Chapter 291: Miko and Cage of Desire I

***Chapter 291 Miko and Cage of Desire I***

In the cave at night, there was one bonfire and one tent.

The red-haired girl wrapped herself in a blanket over her apron dress, further enveloping two other girls.

Curled up inside her cloak were a girl with silver hair and another with golden hair that glittered red.

"Onee-sama, I can't take it anymore..."

"You mustn't, Kreschenta. ...If you fall asleep on a snowy mountain, you'll die."

"Uuh..."

The silver-haired girl pinched her sister's cheek as she tried to sleep, and hugged the red-haired girl's arm.

She too narrowed her eyes sleepily but smiled blissfully

The red-haired girl being hugged by the two――the servant Bery placed Kreschenta on her lap, giggled, and rubbed her cheek against her head.

Kreschenta was also drowning in the warmth of pleasure between the depths of slumber, her eyes opening and closing repeatedly.

Opposite them was a giant Suiko yawning, and leaning against it was a golden-haired girl――Selene who yawned and said, 'You two sure never get bored huh'.

It was a seemingly arduous trip of living in tents and caves while enjoying snow sledding down the world's tallest mountain for about two weeks.

That said, during their playtime, Krische would lift the wind from the mountainside, making the weather calm despite the blizzard-like appearance.

Ideally, they would have gone to the sea, but the snowy mountains were not bad either.

The thrill of descending the mountain with an avalanche was indescribable, and even Selene found it quite enjoyable.

At night, they would choose a suitable place like this, eat dinner, and go to sleep.

Krische and Kreschenta seemed to like it this way, thoroughly enjoying their 'pretend lost' game.

They hated the cold but loved using it as an excuse to stick to each other and stay warm.

Their clinginess and refusal to move once they latched on were limitless.

By the third day, Selene would often push them onto Bery, who, seemingly unbothered, enjoyed taking care of the two clingy girls.

"...Lira, it felt cold just by looking at you, are you sure you're okay?"

"It's a bit cold, but... fu, fufu, it's nice to be in a place like this sometimes. Snowy mountains are fun too..."

'It's good for disciplining yourself', Lira replied, shivering.

Though she wore boots, she only had her usual outfit, fur wrapped around her body.

Lira was busy mass-producing snowmen, while Elvena looked on with amusement as she brought in snow from outside.

The temperature was somewhat regulated, but it was still quite cold, and Elvena was dressed in her usual belly-exposing outfit.

Even though they knew her body couldn't get sick (except for a silly girl who occasionally pretended to have a fever), it was still cold just watching her.

Lira seemed to be planning on making a thousand snowmen to discipline herself, but sometimes her thought process was hard to understand.

Anne looked more normal, scribbling something down on a stack of paper while looking at the scenery outside with a serious expression.

What she was writing seemed to be some kind of unwholesome story, but at least it was more normal than mass-producing snowmen in the name of training.

Anne too, in the end, was a little crazy.

Surrounded by strange people—surely, she would never understand them, no matter how many years passed.

She yawned again and looked outside.

The white snow swirled, filling the world with its sound.

#***'The 57th Christand Snow Mountain Disaster Tour'***

In the fantasy paradise of Chrisnate――at the mansion.

At the conference room that had been set up in the mansion since they arrived here.

Shelves were lined up along the walls, decorated with horse sculptures, vases, swords, armor, and more――and in the center was a large table.

It was a large, single table made from a single piece of branch cut off from the World Tree.

On the short side of the rectangle, there was a single person at the head of the table.

The owner of the mansion was Selene Christand.

Though in the form of a young girl, she possessed a spirit that ordinary people could not unleash.

To her right was the Queen of the unified continent, Kreschenta Alberan, with her arms folded, and next to her was the unparalleled hero of history, Alberinea, Krische Christand, who watched the events unfold with a serious expression on her face, her hand on her stomach.

Next to them sat the Holy Spirit Miko (Priestess), Lila Sharana, with an indescribable expression on her face, and opposite them were three servants, including the head servant, Bery Argan.

Ten face-down cards were laid out in front of Selene Christand and Bery Argan, and when Selene pushed out a card, Bery responded with one.

Without a word, they both turned over their cards――and it was Selene who furrowed her brow.

The card Selene played was a cavalry.

And the card Bery played was a long spear.

Inevitably, it was Selene's cavalry who were defeated.

