Tensei Shite Inaka de Slowlife wo Okuritai Chapter 44

Worried

　After a moment of shaking from the scenery of my room, the scene changed completely.

「Yosh......oops, can't do. One cabbage fell down.」

　The person in front of me lowered himself and place the box on the ground.

「Here. Cabbage.」

「Ooh, you naughty kid――eh, since when have you been there! 」

Bartolo step back while holding the cabbage in his arms.　Even when he's surprised, he still doesn't let go of the ingredients. As one would expect from the professional cook.

「……from the beginning.」

「What's that you're not saying 1. You're approaching someone unnoticed lad, and there are also times when you disappear.」

　Geh, though Bartolo look like that, he's sharp.

「It's just your imagination. Hora, you're so tall and big, while I'm this small, so it's kinda difficult for me to enter your field of vision. 」

「No, you might have a point, but I don't feel any sign or presence everytime it happened..」

「……in order to get away from Eleonorneesan, it's impossible if you don't have the skill to erase your presence and footsteps .」

「……are you an a.s.sa.s.sin or what.」

Bartolo mutter as he groaned.　Ce, certainly that's true one will be invincible as an a.s.sa.s.sin if one used this method.

And one will be able to kill the target without being noticed anymore.

「Bartolo!　Did you see Alfried !?」

The one who rushes to the food pantry room is Eleonorneesan. I immediately slipped myself to the end of the shelves and between the wall to hide.

I, I don't understand it myself. How is it, why would Eleonorneesan went to the food pantry first of all, I truly don't understand Eleonorneesan's thought processes at all.

「N, no, I don't see him.」

Nice one ! Bartolo !

「Really? I thought that if it's Al, he would be here......strange. Maybe my intuition is wrong.」

Eleonorneesan's ‘Alfried-sense' is truly weird. It's already beyond human's realm. I'm sure that if I wouldn't be able to be a proper a.s.sa.s.sin with Eleonorneesan like that.

「I guess he's outside after all. Thanks Bartolo.」

Eleonorneesan tilted her head slightly to the side, then went away briskly.

「……it's fine now right?」

「Thank you Bartolo. I'm saved.」

「I thought it was awfully noisy today, were you being chased around by your sister?」

「That's right. So I'm hiding at the appropriate place.」

「O, oh. Do your best.」

As one would expect, since it's improper to act violently near the kitchen, I should make a suitable distance between us and hide myself near the maids' break room.　

Shortly after, maybe it's the maids break time, but I can hear the voice of Sara, Mina, and Mel (サーラ) from the corridor.

『Jeezー, it's because Mina keep looking at my foot and laughing that it makes me feel uncomfortable you know?』

『It can't be helped. It's not my fault. It's this round, transparent, and delicious-looking thing that is at fault! ！』

『That's something I've never seen before. Is this also sweets?』

『Sarchan!　This IS sweets!　My intuition told me so!』

『But you also don't have to take it out and put it in front of you. I don't like it when Sara did that.』

『Ah, it's easy to take off.』

『But even so, this slipper are truly easy to take off aren't they.』

『If I'm not mistaken, it is something made by Alfried-sama isn't it.』

『This food. Alfried-sama must surely have more sweets he hasn't shown us yet.』

　Geh, Mina sure is sharp. It was a mistake to make a sweets-filled, cute, gla.s.s slippers since I thought she would be pleased.2 I gave unnecessary information to the women.

『Yes yes. Enter the room quickly.』

Mel pushes Mina's back who is currently standing still while groaning so as to make her enter the break room.

　For some reason, I'm kinda sorry for eavesdropping, but since I might understand Eleonorneesan's behavior, I think I will just stay here as is.

　Rather that the mere feeling of guilt, my life is even more important. As one would expect from a different world. It's tough.

『Even so, Alfried-sama is amazing. To be able to think about such useful footwear, I won't be able to do something like that....』

『Able to cook, and he can use magic. And in addition, he's able to use a bit of swordsmanship.』

『And especially his ability to make sweets is truly wonderful! I want to live my whole life in the mansion!』

『Yes yes, soon Mina. Even so, you have to calm down.』

『For some reason Alfried-sama seems to be chased around by Eleonore-sama for some reason.』

　It's here! Conversation about Eleonorneesan!

