Volume 7, Chapter 23: The Revolting Dish (1/2)

Snow was falling in flurries against a leaden sky.

“Just when I thought it was getting chilly, it really did start snowing.”

Yao blew on her fingertips, which had reddened from the washing. No doubt En’en will start to painstakingly apply ointment to them as soon as she sees.

“It was clear the night before though.”

Maomao recalled the beautiful starry sky. The clearer the days, the colder the winter. Dad taught her that without cloud cover, the air warmed by the sun during the day will escape.

“At this rate, the garden party is going to be a hard time.”

“Yeah.”

Chatting about the people around them, they returned to the medical office with a basketful of laundry.

“Huh? Somehow, there’s a lot of people,” Yao said.

There were both military and civil officials present.  Even though civil officials don’t tend to frequent the area under normal circumstances.

When she realised that they were heading to the toilet, Maomao thumped a fist against her palm. “They’re here for the garden party. They have to relieve themselves before it begins.”

“But isn’t that far from here?” Yao asked.

“The closest one is for the big shots. The next closest would be for maids, right?” Maomao remembered from last year.

“Then for his imperial majesty?”

“They should be setting up a new place for him.”

He won’t take care of his business in a toilet used by just anyone. He’s the gentleman who stands at the summit of the country.

Yao’s footsteps suddenly came to a halt.

“What’s wrong?”

“Maomao, let’s not go this way.” She tugged on Maomao’s hand.

“We’ll be taking a detour then?”

“There’s someone I don’t want to run into.”

Her explanation was easy to understand.

Apparently, among the civil and military officials heading towards the toilet, was someone she couldn’t stand. Maomao understood very well the feeling of wanting to avoid carelessly catching someone’s eye.

(Who on earth could it be?)

If it’s an official known to Yao, could it be her uncle who’s currently serving as her guardian? Or perhaps one of the lolicons she was forced into a marriage interview with, as En’en mentioned before?

There was no point even if she looked into it so Maomao meekly followed after her.

Yao clutched onto En’en as soon as they returned to the medical office.

“Milady!”

“…En’en, it’s a bit cold.”

En’en prepared a jacket and warm ginger soup for Yao, whose ears and cheeks had gone red. She also gave some ginger soup to Maomao.

Maomao blew into the bowl and swallowed a mouthful, feeling herself warm up. There seems to be some orange zest added in; it had a nice fragrance.

As the interior of the room was also heated for when sick and injured people arrive, she was on the verge of dozing off. Apparently, in winter, military officials who come here to procrastinate are oft dragged back to training by their superiors by the scruffs of their necks.

The noisy court physicians were out today. The only ones left were younger court physicians who were relatively kinder to Maomao and the others. Everyone turned into cowards when the superiors weren’t around.

“Ahhh, I’ve warmed up. Shall we get back to work?” Yao said.

“Milady, please stay here for today. Maomao and I can do the outside work,” En’en said.

“We can’t do that, right? …from the look of things, Uncle came before, didn’t he?”

“Milady.”

It seems it was the uncle Maomao had expected.

“So, how was it? Did he not trouble other people?” Yao asked.

“Y-yes. It’s just that he had planned to wait, but—” En’en snuck a glance backwards.

The young court physician at the desk stood up with a determined expression. “I have explained to him. This place is for the sick and injured, not a rest area. Also, when I told him he won’t make it in time for the garden party, he left.”

“Is that so. Thank you very much.” Yao dipped her head.

En’en looked at the young court physician with jealousy.

(You can rest assured. This person isn’t aiming for Yao, but En’en.)

For En’en who lived for her young lady, every man who approaches her young lady is like a caterpillar.

Maomao moved the washed bandages to the pot and prepared to boil them. She wanted to drag it out for a bit longer, but getting work done takes priority.

“Maomao.”

She turned around at En’en’s call.

“Please use this as kindling.”

She was passed over a board covered in cloth. There were two joined together. A drawing of a man was interposed between them.

“An incorrigible man, huh.”

A surprised Yao borrowed fire from the brazier to light the stove.

Maomao understood what this uncle person came to do. It was the portrait of a marriage interview partner, but it was hard to tell to what extent it had been beautified. It looked like a drawing of an actor.

Glancing at Maomao and Yao, the young physician complained: “Leave the room already.” Even if he’s left alone with her, Maomao didn’t think he’d get close to En’en. The other young court physicians had already given up on En’en, as well as Yao, who is guarded by En’en. What a tenacious individual. By the way, it should be added that Maomao was excluded from the start.

(Rather, will their conversation progress once they’re alone?)

It was a simple question, but this court physician is quite determined. As soon as Maomao and Yao made to leave the room, he entangled himself with En’en.

“En’en, how about we continue our conversation? You can talk with Yao-san later.”

“….”

If she could draw attention away from Yao, En’en would more or less bear with it.

(I think she would only talk about simple topics though)

En’en is tough, Maomao thought as she headed towards the cooking stove.

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Drying the bandages they boiled in the afternoon took around a dual hour. They’ll have lunch once they returned to the medical office.

It seems there was also a break for the garden party. People rapidly crowded around the toilet.