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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 16

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 16

 

Warspite then put the pie inside of the oven and placed it exactly like Belfast instructed her to.

 

While staring at the Head Maid as if she was seeking affirmation from her, it was at that time that Belfast opened her mouth, as if remembering something important.

 

「Come to think of it, there was this one passage written in that one book. It was regarding the process of both cooking and preparatory work. It mentioned that while doing both of those things, there is one important thing that cannot be forgotten.」

 

「Cannot be forgotten? And what would that be?」

 

In response to that, Belfast folded her hands together in front of her and then she grinned broadly.

 

「It is to make a prayer for the dish that you are cooking to turn out a success.」

 

「Make a prayer, you say?」

 

「Yes, that’s right. Here’s what it said: “The greatest secret of making the most delicious of meals is to put all of your feelings into the dish that you are making. Especially the one of wanting your special someone to eat the most delicious of meals”.」

 

Hearing that, Warspite looked genuinely shocked and surprised. But since Belfast was not laughing, she only looked at her with even greater astonishment.

 

「…… Is that true? Are you actually being serious?」

 

「Yes, absolutely.」

 

「So you mean that, umm…… I have to make a prayer that hopefully Her Majesty is going to find it to her liking? Like, right here and right now?」

 

「Yes, that’s right.」

 

「“Please, I hope that it turns out to be good and delicious”~…… You want me to say that!? A cutesy and embarrassing line like that!?」

 

「Why, of course. Since you are the one making it, Warspite-sama.」

 

While she was blushing embarrassedly, Warspite cast yet another glance at the kiln oven.

 

Although she seemed to be hesitant for a moment out there, it was her desire to make Elizabeth think that her sweets were delicious that turned out to be way stronger than her own embarrassment.

 

「Please, turn out really delicious…… Please, I beg of you, turn out to be delicious…… Please, become the best pie that there ever was, so that eating it will surely put a smile on Her Majesty’s face……!!!」

 

When she was done saying that in a dazzlingly pleading voice, Warspite slowly stood up.

 

「…… Are you sure about it?」

 

「This is…… Yes, I’m sure. No problem at all.」

 

And after roughly twenty minutes, the two opened up the lid of the oven and took out the ready pie from it.

 

Belfast then cut the pie into slices and put a piece of it into her mouth in order to check the taste.

 

「How is it? Did it turn out to be good?」

 

Warspite asked anxiously, eager to know what the verdict of the Head Maid would be here. And after slowly tasting the pie and inhaling its scent as well as checking the overall structure and texture, Belfast said the following:

 

「I am sure that Her Majesty is going to find its taste to be satisfying.」

 

It was precisely at that exact moment that……

 

It was exactly like witnessing a clear blue sky after the dark and heavy storm clouds were finally gone for good.

 

「ALRIGHT!!!」

 

Warspite has showed the most adorable smile right now, the likes of which has never be seen on her lips before. She laughed in pure joy from the bottom of her heart, just like an innocent little girl would do, and after making a fist pump in front of her, she threw that fist high in the air, as if she wanted it to reach all the way towards the ceiling.

 

「Your Majesty……! Now even someone as unworthy as I am can succeed in baking you the most delicious of pies whenever you desire to have one!」 

 

Warspite stood there just like that for a moment or two more, but then she must have remembered where she was and that Belfast was still with her, for she lowered her fist and tried to get back to her usual demeanor.

 

「O-Of course, it’s not like I previously was unable to do so! Things such as this one are but a trifle thing for this Old Lady right here! Ohohohohohoho!」

 

「Yes, but of course. I completely understand.」

 

After placing the slices of the cherry pie onto a plate, Warspite carefully held the plate with both of her hands and headed straight towards the kitchen door.

 

Knowing that she was going to do that, Belfast went ahead and opened the kitchen door for her, and while carefully observing cheerful Warspite gazing at the pie that was in her hands right now, she slowly nodded her head in approval. Of course, the Old Lady did the same thing.

 

「Thank you very much for today, Belfast……」

 

Even though Warspite’s words of gratitude were really quiet because of how fast she was dashing ahead, Belfast was still able to hear them loud and clear all the same.

 

And just like that, she stood at the kitchen door, staring at the leaving Warspite in acknowledgment, with her words of gratitude still ringing in her ears like a beautiful melody.

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After dinner was already over, Kent carried the dirty dishes back into the kitchen, this time around making sure not to stack any towers with the plates, so to avoid the disaster that took place yesterday.

 

After that was done, the washing process went really smoothly and without any major incidents, and the way in which the mountain of dirty plates was quickly shrinking down was leaving Belfast wondering why everything went so horribly wrong yesterday.

 

When Belfast looked at the time, the hour was only just 9:00 p.m., which was much too early for the Head Maid’s usual bedtime.

 

「Hey, Bel! Would you like to take a bath with me today?」

 

When she turned off the light in the kitchen and put out all of the lanterns, Belfast happened to hear Edinburgh’s voice giving her an invitation like that. It was customary for the Maids to go to the dormitory’s bath separately after each maid was done with her share of tasks for the day, so moments like this when Belfast could go in for a dip together with her sister were actually few and far between.

 

After thinking about it for a good while, Belfast finally opened her mouth and gave Edinburgh her answer.

 

「I’m sorry, but I was actually thinking about doing some preparatory work for the tomorrow’s tasks and ––––––」

 

However, Belfast was never allowed to finish what she was about to say, for Edinburgh managed to interrupt her swiftly.

 

「Let’s go in together, shall we? Surely you’re not going to decline, right? RIGHT?」

 

The slightly annoyed expression that was currently visible on Edinburgh’s face was the sign of just how serious she was about this whole matter.

 

Apparently, Edinburgh must have still been worried about Belfast and her strange behavior from earlier this morning. And in the light of that fact, Belfast swiftly deduced that declining the invitation would only serve to worry Edinburgh even more, and she wanted to avoid doing that for the time being if she could help it.

 

「Yes, let’s do just that…… After all, it’s been a long time since we last happened to bathe together.」

 

When it comes to the Royal Navy’s dormitory, its baths were located on the northern side of the ground floor of the building. Of course, when it comes to Elziabeth, she also had her own private bathroom, but this one was available to everyone else.

 

It was the kind of bath that was using a series of pipes and pumps that pulled the hot water from the main boiler with the hot water storage tank, and the same one is used in the dormitories of other factions around the Port island.

 

The only thing that was different in here from all the other dormitories was the fact that the bathroom’s floor was made out of polished marble.

 

Taking off their maid uniforms and covering their bodies with thin bath towels, the two maids went through the door and enter the proper bathroom.

 

As they did just that, they could see that there was quite a large number of other shipgirls that were still using the baths, relaxing in the hot water and chatting with one another.

 

「Bel! This way, this way, come quick!」

 

Following Edinburgh’s prompt, the two sisters went for the free corner of one of the more spacious bathtubs, and after they were able to sink in all the way to their shoulders, both Edinburgh and Belfast could feel that their fatigues from all the day’s work was starting to quickly wash away without a trace.

 

「Don’t you get a feeling that bathing together while naked is something that dating couples would usually do?」

 

Edinburgh said something completely random like that while stretching her arms comfortably and staring blankly at the bathroom’s ceiling.

 

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