Riaru de Reberu Age Shitara Hobo Chītona Jinsei ni Natta

Translator: Reflet

　Even in the middle of the party a.s.sembly hall with people wearing fine-tailored suits and gorgeous dresses, that place was especially letting off a radiance, gathering the attention of the partic.i.p.ants .
　That was wholly due to the social status of the three men and women facing each other in conversation .

　Current Prime Minister, Kouda Jin’ichirou .
　The third princess of Asia’s most pro-j.a.pan country, the Phili Kingdom: Leticia・H・Keraaz .
　And lastly, Juunishima’s headman’s daughter of the place that was designated as a 「village」 based on its administrative district while having a population of a million, Juunishima Youran .

　All of them were important people among important people, and it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine something dreadful happening in the world if a meteorite or the like were to fall here . That was how important these faces were .
　The three of them were conversing in j.a.panese without any interpreter .

「Good gracious, I am relieved that her Highness as well as Director of the New Moon-dono haven’t changed . 」
「Good heavens, Jin’ichirou-ojisama, we last met three years ago . Do you not think that saying that there has been no change in a maiden of sixteen after three years is rather awful?」

　Leticia said clad in an evening dress, and the kimono-clad Youran sympathized with that .

「Besides, you say that even though Koudsama is the one who hasn’t changed; you’ve held long-term political power since we were carrying our backpacks to grade school . Honestly, within me when I think of the prime minister I cannot imagine anyone else but Koudsama . 」
「I am of the same opinion . 」
「Hahhahha, I lived too long and just decided to settle down in the position . It wouldn’t be strange for a punishment to strike me by this point in time . 」
「You jest; even though there isn’t the smidgen of an omen . 」
「Bamboo tubes don’t fulfill their function until water acc.u.mulates . 」
「I take it that Oji-sama’s bamboo

tubes are functioning as always; no doubt things will be tranquil from here on out . 」
「I think so too . 」
「Hahhahha, what a day this is; I did not think that two G.o.ddesses of luck would show up all at once . 」
「Oh, you’re skilled, Oji-sama . 」

　An almost false, surface-level dialogue . But that was the most important thing in this situation .
　Jin’ichirou, Leticia, and Youran .
　The open-book friendship displayed between the leaders meant that things were just that secure .

　After the party, Youran and Leticia were in the storeroom . A pretty suit room with a nightview on the top floor of the hotel, where the party had begun a moment ago .
　In its midst, the two of them were sitting down facing each other .

「Why did you want to speak with me?」
「Oh, do you mean to speak with me in that tone as well?」
「Thou art the one with the strange speech; thou weren’t like that when we last met, right?」
「I acquired it; does it not fit my position quite well?」
「When I first heard it I felt gooseb.u.mps all over; it doesn’t fit thou so just quit it . 」
「If you stop first then I shall do that very thing . 」
「Thou shalt go first . 」
「You shall be going first . 」
「Thou」
「You」

　Neither side giving in, it became a battle of obstinance . And just when things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction of the party a.s.sembly hall to a stormy situation…

「Pff」
「Ahahahaha」

　As if they had conspired together, both of them burst out laughing at once .
　Evening dress and kimono; the two people who had earlier made a refined atmosphere had shattered said atmosphere at once by their own hand .

「Man, what are we even doing?」
「Ya got that right; it ain’t ev’n like us, furreal . 」
「Ahh, I can relax listening to you speak that way . 」
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」
「My own long-sleeved kimono・・・seeing that is what helps me relax . 」
「Vainly trying to be knowledgeable about the j.a.panese culture, I see, you false foreigner you . 」
「Can’t be ‘elped; we’re Asia’s most pro-j.a.pan country and our official language’s even j.a.panese anyhoo . ‘Course we’d be knowledgeable ‘bout j.a.pan’s culture, eh?」
「Yes yes . And, what did you invite me here for?」
「Seems like ya sister was found . 」
「……」

　The air immediately grew cold; Youran had not antic.i.p.ated that she would bring up this topic of all things .

「Dun make such a scary face, eh?」
「How did you know?」
「This’s somethin’ ‘portant that can decide the future o’ my close friend; ‘course I’d be concerned . 」
「Should I say thank you?」
「I really dun care . More ‘portantly, your little sis…wha was ‘er name」

　Leticia thought a bit .

