Tilea's Worries

I took a sip of the warm tea and let out a sigh of contentment. It was delicious. The fragrant aroma of high-quality tea leaves tickled my nose as I enjoyed what could easily be called a royal-quality tea.

Since that first dinner party, Tilea-san had invited me for tea like this on several occasions. It seemed she had taken a liking to me. It was truly an honor to be noticed by someone of her stature—a member of the Eastern Royal Family—while I was just the daughter of a fallen noble family. I intended to make the most of this opportunity to build trust with Timu-chan and the others, even if just a little.

"U-um, Tilea-san, are you really...?"  

"Miless-chan, what is it?"  

"N-no, it's nothing."

I wanted to ask about their birth and family, but I hesitated. My deduction couldn’t be wrong. Talking about their past in the East must be painful for them. But without discussing it, I won’t be able to truly support Timu-chan and the others. I need to muster up the courage.

"Tilea-sa—"  

I tried to voice the words, but...  

No, it’s still too early. I should hold back for now.

I’ve just begun to earn their trust. Asking such deep questions at this stage would only make them uncomfortable. I should start with something less intrusive.

"By the way, that 'judo' Timu-chan uses is amazing, isn't it?"  

"Oh, so it's rare around here?"  

"Yes, all I know is that it’s an ancient martial art from the East. I’ve never actually seen it used before."  

"Hehe, it's all about 'softness overcoming hardness.'"

Tilea-san spoke proudly. It must be the martial art of the Eastern Royal Family. Tilea-san and Timu-chan were surely trained rigorously by the martial arts masters of their homeland.

"It’s incredible. It didn’t even look like she was exerting any effort."  

"That’s right. It’s called ‘aiki.’ If I could, let’s say, leave this planet..."

"Planet?"  

Is she talking about the stars in the night sky? Tilea-san often inserts these seemingly unrelated words into conversations.

"Oh, right. That’s a difficult concept to explain... Let’s say I could leave this earth."  

"Y-yes..."  

"And if I had a long stick, I could move that earth with just one finger. That’s the principle of aiki."

It must be some kind of metaphor.  

I see, so when Timu-chan mentioned splitting the earth before, it was related to this.

Tilea-san sometimes comes up with these wild, dreamlike stories that are hard to respond to.

"I don’t really understand the concept of leaving the earth, but I get how amazing 'judo' is."  

"Hmm, it’s hard to grasp, isn’t it? After all, there’s no concept here of the earth being round. The laws of physics—let alone this—are difficult to explain."

This earth is round? That’s quite the theory. I’ve never heard such an idea before. Maybe it’s a unique theory from the East.

"Um, but isn’t the ground flat? It’s not round, right? Or is it just flat around here?"  

"Ah, of course. That’s how it seems to you."  

"Miless, if my sister says the earth is round, then it must be round."

From Timu-chan’s words, it doesn’t seem like it’s an established theory from the East, but rather Tilea-san’s own idea.

"But I’ve been to the Saihate Plains far to the west, and the horizon there looked flat. Wouldn’t it still seem flat even further west?"  

"Miless, my sister said it’s round. My sister’s words are absolute. The world is wrong, not her. I’ll carve the earth into a sphere myself if I have to."

Okay, Timu-chan, I understand you love your sister. But from the way you said that, you don’t actually believe in her theory, do you?

Look, even Tilea-san is giving a wry smile.

"But if the earth really were round, wouldn’t the people on the bottom fall off?"  

"Miless, use your head. There’s no one on the bottom. It’s just barren land."  

"S-so that’s it..."  

"Actually, there are people on the bottom too. Or rather, from their perspective, the top is the bottom."

The top is the bottom? Tilea-san’s response sounds like a riddle.

"What do you mean?"  

"Well, there’s a force called gravity that pulls everything toward the center. That’s why people can live all around a spherical world."

But wouldn’t that require an unimaginable amount of force?  

A force that pulls people and buildings down to the ground?

If such a powerful force were pulling us down, we’d be stuck to the ground.  

I don’t feel anything like that. If a force strong enough to pull down castles and buildings were acting on us, we wouldn’t be able to move at all.

