---This section is written in Ellie's POV---
It had been a while since I felt so alone.
The last time was before this 'summoned to another world' situation happened.
Ellie: "Hmm... Oh, well..."
There was a quiet atmosphere in this so-called Kingdom this morning, despite the snores in the room behind my current home's balcony.
It seemed like all that drinking from yesterday hit the residents hard, and even Miwen, usually one of the first to wake up, hadn't answered my request to join his world.
That thought brought a small smile to my face.
From everything I'd seen so far, Miwen was the type of person who prioritized others even at his own expense.
Even though I'd hate to criticize his way of life when I didn't even know him for that long, I couldn't shake off the thought that such a young man should relax and take it easy.
Sometimes, I found my lips moving on their own, and I'd mumble these thoughts under my breath...
Even when noticing it, he'd usually smile and slowly shake his head.
Ellie: "It's so comforting..."
I was sure everyone appreciated him for it.
Being under his care was an experience like no other. Even my parents might not have pampered me as much.
Before I noticed it, I had grown attached and worried on equal measures.
Ellie: "Ah... Such conflicting feelings... I doubt they'll lead me anywhere..."
I kept sighing into the air, watching the sky's slow transformation from blackish grey to greyish blue.
Beatrice: "I agree... But then again, if you share it with me, I might just have a solution?"
Her voice was sluggish and so low that I almost missed it.
I was so caught in my thoughts that I never noticed when Bea left her bed, much less her approaching me from behind.
It was rare for anything to escape my reflexes, especially something as slow-moving as a morning-tired Beatrice. The surprise made me jolt a little, and I felt my face warming up against the morning's cold breeze.
Still, being at such a low level was taking a toll on me, and living in such a safe place, my instincts were far from sharp.
I decided that this was a lesson. I had to remind myself not to get so distracted that I'd get hit in the back!
Beatrice: "You look so cute when you are this deep in thought... Sometimes I wonder what's going on inside this fluffy head..."
Witches were terrifying.
She got close enough to drill her knuckles from both sides of my head, and I hadn't even noticed!
Ellie: "Ehe... Hmn...! Stop...!"
The weirder the noises coming from my lips were, the more enthusiastic she became.
I had to grab her wrists with both hands before she finally gave me a break.
Ellie: "That reminds me... I've never seen you wake up so early before... Is there a reason?"
Inside the Kingdom, Mia was usually the first up. She and Miwen often competed for the title of earliest bird.
Then it was Anna and me disputing second place.
From what I heard, Beatrice and Claire were the two who enjoyed sleeping the most.
Beatrice: "Fufu... I guess I had a blast yesterday? You are still young, but... One day you'll discover that wine does wonders for a woman's mood. I feel like taking the world today!"
There were so many things wrong with everything she said!
For starters, she was acting like I was younger than her, even though that was definitely not the case.
But most importantly, I knew very well that wine didn't do any of that! Also, she spent the entire night barely making small talk and just reading her book while enjoying a bottle of wine!
Where did she find the blast in that!?
Hmph.
The only reason she woke up so early was that she was the first to head back to bed, and I was pretty sure the wine made her sleepy in the first place.
Ellie: "Hehe... If you think about it, this dimension is so small that you definitely could."]
Even after Miwen's renovations, only four people lived in the Kingdom, and there were just two houses trapped inside a small field covered by ominous grey smoke.
I could probably take on this world as well if I wanted to.
Beatrice: "Oh, that's certainly true, isn't it? However, aren't you deflecting too much with your jokes? No need to be shy... Won't you tell your big sis everything that's worrying you?"
She leaned her entire weight against my back while wrapping her arms around my chest.
Bea's body was like a huge pillow. It was incredibly soft, and I could almost sink into her. Her smell was also so nice... I wanted a pillow with that exact scent...
However!
That didn't grant her the right to call herself my big sis!
She was only big when it came to... Well, when it came to everything!
But age-wise, I was still the big sis!
Ellie: "U-Um... So, you see..."
Eh?
Wasn't I about to tell her off?
In the end, I lacked the motivation necessary to fight her on it, so I went along with her whims and confessed all of my thoughts.
Beatrice: "I see... That's certainly complicated..."
Big sis was a witch, not a knight clad in white armor.
It was my fault for expecting help.
Beatrice: "But... Is there even a need for you to worry about this? You're happy that he cares for you, and he is happy to care for us... Isn't it fine this way?"
