I'm with my maid.
Four people on their way to the carriage stop.
A little maid.
And a little moon-wolf girl.
A mage of the fifth rank and a reincarnation from Japan.
A sloppy genius inventor.
The four of them were born in completely different circumstances and grew up in completely different backgrounds, but they were brought together by the fate of Nina.
This bond was further strengthened during the month-long restoration work in the mine.
"Hey, Nina."
Emily stopped when she saw the bus stop.
"What is it?"
Nina looked back at her and her expression was bright as usual.
No matter how hard she worked, she kept a bright smile on her face.
The only time she looked distressed was when someone else was suffering.
(Why?).
Emily was curious about that.
She wondered how Nina, who was younger than her, could kill herself to such an extent and devote herself to being a (・・・・・・) maid.
Is it the result of her training?
Natural talent?
(I don't think so.)
Nina is just a normal girl.
She's happy when she eats good food, and her eyes light up when she sees something unusual, though her taste may be a little different from others when she says she wants to visit a mine.
But she's a bit odd.
She has great skills as a maid, but she says "it's natural for a maid".
Of course not.
If Nina's skill level were average, the world would be full of people who can't do anything without maids - just like Astrid's cleaning ability is decreasing day by day.
(Astrid and I were thinking. How can we get Nina to show her true face to us? How can we get Nina to show us her true face and talk to us honestly?)
At first, Emily thought about it alone, but then Astrid joined us and we started to think about it together. From now on, Tien might join the meeting.
The answer that came out was,
"This... is from me and Astrid. For Nina."
"?"
What Emily presented was a silver metal plate.
It's a kind of magic tool that can't be disguised or duplicated.
"Adventurer Party Registration Card.
On the plate were the names of Nina, Emily, Astrid, and Tien.
"Is this...?"
"We're a registered party. Tien will be with us for a while."
"Well... but, why?"
Nina looks like she doesn't know.
That's probably true. Nina is not an adventurer, only Emiri is. Tien might be able to fight, though.
She registered as an adventurer, but only because she could use it as an ID, and was not supposed to be an adventurer.
So what's with the party?
"I thought about it. I thought about how we and Nina could be friends on equal terms with Chan. This is the answer. Parties are friends. We risk our lives for each other, we respect each other. The Adventurer's Guild was the only place that had a party system, so I signed up for it."
That was Emily and Astrid's answer.
That was the plan, in a sense.
"I respect you and everyone else, even if we're not in a party."
"Nina-kun. Emily didn't tell you, but there's another reason for this."
Astrid said from the side.
"This 'party certificate' is not only a sign of the party, but some adventurers see it as a 'sign of vows' or a 'sign of family'."
"Family...?"
"It's just a silver plate, but we're a party now. No matter where we go, this party is where we belong, where we go home. For Tien, it's the second place to go."
Tien nodded his head.
Tien's tail was standing up, indicating that she was happy.
"Emily and I have been worried about you, Nina. -He's on a journey, but it's a journey that will never end. It wouldn't be bad to wander around like a rootless weed, but that wouldn't suit you as a maid. But what if there's a party? Maybe in the future, you'll find a better job. Or until then. Me and Emily want this party to be a place for him."
"...we wanted to give you a place to belong."
"----"
Then Nina grabbed the silver plate and stared at Emily and Astrid, dumbfounded.
A single tear spilled from her eye.
"Nina!"
Nina said to a panicked Emily,
"Oh...that's strange, why are there tears?"
She wipes her eyes.
She doesn't understand.
She doesn't know what she's feeling.
"...It's because you think kun is happy, isn't it?"
Astrid chuckles.
"Chi also thought that Nina sacrificed too much of herself. Emily and Astrid are straightforward and honest with themselves."
Emily narrowed her eyes at Tien, "Is that a swear word?" Emily narrowed her eyes, "Well, you're right," Astrid said.
"...Thank you very much. I'm glad. You're happy, aren't you? I must be..."
"Yes. It's okay to cry when it happens. You should be more honest with yourself.
"Be honest."
And the tears start to flow again.
Emily holds out a handkerchief, Astrid pats Nina's head, and Tien gulps.
"...Nina. We're going to a party today. Wherever we go, we go together. We'll talk about everything. Because this is where we're all going."
"Yes...yes!"
I'm glad, Emily thought to herself.
She wanted to give Nina a place where she could talk honestly, a place where she could be free, a place where she could express her feelings.
I wanted to give her a place where she could feel safe.
"Emily-san, Astrid-san, Tien-san... it's nice to meet you."
"Yes. You can call me Emily-sister."
"I think I'll rely on Nina more."
"Chi can't do anything, but I'll do my best."
Thus, a party of adventurers was formed in the mining town.
Rather than a party, it was a loose family, or perhaps sisters.
"...But Emiri-san."
Nina said.
"Isn't it strange that the name of the party is 'maid-san'?"
Emily was silent for a moment, then said,
"I'm glad you're being honest with me, Nina."
"Well, let's think of a name together."
"I'm not going to change it."
"What?"
"Oh, the carriage rides have started. Let's hurry."
Wait, Astrid-san!
"I think Chi should be 'maid-san' too."
"Even Tien-san!"
Emily, Astrid, and Tien hurried to the carriage, leaving Nina puzzled and unconvinced.
They were going to the next town.
