8-2
I Have No Clothes to Meet the Emperor
Translator : PolterGlast
Come to think of it, the journey from the Aion Duchy to the Imperial Capital
turned into our first real 'siblings
time' in a long while.. Georg-aniue
was preachy as usual. However, in Atomina-aneue's case, the presence of Dulin sitting next to her
was significant.
Thankfully,
she diverted that excessively abundant protective instinct of hers toward her
adorable sworn little sister. To put it mildly, the scene was so radiant that
the term 'lovey-dovey' would be fitting.
But I
suppose it couldn't be helped. After all, Atomina-aneue had finally severed ties
with the husband she had been with for so many years
"Oh right, Dulin, if you'd like, won't you
become my lady-in-waiting?"
"H-Haheh?! L-L-Lady-in-waiting—umm, that is, I'm sowwy...
What is a lady-in-waiting?"
"Not a bad idea. It would also serve as a check against
Du-obaue. I'll handle the
paperwork."
During the journey, a slightly amusing—or perhaps
inevitable, depending on how you look at it—conversation took place.
"I want you to take care of me. Of course, I'll have
you do alchemy work too. Perhaps something like Princess Atomina's
direct Court Alchemist?"
"Hii, hyeeeeh?! T-T-T-T-That's impossible! Dulin
taking care of Atomina-oneeshama...
it's too much of an honor, my eyeballs will burst!!"
I still remember Dulin holding both eyes and pulling
her hood completely over her head at that moment. As I said before, this child
is Atomina-aneue's type.
Since Atomina-aneue's
desire to protect is two or three times stronger than normal people, she's weak
to animals and this type.
"If Aneue wants to do so, then do so. I don't
think Dulin will refuse, so it's decided."
"F-Firefly-shan?!
Dulin hasn't said she'll become one yet?!"
"You can be with Aneue all the time. Surely you
don't dislike it?"
"There's no way I dislike it! Being with Atomina-oneeshama forever... I'm so happy, I'll
be punished by heaven!"
"Then it's decided. I'll be relying on you from now on,
Court Alchemist."
Me, Georg, and Atomina—I hate to say it, but
every single person in the Imperial Family is pushy. I
sympathized a little with Dulin, but this was the most correct choice.
"Hyueeeeh?! Aaaaa... Come to think of it, Dulin
is talking with a Princess and a Prince... What should I do, Firefly-shan?!
Hawa, Firefly-shan was also a Prince... Hi~, hawa~, hye~, i-i-it's
becoming a huge deal?!"
"You can keep calling me Firefly-san. The name 'Ashley'
just doesn't feel right."
It goes without saying that I received a simultaneous retort
from my brother and sister afterward about it being my own name. Opportunities
like this, chatting in a carriage or driving shoulder-to-shoulder with my
brother, probably won't happen again in the future.
When the Emperor passes away, I will leave the Empire. I've
always believed deep down that my true life will begin then.
Gazing at Georg-aniue's sour face and Atomina-aneue's brilliant smile during the
little time left with my siblings, I simply savored the ordinary happiness during this brief journey.
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
We arrived at the Imperial Capital on the evening of
the fourth day after departing from the Duke Aion territory. The
arrangements to meet Father immediately the next day were decided, so we used
that day to slowly heal the fatigue of the long journey.
Incidentally, this is something I heard during the trip, but Atomina-aneue ultimately chose separation rather than divorce from her
husband. She insisted she had no intention of returning to the ducal territory
until the manor issue was resolved. This compromise was undoubtedly because she
still had lingering affection for the husband she left over there.
Dulin was
officially employed by the Imperial Family late last night as Atomina's
lady-in-waiting and Court Alchemist. Also. Whether she was specifically
targeting me or not, when I casually took a walk through the palace's vast
corridor that morning, I was ambushed by that Du-Neil-obaue.
"You deceived
Atomina, didn't you! To do such a cruel thing to my cute Atomina,
it's absolutely unbelievable! A child like you shouldn't have been born!
You mother-killer!!"
"I merely carried out the Emperor's orders. But you
seem to be in quite a foul mood... Did something unpleasant happen to you, Obaue?"
"Kiii~~! Th-That is... That is your curse, it's a
curse! You cursed child who defies god! When my brother dies, I will
kill you!!"
"I'm not stupid either; I'll escape from here before
that."
By "that," she probably means the Detached Palace. Actually, on the way back, we took a detour to see what
happened before returning. It's tilting artistically.
Even viewing from afar, the building was leaning 7 or 8
degrees toward the lake side. It's at a level where villa life is impossible.
