Old Castle by the Lake 7
「You seem to be having fun somehow.」
「You too, Layla.」
Well, I suppose I am.
I rummaged through my backpack and took out six bottles. At
that number, Ashren-sama lowered his eyebrows in exasperation.
「I thought you had an awfully large
backpack, but did those take up the majority of it?」
「The rest is my canteen and lunch.
Ah, I also have salve and bug repellent in there.」
「That was a more biased lineup than I
expected.」
Is that so? I have never done field research or anything
like that, so I don't really know.
「Then, please fill two bottles each
with just water, just algae, and just waterweeds.」
「Understood.」
Ashren-sama
rolled up his sleeves, pulled out the waterweeds growing at the bottom, rolled
them up into a ball, and forcefully stuffed them into a bottle. In the
meantime, I collected the water and the algae growing on the edges.
I was in a good mood as we left the old castle and boarded
the boat again.
「In the end, we didn't get to meet
the princess, did we.」
「Well, it's not guaranteed that the
princess would be a beauty, after all.」
So you're the one choosing. Well, you do have a beautiful
face.
「If she wasn't your type, it seems
like you would just leave without saving her.」
「Wait, just how cruel of a person am
I in your mind?」
I dodged that face glaring at me with wrinkled brows by
smiling sweetly. Hmm, I have become quite tough myself.
「I am looking forward to seeing what
kind of results we get from the samples.」
「Right, let's report to my mother
when we get back. She will probably say she's going tomorrow herself. We can
have her collect a little more while she's at it.」
「You are right. I should have brought
more bottles.」
I regretted a bit too late that I should have prepared
another bag.
「Don't worry about it. This place is
three hours from the Royal Capital, and half that on a fast horse. We
can come anytime.」
「Do you and the others often go on
field research, Ashren-sama?」
「I suppose so. It's rare in the
winter, but from spring to autumn, we do go out sometimes. Don't you go to the
field in the Jilgista Kingdom?」
「Yes. I asked a few times, but I was
told that they would send a representative instead.」
「Even though there are things you
only understand by going and seeing them for yourself. There are hardly any
people who can act as a substitute for you, Layla.」
Setting aside whether there is a substitute for me, there
are things you discover for the first time by going, just like this time. I
felt that there really is a need to go to the field.
「I don't really want to speak ill of
your former fiancé, Layla, but he is disqualified as a researcher.」
「You are right. I will not deny that.」
I was told to support him, and I worked hard in my own way,
but now I think he was a person who wasn't even worth that.
「I was working hard trying to be
useful, but I was merely used.」
How pathetic. I had faintly noticed Carter-sama's
feelings and thoughts. But this is the result of believing that if I worked
hard, he would acknowledge me someday.
The boat that started moving made small ripples on the
lake's surface. Listening to the splash of the oars hitting the water, I
absentmindedly watched those waves.
「...Do you still like that guy?」
「Eh?」
When I raised my head at the unexpected question, Ashren-sama
was there with a serious face. In his light blue eyes that usually looked
somewhat cold, heat was swaying.
「...I wonder.」
Now, I don't even know if I liked him. I never yearned for
him in love, nor was I ever driven mad by jealousy. I just felt miserable and
sad being compared to Aisha.
I wonder how those two are doing around this time. I wonder
if Father and the others are even a little lonely now that I am gone. Since
coming to this country, every day has been fun, and I hardly ever remember the Jilgista
Kingdom. It's not that I don't care about what's happening at the Medicinal
Herb Laboratory, but honestly, it has nothing to do with me anymore. It might
be cold of me, but I have no lingering attachments, and I never want to be
involved with them again.
「I see.」
Saying only that in a low voice, Ashren-sama didn't
ask anything else. I didn't intend to speak of it myself either, so let's end
this conversation here.
Somehow frustrated that my hard-earned fun feelings had
deflated, I purposely let out a cheerful voice.
「Ashren-sama, aren't you hungry? I have sandwiches and black tea.」
「But that is your share, isn't it, Layla?」
「I had them make a little extra.
Isn't a picnic on a lake lovely?」
I took out the sandwich I had placed at the very top of my
bag so it wouldn't get crushed. Untying the cloth wrapping it and offering one,
Ashren-sama hooked the oars onto the edge of the boat and accepted it.
「Thank you.」
「It is cold, but there is also black
tea. Are you fine with using the same cup as me?」
「...If you don't mind it, Layla.」
I have feelings of hesitation, but I don't mind. I poured
black tea into the lid of the canteen and handed that to Ashren-sama as
well. The wind blowing across the lake surface under the blue sky feels good.
Besides, there are unexpected samples in my backpack. Yes, today is a happy day
after all.
「I am glad I came. It was fun.」
「Then that is good. We are scheduled
to return tomorrow, but you can stay a little longer if you want.」
「What are you going to do, Ashren-sama?」
「My mother will probably tell me to
guide her to the old castle. I intend to stay here a little longer.」
The Marquis and the others are staying for a week, but we
were scheduled to return tomorrow. I feel like I want to stay here a little
longer, but as expected, that would be presumptuous of me.
「Is there any problem if I use the
carriage and return first?」
「It is fine because I will return in
my mother's carriage.」
「In that case, I will return tomorrow
as planned.」
「Understood. But examining the
collected samples is for after the vacation ends. Because you always try to
work right away even on your days off, Layla.」
「Yes, understood.」
He completely nailed me down on that. I wanted to examine them during my time off, though.
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