Small Birthday Party – Part 1
By the time Keith and I had bought our groceries, the sun was well into the evening. Gradually, the houses around us began to light up.
“When you say ingredients for five people, do you mean something like this?” (Keith)
“I don’t know. Beastkins are big eaters, but this is a lot of food…. What’s more alarming is how they are able to eat this amount of food. Oh no, we’re running out time.” (Theodore)
“You’re right. Even if Liz is a good cook, it might be tough. If we help her, we might just get in the way. ……”
As I was talking about this, I suddenly felt a sense of discomfort and looked at the shadows nearby. Then, a blue-haired girl was squatting her small body.
“…… What are you doing, Charlotte?””
“Oh, it’s big brother Theo.”
The moment Charlotte found me, she jumped out happily.
“I found you, Miss Charlotte.”
“Uh !? Elsa !? I thought you were in the alley over there!”
“Wherever you hide, I will always find you.”
The girl struggled, but as if she had given up, she quieted down and said with a bored pout on her lips.
“By the way, Theo brother. What are you guys doing?”
“Uh, yeah. It’s a bit of a long story.”
When Keith and I briefly explained about Roka’s birthday, Charlotte’s expression brightened.
“Then you should have her birthday party at my house! Right, Elsa?”
“… you have to get permission from your father.”
“Why not? We’re going to come home anyway. Besides, it’s hard to cook, isn’t it? Elsa can do all kinds of housework, so you can help!”
Keith and I couldn’t help but stare at each other.
Then Keith whispered to me.
“Hey, what are we going to do? It would be rude to enter the mansion without General Duras’ permission.”
“But it’s okay if his daughter says it’s okay. I don’t think we have enough manpower.”
“Theodore, think about it, if there are those beastkins besides us. We don’t know what they’ll do.”
“It’s okay, I guess. Roka doesn’t seem to be doing well, and Shaula didn’t seem to be doing too well either, so I think they’ll be quiet today.”
“Well, that’s fine, but if they get drunk on this cheap alcohol that I bought …… and get out of control, I afraid… .”
As we were sneaking around talking, Charlotte said.
“Well, it’s decided, isn’t it, Brother Theo? Will you come to my house?”
“No, please wait a minute. We’re in the middle of discussing that.” (Theodore)
“Hmmm… …… I think I’ll tell everyone about that.” (Charlotte)
Oh no.
This seems bad.
I glanced at Keith and found him didn’t seem to have a clue, and Elsa… I don’t know because she’s still expressionless, but I think she’s the same.
I don’t think anyone but General Duras would believe her if she told everyone about Rena.
But for the future, I don’t want her existence to be public knowledge.
I don’t know who was the one who saw her appearance and even her identity on behalf of General Duras, who couldn’t see Rena, but I wonder if that person is in the mansion tonight.
Charlotte tilted her head from side to side as if she were a mischievous child, her mouth arched in amusement.
I’m sure she will grow up to be a very bad woman.
“What’s the matter, Theodore? What is it? Does Lady Charlotte have something against you?”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant. …… Let’s just be mature and listen to what she said today.”
“What the hell makes you think that?”
“Yipee!! Hey, Elsa. It’s okay, I’ll explain to my father later!”
“… can’t be helped. I’m sorry disrespect the kindness of Miss Charlotte.”
Surprisingly, Elsa readily agreed to use the Duke of Duras.
It was as if, ostensibly, she has to get General Duras’ approval.
But in reality, it seems that Charlotte’s opinion takes precedence.
“Hey, big brother Theo.”
“What is it?”
“Bring that person too.”
“…. Uh, okay, if you feel like it.”
Thus, we were half-heartedly invited to the Duke of Duras’ mansion.
After meeting up with Liz and the others on the way, we hurriedly headed for the Dukes of Duras.
Liz’s cooking skills were excellent, but Elsa’s was the real deal.
I was impressed. I guess maids have their weaknesses and strengths, but her skill is real.
