Chapter 100 : Sister-in-Law

TL:SummerPeanut

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3 August 2030.

We finally arrived in the territory of Mesalius.

We decided to head to the inn first and thereafter greet Count Mesalius, the father of the glasses senior.

Well, I don't think we'll see him right away because it's so sudden...

However, we didn't need to see him right away. I wanted to get information from Dames who was staying in the town.

When we got to the inn and tried to arrange accommodation, the shopkeeper noticed us.

“Hey, those uniforms, you're students at the Lister Imperial School, aren't you? I've never heard of that golden embroidery though…are you in the fourth or fifth grade? And you guys are four girls for one guy…?"

“Yes, we are from Lister Imperial School. We are all first-year students. The male/female ratio of our members is... well, it's just a coincidence that we ended up like this...”

“Y-yes, first years... all of you? Did they change the class embroidery this year? For all intents and purposes, you and the two girls behind you look more than just 15 years old...”

“No, it hasn't changed, the first-year S class is embroidered in gold.”

“S class! Right! Quick, go to Count Mesalius! I'll get you the best room, and I'll bring your luggage!”

“We haven't made any appointments yet...”

”It's all right! I'll be charged with a crime if we continue this to and fro talk.”

We were brought to Count Mesalius’s mansion after he said that.

I wanted to meet Dames before meeting Count Mesalius but I had no choice...

When we arrived at the mansion, the people guarding the house suddenly bowed to us, said “Please come in” and led us inside the big house.

What's going on? They didn't know who we were but...I suppose we're wearing these uniforms so there's no doubt about our identities...

In the first room we were shown, the members of Red Lotus were already there.

The room is apparently the room of the glasses senior.

The room's atmosphere is somewhat girly.

And only one person is lying on the bed in that room, and Ike is holding the hand of the person lying there. The other members surrounded Ike, and the one lying on the bed is the glasses senior.

When I entered the room, Ike found me.

“Mars! You came!"

He welcomed us saying so.

However, the other Red Lotus members looked somewhat sad.

“I'm sorry but could you guys stay out here for a bit? And please tell Ellie, Karen, and Misha about our situation. Clarice, I want you to stay here and listen to what I have to say.”

As Ike said this, the Red Lotus members walked out of the room with Ellie, Misha, and Karen.

“Is something wrong? Brother Ike?”

When I said that, Ike pulled me and Clarice by the hand and brought us to the side of the bed where glasses senior is lying. It seems as if the glasses senior is deep asleep.

“Look at this.”

Ike said and ripped off the bedclothes that the glasses senior was wearing.

To my surprise, the glasses senior was dressed in pure white underwear, both top, and bottom.

But there was one part that caught my attention more than that. Her right arm was missing.

Clarice covered her face and turned away.

“W-what has happened?"

“The day before yesterday, we were attacked by a mysterious group of people...1 who were incredibly skilled and we couldn't do anything about... and then Ede's right hand was cut by a dagger that was coated with poison…her arm got cut away before she could receive the impact by spinning her whole body."

Ike slammed on his own knee as he said this to me in frustration.

“I was utterly powerless... I was just too weak...”

“Brother Ike. The day before yesterday we were also attacked by what I assume is the same group. The dagger-using Guster is an A-level adventurer and I couldn't even detect his presence so we were completely defeated. They seemed to be from a clan called Phantom."

“I see...they are foes that even Mars can't beat huh... Mars, Clarice. I have something to tell you. I'm marrying Ede. Even though father is vehemently against this. But it's my fault that it's come to this. Though I had already decided to marry Ede before this happened but I'll continue to see Ede’s wound on her right arm to remind myself."

“Brother Ike...that won’t be possible.”

“What? Are you, by any chance, thinking of taking Ede as your fifth!?”

Ike said to me in a rage and I replied.

“No. I will definitely heal the glasses senior’s right arm. That's why you won't be able to see the wound on glasses senior’s right arm from now on.”

