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Kaoru Chaper 44: And we are coming to the Capital

 

As soon as we left the border checkpoint, we overtook the cavalry messenger soldier.
It was no surprise. The messenger planned to reach the capital in several days from now, so there was no need to rush, and also if he made the horse ran non-stop, the horse will collapse soon.
There was another way, made preparations in advance, like a replacement horse in the each village. But the messenger thought we moved slowly with the prepared carriage, thus he might not have anything prepared.

 

The messenger soldier overtaken by us was stunned, but he couldn’t do anything. Even if he forcibly chased after us, the horse would collapse soon.
And from his point of view, he might think of us as reckless to rode horse with full speed.
Either way, that soldier wouldn’t be able to chase after us nor money to keep replacing horses. There was nothing he could do, except to keep his usual pace so that he could arrive safely, considering the whole process to the royal capital.
Besides, he wouldn’t think that we would be able to keep running with this speed. He might be thinking like he would overtake our horses that are exhausted quickly. He never thought that we would continue to keep running until the capital …

 

When it was getting dark, we prepared for camping.
I just pulled out the assembled tent, so it ended in a moment.
It was possible for us to keep going from the dawn until night, but of course we must rest at night, because it becomes hard to see at night so riding becomes more difficult. And the distance with the messenger soldier was really far because the soldier needed to stay at the inn at the nearest village or town while we can keep going until night.
Well, normal rider wouldn’t have large amount of water prepared and made a delicate animal like horse to run all days. Except when there was some cheat ability.
With this condition, the target 12 hours difference would be easy to achieve.

 

12 hours is the time I wanted to use in the kingdom.
At first, I planned for all of us to enter the Capital secretly, so I didn’t care about time limit. Sneak in and sneak out. But as we crossed the border, it changed to forcibly breaking through the Kingdom before the messenger arrived.
At dinner, I gave Ed’s family and other horses apples, carrot, corn, sugar cubes, and recovery potion. They were delighted.

 

「Well, Kaoru-san. Would you mind not give too much sugar to our daughter?」(Ed’s wife)

 

Ed’s wife got angry.

 

*** Brancott Kingdom Capital, Aras ***

 

We were finally arriving. The messeger soldier was so far behind.
There were few people knew me as the cafeteria waitress who used to live in this town, so even if I met such people, there wasn’t any problem at all.
However, it would be bad if people who know 『Kaoru』, the friend of goddess Celestine that lived in Balmoa Kingdom came here.
And there might be some people went to Balmoa Kingdom and remembered my face just like the border guard said.
So, for the time being, I’d like to change the color of my hair and eyes with a potion and got in.

 

There was no one surprised because I changed the color of my hair and eyes. For these four people, I am not a 『goddess’ s friend』who is informed by the general public, but 『a goddess of a different world equivalent to the goddess Celestine』
And my only goal was just, went passed the gate.
As we arrived at the destination, after riding Ed’s family and other horses to the stable, I drank the potion again and returned my hair, eyes’s colour to black. And I opened that door.

 

「Long time no see ~!」(Kaoru)

「「「「「Kaoru-chan !!」」」」」(many people)

 

Yes, this is 『Full stomach restaurant (Manpukutei)』that I used to work as a waitress and a consultant before. There was no place other than here that I wanted to stay in this capital city.

 

「Ka…Ka, Kaoru-chan!」(Owner Auntie)

 

The restaurant owner auntie heard everyone’s voice, jumped out of the kitchen and hugged me tightly.
It was painful!

 

「Were you safe! After that, everyone was so worried because we heard that you got hurt and then went missing!
You must have a hard time, you haven’t grown up at all from that time …」(Owner Auntie)

(Ugu, right in the hurting place …) (Kaoru)

「Kaoru-chan!」(Emy)

 

Emy-chan came hugging me next.
… So she still worked here. But she grew up a lot…

 

「I’m glad, I’m so glad …」(Emy)

 

Emy is happy with re-union, shedding tears with *Poroporo* sound.

 

「Uhm, what about Agate-san?」(Kaoru)

 

When I asked, Emy was a little sullen.

 

「She got married with a merchant who was the regular customer!
Although he only had a small shop, as soon as he got married to Agate, his business began to flow, now he already become a middle-ranking merchant. Her father-in-law cherished and called her 『goddess blessed daughter』 , she gave birth to a twin, 1 boy and 1 girl, her life was full of happiness! Ke～!」（Emy）

 

Ah … I understand! That feeling, I understand it painfully well, Emy-chan!

Suddenly, the door was roughly opened when I was immersed in emotion.

 

「Kaoru-chan!」(Agate)

 

It was Agate, she jumped over to me while crying. It seems that one of the customers went on to inform her the news. Apparently, her husband hourse is nearby.
She said even she was already 20 years old and the mother of the two children but she was forever『Agate-chan』. However, when I called out to her, I called her『Agate-san』

 

「Kaoru-chan, the injury! Was your injury okay?」(Agate)

「Yes, I already drank the medicine 『the tears of goddess』, and then I  was healed perfectly」(Kaoru)

「I’m, I’m so glad.
Well, I, I married. I talked to my husband about the story I heard from Kaoru-chan, we devised various things and worked hard! As we were doing that, the number of customers steadily increased, the business prospered, now the commercial guilds called me 『The ideal wife of the merchant』Because of the relationship between the wife of the medium-sized merchant, I had a lot of influence now…
No, it’s nothing, please don’t mind it」(Agate)

 

I thought that it would be such a thing.
Agate-chan and Emy-chan had listened to what I was talking to customers as a 『consultation shop』 while picking up order as the waitresses. And also, at various times such as breaks and spare time, I talked about the basic philosophy of customer service and business in the ceremony.
But, although they had the same condition, why were there a difference with Emy-chan?

 

After that, I introduced my four member that going to a journey together, enjoying a chat with employees of the shop and regular customers. Francette already went to get the accommodation on the way, so it will be okay for everyone to get drunk!
Or so I thought, people stopped me drinking because my child body.
No, I was the waitress of this restaurant 4 and half years ago! Then, they knew that I was 15 years old at that time and already became an adult!
Even I insisted, everyone said 『Ah!』, But they still issued juice.
Ugu …
Roland and Francette only drank black tea, saying 『We are not doing such a foolish thing like drinking in the middle of the enemy territory』
Huh, this place is『enemy territory』? For Roland or Francette.

 

I was exciting with a nostalgic story. It was fun, but “all good things come to an end”.
If the customers don’t go home soon, it will become the source of family dispute. And also, can Agate-chan leave her father-in-law, her husband, and two infants alone?
Oh, Agate-chan is better going home now, isn’t she?
Finally, I will do my best to ask everyone.

 

「That’s right, everyone, I came here today, not as『Kaoru』that was working here 4 and a half years ago but as my twin sister, who came to greet everyone here. The place where my little sister was working and took care of her a long time ago. I would like everyone to declare that …
Otherwise, it would become problem for me, who already had bad history with those influential people and left in the past …」(Kaoru)

 

Of course, everyone agreed. Even if the information leaks out, everyone can just say 『Eh, you couldn’t distinguish themselves, they looked alike but they were different people. Were you talking and listening properly?』
Since my appearance hasn’t changed, it would be better to declare that I was my little sister (Imouto), but I already said to that Prince that I was my older sister (Onee-chan).

Failed…

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