Episode 52
Chapter 52
Thinking that it was pointless to dwell on Milo any longer, I cut off my thoughts and left the area of the Chamber of the Divine Stone with Alshade and our group.
“…Then, allow me to guide you to the entrance.”
On the way back, we were guided by Feralt again. This time, without any discussion about Norse mythology or concerns about Mark’s interference, we smoothly reached the church’s entrance.
“We look forward to your return.”
We bowed to Feralt in front of the church, got on the carriage, and as we did, the tension eased, and fatigue washed over me.
Alshade, sitting across from me, also relaxed, shedding her smiling facade.
By the way, our seating arrangement was Alshade on the driver’s side, next to her was Orto, facing Orto was Vivian, and I was sitting in front of Alshade.
“It would be nice if he had the same attitude as on the way back every time… He uses all sorts of tactics to try and recruit us, so interacting with him is exhausting in a different way from socializing. I wish he’d quietly focus on his duties,” Alshade said.
“But wouldn’t it be strange if he suddenly changed like that?”
“…Yeah, you might be right.”
I tried to imagine Feralt, silently dedicating himself to his duties without trying to recruit us to believe in the Norse gods, but even with our short acquaintance, he had such a strong personality that I became anxious about whether something had happened.
Alshade seemed to have imagined it too, and she furrowed her eyebrows slightly, looking troubled.
It was so unusual for her to make such a face, so an unnecessary remark slipped out.
“Al, you make that kind of face too.”
“Of course I do. What do you think of me?”
Then she gave me a slightly intimidating look, but even when she did such things with her beautiful face, it only made her look more charming.
When she’s really angry or in a bad mood, it can be terrifying, so it’s quite strange.
“No, I had more of an image of you being the one causing trouble. It was a bit surprising.”
“Don’t call me a troublemaker. You can see clearly that I’m a well-behaved young lady, right?”
“A well-behaved young lady wouldn’t tease and play around with people.”
“Oops, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Even though she said that, Alshade flicked her golden hair and narrowed her aqua-blue eyes, laughing playfully as if I had hit a sore spot.
It seemed like Alshade was not bothered at all, but it was a typical reaction for her.
⌈“Even if that’s the case, I keep my personal and public life separate, so it’s not a problem.”⌋
“…!”
I tried guessing what she would say, but it seemed to be the correct answer as Alshade’s voice harmonized firmly with mine.
“Pfft, hahaha.”
Alshade looked at me in surprise, like a pigeon that had been hit by a pea gun, and it was so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh.
Alshade’s eyebrow twitched slightly upward.
“Oh… teasing your master, huh? You’ve got some nerve.”
By the time I had a bad feeling about it, it was already too late. Alshade stood up from her seat in the carriage and, with a 180-degree spin, quickly sat on my lap.
Her movements were so fast that I suspected she was using some kind of body enhancement. If that were the case, she would be wasting a considerable amount of magic power.
“?!”
“As punishment for teasing your master, how about you become my chair until we reach the mansion?”
Most of my field of vision was filled with gold, and Alshade’s sweet scent tickled my nose.
I was surprised and initially moved to push her away, but I realized it and stopped.
If I tried to push her back, Alshade would undoubtedly resist, and that might result in her bumping into something in this cramped carriage.
Considering that, I couldn’t move recklessly.
This was probably all calculated by her as well. But I couldn’t just submit passively.
“Hey, why do you think Orto is sitting next to you?”
“It’s alright, because… in case something happens, you’ll protect me, right?”
“Uh, well, that’s… true, but…”
With half her face turned towards me, she said it with a sidelong glance, making it difficult to deny, especially given my pride.
Even though I hesitated in my response, I ended up agreeing.
“In that case, it’s fine, right?”
“…Yeah.”
There was no point in crying over spilled milk. When Alshade pressed me like this, I had no choice but to nod.
“Right, Orto, could you please ask the coachman to take a slightly longer route and go to the mansion slowly?”
