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The name is Julienne part 2
Shingen couldn’t help but look away from Julienne’s straight gaze. Should he tell her the truth? Although it’s somewhat too cruel, it’s painful to report the death of a loved one to a young girl. But it’s not something that can be kept hidden. Because both sides needed to know.
（――――――moreover、it’ll be best to tell her as early as possible……）
Shingen then boldly stared back at Julienne. She needed to understand this clearly.
「……I’m sorry……I am not Maruto. He’s already dead…… He’s no longer here with us.」(Shingen)
A stream of tears ran through Shingen’s cheek. And with that words, Julienne finally came to realize that it was the truth.
It’s okay even if it’s a lie. It’s fine even if I was mistaken as long as I can touch Maruto’s skin again. Julienne thought to herself. She placed her palms on Shingen’s cheeks.
「……Why……why……why did you leave me……you promised, didn’t you? “No one will persecute you anymore so no need to be afraid. I’ll treat you as a human”、didn’t you say so……then why……you turned back on your own words……」(Julienne)
Julienne collapsed right after. Shingen heard how she had muffled her words with his chest. He didn’t understand what had actually happened to her. But he knew enough that she truly yearned for Maruto. Though there was really nothing he could do to fix this, Shingen decided to pet her head softly. The petite girl trembled a little.
Riru’s eyes darkened. The girl might also still feel burdened by Maruto’s death. Ortashia also tightened her fists, biting her lips as the urge for revenge resurged.
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「My apology. Because you really resemble him……I’ve made everyone upset」 (Julienne)
Julienne bowed deeply that her face was pressing on the table towards Shingen, apologizing. Shingen promptly waved his hand.
「No, no, it’s alright.」 (Shingen)
Rather, being tackle-hugged by a girl might be considered as a reward―――――――but that aside, Ortashia is sitting at the center of the rectangular table, with Shingen on the right side and Riru on the left.
Julienne still sank her head in front of Ortashia. Mina was still at the back, cooking in the kitchen she rented from the inn we had stayed at the first time we arrived on the town of York. She’s been in charge of their meals from the beginning.
The reason was a bit goofy. Riru was too gruff to even cook and Shingen himself couldn’t cook well, so it’s only natural that Mina took the role. The appearance of Mina magnificently standing on the kitchen was a mirror to that of a young wife.
After a while, Julienne, still with a shadowy expression, finally said something.
「……Actually……I’ve already known from the beginning……」(Julienne)
「Eh?」(Shingen)
「What do you mean?」(Ortashia)
Ortashia raised an eyebrow.
「……The last day I met with Maruru―――――I kind of knew that he’s going to die.」(Julienne)
Julienne had a certain talent since her birth; that she could see parts of the future.
It’s like horoscope, fortune telling and other similar things.
However, this led her to be persecuted as a child of a demon.
That’s why she only mentioned about her ability to the person she trusted the most. Such as how she foresaw Maruto’s death. It wasn’t really accurate since it was quite vague.
Ortashia’s face turned grim.
Due to that frowning face that screams ‘Why didn’t you stop him if you knew beforehand!?’ Julienne started to explain.
「That……when he showed such a brave smile back then, I felt that I need to stop him…… But I couldn’t say it. I simply couldn’t say it. If I do that, I’ll affect fate in a wrong way. I just had that feeling. So I hesitated……at that time, at that moment……If only I stopped him……those things……」(Julienne)
Julienne had tearful eyes and a brooding expression on her face. Ortashia, in turn, came to understand why she didn’t stop Maruto despite knowing what will happen in advance.
「What you mean is, by stopping him, I would die instead of him?」(Ortashia)
「I do not know for sure but that would’ve been the case. It came up so suddenly. But it never tells anything accurately. Always vague.」(Julienne)
「That day: what did you see?」(Ortashia)
Julienne seemed to be hesitating.
「Now we won’t blame you. You are not an incompetent officer that deserves that.」(Ortashia)
Julienne nodded a little. Her mouth opened a little.
「……I saw a white wolf walking on a road dyed with red and black……」(Julienne)
Ortashia closed her eye, leaning to the backrest as she exhaled.