『Aah, it's the usual around here.』

『The both of them have amazing reflexes. But it seems like it's quiet now isn't it?』

『Well, I wonder maybe it became so quiet since Eleonorsama went outside. In addition, I haven't heard Alfired-sama's scream, so I think it's not over yet.』

　……what the heck. I'm glad I to hear that Eleonorneesan went out, but I don't like the way Sara is guessing.

　Anyhow, since I already got my hands on the information that I'm looking for, I quietly walk away and left the break room through the side.

It might be impossible for me to be an a.s.sa.s.sin for various reasons, but if it's for espionage-related job, then I guess it's possible.　

　×　　　　　×　　　　　　×

On my way upstairs, Eleonora came back while I'm climbing the stairs on the first floor.

「Ah, Eleonorneesan welcome back.」

「Ee, I'm back Al. 」

「.......Eleonorneesan!?」

「……AL!?」

Darn it!　I called out to her as usual. Daily habit sure did terrifying things to a person.

When I was fl.u.s.tered, Eleonorneesan is the one who moved first.

She immediately took off her outside shoes, and wear her slippers while approaching the stairs.

　Darn, the ease of wearing slippers which I gave her is regrettably fully demonstrated.

Cursed slippers. Good grief, something that is too good can also cause a problem.

「Wait up!」

　I heard a sharp, still voice that I don't know how many times I heard today.

Of course there's no reason for me to wait.

I moved my stiff body and dash up towards the second floor.

　And then, I met Sylvio-niisan's eyes as he walked down the hallway.

「Aah, Al what a good timing――」

「Wa, it, upp!」

「Watch out!?」

「Fuuohh!?」

「Sylviioooooー!　Sylvio-niisan was done in!」

When I look at Gekota's face is sunked in, while Sylvio-niisan already lost his consciousness. He was just walking down the hallway, but what an unlucky brother he is.

「Che! 　It's Al's habit of avoiding.」

「Wait a sec, can you stop saying those disparaging words about Al!?」

My only shield, Sylvio-niisan has already beyond recovery. As such, I can only leave him as is for now.

　What would you do now Alfried. If it's like this, should I escape towards the servants' quarters?

Be that as it may, it's impossible to stop now. If I get caught by Eleonorneesan, then a day of ‘love-training' would be unavoidable.

When I'm running single-mindedly, I felt a shock as if my body hit something.　

「Bufu!?」

Strange. There shouldn't be any obstacle in the hallway. And it's strangely soft. Then I look in front of me. There, is the impressive slipper, Ryutkun.

「…………didn't I said earlier that it is dangerous to run around inside the mansion?」

　Raising my gaze upward, I see the figure of Nord-tousan standing with an imposing stance along with an aura of anger around him.

Why is our family members smile when they're angry I wonder.

　It's a bit scary.

「…………」

「Eleonora, wait a minute.

So underhanded.　Even though she always thoroughly chased her cute little brother around, she's trying to run away by herself.

But, it kinda gave me a good feeling somehow.

「Al, now you're laughing but I'm also angry at you, you know?」

　Do I understand? Nord-tousan put pressure on me while she asks.

But, my line of sight are drawn to a certain place.

「Al, what's the matter?　Do you have something to say?」

「……how's wearing Ryutkun feels like?」

「……Bufu！　……no, nevermind....」

　Ah, Eleonorneesan laughed.

「………………was it wonderful?」

Why did I hear such thing at a time like this, I don't understand it myself.　

It's just that, I'm worried.　Was it because I'm someone who make things I wonder.

In the end, both of us got scolded together, and it become practice session from noon.

　And Eleonorneesan's strictest training menu today must be my imagination.

TL Note :

Lit. Tl is 'in between the lines'. This doesn't make sense to me too, so I it should be slippers that is filled with sweet/cake pattern or imitation that make it look like a real one. 喜ぶと思ってスリッパを可愛くお菓子だらけのガラにしたのが間違いだった。