04 The Girl
After hearing Emma’s life story, Claude and his companions had been unable to decide what to do with her for some time.
Even releasing her to freedom wasn’t such a simple matter. As bandits, they should probably sell her to the Empire for a high price, but Claude and his group disliked the Empire, so that option was out.
Seeing the troubled bandits deliberating, Emma steeled herself and spoke:
“Please tell me anything! I’ll do anything!”
Initially, Emma had given the impression of a “fragile girl,” but there was firm determination in those emerald eyes.
“Anything, you say… But we’re bandits, you know? What could a princess like you possibly do?”
Claude scratched his head in confusion.
“The Tates Kingdom was a small country, so I wasn’t raised that nobly. And at the convent, I had to do everything myself, so I’m confident I can handle most things!”
Emma made tight fists with both hands. She seemed to be a surprisingly tough former princess. However, her expression was somewhat tense.
“…Well then, how about you clean up one room for now? I can’t have you staying in my room forever.”
Saying this, Claude led Emma to an empty room within the fortress.
Since it was a fortress, there were many rooms, but they were all covered in dust, festooned with spider webs, and filthy – in a miserable state.
Claude was confident that seeing this would immediately discourage Emma.
However–
“Understood! Where is the well? Are there cleaning supplies? If not, could I have some unnecessary cloth? Also, even men’s clothes would be fine, so could you lend me something easy to move in?”
Emma asked eagerly.
“Men’s clothes? You’d wear those?”
“Of course. These clothes aren’t suitable for cleaning.”
So saying, Emma pinched the hem of her dress-like ornate clothing.
Claude averted his eyes from her exposed bare feet.
“Alright, alright! There should be women’s clothing among the stolen goods, so go find some appropriate clothes from there!”
Claude grabbed Emma’s hand and led her to a room where stolen goods were randomly stuffed.
Boxes were haphazardly stacked there, and not only clothing but also tableware, books, lamps and other daily necessities were scattered about in disarray.
“Wow, there’s so much here.”
Emma began examining the items in the room with curiosity.
“Can I use these cloth scraps for cleaning?”
Emma held up some slightly worn fabric.
“Everything in this room is unnecessary, so do as you please. The well is in the courtyard. Cleaning supplies are probably scattered around there too, so use whatever you like.”
Claude waved his hand dismissively and left the room.
Emma carefully rearranged the carelessly stacked boxes, then checked them one by one.
“This looks good.”
What she chose was a maid’s outfit – a black dress with a white apron. The apron had a large pocket at the stomach area. Since it was like a housekeeper’s uniform, it was just right for cleaning.
Emma closed the room’s door, locked it, and quickly changed clothes, then rolled up her sleeves and tackled cleaning the room.
(I’ll stay here. If they’re bandits who won’t lose to the Empire, it should definitely be alright.)
With this firm resolve.
“That princess sure works hard.”
Murakumo, who had been continuously swinging his sword in the fortress courtyard, was amazed at Emma’s nimble movements. Emma, who had wrapped cloth around her mouth to avoid inhaling dust, entered the room with a long wooden stick she’d found somewhere and began systematically rolling up spider webs.
When that was finished, she next used a broom she’d found to sweep the dust out of the room.
Dust rose like smoke, but she continued cleaning without regard. She looked like a brave warrior launching a desperate charge.
Emma, now covered head to toe in dust, next headed to the well.
She began earnestly pulling the rope to draw water from the well. Since it was physical labor, sweat flowed down Emma’s dust-covered cheeks, but that sight looked all the more beautiful to Murakumo’s eyes.
“Can’t be helped.”
Stopping his sword practice, Murakumo headed to the well. A nearby cat trotted along with him.
“I’ll draw the water for you, so continue with your cleaning.”
Murakumo took the well rope from Emma.
“Eh, is that okay!?”
From her soot-covered face, Emma showed a smile like a blooming flower.
Seeing that expression, Murakumo felt she “resembled someone,” but couldn’t immediately remember who.
“Yeah… if you were drawing water too, it wouldn’t be finished even by nightfall, right? Besides, drawing water counts as training for me.”
Actually, drawing water wasn’t much of a training exercise, but Murakumo hastily made that excuse.
And with just his right hand, he pulled up the bucket from the well in one go.
“Amazing! Thank you so much!”
“It’s nothing special.”
Murakumo turned his face away as if embarrassed.
“By the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you, Murakumo-san…”
Emma’s gaze was directed at the cat that had followed Murakumo.
