"And I suppose, that is roughly what has happened so far." I say, nodding to myself.

After the meal, I had given a rundown of my summoning and the three days I had been here so far for the benefit of the newer girls, with supplements to my story from Aria and Kiku at times, who didn't forget to mention me vomiting in my first fight, much to everyone’s amusement. Scoundrels.

They were sure were an action packed set of days, though.

I also got to learn that Kaede had been tailing us since I saw the Placktaurus, the flying whale thing. Funnily enough, this meant a number of the false positives I received from my danger sense could well have been attributed to a hidden assassin with uncertain motives (from my perspective). Which is good to know; it means that’s even more reliable than I first thought.

Besides this brief admission though, Kaede has looked a little left out of the proceedings so far. Aria and Kiku have already established their little rapport, after all, and Seria is the kind that can talk your ear off when she gets on a topic she knows a lot about... and even as a recluse, she knows a lot about a lot with several generations of memories and two hundred years on the clock.

I don't miss it when Kaede manages to slip away as rowdy Kiku is making a joke. I wait a few seconds for an appropriate lull, and stand up myself.

"Just gonna find the facilities." I say.

"Is that otherworld speak for the bathroom, boy? Fufufu... well, it’s down a floor unfortunately. End of the corridor. Don't get lost in the shadows." Seria tells me with a wry expression. I think she's on to me.

I give a sheepish grin and nod, pretending innocence. It appears to work on Aria and Kiku, at least.

Fortunately, I don't have to go far to find the missing ninja. The study has a windowed balcony, and she is sat on the railing, watching the zaps of lightning rise to rods below, silently. The magical muting on the thunderclaps is pretty disconcerting when viewed this way. She notices me quickly and turns her head, standing to attention.

"Nii-sama? Do you have an order for me, yes?" She asks.

"Hmmm... nope. I was just seeing if you were ok."

She scrunches her eyebrows.

"Do you... not trust me? That is understandable."

What? How did she come to that conclusion... oh... I see, she thinks I'm checking up on her. I give her a smile.

"If you would rather be left alone, I understand. There is no reason for me to not trust you. You saved my life." I assure her.

She grimaces, as if she has swallowed something disgusting, and looks away.

"No... I cannot stop you if you want to stand around here." She says, deadpan.

I also walk over to the balcony to watch the lightning. We stand in silence for a couple of minutes.

"Like this lightning, you should not get close to me, Nii-sama." She eventually muses.

"Because I will be blinded by your beauty?"

Her eyebrows scrunch again as she looks back at me.

"If I am beautiful, then the world must have truly become a foul place, yes?" She rebukes. "I make no mistake of what I am. I am a killer. I cannot cry for my enemies, like the princess, or be proud of my prowess, like the mercenary girl. I am a just a blade. A tool. You should treat me as such."

Man, I'm really surrounded by troublesome girls, aren't I? Obedience is certainly a strong trait in her... and by the sounds of it, she has internalised the fact that she has been a murderer, pushed it aside. But even so, I can't let this horrify me. I think there is something bright in there... I just have to draw it out of the shadow.

"And if I am a connoisseur of weapons?" I pause, giving her a wry smile. "Kaede; I don't care what you used to be. Blade or tool or not, all that matters is that you want to be here, and that I would like you here as well."

She looks down at her feet.

"I don't know. I have not been able to want for anything in my life. I was told, I did, I was given. Because that is what a blade is for, Nii-sama." She says, tentatively.

Hmm, I can't even begin to imagine her life. Was she trained from birth to be an assassin? But she is missing something important here.

"A blade cannot choose to save the life of another." I state, with a serious tone.

Her head snaps back up, she opens her mouth, closes it again, then puts a hand to her temple.

"Indeed..." Is all she can say.

I think its best not to push this further right now.

"We'll all be waiting." I say, nodding to her.

I turn to go back to the dining room. As I take a step, I feel a tug on my sleeve. I look back.

"Nnn... you... you have my gratitude, for... being one who treats their weapons well." She whispers under her breath, then let’s go of my tunic.

Good enough for now.

I give her a smile again as I walk off, and she looks away shyly. Cuuuute!