50: At Hen Inn Again

“Thank you for your help. I will express my gratitude somehow.”

I gave them my best noble curtsy and bowed my head as deeply as I could. I quickly boarded the Edenbach House carriage and told the coachman where I wanted to go.

I quickly got off the carriage and began walking.

Uoah, my head feels fluffy and disgusting.

I had my hair in braids so that I could wear the wig, so when I took it off and untied my hair, it became a lovely, fluffy hairstyle. Is it a little too childish? I thought, but I wanted to get out of the Edenbach mansion as fast as possible, so I untied my hair and left.

Lots of women were walking in groups, so I drew people’s attention.

Argh, I don’t want to, no.

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I don’t want to be a noble, I screamed in my mind while walking fast.

The sky was blue and clear but the inside of my mind was stormy.

I got off the carriage near the carriage stop and headed towards 『Hen Inn』.

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

―― *CREAK*

It must have been lunch break, because the inside of the 『Hen Inn』was deserted and quite.

“Hello. Excuse me….”

I quietly whispered and softly stepped into the inn.

When I headed towards the counter, I saw Master sitting on a chair while napping with his arms folded.

(It’s rude to see the crown of his head, so don’t look! Me!)

Master glanced at me with half-opened eyes and then jumped up.

*GAK*

He jumped! I’m the one who’s surprised!

“…… -come.”

“I would like to stay for the night, are there any rooms available?”

Master nodded, and gave me the key that I saw some time back.

“….. It’s the same room…… Ah, you look fine.”

“Well, it is thanks to you that I was able to live properly in Coolden. It’s thanks to Master’s letter. I’m extremely indebted to Bobles-san and his family. It’s only for a night, but I would like to thank you by helping out in the kitchen or by cleaning the dining area. Anything’s fine, so please let me do this.”

I quickly bowed.

However, Master stopped me by holding my shoulder and I immediately raised my head.

I returned to the restaurant again after I put my black bag and the box of macarons down in my room.

I held a broom and swept near the entrance of the restaurant carefully.

My mind finally calmed down.

I only had the milk tea coloured dress on me, so I borrowed an apron and put it on. I had my hair up in a ponytail, but it was fluffier than usual and felt weird.

(I feel them staring from the Fernand Empire’s 2^nd soldier station. Were they waiting for the restaurant to open so they could have an early dinner?)

I, who wasn’t used to being examined by men as a woman, ignored all their gazes. I also did this when I worked at the guards’ station in Coolden.

I don’t have any interest in that at all, probably because I wasn’t self-aware of the opposite sex or maybe it was because I had few chances to interact with young men. Having said that, I don’t think I’ll get involved with love.

If I have that kind of time, then I would rather use it on embroidering or other things.

That’s why it was impossible for me to know what their intentions are.

I finished sweeping and this time, I took a dust cloth and wiped around the door. I have to make it clean.

―― *SQUEAK SQUEAK*

“Make the door knob clean…… And I have to wipe at the top of the door too.”

I, who wasn’t very tall, jumped as I wiped the door.

I felt the presence of someone tall behind me when they snatched the dust cloth away from me.

“Oh.”

“Is this alright?”

―― *RUB RUB*

The top part of the door was being wiped by someone.

I turned around and saw, “Captain Weller…”

“Yes? Ayesha, was it?”

“Ye-yes. Thank you for wiping it for me.”

I tried to take the cloth back and leave back into the restaurant, but I couldn’t escape from Captain Weller’s strong rust coloured eyes.

His eyes moved from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.

“Everyone was saying that there was a cute new rookie here, but it was you, huh…”

“Un? I’m just helping out.”

It seemed that the young soldiers were making a fuss, so he came to confirm the culprit behind it.

I forced Captain Weller to talk about what happened up until now.

He seemed very troubled because Roberto-sama would bug him, “Where did Lady Ayesha-marie go?” He would ask many times… Well, yeah. I did my best to pretend I didn’t know where I was going after all. Master and Ada-san also helped me out.

But he eventually found me anyway, I don’t know what will happen in the future.

I stared off into the distance and grumbled.

While this was happening, Ada-san came to work a little before the restaurant opened.

She jumped me as soon as she saw me. My heart was pounding.

“Kyai, if it isn’t Ayesha-chan. It’s been awhile! How are you? You’re not being questioned by Captain Weller or something are you?”

Ada-san approached Captain Weller and when I said, “I was just about to tell Captain Weller about it,” it became really noisy, “I want to hear about Ayesha too!” I was surprised and consulted with the two. The result was that I would be helping out as a waitress until 8 o’clock. When I finish, we would have dinner and then talk about what has happened to me while Ada-san has her break.

“I’ll come to the restaurant at 8-ish,” Captain Weller said before going back to work.

(What’s with this information gathering meeting?)

At any rate, let’s help the Hen Inn first. I’ll feel down if I don’t do anything.

It seems like it’s going to be a long night. I have to lie well about things I can’t say!