*Erissa POV

"Ara? You're ba-- Oh my, whatever did Juma do to you?"

My only One-Star looked haggard as he entered the bungalow again.

"Heh... trained me enough, he did. Going for some rest now; call me when it's time, would you mind, Princess?"

"Ah... sure."

Though I was a bit annoyed at how he addressed me, I decided to let it slide. Next phase of his training would indeed require him in proper shape, and this is not the time to bother about slight snubs...

"Kouya-san! Welcome back!"

"...Oh? Hey Kuzka, why are you here? I did not remember summoning you?"

The white-haired boy replied with a warm smile.

"Yes, I noticed too. But somehow, in this house... I don't know, I just feel something's different. Like, I could appear at will--and when I did the first time, the Princess was quick to get me and all the other familiars' human forms together for some tutorial session."

"Tutorial?"

"You heard me."

"Yes, that was what happened," I put in. "You saw how Vaska came up without my summoning him, Kou, so I decided to pull off some more tricks--and wow, it worked! But seriously, I had a purpose for this. Until just now I had been teaching this boy-Kuzka and the others, on how best they could support us later on. We'll never know when they might be needed, and if we're going to have to come across a time-stopper again, so..."

"Well... thank you so much for this, Princess, I really do; but I'm being too tired to keep up. So, later~"

***

*3rd POV

"Are you sure we would even need to teach him that?"

Having allowed the human-form familiars to start getting to know each other again for the time they could be together, Erissa had then retired to another room. Mestra met her there, and just now they were referring to Kou.

"Why? You think he'd be kinda bewildered, to have to handle two young girls in one go?"

She tutted. "Rissa, please be serious. Others might take that statement by a different meaning. We both are, you said, going to try and train Kou-kun in aerial combat. Is that even necessary?"

Rissa met her with a bored gaze.

"Do I have to repeat myself? My mother doesn't."

"Erissa!"

"Yah, of course he'll need it. He'd have to use those wings, and to test him in combat situation now means saving him at a later date. Perfectly sound, I hope?"

"It's just... Kou was converted by your father himself, if you remember. I don't believe such basics would even be worth his time."

"What, you think my dad got to where he is now by skipping basics?"

"You know I don't mean it in that way--"

Rissa stood. "Then don't pester me with such questions ever again, will you. Being my dad's own progeny, it would be natural for great things to be made dependable upon Kou's performance--and he's now been entrusted to me, under my care. I won't pay him and my father back with anything less than victory, as I hope you too will help me obtain."

For a moment Mestra was at a loss for words before opting to just nod, smiling at her choice for a master as she did so.

"...And rest assured, I will, Princess."