Chapter 256: A Harmonious Family Before Dinner
「……we’re going to have dinner in a while. Largo will call you when it’s time, so until that time you can slowly relax in your room」
Eric tells me that with a somewhat haggard face as he got out of the water.
「What about Eric?」
「……I’m going to rest in my room for a bit」
After Eric answered with a voice that has no strength in it, he walked to the hallways with a tottering and tired-looking gait.
「……did he get tired from taking a bath?」
「No, that’s because Al had stimulated his trauma」
Sylvio-niisan is faithful to his role to tsukkomi my stupid boke. 1
But thanks to the incident that happened before, I was able to seize Eric’s weakness.
「……Al, you’re making a really bad face right now, you know?」
「There’s no way that’s true, Sylvio-niisan. Rather than that, let’s also return to our room and rest」
「Don’t bully Eric-kun too much all right」
How rude. I’m not a bully you know.
◆
「「I’m backー」」
「「Welcome back」」
When we returned to the large room assigned to us, Elna-kaasan, Nord-tousan, and Eleonora-neesan simultaneously replies.
Elna-kaasan is standing by the window and staring at the sea, while Nord-tousan is leisurely reading a book on the sofa. As for Eleonora-neesan, she put things like her personal equipment on the carpet and did maintenance on them.
It looks like everyone is spending their time as they like until dinner time.
How nice, this kind of laid-back atmosphere.
When you’re traveling, even people who have a job mostly can’t do their work.
Setting aside my previous world where personal computer and the internet was popular when you leave the place where you work you basically can’t do anything since there is no means of communication in this world.
Thanks to that, Nord-tousan - who is always busy with his work as a lord - now is also in a completely off mode. His expression now is brimming with a sense of liberation.
This sort of sense of liberation in this world, I might have lost it in my previous life, huh. For example, even though it was my day off I was forced to respond to e-mails or receive phone calls from work. Could that sort of day be called ‘day off’? ‘A convenient world’ is also something that needs to be thought over carefully.
Oh well, it doesn’t matter to me now since that was my previous life and I’ve been reincarnated in this world.
Now I just have to enjoy this relaxing time as I please.
For the time being, Sylvio-niisan and I move toward the sofa to take a rest.
「Oya? Al and Sylvio’s skin are completely tanned, aren’t they」
「Ara, it’s true. Especially Sylvio’s skin, they become red」
It looks like the change in our skin are noticeable with a single look.
Elna-kaasan - who was staring at the sea from the window - also comment on it while smiling gently.
When she smiles by the window like that, she looks like the typical young woman who stands by the window. Her appearance with her hair fluttering, due to the sea breeze blowing on her hair, and the light from the setting sun coming in from the window makes her look very picturesque.
「Putting aside Al who has stronger skin, it’s better for Sylvio to use cream and put on a hat from tomorrow on」
Elna-kaasan compares me with Sylvio-niisan, then she moves to her bag and starts rummaging through it.
「Hm? What is a ‘cream’?」
「It’s a cream to prevent sunburn」2
「Eh? What’s that? If there is something like that then I also want to use them」
If there is such a convenient cream, then even I want to use it.
Was she use it every year? This is the first time I knew about the existence of that thing.
「Al’s skin is more resistant to sunburn, right? So you don’t have to use it all the time. Besides, this cream is high-class goods so it’s quite hard to get my hands on this」
Saying that, Elna-kaasan takes out an amber-colored bottle of cream from the pouch. And as she open the lid, a fruity smell drifted in the surroundings.
It’s a really nice smell. I think it contains ingredients that have things like medical efficacy, but I guess they include that smell in consideration for the people using it.
While I was having such thoughts, Elna-kaasan closes the lid and put the bottle back.
It seems like she took it out to let us understand the high-class feel of the cream.
「No wonder Eleonora-neesan and Elna-kaasan don’t get sunburn each year」
「Setting me aside, I don’t let Eleonora use them anymore」
「Eh? Why is that?」
I thought that if it was Elna-kaasan, she will definitely make Eleonora-neesan use it to maintain her femininity.
So it’s strange that she doesn’t let her use it.
「I mean look, that child doesn’t get sunburn that much, and she will just head outside often so it’s pointless even if she applied the sunblock」
「「Aaaahー」」
Hearing Elna-kaasan’s answer, Sylvio-niisan and I exclam in agreement.
When we unconsciously looked in Eleonora-neesan’s direction, we saw her polishing her personal leather equipment.
When I try to stare at her skin, there is no trace of being sunburned at all. It’s the same white skin as usual.
Even though we went outside for the whole day and she went harpooning in the sea and such, I think it is strange.
「My daughter’s skin is so beautiful, I’m envious」
「Well, Eleonora-neesan is still young after all――」
Just as I innocently answer Elna-kaasan envious’ remark, I felt a sudden chill throughout my body.
「……so that means, I’m not young anymore?」
It was a voice that seems like it resounded from the depth of hell.
