# Translation
Coordinate Transfer Magic.
Using magic, Estia and I moved to the house's yard.
All the lights in the house were off except for Saten's room.
From the outside, it looked like everyone had fallen asleep.
"Are they all sleeping? I guess that's... fortunate."
"Heh, heeh... I'm dizzy... Where is thiiis...?"
"Transfer magic is always like that. Bear with it."
"Bearing with things is what I'm worst aaaat..."
Ugh.
When will she come back to her senses?
First, I untied Estia's ropes.
If I brought her in tied up, the other kids might misunderstand.
It was a very rational decision.
"Now, Estia. Let's go inside."
"Yes, yees~ O, Oppa~ Give me white liquiiid~"
"...Someone might misunderstand if they heard that. Don't say things like that."
"Okaaay~"
Estia seemed unable to properly grasp the situation.
I took her hand and entered the house.
All the lights were off so it would be hard to see ahead, but not for my eyes.
I could see everything even in the dark, so I held Estia's hand and climbed the stairs.
"Take it slowly."
"Yees..."
Thud. Thud.
Estia staggered, but with my help, she slowly climbed the stairs.
*Come to think of it, there are only three rooms in the house.*
Hare on the first floor.
Saten and Luna on the second floor.
Me in the living room.
*...Should I move?*
The house seems too small for five people to live in.
I'll have no choice but to have her stay in Luna's room tonight.
Since Estia might try to escape.
I decided she'd stay in Luna's room for the time being, which has a thorough confinement system.
I undid the locks one by one and opened Luna's door.
Creeeak—
"...Are you sleeping, Luna?"
"Hmnya— Hnyaam—"
"She's sleeping."
It'll be a bit uncomfortable, but.
Sleep with her tonight.
"Now, Estia. Get on the bed."
"Bed is goood..."
After releasing Estia into Luna's room.
I realized I'd made one mistake.
I should have told her to climb onto the bed slowly.
Estia jumped toward the bed.
It felt like watching a high jump athlete.
"Yaaay~"
"Kyaak—!! What's going on...! This is—!!"
"...Sorry, Luna. I woke you up unintentionally."
"M-Mister...? At, at this late hour...! You're planning to mess me up completely, aren't you...?!"
"As if."
I'm not interested in little kids.
I pointed my finger down at Luna.
There, Estia was rubbing her face against the blanket.
Luna screamed in surprise.
"Kyaaak—!! Wh-what is she?!"
"A new friend."
"Friend my foot—!! You kidnapped someone again, didn't you?!"
I can't deny it.
I had no choice but to nod.
Luna sighed and looked down at Estia.
"Um, can you come out first? What's your name?"
"Estya..."
"Estya?"
"It's Estia. And she's in a bit of a strange state right now, so I recommend not talking to her. Just sleep together tonight."
"Really...? Ah, okay."
For Luna, one of seven siblings, taking care of someone would be quite simple.
I trusted Luna and turned around to leave.
Oh, right, before that.
"Luna. Just in case, I'm telling you—never drink any water Estia offers you."
"Huh...? Why?"
"It's drugs."
"What...?! Wh-what are you talking about—"
"I've warned you."
Bang—
When I closed the door, it got a bit quieter.
Should I listen for a moment to see what they're doing?
I put my ear to the door.
—You... wanna drink thiiis...? Ah, try it, aah~ I'll make you happyyy...
—N-no! Don't! I won't drink it! W-wait, why are you trying to take off your skirt!?
—...I wanna go to the bathroom. Something's gonna come out.
—The bathroom's over there—! What kind of disaster is this in the middle of sleep! Uwaaah—!!
...It's chaos.
Still, she's a Hero, so she'll handle it well.
With that somewhat callous thought, I pulled my ear away from the door.
And I turned my head to go back to the living room.
What a surprise.
Hare was on the stairs leading down to the living room.
Her red eyes glowed in the darkness, glaring at me.
It was a situation where I felt self-conscious.
*Why am I feeling self-conscious in my own house...?*
Anyway.
I asked Hare, who was silently glaring at me.
"Hare? What's wrong?"
"Mister, did you kidnap someone again today...?"
"'Again'? I don't kidnap people every time."
Hare pouted and watched me from the darkness.
She seemed to be expressing her displeasure as much as possible.
I approached her and patted her head.
"What don't you like so much, Hare?"
