Ria woke up and found herself in Hikari's chambers. It was morning. Sunlight through the windows lit up the room, giving the stone a light golden color.
She was wrapped in one of Hikari's towel pieces. Her body was clean, but it smelled of cheap soap. Slowly, she unwrapped the towel from herself and stood up and felt a soft surface below her.
Ba dum! Ba dum! "I slept on Hikari's couch. What happened last night?"
Scanning the room, she saw Hikari's claymore leaning against the wall in her armoury from across the room, along with her hand cannon and bow hanging from the wall. At the doorway were two pairs of boots.
Then, a maid and several labourers came through the curtain door, hauling cartfuls of raw food stuff along with a cart full of coal and leaving them by an iron cauldron that were taller than themselves.
After they left, a trio of maids walked through the curtain, each pushing a trolly. They started making their way all the way across the room to the couch where Ria was.
"Argh. my back is killing me. A giant knight moving to the estate for security is fine and all, but why do we suddenly have to scrub the mud off those enormous boots. Like seriously, they are big enough for me to sleep inside."
Ria could hear the maids from afar. They probably think they couldn't be heard due to the vastness of the chamber.
"Yeah, I agree. I'm lucky it's not my turn yet. Like, what's the point of giving Hikari a pair of shiny boots. She's probably just going to wade through swamps or walk through sewage in them the moment the scout master hands her another mission. Ooof! And the stench emanating from those boots. Just leave them outside the palisade and they'll repel entire armies on their own."
"Didn't you hear? It's not even hearsay at this point. Every soldier that went out on patrol can vouch for it. Whenever she walks past those refugee camps that had been popping up, they would kiss her boots and polish them with their tongues, like she's some kind of messiah or something."
"Uuurk, that's so gross. But what does that have to do with our lady making us scrub the mud from her boots? We're not the ones with a boot fetish are we."
"Oh! I just thought of something. Maybe our lady has a boot fetish."
"Shhh! You and your grand unifying theories. Are you asking for the cane to your bottoms?"
"Both of you hush, she's right ahead of us."
As the maids quieten down as they approached the couch
"Good morning my lady. We were informed by knight Hikari that you would be training with her. Therefore, we have brought your breakfast and your change of clothes."
Ria was lying flat on the couch fully wrapped in the towel. Slowly, she pushed the top off towel, sat up right and made a fake yawn.
"Good morning. Yes, I would be training with knight Hikari. I apologize for not informing you ahead of time."
"There is no need. We will be outside. Please ring for us if you need anything else."
"Sure. Oh, by the way, when did Hikari return to the estate?"
"Forgive me. I do not know either. She comes and goes at a blink of an eye."
"It's fine." The maids briefly bowed and began making their way back to the entrance.
Ria sat in the towel, curled up and shivering. "What do I do now? If this gets out, I'd be a laughing stock. How would I deal with my peers then? How would I get through the academy? Hikari isn't the kind to spill the beans isn't she? Maybe if I treat her really well from now on. Though that will look like she'll be dominating me from now on."
The curtains on the other end of the room swung wide open, Hikari emerging through it. She was in her running outfit, loose tops, shorts, knee socks and flats. Her shirt , like the day Ria visited her holdout in the hills, was completely drenched in sweat.
She kicked off her soiled flats, The white dye, despite the brown was still clearly visible. Then, she put on the almost worn out pair that Ria was cleaning the previous night.
Ba dum! Ba dum! Ria's heart raced as she watched Hikari's every move.
But Hikari just went about her daily routine. She grabbed the towel hanging by the door and wiped her sweat. It was a handkerchief for her but it was better than nothing.
Then, she began her stretching routine. She bent over and touched her toes. Grab her foot behind her and pull. Spread out her legs and lowered herself to stretch her gluts.
She walked to the kitchen. Cranking the lever, a stream of water filled her tankard to full. She drank it all in one gulp.
Putting down the tankard, she began offloading her raw breakfast into the cauldron. She then goes back to the tankard, fills it up, and pours its contents into the pot. Repeat for another two tankardfuls. Finally, she poured the coal into the underground compartment and started the stove.
WIth the fire started, she took out her ladle and stirred. She watched for a bit, before closing the lid and making her way to the couch.
