Well, now that I've started to get along with Norn, there was a bit of a change with Aisha as well.
Though I say that, it's not like she's started to come along in regards to Norn.
Same as always, their relationship isn't very good; but, maybe because I said it, things like looking down on her or fighting with her have lessened.
Since it's come down to this, I'm a bit worried.
She might just be holding back what she really wants to say after all.
"Aisha. If there's anything you want to say, please tell me?"
For the time being, I'll just say that.
Even if my relationship with Norn has gotten better, I don't have any intention to slight my relationship with Aisha.
"Things I want to say, you say?"
"Yeah, for example if I'm minding Norn too much, you want me to look after you more as well. Or if you want to take a rest because your job is painful. Or if you want to sleep throughout the day..."
"Does that mean something I want?"
Aisha put her finger against her chin, tilted her head and listened.
It's a sweet behavior.
"That's right. It's fine if you ask for more selfish things after all. Don't restrain yourself?"
"Selfishness... Then, just one thing."
Aisha laughed in a teasing manner.
I wonder what she intends to request.
I wonder if she's aiming for my body.
I did say I would listen to it, but I didn't say I would grant it, if I said such things as expected she might get angry.
"Please pay me wages!"
After hearing those words from Aisha, I felt somewhat confused.
"Wages...?"
Thinking about it, she's been working promptly as a maid.
Almost to the point that it's strange I haven't paid her money up until now.
No, since she's family after all, there's nothing strange with that.
In other words, this is that isn't it.
An allowance right.
Since I help out around the house, please give me an allowance.
It's that sort of flow.
"Alright, I get it."
I pleasantly accept it.
Just, in regards to the amount, together with Sylphy, the three of us discussed and decided it.
We considered giving Aisha a somewhat large amount, but she refused it.
Rejecting it because it's too much, is this fellow really 10 years old I wonder?
In the end, we went with not too much, not too little.
We settled on a fair amount of money.
"Receiving something like wages, what do you intend to buy?"
For the time being, I'll try asking.
For the time being, just in case.
It's fine whatever you're buying though, for the time being.
"Various things."
However, Aisha's reply was immediate.
That is, I'd like to know the contents of those various things though...
Just as I was thinking that,
"I understand. Then, next time I go out shopping, please come along with me."
And I was invited along.
It's a date.
Date with my little sister.
What a splendid sound those words make.
Just in case, I made sure to let Sylphy know that I was going out shopping.
Even though it's a day off, I leave behind Sylphy with work to go on a date.
Somehow, I feel really apologetic about it.
But, since it's my little sister it's alright.
It's not cheating.
However, I wonder what Aisha intends to buy.
For example, I wonder if it could be a brawny male slave.
I don't really want to get all that involved with some difficult guy.
Even though there is a large, dark, and muscular guy who occasionally shows up for meals.
No, though recently that guy hasn't come by.
The day of the date.
The place Aisha was heading towards was the general goods store.
A place in the corner of the market, a small store that stocked common goods.
Inside of the store there were things overflowing from the shelves, but there were no customers.
It gives off the impression of just old goods left out everywhere.
There Aisha bought three small flowerpots.
"What are you going to do with those. Are you planning to drop them on the head of a Demon King passing by?"
"No, I was just planning to normally raise flowers in them, but is it strange?"
Aisha asked that with her eyes upturned.
My response was naturally already decided.
"There's no way it's strange."
Just, it was a bit hard to imagine Aisha growing flowers.
My image of Aisha is an energetic, young, genius girl.
Things she likes are cleaning, budgeting, and profit and loss calculations.
I have that sort of image.
Gardening is something you carefully enjoy.
While entrusting it to the power of nature, it's something you do slowly and carefully.
No matter what kind of genius they are, there will be many times where it doesn't go according to plan.
No, it might be gardening for that reason.
I wonder if it's interesting because it doesn't go the way you want.
"Then, wouldn't it be good to buy some earth? The earth around here, since it's considerably infertile, it's probably not suited for gardening."
"...I was thinking I could get Onii-chan to make that with magic and give it to me though, is that no good?"
Upturned eyes.
The reply is already decided.
"It's not no good."
Since I'm a man after all, I really like plowing through dirt and sowing seeds.
I'll prepare some amazing earth for you that will make a Baobab tree grow from the seeds of a Tulip. [8]
"What are you going to do about seeds?"
"I have some from our journey, where I was gathering up seeds a bit at a time."
"If they're picked in the wild, they might not sprout?"
"Hn? It's probably fine."
While we are having such a conversation, we were looking around inside the store at whatever was relevant.
I bought some earrings as a present for Sylphy as well.
They're teardrop shaped earrings with a blue colored gem.
I'm sure it'll suit her.
"Those, are they a present for Sylphy-ane?"
"Yeah. I'm a man who values his wife."
"Sylphy-ane is a blessed person isn't she. Great ani-sama, if you have the spare time please bestow your affection upon me as well."
Upturned eyes.
Naturally my reply is already decided.
"No way, I'll be hit by oyaji[9]."
"Cheh..."
While talking about such things, we finished things at the register and left the general goods store.
The next destination we were heading towards was a store that specializes in the treatment of fabric.
It was a store that had a large quantity of handwoven cloth rolled up into sheets.
On the occasion when I bought carpet for my house, it's the store that Ariel informed me of having quality goods.
The variety of prices is vast as well, it's not particularly aimed at high class stuff.
It's a roomy store.
I wonder where did Aisha find information about this sort of store.
There, Aisha bought some curtains.
They were the pink kind with frills attached, a bit expensive.
Aisha haggled that price down as much as she could.
Using my name, Ariel's name, she used everything she could use to haggle it down.
In the end, the price being suggested was still a bit high.
"If you don't have enough, then should I pay for a portion?"
"Hnn, it's alright, it's exact after all!"
And she ended up buying it at the same amount as her remaining spending money.
She managed to match up the amount she used to the exact amount of money she was given for allowance.
I guess this is what they call good business sense, I feel some kind of dreadful thing.
"I think it would be good to leave a bit of your spending money remaining? Just in case the worst ever happens."
For the time being, I left her such advice.
Since you never know when or what will happen after all.
You might end up suddenly being teleported to the Magic Continent.
As a matter of fact, I'm hiding money all over my body in a variety of places as well.
For example, the sole of my shoes.
"Then, next time I'll start doing that!"
In any case, to think it was flowerpots and frilly pink curtains.
The image of a genius is taking priority, but her sensitivity might be of a maiden.
"I wanted these sorts of cute things."
"Lilia-san never bought any for you?"
"Oka-san said it wasn't allowed. Maids aren't allowed to have any preference in furniture she said... is it not allowed?"
Aisha is skilled at making use of other people's kindness, not to mention she's clever.
With some upturned eyes added in, it was a performance where she was clinging to my waist.
My reply was already decided.
"It's not no good."
If I was a strange old man, then I'd have already taken you away.
Since that date, there has been an increase in maiden-like items in Aisha's room.
It seems Aisha likes accessories.
Raising a small flower in a small flowerpot, lining up fist sized dolls on top of a shelf...
Before I realized it the end of her apron had a small embroidery on it, she must be sensitive to fashion as well.
In the future, I wonder if she will become a gal. [10]
Onii-chan is still just a bit worried.
My two little sisters have that kind of feeling.