Wait!"
I hear a voice behind me.
"Roxy-san, please wait!"
It is Sylphy. She has stood up, trots over to Roxy, and grabs her hand. Roxy turns around, and large tears are gathered in her eyes.
"Why are you stopping her, Sylphy-nee! Isn't it fine just to let her go!?"
"Norn-chan. Could you be quiet for a little bit?"
"Eh?"
"Just now you said too much, you know. From the beginning, I never said a word about refusing, after all."
At Sylphy's words, Norn becomes speechless and freezes.
"Please sit down."
Paying a backward glance to the frozen Norn, Sylphy sits Roxy down on the sofa. Roxy doesn't resist and did as she is told. Sylphy too, takes a seat next to Roxy.
"Though things have gotten a little chaotic... You saved Rudi, right, Roxy-san?"
Asked that, Roxy meekly nods.
"...Yes. But I had ulterior motives, so I don't plan on using it as an excuse."
"Mn. Rudi is cool, isn't he? On the contrary, had you said that you didn't have ulterior motives, I wouldn't have believed you."
"..."
"Were I in your shoes, Roxy-san, I think I really would've done the same thing."
Sylphy makes a gentle expression, smiling at Roxy. Roxy's face is stiff. Whilst smiling, Sylphy continues.
"...You know, honestly speaking, I thought that it was just a matter of time."
"Umm, sorry, what was?"
"Rudi bringing back another woman."
Me, bringing back another woman was just a matter of time...
...Mn?
...Huh?
Could it be, that they didn't believe in me?
"I mean, look, Rudi is perverted, right? That's why I thought that once he couldn't do it with me; he'd definitely do it with someone else. It was like that for me too; since Rudi is sincere, after doing it he'd probably try to take them in as his wife. I didn't think I'd be able to monopolize Rudi forever, you know."
I want to speak up. But, it really is as she said. I'm not qualified to say anything.
"Though, honestly speaking, I thought that when he did bring someone back, it'd be someone like Rinia, or Pursena, or maybe Nanahoshi-san."
"Besides the name Nanahoshi-san, I haven't heard the other names."
"They're Rudi's friends from school. All of them are sexy with big chests."
Nanahoshi isn't particularly sexy, though. No, that kind of thing isn't important right now.
"Honestly, because the story of your journey was so harsh, and Paul-san died as well, so I was a little bewildered, but... I understood."
"About what?"
"Because you had always been looking at Rudi anxiously since coming to our house, I was wondering what was wrong. At first, I thought it was because you were nervous about telling us about Paul-san's death, but... it was actually 'that' after all."
"..."
"Roxy-san, your eyes are those of a maiden in love, after all."
A maiden in love. Being told that, Roxy's face is dyed bright red.
"Excuse me. I've shown you something unpleasant..."
Her face still red, Roxy bows her head. From the perspective of a wife, a woman looking at her husband lovingly would probably be an eyesore. That line of thinking is something you can vividly understand. However, Sylphy shakes her head.
"It wasn't unpleasant, you know."
"...However."
"I wonder how I should say it..."
Sylphy tilts her head in thought for a little, and then quickly goes, 'Mn,' and nods.
"You know, I've heard about you from Rudi before, Roxy-san."
"What about?"
"Just that 'Roxy' was a magician that he respected. Before the Teleport incident, and then after we got married as well, he said the same thing."
"...That's um, I'm humbled."
"That's why I was a little jealous as well. Whenever Rudi spoke about you, he looked like he really~ longed for you."
"..."
"I one-sidedly thought of Roxy Migurdia as an amazing enough magician that someone like me would never be able to compare with her."
"..."
"But when I actually saw you, when I thought of you as just a normal girl who was in love with Rudeus, my jealousy vanished."
Saying that, Sylphy takes off Roxy's hat and strokes her head. Looking up at Sylphy, Roxy doesn't resist, and lets herself be pat. Sylphy then speaks.
"Though Norn-chan said what she did, I'll welcome you."
Roxy's face was in shock. My jaw drops in shock as well. Not even in my dreams did I think Sylphy would so easily accept it.
"Sylphiette...-san."
"Just 'Sylphy' is fine. Let's get along. Umm, Roxy-...chan?"
"Um, I technically turn 50 this year, so adding -chan is..."
"Ah, so that's how it is. You're my elder... Sorry. Come to think of it, that's right. I'd heard about this from Rudi, but actually seeing it, you know...?"
"I'm small, after all."
"I'm not big either, you know?"
Roxy and Sylphy's gazes meet, and the two of them laugh.
"Let's support Rudi together, Roxy."
"Thank you very much, Sylphy."
Saying this, the two shake hands. It is a handshake filled with an odd sense of solidarity.
Seeing this, I let out a sigh of relief. It seems things will be fine. I unconsciously let my feelings show. However, seeing me, Norn's eyebrows knit together in a frown.
"If Sylphy-nee says so, then I don't have anything left to say either."
It seems that Norn still can't accept it. Her mouth upturned in a へ, she's glaring at us with an unhappy expression. We might be scorned by her again. However, Sylphy softly pacifies her.
"Norn-chan. Rudi isn't a follower of Milis, so please forgive him."
"But..."
"Even Paul-san had two wives, you know?"
"...That was certainly the case, but..."
"Norn-chan. Will you say this to Lilia-san, as well?"
Norn looks like she gasped, and looks at Aisha, who was sitting by her side. Aisha has been sitting there silently the whole time, with a prim and proper expression.
"Ah-... Sorry, Aisha."
"It's fine, it's fine. I know that Norn-nee often says things without thinking."
"...What's with that way of speaking!?"
"I mean, look. Even just now, you said something like that, right? Despite what Sylphy-nee said, you just forced your own thoughts on us, didn't you, Norn-nee?"
"Wha-!"
Norn violently stands up. Seeing her clenched fists, I scold Aisha.
"Aisha, you've said too much."
"But Onii-chan."
"I can understand what Norn wants to say. Honestly, despite what Sylphy said, it's an abnormal situation. If it's not considerate of others' feelings, I'm guilty of that too. You mustn't criticise Norn."
"Well, if you're going to say that much, Onii-chan..."
"..."
Norn is making a complicated expression. Like she didn't know what to do, at all. It was that kind of expression.
"...I'm going to sleep."
She quickly makes to leave the living room. However, as though she suddenly remembers something, she stops her feet and turns to me. She half-mutters.
"Um, Onii-san..."
"What is it?"
"Next time, could you teach me the sword?"
For a moment, I didn't understand what she is saying.
The sword. Does she mean that she wants to use Paul's sword?
I get the feeling that if she learns half-assed self-defense; on the contrary, she'll only end up ruining her body. But this is that kind of world. It'd probably be better to know swordsmanship. Even if it were only a small strength, it'd be better than nothing, after all. The problem would be whether I'd be of use as a teacher.
"Are you fine with me?"
"Though I still can't really accept what you've done, I don't hate you, Onii-san."
"...Yeah."
What I had meant was [Are you fine with someone who just half-assed the sword], but.... Well, if I'm told that she doesn't hate me, then I'm not going to refuse.
"Alright. I'll make room after school or sometime."
"Please do."
Saying this, Norn returns to her room.
"..."
At any rate, I guess the result was all right, huh? In the end, I couldn't do a thing, huh. I was saved by Sylphy's magnanimity.
"You know, Onii-chan," starts Aisha, "Right now you look incredibly pathetic, you know?"
Without replying, I agree.