c42 (1/2)

20, An Off-topic Ladies Meeting and Fried Chicken

hello, Ahrius here

It see so, so I decided to start up a wo as well

Dinner had finished as well, so I went to borrow one of the guest rooms

“I was raised as a man so, maybe it’ll be fine if I was over there as well?”

“No Since you’re biologically a wo to this side”

I wash away Ekress’ grus then ate a snack

It’s fine to start a wo alcohol isn’t pleasant so I decided it be Amazake instead

Those gathered here now are Riru, Ekress and me The three of us

The three of us drinking Aht…it’s pretty lonely It h…

“Buuuut, Shuri is so cold-hearted as well To actually go to so”

“No, Shuri is ahere itself would be weird”

“I think that it’s a whole lot h~”

Ekress drinks her Amazake as she complains

Well, I also knohat she’s trying to say

Mosthappily and boasting about themselves

However, Shuri is, how should I say it… If normal men are carnivorous then Shuri is a herbivore That sort of ie

Rather than waiting on woo crazy with his boys or girls who he has a good relationshi+p with

“Shuri is, che Like he’s treating cooking chomp as his lover”

Riru’s words, said as she devours nothing but the Edamame, are truly words which represent Shuri I believe The Shuri as devoting hieration even if so is his lifetime companion

But…that is seriously a little…

“That’s true but Riru-chan That’s no good”

“Chew?”

“For a skilled person like Shuri, even if he takes up disciples, it’ll be a problem if he doesn’t pass down his techniques to his children So he wouldn’t even pass down to his disciples, he probably has a secret technique which he would only have a single child inherit

Considering his succession of that technique and the preservation of his bloodline, it’s best to welcome a wife”

Ekress’ way of thinking co in internal affairs as the assistant of the Feudal Lord, in other words soood enough to take a shot at

Shuri’s technique, his skill in cooking isthan the minds of two or three people combined

That technique, knowledge, experience is soeneration to take over, I believe

“Basically, if we don’t increase the a then, Riru-chan’s share will disappear you know?”

“That cannot happen”

On the brink of accepting with just that, Riru is engulfed in Ha and… I could see that within Riru’s eyes, there was a brilliance like that of madness

“However, let’s see Over there, they’re probably talking about some stupid stories to liven themselves up as well What should we talk about?”

“Stupid things guys say… So like, what type of girl they like? Then, let’s talk about the type of guys we like, right?”

“Then let’s start from Ahrius”

Riru……

“You know this but, do you really think that I would talk about any labe?”

“Oooh, you sure said it Ahrius Aren’t you just madly in love with your husband?”

Ekress makes fun of me but, it’s the truth at any rate

“I’ve only ever looked at Ganglabe since our younger days after all We’ve gotten h children are for another occasion, I’m happy”

“Ooohhhh, if you say it so bluntly, I’m the one who’s embarrassed…”

Fufu, but I’labe

“Then, what about you, Ekress? Who is your type?”

“I’m decided on Shuri-kun No one else even comes into my eye”

Ekress too, puffs out her chest and puts it out to the air

“Then, why Shuri? I’ll just say it but, I don’t think that it’s been that long since you two h”

“Well, you see It’s because Shuri-kun was able to overturn my fate”

Your fate?

“As you knoas fated to live as a eneration Feudal Lord, I had discord with Gingus, and had to hide my relationshi+p with Gann onii-san I may have had to live in that strainful castle forever

I wouldn’t have been able to have a wife, and having said that, being in a romantic relationshi+p with a man would be a dreale life”

“I couldn’t iine that”

“Riru-chan, sos, I had to deceive h it out

But, the storht out, bleay all of er have to pretend to be tough, and I can also fall in love with a man I don’t have to stubbornly act as the Feudal Lord either”

“Your authority was snatched away by Ganglabe but, you don’t resent him?”

