In the end, the 『Disappointing Laudette Doll』 was taken in by Laudette-san herself.
It seemed she couldn’t stand the thought of a doll of her sleeping with her mouth half open ending up somewhere else. She said she would dispose of it personally.
Honestly, that was a relief. I really didn’t want any more dolls piling up in my room.
While I was at it, I asked if she could also get rid of the Mother Doll series, but she refused, saying it was 『too disrespectful』.
「By the way」
「Yes?」
「There’s something I wanted to ask you, Laudette-san…」
「What is ittt?」
The main reason I came here today was to ask about Skill Arts.
But before that, I suddenly remembered something else I wanted to ask Laudette-san about――Ralina-chan.
I recalled her saying, 『Maybe I should talk with Laudette-san at least once?』 I wondered what ever came of that…
Knowing Ralina-chan’s kind heart, she wouldn’t do anything to hurt Laudette-san….. At least, that’s what I wanted to believe. But I couldn’t say for certain. There was always a hint of danger in her Noh-mask version.
After taking a sip of the tea she offered, I cautiously brought it up――
「Has anything unusual happened recently?」
The words came out roundabout, almost like a police interrogation.
「Unusualll?」
「Yes, like… hearing strange noises at night, or seeing suspicious shadows, maybe…」
The way I kept the questioning going in that police-interview tone, I ended up asking something like that. Just what did I think Ralina-chan was supposed to be…?
「Ehh? Nothing like that’s happened?」
Well, of course not. And even if it had, it definitely wouldn’t have been Ralina-chan.
「I see. Then… has anyone visited the church lately?」
「Ehh? The only one who comes to a place like this is you, Alec-sannn」
…Yeah, I wasn’t going to bother pointing out her “a place like this” comment anymore.
「I see, I see. Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine」
「Aside from you, I guess Ralina-chan came by recentlyyy」
So she ‘did’ come here…
「Uh, umm, err, and what exactly did you two talk about…?」
「Ehh? A man asking about girl talk isn’t very proper, you knowww?」
「…………」
“Girl talk”, huh… If it really was something that harmless and casual, then I wouldn’t have any reason to worry.
Come to think of it, how old is Laudette-san anyway?
She’s definitely past the age of being called a girl… but then again, with elves, you really can’t tell by appearances.
Elves apparently stop aging outwardly in their twenties. From there, they just keep piling on years, only beginning to show signs of age around nine hundred. Supposedly, it’s because they’re hunters and need a long span of youth… What kind of battle-hardened race is that supposed to be?
「Hmmmm? Do you really want to know that badlyyy?」
「Eh? W-well, I mean…」
I’d been staring at Laudette-san’s face, trying to gauge her age, and it looked like she misunderstood.
If it were Mother, she would have sensed it immediately and exploded, declaring that I had 『insulted』 her. Honestly, just thinking “I wonder how old she is?” would have been enough to get me slapped with an insult charge.
「It was just normal conversation, you knowww? Oh, we also talked about you, Alec-sannn」
「About me…?」
「Ralina-chan asked what you were doing hereee」
Straight to the point, huh, Ralina-chan…
This could get bad. Depending on how Laudette-san answered, there might have been bloodshed.
「A-and what did you tell her?」
「I said you come here for status appraisalsss」
Oh, that’s safe.
「And also that we have friendly little chats, and that you give me money or presents every time you visittt」
That’s ‘out’.
「Y-you actually said that!?」
「Yes, I only told her the truthhh」
Ugh… Well, technically it ‘is’ the truth. So I can’t really blame Laudette-san for it…
Still, the way she clearly classified the money I gave as ‘gifts for herself’ and not ‘donations to the church’ is a little concerning.
「By the way… what was Ralina-chan’s expression when you said that?」
「Ehh? Nothing unusualll?」
Nothing unusual… In other words――
「It stayed the same the whole time…?」
So she really was in Noh-mask mode…
But if that’s the case, then why hasn’t Ralina-chan said a word about it to me? What could that mean…?
「Well, that’s about it… Was that what you wanted to talk abouttt?」
「Ah, no. That wasn’t the main reason I came」
The main topic was Skill Arts.
For now, I’ll put aside the matter of Ralina-chan.
Even though Laudette-san made some rather provocative remarks, it seemed Ralina-chan didn’t do anything to her. As long as Laudette-san isn’t in danger, that’s good enough.
――All I need to do now is prepare some ‘J○mp’ issues to keep on hand in my stomach.
…Maybe the monthly ones would be better?
Next chapter: Skill Arts
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