Chapter 14

A month had passed, and the stockpile of Ogarite had become sufficient. The season was approaching the end of autumn.

When Sora saw Minan in the hallway, she had dark circles under her eyes.

"Is Minan on the verge of dying?"

"Despite everything, it's kind of you to worry about senpai, Sora-sama."

"Don't get smart. If she dies in the mansion, it'll start some strange rumors."

At this point, the Kleinzelt family's reputation couldn't get any worse. Sora pouted her lips, fully aware of this, in response to Lazette's words.

"It seems that Sora-sama reported the lottery organized by the Wooddora Trading Company to the lord. She's been like this ever since she received a reply."

"What did it say?"

"That's the thing, we don't know. I can't even imagine what kind of content could corner that senpai, who is as tough as a sea cucumber and swallows her prey whole in a moment of carelessness. I'm not even interested."

"Sea cucumber... you..."

The ambush and sudden attack do indeed remind one of the traitor maid, Minan. Thinking this, Sora couldn't honestly warn her.

The next day, after such a conversation, Minan disappeared from the mansion.

Upon receiving the report, Sora halted the production of Ogarite and had the children search the city.

"Sora-sama, a note was found in Minan-senpai's room."

"Show it to me."

Sora snatched the note from Lazette and read its contents.

It detailed how the lord had blamed her for the cancellation of the planned lottery, threatening to execute her if she didn't hold it and generate profit. It also mentioned that her proposal for co-hosting with the Wooddora Trading Company had been rejected, and that she had realized she couldn't compete with the company and the church after their relationship was revealed.

"Lazette, call the children back."

"Is that okay?"

"That Minan is really running away. If she gets caught, she'll just be executed. It's better to let her go."

Saying this, Sora turned away from Lazette.

Lazette, who seemed to hesitate, silently headed for the door.

"It might be my fault..."

Just before leaving the room, Lazette heard a small voice and turned back, but the closing door blocked her view. Reopening it would be awkward.

"What are you doing, acting like a child at a time like this..."

Lazette muttered to herself and looked outside. Gray clouds hung low, heralding the arrival of winter, and a cold wind blew, carrying a chill.

She gathered the children and told them that the day's plans were canceled. Most of the children had gone to play, but three of them looked worriedly in the direction of the mansion.

"...Lazette-nee, is Sora-sama okay?"

The beast girl Sania lightly tugged on Lazette's skirt and asked.

Lazette was surprised that Sania, who often kept her distance or fled from Sora, who actively engaged with beast people without looking down on or fearing them, was now worried about Sora. Children generally act on the emotions they feel, so if Sania was worried about Sora, it meant she trusted him to some extent. If that was the case, the reason she usually fled might be...

– It would be funny if it was shyness.

Lazette smiled at Sania with a reassuring sisterly face, keeping her thoughts to herself.

"Maybe not, but why don't you give Sora-sama a present tomorrow?"

– It would be interesting to see Sora's face when he receives a present from a girl he usually can't approach. Lazette created a new source of amusement for the next day and sent Sania off with a smile.

When she returned to the mansion, she found that Sora had been holed up in his room. Several maids were taking turns checking on him, but he was just sitting in a chair, staring out the window, lost in thought.

When she actually visited the room, sure enough, Sora was gazing out the window through a slightly open curtain, curled up in a chair with his knees hugged to his chest.

"...Lazette?"

Without turning around, Sora identified his visitor and flicked an Iceplant leaf with his finger.

"Don't be so depressed like a common child."

"...I am a child."

"That's right. Just a child who mopes around."

Standing next to Sora, Lazette naturally reached out to fully open the slightly open curtain. Without caring about Sora's grimace, she opened the window and took a deep breath, leaning out.

"Minan-senpai, you idiot! Don't increase my workload!!"

Her angry shout, using all the air in her lungs, probably reached the city beyond the mansion's walls.

Leaving Sora in shock, Lazette made a fist pump and turned back to him.

"It's fine to sympathize with Minan-senpai, but that's a different issue from the plan. How long do you plan to mope around like a snail in its shell?"

"No, if we proceed with the plan, someone like Minan might appear again, and this lottery has already caused trouble for the whole town. So..."

"–So, you're going to stop? Don't act like a child, it's troublesome."

Lazette shrugged and looked down at Sora as if mocking him.

"What good does it do to fear the results? You should fear failure, and work hard to avoid it; that's what adults do. It's not like you, Sora, to act this way. It's cowardly to revert to a child at a time like this."

Lazette poked Sora's forehead while lecturing him. This was the first time she had taken on a role like an elder, but her expression was mostly exasperated.

Sora's gaze wandered, as if he hadn't expected to be treated like a child. He felt responsible for the current situation and had thought about putting the plan on hold.

"Listen, Sora-sama. Who said that if you don't take action, the Kleinzelt territory will soon be gone? It's wrong to abandon the people because you fear failure when you have the wisdom to save them. You started acting because you didn't like it, so work hard!"

After saying her piece, Lazette pushed Sora's chest firmly and sat down. Sora pondered for a while and then sighed deeply.

"Lazette, don't do things like that in front of others, okay?"

"I won't do such reckless things."

Shouting loudly outside the mansion was a dangerous act, but Sora could cover for her. The sound of noisy footsteps approached, and the head maid entered the room. After determining that nothing was wrong, she scolded Lazette and left.

If the pig lord were here, it might lead to an execution, but the head maid would just give her a day off at most. Lazette was probably prepared for this.

"Lazette, you idiot, you got scolded."

Sora laughed, a bit of payback, and Lazette stuck out her tongue at the door the head maid had left through.

Sora laughed at her boldness, and Lazette laughed as if proud of it.

"Tomorrow, we'll sell Ogarite. We'll sell it at a stall, so Zez, the fisherman, is the best person for the job. The children will transport the goods. I'll keep the mansion staff in check. Lazette will be the liaison between me, the children, and Zez."

"Sounds busy. Got it."

Lazette smiled and stood up, saying she would inform the children.

"...Lazette"

"What is it?"

"Thank you"