「Right right, Shiro, Shiro, ain’t it?」
「It’s Pochi…or not even that; it’s Juunishima Adano . The name decided for her before birth just like mine . 」
「Thas’ a shame, having a father who’s obsessed with England . ‘S that some sorta glittering fashionable name nowadays?」
「Don’t say that; thought it may seem otherwise I quite like my name . 」
「That right? It’s fine if that’s th’case . 」

　Leticia said, softly narrowing her eyes .

「An’ where’s dat Shiro?」
「……I don’t know . 」
「Dun lie . 」
「I’m not lying, I really don’t know . 」
「Right, but the face yer makin’ ‘s like ya have everythin’ figured out . 」
「I won’t deny that, but I don’t know where she is . 」
「Wha, ya get ‘er to go underground?」
「I haven’t done anything . 」
「Haah」

　Leticia laughed scornfully .

「Yer the same as always . I always hated dat useless aspect of yers . Doin’ everythin’ on yer own, and once ya decided than ya’d dash off without a word to anyone . Ain’t it the same now?」
「That sort of way is better a lot more, when you’re in my position

my position . You’ve got to understand . 」
「Most unfortunately! I dun do anythin’ like dat; if my subordinates were to do something good then I’d let ‘em handle it . 」
「Your subordinates must have it hard . 」
「Contrary, yer subordinates must ‘ave it rough . How many people d’ya think yer causing trouble for?」
「You think so?」
「I do . 」
「……You might be right . 」

　Taking a breath, Youran said nodding .

（You might be right）

　Youran repeated the same words in her heart .
　That might very well be the case . Whenever something happened, she had a habit of not letting anyone els ehandle it and trying to do something with her power alone . Even for things that should be left to subordinates, she still felt that she should handle .
　And she didn’t just feel that way; she had actually set that in motion .
　But just like Leticia had said, there must be a lot of people who were inconvenienced as a result .
　A certain boy’s face floated in her head .
　Just like the name, the type of boy who・・emitted brightness from himself .
　Even with the previous affair, she had inconvenienced him . If she had that one time not gone herself, instead sending a trustworthy tight-lipped confidant and had things proceed that way, surely that boy would not have suffered any wounds . Things would have continued more thoroughly and a solution would have been found after a bit of a struggle .
　Youran was not so foolish that she couldn’t comprehend that that was unmistakable .
　Even so, though she acknowledged the reasoning itself, she couldn’t repudiate the actions themselves .
　Because she couldn’t afford to .

「Wazzup with you; suddenly s.p.a.cing out . 」
「Eh? No it’s nothing . 」
「That right? Well that’s fine; all I wanted to say was to rely more on those around ya . Even if things ‘ave been peachy so far dunso far dun mean that it’ll stay that way for yer whole life . 」
「Yeah, then allow me to do so from now on . 」
「If you really intended to・・・・・then ya just gotta say that you’ll『positively consider it』 . 」

　Leticia angrily turned her face away . From how long they had been tagging along with each other, she had probably understood that Youran was just glossing over it with her answer .
　She had angered her; feeling that, Youran searched for follow-up words .
　That was when the sound of a knock was heard on the door .
　Knock-knock, knock-knock; four knocks struck rhythmically .

「Enter . 」

　Youran had immediately reverted to her「archaic」self .

「Excuse the disturbance . 」

　Entering the room and deeply bowing was a woman with a maid outfit in her mid-twenties .
　After shooting Leticia a glance, she talked to Youran .

「My master, a report of imminent danger . 」
「Let us hear it . 」
「Is that really fine?」
「I’m a foreigna’, I dun eat j.a.panese, kay?」

　Leticia attempted humor while insinuating that she wouldn’t repeat it to anyone, and Youran also nodded to that, so the maid began her report .

「A report from the third squadron . 」
「……Oof」
「About the pursuit; Miki Aoba has been kidnapped by the hands of the Adano sect, the implementation force’s leader being Einsteelpierre・Saekusa Tsuk.u.mo . When she was kidnapped, Akita Mio who was accompanying her suffered wounds and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital . 」
「……」

　The desire to ask about the other person came up to her throat, but she resisted it .

「Afterwards, Natsuno Taiyou disappeared, and a search is currently undergoing . 」
「――」

　Youran stood up with a clatter .

「Ya……」

　Leticia who had been silent knit her brows . The maid was also surprised .
　Youran who had stood up abruptly was making a face that they had never seen before .

　The waxing moon floating in the summer night sky, the new moon was slowly being eroded by shade (light) .