It feels like my heart is being grabbed directly, and I can’t properly breathe.
Even though it’s currently summer, the air in the room feels very cold, and the air of tension in the room stings my skin.
Everyone else turns silent, only the sound of Eleonora-neesan polishing her personal leather equipment can be heard.
What should I do? I can’t find something to cover up the things I said before. Think, think of something. I have to overcome this desperate pinch by using all kinds of sweet words and compliments.
I work my brain harder. First, let’s sort out the remarks before.
『My daughter’s skin is so beautiful, I’m envious』
『Well, Eleonora-neesan is still young after all――』
『……so that means, I’m not young anymore?』
……isn’t this impossible? No matter how I smooth things over, the implication of what I said can only be taken as Elna-kaasan being old, already.
There’s no way out of this, even for me who had overcome a lot of situations with flattery. Why couldn’t I take back the words coming out of my mouth?
Not good. This is dangerous. If I stay silent like this, then it will be taken as if I’m affirming what she said.
I, I have to say something. I know I have to say something, but my mouth can’t move since I don’t know the true nature of this feeling of oppression and tension.
Th, that’s right. Let’s pass this to Sylvio-niisan.
「Sy――」
「Neesan, it’s fine to maintain your personal equipment, but it would be better if you properly wipe your hair first, you know? They are still wet」
「It will stay wet even if I wipe and wipe my hair. It’s fine to leave it like this」
「You can’t do that. You have such beautiful hair after all. Okay then, I will help wipe them for you」
This son of a! He deliberately talks to Eleonora-neesan, and even goes as far as to pretend to wipe her hair with a towel indifferently! Even though his little brother is in a pinch, don’t you think it was cruel of you?
「’Sy’――what is it?」
「…………」
Despite Elna-kaasan talking to me, I can’t answer her.
I, I wonder if I can have dinner tonight?
「Perhaps my wrinkles have increased――」
「That’s not true. Elna’s skin is this beautiful, aren't they? I assure you this, since I see you everyday」
Just when I had already half-given up and was escaping from reality in my mind, Nord-tousan suddenly said those while standing up.
「Well, you make me feel embarrassed if you say something like that to me」
「Can I touch your cheek for a moment?」
「Mou, it can’t be helped then」
Nord-tousan casually hides me from Elna-kaasan’s line of sight as he went to her side.
Honestly speaking, there has never been a moment when I respect Nord-tousan as I do now. Will this able husband can negate his son’s blunder, I wonder?
I erase my presence and subtly leave the place while shuddering at Nord-tousan’s courage.
I mean, if I were to be untactful and stand out, she might bring up the previous topic and there will be nothing I can do about it.
A few minutes passed like that as I waited with bated breath. There is the sound of a knock coming from the door *konkon*.
And after Nord-tousan replies, the door quietly opens and Largo enters the room and bows.
「Dear guests, I apologize to have kept you waiting. Dinner is prepared, I will show you the way」
「Understood. Well then everyone, let’s have dinner」
「Right. I’m also feeling hungry now. I’m looking forward to the seafood dishes」
It looks like it’s dinner time now. And Eleonora-neesan - who was polishing her personal equipment - also comes to her senses and stood up suddenly.
As always, she only listen to the most convenient words she wanted to hear.
Since it’s time to move to the dining room to have dinner, Sylvio-niisan - who was staring at the sea from the window-, and I - who is sitting in the corner of the room - also move to leave the room
Largo walks in front of us, Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan are walking arm in arm and us children walk behind them.
Elna-kaasan and Nord-tousan, they look to be so intimate. All things considered, that’s great. And Elna-kaasan has cheered up. I wonder what would happen if Nord-tousan hadn’t follow-ed up?
As I deeply sighed and felt relieved with the situation, Sylvio-niisan whispers to me.
「It’s great isn’t it, Al. Tousan helped you」
「……you can nicely say such lines after running away to Eleonora-neesan, huh? 」
「That’s because Al was looking in my direction while having such a bad smile on your face, you know. So Al wants to drag me into that mess after all」
「Speaking of the cause, it’s Al’s fault since you said something unnecessary」
Uguu, Eleonora-neesan’s remark is too spot-on, I can’t say anything in return. It’s a bit humiliating.
「Well, we’re going to have Elna-kaasan’s long-awaited dinner after this, so she will forget it if she ate those」
Sylvio-niisan said - as if to cheer me up -, but to me, women don’t seem to be the type of creatures to forget about such things with just that.
Women have a strong tendency to keep remembering things that were inconvenient.
As I walk while thinking about such things, Elna-kaasan - who links arms with Nord-tousan - suddenly looks back and gives me a fleeting glance.
『There is no next time, okay?』
I felt like she was saying such a thing by looking at the changes on her lips.
Look, she won’t forgive me with only the food we’re about to have, after all. This time, I was forgiven out of consideration of Nord-tousan, huh……
So I thought, should I train a little harder in tomorrow’s training for Nord-tousan?
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