Selene's card was placed in the graveyard as it was, and Bery pulled her own card back to her side, face up.

Bery Argan's youthful beauty was highlighted by a faint smile.

"We've only just begun, Bery."

"My apologies. ...I was thinking about what to bring to the mountain and then..."

"I wonder what you're talking about. This time it's the sea."

The game they were playing was called Decisive Battle Cards.

It was a slightly more advanced form of Three Kinds, using pictures of infantry, cavalry, archers, weapons, and generals, and the winner was decided purely by the compatibility of the cards.

Cards that result in a draw or loss go to the graveyard, and cards that win remain in your hand.

The more you lose, the more disadvantageous you become in this game――the impact of this loss was great, but it was only the first round.

She could still turn this situation around.

It's not time to panic yet, Selene thought, taking a sip of tea and glaring at Berry.

"Hurry up and play it."

"Yes, well then――two cards."

"!?"

Bery pushed forward the two face-down cards.

Very bold. Bery was determined to win the match.

Playing two cards――this was a kind of gamble.

This could only be done by combining cards of the same kind, or a general, and if you responded with one card and won, those two cards would go to the graveyard.

Even if it was a draw, Bery would still need to send those two cards to the graveyard, giving Selene an advantage of one card.

However, if Selene lost, in addition to losing the card she played, two cards of the opponent's choice would be sent to the graveyard.

Two out of eight cards was a blow, but even more problematic was that if the general went to the graveyard, even by chance, it meant losing the game――that mean, there was a 1/4 chance that she would lose.

She could avoid that risk by responding with two cards――but what should she do?

Bery used the spear in the opening hand.

It was hard to imagine her adding three spears to her deck, but the opponent was Bery.

It was quite possible that Bery was expecting her to be more aggressive and to bring out the cavalry again.

Considering Bery's personality, it would be better to see the gamble of bringing out two spears in the second match as a carefully planned trap.

If it were the previous Selene, she would have brought out cavalry, assuming there's no way Bery would bring three spears.

Selene looked at the ornaments on the wall.

For some reason, the ornament of a horse that Selene had made caught her eye――it was an imprint on her subconscious.

Bery Argant was a woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Using furnishings to manipulate Selene's thoughts was just the beginning. She was a ruthless, cunning, and hopeless woman.

It was instinct that led her to choose cavalry as her opening move, but even that was probably being guided.

Falling for her guidance, Selene had unconsciously included four cavalry in her deck.

No doubt the horse ornaments lined up along the wall were there to make Selene think of horses.

No, in the first place, it was the swords and armor in this room that had first suggested they play the Decisive Cards after the argument.

The furnishings were different from usual――Selene had been tricked by this servant from the start.

Feigning a coincidence, Berry had created a battlefield in her favor so that Selene would choose Decisive Battle Card and played a cavalry as her first move.

And then, to compound the confusion of Selene's defeat in the first move, she played two more cards.

Selene had almost been fooled by Bery's tricks.

Countless defeats at the hands of Bery Argand.

One could say that the cause was a pure difference in thinking ability, but that was by no means the only reason.

Selene was defeated on the greed for victory.

Bery, despite her rare talent, she never slacked off, and even when it comes to cowardly means, she had the nerve to justify them in order to achieve victory.

Bery was strong. She couldn't count the number of times she had been brought to her knees by Bery.

But today will be the day she surpassed her.

"You carefully prepare the battlefield, and even lead me to my subconscious. I truly admire your greed for victory. Until now, I would have brought out cavalry here."

Cavalry was a strong card that was advantageous against heavy armor, weapons, and archers on offense, but it lost its advantage on defense, turning into a mediocre card that was only disadvantageous against spears.

However, if she could bring the game to a draw, she would have been able to trade one for two――the Selene of the past would have seen that her opponent would not have three spears, and played cavalry to even the advantage.

It's not bad to trade one for two, she would thought――falling for Bery's cunning bait.

"But not today."

She pushed out a card, flipped it over and announced.

"You played a long spear, right?"

The red-haired servant stared at the card, then sighed.

"Ah... as expected of you, Ojou-sama."

The card Selene played was a bow. Long spears were strong against light infantry, but weak against cavalry.

It was weak against light infantry in attacking, but it was an excellent card with two advantages and one disadvantage in defense.

"...You've grown compared to before."

However, Berr smiled when she saw this, and said,

"I'm glad you've grown."

