Chapter 83 – Wolf-kun and Sword

The place we came to is a place close to the training room Theo and Ellie use.

In other words, it’s a place close to the Reki-kun room.

I have a feeling of returning. No, in fact, I have waved my hand towards the Reki-kun room.

I couldn’t leave Ena’s worried face alone. Even though I’m in the mansion……

Lacria explained here and there while on the way.

She didn’t explain about the furniture, but she shortly explained me the names and purposes of the rooms we have passed.

Because there are so many, it took quite a lot of time.

I want to see the Knights Order’s practice, because of those sudden words, she’s most likely trying to gain time to complete the preparations.

If I think about it carefully, four of the knights are escorting me, and Ojiisama who acts as the commander is at work.

Theo and Ellie are in school, and I don’t know how many of them are roping off the rooms we are checking, but there should be quite a lot.

The rest should be on standby, but I don’t think there would be many of them.

Even though the master wants to see the practice of her Knights Order, it wouldn’t have a meaning with such little number of people.

Most likely, all the members who were roping off the area were urged to prepare for the practice.

And after all, the master is coming to see. An ordinary practice wouldn’t make sense, they probably want to let me see a good practice in full equipment. I’m looking forward to it because I will be able to see the armor if they are wearing it.

It takes time to wear such equipment. Therefore, stalling is necessary.

I’m getting ready to go see, because I don’t want them to make a blunder.

「This is the seventh reception room. It’s not usually used, but there are times when it’s used for different purposes because it’s one of the medium-sized reception rooms within the mansion」

「Chiau?」

(Chigau?/Different?)

「Yes, there are rooms among the reception rooms that are not used only for interaction with the guests. This particular room leans more towards the latter side――」

Although Lacria continues to smoothly and sonorously explaining, my interest is not attracted very much.

I’m listening, but I honestly don’t care.

As if noticing my thoughts, Lacria switched the lengthy explanations to short trivia and made it somehow interesting.

I thought of Lacria to the normal, serious child among the personal maids.

That wasn’t a mistake, as she’s particularly serious among them.

Nija and Jenny give off an impression of scheming something and Mira is serious, but slightly unreliable. Lacria gives no impression like that compared to the other three.

Having said that, it’s not like she has no interest in me who is her master as she cheerfully keeps me company when I call for her. I can clearly understand from the flow of her magical power that she’s not like that just because it’s her work. There’s no falsehood in her happy flow of magical power.

「This is the artwork safekeeping room. As the name suggest, many works of art are kept in here. I think that the stuffed toy modeled after the rabbit tribe made by Rideshugan IV. is especially wonderful. That perfect form. That heart throbbing overflowing beauty. The position and form of the eyes and ears…… ahh, how wonderful…… an equally distributed high-quality cotton. If the day I could touch it comes, just how pleasant would that feel……」

「…… Come back」

「Ouch」

For some reason, Lacria begins to release magical power when talking about a stuffed toy.

Was it ominous or was it refreshing…… I wanted to ask, but I understood without asking, and I felt like tsukkoming all over the place.

And the ecstatic expression and passionate, rough breathing while explaining left me with questions.

This is the so-called stuffed toys freak.

They devote their adoration in one field. As I thought, the serious Lacria was a trap as well.

It appears that somehow, all of my personal maids are weirdos.

Well, there’s no real harm, so I don’t mind, but.

Lacria who was brought back by Nija’s jab to the side has repeatedly apologized, but is it normal for personal maids to jab each other in front of their master?

Nija didn’t hold back. Sometimes, her words are extremely frank too.

Still, as expected of the personal maids for not crossing the line. They know their parts well.

But, this is also good as it makes me feel intimate with the personal maids.

「W, well then, to the next place…… ah, wait a moment please」

「Nyu」

It seems Lacria has been contacted via the communication magic tool. She takes a distance and answers.

I want one of those magic tools because they are convenient.

I always had my cell phone with me in my previous life, so I really would like something similar.

Let’s try asking Obaasama next time. It’s nothing dangerous, so I think it would be alright to give me a magic tool.

Besides, when I think about it, I have never asked for anything before. I wonder if Obaasama won’t be pleased on the contrary.

「Thanky ou for waiting. Well then, let’s go to the Knights Order’s practice grounds」

「Ai」

(Hai/Yes)

It appears the preparations are complete. Now then, I’m looking forward to what practice they will show me.

It shouldn’t be a clumsy one like Theo’s and Ellie’s practice, but something with a punch. I’m looking forward to it so much that I’m trembling with excitement. As I thought, adventures should be like this……

It’s a bit different from what I was thinking, though.

Two Knights who were standing on alert ahead made a gesture of opening doors.

I can see the fully equipped Knights standing in a formation just like on the day of ceremony behind the doors.

As I thought, I didn’t enter in the middle of practice. It’s only a given because of the prior preparations, though.

When I arrive in front of the Knights, everyone brings their right fist to their left chest.

The simultaneous action and the perfectly overlapping sounds were extremely cool.

「Well then, Vice Commander! To the front!」

「Ha!」

Answering Lacria’s dignified voice, one Knight immediately steps forward with a well-projected voice.

He stopped about 3 meters in front of us and carried out the Knight greeting again. Despite being clad in armor, he almost soundlessly fell on his knee and bowed his head in wait.

Those movements could be only described as splendid. I know well that Knights don’t strongly prostrate before others. Our Oniisama who aims to be someone like that will have a difficult time.

But, it’s cool, so I will support him.

「Ojousama, would you mind calling out in a loud voice?」

「N」

The Knights are standing in a line, and the representative is waiting to serve.

