We find our way to the lower area of the tower that we skipped by before. Perhaps to be expected, it is quite insulated and contains a safe and quiet living area. A large door replete with magic symbols does briefly block the way, but disappears quite rapidly. One can assume it has a handy Sage detector.

Aria takes the Sage into an obvious bed-chamber, kicking me out and leaving me with Kiku and Kaede in the adjacent study.

I retrieved the rucksack I left in the tower lobby and settled down on the rather nice sofa, and whilst Kaede lit the fire, Kiku removed her helm and let down her hair to treat the gash on her hairline with some cloth doused in alcohol. She looks real cute with her helm off, even with blood on her collar.

"Um... Nii? Is something the matter?" Kiku suddenly pipes up, fidgeting. I guess I was staring.

"Oh, I was thinking you should get Aria to heal that." I say.

"Bah... bollocks. This is nothing. I don't care much. If it was deep in my head, then sure, but no point wasting her power on a trifle. Besides… scars are a warrior’s pride, Nii." Rowdy Kiku quashes any pretence of concern I had, giving me a sinister grin.

She's probably right. Kiku's a tough girl. If I was some kind of chauvinist, I'd probably say she should care about scars making her less cute or something, but I don't have any right to complain, really. Although, considering I have access to Earth's Akashic record, I wonder if it would be smart to pick up some modern medical skills when I get the chance?

"Speaking of which, nii-sama, how is your own injury, yes?" Kaede inquires.

"It's fine. A bit itchy. Magical healing is really something." I reply, hand unconsciously going to my chest, where the scar I have has already started to silver up.

"Yes, she is a fortunate soul, to be able to use the blessings of Sendervil freely." Kaede remarks.

"It's a rarity again, then?" I ask.

"Good gods, Nii, you really don't know anything do you? Why Aria was popular in the guild?" Kiku rebukes me.

"Why wouldn't a silver haired cute princess be popular?"

Kiku audibly sighs.

"Let me put it this way, Nii, would the royal family, by choice, allow a princess, even a third one, to go and muck around adventuring with rough monster hunters and mercenaries?"

Oh... I guess it is a bit weird if you think about earth princesses. Anime and media loves the battle princess trope so much that I just assumed that was the norm here, but perhaps that’s a mistake.

"One uses the tools for the jobs they are best at to survive, yes? It is only common sense." Kaede adds.

"Oh, so you're saying that a potential Paladin is such a valuable asset, that its waste to not let one go out on the field?" I reason.

"Nnnghh... um... well... close enough. It's not Paladins being rare as such, many warriors branch out that way to become survivable. But healing magic is hard for most people. You must understand why something works to make magic of it. It's why I suggested the Sage to you when you said you are good at understanding things quickly." Kiku patiently explains.

Woah... I see. Magic is not just the case of clicking your fingers and saying magic words then. That’s funny, in fact, because it implies that healing magic needs medical knowledge anyway. And Aria isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I guess that's what that whole thing of her using charisma in lieu of intellect in her skills was about. Still, it returns us to that queer dungeons and dragons paradigm where being prettier helps you heal. And how?! Sparklies are therapeutic, perhaps?

"It seems I still have much to understand myself. I had no idea the Serene Wave Jutsu could have such an application, yes?" Kaede ponders.

"Do you not use it often, Kaede?" I ask.

"No. It is often considered the least of Jutsu; though perhaps I now see it is not lesser, but merely has to be applied with creativity… yes…” She pauses momentarily. “It was the point of much contention from my old master, that I was good at reading the scrolls, but not at applying their wisdom. It is mostly just hard practice to have the jutsu I have at all. They are difficult techniques to understand... and now I may never learn them." Kaede looks momentarily saddened.

"Um... speaking of understanding things quickly... how did you learn to speak demonic from barely hearing a sentence, Nii?" Kiku tries to shift the topic.

What?

Kerkyon was speaking English... or not... it seems? Translation function-san, you've gotten awful smooth, haven't you?

"Apparently it is a function of me being an Etranger. When I first arrived, Aria and her helpers talked what seemed to be a strange language, but now, I hear you and her and everyone in my native tongue. And apparently, that also applies to demons, now you mention it." I respond.

Kiku looks mildly impressed for some reason, and Kaede is thinking about something. There is the sound of a door suddenly bursting open.

"Most fascinating!" I hear behind me. It is a sultry, measured, and frankly seductive noise.

"Gah! Put some damn clothes on!" Aria shouts.

I turn around in (gentlemanly) interest only to be on the receiving end of a poking saming strike from Aria's fingers into my eyes.

I spend about ten minutes squealing about and getting acquainted with the rug.

However, I briefly witnessed nirvana from the Sage being naked besides her chain collar.

Truly a wonderful day, even with the price being temporary blindness! (I hope its temporary…)