"...What?"

Selene's eyes widened as she saw the cavalry and general that were revealed.

The general couldn't fight alone, but could be combined with any card.

It turns a draw into a win, and if it's a win with an advantageous card, you can send another card to the graveyard.

"So, can you send that bow and... the three cards from your right hand to the graveyard?"

In exchange for giving Selene the information of her general's location, Bery got a huge advantage.

Even if it was a cavalry, or even a bow, Bery was taking a gamble thar was win no matter what Bery choose.

Selene's general barely survived, but there were only ten and five cards left.

――After just two battles, the outcome was already decided.

"...Uwahh."

Lira looks at Selene, who was stiff as usual, and looked at Bery in amazement.

Bery had told Lira that this time they were going to have a party in the snowy mountains, as if the destination had already been decided, but it seemed that in reality it was only in her mind.

It seems Selene had wanted to go to the sea, and as usual, the 'Christand Conference' started with an argument between Bery and Selene, who wanted to proceed under the assumption that they would go to the mountains.

Lira, who had heard that they were going to the snowy mountains, was confused when she saw this.

The outcome was all but decided.

It seemed likely that they would end up going to the snowy mountains as Bery had declared, but it was a mystery where she get her confidence from.

Even in games where the outcome seemed to be decided by luck, she often won in mysterious landslides.

Of course, Bery didn't always win, but in the last thousand or so years, she had never seen her lose an important-looking battle (although personally she thought it doesn't matter which way they go).

The moment Bery declared that they were going to the snowy mountains, victory was already a given to her.

Selene looked regretful, while Bery wore a cheerful smile――most likely, she had anticipated this situation all along.

It seemed like a fair and equal fight, but it was a battle rigged with victory in mind.

A servant who nonchalantly lured her master into a trap.

The balance of power in this mansion was complex and strange, and even after a thousand years it remain a mystery.

The day when she would come to understand it would probably never come.

She suddenly thought that Holy Spirits might be lonely beings.

When Krische visited occasionally, the spirits looked very happy as they talked with her, the atmosphere was subtly different.

Since her arrival, the Holy Spirits seemed to have changed slightly, often asking Lira questions and laughing with magical energy swirling.

It must be because she saw Them like that.

The people of Kreisharana spoke of the Holy Spirits, who neither spoke nor did anything but sleep, as ultimate beings.

Though they would occasionally cast a glance of that crimson purple, few would hear what it said.

Seeing the Holy Spirit simply existing as an individual without seeking others, the people of Kreisharana paid tribute to this 'strong way of being' that all should aspire to.

People were born as imperfect babies, possessing nothing.

As a result, people were at the mercy of many emotions and desires.

Everyone was originally a baby born into society from their mother, and no one grew up without someone protection, no matter how harsh their life may be.

Seeking connections with others was something that could be said to be an instinct for humans, and emotions and desires were nurtured within.

No matter how much training one underwent, it was impossible to cast away all emotions and desires, and no matter how much one pretended to be aloof, one couldn't completely sever them.

The feelings that the people of Kreisharana, who hone and train themselves as individuals, once had towards the Holy Spirit were surely a longing for a state they knew they could never reach.

They turned their eyes of longing to the Holy Spirit because they knew that even if they gave up their desires, endured loneliness, and tortured their mind and body, there was a place they would never reach.

But even so, generations passed, they took the Holy Spirit as a model, thinking that they might be able to reach it someday.

Lira also learned these teachings of Kreisharana as a matter of course, and grew up without questioning it.

The Holy Spirit was born a perfect being.

Unlike imperfect humans, it was free from all emotions and desires, and was pure and beautiful.

All humans should emulate this way of being, aim to be like it, and made an effort to get closer to it.

If this were to happen, all seeds of conflict would disappear from the world.

Lira had certainly thought that the teachings were excellent, but when she heard the Holy Spirit's surprisingly gentle words and saw Them laughing, Their magic swaying, she began to have a vague question.

'Why was the Holy Spirit sleeping?'

She thought that she had a fundamental misunderstanding.

The claim that the Holy Spirit's was perfect was, after all, merely human logic.

Seeing the prosperous country of Alberan and seeing the 'Friend of the Holy Spirit' laughing innocently and joyfully in the circle of people, Lira was once again perplexed.

