Chapter 125
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 125 – Hos・Pi・Ta・Li・Ty
Lili quickly moved to another location and prepared to contact Warren.
The place she moved to was Magna’s base. The location was only known to Warren’s subordinates, who were mainly involved in covert operations.
“Please respond immediately…”
She attached the magic stone she had prepared and activated a magic tool.
Gradually, it began to glow, and the sound that signaled the start of its operation could be heard.
“…..”
When it activated, a response was sent to the magic tool in Warren’s office.
When it responded, the two could communicate by voice.
“Well, who is this?”
——The connection was made!
She exhaled in relief, coughed once, and then said her name.
“This is Lili. I am calling from Magna.”
“Oh, Lili, isn’t it? Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you from this side as well… So, what’s going on?”
——What does His Excellency want to tell me?
She askedd. Her own report was important, but she gave priority to Warren’s words first.
“I also have a report to make. But what does His Excellency want to tell me…?”
“I understand. Then let’s talk about it first.”
“Yes!”
To make sure she didn’t miss a single word, she moved close to where the voice was coming from.
“It’s ‘defection.’ We have not received the details yet, but we have a defector from Heim.”
Hearing this, Lili remembered Elena from earlier.
She was sitting alone on the bench, but she was not alone at first.
She was not tricked, but she was alone… Lili considered such a hypothesis.
“…Maybe that would be between this afternoon and this evening?”
“Oh? You know a lot about it. Well, only a few people know this information yet, but where did Lili get it from?”
The aura of his voice was calm, but it sounded as if he was trying to corner her.
Still, Lili was impressed by the atmosphere that forced her to speak, no matter what it took.
“That brings me to my report. Is that okay with you?”
Lili continued calmly.
“Yes, please continue.”
“About what happened earlier, Elena-sama… no, I found Elena.”
As she said this, Warren’s reply was not heard.
After what seemed like dozens of seconds, Warren finally answered, sounding awestruck.
“I’m sorry… I just couldn’t figure out what was going on.”
“…I can understand that.”
Thank goodness. Lili was glad to feel that her former disfigurement had been alleviated.
“I see. The previous defection is related to that Elena-dono matter… is that right?”
“That… What should we do about it?”
Lili decided to ask Warren because she had no choice but to ask him to make a decision.
But if possible, she hoped that he would not order her to bring him Elena’s head. She secretly hoped so.
“I asked someone to check the status of the ships, and it looks like one of them had been swept away by the waves. In other words, that ship might have been boarded by the guards. By the way, it was a civilian official who defected. Therefore, those who were in a position close to the so-called entourage disappeared. If there are no guards, then Elena-dono must be alone.”
Lili agreed with this thought.
Then, it was understandable that she was alone on the bench.
…Although it was not a figure that Lili really wanted to see.
“At first glance, she looked mentally exhausted. So the reason is what His Excellency just said…”
“Maybe it is. …Hmm, that’s really pitiful. ——Oh, Lili? I won’t ask you to bring me her head, so rest a.s.sured.”
“…W-what are you talking about?”
Warren laughed like a good-natured old man and continued his speech.
“Hahaha! No, don’t worry about it. But… I’ve been thinking about something.”
“Can you tell me about it?”
The way he spoke when he was planning something bad. After years of experience, Lili guessed Warren’s tone.
“Even if we haven’t heard anything about it, Elena-dono might be a guest.”
What was he going to say? Again, it was out of the blue.
“…Y-yes? A guest, right?”
The more she answered blankly, the less she understood the meaning of Warren’s words.
“As for the ‘guest,’ we should show a little hospitality. We can’t show any sensitive parts, but, well, we can show the ship and some of the facilities.”
“Y-Your Excellency? Could it be that you…?”
Lili, who began to understand the meaning of Warren’s words, asked Warren in an anxious tone.
“Normally, we would like to capture a leading figure in an ‘enemy’ country. However, since she is Krone-dono’s mother, I think we should avoid any aggressive measures this time.”
