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A Small Meeting
Author note :
Viscount Dole is so popular.
After listening to Tickle and Viscount Dole, I left the break room and headed toward my own room to take a short rest.
As expected, Tickle would not be able to rest if I were to stay there. Either way, it will still take a bit more time for her magic power to recover, so there’s nothing else to do until then. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
When I climb the stairs trying to take this chance to treat myself to a nap, Nord-tousan came out from the living room.
「Hm? Al. What happened, you were accompanying Viscount Dole, right?」
「He went to the lounge and shut himself inside and started to write a script for a puppet show.  It will be alright, he probably won’t be leaving the room for a while now」
As I answer like that and was about to continue upstairs, Nord-tousan grabbed my hand.
「What do you mean by a script for a puppet show?」
「Umm, it means just what I said, though? You move the dolls and make a play with them」
「

I feel like this will become a troublesome matter if we don’t talk about it. Come to the living room」
「EehăƒŒă€
He didn’t even allow me to refuse as Nord-tousan dragged me into the living room.
Even though I was planning to have a nap on my bed. Fine, whatever.  There is a soft sofa in the living room, I can just take a nap there.
「Ara? Didn’t you go out to check on Viscount Dole?」
As I enter the living room with Nord-tousan, I saw Elna-kaasan sitting on the sofa while knitting something.
Looking closely, that slippers. I see, she makes slippers that can fit Viscount Dole’s size. I feel like it’s been a while since I saw Elna-kaasan doing housework.
「Later, I think that Al was doing something I’m concerned about before I do that」
「Eh no, I told you I didn’t do anything」
I don’t make it myself this time, I just let it slip out of my mouth.
Even when I said that Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan’s gazes were stabbing me. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「So Al did something again, didn’t he」
With a sigh, Elna-kaasan stops with her slippers-making and moves to the table.
It looks like I can’t avoid having some sort of a small family meeting now.
I felt a silent-like pressure from the two of them, I reluctantly sit down with them at the table.
「So, for Viscount Dole to start writing a script for a puppet show, just what kind of thing did you tell him to influence him, Al?」
「Saying it ‘to influence him’ is making it scandalous, you know. I just told him that you can make a play with dolls if you moved the dolls with Psychic and use Wind magic to carry your voice to the dolls」
「「Haa

