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It might’ve been my imagination but, there’s been a sensation lately like my hands and feet are cold.
Like at bedtime aren’t my feet cold or, my hands are cold just after waking up……that sort of thing.
Could this possibly be the thing called sensitivity to cold?
Even if I say that, the symptoms aren’t anything chronic but, in the sense where I’d say the cause is that I’ve been tired here as of late.
I can’t say there’s no change in my body but……
And so at present, I try nonchalantly consulting with the person I’m facing at the office’s reception table and――
「In that case, how about seeing what comes of making use of the hot stone spa? I feel it would be good should Alice-dono relax a little more.」
This girl went, pon, and suggested as such while putting her hands together in front of her breasts.
A perfect superhuman beauty swaying her light pink loose side tail, and expressing a gentle smile.
She’s Wilmington principality’s general and, Kran’scousinoneesan――She’s Maria-san.
She really doesn’t look it but, if you ask about holy knight Marianna・Houston she might be a grand enough warrior that even experienced soldiers flee barefoot across 3 mountains.
……That’s not necessarily incorrect.
「Hot stone spa is it? That certainly might be good……」
On the way back from Ashitaka kingdom, we dropped by Wilmington’s principality capital for once in some time.
Being a country in the far east, to return to Alseid kingdom from Ashitaka kingdom, there are 2 routes.
1 is the method of returning in a straight line by cutting across Sacrament principality.
Though that’s the shortest when speaking of distance, something like cutting across a country with our position without knowing white from black would end up making a lecture from Ilya a certainty.
And furthermore we’re saying hello after suddenly entering the country from the sky, without having passed through a checkpoint or anything like that.
It reeks of a quarrelsome sort of presence.
As such, that’s not happening.
That really isn’t happening.
Thus it becomes taking the long route called a detour through the south but, passing through Wilmington which is adeptly flexible in a variety of ways became the obvious correct decision.
It ended up becoming a somewhat long journey but, we safely arrived at Wilmington principality’s principality capital Myleus in that manner.
And so as stated, I’m partaking of tea in Maria-san’s office within the royal castle.
A peach smell comes to entertain my nose, from the black tea poured into the white porcelain cup.
I wonder if this is, what’s called flavoured tea?
It’s black tea with fruits or flower flavouring adding to its smell isn’t it.
I try bringing it to my mouth and though I can sense its bitterness as regular black tea, strangely my mood changes just with the different smell.
I’m able to relax considerably just by enjoying this smell.
My heart goes fluffy.
Fua～～, tasty.
……And, as I relaxed with a sense of tired satisfaction, Maria-san loosened her lips and elegantly brought her cup to them.
Uumu, her habits are quite adult……
「Ufufu, Alice-dono appears to be a little tired. It’s a major issue for the country when your body is affected, surely it would be fine should you take a leisurely sojourn here.」
「Hai……nn?」
I was enjoying black tea while being fluffy but, was something strange not just said?
I lowered my tea cup, raised my gaze and, there’s a perfect smile decorating her as if to say「What is it?」.
……For some reason, her smile makes her frightening.
「……That’s, so isn’t it. And if I don’t give Rin-chan and Kyuu rest then that’d seem harsh so, I’ll partake of your words and proceed somewhat leisurely.」
Setting aside my bodily condition, I feel a long journey is tough on a child and a fox cub.
That 1 person and 1 animal are currently staying at my mansion in Wilmington.
Being proper for once……or rather they’re currently sound asleep with an overly splendid room and bed.
By the way there are maid-sans doing the operations management for the mansion but, I can’t mind that.
I’ll lose if I mind it.
「The hot stone spa is really good for both recovery from fatigue and beautification you know? Ufufu, putting polish on a form as beautiful as Alice-dono’s might be rather difficult though.」
「N, no, that’s, my thanks……」
Watching me as my eyes swam as I brought my black tea to my mouth, Maria-san was smiling smiling smiling smiling.
I don’t know……I still don’t know the correct answer, when I’m confronted with this sort of flattery.
……Uumu.
「……Maria-san is also, very beautiful you know?」
And it’s not the case that, I tried returning the praise after being praised, I tried stating it because I actually did feel as such.
