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Mile Chapter 140: Inn 5

 

After lazing around waiting for a while, 『Red Oath』came down to the dining room on the first floor.
As they got off the stairs, the light on the dining room was cut off to minimum for saving.

And in the kitchen, the owner and his wife already finished washing and cleaning, they was doing the final check for tomorow’s preparation.

 

「What do you girls come down here for?」(Kuma-san)

「Well, we’d like to ask you some question about 『Maiden’s prayer』」(Mile)

 

As the owner asked when he spotted the girls, Mile threw a fast straight ball right in middle. (T.N: Baseball’s refer for direct question)

 

「What? Did that had anything to do with you girls? Or you was asked by someone else?」(Kuma-san)

 

The owner’s eyes became a little scary, but then his wife also came out of the kitchen to hear the story.

 

「We don’t really have anything to do with it or we was asked by anyone.
However, we want to know the circumstances behind all this because it seems interesting」(Rena)

「What’s with that?」(Kuma-san)

 

As he heard Rena’s reason, the owner shouted.
However, as he thought about it, he realized it was just children’s curiosity rather than bad intention.
That’s why he put his guard down and tried to reply like an adult.

 

「You are just some un-related person, it’s not nice talking behind their back. That’s why just leave it alone.」(Kuma-san)

 

Of course, the owner would say but it’s not like the girls would easily withdraw.

 

「That was a shop policy, right?
But you called us 『un-related person』was wrong.
We aren’t completely ir-relevant to this matter.
That’s why we want to know the circumstances behind all this.」(Pauline)

「What…!?」(Kuma-san)

 

The owner raised his voice again when he heard Pauline said so.

 

「Because we stayed over there last night.
We paid a foolish lodging fee and meal fee because they are lacking personnel.
So we have the right to know the reason!」(Pauline)

 

As Pauline pointing all that out, the owner and his wife had a bitter smile.
And then, Mile joined the talking as well.

 

「Well, we would like to ask about 『Maiden’s prayer』, but before that I have something else that I want to ask as well!」(Mile)

「Wh, what?」(Kuma-san)

「How could you get such a young and beautiful wife?」(Mile)

「Guaaa, shut up!」(Kuma-san)

 

After exhausting in various way, eventually, the owner started talking about 『Maiden’s Prayer』
And according to the owner’s story, the circumstances were as follow:

 

The two inns have been operating from a long time ago to now, and despite being a rival inns, the relationship between the owners was good.
Because they were peers and their troubles were almost the same, they have consulted and cooperated with each other.

Both their『grandparent generation』 and 『parent generation』were on good terms with each other as good friends.
And at their generation, because their age were close, Dylas the son of 『Maiden’s Prayer』, bear-san and one of the three daughter of neighbor general shop, Aira were close friends. Yes, until the marriageable age …

 

「So, the owner’s wife was one of the 3 daughters of the general store, Aira…?」(Mile)

「No, it’s different」(Kuma-san)

 

The Owner immediately denied Mile’s question.

 

「But if it wasn’t for such thing! If she didn’t get used to you as childhood friend, you wouldn’t be able to get married with such a beauty!」(Rena)

「How rude can you girls be!」(Kuma-san)

 

The owner also retorted to Rena’s remark.

 

「About, Lyrise …
At that time, I was helping with the inn when my parents were still running it.
I met her when she went to pick up firewood in the forest.
And I helped Lyrise that was about to be attacked by a monster」(Kuma-san)

「As expected, after all, the place you two met must be the woods, because you are a bear …」(Mile)

「Shut up!」(Kuma-san)

 

Heard Mile’s rude remark, the owner raised his voice again.

 

「Oh, that was wonderful! The owner was exactly like the knight that rescue the princess!」(Maevis)

 

And the owner scratched his head shyly with Maevis’s praise.

 

「So what was that monster? Goblin? Kobolt? No way, was it an Orc …?」(Maevis)

 

The Owner diverted his eyes from Maevis.
When everyone had a strange look, the owner’s wife responded from the side instead of the owner.

