Who appeared at the door were none other than Fin, and for some reason, Chester.
"Eria-sama!"
"Sophia!"
The two of them shouted at the same time, and then they both glared at each other.
"What are you even doing here!?"
"Again! That's my line!"
Their faces turned red and they lifted their fists up, ready to start a fight.
"Hmrr... Can you please stop? If you continue, we'll have no choice but to kick you out of here," I warned.
As much as I like to meet Fin, I can't have him disturb my neighbors early in the morning.
"Y-Yes! I'm sorry, Eria-sama..."
"Huh!? And why should I listen to you!?"
While Fin promptly apologized, Chester shouted in complaint at me.
"You too, Chester. Calm down," Soap interjected, her brows furrowed together.
"I-If you say so, Sophia..." listening only to her, he finally backed off.
Their interaction surprised me, but I ignored it for the moment.
I waited for the two men to calm down, before I sighed and fully opened the door.
"For the meantime, you two should come inside."
Coming back to their senses, Fin and Chester happily entered the room.
"Kah! What are you doing here!?" Log pointed at and immediately grilled Chester.
"Urk! This brat!"
"Eria-sama? Can I ask who this kid is?"
"He's your kouhai," patting Log's head, I answered Fin's question.
While I taught Fin in magic, I'm currently teaching Log in the ways of swordsmanship. They're the same in that they're both my students, but they're at the same time opposite, as they're the product of the former and latter part of my role as a magic swordsman. In that regard, Fin is much closer to Soap than Log.
"Oh, and this is your senpai," I gestured at the red-haired beauty.
"Hey there! The name's Sophia!" Soap cutely waved her hands as she introduced herself.
"So she's my superior? I'm pleased to meet you. My name's Fin..."
"Huh...? Sophia is...?"
Before Fin could finish his introduction, Chester interjected himself in the conversation.
"It's true! Eria-nee is my beloved master!" Soap said as she clung on my side.
Chester's face grew pale.
"Sophia? Correct me of I'm wrong, but isn't that the name of the past sage?" Fin curiously asked.
"Fumu! That's right! I'm this kingdom's former sage!" Soap enthusiastically confirmed.
"A-Amazing!"
"Hmph! That's right! And she's my master, okay!?"
"Huh!?"
With Chester blatantly antagonizing Fin once again, a second wave of chaos was bound to occur.
"Sigh... All of you..."
Not wanting to further escalate the situation, I finally spoke up and forced everyone to take a seat on the table.
While I served them tea, I asked Soap and Chester to disclose their relationship.
Apparently, Soap had tutored Chester while she was still in the hero's party. She considers him as her one and only mage apprentice.
Being the apprentice of the previous sage would undoubtedly boost Chester's name as a student mage in the academy, but he had never made his connection to her public. In the first place, it was only after he entered the academy that he became aware of Soap's role. He figured that there must be a reason why his master had kept such a title off of him, so he did not act in a way that might cause trouble for her.
"He looked so pitiful, I had no other choice but to take him in as my apprentice."
"S-Sophia...!"
So Soap had finally taken in an apprentice also?
Even in our time together, there were many aspiring mages who asked to be her student, yet she accepted none of them. Part of it was because she's lacking the time to teach in the first place, but I'm certain another part of it was simply because she didn't like the accompaniment of other people. Chester being a child in their first encounter might be the only reason why she took him under her care.
It's a tradition of magic users to gather students to pass on their knowledge. There's even a theory, that similarly to the inheritance of wealth and possessions to the next of kin, it's in their instinct. It's just about time for Soap, as a powerful mage, to pass on her knowledge too.
After she introduced Chester like a girl would introduce her lover to her family, she asked for clarification in regards to my relationship with Fin as well.
It's merely my guts telling me, but I'm certain that she had already figured out the reality and depth of our connection.
I met her gazing eyes, and she practically confirmed my realization.
Still, I reluctantly told the story of how Fin and I first met.
"Fufu! I'm sure my Chester won't lose to your cabby, Eria-nee!" Soap teased.
Sitting next to him, she hugged Chester's body. Just like that, he was as stiff as a board. Even as a mere spectator of her rare power, I can practically see the pink smoke of affection oozing out of him.
Eh...
Chester acts rude and stoic, so it might not show on the surface, but he's charmed to the limit. His level of affection for her would without a doubt be off the charts. At this point, with only a single word, Soap is capable of turning him into a mindless puppet existing only to obey her will.
Fortunately, she's not evil. Otherwise, he wouldn't have even his sanity intact.
"Heh? I've seen what that noble brat can do, and I'm certainly not impressed. Fin is a genius, you know? He won't lose to anyone!" I flared up my nose and boasted so.
Sitting next to Fin, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders. My breasts practically swallowed his face as I forced him to lean on me. Just like Chester, he turned hard as a rock, only his face was showing more redness in his embarrassment.
"You're too close, Sophia..."
"E-Eria-shama... This ish a bit..."
As Chester and Fin voiced their complaints, suddenly, a spark of lightning flew between Soap and I.
"Let's have a match then," Soap suggested.
"You've read my mind," I eagerly replied.