Botsuraku Youtei Nanode Kajishokunin wo Mezasu

Blacksmith Volume 2 Chapter 20

*First Princess Maria’s POV*

The second-year’s examination results have been posted.

The student’s ranks had changed here and there, but there were also a few that either skyrocketed up or slid way down from their original rank.

There are a few students whose results were extraordinary, though.

In particular, the students who placed from first to fourth this time.

And of course, one of those four is I, Maria Kudan

As a person blessed with excellent grades, athletic ability, and beauty, I’m am one of the few ‘elite’ in society, though life can get a little boring sometimes.

There’s just not enough stimulus in my life.

Anyways, because I didn’t want to stay at school any longer, I tentatively decided to return home to the Capital.

If I was going to go somewhere, I didn’t really want to go home, but everyone would get all noisy and start yelling at me if I just decided to take a trip.

Ah! Oh alas! I guess I’ll be bored this summer as well.

I really don’t want to go back home, one of the places I want to visit is actually the Helan territory.

I’d rather go there than the Capital.

Certainly, its commercial facilities are thriving but I don’t really feel the need to go shopping right now.

That is not how I want to spend my summer vacation.

Anyways, as I spent my days bored out of my mind this summer, I was suddenly summoned by Mother.

Apparently, there’s going to be a gathering of princesses from a bunch of neighboring countries here.

And I’m supposed to be our country’s representative.

I don’t really want to do such a thing, I want to go to the Helan territory’s new summer resort.

Eventually, the day came and a tea party was held in the castle gardens.

Around the table, there were about ten girls drinking tea while chatting, including myself.

Oh, look! Somebody just told a boring story, so now we can all laugh and go ‘Ohohohohohoho~’

What’s that? Someone else just told a boring story? Now let’s all laugh and go ‘Ohohohohohoho~’

My stomach was twisting in disgust from the mood, and this is just the start.

Hopefully, this finishes quickly.

As I thought that in the middle of our ‘Ohohohohoho~’ tournament, somebody with a cute face had suddenly appeared.

“Nice to meet you, my name is Lasa Kudan. Sorry for interrupting you.”

“Oh, Lasa.”

I stood up to greet him.

Unlike Arc, Lasa is my cute little brother.

“I was actually about to head over to the Helan territory, so I came here to give my salutations to Ane-sama before I departed.”

“Eh? You’re going to the Helan territory?” …I want to go too.

There’s no way I can just let him leave me in this hell hole, I don’t want to be stuck here with all these princesses!

Falling to my desires by leaving for the Helan territory while abandoning my duties as this country’s princess.

It’ll be difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

“Lasa, can you wait a little bit? I want to go as well.”

I secretly whispered into Lasa’s ear.

“Is that okay?”

Lasa said with a worried undertone.

“It’s fine.”

“Ow! That hurts! My stomach!”

I rammed my knee into his stomach at an angle that the others couldn’t see.

He fell to the ground on his knees with one hand propping himself up, while the other was rubbing his stomach.

“Are you alright?!”

The daughters of the other countries royalty who were just enjoying their tea a few moments ago ran up to us in worry.

Well after his outburst, it’s only natural they’d do that.

“Nee-san…”

Lasa looked up to me with the whites of his eyes showing, but well, let’s just forget the details.

“Are you alright? Is your stomach acting up again? We both know that you’ve had bad bowel movements lately, you should take care of yourself more.”

I said that in a voice loud enough for the rest of the princesses to hear, telling them that my brother is having a constipation problem. Do I feel any shame for doing this? Absolutely not. I’ll do whatever I want to do.

“No, my stomach is fine but- Owowowowow! Nevermind, I think I need someone to call a doctor.”

“I can give you first aid while everyone searches for one.”

“Thanks, but until the doctor comes don’t think you’ll be able to do much.”

“Here, I’m going to do a quick check, okay? So let touch your stomach for a bit… Oh no, I think you’ve stretched something, it’s probably because you’ve let gas accumulate inside too much that this has happened.”

Maybe it’s because they had drunk too much tea while listening to boring stories that some of them had gotten waterlogged stomachs and started letting out splashing sounds.

Whatever you do Lasa, don’t fart.

“Maria-sama, we understand your embarrassment because of your family right now. You can excuse yourself if you wish.”

