The morning sun rose slowly over the horizon, its light glimmering against a lake near a small, hand-shaped mountain range. Eventually the rays made their way to the mansion on top of the mountainous thumb, casting long shadows of the various buildings. Shining into the master bedroom on the fourth floor of the main building, the light was blocked by the thick curtains of a king-sized four-poster bed.

Having stayed up late, enjoying the hot spring, admiring the night sky, and making love, Hotaru and Alcyone hadn't gone to bed till long after midnight. Finally getting to sleep in their new home, they had no intention of waking up early. With no one to bother them for miles aside from maybe a bird or two, they snoozed and lazed around in bed until the sun was high in the sky.

Alcyone was first to take up, feeling at peace and well rested, smiling as the warmth of last night still lingering with their curtained cubbyhole. Becoming more aware of her surroundings, she found Hotaru fast asleep with his face buried in her ample bosom. Before she could make a comment about his boldness, she realized her arms were tightly wrapped around his head and neck, embracing his long hair. Realizing she had been using the much taller paladin as a teddy bear, she sighed in relief upon feeling his breath against her body.

Thank goodness I didn't smother him… I would have completely lost it if I had suffocated him during our first night in our new home! Aaaaah! I don't even want to think about it!

Forcing herself to relax so that she wasn't tensing up her body, Alcyone slowly pulled herself back to embrace Hotaru more gently. Stroking his slightly coarse cheek, she slowly stirred Hotaru awake. Squeezing his eyes shut, Hotaru yawned deeply before smiling at her.

Looking deep into her eyes, Hotaru smirked, "I don't even want to know what time it is…"

"Fufufufu, I think we would have missed breakfast back at the Sanctuary," Alcyone giggled, before they both rolled on their backs.

As they stared at the ceiling, they took notice of the atmosphere outside their bed. If their bed was their tent, there would be people walking and talking outside of it, as everyone would be on the move already. But now, it was but a pure silence, which while relaxing, was also slightly eerie. They were already used to such quiet moments while living within the sound proof walls of their previous apartment. But now no one was around as far as they knew.

"The peace and quiet is nice, but it can get lonesome," Alcyone acknowledged. "It would be nice to have people to greet us in the morning."

"Mhm, like having servants serve us breakfast in bed," Hotaru grinned, placing his hands behind his head. "We should probably get onto hiring some, since we did have that servants' quarters built."

"True, it would definitely liven things up…" Alcyone admitted, before her stomach rumbled. "But until then, I suppose I best get the stove on."

"I can take care of breakfast today, as a thank you for taking care of me last night," Hotaru winked, leaning over to kiss Alcyone on the cheek. "I think I'll make us some pancakes with whipped cream."

"That sounds lovely," Alcyone smiled, before furrowing her brow. "But we have no flour… or sugar, or milk or cream for that matter."

Raising an eyebrow, Hotaru asked worriedly, "What do we have?"

Wracking her brain, Alcyone thought back on what she had in her magic gem, "We have bread, cheese, eggs, butter, and some cured boar… and some fruits."

"…Croque Madame and fruit salad it is then," Hotaru stated and rolled out of bed.

Putting on bathrobes they had borrowed from their private onsen, Hotaru and Alcyone made their way down to the third floor. While the main building of the mansion was full of opulent rooms such as: a ballroom, a library, a game room, a foyer, a drawing room, and even a gymnasium; the top two floors were essentially a small house. As such, they only had to come down the stairs and turn right to reach the kitchen.

During the planning process, Hotaru had wondered what was the point of dedicating a section of the mansion to act as a kitchen. The main building, guest house, and servants' quarters all had their own dedicated fully stocked kitchens, making a house-sized kitchen seem redundant. But as the builders and Alcyone had explained it to him; the large kitchen was meant for cooking for parties and feasts, or if the staff was preparing for a more extravagant meal for their employers. The idea of this had piqued Hotaru's interest, thinking what kind of magnificent and succulent feasts they could be having. But with Alcyone unloading their remaining food supplies on the table, he knew they still had a lot to do before they were in any shape to host a housewarming party.

As Hotaru turned on the stove and started cooking, Alcyone began to brew some tea. Waiting for the water to boil, she looked through the windows at their estate. While the mansion wasn't exactly the one from her dreams, she had no complaints, but there was still something missing.

"Something on your mind?" Hotaru asked, frying overelaborate grilled cheese sandwiches.

"I was just thinking how we will use all this space," Alcyone said ambiguously. "Our nest has a lot of room to spare."

"Oh, you mean how many servants will we hire?" Hotaru asked, flipping and stacking. "Honestly I don't know how many we can afford with our current income and budget."

"Fufufufu, no," Alcyone chuckled, turning around. "I meant something smaller~."

Looking up at the ceiling, Hotaru asked, "Pets? I guess it would be nice to have a cat or something. Not sure what kind of animals people keep in their houses in Cephiro. Last attempt tried to fry us…"

Seeing Alcyone cross her arms and give him a wry smile, Hotaru couldn't help but crack up, "Okay fine… I know what you mean, but isn't it a little too early to be thinking about having children?"

"Why? I'm over twice the age any of my siblings were when they had children," Alcyone asked defensively. "Do you perhaps not want any?"

"I would love to have children with you, Alcyone," Hotaru answered with a wide smile, placing two plates on their dinner table. "But as much as I love you too, we have only known each other for less than half a year."

"…How long should we wait then?"

Thinking about it carefully, Hotaru suggested, "At least a year, two preferably. Just to get everything ready and see how well we get along in domestic life."

Considering Hotaru's words, Alcyone couldn't exactly deny them. While she was eager to have children, she knew raising and keeping them safe was a great responsibility. She also remembered how her younger sister had been head-over-heels in love with her husband-to-be, only for the sparks to die down after they started living together. Although they never broke up, once she had kids of her own, their relationship became more and more wound up. While she believed her and Hotaru's relationship would last, it would be better for the children if they could be sure of it.

Sighing heavily, Alcyone relented, "I suppose you are right. We shouldn't rush something like this. You said something about a pet? What is this cat you mentioned?"

Letting a light snort, Hotaru wondered, "How do I explain that… They are simultaneously the most effective killing machines on Earth, as well as silly little furballs with quirky ways of showing affection."

"…Do they transform?" Alcyone asked, confused.

"Nah. They just hunt prey much smaller than the humans that tamed them. Good for hunting down vermin that eat our food," Hotaru explained, plating the finished Croque Madames. "But as pets, they are very independent, very affectionate, as well as dumber and smarter than you'd think."

"Interesting little contrarians," Alcyone raised her brow as she sat down. "Did you ever have one yourself?"

"I wish. I was allergic to them in my previous life and in this life, I never had the chance to own one," Hotaru answered. "But I am sure Cephiro has something close enough."

"Maybe so," Alcyone mused, taking a bite out of her breakfast. "Oh… This is even greasier than I expected."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Hotaru scratched the side of his head. "It is meant to be romantic, but in my experience, it is better suited as a hangover cure."

"We should've drunk more last night, fufufufu," Alcyone giggled before taking a piece of fruit. "So, what kind of servants did you plan on hiring?"

After taking a sip of tea to wash down his salty breakfast, Hotaru pondered, "We should hire ones we know we will always need. Do we need a coachman? Like, we do not need one, but this is quite a remote area. Our servants might need one. Although there are no roads nearby…"

"There is no need for one," Alcyone pointed out, "as long as we splurge a bit, we can get a flying coach and horses for it."

"Ah… Oh… Oooooooh," Hotaru's mind's eye widened, as he realized what Alcyone meant. "That would be wicked."

After sipping some tea, Alcyone nodded, "Yes, but I doubt we will be able to get one for a while. I do not believe there are any intact ones left, and making one took half a year before the war, if you were lucky."

"Then who should we hire now? Gardener? Chef?"

"Absolutely not! My gardens are mine to take care of," Alcyone said strictly, before her tone turned more sheepish. "As for chef… I feel it would get in the way of us cooking for each other."

Seeing Alcyone blush, Hotaru couldn't help but blush a little as well. While his cooking skills weren't on par with Alcyone, she enjoyed his cooking as much as he enjoyed hers. He felt foolish for having completely ignored how much intimacy a full-time chef would remove from their lives.

"Maybe we can hire one temporarily if we ever host a big party or something," Hotaru suggested. "Are there any chores that you do not enjoy?"

"Cleaning, laundry, washing dishes…" Alcyone listed. "How about butlers?"

"Honestly I would feel incredibly pretentious if we had butlers around…" Hotaru admitted before leaning back in his chair. "…What about maids?"

Thinking about it, Alcyone reluctantly admitted, "We definitely should hire maids, but…"

Seeing the way she stared at him, Hotaru asked, "But what? You worried I will cheat on you?"

"You have history of it," Alcyone said defensively, feeling cautious. "How do I know you won't go and bed one of the maids behind my back? Or better yet; how can I be sure none of the maids try to seduce the greatest man on Cephiro? Can you look me in the eye and promise you wouldn't be tempted?"

I would first need to see the maid… Damnit!

As soon as that thought popped into his head, Hotaru couldn't deny that Alcyone had a point. Although he liked to think his lecherous past was behind him, it wasn't like he didn't still have those fantasies. While his self-control had definitely improved since the last time his body was 28, he wasn't willing to risk his relationship with Alcyone. However, as much as maids would pose a risk, he also couldn't deny their necessity.

