第１４２２堀：変わらずの盾姫 (Part1)
### Chapter 1422: The Unchanging Shield Princess
**Side: Yuki**
While we were discussing Seraria’s maids, Lowell arrived.
I could have sworn she mentioned just a moment ago that she was handing out sweets to the children...
"Lady Lowell. Here is His Majesty’s coffee."
"Ah, Una. Thank you, as always."
She was relaxing as if she hadn't a care in the world, sipping her coffee.
Just as I was debating where to start with my retorts...
"Yes, this is Seraria’s coffee, alright. But really, you should make more use of Una. You brought her husband and children along as part of her entourage, yet having nothing to do is actually more taxing for her, isn't it?"
Ah, right.
Una was a rarity among the knight corps Seraria had brought—a married woman with children.
Now, she and her family had fully immigrated to Weed, serving as the unsung pillar of our operations.
"Actually, Lady Lowell, this is quite enough for me. Since Her Majesty stepped down from her general duties and the knight corps transitioned into the Royal Guard—with Quar taking over as captain—I’ve been handling the paperwork. I must decline any further responsibilities. In Weed, leaving on time is a virtue. Isn't that right, Yuki-sama?"
"Ah, yes. That’s correct."
No overtime, ever.
Especially when you have a family.
Of course, some might argue that makes it harder to leave, but to let talent bloom, to ensure time for rest, and to maximize work efficiency, leaving on time is essential.
Wait, no, that’s not the point.
"So, there’s no need for any additional work, Lady Lowell."
"I see. If Una is satisfied, then that’s fine. By the way, are the children doing well?"
"Yes. They are enjoying school today. Speaking of which, I heard you were handing out sweets to the children at the church?"
"Ah, they were there for a school cleaning project. Surely, good deeds deserve a reward, don't they?"
She never changes.
I exchanged a wry smile with Seraria.
Lowell has a massive soft spot for children.
She dotes on Sakura and the others as if they were her own.
Though, I really wish she’d stop trying to teach them how to wield shields and swords.
I suppose that’s just the battle-junkie blood running through her veins.
"For someone who claims that, you got here awfully fast. You said you were coming after you finished giving out the sweets."
As Seraria pointed out, the time elapsed since she said that was far too short for her to have finished.
"Hm? Oh, Hairen was there, so I left it to her. Though, she did say I was giving them too many sweets."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Hm? Well, I don't know, maybe twenty per child?"
"Candies?"
"No, twenty boxes of cookies or bags packed with assorted treats, each."
" " "That’s way too much!" " "
We all shouted in unison.
That’s a supply-side catastrophe.
The children who received them would inevitably be envied by the others.
Some might share, but others certainly wouldn't.
More importantly, it’s problematic if the church becomes known as a place where you get massive hauls like that.
Not to mention, some of them probably won't be able to eat their dinner.
"Is it? I’d finish that in a day."
"Don't compare your calorie consumption to a child's."
Ah, that explains it.
Lowell is a general, but she leaves the rear-guard administration to Higil while she fights on the front lines, so she never skips her daily training.
In other words, her energy expenditure is overwhelmingly high.
Still, twenty boxes of sweets is absurd by any standard, but it’s probably a waste of breath to argue that point.
Wait, wait. That’s not what we wanted to talk about.
"Lowell. I heard you on the sweets. Can we talk about what we actually intended to discuss?"
"Ah, that’s why I came. Though, I should say, there are some new faces here. Is this alright?"
"I see. You haven't been back much, have you?"
"Well, things have been smelling a bit fishy lately. I’ve seen Seraria, but I haven't had much time with you, Yuki."
Lowell is always sharp when it comes to information management.
She thrives because she can sniff these things out intuitively, though I imagine someone like Higil, who operates on logic, would be clutching his head in frustration at her lack of procedure.
That said, she gets along well with Hairen, who is also an intuitive type.
Anyway, putting that aside, I proceeded to introduce Fiora, Aurelia, and Lyushi.
"Ho. I’ve met Princess Fiora at a banquet once before, and I heard rumors that you’d hired a slave, Yuki, but I see now. She has a good look in her eyes."
"Th-thank you very much."
Aurelia, though nervous, stepped forward to offer a formal greeting as their representative.
"Yes. Continue to support Yuki. This guy is smart, but he has a tendency to avoid relying on others."
"That’s true, isn't it? He solves everything himself, which makes things a bit of a hassle."
"Indeed. Being too capable is a problem in its own right."
For some reason, even Seraria and Una were nodding in agreement.
Fiora and Aurelia were nodding along, too.
I have no allies here.
Actually, when did Fiora and the others get back?
Quar was just standing there, too.
I only finish my work quickly because I want to slack off!
Teaching takes time, you know? It’s important to nurture people, but sometimes it’s just faster to do it myself.
"And you... no, Lyushi, you’re the victim of that incident, right?"
"Um, yes! I’m the victim, Lyushi!"
" " "..." " "
Lyushi responded with such vigor.
I don't know, was that the right way to answer, or the wrong one?
We were all frozen, but Lowell just laughed.
"A fine smile. I know the state of your injuries. It’s heartening to see you able to speak so clearly. And... Lady Senal, is it? Is her condition alright?"
She knows Senal is a god, but she seems to be keeping quiet out of consideration for Lyushi.
Well, I know, so it’s not an issue, but I suppose Lowell wouldn't know that I know.
"Yes. She’s fine. Rurua and Hairen are of the same opinion, and that’s why I’ve entrusted her to Yuki. It was her own earnest wish."
"Her wish? What do you mean by that?"