Chapter 148: The Guard Also Join In
「Waa, wawaaa!?」
「Okaーy, it’s Kaede’s lossー! Since Kaede was the one to demolish it, you have to rebuild the tower properly, alright!」
「Ye, yes」
Kaede - who had accidentally pulled down the Jenga tower - is gathering the blocks as Haru smiles innocently and said to her.
It feels like Kaede is completely experiencing what I did to Haru.
Even though she can’t win against me she doesn’t dislike the stance of harassing Kaede who is weaker than herself and a beginner in this game, I wonder if Kaede is fine with that?
「Mufufun, c’mon Kaede stack them up quickly! We can’t play the next game, y’know!」
「Ye, yes!……haaaa, Haru-sama who commands me while smiling innocently is also lovely……」
Kaede-san was commanded by Haru and her casual expression loosened.
Oh well, whatever. They look like they’re having so much fun.
「I guess, as things are we’re going to have some spare time while we wait for the tower to be built, so why don’t you introduce yourself briefly?」
「That’s certainly true. My name is Kaede, I am the guard protecting Haru-sama.」
Kaede-san - who sits at the entrance of the shrine just like me and Haru - said and bowed her head lightly as if to pull herself together.
She has long black hair tied up at the back, and black almond-shaped eyes. Just like Haru, she has a well-proportioned face but rather than being cute it would be more fitting to describe her as a woman who has a beautiful appearance.
With a graceful movement and cold expression on her face as her characteristic, I guess she certainly looks like a female swordsman.
Seeing her like this, you can’t think of her as a person who watches Haru excitedly from the thicket until a short while ago.
「Thank you very much. My name is Alfred and I came to visit Kagura from the Kingdom of Misphilt to sightsee」
「When you say the Misphilt Kingdom, it’s the same country as the Toriela Firm - which had been frequently visiting our country - is it not?」
「Yes, it is so」
「Aah, I am not someone with a status so it’s fine if you don’t speak politely with me」
That’s so? Then, I’ll unreservedly use my usual manner of speaking.
Even so, I guess it’s thanks to Tori’s Firm who had been visiting the place several times, now anyone who knows about the Kingdom will know about it.
While I’m being impressed by that, Kaede turns her almond-shaped eyes toward Shuichi and Roomba.
「……how about that person over there?」
「That was an adventurer and the one having the role as my guard, Roomba.」
「I see, in that case, is Alfried-dono the successor of a noble, or a merchant?」
Ooh, it’s the first time in my life someone called me ‘Alfried-dono’. It feels strange being called that way, a different feeling from being called ‘something-sama’.
「I’m pretty much the second son of a noble」
「Nn? Was Al someone who is important in the Kingdom?」
When I answer so, Haru - who had been silent - asked me that.
「Nnー, so-so I guess? I’m not the head of the family, nor am I the successor」
There’s Nord-tousan as the head of the family, and there is the eldest son Sylvio-niisan as the successor.
I - as the second son - is just a spare for Sylvio-niisan, there’s no other role like this.
Only Nord-tousan and the others are important people, but the same can’t be said when it comes to their children and me. But for now, people are showing a degree of respect to me as the son of a noble, so it’s just so-so.
「……hmーm, is that so. Well, Shuichi and I also have similar circumstances」
「……Haru-sama is, the Daimyo-sama’s daughter. A Daimyo is, you can consider him as someone with a similar status as a noble in Alfried-dono’s country. And then this country’s Shogun, will be like royalty in your country.」
Kaede-san explained, as if to give more details toward what Haru said.
「Houhou, so in other words, Haru and Shuichi has the same circumstances as me, huh」
「Yes, that’s right」
「……u, un. Well, I guess so.」
Wait a minute. Why would Haru as the person in question answered like she’s being evasive?
I got a bad feeling about it somehow though, it will be troublesome if I butt in so let’s just leave it alone.
I’m staying away from troublesome things. It’s a pearl of wisdom to safely survive in society.
I pretend like I’m not interested in any of that and change the subject.
「By the way Kaede-san, why were you hiding in that kind of place?」
「Haru-sama and Shuichi-sama do not really like to walk while taking along their guards, thus someone will always watch over them in secret.」
I see, so that means they are protecting them as they freely walked about while keeping watch on them, huh.
「And yet, Al is amazing to find Kaede easily. Shuichi and I had also tried to find Kaede several times before, but we can’t find her even once, y’know」
「I was really surprised. To think that I was unexpectedly taken by surprise from the rear by such a child………」
「That’s because I’m good at playing hide-and-seek」
I can’t say it. I can’t say that it’s a skill trained solely to run away from my sister.
