The smoothly speaking Iris then moved onto the topic of her future.
Once again, her tone was unfaltering and filled with emotion, and Medea listened carefully to her.
About how she long ago lost somebody important, about how she pursued their killer, about how at that time she was caught in a trap and continued to sleep in the equipment in those ruins, and then about how her parents were no longer around…
After listening to all of that, Medea who had ended up completely sympathising with Iris and was moved to tears, embraced Iris and said,
“I see… So that’s how it was… It must have been rough. At your age… To have no parents, or anybody to rely on… I know! You can live with us, then!”
Luru watched his mother say that, as though she had thought of a good idea.
Without bringing the topic up herself, but getting Medea to bring it up; Luru couldn’t help feel shock at Iris’ wiles. However, having even been invited, Iris became even more insistent.
“No, madam… It would not do to be provided even food and shelter after already having my life saved…”
Said Iris, gracefully casting her eyes down.
Perhaps because she was further moved by that act of humility, Medea brought it up with Luru.
“Not at all! Right, Luru? Luru, you want to live with Iris-chan as well, right?”
“Eh? Y-, yeah…”
The conversation was working out like he wanted, but Luru couldn’t understand at all why he was the one being convinced and not the other way around.
But there wasn’t anything in particular that he objected to, so he just nodded to show his approval.
“While we’re at it… I know! Why not join the family as our daughter? We’re lower class nobles so adopting shouldn’t be difficult, and… I’ve wanted a daughter. Dressing up a cute girl in lots of different clothes really is a woman’s romance[/ideal]. Right, let’s go with that! Iris-chan, won’t you become our daughter?”
“U-, umm…?”
Iris was beginning to notice Medea’s increasingly threatening attitude.
That she would be allowed to stay with them was in line with Iris’ plans, but Medea who was beginning to speak about adopting her and whatnot was as expected, something she hadn’t imagined.
“Right! This is a good idea. It’s perfect since we only have one son… so it’d be great if we had a daughter too. When Patrick comes home, I’ll have a talk with him. I’m sure he’ll immediately approve! You’re this cute, after all!”
“M-, madam…”
Despite Iris flusteredly trying to stop her, Medea paid it no heed.
On the contrary, she placed a finger on Iris’ lips and said,
“That’s not it, right? MO-THER.[/O, KA, A, SA, MA.] Okay, try saying it.”
“M-, mother[O-, Okaasama]…”
“Aahh! So cute! With this, you’re my daughter, aren’t you!~?”
Like that, Medea held Iris up in her arms and span around and around.
While looking at Luru, Iris gave him a ‘What do I do…?‘ look, but he really didn’t know what to say.
When Luru shook his head, and returned a ‘Give up.‘ look, Iris drooped her shoulders and resigned herself.
Watching all of this, Gran said,
“Well, didn’t everything work out happily? Though you’re a low-ranked family, becoming the daughter of a noble family isn’t something that just comes along.”
“That might be true, but…”
To Luru, the fact that he’d be living with Iris, but in a manner a little different than expected, dropped him into a truly difficult to describe emotion.
“Well, at any rate I can stop worrying about you two. I’m gunna head back to the inn. Also, tomorrow come to the inn after you’re done eating; there are things I wanna discuss with you, and things I wanna ask you, after all. Yuumis probably does too. With little miss Iris[/ojouchan] as well, of course.”
With that, Gran gave a wave of his hand and headed towards the inn.
While still carrying Iris, to Gran who was walking away,
“For everything that happened this time, really, thank you very muchh!”
said Medea, waving at him.
Iris lay exhausted by Medea’s chest, but it was probably emotional weariness rather than physical.
But with Iris being adopted, it meant that she was now Luru’s little sister.
The daughter of his old friend, was now his little sister…
Would that make his old comrade in arms, Bacchus, his older brother or younger brother?
Thinking about this, Luru had an odd feeling about it.
“Anyway, it’s great that everything ended well, huh…”
After muttering this, Luru and the two of them returned inside the house.
Like that, their long day finally ended.