“Y-yes!”
“What is in Magna is only a small part of us. I don’t mind.”
Lili silently swallowed her saliva and waited for Warren’s next words.
“Lili. You shall be her guide. If it is not a royal ship, you may conduct the tour at your discretion.”
“Y-Your Excellency? That’s too…”
“Even if she sees it, will Heim be able to do anything about it?”
“No, I don’t think they can.”
From Lili’s point of view, who had been observing Heim for a while, Heim was certainly no match for them in terms of military strength.
Even if they tried to take countermeasures, they did not have the strength to deal with Ishtalika’s battleships.
“Let’s play with the Prince of Heim. They will strangle themselves after going to the trouble of investing a lot of money.”
Warren’s words reached Lili’s ears as he spoke cheerfully.
“Lili. You know what I mean, don’t you?”
“Of course. Then I will take turns guarding Ain-sama… is that okay?”
“That’s fine. Keep an eye on Elena-dono, too.”
The trouble and the fun. Lili felt like she was holding a treasure chest in her hands when they all rushed in at once.
Her eyes sparkled like a child receiving a present.
“…Then tomorrow morning. Lili will be on her way to Elena-sama.”
With a smile, she thought about the following morning.
“Please wait for me, Elena-sama. I will give you a pleasant wake-up present.”
＊＊＊
Some time after Lili had received the instructions from Warren.
Ain returned to the inn before it was too late.
In high spirits, he tried to show her the souvenirs he had bought, but Olivia was still in the bathroom.
Martha was also in the bathroom, so Ain prepared a plate by himself and put the souvenirs on it.
“Yes. Even though I bought it myself.”
——…He bought too much.
He borrowed a plate from the inn and put out enough to fill two of them.
It was too much for him and Olivia. Maybe he should ask Martha and Dill for help…
“I-it tastes good. And it’s not poisonous.”
Even if it were poisonous, it would have disappeared when Ain picked it up. So there was no need to worry about it.
“Phew… that felt good, Martha.”
“I suppose it did. It’s nice to have a view like that once in a while.”
Then, the two stepped out from the bathroom.
Martha was wearing a maid’s outfit, while Olivia was in a light one-piece dress.
She was dressed in a provocative outfit that showed off the lines of her body.
“What is this, Ain-sama! What in the world is this food…?”
Noticing Ain, Martha tried to apologize for such a welcome.
…That was her intention, but when she saw the mountain of food on the table, Martha was absolutely mortified.
“As you can see, I bought too many things…”
“Ara, ara, Ain.”
Olivia laughed as she put her hand over her mouth, and her neck looked hot and s.e.xy, probably because she was after a bath.
Even though it was a normal gesture, it was also a very glamorous one.
“Would you like a smaller dinner?”
“Y-yes. I’m sorry, I’d like that. Or rather, I’d be happy if you could take half of it and eat it with Dill…”
The food on the table was clearly too much for two people.
Ain regretted buying it without thinking.
“Then I’ll take your word for it and eat it with Dill.”
Martha, with a wry smile on her face, offered Ain a helping hand.
Olivia, on the other hand, continued to smile.
“Oh, it tasted good! I just bought too much, but the quality is high, so… yeah.”
His voice, dropping towards the end, indicated Ain’s failure.
“Ain-sama. Did you visit the stall street?”
“!? How did you know…?”
Ain shouted in surprise as he was easily exposed.
“Ain-sama and Olivia-sama. I thought it was a place you both would like, so I looked it up beforehand.”
“Ara, really? That’s fine then, Ain… let’s eat together. It’s a pleasure to have so many.”
Olivia smiled at him like the Virgin Mary, and Ain felt a little relieved.
“Hey, Martha. Isn’t it nice to have a dinner like this once in a while?”
“Yes, it is. You don’t get this kind of opportunity very often, so as long as you two enjoy it, that’s fine with me…”
Martha nodded, and Olivia clapped her hands.