She sat down beside Ria. The latter could feel the couch pillow cave downwards in response to her weight.
"Good morning, my Lady."
"Good.. morning.. Hikari…" Ria's voice was shaking.
Hikari kicks off her flats. She lifts up one foot and rests it horizontally on her thigh, the cotton sole facing Ria. Using her index finger, she peeled off the sock starting from the knee and dropped the mass of cotton on the ground.
"How are things at the estate?"
Hikari turned and looked down at Ria who didn't meet her eye but instead continued staring straight into space.
"Good… thanks to you… "
Hikari then picks up one of her flats. The one that Ria had worked on.
"This is good. I think I'll wear them in my chambers from now on."
"Thank … you … "
Hikari stroked her back gently with her finger. Ria flinched whenever their bare skins came into contact.
Then, the tray containing Ria's fresh clothes floated up to her.
"Dress up."
"Yes… Hikari… "
Ria leaned forward to grab her lingerie. When she tried to button her bra together, her shaking hands dropped the buttons.
"It's ok, take your time."
Hikari begins her meditation. It was the first time Ria had been this close to Hikari when she did this routine. The intensity of just a small fraction of her mana felt like needles piercing her skin.
After half an hour, she could hear her bubbling. She slid her bare feet into her flats and walked to the kitchen. She picked up the cauldron by its handle with one hand, holding the ladle in the other and walked back to her couch.
Ria had put on her clothes and was standing on her couch. It was her drill hall outfit, shirt and pants. Afterall, Hikari did tell the maids that she would be training.
Ria's breakfast tray floated up to her. A tea sandwich, custard pie and a cup of tea. Though, the fine presentation was unable to rouse Ria's appetite.
"Eat"
Ria flinched and then obeyed. Using her fork, she stuffed one half of the tea sandwich into her mouth, pushing it down with some hot tea, and then stuffed the other half, and then finally the custard pie. It was a fairly quick meal by her standards. She had to pound her chest a bit with her hand to make it go down.
Then Hikari's ladle appeared before her, dropping several chunks of meat and vegetables onto her plate.
"That doesn't look like it's enough. Eat this too. "
"Yes… Hikari… " The chunks were actually quite huge for her.
She grabbed a chunk of meat. It was quite well cooked, soft enough for her to bite into. Though It was too big for her to swallow in one go, eventually taking her three bites to finish it. The chunk alone was more filling than her normal breakfast.
But she continued, half a carrot skewered to her fork. Laboriously, she finished it bite by bite. She was full. Getting close to being stuffed. But she must continue, otherwise she might make Hikari angry.
"You're full?"
"Yes… "
"Alright." Hikari lowers her ladle to her plate. Ria pours the leftovers into the huge metal spoon, heaving a sign of relief.
Soon, she heard a scraping sound as Hikari finished off the last of her stew.
"Now, let's continue meditating."
"Yes.. Hikari… "
Ria began circulating her mana. She was taught this basic exercise too, though she had been skipping out just like her sword drilling.
It was quiet.
After another half hour of meditation, Hikari stood up and stretched her arms.
Ria opened her eyes. She feels better now. After a warm meal and some meditation, her shivering has stopped.
"About last night.. "
Ria flinched, her heart rate started to go up again.
"Ah, you said some really interesting things didn't you"
"Umm… I guess… I… "
"Don't worry, I won't tell if that's what worries you."
"Really? I … "
Thud! Hikari places her foot on the couch in front of Ria.
"Just let it out."
"Yes! Hikari."
Ria kissed Hikari's stick slimy toes. Hikari closed her eyes and smiled.
"Thank you! kiss* kiss* Thank you for not telling on me! kiss* Thank you! kiss* kiss*"
Hikari removed her feet from the couch.
"I like that."
Ria looks up at Hikari, giving her a confused look.
"I like it when you kiss my feet like that~"
"Really? Umm… I … Its indecent isn't it?"
"Well, like I promised. It stays between us."
"Really?"
"Of course. I don't think it's a big deal anyway. I didn't think you would kiss my feet over it."
"Promise?"
"Promise"
Ria slowly got up. She walked to the edge of the couch, turned around, squatting down to lower her center of gravity, before climbing down the couch.
"Umm… shall we begin our training?"
"Of course. We can talk about that later."