「Uuーn. I think this is a good place to stop. Time for a break desu」
Kuna was walking along with me and Anne.
She was until now, in order to solve the question from yesterday, was studying the reference book that I made. [1. 彼女は今まで、昨日間違えた過去問を解くために、俺が作成した参考書を使って勉強していた。] As you look into her face, you would get it.
Annelotte has finished just eating the second serving.
「It is truly delicious. For nursing me to health, for giving me accommodations in this inn, for every single thing you have done for me I thank you with all my heart」
Annelotte lowered her head.
I though she would be difficult to handle because she was a former n.o.ble, but it seems that she has a extremely gentle nature.
「No need to thank me. I"m getting paid by Kuna to examine you as a doctor. Also the money used for your loggings, for the porridge you ate, and for the clothes that you changed are all charged to Kuna. Your grat.i.tude should be told to Kuna herself」
「Is that true Kuna?」
「It"s true desu yo. This much generosity is nothing because it"s for the sake of a friend desu」
「I"m paying for everything in advance by her debt. If she can"t return the money to me, she promised to wag her tail for me」
When I jokingly said that, Kuna"s cheek puffed out and Anne"s jaw dropped.
「Souji-kun, I"ll absolutely return it immediately! Because I won"t let you do as you like with my tail! ...But, for helping Anne you have my grat.i.tude masu. Thank you」
For some reason, Annelotte face was colored deep blue and was at loss for words.
She turned pale and trembled then Anne slowly began to talk while trembling.
「A Firefox"s tail.... The fact that your condition is to shake it to you.... What a brute!」[2. If you have forgotten, Firefox treat their tails as equally erotic to the breast and the a.s.s]
「Eh? It"s just a tail」
I was surprised toward the Annelotte"s exaggerated reaction.
「Souji. May you perhaps have no knowledge of it? To the significance of a Firefox"s tail?」
I shake my head sideways.[3. Souji-kun, ignorance is a bliss]
「To a Firefox, their tail is the most important thing being just second to their life. The only one that can touch their tails are their family and their spouse. To wag it"s tail to it"s partner means that they are vowing absolute obedience to them」
「That"s right desu yo. Our tail is life itself desu.[4. So, "" [Touch fluffy tail!] At some point, Until my destined partner can touch my fluffy tail, I won"t let anyone lay their hands on it」[5. Err... Kuna-chan, he is already in front of you..]
Kuna turns her a.s.s toward my direction showing it off and waved her tail buzzingly.[6. Kuna.... Just stop raising more flags!]
I became annoyed a little bit, so I slowly stretched my hand, giving a shriek Kuna quickly jumps back while hugging her tail and she glared at me with teary eyes.
I see, so the fact about their tail is life itself is not a lie.
「Kuna, what you currently did was not a good idea. If you show it like that in front of a man"s eyes, anyone will grab it without hesitation」
「Is that so desu ne. I was careless there」
「As if!」
I unintentionally tsukkomi"ed[7. In j.a.panese comedy, the tsukkomi is the straight man who responds to the antics of the boke] I want to touch that tail like when touching a cute pet animal, don"t be mistaken to my pa.s.sion.
「My bad, Kuna. Toward my action until now, I didn"t mean it like that. What I really want to do was like a pat in the head, I wouldn"t have known if you didn"t say so」
I became fearful of my past actions.
Certainly, if Kuna cannot return the debt I told her to shake her tail for me, it literally meant to make her my s.e.x slave if she can"t return the debt. I should have known it"s true meaning.
「Eh, is that so desu ka. I was sure that if I wasn"t able to return the debt then you"ll turn me into your bride. I thought that it was a marriage proposal. In order to obtain the cute Kuna, this person was saying such mean things」
「That again!」
Certainly, it"s their rule that only their family or spouse can touch their tail.
However, it"s more dangerous to be referred to as s.e.x slaves.
This reminds me when I met Kuna in the game.
That Kuna wag her tail to me. She often said....