“Certainly. Coachman, we’d like to take a slightly longer route and head to the mansion slowly, please.”
“Understood.”
“Orto-san?!”
As Alshade issued instructions to Orto, as if chasing a fleeing foe, Orto promptly complied. He slid open the peeking window on the driver’s side and gave directions to the coachman.
Involuntarily, I let out a sound, and Orto turned a somewhat amused glance my way.
“Vivian-dono, we mustn’t obstruct Lady Alshade, so would you mind moving over here?” Ort suggested.
“I see, that does make sense. Very well then, excuse me” Vivian replied.
“Both of you are quite considerate”
‘(Vivian, you too, huh.)’
Following Orto’s lead, Vivian betrayed me too and took Orto’s suggestion to sit where Alshade had originally been.
I was completely isolated, but I still had a glimmer of hope. I desperately made eye contact with Orto, and he noticed, nodding with a smile.
As I was feeling relieved and let out a sigh, Orto opened his mouth.
“No need to worry. This distance is like a margin of error for me. Honestly, if I can’t protect Lady Alshade from an attack even after noticing it, then I’m not a suitable opponent for fighting while protecting someone. Worrying is just a waste of time.”
“I see. Well, you know, Rio…”
‘(No! That’s not it!)’
What Orto said might be true, but I had hoped for the opposite words.
I considered Orto’s words to be somewhat inappropriate for a guard, but Alshade seemed to have interpreted it as a reason not to get off my lap and became quite cheerful.
“Rio, when the carriage jolts or something, I want you to put your arms around my waist and hold on to me.”
“Alright, alright, Miss, I understand.”
“Hmm, it’s not painful…just make it a little stronger.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, that’s it, perfect.”
Following Alshade’s request, I tightened my arms around her as she leaned in closer. I could feel her warmth and softness, and although I was a bit tense, I was less flustered than before.
It’s truly regrettable, but this might be considered the result of our training for honey traps.
Well, it could also be because I’ve gotten used to being hugged every morning.
“…You’re not getting as flustered as before. That’s a good thing, but… it’s a bit less fun when I can’t tease you like before. It’s a bit like a double-edged sword”
“It’s not a double edged sword.Don’t find enjoyment in such things”
“Aww, come on.”
Alshade let out a dissatisfied sound and shifted her weight back, rubbing her body against mine.
Her hair tickled my face, and I instinctively tightened my arms to keep her from moving.
“Hey, that’s ticklish,” I said.
“It’s not a big deal. Compared to cuddling with you like usual, this is nothing,” she replied.
“Whether it’s a big deal or not, it’s still ticklish,” I retorted.
“Well, by doing this, you’re voluntarily hugging me. That way, I can’t move. It’s calming…”
I managed to stop Alshade’s movements, but it felt like I had been manipulated or guided into this position.
She had completely entrusted her weight to me and was relaxing, ultimately benefiting herself.
I felt like I was being played in the palm of her hand.
“As for me, I find it fun and cute when you’re easy to tease like this,” Alshade suddenly said as she turned around, making my heart skip a beat.
“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?” I asked.
“I just felt like I had to say it,” she replied.
Was this some kind of female intuition? It seemed like she was reading my mind, and her timing was uncanny. Moreover, it seemed like her accuracy was improving with time.
With a slightly distant look, Alshade suddenly clapped her hands as if she had remembered something.
“Oh, by the way, I should mention that Rio, a master for your spear training, has been chosen.”
“That’s more important, isn’t it?”
“Hehe, maybe it is,”she chuckled.
Alshade had a smile on her face, clearly enjoying my reactions.
With just a few words from her, my heart was easily thrown into chaos. But will there ever be a day when I can win against her?
—
If you like this novel, Please leave ratings and review in NovelUpdates.>>HERE
If you’d like to make a one-time donation to support our translations or subscribe to read up to 5 chapters or more (depending on the novel) ahead, you can do so via Ko-fi: