Translator Corner
Minasan Oidemasu! This is Yukkuri demasu!
Enter Valetta!
As always,
DISCLAIMER: There is no guarantee that my translation is 100%correct. Please correct me if I was wrong.
Author:
すずの木くろ (Susunokikuro)
Translator:
Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor, Proofreader:
TheDefend
Chapter 78: The Perfect Advocate
The morning of the next day.
Kazura, as usual, had a breakfast together with Nelson’sfamily. When it was finished, he, accompanied by Lieze, Eira and Marie, went tothe estate’s plaza.
In the plaza, Isaac and Havel had already waited withthe carriages along with 30 soldiers as the escort.
There were 20 servants who will accompany thisjourney, wagons to carry goods necessary for camping and empty wagons totransport the goods that Kazura would bring from Japan.
The members for this journey was around 50 people so itwas like a small convoy of an army.
「It will take 5 or 6 days…… Perhaps it might take even longer, but I willreturn after getting the goods. During my absence, I will entrust the waterwheelconstruction works for the fields to Lieze-san, if you please.」(Kazura)
「Yes, I will give my best. Kazura-sama too needs to take care of yourself……Also, this」(Lieze)
Lieze presented a small pouch that was on her hand toKazura.
「Hm? This is…… a bracelet?」(Kazura)
Kazura opened the pouch and look at the content. Insidethe pouch was an indigo cloth bracelet held by a silver clasp.
It looked like handmade and adorned with a beautifulembroidery from a red string.
「Yes, although it’s not something well made……」(Lieze)
Said Lieze who then made an embarrassed smiled.
She might have said that it wasn’t well made, but inKazura eyes, the embroidery had been done quite skillfully.
「Thank you very much. I will treasure this.」(Kazura)
Kazura expressed his thanks with a smile and put thebracelet on his left wrist.
Seeing this, Lieze’s cheek was a bit blushed as shemade a delightful looking smile.
「Then, I will be going. Marie-san, follow me.」(Kazura)
Kazura called out to Marie who was standing behind himand then they board the carriage together.
Isaac closed the carriage door and after bowing toLieze, he moved to the front of the carriage.
Then with Isaac’s order, the convoy began to move towardsGrisea Village.
✧✦✧✦
After seeing Kazura’s group exited the estate gate, Liezelet out a sigh as if she had finished a difficult task.
「Now then, let’s us go to construct the waterwheel. Since I want to buysomething when we return, let’s finish it a bit early today. ……Hm, is somethingwrong?」(Lieze)
Eira was still looking at the sight of Kazura’s groupwho had left the gate.
「Lieze-sama, isn’t that just too mean to Isaac-sama…….?」(Eira)
「What do you mean? After all, it couldn’t be helped.」(Lieze)
Lieze understood what that Eira wanted to say, so sheobjected with a frowned face.
「Since I am truly not interested in him at all, on the contrary, it would berude to him if I paid him special attention, right? Rather than endlesslygiving him hope, I believe this is much more considerate.」(Lieze)
「However, to present Kazura-sama with 『Dearest Bracelet』 in front of Isaac-sama is such a heartless act……」(Eira)
The bracelet, that Lieze had given to Kazura, was mainlygifted when a woman wants to send a regard to a man.
The color of the bracelet’s cloth didn’t have anymeaning, but the color of the string used in the embroidery would change theregard’s meaning.
White string means, 『I wished that you come back earlier before the white of the string changed.』
It was a gift for people that will take a long journeyor for a lover who will be going to a war.
If it was given at the times of departure, it could alsobe used as a confession on parting.
Black string means 『I will be waiting for you tonight.』
It was used as a reply that the giver’s passion was franklyroused up when receiving the confession, or in the case when the giver wantedto convey that they felt a bit lusty but embarrassed so they couldn’t say it. Itwas a bracelet with a rather adult message.
Then, red string means 『I have a high regard for you.』
Just like it says, it was a bracelet used when conveyinga regard or confession.
The scope of the meaning was wide, from the simple 『I love you』 to the intricate meaning of 『I am interested in you』.
