Not a very good visit

"Why were you acting like that?"

After calming down a bit, I asked Arariel about her previous attitude. She was standing on top of the table in her wolf form, with her little paws on her waist.

She tilted her head.

"Acting how?"

I was surprised by her question; it seemed she genuinely didn't know what I was talking about.

"W-well, how you were acting in the kitchen..."

"Huh?" She put one of her little paws on her snout. "According to me, I was acting just as always. The only thing I could say was different is that I was veeery concentrated."

...

So, that's her normal level of concentration.

To show such culinary skill, far surpassing the best cooks in my house, she must have had a great deal of training.

And if she's telling the truth, then that mature aura was her normal attitude...

"A-anyway, where did you get the ingredients to cook this?"

"Oh~" She narrowed her eyes as if understanding something. "So you want to know the recipe for my great dish."

That's definitely not it. A dish that simple I can even make myself, but not with that taste, of course.

"I grabbed the rice from the fridge, and I took some old meat that was in the freezer; as for the seasonings, I took them all from the fridge. So it was all thanks to my great and beautiful technique, my dish is impossible to replicate." She laughed triumphantly.

Well, it's not like I can say anything.

"Let's leave those soo boring topics. Don't you have a question about something?"

Now that I think about it, I have many questions for her.

"Y-yes, I have some questions... F-first, w-what was that form from before? A-and if you can change form, does that mean you can stay like that all the time? A-and if the second is no, then why would you do it?"

"Hmm... those are a lot of questions."

W-well, she said if I had a question.

"Alright, let's go in order. The first is that I changed my form thanks to my magic; you could say it's my true form, but since I'm restricted to only using my vessel's magic, I can only maintain it for a short time. I was able to change form because I saw I had a bit of magic to spare and thought it would be a waste not to use it; I already answered the second, and the third is because being in this form is a bit uncomfortable. Imagine you're a human and you've lived most of your life like that, if your form suddenly changed to a dog, you wouldn't feel very comfortable, right?"

I think I understand a bit of what she's saying. So, changing form is like a stretch for her.

"Well, although I can alleviate some of that discomfort if I enter you, but it would be like feeling your whole body but not being able to move it at all."

I see, that doesn't sound comfortable at all.

"A-and what did you do last night?"

"I went into your body to sleep."

"Ah... b-but didn't you just say it's uncomfortable?"

"Imagine it as I told you, but lying down. You can feel the softness of the bed, the warmth of the sheets. Even if you can't move, it's more comfortable than standing without moving. Plus, you take comfortable positions while you sleep, and I even save magical energy since I don't manifest."

"O-ok..."

I think my head has been filled with too much context.

"It seems we've entered an even more boring topic."

Arariel floated off the table and went towards the armchair, took the remote control that was on the table in front of the armchair, and turned on the TV; although it looked strange that she could grab something bigger than herself so easily.

"So... what's the plan for today?" she asked while changing the channel.

She said there weren't many new things from her time, so I guess it's normal for her to know how to use the TV.

"Um... P-plan for what?"

"A daily plan or daily routine, or do you not have anything like that?"

Routine... routine... I don't think I have anything like that.

Let's see the things I do daily: wake up, make breakfast, read the books I bring from the library, go to the library, borrow books, follow Akire, do shopping, and go home. Yes, those are the closest things to a routine I've done.

"Oh, come on, something like visiting prisoners in the dungeon, polishing your weapons, cooking, practicing magic, or receiving information, none of that?"

"What kind of cool routine is that?!"

Are we in wartime? The most normal thing I heard was cooking.

"B-besides, didn't you say you were going to kill a-all the Fubans?"

I remembered she said a line that would raise many flags in an anime.

"I just do what I want. If I see a Fuban on the street, I'll kill it and continue with my plans."

"I-I don't think it's possible to find one of them on the street..." I whispered.

She started using her little paws to change channels with the remote control.

But if what she says is true, it means she's definitely planning something. She seems to ignore all my questions by changing the subject, but I'm not an idiot not to notice; well, even if it's true, I don't think I can do anything.

"Huh? Isn't that sound a doorbell?" Arariel said.

It seemed I was so concentrated on my thoughts that I hadn't heard the doorbell.

"I'll g-get it."

I quickly went to the entrance.

I wonder who it could be. I don't have friends, and since Ecrait is only for teenagers, there are no relatives. Well, she might be here, but I would never visit her, nor she me. Besides, if my family were to give me a message in person, they would have notified me by mail beforehand; it could be Nanami since she saw me all dirty yesterday.