Though she was far from the 'Splendid Human' of Kreisharana, at least the way she looked very happy, and her natural appearance was more similar to the Holy Spirit than anyone else.

It was not a bad thing to say that the Holy Spirit was what they should aim to be like.

However, that didn't mean that the Holy Spirit was a flawless being.

It was comfortable to rely on someone, and it was fun to exchange words.

It was only natural, and in itself it was not a bad thing.

It was not strange that the Holy Spirit talked so happily, and speaking of the Holy Spirit as a perfect being was just a human assumption.

Lira thought that perhaps their admiration had inadvertently distanced them from the truth.

It seemed like what she had seen up until then was an 'Idol of what the Holy Spirit should be like' that humans had imagined, and with each word They spoke she began saw see different images.

'You just don't know that you're lonely, Regalave. You're talking to Krische like this because you're lonely.'

'Ah', she thought.

If the Holy Spirit was a perfect being by nature, and didn't need others, then they would have no need to speak.

'...If I could wish, could you also take me with you?'

She wished and asked for that, hoping that she could help ease the Holy Spirit's long loneliness.

Although her father and brother were against it, she had agonized over it in her own way but――since coming here, other Holy Spirits have frequently visited her, and the surrounding area has become much livelier.

In contrast to the resolution she had come to after much deliberation, the Holy Spirits seemed to enjoy playing and chatting away.

――Had she been worrying in a very foolish and presumptuous way?

Every time she remembered her past anguish, she felt indescribable, but she tried not to think about it too much.

Recalling her grim determination from back then felt somewhat embarrassing, but if she considered that countless embarrassing memories would accumulate infinitely in the future, ignoring them seemed the right thing to do now.

Eternity might seem harsh, but it was kind.

There was no need to rush to a conclusion, and she could put it off forever if she want.

And at the very least, the Holy Spirit did not rush to a conclusion.

That was one of the things she learned from the Holy Spirit after coming here.

At first, she was a little wary of what eternity would be like, but there was nothing dramatic about it.

No, perhaps it was precisely because there was nothing dramatic that it was called eternity.

Waking up in the morning, spending the day, sleeping at night, and repeating the same cycle――nothing had changed.

She vaguely understood that an extraordinary day would be repeated over and over again, and in a way it seemed frightening, but that didn't mean that anything would happen.

Whether it was eternity or not, in the end, what we spend is this day, this moment.

The past was simply repeated, and whether they live for a hundred years or a thousand years, they couldn't even know what the future holds, such as what they would have for dinner tomorrow.

It was not like they attained enlightenment, and in the end, Lira Sharana was Lira Sharana.

When it comes to beings who have lived for a thousand years, one would normally imagine them to be a sage with insights like divine revelations and a steadfast spirit like a great tree, but she didn't really feel like she had changed much.

Lira was still with the weak-willed woman who periodically fall into decadence while thinking 'never again' and writhing in past memories

She likely wouldn't change a hundred or a thousand years from now either.

Today's toil brings tomorrow's fruit, was a saying her father and brother liked to use, but in Alberan there seems to be a saying that 'from the same root, the same flower blooms'.

It seemed to mean that character never changs, and this saying suited her better.

As each day passed, she realized that she hadn't made much progress――no, it was her own thoughts like that that were at fault, she shook her head and rolled the snow.

She piled two more rolls of snow on top of each other and, shivering, made a new snowman.

She looked up and saw the magnificent blue and white as far as the eye could see.

It was the view of Greiviarbe, the highest place in the world.

A high, rugged mountain range surrounded the mountain, stretching out below, and in the distance she could probably see the sea. The boundary between the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea seemed to blend and shone faintly.

Looking straight ahead, the scenery was one of complete silence, but below, avalanches were repeatedly occurring, accompanied by tremendous roars and tremors.

Riding on boards and descending the snow-covered slopes along with the avalanches, there was a truly exhilarating way to come down from the snowy mountains.

She heard cheerful voices intermittently and watched as Anne was engulfed by an avalanche, diverting her gaze back to focusing on making snowmen.

This time, she had come to train her mind and body, to admonish himself for her repeated decadence.

Even though the temperature was somewhat regulated, making snowmen in this cold air was quite an ordeal, but that was exactly why it was good for training herself again.

She had spent the past few days at the mansion preparing for this trip, feasting on delicious food as she drifted along, washing her body in the bath, and sleeping soundly in a warm and fluffy bed.