She’s inferior to Rena. But she’s comparable to Carla, my kindred vampire and chief maids in Tenebrae.
Keith and I worked to prepare for the arrival of our guest of the day, Roka.
Shaula has already gone to call Roka. Charlotte, on the other hand..
She popped up beside Liz, who was frantically cooking, and gently reached for a thinly sliced, roasted chicken.
“Lady Charlotte.”
“Hey, I don’t do anything yet!”
“Fine. Then I’m sorry to disturb you at the moment, but please stay away from the kitchen.”
Charlotte, whose collar was grabbed and thrown out of the kitchen, looked moody.
Incidentally, Elsa had not looked at her at all during the entire exchange so far.
It looks like she was simply going through a series of motions as part of the cooking process. This is tremendous.
“That looks like the movements of a perfectly trained maid. Even in the old days, my Lermit family had no one who was that perfect.”
“I can think of some awesome maids, but Elsa is awesome.”
As we were commenting on how little work we had done, Charlotte, who was dying of boredom, entered the conversation.
“Elsa is amazing. She’s a soldier, and her grades are top-notch.”
“I quit because of my injuries and is now a maid for the Duke of Duras.”
“Yes, yes! When she was a soldier, she used to fight with a magic gun, I saw she used it in military and it was amazing. I’m sure none of the other soldiers can match Elsa.”
As Charlotte spoke somewhat proudly, Elsa approached her with a platter and said.
“At the time of the war with Zenan, there were still very few people who could properly handle a magic gun. I just learned to use it a little faster than the others.”
“Even now, there is no one more amazing than Elsa.”
“Ensign Froustier’s skill with the magic gun is remarkable. Not only that, but she has a natural talent for swordplay, physical skills and magic. I’m sure the current me is not even close.”
“Clarice is not very good with her hands. She can do everything, but everything is half-baked.”
Charlotte said without a care in the world.
She overpowered Shaula and Keith, even though he didn’t give it his all, and went toe-to-toe with Roka, seems to have this assessment.
“My Lady Charlotte. No one in this world is an expert at everything.”
“If you can’t do one thing perfectly, then you’re nothing.”
I’m sure Clarice would be furious if she heard about it.
When the air in the place became somewhat heavy, I heard a knock at the front door. Elsa immediately answered the door.
“….. I had no idea that the place Shaula had forced me to go was the Dukes of Duras’ mansion.”
There was Roka, who looked a little uncomfortable but surprised, and Shaula, who was standing by her side.
Liz, who noticed the visit of the fox girl, who didn’t seem to understand why she had been brought to this place, appeared in a hurry.
Liz looks around at everyone else. We’re all set.
Satisfied with that, Liz nodded toward Shaula, and she dragged Roka inside, inviting her in.
“Oh, hey, Shaula? What the hell is going on?”
Roka, who had been brought to the small dining room, looked unusually dumbfounded. We all said to her at once.
“”Happy Birthday!””
“Congratulations, Roka!”
It was me, Liz, Charlotte, and Shaula who hugged her as soon as we said it.
Keith muttered a little embarrassed, and Elsa just said in a soft voice, “Congratulations.”
The fox girl finally fumbled around in confusion.
“What the hell? Whose birthday is it?”
“Of course it’s you, Roka!
“I … Mmm, oh yeah … is that time already?”
Roka said in a dazed state, as if she was talking about someone else.
When Shaula saw this, she cast her eyes down a little sadly.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve celebrated it.”
“Well, I haven’t had time for that since the war with the barbarians.”
The atmosphere of the place became even more humid.
As if to change that, Liz brought the plate with both hands.
The meat, vegetables and sauces on the plate were colorful and smelled savory.
“Yes, yes, it’s a happy day, so don’t even think about it! Look, it’s Liz’s special sauté! Actually I also made a stew, but I was a little short on time. ……Well, it wouldn’t hurt to start with the main dish first!”
“Mmmm …… sure looks tasty. It looks like pretty good meat.”
