My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 131
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 131
Viscount Artisina devours the pancakes.
"Delicious!" He beams as he finishes his pancake, topped with vanilla ice cream and rose honey syrup. Phoebe watches him with a disapproving eye.
I stand up, pretending not to notice her. "If you've finished eating, shall we depart now?"
"Yes, Princess!" He grins and jumps to his feet. "What an honour it is to be able to spend the day with you!"
‘I’ve never imagined I'd be able to watch her pick out clothes in a boutique!’
A boutique?
Ah, right.
I turn to face the Viscount. Come to think of it, I haven't corrected myself about where we're going. Until yesterday, I'd assumed that Phoebe was taking me to the boutique. I had even written in my letter to Viscount Artisina asking if he would come with me there. I need to explain the situation.
I whisper, so that only the Viscount can hear me as Phoebe tidies up. "Psst. We're not going to the boutique."
He cocks his head. "Eh? Then where are we going, Princess?"
"To the hunting grounds."
"The hunting grounds?" His complexion instantly paled at my words.
‘To the hunting grounds? That scene of carnage, where poor animals are being slaughtered?’
He stammers, "Uh… why? Weren't you looking for a winter coat for the trip to the north?"
"So you see…." Just as I open my mouth to explain myself… "My lady." I hear heavy footsteps behind us.
I spin around to see Phoebe standing there, comb in hand. At the same time, a voice as fragile as glass appears.
‘What are you two talking about without me? Don't tell me you've abandoned me and are having a secret affair with this d*mned Viscount…!’
She's misunderstanding.
"Let's go." Clutching the comb tightly in her hand, she glances at me and Viscount Artisina. Standing tall and straight, she looks like a warrior preparing for battle.
"...Um, excuse me, lady, but what is it you have in your hand?" The Viscount says after staring at her. He doesn't understand why she's carrying a comb in her hand, rather than a crossbow or some other fierce weapon for the hunting grounds.
But Phoebe walks past as if she hasn't heard the Viscount's comment. "I will escort you to your carriage, my lady."
She steps toward me and holds out her hand. She never escorted me like this before, as my father or Lancer had always escorted me on official occasions. That's why it feels so strange to see her reach out to me.
Why is she doing something she doesn't normally do today?
'I will not have my lady's fine hand deprived by a mere Viscount of Butter!’
Ah, she really doesn't like Viscount Artisina.
I click my tongue inwardly. "I can walk on my own." I blurt out, not wanting to say no to her outright.
And then, brazenly, she put a hand in front of my face. "Please allow me to escort you, in case you trip on a boulder and fall."
"Where would there be a boulder in the mansion?"
"Even if there are no boulders or stones, you might trip on a clump of dust."
"How does that make sense?"
"It makes sense. My younger brother stepped on a clump of dust when he was a kid and fell down and died of a concussion."
As far as I know, Phoebe is an only child…. I'm so moved by her passion for creating an imaginary brother that I can't help but take her hand.
Then she lifts her chin in the air as she turns to face Viscount Artisina with a proud snort. "Don't be too far behind, Viscount."
‘See, this is the difference between you and me!’
She's provoking him. But unfortunately, it has no effect. Viscount Artisina walks to my side, smiling broadly. "Wow, you two are getting along so well, Princess. You're even going hand in hand, so I'll take your other hand!" Speaking such nonsense, he offers me his hand.
"Why should I take your hand?" I ask in disbelief.
Then he unfolds his miraculous logic at once. "Because right now you're holding the hand of your maid, Princess."
"So?"
"It's unequal, and what if one hand weighs more than the other, causing your body to tilt? So I'll help you balance by holding the other!"
With that, he gives me a sly wink.
"...." I wonder if this is the kind of high-powered logic that comes from taking some kind of drug.
I sigh and extend my hand to him. Not that I particularly like him, of course. It's because I know that if I continue to refuse, he'll make a fuss again with that smug face.
Innocent from my thoughts, he rambles away on his own. "A very wise choice indeed, my dear princess. For everything in this world must be balanced…."
"Just this once."
"Alright!” He exclaims and takes my hand.
The instant my hand touches his, Phoebe's face crumples like an academy report card full of failing grades. Though she's not saying anything, her lips twitch as if she's about to spew out some harsh words.
