Novel Full Intermission: At Territorial Army
Intermission: At Territorial Army
I hear rustling noise of equipments.
Uuu~, the break is already over huh.
The punctual Iona hasn't woke me up, which mean there's still time. I'll enjoy dozing off for a little more.
"Guhaaa!"
What are you doing to a helpless beautiful girl.
A chain mail is suddenly thrown onto my stomach, I get up while moving it aside.
"Hey Ruu. Wake me up more gently."
I complain to the only possible culprit, Ruu.
Iona and Zena-chi never do it like this.
"Just get up already. You're running out of the time to take a meal you know."
What!? I can't let that happen.
I get up and wash my face. Since it's troublesome to use the ladle, I draw water from water basin to the jug directly. If Iona and Zena-chi found out about this, they'd scold me.
"What's on the menu today?"
"Seems black bread and stew."
"Eeeh~ I'd like goat meat or steak sometimes."
"What's with those luxuries, even captain-class doesn't get them."
I amuse myself with the chats while wiping my face with my favorite towel.
"If I became a mistress of a noble, would I be able to eat them everyday~?"
"Nowadays, looks like even nobles have it rough, so you probably won't get many delicious things too?"
Iona doesn't dream big eh~ even though she's from a branch family of a noble. Guess that's why her excitement has been dulled~
I throw my pajama which is a knee-length shirt on top of the bed, and take out an underwear and armors from my own shelf.
"Oi, Lilio. Don't show me your dirty ass."
"What a rude thing to say~ even though it's this cute."
You don't have to see it, Ruu.
It's not like I like I'm an exhibitionist, so I wear my underwear. I'm wearing a short shirt on my top. Ruu and Iona wear breast wraps. Unfortunately, me and Zena-chi don't have much need for ones.
Of course I'd wear a cute shirt and breast wrap when I go on a date, but that's only if I have a boyfriend. I wear armor on the top anyway, it'd only be painful to wear an unneeded breast wrap.
After I finish wearing the chain mail, I put on the sturdy metal-reinforced leather boots and Zena-chi comes just right after.
Ara, how cute.
What she's wearing is Iona's if I'm not mistaken, with lots of frills, Iona's charm point is how showy she is. Isn't that the clothes she was boasting about when she bought it after saving up for half a year.
Good grief, everyone is sweet to Zena-chi.
I've thought that Zena's done changing and have taken a seat on the cafeteria already, but wearing that clothes, don't tell me.
"Zena-chi, you had a date with the boy right?"
"Da... n, no. He was worried about something so we were just having a talk."
That's what you call a date.
Still, seeing your beloved while lacking sleep due to the current overloaded working condition, how lovable.
"Lilio, your hands have stopped. If you don't change fast, you'll really miss your meal you know?"
"Hoo~i."
Reproved by Iona, I continue wearing my clothes.
Zena-chi folds a pink stole really carefully on top of the bed.
Oh? Isn't that the newest color from Pinen clothing store from the center district?
Zena-chi is certainly a noble, but I don't think a daughter of a noble lineage could be that extravagant.
"Zena-chi, what's with that stole? Don't tell me, it's a gift from the boy?"
"Ehehe~."
Uwah, Zena's face is becoming lovestruck.
"I was given it by Satou-san. It was a product from Pinen-san's store Lilio told me back then~."
You're amazing, boy. Even cheap things in that place should be around 2-3 silver coins.
I wonder if he's a stupid son of a large store owner from somewhere? I pray that Zena isn't being played.
She's taking off her clothes, and I let it slide when she stealthily unfasten her breasts paddings. It was a date after all, some charms were needed for woman right.
"Zena-san, please change your clothes quickly too. Since we won't make it for the meal, do you want me to make some sandwiches?"
"No, I already had a meal, so I'm alright."
"Did you have a feast?! You had a feast right~~~."
After Zena-chi finished taking off her clothes, she gives it to Iona and she's closing on me while fetching her equipments.
"I did not. I just had some sweets while teaching Satou-san how to chant."
I am being dragged by Ruu and Iona to the cafeteria while Zena-chi is speaking fondly, "When I was going to sit down on a bench, he laid out a handkerchief on it you know."
