At Louise's insistence, Hayashi Maki gave up on sleeping in.
He hopped up, got dressed, washed up, and then opened Louise's wardrobe to put her in her academy uniform and panties—naturally not forgetting the black over-knee socks. They were fine silk, luxuriously smooth to the touch.
Louise blushed, but still let him help—after all, nobles do not lift a finger when they have a servant. She kept making excuses to herself so she could accept his attending to her.
Once she was dressed, she tugged him off to the dining hall.
As a matter of course, Hayashi Maki sat at the table. Even if he was a "familiar," no one now dared to pick a fight using that status—unless they wanted to end up like Guiche and "experience" a Mediterranean hairline.
After breakfast, Louise mounted a horse and took Hayashi Maki toward the nearby town—only there could they buy a sword.
Riding behind her, arms around her slim waist, Hayashi Maki couldn't help a small smile. It was his first time actually riding a horse; unlike a carousel, it was exhilarating. But when he learned the journey would take three hours, his face fell.
He halted, lifted Louise down, and dismounted.
"What are you doing?" Louise asked, puzzled.
"Riding is too slow—and it's bruising my backside. I've got a better ride."
"You do? You have another mount?" she asked, more confused.
"Of course. Watch—this is my world's mount."
He waved a hand. In an instant—after a hop to his home world—a motorcycle appeared before her.
"Huh… this hunk of iron moves? You're serious?" She poked the bike with her wand.
"As serious as it gets."
Smothering a grin at her sheltered look, he lifted her onto the pillion and climbed on behind her, twisting the throttle. The roar made her jump.
"Hang on. We're off."
He released the brake and the bike rolled out. The ground was uneven, but it was far faster than a horse. As for the original mount—Hayashi Maki sent it back to the Academy.
Seeing the "iron lump" actually go, Louise got excited—then her mood dipped. He really was from another world. Would he leave this world—and her—someday?
They'd signed a contract, he'd done that to her—he had to take responsibility! Leaning back against him, watching the scenery stream by, Louise felt even more conflicted.
…
Elsewhere, seeing Louise ride off with Hayashi Maki, Kirche couldn't sit still. She rushed to Tabitha's room and started pleading. Tabitha had only just returned and slept a little; hearing Kirche's nonstop chatter, she calmly dispelled a silencing spell to catch the gist.
"That woman snuck off with Darling again—Tabitha, please! If you don't help, Hayashi Maki will fall into Vallière's hands!"
Tabitha only said, coolly, "Void Holiday." Meaning, it was a rare day off and she wasn't planning to go out—nor did she want to intrude on Hayashi Maki and Louise's date. Hayashi Maki was her benefactor; she would thank him tonight.
But Kirche wouldn't give up. "Please, Tabitha—only your familiar can spot them from the sky!"
That settled it. Tabitha donned her uniform and cloak, summoned her legendary dragon Sylphid, and took off with Kirche to search. "Thank you, Tabitha! You're the best!" Kirche said, then scanned the ground below.
Tabitha cautioned her familiar, "Two on horseback. Don't eat." (She was telling Sylphid to find a pair on a horse, and not to eat the horse. To Tabitha, Sylphid was a glutton.)
Sylphid felt a little wronged but kept silent—she hadn't yet shown her human form to her master; that could wait.
When they saw Hayashi Maki holding Louise and hurtling along on an "iron lump," Kirche's eyes went wide. "What is that mount? So fast! What weird thing has Vallière come up with now?"
Tabitha shook her head; this, too, was a first for her.
…
Before long, Hayashi Maki and Louise reached the town. Horseback would have been three hours; the bike took forty minutes. Horses need rest; they tire and slow. A gasoline engine doesn't.
The speed left Louise stunned. "What's the matter—want it? I'll give it to you," Hayashi Maki said, ruffling her hair. "I'll teach you to ride it."
"Hmph. What's yours is mine—no need to 'give' me anything. But… I will be counting on you to teach me."
A mount this fast—of course she wanted it; she wanted to learn to drive it too.
Hayashi Maki laughed. "Yes, yes—what's Louise's is mine, and what's mine is yours."
"Less nonsense. To the shop."
Overcome with embarrassment, she snapped and quickened her pace. Hayashi Maki stowed the bike with a wave and followed. Buying gear in another world—this wasn't an online game; it was real. Controlling this world while enjoying its flavor was a nice bonus.
"That one—an armory," Louise said, spotting a smithy and leading him in.
"Welcome, my lady. What can I do for you?" A greasy man in a leather cap, big front teeth showing, bustled out.
"I'm buying a suitable sword for my retainer," Louise said loftily.
"No problem! Hah—outfitting one's knight or retainer is all the rage. How about this one?" From the back he brought a slender rapier—very noble, very elegant.
"No. What use is something so small? Bigger and thicker!"
She never missed a chance to drop a line. Then she turned to Hayashi Maki. "Didn't you use a bigger sword to beat Guiche?"
Hayashi Maki nodded. "Yeah, greatswords are more practical." With a big blade, your sword light covers more ground—map-wide blasts, house-level demolition. Delicious chaos.
The shopkeeper grimaced, went into the back, and returned with a golden two-hander. "How about this? A masterpiece by the Alchemist Master Schupein from neighboring Germania—our finest blade!"
"Oooh—so shiny," Louise's eyes lit. "How much?"
"Heh… 3,000 new gold." He named a lion's price.
Louise gaped. "That's enough for a mansion—with a forested garden."
"Heh. A masterwork—well worth it. So… shall I wrap it up?"
He twirled his moustache like a rat, teeth gleaming.
"…Alright." Louise could afford it—and her contractor, her man, deserved the best.
The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed with delight. Naïve noble ladies were so easy to fleece—so generous too!
Hayashi Maki shook his head. He wasn't letting Louise play the sucker—and what was hers was his; why waste money on a trinket?
"This won't do. It's too flimsy—looks flashy, but it's just a wall ornament."
"Really? Then forget it," Louise said at once, canceling the sale. She trusted Hayashi Maki; he was an alchemist, after all—the guardian necklace on her neck was his work.
The shopkeeper nearly wept—3,000 gold, gone just like that.
Sensing the shop's layout matched the "original," Hayashi Maki located the hidden Derfflinger. With a flick, he summoned the shabby, rusty blade into his hand.
"This one. How much?"
"Tch. That? 100 gold."
Louise stared at the rusty wreck in his hand. "Are you sure? It's not like I can't afford better."
"Trust me. This is enough."
"…Alright."
She paid and they left, while the shopkeeper muttered about clueless noble girls—and mourned his lost 3,000 gold. As for that kid—why pick that piece of junk?