Prep Work, or a Scheme

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/16/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I wiped the tears of Kira, who had cried herself out and settled, and we had tea again.
The chai had gone completely cold, but for some reason it tasted especially good.
No, well, I knew the reason.

It was that I had unexpectedly acquired Kira, a wonderful asset.
And that being able to comfort Kira itself had made me very happy.
Don’t make me say that. It’s embarrassing.

At any rate, by the time we finished the tea, Kira had settled completely.

“Dominas puts on airs like that now, but in the old days…”
“Eh, is… that so…?”

We were laughing, quietly, at Gerda’s exposé of Lord Dominas.
…The sight of Gerda, a cool, handsome sort of grown-up beauty, chatting with Kira, a reserved puppy-type pretty girl: priceless.

Hah!? No, no, I was letting my old otaku face show far too much!

I had gone to the trouble of earning a high evaluation here; I could not let the image collapse. I pulled myself together.
…Impure motives? Shut up, leave me alone.

“Now then… the sun has begun to sink. What shall we do?
We can leave it here for today, or we can go have dinner together, if you like.”

When the chatting had paused, Gerda suddenly brought that up.
Eh? I hurriedly looked out the window, and indeed the townscape had begun to turn a little red.

“Whoa… we really did talk for a long time.”

I let it slip, exasperated at myself.
But you know, sometimes you talk and forget the time passing, right?
And besides, being able to chatter without holding back like this was the first time in quite a while!
I made excuses to myself.

“If possible, I’d be glad if dinner were together.
I can go to Elma’s, but I’m a little worried about Kira.”
“Ah, that’s true, indeed.”
“Auh, th-thank… you…”

Beside Gerda, who nodded, I see, Kira was shrinking.
…What was this cute creature. Eh, may I dote on her? Ah, I may not?
Anyway.
There was gratitude and being overwhelmed, but the air of strangely blaming herself was gone, and I was relieved, inwardly.
If I let that show on my face it might start again, so I tried not to.

“Also, about tomorrow and after… thanks to Kira, what I can do and what I want to do have jumped all at once, so I want to use tomorrow for various preparations as well, to some extent.
So I’d like to see patients only in the morning, and go around here and there from the afternoon. Is that all right?”
“All right or not, you are the one who decides the policy here, Asha.
I have only to follow your instructions. Ah, of course I will check the knight order’s schedule in the morning.”

What was this exquisite balance of consideration and earnestness.
Gerda was trying not to make me feel indebted, and still trying to fulfill her duty as a knight properly; I found myself impressed.
Kira, sitting beside her, glanced at Gerda, then at me.

“I-I’m posted here, so… I follow Asha.”
“Fufu. Thank you, Kira.”

I answered the stout-hearted way of putting it with a smile despite myself, and she flushed a little and looked down.
Damn, even a gesture like that looks like a painting when a pretty girl does it!
…I was supposed to be a pretty girl in appearance only, too, but I had no cuteness to myself, somehow.
No, it’s fine, I’ll live as a career-woman type! I comforted myself.

“Then, tomorrow morning, I’ll see patients, and Kira will help me.
Gerda, if the knight order is all right, I have a mountain of things I’d like to ask, but…”

There was a mountain of things I wanted to do. But for now, only Gerda could do them.
In which case, I was sorry, but I had no choice but to ask.
And yet…

“Ah, of course, leave it to me. I will do anything I can.”

The Gerda in question answered at once, with that refreshing smile.
I see, so this is what they call a dazzling smile~
I found myself looking into the middle distance, it was so bright.

“Is it all right? There really are a lot, you know?”
“I’m glad you’re relying on me that far. Tell me anything.”
“I see. Then I won’t hold back.”

I put on a smile of my own, as if to match.
…Huh? Why had Kira’s face gone frightened??

“First, I’d like you to arrange a meeting with a dwarf from tomorrow afternoon.
Then the same for a brewery, or rather, somewhere that makes distilled liquor.
If possible a weaver who weaves cloth? If there’s something like that, there… ah, that one doesn’t have to be a promise for tomorrow.”
“I see. Quite a few, indeed. But this much is nothing much, you know?”

Gerda showed a composed smile at my orders.
I thought so too.
According to the Demon King, Gerda had the ability to fly.
She could probably fly with those wings. Aerodynamically they were questionable, but I was fairly sure the wings amplified magical power, or something.
At any rate, if she could fly, going a few kilometers to arrange appointments would be no great problem.
She also seemed to know a great many people.
But.

“And this is the most important.”
“Oh? Something that important?”

At my deliberately drawn-out way of putting it, Gerda’s face took on a look of interest.
To that, I kept smiling.

“I’d like you to bring seawater. As much as you can. To the backyard there.”
“…Ha?”
“If possible in large wine casks… say, five casks, or more.
Ah, if you know anyone who could help, you can ask them.
There’s nothing secret about having seawater carried itself.”
“A-ah… I can carry a fair amount alone, and I have people in mind for hauling, but…
Seawater—what in the world are you going to use it for?”

I showed Gerda’s dubious face a meaningful smile.

“Fufu. It’s a secret.”

So saying, I winked.