Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Refreshing Carriage Ride
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One thing was certain: the air conditioning magic was divine, and Ashley was invincible.
It was so comfortable that I found myself sitting still, grinning without realizing it.
"Hehe... hoho..."
"Camellia, what's so funny?"
"It's cool. Mother hasn't let me have shaved ice lately... and it's been hot in all sorts of ways. But right now, it's so refreshingly cool that I love it."
"You were laughing like that just because of the coolness?"
"Yes."
I was really just laughing because it was cool.
I'm not usually someone who smiles so easily, but it genuinely put me in a good mood.
It might seem odd to grin over something as simple as cool air, but the carriage interior was that refreshingly chilly.
It was already a high-end, expensive carriage, so it didn't shake much and rarely caused motion sickness. On top of that, now it was cool too.
The comfort level was incomparable to the carriages I usually rode in—it was paradise, plain and simple.
"It's so much nicer than the carriages we usually take, right?"
"Yeah, it is. But I'm not someone who suffers much from the heat?"
"...I do, though."
"Hehe, got it. Got it. How much farther until we arrive?"
"Yes. Probably... we'll keep going straight through today?"
We had to travel almost all the way to the capital, after all.
Not quite to the capital, but pretty close.
"Everyone in the back is just sleeping... Should we keep going like this?"
"I'm fine. And... seeing how soundly they're all sleeping, it might be better to just let them be."
"...You're right."
Up front were me, Rozalin, and Lize, with Lize handling the driving.
We'd planned to hire someone else, but Lize volunteered first.
Somehow, she'd ended up driving alongside us.
Unlike a regular carriage, this luxury model allowed Lize to easily move between the interior and the driver's seat. And the most important part was...
"Lize, how are the horses?"
"They're... incredibly smart. They're reading the road and galloping straight ahead without any directions from me."
"Worth every penny."
The horses were expensive.
Really... each one we'd bought this time cost easily four times more than a regular horse.
These weren't ordinary horses; they were a breed enhanced through mana during their growth process.
They were smarter than average horses and could replenish their energy with mana instead of just food, making them versatile for all sorts of uses.
That was why nobles used them so often.
I was truly glad we'd gotten these.
"Out of everything we've spent money on lately, this is the most satisfying."
"I agree."
"Lize, you've been watching the horses the whole time and driving—must be tiring, right?"
"...No, it's not."
"What do you mean 'no'? Isn't it, Mother?"
Lize kept denying it whenever I said anything, so I had no choice but to ask Rozalin.
Lize might brush off my questions with a "no," but she was still polite to adults.
"You're right. While all the kids in the back were sleeping, she was going in and out by herself. She should rest a bit."
"...Yes."
"Hehe..."
"...Young Lady, you're being mischievous."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
Anyway, we were spending our time in truly cool comfort inside the carriage.
The sky outside the window had already darkened, and it was well into evening.
The original plan had been to stop at some village along the way and stay at an inn, but it was more comfortable than we'd expected.
The carriage interior was cooler than outside, and being top-of-the-line, it wasn't uncomfortable to sleep in.
...At this point, it felt like we could just enjoy a summer retreat inside the carriage.
"Camellia, we'll arrive tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. At this speed... we should get there sometime tomorrow morning. We're not stopping at all."
"But aren't you sleepy, Camellia?"
"I... plan to look out at the scenery a bit longer before sleeping. What about you, Mother?"
I'd taken a short nap earlier, but Rozalin hadn't.
Unlike Ashley, who'd slept all day, Rozalin had stayed awake, chatting with the other friends in the carriage to pass the time.
She had to be sleepy.
"Hmm... I should sleep too."
"Then rest well. Everyone in the back is asleep anyway."
"True. They're sleeping so comfortably that I feel bad waking them."
"They'll probably sleep straight through until morning, don't you think?"
They really were sleeping that soundly.
Ella, who'd been chattering nonstop in the carriage, had finally worn herself out and was quietly asleep. Karen must have gotten tired dealing with her, because she was out too.
Ashley, well...
