Request
from the Knight Order 2
Three
days after Prince Elliot's surprise attack, having finished making the
test reagents, I visited the Knight Order in high spirits. Near the training
grounds is a dormitory where the knights sleep, and in front of it, a small
tent with a triangular roof has been pitched.
「Layla, is this alright?」
「Yes, thank you, Mark-san.」
I
came here tonight to test the new reagents. When I negotiated with the Knight
Commander, reasoning that it would be best to conduct the experiment in the
same environment as an actual encampment, he had a tent set up in front of the
knights' dormitory so I could spend the night there while testing the reagents.
Spending
a night in a tent is a first for me, so just that alone makes me excited.
「I question how safe this is in terms
of security, though.」
Behind
me, Ashren-sama grumbled with plenty of dissatisfaction. Next to him was
Karin-chan, whose eyes were sparkling even more than mine.
「It is right in front of the knights'
dormitory, so there is no safer place.」
「It's dangerous precisely because
it is in front of the knights' dormitory.」
He
shook his head as if I didn't understand. I wonder why; even though there are
many elite knights nearby who would immediately come to help if anything
happened. At first, Ashren-sama said he would also stay in the tent with
me, but the Director mercilessly rejected the idea. Naturally—after all,
we are still only engaged.
However,
bringing that up at the separate estate was a mistake, as Karin-chan
took an interest. She insisted that she would also stay with me, and Marquis
Naturi, who had just returned to the country, gave his permission saying it
would be safe within the castle grounds. So now, she is here together with a
stuffed bear.
「Come on, you can go home now, Ashren-sama.
This is a girls' night out for Layla and me.」
「...Understood. Karin, if
anyone enters the tent, spray them with the insecticide Flora made as
hard as you can.」
Handing
Karin-chan the insecticide that makes one's eyes bleary and sting, Ashren-sama
reluctantly walked away.
I
don't think that is an item to hand to a child. Mark-sama had been
watching this while holding back his laughter, but he too was mercilessly
kicked out by Karin-chan.
「Layla, let's go inside quickly.」
「Fufu, alright. This is my first time in
a tent too.」
Lowering
the zipper at the entrance and stepping inside, it was just as cramped as it
looked from the outside. I hear that two or three people sleep in here during
encampments, but I imagine it must be quite cramped for well-built knights.
The
tent was shaped like a square pyramid, with a hook attached at the spot where
the four frames intersected at the peak so a lantern could be hung. It seems
there are other sizes and designs, but the basic structure is apparently the
same. There are two windows on the sides of the tent. The outside is a mesh,
and from the inside, a cloth was placed over it to block it, fastened with
buttons in four places.
I
unfastened the buttons, removed the cloth, and illuminated the mesh with the
lantern. Made of thin crossed wires, it could keep out large bugs like
centipedes, but the holes were large enough that mosquitoes could probably slip
through.
I
hung the lantern I had been holding in my hand onto the hook overhead. This
lantern had a slightly different shape from the usual ones, designed with a
feature to adjust the size of the flame. Lanterns are usually covered with
glass all around, but this one had even thinner iron plates attached to the
outside of the glass. By sliding them up and down, the amount of light leaking
out could be changed.
「Karin-chan, are you okay with the dark?」
「I'm okay because you are here, Layla.」
Saying
"In that case," I raised the four iron plates to about two-thirds of
their height. The inside of the tent became dimly lit, just bright enough to
barely make out what was in our hands.
「It smells somewhat nice.」
「Fufu, it is the scent of the candle
placed inside the lantern. This is what acts as the insect repellent.」
What
I made was an aroma candle. It was a normal candle mixed with extracts of
lemongrass, eucalyptus leaves, and geranium, which have insect-repelling
effects. Since they are herbs, it smells quite nice.
Of
course, there is no harm to the human body, and the effect lasts as long as the
candle is burning, so the only question left is how effective it is at
repelling insects. The method of making it is also not difficult—you just mix
the respective extracts into melted wax and let it harden—and adjusting the
amount of the extracts is simple too.
The
Director is already enthusiastic, planning to ask a merchant she knows
to distribute it in the royal capital if this is a success. I wonder just how
wide her network is, but knowing now that she is royalty, I am no longer
surprised.
「Layla, I'm going to change into my
pajamas.」
「Okay. Now, raise your arms.」
I
took off the clothes of Karin-chan, who raised both her arms, and in
their place, I slipped a pink pajama set completely over her head. She should
be able to change by herself, but it seems she is in the mood to be a little
pampered today. Since we are outside, I plan to sleep in a shirt and trousers
tonight.
We
will be sleeping in sleeping bags. This is the first time for both Karin-chan
and me, and we wriggled our way inside together and met each other's eyes.
「We look like caterpillars.」
「Yes, we do. Did you hug your stuffed
toy to bring it inside too?」
「Yeah, it's a souvenir from Father.」
Marquis
Naturi
and his wife just returned from a foreign country yesterday. Karin-chan
happily told me that they will stay in the Kanista Kingdom until Her
Royal Highness Princess Stira's birthday, which will be held in a month
and a half.
「It must make you happy to be with
your parents.」
「Yeah, they both told me that being
able to be with the person you love is a happy thing. That's why you and Ashren-sama
are getting married too, right, Layla?」
Asked
with such a dead-straight pitch, my face turned red. Thank goodness Ashren-sama
isn't here.
「T-That's right.」
「Grandmother said it's great because Ashren-sama
has liked you for a long time, Layla.」
「For a long time?」
「Yeah. For a really long time.」
...I
wonder since when exactly?
Since
he absolutely won't tell me even if I ask him directly, I wanted to coax it out
of Karin-chan, but Karin-chan let out a soft yawn. That makes
sense; it is a time she would normally already be asleep.
「Layla, fwaa... I've gotten sleepy.」
「Yes, let's sleep. I will be right
here the whole time, so good night.」
Perhaps
feeling a bit lonely after all, she poked a small hand out of the sleeping bag,
so I held it for her. When I sang her a lullaby, I soon heard the rhythmic
sounds of her sleeping breathing.
I
vaguely watched the light of the lantern, recalling the windows attached to the
tent.
「Improving the windows is one option,
but if we make the mesh smaller, the ventilation will get worse.」
There are also stables near the dormitory, and although it is early spring, there are already many insects in the warm Kanista Kingdom. Thinking about how much effect it would have with anticipation, I was about to dim the lantern's light a bit more to go to sleep as well, when I heard a voice near the entrance.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
-
[Gold]
B random
Nepheos
[Silver]
Corey Hicks
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Jake Seagraves
Matthew Fraser
Tbaum56
Baelee
Christopher Feliciano
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
SD Fox
Taylor King
Z
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----