At the Northern Fort V3C7: Peaceful Days
A few days after Rekka-san’s training match with Gregorio, Rekka-san had completely blended into the fort.
Although she was apparently from a noble family, she had spent many years as a woman in the Knight’s Order, so she had the spirit of a jock. Her hobby was muscle training, which put her in the same camp as the One-Eyed Knight, so apparently in the shadows some had started to call her the ‘Iron Woman’.
However, it might just be that because she had that kind of character that she fit right in at the Northern Fort.
The serious Rekka-san would also sometimes give warnings to the more frivolous knights – which included Kix and Gilles – so she had taken up the position of a dependable older sister.
In turn, Kix and the others acted like they did when scolded by Branch Captain-san or the One-Eyed Knight, either acting regretful or quickly escaping whenever Rekka-san gave them a warning.
Seeing the fort return to its usual peace with the new members, I was satisfied.
And thus today, I came to check on how Rekka-san was doing at the fort during everyone’s free time in the evening.
I knew how they were in the afternoon, but I was worried about whether or not everyone was getting along during the evenings too.
After all, I’ve stayed at the fort for far longer than Rekka-san. In other words, I was her senpai at the Northern Fort. And a ‘senpai’ has to look after their ‘kouhai’.
The One-Eyed Knight was in the lounge, so after using the transfer technique, I also arrived in the lounge.
At this time of year, the nights were typically cold, so there was a bright red flame burning in the fireplace. Let’s not go near that area.
“Mil, what has you visiting at this hour? It should be bedtime for you already.”
The One-Eyed Knight placed the book that he had been reading on the sofa, placing me on his lap in its place. I could smell the faint scent of alcohol, so he had probably been drinking a little.
“It’s not bedtime yet.”
It’s only just past 8 o’clock. I wish you’d stop treating me like a toddler. The night’s only just begun!
It’s been a while since I last came here during the evening, so I felt excited like a kid on a school trip, wanting to stay up late with my friends.
Here, there were plenty of knights other than the One-Eyed Knight, so the lounge was full of people. Everyone was dressed comfortably, drinking something that seemed like alcohol, playing games, or simply talking to each other.
In the corner of the room, a drunk Gilles was playing an instrument that resembled a guitar while singing enthusiastically, but nobody was listening to him.
Branch Captain-san wasn’t here, but Kix, Rekka-san and Tina-san were chatting happily in front of the fireplace. I had come at just the right time to see them talking with Rekka-san.
“It looks like Rekka-san’s gotten used to being here.”
“The Northern Fort’s actually a pretty nice place after coming here, ain’t it? Though it is in the boonies.”
“Yeah, that’s true. It’s not as bad as I thought it’d be.”
Rekka-san said that in a joking manner and laughed, but then made a slightly concerned expression.
“However, that’s probably because this region will only truly show its harshness during the wintertime. I’m a little worried to see what it’ll be like. The night’s will get longer too……”
Rekka-san seemed to be worried about it being like a polar night, where the sun wouldn’t rise for the whole day, but upon asking Tina-san about it, she was told that this area wouldn’t be that bad.
“That’s a relief then.”
Rekka-san appeared visibly relieved. Well, spending the whole day in darkness would be pretty depressing.
It was then that Kix stared fixedly at Rekka-san before saying this.
“Incidentally Rekka, shouldn’t you sleep soon?”
“Why’re you saying that so suddenly?”
“Because you’ve got some faint bags underneath your eyes.”
After having that pointed out, Rekka-san murmured, “Do I really……?” while tracing the area underneath her eyes with her fingers.
And then, she started to make excuses.
“The bed and pillow’s different, so I just haven’t gotten used to them yet. It might just be that I’m not getting a sound sleep.”
“You’re pretty delicate, huh. It’s only natural for your bed at home to be more comfy, but haven’t you slept in the same beds at the barracks in the main branch?”
“It might be because she’s still a bit nervous. I also have a bit of trouble sleeping for a while when I’m in a new place.”
Tina-san said to Kix in Rekka-san’s defence, but he retorted with, “That’s impossible for you, Tina”.
“Are you trying to say that I’m not delicate?”
Tina-san said that in an angry manner, but she wasn’t scary at all.
“You slept pretty soundly from the very first day you arrived here, didn’t you? The next day you were making a face that screamed ‘I slept well!’ when you came into the dining hall.”
“I-I didn’t make a face like that! ……though it is true that I’ve been a good sleeper since I was young.”
Seeing Tina-san’s face grow red, the corners of Rekka-san’s lips also rose.
“Fufu, even now I can hear you fall asleep not even five minutes after putting out the lights. Once you fall asleep, it doesn’t seem like you’d wake up if I make a little bit of a noise. Being able to sleep soundly is a good thing.”
