulders were visibly shaking. Assuming that she was cold, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders to warm her up.

“Nh!”

She hung her head even lower. Her shoulders were surprisingly warm, which was a relief, but it also raised the question of why she was shaking. Anima spent a few moments thinking about it, but nothing came to mind, so he decided to ask.

“Umm, Luina?”

“Eep?!”

She jumped and bit her tongue. Her face as red as a tomato, tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah-Ah’m haim.”

She clearly wasn’t fine.

“It’s okay, you can tell me if you’re cold. We just got you warm clo— That’s it! Why don’t you put on the clothes we bought? That’s sure to help!”

“I’m not cold. In fact, I’m a little hot.”

She lightly patted her cheeks.

“I see… Well, that’s good to hear,” he whispered, and they once again fell silent. The seconds slowly ticked by until the sun completely vanished from the sky. “Are you hungry?”

“No, I’m okay, thank you. Are you?”

They were repeating a previous discussion, but anything was better than the uncomfortable tranquility of silence. If nothing else, he was hoping that it would snowball into a full-blown conversation.

“No, I’m fine as well. We had a late lunch today, but I figured I would ask since it’s right around dinnertime. Honestly, it feels strange sitting here with you, just the two of us. Not strange in a bad way, of course, it’s just… strange.”

“I’m with you on that one,” Luina chuckled. “It’s weird, but I like it. We’ll have to thank the girls for giving us such a wonderful present.”

“Yes. Myuke, Bram, and Marie really went out of their way. I hope they ate a proper dinner.”

“I’m sure they made something delicious.”

“The only time I’ve eaten their cooking was when I ate Marie’s mud pies. I’d love to try an actual meal made by them.”

“Me too. Maybe we should ask them to cook something for our next birthday.”

“That’s a wonderful idea.”

Talking about the girls was enough for them to finally break the ice. Unable to contain their smiles, they quietly looked at each other. In that moment, under the quiet, starry sky, Anima found himself lost in Luina’s gentle azure eyes.

Those were the same eyes he’d fallen so deeply in love with. The two had gotten married within an hour of meeting, and half a year later, they were sitting together, just enjoying the other’s presence. His life had taken a miraculous turn from hatred and bloodshed to love and warmth, and he was immeasurably thankful for it.

“Anima…”

Luina’s eyes were ablaze with passion, and her warm breath gently passed between her charming lips as they twinkled in the moonlight. Spellbound, he stole a kiss, painting her cheeks pink like the summer sunset through the clouds.

“We could finally share a kiss,” Luina said meekly.

“Yes, I’m glad. To tell you the truth, I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since the play, but I couldn’t find a good opportunity. I’m really happy that we were able to now, though.”

“Me too. And I’d be even happier if we kissed again.”

Answering her request, Anima leaned in for another kiss. He wanted to take the next step, but he couldn’t think of a way to go about doing so, and that was okay. He didn’t regret it. Sharing kisses was more than enough for him, as the sweet memories they’d spent the day making would live on in their hearts for the rest of their lives.

“You know,” Anima said, remembering something, “I have a present for you.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Of course I did. You’re my beloved wife and today’s your birthday.”

“Thank you, but, umm… I’m sorry. I made you a scarf, but I left it at home…”

“Don’t be sorry. I can’t wait to try it on.”

“I’m glad you’re looking forward to it.”

“You bet I am. I just hope you’ll like my present too…”

Luina watched Anima reach into his pocket and took out his gift. The moment he did, tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Oh, Anima…!”

“I put a lot of thought into what to get for you, and decided that this would be the best present for your first birthday since we met. I know it took a while, but thank you for marrying me, Luina.”

He took her left hand and slid his present—a wedding ring—onto her ring finger.

“Thank goodness it fits,” he sighed in relief. “I was nervous about that.”

“Thank you, Anima,” she said, smiling cheerfully at the ring that crowned her finger. “I’m so happy. This might sound selfish, but the only thing that could make me happier is if you had a ring on as well.”

“I thought you’d say that,” he chuckled, “so I bought one for myself as well.”

Seeing him put a matching ring on his ring finger made her smile even brighter.

“Anima, meeting and getting married to you has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Words can’t describe how happy I am.”

“I feel the same way. Every day of my life has been full of joy ever since you summoned me. Thank you for being my wife, Luina.”

“It’s my pleasure. Let’s continue to make wonderful memories together.”

“Yes, let’s…”

They slowly leaned closer and closer together until their lips touched. They shared a long, passionate kiss, and Luina soon found herself lying on the bed as they continued to express their feelings for one another. That night, in a cozy room in one of Garaat’s many inns, the two of them made love.

◆◆◆

Anima and Luina walked the paved road back home, enjoying the refreshing morning breeze.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“Not at all,” she whispered, her head leaned against his shoulder. “Snuggling up to you makes this chilly morning very pleasant.”

Captivated by her lovely smile, Anima hugged her even more tightly. He’d fallen head over heels for her the second they’d met, but spending the night with her made him love her more than he thought was possible. He wanted to hold her with strength that matched that of his feelings as they exploded within him. He wanted to, but he couldn’t.

“Tell me if it hurts, okay?”

Anima was incredibly powerful. He could very well have been hurting Luina with every single hug. No matter how tightly he wanted to hug her, he would never do it at the cost of hurting the love of his life.

“You can hug me tighter,” she told him. It was a short, simple sentence, but it was enough to make butterflies flutter in his stomach.

“R-Really?”

“Really really. I can feel how much you love me when you do.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Reassured by her kind words, Anima squeezed Luina. Normally, she wouldn’t show affection in public, but she was so overjoyed to be with Anima that she didn’t seem to care. She must have been truly happy.

“What a wonderful birthday we had,” she said.

