As soon as he was summoned, the First Lieutenant was fed Celestial Princess Peaches and was cuddled by Mira. He began purring while tasting the dreamy fruit. Everything was so sudden he did not really understand why he was there, but he did not mind.
Or at least it was that way until the animals returned.
「Ohh, little ones, did something happen?」
「Me-meow? What's happening?」
The animals she believed had left after getting what they wanted, had returned while carrying various fruits and berries. Mira looked at them wondering what had happened, and they just piled up everything in front of Mira and then looked up at her with twinkling eyes.
「Wait…did you bring all of this for me?」
Mira looked at them and asked that, and the animals let out soft squeaks. The First Lieutenant heard that and translated for them.
「They say they're returning the favor.」
「I see, I see. So you all went to collect these earlier!」
The animals once again snuggled up to Mira and even started climbing on her lap, making her heart melt while she began to try out the fruits gathered by them, leaving the First Lieutenant aside.
「What…what just happened..?」
Mira's eyes were entirely focused on the small animals, fawning over them, while the First Lieutenant was pushed aside and left completely forgotten. He stared at them blankly, unable to comprehend what had just happened, while the sign he held read, 「Like turning into an invisible cat all of a sudden.」
The fruits and berries brought by the animals were all splendid as well, and Mira felt like she could eat as many of them without getting tired, and once her belly was starting to swell up from everything she ate, she leaned back to lie down on the grass.
「Mmm…I ate too much…」
She slowly muttered that, but she did not regret it at all, looking up at the sky with satisfaction. Above her were all the other islands, arranged in a giant spiral going up. Seeing that really made it hit home that this world was filled with fantasy, and the animals continued to rest against her.
A beautiful girl resting on the grass surrounded by cute animals, such a scene would make for a great painting, if it was not for the First Lieutenant who had turned into a mass of envy and was performing a ritualistic curse dance around them to curse them.
The animals had eaten just as much as her, and before she realized, they fell asleep on her. She muted her actions as much as possible to not disturb them and began reading a comic book. She enjoyed the heroic tales depicted within while resting comfortably, waiting for Bruce to return.
After some time passed, the animals began to wake up and looked up, making Mira curious, and when she looked up as well, she saw something flying out of one of the islands high above her.
The thing that flew out looked like a person, so it was probably Bruce. But there were four other figures, and as Mira counted them, she began to smile. Bruce had successfully formed a Contract with the Valkyries.
All five of them landed on the island, but since Mira's stomach was still weighing her down, she remained on the ground to receive them.
「Sorry for keeping you waiting…though it seems you were having a pretty good time here yourself.」
Mira was lying down on the ground, covered in small animals, and there were piles of fruit peels scattered around. All of that revealed what she had been doing, and he was almost baffled that he was worried of having taken too long. Eventually, he broke into a smile, realizing that even in Valhalla, one could come upon such calm sights.
「I'm glad to see that our produce was to your liking.」
After Bruce, the guide girl stepped forward. She was the one watching after all the plants and trees growing on that island, so it was also her who had cultivated all the fruits Mira had eaten.
That also meant that one would usually have to ask for permission to pluck the fruits, and there was a limit to how many as well. The only reason why Mira had eaten as much as she wanted was because she had obtained permission to do so in the past.
「I enjoyed them together with all of these little ones, it truly was delightful.」
Mira slowly sat up while expressing her feelings, and the girl seemed honored to receive that praise.
「Now then, it seems like you succeeded with the Contract.」
Mira stood up and tried to stand tall and proud while asking that, forgetting the state she had been in moments earlier, and looking at the Valkyries behind Bruce. There were three of them, and the moment they noticed Mira was looking at them, they became stiff and nervous.
「All this was only possible thanks to your help, Mira. The least I can do is introduce them to you, starting from the left, these are Helcune, Erne, and Lagrinne.」
Bruce proudly introduced the three Valkyries, his voice filled with excitement, almost like he was introducing his wife, which made sense considering how much he had wanted to reach this point, and how beautiful they were. In response, the three Valkyries unsheathed their swords, planted them into the ground before them, and knelt respectfully in front of Mira.
「We sister vow to serve as sworn friends of Jude, training each day to never cast any shame on him.」
Helcune raised her face, speaking with a stern and respectful voice. She was almost like a knight talking to the lord they served.
That confused Bruce, wondering why they were acting that way.
While Mira's Contract with Alfina and her sisters was akin to that of a master and servant, Contracts always started like a friendship. It was only after countless shared battles, and many difficult trials, that the Valkyries would grow to admire one's power and recognize them as their masters.
In other words, Helcune and her sisters were currently standing on equal terms with Bruce, and them kneeling in front of someone who was essentially a friend of a friend was a really puzzling action.
But there was one explanation for that, which Bruce knew very well.
He knew that, but still doubtful of it, he began asking that when…
…Seven figures swooped down from a tremendous height, appearing almost like meteorites as they fell, only to break their fall moments before striking the ground, sending a blast of wind everywhere, and then they landed.
「Ahh, master! My deepest apologies for receiving you so late!」
Seven Valkyries had arrived. One of them rushed to Mira and knelt in front of her while apologizing. The other six quickly followed the first's lead.
Their impactful arrival alone revealed that those seven were on a different level from the rest, and the overwhelming aura they let out made Bruce feel nervous, though his shock was far greater, and would only keep growing. Looking up, there were more figures jumping off the islands, all of them Valkyries rushing to the island Bruce and Mira were on.
As soon as they landed, they knelt. Eventually, there was no more room for more of them to land, so the remaining ones stayed in mid-air and bowed respectfully. It was almost like every single Valkyrie was present there.