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Today, we are moving from Gail-san’s family home to the house where Gail-san and Douglas-san used to live.
His parents said they would be happy for us to stay, but Gail-san and Douglas-san, who have work to do at the guild, and I agreed that it would be a shame if Sebastian-san had to take care of us all the time, so we had to move out in a hurry.
The main reason for this is that I would die of embarrassment if Sebastian-san were to see the sheets after the deed, as he obviously did the other day…
When Sebastian-san came to change the sheets, he said, “You young masters are so vigorous, aren’t you? It’s good if you get along well. Hohoho,” and so he laughed. When I heard from Gail-san that he was laughing, I almost fainted from embarrassment.
However, if he said that [the young masters are also], then Virgil-sama and Rickham-sama were also… Nope. Let’s not think about unnecessary things.
The house they were moving to was said to be in a quiet residential area not far from the adventurer’s guild and the main market.
In addition to Sebastian-san’s regular maintenance of the house, it seems that when he heard that Gail-san was coming back, he had everything ready in the last few days.
Who on earth is that guy…?
[Douglas] “This area is close to the guild, and many of its members and adventurers live here. In that regard, this place is pretty safe, so Chika can relax.”
[Gail] “The person living next door is also the guild’s administrative head, I recall. I’ll have to show up later to say hello. We’ll also have to introduce Chika to him.”
As usual, I was hugging Gale desperately on top of Noah, so I didn’t have the energy to reply and just nodded vigorously.
The scenery of Leonidas seen from Noah’s top was a harmonious combination of nature, including a good amount of trees, and a calm, Western-style cityscape, like a European tourist destination seen on a postcard.
But, the paved roads, functionally organized plots, and the lively voices of the people in the marketplace showed me that this is a flourishing country.
After a while, we arrived at a simple, solidly built house that looked like a larger version of Gail-san and Douglas-san’s house in Catalton.
I breathed a sigh of relief at the appearance of the house, as I am a commoner at heart.
Even though the interior of Gail-san’s parents’ house was simple, I honestly felt uncomfortable with the number of rooms and the size of the dining room.
Gail-san pulled my hand as he led me around the house.
The two-story house has a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom on the first floor. There are also four bedrooms on the second floor.
After some discussion, it was decided that each of us would have one bedroom and the other room would be used for the three of us to sleep together.
All of the bedrooms were furnished with simple beds and tables, which seemed to be very comfortable to use.
However, the room that was to be my room had a bed that was my size. The room that was to be used for those two had a bed that was the size of two people. Lastly, the room that was to be used for the three of us had a huge bed in it.
I wondered if Sebastian-san had really predicted this much.
Who on earth is this guy, really…?
[Chika] “The house looks very comfortable to live in. But, I feel sorry that we left all the preparations to Sebastian-san. We should be sure to thank him the next time we see him. But how did he manage such a large house all by himself? What kind of person is he?”
[Gail] “As for the arrangements, I don’t think you need to worry about it, since he’s happy to do it. Sebastian is one of the oldest members of my family. He is a capable butler who handles everything from fighting to housekeeping and childcare by himself. Well, he does a lot of other things too, but you don’t need to know that.”
[Douglas] “The old man is unlike how he looks, he’s so strong. It’s imprinted in our memory that the two of us, Gail and I, could not stand up to him at all. Even now, I honestly don’t think I can beat him.”
Just by listening to Douglas-san, I think Sebastian-san
The last part, which was somehow muffled, bothered me a little, but I guess it’s better not to ask too much about that.
I realized that this is the reason why people should not be judged by their appearance.
As I looked around the house, I was surprised to find that the kitchen storeroom was well stocked with the ingredients and seasonings that I used to buy at Catalton.
When I realized that this must have been Sebastian-san’s work, I began to feel a little nervous, as well as respectful.
[Chika] “Since Sebastian-san has prepared the ingredients and seasonings, may I do the cooking today?”
[Douglas] “Yes! It’s been a while since I’ve had Chika’s cooking! I know that the food at Gail’s house is delicious, but Chika’s is special. We’ll leave it to you!”
[Gail] “I’m glad to hear it, because I’ve been wanting to eat your cooking too. I’ll teach you how to use the kitchen. Chika, I’m looking forward to it!”
Being told like that, I suddenly felt motivated.
I think of all the things I can do to make a good meal, and I pick up a few things in my head.
I think I can make it with all the ingredients I have on hand.
I’m really looking forward to seeing their reactions.
