Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Day Out with Older Sister Karen
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"Older Sister Karen, why were you waiting outside?"
"Uh, just... I saw you coming..."
I'd planned to go all the way to the mansion building to play with Karen.
But contrary to my expectations, Karen was waiting for me right in front of the mansion's main gate. And in her own way, she'd dressed up prettily.
At the very least, it didn't seem like she was really reluctant about going out and playing with me today.
All in all, a relief.
"Sister, that outfit looks amazing on you today."
"R-Really...?"
"Yeah. It looks comfortable to walk around in. It just suits you so well."
"Then... I'm glad..."
It was just a simple dress, but it really did suit her. Plus, she was the type where her joy at compliments showed right through.
That was why I praised her like that.
Even though she was older than me, Karen somehow gave off a younger-sister vibe.
The way she lit up at every little compliment was almost like a puppy.
Of course, if I said that out loud, she'd definitely hate it.
"Sister, shall we get going now?"
"Yes...!"
Anyway, that marked the start of something like a date with Karen.
It had happened kind of by accident, but just seeing her reaction made it seem like it'd be fun.
In all sorts of ways, I set off with a lighter, more relaxed mindset than usual.
Normally, you'd think Karen, who lived in Melnik, would know more than me... but shut-in lifestyle?
"Sister, have you been to the theater lately?"
"Theater? The theater... probably not since I was little..."
"Then that's perfect."
"Huh?"
"I was planning to hit the theater a bit later. I already got the tickets."
"Eh...? I could've prepared it..."
Of course, it'd be more convenient if Karen from the Rosaki Family handled it, but in this case, I was the one who suggested hanging out, so I should've prepared first.
"Hehe, today just follow my lead. I've got everything ready."
With that, I took Karen's hand and started walking.
There were a fair number of people on the street anyway.
I could've gone without holding hands... but her steps were a bit slow, and this way seemed more convenient all around.
"Camellia...? Are we going somewhere...?"
"Lunch. You haven't eaten yet, right?"
"That's true, but..."
"So we should take care of lunch first. Wandering around on an empty stomach is no fun."
"I can skip one meal without getting that hungry..."
"Hehe... Still, it'll be more fun if we eat something tasty first."
People who hole up at home or in their rooms all day often skip meals entirely.
Even if there's side dishes in the fridge, it's too much hassle to get them out. Or the timing's off, so they skip a meal. Some even get by on just one meal a day.
Knowing that, I'd deliberately suggested lunch.
"What do you like, Sister?"
"I... simple stuff...?"
"Like soup?"
"Yeah..."
Nobles sure eat simpler, more casual food than I thought.
But there was no way I was settling for soup for lunch.
"Oh, by the way, do you handle spicy food well?"
"Huh? Spicy... uh... probably...?"
Probably.
A bit vague, but it meant she could handle at least a moderate level.
That was good enough.
"Hehe..."
"Why are you laughing like that?"
"Just... I think you'll like it."
Karen looked confused at my words, but I couldn't help smiling anyway.
She was older than me, but she didn't feel like an older sister at all. Maybe that was why. Yeah, probably.
*
"Hoo... ughhh..."
"Too spicy?"
"Not exactly... haa... ack..."
"...Here, have some water at least."
...She's spicier than I thought.
It wasn't even that spicy. Her overreacting actually had me worried.
She hadn't even finished the pasta yet—half of it was still left.
"Gulp... gulp... ugh..."
"You really can't handle spicy food, huh."
"Yeah..."
Regular pasta felt too boring, and I wanted something with a kick, so I'd picked this place that served spicy pasta.
According to Lize, it was super popular with girls in Melnik, so here we were...
But she was handling the spice way worse than expected.
It wasn't that spicy to my taste, but it hit Karen harder than I'd imagined.
...Was it really that spicy?
"Sip..."
"Sorry, Sister... I had no idea it'd be this spicy..."
"N-No...! It's just... I can't handle spicy stuff... You're eating it fine..."
"Still..."
She looked so pitiful overreacting like that.
And if I didn't give her water, she might actually cry...?
