39 – What is love?

While the man who called himself Naofumi went to discuss matters with the queen, Sylvia, Lia, Mein, and Rishia remained at the inn.

And currently, Sylvia and Lia were seated across from Mein and Rishia.

Since there was time, they were having a leisurely late breakfast while they waited for Naofumi's return.

As for what that breakfast was...

Sylvia's fluffy white tail wagged as she took a bite of the cheese omelet. "This is amazing, Rishia. You are quite the cook."

Lia took a bite of her own omelet and then let out a happy squeal. "This is so good!"

Mein idly cut a piece of her omelet and looked at Sylvia and Lia with an amused gaze. "...You two are so childish."

Lia huffed and said, "Well, we are! Technically!" She paused. "...Technically not too? I mean, we're grown! But... I guess also not grown? Goshujin-sama says it's 'no good' still for us to love him... Why though?"

Sylvia nodded, frowning. "...I still do not understand Master's rationale. We are demi-humans, not humans. We mature with level, not age..."

Mein took a bite of her omelet and said, "Isn't it obvious? It's not about being grown up physically. It's about mental maturity." She paused, visibly recoiling at her own words. "Mental maturity? Since when do I talk like this and use words like mental maturity? Have I always been like this? Melty talks like this, but I never did... Oh Spirits, have I been ACTUALLY handicapped this entire time? No wonder I was such a Bitch. Was I brain damaged?"

Lia giggled. "Maybe, Mein? You'd have to be broken in the head to not like Goshujin-sama and try to hurt him, right?"

Mein groaned. "Don't remind me please. I'm still processing what I did. And the fact that 'Malty' did it just to hide the fact that she was a complete whore. That *I* was a complete whore... Ugh. Not enough soap in the world to wipe that clean..."

Rishia let out an awkward laugh and poured Mein a glass of Citra juice. "...At least you're better now, Miss Mein?"

Mein let out a wry smile. "I'm not sure you can call forever living knowing that you were a broken and worthless excuse for a human 'better...' But I guess it's an improvement over being shamelessly evil?"

Sylvia nodded. "Self-awareness is an important feature of humanity. That's what Master says all the time." She paused. "...Though he seems to lack self-awareness when it comes to himself."

Lia's crimson eyes lit up and her tanuki ears twitched. "That's true! Goshujin-sama is always overworking himself! And he doesn't think about how amazing he is!"

Rishia speared a piece of her own omelet with a fork and said, "Sir Naofumi really is amazing, isn't he? Enduring all the harsh words and unfair rumors, deliberately avoiding conflict, then showing up and resolving everything in one go..." She let out a dreamy sigh.

Hearing that, Lia and Sylvia instantly bristled.

Mein snorted. "You two are crushing on him that bad, huh?"

Lia pouted and said, "It's not a crush! I love Goshujin-sama!"

Sylvia puffed her cheeks and said, "I will not have you undermining the deep love I have for Master with your shallow words, Mein. Especially not when you accused him of taking your body to appease his lust."

Mein's ears turned a bright red. Then she sighed and said, "I guess I deserve that... I mean, it was true. Still..." She looked at Lia and Sylvia. "...Do you two even know what love is?"

Sylvia crossed her arms and said, "And do you, Former Evil Witch of a Princess?"

Mein shook her head. "I don't. But I know what it's not. And being attracted to a man on looks alone isn't love. Neither is obsessing over a man."

Lia blushed. "I-I do not obssess over Goshujin-sama!"

Mein pointed her fork at Lia and said, "The fact that you protested it means you do~"

Sylvia huffed and said, "It isn't obsession, Mein. It's devotion."

Lia quickly nodded her head. "Yeah! Devotion!"

"That's not love either though?" Mein looked amused and said, "You can be devoted to someone and not love them. Like my mother was to my father recently."

Rishia looked nervous and said, "Can we... talk about that? I mean, the Queen and the King are both important people..."

Mein rolled her eyes and said, "Master Naofumi could claim this land for himself today if he wanted. And the people are on the verge of revolting already. People have better things to consider than lese majeste." Mein paused. "Lese majeste... what does that even mean? How do I know that word? Have I always known this word?" She quickly devolved into a muttering fit, as if her own brain was stuck trying to process the sudden boost with her intelligence.

Lia paused at hearing Mein's words. Then her crimson eyes darkened a bit. "...That's right. The bad nobles... Too many good people were hurt by them."

Sylvia's violet eyes darkened a bit. "...Yes." She reflexively reached for the rapier on her right side, holding its hilt like a safety blanket. "...And they will get what they are due."

