Chapter 16: Strawberry parfait desu

 

It was too early for lunch, so the cafeteria was empty.

But even so, the cafeteria’s Oba-chans are working, and it was thankful since it’s possible to order.

 

「Excuse me〜. Two strawberry parfaits please〜」

「Ara, you girls are small. I’ll make it bigger a little」

「Thank you very much!」

 

It was the first time something good happened for being small.

But even that is said, Laura is small because she is 9, and it’s not like her growth is slow.

She should have a nice body like her mother soon. Probably.

 

「Let’s go to the window side. It has a good view」

「Desu ne!」

 

Outside the cafeteria, an ornamental garden was spread.

It would be a scramble for the window seat during meal time, but since there is no one right now, there is no need to be worried.

Laura placed the two orders of strawberry parfait on a tray, and walked towards the window seat.

When she reached it, an unexpected person was there.

 

「A-re? Isn’t it Charlotte-san!」

「Laura-san?! and, uhm……was it Anna-san?」

「Why do you know my name?」

 

It should be the first time these two met.

Even so, she was called her name, so Anna made a curious expression and tilted her head.

 

「Fufu. I am aiming for the school’s strongest. I am checking all the students that looks strong. Especially the same school year very carefully!  Ahh, I have excused you. I am Charlotte Gazard, a first year at the Magic Department. Anna-san, you are on my “I defeat someday list”」

「……regardless of your flashy look, what a diligent person」

「Fufufu……」

 

Charlotte smiled fearlessly.

But, was Anna’s words praising her.

Laura couldn’t judge it, so she didn’t say anything about it.

 

「Charlotte-san also had strawberry parfait desu ne」

「I-It’s not like I came here to eat strawberry parfait you know. I just needed to feed sugar to my mind and body that had gotten tired during self-training desuwa!」

「But that’s strawberry parfait right. We’re having the same!  Can we have a seat together?」

「I have no reason to refuse. You’re free to do what you want」

「Thank you very much!  I’ll get the seat next to you!」

 

When Charlotte was sitting as if to stick to Laura,

 

「Then, I’ll sit on the other side」

 

Anna went to the seat faced to Charlotte, and started to stare at her face.

 

「……is looking at a person eating a parfait that interesting?」

「Parfait has nothing to do with it. It’s just, I thought that magicians are hard to see if they are strong just by looking」

「Ara. Then you, are you saying that warriors can see how strong they are just by seeing?」

「I know it somehow」

「He〜……I also know somehow about magicians, but I don’t know the strength of warriors」

「Somebody knows nothing about what they’re not specialized to」

「Well, that’s right. But, I cannot be saying those naive things forever. If I were to become a first class adventurer, I need to be able to see through the skills of anyone」

「I agree. The path of adventurers is steep」

 

Hearing the two’s conversation, Laura “Oya” thought.

Although Charlotte and Anna were are a different kind of person, their conversation was surprisingly going well.

 

Charlotte looks domineering at a glance, but her emotions appears in her face quickly so she is easy to read. And when I talked to her, I know that she is a very kind person.

Anna has an expressionless face usually, so it’s hard to know what she is thinking. In reality, even now that I had exchanged swords with a lot of times, I still don’t know what Anna is thinking about. But I know the emotions that she pours to the sword. It was very hot. It was always straight forward. So much, that I was envious just by looking.

 

「Ah, by the way, recently, I had been able to see through both of those strengths〜」

 

*MoguMogu* while eating the strawberry parfait, Laura said that casually.

 

Suddenly, from both Charlotte and Anna, I was glared at with terrible eyes.

I wonder why.

 

「Laura-san. You, with an innocent face, say things that crushes my pride into pieces sometimes」

「Cruel with a cute face. Piercing my heart」

「I-I didn’t say it with that in purpose……」

 

I just wanted to join the conversation.

Did I say something that was really weird.

The wretched magic aptitude 9999.

I cannot feel the same as everyone.

I want to be able to read airs quickly,  Laura earnestly prayed.

 

「For the punishment for disturbing my mind, Laura should teach me magic」

「Eh? Magic to Anna-san?  Why. I was thinking, that Anna-san will go only with the sword」

「Of course, I will fight with the sword. But, I have aptitudes to strengthening magic and defense magic, it’s a shame to not learn. Especially if I was able to use strengthening physical powers, I should be more and more stronger」

 

When she thought about it, in the evaluation during school’s first day, Anna had the numbers 『Aptitude with Defense Magic: 29』 and 『Aptitude with Strengthening Magic: 31』.

