155 - Guest
"Kalisa, please bring out the cherry blossom (Arcas) dress today."
I wash my face at the sink, and while wiping off the moisture with a soft towel, I look back behind me. Kalisa is just preparing the light blue dress I will be wearing today.
"...Cherry blossoms are almost out of season now."
"Leo liked it, so even if it is out of season, I want the cherry blossom dress today."
"Understood."
Saying that, Kalisa takes the light blue dress and heads back to the dressing room. When she returns to the room, she has brought a cherry blossom-colored dress in her hands.
"...It is rare for you, young lady, to choose clothes for Leonardo-sama's sake."
"Well, today is Leo's birthday."
I am aware I am a tomboy who kicks shins and steps on feet, so at least on his birthday, I thought I would wear clothes Leo likes and behave quietly. I slip my arms into the cherry blossom dress she prepared, and she ties my hair up cutely as well. Decorating it with a ribbon that matches the cherry blossom dress, it is complete.
"...Your hair has grown, has not it."
A year has passed since I came to the residence, but come to think of it, I have not cut it except for my bangs. When my parents were alive, my mother would cut it for me sometimes, but now that is gone too, so unless I speak up, my hair will just keep growing longer.
...If I said I wanted it about as long as when I was in the village, Leo would probably be against it.
Knowing Leonardo, he likes to dress me in frilly clothes. As a hairstyle for a young girl, he might prefer long hair that can hold hair ornaments. As for me, as long as the hair length does not get in the way, I do not mind, so if there is someone willing to tie it up for me, staying like this is no problem.
...For now, Kalisa happily ties it up for me, so maybe I will keep it like this?
After getting ready, I move to the living room on the first floor, where Leonardo is relaxing on a lounge chair while drinking coffee. As I greet him with a "Good morning" and sit down next to him, Leonardo returns the greeting with a "Good morning."
"Today is Leo's birthday. Happy birthday."
"...Huh? Ah, right. It is my birthday today, is not it."
For a moment, he blinks as if he does not understand what I said, then Leonardo smiles a little bashfully. Leonardo himself was the one who told me his birthday last year, but maybe he thought his little sister would not celebrate it. When I pointed that out, it seems there has not been anyone to celebrate it for him for so long that he could not imagine being on the receiving end of celebration.
...Leo is fundamentally a man's world kind of person, after all.
In male society, unlike among girls, they might not give each other presents just because it is someone's birthday.
"I was thinking about a birthday present too, but..."
My allowance comes from Leonardo. If I bought a present for Leonardo with money from Leonardo, would not that mean Leonardo bought his own birthday present? I started thinking about such strange things halfway through and it did not work out. Then I thought about using the money from the embroidered handkerchief I received from Alf, but then I did not know Leonardo's preferences and hesitated. Many of the things Leonardo wears day to day are black or red, which are more the colors of the Grenore Knights than Leonardo's own preference. It probably would not be wrong, but using the same colors over and over lacks creativity.
...Also, I know he would be happy with anything from me, which makes it harder to give something half-baked.
For these reasons, I could not prepare a gift by the day itself, so I thought I would ask him what he wants and make something that disappears. Instead of something that remains like clothes or a wallet, something that disappears when eaten would be easier for the receiver to accept, I figured.
"For that reason, is there anything Leo wants to eat that I can make?"
"If Tina makes it, anything..."
"'Anything' is the hardest answer."
It was precisely because I knew Leonardo would be happy with anything that I could not prepare a gift. Choosing to ask him directly so there would be no mistake, only to be answered with "anything" makes all the time I spent worrying a waste.
"Is there anything Leo wants to eat?"
"...Tatsuta-age. I will leave it up to Tina whether fish or chicken."
"Let us make both then. It is Leo's birthday after all."
With the decision to add one more dish to tonight's dinner, after breakfast I follow Tabitha to the market. There is chicken in the residence's pantry so I did not need to buy more, but if I wanted to use fish for cooking, I had to go out and buy it.
In the city of Grenore, during the season when there are no boats from Lagarette downriver or from Tior further beyond, river fish is the main option, but in this season nearing the end of spring, sea fish brought from the port city of Tior become available. I cannot say there are as many varieties lined up as in a Japanese supermarket, but there was still fish that would go well with tatsuta-age.
