Saijo no Osewa ~ Takane no Hana [LN] - V2 Chp 2 part 6

[You’ve returned]

 

When I arrived at the Konohana family mansion, I was greeted by Shizune-san.

 

[I just got back. …Sorry I had to suddenly stay out yesterday]

 

[That’s no longer a problem. It’s not about the past, it’s about the present]

 

The present?

 

She said this as if we were currently facing a problem…

 

[Please put the Ojou-sama in a good mood immediately. Ojou-sama is losing her temper]

 

[…Eh? Temper?]

 

I tilted my head at Shizune-san, who looked very troubled.

 

I thought she might be in a bad mood, but I didn’t expect her to lose her temper. However, it is hard to imagine Hinako in a temper tantrum. I don’t think Hinako would throw a tantrum, though…….(EN: my life is a lie, I always call it a tamper tantrum in my head) (TN: You can’t be serious)

 

I headed to Hinako’s room and took a deep breath in front of the door.

 

Then I knocked on the door.

 

[Hinako, can I come in?]

 

[…Nn]

 

From the other side of the door, I heard a grumpy voice.

 

She sounded like she was in a bad mood. Fearfully, I opened the door.

 

Hinako was on the bed, lying down and wrapped in a blanket.

 

When I entered the room, she moved her body.

 

[…Welcome back, Itsuki]

 

[Y-yeah. I’m back―]

 

[Itsuki the liar]

 

Hinako said as if to interrupt my words.

 

Seeing Hinako angry for the first time, I stiffened and stood in place with my mouth open.

 

[You said it was a day trip though…]

 

[No, that… It was an emergency…]

 

[…Return at morning]

 

Hinako stared at me.

 

[…You returned at morning]

 

[Well, you know, if I return by morning, it’s a morning trip home….]

 

Please don’t say it that way, because it might be misunderstood in a strange way.

 

Should I explain it again to show how sincere I am?

 

[Uhhh, now then. At first, it really was going to be a day trip. But the weather broke last night…. Hinako knew there was thunder last night, right? That’s  why I stayed at Tennouji-san’s house, it was unavoidable…]

 

As I explained, dripping in cold sweat, Hinako continued to stare at me in silence.

 

It’s always hard to read her expressions.

 

[D-did you get it…?]

 

[…Nnn]

 

Hinako gave me a small nod.

 

[Thanks for making long excuses] 

 

No good.

 

She really did lose her temper.

 

[…Come]

 

[Eh?]

 

[…Come here]

 

With a grim look on her face, Hinako patted the bed. She wanted me to sit next to her.

 

As I approached the bed, Hinako suddenly buried her face in my chest.

 

[O-Oi? Hinako?]

 

[…Smell]

 

Hinako murmured.

 

[It’s not Itsuki’s smell. …I’m restless]

 

What do you mean by my smell…

 

Come to think of it, when I first met Hinako, I think she told me that I smelled good. Could it be that Hinako has a keen sense of smell?

 

[Did you have dinner with Tennouji-san…?]

 

[…Well, I did]

 

[Did you take a bath at Tennouji-san’s house…?]

 

[…I did, but..]

 

The food and bath are natural since I stayed the night there.

 

[Did you take a bath with Tennouji-san…?]

 

[No, that obviously didn’t happ―]

 

The moment I was about to deny it instantly.

 

In my mind, the image of Tennouji-san wearing only a towel passed through my mind.

 

[―a] (TN: Gura dat u?)

 

My voice cut off.

 

[…e?]

 

[Ah, no, that…]

 

[What did you just say…?]

 

I don’t think I can escape anymore.

 

I honestly spoke about the whole bathroom incident.

 

[Muuu! Muuuuu!!!]

 

Sure enough, Hinako’s face turned red and she got angry.

 

[You told me that you wouldn’t…!]

 

[Accident! It was an accident! It’s not like we went in together, it’s more like we happened to be in the same place!]

 

I thought I explained properly, but she was clearly not convinced.

 

[You ate with Tennouji-san, you took a bath with Tennouji-san…. You did the same thing with me..! Itsuki is…. Tennouji-san’s caretaker!?]

 

[No, I’m not! I’m Hinako’s caretaker!]

 

For the most part, there’s no way I would do the same thing to Tennouji-san that I did to Hinako.

 

We ate together, but I didn’t feed her. We took a bath together (somewhat), but I didn’t wash her hair like Hinako.

 

[If so..!]

 

Hinako grabbed my sleeve and pulled me closer.

 

[If so… Itsuki should be by my side more than anyone else…]

 

I was a little surprised by Hinako’s instant mood swing.

 

Maybe I made her uneasy. Did she think I would leave her to work for Tennouji-san? ―There’s no way that’d happen.

 

[It’s okay. Even I know that much]

 

[Muuu… I’m telling you because you don’t]

 

[No, I do though]

 

Immediately after I made it clear, the door opened.

 

[Excuse me. Ojou-sama, lunch is ready]

 

[…Nn]

 

Shizune-san announced while bowing.