Confronted with that Maria-san’s expression that’s still smiling without show any sign of change――
「I see, it does not matter even if it is not the princess-denka does it. It doesn’t matter even if it is me, that was a blind spot.」
And, it seems she really was thinking something frightening so, I did my best to make an ignorant face and partake of my tea after that.
◇■◇■◇
「Nn～～～～n!」
I stretch my back having just been delivered to the warm and cheerful sun-sama.
Leaving the castle built on the isolated island floating on the lake, I took a breather in that place.
There’s a strong sense of tension when confronting Maria-san that’s like being in front of an ardent teacher so, my shoulders stiffened.
And besides there’s also simply a sense of relief after having been released from danger.
That it’s okay now.
If Ilya were here there wouldn’t be events where I steel myself to this extent though.
……Maa, thinking in reverse Ilya might always be steeling herself though.
I wonder what she’s doing～, Ilya.
「Ah……」
「Nn?」
Turning around at that voice, my eyes met the castle’s gatekeeper-san――no, it didn’t meet.
His gaze is turned a bit lower than my face.
Fumu……My attire today is a formal outfit for visiting the castle.
The Alice blue that’s thoroughly become standard for me, that sleeveless dress is covering my body.
With the belt joining it together while giving a twist to the pearls, the upper part has a cute white ribbon accent attached, it’s a specification that displays sweetness.
Eh?
It’s not me you know, the dress was there at the mansion you know, this isn’t my hobby you know?
And so the flesh colored elements of the sleeveless dress are controlled with a white shawl……But!
From the present gap with me stretching for something in the heaven, my flesh colored elements are clearly being displayed.
……In short my armpits.
「……」
「Ah! No!」
Since being gazed at really is something embarrassing.
I quickly lowered my arms and, steadied my eyes toward him.
Just after I became embarrassed by that young seeming gatekeeper, I righted my seated posture and showed my respect.
Currently, there’s a girl’s bare skin or such in his heart, the heart’s embarrassment at such worldly desires and the like, there’s no mistake that there truly are various conflicts whirling within.
……Girl?
「――Un un.」
「……?」
I nodded deeply, 2 times.
Whichever way it is, am not I the one who gives more comprehension toward the feelings of healthy men than anyone.
Right, this gatekeeper surely――has a fetish for armpits, it’s just and only that.
It’d be good to try imagining it.
A girl wearing a white uniform with short sleeves, raising her arms to make a ponytail as her own hair is bothersome because it’s damp from rain――and then catching a glance of her hidden licentious territory from that opening.
That the eye ends up turning to it even if they understand that it’s wrong, is to the contrary a boy!
It’s not particularly that I’m giving justification to boy’s delusions, right, this is something that can’t be helped.
Since god-sama determined that it would be like this right?
Thus, Alice-san won’t be acting in a manner controlled purely by revulsion here.
「Don’t mind! I understand okay!」
Firmly gripping both fists in front of my breasts, I tried proactively delivering my support.
However, the young gatekeeper ended up hanging his head.
……Huh?
Even though I displayed my understanding, why?
「……Etto, I did say because I’m well aware of young men’s thought circuits right.」
「I, I have no excuse! Such disrespect, toward the princess-sama’s betrothed-sama!」
「Eh!? What!?」
「Fairly, your mercy!!」
Wait just a little!
「Princess? Kran?」
「Haa!」
「……Betrothed?」
I tried pointing toward myself.
「Truly……I have no excuse! At such beauty……tsu.」
No no, that’s not it okay, no one’s blaming you okay.
「John-san.」
「Jo……?」
John bent his neck and pointed toward himself.
「You, if you’re suddenly told that you’re John, you’d be surprised right?」
「Tha, that’s certainly……」
「I’m also the same. Something is moving in a place I know not. That’s something unnerving.」
「Haa……」
「In particular the upper class in this country are dangerous. Principally Kran or Maria-san for example.」
With the sudden start of criticism toward the country’s top, the gatekeeper――now John is confounded.
「John, the country’s top aren’t gods, wrong things are wrong. Please don’t forget, that strong heart which raises its voice okay?」
「How, however……I respect princess-sama and general Houston and, since I adore them.」
Well yeah.