This morning, she was unable to get out of her blanket while dozing, and had to be changed by Elvena.

This was the height of her decadence.

If her father and brother could see Lira's current state, they would surely be very saddened.

'I am not afraid of death, nor am I seduced by the temptation of eternal life. I simply want to serve the Holy Spirit as the last priestess of Kreisharana'.

'But――'

'From now on, I will spend my time alone in the forest, without meeting anyone or asking for help from anyone. Until I die. Will you accept that as my resolve?'

Before coming here, she spent decades alone in the forest to show her resolve to her father and brother, who were opposed to her decision.

Seeing the richness of Alberan, it seemed certain that Kreisharana would eventually change through this interaction, and it also seemed natural for that to happen.

The strict training of the body and mind in Kreisharana was a beautiful way of life, but it was not a happy way of life for everyone.

The physically weak were looked down upon, and those who did not fit the 'beauty of Kreisharana' fled to the plains or lived quietly on the outskirts of the village.

Becoming the Holy Spirit Miko was considered an honor, but there was no woman who aspired to become one, at least that was so in Lira's generation.

She remembered that even her brother often worried about her and asked if she was really okay, and although the previous Miko was a fine person, Lira heard that she did not truly wish for it either.

Just like a Holy Spirit who did not adorn Themself.

Those born in Kreisharana were raised being taught the 'correct way to be'.

Lira thought that this way of being was beautiful, but she understood that she was probably an unusual person even in Kreisharana.

She knew people thought she was an oddball who wanted to become a Holy Spirit Miko, and everyone said that Kreisharana's teachings were correct and honorable, but being correct and honorable doesn't necessarily mean you would be happy.

Being correct and honorable was difficult, and it was often painful.

It was precisely because it was painful and imperfect that the teachings were relevant.

She wanted the role of Holy Spirit Miko to end with her because she thought it didn't fit with the times that would come.

There wouldn't always be people as eccentric as her.

If things get more prosperous in the future, there would surely be fewer of them.

It must be sad to be forced into the life of a Miko, to be chosen against your own will, and no matter how correct and honorable it might be, it was not a way of life that would make that person happy――but those days of imposing poverty and abstinence on herself with lofty ideals are long gone.

Seeing herself descending into decadence, her past quickly turned to shame.

While hardening the snow, she recalled――

" Hyah!"

Something warm was pressed against her cheek.

She fell over on her butt and turned over, it was Elvena who was shaking her shoulders with amusement.

Elvena had a mischievous smile on her face as her short hair swayed, and in her hands she held two steaming cups.

"Fufu, it's cold, so have some tea."

"T-thank you..."

She handed Lira the tea and wrapped herself in thick coat.

She then leaned closer and sat down next to Lira. Close.

Her body, which had been trembling from her training, was now warm and cozy in no time.

"You've made quite a lot."

"...not yet. I've been going down a path of decadence lately, so this isn't enough..."

As Lira said this, she looked at Elvena who had started combing her hair.

They're generally close, and the physical affection that may seem excessive was the mansion style――when in Rome, do as the Romans do, so it didn't feel strange, but in her case there was something innocent and artificial about it.

There was something about her that was somehow different from the others, something that was hard to describe.

Elvena seemed to notice her gaze and tilted her beautiful face in a puzzled manner and smiled.

This person was also intelligent and perceptive of others' subtle nuances, but that was why her behavior seemed somehow artificial and made Lira wary.

Elvena was interrupting her training again as usual――no, that would be rude.

It was unbecoming of a human being to doubt someone who had been so kind to her.

It was true that she was a bit playful and had a mischievous side, but it was not good to interpret everything that way.

Rather, she should be grateful that she continued to be as friendly as before, even though she had shown Elvena so many embarrassing scenes that it was ridiculous to even count them.

Who on earth was it that had dragged her out of bed this morning, who looked like a fool, and then get her dressed like a child.

"A-about, this morning umm..."

"Don't worry about it. I offered Lira-sama quite a bit of wine last night... I knew Lira-sama weren't very strong, but still..."

"No, no... It's just that I'm weak, but the alcohol itself is..."

The wine that Elvena brought to her room last night was truly delicious.

Honestly, when she was in Kreisharana, she never found alcohol to be tasty, but it must be because of Krische and Kreschenta's preferences.

Setting aside the wines sold as authentic, the wines made for the mansion were light and fruity, a delightful drink even for someone with a childlike palate like Lira.