“What’s that cat’s name?”
“Cat.”
“Cat? No, I don’t mean the animal’s name, but the name you gave it…”
“That’s why I said Cat.”
“…You named the cat ‘Cat’?”
Emma thought that, as expected of bandits, they had a rough way of naming things.
“Next time, play with me, Cat-san.”
Smiling as she said this, Emma picked up the bucket of water and trotted back to cleaning the room.
“What an unusual princess…”
Murakumo gazed absently at her retreating figure.
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“…You cleaned it really well.”
Claude was surprised when he saw the room Emma had cleaned. The floor and walls had been polished clean, without a speck of dust. Even the bed sheets had been replaced with new ones she’d found.
“Yes, since it’s my room.”
Emma’s face lit up. Since she had washed her face after finishing the cleaning, she looked clean now.
Claude had intended to make Emma quickly give up and complain that she wanted to leave this place, but his plan had backfired.
(What should I do about this?)
Having a girl live with an all-male household wasn’t a very good thing. Claude was a bandit, but he was gentle with women.
“So… if it’s alright, please let me cook for everyone!”
“Cooking?”
“I can cook too! I might not be that skilled, but I’m better than all of you…”
Emma had already shared meals with Claude and the others several times, but they were mostly crude things like grilled meat with just salt sprinkled on it, or vegetables just roughly cut up.
This was only natural, since Claude and his group took turns cooking, but all three of them had no experience with proper cooking. Moreover, while they had passion for swords and magic, they had no motivation to improve their cooking.
As a result, they cooked with the philosophy that as long as it filled their stomachs, that was enough, so meals often turned out haphazard. All three harbored vague dissatisfaction with their meals, but since they were all in the same boat, they couldn’t voice their complaints.
“Well then… shall I have you make something?”
Claude succumbed to the temptation of a proper meal.
“Yes!”
Emma headed energetically toward the kitchen.
When she went inside to check, she was surprised to find that the variety of ingredients was abundant and well-stocked. Moreover, they were fresh and hadn’t spoiled at all.
“Why is there such good meat and vegetables?”
As Emma wondered about this, Yuri, who happened to be passing by the kitchen, spoke to her with a proud expression.
“It’s thanks to my magic. This kitchen has magic cast on it to keep food fresh and crisp. Without it, everything would spoil quickly.”
“That’s amazing, Yuri-san!”
Emma rushed over to Yuri and grasped his hands with both of hers.
“I had no idea such wonderful magic existed in this world!”
Her eyes sparkled brilliantly.
“Eh? Uh, yeah…”
Yuri was taken aback by her unexpectedly enthusiastic reaction. To him, it wasn’t such impressive magic. Still, it had been a long time since he’d been praised for magic other than combat spells.
“If there were lots of magic users like Yuri-san, I’m sure the world would be a happier place!”
It was the first time anyone had said such a thing to him. Yuri had always been feared as a terrifying sorcerer.
“…Even if there were lots of me around, nothing good would come of it.”
“That’s not true! After all, Yuri-san’s magic helps people, doesn’t it? I had always thought magic was something frightening that only hurt people, but now I’m moved to learn it can do things like this too!”
Saying this, Emma gracefully turned around and returned to the kitchen.
Yuri gazed for a while at the hand the girl had grasped.
That evening, for the first time—no, perhaps ever—proper cooking was laid out on the dining table of the bandits’ fortress.
The basket was filled with plenty of baked bread. Emma had properly ground the wheat and made the dough from scratch. A large pot contained soup brimming with chopped vegetables and meat that had been thoroughly simmered. Additionally, potato pie made with potatoes, onions, cheese, and meat wrapped in pastry and baked was placed on the table.
“I hope it suits your taste…”
While Emma smiled shyly, the three bandits devoured the food as if shoveling it down.
Claude stuffed bread into his mouth and washed it down with wine.
Murakumo finished his first bowl of soup in an instant and helped himself to seconds many times over. The cat had also climbed onto the table and was eating the meat from the soup with apparent relish.
Yuri took a bite of the potato pie and showed a satisfied expression, then continued eating the potato pie silently and intently.
Watching this scene, Emma began happily eating the meal she had prepared.
TLNOTE
While waiting for the next chapter, I encourage you, dear readers, to explore other masterpieces written by Daken-sensei :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- Who killed the Hero?
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
- The Last Magic (translated by my friend narwhal)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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