Roka’s tail wagged slightly from side to side.
Apparently, she was interested.
Then, as she was watching Elsa pour the drinks into the cups on the table, Roka suddenly noticed something on the table.
“Is this …… Lugal-sama?”
“Yes, this is! I saw it in town a while ago, so I bought it. It seemed like they were selling things they bought in the kingdom of Lugal here. Well, it seems that Lugal’s carvings are not very popular among people other than beastkins, so there was a surplus.”
Holding it, which was about the same size as her palm, Roka had a serious look in her eyes.
The sculpture of Lugal, the Beast God King, that Shaula had found, certainly seemed eerie to ordinary people.
“It’s hard to tell from the wood carving, but it’s said that Lugal-sama’s body was both silvery white and golden. What do you think, Roka? Not bad, huh?”
“Mmm …… mmm, yeah …… the shades are definitely plain, but I think it’s well done. It’s quite an accomplishment for you. Well done, Shaula.”
“Ehehe~……!”
Keith said as he watched the two beastkin girls looking dreamily at the wooden carvings.
“That’s Lugal, the Beast God King. The divine beast that had a divine hue…….. Maybe it’s a bad thing to say, but it doesn’t look like it was very real to me.”
“It does.”
“What?”
Keith gave her a dubious look as she answered immediately.
“It’s a real likeness. It is so well done that it looks as if it was carved in front of the real thing. Now all it needs is for it to be as golden as my body, and it will be perfect.”
–It’s been almost 1600 years since that.
I remembered that I had met with Beast God King when I had not yet taken Lucifer’s place.
The divine energy overflowing from his strong body was out of the ordinary.
Then I remembered that there was a girl who was always close to that divine beast.
The girl who gave the name to her magical powerhouse, the Kingdom of Chiaro Diruna.
“Diruna”.
Although she is a human, she is able to freely manipulate tremendous magical power that surpasses that of a majin.
She is the one and only “Great Wizard” who will never be born again in this world.
“Diluna had very beautiful silvery-white hair,…… which seemed to contrast with Lugal’s golden body, and the two of them looked picturesque just cuddled up together.”
Diruna was an innocent and dreamy girl, despite her enormous power.
The Beast God King, on the other hand, was a proud beast worthy of the majesty of his body, but he was devoted to Diruna.
They had a very deep bond. When I met them, they were always together.
They probably tied the knot not long after that.
The Kingdom of Chiaro Diruna was born from their love. And the Kingdom of Lugal was born as a sign of their separation.
I don’t know how the two nations are currently thinking and conducting their warfare, but do they really understand?
As time goes on, the blood has been fading, but do they realize that they are killing each other with their countrymen, who were originally the fruit of love between two great people?
Or is it that no one remembers such things anymore, and they are fighting without knowing it?
“…… Theodore. What, are you saying ……?”
“Oh, sorry. I just remembered something about that in a book I read a long time ago. Don’t worry about it.”
Even as I said this, I stared at the figures of Roka and Shaula. The color of their bodies also reminded me of those two somehow.
Is it the same thing that they are always close to each other? The situation is probably different for these two, though.
Before long, Roka, who had lost her energy, regained her cheerful expression and started to touch the food on her plate.
It was supposed to be her birthday party, but before we knew it, we were all sitting around the table together.
Liz says on behalf of the company.
“And so, we shall now hold a birthday party for Roka! Eat, eat, eat!”
“”Uwhoaa!””
Roka, Shaula and Charlotte shouted.
Then a small but slightly lively birthday celebration began. As the food was brought in one after another, Roka seems to be regaining her usual appearance.
She has been drinking alcohol poured into her cup for a while now, but I wonder if she’s okay.
“Wait, Roka, you’re drinking too much!”
“Shut up! It’s my birthday party, what’s wrong with drinking as much as I want! Come on, Shaula, you drink too, drink too!”
“I’m not much of a drinker, but…?
