Tilea's Worries

 "W-Why…?"  

I muttered without thinking.

Why is Tilea-san attending Elizabeth's party?  

Elizabeth is Timu-chan's enemy.  

Could it be that Tilea-san was somehow seduced by Elizabeth?  

I don’t want to see sisters fighting... but no, that can’t be it.  

The gentle face of Tilea-san, who always cares for Timu-chan, comes to mind.  

There’s no way that someone like Tilea-san, who dotes on Timu-chan, would ever betray her.  

I instantly dismiss the possibility.

Then, was she perhaps threatened by Elizabeth into attending?  

I need to find out the truth as soon as possible.

"Tilea-san!"

"Fwahni?"  

Tilea-san replied with her mouth stuffed full of food.  

She looked completely carefree, chewing happily and savoring the dish in front of her.  

After finishing, she swung her fork around, looking for her next target on the table. Her table manners were a bit rough, but she neatly divided up the dishes onto small plates.  

She was clearly having a great time, thoroughly enjoying the party.

Hmm, she hasn't been seduced or threatened.  

Then why?

...The question remains.

"Tilea-san, why are you here?"

"Because I was invited."

"Do you know Elizabeth?"

"Well, I guess you could say I do. She came to our place before and made some strange complaints. Apparently, she had a fight with Timu."

A fight...  

That wasn’t just any ordinary quarrel.  

The conflict between Elizabeth and Timu-chan was a matter of life and death.  

Tilea-san, as usual, is completely out of touch.

"Tilea-san, you understand what kind of person Elizabeth is, right?"

"Yeah, she’s arrogant and rude. She kept bad-mouthing Timu the entire time. Honestly, it really ticked me off."

"If you know that, then why are you attending a party thrown by someone like Elizabeth?!"  

I couldn’t help but challenge Tilea-san’s contradictory response.

"Well, you see, I got a letter from Elizabeth. She said she wanted to make up with Timu. She apologized for what happened back then and for causing trouble for my shop. She said she wanted to apologize to me first as Timu's older sister and invited me to the party. If she’s reflecting on her actions that much, I thought I should act like an adult and forgive her."

Elizabeth is not the type to show remorse like that.  

Tilea-san is being deceived.

"You really believed that, Tilea-san?"

"Yup."

"‘Yup’? That’s way too careless!"  

I unintentionally raised my voice.  

As expected, the princess of the Empire lives in her own world. Even small children these days are more cautious than Tilea-san.

"Oh, Miresu-chan, don’t misunderstand me. I am being cautious, you know. I covered her in salt, after all, so there’s a chance she’ll retaliate. That’s why I brought the strongest bodyguard with me."

Covered in salt?  

Was Elizabeth shouting insults at her, and in response, Tilea-san threw seasoning at her?  

No, that wouldn’t be enough to cover her in salt. You’d need to throw dozens of containers of seasoning to manage that.  

There’s no way Elizabeth would have stood there quietly while it happened.  

I really don’t understand what went on between Tilea-san and Elizabeth.

And who is this "strongest bodyguard"?  

Gil-san and Ortissio are stationed near Elizabeth’s mansion.  

Maybe it's Nielsen-san, the butler?  

If Nielsen-san is here, I can feel a little more at ease. But… he’s nowhere to be found.  

I glance around.

There are lots of party guests milling about.  

But no one seems to be near Tilea-san.

"Tilea-san, you said you brought a bodyguard, but you’re alone, right?"

"Yup, they’re not here at the moment, but they’re somewhere in the venue."

No, no, no, that defeats the whole purpose of having a bodyguard. This is exactly why you’re too careless.  

Despite my concerns, Tilea-san is still scanning the dishes, fork in hand, muttering to herself about ingredients and preparation methods—her chef instincts kicking in, perhaps.  

Tilea-san runs a restaurant.  

I understand her dedication to her craft, but now isn’t the time to be analyzing food so seriously. 

"Tilea-san, let me be clear. You need to pay more attention to your safety."

"Miresu-chan, don’t worry so much. You’ll get wrinkles on your forehead if you keep frowning like that. For now, let’s eat while we talk."  

Tilea-san smiled brightly and handed me a plate.

"I’m sorry, but I’m not really in the mood to eat today."

"Oh, Miresu-chan, are you feeling unwell?"

"N-No, that’s not it, but..."

