Octopus Party

We gazed at each other for a while.

Her face seemed slightly flushed.

Only the sound of waves striking the ship reached my ears.

I felt the sea breeze, but the warmth radiating from Orleans kept me from feeling cold.

Orleans let out a soft breath.

"… That's an unfair way to put it, sir."

She said this as she pulled her robe back on.

Perhaps my words to a woman had been a bit too blunt.

"I'll petition the duke. I'm sure he'll grant it. I served as a good test case. The next child who comes from the estate should be given a more comfortable environment."

"I see. That would be a big help."

"Not at all. I'm finally able to repay the debt for saving me. Now, let's head back. We need to sleep while we can."

"Right. Can't be standing before the duke with a sleep-deprived face."

The two of us returned to the cabin.

When we opened the door, Azu was standing there.

"Ah… Ha ha ha."

Our eyes met, and she laughed in an attempt to cover it up, but it was far too obvious.

She needed to get better at that sort of thing if she wanted life to be easier, I thought.

"Um, is Orleans-chan…"

"You'll find out tomorrow. Now go to bed, Azu."

"Come on, that's… I'm curious."

"Come now, let's go to sleep, Azu-sama."

"Even Orleans-chan… Fine."

Azu must have been worried about Orleans, whom she'd grown close to.

She might also have felt attached to someone she'd looked after.

Looking reluctant, Azu went back to bed and lay down.

Orleans followed after her.

Finally, I could get some rest.

I lay down and drowsiness washed over me.

I surrendered my consciousness to sleep.

When I woke, it was past noon.

Apparently I'd slept so deeply that even after being woken several times, I didn't stir.

They'd given up and left me until I woke on my own.

"So with that, Orleans-chan and I made this together."

For a combined breakfast and lunch, a large roasted octopus sat before us.

Apparently it had attacked the ship, but Azu had turned the tables on it, and now it graced our table.

"Orleans-chan did the cooking."

"I hope it suits your taste."

She said modestly.

The appearance was a bit grotesque, perhaps… While I was thinking that, Finn cut off a piece of a leg with her dagger and bit into it.

After chewing for a while, she swallowed.

Then she licked her lips and her expression brightened. The sign that she liked something.

"Pretty good, actually."

"Mm."

Azu and Orleans were staring at me intently, so I couldn't exactly not eat.

Trusting the words that seafood was basically always good, I took a bite.

The first thing I noticed was the strong chewiness.

Somehow managing to bite through it, I savored it in my mouth.

There was saltiness, and I thought I detected some umami. The springy texture was interesting too.

I swallowed with a gulp.

"How is it? Was it good?"

Azu pressed close, eyes sparkling.

If she'd had a tail, she'd surely be wagging it enthusiastically.

"It's delicious. Thanks, you two."

"Yes!"

"I'm glad."

Azu and Orleans shared their joy.

Both seemed brighter than usual.

"You're more dependable than I gave you credit for, Master."

Alexia spoke to me while holding an octopus leg skewered on a stick.

The combination looked rather peculiar. She'd be beautiful if she'd just stay quiet.

But Alexia didn't seem to care, and without being unladylike, she opened her mouth just enough to bite into the octopus.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said. You're recruiting her, aren't you? For Azu, Orleans is close to her own age, so she's thrilled. Elza and I get along with her, but we're a bit older, and Finn isn't exactly the friend type. She's friendly with that Kazusa girl, but she was probably still a bit lonely."

"I see. So that's why. You're quite perceptive."

"It wasn't hard. Both Azu and Orleans are acting differently than usual. Normally she's the quiet type, but she's pretty easy to read. I just thought about what could make those two act this way."

It seemed she'd set a little trap for me.

Still, to figure that out from just these signs was impressive.

Being a former noble, she might be skilled at reading people's subtleties.

I often watched people's faces in business, but I wasn't that confident in myself.

"I think it's a good idea too."

The one who hugged me from behind was Elza.

A soft sensation pressed against my back.

"Hey, don't just hug me out of nowhere. You're a priest, aren't you?"

"It's just a hug. The Creator King doesn't mind affectionate hugs. That girl is a good kid, so I'm all for her joining our family."

Elza said this cheerfully, but I caught a whiff of perfume and a hint of alcohol from her.

Had she been drinking?

Just when I thought she'd calmed down, this happened. She really was a free-spirited woman.

I forcibly removed her arms and escaped her hold.

"Look, just drink some water and sober up. We're meeting Duke Dantarg after this."

"I knooow."

Elza sipped the water I offered her little by little.

Finally she settled down.

Alexia watched this with a wry smile as she finished the rest of her portion.

The large octopus was shared with the crew, and we ate every last bit.

Perhaps because it was fresh, it was quite delicious.

The heat control was also excellent.

When I complimented Orleans, she smiled happily.

Eventually the ship arrived at Ateil's port.

After seeing the iron ore unloaded into a warehouse, we headed for the duke's manor.