The Dangerous Second Daughter (5)

"You've worked hard again today. Let us end the lesson here."

"Good work, Master. I learned a lot again today."

A full week of teaching Adele. Every morning we met at the Magic Tower, and I had become the one who taught her magic.

"That is because you are gifted, Adele. The more I observe you, the more astonishing your talent becomes."

Over the past lessons her skill had risen at a pace almost impossible to recognize. She absorbed everything I taught her, and by now she had reached the point of crafting what she wanted on her own. Her precision still left something to be desired, but even so — being able to improvise already defied reason.

"I'm still not good enough. I still can't get a handle on that technique you showed me in our last spar, either."

"Our last spar?"

By spar she seemed to mean the bout with Jane a week ago. Same thing, more or less. What had I even done then? She couldn't mean the shadow-step…

"Someday I'll handle that technique the way you do, Master."

"Well, having something to spur you on is good."

As long as the results were favorable, it was fine. If it became fuel for growth, I didn't care what it was.

"So now you're heading down to the market below?"

"That is correct. We happen to be short on daily necessities."

"You could just solve that with magic. Or I could make them for you, if you want."

Adele planted a hand on her hip, radiating confidence — so much like a smug little cat that it was almost cute.

"I am grateful, but I must decline. There is someone who cannot afford to be affected by my magic."

"Haley… was it?"

"My proud first contractor, yes."

I was always grateful to Haley. Lately I had been out and about so much that I couldn't stay with her, and still she waited without a word of complaint.

Of course, I've been paying the price for that.

Nothing came free. Why else would there always be a blindfold waiting in the bathroom at home? Every time settlement came due, I had to offer up my sanity.

"…I've decided. I'm coming with you today."

Without warning, Adele seized my hand. Security outside the Magic Tower was poor — taking her along would be risky. I needed a decent excuse to peel her off.

"You are unwell. Where do you think you are going? Rest comfortably at home."

"I've been practicing flight lately. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I don't even need to walk anymore."

Wait — flying through the sky? She had already grown her magic that far?

"My dear disciple's rate of growth is truly extraordinary."

"So think of it as a reward and let me tag along. Studying on my own was hard, you know."

I was moved. Not only did she possess outstanding talent — she was willing to pour effort on top of it.

"Very well! Specially for today, we shall go together."

"Yes! Master's the best."

I was in a good mood. I could watch the streets myself. And with mana control fine enough for flight, protecting herself shouldn't be a problem either.

"I want to see outside the Magic Tower for once. Let's go already."

"Understood. But why, exactly, are you trying to climb onto my back?"

She could fly, couldn't she?

"It's nice up here. And Master's hair feels good."

"That is… fine. Hold on tightly, then."

Honestly… talent or not, she was still a child. Just a little kid who liked me far too much.

"Okay. I'll hold on tight."

Lately Demian only ever wandered outside. True to a deal with a demon, he demanded baths together and sharing a bed as payment — but even that had its limits now.

It's not enough… Demian isn't enough…

The cause was obvious. Adele. That woman was stealing my Demian.

I know the contract leaves him no choice. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

Nothing for it, then. Evening was falling; he would be home soon. Today I would cash in the "bath-together ticket" I had been saving. I would drag the time out as long as possible and stay by his side. I had held back long enough — I intended to collect every bit of it.

Creeeak—

"Haley! Daddy's home!"

The sound of the door opening, and with it Demian's voice. No matter how many times I heard it, that sweet tone melted me right through.

Daddy again… is he playing that game once more?

Demian always cast the two of us as father ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and daughter. Every so often, under that influence, he would tease me the moment he came home — and every time, my heart raced. As if we had become a real family.

Not today. Today I'm fighting back.

Until now I had only ever shown surprise at the joke. Today would be different. With that resolve I shoved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠myself up and headed for the entrance.

"Ah! …D-Dad?"

"This time I've brought your little sister along as well! Do greet her, won't you?"

"Hi, big sister."

I hadn't wanted to be this different.