She was offered a fruit cocktail along the way, and while drinking and enjoying it, her memory became hazy――she didn't remember clearly what they were talking about.

"But, you know, last night, I was drunk and I think I said something rude..."

"Oh, it wasn't rude. ...But Lira-sama seemed quite tired. You seemed to have some pent-up frustration from all the abstinence and restraint..."

Among them, Lira vaguely remember her leaning on Elvena and lecturing her.

She felt her ears burning as she recalled it.

"Right if I remember correctly... that the people of the mansion should learn to be a little more self-restrained. That it felt unbearable to have temptations dangled in front of you, and you wanted them to understand what it's like to be you, who is trying to endure..."

"Ugh..."

"It was, well, fufu, it was like Kreschenta-sama's behavior when she was sulking... but I enjoyed it very much."

Even she thought about it, she was surprised at what shameful thing she had said.

She remembered Kreschenta when she was sulking (basically there were three forms: sulking, spoiled, or bossy), and double the shame ran through her.

Freed from the heavy responsibilities of being a great queen, she looked just like her older sister.

Lira had never seen her having a serious conversation like she used to (not pretending to talk seriously), at least not in the last thousand years.

She was the embodiment of desire, faithful to the pleasure of the moment――a child.

"S-sulky Kreschenta..."

Kreschenta was the furthest thing from the words abstinence and self-restraint.

They say that alcohol revealed one's true nature, but when she was told that the same true nature as Kreschenta resided within her, Lira couldn't deny it, making her froze.

Elvena spoke with a joyful smile.

"Why don't you let loose once in a while, Lira-sama? Caming all the way to a place like this to train... playing on a sled is fun too."

"N-no, if I let myself get carried away like that, I'm afraid I'll end up becoming a hopeless person before I know it... No, I wouldn't say I'm doing a great job now, but I'd say I've already let my guard down too much..."

"Lira-sama so serious. I think you should relax a little more, like Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama..."

No one will laugh, Elvena said, pointing to the sky.

"No one will laugh at you. Everyone has desires. Even if you reveal them, there's no one here to laugh at you... It's normal. Even if you call it decadence, then eternity itself is the height of decadence, compared to that it's minor."

"T-the height of decadence..."

"Yes."

Elvena leaned in even closer, bringing her face so close that Lira could feel her breath.

Her dark brown eyes had a somewhat mesmerizing color.

"Whatever happens, happens. Even if you drown for a moment, time is infinite. I think it would be a good experience to drown yourself to the core once..."

"Ex-experience..."

"People naturally balance themselves to avoid ruin. Just as rules and order naturally form in a place like the mansion, where there originally were none."

'It's a cycle', Elvena said, this time pointing to Krische and the others enjoying themselves on the snowy slope.

Selene went down the snow surface along with the avalanche on her board, scattering bright white spray, and far below, Bery and the others were rescuing Anne, who had been engulfed in the avalanche earlier――just as Anne's body was emerging from the snow.

It was peaceful and joyful.

"Even with the power that allows you to do anything, playing in the snowy mountains is a very healthy thing. Depravity and luxury can become boring if repeated over and over again... so it's only natural that sometimes you want to indulge in childish games. Selene-sama is an easy example to understand."

"Selene-sama...?"

"Yes. As you know, she's a serious person, but every thirty years or so, she spends her time lazily. That kind of relaxation is also important. It's all part of the mansion's cycle, including the time when she recovers and reforms the mansion's order."

'Even someone like Selene-sama needs that', Elvena said, caressing Lira cheek.

"No one can maintain a perfect balance of mind and body forever. It's sometimes necessary to relax when needed. For someone Lira-sama, even if you indulge for a while, you will return to your usual self when the time comes."

"... I, well, I'm not confident at all..."

'In that case, I couldn't help but feel that I would be indulging in self-indulgence forever.'

"No, no. I think Lira-sama is just anxious... If Lira-sama indulge in indulgence once, I think Lira-sama will get bored of it in a year or two and become interested in other things. Everything is an experience."

"Um, well...Elvena-sama, what do you want me to do...?"

"What do I want? That's a difficult question..."

Elvena genuinely seemed puzzled, and then she smiled charmingly.

"Just that I want Lira-sama to spend your time a bit more comfortably... That much, at least. Whether as family living in the same mansion or as a servant attending to a guest."

