Chapter 100: It seems that I get nervous when I sense a woman in my friend?

Chapter 100: It seems that I get nervous when I sense a woman in my friend?

Starting from when the prospect of procuring a dress at Bitis Boutique looked bright, we were hectic in one way or another. Preparing a formal outfit was necessary not only for ojou-sama but also for all the others. There were a lot detailed arrangements to be prepared.

………That said, I’m not one to be concerned with those sorta things.

As everyone knows, I only had the experience of satiating my ever growing hunger by consuming luxury dishes when I attended parties in the past. I know zilch when it comes to things like table manners.

Unappealing is a certainty. Maybe even bitter tasting1.

However, as an escort of Faima, giving the excuse [I didn’t know] is a big no no.

Although it was decided for Kiska and Rand to be Faima’s escort on the appointed day, it doesn’t exactly mean those outside that role are free.

We are going to be jointly monitoring the whole venue together with soldiers on guard duty.

「What a pain. Can I go on a strike{slack off}?」

「Of course you can’t!」

Every time Agatt roared at me, duties of a guard at the venue and the minimum level of manners and speech{manual} when talking a noble were drilled into my head.

………What I got from it so far, it means that I can’t move during the party, just like a [wall decoration]. With the exception of an emergency, I am expected not to move even a quiver.

「So, when can I eat the party food?」(kanna)

「Do you think that a mere escort have the discretion to taste such luxury…」(agatt)

「Eh, we can’t ?!」(skelia)

「Skelia-dono, could you not follow in the footsteps of Kanna{this guy}. ……Ah, wait. Could you please stop making that despaired look as if the world has ended.」(agatt)

Though I was pretending the smorgasbord{buffet} of food to be someone else’s business, I did spare a fleeting thought about it but as one would expect, acting upon my appetite would smear mud in Faima’s face, so I restrain myself.

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Also because Agatt is getting close to blow his top.

***

Time passes in a blink of an eye and today’s the day for the party.

Although I managed to learn the absolute minimum{manners}, Agatt said that concentrating effort to memorize manners in the short time we have in order to play the role of an escort by the side Faima isn’t quite feasible.

As for me, I’m not sure if I could learn it all by heart even if I have the time. My only concern is whether or not I could endure the sight of delicious food lined up in front of me. I suppose I should eat a hearty lunch to leave no room for my appetite.

Though it’s quite late to bring this up, renewing my equipment was a correct decision.

I would’ve looked too shabby wearing an armor with a hole and lotsa scratches on it but now, my breastplate and leg protectors have all been replaced with mithril alloy armor. Last but not least, the tekkou made from heavy magic ore. This tekkou was forged in the olden days but thanks to the polishing from the armor shop’s storekeeper, it now gives off a luster just like a brand new item.

If I equip all those along with the Genryuu Knights’ cloak, there should be no problem attending the party.

As for Rand and Kiska, they also commissioned the Bitis Boutique to prepare formal wear for the party.

Although Kiska is a woman, she seems to have ordered the same formal wear as Rand which emphasizes ease of movement rather than a skirt because of her duty as an escort. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Agatt would be wearing his usual equipment, more or less, but left as it is, his attire won’t be appropriate to the atmosphere of the party, so he would also wear a high quality overcoat to camouflage his armor.

He’s good looking. So that much won’t be a problem.

Go explode.

Moving on to Kakurd and Skelia. They have their formal wear as soldiers of the Diagal Empire from the start. No problem on their part. They were also trained to avoid being crude towards nobility.

「………Cuisines are waiting for me *mumble*」

I’m just gonna ignore a certain someone’s muttering, yep.

All our preparations are complete.

Now, we just have to wait for the carriage to arrive. Normally, we would arrange our own carriage to the venue but Faima is an ojou-sama hailing from a foreign country who’s also a state guest. Therefore, a carriage was supposed to be arranged by the Drist household on the appointed day.

