The boy with swaying jet black hair finally sensed an intense gaze from somewhere. It’s definitely coming from behind him.
Turning around, among the bushes and the logs that went in and out, there was a girl with waist length brown hair with a white eyepatch over her right eye. Her presence was unmistakable. She’s the second princess of Ardesil, Ortashia. Their gaze met at that moment.
They remained silent as they stared at each other. But Ortashia didn’t have any change in her complexion; she’s simply staring at him. Shingen started to thought that she’s angry at him. Even if it might be some misunderstanding, he still had to apologize. Forcing a smile, he came up to her.
He sat casually next to her. She acted as if she didn’t notice her. But when Shingen peeked to confirm, he noticed that she was frowning.
（――――――this is bad……she’s definitely mad at me……）
Shingen didn’t feel like he’s done anything wrong. However, he still thought that he needed to apologize. Thinking up of words to use in his head, she turned to him before he could think up anything.
[About that…]
[I’m sorry.]
[Eh?]
The words had been said. It was surprising. So much so that Shingen thought that nothing else will surprise him more. Ortashia had actually said that she’s sorry. Did he misheard? No, there was no way he’d mishear this close
What happened? Seeing Shingen’s confused face, Ortashia let out a little laugh before explaining what inside her mind.
[……I have not properly seen you the way you are all this time.]
[Eh?]
（――――――eh, why is she talking about that all of a sudden……?）
Shingen narrowed his eyes, unable to grasp the situation at all.
[From now on I will see you as you are properly. After all, that person is already――――――]
Ortashia looked intently at Shingen but this time slightly dropping her head.
[I’m sorry.]
[……eh, what?]
What should I do? Shingen is super confused now. He hurriedly thought up of a response.
[I, I, I’m okay with that…. I don’t mind it that much….the resemblance between me and Maruto is too much after all, am I right?]
Ortashia seemed to have given some thought to Shingen’s response. Taking the chance, Shingen decided to tell her his feelings as well.
[It’s a little annoying. But it can’t be helped.]
[Annoying?]
[Everytime you look at me, you get reminded of Maruto. Right?]
It was spot on. Ortashia frowned and looked away. She nodded a little while murmuring something. That fierce Ortashia is actually feeling restless now.
[Well, time will heal all wounds so we can only endure until then. Right? Other than that, I’ll also help if it’s necessary. Please depend on me.]
Shingen was just trying ease Ortashia’s mind. But later on, he felt that he had said something strange. That final sentence sounded a bit too lame. So he thought to correct it. Ortashia was still looking straight, as if her mind was elsewhere, then a voice without intonation leaked out from her mouth.
[….that’s right. From now on I’ll rely on you. Thank you.]
[ [ Eh? ] ]
The words that she didn’t mean to say spilled out from her mouth. Even the one saying it was surprised herself.
Suddenly the conversation halted. The two stared at each other, waiting for the other party to say a word. They sat very close there. The place where they’re sitting was also quite tightly spaced, so if one moved a little, their shoulder would touch.
Ortashia was embarrassed by what she said. Her face gradually turned hot and she had to look away because of it. She closed her mouth shut for a moment before making a face as if she had remembered something.
[By the way, what were you trying to say just now?]
Shingen scratched his head. It’s hard to apologize when the timing is off.
[Ah, no, about that……..that matter with Riru this morning…..]
[Ah. That?]
Ortashia narrowed her eye. Her face stiffened, as if repressing anger. Somewhere in his mind, Shingen was relieved that that jealousy was not aimed at him.
[Yeah, about, that, I’m sorry……it was an accident.]
[…..I know. You are not that kind of guy. That Riru, she was drunk.]
Ortashia felt her heart ache slightly. As if a knife is thrown to her chest. She could only smile wryly to conceal that feeling.
[So I punished her.]
Shingen didn’t know what really happened to Riru so when he asked and found out that she’s being hanged to the ceiling, he could only smile bitterly.
[I think we should let her go already? Just forgive her……]
[………..]
[No good?]
[I will release her later.]
