The women's meeting in Rudeus's house continued until late-night.
As Roxy was pregnant, she refrained from the alcohol, whereas Eris was at a level where she was slightly tipsy.
The only one who was drunk was Sylphy.
"You know. That was when Rudi and I first became friends. Since then, I have a~always liked him. So nostalgic. You see, Rudi was hugging me so~ close. He didn't say anything, but he just, just hugged me...Uhehe."[6]
With her breath smelling of alcohol, such a Sylphy was clinging and hugging Eris.
"So what. Even I have been hugged by Rudeus."
"I heard it just now. Eris sure has it nice. You were together with Rudi at the best period~. You even received his first time~. How was Rudi's first time? My first time was somehow amazing."
"N, Nothing particular, it was normal? But, S, Sylphy gave birth to Rudeus's first child, even married him...Your situation is much more enviable."
When the conversation proceeded in a worrying direction, the one who forced her way into the conversation was Roxy.
"Well, even if it wasn't his first time, isn't it fine. Even though I have not received any one of Rudi's first times, I'm happy."
"Pfffft! Roxy's out! Because, Roxy's first. Are you not the number one person Rudi respects?"
"Respect...I wonder why Rudi respects me so much."
"Rudi said so [Roxy taught me the number one most important thing]! Surely you have told him something amazing! Something to Rudi's liking, something ecchi!"[7]
"Rudi was already ecchi even without being taught. He was peeping when I was taking a bath...or rather, I only taught him normally...hm."
Roxy went into deep thought when saying so.
Seriously, exactly what part of me did Rudeus like so much.
Somehow, I had the feeling that our first meeting was quite awful...
I wonder what I might have taught him.
I really have no idea.
"We~ell, even if Roxy is special, Eris is also a bit different~. I have somehow lost confidence..."
"What do you mean, slightly different...?"
"I mean, Eris and Rudi have...about the same strength? To be able to stand and fight next to each other is enviable. I meant to try hard and become strong, but I am not even close to Rudi. I feel that Rudi tries to protect me. That I am happy about..."
Due to the alcohol, the troubled Sylphy has become hopelessly drunk.
However, when seeing this, Eris did not feel a sense of superiority.
Eris went to the Holy Land of the Sword with the purpose to match up with Rudeus.
In fact, she has successfully managed to achieve skills rivaling his.[8]
Even in a mock battle allowing magic, she could win against Rudeus.
That was her aim, and she has finally managed to reach this. This is something she feels proud about.
But, after all she felt a little jealous regarding Rudeus and Sylphy's relationship.
All the more because she knew that she could never become like that.
Sylphy in distress, Roxy tilting her head, Eris crossing her arms.
The bedroom's door was opened.
"Excuse me. Madams."
"Ah, Lilia-san."
The one who entered from the door was a middle-aged woman wearing maid clothes ―― Lilia.
With steam rising up, what was on the tray she was holding was something like potato hodgepodge.
"I have brought you a late night snack."
"This, sorry to have troubled you, Lilia-san."
"No, Roxy-sama. Naturally, it is a maid's duty to be of assistance to the Madams."
To the bowing Roxy, Lilia returns the bow.
"S, so, t, thank you very much."
"No, Eris-sama. There is no need for gratitude. Since you have become Rudeus-sama's wife, you have also become my master."
For Eris, she is a little bit uncertain regarding exactly how to treat Lilia.
There were many maids in Fedoa region's mansion.
However, Eris was somehow able to guess that she couldn't treat Lilia the same as those maids.
She is the mother of Rudeus's sister. [9]
It seems she was a wet nurse, or something like a second mother.
In Eris's mind, she was resolved to work hard to not be hated by Rudeus's mother.
"And, it is fine to not be so formal. I have heard many things regarding Eris-sama since the time in Buina village..."
"A, About what?"
"Well..."
Lilia hesitated.
The news regarding Eris that could be heard in Buina village were quite awful.
"About how you were quickly becoming violent with your hands, about how it was deemed impossible for you to live as a noblewoman.........and how you were like a wild monkey."
"......"
Eris pouted.
To be honest, nothing has changed much since those days aside from her sword arm.
There was a time when she did try her best, but in the end was left abandoned.
"But, you have become a fine person. A Sword King-sama...if Fedoa region's feudal lord-sama saw the current Eris-sama, they would have surely been proud."
"Is that so...but Otou-sama and Ojii-sama are no longer..."[10]
"Ah, I beg your pardon."
Lilia bowed while making a sad face.
"It's fine. It was that kind of incident. No matter where you go, the unfortunate have been ruined. Even Rudeus's Otou-san and Okaa-san..."
"..."
In an instant the atmosphere inside turned sad, only the steam from the mother's warm dish was rising.
The one who felt the uncomfortable atmosphere was Sylphy.
"C, come to think of it, Lilia also knows about the time when Rudi was born."
"...Yes. Originally I was hired to be Rudeus-sama's wet nurse."
"How was Rudi before he met Roxy and me?"
"About Rudeus-sama when he was just born?"
Having said so, Lilia remembers things about the past.
"Let's see, at first I thought Rudeus-sama was eerie."
"Eh? Why?"
"Well, why...I guess because there were many times when Rudeus-sama was in unexpected places and when you thought he was finally found, he would make a creepy laugh."[11]
Lilia laughed when she recalled those times.
Even though Rudeus-sama was such a cute child, I wonder why I avoided him.
At that time there were indeed bad feelings, but they were forgotten with time, leaving only the good feelings behind.
"Ah, but he hasn't changed much even now?"
"That's true. But for the most part in those days, he made an expression with an unpleasant smile when he was rubbing your chest when being held...."
"...but he hasn't changed much even now?"
"......When being told so, it seems true."