"Let's do a welcome party for Lotte-chan! With that said, Otouto-kun, make Lotte-chan's favorite food! What do you want to eat Lotte-chan?"
"Eeeto, I want to try sushi, tempura, and tuuna, desu!"
——Because of that, today Kazuki had became an itamae[6].
"...You can even make sushi?"
Mio made an amazed face toward Kazuki who held a sashimi kitchen knife that resembled a Japanese katana.
"As you would expect, I have never made sushi before, but if it's sashimi..."[7]
If you talk about sashimi, it was a mistake if you thought it would be fine as long as the fish was fresh and you cut and lined it up just like that.
You had to cut the fish with optimum thickness and angle depending on the type of the fish. When you cut the fish using a sashimi knife, you need to take care not to destroy the meat's cell as much as possible, and for that you need dexterity and technique.
However Kazuki had learned the art of cooking using magic power,
Using Extra Sense to perceive the cell tissue, Kazuki slid the blade, filled with magic power, which could make sashimi that would make even an expert weep in shame.
"...By the way I was uncertain about something. That maid uniform Mio wore, where did you get it?"
Kazuki glanced to Mio at his side while holding the sashimi knife.
Mio is wearing a maid uniform right now. Since she misunderstood Kazuki's fascination about maids, she always wore a maid uniform every time they did housework in the Witch's Mansion. Kazuki couldn't calm down watching that.
"Where did... I made it myself though. I, like to sew you know."
Now that she mentioned it, when she first introduced herself in the class she seemed to have mentioned something like that.
That so, this maid uniform was handmade was it?
Come to think of it, maid uniforms tended to become uncouth if they attached a lot of frill on it, but Mio's maid uniform clung just right to her body and tightened her silhouette.
The legs peeking through her miniskirt were adorned with socks and garter belts that emphasized the softness of her thighs, the apron skirt hugged tightly to the height of her hips. Because of that Mio's surprisingly big breasts were highlighted, and then ties from both sides of her chest was fastened to the bottom of her neck looking like it was pushing that bulge between them.
An aura of service radiated from the attire, completely changing Mio's slightly impertinent aura.
Noticing Kazuki's eyes, Mio's eyes that usually always had a confident allure in them was clouded by anxiety and shyness, then "How, how is it?" she inquired Kazuki.
"...It's cute. It's so cute that it is breaking the rules."
"Really!? Hehehe, success!!"
Mio jumped around in happiness while a heart mark also flew up. Each time she jumped, the frills and miniskirt fluttered around. ...What is this super cute thing?
"Bu, but if you are beside me with that kind of appearance I won't be able to concentrate! It's okay if you don't help out today, this is not a work where you can help. A kitchen is the world of men."
"Why are you driving me away, saying things like that? ...We cannot be alone anymore in the quest so this time, even though as an assistant, is very precious..."
Even though Kazuki was holding a sashimi knife, Mio approached his side.
"Oi, you are in the way, it's dangerous..."
"...Kazu-nii."
Mio stood on her tiptoe and 'chuu' pressed her lips on Kazuki's cheek.
It feels even more sweet and soft compared to Lotte's kiss from before.
"This, this is I, because this is Lotte's party this only meant as my best regards, that's all! I only mean to ask you to treat me well once more... there is no other meaning!"
While covering her own mouth with her hand, she explained the meaning of her action with very fast talk and then ran out of the kitchen in a great panic. Kazuki was petrified while holding the sashimi knife in one hand.
"...Ca, calm down, me. Feel the cell tissue of the tuna with Extra Sense..."
Intense heat dwelled in the cheek where the lips touched. He couldn't concentrate at all.
Colorful sashimi made from fresh fish were lined up on the dining table, and the tempuras were arranged dynamically to raise into the sky. Lotte's green eyes shone brightly seeing that scene.
"AmazingKlasse! The beauty of Japan that I kept yearning for when I was laid sick reading an old book and watching old anime is right here desu...!!"
"I see...this is very interesting. I feel the happiness from the taste that goes through Lotte."
Even though Prophet seem to be dispassionate, his way of talking somehow conveyed admiration.
"Hee, so Prophet can feel that kind of enjoyment. It's impossible for me though to transmit the taste of this food to Baal, the Diva that I'm contracted with."
Hoshikaze-senpai observed Prophet's situation with a curious look.
"Is that so?"
"It's because one pillar of Diva is contracted to a lot of Magica Stigma, therefore the connection with our Diva is not that strong. We can't even have a private communication."
"Uh huh, eating is wonderful! I'm glad that Kazuki is my King!!"
