CH 37

As promised, I let Hans and the others stay at my house. All the guys, including me, had to sleep on the floor together, but they seemed to be tired and thanked me in the morning and a few hours later they left for the dungeon.

I told him about the landmark, that I had placed in the forest, so he probably would have reached the dungeon by nightfall.

What happens after that is none of my business, but I’ll at least, wish them luck.

「Now, let’s do some housework before I get to work.」

After washing the dishes, I put my dirty clothes in a basket and headed for the common laundry room.

Sophie was away from the housewives, who were chatting and washing the dishes.

She seemed to be washing the sheets of the inn’s bed.

「Good morning. You’ve been working hard since morning.」

「Good morning. We have a lot of guests coming, so I have to start the laundry at this hour to make it in time.」

After greeting me, Sophie patted the sheets to remove the dirt.

I wonder if the people who still support her would be shocked to know that she’s doing the laundry for people, after being raised and revered as a Saint.

No, I think they might want her to live a normal life, to stay out of the power struggle. Maybe it’s the life she wanted unexpectedly.

Either way, it’s none of my business. Let’s get the laundry done.

「It’s a good thing that the business is blooming.」1

I sat down next to Sophie and picked up my clothes, which were caked with mud and dust from my walk through the forest.

As I soaked them in the water flowing in the canal, mindlessly and desperately trying to remove the dirt, Sophie spoke to me.

「Thank you for yesterday.」

It must have been the context of having Hans and the others stay over. You didn’t have to worry about it, but you are so polite.

「That’s my job, you know. You don’t have to thank me.」

「Still, I can’t stand out, so thank you.」

When I entered the inn, I was worried that Sophie only protected Helmine and did not take any other action, but now I can understand why.

If you are conspicuous in any way, the Pope, your former fiancee, may decide that it was dangerous to let you go unchecked and would make a move. That would be scary.

I wonder if it is because she is quiet that she is able to secure a certain amount of freedom in this way.

I can’t ask Sophie directly, so I can only imagine, but I’m confident that I’m not way off.

「I’m glad I could be of some help. Is Helmine okay after that?」

「She was just crying because she didn’t know what to do, but she has calmed down now.」

「I’m glad to hear that. I’ll be there again today, so don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.」

「Fufufu, then I’ll be counting on you.」

You can feel the goodness of upbringing from Sophie who smiles elegantly.

She has valuable magic power, the world she lives is different from from me, who was born in a farmhouse. I thought I would never have a chance to talk to someone like her for the rest of my life.

How about that? Now we live in the same village and do our laundry together.

Life is interesting because you never know what will happen. There was a poet who said something like that.

At that time, I thought it was silly and didn’t listen to it, but I began to think that what the poet had said might not be wrong.

1 I am confused whether the word ‘Blooming’ is correct or the word ‘Booming’.