c31 (1/2)

Chapter 031 – Shopping

The morning three days after the meeting about Karen’s surprise birthday, ojou-sama boarded the carriage in outdoor wear.

Her face was obscured by a hat in which her was hair stuffed into and she wears a one piece dress that is made from a silk-like material. The hem of the dress and the sleeves are long in length, to minimize skin exposure to the utmost. It’s a low profile disguise style.

I sit next to her in my butler uniform, gently holding her hand.

The carriage was a six-seater

The windows are behind curtains that block the light.

The faint daylight s.h.i.+nes through it.

The escort Gigi-san sat down on the coachman’s seat, and steered two horned horses.

To choose a birthday present for Karen Bishop of the centaur race today, we went to the town 1 hour away from the castle.

When I told master,

“Hahahahaha! Is that so! Then go and buy something you like! This should be enough, right?”

He handed over a bag with more than 50 gold coins.

I received it with trembling hands

I thought that it was way too much for me but Merry san the head butler did not react when I glanced at him.

It seems he really intended to give me 50 gold pieces

And so we left for the town with Gigi san as a watchman and driver and I to take care of the money and Ojou-sama

Ojou sama has had a forlon expression ever since she boarded the carriage in the morning

Looks like it really is difficult for her to go outside even after nearly two years.

I made conversation in an attempt to improve the mood.

“Which reminds me, this is the first time since I began working in the Vlad household that I’m going into town. What kind of place might it be? I was so excited yesterday that I couldn’t sleep.”

[It has been a long time for me as well, so I am looking forward to it.]

While I wasn’t exactly excited enough to not be able to sleep I suppose this little lie is acceptable to improve the mood.

Ojou-sama joins in the conversation.

It is slightly hard to read from the mini blackboard due to the dimness.

“There was an Adventurer’s Support Union Guild in a city in Fairyland, and the streets were filled with food stalls. The children were adorable as they held their pocket money tightly as they lined up in front of the candy vendors, were they not?”

[Though Onii-chan is only a 12 year old child, if you speak this way, you sound like an Oji-chan.]

Ojou-sama finally smiled after coming out of the estate.

While I currently look 12 years old on the outside, on the inside I am a 40 year old man with my previous life added. The words spoken might have been a little old-man-like.

But that’s alright if Ojou-sama laughs.

[If it is regarding stalls selling confectioneries, there’s also some at the town that we are heading to. I have previously tried some while shopping with the others on our day off. Speaking of them, Karen-chan had her fried confection stolen by a crested pigeon while she was in the midst of eating it. Though it was unfortunate for Karen-chan, we all laughed about it.]

Karen really has a <abbr t.i.tle=””TLC” note:=”” it’s=”” more=”” of=”” saying=”” karen=”” is=”” constantly=”” at=”” the=”” b.u.t.t=”” of=”” jokes=”” rather=”” than=”” her=”” actual=”” character”=””>sweet character</abbr>.

I couldn’t do something like that even if I tried

With such a feeling I chatted with Ojou-sama until we reached the town.

The tension that made her body s.h.i.+ver seems to be gone, but we continue to hold hands.

The city is on an open field, and although it wasn’t very tall, the city was surrounded by a wall.

After receiving an inspection at the gate, we enter the town.

There are no large buildings; the general populace coming out and gathering gives it the feeling of a merchant city. Due to the large variety of goods and services available, there are many people coming and going.

The carriage is left at the carriage parking lot.

And I paid the parking fees and water fee for the horned horses.

[……Then, shall we go?]

Ojou sama readjusted her hat and gripped my hand tightly.

I return the grip firmly so as to not get separated from Ojou-sama.

The plan is for Ojou-sama and me, the 2 of us, to look around town while shopping.

Ojou-sama is told that Gigi-san will be looking around town separately from us. In reality, he is to keep an arranged distance and make sure that no danger befalls us.

“I understand. Well then Gigi-san, we will come back in the evening.”

“………Understood. But pay attention to one thing.”

Gigi-san takes one step and he draws his mouth close to my ear.

‘No matter what happens, do not let go of Ojou-sama’s hand. And never lose sight of her.’

‘Alright. I will be careful.’

‘And then, if you do more than holding hands with Ojou-sama like I said before……I guess, you understand? I will always have a close eye on you. So when it’s only the two of you, and you have desire for Ojou-sama, I won’t pardon Lute. Consider your Life done. You understand.’

We’re not even alone; you are worrying too much.

From behind, he painfully grasps my shoulder with an almighty grip.

His blood-shot eyes are scary.

‘That’s all. Take care of Ojou-sama properly.’

After having worried like a father leaving his daughter, Gigi-san removes his hand from my shoulder to disappear into the crowd.

Gigi-san’s appearance was not like someone who would overprotect his daughter….

I regain my spirit and escort Ojou-sama for now.

“Then shall we go, too?”

Nodding, Ojou-sama clasps my hand with a smile and we begin to walk.

The place we aim for is aligned at the corner of the shopping district.

The stores line up at both ends almost without a gap and high-spirited calling comes forth from the stores.

It was really lively. Ojou-sama with a short stature seems to have difficulty breathing in the huge crowd of people.

“Are you alright, Ojou-sama? Shall we change locations?”

She shakes her head side-to-side quickly.

I feel from her strong will that for choosing a birthday present for her friend Karen, this much is nothing.

“At which shop should we look first?. If it’s Karen-sama, she would be happy with things like a sword or spear, a s.h.i.+eld, or something like an armour, to name some?”

[Mou Lute-onii-chan, there is no girl who would be happy to get something like that.]

Ojou-sama puffs her cheeks with a “pun-pun” and gets angry.

I’m not scared at all.

Rather, it’s too cute.

I spontaneously poke at her puffed cheeks and the air leaves from her mouth.

Though Ojou-sama is getting angry at my tomfoolery, her cheeks puffed out once again.

This is seriously dangerously cute.

I can’t I can’t. Like this, it will become an infinite loop of poking Ojou-sama’s cheeks.

I utter an apology earnestly.

“Sorry. They are surely not presents to give a lady.”

But I think Karen who is from a military lineage would be happy.

But that’s better left unsaid.

“Has Ojou-sama thought of anything?”

[Yes. I Intend to give Karen-chan an accessory that I think would suit her. ]

Ojou-sama writes skillfully on her mini blackboard while linking her arm with mine.

On that occasion, her chest that’s still small is pushed against my arm.

It’s hard, but still, I can certainly feel her chest.

While Snow’s were like, [Funya, Poyon]; these have a certain firmness despite their soft feeling, have completely distinct vectors, and give the feeling of a miracle that defies logic.

The unripe fruit is still green.

Taking a bite off the apple that has yet to ripen, a sourness spread–but there was a certain sweetness within the sourness. Precisely because it is sour, the sweetness remains at the tip of the tongue and leaves a deep impression.

Furthermore the so called 11-y/o b.o.o.bs.

It’s forbidden, a taboo, to step into such a holy place.

But even so, there is an immoral feeling, like being the first to soil the fresh snowfall.

Needless to say that there’s such dangerous sweetness in Ojou-sama’s b.o.o.bs.

Snow’s b.o.o.bs are the best, but Ojou-sama’s b.o.o.bs are also good.

Furthermore if I look at Madam, the future will be promising.

As such thoughts about b.o.o.bs are developing, I feel a thick bloodl.u.s.t on my neck.

As it hit me, I look restlessly around from shop to shop and see Gigi-san peeking from the s.p.a.ce between them.

With the look in his eyes and the blood thirst he put into it, he could easily kill a small animal.

…I got a little too excited. Sorry.