"Um, if there’s such a strong force at work, wouldn’t we be stuck to the ground?"  

"Miless, don’t talk nonsense. My sister said that weaklings who fall off the earth don’t deserve to live in the first place."

As usual, Timu-chan seems to support Tilea-san’s theory, but doesn’t actually believe it.

I don’t think that’s what Tilea-san meant, though.

"Oh, I get it. It’s hard to believe, right? I know, I’m not a scholar, so I can’t explain it in detail."  

"Don’t worry. Anyone who disagrees with my sister’s words will be killed by me."

Tilea-san finally put her head in her hands after Timu-chan’s outrageous statement.

"*Sigh* Never mind. It’s understandable that you don’t believe me. But what if I told you that the earth is also spinning?"

"You’re saying the earth is moving too?"  

"Yep."  

"No, no, no, if the ground were moving, we’d definitely notice."  

"Miless, how many times must I tell you? If my sister says it’s moving, then it’s moving. I’ll make it move myself if I have to."

Let’s set Timu-chan’s words aside for now...

If the ground were moving, we’d certainly notice. Besides, if you jump straight up, you land back in the same spot. This theory is just too far-fetched.

Wait!? Oh, I get it!

Tilea-san’s been joking this whole time. She spoke so seriously that I ended up taking her seriously too.

"Haha, I see, so it was a joke."  

"No, that’s fine. Sigh, in the end, only Jessica-chan believed me."

"Oh, Tilea-san, you spoke to Jessica?"  

"Yeah, I’ve been inviting her for tea since she hasn’t been feeling well lately. We chatted about it then."  

"I see. Is Jessica doing okay?"  

"Yes, she’s doing better than before."  

"That’s a relief."  

"She went through a lot with what happened to her friend. I hope she can take it easy for a while."

Tilea-san was worried about Jessica too. She’s really kind.

But Jessica believed this outrageous story. Was it because she was feeling down?

"So Jessica believed it?"  

"Yeah, at first she was like you—confused. But after I explained it carefully, she said, ‘If you think about it, it might make sense.’"  

"Really?"  

"Yeah, though she added, ‘It’s just a hunch.’"

"A hunch?"

Jessica’s hunches are usually spot-on.

Could it really be true that this earth is round and moving?

Hmm, it’s still hard to believe. Jessica must still not be back to her usual self.

"Yeah, it’s amazing, isn’t it? To get the right answer based on a hunch. Jessica-chan is like Oda Nobunaga."

Oda Nobunaga? Who is that?

I don’t know. Is he an Eastern hero?

This confirms that Tilea-san and the others aren’t from around here.

And it seems that, in Tilea-san’s mind, it’s a given that the earth is round and moving.

After that, I had a pleasant chat with Tilea-san about various topics.

Timu-chan was as usual. Tilea-san is a bit eccentric, but she’s a really nice person. Attending the tea party after the dinner party was a great opportunity to get to know Tilea-san better. Although I still have many questions, I’m glad to have learned a bit more about Timu-chan’s family.

Now I really want to do something about the Elizabeth situation.

If Tilea-san had been like a queen even more commanding than Timu-chan, I wouldn’t have said anything. Warning Timu-chan about Elizabeth would have just made her laugh and tell me to go have fun. No matter how much I’ve warned Timu-chan, she just says, “It’s more fun when Elizabeth is spirited,” and dismisses it. Worse, she provokes Elizabeth even more. My stomach’s been in knots because of it.

Timu-chan does have extraordinary power.

But she can’t afford to let her guard down!

Elizabeth isn’t the kind of person who takes defeat lightly. She’ll definitely seek revenge on Timu-chan. We can’t let someone as cruel and cunning

 as Elizabeth run wild.

That’s why I want Timu-chan’s family to warn her to be careful. I want to stop Timu-chan from going too far. Since her parents aren’t around, I’ll talk to Tilea-san about Elizabeth.

Tilea-san is also a martial arts master. I'll ask her to help with the Elizabeth situation. Timu-chan is currently in the kitchen cleaning up after tea, so this is the perfect time to talk.

