CH 202

『……Hmm』(Arge)

When I opened my eyes, the cold air told me it’s night-time.

Immediately after parting with Terrier-chan, I fell asleep in the carriage.

If there’s anything, everyone will take me up, even without me, we can break into the territory of the Empire without any problems.

No carriage shaking. In other words, is it a free day today?

When I got up, I saw everyone except Aoba-san sleeping on a blanket.

『…so, Aoba-san is having the night-shift now』(Arge)

When I got off the carriage, I found someone I expected.

『Oh, Gin… Arge-san. Good morning』(Aoba)

『You must be tired, Aoba-san. So, Neguseou was also awake.』(Arge)

『Ah, we were talking』(Aoba)

『…Aoba-san, do you understand Neguseou’s words?』(Arge)

『I also have a language translation that can speak with animals.

I wouldn’t be able to become the forest queen without it, you know?』(Aoba)

That’s true.

In other words, for Neguseou, is Aoba-san the person who speaks his language other than me?

『What were you talking about?』(Arge)

『It’s your hardship story』(Aoba)

『Mine……? 』(Arge)

『Yes. Arge-san’s story』(Aoba)

『Haa, I don’t understand, but if you have fun then it’s good』(Arge)

It’s good to have a common topic. Both of us seemed to be having some fun, so we stopped prying.

I somehow sat down beside them, breathing the smell of the plants that became cold at night. Neguseou and Aoba-san didn’t say anything, so we lined up naturally.

『Aoba-san doesn’t sleep? 』(Arge)

『Actually Alraune never sleeps』(Aoba)

『Eh!?』(Arge)

I was surprised.

Until now I had traveled with Aoba-san, she had always prepared a bed of grass and a space with a roof at night.

If Alraune didn’t sleep, she did all that for me alone.

『Maybe all the time, you made bedding or something… Is it for me alone?』(Arge)

『Hey, that’s how it is.

You are kind but insensitive.

Did you finally notice it?』(Aoba)

『Yes, Arge. I think you should pay a bit more attention to it』(Neguseou)

『U ……』(Arge)

Somehow, I can’t say anything back to them.

『Well, that’s how it is.

Just like that, I always take the night shift.

Or rather, you didn’t notice it until today,

Every night, you were sleeping soundly, Arge-san』(Aoba)

『Um, sorry …』(Arge)

I apologized because I thought it was too late to notice. Aoba-san smiles with a feeling that she doesn’t mind.

『Thank you rather than apologize. A thank you is better』(Aoba)

『……Thank you』(Arge)

『Yes, you’re welcome』(Aoba)

I’m not sure, but Aoba-san looks happy.

Neguseou, next to her, nodded and exhaled satisfactorily. Aoba-san and Neguseou seemed to be getting along before I knew it.

『Well, I’m relaxing with another horse, so please call me if you need anything』(Neguseou)

『Are you going already?』(Arge)

『…Aoba, are you okay? This one is pretty insensitive.』(Neguseou)

『Well, these are weaknesses …』(Aoba)

『Weakness……? 』(Arge)

『Nothing. I hope you can talk casually』(Neguseou)

He breathed out of his nose and Neguseou left.

『… Did I miss something?』(Arge)

『Ah… no, it’s just as usual』(Aoba)

『Sure, I’m always stupid, just sleeping, and like a useless figurine.』(Arge)

『I haven’t said that!?』(Aoba)

Aoba-san deliberately coughed and she looked at me again.

Apparently, she is going to change the topic.

『But it was surprisingly easy to come to the empire.

If we have come back here, it seemed unlikely that we will be attacked by imperial soldiers.』(Aoba)

『Thanks to Terrier-chan’s Trio』(Arge)

We entered the territory without any problems because of the help of the Terrier bandits.

Of course, they didn’t help me directly, but they caught the attention of the Imperial soldiers, so we could get in without fighting.

『It’s not how we know.

They don’t control people with numbers, It’s ambiguous to have or not have an ID』(Aoba)

『That’s right… I’m glad it ’s like this』(Arge)

This would not have happened if personal information had been properly managed, as in our world.

The area is still under development, or the technology brought by Kurogane-san is probably leaning towards something that can be used for war.

『At Kuon’s house, he seems to be strong in military knowledge.

I’m not familiar with the name Kurogane,

In the first place, I only remember a few people other than Arge-san』(Aoba)

『Really?』(Arge)

『That’s because Arge-san is my…

Eh… Uhm, because you are an important person!

Look, you always gave impressions to my live flowers!』(Aoba)

『Haa, is that so?』(Arge)

Aoba-san’s face somehow became red as she tried to explain.

The night air feels cold to me, but it may still be hot for heat-sensitive Alraune.

『Rather than that! Arge-san! According to Felnote-san, we are going to shop in a town of moderate size tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to it!』(Aoba)

『Ah, is that so?』(Arge)

『Yes, she seems to know a lot about the empire’s geography… so, and if you are okay with… well, why don’t we go shopping together?』(Aoba)

『…… I think Kuzuha-chan is more suitable than me for shopping』(Arge)

I may hold a lot of travel luggage, but my blood box can’t hold meats.

There may be other details that we needed while traveling.

It’s Felnote-san, so maybe she is thinking about collecting information.

Either way, I think it would be more advantageous for someone who can do several jobs alone, like Kuzuha-chan.

『Uh, no, it’s… hey, sometimes Arge-san also need to work as well, right?』(Aoba)

『…It ’s hard to say otherwise』(Arge)

In fact, I have been relaxing too much while traveling.

Most of the time I’m just sleeping and I don’t even cook when we travel. I don’t even take a night shift, I’m pretty sloppy.

So honestly, it’s hard to refuse to work sometimes.

『I get it. Let’s go shopping together tomorrow』(Arge)

『Yatta (Hooray)……! 』(Aoba)

『…… are you so happy? 』(Arge)

『Eh, um, about that…, sometimes, isn’t it good to take a break?

I have been in the forest almost all the time since I was reborn!』(Aoba)

『Ah, I understand that kind of feeling』(Arge)

I think Kuzuha-chan is more suitable, but vampires are also stronger. Carrying luggage would be more than useful.

Anything other than meat, I can store anything in my blood box. It’s not bad to go out sometimes.