Slowlife Chapter 8Sympathy. Bartholo.
「Sei! Haa! 」
「Yaa! Waa! 」
Eleanor-neesan and Sylvio-niisan are practice swinging the sword.
Eleanor-neesan’s voice was filled with fighting spirit, only the sound of the wooden sword cutting through air is pleasant to hear.
Her ponytail shakes from side to side as she swings energetically.
Eleanor-neesan aims to be a knight and practices with Nord-tousan, she also joins the training of the vigilance committee. Her exceptional talent with the sword is showing, it seems that she is able to exchange blows with the commanding officer of the vigilance committee.
Next to her is Nord-tousan who strictly corrects Sylvio-niisan’s practice swings repeatedly, and then the practice swings are repeated.
Sylvio-niisan usually reads books and can be seen studying numerous times. Although I didn’t hear about it, he will probably become a civil official and become the House of Slowlet’s successor in the future.
Although it looks like he doesn’t seem to like the sword very much, he recognize that it’s an important way to defend himself, he also doesn’t cut corners and strives energetically.
However, although he is a man he is still six years old. Because his body has still not completely developed, it’s impossible.
Nord-tousan approches and Sylvio-niisan lowers the wooden sword, I hear him giving some advice and Sylvio-niisan nods repeatedly in agreement.
Sylvio-niisan’s practice today seems to have ended just now.
I wonder if I will also do practice swings when I become six years old.
On the other hand, speaking of me, I’m increasing the amount of my mana and practicing s.p.a.ce magic alone.
I’m now able to teleport a moderate distance, when I find a favorite place, the image is burned into my head and I’m able to teleport at any time.
There is already no threat from pursuers such as Sarah.
But, for some reason, Eleanor-neesan’s tracking ability is steadily rising and my peace is being threatened. About four spots out of six spots of my favorite place have already been found, and I have my back against the wall.
Although there should completely be no tracks because I used teleport, I hear someone say 「I think that he’s here 」 and come with unsteady steps.
Even though I extend the distance of teleportation to long distance, Eleanor-neesan rides a horse and her search range is also expanded.
It’s already a vicious cycle.
Is it like that? Is it something like Eleanor-neesan is the bear who chases after me who is running away?
「What are you doing Al? 」
Elna-kaasan sits next to me who is sitting while absent-mindedly looking at the garden.
「I was only watching Eleanor-neesan’s and Sylvio-niisan’s practice. 」
「Ara, does Al want to practice too? 」
「No, I don’t want to do that. Living slowly and peacefully now is the best. 」
「Al really likes to be carefree, huh~」
The words might smell of old age a little.
Although I see Elna-kaasan’s usual smiling face, it feels like it’s something like a wry smile.
Well, it’s probably all right since both my parents have a broad-minded character.
「When Al was a baby you liked the magic book, but, are you not interested in magic? 」
「I like magic, I read the book and practice occasionally. 」
It’s done desperately everyday to enrich myself.
「Then, Okaasan will teach you this time, okay? Can you use it a little? 」
「Leave it to me! 」Elna-kaasan says with full confidence.
「I understand. 」
Although I don’t know how much magic can be done by Elna-kaasan, there is surely something that I can learn so I decided to let her teach me.
「Alー! Let’s go play! 」
Is the morning training already over? Eleanor-neesan rushes over dripping with sweat.
Seeing as Eleanor-neesan is as usual, Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan smile and laugh.
「Properly wash yourself with water then empty it. 」
「It’s all right because I’ll go to the river! 」
「That’s no good. Go wash in the house. 」
「Ehー? 」
「It’s no good because you’re a girl. 」
「Yeーs. Then, I’ll eat lunch together with Al! Wait for me, okay? 」
Eleanor-neesan runs towards the mansion without waiting for my answer.
……Even though I didn’t say I’ll go.
「Eleanor really loves Al, huh? 」
Nord-tousan comes near unnoticed.
I didn’t hear his footsteps at all. It’s like an a.s.sa.s.sin.
