Chapter 128: Idle Talk - Chilled Towel
(Author : This time was the story of the first day when Al went on a journey toward Kagura. It’s going to be the maid Sara’s POV.)
「……that kid, I wonder if he’s alright? He’s not doing to some sort of a strange thing during the travel, right?」
「……I want to think that he will be fine since there are also people from Toriela’s Firm.」
Elna-sama and Nord-sama look worried as they return to the mansion after we see Alfried-sama - with the people of Toriela’s Firm - off on their journey.
「Mel-san! What kind of sweets do you think Kagura has?」
「I don’t know that even if you ask me. If it’s Bartolo-san maybe he knows about it, right?」
「I’m not very familiar with it, but there should be something like a sweet, soft, and chewy Dango」
「Dango! I’m looking forward to the souvenirs!」
Mina, Mel-san, Bartolo-san is happily talking about the souvenirs from Kagura. Even though we’ve just seen him off, I think it’s too soon to talk about souvenirs. Though at least, it would take more than a month and a half before he came back.
But, I wonder why? That sweet, soft, and chewy dango struck a chord within me. It’s like I’m going to drool just imagining the taste.
「Eleonora-neesan, what’s the matter?」
When I secretly wipe the little bit of drool that leaks out from the edge of my mouth, Sylvio-sama nervously calls out.
Looking in the direction of Sylvio-sama’s gaze, there is Eleonora-sama, who is folding her arms while scowling at the far-off carriage in the distance.
Those red, long slit eyes of hers were narrowed and looked sullen, she had an atmosphere as if she didn’t like the idea that Alfried-sama is going to Kagura.
Kagura is a foreign country where it takes around two weeks for a one-way trip. Even at the latest, she wouldn't be able to meet him again for one month and a half after he leaves. I guess it’s around the middle of the sixth month when he returns.
And right around that time, Eleonora-sama also had the arrangement at the royal capital for joint training with the knights, so they will cross paths without being able to meet.
Eleonora-sama is scheduled to return in eight months. In other words, she will not be able to meet Alfried-sama for three months.
Eleonora-sama would be lonely since she will not be able to meet with her little brother whom she always cherishes.
Though her cherished Alfried-sama is obsessed with going to Kagura and doesn’t seem to realize that sort of thing. I’m sure that if he realized it, Eleonora-sama would hit him while being excited after all.
「……it’s nothing」
When the carriage can no longer be seen, Eleonora-sama muttered sadly.
Her expression looked much softer than the one before, it appears that she has calmed down from feeling lonely and angry.
「Is that so, then let’s go back to the mansion」
「I’m not returning. Let’s have some practice just like this」
Sylvio-sama looked relieved and tried to return to the mansion, but then Eleonora-sama grabbed his arm and smiled.
「Eeh!? But we still have time until the time for practice right?」
「Still have time huh, it’s only one hour, isn’t it. That’s just a little bit of a time difference. Just a bit.」
Apparently, Eleonora-sama is using the practice to vent her feelings she can’t let out. Sylvio-sama is skillful in defending against his opponent’s attack with the shield, so I guess he would be a good partner to vent.
This, also happens when Alfried-sama went to the royal capital.
「Just a bit of a difference you said, you’re making an excuse like Al―― ouch, ouch!? Alright! I’m going! Loosen your grip on my arm!」
Although Sylvio-sama also knows that it would become like this, he’s a good kid that will dutifully go along with you. No, perhaps he knows that if he doesn't let her vent it early on then it would be worse later.
Strongly pulling Sylvio-sama toward the courtyard as she looks happy, Sylvio-sama follows her while looking dispirited.
「Sara! We will be doing a warm-up exercise, bring the usual practice toolsー!」
「Understood.」
Replying to Eleonora-sama’s cheerful voice, I returned to the mansion to get the practice tools.
◆ ◆ ◆
「Alright, today’s practice is over.」
Hearing those words from Nord-sama, Sylvio-sama sits down on the ground and sighs as if he was relieved.