That was an ambiguous answer. It seemed liked that she didn’t intend to release Riru anytime soon.
Finally, the lumberjacks’ work is done. The construction team that Ortashia had assigned would take care of the rest. Overnight, the construction team worked to build that ‘Building’ as per Ortashia’s request. They went on even with bloodshot eyes and even though complaining that they got no break time, they actually managed to make it in time.
After completing the building, the construction team themselves were impressed that they managed to complete it in a single night. It’s because Ortashia had provided them a detailed design for the architecture. What surprised them the most was the fact that the female general who was infamous for her madness on battle could actually penned something like that.
They had no idea that it was a design for building a defense facility in case of emergency that Maruto had left behind.
===========
The early morning of the next day, when the birds had just started chirping and animals started their activity, around the same time the sun rose in the east, several pairs of eyes stared at the town of York’s main street from a small hill in Terraheim plains. They observed while keeping their breathing as quiet as possible. Crouching as low as they can get as to not to be noticed by the soldiers patrolling the main street, the scouts of Ardesil army had arrived.
The scouts will carry out their duty to see the state of their enemy, even if it’ll cost them their life. One raised their head over the slope to have a better look at the town. Indeed it’s easier to observe the town now that there is sunlight, but the scout quickly noticed something different from before. When it entered his point of view, he frowned as it felt strange. He returned back under the slope and consulted the map.
[What is that? That building was not there before.]
Comparing the map he had with the current town of York, he found that they didn’t match. He tilted his head in confusion. To that weird reaction of his colleague, another scout went ‘are you kidding me?’, and checked for himself.
[Let me see, what is it like? As if e――――――?!]
[What’s the matter?]
He saw the mysterious building’s door opened up, and from inside, several shadows came out. Probably interceptors units that noticed the scouts. Those shadows are heading straight toward them.
[Ugeee?! Apparently we have outlived our stay! Enemy!]
[You raised your head too much! That’s why they noticed us!]
[Be quiet! Let’s escape immediately!]
They slid down the slope and climbed to the horses waiting for them down there, immediately leaving the spot.
The boy with swaying jet black hair finally sensed an intense gaze from somewhere. It’s definitely coming from behind him.
Turning around, among the bushes and the logs that went in and out, there was a girl with waist length brown hair with a white eyepatch over her right eye. Her presence was unmistakable. She’s the second princess of Ardesil, Ortashia. Their gaze met at that moment.
They remained silent as they stared at each other. But Ortashia didn’t have any change in her complexion; she’s simply staring at him. Shingen started to thought that she’s angry at him. Even if it might be some misunderstanding, he still had to apologize. Forcing a smile, he came up to her.
He sat casually next to her. She acted as if she didn’t notice her. But when Shingen peeked to confirm, he noticed that she was frowning.
（――――――this is bad……she’s definitely mad at me……）
Shingen didn’t feel like he’s done anything wrong. However, he still thought that he needed to apologize. Thinking up of words to use in his head, she turned to him before he could think up anything.
[About that…]
[I’m sorry.]
[Eh?]
The words had been said. It was surprising. So much so that Shingen thought that nothing else will surprise him more. Ortashia had actually said that she’s sorry. Did he misheard? No, there was no way he’d mishear this close
What happened? Seeing Shingen’s confused face, Ortashia let out a little laugh before explaining what inside her mind.
[……I have not properly seen you the way you are all this time.]
[Eh?]
（――――――eh, why is she talking about that all of a sudden……?）
Shingen narrowed his eyes, unable to grasp the situation at all.
[From now on I will see you as you are properly. After all, that person is already――――――]
Ortashia looked intently at Shingen but this time slightly dropping her head.
[I’m sorry.]
[……eh, what?]
What should I do? Shingen is super confused now. He hurriedly thought up of a response.
[I, I, I’m okay with that…. I don’t mind it that much….the resemblance between me and Maruto is too much after all, am I right?]
Ortashia seemed to have given some thought to Shingen’s response. Taking the chance, Shingen decided to tell her his feelings as well.
[It’s a little annoying. But it can’t be helped.]
[Annoying?]
