357 - Tatsuta-age and That Person's Whereabouts
" ... Huh?"
Opening the door to my third-floor personal room, I tilt my head at a slight sense of unease. My room, as I looked around, had not changed at all from two years ago, but somehow it felt off.
"Oh, I see. The chair legs have gotten shorter."
"That would be Tina having grown taller, you know."
Looking around the room for the source of the unease, I casually sat down on the chair attached to the table I used as a study desk. I noticed my legs didn't feel settled somehow, and finally realized what the unease was. When I sat in the chair, my legs lifted slightly, and my knees bumped against the underside of the table.
"So that was the source of the unease."
Compared to the furniture I used at the detached palace, my room's furniture felt a little smaller. I hadn't noticed anything before, but the furniture at the detached palace was constantly adjusted to match my growth. It wouldn't be strange if the furniture at the residence, which I had used two years ago, no longer fit my body during this growth period.
"The furniture feels like it's gotten a little smaller, but Jinbei is still just as big."
Wondering if there were other pieces of furniture that no longer fit my size, I walked around the room and arrived at the canopied bed. On the bed, made up with clean sheets so it could be used at any time, sat a giant bear stuffed toy. Even in its seated position, the giant bear plushie was as tall as Leonardo's chin, so I couldn't feel any change from a child's two years of growth. With my awareness that I was on the smaller side among my peers, I felt I wouldn't be able to surpass the height of the seated giant bear plushie's back even as an adult.
...Well, first of all, that's at about Leonardo-san's chin height, so it's taller than an average man, you know.
Now what should I do, I thought, sitting on the edge of the bed. I had finally managed to return to the city of Grenore, but my room had become unfamiliar due to my physical growth. If I swapped out the furniture with that from other rooms, I could use it until I grew up, but adult-sized chairs were still a little too tall for me.
"It would be best to have the furniture newly adjusted."
Sitting down beside me, Leonardo looked around the room again. When I had first been taken in, I hadn't properly conveyed my preferences. So my room had been arranged by Leonardo leaving it entirely to Tabitha and the others. The chocolate-mint colored room was actually the work of Bart's skill. Leonardo couldn't arrange a girl's room, and I, who had been living in poverty even within Mey Village at the time, couldn't possibly have arranged a room in the residence to my liking.
However, now I had experience arranging my own room at the detached palace under Hermine's guidance. Because of that, Leonardo seemed to think I could arrange my own room now. He started saying I could change whatever I wanted, furniture or wallpaper.
"... Completely redoing everything would be a waste of money."
"Your big brother makes enough for that, and the problem is you being uncomfortable because the furniture doesn't fit your body."
"Understood. In that case, may I start by changing the wallpaper?"
"Go ahead, but ... that's pretty serious."
"If I'm going to do it, I'll thoroughly rework it."
The current chocolate-mint colored room was cute too, but this time I felt like I wanted a room with slightly calmer colors. At the detached palace, since there were four rooms for the seasons, I had arranged each room to suit its respective season. Since I would be spending the whole year in the same room at the Fortress Lord's Residence, it might be interesting to arrange it completely to my tastes rather than matching the seasons.
Until the room renovation was finished, it was decided I would use the furniture from the room prepared for Aurelia. They say the large serves the small, and while small furniture feels cramped, large furniture can be adjusted for height with cushions and such.
... Maybe I should just move into the room intended for Aurelia-san instead?
It was a room arranged with calm colors for Aurelia. It also suited my tastes, so it seemed like a good idea.
"Tina, let's give up the attic room already."
"No way. This is my hideout for running away from home."
When I headed toward the stairs leading to the attic to peek at its state too, Leonardo showed resistance. As always, he said the attic was for servants' rooms, and seemed opposed to his little sister (me) using it. I no longer felt hesitant about using the third-floor room normally, but the attic room was a different matter. I liked the simple atmosphere of the attic.
"Huh? Isn't Mirshe-chan's room in the attic?"
Rooms that were used and rooms that weren't used had a different atmosphere even from their doors. The room I had used seemed to have been occasionally cleaned by Tabitha so it could be used at any time, but besides Kalisa's room, there were no signs of anyone using it. Mirshe, who should be living at the residence as a servant, didn't have a room in the attic.
