Chapter 49

"Lulia? What’s that stick?"

"It’s a cool stick."

"…It doesn’t have any insect eggs on it, does it?"

"It doesn’t."

"Then that’s good."

With my mother’s permission to carry the stick, I entered the annex with it in hand. It had been said that the annex hadn’t been used in years, but it was very clean.

"Did you clean it every day?"

"Yes. The caretaker, who used to clean to prevent the spread of red pox, is no longer here."

"Ah, I see."

"Alright, Lulia, Sara. Please come this way."

"Okay," "…"

My mother and the maid walked ahead, and Sara, Daru, and I followed behind. Caro was on my shoulder.

After walking for a while, my mother and the maid entered a room. When I followed them in, it turned out to be a study and a parlor.

There were bookshelves on the walls with many books. There were also desks, chairs, and a sofa.

"I’ll make some tea."

"Thank you. Please do."

The maid moved to the next room. It seemed that there were tea-making facilities next to the parlor.

"Lulia. Put the stick on the floor. It’s impolite to hold it."

"Yes."

To avoid it being confiscated, I obediently leaned the cool stick against a chair.

"Alright, Lulia, Sara. There’s nothing to worry about."

"I’m not worried," "Yes."

"However, things will be different from usual. The attendants are busy with guarding and communicating with the main house, so only one maid will be taking care of us."

My mother looked at Sara and me gently.

"Right. We’ll have to do a lot of things ourselves."

"That’s correct. But, Lulia and I, and Sara, are not used to it."

"Lulia, you can do it, right?"

"That’s impressive. …What you should keep in mind is to reduce the maid’s burden. Understand?"

"Yes," "Yes."

Daru and Caro were also listening intently.

"But, you’re children, so you don’t need to think too much about it."

"Understood!" "Yes" "Bau bau!" "Kyau"

Daru and Caro were saying, "Leave it to us."

"Even without such consideration…"

The maid returned with the tea.

"Misses, please enjoy some sweets as well."

"Thank you! Sara should eat too."

"Thank you."

Sara held the sweets in both hands and ate them slowly, like a little bird.

"Hmm."

Daru rested his large jaw on the table, indicating that he wanted some sweets too.

"Peep."

Daru made a pitiful sound with his nose.

"Well, I can’t help it."

I split my share of the sweets in half and gave some to Daru.

"Woof."

Daru ate it in an instant and wagged his tail happily.

"…Kyuu."

Caro climbed down from my shoulder onto the table and looked at me, as if to say, "Of course you’ll give me some, right?"

"Well, I can’t help it."

I also gave some sweets to Caro.

"Kyuu kyuu."

Caro held the sweets in both hands and ate them. She looked a bit like Sara.

"Delicious?"

"Woof," "Kyau!"

"It’s delicious. Hehe, hehe."

It seems that Sara makes a cute, strange sound when she’s happy.

As we enjoyed the sweets, the maid said enthusiastically.

"Please leave it to me. With the support of the main house, I’ll make sure you don’t feel any inconvenience even if I’m alone!"

"Oh, don’t overdo it."

The maid probably has her own pride. But, there are things we can do ourselves, like tidying up toys and changing clothes.

As I swung my legs, they hit the stick I had leaned against the chair.

"Ah, Sara! Let’s go exploring!"

The stick looked like an explorer’s staff.

"Exploring?"

"Yes. We’ll investigate what’s where! Mother, is it okay?"

"You can’t go outside the house."

"Of course not."

"Of course, you can’t go out through the windows either."

"Of course not."

I was a bit surprised, as we had just entered through the window. I don’t think my mother saw, so it must have been a coincidence.

"And there are various places you shouldn’t enter…"

"What places shouldn’t we enter…?"

I was very curious.

"Well, it’s faster to see them than to explain them."

"Hmm?"

"You can’t enter places where the attendants say you can’t."

"Understood!"

"Then that’s fine. Daru, Caro, please take care of Lulia and Sara."

"Woof woof!" "Kyuru~"

With my mother’s permission,

"Sara, let’s go."

"Okay."

I held the stick in my right hand and Sara’s hand in my left as we left the room. Sara was holding a stick doll in her left hand.

"Sara, this is the base."

As we left the room, I pointed to the parlor where my mother was with the stick.

"Base?"

"Yes. If we get lost or something happens, we’ll come back here."

"Understood."

It’s important to establish a base before exploring. That’s what the book said.

"Yes! Then let’s set off. Sara, you’re in the team."

"Team?"

"Yes, it’s an exploration team. I’m the captain."

"Understood."

Sara nodded seriously.

"Daru and Caro are also in the team."

"Woof," "Kyau!"

Daru and Caro, selected as team members, looked proud.

I led the way, walking through the annex. The annex was two stories high and seemed to be generally rectangular in shape.

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