"Why? You didn't finish reading it all."
"I don't have to finish it all today."
Then why were you reading the book so desperately earlier? Esperanza tapped the bottom of the chair where Cider was sitting with her shoe toe, filled with dissatisfaction.
"If you were that bored, why didn't you sleep?"
"I can't sleep in a place like this. It's noisy and bumpy......"
But she was a bit tired. Esperanza, who yawned behind her hand, slumped into her seat. Instead of nagging her to sit properly, Cider gave up his share of cushions to Esperanza.
"I have sothing to say."
"Go ahead."
Esperanza reached out and snatched the fountain pen that was stuck in Cider's book. When she brought the pen tip close to the book and looked back at Cider as if asking permission, he clicked his tongue, bookmarked it, and turned to the first page.
Esperanza quickly scribbled down. It was upside down from the reader's perspective, but she didn't care.
Cider took the fountain pen and continued writing above it. Even writing upside down from right to left for Esperanza to read easily, he was fluent.
Ah, really annoying.
Cider wrote down such words easily and then yielded the pen to Esperanza.
The pen went back and forth, then stopped abruptly. He understood without being told. Cider tore off the page that had quite detailed content for written conversation, folded it, and handed it to Esperanza.
"Are you making
dispose of trash right now?"
"I'm asking you to keep confidential docunts."
If only we could speak. Esperanza chuckled and folded the paper, throwing it into her inventory. Cider's eyes sparkled with curiosity again. Knowing how wicked the thoughts inside those pretty eyes were, Esperanza turned to defensive mode.
"What happens if you pour liquid into that?"
"I don't want to try it."
"Aren't you curious? Won't you take out everything inside and try it once?"
"I'm not curious."
He really might pour sothing in. More than enough. Esperanza backed away hesitantly. However, the compartnt was small and Esperanza had nowhere else to go.
"Just try it."
"What are you so wary of? You can't do it without consent anyway."
That's exactly the tone that suggests he would have done it if he could. It's not that she couldn't stop it, but those eyes overflowing with curiosity to the point of spilling over were uncomfortable. Who would think of pouring liquid into an inventory in the first place?
Really such a strange person.
She gave up on understanding through conversation. Esperanza grumbled and drew her knees together. The assassin's presence continued to be felt not far away.
Since she thought it was better than causing a commotion on the train and drawing attention, she had decided to just leave it alone, but if it continued to be botherso, it might be good to just subdue them without bothering to extract information.
Seven years of Hunter life ans catching assassins.
Of course, she had to be careful. If she accidentally let on that she knew their location while they were out of reach like now, they would disappear without a trace.
"Ah."
Like right now.
But she didn't let on just now, did she? Esperanza looked at Cider with suspicious eyes, but he was absorbed in his book. When their eyes t, he reflexively smiled and then returned to his book.
Then who? Why did they disappear?
'What's wrong?'
Cider asked with lip movents.
'They're gone.'
Esperanza said, pointing outside. Then Cider sighed "Ah" and pointed to the window.
"We're almost there."
Co to think of it, the trees visible outside were much denser than before. True to eastern Osdern, mountain ranges rose like the nose bridge of a handso ancient sculpture, and blue-green trees covered them so completely that not a speck of soil was visible.
Buildings began to appear one by one near the railway tracks that had stood as the only artificial structure on the plains. The slower the train went, the more incessantly it rattled. When the red train station appeared at the edge of view, conductors passed through the compartnt corridors frantically ringing bells.
"Next station is Mabelwood, Mabelwood Station!"
??????°??☆????°??????
It wasn't much different from other stations. Except that until the train stopped and the two ca outside, no one got off from first or second class. There were a few people getting off from third class with tired faces. Even that was fewer in number compared to other stations. This couldn't be explained just by Mabelwood being a sparsely populated area.
There seed to be so avoidance phenonon. But if it was at this level, Mabelwood's economy must have been quite contracted. Was Cordelia okay? What about Baron Mabelwood?
"Count Avondale, and Miss Esperanza Hunter?"
At the train station where only people were leaving and no one was entering, a decent young man stood waiting. He was rarely well-dressed and had good posture. One of two possibilities. Either a senior employee of the Mabelwood family, or a nearby noble. Since he ca and imdiately called their nas, it must be the forr.