」」
Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan sighed when I exactly explained the circumstances for my actions.
「Again, Al came up with something absurd again.....」
「And I hate the fact that it is innovative and sounds interesting」
「Right, right? It will be interesting if a play with only dolls was completed. We can express movements impossible for humans and the cuteness of a doll, I’m looking forward to when Viscount Dole completed it」
「See, that’s you influencing people right」
I suddenly realize it after Nord-tousan retorts like that.
Right, this makes it look like I was influencing Viscount Dole. Oh my god. This is the consequence when you continue on after Elna-kaasan’s words. As always, what a terrifying mother.
「It’s a realistic plan that can be realized as long as they practice the technique. One will be able to complete something somehow if one were to make full use of Viscount Dole’s enthusiasm and financial power」
「No no, as expected, that’s too exaggerated」
This is mainly just for Viscount Dole’s hobby after all, in the first place, it’s still unclear whether he will agree with the idea of making a puppet show. No way it will suddenly turn into a big theater like the one in the royal capital so suddenly, so it should not happen as Elna-kaasan’s misgivings. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「The Reversi and Spinning Top Al came up with earns us a lot of money though. So there is a high possibility that it will also be the same this time.」
Err, that’s certainly true, but toys and puppet show is different.
As Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan are giving it some more thought, the atmosphere inside the living room became heavy for some reason.
「In any case, can you tell us more about it after the specifics have been decided? I’m not sure if that puppet show will be completed, but if we act after the situation has gotten too big, then we will not be able to respond in time」
「Un, okay」
I will adequately report things that will likely have anything to do with the territory. That's my promise with Nord-tousan.
Though I said that, I don’t think it will turn into something big.
◆
「Alfried-sama, it is time for dinner」
I wake up after hearing Sara’s knock along with her voice calling out to me.
I returned to my room and took a nap after I had finished the small meeting with Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan, but it looks like I slept for a long time. It’s getting dark outside and the room is becoming darker.
Nonetheless, I don’t know if I woke up at the wrong timing or what but I still feel a little sleepy.
Sara is a serious person, she must want to wake me up ahead of time. Let’s sleep again now and went downstairs after feeling refreshed for sleeping again. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「OkayăƒŒ. I will go down soon」
「You said that, but please don’t get in the futon again」
Just when I was about to go to sleep again, Sara entered my room and mercilessly tear off the futon from me.
Hey, just when did you enter?
「I’m still sleepy, just a little longer」
「You can’t. The guest - Viscount Dole - is here today, so you have to take a seat ahead of time」
Even when I said that with a tone that was like a spoiled child, it doesn’t have any effect on  Sara at all.
Guess it’s understandable.  I’m neither a beautiful girl nor a beautiful boy.
Or rather, I think Viscount Dole will not care about something like that though.
It can’t be helped since it’s because of the guest we have. Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan will be angry at me if I were to become too unreasonable, so I crawl out from the futon and suppress my unrefreshed mood.
「You have a terrible face right now. Why don’t you go and wash your face first?」
「I know what you mean but your way of saying it was harsh」
When you say it like that, it makes it seem like I was being called naturally ugly.
Be that as it may, I can imagine how horrible my drowsy face is right now.
「Get me a towel」
「Understood」
When I ordered that, Sara take out a towel from the cabinet as if she was used to it.
After that, I use Water magic to make a small Water ball float in front of me, and then I stick my face into the Water ball.
As the cold water covered my face, the drowsiness that feels like my mind had been covered by mist suddenly was driven off all at once. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
I lightly wash my face so I can enjoy the coldness of the water. After that, I only hold out my right hand while my face is still inside the water, and Sara - who understood my intention - handed the towel to me.
During this time, if I were to do the same with Mina, she will start saying something incomprehensible like 「I don’t have cookies, you know!?」. A capable maid is really different.
I wipe my face dry while thinking about something like that and then I hand over the towel to Sara. My bangs are a little wet so I used Wind magic to make wind and dried it a bit.
Un, there’s nothing out of place after doing all this, next is just let them dry naturally and it should be enough.
As I finished my preparation and was about to walk downstairs, my foot stepped on something soft.
「Hm?」
「What’s the matter Alfried-sama?」
Wondering what it is, I pick it up and found out that it was the frog doll made by Viscount Dole, Gekota.
「Aah, it’s the doll made by Viscount Dole」
「It’s dangerous to leave too many things on the floor you know」
That’s true. Viscount Dole will be mad if he were to see the scene of someone stepping on a doll.
When I was about to return the doll to the table so that I won’t step on it again, I remember something.
It was what Nord-tousan told me earlier in the living room.
It’s not like we’re going to sell this, but it was made using my idea so I’ll bring this along with me to tell him about it.
Thinking like that, I put Gekota inside my pocket.
「Okay then, let’s go」
I left the room with Sara.
As we go down the stairs to head to the dining room, we heard Tickle’s flustered voice coming from the direction of the lounge.
「Ma, master! We will keep the Slowlett members waiting if we do not prepare ourselves!」
Despite this being almost the time for dinner, it seems like Viscount Dole still doesn’t come out from the lounge.
I wonder if he has become so absorbed in writing the script for the play? www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「

can I take a look at them first?」
「Yes, she looks to be in a fix」
It would be troubling if something were to happen to our guest, Viscount Dole.
I’m worried about Viscount Dole, so I approach Tickle in front of the lounge.
「What happened?」
「Ah, I apologize for the noise. Umm, it is almost dinner time but the Viscount still had not come out of the room.....」
「Don’t tell me he collapses inside?」
「He is fine. He replied to me」
When I try to peek inside the room from the door’s gap just to make sure, I saw him frenetically writing the script.
「Ah, he is currently concentrating on writing」
「Yes, he replied when I call out to him the first time, but then he did not reply after I called out to him again and again so I’m worried」
Hmm, when he becomes like this it is useless to say anything now that he’s concentrating.
「Viscount Dole, it’s time for dinnerăƒŒă€
As a test, I try to call him while knocking on the door but there was no response.
This is pointless. He is already absorbed in his world of imagination.
「You also can’t open the door even if you try to open it since it’s locked」
「Alfried-sama, what about your favorite magic of locking and unlocking the door?」
「That's just Psychic magic. But, I don’t know if he will respond even if we enter and persuade him」
「Ma, master will become too absorbed in things if it has something to do with dolls」
Viscount Dole’s ability to concentrate and his enthusiasm backfired right now. I guess this is also my fault for saying things like a puppet show. I’m going to be scolded if Viscount Dole doesn’t come out for dinner.
「We have to draw Viscount Dole’s attention one way or another......」
Speaking of drawing Viscount Dole’s attention, as expected it’s only dolls.
I touch Gekota in my pocket, then I came up with a plan.