[Douglas] “Anyway, we’ll have to go around and greet the neighbors. I’m sorry Chika, but can you come along? I’ll make sure to introduce you to the neighbors and ask them to take care of you in case of an emergency.”
“Yes, of course!”
The two of them hold my hand and we go around the neighborhood to greet our neighbors.
I’ll say it again, with the two of them holding my hand.
I don’t have to tell you that I’m in the same state as the famous photo.
The people we greeted didn’t ask too many questions about me, probably because many of them were members of the guild. But when I told them that I was Gail-san and Douglas-san’s mate and “pair”, they were surprised and gave me many congratulations.
Finally, we came to the house next door to our house.
[Douglas] “I remembered that this is old man Bake’s house from the guild. I hope he’s doing well.”
Douglas-san said that as he called out to the people inside the house.
From inside, I could hear multiple footsteps slamming down the stairs at a high speed, and I knew they were coming towards the front door.
When the front door was opened with enormous force, it was Hector-sama and Theo-sama who were standing there.
[Hector] “Oooooohhh… We’ve been waiting for you, Chika-chan. Now, now, let’s go inside and have a cup of tea.”
Hector-sama was beckoning to us with a big smile while radiating the aura of a king all over his body. Beside him, Theo-sama was glancing at us with his face red and downcast.
“Why are you here, dad? Your house is the royal palace! What the hell are you doing?”
Douglas-san was unusually upset.
Gail-san’s eyes widened in surprise as well.
“Well, Theo said that he wanted to get a glimpse of urban life. I was looking for an affordable place to live, and I happened to find this place. I didn’t expect you guys to “coincidentally” move in next door. “Coincidence” is a scary thing, huh? By the way, I’m Theo’s chaperone.”
“Coincidence my ass! Where are all the old Bake and the others who lived here?”
Hector-sama paused for a moment to think with an exaggerated gesture that was clearly an act. Then, as if remembering something, he clapped his hands.
“Ooh, you mean the people who used to live here? I asked them if they would be willing to trade for my other house, which I had as a spare. And they were happy to exchange this one for me.”
“Wait… Hold on for a sec. When you say “your other house”, do you mean the house that stands in the most prestigious place in Leonidas…?”
“Yes. What about it?”
“What the hell are you thinking? If we exchange that mansion for this house, we can build more than a hundred houses with that one mansion!”
I stared at Hector-sama. My eyes widened in surprise at the mention of more than a hundred houses.
“What are you talking about? My little grandson has earnestly asked this old man to help him learn how to live in the city. I don’t care about a mansion or two as long as I can make his wish come true.”
“What a lie. Theo would never ask you to do such a thing. However I think about it, it was probably just your trickery. You think you can just use Theo as an excuse to live near Chika, don’t you?”
“Well, you figured it out already? Then we can make this quick. You’re right, but what about it? We just “happened” to live next door to each other. You have no right to tell us what to do.”
“Dad, you may be retired, but you’re still the former king!! Do you understand that!? Forget about security issues, don’t you have events you need to attend and state guests you need to entertain!?”
“I have my own secret guards around the perimeter. I’ve made it very clear that I’m not to be noticed by other people. And if they need me, they’ll be able to reach me right here.”
Hector-sama had completely regained his composure and had returned to his regal demeanor.
His appearance was that of a very respectable king, but the content of the discussion was so terrible that I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Next to him, Theo-sama seemed to be getting smaller and smaller.
“Theo! You too, don’t let my dad take advantage of you!”
“I… I’m sorry, Uncle. But if grandfather asks me to do something, I can’t say no…”
“What is it, Theo? When I told you that you can live near Chika-dono too, you were so excited.”
“Grandfather! Didn’t you promise to keep that to yourself?”
Theo-sama was in a panic to the point of being pitiful.
Gail-san was holding his head and looked like he was in agony.
Douglas-san’s questioning still continued.
“So, how did you know we were moving in here today?”
“I may be retired, but I’m still a former king. I’ve got plenty of resources at my disposal. Today’s matter was also a result of my excellent intelligence.”
“You can’t waste the country’s valuable human resources on something as trivial as this! You stupid old man!”
“It’s not something trivial. Do you think that my love for Chika-chan is something trivial? What a horrible thing to say, my son! Chika-chan, do you think that this short-lived old man’s little wish is trivial?”
He was so energetic that I couldn’t believe he was a short-lived old man, but that was probably not the point.
I couldn’t help but smile at the question.
“Anyway, get your ass back to the palace! Do my brother and the others know about this?”
“Yeah, of course they do. I’ve got a letter for them. Do you want to read it?”