“There’s no way I could do such a thing!” I need to keep up my image first, I can’t just dash out at the first exit!

What a desperate excuse, telling everyone my brother’s constipated. If someone were to find out that I actually kneed him, as the princess of this country dark clouds would hang over me for the rest of my life.

This has to work no matter what!

“Umm Princess Irina, I believe it would be alright if you didn’t worry so much. My sister is just this kind of person.”

Lasa squeezed out his opinion, you traitor! How could you?!

“What are you saying?! Aren’t you Maria-sama’s brother?! Are you not ashamed of embarrassing her so?!”

Princess Irina told Lasa off with an angry voice.

Lasa then started to scratch his head while making a troubled face.

I’m sorry Lasa.

I know you don’t deserve Princess Irina’s wrath.

“I’ve brought a doctor over!”

Somebody called out while bringing a doctor with them, who ran ahead and rushed over here.

The doctor immediately went to work, checking his abdomen and neck.

I don’t really know what he’s doing.

Well I don’t really care, since he won’t be able to find the cause.

If the doctor can’t find the cause, Lasa will be told that he should go get some more rest back at his room.

Then after I leave with him because I’m ‘worried’, the two of us will escape from his room and take a quick trip over to the Helan territory!

Before that, I’ll make sure to inform grandfather that I’m going to stay in Lasa’s room to watch over his physical condition and that this will probably last until the other princesses go home!

Its perfect!

“Hmm, I can’t figure out what’s wrong. For the time being, he should probably go and get some rest in his room, but if you’re really worried, I can do a more detailed examination, would you like that Maria-sama?”

A perfect diagnosis. I should go and ask father to raise your salary later.

“Yeah, the pain has subsided a little, but for now, I think I’m going to rest in my room.”

“I’ll go watch over you, to make sure you’re alright.”

Mission complete. Now we just need to jump out of your room’s window, and then we can spend the rest of our summer in the Helan territory’s resort!!

Lasa, who seems to have given himself up, sighed.

Now that we’ve gotten this far, that attitude of yours is no good. As I thought about such things, I sent a glare over to Lasa.

“Please wait one moment!!”

Princess Irina suddenly stopped us while raising her voice. What now?

“Let me go watch over him too, I’m a bit worried myself.”

Ugh, what a busybody.

“No, we wouldn’t want to disturb you. Everyone, please continue to enjoy the tea party even after we depart.”

“I can’t allow that. There’s no way I can leave a person whose condition has worsened in my immediate vicinity alone. It’ll only leave me more worried, I can’t leave you to do this by yourself Maria-sama.”

“…yeah.”

* * *

After taking over the conversation, the three of us headed over to Lasa’s room.

Together with us in his room, Lasa lied down on the bed.

Irina, who was here to nurse him pulled a chair over and sat down.

Be brave Lasa. Be friendly, but what am I supposed to do in this situation?!

This whole situation is so boring! I was supposed to be leaving by now!

“In truth, I noticed Maria-sama’s intentions quite a while ago.”

Hmm? Princess Irina suddenly started speaking with a meek look on her face.

“He’s acting, right? He’s not really hurt, is he?”

Eh?! My expression had probably hardened in response to her unexpected words.

“No…he really is sick, Ohohohohoho~”

“I’m not going to blame you or anything, I figured out what you had been trying to do from the very beginning.”

“What? Really?”

“Really, you did all that because you were bored, right? You looked like you wanted to go somewhere.”

“Then, why did you do that back then?”

“‘Because a lot of problems would pop up if I said my true feelings at that moment’, right? I’m sure that you felt the same way when you started that whole commotion.”

“Irina-sama…”

“Maria-sama…”

“You want to leave too?”

“Where though?”

“There’s actually this place famous for its hot springs called the Helan territory. They just opened their new summer resort, and I think it would be a lot of fun there.”

“That sounds nice, I want to go too, but do you have a way out of here?”

“We can leave from the window of course, all you need to get down from there is a rope.”

“Hehehe, this is somewhat exciting, isn’t it?”

The two of us laughed for a little while.

I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve felt this way?

This is fun.

Actually, this might be the first time I’ve met somebody who has understood me so well for the first time in my life.

That’s the feeling I’m getting right now.

“Umm… then can we just leave already then? I was actually supposed to depart quite a while ago.” Lasa suddenly said, breaking the mood.