“Yes, yes. Martha? I’ll have dinner with Ain, and Martha can go to Dill’s, okay?”
“O-Olivia-sama?”
Martha was startled by Olivia’s words, which made her wonder who she’s here to serve.
“Since it’s such a nice souvenir, why don’t you take it while it’s still warm?”
“Huh. I see. Well, if you need anything, please call me right away. And I’ll have dinner prepared in smaller portions, so I’ll bring it to you as soon as it’s ready.”
“Yes. You too, please rest well, Martha.”
Martha thanked Ain and left.
“Then Ain, let’s have it.”
Olivia approached with a graceful walk and sat down right next to Ain.
“They all look delicious. …I wonder which one Ain recommends.”
“I recommend them all, but these skewers are the best…”
Ain and Olivia began to enjoy Magna’s delicious food together.
＊＊＊
Even though Martha took half of it, it was obviously too much.
Ain managed to overcome this souvenir by eating more.
“It was good that we refused dinner…”
They called Martha halfway and asked her to refuse dinner.
The amount of souvenirs Ain had bought was too much to consider such a decision.
“But it was delicious. Thank you, Ain.”
Olivia didn’t utter a word of complaint but just happily stuffed Ain’s souvenirs into her mouth.
The two enjoyed their meal while Ain talked about what he had seen and felt in the city.
Ain was able to witness a rare sight: the elegant way she ate the skewers.
“That was good. But if there’s a next time, I’d better not eat so much.”
He smiled bitterly, regretting that he bought too much.
“Martha and Dill helped, but yeah… Maybe you should cut back a little when we eat together.”
She mouthed the word a little more as if she was worried about Ain.
But even Ain knew that it was not just a little more, so he appreciated Olivia’s concern.
“Phew… I’m full.”
Even before returning to the inn, Ain had eaten his way through the meal.
Maybe that’s why his belly was stuffed with so much seafood.
“Did you have fun out there?”
Olivia wiped her mouth and asked Ain with a smile.
“Yes. There were really a lot of people, but I guess I felt like… I was lifting myself up by walking around the busy place.”
This was especially true as he chatted with people at the food stalls.
Afterward, he helped the lady in the robe, etc., and thought it was a short but rewarding time.
“Was Mother in the bathroom all that time?”
“Yes, that’s right. The sunset was beautiful, and I enjoyed just soaking in the tub.”
“I see. Well, I think I’ll go in a little later…”
Seeing Olivia enjoying herself, Ain was also interested.
Even if it was just a bath, it was nice to have such an added value.
“Maybe after you get some rest?”
“Yes… Otherwise, it would be painful to take a hot bath.”
At the moment, Ain did not want to walk because he was full.
If that were the case, he would have to take a break for a while, and a bath would be out of the question.
“Of course. Otherwise, soaking in the bathtub would not be relaxing.”
“But the sun has mostly set… The view may not be as beautiful as it was in Mother’s time.”
Looking gently out to sea, it was now starting to get darker, and the area tinted in deep red was getting narrower.
“We will stay in Magna for a while. So I’m sure Ain will be able to relax in the best possible way.”
“That’s right.”
It turned out to be true, and there was still time for Ain to stay.
After all, today was not a bad day after enjoying the stall street.
Then Olivia pulled out a handkerchief.
If you looked closely, you could see a single bead of sweat running down Olivia’s neck.
“It was a little hot. I’m sweating.”
With an annoyed smile, she lifted her hair and wiped the sweat away.
Her white neck was exposed, and Olivia pressed a handkerchief against it.
“Huh… Even though I just took a bath a few minutes ago.”
After hearing the disappointment in her voice, Ain makes a suggestion.
“In that case, Mother. Why don’t you take a quick shower?”
That would be fine without wetting her hair.
And since she would only have to take a hot bath, it would be easy for Olivia.
“Hmm… I think I’ll do that.”
It was just sweat. Of course, it would dry up, so it wasn’t a problem, but she probably didn’t feel really good right now.