“Yes, I’ll never forget it. I can’t wait to find out what they come up with next year.”

“Me either. But first, we get to celebrate the girls’ next birthday. We’ll have to come up with something amazing to pay them back for this beautiful experience.”

“Absolutely. Bram’s birthday is next, right? I can’t wait to do something incredible for her. Just imagine the smile she’ll have on her face.”

“I can’t wait either, but there are other things we have to look forward to before her birthday, too.”

“Like what?”

“Like the Costume Festival!”

Luina’s cheerful announcement made Anima’s heart stop.

“A festival, huh…?”

His eyes glossed over as he stared at the cold ground. A memory from the distant past rushed back to him, clouding his mind. It was a memory of his childhood, from before he was even Myuke’s age, when he was living as the black sheep of his family. A festival had been taking place near their home, and his family had left him behind, going out to have fun and enjoy the vibrant colors, unique tastes, and exciting buzz of the town. Anima, stricken with loneliness, had set out to follow them and have his fair share of fun, but not long after he’d left, his mean-looking eyes had provoked a man to slap him clean across the face.

Cheeks swollen, clothes torn, and money stolen, he’d scurried back home, only to be greeted by his siblings’ scornful gazes. He’d expected them to feel worry or sorrow for him, but they’d sided with the man who’d hit an innocent child. They’d called him names, told him, “learn how to act around others, you rabid dog!”, and closed themselves off from him even further. Suffice to say, he didn’t think highly of festivals after that.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just remembered something,” Anima answered with a reassuring smile. “I’m looking forward to going to a festival with you.”

More than a hundred years had passed since then, and in the six months he’d spent with Luina, he’d learned to deal with the ghosts of his past. Spending time with his beloved wife and adorable children brought him happiness much stronger than the measly pain of some childhood trauma. Thanks to them, he was genuinely excited for the event.

“So,” he continued, “can you tell me more about this ‘Costume Festival’?”

Anima’s cheerful voice put a huge smile on Luina’s face, and she excitedly told him everything there was to know. The Costume Festival was to start at the end of the next month, and as the name suggested, people would all wear costumes. According to Luina, the festival originated from a belief the people of Garaat held centuries ago that the spirits of their ancestors returned to the world of the living once a year to reconnect with their families.

The spirits’ return presented an opportunity for evil spirits to roam the world as well. They would influence people’s minds, and in response, the people would don all sorts of costumes to scare them away. Very few people still believed the tale, though. Everyone looked at it as an opportunity to have fun and put on creative costumes.

“That sounds like a great time.”

Anima felt that way from the bottom of his heart. He couldn’t wait to see his lovely daughters in whatever cute costumes they came up with.

“It’s lots of fun! We haven’t been able to attend the last couple years because of our financial hardships, but those are over thanks to you.”

“Be careful not to catch a cold before it starts.”

“I’ll make sure to keep cooking healthy, filling meals every day.”

“Just hearing you say that made me hungry.”

“Me too, and I’m sure the girls are hungry too. Let’s hurry home…” Luina’s voice trailed off, and she began sniffing the air. She’d caught a sweet scent coming from a nearby bakery that she instantly recognized. She and Anima had left the inn before sunrise, but that didn’t mean the town was sleeping. Garaat was just starting to wake up, and local businesses were setting up for the busy day ahead. “We should get something for the girls before heading home.”

“Yes,” Anima agreed wholeheartedly. It would be their reward for looking after the house.

The couple entered the bakery, where they bought a fresh-baked banana pound cake. Imagining the girls’ excited smiles as they laid their eyes on the cake that would hopefully still be warm when they arrived, they practically skipped out of the establishment.

Once outside, they moved quickly so they could see their three girls again as soon as possible. They arrived back home in no time, and Luina unlocked the door, opening it quietly so as not to wake the girls. In doing so, however, the sounds of a lively conversation being held escaped the house.

“They’re awake…” Luina said. “Do you think they were up all night?”

“They’re much too lively to have done that. And also, do you smell that?”

They snuck inside and followed the scent.

“Ah! Mommy ’n Daddy!”

Marie’s cheerful welcome boomed through the house as they stepped into the dining room. Arms outstretched, she raced over to Anima and Luina with a beaming smile, stopped right in front of them, and… that was it.

She dropped her gaze, but then looked right back up with her brow furrowed. Bopping her head left and right like a kitten infatuated by a dangling ball of yarn, she assessed the situation. A terrible dilemma had unfolded before her: who should she hug first?

“We’re home, Marie.”

“How was your day yesterday? Did everything go okay?”

Anima and Luina both pet her head, which immediately replaced her troubled expression with a delighted smile. At the same time, the door to the kitchen flew open, and Myuke and Bram rushed into the dining room.

“Welcome home, m’kay?!”

“You’re home so early! Did you have a good date?!”

“We had a wonderful date,” Luina said, smiling and nodding at them. “Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, it was incredible. Thank you for the thoughtful present, girls.”

The girls exchanged glances and smiled proudly.

“You welcome! Y’know, y’know, I lookeded af’er the house!”

“And get this: we cooked for ourselves two days in a row!”

“It was super yummy! We saved some for you guys too, so you better try it later, m’kay?!”

“And, and Sher comed to visit!”

“We gave her a warm welcome, m’kay?”

“Speaking of warm, we took a bath too!”

“It was all ’teamy!”

“It was sooo comfy, m’kay?”

“And then we had milk after our bath! Ahhh, it was so refreshing!”

They went on and on about their eventful day at home, but the bottom line was that they had lots of fun. It was their first time looking after the house, and it had gone swimmingly. They would never forget it.

“You girls did really well. I’m proud of you.”

“And because of that, we got you a present: a fresh banana pound cake! Should we eat it together after breakfast?”

The sight of the beautiful pound cake made the girls smile uncontrollably.