Hearing my words, Ike...

“T-there's no way you can do such a thing...I've never heard of Heal being effective on lost body parts...”

“I can't do it alone, of course. However, Clarice is here. Clarice, will you help me? For our sister-in-law.”

“Of course, I will. I don't know how many days it will take but I'll do it!”

“Where is the senior glasses' right hand?”

When I asked this, Ike took out the right arm of the glasses senior which had been carefully stored under the bed. Apparently, it had been frozen. And although it should have been poisoned, it is clean and not corroded. Hmm? Could it be that it hasn't been poisoned?

Clarice and I immediately heal the right arm with a Heal. It's completely different from when I lifted Ellie's curse. But there’s still a chance. That is Clarice's MP.

Her MP has more than doubled since four years ago.

And she has the title of Saintess.

While we Heal-ed the senior glasses dozens and dozens and hundreds of times, I asked Ike about what was happening in this Mesalius territory.

The quest that Red Lotus originally received was to explore the newly appeared labyrinth in Mesalius territory. However, bandits started appearing at the entrance and exit of Mesalius territory about a week ago so he decided to stop searching for the labyrinth and start exterminating the bandits.

Count Mesalius is not here because he is trying to stop the Balkus Kingdom with his knights. And his eldest son is apparently accompanying him. It seems that Ike and the others have not yet informed Count Mesalius and his eldest son that the glasses senior’s right arm is missing.

“Mars! I feel like her arm is connecting!”

Clarice said excitedly. It is true that the blood color of glasses senior's right arm has improved a little but I do think it is getting better. It's only a matter of being thawed out after...but more importantly, it looks as if the arm is completely attached now.

“Good! If we keep healing like this..."

I was so excited that I started to shout a little louder too and it seems that that had woken up the glasses senior.

“Uuh...you guys...what are you doing here?”

As soon as she caught me and Clarice in her line of sight, she shouted.

“Ouch!!!!!!!!”

Members of Red Lotus tried to come in from outside the room but Ike said “Don't come in!” and did not let the Red Lotus members enter.

Only the senior glasses' agony continued in this situation.

Ike moved nearer to the senior glasses and said.

“It's okay! I'm with you! Ede, where does it hurt?"

“My right...right arm, my right hand hurts! It's cold but hot!"

“Hm? Can you feel your right arm?”

Ike gripped senior glasses’ right hand as he said that.

Then, senior glasses was also surprised.

“It...hurts? It hurts! My right arm hurts and my right hand hurts too! I have sensation in my missing right arm! I can feel the warmth from your hand!”

Senior glasses looked towards her own right arm as she said this. It seems like she noticed that her right arm is connected now.

“Is this a dream? I have my right arm... and right hand... how?"

Senior glasses stared at Ike as she said above.

Just then, Clarice interrupted.

“Sorry. Mars, I'm running out of MP. I’ll have MP depletion so take care of the rest. Senior Ede, see you later."

Clarice said so and closed her eyes next to Senior Ede due to her lack of magic power.

Ike saw that and told the glasses senior.

“I'm sorry...Ede...for letting you suffer...but it's all right now. Mars and the others will heal you. Please keep this a secret no matter what. Please!"

Ike said this to the glasses senior so she...

“O-of course...but I don't know how you managed to attach my right arm. Even Holy magic can't do it..."

I and Ike stared at each other when senior glasses said that.

I see! It's common knowledge that even if you use Holy magic, you can't recover the lost body parts so I and Clarice are not exposed...

So I decided to instead not to answer senior glasses' question but continued my talk with Ike just now.

“The clan called Phantom that I just told you about won't touch Mesalius territory anymore. This was told to me by the clan master Guster himself so it should be trustworthy. Perhaps we were attacked because we were of S class and not using the normal uniform’s embroidery and it was set up so that Guster himself attacked us. Guster himself said he was tricked by the quest client.”

