I felt a little worried after that event at the cafe but nothing happened for the next few days while we were out at sea.
Emilia must have managed to handle the situation before anything happened I guess.
As for me, after putting that event out of my mind, I managed to thoroughly enjoy my time on the cruise.
I sampled the various sweets in the cafes spread out around the ship with the girls during the day and at night we would go back to our room and simply talk about anything that came to mind.
Just like right now actually.
“Oh what? You’re telling me you’re actually Aster’s slave?!” Lisa gasped after Katsuki told her how we met.
Katsuki pulled at her dress collar to reveal the slave collar underneath it, “That is correct. Although Mistress has given me the honour of being her personal maid so I do my best to fulfil that role.”
Lisa turned to me while licking her lips, “Ohh~ Aster… Do you want to make me your slave too? I don’t mind wearing a collar for you~”
Before I could answer, Odeta cut in, “Weren’t you released from slavery, Lisa? Why would you want to become a slave again?”
“Because it’s becoming Aster’s slave! That’s as good as becoming Aster’s property which means that I will be by Aster’s side for the rest of my life!”
Umm… You don’t need to become my slave to do that you know? I’m pretty sure this is just your fetish speaking…
“Ohhh! Lisa is so smart! In that case, I want to be Aster’s slave too! Can I?” Odeta asked.
No, no, please don’t get influenced by Lisa in this regard, she’s a very bad role model.
I pouted at Lisa, “Please don’t teach her weird things Lisa…”
“Eh? But I’m serious about becoming your slave though?”
I struggled to keep my face neutral before I leaned towards her, “I can put a normal collar on you next time… Just don’t teach them all these weird things, ok?”
I could swear her irises turned into heart shaped for a moment before she giggled, “Ohhh! I can do that, Aster!”
Odeta raised an eyebrow, “What were you talking about?”
I decided to try and divert the topic, “We were just thinking that we can play a game tonight instead of just talking.”
“Ohhh! What game is it?!”
I had to pick the only thing I could think of at the time, “It’s err… It’s called spin the bottle!”
I immediately regretted my decision the moment those words left my lips.
“Oh?! What game is it? It sounds interesting!”
No, this can still be salvaged, none of them know about this game so I can just make it more family friendly!
I cleared my throat, “We… We first need a bottle that we will spin while seated around it. When the bottle stops and points at someone… The others get to ask one question and they have to answer the question truthfully no matter what.”
Katsuki tilted her head, “How would we know if the person was telling the truth?”
I shrugged, “It’s a matter of principle I suppose. So does anyone want to play?”
“Yes, me! Me! Me!” Lisa answered quickly.
“I wanna play too!” Odeta added in as well.
Katsuki turned to me, “If Mistress does not mind… I would like to participate as well.”
Alright… No problem… It’s just basically truth or dare without the dare part so there shouldn’t be anything too problematic happening.
I picked up a glass bottle from the counter and brought it back where the girls had already arranged themselves to sit in a circle on the floor, leaving one spot for me to fill.
They waited patiently for me to do the first spin of the game.
Since the floor was carpeted, I spun it into the air and let it drop onto the carpet, watching it bounce twice before the narrow end of the bottle stopped to point at Katsuki,
“Ah… I suppose I will need to answer a question. But who shall ask the question, Mistress?”
“Umm… The bottle spinner,” I answered. “Then you will spin the bottle after that and ask the next question of the person chosen.”
She nodded her head in understanding and waited for me to ask my question.
I decided to go for a safe one, “What is your favourite food?”
Without even pausing to think, my Inugami maid answered straight away, “Food that Mistress feeds me with your hand.”
…
Ok… I guess that’s a normal enough answer… I think…
Lisa gasped, “I want to be hand fed by Aster too! That’s so not fair!”
I decided not to acknowledge her words and simply gestured for Katsuki to spin the bottle.
She did so and the bottle stopped to point at Lisa.
“Oh! My turn! Ask away!” The Infrid grinned.
Katsuki thought about it for a while before nodding her head, “Both Mistress and you were injured and both of you suffered a fatal wound that would lead to death within the next minute. Luckily, there is a potion that could save one of you from dying but there is only one bottle of it–“
Lisa did not even wait for her to finish her question before answering, “I’ll feed the potion to Aster mouth to mouth!”
