第１４４５堀：徹夜明けだけど穏やか (Part1)
Chapter 1445: Post-All-Nighter Serenity
Side: Yuki
“...I’m awake.”
“Ah, good morning!”
The moment I opened my eyes, Lyushi’s energetic voice felt like it pierced right through me. Well, being full of energy is a good thing, I suppose.
“Morning... What time is it now?”
“Let’s see, it’s just past ten o’clock.”
“About five hours, then. Well, that’s fine. How are the wives? And the situation on the ground?”
I asked my questions while rising from the futon. Yesterday, we had launched an operation against the members of the dark guild hiding in Irinau, so we had all stayed up to monitor the situation. In the end, Kirika had played her part perfectly; the enemy remained oblivious, and the operation was a success.
That said, we hadn’t captured everyone, and since some were still at large, there was a chance they might move while I was asleep. There was also the possibility that the wives staying at the Irinau royal castle had initiated some other action, so I needed to get the report.
Lyushi’s tenure as my aide and bodyguard was still short, but she was here at the inn with me, providing support. Of course, she wasn’t by my side twenty-four-seven—she rotated with Orelia and the others—but today was an exception since I had pulled an all-nighter.
“Aside from those attending to the children, the wives have headed out to their respective duties. Regarding the ‘situation on the ground,’ are you referring to Irinau, or perhaps your own administrative work, Yuki-sama?”
Lyushi answered my questions fluently, without a hint of hesitation or stuttering. Honestly, she was excellent at this. She possessed a natural charisma that could rally villagers, and I felt that if she kept studying, she would only continue to grow. Her appearance was striking, too—a beauty, no exaggeration. She had the same hair color as Rurua, worn in a ponytail. Her figure was perhaps slightly less endowed than Rurua’s, but not by much, and while she was taller, it wasn’t an unnatural height. She was just perfectly balanced.
...Thinking about how a person who could rival a former saint of a nation had been in the village, only to be cast aside by the village chief’s opposition faction—it was no wonder they had wanted to get rid of her.
“Um...?”
“Ah, sorry. I meant both.”
Seeing Lyushi tilt her head at my lack of response, I answered her question.
“Yes. There have been no particular movements at the Irinau site. Currently, they are interrogating the dark guild members Kirika-sama captured and investigating their base. The wives who are acting as envoys are currently preparing for the upcoming conference. As for the administrative work, Orelia-san and the others are assisting, with Prof-sama and Nina-sama taking the lead. They are handling the usual business, of course. I believe the investigation into the dark guild will resume this afternoon.”
“I see. If there are no issues, that’s good. For now, I’m going to wash my face and change, then head to the office. Could you contact Prof and the others for me?”
“Yes, leave it to me.”
“Actually, I feel like you were up all night with me, too. Are you alright?”
Given her role as an aide and bodyguard, she generally stayed in the adjacent room, but if she was already awake before me, it meant she had slept even less than I had.
“I’m perfectly fine. My sleep time was short, yes, but I woke up naturally.”
“Ah, a matter of habit, then?”
“Yes, it seems so. It’s not good to be sleep-deprived, and both you and Orelia-san told me I could sleep until the scheduled time, but I just couldn’t fall back asleep.”
“That happens, I suppose.”
Especially when you’re young. You wake up the moment it gets bright. I’ve had that experience myself.
“Understood. But if you get sleepy or start feeling unwell, tell me. You’re free to rest in the nap room.”
“Yes, I will.”
Lyushi wasn’t the type to hide things like that. Yayui might try to push herself, but in that regard, I felt at ease with Lyushi. While we talked, I folded my futon and finished changing my clothes.
“What are your plans for today?”
“Let’s stick to what we discussed before I went to sleep. Normal duties in the morning, then the dark guild countermeasures.”
“Understood. But what about breakfast?”
“It’s almost lunch anyway, so I don’t really need to...”
Just as I started to say it would be fine, the room door opened and Sasari poked her head in.
“Yes, yes! I understand how you feel, Master, but Rurua-sama and the others have strictly forbidden you from skipping meals, so please, have this~.”
She handed over a rice ball wrapped in plastic.
“Lunch is almost here, so just two each for now. Eat up quickly and be on your way~!”
With it prepared to this extent, it would be rude to refuse. Lyushi and I ate the rice balls, drank some tea, and headed toward the office. Since it was already past ten-thirty, the streets were quiet, with no one commuting. Still, it wasn’t completely deserted; I could see a few people out for a stroll or moving about for work.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been out at this hour.”
“Usually, it’s much earlier, isn’t it? Being outside at this time is refreshing for me, too.”
“Come to think of it, you were working at the hospital, Lyushi. Did you ever go out at this time?”
“Let’s see. Not very often, but there were a few times when I accompanied Hairen-sama to help out at Lilieshe-sama’s church.”
“Ah, I see.”
Lyushi generally wasn’t granted permission to go out. She was a key witness regarding the dark guild, and considering the trauma of her injuries, we couldn’t leave her alone. Someone always had to be with her. The person chosen for that role was Hairen, whose mental toughness was arguably the greatest in Weed. She moved between the hospital and the church, interacted with people, and had a track record of making decisions that—if you ignored the collateral damage—always yielded the best results. Since she was a talent who could be said to surpass even Lilieshe when it came to being close to others, I had entrusted her with supporting Lyushi and teaching her the ropes.
Hmm...
“Lyushi. I don’t know if it’s appropriate to ask while you’re right here, but how have you been feeling lately?”
I hesitated, but decided to ask straight out.
“How I’ve been feeling? I’m doing exceptionally well, why?”
“I see. You moved from Rurua and Hairen’s care to mine—do you have any desire to go back?”
I had heard her express her intent to work under me and repay her debt, but that didn’t mean her heart couldn’t change. There was the possibility that she couldn’t keep up with the work, or that the reality didn’t match her ideals.
“No, I don’t have any desire to return at the moment. Um... you aren’t doubting my loyalty, are you?”
“Ah, no, that’s not it. It’s just that the revenge against the dark guild you initially sought hasn’t really progressed much, and unlike the hospital, you rarely get to help people with your own hands—it’s mostly paperwork and accompanying me, right? I was just worried you might be accumulating stress.”
“Hmm, stress? I don’t really feel any. As for the dark guild, I never thought it would be something easily resolved, and honestly, the work as your aide is less demanding than the hospital, so I find myself wondering if this is really enough.”