Summary of the last chapter in three lines
The minister has it rough.
Two carriages on the way home.
Shake hands.
Once they reach the workshop, Souta and the others thank Dorusu and head inside.
Once inside the usual living room, Arezel throws herself onto the sofa and heaves a big sigh.
「Hahhh~ finally back home.」
It seems like she was also nervous in the return carriage, and it was only now that her nervousness was blown away.
「Souta-san, give me the fruits.」
Opposite of Arezel sits Roury, who already has a dish in hand and demands the fruits they got at the castle.
「A-A~a.」
Even while surprised by Roury, who"s already prepared in an instant, Souta still takes out the fruits and pa.s.ses them to her.
「Yayy~, thanks Souta-san!」
Then Roury peels the skin with a kitchen knife that she also already prepared. She cuts them and arranges them on the dish.
「That’s quite good knife handling, I can’t see how she’s a bad cook at all…….」
「She’s good at using a kitchen knife indeed, but that’s it… As soon as the cooking involves seasoning, it becomes catastrophic.」
Narasu tells the truth to Souta, who is impressed.
「Ahh – so it’s the kind of person who adds too many things to the pot, huh…」
「Yeah that… No matter how much I told her, she would end up adding something that’s not on the recipe unnoticed.」
While Souta and Narasu converse about Roury’s cooking skill, the person in question is only decorating the fruits one after another.
Because Souta thought about talking about their future plan, while waiting for Roury to finish, he gets down on the sofa.
Dina and Narasu also follow him and sit down.
「Let’s wait until Roury finishes. After that, I want to talk about something today.」
The two nod in agreement and decide to watch over Roury’s wonderful performance for a while.
「With this, just the beak left…… There, it’s complete!」
There is a stunning bird represented there.
Souta, Dina, Narasu, and even Arezel only look at the finished product, unable to say anything.
「N? What’s wrong… why the weird looks?」
She seems to be unaware of why the others are surprised, and then with one hand she breaks off one of the birdwing-shaped fruits.
「「「「Aaaa~!!!」」」」
The four suddenly let out a loud voice.
「Wha-What!? What’s wrong?」
Roury is surprised by the four people who suddenly shout. She looks at the face of the four in order.
「Hahh~~….. No it’s fine. Sorry for shouting suddenly.」
Narasu with her resigned att.i.tude.
「Right, don’t mind it. It can’t be helped, after all.」
Souta with his comforting words.
「The shape was ruined before I knew it……」
Dina with a faraway look.
「When it comes to this, let’s eat it together. It’s delicious.」
And Arezel who takes everything positively. Those are the reactions of those four people.
「Ummm, I don’t quite understand, but…… Ohh well, it doesn’t matter. Because I’m able to do this well, let’s eat it together.」
Thus now, with Roury’s invitation as a sign, they reach out for it.
These cuts fruits, as the fruits themselves are first-cla.s.s fruits, the taste is guaranteed, and so a single bird is eaten in no time.
「That was delicious.」
「Certainly, to use her hands as skillfully as that must not be an easy feat.」
Dina and Souta are taking a break, Roury cleans up, and Narasu takes Arezel, who fell asleep, to the bed.
The two who were resting initially wanted to help clean up as well and takes Arezel to her room, but they were refused as the other two don’t want to inconvenience them.
In spite of taking a break, the majority of those two’s heads is filled with the plan for their future journey.
After a while, Roury and Narasu, who finished their ch.o.r.es, return and then go to their seats.
「Arezel went to bed?」
「Yeah, it seems like she’s very tired. She was sleeping so soundly that she didn’t even wake up when she was being carried to the bed.」
Remembering Arezel’s sleeping face, Narasu smiles.
「Now then, I would like to tell you our future plan. You"ve taken care of us, so this is the least we can do.」
「I don’t think we have done something that serious, but I would be glad to accept if you say so.」
「This Roury-san helped everyone when they were in a pinch, though.」
She chides Narasu while puffing her chest proudly.