Since Faima’s preparation is delayed and Rand et al are waiting for her, Agatt and I went ahead to wait for the carriage near the entrance of the Imperial Palace

「I’ve been thinking about it each and every time, why the heck does it take so long for a girl to get ready?」

Whether it’s changing clothes or going shopping, the fact that women spend more time than men is no different both in this fantasy world and earth. Accompanying one for either is kinda like undergoing a session of mental training.

「When I went shopping with my female friends, they will ask for my opinion each time they coordinate an outfit. Though there was no doubt that it looked great on them, if I just comment [it looks good], it’ll definitely put them in a bad mood. Well, I also knew that they surely won’t be satisfied if I only say that much. But y’know, I want them to understand that after being shown five or six outfits, even I would exhaust my stocks of compliment.」

I shoot a casual topic to Agatt but there’s no reaction. Puzzled, I look at his face and I see him furrowing his brows in silence. Doesn’t feel like he’s in a bad mood. More like he’s troubled by something.

「What? Hearing the story made you remember something unpleasant related to women?」

「………No, I am a little surprised to hear that you have female acquaintances other than Real-dono.」

「Just what exactly do you think of me, oi. Being friends or something alike with women is nothing unusual.」

In a different world, that is.

「Oh~ right~ what about you? Do you have any female acquaintances other than ojou-sama{Faima} and Kiska? Rather, do you have a girlfriend?」

Well, there’s his ikemen look. He’s bound to have a lover or two if he go back to his hometown{country}.

As much as he can get, I bet.

Go explode.

It was a remark that consisted of 90% spite and 10% curiosity but what comes out of Agatt’s mouth is totally beyond my expectations.

「………………None.」

「……?」

「Like I said, I do not have any female acquaintances other than my work colleagues.」

…………………………………………。

………………………。

…………。

「Don’t lie to me, not with that ikemen face of yours. Ah, is it the case where you don’t have any friends but you do have a sweetheart?」

Someone like a fiancée with a promise to marry her dating back from childhood perhaps.

「I told you, there are no woman who are particularly close to me. Not only among my work colleagues but also among those who are not. If I had the time to pursue such a thing{love affair}, I spent it all on training to protect milady.」

If I go only by his words, he’s the same old serious Agatt but I became tongue-tied after seeing his earnest expression when he said it. For the most part, I bet his inherent seriousness might’ve been a tough wall for a woman to overcome.

「Sharing a bed is only after a marriage.」

So he says with a straight face.

「Hey, tell me something. Is it normal for a man and a woman to go shopping together in the countryside?」

「……Whether that is commonplace or not, it happened in my hometown.」

「I see……that countryside sure is progressive.」

Something’s a bit off. Those lines are usually the other way around.

Come to think of it, this guy has a class-leader personality and at the same time a naïve{pure} person. I remember when he tried to put Faima’s [breast] into words before. He turned red and couldn’t say it to the end.

『………Nono, it can’t be…』

I have a bad feeling about it, so lets try asking him to satisfy my curiosity.

「Say, Agatt. Do you know how to make a kid?」

A much too foolish a question in front of a young man. Even the hetare taciturn{Yuuzuki} who’s equally pure as Agatt knows this much.

「What foolishness are you saying……」

Sure enough, Agatt shows a dubious look. The weird question might rub him the wrong way but that’s a cheap price to reduce one of my worries.

「When a married couple share a bedroom for the first timeーー」

Apparently, it was a needless anxiety on my part. He’s response is as stiff as ever thoughーー

「ーー[God’s Blessing] will breath a new life into the bride, isn’t it?」

ーーHow did it become a different answer than what I expected?

「What is [God’s Blessing]?」

「……I see. You are a country bumpkin who does not even know religion.」

What a helpless guy, says Agatt as he shakes his head helplessly but that’s not what I wanna know.