"You have a point… but at the same time, I also hate cleaning," Hotaru confessed to Alcyone's chagrin, leaning back in his chair. "…I'll tell you what; I'll let you choose the maids."

"Me? …You mean picking out maids I feel safe leaving you alone with?"

"Yes!" Hotaru nodded, before getting more serious. "Of course, I promise I will do everything in my power to stay loyal to you no matter what. But to be on the safe side, I will let you decide who the maids are, so that either they aren't interested, I am not interested, or they will be loyal enough to tell on me if I do… you know."

With the romantic atmosphere they had woken in completely devastated by this point, Alcyone leaned back in her chair and sighed. Taking a slow sip of herbal tea to calm down, Alcyone considered Hotaru's suggestion, while trying to control her irritation. Their mansion needed people who helped them in its upkeep, otherwise they had requested such a large home for nothing. And while she knew of Hotaru's past, she also respected his current self, and about how much effort they both had put into protecting one another. Seeing her silence really getting to Hotaru, she eventually swallowed her complaints and smiled.

"Very well, I accept."

"Thank you, dear," Hotaru smiled, until his expression stiffened, before adding. "…But please, try not to hire any hideous old crones where it genuinely hurts to look at them."

"I make no promises," Alcyone answered with her eyes closed, finishing her breakfast.


Having been all but thrown out of the house as Alcyone had started making job advertisements for maids, Hotaru had taken flight. While he did enjoy occasionally flying over Cephiro to see the view of the world and how the planet was healing, it served other purposes. Not only would this give him time to collect his thoughts, but he could run a few errands. As their larder was empty, he could take this time to get them some food and ingredients.

Seeing the world around them turn lusher day by day and the seas starting to fill up, Hotaru couldn't help but smile proudly. While he had played a huge part in saving and making Cephiro recover, it was hisdecisionsthat made him feel proud of himself. To go out on a limb and join the Magic Knights in the Tokyo Tower that day, to leave his life in Tokyo behind, to rescue Alcyone from her fate. Though many of these decisions had often seemed more trouble than they were worth, he was glad he had stubbornly stuck to them. All of these gambles had paid off, even though he had danced with Death more times than he cared to admit.

As he was feeling good about himself, he spotted something in the corner of his eye. Movement in the distance, where even his higher-than-average vision shouldn't have been able to spot it. Turning around, he could spot a village in the distance, as well as a dark red moving object, towering over the buildings.

Before the word could even get past his lips, Hotaru accelerated to top speed, "Monster!"

Quickly approaching the monster, Hotaru expanded his gauntlets into a full set of armor, before putting down his mask. Getting closer, he could see the monster attacking the buildings and the trail of destruction behind it. Looking at the path it had taken, it seemed like the monster had only recently entered the village.

The ginormous reptilian monster looked like a dragon walking on two legs. It had long arms and legs and a broad chest, as well as a powerful looking tail, all covered by smooth garnet scales. Its wings were like massive dark red leather flaps, spanning several buildings wide. Its head was rather small and draconic, with sharp teeth and red slanted eyes, the back of its head being round and hornless.

Rampaging through the town, the monster was smashing buildings with its arms and tail; stomping carts and people with its clawed feet; and breathing red flames at the remains. People were running as fast as they could, trying to evade the monster's legs and flames, but not all were so lucky. As a mother carrying her child tried to run away, she tripped on a piece of broken timber on the ground. Seeing the woman in yellow dress fall over, the monster inhaled deeply to fry them.

As the mother tried to desperately shield her son from the flames with her body, she could hear the monster screech out as it breathed flames. But before the fire could reach them, there was a choking sound. Turning around, the young mother was shocked to see a massive metallic fist wrapped around the monster's head, and upper torso.

A silver and gold armored giant, four times taller than the red draconic monster, crouched behind it even more menacingly without saying a word. There was a sickening crack and squelch, as the monster's upper body was crushed like an unripe tomato. While some of the monster's juices were visible between the fingers, all of its remnants soon disappeared into the air. Before the mother could even stand back up, the giant warrior leaned over to the burning buildings.

Placing his hand behind a burning building, Hotaru lifted up his mask, before taking a deep breath. Blowing gently and deeply so as not to fan the flames, he blew out the fires one by one like they were candles. As he put out the fires without damaging the houses further, the people in the village started cheering for him. By the time the last fire was extinguished, a large crowd had gathered around him. While there were people who were hurt, it didn't seem like anyone had died, allowing Hotaru to sigh in relief before shrinking down.

"Is everyone still alive?" Hotaru asked the crowd as he shrank. "If you're hurt, I can get you to a healer!"

Seeing the village chief elbow her way to the front of the crowd, she answered formally, "Everyone should be unhurt for the most part. We were able to see the monster coming from a mile away, so we managed to run before it flew over. But…"

"Thank you so much for saving us!" a villager yelled out interrupting the chief.

"How did you know we were in need of your help, Hero Hotaru!?" another one asked in amazement.

"…J-Just doing my duty to this village!" Hotaru smiled with as much heroic confidence as he could muster. "I spotted the monster while doing my rounds and came to help. I hope everyone is alright."

"…I see," the village chief nodded. "I just hope we could have contacted you directly when the monster was approaching. I doubt anyone lost their lives this time, but many of these homes were newly built."

Aware of the shortcomings of his money-making idea, Hotaru nodded firmly, "I will see if I can figure out a way for you to call me in the future. Now, if you excuse me, I need to continue my runs…"

"Ah! Before you go," the village chief interrupted him, rushing over to the nearby town hall.

After a while, the middle-aged woman came back, carrying a medium sized bag, "Here you go, this month's payment."

Realizing only now that it had been a month since he had met the village chief last time, Hotaru's expression froze. Seeing their chief handing over a bag of gold to their hero, Hotaru was unsure what the villagers' reaction would be. Fortunately, they seemed to either be aware of their deal already, or still in too much of a shock to make a fuss about it. In either case, it felt wrong to take the people's money after being around only by chance to save them. But he accepted it, for he remembered why he had left home in the first place.

Staying in the village to do his shopping, Hotaru bought as much stock as the vendors were willing to let him. He bought as many vegetables, meats, cheeses, oils, drinks, and spices as he could fit in his gloves, as well as more plates, pots, pans, and utensils. In the end, he ended up paying more than the four hundred gold coins the village chief had given him, making the merchants quite happy.

After stocking up for who knew how long, Hotaru had formulated a plan to deal with sudden monster attacks. If he wanted to continue getting paid as the village protectors, he couldn't just rely on word to reach him or even daily surveillance flights. He needed a way for the villagers to contact him instantly at a moment's notice that didn't rely on telepathy or other forms of high-level magic. He needed technology.


In the recently rebuilt village of Renault, it was a rather peaceful and average day for a former town famous for its artisans and builders. Because of its many skilled inhabitants, the village was already dotted by stone buildings and many public facilities, like a bathhouse and a school. While Renault had dried up into an arid and mountainous region during Zagato's reign, the mountains were now surrounded by lush jungles. This same greenery extended to the village, with patches of grass and individual jungle trees decorating the streets and corners. The river flowing through the village had been extended into a canal that not only provided water, but was also used to transport goods to nearby settlements.

But perhaps the most major change in the village was its largest structure. Instead of a town hall, the villagers of Renault had built Cephiro's very first research center, with outside help from Autozam. The research center was multiple stories tall, round, and made out of white stone and glass. The top of the wide cylindrical building was covered by a dome of glass which expanded over a wide atrium in the center of the research center. Although the building looked modern, its indoor facilities were still typical for the standards of Cephiro's artisans. However, there were a few rooms that were outfitted with technology well beyond the norms of this world.

In one of these rooms, three people were working around a large table, lathing, soldering, and enchanting. For about a month now, Cephiro's Master Blacksmiths and Autozam's chief engineer had been performing dozens of material tests. With what they hoped to be correct materials chosen, now was the time to engineer their masterpiece; the magic battery. They had already tested out several different shapes and geometries, looking for the maximum efficiency.

The center of the table was covered in metal shavings, computer chips, pieces of magical crystal, as well as cylindrical, polyhedral, conical, and pyramidic prototypes. Presea was wearing safety goggles while lathing pieces of metal, making sure to work as precisely as she could. Zazu was wearing a mechanical monocle, as he was trying to connect magical nodes to pieces of circuitry. In the meanwhile, Sierra was practicing with enchanting, and taking readings on the output.

As their job was extremely precise, they had developed a new system to protect them from interruptions. As a red light lit up near the door, they knew someone wanted to get inside. Slowly finishing their work to a point where it was safe to leave it alone, Presea eventually walked over to the heavy metal door to open it.

As the door slid open, Presea gasped in surprise as she looked up, "Hotaru! Good to see you again!"

Smiling down at the blonde blacksmith, Hotaru stepped forth, "Nice to see you too Prese—OW!Who put the anvil so high up!"

There was a loud clang as Hotaru's head struck the upper frame of the blast door, causing the paladin to rub his forehead.

"Hahahaha! Just like Geo! I never get tired of seeing the overly tall hit the standard sized door frames," Zazu laughed, but quickly quieted down as Sierra looked at him disapprovingly.

As his ears stopped ringing, Hotaru looked at the twin sisters before asking, "So, how have you ladies been holding out? Any progress?"

"We've managed to generate a constant flow of magical energy without any signs of deterioration over time," Sierra reported, showcasing her work on the table. "The batteries are working, but not to a degree we were looking forward to. We need to figure out the most efficient shape for it to maximize the output. So far making them spherical seems to be the right way to go."

