“So, that’s what happened.”
『That sounds like… a disaster.』
I heard the whole story from Paula, who appeared through the interdimensional space of her Space Expansion Bag, about what happened after we parted ways.
After I left the forest, she diligently trained in magic and passed the entrance exam for the magic academy… which was good, but on her first day, she got caught up in trouble.
Apparently, she ended up seizing control of a noble’s Political Territory, which caused a great deal of offense.
The nobles were so furious that she instinctively teleported away to temporarily retreat, and while observing the situation from the shadows, things escalated.
The headmaster of the academy was also quite biased towards bloodlines, so before she knew it, the situation had become such that she couldn’t return. Is that really okay for a magic academy?
For a while, she hid in the room of a noble girl who was her friend, but as the situation didn’t seem to be resolving, she decided to go into Cloud Camouflage for a while.
She thought that returning to her family home might cause trouble, so she came to rely on me, who was living a life completely detached from the secular world.
“Well, haha, it’s a real mess, isn’t it?”
She laughed brightly, but I could tell it was forced.
However, I didn’t think it was right to pity her too much, so I decided to tell her that she could rely on me.
『Well, if there’s anything I can do, I’ll help. Just say the word.』
“Yeah, that’s what I was planning… but why are you in a city? Could this be Slime City?”
『No, I’ve never heard of slimes making a city… It’s a long story, but the reason I came here is…』
Then, I also briefly explained what had happened to me.
Paula listened to my story, interjecting with nods and questions, and when I finished, she gave a deep nod.
“A country under the ground… huh. It’s hard to believe, but judging by the scenery outside, it must be true.”
Paula said, looking at the sky covered by the bedrock.
『Yeah, I never thought something like this existed when I was fighting the “Colossus”… but, putting that aside. What are you going to do, Paula? Are you going to stay in this city?』
“I’d like to, but is it okay? Won’t the people in the mansion be surprised if a stranger suddenly appears?”
『Well, they’ll be surprised, but I don’t think they’ll kick you out. After all, they’re the kind of people who let me and Fiss… my friends, stay here.』
It was probably a response that included not only kindness but also a good amount of fear towards me… but still, I guess their goodwill isn’t zero percent.
“I see… By the way, is Fiss the girl you met at the mine you mentioned?”
『That’s right.』
“The one you’re deceiving by pretending to be human?”
『That sounds bad, but that’s right.』
“I don’t think it’s a problem, if you’ve built that much trust. If you can communicate, I think language differences are trivial, don’t you?”
『Well, maybe it’s not a big deal in reality… but when it comes to actually talking, I get nervous. I’d be shocked if I was rejected.』
“Hmm, well, revealing secrets is scary. By the way, that girl might be at the door right now.”
『…Huh?』
Just as I asked, the door opened.
“Kouya, Xanthos is calling… Who’s that?”
Fiss, who was standing there, blinked in confusion.
“Well, that’s the kind of magic I can do. The further away I am, the more Mana it consumes, so I can’t teleport infinitely.”
The residents had gathered in the first-floor living room, the largest room in the mansion.
Paula, who had demonstrated her Space, now Barrier Affinity magic, was observing the reactions of the gathered people.
Apparently, she was going to keep it a secret that she could teleport without limit by using the interdimensional space.
There wasn’t time to discuss it, but she made eye contact with me while she was talking.
“Hmm… long-distance movement that ignores obstacles, a terrifying Attribute indeed… Well, if you are a friend of Kouya-dono, then there is no need to worry.”
For a moment, a sharp glint appeared in Xanthos’s eyes.
Well, the danger of teleportation is something that he, as the head of the security organization, would naturally not overlook.
“That’s some super convenient magic, it would be great for when you want to scratch your back!”
My daughter, Klyssa, on the other hand, focused on the usefulness of teleportation. The example might be a bit too small-scale.
She also lives in this mansion. She said she gets bored being alone at her family home.
“Hmm, as expected of Kouya’s acquaintance. Amazing magic.”
“Hehe, thank you.”
Paula scratched her cheek shyly.
She was aiming to become a great mage, so she must be happy to be praised for her magic.
Then, Xanthos opened his mouth.
“You said you wanted to stay here for a while. If Kouya-dono and the others are fine with it, then I don’t mind. Please use any room you like.”
Then, he stood up and left the mansion, saying he was going out for a bit.
He was probably going to report about Paula. With the communication Artifact he usually wears, he can send messages, but he can’t receive them.
To discuss the details, he needs to meet face to face.
“Okay, let’s decide on the rooms right away! Fiss’s room is over there, mine is over there, and Dad’s is next to that.”
“Since Kouya-kun’s room is there, hmm…”
“It’s better to look inside first. The sunlight, the size, they’re all quite different.”
And so, Paula came to live in this mansion as well.
Perhaps because they were the same age, she quickly became friends with Fiss and Klyssa.
They spent the day deciding on rooms, looking around the house, being impressed by the Artifacts, and being surprised by the poisonous frogs for dinner.
And then, at night.
I was dozing off in my room when I felt a fluctuation of Mana in my room.
『This is… a Space Hole.』
“Yeah. Sorry for waking you up.”
『Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t asleep yet, and I don’t need much sleep anyway.』
More importantly, I asked what she needed.
“Well, about that… could you let me practice Barrier Magic? In Kouya-kun’s Zone Control.”