"Mirshe is a servant, but she's still a minor, you know. It would be worrying to leave her living alone in the residence, so we prepared a room for her in the annex where Bart and the others are."
"I see. So the attic really isn't a servants' quarters after all!"
If it's not a servants' quarters, there's no problem with me using it, I said, casually swapping the issue around. Mirshe the servant and Tabitha and the others lived in the annex. By pointing out this fact, I could deny Leonardo's idea that the attic was the servants' living area.
"Kalisa uses it."
"Kalisa is a maid."
"A maid is also a servant."
"Leonardo Big Brother, you're being too particular."
That's childish of you, I said, pushing childish logic to the forefront. If I was going to keep using the attic room from now on, I needed to silence Leonardo.
"I'm not being childish. Tina is the one being selfish."
He hit a sore spot by saying it was only supposed to be until I got used to the residence, so I quietly looked away. When I then pretended to whistle a whistle I couldn't actually blow, he pinched my cheek for being unladylike.
"Can I go see Mirshe-chan?"
After inspecting the attic room to my satisfaction, I came down the stairs. When I thought about what else I wanted to do, Mirshe's face came to mind, but Leonardo stopped me. I might have just returned to the residence, but Mirshe was working, he said.
"I can't interrupt her work."
I did want to ask Mirshe once how she felt about her current circumstances, but if he said it would interfere with work, I had no choice but to back down. If I didn't carefully time it when Mirshe was free, I would just be getting in the way of Tabitha and the others' work.
"... What if I helped with the work?"
"Having the master around would only be a nuisance."
"I suppose I was only a nuisance, but I've helped out before, haven't I?"
"... If Tina plays favorites with Mirshe, it'll make it hard for Mirshe to stay at the residence."
When he brought up Mirshe, I had no choice but to fall silent. I wanted to know how Mirshe was doing, and I wanted to hear about her state of mind. I thought so, but I didn't want to put Mirshe in a difficult position at the residence. If she could settle down here, she could work here and wait until Lusio became a Black Knight and returned.
"It's a complicated feeling, having a friend become a servant in the house."
Elke and Petrona had clearly been told it was for a limited time, but Mirshe was different. Until Lusio actually bought Mirshe out, our relationship was that of Leonardo's younger sister and a servant whom Leonardo had bought. This could hardly be called a normal friendship. It was a truly complicated feeling.
After changing into comfortable clothes and taking a nap using the giant bear plushie's belly as a pillow, I felt like I was developing a bit of a fever. As always, it was a sign that I would come down with a fever and take to bed. I was aware that I was more excited than usual about finally returning to the city of Grenore, so from here on I'd better really behave myself. It was best to take fluids and nutrition and just sleep.
"... Leonardo Big Brother has a high body temperature, so I don't think he's suitable for checking fevers."
Feeling his hot palm against my cheek, I frowned slightly and opened my eyes. In front of me was Leonardo's face, peering down at me.
"It looks like you're running a bit of a fever ... Do you think you can eat dinner?"
"Meals are important. I want to eat plenty, sleep soundly, and get my condition back in order early."
It wasn't the kind of condition that improved just by wishing, but I felt I needed to build up a bit more stamina. It wasn't to the point of being frail, but collapsing into bed every time I traveled made it hard to call myself a healthy child.
Tonight's menu was tatsuta-age and stew. I wondered about the combination, but I thought Tabitha had prepared my favorite foods. Whether it was the effect of the tatsuta-age, or whether this was the plan from the start, Alf and Alfred, who should have gone to see off Elke and the others, were at the dinner table.
... Alfred-sama really likes tatsuta-age.
As Alfred brought tatsuta-age to his mouth as if it were his own home, I suddenly wondered which one this was, Alf or Alfred. Since they had both disappeared at the same time, I thought they must have switched somewhere, but there was no sign of that. Which meant Alfred was still Alf, I thought, and in that case, the one casually and unapologetically eating the tatsuta-age would be Alf.
... Their eye colors are hard to tell apart unless you see them side by side to compare anyway. Which one is it?