「That’s true, isn’t it? I’m a little jealous~ 」
I can’t see how she’s jealous at all seeing Elna-kaasan’s smiling expression.
However, I know. Elna-kaasan and Nord-tousan always wraps us up with gentle smiles, but when both of them get angry, it’s very scary.
Elna-kaasan gets angry while gently smiling and her voice never changes when she’s pinning down the bad points. Although her smile doesn’t change, there’s no choice but to fear it.
And as for Nord-tousan, he narrows his eyes more than usual and says nothing. It’s different from the usual Nord-tousan who usually pats his head gently as he has this different att.i.tude like he’s pushing you away, it’s quite scary.
It’s extremely terrible if such two people get angry at the same time. Even though I have a mental age of about 30 years old, I get a little frightened when I see it closely.
By the way, it was Eleanor-neesan that was scolded.
「Al, it’s time for lunch. 」
「Yes, mother. 」1
「Ara? 」
I’ll definitely not make them get angry.
After lunch, I was brought to the river by Eleanor-neesan.
I always considered that the river in Coryatt Village is very beautiful. When you scoop the water with your hands and look at it, it’s like the mineral water that’s sold on the market! It’s transparent enough. Needless to say, the taste is naturally delicious. You might unconsciously mutter “World’s Beeeeeeeest” to the water from Coryatt.
The people in the village also draw water from upstream frequently.
And, we are at the place between the upstream and mid-stream now.
「So? What do you want to do? 」
I throw stones to the river while saying so.
It’s really a three years old child’s shoulder. It doesn’t fly at all.
「Nー, what to doー 」
If you want to make a three years old child swim without a swim ring, please stop. Anything except that is okay.
I gather mana in my arms and the stone skips this time.
Pasha! Pasha! Pasha! Pashashasha!2
It was very minute and I did not see it, but, did the stone skip seven or eight times?
It seems that the person who holds the world record did 51 skips.
I wonder what kind of person made it skip that many times.
「Ahー! What was that Al!? That’s interestーing! 」
「Stone skipping? 」
「Un! The stone leaped eight times just now! 」
I did the stone skipping again and showed her.
Eleanor-neesan who sees it has sparkling eyes, and she imitates the way I throw the stone.
Jobon! Jabon!
「Why doesn’t it leapー!? 」
I grab a nearby stone and happily throw it.
「Is it because it’s heavy and round? Is a different shape and more thin stone better? 」
Eleanor-neesan picks up and throws a thinner and flat type of stone.
Basha! Basha! Basha! Basha! Basha! Basha! Bashashasha.
She can already do it and she’s even better than me. As expected, it seems that Eleanor-neesan is good at moving her body.
Eleanor-neesan got tired of doing it after around 10 minutes had pa.s.sed.
「Mouー, are you already tired? Do you want to fish? 」
I do a preemptive attack because I don’t want her to say 「Let’s swim together! 」.
「Ehー? Fishing is quiet and boring. 」
You’re such a child to not understand the goodness of fishing.
Well, we are children.
「It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten fish. 」
「Un! Then, I’ll go borrow tools! 」
She’s fast. I returned to mansion immediately.
I’ll probably eat the fish on the spot after catching it, let’s get a little salt from the kitchen.
Because salt is valuable, Bartholo will be troublesome to deal with too.
If I’m discovered, sharing and teaching how to make okonomiyaki3 in exchange for it is good enough.
I think so, I am in the kitchen, wait no, because there might be other people in the in the kitchen, I teleport to the ingredient storeroom.
I who lightly teleport near the kitchen room face and go towards the kitchen.
Then, a giant man was doing suspicious movements at a corner in the kitchen.
「Heheー, I’m finally reaching it. 」
Is it Bartholo? I thought there was a pervert.
Bartholo doesn’t notice me, he’s rubbing his cheek on a small jar in a good mood.
That joyful smile, I have a feeling that if I’m seen it’ll only be like a ferocious animal finding it’s prey.
「What’s wrong? 」
「Wellー, the sugar that I requested the other day finally arrived. I received some from old connectionsー 」
While having a ferocious smile, Bartholo speaks very fast.
