Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Lingering Fatigue
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Yesterday, we had a really great time at the valley.
Well, it was more like resting than playing, but we did play a bit.
"Yawn..."
Was it because I had so much fun at the valley yesterday?
From the morning, I was stuck in this constant state of exhaustion.
Thanks to that, I was just sitting still—really still—in the first-floor lobby, resting.
"Young Lady, are you all right?"
"I'm tiiired..."
"...You might be tired because you're lying down too much."
"But standing up makes me even more tired..."
"Ugh..."
I lay on the sofa, staying completely still and resting.
After breakfast, I hadn't left this sofa at all.
Lize, sitting on the sofa next to me, seemed to be going back and forth to other places, but I couldn't manage that at all.
I definitely rested well yesterday.
Even though I relaxed so comfortably in and out of the valley water... I felt even more tired.
"........."
Why on earth was I this tired?
All I did yesterday was play in the valley water, rest quietly, shake off the water, and sit on a sunbed soaking up the sun moderately.
It was just that much, so why was I this exhausted?
"Yawn..."
"Young Lady, if you're that tired... how about sleeping?"
"But I'm not sleepy..."
That made the situation even more awkward.
If I could just fall asleep and recover, I would have, but it was pure fatigue without any drowsiness.
"Lize, could you ask the maids to bring some tea?"
"No, I'll get it."
"Huh? You don't have to...? It's vacation right now anyway."
I did want some tea, but I hadn't planned on making Lize do it.
She was on vacation, after all.
There were other maids around, and there was really no need for Lize to fetch it, so I said it was fine.
But despite my words, Lize went to get the tea anyway.
"...Hmm."
Was I not getting treated like the lady of the house by Lize?
Even though I said it was okay, seeing her just go... it made me think that, and I felt sorry too.
She had been by my side since breakfast, watching me lie here all exhausted.
So maybe she stepped up out of consideration.
"Sigh..."
Somehow, I'd ended up assigning work to Lize again, and it felt awkward.
I'd meant to avoid giving her any tasks as much as possible.
"Young Lady, please sit up for a moment."
"Thanks."
In the end, Lize brought the tea herself, and I sat up from my lying position.
She wasn't in her maid uniform, but what she was doing didn't seem any different from usual.
She often humored me or brewed tea like this when I was doing something.
Of course, I wasn't big on tea, so I didn't drink it often.
"Whew..."
I took the tea Lize had prepared, blew on it gently to cool it, and brought it to my lips.
Normally, there were all sorts of tea ceremony rules and such.
But this was private time anyway.
"It's good. Not bitter, which I like."
"You don't like bitter tastes, Young Lady."
"True. Though it still feels a bit bitter."
Maybe because she added milk and sugar—it definitely suited my taste more than tea brewed by others.
There was a slight bitterness left, but without it... it'd basically just be milk.
"Lize, what’s Ella doing right now?"
"Lady Niesista left the villa for a bit and went to the nearby city."
"Hmm... What about Older Sister Karen?"
"She went for a walk in the back mountain. Not alone—she took some maids with her."
"I see..."
I'd been half out of it since breakfast, just lying there, so I hadn't noticed.
But it seemed everyone was resting well in their own ways, which was a relief.
I'd asked Lize about Ella and Karen, but there was no need to ask about Rozalin or Ashley.
Of course Ashley was occupying one of the lobby sofas, fast asleep with us.
...As you'd expect.
"Mother’s still in her room?"
"I haven't seen her leave. She's probably there."
"That makes sense."
I'd seen Rozalin going between the first and second floors somewhat often.
Anyway, unlike yesterday's lively time at the valley, today we were spending an incredibly quiet day.
Especially me.
"Lize, aren't you tired?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Hmm... Lucky you."
Lize sat beside me with such a mature poise, perfectly still.
Unlike me, sprawled out and exhausted, she sat with her back straight in perfect posture.
It was partly that I was more tired than usual, but Lize looked so at ease it was almost astonishing.
She'd played even harder than me yesterday—how was she so relaxed?
"Did I stay in the water too long yesterday?"
"Is it a cold?"
"Nah, doesn't feel like it."
I didn't have any cold symptoms at all.