Olivia listened to Ain’s words, thought for a moment, and then nodded.
“I understand. Well, then…”
——I’ll wait here then.
Ain wanted to answer like that. …It should have been like this, but Olivia heard that he understood, took Ain’s hand, and stood up.
“U-uh…?”
He didn’t know why she took his hand.
Ain looked at Olivia’s hand and tilted his head curiously.
“Mother? What’s wrong?”
Ain asked, looking up at Olivia from the chair.
“What’s wrong, you ask? To take a bath, right?”
“Y-yes. I know that, but… why my hand?”
Oh, I see. Maybe she needs an escort, Ain thought, but…
“Well, Ain is going to take a bath, right? So I’ll just go with you…”
——No. She must have misunderstood his words somewhere.
He actually said that he was going to take a bath. And then he suggested that Olivia take a shower as well.
But why does that mean that they will take a bath together…?
“Sure, I’ll take a bath too, but I’ll go in later so Mother can go in first…”
As expected, it was hard to have a bath together in many ways.
“Why? I think it’s okay for us to go together since Ain wanted to go as well.”
“…I’m already old enough, so the idea of being with Mother is also…”
As for the birth, it was a fine line in many areas…
“A-Ain doesn’t want to go in with me, do you?
Olivia looked so sad that one was tempted to add a sound effect.
Ain hadn’t expected her to look so sad, so he was confused by the spontaneous reaction.
“It’s not that I don’t like it or anything…! I’m old enough to graduate from the academy, and I haven’t been in it with you for a long time…”
“But Ain. I already saw you bathe in the port city when we lived there…!”
Even though he appreciated her stubbornness about not to mention Roundheart, those words wouldn’t work now.
“Mother. Well, you see, that was when I was a small child.”
Olivia helped him bathe until Ain was a little over a year old.
After that, the servants at Roundheart Manor helped take care of Ain.
In other words, they had not been together for more than 10 years.
“But Ain is Ain, you know? I don’t care if you’re a child or an adult.”
“Y-yes. Sure, I’m Ain, but…”
Today, Olivia was not only in a good mood, but she was also a.s.serting her will strongly.
But while she was talking like that, Ain had a great idea.
“I understand…! I have one condition!”
“Condition…? What condition?”
——He won.
The fact that Olivia said that a.s.sured Ain that he had won.
But to be honest, it was not that he wouldn’t be interested in taking a bath with Olivia. On the contrary, it was something he would consider positively.
Nevertheless, he was still able to hold such a line because he still had some sense of reason.
“The condition is… a bathing suit!”
Ain, who stood up, was taller than Olivia.
This meant that Olivia was now looking up at Ain, which changed the scene from before.
“The bathing suit?”
Olivia stared at Ain with a puzzled look on her face.
The way she tilts her head was cute, but that’s not the point.
“Yes, I’d like to wear a bathing suit. If we can wear a bathing suit, we are not naked. So I’ll go to the bathroom if we put on a bathing suit.”
Ain looked at Olivia with a confident expression.
Then Olivia looked at Ain and slowly lowered her eyes to the floor.
Did I make her sad? Ain was worried, but Olivia immediately put her hand to her mouth and giggled.
“M-Mother? Why are you laughing?”
Seeing Olivia suddenly burst into laughter, he asked her what was wrong.
“N-no, it’s nothing… I was just a little happy.”
“Happy?”
What in the world made her so happy about what he had just said? Looking back, Ain was not sure.
“Yes, that’s right. I was happy because Ain would take a bath with me.”
“That’s… so that’s if you keep the conditions.”
How could she have a bathing suit if she had no plans to go to the beach?
And yet, why was Olivia so relaxed about it?
“Hey, Ain. Looks like I won.”
Then Olivia left Ain’s side and put her hand in one of the bags.
“Here you go, I’ll wear it properly. Now, you take a bath first.”
A sapphire blue bathing suit.
Olivia took it and winked at him with a winning smile.
“…..You have it?”
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