Chapter 91

In the end, I ended up staying at Leizelotte's house until the move.

"I feel so apologetic."

"Don't be. Everyone, including Father and the servants, loves Mel and the griffin, so don't worry. You could have stayed here forever, you know."

"No, the Marquis is giving me a sharp look."

"He's probably just farsighted."

"No, farsighted people see things far away clearly."

"Oh, is that so?"

I thought there was no way he could like me, but unexpected information came to me.

Apparently, the Marquis had finished the winter strawberry tart I made.

"He said it was delicious and that he was happy his shoulder pain was gone."

"Oh, that's right."

It seems the snowdrop berries were effective for frozen shoulder.

"He said he wants to go look for snowdrop berries with Albume next time."

"Such a thing, the Marquis himself... If he had said something, I would have gone."

"It's fine. Father needs to exercise sometimes, or his body will get stiff."

"But, it seems a bit pitiful."

Mainly for Albume.

"I'll do anything if the Marquis asks. After all, I'm supposed to be his student."

Then, Leizelotte gave me a look that was hard to describe, as if she was looking at something pitiful.

"Is something wrong?"

"Mel, you're a student learning from a teacher, not a servant."

"Ah!"

I suddenly realized.

As Leizelotte pointed out, I had been thinking of myself as the Marquis's servant.

"He might give you tasks, but I don't think he'll ask you to do his personal errands."

"That's true. I had a misunderstanding about the teacher-student relationship with the Marquis."

I'm a bit worried if I can get along well.

But, I want to build a relationship of trust gradually.

◇◇◇

After the holiday.

Thanks to the Marquis's servants washing my uniform and other clothes, I was able to get ready without any trouble.

I looked in the large marble washroom.

I usually wear my hair in a braid, but I thought it looked a bit childish, so I braided the sides and tied it up high on my head.

I guess being with Leizelotte influenced my aesthetic a bit.

All set! I'm going to work hard from today! I pumped myself up, but then I realized something and held my head.

"By the way, I didn't get any rest during the three-day holiday!"

"Quu~"

Amelia, who was beside me, rubbed her cheek against me, saying I had worked hard. What a good girl.

"But, Zara is feeling better, and we've decided on a place to live with Amelia, and the Marquis's frozen shoulder is cured."

"Albume-chan mo!"

"That's right, I'll get along with Albume... Whoa!"

I was surprised to find Albume at my feet. He had a patterned furoshiki tied around his neck with something inside. I wonder what he brought.

"Wooden nuts... It's a bento?"

"You can use storage magic?"

"Everyone carries things, so..."

I see.

Is he at the age where he wants to imitate people?

Still, Amelia was also surprised by Albume's appearance, so did he use a teleportation spell?

"That's right!"

"Y-Yes, that's right."

As Zara said, Albume must be a high-level fairy. Teleportation spells are probably a piece of cake for him.

But, is it really okay for me to take care of him?

He seems serious about coming with me to the knight squad's work.

"Albume, I want to tell you in advance that I can't give you any compensation."

"Albume-chan, I'm getting compensation!"

Could he be stealing my magic power without me knowing!?

I instinctively put some distance between us.

"When did you steal my magic power!?"

"N-No! Well, you made pancakes for me, and, um, you said thank you... That's the compensation."

"Is that okay?"

"Well, no one has ever done that for me before..."

I can't handle this. That's why Zara worries about me.

"Quu quu"

Just now, Amelia whispered in my ear, "Since you don't have a contract with Albume, don't show any weaknesses."

I have a contract with the Marquis, which has some binding power, so it shouldn't be that bad. Still, it's better to be careful.

Leizelotte is going by carriage. I ride Amelia to work. This is where we part ways.

"Mel, see you later—oh?"

"Is something wrong?"

"That hairstyle suits you well."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I'm so happy!

If I work hard, can I become a mature woman like Leizelotte?

I need to keep trying my best.

"See you later, then."

"Yes!"

I fly to work. I go to Zara's house and then walk to the workplace.

I put Albume in a leather bag and hung it on the saddle.

"Okay, Amelia, let's go!"

"Quu~"

"E, are we flying yet? Yet... Ah, I'm still scared!"

Albume, who was hiding in the leather bag, was afraid even though he couldn't see anything.

"Albume, we're flying now."

"A, u, um. Fly gently."

"Quu!"

Amelia took a light run and flapped her wings.

She jumped and soared into the sky.

"Ooh...!"

"Oro oro oro..."

Albume and I, who are weak in the air, immediately got griffin-sick. It's strange that we're fine with boats and carriages. Maybe the fear of cutting through the air in the vast sky is too much.

We'll get used to it eventually.

We arrived at Zara's house in no time.

We slowly descended and landed softly on the ground.

"Good morning!"

Zara was sitting on the steps of the entrance. She waved and greeted me.

"Good morning, Mel."

Her complexion was completely back to normal.

I was relieved to see that she had fully recovered.

"Yesterday, I trained with the captain from the afternoon because I might have gotten rusty."

"Was it okay?"

"Yes, I won three out of six times."

"Wow, that's impressive."

We walked to work together.

Amelia was attracting a lot of attention in the city.

She has grown so much, about the size of a horse.

When we first met, she was small enough to hold in my arms... It's quite touching.

"Oh, by the way, Mel, your hairstyle today is very cute."

"Ah, thank you."

My cheeks turned red the moment she said it.

I'm happy to be complimented on my hairstyle, but it's a bit embarrassing.

I wonder why I feel this way.

It didn't happen when Leizelotte said it.

Suddenly, my aesthetic sense has emerged, and I'm blushing at Zara's compliments. What's happening to me?

Maybe this is what it means to grow up?

I don't know. I should ask Deputy Captain Berry next time.

"Mel, is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Okay."

We were heading to the second squad's barracks after passing through the guard gate, but a surprising scene unfolded.

"Huh?"

"What is this?"

"Quu~?"

"A, an, is the flight over?"

One fairy, who was in the leather bag, was a bit behind on the information.

"What is this?"

In front of us was the squad's barracks with part of the wall removed. The office was exposed.

Bricks and wood were being brought in, and it clearly looked like construction was underway.

"Hey, you're here."

The captain, who had entered the office, noticed us standing outside in a daze and greeted us.

"Um, what is this?"

"It's an expansion project."

Apparently, the幻獣保护局 (Mythical Beast Protection Bureau) is building a room for Amelia.

"They're even making a kitchen, a mixing room, a bath, a guest room, and a magic-powered refrigerator."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

The Marquis arranged it.

"This way, we won't have to borrow stoves and cooking utensils from the kitchen or worry about the temperature of the storage room."

"Seems so."

I used to rush to cook before the meat went bad.

With a refrigerator, shopping will be easier.

I'm very happy.

"But, there's a problem."

"What is it?"

"It will take two weeks to complete."

"Oh, that's..."

And then, a surprising announcement was made.

"Since that's the case, we have a long-term job. We're going on an expedition to Sapphire Desert on a dragon carriage to exterminate giant scorpions."

After the three-day holiday, it's an expedition again.