"Then you should eat. Food is the best way to regain energy. Come on, don’t hold back."  

Tilea-san tapped a small plate laden with a fork and spoon against my chest, encouraging me to take it.

...Well, I guess wandering around without eating anything would only make me stand out.  

I accepted the plate from Tilea-san and helped myself to some spaghetti nearby.  

A modest portion sat in the center of the plate, the aroma of olive oil tickling my nose.  

I twirled a small bite of the spaghetti around my fork, lifting it to my mouth. The taste was delicious.  

Unconsciously, I found myself taking a second, then a third bite. The food filled my hungry stomach.

"Ah, I think we need more plates. Excuse me~!"  

Tilea-san, noticing me eating, called over a server.

"Ah, Tilea-san, please don’t trouble yourself. This spaghetti is more than enough for me."

"Miresu-chan, you’re still growing. You can’t just survive on carbs."

Ta-Tansuikabutsu? (Carbs?)  

As always, Tilea-san’s 【netto】 terms are beyond me. But I can tell she’s genuinely concerned about my health.  

She really is such a kind person.  

What should I do?  

As much as I appreciate Tilea-san’s kindness, I have a mission. I can’t sit down and eat properly right now.  

Ugh, it doesn’t seem like Tilea-san is going to let this go…

And then…  

Before long, the maid Tilea-san had called finally arrived.

"Ah!"  

Both the maid and I gasped simultaneously.  

Oh no, this is bad.  

This maid is one of Elizabeth’s servants. She knows my face.  

The maid seemed to recognize me too, immediately scowling in disgust. She’s clearly wondering what Elizabeth’s enemy is doing here.

"Excuse me, I’d like some more plates."  

Unfazed by the tension, Tilea-san casually repeated her request.

"Hmph."  

The maid must’ve pegged Tilea-san as being with me. She ignored her and turned on her heel.

"Uh… hello? Maid-san, did you hear me?"  

Tilea-san, looking a bit confused, tried calling out again.

The maid continued to ignore her, briskly walking away.

"Hey, hey, I said we need more plates! Plates, you know? You get it? One more dish, please!"  

But Tilea-san wouldn’t give up. She persistently followed the maid, repeating her request.

Eventually...

"Ugh, enough already! You keep going on about plates, plates—just use the one you’ve got!"  

The maid finally snapped, pointing to the small plate I was holding and shouting in frustration.

"Eh, wha—! How rude! Miresu-chan only has one plate. That’s not enough!"

"One is plenty!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? You want me to use the same plate for both the Gomala sauce and the Chijiri sauce?! That’s ridiculous!"  

Tilea-san, slightly agitated, shot back at the maid, explaining how the flavors of the two sauces would clash and ruin the taste of the dishes.  

The maid, equally stubborn, refused to give in to Tilea-san’s demands.

Today isn’t about the food.  

It doesn’t matter if the sauces mix or if they’re served separately.  

But please, Tilea-san, I beg you, stop making a scene!

Hmm? I hear whispering voices.  

Uh-oh.  

People are starting to pay attention to the commotion.

I need to stop Tilea-san before this gets worse.

I grabbed Tilea-san’s shoulder and spoke up.

"Te-Tilea-san, it’s fine. We don’t need any extra plates."

"But Miresu-chan…"

"It’s really fine. The sauces taste better when they’re mixed!"

"No way, that’s impossible."  

Tilea-san waved her hand, firmly rejecting the idea.  

I agree, but that’s not the point right now.  

I need to end this conversation quickly.

"It’s true! I actually prefer it that way. I’m terrible at

 telling flavors apart, so trust me, it’s tastier when they’re mixed!"

"I-I see. Well, if Miresu-chan insists..."

With my desperate plea, Tilea-san finally backed down.  

Phew, I need to avoid drawing any more attention.

I took Tilea-san by the arm and led her to the edge of the hall once again.  

After causing such a fuss, it’s clear that Tilea-san has no idea she’s in enemy territory.  

I need to warn her about the danger Elizabeth poses and urge her to find Nielsen-san and leave as soon as possible.

I glanced over at Tilea-san.  

She had already resumed eating, her fork darting back and forth over the food, contemplating her next bite.

Te-Tilea-san...  

She’s so relaxed. Way too relaxed.  