Leme who had a strong connection with Kazuki, and had the leisure to materialize freely, laughed loudly.
Lotte held her chopsticks awkwardly, she tried to grasp the fish with white flesh that had a thin structure but because she couldn't capture it properly, she dropped it.
Lotte's face turned pale because of her blunder of dropping the food, that was made for her, on the floor.
"My goodnessMeine Güte...using chopsticks is very difficult. I'm sorry, I think if I use telepathy to trace I can make my body learn immediately desu, but..."
Kazuki thought there was no need to be that ashamed so without a moment's delay, he took a sashimi from the side, applied some wasabi and soy sauce and then he held it to Lotte's mouth.
"Here, Lotte. Aaan."
Even though Lotte was 'Aaan?' confused of the meaning of the words, she soon understood and her cheek was stuffed, her expression became bright. And then a heart mark flew up.
"Dankeschö desu, Kazuki-oniisan!"
Like that, on reflex, Lotte kissed Kazuki's cheek again. And then "I did it again" she realized what she was doing and restrained herself.
"She kissed his cheek while calling him onii-san... As expected if Kanae-san is here then Lotte's life would be no more."
"I don't really follow but... I understand that it's fine if this person called Kanae is not near desu."
Lotte said that with a friendly grin toward Hoshikaze-senpai who showed a wry smile.
"Kazuki-oniisan, I want to eat that one next desu."
Kazuki took the food that Lotte wanted and do "Aaan".
Lotte opened her mouth obediently like a baby bird, then she chewed in happiness.
"Kazuki-oniisan, you look like my favorite butler when I lived in the castle desu..."
She faced Kazuki while 'ehehe' laughing, a heart mark flew toward Kazuki. Suddenly she embraced him.
"...Wait a minute Kazuki, whatever the circumstances may be, but haven't you serviced her too much?"
"It's no good to be that petulant, Mio-chan. After all this is Lotte-chan's welcoming party."
Kaguya-senpai teased from the side when Mio's expression became huffy.
"I, I'm not petulant at all! Here Lotte, from me too, aaan."
"Dankeschön desu Mio-oneesan!"
Lotte stuffed her cheek with the tempura from Mio, her smiling face became enchanted... Mio's lips slackened seeing that. It was the face of an owner viewing his pet.
"...I wonder if this is the feeling if we keep a puppy in Kazu-nii and our house..."
"Oi, what kind of chemical reaction is happening inside your head?"
"Oniisan, I want to eat that red thing next desu. The legendary fish, tuuna[8]!."
"Your pronunciation sounds like De Niro[9] from a while ago. It's tuna, not tuuna."
"Wait a minute Lotte-chan, Kaguya-oneechan also want to do 'aaan'! Here."
Kaguya-senpai forced her way in the middle and presented a food with 'aaan'. However soon senpai's smiling face turned evil. Just before Lotte could eat she pulled back the chopstick.
"U~, please don't bully me, please feed me~"
While laughing with troubled expression, Lotte chased Kaguya-senpai's chopstick.
"Just leave a bully like this alone, come eat from me. Here, aaan."
Right there Hoshikaze-senpai arrived from the side and did 'aaan' to Lotte. Lotte ignored Kaguya-senpai with 'puih' and ate Hoshikaze-senpai's offering. Kaguya-senpai whined "Aaah, I'll feed you properly okay!" in a fluster.
Each time Lotte ate a mouthful, everyone scrambled with new food to present an 'aaan', Lotte was happy and eat them all in turn.
"...Everyone's warm feeling is being transmitted through telepathy. I'm happy desu."
——Before long Lotte's small stomach reached the limit and she collapsed in heap.
"Uuuu... I want to chant reinforcement magic in my stomach desu..."
If we used Enchant Aura to our bodies, everyday would surely become a food fight.
"I wonder if it's fine to be this happy... It feels like a dream desu..."
Lotte who collapsed holding her stomach was surrounded by everyone of the Witch's Mansion.
Even after the meals had finished, everyone continued talking happily with Lotte in the center.
Inside that circle——Kazuki suddenly noticed, Koyuki had been outside the circle for quite a long time.
"...Hiakari-san." Kazuki nonchalantly moved beside Koyuki who continued to eat in silence.
"Kazuki...even though you don't need to come expressly to confirm, today the food is tasty too. The thickness and the method of cutting are different on each type of fish, it's so fresh that it creates a spray of glistening juice."
"No, I'm not looking for a review of the food! ...Come on, let's talk a little with everyone."
"I don't have any such interest to the transfer student, there is also no reason to become one party with you."
