How was this a day of rest?
Ryan felt more worn out than usual today.
The morning had been fine — playing rock-paper-scissors with Mira, letting them nap in his arms a while.
But the afternoon was an outright nightmare; those strange incantations gave him a splitting headache to memorize.
The System was the reliable one — it boosted his physical strength as promised, no brainpower required.
"Sister System, I don't want to work hard anymore." Lying flat on the bed, Ryan spoke to the System in his mind.
[Worn out just learning the simplest Fireball? Suffer for magic now, or suffer for life later!]
???
Back when Ryan's parents were alive, they'd loved saying the same thing, until his ears grew calluses from hearing it.
How annoying — he'd struck it lucky crossing into another world, and he still had to study.
Ryan slowly sat up; he'd learn it later once he had money to buy magic books. Right now he just wanted to relax and have some fun.
Ryan looked at Ellie, sitting on the pile of clothes, and their eyes met.
Her gaze was a little odd; ever since Mira had said she wanted to be with Ryan that afternoon, Ellie had been stealing glances at him now and then.
"What is it, Ellie? You keep sneaking looks at me today."
Ellie buried half her face behind her knees and looked toward Maeve, who was bathing behind the curtain.
Gazing at her gently twitching cat ears, Ryan couldn't resist again. "Ellie, come here, I want to touch your ears."
Ellie got up, walked over to Ryan, sat down gently, and offered her ears.
Just as Ryan was settling in to enjoy himself, she finally spoke. "Master, you're a lot like a friend of mine."
"A friend? From the island?" Ryan gently stroked her cat ears and asked softly.
"Yes." Ellie lowered her head, seeming to sink into memory.
"How are we alike? Can you tell me about her?"
Ellie said nothing, sitting bolt upright; Ryan couldn't tell what she was thinking.
Just as Ryan figured she wouldn't speak tonight, Ellie said softly, "She was like you — she loved stroking my head and tail."
"I'm a cat person. It's only natural I like touching cat ears."
Maeve poked her head out from behind the curtain, sneaked a furtive glance at Ryan, then quickly shrank back.
"The name Ellie — she gave it to me too. You gave me the exact same name."
Ryan scratched his cheek; he'd only read off the name from the System — a complete fluke.
"Looks like I've got pretty good luck — got it right by accident."
Ellie nodded, her little face flushing again under Ryan's practiced cat-petting. "The first time she learned magic she was nervous like you, and ended up setting the house on fire by accident."
"So you saw it coming this afternoon and tossed up a water ball, right?"
"Yes."
"What was your friend's name?"
Ellie fell silent, her ears going limp at once, as if the question had robbed her of her soul.
"What? Did you forget her name?"
"No, her name was Amy." Ellie slowly rose and walked toward the pile of clothes she slept on. "Master, I'm going to sleep now."
"Can you even sleep? How about together?" Ryan patted the spot beside him meaningfully. "You could tell me more about your friend."
Maeve suddenly cursed from behind the curtain. "Pervert..."
"Go take your bath."
"I was cursing someone else." Maeve flatly weaseled.
Ryan was momentarily lost for words. There were only three people in the house — who else was there? Maeve couldn't even pick a decent excuse; he really needed to rein her in!
But the moment Ryan moved to act, Maeve promptly dropped into a kneeling slide. "I was wrong, Master! I won't talk nonsense again, don't torment me..."
With face-changing speed like that, it was a waste she wasn't performing Sichuan opera.
Ryan looked at Ellie and, seeing her seem hesitant, launched straight into coaxing. "It's just sharing a bed. I'm a man of honor — I won't do anything to you."
"I'd still rather sleep on the floor." Ellie shook her head, not budging an inch.
"Fine." Ryan sighed and didn't press further.
After all, Ellie was a superhuman who could snap it off in a heartbeat...
Just then Maeve came out from her bath, wearing the long dress they'd bought yesterday, her superb figure on full display.
Proportions like that, Ryan had only ever seen in Western films.
"Well, Master? Is the dress pretty?" Maeve walked up to Ryan, spun nimbly, a radiant smile on her face.
Honestly, the light-brown dress was hopelessly tacky; the only reason Ryan found it nice was Maeve's good figure, which filled it out completely.
"The dress is so-so, but the girl in it is pretty."
"Liar. No one's ever called me pretty in my whole life." Maeve pouted.
She was far from as stunning as Ellie, but back before he'd crossed over she'd have been at least class-beauty level.
Even the two demi-human maids at Evelyn's tavern weren't as pretty as Maeve.
"At first glance you really do look dopey, like a halfwit, but the more I look the better you get — it grows on you."
Maeve gave Ryan a couple of light smacks. "How am I dumb?"
Back then, with her little mouth hanging open and drool about to spill, honestly she had looked like a halfwit.
"If you say you're not, then you're not. Anyway, the more I look at you, you mutt, the better you get." Ryan waved her off in distaste, afraid Maeve might infect him with her foolishness.
Maeve clasped her hands behind her back and gazed at him earnestly. "Really?"
"If I'm lying, may my junk fall off." This was the most savage oath Ryan had ever sworn.
"There you go saying things I don't understand again." Maeve smiled; though she kept a straight face, she seemed in a good mood. "Then I'll take you at your word!"
Ryan gave a couple of dry coughs and struck while the iron was hot. "So then, beautiful Miss Maeve, would you let me touch your ears? I've had a thing for fluffy things since I was little."
At those words, Maeve's ears instantly drooped, and she mumbled, "So that's why you complimented me..."
"What do you take me for? I complimented you sincerely — I really do think you're pretty."
Maeve circled around in front of Ryan, then mumbled, "Fine. Since you complimented me, I'll let you touch my ears."
"Really?"
"But you have to promise — only the ears, nowhere else."
"Yes, yes, I promise."
Maeve gazed into Ryan's eyes, and after a brief deliberation made up her mind and sat down beside him.
She slowly lowered her head. "Go ahead... gently..."
Looking at Maeve's ample figure, Ryan suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"This is too tiring. I've got a better idea!"
"Touching ears is too tiring? What idea?"
Ryan hadn't even started touching, and Maeve's cheeks had already gone red.
"You sit on my lap and let me touch your ears — what do you think of that idea?"