In the afternoon, I attend Hermine's lessons as scheduled. Today, intending it as a service for Leonardo, I am playing the good girl more consciously than usual, and Hermine's evaluation was good too. Hermine's original job is to teach me proper lady-like behavior, so movements made with awareness of demureness seem to be praised regardless of the reason. Though she also firmly reminded me that I need to be able to do these things without especially thinking about them.
After lessons, I usually have free time to read books or play Reversi, but today I am making tatsuta-age for Leonardo.
...Well, when I say 'making,' Kalisa does the cutting and frying.
As always, I am not allowed to handle knives, and getting near the oil for deep-frying is absolutely out of the question, so I get chased out of the kitchen too. The only tasks I am allowed to do are making the marinade and dusting with flour.
...Maybe when I turn ten, I will ask them to let me handle a knife at least.
It might be nice to ask for child-sized cooking utensils too. Right now I am living the young lady life as Leonardo's little sister, but someday I plan to find a commoner husband and become an ordinary wife. I want to properly learn cooking.
Once the meat and fish are soaking in the marinade, I have free time until the flavors soak in. As I am thinking about making a firm pancake batter to fry alongside them, or just making pancakes themselves, I hear the sound of the door knocker.
...Alf-san, maybe?
There are not that many people who come to the residence. And the person who visits this residence most often is Alf, who brings documents to Leonardo who is currently holed up working here. I do not think document delivery is really the Vice-Commander's job, but maybe he is looking out for me. Worried about leaving me to Leonardo's care.
...I am grateful for that.
As I am silently thanking Alf, I hear the knocker again. Normally Bart would go greet the visitor right away, but then I realize.
...Is Bart-san tending to the back garden right now?
I feel like I heard Tabitha saying something about that a little while ago. Which means the person outside the front door would keep waiting.
...It is fine. I will go answer.
Thinking the visitor is probably Alf anyway, I head to the front door with a light heart. There are gatekeepers and Silver-White Knights before the residence's entrance, so suspicious people cannot get in. Kalisa knows this too, so she prioritizes putting away the used cooking utensils and does not follow me.
A third knock sounds, and I open the front door.
"Yoo-hoo! This is Leo's house!"
"Huh?!"
I was careless, thinking the visitor would probably be Alf. I had not even considered other possibilities.
On the other side of the front door, which I had opened with a completely careless, cheerful face, stood not the familiar Alf, but an unfamiliar middle-aged man.
"Huh?"
Our eyes meet perfectly, his purple eyes and mine, and my mouth hangs open. It was not just unexpected. It was beyond unexpected. A completely unknown man's face, also surprised himself, I suppose, stares down at me with his mouth hanging open.
"...Um, my mistake."
While the other person is frozen in confusion, I gently close the front door. Then I dash at full speed through the back door to where Bart should be in the back garden.
"Bart, Bart! A guest! An unknown person!"
Come quick, I say, pulling Bart who still has his soil-covered gloves on, and head back to the front door. Worried about whether the guest I had been so rude to was still there, I peek through the window and see him covering his mouth and shaking his shoulders. He must have heard our whole conversation inside.
"...I apologize for keeping you waiting."
After removing his gloves and tidying his appearance briefly, Bart opens the front door again. Feeling awkward, I hide in the shadow of the door and observe the guest.
Looking beyond the door, Bart freezes for a moment, which is rare for him. Then his face breaks into a happy smile.
"It has been a long time. When did you arrive in Grenore? I will connect you with Leonardo-sama right away, so please come this way first."
...'Been a long time' means he is an acquaintance of Bart's?
I hold my breath and observe the guest. He is large, about the same height as Leonardo or a bit taller. Long hair on a man is not uncommon in this world. His loosely wavy black hair, mixed with white, reaches around his shoulder blades.
...And his face is scary.
Earlier, since we caught each other off guard, he was making a foolish expression, but now facing Bart, his face is stern and frightening. It is the kind of face that would not be strange for an ordinary child to start crying at.
"Tina-sama."
"Y-yes?!"
I was secretly observing the man, but startle when Bart addresses me. As I flinch my shoulders, the man's gaze turns toward me.
...Scary, scary, scary!
I take half a step back from his intimidating face that makes me want to run away. Goosebumps rise on my back from the chill. Seeing me like this, Bart offers a helping hand with a wry smile.
"I will guide our guest to the reception room. Could you go inform Leonardo-sama that a guest has arrived?"
"I-I am on it!"
Grateful to Bart for showing me a way to escape from that uncomfortable gaze, I casually shed the good-girl act I had planned to keep up all day, and without hesitation, run up the stairs to the second floor.