"Still... the drink is making it a bit better..."
"That's a relief..."
At least Karen didn't seem in a bad mood overall.
It was spicy, sure, but she hadn't stopped smiling entirely. And honestly, watching her struggle with the spice made me chuckle.
Though from midway, I did start getting genuinely worried because it was spicier than expected.
"You're worse with spice than I thought, Sister..."
"Yeah... I didn't realize either. I usually just have soup or cream pasta..."
Still, with the drink and eating slowly, she managed to finish it in the end—even though it was spicier than anticipated.
Seemed like she kind of enjoyed it too.
We'd laughed plenty during the meal without any awkward silences, so this was good enough.
"Still... it was tasty."
"That's good... I was worried since you struggled more than I expected."
"Hehe..."
It felt different from times hanging out with Rozalin or Lize, but this was nice in its own way.
*
I kept hanging out with Karen after that.
After lunch, we went to the theater and watched a fun play together. Then we wandered around the market.
Karen lived in Melnik, yet she knew less about it than I did... so she loved everywhere we went.
Maybe because she usually stayed cooped up in the mansion or her own room.
"The play was fun, right?"
"Y-Yes! It was so much fun. Unlike reading a book, there were props and stage effects with magic—tons of visual elements that made it way more enjoyable."
She really loved it.
I'd spent the play sneaking glances at Karen next to me, but she never looked my way once. Total focus.
"The characters' lines all felt like the author had really put thought into them. And the stage setup was especially impressive. You can't get that kind of flair from a book. It wasn't just flashy either—even in more lyrical scenes, they used it perfectly. The rain in that slightly melancholic scene was amazing."
"Ahaha..."
"And I'd heard it was famous from the newspapers, with all the buzz about the story... I really wanted to see it, but... thanks to you, Camellia, I got to..."
"Haha..."
Karen was usually so quiet, but now she was suddenly talkative.
Probably because it matched her tastes perfectly. Yeah... her words just kept pouring out, totally unlike her usual self.
It'd only been two days since we met, but this was the most she'd talked in those two days... I got it.
"You really like books and plays, huh, Sister?"
"Y-Yes! I love them. I've wanted to see a play for ages, but... no one to go with..."
"Ah."
Yeah. Kinda pitiful.
She had her own sister, Grace, and she wasn't the type to go alone anyway.
Well... her shy personality probably kept her from speaking up, regardless.
"Want to check out a bookstore? There's one nearby."
"Bookstore...?"
"Yeah. Not sure what they have, but since you like books... now that we're out, why not?"
"True... I've pretty much read all the books in the mansion lately... Sounds good. Yeah."
She hadn't been this enthusiastic when I suggested the restaurant for lunch or wandering before the play.
Just mentioning a bookstore, and she was nodding eagerly on her own—it was funnier than I expected.
Seeing that, Karen didn't seem purely introverted after all.
She just lacked assertiveness usually?
"But what kind of books do you read, Sister? Novels?"
"I do read novels usually. But I read other stuff too. Philosophy books, magic-related texts... whatever catches my eye. And since I'll be entering the Academy soon, I'm studying other things too."
"Oh..."
She reads a wider variety than I thought.
I'd figured a shut-in type would just stick to weird novels or something.
But starting with philosophy and magic, and branching out more—it was honestly surprising.
I listened to her talk about her favorite books as we slowly walked to the bookstore.
It was surprisingly engaging, so I enjoyed it. And watching her smile and chatter about her hobby was fun too.
She didn't fuss much with her red hair, but a pretty girl beaming innocently while rambling about her interests? Yeah, cute.
"We're here."
By the time I realized it, we'd arrived—felt faster than expected.
"Hehehe..."
"........."
One thing was clear: Karen really loved bookstores. She was already grinning before we even went in... no doubt about it.
Honestly, I hadn't prepared all that much for our outing, but her enthusiasm made me grateful instead.
Truth was, yesterday I'd been more preoccupied with being held in Rozalin's arms in the bath... that lingered so much afterward, making everything else hard in all sorts of ways.