Chapter 43: Chasing Terror
Chapter 43: Chasing Terror
I, Alfried is currently running through the hallway with all my strength. Running down the stairs in two steps, then dashing up in another two. I feel like I’ve ran to the first and second floor, and to the garden in the end. How much the same scenery did I see passing by.
I can hear footsteps from behind. That sound seems like a melody of death played after me. As if trying to reap my life, it approaches me vigorously with a loud noise *garigari*.
As expected, I can’t escape with that person’s extraordinary physical ability.
Terrified I can’t shake that person off, I ran while thinking of ways to survive.
Why am I running you ask? That’s because I’m currently running away.
Running away from what huh, from that pursuer.
「Waaaiiーitt!」
From behind, the pursuer - Eleonora-neesan - who is chasing me raise her voice.
「Hiiiiii! I told you it’s something inevitable!」
「Shut it!」
With a quivering voice I tried to explain, but she turned a deaf ear to it. It was brushed aside flatly.
It’s kinda unreasonable isn’t it.
Nah, this unreasonableness isn’t something that has just begun.
This scary game of tag (if one got caught, one’s life can’t be guaranteed. And there’s no substitute for life), it started because of the event a little while ago.
Right. It was quite a normal time spent in the mansion.
× × ×
Perhaps because of winter approaches, the air steadily get dry and it feels cold recently.
Thinking that it will be a long and cold winter after this, I stayed in bed in my room today as well.
But, when I opened the window, I realized that it’s a mild late autumn weather, and calm and also peaceful.
It’s not good to stay cooped up inside the room on such a nice and warm weather.
On such days, one would only be able to view the leaves outside that is changing color from the veranda, or just taking a walk. It’s also not a bad idea to invite Torr and do some exercise occasionally.
Having decided so, I, Alfried walk toward to the second floor veranda from my own room.
And when I walk in the corridor, I discovered the door of Eleonora-neesan is open.
Peeking inside somehow, there is the figure of Eleonora-neesan and I can smell a fragrant scent from the inside wafting around.
It looks like she dressed herself up while humming a song in front of the mirror she got recently.
Until now, there is only one mirror inside Elna-kaasan’s room, and she said that she always wanted one.
And finally, she got it in her own room, a big one and with a good quality mirror at that. So it’s understandable that she is in a good mood.
Eleonora-neesan had her long, reddish brown hair neatly arranged in a bundle. Then she patted her bangs with her hands lightly, twisting herself in front of the mirror to make sure there is no strange place in her body.
Her movement stopped suddenly, and she started to touch the hem of her clothes.
Maybe Eleonora-neesan is worried about her stomach, she raise the hem of her clothes.
I wonder does she dislike her stomach or something, she touch it with an annoyed-looking eyes.
「……muー」
「Are, Eleonora-neesan is fat――」.
「Huh!」
「Fuu!?」
「Who’s fat!」
「No no! That’s ‘cause Eleonora-neesan threw herslipper just now!」
That scream just now! The slipper dig into my cheek.
Nevertheless, what kind of reaction speed was that. I didn’t even see her movement of taking her slipper off, till she threw it. A dreadful sister as usual.
「Incidentally, I can’t overlook your first line.」
So now you’re using violence as an ‘incidentally’?! Oh well, that’s fine. In any case, I have to apologize for my verbal slip now.
Even so, why is Eleonora-neesan’s only has such a good memory in unnecessary place I wonder. Though her memory is generally disappointing.
「……you hear me?」
「Uwaa! I’m sorry. So please put down the slipper in you hand.」
When I apologized in a hurry, Eleonora-neesan slowly relaxed her stance. But, she hasn’t completely lowered it to the ground yet.
The slipper. Something that women hold in their hands, something that is changed from a simple footwear to become a sacred treasure. Especially, when the one throwing is a middle aged person, no matter how fast your leg, and no matter how far you are, that thing will always hit a bull’s eye. It plays a very active part in Japan as it is an important companion for a formidable enemy.
「And so?」
While tapping the slipper in her hand, Eleonora-neesan urge me to continue my explanation.
