Chapter 25

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Bookwalker

Author: Agitomi Akumi
Translation: rinrinu

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──A little while earlier.

“Miyo, are you ready to go?”

“Yes. I’m coming now.”

Yuri called, and Miyo went to the front of the building. It was still the middle of the morning, but the sunlight was a little strong.  

Last night, Kyouka had to stay at the military station because of work and didn’t come home. She was sure he was tired, and so she decided to take some provisions to help out, even if only a little.

She had heard from Yuri and Godou that apparently, if you’re busy, you can go without a meal or so without batting an eyelid. If she took it to him now, she could give it to him before lunch, which would be perfect.

“I’m sure the young master will be delighted.”

“It would be good if that’s the case, but……”

She held the wrapping cloth with the food in it in her arms, and checked to see she didn’t look strange.

The cherry blossom coloured kimono was a few days out of season. One after another, the items Kyouka had purchased from the Suzushima shop were delivered.

There were unlined and thin silk kimonos perfect for the upcoming season, and undershirts, kimono sashes, and accessories to go with them. When she saw the mountain of goods piled up in the by no means big house, she was completely dumbfounded.

It was terrifying to think just how much they were all worth, but storing them would be too wasteful, so she was using them little by little.

Incidentally, today she was wearing a sky-blue kimono with a moderately florid wisteria pattern on it, matching it with a pale-yellow kimono sash.

“Come now, Miyo – you’ll need to take this, too.”

“Lovely……”

“The sunlight is getting stronger, you know. The young master certainly wants you to use it.”

Yurie handed over a lovely, pure white lace parasol. This was another very expensive item, looking like it would match with both Japanese and Western clothing.

If she walked around holding something stylish, it would be like she’d become some sort of lady, she thought. However.

“……My husband has spent too much money on me……”

The Kudou family’s own fortune was enormous, and Kyouka himself worked in a good position as an officer. She knew there would never be a problem with money ── well, unless there was something significant, but nonetheless she still worried about it.     

Even though just buying the kimono was already enough, lately, necessities, other related items, and miscellaneous goods were all provided for her. 

If you were the daughter of an ordinary distinguished rich family, you’d accept the items as a matter of course, but, unfortunately, it was an experience Miyo hadn’t had any relation with. She couldn’t help but feel that she was doing something wrong.

“Ah, Yurie doesn’t know the details, but it’s okay. Young master doesn’t spend much money by nature. Come now, let’s hurry and get going.”

“Y-yes.”

She started walking slowly, being pushed lightly by Yurie.

As they left towards the town, she remembered the time she encountered Kaya, even though it was unpleasant to.

She couldn’t help but think what she would do if they met again today. No matter how peaceful her life was now, the memories of her time at home wouldn’t disappear so easily. If she met her again, she would almost certainly be too scared to even move.

Still, now there were people for her heart to rely on. People who would definitely be on her side. Just thinking that was enough to lighten the fears and anxieties that were always haunting her.

“Hello.”

The guard standing outside of the military station greeted them, and asked who they were and what their business was.  

Miyo, while somewhat stammering, told him she was Kyouka’s fiancée with her chaperone, and that she was here because she wanted to give him some provisions.

“Fiancée…… I see, I’ll get verification right away.”

For some reason, the gatekeeper had a startled expression, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

As she was waiting quietly, Kyouka came out from inside, looking somewhat flustered. For someone who always had a nonchalant air, he had an unusually anxious expression. 

“Miyo, and Yurie. What is it that brings you here?”

“Husband, thank you for your time. I don’t want to trouble you, but……well, I got worried you weren’t having your meals properly, so I brought you some food.

Miyo made a conscious effort to smile, and held out the cloth parcel she had been carrying.

“I-I see. That’s……. helpful.”

For some reason seeming very hesitant to speak, as if it was annoying, Kyouka accepted the package with his brows furrowed.

If someone who didn’t know him well saw him, they would probably mistake him for being in a bad mood, but Miyo now knew that he was simply just embarrassed.

His demeanour and facial expressions were, at any rate, easily misunderstood.

“Since you walked, do you want to rest inside for a little while?”

“No, I’m fine. Yurie, how about you?”

“Doing this much isn’t enough to tire me yet.”

Smiling while patting her chest, Yurie, just like she said, didn’t seem tired out at all. It was the result of having worked such a long time as a servant.

