< Side story 5. Dream Drinking Bird (4) feat. Iril & Schlieffen >
#A5
“The potato stew you ordered came for two!”
Iril shouted. Her silver-white hair fluttered beneath the archipelago’s sky. She hummed as she approached me and placed two bowls of potato stew down on her outdoor table.
“Ehehe, enjoy your meal!”
Steam was rising from the freshly boiled potato stew. It was a dish that came after a long wait, but the two men who came as guests just stared at Iril blankly, not even thinking about picking up the spoon.
“···Good to be alive.”
“Can I really eat this?”
Suddenly, the men’s eyes became watery. They waited for two full months to eat at Nimburton’s Table, a restaurant run by Iril.
When I only heard rumors and waited, I wondered if it was worth it, but the moment I saw Iril’s face, all my doubts melted away like snow in spring. She smiled brightly.
“sure. “This is a dish I made for you to enjoy.”
“Ah, how gracious this is…!”
“I will definitely come back…”
They were sobbing and trying to say something. Suddenly, a creepy, murderous feeling spread out from a corner of the restaurant. The men froze, feeling their bones go cold.
“This, this…”
They simultaneously turned their heads towards the source of death. In the distance, inside a restaurant, a handsome young man wearing an apron was peeling potatoes. Schlieffen sent a message without taking his eyes off the potato.
[The mouth is an organ for putting food in.]
The low voice was intimidating. He wore an apron instead of a uniform and held a small kitchen knife in his hand. Next to it, there was a mountain of new potatoes that had been brought in from the Grancia estate yesterday.
When Schlieffen grasped the hilt of the sword, the body of the sword took the form of wind and disappeared. Okay! The skins of hundreds of potatoes were peeled off at once. He raised his head, glared at his men, and spoke.
[This is especially true in restaurants.]
“What a tragedy.”
The men took a deep breath. The spoon fell from my hand and fell into the stew. They barely came to their senses and started devouring the stew as if they had starved for three days.
“Okay, let’s eat well!”
“Wow, I guess you’re very hungry. “Eat it slowly.”
Only then did Schlieffen survive. After serving a few more meals, Iril entered the restaurant. A middle-aged man with dark blue hair had just finished eating and was wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.
The handkerchief made of the finest silk had the image of a knight stepping on a dragon embroidered with gold thread. It was the emblem symbolizing the Grancia family. Iril, seeing the empty bowl, clasped his hands in admiration.
“Wow, you cleaned it well. Does it suit your taste, Duke?”
“Uh huh, it tastes better than Rustang buffalo tenderloin. And I told you to call me father.”
The middle-aged man chuckled. It was Josef Siniban de Grancia, the current head of the Grancia family and Schlieffen’s father. Schlieffen, who was watching the scene, narrowed his eyes.
“Matriarch. Please maintain your dignity.”
“I don’t want to hear about you using Aurors to peel potatoes. No matter how I think about it, I passed the Pale Road too early.”
“Miss Iril is having a hard time because you keep taking up space. “Do you know that this is already the fifth bowl?”
“Know. And this will be my sixth bowl. Baby, is it possible to have just one more bowl? “I will pay you ten times, no, a hundred times the price.”
Josef, who said that, let out a mocking laugh again. Charisma, who was reminiscent of a lion, had long since drowned in potato stew. He could not believe that he had once opposed the Schlieffen marriage along with other members of his family.
Josef began to fall apart after meeting Iril, who visited the Grancia mansion about a year ago.
By the end of the three-day family and territory introduction, all members of the Grancia family, including Joseph, had become Iril’s ardent followers. Ronan, who had visited for the purpose of establishing discipline, was so embarrassed that he had said everything. Iril, who received additional orders, nodded willingly.
“sure! “I’ll get it to you right away!”
“···Miss Iril.”
Schlieffen, who was quietly peeling potatoes, twisted his lips. To be honest, he didn’t like the idea of Iril working and sweating. Of course he was willing to help as much as he wanted.
Iril, who had gone deep into the kitchen, was no longer visible. Josef put down her handkerchief and opened her mouth.
“What a good kid. “Every time I see it, I wonder how a blunt guy like you could get a girl like that.”
“That’s right.”
“Seeing as you don’t deny it, I think I taught you well. Yes, it’s been almost two years since you proposed, so when are you planning on getting married? ”
“After defeating Jaifa and taking the position of the best sword of the empire.”
Schlieffen answered without hesitation. Josef, who was silent for a moment, shrugged his eyebrows.
“When exactly is that?”
“It’s summer this year.”
“It is time for the decisive battle of the Sword Saint. “Is there any need to rush like that?”
“yes. Unless you become the strongest swordsman in the world, you are not qualified to protect Miss Iril.”
Even as he spoke of the summit, his dark blue eyes remained unwavering and stern. The corners of Josef’s mouth slightly rose.
“Please work hard. “That boy has a bit of a smart-ass side, so I don’t think he’ll call me father until he officially marries you.”
“That’s a pathetic reason.”
“I won’t deny it. But this is not what you should hear either. “It’s been two years since we started dating, and you’re afraid to even fold your arms.”
“Ugh…!”
Schlieffen’s face turned red. He put down the kitchen knife and spoke softly.
“So… what’s wrong with that…?”
“You are a genius, son. However, I am worried that because his talent is focused on the sword, he is suffering from a disability in the field of giving and receiving love. “You look a lot like me, but in that respect, the difference is like heaven and earth.”
Josef clicked his tongue. Even for him, who grew up in a conservative family, the romance between Schlieffen and Iril seemed overly childish.