"...Why are you saying such lonely things?"
"That's because I like being alone. I don't know anything about what you call loneliness."
"Lies." Kazuki said decisively, Koyuki's eyes were shaken.
She stared at Kazuki only for a moment, but soon her disturbed stare wandered around.
Why is Hiakari-san doing everything to corner herself into isolation?
She looked like a kitten that climbed a high place and then couldn't get down.
"Yosh, Hiakari-san. Aaan."
"I watched from some time ago, that 'aaan' thing was stupid..."
Koyuki averted her eyes from the piece of sashimi that Kazuki presented but because Kazuki persistently circled around her to chase her with the chopstick, Koyuki had no other choice except to eat the food.
"Yosh, next is tuna and avocado with wasabi cream tartar. This is the work I have confidence in, see."
"That kind of food that plainly aim's for a foreigner's taste... it's delicious if I eat by myself I said!"
However, Koyuki ate all the food that Kazuki presented even though she kept exhaling deep sighs.
"...Kazuki, why do you keep ignoring my words..."
"Because Hiakari-san's words are usually a lie, I have seen through them all."
When Kazuki tried to give 'aaan' one more time, Koyuki shook her head while saying "I'm already full." Kazuki knew that was not a lie and pulled back his chopstick.
"Thank you for the food. It was great, wasn't it? A new comrade entered in your party."
"I still want to party together with Hiakari-san though. Even far in the future this feeling will surely never change."
"...Please give up, why do you keep ignoring that even though I keep saying it..."
Koyuki, her eyes down cast, had an angry look.
After the welcome party was over, Kazuki started to clean up everything.
When he imagined Mio doing the scrubbing and washing and making her hands rough, he felt that he couldn't allow it, so Kazuki always took the job of washing voluntarily.
Rough hands came from damage that was piled up unconsciously, so defensive magic power couldn't defend against it.
And then using
The case where hardworking women had their hands turned rough——it was a tragedy that even in this age of magic and alchemy still couldn't be avoided. I absolutely won't allow the hands of the girls that lived in this mansion turn rough as long I'm the maid here...Kazuki resolved himself in his heart.
In the meanwhile, right now, the program had turned for the girls to enter the bathroom.
Usually the senpais had priority, but today Lotte was the first to enter the bath.
"Kazuki-oniisan!"
Suddenly Lotte's voice was heard and Kazuki turned to look back, there a stark naked Lotte was running towards Kazuki, the sound of her steps rang out 'petapeta[10]'. ...Totally nude. Unintentionally, Kazuki dropped the plate that he was in the middle of washing.
"I'm sorry, onii-san. Can you tell me how to use the bath desu? I don't understand one of the appliances... onii-san? Why do you avoid looking at me desu? Isn't it impolite if you don't look at people's face when they are talking desu? Are you angry desu?"
Because Kazuki averted his face so he won't look at Lotte's nakedness, Lotte expressly circled around 'petapeta' to the direction Kazuki's face was facing. A naked body of pure white fairy was reflected in Kazuki's field of vision.
...Why did she show it expressly!? Why did she enter his field of vision expressly!?
"If it's Prophet he should be able to operate the appliance instinctively like when he drove the jet airplane desu but... for some reason when I turned naked he won't reply even when I called him out desu. That's why onii-san, please teach me. Because of this trouble, why don't you also enter the bath together?"
Lotte sensed that Kazuki was not angry by using telepathy. The girl hugged Kazuki's arm daringly and then pulled him. Her expression was absolutely pure.
...Come to think of it, the nobles of the middle ages always had retainers to change their clothes for them. It was even said that they didn't have any shame toward people of the lower class.
That 'aaan' from before. Lotte might have mistaken Kazuki as her own butler.
In short Lotte didn't see this side as a man. Despite that, if this side was the only side that looked at the girl's nakedness as the opposite sex... it would soil the girl's pureness.
Don't look and fight the worldly desires, Kazuki whose expression tightened as if he had swallowed a bitter bug was pulled forcefully by Lotte until the bathroom. And then "This is the one." She pointed to the bath water heater device controller that was installed in the wall.
"What the... this is a normal device that exists everywhere isn't it?"
It was a normal electric hot-water heater that used electricity to boil hot water and also maintain the temperature.
In the present Japan, all-electric had been completely popularized, there was nothing that used gas anymore.
With the grace of alchemy, electric power had became an extremely cheap energy.