「I see…… That means at any rate, his fate has been set. He might’ve also foreseen it himself…… Otherwise, he won’t do something foolish like going to the frontline……that fool……」(Ortashia)
That last part was said in a very low voice that even Shingen and Riru didn’t hear it.
The atmosphere became heavy all of a sudden, everyone fell silent. Despite the delicious dishes that Mina had prepared in front of us, no one had the appetite to eat. Wanting to undo the heavy air, Shingen thought to switch the topic. His glance fell to the glamorous dishes before him.
（――――――that’s right。Mina had prepared all of this with great effort。It will be a waste if no one ate it but with this kind of atmosphere、there is no way I can eat with ease）
Shingen clasped both of his hands together. The bread on the table somehow made a sound, making everyone’s attention to turn on it.
「Well, can such a heavy story wait until the meal is over? These are the dishes Mina cooked。We have to eat it while it’s still warm.」(Shingen)
The innkeeper at the counter nodded in agreement and Mina who was standing at the side seemed happy.
「Ara-ara、thank you for your concern Shingen-kun.」(Mina)
「Sure.」(Shingen)
Whilst saying that, Shingen winked at Mina. Ortashia proceeded to take a spoon and took a scoop of the potato soup.
「Indeed. He……no、let’s refrain from thinking about that now or at least during mealtime. Otherwise, this wound will only get hurt.」(Ortashia)
Ortashia gently tap on the eyepatch on her right eye.
Riru reached out for the grilled turkey in front of her while staring at Julienne.
「Ah, that’s right. Julienne-sama, why don’t you introduce yourself to Shingen when you feel better? It’s the first time you two have met.」(Riru)
「Oh、that’s right.」(Julienne)
Julienne turned towards Shingen and introduced herself after clearing her throat.
「―――――It’s Julienne Alvershia。I was the knight adjutant of sir Maruto. I’m in charge of the eastern branch of the White Wolf Knights. In the future, pleased to make your acquaintance.」(Julienne)
「Yeah, it’s my pleasure. My name is Shingen. Born in the far eastern land Jiparg. Was a lumberjack. And now――――」(Shingen)
Ortashia interrupted right there while pinching Shingen’s cheek.
「is MY pet!」(Ortashia)
Shingen was wide-eyed.
Ortashia had said that with such a happy tone.
「He was abandoned in the middle of forest.I took pity on him so I decide to take care of him.」(Ortashia)
「Eh?　Hah?　Who did you take for a stray dog?　Who?!」 (Shingen)
Laughters erupted.
Julienne leaned on the table and took a good look at Shingen.
「U～mu. But for real, doesn’t he look similar to him?」
「I also didn’t notice it at first but the resemblance is striking.」
「I also agree.」
「Indeed。Back then, I really didn’t notice too。This is indeed a curious case.」
「Well、there is a saying that there are at least three people with a similar face in this world.」
Shingen let out an unamused voice.
「Heee～for real?」(Shingen)
「Umu。People with those kind of faces usually work as a body double for kings or other important people.」
A body double; someone who would take the blow when others attempted to take the life of that particular person.
For princes and kings, there will always be struggles backstage that can’t be shown to the other aristocrats and assassination attempts are something common for them. This is where a body double will come in handy.
Riru was surprisingly voracious eater.
Because she’s slim, Shingen had thought that she doesn’t eat much but right now she was stuffing her mouth full of food.
「Nom。Here here、Shingen!　Hon’t hust hawk here. Hotherhwise ham honna hit haverything」 (Don’t just gawk there. Otherwise I’m gonna eat everything) (Riru)
While saying that, she munched and cut on the meat vigorously. It was like looking at a mercenary eating on the tavern.
「Shingen?　Hor hou hoing hu hit hat?　Hwhy hor hyu hust herrin hat eet?」(Are you going to eat that? Why are you just staring at it?) (Riru)
「……eh?　what……?」(Shingen)
（―――――why do you keep calling my name again……）
He didn’t understand what Riru was trying to say.
Shingen wryly smiled.
Compared to that, Ortashia was eating the dishes elegantly like a true royal family member.
Maintaining the straight body posture, she cut out the beef with fork and knife dexterously into small portions before taking one portion into her mouth elegantly. It was somewhat amazing.
Ortashia, noticing that gaze on her, turned and looked back at him.