In such case, it’s established practice to give words of appreciation.

I have some knowledge about this from chatting with Sani sensei between the lessons.

It’s not Sani sensei’s specialized field, but she possessed knowledge which is close to the level of the specialized field.

Her extensive knowledge is really profound.

Our conversations which should be casual chatting often nearly turned into lessons.

Because of this reason, I also know the phrases which should be used in cases like this.

But, because I currently wouldn’t be able to convey long sentences at all, I plan to finish this in a rather short sentence.

「Hii no shurien wo mishie yo」

(Hibi no shuren wo misete yo/Show me your daily practice)

「Ha! We, Knights of the White Crystals, will show you our everything!」

A clear, stereotypical phrase comes out from the Knight with lowered head.

A well-projected voice appears to be indispensable for a Vice Commander. Something about conveying order clearly.

Well, a person who stutters basically wouldn’t be fit for such position.

In that respect, the Vice Commander’s well-projected voice is truly easy to listen to. Because the master he serves is still a child, his voice wasn’t strict, but soft and almost gentle instead.

「Well then」

「Ah, mattie」

(Ah, matte/Ah, wait)

「Yes, Ojousama」

Just as Lacria was about to say to start the practice, I interrupt her.

Finally, a Knight who is not a guard――clad in cool armor with a luxurious sword is here. I want to look a little bit more.

All of the four guard Knights were empty-handed.

They also weren’t wearing armor because they were indoors, I’m sure they were carrying some weapons, but they were hidden from me. Or perhaps they were hand to hand fighters or sorcerers.

Therefore, the chance to observe such figure from every boy’s dream comes only rarely.

When the practice starts, I wouldn’t be able to see it up close, and it will immediately get dirty.

Therefore, if I want to look, now’s the only chance.

A clattering full body armor. The sword hanging on his waist is the longsword kind in a beautiful, delicately ornamented scabbard. It’s cool like the decorative swords I have seen in museums in my previous life.

Are weapons categorized as part of the attire? Then, what happens when you draw it?

It’s on my mind……

「Rieki-kun『Advance』」

I don’t usually call out to Reki-kun when giving him instructions, but there are people around, so I decided to do that.

Reki-kun who heard my command immediately moves forward.

Lacria who heard my voice got a little bit panicked, but this much shouldn’t be a problem.

It’s not like I’m going anywhere, after all.

When I get in front of the Knight, the tension of the Knight with lowered head transmits to me. Of course, he keeps his head down.

「Rieki-kun『Down』」

Reki-kun has become quite big, so I’m now about the same height as the kneeling knight.

Like this, I still quite can’t reach. But, “Down” is just right for me to get off Reki-kun’s back.

「Kakoiine~」

(Kakkoii ne~/Cool, isn’t it~)

「…… Ojousama. That’s not good」

When I gently caress the armor of the Knight to feign and quickly crouch to touch the sword at his waist, Nija who came who knows when stopped me.

Tsk, even though I was so close……

As I thought, it’s too hard.

I thought that I was moving quite fast, but as expected of a person recommended by Obaasama.

「Ni~nya no kechii」

(Nija no kechi/Nija stingy)

「…… One can’t be careless around Ojousama」

「Buu~ buu~」

When I pout and complain, Nija pretends not to see me. Her expressions are originally scarce, but this maid with half-closed eyes doesn’t yield.

Well, I understand that it’s dangerous, but it’s in the scabbard, and I won’t be able to take it out with my own strength, so I wonder if I really can’t. No, is it no good?

Is this in the non-permitted range of the personal maids, I wonder?

…… I think it would go slightly differently if Obaasama was here.

「…… Ojousama, interested in the sword?」

「Ai. Kie~dayo」

(Hai. Kirei dayo/Yes. It’s pretty)

「…… I see」

Nija who seemed to be convinced of something looked at the sword on the Knight’s waist.

It’s pretty scary to be stared at by her half-closed eyes, but the Knight who keeps on hanging his head down doesn’t seem to think so.

「…… Ojousama, there are many more pretty swords around」

「Koegaii」

(Kore ga ii/I like this one)

「…… I understand. You, your sword」

「Y, yes!」

My heart trembles in excitement when looking at the panicking Knight removing the sword from his waist.

Knight-kun respectfully presents the sword in his both hands after unfastening it.

「…… This sword is the proof of the Knights of the White Crystals member. Besides, it’s dangerous and heavy. I will hold it, so Ojousama should just look」

「Eh~」

「…… Not permitted」

「Muu」

I realize by looking at the bear maid-san with half-closed eyes that further persuasion would be futile…… but, the sword disappeared as soon as Nija took into her hands.

Even though I could clearly see it when it was on the Knight’s waist, I can’t see it at all now.

I can’t see it unless the Knight is holding on it……?

Are weapons categorized as clothes then? The boundary line is now unclear.

Anyhow, I can’t see it anymore now, so there’s no meaning.

「Ni~nya mo~ii」

(Nija mo ii/Nija that’s enough)

「…… ? Ojousama hasn’t looked at all though, is that fine?」

「N」

「…… Weird Ojousama」

「Ni~nya niwa maeu」

(Nija ni wa makeru/I lose out to Nija)

「…… Fufu」

「Nfufu」

After our mysterious conversation, I could see the sword again after several seconds when it was returned to the Knight.

There’s a slight time lag for clothes to be visible after being worn. Is it the same with weapons……?

Although I’m pretty interested in witnessing the phenomenon of magical power, I will have to take various troublesome steps to investigate.

While considering how to solve it, I began observing the starting practice.