Wondering about this, I nevertheless enjoyed the nostalgic flavor of the stew and the crispy fried tatsuta-age. If I factored in bedridden for two or three days, eating too much might upset my stomach, but I could just drink some herbal tea after the meal.
... Yeah, Alfred-sama is still Alf-san after all.
During the information exchange over dinner, I listened in, figuring I couldn't interfere with work. Since only Alfred, who had been in the city of Grenore, could report on recent events at the fortress, the current Alf was Alfred. The two hadn't switched yet - that must be the correct answer.
... Huh?
At Alfred's report that they had caught an interesting man in the city recently, I somehow stopped the hand scooping up my stew. Curious about the rest of the story, I turned my gaze to Alfred, and he explained what was interesting about the man.
"He tried to run away at full speed as soon as he saw my face, so I caught him. I thought his face looked familiar somewhere ... but I see. Looking at him now, he resembles Leonardo."
... A man who ran away at the sight of Alf-san's (currently Alfred-sama's) face, and a man with a face resembling Leonardo-san?
I had too many ideas about who it could be, and my cheek twitched. Leonardo looked like he didn't quite get it, but that was probably because he had never actually met the 'imitation.' When I looked toward Alf, I could tell he was picturing the same person I was. Alf's face had taken on the expression he wore when Alfred was thinking up mischief.
"This Leonardo look-alike, is he a man with black hair and black eyes, resembling your uncle?"
"Ah, now that you mention it. I feel like he had traces of the late Rannvald-sama. To the point that I wondered if this was how he would have grown had he still been alive ... He looked more like Rannvald-sama than Leonardo."
Rather than if he were still alive, it was probably Rannvald himself. Since he had faked his death and fled the royal castle, it was the man himself, having grown just as he was.
... Rannvald-sama came to Grenore again, huh.
And he was caught by Alfred, who had been stationed at Grenore Fortress as Alf, not by Alf himself. What a strangely fated man.
"He ran away when he saw my face, so I caught him thinking he must have something to hide, but he hasn't committed any clear crime."
Currently, he was apparently being detained in a room at the residence assigned to the Vice Commander of the fortress.
"... That means I can meet him at least once during my stay."
"If you'd like, I could bring him to the Fortress Lord's Residence ..."
"No, let's not do that. That man is a mysterious and elusive sort. We need to minimize the number of times we take him outside, or he'll escape before we know it."
... He neatly escaped in the capital too, after all, Rannvald-sama.
Though the explanation was only rough, hearing that Rannvald was at Alf's residence made me feel somewhat complicated. Rannvald had enraged Felicia and saddened Christoph. I didn't think I had any obligation to hide him and keep quiet.
"Now then, what shall we do with him?"
"How about sending a letter to Felicia-sama saying 'I have arrived safely in Grenore' for the time being?"
To Alf, who was making a nasty face together with Alfred, I suggested a pretext for sending news to the capital. As a report of the reincarnator's (my) arrival, I thought it was a good enough reason to use the fortress's fast horse relay.
"... There's also the option of loading him onto a cart and bringing him back."
"In that case, I recommend rolling him up in a straw mat and packing him in a box."
"... Christina, you're unusually harsh on Rannvald."
"He did make Felicia-sama angry, after all."
This much is only natural, I said, listing other countermeasures I could think of for Rannvald. He himself seemed unaware, but apparently he had a nature that was favored by spirits. There was a possibility that spirits might lend a hand in Rannvald's escape. Every precaution I could think of would be necessary.
... But still, why did Rannvald-sama come to Grenore again?
I had heard he had apparently stopped by Grenore before, but I hadn't expected him to come again. Perhaps he had found some clue about whatever he was searching for.
After dinner, I relaxed in the living room and had some herbal tea to aid digestion. Because Leonardo had called for her, I was finally able to talk with Mirshe a little, and I gave her the gift. I also handed her the gifts for Tabitha and the others to pass along. It was a bit of underhanded maneuvering - saying I wasn't slacking off, I had called her just to give her the gifts.
... Well, Bart and the others knew full well I just wanted to talk with Mirshe anyway.