「Ehー, then why don’t you share it everyone~ 」
「I, uhー, that’s no good, it’s useless. I was looking forward to this. I use it for research although it’s bad for Nord~ 」
「Ehー, I seeー, then if it leaks out to everyone that you’re eating it 」
「That’s right! Therefore this is a secret! …………Ah…… 」
Bartholo returns to reality with my words and answers with a tense expression.
「「…………」」
「Nord-tousan~! Elna-kaasan~! Sarah~! 」
「Oopssss! Boy, no, Alfred-sama is a bad person. 」
Bartholo squats and puts his arm on my shoulder at the speed similar to when I used teleportation magic.
It’s a frightening and smooth speed of the arm.
It’s as if my shoulders are joined together with a close friend who is married for several years.
I haven’t seen such skill and accuracy, without trouble with a height difference too, until now.
「What’s wrong? Bartholo? 」
I continue to ask Bartholo like a pure and innocent child.
「You’ll continue with your severe joke, huh? 」
He gently taps my shoulders with a *ponpon* while saying 「But I understand what you mean~ 」.
Although I take on a modest approach, this is a threat. When the time comes, he might break my neck with his arms similar to thick logs.
I can’t be careless against Bartholo.
「Bartholo, your arm is heavy, please move it. 」(remove your arm which is going to break my neck early!)
「Don’t say such a thing~. Aren’t the boy’s and my relationship good~? 」) As if that’s true! d.a.m.n boy! Only acting like a child at such a time. If I remove this arm I can’t negotiate anymore! )
「Aha! Ahahahahaha. 」
「Haha! Hahahahahaー 」
「Why are you two laughing? 」
Sarah enters the kitchen room and approaches.
Sarah is the most dependable and versatile among the housemaids.
If it was Mina, it’s possible to drive her out deceiving her or by feeding her food but since it’s Sarah, it’s impossible.
Sarah has a sharp intuition and a ma.s.sive sweet tooth, It’s likely that Sarah will smell out the sugar.
I send glance to Bartholo for an instant.
Bartholo’s face becomes blue imagining that the sugar will be taken by the housemaid.
「Is Batholo sick? Your complexion is bad. 」
「No, I’m all right. Hahaha. 」
「Are you sure? Well that’s good, but I came here today to check the condition of the ingredients. 」
「Eh, Eeh!? What do you mean!? Isn’t it possible for me to do it alone? 」
「Bartholo, have you stocked up a larger portion ingredients like wheat and the like needed to make spaghetti? 」
「……Ah. 」
Bartholo…… You’re so pitiful to dig your own grave.
It can’t be helped, Bartholo. Let’s give him one favor here.
「Hey! Sarah. I came here to search for a fishing rod but where is it? 」
Bartholo’s face regained vitality due to my follow-up.
「Because Eleanor-sama came some time ago and looked for a fishing rod, I think Mina is headed towards the storage room. 」
*Chi*!4 This woman uses other employees roughly and excellently!
On the other hand, Bartholo who saw a flash of hope is in great despair.
Bartholo has already crumbled like it’s the end of the world.
……That’s it!
I innocently approach a chair at an angle where I won’t be seen by Sarah.
I touched a wooden bowl on the chair.
Karan! Karan! Karakarakara!
Then, we hear the sound of something dropping in the corridor.
「What was that sound? I’ll go check a little. 」
Sarah suddenly turns around and leaves the kitchen.
「Bartholo, hide it quickly. 」
「Oh, Oh? Oh! 」
Bartholo reacts to my words and quickly hides the jar containing the sugar under the floor.
Was there such a place that opens……?
「Will you also share a little with me? I’ll also get some salt later. 」
「Oh, okay. 」
I put a little salt in a small jar after hearing that and left the kitchen.
In the future, there was a pancake party held by two people with jam, a sweet smell drifts in the mansion and it was immediately exposed.
What happened after? It can only be said that Bartholo cried.
Afterwards, I was scolded too. Primarily by Sarah and the maids, and also by Elna-kaasan.
Women are scary.