"Seeing you in person settles it. If you're a mana-sickness patient, of course you couldn't use that power."

That woman in the morning — and me after. This was a breach of treaty. She had already stolen morning-Demian, and now she was invading this far?

"You recognize it, I see. Then, since mana is leaking from you, would you kindly leave?"

I was fine, actually — but that hardly mattered. What mattered here was not the truth, but the pretext.

"Then Master has to come with me. My mana came from him, after all."

"Demian regulates his, so there is no problem. You, on the other hand, learned it firsthand and still cannot rein it in."

"Kh…!"

Round one: my victory. I had found the hole in her words and driven the point home beautifully.

"Whoa, whoa. My dear daughters, do not quarrel with one another."

"Master's right, big sister. Why pick a fight the second you see me?"

Adele said it while hugging Demian's arm. Tch — lost this round. Using positional advantage…

"Rather than stand about here, let us go inside. We also need to put away the shopping."

"Give me the bags. I'll put them away."

"I appreciate the thought, but there is rather a lot. Speak with Adele in your room instead."

Bags slung over his shoulder, Demian walked off toward the storeroom. Perfect timing. As he said — we did have things to discuss.

"…Come in. Not that I particularly want you to."

"I like coming to big sister's room. Guess big sister just doesn't like me."

"Would you stop with that roleplay already."

It wasn't that I disliked the father-and-daughter game. But somewhere along the way I had started to feel it wasn't enough. How to put it… I didn't want to stop at being the daughter.

If possible, I'd rather stand beside him than under him.

The thought had come out of nowhere.

She's no pushover. If I let my guard down, he'll be stolen from me.

The second meeting with Haley had been a disaster. I had expected her to be wary — but not for the hostility to show this openly.

"Your room's cleaner than I expected. Completely different from mine."

While Demian was in the storeroom putting things away, we went into the room and picked up the unfinished war of nerves.

"I clean it every day. Demian likes things tidy."

"I know that. The second Master came into my room, he cleaned it himself."

So she was flexing with information I already knew. When it came to knowledge about Master, I wasn't behind in the slightest.

"My, how childish… He doesn't particularly care for women who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠only borrow other people's hands."

"How would you know that for sure? He might actually enjoy teaching people."

He was a master, after all. He might find fun in filling in what was unfinished. Watching how much he enjoyed teaching me magic, the odds seemed high.

"…I don't like you. You appeared out of nowhere and stole my Demian."

"I like you, though."

"Don't tell such obvious lies."

Sharp. Honestly, I had been too easy to read. As long as we shared a master, the two of us could never truly like each other.

"Caught me. But I didn't come here today to fight."

"What is it? If you have business, say it quickly and leave."

Her edge was a little too sharp. Later I would have to settle once and for all which of us stood higher.

"When Master first came to the Magic Tower, he sparred with a mage named Jane."

"Obviously Demian won, yes?"

"Of course. You know what kind of person our Master is."

Even now, thinking of that moment made my heart race. That cool little smile as he toyed with his opponent — I still couldn't get over how magnificent it had been.

"But even if Jane's got a temper, he isn't the type to charge in without looking ahead."

He was an old mage. For a mage whose total mana and experience were everything, age meant a seasoned, calculating mind. It meant he never picked a fight he could not win.

"Someone definitely goaded him from behind. I came to tell you to be careful, too."

"…And why are you telling me this?"

"Isn't it obvious? If something happens to you, Master will be sad."

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, they said. No matter how little I liked her, I couldn't withhold a warning. In the end, everything was for Master.

"Whew. All finished. You two were getting along, I trust?"

Master stepped in right after.

"Yeah. We cleared up a misunderstanding and didn't fight."

"How splendid. You have been doing so very well lately."

I tugged his arm close, and he stroked my head. This happiness I had no words for… as long as I could keep living it, I didn't care what else became of anything.

"Grr…!"

Haley glared this way with a look of pure frustration.

Stroke, stroke.

Hmph. Keep watching if you like.

Right now, Master was mine.

Ah… head pats. Too good.