Mein looked at Lia and said, "You asked my mom to keep that Idol Rabier or whatever for you, right? Was he your previous owner or something?"

Lia was quiet. Then she said, "He made Rifana die. And he sold Keel. He also said that he was why my village wasn't saved." She trembled and whispered, "He made sure the knights didn't come in time."

Rishia covered her mouth with her hands. "No..."

Mein's eyes widened. Then she looked at Lia with soft green eyes. "Lia... I'm sorry to hear that." She paused. "...And this is a new emotion. It hurts." She reached up to rub her chest, frowning.

Sylvia pulled Lia into a hug. "It's okay, Lia. We'll deal with that bad man together with Master."

Lia buried her face against Sylvia's chest and nodded. "Yeah. We will." Her voice came out uncharacteristically cold.

Mein pursed her lips and nodded. "I'll help. After all..." She reached up to placed her hand over her heart, where the slave crest was. "...We're all Master Naofumi's, right?"

Sylvia nodded. "Yes. We devoted our lives to Master for saving us."

Lia wiped her eyes and then gave a determined nod. "Goshujin-sama saved us and taught us. He made us strong. So we will make sure he is never alone again."

Rishia sighed, running a hand through her green hair. "I'm envious. You two get to travel with Sir Naofumi..."

Lia's eyes lit up and she said, "Oh! Why don't you join Goshujin-sama's party, Rishia?!"

Mein looked amused and said, "At this rate, won't Master Naofumi get a worse reputation than Motoyasu for being surrounded by beauties?"

Sylvia giggled and said, "Master refuses to even look at women in the first place, so I think it will be fine."

Mein snorted at that and said, "True. I was practically throwing myself at him that night and even offered him wine. He didn't even look at me once... And I made myself scandalously dressed on purpose too."

Rishia blushed and she said, "S-Scandalously dressed...?"

"Oh!" Lia laughed and said, "That reminds me of when we grew up overnight! Our clothes were so small and revealed a lot! But Goshujin-sama looked more annoyed than anything else!"

Sylvia sighed. "I remember that... It made me lose a bit of confidence until I realized Master was just like that."

Rishia paused. Then she said, "...That's true." She frowned. "The second time I met Sir Naofumi I deliberately dressed cute. But I don't think he even looked at my face once..."

The four girls sat there and talked about Naofumi a bit more, venting about how he seemed to completely ignore any female attention.

The conversation soon shifted to lighter things, like favorite colors, foods, casual get to know each other topics...

And then there was a pounding at the inn's door, followed by a gruff voice. "Oi! Why the hell is this place closed? You've got customers!"

Rishia froze. Then she quickly moved to get up. "C-Coming!"

Lia stood up, hand resting on her sword sheathed at her left side.

Sylvia stood up as well, rapier already drawn and in her left hand.

Mein remained sitting, though her fingers tapped on the table, mana already roused and prepared for a spell at any moment.

Rishia opened the door.

The moment she did, a gruff looking man grinned and lunged to grab her-

*BOING*

...And then he was immediately sent flying through the air towards the royal palace.

===

"...That's why you need to make sure that Melromarc isn't relying solely on the heroes but also-"

*CRASH*

A person was sent flying through the window and right towards me.

Mirellia reflexively flicked her wrist, spearing the person through the heart with an icicle, cast with a rapid incantation mumbled under her breath.

I stared at the person... well, corpse.

Then I looked at the message that popped up a half-second late.

> [My Body as a Shield] activates!

> An attack was initated on ally [Rishia Ivyred]!

> The attacker and his attack is forcibly rerouted towards you!

"Huh." I tilted my head and said, "...That confirms one hypothesis."

Mirellia stared at me and said, "...Should I be concerned about the fact that you are so blase in front of a corpse, Naofumi?"

"Don't worry about it, Mirellia. Kids in my hometown were desensitized to worse."

Ah, the wild west days of the internet where you could find livestreamed executions, gory snuff films, and worse stuff by accident when you clicked through social media. That, plus Mortal Kombat fatalities...

Yeah.

I'd seen worse.

"But anyway." I casually processed the corpse with <Oxidize>, <Condense>, and <Shape>, turning it into a small steel ingot and a few diamonds. After that, I looked at Mirellia and said, "Back to what I was saying about not relying solely on the Three Heroes. If what you say about heroes boosting leveling speed for normal people is true, having them power level key personnel by just adding them to the party will help Melromarc quickly by flowing power down to the bottom... What's with that look?"

"...Nothing, Naofumi. Simply admiring your... resourcefulness. Do continue."

"...Right. Anyway, once you have a core group of elites, you can have them train a generation directly under via hunting parties..."

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