Both of them are on the level that they won’t get through the Magic Department, but it’s not like she wouldn’t be able to use it at all.

But if Anna learns magic, Laura wouldn’t be able to win against her in the sword anymore.

 

No, if she was going to use magic, then I can also use magic, so the conditions are the same?

 

「Saying that……I learned the lesson that my Otou-san’s thinking was really biased. I grew up being told that even if I learned magic, it would only be a useless street performance. But Anna-san is trying to learn magic naturally, right. I was a little surprised desu」

「……normal people wouldn’t have that biased way of thinking」

「That’s right desu wa! Saying magic as a street performance, you have guts saying that in my face!」

 

Charlotte reddened her face, and *Bashin* hit the table.

 

「I wasn’t the one saying it!  It was Otou-san’s words!」

「Whoever words those are, please don’t let it reach to my ears. My eardrums will rot!!」

 

Laura, “Charlotte-san also has an enough biased way of thinking〜”, thought.

 

「It’s famous that the house of Edmonds hate magicians in the world of adventurers. Especially Bruno Edmonds had the reputation that he’s the worst」

「Was it really like that after all?  Ha〜……I also hated magic before I came to this school. If Charlotte-san and Emilia-sensei wasn’t here, who knows what would’ve happened. Ah, of course, it’s not like I had become to hate the sword」

「I know. By the way, Laura. There’s whipped cream in your cheek」

「Eh, really?」

「I’ll take it for you」

 

Anna said that and leaned her body, and reached out to Laura’s cheek.

But, quicker than that with an instant, Charlotte’s finger wiped away the whipped cream.

 

「Fufu……the whipped cream from Laura-san’s cheek……ufufu……」

 

While Charlotte smiled eerily, *Perori* she licked off the whipped cream.

 

「That’s sly. I was the first one to notice it」

 

Anna raised the voice of protest, but Charlotte wasn’t fazed.

 

「In times like this, the first one is the winner. And, the first one who became Laura’s friend, is me. It is not needed to think about which one have rights to take the whipped cream from Laura-san’s cheeks!!」

「If you’re going to say that, I am practicing the sword with Laura everyday. I should also have the rights」

「What if you practice together with the sword?! I am in the same class with Laura, and we even have the same room in the dormitory desu wa!!」

「Gunu……what should I say back」

 

Anna who was normally expressionless, frowned and was sulking.

It looks like licking off the whipped cream from Laura’s cheeks, was a very important thing. But, Laura herself, didn’t knew if that was important or not.

 

「Well then. I am, still in the middle of self-training. So I will be excused around here」

「Eh〜. If it’s like that, let’s train together〜. Ah, that’s right. Would Charlotte-san also like to learn the sword?」

「That is a very interesting suggestion, but to the next opportunity」

「Is that so……then, please do your best!」

「Fight〜」

「Thank you very much. Laura-san and Anna-san also, do your best. Well then, have a nice day」

 

Charlotte returned the container of the strawberry parfait to the return window, and gallantly went out.

 

「A straightforward and cool person. Adult-like」

 

While scooping the last strawberry, Anna said her impression of Charlotte.

 

「I know right!  Charlotte-san is a splendid person desu yo!」

「But, I think those blonde curls are weird. It was too much *GuruGuru*, my eyes also might roll」

「Eh〜. Isn’t that her good point〜. Every morning, she’s doing her best to set that you know〜」

「……she could’ve used that time to practice magic」

「FuFu〜. Charlotte-san is making that hairstyle using the power of magic desu!」

「What. Marvellous even as an enemy」

 

Charlotte was praised, and Laura got happy as if it was herself.

Her cheeks naturally softened.

 

「Does Laura like Charlotte?」

「Yes, I like her very much desu!」

 

「Is that so……what about me?」

「I also like Anna-san very much desu yo〜」

「Then it’s alright. You’re forgiven」

「……about what?」

「It’s nothing. Don’t mind it……ah, whipped cream on your cheek」

 

Anna reached out her hand, scooped the whipped cream, *Perori*.

 

「With this, equal with Charlotte」

「Ne〜, what are you talking about since earlier?」

「I told you, don’t mind it」

「Ha〜……」

 

She was very curious about it. But it isn’t good to step into people’s privacy. Even Laura knew that much.

That’s why, she didn’t ask further……but Laura was really curious of what she’s curious about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 15 <-> Chapter 17