「Lutte. Wake up.」
「……Good morning～」
「Yes. Good morning.」
She forces her heavy eyelids open and slowly sits up on the bed.
The sticky humidity unique to the rainy season makes her undergarments cling to her skin with unpleasant sweat.
「Mom. Where’s my change of clothes?」
「I’ve laid them out for you.」
「Oka～y.」
She gets out of bed and gives a light stretch.
With a soft “kuu～”, she exhales both voice and sleepiness, then grabs the hem of her undergarment and pulls it off in one swift motion.
「Hey, Lutte.」
「What?」
「……Did they get bigger again?」
「Don’t say that～」
The girl’s height and chest kept growing without pause.
-0-
After devouring a hearty breakfast, Lutte leaves home.
Though she calls it home, it is actually an apartment building for soldiers. As a member of the royal guard, she is entitled to a decent family-sized room, but honestly, Lutte prefers the simple life in a log cabin.
She glances up at the sky.
Today thin clouds stretch across it, but none of them look like rain clouds. The stars visible between the gaps are beautiful.
It must be one of those rare mid-rainy-season breaks. If the sky doesn’t clear once in a while, the pile of laundry will never dry.
She walks along the dim road toward the square where the soldiers gather.
Because of the rainy season, far fewer soldiers are assembled than usual.
Lutte slips between the carriages and the crowd, heading toward the spot where the squad leaders have gathered.
「Good mo～rning～」
「Oh～. Lutte-chan.」
One of the older squad leaders beckons her over with a wave.
She thought there was still time, but with fewer people, they must have finished gathering earlier.
「Then let’s begin～」
「All right, bring it on!」
Lutte gives a small chuckle at the unusually energetic voice and activates her blessing.
What she sees… are the four dragon dumping grounds in the royal capital.
「Hmm～」
Everyone around her holds their breath and watches the girl’s movements intently.
She releases the blessing and opens her eyes.
「They’re in the east. Nowhere else.」
「No way～ Seriously?～」
One of the squad leaders clutches his head in frustration.
Even during the rainy season, dragons sometimes appear at night. That cannot be helped.
But that is not why they are upset.
「Really just the east?」
「Just the east.」
「I bet on two different spots…」
Many of them crumple their betting slips in disappointment and toss them into the trash.
The early-morning soldiers have turned the question of which dumping ground the dragon will appear at into a friendly wager for fun.
Lutte, who uses her blessing to settle the bet, also receives a small benefit. After paying out the winners, the elderly squad leader acting as the bookmaker hands her several coins.
「Thank you very much.」
「Don’t mention it. We’re just playing around with pocket change.」
He laughs and gathers the remaining coins into a small pouch.
The winnings from these bets are saved for soldiers’ weddings, funerals, and other important occasions. That is why their superiors turn a blind eye to the practice.
Lutte gives a polite bow to the squad leaders and heads toward her squad’s carriage.
The carriage for the elite, small-unit Noie squad is already prepared and waiting to depart.
She greets everyone and begins her duties as a knight apprentice.
The big eater of a captain rarely comes out to the field during the rainy season, so they keep the food supplies modest.
Even so, there is still a portion to serve to the construction workers, so she carefully counts everything before climbing aboard the carriage.
The carriage sways gently as it starts moving… and, as always, arrives at the standby post.
She unloads the cargo from the carriage and, just to be sure, uses her blessing to scan the surroundings.
The soldiers will wash and peel the vegetables, so Lutte starts preparing soup and the main side dishes using those ingredients.
Then, someone arrives alone on horseback.
「I’ve arrived～」
「Good morning, Mische-senpai.」
「Hmm. Is the prep work done?」
「Yes.」
「I passed the main unit on the way, so they’ll be here soon.」
「That was fast.」
She hurries to season everything and finishes the soup at least.
She leaves the second pot to the senior who has lived alone for a long time, and enters the small hut as usual.
She takes out a bag of snacks from her belongings and spreads them on the table.
If the captain isn’t coming, a simple watch is enough, so having this many snacks is,
「Hm? Captain. What brings you here today?」
「Because it’s sunny.」
「……Setting the reason aside, are you sure you’re okay being that small?」
「My chest isn’t losing.」
「That’s not what I meant～! You’ve started throwing poison casually, haven’t you?!」
「Arg-sama said it. ‘Bigger than flatties’.」
「I never expected to get teased by a married couple together!」
Lively voices echo from outside.
Lutte gives a small chuckle, checks her clothes, and steps out.
「Captain. Good morning.」
「Yes.」
It has been three days since she returned from the south… and Noie still looks rejuvenated.
Her appearance remains childlike, yet her strength is as overwhelming as ever.
Lutte had only just witnessed her smashing the head of a double-headed giant dragon with a single punch.
Noie toddles over, not wearing her usual platinum mage armor, but a simple leather one instead.
Lutte was thinking 『No need to change, right?』 when a tiny hand suddenly grabbed her chest.
「Captain?」
「……Arg-sama said big ones sag.」
「I didn’t expect poison from you too!」
「Fufu… Lutte’s fat should sag!」
「Flatties have it easy! No worries like that!」
「Nyaa～. What’s with that tone toward your senpai-sama? I’ll shave that chest down and make it flat～」
With tears in her eyes, Mische charges at Lutte, but get countered with a kick instead.
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