"…Well, that's nice," Hotaru smiled, having understood most of what was said, "but I was referring more to how things have progressed on the domestic side."

Seeing Hotaru winking and gently jabbing her side with his elbow, Presea blushed tomboyishly, "C-Clef has been keeping very busy with everything going on, and I have been holed up in this damn facility! …But he has p-promised to take me out on a date when he has the time."

Hotaru's eyes widened slightly, "…That's great! Congratulations! Age-old men like him can have a warped sense of time, so just be patient."

"…Thanks, I guess," Presea smiled wryly, before leaning in. "Before you ask about those two, they just had a slight incident a little while ago."

"Do NOT tell him about that!" Zazu yelled out defensive, causing Sierra to blush and cover her face. "It wasn't an incident and it was nothing major!"

Despite Zazu's protests, Presea whispered, "She failed to notice Zazu having grown taller."

"Aaaah!" Hotaru threw back his head slowly. "I thought he looked taller than Hikaru now."

"Not that I am not happy to see you Hotaru," Sierra said while rubbing her temples, "but are you here for a reason? Or did you just come to say hi?"

Sitting down, Hotaru took his time to explain his new career of offering protection to villages near his home in return for a monthly payment. In the meanwhile, Presea and Sierra brewed them all some Autozamian mocha, while Zazu began to doodle something on a holographic blueprint. By the time Hotaru had finished his explanation, the others had already realized his dilemma and finished the coffee-like drink.

"So, you need some form of an alarm system that will tell you what village is being attacked," Zazu pointed out, taking a sip of mocha. "It needs to be portable for you and in a fixed location for all the villages."

"Essentially yes," Hotaru nodded, using Tungsten Defense to drink the mocha while it was still hot. "I would also appreciate it if you could also give it different levels of urgency. Just in case there are multiple monsters around so I know which location to go first."

"That's doable, but it will inevitably increase the risk of user error."

"It's fine," Hotaru acknowledged the risks.At least it will give me plausible deniability.

"I'm sure we can build it with Zazu's help," Sierra said optimistically, "however it will have to wait till the batteries are done."

Agreeing with her sister, Presea added, "Yes, by the sound of it we will need them to power the alarm system. But we can work on the design while testing the battery output."

"There is no rush," Hotaru smiled patiently, "as long as you three work on it, I am sure it will help me greatly in the long run. Oh, and, make sure to add an alarm receiver in my mansion too. Never can be too careful."

"Oh, is your mansion finished already?" Presea asked curiously. "When will you invite us over for a housewarming party?"

"Maybe when the Magic Knights come back," Hotaru said with a sigh. "There is a lot to go over before we can host anything. Currently we're thinking of hiring maids to help with the house work and make us breakfast. Speaking of which, Zazu…"

Hearing the topic shift to him, the young mechanic spoke firmly, "I amnotputting on a maid outfit!"

"Not that!" Hotaru facepalmed. "Haven't your superiors yet provided me with the payment we agreed upon? You wouldn't think getting a microwave and a game console would take this long!"

"Oh…that!" Zazu quickly stood up. "Wait here for a sec!"

As the young chief mechanic rushed off to some corner of the research center, Hotaru and the twins were left alone in the room. As they sipped the nutty and chocolatey coffee, they were hard-pressed to find a topic.

"So… How has Alcyone been?" Sierra asked, trying to break up the awkward silence.

"As wonderful as ever," Hotaru smirked, finding it hard to criticize her. "She is even more radiant now, after we spent the last night working up an afterglow in a hot spring. Though somehow, I managed to get her agitated first thing in the morning."

"You went to a hot spring?" Presea asked.

"Not quite. See we have one right next to our home, and—"

"Stop! Stop!" Presea halted him by raising her hand at him. "I can only get so jealous before I get the urge to punish you and skip work!"

"She'll do it," Sierra warned Hotaru.

"Hey as long as she doesn't pull my ears to see how far they stretch."

Before they could continue, the light above the blast door turned red again. With Presea opening the door, she let in Zazu, who was pushing a double decked cart with a bunch of stuff on it. In addition to what seemed like a futuristic microwave and a television set, there were what seemed like speakers and other boxes. Judging by the number and look of them, these were the game console, a rack of video games, a box of cables, and a larger one he couldn't quite figure out.

"Here you go!" Zazu said with a wide smile. "Everything you asked for and everything you need to make them work. While our batteries are still a work in progress, what we've made so far should be able to power at least this much."

"Thanks, these will come handy if things get too quiet," Hotaru said, before tapping at the large box. "So, what is this thing?"

"Oh, uhh… That's the energy control matrix! It provides mental energy to nearby household devices wirelessly. The cables are there to connect the speakers, the monitor, and the console!" Zazu explained quickly.

"Then why is it so big?" Hotaru looked at the box the size of a small freezer. "…And why does it have a built-in microphone?"

"UUuuuuh, it is voice controlled!" Zazu answered loudly, before rushing over to the table. "…Though we had to remove that function due to the modifications."

"Modifications?" Hotaru raised his eyebrow.

"Yes!" Zazu said, offering Hotaru the cylindrical magic battery prototype. "We needed it to be able to house this to power it! The battery housing takes up space, and the magic to mental energy converter also…"

"Okay I get it, I get it," Hotaru sighed, before grabbing the battery. "Thank you for putting this much thought into it. I know that my alarm system will be in good hands."

"Ah… we will take good care of it," Zazu bowed politely. "Have a nice day."

After absorbing all the tech into his gauntlet, Hotaru said his farewells and left. As the blast door closed, Zazu sighed a quiet breath of relief, before wiping sweat off his brow.

"Is everything okay, Zazu?" Sierra asked worriedly. "You seem stressed."

"Eh, it's fine," Zazu rubbed the back of his head. "I just need more rest and less caffeine."

Dammit, Eagle! You know I am bad at keeping secrets! You should have sent someone else to hand that stuff over!


After leaving Renault, Hotaru had flown back over to his home-continent, and took one last look around the villages under his protection. Making sure the villages were safe, he then landed to collect his monthly payments, before finally heading back home. Due to him and Alcyone having slept till noon, it was already dark outside when he reached their home. Without street lights or lit roads, it was actually kind of difficult to find their home in the dark. Fortunately, Alcyone had left the lights of the main building on, allowing Hotaru to spot a beehive of lights in the dark.

Landing on the main building's terrace, Hotaru opened the second-floor double doors to walk in. The second floor included a large game room, a library, and the gymnasium, with the double doors leading to the first two. The library had plenty of shelves, but only a handful of books, which Alcyone had rescued from the royal library, that she had kept for herself. As soon as he walked in, he could spot Alcyone reading a book on a floating green armchair, who stirred up immediately as the door opened.

"Where have you been?" Alcyone asked, equal parts upset and worried, as she got up from the chair. "You were supposed to get some groceries and have been gone all day!"

"A lot happened," Hotaru said tiredly, pulling Alcyone into a hug as she came close. "Fought a monster, got paid, bought groceries, requested Zazu and the twins for an alarm system, collected my dues, missed you, came home."

Embraced by her dearest, Alcyone listened to Hotaru describing hisday, before hugging him with a blush, "…I missed you too. I was so worried when you didn't come home early…"

Worried I was cheating on her, I bet… Eh, not that it matters.

"Sorry. I should have come and told you I would be visiting Sierra's village," Hotaru rubbed the back of her head. "Now, how about we go put away the groceries and you'll tell me how your day was?"

As Hotaru had bought enough food to last them for months, the only place they could store it all was in the storehouse. Most of the cheeses, vegetables, meats, and drinks were stored in separate cellars, some of which were kept frozen by Alcyone's ice magic. The spices and oils were stored in the kitchen building, and the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans were distributed to all the kitchens. As they put away Hotaru's haul, Alcyone told him how she had been teleporting from one village to another, leaving behind job notices.

As the people had seen the notices, many women had quickly taken interest, before deciding against the job offer. Only a few people had shown genuine interest in becoming their maids.

"So, what qualifications did the job notice have on it?" Hotaru asked, putting drinking glasses into a cupboard. "You didn't go too specific on trying to get maids who don't seduce me, did you?"

"I gave up on that soon after I sat down to write," Alcyone sighed tiredly. "We live in a remote mountain range and there aren't many chances to leave or visit their family. It will be hard enough to find maids who are willing to work here, let alone are competent and still fit any other criteria."

"Wait… you left job notices at all the villages, right?" Hotaru confirmed with her. "How are they supposed to get here from another side of the planet?"

"The day of the interview is in three weeks," Alcyone explained, saying bluntly. "Either they can make it or not. We might just have to hire anyone who actually shows up…"

Finished putting away his shopping, Hotaru deftly picked Alcyone up into a princess carry, "Well, let us worry about that another time. Let's go to bed."

Being picked up so suddenly, Alcyone let out a surprised squeak and tensed up as she laid on a bed of her own hair. Getting over the surprise, she looked up at Hotaru with a deep blush, as Hotaru smiled at her romantically. Although she was the older of the two, Alcyone still felt like a young maiden being held up by the now older looking Hotaru. She felt even younger, as her stomach suddenly and loudly rumbled,

"…But I'm hungry!" she whined. "You left me alone without any food!"

Rolling his eyes up, Hotaru asked, "Couldn't you have eaten something at the villages you visited?"

"I wanted us to cook something together…" Alcyone admitted sheepishly, before adding bluntly. "Also, you took all our money with you!"

"Oh… right," Hotaru's expression stiffened from embarrassment.