Rekka-san said that in praise, but Tina-san simply looked embarrassed.
And then, Rekka-san spoke, returning to the topic on hand.
“Well then, while it is a bit early, I suppose I’ll go back to the room and try sleeping. But what should I do with my bath? Our bathing time was at the last slot today, right?”
“Yes. There’s still quite a bit of time until the baths are open to us, so how about just wiping down your body for tonight and going for a bath first thing tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Then, I’ll also head to bed.”
Following Rekka-san, Tina-san also stood up.
“You don’t have to feel compelled to follow me.”
“No, I’m also pretty sleepy……”
She said with a bashful smile.
After lightly tugging Kix’s ear in retaliation for unnecessarily muttering, “Don’t sleep too well”, Tina-san harmoniously returned to her room with Rekka-san.
“Did you come to check on Rekka, Mil?”
As I had raised myself up to my full height on his lap to stare at Rekka-san and the rest, the One-Eyed Knight appeared to have realised what my goal was.
When he asked that while stroking my tail, I turned around and replied.
“Indeed!”
My tail automatically started wagging as soon as I made eye contact with the One-Eyed Knight, and now it had started flapping around in a lively manner.
However, the One-Eyed Knight was gently grasping the base of it, so just the tip of the tail was whipping around.
Noticing that, the One-Eyed Knight slowly started to move his hand up the tail, enjoying the strange motions that it made as he did so.
The heck are you doing?
(Rekka-san seems to be getting along with everyone without any issues. I just arrived, but I suppose I should head back to Mother’s side now.)
As expected, I was still young, so like Rekka-san and Tina-san, I was starting to get a bit sleepy.
However, just when I was about to say ‘good night’ to the One-Eyed Knight, I sighted a black thing in the corner of my vision.
It was a small hole in the wall of the lounge.
Deep within that hole, which was close to the ground, was a mouse nest. It was a traumatic hole that caused me to scream when I had just arrived at this fort and tried peeking into it, only for a mouse to come out.
Soon after that, Tina-san, who was similarly bad with mice, closed up that hole with a plank. However, the mouse bit through the plank and made another hole, which Tina-san had boarded up once more, unwilling to lose to it.
It was then that the mouse stopped, either having given up or perhaps it had created another entrance elsewhere. It did not try to make another hole in the wall, and I no longer heard the sounds of its cries from the wall.
The war between the mouse and Tina-san and I had ended, or so I thought.
However…
Lately, it seemed like another hole had been made, unnoticed.
I don’t know whether it was a new mouse that had come, or the same mouse as before, but in any case, it had once again made a nest there.
The other day, I had a dreadful thing happen to me.
I was bored since everyone was working, so I came to the lounge and flopped onto the sofa to take an afternoon nap on my own, when I felt something brushing up against my hind leg.
Wondering what it was, I woke up and glanced over, only to see a grey mouse standing RIGHT THERE! It had left its burrow and was trying to bite my leg!
I immediately jumped up with a scream and tumbled off the sofa, headbutting the partially open door before evacuating into the hallway. After running to the One-Eyed Knight in a confused fluster, I had him check my leg to find that there wasn’t anything missing from my paws. I was safe.
Kix and the others, who had been next to him, laughed at my panic, but it really was scary.
They dare to say that a mouse absolutely wouldn’t eat a fox’s paw? My squishy, light pink paws look delicious, so it might’ve mistaken them for food.
“One-Eyed Knight, I asked you to plug that hole over there.”
I looked up at the One-Eyed Knight and said.
However, the One-Eyed Knight simply stroked my tail endlessly and absentmindedly murmured, “The hole, is it”.
His voice wasn’t focussed, and somehow his current state seemed a bit wrong.
(Is he drunk?)
The One-Eyed Knight had a surprisingly low tolerance for alcohol, so he’d get into a good mood just from drinking a little bit.
It’s just that his complexion doesn’t change that much when he drinks, so it was hard to immediately tell if he was drunk or not.
“Hey, plug that hole!”
“Okay, I’ll plug it.”
The One-Eyed Knight used both of his hands and attempted to plug my ears.
No, not my ears. I didn’t want you to plug my ear holes.
“No, the mousehole.”
“Mouse? Mil isn’t a mouse.”
I know!
My words weren’t reaching him. I abandoned hope, and decided to retreat before the One-Eyed Knight became a kissing demon.
Let’s ask the One-Eyed Knight about the mouse hole when he’s not drunk.
Kiriko Translations 
Pingback: At the Northern Fort V3C6 | Kiriko Translations
Pingback: At the Northern Fort V3C8 | Kiriko Translations