102. Just the Two of Us
[Episode 102] – Just the Two of Us
Square- Square-
In the quiet office, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of an ink-filled pen tip scraping across paper. Since winter came, there was a lot more paperwork to do, so I had to focus on work today.
I really had to concentrate…
“…Ainsel, do you have anything to do?”
-…Yes. There’s nothing to do.
I stopped scratching the paper, roughly flicked the fountain pen, and looked at Ainsel, who was sitting blankly in the mirror on the desk. When you open your mouth, it looks like you’re drooling.
There was only one reason why Ainsel, who was with Titania every day, came to visit me. When Veronica came to visit Titania. Heinsel always came to visit me on the days when Veronica came.
The sight of Ainsel, who always stayed by my side until Veronica left, was like a puppy that had lost its owner, which made me laugh in a different way. Should I say that I feel sorry for him spending time next to me?
“Why do you like Titania so much but avoid Veronica so much?”
-Well, that… Should I say awkward…
Ainsel hesitated and responded to my words that sounded like I was talking to myself. I’m not sure, but the reason why Aincel avoids Veronica is not because of the trauma of having her body taken away or anything like that.
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Veronica also apologized to Ainsel for that matter, and Ainsel also accepted her apology. Ainsel’s reason for avoiding Veronica was fundamentally different. I don’t know what it is.
I picked up the fountain pen again and continued my work, reading the documents.
“Don’t just avoid me, but try talking to me first. How long are you going to avoid it? You can’t avoid Veronica your whole life, right? Titania, who hated Veronica so much, these days they only meet together except for me. “I’m dying of sadness.”
-I know I shouldn’t avoid it… I know… But how do I do something that isn’t easy…?
That’s right.
It’s not easy to talk to an awkward person. Well, nothing in this world is easy. Still, unless Titania kicked Veronica out, they had to become friends at some point.
“At least try to be there instead of running away from me like this. Later-“
-…Later? What?
I put down the fountain pen for a moment and looked at Ainsel, smiling bitterly at the sudden remark. Now that I think about it, it seemed like I had never discussed the future with Ainsel. Okay, later-
“…What are you planning to do later, after I leave the capital?”
-That’s…
Ein Sel hesitated as if she was embarrassed and trailed off her words. Seeing as I couldn’t get an answer right away, I guess Ainsel had no intention of following me. To be honest, it was what I expected.
Because Ainsel always followed Titania, not me. That’s probably why you don’t make a familiar contract with me. Although I sometimes helped him use magic, I did not make a ‘contract’ with Ainsel.
So, as soon as I am separated from Ainsel, I cannot use magic. Ainsel was to some extent the reason why I had neglected fairies and magic until now.
When Titania was six years old, Einsel once told me that she should stay in the castle and he should do ‘something.’ I thought it was definitely because the main body was stolen, but…
‘Now that Veronica has apologized, I don’t think that’s the case…’
I smiled bitterly and stroked the top of the mirror that contained the Ainsel. As I pretended to stroke her head, Eincel looked at me with a worried expression.
“I don’t really blame you for not following me.”
-Vivian…
“If I leave the capital, you three will have to stay together. Until then, wouldn’t it be better to get a little closer to Veronica?”
-Ugh…
Aincell lowered her head and wiggled her little fingers as if showing anxiety. I don’t know what to say since they haven’t really told me what the problem is.
Furthermore, it was a problem for Ainsel to stay here, but it was also a problem for me to leave the castle. Since I came here and rarely went outside the castle, I was at a loss as to how to survive. Is the real building owner the only answer?
As I was scribbling down documents in a gloomy atmosphere, there was a knock on the door and Titania’s voice was heard. When I told her to come in, Titania stuck her head out through the crack in her door.
After confirming that there was no one in my office other than me, Titania carefully opened her door and approached me. Was the conversation with Veronica fun? Titania’s face was filled with a bright smile.
“hehehe, mom~ are you busy?”
Titania came into her office calling me in her coquettish voice, and instead of coming to the front of her desk, she came behind me and started massaging my shoulders. This act was a desperate act of cuteness when Titania asked me for something of hers.
“What does my daughter want so much that she’s so cute?”
“hehehehe.”
I sighed softly and stroked the back of Titania’s hand as she massaged my shoulder. Even if I don’t have to be cute, I always do whatever I can, and is Titania aware of that, which is why she’s so cute?