“Nope None of us hate hius, not Gann onii-san

Gingus realised by hih this mess that he was unsuitable to be Feudal Lord and so he’s thankful that he was allowed to do what he was best at Gann onii-san in the first place had no right of heir so, he doesn’t want to be Feudal Lord either I don’t want to either

Which is e are thankful to let Ganglabe take over the obligations we don’t need

And, the gratitude we have towards Shuri-kun who gave us that chance is si we cannot ever repay Besides, his face and personality are also to ~”

Ekress looked very cheerful, chuckling lightly as she drank her Amakaze

Ganglabe had been trying to grant his wish of gaining a country

But Ekress did not desire a country even if she had it

That isdifferent

The difference of having so it

Most likely, if the situation had been different then, Ekress probably could’ve become a brave heroine ould’ve expended no efforts for her country She’s just that talented a person

The ones rong was, most definitely her parents

If her parents, the former Feudal Lord and proper wife had raised her correctly then, Ekress would probably have turned out different froht now

Well, now that it’s coed no matter what is said

The past is the past At this point, even if it was said that it would’ve been better to have done this or that, the past cannot be changed

“Is that so…”

However, hearing Ekress’ story an impatience was born within myself

That is completely, and without a doubt Shuri’ problem

That, dense about female relationshi+ps, Shuri, has never heard about the conversation that had popped out just now

If we think about this past year and a bit, and the frantic desperateness that ca his life to survive on the battlefield, I do understand that he would have no such time to make a lover

However, we can’t have that even if that’s how it is

If Shuri was to marry someone outside of the ht leave the corp

Or if he was to be together with someone froer that he may be taken away by them

As for me, if all possible then, I think I would want him to be with Riru

She acts like this and, I can’t iine anyone who could understand her, apart from Shuri

Above all, if Riru who has already had her stomach seized by Shuri was to separate with Shuri then, there oes crazy

I have also discussed this with Ganglabe but, it seeht of Shuri being together with Ekress

I hear him say that it’s due to the fact he wouldn’t know if Ekress married Shuri to use him in political purposes or to be protected from love

In addition to that, to suddenly appear out of nowhere and snatch away their friend just rubs hi way

However, Ekress is already infatuated with Shuri There’s nothis anymore

With this I can’t support Ganglabe’s point of view anymore

In any case, if it’s the current Ekress then she should be able to protect Shuri

However, if it’s like that then Riru would seem so pitiful…

“By the ho do you like Riru-chan?”

Apart frohts on the matter, Ekress asked Riru what can even be said to be the main question

The one question I wanted to know the , out of nowhere, without a damn

“I’m interested Riru-chan, let alone that kind of talk, I haven’t even heard of you being close to anyone special at all

It’s because of that, that I don’t feel you’re intiar-san the same way you would deal with a childhood friend, which is why there is no way you would leave them”

“Hmmmmm”

Riru sn an Edaht about it for a while

Oh my, this is unexpected

To be honest, I never thought that Riru would concern herself in this sort of topic

Only holding an interest in Ha to an inexpressive expression, that young girl ould never change her attitude nor expressions while biting intoherself over love affairs

This es

“Riru, doesn’t understand things like that”

At the end of her thorough thinking, the words that finally came out were those…

“But so’s weird When Ekress said that she liked Shuri, Riru felt strange”

Eh?

“No ht that he would always ht about it

But, suddenly Riru had a thought

Shurisomeone else If that happens then, hoill Shuri come in contact with Riru?

Riru thought that it would just be like always, he would cook Ha with that smile on his face

But… thinking that his most radiant smile won’t ever be directed at Riru

When Riru thinks that, Riru feels soe”

T-this… There’s hope?

“Riru-chan, isn’t that anxious feeling of yours just what you feel because you think he’ll definitely ive any to you?”

“So that’s what it is”

EHHHHHH!?

Riru got convinced from just Ekress’ words!?

Hah!? Ekress’ eyes are s…!

They’re expressing, 『Awakening to your ros? If you realise them, I’ll be troubled My number of rivals will increase』…!!

No good At this rate Riru will end up s of love for her appetite!

“Riru Shuri is a nice so, I don’t think he would cook so special for just one person

However, Shuri is just one person Even if Shuri has a lot of dishes, the person known as Shuri is just one person

Would it be alright if Shuri was taken away?”

