“Asking me to go out with Brother Ang?”
Night Lei seemed a bit puzzled and stopped what she was doing.
“What do you mean, Evalyn?”
Evalyn fell silent for a moment, also stopping her movements just like Night Lei.
‘Sigh, I’m actually inviting the person who had an ambiguous “physical contact” with my husband to go out with him.’
With that thought in mind, Evalyn decided to stick to her previous excuse.
“It’s just that… I wanted to ask Sister Night Lei and Night Night to go to the nearby town with my husband to help me buy some underwear.
After all, if my husband, a grown man, goes into a women’s underwear shop alone, he’ll probably be taken away as a creep, right?”
Evalyn’s tone was sincere.
After she finished speaking, she even gave Night Lei a deliberate wink, as if saying, ‘Please, please.’
Night Lei immediately understood what Evalyn was asking.
After a brief pause, she spoke.
“Hmm? Does someone like you, Evalyn, still wear the kind of underwear that only noblewomen use?”
“W-what do you mean? Don’t tell me, Sister Night Lei… you don’t usually wear any?”
Evalyn was stunned for a moment and blurted it out subconsciously.
Night Lei shifted her posture, standing with her arms crossed as she looked at Evalyn.
At the same time, a mysterious smile played on her lips.
The way her posture accentuated her impressive curves drew Evalyn’s attention.
Evalyn pursed her lips, unable to stop herself from thinking about something strange.
‘If that’s the case… if my husband stays with Sister Night Lei, is the distance between them and a completely exposed relationship really just a thin layer of fabric?’
While Evalyn was lost in her wild thoughts, Night Lei spoke up apologetically, “Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help but tease you, Evalyn. It’s a bad habit of mine. When I’m close to someone, I just can’t help making jokes.”
‘…That’s not funny at all.’
Though that was what Evalyn thought, she pouted on the surface and said with a hint of anger, “…Honestly, Sister Night Lei, don’t say things that are so easy to misunderstand.”
Night Lei was silent for a moment.
“I’m sorry… As compensation, I’ll teach you how to make one more kind of dessert.”
“No, no need. I was just joking back. Besides, you just said that people only joke with those they’re close to. If you’re joking with me, it means our relationship is quite good, right?”
Evalyn waved her hands hurriedly.
This wasn’t just a polite gesture; she truly didn’t mind that kind of joke.
And while she felt a bit bad for Night Lei in her heart, she still needed to use the other woman to complete the commission, so she had to keep building their relationship.
“Hehe, you really are gentle, Evalyn. You and Brother Ang are a match made in heaven,” Night Lei said with a smile. She then nodded. “Regarding what you asked, Night Night already mentioned it to me. But it will have to be the day after tomorrow. After all, she left early today, and it wouldn’t be right to take another day off tomorrow. The day after tomorrow is within her scheduled time off.”
“Great, great! You’re a huge help, Sister Night Lei. I was really worried my husband would get a sudden impulse and try to go by himself.”
Evalyn let out a sigh of relief.
Things were progressing exactly as she had planned, and Night Night had indeed been helpful.
Now, the only thing left to do to prepare for the Difficult Commission was to ensure nothing else interfered.
As for taking the photos of “physical contact,” Evalyn figured she would find a way when the time came.
“You don’t need to thank me, Evalyn. The furthest Night Night has ever traveled since she was a child was the migration to seek refuge during the war. This is a good chance for her to get out and walk around. If anything, I should be thanking you for letting your husband, such a reliable man, accompany us,” Night Lei said with a smile.
“Being able to go out with beauties like you and Little Night is my husband’s good fortune, too.”
Evalyn intended to exchange some polite flattery, but after saying it, she felt a bit strange.
However, Night Lei merely gave a serene smile and continued explaining how to make Starry Sky Pudding.
***
In the living room, Faon and Night Night were both sitting on the sofa in silence.
To prevent the atmosphere from becoming too awkward for the sake of his wife’s relationship with Night Night, Faon had engaged in some simple small talk earlier.
But as a married man talking to a neighbor he had a professional connection with, the topics were limited to work.
Most of it consisted of Faon asking about her condition and Night Night answering regarding the changes in her physical state.
In the midst of their silence, Night Night, who had looked like she wanted to speak several times, finally plucked up the courage.
“Mr… Mr. Faon, about earlier… I’m really sorry. I… I didn’t expect Sister Evalyn to… press my hand against you. But, but I… I shouldn’t have grabbed your hand directly either.”
Though she had gathered the courage to speak, Night Night didn’t dare look Faon in the eye, fearing he would notice the corners of her mouth that she couldn’t stop from curling upward.
She was afraid he would realize that even though she was apologizing, she was secretly happy about holding his hand.
Thus, she kept her head lowered, her voice sounding very weak.
The sensation of Mr. Faon’s large, warm palm was still lingering in her mind.
The private conversation she had with her sister had helped calm her obsession slightly, but being alone with Mr. Faon still made her feel restless.