"I only need you, Mister... but you seem to need other children... That's why I don't like it..."
Hare trailed off, whispering to me as if making excuses.
If more kids increased, the attention toward her would naturally decrease.
I understood Hare's position to some extent.
Still.
"It can't be helped. I have no choice but to kidnap for my goal."
"Th-then how long will you keep kidnapping...?"
"This is the last time. No more children will be added."
"R-really...?"
No more will be added.
At those words, Hare exhaled as if relieved, and her sharp eyes began to shine again.
Her anger seemed to have subsided somewhat.
"Th-then. Talk with me later...! I have lots of things to ask...!"
"Ah, right. You haven't used your promise yet?"
"No, I've been... organizing them. Hehe..."
The right to ask me anything.
Hare, who gained a total of six chances.
She said she was preparing her questions.
*She studies hard, cleans the house—Hare really is a good kid.*
How admirable.
With that feeling, just as I was about to pat Hare's head.
Suddenly, the feelings Hare had for me came to mind, and I folded my outstretched hand.
Hare looked disappointed and asked.
"Why... aren't you praising me...?"
"Well, it's a bit late today. Go inside and sleep, Hare. You're a good child, aren't you?"
Good children go to bed early.
I brushed it off vaguely and pushed Hare's back.
Hare was led by my hand toward her room, and before closing the door.
She peeked her face out shyly and asked.
"Mister."
"Yes?"
"Is Hare a good child...?"
Hare timidly peeked her face through the door gap, asking.
I smiled at her and answered.
"Of course, you're a good child. If you study hard and get along well with your friends, you're a good child."
"...Yes, Mister. Thank youuu... You should go in and rest too."
Hare, looking satisfied, showed a smile and gently closed the door.
If there's a best-behaved child in this house, wouldn't it be Hare?
I found myself thinking that unconsciously.
"...If only the feelings she has for me weren't like that, it would be best..."
I vaguely understand the feelings Hare has for me.
However, those weren't good feelings.
They were feelings born from childhood misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the situation at that time.
And Hare, the Thief of the Hero Party, shouldn't have those feelings.
"Should I keep my distance?"
Phew.
I took out alcohol from the refrigerator and lay down on the sofa.
Someone's warmth remained pleasantly, and the living room was spotlessly clean.
"She was always the one who made a mess, and I was always the one who cleaned up."
At some point, I became the one making the mess, and someone else became the one cleaning up.
As I drank and felt the intoxication rising.
Sleep came to find me.
Feeling that languid energy, I thought about Hare.
*I'll have to watch her for a while...*
I'm sorry to good Hare, but.
If Hare crosses the line.
I'll have to adjust the distance as well.
With that thought, deep sleep pulled me into slumber.
Hare lay in bed, recalling what had just happened.
"Hehe... Mister said I'm a good child..."
I'm happy.
I'm joyful.
I'm glad I was born!
"Kyaaah—! I love it—!!"
Even without sleeping, with this feeling, it seemed like she could stay up all night and still have energy.
Praise from Mister always felt good and automatically created energy that wasn't there before.
Hare hugged her pillow tightly, thinking of it as Mister.
"S-someday I'll be able to hug Mister like this, right...? N-no... Mister should hug me...!"
To make Mister happy enough to hug me...
What should I do...?
Should I just keep being a good child...?
Hare resolved to remain a good child in front of Mister no matter what.
However, at the same time, something unpleasant came to mind.
"...Saten. Back then, she made me into a bad child."
Someday I'll definitely get revenge...
Hare vowed never to forget this humiliation.
And the girl who was newly kidnapped today.
If she enters this house.
A total of five people will be living in the house.
*If that happens, Mister will have too hard a time...*
It'll be hard when cooking.
It'll be hard when teaching us something.
*Most importantly... my attention will disappear...*
If Mister pays attention to another child, my attention will go to that person...
If I just watch that, my heart hurts too much...
Therefore, Hare decided.
"Being a good child... I only need to do that in front of Mister, right...?"
I can be a bad child where Mister isn't, right...?
Let's reduce the number of people in the house.
If they won't leave, kick them out; if they want to leave, help them.
"If I do that, Mister will only look at me, right...?"
A good child in front of Mister.
A bad child behind Mister's back.
Hare, feeling anxious about the increasing number of people.
Having no nails to bite, Hare bit her own skin.
She was more serious now than ever before.