Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Shaved Ice on a Sweltering Day
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-Shwaaa...
Was it because summer was gradually approaching?
The weather was honestly so hot that it soured my mood.
It wasn't as humid as the summers from my previous life, but it was still plenty hot.
For someone like me who hated the heat, I had no choice but to keep a wind spell running every hour of every day.
Honestly...
"It's too hot..."
"Young Lady, it already looks plenty cool in here."
"Aren't you hot, Lize?"
"It seems like your body runs hot, Young Lady. I don't feel hot if I just sit still."
"Ugh..."
What kind of thing is that for a grandfather to say...
Unlike me, who kept spells running right up until I fell asleep every single night because of the heat, Lize went about her days completely unfazed.
Honestly, it was beyond comprehension!
Lately, anything shorter than a miniskirt felt suffocating on my lower body, and when I was alone in my room, I dressed as comfortably as possible.
Honestly, if I could, I'd go completely naked, but there were still people coming in and out of my room.
"Huuuuh..."
"Are you feeling it that badly?"
"You're the weird one for not feeling hot at all..."
It was already July.
Which meant the academy where Karen went would soon be on summer break, judging by how hot it was getting!
Summers had always been hot in my time here, but this one felt especially brutal.
Lize, meanwhile, was still wearing her usual long-skirted maid uniform.
"This won't do... Lize, bring some shaved ice."
"Understood."
Even making a bit of ice with magic didn't seem like it would ease my discomfort.
Something to refresh my spirits— that was shaved ice.
"Hehe..."
I was already looking forward to it.
Shaved ice that would be far sweeter and tastier than plain ice...
It felt like the perfect way to beat back this heat, even if just a little.
-Shwaaa...
-Shwaaa...
Before I knew it, I was lounging and letting the breeze from the magic circles on both sides wash over me.
Cool really was the best.
It wasn't as cool as Lize claimed if you just sat still, but... it was still better than nothing.
*
"Madam, what are you doing?"
I'd brought the shaved ice and headed straight to Rozalin's room.
Lize was trailing behind me.
"Camellia? What brings you here?"
"The weather's so hot... so I thought maybe we could share some shaved ice?"
I'd originally planned to eat it alone or just with Lize, but I changed my mind a bit.
Everyone else must be feeling the heat too, not just me.
Rozalin didn't seem busy, so I figured I'd ask if she wanted to join me.
"How about some shaved ice?"
"Uh... sure? I didn't have anything planned anyway."
"Yes, let's eat together."
And so, I ended up sharing shaved ice with Rozalin.
Since I'd planned to eat with Lize anyway, she joined us too.
Truth be told, the portion in the glass dish was too much for one person...
Plus, I'd been wanting to share with Rozalin.
"The weather's really hot, isn't it?"
"Yes, way too hot... and summer hasn't even fully arrived yet..."
"Hehe, can't be helped. But you're keeping cool with magic, right, Camellia?"
"I am, but... it's still hot."
We chatted like that while eating shaved ice with Rozalin.
Lize ate hers quietly in small bites off to the side.
The situation was just a tad—very slightly—awkward for Lize to join in.
With Rozalin and me conversing, even an exclusive maid like Lize couldn't just butt in casually.
It wasn't like Lize and I were talking one-on-one anyway.
Of course, I wouldn't mind chatting with Lize.
"Aren't you hot, Madam?"
"Hmm... I don't feel too bad if I just sit still?"
"...I still feel hot."
Was my body really that hot-blooded?
No matter how I thought about it, just sitting still didn't beat the heat for me.
Lize was like that, Rozalin was like that... I just couldn't understand any of them.
Did they all have built-in coolers or something...?
"Hmm... Should I fan you?"
"No need. The wind magic is enough."
"Is that so? Still, if you're this hot... maybe you're not drinking enough cool water usually?"
"Hmm..."
"Well, at least it's fine while we're eating shaved ice like this, right?"
"Yes, it is."
It did feel better while eating shaved ice.
I'd been indulging in ice cream and shaved ice a lot lately—probably because of the heat.
It felt good during and right after, but afterward... not much difference.
"Camellia?"
"Yes?"