 

Even Hinako, who was in a bad mood, couldn’t overcome her hunger, and she got off the bed.

 

As soon as Hinako arrived at the dining room, a servant pulled out a chair. Hinako sat down in the chair with familiarity and placed her napkin on her lap. 

 

As I watched the scene―I pulled up a seat in front of Hinako.

 

[May I sit in front of you?]

 

[…Itsuki?]

 

Hinako opened her eyes when she saw me following her to the dining room.

 

Until now, Hinako had been eating alone. That’s why she was surprised to see me around even though it was lunch time.

 

[Itsuki-san will be dining with us today]

 

Shizune-san’s words made Hinako even more surprised.

 

Shizune-san looks at me. It looks like I’ll be the one explaining from here.

　

 

[I’m not allowed to eat with Hinako until I master table manners. That’s what we agreed on. …That’s why I learned table manners from Tennouji-san. That, in turn, has made results, so we can eat together today]

 

When I explained the situation, Shizune-san nodded and added.

 

[Lastly, I would like to check Itsuki-san’s manners with my own eyes. …The lunch menu today is more like a dinner menu. If it’s alright with you, he may eat lunch and dinner with Ojou-sama from now on]

 

In other words, it’s a final test.

 

From the looks of it, today’s lunch is Italian. The multiple items on the menu are more like a dinner menu. But, it’s not as complicated as a course meal.

 

Even though Hinako is the daughter of the Konohana Group, she doesn’t eat a full course every day. Even so, there’s at least some manners that should be observed.

 

Shizune-san stared at me intently.

 

I know. ―I’m not going to let up.

 

I sat in a chair from the left side of the room. There was a napkin on the table.

 

I folded the napkin in two, then laid it on my lap with the folded side facing me. When wiping the mouth, it’s good manners to use the inside. It should be noted that using a handkerchief or tissue would be a breach of etiquette. If napkins are provided and a personal handkerchief is used, it would be an indication that [I don’t want to use this napkin]. (TN: I’ll be completely honest all this table manners are killing me)

 

Cutlery is used from the outside. There are two knives and two spoons on the right and three forks on the left. The order of the meal is appetizers, soup, fish, and meat. The absence of forks on the right indicates that pasta is not included on today’s menu.

 

Use knives and forks with a soft grip and be careful not to make noise.

 

After eating the carpaccio appetizer, I quietly drank the soup. Soup is supposed to be sipped with a spoon. You shouldn’t put your mouth to the cup, but when the amount is getting low, there’s no problem tilting the cup gently and scoop it with a soup. (TN: Carpaccio is a dish of meat or fish, thinly sliced or pounded thin, and served raw, typically as an appetizer.) 

 

After taking a bit of grilled sea bream, which was in season, Shizune-san gave a small nod and turned away from me.

 

I guess… that would mean a pass.

 

I let out a small exhale of relief and saw Hinako sitting in front of me looking surprised.

 

[Itsuki… is awesome and improving…]

 

[Well, I tried my best]

 

Looking back, maybe what I lacked was confidence.

 

Masatsugu-san said he had dinner with me and felt no discomfort.

 

In other words, at that point I had the bare minimum of necessary knowledge.

 

I still felt insecure and freaked out the whole time because I had no confidence in myself.

 

The last thing I needed to grasp to learn manners―was confidence.

 

[If it’s okay with Hinako, I’d like to have dinner with you as much as possible in the future, is that okay?]

 

I feel a little embarrassed to say that now, and it makes me feel weird.

 

If she rejected me for this, it would surely leave a big mark in my life. …But it seemed like my concerns were unfounded.

 

[…Nn!]

 

Hinako put on a big smile.

 

She seemed to be in a good mood.

 

[Then… from here on, Itsuki will also be having breakfast…]

 

[Nn?]

 

When I tilted my head at her words, Hinako instantly slacked.

 

[Fuuー…]

 

Resting her chin on the table, Hinako let out a disheveled sigh.

 

[Uhh, Shizune-san. I thought we’re supposed to eat with good manners…?]

 

[There’s no such rule. However, since Keigon-sama sometimes appears at dinner, if Itsuki-san’s manners aren’t good enough at that time, you will leave a bad impression]

 

So that’s the real reason…

 

Apparently, the reason Shizune-san wanted me to learn table manners was so that I didn’t make a bad impression on Keigon-san.

 

Shizune-san was taking care not to put me in a bad position.

 

[Itsuki… over here]

 

Hinako tapped the chair next to her and urged me to sit there.

 

As I sat down in the seat next to her, as I was told to, Hinako smiled softly.

 

[Let’s eat together…?]

 

She looked younger than usual, with a relaxed expression. It was proof that Hinako was her natural self.

 

I responded with a short [Yeah] and then had lunch with Hinako once again.

 

It’s thanks to Tennouji-san I was able to see this smile.

 

I’ll be sure to thank her on Monday.

 

---

That marks the end of chp 2. Moving on we are

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TL: Ezu
ED: Animu
PR: Mateo