“I see... Understood. We'll let Count Mesalius know that Ede is safe. Even if we don't tell him, Count Mesalius and the others will have heard about Ede’s right hand... They might be so worried about Ede that they will retreat. Let's depart from here by tomorrow."

Ike also seemed to realize my intention and replied.

Then the glasses senior said.

“Can I ask you again? Why are you and Mars here?"

I told her about the events with the Marquis of San Marina and that a man called Dames had informed me that the Count of Mesalius was in trouble. Then the glasses senior asked me what Dames looked like, to which I replied.

“I apologize! I thought the man called Dames looked so suspicious that I thought he was a spy for the Balkus Kingdom and I locked him up! He's one of my benefactors and to think I actually did such a terrible thing..."

The glasses senior said in fluster so I answered.

“Oh, it's fine... Maybe...because he's suspicious no matter how you look at him. He also had past records too...”

I told them all about Dames, and both Ike and the glasses senior were outraged at what Dames had done. In particular, they were really angry about the fact that he tried to kill Clarice.

“Well, I guess if he’s Teacher Sasha’s slave, you can trust him in a way...”

Rather than trusting Dames, she trusted Sasha which meant that Damez will be released later.

“So what are Reimei going to do now? As far as I'm concerned, I need your help...”

“Yes. I also wanted to help in some way. If there is anything I can do to help, I will. What should I do? Though I’d like to do something about glasses senior’s right arm first...”

In response to my question, the senior said.

“Thank you. I think it's OK now. I've regained most of the senses in my right arm. If possible, could you thin out the monsters in the newly created labyrinth? It's quite challenging and I think it’s about intermediate level...”

“Okay, I understand. We will go and thin out the labyrinth. If you have any information about that labyrinth, please share it with us..."

When I said that, Ike said.

“Okay. Let's talk about it over dinner. Is it alright to let Clarice sleep in Ede's bed? By the way, this mansion is safe so we don't need an escort or anything. Also, even if it's Mars, I don't want Ede to be seen naked any more than this."

Ede rushed to cover herself with the duvet when she realized that she is only wearing underwear.

“Did you undress me, by any chance, Mars? You didn't do anything strange, did you?”

She asked, puffing out her cheeks. Then Ike.

“I'm the one who undressed Ede. I swear to God. I didn't do anything guilty.”

“Also, it sounds like you said in the throes that you wouldn't show it to Mars but you wouldn't mind the same to for yourself?”

When Ike heard the glasses senior’s words…

“Is that not obvious? Is it bad for me to gaze upon the woman I'm marrying? No...it IS bad... That should be after marriage...?”

“Eh... marriage?”

The glasses senior is scowling at Ike's words.

“Yeah. Ede, marry me. I love you."

“N-no... you can't... Your father is against this, isn't he?'

“My family doesn't matter. Or am I not good enough?"

“There’s no such thing! I've always loved Ike! But ..."

Then Ike suddenly kissed the glasses senior.

“I'll say it again and again until you nod. Ede, marry me."

“Thank you...despite my lacking self, I hope to be with you."

Ike's words were answered by the tearful glasses senior, and the glasses senior kissed Ike as she got out of the duvet and stood in front of him. Of course, Ike's son was standing there too but unfortunately, I’m not explaining that side, okay?

And I hope they didn't forget I am here. It seemed like the two of them were about to start a fight at any moment.

“Congratulations to both of you. Brother Ike, I'm going to leave now. I’m returning to the inn so please call me when you are settled. Sister-in-law. Please let me check on your right arm again later. I look forward to working with you in the future."

I bowed to them and they nodded their heads in embarrassment.

And as I was leaving the room, Clarice, who should have been sleeping due to a lack of magic power, followed me out of the room.

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Author’s Note:

A memorable 100th episode.

I never thought I would write this much.

I had planned to write it in a lazy way.

I feel a sense of purpose when I think about everyone that is reading my work.

I feel nothing but gratitude to my readers.

Thank you very much.

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