CH 39

「Ha~fuu……」

I woke up as I heard the chirping of the birds. Today was also a pleasant waking.

I was too tired at the end of yesterday. After Lilia went home, I ate dinner, took a bath, and went to sleep right away.

Well then, I could not idle around any further.

I changed my sleepwear into the dress I got from my mother before.

I bore in mind what Lilia said yesterday. I was never rejected by Wilhelm-sama.

In other words, our agreement on having lunch together was still valid. In other words, I would be able to see Wilhelm-sama today.

I felt my heart leap. I must go out dressed as my best.

I shall have Natalia arrange my hairstyle.

「Good morning, Ojou-sama」

「Good morning, Natalia」

「Breakfast has been prepared」

「Yes, I am going now」

I left the room and went with Natalia to the dining room.

Today was rare, I was the first. Father, Mother and elder brother had yet to arrive.

I must wait awhile with the steaming breakfast before me. The Ambrose household starts all meals after the whole family has gathered.

「Good morning, Carol」

「Good morning, Elder Brother」

「That dress, is it the one you wore before? It suits the cute Carol pretty well」

「Thank you very much」

Come to think of it, when I went to the Order with my brother, this had been my clothes.

My elder brother sat next to me as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. Still, breakfast did not start.

Soon, my father and mother finally arrived together.

We exchanged greetings and started on breakfast.

「By the way, Carol, are you coming to the Order today? 」

「Yes, I will have lunch together with Wilhelm-sama」

「I see. Then, I will notify the others later. Which reminds me, I heard you got along well with Zack」

「Does Elder Brother know Zack? 」

「Yes. We belong to the same unit. He is my senior」

How surprising. I knew my brother and Zack were colleagues, but they were unexpectedly good friends.

However, though my brother was smiling, his eyes were not.

They looked dark somehow.

「I heard he swore his allegiance as a knight to Carol」

「Yes. I did not quite understand, but I accepted it」

「Un. I understand. I will hit him」

Why would that be so?

When I happened to looked over, I caught my father choking at the mention of the knight’s oath.

I do not quite understand, was the knight’s oath so important?

I finished breakfast without delay and went with Natalia to the kitchen.

Chris was off yesterday, so she should be present today. Looking into the kitchen with those thoughts, the “highly-praised” Robert was being scolded once again.

Natalia already reported to my mother about his rude behavior yesterday.

However, it seemed no particular orders were given out. Why would he not be dismissed? It was a mystery.

「Good morning, Chris」

「Wha……Oh, Ojou-sama, good morning」

「I am planning to bring lunch to Wilhelm-sama today, are you able to prepare? 」

「Yes, I am. Ojou-sama’s part in it has also been prepared」

Chris showed me the lunch box which was eighty percent complete.

As expected of Chris. It looked delicious.

「What shall I do? 」

「Let us take it up a notch and make dish to be cooked. Oujo-sama is more skillful than that dimwit over there, even though she just started」

「Tch……」

Robert clicked his tongue to Chris’s clear jibe.

His attitude was bad as usual. But as long as I am being taught by Chris, it seemed he would not try anything. It was safe.

「Then, what should we do? 」

「Let us make macaroni salad for today. The ingredients are right here, please cut these」

I did my best cutting the ingredients Chris handed over.

It was rather difficult to thinly cut vegetables. The macaroni was already boiled and cooled, so all that was left was to mix in the cut vegetables, and it was done.

Although, overall, the vegetables caused the salad to thicken.

「Here, then please pack it up」

「Yes」

Following Chris’s instructions, I arranged the food and Wilhelm-sama’s lunch was completed.

As for the time, it was still around morning. It was a little too early to bring lunch over.

I thanked Chris for the packed lunch and decided to kill time in my room.

A time where I have nothing to do was something I could not imagine before. But now that I had it, I was extremely bored.

It would be nice to have a hobby for times like these, but unfortunately I have none.

Rather, the truth was, I did not have any time to spend for any hobby.

However, the present situation of idling away like this was terribly tedious. I wonder if there was anything I could do.

「Natalia」

「Yes」

「I am thinking of looking for some hobby」

「……A hobby? 」

「Yes. It is boring with nothing to do. Does Natalia know any good hobbies? 」

「Well……if it is alright with Ojou-sama, how about knitting? 」

「Knitting, is it? 」

I had never done it before, but I have heard of it. ,

It seemed possible to make mufflers, clothes, and even a doll, by knitting the yarn with knitting needles.

「If Ojou-sama is interested, your humble servant Natalia shall teach you 」

「Does Natalia know how to knit? 」

「I only learned a little as a pastime when I was young」

「Then, please teach me」

「Yes」

Natalia excused herself for a moment and came back shortly afterwards.

She brought with her a yarn and two knitting sticks.

「Let us begin with knitting a simple muffler」

「Yes. What should I do? 」

「First, hold a knitting needle……」

Natalia taught me about holding the needle and knitting the yarn.

It was surprisingly difficult. However, once you got used to it, your hands would move without conscious thought.

Natalia only brought one color of yarn, but it was possible to make colorful stuff by matching several colors. I have no idea on how to do it, though.

And, after the time passed knitting, I headed to the Order.

I brought with me the knitting needle and yarn. I would be knitting until Wilhelm-sama arrives.

The Chivalric Order was only a short walk, and the receptionist was Gyle-sama as usual.

「Oh……Carol-sama, welcome」

「Good day, Gyle-sama」

「I have heard from Albert. I shall lead you there」

I was guided by Gyle-sama and, like before, it was not to the office but to the drawing room.

It seemed it was not lunch break yet, so I took a seat on the couch and decided to continue knitting as I waited.

It was unexpectedly fun.

「Ojou-sama……you have grown used to it」

「Once you got past the start, you only have to keep doing the same thing afterwards. But let us continue until I am more familiar with it」

「Understood. I shall let Danna-sama know and acquire some yarn」

Yes, let us knit an immensely big muffler.

Wilhelm-sama and I have different heights. But still, it would be a big muffler, long enough to wrap around both Wilhelm-sama’s and my neck.

Just the thought of the future where I would be wrapped together with Wilhelm-sama made me beam in exhilaration.

Soon, there was a knock on the drawing room.

「S-Sorry! I made you wait, Carol! 」

Wilhelm-sama came in as though he was flustered in some way. He looked gallant today as well.

I bowed my head with a smile. Whenever I face Wilhelm-sama, I could not help but smile no matter what.

「I have been expecting you, Wilhelm-sama」

「H-Hm……ah, well……」

「Please take a seat, Wilhelm-sama. I have prepared for you this boxed lunch」

Facing Wilhelm-sama, I opened the container.

Wilhelm-sama, who normally does not eat lunch, must be hungry. When he saw the lunch, his throat moved with a gulp.

「Then……let us eat」

「Please help yourself, Wilhelm-sama. There is also tea」

「Y-Yes……thank you」

Wilhelm-sama took a bite.

However, I felt he was somewhat uneasy. Was today also a busy circumstance?

Wilhelm-sama kept glancing at me as he was eating.

「Ah—……that is to say, Carol」

「Yes? 」

「No……I was surprised, as is the usual lately, but……you are not mad at me? 」

And just like that.

For some reason, I felt something like dread when he asked me so.