Her words had a strange, otherworldly quality; they were so pleasing to my ears, and they attached themselves so strongly to my brain that I almost agreed without thinking.
Ellie: "N-No... You must've noticed, right? The way he treats us... I don't know if he enjoys it. I can tell it's his nature, but also..."
There was something more.
Ellie: "It's so strange how he doesn't ask for any rewards, right? But he's so good at rationalizing it, too... I wonder if I'm overthinking it, but... It just feels wrong, somehow..."
It was hard to express my thoughts about him.
But at the same time, that was the best way to speak about Miwen.
His gentleness was so comfortable to everyone else, but it worried me how much he pushed himself.
Beatrice: "Do you feel bad? Do you wish he'd be more rewarded? That he'd ask for more from us? ...That he demanded we serve him?"
Ellie: "How do you- ...I see... It's what's expected, isn't it?"
Beatrice: "That's a side to it, yes, but I only know how you feel, because, well, I feel the same..."
Ah... Now that I think about it, among the three of us that were summoned that day, Beatrice could be said to be the one who has received the most generosity out of him, so, even more than me, she must be feeling...
Beatrice: "... I can't vouch for the conclusion I've reached, but... Isn't it wonderful?"
Ellie: "Huh?"
Wonderful? I don't think it is...
Beatrice: "I've lived away from people for most of my life, and I never really had an interest in them. I never tried to understand others, others never tried to understand me, and it all led to... well, you already know... This time though, I'm set on not repeating the same mistake, and do you know what I've noticed?"
Ellie: "What?"
Beatrice: "That his behavior was influencing me, that I wanted him to enjoy himself more and be happier, that I wanted to be less of a burden on him, and that I could better support and repay him... thoughts that never crossed my mind about anyone else, were born thanks to the way he treats others... and these thoughts, don't they resemble the very same care he's always showing us?
Ellie: "..."
Beatrice: "I'm sure I wasn't like this before, it's all his fault, he created this frustration in me about how unfair he was being, treating me so kindly and only asking the minimal in return...and that frustration ended up creating a desire in me for him to live better... In the end, his kindness helped me become more like him..."
Even though I was supposed to be the one opening my heart up to her, our roles suddenly got reversed.
But I don't mind it. Surprisingly, I don't mind it at all.
If anything, I'm actually happy that she's sharing this with me... I'm not really the most sociable out there, so it's rare for someone to form a strong enough bond with me and talk like this...
Beatrice: "I think everyone feels the same way you do about him, Ellie. But that's actually good..."
Ellie: "...I see your point, but... I think it's only more of a reason. I mean, if after everything, he even helps us be better... it's inhumane... he's not a divine being, he should enjoy himself more... he should not have to worry about such things..."
In the end, I can't come to terms with it.
I can't deny that what he does for us is good, and Beatrice only made me think about it as even more of an exceptional act, but...
Ellie: "I want him to value himself more, prioritize himself above others... that's what's expected from a human..."
Beatrice: "Conquering and leading are actually quite similar you know? In both cases, you make someone submit to your will, changing how they act so that it best suits your goal. The only difference is that one is directed at an enemy, and the other at an ally. In any case, sometimes you can conquer an enemy, turn them into an ally, and lead them..."
Strange, did she change topics?
Perhaps she gave up on convincing me to let go... I guess I was being a bit of a downer about it, so that's comprehensive...
Ellie: "I've never thought about that, but I guess you're right...?"
She broke down both concepts tremendously, and when simplifying things, they do tend to start looking similar...
Still, I couldn't find many problems with her logic, since she even made sure to point out the obvious difference herself.
Beatrice: "Then, what do you think makes someone capable of conquering or leading someone else ?"
Ellie: "Hm... I guess it would be right, might? Though I'm not exactly talking about power, it could be through strength, sure, but things such as intellect or cunning could also do the job."
There's a bunch more you could use to conquer or lead someone. Numbers always do a good job at it, after all, the sheer pressure of being in the minority against another group might make you follow their leadership.
Beatrice: "Those are certainly tools for the job, but, more importantly than that, I think one needs pride to be able to submit others to their will, and in that regard, no one is more prideful than Miwen."
Ellie: "Hm... I guess s-"
Eh?
What did she mean by that?