“Come on, you two. Don’t just drink alcohol and eat the food properly. I made it in a hurry, but it tastes good, doesn’t it?”
“Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had such a sumptuous meal! Well done, Liz!”
“It’s not just me, but the maid over here, …… Elsa, worked hard too. In fact, to be honest, I think Elsa worked a few times harder than I did. ……”
“Oh, that’s great! The maid that was approved by General Duras in person! She’s definitely not ordinarily person!”
“Amazing.”
“Hey, I want some meat too! And alcohol!”
“Miss Charlotte, alcohol is strictly forbidden.”
“Mmm! Then cook!”
“Yes, yes, I’ll bring it to you now, don’t make a fuss. Is Charlotte really such a lady?”
“Liz sister also says something like Clarice …”
“Ah, don’t say that. That’s not going to make you a great lady, is it?”
I decided to have a quiet drink while watching such a lively exchange.
When I looked next to me, I saw that Keith had been eating only light meals for a while now and hadn’t touched his drink.
“What’s the matter, don’t you want a drink?”
“No, ……, well, no booze for a while.”
“Really? It’s a birthday party, you should be excited too.”
“It’s more of an event to cheer Roka up. If it makes him feel any better, it’s good enough for me.”
“Huh, you’re serious. You are.”
–2 hours later.
“We need more alcohol! Bring me more alcohol!”
A drunken fox is screaming.
What about Shaula, who seemed to be taking advantage of the commotion?
“Kukaa…… Supiiii……”
She was already drunk and completely asleep.
“I don’t know how much more you can drink, Roka. If you drink too much, it will affect you tomorrow.”
“I’m fine! I’m not drunk enough for this!”
Her cheeks had already turned red as she said this. Her eyes also seem a little vacant.
Liz and Elsa hadn’t touched their drinks at all. Charlotte, on the other hand, has been slumped over since a while ago.
She rubbed her eyes and seemed to be trying to get rid of his sleepiness.
“But it’s a little sad that Julian isn’t here.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I think he’s about to reach Granden. …… Oh, I’ll help you clean up.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just leave that stuff to us. Theo, you’re drunk too, aren’t you? You’ve been drunk for a while now.”
“No, I fine. I won’t get drunk easily.”
“‘Hoho, Theo isn’t drunk yet!?”
It was Roka who suddenly shouted. She took the cup in her hand, then forced me to hold her shoulders and said. You smell pretty badly of alcohol.
“Then let us drink together.”
“‘Okay, but is it some kind of ritual thing?”
“Well, ……, Theo and I are like compatriots now. I think we’re great friends, but what about you?”
“Yeah, well, that’s kind of what I’m thinking.” (Theodore)
“All right, then, it’s a cup of contract!” (Roka)
“A best friend pact? Doesn’t sound like something I’ve heard much about.” (Theodore)
“Mm-hmm! …… But it’s so tasteless indoors. …… Let’s go outside for a bit.” (Roka)
Liz hears this and throws out some advice.
“Hey, hey, hey, you might catch a cold if you stay out in the night air, okay?” (Liz)
“Fools don’t get that stuff, so don’t worry about it.” (Roka)
“No, I don’t like being lumped with them.” (Theodore)
“Just let’s go!” (Roka)
Roka grabbed my arm tightly and I headed for the terrace of the Duke of Duras.
Watching the moonlight shining in, I felt like I could feel a little bit of emotion in this bleak city.
There, Roka and I faced each other and shared a cup.
“So, best friend, huh?… What should I do if I become one?” (Theodore)
“Maybe you can ask her out and doing stuff we’ve never done before?” (Roka)
“Mm….mmm? Hey, what’s wrong?’ (Theodore)
I laughed when I saw Roka blush and tilt her head slightly.
“Then, [let’s just be friends forever and ever]….. I think it’s good enough. Above all, it’s simple and easy way to understand.”
“Mm! Okay, that’s promise!”
In the moonlight, Roka and I made a small pact.