At this rate, she could get stabbed from behind, and she wouldn’t even notice.  

If there was an assassin here, she’d be taken out in one strike.

Tilea-san seems to think nothing bad could possibly happen in a crowded place like this.  

But this is Elizabeth’s mansion. Anything could happen.

At this rate, Tilea-san will end up as Elizabeth’s prey.  

This is bad. Really bad.

"Tilea-san, please listen. This is really dangerous."

"Dangerous!"  

Yes, exactly, it's—

Wait, what?

"Tilea-san?"  

Tilea-san, who had been so carefree just moments ago, suddenly frowned and raised her voice.

Has she finally realized the seriousness of the situation?

"No, no! This braised pork is a disaster. It’s inedible!"  

Tilea-san was glaring at the braised orc meat, looking thoroughly dissatisfied.

"Wait, are you talking about the food?"

"Of course. What else would I be talking about?"

There are plenty of other things to worry about!  

Tilea-san pouted in frustration, clearly unhappy with the pork.  

After all that eating, she had finally stopped, upset by the poor quality of the dish.

Is it really that bad?  

I sniffed the air.  

It smelled delicious.  

I took a piece of the orc meat from the serving plate and tried a bite.

It’s… delicious.  

It practically melts on the tongue.  

This is high-quality orc meat.  

It might not be as good as the food Tilea-san treated me to once before, but this is still pretty tasty.

"Tilea-san, this is actually quite good."

"No, no. The ingredients are wasted on this. The meat is undercooked, and the odor hasn’t been removed. It needs at least ten more hours of simmering. Also, the skin is the best part, and they’ve removed it! What a waste, what a waste!"  

Tilea-san kept lamenting over and over about the wasted ingredients.

I get that she’s passionate about food. But, as I’ve said, we’re in enemy territory.  

I really need her to meet up with Nielsen-san and leave.

"Tilea-san, I understand how you feel, but please calm down."

"Miresu-chan, I know you’re trying to be reasonable, but... what?!"  

Tilea-san raised her voice again.  

You’re drawing attention, Tilea-san!

"Now what’s the problem?"

"Th-That chicken..."  

Tilea-san was staring at the chicken in shock.

What’s going on?  

It looks like an ordinary chicken dish, right?  

On the large plate, the crispy roasted bird is glazed with a sauce.

"What’s wrong with this chicken dish?"

"It’s bad. Really bad. What were they thinking?"

"Uh, it looks pretty good to me. Is it another case of bad cooking?"

"No. Well, yes, the cooking process is a bit sloppy, but the real issue is the ingredient."

"The ingredient? Is there something wrong with this bird?"

"Oh, there's something very wrong. That bird is a *Ryoukou-bato*—a protected species. You’re not supposed to catch them this time of year. Overhunting during breeding season will drive them to extinction."

A protected bird... I think I’ve heard of that before.

"Isn’t that covered by the Washington Convention?"

"Exactly. As expected from clever Miresu-chan, you know your stuff."

Tilea-san went on to explain about the Washington Convention.  

The law aims to prevent the extinction of endangered species by regulating their hunting to ensure the survival of the species.  

While my knowledge is just surface level, Tilea-san had an impressive depth of understanding when it came to the details. There were no contradictions or confusing 【netto】 terms.  

Her profound love and knowledge of food was truly evident.

When it comes to culinary matters, Tilea-san actually knows what she’s talking about.  

According to her, the *Ryoukou-bato* is one of the most endangered species among protected birds, with strict regulations on when and how many can be hunted.

I see. This is exactly what you’d expect from Elizabeth’s party. She probably served such a rare dish to boost her own status, flaunting that even the law couldn’t bind her.

"Yeah, I can’t let this slide. As a chef, this is intolerable. The earlier stuff was bad, but this is even worse."

"W-Wait a minute!"

"I get it, Miresu-chan. You’re worried about hurting the chef’s pride, right? But this is absolutely not okay."

No, that’s not what I meant. She really jumps to conclusions.

"Tilea-san, you should really head back now."

"No, I can’t leave yet. I’m going to give the chef a piece of my mind."

"W-Wait! It’s dangerous!"

"Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ll calmly point it out. I won’t start a fight or anything. I can handle this like an adult."

With that, Tilea-san trotted off toward the kitchen.  

Ahh, there she goes...

Huh? People around us are whispering again.  