[Everytime you look at me, you get reminded of Maruto. Right?]
It was spot on. Ortashia frowned and looked away. She nodded a little while murmuring something. That fierce Ortashia is actually feeling restless now.
[Well, time will heal all wounds so we can only endure until then. Right? Other than that, I’ll also help if it’s necessary. Please depend on me.]
Shingen was just trying ease Ortashia’s mind. But later on, he felt that he had said something strange. That final sentence sounded a bit too lame. So he thought to correct it. Ortashia was still looking straight, as if her mind was elsewhere, then a voice without intonation leaked out from her mouth.
[….that’s right. From now on I’ll rely on you. Thank you.]
[ [ Eh? ] ]
The words that she didn’t mean to say spilled out from her mouth. Even the one saying it was surprised herself.
Suddenly the conversation halted. The two stared at each other, waiting for the other party to say a word. They sat very close there. The place where they’re sitting was also quite tightly spaced, so if one moved a little, their shoulder would touch.
Ortashia was embarrassed by what she said. Her face gradually turned hot and she had to look away because of it. She closed her mouth shut for a moment before making a face as if she had remembered something.
[By the way, what were you trying to say just now?]
Shingen scratched his head. It’s hard to apologize when the timing is off.
[Ah, no, about that……..that matter with Riru this morning…..]
[Ah. That?]
Ortashia narrowed her eye. Her face stiffened, as if repressing anger. Somewhere in his mind, Shingen was relieved that that jealousy was not aimed at him.
[Yeah, about, that, I’m sorry……it was an accident.]
[…..I know. You are not that kind of guy. That Riru, she was drunk.]
Ortashia felt her heart ache slightly. As if a knife is thrown to her chest. She could only smile wryly to conceal that feeling.
[So I punished her.]
Shingen didn’t know what really happened to Riru so when he asked and found out that she’s being hanged to the ceiling, he could only smile bitterly.
[I think we should let her go already? Just forgive her……]
[………..]
[No good?]
[I will release her later.]
That was an ambiguous answer. It seemed liked that she didn’t intend to release Riru anytime soon.
Finally, the lumberjacks’ work is done. The construction team that Ortashia had assigned would take care of the rest. Overnight, the construction team worked to build that ‘Building’ as per Ortashia’s request. They went on even with bloodshot eyes and even though complaining that they got no break time, they actually managed to make it in time.
After completing the building, the construction team themselves were impressed that they managed to complete it in a single night. It’s because Ortashia had provided them a detailed design for the architecture. What surprised them the most was the fact that the female general who was infamous for her madness on battle could actually penned something like that.
They had no idea that it was a design for building a defense facility in case of emergency that Maruto had left behind.
===========
The early morning of the next day, when the birds had just started chirping and animals started their activity, around the same time the sun rose in the east, several pairs of eyes stared at the town of York’s main street from a small hill in Terraheim plains. They observed while keeping their breathing as quiet as possible. Crouching as low as they can get as to not to be noticed by the soldiers patrolling the main street, the scouts of Ardesil army had arrived.
The scouts will carry out their duty to see the state of their enemy, even if it’ll cost them their life. One raised their head over the slope to have a better look at the town. Indeed it’s easier to observe the town now that there is sunlight, but the scout quickly noticed something different from before. When it entered his point of view, he frowned as it felt strange. He returned back under the slope and consulted the map.
[What is that? That building was not there before.]
Comparing the map he had with the current town of York, he found that they didn’t match. He tilted his head in confusion. To that weird reaction of his colleague, another scout went ‘are you kidding me?’, and checked for himself.
[Let me see, what is it like? As if e――――――?!]
[What’s the matter?]
He saw the mysterious building’s door opened up, and from inside, several shadows came out. Probably interceptors units that noticed the scouts. Those shadows are heading straight toward them.
[Ugeee?! Apparently we have outlived our stay! Enemy!]
[You raised your head too much! That’s why they noticed us!]
[Be quiet! Let’s escape immediately!]
They slid down the slope and climbed to the horses waiting for them down there, immediately leaving the spot.