She's not going to punch him, right?
I worry as I watch her expression, which is nothing short of vicious. Calm down, Phoebe. You're dealing with the youngest prince of the country next door.
Unable to read the mood, or perhaps unable to sense her anger, the Viscount hums a tune.
He should be safe as long as I'm here, I think to myself as I approach the carriage, keeping an eye out for them. I apologise, Phoebe, but I have to see the Viscount as soon as possible.
Because…
I think I've found a way to break the curse.
Sitting in the carriage, I pat the soft cushion with one hand.
My heart races.
Maybe.
Just maybe, I can break this damn curse of being forced to listen in on other people's thoughts today.
* * *
"We've arrived."
The carriage stops rattling. The place where I, Phoebe, and Viscount Artisina arrived was in the countryside, a short distance from the capital. This was where the animals came down in winter to forage for food.
Immediately, I spot an ash-coloured hare scurrying away in the distance.
"Ohhh, how nice!" Viscount Artisina exclaims as he steps out of the carriage, taking a deep breath of cold air. For someone who had been dragged to the hunting grounds without knowing a thing, he seemed quite calm.
"Has the Viscount ever been here before?"
"Yes, of course. Hunting in the winter is a profitable pastime for a nobleman such as me." He places his hands on his hips, looking quite dignified. And I know the reason is something else entirely.
‘Actually, there are lots of cute animals here, so I'm just here to look at them!’
"My lady." Phoebe comes up to me. "If you're cold, you're welcome to stay in the carriage. It's certainly cold out here with winter upon us."
"No, I'm fine, I'm quite warm in this coat."
"I'll make you a coat that's many times warmer than the one you're wearing." She tightens her grip on the comb she's been holding the entire carriage ride.
No, it's pretty warm as it is, and if it gets any warmer, I'll overheat….
"I would do anything for my lady!" With that roar, she gallops into the open plains.
Red cardinal birds fly overhead, startled by the sudden intruder. In the distance, rabbits nibbling peacefully at the grass perk up their ears and flees. Even the squirrels abandon their acorns and dig underground as they scurry away.
"Is your handmaiden hunting for you, Princess?" The Viscount asks in a low voice as he watches Phoebe chase after the animals at a furious pace. "What a passionate maid."
He's outwardly praising her, but inwardly, he's crying.
‘How can you do this! What have those little creatures done to deserve it? Order her to stop at once, my dear princess!’
He's on the verge of bursting into a torrent of tears. But he holds back in the presence of Ticef and the others. Impatient, I lead the Viscount away from the others.
"Calm down, Prince." I try to soothe him. We're already far enough away that no one can hear us.
When he notices that, he lets out a cry. "I can't calm down! How can you hunt squirrels? You've seen me turn into a squirrel before, and you think this is okay?"
"If anyone were to hear, they'd think Phoebe's hunting squirrels and skinning them alive, just look at her."
"No, I don't want to see an honourable maid stab a fluffy, cute squirrel to death with a comb!"
"I think you misunderstand the purpose of a comb, Prince."
Clicking my tongue, I grab his wrist and turn him slightly.
By this time, Phoebe had succeeded in capturing a squirrel. The unusually fattened squirrel looks wary of a stranger like her. But she doesn't want it to escape, so she brushes its fur.
Then something remarkable happens. The squirrel stops squirming and becomes quiet and relaxes, as if under a spell. This is the skill of a veteran, having been Princess Kaerun's personal servant for eight years. I, too, sometimes find myself drifting off to sleep when Phoebe brushes my hair.
But the Viscount becomes more alarmed. "She's killed it! How horrible! How cruel! Your maid has killed a plump, cute squirrel with a comb!"
"What do you mean she killed it with a comb?" I let out a shallow sigh. "Watch closely. She's combing the squirrel's fur. She just wants to get the fur."
"The fur…?" He seems to grasp her intentions at once. Blinking, he stares at Phoebe carefully brushing the squirrel's tail. "What is she going to do with the fur?" he asks.
"She said she's going to make me a coat."
"What? Why are you collecting the fur of those little squirrels to make a coat? I could've just given you my fur!"
What?
I stiffen at his bizarre remark.