Then, she continued with some embarrassment.

"Actually, with only three servants in the mansion and no guests, Bery-sama is the way she is, and there's not much work unless we purposefully create it. When you stay in the mansion, Lira-sama, it gives us more to do and is quite enjoyable."

Elvena whispered this secret softly, looking around furtively.

"So, it's a pleasure for me when you relax in the mansion... I'm sorry. I never intended to disturb your training..."

"Oh, no, I never thought that! I-I just thought, maybe, you were teasing me a little..."

"Teasing...?"

"No... I mean, it's nothing..."

The simple and straightforward answer made sense. Indeed, that was how it was.

With the orchard and winery managed mainly by Krische and Bery, their work volume was unbelievable, and Elvena and Anne have continued their roles as servants for over a thousand years.

It was clearly excessive work for the limited amount of work, and Lira understood why they wanted to invite her over for a little work that was different from their usual routine.

Lira sighed, ashamed of her suspicions.

How could she ever saw Elvena as someone who would 'lead a disciplined Lira to ruin and enjoy watching her fall?'.

She was ashamed of herself for doubting Elvena, who earnestly tried to take care of her, while ignoring her own weaknesses.

"Is something wrong?"

"No... I was just reflecting on myself. As I am now, I can't face my father or brother."

She took a sip of the tea and took a sigh.

It was a very sweet tea——perfectly suited to her taste.

Shaking her head to shake off the temptation in her heart, she thought of her respected father and brother and began to speak.

"Umm, I'm grateful for the offer but――?"

The magic formula was engraved into the air like a flowing blue line, and four small ice sleds rose from the snow, and a huge ice frame was constructed far below.

Elvena placed the snowman that Lila had made on top of the sled,

"Lira-sama, Which child do you think is the best?"

"Eh?"

"The first one to go through that ice frame will be the winner. Think about it carefully."

And so she spoke. It was sudden.

"Ah, well..."

"I thought it would be a good time to take a short break... We've come all the way to a snowy mountain, so if we only train, it won't be a memorable experience. What do you think?"

"...I understand."

Lira reluctantly nodded and looked at the sled.

Looking closely, she saw that each sled was subtly different in shape, so she did as she was told and looked at the snow surface, then pointed to the right-most one, which was wider and looked more stable.

"I see, that's the more stable one. Then I'll take the one on the left... Right, let's start with 100 coins."

"100 coins...?"

Elvena waved her finger again, producing more coins made of ice and piling them up in front of Lila.

"After all, it's more fun to bet something. Just a little game... If you win, you get four times the coins you bet. If not, if you beat the child I chose, you keep the bet. But if you lose to the child I chose, you pay four times the amount, so that's how it goes."

"I see."

"Each coin can command me to do anything for a day. For example, making an environment suitable for your training, or something silly like ordering me spin around three times and bark like a dog. How many coins will you wager?"

'Just a little game', Elvena repeated, and Lira was deep in thought.

There was something ominous about the word 'anything', but from the start,

It wasn't Lira that was being bet, but Elvena's 'right to do what she's told'.

Elvena had a big smile on her face――she must have just been having a little fun and letting off some steam.

From the conversation just now.

Lira thought it would be a bit rude to just ignore her, so she spoke up, thinking it would be ok to join in for a bit.

"T-then... um... ten coins."

"Ten coins, then. Let's get started."

Elvena waved her finger, and the four sleds all slid off at once.

Elvena's snowman was in the lead by a long way――Lila's snowman was last, but with the steep slope and the sheer speed.

Elvena's sled tipped over midway, and the snowman on top of it was torn apart.

The second place snowman was blown away by the debris, and the third place snowman got stuck in the folds of snow, and only Lira's snowman made it to the finish line.

"Hmm, it was going well until halfway through, but maybe you went too fast."

"Fufu, it blew away spectacularly."

'Yes', Elvena produced thirty coins and piled them up in front of Lila.

"The terrain is pretty rough, so maybe I should be careful with the ones that look too fast."

"That's right... I was quite surprised that everyone except for Lila withdrew... Now, the second race."

The sled floats up again, and on it was placed Lilla's snowman, a symbol for her abstinence and temperance.

Then she bet twenty coins and chose one of them, and Elvena chose another sled as well.

It was not until thirteen games later that Lilla had a realization that the rules allowed her to borrow money.