“That’s…”

Riru started thinking again with a ‘Hmmm’

Within Ekress’ eyes lit up a hint of anger

Saying, 『Don’t get in my way』

Hmph, Ekress is quite the tactician

If Riru is able to understand her feeling of 『love』 by herself, despite only being a hint of it then, I think that feeling would definitely flare up unstoppably That’s what both Ganglabe and I want to see

However, should that feeling flare up then, the one most troubled would be Ekress

Right now Ekress is striving desperately to become Shuri’s number one female friend position She’s definitely in thefriends, then lovers, and from lovers to spouse

However, that’s so which can be achieved because there are only a few rivals who are currently ai for Shuri at the present moment

Sohteous path exists, it leads the path to have a greater detour than a wicked one

On the righteous path, in exchange for e amount of effort is required in order to reach the finishi+ng point

However, once a rival called Riru appears then, she must proceed onto the wicked path

And, once Shuri notices her method known as the wicked path, I truly wonder what he would think?

Since Shuri is quite sha her is probably the highest

That’s if you put aside the point of her juh

Despite that, Ekress is scared of having an ene by her side

Given that even I want Riru to be happy, I plan to completely support Riru’s side to this

However, given that I’ve also beco stuck between a rock and a hard place

“Riru Think about it please When it comes to you, who do you have the most fun with?”

“Hm? Hmmmm…”

“When it coht be your best friend I suppose”

Kuh, Ekress’ follow up question is too cunning, I can’t counter her

As I was thinking of that, the door opened up

“That conversation, allow Us to participate in it!”

What in the, Princess Tebis All of a sudden Princess Tebis appeared

Eh? Why?

“Riru’s heart, Ekress’ love and even Ahrius’ , We understand it all!

In addition to that, We have so to say”

Princess Tebis sits next to us and said as she picks up an Edamame

“Shuri is ours, noja We shall allow for hi a lover We are tolerant towards that, ja We are royalty after all

BUT! No ives his body and position to theWe will have! Fuahahahaha!”

“Ku, you damn homewrecker!”

What is all this? Suddenly co to say all of the sudden?

Also I don’t really understand what Ekress said in reply What’s a homewrecker?

Above all else, why had today’s party been exposed to Princess Tebis?

“Fuahahaha! Oh Ekress, that skill of yours to remove obstacles from your position as a friend is splendid however, that is an ancient way of battle after all, before the tiic

Now is the era ofas we can prepare wings capable of surpassing over Shuri’s heart!”

As for me, I don’t knohat Princess Tebis’ true motives are

More than that, I don’t knohat this little girl is saying at all

Her ears act all panicky but, her sense of hearing doesn’t seem the type to worsen even if her ears were full of trash

“Kuh, damn Princess Tebis…”

As for Ekress, she looked regretful as if she understood as being said

I rubbed atup, it didn’thallucinations

So that my eye’s cannot see that these two can

“Che”

And Riru was still doing nothing but indulging in Eda to drain the Amazake

Why is it I wonder, this room’s atmosphere had started to stray off course all of the sudden

“…This Edamame, is really, truly delicious”

I don’treality

If I could leave this atmosphere then, I probably wouldn’t hesitate to pay any kind of sacrifice

“Good evening…Oh, Princess? Why are you here?”

The door opened, as if to completely destroy the entire flow of the conversation

The one who appeared was the source of the storm, Shuri

Eh? Why is he here?

“Ahh, there’s just enough people I’ve brought along ht that I had made too much

I made some fried chicken This time I’ve prepared two different kinds, one finished with a crunchy coat and another which is moist Please everyone, do enjoy”

Saying so, Shuri placed the large dish that he had brought along, down in front of us

What was there, was a dish of ht brown layer of skin

From that, which had beensounds of oil bursting open

The srance of the meat and the aroma of the oil travels around to every corner of the roo our stomachs which should’ve been full with Edamame

However, the two varieties look different

One was deep-fried with a light brown colour, having crispy and crunchy skin This one see the appetite

The other one was deep-fried with a dark brown colour and had aIt had a simpleness to it which made it look like it was easy to bite into

Both dishes had been stacked high The stearance spirals upward towards the top of the plate

“Hey Shuri Is this so where the chicken has been deep-fried?”