「A soul that has left the body due to death is sent to the [realm of heaven] by the hand of God. And then, those who have completed the trials of God in [heaven] will be granted [God’s Blessing] and be born again as a new life in this world. That is the teachings of [Heavenly God’s Faith2].」

Heavenly Gods FaithーーThe only religion espoused in this world.

During the trip here, Faima taught me about its existence but up to this moment, I didn’t know the details.

The [way of life] Agatt just explained is similar to [reincarnation] back on earth. Well, it may be a good thing that we have in-depth education here but there are more things to worry about than that.

「The first time a married couple share a bedroom together……was it.」

「That’s what I was saying.」

「……What do they do specifically?」

「……………?」

Far from climbing the stairs of adulthood, he doesn’t even recognize the stairs.

My hunch came true. I feel like grabbing my head.

Even though he’s an ikemen who can make girls raise a racket, he’s imbalanced inside. Regarding sex, he’s like a child.

Is there a demand for such a niche character like him?

As I’m beginning to worry about Agatt’s future, Rand in a formal attire arrived.

「Kept you waiting. Milady’s preparations are in order……What’s the matter Kanna-kun, holding your head like that?」(rand)

「……Ossan, I have something important to say later.」

I gaze at Rand so seriously that I myself thought it was rare event. Perhaps sensing something out of the ordinary, Rand nods without understanding why. We must have a serious discussion about Agatt’s sex education later.

Even though I haven’t even arrived at the party venue, I’m already tired. Why can’t there be any normally serious character around me?

「……So, where might our lady be?」(kanna)

「Any second now. Look, they’re here.」

After hearing Rand’s words, I turn my face towards the interior of the Imperial Palace. There, the figure of an ojou-sama surrounded by her escorts appeared.

「I have kept the both of you waiting.」(faima)

I was preoccupied with my own stuff, so this is the first time I’ve seen Faima’s dress.

I got captivated and lost my words upon seeing her. She’s beautiful to start with -no exaggeration on my part- but I thought of her more as a [friend] rather than a [woman].

Once in a while, I am conscious of her feminine charm but I feel the same way as when I was with Misaki and Ayana back on earth. However, I’m sensing an intense [womanly] vibe from the current Faima who’s wearing a glamorous crimson dress.

Her beauty is further enhanced by her dress, which refrains from exposing her more than necessary and at the same time, displays her charm as a woman.

「Umm……Kanna is seeing me in this for the first time. ……How is it? I wonder if it is strange, this appearance?」

Faima asks with a slightly upturned eyes.

I answer as calmly as I possibly could, hoping that she wouldn’t realize my rapidly beating heart.

「……It definitely suits you, so don’t worry.」

The Bitis Boutique splendidly live up to expectations in as little as three days they had. Next time I have a day off, I’ll go and say thanks.

「Is that so……I’m glad.」

The smiling Faima is blushing.

That said, Faima wearing an actual dress is really beautiful. She’s like a princess that appears in a fairytale.

I’m being out of character here but I am truly fascinated by her.

Well now, isn’t this the reaction of an innocent child. Maybe I’m not eligible to say anything about Agatt.

Eh~ no, I don’t think I’m at his level.

「《nee nee》Even though we came together, the two of them are in a world of their own. We’re like air, aren’t we? Like a background? Or rather a wall? ……Who said tiny breasts?」(kiska)

「Please calm down, Kiska-dono. No one is saying such a thing. Personally, I find Kiska-dono plenty attractive.」(skelia)

「Skelia’s right. Besides, I do not think it is unreasonable for Kanna-dono to be captivated by the dressed-up appearance of Falmarias-sama.」(kakurd)

………Sorry, I completely forgot about you guys.

Kakurd and Skelia aren’t much different from their usual armor getup.

Kiska is wearing formal wear for men, as I was previously informed. Coupled with her androgynous appearance, her charm stands out in a different direction compared to Faima. An outlook that no doubt looks good on her.

After a short while, the carriage finally arrives and we head towards the party venue, the Drist Household.