 

「Ah, it was a『Horn Rabbit 』, it didn’t look like a monster …
I thought that there wasn’t much danger if I was keeping my eyes on it and I wasn’t really worried about one horn rabbit that was moving closer to me.
Yes, I was too naive that I wasn’t worried about it at all.
And then 『That’s a beary (very) vicious horn rabbit, be careful!』It was my husband who came running while screaming and rescue me from a life-threatening danger…」(Kuma-san’s wife)

 

The girls saw a terrible fraud.
Maevis glared at the owner with eyes like seeing filth.
Rena and Mile had a scary face.
And Pauline was,…『That was quite good …』she said so as she was a little impressed.

 

「Well, apparently the lady owner seems to be 10 years younger than you!
How old were you at that time?
That was a criminal act …」(Maevis)

 

Apparently, once Maevis admired something but turned out wrong, she felt betrayed and she couldn’t forgive it.
However, the lady owner stopped Maevis who stood up and seemed about to grab the owner’s clothes.

 

「No, I knew it from the beginning, obviously.
I wasn’t an in-door lady living in the city or anything, I live around here and did you think I wouldn’t know about horn rabbit.
Ah, I thought that he was a funny person that’s why I played along.
Also, I guessed he just wanted a chance to talk to me by any means, I didn’t know if he was serious or said it as a joke, that stupid excuse…」(Kuma-san’s wife)

「Lyrise, you realized, …!?」(Kuma-san)

「It was natural, but for you to not get it until now, such an idiotic bear!」(Kuma-san’s wife)

 

Ufufu, the lady owner smiling at the owner, the owner was stunned.
And then they were staring at each other …

 

「Uwwaaaaaa! Please do it later in your room!」(Rena)

 

She didn’t want to see other people lovey dovey flirting. Especially, when one person is a bear.
Everyone agreed with Rena’s shout.

 

「The talk has diverted!
So, the owner helped the lady, and then later you got married with each other?」(Rena)

 

Rena pointed that out, and both the owner and his wife nodded.

 

「Dylas and Aira also got married. Even if each of us got married, our friendship didn’t change, Lyrise joined the 3 of us and became the 4 good friends.
And Dylas and Aira had 3 children, it was a happy life until … 5 years ago. Aira got sick and died.
We also tried to help Dylas take care of the children and helped in various ways as well, but it seems like they were still having a lot of trouble …」(Kuma-san)

「「「「…………」」」」(Red Oath)

「And last year, Dylas also died.
Leaving alone 3 daughters, his eldest daughter Meliza was only 15 years old and  youngest child Aryl was still 7 years old
… Really, that idiot is …」(Kuma-san)

 

Owner squeezed words with a mortifying, sad face.

 

「And, not only that …
After Aira’s death, Dylas couldn’t run the inn while looking after the 3 young daughters.
He hired a young chef to cook and the neighbor old woman (T.N: Obaba) to manage the money.
Children were managed by the eldest daughter Meliza, the second daughter Rafia also helped out and look after the sister Aryl.
Their inn managed somehow, but after the death of Dylas, things were changed.
In order to protect the shops left by their parents and to be able to live together without being separated, the sisters were enduring their sadness so that they could somehow continue the shop.
And then, the old woman ran away with the money she managed.
And, just when the sisters struggled, the hired chef tried to take over the inn by making the sisters his, all 3 sisters…」(Kuma-san)

「「「「U wa~…」」」」(Red Oath)

 

Since yesterday, the girls had thought the 3 sisters should hire chef or waitress to help, but rather than help, it was the biggest problem.

 

((((Not only the eldest daughter, but all three …!?)))) (Red Oath)

 

The girls thought so.

 

「The old woman was caught later, but the money was lost.
All familiar customers knew about the chef making a move on the sisters, they beat him up and kicked him out.
However the sisters became distrust of other humans.
They didn’t hire people anymore and decided to continue the inn by themselves.
With the sisters desperately tried hard, people in the town that knew the circumstances tried to help them somehow.
The commercial guild was also lending them loan with zero interest, used the inn as collateral.
Well, I’d say enough for the sisters to live normal, and be able to earn some money …」(Kuma-san)

「Didn’t you said you also tried to help?」(Mile)

 

When Mile asked that, the owner answered with a sad expression.

 

「… But you knew what happened, right?」(Kuma-san)

「「「「Ah … ….」」」」(Red Oath)

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