「Fufu, ma, I also love them though okay? But if I don’t occasionally take revenge, wouldn’t it be agitating just being overwhelmed?」
「That’s, that’s something unthinkable!」
「That so? But I feel that someone like Kran would give a better smile if she’s punished fittingly.」
――That was truly well said.
Or such right?
I don’t know what comes after that.
But I think it wouldn’t be cleared for free.
「The act of protecting princess-denka is itself, my dream. I became a soldier for that purpose……it’s something like that.」
He’s serious!
Laying out good governance isn’t a simple matter but, I suppose that being adored even by soldiers out on the fringes like this is something incredible isn’t it.
Mo～, Kran you really are loved.
A young charismatic princess-sama, and furthermore a beauty.
She might be something like an idol mightn’t she.
I’m now convinced as to why Kran would go and overdo it for this sort of citizen.
And also so that this peace will be protected from here on――
「I’ll be leaving Kran’s matters to you from here on, okay?」
「Ha, haii!」
Stretching his back with pride John made a salute.
I’ll be keeping the matter about you having an armpit fetish secret for you.
◇■◇■◇
After traversing the bridge connecting the isolated island’s castle and the castle town, I had a sudden thought.
「U～n, betrothed is it……if I try thinking calmly, I, did something like putting my hand on a country’s head-sama didn’t I.」
Would, we were playing around, pass?
There’s no way.
And to begin with it wasn’t play.
……Nn, no wait?
Given that the one who put her hand out wasn’t me but the other side so……?
That’s right, using a traffic accident as an example then Kran’s in the wrong at a ratio of 8:2.
U～～n.
Ma, but I don’t particularly think it was wrong or anything.
In fact, thinking with only feelings I do love that which is Kran don’t I.
……Surely for all of this, there’s nothing except to rely on the feelings of that time.
There’s also the problem of her successor.
Un, successor……speaking of that――
「I wonder……what Lumina-chan’s up to.」
「――That, who is this about?」
「Hei……?」
With a familiarity to the ear, and an unexpected voice called out from behind me.
Turning around there’s, pure crimson two side up hair with, sky colored eyes.
Beautiful eyebrows that seem slightly angry with, inflated cheeks.
「Lumina-chan!」
「Who’s that!!」
Ah, my mistake.
「Haha, no really, wasn’t it a small joke, Eclair!」
「A joke that drives the head crazy isn’t called a joke you know! You, idiot Alice!」
Since you immediately draw in women if you’re ignored, and there’s Eclair showing her anger by folding her arms.
But probably, though this is a conjecture――I think that the truth is further afield right?
Be that as it may.
「Did you come to pick me up?」
Her face is going to burn up issn’t it～.
While looking at my face, I can’t stand anything about you!
Implying that with her arms folded and her face averted, Eclair’s cute.
「Funn, I was just thinking haven’t you developed a fever again and collapsed you see.」
「I, know about that sort of thing.」
「?」
「Tsundere.」
「……That’s not a word I’m familiar with but, it feels irritating for some reason doesn’t it.」
I try drawing close to such an Eclair.
「Wha, what are……you’re close you know.」
It’s already been a while since hearing Eclair’s sweet nasal voice hassn’t it.
Furthermore she’s come all the way to this sort of place to meet me but, there should be something that comes to mind with Eclair coming to Wilmington.
Even so, she’s currently here for me.
「Fufu～, Eclair～」
「Wai, mouu! What is this you……idiot.」
With me frolicking like a puppy, the Eclair letting me do as I please is unbearably endearing.
――And so I resolved my intent.
「Eclair.」
「……What is it.」
「――About children, I wonder how they’re made?」
「……」
「……」
Ah, she became pure red all the way to her head.
Her body is trembling.
「～～When we’re in broad daylight!」
However I was serious.
What I wanted to hear wasn’t that which is with males and females.
You could say that that’s why it’s shrouded in mystery.
「In any case, since this place is well――let’s go to the hot stone spa.」
「――Ha?」
For now, pulling Eclair’s arm as she’s still confused, we headed toward the hot stone spa that Maria-san informed us of.
Along the way Eclair was mumbling「It’s been a while but, there’s no mistake that this is Alice is there. And she’s a bit strange……」 but of course, I didn’t mind it.
