18-6 Part 3
Those Who Maneuver in the Shadows 2 /
A Picnic Just for Siblings 2/2
Translator : PolterGlast
「Ah,
isn't that Georg!?」
「Yeah, Zirant told me he passed through the
gate over there. Is that Aniue...?」
The earth was
shaking. It was because the horse carrying Aniue
was charging straight towards us. With a ghastly momentum, as if an Imperial
crisis had arrived, Georg-Aniue charged into the picnic venue on
horseback.
「Ugh,
blergh...」
Our guide, Zirant, was motion sick. After being
let down from the horse by Georg-aniue, she came in front of me with unsteady, dangerous
steps, and just as I thought she clung to my shoulders, she disappeared.
「She
disappeared!?」
The horse's
breathing was heavily disrupted. It seems he made it gallop recklessly.
『I will
never, ever act as a messenger again... urp?!』
Sorry, I'll
apologize in Aniue's stead. And
thank you.
『Hmph,
hurry up and spend your sibling time... haa haa, ugh, ugu... Wagahai will rest for a bit...』
Aniue let the horse drink the contents of his canteen, lightly
caring for it, and then sat down heavily on the sheet. Seeing that, we also sat
down and opened the baskets, thinking we could finally eat lunch.
「I had
work, but days like this are also necessary. However, you've made quite a lot
here...」
「It was
a rush, so it's a makeshift job. So that Ashley
could eat his fill, I did my best with Durin-chan's
help!」
Three large baskets
were packed with light meals. The ingredients sandwiched in the bread were mainly
ham, egg, greens, and grilled meat. The last one was undoubtedly modeled after
the Imperial Capital's kebab sandwiches. Oranges cut for easy eating, nuts
perfect for picking at, crispy crackers, and defatted cheese were also
prepared.
When Atomina-Aneue picked up the sandwiches,
dazzling under the broad daylight, and handed them to us, a leisurely time
began.
「How is
it? That egg sandwich, I learned it from Durin-chan.
'I want to eat Atomina-oneesama's
egg sandwich, deshu', she said, fufufu♪」
「A
story I can easily picture. Yeah, it's certainly delicious.」
Even though it's a
gathering of just siblings, why are you so stiff, Aneue looked at Aniue
with dissatisfaction. He used to be a kind-hearted noble youth in the past.
That exactly is our dissatisfaction. Well, I prioritized satisfying my appetite
first, though.
「Georg, are you eating properly in the
Imperial Capital? I'm somehow worried...」
「Of
course I am eating. If I do not eat, I cannot maintain my body.」
「That's
true, but... eat more! I'm somehow worried, look, eat as much as Ashley!」
「Do not
force unreasonableness upon a normal person...」
While stealing
glances at Georg-aniue and Atomina-Aneue, I stuffed the soft sandwiches
into my stomach. This grilled meat sandwich, as expected, it resembles the
lady's kebab sandwich... It's delicious. A smile unintentionally spilled over
at the ordinary happiness.
「Say
something, you're leaving me to be entangled by Atomina all by myself...」
「What's
with that way of speaking, because Georg
is quiet, I'm livening things up instead!?」
To me, it only looks
like Aniue and Aneue are playfully messing around. Aniue is also a unique human, after all; though he looks calm at
first glance, there are times he's making merry on the inside.
「The
stubborn Aniue threw away his work
to come for us. At that point, it's more than enough.」
「Muuu...」
Perhaps not liking
the reply, Aneue peered into my face
from close range. As expected, Aneue is
beautiful. If it comes to anything more than this, there really might be no one
else.
「Even Ashley is saying adult-like things...
Your big sister is lonely... Let's make merry more!」
「Even
if you call Ashley and me out and
tell us to make merry, it is impossible due to our personalities.」
「Buttt,
Ashley, when you
were little, you were
much cuter! Even Georg, why did you
end up like thisss!」
Eating the defatted
cheese sandwiched between crackers is terrifyingly delicious... Rather, are
these crackers Aneue's handmade...?
Not being able to eat this would be a massive loss. My appetite progressed.
「Yeah, when Ashley was young, he was cute. I will not deny that.」
「Right,
right! That day when he called me 'Onee-chan', I thought it! That I want to
marry this child...」
「What
are you blurting out, you...」
「Aneue hasn't changed.」
When it is said from
Aneue's mouth, there is something
that makes my chest tight. Even I, when I was young, despite knowing I was a
cursed child, wished to become like that with Aneue.
「Because,
I'm worried... I'm constantly on edge, wondering if you're dying in some place
I don't know about!?」
「That
is true. Surely Gideon shares the
same feeling. You should have a little more self-awareness that you are loved
by us.」
How could he proudly
say such embarrassing words. My appetite spoiled by embarrassment, I looked at
the townscape of Erin spreading
below the high ground, and the brilliance of the sea spreading beyond.
「I'll
try to be more self-aware. But stopping is impossible; when the day begins, my
body moves on its own.」
「Haaah...
What a troublesome child...」
「At
least when you go out, just tell us where you are going...」
「I will
do my best to accommodate that.」
There might not be a
next time. Such a thought was in our chests. That is why Atomina-aneue was so invested, and Georg-aniue also
threw away his work and flew here. The end is approaching. The Empire, without
Father, will reach the height of chaos, and will likely force a decision upon
us.
「Ashley, say ahh♪ Say ahh?」
「Aneue absolutely never wavers...」
「Fufu...
It is the request of your precious sister, humor her.」
「Georg, you too, alright? Say ahh♪」
「Do not
say stupid things, if the army folks see this, the dignity I have built up
until today will be ruined!」
We promised to have a picnic in the land of Erin again. Of course, it goes without saying that both Aniue and I had sandwiches shoved into our mouths by Aneue.
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