The journey continues.
Four people on their way to the carriage stop.
A little maid.
And a little moon-wolf girl.
A mage of the fifth rank and a reincarnation from Japan.
A sloppy genius inventor.
The four of them were born in completely different circumstances and grew up in completely different backgrounds, but they were brought together by the fate of Nina.
This bond was further strengthened during the month-long restoration work in the mine.
"Hey, Nina."
Emily stopped when she saw the bus stop.
"What is it?"
Nina looked back at her and her expression was bright as usual.
No matter how hard she worked, she kept a bright smile on her face.
The only time she looked distressed was when someone else was suffering.
(Why?).
Emily was curious about that.
She wondered how Nina, who was younger than her, could kill herself to such an extent and devote herself to being a (・・・・・・) maid.
Is it the result of her training?
Natural talent?
(I don't think so.)
Nina is just a normal girl.
She's happy when she eats good food, and her eyes light up when she sees something unusual, though her taste may be a little different from others when she says she wants to visit a mine.
But she's a bit odd.
She has great skills as a maid, but she says "it's natural for a maid".
Of course not.
If Nina's skill level were average, the world would be full of people who can't do anything without maids - just like Astrid's cleaning ability is decreasing day by day.
(Astrid and I were thinking. How can we get Nina to show her true face to us? How can we get Nina to show us her true face and talk to us honestly?)
At first, Emily thought about it alone, but then Astrid joined us and we started to think about it together. From now on, Tien might join the meeting.
The answer that came out was,
"This... is from me and Astrid. For Nina."
"?"
What Emily presented was a silver metal plate.
It's a kind of magic tool that can't be disguised or duplicated.
"Adventurer Party Registration Card.
On the plate were the names of Nina, Emily, Astrid, and Tien.
"Is this...?"
"We're a registered party. Tien will be with us for a while."
"Well... but, why?"
Nina looks like she doesn't know.
That's probably true. Nina is not an adventurer, only Emiri is. Tien might be able to fight, though.
She registered as an adventurer, but only because she could use it as an ID, and was not supposed to be an adventurer.
So what's with the party?
"I thought about it. I thought about how we and Nina could be friends on equal terms with Chan. This is the answer. Parties are friends. We risk our lives for each other, we respect each other. The Adventurer's Guild was the only place that had a party system, so I signed up for it."
That was Emily and Astrid's answer.
That was the plan, in a sense.
"I respect you and everyone else, even if we're not in a party."
"Nina-kun. Emily didn't tell you, but there's another reason for this."
Astrid said from the side.
"This 'party certificate' is not only a sign of the party, but some adventurers see it as a 'sign of vows' or a 'sign of family'."
"Family...?"
"It's just a silver plate, but we're a party now. No matter where we go, this party is where we belong, where we go home. For Tien, it's the second place to go."
Tien nodded his head.
Tien's tail was standing up, indicating that she was happy.
"Emily and I have been worried about you, Nina. -He's on a journey, but it's a journey that will never end. It wouldn't be bad to wander around like a rootless weed, but that wouldn't suit you as a maid. But what if there's a party? Maybe in the future, you'll find a better job. Or until then. Me and Emily want this party to be a place for him."
"...we wanted to give you a place to belong."
"----"
Then Nina grabbed the silver plate and stared at Emily and Astrid, dumbfounded.
A single tear spilled from her eye.
"Nina!"
Nina said to a panicked Emily,
"Oh...that's strange, why are there tears?"
She wipes her eyes.
She doesn't understand.
She doesn't know what she's feeling.
"...It's because you think kun is happy, isn't it?"
Astrid chuckles.
"Chi also thought that Nina sacrificed too much of herself. Emily and Astrid are straightforward and honest with themselves."
Emily narrowed her eyes at Tien, "Is that a swear word?" Emily narrowed her eyes, "Well, you're right," Astrid said.
"...Thank you very much. I'm glad. You're happy, aren't you? I must be..."
"Yes. It's okay to cry when it happens. You should be more honest with yourself.
"Be honest."
And the tears start to flow again.
Emily holds out a handkerchief, Astrid pats Nina's head, and Tien gulps.
"...Nina. We're going to a party today. Wherever we go, we go together. We'll talk about everything. Because this is where we're all going."
"Yes...yes!"
I'm glad, Emily thought to herself.
She wanted to give Nina a place where she could talk honestly, a place where she could be free, a place where she could express her feelings.
I wanted to give her a place where she could feel safe.
"Emily-san, Astrid-san, Tien-san... it's nice to meet you."
"Yes. You can call me Emily-sister."
"I think I'll rely on Nina more."
"Chi can't do anything, but I'll do my best."
Thus, a party of adventurers was formed in the mining town.
Rather than a party, it was a loose family, or perhaps sisters.
"...But Emiri-san."
Nina said.
"Isn't it strange that the name of the party is 'maid-san'?"
Emily was silent for a moment, then said,
"I'm glad you're being honest with me, Nina."
"Well, let's think of a name together."
"I'm not going to change it."
"What?"
"Oh, the carriage rides have started. Let's hurry."
Wait, Astrid-san!
"I think Chi should be 'maid-san' too."
"Even Tien-san!"
Emily, Astrid, and Tien hurried to the carriage, leaving Nina puzzled and unconvinced.
They were going to the next town.
The journey continues.