To make up for neglecting her, Hotaru quickly gathered the ingredients (which he had just put away all around the mansion) for a quick yet fanciful meal. With Alcyone helping him figure out what Cephiroan foods resembled it the most, Hotaru prepared them a quick meal of medium rare steak, fried potato wedges, and red wine sauce. Alcyone had taken care of the greens, by preparing warm fried vegetables seasoned with salt, butter, and umami rich herbs. The meal was quite heavy for the late time of day and none of the food quite tasted how Hotaru had imagined, but Alcyone was happy with it. To make up for the heavy meal, the two of them had stayed up late, playing a few games in the game room and spoiling each other.


The next three weeks passed by as Hotaru and Alcyone got used to their new daily routine. In the mornings, Alcyone would inspect the courtyard, potted plants, and her herb gardens for any new growth and weeds, walking barefoot in the dew. Sometimes small critters would take shelter among the plants, giving Alcyone little surprises. Knowing they could cause damage or eat her plants; she would use Black Binding to snare the critters. She would then either take them outside into the woods to release them, or into her alchemy tower if they seemed unwell.

After making sure her plants were doing well, she would have breakfast on the terrace with Hotaru. Then Alcyone would retreat to the alchemy tower next to the main building and begin to mix medicine and take notes on her experiments. After using magic to determine that her experimental medicines weren't deadly, she would test them out on the critters she had collected. If the results were good, she would release the critters and then test the medicine out on herself or Hotaru, in small doses.

But in addition to experimenting with medicine, she would also experiment on making candy for her future business venture. Using simple recipes and ingredients found on Cephiro, she would make batches of candy for her and Hotaru to enjoy and see if they were any good. She made hard candy out of the giant strawberry like plug fruits. Underground growing fruits called naitro were used to make chewy grape flavored candy. With some help from Hotaru, she was able to turn the milky juice of giant, cherry-like plants called uinka into fudge. Boiling the pudding-like centers of biteku fruits and some sugar, Alcyone was able to make coconut flavored toffee.

Though many successes, Alcyone was held back by lack of materials for making candy, as she had not yet found a supplier. Knowing the recovery of Cephiro couldn't be rushed, she made sure to take life easy, spending late afternoons laying in the courtyard's shade with Hotaru.

Hotaru's days were in great length spent flying around, surveilling the villages he had promised to protect. In the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, he would circle the twenty villages he oversaw, as well as the less dense parts of the forests surrounding them. On an occasion he did find a monster, he would dispatch of it either with extreme efficiency or creativity, depending if there were onlookers.

When not keeping an eye on the populace or running errands, Hotaru would spend time trying to coax Alcyone into playing hooky with her daily tasks. A trip to swim or fish at a nearby lake, to go for a walk in the woods, practice fencing in the gymnasium, or dancing in the ballroom. Whenever they would get dirty or sweaty, they would bathe together in the bathhouse and share a drink. It took Hotaru two weeks till he remembered the tech he had received from Zazu, which he had then installed in the third floor of the main building.

Although Alcyone was quite confused by the Autozamian technology, Hotaru was able to get it to work without a greater issue. Since the menu of the game console and the descriptions on the backs of the games were all in Autozamian, Hotaru had no idea what any of them did. It took some finagling to get the audio and visual settings to his preference, and then it was a matter of blindly picking out the games.

While it took Alcyone a few days to understand the appeal of video games and the frustration they caused in Hotaru, she did give them a try. Although she was new to video games, her skills in two player fighting games were on par with Hotaru's, though it had been eighteen years since he last played. Although there were plenty of different games, the number of genres was lacking for Hotaru. Fighting games, first person shooters, flight games, and strategy games were bountiful, but there were no roleplaying, point and click, or platforming games to speak of.

Once the three weeks were up, came the day of the interviews. One by one the maid candidates arrived, and few in number. First ones to arrive at the gate house of the manor did so much earlier than the agreed upon time in the job notice. Waiting at the gate were the two purple haired women, one of whom Alcyone and Hotaru were familiar with.

"It is great to see you again, Lady Alcyone, Mr. Hotaru!" a pale skinned woman in a black suit greeted them.

"Eva!" Alcyone greeted her in shock, opening the gate. "What brings you here?"

"You didn't give up on being a builder, did you?" Hotaru asked suspiciously. "We think the guest house you built is lovely."

"Not to worry, I am not planning on giving up on my craft any time soon," Eva smiled proudly. "I am here because of this little missy here."

Standing a head shorter than Eva, the other purple-haired woman looked a lot younger and skinnier. She had purple hair that reached her neck that drooped in icicle-like spikes, with her bangs covering most of her face. She had yellow eyes, bags under her eyelids, and a simple black hair clip. She wore a loose fitting dark gray tunic with black trims that left her clavicle and left shoulder bare, as well as a short black skirt and boots, with a few hairs on them. She had a visibly bad posture and attitude, and her skin was pale, though that might have been hereditary.

"She is my daughter. Say hi to the good people who saved our world, Envix," Eva encouraged her, pushing her gently forward. "Forgive me, she is not the politest person."

Looking up at the two taller and more powerful people, Envix uttered dispassionately, "Please do not bother hiring me, I am not going to be sticking around for long anyway."

"Well at least you are being realistic about it," Hotaru stated bluntly.

Wow… I didn't know Cephiro had emo teens too.

"Ahahahaha! Do not mind her lack of enthusiasm," Eva smiled nervously, patting her back. "…I know this is very unprofessional of me, but could you please take Envix in for at least some time? She has refused to work a day in her life, before and after the cataclysm, and I believe some physical labor could do her some good."

Completely perplexed by the situation, Alcyone stared at the unruly teenager and her mother with her mouth open, "I mean… I guess we could, but why ask us specifically?"

"She believes you can scare me straight," Envix rolled her eyes, before having her head pushed down.

Holding the back of her daughter's head, Eva said in a respectable tone, "I believe that she will be more likely to listen under authority figures of great refinement and power. And I know no one else as refined as you Lady Alcyone, or as powerful as Mr. Hotaru. …Also, I believe wearing a uniform along with her fellow maids will be good for her morale."

This feels like an unnecessarily heavy-handed way of doing that… But I guess if Ascot could stay as a small child till he was nineteen, who knows how long this girl has been an unruly teenager. I remember my first job experience… I'll make hers better.

After thinking about it for a moment, Alcyone eventually answered, "…We will consider it. First, we will have to interview the rest of the candidates to see if we have room for her. You may wait in the servants' quarters for when we interview you."

With Eva dragging Envix behind her to the simplistic two-story building, Hotaru and Alcyone remained waiting at the gate house. After half an hour, they could spot a young woman walking up the forest path that Hotaru, Alcyone, and the Master Builders who had built the mansion had trodden. She was almost as tall as Alcyone, with a prim and proper posture and attitude, giving her an air that made her seem older than she was.

She had dark green hair that reached her shoulders, the bottom of which was tied in a sideways braid. Her eyes were sharp and matched the color of her hair, and her skin was fair and smooth. Her body was of medium build, less curvy than Alcyone's, but she could've been considered quite pretty. She wore a serious expression and a long, grayish brown tunic with a turtleneck collar and a green sash around her waist. The tunic reached all the way to her knees and she carried a brown leather travel bag. Along with her dark gray, thigh high leather boots, she almost reminded Hotaru of a medieval office lady.

Reaching the end of the path, she bowed politely, pressing her free hand against her chest, "Lady Alcyone, Sir Hotaru, I am pleased to meet you. My name is Integra, I am from the village of Elfin and I desire to be chosen as your maid. I hope to work to the best of my ability, so please take good care of me."

She is from the other side of the hemisphere!?

(She is so prim and proper and perfect!) Alcyone squeed at Hotaru through telepathy. (Are we just lucky or do you think this is an act?)

(I'm just worried there might be a war if we put her in the same building as Envix due to how polar opposite their personalities are,) Hotaru admitted, trying his best to keep a deadpan expression. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Why do you wish to become our maid, Ms. Integra?"

Looking Hotaru straight in the eye with absolute rigorousness, Integra spoke clearly, "During the weeks of darkness spent in the Sanctuary, I discovered my knack and passion for housework. As you are the only owners of a mansion currently, this is my earliest chance of getting to be a maid. I know it is a selfish reason, but I request that you indulge me by letting me live and work here."

Finally, having calmed down, Alcyone cleared her throat, "Very well, make your way to the servants' quarters to wait for the interview. It is the second one to the left."

"Thank you for your time," Integra bowed one more time, before walking past them.

As Integra walked in, Hotaru and Alcyone couldn't help but follow her evenly paced movements. While they were already convinced of wanting to hire her, they were self-conscious about how the prim and proper Integra would react to their hodgepodge mansion. Seeing the green-haired woman stop in front of the courtyard, Hotaru and Alcyone were sweating nervously while staring at the back of her head.

As they saw Integra tilt her head upwards, she muttered quietly, "Kawai…"

Although they couldn't hear her, they were relieved to see her head over to the servants' quarters without any negative reactions. With all being peaceful, Alcyone and Hotaru leaned against the wall of the gatehouse to wait. While they were incredibly happy to have a maid candidate like Integra, now they were worried she would be the only one. Even if Integra was as good as they expected, it would be unfair to have her take care of everything. They had hoped to get at least three maids to help around the house.