For that reason, just by handing this, it might beinterpreted as a sudden proposal of 「Let’s love-love-kiss-kiss!」 and be turned down, so it was necessary to paid attention on how thebracelet was given.
「It might be called that but isn’t this much better than meeting face toface, not for confessing, but to say 『I don’t hold any feeling foryou』? At least with this, I believe that Isaac’s father won’t lose his face.」(Lieze)
Lieze had already locked-on to become Kazura’s wifecandidate.
Since she still didn’t know his backgrounds in detail,she performed seductive techniques to create a fait accompli, but she wasn’tgoing to do any scheme to make him eventually take her hand in marriage.
However, when Zirconia strongly informed her thatthere is no doubt that he is an excellent individual, she decided that it wouldbe better if she established a proper pleasant relationship without any delay.
During these last few days, while working in thefields, Lieze was able to talk closely with Kazura.
Furthermore, Lieze also felt that Kazura response wasas if he acknowledged Lieze not only from her appearance but also her characterfrom the beginning.
She thought that before long she might be able to dosome probing at his backgrounds, but she had a second thought that it would bebetter to be done after she had passed another stage.
If she probesat this point of time, then perhaps Kazura would felt uncomfortable with herand had his impression of her worsened. There was a possibility that all shehad done for several days would turn meaningless.
Lieze believed that there are no such things as clearingthe decks too much[1]. Sofor any plans she intends to take, she would play it safe as much as possible.
To begin with, Lieze didn’t see anyone that couldbecome her rival in the people around Kazura, and this was one of the reasons Liezewas being careful on her conduct. She thought that there was no need to hurry.
「That might be true…… Isaac-sama is so pitiful……」(Eira)
Eira once again pointed her pitying eyes at the gate’sdirection. Lieze unconsciously fell silent.
Lieze only didn’t see Isaac as a marriage partner, shedidn’t have any particular hate towards him.
Looking objectively, Isaac had an honest and hard workingpersonality, a high-born, and also a nice look. A youth with nary a fault to befound.
That he was respectable as a military officer and haddone his best to be useful for Nelson, was something that Lieze also knew.
Because of that, when Eira said it in that kind of way,it was as if she was saying that Lieze is a horrible woman and this made Lieze’sfeeling a bit hurt.
「Ah! I-I’m sorry! I don’t really mean in what I had said!?」(Eira)
Eira noticed that Lieze was a bit pouting, then sherealized what her words mean and quickly apologized in hurry.
「It’s fine, it doesn’t matter. Look, let’s head to work any time now. Couldyou do the preparation?」(Lieze)
While still be unconciliatory, Lieze gave out aninstruction. Eira bowed to her and then dashed into the estate in order toarrange the preparation for the work.
✧✦✧✦
The morning of the next day.
When they arrived in Grisea Village’s entrance, Kazuragot down from the carriage while holding the travel bag on his hand and wasstricken dumbfounded at the sight that his eyes discovered.
Isaac who was beside him too let out a gripe at thesight of the village.
「It’s as though the village is an army garrison…… To think that there willbe this much change in just 10 days……」(Isaac)
Grisea Village was previously looked like a poorvillage in the countryside, but the impression it had, had changed completelyinto a field encampment.
The village was surrounded with sharpened thick woodenpalings that were pointed outside like a spear, furthermore, it was encircledby a steep moat.
The four corners of the palisade would be furnishedwith wooden watchtowers, but it looks like their construction was stillincomplete.
Beside the entrance of the village was a huge mound oflogs that seems to be just recently cut.
Valetta had said that she wanted to install adrawbridge in the village entrance, so this logs might be for that purpose.
While Kazura and Isaac were overwhelmed by the village’sappearance, Valetta walked from the village entrance by herself.
Valetta met eyes with Kazura and then she rushed overto Kazura while smiling delightedly.
