A Date with Ayako?
When we arrived at the main gate of the academy, Ayako, Fran Ojou's personal knight, was waiting for us there.
Ayako bowed to us and I replied, [It's been a long time]. She didn't speak at all, and followed Fran Ojou to fulfill her duties as an escort.
During that time, Rain and Fran Ojou continued to chat friendly, but I was curious about Ayako in the background...
Previously, she used the duke's spies to monitor me, but after I chased them away, she started monitoring me more and more. I tried to pretend I didn't notice as much as possible to clear up any suspicions, but...
It seems that the suspicions have not been cleared up yet. Her gaze has been piercing since a while ago.
"Looks like we've made it this far. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good day."
As we parted ways with Fran Ojou, Ayako quietly approached me and called out to me.
"Please let me talk to you later, just the two of us. I have some questions I'd like to ask you."
I nodded in response and Ayako followed Fran Ojou back home.
Three days later, Ayako visited the branch where we lived by herself. I tell Rain that I'm going out and going with her to a cafe near her. I thought it would probably be a secret discussion, so I asked the waitress to take us to a private room.
"So, what is it that you would like to ask me?"
It's been a while since I ordered coffee instead of tea. Coffee is made from pure beans that are not dandelion beans that are imported from the Republic and are a luxury item. I put it in my mouth and called out to Ayako.
"I understand that you are a member of Baron Garcia's family. I would like to ask you why you approached Ojou-sama."
Hmm? It's been probed quite deeply. However, I didn't get close to Fran Ojou because I wanted to get close to her...
"It's true that I was the third son of Baron Garcia's family, but that has nothing to do with me now. Besides, I didn't get close to Fran Ojou because I wanted to get close to her."
"The third son who was rumored to have run away was actually you... Then, is it a coincidence that you met and became friends with Ojou-sama?"
Ayako looked at me sharply and asked again.
"That's right."
"So you have nothing to do with Baron Garcia’s plot?"
Hmm? Baron Garcia's plot? Is that house thinking of bad things again?
"Is Baron Garcia doing something again?"
"What do you mean by again?"
So I told her everything I knew about the Baron Garcia family from the days I had spent with them. Naturally, I told her about my situation.
"I guess that family was secretly communicating with the north side… So now, there is an old knight named Malberk in the Duke family, does that mean he is a member of the Baron family?"
I couldn't help but be surprised.
"Eh!? Grandpa Malberk, does he live in the Duke’s household?"
Ayako was even more surprised than I was.
"Do you know Malberk-dono?"
"Ah, yes. He's my biological grandfather. He's the father of my mother, Lilei. He's also my master of swordsmanship, but... I don't think he'd do anything like that. He talks to Stefano-san about Lilei. But they used to have a lot of conflicts..."
"What do you mean by conflict?"
"Well... it's about how they treat me."
"I see……"
Ayako thought for a while, then muttered that and fell silent.
"By the way, why did you mention the Baron family?"
Ayako hesitated for a moment, then explained the situation. Apparently, there was a connection with the bandits from the previous attack, so they suspected a plot by the Baron's family, and the runaway grandpa Malberk and the third son, in other words, me, were suspected of being spies and assassins.
I don't remember any connection between Stefano or the baron family in my memory of the bandit I saw...... Am I missing something?
However, I can't tell Ayako about this because my [God's Eye] will be exposed...
"I'm sorry for doubting you. Also, I apologize for making you talk about your painful past."
While I was thinking about the bandits, Ayako said that and bowed her head.
"No. As long as your suspicions are cleared, that's fine."
"Also, I am grateful to you for becoming Ojou-sama's friend. Since she became friends with you guys, she has started to smile a lot. As someone who knew her before she came to the academy, I am very happy."
"I see. That would be great."
After all... I had the feeling that Fran Ojou somehow resembled the old me. I thought that perhaps, like me, she had lived her life isolated from those around her.
While I was feeling a little sentimental about Fran Ojou, Ayako asked me a favor with a thoughtful look on her face.
"Light-dono... I have a request to make."
"Eh? Ah yes. What is it?"
"Would you be willing to fight me?"
It was a sudden request for a match.
Tftc.
ReplyDeleteKnew she was setting up to get beat. But in a friendly way.
ReplyDelete