As an hour passed, they could spot movement in the woods again, as they saw a glint of gold between the trees. Soon after, a woman slightly taller than Alcyone with free flowing, thigh-length golden hair, approached them along the path. She had fair pristine skin, beautiful bluish-grey eyes, and gorgeous alluring face, seemingly slightly younger than Hotaru. She wore a frilly, pure white blouse with short sleeves that left her smooth delicate arms bare, apart from red fingerless gloves. Over the blouse, she wore a black bodice which supported her voluminous bosom. Her waist and hips were adorned by a short, black, thigh-length skirt with multiple layers and pink frills at the edges. Her long shapely legs were clad in white knee-high socks and she had shiny, black leather shoes.

"Lord Hotaru, Lady Alcyone, it is so good to finally meet you face to face," the woman bowed deeply before them. "My name is Starion, I hope we will get along well."

Dumbstruck by her beauty, Hotaru swallowed deep before asking in a deeper voice, "Hello, Starion, what brings you here?"

Although Alcyone was giving Hotaru a mean side-eye, this didn't seem to perturb the blonde.

Lifting the top-most layer of her skirt, Starion curtsied politely, "I have come to repay my debt to the people who I owe my life to."

Hearing her answer, both householders were left mute by it. Although they both had plenty of guesses as to the reason Starion was here, this one wasn't one either of them expected.

"W-What do you mean by that?" Alcyone stuttered. "I don't believe we have ever met before…"

"We haven't," Starion answered honestly, "but I saw how the two of you fought for Cephiro and saved it. For saving the world that I was born from, I feel indebted to you and wish to make it up for you. Please, let me serve you as your maid and make use of me as you see fit."

Taken aback by her devotion, Hotaru spoke gently, "It is not something you need to worry about. We both live in this world too, so saving it was for no other reason than our continued existence. While we appreciate your gratitude, you don't have to dedicate yourself to us."

"Hotaru is right," Alcyone nodded, before looking at the blonde woman again, "…but, if you insist on becoming our maid, you deserve the same shot at it as the rest."

Guided in the direction of the servants' quarters, Starion politely took her leave while looking forward to meeting them again soon. As they were left alone, it felt as if a great pressure had been lifted off of them, after which Hotaru could feel another right next to him.

"Be honest," Alcyone spoke in a cold yet simultaneously ferocious tone, "do you think she is prettier than I am?"

Jumping slightly from the intensity of Alcyone's icy aura, Hotaru thought about it for a moment, "…Maybe the body, but... I prefer your face and dark hair. As for personality, I have to say I prefer yours."

Feeling less defensive, Alcyone calmed down, her aura shrinking down considerably, "Why is that? Do you prefer more dominant women?"

"Not really, but I like a woman with ambition, pride, and a bit of edge. Also, there's something I find suspicious about that woman…"

"Suspicious?"

"I'll look more into it during the interview."

Despite agreeing to wait till the interview, Alcyone was forced to ask Hotaru about his suspicions to pass the time. While the job notice had said the interviews would start at three in the afternoon, they had expected more people to show up early. As the hours dragged on waiting for more maid candidates toshow up, Hotaru and Alcyone had time to speak about many subjects and topics. Just as there was only thirty minutes till the interviews were to begin, they started to close the gates, when suddenly.

"WAIT!" a female voice yelled out from the woods. "Wait for me! I'm almost there!"

Running up the forest path, followed by a cloud of dust, was a young, heavily panting woman. She was slightly stockier than the ones who had arrived before, as if Starion had been squashed down to three quarters of her height. She had lush and thick bright orange hair that reminded Hotaru of a warning vest, shaped into two large, spiraling hair buns on the sides of her head. She had dark brown, almost black eyes, and looked to be around thirty years old.

As she finally reached them, she inhaled loudly before catching her breath. Her outfit was covered in dust and leaves, and consisted of a long, navy-blue tunic, olive undershirt, teal leggings, and maroon shoes. She had a black leather backpack on her, as well as a white pearl necklace.

"Thank you… for not… leaving me outside," she gasped for breath. "I got lost in the forest on my way up…"

"Well don't worry, you still made it with almost thirty minutes to spare," Hotaru applauded her efforts. "Where are you from to have run all this way, Ms….?"

Taking one last breath, the woman's eyes sparkled with joy and energy once more, "My name is Livina and I am from the village of Daihatsu!"

"Daihatsu…" Alcyone repeated. "Isn't that only twenty kilometers from here? Why were you in such a hurry?"

"I slept in," Livina admitted shamelessly. "I was so excited to get to work here I couldn't get any sleep last night!"

Liking her honesty and enthusiasm, Hotaru asked, "Is that so? What got you so excited about being a maid?"

"Oh, I don't know much about being a maid," Livina said without hesitation, "but I lovecelebrities!"

And there goes all my respect for her…

"I figured if I got to work under the two biggest celebrities in all of Cephiro, I would get to meet many more!" Livina exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Looking at each other concernedly, Alcyone eventually admitted to Hotaru, "At least she has put some forethought into this."


Escorting Livina over to the servants' quarters, Hotaru and Alcyone could tell that the atmosphere inside the maids' new home was tense. With Envix and Integra being quiet by nature, the silence was only broken by a rigid discussion between Eva and Starion. The tension almost exploded as Livina was brought in, who started talking and introducing herself to everyone almost immediately. Completely overwhelmed by her positive attitude and loudness, Envix quickly stirred from her afternoon mope and walked out, before being snatched up by Hotaru.

Retreating into the first floor of the main building with Envix, Hotaru and Alcyone took her to the ball room that had been converted into an open interview chamber. There was a large wooden table positioned sideways in the middle of the room, with two chairs on one side and one on the other. As they sat down, Hotaru started the interview immediately.

"So Envix, I know why you are here and what you think of this job position," he started out in a direct tone, before looking her in the eye, "but, what do you think of your mother?"

"…What sort of question is that?" Envix asked, raising an eyebrow. "I guess she is… alright. She is a massive suck-up to her customers and spends more time talking with them than with me or my older siblings."

Yeah… she did spend two weeks living here.

"…But she also did raise me and the others and kept us fed and clothed, even when dad died in the war," Envix admitted, sounding reluctant.

Hearing the war being brought up, Hotaru could see Alcyone shirk back in her chair, and look down at the desk sadly. While Envix probably took this as pity, Hotaru knew she was feeling direct guilt over the loss of their fathers. However, like any job interviewer, Hotaru wasn't going to let her personal background persuade him.

"And how many years has she been looking after you?" Hotaru asked, looking down at the short teenage-looking girl.

"34 years," Envix admitted herage, before adding, "but it is not like she is the one that has been looking after me. My father and brothers have. And now that my brothers are leaving home, she worries I will be left alone at home, thinking I cannot take care of myself."

"I think you are fundamentally wrong about what she thinks of you," Hotaru said without mercy. "Let's just forget about being a maid for a moment. If you could choose any job you want, what would it be?"

Looking at the tall man with a sour expression, Envix scratched the back of her head, "I don't know. I don't like building or designing houses, it is very tedious, but I also don't like working in the fields. I suck at sewing and I dislike cooking. I feel like having a job just takes all the fun out of life."

"Have you ever thought about learning magic, swordsmanship, or becoming a healer?" Alcyone suggested.

"I don't think I have any gifts or strengths for that…"

Leaning back in his chair and taking a deep breath, Hotaru came to a conclusion, "Well if you don't know what you want to do, there is no shame in trying things till you find out."

"Huh?"

"Being a maid is a whole bunch of jobs tied together. Stick around for a few months and see what it is like to work and live outside your home. If you don't feel like it, there is no shame in quitting a job that isn't suitable for you."

With Envix agreeing to those terms, they told her to go back to the servants' quarters and wait, as well as to send the next person in. Expecting to see Integra next, they were surprised when Livina barged in through the door. Expecting her to yell and shout to greet them, she instead walked cheerfully and quietly over to her seat before sitting down, smiling at them warmly.

"I hope you two are having a pleasant day!" Livina greeted them like a ray of sunshine. "I talked with Integra; she gave me a whole bunch of tips on how to be a good maid!"

"It has been quite the day," Alcyone smiled awkwardly, trying to get used to Livina's pace. "You said you wanted to be our maid to meet celebrities, but what do you expect to do as a maid?"

"Same things I used to do back home!" Livina answered without missing a beat. "Clean, cook, do laundry, wash dishes, draw water from the well, and so on! But now I will get paid, don't have to live alone, worry about monster attacks, I get to help people, and meet plenty of celebrities!"

"Your logic is impeccable…" Hotaru admitted begrudgingly, before straightening his posture. "I have to ask, why are you so obsessed with celebrities? There is nothing inherently great about them aside from being famous."

For the first time, Livina seemed like the one to be taken aback, "…But celebrities like you are wonderful! The Magic Knights! Commander Eagle of Autozam! The princesses Tatra, Tarta, and Aska! You two and Master Mage Clef and Lantis! You all saved us from Debonair and brought us this new wonderful world of Cephiro! How could I not want to meet you all and say my thanks?"

Listening to Livina talk, Hotaru felt like he had been hit in the face with a frying pan. He had completely judged Livina's motives based on his depictions of Celebrities from his previous lives. Self-centered, arrogant, two-faced, greedy, and indifferent to the people's suffering despite claiming otherwise. But in a simple world like Cephiro, especially in current times, the word celebrity was unanimous with hero. Although Hotaru wasn't terribly fond of overly upbeat people, Livina's heart and goals were in the right place.

With Hotaru remaining quiet, Alcyone continued the interview, "Well, in that case, why do you think that we settled here in the mountains, Livina?"