「Welcome back, Kazura-san.」(Valetta)
「I’m back. Umm, this has become quite amazing. I had heard the constructionplan outline before, but to think that it has progressed this much……」(Kazura)
Kazura had heard the explanation of the constructionoutline from Valetta 10 days ago, but Kazura never thought that they couldperform that much work to reach this state in this short period of time.
He estimated that it would already satisfactory ifthey at the most, enclosed the village with a fence from wooden boards and dig themoat to nothing more than a mere obstacle.
But, the fence they actually constructed was thegenuine sharpened wooden palisade that could be seen in middle ages war movies.
The moat was sloped 60 degrees and it seems that thedepth was close to 2 meters.
Kazura realized that he had not taken Valetta’spersonality seriously.
This girl is the kind of girl who will thoroughly performthings that she had said.
「Actually, I want to proceed with the construction much faster, however, thework was delayed more than I thought before and there were several materialsthat were insufficient ….. Umm, although I might have proudly say that we willtake care of this one way or another, could I ask to supply us with somematerials and tools? 」(Valetta)
「Yes, certainly. I will provide anything, just say the words.」(Kazura)
Kazura answered with smile and Valetta made adelighted smile.
「Thank you very much. Ano, perhaps we could talk about the rest insidethe house……」(Valetta)
「Ah, you’re right, let’s do so.」(Kazura)
Valetta made a suggestion, which Kazura agreed. Hethen ordered Isaac to wait for several days and entered the village.
✧✦✧✦
It had been a long time since Kazura was in Valin’s residence.And now he sat around the central hearth with Valetta and Valin as they ate theirdinner while having an idle chat.
The food that they prepared was the potato harvestedin the village and the cooked rice that was mixed with crushed acorn-like nut, vegetablestir-fried with canned chicken meat, spit-roasted Arcadia Bug, and cannedpeach.
「I see, Isteria had been in such dire situation……」(Valin)
「Yes, it was a condition where they barely able to hold in just aboutanything. If the aid was started late even for just half a year, it might have becomea disaster. For now, we have constructed waterwheels, then the next thing willbe the expansion of the farm fields and the hygiene problem.」(Kazura)
Kazura narrated the summary of the aids that he haddone in Isteria. Valin nodded at his story with serious expression.
Valetta also made responses while hearing Kazura’sstory, but at times, she was looking at the bracelet that adorned his leftwrist.
「Fumu, hygiene problem. I think we can do something if theycould use constant freshwater like in this village, but the city was a mess ofjumbled up districts so it didn’t like we could just put water channels on it……」(Valin)
Valin said it emotively, while quickly ate the mixedrice in his bowl.
「…… Alright then, I will now go out for a night patrol. I will return atdawn, so please have a good rest.」(Valin)
「Eh? Patrol? Right now? But Isaac-san’s unit is at the village entrance, soit will be fine if you take a ret today……」(Kazura)
「No, I can’t. After all, we don’t know what will happen in the world. Then, I’moff.」(Valin)
Disregarding Kazura who called out to him in surprise,Valin left the residence.
「(What with this pattern, recently it happened too often…… No matter how Ithink of it. Perhaps, he was just being considerate.)」(Kazura)
At his previous stay in Grisea Village, for severaldays until the day Kazura depart for Isteria, every night Valin would beconsiderate and left Kazura and Valetta alone.
Since on the last time, the mood had risen up to some extent,as expected, even Kazura noticed Valetta’s affection and he also consider Valettaas likable.
However, Valetta was 15 years old, in Japan she wouldbe in the Third Year of Middle School, so she was just that young and theexcessive age gap made Kazura hesitated to make the second step.
To not make another step just by a simple reasoning, mightbe referred as a loser mindset, but honestly speaking, hecouldn’t refute this.
Kazura turned his sight to Valetta, who stared atKazura with a slightly uneasy expression.
「Kazura-san, that bracelet……」(Valetta)
「Ah, this? When I departed from Isteria, Lieze-san…… Nelson-san’s daughtergave it to me.」(Kazura)
When Valetta timidly asked, Kazura unfastened the braceletand gave it to Valetta.
「Lieze-sama…… Gave this……」(Valetta)
Valetta stared hard at the bracelet that she received.