"Tilea-san."  

"What is it, Miless-chan? I'm just wrapping up some goodies for you, so hang on a moment."  

"Oh, thank you."

Tilea-san was carefully placing an apple pie into a bag. She even baked an apple pie just for me. I’m being completely spoiled. Though I’m a woman, I’d be more than happy to have someone like Tilea-san as my wife.

Tilea-san smiled as she neatly wrapped the pie. Watching her closely like this, I realized that Tilea-san is truly an ordinary person. She might say some outlandish things sometimes, but she’s fundamentally a sensible, ordinary woman. Her demeanor and the gentle atmosphere she creates are incredibly charming.

But one question popped into my head.

Is Tilea-san really that strong? She doesn’t seem like the martial arts master that Timu-chan claims she is.

"Um, this is just between us, but you’re stronger than Camilla-sama, right? You’re a martial arts master, aren’t you? You can handle five people at once, right?"

"What’s this now?"

Tilea-san gave me a puzzled look. I explained what Timu-chan had told me.

According to Timu-chan, Tilea-san could easily defeat the entire world if she had to. Even if tens of thousands or millions of people attacked at once, it would still just be five against one. Since attackers can only come at you from the front, back, left, right, and above, it’s always five against one. Occasionally, there might be an extra attacker from below, making it six against one, but that’s rare.

It’s a mind-blowing tale, and while I knew it was exaggerated, I understood that she must be incredibly skilled.

"Oh, you took Timu’s story seriously, didn’t you? I do tend to get carried away and say silly things, but it’s all just a joke, you know?"

"A joke?"

"Of course. Five against one? That’s impossible. Miless-chan, I’m not some superhuman or hero."

"That’s true. I thought the five against one part was a joke. But you did teach Camilla-sama ancient martial arts, right? You must be a master for that to make sense."

Just being Timu-chan’s teacher would be a significant status in itself. It would make her stronger than most ordinary martial arts instructors. Tilea-san, you must have learned ancient martial arts together with Timu-chan under an Eastern martial arts master, right?

"Well, I did teach her the basics of judo... but my skills are only slightly above amateur level. If I were up against a grown man, I’m not sure I could win. Maybe if I caught him off guard."

"Really? But Camilla-sama was taking down opponents left and right."

"That’s because Timu is a genius, unlike me. She can use body-enhancing magic and easily defeat the average troublemaker."

W-wait, this is not what I expected to hear.

From what she’s saying, it sounds like Tilea-san only knows the theory behind ancient martial arts. But she doesn’t actually have the skill to back it up. Timu-chan must have learned the theory from Tilea-san and then developed it into her physical prowess.

Tilea-san might be a child from a lesser branch of her family. Maybe she never had the chance to fully train under a martial arts master. That would explain why she only knows the theory and passed that knowledge on to Timu-chan.

This would make sense, but it’s quite different from what Timu-chan told me.

"Camilla-sama said she’s nothing compared to you, Tilea-san."

"That’s just Timu being kind."

"Kind?"

"Yes, Timu knows she’s far surpassed me in strength. But out of respect, she still says things like that to elevate her sister."

...Is that so?

Would Timu-chan really go out of her way to protect her sister’s status?

Timu-chan certainly adores her sister. It wouldn’t be surprising if she exaggerated her sister’s abilities. Still, based on Timu-chan’s behavior, it doesn’t quite feel like that’s the case.

But I can understand if Tilea-san is just an ordinary person. She might have some knowledge of ancient martial arts, but it’s hard to imagine her being able to take down notorious criminals.

There are still some doubts.

But one thing seems clear: Tilea-san is just an ordinary person. I don’t want to scare her by bringing up Elizabeth’s threat.

Wait! I’ve just had a revelation.

Nielsen-san!  

A refined, calm, and strong adult. He would be the perfect person to talk to. In fact, he’s the only one I can talk to about this.

"Tilea-san, excuse me. May I use the restroom?"

With that, I quickly dashed out of the shop to look for Nielsen-san.

I need to find him.  