I wanted to talk with her slowly, but Kalisa urged me to take a bath. Once I washed off the dust of travel, all that was left was to sleep.
The bed I hadn't slept in for two years felt a little unsettling, even though it was my own room. The fact that what I saw when I looked up was a bear plushie instead of a black dog plushie also felt strange.
... How odd. Jinbei was here first, after all?
Feeling unsettled, I strained my ears, but there was no sound in the room. Giselle should be outside the canopy, and Kokumaro the black Shiba should be beside the bed, but somehow I felt lonely.
... The carriage's sleeping quarters were small, after all. Kalisa was always there in that small bedroom, but today she wasn't, so I felt lonely and couldn't sleep.
Unable to fall asleep, I was tossing and turning in bed when I heard a soft knock at the door. I sensed movement outside the canopy in response to the knock, so Giselle really was nearby after all.
"... Tina, are you awake?"
"I'm awake."
Unable to sleep, I welcomed Leonardo, who had come to visit my room even though it was my sleep time. When I poked just my face out from the canopy, Leonardo opened it for me.
"You need to sleep properly."
As he said this, Leonardo's hand reached for my forehead, so I pressed my forehead against his hand. He must have come to check on me, thinking it was about time I developed a fever.
"It's been too long, I guess I can't settle down and fall asleep."
I couldn't very well say I was lonely because Kalisa wasn't there, so I caught hold of Leonardo's hand after he finished checking my temperature. I begged him to stay by my side until I fell asleep, and with a wry smile, Leonardo agreed, saying "Just tonight."
Since I had stopped Leonardo to help me sleep, I docilely closed my eyelids. When I did, Leonardo, sitting on the edge of the bed, stroked my forehead.
"... Want me to sleep with you?"
"No, because that would make the bed too cramped."
My bed was spacious for just me, a child, to sleep in, but it seemed too narrow for me, who had grown even a little, and Leonardo to sleep side by side. Mainly because of the proportion taken up by the giant bear plushie he had given me.
"Should I get a new bed too?"
"Huh? Is that on the assumption we'll keep sleeping together?"
I had begged him to stay by my side until I fell asleep, but this was a special request made on a special occasion. Surely it would be abnormal for me to sleep with my brother every night at this age, and I knew that.
"Even when you were right in front of me, you were taken by spirits. ... I can't bear to take my eyes off you, even for a moment."
"I hear I won't be taken away that frequently anymore."
Feeling that Leonardo seemed strange somehow, I caught hold of his hand, which had been stroking my forehead. As I pressed my cheek against his hand to reassure him, he stroked my cheek with a clumsy motion. He must be confirming that I was here.
... But still, you're completely traumatized, aren't you, Leonardo-san.
I had a vague sense of it even during the return journey. At a lake where we stopped the carriage for a break, there was a beautiful meadow of wildflowers. Drawn by the flowers, I wandered toward the meadow, but Leonardo called my name immediately. Thinking he must have some business since he called, I gave up on the meadow and returned to Leonardo, but there wasn't really anything he needed.
That happened many times.
I realized along the way that Leonardo seemed to want to call me back whenever I moved more than about three large strides away from him. Alf had also said his possessiveness had become intense, but I was leaving it alone, thinking it would settle down eventually.
... Coming back injured was entirely my fault, after all.
I didn't think being attacked by spirits was my responsibility, but it had become a complete trauma for Leonardo. I had been taken from right in front of him, and when I returned, my whole body was covered in wounds. He probably wanted to keep me within a distance he could enclose immediately.
It's alright, I won't be taken by spirits anymore, even if I am taken I'll come back, I did come back after all, I repeated while stroking Leonardo's hand. Please be at ease. I am here.
As I repeated those words, gradually my own voice began to sound like a lullaby. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep still holding Leonardo's hand, and the next day I slept until nearly noon.
Perhaps thanks to the sound sleep, this time I didn't end up with a fever bad enough to keep me in bed.
Rann-whats-his-name-san returns. Leonardo is completely traumatized (tiger-horsed).
Will fix typos and errors at a later date. The 17th's update will be after noon.