Tilea-san has been drawing way too much attention.  

When she entered the kitchen, she even shouted something like "Tano-mou!"—as if she were challenging a dojo.  

There’s no avoiding trouble now.

By being with Tilea-san, I’ve probably drawn more attention to myself too.  

I haven’t even faced Elizabeth yet. I can’t afford to blow my cover as a spy here.  

Yeah, I really shouldn’t have gotten too friendly with Tilea-san.  

I’m supposed to be infiltrating Elizabeth’s faction. I need to maintain that façade.

I’ve let myself act far too naturally because of Tilea-san.  

I need to reflect on this.  

Time to get back to the original plan.  

I’m sorry, Tilea-san. I want to help you, but I’ll leave that to Nielsen-san, your bodyguard.  

I need to focus on my mission: making contact with Elizabeth.

I shift my gaze to the stage at the center of the hall.  

Elizabeth is still surrounded by party guests.  

As the main attraction, it’s not easy to approach her. I’ll wait for Ronde to introduce me.  

I begin wandering the party again, scanning the guests’ faces.

And then…  

Why is *Edim* here?  

Once again, I spot someone who shouldn’t be at the party.  

My eyes lock onto my dear friend Edim’s figure.  

She notices me too and approaches swiftly without saying a word.

"Edim, what are you doing here?"

"That’s my line. Miresu, why are *you* here?"

"Answer my question first. Why is Edim here?"

"I came as an escort for Tilea-sama."

"Ah, so you’re Tilea-sama’s bodyguard."

"Bodyguard? Haah?"

"Isn’t that right?"

"...Ah, right. Tilea-sama is the fragile princess from the east, after all."

"Shh! Edim, you need to be more discreet! You can’t talk about such important secrets in a place like this!"  

I put a finger to my lips, urging Edim to hush.

Edim lacks the awareness of a proper bodyguard.  

Talking about the royal family’s secret history in front of a crowd—who knows who might overhear!  

We had previously discussed the Eastern Kingdom’s royal family, and while Edim didn’t confirm nor deny my guesses, her silence was as good as confirmation.  

She may serve the Eastern Kingdom now, but she still lacks proper caution.

When I brought this up before, she had rolled her eyes and said something like, "Stop overthinking and focus on your duties as a doll."  

It’s frustrating. Edim and Ortissio are the same—they keep calling me a “doll.” What’s that even supposed to mean? It’s annoying.

But I’ll let that slide for now.  

The main issue here is that Edim, as Tilea-san’s bodyguard, has left her side.  

Edim, this is a huge blunder.  

Just because there’s a crowd doesn’t mean nothing can happen. History has shown many instances where assassinations were carried out in front of large audiences.  

I always thought Edim was more careful than this.

Wait a second…  

Could there be another bodyguard besides Edim? Is that why she felt comfortable leaving Tilea-san’s side?

"Is there anyone else accompanying Tilea-sama?"

"No, just me."

Guh, so much for that theory.  

Edim’s behavior is making even less sense now.

"Why did you leave Tilea-sama?"

"W-Well, it’s not like I wanted to, but Tilea-sama ordered me to go greet some familiar faces."

"Edim, following your master’s orders is important, but not in this case. As a bodyguard, you should prioritize her safety, even if it means disobeying her. Tilea-sama is in danger right now!"

"H-Hey now, quit talking like you know everything. If there was real danger, I wouldn’t leave her side!"

"What do you mean it’s not dangerous? You know how much of a threat Elizabeth is, don’t you?"

"A threat? Ha!"  

Edim laughed mockingly, as if I were being naive.

That ticked me off.  

She’s treating me like an ignorant little girl, ridiculing me.  

Edim has changed a bit. I think her time serving the Eastern Kingdom has made her arrogant.  

She seems to think she’s a fully-fledged bodyguard now, convinced there’s no need to worry about someone like Elizabeth. She’s overconfident, believing she can protect her master perfectly, even from a distance.  

That makes sense, though.  

With the high-level security at the Arcdas palace, plus elite soldiers like Nielsen-san and Gil-san, the Eastern Kingdom is top-tier. Working for such a country could easily inflate one’s ego.

Edim is letting her guard down.  

That’s right. If Nielsen-san were the one guarding Tilea-san, he would never leave her side, not even for a moment.  

Edim isn’t up to the task.  

