My Servant Is An Elf Knight From Another World

Sammy spent most of her afternoon acclimatizing to her new living circumstances. 

Since there was a freeloading vampire cooped up in the guestroom that goes into a snarling frenzy at the slightest implication of me wanting her out, it seems I'm going to be bunk-mating with my sister in my bedroom for the foreseeable future.

Surprisingly, Sammy didn't feel the slightest bit inconvenienced by her new living arrangements. We even had a small argument about who takes the spare mattress on the floor. 

"I hope you're not being serious, why would you even suggest I do that? Eww," She said, making a little retching noise at my first mention of the topic. "Who'd want to sleep in the bed you'd already slept in? I don't care if you change the sheets how many times, the floor is mine, you hear? Keep your bed, throw it, burn it, do whatever with it - just don't expect me to sleep in it." 

Of course, she says that, also making extra-sure I was hearing her revulsion loud and clear... but just moments before she had no problem at all covering every square inch of my sheets with her clothes, even going as far as to roll around it in with Mr. Black tight in an embrace, which kinda renders her point entirely moot.

But shit, I knew better than to argue with little sisters. Doesn't matter who's wrong at first, what matters is that in the end, they're always right. So poor ol' little mistaken me, after five minutes of having my point battered and belittled gets to keep my warm and cuddle mattress, while she sleeps in a single, thin spare placed to the side that barely even reached up to her ankles. 

All this effort just to avoid being defiled by big brother cooties. I do hope she doesn't regret dying on that hill of hers, otherwise, she'd have to face the wrath of a demeaning big brother's, 'I told you so.' 

Not even a full minute after our civil dispute, I was then unceremoniously kicked out of my own room because a certain someone didn't bother to take a shower in her haste to uncover the root of all evil. 

Knowing her, that's a full half an hour on the living room couch before I get to reenter my room anytime soon. Also Ash kept buzzing in my thighs in five-minute intervals, breath bated for any updates on my sister's current mood. Let's also not forget the newly-unwelcomed occupant currently sitting across from me, tenderly stroking her sleeping sister on the cheek. 

In spite of how deliberately she went out of her way to make those claws of hers as sharp and menacing as can be, they can be surprisingly gentle too when she wants them to be. 

After my sixth farewell with Ash, and her sixteenth reassurance that she will make it home post-haste, I thought I'd finally had time to rest my tongue… only to then be met with a cold harsh voice starkly contrasting with the gently warm strokes.

"Has she been feeding well?" 

The way Amelia was staring at her sister, she looked more a loving mother than she did a doting twin. Quite a sight, especially when she was apparently the younger of the pair.

"Take a guess," I said to her. "Would she be sleeping the way she is if she wasn't?" 

"Mmm," She grunted. "I suppose not." 

That was a very strange question to ask out of the blue, especially when the answer was staring right in front of her already, and she knew it too… was she trying to make some small talk or something?

Well, in that case… don't mind if I do.

"Hey, how long do you plan on staying here for anyway?" I asked, doing my best to suppress any emotions in the words.

But try as might, Amelia still shot me a vapid look. "Have I not mentioned it to you once already? At most, for a few days. And before you ask once more, and I repeat myself twice - you are not to worry about me obstructing your daily life. I'm but merely a silent watcher to your ongoings."

"Yeah, you said that," I scratched my head, trying to vent all this pent-up confusion in some way. "But watching what exactly?"

"That is for me to know, and for you to never will." 

"Fine. I'll just get it out of Adalia."

She chuckled at that. "If she's yet to mention to you the reason why after all this time… then I fear you never will know anyway. Alas, you are free to try." 

What an enigmatic frustrating pair these two sisters are. Or is it just me? Am I just letting curiosity cloud my judgment here? There's no harm, no foul in any of this, right? 

Maybe I am just being entitled. I mean, who am I to pry into something Adalia wants kept secret? If I did know the reason or I don't, what difference does it make? The end result would still be the same - Amelia staying over for a couple of days. 

As I was thinking this, watching Amelia twirling a finger across Adalia's pale cheek, I noticed then a faint crimson glimmer hanging loosely around her neck. A small red gemstone twinkling bright.

"I see you got her present."

Amelia held out the stone between her fingertips at the mention of it, for a moment, simply just admiring the glow of its luster. "Yes. I suppose she meant it as the start of a new collection for me to treasure. I doubt it ever will… nevertheless, I shall hold this dear. I thank her for this… and if her words are to be believed, I suppose I must thank you too, don't I?"

"Me?"

"Yes," She nodded. "Adalia has made it plainly clear that had it not been for your efforts too, she'd never have attained this gift to bequeath to me."

I snorted at that. "She exaggerates. That gem is all her. I barely had anything to do with it.

"Yes, I presumed as much already. When it comes to a test of wit, I've little hope you're able to hold a candle to my sister," Amelia said nonchalantly like she didn't just burn me with said candle. "But the fact that she even thinks to mention you in a kind gesture that is solely hers still profoundly rings true."

With a meaningless shrug, I replied. "She's considerate like that."

"Yes, considerate… curious, is it not?" She cocked her head at me. "To grow so very much considerate for someone in such a short span of time. It seems my sister, unbeknownst to me, has grown terribly fond of you..."

Her voice had a peculiar tone to it that beat warning drums in my ears. A strong hint of suspicion despite my total innocence in any wrongdoings - as far as I know at least. Who really knows what she considers a wrongdoing in those cold piercing eyes of hers?

"So is that why you're here?" I cocked my head back. "To find out why that is?" 

"Among various other just as vital reasons, yes." 

"What other various just as vital reasons?" 

"To admit anymore would be a betrayal of my sister's faith and trust, as I've already explicitly mentioned to you before," Amelia eyed me sharply. "Knowing that, do you still wish to press the topic anymore?" 

It's like I said, man… vampire or no, when it comes to little sisters, you can't win, can't argue… just resign yourself to your inevitable defeat, cut your losses.

"But you don't have other important things to take care of?" I asked her. "Last I've heard of you, Irene's making you search high and low for any signs of Jay on account of you being seriously pissed he nearly put you and especially Adalia in an eternal sleep. Whatever happened to that?" 

"For the time being, that'll just have to be put on hold for now."

"Put on hold?" 

"That's what I said," She said. "I grow weary of repeating myself… please listen more attentively, yes?"

Oh, I am listening attentively… and from what I'm hearing that does not sound like something that was wise, smart, or in any way beneficial to anything. If I know that, then surely she did too, right? Irene as well?

"Who decided that?" I probed some more. "You? Irene? Makes no sense not to go after him when we all know he's still out there planning something." 

Amelia made an annoyed raspy noise. "I decided this. Of my own discretion."

"Oh, okay, I see…" I crossed my arms. "And what - Irene is just fine with you taking a few days off from some vital searching just to spy on me for God knows what? You really expect me to believe that?"

"Hah… that's a good point," She gave a feeble chuckle at that, sneering. "But I ask you even if that Succubus disapproves, what could she possibly do about it to stop me from doing as I wish?" 

"Well… nothing," I said, flailing empty hands in the air. "But you'd think she'd at least let me know, right? She told me you were coming, she didn't say you were staying - and if she really does disapprove of you taking a few days off, she'll be sure to tell me she does… maybe even ask me to try to convince you otherwise, but she didn't. So tell me, why didn't she?" 

Slowly, gradually, that sneer disappeared… and in its place, she bared her pointed fangs as she hissed in an impatient breath. "You must think yourself awfully perceptive, don't you?" 

"I do actually," I said, keeping my cool. "So, if you don't mind repeating yourself just one more time for me… who really decided this? You? Or Irene?"