No headache, no pain anywhere.
"Maybe it's because I played a lot after so long?"
"...I don't think so."
"Really...? Or maybe not. Could be that my body got tired from resting after so long..."
"Then why don't you ever rest normally, when you know that?"
Lize gave me a slightly pitiful look, but I thought it was a reasonable guess.
Something as idle as the past few days felt too awkward.
Maybe my body was shocked or something?
"Young Lady, it might be better to just sleep."
"I drank tea earlier, so I can't."
"........"
"Hmm... Lize, it feels like you're looking at me pitifully."
"I'm not."
"...Good."
For some reason... it felt like the way I used to look at Ashley, and Lize was giving me that gaze.
She didn't usually look at me like that, so it stood out more.
"Ughhh..."
Anyway, even though I'd only rested, it was inexplicably a tiring day.
Of course, it'd get better by afternoon, right?
*
"...Mother, I think I'm feeling a bit better now."
"Hm? What did you say?"
"No, uh... nothing..."
I'd spoken to Rozalin in a tiny voice, but she didn't catch my words properly.
...How did it come to this?
"It's because you were in the water too long yesterday, so staying warm should make it better."
"Haha... Thank you..."
I was still exhausted and lying on the sofa when Rozalin came down to the first floor again and saw me like that.
The moment I explained it was fatigue, she suddenly scooped me up... and brought me to her room.
Just as I was, lying down.
Then she laid me on her bed, covered me with the blanket...
"Whew..."
Even if I was tired, I should have just walked around normally.
If I had, I wouldn't be lying here in Rozalin's bed, in her room.
Just lying there, but my mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts—it was honestly tough.
The scent unique to Rozalin lingering on the bed I was lying in, and her standing alone by the bookshelf, looking through the books, unlike me...
"........"
I even considered kicking off the blanket and running out.
But knowing Rozalin's personality, she'd definitely drag me back inside if I tried.
She'd done it before when I had a cold, so I was sure she'd do it again.
"Want to read a book? There are more here than you'd think."
"...I'm good."
"Not into reading?"
"That's part of it... but I'm a bit tired."
"Hehe, then the best thing is to take a good nap."
"...Yeah."
As Rozalin said, falling asleep quickly seemed best right now.
Like last time, why did she only wear a negligee and robe in her room...?
My eyes kept drifting in weird directions, and it was troublesome.
Plus, the books on the shelf she was looking at were the ones I'd placed there—mostly ones I'd already read.
Rereading books like some useful review hobby? Not for me.
I just wanted to fall asleep fast, shake off the fatigue, and somehow improve this awkward situation.
"Mother...?"
"Yes? What's up?"
"...Aren't you hot?"
"Not really. Why?"
"...Never mind."
I'd almost asked why she was just in sleepwear negligee and a robe, but... I decided against it.
She was in her own room, after all, and wearing what she wanted there was no issue.
It wasn't for me to butt in.
"But Mother... do you like reading books? I don't think I've seen you do it much."
"Books? I like them well enough. Not something I do often, though."
"You were looking at the shelf so intently."
"Hehe, doesn't suit me?"
"No, just curious. Like last time I came in, you seem more interested in books than I thought..."
"Well, the shelf has a lot of interesting ones, doesn't it?"
"Ah..."
The bookshelf was half for decoration.
But aside from that intent, since Rozalin seemed to like it, I decided to think positively.
"Ah, then how about we read together this time?"
"Pardon?"
"I'll read to you from the side. Listening to a story before sleep might help you fall asleep easier, right?"
"...Mother?"
"What do you think?"
It was... really something you'd do for a child.
Reading a book beside a kid before they sleep.
Something you'd do for a really young child...
".......Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes. It... actually sounds good."
...But I couldn't easily refuse Rozalin's offer.
Her face was so bright as she suggested it, full of excitement and interest.
Refusing here would just disappoint her, so I accepted.
Well, just reading a book aloud beside me.
It wouldn't interfere that much with sleeping...
"...Mother?"
I thought that as I prepared to sleep.
But contrary to my thoughts, Rozalin suddenly pulled back the blanket... and lay down beside me.
Holding a single book in her hand.