[Ah, nothingā¦ itās justā¦. Thatās a really proper way to eat. Very unlike someone over here.] (Shingen)
[Who is that someone?!] (Riru)
Riru responded instantaneously.
While still having some food left in her mouth. Grossā¦
Even so Ortashiaās mood didnāt seem to change. She laughed at the sight instead. One could easily mistake her as a goddess at this very moment.
A goddess with an eye as sharp as a knife that is.
[Well first of all, the royal family is taught all kinds of manners. Iād want Riru to be honest, but elegance is something I want to maintain regardless.] (Ortashia)
[Gufu?!] (Riru)
Riru eyes opened wide.
Apparently, there was something clogging her throat.
[Araraļ½ are you okay?] (Mina)
Mina quickly went to Riruās side and, with a gentle voice, tapped her back repeatedly.
[Ahahaha. Itās always lively with you guys! Iāll never feel bored!] (Julienne)
[Very true. Just as usual, itās always lively when all the adjutants come together! Itāll be like a party instead of a simple meal.] (Ortashia)
Shingen caressed the back of his neck.
[Eh? There are more of Marutoās adjutants out there?] (Shingen)
[There were quite a lot of them. I believe itās around 20, give or take? Sometimes I even mistook someone elseās name with another adjutant.]
That was an eyebrow raiser.
Itās abnormal to have that many no matter how you think about it.
But itās a military thing so Shingen had no idea if itās normal or not. Anyways, itās nothing really important.
Shingen did not know how good of a person Maruto was, but an ordinary commander generally only has four adjutants
He felt that something is really wrong here.
ļ¼āāāāāāCould it be perhapsā¦ā¦ļ¼
Shingen narrowed his eyes and asked Julienne.
[Hold on a second. Just wondering, but donāt tell me that all of the adjutants are female?] (Shingen)
[Nn? ā¦ā¦thatās actually the case, yes. All of them are female.] (Julienne)
Shingen smiled bitterly after hearing that answer.
Itās just as he thought.
Maruto was really an enviable man.
So much so that itās annoying.
ļ¼āāāāāāOioi Maruto, isnāt that the same as having your very own harem?! What the hell?! What kind of s##t did you try to pull off!?ļ¼ (TL Note: Harem is any normal guy dream, am I right? *wink*)
Once he calmed down, Shingen tried to imagine in his mind if he were in Marutoās shoes.
Of course, he would feel happy being surrounded by girls.
There was also Ortashia who was pretty close to Maruto. That thought made his ears turned red.
When Maruto quietly slipped his arm around her shoulder as if it was natural thing to do and that moment when they embraced each other quietly, unintentionally. All of those thoughts simply drove Shingen crazy.
Well, since Ortashia is just next to him, Shingen stopped his daydreaming with a cough.
=====
Some time after the meal was over, a small tea party was held at Ortashiaās behest.
In Ardesil, itās considered a fashion to drink tea and eat small snacks after a meal.
Ortashia was looking forward to it.
Mina had prepared in advance a pot of scented tea alongside a basket of baked goods made of flour and milk.
Iāve been waiting for this; this sentence was all over Ortashiaās face as she took a piece of bread and put it in her mouth.
The snack let out a crisp sound upon being chewed.
[Umu. This is really well-baked.] (Ortashia)
After expressing her satisfaction, she passed the round basket to Shingen.
Shingen accepted it and looked at the strange food.
[In my country, this is called a ācookieā.] (Ortashia)
[Cookie?] (Shingen)
[Anyways, try eating it.] (Ortashia)
Shingen took one out and cracked it with his teeth.
The ācookieā had a mysterious kind of taste.
It was fairly hard to chew, but it let out a nice fragrant that inhaled upon entering the mouth.
[Delicious!] (Shingen)
[Fufufu. I know right?] (Ortashia)
Ortashia looked happy as if she was the one who created the sweets. Though the snack actually originated from Julienneās idea.
Sheās an alchemist who usually concocted medicine to treat wounds but apparently she also enjoys cooking and baking sweets herself.
In this case, it was also her who prepared the cookies.