"Well, at first it seemed silly to me! Kind of inconvenient to get here…" she admitted, pulling a twig with three leaves on it from her hair. "But then I figured that maybe you just don't like having uninvited people over, which I guess is a problem for celebrities. I would have killed to have at least some guests come over from time to time, but people pay way more attention to you. So I guess some peace and quiet and privacy."

"Correct, so if we do hire you, please do not shout every time you enter a room or we address you," Hotaru requested as kindly as he could.

With Livina's interview over, the next one to come over was Integra. The green-haired young woman bowed and greeted them politely before gently closing the door behind her. Heading over to the desk, she stood straight next to the chair.

"You may sit down," Alcyone gave her permission. "So far it is guaranteed that you will be hired by us, Ms. Integra. In fact, we may very well appoint you as our head maid."

Seeing her expression brighten up, Integra bowed her head, "Thank you very much for this honor, Lady Alcyone."

"But before that, could you mind telling us about your work experience?" Alcyone asked, leaning over the table slightly. "What was your profession before this? Or, before the dark days."

"Before the dark days, I worked at my uncle's bar, serving drinks and cleaning tables," Integra answered, with a slight reluctance in her voice. "Before that though, I worked at my father's orchard in the Plasson region, harvesting fruits and nuts, while leaving house chores to my mother and shorter siblings."

"If you don't mind telling us, how did you end up working at your uncle's bar?" Hotaru asked, worried there might've been more to Integra's past.

"Right," Integra nodded, obviously slightly reserved about the topic. "Our orchard was overrun and destroyed by monsters, and my father broke his leg in the attack, trying to keep us safe. A traveling swordsman with green hair happened to pass by and defeat the monsters, but our home had already been damaged beyond repair. For safety and lack of options, we moved in with my uncle into the town of Elfin, and I had to work as my father no longer could."

"…You are clearly a hard worker," Alcyone smiled at her proudly. "How is your family doing now?"

Though Integra had kept a strong façade so far, she began to tremble slightly, but continued talking, "Recently… we have been doing fine. But… Everyone in my family is still mourning the loss of my little brother. We lost him in a monster attack, during our journey to the Sanctuary…"

Seeing Integra start to tear up, both Alcyone and Hotaru wanted to reach over and hug the poor woman. However, they knew they had to stay professional as employers, and as such were only able give their condolences. Integra was doing her best to stay strong, so showing her pity or prying forward was out of the question.

"Overall," Integra sniffed, drying her tears, "since then, our lives have been better than they have been for years. And now... I am going to receive the best job I could ask for in the current world."

"…We'll hope to be the best employers for you in return," Hotaru smiled warmly, trying not to tear up either.

With Integra taking her leave and to fetch the next applicant, Hotaru and Alcyone knew there was only one person left. Entering in through the door like a noble young lady, Starion walked over to them with a benevolent smile and friendly demeanor. Although Alcyone had been jealous of Starion when first seeing her, she no longer felt that way. Having talked with Hotaru, she was downright suspicious of her every detail.

"May I have a seat?" Starion asked politely.

Seeing Alcyone waiting for his judgement, Hotaru eventually nodded, "Go right ahead."

Sitting down like a princess, Starion looked into their eyes, "I hope you will hire all of us who arrived today. The others are so much fun to hang out with and I am sure it will be a delight to work alongside them."

"It would certainly be interesting," Alcyone said bluntly, before asking. "Tell me, do you have any prior experience in working as a maid?"

"Unfortunately, I do not, for I have never before come across someone I would like to dedicate myself to suchan extent," Starion admitted, lowering her head. "However, I am a fast learner and wish to make your lives as serene and unburdened as possible."

"In that case, you mind telling us a bit about your previous job experiences?" Hotaru asked, keeping a close eye on her body language.

"…I was once the daughter of a lord before the noble houses fell," Starion answered, keeping her hands on her lap. "After losing my position and family, I made a living selling flowers. During the dark nights, I helped out with cooking and cleaning and learnt a few things, which I have then refined by working at an inn."

"…I see," Hotaru answered, leaning back a bit. "Now, could you please explain to me why your clothes are so clean despite arriving here on foot?"

Snapping out of it, Starion looked at Hotaru in a bewildered state, "W-Why do you ask? As a former member of the nobility, keeping oneself clean is important."

"Yes, but even I wouldn't be able to keep my shoes as spotless as you do in this region," Alcyone pointed out. "There are nothing but dirt-roads for miles on end."

"Well… the truth is that I flew most of the way," Starion admitted. "I know a bit of magic and it helps me get around."

"You know magic and you are only now telling us that?" Hotaru raised his eyebrow.

While some of Hotaru's suspicions were being cleared up, he couldn't help but keep finding more. Her noble-like behavior was explained by what she told them; however, something didn't quite add up. Whether talking of her family, or her home, or previous work places, she referred to nothing by name. In addition, unlike Integra and Livina, who had planned on staying here, Starion had no luggage. Furthermore, why would she be selling flowers or working at an inn if she could use magic?

Of course… Those could be euphemisms, but if that is the case then we really cannot afford to hire her.

As the blonde woman was trying to explain her secrecy, Alcyone spoke up, "Starion, could you please tell me the name of the noble family you belonged to?"

Looking like a deer in the headlights, Starion eventually answered, "Uhh… Subaru?"

"…Get out," Alcyone's voice dripped with icicles.

With the situation quickly heating up, Starion quickly stood and bowed before taking her leave. Looking through the crystal door, Hotaru watched closely until Starion reached the gate of their mansion. Keeping her senses trained on the imposter, Alcyone remained on guard, until she felt Starion disappear, signaling she had teleported. Finally feeling safe with the blonde pretender out of her house, Alcyone leaned back in her chair and sighed in relief.

"Who do you think that was?" Hotaru asked, still feeling a bit cautious.

"I don't know…" Alcyone rubbed her face. "If anything she said was true, she was either after revenge for me killing her family, our wealth, you, our lives, or all of the above."

Trying to think of possible candidates, Hotaru stopped as he realized the futility of it, "...We also don't know if she is even from Cephiro!"

Sighing frustratedly, worrying if they would come across Starion again, Hotaru eventually gathered himself, "Well, at least we still have three other maid candidates left. However…"

Hearing Hotaru's grim tone, Alcyone looked at him worriedly, "What is it?"

Placing his hands on his face, Hotaru groaned, "…It means we will have to hire Livina!"


With their three new maids chosen, it had taken some time to get Envix, Integra, and Livina ready for their new jobs. While two out of the three were very enthusiastic about getting to start, they first needed their uniforms. Alcyone and Hotaru had already procured the uniforms, but now found most of them being the wrong size. But with Integra assisting Alcyone, it was easy to get everyone's uniforms refitted. Envix's uniform needed to be shortened and narrowed, and the extra material was used to expand Livina's uniform. Integra's uniform was closest to being a perfect fit, but its sleeves and skirt had to be extended somewhat with white lace.

Their uniforms were mostly black and somewhat loose fitting, but tight around the cuffs and collar. They included black long-sleeved blouses, knee-length skirts, and black pants. Over their clothes, the maid uniforms included long and wide, white aprons that reached their knees with deep pockets on the hip height. The skirts, cuffs, and the apron straps were decorated with white frills, and around their necks they wore bow ties that matched their hair colors. To mark the maids' belonging to Hotaru's and Alcyone's household, the cuffs of their uniforms had two pairs of cufflinks, decorated by peridots and amethysts,

Once the uniforms were set, it was up to Integra as the head maid to educate Envix and Livina in the ways of being a maid. With her guidance, the other maids soon got the hang of dealing with the daily chores around the manor, although with varied enthusiasm. While Livina was willing to charge in and start any chore, Envix required a bit of coaxing and reverse psychology. Soon enough, with Alcyone and Hotaru laying the ground rules, the maids got the hang of the daily tasks they signed up for.

To let their employers sleep in, they would wake up early and prepare breakfast for all of them. The menu and recipe had been laid out by Alcyone and Hotaru the day before. After that they would take care of one of the household tasks depending on what day of the week it was. These ranged from dusting the shelves, changing the sheets, mopping the floors, washing the laundry, cleaning the windows, and so on. Once the task was done, they would cook themselves a meal of their liking, while Hotaru and Alcyone cooked dinner for themselves. The dishes however were all taken care of by the trio. As Hotaru and Alcyone were quite self-sufficient (aside from a few on-the-whim odd jobs), the maids rarely found themselves tired at the end of the day. Regardless of this, they were given the permission to use the bathhouse at the end of the day, letting them relax.

Whenever Hotaru would go out and return from his surveillance trips, the maids would greet and bid him a safe trip, due to Integra's influence. Although their curiosity was great, Livina and Envix were forbidden to enter Alcyone's tower, which was strictly enforced by Integra. Furthermore, although Livina wanted to, Alcyone was reluctant to let her help Alcyone take care of the gardens and the courtyard, aside from raking up leaves. As the maids were also tasked with taking care of the guest house that had seen no use, Envix often questioned the purpose of this. After being explained they needed to keep the building clean in case of guests arriving, Hotaru had often found the troublesome teen napping in one of its many rooms.

Once a full week had passed, Hotaru and Alcyone received news of their very first guest arriving. A pink messenger bird handed over a letter to Integra, who had informed her masters that Master Mage Clef, Mokona, and Presea would be arriving later that day.

"OOOooohhh!" Livina roared while rushing back and forth doing her tasks. "I've only been here for a week and already I am meeting Master Mage Clef himself~!"