And I don't want it to be the latter; she's the closest person to a friend, so I don't want her to see me in such a dreadful state. Also, how am I going to explain what I was doing so late at night?

With a little fear, I approached the door.

Step by step, calm down, Hazora, you can handle this, you'll explain everything with a grea~t excuse like those manga characters you always read.

My trembling hand gently approached the doorknob.

"Oh, good morning, Miss Silver!"

"Ah."

With a cheerful aura, a boy dressed in black and blue stood in front of my door, greeting me with a smile on his face.

My brain automatically went into alert mode, realizing it was the most problematic situation that could happen.

I stood speechless, staring at the center of all this stress.

"Of all the possibilities, I didn't think the great Miss Silver would reside in one of the houses of the prestigious Tsukimeki family. No, forgive my discourtesy, if you reside here then the young lady would be a relative of this family."

He started being dramatic, striking strange poses and drawing conclusions without me having said a word.

Desperately, I blurted out my biggest doubt.

"...H-how did you know where I live...?"

"That's easy to answer," dropping his dramatic act, he stood straight with a smile. "The card I gave the young lady had something similar to a GPS, although it's more complicated than that, which sends me her location, which ensures that no one else but the great me knows about her location."

"..."

Why does everything I do bring such big problems? If I had thrown away that card, this strange being wouldn't know my location...

"...Are you c-coming to k-kill me?" I said the most important thing for my sanity.

Otsumi widened his eyes a bit at my question. But he instantly smiled.

"No, no, first of all, if I wanted to kill the young lady, I would have done it since we met. I could have assassinated her five thousand two hundred thirty-two different ways, and she wouldn't have noticed."

...If I look at it that way, then I'm lucky to still be alive.

"I came for a more... special reason. Do you know the mages' association, miss?"

What a strange question.

"N-no."

"Well, that's pretty normal. Those who know the mages' association are very high-ranking people or members of it, but you don't seem to be either of those."

It seems he considers me someone of low rank in my family, although he's not far off...

"A-and what does that have to do with me?"

"Ha, ha, well, it's simple. I've come to take you to the mages' association headquarters here in Ecrait."

My mind fried with his words.

Wait, wait, wait, that makes no sense. It's like we entered the middle part of the game without having done the tutorial.

Besides, why would he take me to one of their headquarters if he knows I'm low rank?

"Besides, why would he take me to one of their headquarters if he knows I'm low rank?"

I started to sweat cold like crazy.

"I-I'm sorry, b-but I m-must..."

"I don't think refusing is a very good idea."

He interrupted me gracefully.

"Your situation isn't one where you can come out unharmed if you do."

He began to approach with slow steps.

"I don't know, some things might slip from my tongue and reveal a big secret, and you seem very confident when facing someone who can kill you in seconds."

He got so close that his face was by my ear; I felt his breath on my neck, making me tremble. I could feel immense pressure, as if he could kill me with the slightest movement, and my face heated up, my mind turning to chaos from his closeness.

And with a whisper, he said:

"So what's your answer, young la—"

Pam!

Interrupting the sentence he was about to say, a loud sound rang out.

I felt such fear at the fact that someone of the opposite sex had gotten so close to me, it made my feminine instincts scream and made my hand move on its own, delivering a solid slap to Otsumi's face.

"Ah..."

Realizing what I had just done, there was only one thing left for me to do.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I'm so sorry, d-don't k-k-kill me..." Yes, beg for my life.

I bowed and prostrated myself, began to cry, and the cold sweat started to fall even more, anticipating my death.

"Ha, ha, that was a great surprise."

"Huh?"

To my surprise, Otsumi seemed happier than before, as if nothing had happened.

"It's the first time in my life a girl has slapped me."

Given his usual demeanor, I thought he would have already received quite a few.

"A-aren't you going to k-kill me...?"

"Well, it was a normal move if we consider what I was doing. But if you refuse, then perhaps I'll have to kill you."

My brain, seeing an opportunity to live, reacted quickly.

"I-I accept."

"Good! So, I guess this is when the girl says 'wait for me' to go change, right?"

Seeing Otsumi's intentions, I looked down at my body and realized I was still in my pajamas; everyone could see the cute fluffy animals on them.

My face heated up; I quickly got up and rushed inside, closing the door without worrying about who I left outside.

"I want to die..."

Leaning against the door, I let out my immense shame.

Thank God it's a bit late; all the neighbors must have left their houses and shouldn't have seen me, although the blue-eyed boy is still out there.

I should let Arariel know as soon as possible, but first, I need to change.

"...So it hurt, huh..."

Hearing a murmur through the door, I got up and ran to change.