When I received the secret agents’ report, I almost lost my mind. Of all the acts of affection that took place over the past six months, the most daring thing was to lean my head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and continued speaking.
“I’m not saying you should make the first move. I know you’re not the type of idiot to do something like that. However, it would be a good idea to start developing the courage to kiss Miss Iril in front of everyone.”
Schlieffen, understanding what he meant, chewed his lower lip. Josef was talking about a wedding that would happen someday. There would be nothing worse than that if the groom couldn’t kiss his bride as an oath in front of thousands of guests.
“Uhm…”
Schlieffen sighed. Looking back, he realized that he had never done anything right except propose marriage. She said those words while she was bleeding profusely and half unconscious.
In fact, he was also wary inside. Schlieffen, who began dating Iril and read a triple-digit number of books on relationships, knew that many women were attracted to men who were dominant.
However, there was nothing he could do as he was paralyzed just by looking at Iril’s face. At times like this, I envy Ronan. Schlieffen, who had tried to shake off her idle thoughts, was about to pick up the kitchen knife again.
“Hey, Mr. Schlieffen! “Can you help me?”
“I’m going now.”
Iril’s voice came from inside the kitchen. Schlieffen immediately got up and started walking. As I turned the corner, I saw Iril whining in front of the shelf with his tiptoes raised.
“It’s placed so high that I can’t reach it with my arm.”
“hmm. “I will do it.”
Schlieffen nodded. He made Iril step aside and lowered the dishes from the highest compartment. He scratched his cheek when he saw Iril getting off so easily, unlike him.
“Hehehe, thank you.”
“It’s no big deal.”
“Mr. Schlieffen is very kind. Is it because he resembles the duke?”
Iril laughed. Schlieffen’s heart twitched again at the smile reminiscent of the sun. Suddenly, a flash of light passed through his mind.
‘for a moment. Maybe now is the time.’
It wasn’t intentional, but it was a very good situation to proceed with. He happened to be well-liked by helping with the work, and he had no eyes for seeing.
Josef’s words about having to develop courage, and quotes from dating experts about having to take the initiative, were circling in my head.
Schlieffen, who miraculously regained his senses, looked down at Iril. His own face was shining in his sunset eyes. Our breaths were touching each other, and the distance was closer than we thought.
Wouldn’t it be okay to kiss the back of your hand? Schlieffen, who had made that judgment, was in the midst of summoning courage from his bones.
“Hey, Mr. Schlieffen.”
“hmm?”
Schlieffen tilted his head. Iril, who had been quietly looking up at him, suddenly raised her tiptoes. side. Her lips touched Schlieffen’s cheek and then fell.
“···ah?”
Schlieffen’s time stood still. Trembling, he raised his arm and placed his hand on the spot where his lips had touched. Iril continued speaking with his back to her.
“I know you always care about me.”
“Uh, uhh. Hmm? uh···?”
“thank you. Mr. Schlieffen.”
Schlieffen could not answer. The only thing he could do right now was to use his rapidly fading mental strength to withstand the loss of his legs. Iril, who was smiling, muttered softly.
“Hehe… I’m also a little embarrassed. “It’s my first time doing this to someone other than my brother.”
Iril’s once white face turned red like a ripe apple. Schlieffen tried to say something, but she didn’t give her time. side. Once again she was on her tiptoes and this time he kissed her other cheek.
“ah.”
“The customers are waiting, so I’ll be there first. “Come slowly.”
Iril left those words behind and turned his back. That was when she disappeared around her corner. dump. Schlieffen sat down, her legs feeling weak.
“······Huh!”
Schlieffen, who had been doing this for a while, let out a breath like someone who came up from a dive. Only now did he realize that he wasn’t breathing.
As my paralyzed senses returned, I began to hear sounds around me. This was before he could even enjoy the reverberations of the historical event. Someone’s cheerful voice rang out from the hall.
“Elder sister!”
“Kya!?”
Iril’s screams followed. Schlieffen’s intelligence, which had been downgraded to that of a dog or cat, returned to normal. It was the moment when he reflexively got up from his seat and reached the hall.
“Miss Iril! “What is this…!”
Schlieffen’s eyes widened. One of her children, of unknown gender, was hugging her and burying her face in her chest. She was smiling as Iril stroked his head.
“Ahaha, it tickles! So who is the little customer?”
“Hey, take a guess.”
All the guests’ attention was focused, but the unidentified little boy was rubbing his cheek against Iril, paying no attention. The corners of Schlieffen’s eyes fluttered as he had no way of knowing that this was Sita in human form. He barely escaped his panic and shouted as he picked up the sword.
“this guy!”
Easy profit! The wind that gathered in an instant began to swirl around the sword body of the sword. Josef, surprised by the force, stood up.
“Shoo, Schlieffen. for a moment···!”
“Don’t interrupt!”
He urgently tried to mediate, but it was in vain. Schlieffen was enraged and was about to punish the yellow thug. Kwaaaaang! Suddenly, the entrance to the restaurant was thrown open as if it were about to break apart.
“W-what?!”
“Ugh!”
The startled guests burst into laughter and burst into laughter. Schlieffen’s movements stopped for a moment. A sturdy young man slowly appeared beyond the creaking door.
“Nimiral…Heook, I finally found it.”
The body of the wild-eyed young man was completely wet with sweat. He looked like a man who had sprinted all over the archipelago. Schlieffen recognized him and raised his eyebrows.
“···Ronan?”
“Move.”
The wind that wrapped around the kitchen knife died down. Ronan, pushing Schlieffen, walked into the store with strides. Sita’s eyes widened as she turned her head.
“Oh, I got caught!”