"I am happy for you but please slow down before you break something again," Integra guided her while cleaning the windows.

"I don't know what you are so excited about," Envix said while folding napkins onto a coffee table. "Maids are meant to be absent when bigshots come to visit. The best you can do is open the door for him."

"Still means I get to see him face to face!" Livina said happily while sweeping dust and grit off the floor into a dust pan.

Coming down the stairs, Alcyone saw the maids hard at work. Although it still felt odd to share her home with these three young women, she was starting to get used to it. They were well behaved enough and seemed to focus more on their work than her or Hotaru, aside from requesting to test out her candy. Though Envix's attitude still needed adjustment, there had been some progress.

"Lady Alcyone," Integra addressed her with a respectable bow. "We have everything prepared for the arrival of Master Mage Clef, but should you not get prepared as well?"

Looking at her usual black and gold leotard and white cape, Alcyone wondered what she was on about. She had washed her hair in the morning, brewed tea, and had already repainted her fingernails.

"What do you mean, Integra?" Alcyone asked confusedly.

Blushing slightly, Integra asked, "It's just… shouldn't you be wearing something more formal or modest if the Master Mage is coming to visit?"

Before Alcyone could answer, Hotaru walked in through the main entrance, while wiping his hands on a towel. Although the Hero of Cephiro was wearing a different, though basic, set of clothes from his regular, the maids couldn't help but take a step back from him.

"Sir Hotaru…" Integra held her nose.

"Why do you smell so greasy?" Envix asked, looking almost scared of him.

"Hmmm?" Hotaru looked at them confused. "Oh, I went ahead and prepared some snacks for today's visit. You can fetch them from the kitchen once they have cooled down."

"Smells good," Livina sniffed the air. "But is this how you plan on welcoming high-class celebrity guests?"

"High-class?" Alcyone blinked, before chuckling to herself. "Oh, don't worry! This is just my old teacher and rival coming to visit! Knowing those two they probably smell worse than Hotaru."

As the maids were taken aback by this, Hotaru headed upstairs to change his clothes. By the time he was finished, he could hear the bell at the gate ringing. Looking down from the bedroom window, he could see Livina rushing over to open the gate while holding her skirt up. Making his way down several flights of stairs, he eventually came across Alcyone sitting on a plush leather corner couch. The couch was deep red in color and had wood veneers on the fronts of the curving armrests.

Before Hotaru could sit down next to her, the front door of the main building was opened ajar, with Livina peeking in carefully.

"Ummm… Sir Hotaru, could you come and see if this is the right person?" Livina requested worriedly.

Fearing that Starion might've come back, Hotaru followed Livina over to the gates. Though the gates were open, their guests were standing by them patiently, not intruding just yet. But as they came closer, Hotaru could immediately tell what the issue was.

"Ah, Clef, Presea, welcome to our humble abode," Hotaru smiled at them warmly.

"Pu puu!" Mokona chirped, being held up by Presea.

"And you too Mokona," Hotaru chuckled.

"It is good to see you again, Hotaru," Clef smiled back while holding Presea's hand.

"Sir Hotaru," Livina whispered up into his ear. "Are you sure this is Master Mage Clef? He seems a bit too tall…"

This was no jab at Clef's expense, but a genuine observation about the current form of the Master Mage. Standing almost as tall as Presea, the formerly ten-year-old looking mage now looked twice as old. His lilac hair was slightly longer on the right side of his head, his eyebrows longer and narrower, and his face less round. Instead of his ornate white gown, he now wore a white and blue tunic and harem pants, separated by a black armored sash. He had white boots with large purple gems right above ankles, as well as blue ribbons hanging down from his sash that reached his shins and curved back up again. Over his clothes, Clef had a black body-length cloak with golden trims and its wide sleeves had blue cuffs. Around the top of his head, the master mage wore his usual golden headband with a horn-shaped blue gem.

"No need to worry, Livina, he has just had a growth spurt," Hotaru smiled warmly.

"You don't seem surprised by this," Clef pointed out, somewhat disappointed by Hotaru's lack of reaction.

"Eh, I've seen that form once before," Hotaru shrugged.

"I should have guessed," Clef smirked, his voice sounding a bit deeper.

Remembering the Master Mage hadn't arrived alone, Hotaru turned over to his other former teacher, "You are also looking quite stunning, Presea."

Instead of her usual blacksmithing gear, the blonde master blacksmith was wearing a moderately long and slim, orange evening dress. The moderate yet form fitting evening dress had an opening in the back, left her shoulders bare (aside from a strap on the right side), and had an opening for her right leg. A cream-colored scarf hung behind Presea, splayed over the elbows of her orange arm-length gloves. While she still wore her blonde hair in a ponytail, it had been braided into heart-shaped segments that looked quite cute.

"Why thank you Hotaru, I wanted to put on my best for our first date," Presea smiled happily.

"I told her she overdressed but she wouldn't listen," Clef sighed slightly. "In any case, I am happy to see you have found a new home here on Cephiro. May we come in?"

Ignoring the slightly confused Livina, Hotaru nodded, "Certainly."

As Hotaru guided the two of them inside, Mokona hopped on top of his shoulder for a ride. Presea and Clef held each other's hands, all the way until Hotaru instructed them to sit on the other side of the corner couch as him and Alcyone. Seeing Presea's new dress, Alcyone felt like she should have taken Integra's advice to get dressed up as well. But as Hotaru sat down next to her in a casual manner, she was able to calm down and greet the guests. To make itself comfortable, Mokona sat down on the coffee table, on top of a round decorative pillow.

"Welcome Clef, Presea, Mokona," Alcyone greeted. "I hope you will enjoy your stay, but may I ask why you have arrived?"

"Right, I apologize for barging in so unexpectedly, but today is the first day off I have had in two months," Clef answered, relaxing on the couch. "I have a few things to talk about with you and Hotaru, but I also promised to take Presea out on a date. I figured coming to visit Cephiro's first new manor was a way to kill two birds with one stone."

"I really do not mind," Presea smiled happily while leaning against Clef. "I have spent far too much time cooped up with Sierra and Zazu back at Renault. With me out of their hair, I am sure they too can have some time for themselves."

"I still cannot believe your sister got together with that boy," Alcyone said honestly. "I guess you two are just attracted to shorter men. How do you feel about Clef growing so much taller?"

"You picking a fight?" Presea snapped, trying to roll up her sleeve. "…Ahem. It is not that we are into shorter men, but smart ones."

Done with teasing Presea, Alcyone smiled while leaning against Hotaru, "I see. I guess we have that much in common."

So as not to let the women dominate the conversation, Hotaru cleared his throat before asking, "So what has been keeping you busy, Clef? I hope me turning down the king's position didn't burden you too much."

"Not as much as you'd think," Clef admitted reluctantly. "While I still think the people could use a leader, Cephiro has managed to govern itself for the most part. In fact, your example has had quite the effect on our world already."

"Example...?" Hotaru asked worriedly.

"Your new system for protecting the people of Cephiro," Clef explained. "The word of it has spread quickly and many others are taking villages under their wing in exchange for monthly fees."

"…You serious?" Alcyone asked, her eyes wide open. "How many people are doing this?"

Trying to remember, Clef started counting, "Well, Ferio and Ascot are protecting at least eight villages. Lafarga and Caldina protect eight as well. And Lantis and Primera are protecting twelve. Then there are some former royal guard members who have banded together to protect villages further south."

Astonished by the fact that his money-making scheme had been adopted by so many people he knew, Hotaru was left speechless. While no one seemed to have taken as many villages under their wing as he had, he still felt both jealous and proud. But more than that, he felt slightly worried about how this could create competition for him. If others were offering cheaper rates for protecting the villages, then maybe the villages under his protection would swap their protectors?

Before his businessman side could take over, the front door was opened again, "Sorry for the wait!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Hotaru saw Livina and Integra walk in, carrying a large vat. The vat was full of paper thin and slightly crumpled up, purple leaf-like morsels, and was brought before them on top of the coffee table. Mokona had to evacuate on Clef's and Presea's side of the couch, as the vat took up its space.

"Wh-What is this?" Presea stuttered, staring at the mountain of purple in front of her.

"Puu-pu pupupu!" Mokona also expressed discontent.

Looking at the pile, Hotaru grinned awkwardly, "This would be my attempt at making a Cephiroan version of a snack from my old world. They are called potato chips, but made with tuners."

"They are delicious!" Livina exclaimed, before being muted by Integra.

"You can eat as many as you want," Alcyone offered the maids. "Not sure why you made this many, dear…"

"I underestimated how many a single tuner can make," Hotaru admitted, before munching down on a few. "Mmmm, just enough salt and vinegar."

Following Hotaru's example, the others also started eating from the pile. While they were surprised by how salty they were, everyone seemed to enjoy them, with Clef in particular taking a liking. Alcyone ate the chips moderately, while Presea was keeping busy getting enough for herself and Mokona. Livina was grabbing the chips by handfuls, while Integra followed Alcyone's example. So as not to have Livina ruin her appetite completely, Integra eventually pulled her away from the room.

Having satiated his hunger for junk food, Hotaru asked, "So then Clef, what exactly has been keeping you busy?"

After quenching his thirst with some tea, Clef answered, "I have been making sure everyone is being well taken care of and up to date on any big changes. But most of the time I am keeping busy teaching Ferio and Ascot about magic."

"Is that so…" Hotaru took a sip as well, before almost choking. "Wait… Ferio is learning magic?"

