CHAPTER 74: CALM DAYS, PART IV

Lánshuò finished her story.

"Oh wow, that sounds really bleak and lonely," Sayaka said.

"Sorry, maybe I judged you wrong at first, but... you did make a pretty... unusual first impression.," Maldie added, then let out a nervous laugh.

"It’s fine," Lánshuò replied flatly.

"Wait, but if you’ve got such good hearing then... what exactly can you hear?" Sayaka asked, a mix of fear and curiosity in her voice.

"Everything. This palace isn’t that big," she answered, then fell quiet for a moment. She looked sideways, toward the hallway leading to Shion’s office. "Right now I can hear my lady’s parents kissing..."

"No details!" Sayaka blurted out, bright red.

"So nothing gets past you? That’s kind of scary, but also... that means you’d hear anyone trying to hurt Haru, Shion, or their kids before they get close, right?"

"Yes."

Sayaka stretched and then yawned.

"Sorry, I think part of me still feels tired."

"Well, no wonder. But you did get two weeks to rest, because the royal couple let you. I’m jealous of you, getting a vacation just like that."

"Guess they like me," she joked, laughing lightly.

Yuri rolled over to the other side. She yawned, then sluggishly pulled herself upright.

"That was a short nap, my lady. We didn’t wake you, did we?" Lánshuò asked.

"Nooo, I just didn’t feel like sleeping anymore," the girl mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes before yawning again.

Then the door opened and Gari walked in with Asahi and Shion the Second.

"Oh wow, looks like we’ve gathered quite the team here," she said, laughing, her expression turning serious the moment she noticed Lánshuò. "And you are... who?"

"She’s Yuri’s guard! Mom told you about her, remember, Auntie?" Asahi said.

"Oh, right," she said, though she couldn’t stop a quick shiver. "You give me the creeps," Gari said bluntly.

"You don’t have to worry. We were scared of her at first too, but you do get used to her... at least a little," Maldie said.

"Seems that’s just the effect I have on humans," Lánshuò muttered.

"Well, since there’s so many of us, do you want to play something as a group?" Asahi suggested.

"I want to, but I have to help Dad," Shion the Second said.

"Your dad gave you the day off. As long as he doesn’t come get you, you’re free to have fun, Shion," Gari said, grinning at him.

"Well... yeah, true," Shion the Second admitted.

Lánshuò made that face again, like she was listening to something far away. She heard the soft creak of wooden furniture, Shion and Haru’s quickened breathing, Haru’s moans... Anyone else would’ve gotten embarrassed or at least blushed hearing something like that, but Lánshuò’s face didn’t change one bit.

"Besides, it’s better not to interrupt them right now," she said casually.

"Huh? Why?" Shion the Second asked, confused.

Sayaka, Maldie, and Gari, all realizing what Lánshuò meant, exchanged knowing looks.

"Well, you know, they’re probably talking about something really important – stuff only adults can be there for," Maldie replied. "Maybe they’re figuring out what to get you for your birthdays so you can have some really cool surprises."

"Oooooh! I want a cool surprise from Mom and Dad!" Asahi yelled happily, then laughed. "What do you guys want get from them?"

"A whole year off," Shion the Second answered making a bit of a grim face.

"A really big plushie. As big as Lánshuò," Yuri replied.

"Oh wow, sewing something that size would take years," Maldie said, looking Lánshuò up and down.

"Well... honestly, at first I thought she was some kind of enchanted doll," Sayaka joked, and everyone laughed.

"So what are we gonna play?" Yuri asked.

"Tug of war!" Asahi suggested enthusiastically.

"We don’t have a rope," Gari replied. "Also maybe let’s play something less exhausting?"

"Hmmm..." Shion the Second thought out loud. "Painting together, but against the clock?"

"Boooring!" Asahi shot back.

"Better than your stupid tug of war!" Shion snapped.

"Boys, don’t fight," Maldie scolded gently. "But since you’re getting along so badly, this is your chance to fix that. Since you’re arguing so much, you’ll be on the same team."

"But we don’t even know what we’re playing yet!" Shion the Second argued.

"Y-yeah! And if we do that, Yuri’s team will be almost all adults, and that’s not fair!"

"Then Lánshuò will switch over to your side," Maldie said.

"No. I’m not leaving my lady’s side for a second," Lánshuò said firmly.

"In that case... Gari and I will team up with Shion and Asahi, and Sayaka and Lánshuò will be with Yuri," Maldie decided.

Are you sure that’s fair?" Shion the Second asked, looking unsure.

"I think so. Something tells me Lánshuò counts as, like... five people," Sayaka laughed.

"I’ve got an idea! We’ll make mini-competitions!" Asahi exclaimed. "There’s...–" he paused, counting everyone in the room –"... seven of us! Everyone picks one competition. I’ll start. Mine is... javelin throw!"

"No way! Where are we even supposed to get a javelin?! We’re not sneaking into the armory! And we’d have to throw it somewhere nobody gets hurt or we don’t break stuff!" Shion the Second shot back.

"That’s actually not a bad idea, we can just change it a bit," "Maldie said with a smile, getting ahead of Asahi before the boys’ argument could get any worse. "How about we throw a stick as far as we can in the royal gardens? If we pick a small one, no one will get hurt and nothing will break."

"Okay, but from where to where do we throw?" Gari asked.

"I got it!" Sayaka burst out after holding her chin in thought. "From the entrance to the bench."

"Works for me," Gari said. "Alright, team, follow me!"

When they reached the gardens, Maldie picked up one thicker stick and seven blades of grass. The blades were for drawing lots to decide the order.

The teams lined up facing each other.

The first round of one of the seven competitions began – Yuri versus Gari...