Timu-chan trusts him completely, so he’ll be the perfect person to consult.

Where is Nielsen-san?  

He was serving us throughout the tea, so he should be nearby.

I searched around the shop for a while but couldn’t find him.

That’s odd.  

Where could Nielsen-san be?  

Maybe there’s an employee break room somewhere.

But where would that be?  

The shop is surrounded by natural flowers, but I don’t see any buildings nearby.

This place is kind of isolated.  

The nearest neighbor is across the street and quite a distance away.

Now that I think about it, I’ve been wondering how they managed to bring in so many supplies for the dinner party. The shop isn’t that large. I thought there might be a large warehouse or something.

...I see.  

There might be a basement. It’s common for nobles to have basements for things like wine cellars. A basement could store supplies and possibly serve as an employee break room.

Maybe Nielsen-san is down there.  

If so, the basement might be at the back of the shop.

As I moved toward the back of the shop,

"Don’t get cocky."

Huh!?  

I heard a voice filled with resentment, as if it was crawling up from the depths of the earth. It was a voice full of hatred, envy, and jealousy.

Who is it?  

I looked around.

Wha!? That scared me.  

There was a man glaring at me from behind a tree. He looked like an ordinary man in his late twenties.

Wasn’t that Or-san?  

He’s the one who suddenly barged into the shop during tea, yelling, "Progress report!" He seemed noisy, and Tilea-san and Timu-chan had scolded him for interrupting the tea party.

I remember his dejected figure as he left after being thoroughly reprimanded.

"Can I help you?"  

"I said, don’t get cocky."  

"I’m not getting cocky."  

"You’re all just so good at playing the game."

What!? Not this again?  

I was annoyed when Edim said something similar.

I’m not that good at playing the game.

"Weren’t you Or-san?"  

"Don’t shorten my name. I am Ortissio."  

"Sorry. So, Ortissio-san, what do you want with me?"  

"Hmph, you may be getting favored by Tilea-sama and Camilla-sama, but don’t get the wrong idea. You’re just a plaything. Nothing more than a toy."

He’s incredibly jealous. His words were dripping with envy. I’ve never had someone so blatantly express their jealousy before.

I need to find Nielsen-san, but...  

Oh no, I’ve attracted the attention of a troublesome person. It’s best not to engage with someone like this.

I avoided eye contact and tried to quickly pass by.

"Is that so? Well, I’m in a hurry, so if you’ll excuse me."  

"Where do you think you’re going?"  

"That’s none of your business."  

"It is my business. This area is off-limits."  

Ortissio-san stood firm, blocking my way.

"Why is it off-limits?"  

"I’m not telling you."  

"Then could you please call Nielsen-san for me?"  

"Refuse. Why should I follow your orders? Know your place! What business do you have with Captain Nielsen anyway?"  

"That’s none of your concern."  

"It is my concern. I am a loyal servant of Camilla-sama. If you pose a threat, I must deal with you."

"Huh? What are you talking about? Of course, I’m not a threat. If you’re not going to call him, then please move aside."  

"I said I won’t move."  

"And who do you think you are? Stop getting in my way."  

"Silence, you plaything. Don’t act out of line."

...Is this guy picking a fight with me?  

His behavior is childish. This man is nothing like Nielsen-san. He must be a temporary hire or something.

He’s unbelievably foolish.  

Come to think of it, even Timu-chan seemed annoyed with him, glaring at him with a look that said she wouldn’t have hired him if they weren’t in hiding.

There’s a vast difference in how they treat Nielsen-san, who Timu-chan praised so highly.

Yeah, this guy is just a lowly servant.

"...What’s your problem? Take back those insults."

"Why should I? It’s the truth."  

"Ugh, fine. I’m done with this. Move out of my way."  

"I told you, I won’t move!"  

"Then I’ll force my way through."  

"Oh, force? Is that what you’re resorting to?"

"Yes, I have some experience in combat. If you don’t want to get hurt, I suggest you move."

I won’t use magic on a mere amateur. I’ve had some training in martial arts, so I’ll just intimidate him a bit and make him back down.