Sylvio-sama's forehead was dripping with sweat, maybe because the temperature rose and it became warmer. However, I think half of that is the cold sweat that came out while defending against the dreadful attack from Eleonora-sama.
I was standing by the edge of the yard, so I ran up to Sylvio-sama and passed him a towel.
「Tha, thank you. Sara」
Even while he’s breathing roughly, it is commendable of Sylvio-sama to thank me.
Although the Slowlett family is nobles, everyone politely thanked the maids, who are just commoners.
For the people who love to do a job that is helpful to others like us, that is another source of happiness in and of itself.
「Don’t mention it, there is also lemon water, please drink it if you’d like」
Sylvio-sama drinks the lemon water slowly when I present him the thermos while smiling.
「Eeh? But we still have time, right?」
When she heard that the practice is over, Eleonora-sama said that while looking unhappy as she wiped the flowing sweat flowing down her forehead.
Hearing that, Sylvio-sama’s body trembled.
「That’s because we started early today. Besides, Eleonora will have the vigilante corps practice from the afternoon, right?」
「But I can still go on you know?」
Apparently, it is still insufficient with the usual menu and having Sylvio-sama as her opponent.
Usually, Alfried-sama will avoid Eleonora-sama’s attack, again and again, thus exhausting her stamina, but he’s not here today.
Eleonora-sama has also turn thirteen years old. It should be a time when she has a lot of excess stamina.
It appears that the burden on her body has become less intense than before recently, probably it’s thanks to her body growth.
「Alright. Then, for the remaining time, I shall be your practice opponent. Sylvio you can take a break.」
Having said that, Nord-sama took the wooden sword that was stabbed on the ground.
Eleonora-sama stands ready with her sword looking very happy since Nord-sama will end up as her opponent.
And we know that a fierce exchange of blows will start from now on, so Sylvio-sama and I quickly move toward the edge of the yard.
In the courtyard, Nord-sama casually stands ready with a sword in his hands, while Eleonora-sama is standing with a serious expression on her face on the opposite side. There is a tense atmosphere - unsuited to the calm spring weather - drifting in the air.
「Ara, the two of you are going to do it again?」
Just when I expected the fierce exchanges to occur, before I knew it, Elna-sama was already standing beside me. Alfried-sama and Elna-sama occasionally appear just like this, there are also times when it’s bad for the heart.
「……you can come at me any time.」
「Haaaaaaaaaaa!」
When Nord-sama said that, Eleonora-sama shouted as she attacks with a downward swing. She took two short steps, closing their distance in the third step, then swung her sword down from above.
On the other hand, it’s as if Nord-sama already knows the trajectory as he met her wooden sword with his.
Eleonora-sama didn’t want to bring their sword to lock against each other, as she nimbly pulled her sword back, then she swings her sword diagonally downward in a succession, taking a step and did a side sweep with her sword then continued with consecutive storm-like attacks.
I could only see until the first three strikes, but after that, it only looks like the wooden sword keeps on clashing at a speed where I can hardly see them.
*Gan*, *gagagan*, such sounds resounded as Nord-sama and Eleonora-sama were going around the place as they swap places.
It’s like they’re having a dance or a sword dance with their flowing-like movement, it’s beautiful.
「Ahー, Eleonora is still not good enough.」
When I was still watching their sword dance in fascination, Elna-sama muttered while with a wry smile on her face.
Sylvio-sama and I were tilting our heads since we don’t know what’s wrong with Eleonora-sama.
「The sharpness of her move and speed is good, though she wouldn’t be able to beat Nord with just that.」
And perhaps she senses our confusion, Elna-sama said that while broadly smiling.
Elna-sama is a magician, but maybe it’s because she was also an adventurer in the past so it seems that her fighting skill is quite good. And she had fought against a swordsman, so even if she was not one herself she would understand what is right or wrong in someone’s movement. It seems that she was in the same party as the Dragon Slayer, Nord-sama.