Ellie: "I don't think I've seen Miwen act pridefully though? If anything he's quite-"
Beatrice: "That's because men are masters in converting sins into morals and virtues, they can't live a sinless life, so they live their days fighting off their sins. Some of them, are even capable of transforming and using them in an unexpected force of good."
Ellie: "Sorry Bea, I don't think I'm following..."
I neither know enough about men nor do I have the confidence to make a broad statement like that...
And even if I accept it, I don't see how it applies to Miwen...
Wait, we're still talking about him?
If so, was that conquering and leading stuff also about...
Beatrice: "To me, that boy doesn't really see us as equals to him. He must have a lot of pride deep down, maybe more than anyone else... but he didn't allow his sin to warp his heart. While his pride made him think he stands above us, he used that to fuel a sense of responsibility over the ones he sees beneath him..."
Ellie: "So you think that's why he goes so far? Because he's prideful about it?"
Beatrice: "It's the only way I'm capable of understanding his selflessness, he must get satisfaction from it in order to calm his sins, otherwise, he simply wouldn't be human."
That's... such a dark way to view matters...
I can't really say that to her face, but, it's almost like she's incapable of taking the good she received as just that, good.
Beatrice: "Ah, but don't misunderstand me, I think that's incredible of him... For the way he acts, the amount of fuel that pride must be providing should be immense, which makes me wonder, what would happen if he lets it go for a second? I'm sure you have also had such thoughts, right? This feeling that he might reach somewhere never before seen..."
...Much as I don't like her way of thinking, I've gotta hand it to her that she sure has a good theory about it all.
I never told her about the potential I see in him, so she must've reached the same conclusion by herself, and her line of thought sure provides a good explanation for everything.
Ellie: "Hm... You sure gave me a lot to think about, but maybe you should tone down on the wine next time, it seems to have done a number on you..."
I had yet to see her being so talkative, and while it's funny to blame it on the alcohol, I feel it's the result of our shared feelings, even if we perceive them differently; they are still capable of making us relate to each other.
Beatrice: "Haha... I wanted to get rid of your thoughts, but ended up giving you way more to think about, huh? Sorry about that..."
Ellie: "...It's not like that, I'm actually grateful, big sis."
Beatrice: "E-eh? Aren't you just the cutest thing ever?"
This woman certainly has a thing for hugging others...
If Miwen were as sinful as she thinks, I'm certain he would have lost himself in lust getting pressed by these huge things.
Before I could get away from her, though, I was teleported to a completely different location...
Miwern: "Uh... Did I interrupt something? Sorry?"
Ellie: "Nghn...no..."
Frankly, I felt so embarrassed I thought I might die. There was nothing I wanted more than to simply disappear.
Still... it was quite late, and Anna had yet to come too.
I noticed she only got home way after I did, so they must've had so much fun yesterday that Miwen didn't manage to wake up in time today.
Deep in my heart, this made me feel a bit relieved...
---This section is written in Anna's POV---
Ahhh... I can't believe that guy.
Seriously... What does he think I'm made of?
It was hard as fuck to satisfy him and every time I thought he was done, his little monster would just stand up again for more...
And he even happily took all of my firsts as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
What do you mean by punishment? Shouldn't you be glad I'm giving you my virginity?
Idiot...
My ass is still sore and just sitting on the couch gives me a hard time...
Still... I had never seen Miwen act like that before... I couldn't go against him at all...
That thing he's carrying was also incredible... my body feels a bit weird now that it's no longer inside me...
Hnm... I kinda wanna another go, but... It's gonna be hard to come up with an excuse now...
Fuck, I can't believe I'm like this after a single time, how do the other two handle it like nothing...
Claire: "Hm? Is anything wrong? You seem awfully absent-minded..."
Anna: "Ah, yeah, sorry... I was just thinking that you're pretty strong..."
Claire: "That much is obvious isn't it? I'm the strongest after all."
Mia: "Pft... sure."
Claire: "What? Something to say?"
The way Claire responds to me is very different than what she does if Miwen had said the same thing.
To me, she acts like this know-it-all, untouchably powerful girl, while if he had complimented her, I feel like she'd try to act the same, only to stumble over her words, showing a very cute side.
But I guess that's to be expected given their relationship... praise from him must mean a lot more for her...
I thought that aside from me, everyone would be their usual self, but I ended up being pretty wrong...
For starters, Ellie was way more assertive today than I've ever seen her.
