221 - Carriage Journey 2
There's no harm in being asked about it now, I thought, resigning myself. Since it's already known that I'm a reincarnated Japanese person, there's no need to awkwardly hide things.
"...So, what about that unusual coloring?"
From the way he spoke, it seemed Alfred might have also seen the embroidery painting. I wanted to check a little, but the conversation would drift again, so I kept it to myself. If I ask again later at the meal table, Leonardo might find it interesting.
...Consider it a little payback toward Leonardo-san, who's been out there relaxing on horseback all by himself.
I think it's a bit harsh to make me deal with Alfred all on my own. I understand it can't be helped since I can't ride a horse by myself, but if that's the case, Leonardo should just quietly stay in the carriage too.
I plan a small prank against Leonardo and shift my thinking. For now, satisfying Alfred's curiosity comes first.
"I remembered reading in some book that if you paint shadows with pink in CG, it becomes ero... sensual, so I tried it out."
"You made it knowing it would become erotic?"
"Sensual, deshu."
That part is important, so please be careful, I say, correcting Alfred's 'ero' to 'iro.' I did make it knowing it would turn out erotic, but the finished result was so overwhelmingly erotic that I felt I couldn't acknowledge it as erotic. It's barely within the bounds of decency, so to speak.
"That painting was originally made as a prank for Leonardo Big Brother-sama, so I mixed in some pink thread out of a bit of mischievous impulse, but..."
It turned into an unexpectedly pink painting, and feeling a bit awkward about it, I look away. I'm used to both the beautiful CG painted in pink and Leonardo, so it didn't bother me, but the reactions of the gentlemen and ladies visiting the Lagarette gallery were different. Everyone was gazing at Leonardo's naked body in rapture, not moving from the spot, and some women even screamed and fainted just from seeing Leonardo's face. The destructive power of that embroidery painting must be terrifying for people without resistance.
"What is 'shee-jee'?"
"I think it's computer graphics."
I just pronounce it as CG normally, so even if it's actually different, in my understanding it's computer graphics. Even if asked to explain, I can only say computer graphics. Even the fact that SF stands for science fiction, not space fantasy, was something I only learned as an adult in my previous life. Even if I'm using the word CG wrong, there's no way to verify it in this life.
"...Ah, please don't ask what a computer is."
"Is it something you can't talk about?"
"Because I can't explain it accurately."
I got ahead of things and told him not to ask, but then he suspected it was something I couldn't talk about. It seems difficult to discuss my previous life's knowledge. If I'm vague about it because I can't explain, I get suspected of hiding something. It's more than a little troublesome.
"Um... it's a tool with a complex structure, and I used it without knowing how it worked, so even if you ask what it is, I can't give an accurate explanation."
Just accept that such a thing existed, I said, forcibly ending the questions about computers. I tried wracking my nonexistent brain to see if I could explain somehow, but as for what I know about the insides of a PC... CPU, memory, and a cooling fan, I suppose. There were also other parts like an LCD monitor and a keyboard, but I still can't give an explanation that Alfred would accept. Since Alfred kept pushing so hard, I rattled off random katakana in rapid-fire Japanese to shut him up. It's impossible to explain something you don't understand to someone who understands it even less.
"...Your knowledge is hard to tell whether it's useful or not."
"Please just think of it as 'I can read Japanese,' deshu."
When I pointed out that was how it was supposed to be from the start, Alfred made a sour face. He said he'd heard not to expect anything beyond being able to read Japanese, but still, knowledge of another world naturally invited interest and expectations.
"...Ah, I don't know if it's interesting, but I remembered a funny story."
"What is it?"
"I haven't read it myself, I only heard about it from Alf-san, but I heard The Tale of Genji has become a Girls' Love story, even though originally it's a story about a man and a woman."
The summary I heard from Alf was that Lady Rokujou and Lady Aoi became lovers, and the husband Hikaru Genji's presence was diminished, but originally it's a completely different story. When I told Alfred the correct version as far as I could remember, he told me that as a result of considering balance, the Menhishumi Church probably revised it.
"The Tale of Genji you speak of does exist, you know."
"Huh? It does?"
Then why did The Tale of Genji become a GL story? When I asked for an explanation, he said that in this world, same-sex marriage is also common. Therefore, The Tale of Genji, which only collected stories of men and women getting together, was disliked for having poor balance, and it apparently led to a trend where several episodes were split up, and books were created with the main male and female characters rewritten as man-and-man or woman-and-woman pairings.
...Wait, doesn't that defeat the purpose of having it treated as a story from another world?
I understood why The Tale of Genji was altered, but if you take something marketed as a story from another world and heavily rework it to fit this world's style, I think that's just derivative fan fiction.
