Chapter 159

CHAPTER 159 – GOOD MANNERS EVEN BETWEEN FRIENDS

The morning light from between the curtains woke me up .

Sleeping on the bed, Althea and Io are snuggling towards my sides .

I slept with these two yesterday . Of course, I didn’t only sleep, but loved them thoroughly .

I called Althea because I wanted to ask something about the Solon Church, but she was such a good woman that I couldn’t help but get in the mood .

Io passed by at that time, so I dragged the two of them into the bed……and the night had passed when I noticed it .

Well then, I should really ask Althea about it today .

I thought of that, and when I was about to wake up .

「Althea-sama, could you please give me just a moment?」

Io talked to Althea across me . I got interested in what they were going to talk about, so I just continued to pretend to sleep .

「Can you call me, just Althea?」

「W-Without honorifics?! Oh no, I cannot do that, it’s too rude towards the legendary Great Sage!」

Io got flustered . Fumu . Althea is amazing after all .

Well, she should be . After all, she took noble titles from the five great kingdoms in this continent so easily .

It’s like grabbing a minister’s position from America, Russia, or Japan and other top countries at the same time .

The Great Sage Althea, thinking about it carefully, she’s an amazing woman .

「You do not need to think like that you know? I am Althea, just simply, Althea」

「Just Althea?」

A soft hand passed over me . It’s Althea’s hand .

She took Io’s hand and pulled it to her chest .

「I am but a simple woman who had undressed everything she is wearing, I am just simply, Althea . When I am in his arms like this, I am just a woman just like you」

「I-Is that so」

「Or is it that, do you want to claim “Call me the A-Rank Adventurer, Thousand Lightning Io-sama!” in front of him?」

What kind of character is that?

「I do not wish for that! I am Kakeru-san’s」

「Similar to that, I am also just Althea . I’ll be happy if you call me like that」

「E〜to, uhm……can’t I call you with -san? Calling someone older, is a little……」

「Fufu, okay, that is fine . Can I call my cute younger comrade with just her name then?」

「Please do so!」

With me in between, a friendship between women was created .

「And so, did you need something again?」

「Oh, that’s right! Althea-san . Is Althea-san knowledgeable with magic?」

「Only in theory . I remember every single magic that exists in this world as knowledge . From those ones that were boasted in prosperity but lost, to those legendary laws that were created but not used even once . All of it, is just knowledge though」

「Amazing……」

I completely agree .

As expected of the Great Sage . The amount of her knowledge is staggering .

「What do you want to ask then?」

「Uhm……I just thought, I want to learn more magic . I want to learn more and more, become more and more useful to Kakeru-san……no, that’s not it」

She took a deep breath and rephrased . Her breath tickled my side .

「I need to become more suitable to Kakeru-san」

「That’s why you want to ask me if there’s a magic that is fitting」

「Please! Althea-samaーーAlthea-san . I know that something that is very valuable must be given to Althea-san in exchange for teaching something! But even so! Please!」

「Are you really saying that, knowing what would be taken in exchange?」

「I don’t know . Butーー」

「If it’s the most recent one, I think I said “go and kill your parents”」

Oi oi, that’s a heck of a price . It’s like how a devil makes a deal .

「Will you still do it, even so?」

「That is……」

She grabbed me tightly . Io’s finger is sinking to my skin .

It hurts a little . I can really feel that she’s considering it seriously .

「Let me see, in your case, I would ask you to kill those two」

「Those two……Agnes and Julia?!」

Io realized half way .

Althea, that’s where she led it huh .

「That, is……」

Where did her momentum from a while ago go to? Io clearly became downcasted .

「I’m sorry……I, my resolve was not enough」

I don’t need that kind of resolve though .

「It looks like I played the joke too far . I don’t need that kind of resolve」

He〜?

「Eh?」

「I won’t say something like that, I would be hated if I did」

「Then, what do I need to do? I will do if it’s anything else!」

「You don’t need to do anything」

「Eh? But……」

「I am Althea, just, Althea」

As if it was a spell, as if to sing a song .

……Althea said as if to whisper in my ear .

「As long as I am here like this, I am nothing but a simple woman just like you . In other words, we are comrades, or maybe, something like sisters」

「Sisters……」

「It would seem that he really prefers women who are excellent in their way . That’s why I will teach Io . I will teach you everything, all the magic that you can possibly learn your talents」

「ーー! Thank you very much!」

「You do not need to thank me . Being both his woman, do you think those words are needed?」

「I think it is! Whether or not being Kakeru-san’s!」

「……」

Althea became silent as if she was caught by surprise . I felt her presence get startled .

「Thank you very much! Althea-san!」

And Io added even more .

I almost instinctively move my arm that she was using as arm pillow .