Volume 4 - CH 28.2

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[Subaru: You look energetic this morning]

[Garfiel: I should be th’one sayin’ that. The hell are ya doin’ showin’ up here first thing in the mornin? Y’tryin’ to piss me off? Oy!]

Subaru raised his hand a little to say hi, and Garfiel, looking annoyed, opened one of his eyes and spat this back. Seeing that expected reaction, Subaru dropped down his hand again, and turned to the petite figure―― Lewes, standing beside the cross-legged Garfiel.

[Subaru: I figured Garfiel would be here, but I didn’t expect to find Lewes-san here as well. Good morning]

[Lewes: Mnn, it is a nice morning. Is Su-bo out for a stroll too?]

[Subaru: I guess you can call it that, but it’s not as pleasant as it sounds. I came here full of hopes, you know, but also to annoy Garfiel]

[Garfiel: You……]

Seeing blue veins pop up on Garfiel’s forehead, and Subaru just pretending not to notice his reaction, Lewes tilted her head. Then,

[Subaru: You said “too” just now, does that mean Lewes-san’s out for a stroll too?]

[Lewes: The stroll’s just an added bonus for me. Last night I heard Gar-bo hadn’t come home and was just going to sit out here on the ground…… So I wanted to see how he’s doing]

Lewes said this while playing with her long, pink wavy hair with a finger. In her other hand, she was holding a little package, which, judging from its size and shape, must be packing some simple food inside. Most likely, that was the stubborn not-gonna-move Garfel’s breakfast.

[Subaru: Then, Garfiel and Lewes-san, have you guys known each other for a long time?]

[Lewes: Ever since Gar-bo was little, at least…… Well, he’s still little]

[Garfiel: Oy, Granny. I’ve already way overtaken your height here]

[Lewes: And you still haven’t grown any taller like you’re supposed to. Anyways, we’ve been together since he was a lot smaller than he is now. I’ve even found myself growing used to these exchanges]

Even with Garfiel’s protests, Lewes seemed to accept them without paying them much mind. Underneath what seemed to be a little girl was indeed an old woman inside. A total Loli-Granny in every sense of the word.

However, having noticed something from what she said just now, Subaru raised up his brows,

[Subaru: From the way you said that…… was Garfiel not born inside the Sanctuary?]

[Garfiel: ……Don’t go pryin’ where y’don’t need to. Y’wanna be like “Sneak attackin’ the black Botokku only t’get killed instead”?]

[Subaru: Yeah that didn’t really communicate at all so there’s not much stopping power there. So, Lewes-san, tell me the answer, if you please!]

Seeing Subaru intent on completely ignoring last night’s warning, Garfiel ground his teeth so hard that they were almost starting to make a noise. But Subaru ignored that too and kept trying to get to the bottom of it.

Looking back and forth at what was going on between the two men, Lewes spilled out a tired sigh, and,

[Lewes: It was ten and something years ago when Gar-bo came to the Sanctuary. Back then, Gar-bo was still a lil’baby that couldn’t even walk yet. Ros-bo brought him along and……]

[Garfiel: ――Granny, don’t say anythin’ unnecessary beyond that]

Narrowing his eyes, Garfiel pressed down his voice as he said this.

Hearing this sent a chill into Subaru’s chest, and for a moment, he was afraid that he may have carelessly stepped on something he shouldn’t have. But,

[Lewes: Who’re you talking to with that kind of mouth, you dumbass!]

[Garfiel: Hurts!]

Striding forward impressively, Lewes reached out her hand and smacked the golden spiky-haired Garfiel right in the head. Under the little girl’s arms that didn’t seem all that strong, Garfiel hugged his head as if thunderbolts were dropping down on him, and, looking up at her like this,

[Garfiel: G-Granny what’re y’doin’ all of’a sudden……]

[Lewes: I should be asking you, after raising you up myself is that how you’re gonna speak to me? Just, shameful, embarrassing, so sad it makes me wanna cry. Take this! This! This!]

[Garfiel: Sto-, hurts, aow, watchin’, there’s someone watchin’!]

With “pok pok pok” sound effects, Lewes kept swinging her arm while Garfiel, looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole, tried to block her blows with his hand.

While watching those two going at it, Subaru almost couldn’t stop himself from laughing,

[Subaru: I think I’ve got a pretty good estimate of how long and deep your relationship is now.…… Garfiel, do you really plan to keep sitting here?]

[Garfiel: Unless there’s somethin’ else I need to do, I’m here t’stay. I wouldn’t want someone sneakin’ in while I’m away, now do I?]

Guarding against anyone sneaking in, even with Subaru trying to get him to let his guard down, Garfiel would not budge. Since Subaru wasn’t expecting too much, he wasn’t entirely discouraged. Rather, the fact that Garfiel had overturned his own words from only half a day ago meant there was probably a need for Subaru to revise his understanding of Garfiel.

But in any case, the fact that his stubbornness remained difficult to move hadn’t changed.

[Subaru: Come to think of it, doesn’t the Trial only take place at night? There’s no point for me to sneak in during the day anyway. Isn’t it kinda pointless to keep sitting here like this?]

[Garfiel: Yer wastin’ yer breath if y’think I’m gonna move. Wanna sneak in durin’ the day and wait for th’night, bankin’ on me not bein’ able to go in and then yer all set, yeah? Y’think I ain’t ready for a long fight? What, y’underestimatin’ me?]

[Subaru: Tch, I’ve been found out?]

Subaru held up both hands over his head to surrender, and, seeing him do this, Garfiel snorted, before looking up at Lewes,

[Garfiel: So, I can’t be movin’ from here for a while. Granny, food]

[Lewes: Is that the kind of attitude you take toward someone who went to all the trouble of bringing you food? Lamentable. Here]

Despite her complaints, Lewes handed him the parcel. And, taking it, Garfiel unwrapped the parcel and started filling himself up with the dumpling-like contents inside.

With Lewes helping him like this, it would seem the battle of wills could be a long one.

[Subaru: Looks like it’ll be hard to do anything for the moment……huh. Oh well, I’ll come back next time]

[Garfiel: Y’don’t have to come back y’know. I ain’t lettin’ ya through anyway. Y’might as well go sit quietly in a corner somewhere, yeah?]

Having finished eating, Garfiel licked his fingers and called out to Subaru, who was turning to leave. Subaru waved him goodbye without turning around, and Lewes followed along beside him.

[Lewes: Now that I’m done feedin’ Gar-bo, I want to talk to Su-bo for a bit]

[Subaru: What a coincidence. I have something I want to ask Lewes-san too. Though I really want to go see Emilia-tan’s face first, but……]

Looking up at the sky, he found that the Sun had only just risen.

He could still remember that on the first day after the beginning of the Trials, the exhausted Emilia will wake up around noon. He would have liked to follow his desires and go to see her face while she slept, but he should probably move forward with the other activities here instead.

Subaru cast a glance towards Lewes, observing the elderly little girl with pink wavy hair who was walking along beside him.

Her face seemed a little sleepy, and with wobbling little steps, she managed to keep up with his pace. Even knowing full well that she’s a Loli-Granny, there was still something that tickled the insides of his heart.

[Subaru: Want me to give you a piggyback ride?]

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