If it were Nielsen-san, I’d feel much safer leaving Tilea-san in his care—he’s a professional soldier. Even though Edim is an honor student at the magic academy, she’s still just a student. She’s about as skilled as I am.  

She’s not reliable enough to get us out of this dangerous situation.

"Edim, please take Tilea-sama and leave immediately."

"...Don’t order me around. Now, it’s my turn to ask questions. Miresu, why are *you* here?"

"Well, that’s—"

What should I do?  

Should I tell Edim about my mission?  

Even though Edim has become more arrogant, I don’t think she would betray Timu-chan or Tilea-san. If she cooperated with me, my spy work would become much easier.  

But no, I need her to get Tilea-san out of here as quickly as possible. I can’t burden her with anything more right now.

As I hesitated to respond, someone interrupted.

"Ah, there you are. Come now, let’s go greet Elizabeth-sama."  

It was Ronde, likely done with her greetings to the influential nobles.

"R-Ronde-sama, please wait a moment."

"Miresu, who are you talking to—oh, I recognize you. You’re a second-year in the middle school division, aren’t you? Well, I see you’re eager to greet Elizabeth-sama too. Fine, I’ll introduce you. But you’ll owe me, of course."

"

Uh, Ronde-sama, we’re supposed to go greet Elizabeth-sama, right? Let’s head over now."

"Oh, hold on a moment. Having more allies is always a good thing. You there, you should follow Miresu’s example and offer me a gift."

We’ve got a problem.  

Ronde is now demanding a bribe from Edim.  

Asking for money so blatantly from a lowerclassman she’s just met…  

Ronde must really be desperate due to her debts.

"Miresu, what’s going on?"  

Edim narrowed her eyes suspiciously.  

She might think I’m a traitor now.

"No, that’s not—"  

If I try to explain, all my efforts so far will be wasted. I quickly clammed up.  

Gil-san had given me a significant amount of money to manage this situation. I can’t risk blowing it by speaking carelessly in front of Ronde.  

I’ve come this far in gaining Ronde’s trust.  

Yes, to fool the enemy, you must first fool your friends. I’ll have to lie to Edim here. I wanted to work with her, but it can’t be helped.  

I’m sorry, Edim. For the sake of my mission, I’ll have to say something harsh.  

I’ll explain it to you later.

Putting on the coldest face I could muster, I looked at Edim.

"Ah, looks like you’ve caught on."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It has nothing to do with you, Edim. Ronde-sama, this one’s family is poor. I doubt they could be of any use to you."

"Oh, I see. Then I have no use for them. Let’s go."

"Yes, Ronde-sama. Goodbye, Edim. This party is out of your league. You should hurry back with your companion."  

I brushed past Edim coldly, but...

"Wait!"  

Edim grabbed my arm.

"Let go. This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me. Miresu, you belong to Camilla-sama. Why are you attending Elizabeth’s party? And what’s with your behavior just now... could it be...?"

"That’s right. Took you long enough. I’m here to join Elizabeth-sama’s faction. You should understand how terrifying she is, right? I ended up siding with her out of necessity. It’s been a real hassle."

"Miresu, who exactly are you calling ‘that girl’?"  

Edim’s expression darkened with fury.  

...It seems she’s truly devoted to serving Timu-chan now. She glared at me as if I were her mortal enemy.  

Her loyalty is genuine. I might get punched for this.  

But I’ll endure it.  

This will make my performance as a defector to Elizabeth’s camp even more convincing. Ronde will surely see me as serious.

"Obviously, I’m talking about Timu, that country bumpkin!"

"Miresu! You’ve made the most foolish choice possible!"  

Edim’s eyes widened in rage, and a murderous aura surged from her.  

S-Scary.  

But it’s fine. Edim and I are evenly matched in terms of strength.  

This is the critical moment.

"Edim, you’re the one making a mistake. Let me help you. Timu isn’t worth it. You should bow your head to Elizabeth-sama instead."

"I’ll kill you! I’ll reduce you to dust, not even a scrap of meat left behind!"  

Edim crouched, preparing to strike.  

Her fists were loaded with power.  

It looks like she’s going to throw a heavy punch.  

This is going to hurt... I should cast a defensive spell—wait, she’s fast!?

Edim’s fist came at me with lightning speed.  

I-I might actually die!