As I smile wryly while thinking about that kind of thing, Kaede-san finished stacking the tower.
「Yosh, the tower is ready. Let’s do it one more time!」
◆
Just like that, the three of us continue to play Jenga, as Haru and Kaede-san keep on losing repeatedly. Occasionally, I also made a mistake in control and brought down the tower, but the losing side is basically Haru and Kaede-san - those two.
「Gununu, once more!」
Haru gathers the Jenga blocks she accidentally brought down while saying that.
Perhaps Haru likes the Jenga but hates losing in it that unless I lost several times, she kept on challenging me in the game. I feel like this side of her is a bit similar to Eleonora-neesan.
Oh well, I’m just pulling the blocks while talking leisurely, I don’t think it will bother her that much so I’m sure it’s fine.
As I look up at the sky while exhaling, I feel a sense of discomfort coming from the thicket for the second time.
Is there another guard like Kaede who came here?
Casually giving a sidelong glance at Kaede to confirm it, her eyes are moving restlessly.
She wanted to leave this place for a moment, but it looks like she can’t decide whether it’s fine for her to leave or not.
「Ahー, why don’t you check on them if you’re bothered by it?」
「Eh?」
When I tell her that with a small voice, Kaede-san turn around and looked at me with a surprised expression on her face.
「No, I mean, someone seems to be looking in our direction from the thicket, is that Kaede-san’s acquaintances?」
「……y, yees. So you also realize it?」
「Well, you know. We still have time until Haru finished building the tower, so why don’t you go see them?」
「Please excuse me, in that case, I will be leaving for a moment. Until then, please keep Haru-sama company」
When I said that to her, Kaede-san slightly lowered her head and walked toward the thicket.
Then, it’s a guy wearing Kagura clothes this time, huh? He came out from the thicket to meet with Kaede-san.
Well, Kaede-san - who serves as a guard watching over Haru from the shadow - is right in front of Haru anyway. So there will probably be no problem even if she went to leave her for a bit right now.
As for the rear, she doesn’t trust me or Roomba to completely take her eyes off Haru. It’s the correct decision as a guard, it’s not making me feel uncomfortable or anything.
「Kaede-sama, I have something to discuss with you, but………」
「What is it?」
I can vaguely hear their conversation, maybe because Kaede-san and the man are not that far from us.
「Actually it’s about Kaede-sama’s older brother, he said that he wanted to resign from his job」
「Haa? My older brother always said that he wanted to resign from his job, didn’t he? You’re interrupting my time with Haru-sama for that kind of thing?」
The man involuntarily flinched from the pressure given by Kaede-san.
Kaede-san, scary. Even though she was a dignified and graceful swordswoman a short while ago.
Or rather, while she said that she’s not some important person herself, but I think that others are actually talking to her politely with a ‘-sama’.
「But, he appears unusually serious today」
「You guys are the only one seeing him like that. But my older brother is someone who only thinks about ridiculous things inside while he looks dignified and all you know that?」
「Ye, yeees……」
As he heard Kaede-san, the man looks at Kaede-san with a skeptical look on his face.
Kaede-san, do you know of the word boomerang? While Kaede-san has a dignified appearance outwardly, she only thinks about ridiculous things inside, huh.
「……what’s with those eyes?」
「No, it’s nothing!」
「I understand that you are hesitant to say some things to my older brother considering your position, but at that time you should ask my mother. That way, everything will be settled peacefully as usual.」
「Yes! I understand」
When Kaede-san tell him that, the man deeply bowed and started to run off
Following with her eyes, then Kaede-san returned to us with a graceful manner.
「Did your brother say that he wants to resign from his job?」
「So you have heard that. It’s embarrassing that my family’s matter has been brought to light like this. Well, my older brother always said that kind of things so there’s nothing to worry about」
She turns toward Haru - as if the conversation is over -, I guess Kaede-san doesn’t want to say any more than that.
Hmーm, so the troubles of wanting to resign from their jobs are everywhere, then.
I feel sorry for Kaede-san, but I want to help that older brother of hers - who said that he wants to resign from his job.
Speaking of someone wanting to resign from his job, I wonder what happened with a similar swordsman, Kojirou?
I hope he can safely resign from his job, and be able to tread a path toward his eel’s restaurant.
「Yosh, Kaede has also returned, let’s resume the Jenga!」
On that day, not only did I play Jenga with Haru and Kaede, Roomba and Shuichi also joined in and we played a lot of Jenga games until it’s evening.
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