That was why she hadn’t spoken much until now.
But an apology had to be made.
Hearing her words, Faon shook his head.
“It’s not a big deal. I can see that it was probably just a stress reaction from being nervous. Did you feel my wife was being too sudden?”
“No… no, how could I feel Sister Evalyn was being too sudden? I… I… I’m sorry, I don’t know how to put it.”
Night Night almost said, ‘I couldn’t be happier,’ but luckily she controlled herself.
“It’s okay, take your time.”
Night Night took a deep breath before continuing.
“I… I don’t think Sister Evalyn did anything wrong. She… she did it for my sake. I just… feel like a verbal thank you isn’t enough…”
“That’s good. As long as you didn’t feel she was being too abrupt. After all, even I was a bit startled.”
Faon spoke with a smile.
Since his wife didn’t mind, he didn’t mind either.
He was only worried that Night Night would develop a rift with his wife because of it, which would make his already bored wife even more lonely.
“Eh… Mr. Faon, weren’t you… troubled by my sudden action?”
Night Night asked.
Because at that moment, as soon as her grip had loosened slightly, Mr. Faon had pulled his hand away instantly.
“Well… you can just treat it as a part of the job, like before. I’ve seen the postures other Magicians use during Mana Tuning; this is actually quite normal. As for the sudden movement, I just thought it was a subconscious reaction caused by your nervousness. That’s not uncommon at all, especially since you haven’t undergone a magic check-up while conscious before.”
Faon gave several examples to put her at ease.
Dwelling on the “posture” forever wouldn’t help.
Night Night listened very intently.
By the end, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Th… thank you, Mr. Faon. Sister Evalyn is so gentle… you two… you were truly destined to be together.”
Listening to Night Night’s slightly awkward praise, Faon smiled.
Who doesn’t like hearing polite compliments?
So, he said a bit more.
“Your magic talent is actually very high, and in this world, Mana Conflict isn’t a major issue. There are many people who can solve it easily.”
“Is… is that so?” Night Night blinked, asking subconsciously.
Faon nodded.
“Yes. So, you should try to go out and see more of the world.”
At the mention of this, Night Night fell silent and instinctively touched her purple hair.
Faon realized he might have said something wrong and was about to say something when his wife’s voice drifted over from the kitchen.
“Oh? What are you and Little Night chatting about?”
Evalyn asked.
Faon looked over and saw Night Lei walking out with his wife.
Both were carrying four portions of the newly finished Starry Sky Pudding.
“Nothing much, just telling her that her magic talent is high and she should go out more,”
Faon said, choosing not to mention Night Night’s apology.
Setting down the pudding and sitting next to Faon, Evalyn said with a smile, “I see. That’s definitely a good thing. In that case, can you take Little Night out, husband?”
“Is this about what you asked me yesterday? Did Sister Night Lei agree?”
Faon asked, somewhat surprised.
“Yes. It seems Brother Ang and I think alike. It just so happens I wanted Night Night to go out and see things. She’s lived here for quite a while but hasn’t visited other towns yet. I’ll be counting on you then, Brother Ang.”
Night Lei replied with a smile, patting Night Night’s head.
“I’ll… be in your care then, Mr. Faon,” Night Night added, mimicking her sister’s words as if the previous silence had never happened.
“Oh, stop. I’m the one asking for a favor here. You’re doing me a huge kindness. But can you take the day off the day after tomorrow, husband? Sister Night Lei can only do it then!” Evalyn said cheerfully.
“The day after tomorrow?
That shouldn’t be a problem,” Faon answered clearly after thinking for a moment.
The after-dinner dessert ended quickly as they finalized their plans.
***
After returning home, Night Lei sighed as she watched Night Night sitting in the living room, dazed, staring at the hand she had used to hold Faon’s earlier.
She had seen everything back then. Moreover… she herself had held Faon’s hand that afternoon.
Night Lei sat down beside Night Night and spoke with heartfelt earnestness, “Night Night… Precisely because our relationship with Evalyn is so good, you must treat your interactions with Brother Ang as nothing more than work.”
She didn’t explicitly call out Night Night’s behavior, only offering a vague warning.
“I… I know. But didn’t your way of addressing him change too, Sister?”
Night Night’s eyes darted around as she asked back instinctively.
Night Lei fell silent.
It took a long time before she gave an answer that even she found strange.
“It’s just a way of addressing him. Evalyn doesn’t mind.”
Her expression was somewhat dazed as she subconsciously raised the hand that had held Faon’s.
In just two days, both she and Night Night had held Faon’s hand.
They were even visiting each other’s homes for meals like normal friends.
She had clearly intended to simply thank the two of them for looking after her and Night Night.
It was supposed to be just that.
But Evalyn had invited them to go out with her husband…
Just like a couple.
If Evalyn continued to be that generous… and if Brother Ang continued to act as if he didn’t mind…
She and Night Night really might… be unable to help themselves.
Unable to help… touching him.
Unable to help… destroying the pure relationship between those two.