◇■◇■◇
The origin of the sort of concept whereby the body is made healthy by the act of heating rocks, it seems to have been born from that which is called a hot stone spa but, it appears to be ancient when going back to that history.
When the stone is heated infrared rays are emitted and, the body is heated from the inside.
While setting aside whether the theory is known or what have you, it’s obvious when you actually experience it.
It seems the extent of the effect varies but, isn’t the main point that the body is gradually warmed and it feels good.
Just that is plenty plenty.
「Ha～～, feels good doesn’t it～」
「……That’s so isn’t it, but why was I brought to such a place, my gut won’t settle down.」
I and Eclair changed into bath clothes and, entered the well heated stone room.
The illumination is dim, an atmosphere that makes me want to sleep is drifting about.
Laying a towel out on the bedrock paved with small round stones, I look up while laying down to sleep.
Of course, it’s not hot enough to cause burn wounds.
It’s a sensation of having the body warmed slowly from within.
There aren’t any guests.
This, is actually a facility for the exclusive use of government officials.
It’s one section of an aggregated facility for the members of the nobility to relax in.
I, having had this explained while conversing with Maria-san, was given a feel free feel free and passed into the hot stone spa along with Eclair who I brought with me.
「Being with just Eclair by reserving this place for the 2 of us, gives me an incredibly luxurious feeling.」
「Really, you said that well, ojousama.」
The voice from the Eclair resting right next to me is reassuring.
However, I really became an ojousama at some point didn’t I……
Even though back around when I first met Ilya, I just put up a false front so that my vulnerability wouldn’t be seen.
「Now then, Eclair.」
「……Is it, how are children created?」
「Ah, hai.」
Because it’s what’s spoken of by the Eclair that’s already retaken her composure, this side was surprised.
Looking to my side, her body that’s visible under her bath clothes and her overflowing sweat draw the eye so, I ended up swallowing down my saliva.
Sorry, I was at the same level as John, I’m truly sorry.
「……」
「……Eclair?」
Calling out to her, Eclair turned just her face toward me and, went bei～～ while sticking her tongue out at me.
「It’s fine for you to fret over it as much as you can, childish Alice.」
「Ee～h!?」
「Besides which, why did you suddenly speak out about such a thing? What? Do you love children that much?」
To say whether it’s love or hate it’s overwhelmingly love though……
「Actually I……there’s a child I want to meet!」
「……And?」
What is that to Eclair?
And, there’s Eclair-san with an appearance like she’s in a slightly injured mood.
She’s misunderstanding something.
It’s not like I want to meet with some other child, that is, in short, Eclair’s……eeii!
「If it’s not Eclair, it’s no good!」
「Though I don’t understand your meaning……that’s, you want to meet who-san? so, why is this related to Eclair?」
「Rather than there being a relationship or not, wouldn’t she not exist if Eclair isn’t there! Nbee」
The sides of my face were strongly gripped.
「By please calm down, in short that’s what? In short it’s……You, with Eclair, that’s……etto.」
「Ow ow ow oww!!!?」
My head is being crushed!!
Eclair calm down!!
My defense is 0 you know!?
「Give give!」
「But, such is……such a thing……would it be okay to, think of this as a proposal?」
「Yeeeess.」
「It’s okay!?」
I was released!
How great!
「…………That’s fine, on that note……fufuu.」
Oya?
Eh?
Ah, the verbal back and forth from before, is it?
「Eclair……?」
「Don’t make conversation with me for just a bit, since I want to, immerse myself on my own for a bit.」
「Ah, hai.」
……Eh?
「Eclair.」
「Please be quiet.」
「Ah, hai……」
…………
「But Eclair?」
「Fufu, do you want to be baked?」
An inferno surged from the hand of the girl of flame just as her words indicated.
Really could you stop raising the room’s temperature!?
「……U～n」
Rather than somehow saying something was misunderstood, this is already a problem of feelings isn’t it.
……It’s not like, I’m being judged harshly from behind am I?
As Eclair turned her face away from me such that her expression is something unseen, while gazing at the redness of those ears, I had a sudden thought.
――That, I should check this world’s marital relationship laws and the like.