Hector-sama handed Douglas-san a luxurious envelope sealed with wax.
Douglas-san unfolded it and began to read it, but a dark vein was gradually appearing on his forehead.
After reading the letter, Douglas-san gave it to me without saying a word. Gail-san and I looked at it together.
[The letter] “Douglas, it’s impossible for me to stop dad’s rampage any longer. He started to say that he was going to build a detached palace for Chika-dono. If we leave him here any longer, it could affect the national affairs if we’re not careful. Douglas, I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to take care of dad. Theodore’s motives are impure, but it’s certainly not a bad experience for the next king to try living in the city. If you need anything, just tell me and I’ll get you everything you need. Please tell Gail and Chika-dono that I am sorry for the inconvenience.”
I glanced at Gail-san unconsciously.
For that Albert-sama to concede, just what kind of things did Hector-sama do?
More than that, what’s with that detached palace…?
However, if Albert-sama has asked, there is no way we will not accept.
Moreover, I don’t really dislike the two of them, and regardless of the reason, I would even feel reassured if they were to live near me.
Douglas-san glared at Hector-sama with an expression like the statue of Nio1A pair of guardian statues at Japanese buddhist temples. For further information, go to this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nio, but Hector-sama was not at all perturbed by it, and even seemed relaxed.
But, when I looked at Theo, who seemed rather absent-minded on his side, I felt kind of sorry for him.
I have to break this atmosphere somehow.
“Umm… I think it would be reassuring if Hector-sama and Theo-sama lived nearby, so what do you think? I’m sure that Gail-san and Douglas-san will be very busy as guild employees and adventurers from now on. It would be reassuring to have someone familiar with me nearby then…”
I glanced over at Douglas-san and Gail-san and told them my opinion.
[Douglas] “Chika! Even though we’ll be busy, we’ll never let you be alone. So you don’t  have to worry. Whenever we take on a big job as adventurers, I’m thinking of taking you with us. We’ll always protect you no matter where we go, so relax.”
[Gail] “Chika, please don’t say such a sad thing. We will never make you feel lonely and want to rely on other people. In fact, we’d rather quit the guild or the adventuring business at any time if it made me feel that way.”
Hm? Did that just result in the opposite effect…?
Gail-san and Douglas-san hurriedly came up to me and hugged me.
[Hector] “Even though Chika-chan has said so, you guys are really intolerant men aren’t you? I won’t be responsible if he runs away because you’re too restraining.”
Both Gail-san and Douglas-san glared at Hector-sama simultaneously when he said that.
Whew, what a bad guy.
I’ll have to change the atmosphere somehow…
“Umm… uh…  Ah, Hector-sama, Theo-sama, have you made plans for dinner this evening?”
“No, I don’t have any plans of any kind. I’ve asked my caretaker to come by and cook for us.”
“So you will have someone coming to cook for you later, right? Today, I will make a dish from my hometown. So, if you’re okay with that, I’m thinking that we can have dinner together. If you have a cook, then that would be better–“
“Theo, contact the messenger at once. We won’t be needing dinner this evening.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll tell him right away.”
After a brief exchange of words, Theo disappeared from the scene in a flash.
[Hector] “It’s like a dream come true to be able to eat Chika-chan’s home cooking! I’m definitely going! Do you have any ingredients that you need? We can even buy up the entire market if you want!”
“No, no, no, no! We already have the items prepared by Gail-san’s family. We just have to add a few more for the extra people, so it’s fine!”
That was dangerous…
I was about to turn The Quiet Wise King into an unbelievable tyrant.
“We never eat Chika’s home-cooked meals with my dad, huh… Well, if Chika wants it, it can’t be helped. But dad, I’ll have you decide what to do in the future over dinner.”
Hector-sama’s expression got worse when he was being glared at by Douglas-san.
I might be crying if the current Douglas-san were to pressure me.
“Chika-chan… my son is staring at me with a scary look on his face. This old man can’t help but feel so afraid… Now, let’s go inside where there are no scary people and have a nice cup of tea before we head to Chika-chan’s house.”
Hector-sama took me away from Gail-san and Douglas-san with a swiftness that defies his old age, and carried me by his side. Then, he sprinted into the house.
The two of them chased after me while shouting angrily from behind.
[Douglas] “You fucking old man!!! Give me back my Chika!!!”
[Gail] “Hector-sama!! Please return Chika back to us!! If you don’t, I won’t forgive you even if you are Hector-sama!!”
How on earth did this happen…?
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1A pair of guardian statues at Japanese buddhist temples. For further information, go to this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nio