Chapter 49
Chapter 49 Unnoticed Incidental Limit Up[1]
At the same time when Zirconia was questioning the bandits .
At the plaza in front of Nelson’s Manor, there was a commotion from a large amount of carriage gathered in a hurry and the soldiers of Second Corps n.o.ble Guards and their servants preparing to depart .
The soldiers and servants were already at the steps of doing the last check on their luggage, and would be ready to depart in just several minutes .
In such situation, as if Kazura didn’t mind the noisy surrounding at all, he sat at the stone bench installed at one of the corners of the plaza and looked at the ground with a gloomy expression .
Isaac who stood beside Kazura, sometimes does a quick look as if concerned about Kazura’s condition, while receiving the completion report from the n.o.ble Guards .
「(……Are my thoughts too naïve? Should I just have ignored other people outside the villagers of Grisea Village?)」(Kazura)
After receiving the report that Grisea Village had been attacked by bandits, Kazura looked back at the action he had taken until now and fell into self-loathing .
From the timing of the attack, the bandits might have tailed the carriage that Valetta and Valin had taken to Grisea Village .
Although from the escort soldier, none of the villagers were harmed, if there was a small mistake, then the result might be the opposite .
He regretted sending Valetta and Valin to return to Grisea Village ahead of him, but he was more regretting why he had taken Valetta and Valin with him to Isteria .
At any rate, there was no actual need for Kazura to go towards Isteria to explain about the aid .
If Isteria’s side really desired Kazura’s aid, then it was them who should visit Kazura . This was furthermore possible to do after he had convinced Isaac and Havel that he is Greysior .
Of course, it would be difficult to expect Nelson and Zirconia to believe Isaac and Havel story, but it would also take the same amount of time for Kazura to directly meet with Nelson and put the aid plan into the application when compared if Kazura traveled personally to Isteria .
Although the damage from the famine in the province would be increased since the aid would get delayed, if he put the safety of Grisea Village as his maximum priority then Kazura should not have been bothered by that at all .
Depending on the circ.u.mstances, he can refuse to give aid to the outside of the Grisea Village or limit the aid only at teaching the method of using the forest humus or how to create fertilizer .
「(However, what will happen if I rejected the plea to save this country that time? It will be unlikely for Nelson’s side to ignore the village just like that, the rumor of the village could spread out…… No, if I ordered Isaac-san to keep it secret then……)」(Kazura)
Kazura was wondering ‘what in the world should I do?’
Is he a fool who accepted the plea when he was told that there would be a lot of people in the province who will die from hunger due to the famine?
Even if the surrounding villages and cities was awash with people dying from starvation, should he keep continuing protecting only the people of Grisea Village that he treasured and ignored the tragic situation surrounding it?
Perhaps, if he only wanted to save Grisea Village, he should have only given food a.s.sistance to the villagers .
As the result of him caught up in the moment and unnecessarily brought watermill and fertilizer, Isaac ended up sniffed Kazura’s existence .
If he didn’t get found out by Isaac, then Kazura and Valetta wouldn’t need to go to Isteria, then the bandits wouldn’t attack the village to aim at the carriage’s cargo .
「Kazura-sama, the preparations for departure has been completed……」(Isaac)
While Kazura was thinking those thoughts, Isaac had received the report of the completion of departure preparation from every n.o.ble Guards groups, and he conveyed this to Kazura with a nervous feeling .
「Ah…… Yes . 」(Kazura)
Looking at Isaac whose face full of worries towards him, it was the first time Kazura felt surprised that he was trying to force the blame to Isaac by thinking「If only Isaac didn’t found him out」 .
Isaac didn’t ask Kazura to save the province with an ill will .
Rather, he is an honest person who planned to kill himself to apologize for his disrespectful conduct towards Kazura who pretending to be Greysior .
Kazura couldn’t push the blame at Isaac who desperately plead for Isteria province’s salvation .
「Kazura-sama, the bandits’ attack at Grisea Village this time is my fault . If I didn’t disturb Kazura-sama quiet life in Grisea Village, then……」(Isaac)
Maybe because he just thought about it, when Kazura was moving towards the carriage, Isaac began pinning the blame on himself with a depressed expression .
After seeing Kazura’s gloomy expression, Isaac might have the same thoughts like the one Kazura had and felt responsible for it .