Titania smiled broadly, hugged me from behind and buried her face in the crook of my neck. She then stamped her feet as if she couldn’t stand it because she was so happy. It was nice to be loved by her daughter like this, but it seemed inevitable that Titania would be worried whenever things like this happened.
Just when I was wondering what on earth she was asking me to do and why she was being so cute, Titania was running around holding me by the back of my neck, and she gently put her lips to my ear and whispered in a low voice.
“Mother, Veronica, do you remember the wish her sister told me to grant?”
“…Wish?”
Come to think of it, Veronica seemed to have told Titania that if she called herself her sister, she would grant her a few wishes. I don’t really remember her because she wasn’t paying much attention, but…
“… Didn’t she teach you magic?”
Titania shook her head. Then what on earth is it? When I tilted my head because I couldn’t remember her, Titania smiled and put a little more pressure on her hand holding the back of my neck.
She said, “I said I would take you to a festival without anyone knowing. “Do you remember now?”
“…Did you mean that Veronica would take you out of the palace? “She said she would take me to festivals and places like that without anyone knowing…”
“hehehehe, that’s right! That’s it!”
Now I am starting to get a vague sense of it.
I thought I heard from Bank Show that the Snowflake Festival would be held next week. They’re probably asking if it’s okay to go there. I answered while stroking the head of Titania, who was resting her chin on my shoulder.
“…It’s a bit difficult to allow. Even if you take Ainsel with you, wouldn’t it be too dangerous to go alone? Or are you planning to go with Veronica’s dwarves?”
“Yes? Ah, that’s not it…”
Titania let go of her arms that were hugging the back of her neck and came in front of me and sat down lightly on her desk. She then looked down at me, smiled and continued.
“I don’t want to go alone, I want to go with my mother.”
“With me?”
“Yes, with my mother.”
I wasn’t expecting this kind of answer, so I couldn’t help but be taken aback for a moment. Anyway, Titania was still looking down at me with the corners of her eyes curled and smiling. Of course I want to go, but it would be difficult for me to stay away. Because unlike Titania, she had no one to replace me.
“I am grateful, but… What will everyone think if I suddenly disappear?”
“That’s okay. Katsy dressed up as her mother and said she would stay here. All my mother needs to do is tell others, ‘I’m sick.’ “It’s okay to take a day off, right?”
“Are you telling me to cheat?”
I was shocked, but Titania shrugged her shoulders as if it didn’t matter.
Katsey… One of Veronica’s dwarves, she was a fairy who could transform into a human. Catsy’s ability to transform was evident, as she was once seen transforming into Princess Fiona during a hunting competition.
…I thought about it, but I couldn’t think of anything to say no to. Even though it didn’t seem like it, it didn’t seem like even if I made some excuse to refuse, it wouldn’t have any effect on Titania.
“No matter what…”
“If only her mother would allow it, Sister Veronica will take care of everything. Wouldn’t it be okay to go out like this for a day? My mother has been staying in her office ever since winter came. Yes?”
I sighed as I heard the pleading request. Also, if I said no here, it was clear that Titania would beg me, citing her academy. Then again, I will not be able to refuse and will listen. It was no different from a foreign agent.
I sighed, then lifted her head and looked at Titania. Yes, it would be safer for her to go with me than to go alone. And for about a day…
“…Yeah, it’ll be okay for a day or so. “Let’s go.”
After my permission was given, Titania smiled broadly. Does she really enjoy going to the snow festival? Besides, I thought it wasn’t a bad thing to have at least one memory like this.
“I guess I should at least buy Veronica a souvenir sold at the festival to show her good care of her home. Ainsel also went with us and the three of us had a snowflake festival together…”
“No?”
I was momentarily taken aback by Titania’s sharp voice, which cut off my request for the three of us to go together with Ainsel. What was perplexing was that Ainsel, who was looking at us in the mirror, looked up at Titania with a shocked expression.
“I’m sorry Einsel, but… I want to go alone with her mother this time.”
“Alone…?”
“Yes, just the two of us.”
Titania looked at me, gently curling the corners of her eyes charmingly, and gently stroked my cheek. I felt a little burdened by the staring gaze, so I looked away without realizing it. Titania smiled as if it didn’t matter, and she brushed my cheek and continued.
“This time, we’re going on a date just the two of us.”
