Chapter 48: Same Room

I feel like it’s still too early to say thank you. Until we overcome the situation this fortress is facing now, I can’t afford to relax.

“…I’m sorry, Grass-nii…”

Leslie apologizes while feeling embarrassed. Though I often don’t understand what she’s thinking, her figure that clearly shows her embarrassment and hesitation was very charming that I’m at lose for words.

―But before that and above all else, to make her gently notice the current situation we’re in, even though I only lived 3 years longer than her, I think it is necessary to follow up like an older person would.

“You don’t have to say sorry but… As expected, getting pushed down in a place like this, I would have been injured if I’m not a magician you know.”

“Uh….. I-I’m sorry… I always give trouble to Grass-nii… Kyaah!…”

After saying that much, she finally realized that she’s straddling me stark naked.

“…….”

When a person gets too perturbed, his voice won’t come out— the current Leslie is the proof of it. She who forgot to hide her assets, finally remembers to hide them using both hands. I myself closed my eyes and cover them.

“I-I didn’t see it….. No, I saw to some extent…. But, aren’t you a little too bold?”

“W-Wait for a while and keep your eyes closed……Until I say it’s ok, please……”

“Uh, I-I get it. You don’t have to panic.”

I keep my eyes closed until Leslie says it’s already alright. I didn’t listen to the rustling of the clothes, I talked to the spirits dwelling on the wooden things around me instead – “She’s one hasty girl alright”, says the senior lumber spirit. I replied, “Well, she’s usually calm…”, and we have such small talk.

“…Grass-nii, I’m already done changing. Y-You can get up now…”

“Ah… oh, you’re back as “Lendl-san”.”

―When I was allowed to get up and open my eyes, the figure of Leslie who changed into men’s clothing with bleach cloth properly coiled around her chest is in front of me.

“But without the interference from your air spirits, you’re still Leslie after all…”

“…I’m not hiding my mouth right now… Mouth is where people’s characteristics come out the most, so I have to hide it.”

“Oh, you’re right… Let’s talk about it once we return to our room. And also the part whether you have to continue being Lendl-san from now on.”

When I got up, Leslie hands my clothes to me. Being diligently taken care of like this and all the things Lendl-san did for me as a secretary until now, somehow I feel bad knowing that Leslie did all this for me.

“…We’ve been together for such a long time so I should have noticed it with your gestures or the like.”Translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

“In the academy, the spirit of “air” was considered as a flop but I thought it’s different. It has the power to interfere with the air that is present everywhere. When people see or feel something, we feel it thru the air. Therefore, if I “change the air”, I can also be projected as a different person. I’m sorry, for keeping it a secret all this time.”

“No, you can’t help but to hide it. That magic, depending on how you use it… If there are people who think of using it for something like espionage activities, it will be troublesome if they started approaching you. From now on, it is better not to tell other people about this.”

Flop spirit users don’t have to perform their skills in front of teachers. Only elemental spirit users are required to show off their skills, evaluated and will be treated as the splendid pride of the academy –Well thanks to that custom, we were able conceal rather than expose the information about our spirits.

If one sees the “plant spirit” written in my unrated report card, anyone would think that I will be useless as a magician. The second queen probably sent me to Princess Astina, who compete for the throne with her own son the Prince, to become a burden to her.

If Leslie’s spirit is not unevaluated, for sure someone will keep tabs on her. A spirit that interfere with “air” –I had thought that it was similar to the spirit of wind but in reality it is a totally different spirit.

“…I didn’t know that Grass-nii’s magic could be used in battle. As a doctor, you studied a lot and you also excel at surgery… I thought Grass-nii, will be more unreliable.”

“Well, it can’t be help for you to think like that… You remember my specialty right though. Then again, if we find a tree that bear fruits somewhere in the future, let’s share them.”

“Yeah. If possible, I want a fig tree fruit… If not, then anything is fine as long as I can eat together with Grass-nii.”

Although I feel somewhat weird looking at the appearance of Leslie wearing glasses, I did not voice that out now. If I say something like “isn’t it better to remove your glasses?”, it will feel like I’m making passes on her.

“…I still can’t reveal my true identity inside this fortress. When the war recedes, can I go back to being Leslie again?”

“Why till that time? I think everyone would be surprised if we say that you dressed as a man due to some reason but Leslie, isn’t dressing as a man burdensome for you?”

“Nah… People who goes in and out of this fortress may know about my house too… If by any chance my house found out that I’m Grass-nii’s secretary, I’m sure they will come to bring me back.”Translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

“…So it’s like that huh.”

The thorny road that my stepsister said was probably about this –that if she wants to follow me, she needs to live with a fake identity. But I don’t think that’s all of it. If she just needs to be someone else, pretending as a woman should also be enough…

Still, she should have reason for choosing to be a man. I should already know it but I’m confident that my intuition is bad. However, by working my brain cells to the limit, I finally find one answer.

“…So that it won’t be suspicious even if you’re in the same room as me… you dressed as a man to work as my secretary… is there also that?”

“………”

Leslie did not answer. I should be correct –she became my secretary and in order for her to be always with me without raising suspicion, she dressed up as a man.

“…That’s also a reason for it but… it’s not only that.”

“Eh… t-there’s still something else?”

“…Because everyone in this fortress are all woman… If Grass-nii shares a room with other people here… I thought that might happen so…”

With expression saying it’s very difficult to explain, Leslie says so. Just imagining something like that would have really been embarrassing for her –Her face turns red but she still told me the truth.Read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com

Certainly, the rooms in this fortress are limited so if I came alone, I might be in a shared room with someone else. Just like what I heard from my stepsister in advance, there may be many situations where the female soldiers will be conscious of me, and I also felt it actually.

“…That means, you came here as my watchdog. You’re really…”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Just like how I’m in danger here, Leslie is now also in the battlefield and would be equally in danger too. That’s why I have to take responsibility and make sure to make you return safely.”Read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com

“Grass-nii… Thank you. I, I will work hard as your secretary.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you. We’ll be busy from here on too, so let’s do things without going overboard.”

We both laugh and return to our room.

As we walk side by side, I remembered the time we spent together in the academy and even though she’s dressed as a man now –we didn’t walk next to each other that much.

What did Leslie think about coming here with me? I think it’s clear enough with our conversation just now.

But for now, above anything else as a military doctor and her as my secretary, I want us to fulfill these roles in this fortress. As we are walking, I’m wondering about which order should I break down this piling up problems…

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---