“Um, thank you for your time, but we don’t want to trouble you, so we’ll be heading back home.”

It must have been just her imagination that his face was looking somewhat bored. He was probably busy, so Miyo shouldn’t bother him too much.

Suddenly, Kyouka asked with serious eyes.

“Miyo, are you carrying the amulet?”

“Ah, yes. It’s right here……”

Miyo pointed to the drawstring purse she was holding in her hand, and Kyouka nodded──when he heard a voice calling him from inside and so turned around.

By the time he replied to the troops and turned back to face Miyo, he already had the face of a soldier in a position of responsibility.

“I’m going now. ── It’s good if you’re holding it. Honestly, I want to send you back myself but, sorry. It seems I can’t be missed.

“It’s okay. My apologies for having disturbed you. Please do your best at work.”

“Yeah. Both of you take care on your way back.”

“Yes.”

Smiling as he replied, Kyouka lightly put his hand on Miyo’s head – before going back inside the building. 

“Huhu, the young master was shy, right?”

“Yes, …………”

On the way back, while talking with Yurie, Miyo peered inside the drawstring purse, and tilted her head in confusion.

“Miyo? Is something the matter?”

“Eh, ah……yes, um.”

Even though she searched right to the bottom of the drawstring purse, she still couldn’t find it.

Did she drop it somewhere? Ah, that’s right, come to think of it.

“I told my husband I had it, but it seems I left the amulet at home.”

“My my! How terrible!”

She had changed the drawstring purse to match her kimono. The amulet was still in the old drawstring purse she had used before, and she hadn’t transferred it. 

It was inconceivable to think she’d have done such a careless thing, and, as a result of that, ended up lying to Kyouka. Even if she rarely left the house, it’s no excuse.

“Even though I promised I would always carry it.”

(I really am useless, huh.)

Without the amulet there, Kyouka’s presence that was protecting Miyo seemed to have faded at once, and she couldn’t feel calm.

She unintentionally broke her word, and couldn’t stop feeling depressed.

“If that’s the case, Miyo, we should quickly head home straight away.”

“……Right.”

Nodding at Yurie’s words, she sped up walking.

Miyo didn’t know what kind of powers the amulet had. However, just whether or not she was carrying it was something Kyouka worried about. It must have some kind of meaning. She can’t walk around disregarding it.

After walking without talking much for a while, the two of them were safely about to leave the town. When they reached the scarcely populated country roads, before long home wasn’t that far away.

And that’s when they were relieved.

With the sound of a loud engine, a car stopped close by.

At first, she thought Kyouka had been following them, but she was wrong.

“Miyo!”

Yurie’s outcry echoed through the air. Because the event was completely unexpected, Miyo’s reaction was delayed.

“……?! Yurie, aahh!”

Before she could turn around, someone got out of the car and pulled her arm so fiercely it hurt. With an indisputable force, her body was prevented from moving.

“Wha-what, urgh!”

Who would do this? She wasn’t allowed to find out. A cloth was pushed against her eyes and mouth, and she lost her voice, sight, and freedom.   

(I’m scared…… Husband……!)

As soon as she was roughly lifted up and pushed into the car, Miyo lost consciousness from the inescapable suffocation.  

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TN: Miyo refers to Kyouka as “旦那さま”, which can mean master or husband. I originally went for master, as I felt it carried the honorific and subservient feel, but I later switched it to husband because it fitted better in some places than master did. Then I didn’t want to flip-flop between the two so…husband it was. It might sound a bit weird in places, so I thought I’d let you guys know!
TN2: Yurie also refers to Miyo as “美世さま” (“Miyo-sama”). For those unaware, “sama” is a very formal honorific. I translated it just as Miyo, but she’s always being super polite to her when she calls her name (or talks to her in general), just so you know.

Hi everyone! Thank you for all the lovely comments on the last chapter. ^O^ I hope you enjoy reading! Some of the sentences are a bit clunky and might not be 100% accurate, I’m very new to translating and my Japanese isn’t nearly as advanced as it should be. >O< I ask for your understanding!

Also, so far I have been following the length that the chapters of the webnovel were (I am translating the light novel), but this might change. Because of this, I haven’t put the subtitles that the web novel had and have stuck to just numbering. The main contents have them (so far), but I might stop doing this in the future (especially if I vary the length of the chapters). If they suddenly disappear, that’s why!

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