「Seriously you – know some modesty!」
Scolded, Roury only sticks out her tongue.
「Can we return to the topic?」
「S-Sorry.」
Narasu lowers her head toward Souta, who shows a slightly troubled expression.
「Dina and I, once we return to my base in the city of adventurers, Toura, are thinking about going on a journey after that.」
「A journey?」
Souta and Dina nod.
「We both have doubts about the battle with the Demon King a thousand years ago. Why was I repatriated? Based on the legend, it was to stop me who madly killed the other heroes. But from Dina’s memories, Soldia was stabbed after I was repatriated. There is a difference between the order of events.」
Souta looks at Dina with an expression asking for confirmation, and to it, Dina nods, agreeing with him.
「From my case, in addition to that, there is still a possibility that there was another person present at the time. It’s ambiguous because it’s my older brother’s memories when he was stabbed, but I can still feel the presence. My older brother’s detection ability should have been top notch.」
It’s now Souta"s turn to nod.
「That’s why we’re going to visit other races’ countries to gather information and solve the mystery. Just like there is Dina in the elven country, there might also some other sources of information in other countries as well.」
「So that’s how it’s. Unfortunately I don’t have any information, I will send a letter to Carena’s store. I don’t know if it will help you, though.」
「Thank you, I appreciate that.」
「Then, this Roury-san will also go to Toura together with Souta-san.」
It’s a mystery how she reached that conclusion after listening to the entire story, but that’s what she says.
「Seriously, this person is…….. Why suddenly try to accompany them? For the most part, you’re one of the few alchemists in this country, do you think the country will give you permission to leave for so long?」
Roury answers that question with a proud face.
「Fu~fu~fun, that’s why I said with Souta-san. With that dagger, it pretty much means free pa.s.s, so if I’m with him, there is no way we will be pursued.」
After she finishes speaking, she makes a peace sign.
「…… That’s an unexpected answer. I can’t imagine that with my usual behavior. Now if there is a problem, it’s whether I will nod and agree to this or not.」
Souta shows a difficult smile to Roury to test her. To that, Roury’s face shows seriousness that he"s never seen from her before.
「Reading Elmia-chan’s letter, I thought about living together with her soon. But there was a time when I ran away from this country, so it’s hard for me to leave the country. It would be difficult for Elmia-chan to come here by herself, and above all, it doesn’t looks like she will leave Carena Kaa-san behind. Carena Kaa-san won’t want to come back here for the same reason as me…… That’s why, I beg you, please bring me along to Toura.」
She says so and bows deeply.
Roury spoke from her heart. It becomes quiet, and Souta silently waits for Narasu to speak up. He doesn’t know how big the burden for the workshop will be if Narasu’s disciple leaves her alone, so he can only a.s.sume it will be a heavy burden.
Despite that, he also understands Roury’s feelings. This is precisely why he waits for Narasu, so they can understand each other.
「To think you thought that way……… I didn’t know it at all. I will feel lonely here, and Arezel will surely cry too.」
「I will talk to Arezel.」
Narasu nods with a sad, lonely smile.
「Right, please do so. After all, that girl is attached to you somehow.」
Narasu turns her head. Now she’s facing Souta and she lowers her head.
「Despite her being a poor disciple, can Souta-dono please let her accompany you? I beg of you.」
Following Narasu, Roury also lowers her head once again.
「……Sure. I never planned to refuse in the first place. I just wanted to see if there is a good reason or she was just joking around. My bad.」
Roury looks up with a bright smile on her face.
「Phew~ Thank you. Souta-san, thank you, and Dina-sama too. Please take care of me.」
Dina, who left the decision entirely to Souta, smiles and grabs Roury’s outstretched hand for a handshake.
t/n: actual note time
“Souta shows a difficult smile to Roury to test her. To that, Roury’s face shows seriousness that he"s never seen from her before.” : the difficult smile here can also mean evil smile, i’m not sure which smile he uses here
btw, Roury speech style is intended to be childish, hopefully, i translate it right (though i feel like it’s more prideful tease instead of childish)