Lithium ion rechargeable battery was improved by alchemy, its capacity was expanded exceedingly, furthermore, it wouldn't deteriorate even if it was recharged multiple times, this was called
Because of the birth of Etherlight Rechargeable Battery, Japan's domestic power generation system was changed completely. The present Japan's electricity was provided in its entirety by the Solar Power GenerationArchimedes System in Japan's southern tip territorial water on the Artificial Floating IslandMegafloat. Etherlight rechargeable battery was recharged in the power generator that made the best use of strong sunlight on the southern man-made island, and then it was carried into the mainland. This over concentration power generation brought about unprecedented efficiency of natural electricity.
The sunlight power generatorsolar system that was mainstream in Japan so far had the strong point that it was decentralized in small scale and could produce electricity however, because the electricity transportation had became really easy it was not used anymore.
When Kazuki explained how to use the electric water heater, Lotte was surprised with the automatic function of regulating the temperature of the hot water. She raised a voice of deep impression while her naked body was taken aback.
"It's the first time I have seen something like this! It doesn't use magic, isn't it desu!!"
This time it was Kazuki's turn to be surprised hearing those words.
"Do they heat the bath in Germany and Seinmundo using magic every time!?"
Certainly if they used pyrokinesis to produce and decrease heat energy, it wouldn't be difficult to live without using a water heater. Kazuki had also used it before, using pyrokinesis as auxiliary heat when the time to heat water using the electric water heating device took too long.
"It seems the household of general public still used appliance desu but... the daily living in the royal court mostly are done using magic. The royalty must follow the state religion strictly and give an example to the people desu. There are even movements that promote to manage the appliance used by the general people more strictly. Even the Anime DVD and DVD Player in my room need to be hidden secretly desu."
"Even so, things like DVD, Japan had not used those more than 10 years ago you know? It had became an antique item."
The mainstream memory storage media in the present Japan was Ultrashort-wave Ray DiskURD. DVD, if remembered correctly it was even before Blue-ray DiskBD.
"If there is no machine, won't it inconvenience the old people when their magic powers are weakening?"
"Yes desu, that's so, but that was considered as natural providence. Humans are tied with other people spiritually by magic power, so magic power is thought as the basis of human right."
Which reminds me of what Liz Liza-sensei said before, "In Europe, humans that were born with excellent magic power are considered as nobles, countries that revived the monarchy system are not few."
People that lost their strength were weeded out from society and humans with excellent magic power became nobles. That was what they considered natural? ...If someone obtained a great power, they should protect the weak, wasn't that the natural [feelings of being human] for sure?
"The jet airplane is great, the water heater is great... once again I realized how great Japan's appliances are desu. There is even an appliance to boil the hot water... if only this existed back there, surely my dead grandpa could have lived in more comfort..."
"You mentioned about the strict compliance to the state religion, but are they really using faith as the reason to not use machines?"
"Yes. The Norse Mythology that Germany has faith in has the aim to remove the
"...Doctrine that denied machines are probably common among a lot of Mythologies. Because that was the symbol of human's conceitedness, there are not many Mythology that could affirm such."
Prophet's avatar appeared beside Lotte and said so.
"...For what reason is it I wonder. It was so sad I can't stand it desu."
"How stupid huh. Whether its magic or machine, as long its convenient then it's fine to use it, that's what Leme thought."
Even Leme also materialized inside the confined bathroom.
Suddenly―Kazuki felt a cool sensation of passing air at his lower body.
"Lotte... why did you take off my pants inside the confusion?"
"Kazuki-oniisan, let's enter the bath together. After all you don't hate it, right desu?"
The totally naked Lotte cutely tilted her head―
"Lotte... In Japan you couldn't show your naked body to the opposite sex, it's no good unless you show it to a person where you have the relation of considering each other as a very precious person. On the basis of the relation between man and woman..."
Lotte showed a vacant expression, then in a blink of an eye, her expression was dyed with understanding.
"Relation of man and woman... I see, onii-san and me are man and woman, isn't it desu? That kind of thing was irrelevant in my life until now so I completely overlooked the awareness of gender. I always thought such a thing surely only happened inside a love comedy anime..."
Lotte looked like she comprehended something and suddenly her face turned red.
"Don't tell me that kissing on the cheek is not a sign of gratitude, but actually is something similar with romcom[12]!? Perhaps I have turned as a really shameless character regarding onii-san!?"
Somehow even if she thought of Kazuki as one of the common people, it didn't mean that she had no shame.
"I feel that you can't differentiate reality at this point of time if you said something like 'character'! But it's okay, I don't mind at all about such things!"
"By any chance this and this are parts that absolutely shouldn't be shown to a man, is it!?"
