Two as One Princesses

While Ciel and I have been playing for a long time, the slim man and his gang are struggling with the B-rank barrier. I guess they’ve gotten better teamwork after their repeat of rest-attack-rest, since this barrier is about to break soon. Though what’s waiting for them on the other side is the A-rank barrier.

『Then I’ll use rock next.』
『In that case, I’ll use scissors.』

Getting used to the game, Ciel has started playing little mind games against me. She’s acting her age and I’m really happy to see that.

『『Rock, paper, scissors!』』

We simultaneously showed our hands. Rock for me and from Ciel, paper.
Yup, that’s so her. She’s soft on me, specifically when she tries to make me win. Though she is serious when it counts.

However, I personally want her to win, so I also intentionally show a losing hand.

『Ain, you lied! It’s not scissors!』
『Isn’t it the same with yours? That’s not rock.』
『That’s true, that’s true, but…!』

It’s adorable how disgruntled she is about it. Right now, we’re exploring other ways to play Rock-Paper-Scissor, but earlier we were playing follow the finger.
I taught her that she had to look the opposite of where the winner is looking at, but Ciel always just happily looked at where I pointed to. She’s happy we chose the same direction, she said.
And after hearing that, I couldn’t say anything else.

『We should eat soon.』
『Is it that time already?』
『We’ve played a lot after all. Why don’t we check the timepiece?』
『Right.』

Ciel takes out the watch and I see that it’s about sunset. Really, wow many hours have we been playing?
When Ciel was playing follow the finger -seemingly- alone, the slim man and his subordinates were weirded out and said something but sadly for them, it didn’t reach Ciel’s ears.

Still, from the side, we’re a girl playing alone -or rather doing something weird- with several men attacking her, it’s just an awful image.

『Come to think of it, is it alright if we don’t go home?』
『Mother seems to be aware of the situation, so it should be alright.』

Since entering the den, mother Fii’s magic power gradually became harder to sense, but it should still reach this deep in. I don’t think she has a full grasp of what’s happening, but she should know the gist of things.

I suspect both Ciel and I just completely forgot about the very idea of going home.

『Then it should be okay.』
『By the way, is your magic power still alright, Ciel?』

She’s maintaining the Sphilamote Elicinary, so her magic power is being used non-stop. Other than that, she’s not using any magic power at all, so it shouldn’t be much of an exhaustion, but she’s kept it up for a long time, so it might just run out soon.

『I still have a lot. It’ll likely be fine for several more days? Though if a fight starts, the duration will be shortened by a lot.』
『I see.』

Ciel has an impressive amount of magic power. Though it helps that most magic power is consumed during the first deployment of the spell. That’s the reason why the briars don’t disappear even when I stop singing.
She can’t manipulate it, but she can maintain it.

With that out of the way, it’s time to start dinner. From the magic pouch, Ciel takes out dried meat, hard bread, dried vegetables, and other preserved ingredients, as well as a small pot which she fills with water procured through sorcery and puts over a flame manifested the same way.
She adds the dried meat, vegetables, and an adequate amount of seasoning, cooking it for a while. Ciel then dips the bread into the finished soup and starts eating.

The taste of dried meat takes me back. It’s not bad, but it’s naturally incomparable to the food back at the manor. Still, I think these kinds of food are more delicious in places and situations like these, so I don’t mind it.
Ciel doesn’t really mind it either. Rather, it’s because Ciel’s eating it that the flavors reach me.

The slim man’s group begrudgingly stares at Ciel while eating their tough looking bread and meat. I don’t believe there’s much difference between our meals, but I suppose the additional preparation and cooking makes a world of difference.
Still, I’m actually surprised they brought food with them.

I don’t plan on starving them to death, but I was thinking that they might listen to our demands better if they’re in a weaker state.
However, seeing Ciel enjoying a good meal while they’re eating their awful rations is practically a form of torture.

With dinner finished, it was time to sleep but now we just noticed a certain issue.

『Ciel, can you maintain your sorcery while asleep?』
『I can’t. That’s a problem. Still, I can just stay awake.』
『Don’t do that.』

Having an all-nighter at your age, I won’t allow it.
Perhaps my tone was a bit harsh, Ciel nodded 『Understood.』 looking a bit surprised.

『For now, I’ll try managing this with my barrier. While it won’t be as strong as the one protecting you, a barrier they can’t break should be enough.』
『Can I leave it to you?』
『Keeping them here is all I can do, though.』

I know I can’t suffocate them, but maybe I can keep them enclosed until they starve to death? Testing that will take a long time though, so not doing that.

『Well then, goodnight Ain.』
『Goodnight Ciel.』

As Ciel took out a sleeping bag from the magic pouch, I created a barrier outside her briar dome.
Like I thought, the barrier’s defensive power weakens the farther it is from Ciel. Also, it consumes a lot of magic power. Still, if it’s only this much, I can probably make it last a year.