"...I'm asking purely out of curiosity, but since same-sex marriage is normal and there are many same-sex stories, does Boys' Love also exist normally?"
"Bee-e-ru?"
"Um... Boys' Love. Romance stories between men."
When I explained what BL was, Alfred nonchalantly answered that both adult-oriented and children-oriented versions exist. As expected of a world where same-sex marriage is normal, BL apparently exists too.
"Huh? I've read quite a few story books at the Fortress Lord's Residence, but I don't think there were any books about men being together."
"Books printed by the Menhishumi Church should be donated to the Fortress Lord's Residence. They should be included together under the category of romance novels."
"Then I just haven't happened to pick one up until now?"
"Or perhaps an adult decided it was too early for a child and put them away in a storage room out of your sight."
"That makes sense."
When I first came to the residence, I was eight years old. Even though I couldn't read yet back then, the fact that they were specifically separated as books for adults means they probably contained sexual scenes. It's possible that someone at the residence moved them to a different place so I wouldn't accidentally pick one up.
"But really, this world is tolerant of homosexuality, isn't it."
"Rather than this world, it's this country. In Napaji, male homosexuality gets you crucified, and the opposite sex... you're forced into marriage with the opposite sex. Was Japan different?"
"As far as I can remember, I think it was strict."
I don't know how things changed in the future, but as far as I remember, society's gaze was still quite harsh. It was a country where it was hard to keep saying you love what you love, like Alfred does.
"It doesn't matter who loves whom, but touching a minor in a sexual way is of course forbidden."
"Ah, I feel like I can kind of understand that."
Avoiding specific topics about what goes where, sexual things with an immature body place too much burden on the minor. Even in a country that recognizes same-sex and opposite-sex relationships as normal love, they apparently properly forbid that part. Love and sex are separate, and 'it's fine because I love you' seems to be met with 'if you truly love them, wait until their body matures.'
"Alfred-sama is surprisingly well-read, aren't you."
When the topic turned to books, Alfred recommended several titles. Aside from romance stories, he mentioned adventure tales that boys would like, and various other types like essays and academic books that I wouldn't normally read. I was surprised, and when I told him so, he said, "When I was a child, I was sickly, and there was nothing I could do except read the books Alf would bring me." And even as an adult, reading remained a habit.
...Since I had the chance, I decided to tell him the truth about Nikubenki.
When I told him what the Japanese title of the story Ethelbert loved actually meant in this world, Alfred was, for once, speechless. That must have been a rare expression to see. Afterward, he called over the maid who had been riding with us without showing herself, and told her that what she just heard was not to be repeated. The maid responded calmly, as if she understood without being told.
"Don't you go talking about that elsewhere either."
"Is it not okay to inform Ethelbert-sama himself?"
"Of course it's not okay."
"Understood."
The impression it gives when meeting someone who understands the meaning is terrible if you keep using it unknowingly, but is that really fine? When I pointed that out, he said that on the contrary, if there's any reaction, it means 'that person is a reincarnator who understands the Japanese meaning,' so it's fine to leave it as is.
It seems this country's former king will continue to have 'Nikubenki' listed under his favorite books from now on.
The carriage stops several times a day for the horses to rest. This can't be helped since it uses horses as its power source. Unlike cars or motorcycles, it can't keep running forever as long as there's gasoline. And most of that time is used for the humans' meals. While the horses are given water and rest, cooking tools are brought out from the following carriage, stones are stacked to make a stove, and warm meals are prepared by the cook's hands.
"Tina-san, where are you going?"
I'd gotten a little used to the cook Alfred brought along, so I thought I'd peek at the work, but Hermine, who was late getting off the carriage, stopped me. She said I mustn't disturb the cook while they're working.
"Is it not okay even if I just peek a little?"
"If a small creature was loitering around the stove, I would stop my cooking work myself, worried that they might get hurt."
"...Understood."
I gave up on approaching the cooking area and headed toward Leonardo, who was tying the reins to a tree. Leonardo, who had been freely enjoying his horseback ride all alone, looked more refreshed than when he was staring at documents at his office desk back at the residence.
"...Guh!?"
Feeling a bit annoyed for some reason, I greeted Leonardo with a baptism of my custom-made shoe as he turned around. Leonardo, completely caught off guard, doubled over from the pain in his shin.
"Did you enjoy the horseback ride, Leonardo Big Brother-sama?"
I pouted and put on a dissatisfied face, saying I was tired from being forced to chat with Alfred and play Reversi all alone. I've stopped puffing out my cheeks, but I think I still need a few gestures to convey my dissatisfaction to Leonardo.
"...Want to ride with me after this?"
"Hermine-sensei is giving me lessons this afternoon, so I can't."