"Rest well. Lize?"
"Yes, Young Lady."
"Let's go check on the horses outside."
"Understood."
I left the slightly fatigued-looking Rozalin to sleep and moved to the front with Lize.
She hadn't said it, but exhaustion showed on her face.
I decided to give her some space.
Knowing Rozalin's personality, she'd feel bad falling asleep first if I was still awake beside her.
So, I sat in the driver's seat, where the coachman would normally be.
Unlike in the back, I could clearly hear the horses' hooves pounding.
"Lize, thanks for today."
"It's nothing, Young Lady. Just doing what I should..."
"No. Still, thank you."
Lize tried to decline the thanks again, but I cut her off.
She'd earned it today.
After all, we were all nobles, unaccustomed to driving carriages or hauling luggage.
That meant Lize inevitably had more tasks.
From driving the carriage to all sorts of other things.
"But at the villa, there'll be more maids. So once we arrive, you can relax and take a proper vacation."
"...Pardon?"
"You're here to have fun too, Lize. You need to rest properly."
I'd planned to make sure Lize got some real time off from the start.
She'd never taken a proper vacation before.
For this trip, I'd prepared extra maids at the villa.
I'd selected some from the mansion staff who were willing to work extra without taking leave, and even hired short-term help.
There was a bit of expense, but it was necessary regardless—not just for Lize.
With six people... Lize couldn't handle everything alone, right?
Bringing other maids was essential, not optional.
"...Then I'll go and..."
"Just rest, okay?"
"...Is that so."
"Yes. On this trip, you can truly relax."
"...Understood."
But... Lize's expression wasn't what I'd expected.
I'd thought she'd be happy if I let her rest easy.
Instead, she looked... disappointed somehow.
"...?"
Why on earth that face?
"Lize, don't you like it?"
"...No. It's just... I've always served as your maid, Young Lady. Hearing suddenly that I can rest..."
"...Is that why?"
"...Yes."
She nodded slightly, her face... a faint blush.
Was she embarrassed?
"Hmm..."
What should I say?
I hadn't expected her to feel that way.
"I'm just giving you a vacation because I'm grateful to you, Lize. Not because I dislike you or anything."
"......"
"And when did I ever say I'd go off and play with others, leaving you behind?"
"Well..."
"I'm going to keep including you while we play?"
I smiled and told her that.
Because I really planned to take her along everywhere.
I'd bring her with us while hanging out with the others, and even though it was a vacation for her, I couldn't exactly avoid giving her any tasks at all.
...Everyone else was the type who'd never gotten their hands dirty.
I could handle some rough work, but the others couldn't.
"So, no more weird worries. Got it?"
"Understood..."
Anyway, that settled Lize's odd concerns for now.
While reassuring her, I recharged the horses' bodies with mana and confirmed they were running smoothly.
Once everything checked out, I returned to the cool, air-conditioned back.
"Mother's asleep."
"She was chatting with everyone from morning. She must be tired."
"Yeah. She could use some rest."
She hadn't gotten a break, constantly talking with the younger kids in the back.
No wonder she'd fallen asleep so quietly.
"...Hmm."
"What is it?"
"Oh, nothing... It's just that sleeping sitting up feels a bit sorry."
I could have woken everyone and checked into a decent inn.
But they were sleeping so well, and I felt bad disturbing them... so here we were, sleeping upright.
Karen and Ella sitting like that was fine, but seeing Rozalin do it tugged at me.
I decided to help her lie down comfortably.
"Lize, got a blanket?"
"Shall I get one?"
"Yes."
I took the blanket from Lize and draped it over Rozalin's legs.
Then, ever so gently, I eased her sleeping body toward me so she wouldn't wake.
"This should be more comfortable, right?"
"It looks like it."
I positioned her head to pillow on my thigh.
Making it as cozy as possible.
I'd done that for Rozalin first, but from this angle below, her features stood out so strikingly that I couldn't help lifting my gaze upward.
Staring at Rozalin pillowed on my thigh felt somehow off.
It shouldn't have, but it did.