However, viewing it as an object in that resort area, the tilt adds a certain
flavor.
"You are a plague upon the Imperial Family!! Mark my
words, Ashley!!"
"Give me a break."
Even so,
Father had intervened. Du-obaue merely spewed verbal abuse before immediately sheathing her claws and
departing. Now then, despite the interruption, I went back to enjoying the rest
of my walk. Eventually, when I returned to my room—Dulin was inside, lying in wait for me.
"Ah, Firefly-shan. Ah, no, Ashley-sama."
"I told you Firefly is fine."
"But if someone hears, I would be in twouble..."
"It's fine. There's no one in this palace who tells
people to respect me. More importantly, what is it?"
Dulin is in higher spirits than I expected. I thought she
just had high adaptability, but if anything, it looks more like she is simply
savoring the happiness of living with Atomina-aneue.
"Umm, you see, Her Imperial Highness Atomina-aneue is calling for you."
"Understood, take me there. Or should I guide you on
the way back...?"
"Hau... I-If I get lost, please do..."
"Let's do that."
My audience
with Father is scheduled for this evening. Since he is summoning me at this
precise moment, there must be some reason connected to it.
Once the discussion was settled, the eccentric carrying a
shovel on his back strode alongside the little
alchemist deep into the palace, a place he rarely visited. Aneue's room
is in the White Dragon Palace sector. Many special sectors for royalty
exist in this palace.
"Umm... Firefly-shan. Here, Dulin feels a
little restless..."
"Agreed. I prefer a simpler place. Though I don't
dislike the garden."
It's a simple thought, but the White Dragon Palace is
excessively white. The wood is all ebony too. That exudes a sense of luxury,
making those with frugal but commoner sensibilities uncomfortable.
"Oneeshama, I bwought Fire—Ashley-sama."
"Geez, finally here! Let him in quickly! We're running
out of time here, geez, Ashley!"
Arriving at Aneue's living quarters, we were
immediately shown inside. I say room, but it's ridiculously huge, so calling it
a house would be more accurate. Even ten of my rooms wouldn't match this one.
"What's the fuss since morning, Aneue..."
"Ashley! When I woke up this morning, I suddenly
realized! You don't have formal wear, do you!"
"So what? Even if he's the Emperor, he's just a father.
No need for formal wear."
"U-umm... Dulin
also thinks, that might be... well, a bit pushing it...?"
"Exactly! Here, if you understand, take it off, Ashley!"
With Aneue's affection dispersed to Dulin, I
might have let my guard down a little... Aneue is forceful. Everyone in
the Imperial Family is forceful. She put her hands on my precious only suit and
tried to strip me.
"Wait, what are you doing, Aneue?! Even if you
told to strip, there's
no way I'm stripping in my sister's room!"
"We won't do anything weird...? Just taking
measurements."
"Measurements? Don't tell me you intend to finish a formal
suit by this evening...?"
"No. Dulin, show him that!"
"Yesh!"
If I resist this meddling, the commotion will only grow,
wasting time and stamina needlessly. Because Aneue is a person who does
not yield.
So I reluctantly stopped resisting and had my clothes
briskly stripped off by my real sister... How long will this Princess treat me
like a child...?
"Oh my, while I wasn't looking, you've become quite... fufufu♪"
"Never mind the 'fufufu', just hurry up... Hm, that
is—"
Small Dulin returned to me clutching a military
uniform. Setting aside her strangely flushed cheeks, that military uniform—I
remembered seeing it somewhere.
"Ashley, do you remember? That boy sent this to me a long time ago."
"I thought I recognized it; so that's what it is. This
is surely—from when Georg was at the military academy..."
It is a flashy military uniform tantamount to saying,
"I am royalty." Red, gold, and black. The emblem of the Fog Giant Bergelmir,
symbol of the Empire, and a unicorn are sewn onto the chest.
"H-Hawawa?! T-This, these were Prince Georg-sama's
clothes?! Hy-Hyueeeh?!"
"He pushed this onto me, saying that one day, the day
would come when Ashley enters the military academy."
Aniue prepared
something like this for me? Good grief, I'm defeated by these siblings. To
think they care about me this much...
"Here, it's his, so it's a little big, but if we adjust
the length, you can wear it just fine. If you understand, stay still."
"D-Dulin
will go over there..."
"No. Here, hold this down, here, right here!"
"H-Haua?! T-Touch such a place?! E... Eiyah!"
"Uguh...?!"
I sighed inevitably. If I say anything more, it will only drag on. Praying for it to end quickly, I endured the excessively long measurement session.
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