「Lieze-san is still 14 years old, but she giving her utmost effort inhelping the work for the province’s sake. She seems to be quite popular withthe citizen, so with her help, the work efficiency had increased. She is stillyoung but already amazing, how admirable.」(Kazura)
「I-is… that so….」(Valetta)
Seeing how Kazura praised Lieze, Valetta, who wasstill looking at the bracelet, only able to wring out a weak reply.
「Moreover, she also interacts with anyone equally and amicably. She evenmade a handmade bracelet for me. It’s because she is paying attention attentivelylike this that she is popular with the citizen, there should be many nobles proposingmarriage to her. Since she is still a Noble Lord’s daughter, her actions are reflectingthis fact.」
With admiration, Kazura narrated about Lieze, whichmade Valetta suddenly raised her face up with a “huh?” expression.
「To acquire such worldly wisdom and focused on the future at such age isreally astounding. I also need to learn from her steps and……」(Kazura)
「A-ano, when Lieze-sama gave this bracelet to Kazura-san,did she say anything?」(Valetta)
「Hm? Nothing much…… Ah, she said to take care of myself? Perhaps, is this braceletsomething like a health charm?」(Kazura)
「Ah, yes, something like that. Like…… Do your best to stay healthy.」(Valetta)
At the false information that Valetta immediately spewout of her mouth, Kazura nodded 「I see」.
Valetta gripped hard the bracelet in her hand and thenwith a heartrending expression she cast her eyes down once more.
「……Valetta-san?」(Kazura)
For some reason, Valetta’s mood changed, which madeKazura panicked at heart, 「Ah, I’ve done it」.
He thought that it was because he had kept praisingLieze, like her work style or how she is popular with the citizen.
However, Valetta immediately raised her face up andlooked at Kazura with a serious expression.
「……Kazura-san, there is something I want to request from you.」(Valetta)
「Hm, request?」(Kazura)
Kazura asked back with a puzzled expression, whichValetta nodded to.
「When you return to Japan, I wish that you bought more books. If you can, Iwant to read history books or technical books.」(Valetta)
「History books and technical books is it? What topics do you want to read? Therealso many kinds of history books…… Also, is the technical books about theconstruction engineering? I think that on the book I had previously brought,there are some good books amongst it.」(Kazura)
「I have memorized the entire content of every book in this house. Whether itwill be engineering, medicine, military, the book topics won’t matter. I wantto read more book that has the content that I never see before. For history, ifit’s possible, I will be happy if I could read about a period that is similarto our world.」(Valetta)
「Eh, military too? Or rather, are you serious about reading every book inthe house……?」(Kazura)
Kazura unconsciously asked Valetta back as she suddenlymade an unbelievable remark of remembering the entire content of the books.
This house had several dozens of books that Kazura hadbought before.
To remember the entire content of the books in thisshort period. It was something that Kazura couldn’t imitate.
「Yes, perhaps it still couldn’t be put into application, but I haveremembered the entire content. However, it still not enough. I want to read manymore, different varieties of books…… No matter what, I…….」(Valetta)
Valetta’s words stopped at that point. As if to enduresomething, she cast her eyes down.
However, she immediately raised her face up and lookedat Kazura, she was smiling yet there were tears in her eyes.
「This request, can you do it?」(Valetta)
「Yes, of course. I will buy a mountain of it.」(Kazura)
Kazura still couldn’t read Valetta’s intention, but henodded with a smile.
Valetta made a slightly relieved expression andexpressed her thanks to Kazura, then they once more resumed eating while havinga chat.
『I want to be on your side.』
For Valetta to even be able to speak these words, justa little more time was needed.
☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽
“Lieze didn’t seeanyone that could become her rival” “She thought that there was no need tohurry.” How wrong she is……
Hahahaha, Kazuraeven admit that he is a hetare…. LoL…
[1]“Clearthe decks” anidiom that means “to prepare for a particular event or goal bydealing with anything beforehand that might hinder progress.” The Japanese idiom is:filling the moat.