"I don't see it! I don't see even a little bit of those parts!!"
"This is the first time since I was born that I made such a romcom blunder... How embarrassing desu! Please forget it!"
"Even though we already had a long talk until just now, you people are very surreal."
Kazuki escaped from the bathroom in great panic while listening to Leme's astonished voice.
"Good evening, Otouto-kun♥"
After Kazuki finished tidying up and back in his room, the figure of Kaguya-senpai clad in her Magic DressDécolleté Oblique was sitting on Kazuki's bed. The color of her pupils were―changed slightly to a violet color.
"Senpai... are you perhaps in that condition?"
The influence of the Diva Kaguya-senpai contracted with, Asmodeus, occasionally amplified her [lewd feeling]. At that time, she would vent by embracing Kazuki.
However, it's strange. When in the welcoming party today, senpai was still normal though...
"It's not like that, though I wonder if it's that kind of feeling."
Senpai beckoned Kazuki while saying ambiguous thing, Kazuki sat on the edge of the bed, then Kaguya-senpai came and embraced him while a nice smell drifted in the air softly.
Embracing her in her magic dress form that had high exposure rate, the softness and warmth of senpai were transmitted directly. In this kind of situation, it couldn't be helped that he was bothered by senpai's breasts which were bigger than anyone else.
"Otouto-kun, today you were 'chuuchuu'-ed[13] a lot by Lotte-chan, weren't you?"
Senpai stretched her hand while hugging Kazuki―and pinched the area around where Lotte's lips touched Kazuki's cheek. For some reason, it feels like it would be a breach of manners if the defensive magic power was activated for this kind of pain, there is no other way than to be resigned with this.
"Even at the best of times, recently Otouto-kun only care about his partner Mio-chan. Kaguya-senpai is very lonely and so lonely that she talked to the wall, hugging the pillar, harassing Hikaru-chan, doing all those things everyday, you see..."
"What the heck has senpai done to Hoshikaze-senpai..."
"That kind of Kaguya-senpai...in her loneliness of being ignored by Otouto-kun will monologue to herself in whisper though."
Somehow senpai started talking about strange things.
"This is a story I learned from the people of the Knight Order in the location of a quest, it seems German's Northern Europe Knight OrderEinherjar[14] had already demanded for Japan to hand over Lotte's own person. Of course if Japan hands over Lotte, what await a heretic is the death penalty, isn't it?"
"―!?"
While Kaguya-senpai [monologue] to herself, she started to leak the Knight Order's internal story.
"But of course Japan can't comply with that demand right~? Even though they understand the person they handed over will be sentenced to death and yet still did it, the surrounding countries must not think that Japan has become friendly with Germany. Because Japan is [the only magic advanced country in the world that is not a religious country] you see."
The like of religious magic advanced countries couldn't live in harmony with each other.
But with [Mythology that didn't demand faith], Solomon 72 Pillar as Japan's war potential, Japan was the only exception among magic advanced countries that could maintain itself as a secular country.
In short, it also means that Japan is the only country [that could possibly form an alliance with other countries].
The other magic advanced countries had always observed Japan's tendency with sensitivity.
If Japan's distance with Germany was shortened, the other five countries would harbor needless doubt.
If Japan became an ally with Germany, the remaining five countries would turn into enemies.
Japan must show the humane stance of respecting the right of life of the refugee.
"It seems when there was no response of the demand of handing over Lotte without condition, Germany proposed to give compensation in return. If Japan handed over Lotte, Germany will dispatch their elite Einherjars to cooperate with Loki's subjugation. Because in the first place as a Diva, Loki is supposed to be the hated enemy of Norse Mythology."
In Norse Mythology, Loki was the existence that would cause the final war―Ragnarok.
Translator's Notes and References
Secret technique
1. I think this is a reference to an old cartoon, Anpan-man maybe.
2. She said this in German
3. The tone almost feels like Kaguya got NTR-ed from Kazuki, lol.
4. SFX of her twintail cleaving wind while she shook her head
5. Chef (esp. of high-end Japanese cuisine)
6. In sushi you stick the slice of raw fish with rice and wasabi, while in sashimi you only serve the raw fish
7. I think I make a mistake, the way Lotte said tuna is quite unique, so please don't correct this.
8. Not sure what is this referring too. The katakana is read as 'deniiro'.
9. SFX of foodsteps
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullveig
11. Romantic comedy
12. Kiss
13. The Northern Europe can also refer to the land of Norsemen or Scandinavia
14. Japan's expression of wanting something so badly
15 Someone in junior position in a relationship