Oh no, isn't that guy quite a playboy?
◇
The next day, I'd be on the bed all day since I'm off-duty, but I change my clothes and go out.
The sweets reserve in my room has ran out. Zena-chi is on duty today, and she's going to guard until midnight today just because she can use magic. Since it'd be pitiful if there's no sweets when she gets back, this kind Lilio-sama will buy it for her.
Well~, it's important for a popular woman to be attentive!
There's a familiar figure on the plaza in front of the castle.
It's the boy--- Zena-chi's beloved. He's wearing an expensive-looking clothes like usual. Looks like he's back from shopping, he's carrying a lot of books.
If you buy that many, you could just hire a manservant.
Since my mischievous heart grows excited, I creep on his back and talk to him while imitating Zena.
"Hello, nimble Onii-san."
The boy turns around and speaks normally. Tsk, he's not surprised huh.
"Hello, Lilio-san. Did you imitate Zena-san?"
"Ehehe~ Did I pass? Hey hey, did you skip a beat?"
Ooh~ he remembers his girlfriend's best friend's name even though he meet me only once. No~ It's hard to be beautiful~ What should I do if he's fallen for me.
"Are you alone today?"
"Yep, the other soldiers are sleeping~ But Zena, from yesterday noon until midnight today, is keeping on guard the who~le time. Magic troops are lacking in number isn't it."
It looks like he wants to talk with me, but it doesn't seems like he's going to seduce me. He's not making a pass to this beautiful me, that means maybe he's not flirtatious?
Since the topic is about Zena-chi.
"Lilio-san, could you deliver a message for Zena-san?"
"Okay~ But no passionate lines that would make chest hot okay? If it's too intense, it might be interpreted wrong you know~."
I don't want to whisper love words to Zena-chi. Although since we're in women barrack, something like that do occasionally happen, because we live for friendship.
"I've decided to go to the labyrinth city for a business trip."
That's quite far. Isn't that on the far-most side of this country?
"Hee~ you're going on a long expedition again huh."
"Yes, I've stocked goods which are in shortage there."
"That so~, you're a merchant after all. When are you departing?"
"That, I plan to depart early morning tomorrow."
Acha~ Zena's first love end up unrequited huh~.
Let's treat her something next time.
"I understand, I'll properly convey it."
"Yes, I'm counting on you."
After saying so, the boy nods and leaves with a horse-drawn carriage away.
◇
When I get back to the barrack, everyone are gathering and having talks in the cafeteria. It's still a long time before the meal, is there something happening?
I ask the squad who are talking beside me.
"Yana-chi, did something happen?"
"Ah, Lilio, listen to this."
It's a good choice to ask Gayana-chi who loves to talk. They're told that the territorial army has announced the application for personnel selection for deployment in the labyrinth city. The deployment is going to take two months.
But, even though they say that it's training, in actuality it's about hunting monsters in the haunts right?
I will absolutely pass on this~.
However, judging from the buzz around, there are a lot of people who want to go. It seems that they add one silver coins for each month on the pretext of training. It's an amount that couldn't be ignored for us, underpaid soldiers. Furthermore, looks like the sales of magic cores we get from the labyrinth will be split equally for soldiers.
The danger is great, but the return is just as big. Danger is everywhere anyway. Even a senior demon appeared recently during my normal duty in Seryuu duty. If the silver mask-sama hadn't arrived at that time, I would be six-feet under right now.
That reminds me, the boy is going to the labyrinth city.
This is just right, I could aid Zena-chi's love while getting rich, let's apply for the selection.
Since Zena-chi won't be back until midnight, let's talk to Ruu and Iona first. Ruu isn't going to complain as long as she could get stronger, and Iona is unexpectedly greedy, she should be easy to persuade.
I don't know if we'd get selected, but let's work hard~.
TLN: Since I'm not sure if we'll ever get Lilio and Iona's picture from the LN, here are them from the manga version. The one with the two-handed sword is Iona, while Lilio is the one with the crossbow holding Zena back.
http://i.cubeupload.com/JsK8lz.jpg
http://i.cubeupload.com/Z6KRC8.jpg
TLN2: And before you ask; no, I won't scanlate or translate the manga. I'm sorry.