"What are you thinking about so deeply? You're spacing out on your shaved ice."
"Oh... I was just lost in thought for a second..."
Had I gotten carried away thinking without realizing?
My mouth and hand had stopped midway through eating.
"Stop thinking for now. Here, ahh~"
Suddenly, Rozalin scooped up some shaved ice and held it out to me.
...It felt a little strange.
"...Madam?"
"I'm feeding you. You suggested shaved ice first, Camellia—if you don't eat it like this, what's the point?"
"I can feed myself..."
"I wanted to try this. Can't I?"
"...That's not it, but..."
I couldn't refuse when Rozalin said she wanted to do it herself.
It was a bit embarrassing, but... nothing wrong with it.
Lately, with Lize's help, I'd been trying to get used to things like this.
Getting shy over something as simple as being fed would mean no progress at all.
*Nom...*
For now, I accepted the spoonful of shaved ice from Rozalin.
It was a little embarrassing, but it didn't taste bad or anything—it was just Rozalin feeding me.
I ate it casually.
"Tasty, right?"
"...Yes. It's delicious."
The shaved ice tasted the same.
Yeah.
No reason for the taste to change—I'd just accepted what Rozalin offered.
I ate it without much fuss.
After that, Rozalin fed me a few more bites... but I didn't panic or refuse.
Honestly, Rozalin's expression was so bright and pretty when she fed me that I couldn't resist, but more than that, it didn't feel as awkward or weird as before.
Wasn't that enough...?
*
"Lize, ahh~"
"Young Lady... don't take out your frustration with Madam on me..."
"Frustration? I just want to do it for you too."
After Rozalin fed me shaved ice for the first time, I occasionally did the same to Lize.
Like deliberately feeding her shaved ice and such.
"We eat shaved ice together like this all the time, don't we?"
"Even so, you never did it like this before."
"Well, now I can, right?"
Of course, Lize's defenses were surprisingly solid, so she didn't play along easily with these pranks.
She allowed hand-holding and hugs, so why not this?
I couldn't quite understand, but... maybe she thought it was unsanitary.
I didn't push too hard.
"The old Lize was so cute..."
"What are you talking about...?"
"She'd shyly go along with hand-holding and play along with other pranks too. Now you don't, and it makes me sad."
"...Haven't you held my hand recently too...?"
"Still."
But I'd already been planning to do to Lize what Rozalin did to me.
Backing out and not doing the same to Lize wasn't an option now.
It wasn't out of resentment from what Rozalin did or anything.
When Rozalin fed me shaved ice, it embarrassed me... so I just wanted to get more used to it.
Like the other things I usually did with Lize.
"How about you feed me then, Lize?"
"As a servant, how could I..."
"I'm allowing it."
"But..."
"Will you eat? Or feed me?"
I always thought this, but maybe Lize found me more intimidating than I realized.
Girls our age were supposed to do this kind of stuff normally.
Holding hands, feeding each other desserts— I'd heard they did that.
So why did Lize always get so shy?
"Hmm... Lize."
"...Yes."
"Hand."
"...?"
"Give me your hand."
I asked Lize to give me her hand.
At my words, Lize immediately offered hers, and I grabbed both of her hands with one of mine.
My hands were actually smaller, so it didn't feel like a proper grip.
"Lize? Ahh~"
I held both her hands so she couldn't pull away, then tried again.
A proposal Lize couldn't refuse.
If I just asked outright, Lize would never do it... but like this, it was different.
Because Lize...
"Lize?"
"Young Lady... this is..."
...was weak to this kind of non-coercive coercion.
She didn't show outright disgust or strong refusal, but she was definitely embarrassed.
Just like I was when Rozalin did it to me.
That made it fun and cute.
"Lize, come on?"
"...Understood."
"Hehe... Now, eat it all up, no leftovers?"
"...Yes."
And so, Lize accepted the shaved ice I offered into her mouth.
Afterward, her face was noticeably redder than before.
Lize really was so shy.
"Hehe... One more bite, Lize?"
"...Yes."
Really... seeing a beauty like Lize, who usually hid her emotions so well, show such clear embarrassment was irresistibly cute.
Though Lize was more pretty than cute, that shyness made her even cuter.