Though, whether it’s me or the other maids, we’re feeling a strong sense of doubt that Elna-sama was an adventurer……
「Guuh!」
While I was having such thoughts, Eleonora-sama, who was fighting in the courtyard, rolled over on the ground many times. The fallen Eleonora-sama immediately stands up, and she starts to attack again, aiming at Nord-sama.
On the other hand, after feigning to defend himself by facing her sword and shifted his body, Nord-sama stretched his leg all of a sudden.
「Ueeh!?」
Perhaps she didn't expect that move, Eleonora-sama fell for that move as she staggered and fall over. Immediately after that, Nord-sama hit Eleonora-sama at the back of her head.
「Oucーh!?」
「Alright, it’s over」
While Eleonora-sama is crouching and holding her head, Nord-sama announces that with a calm voice.
Elna-sama is laughing pleasantly at the usual scene, while Sylvio-sama is making a wry smile.
It only looks like he was pushing her lightly, but it appears that it was quite painful. The other day, Alfried-sama said that with a serious expression…
I was half in doubt, even Eleonora-sama raised her voice like that so it’s probably painful. And yet, I always wondered about it since there is no swelling on their body.
「Eleonora still has a long way of in terms of using tactics against your opponent. You need to pay even more attention to your line of sight, and you can’t set on attacking with the same form. You also have a bad habit of trying to attack with such a straightforward speed when you become too excited. 」
「……yes」
Eleonora-sama answered while holding her head.
In the meantime, I return to the food storeroom to prepare the chilled towel.
Eleonora-sama likes to wipe her body with a chilled towel after the practice ended, so I need to prepare the towel using the Ice magic tool in advance.
I took out the chilled towel from the ice magic tool, and when I returned to the courtyard the evaluation session of Nord-sama and Eleonora-sama continued.
「Al is very good at using this kind of tactic, so it would be great if you can try to steal his technique while trying to remember the way he fought. That Al, he can change the way his sword moves from the same form, and he’s good at swinging his sword toward a different direction from his line of sight. Just the other day, he was incessantly aiming at my groin and shin, making me flustered. 」
「……certainly, when it comes to using foul tactics, Al is great at them. 」
Then, Eleonora-sama cheerfully comes back to look for me, maybe because there’s finally a break in between their conversation.
「Sara! Give me the towel!」
「Yes, here it is.」
When I hand over the towel to Eleonora-sama - who was running toward me -, her eyes widened as if she was surprised by something.
「……huh? This is cold.」
「Would you like it not cold?」
I wonder if she wanted to wipe her sweat with a normal towel. Just when I took out a normal towel and was about to exchange it, Eleonora-sama shook her head.
「No, that’s not it. Did you freeze it without using Al’s magic?」
Aah, so that’s what she meant.
The towel chilled using Alfried-sama’s magic is perfectly chilled, it’s really at just the right temperature.
Even if you try to reproduce it using the ice magic tools in the mansion, it is quite difficult to adjust since the cold air from the magic tool is too cold that it will turn out to be something like a frozen sheet. That’s why we couldn’t make a chilled towel if Alfried-sama is not around.
「Certainly, that is true, but this time we did some trial and error with Alfried-sama so that we can make it ourselves even with just a magic tool. According to Alfried-sama, Eleonora-sama will get angry if we can’t get a chilled towel when it’s getting hotter at this time of the year. 」
Following Alfried-sama’s idea, he kept on experimenting about how much magic power is used when making it, or how much we should decrease the magic power and such while also considering other ingredients.
「Aah, come to think of it, I think he was in the storehouse throughout the day. Though I thought he was worried about what kind of food to bring to Kagura, so he made something like that, huh.」
After hearing what I said, Elna-sama said that as if she’s come to an understanding.
「I, is that so」
Hearing the both of us, Eleonora-sama murmured while burying her face into the chilled towel.
「……haaー, it feels good」
She smiles quite happily while saying that as her face loosened.
It goes without saying, that smiling face is probably due to other reasons than the comfortable feeling from the chilled towel.
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