It was Maruto who first tasted it them from Maruto to Ortashia and then to the capital, where it later spread to the commoners. Now everyone can enjoy the same kind of sweets.
Except in the countrysideā¦.
Ortashia picked up the cup with the still warm tea inside it this time.
She started to drink it after enjoying the scent for a while.
After taking a sip, she put the cup back on the table since she reminisced something.
[Nn? By the way, how is Elize doing?] (Ortashia)
Julienne replied with a bitter face.
[Aa, Elize is it?ā¦ā¦she was travelling together with us back thenā¦ but she got lost along the way.] (Julienne)
[Good grief.] (Ortashia)
Ortashia had an annoyed face.
Julienne also shrugged her shoulders. Shingen then asked about this Elize.
[Who is this Elize?] (Shingen)
[Ah, one of Marutoās deputies. Now sheās Julienneās escort.] (Ortashia)
The focus turned to Julienne.
[Escorting meā¦.but did she really escort me? Doing it in secrecy and all that? (Julienne)
[No, well, itās said that she used to be an assassin before. But there is no sign of her around here at the moment.] (Ortashia)
[That girl is free-spirited. Almost like a cat.] (Shingen)
ļ¼āāāāāālike a catā¦ā¦ļ¼
Since there was no sign, then it means that sheās not here.
Itās just a matter of picking the wrong person for the job.
Apparently, she had abandoned her duty to escort Julienne.
Moreover, it seemed that Julienne herself didnāt want an escort but took the chance anyways, since from how she didnāt have a sword on her person, sheās not a combat-oriented personnel.
Shingen smiled bitterly.
When he was imagining what kind of girl she is, he somehow had goosebumps.
[Eh?] (Shingen)
A cold voice could be heard from behind him.
[ā¦ā¦who are you?] (Elize)
ļ¼āāāāāāI wasnāt even awareā¦ā¦ļ¼ Who is sheā¦ā¦ļ¼ļ¼
The voice lacked emotion but at the same, time full of vigor. Shingen tried to reply in as friendly as possible.
[Errā¦..I am Shingen.] (Shingen)
[Shingenā¦..? I donāt know you. You, friend or foe?] (Elize)
She put more pressure to the dagger she held in her hand. Then she continued with the strange questioning.
[Why do you look so much like Maruto?] (Elize)
[Even if you ask me thatā¦.] (Shingen)
Shingen didnāt have any idea what was going on.
One thing is for certain: someone is leaking murderous intent behind him.
It was also a childlike voice.
He froze until he could better grasp the situation.
Ortashia, Julienne, Riru, and Mina didnāt seem surprised or alarmed.
Itās as if there is nothing abnormal happened.
Ortashia took another sip of Minaās teaā¦.
Knowing that the girl in question was not their enemy.
Ortashia laughed after giving Shingen a sideways glance.
She seemed to be enjoying the situation. Shingen sighed.
[Itās Elize, isnāt it?] (Shingen)
[Wh, why do you know my name ?!] (She used ābokuā to address herself here) (Elize)
ļ¼āāāāāāSheās actually a ābokukkoāļ¼ļ¼
(TL note: a girl that address herself with boku instead of watashi/atashi like a normal girl usually do.)
Elize was seemingly surprised when Shingen mentioned her name.
[Watch out!] (Shingen)
Shingenās body moved on reflex, unintentionally grabbing the hand that held the dagger.
It was cold
He couldnāt sense the warmth of a living being at all. She then pulled her hand back.
Shingen turned towards Elize.
There stood a little girl with an unfriendly face. Her hair was silver in color. Her muddy brown eyes was shining with murderous glare, much like Ortashia.
ļ¼āāāāāāMaruto even took a child as his subordinate?ļ¼
Elize glared angrily at Shingen.
She was scratching her hand that was grabbed by him earlier, making Shingen feel guilty.
ļ¼āāāāāāI guess I should apologize.ļ¼
[Ah that, Iām sorry. It was just random grabbingā¦] (Shingen)
She didnāt reply.
Only glaring while standing there silently.
And then, with an annoyed look, suddenly kicked Shingen right in his face.