"I am Du Husler, butler of Mabelwood mansion. Miss Cordelia is waiting for you both. Please co this way."
He hesitated and then added.
"Unlike Nine Holder where you ca from, Mabelwood has not yet had steam carriages distributed. Please understand that we will escort you by regular carriage."
"I don't mind."
"Thank you."
Even grumbling Butler Howard would probably be this proper when dealing with other guests. Esperanza thought that sotis senior employees had more elegance than the nobles themselves as she boarded the carriage.
The mansion they reached after traveling on poorly paved roads was quite large, befitting a noble mansion within the territory, and was antique with entangled ivy. And when they entered the old but pretty mansion, Cordelia was smiling brightly with her arms spread wide.
"Welco!"
Cordelia, who grumbled that she had been bored alone, briefly greeted Cider and linked arms with Esperanza.
"What kind of rude greeting is that, Cordelia."
She had sensed the presence but didn't know it was Cordelia's relative. She was living that modestly. The old lady looked quite distant from Cordelia's charming beauty. Her upright posture and raised chin showed her temperant. The tall, thin old lady separated Cordelia from Esperanza with a glance.
"Count Avondale, Miss Esperanza Hunter, welco to our visit. I am Cordelia Ann Wellesley. You may call
Mrs. Wellesley."
"She's my Great-Aunt. I didn't know she was staying in Mabelwood, but haha, I found out after coming down."
Cordelia wrinkled her nose bridge. Cider nodded as if he understood. Esperanza didn't understand the subtext, but roughly gathered the implication that things in Mabelwood would be more difficult than expected.
"Now, now, since it's evening, I'll guide you to your rooms! If you need anything, please call the maids anyti. You haven't eaten yet, right? Grandmother prepared a banquet, but oh my, I said we should serve sothing simple since you both must be tired."
"Cordelia, when guests visit, it's proper etiquette to welco them with a banquet. When do you intend to properly play the role of hostess?"
"I suppose it won't be too late to learn when I beco a hostess. Grandmother, we should first let these two unpack their luggage."
Mrs. Wellesley looked at Cordelia with disapproving eyes, but soon rembered she was in front of guests and stepped back.
Mabelwood mansion was antique as seen from outside. There were so worn corners, but it didn't look uncomfortable, perhaps because repairs were done on ti.
"Esperanza will use a room on the sa floor as . Grandmother is also on the sa floor, but she won't interfere much. And for the Count...... there was a difference of opinion with Grandmother about which room to give the Count, but we decided to go with Grandmother's suggestion. You can use the room on the 4th floor."
"The 4th floor."
This mansion was exactly a 4-story mansion.
"Isn't that the Baron's room?"
"To be precise, it's my late grandfather's room. Grandmother, I an the Baron has bad legs so he uses a room on the first floor. Grandmother says, I an Great-Aunt says that when a noble guest with a title visits, we must always offer the best room in the mansion."
That was proper etiquette. The tradition of a lord vacating his own room to give it to a guest remained under the na of tradition. However, that was also a tradition that flourished 100 years ago, and it wouldn't be very comfortable to use the room of the much older, deceased Lord Mabelwood.
However, Cider nodded without showing any discomfort. Cordelia's face brightened a little.
"Ah, could I borrow an empty room to use as a laboratory?"
So the lack of complaints was to gain montum for saying this.
"You don't need to worry. Contrary to public prejudice, my research is very quiet."
"Isn't this a complete fraud?"
Esperanza muttered without realizing it. You should have so conscience. Even though it's work being done for Esperanza's sake, how can he be so shaless?
Very quiet? Well, of course it would be, since he had applied soundproofing material a span thick to the study and even installed noise reduction equipnt on the machines. The feeling when she learned that the laboratory's soundproofing material was thicker and more expensive than the shooting range's.
And that vicious human boldly removed the noise reduction equipnt when told there wasn't enough inventory space. Despite Esperanza's worries.
"A fraudster, you say."
Esperanza's face stung under Cider's glare. She did her utmost to pretend not to know.
"Ah, well, then I'll provide an empty room on the sa floor."
Cordelia quickly answered.
"But what about luggage? Did you send it separately?"
"No, we brought it with us."
Fortunately, before Cordelia could beco more curious, maids ca and took Cordelia away, saying there was a problem with the banquet preparations.
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