When I got here, Miwen proposed we have breakfast, even though it was a bit late. But Ellie demanded that he let her take care of things with Licia today.
Miwen said it would be better if the three of them worked together, but she was so uncharacteristically insistent that Miwen ended up relenting.
Speaking of which, he's also acting strangely...
I thought for sure he'd have a change in his behavior towards me, either more brazen and jokey like he is with Mia, or more devoted and amicable like with Licia.
Yet, though the distance between us seems to have been reduced a bit, he's still treating me like always...
Maybe we just didn't spend enough time together today for him to become conscious about it...
Well, as soon as he gets back to wherever he went today I'll be sure to fix that.
For now, this movie seems really good, and staying still is a great way to hide what transpired yesterday...
There's no point keeping it a secret from Claire and Licia since he asked them permission before doing me, but it's a bit embarrassing for me, so I don't really want the others to find out.
Licia: "Anna, you drank a lot yesterday right? I think I found the last can, do you want it?"
... Wait... isn't that the tactic she used against Claire? Is she trying to steal his harem?
I always thought she was a caring girl, but it seems like she's actually very shameless...
Should I show her where I stand? I'm not about to let a playboy like her have its way with me...
But then a thought suddenly ran through my head.
She's able to keep him company every day and is even greedy enough to go after Claire... it couldn't be that she feels unsatisfied, could it?
But if so...is her sex drive bigger than Miwen's?
No way... I don't stand a chance against her...
Anna: "i... I'm a devoted girl, so y-you can have it!"
I turned away from her and did my best to resist whatever temptations she might've stored as her plan B.
Licia: "Hmm... Then, do you want it, Ellie?"
Ellie: "Um... I think I can handle half a can..."
Licia: "Sure, let's drink together then!"
The way she sits beside Ellie naturally after that, as if she had already caught her prey in a trap...
I can't believe it. Even Miwen didn't make a move on Ellie.
She's the apex predator.
If he doesn't come back soon everyone in this house might end up falling prey to her lustful schemes...
---This section is written in Beatrice's POV---
Hm... I just don't get it...
Back in my world, there wasn't anything like this... this so-called computer of his...
He said I could find anything I wanted in here, but most magic discussions are really at a superficial level, and even the witches in here don't seem to know a lot.
There sure is a lot to look through, but at the same time, it feels like most of it is just useless or is repeated everywhere.
I mean, I've found three different guys, talking about the same thing, and they had the same to say, word for word; it felt like deja vu. The only thing that changed was the scenario and the face.
The little things that keep popping up are also very distracting...
Miwen was right when he said that it's a bit hard to do research on this "video website".
But I know it's possible since he shows things from here every so often to answer our inquiries...
It's almost like he knows the quality of the content before even watching. I wonder how he does that...
Well, guess this one is a bust for now, but he left me a lot of options to search...
Let's see, for discussions, he recommends this forum, and for research, this encyclopedia thing?
Hm... I don't think I'll have too much time to read since I've spent a while on the videos thing... so let's try the discussion board, I guess...
I went and searched the topics on the website Miwen recommended to me, and I gotta say, I'm getting pretty good with the tools of this world.
Once again, there were a lot of things to look at, but this time, it seemed like it wasn't as superficial, and people were sharing more in-depth theories...
The only problem with it was that once again, it was mostly text, so maybe I should've gone for the encyclopedia...
I read a lot in there, and though there was more substance than last time, most of what I found was a beginner to intermediate level...
Maybe I was expecting too much from a world where the highest level is only around 80...
Still, I wanted to find at least one thing to satiate my curiosity, so I thought about visiting the places Miwen had already visited in the past.
I saw a way to look at his search history, so I thought this would be the fastest way to find something good.
But uh...
When I did that... I found some new things in the places I had already gone to... but then I found a new site that wasn't on my list.
Miwen had gone to it a bunch of times, so I thought it must contain pretty insightful material.
Instead, what I found there was...
Ellie: "Hey Bea, Miwen came back and asked me to... t-to..."
I couldn't believe how unlucky this girl was. I mean, it's the second time today she managed to get the worst possible timing.
Beatrice: "Miwen's a sinful man!"
Ellie: "Y-you're the sinful man!"
And like that, all the respect she had for me vanished in a second.
At least it was already nighttime, so I had hopes that she would forget about all of this tomorrow morning.