「It’s not Isaac-san fault, so please don’t blame yourself . 」(Kazura)
「……Yes . 」(Isaac)
Kazura did his most gentle expression and denied that Isaac was to be blamed . Although Isaac still had a depressed expression, he obediently nodded .
Maybe he still didn’t accept it in his heart and just nodded merely because it was time for departure .
「Then, let’s begin the journey . Isaac-san will ride a Rata, right?」(Kazura)
「Yes, I will lead the Corps from the Rata . If Kazura-sama has any order, please convey it to Havel who will stand by near Kazura-sama’s carriage . Feel free to order us . 」(Isaac)
When Isaac finished with his words, he turned his sight towards the carriage that had been prepared for Kazura .
Kazura too shifted his attention towards a parked large carriage that was noticeably more elegant than the other carriages in the plaza .
He opened the carriage door and peeked at its magnificent interior design .
There was a splendid carpet laid out on the floor, there were even sofas and table . It was as if it was a small room being pulled by Rata .
Next to the carriage, Havel had already been waiting and was talking to a girl .
「Hmm? I’m sure that she is the one from Havel-san’s mansion……」(Kazura)
「Is there a problem?」(Isaac)
「No, but that girl who is talking with Havel-san is the girl who had helped us in many things when we stayed over Havel-san’s mansion . Maybe Havel-san brought her along as an attendant . 」
Maybe Havel had prepared someone, who Kazura had acquainted before, even briefly, for the attendant position . So Kazura said out his grat.i.tude for Havel’s concern .
「I see, I had thought that the attendant he brought is too young, but there is a reason behind it . It looks like Havel is really resourceful in doing his work, he even keeps an eye on the fine details . I too, have to learn this from him . 」(Isaac)
Seeing how Kazura was thankful for it, Isaac felt a bit delighted and praised Havel’s conduct .
He was glad that his subordinates was a capable man and can be relied upon even at this uneasy time .
✦✧✦
「U-umm, maybe it’s better for me to board the carriage, too……」(Marie)
One after another, the surrounding carriages had ready to depart, so with a panicked expression, Marie came forward with a suggestion to Havel .
In the plaza, the soldiers hurriedly moved and mounted their Rata, while their servants began boarding the carriage together with their master and their own luggage .
If she didn’t quickly board the carriage then even though the carriages were big, with a large number of luggage and servants crowding inside, she might not be able to secure a place for herself .
Since they need to do a quick march, the escorting n.o.ble Guards that would accompany Kazura were composed entirely of cavalry .
So the entire servants who would accompany them need to board the carriage so that they could maintain the same marching speed with the soldiers .
「No, please wait a bit longer here . 」(Havel)
Ignoring Marie who was panicked, Havel was observing Kazura and Isaac who was talking at the edge of his field of vision, while waiting for Kazura to approach his position .
If Havel’s prediction was correct then he should make Marie waited until Kazura came and she wouldn’t need to board the crowded carriage with the other servants .
So, while Havel ignoring Marie’s complain that the other carriage began to move and asked her to wait a little longer, Kazura parted with Isaac and walked towards Havel’s position .
「Havel-san, is the carriage ready to depart?」(Kazura)
「Yes, the preparation already had been put in order . Marie, you need to board the carriage over there, since we will soon depart . 」(Havel)
「Eh!? Y-yes!」(Marie)
「Hm? The carriage over there…… Marie-san, please wait for a moment . 」(Kazura)
Kazura stopped Marie who was going to run in a hurry towards the carriage that Havel had pointed out .
It was because Kazura happened to see that the carriage that Havel pointed at, was quite congested with the soldiers’ luggage and the servants .
Although if she was lucky then there still some s.p.a.ce to sit inside the carriage, since it would be a long travel it would be quite harsh for a girl like Marie .
「Havel-san, why don’t let Marie-san board my carriage so she can attend me in the journey . 」(Kazura)
「As your wish, Kazura-sama . Marie, please board the carriage with Kazura-sama . Then, please excuse me . 」(Havel)
「……Eh?」(Marie)
Leaving behind Marie who was stiffened at the unexpected course of events, Havel bowed at Kazura and then moved towards his Rata that was tied at the plaza’s corner .
「I am sorry for the unreasonable demand . Until we arrived at Grisea Village, I will be depending on you . 」(Kazura)
While smiling, Kazura addressed Marie who was frozen in place . Then he opened the carriage door wide and then boarded the carriage .
