chapter 54

「Welcome Back! The dinner is ready! Today it is a dragon meat steak! 」

Peris happily greeted us. The steak was accompanied by fried potatoes, soup, and salad. There was also garlic rice. Peris’ skills are master-class.

「Thanks, Peris! Come, everyone, let’s eat! 」

「「「Itadakimasu」」」

「I-Itadakimasu…….」

Merias, who was nearly forced to take a seat, was rather nervous.

「Merias should it too. Peris’ cooking is a marvel」

I separated her salad and put some a piece of the steak on it. She was still hesitant at first, but gradually relaxed. I didn’t fall behind and put the steak in my mouth. Delicious! Its flavor is exquisite. Everyone ate with a gusto.

When I looked at Merias, she was trembling while looking downwards.

「What’s wrong? You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to」

「Gusu. For a slave like me to receive such delicious food…….Somehow, I’m sorry」

「You are now one of us. You just happened to be a slave. You don’t need to mind it」

「It was Master, who came up with all of these dishes. Today they were made by me, but Master can make them even better」

While saying「Don’t raise the hurdle, Peris」, I switched my attention back to Merias. She gobbled every single dish while constantly apologizing.

We were satisfied with strawberries as a dessert and spent some time relaxing. Meanwhile, I thought about letting Peris guide Merias to her room, but the latter refused.

「I’m Master’s slave. I can’t just borrow Peris-sama’s room」

「Then where will you sleep?」

「I do not mind sleeping in the hallway」

「The hallway….Peris is fine with it, you don’t have to mind」

Merias just silently stared at the floor.

「Since that’s the case, you can just let her sleep in her Master’s room」

Gon opened his mouth.

「Un, wait for a moment. There will be times when Merias has to do some kind of work. So can you stay in Peris’ room for a while? I will call you when I need something from you」

「Merias-san, Master already said this much. Are you against sleeping in the same room as a belial? 」

There is no way it is like this! Merias fiercely swung her head. It seems she was finally convinced. If Merias ever sleeps in my room, I will attack her at night. To assault Merias right here and right now………Don’t call me a lecher.

After that, Peris showed her around the mansion, her perpetually surprised appearance was amusing. As expected, having a bath in your house is rare, I won’t tell her about「Ueeeeee」she unintentionally leaked in a girly voice.

On the next day, I woke up early and went to but clothes for Merias. I bought the clothes, which were recommended by the employee, but it seems that they were quite good so they cost rather high. Well, I don’t need to worry about my finances and the clothes look nice. Since they are on the cute side, I’m fine with this.

Regarding Merias, I’m thinking about letting her continue her research. I decided to buy the tools and materials, but the amount ended up being a bit too large. Peris’ room is big, but it won’t be able to store everything. I had no other choice but to give up on buying some tools. It seems that it’s about time to think about expanding the mansion.

Regarding the Holy Sword, Merias is pouring her effort into making a sheath so the job of purchasing special material in a specialized shop (although I was the one who ordered her to make one) fell onto me. It seems she is going to create a fitting holy sheath for it. I’m looking forward to its completion.

Merias was reserved at first, but due to Peris’ character, she quickly became friends with her. They were both Liberal Arts LV3 and stimulated each other’s intellectual curiosity.

Gon and I came to Ohi-sama’s mansion again. Because I asked about the title Gon answered「Ohi-sama is knowledgeable about this topic」. As long as I’m with Gon, I could come there anytime, and I did just that. As expected, I couldn’t visit with as it is so I filled my hands with as much food as I could and stood in front of the shrine. When I appeared before the door to the mansion, it quietly opened. It might unexpectedly be an automatic door.

We were greeted by the supervisors under Ohi-sama, Chieda-san and Sae-san, and then guided to her chambers. Today, besides those two, a fox in a ceremonial dress came along with us.

「Today, before Ohi-sama……」

「Let’s skip the formalities. Take it easy, take it easy」

「I’m overjoyed to receive your considerations. Today I brought presents with me. Please receive them if it all right with you」

After I said that, I presented ohagi, aburaage, zenzai, inari-zushi, and university potatoes.

「I’m ashamed of presenting the same things over and over again……」

「No need to worry. Hohou~. So this is zenzai. Let’s see……delicious! This sweetness! This crunchiness! It is indeed better when it’s crunchy」

「Ohi-sama!」

Her reaction was excessive, but it seems she liked it.

「This one is Sandill. Thank you for your continuous offerings. Our ladies like the sweet taste. I’m looking forward to the future」

「Thank you very much. In this case, should I substitute aburaage with zenzai from now on? 」

「Hm. Makes sense. Every…..」

「No! It is fine with aburaage. It goes well with the right drink! 」

Sandill objected. Don’t glare, Ohi-sama, don’t glare.

「Understood. The crispy aburaage is delicious. Also, please try inari-zushi, if it is all right with you」

「Mm. This is…..quite good…..good, good. This is also……..well, the offering」

「Understood」

Apparently, my presents achieved the desired effect. The supervisors liked the university potatoes. Offering all at once would be slightly difficult, so let’s establish a rotation of sorts.

「I came here for a purpose. I have something I would like to inquire」

「You are free to ask」

「First, about the barrier skill. I heard that it is possible to use it to teleport. How could one……」

「Oh, this is a special case and can’t be used normally. It has to be combined with other arts」

「Combine with an art?」

「This is a kind of a spell. Sandill knows the details. You are allowed to tell him」

「Ohi-sama, did you casually leave everything to this one to enjoy the offering in the meantime?」

「T-There is no-no-no-no way it is true! H-H-H-H-How rude! 」

Haaa, acknowledged Sandill. Ohi-sama, you are stuttering.

「I have something else to ask too. One of my comrades has「Self-loathing」title. I want to remove it, but….」 (TN: Changed the title, because it makes more sense)

「Self-loathing? What kind of title is this? 」

「Ahem, Ohi-sama. That thing that you failed to remove about 500 years ago」

「….Ah, that one. That was a failure…..No, it wasn’t a f-f-f-failure! There are no failures for this Mistress! That was a success!!」

「……Just when I tried to save you, you dug a hole for yourself」

「Sandill, you are rude!! Ei, stand up! Sandill will tell you about this matter! This wasn’t a failure! You can leave!!」

We were driven out of the room. They guided us to Sandill’s room.

「All right then, first I will speak about the barrier combination, it isn’t that difficult. You need to pour mana towards the place from where you want to teleport while chanting『Ohi-sama Ohi-sama, coming forth』and saying the name of a place you want to teleport. This would create a teleportation point, once you step inside, you would be able to teleport」

Let’s try at the first opportunity.

「Next is「Self-loathing」. This is quite a rather advanced curse. The person in question suppressed his own growth by wishing to seal his own abilities. Because it is a self-curse, it is difficult to remove. You can try, but it may result in the subject’s brain death. The best method would be to utilize divine protection skill when the person himself wholeheartedly wishes to remove it」

「And Ohi-sama failed because」

「…..She tried to force it. It almost reached the point of no return. I intervened」

I didn’t hear until the end. When we were talking, the supervisor, Chieda, entered the room.

「Rinos-dono. An order from Ohi-sama. From now on, it will be enough if you only offer bean-shaped ohagi and a sweet kind of aburaage」

「Nah! I was deprived of my pleasure! Are you holding a grudge against me!?」

Trying to pacify Sandill, I ended up with his personal shrine in my mansion.

The matter of her title depends completely on her own will…….Well then, how should I proceed? I thought about that as I left the mansion.