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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 1 Chapter 3 Part 10

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 10

 

Thinking that there would be no point in her just standing still in one place, Belfast started to move forward as well. Turning at the corner of one path and going into a completely different path, the place where the Head Maid arrived at was filled to the brim with food stalls wrapped in a warm light of paper lanterns stretching to the left and right as far as the eye could see.

 

[But even so, I wonder just what kinds of stores are even opened for business here……?]

 

While gazing at the stalls lined up right in front of her, Belfast thought she would take a peek at one that had a banner titled: “Takoyaki Shop” in huge colorful letters.

 

As for the stall itself, there was a lone manjuu with a headband wrapped around its head, working tirelessly and doing its best to flip the takoyaki over once they were ready to be flipped.

 

[Oh, I see, so you are the ones who are running the stalls in here, you guys.]

 

The appearance of the “manjuu” working with all of its heart made Belfast actually crack a smile of its own.

 

If you were to look closely, you could see the “manjuu” at the other stalls were cooking yakisoba and okonomiyaki, while they were also those who were handling Western dishes such as hamburgers or kebab sandwiches.

 

[Excuse me, can I have some takoyaki, please?]

 

After receiving the freshly made takoyaki from the manjuu, Belfast slowly walked around the city, with the sounds and bustle of the festival serving as her background music. Unaware of the fact that she was unconsciously smiling all the time, she was thrilled by the sight of her very first summer festival.

 

At the current moment, the fact that she was feeling so down because of the need to go on her day off seemed like nothing more but a lie to Belfast. As she was making her alongside the various stalls while cooling herself down with a small hand fan with summer festival decorations that someone handed to her, she eventually found a stall that had a banner reading “Lottery” on it.

 

[Could you give me one lottery lot, please?]

 

The ridge of strings was handed over to the Head Maid by the Manjuu working at the stall, and when she chose one of them and pulled on it really hard, the string that Belfast had chosen managed to go past all of the luxurious-looking and exotic prizes, going straight towards the box containing a single piece of candy. No matter how you look at it, Belfast had lost here. But she stared at the candy for a moment and just let out a small chuckle in reaction to that.

 

After picking up the candy that was her prize, she walked a little bit further down the street, and soon she reached the last food stall on that road.

 

Just when Belfast thought that this was basically it for all the attractions here, she remembered that a pamphlet Renown had had on her introduced a nearby shrine as a popular tourist spot.

 

[I’m pretty sure…… That you are supposed to go this way to get to it.]

 

Belfast continued to walk past the last food stall, even though she only vaguely remembered the location where she was supposed to be going. As she ate her candy, the light from the lanterns gradually faded away, and before long, the vague outline of the shrine’s main hall came into her view in the distance.

 

There were two torii gates before her, and she passed through them and went up the stone steps.

 

There were also lanterns hanging in the precincts beyond the tori gates, but their light was much fainter than the ones closer to the city. The place here looked like a fortune-telling shrine, and as Belfast wandered around and advanced towards the back of it, she discovered a large, round stone sculpture in the back of the shrine.

 

There was a wooden sign right next to the stone carving, and Belfast proceeded to get closer to read what was written on it.

 

[A wish stone, huh……? And the shrine itself is supposed to be dedicated to the God of Marriage?]

 

Apparently, this shrine right here was a popular tourist spot especially amongst young women who were hoping to get married in the near future, but since Belfast had no real interest in that particular topic, she couldn’t help it but to feel as if coming here was actually one huge waste of her time.

 

[It looks like I would have done a whole lot better if I were to go where everyone else went. At least that could have been a good use of my free time.]

 

Belfast tried to turn around and start heading back from the shrine, but then she just stopped right there on the spot.

 

Even though this shrine in particular was dedicated to having a good fortune with the members of the opposite sex for the prospect of the future marriage, Belfast recalled that there was never a rule that would prohibit giving a prayer in intentions that would differ from the ones that the shrine was dedicated to. And as the Head Maid of the Maid Corps of the Royal Navy, Belfast thought it was only natural that she should pray for a continuous good fortune in her work, that she would get along with everyone back at the port, and that they should stay in good health.

 

When Belfast looked up, she saw that the shrine office was still open, partly because it was the summer festival time. According to what was written on the notice board, if you pray in front of the Wishing Stone along with the stone in a drawstring bag called the “Wish Stone” given to tourists at the shrine’s office, your wish was said to be able to come true.

 

As soon as Belfast was given the “Wish Stone” talisman at the shrine office, she came back in front of the Wishing Stone and crouched down on the spot.

 

She squeezed the “Wish Stone” in her hands really tightly while she closed her eyes, and then she muttered the silent prayer from the bottom of her heart.

 

[From now on, and possibly forever…… I hope we can all get along really well together with the members of the entire Maid Corps.]

 

And then the Head Maid thought of a person’s face, one that was always on her mind and which she knew she must never forget, no matter what.

 

[I hope that I will continue to have a good relationship with Her Majesty –––––– My Beloved Queen Elizabeth.]

 

When Belfast was busy with praying extensively for the well-being of her comrades and beloved ones from the Royal Navy’s dormitory, their faces began to pop up inside of her mind one after another.

 

Now, since she was already here, praying, should she also pray for the luck and good fortune of every single one of her acquaintances? However, suppose that she was to do that, wouldn’t the God of Marriage simply think that Belfast was way too greedy with her wishes like that?

 

Belfast would then stop and think about that for a moment or two.

 

If it would be truly just for a little bit, she was sure that the God of Marriage would not mind.

 

[Oh Dear God, I am most terribly sorry for this, but you see ––––––]

 

While holding the stone tightly in her hands, Belfast gently put her hands together and closed her eyes.

 

[–––––– I might not look like it, but I am actually a very greedy person.]

 

After clapping her hands once more, Belfast went on and on in her head, naming all the shipgirls that she has come to know all over the Home Port island, and everyone she could possibly think of. And while she was doing that, she certainly was not concerning herself with the fact that she might be troubling the God of Marriage here, or that her own greed basically knew no bounds.

 

After Belfast was done naming every single person inside of her heart, she made one last earnest prayer.

 

—— I want to spend time with everyone forever and ever, while getting along as friends.

 

Just for how long she has been doing that now?

 

But having done her share of praying, Belfast was ready now to leave the shrine. And so she turned from the Wishing Stone, and started her descent down the shrine’s stairs while holding tight onto the Wish Stone talisman that she was still holding in her hand.

 

He walks toward the stone steps of the shrine while looking at his kimono.

 

[I just hope that I won’t end up being hated by that God in particular…… Fufufu.]

 

While carefully holding the stone filled with her wishes, Belfast headed towards the hot spring town where the festival music was playing without a break all the time, and with a strangely radiant feeling in her chest, she decided to return to the inn on her own for now.

 

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