Katsuki blinked at the Infrid before scowling, “You would take Mistress’s sacred lips just like that?!”
That’s what you’re concerned about?! Ah wait… Kisses are a big deal here, I almost forgot about that.
Lisa puffed her cheeks, “Hey, I’m going to die anyway, at least let me taste Aster’s lips before I go! It’s all hypothetical anyway and besides, I’m an alchemist remember? I have multiple healing potions on me so a situation like that wouldn’t happen!”
“You really are unbelievable…”
“Ehehehe~ My turn!”
Lisa picked up the bottle and spun it into the air, the sides of her lips curling up into a wider smile when the bottle stopped to point back at Katsuki.
“Ehehehe~ What should I ask~ Oh! I know! What do you like about Aster?”
“Everything,” Katsuki answered once again without hesitation.
“Hmm… How about being more specific?”
Katsuki sucked in a breath, “I like how kind Mistress is to everyone around her, be it the maids in our mansion or her classmates in school. I like how Mistress would lose herself in the things she likes and not hesitate to show that side of her to us. I like the way Mistress would smile and pat my head and–“
“Ok, ok! We get it! You can spin the bottle now!”
Katsuki shrugged before spinning the bottle.𝑶𝒱𝓵xt.𝒸𝑂𝓶
This time, it landed to point at Odeta who looked especially eager for her turn.
“You have a choice between becoming the strongest being in the World in exchange for Mistress’s life, would you take it?”
“Huh? Of course not!” Odeta growled indignantly. “If I became the strongest but I can’t protect Aster then there’s no point!”
Ok, that’s really sweet and all but why are all of your questions related to me? Can’t you girls ask something else? Preferably not related to me?
Odeta picked up the bottle and spun it, grinning when she saw it land pointed towards me.
“Oh! I have a question, sister Aster! Among the three of us, who do you think is the cutest?”
“Ah… Katsuki.”
Katsuki turned to me in surprise as she blushed, “E… Eh?! Mis… Mistress?!”
Lisa nodded sagely, “Mnn, mnn… Katsuki is indeed cute.”
Odeta also nodded with an equally serious look, “Mhmm, mhmm. Katsuki really is cute “
Unlike the reaction she gave me when I called her cute, she scowled and glared at them, “Are you two making fun of me?!”
Aww, she’s cute even when she’s angry! I couldn’t help myself and gave her a headpat.
“Mis… Mistress?! Hnnngg… That’s… That’s not fair…
Lisa and Odeta nodded their heads again.
“Cute.”
“Mmhmm, definitely cute.”
I took the chance to spin the bottle again and this time it landed on Lisa.
The Infrid leaned forward and intentionally gave me a clear view of her cleavage, “Ohhh~ What is Aster going to ask me? I can tell you aaaanything~”
Right, umm… What’s a safe question I can ask her without causing her to start spouting sexual innuendos?
“What’s a hobby you like to do?”
Her smile got wider, “Ohhhh~ Fantasising about what I can do together with Aster of course~ Do you want me to go into specifics?”
Ok… I know exactly what she’s talking about but at least that sounds innocent enough, thank the gods. So I shook my head and gestured to the bottle.
She picked up the bottle and spun it, the bottle bouncing once before stopping to point at me.
“Oh? Ehehehe~ I guess I’ll just ask the question on everyone’s minds~ Among the three of us, who is your favourite, Aster?”
The other two leaned forward in anticipation of my answer as well.
How am I supposed to answer this? Could I just say I like everyone equally? Will they accept such an answer?
Unexpectedly, I was saved from answering the question when alarm bells started to ring outside our room.
The four of us immediately ran outside our rooms towards the main door where Sebastian and Mary had already positioned themselves, a Nekomata sailor standing there explaining what was going on.
“Mermaid pirates are attacking the ship! Please remain calm and stay inside your rooms! Everything is under control!” He assured us.
Eh? Wait a minute…
Did I just hear him say ‘mermaid pirates’?
Ok, there is no way you are stopping me from seeing this!