CH 190

“Oh, um, I need to talk to you about something, if that’s okay?”

I had just saved a girl who had charged at me from the top of the hill, and I said hello and was about to leave when she spoke to me.

“Something you want to talk about?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of hard to talk about here ……”

“Hmm, what should I do? We haven’t even left the carriage yet ……”

“Come on! You can have tea with a pretty girl, you know? If you’re a man, you should immediately reply.”

When I answered in confusion, the girl suddenly put her hands on her hips and said such a thing in a rage. I reply to her.

“No, I have a girlfriend, and I can’t just go along with anyone.”

“Girlfriend? She’s not much prettier than me, anyway. Or are you just trying to look good?”

“Mu.”

This is not a good attitude, even though you asked for it yourself. It’s best not to get involved. When I was thinking about it, Makina called out to me, worried about me.

“What’s wrong, Lars?”

Hmm, It’s annoying that she called my cute girlfriend that I’m proud of not pretty enough without even looking at her. So, I decide to show Makina to the girl.

“Oh, Makina. Just the right time. You, this is my girlfriend.”

“What’s wrong all of a sudden!?”

“Heh~, so you weren’t lying, then……”

When I brought Makina forward and introduced her, the girl looked at Makina and her eyes widened. And then–

“Ehhhhhhh!? S-She’s so cute ……! Or rather, she’s pretty ……!? …… Kuh~ …… I lost ……”

The girl gulped and put her hands on the ground, easily admitting defeat. You’re too quick to give up …… Well, I’m glad you’re not as persistent as Basleigh-sensei.

“Well, that’s how it is, so we’ll go ahead.”

“What? What?”

When we started to pull the carriage again with Makina, who hadn’t really understood what was going on, the girl walked around in front of us, put her hands together and bowed.

“Sorry! I’m sorry! I apologize! I just need you to listen to me for a minute! Please!”

“Lars, what the hell is going on?”

“Well, she wants to talk to us about something. But, I was going to say no because she made fun of my Makina.”

“Ahaha, I’m glad to hear that, but since she seems to be in some kind of trouble, why don’t we at least listen? What’s your name? My name is Makina.”

The girl looks up at Makina’s words and opens her mouth, her face glowing.

“I’m Henrietta! Let’s hurry up then, the inn is this way! Er, you’re Lars, is that right??”

She must have learned it when Makina called my name. I nodded my head and said.

“Yeah, I’m Lars. Let’s get to the inn as soon as possible.”

Henrietta walked lightly in the front, and we followed her with a smile on our faces. It’s also a school uniform, but from the looks of it, I’d say she’s …… in the third grade, maybe twelve.

“I wonder what does she want to talk about?”

“Hmm, I don’t have a good feeling about this, but let’s hear it anyway.”

“Come on, come on!”

We arrived at the inn with Henrietta’s guidance, and after checking in, we drove the carriage to the stables, where we were greeted by a smiling old man.

“Oh, a customer? Welcome, have you checked in yet?”

“Yes, here.”

I showed him the permit I had been issued at the inn, which was necessary to park at the stables, and he nodded in satisfaction and opened the way for me. As I was walking towards the back, Henrietta, who was waiting behind me, called out to me.

“Hey, let’s go quickly!”

“Huh? What are you doing here, young lady? It’s not like they’re your friends …… is it ……?”

“I met him there a while ago, do you know them?”

After looking at Henrietta, the uncle turns to us and puts his hand on his chin. Makina asks him about Henrietta.

“Well, you’re famous around here, young lady. Can you park here? I’ll put the horses in the fence next to it, so you can go to the young lady. She’s too noisy if you keep her waiting, after all.”

“Thank you very much, Makina, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

The uncle smiled and sent us off, and we quickly returned to Henrietta, where a sharp-tongued Henrietta walked off with me and Makina.

“I have a curfew. I’ll be late, so let’s hurry.”

“Uwah …… Don’t pull so much.”

“Fufu, you remind me of Kuu when we were little.”

Makina followed Henrietta, saying optimistically. After being dragged for a while, we arrived at a coffee shop near where Henrietta had just attacked me. 

“Three of us, let us use the seats in the back!”

“Yes, it’s free, so go ahead.”

When we entered, Henrietta greeted the waitress with a hand raised as if she knew what she was doing, and took a seat in the corner where there was no window. The two of us are standing next to each other, with Henrietta facing us across the table.

“Fuh~, I’m tired. I’ll have an orange juice.”

“I’ll have coffee.”

“I’ll have apple juice, please.”

As soon as we finished ordering and took a breath, a smiling Henrietta leaned forward and opened her mouth.

“You’re both adventurers, aren’t you? How old are you? What are you good at!? Why were you flying just now? Magic? I wonder if I can be strong enough!”

“Hey, hey, calm down! Ah, you don’t have much time, right?”

I pushed her face back and she nodded her head, leaning back in her chair.

“Well, we just started traveling a while ago, but we’re adventurers for now. We’re both sixteen years old and just came of age. I’m good with swords and magic.”

“I’m good at fighting! I’m pretty confident with my legs …… I can do magic just a little bit ……”

“Makina-oneesama is a fighter! Surprising ……”

Oneesama ……? I thought I heard some disturbing words, but Henrietta continued on.

“Hey, hey, what’s that magic that makes you fly? I’ve never seen magic like that before.”

“That’s ancient magic, after all. Didn’t they teach you that in class?”

“What!? Ancient magic ……!? You learned magic that you can’t learn until you’re an old man at sixteen ……?”

“Well, there’s a lot going on. So, is that all you want to talk about?”

When I asked her, Henrietta, who had been looking surprised, smiled and told me 

“…… My home is in trouble for a bit, you know. I want to be strong and protect my Mama and Papa! So, teach me how to fight, please!”

“What!?”

“How to fight ……?”

We were both surprised by the unexpected request. Hmm, I think I’ve been caught by something strange ……?

Now, do you want to take on the trouble, Lars!?

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“Basleigh-sensei is not appearing? …… Fuwahaha~!”

She’ll appear in the next chapter, okay!?