The difference is just whether it's indoors or outdoors, but what we're doing is just sitting still. If I think about it, it's not much different from life at the residence, but in my room at the residence, I don't have to be conscious of my surroundings just from changing my posture or repositioning myself. However, in the carriage, Alfred is always there. Somehow Alfred's gaze bothers me, and even shifting slightly makes me tense and uncomfortable. In any case, being alone together is unacceptable. Unless Alfred's interest is directed at something other than me, I can't relax and sit in my chair.
"...Then let's ride together tomorrow morning."
"It's a promise, deshu yo?"
"Yeah, it's a promise."
Whether he finally sensed the awkward atmosphere in the carriage despite being obtuse, or whether he thought the tomboy girl was starting to fuss again, I couldn't tell, but Leonardo smiled wryly and held out his hand to me. As I placed my hand on top of his, I realized I actually quite like this expression of his.
...I feel like I understand the feelings of a boy who picks on a girl he likes.
It was a thought that made me question myself as a person, but it's just a cute little sister being mean. I want my brother to graciously accept this.
The carriage journey is comfortable but monotonous. Rocking in the carriage from morning to night, the pleasures are limited to the meals the cook works hard to prepare, and occasionally passing through unfamiliar towns. It's a luxurious carriage fit for royalty, but of course there's no bathtub, and baths are only available when we take lodging in a town. There is a large tub prepared for washing up, but water is precious during travel, and I hesitated due to the effort needed to heat it. Just wiping myself down in the bedroom is enough.
"If we go by horse, we could make a detour to Mey Village and Waiyakku Valley. Do you want to go, Tina?"
One morning, when we took lodging at a town at a fork in the highway, Leonardo started saying things like this. It was an invitation to an enticing detour, but right now we're in the middle of traveling to the capital with royalty having come to fetch us. A detour wouldn't normally be permitted, I would think. Thinking that, I glanced at Alfred, but oddly enough, he showed no sign of stopping us. He was elegantly tearing off a piece of freshly baked bread and bringing it to his mouth.
"...I don't need a detour. Let's go to the capital quickly, finish our business quickly, and come back quickly."
As I refused Leonardo's suggestion, saying there was no need for a detour, Alfred, who had been silent about the earlier proposal, responded to my words with words of denial.
"Once you go to the capital, you won't be able to return so easily."
At Alfred's rather ominous words, I furrowed my brow and pursed my lips. So detours are fine, but returning quickly is not allowed, it seems.
"I heard it's just to show my face."
"It is a face-to-face introduction, but the other party is my father. It's not someone you can meet with immediately just because you've arrived in the capital."
The reason he said 'my father' instead of 'the king' was probably because we were in a town. The innkeeper had been told it was a noble's son on a small excursion.
"...If I go to the capital, about how long will it take until the business is finished?"
"I can't say for certain, but it's impossible to arrive today and return tomorrow."
The journey alone takes nearly a month, so round trip would require another month on top of that. It's early summer now, so if we used relay horses and kept running, we could get from Grenore to the capital in about ten days, but of course I don't have that kind of stamina. Moreover, it would be pitiful for the horses.
"...If it takes that long, I don't need Mey Village, but I'd like to visit Aurelia-san's grave."
I've already said my farewells to my parents, but the news of Aurelia's death came too suddenly, and I haven't been able to sort out my feelings, let alone say goodbye. If I have a chance to go, it would be better to go once.
"Understood. Then, Alfred-sama, please wait in this town for a while. Tina and I will go to Waiyakku Valley."
"No, I'm going to the valley too."
I had intended to make a light detour to Waiyakku Valley with just Leonardo and myself, but for some reason Alfred started saying he'd come along too. If Alfred comes, the guards will also come along, and it'll likely become a large group.
"There's nothing at Aurelia-san's house that Alfred-sama would enjoy, you know?"
I tried to imply with my tone that he shouldn't come, but the unexpected words that followed from Alfred made it impossible for me to refuse any further. He said that if it was to visit Aurelia's grave, Alf would have wanted to go. Alfred said that in place of Alf, who couldn't leave the city of Grenore, he, with the same face, would visit Aurelia's grave.
...That's a lie about it being for Alf's sake.
I've hardly ever heard Alfred talk about Aurelia, but somehow I understood. Alf is just an excuse. Alfred himself wants to visit Aurelia's grave. Alfred, who was apparently sickly as a child, might have been cared for by Aurelia at some point.
...If Alfred-sama himself says he wants to say goodbye to Aurelia-san, there's no way I can refuse to let him come along.
I feel like there were other things inside a PC, like a motherboard and a graphics card, but I can't build one myself either way, and generally speaking it's just CPU and memory, right? I'll just let that slide. Oh, HDD too, probably.
Typos and omissions again another day. Fixed any typos and omissions I found.