"Slowly," Clef admitted, tilting his head to the side. "Unlike Ascot and Alcyone, he doesn't seem to have a gift for it, but he is making steady progress. I managed to bestow him some magic, but it has been growing slowly. Well, at least when compared to you and the Magic Knights."

"I think we call that average," Alcyone pointed out to Clef. "Speaking of, would you be interested in taking on another student?"

"I think he is busy enough as is," Presea pointed out. "Otherwise, I will have to wait until next year for our next date."

Thinking about it carefully, Clef eventually admitted, "…I do always enjoy having another student, but who do you have in mind, Alcyone?"

"Our youngest maid is having trouble deciding what she wants to become and her mother sent her here to figure things out," Alcyone explained, trembling slightly. "As I am… responsible for her dad dying, I want to help her out to the best of my ability. I feel it would be worth it to see if she has any potential for magic."

With Alcyone confessing the guilt she felt, the others couldn't blame her for her suggestion. However, this also gave Clef an idea.

"Why don't you try training her then, Alcyone?" Clef suggested. "I've been meaning to find someone to take over as Cephiro's next Master Mage, and I think you could fit the bill."

Taken aback by this suggestion, Alcyone stared at Clef with her mouth agape, "M-Me? Be the next Master Mage…?"

"Is there a problem with that?" Hotaru asked worriedly.

"Not at all!" Alcyone corrected him, trying to still come to grips with it. "I've… I've always dreamt of being the next Master Mage, but I don't know if I am ready for it yet…"

"Well, this is a good test for you then," Clef smiled at his former student. "Teaching magic to others is the main task of the Master Mage, so if you can teach your maid magic, then you will have passed the first step in your training."

"Puu pu-pu-pu!" Mokona chirped, raising its nubby arms to cheer Alcyone on.

With Alcyone almost radiating with excitement, Hotaru couldn't help but stroke her head, as Alcyone looked like an excited child. However, despite the now much more comfortable atmosphere, Clef's expression turned a bit more serious.

"But before that, let's move on to the next reason for my visit," Clef lowered his tone, before looking at his former student. "How is your health doing, Alcyone? Have there been any irregularities after Stella's death?"

Coming down from cloud nine, Alcyone's expression turned more serious as well, "I have been doing fine. I observe my condition every day before going to bed, but so far there seem to have been no changes. While I feel a slight… emptiness from her death, I believe it is psychological rather than physical."

"I am glad to hear that," Clef sighed in relief, before stroking his chin. "However, it does seem a bit unusual that there have been no side-effects… Losing part of oneself in such a manner, could be lethal in the worst-case scenario."

"Are there any reasons why Stella's death wouldn't have harmed Alcyone?" Hotaru asked, instinctually wrapping an arm around his girlfriend.

Thinking about the answer for a while, Clef eventually suggested, "…It might be that Stella and Alcyone managed to fully separate from one another. Instead of Stella being just a part of Alcyone, she may have developed into her own independent being. Due to their strong feelings towards you, Hotaru, Alcyone and Stella may have been able to mend the halves of their hearts."

With Alcyone nuzzling her cheek into his chest proudly, Hotaru grimaced slightly, "That sounds… so incredibly corny."

"Stranger things have been brought forth by hearts in Cephiro," Presea smiled, holding Clef's hand romantically.

"Yes, but even then, it is just pure speculation," Clef admitted bluntly. "It is not like we have real experience about something like this happening before. Though I hope this theory will bring you some closure."

Though there was still an air of uncertainty about the subject, Alcyone felt slightly better at the thought of Stella having become her own person. But for Hotaru, the thought of this filled him with melancholy, as he had thought that Alcyone being fine, might've been a sign of Stella still being alive. But with Debonair having been killed months ago and no signs of Stella even now, he was starting to accept this as just wishful thinking.

With the situation still a bit gloomy, Clef clapped his hands together, "Now, onto the main topic of the day!"

"The main topic?" Presea asked, raising an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

Turning to the youngest person present, Clef asked, "Hotaru, you told Ascot that while you had knowledge of our story, you knew a lot more about others. Do you mind sharing one with us? A story about another world we've never heard of."

Seeing the excitement in Clef's eyes, Hotaru could tell he really was looking forward to this. But just as he was about to begin, he glanced at Mokona who was sitting between Clef and Presea. Remembering his past travels with the little bunny blob, caused the businessman side of him to take over.

"Very well, but in return I will expect a slight compensation for my story," Hotaru suggested.

With no objections, Clef nodded, "Very well."

Having hit the jackpot, Hotaru leaned back on the sofa, "Alright then. Gathered friends, listen to my tale of the legend of the Bionicle."


After telling the story for around three hours, Hotaru had left it on a cliffhanger, as his voice was starting to go. With the sun soon starting to set, Clef and Presea decided to head home. Being escorted to the gate by Alcyone, Hotaru, and the maids, the four people who had heard the story were in a slight daze.

"So, the Matoran, Toa, and Turaga were all the same species…" Clef rubbed the back of his head.

"And Makuta was the reason they were on the island to begin with…" Presea tried wrapping her head around a plot twist.

"Pupuuu…" Mokona laid back in Clef's arms.

"I didn't know stories you knew could get so complicated," Alcyone admitted.

"Just wait till I tell the rest…" Hotaru chuckled, before reaching the gate house, "anyway, are you ready to pay your fee?"

Turning around, Clef asked, "Very well, what do we owe you?"

"I just want Mokona to summon me some supplies I've been meaning to get from it. Will that be fine?" Hotaru asked the white blob.

"Pupu!" Mokona nodded, but was shocked as Hotaru pulled out a list. "Puuu!?"

Clearing his throat, Hotaru began to list off things, "Three sacks of potatoes, one sack of seed potatoes, two sacks of wheat flour, one sack of white rice; two crates of 50% cacao baking chocolate, three gallons of maple syrup, two jars of honey, three jars of peanut butter; mint, vanilla, cinnamon, and licorice seeds, one bag each…"

As Hotaru listed the items, Mokona was working as quickly as it could to conjure the different items. The native Cephiroans watched in awe as large quantities of foreign substances were being summoned one after another. In addition to basic ingredients, sweeteners, and seeds, Hotaru's list included various spices, cuts of beef, and condiments. The maids were working overtime, trying to carry everything to the nearby storehouse. The only thing they weren't allowed to take away were the seeds, which Alcyone held onto protectively. By the time Hotaru was finished, Mokona's cheeks were flushed from exhaustion.

"Puh… puuh… puuuh…" Mokona panted, sweating buckets.

Putting his list away and looking at their haul, Hotaru smiled, "That should be everything, for at least the next few months."

"Puuu!" Mokona froze up and then fainted in Clef's arms.

"Try to remember that even Mokona has its limits," Clef said, trying to wake it up.

Rubbing her cheek happily against her new bags of seeds from another world, Alcyone was back to being on cloud nine. However, as she thought about the things Hotaru had summoned, a thought crossed her mind.

"Master Clef," Alcyone spoke politely. "You mind if I make one last request of Mokona?"

Looking down at Mokona and seeing the sacred beast give him a small thumbs up, Clef answered, "Alright, but nothing too outlandish."

Nodding happily, Alcyone requested, "Could I have a picture book of animals from Earth? I want to know more about Hotaru's original world."

Still laying immobile in Clef's arms, the gem on Mokona's forehead glimmered pink, before spawning a large leather-bound tome. Alcyone had to catch the book midair, before it hit the ground. Holding onto the heavy tome, Alcyone bowed and thanked Mokona, before happily taking her leave.

"Didn't know she cared about animals that much…" Hotaru wondered out loud. "Could've sworn she would have asked for a botanical book."

"She has a variety of interests," Clef smiled nostalgically, before turning to Hotaru. "By the way Hotaru, have you yet thought of what you will get Alcyone for her birthday?"

Hotaru's eyes widened in shock, "…I didn't even know you guys celebrated birthdays! When is it!? What should I get her!? Jewelry? Too predictable… Sweets? She makes her own! I could get her seeds she doesn't— I JUST GAVE THAT TO HER!"

"Calm down!" Presea held the over two-meter-tall paladin back. "It is still a good while away. You have time to think."

Hearing this, Hotaru finally inhaled and calmed down, "Alright… what day is it?"

"It is the thirteenth of Crystal Moon," Clef answered, proud he could still remember it.

"Okay… In that case, I got one more question."

"Yes?" Presea asked.

"How does Cephiro's calendar work?" Hotaru asked awkwardly, causing the other two to almost fall over.


Author's Afterword: I hope everyone enjoyed this very domestic chapter. It was mostly a look at Hotaru's and Alcyone's daily lives and setting up some future events. While Hotaru and Alcyone do finally have a prosperous life, it doesn't necessarily mean it is without issues. I do apologize for the abrupt ending, as this chapter was supposed to have two more detailed scenes after it. But I had to cut those out due to the chapter getting too long.

The spotlight this time was focused on our semi-villainous couple's new maids. These three, while not as narratively significant as Luna, Terra, and Stella, are still a colorful bunch to say the least.

I had hoped to be able to include more of the OG cast into this chapter, but there was no opportunity for that. We will see them next time, I hope. I might even have to write an additional chapter to this intermission arc.

As always, reviews, questions, and critiques are welcome! Let me know what you thought of the chapter! I would like to thank merendinoemiliano and our reoccurring guest for your reviews, both of the last chapter and the finale!

Remember, even if you leave a review on an older chapter, I will always be grateful and make sure to mention you in the next chapter!