『To I who am dirtied is enough, then you should do as you like. There is nothing anymore to protect. Because there is nothing left, nothing else, everything is gone.』
When I think of it now, it has a heavy meaning. I want to perform a dogeza[8. 土下座 “sitting right on the ground” is an element of j.a.panese manners by kneeling directly on the ground and bowing to prostrate oneself as touching one"s head to the floor.] in front of Kuna.
「Is that so, it was a misunderstanding. I was already set on taking his life for Kuna"s sake in order to rescue you from the devil"s temptation」
「He is pretty much my benefactor desu shi, Anne please stop thinking of killing Souji-kun as he is also your benefactor for the time being.」
This pair"s train of thought is bizarre that it"s scary.
「You are called Souji am I correct. Kuna"s debt, is this enough to cover it? I think this values to a 100,000 Val, judging from my past experience when I took it out from the mansion」[9. 屋敷から持ち出した最後の一つ、今までの経験からいうと、十万Valの価値があると思うわ」]
Anne took a ring out from her washed clothes beside her bed and handed it to me.
「Past experience?」
「Yes, up until the present, I have sold the jewels which I have taken from the mansion to be allotted for my travel expenses This is the only one that remains. Because this was a keepsake from my mother, I didn"t sell at any cost. Then I didn"t had anything to eat, and eventually collapsed. If I have not collapsed in your presence, then at that time I..... I"m such a huge fool that I"m getting tired of my own self. That"s why, I decided to use it here. As my own punishment」
I look at the ring that was given to me. The ring was made of platinum and a blue sapphire was embedded into it. Also the craftsmanship is superb.[10. It must have been made by Yuncchi] I never emphasize on a sapphire"s charm, but this one is impressive.
「From Annelotte"s experience until now, you"re saying this values up to 100,00 Val right. Was the other jewels you took elsewhere inferior to this?」
「No, it has the same quality as this one」
I almost unintentionally uttered an "Uwa[11. " This girl.... There a limit on being ignorant.
「I cannot accept this. Its does not worth of it"s real value」
「Is that so, appraisers said that these things values up to 100,000 Val」
Anne breathes with a deep sigh.
This ring has her mother"s memories on it, I know it"s real worth that"s why I turned it down.
「On the contrary, it"s quite the opposite」
「Opposite?」
「For a reasonable price, it"s real value ranges to 8,000,000 Val. And for the inn and medical expenses, it only cost 50,000 Val. So I can"t prepare the remaining 7,950,000 Val even if I take out the charges.」
「Eh? For real? Then the person whom bought these until now?」
「Un, you"ve been ripped-off. If an ignorant young lady that"s in a desperate situation come to me trying to sell this I"ll also take full advantage of your weakness」
「.....Awawa, What a fool I am.[12. Awawa shoujo kitta!!] The remaining property my father which he left for me, to waste it just like that.... I want to kill myself...」
She doesn"t blame the merchant that deceived her but she herself is the one she blames.
「But you are such a good person. A good-natured person I wonder? If you have kept quiet then you might have gain yourself 8,000,000 Val」
「Because you"re a friend of a friend」
「.....Friend?」
Kuna was pointing at herself with a puzzled look.
「Kuna... Your reaction in it"s own way, really hurts my feeling. It was enjoyable being together with you」
We were only together for about two days, nevertheless those two days are meaningful.
「Please wait a minute. I just got an idea masu. The debt for when you saved me, the grudge from obstructing me when I was entering the city, the debt for teaching me in my studies, the grudge from the rif-off properties, the grudge from when I can"t pay my debt I have to marry you, the debt for helping Anne.... The enjoyment when we"re together.[13. 一緒に居る楽しさ。] And also the delicious dishes」
To say your complaint until now.[14. ぶつぶつと今までのことを言う。]
「A friend desu ne. Souji-kun is my friend desu. See it as you like for now on.[15. 以後、よしなに]」
Kuna presented her hand demanding a hand shake, I held her hands in return.[16. Kuna route Getto!]
「How envious. If I say so」
「...Then shall we also become friends? I kind of fancy Annelotte"s personality. In addition you"re also Kuna"s friend. I want to be friends with you」
「Thank you. You are the first friend I"ve made since the time I lost the Auclaire name. From now on please call me Anne, just like what the people closest to me calls me」
Anne said so with a smile similar to of a child.