✦✧✦
「Do you feel alright? If you don’t feel well, should we stop the carriage?」(Kazura)
「I-I am alright . Thank you very much . 」(Marie)
It was several ten minutes after they departed from Nelson’s Manor .
Inside the carriage that shook with a clatter, Kazura patted the back of Marie whose face had become pale .
It seems that she had a motion sickness .
「Pleasem wait for a moment . I will take out a medicine now . 」(Kazura)
「Eh!? A-ano, for Kazura-sama to give a medicine to someone like me is……」(Marie)
「It’s fine, don’t worry about it . 」(Kazura)
Ignoring Marie who began fl.u.s.tered when he mentioned about taking out a medicine, Kazura opened the travel bag which had been stored inside the carriage and took out the pouch with aroma oil[2] bottles .
「(Umm, for motion sickness, lavender, peppermint, and…… What was it again? Maybe citrus will be good . )」[3]
Relying on the knowledge of the aroma oil effects that he sometimes used in his daily life in j.a.pan, Kazura took out lavender, peppermint, and grapefruit oil bottles, then he put one drop of each oil on a handkerchief he fetched from the bag and let the oil permeated on it .
Putting the oils at the handkerchief was because using the aroma pot, like he done yesterday for Isaac, couldn’t immediately bring out the scent .
Also, by putting it on the handkerchief and then brought it close to the face, it would have a stronger oils scent than spreading it out to the entire carriage .
「Please take a small whiff at this . I think it can make you feel better . 」(Kazura)
Kazura brought the handkerchief close to his nose and after he confirmed the scent, he handed it over to Marie who was pale faced and gushing with cold sweat .
「Thank you very much…… Please forgive me for causing a trouble……」(Marie)
Marie received the handkerchief from Kazura . While saying her thanks, she brought it close to her nose .
Then, after she took a sniff of the scent for a moment, she drew back her face from it and stared at the handkerchief with a surprised expression .
「The bad feeling I felt has disappeared……」(Marie)
「That’s good to hear . Then until we arrived at Grisea Village, please sniff at it now and then . It will ease your motion sickness . 」(Kazura)
The effect of the aroma oils that the handkerchief had, was something that Kazura had personally experienced in j.a.pan .
When he got motion sickness, when he sniffed at this oils blend, he would quickly recover .
Furthermore, since it had an immediate effect, it was quite convenient .
Kazura felt relieved that Marie’s pale countenance had become better, then he noticed that his own feeling was a bit lighter before he realized .
「……Ah, I see . Havel-san . You have done a good job…」(Kazura)
「Eh?」(Marie)
「No, I only admire how Havel-san had performed splendidly in his tasks . 」(Kazura)
The melancholic feeling he had until now would only continue if he rides the carriage alone, then surely he would only thoughts of depressing things, and Kazura might certainly felt depressed even more .
But if he rides with an acquaintance – but, we can say this is the first time they had a proper conversation with each other --, furthermore that acquaintance was a young girl like Marie, surely Kazura wouldn’t be able to think about gloomy things .
Most likely, Havel had foreseen this far . By antic.i.p.ating Kazura’s own personality, he had deliberately waited beside the carriage with Marie . So Kazura felt an admiration for him .
☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽
Now what the t.i.tle mean? Marie is Kazura’s Unnoticed, yet Incidental, Limit Up for his gloominess . Because of Marie, Kazura’s gloominess couldn’t increase further more .
Yeah! Kazura had experienced directly the power of Loli-Moe!
But, another TRAP card!
Next Chapter! Kazura come back!
[1] Limit up is a stock trading term referring maximum amount by which the price of a commodity futures contract may advance in one trading day . Limit up refers to when a futures contract will have a maximum threshold in order to ensure that large unexpected or potentially catastrophic events do not push a contract"s price into levels of irrational valuation based upon investor panic or manipulation . HELP STOCK MARKET PEOPLE‼!
[2] Essential oil… Aroma oil… Fragrance oil… Basically oil-based extract from herbs and other plants (and non-plants) .
[3] It’s actually: lavender, peppermint, ginger, and spearmint oil . Citrus is for seasickness, or so a sailor wisdom says . But as a MD, it’s dimenhydrinate, at least it works for me…