「You brought a really big and thick mirror.」
「I wonder if you said something like thatー?」
She directed a deep suspicious gaze at me. I think it’s kinda cruel to distrust your own brother.
「But why are you did got worried about my clothes?」
At this rate, the chance of me being defeated is high, so let’s change the topic.
But I got kinda worried about asking a direct question relating to stomach here you know? I’m not saying it’s because of Alfried’s kindness.
「It’s not about clothes actually, but recently I feel like I gained more weight around my stomach……」
「Hahaha, isn’t it almost every year that Eleonora-neesan gain more weight when it’s winter?」
Maybe, it’s similar to wild animals when they store fat in preparation for winter.
「……………Al?」
「I’m lying, it’s not the truth! Eleonora-neesan’s whole body, whether it’s arms, legs, stomach, and chest, they are all slim!」
「………my chest too?」
「Haa? Isn’t that so? Your chest is of course slim……ahh! Just now, it’s the truth!」
「………」
I’m screwed! In the end, even my words trailed off. I gave up on giving excuses, and started to run away at full speed.
× × ×
Oh well, that was the event which is the cause of this dreadful game of tag. Though I did something a bit bad this time, I think it would be nice if you could forgive me.
「To begin with, I’m aware what you’re so angry about ―― uooooh! Don’t throw that wooden sword!」
「Wait up!」
Really Eleonora-neesan, I feel like you’ve been saying nothing but that this whole time.
I ran down the stairs, opened the door to the hallway of the first floor forcefully. And then I ran without caring about my appearance. Run. From behind me, Eleonora-neesan also rushes into the hallway in the same way.
「Hey! It’s dangerous to run around inside the mansion!」
Nord-tousan’s voice sounded out, shattering the silence.
But, it’s dangerous if I stop running now. There would be no guarantee about my life if I were to be caught.
I wonder if she will forgive me if I gave her a different colored Gekota-kun…
From the hallway - still wearing slippers - the both of us rushed out to the garden.
「Even though you’ve been running all along, why are you still so fast! Using magic again!?」
「You might say that, but how come you can run so fast when you’re wearing slippers!?」
I don’t understand how she can run like she’s wearing shoes while she’s wearing actually slipper. Everytime she ran, there are more wrinkles on Gekota-kun as it raises a scream you know?
As for me, I just move around on my slipper as if I’m gliding. Though it looks the same, it is a slipper, not and indoor shoes like those in middle school or high school. I’m also accustomed about how to run efficiently.
Even so, I still can’t shake her off.
Even though she’s been shown this kind of pro-sliding technique. She still chased after me at a fixed distance.
Soon, I already went around the mansion, and once again, I’m inside.
Darn it, there’s no end to this. Eventually, my stamina will deplete and I will be caught.
If it’s like this, should I use teleport magic. I go upstairs and rush inside my room.
Then with a *kachari*, I immediately locked the door.
「Open up! I’ll forgive you right this instant if you go training with me for just one day!」
She knocks on the door *don don*, and said something quite dangerous. Isn’t that the same as a death sentence.
「I absolutely don’t want to do that!」
「Oh really! Open the door at once.」
Eleonora-neesan left from the door after leaving some dangerous-sounding words.
I breathe out, feeling relieved.
……fuu, I thought she would break the door open and come in immediately.
But, I can’t rest assured yet. If you ask me why I didn’t hole up in my room from the beginning, then it would be because there are spare keys in the mansion. So it wouldn’t make sense if I directly holed up in my room.
Even so, if it’s to earn some time for me, it would be plenty enough time for me when Eleonora-neesan went to get the key.
I opened the window widely, then I hung the rope taken out using Space Magic.
With this, Eleonora-neesan will now think that I went out from the mansion.
I lost my composure, I will be able to fool Eleonora-neesan right now. Maybe she’ll go after me to the village.
While I laugh inside my heart, I heard the metallic sound of what might be the spare key.
Oops, has she come already. I imagine a certain place in the mansion. And then my magical power enveloped me and teleported me in the blink of an eye.
「Saa, prepare yourself! We’ll have an intense training today! ……eh?」